Episodes

In this interview, I chat with Renee Rosen about Let's Call Her Barbie, the story of how Barbie came to be, why Barbie looks like she does, what Renee couldn't include, the editing process, her title and cover, and much more. Renee's recommended reads are: The Lost Passenger by Frances Quinn The Many Lives and Loves of Hazel Lavery by Lois Cahall Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page 2025 Winter Reading Guide with 45 new titles vetted by me that will provide gre...

Kelly Hooker joins me for the January's Real Time Reading episode where we highlight our current, past and upcoming reads. Kelly’s Selections: Last: Any Trope But You by Victoria Lavine Penitence by Kristen Koval Now: The House of My Mother: A Daughter’s Quest for Freedom by Shari Franke Dream State by Eric Puchner Next: Our Last Resort by Clemence Michallon The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett DNFs or Didn't Like: The Antidote by Karen Russell Book Mail Highlights: Finding Grace ...

In this interview, I chat with Tracey Lange about What Happened to the McCray's?, her personal inspiration for this story, reader response to her books, the book's release date, how guilt can overtake us, forgiveness, her title and cover, and much more. Tracey's recommended reads are: All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker Penitence by Kirstin Koval Such Kindness by Andre Dubus III Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page 2025 Winter Reading Guide with 45 ne...

In this interview, I chat with Karissa Chen about Homeseeking, the interesting way she landed on the format for this book, her research, how the trauma of war impacts citizens, the way she handles language in this book, names and they can change over time in certain cultures, and much more. Karissa's recommended reads are: The Lost Boy of Santa Chionia by Juliet Grames We Lived on the Horizon by Erica Zwyler What My Bones Know by Stephanie Foo The Sense of Wonder by Matthew Salesses Lookin...

In this interview, I chat with Fiona Davis about The Stolen Queen, how she came up with the ideas for this one, her research in Egypt and at the Metropolitan Museum of Art including the behind-the-scenes storage areas, focusing on women lost to history, her title's multiple meanings, her stunning cover, and much more. Fiona's recommended reads are: By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern by Lynda Cohen Loigman Want to know which new titles are publishing in January...

Kelly Hooker joins me for the December's Real Time Reading episode where we highlight our current, past and upcoming reads. Kelly’s Selections: Last: The Dollhouse Academy by Margarita Montimore Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney Now: Deep Cuts by Holly Blakely Bluebird Day by Megan Tady Next: Blood and the Badge: The Mafia, Two Killer Cops, and a Scandal That Shocked the Nation by Michael Cannell More or Less Maddy by Lisa Genova DNFs or Didn't Like: The Fisherman’s Gift by Julia R. Kelly ...

Today, the Book Bumble podcast and Thoughts from a Page come together for a joint episode about books contain a strong sense of place. Featured Books: The Lost Man by Jane Harper (CB) Homecoming by Kate Morton (CB) The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer (LH) Celine by Peter Heller (LH) The Ancients by John Larison (LP) Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy (LP) Book In Hand: Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton (CB) Books Mentioned in This Episode: Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy Wild Dark ...

Mary Webber O'Malley and Pamela Klinger-Horn join me to recommend their favorites reads of the first quarter of 2025. Pamela's selections: January: The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis All the Water in the World by Eiren Caffall More or Less Maddy by Lisa Genova Too Soon by Betty Shamiah The Favorites by Layne Fargo February: A Long Time Gone by Joshua Moehling Tilda Is Visible by Jane Tara Isola by Allegra Goodman March: Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall The Story She Left Behind by Patt...

In this episode, Kelly Hooker and I discuss our top reads of 2024. Our Top Shared Reads: First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston We Used to Life Here by Marcus Kliewer Kelly’s Remaining Selections: Mercury by Amy Jo Burns Everyone but Myself by Julie Chavez Drinker of Ink by Shannon Castleton Mrs. Quinn’s Rise to Fame by Olivia Ford Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra Soldiers and Kings: Survival and Hope in the World of Human Trafficking by Jason De Leon How to Age Disgracefu...

Jayda Justus recommends books for gift giving this holiday. Her recommendations: Favorite Fiction: Maria: A Novel of Maria von Trapp by Michelle Moran What the Mountains Remember by Joy Callaway Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear Evelyne Redfern series by Julia Kelly Shogun by James Clavell The Turtle House by Amanda Churchill London or New York by Edward Rutherfurd A Woman of Intelligence by Karin Tanabe Only the Beautiful by Susan Meissner Presidential ...

In this interview, I chat with Marybeth about Every Moment Since, the inspiration for this book, her book dedication, society's current obsession with true crime, changing agents due to writing this book, how she chose who would tell the story, pouring her heart and soul into this one, her title and cover, and much more. Marybeth's recommended reads are: The Devil at His Elbow by Valerie Bauerlein What in the World?! by Leanne Morgan Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - ...

In this episode, Kelly and I chat about our favorite books that published in July through early October 2024. Our shared top reads: The Wedding People by Alison Espach We Solve Murders by Richard Osman The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern by Lynda Cohen Loigman Kelly’s remaining top reads: The Same Bright Stars by Ethan Joella Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder by Kerryn Mayne The Best Lies by David Ellis Worst Case Scenario by T.J. Newman The Axeman’s Carnival by Catherine Chidgey The Bor...

In this interview, I chat with Elly Griffiths about The Man in Black, how this group of short stories came into being, her favorite story in the collection, what surprised her the most when writing them, how the stories are ordered, her covers in the U.K. and the U.S., her work in translation, and much more. Elly's recommended reads are: One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware Has Anyone Seen Charlotte Salter? by Nicci French Babel by R. F. Kuang Want to know which new titles are publ...

Kelly Hooker joins me for the November's Real Time Reading episode where we highlight our current, past and upcoming reads. Kelly’s Selections: Last: The Favorites by Layne Fargo A Very Bad Thing by J.T. Ellison Now: The Dollhouse Academy by Margarita Montimore The Dark Hours by Amy Jordan Next: The Fisherman’s Gift by Julia R. Kelly The Quiet Librarian by Allen Eskens DNFs or Didn't Like: The Garden by Nick Newman The Family Inside by Katie Garner Tilt by Emma Pate Book Mail Highlight...

In this interview, I chat with Sy Montgomery about What the Chicken Knows, her title and cover, why she loves chickens so much, what she wants her readers to take away from this book, how each flock has its own vibe, and much more. Sy's recommended reads are: Playing Possum: How Animals Understand Death by Susana Monso Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2025? Check out our third Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehe...

In this interview, I chat with Marissa Stapley about The Lightning Bottles, her musical muses for Jane and Elijah, including a road trip component in her story, how she approached writing about the drug use of the era, determining who tells the story and why she chose who she did, and much more. Marissa's recommended reads are: Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2025? Check out our thi...

For today’s episode, I am running a Chapters and Chats conversation with Chris Whitaker about All the Colors of the Dark. Chapters and Chats is run by Kelly of @kellyhook.readsbooks and Ivana of @beachesbooksnbubbles. You can contact either one of them to be added to their list for a particular chat. Check out their Instagram accounts to learn more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this interview, I chat with Kirsty Greenwood about The Love of My Afterlife, how popular the romance genre currently is, romance tropes and including them in her book, her favorite trope, her U.S. and U.K. covers, being selected as the GMA July pick, the screen adaptation, and much more. Kirsty's recommended reads are: Under Your Spell by Laura Wood How to End a Love Story by Yulia Huang Join my Patreon to support the production of my podcast. Other ways to support the podcast can be found...

In this interview, I chat with Lynda Cohen Loigman about The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern, the familial inspirations for this book, her title and stunning cover, including humor into the narrative, how hard she worked to get her characters' voices right, the research she conducted, The Thursday Authors, and much more. Lynda's recommended reads are: The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo The Wedding People by Alison Espach Four Squares by Bobby Finger Join my Patreon to support the production of my p...

Kelly Hooker joins me for the October's Real Time Reading episode where we highlight our current, past and upcoming reads. Kelly’s Selections: Last: Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister Now: Jane and Dan at the End of the World by Colleen Oakley The Small and the Mighty by Sharon McMahon Next: The Family Inside by Katie Garner One Good Thing by Georgia Hunter DNFs or Didn't Like: Isola by Allagra Goodman Clever Little Thing by Helena Es...

Mary Webbey O'Malley and Pamela Klinger-Horn join me to recommend their favorites reads of Fall 2024. Mary's selections: Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors Rejection by Tony Tulathimutte Eden Undone by Abbott Kahler The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern by Lynda Loigman Remember You Will Die by Eden Robbins American Rapture by CJ Leede Libby Lost and Found by Stephanie Booth Hate Follow by Erin Quinn-Kong Life's Short, Talk Fastbby Ann Hood The Serviceberry by Robin Kimmermer The Hidden Life of...

In this interview, I chat with Kimberly Brock about The Fabled Earth, how she decided to write about Cumberland Island and how she created her characters, building a strong sense of place, looking back on history through a 2024 lens, what makes us human, her cover and title, and much more. Kimberly's recommended reads are: Circe by Madeline Miller Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver Join my Patreon to support the production of my podcast. Other ways to support the podcast can be found her...

In this episode, Kelly and I chat about our favorite books that published in April through June 2024. Our shared top reads: How To Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley Long Time Gone by Charlie Donlea Kelly’s remaining top reads: The Sicilian Inheritance by Jo Piazza Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez Long After We Are Gone by Terah Shelton Harris I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue Assassins Anonymous by Rob Hart Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe ...

In this interview, I chat with Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding about Elizabeth of East Hampton, how they decided to write together, modernizing Jane Austen and the pressure of updating such an iconic author's works, how writing for television is different than writing novels, how they decide which book to tackle and when, and much more. Audrey's recommended reads are: You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by Victoria Schwab The Paradise Problem by Christin...