Well-read

It’s that time again…the books we’re looking forward to the most publishing September through February! Books and other media mentioned in this episode: Ann’s picks: Reykjavík by Ragnar Jónasson and Katrín Jakobsdottír (releases September 5) (buy from Bookshop) – Arnaldur Indriðason books – Parnassus Books – Ann Patchett books – Independent People by Halldór Laxness (buy from Bookshop) Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison (releases September 19) (buy from Bookshop) – Cackle by Rachel Harrison (buy from Bookshop) – The Return by Rachel Harrison (buy from Bookshop) Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America by Michael Harriot (releases September 19) (buy from Bookshop) – The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story by Nikole Hannah-Jones (buy from Bookshop) Last to Leave the Room by Caitlin Starling (releases October 10) (buy from Bookshop) – The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling (buy from Bookshop) Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree (releases November 7) (buy from Bookshop) – Legends & Lattes

You know the feeling…you finish a book you adored and instantly wish you could read it again for the first time. These are the books we wish we could experience again, and boy was it hard to pare them down!   Books and other media mentioned in this episode: The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (buy from Bookshop) Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (buy from Bookshop) Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason (buy from Bookshop) In the Woods by Tana French (buy from Bookshop) Tom Lake by Ann Patchett (buy from Bookshop) Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling Ann’s picks: The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton (buy from Bookshop) – Homecoming by Kate Morton (buy from Bookshop) Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley (buy from Bookshop) – The Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature – Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley (buy from Bookshop) –YALLfest Passing by Nella Larsen (buy from Bookshop) Halle’s picks: A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry (buy from Bookshop) – Op

Halle thought it wasn’t possible to love a Taylor Swift-themed episode any more, until her sister Heather joined in as a special guest! (Ann was there too, as a casual fan.) Listen in for book pairings for some of our favorite T.Swift songs, along with general Swifty gushing and the books we’re reading this week. Books and other media mentioned in this episode: Taylor Jenkins Reid books Red (Taylor Swift album) Fearless (Taylor Swift album) 1989 (Taylor Swift album) “Blank Space” Reputation (Taylor Swift album) “…Ready For It?” “The Man” Ann’s picks: An American Marriage by Tayari Jones (buy from Bookshop) and “exile (feat. Bon Iver)” – Justin Vernon/Bon Iver – “Death By a Thousand Cuts” Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano (buy from Bookshop) and “Bejeweled” – Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich Halle’s picks: The Idea of You by Robinne Lee (buy from Bookshop) and “Enchanted” and “Dress” Someday Maybe by Onyi Nwabineli (buy from Bookshop) and “Bigger Than the Whole Sky” – Midnights (Taylor Sw

It’s back…..our occasional episode where we pick books for each other from our massive “to be read” shelves! Listen to what we liked – and what we didn’t! – and find out what we’re reading this week. Books and other media mentioned in this episode: Ann’s picks: The Maid by Nita Prose (buy from Bookshop) – Good Morning America Book Club – The Maid (film) – Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman (buy from Bookshop) – Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus (buy from Bookshop) – Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (buy from Bookshop) – Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (buy from Bookshop) – Goodreads Choice Awards – Book of the Month Club – The Verifiers by Jane Pek (buy from Bookshop) The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden (buy from Bookshop) – The Winternight Trilogy by Katherine Arden Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid (buy from Bookshop) Halle’s picks: The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen (buy from Bookshop) – You’ve Got Mail (film) The Last Chanc

Our favorite episode of the year, full of our favorite books of the year. Happy New Year from your friends at Well-Read! Books and other media mentioned in this episode: Ann’s picks: The Ballad of Perilous Graves by Alex Jennings (buy from Bookshop) - N.K. Jemisen books - Marlon James books Babel, Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution by R.F. Kuang (buy from Bookshop) Book Lovers by Emily Henry (buy from Bookshop) The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill (buy from Bookshop) - Anthony Horowitz books Mika in Real Life by Emiko Jean (buy from Bookshop) Love in the Time of Serial Killers by Alicia Thompson (buy from Bookshop) Small Angels by Lauren Owen (buy from Bookshop) The It Girl by Ruth Ware (buy from Bookshop) - Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister (buy from Bookshop) The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood (buy from Bookshop) Deep Water by Patricia Highsmith (buy from Bookshop) Halle’s picks: Nora Goes Off Script by

Thanks to a listener request (hi Ann!), we’re discussing the difficulty of adapting a well-loved book, and what makes a good transition from page to screen. We’ll end with what we’re reading this week!   Books and other media mentioned in this episode: Persuasion by Jane Austen (buy from Bookshop) Persuasion (film) Dickinson (TV) Clueless (film) The Lord of the Rings series by J.R.R. Tolkein Lord of the Rings (films) Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty (buy from Bookshop) Big Little Lies (TV) Outlander (TV) Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon Sam Heughan filmography The Great American Read (TV) The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins The Hunger Games (film) Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer Twilight (film) Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (film) Divergent series by Veronica Roth Divergent (film) The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (film) Lorien Legacies series by Pittacus Lore I Am Number Four (film) Shadowhunters (TV

We’re finally back! After travel, work, and a wedding (!!!!), we have lots of books to fill you in on. As always, we’ll end with what we’re reading this week.   Books and other media mentioned in this episode: Bull Durham (film) Eurovision Song Contest RUSA Reading List New York Times Crossword Book Lovers by Emily Henry (buy from Bookshop) Pride & Prejudice (TV) Hallmark Channel The It Girl by Ruth Ware (buy from Bookshop) Halle’s Instagram @halle770 Vacationland by Meg Mitchell Moore (buy from Bookshop) Meg Mitchell Moore books Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid (buy from Bookshop) All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir (buy from Bookshop) Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (buy from Bookshop) Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman (buy from Bookshop) Chris Evans filmography Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus (buy from Bookshop) Julia (TV) Beasts of a Little Land by Juhea Kim (buy from Bookshop) The Good Wife of Bath by Karen Brooks (buy from Bookshop) The Canterbury Tales by Geoffre