Books and the City

Latest Episodes:

What's the Definition of Wazoo? Apr 26, 2021

Show notes

Today is the final installment of our bookish creator interview series, and we are joined by the hilarious @clairethescare and @ashleyhammm to talk about their delightful podcast, Celebrity Memoir Book Club! Learn all about their podcast, their favorite celeb memoirs, and who is more likely to end up on a reality TV show. Then stay tuned for more bookish discussion with some contemporary YA romance, some magical realism, some literary fiction, and (someone understood the assignment) a celebrity memoir. Check out Celebrity Memoir Book Club on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/celebritymemoirbookclub/) and wherever you listen to podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/celebrity-memoir-book-club/id1533533467)! Join our Patreon fan club here: https://www.patreon.com/booksandthecitypod. Snag some merch here: https://www.booksandthecitypod.com/merch. Browse and shop all the books we’ve discussed on this episode and past episodes at bookshop.org/shop/booksandthecity. Subscribe to our newsletter on our website, and send us an email at booksandthecitypod@gmail.com. Thank you for listening!!------------->

Kayla just read: Kisses and Croissants by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau (27:10-33:09)
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/623664/kisses-and-croissants-by-anne-sophie-jouhanneau/
Up next for Kayla: To Love and To Loathe by Martha Waters

Becky just read: Gold Diggers by Sanjena Sathian (33:10-43:13)
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/646888/gold-diggers-by-sanjena-sathian/
Up next for Becky: The Bohemians by Jasmin Darznik

Libby just read: Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan (43:14-55:38)
https://www.harpercollins.com/products/exciting-times-naoise-dolan?variant=32138476519458
Up next for Libby: Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey

Emily just read: Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher (55:39-1:09:30)
https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Wishful-Drinking/Carrie-Fisher/9781439153710
Up next for Emily: The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher

Music by EpidemicSound, logo art by @niczollos, all opinions our own.

Did Someone Say Squirrel Library? Apr 19, 2021

Show notes

We’re joined today by the one and only Laura from @LaurasLibraryy! She is the BookTokker extraordinaire and friend to squirrels everywhere. Laura joins the intro today to talk about all things BookTok, reading with ADHD, and her heartwarming squirrel library. Then stay tuned for more bookish discussion! Today, we’re covering historical fiction, running memoirs, a couple thriller-esque contemporary fiction novels. We love you and thank you sincerely for listening! Make sure you follow Laura on bookstagram (https://www.instagram.com/lauraslibraryy/), BookTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraslibraryy?source=h5_m&_r=1), and BookTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1X73SlEkCPDy4SvC8si16A)! Become a Patreon fan club member of the pod here: https://www.patreon.com/booksandthecitypod. Shop BATC merch here: https://www.booksandthecitypod.com/merch. Browse and shop all the books we’ve discussed on this episode and past episodes at bookshop.org/shop/booksandthecity. Subscribe to our newsletter on our website, and send us an email at booksandthecitypod@gmail.com.------------->

Libby just read: What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami (32:28-44:02)
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/118730/what-i-talk-about-when-i-talk-about-running-by-haruki-murakami/
Up next for Libby: Malice by Heather Walter

Becky just read: Her Last Flight by Beatriz Williams (44:03-50:12)
https://www.harpercollins.com/products/her-last-flight-beatriz-williams?variant=32270350090274
Up next for Becky: Nora by Nuala O’Conner

Kayla just read: The Survivors by Jane Harper (50:13-57:33)
https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250232410
Up next for Kayla: The Bohemians by Jasmin Darznik

Emily just read: The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse (57:34-1:08:30)
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/659480/the-sanatorium-by-sarah-pearse/
Up next for Emily: Little Scratch by Rebecca Watson

Music by EpidemicSound, logo art by @niczollos, all opinions our own.

“You Would Make a Great Lesbian” Apr 12, 2021

Show notes

Buckle up because today, we’re talking to The BookstaGays! We had the most fun, most chaotic interview with Alex (@thebookadvocate) and Sam (@staxsonstaxs), who are cohosts of everyone’s favorite queer bookish podcast. We chat with them about bookstagram, the importance of queer community, and—duh—enneagrams! So get excited, and let’s pour one out for Becky and her never-failing editing skills. Stay tuned for some book talk. Today we have YA historical fiction, a new favorite for Kayla, a memoir recommended by none other than Alex, and a queer biography-memoir hybrid. Thanks for listening! And be sure to check out The BookstaGays at @thebookstagays on instagram. And listen to their podcast here!: https://anchor.fm/thebookstagays. Become a Patreon fan club member (and don’t forget to join our April Book Club discussion) here: https://www.patreon.com/booksandthecitypod. Shop BATC merch here: https://www.booksandthecitypod.com/merch. Browse and shop all the books we’ve discussed on this episode and past episodes at bookshop.org/shop/booksandthecity. Subscribe to our newsletter on our website, and send us an email at booksandthecitypod@gmail.com.------------->
Becky just read: The Paper Girl of Paris by Jordyn Taylor (30:41-39:06)
https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-paper-girl-of-paris-jordyn-taylor?variant=32291827646498
Up next for Becky: Harry Potter a l'ecole des Sorciers by J.K.. Rowling
Emily just read: The Fact of a Body: A Murder and a Memoir by Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich (39:07-48:47)
https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250080554
Up next for Emily: Ghosts of Harvard by Francesca Serritella
Libby just read: My Autobiography of Carson McCullers by Jenn Shaplund (48:48-57:50)
https://tinhouse.com/book/my-autobiography-of-carson-mccullers/
Up next for Libby: What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami
Kayla just read: We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker (57:51-1:07:16)
https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250759665
Up next for Kayla: Act Your Age, Evie Brown by Talia Hibbert
Music by EpidemicSound, logo art by @niczollos, all opinions our own.

We Love Schitt's Creek Apr 05, 2021

Show notes

Hi friends! Happy April! We are celebrating this springtime month with a very exciting bookish creator interview series! Keep an eye on the intros of all of our April episodes to hear from some incredible bookish creators who you should definitely be following. Today, we’re honored to chat with Taryn from @mentallybooked, the most aesthetically pleasing account with the best unique book recommendations. Tune in to hear Taryn talk about her page, the bookstagram community, an upcoming podcast project she’s working on with her brother, astrology, Atlanta and so much more! And then as always, stick around for some fun books. Today, it’s historical fiction, contemporary romcom, murder mystery comedy ish in the Irish countryside, and EPIC fantasy. Thank you for listening!! You can become a Patreon fan club member here: https://www.patreon.com/booksandthecitypod. Shop BATC merch here: https://www.booksandthecitypod.com/merch. Browse and shop all the books we’ve discussed on this episode and past episodes at bookshop.org/shop/booksandthecity. Subscribe to our newsletter on our website, and send us an email at booksandthecitypod@gmail.com.------------->
Kayla just read: Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson (18:22-26:05)
https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Yellow-Wife/Sadeqa-Johnson/9781982149109
Up next for Kayla: Astrid Sees All by Natalie Standiford
Becky just read: Loathe at First Sight by Suzanne Park (26:06-34:24)
https://www.harpercollins.com/products/loathe-at-first-sight-suzanne-park?variant=32123366834210
Up next for Becky: Mazie by Melanie Crowder
Emily just read: Himself by Jess Kidd (34:25-44:00)
https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Himself/Jess-Kidd/9781501145186
Up next for Emily: Things in Jars by Jess Kidd
Libby just read: The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson (44:01-58:37)
https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780765365279
Up next for Libby: The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
Music by EpidemicSound, logo art by @niczollos, all opinions our own.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Jill Santopolo Apr 01, 2021

Show notes

A couple of weeks ago, Kayla covered a book by one of her auto-buy authors, Jill Santopolo, and today, Kayla was able to chat with Jill about that very book! The two talk about Everything After, plus Jill's previous books – The Light We Lost and More Than Words. They get into the fun of writing New York City stories, and what it's like to make your readers cry in every book 😭 And stay tuned to hear Jill discuss some exciting big screen news, and the book she's working on next (set in the Big Apple *and* Italy!) We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did! Send us a note about the interview, Jill’s books, or anything else at booksandthecitypod@gmail.com. ------------------------>

Everything After by Jill Santopolo: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/618207/everything-after-by-jill-santopolo/

More Than Words by Jill Santopolo: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/557947/more-than-words-by-jill-santopolo/

The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/550218/the-light-we-lost-by-jill-santopolo/

Jill is excited to read: Heard It in a Love Song by Tracey Garvis Graves: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250235688

Find Jill on Instagram!: https://instagram.com/jillsantopolo

Psst! Here’s the episode where Kayla covers Everything After, ICYMI: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wait-shes-a-mermaid/id1500784660?i=1000513042601

Music by EpidemicSound, logo art by @niczollos

Fish Are Friends Period Mar 29, 2021

Show notes

Hi friends! Some exciting news before we chat about our favorite pizza toppings on today’s episode: we have an exciting interview series coming up for our April episode intros, so get excited! We’re talking to all kinds of bookish creators on the internet, and it’s going to be a lot of fun. Then as always, stay tuned for some wonderful book talk. This week, we got family drama in Alaska, historical fiction across three different wars, translated fiction set in Southern India, and a Sapphic YA rom-com. THANK YOU for listening ❤️ you can become a Patreon fan club member here: https://www.patreon.com/booksandthecitypod. Shop BATC merch here: https://www.booksandthecitypod.com/merch. Browse and shop all the books we’ve discussed on this episode and past episodes at bookshop.org/shop/booksandthecity. Subscribe to our newsletter on our website, and send us an email at booksandthecitypod@gmail.com.------------->

Becky just read: The Great Alone by Kirstin Hannah (9:13-18:45)
https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250229533
Up next for Becky: Loathe at First Sight by Suzanne Park

Kayla just read: The Women of Chateau Lafayette by Stephanie Dray (18:46-26:34)
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/594461/the-women-of-chateau-lafayette-by-stephanie-dray/
Up next for Kayla: The Ladies of the Secret Circus by Constance Sayers

Emily just read: Ghachar Ghochar by Vivek Shanbhag, translated by Srinath Perur (26:35-34:12)
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/539201/ghachar-ghochar-by-vivek-shanbhag/
Up next for Emily: Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko

Libby just read: The Falling In Love Montage by Ciara Smyth (34:13-42:44)
https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-falling-in-love-montage-ciara-smyth?variant=32123659714594
Up next for Libby: The Hole by Hye-young Pyun

Music by EpidemicSound, logo art by @niczollos, all opinions our own.

“We’re a music podcast now" Mar 22, 2021

Show notes

Welcome to another ep! Today, we’re sharing some new book club information - who’s excited for Beartown?! We can’t wait to dive into our April pick. Then, we face yet another challenging fishbowl question about which author we’d read if we could read only that author for the next three months. Plus! don’t forget to enter our bookmark giveaway over on the Instagram page this week. Then stay tuned for some wonderful books - one about music, one about running, one about Scientology, and one about… something that Emily really can’t say anything about, apparently. Thank you so much for listening :) become a Patreon fan club member at: https://www.patreon.com/booksandthecitypod. Get your Books and the City merch here: https://www.booksandthecitypod.com/merch. Shop all the books we’ve discussed on this episode and past episodes at bookshop.org/shop/booksandthecity. Subscribe to our newsletter on our website, and send us an email at booksandthecitypod@gmail.com.-------------> Kayla just read: The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton (7:28-16:31) https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Final-Revival-of-Opal-Nev/Dawnie-Walton/9781982140168 Up next for Kayla: The House of Gucci by Sarah Gay Forden Libby just read: Born To Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall (16:32-28:49) https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/111281/born-to-run-by-christopher-mcdougall/ Up next for Libby: My Autobiography of Carson McCullers by Jenn Shapland Emily just read: Piranesi by Susanna Clarke (28:50-38:19) https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/piranesi-9781526622426/ Up next for Emily: Himself by Jess Kidd Becky just read: Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology by Leah Remini (38:20-52:) https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/253674/troublemaker-by-leah-remini/ Up next for Becky: The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock by Imogen Music by EpidemicSound, logo art by @niczollos, all opinions our own.

“Wait, she’s a mermaid?!” Mar 15, 2021

Show notes

We’re kicking things off with an exciting announcement today! Kayla is announcing our April Fan Club Book Club pick (try saying that five times fast), so tune in to hear what book she chose. Plus, a little more information about how we’re discussing next month’s pick in a more user-friendly way! Then, a fun fish bowl question that we crowdsourced from the fan club: which fictional character is each host most similar to 😎 Thank you so much for listening! You can become a Patreon fan club member at: https://www.patreon.com/booksandthecitypod. Get your Books and the City merch here: https://www.booksandthecitypod.com/merch. Shop all the books we’ve discussed on this episode and past episodes at bookshop.org/shop/booksandthecity. Subscribe to our newsletter on our website, and send us an email at booksandthecitypod@gmail.com.------------->

Emily just read: The Subtweet by Vivek Shraya (11:38-23:00)
https://ecwpress.com/products/the-subtweet?_pos=1&_sid=e2f997287&_ss=r
Up next for Emily: Death Threat by Vivek Shraya

Kayla just read: Everything After by Jill Santopolo (23:01-28:15)
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/618207/everything-after-by-jill-santopolo/
Up next for Kayla: The Survivors by Jane Harper

Libby just read: Godshot by Chelsea Beiker (28:16-40:25)
https://books.catapult.co/products/godshot-a-novel-by-chelsea-bieker
Up next for Libby: Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi

Becky just read: The Ladies of the Secret Circus by Constance Sayers (40:26-52:34)
https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/constance-sayers/the-ladies-of-the-secret-circus/9780316493642/
Up next for Becky: The Chanel Sisters by Judithe Little

Music by EpidemicSound, logo art by @niczollos, all opinions our own.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Kate Quinn Mar 11, 2021

Show notes

A couple of weeks ago, Kayla covered a highly anticipated novel called The Rose Code by the one and only historical fiction queen, Kate Quinn. The book sounded *so good* when Kayla was speaking about it, and Becky confirmed: “five billion stars.” So today, Becky and Kayla had the great honor of chatting with Kate Quinn about all things The Rose Code, Bletchley Park, historical fiction, intensive code-breaking research, and the women hidden throughout history. Plus, some fun insight into the strange historical “fun facts” that Kate has come across in her research, and Easter Eggs that true historical fiction fans might find across Kate and her author pal's novels. And stay tuned to hear Kate answer some listener Qs, a very delicious sounding Rose Code cocktail, and a bit about what she might be working on next… (spoiler alert: it all sounds great!) We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did! And we’ll see you next week. Feel free to send us a note about the interview, Kate’s books, or anything else at booksandthecitypod@gmail.com. ------------------------>

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-rose-code-kate-quinn?variant=32126578163746

The Huntress by Kate Quinn: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-huntress-kate-quinn?variant=32207051980834

The Alice Network by Kate Quinn: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-alice-network-kate-quinn?variant=32122703183906

And check out Kate’s Spotify playlist, created for this book!:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5HjSaGRHZagr6rzdCgs4Ll?si=Zp-EQ2ixREC4G3Cbn6KHwg&nd=1

Kate just read, loved, and highly recommends: Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Yellow-Wife/Sadeqa-Johnson/9781982149109

The Children’s Blizzard by Melanie by Melanie Benjamin: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/555989/the-childrens-blizzard-by-melanie-benjamin/

The Women of Chateau Lafayette by Stephanie Dray: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/594461/the-women-of-chateau-lafayette-by-stephanie-dray/

Find Kate online at: http://www.katequinnauthor.com/ or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KateQuinnAuthor, Twitter: https://twitter.com/KateQuinnAuthor, or Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/katequinn5975/

Psst! Here’s the episode where Kayla covers The Rose Code, ICYMI: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/five-billion-stars/id1500784660?i=1000511105828

Music by EpidemicSound, logo art by @niczollos

BATC Turns One!!! Mar 08, 2021

Show notes

Huge thanks to everyone who has helped us celebrate big this past week! To everyone who's participated in our podcast birthday stack extravaganza - we love you. You still have time to enter via Instagram through March 9 for a chance to win our exclusive wine glass! Just post your BATC-inspired book stack using the hashtag #batcturnsone. To celebrate our little anniversary, we're sharing some never-before-heard audio from the true first episode (and if you're in the fan club, keep your 👀 peeled this week for more!) Then, naturally, some boy band reminiscing before we get into the book talk. Join the Patreon fan club here: https://www.patreon.com/booksandthecitypod. Snag your Books and the City merch here: https://www.booksandthecitypod.com/merch. Shop all the books we’ve discussed on this episode and past episodes at bookshop.org/shop/booksandthecity. Subscribe to our newsletter on our website, https://www.booksandthecitypod.com/, and send us an email at booksandthecitypod@gmail.com. THANK YOU for spending the past year with us, it truly means the world.------------->
Libby just read: You Should See Me In a Crown by Leah Johnson (18:10-26:45)
https://shop.scholastic.com/parent-ecommerce/books/you-should-see-me-in-a-crown-9781338503265.html
Up next for Libby: Sex and Rage by Eve Babitz
Becky just read: The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Stedman (26:46-33:37)
https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Light-Between-Oceans/M-L-Stedman/9781451681758
Up next for Becky: The Vietri Project by Nicola Derobertis-Theye
Emily just read: Passing by Nella Larsen (33:38-46:13)
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/286575/passing-by-nella-larsen/
Up next for Emily: Quicksand by Nella Larsen
Kayla just read: Sparks Like Stars by Nadia Hashimi (46:14-53:08)
https://www.harpercollins.com/products/sparks-like-stars-nadia-hashimi?variant=32126590877730
Up next for Kayla: Surviving Savannah by Patti Callahan
Music by EpidemicSound, logo art by @niczollos, all opinions our own.

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