Novel Finds: A literary podcast

Mystery and intrigue are in full force in this coastal English town! Maggie and Kate delve into Kate's Donna Morris Crime series, which follow a perimenopausal woman solving cases in Scarborough. Kate talks about her inspirations, the sea, and developing the twists and turns of her novels. There are loads of laughs and plenty of conversation about murder (for crime novels, not real life). I h...

Today Julia sits down with fantasy extraordinaire, and author of one of our all-time favorite books The House in the Cerulean Sea , TJ Klune!  Julia and TJ chat all about his newest book, In the Lives of Puppets, a queer retelling of Pinocchio. The two chat all about science fiction, LGBTQ representation in books, and favorite fantasy stories. What a joy to hear from the mind of a genius. It'...

In this, the day of Fantasy Authors, Maggie sits down with Travis Baldree, the author of the bestselling Legends and Lattes ! A Hallmark-esque story set in a magical realm, this books if perfect for fans of high fantasy, Dungeons and Dragons, and  happiness (I'm serious). We talk all about favorite pastries and characters, career changes, and found family.  There's plenty of laughs, a br...

It's a busy day for the Novel Finds gals with TWO episodes all about the fantasy genre. I (Maggie) sat down for a wonderful chat with Hannah all about her brilliant debut novel Godkiller . This is one of my favorite books of the year, and a must read for all fantasy fans! We chatted all about villains, quests, and favorite fantasy realms. I loved talking with Hannah, and can't wait for y...

After a week off we are thrilled to be back and in conversation with Dr. Joe Sutliff Sanders from Lucy Cavendish College at Cambridge University.  Joe and his team are assembling a collection of Graphic Novels and Comics to be kept and preserved at the University. We loved learning more about this project, talking about favorite graphic novels, and deep diving into the world of Batman!  If you&apo...

Join us for Julia's first interview of the season! She sits down with food enthusiast and romance author Amanda Elliot to chat all about her new book Best Served Hot. Sit back, relax, and enjoy thirty minutes of enemies to lovers, good eats, and VE Schwab.  You can find Amanda on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/amandapanitch/?hl=en or her website https://www.amandapanitch.com/ ! As always...

Well...well...well....the time has come to delve into some YA Fantasy Romance. Written by the author of the Caraval trilogy, Stephanie Garber, Once Upon a Broken Heart is a tale of fate, love, and sacrifice.  Join us for a very fun and rant-heavy discussion on Evangeline Fox, villains, and the magical North. While we do not spoil OUABH, this episode is a bit spoiler heavy for the Caraval series. I...

We are so excited to be kicking off our Season Three Interviews with Krystal Marquis! The Davenports is fun, romantic, and a deep look at the gender and race relations in 1910s Chicago. A YA Historical Fiction and Romance that is sure to sweep you off your feet and leave you desperate for the sequel! I had a blast chatting with Krystal - we delve into her characters and the history behind her nove...

Well...well...well...it's season three!!! We are so excited to be back for our third season - it's going to be our most fun (and bookish) season yet! We sit down to talk about two books we cannot stop thinking about - Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow , and Psalm for the Wild-Built . Join us for an hour of deep-diving into these two worlds and find out why we love them as much as we do!...

In the final episode of our Author January, Maggie chats with romance author Elle Cook about her novel 'The Man I Never Met.' Elle Cook (also known as Lorna Cook) has previously written historical fiction novels and TMINM is her debut romance. When Hannah picks up the phone and meets Davey, a man who has dialed the wrong number, the two have a connection unlike any other. But when illnes...

It's a double feature Sunday with two author interviews about new romance novels! First up, Julia interviews Taleen all about her debut novel 'Sorry, Bro.' They chat about bisexual and Armenian representation in literature (and romance), the highs and lows of writing with a baby, and Taleen's favorite Armenian dishes. We think this witty rom-com is a must-read and we already ca...

In today's episode Maggie joined by Academy award nominated screenwriter Iris Yamashita to chat all about her debut novel 'City Under One Roof.' This chilling thriller is set in an Alaskan town so isolated that everyone lives in one building. We delved into multiple protagonist stories, Alice in Wonderland, and setting as a character. I could not put down this mystery novel, and am...

Our second Author Interview chat this month is with Alena Dillon to talk all about her new historical fiction novel, Eyes Turned Skyward. This incredible story is all about generational pain, mother daughter relationships, and the first female pilots in the US military during WWII. Maggie and Alena talk a LOT about these incredible themes, Alena's favorite writing snacks, and future projects!...

We might be on holiday break, but we are extremely excited for our Author Chat January! First up is a conversation with Jennifer Herrera to talk all about her new book 'The Hunter,' a dark and thrilling new crime novel. Julia and Jennifer talk theories, small towns, and creating a new type of female detective. Jennifer even gives us a sneak peak of 'The Hunter' and it is incred...

Season two has officially come to a close! Maggie and Julia chat all about their books of the year, favorite episodes, and future goals for the podcast. Join them for one more week of bookish fun before their short hiatus until spring 2023! As always, thank you for being a Novel Friend. Host: Julia Steudle (she/her) Editor & Artwork: Jonah Kensett (he/him) Music: Brady Dunn (they/them) Content...

Tis the season for romance, cheesy Netflix films, and holiday cheer! In today's episode, Julia and Maggie delve into Christina Lauren's 'In A Holidaze' to unpack this sweet Christmas book. It's Groundhog Day-esque premise makes it a doozy, so get ready! We chat about Christmas films and tropes, the dreaded third act break-up, and alternate timelines. We hope you enjoy, and...

The episode that Julia and Maggie have been SO excited to release is finally here! We have been aching to talk about 'The Starless Sea' since we first started the podcast. This book means a lot to the both of us and we loved diving into a fantasy all about the importance, the intricacy, and the art of stories. We also talk about secret menus, literary masquerades, and Dame Judi Dench! If...

Are you ever curious as to what Maggie and Julia chat about behind the golden gates of their Patreon? Are you interested in becoming a Novel Friend on the Patreon, but keep forgetting? Well, today's episode is a small preview into the exclusive content our Patrons receive. These are unedited, unfiltered episodes where we ask questions, answer your questions, or chat about what we are currentl...

Maggie and Julia celebrate Native American Heritage Month by reading the YA sensation - Firekeeper's Daughter. This incredible dramatic thriller follows Daunas as she goes undercover for the FBI to save the people on her reservation. There's romance and murder...what more do you want? We talk about culture, family, and the relationships present in the book! Maggie gives her best recommen...

This week's episode is absolutely perfect as the winter chill begins setting in. Join Julia as chats with Rachel Harrison about her new novel 'Such Sharp Teeth.' This horror novel is all about transformation and change, following a young woman's life after being bitten by a werewolf. This gripping tale will leave you on the edge of your seat and also make you wonder why there a...

We are celebrating Halloween with this spooky, paranormal fairytale by the infamous V.E. Schwab. As you might have guessed, this episode is full of fangirling (by Julia) and awkward laughing (by Maggie). We dig into fairytale retellings, what makes this book frightening, and all things Halloween! As always, thank you for being a Novel Friend. Host: Julia Steudle (she/her) Editor & Artwork: Jon...

Join Maggie as she delves into a work of secrets, a haunted past, and summer camp...this is the world of Ginny Myers Sain's new book 'Secrets So Deep.' We had a blast chatting about theatre and the paranormal and everything in between! This is a perfect YA novel for those chilly autumnal evenings...be sure to pick up a copy and a mug of cider and settle in for a paranormal thriller...

In today's episode, Maggie joins rom com author Sophie Cousens to chat all about her new book 'Before I Do.' Sophie's books are all about fate and missed connections (her first even being the GMA Book Club pick!) and not to be missed. Join us as we talk about love triangles, what it means to choose a relationship, and Graham Norton. Sophie also shares the cocktail that MUST be...

It's an absolutely remarkable thing...or is it? Today your Novel Finds gals are joined by Nichole to chat all about one of her favorite novels An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green. It's a Sci-Fi novel all about robots, fame, and ambition. We loved sitting down to chat about the choices we'd make, Carls, Hank Green's marvelous use of tone, and how social media can both h...

Could you fall in love with someone if you thought he was a serial killer? In Alicia Thompson's romantic comedy 'Love in the Time of Serial Killers' a true crime fanatic begins having feelings for her handsome neighbor...while simultaneously becoming more and more convinced he's a serial killer. Julia and Alicia chat about writing a book in a month...or two months, romance trop...