Shows
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 202: 2025 Micro Genres We Love with Susie (@NovelVisits)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!). CL...
2025-08-0652 min
Sustainable in the Suburbs7: Rethinking Zero Waste and Building Community Care (with April Dickinson)When we talk about sustainability, we often focus on what we’re buying—or not buying. But what if it’s really about something much deeper?In this episode, I’m joined by April Dickinson (@zerowastedork), a thoughtful voice in the zero waste space who thoughtfully challenges the consumer-driven model of sustainability. We talk about the evolution of zero waste living, the role of community care in climate action, and why economic degrowth might be the shift we need. From local connections to global systems, this is a conversation about finding joy, contributing to community, and staying grounded...
2025-07-0148 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 199: Best Books of 2025 (So Far) with Susie and CatherineIn 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...
2025-06-251h 04
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 197: Summer 2025 Book Preview with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)Welcome to the Summer 2025 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books! Today, Catherine and Sarah share 12 of their most anticipated books releasing from June through mid-August. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog. Announcement One of the many benefits to supporting the podcast through either our Patreon Community or our Substack Community (both for just $7/mo) is that you get access to sev...
2025-05-2850 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 196: Spring 2025 Circle Back with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)In Episode 196, Sarah and Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books catch up on the 12 new releases they shared in the Spring 2025 Book Preview, now that they’ve read them. They share their reading stats, chat about what worked — and hash out which books didn’t work and why. 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. Our Printable Cheatsheet for the 2025 Summer Reading Guide is available to anyone...
2025-05-2149 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 195: 2025 Summer Reading Special with Susie (@NovelVisits)In Ep. 195, Susie (@NovelVisits) and Sarah are back to share their favorite books that missed last year’s Summer Reading Guide and our #1 picks for each category featured in my 2025 Summer Reading Guide. Plus, they begin by sharing how their summer reading habits have evolved over the years. 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. Once again, we are happy to offer a Printable Cheatsheet for...
2025-05-141h 08
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 192: Spring 2025 Book Preview with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)Welcome to the Spring 2025 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books! Today, Catherine and Sarah share 12 of their most anticipated books releasing in April and May. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog. Announcement Sarah’s Bookshelves has joined Substack! Please note, we’re not MOVING to Substack, we’re simply adding Substack to the places we already put out content. On our FREE Su...
2025-04-0249 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 191: Winter 2025 Circle Back with Catherine (@GIlmoreGuide)In Episode 191, Sarah and Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books catch up on the 16 new releases they shared in the Winter 2025 Book Preview. They share their reading stats, chat about what they liked, and what didn’t work out. 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. Highlights For the first time ever, Sarah’s Preview selections resulted in a 100% success rate! Catherine’s reading was also successful a...
2025-03-2656 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 188: Best of Fantasy with Chrissie (@ChrissieWhitley)In Ep. 188, we are kicking off our new “Best of…” series with Sarah’s Bookshelves Live team member, Chrissie, for the Best of Fantasy. Today, Chrissie brings you her all-time top ten favorite fantasy novels. Also, as a long-time reader and evangelizer of the genre, Chrissie talks about how she started reading fantasy, the wide scope of the genre, and ways those new to fantasy might jump in! 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...
2025-02-1955 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 187: State of the Publishing Industry in 2024 with Kathleen Schmidt of the Publishing Confidential SubstackIn Ep. 187, Kathleen Schmidt, author of the popular Substack newsletter, Publishing Confidential, joins Sarah to dissect and discuss the State of the Publishing Industry in 2024. Between a high-level look back, talk about the top sales and book trends, to what Kathleen sees on the horizon for 2025 in the book world, this episode is packed with info. Also, Kathleen shares her favorite books of 2024! This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes...
2025-02-0550 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 186: The Best Backlist Books We Read in 2024 with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)In Episode 186, Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) and Sarah share the best backlist books they read in 2024. They discuss their top 5 backlist books from last year, highlight some underrated backlist gems, and review their backlist reading statistics. Devoting an entire episode to backlist reading is now an annual tradition at Sarah’s Bookshelves Live — a team and listener favorite! This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog. Announcement 2024’s Best of the Ba...
2025-01-2252 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 185: Winter 2025 Book Preview with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)Welcome to the Winter 2025 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books! Today, Catherine and Sarah share 16 of their most anticipated books releasing January through March. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog. Announcement One of the many benefits to joining the Patreon Community is gaining access to several bonus podcast episode series, including Book Preview Extras! In these episodes, Catherine and Sarah share...
2025-01-0855 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 184: Best Books of 2024 Genre Awards with Susie (@NovelVisits)In Episode 184, Susie (@NovelVisits) and I close out the year with our Best Books of 2024 Genre Awards. We reveal our Overall Best Books (Fiction and Nonfiction) and our full breakdown by genre, including: Best Literary Fiction, Best Romance, Best Brain Candy, Best Genre Mash-Up, and more! Plus, we’re sharing the winners for these same genres as chosen by the Sarah’s Bookshelves Live Patreon community! This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). CLICK HERE for the full epis...
2024-12-111h 13
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 182: Chelsea Bieker (Author of Madwoman) + Book RecommendationsIn Episode 182, author Chelsea Bieker discusss her new novel, Madwoman, with Sarah. Chelsea shares how her own childhood inspired the fictional characters in her book and what parts of the book differ from her own experience. They talk about the trajectory of this intense and personal novel that began as a “funny little book about motherhood” and morphed into a story about trauma and abuse. Plus, Chelsea shares her book recommendations. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). CLICK H...
2024-11-131h 06
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 181: Fall 2024 Circle Back with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)In Episode 181, Sarah and Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books catch up on the 16 new releases they shared in the Fall 2024 Book Preview, now that they’ve read them. They share their reading stats, chat about what worked — and hash out which books didn’t work and why. Check out the episode for their full reviews on all their fall picks and get recommendations for your next book! This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). CLICK HERE for the full e...
2024-10-3054 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 180: 2024 Debuts Special with Susie (@NovelVisits)In Episode 180, Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) and Sarah return with the 4th annual Debuts Special! They’re sharing their favorite debuts, new and backlist — so far for 2024. Plus, their reading stats for debuts this year and the best sophomore novels of 2024. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog. Highlights How debuts from 2024 compare to those from previous years. A full breakdown of Sarah’s and Susie’s 2024 debut-re...
2024-10-1656 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 179: From Corporate America to Indie Bookstore Owner with Gayle Weiswasser (Co-Founder of Wonderland Books) + Book RecommendationsIn Episode 179, Sarah is joined by Gayle Weiswasser, co-founder of Wonderland Books, an independent bookstore in Bethesda, MD opening in November 2024. Gayle candidly shares her journey from her initial idea to being on the verge of opening the store. This behind-the-scenes episode offers a deep dive into everything from training and book buying to raising capital (including crowdsourcing) and much more! Plus, Gayle wraps up the episode with some great book recommendations (and how many copies of each she’s ordering for the store). This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small com...
2024-10-021h 13
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 177: Fall 2024 Book Preview with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)Welcome to the Fall 2024 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books! Today, Catherine and I share 16 of our most anticipated books releasing mid-August through December. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog. Announcement One of the many benefits to joining our Patreon Community is that you get access to several bonus podcast episode series, including Book Preview Extras! In these episodes, Catherine and I s...
2024-09-0453 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 176: Summer 2024 Circle Back with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)In Episode 176, Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books and I catch up on the 12 new releases from the Summer 2024 Book Preview. We share our reading stats, chat about what we liked, and what didn’t work out. Listen in as we share our reviews on these books and get some recommendations for your next read! This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog. Highlights Catherine says she had a...
2024-08-2148 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 175: 2024 Micro Genres We Love with Susie (@NovelVisits)In Episode 175, Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) and I explore our favorite Micro Genres for 2024. Over the past year, we’ve continued to refine our reading tastes and identify specific themes and types of books that resonate deeply with us. This year, Susie and I have a curated list of 10 all-new Micro Genres, along with standout books from each category. It’s another big episode with tons of great book recommendations! This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). CLICK HERE for...
2024-08-0751 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 173: Circling Back to Micro Genres We've Loved (2024) with Susie (@NovelVisits)For Ep. 173, Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) joins me as we circle back to one of our favorite topics — niching down our reading into micro genres! In this special Circle Back, we revisit some previously shared micro genres from our two past Micro Genres We Love episodes and introduce two additional micro genres from a Patreon bonus episode not yet heard on the big show! We give examples that define each micro genre for us and share new books we’ve read that fit into these niches. Plus, we share books for that DIDN’T work for us. This episode is full o...
2024-07-1053 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 172: Best Books of 2024 (So Far) with Susie and CatherineIn Ep. 172, Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits), Catherine Gilmore (@GilmoreGuide), and I are together for the first time on the big show to catch up on our 2024 reading — so far! We talk about the current publishing landscape, what books are topping bestseller lists to date, and our personal reading as it stands halfway through the year. We share our stats and talk about expectations and hopes for the remainder of the year. Plus, we each share our TOP 5 books and our biggest disappointments so far. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission whe...
2024-06-261h 04
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 170: Summer 2024 Book Preview with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)Announcement One of the many benefits to joining our Patreon Community is that you get access to several bonus podcast episode series, including Book Preview Extras! In these episodes, Catherine and I share at least 4 bonus books we are excited about that we did not share in the big show preview episode. Get more details about all the goodies available to all patrons (Stars and Superstars) and sign up here! CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog. Highlights Now that the 2024 Summer Reading Guide is set, Sarah welcomes heavier and more literary books. Catherine is l...
2024-05-2946 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 169: Spring 2024 Circle Back with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)In Episode 169, Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books and I catch up on the 12 new releases from the Spring 2024 Book Preview. We share our reading stats, chat about what we liked, and what didn’t quite hit the mark. Tune in to hear our thoughts on these books and get some recommendations for your next read! This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog. Access the 2024 Summe...
2024-05-2250 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 168: 2024 Summer Reading Special with Susie (@NovelVisits)Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) and I share our favorite books that missed last year’s Summer Reading Guide, some shorter books we think are great for summer reading, and our #1 picks for each category featured in my 2024 Summer Reading Guide. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog. Access the 2024 Summer Reading Guide Cheatsheet and Free Trial on Patreon here. Summer Reading [9:19] Books That Missed Last Yea...
2024-05-151h 09
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 165: Spring 2024 Book Preview with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)Welcome to the Spring 2024 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books! In this episode, Catherine and I share 12 of our most anticipated books releasing in April and May. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog. Announcement One of the many benefits to joining our Patreon Community is that you get access to several bonus podcast episode series, including Book Preview Extras! In these e...
2024-04-0349 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 164: Winter 2024 Circle Back with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)In today’s episode, Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) and I circle back to the 16 books we featured in the Winter 2024 Book Preview. We’ll be sharing our reading stats and thoughts on the books we’ve read (or attempted), to help you decide which ones to add to your reading list and which ones to skip. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog. Highlights Catherine and Sarah share their W...
2024-03-2055 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 160: The Best Backlist Books We Read in 2023 with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)In Episode 160, Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) and I share the best backlist books we read in 2023. We each discuss our top 5 backlist books from last year, highlight some underrated backlist gems, and review our backlist reading statistics. Devoting an entire episode to backlist reading is something we love doing and we've heard from you that you love it too! This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog. Announcement Available N...
2024-01-2455 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 159: Winter 2024 Book Preview with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)Welcome to the Winter 2024 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books! In this episode, Catherine and I share 16 of our most anticipated books releasing January through March. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog. Announcement One of the many benefits to joining our Patreon Community is that you get access to several bonus podcast episode series, including Book Preview Extras! In these episodes...
2024-01-1056 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 158: Best Books of 2023 Genre Awards with Susie (@NovelVisits)In Episode 158, we wrap up the year with our Best Books of 2023 Genre Awards with Susie (@NovelVisits). We reveal our Overall Best Books (Fiction and Nonfiction), and we have a full breakdown by genre, including: Best Literary Fiction, Best Romance, Best Brain Candy, Best Genre Mash-Up, and more! Plus, we’re sharing the winners for these same genres as chosen by the Sarah’s Bookshelves Live Patreon community! This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). CLICK HERE for the...
2023-12-201h 06
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 156: 2023 State of the Industry with Sarah Landis (Literary Agent)For our first annual 2023 State of the Industry episode, we’re welcoming back literary agent Sarah Landis for an overview and exploration of some hot topics in the book world this year. Taking stock of how this year panned out for the publishing industry, Sarah discusses top news stories, dives deep into how specific titles performed this year, and shares current trends she’s seeing in publishing. Also, Sarah shares her favorite books of 2023! This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you...
2023-11-291h 02
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 155: Fall 2023 Circle Back with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)In the Fall 2023 Book Preview, Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) and I shared our 12 most-anticipated books that released mid-August – December. Today we’re going to circle back to share updates on which of these books we’ve read, our thoughts on them, and a few we attempted but couldn’t quite get through. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog. Coming Soon The updated 2024 Rock Your Reading Tracker will release o...
2023-11-1554 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 150: Fall 2023 Book Preview with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)Welcome to the Fall 2023 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books! In this episode, Catherine and I share 12 of our most anticipated books releasing in mid-August through December. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). CLICK HERE for full episode Show Notes on the blog. Announcement One of the many benefits to joining our Patreon Community is that you get access to several bonus podcast episode series, including Book Preview Extras! In these episode...
2023-09-0653 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 149: Summer 2023 Circle Back with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)In Ep. 149, Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) and I revisit the 12 books released from June to mid-August that we featured in the Summer 2023 Book Preview. We update you on our reading stats for summer, chat about the books we’ve tackled or tried, and let you know which ones are worth adding to your list and which ones you can pass on. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights Catherine and Sarah share their Summer 2023 reading stats and success rates. Catherine nam...
2023-08-3049 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 144: John Marrs (Author of The One, The Passengers, and The Marriage Act)John Marrs, best-selling author of The One, The Passengers, and The Marriage Act, talks about his journey from self-published to bestselling author, his writing process, how he manages writing in multiple genres for two different publishers, and more. John’s journalism background led him to ask me some thought-provoking questions as well. Our conversation was an absolute delight, and I can’t wait for you to dive into his captivating universe of books. Plus, be sure to check out John’s book recommendations that align nicely with my own reading tastes! This post contains affiliate links thro...
2023-06-2853 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 142: Summer 2023 Book Preview with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)Announcement In addition to my annual 2023 Summer Reading Guide, I’m once again offering Superstars Patrons ($7/mo) exclusive access to Summer Shelves, featuring even more recommendations for the season. Summer Shelves features BACKLIST summer reading recommendations from 17 former podcast guests, our team members, and — for the first time — 20+ Superstars patrons! The Summer Shelves design is clean, crisp, and unique and you’ll receive it in a PDF file format via Patreon. If you’d like to get the Summer Shelves companion guide, you can sign up to be a Superstars patron here. You’ll also get access to a monthly bonus podcas...
2023-05-3149 minSarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 141: Spring 2023 Circle Back with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)Catherine (Gilmore Guide to Books) and I revisit the 12 books released in April and May featured in the Spring 2023 Book Preview. We give updates on our reading stats, share our thoughts on the books we’ve read or attempted, and offer recommendations on which ones deserve a spot on your reading list and which ones you might want to skip. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Announcement In addition to my annual 2023 Summer Reading Guide, I’m once again o...
2023-05-2455 minSarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 140: 2023 Summer Reading Special with Susie (@NovelVisits)Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) and I share our favorite books that missed last year’s Summer Reading Guides, some nonfiction books we think are great for summer reading, and our #1 picks for four categories, including what I have featured in my 2023 Summer Reading Guide. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Get Even More Summer Reading Recommendations with Summer Shelves: In addition to my annual 2023 Summer Reading Guide, I’m once again offering Superstars Patrons ($7/mo) exclusive access to Summer Shel...
2023-05-171h 07Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 137: Spring 2023 Book Preview with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)Welcome to the Spring 2023 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books! In this episode, Catherine and I share 12 of our most anticipated books releasing in April and May. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Announcement I’ve got BIG NEWS! If you’ve been interested in joining our Patreon Community, but have yet to sign up — a 30-day free trial starts today! This is for new patrons only and sign-up continues for the next 7 days. Hurry...
2023-04-0548 minSarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 136: Winter 2023 Circle Back with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)In today’s episode, Catherine (Gilmore Guide to Books) and I circle back to the 16 books we featured in the Winter 2023 Book Preview. We’ll be sharing our reading stats and thoughts on the books we’ve read (or attempted), to help you decide which ones to add to your reading list and which ones to skip. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights How Sarah’s favorite books from 2022 are impacting her expectations. Catherine and Sarah share their Win...
2023-03-2956 minSarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 133: Speculative Fiction / Fantasy 101 with Sarah Landis (Literary Agent)Literary agent Sarah Landis joins me for a deep dive into the Speculative Fiction / Fantasy genre. Sarah breaks down these terms, shares popular books in these genres, and discusses the trends she’s seeing in the publishing industry. Also, Sarah shares both her book recommendations and her go-to books for those looking to dive into these genres! This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights Differentiating between genres: Fantasy, Speculative Fiction, Sci-Fi, Dystopian, Post-Apocalyptic, Climate Fiction. The genres that scar...
2023-02-2249 minSarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 131: The Best Backlist Books We Read in 2022 with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)In Episode 131, Catherine (@gilmoreguide) and I share the best backlist books we read in 2022. We each share our top 5 backlist books from 2022, some underrated backlist gems, and our backlist reading stats. Catherine and I both had a successful year of backlist reading, despite both of us experiencing major life events. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Join our Patreon Community ($7/mo Superstars) to get Double Booked, a monthly podcast series where either Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books or Sus...
2023-01-2554 minSarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 130: Winter 2023 Book Preview with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)Welcome to the Winter 2023 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books! In this episode, Catherine and I share 16 of our most anticipated books releasing January through March. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Announcement Join our Patreon Community to get our bonus podcast episode series called Book Preview Extras! In these episodes, Catherine and I share at least 4 bonus books we are excited about that we did not share in the big show preview ep...
2023-01-1151 minSarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 129: Best Books of 2022 Genre Awards with Susie (@NovelVisits)Our 2022 year-end reading roundup continues today with our Best Books of 2022 Genre Awards with Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits). We reveal our Overall Best Books (Fiction and Nonfiction) and we have a full breakdown by genre, including: Best Literary Fiction, Best Backlist Read in 2022, Best Romance, Best Brain Candy, Best Genre Mash-Up, and more! Plus, this year I’m sharing the winners for these same genres as chosen by the Sarah’s Bookshelves Live Patreon community! This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you...
2022-12-141h 09Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 127: Fall 2022 Circle Back with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)In the Fall 2022 Book Preview, Catherine (Gilmore Guide to Books) and I shared our 16 most-anticipated books that released mid-August – December 2022. In today’s episode, we’re going to circle back to update you on the books we’ve had a chance to read — or at least attempt. This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights We discuss how the types of books released in the fall seem to have changed. Sarah comes back with two 5-star books! Catherine and Sarah share th...
2022-11-1656 minSarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 125: 2022 Debuts Special with Susie (@NovelVisits)In Episode 125, Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) and I are back for our 2nd annual Debuts Special. Today we’re sharing our favorite debut novels from 2022 (so far)! Plus, we discuss our reading stats for debuts this year and we talk about some upcoming sophomore novels (and their debuts) that are on our radar. This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights We discuss why debut books often feel more polished. A full breakdown of our 2022 debut-related stats. Debuts we love, di...
2022-10-1954 minSarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 122: Doubled Booked with Catherine (September 2022)Double Booked is a monthly series, available to my Superstars patrons, where a co-host and I each share our own book recommendations in the same format as the big show (2 old books we love, 2 new books we love, 1 book we didn’t love, and 1 upcoming release we’re excited about). In these more candid episodes, I talk more about my own reading, and share tons of books that I don’t share on any other public forum. Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books and Susie from Novel Visits alternate months co-hosting with me. This post contains affiliate links, throug...
2022-09-0756 minSarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 121: Fall 2022 Book Preview with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)Welcome to the Fall 2022 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books! In this episode, Catherine and I share 16 of our most anticipated books releasing mid-August through December. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Announcements Join our Patreon Community ($5/mo) to get our bonus podcast episode series called Book Preview Extras! In these episodes, Catherine and I share at least 4 bonus books we are excited about that we did not share in the big show preview episode. Ge...
2022-08-2454 minSarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 120: Summer 2022 Circle Back with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)In Episode 120, Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books and I circle back to the books we shared in the Summer 2022 Book Preview — now that we’ve actually had a chance to read them. Returning to our 12 summer releases, we take a look at what worked and what didn’t. Also, with both of our personal lives demanding more of our attention lately, our reading lives have definitely been impacted. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights Sarah had a 5 star b...
2022-08-1750 minSarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 116: Micro Genres We Love with Susie (@NovelVisits)In Episode 116, Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) joins me to talk about niching down from traditional genre categories into the micro genres we love. Over the past year, I have picked up on some key themes and types of books that I can generally count on for successful reading. Today, we’re putting them all in one special episode as Susie and I bring you a delightfully overflowing list of the micro genres that work for us, books from each, and why we love them. This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission whe...
2022-06-2951 minSarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 114: Summer 2022 Book Preview with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)Welcome to the Summer 2022 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books! In this episode, Catherine and I share our most anticipated books coming out June through mid-August. This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Introducing Summer Shelves (a companion to my Summer Reading Guide)… In addition to my annual 2022 Summer Reading Guide, I introduced Summer Shelves, a companion exclusively for Superstars Patrons ($7/mo). Summer Shelves features BACKLIST summer reading recommendations from over 25 former podcast guests and our team m...
2022-06-0148 minSarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 113: Spring 2022 Circle Back with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)In the Spring 2022 Book Preview, Catherine (Gilmore Guide to Books) and I shared our most anticipated books that released April – May 2022. In today’s episode, we’re circling back to update you on the books we’ve had a chance to read — or at least attempted. Given my ongoing success rate with spring releases, I’m starting to wonder if that is just the best season for my type of books! This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Introducing Summer Shelves (a co...
2022-05-2547 minSarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 112: 2022 Summer Reading Special with Susie (@NovelVisits)Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) and I share our favorite books that missed last year’s Summer Reading Guides, some deep backlist books we think are great for summer reading, and our #1 picks for four categories featured in Sarah’s 2022 Summer Reading Guide. This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Introducing Summer Shelves (a companion to my Summer Reading Guide)… In addition to my annual 2022 Summer Reading Guide, I’m introducing Summer Shelves, a companion exclusively for Superstars Patrons ($7/mo). Summer Shelves features...
2022-05-181h 06Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 109: Spring 2022 Book Preview with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)Welcome to the Spring 2022 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books! In this episode, Catherine and I share our most anticipated books coming out in April – May 2022. This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Announcements In conjunction with my upcoming 9th annual Summer Reading Guide, I will be releasing a companion for Superstars Patrons ($7/mo)! The companion is called Summer Shelves and will feature backlist reading recommendations from former podcast guests. Plus, both Catherine and Susie wil...
2022-04-0649 minSarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 108: Winter 2022 Circle Back with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)In the Winter 2022 Book Preview (Ep. 102), Catherine (Gilmore Guide to Books) and I shared our most anticipated books set to release January – March 2022 (with one early April release). Today, we’re giving an update on the books we shared in the Winter Preview — now that we’ve had the chance to read them. This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights Sarah’s and Catherine’s Winter 2022 reading stats and success rates. How their success rates compare to Fall 2021 and Winter 2021...
2022-03-3052 minSarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 106: Superlatives with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books joins me for a special Superlatives episode where we are answering from the fourth bucket of questions submitted for the Ask Me Anything episode of Sarah’s Bookshelves Live. We give you a little taste of the bonus Monthly Superlative episodes Catherine and I often do for the Patreon community. This format is a favorite of mine, allowing for a bit more candor and a lot of fun. Today we tackle questions about our all-time favorite books, re-reads, auto-buy authors, favorite audiobooks, and more! This post contains affiliate links through which I make a s...
2022-03-0955 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 103: The Best Backlist Books We Read in 2021 with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)In Episode 103, Catherine Gilmore (@gilmoreguide) and I share the best backlist books we read in 2021. We each share our top 5 backlist books from 2021, as well as some underrated backlist gems. Catherine and I both had a lot of success in 2021 with backlist reading, and this was especially true for me in comparison to my overall reading for the year. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Announcements Join our Patreon Community ($5/mo) and get our episode series called Double Booked! This is a monthly series where...
2022-01-2654 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 102: Winter 2022 Book Preview with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)Catherine and I share our most anticipated books coming out January – March 2022 (and one early April release). Also, stay tuned for my Most Anticipated Books of Winter 2022 blog post, coming out soon. On there, I’ll share some of the books I talked about in this episode, but also some I didn’t. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Announcement Join our Patreon Community ($5/mo) to get our bonus podcast episode series called Book Preview Extras! In these episodes, Catherine and I s...
2022-01-1256 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 101: Fall 2021 Circle Back with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)In the Fall 2021 Book Preview (Ep. 93), Catherine and I shared our most anticipated books that were coming out August – December 2021. Today, we’re updating you on the books we shared in the Fall Preview…now that we’ve had the chance to read — or at least attempt them. Many Fall books lean more literary, which hasn’t been working well for me lately, and overall, the Fall 2021 books didn’t turn out quite how we’d hoped. This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Announ...
2021-12-2251 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 100: Ask Me Anything with Catherine from @GilmoreGuideToday, we’re celebrating the 100th episode of Sarah’s Bookshelves Live with a very special Ask Me Anything episode co-hosted by Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books. Catherine turns the tables to ask me all the questions you submitted. We go behind the scenes of the podcast, talk about my reading life, and my life outside of reading. Plus, Catherine answers a few questions! This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Announcements My 2022 Rock Your Reading Tracker is now available for $14.99 or FR...
2021-12-081h 06
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 99: Best Books of 2021 and Bookish Superlatives with Susie from @NovelVisitsIn Episode 99, Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) and I share our favorite books from 2021, overall and by genre, along with a ton of bookish superlatives. We also talk about whether our reading has recovered from COVID and I reflect on the past year of the podcast. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). I also included Bookshop.org affiliate links. Announcements Upcoming “Ask Me Anything” podcast, airing December 8, to celebrate the 100th episode of Sarah’s Bookshelves Live! Sarah’s 2021 Holiday Gift Guide 2022 Rock Your...
2021-11-241h 11
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 98: Behind the Scenes of Opening a New Indie Bookstore (with the Founders of The Book and Cover)In Episode 98, the three founders of The Book & Cover (@thebookandcover) join me to share a behind-the-scenes look at everything that goes into opening an independent, brick-and-mortar bookshop. We discuss non-traditional way they financed the business, how they learned the reading taste of their community, and how a new indie builds its inventory. Highlights Blaes and Emily talk about balancing this new venture alongside their full-time day jobs. How the COVID-19 pandemic impacted their decision. How their community played an incredible role in the first big steps. Between an Instagram account and a Google Doc, the simple beginnings of th...
2021-11-1051 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 96: 2021 Debuts Special with Susie from @NovelVisitsIn Episode 96, Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) and I share some of our favorite debut novels and discuss why we gravitate toward debuts. We also discuss our reading stats for debut novels, as well as exploring some sophomore novels...the good, the not so good, and those we're still awaiting. This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). I also included Bookshop.org affiliate links. Highlights Why I like having debut authors on the podcast. A full breakdown of debut-related stats and our best y...
2021-10-1355 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 93: Fall 2021 Book Preview with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)Catherine and I share our most anticipated books coming out August – December 2021. This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Announcement Join our Patreon Community ($5/mo) to get our bonus podcast episode series called Book Preview Extras! In these episodes, Catherine and I share at least 4 bonus books (we’re sharing 5 this month) that we’re excited about that we did not share in the regular Preview episode. Get more details about all the goodies available to our patrons and sign up here! High...
2021-09-0153 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 92: Circling Back to Summer 2021 Preview Books with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)In the Summer 2021 Book Preview (Ep. 86), Catherine and I shared our most anticipated books coming out June – July 2021. But, we often haven’t read the books we share in the Preview Episodes. So, in this new series, we will “circle back” to update you on all the books we presented in the previous season’s Book Preview now that we’ve at least attempted to read them. This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Bonus Books Join our Patreon Community ($5...
2021-08-2551 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveBONUS SNEAK PEEK: Beyond Bookstagram (June 2021)I’m thrilled to share the first episode of what will be a new bonus podcast episode series for $5/mo patrons of the show. To hear these episodes every month, join the Sarah’s Bookshelves Live Patreon Community! BEYOND BOOKSTAGRAM is a bonus podcast series that highlights lesser known books that are not splashed all over Instagram (either backlist or under-the-radar newer books). A rotating featured patron shares 3 books she/he loves that are not splashed all over Bookstagram. And, I add my own commentary or research on the 3 books. This post contains affiliate links, through...
2021-06-1816 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 86: Summer 2021 Book Preview with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)Catherine and I share our most anticipated books coming out June – July 2021. This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Announcements Join our Patreon Community ($5/mo) to get (get more details about all the goodies available to our patrons and sign up here!): Our new monthly bonus podcast episode series called BEYOND BOOKSTAGRAM where a featured patron shares 3 books she/he loves that are not splashed all over Bookstagram. Our semi-new quarterly bonus podcast episode series called Book Preview Extras! In these episodes...
2021-06-0950 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 85: Circling Back to Spring 2021 Preview Books with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)In the Spring 2021 Book Preview (Ep. 80), Catherine and I shared our most anticipated books coming out April – May 2021. But, we often haven’t read the books we share in the Preview Episodes. So, in this new series, we will “circle back” to update you on all the books we presented in the previous season’s Book Preview now that we’ve at least attempted to read them. This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Announcement Join our Patreon Community ($5/mo) to get our ...
2021-06-0250 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 83: 2021 Summer Reading Special with Susie from @NovelVisitsIn Episode 83, Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) and I share our favorite books that missed last year’s Summer Reading Guides, books for people who have time to dig into something big in the summer, and our #1 picks for the four of the five categories featured in Sarah’s 2021 Summer Reading Guide. This post contains affiliate links (plus: here’s your Amazon Smile-specific affiliate link), through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Our Summer Reading Guides Sarah’s 2021 Summer Reading Guide Books That Missed Last Year’s Summer Reading Guid...
2021-05-1254 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 80: Spring 2021 Book Preview with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)Welcome to the Spring 2021 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books! Catherine and I share our most anticipated books coming out April – May 2021 (plus, 2 June 1 releases!). Also, stay tuned for my Most Anticipated Books of Spring 2021 blog post, which is coming out soon. I’ll share some of the books I talked about in this podcast, but also some that I didn’t! This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Announcement Join our Patreon Community ($5/mo) to ge...
2021-03-3153 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 79: Circling Back to Winter 2021 Preview Books with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)Welcome to the first Winter 2021 Circle Back Episode with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books! In the Winter 2021 Book Preview (Ep. 73), Catherine and I shared our most anticipated books coming out January – March 2021. But, we often haven’t read the books we share in the Preview Episodes. So, in this new series, we will “circle back” to update you on all the books we presented in the previous season’s Book Preview now that we’ve at least attempted to read them. This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission wh...
2021-03-2450 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 78: Deep Backlist Books with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)In Episode 78, Catherine Gilmore (@gilmoreguide) and I go deep into our backlists to share some of our favorite older books we haven’t talked about in a long time! This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights Catherine’s take on why classics are so long. A book that totally shocked both of us when we read it years ago, but we wonder if would shock as much today given other books and movies that have come out since. Our inverse init...
2021-03-1755 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveBONUS EPISODE: Sarah's February 2021 Book Recommendations + 4 New Patron BenefitsIn this special bonus episode, I share 4 new benefits for podcast patrons and listeners get to hear my February 2021 Book Recommendations episode, which is normally only available to patrons. This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Patron Benefits (including 4 New Benefits) Support the podcast on Patreon here! For $5 a month, you’ll get access to… Monthly “Superlatives” bonus podcast episodes (every full length episode guest will answer 5 bookish “superlative” questions just for Patrons). Monthly “Book Recommendations” bonus podcast episodes ...
2021-02-1129 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 73: Winter 2021 Book Preview with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)Catherine and I share our most anticipated books coming out January – March 2021. Also, stay tuned for my Most Anticipated Books of Winter 2021 blog post, which is coming out soon. I’ll share some of the books I talked about in this podcast, but also some that I didn’t! This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights How we feel our 2021 reading taste (compared to the weirdness of 2020) might pan out based on the first couple releases we’ve read. Ca...
2021-01-0653 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 72: Best Backlist Books We Read in 2020 with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)In Episode 72, Catherine Gilmore (@gilmoreguide) and I share the best backlist books we read in 2020 and the high priority backlist books on our TBR lists. This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Announcements Sarah’s 2020 Holiday Gift Guide 2021 Rock Your Reading Tracker Highlights Catherine and my 2020 backlist reading stats. Things that motivate Catherine and I to read more backlist throughout the year. The pressure Catherine and I sometimes feel to read mostly new releases (which inhibits our backlist reading). The Top 5 Ba...
2020-12-0955 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 71: Best Books of 2020 and Bookish Superlatives with Susie from @NovelVisitsIn Episode 71, Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) and I share our favorite 2020 books (overall and by genre) and our picks for tons of bookish superlatives. This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Announcements Sarah’s 2020 Holiday Gift Guide 2021 Rock Your Reading Tracker Highlights 2020 Podcast Overview (including favorite and most downloaded episodes) Overview of our reading years (including the impact of COVID-19) Favorite books of 2020 (trends, overall, by genre) 2020 Superlative Awards Our Favorite Books of 2020 (Overall and by Genre) [19:31] Sarah Saving Ruby King ...
2020-11-251h 09
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 65: Fall 2020 Book Preview with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)Catherine and I share our most anticipated books coming out August – December 2020. This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights Catherine and my success rate for books we shared in our Summer 2020 Preview episode. Why our ability to pick books feels off right now. Our Best and Worst picks from the Summer 2020 Preview episode. An inadvertent running theme in this episode. Sarah’s and Catherine’s #1 Fall book picks. Fall 2020 Book Preview [8:04] August Sarah’s Picks: A Traveler...
2020-09-0256 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 60: Summer 2020 Book Preview with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)Welcome to the Summer 2020 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books! Catherine and I share our most anticipated books coming out in June and July 2020. Also, stay tuned for my Most Anticipated Books of Summer 2020 blog post, which is coming out tomorrow. I’ll share some of the books I talked about in this podcast, but also some that I didn’t! This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Sponsor Sudio (earphones and speakers), Ett model U...
2020-05-2757 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveMini Ep. 59: Reviving Your Reading Life + Ann Patchett Deep Dive with Alyssa Hertzig (@alyssaisbooked)In Mini Episode 59, Alyssa Hertzig (@alyssahertzig, @alyssaisbooked) shares how she got back into reading after a long hiatus and we do an impromptu deep dive on Ann Patchett (one of my all-time favorite authors)…plus, celebrity memoirs. This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Sponsor This episode is sponsored by Book of the Month. Use the code SARAHSBOOKSHELVES at checkout to get your first book for just $9.99! Highlights How Alyssa started reading again after a long hiatus. The first few boo...
2020-05-2042 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 58: 2020 Summer Reading Special with Susie from @NovelVisitsIn Episode 58, Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) and I share our favorite books that missed last year’s Summer Reading Guides, books set in cool travel destinations, and our #1 picks for the four categories featured in Sarah’s 2020 Summer Reading Guide. This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Announcement Starting in June, the podcast will move to a bi-weekly airing schedule for the summer (just like last summer). Every episode this summer will be a full length episode (mini episodes will go on hiatus...
2020-05-1359 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveMini Ep. 55: Sarah Saba Cetra (@bookedinadvance) on Middle Eastern Books on her TBR + Reading During CoronavirusIn Mini Episode 55, Sarah Saba Cetra (@bookedinadvance) shares Middle Eastern books on her TBR list, books from a publisher we both love (Riverhead), and we both share how coronavirus is impacting our reading. This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights How coronavirus is impacting both of our reading. How Sarah barely read at all during law school and what (specific book and specific person) eventually got her back into reading. Sarah’s 2 reading goals for this year (including focusing on re...
2020-04-2231 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 54: Sarah Pekkanen & Greer Hendricks (authors of You Are Not Alone) + Book RecommendationsIn Episode 54, Sarah Pekkanen and Greer Hendricks (authors of You Are Not Alone) go behind-the-scenes of their writing process, how they decided to write psychological thrillers, and share where their next novel is set (it’s not in New York City!). This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights The themes Sarah & Greer try to base every book around. The Sarah & Greer co-writing team origin story. How Sarah’s and Greer’s personalities are similar and different. The good, the bad, and the...
2020-04-1553 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 53: Spring 2020 Book Preview with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)Welcome to the Spring 2020 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books! Catherine and I share our most anticipated books coming out in April and May 2020. This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Supporting Local Bookstores Libro.fm (affiliate link for audiobooks) Order online from your local bookstore (Sarah: The Bookshelf, Thomasville, Catherine: Powell’s) Bookshop.org (25% of profits go to a pool of independent bookstores) Highlights How you can support local bookstores (and authors by extension) during Coronav...
2020-04-0156 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveMini Ep. 52: A Couple Differing Opinions with Sarah Verity Collica (@seize_the_page)In Mini Episode 52, Sarah Verity Collica (@seize_the_page) and I talk about a couple books we have differing opinions about…plus, She Said vs. Catch and Kill. This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). 2020 Podcast Survey I’d love it if you could take a couple minutes to complete the 2020 Podcast Survey. I’d love to hear your feedback about what’s working, what’s not working, and the direction you’d like to see the podcast take. I’ll be using this f...
2020-03-2533 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveMini Ep. 48: Genevieve Trono (@GenTheBookworm)In Mini Episode 48, Genevieve Trono (@genthebookworm) talks mood reading and shares her thoughts about Brit Bennett’s new book (which she’s already read)! Sponsor This episode is sponsored by Book of the Month. Use the code SARAHSBOOKSHELVES at checkout to get your first book for just $9.99! This month, I chose You Are Not Alone, The Holdout, and Anna K. Check out my commentary on all the February picks to help choose the right book for your reading taste. Highlights Mood reading and how Genevieve builds in time / space to mood read within her books she’s...
2020-02-2634 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 41: Winter 2020 Book Preview with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)Welcome back for the first episode of 2020…the Winter 2020 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books! Catherine and I share our most anticipated books coming out for the first quarter (January – March) of 2020. Also, stay tuned for my Most Anticipated Books of Winter 2020 blog post, which is coming out tomorrow. I’ll share some of the books I talked about in this podcast, but also some that I didn’t! This post contains affiliate links (plus: here’s your Amazon Smile-specific affiliate link), through which I make a small commission when you make a p...
2020-01-0856 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveMini Ep. 35: Sarah Bohl (Character-Driven Mysteries & Terrible Luck with Pulitzer Winners)In Mini Episode 35, Sarah Bohl (@sarahbohl) and I talk about our shared terrible luck with Pulitzer Prize winners, character-driven mysteries, our thoughts on a beloved WWII novel…and, of course, book recommendations! This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights Our mutual terrible luck with Pulitzer Prize winners. How does writing only memoirs impact how that author lives her life? Sarah’s theory about why The Last Romantics doesn’t hit with everyone. Why Sarah hated a beloved WWII novel. Sarah’s Book Reco...
2019-10-2322 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 34: Books in the Classroom with Sara Hildreth (@FictionMatters)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!). Highlights Sara’s passion of helping her students read books they’re actually going to love How bookstagram pushed her to think about how she could ge...
2019-10-1647 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 27: Fall 2019 Book Preview with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)Welcome 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...
2019-08-211h 00
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 23: 2019 So Far's Hyped Books and Underrated Gems with Carla (@HappiestWhenReading)In Episode 23, Carla from Happiest When Reading joins me to break down the 2019 books so far that most deserve the hype, least deserve the hype, and the best underrated gems. This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights How Carla and my reading has been so far this year. How DNF’ing books is keeping Carla out of reading slumps. Carla’s trusted recommendation sources (Novel Visits, Gilmore Guide to Books,@basicbsguide, Grace Atwood from Bad on Paper Podcast and The Stripe,Bookpa...
2019-06-2651 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 21: Mary Laura Philpott (Author of I Miss You When I Blink)In Episode 21, Mary Laura Philpott (author of I Miss You When I Blink) talks about women’s identity crises, how she pitched her book to publishers, her job at Parnassus Books…and shares “women who get women” book recommendations. This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights How long it took Mary Laura to record the audio of I Miss You When I Blink. What gave Mary Laura the courage to try to publish her memoir. How Mary Laura and her agent pit...
2019-05-2951 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 20: All-Time Favorite Summer Reads with Susie (@NovelVisits)In Episode 20, Susie from the blog Novel Visits joins me to countdown our all-time favorite summer reads! This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights What summer reading means to us. What we want to avoid in our summer reading. The one book you think would be on our lists, but isn’t. Sarah guesses the thinly veiled Hollywood celebrities from one of Susie’s picks. Our running theme of picking the one awesome book from authors whose other work we haven’...
2019-05-2250 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 19: Summer 2019 Book Preview with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)Welcome to a special episode of the Sarah’s Bookshelves Live podcast…the Summer 2019 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books! Catherine and I share our most anticipated books coming out in June and July of 2019. This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights Catherine and my success rate for books we shared in our Winter 2019 Preview episode. Our Best and Worst picks from the Spring 2019 Preview episode. The book Sarah DNF’d at 3% and Catherine rated 1 star. Ea...
2019-05-1550 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 16: Meredith and Kaytee (Behind the Scenes of the Currently Reading Podcast)In Episode 16, Meredith Monday Schwartz and Kaytee Cobb join me to go behind-the-scenes of the Currently Reading Podcast. This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights The segment Currently Reading guests are always the most nervous about. How (and how fast) Currently Reading came together. What Meredith and Kaytee did not want Currently Reading to be. How Meredith and Kaytee’s relationship has changed since starting Currently Reading. The biggest challenges of running Currently Reading (PS – Kaytee’s and Meredith’s are differe...
2019-04-2450 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 13: Spring 2019 Book Preview with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)Welcome to the second special episode of the Sarah’s Bookshelves Live podcast…Spring 2019 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books! Catherine and I share our most anticipated books coming out in April and May of 2019. This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights Catherine and my success rate for books we shared in our Winter 2019 Preview episode. Our Best and Worst picks from the Winter 2019 Preview episode. Sarah’s theory about authors that get overly prolific. Each o...
2019-03-2753 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 12: Hannah from Book Nerd NativeIn Episode 12, Hannah from @BookNerdNative talks about moving her book collection and shares her three 2019 reading goals! This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights How Hannah purged her physical book collection before moving. How Sarah originally got converted into a strictly e-reader. Why Sarah had to buy books to fill her shelves when she moved. On only buying books you’ve already read and loved. Hannah’s three reading goals for 2019. The rule of thumb for how many pages you need...
2019-03-2046 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 10: Kelly from The Well-Read Runner (TBR Lists)In Episode 10, Kelly from @thewellreadrunner joins me to talk Marie Kondo-ing your physical book collection and your TBR list…and, as always, share her book recommendations! This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights How Kelly uses reading challenges to prioritize her TBR list. The reading challenge that will help you Marie Kondo your physical book collection. How Sarah organizes her TBR list…including why / how she starts with a new TBR list every year. How Sarah Marie Kondo’s her TBR list...
2019-03-0647 min
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveEp. 8: Carla from Happiest When Reading (Tracking Your Reading)In Episode 8 (the episode in which I have a really bad cold and don’t sound like myself!), Carla from @happiestwhenreading and I talk fitting in reading amongst our mom activities, reading goals, and tracking your reading! This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights How we read so much as stay-at-home moms. Carla’s finicky relationship with e-books…and, the only time Sarah reads hard copy books. Why Sarah didn’t set a quantity-based reading goal for 2019. The difference between achievin...
2019-02-2045 min