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 207, Sarah chats with author Regina Black about her newest novel, August Lane. A second-chance romance about two people healing from trauma, August Lane is set in Arcadia, Arkansas, with themes of family, generational scars, and a unique thread of Black country music. Regina also talks about how she got into writing Romance on top of her job as a law school administrator, how long she's been writing, and what spurred her on to seeking publication. Plus, Regina shares some of her top 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
Please listen to the accompanying (less than 4 minute) episode for an important update about the Sarah's Bookshelves Live podcast.
Thank you, Sarah
For Episode 206, fellow podcaster Jason Blitman, host of the Gays Reading podcast, joins Sarah to go behind the scenes of producing book festivals. They talk about how he came to reading later in his life and how his journey as a reader led him to his current role. Also, they discuss how he approaches author interviews. Plus, Jason shares 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!).
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
Welcome to the Fall 2025 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books!
Today, Catherine and Sarah share 14 of their most anticipated books releasing from 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.
AnnouncementOther Books Mentioned
August
Sarah's Picks
Catherine's Pick
Other Books Mentioned
September
Sarah's Picks
Catherine's Picks
Other Books Mentioned
October
Catherine's Picks
November
Sarah's Pick
Catherine's Pick
Other Books Mentioned
December
Catherine's Pick
Other Books Mentioned
In Episode 204, Sarah and Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books catch up on the 12 new releases they shared in the Summer 2025 Book Preview, now that they've read them — or at least tried to! They share their reading stats, chat about what worked — and discuss which books didn't work and why.
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.
AnnouncementJune
Sarah's Pick
Other Books Mentioned
July
Sarah's Pick
Other Books Mentioned
June
Catherine's Picks
Other Books Mentioned
July
Sarah's Picks
Catherine's Picks
Other Books Mentioned
In Episode 203, Gayle Weiswasser, co-founder of Wonderland Books, an independent bookstore in Bethesda, Maryland, returns to the podcast with Sarah for a one-year check-in on the shop's journey. From holiday-season chaos to surprising customer favorites, Gayle shares what worked, what didn't, and why she still handpicks every title on the shelves — plus the biggest lessons (and mistakes) from year one. Plus, Gayle 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 Gayle Read
In Episode 202, Susie (@NovelVisits) and Sarah explore some of their new favorite Micro Genres. Since starting the Micro Genres series, they've loved taking the opportunity each year to examine and define their tastes in these sub-sub-genres. This year, they have curated a list of 10 all-new Micro Genres, along with notable books for each category. With over 80 books mentioned, this is another year of niching down for 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. Books Told From the Perspective of the Person Left Behind (Sarah) [2:26] Sarah The Wanderers by Meg Howrey (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [3:39] Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [3:52] Happiness Falls by Angie Kim (2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [4:29] Miracle Creek by Angie Kim (2019) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [4:31] Shred Sisters by Betsy Lerner (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [4:42] Penitence by Kristin Koval (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [4:52] Z by Therese Ann Fowler (2013) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [5:11] The Paris Wife by Paula McLain (2011) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [5:19] An American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld (2008) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [5:26] The Swans of Fifth Avenue by Melanie Benjamin (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [5:35] The Wives by Simone Gorrindo (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [5:59] A Mother's Reckoning by Sue Klebold (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [6:41] Susie Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel (2014) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [7:07] Good Morning, Midnight by Lily Brooks-Dalton (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [7:35] The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton (2022) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [7:37] Circe by Madeline Miller (2018) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [7:52] We Begin at the End (Susie) [8:22] Sarah Beyond the Point by Claire Gibson (2019) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [12:46] Penitence by Kristin Koval (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [13:16] I'm That Girl by Jordan Chiles (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [14:20] Susie The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[10:20] What Happened to Nina? by Dervla McTiernan (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[10:49] Victim by Andrew Boryga (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [11:48] How We Named the Stars by Andrés N. Ordorica (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [12:21] Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [12:28] Other Books Mentioned We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker (2021) [8:33] A Marriage at Sea by Sophie Elmhirst (2025) [13:54] Big Business Women (Sarah) [14:34] Sarah Anna Bright is Hiding Something by Susie Orman Schnall (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [15:29] The Boys' Club by Erica Katz (2020) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [15:46] Women Are the Fiercest Creatures by Andrea Dunlop (2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [15:51] Dead Money by Jakob Kerr (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [15:55] Susie The Whisper Network by Chandler Baker (2019) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[16:30] The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer (2018) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [16:55] Other Books Mentioned Bad Blood by John Carreyrou (2018) [15:34] Books By Irish Authors Telling Distinctly Irish Stories (Susie) [17:35] Sarah Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe (2018) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [22:30] Northern Spy by Flynn Berry (2021) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [22:43] The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue (2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [22:52] 56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard (2021) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [23:39] Susie Nesting by Roisín O'Donnell (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [19:39] The Coast Road by Alan Murrin (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [20:07] The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[20:54] Juno Loves Legs by Karl Geary (2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [20:59] Home Stretch by Graham Norton (2020) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [21:02] Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan (2021) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [21:50] Trespasses by Louise Kennedy (2022) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [22:07] Other Books Mentioned Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt (1996) [19:20] Normal People by Sally Rooney (2018) [23:16] Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent (2023) [24:07] Unraveling Oliver by Liz Nugent (2013) [24:09] The Collective "We" Narration (Sarah) [24:33] Sarah The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides (1993) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[25:59] We Wish You Luck by Caroline Zancan (2020) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [26:16] The Mothers by Britt Bennett (2016)| Amazon | Bookshop.org [27:31] Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett (2022) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [27:56] Susie The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka (2011) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [28:38] The Swimmers by Julie Otsuka (2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [28:58] Other Books Mentioned The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker (2012) [25:09] The Strange Case of Jane O. by Karen Thompson Walker (2025) [25:11] The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett (2020) [27:39] Torn Between Two Lovers: The Women's Edition (Susie) [29:40] Sarah Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell (1936) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:05] Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding (1996) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:14] Twilight by Stephenie Meyer (2005) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:35] Susie Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [31:18] The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller (2021) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [31:38] One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [32:18] An American Marriage by Tayari Jones (2018) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [32:44] Fiction Modeled on Real-Life Serial Killers or Crimes (Sarah) [33:50] Sarah The Death of Us by Abigail Dean (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [34:33] Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll (2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [34:39] Heartwood by Amity Gaige (2025)| Amazon | Bookshop.org [34:42] We Burn Daylight by Bret Anthony Johnston (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [34:52] The Girls by Emma Cline (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [35:00] Only Love Can Break Your Heart by Ed Tarkington (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [35:05] When the Stars Go Dark by Paula McLain (2021) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [35:29] Monday, Monday by Elizabeth Crook (2014) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [35:39] Susie Wolf at the Table by Adam Rapp (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [36:05] Books with Characters Struggling with Mental Health (Susie) [36:57] Sarah Sociopath by Patric Gagne, PhD (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [41:24] Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason (2020) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [41:58] Bitter Sweet by Hattie Williams (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:13] Fire Exit by Morgan Talty (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:23] When I Ran Away by Ilona Bannister (2021) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:28] The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (2003) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:36] Susie Shred Sisters by Betsy Lerner (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [37:56] More or Less Maddy by Lisa Genova (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [39:06] Interesting Facts About Space by Emily Austin (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [39:43] My Lovely Wife in the Psych Ward by Mark Lukach (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [40:13] I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [40:58] Other Books Mentioned Soldier Sailor by Claire Kilroy (2023) [42:33] Dude Thrillers (Sarah) [42:45] Sarah Dead Money by Jakob Kerr (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [43:34] The Boomerang by Robert Bailey (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [43:40] Departure 37 by Scott Carson (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [43:55] The Wealth of Shadows by Graham Moore (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [44:10] Red Widow by Alma Katsu (2021) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [44:27] Red London by Alma Katsu (2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [44:28] Susie The Holdout by Graham Moore (2020) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [44:57] The River by Peter Heller (2019) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:24] Burn by Peter Heller (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:25] The Martian by Andy Weir (2011) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:36] Other Books Mentioned Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (2021) [45:41] All the Sinners Bleed by S. A. Cosby (2023) [45:33] Blacktop Wasteland by S. A. Cosby (2020) [46:06] Razorblade Tears by S. A. Cosby (2021) [46:13] Standalone Fantasy Set on Earth (Susie) [46:36] Susie The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab (2020) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [48:36] Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V. E. Schwab (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [48:39] The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [49:07] Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo (2019) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [49:08] Weyward by Emilia Hart (2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [49:28] The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins (2015) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [49:32] Circe by Madeline Miller (2018) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [49:50] The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (2011) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [49:51] Other Books Mentioned A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas (2015) [47:03] Black Chalk by Christopher J. Yates (2013) [50:30]
Full show notes at the publisherIn Episode 201, author Lidija Hilje talks with Sarah about her debut novel, Slanting Towards the Sea. Spanning two decades and one transformative summer in Croatia, Slanting Towards the Sea is a love story that also delves into the profound journey of coming of age in a nation younger than you are. Lidija shares lots of details about how this book came to be and the inspiration for the story and its lush Croatian setting, which becomes a character of its own. They also discuss how the Croatian War of Independence influenced both her own childhood and the novel's narrative. Plus, Lidija shares some of her top 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 Lidija Read
Welcome to the 200th episode of Sarah's Bookshelves Live with a very specialcelebration with both co-hosts: Susie (@NovelVisits) and Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books. Today, they are answering listener-submitted questions all about their reading journeys, their podcast journeys, and some about their pre-podcast blogging days!
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.
HighlightsKey Moments in Their Reading Lives [1:59] A few of the questions answered:
Their Professional Reading Journeys [34:17] A few of the questions answered:
In Ep. 199, Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits), Catherine Gilmore (@GilmoreGuide), and Sarah are all back on the mic, ready to catch up on how their reading is shaping up for 2025 — so far! They talk about the current publishing landscape, what books are topping bestseller lists to date, and their personal reading as it stands halfway through the year. They share reading stats and talk about expectations and hopes for the remainder of the year. Plus, their TOP 5 books and their 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 [1:13]Books Mentioned
Books Mentioned
Susie
Catherine
Sarah
Other Books Mentioned
Susie
Catherine
Sarah
Our TOPPODCAST Picks 
