Novel Feelings

Three sisters. Three sisters. Three vastly different lives. A maelstrom of family secrets. The Neapolitan Sisters is riotous, provocative tale of family and sisterhood. Maritza is a princess bridezilla, Claudia is the family “fixer,” and Dulcina “Dooley” is finally sober. As the three are reunited for a wedding, their secrets are unravelled. We speak in-depth with author Margo Candela about the ev...

When our whole lives are online, how can we keep things private... and safe?  Dark Mode delves into the terrifying reality of the dark web, and the price we pay for surrendering our privacy one click at a time. Join us as we speak with author Ashley Kalagian Blunt about online misogyny, radicalisation, narcissism and psychopathy. And the power of true crime. Find Ashley via her website , Inst...

There are plenty of dates in this story, but Queenie is not about romance. Queenie Jenkins navigates life after a long-term relationship break-up. The premise sounds like a rom-com, but the story visits some dark places along the way. In this episode, we discuss themes such as trauma, racism, anxiety, relationship red flags, and consent. Listen to find out why we think Queenie is well worth a read...

If we don't talk about complex mental health conditions, how can we expect things to change? Journalist, presenter, and producer Elfy Scott joins us to talk about her book The One Thing We've Never Spoken About. This powerful piece of non-fiction draws from Elfy's family's experience with schizophrenia to ask big questions about vulnerability, justice and duty of care. We chat about Elfy about her...

In our latest author interview, we talk with Anne Buist, author and psychiatrist. Anne recently published the fourth novel in the Natalie King Series, Locked Ward.  The novel follows forensic psychiatrist Natalie, as she stays in the mother-baby unit of a private psychiatric unit - only to find herself in the centre of a murder case. We chat about Anne's previous and upcoming work, refugee me...

In this special interview, we chat with Allayne L. Webster, who recently published her tenth novel, Selfie . In Selfie, we meet year 8 student Tully, who is shocked to find herself the new best friend of teenage influencer Dene Walker. We chat about teenage friendships, the impact of social media on trust and identity, and the importance of staying true to yourself. Allayne reflects on her publish...

Last episode was prompted by Elise's recommendation. This time, it's Priscilla's. Tiger Daughter tells the story of Wen and Henry, and what happens when tragedy strikes their community. We cover themes of domestic abuse, misogyny, and the ripple effect of suicide - all framed by the Chinese immigrant experience in Australia. The first part of this episode is spoiler-free. Also, we interview author...

Everything we know about autism is wrong... or is it? In this special interview, we chat with Dr Jac den Houting, research psychologist and Autistic advocate working in pursuit of social justice. We chat about their autism research, Ted Talk and other advocacy work, and the power of media representation. You can find Jac via their twitter or website . Jac will appear at the All About Women Festiva...

We're baaaaack! To kick off Season 3, we're covering the very hyped memoir I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy. We discuss Jennette's experience of childhood abuse and eating disorders, complicated grief, and our thoughts on her recovery process.  FYI, our episodes are now two-parters: we start with general discussions of the books without spoilers, then we dive into the details. Find No...

We are thrilled to announce that a new season will launch on January 7, 2023. And we're mixing things up! Listeners will have the opportunity to read along, with each book title released at least 6 weeks in advance. Six books are planned for the year – one episode every two months. Episodes will also be accessible to people who haven’t read the book yet, as the first half will be spoiler-free. Fin...

In this special interview, we chat to author Nina Kenwood, who has been working in books and publishing for over a decade. Her first novel, It Sounded Better in My Head , won the Text Prize and other awards. Our interview focuses on her new book, Unnecessary Drama , which was published in October 2022. We chat about sharehouse living, difficult family relationships, and the transition to adulthood...

In this special podcast episode, we chat to the author of Sadie Starr's Guide to Starting Over : Miranda Luby, award-winning author, freelance journalist, copywriter and communications professional. Sadie Starr is her debut novel. We chat about perfectionism, disordered eating, and performative social activism. Miranda shares insights into her inspiration, writing process, and thoughts around how...

In this special interview, we chat to Graeme Simsion, the internationally bestselling author of The Rosie Project trilogy, The Best of Adam Sharp , The Novel Project , and more. We chat about the impact of The Rosie Project, and representation of autism across the series. Graeme shares insights into his writing process, his upcoming projects, and thoughts around how we write about mental health. Y...

Well, 2021 has certainly been a year. We're still on hiatus, but popping up to say 'hey, we read some cool books this year!' In this special bonus episode, we each present our Top 3 books of the year (plus some honourable mentions). This episode is spoiler-free and the books aren't specific to mental health! Find Novel Feelings via: Our website Instagram Twitter Goodreads . Detailed show notes ava...

Welcome to the last episode of Season 2. We had such a wonderful time putting this season together. In this episode, we reflect on the process of recording the season, and talk about our favourite moments. After this episode, we will be going on a hiatus, and we're not planning on returning for a Season 3 at this stage. We're not going away completely though! We will still have opinions on books a...

What does it mean when a monster shows up at your window? For our final review episode of Season 2, we discuss A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness with special guest, author Mat Larkin. We talk about the stages of grief, middle grade tropes, surprisingly therapeutic monsters, and all the feels!  Find Mat Larkin via https://matlarkin.com/   Find Novel Feelings via: Our website Instagram Twitt...

In this special episode, we chat to Kay Kerr, author of Please Don't Hug Me and the newly released Social Queue . Topics include: autism representation, Kay's writing processes for both of her books, and self-care. We also discuss Please Don't Hug Me in spoilery details in the second half of the episode (we'll let you know when this starts!). Find Kay Kerr and her books through kaykerr.com Find No...

What can you do when you feel disconnected from your family, and your culture? Darius is a 'fractional Persian', and speaks better Klingon than Farsi. And his first trip to Iran is about to change his life. In this episode, we chat about Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorram. We discuss what causes and maintains depression, cultural understandings of mental illness, and reflect on the role...

Would you run for prom king/queen? There is nothing Liz Lightly would like less, but she's willing to do whatever it takes to win a scholarship, even if it means facing her fear of the spotlight. With special guests, Hallie and Allie from the Read It, Next podcast, we chat about anxiety representation, cute romance, and the importance of seeing Black protagonists experiencing joy. We also chat abo...

How much do you really know about your parents? In Kelly Loy Gilbert's Picture Us in the Light , Danny Cheng grapples with the mysteries of his family's past, a tragedy in his friendship group, as well as the possibilities in his future. Along with our guest, Wendy Chen, we discuss the portrayal of grief following a suicide, intergenerational trauma, and the costs of defining yourself by your achi...

Portia Hobbs, 'perpetual hot mess', meets Tavish McKenzie, gruff Scottish swordsman. Sparks fly, and self-discoveries abound. We discuss the book's portrayal of ADHD and how this experience can impact on a person's self-beliefs. We also chat about positive female friendships, difficult family dynamics, and (of course) the central romance. Find Novel Feelings via: Our website Instagram Twitter Good...

How can you stay safe when there's a serial killer on the loose? Can you be best friends with someone you met online? Cry Blue Murder tells the story of two teenagers who exchange emails after shocking murders devastate a community. We don't have all the answers, but we can talk about the anxiety and grief that might be present after a crime in schools and the wider community. We also talk briefly...

What would life look like if you only focused on the things that bring you pleasure? Noni Blake is about to find out. This episode, we are joined by Shelby from the Chub Rub Book Club podcast to discuss body image, anxiety, and the joys of prioritising yourself. We love the sex positivity and portrayal of self-care in this book, but acknowledge the privilege required to uproot your life to focus o...

CW: suicide. Welcome to Season 2 of Novel Feelings! We're kicking things off with Thirteen Reasons Why , in all its controversy. We talk about the book's portrayal of suicide and why it makes us uncomfortable. Discussion topics also include bullying, sexism, and the lack of mental health support in the story. As an exciting bonus, we chat to researcher Dr Fincina Hopgood about the controversies an...

This final episode of Novel Tropes (for now) focuses on a trope we're passionate about - passionately against, that is. Yep - it's bad therapy. From the mind reading therapist to therapist-client affairs, from the funny to the damaging, we discuss why these tropes are problematic. Warning: rants ahead! Website: novelfeelings.com | Twitter, Instagram and Goodreads: @novel_feelings