The Hidden Bookcase

This month at The Hidden Bookcase, we're reading cosy fantasy. Our second read is The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna, chosen by Morgan, and guest Jenn Collignon. Let's talk witchlings, whimsy, and what cosy fantasy really means. Content warnings: References to murder, child abuse, grief, and domestic violence. Transcripts available at planarprod.com/the-hidden-b...

This month at The Hidden Bookcase, we're reading cosy fantasy. Our first read is Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree, a new read from Morgan and Sorren's shared TBR pile. Let's talk pacing, pacifism, and protective pet cats. Content warnings: Refrences to stalking, organised crime, extortion, arson, and corrupt police forces. Transcripts available at planarprod.com/the-hidden-bookca...

It's Evelyn month at The Hidden Bookcase. Our second read is The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid, recommended by guest Issy Kenny-Herbert. Let's talk stereotype, sentimentality and bisexuality. Content warnings: References to cancer, terminal illness, fatal car accidents, internalised racism, homophobia, the AIDs crisis, biphobia, domestic abuse, and racism. Transcript...

It's Evelyn month at The Hidden Bookcase. Our first read is The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton, chosen by Morgan. Let's talk lit vs genre fiction, time loops, and losing your individuality. Content warnings: References to fatphobia, classism, violence, murder, suicide, firearms, drug use, police brutality, rape and sexual assault. Transcripts available at planarprod.com...

This month at The Hidden Bookcase , we're reading sequels. For our second read, guest Zoey Davis returns to discuss Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir, book two of The Locked Tomb trilogy and sequel to Gideon the Ninth. Let's talk colour usage, characterful conversations, and cannibalistic chowder. Content warnings: References to cannibalism, gore, self-surgery, gaslighting, hallucinations, c...

This month at The Hidden Bookcase, we're reading sequels. Our first read is A Restless Truth by Freya Marske, the second book in The Last Binding Trilogy. Let's talk vulnerability, virginity, and very, very unfortunate predictions. Content warnings: References to murder, human sacrifice, suicide, child abuse, racism, transphobia and animal death. Joking references to incest. Transcripts av...

This month at The Hidden Bookcase, we're reading graphic novels. Our second read is Thieves by Lucie Bryon, chosen by Sorren. Let's talk manic pixie dream girls, mental illness portrayals, and making the most of your medium.   Content warnings: Discussions of mentall ilness including anxiety and impulse control disorders. References to bullying and internalised homophobia.  Transcripts ava...

This month at The Hidden Bookcase, we're reading graphic novels. Our first read is Finding Home by Hari Conner, chosen by Morgan. Let's talk art style, portrayals of abuse in fiction, and arboreal emotions! Content warnings: Joking references to murder. Discussions of abusive relationships, including controlling behaviours and racial fetishisation, panic attacks, mental illness, addiction,...

Join us for a cosy chat by the fire as we go over our favourite (and least favourite!) reads of 2022, the titles we're looking forward to picking up in 2023, and our reading goals for the year! Content warnings: COVID mention, mention of disordered eating in a fictional context.  Transcripts available at planarprod.com/the-hidden-bookcase-transcripts The HarperCollins strike has now finished,...

This month at The Hidden Bookcase, we're reading childhood favourites.  Our second read is Finding the Fox by Ali Sparkes, chosen by Sorren. Let's talk repression, reading past bedtime, and railway tracks! This episode also features an interview with the author, so keep listening for insights into Sparkes' writing process, her favourite type of characters to write, and more. Content wa...

This month at The Hidden Bookcase, we're reading childhood favourites! Our first read is Secret of the Sirens by Julia Golding, chosen by Morgan. Let's talk shapeshifters, family structures, subverting gendered tropes.  Content warnings: Discussion of/reference to murder by drowning, violent animal death, the climate crisis, incest, suicide, mass-murder, slavery, fatphobia, and racial ster...

This month at The Hidden Bookcase, we're reading urban sci-fi. Our second read is Dreadnought by April Daniels, chosen by our guest, Moira-Juliet (MJ) Scott. Let's talk superhero battles, beauty standards, and... best friends to lovers? Content warnings: Mentions of transphobia including references to transphobic slurs, transmisogony, child abuse, being kicked out by parents, anti-Semitic...

It's urban sci-fi month at The Hidden Bookcase! Our first read is In the Watchful City by S. Qiouyi Lu, chosen by Sorren. Let's talk poetry, pronouns, and gender presentation.  Content warnings: Mentions of foot binding, implied suicide, racism, and body horror.  Transcripts available at planarprod.com/the-hidden-bookcase-transcripts Visit our Bookshop. Org page! [ UK LINK ] / [ US LINK ]...

It's spooky month at The Hidden Bookcase!   Our second read is Family Business by Jonathan Sims, chosen together by Morgan and Sorren. Let's talk tragedy, Tories, and guinea pig teeth. Content warnings: Mentions of gore, murder, animal death, cannibalism, being eaten alive, moths, spiders, classism, agoraphobia, mental illness and grief. Transcripts available at planarprod.com/the-hidden-b...

It's spooky month at The Hidden Bookcase ! Our first read is Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir, chosen by Morgan and by guest Zoey Davis. Let's talk mutual pining, mispronunciations, and memes. Content warnings: Mentions of traumatic amputation, blood and gore, murder of a child, mental illnesses including schizophrenia, suicidal thoughts, cancer, terminal illnesses, chronic illnesses, and u...

This month at The Hidden Bookcase, we're reading dark academia!   Our second read is The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern, chosen by Sorren. Let's talk metanarratives, Marmite, and musky meet-cutes.    Content warnings: Mentions of traumatic amputation, murder, loss of a sibling, suicidal thoughts, classism, and academic exclusion.    Transcripts available at planarprod.com/the-hidden-book...

This month at The Hidden Bookcase , we're reading dark academia! Our first read is Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo, chosen by Morgan. Let's talk intertextual references, in-universe literature, and intersectional feminism. Content warnings: Mentions of rape, murder, drug use, drug overdose, euthanasia, stabbing, misogyny, sexism, racism, and classism. Transcripts available at planarprod.com/t...

This month at The Hidden Bookcase , we're reading high fantasy! Our second read is Graceling by Kristin Cashore, chosen by Sorren. Let's talk trauma, teen-fiction in 2008, and... Twilight? Content warnings: Mentions of rape, sexual assault, pedophilia, sexism, misogyny, mind control, child abuse, violence, Roe vs. Wade, and traumatic brain injury. Transcripts available at planarprod.com/th...

This month at The Hidden Bookcase , we're reading high fantasy! Our first read is The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon, chosen by Morgan. Let's talk mythology, magic systems, and murderous old ladies.  Content warnings: Mentions of incest, suicide, self-mutilation, forceful arrest, murder, depression, death by crushing. Transcripts available at planarprod.com/the-hidden-bookca...

This month at The Hidden Bookcase , we're reading historical fantasy!   Our second read is A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske, chosen by Sorren. Let's talk consent, curses, and contracts!   Content warnings: Discussions of chronic pain, curses, sexual scenarios, sexism, classism,  character death, and missing person(s). Mention of J.K. Rowling.    Transcripts available at planarprod.com/th...

This month at The Hidden Bookcase , we're reading historical fantasy!  Our first read is Sistersong by Lucy Holland, chosen by Morgan. Let's talk betrayal, bone harps, and bigender witches! Content warnings: Discussions of murder, wartime, foreign invasion, gore, internalised-ableism, transphobia, sexism, and religious conversion under duress. Transcripts available at planarprod.com/the-hi...

This month at The Hidden Bookcase , we're reading fairytale retellings!   Our second read is Peter Darling by Austin Chant, chosen by Morgan. Let's talk escapism, enemies-to-lovers, and gender envy.    Content warnings: Discussions of mental illness, transphobia, homophobia, toxic masculinity, grief/loss, and denial. Transcripts available at planarprod.com/the-hidden-bookcase-transcripts L...

This month at The Hidden Bookcase , we're reading fairytale retellings!  Our first read is Dark and Deepest Red by Anna-Marie McLemore, chosen by Sorren. Let's talk metaphors, magical realism, and misogynistic cats. Content warnings: Discussions of racism, attempted execution, immolation, generational trauma, manic episodes, and dubious consent.  Transcripts available at planarprod.com/the...