Book Gang

Author Elizabeth DeLozier joins us to discuss Eleanore of Avignon, our January Book Club pick, and her bold debut, shaped by plague, medicine, and female power. In this free conversation, Elizabeth DeLozier takes us behind the scenes of Eleanore of Avignon —a richly researched historical novel set during the Black Death, written during the modern pandemic that reshaped how many of us think about i...

We read a total of 443 books and are excited to share twenty-five of our favorite titles from our 2025 reading list. Explore these new releases alongside our favorite backlist books for your best reading year yet. We read a total of 443 books and are excited to share twenty-five of our favorite titles from our 2025 reading list. Explore these new releases alongside our favorite backlist books for...

Head to the Arctic with Nathaniel Ian Miller and discover the true story that inspired his debut, The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven, for our final episode of 2025. For our final episode of 2025, we’re bringing forward a beloved conversation from the Book Gang archives with debut novelist Nathaniel Ian Miller, discussing his magical winter read, The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven , and the enduring pull of...

Get ahead of 2026’s biggest releases this year. We highlight ten must-read backlist books from authors with upcoming titles, so you have your best library day. What could be better than a discussion on 2026’s biggest releases? We wanted to do something fun (and genuinely helpful) to help you plan next year's TBR. Today, Jessica Bearak is back, and she’s bringing her idea to pair readers with books...

Join the 2026 MomAdvice Book Club to explore 12 handpicked novels, enjoy lively author chats, and celebrate a year of stories that inspire and delight. Get ready to kick off another unforgettable reading year with the 2026 MomAdvice Book Club. In this episode, I’m unveiling my twelve handpicked selections—an extraordinary lineup of novels that challenge perspective and remind us what it means to l...

Marisa Kashino turns being new to publishing into a superpower, revealing her surprising journey from first draft to the darkly funny thriller, Best Offer Wins. Being brand-new to publishing turned out to be this author's secret weapon in landing her book deal. This week on Book Gang , we’re stepping into the ruthless, dream-chasing world of real estate with Marisa Kashino, journalist and author o...

Discover the writing hack that Emma Pattee uncovered with a creativity coach, which helped her debut novel, Tilt, transition from her Google Drive to publication. Emma Pattee, climate journalist and fiction writer, joins the Book Gang podcast to discuss her heartpounding debut novel, Tilt . In Tilt , we follow a pregnant woman through a single, intense day as an earthquake hits Portland, where Pat...

Discover Pagebound, the social reading app by Lucy Zhao & Jennifer Dobak. Learn how to gamify your reading life from quests to forums in today's beginner chat. Ever wish Goodreads had a heart or deeply desired a buddy read for every book in your book stack? It exists. This week, we're stepping inside Pagebound, the new social reading app built by readers for readers, with co-founders Lucy Zhao and...

Take a crash course in Gothic fiction with Junie author Erin Crosby Eckstine as we trace the genre's origins, evolution, and enduring allure. Erin returns to Book Gang to share what surprised her most about debut life and what she's learned about balancing writing, book promotion, and an ever-growing TikTok community. Then, we dive deep into the eerie, elegant world of Gothic literature — where de...

Go behind the scenes with Bindery Books to discover their innovative publishing process, where tastemakers reshape how diverse books are made and sold. In this week's episode, we sit down with Matt Kaye, cofounder and CEO of Bindery Books, to explore how his multifaceted career—from traditional publishing to Amazon to Patreon—shaped a bold new model for the book world. Matt shares how the company...

Debut novelist Olivia Muenter joins Book Gang to discuss her hit debut, Such a Bad Influence, and the dark side of online fame in her real and imagined worlds. What happens when your child becomes famous? In Such a Bad Influence , Olivia Muenter pulls back the curtain on the innocent early days of a fictional family's online moment that went viral, to later reveal the insidious nature of the influ...

Author Ashley Jordan joins Book Gang to share her LitUp Fellowship journey to launch her debut, Once Upon a Time in Dollywood, and how fanfiction paved her path. Ashley Jordan, a Reese's Book Club LitUp Fellow, joins us this week to share the story behind her sparkling debut Once Upon a Time in Dollywood —a romance that pairs laugh-out-loud humor with deeply emotional storytelling. In this light c...

Author Meagan Church unpacks the hidden lives of women in her chilling novel, The Mad Wife, as we explore the history of hysteria in women's health diagnoses. If you loved Meagan Church’s historical fiction, you’ll be captivated by the bold turn she takes in The Mad Wife , her third novel. Rooted in the untold medical stories of women’s lives, this book lulls readers into the familiar rhythms of m...

Curious about indie publishing? Physician Paria Hassouri shares her debut journey to publish Harvesting Rosewater, centering a woman's midlife awakening. If you’ve ever been interested in the independent publishing process, you’re not alone. Today’s revealing conversation with Paria Hassouri, a pediatrician, whose debut, Harvesting Rosewater , recently hit bookstores, takes readers inside her rema...

In Anyone's Ghost, August Thompson captures the ache of growing up while growing as a writer after his hard-won pursuit of the MFA program at NYU. How do you write a coming-of-age story that's both deeply vulnerable and slyly funny, all while resisting clichés about queerness and masculinity? August Thompson joins me to talk about his debut novel, Anyone's Ghost , a Lambda finalist and one of my f...

In The Sideways Life of Denny Voss , Holly Kennedy brings humor & heart to a neurodivergent hero, sharing how Lake Union Publishing shaped her journey. What happens when good intentions collide with messy realities? In The Sideways Life of Denny Voss, Holly Kennedy introduces us to Denny, an unforgettable, neurodivergent character whose big heart and distinct voice make him a narrator you'll want...

In her dazzling debut novel Aftertaste, Daria Lavelle takes us on a sensory journey where food, grief, & romance intertwine in this inventive ghost story.  What if you could taste the ghosts of the people you've lost? In this intimate conversation, Daria shares how her Ukrainian heritage, her childhood food memories, and her love of genre-bending storytelling all shaped one of the most unique nove...

TikTok creator and pop-cultural sleuth Josh Lora (TellTheBeees) helps us build the ultimate Airport Novels book list to carry you through your next flight. What makes a perfect book to snag in the airport bookstore? In this fun episode, TikTok creator and pop-cultural sleuth Josh Lora (TellTheBeees) helps us create the perfect book list to get you through delayed flights, endless terminals, and je...

Join Cindy from Thoughts from a Page as we explore unforgettable books featuring older characters. These are her top five picks that deserve space on your TBR. The  All‑Star Book Influencer Series  is back, and I can't wait to introduce you to more incredible voices in the literary community. Our guests include podcasters, bookstagrammers, and BookTubers who bring fresh passion and unique perspect...

There is nothing more transformative than midlife stories, and Renee from It's Book Talk & More joins me to explore the books that reshape how we see this stage. The  All‑Star Book Influencer Series  is back, and I can't wait to introduce you to more incredible voices in the literary community. Our guests include podcasters, bookstagrammers, and BookTubers who bring fresh passion and unique perspe...

Dive into a stack of mind‑bending thrillers with Kate from Bookwild. Discover her top 5 speculative fiction picks in today's All-Star Book Influencer series. The All‑Star Book Influencer Series is back, and I can't wait to introduce you to more incredible voices in the literary community. Our guests include podcasters, bookstagrammers, and BookTubers who bring fresh passion and unique perspectives...

Journalist Honor Jones discusses her debut novel, Sleep, which explores the #MeToo movement from childhood to the newsroom through a unique fictional lens. Honor Jones's debut novel, Sleep , opens in the heat of a seemingly idyllic summer childhood, where ten-year-old Margaret navigates unspoken secrets within her home. But as the years unfold, the story quietly traces how early moments of confusi...

Holy plot twist! Loretta Rothschild shares her writing process for her buzzy debut, Finding Grace, where the opening sequence stuns in this spoiler-free chat. In today's Book Gang episode, debut author Loretta Rothschild discusses Finding Grace , a domestic drama that cracks wide open into something far more unexpected. This powerful novel explores fertility, family bonds, and the long echo of gri...

Lidija Hilje shares how her debut novel, Slanting Towards the Sea, and her own journey is shaped by second chances and the courage it required to begin again. Lidija Hilje brings a rare and powerful perspective to her fiction. After a decade working in Croatian courts, she left the legal field to write in English as her second language and to coach other writers through their own stories. We discu...

Zoe Wallbrook shares how her debut mystery, History Lessons, blends academia, amateur sleuthing, and suspense in this clever, twisty campus mystery with heart. In today's special July 4th Book Gang episode, author Zoe B. Wallbrook joins me for a smart and surprising conversation about her dazzling debut, History Lessons . This mystery novel brings the classroom to the crime scene. When a brilliant...