Books with Brookes

Chase Smith, Founder/CEO of Press Play Podcasts, offers a final message to the P3 family.

Beth joins us to discuss our spookiest read of the year in honor of Halloween: Pet  Sematary. This classic horror story contained a lot of classic Stephen King tropes as well as some new, surprising ones.  This episode is presented by Uproar Coaching: productivity without punishment.  Get 10% off with promo code P3. Visit:  https://www.uproarcoaching.com/busy-bitch-productivity-program For sponsor...

Chelsea joins to discuss our September read, The One, which has a fantastic premise: billion-dollar tech company, Match Your DNA, will find your genetic soulmate for the low-low cost of $10. What does this mean for the future of marriage, relationships and society? This episode is presented by Uproar Coaching: productivity without punishment.  Get 10% off with promo code P3. Visit:  https://www.up...

A few members of the book club join to discuss individual stories in Ted Chiang’s latest short story compilation, Exhalation. These mind-bending stories have us contemplating all of life’s biggest questions like do we have free will? What constitutes being “alive?” What is the purpose of life? And so much more. This episode is presented by Uproar Coaching: productivity without punishment.  Get 10%...

Beth joins Brookes for a lively discussion on morality, integrity and true love after r eading 28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand. Hilderbrand is the queen of summer romance and she delivers with this romp of a tale. For sponsorship plans and more information, please email: admin@pressplaypodcasts.com | www.pressplaypodcasts.com

Nick joins Brookes for a discussion of this murder mystery set in Scotland  called Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney. We can’t keep up with all the twists in this one! For sponsorship plans and more information, please email: admin@pressplaypodcasts.com | www.pressplaypodcasts.com

Carrie, a new mom herself, joins Brookes for this month’s discussion bringing a unique perspective to this memoir about a “reluctant” parent. They talk poetry, finding that elusive work-life balance, and how really, everyone just wants to be a baby again.  For sponsorship plans and more information, please email: admin@pressplaypodcasts.com | www.pressplaypodcasts.com

In another special LIVE book club episode, seven Books with Brookes members join to discuss The Rose Code by Kate Quinn. This WWII historical fiction follows the friendships and dramas of three female code-breakers at the infamous Bletchley Park. This book was a hit! Books with Brookes is produced by Mo Barrow with theme music by Jonathan Allen. For sponsorship plans and more information, please e...

In this very special LIVE book club episode, five Books with Brookes members join to discuss We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker. This dense, genre-bending Western/thriller/murder mystery/family drama came with rave reviews. The book club found much to discuss! Books with Brookes is produced by Mo Barrow with theme music by Jonathan Allen. For sponsorship plans and more information, please email...

  The book club discusses the February book, Seven Days in June by Tia Williams. When bestselling erotica novelist, Eva Mercy, reconnects with Pulitzer-winning author Shane Hall, sparks fly beyond the page. This romance for February was just what the book club wanted!  Books with Brookes is produced by Mo Barrow with theme music by Jonathan Allen. For sponsorship plans and more information, please...

  The book club discusses the January book, Laziness Does Not Exist by Devon Price, Ph. D. From the Puritanical origins on the morality of hard work all the way to today’s modern, work-from-home society, this book examines what “laziness” means. A thought-provoking discussion of how hard we often are on ourselves and on each other.    Books with Brookes is produced by Mo Barrow with theme music by...

From authors like the mystery powerhouse, Agatha Christie to the modern bestseller, Kristin Hannah, our book club members share the titles of their very favorite books from the past year. Listen in for recommendations to add to your list in 2022! Books with Brookes is produced by Mo Barrow with theme music by Jonathan Allen. For sponsorship plans and more information, please email: admin@pressplay...

Brookes goes solo on this short episode while everyone is on holiday vacation to discuss the December 2021 book club book, Hercule Poirot’s Christmas by Agatha Christie. The 19th book in the Hercule Poirot series, this Christmas crime drama stars the Lee family and their many secrets and insecurities. The ultimate holiday whodunnit!  Books with Brookes is produced by Mo Barrow with theme music by...

Brookes interviews Ruth Lichtman, an accomplished audiobook director at Penguin Random House Audio who has worked with top talent like Nick Offerman and Phoebe Robinson. Learn more about Ruth on her website: https://www.rflichtman.com/audio Books with Brookes is produced by Mo Barrow with theme music by Jonathan  Allen.  For sponsorship plans and more information, please email: admin@pressplaypodc...

A magnificent generational saga that charts a family’s rise and fall,” Greenwood by Michael Christie is a 500+ page examination of the choices we are forced to make for, by and alongside family. This is an extremely epic book with dystopian, post-apocalyptic vibes mixed with Forrest Gump-esque historical timelines. Carrie, who suggested this book, joins the podcast to discuss.  Books with Brookes...

A fun interview with Bob May (that’s right - Brookes’s dad!) author of The Blue Lady, a hot, humid tale of three brief days in 1959. For more information or to order a copy of The Blue Lady, visit: https://bobmayauthor.com/ Books with Brookes is produced by Mo Barrow with theme music by Jonathan  Allen.  For sponsorship plans and more information, please email: admin@pressplaypodcasts.com www.pres...

One of the most iconic ghost-stories of all time: The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson was published in 1959 and has set the tone for every spooky story to follow. Beth joins the podcast to discuss this iconic haunted horror story.  Books with Brookes is produced by Mo Barrow with theme music by Jonathan  Allen.  For sponsorship plans and more information, please email: admin@pressplaypod...

Happy Season Three of Books with Brookes! To kick off the new season, several members of the Books with Brookes book club join to discuss iconic books that became movies and debate which one is better; the book or the movie? Duos include: The Shining, The Hunger Games and Jurassic Park. For sponsorship plans and more information, please email: admin@pressplaypodcasts.com | www.pressplaypodcasts.co...

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig is an imaginative story about regret and possibility. Meaghan joins the podcast for the first time to discuss this emotional read that has us wondering about what could have been if we’d made different choices. If you are in suicidal crisis or emotional distress, use the contact info below to get help. United States: Contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifelin...

Tracey Lange, the author of our August 2021 Books with Brookes pick, We Are the Brennans, joins the podcast! We talk about her incredible first-time publishing experience with Celadon Books and ask a bunch of questions about her incredible novel, which received thumbs up all around from book club members in August.  Books with Brookes is part of the Press Play Podcast Network. The show is produced...

We Are the Brennans by Tracey Lange is all about family so, appropriately,  Brookes’s MOM joins the podcast to discuss! This brand new release from Celadon was a Book of the Month debut pick for July and has been receiving extremely positive reviews worldwide. Look out for an interview with the author in a separate episode in September. Read along and listen in!  Books with Brookes is part of the...

Where the Crawdads sing is an epically popular, beloved modern novel. The Books with Brookes book club read it in 2019 and you can hear our episode on it in Episode 3.  However, it’s come to light fairly recently that Delia Owens - and her husband Mark Owens - have a dark and dangerous past, the influence of which can be felt and read in her New York Times bestseller.   As it turns out, Mark and D...

Carrie joins Brookes for a chat on July’s book, Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid. This 2019 New York Times Bestseller and previous Reese’s Book Club pick is packed with racial tensions, relationship drama, and modern problems caused by technology and the internet.  For sponsorship plans and more information, please email: a dmin@pressplaypodcasts.com | www.pressplaypodcasts.com

Carrie and Nick join Brookes virtually for a monthly book talk on the legal thriller that established the genre and launched the career of a legend: The Firm by John Grisham. For sponsorship plans and more information, please email: admin@pressplaypodcasts.com | www.pressplaypodcasts.com

Due to a thunderstorm in Chicago, the Books with Brookes book club gathers  partially in person and partially on Zoom for this special LIVE episode discussion  of our June 2021 book, A Stranger on the Beach by Michele Campbell.  For sponsorship plans and more information, please email: admin@pressplaypodcasts.com | www.pressplaypodcasts.com