As librarians, books are kind of our thing. Listen in as we talk about what we're reading, make book recommendations, and all sorts of book-related fun.
We’re making reading resolutions for 2025 and giving out our 2024 book superlatives!
Books and other media mentioned in this episode:
Women’s Prize for Fiction
The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
From the Front Porch (podcast)
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
Book of the Month Club
The Bookshop
Parnassus Books
Brandon Sanderson books
Jane Austen books
Libba Bray books
Colin Dexter books
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Emily Henry books
Ann Patchett books
Most Timely
Ann: Hum by Helen Phillips
– Annie Bot by Sierra Greer
Halle: Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books by Kristen Miller
– The Change by Kristen Miller
Most Disappointing
Ann: The Art of Catching Feelings by Alicia Thompson; The Women by Kristin Hannah
– Love in the Time of Serial Killers by Alicia Thompson
Halle: Bride by Ali Hazelwood; Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood; The Postcard by Anne Berest
– Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood
– In Memoriam by Alice Winn
Favorite Reread
Ann: None!
Halle: The Raven Cycle series by Maggie Stiefvater; Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas
Biggest Surprise
Ann: The Last Gifts of the Universe by Riley August; The Witchstone by Henry H. Neff
Halle: The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore by Laurie Gilmore
– Dream Harbor series by Laurie Gilmore
– Gilmore Girls (TV)
Least Favorite
Ann: The Sky on Fire by Jenn Lyons; In a Not So Perfect World by Neely Tubati Alexander
– The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava
Halle: Merry Ever After by Tessa Bailey
Book That Lived Up to the Hype:
Ann: The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley; The Great Divide by Cristina Henríquez
Halle: Intermezzo by Sally Rooney; James by Percival Everett
– Normal People (TV)
– Normal People by Sally Rooney
Best Distraction
Ann: What Happened to Nina? by Dervla McTiernan
Halle: Welcome to Glorious Tuga by Francesca Segal; Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas
The Book That Ended a Mini Reading Slump
Ann: Ghost Mother by Kelly Dwyer
Halle: The Do-Over by Lynn Painter
Most Unputdownable
Ann: What Happened to Nina? by Dervla McTiernan; We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer
Halle: When We Were Bright and Beautiful by Jillian Medoff; The Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewell
Better Late Than Never
Ann: Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
– Good Omens (TV)
– Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma by Claire Dederer
– The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
– Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Halle: Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
Book That Has Stayed With Me
Ann: The Tusks of Extinction by Ray Nayler
Halle: All Fours by Miranda July
Book That We Didn’t Think We’d Like, But Then We Did!
Ann: The Murder of Mr. Ma by John Shen Yen Nee and SJ Rozan
Halle: Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar
Author(s) we discovered in 2024 that we’re most excited to read more from in 2025
Ann: Kaliane Bradley; Kristen Perrin; Carmella Lowkis; Monika Kim; Cara Bastone
– Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
Halle: Cara Bastone; Kirsty Greenwood; Alice Wyn; Yulin Kuang; Holly Brickley; Olivia Muenter
– Abby Jimenez books
Hidden Gem:
Ann: Love and Hot Chicken by Mary Liza Hartong; Ready or Not by Cara Bastone; The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby by Ellery Lloyd
Halle: How to Read a Book by Monica Wood; Ana María and the Fox by Liana De la Rosa
– The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
Best Audiobook Experience of the Year:
Ann: Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
– Meryl Streep filmography
Halle: Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera
Our Favorite Non-Book Media Property of the Year
Ann: The Bear (TV); The Traitors (TV); Kyle Maclaughlin ads for Arby’s; Moo Deng; The Eras Tour
Halle: One Day (TV); Wicked (film); Nobody Wants This (TV); The Tortured Poets Department (album by Taylor Swift); BookTube; five-year journal
The Book We Recommended the Most This Year
Ann: Love and Hot Chicken by Mary Liza Hartong; The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
Halle: The Wedding People by Alison Espach; Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe
What We’re Reading This Week:
Ann: After Annie by Anna Quindlen
Halle: The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See
– Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See
– The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
Well-Read on Facebook
Well-Read on Bookshop
Well-Read on Instagram
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Our Favorite Books of 2024
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Books about Found Families
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52:04
Episode 145 - Psychological Suspense Authors We'd Like to See More From
Psychological suspense continues to be one of the most popular subgenres, but it can sometimes be hard to find the best. This week, we’re covering the authors we’d like to see become household names.
Books and other media mentioned in this episode:
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Sarah J. Maas books
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff
Ruth Ware books
Mary Kubica books
Ann’s picks:
Good Girls Don’t Die by Christina Henry
– Near the Bone by Christina Henry
– Horseman by Christina Henry
Arrowood by Laura McHugh
– Safe and Sound by Laura McHugh
– The Weight of Blood by Laura McHugh
What Lies in the Woods by Kate Alice Marshall
– No One Can Know by Kate Alice Marshall
Halle’s picks:
Kala by Colin Walsh
– Tana French books
– Jane Harper books
The Quiet Tennant by Clémence Michallon
– Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll
– Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra
More Than You’ll Ever Know by Katie Gutierrez
– The Push by Ashley Audrain
– The Whispers by Ashley Audrain
What We’re Reading This Week:
Ann: The Puzzle Box by Danielle Trussoni
– The Puzzle Master by Danielle Trussoni
– Rain Man (film)
– Sherlock (TV)
– The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
Halle: Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner
– 2024 National Book Awards Longlist for Fiction
– Booker Prize 2024 shortlist
– Ann Patchett books
– Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
Well-Read on Facebook
Well-Read on Twitter
Well-Read on Instagram
Well-Read on Bookshop
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49:40
Episode 144 - Fall 2024 Book Preview
It’s that time again…the books we’re looking forward to reading this fall!
Books and other media mentioned in this episode:
Ann’s picks:
Death at the Sign of the Rook by Kate Atkinson (releases September 3)
– Jackson Brodie series by Kate Atkinson
Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune (releases September 10)
The Midnight Club by Margot Harrison (releases September 24)
Tiny Threads by Lilliam Rivera (releases September 24)
– The Devil Wears Prada (film)
Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten (releases October 1)
– Ina Garten books
– Barefoot Contessa (TV)
– @storeboughtisfine (Instagram)
A Dark and Secret Magic by Wallis Kinney (releases October 8)
Hate Follow by Erin Quinn-Kong (releases October 8)
– Such a Bad Influence by Olivia Muenter
The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong (November 5)
– Travis Baldree books
Halle’s picks:
Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty (releases September 10)
– The Measure by Nikki Erlick
The Night We Lost Him by Laura Dave (releases September 17)
– The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
– The Last Thing He Told Me (TV)
– Reese’s Book Club
– Laura Dave books
Entitlement by Rumaan Alam (releases September 17)
Intermezzo by Sally Rooney (releases September 24)
– Normal People by Sally Rooney
– Normal People (TV)
– Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney
Heir by Sabaa Tahir (releases October 1)
– All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir
– National Book Award for Young People
– Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature
– Ember in the Ashes series by Sabaa Tahir
– The Raven Cycle series by Maggie Stiefvater
Fang Fiction by Kate Stayman-London (releases October 1)
– One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London
– A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston
– BuzzFeed: “This Quiz Will Determine Whether You’re More Demure Fall or Brat Summer”
– Twilight (film)
Best Hex Ever by Nadia El-Fassi (releases October 1)
Rental House by Weike Wang (releases December 3)
– Chemistry by Weike Wang
What We’re Reading This Week:
Ann: Ready or Not by Cara Bastone
– Emily Henry books
Halle: So Thirsty by Rachel Harrison
Well-Read on Facebook
Well-Read on Twitter
Well-Read on Instagram
Well-Read on Bookshop
As librarians, books are kind of our thing. Listen in as we talk about what we're reading, make book recommendations, and all sorts of book-related fun.
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