Verdell Walker | Writer & Book Reviewer

The Book Up with Verdell Walker | Book Reviews & Book Recs

Arts EN ↓ 31 episodes

Welcome to The Book Up , your thoughtful guide to discovering great books that aren’t on the end cap - but should be. I’m your host, Verdell Walker, a Harvard MBA who’s blazed a trail at companies like The Wall Street Journal, Goldman Sachs, Scholastic, and Sesame Street. I’m also a Black Southern belle raised by books, and a published writer who knows how stories work. Books are my passion, and my mission is to help you find the stories you'll love to read — and dodge the ones you won't. Whether you're looking for your next great read or just need a trusted source for book recs that actually...

Author

Verdell Walker | Writer & Book Reviewer

Episodes

Book Review: "Killers of a Certain Age" by Deanna Raybourn | Fiction, Thriller 20.05.2025 8:01

Love books? Looking for honest book reviews and book recs? Whether you're a lifelong reader, crawling out of a reading slump, or just need a trusted voice to help you find a great story — you're in the right place. Today’s featured book is Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn. In this fun, fast-paced thriller, a group of retiring assassins find out they are on their employer's h...

Series Spotlight: The Green Bone Saga by Fonda Lee | Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Epic Fantasy 13.05.2025 9:18

Some stories are too good to fit into just one book. In this Series Spotlight, I’m diving into The Green Bone Saga by Fonda Lee — giving an overview of the series, what makes it stand out, and why I think it’s worth the commitment. The series is comprised of 3 books, a novella, and a short story collection: Jade City: Bookshop.org | Amazon Jade War: Bookshop.org | Amazon Jade Legacy: Bookshop...

Book Review: "The Naturalist Society" by Carrie Vaughn | Fiction, Cozy Academic & Historical Fantasy 06.05.2025 7:55

Love books? Looking for honest book reviews and book recs? Whether you're a lifelong reader, crawling out of a reading slump, or just need a trusted voice to help you find a great story — you're in the right place. Today’s featured book is The Naturalist Society by Carrie Vaughn. In this academic fantasy, a young widow taps into a world-changing power and fights to discover herself. If you...

Book Review: "The God of the Woods" by Liz Moore | Fiction, Literary Thriller, Mystery 29.04.2025 9:48

Love books? Looking for honest book reviews and book recs? Whether you're a lifelong reader, crawling out of a reading slump, or just need a trusted voice to help you find a great story — you're in the right place. Today’s featured book is The God of the Woods by Liz Moore. In this literary thriller, the worlds of a privileged family and a blue collar town collide when a teenager vanishes...

Book Review: "Blood Over Bright Haven" by M.L. Wang | Fiction, Dark Academia Fantasy 22.04.2025 10:16

Love books? Looking for honest book reviews and book recs? Whether you're a lifelong reader, crawling out of a reading slump, or just need a trusted voice to help you find a great story — you're in the right place. Today’s featured book is Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang. In this dark academic fantasy, the first woman ever admitted to a prestigious order of mages and her janitor-turne...

Introducing The Book Up! 📚 A Book Review Podcast [Trailer] 08.04.2025 0:47

Welcome to The Book Up ! 📚🎙️ Hey bookworms! I’m Verdell Walker, and I’m so excited to introduce The Book Up , a weekly book review podcast where I share my honest, unfiltered thoughts on my latest reads—all in 15 minutes or less. If you love books and want quick, insightful reviews to help you decide what to read next, this podcast is for you! Hit follow now so you don’t miss the first episode dr...