My Favorite Fiction Podcast and Book Pairings: Spooky Edition

My family and I have been so busy lately that finding time to read has been extremely difficult. As someone who always has an earbud in and a podcast playing, I’ve come across a few fiction podcast gems that have completely sucked me into their worlds and made me slightly obsessed. I have always enjoyed audiobooks and still listen to several a month, but there is just something different about a story in podcast form. Maybe it’s all the time I spent watching soap operas growing up, but the short episodes filled with a wide range of characters and multiple concurrent storylines has always been the best way to keep my attention and interest.

Some of these podcasts are no longer active, but all their episodes are available for listening. Some have some pretty intense content warnings so definitely check their websites for details.

Because I loved:

I listened to:

Old Gods of Appalachia. Created by Steve Shell and Cam Collins, this horror anthology podcast is set in an alternate Appalachia and features dark gods, magical people, and intricate storytelling. Steve Shell’s voice is almost disturbingly perfect for the narration of these stories and the full cast episodes are absolutely haunting. It’s highly recommended that you begin with episode 1 and continue in episode order. This is one of my absolute favorite podcasts.

Unwell: A Midwestern Gothic Mystery is a fabulous full cast fiction podcast. Lillian Harper returns home to care for her estranged mother and discovers that there is so much more to the small town of Mt. Absalom. Centered around the boarding house her mother runs, Unwell is full of ghosts, creepy mysteries, and disturbing happenings in the woods.

Because I loved:

I listened to:

After losing his job, Nate moves across the country with his precious dog Bella and discovers a disturbing stash of letters in the cellar of his rental house. As Nate tries to uncover the mystery of his new house, he documents it all in podcast form with some….mixed results. I really love this one and luckily, the third season is coming soon!

I’m pretty sure I was the last person on earth to discover this fantastic podcast. Jonathon Sims is the new head archivist of the mysterious Magnus Institute. As Jonathon begins the overwhelming task of organizing and recording disturbing witness statements that were left in disarray from the previous archivist, Jonathan uncovers a disturbingly dark side of the Institute. Full cast, completely engrossing and horrifying, it’s no wonder it has won ALL the awards.

What are your favorite spooky podcasts?

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Talk Bookish to Me by Kate Bromley

Available Now

This cover is so cute!

Readers, this book is so much fun! It’s a super light and funny rom-com that will be a perfect book for a day at the beach or reading in the park. I found myself laughing out loud and the banter between characters is *chef’s kiss*! 

Kara is a romance writer on a strict deadline for her next book. Frustrated by writer’s block, Kara is pouring her focus into being the best maid of honor her best friend could ask for. At the pre-wedding party, Kara runs into her college ex Ryan, the man who broke her heart and inspired her career as a romance novelist. Of course, Ryan just happens to be the best friend of the groom, a fact that no one knew about until that night. And wouldn’t you know it, fate keeps pushing Kara and Ryan together in unexpected ways, causing the two to rehash their past and try to move on as friends for the sake of the wedding. 

And guess what? Sparks fly and Kara is suddenly inspired to write her novel! That’s right, Ryan is the breakthrough that Kara needed to get her novel done on time and before her long awaited trip to Italy. But how can a man who has so thoroughly broken her heart inspire such a steamy historical romance novel? How can the two maintain a civil relationship while also spending so much time together for the wedding? Why is he still so handsome and funny? Can you love a man’s dog more than him?

That’s right, there’s not just a complicated and super hot romance developing between Kara and Ryan. There’s also an adorable and loveable pooch who just wants to sleep on your bathroom floor and listen to Celine Dion. 

I loved this book! It’s such a fun and light read that was entertaining from start to finish. The chemistry between Kara and Ryan was electric and their banter was beyond anything I’ve read before. As a booklover, I loved how much Kara loved her books and was completely unapologetic about her love of romance novels. Duke, our loveable goofball pooch, was a delight in this book. It’s quite possible that I loved Duke more than Ryan and I don’t feel bad about it at all. The final conflict in this book was such that I didn’t know how the author was going to be able to bring them back together but she really pulled it off. This is a great second-chance romance and I couldn’t recommend it more!

Interested in owning a copy for yourself? You can find ordering information here:

Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions and mistakes are definitely my own. 

This post contains affiliate links and I earn from qualifying purchases.

I Think You’re Wrong (But I’m Listening) by Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth Silvers (Copy)

So….news just dropped! Big news here in the U.S. I’ve never been shy about my politics so let’s just say, I’m buying champagne on my way home today! If things are going to be touchy where you are, might I suggest this book, which I first shared in February of 2019.

The hosts of one of my all time favorite podcasts, Pantsuit Politics, have written their first book!  I Think You’re Wrong (But I’m Listening) is just as wonderful as the podcast.  Beth and Sarah are known for their ability to have tough discussions about difficult topics and do so without any shouting or insults.  In fact, they say that at the beginning of each and every podcast. Their ability to bring nuance to each and every discussion has led to a devoted following and one of the most informative and enjoyable podcasts available today.

I Think You’re Wrong (But I’m Listening) is their guide to having these nuanced conversations in our everyday lives.  They provide real life tips and advice on how to talk politics with friends and family of differing political views and opinions.  At the end of each chapter, Beth and Sarah provide questions for the reader to help further the conversations that need to happen in real life and provide scriptures that have helped guide them in their own interactions.  

You can hear Beth and Sarah in this book.  It is true to their personalities and provides that seem level of grace, intelligence, and thoughtfulness that they give us each week in their podcast.  If you are looking for a nuanced take on politics and life, I highly recommend picking up this book and checking out their podcast, Pantsuit Politics.

You can get your copy, and help support the site, here:

Full Disclosure:  I received an advanced copy of this book from the authors-but I did also preorder this book.  All opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links and I earn from qualifying purchases.

February 2020 Round-up

Books Edition

I read a ton of amazing books in February and there just isn’t enough time to make sure every one of them gets the review they deserve.  After listening to an episode of the Fated Mates podcast, I requested a book by Kristen Callihan and Reader Friends, we need to bring Paranormal Romance back! I forgot how much I loved it until I started reading Firelight. I want more magic, more witches, more archaic secret societies and rituals gone wrong. 

Books I loved:

A slow burn romance between a woman, Miranda, who can create fire with her mind and an incredibly wealthy man, Archer, disfigured by an ancient ritual gone wrong. He meets her in a dark alley on his way to kill her father but falls instantly in love with her feisty and fierce nature. He never reveals himself to her until three years later when he asks her father for her hand in marriage. He won’t marry her against her will but her father makes it known that if she doesn’t marry, she’s out of the house. On her wedding day and for weeks after, she never knows his true face and he keeps it covered with a mask and never forces her to consummate their marriage. When a string of wealthy men are murdered, Archer knows he’s the intended target and sets off to stop the killer. Miranda isn’t going to stand by and watch her husband be murdered and begins her own investigation. It’s some of the best writing I’ve encountered in the paranormal romance genre and I can’ t wait to order the rest of the series. Highly, highly recommend.

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Pigs by Johanna Stoberock is a fascinating and imaginative look at the effects of capitalism have on our world and our lives. Four children live on an unnamed island in complete poverty. They spend their days feeding the world’s garbage to six pigs kept in pens. The pigs consumer everything. Trash, uneaten food, unwanted family members, discarded electronics, all of it fed to the pigs day after day. Also on the island are a group of adults who live lavishly and are incredibly cruel to the children. When a young boy washes up in a barrel, the children are unsure if he is to be taken in and cared for, or fed to the pigs. On the other side of the island, a man washes ashore and tries to survive on the unforgiving island. When the children encounter the man in the wild, the balance of the entire is disrupted and the fate of the world is put in jeopardy. I found it a powerfully written novel and read it in one sitting. Highly recommend this one.

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The Seep by Chana Porter is incredible. Just incredible. It’s a slim novel set in a time after we make first contact with aliens. But the aliens are microscopic and exist in our water so when we consume them, we join with them in our bodies. The Seep begin to change the world: capitalism is no more, sickness disappears, and our connection with our world is finally truly established. Trina, a middle aged trans woman is living her life blissfully with her wife Deeba until the day Deeba wants to start her life over. The Seep have given people the ability to be reborn-literally begin life again as a baby. Trina doesn’t want to raise Deeba, she wants to be married to her. When Deeba leaves to be reborn into a new family, Trina finds herself completely devastated and heartbroken. After an encounter with a young man who escaped from a colony where the Seep are not allowed, she sets out to protect him. This was so original and fascinating and completely unlike anything I’ve ever read. I loved the characters, the imaginative world, and the beautiful writing. Definitely read this one.

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Beautifully written, Murder on the Red River is a stark look at the effects of family separation, poverty, and privilege. After Cash has spent a childhood bouncing from foster home to foster home, she is finally able to emancipate herself and finds an unlikely ally in the white sheriff of her hometown. Now 19, Cash finds herself helping to solve the murder of an American Indian field worker. The closer Cash comes to find the killer, the more her own life is put in danger. Highly recommend this one.

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What have you been reading and loving lately? Drop your titles in the comments below!

The Bookwanderers by Anna James

It’s been a bit since I’ve added in a Chick Pick and this one is absolutely delightful!

What could be a more wonderful ability for a book lover than the ability to actually wander inside books?  Could you imagine getting to talk to your favorite book characters and join them in their adventures?  That's what Tilly Pages learns to do in this delightful and imaginative middle grade novel. 

Growing up in a bookstore, Tilly Pages spends her days surrounded by her favorite books and an endless supply of new possible favorites.  One day, she meets a young girl named Anne with an "e" who is remarkable like Anne from Green Gables.  Turns out-she is that Anne from Anne of Green Gables.  When she meets Alice and joins her for a tea party, she knows she's in over her head.  Turns out, her family comes from a long line of book wanderers, people who have the ability to journey inside books and live alongside the characters. 

But it's not all tea parties and caucus races.  The secret society that oversees the safety of book wanderers and their books has other darker secrets that Tilly will become caught up in when she and her friend Oskar venture into her mother's favorite book to find clues about her mother's disappearance not long after Tilly's birth. 

This is a wonderfully written, imaginative, and fast paced story that will intrigue any young, or not so young, book lover.  Tilly and Oskar are both brave, intelligent, and ready to explore their new abilities.  Their adventures will keep readers enthralled from beginning to end.  And who wouldn't be intrigued about wandering through books?

Interested in a copy for yourself or your favorite young reader? You can get your copy here, and help support the site:

More from Anna James:

This is Anna’s first book but book 2, Pages & Co. The Lost Fairytales comes out in May!

More like The Bookwanderers:

I love books about books!

As always, purchasing books through the links helps support the site.  As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb

Available now

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone is an incredibly engaging and well-written story of a therapist, her therapist, and the clients that have impacted her life.  Lori Gottlieb’s writing makes you feel like you are sitting next to her-but not too close or too far away-enjoying a great cup of tea and chatting with your best friend.

After the breakup of a long term relationship, Lori Gottlieb, a therapist, finds herself not only heartbroken, but unsure of how to cope with her new reality.  Under the guise of needing a therapist referral for a client, Lori finds herself in the office of Wendell, her new therapist. From his quirky double knee tap to signal the end of the session or his comfortably frumpy office, Wendell proves to be an excellent therapist. Kind, compassionate, and caring, his guidance leads Lori on to the path that is best for her life. Many of the answers that she seeks for her own life come from the very questions that are asked of her by her own clients.  

Gottlieb gives us a behind the scenes glimpse of therapy sessions with a high maintenance Hollywood producer, a young woman dealing with a tragic illness, and a woman trying to find a steady and healthy relationship.  Gottlieb writes with such care for her characters and her own story. I found this to be highly engaging and flew through this book in one sitting.

If you would like a copy of this book for yourself, and help support the site, you can do so here:

The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo

The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo

Flatiron Books

The Night Tiger was my January pick from Book of the Month and I don’t think they could have picked a better book.  The Night Tiger takes us to early 1930’s Malay and the hospitals and cities that are home to both locals and wealthy, privileged British doctors.  Filled with magic, superstition, and mystery, The Night Tiger is a beautifully written book about finding our true selves.

Forbidden to attend medical school by her strict and abusive stepfather, Ji Lin is both unhappy and unfulfilled in her role as a dressmaker apprentice.  Secretly working on the side as a dance hall girl to pay off her mother’s gambling debts, Ji Lin walks a very careful line of propriety and morality. When a dance with a traveling salesman accidentally puts Ji Lin in the possession of a withered finger, it sets off a chain events that will affect everyone around her.  

Ren, a young houseboy working for a beloved doctor, finds himself on the task of recovering the finger that his master lost years ago in the jungle.  Believing that his master’s soul will not find peace if his body isn’t buried whole, Ren is on a strict deadline to find and return the finger to his master’s grave.  

As the deadline looms closer, the local area is hit with a series of unexpected deaths and fears of a man-eating tiger grow with each death.  

This was such a wonderful story of how two young people are struggling to find their places in the world.  Ji Lin is such a smart and brave young woman who just wants to be treated as an equal and go to school instead of only thinking of becoming someone’s wife.  Ren is very bright with all the natural skills of a doctor but will only attend school if he can find someone generous enough to do so. His bravery during the search for his master’s missing finger is tested not only in this world, but in the space between worlds when his grief for his deceased brother brings him to the brink of the afterlife over and over again.  

The Night Tiger is full of magic and mystical elements.  The significance of names and numbers plays a major role in many of the decisions made by the characters.  Ji Lin is able to communicate with Ren through her dreams just like Ren communicates with his deceased brother.  The belief that men can be weretigers leads to some very shady dealings at the hospital where Shinn works and many believe it is a weretiger that is killing in the district.  Even one of the British doctors has suspicions that his luck is a little too good to be true.

The mystery surrounding the suspicious deaths was very well done-I definitely didn’t see that twist when it came.  

I found this book to be beautifully written, completely engrossing, and an absolutely magical read.  If you like a copy of this book, and would like to help support the site, you can find one here:

I Think You’re Wrong (But I’m Listening) by Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth Silvers

So….news just dropped! Big news here in the U.S. I’ve never been shy about my politics so let’s just say, I’m buying champagne on my way home today! If things are going to be touchy where you are, might I suggest this book, which I first shared in February of 2019.

The hosts of one of my all time favorite podcasts, Pantsuit Politics, have written their first book!  I Think You’re Wrong (But I’m Listening) is just as wonderful as the podcast.  Beth and Sarah are known for their ability to have tough discussions about difficult topics and do so without any shouting or insults.  In fact, they say that at the beginning of each and every podcast. Their ability to bring nuance to each and every discussion has led to a devoted following and one of the most informative and enjoyable podcasts available today.

I Think You’re Wrong (But I’m Listening) is their guide to having these nuanced conversations in our everyday lives.  They provide real life tips and advice on how to talk politics with friends and family of differing political views and opinions.  At the end of each chapter, Beth and Sarah provide questions for the reader to help further the conversations that need to happen in real life and provide scriptures that have helped guide them in their own interactions.  

You can hear Beth and Sarah in this book.  It is true to their personalities and provides that seem level of grace, intelligence, and thoughtfulness that they give us each week in their podcast.  If you are looking for a nuanced take on politics and life, I highly recommend picking up this book and checking out their podcast, Pantsuit Politics.

You can get your copy, and help support the site, here:

Full Disclosure:  I received an advanced copy of this book from the authors-but I did also preorder this book.  All opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links and I earn from qualifying purchases.

Series Starters-Paranormal Edition

I’m a big paranormal/sci-fi/fantasy/urban fantasy fan. I have great respect for an author who can weave together magic and reality and create a new and intricate world. Getting lost in Post-Shift Atlanta or the dark streets of Caldwell is my favorite way to escape from reality. Vampires, faeries, shifters, witches and warlocks-I love them all. Full disclosure-I do own all of these books. Full disclosure- I hate when a publisher changes a cover style half way through a series. It makes my head spin. Just keep a cover consistent. That’s not too much to ask.

If you have any series that you love, please drop them in the comments!

This was my first introduction to the Steampunk genre and the entire series is great. It’s full of vampires, political intrigue, mechanical devices, and steam of all kinds!

From the Publisher: Most people avoid the dreaded Whitechapel district. For Honoria Todd, it's the last safe haven as she hides from the Blue Blood aristocracy that rules London through power and fear. Blade rules the rookeries-no one dares cross him. It's been said he faced down the Echelon's army single–handedly, that ever since being infected by the blood–craving he's been quicker, stronger, and almost immortal. When Honoria shows up at his door, his tenuous control comes close to snapping. She's so...innocent. He doesn't see her backbone of steel-or that she could be the very salvation he's been seeking.

These books are proudly displayed behind glass in my living room. If we ever have a fire, someone better save all my boys! You can start your obsession for only $2.99 on Kindle.

From the Publisher: The only purebred vampire left on the planet and the leader of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who killed his parents centuries ago. But when his most trusted fighter is killed—orphaning a half-breed daughter unaware of her heritage or her fate—Wrath must put down his dagger and usher the beautiful female into another world.

Racked by a restlessness in her body that wasn’t there before, Beth Randall is helpless against the dangerously sexy man who comes to her at night with shadows in his eyes. His tales of the Brotherhood and blood frighten her. Yet his touch ignites a dawning new hunger—one that threatens to consume them both...

This series just wrapped up with Magic Triumphs, book #10 and is absolutely amazing. Plus, book 1 is only $2.99 on Kindle!

From the Publisher: When the magic is up, rogue mages cast their spells and monsters appear, while guns refuse to fire and cars fail to start. But then technology returns, and the magic recedes as unpredictably as it arose, leaving all kinds of paranormal problems in its wake.
 Kate Daniels is a down-on-her-luck mercenary who makes her living cleaning up these magical problems. But when Kate’s guardian is murdered, her quest for justice draws her into a power struggle between two strong factions within Atlanta’s magic circles.
 The Masters of the Dead, necromancers who can control vampires, and the Pack, a paramilitary clan of shapechangers, blame each other for a series of bizarre killings—and the death of Kate’s guardian may be part of the same mystery. Pressured by both sides to find the killer, Kate realizes she’s way out of her league—but she wouldn’t have it any other way...

This series is hot!!! It’s also a great story about finding your inner badass.

From the Publisher: When her sister is murdered, leaving a single clue to her death–a cryptic message on Mac’s cell phone—Mac journeys to Ireland in search of answers. The quest to find her sister’s killer draws her into a shadowy realm where nothing is as it seems, where good and evil wear the same treacherously seductive mask. She is soon faced with an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to learn how to handle a power she had no idea she possessed—a gift that allows her to see beyond the world of man, into the dangerous realm of the Fae. . . .
As Mac delves deeper into the mystery of her sister’s death, her every move is shadowed by the dark, mysterious Jericho, a man with no past and only mockery for a future. As she begins to close in on the truth, the ruthless Vlane—an alpha Fae who makes sex an addiction for human women–closes in on her. And as the boundary between worlds begins to crumble, Mac’s true mission becomes clear: find the elusive Sinsar Dubh before someone else claims the all-powerful Dark Book—because whoever gets to it first holds nothing less than complete control of the very fabric of both worlds in their hands. . 

This is only $1.99 on Kindle!

I just discovered this series this year and I really enjoyed it. If you loved Harry Potter, give this one a shot.

From the Publisher: Newly arrived in New Fiddleham, New England, 1892, and in need of a job, Abigail Rook meets R. F. Jackaby, an investigator of the unexplained with a keen eye for the extraordinary--including the ability to see supernatural beings. Abigail has a gift for noticing ordinary but important details, which makes her perfect for the position of Jackaby’s assistant. On her first day, Abigail finds herself in the midst of a thrilling case: A serial killer is on the loose. The police are convinced it’s an ordinary villain, but Jackaby is certain the foul deeds are the work of the kind of creature whose very existence the local authorities--with the exception of a handsome young detective named Charlie Cane--seem adamant to deny.

The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle

August Book of the Month Pick

If you could have dinner with any five people, living or dead, who would they be?  It's a question I can't seem to answer.  I honestly can't make up my mind.  Would there be hard feelings if I chose J.R. Ward over my husband?  Probably.  He knows about the Black Dagger Brotherhood.  Are you obligated to pick your own child?  Your parents?  Bill Murray would be amazing, as would Amy Schumer.  Would they be as interesting to talk to as Nnedi Okorafor or John Scalzi?  Should I think bigger?  Queen Victoria or King Arthur?  Can they be fictional?  If so, definitely King Arthur.  Or Odin.  

Like I said, I can't make up my mind.  

Sabrina Nielsen arrives at her birthday dinner to find Audrey Hepburn, her deceased father, longtime roommate and best friend Jessica, her college professor, and her ex-lover Tobias.  How?  No one has any idea how they got there, why they are there, and how much time they have.  What follows is a sometimes uncomfortable look at how our many relationships can shape our lives and possibly our own destiny.  

Turning 30 hasn't been what Sabrina thought it would be.  Her decade long relationship with Tobias hasn't led to marriage.  She hasn't climbed as far up the ladder in publishing as she'd like.  Her best friend is now married and a mother in the suburbs with a completely different life than her own.  Added to her stress, her birthday dinner includes her long deceased father who left the family when Sabrina was still little.  Will learning his side of the story bring closure?  Why is her former professor at the dinner?  How did Audrey end up here and what does she have to teach Sabrina about love and life?

A look at life, love, and forgiveness, Rebecca Serle explores it all with grace and sensitivity.  Told through a combination of memories and present day, Sabrina reflects on her life and relationships and what she needs to be fulfilled. 

This was my third Book of the Month pick and I have yet to be disappointed.  While this story did start a bit slow, I really wanted to learn how and why her list of five was able to be at the dinner.  

You can get your copy, and help support the site, here: