Books and the City

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“I HAVE EVIDENCE!” (A Very Chaotic Christmas Episode) Dec 21, 2020

Show notes

We are sooo excited to bring you a very special Secret Santa episode of Books and the City. After we talk favorite Christmas traditions, we’re getting into a very fun book conversation. This week, we all read books that our Secret Santa chose for us; none of us know what anyone else was reading, and we spend the second half of the episode guessing who drew our names (and presenting the *extensive* reasoning behind our guesses (Kayla had a whole dossier)). It was so much fun, and we all discovered some great new reads along the way! Special shoutout to our amazing illustrator, Nicole, for seamlessly facilitating the Secret Santa fun. This episode was brought to you by Simpson & Vail Tea; shop their amazing literary teas at https://www.svtea.com/! And if you’re looking for merch (to ship in the new year!), get it here: https://www.booksandthecitypod.com/merch. You can join our fan club at https://www.patreon.com/booksandthecitypod. Shop all the books we’ve discussed on this episode and past episodes at bookshop.org/shop/booksandthecity. Make sure you’re subscribed to our newsletter on our website, and send us an email at booksandthecitypod@gmail.com. Thank you for listening and Happy Holidays! ------------->

Libby’s Secret Santa chose: The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune (19:08-28:40)
https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250217288
Up next for Libby: Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danforth

Kayla Secret Santa chose:The Paris Secret by Natasha Lester (28:41-43:02)
https://www.grandcentralpublishing.com/titles/natasha-lester/the-paris-secret/9781538717271/
Up next for Kayla: The Churchill Woman by Stephanie Barron

Emily’s Secret Santa chose: A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan (43:03-53:53)
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/201020/a-visit-from-the-goon-squad-by-jennifer-egan/
Up next for Emily: Utopia Avenue by David Mitchell

Becky’s Secret Santa chose: Vicious by V.E. Schwab (53:54-1:04:15) https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250183507
Up next for Becky: The War Widow by Tara Moss

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

Incredibly Weird & Very Charming! Dec 14, 2020

Show notes

Hi, hello, happy Monday! We're talking about our favorite and least favorite Christmas movies, along with some rapid fire (lol) holiday movie takes. Spoiler alert: love actually *is* all around. Also shouts to Becky who feels ATTACKED for her holiday movie choices. All this is followed by some fantastic book-talk, so stick around to hear about a holiday romance, YA, historical and Japanese fiction. Friendly reminder to place your BATC merch by December 18 if you want it to ship before 2021! Thanks as always for listening :) this episode was brought to you by Simpson & Vail Tea; we're obsessed so be sure to check out their amazing literary teas at https://www.svtea.com/! And speaking of merch, get it here: https://www.booksandthecitypod.com/merch. Join our fan club at https://www.patreon.com/booksandthecitypod. Shop all the books we’ve discussed on this episode and past episodes at bookshop.org/shop/booksandthecity. Make sure you’re subscribed to our newsletter on our website, and send us an email at booksandthecitypod@gmail.com. PS: don't miss next week's very exciting, festive Secret Santa episode!! ------------->

Kayla just read: In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren (30:04-43:33)
https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/In-a-Holidaze/Christina-Lauren/9781982163631
Up next for Kayla: The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff

Libby just read: Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters (43:34-59:51)
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/348361/tipping-the-velvet-by-sarah-waters/
Up next for Libby: Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

Becky just read: An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green (59:52-1:13:42)
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/576279/an-absolutely-remarkable-thing-by-hank-green/
Up next for Becky: A Princess for Christmas by Jenny Holiday

Emily just read: Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi (1:13:43-1:27:29) https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/toshikazu-kawaguchi/before-the-coffee-gets-cold/9781529029581
Up next for Emily: Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

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

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Lyssa Kay Adams Dec 10, 2020

Show notes

Remember a couple of weeks ago, when Becky talked about the super fun, cute, charming Bromance Book Club? Well, guess who’s joining the podcast today for an interview! Becky and Emily are so excited to chat with author Lyssa Kay Adams, not just about the first book in her Bromance series, but about the whole book universe. As with all Midwestern guests, conversation must kick off with some food talk. Come for the cheesy potatoes, stay for a deeper look into the romance genre, the IRL bromance book clubs that are springing up in the aftermath of this series, and a sneak peak at which couple book 4 (coming July 2021) will center on! We’re talking tropes, hunky celebrity casting, and much more, so we hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did. Feel free to send us a note about the interview, Lyssa’s books, or anything else at booksandthecitypod@gmail.com. ------------------------>

Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/608017/the-bromance-book-club-by-lyssa-kay-adams/

Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams:

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/608018/undercover-bromance-by-lyssa-kay-adams/

Crazy Stupid Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/608019/crazy-stupid-bromance-by-lyssa-kay-adams/9781984806130/

Lyssa just read: Just a Heartbeat Away by Cara Bastone

https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781335045379_just-a-heartbeat-away.html

And Snapped by Alexa Martin https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/624146/snapped-by-alexa-martin/

Lyssa is looking forward to reading: Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall https://shop.sourcebooks.com/boyfriend-material.html

Psst! Here’s the episode where Becky covers this book, ICYMI: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/books-and-the-city/id1500784660?i=1000500789276

Music by EpidemicSound, logo art by @niczollos

Refried Beans & Tahini Dec 07, 2020

Show notes

We may not have gotten snow in New York yet this winter, but we’re sharing our most embarrassing snow-related memories to keep the winter spirit alive and well until the first snowstorm. Come for the snow stories, stay for Emily’s wildly unrelated story. Also, don’t forget that you can join our fan club any time, and an exciting update: you can now gift annual Patreon fan club memberships! Let Santa know he can check our website, or use the below Patreon link, to learn more. Then of course, we’re getting into the books. This week, we got short stories, a memoir, historical non fiction, and literary fiction! Variety is the spice of life, babyyyy. This episode was brought to you by Simpson & Vail Tea; be sure to check out their amazing literary teas at https://www.svtea.com/! Speaking of holiday shopping, get your BATC merch (tote! pins! koozies!) here: https://www.booksandthecitypod.com/merch. Join our fan club at https://www.patreon.com/booksandthecitypod. Shop all the books we’ve discussed on this episode and past episodes at bookshop.org/shop/booksandthecity. Make sure you’re subscribed to our newsletter on our website, and send us an email at booksandthecitypod@gmail.com------------->

Libby just read: Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado (23:00-39:39)
https://www.graywolfpress.org/books/her-body-and-other-parties
Up next for Libby: The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Kayla just read: What Remains by Carole Radziwell (39:40-52:58)
https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/What-Remains/Carole-Radziwill/9780743277181
Up next for Kayla: When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanthi

Emily just read: Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe (52:59-1:14:53)
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/90837/say-nothing-by-patrick-radden-keefe/
Up next for Emily: The Eighth Life by Nino Haratischwili, Charlotte Collins, et al.

Becky just read: Perfect Tunes by Emily Gould (1:14:54-1:24:16)
https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Perfect-Tunes/Emily-Gould/9781501197499
Up next for Becky: An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green

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

Please Don’t Sue Us Nov 30, 2020

Show notes

Happy almost-December! We’re kicking things off today with a discussion about the best and the worst Christmas songs, so hope you’re ready to have a bunch of them stuck in your head for the rest of the day! After that, we get into some fantastic books including illuminating historical fiction, fun and sexy romance, heartwarming sci-fi, and a dark novella to inspire you to smash the patriarchy. This episode was brought to you by Simpson & Vail Tea; be sure to check out their delicious literary teas at https://www.svtea.com/, perfect for all the tea-lovers on your holiday list. Speaking of holiday shopping, get your Books and the City merch (that TOTE! Those PINS!) here: https://www.booksandthecitypod.com/merch. Join our fan club at https://www.patreon.com/booksandthecitypod. Shop all the books we’ve discussed on this episode and past episodes at bookshop.org/shop/booksandthecity. Make sure you’re subscribed to our newsletter on our website, and send us an email at booksandthecitypod@gmail.com-------------> Kayla just read: Z by Terese Anne Fowler (18:58-34:53) https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250028648 Up next for Kayla: What Remains by Carol Radziwill Becky just read: The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams (34:54-47:26) https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/608017/the-bromance-book-club-by-lyssa-kay-adams/ Up next for Becky: How to Stop Time by Matt Haig Libby just read: All Systems Red by Martha Wells (47:27-57:57) https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780765397539 Up next for Libby: The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo Emily just read: Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss (57:58-1:10:50) https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250234957 Up next for Emily: The Snowman by Jo Nesbø Music by EpidemicSound, logo art by @niczollos, all opinions our own.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Bryan Washington Nov 26, 2020

Show notes

Happy Thanksgiving! Today, we're thankful for this fantastic chat between Emily and the renowned, acclaimed, award-winning author, Bryan Washington. Bryan's latest book, Memorial, came out last month and today he's on the podcast discussing the book along with his debut short story collection, Lot. This interview touches on the importance of both Houston and Osaka to the book and to Bryan, plus excellent writing advice, and a starter pack for Japanese fiction. Get ready to add a bunch of books to your TBR, starting with Lot and Memorial. Buy links are below, and thank you as always for listening! Feel free to send us a note about the interview, Bryan’s writing, or anything else at booksandthecitypod@gmail.com. ------------------------>

Memorial by Bryan Washington: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/621176/memorial-by-bryan-washington/

Bryan just read/is looking forward to: Nights When Nothing Happens by Simon Han

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/611520/nights-when-nothing-happened-by-simon-han/

Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/622478/transcendent-kingdom-by-yaa-gyasi/

Tokyo Ueno Station by Miri Yu

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/623504/tokyo-ueno-station-by-yu-miri/

Peaces by Helena Oyeyemi

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/652102/peaces-by-helen-oyeyemi/ - coming April 2021!

Music by EpidemicSound, logo art by @niczollos

Happy Thanksgiving! It’s Fish Time Nov 23, 2020

Show notes

We’re kicking off your Thanksgiving week with some timely talk about the all-time best Thanksgiving foods. Please feel free to come roast us for all of our weird, terrible food choices, but the heart wants what it wants! Before we get into the book talk, we’re announcing some really exciting new merch, and listening to the most heartwarming voicemail that made Emily’s husk of a heart grow three times its size. Happy Thanksgiving to all of our listeners, we are THE MOST thankful for you, today and everyday. This episode was brought to you by Simpson & Vail Tea; you can shop their delicious literary teas at https://www.svtea.com/. Get your merch (including TOTES!) here: https://www.booksandthecitypod.com/merch. Join our fan club at https://www.patreon.com/booksandthecitypod. Shop all the books we’ve discussed on this episode and past episodes at bookshop.org/shop/booksandthecity. Make sure you’re subscribed to our newsletter on our website, and drop us a line anytime at booksandthecitypod@gmail.com------------->

Emily just read: Memorial by Bryan Washington (21:47-32:30)
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/621176/memorial-by-bryan-washington/
Up next for Emily: The Changeling by Victor LaValle

Becky just read: Rebel Spy by Veronica Rossi (32:45-47:44)
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/562423/rebel-spy-by-veronica-rossi/
Up next for Becky: The Swans of Fifth Avenue by Melanie Benjamin

Libby just read: Goodbye, Things by Fumio Sasaki (47:45-1:02:02)
https://wwnorton.com/books/Goodbye-Things/
Up next for Libby: All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson

Kayla just read: One To Watch by Kate Stayman-London (1:02:03-1:11:48)
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/567329/one-to-watch-by-kate-stayman-london/
Up next for Kayla: Normal People by Sally Rooney

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

INTERVIEW: Erin & Nat from Book Club Bar Nov 19, 2020

Show notes

Kayla and Libby got to talk with Erin and Nat, who are the owners of the East Village bookstore, Book Club Bar! Fun fact: Books and the City Podcast might not exist without this bookstore, keep listening to find out why. We're discussing everything from the challenges of owning an independent bookstore to how Erin and Nat choose which books to stock on their shelves. Their origin story is amazing, and this episode will fill you with dreams of browsing bookstores in person again soon. And if you make it to Book Club Bar, you can enjoy a glass of wine while you're at it! Links are below, and you can drop us a line at booksandthecitypod@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!------------------------>

Find Book Club Bar online: https://bookclubbar.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/bookclubbar Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bookclubbar/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookclubbar/

Erin just finished reading: Memorial by Bryan Washington

Erin is currently reading: The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith

Nat is reading: Dreyer’s English by Benjamin Dreyer

Music by EpidemicSound, logo art by @niczollos

Becky Takes A Tumble! Nov 16, 2020

Show notes

The Books and the City hosts are once again reunited in person and kicking things off with a bang. After a bit of catch-up, buckle up because we're talking favorite tropes. It's not a BATC gathering if we don't turn our bookish talk into a drinking game! Stay tuned for some somewhat dark book discussions from a range of genres. Thank you as always for listening! This episode was brought to you by Simpson & Vail Tea; you can shop their delicious literary teas at https://www.svtea.com/. Get your merch store here: https://www.booksandthecitypod.com/merch. Join our fan club at https://www.patreon.com/booksandthecitypod. Shop all the books we’ve discussed on this episode and past episodes at bookshop.org/shop/booksandthecity. Make sure you’re subscribed to our newsletter on our website, and drop us a line anytime at booksandthecitypod@gmail.com------------->

Libby just read: Bunny by Mona Awad (18:51-30:02)
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/576726/bunny-by-mona-awad/
Up next for Libby: Luster by Raven Leilani

Emily just read: Earthlings by Sayaka Murata (30:03-45:29) https://groveatlantic.com/book/earthlings/
Up next for Emily: Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

Kayla just read: Little Threats by Emily Schultz (45:30-57:24)
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/618177/little-threats-by-emily-schultz/
Up next for Kayla: Majesty by Katharine McGee

Becky just read: Bottled Goods by Sophie van Llewyn (57:25-1:08:37)
https://www.harpercollins.com/products/bottled-goods-sophie-van-llewyn?variant=32121808879650
Up next for Becky: Luster by Raven Leilani

Music by EpidemicSound, logo art by @niczollos, all opinions our own. Hold music sound effect:

Local Forecast - Slower by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3988-local-forecast---slower

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Today, We're Ranting About... Nov 09, 2020

Show notes

This one goes out to all the Gilmore Girl stans, the ones who rewatch the show the second you feel that extra fall/winter crispness hit the air, the ones who can quote its famously fast lines, who gets the pop culture references, who would die on their Dean or Jess hills. On this week’s episode, we’re chatting with Benny AKA The Gilmore Gay about all things GG and TikTok fame! After that, we get into our books for the week, some of which may or may not have served as a balm to our election anxieties last week. Yaaay, democracy! Buy links are below, and don’t forget to follow Gilmore Gay on TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@gilmoregay?lang=id! This episode was brought to you by Simpson & Vail Tea; you can shop their delicious literary teas (shoutout to the Mary Shelley and Edgar Allen Poe ones!) at https://www.svtea.com/. Shop our merch store here: https://www.booksandthecitypod.com/merch. Join our fan club at https://www.patreon.com/booksandthecitypod. Shop all the books we’ve discussed on this episode and past episodes at bookshop.org/shop/booksandthecity. Make sure you’re subscribed to our newsletter on our website, and drop us a line anytime at booksandthecitypod@gmail.com------------->

Becky just read: Talking As Fast As I Can by Lauren Graham (31:32-43:22)
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/541241/talking-as-fast-as-i-can-by-lauren-graham/
Up next for Becky: Rebel Spy by Veronica Rossi

Emily just read: The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin (43:23-56:41)
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/7753/the-fire-next-time-by-james-baldwin/
Up next for Emily: The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa

Kayla just read: Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi (56:22-1:05:10)
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/622478/transcendent-kingdom-by-yaa-gyasi/
Up next for Kayla: Little Threats by Emily Schultz

Libby just read: Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid (1:05:11-1:19:23)
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/577211/daisy-jones-and-the-six-by-taylor-jenkins-reid/
Up next for Libby: Riot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi

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

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