Bookish Flights: Themed Book Recommendations & Author Interviews

Latest Episodes:

From the NFL to Crime Fiction: Andre Hardy on Tear the City Down (E237) Sep 02, 2026

Show notes

In today’s episode, I’m chatting with Andre Hardy, a former NFL player turned writer and author of the debut crime novel Tear the City Down. Set in San Diego against the high-stakes world of professional football, the novel draws on Andre’s own experiences in the NFL while exploring the darker sides of the sport and the city. We also talk about his path to writing, the role of jazz throughout the Coltrane series, and the experiences that shaped his storytelling.

Episode Highlights

Andre’s journey from professional football to writing and what led him to put his own NFL experiences on the page
Looking beyond the glitz & glamour of professional football to the physical toll on players, particularly their bodies and brains
Exploring the contrasts of San Diego and what lies beneath the beautiful version of the city most people see
Why Andre believes writing about books challenges us to slow down, think more deeply, and examine what we believe
The influence of John Coltrane & how pairing the novels with Coltrane’s music creates a bigger, broader experience for readers
Andre’s book flight of atmospheric mysteries and thrillers, including stories featuring male protagonists navigating fatherhood and relationships with their daughters

Connect with Andre:

Some links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

Edgar Allen Poe books
The Blue Flameby George Pelecanos
Record Lows by CJ Green
James McBride books
Percival Everett books
Middle Passage by Charles Johnson
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Darktown by Thomas Mullen
Ghalen by Walter Mosley

Book Flight

Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley
Pegasus Descending by James Lee Burke
She Rides Shotgun by Jordan Harper

The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.

Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:

One chapter book for growing readers
One picture book for our littlest readers
A few family conversation starters + a simple activity

Three books. One common theme.

→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

BFF Book Club - Spies, Lies & Alibis with Natalie Walters (E236) Aug 28, 2026

Show notes

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In today’s BFF Book Club episode, I’m chatting with romantic suspense author Natalie Walters about our August pick, Spies, Lies, and Alibis. Natalie takes us behind the scenes of this Mr. & Mrs. Smith-inspired story and shares how she found her way to romantic suspense, what makes an idea worthy of becoming a novel, and why authenticity matters even in a story filled with spies, secrets, and high-stakes situations.

Episode Highlights:

How Natalie found her way into writing romantic suspense and the inspiration behind Spies, Lies, and Alibis.
Why “not every idea is a story and not every story idea works,” and how she determines which ideas are worth pursuing.
Her desire to create stories that feel authentic and believable, even when the circumstances are larger than life.
Why “there has to be a cost to the decisions a character makes, one way or the other.”
Balancing suspense, romance, and humor to create the kind of escape that makes readers think, “That was so fun, let’s do it again.”
Trusting readers to fill in the“Not every idea is a story and not every story idea works.”

Connect with Natalie:

📚 Next Meet the Author Book Club - Brighter Than Before with Courtney Walsh

🗓️ Sep 29th | 🕓 5 pm PST / 7 pm CST / 8 pm EST

After her seemingly perfect life falls apart, Claire takes a leap of faith into a fresh start in Chicago, discovering friendship, purpose, and the possibility of a brighter future along the way. Register Here.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

For the Write Reasons by Marybeth Whelan
Theo of Golden by Allen Levi
The Shadow Friends by Tess Gerritsen

Book Flight

The Amazing Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman
The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen
The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter

The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.

Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:

One chapter book for growing readers
One picture book for our littlest readers
A few family conversation starters + a simple activity

Three books. One common theme.

→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

Motherhood, Sobriety & Writing Complex Women in Book Club Fiction w/ Jessica Guerrieri (E235) Aug 26, 2026

Show notes

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In today’s episode, I am chatting with Jessica Guerrieri, an award-winning novelist and essayist whose literary fiction explores the complexities of motherhood, identity, family, and the ways our past continues to shape us. She is the author of Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, winner of the 2023 Maurice Prize for Fiction, and her newest novel, Both Can Be True. Beyond her fiction, Jessica is a passionate voice in essays on sobriety and mental health communities. Her book flight includes books that explore alcoholism and addiction.

Episode Highlights:

How writing became a form of escapism for Jessica as a new mom and in early sobriety
Giving ourselves permission to have an identity outside of motherhood
Sobriety, identity, and figuring out what comes next in recovery
How alcohol can numb both the difficult and joyful parts of life
Why reaching for our phones and doomscrolling doesn't actually give us the recharge we're looking for
Writing complex women and allowing two conflicting truths to exist at once
Why Jessica wants to write book club fiction that creates feelings, opinions, and conversations
The intimacy of reading and how books allow us to experience someone else's life from the safety of our own
A book flight exploring alcoholism, addiction, motherhood, and family dynamics

Connect with Jessica:

Some links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

Dare to Lead by Brene Brown
Nothing Hurt and Everything Was Beautiful by Ben Reeves

Book Flight

Both Can Be Trueby Jessica Guerrieri
The Bright Yearsby Sarah Damoff (also The Burning Side)
The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett

The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.

Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:

One chapter book for growing readers
One picture book for our littlest readers
A few family conversation starters + a simple activity

Three books. One common theme.

→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

Alli Dyer on Night Songs, Family Legacy & the Magic of Audiobooks (E234) Aug 19, 2026

Show notes

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In today’s episode, I am chatting with Alli Dyer. Alli was born in Tennessee and raised in the mountains of Virginia. Alli is the author of Strange Folk and her latest novel, Night Songs. For the last decade, she worked in the entertainment and book publishing, bringing a unique perspective to the stories she tells.

We dive into Night Songs and the inspiration behind its story of family legacy, music, and discovering where we come from. Alli shares how growing up in the mountains of Virginia shaped her writing and why sensory details are so important when bringing a setting to life. We also talk about the stories that expand our understanding of the world and the special place audiobooks hold in Alli’s reading and writing life.

Episode Highlights:

The childhood fantasy of discovering there is something special hidden in your family history
How place, memory, and sensory details find their way into fiction
Writing about family legacy and the stories we inherit
Alli’s love of audiobooks and how listening influences her storytelling
The books that have expanded her understanding of the world
Her book flight includes audiobooks that have influenced her writing and storytelling

Connect with Alli:

Some links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

The Coal Miner’s Daughter by Loretta Lynn & George Vescey
The Real Americans by Rachel Kuong
Heart Food album - Judee Sill
Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
The Witches by Roald Dahl
The Children by Melissa Albert
Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke

Book Flight

Priestdaddy by Patricia Lockwood
The Knockout Queen by Rufi Thorpe
All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker

The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.

Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:

One chapter book for growing readers
One picture book for our littlest readers
A few family conversation starters + a simple activity

Three books. One common theme.

→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

How Art Keeps History Alive: Thao Thai on The Seekers of Deer Creek (E233) Aug 12, 2026

Show notes

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Today's episode features Thao Thai, bestselling author of Banyan Moon. She joins us to discuss her latest novel, The Seekers of Deer Creek, a captivating story of two estranged sisters whose search for a lost painting uncovers long-buried family secrets stretching across generations and continents.

In our conversation, we explore the many ways art preserves history and memory, the fascinating world of art conservation, and what it truly means to be an artist. Thao shares how her travels inspired the settings in the novel, why creativity is essential even in the busiest seasons of life, and how motherhood has shaped her writing. We also discuss the joy of reading physical books, the importance of making space for creativity, and why everyone has an inner artist waiting to be discovered.

Episode Highlights

The inspiration behind The Seekers of Deer Creek
Why art is one of history's greatest storytellers
The unseen work of preserving paintings and cultural artifacts
Vietnamese identity and artistic legacy
Balancing motherhood and a creative career
The value of reading physical books
Why everyone should embrace their inner artist
Thao's book flight includes books about art and artists

Connect with Thao:

Some links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
All the Beauty in the World by Patrick Bringley
Sula by Toni Morrison
Clutch by Emily Nemens

Book Flight

Almost Life by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
Sirens & Muses by Antonia Angress
Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez

The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.

Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:

One chapter book for growing readers
One picture book for our littlest readers
A few family conversation starters + a simple activity

Three books. One common theme.

→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

Rhys Bowen on The Castle in the Glen, Dual Timelines & Writing Historical Mysteries (E232) Aug 07, 2026

Show notes

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This week on Bookish Flights, I'm joined by New York Times bestselling author Rhys Bowen to discuss her latest novel, The Castle in the Glen. We explore the inspiration behind the story, why the Isle of Skye was the perfect setting, and how Rhys layers mysteries "like peeling away the layers of an onion."

Rhys also shares why she always travels to every location she writes about, how switching between her beloved mystery series and standalone novels keeps her creatively energized, and why returning to longtime characters feels like attending a high school reunion with old friends. Rhys’ book flight includes dual-timeline novels.

Episode Highlights:

The inspiration behind The Castle in the Glen and writing a novel in another author's voice
Why the Isle of Skye became the perfect setting
How traveling to each setting shapes her storytelling
The differences between writing standalone novels and a long-running series
Why revisiting recurring characters feels like reconnecting with old friends
Why she believes she'll always have more stories than she can write

Connect with Rhys:

Some links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

Tony Hillerman books
Agatha Christie books
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
Molly Murphy series by Rhys Bowen
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
The Chateau on Sunset by Natasha Lester

Book Flight

The Book of Lost and Found by Lucy Foley
The Restoration Gardenby Sara Blaydes
Homecoming by Kate Morton

The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.

Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:

One chapter book for growing readers
One picture book for our littlest readers
A few family conversation starters + a simple activity

Three books. One common theme.

→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

Writing Hope, Humor, and Older Characters: Anna Johnston on When Lemons Give You Life (E231) Aug 04, 2026

Show notes

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This week on Bookish Flights, internationally bestselling author Anna Johnston of The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fifeand she returns to discuss her heartfelt new novel, When Lemons Give You Life. Inspired by her years working in aged care, Anna shares why she loves writing older characters who remind us that every stage of life still has purpose, dignity, and the capacity for joy.

Episode Highlights:

The inspiration behind When Lemons Give You Life and why she calls it "an antidote to despair"
Writing Lisa's character from her own experience of receiving an adult ADHD diagnosis
The misconceptions surrounding ADHD in women and why she hopes readers feel seen
Researching the unique challenges older LGBTQ+ adults can face in aged care
Why cooking can become its own love language and a powerful way to care for others
How stories help us build empathy and compassion—especially for older generations
Anna's book flight features 3 memoirs

Connect with Anna:

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

Maureen Fry and the Angel of the North / The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fryby Rachel Joyce
My Friends by Fredrik Backman

Book Flight

Don’t Buy What I’m Selling by Lu Chekowsky
Imogen in Waiting by Lindsay Bartels
The Happiest Man on Earth by Eddie Jaku

This episode is sponsored by Baker Book House, they brought a sweet, summer contemporary book flight. Enjoy 30% off and free shipping on any books ordered directly through their website.

Bookmarked for Love by Sarah Monzon
In a Word, Yes by Kit Tosello
Almost by Design by Jenny Erlingsson

The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.

Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:

One chapter book for growing readers
One picture book for our littlest readers
A few family conversation starters + a simple activity

Three books. One common theme.

→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

Neurodivergent Parenting: Faith, Grace, and Practical Strategies with Ginny Kochis (E230) Jul 29, 2026

Show notes

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This week on Bookish Flights, I'm joined by Ginny Kochis, author of Quirky Catholic Kids. Ginny shares what inspired her to write a practical guide for parents raising neurodivergent children through the lens of faith, while reminding us that many of these lessons apply to parenting children of all ages.

We discuss what neurodivergence really means, why emotional regulation begins with us as parents, and how learning to respond instead of react can transform our homes. Ginny also offers practical next steps for families who suspect their child may be experiencing developmental or learning differences, including resources available through schools, Child Find, and neuropsychological evaluations.

Above all, this conversation is an encouraging reminder to celebrate the unique children God has entrusted to us rather than comparing them to someone else's expectations.

Episode Highlights:

What inspired Ginny to write Quirky Catholic Kids
What neurodivergence is—and what it isn't
Why emotional regulation can't be taught in the middle of a meltdown
Practical ways parents can respond instead of react
Learning to embrace your child's unique gifts
Finding evaluations and support through schools, Child Find, and neuropsychologists
Parenting with faith, grace, and confidence instead of comparison

Connect with Ginny:

Some links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

Episode 46: A Book Flight Representing Neurodivergent Teens with Ginny Kochis
Raising Your Spirited Child by Mary Scheedy Kurcinka
A Million Junes by Emily Henry
Annabel Monaghan’s books
Ashley Poston books
Katherine Center books

Book Flight

Physica by Hildegaard van Bingen
A Call to a Deeper Love: The Family Correspondence of the Parents of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus by Louis and Zelie Martin
God Loves the Autistic Mind by Father Matthew Snyder

The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.

Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:

One chapter book for growing readers
One picture book for our littlest readers
A few family conversation starters + a simple activity

Three books. One common theme.

→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

What Actually Makes Someone a Reader? It's Simpler Than You Think (E229) Jul 27, 2026

Show notes

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As a physical therapist, I spent years helping people build habits that would improve their lives long after they left the clinic. Those experiences taught me that lasting change doesn't happen in one big moment—it happens through small, consistent choices.

Lately, I've found myself asking that same question about reading.

What makes someone a reader?

As a lifelong reader and mom of three, I wanted to know what the research actually says about why some people develop a lifelong love of books while others struggle to make reading a habit.

In this solo episode, we're diving into the science behind reading habits and the practical ways we can create environments where reading becomes a joyful, natural part of everyday life.

In this episode, we discuss:

Why enjoyment matters more than pressure when it comes to lifelong reading
The powerful role parents and caregivers play by modeling reading
How your environment influences your reading habits more than motivation alone
Why giving children—and adults—the freedom to choose their own books makes all the difference
Practical ways to encourage a lifelong love of reading at any age

Whether you're hoping to read more yourself or you're raising the next generation of readers, this episode is filled with encouraging, research-backed ideas that you can start putting into practice today.

Books Mentioned

Atomic Habits by James Clear

I'd Love to Hear From You - What made you a reader?

Come join the conversation on Instagram and Threads @bookishflights, and let me know the book, person, or moment that sparked your love of reading.

If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be so grateful if you'd follow the show, leave a review, and share it with a fellow book lover.

Happy reading, my friends!

The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.

Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:

One chapter book for growing readers
One picture book for our littlest readers
A few family conversation starters + a simple activity

Three books. One common theme.

→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

Books and Wine: The Novel Pairing with Erin Kirschenmann (E228) Jul 22, 2026

Show notes

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This week, I’m joined by Erin Kirschenmann—lifelong reader, wine educator, and founder of Novel Pairings, an online book and wine membership that brings together thoughtfully curated books, wine pairings, playlists, community, and in-person events.

Whether you're a wine enthusiast or someone who has no idea what to order, Erin makes wine feel approachable and fun. We talk about why books and wine pair so naturally and how to take the intimidation out of choosing a bottle. Erin and I also issued a challenge for all of us: a few times each day, reach for your book instead of your phone. Slow down. Be intentional. And maybe even pour yourself a glass of wine while you're at it.

Special Offer

Erin is generously offering Bookish Flights listeners their first month of Novel Pairings completely free. Use the code BOOKISHFLIGHTS when you join.

Whether you're looking for your next great read, your next favorite bottle of wine, or simply an excuse to slow down and enjoy both, I think you're going to love this conversation.

Connect with Erin:

Some links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode: