The Books We Loved

Due to the recent success of the film, K-Pop Demon Hunters, the gals thought it was high time to offer our listeners some K-Pop inspired reading recs! Buckle up, buttercups, and be prepared to impress your friends (and, dare we say, kids) with this K-Pop inspired reading list!  Titles discussed today: K-pop Confidential, Stephan Lee I’ll Be the One, Lyla Lee XOXO, Axie Oh  Somewhere Only We Know,...

The girls round out the year by sharing their personal favorite reads of 2025. See below for the booklist.  Olivia's recs: Atmosphere, Taylor Jenkins Reid Heart the Lover, Lily King  The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny, Kiran Desai All the Way to the River, Elizabeth Gilbert This American Woman, Zarna Garg Death of the Author, Nnedi Okorafor  Back After This, Linda Holmes Swept Away, Beth O’Leary Ma...

Today Olivia and Manda reflect on the cinematic gifts left to the world by the genius, Rob Reiner. Along with each movie mentioned, the girls offer book recs for your reading delight (list below). Happy Holidays!  When Harry Met Sally: Heartburn, Nora Ephron The People We Meet on Vacation, Henry (really any Emily Henry book) Normal People, Rooney Rachel Incident, O’Donoghue Eleanor and Park, Rowel...

Today the gals are joined by fellow TPL staffer, Hannah, for a discussion of every high school's favorite assigned book, The Great Gatsby. O

Looking for some great gift ideas? You've come to the right place! The girls share ideas for all ages, babies to adults. In case you were walking/driving/jogging and couldn't write down the titles, the gals discussed:  When Pigs Fly: a song for dreamers, Sandra Boynton The Book of Candles: eight poems for Hanukkah Laurel Snyder, illus. by Leanne Hatch The 13th Day of Christmas, Adam Rex Once Upon...

Today the gals dig into Agatha Christie's novel, The Body in the Library--the second book to feature beloved sleuth extraordinaire, Ms. Marple! 

Today's quick episode is in response to a request from our listener, Eliza. Don't forget, if you would like us to give you recommendations, shoot us an email at: podcast@troypl.org If You Lived During the Plimoth Thanksgiving, by Chris Newell, illustrated by Winona Nelson Keepunumuk: Weeâchumun's Thanksgiving Story, written by indigenous authors: Danielle Greendeer (Mashpee Wampanoag), Anthony Per...

Fellow TPL staffer, Kit, will be joining the girls today to discuss Alison Bechdel's, Fun Home: a family tragicomic, a graphic memoir. 

In honor of Halloween, the gals are joined by Director, Emily Dumas, to discuss 1999's The Mummy starring Brendan Frasier and Rachel Weiss. Enjoy this spoooooky episode!

Whether you're a Swiftie or not, Olivia and Manda will provide you with loads of great book recommendations inspired by each of Taylor Swift's albums. So get your Swiftie swag on, and hunker down for an episode that will give you all the good vibes. 

Be prerpared to learn about beauty standards, Adirondak chairs, and more, as the gals discuss John Green's newest nonfic title, Everything is Tuberculosis, with Keegan from Youth Services.

Join Olivia and Manda as they go through some of their fall favorites, titles that will get you ready for shorter days and longer nights! 

A cozy mystery, safe enough for your Gran;  WWII-era Alan Gratz; Kate Beaton for all ages--today's show has something for everybody! Buckle up Buttercups, because the gals are here to share loads of book recs! 

Today Olivia and Manda tackle Willa Cather's, My Antonia, a story set in the American Midwest during the late 19th/early 20th century. This book was the final installment of our summer 2025 book club; if you missed the other books covered, go back and listen to: Summer Book Club: The Joy Luck Club Summer Book Club: The Color Purple   

Cassie (from the Adult Dept.) joins Olivia and Manda today for a discussion of books that take place at boarding schools. Many of the books discussed appear on this list: https://www.goodreads.com/list/tag/boarding-school  

The ladies are joined by TPL Director, Emily Dumas, to share some great back-to-school picture books. As promised in the episode: Chrysanthemum, Kevin Henkes Wemberly Worried, Kevin Henkes The Invisible Boy, Ludwig Each Kindness, Woodson On the Day You Begin, Woodson The Pigeon Must Go to School, Mo Willems Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten?, Vernick We Don't Eat our Classmates, Higgins If Yo...

Today Olivia and Manda tackle Amy Tan's, The Joy Luck Club, a story focusing on themes of mothers and daughters, the immigrant experience, and hope. Don't forget to read Willa Cather's, My Antonia, in preparation for next month's final installment of TBWL's Summer Reading series! 

Olivia and Manda are joined by Hannah (from Community Engagement), for a rousing conversation about nonfiction books that are so fascinating that they read like fiction. Books chatted about today include: Stiff: the Curious Life of Human Cadavers, Mary Roach Sharks Don't Sink: Adventures of a Rogue Shark Scientist, Jasmin Graham Soul of an Octopus, Sy Montgomery Unbroken: a World War II story of s...

Today Manda and Karen (from Adult Services) discuss Lois Duncan's 1970s teen thriller, and the 1997 movie adaptation, of I Know What You Did Last Summer. This episode might have you looking over your shoulder, or into the trunk of your car...

Join Olivia and Manda as they celebrate the beloved classic movie, Back to the Future, in honor of it's 40th anniversary this summer. 

Today Olivia and Manda share their favorite books featuring exotic (or not too far flung) locales. We'll spin the globe, and where it stops, nobody knows!

Olivia and Manda are joined by repeat guest, Angie, for a robust discussion of Alice Walker's The Color Purple, as part of the podcast's Summer Reading series. Be sure to read or listen to, The Joy Luck Club, in preparation for July's Summer Reading title! 

We sit down with author Kayla Ancrum to ask her about her writing, her life, and her writing life.  Learn more about Kayla and her most recent book, The Corruption of Hollis Brown, by visiting her website .    K. Ancrum, is an author of award winning contemporary YA notably THE WICKER KING, DARLING and the critically acclaimed ICARUS. K. is a Chicago native passionate about diversity and represent...

Today the ladies talk about beloved author, and honorary Midwesterner, John Green! They'll discuss his books, especially Looking for Alaska (no spoilers!)--as it turns 20 y.o.--and his cultural impact. 

We ask author Katie Spina five questions about her writing life, the books that shaped her, and the library memories she holds dear.  Ms. Katie is an award-winning kidlit author who writes stories for kids where finding your fit means trusting in who you are. She's an avid reader that loves to talk about all sorts of books to kids of different interests. Learn more at her website, katiespina.com ....