The Bookshelf

Happy New Year! Liz and Holly are excited to be back after their holiday break to kick off a new year of reading and all sorts of bookish fun. Get comfy as this is the longest episode in the show's history, but it is one of the most fun. The Queens of Tangents show their talents by talking about ancestry, teenage angst, Prince Harry and other nonsense all while still sharing their bookish opinions...

Speaking LITerally Book Club is back! This month, Steph rejoins Holly and Liz for a holiday discussion Sarah Hogle’s Just Like Magic . Jenn was unable to join the fun this month, but will return for the March Book Club episode where a dive into Stephen King is on the menu. Liz and Holly share their thoughts and recommendations on some favorite holiday books, as well as some of the books that they...

Speaking LITerally Book Club is back! This month, Jenn and Steph rejoin Holly and Liz for a very series discussion of Sarah Gailey's Just Like Home . All four have very different opinions on this book, but beware--there are plenty of spoilers. Liz and Holly also spend some time chatting about the Nobel Prize for Literature and the upcoming NaNoWriMo! You will not walk away from this one without sh...

Liz and Holly welcome Jason Rekulak, author of the bestselling novel Hidden Pictures, to the show. He shares insight into his writing process and how he developed the ideas and characters behind the popular thriller. The show wouldn't be complete without some insight into other hot literary topics like NaNoWriMo and The Booker Prize as well as a discussion of one of duo's favorite reads of October...

Join us this for a fun episode discussing Retellings! What is your favorite? Peter Pan retellings seem to be popular right now. What about Alice in Wonderland or Beauty and the Beast? As always, there are plenty of shenanigans to be had as we discuss everything from the Booker Prize Short list, the longest single volume book EVER, and our raving opinions of Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Ga...

Welcome the first ever Speaking LITerally Book Club! This month Holly and Liz enjoy sharing some information about the Booker Prize nominee long list and the upcoming America's Next Great Writer reality TV show. Also, The Way of the Dragon by CT Ortega becomes the focus on what we have recently read!! But, it all leads to the book club discussion of Our Crooked Hearts by Melissa Albert. This turne...

Nothing says summer better than a fun rom-com. Join us for a fun-filled author interview with Gillian Libby. Her debut book, Four Ways to Wear a Dress , hit stores last month. We talk everything form surfing and little black dresses to being dance moms and social media. Gillian is an amazing person and her fun personality definitely comes through in her writing! What else is in store on this month...

It's the one Year Bookish Anniversary of Speaking LITerarlly! Holly and Liz reflect on all the shenanigans of the past year, the authors met and the books read, and share some exciting news for year two. This month the duo discusses Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo, Book Lovers by Emily Henry and Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak. In the world of news, they discuss the unburnable Handmaid's Tale, LG...

Holly and Liz are back for another adventure into the book world! This month they welcome Canadian fiction author SC Jensen to the show. They discuss Jensen's cyberpunk Sci-Fi series Bubbles In Space, her other series, and the role that technology plays in our lives today. Naturally, there is much chaos as it all unfolds! Holly and Liz share some bookish news to kick this off including the coming...

Welcome to Fantastical Fantasies! This month Holly and Liz take a closer look on what makes this particular genre what it is and just how far reaching it has become. From Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Alice in Wonderland to A Court of Thorns and Roses and Harry Potter, fantasies have impacted everyone to some degree. Plus, there is plenty to talk about when it comes to Where the Crawdads S...

Join Holly and Liz for their classical conversation in this month's episode. Which of the "classic" classics are must reads? Dracula? Pride and Prejudice ? Where do modern classics land on the scale of importance? These bookish friends discuss all of this while also talking about Andy Weir's Project Hail Mary and Allison Saft's new release, A Far Wilder Magic . Plus, get caught up on some book new...

Join Liz and Holly as they welcome author Amanda Prowse, a British author, penning 28 books who has be crowned the "Queen of Family Fiction" by the Daily Mail. This is such an inspiration interview that will give you all the feels about books, literature but more importantly her approach to life, love and family. Amanda is hilarious and so relatable. The bookish buddies also share their thoughts o...

Welcome to 2022! To kick off the new year Holly and Liz dive right in talking about the Harry Potter Reunion Show, our anticipated reads of the year, and our own Book Award winners. Prepare to laugh with us, or at us, as we get a little carried away with some of our thoughts and opinions! The Book Buddies will be back with a special Valentine’s episode with a special guest. Next episode drops on F...

2021 is coming to a close, so it's time to reflect on the best books of the year. Join Holly and Liz as they take a journey through the months sharing their favorite reads. They also discuss the Goodreads books of the year, spend a little too much time talking bout the Grishaverse, and what the heck is Mince Pie? Join them as they ring in the holidays and say farewell to 2021 in bookish style. The...

Holly and Liz have a lot to talk about this week! They discuss the increase of minority characters in children's books, the Kindle Vella, and the winner of the Booker Prize. Have you read The Last House on Needless Street ? Well, the pair spend some time sharing why this was a five star book and a must read. The highlight of this episode is the fun author interview with Jessika Grewe Glover to dis...

I’m about a month late in posting this episode, but it is available wherever you listen to all your podcast! On this week's Halloween Special, we welcome Tony, a Stephen King enthusiast, to discuss all things horror, thriller, and just creepy. Join us for a great conversation that includes book to movie horror adaptations and what we find scary in books. As always, we share some of the most recent...

In This Episode Liz and Holly have quite a bit to say about some of the most popular series out there. So much so that this is an extra long episode. Get comfy as they share the most current bookish news and let their opinions fly. Are you Team Stand Alone Books or Team Series?? About Speaking LITerally Resident bookworms Liz & Holly explore their favorite world--BOOKS--in this all new podcast foc...

In This Episode This month we welcome Kate Allen, author of Fear of Flying , on board for an interview. We also dive into some book opinions, book news, and Holly learns there are 52 weeks in a year. That’s definitely worth a listen! About Speaking LITerally Resident bookworms Liz & Holly explore their favorite world--BOOKS--in this all new podcast focused around new releases, old favorites, and e...

We were so excited to welcome independent author and 20 year Army veteran, Caleb Ortega to discuss his series Warfare of the Gods, his path to becoming an author, and advice for anyone who wants to publish their own work--he is truly an inspiration. Plus get your latest bookish news and, of course, the scoop on what we are currently reading and thoughts on what we recently finished! Don't miss thi...

In This Episode We discuss our favorite reads of the part month and what we are currently reading! So many good books out right now!! This episodes topic is Beach Reads. What makes a beach read a beach read and why they are not all rom-coms. The Impact of COVID on traveling and how beach reads have in helping readers escape on adventures during the last year. And of course some of our beach read r...

We are so exciting to launch our brand new, monthly podcast to share our love of all things books! Learn more about us (Holly & Liz), and hear our Top 6 of the first 6 months of 2021 on the debut episode of Speaking LITerally! This Week's Speaking LITerally * An introduction to Liz and Holly! * Upcoming book releases * Whatcha' Readin'? * Bookworm Q&A * Their Top 6 of The First 6! (months of the y...