A Summer Read with a Gilmore Girls Vibe

It has been a mentally taxing few weeks and sometimes you just need a book that is lovely and warm and low on angst. (And that's coming from someone who LOVES the angst.) Enter my read for the week: Every Wild Heart by Meg Donohue.

I came across this book through Modern Mrs. Darcy's Summer Reading Guide, which is a fantastic place to find new recs (For non-romance books. Sadly, romance isn't a genre she covers.) But I picked up this book and read it this week and was so glad I did.

This book is a mother-daughter focused story (told in alternating POVs) and reminded me a lot of Gilmore Girls. Plus, the heroine is based on the DJ Delilah (of Delilah After Dark fame.) I used to listen to Delilah when I was younger and that totally made me want to read this. There is a mild suspense element in this book, but it's handled with a gentle touch. And there's a bit of romance for both these ladies, which I, of course, loved.

So if you're looking for a cozy, quick, don't-have-to-angst read, this is a good one to grab. I really enjoyed the whole ride.

Here's the official summary:

From USA Today bestselling author Meg Donohue comes a mystery, a love story, and a mother-daughter tale about two women on a precarious journey to uncover their true selves.

Passionate and funny, radio personality Gail Gideon is a true original. Nine years ago when Gail’s husband announced that he wanted a divorce, her ensuing on-air rant propelled her local radio show into the national spotlight. Now, “The Gail Gideon Show” is beloved by millions of single women who tune-in for her advice on the power of self-reinvention. But fame comes at a price. After all, what does a woman who has staked her career on being single do when she finds herself falling in love? And is the person who is harassing her in increasingly troubling ways a misguided fan or a true danger to Gail and her daughter, Nic? 

Fourteen-year-old Nic has always felt that she pales in comparison to her vibrant, outgoing mother. Plagued by a fear of social situations, she is most comfortable at the stable where she spends her afternoons. But when a riding accident lands Nic in the hospital, she awakens from her coma changed. Suddenly, she has no fear at all and her disconcerting behavior lands her in one risky situation after another. And no one, least of all her mother, can guess what she will do next…

Grab a copy: Amazon | B&N | The Ripped Bodice

Recommended Reads:Cowboys, Quarterbacks & Being Fearless

It's Friday, woot! Hope you all have something fun planned this weekend. I'm getting taken out for a Mother's Day brunch so yay for that. But I wanted to pop in and share a few recommended reads since I've been a little quiet over here (because I'm WRITING MY ASS OFF, lol.)

However, writing my butt off doesn't mean I stop reading. When I stop reading, the words stop coming, so it's part of my process. 

Anyhoo, here's what I've got for you.

First up are two books from Maisey Yates' Copper Ridge series. These are fun, sexy, feel good contemporary romances that will having you laughing on one page and fanning yourself on the next. Hot cowboys in Oregon. Need I say more? Okay, fine, here's the only endorsement you need. I don't think I've read two books in the same series back to back in YEARS. Honestly. My TBR is so big that I jump around and hardly ever read the same author or series back to back. So that tells you how much I enjoyed these. You can jump in anywhere in the series but they do connect. 

Brokedown Cowboy has your grieving widowed hero who is just super grumpy and in need of love and healing.

Bad News Cowboy has one of my favorite romance tropes, the hero falling for his best friend's little sister. Plus, the hero is also my favorite kind of hero to read (and write!)--the bad boy, cocky, quick with a joke man-slut who is secretly in need of a relationship. 

For the writers in the crowd, I read Fearless Writing this week, and I really got a lot out of it. Even though I've been doing this writing thing for a good while now, I still feel like my process is evolving and can always be improved. I suffer with writer's block often (mainly because I'm a high-strung perfectionist) but this book has really great advice about finding the "flow" in writing and how to write with confidence. Lots of great info about fighting back those insecurity demons in your head, too. 

What I'm Reading Right Now

The Hot Shot - Full disclosure, I know Kristen, but y'all know I don't recommend books unless I love them. I'm about halfway through this one and it's so much fun. Hot quarterback. My hometown of New Orleans. Sassy heroine. Sexy sexiness. You can't lose. :) 

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All right, those are mine, now show me yours! What have you read lately that was amazing? What are you reading now?

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And ICYMI: My newest book, BY THE HOUR, is out and only $4.99! 

BUY THE EBOOK: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks 

BUY THE PAPERBACK: Amazon | B&N | Indiebound | The Ripped Bodice | Books-A-Million | The Book Depository

Diverse Read & Watch Picks for May & Win a Book!

Happy May! I'm not sure how it's May already (isn't it only March?), but that's what the calendar keeps telling me, so I'm forced to believe them. The good news is that this means it's time for this month's picks for the Read and Write challenge!

If you're unfamiliar with the challenge, each month has a theme word, and I have guests recommend books, TV shows, and movies that go with the theme. I also throw in some of my own recs.

This month's theme is RAINBOW because it's spring and storm/tornado season in Texas and I can't wait for that scary part of the year to be done. Bring on the rainbows! But the theme also gives us a great opportunity to give extra focus to diverse, own voices, and LGBTQ reads for the month. And I have some fantastic guests ready to give you some great recommendations!

Plus, there's a CONTEST. So stay tuned until the end for a chance to win a book!

First up, author Robin Covington! A little about Robin... 

A USAToday bestseller, Robin Covington loves to explore the theme of fooling around and falling in love in her books. Her stories burn up the sheets. . .one page at a time. When she’s not writing she’s collecting tasty man candy, indulging in a little comic book geek love, hoarding red nail polish and stalking Chris Evans.  

A 2016 RITA® Award nominee, Robin’s books have won the National Reader’s Choice and Golden Leaf Awards and finaled in the Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice, the Book Seller’s Best and the Award of Excellence.

She lives in Maryland with her hilarious husband, her two brilliant children (they get it from her, of course!), and her beloved furbabies, Dutch and Dixie Joan Wilder.

 Robin's website 

Robin's Picks

Hey ya’ll! Many thanks to Roni for letting me visit with you and share my picks for LGBTQ books, tv and film!

I’m Robin Covington and I’m the product of a fine southern storytelling tradition, mixed in with the love of music and a liberal dash of moonshine bootlegging bravado!  I write sexy contemporary and erotic romance that burns up the sheets . . . one page at a time.

Here are my picks for the month . ..

 

TV:

I’ve had two fantastic LGBTQ TV experiences lately.  The first is the web series called, THE OUTS.  Over two seasons the series chronicles the lives of Jack and Mitchell, ex-lovers who start out as-less-than-friends and then make their way back to an indestructible friendship. The writing is crisp and hilarious and sometimes poignant as their social circle includes the bitchily-lovable Oona, the wise-beyond-his-years Paul (aka Scruffy) and Alan Cumming.  The first season is free on the show website, while the second season is available on Vimeo. Season three is in the works!

I had to also tell you about LONDON SPY. This show was a roller coaster from the first episode the last second of the final and 7th installment. Lost London party boy, Denny, falls for the serious and inexperienced Alex but when Alex gets killed, Denny learns that his life has been a jigsaw of lies and truth. It’s riveting, breath-taking and engrossing. Jim Boradbent and Charlotte Rampling bring their decades of acting chops to the screen but Ben Wishaw steals every scene as the devastated Denny who finds out he’s way stronger than he thought he was.

I watched it on Netflix – so bonus!

Movie:

I recently watched BOY MEETS GIRL on Netflix as well and I was enchanted by the candid portrayal of a transgender young woman exploring love and her options for the future as she graduates high school and heads out into the world from her small town. I really loved that the main character was played by Michelle Hendley, a transgender woman. I’ve been searching for books, film and literature to help me understand the challenges and joys of transgender people and this film helped me grow in my knowledge. It thought it was charming, funny and poignant with characters and a story that were universal.  I loved it.

I watched it on Netflix and then I tuned into Hendley’s video blog which is funny and very honest about her transition and her life. (

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Next up is author Lex Chase! A little about Lex...

Lex Chase once heard Stephen King say in a commercial, “We’re all going to die, I’m just trying to make it a little more interesting.” Now, she’s on a mission to make the world a hell of a lot more interesting.

Weaving tales of cinematic, sweeping adventure—and depending on how she feels that day—Lex sprinkles in high-speed chases, shower scenes, and more explosions than a Hollywood blockbuster. Her pride is in telling stories of men who kiss as much as they kick ass. If you’re going to march into the depths of hell, it better be beside the one you love.

Lex is a pop culture diva, her DVR is constantly backlogged, she has intense emotions about Hannibal's Hannigram, and unapologetically loved the ending of Lost. She wouldn’t last five minutes without technology in the event of the apocalypse and has nightmares about refusing to leave her cats behind.

Lex's website

Lex's Pick

TV Show:

For LGBT television, my #1 recommendation is NBC's Hannibal. All three seasons are streaming for free on Amazon Prime.

Why I would rec a show about Hannibal Lecter? It's actually a gay love story played out on mainstream television. Our hero is FBI agent and social misfit, Will Graham, who has settled for the idea he'll never fit in anywhere. Upon the first time he and Hannibal cross paths, Hannibal sees something special in him. A bond so strong, it's one that you can feel in your soul. For that one person to not only get you, but fully understand who and what you are under all the layers we put on ourselves. It's a love story without being about the love story, which is lovely.

And yes, there's cannibalism, but really, Hannibal makes them look goddamn tasty. It is a beautiful psychological horror show after all. Also Mads Mikkelsen and Hugh Dancy are pretty easy on the eyes. Just sayin'. Even if you don't think the show is your jam, just try it. Trust me.

But you don't have to take my word for it. This YouTuber sums it up best.

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Next up is author Tamsen Parker! First, a little about Tamsen...

Tamsen Parker is a stay-at-home mom by day, USA Today bestselling erotic romance writer by naptime. Her novella CRAVING FLIGHT was named to the Best of 2015 lists of Heroes and Heartbreakers, Smexy Books, Romance Novel News, and Dear Author. Heroes and Heartbreakers called her Compass series “bewitching, humorous, erotically intense and emotional.”

She lives with her family outside of Boston, where she tweets too much, sleeps too little and is always in the middle of a book. Aside from good food, sweet rieslings and gin cocktails, she has a fondness for monograms and subway maps. She should really start drinking coffee.

Tamsen's website

Tamsen's Picks

Books

An Unseen Attraction by KJ Charles: For my money, KJ Charles is one of the best writers in romance right now. I loved this m/m historical because includes a PoC hero, and the main characters aren't Dukes or Earls, but the proprietor of a boarding house and a taxidermist. 

Hold Me Down by Sara Taylor Woods: This is a BDSM coming-of-age novel, and one I hope budding kinksters get their hands on. It's an #ownvoices story with a Jewish heroine and I love seeing faith integrated in non-Inspirationals. 

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And finally, it's time for a few of my picks...

Roni's Picks

Books:

This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel

This book was one of my Friday Reads a while back and you can see my full review here, but this is about a loving family and how the handle things when they're youngest son starts saying he's a girl. This story was funny, touching, and loving. The whole family is full of people you'd like to know. And it really makes you think about how, as parents, we often have to make huge decisions for our children that could affect them long-term, and we usually don't have all the information (because it can't be known), so it's a leap of faith and trusting your gut. 

The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon - I read this one earlier in the year and it's stuck with me. It was so fantastic. Two teens meet in NYC and spend the whole day together. But it's so much more than that. It's about how one day and one person can make a difference in the whole trajectory of your life. It was romantic, funny, poignant, heartbreaking, and ultimately uplifting. It fits the rainbow them because the cast is diverse (the heroine is Jamaican, the hero Korean-American) and the cover has a pretty rainbow theme! My full review is here.

Movies:

Queen of Katwe - I saw this one with kidlet. It's based on a true story about a girl in Uganda who discovers she has an amazing talent for chess. It was a great movie that I enjoyed, but also a bonus that my normally easily distracted in non-cartoon movies kidlet was into as well.

Hidden Figures - I saw this one with my son as well and it was phenomenal. If you haven't seen it yet. Watch. Now. 

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Thank you to our guests for this month! While you're grabbing your Read and Watch picks, check out their newest books, too! 

Third by Robin Covington

Dr. Carla Androghetti is not interested in compromise. 
 
With a thriving psychiatry practice in Washington, D.C. and a fulfilling position as a sexual third in a threesome with couples at Club D, she's living just the way she wants. When the murder of a famous former bedmate brings a sexy, tempting cop into her life, she indulges in an affair as sizzling as it is dangerous. Finding a man who can love her and accept her kink is a dream she’d given up a long time ago.
 
Homicide Detective Aiden Cross takes no prisoners.
 
Usually nothing can distract him from a case, but a sexy shrink with an unusual kink has him losing his laser-focus on the job. He’s been burned before by a cheating ex-wife and he doesn’t share, so why does he keep finding himself in the bed of a woman who breaks all his rules?
 
Passion will force them to take a risk.
 
When forbidden desire takes them to the edge of their personal limits, their walls will need to crumble if they have any chance together. 

Americana Fairytale by Lex Chase

Modern fairy-tale princess Taylor Hatfield has problems. One: he’s a guy. Two: his perfect brother Atticus is the reincarnation of Snow White. Three: Taylor has no idea which princess he is supposed to be. Four: Taylor just left his prince (a girl) at the altar. Despite his enchanted lineage, Taylor is desperate to find his Happily Ever After away from magic, witches, and stuffy traditions. Regrettably, destiny has other plans for him. Dammit. 

When word reaches Taylor that Idi the Witchking has captured Atticus, Taylor is determined to save his brother. He enlists the help of rakish and insufferable Corentin Devereaux, likewise of enchanted lineage. A malicious spell sends Taylor and Corentin on a road trip through the kitschy nostalgia of roadside Americana. To save Atticus, they must solve the puzzles put forth by Idi the Witchking. As they struggle, Taylor and Corentin’s volatile partnership sparks a flash of something more. But princesses have many enemies, and Taylor must keep his wits about him because there’s nothing worse than losing your heart… or your head.

His Custody by Tamsen Parker

He needs to be a better man for her sake, but she makes him want to be so bad...

Keyne O’Connell leads a charmed life. She has a caring family and a terrific boyfriend. Her senior year is about to begin, and her future looks bright. But one dark summer night robs her of everyone she loves, thrusting her into the care of her boyfriend’s intimidating, much older brother.

Dark and brooding, Jasper Andersson is not a good man. His business dealings are barely legal. He’s a womanizer and a casual drug user. He has no interest in becoming Keyne’s guardian, although given her limited options, he doesn’t have much of a choice. He knows he must protect her at whatever the cost.

But living in close quarters soon stirs up feelings inside them both that are far from platonic. Keyne needs a firm hand to keep her in line, but what she desires could lead Jasper into trouble...

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QUICK NOTE:

BY THE HOUR came out last week! If you haven't grabbed your copy yet, what are you waiting for? ;) Read the first chapter here or just get yourself the whole thing!

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks | Indiebound

Also, a huge thank you to everyone who has bought, read, reviewed, and spread the word about it. Huge hugs!

About the book:

From the New York Times bestselling author of Off the Clockcomes a story of love, hate, and the fire that ignites when the two collide... 

Dr. Elle McCray has a plan. Work hard. Be the best. And do it alone. After her ex-husband’s betrayal, she’s learned being feared is a hell of a lot easier than being humiliated. So when trouble personified, Lane Cannon, dares to flirt with her, she shuts him down cold. Too gorgeous. Too cocky. And his job as The Grove’s sexual surrogate is to sleep with patients. No, thank you.

Former escort Lane Cannon has spent enough years with people looking down on him. Stupid. Trailer trash. Rent boy. He’s heard it all. He’s worked too hard to shed his past to let some haughty doctor cut him down. But something about Elle’s ice queen act has his dominant instincts perking up and his body taking notice. He can’t walk away.

After an evening of verbal sparring turns into a night of steamy hate sex, Lane’s ready for round two. But Elle proposes a business deal. How better to keep things strictly physical than to pay him for his services? 

Lane wants her, not her money. But he’ll play along in exchange for one thing—all the control. It’s only supposed to be a dirty little fling between colleagues, but these two are about to learn a lesson in love…by the hour.

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CONTEST ALERT:

This month as a thank you to our guests, I'll give away a copy of one of the guest's books to three different winners.  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now it's your turn. What are you planning to read and watch this month? And let us know if you have any recs for this month's theme!

April Read & Watch Picks with Author Maggie Wells!

How is it April already? March was a blink. But you know what the first of the month means, a new Read & Watch theme and a guest with recommendations!

April's theme word is TIME. And I invited author Maggie Wells to join us and give us her picks for this month's theme. If you haven't seen this challenge before, each month has a new theme word that you can interpret however you'd like. You can join in at any time and can get all the details on the challenge here.

First, a little more about Maggie:

Maggie Wells is a deep-down dirty girl with a weakness for hot heroes and happy endings. By day she is buried in spreadsheets, but at night she pens tales of people tangling up the sheets. The product of a charming rogue and a shameless flirt, this mild-mannered married lady has a naughty streak a mile wide.

Fueled by supertankers of Diet Coke, Maggie juggles fictional romance and the real deal by keeping her slow-talking Southern gentleman constantly amused and their two grown children mildly embarrassed.

All right, now I'll turn it over to Maggie and let her tell you her picks!

Maggie's Picks

BOOK:

I admit it, my instinctive response to the word “TIME” is Outlander! But I shall refrain and travel a less obvious path. Not that choosing to spend time with James Alexander Malcolm Mackenzie Fraser is ever wrong…

The book I want to share this month was once my least favorite book from one of my favorite authors. It wasn’t until I read The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen a second time, that I truly came to appreciate all of its glorious nuance.

For those who haven’t read it yet, I’ll share just this one quote:

“It feels like he's taken your heart, doesn't it? Like he's reached in and pulled it out from you. And I bet he smiles like he doesn't know, like he doesn't know he's holding your heart in his hand and you're dying from him.”

If you have read The Sugar Queen, it may not seem like a good fit for this month’s theme at first glance, but to me, this book is all about time. Each character has a different relationship with time. Josey is waiting for her life to start. Margaret is holding her breath until enough time passes for scandal to fade away. Chloe has put her own life on hold. Jake destroys everything he loves in a rash moment. Adam is simply killing time because he doesn’t quite know what to do next. And then, there’s Della Lee, who has just enough time left to show them all how they are wasting their most precious commodity.

Movie:

For this one, I chose one of my all-time favorites: Big Fish.

Again, this may not seem like an obvious choice for the theme, but bear with me. Will Bloom has only a brief window of opportunity to mend his strained relationship with his dying father. But unlike other movies with the same sort of theme, Big Fish takes us, and Will, along on the epic adventures of his father, Ed Bloom’s, life.

Let’s face it, most of us think our parents are frozen in time. Our time. They are simply Mom and Dad. The rule makers. Those ever-present forces that shape our lives for better or worse. I think many us don’t really get an opportunity to know our parents as people with hopes, dreams, and adventures of their own. I know I didn’t, and now it’s too late for me to ask them to tell me their version of their story.

So, yeah, use your time wisely. Watch Big Fish with one or both of your parents, if you can. If you’re lucky, you may be able to use it as a springboard to pry a few of their fish stories from them.

TV:

Okay, fine, I have to say it—Outlander!

A time-traveling woman from the 20th century.

A Scottish highlander from the 18th century.

Love. War. Desire. Jealousy. Kilts. Greed. Shenanigans.

I’m usually not a fan of book-to-screen adaptations, but I think Ronald D. Moore and the gang are doing a bang-up job of adapting the books for the series. If you haven’t given it a peek yet, take the time!

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Thanks so much, Maggie! And I'm totally with her on Outlander. I haven't read or seen the others, but Outlander...yessss.

Now that you Maggie has excellent taste, you should check out her book!

A BOLT FROM THE BLUE by Maggie Wells

Available April 4th from Kensington/Lyrical Press

True love, like lightning, never strikes twice—or does it?

As a free-spirited young woman, Hope Elliot was desperate to escape her snobbish high society family. So she ran off to Paris, where she lived for twenty-five years. Now widowed, she’s come home to settle her family’s massive lakefront estate. But before she can put her mother’s house on the market, it needs a major renovation. Enter master electrician Mick McInnes, a traditional guy who’s about to turn her life upside down . . .

Aside from the fact that Mick is hopelessly attracted to his latest client, Hope represents everything he doesn’t want in a woman. She’s ridiculously rich and adventurous, yet she doesn’t seem to know much about the real world. Besides, his policy is to never get involved with clients. But he can’t seem to resist the Chicago heiress’s sizzling advances—and soon enough finds himself in her bed, feeling like a teenager once again. And like teenagers, the two of them will just have to convince their families that opposites can not only attract, but they can also make the perfect match . . .

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Roni's April Picks

Here's what I'll be reading and watching this month for the challenge!

Book:

Maybe In Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid

This one takes one event in a woman's life and then branches off into two possible storylines, what happens if she makes one decision and what happens if she makes another, so it will be dual timelines/fates. I loved her book One True Loves, so I have high hopes.

About the book:

From the acclaimed author of Forever, Interrupted and After I Do comes a breathtaking new novel about a young woman whose fate hinges on the choice she makes after bumping into an old flame; in alternating chapters, we see two possible scenarios unfold—with stunningly different results.

At the age of twenty-nine, Hannah Martin still has no idea what she wants to do with her life. She has lived in six different cities and held countless meaningless jobs since graduating college. On the heels of leaving yet another city, Hannah moves back to her hometown of Los Angeles and takes up residence in her best friend Gabby’s guestroom. Shortly after getting back to town, Hannah goes out to a bar one night with Gabby and meets up with her high school boyfriend, Ethan.

Just after midnight, Gabby asks Hannah if she’s ready to go. A moment later, Ethan offers to give her a ride later if she wants to stay. Hannah hesitates. What happens if she leaves with Gabby? What happens if she leaves with Ethan?

In concurrent storylines, Hannah lives out the effects of each decision. Quickly, these parallel universes develop into radically different stories with large-scale consequences for Hannah, as well as the people around her. As the two alternate realities run their course, Maybe in Another Life raises questions about fate and true love: Is anything meant to be? How much in our life is determined by chance? And perhaps, most compellingly: Is there such a thing as a soul mate?

Hannah believes there is. And, in both worlds, she believes she’s found him. 

TV:

Thirteen Reasons Why on Netflix

This is a brand new series on Netflix and is based on a YA book I read many years ago and really liked. It's been long enough that I don't remember much about the book, but I remember that it was good enough to keep on my shelf. I DO remember that it flashes back in time to show the things leading up to a certain even, so it goes perfectly with this month's theme.

Oddly enough, both my book and TV show picks have heroines named Hannah.

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Utterly Shameless Promotion

If you need another suggestion for the TIME theme, may I also suggest Off the Clock, which is the first book in my Pleasure Principle series and a current finalist in the RITA Contest (!), and By the Hour, book 2, which comes out April 25!

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Now, it's your turn! What will you be reading/watching? Or if you have any suggestions for the theme, let us have 'em! :)

My Favorite Bookish Podcasts (AKA My Happy Listening Place)

Reading has always been my go-to stress reliever. When I want to escape from the noise and stress of the world, I can curl up and lose myself in a great book. Stories are magical that way, and that will always be my first respite when I need some quiet space.

However, there are times and places where reading isn't convenient, like when I'm driving or doing dishes or walking to pick up my son. Yes, I could listen to audiobooks, but I've never gotten into listening to a book. It's just not something my brain processes well. Maybe that will change one day, but for now, audiobooks aren't my jam. However, over the last year, I've discovered the perfect alternative for me for those times and places I can't read: podcasts ABOUT reading. :)

I blogged a while back about how I'd recently discovered the joy of podcasts and listed some of my favorites. But at the time of that post, I hadn't yet discovered the full world of podcasts about books. Now I'm totally and completely hooked.

Somehow, listening to people talk about and recommend books is wildly soothing--even when they may be talking about a book I'm not interested in reading. And in many cases, books I would've never thought about picking up suddenly become my next must have. (So fair warning: book podcasts can be a hit to your wallet because you're going to want to buy ALL THE BOOKS. But it's so worth it.)

Now, there are many different types of podcasts about books. Ones that discuss a book at length. Others that focus on author interviews. But my particular favorites are ones that recommend books to specific readers because a) I love hearing what readers are seeking in their reading life and b) I love the idea of tailored book recommendations. It's like going into a great local bookstore and having someone in the know personally shop with you for the books that fit exactly what you're seeking. How great is that?

And because the focus is totally on books, you can kind of escape from everything else while you're listening. There are no news breaks to distract you, no arguing, no stress. It's just this happy little place where you can listen to people describe books and get excited about them. It's the best. And did I mention podcasts are free? Bonus. :)

So, I thought I'd pass along my very favorites if you think you could use your own happy nerdy listening place.

My Top 3 Bookish Podcasts

 

What Should I Read Next with Anne Bogel of Modern Mrs. Darcy 

This one is my absolute favorite of all. I've listened to every episode in the backlist and look forward to new episodes every Tuesday. For each episode, Anne hosts a reader guest and has them list three books they loved and one book they hated and then asks the guest what they're looking to change in their reading life. Based on all that, Anne then recommends three books for them. 

I love this one so much because it just feels cozy and warm to listen to. Anne is a welcoming host with a soothing voice and her love of books comes through. I can also listen to this one with my kiddo in the room without worry, so that's nice. And though this podcast focuses on mainstream fiction, literary fiction, and non-fiction for the most part (in other words, no romance recommendations), I have gotten SO many great recommendations from this podcast. In fact, I found my favorite read of the year so far, One True Loves, from one of the episodes. And inevitably, you'll also find yourself thinking about how you'd answer the "three books you love and one book you hate" question if you were a guest. Highly recommended.

Get Booked by Book Riot

Get Booked is hosted by Amanda and Jenn over at Book Riot and has a really energetic, fun vibe to it. This is also a show where the hosts recommend books to specific reader requests, but instead of having the reader on the show, readers write in and their questions are read on air. And though this seems similar in style to What Should I Read Next in concept, it's completely different and pairs nicely with the podcast above because they recommend books in a much wider variety of genres. So you'll get your romance, YA, sci-fi, graphic novels, non-fiction along with some mainstream and lit fic. I often hear recs on this show of books I've never, ever heard of, which is a plus. Plus, the titles of their episodes (Intergalactic Trailer Park, Sunburn Up Your Nose, It Sucks to Be a Princess) are the BEST.

Smart Podcast, Trashy Books with Sarah Wendell

This show is more of an interview style show with authors, readers, and bloggers. However, it is all about the romance genre, so you know it has a special place in my heart. Romance novels are often left out of book discussions and I love that this podcast (and the website from which is came: Smart Bitches, Trashy Books) gives romance a place in the bookish spotlight. Smart ladies talking about sexy books is always a win.

So, those are my top three favorites. If you give them a try, let me know what you think!

New to podcasts?

If you're new to podcasting, do not fret, your next addiction is easy to access. :) 

If you have an iPhone, you have the Podcasts app already. Just search for these podcasts from within the app and subscribe. You'll be able to access old episodes and it will alert you when new episodes are available. Then just hit play and listen. (You can also download episodes to listen to when you're offline, which I took advantage of on the flights I took this week.)

There are also many apps you can use. I prefer the Overcast app because it has a few more features than the native Apple one, but there are many to choose from. For a detailed guide on how to listen to podcasts from all different kinds of devices and some of the apps available, check out this post at Digital Trends.

That's all I've got for your today. Do you listen to any bookish podcasts?