Stay ConnectedSarah’s Bookshelves Live is a weekly show featuring real talk about books and book recommendations from a featured guest. Each week, Sarah of the blog Sarah’s Bookshelves will talk with her guest about:
– 2 OLD BOOKS THEY LOVE
– 2 NEW BOOKS THEY LOVE
– 1 BOOK THEY DON’T LOVE
– AND 1 NEW RELEASE THEY’RE EXCITED ABOUT
I’m getting real about all things books and serving you up a bit of snark on the side.
Copyright: © Sarah Dickinson | Sarah's Bookshelves
In Episode 184, Susie (@NovelVisits) and I close out the year with our Best Books of 2024 Genre Awards. We reveal our Overall Best Books (Fiction and Nonfiction) and our full breakdown by genre, including: Best Literary Fiction, Best Romance, Best Brain Candy, Best Genre Mash-Up, and more! Plus, we’re sharing the winners for these same genres as chosen by the Sarah’s Bookshelves Live Patreon community!
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
AnnouncementsSarah
Susie
Patrons
In this Bonus Podcast Episode, Al Woodworth, Senior Editor and Manager at Amazon Books Editorial, returns to the show to take listeners behind the scenes of Amazon’s Best Books of 2024, as chosen by the Amazon Editors! A fascinating glimpse into how the 2024 list was curated, how the rankings were determined, and what criteria guided the selections.
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
AnnouncementsMore about Amazon Book Review Website | Instagram | X | Facebook
Al Woodworth is a Senior Editor on the Amazon Books Editorial team and has spent more than ten years in the book industry, championing authors and their work. She’s never without a book or four in her bag and is happiest reading memoirs and literary fiction, especially sprawling stories that cross generations and countries. She lives in Brooklyn.
In Ep. 183, we’re starting the wrap-up of 2024 with the first of our two year-end episodes: Best Books of 2024 Superlatives with Susie (@NovelVisits). In this episode, we’re sharing our top books of the year across over 25 Superlative categories, including Most Deserving of the Hype, Best Pairing, an “Eat My Words” book, Most Memorable Cast of Characters, and so much more!
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
AnnouncementsOur best books of the year from over 25 categories, including:
Susie
Sarah
Blog | Facebook | Instagram | X
Susie has loved reading for as long as she can remember. Some of her fondest childhood memories involve long afternoons at the library and then reading late into the night. More than ten years ago, she began journaling about the books she read and turned that passion into writing about books. Her first forays were as a guest reviewer on a friend’s blog, but she soon realized she wanted to be reviewing and talking about books on a blog of her own. From there, Novel Visits was born. That was in 2016 and, though the learning curve was steep, she loves being a part of the book community. Novel Visits focuses on new novel reviews (print and audio), previews of upcoming releases, and musings on all things bookish.
In Episode 182, author Chelsea Bieker discusss her new novel, Madwoman, with Sarah. Chelsea shares how her own childhood inspired the fictional characters in her book and what parts of the book differ from her own experience. They talk about the trajectory of this intense and personal novel that began as a “funny little book about motherhood” and morphed into a story about trauma and abuse. Plus, Chelsea shares her book recommendations.
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T Love
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Last 5-Star Book Chelsea Read
Chelsea Bieker is the author of three books, most recently the nationally bestselling novel, Madwoman, a Book of the Month club pick the New York Times calls “brilliant in its depiction of the long shadows cast by domestic violence.” Her first novel, Godshot, was long-listed for The Center For Fiction’s First Novel Prize and named a Barnes & Noble Pick of the Month. Her story collection, Heartbroke, won the California Book Award and was a New York Times “Best California Book of 2022.” Her writing has appeared in The Paris Review, Marie Claire UK, People, The Cut, Wall Street Journal, No Tokens, and others. She is the recipient of a Rona Jaffe Writers’ Award, as well as residencies from MacDowell and Tin House. Raised in Hawai’i and California, she now lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and two children.
In Episode 181, Sarah and Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books catch up on the 16 new releases they shared in the Fall 2024 Book Preview, now that they’ve read them. They share their reading stats, chat about what worked — and hash out which books didn’t work and why. Check out the episode for their full reviews on all their fall picks and get recommendations for your next book!
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
HighlightsSarah’s Picks
Other Books Mentioned
Mid-August
Catherine’s Picks
September
Sarah’s Picks
Catherine’s Picks
Other Books Mentioned
October
Sarah’s Picks
Catherine’s Picks
Other Books Mentioned
November
Catherine’s Pick
Blog | Facebook | Instagram | X
Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Booksover 10 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Seattle, WA.
Next EpisodeIn two weeks (November 13), Sarah will be back with Chelsea Bieker, author of Madwoman.
In Episode 180, Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) and Sarah return with the 4th annual Debuts Special! They’re sharing their favorite debuts, new and backlist — so far for 2024. Plus, their reading stats for debuts this year and the best sophomore novels of 2024.
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
HighlightsSarah
Susie
Other Books Mentioned
Sarah
Susie
Other Books Mentioned
Sarah
Susie
Other Books Mentioned
Blog | Facebook | Instagram | X
Susie has loved reading for as long as she can remember. Some of her fondest childhood memories involve long afternoons at the library and then reading late into the night. More than ten years ago, she began journaling about the books she read and turned that passion into writing about books. Her first forays were as a guest reviewer on a friend’s blog, but she soon realized she wanted to be reviewing and talking about books on a blog of her own. From there, Novel Visits was born. That was in 2016 and, though the learning curve was steep, she loves being a part of the book community. Novel Visits focuses on new novel reviews (print and audio), previews of upcoming releases, and musings on all things bookish.
Next EpisodeIn two weeks (October 30), Catherine and I will be back with our Fall 2024 Circle Back episode.
In Episode 179, Sarah is joined by Gayle Weiswasser, co-founder of Wonderland Books, an independent bookstore in Bethesda, MD opening in November 2024. Gayle candidly shares her journey from her initial idea to being on the verge of opening the store. This behind-the-scenes episode offers a deep dive into everything from training and book buying to raising capital (including crowdsourcing) and much more! Plus, Gayle wraps up the episode with some great book recommendations (and how many copies of each she’s ordering for the store).
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T Love
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Last 5-Star Book Gayle Read
Blog | Instagram | X | Facebook
Gayle Weiswasser is the co-founder of Wonderland Books, a soon-to-open independent bookstore opening soon in Bethesda, MD. Gayle is also the founder of the blog, Everyday I Write the Book and the co-host of the podcast The Readerly Report. Prior to opening Wonderland Books, Gayle was a lawyer and communications executive. She’s a DC native and now lives in Chevy Chase, MD with her family.
Learn More about Wonderland Books:Website | Instagram | Facebook
In Episode 178, Al Woodworth, Senior Editor and Manager at Amazon Books Editorial, goes behind the scenes of Amazon’s editorial division, including the start-to-finish process of building the “Best Books” lists, what “best” might mean, and what helps a book make the list. Plus, Al shares some of her book recommendations!
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T Love
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Last 5-Star Book Al Read
More about Amazon Book Review Website | Instagram | X | Facebook
Al Woodworth is a Senior Editor on the Amazon Books Editorial team and has spent more than ten years in the book industry, championing authors and their work. She’s never without a book or four in her bag and is happiest reading memoirs and literary fiction, especially sprawling stories that cross generations and countries. She lives in Brooklyn.
Welcome to the Fall 2024 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books!
Today, Catherine and I share 16 of our most anticipated books releasing mid-August through December.
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
AnnouncementBooks Mentioned
Backlist Titles Mentioned
Mid-August
Catherine’s Pick
Other Books Mentioned
September
Sarah’s Picks
Catherine’s Picks
Other Books Mentioned
October
Sarah’s Picks
Catherine’s Picks
Other Books Mentioned
November
Catherine’s Pick
In Episode 176, Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books and I catch up on the 12 new releases from the Summer 2024 Book Preview. We share our reading stats, chat about what we liked, and what didn’t work out. Listen in as we share our reviews on these books and get some recommendations for your next read!
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
HighlightsSarah’s Picks
Other Books Mentioned
June
Sarah’s Picks
Catherine’s Picks
Other Books Mentioned
July
Sarah’s Picks
Catherine’s Picks
Other Books Mentioned
In Episode 175, Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) and I explore our favorite Micro Genres for 2024. Over the past year, we’ve continued to refine our reading tastes and identify specific themes and types of books that resonate deeply with us. This year, Susie and I have a curated list of 10 all-new Micro Genres, along with standout books from each category. It’s another big episode with tons of great book recommendations!
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
Cold War Espionage (Sarah) [3:19]Sarah
Susie
Sarah
Susie
Sarah
Susie
NOT Based on the COVID-19 Pandemic & More Dystopian [15:49]
Sarah
Susie
With the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Background [18:28]
Sarah
Susie
Other Books Mentioned
Sarah
Susie
Sarah
Susie
Sarah
Susie
Susie
Sarah
Susie
Other Books Mentioned
Sarah
Susie
Other Books Mentioned
For Ep. 174, due to an unexpected change in our episode schedule, we’re bringing you an episode from our newest Patreon bonus series, Unscripted. This series is our sandbox for any bookish topic, whether it’s publishing news, behind-the-scenes insights from the podcast and our reading lives, or patron-submitted discussions. Most Unscripted episodes feature both co-hosts, Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) and Catherine Gilmore (@GilmoreGuide), along with me — and this April episode was no exception. We dive into the topic of Auto-Buy Authors, submitted by patrons! Tune in for a candid chat about the authors we always buy, former favorites, and those we’ve learned to avoid.
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
Announcement (Podcast Survey)Books Mentioned
Catherine
Susie
Sarah
Catherine
Susie
Sarah
Catherine
Susie
Sarah
Other Books Mentioned
For Ep. 173, Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) joins me as we circle back to one of our favorite topics — niching down our reading into micro genres! In this special Circle Back, we revisit some previously shared micro genres from our two past Micro Genres We Love episodes and introduce two additional micro genres from a Patreon bonus episode not yet heard on the big show! We give examples that define each micro genre for us and share new books we’ve read that fit into these niches. Plus, we share books for that DIDN’T work for us. This episode is full of over 100 books for you to add to your TBR!
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
Romances That Deal With Fame [4:04]Sarah’s Additions
Other Books Mentioned
Sarah’s Additions
Susie’s Additions
Other Books Mentioned
Sarah’s Addition
Susie’s Addition
Other Books Mentioned
Susie’s Additions
Other Books Mentioned
Sarah’s Additions
Susie’s Addition
Other Books Mentioned
Susie’s Additions
Other Books Mentioned
Sarah’s Additions
Susie’s Addition
Other Books Mentioned
Sarah’s Addition
Susie’s Additions
Other Books Mentioned
Sarah’s Additions
Susie’s Addition
Other Books Mentioned
Sarah’s Addition
Susie’s Additions
Other Books Mentioned
Sarah’s Additions
Other Books Mentioned
Sarah’s Addition
Susie’s Additions
Other Books Mentioned
Sarah’s Addition
Other Books Mentioned
Susie’s Additions
Other Books Mentioned
Sarah’s Additions
Susie’s Additions
Other Books Mentioned
Sarah’s Additions
Susie’s Additions
Other Books Mentioned
In Ep. 172, Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits), Catherine Gilmore (@GilmoreGuide), and I are together for the first time on the big show to catch up on our 2024 reading — so far! We talk about the current publishing landscape, what books are topping bestseller lists to date, and our personal reading as it stands halfway through the year. We share our stats and talk about expectations and hopes for the remainder of the year. Plus, we each share our TOP 5 books and our biggest disappointments so far.
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
The Bookish Landscape [1:51]Books Mentioned
Books Mentioned
Sarah
Susie
Catherine
Other Books Mentioned
Sarah
Susie
Catherine
Other Books Mentioned
In Episode 171, Rufi Thorpe she joins me to discuss her latest novel, Margo’s Got Money Troubles, and her career arc in general. Rufi talks about her inspiration for Margo and the quirky elements she uses to explore deeper topics like loneliness, motherhood, untraditional family dynamics, money, and art — all with a great sense of humor. We also go behind-the-scenes of marketing the book, including cover design, titles, and comparison titles. Plus, Rufi shares her book recommendations!
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T Love
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Last 5-Star Book Rufi Read
Website | Instagram | X | Facebook
Rufi Thorpe received her MFA from the University of Virginia in 2009. Rufi is the author of The Knockout Queen, a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award, Dear Fang, With Love, and her first novel, The Girls from Corona del Mar, which was long-listed for the 2014 International Dylan Thomas Prize and for the 2014 Flaherty-Dunnan First Novel Prize. A California native, she currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband and sons.
Announcement
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
HighlightsJune
Sarah’s Picks
Catherine’s Picks
Other Books Mentioned
July
Sarah’s Picks
Catherine’s Picks
Other Books Mentioned
In Episode 169, Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books and I catch up on the 12 new releases from the Spring 2024 Book Preview. We share our reading stats, chat about what we liked, and what didn’t quite hit the mark. Tune in to hear our thoughts on these books and get some recommendations for your next read!
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
Access the 2024 Summer Reading Guide Cheatsheet and Free Trial on Patreon here.
HighlightsApril
Sarah’s Pick
Catherine’s Picks
Other Books Mentioned
May
Sarah’s Picks
Catherine’s Picks
Other Books Mentioned
Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) and I share our favorite books that missed last year’s Summer Reading Guide, some shorter books we think are great for summer reading, and our #1 picks for each category featured in my 2024 Summer Reading Guide.
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
Access the 2024 Summer Reading Guide Cheatsheet and Free Trial on Patreon here.
Summer Reading [9:19] Books That Missed Last Year’s Summer Reading Guide [10:14]Sarah
Susie
Other Books Mentioned
Sarah
Susie
Other Books Mentioned
Something Light / Fun
Slow-Burn Suspense
Something Fast-Paced / Intense
Something With a Bit More Substance
Something Different
In Ep. 167, Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) and I are circling back to 2018 in the book world with a special retrospective episode! We share big bookish highlights for that year, including book news, award winners, and what was going on in the world outside of reading. We also talk about our own 2018 reading and our favorite 2018 releases. Plus, you’ll hear listener-submitted favorites! This episode is overflowing with great backlist titles to add to your TBR!
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
HighlightsIn episode 166, author Andrew Boryga joins me to discuss his debut novel, Victim, a funny and gripping satire about success and identity. Through the adventures of Javier, Victim explores what “diversity” means, why society loves a victim narrative, and the pitfalls of chasing fame online. Boryga combines humor with biting social commentary without sacrificing heart. This is a juicy and highly discussable story! In our chat, Andrew shares his inspiration behind the book, his decade long road to publication, and what he finds most effective in a satirical novel. Plus, Andrew shares some fantastic book recommendations!
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
HighlightsTwo OLD Books He Loves
Two NEW Books He Loves
One Book He DIDN’T Love
One NEW RELEASE He’s Excited About
Last 5-Star Book Andrew Read
Website | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter)
Andrew Boryga is a writer, editor, and author from the Bronx, New York, currently residing in Miami, Florida with his wife and two children. Victim is his debut novel.
Boryga began his career writing for a local newspaper in the Bronx at age 16, eventually securing an internship with The New York Timesby age 18. His nonfiction writing has since been featured in prominent publications such as The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The Paris Review, and The Daily Beast, among others. Boryga’s contributions to writing education extend beyond his own work, encompassing teaching roles for elementary school students, college students, and incarcerated individuals in Florida. He has also shared his insights on writing and the writing life through lectures at various academic institutions. Throughout his career, Boryga has been awarded prizes by Cornell University, The University of Miami, The Susquehanna Review, and The Michener Foundation.
Welcome to the Spring 2024 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books!
In this episode, Catherine and I share 12 of our most anticipated books releasing in April and May.
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
AnnouncementApril
Sarah’s Picks
Catherine’s Picks
Other Books Mentioned
May
Sarah’s Picks
Catherine’s Picks
Other Books Mentioned
Blog | Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter)
Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Booksover 10 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Seattle, WA.
In today’s episode, Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) and I circle back to the 16 books we featured in the Winter 2024 Book Preview. We’ll be sharing our reading stats and thoughts on the books we’ve read (or attempted), to help you decide which ones to add to your reading list and which ones to skip.
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
HighlightsSarah’s Picks
Other Books Mentioned
January
Sarah’s Picks
Catherine’s Picks
Other Books Mentioned
February
Sarah’s Picks
Catherine’s Picks
Other Books Mentioned
March
Sarah’s Picks
Catherine’s Pick
Other Books Mentioned
Blog | Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter)
Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 10 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Seattle, WA.
In Episode 163, Sara Hildreth, from @FictionMatters and co-host of the podcast Novel Pairings, returns for her third appearance on our show as our expert for Classics & Retellings 101. Sara guides us through the sometimes intimidating world of timeless reads in an accessible way. She busted some myths about classics and changed my mind about some elements of the classics. And, she has a great approach to find the perfect retelling of your favorite classics for your next read.
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
HighlightsPlease note: Sara mistakenly mentions during the discussion that The Great Gatsbydid not come into popularity until its distribution to soldiers during World War I, when this actually occurred during World War II.
Sara’s Book Recommendations [49:02]Two OLD Books She Loves — Classics
Two NEW Books She Loves — Retellings
One Book She DIDN’T Love — Classic
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About — Retelling and Classic Pairing
Last 5-Star Book Sara Read
Website | Instagram | Facebook
Sara Hildreth is the creator behind FictionMatters, a literary Instagram account, newsletter, and book club focused on putting thought-provoking books into the hands of adventurous readers. She also co-hosts Novel Pairings, a podcast dedicated to making the classics readable, relevant, and fun.
In Episode 162, Leigh Stein (author and journalist) joins me to jump into the world of BookTok, the bookish corner of TikTok. We talk about what early elements started this sensation, how creators and their content are different on this platform, and the main audience engaging with the app’s evolving algorithm. We also discuss the continuing gap in marketing and authentic social media content, and how we think publishers could address this issue. (Did we solve it?!) Plus, Leigh shares some great book recommendations!
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T Love
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Last 5-Star Book Leigh Read
Website | Instagram | Substack | TikTok
Leigh Stein is a writer interested in what the internet is doing to our identities, relationships, and politics. She is the author of five books, including the critically acclaimed satirical novel Self Care and the poetry collection What to Miss When. Her nonfiction writing has appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the New Yorker online, and more. She was co-founder and executive director of Out of the Binders/BinderCon, a feminist literary nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the careers of women and gender variant writers.
In Episode 161, author Amanda Peters joins me to discuss her surprise hit novel, The Berry Pickers. This debut novel (which was the 2023 Barnes & Noble Discover Pick) seamlessly blends sadness and heartwarming moments. In our chat, Amanda shares what (or who) started her on this journey, the road to publication, and what she hopes readers take away from her first novel. Plus, Amanda shares some great book recommendations!
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Last 5-Star Book Amanda Read
Amanda Peters is a writer of Mi’kmaq and settler ancestry. Her debut novel, The Berry Pickers is the Winner of the Andrew Carnegie Medal of Excellence in Fiction, the 2023 Barnes & Noble Discovery Prize Winner, and was shortlisted for the Barnes & Noble Book of the Year and the Atwood Gibson Fiction Award from the Writers Trust of Canada. Her work has also appeared in the Antigonish Review, Grain Magazine, the Alaska Quarterly Review, the Dalhousie Review and Filling Station Magazine. She is the winner of the 2021 Indigenous Voices Award for Unpublished Prose and a participant in the 2021 Writers’ Trust Rising Stars program. Amanda is a graduate of the Master of Fine Arts Program at the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and has a Certificate in Creative Writing from the University of Toronto.
In Episode 160, Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) and I share the best backlist books we read in 2023. We each discuss our top 5 backlist books from last year, highlight some underrated backlist gems, and review our backlist reading statistics. Devoting an entire episode to backlist reading is something we love doing and we've heard from you that you love it too!
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
AnnouncementCatherine
Sarah
Other Books Mentioned
Catherine
Sarah
Other Books Mentioned
Welcome to the Winter 2024 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books!
In this episode, Catherine and I share 16 of our most anticipated books releasing January through March.
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
AnnouncementJanuary
Sarah’s Picks
Catherine’s Picks
Other Books Mentioned
February
Sarah’s Picks
Catherine’s Picks
Other Books Mentioned
March
Sarah’s Picks
Catherine’s Pick
Other Books Mentioned
*The book’s publication date has been changed.
In Episode 158, we wrap up the year with our Best Books of 2023 Genre Awards with Susie (@NovelVisits). We reveal our Overall Best Books (Fiction and Nonfiction), and we have a full breakdown by genre, including: Best Literary Fiction, Best Romance, Best Brain Candy, Best Genre Mash-Up, and more! Plus, we’re sharing the winners for these same genres as chosen by the Sarah’s Bookshelves Live Patreon community!
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
AnnouncementsSusie
Sarah
Patrons
We’re gearing up to close out our year of reading with today’s podcast episode, featuring the Best Books of 2023 Superlatives with Susie (@NovelVisits). Our wrap-up is split into two episodes: today’s Superlatives and next week’s Genre Awards. Today, we’re diving into more than 25 Superlative categories, including Most Deserving of the Hype, Biggest Surprise, the Darkest Book of the Year, and many others!
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
AnnouncementsSusie
Sarah
For our first annual 2023 State of the Industry episode, we’re welcoming back literary agent Sarah Landis for an overview and exploration of some hot topics in the book world this year. Taking stock of how this year panned out for the publishing industry, Sarah discusses top news stories, dives deep into how specific titles performed this year, and shares current trends she’s seeing in publishing. Also, Sarah shares her favorite books of 2023!
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
Coming SoonHigh-Level Overview [3:08]
Big Book Stories of 2023 [13:10]
The Over / Under Game [25:17]
Bookish Trends of 2023 [44:26]
Examining the Shift in Publishers’ Calendars [51:43]
Potential Trends for 2024 [54:25]
In the Fall 2023 Book Preview, Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) and I shared our 12 most-anticipated books that released mid-August – December. Today we’re going to circle back to share updates on which of these books we’ve read, our thoughts on them, and a few we attempted but couldn’t quite get through.
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
Coming SoonSarah’s Pick:
Catherine’s Picks:
Other Books Mentioned:
September
Sarah’s Pick:
Catherine’s Pick:
Other Books Mentioned:
October
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
Other Books Mentioned:
November
Sarah’s Pick:
Other Books Mentioned:
In podcast episode 154, we’re diving into the world of book cover design with Karen Horton, graphic designer and former Art Director at Henry Holt. Karen takes us behind the scenes of the process of book cover design, who makes key book cover related decisions, and the role of marketing budgets and author’s reputation in this process. Plus, Karen shares her book recommendations!
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T Love
NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Last 5-Star Book Karen Read
A Living Remedy by Nicole Chung | Amazon | Bookshop.org [47:25]
In Episode 153, Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) and I are back for our 3rd annual Debuts Special! Today, we’re sharing our favorite debuts from 2023 (so far), new and backlist! Plus, we discuss our reading stats for debuts this year, and we talk about some standout sophomore novels that made the cut.
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
HighlightsSarah
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In Episode 152, author Liz Nugent talks about her latest novel, Strange Sally Diamond. Liz is known for her dark and psychological storytelling. Strange Sally Diamond is character-driven, delving deep into psychology and trauma, and despite Sally’s damaged nature, Liz portrays her with empathy and nuance. Strange Sally Diamond challenges us to consider the “why” behind someone’s behavior. Plus, we get some great book recommendations from Liz.
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She Didn’t Love
TWO NEW RELEASES She’s Excited About
Last 5-Star Book Liz Read
Episode 151 brings author Angie Kim back to the podcast with her sophomore novel, Happiness Falls. Angie is carving out her niche with literary mysteries featuring children with disabilities or illnesses, drawing inspiration from her own family’s encounters. I broke my own rules for podcast guests because Happiness Falls is now in the running for my #1 book of 2023 and it’s the smartest book I’ve read all year!
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for full episode Show Notes on the blog.
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She Didn't Love
NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Last 5-Star Book Angie Read
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin | Amazon | Bookshop.org [54:24]
Welcome to the Fall 2023 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books!
In this episode, Catherine and I share 12 of our most anticipated books releasing in mid-August through December.
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for full episode Show Notes on the blog.
AnnouncementAugust
Sarah’s Pick:
Catherine’s Pick:
Other Books Mentioned:
September
Sarah’s Pick:
Catherine’s Picks:
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October
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In Ep. 149, Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) and I revisit the 12 books released from June to mid-August that we featured in the Summer 2023 Book Preview. We update you on our reading stats for summer, chat about the books we’ve tackled or tried, and let you know which ones are worth adding to your list and which ones you can pass on.
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsOther Books Mentioned:
June
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August
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For Episode 148, as the podcast takes a brief break, we revisit a backlist episode…the Best Books of 2020 with Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits). Re-listening to this one is a unique opportunity to get a look back on a strange year. Whether you’re new to the podcast or have been with us for a while, everyone loves a TBR filled with backlist gems! Library holds should be easy and paperbacks editions have been released! So, let’s take a look back at our favorite 2020 books (overall and by genre) and our picks for tons of bookish superlatives.
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
This is a backlist episode. It features a new introduction and has been cut for content, but first aired on November 25, 2020, in its entirety, as Ep. 71: Best Books of 2020 and Bookish Superlatives with Susie from @NovelVisits. HighlightsSarah
Susie
Sarah
Susie
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Susie has loved reading for as long as she can remember. Some of her fondest childhood memories involve long afternoons at the library and then reading late into the night. More than ten years ago, she began journaling about the books she read and turned that passion into writing about books. Her first forays were as a guest reviewer on a friend’s blog, but she soon realized she wanted to be reviewing and talking about books on a blog of her own. From there, Novel Visits was born. That was in 2016 and, though the learning curve was steep, she loves being a part of the book community. Novel Visits focuses on new novel reviews (print and audio), previews of upcoming releases, and musings on all things bookish.
In Episode 147, Lara Love Hardin joins me to discuss her memoir, The Many Lives of Mama Love. Lara shares her journey from opioid addict (funded through credit card theft) to successful ghostwriter. Her warm and candid storytelling touches on themes of forgiveness, redemption, and unwavering resilience, demonstrating people’s ability to triumph over life’s darkest moments. This was a five-star book for me, and I am thrilled to explore such a deeply felt journey with Lara.
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She Didn’t Love
Two NEW RELEASES She’s Excited About
Last 5-Star Book Lara Read
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus | Amazon | Bookshop.org [47:45]
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
Lara Love Hardin is the President and Founder of True Literary a full-service boutique literary agency.
Hardin has an MFA in creative writing and is a 4-time New York Times bestselling writer, including the #1 New York Times bestseller Designing Your Life by Dave Evans and Bill Burnett, and 2018 Oprah Book Club pick, The Sun Does Shine, which she co-authored with Anthony Ray Hinton about his 30 years as an innocent man on Alabama’s death row. There are well over a million copies sold of the many books she has written, and you can find her on the title page and in the acknowledgments of books by Nelson Mandela, John Gottman, Evy Poumpouras, and other luminary authors on the Idea Architects roster.
In 2019 she won a Christopher Award for her work “affirming the highest values of the human spirit.” In 2019, she was also nominated for an NAACP Image Award, won the Moore Prize in the UK, and was short-listed for the Dayton Literary Peace Prize. In 2020, she launched her own division within Idea Architects (Idea Architects: True) as a literary agent specializing in memoir.
She lives in La Selva Beach, California with her third husband, three dogs, three cats, and three teenagers. She also has 21 chickens, four ducks, and three adult sons who live at home on holidays and big laundry days.
In today’s podcast episode, Katie Williams and I delve into the complex questions surrounding motherhood, marriage, and society’s fixation on a certain type of murder victim that she explores in My Murder. We discuss the romanticization of white female victims, serial killers and guilt, and the integration of video games and virtual reality into this story. As a bonus, Katie also gives us a sneak peek into her upcoming horror comedy and shares her books recommendations.
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Last 5-Star Book Katie Read
Lone Women by Victor LaValle | Amazon | Bookshop.org [43:57]
In Episode 145, Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) and I dive into micro genres — the niches within niches that we’ve come to adore. Over the past year, we’ve discovered even more unique themes and types of books that consistently captivate us. Today, we’re thrilled to present a special episode where we share an abundant list of our favorite micro genres, the books that define them, and the reasons why we find them so irresistible.
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
Get Even More Summer Reading Recommendations with Summer Shelves:Sarah
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John Marrs, best-selling author of The One, The Passengers, and The Marriage Act, talks about his journey from self-published to bestselling author, his writing process, how he manages writing in multiple genres for two different publishers, and more. John’s journalism background led him to ask me some thought-provoking questions as well. Our conversation was an absolute delight, and I can’t wait for you to dive into his captivating universe of books. Plus, be sure to check out John’s book recommendations that align nicely with my own reading tastes!
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books He Loves
Two NEW Books He Loves
NEW RELEASE He’s Excited About
Last 5-Star Book John Read
Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney | Amazon | Bookshop.org [51:41]
In today’s episode of Sarah’s Bookshelves Live, we dive into the fascinating world of book coaching with Abigail K. Perry (@abigailkperry)! We chat about the role of book coaches, the perks of working with them, and uncover some valuable insights for aspiring authors and book lovers. Plus, Abigail shares her book recommendations!
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T Love
NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Last 5-Star Book Abigail Read
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin | Amazon | Bookshop.org [54:04]
Announcement
June
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
Other Books Mentioned:
August
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
Other Books Mentioned:
Catherine (Gilmore Guide to Books) and I revisit the 12 books released in April and May featured in the Spring 2023 Book Preview. We give updates on our reading stats, share our thoughts on the books we’ve read or attempted, and offer recommendations on which ones deserve a spot on your reading list and which ones you might want to skip.
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
AnnouncementSarah’s Picks:
Other Books Mentioned:
April
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
Other Books Mentioned:
May
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
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Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) and I share our favorite books that missed last year’s Summer Reading Guides, some nonfiction books we think are great for summer reading, and our #1 picks for four categories, including what I have featured in my 2023 Summer Reading Guide.
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
Get Even More Summer Reading Recommendations with Summer Shelves:Sarah
Susie
Sarah
Susie
Something Light / Fun
Something Fast-Paced / Intense
Something With Substance
Something Different
In Episode 139, Brendan Slocumb talks about his sophomore novel, Symphony of Secrets, and the inspiration behind it. He shares a fascinating look into musical history of the 1920’s, his unique approach to writing musical thrillers, and how he balances musical detail with readability. He also delves into the exploitation of musicians in the industry and how many are simply lost to history. Plus, stick around to hear Brendan’s book recommendations.
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books He Loves
Two NEW Books He Loves
One NEW RELEASE He’s Excited About
Closer by Sea by Perry Chafe (May 23, 2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:54]
Last 5-Star Book Brendan Read
Ozark Dogs by Eli Cranor | Amazon | Bookshop.org [34:32]
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok
Brendan Slocumb was raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and holds a degree in music education (with concentrations in violin and viola) from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. For more than twenty years he has been a public and private school music educator and has performed with orchestras throughout Northern Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.
In Episode 138, author Rebecca Makkai discusses I Have Some Questions for You, her latest novel that explores societal issues such as racism and wrongful incarceration through the lens of a crime story. This was a five-star book for me and looks to be *the book* of 2023 so far! Rebecca shared how she engaged with readers using click-bait style headlines and created a sense of intimacy through the second-person point of view. She also goes behind the scenes of how she pitches her new book ideas to her agent and publisher. Plus, Rebecca gives us her book recommendations!
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
A Book With Which She Has a Complicated Relationship
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Maddalena and the Dark by Julia Fine (June 13, 2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [47:52]
Last 5-Star Book Rebecca Read
Madonna in a Fur Coat by Sabahattin Ali | Amazon | Bookshop.org [49:09]
Website| Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Substack
Rebecca Makkai is the author of the novels I Have Some Questions for You, The Great Believers, The Hundred-Year House, and The Borrower, and the story collection Music for Wartime. A finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, The Great Believers received an American Library Association Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, among other honors, and was named one of the Ten Best Books of 2018 by The New York Times. A 202 Guggenheim fellow, Makkai is on the MFA faculties of the University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe and Northwestern University, and is the artistic director of StoryStudio Chicago. She lives on the campus of the midwestern boarding school where her husband teaches, and in Vermont.
Welcome to the Spring 2023 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books!
In this episode, Catherine and I share 12 of our most anticipated books releasing in April and May.
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
AnnouncementApril
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
May
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
In today’s episode, Catherine (Gilmore Guide to Books) and I circle back to the 16 books we featured in the Winter 2023 Book Preview. We’ll be sharing our reading stats and thoughts on the books we’ve read (or attempted), to help you decide which ones to add to your reading list and which ones to skip.
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsSarah’s Picks:
January
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Catherine’s Picks:
February
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March
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In episode 135, author William Landay discusses his latest novel, All That Is Mine I Carry With Me, while also sharing his background as a prosecutor and how he incorporates family drama into his crime novels. William shares a couple elements of his book that changed throughout the writing process (including how it was almost meta fiction!). We also chat about how the court of public opinion shapes the idea of doubt in his book and how the different perspectives play a role in creating suspense. Plus, William gives us his book recommendations!
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books He Loves
Two NEW Books He Loves
William’s Take on UPCOMING RELEASES [46:32]
Last 5-Star Book William Read
The Mirror & the Light (Wolf Hall Trilogy, 3) by Hilary Mantel | Amazon | Bookshop.org [48:35]
William Landay is the author of All That Is Mine I Carry With Me and three previous novels: Defending Jacob, which won the Strand Critics Award for best mystery novel; The Strangler, listed as a best crime novel of the year by the L.A. Times, Daily Telegraph and others; and Mission Flats, winner of the Dagger Award for best first crime novel. A former assistant district attorney, he lives in Boston.
In today’s episode, Deborah Goodrich Royce joins me to talk about her latest book, Reef Road. We discuss the personal story behind her book and the role of generational trauma in her writing niche, which she calls “Identity Thrillers.” We also covered the explosion of true crime content and got a sneak peek at some details of her upcoming book. Also, Deborah shares her book recommendations — breaking the format by pairing the old and new books together.
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo Book PAIRINGS She Loves
One Book She Didn’t Love
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Last 5-Star Book Deborah Read
Charming Billy by Alice McDermott | Amazon | Bookshop.org [47:32]
Deborah Goodrich Royce’s thrillers examine puzzles of identity. Reef Road hit Publishers Weekly’s Bestseller list, Good Morning America’s Top 15 list, and was an Indie Next pick by the American Booksellers Association for January 2023. Ruby Falls won the Zibby Award for Best Plot Twist in 2021 and Finding Mrs. Ford was hailed by Forbes, Book Riot, and Good Morning America’s “best of” lists in 2019. She began as an actress on All My Children and in multiple films, before transitioning to the role of story editor at Miramax Films, developing Emma and early versions of Chicago and A Wrinkle in Time. With her husband, Chuck, Deborah restored the Avon Theatre, Ocean House Hotel, Deer Mountain Inn, United Theatre, Savoy Bookstore, and numerous Main Street revitalization projects in Rhode Island and the Catskills. She serves on the governing and advisory boards of the American Film Institute, Greenwich International Film Festival, New York Botanical Garden, Greenwich Historical Society, and the PRASAD Project. Deborah holds a bachelor’s degree in modern foreign languages and an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Lake Erie College.
Literary agent Sarah Landis joins me for a deep dive into the Speculative Fiction / Fantasy genre. Sarah breaks down these terms, shares popular books in these genres, and discusses the trends she’s seeing in the publishing industry. Also, Sarah shares both her book recommendations and her go-to books for those looking to dive into these genres!
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She Didn’t Love
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Last 5-Star Book Sarah Read
The Cloisters by Katy Hays | Amazon | Bookshop.org [46:08]
Sarah Landis represents a wide range of fiction from middle grade to adult. Sarah is particularly drawn to high-concept plots, big hooks, speculative fiction, twisty thrillers, novels with a strong emotional core, and sweeping fantasy. She is always on the lookout for new talent and narrative risk-takers. Her clients’ novels have received a variety of accolades, including Barnes and Noble book club selections and Reese’s Book Club, and have appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists as well as international bestseller lists around the globe. Before joining Sterling Lord Literistic in 2017, Sarah worked as an editor for fifteen years, holding roles at G.P. Putnam’s Sons, Hyperion Books, HarperCollins Children’s Books, and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers. Sarah graduated with a B.A. in English from the University of Virginia.
Katie Gutierrez joins me for a spoiler-free discussion of her debut novel, More Than You’ll Ever Know, which is a character study about a complex and fascinating woman behind a highly unusual crime. This is a deeply layered story touching on topics surrounding gender, motherhood, marriage, and the current fascination with true crime. Also, Katie shares her book recommendations — including 3 upcoming new releases!
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She Didn’t Love
Three NEW RELEASES She’s Excited About
Last 5-Star Book Katie Read
The Revivalists by Christopher M. Hood | Amazon | Bookshop.org [48:21]
Katie Gutierrez is the author of the national bestselling debut novel More Than You’ll Ever Know, which is also a Good Morning America Book Club pick for June 2022. She is a National Magazine Award finalist whose writing has appeared in TIME, Harper’s Bazaar, The Washington Post, Longreads, and more. She has an MFA from Texas State University and lives in San Antonio, Texas, with her husband and their two kids.
In Episode 131, Catherine (@gilmoreguide) and I share the best backlist books we read in 2022. We each share our top 5 backlist books from 2022, some underrated backlist gems, and our backlist reading stats. Catherine and I both had a successful year of backlist reading, despite both of us experiencing major life events.
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
Sarah
Catherine
Sarah
Catherine
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 10 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Seattle, WA.
Welcome to the Winter 2023 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books!
In this episode, Catherine and I share 16 of our most anticipated books releasing January through March.
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
AnnouncementJANUARY
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
FEBRUARY
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
MARCH
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
Our 2022 year-end reading roundup continues today with our Best Books of 2022 Genre Awards with Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits). We reveal our Overall Best Books (Fiction and Nonfiction) and we have a full breakdown by genre, including: Best Literary Fiction, Best Backlist Read in 2022, Best Romance, Best Brain Candy, Best Genre Mash-Up, and more! Plus, this year I’m sharing the winners for these same genres as chosen by the Sarah’s Bookshelves Live Patreon community!
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
AnnouncementsSarah
Susie
Patrons
Our 2022 year-end reading roundup starts today with Best Books of 2022 Superlatives with Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits). This year, we’re splitting our wrap-up into two episodes: Superlatives and Genre Awards (coming in mid-December). We have 17 Superlatives categories for you, including Most and Least Deserving of the Hype, Biggest Surprise, the Book I Hated that Everyone Else Loved, and more!
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AnnouncementsSarah
Susie
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Susie has loved reading for as long as she can remember. Some of her fondest childhood memories involve long afternoons at the library and then reading late into the night. More than ten years ago, she began journaling about the books she read and turned that passion into writing about books. Her first forays were as a guest reviewer on a friend’s blog, but she soon realized she wanted to be reviewing and talking about books on a blog of her own. From there, Novel Visits was born. That was in 2016 and, though the learning curve was steep, she loves being a part of the book community. Novel Visits focuses on new novel reviews (print and audio), previews of upcoming releases, and musings on all things bookish.
In the Fall 2022 Book Preview, Catherine (Gilmore Guide to Books) and I shared our 16 most-anticipated books that released mid-August – December 2022. In today’s episode, we’re going to circle back to update you on the books we’ve had a chance to read — or at least attempt.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsSarah’s Picks:
August
Catherine’s Picks:
September
Sarah’s Pick:
Catherine’s Picks:
October
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Pick:
November
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Pick:
December
Sarah’s Pick:
Catherine’s Pick:
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 10 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Seattle, WA.
In Episode 126, audiobook producer Karen Dziekonski from Penguin Random House Audio joins me for today’s deep-dive discussion. Karen takes us behind the scenes from the growth of audiobooks in the industry to the ins and outs of how audiobooks are produced. Plus, Karen shares her audiobook recommendations!
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Audiobooks She Loves
Two NEW Audiobooks She Loves
How She Feels About Talking About Books She DOESN’T Love [48:40]
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Last 5-Star Book Karen Read
The Maid by Nita Prose | Amazon | Bookshop.org | Libro.fm [52:57]
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Karen Dziekonski, VP, Audio Production for the Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group, has been an influential member of the audiobook industry for over twenty years. Starting at Random House in 2000, Karen has produced thousands of audiobooks and forged strong collaborations with bestselling and debut authors, celebrities, and professional narrators. An excellent problem-solver and active collaborator, Karen leads a team of elite, award-winning producers in the day-to-day operation of one of the most successful audio publishers in the United States. She lives on Long Island, New York, with her chef husband and two daughters.
In Episode 125, Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) and I are back for our 2nd annual Debuts Special. Today we’re sharing our favorite debut novels from 2022 (so far)! Plus, we discuss our reading stats for debuts this year and we talk about some upcoming sophomore novels (and their debuts) that are on our radar.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsSarah
Susie
Sarah
Susie
Sarah
Susie
Susie has loved reading for as long as she can remember. Some of her fondest childhood memories involve long afternoons at the library and then reading late into the night. More than ten years ago, she began journaling about the books she read and turned that passion into writing about books. Her first forays were as a guest reviewer on a friend’s blog, but she soon realized she wanted to be reviewing and talking about books on a blog of her own. From there, Novel Visits was born. That was in 2016 and, though the learning curve was steep, she loves being a part of the book community. Novel Visits focuses on new novel reviews (print and audio), previews of upcoming releases, and musings on all things bookish.
Candice Carty-Williams joins me for a spoiler-free discussion of her sophomore novel, People Person. In People Person, Candice writes about serious issues in a light-hearted way that’s full of dry humor. She explores questions of obligation to family — especially family to whom you were not previously close. Plus, Candice shares her book recommendations!
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Last 5-Star Book Candice Read
Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson | Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:05]
Candice Carty-Williams is a writer and the author of the Sunday Times (London) bestselling Queenie, which was been shortlisted by Goodreads for book of the year in 2019. In 2016, Candice created and launched the Guardian and 4th Estate BAME Short Story Prize, the first inclusive initiative of its kind in book publishing. Candice has written for The Guardian, i-D, Vogue, every iteration of The Sunday Times (London), Beat magazine, Black Ballad, and more. She will probably always live in South London.
In Episode 123, Nikki Erlick joins me to discuss (spoiler-free!) her debut novel, The Measure, and share her book recommendations. A both otherworldly and of our time story, in a symbolic way rather than a literal way. The Measure will absolutely be one of my favorite books of 2022!
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Genre of Books She DOESN’T LOVE [36:33]
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Last 5-Star Book Nikki Read
The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles | Amazon | Bookshop.org [41:51]
Nikki Erlick is a writer and editor whose work has appeared on the websites of New York magazine, Harper’s Bazaar, Newsweek, Cosmopolitan, the Huffington Post, Indagare Travel, BookTrib, and the Verge. As a travel writer, she explored nearly a dozen countries on assignment—from rural villages in France to the arctic fjords of Norway. As a ghostwriter, she has lent her voice to CEOs, academics, and entrepreneurs. She graduated Harvard University summa cum laude and is a former editor of the Harvard Crimson. She earned a master’s degree in global thought from Columbia University. The Measure is her first novel.
Double Booked is a monthly series, available to my Superstars patrons, where a co-host and I each share our own book recommendations in the same format as the big show (2 old books we love, 2 new books we love, 1 book we didn’t love, and 1 upcoming release we’re excited about). In these more candid episodes, I talk more about my own reading, and share tons of books that I don’t share on any other public forum. Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books and Susie from Novel Visits alternate months co-hosting with me.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
As a Superstars patron, you’ll get access to the Double Booked monthly bonus podcast series Double Booked, Summer Shelves (the annual companion to my Summer Reading Guide) my annual Rock Your Reading Tracker. Get more details about all the goodies available to all patrons (Stars and Superstars) and sign up here!
HighlightsTwo OLD Books They Love
Sarah:
Catherine:
Two NEW Books They Love
Sarah:
Catherine:
One Book They DIDN’T LOVE
One NEW RELEASE They Are Excited About
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 10 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Seattle, WA.
Welcome to the Fall 2022 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books! In this episode, Catherine and I share 16 of our most anticipated books releasing mid-August through December.
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
AnnouncementsAugust
Sarah’s Pick:
Catherine’s Picks:
September
Sarah’s Pick:
Catherine’s Picks:
October
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Pick:
November
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Pick:
December
Sarah’s Pick:
Catherine’s Pick:
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 10 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Seattle, WA.
In Episode 120, Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books and I circle back to the books we shared in the Summer 2022 Book Preview — now that we’ve actually had a chance to read them. Returning to our 12 summer releases, we take a look at what worked and what didn’t. Also, with both of our personal lives demanding more of our attention lately, our reading lives have definitely been impacted.
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsSarah’s Picks:
June
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
July
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
August
Catherine’s Pick:
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 10 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Seattle, WA.
In Episode 119, Keri Blakinger joins me to discuss her debut memoir, Corrections in Ink, a mind-blowing personal story, also speaks to the broader issues of addiction and women in the prison system. Keri went from being an elite figure skater in her youth to being arrested for possession of heroin while a student at Cornell, and then serving two years in the New York prison system. In her memoir, Keri is self-reflective, sharing what is ultimately a hopeful and redemptive story, despite the dark places it goes along the way.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T LOVE
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Last 5-Star Book Keri Read
Mexican Gothic by Sylvia Moreno-Garcia | Amazon | Bookshop.org [47:20]
Keri Blakinger is a Texas-based investigative reporter and the author of the Corrections in Ink, a memoir tracing her path from figure skating to heroin addiction to prison and, finally, to life as a journalist covering mass incarceration. Currently reporting for The Marshall Project, her work covering criminal justice, has previously appeared in VICE, the New York Daily News, the BBC, and The New York Times. She previously worked for the Houston Chronicle and was a member of the Chronicle‘s Pulitzer-finalist team in 2018. Her 2019 coverage of women’s jails for The Washington Post Magazine helped earn a National Magazine Award.
In Episode 118, Caroline Zancan, Senior Editor at Henry Holt, joins me for another episode in the Genre 101 series — this time with a twist. Caroline answers behind-the-scenes questions about editing literary fiction, as well as a deep dive into the genre itself.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
AnnouncementsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
The Series of Books She DIDN’T Love
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Last 5-Star Book Caroline Read
Caroline Zancan is a Senior Editor at Holt, acquiring literary and upmarket fiction and memoir, and the author of We Wish You Luck and Local Girls. She is a graduate of Kenyon College and holds an MFA from the Bennington Writing Seminars. Caroline lives in Brooklyn with her husband and their children.
In Episode 117, Annie Hartnett, author of Unlikely Animals, shares the intriguing backstory behind her new novel. She is wonderfully candid and shares interesting tidbits from the germ of the idea, through some of the editing process, all the way to the finished book and finding a publisher.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Last 5-Star Book Annie Read
Sigh, Gone by Phuc Tran | Amazon | Bookshop.org : [46:26]
In addition to her new book, Unlikely Animals, Annie Hartnett is the author of Rabbit Cake, which was listed as one of Kirkus Reviews’s Best Books of 2017 and a finalist for the New England Book Award. She has received fellowships from the MacDowell Colony, Sewanee Writers’ Conference, and the Associates of the Boston Public Library. She studied philosophy at Hamilton College, has an MA from Middlebury College, and an MFA from the University of Alabama. When she began writing Unlikely Animals, she was living in the groundskeeper’s house in a cemetery. She now lives in a small town in Massachusetts with her husband, daughter, and darling border collie, Mr. Willie Nelson.
In Episode 116, Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) joins me to talk about niching down from traditional genre categories into the micro genres we love. Over the past year, I have picked up on some key themes and types of books that I can generally count on for successful reading. Today, we’re putting them all in one special episode as Susie and I bring you a delightfully overflowing list of the micro genres that work for us, books from each, and why we love them.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
Micro Genres We Love [2:41] Books by Former or Current Attorneys [3:20]Sarah
Susie
Sarah
Susie
Sarah
Susie
Sarah
Susie
Sarah
Susie
Sarah
Susie
Sarah
Sarah
Susie
Sarah
Sarah
Susie
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Susie has loved reading for as long as she can remember. Some of her fondest childhood memories involve long afternoons at the library and then reading late into the night. More than ten years ago, she began journaling about the books she read and turned that passion into writing about books. Her first forays were as a guest reviewer on a friend’s blog, but she soon realized she wanted to be reviewing and talking about books on a blog of her own. From there, Novel Visits was born. That was in 2016 and, though the learning curve was steep, she loves being a part of the book community. Novel Visits focuses on new novel reviews (print and audio), previews of upcoming releases, and musings on all things bookish.
In Episode 115, Bonnie Garmus, author of Lessons in Chemistry, discusses the inspiration behind her best-selling debut novel, sexism in the workplace, and the story behind Six-Thirty the dog. Plus, Bonnie’s book recommendations!
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
Introducing Summer Shelves (a companion to my Summer Reading Guide)…
Two OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T LOVE
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Last 5-Star Book Bonnie Read
Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder | Amazon | Bookshop.org [38:25]
Bonnie Garmus is a copywriter and creative director who has worked widely in the fields of technology, medicine, and education. She’s an open-water swimmer, a rower, and mother to two pretty amazing daughters. Born in California and most recently from Seattle, she currently lives in London with her husband and her dog, 99. Lessons in Chemistry is her first novel.
Welcome to the Summer 2022 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books!
In this episode, Catherine and I share our most anticipated books coming out June through mid-August.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
Introducing Summer Shelves (a companion to my Summer Reading Guide)…June
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
July
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
August
Sarah’s Pick:
Catherine’s Pick:
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 6 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Ann Arbor, MI.
In the Spring 2022 Book Preview, Catherine (Gilmore Guide to Books) and I shared our most anticipated books that released April – May 2022. In today’s episode, we’re circling back to update you on the books we’ve had a chance to read — or at least attempted. Given my ongoing success rate with spring releases, I’m starting to wonder if that is just the best season for my type of books!
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
Introducing Summer Shelves (a companion to my Summer Reading Guide)…Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Pick:
April
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
May
Sarah’s Pick:
Catherine’s Picks:
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 6 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Ann Arbor, MI.
Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) and I share our favorite books that missed last year’s Summer Reading Guides, some deep backlist books we think are great for summer reading, and our #1 picks for four categories featured in Sarah’s 2022 Summer Reading Guide.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
Introducing Summer Shelves (a companion to my Summer Reading Guide)…Sarah
Susie
Sarah
Susie
Something Light / Fun
Something Fast Paced / Intense
Something with a Bit More Substance
Something Different
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Susie has loved reading for as long as she can remember. Some of her fondest childhood memories involve long afternoons at the library and then reading late into the night. More than ten years ago, she began journaling about the books she read and turned that passion into writing about books. Her first forays were as a guest reviewer on a friend’s blog, but she soon realized she wanted to be reviewing and talking about books on a blog of her own. From there, Novel Visits was born. That was in 2016 and, though the learning curve was steep, she loves being a part of the book community. Novel Visits focuses on new novel reviews (print and audio), previews of upcoming releases, and musings on all things bookish.
In Episode 111, Dolen Perkins-Valdez (author of Take My Hand) shares details about the real-life events that inspired the book about a tragic story and historical landmark in the battle for women’s rights. Dolen also talks about her research methods and a couple of key themes from the book. Take My Hand was a 5-star book for me and will be one of my favorite books of 2022!
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T LOVE
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Last 5-Star Book Dolen Read
Miss Chloe by A. J. Verdelle (May 10) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:22]
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Dolen Perkins-Valdez is the New York Times bestselling author of Wench and Balm. She was a finalist for two NAACP Image Awards and the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award for fiction, and she was awarded the First Novelist Award by the Black Caucus of the American Library Association. Dolen is the current Chair of the Board of the PEN/Faulkner Foundation. On behalf of the foundation, she has visited nearly every public high school in the District of Columbia to talk about the importance of reading and writing. She is currently Associate Professor in the Literature Department at American University and lives in Washington, DC with her family.
In Episode 110, Mary Laura Philpott (author of Bomb Shelter) joins me for a deep dive into the memoir & essays genre, including the differences between a memoir and an essay collection, the level of involvement from editors and publishers, and how she personally approaches writing a memoir or essays.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
The CURRENT READING TREND She DOESN’T Love [45:35]
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Last 5-Star Book Mary Laura Read
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Mary Laura Philpott is the author of the brand-new memoir, Bomb Shelter: Love, Time, and Other Explosives, which has been named an Indie Next pick by booksellers nationwide, an Amazon Editor’s Choice selection, and a best book of the spring or most anticipated book of the year by publications ranging from the Washington Post to TODAY.com, among others. She is also the author of the national bestseller I Miss You When I Blink — which was named one of NPR’s Favorite Books of 2019 and a finalist for the Southern Book Prize. Her writing has been featured by The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and other publications. Additionally, Mary Laura (yes, she goes by both names) is a former bookseller and was an Emmy-winning co-host of A Word on Words, the literary interview program on Nashville Public Television. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with her family.
Welcome to the Spring 2022 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books!
In this episode, Catherine and I share our most anticipated books coming out in April – May 2022.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
AnnouncementsApril
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
May
Sarah’s Pick:
Catherine’s Picks:
*Book’s release date changed since the time of recording.
About Catherine GilmoreBlog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 6 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Ann Arbor, MI.
In the Winter 2022 Book Preview (Ep. 102), Catherine (Gilmore Guide to Books) and I shared our most anticipated books set to release January – March 2022 (with one early April release). Today, we’re giving an update on the books we shared in the Winter Preview — now that we’ve had the chance to read them.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsSarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
January
Sarah’s Pick:
Catherine’s Picks:
February
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Pick:
March
Sarah’s Pick:
Catherine’s Picks:
April
Sarah’s Pick:
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 6 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Ann Arbor, MI.
In Episode 107, Barbara Feinman Todd (author of Pretend I’m Not Here) takes me behind the scenes of ghostwriting after a career of writing for many top names in Washington, DC. Barbara is wonderfully candid and we have a fascinating discussion all about the nuts and bolts of ghostwriting, and the emotional and personal side of the business.
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T LOVE
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Last 5-Star Book Barbara Read
Barbara Feinman Todd is the author of the 2017 memoir Pretend I’m Not Here. She taught journalism at Georgetown University for 25 years, where she was the founding Journalism Director and is currently professor emerita. Cofounder of the Pearl Project, she coauthored the e-book The Truth Left Behind: Inside the Kidnapping and Murder of Daniel Pearl. Her work has appeared in the Washington Post, Glamour, the Huffington Post, the Daily Beast, Newsweek, and on NPR.
Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books joins me for a special Superlatives episode where we are answering from the fourth bucket of questions submitted for the Ask Me Anything episode of Sarah’s Bookshelves Live. We give you a little taste of the bonus Monthly Superlative episodes Catherine and I often do for the Patreon community. This format is a favorite of mine, allowing for a bit more candor and a lot of fun. Today we tackle questions about our all-time favorite books, re-reads, auto-buy authors, favorite audiobooks, and more!
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
AnnouncementsALL-TIME FAVORITE BOOKS [03:15]
Catherine:
Sarah:
AUTO-BUY AUTHORS [09:59]
Catherine:
Sarah:
FAVORITE AUDIOBOOKS [14:03]
Catherine:
Sarah:
FIRST BOOK THAT SPARKED YOUR JOY OF READING [18:09]
Catherine:
Sarah:
ALL ABOUT RE-READING [21:23]
Catherine:
Sarah:
SIGNIFICANT / IMPACTFUL BOOKS [28:00]
Catherine:
Sarah:
BOOKS THAT MADE YOU FEEL SEEN [33:47]
Catherine:
Sarah:
SARAH’S FAVORITE LITERARY MYSTERIES & SLOW-BURN SUSPENSE [36:48]
Literary Mysteries: [37:14]
Slow-Burn Suspense: [35:41]
FAVORITE SPORTS FICTION [38:44]
Catherine:
Sarah:
FAVORITE BOOKS IN LEAST FAVORITE GENRE [41:55]
Catherine (Horror):
Sarah (Horror & Romance):
IMMEDIATE TURN-OFFS [46:14]
WHAT MAKES A BOOK EASY TO READ [49:34]
SENIOR MAIN CHARACTERS [51:44]
Catherine:
Sarah:
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Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 6 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Ann Arbor, MI.
In Episode 105, Sarah and Thrity (author of Honor) tackle some hard-hitting questions related to the themes in her emotional book: religion, women’s rights, and identity. Thrity discusses the complicated relationship an immigrant often has with their homeland and the complex duality of human nature.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Last 5-Star Book Thrity Read
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Thrity Umrigar is the bestselling author of eight novels, including The Space Between Us, which was a finalist for the PEN/Beyond Margins Award, as well as a memoir and three picture books. Her books have been translated into several languages and published in more than fifteen countries. She is the winner of a Lambda Literary Award and a Seth Rosenberg Award and is Distinguished Professor of English at Case Western Reserve University. A recipient of the Nieman Fellowship to Harvard, she has contributed to the Boston Globe, the Washington Post, the New York Times, and Huffington Post.
In Episode 104, hotly anticipated guest, Catherine Ryan Howard (author of The Nothing Man and 56 Days), joins me to discuss her journey to becoming an author, behind-the-scenes of making of her books, her process for writing successful crime thrillers, and how much real-life crimes and circumstances influence her stories. Be ready for some non-graphic dead body talk. Plus, Catherine shares some breaking news about her upcoming novel!
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Last 5-Star Book Catherine Read
In Episode 103, Catherine Gilmore (@gilmoreguide) and I share the best backlist books we read in 2021. We each share our top 5 backlist books from 2021, as well as some underrated backlist gems. Catherine and I both had a lot of success in 2021 with backlist reading, and this was especially true for me in comparison to my overall reading for the year. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Announcements
Sarah
Catherine
Sarah
Catherine
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 6 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Ann Arbor, MI.
Catherine and I share our most anticipated books coming out January – March 2022 (and one early April release).
Also, stay tuned for my Most Anticipated Books of Winter 2022 blog post, coming out soon. On there, I’ll share some of the books I talked about in this episode, but also some I didn’t.
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
AnnouncementJanuary
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
February
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Pick:
March
Sarah’s Pick:
Catherine’s Picks:
April
Sarah’s Pick:
*Book’s release date changed since the time of recording.
About Catherine GilmoreBlog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 6 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Ann Arbor, MI.
In the Fall 2021 Book Preview (Ep. 93), Catherine and I shared our most anticipated books that were coming out August – December 2021. Today, we’re updating you on the books we shared in the Fall Preview…now that we’ve had the chance to read — or at least attempt them. Many Fall books lean more literary, which hasn’t been working well for me lately, and overall, the Fall 2021 books didn’t turn out quite how we’d hoped.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
AnnouncementSarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
August
Catherine’s Picks:
September
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
October
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
November
Sarah’s Picks:
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over six years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Ann Arbor, MI.
Today, we’re celebrating the 100th episode of Sarah’s Bookshelves Live with a very special Ask Me Anything episode co-hosted by Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books. Catherine turns the tables to ask me all the questions you submitted. We go behind the scenes of the podcast, talk about my reading life, and my life outside of reading. Plus, Catherine answers a few questions!
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
AnnouncementsBehind the Scenes of the Podcast [05:47]A few of the questions answered:
Reading Life & History [37:37]A few of the questions answered:
Life Outside of Reading [50:30]A few of the questions answered:
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 6 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Ann Arbor, MI.
In Episode 99, Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) and I share our favorite books from 2021, overall and by genre, along with a ton of bookish superlatives. We also talk about whether our reading has recovered from COVID and I reflect on the past year of the podcast.
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). I also included Bookshop.org affiliate links.
AnnouncementsSusie
Sarah
Susie
Sarah
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Susie has loved reading for as long as she can remember. Some of her fondest childhood memories involve long afternoons at the library and then reading late into the night. More than ten years ago, she began journaling about the books she read and turned that passion into writing about books. Her first forays were as a guest reviewer on a friend’s blog, but she soon realized she wanted to be reviewing and talking about books on a blog of her own. From there, Novel Visits was born. That was in 2016 and, though the learning curve was steep, she loves being a part of the book community. Novel Visits focuses on new novel reviews (print and audio), previews of upcoming releases, and musings on all things bookish.
Next EpisodeIn two weeks (December 8), Catherine (@gilmoreguide) and I will be celebrating the 100th episode of Sarah’s Bookshelves Live with the “Ask Me Anything” episode.
In Episode 98, the three founders of The Book & Cover (@thebookandcover) join me to share a behind-the-scenes look at everything that goes into opening an independent, brick-and-mortar bookshop. We discuss non-traditional way they financed the business, how they learned the reading taste of their community, and how a new indie builds its inventory.
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Other Books Mentioned: A Ladder to the Sky by John Boyne [39:40]
Two NEW Books She Loves
Other Books Mentioned:The House in the Cerulean Sea by T. J. Klune [41:10]
One Book They DIDN’T Love
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Other Books Mentioned: A Spindle Splintered by Alix E. Harrow [44:27] The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow [45:04] The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow [45:05] Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine [45:18] The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman [45:40]
Last 5 Star Books They Read [46:34]Other Books Mentioned: The Secret History by Donna Tartt [48:11]
Other Links About the Founders of The Book & CoverBlaes Green enjoys running, knitting, wrangling kiddos, and sobbing over epic family sagas. In her day job, she manages a team of customer service representatives in manufacturing for her family’s 100-year-old Chattanooga printing business. She is running the New York City marathon in a month!
Emily Lilley enjoys cooking, playing with her dachshund Bertie, and curling up with a cozy or smart TV comedy. In her day job, she is the Vice President of External Affairs for a statewide education policy and advocacy nonprofit. Emily and her friend Audrey are writing their own mystery series!
Sarah Jackson enjoys organizing, Enneagramming, glitter, and getting lost in magical realist tales. In her day job, she is the chief operations officer of her home. In college, Sarah “beta” read fan fiction.
Next EpisodeIn two weeks (November 24), Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) will join me to discuss our choices for the 2021 Best Books of the Year.
In Episode 97, Christine Pride and Jo Piazza share how their co-authored novel (We Are Not Like Them) explores how hard it is to have conversations about difficult topics even between dear friends. We discuss why they decided to write a book with a lifelong, interracial friendship at its core, and how they handled collaborating on a book with a plot revolving around a fraught topic.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books They Love
Two NEW Books They Love
Other Books Mentioned: Everything Happens for a Reason by Kate Bowler [38:13] Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff [42:01] Bonus Pick: Three Girls from Bronzeville by Dawn Turner [42:42]
Two Books They DIDN’T LOVE
Other Books Mentioned: The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller [48:18] Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl [48:20] Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens [49:53]
Two NEW RELEASES They’re Excited About
Other Books Mentioned: 56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard [53:51] Voices from the Pandemic by Eli Saslow [54:02]
Last 5 Star Books They ReadIn Episode 96, Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) and I share some of our favorite debut novels and discuss why we gravitate toward debuts. We also discuss our reading stats for debut novels, as well as exploring some sophomore novels...the good, the not so good, and those we're still awaiting.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). I also included Bookshop.org affiliate links.
HighlightsSarah
Honorable Mentions
Susie
Honorable Mention
Sarah
Susie
Sarah
Susie
Sarah
Susie
If you’d like to track your own reading stats, check out my downloadable spreadsheet. Learn more about the 2021 Rock Your Reading Tracking Spreadsheet here, or by becoming a supporter on Patreon and choosing the Superstar level, you’ll get the upcoming 2022 Reading Tracker included with your membership.
In Episode 95, Cheryl Diamond joins me to discuss what it was like to have been “born a ghost,” her outlaw life with her fugitive parents, on the run from Interpol and other government agencies, and what brought her to detail her tumultuous childhood in her latest memoir, Nowhere Girl.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T LOVE
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
By the age of nine she had lived in more than a dozen countries, on five continents, under six assumed identities. She was home-schooled by her parents who were evading Interpol and various other law enforcement agencies.
At sixteen, Cheryl was scouted by a modeling agency and arrived in New York City with nothing but $300, her cat, and a fair bit of life experience. Between shoots and castings, she began to write. Model: A Memoir, a behind the scenes account of her life as a young high fashion model, was published by Simon & Schuster five years later. The book was featured by the New York Times, the L.A. Times, Good Morning America, and Fox News Live.
Her second book, Naked Rome, tells the story of the Eternal City through the eyes of its most fascinating people, and was published in 2019.
Cheryl’s newest project, Nowhere Girl, the shocking true story of her outlaw childhood, hit shelves on June 2021. She currently lives in Rome and obeys the law — most of the time.
Today, we’re bringing you a sneak peek of a new podcast series for patrons!
Double Booked is a monthly series where a co-host (Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books and Susie from Novel Visits will alternate months) and I will each share our own book recommendations in the same format as the big show (2 old books we love, 2 new books we love, 1 book we didn’t love, and 1 upcoming release we’re excited about).
Moving forward, these episodes will be available to “Superstars” patrons for $7 / month (join here).
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
AnnouncementsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T LOVE
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Two OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T LOVE
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 6 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Ann Arbor, MI.
In Episode 94, Kimberly McCreight (author of Friends Like These) joins me to deep dive into the mysteries & thrillers genre (including the difference between a mystery and a thriller, how involved authors are in deciding their books’ titles, and what makes a great twist…and to talk about the inspiration behind her new novel.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T LOVE
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Kimberly McCreight is the New York Times bestselling author of Reconstructing Amelia, which was nominated for the Edgar, Anthony, and Alex Awards and was called Entertainment Weekly’s Favorite Book of the Year. Reconstructing Amelia has been optioned for film by HBO and Nicole Kidman’s Blossom Films. Ms. McCreight’s second adult novel, Where They Found Her, was a USA Today bestseller and a Kirkus Best Mystery of the Year.
She is also the author of The New York Times bestselling young adult trilogy The Outliers (The Outliers, The Scattering and The Collide), optioned for film by Lionsgate and Reese Witherspoon’s Pacific Standard. Her next novel, an adult mystery set in Park Slope, is forthcoming in 2020.
Ms. McCreight attended Vassar College and graduated cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband and two daughters.
Catherine and I share our most anticipated books coming out August – December 2021.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
AnnouncementAugust
Catherine’s Picks:
September
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
October
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
November
Sarah’s Picks:
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 6 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Ann Arbor, MI.
In the Summer 2021 Book Preview (Ep. 86), Catherine and I shared our most anticipated books coming out June – July 2021. But, we often haven’t read the books we share in the Preview Episodes.
So, in this new series, we will “circle back” to update you on all the books we presented in the previous season’s Book Preview now that we’ve at least attempted to read them.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
Bonus BooksSarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
June
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
July
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 6 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Ann Arbor, MI.
In Episode 91, Caitlin Wahrer (author of The Damage) shares how she decided to tackle sexual assault of a man by a man, how she felt about writing a gay male protagonist as a straight woman, and how the U.S. legal system is re-traumatizing for sexual assault victims.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T LOVE
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Caitlin is a Maine girl through and through. She was born to two hippies who raised her in a small town in central-southern Maine without a single stoplight in it. Caitlin left the state for four years to study criminal justice and marriage and family studies at a college in Pennsylvania. She returned to Maine after graduation to attend law school and practice law. She and her husband live in southern Maine with their dog.
In Episode 90, Megan Abbott (author of The Turnout) shares how she chooses the worlds she writes about, the expectations of women in sports, and how she researches the worlds she writes about.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T LOVE
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Megan Abbott is the Edgar-winning author of the novels The Turnout, Give Me Your Hand, You Will Know Me, The Fever, Dare Me, The End of Everything, Bury Me Deep, Queenpin, The Song Is You and Die a Little.
Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, Salon, the Guardian, Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times Magazine, and The Believer. Her stories have appeared in multiple collections, including the Best American Mystery Stories of 2014 and 2016.
Her work has won or been nominated for the CWA Steel Dagger, the International Thriller Writers Award, the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and five Edgar awards. Formerly a staff writer on HBO’s David Simon show, The Deuce, she is now co-creator, executive producer and show-runner of Dare Me, based upon her novel, for the USA Network and, internationally, Netflix.
Born in the Detroit area, she graduated from the University of Michigan and received her Ph.D. in English and American literature from New York University. She has taught at NYU, the State University of New York and the New School University. In 2013-14, she served as the John Grisham Writer in Residence at Ole Miss.
She is also the author of a nonfiction book, The Street Was Mine: White Masculinity in Hardboiled Fiction and Film Noir, and the editor of A Hell of a Woman, an anthology of female crime fiction. She has been nominated for many awards, including three Edgar Awards, Hammett Prize, the Shirley Jackson Prize, the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and the Folio Prize.
In Episode 89, Elizabeth Barnhill (book buyer for Fabled Bookshop) goes behind the scenes about what it’s like to buy books for an independent bookstore.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T LOVE
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Elizabeth Barnhill is the book buyer for Fabled Bookshop and Cafe located in Waco, TX. Originally from Alabama, she has lived in Texas for most of her life.
Elizabeth graduated from Baylor University and worked as a speech pathologist before landing her dream job reading books for a living when Fabled opened in 2019.
Elizabeth has been married for 25 years and has three kids in high school and college.
In Episode 88, Jesse Q. Sutanto (author of Dial A for Aunties) shares her family background, how she integrated it into her novel, and her family’s reaction to the book.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T LOVE
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Jesse grew up going back and forth between Jakarta and Singapore and consider both places my homes. She was fortunate enough to do my Masters in Creative Writing at the University of Oxford, which is surely one of the most gorgeous places in the world.
She’s passionate about women’s rights and diversity in publishing. She regularly does giveaways where she critiques queries or the first few pages, and she’s especially interested in helping writers from marginalized communities.
In Episode 87, Tia Williams (author of Seven Days in June) shares how she wrote such a meaty romance novel and what it’s like to be an author with chronic pain.
This post contains affiliate links (plus: here’s your Amazon Smile-specific affiliate link), through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
Two Authors She DIDN’T LOVE
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Tia began her career as a beauty editor at YM, Elle, Lucky, Glamour, and Essence. In 2004, her debut novel, The Accidental Diva hit shelves – and she went on to publish the It Chicks series and co-write Iman’s The Beauty of Color. Tia’s award-winning novel, The Perfect Find, is being adapted for a film starring Gabrielle Union for Netflix. Her latest novel, Seven Days in June (Grand Central Publishing), debuts in June 2021.
Currently an Editorial Director at Estee Lauder Companies, Tia lives in Brooklyn with her daughter and her husband.
I’m thrilled to share the first episode of what will be a new bonus podcast episode series for $5/mo patrons of the show. To hear these episodes every month, join the Sarah’s Bookshelves Live Patreon Community!
BEYOND BOOKSTAGRAM is a bonus podcast series that highlights lesser known books that are not splashed all over Instagram (either backlist or under-the-radar newer books). A rotating featured patron shares 3 books she/he loves that are not splashed all over Bookstagram. And, I add my own commentary or research on the 3 books.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
If you join our Patreon Community (sign up here!), you also get:
Kristi Phillips is a 46 year old pediatric nurse practitioner living in the Chicago suburbs. She’s the mother of 3 kids ages 6-12. She reads pretty much anything except fantasy, science fiction, romance. Her favorite genres are literary fiction, literary mystery, memoir, and true crime. A couple of her all-time favorite books are: The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai, The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne, and The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead. She doesn’t mind crying when she reads!
Kristi’s Beyond Bookstagram Recommendations [3:04]Catherine and I share our most anticipated books coming out June – July 2021.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
AnnouncementsJune
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
July
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 6 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Ann Arbor, MI.
In the Spring 2021 Book Preview (Ep. 80), Catherine and I shared our most anticipated books coming out April – May 2021. But, we often haven’t read the books we share in the Preview Episodes.
So, in this new series, we will “circle back” to update you on all the books we presented in the previous season’s Book Preview now that we’ve at least attempted to read them.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
AnnouncementSarah’s Picks:
April
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
May
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
June 1
Sarah’s Pick:
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 6 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Ann Arbor, MI.
In Episode 84, Paula McLain (author of When the Stars Go Dark) shares why decided to break from her previous style now, how nervous she was through the publication process, and her research into childhood trauma.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T LOVE
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Paula McLain is the author of the New York Times bestselling novels, The Paris Wife, Circling the Sun, and Love and Ruin. On April 13th, 2021 she introduces her latest title, When the Stars Go Dark.
Paula McLain was born in Fresno, California in 1965. After being abandoned by both parents, she and her two sisters became wards of the California Court System, moving in and out of various foster homes for the next fourteen years. When she aged out of the system, she supported herself by working as a nurses aid in a convalescent hospital, a pizza delivery girl, an auto-plant worker, a cocktail waitress–before discovering she could (and very much wanted to) write. She received her MFA in poetry from the University of Michigan in 1996.
She is the author of The Paris Wife, a New York Times and international bestseller, which has been published in thirty-four languages. The recipient of fellowships from Yaddo, The MacDowell Colony, the Cleveland Arts Prize, the Ohio Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts, she is also the author of two collections of poetry; a memoir, Like Family, Growing up in Other People’s Houses; and a first novel, A Ticket to Ride. She lives with her family in Cleveland.
In Episode 83, Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) and I share our favorite books that missed last year’s Summer Reading Guides, books for people who have time to dig into something big in the summer, and our #1 picks for the four of the five categories featured in Sarah’s 2021 Summer Reading Guide.
This post contains affiliate links (plus: here’s your Amazon Smile-specific affiliate link), through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
Our Summer Reading Guides Books That Missed Last Year’s Summer Reading Guides [4:12]Sarah
Susie
Sarah
Susie
Something Light / Fun
Something Intense / Fast-Paced
Something with a Bit More Substance
Something Different
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Susie has loved reading for as long as she can remember. Some of her fondest childhood memories involve long afternoons at the library and then reading late into the night. More than ten years ago, she began journaling about the books I read and turned that passion into writing about books. Her first forays were as a guest reviewer on a friend’s blog, but she soon realized she wanted to be reviewing and talking about books on a blog of my own. From there, Novel Visits was born. That was in 2016 and, though the learning curve was steep, she loves being a part of the book community. Novel Visits focuses on new novel reviews (print and audio), previews of upcoming releases, and musings on all things bookish.
In Episode 82, JoAnne Tompkins (author of the debut novel What Comes After) shares how her previous career inspired her to write this story, the real-life case that partially inspired the book, and how she wrote a character-driven novel that was also a page turner.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T LOVE
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
JoAnne Tompkins is the author of WHAT COMES AFTER, published April 2021 by Riverhead Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Her first career as a trial lawyer and mediator immersed her in lives disrupted by conflict, injury, and far too often violence and abuse. Yet, she discovered in many a resiliency and passion for life that continues to move her. Her written work explores the small moments that hold the possibility of transformation and for finding grace in life’s darkest times. Her short work has appeared in journals such as High Country News, Lithub, Writer in the World, Stratus: Journal of Arts and Writing. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from Goddard College. She lives in Port Townsend, Washington.
In Episode 81, audiobook narrator Julia Whelan goes behind the scenes of narrating audiobooks.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T LOVE
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Having narrated over 400 audiobooks in all genres, Whelan is, by industry standards, considered one of the top narrators recording today. She’s repeatedly featured on Audiofile Magazine’s annual Best-Of Lists. She was named Audible’s Narrator of the Year in 2014 and is a Grammy-nominated audiobook director. She has acquired multiple Audies and SOVAS (Society of Voice Arts) Awards, including for the performance of her own novel, My Oxford Year. She has won dozens of Earphone Awards, The Audie Award for Best Female Narrator of 2019, and was presented with Audiofile Magazine’s Lifetime Achievement Golden Voice Award in 2020. She attributes her distinctive style of narration to her ongoing passion for literature fueled by her decades of acting experience.
Welcome to the Spring 2021 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books!
Catherine and I share our most anticipated books coming out April – May 2021 (plus, 2 June 1 releases!).
Also, stay tuned for my Most Anticipated Books of Spring 2021 blog post, which is coming out soon. I’ll share some of the books I talked about in this podcast, but also some that I didn’t!
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
AnnouncementApril
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
May
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
June 1
Sarah’s Picks:
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 6 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Ann Arbor, MI.
Welcome to the first Winter 2021 Circle Back Episode with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books!
In the Winter 2021 Book Preview (Ep. 73), Catherine and I shared our most anticipated books coming out January – March 2021. But, we often haven’t read the books we share in the Preview Episodes.
So, in this new series, we will “circle back” to update you on all the books we presented in the previous season’s Book Preview now that we’ve at least attempted to read them.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsSarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
January
Catherine’s Picks:
February
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
March
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 6 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Ann Arbor, MI.
In Episode 78, Catherine Gilmore (@gilmoreguide) and I go deep into our backlists to share some of our favorite older books we haven’t talked about in a long time!
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsSarah
Catherine
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 6 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Ann Arbor, MI.
In Episode 77, Syed M. Masood (author of The Bad Muslim Discount) joins me to talk about the evolution of The Bad Muslim Discount, writing about serious topics with humor, and what it’s like the publish 3 books in 18 months.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books He Loves
Two NEW Books He Loves
One Book He DIDN’T LOVE
One NEW RELEASE He’s Excited About
I grew up in Karachi, Pakistan, and currently live in Sacramento, California. There have been plenty of stops in between though. I’m a first generation immigrant, twice over. I’ve been a citizen of three different countries and lived in nine cities. I am, as Goethe, said, “nothing but a wanderer […] on this earth.”
Living among different people, in different countries at fascinating times in their histories, has shaped both my view of the world and my writing. Ultimately, human beings are the same everywhere (despite the fact that they tell themselves, everywhere, that they are different from each other), and the theme of this fundamental human unity informs everything I write.
As to my life outside of writing, I went to the William and Mary School of Law, and before that attended the University of Toronto, where I studied English Literature. I am currently practicing as an attorney and must “measure out my life in coffee spoons” on a daily basis.
Some members of my family will tell you that I’m also a poet. This isn’t true. I wrote a few poems in Urdu when I was a teenager, and I’ve never heard the end of it…which I wouldn’t mind, honestly, if they were any good. As it is, I’m very happy living in prose, thank you very much.
Other interests include good food, video games, sitcoms, and books of all kinds. Most of my time that doesn’t go to writing or billable hours is consumed by my two children, four and two years of age.
In Episode 76, Laura Tremaine (author of Share Your Stuff. I’ll Go First. and host of 10 Things to Tell You podcast) joins me to talk about why women in mid-life have trouble sharing, how she chose the 10 prompts in her book, how her book club chooses the books they read, and how her reading has been recently.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T LOVE
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Laura Tremaine grew up in small town Oklahoma and moved to Los Angeles sight unseen when she was twenty-two years old. She worked in film and television production for many years at MTV, VH1, Fox, and Paramount Pictures, before pursuing writing full time.
Laura has been sharing her life online for ten years. She writes about friendship, anxiety, motherhood, and marriage. Her blog posts and podcast episodes resonate with women looking for ways to connect more deeply with others as they transform from one era of life into another.
Laura lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Jeff, and their two children.
In this special bonus episode, I share 4 new benefits for podcast patrons and listeners get to hear my February 2021 Book Recommendations episode, which is normally only available to patrons.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
Patron Benefits (including 4 New Benefits)Support the podcast on Patreon here!
For $5 a month, you’ll get access to…
For $3 a month, you’ll get…
Your support will go towards…
Two OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T LOVE
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
In Episode 75, Ashley Audrain (author of The Push) joined me to talk about society’s expectations of mothers, how her publishing background influenced an early draft of The Push, and what it’s like to read and write dark stores.
This post contains affiliate links (plus: here’s your Amazon Smile-specific affiliate link), through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T LOVE
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Ashley previously worked as the publicity director of Penguin Books Canada. Prior to Penguin, she worked in public relations. She is a graduate of the Media, Information & Technoculture program at Western University. She lives in Toronto, where she and her partner are raising their two young children.
The Push is her first novel.
Next EpisodeThere will not be a new episode next week since the podcast is on a bi-weekly schedule.
The following week, there will be a full length episode featuring Laura Tremaine, the author of Share Your Stuff. I’ll Go First. and the host of the podcast 10 Things to Tell You (airing February 17).
In Episode 74, Sara Hildreth from @fictionmatters and the Novel Pairings Podcast shares her experience judging the Aspen Words literary prize.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T LOVE
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Sara Hildreth is a reader, teacher, and lifelong learner.
Prior to this year, Sara taught high school English at an all-girls school in Colorado.
While working on her MA in Literature at Georgetown University, Sara began sharing her reading life publicly on Instagram as a way to connect with bibliophiles outside of academia. Through her participation in this community, Sara fell in love with recommending books to a larger audience all while challenging her thinking and expanding her own reading taste.
She lives in Denver, CO with her husband and their puppy, Mr. Bingley.
Catherine and I share our most anticipated books coming out January – March 2021.
Also, stay tuned for my Most Anticipated Books of Winter 2021 blog post, which is coming out soon. I’ll share some of the books I talked about in this podcast, but also some that I didn’t!
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsJanuary
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
February
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
March
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 6 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Ann Arbor, MI.
Next EpisodeThere will not be a new episode next week since the podcast is on a bi-weekly schedule.
The following week’s episode will feature Sara Hildreth of @fictionmatters and the Novel Pairings Podcast going behind-the-scenes of judging a literary prize (airing January 20).
In Episode 72, Catherine Gilmore (@gilmoreguide) and I share the best backlist books we read in 2020 and the high priority backlist books on our TBR lists.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
Announcements HighlightsSarah
Catherine
Sarah
Catherine
Sarah
Catherine
Sarah
Catherine
Sarah
Catherine
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 6 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Ann Arbor, MI.
In Episode 71, Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) and I share our favorite 2020 books (overall and by genre) and our picks for tons of bookish superlatives.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
Announcements HighlightsSarah
Susie
Sarah
Susie
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Susie has loved reading for as long as she can remember. Some of her fondest childhood memories involve long afternoons at the library and then reading late into the night. More than ten years ago, she began journaling about the books I read and turned that passion into writing about books. Her first forays were as a guest reviewer on a friend’s blog, but she soon realized she wanted to be reviewing and talking about books on a blog of my own. From there, Novel Visits was born. That was in 2016 and, though the learning curve was steep, she loves being a part of the book community. Novel Visits focuses on new novel reviews (print and audio), previews of upcoming releases, and musings on all things bookish.
In Episode 70, Claire Handscombe from Libro.fm joins me to talk about Libro.fm, tips for audiobook listeners, and shares a TON of fantastic audiobook recommendations.
Special Offer for New $5/month Patrons (sign up here)
Libro.fm is offering 1 free audiobook credit to anyone who signs up to support Sarah’s Bookshelves on Patreon during the month of November!
Plus, we’ve got some fun things planned for patrons for the end of the year:
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T LOVE
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Claire is a British writer who moved to Washington, DC, in 2012, ostensibly to study for an MFA in Creative Writing at American University, but really, let’s be honest, because of an obsession with The West Wing.
She focussed on fiction during her MFA, but also took classes in literary journalism, poetry translation, and political speechwriting (because, yes, of The West Wing).
Her work has appeared in a wide variety of publications in four countries, including both of the UK’s best-selling writing magazines, as well as the Washington Post. She is also a regular contributor to the largest independent book site in the US, Book Riot, and the host of the Brit Lit Podcast, a fortnightly show of news and views from British books and publishing.
Her début novel, Unscripted, is forthcoming from Unbound. She is also the author of Conquering Babel: A Practical Guide to Learning a Language, as well as the editor of an anthology of essays and interviews about the impact of The West Wing on lives and culture.
In Episode 69, Peace Adzo Medie (author of His Only Wife) talks about why she decided to use fiction to speak out about gender politics, the importance of women asserting themselves, and when first started writing (it was when she was very young!).
Please note that this episode was recorded before His Only Wife was announced as Reese’s Book Club’s October pick.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T LOVE
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Peace Adzo Medie is a scholar and writer. She is Senior Lecturer in Gender and International Politics at the University of Bristol. Her research addresses gender, politics, and conflict in Africa. Her book, Global Norms and Local Action: The Campaigns to End Violence against Women in Africa, was published in March 2020 byOxford University Press. Her debut novel, His Only Wife, was published in September 2020 by Algonquin Books and selected as the October Pick for Reese’s Book Club. Medie’s research has been supported by grants from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation, and the Social Science Research Council, and her findings have been published in African Affairs, International Studies Review, Politics & Gender, and the European Journal of Politics and Gender. Her work has won several awards, including the 2019 Best Paper Award of the European Journal of Politics and Gender. Her short stories have appeared in Slice Magazine, Transition, Four Way Review, and elsewhere. She is a co-editor of African Affairs, the top-ranked African Studies journal and is also a Research Fellow at LECIAD, University of Ghana, and a 2015 – 2017 Oxford-Princeton Global Leaders Fellow. She earned a BA in Geography from the University of Ghana, an MA in International Studies from Ohio University, and a PhD in Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh. She attended OLA Girls Secondary School, Ho. Medie is represented by Kiele Raymond at Thompson Literary Agency.
Next EpisodeThere will not be a new episode next week since the podcast is on a bi-weekly schedule.
The following week, there will be a full length episode about all things audiobooks featuring Claire Handscombe from Libro.fm (airing November 11).
In Episode 68, Eilene Zimmerman (author of Smacked) shares how she decided to go public with her experience discovering her ex-husband was addicted to drugs, her research into addiction in the legal profession, and how Peter’s death shaped Eilene’s life now.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T LOVE
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Eilene Zimmerman is a journalist and social worker. For three decades, she has written about business, technology and social issues for a wide array of national magazines and newspapers. She was a columnist for The New York Times Sunday Business section for six years and since 2004 has been a regular contributor to the newspaper. In September 2020, Zimmerman completed a masters degree in social work.
Next EpisodeThere will not be a new episode next week since the podcast is on a bi-weekly schedule.
The following week, there will be a full length episode featuring Peace Adzo Medie, author of His Only Wife (airing October 28).
In Episode 67, Kelly Jensen of Book Riot shares what she learned from a survey of librarians about how they’re managing through COVID-19, ripple effects of COVID-19 on libraries moving forward, and the huge cost differential for libraries to acquire digital books (e-books and audiobooks) vs. print books.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T LOVE
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Kelly Jensen is a former teen librarian who worked in several public libraries before pursuing a full-time career in writing and editing. Her current position is with Book Riot, the largest independent book website in North America, where she focuses on talking about young adult literature in all of its manifestations. Before becoming a fully-fledged adult-like person, she worked in the swanky Texas Legislative Library entering data into a computer while surrounded by important politicians, scooped gelato for hungry college students, and spent hours reading, annotating, and scanning small-town Texas newspapers into a giant searchable database.
Her books include Here We Are: Feminism For The Real World (Algonquin Young Readers, February 2017) a collection of art, essays, and words from over 44 voices. (Don’t) Call Me Crazy is a collection of art, essays, and words to launch a powerful and important conversation about mental health. It was named a best book of 2018 by the Washington Post and earned a Schneider Family Book Award Honor for distinguished representation of the disability experience. Both books are published by Algonquin Young Readers, which will publish her third anthology Body Talk, a collection about the physical and political nature of the human body, in Fall 2020. She cohosts the popular YA book podcast Hey YA with Eric Smith and is a regular cohost on Book Riot’s All The Books podcast with Liberty Hardy. Kelly also writes the twice-weekly “What’s Up in YA?” newsletter for Book Riot, which reaches nearly 60,000 inboxes.
Kelly lives in Illinois with her husband, her bunny, and five needy-but-awesome cats. In her free time, she is a certified yoga teacher, writes for her personal blog STACKED (stackedbooks.org), volunteers for Young At Heart, drinks a lot of tea, and practices photography. Some of her favorite things include churro smashmallows, black licorice, adoring eyelashes on various animals (giraffes are the best, obv), fusing glass, spending too many hours in bookstores, debating the best seltzer in the world’s best secret seltzer Facebook group, and owning as much Halloween decor as possible.
Her writing has been featured on Bustle, in Bust Magazine, at The Writer’s Digest, The Huffington Post, at Rookie Magazine, The Horn Book, BlogHer, School Library Journal. She contributed an essay and a guide to teen sexuality in pop culture for Amber J. Keyser’s The V-Word: True Stories of First-Time Sex and is the author of the book It Happens: A Guide to Contemporary Realistic Fiction for the YA Reader from VOYA Press.
Kelly is happy to discuss possibilities for professional speaking, editing, and/or writing opportunities, in person or online. You can learn more about her, her background, and her passions in this interview.
She is represented by Tina Dubois at ICM Partners and can be reached at kelly@stackedbooks.org.
Next EpisodeThere will not be a new episode next week since the podcast is on a bi-weekly schedule.
The following week, there will be a full length episode featuring Eilene Zimmerman, author of Smacked: A Story of White-Collar Ambition, Addiction, and Tragedy (airing October 14).
In Episode 66, Kate Stayman-London (author of One to Watch) talks about how The Bachelor / ette franchise inspired her book, diversity in the franchise, and shares her biggest fear before her book came out.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T LOVE
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Kate is a novelist, screenwriter, and political strategist. She served as lead digital writer for Hillary Rodham Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign and has written for notable figures ranging from President Obama and Malala Yousafzai to Anna Wintour and Cher. When not writing or traveling, Kate can be found obsessively ranking Taylor Swift songs, laughing loudly with friends over really good bottles of wine, and of course, watching reality TV. She lives in Los Angeles.
Next EpisodeThere will not be a new episode next week since the podcast is on a bi-weekly schedule.
The following week, there will be a full length episode featuring Kelly Jensen talking about libraries & COVID (airing September 30).
Catherine and I share our most anticipated books coming out August – December 2020.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsAugust
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
September
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
October
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
November
Sarah’s Picks:
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 6 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Ann Arbor, MI.
Next EpisodeThere will not be a new episode next week since the podcast is on its bi-weekly summer schedule.
The following week, there will be a full length episode featuring Kate Stayman-London, author of One to Watch (airing September 16).
Catherine Adel West (author of Saving Ruby King) talks about how she found her agent, the strong women of Saving Ruby King, and how she decided to make the church a narrator.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T LOVE
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Catherine graduated with both her BA and MA in journalism from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Her work has been published in Gay Magazine, Black Fox Literary Magazine, Five2One, Better Than Starbucks, and others. Catherine was born and raised in Chicago. Saving Ruby King is her debut novel.
Next EpisodeThere will not be a new episode next week since the podcast is on a bi-weekly schedule.
The following week will be the Fall 2020 Book Preview episode with Catherine from Gilmore Guide to Books (airing September 2).
I'm sharing a quick update about a few changes to expect with the podcast when it comes back on the air on August 19. And, I'm sharing the high-level survey results that drove some of these changes.
In Episode 63, Helen Dea Bala (author of Craigslist Confessional) shares why she started Craigslist Confessional, how she decided to quit her job to pursue Craigslist Confessional full-time, and shares her own story of immigrating to the U.S. from Albania.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
Announcement [00:55] Y’all know I had always planned to air the podcast bi-weekly through the summer. As the summer has progressed, I’ve realized how burned out I am (this probably isn’t a surprise to y’all if you’ve been reading between the lines of my recent posts). The last couple months of quarantine with 2 young children, having to manage all their distance learning, and lacking any childcare completely drained me. I pushed through because there was an end point. It’s now becoming apparent that school will not resume as normal in the Fall, which will require me to put structure in place to make sure our lives can run smoothly for the longer-term. I need some time and space to be able to think clearly (rather than frantically turning my wheels to keep churning out content) and plan for how the podcast will look and how my family’s life will run in the future. So, I’ve decided to take a FULL break from the podcast following today’s episode…most likely until mid-August.Two OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Helena Dea Bala immigrated to the United States as a child. To make ends meet during those difficult first years, she helped her mother clean houses on the weekends. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from George Washington University and worked to become a lawyer and lobbyist in Washington, DC. After her day job left her feeling disconnected and unfulfilled, she deferred her student loans, applied for a credit card, and gave herself one year—one year to just listen. Five years in, she now does Craigslist Confessional full time. Find out more at CraigslistConfessional.com.
Next EpisodeThe podcast will be on hiatus through mid-August.
Support the PodcastIn Episode 62, Morgan Hoit (Associate Marketing Manager at Avid Reader Press & @nycbookgirl) and I go behind-the-scenes of book marketing…including read-alikes, celebrity book clubs, author blurbs, and cover art. Morgan also shares some of her favorite memoirs, a genre she’s been loving lately.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
Two Books She DIDN’T Like
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Prior to joining Avid Reader Press, Morgan worked as an Associate at Jill Furman Productions for two and a half years, where she assisted in the producing of new plays and musicals for Broadway and the NYC theater industry. At Avid Reader Press, Morgan is the voice of the imprint on social media and also manages title marketing campaigns, working closely with authors on their digital presence and social media strategy. In her free time, Morgan is also the content creator and book worm behind nycbookgirl – a blog dedicated to book recommendations, guides to NYC, and more. She was born in NYC and raised in New Jersey, and she graduated from Duke University magna cum laude with degrees in English and Theater Studies.
Next EpisodeThere will not be a new episode next week since the podcast is on its bi-weekly summer schedule.
The following week, there will be a full length episode featuring Helena Dea Bala, author of Craigslist Confessional (airing July 8).
Support the PodcastA lot has happened in the world over the past couple weeks that hasn’t been reflected on the podcast because June episodes were recorded in mid-May. So, I wanted to bring you this special bonus episode to highlight some books by black authors that I’ve loved over the past couple years.
These are stories of the lives of particular black characters and people that have stuck with me (in many cases for years) since I read them.
I’m also looking to highlight more stories by and about black people moving forward on the podcast.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
Favorite Books by Black Authors (Fiction) [3:04]2 Auto-Buy Authors
An Old-Time Favorite Author (Stephen L. Carter)
Under the Radar Gems
Super Buzzy Books You’ve Probably Already Heard Of
2 Memoirs I Loved
Super Buzzy Books You’ve Probably Already Heard Of
A full length episode featuring Morgan Hoit (@nycbookgirl), Associate Marketing Manager at Avid Reader Press (airing June 24).
Support the PodcastSpecial Note
This episode was recorded on May 14, 2020. A lot has happened since then, so I wanted to time-stamp this to provide appropriate context for our discussion. Next Wednesday, I'm releasing a special bonus episode sharing my favorite books by black authors.
In Episode 61, Kimberly McCreight (author of A Good Marriage) shares her 11 year journey to publishing her first novel, why she wanted to focus on marriage in this book, how working during coronavirus has been, and a possible sequel to A Good Marriage!
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T Like
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Kimberly McCreight is the New York Times bestselling author of Reconstructing Amelia, which was nominated for the Edgar, Anthony, and Alex Awards and was called Entertainment Weekly’s Favorite Book of the Year. Reconstructing Amelia has been optioned for film by HBO and Nicole Kidman’s Blossom Films. Ms. McCreight’s second adult novel, Where They Found Her, was a USA Today bestseller and a Kirkus Best Mystery of the Year.
She is also the author of The New York Times bestselling young adult trilogy The Outliers (The Outliers, The Scattering and The Collide), optioned for film by Lionsgate and Reese Witherspoon’s Pacific Standard. Her next novel, an adult mystery set in Park Slope, is forthcoming in 2020.
Ms. McCreight attended Vassar College and graduated cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband and two daughters.
Next EpisodeThere will not be a new episode next week since the podcast is on its bi-weekly summer schedule.
The following week, there will be a full length episode all about book marketing featuring Morgan Hoit, Associate Marketing Manager at Avid Reader Press and the woman behind @nycbookgirl (airing June 24).
Support the PodcastWelcome to the Summer 2020 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books!
Catherine and I share our most anticipated books coming out in June and July 2020.
Also, stay tuned for my Most Anticipated Books of Summer 2020 blog post, which is coming out tomorrow. I’ll share some of the books I talked about in this podcast, but also some that I didn’t!
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
Sponsor HighlightsJune
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
July
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 6 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Ann Arbor, MI.
Next EpisodeThere will not be a new episode next week since the podcast is on its bi-weekly summer schedule.
The following week, there will be a full length episode featuring Kimberly McCreight, author of A Good Marriage (airing June 10).
Support the PodcastIn Mini Episode 59, Alyssa Hertzig (@alyssahertzig, @alyssaisbooked) shares how she got back into reading after a long hiatus and we do an impromptu deep dive on Ann Patchett (one of my all-time favorite authors)…plus, celebrity memoirs.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
SponsorThis episode is sponsored by Book of the Month. Use the code SARAHSBOOKSHELVES at checkout to get your first book for just $9.99!
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T Love
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Personal Instagram | Bookstagram | Blog | Twitter
Alyssa spent over a decade as a beauty editor at various magazines such as Allure, Brides, and Good Housekeeping.
She left the magazine world about 4 years ago to become a freelance writer.
She now splits her time as a freelance writer and editor covering primarily beauty topics…and as a blogger at The Sparkly Life, a lifestyle blog covering books, parenting, fashion, and more.
She lives in Hoboken, New Jersey (that’s right across the river from NYC), with my husband and two kids.
Next EpisodeSummer 2020 Book Preview with Catherine from Gilmore Guide to Books (airing Wednesday, May 27).
Support the PodcastIn Episode 58, Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) and I share our favorite books that missed last year’s Summer Reading Guides, books set in cool travel destinations, and our #1 picks for the four categories featured in Sarah’s 2020 Summer Reading Guide.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
AnnouncementSarah
Susie
Sarah
Susie
Something Light / Fun
Something Intense / Fast-Paced
Something with a Bit More Substance
Something Different
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Susie has loved reading for as long as she can remember. Some of her fondest childhood memories involve long afternoons at the library and then reading late into the night. More than ten years ago, she began journaling about the books I read and turned that passion into writing about books. Her first forays were as a guest reviewer on a friend’s blog, but she soon realized she wanted to be reviewing and talking about books on a blog of my own. From there, Novel Visits was born. That was in 2016 and, though the learning curve was steep, she loves being a part of the book community. Novel Visits focuses on new novel reviews (print and audio), previews of upcoming releases, and musings on all things bookish.
Next EpisodeMini Episode featuring Alyssa Hertzig (@alyssahertzig and @alyssaisbooked)…airing May 20.
Support the PodcastIn Mini Episode 57, Liz Hein (@lizhein89) and I talk about two old books we both love and a beloved campus novel Liz didn’t love.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T Love
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Liz went to college to become an English teacher to spend all day talking about books! That transitioned to an administrative position at a high school in Milwaukee, WI. Even though she doesn’t teach books anymore, she is consistently and perhaps obnoxiously recommending books to students and really anyone that will listen.
Next EpisodeSummer Reading Guide Special episode with Susie from Novel Visits (airing Wednesday, May 13).
Support the PodcastIn Episode 56, Holly Root (Literary Agent and Owner of Root Literary) talks about the rise of the rom-com and publishing in the coronavirus era…plus, the story of selling Jasmine Guillory’s debut novel to publishers.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
AnnouncementTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
Discussion About Reading Books You Don’t Like [38:17]
Two NEW RELEASES She’s Excited About
Holly is the founder of Root Literary, which opened in 2017. Prior to opening her agency, she worked at Waxman Leavell Literary, Trident Media Group, and William Morris. Based in Los Angeles, her clients include #1 New York Times bestsellers, international bestsellers, RITA winners and nominees, and numerous titles named to Best Books of the Year lists by Publishers Weekly, The Washington Post, NPR, the American Library Association, RT Book Reviews, Kirkus, and Amazon. She represents authors of commercial fiction for adults and kids, as well as select nonfiction.
Next EpisodeMini Episode featuring Liz Hein (@lizhein89)…airing May 6.
Support the PodcastIn Mini Episode 55, Sarah Saba Cetra (@bookedinadvance) shares Middle Eastern books on her TBR list, books from a publisher we both love (Riverhead), and we both share how coronavirus is impacting our reading.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T Love
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Full length episode featuring Holly Root, Literary Agent and Owner of Root Literary (airing Wednesday, April 29).
Support the PodcastIn Episode 54, Sarah Pekkanen and Greer Hendricks (authors of You Are Not Alone) go behind-the-scenes of their writing process, how they decided to write psychological thrillers, and share where their next novel is set (it’s not in New York City!).
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books They Love
Two NEW Books They Love
Two NEW RELEASES They’re Excited About
Author Website | Instagram | Twitter
Sarah Pekkanen is also the co-author of the New York Times bestseller THE WIFE BETWEEN US and the upcoming AN ANONYMOUS GIRL, both cowritten with Greer Hendricks.
AN ANONYMOUS GIRL has been optioned for a television series by eOne, with Sarah and Greer executive producing. THE WIFE BETWEEN US has been optioned for film by Amblin Entertainment, with Sarah and Greer screenwriting the adaptation.
Her prior solo novels are: THE EVER AFTER, THE PERFECT NEIGHBORS, THINGS YOU WON’T SAY, CATCHING AIR, THE BEST OF US, THE OPPOSITE OF ME, SKIPPING A BEAT, and THESE GIRLS.
Sarah’s linked free short e-stories, published by Simon & Schuster exclusively for e-readers, are titled “All is Bright,” and “Love, Accidentally.”
Sarah is the mother of three young boys, which explains why she writes part of her novels at Chuck E. Cheese. Sarah penned her first book, Miscellaneous Tales and Poems, at the age of 10.
About GreerAuthor Website | Instagram | Twitter
GREER HENDRICKS is the #1 New York Times bestselling co-author of An Anonymous Girl and The Wife Between Us. The Wife Between Us has been optioned for film by Amblin Entertainment, with Greer and her co-author, Sarah Pekkanen, hired to write the screenplay. An Anonymous Girl has been optioned for television, with Greer and Sarah tapped to executive produce. Prior to becoming a novelist, Greer served as Vice President and Senior Editor at Simon & Schuster. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, Allure, and Publishers Weekly. She lives in Manhattan with her husband and two children.
Next EpisodeMini Episode featuring Sarah Saba Cetra (@bookedinadvance)…airing April 22.
Support the PodcastWelcome to the Spring 2020 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books!
Catherine and I share our most anticipated books coming out in April and May 2020.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
Supporting Local BookstoresApril
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
May
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
Bonus Recommendation (Co-Signed by Both of Us):
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 6 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Ann Arbor, MI.
Next EpisodeThere will not be a new episode next week (I’m going to “observe” my children’s Spring Break from my house).
The following week, there will be a full length episode featuring Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, authors of You Are Not Alone (airing April 15).
Support the PodcastIn Mini Episode 52, Sarah Verity Collica (@seize_the_page) and I talk about a couple books we have differing opinions about…plus, She Said vs. Catch and Kill.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
2020 Podcast SurveyI’d love it if you could take a couple minutes to complete the 2020 Podcast Survey. I’d love to hear your feedback about what’s working, what’s not working, and the direction you’d like to see the podcast take. I’ll be using this feedback as I plan for next Fall. And, your responses are anonymous!
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T Love
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Spring 2020 Book Preview with Catherine from Gilmore Guide to Books (airing Wednesday, April 1).
Support the PodcastIn Episode 51, Steph Hockersmith (@pieladybooks), fresh off her appearance on Good Morning America, shares all the behind-the-scenes details of her book-themed pies, including her favorite dessert (it’s not pie!) and her goals for expanding Pie Lady Books.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
SponsorThis episode is sponsored by Book of the Month. Use the code SARAHSBOOKSHELVES at checkout to get your first book for just $9.99!
My March Book of the Month pick was Hour of the Assassin by Matthew Quick…an espionage thriller (out of my usual wheelhouse, but I’m intrigued!). [1:29]
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T Love
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Steph lives is a stay-at-home Mom of two boys (ages 5 & 3) in Colorado Spring, CO. She has been gluten free for about 13 years and has been baking gluten free pies for about 12 years. She is a voracious reader and loves creating pie designs to go with the books she’s reading. And, she and her pies recently appeared on Good Morning America!
Next EpisodeMini Episode featuring Sarah Verity Collica (@seize_the_page)…airing March 25.
Support the PodcastIn Mini Episode 50, Julia Spence (@gameofreading) talks about her love for dual timelines in her books and reading an author’s backlist.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T Love
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Full length episode featuring Steph Hockersmith of Pie Lady Books (airing Wednesday, March 18).
Support the PodcastIn Episode 49, Zibby Owens (Host of the Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books Podcast) talks about what it’s like to interview authors and shares some of her favorite memoirs.
This post contains affiliate links (plus: here’s your Amazon Smile-specific affiliate link), through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
SponsorThis episode is sponsored by Book of the Month. Use the code SARAHSBOOKSHELVES at checkout to get your first book for just $9.99!
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T Love
Two NEW RELEASES She’s Excited About
Website | Personal Instagram | Podcast Instagram | Twitter
Zibby Owens is a writer and mother of four in New York City. She is the creator and host of award-winning literary podcast, “Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books” and runs a literary salon with author events and book fairs from her home.
Zibby published her first article, a personal essay for Seventeen magazine, when she was in high school and has been writing ever since. She has covered topics such as books, parenting, health/fitness, weddings, grief, friendship, beauty, and aging. Most recently, she has focused on finding the humor in the everyday struggles of motherhood. She is represented by Joe Veltre at Gersh.
Her work has appeared in Redbook, Marie Claire, Shape, SELF, Modern Bride and other magazines, as well as online in the New York Times, Parents, TODAY Parents, Huff Post, Scary Mommy, What’s Up Moms, Kveller, Mommy Nearest and Medium.
A graduate of Yale University and Harvard Business School, Zibby has a marketing and branding background, especially for start-ups and consumer products companies. She currently lives in Manhattan, where she was born and raised, with her four children ages 5-12 and her husband, Kyle Owens, of Morning Moon Productions.
Next EpisodeMini Episode featuring Julia Spence (@gameofreading)…airing March 11.
Support the PodcastIn Mini Episode 48, Genevieve Trono (@genthebookworm) talks mood reading and shares her thoughts about Brit Bennett’s new book (which she’s already read)!
SponsorThis episode is sponsored by Book of the Month. Use the code SARAHSBOOKSHELVES at checkout to get your first book for just $9.99!
This month, I chose You Are Not Alone, The Holdout, and Anna K. Check out my commentary on all the February picks to help choose the right book for your reading taste.
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T Love
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Genevieve is a mom, wife, professional photographer, book blogger, library volunteer, and a motherhood book club facilitator. She lives with her husband of 10+ years, their two sons who are 7 & 9 and their springer spaniel named Buzz.
She is a photographer and mostly does behind the scenes work now. She spends a lot of her work days editing in Lightroom and Photoshop which makes plenty of time for audiobooks! She also teaches photography classes.
Support the PodcastIn Episode 47, Caroline Zancan (author of We Wish You Luck) discuss her time getting her MFA at the Bennington Writing Seminars, how her job as an editor at Henry Holt impacted her as an author, and the allure of campus novels.
This post contains affiliate links (plus: here’s your Amazon Smile-specific affiliate link), through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
SponsorThis episode is sponsored by Book of the Month. Use the code SARAHSBOOKSHELVES at checkout to get your first book for just $9.99!
This month, I chose You Are Not Alone, The Holdout, and Anna K. Check out my commentary on all the February picks to help choose the right book for your reading taste.
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T Love
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
*Note: when we recorded, there was no cover or full blurb about this book available from the publisher. Since recording, you can now see the cover on Goodreads, which interestingly, features an actual photo of Hillary Clinton (how is this legally possible?!)!
Other Books MentionedCaroline Zancan is the author of the novels Local Girls and We Wish You Luck. She is a graduate of Kenyon College and holds an MFA from the Bennington Writing Seminars. A Senior Editor at Henry Holt, she lives in Brooklyn with her husband and their children.
Next EpisodeMini Episode featuring Genevieve Trono (@genthebookworm)…airing February 26.
Support the PodcastIn Mini Episode 46, Aubree Cheadle (@mnreadingmama) shares her love for heart-breaking, but hopeful books and we talk about overdone literary comparisons.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
SponsorThis episode is sponsored by Book of the Month. Use the code SARAHSBOOKSHELVES at checkout to get your first book for just $9.99!
This month, I chose You Are Not Alone, The Holdout, and Anna K. Check out my commentary on all the February picks to help choose the right book for your reading taste.
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T Love
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Full length episode featuring Caroline Zancan, author of We Wish You Luck (airing Wednesday, February 19).
Support the PodcastIn Episode 45, Liz Moore (author of Long Bright River) talks about the inspiration and research for her novel, mystery / thriller twists, and that comparison to The Girl on the Train.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T Love
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Her first novel, The Words of Every Song (Broadway Books, 2007), centers on a fictional record company in New York City just after the turn of the millennium. It draws partly on Liz’s own experiences as a musician. It was selected for Borders’ Original Voices program and was given a starred review by Kirkus. Roddy Doyle wrote of it, “This is a remarkable novel, elegant, wise, and beautifully constructed. I loved the book.”
After the publication of her debut novel, Liz obtained her MFA in Fiction from Hunter College. In 2009, she was awarded the University of Pennsylvania’s ArtsEdge residency and moved to Philadelphia.
Her second novel, Heft, was published by W.W. Norton in January 2012 to popular and critical acclaim. Of Heft, The New Yorker wrote, “Moore’s characters are lovingly drawn…a truly original voice”; The San Francisco Chronicle wrote, “Few novelists of recent memory have put our bleak isolation into words as clearly as Liz Moore does in her new novel”; and editor Sara Nelson wrote in O, The Oprah Magazine, “Beautiful…Stunningly sad and heroically hopeful.” The novel was published in five countries, was long-listed for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, and was included on several “Best of 2012” lists, including those of NPR and the Apple iBookstore.
Moore’s short fiction and creative nonfiction have appeared in venues such as Tin House, The New York Times, and Narrative Magazine. She is the winner of the Medici Book Club Prize and Philadelphia’s Athenaeum Literary Award. After winning a 2014 Rome Prize in Literature, she spent 2014-15 at the American Academy in Rome, completing her third novel.
That novel, The Unseen World, was published by W.W. Norton in July of 2016. Louisa Hall called it “fiercely intelligent” in her review in The New York Times; Susan Coll called it “enthralling . . . ethereal and elegant . . . a rich and convincing period piece” in her review in the Washington Post. The Unseen World was included in “Best of 2016” lists by The New Yorker, the BBC, Publishers Weekly, Vox, Google Play, and Audible.com, among others.
Moore’s fourth novel, Long Bright River, is forthcoming from Riverhead Books in January 2020.
She lives with her family in Philadelphia and is a faculty member of the MFA program in Creative Writing at Temple University.
Next EpisodeMini Episode featuring Aubree Cheadle (@mnreadingmama)…airing February 12.
Support the PodcastIn Mini Episode 44, Jayda Justus (@thehistorymom) shares historical fiction and nonfiction history books paired with historical sites.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T Love
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
In Episode 43, Jordan Moblo talks about how he grew his #bookstagram account to over 35,000 followers in a year and a half and shares tips for growing your own #bookstagram account.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books He Loves
Two NEW Books He Loves
One Book He DIDN’T Love
One NEW RELEASE He’s Excited About
Jordan runs the #bookstagram account @jordys.book.club, which has over 35,000 followers.
He is also a television Executive and lives in Los Angeles.
Next EpisodeMini Episode featuring Jayda Justus (@thehistorymom) on historical fiction and nonfiction history (airing January 29).
Support the PodcastIn Mini Episode 42, Brittany Block (@brbreads) and I talk about the logistics of reading abroad, bleak books, and books that help you learn something.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T Love
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Welcome back for the first episode of 2020…the Winter 2020 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books!
Catherine and I share our most anticipated books coming out for the first quarter (January – March) of 2020.
Also, stay tuned for my Most Anticipated Books of Winter 2020 blog post, which is coming out tomorrow. I’ll share some of the books I talked about in this podcast, but also some that I didn’t!
This post contains affiliate links (plus: here’s your Amazon Smile-specific affiliate link), through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
AnnouncementStarting this month, I’m introducing a new bonus feature for $5/month podcast patrons! I’m going to do a monthly solo episode (i.e. no co-host) where I do the book recommendations segment from Sarah’s Book Shelves Live.
So, I’ll share…
These episodes will be released around mid-month. I’m so excited to have a place to talk about the books I’m loving (and not loving) beyond just piping in when I happen to have read a book my guest is sharing.
If you’d like access to these episodes (and other bonus content), subscribe for $5/month on Patreon!
HighlightsJanuary
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
February
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
March
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 6 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Seattle.
Support the PodcastIn Episode 40, Byrd Leavell (Talent Agent at United Talent Agency) talks about the business of publishing, the truth behind publisher marketing dollars, and shares holiday book recommendations for husbands / dads / sons / boyfriends.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
Announcement LinksTwo OLD Books He Loves
Two NEW Books He Loves
One Book He DIDN’T Love
One NEW RELEASE He’s Excited About
A literary agent at UTA (United Talent Agency), Byrd Leavell started in book publishing 19 years ago and in that time has overseen major bestsellers across multiple categories.
His clients include Andrew Yang, Guy Raz, Aubrey Marcus, Cat Marnell, Tiffany Haddish, Brian Kilmeade, Matt Taibbi, Drew Magary, Adam Savage, Mat Best, Rich Roll and Julie Piatt, Justin Halpern, Amirah Kassem, and Rob Elliott – whose LOL series has sold more than 2.5 million copies.
Support the PodcastIn Mini Episode 39, Lindsay Creech (@littlelindsreads) and I talk about Southern books and character-driven dramas.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T Love
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
In Episode 38, Garrett M. Graff goes behind the scenes of his new book, The Only Plane in the Sky (one of my top books of 2019).
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books He Loves
Three NEW Books He Loves
One NEW RELEASE He’s Excited About
Author Website | Twitter | Instagram
Garrett M. Graff, a distinguished magazine journalist, bestselling historian, and regular TV commentator has spent more than a dozen years covering politics, technology, and national security—helping to explain where we’ve been and where we’re headed.
Today, he serves as the director of the Aspen Institute’s cybersecurity and technology program, and is a contributor to WIRED, Longreads, and CNN. He’s written for publications from Esquire to the New York Times, and served as the editor of two of Washington’s most prestigious magazines, Washingtonian and POLITICO Magazine, which he helped lead to its first National Magazine Award, the industry’s highest honor.
Graff is the author of multiple books, including The First Campaign: Globalization, the Web, and the Race for the White House, which examined the role of technology in the 2008 presidential race, and The Threat Matrix: Inside Robert Mueller’s FBI, which traces the history of the FBI’s counterterrorism efforts. His book, Raven Rock, a national bestseller, about the government’s Cold War Doomsday plans, was published in May 2017, and his most recent book, co-authored with John Carlin, examined the rise of cyber threats, Dawn of the Code War: America’s Battle Against Russia, China, and the Rising Global Cyber Threat.
Inside both journalism and politics, he has a long history as a new media pioneer. He was the founding editor of mediaBistro.com’s FishbowlDC (www.FishbowlDC.com), a popular blog that covers the media and journalism in Washington, and co-founder of EchoDitto, Inc., a multi-million-dollar Washington, D.C.-based internet strategy consulting firm. During his time at FishbowlDC, he was the first blogger admitted to cover a White House press briefing in 2005, a moment considered significant enough that his reporter’s notebook from that first briefing is on display at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. A Vermont native and graduate of Harvard, he served as deputy national press secretary on Howard Dean’s presidential campaign and, beginning in 1997, was then-Governor Dean’s first webmaster.
He taught at Georgetown University for seven years, including courses on journalism and technology, and his writing and commentary has appeared in publications like the Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, New York, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Rolling Stone, 5280, Politico, AARP Magazine, Eater, Smithsonian Air & Space Magazine, USA Today, GQ UK, NextCity, and he has appeared on CBS This Morning, The Today Show, Good Morning America, CBC, the BBC, Al Jazeera English, the History Channel, National Geographic, and various NPR programs, including “This American Life,” “Fresh Air,” and “All Things Considered.” His reporting has been cited on shows ranging from Stephen Colbert to John Oliver to Rachel Maddow.
He also is the chair of the board of the National Conference on Citizenship, a congressionally-charted civic engagement group founded by Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower, and serves on the board of Vermont Public Radio and the Burlington Housing Authority.
Support the PodcastIn Mini Episode 37, Elizabeth Chapman and I talk for so long about books that it can’t technically be called a mini episode.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T Love
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
In Episode 36, Claire Gibson, author of Beyond the Point (my review), talks about the inspiration behind the novel, what it was like growing up on the West Point campus, two editorial choices she made, and...of course, shares her book recommendations!
This post contains affiliate links (plus: here’s your Amazon Smile-specific affiliate link), through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T Love
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
When people ask Claire where she’s from, she doesn’t have a good answer. Just like millions of other Army Brats around the world, she moved somewhere new every few years, so she has plenty of answers to choose from: I grew up at the United States Military Academy at West Point, where her father was a professor. She attended Furman University in South Carolina. She studied in Asia as a young adult. And sometime in 2009, she put down roots in Nashville.
She writes about anything that strikes her as interesting, which means she’s written about the military, travel, faith, food and education.
Her work has been featured in The Washington Post, The Christian Science Monitor, and Entrepreneur Magazine, among many other publications. Her debut novel, Beyond the Point, was published April 2, 2019 by William Morrow, an imprint of Harper Collins.
Support the PodcastIn Mini Episode 35, Sarah Bohl (@sarahbohl) and I talk about our shared terrible luck with Pulitzer Prize winners, character-driven mysteries, our thoughts on a beloved WWII novel…and, of course, book recommendations!
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T Love
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Sarah Bohl is a visual artist and a writer, and, most importantly, a lifelong bookworm. Sarah and her family recently moved back to her home state of Missouri after living in Washington, DC. You can find her on Goodreads and #bookstagram @sarahbohl, and if you’d like to read her writings about civility and compassion in politics, you can head to thecivilian.substack.com.
Next EpisodeFull length episode featuring Claire Gibson, author of Beyond the Point (airing Wednesday, October 30).
Support the PodcastIn Episode 34, Sara Hildreth of Fiction Matters (also a high school English teacher at an all-girls school) talks about how she tries to encourage her students to love what they're reading, how she feels about classic and contemporary literature in the classroom, and…of course, shares her book recommendations!
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T Love
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Sara is the bookstagrammer and blogger behind @fictionmatters. She teaches high school English at an all-girls school and lives in Denver with her husband and their puppy, Mr. Bingley.
Support the PodcastIn Mini Episode 33, Stephenie Freeman from @reads.on.wednesdays talks about hyped books, #bookstagram FOMO…and shares her book recommendations!
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T Love
Three NEW RELEASES She’s Excited About
I read every day of the week, not just on Wednesdays. Even random days deserve a good book. My books of choice include contemporary fiction and literary fiction, and every once in awhile I like to throw short stories, a memoir, or some historical fiction in the mix. I love using my Instagram like Tinder: a place where books and book lovers can meet and hook up.
My writing and blogging life started in 2005 after my youngest son was born. I self-published a book, Living with Cheese Eaters and Bald-Headed Monkeys, in 2006 based on my weekly newspaper humor column about motherhood, Mama Wants More. I (briefly) blogged for Disney on what eventually became their site, Babble. Through the years, my blog has naturally evolved as I have. I made the decision in 2018 to refocus and rename my blog for one reason: books and reading are what I love most.
I also love my two teenage boys and my husband who have piles of books of their own. Growing up in Oklahoma and having lived in California for the last 13 years has given me the best of both worlds. Along with reading, I love to cook and I habitually redecorate my house. I’m legally blind and a New Year’s baby.
Support the PodcastIn Episode 32, Cristina talks about her job as Senior Books Editor at Bustle and her path to that job, Bustle’s approach to recommending books, and shares her book recommendations (some by Latina authors).
PLUS – You can now get bonus podcast content by supporting Sarah’s Bookshelves Live on Patreon! Check out details here and sign up here!
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T Love
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Cristina Mari Arreola is the Senior Books Editor at Bustle, where she writes about literary fiction, nonfiction, young adult novels, romance novels, and whatever Reese Witherspoon posts about on Instagram. Cristina also talks about books at Book of the Month, where she recommends books on an intermittent basis. She also served as a judge for the 2018 PEN America Open Book Award. In her free time, Cristina reads books, talks about books, hangs out with other people who loves books, visits bookstores, and thinks about how she should maybe get another hobby.
Support the PodcastIn Mini Episode 31, Kailey from @kmc_reads shares emotional book recommendations.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T Love
Three NEW RELEASES She’s Excited About
In Episode 30, Deb and Amy from the Bless Your Heart Book Club join me to talk Southern literature…and obviously a heavy dose of Pat Conroy!
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books They Love
Two NEW Books They Love
Two Books They DIDN’T Love
Two NEW RELEASES They’re Excited About
Deb and Amy discovered a common passion for Southern writing after meeting on Bookstagram. Their goal is to share Southern voice, setting and authors, with readers who join in their monthly book club.
About DebDeb is an adopted Texan, having lived there for just 3 years. She is originally from metropolitan Boston, spent 15 years in Vermont and 10 in New York before heading South. She is happiest when surrounded by her many animals and family. She loves spending time in the barn with her horse Sterling (who many of you know from her stories) and cycling is her go-to hobby. Professionally, she is a college admissions counselor.
About AmyAmy is a North Carolina native who reads her way through all the genres. At the end of the day, Southern Fiction will always hold her heart. She currently lives in the Piedmont with her husband, two sons and three dogs. Try to pick which is her favorite….spoiler…it’s the dogs.
Support the PodcastIn Episode 29, Katie from @katieneedsabiggerbookshelf shares an eclectic range of book recommendations.
If you’d like to be a guest on a mini episode of Sarah’s Book Shelves Live, apply here! All you need to record is a Smartphone and a Skype account.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T Love
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
Katie is a new bookstagrammer, but definitely not a new reader! In first grade she needed extra help while learning to read, but since then she hasn’t put books down. She read 210 books last year. She is very active on goodreads and more recently Instagram with book reviews and sharing her love of books at @Katieneedsabiggerbookshelf.
Support the PodcastIn Episode 28, Annie Jones, owner of The Bookshelf in Thomasville, GA and Co-Host of the From the Front Porch podcast, joins me to talk about owning a bookstore…and answer listener questions! Plus, bonus new release recommendations!
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She DIDN’T Love
Three NEW RELEASES She’s Excited About
Annie B. Jones owns The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in downtown Thomasville, Georgia, where she and her husband Jordan have lived since 2013. A Tallahassee, Florida, native, Annie graduated summa cum laude with her degree in journalism from the Great Books Honors College at Faulkner University before becoming a writer and editor for The Florida Bar News and Journal.
In 2012, she began living her Kathleen Kelly-dream as the manager of The Bookshelf in Tallahassee, and in 2013, she took over operations of the flagship store in Thomasville. Annie was featured as one of Southern Living magazine’s 50 innovators changing the South; The Bookshelf was listed in the top ten of the 2016 Independent Small Business of the Year Awards, and in 2017, it was named Small Business of the Year by the Thomasville-Thomas County Chamber of Commerce.
Annie currently co-hosts From the Front Porch, a weekly podcast about books, small business, and life in the South.
Support the PodcastWelcome to a special episode of the Sarah’s Bookshelves Live podcast…the Fall 2019 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books!
Catherine and I share our most anticipated books coming out for the rest (August – December) of 2019.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsAugust
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
September
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
October
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
November
Sarah’s Picks:
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 6 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Seattle.
Support the PodcastIn Episode 26, Beck Dorey-Stein, author of From the Corner of the Oval (my review), joins me to talk about working in the White House, being in your 20’s, and her second book!
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One New Release She’s Excited About
Author Website | Instagram |Facebook | Twitter
A graduate of Wesleyan University, BECK DOREY-STEIN worked as a White House stenographer from 2012 to 2017. Previously she worked as a high school English teacher in Hightstown, New Jersey, Washington, DC, and Seoul, South Korea. This is her first book.
Support the PodcastIn Episode 25, Siobhan Jones (Editorial Director of Book of the Month) joins me to go behind the scenes of Book of the Month…and reveals one of the August Book of the Month picks early!
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Books She Didn’t Love
One New Release She’s Excited About (EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW OF AUGUST BOOK OF THE MONTH PICK)
Siobhan is the editorial director atBook of the Month. Prior to Book of the Month, she worked in the publishing industry and as a teacher. She hails from the midwest and loves tacos, puppies, and plotting the perfect way to get rid of her cell phone forever. Her favorite book is NW by Zadie Smith.
Next EpisodeThere is no new episode next week.
In two weeks: Beck Dorey-Stein, author of From the Corner of the Oval (airing August 7)
How to Join Book of the Month…Book of the Month is a subscription service for people who like to try new books from a curated selection and like to read in hardcover format. Through Book of the Month, you can get a hardcover book for generally significantly less than you’d pay in a bookstore or through Amazon. And, you get to try something new that has been vetted by one of Book of the Month’s well-read judges!
Sign up for any of the subscription plans below and you get to choose one of five books selected by Book of the Month’s panel of judges (including a surprise guest judge). Book of the Month will then mail your chosen book to your house with a cute note. You also have the option to purchase additional books for $9.99 each and to skip a month if you want.
Sign up for a Book of the Month membership (NEW pricing below)!
New members will sign up for a membership that renews monthly:
A book of your choice for $14.99 / monthAdd extra books to your shipment for $9.99 eachSkip any month you wantFree shipping, always
Support the PodcastIn Episode 24, Grace Atwood and Becca Freeman (Co-Hosts of the Bad on Paper Podcast) join me to talk New York City books and bookstores and share their experience as Book of the Month judges.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books They Love
Two NEW Books They Love
Two Books They Didn’t Love
Two New Releases They’re Excited About
Podcast Website | Instagram | Facebook Group
About GraceThe Stripe blog | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
Grace Atwood is the founder + voice behind The Stripe. She is also the co-host of podcast, Bad on Paper. Currently based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn; Grace grew up on Cape Cod, which she credits for her love of the ocean (and probably a nautical stripe or two). The blog began in January of 2010 (originally Stripes & Sequins), born out of a love of fashion, beauty, and making.
Prior to running this site full time, Grace was the director of social media for BaubleBar. Before that, she worked in marketing for Procter & Gamble and Coty. She has spoken about social media and blogging at panels for Internet Week, ShopStyle, General Assembly, and IFB. She’s been featured in Glamour, The Coveteur, StyleWatch, Apartment Therapy and more. In 2019 she was named one of The Daily Front Row‘s 50 names to know right now. Outside of work, Grace’s passions include food, wine, art, yoga, reading, her Persian cat Tyrion and exploring everything New York and Brooklyn have to offer.
About BeccaBecca is a freelance marketing consultant in NYC. Previously, she was the Head of Marketing at LOLA. When not working, reading, or podcasting, Becca loves plane tickets, red wine, and 30 Rock reruns and has never met a dog in a costume she hasn’t liked.
Support the PodcastIn Episode 23, Carla from Happiest When Reading joins me to break down the 2019 books so far that most deserve the hype, least deserve the hype, and the best underrated gems.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsSarah’s Picks
Carla’s Picks
Our Co-Sign Pick
Sarah’s Picks
Carla’s Picks
Sarah’s Picks
Carla’s Picks
Our Co-Sign Pick
Blog | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
As a stay-at-home mama to two “tween” kids, I finally have more time to dedicate to reading. I have loved getting back into a passion of mine that I’ve had since I was a small girl. But sadly, what I quickly came to realize is that I really don’t have a lot of local reading friends. As a way to connect with others who love to read just as much as I do, I started my “Bookstagram” account (@happiestwhenreading). This community has given me a place to engage in bookish conversations, and I can truly say I have made so many online friendships that I’m truly grateful to have.
Support the PodcastIn Episode 22, Angie Kim (author of Miracle Creek) talks about how her background influenced her novel and shares her literary mystery recommendations.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She Didn’t Love
One Upcoming Release She’s Excited About
Author Website | Instagram |Facebook | Twitter |
Angie moved as a preteen from Seoul, South Korea, to the suburbs of Baltimore. She attended Stanford University and Harvard Law School, where she was an editor of the Harvard Law Review, then practiced as a trial lawyer at Williams & Connolly. Her stories have won the GlamourEssay Contest and the Wabash Prize in Fiction, and appeared in numerous publications including Vogue, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Salon, Slate, The Southern Review, Sycamore Review, The Asian American Literary Review, and PANK. She lives in northern Virginia with her husband and three sons. Miracle Creek is her first novel.
In Episode 21, Mary Laura Philpott (author of I Miss You When I Blink) talks about women’s identity crises, how she pitched her book to publishers, her job at Parnassus Books…and shares “women who get women” book recommendations.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She Didn’t Love
Two New Releases She’s Excited About
Author Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
Mary Laura Philpott is an essayist whose writing appears in publications including The New York Times, The Paris Review, The Washington Post, O The Oprah Magazine, and others. Across her work, Mary Laura examines the overlap of the absurd and the profound in life, literature, and culture.
I Miss You When I Blink is Mary Laura’s debut memoir, written in essays. It was named to the #1 spot on the Indie Next List by booksellers nationwide, and was chosen as a best or most anticipated book of 2019 by Esquire, BuzzFeed, Lit Hub, Southern Living, Bustle, The Millions and the Chicago Review of Books. Real Simple magazine called it “the one book you should read right now.” (Get a short snippet of it in The New York Times, read a review in The Washington Post, or listen to a conversation about it on NPR.)
Mary Laura is also the author and illustrator of the book Penguins with People Problems; the founding editor of MUSING, the digital magazine published by Parnassus Books; and an Emmy-award winning co-host of A Word on Words, a literary interview show on Nashville Public Television. She enjoys traveling around the country to speak with people about creativity, work, the ups and downs of perfectionism, reinvention, reading, and writing. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with her family.
Support the PodcastIn Episode 20, Susie from the blog Novel Visits joins me to countdown our all-time favorite summer reads!
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsSarah’s Picks:
Susie’s Picks:
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
I’ve loved reading for as long as I can remember. Some of my fondest childhood memories involve long afternoons at the library and then reading late into the night. More than ten years ago, I began journaling about the books I read and turned that passion into writing about books. My first forays were as a guest reviewer on a friend’s blog, but I soon realized I wanted to be reviewing and talking about books on a blog of my own. From there, Novel Visits was born. That was in 2016 and, though the learning curve was steep, I love being a part of the book community. Novel Visits focuses on new novel reviews (print and audio), previews of upcoming releases, and musings on all things bookish.
Support the PodcastWelcome to a special episode of the Sarah’s Bookshelves Live podcast…the Summer 2019 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books!
Catherine and I share our most anticipated books coming out in June and July of 2019.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsJune
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
July
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 6 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Seattle.
Next Week’s EpisodeOur Top 10 All-Time Favorite Summer Reads with Susie from Novel Visits (airing May 22)
Support the PodcastIn Episode 18, Allison from the blog Mind Joggle joins me to talk about the mental load of motherhood, how to relieve it, and share books about motherhood.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She Didn’t Love
One New Release She’s Excited About
Allison writes at Mind Joggle about books, reading, writing, creativity, learning, and anything related and in between.
She’s always said that her dream job would be reading books for a living.
She didn’t quite go either route, opting instead for a “practical” writing career that more easily pays the bills. Nonetheless, those dreams of long, cozy days composing the stories that play out in her head persist—as does her love of great books, writing stories, learning interesting things, and discussing it all with others.
Next Week’s EpisodeSpring 2019 Book Preview with Catherine from Gilmore Guide to Books (airing May 15)
Support the PodcastIn Episode 17, Jaclyn and Rachael (aka the Pingel Sisters) join me to talk sisterly reading and share their book recommendations.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books They Love
Two NEW Books They Love
Two Books They Didn’t Love
Two New Releases They’re Excited About
Blog | Instagram | Pinterest| Twitter| Facebook
About Jaclyn
Jaclyn and her husband Steve met while studying psychology in college. They graduated together and were married the very next day. From there, they decided Steve would get a PhD while Jaclyn would pursue her career in higher education fundraising. She’s currently the Annual Giving Manager at UNC School of the Arts – a fabulous job where she can combine her nonprofit expertise with her love for the arts. Of the two of us, Jaclyn is much more the creative soul behind our blog inspiring all our visuals as well as our overall vision for our book blog.
Jaclyn and Steve are the proud parents of an energetic Little Boy, a dog and two cats. You’ll often find Jaclyn volunteering at a local nonprofit, re-reading her favorite books again and again, convincing herself she likes the gym, or playing Pokemon Go.
About Rachael
Ever since started this book blog, people often ask Rachael if she studied English or writing in college. Actually, Rachael graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics. She still acts as a math tutor for the neighborhood kids from time to time. In fact, her math degree has given her computer programming experience and a meticulous eye for detail. All these skills have combined to make her excellent at all the behind-the-scenes aspects of blogging.
Rachael currently lives in Utah, married to her favorite person in the entire world – Mark, the engineer. (Though, Jaclyn comes in at a close second.) They have four adorable little children ages 7 and under. Rachael loves to read in her pajamas, explore the outdoors with her little ones, and scheme up vacations to every inch of the globe.
Support the PodcastIn Episode 16, Meredith Monday Schwartz and Kaytee Cobb join me to go behind-the-scenes of the Currently Reading Podcast.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books They Love
Two NEW Books They Love
Two Books They Didn’t Love
Two New Releases They’re Excited About
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About MeredithMeredith Monday Schwartz is a married mom of 4 and full-time CEO of a large wedding website. She lives in the SF Bay Area and loves the cool temperatures and high number of bookstores that make up the gorgeous place she calls home. She’s been an avid reader since she was 4. She’s a very introverted INFJ, so she reads to re-charge. Her very favorite thing to do if she’s not reading is… wait for it… to talk about books! She’s so grateful that, in Kaytee, she’s found the perfect partner.
About KayteeInstagram | Blog | Twitter| Goodreads
Kaytee is married to her best friend, a mama of 4 littles, a big fan of Jesus, and a homeschool mom and director (kind of like the principal of our homeschool co-op). She tries not to lose her mind while juggling all these roles by reading books. She’s attempting to reach “professional” reading level by regularly devouring 200 or more books in a calendar year! She’s an ESFJ, Type A, Enneagram 2w1, Obliger who obviously loves personality tests. She enjoys being around people, but her favorite thing to talk to those people about is…books!
Support the PodcastIn Episode 15, Christine from The Uncorked Librarian talks literary travel and books set abroad.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She Didn’t Love
One Upcoming Release She’s Excited About
Instagram | Blog | Twitter | Pinterest
I am a MLIS graduate from the University of South Florida. I have a BA in English and History from Smith College. The travel bug completely took over after my year as a Fulbright Scholar in Depok, Indonesia. In Indo, I taught English at a public high school. Basically, I posed as Miss America for the year. In reality, I played a lot of Uno, read the entire Sookie Stackhouse series, and stood in front of 600 students each week, wildly gesturing and sweating. Best job and experience in my life to-date.
I hold certifications in TEFL and Youth Development. In the office-like world, I possess more than 10 years of urban program management experience. My work focused on literacy and teaching. In addition, I spent five years in the public library systems.
Today, I am a board member for a nonprofit that brings the joys of reading to families. When not promoting literacy, I parade around (more like beach down) as a pilot’s wife with four furry children in the sunshine state. Obsessions include: YA books, brewery yoga, olives, decorating my home with owl everything, caticorns, and Sicily. I have a reputation for finding breweries and wineries anywhere I go.
Support the PodcastIn Episode 14, Lindsey J. Palmer (author of Otherwise Engaged) joins me to talk about her book and her reading and writing life.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She Didn’t Love
One Upcoming Releases She’s Excited About
Author Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
After a childhood spent devouring every book and magazine I could get my hands on and dreaming up stories that took place along the Oregon Trail, I left the suburbs of Boston to attend the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. As an English major and Benjamin Franklin Honors Scholar, I continued devouring every book and magazine I could get my hands on and dreaming up stories (most of which didn’t take place along the Oregon Trail).
Post-college, I shipped out to bucolic Vermont to teach creative writing and Pilates to high school kids at a summer arts camp. There, I picked blueberries, ran across rolling hills, and realized I was not nearly mature enough to be teaching anyone much of anything.
And so I moved to Manhattan and broke into magazine publishing, starting at Glamour and then moving on to Redbook and next Self, where I was Features Editor. I worked on stories about relationships and sex, parenting, social activism, career and finances, and well-being; I interviewed the occasional V.I.P. (including Michelle Obama and both Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton, a.k.a. Coach and Mrs. Taylor for Friday Night Lights fans); and I gathered material for what would eventually become my debut novel, PRETTY IN INK.
After nearly a decade in publishing, I decided I was finally ready to try my hand at teaching again. So I waved goodbye to magazines and began my Master’s of English Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. I took classes on Shakespeare and adolescent literature, and talked books with teenagers. I then joined the faculty of NEST+m, a Manhattan public high school, as the A.P. Literature and Creative Writing teacher, plus advisor of the literary magazine, the yearbook, and National Honor Society. During my three years of teaching, I aspired to be a slightly more down-to-earth reincarnation of my favorite fictional teacher, Miss Jean Brody.
These days, I work as a scriptwriter at BrainPOP, an animated educational site for kids. I spend my days researching topics as diverse as Nuclear Fusion, Emily Dickinson, and the Tuskegee Airmen, and then translating what I’ve learned into an engaging, narrative format. My scripts get made into short films to be shown in classrooms grades 4-10, nationwide and around the world.
I live in Brooklyn, NY with my husband and 1-year-old daughter.
Support the PodcastWelcome to the second special episode of the Sarah’s Bookshelves Live podcast…Spring 2019 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books!
Catherine and I share our most anticipated books coming out in April and May of 2019.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsApril
Sarah’s Last Minute Audible:
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
May
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 6 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Seattle.
Support the PodcastIn Episode 12, Hannah from @BookNerdNative talks about moving her book collection and shares her three 2019 reading goals!
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She Didn’t Love
One Upcoming Release She’s Excited About
Hannah is a Michigander now living in the Land of the Long Leaf Pine, with her husband and daughter, enjoying Southern living to its fullest. She runs the book blog on Instagram called @booknerdnative and enjoys talking books with absolutely everyone. She also loves renting too many library books, anything with peanut butter in it, and of course, is always seeking her new favorite book to read.
Support the PodcastIn Episode 11, Katharine from @ReadWithKat joins me to talk about living with cystic fibrosis and her real-life book club that’s been going strong for 10 years.
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She Didn’t Love
One Upcoming Releases She’s Excited About
Instagram | Twitter | Blog | Goodreads
Katharine lives in Baltimore with her husband and miniature schnauzer. She works in higher education doing communications, and spends the rest of her time hoarding books (and reading as many as she can). She runs the instagram account @readwithkat, and is also 1/4 of @thebooklyclub. Katharine is also a cystic fibrosis patient and advocate, sharing her story of life with CF at local events and online. Her dream is to open up a bookstore.
Support the PodcastIn Episode 10, Kelly from @thewellreadrunner joins me to talk Marie Kondo-ing your physical book collection and your TBR list…and, as always, share her book recommendations!
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She Didn’t Love
One Upcoming Release She’s Excited About
Blog (no longer active) | Instagram | Twitter
Kelly is a stay-at-home mom to two boys (ages 7 and 5) living in Rochester NY. Before that, she worked in higher education administration. When she’s not chasing her kids around, she loves assisting at their elementary school as a literacy volunteer (helping kids grades K-4 with reading/writing skills) and being an enthusiastic (but not scary) PTO mom. She’s also an avid early-morning runner/triathlete.
Support the PodcastIn Episode 9, Nicole Bonia and Gayle Weiswasser from The Readerly Report Podcast join me to discuss their reading tastes and share book recommendations…prepare for some potentially unpopular opinions!
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books They Love
Two NEW Books They Love
Two Books They Didn’t Love
Two New Releases They’re Excited About
Podcast Website | Instagram | Facebook Group | Twitter
About GayleBlog | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
Gayle has been blogging about books atEveryday I Write the Book since 2006, and co-hosts The Readerly Report Podcast with Nicole Bonia. I love to read, and I love to talk about books and what other people are reading. I live in Washington, DC with my husband, fourteen year-old twin daughters and six year-old son. I run communications and business development at a real estate technology company called Homesnap, which keeps me busy when I am not parenting or reading.
About NicoleBlog | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
Nicole is co-host at The Readerly Report, a podcast featuring the latest literary news, candid book discussions and scads of eclectic book recommendations. She loves travel, reading on the beach, and catching up with friends over dinner and a bottle of red. Nicole writes about books and other things at NicoleBonia.com.
Support the PodcastIn Episode 9, Nicole Bonia and Gayle Weiswasser from The Readerly Report Podcast join me to discuss their reading tastes and share book recommendations…prepare for some potentially unpopular opinions!
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books They Love
Two NEW Books They Love
Two Books They Didn’t Love
Two New Releases They’re Excited About
Podcast Website | Instagram | Facebook Group | Twitter
About GayleBlog | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
Gayle has been blogging about books atEveryday I Write the Book since 2006, and co-hosts The Readerly Report Podcast with Nicole Bonia. I love to read, and I love to talk about books and what other people are reading. I live in Washington, DC with my husband, fourteen year-old twin daughters and six year-old son. I run communications and business development at a real estate technology company called Homesnap, which keeps me busy when I am not parenting or reading.
About NicoleBlog | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
Nicole is co-host at The Readerly Report, a podcast featuring the latest literary news, candid book discussions and scads of eclectic book recommendations. She loves travel, reading on the beach, and catching up with friends over dinner and a bottle of red. Nicole writes about books and other things at NicoleBonia.com.
Support the PodcastIn Episode 8 (the episode in which I have a really bad cold and don’t sound like myself!), Carla from @happiestwhenreading and I talk fitting in reading amongst our mom activities, reading goals, and tracking your reading!
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She Didn’t Love
One Upcoming Release She’s Excited About
Blog | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
As a stay-at-home mama to two “tween” kids, I finally have more time to dedicate to reading. I have loved getting back into a passion of mine that I’ve had since I was a small girl. But sadly, what I quickly came to realize is that I really don’t have a lot of local reading friends. As a way to connect with others who love to read just as much as I do, I started my “Bookstagram” account (@happiestwhenreading). This community has given me a place to engage in bookish conversations, and I can truly say I have made so many online friendships that I’m truly grateful to have.
Support the PodcastIn Episode 7, Ashley Spivey (founder of #SpiveysClub Facebook Group and former Bachelor contestant) shares Galentine’s Day book recommendations and talks a bit of The Bachelorbehind-the-scenes!
We had a lot to cover this week (including 3 extra book recommendations from Ashley!), so the episode as a little longer than you’re used to. But, I don’t think you’ll be mad about it!
This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsFour OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She Didn’t Love
Two Upcoming Releases She’s Excited About
Facebook Group | Instagram | Twitter
Ashley is the founder of the #SpiveysClub Facebook Group and Book Club. She’s also co-host of the He Said, She Said Podcast sharing advice on life and love with Reality Steve. Prior to all that, she was a contestant on Season 15 of The Bachelor with Brad Womack.
Support the PodcastIn Episode 6, Tara from the blog Running N Reading and I talk about Tara’s job as a clinical chaplain, finding the right listening material for long runs, and a bit about The Bachelor…plus, book recommendations!
Contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She Didn’t Love
One Upcoming Release She’s Excited About
When she’s not working as a hospital chaplain, Tara is usually outside running, often with an audiobook, or reading with two dogs curled around her lap. Her favorite reads are usually literary fiction but she also enjoys engaging thrillers and nonfiction, with a few historical fiction and YA titles thrown in for an occasional break.
Support the PodcastIn Episode 5, Renee from the blog It’s Book Talk, etc. and I talk mysteries / thrillers, including the thriller that made Renee cry, what Renee thinks is the most controversial thriller out there, and Sarah’s issues with mysteries / thrillers.
This description contains affiliate links.
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She Didn’t Love
One Upcoming Release She’s Excited About
I’ve been reading and loving books for as long as I can remember. I was the kid who had to be made to go out and play because I wanted to stay in and read. I’ve always loved mysteries and thrillers, starting way back when with Nancy Drew and Treasure Island and continuing today with favorite authors like Sharon Bolton, Jane Casey, and Dennis Lehane. Several years ago, I began writing reviews for an online national book review website, but soon found I wanted my own space to share my thoughts on the books I’ve read, loved, and maybe not loved. I decided to start my own blog and after much trial and error, It’s Book Talk was born. The best part of blogging by far is the friends I’ve made in the book community. It’s been so fun to interact with book lovers from around the world. In my own family, I have a husband and two college age sons I continue to try to convert into being readers.
Support the PodcastIn Episode 4, Tina from the blog TBR, etc. and I talk book recommendations, break down #bookstagram (including when her engagement photo went viral!), and compare our reading tastes.
This contains affiliate links (plus: here’s your Amazon Smile-specific affiliate link), through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She Didn’t Love
One Upcoming Release She’s Excited About
Blog | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
Tina is happiest when reading and reviewing books – especially thrillers and new releases. She’s a blogger at tbretc.com and Bookstagrammer @tbretc. That’s TBR (as in to be read) Etc.
Support the PodcastIn Episode 3, I'm back to my regular format with Susie from the blog Novel Visits (one of my top recommendation sources!). Susie recently fell in love with audiobooks and, unlike me, listens to fiction on audio. Join us for her fiction audiobook recommendations!
HighlightsTwo OLD Audiobooks She Loves
Two NEW Audiobooks She Loves
One Audiobook She Didn’t Love
One Upcoming Release She’s Excited About
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
I've loved reading for as long as I can remember. Some of my fondest childhood memories involve long afternoons at the library and then reading late into the night. More than ten years ago, I began journaling about the books I read and turned that passion into writing about books. My first forays were as a guest reviewer on a friend's blog, but I soon realized I wanted to be reviewing and talking about books on a blog of my own. From there, Novel Visits was born. That was in 2016 and, though the learning curve was steep, I love being a part of the book community. Novel Visits focuses on new novel reviews (print and audio), previews of upcoming releases, and musings on all things bookish.
Support the PodcastWelcome to a special episode…Winter 2019 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books!
Catherine and I share our most anticipated books coming out in January, February, and March of 2019.
Also, stay tuned for my Most Anticipated Books of Winter 2019 blog post, which is coming out tomorrow. I’ll share some of the books I talked about in this podcast, but also many that I didn’t!
HighlightsJanuary
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
February
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
March
Sarah’s Picks:
Catherine’s Picks:
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 6 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Seattle.
Support the PodcastBestselling author of We Were the Lucky Ones, Georgia Hunter, joins me to share her (mostly) historical fiction book recommendations, talk about the impact her novel had on her life and her family, and go behind-the-scenes of her recent book tour.
HighlightsTwo OLD Books She Loves
Two NEW Books She Loves
One Book She Didn’t Love
One Upcoming Release She’s Excited About
"Writing is like driving at night in the fog. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way."
Author Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved to write. I penned my first “novel” when I was four years old, and titled itCharlie Walks the Beast after my father’s recently published sci-fi novel, Softly Walks the Beast. When I was eleven, I pitched an article—an Opinion piece on how I’d spend my last day if the world were about to come to an end—to the local newspaper. Since that debut in the Attleboro Sun Chronicle, my personal essays and photos have been featured in places like the New York Times “Why We Travel,” in travelgirl magazine, and on Equitrekking.com. I’ve also taken on the role of freelance copywriter in the world of adventure travel, crafting marketing materials for outfitters such as Austin Adventures and The Explorer’s Passage.
In 2000, a family reunion opened my eyes to the astounding war stories of my grandfather and his family. Eight years later, armed with a digital voice recorder and a moleskin notebook, I set off to unearth and record my family’s story. I spent nearly a decade traversing the globe, interviewing family and digging up records from every possible source I could think of, eventually piecing together the bones of what would become my novel, We Were the Lucky Ones.
Support the PodcastSarah's Bookshelves Live, a new weekly book podcast featuring real talk about books and recommendations from a bookish guest, is launching in January 2019!
Listen to a quick overview of the show and a clip from an upcoming episode featuring Susie from the blog Novel Visits.
Our TOPPODCAST Picks 
