FVRL ReadRadio Podcast

In today’s podcast, Sally shares the graphic novel The Dark Times by Tim Probert. This dark fantasy is the third installment in the Lightfall series. It features a unique art style and is a great read for kids in Grades 5 and up. While the rest of their fellowship seeks safety, Bea and Cad team up with a small group of survivors to travel to the Citadel of Knowledge, pursuing answers to their worl...

Welcome to December! As we approach the holiday season, Reading Adviser Sally (our resident horror expert) wants to revive the Victorian tradition of sharing spooky stories around the Christmas season. In today's podcast, she offers a few of her favourite "holiday horrors": The Christmas Murder Game by Alexandra Benedict https://fvrl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S21C1880171 The Twelve Deaths of Chr...

In today’s Kids’ ReadRadio podcast, Sally shares a daring superhero adventure story: Kitty and the Moonlight Rescue by Paula Harrison. It’s a great read for kids who are starting out with chapter books and still enjoy some pictures and shorter chapters. Kitty wants to be a superhero like her mother, once she gets over her fear of the dark. But when Figaro the cat needs help, she springs into actio...

In today’s podcast, Dave shares two fascinating novels written by independent musicians: Nobody’s Empire by Stuart Murdoch and Devil House by John Danielle. Nobody’s Empire by Stuart Murdoch follows Stephen, a young Glaswegian diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, as he navigates isolation, creative awakening and spiritual longing. Feeling trapped by illness, he forms bonds with fellow sufferer...

In this week’s Kids’ ReadRadio podcast, Sally shares the 5 Worlds Series. These graphic novels are filled with colourful drawings and fun characters set in a magical galaxy unlike our own. This series is ideal for middle school students or older. The first book in the series is 5 Worlds: The Sand Warrior. The Five Worlds are on the brink of extinction unless five ancient and mysterious beacons are...

Today, Larissa shares her thoughts on Cormac McCarthy’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Road. The Road follows a father and son journeying through a bleak, post-apocalyptic landscape, struggling to survive as they head toward the coast. With few supplies and constant danger from other survivors, their bond becomes their only source of hope. The novel is a stark meditation on love, endurance and w...

It’s Climate Action Week (November 1 to 7, 2025), and FVRL is joining libraries across Canada to focus on climate change-related challenges. In this special climate action podcast, Corinne and Andrea share the books of climate fiction author Charlotte McConaghy: Migrations, Once There Were Wolves, and Wild Dark Shore. Find books by Charlotte McConaghy in the FVRL collection: https://fvrl.bibliocom...

In this episode of Kids' ReadRadio, Hoda makes the BIG announcement you’ve all been waiting for: the 2025–2026 Reading Link Challenge book list! She introduces listeners to the main characters of each book and the stories you’re about to fall in love with. Ready, set, read! The books are: 1. The Ice Chips and the Magical Rink by Roy MacGregor 2. Just Harriet by Elana K. Arnold 3. Stella Díaz Has S...

Book or movie? Fans of Colleen Hoover’s It Ends With Us have strong opinions on which version they like more. Today, FVRL Reading Adviser Margarita offers her hot take on the issue! It Ends With Us follows Lily Bloom, who falls for the charismatic Ryle Kincaid but soon discovers a darker side to their relationship. When her first love, Atlas Corrigan, reappears, Lily must confront painful memories...

In today’s podcast, Reading Adviser Sally shares a fantastic first chapter book: Sarah Ponakey, Storycatcher and Âhâsiw's Forest Powwow by Sita MacMillan. It’s perfect for kids in Grades 2 and up – especially if you’re just starting to read chapter books but still enjoy a few pictures. When Sarah moves to the city, she feels lost and far from home — until a dream about a magical forest powwow help...

In today’s podcast, Larissa shares The Lotus Shoes, a book of historical fiction by author Jane Yang. The novel explores the lives of two girls from significantly different social backgrounds in 18th-century China. As a child, Little Flower is sold to Linjing's wealthy family to become a muizai. In a fit of childish jealousy over her new handmaiden's ladylike bound feet and talent for embroidery,...

In this special episode of FVRL ReadRadio, we're joined by R.S. Twells, the award-winning author of The Bennet Saga. This series has captivated YA readers since the release of her first novel, The Field Agent, in 2021. The series currently includes three books, with a fourth set for release in spring 2026. In this interview with FVRL Events Specialist Deanna, Twells discusses her journey toward pu...

Today, Reading Adviser Sally shares a great mystery book for kids in Grades 4 and up. The Case of the Pilfered Pin is part of Michael Hutchinson’s Mighty Muskrat series. This story is full of suspense, adventure and teamwork. The Windy Lake First Nation's lands have been shared with cottagers for 50 years, but no one can agree on where the reserve land ends. When the Mighty Muskrats hear that the...

In the second of this two-part podcast, the FVRL Reading Advisers explore more not-so-cosy cosy mysteries: Pies Before Guys Mystery series by Misha Popp https://fvrl.bibliocommons.com/v2/search?query=Pies%20before%20guys%20mystery&searchType=series She Doesn’t Have a Clue by Jenny Elder Moke https://fvrl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S21C1950573

In the first of a two-part podcast, the FVRL Reading Advisers explore some mystery series that offer a bit more diversity, character development and real-life challenge than your typical cosy mystery: The Veronica Speedwell series by Deanna Raybourn https://fvrl.bibliocommons.com/v2/search?query=Veronica%20Speedwell&searchType=series&sort=series Tita Rosie’s Kitchen by Mia P. Manansala https://fvr...

In today’s podcast, FVRL Reading Adviser Margarita dives into the TV show 1923, the gripping prequel to the popular Yellowstone series – a show that redefines the western genre for a modern audience. Set in the volatile years after World War I, 1923 follows the Dutton family as they struggle to maintain their Montana ranch against forces beyond their control. Find 1923: A Yellowstone Origin Story,...

Today, Laurel shares Wooing the Witch Queen by Stephanie Burgis. If you enjoy fantasy, romance and strong female characters, you'll like this book. Queen Saskia is the wicked sorceress everyone fears. After successfully wrestling the throne from her evil uncle, she only wants one thing: to keep her people safe from the empire next door. For that, she needs to spend more time in her laboratory expe...

In today's podcast, Mieke shares two novels of historical fiction by Dutch-Canadian author Ellen Keith: The Dutch Wife and The Dutch Orphan. Both novels take place during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. The Dutch Wife Amsterdam, May 1943. As the tulips bloom and the Nazis tighten their grip across the city, the last signs of Dutch resistance are being swept away. Marijke de Graaf and her h...

Today, Sally shares a novel that she’s dying to talk about: Run by Blake Crouch — a gripping apocalyptic thriller about a man and his family running for their lives in an America gone mad. From the publisher: "No time to think. No time to ask why. Only time to run. Five days ago, the epidemic of rage began. Four days ago, the rash of senseless murders swept the nation. Three days ago, the presiden...

Today, Laurel tells us about the historical fantasy novel What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez. Set in 1884, 19-year-old Inez travels to Egypt after the sudden death of her parents to uncover the truth about their deaths. As she attempts to unravel the mysteries her parents sought, she becomes a pawn in a larger game that threatens to kill her. Find this title in the FVRL collection: https://fvrl...

In this week’s podcast, Taylor shares one of her favourite books: Eliot Schrefer’s The Darkness Outside Us. Taylor recommends this YA sci-fi epic for its queer enemies-to-lovers romance, existential dread and pulse-pounding plot twists. “Earth's population is divided between only two existing countries, which cannot manage to cooperate in any way, until a distress signal arrives from Titan's first...

In today’s podcast, Sally shares a strange, unsettling story by Argentinian writer Agustina Maria Bazterrica. Tender Is the Flesh is a dystopian novel set in a society where a virus has made animal meat poisonous, leading to the legalization of human consumption. The story follows Marcos, a worker in a human processing plant, as he grapples with the moral and emotional implications of his job, esp...

Did you hear the joke about the little mountain? It’s HILL-arious! If you like jokes, Sally has three books for you that are packed with awesome, funny puns: Wee Hee Hee: A Collection of Pretty Funny Jokes and Pictures https://fvrl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S21C1924117 Max Meow series by John Gallagher https://fvrl.bibliocommons.com/v2/search?query=Max%20Meow&searchType=series The Bunnicula Coll...

In today’s podcast, we explore an insightful non-fiction title by author Jessica Baum. Anxiously Attached: Becoming More Secure in Life and Love is a “road map for building strong and secure relationships for those who struggle with anxiety in their romantic connections.” Find this title in the FVRL collection: https://fvrl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S21C1869469

In today’s podcast, Linda shares some modern takes on Jane Austen’s beloved novels. These retellings are fun, diverse and offer new perspectives on her timeless works: Good Fortune by C.K. Chau https://fvrl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S21C1890506 Incense and Sensibility by Sonali Dev https://fvrl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S21C1845807 Once Persuaded, Twice Shy by Melodie Edwards https://fvrl.bibl...