What Page Are You On?

Alice and Bethany opened their inbox to questions from listeners for 24 hours and the results are here, in their last episode of 2020.

Alice and Bethany compile their top 10 of the year, after what they perceive to be a slightly disappointing 2020 for books.

Alice and Bethany get the hype machine going with their 2021 preview.

Alice and Bethany tell you about their Christmas fundraiser, and discuss The Truants by Kate Weinberg, which seemed like it would be right up their street. But was it?

Alice and Bethany give you a hand with your Christmas shopping and reading plans by taking you through the WPAYO gift guide.

Alice talks us through the shortlist of Waterstones' Book of the Year and puts her tin foil hat on to develop some conspiracy theories. Bethany airs her grievances against a previous year's winner.

Alice and Bethany rise like a phoenix from the ashes of lockdown and regroup for their first episode in.... many months. 

Alice and Bethany discuss non-fiction works by two queer writers that each take different formal approaches to the idea of 'memoir'. And keep listening at the end of the episode for Alice's chat with Michelle Tea- a delight.

Alice and Bethany discuss two short story collections by female authors from Northern Ireland - Multitudes by Lucy Caldwell and Sweet Home by Wendy Erskine.

Joined once again by Jordan Taylor-Jones, Alice and Bethany go through their anticipated books of the year - some of which they've already read...

We robbed you of a 2019 faves episode by doing a 'best of the decade' instead, but we can't bear the thought of leaving you wanting, so here's a roundup of some of our faves of last year, PLUS special guest, Jordan Taylor-Jones.

Alice and Bethany forego a best of the year episode and instead compile a best of the decade list while you listen! 1. Just Kids - Patti Smith (2010) 2. Dark Matter - Michelle Paver (2010) 3. The Poison Tree - Erin Kelly (2011) 4. A Visit from the Goon Squad - Jennifer Egan (2011) 5. Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn (2012) 6. Station Eleven - Emily St John Mandel (2014) 7. Dumplin' - Julie Murphy (2015)...

Alice and Bethany head to North London and into the world of prying middle-aged women with Notes on a Scandal by Zoe Heller and Bitter by Francesca Jakobi.

Alice and Bethany discuss a pair of books about women who, to one extent or another, hibernate. My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh and The New Me by Halle Butler.

Alice and Bethany come back from their extended hiatus with an episode about a phenomenal book from 1995 that was just reissued: In The Cut by Susannah Moore.

Before Alice and Bethany take a summer break, they go through their respective top 10s of books they've read this year. Not just books released in 2019, but of all the books they've read.

Alice and Bethany have the great pleasure of talking to Lucie McKnight Hardy about her brilliant debut, Water Shall Refuse Them, published by Dead Ink Press. It's a story about ritual, heatwaves, folklore and loss, and we hope you enjoy this live recording we did at Foyles to celebrate the book. The discussion is spoiler-free, and the section that Lucie reads will also not impact your enjoyment of...

Alice and Bethany indulge in new fiction release Supper Club by Lara Williams and pair with last year's non-fiction banger Eat Up by Ruby Tandoh.

Alice and Bethany talk about two recent-ish books that are set in the Bay Area and deal with the American experience in a different way to their usual fare. There There - Tommy Orange American Is Not The Heart - Elaine Castillo

Alice and Bethany discuss two recently-released books with similar titles that both deal with sexual assault, but find their content and execution to be polar opposites. What Red Was - Rosie Price The Red Word - Sarah Henstra

We have the great pleasure of talking to Louise O'Neill, author of Only Ever Yours, Asking For It, Almost Love and The Surface Breaks, which is a feminist retelling of The Little Mermaid.

In this episode, Alice and Bethany discuss two short story collections with a taste for the darker side: Salt Slow by Julia Armfield which is out this week, and Her Body & Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado

Alice and Bethany are joined by author Elizabeth Macneal to discuss her novel, The Doll Factory, as well as Michel Faber's Victorian masterpieces, The Apple and Crimson Petal & The White, which is one of Bethany's all-time favourite novels.

Alice and Bethany realised there was a trend in 2018-2019 for books with citrus fruits in the title, so decided to read them for this episode. The books were:  Blood Orange by Harriet Tyce Tangerine by Christine Mangan Bitter Orange by Claire Fuller

WPAYO had the great pleasure and honour of interviewing Michelle Paver, author of [among others] Dark Matter and Thin Air, two of our favourite novels of recent years. Her new novel, Wakenhyrst, is a change of direction which is no less absorbing, lifelike and haunting. Wakenhyrst is out now.