Shows
Book GangHow The Bright Years Was Paved Through LettersSarah Damoff shares how The Bright Years evolved from an epistolary draft into a powerful multi-POV family saga exploring addiction across generations.Every so often, a debut novel arrives so confident and assured it's hard to believe it's the author's first. Sarah Damoff's The Bright Years is one of those rare books. Deeply informed by her work as a social worker, Sarah offers readers an empathetic and profoundly immersive exploration of addiction and its reverberations across generations. Deftly weaving their family's personal history with political and cultural moments creates a layered portrait of a family navigating love...2025-04-1845 min
Book GangHow Sarah Harman's Debut Took Publishing By a StormSarah Harman shares the journey behind All the Other Mothers Hate Me, from journalism to fiction, a fierce book auction, and its upcoming FX adaptation.You'll know immediately if this book is for you from the opening line: "The missing boy is ten-year-old Alfie Risby, and to be perfectly honest with you, he's a little shit."That audacious beginning sets the tone for All the Other Mothers Hate Me, a compulsively readable thriller perfect for fans of Big Little Lies and Finlay Donovan.Sarah Harman's journey to publication is just as gripping as...2025-03-2136 min
Book GangHow Family History and Legacy Shaped JunieErin Crosby Eckstine discusses her debut novel, Junie, and how her family history transformed her life from English teacher to chosen GMA Book Club novelist. In this episode, Erin Crosby Eckstine shares the moving inspiration behind her debut novel Junie, a profoundly personal story rooted in her own family's history.Erin reveals how Junie's character is inspired by her great-great-great-grandmother, Jane Cotton, who escaped slavery and became one of the Black founders of Coosada, Alabama. We discuss the importance of balancing joy and trauma in narratives like these and why it is essential to bring b...2025-02-1456 min
Book GangThe Best Books of 2024We read a total of 482 books and are excited to share fifteen of our favorite titles from our 2024 reading list. Explore these new releases alongside our favorite backlist books for your best reading year yet.We invite you to browse our book lists featuring 25 of our favorites. Patrons will receive a printable checklist with today's book titles and some of our honorable mentions. SUPPORT MY WORK through Patreon!Best Books of the Year Full Lists:Larry's Top 25 Books of 2024 (Including Honorable Mentions)Amy's Top 25 Books of 2024Other B...2025-01-081h 57
Book GangTrapped in a Time LoopIn today's podcast, escape in a time loop novel. We discuss Groundhog Day books and the comforting ways repeating time travel can charm us in our book stack.When we say "time loop," readers immediately react to this statement. Whether it is a no or a yes, Jessica and I have you covered in today's podcast. We discuss why repeating cycles of events work for us or don't and how some of the storytellers featured today nailed moving the time loop plot forward in new ways. Plus, I'm revealing a treasure trove of ne...2024-03-1550 minBook GangThe Most Unique Only One Bed Moments in RomanceSUPPORT MY WORK through Patreon!Sarah Adler discusses writing her quirky debut novel Mrs. Nash's Ashes and her favorite memorable "only one bed" moments in romance.Sarah Adler didn’t know she was writing a romance book when she started her novel. She wasn’t even a romance reader. All of that changed, though, when she wrote Mrs. Nash’s Ashes, her debut romance novel. Today, Sarah Adler provides a behind-the-scenes look into her publishing journey, recounting the rollercoaster ride of rejections, what it is like to have a novel go to auction, and wha...2024-02-021h 01Book GangMatt Cain's Publishing Journey: The Secret Life of Albert EntwistleSUPPORT MY WORK through Patreon!Matt Cain discusses the challenging history in publishing for LGBTQ History Month. Discover the inspiration for his book, The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle.We are giving listeners a peek behind the paywall to share one of my favorite interviews of 2023 in honor of LGBTQ History Month. Join us as we delve into the captivating world of renowned author Matt Cain, as we celebrate his charming novel, The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle.Beyond discussing his book, Matt opens up about the immense publishing challenges he f...2023-10-131h 04Book GangBest Books of 2022 to Read NowSUPPORT MY WORK through Patreon! (download our top 25 lists AND unlock 189 bookish bonuses INSTANTLY)The BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR is here! We read a combined 481 books and tell you our top book recommendations from 2022! Larry Hoffer (@getbookedwithlarry) is back with his astounding stack! Cue the confetti! We share our favorite historical fiction, young adult, science fiction, literary and contemporary fiction, and ONE outstanding thriller that made the cut. Don't miss today's blog post with fifteen more of my favorites in today's show notes. If you are on the hunt for your next debut novel, th...2023-01-061h 08
Professional Book NerdsWinter Atmospheric Reads with Amy Clark from MomAdvice.comToday on the podcast, Joe talks with Amy Clark from MomAdvice.com. Amy shares about her career as a blogger, her book club, and her brand-new podcast- Book Gang. Then, Amy and Joe recommend some wintry titles to curl up with as the season gets a bit more biting.Books Mentioned in This Episode:Amy’s Titles:
The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven by Nathaniel Ian Miller
A Quiet Life by Ethan Joella
These Silent Woods by Kimi Cunningham Grant
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan
...2022-12-051h 01
Book GangCozy Summer ReadsThese page-turning cozy summer reads are just what you need for your beach bag. Try these summer books that embrace cozy love stories, small-town fun, and even light family drama. This is the episode you need for your beach bag! I know I am LIKELY not your go-to for COZY reading choices, so I thought I would bring on a guest who would be. When I read something that gives me warm fuzzies, you know it is a rare gem that deserves to be talked about. We have the stack for you if you l...2022-06-1635 min
Book GangBest Backlist Books You Missed (Part 1)No need to wait for the latest summer releases when you have this list of best backlist books to check out.My well-read co-host, Larry Hoffer, is back to talk about our favorite older books and why these should be in your stack this year too.Not familiar with the term backlist or frontlist books? The book industry groups published books into two types- frontlist (titles that have sold in the current year) and backlist (titles that are older than a year).We have resurrected some of our top recommendations in this two-part...2022-05-2055 min
Book GangImprove Your Reading Focus and MemoryDo you struggle with reading focus and retention? Paula Engebretson is a Certified Life Coach that specializes in helping adults with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) live their best life. Who better to lead us on reading strategies and reading comprehension than her?At 31 years old, Paula was diagnosed with ADHD and had to learn how to create systems and routines that made sense with how her brain works. We discuss the symptoms of adult ADHD and how to begin the process of diagnosis and treatment.Today’s goal is to give you real strategies fo...2022-05-1342 min
Book GangMust-Read Books from Asian American and Pacific Islander AuthorsMay is AAPI Heritage Month, and we want to celebrate these voices with a well-curated book stack. Kristin from Fables Books joins the show to talk about this month’s StoryGraph reading challenge and share some of their best picks for a memorable reading month.I also bring a great book club selection, an under-the-radar book gem that swept me away, and debuts that pulled me out of reading slumps. This episode has you covered whether you are looking for your next fantasy adventure, YA romance, or historical fiction escape.We want to remind our lis...2022-05-0640 min
Book GangReadable Award-Winning BooksAward-winners don’t always yield a can’t-put-down book pace even if they make the critic’s best books of the year list. This episode is here to deliver on fast-paced reads with big themes.Discover what makes a book qualify for these award categories (like the Alex Awards, Hugo Award, or Edgar Award) and get the book reviews you need to make the most notable award-winning choices for your reading life.Today’s stack offers the best in thrillers, science fiction, contemporary literature, and even suggestions you can enjoy with your young adult. So whether...2022-03-1837 min
Book GangStrong Book Opinions WantedLindsay (@theopinionatereader) may have been tasked with the most challenging podcast assignment yet, but it seemed fitting for a bookstagrammer that builds a brand on strong book opinions. So today we discuss three books she loved and three books she hated. Learn some of the best practices for sharing negative book reviews and what surprising author friendship blossomed from a positive book review. CONTENT WARNINGS FOR TODAY (with timestamps):Today's episode does have trigger warnings for the last portion of our show (in the negative review section). The negative reviews do have spoilers.4...2022-03-041h 00
Book GangBooks About BooksThis month, Kristin from Fables Books joins us to explore books about books through the brand new Fables Books Reading Challenge! We discuss our favorite books that embrace fictional bookstore settings and libraries. This episode has you covered whether you are looking for a love story or that perfect true crime nonfiction book escape with. This is the stack you need for your next book club night and can be a great bonding tool for ANYONE who simply loves books. If you love reading, these backlist forgotten books are perfect for fans of comforting reading escape. I d...2022-02-1137 min
Book GangSneak Peek FULLY BOOKEDThe new FULLY BOOKED show is just what your reading life needs. We are giving you a sneak peek into our new Patreon show with a brand new co-host! Get the scoop on all the latest releases, discover the latest in bookish entertainment news, and find out what books to anticipate in the weeks ahead. This episode will get you all caught up on all those new and shiny releases. Listen to this before your next library day!Looking for the printable newsletter version of today's show? You will find it here! Mentioned in this ep...2022-01-211h 07
Book GangBest Books of 2021 (Part 1)Please note: Apologies for the audio on this episode. I was experiencing some technical difficulties that I hope it will not take away from your listening experience today.It’s time for the best books of 2021, and who better to lead us through this year than MomAdvice Book Gang superstar Larry. Larry ranks 28th as a top reviewer for GoodReads and has read over 360 books (so far) this year. So we were each challenged to bring our top twenty best books of the year to the show today. There is a wide range of stories for...2021-12-311h 25
Book GangWhat It Takes To Be A Top Goodreads ReviewerGoodreads is the world's largest site for readers and many of us rely on it every day to make our own book choices. Have you ever wondered what it takes to be a top GoodReads reviewer on a platform with millions of members? Larry ranks 28th in the world on this platform and is giving us a peek into his daily reading life and how he shares books. Learn his preferred format to read a book, the process to rate and review books, how the GoodReads reviewer ranking works, his experience with review copies, and how he gained his...2021-11-1254 min
Book GangThe Great Book EscapeAre you looking for an escape from reality? We have you covered! In today's episode, Kristina Reid, shares a few of her favorite books that allowed her to escape real life and travel somewhere else through her book stack. You won't want to miss this fun break from IRL.Mentioned in this episode:Join the Patreon Community For the Bonus Content@reidingwithk on InstagramMomAdvice Book ClubEmpire of Storms by Sarah J MaasHow to Save a Life by Eva CarterGet a Life...2021-10-2248 min
Currently ReadingEpisode 14 - In Which Amy Allen Clark is a Guest Co-HostYou’ll hear a “bookish moment of the week” from each of us: a surprise book present, an accessory to make binge-reading the next big thing, and choosing books for a trip. Next, we tackle what we are currently reading, just two titles from each of the three of us because that still gives you a whole stack to check out. Our deep-dive this week delves deep into the ins and outs of running a book club. And this episode is for you whether you have a group of friends that meet at a coffee shop e...2018-11-2656 min