Stay ConnectedSarah’s Bookshelves Live is a bi-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 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!). Highlights Our extensive thoughts on Pat Conroy. Our first memories of loving Southern literature. Deb and I's differing opinions of overwrought, intricate writing. Our favorite types of Southern lit. A couple of our favorite Southern books that aren't by Pat Conroy. Deb's love for William Faulkner. How it feels to read and review a friend's book. A real life precursor to the book mobile. Deb and Amy disagree with each other about both of their "books they didn't like." Amy and Deb's Book Recommendations Two OLD Books They Love Amy: Whistling Past the Graveyard by Susan Crandall | Buy from Amazon [16:22] Deb: South Towards Home: Travels in Southern Literature by Margaret Eby | Buy from Amazon [17:42] Two NEW Books They Love Amy: Only Ever Her by Mary Beth Whelan | Buy from Amazon [19:29] Deb: The Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michelle Richardson | Buy from Amazon [23:35] Two Books They DIDN'T Love Amy: Southernmost by Silas House | Buy from Amazon [25:30] Deb: Whiskey & Ribbons by Leesa Cross-Smith | Buy from Amazon [27:05] Two NEW RELEASES They're Excited About Amy: Big Lies in a Small Town by Diane Chamberlain (Release Date: January 14, 2020) | Buy from Amazon [25:56] Deb: Friends of the Library by Susan Cushman (Release Date: August 30) | Buy from Amazon [30:00] Other Books Mentioned The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [2:42] Never Have I Ever by Joshilyn Jackson | Buy from Amazon [3:39] The Great Santini by Pat Conroy (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [5:35] South of Broad by Pat Conroy | Buy from Amazon [6:53] The Lost Prince: A Search for Pat Conroy by Michael Mewshaw (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [7:56] The Lords of Discipline by Pat Conroy (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [8:12] The Water is Wide by Pat Conroy | Buy from Amazon [8:40] My Losing Season by Pat Conroy (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [8:40] South of Broad by Pat Conroy | Buy from Amazon [8:53] The Color Purple by Alice Walker | Buy from Amazon [9:25] Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [12:27] Absalom, Absalom by William Faulkner | Buy from Amazon [13:14] The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner | Buy from Amazon [13:14] The Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain | Buy from Amazon [13:32] Sunset Beach by Mary Kay Andrews | Buy from Amazon [13:42] The Peachtree Bluff Series by Kristy Woodson Harvey | Buy from Amazon [13:54] Whiskey & Ribbons by Leesa Cross-Smith | Buy from Amazon [14:06] The Line That Held Us by David Joy (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [14:09] Gods of Howl Mountain by Taylor Brown | Buy from Amazon [14:16] My Southern Journey by Rick Bragg (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [14:51] Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt | Buy from Amazon [15:16] An American Marriage by Tayari Jones (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [15:24] Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [15:24] Leaving Atlanta by Tayari Jones | Buy from Amazon [15:33] The Myth of Perpetual Summer by Susan Crandall | Buy from Amazon [16:22] The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth | Buy from Amazon [21:39] We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [22:59] All This Could Be Yours by Jami Attenberg | Buy from Amazon [30:20] The Gates of Evangeline by Hester Young (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [34:01] Southern Lady Code by Helen Ellis (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [34:40] Other Links Rick Bragg The Bless Your Heart Book Club Instagram 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 Deb Instagram Deb 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 Amy Instagram Amy 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 Podcast Share - If you like the podcast, I'd love for you to share it with your reader friends…in real life and on social media (there's easy share buttons at the bottom of this post!). Subscribe...wherever you listen to podcasts, so new episodes will appear in your feed as soon as they're released. Rate and Review - Search for "Sarah's Book Shelves" in Apple Podcasts…or wherever you listen to podcasts! Feedback - I want this podcast to fit what you're looking for, so I truly do want your feedback! Please tell me (email me at sarahsbookshelves@gmail.com or DM me on social media) what you like, don't like, want more of, want less of, etc. I'd also love to hear topics you'd like me to cover and guests you'd like to hear from.
Full show notes at the publisherIn 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!). Highlights Catherine and my success rate for books we shared in our Fall 2019 Preview episode. Our Best and Worst picks from the Fall 2019 Preview episode. Catherine tries to sell Sarah on giving Louise Penny a second chance. A new book from the author Catherine swore she'd never read again. A brief tangent about Catherine's rating system. Sarah's and Catherine's #1 Fall book picks. Fall 2019 Book Preview August Sarah's Picks: The Dearly Beloved by Cara Wall (August 13) | Buy from Amazon [7:24] (My Review) The Other's Gold by Elizabeth Ames (August 27) | Buy from Amazon [14:28] (My Review) Catherine's Picks: A Better Man by Louise Penny (August 27) | Buy from Amazon [11:34] A Door in the Earth by Amy Waldman (August 27) | Buy from Amazon [18:17] September Sarah's Picks: The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott (September 17 – PUBLICATION DATE CHANGED SINCE WE RECORDED THE PODCAST) | Buy from Amazon [20:24] Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell (September 10, 2019) | Buy from Amazon [27:06] The Dutch House by Ann Patchett (September 24) | Buy from Amazon [32:14] Catherine's Picks: Quichotte by Salman Rushdie (September 3) | Buy from Amazon [24:50] The World That We Knew by Alice Hoffman (September 24) | Buy from Amazon[29:42] The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates (September 24) | Buy from Amazon [34:46] October Sarah's Picks: All This Could Be Yours by Jami Attenberg (October 22) | Buy from Amazon[36:52] Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson (October 29 – PUBLICATION DATE CHANGED SINCE WE RECORDED THE PODCAST) | Buy from Amazon [44:47] Catherine's Picks: Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts (October 8) | Buy from Amazon [38:55] Burn It Down by Lilly Dancyger (October 8) | Buy from Amazon [43:20] Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout (October 15) | Buy from Amazon [46:55] Christmas Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella (October 15) | Buy from Amazon [52:36] November Sarah's Picks: The Great Pretender by Susannah Cahalan (November 5) | Buy from Amazon[40:48] The Innocents by Michael Crummey (November 12) | Buy from Amazon [50:08] Other Books Mentioned Recursion by Blake Crouch (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [3:43] A Prayer for Travelers by Ruchika Tomar (Catherine's Review) | Buy from Amazon[3:53] Beyond All Reasonable Doubt by Malin Persson Giolito | Buy from Amazon [4:23] Quicksand by Malin Persson Giolito (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [4:35] Bunny by Mona Awad (Catherine's Review) | Buy from Amazon [5:10] Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [8:35] Still Life by Louise Penny | Buy from Amazon [12:34] The Submission by Amy Waldman | Buy from Amazon [18:26] Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell | Buy from Amazon [27:37] The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell | Buy from Amazon [27:37] The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman | Buy from Amazon [29:52] The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman | Buy from Amazon [29:52] Bel Canto by Ann Patchett | Buy from Amazon [32:38] Commonwealth by Ann Patchett (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [32:38] State of Wonder by Ann Patchett (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [32:38] Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates | Buy from Amazon [34:55] The Girl Who Would Be King by Kelly Thompson | Buy from Amazon [35:31] The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead (July 16) | Buy from Amazon [36:19] The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead | Buy from Amazon [36:23] The Middlesteins by Jami Attenberg | Buy from Amazon [37:07] All Grown Up by Jami Attenberg (My Review)| Buy from Amazon [37:07] Saint Mazie by Jami Attenberg (My Review)| Buy from Amazon [37:07] Bellweather Rhapsody by Kate Racculia | Buy from Amazon [39:06] Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan (My Review)| Buy from Amazon [41:00] Three Women by Lisa Taddeo | Buy from Amazon [43:38] Perfect Little World by Kevin Wilson | Buy from Amazon [45:00] The Family Fang by Kevin Wilson | Buy from Amazon [45:08] Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout | Buy from Amazon [47:03] My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout (My Review) | Buy from Amazon[47:35] Anything is Possible by Elizabeth Strout | Buy from Amazon [47:35] Sweetland by Michael Crummey (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [50:23] Room by Emma Donoghue | Buy from Amazon [52:21] Other Links My Most Anticipated Books of Summer 2019 (Sarah's blog post) Pam Cady's Instagram Sarah's Book Club Recommendations List Podcast Episode 16 with Meredith and Kaytee of the Currently Reading Podcast Podcast Episode 17 with The Pingel Sisters Revisionist History podcast Liberty Hardy About Catherine Gilmore 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 Podcast Share - If you like the podcast, I'd love for you to share it with your reader friends…in real life and on social media (there's easy share buttons at the bottom of this post!). Subscribe...wherever you listen to podcasts, so new episodes will appear in your feed as soon as they're released. Rate and Review - Search for "Sarah's Book Shelves" in Apple Podcasts…or wherever you listen to podcasts! Feedback - I want this podcast to fit what you're looking for, so I truly do want your feedback! Please tell me (email me at sarahsbookshelves@gmail.com or DM me on social media) what you like, don't like, want more of, want less of, etc. I'd also love to hear topics you'd like me to cover and guests you'd like to hear from.
Full show notes at the publisherIn 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!). Highlights What Siobhan's job entails day-to-day. How Book of the Month picks its monthly selections (including how books initially get on their radar, how far in advance they pick the books, and what types of books "work" and "don't work" for Book of the Month) Whether Siobhan personally reads all the picks every month. How books get matched with judges (it's not how you think!). The September release Liberty Hardy has already read 3 times. Book of the Month's philosophy about the mix of books for each month. The rationale for and details about the February 2018 strategic changes at Book of the Month (including the disappearance and swift reappearance of the judges' essays). Why authors whose books are Book of the Month selections end up becoming judges. The recent uptick in repeat authors. How Book of the Month chooses its recurring judges. Lightening round of Siobhan's Book of the Month favorites. How Book of the Month chooses its December picks every year. Siobhan's Book Recommendations Two OLD Books She Loves Severance by Ling Ma | Buy from Amazon [27:03] The Municipalists by Seth Fried | Buy from Amazon [27:48] Two NEW Books She Loves Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center | Buy from Amazon [29:21] Lot: Stories by Bryan Washington | Buy from Amazon [31:26] One Books She Didn't Love Purity by Jonathan Franzen | Buy from Amazon [33:39] One New Release She's Excited About (EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW OF AUGUST BOOK OF THE MONTH PICK) Dominicanaby Angie Cruz (September 3) | Buy from Amazon [35:54] Other Books Mentioned Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir | Buy from Amazon [7:50] Normal People by Sally Rooney (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [8:50] Summer of '69 by Elin Hilderbrand | Buy from Amazon [10:54] The Golden Hour by Beatriz Williams | Buy from Amazon [11:05] Recursion by Blake Crouch (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [12:20] Dark Matter by Blake Crouch (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [12:20] The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang | Buy from Amazon [16:32] The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory | Buy from Amazon [16:32] Miracle Creek by Angie Kim (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [17:05] Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [17:46] Final Girls by Riley Sager | Buy from Amazon [18:23] Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough (Spoiler Discussion) | Buy from Amazon [19:40] Severance by Ling Ma | Buy from Amazon [20:42] The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides | Buy from Amazon [22:18] Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver | Buy from Amazon [23:32] The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver | Buy from Amazon [23:32] A Woman is No Man by Etaf Rum (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [24:32] How to Walk Away by Katherine Center (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [29:28] There, There by Tommy Orange | Buy from Amazon [31:48] Commonwealth by Ann Patchett (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [37:53] The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [43:47] The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [44:15] From the Corner of the Oval by Beck Dorey-Stein (My Review) | Buy from Amazon[45:58] Other Links Book of the Month YA Subscription Episode 24: Grace Atwood and Becca Freeman (Co-Hosts of Bad on Paper Podcast) Grace Atwood and Becca Freeman (Co-Hosts of Bad on Paper Podcast) Book of the Month Judge Liberty Hardy Sarah's Ultimate Guide to the Book of the Month Judges Sarah's Behind Her Eyes Spoiler Discussion (#WTFthatending) Goodreads Most Popular Books Published in 2019 Sarah's Most Recent Book of the Month commentary post Slate article: "The Song Jonathan Franzen Called a "Great Song" at the End of Purity is the Worst Thing About Purity" Books Are Magic (indie bookstore in Brooklyn, NY) Book of the Month Facebook Group Siobhan Jones's Instagram About Siobhan Instagram | Facebook 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 Episode There 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 Podcast Share - If you like the podcast, I'd love for you to share it with your reader friends…in real life and on social media (there's easy share buttons at the bottom of this post!). Subscribe...wherever you listen to podcasts, so new episodes will appear in your feed as soon as they're released. Rate and Review - Search for "Sarah's Book Shelves" in Apple Podcasts…or wherever you listen to podcasts! Feedback - I want this podcast to fit what you're looking for, so I truly do want your feedback! Please tell me (email me at sarahsbookshelves@gmail.com or DM me on social media) what you like, don't like, want more of, want less of, etc. I'd also love to hear topics you'd like me to cover and guests you'd like to hear from.
Full show notes at the publisher
Our TOPPODCAST Picks 
