Bookmergency

This week on Bookmergency: Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo We have BEEN waiting for this one. Getting to finally dive into a Leigh Bardugo book on the pod felt like a full-circle moment and wow, did this one give us a lot to talk about! This is a darker, grittier story, following Alex Stern as she navigates Yale’s secret societies, magic rooted in power and privilege, and a mystery that exposes just...

This week on Bookmergency: A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna! This book? A warm hug… that somehow made us laugh, spiral, and get a little emotional on mic (yes, Bela got chocked up and we're here for it). We follow Sera Swan as she navigates losing her magic, rebuilding her sense of self, and running the chaotic, cozy Batty Hole Inn, a place full of magical mishaps, found...

This week on Bookmergency: The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty! Retired pirate. One last job. What could possibly go wrong? (Answer: everything. Gloriously.) In this episode, we dive into the swashbuckling, magical chaos of Amina al-Sirafi, legendary pirate captain, slightly reluctant hero, and iconic over 30 FMC who's a mom who just wants a quiet life but absolutely canno...

This week on Bookmergency: A Sky Beyond the Storm by Sabaa Tahir 🔥 It’s the final book in the Ember quartet and yes… we cried.. multiple times (maybe even once while recording?). This finale delivers everything: impossible choices, devastating sacrifices, earned hope, and the kind of emotional payoff that reminds us why we fell in love with this series in the first place. We gush (one last time…...

If you thought A Torch Against the Night hurt, A Reaper at the Gates said “hold my armlet!” We truly don’t know if there has ever been this much chaos packed into one book. Sabaa Tahir chose violence. Repeatedly. In this episode, we follow Laia of Serra as she steps fully into leadership (lioness blood activated), freeing Scholars, confronting kings, traveling alone into literal nightmare territor...

We love A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir so much that we recorded this episode twice (just kidding, tech difficulties are the worst, but honestly? Talking about this series again was not a hardship). Taking everything that made An Ember in the Ashes unforgettable and raising the emotional stakes, Torch delivers more romance, more mystery, and betrayals so brutal they feel personal (from th...

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir isn’t just a fantasy novel, it’s one of Leah and Bela’s all-time favorite series, and the book that made Leah fall back in love with fantasy. In this episode of Bookmergency , we celebrate a story that delivers breathtaking prose, unforgettable characters, and a brutal, immersive world inspired by South Asian, Middle Eastern, and North African mythology. If you...

It's a wrap for Bookmergency 2025! We had lots of fun looking back to our first year of the Bookmergency podcast. We discussed all the surprises, and challenges of 2025 and hopes and dreams we have for our second year. It was a blast reflecting on how the podcast has changed since January and all the cool episodes we got to do. We had Maddie Burg and Danielle Sabrena Ellis as guests, and we go...

Today's episode is extra special, we got to hang out with one of a kind Ayana Gray, New York Times Bestselling Author of the Beasts of Prey trilogy and I, Medusa! We have covered ALL of Ayana's books on the podcast so far, and we were trying really hard not to fangirl too much (especially Bela, oh my). Ayana shared book recommendations, highlights of her career so far, and her writing proc...

In this week’s episode of Bookmergency , we’re talking all about I, Medusa by Ayana Gray narrated by the talented Tyla Collier and A'rese Emokpae. This book is a bold and beautifully retelling of one of the most iconic figures in Greek mythology: Medusa! Centered on Meddy’s voice, this story blends ancient history, greek mythology, sisterhood, power, and the weight of living in a world shaped...

No expectations… and somehow still disappointed? 😅 In this episode, Leah and Bela dive into The Primal of Blood and Bone by Jennifer L. Armentrout, narrated by Stina Neilson, Tim Campbell, and Dane Williams. We break down the sprawling world of Primals, Fates, and ancient gods, unpack all the wild identity reveals, and wrestle with some of the choices made in this book. It’s not our favorite in t...

It's finally time to talk about the book that had us in knots in anticipation: Mate by Ali Hazelwood! And the wait was SO worth it! Ali Hazelwood delivered more paranormal romance, political intrigue, and banter banter banter. We had a great time recording, even had a little friendship check in of our own inspired in Misery and Serena, and of course we had a great time suggesting next possible...

This week, we’re completely captivated by Our Vicious Oaths by N.E. Davenport, a fierce, romantic fantasy pulsing with power, politics, and passion. We unpack what makes this story impossible to put down: a heroine who refuses to yield, a rival who’s just as dangerous as he is magnetic, and a world that keeps raising the stakes. We also talk about the powerhouse narration by Jeanette Illidge and M...

We’re back with in the This Woven Kingdom universe, talking about Every Spiral of Fate, the fourth book in this awesome series by Tahereh Mafi and narrated by Kate Reading. Tahereh delivered a Spiral alright, we were tripping hard over this book and we don't know what to do with ourselves while we wait for the next one . Book 4 was full of yearning, frustration, and some answers we were dying...

This week we talked with someone who is usually the one asking questions in panels: Christine Bollow, co-owner and Director of Programs at Loyalty Bookstore located at Petworth DC and at the DC Pop Up at Walter Reed. Christine is an all around book champion and it was our pleasure to get to know more about all the ways she's speaking up and speaking out against the issues in the bookselling wo...

Are you obsessed with Cemetery Boys ? If not, go read it and join our club! In this episode of Bookmergency , Bela and Leah are joined by our returning guest Maddie Burg to gush over Aiden Thomas ’s unforgettable debut Cemetery Boys , brought to life in audiobook form by the incredible Avi Roque . We dive into the tender romance, the power of found family, and the very real struggles this story re...

This week on Bookmergency we were joined by the one and only Nia Davenport, author of The Blood Trials duology , Out of Body , the newly released Love Spells Trouble and the amazing romantasy Our Vicious Oaths coming out on October 28. We had a blast talking about Nia's writing process, ideas for future projects, book recommendations, and we discussed the way she weaves so many themes of our real...

What happens when a vampire walks down the aisle to marry a werewolf? In this week’s episode, we’re talking all about Bride by Ali Hazelwood —a paranormal romance full of sharp banter, sizzling chemistry, and bigger-than-life themes of love, identity, and belonging. We also chat about Ali’s writing journey (from fanfic roots to bestselling powerhouse), and spotlight the incredible audiobook perfor...

This week on Bookmergency we’re talking with the multi-talented Daniel Henning ! 🎙️ Daniel is a New York Times bestselling audiobook narrator best known for bringing TJ Klune’s The House in the Cerulean Sea and Somewhere Beyond the Sea to magical, unforgettable life. With more than 300 audiobooks under his belt, Daniel’s voice has carried us through fantasy, sci-fi, memoir, business, and beyond. B...

In this week’s episode of Bookmergency , we’re diving headfirst into Accomplice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer, narrated by Em Eldridge. This third (not last) book in the series takes us deeper into Rennedawn, where curses, prophecies, and tangled relationships keep our favorite characters constantly on edge. We talk about everything from Kingsley’s POV and the complicated family dynamics...

Episode 32 of Bookmergency is here, and we’re diving into All This Twisted Glory by Tahereh Mafi , narrated by Kate Reading —get ready, there is SO much pining in this book! Tahereh Mafi gives us another breathtaking installment in the This Woven Kingdom series, weaving together romance, heartbreak, and impossible choices. In this episode, we gush over the quotes that stopped us in our tracks, dig...

Episode 31 of Bookmergency is here, and we’re diving into A Mastery of Monsters by Liselle Sambury , narrated by Angel Pean . In this episode, we break down our favorite quotes, dig into the incredible worldbuilding and factions within the Learners’ Society, and talk about the messy, flawed, and loveable characters (yes, we have A LOT of feelings about ALL of them). We also touch on the real-world...

We’re back in Tahereh Mafi’s lush and devastating world with These Infinite Threads . This sequel picks up right where we left off - Kamran’s unraveling grip on power, Alizeh’s impossible choices, and Cyrus’s devastating contradictions. Ahhhh!! So much to discuss!  Narrated by Kate Reading, the audiobook captures every ounce of heartbreak, betrayal, and fragile hope woven through this story. Join...

In This Woven Kingdom , Tahereh Mafi weaves a lush Persian-inspired fantasy full of prophecy, politics, and impossible romance. We’re diving deep into the world of Alizeh—the long-lost heir to the Jinn empire—and Kamran, the Ardunian prince whose fate is tangled with hers in ways neither of them expected. From hidden identities, dangerous bargains, and beautiful writing you never want to end, this...

It’s the final book in the Beasts of Prey trilogy and we have so many feelings . In this episode, we’re diving deep into Beasts of War by Ayana Gray talking about that epic ending, Koffi and Ekon’s journeys (separately and together), and the big themes and relationships that had us spiraling this whole trilogy. We dive deep into this amazing world Ayana Gray built, discussing all the beasts, gods,...