A Bookish Home

Today my guest is a nationally-acclaimed Vietnamese-American playwright, performer, and author of her debut memoir, The Manicurist’s Daughter, in which Susan shares the story of losing her mom during a routine plastic surgery, her mother’s—and her own—fraught relationship with her body, and the revelations that came from searching for answers in her family’s past as refugees of the Vietnam War.

Crystal King is back on the podcast to discuss In the Garden of Monsters, a glorious literary feast for the senses—a modern reimagining of the classic myth of Persephone and Hades, set in a real-life garden of stone statues in Italy featuring food, art, literature, and architecture.

Emily Layden is here this week to discuss her addictive new novel, Once More From the Top. Think a Taylor Swift style rise to fame—plus a possible murder.

Today my guest is Kimberly Brock, author of The Fabled Earth, a sweeping, beautiful written novel inspired by the little-known history of Cumberland Island. The gentle magic of Alice Hoffman meets the rich details of Kate Morton, all wrapped in southern folklore and charm in this dual-timeline story of three women connected in different ways to the ghosts and secrets of the past.

Lynda Cohen Loigman is back this week to discuss The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern, a heartwarming dual timeline historical novel that will have you believing in second chances and wishing for even more time with this charming cast of characters.

This week, Olivia Rose Darling is here to discuss the debut romantasy novel and Book Tok sensation that is perfect for fans of A Court of Thorns and Roses and The Fourth Wing. Fear the Flames follows an exiled princess who must enlist the help of the most dangerous man in the kingdom to free her dragons.

Shawntelle Madison is here today to discuss The Fallen Fruit, which follows a woman who travels through time to end a family curse that has plagued her ancestors for generations.

This week's guest is Michael Callahan, author of The Lost Letters from Martha’s Vineyard, a captivating page-turner about two women bound by blood but divided by a long-buried secret, and the island that holds the key to the fateful summer that changed everything forever.

This week, Sarah C. Johns is here to discuss her gem of a debut novel, The Sirens of Soleil City, a multi-generational story that follows four women, a decaying apartment complex in West Palm Beach and a Senior Synchronized Swimming Competition in South Florida.

What a treat to have one of my favorite historical fiction writers, Madeline Martin, back this week to discuss her new novel, The Booklover’s Library, a heartwarming story about a mother and daughter in wartime England and the power of the books that bring them together.

This week, author Sue Mell is back on the podcast to discuss A New Day. Linked by their personal and professional relationships, the characters in these thirteen stories—all set between 1982 and 2012—struggle to achieve happiness and success.

This week, bestselling author Marjan Kamali joins us to discuss The Lion Women of Tehran, a heartfelt, epic new novel of friendship, betrayal, and redemption set against three transformative decades in Iran.

This week's guest is  Marc Guggenheim, author of In Any Lifetime, a heartfelt story of a devoted husband who defies fate, attempting to find the one universe where his wife is still alive.

This week's guest is Sara Shukla, author of Pink Whales, a fun smart romp about a mom who relocates to a preppy New England beach town- think "Mean Girls clad in Lilly Pulitzer."

This week, Dr. Amra Sabic-El-Rayess is here to discuss Three Summers: A Memoir of Sisterhood, Summer Crushes, and Growing up on the Eve of War, an epic middle-grade memoir in the three years leading up to the Bosnian Genocide. Amra shares the story behind Three Summers and more about her work at Teachers College, Columbia on hate prevention, storytelling, and building empathy.

This week's guest is Joselyn Takacs, author of Pearce Oysters, a lush, evocative, finely-drawn debut novel set on the Louisiana coastline during the historic 2010 oil spill, following local oyster farmers whose business, family, and livelihood are all on the brink of collapse.

Today Brooke Lea Foster is here to discuss her new novel, All the Summers in Between.  Set in the dual timelines of 1967 and 1977, All the Summers In Between is at once a mesmerizing portrait of a complex friendship, a delicious glimpse into a bygone Hamptons, and a powerful coming-of-age for two young women during a transformative era.

This week, author Dawn Tripp joins me to discuss her new novel, Jackie. This vivid, exquisitely written novel is at once a captivating work of the imagination and a window into the world of a woman who led many lives: Jackie, Jacks, Jacqueline, Miss Bouvier, Mrs. Kennedy, Jackie O. Dawn shares what drew her to Jackie's story, how she went about the research and finding the narrative voice, carving out a rich creative life, and much more.

This week, I’m thrilled to have Namrata Patel back on the podcast to discuss her latest novel, The Curious Secrets of Yesterday, about a family of spice healers in Salem Massachusetts. Namrata gives us this inside scoop on crafting this comfort read, which is chock full of secrets, surprises, and relationships you'll root for. This is a book you'll want to slow down and savor this summer.

What a joy to have bestselling author Kristy Woodson Harvey back on the podcast to discuss a must have book for your beach bag this summer- A Happier Life-about a woman who discovers the family she has always longed for when she spends a life-changing summer fixing up her grandparents’ mysterious house in North Carolina.   This is a big-hearted, feel good novel with mystery and romance plus a small town summer setting you won’t want to leave. I highly recommend picking up a copy.

This week, award-winning author Hena Khan returns to the podcast. Known for her compassionate and relatable books for children that draw on her experiences as a Pakistani-American Muslim, Hena has 5 new books releasing in 2024.  We discuss the creative process behind this banner year of books, what she hopes young readers take away from these stories, the impact of book bans, and much more. If you're a teacher, librarian, or parent looking for summer reading titles for your kids, this would be a great episode to tune into.

This week, Clare McHugh is here to discuss The Romanov Brides, a novel of the last tsarina and her sisters. This is a fascinating story about two young princesses–granddaughters of Queen Victoria– who become intertwined with the Romanov family in the years preceding their downfall.

This week, I’m delighted to have one of my favorite authors, Annabel Monaghan, back on the podcast to discuss Summer Romance, another heart-tugging, hilarious love story about a recent divorcee and professional organizer whose life is a mess, and the summer she gets unstuck with the help of someone unexpected from her past. This book is just the comfort read I needed - it’s hopeful and funny and warm and you won’t want to leave this world or the characters.

This week my guest is Sarah T. Dubb, author of the delightful new romcom, Birding with Benefits, in which a newly-divorced, almost-empty-nester embarks on a “year of yes” and becomes the fake girlfriend and bird-watching competition partner of a man who changes her life.

This week,  New York Times bestselling author Ruth Ware is here to discuss One Perfect Couple, a high-tension and ingenious thriller that follows five couples who start out filming a reality tv show and end up trapped on a storm-swept island as a killer stalks among them.

This week my guest is Eve J. Chung, author of the powerful new novel, Daughters of Shandong, which tells the story of a mother and daughters caught up in China’s communist revolution, based on the author’s family story.

This week I'm excited to share a conversation with Jilly Gagnon, author of the delightful new romcom Love You Mean It, featuring dueling delis, fake dating, and just the right amount of amnesia.

Yukiko Tominaga is here this week to discuss her debut novel, See Loss, See Also Love, which follows a Japanese widow raising her son between worlds with the help of her Jewish mother-in-law as she wrestles with grief, loss, and—strangest of all—joy.

This week, New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Dray discusses her captivating new historical novel, Madam Secretary, about Frances Perkins, one of the greatest political figures of the twentieth century, and an unsung heroine whose legacy is woven into the fabric of every American life.

This week, A.H. Kim is here to discuss her enormously entertaining new novel Relative Strangers, a modern feminist spin on Sense and Sensibility featuring two half-Korean sisters and their ex-hippie mother, multiple messy love affairs and one explosive secret that could ruin everything.   This is one of the most delightful reading experiences I’ve had in ages. Relative Strangers feels so true to the spirit of the original, but utterly fresh as well.

This week, Amy Tector is back on the podcast to discuss Honor the Dead, the third book in her captivating Dominion Archives Mysteries series, which is perfect for Louise Penny fans.

I'm thrilled that Henriette Lazaridis is back this week to discuss her new novel, Last Days in Plaka - think The Talented Mr. Ripley by way of Elena Ferrante--it explores the lies at the heart of an old woman's identity and the desperation of a young woman's struggle to belong.

This week my guest  is Sheila Sundar, author of the stunning debut novel Habitations, which follows a young academic who moves from India to the United States, where she navigates first love, a green card marriage, single motherhood, and more.

This week my guest  is Parul Kapur, author of Inside the Mirror, winner of the AWP prize for the novel and named a most anticipated feminist book of 2024 by Ms. Magazine. The book tells the story of two sisters who aspire to become artists in 1950s Bombay, India.

This week my guest is Liza Palmer, author of Family Reservations,  an epic saga about one family’s battle over their culinary legacy  that is sure to have you up late binge reading.

This week my guest is Melodie Edwards, author of Once Persuaded, Twice Shy, a second chance romance and a modern reimagining of Persuasion.

This week my guest is bookfluencer extraordinaire, publisher, and author Zibby Owens. She’s here to chat about her delightful new novel Blank, about a wife, mother, and frustrated writer who faces an impossible deadline for turning her life around. This new novel is perfect for fans of Nora Goes Off Script.

It is such a treat to have debut author Rosey Lee here this week to discuss one of my favorite recent reads, The Gardins of Edin, a heartwarming Southern story about family and all its many complexities.

This week Maura Cheeks is here to discuss her phenomenal debut, Acts of Forgiveness–named a most anticipated book by Elle, Real Simple, and more, the novel imagines the country has just passed the nation’s first reparations bill for Black families.

On this week's episode, Kathleen Willett is here to discuss Anything for a Friend, a propulsive new suspense novel about two college friends who reconnect with dangerous results. This is the perfect next read for fans of Big Little Lies & Little Fires Everywhere.

I'm thrilled to have master storyteller Kristin Hannah back on A Bookish Home to discuss her new novel, The Women - at once a coming of age story of a twenty-year old nursing student who serves in Vietnam and an epic tale of a nation divided.   Fans of The Nightingale and The Four Winds will want to hurry out and pick up a copy. Once again you’ll be swept away and riveted by the experiences of courageous women during a fascinating period in history.

This week, Constance Sayers is here to discuss The Star and the Strange Moon, a haunting tale of ambition, obsession, and the eternal mystery and magic of film.

Rebecca Hanover is here this week to discuss The Last Applicant,  an emotional thrill ride about two women whose lives take a dangerous turn in the high-stakes arena of private school admissions.

This week I'm honored to have on the award winning, renowned team behind the new picture book, A Walk in the Woods, Nikki Grimes and Brian Pinkney. Brian finished the artwork for the book that was started by his late father, the legendary Jerry Pinkney.   Nikki and Jerry share the mystical and magical experience of collaborating on this project, a moving account of loss, in which a boy takes a walk in the woods and makes a discovery that changes his understanding of his father.

Julie Chavez is here this week to discuss her new memoir, Everyone But Myself. Funny, honest, and inspiring for readers feeling overwhelmed by life, Everyone But Myself is like a best friend’s story of how she returned to solid ground while embracing chaos along the way.

On this episode, I’m chatting with author Isa Arsén about Shoot the Moon,  which tells the story of a brilliant but lonely NASA secretary and her relentless drive to live a big life in a world that would keep her small. Fans of Lessons in Chemistry will want to run to pick this one up!

This week my guest is Becca Freeman, author of a hug of a book that’s perfect for this holiday season, The Christmas Orphans Club, about four friends who gather every Christmas as a found family.

This week my guest is Pauls Toutonghi, award winning author of the new novel, The Refugee Ocean, a modern epic of two refugees from 1940s Beirut and 2014 Aleppo connected across time by music and the hauntings of dreams deferred.

On this week's episode, Ritu Mukerji is here to discuss Murder by Degrees, an atmospheric murder mystery set in 19th century Philadelphia, in which a pioneering woman doctor investigates the disappearance of a young patient.

Today New York Times bestselling author Nancy Jooyoun Kim is here to discuss What We Kept to Ourselves, the much anticipated follow-up to Reese's Book Club Pick, The Last Story of Mina Lee. Nancy began writing this riveting new novel twenty years ago and it follows a family's search for answers after the disappearance of their mother.

This week, international bestselling author Aimee K. Runyan is here to discuss her new historical novel, A Bakery in Paris, which tells the story of two courageous women of different eras connected by a quaint French bakery.

This week, I’m thrilled to have acclaimed historical novelist Vanessa Riley here to discuss Murder in Drury Lane, which portrays the true diversity of the Regency-era and the hidden intrigue of England’s abolitionist movement, with an engaging heroine who has a talent for sleuthing.

Today my guest is Sara Johnson Allen, author of the debut novel, Down Here We Come Up, which was the winner of the 2022 Big Moose Prize and just released from Black Lawrence Press.

This week my guest is Nina Simon, author of the debut novel, Mother Daughter Murder Night,  a Reese’s Book Club Pick, New York Times Bestseller, Indie Next Pick, and more.

This week, internationally bestselling author Bryn Turnbull is here to delve into The Paris Deception, an enthralling novel about art theft and forgery in Nazi-occupied Paris, and two brave women who risk their lives rescuing looted masterpieces from Nazi destruction.

This week, Sandra A. Miller is here to discuss her new literary suspense novel, Wednesdays at One, and the creative process which was sprinkled with a little bit of pixie dust, dedication,  and some "Big Magic".

This week, internationally bestselling author Lynn Hightower is here to discuss The Beautiful Risk, a provocative thriller about the collateral damage of grief and the adrenaline of revenge.

This week, Denene Millner takes us "behind the book" with One Blood, a powerful new novel which follows three women from The Great Migration, to the civil unrest of the 1960s, to  the quest for women’s equality in the early 2000s. This is one of the most compelling, beautifully written books I've read in years and I've been recommending it to everyone I see.

This week, Boston author Virginia Pye discusses The Literary Undoing of Victoria Swann, a historical novel which she calls a love letter to books and authors and to the literary city she adores. It came to be as she imagined being a young woman writing books in Boston’s male-dominated publishing industry of the 19th century.

Today my guest is Vibhuti Jain, author of Our Best Intentions, a gripping debut about an immigrant family that gets caught in the middle of a criminal investigation, perfect for readers of Everything I Never Told You.

This week my guest is Logan Steiner, author of the debut novel, After Anne, a stunning and unexpected portrait of Lucy Maud Montgomery, creator of one of literature’s most prized heroines, whose personal demons were at odds with her most enduring legacy—Anne of Green Gables.

This week, Katherine Marsh is here to discuss The Lost Year an incredibly timely, page-turning middle grade novel that traces a harrowing family secret back to the Holodomor, a terrible famine that devastated Soviet Ukraine in the 1930s.

This week my guest is Elizabeth Shick, author of the debut novel, The Golden Land. Inspired by the six years she lived in Myanmar, and set there and in Boston, it’s a novel that digs deep into the complexities of family history and relationships.

Today Madeline Martin is here to discuss The Keeper of Hidden Books, which is based on the real life heroic efforts of Warsaw's librarians during WWII.   Madeline Martin is a New York Times, USA TODAY, and international bestselling author of historical fiction and historical romance with books that have been translated into over twenty different languages. For more information visit https://madelinemartin.com/

Today, Namrata Patel is back on the podcast to discuss her new novel, Scent of a Garden, an exhilarating novel about a perfumer in Paris who is forced to return to her California roots where she winds up on a journey of self-discovery, reconnecting with family and finally taking some risks.

This week, Jane Roper is here to discuss The Society of Shame, a timely and witty combination of So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed and Where’d You Go, Bernadette? that’s both a satire of social media stardom and internet activism, and a tender mother-daughter tale.

This week Megan Tady is here to discuss Superbloom, which just released from Zibby Books. It’s a sparkling, heartwarming debut about a massage therapist at a Vermont spa who gets a demanding assignment from an eccentric author that might just change her life.

Fiona Davis is back on the podcast this week to discuss her thrilling new novel The Spectacular, which transports us back to 1950s Manhattan and glamorous Radio City Music Hall with a talented young Rockette and a mysterious bomber terrorizing New York City.

Michelle Hoffman is here this week to discuss her new novel, The Second Ending.  A former prodigy who refuses to believe her best years are behind her and a young virtuoso searching for his passion both get an unlikely shot at their dreams in this sparkling debut about second chances, unexpected joys, and the miraculous power of music.

This week, Julie Carrick Dalton is here to discuss The Last Beekeeper, which takes place in a not so far away future in which all of our pollinators are now extinct.

This week, Liz Alterman is here to discuss her riveting new novel, The Perfect Neighborhood, a thought-provoking read about the dark side of suburbia that will keep you up late turning the pages.

This week, Laura Spence-Ash is here to discuss Beyond That The Sea,  which tells the story of two families living through World War II on opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean, and the shy, irresistible young woman who will call them both her own.

It’s such a treat to have Susan Tan back on the podcast today to discuss Ghosts, Toasts, and Other Hazards: a middle-grade novel about a girl who must overcome her worries to find the truth behind her town’s urban legend.

Today Meg Mitchell Moore is here to chat about her new book, Summer Stage, a spirited summer page-turner following a family of actors grappling with fame, scandal, and ambition--perfect for fans of Elin Hilderbrand. Your beach bag will not be complete this summer without a copy!

Today  Leigh McMullan Abramson is here to discuss her debut novel, A Likely Story, which is perfect for anyone still missing the reading experience of Writers and Lovers. A Likely Story has received rave reviews and has been called “a literary page turner” and a “dishy, sophisticated story” and is certainly a standout debut.

Today my guest is Jennifer De Leon, author of the new young adult novel Borderless. Caught in the cross hairs of gang violence, in Borderless a teen girl and her mother set off on a perilous journey from Guatemala City to the US border.

What a joy to have Patti Callahan Henry back on the podcast this week to discuss her new historical novel, The Secret Book of Flora Lea, which is set outside Oxford in the hamlet of Binsey and involves a missing sister, a mysterious fairy tale, and a lost love.

Today Katherine Sherbrooke is here to discuss her new novel, The Hidden Life of Aster Kelly. Hollywood and Broadway take center stage in this evocative and immersive story of a 1940’s runway model who makes a decision to protect those she loves, and her daughter who confronts the repercussions of her mother’s secrets decades later.

Today my guest is Deepa Varadarajan, author of Late Bloomers, a witty, big-hearted debut in which an Indian American family is turned upside down when the parents split up thirty-six years into their arranged marriage​.

It's an honor to have Amina Luqman-Dawson on this week, the 2023 Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King award winner for Freewater, a lyrical, accessible historical middle-grade novel about two enslaved children’s escape from a plantation and the many ways they find freedom.

Julia Kelly is back on the podcast to discuss The Lost English Girl, an epic saga of love, motherhood, and betrayal during World War II that tells the story of the evacuation of English children to the countryside.

Today Suzanne Park is back on the podcast to discuss The Do Over, a delightfully warm, hopeful story about a Korean-American woman having to return to college after discovering she’s a few credits shy of completing her degree—only to find one of her TAs is her old college boyfriend.

This week my guest is poet and bestselling author Maggie Smith whose memoir, You Could Make This Place Beautiful just released and explores the disintegration of her marriage and her renewed commitment to herself.

Eleanor Shearer is here to discuss her debut novel, River Sing Me Home, a beautiful, page-turning and redemptive story of a mother’s gripping journey across the Caribbean to find her stolen children in the aftermath of slavery. We discuss the power of historical novels to teach and bring lesser known periods of history to life and how she explores through her writing what it means to be free and finding love and joy in the darkest times. River Sing Me Home is a Good Morning America Book Club pick and was  named a Most Anticipated Book of 2023 by Real Simple, Goodreads, BookBub,  BookRiot and more.

Tori Whitaker is back on the podcast this week to discuss A Matter of Happiness, a bittersweet novel about family, hard truths, and self-discovery in which a cherished heirloom opens up a century of secrets.   We discussed how she went about researching this time period, ways her writing process has changed after two books, drawing on her own life for literary inspiration, and much more.

Today my guest is Diane Marie Brown, author of Black Candle Women, a warm and wry family drama with a magical twist about four generations of Black women living under one roof and the family curse that stems back to a Voodoo shop in 1950s New Orleans.   We discuss the winding road to debut novel including finding an agent, research, ways to connect with other new authors, and much more.

Today archivist and author Amy Tector is back on the podcast to discuss her new series, the Dominion Archives Mysteries, which is perfect for fans of Louise Penny.

Bestselling author Sarah Penner is back on to discuss her new novel, The London Seance Society, a spellbinding gothic whodunit introducing two enigmatic women who set out to solve a most unusual mystery.

Amy Poeppel is back on the podcast to discuss The Sweet Spot, a big-hearted, delightful novel about three women who form an accidental sorority in Greenwich village when a baby lands on their collective doorstep.

This week I’m delighted to welcome New York Times Bestselling Author Mary Kay Andrews to A Bookish Home to discuss her new book, Sunset Beach. Mary Kay Andrews is the New York Times bestselling author of 24 novels including The Weekenders, Beach Town, Ladies’ Night, and Summer Rental and has been dubbed “The Queen of … Continue reading Ep. 36: Mary Kay Andrews, Author of Sunset Beach →

This week I’m excited to welcome Jerry Craft to the podcast to discuss his latest book, New Kid. Jerry Craft is an author and illustrator who has worked on numerous picture books, graphic novels, and middle grade novels. His latest book, New Kid, is a middle grade graphic novel that has earned four starred reviews, … Continue reading Ep. 35: Jerry Craft, Author of New Kid →

This week Paul Swydan returns to the podcast. Paul is the owner of Silver Unicorn Books in Acton, Massachusetts. We chatted about some of the books he is looking forward to recommending in the store this summer. Get your TBR lists ready!   You can also listen on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. … Continue reading Ep. 34: Summer Reading Preview With Bookseller Paul Swydan →

This week I’m sharing an interview with Crystal King, author of The Chef’s Secret, a novel that will transport you to Renaissance Rome. History, romance, food, and a mystery that will keep you turning the pages late into the night–this book has it all.   You can also listen on iTunes or wherever you get … Continue reading Ep. 33: Crystal King, Author of The Chef’s Secret →

This week I’m sharing an interview with Elise Hooper, author of Learning to See: A Novel of Dorothea Lange, the Woman Who Revealed the Real America. This is an inspiring historical fiction novel that will sweep you up into the life of an unforgettable, pioneering woman. You can also listen on iTunes or wherever you get … Continue reading Ep. 32: Elise Hooper, Author of Learning to See →

This week I’m excited to share an interview with Susan Tan, author of a middle-grade series I completely adore–Cilla Lee-Jenkins. The third installment is called Cilla Lee-Jenkins: The Epic Story. Cilla is on her own heroine’s quest this year as she braces for middle school, navigates changes in her family, and continues to grow as a … Continue reading Ep. 31: Susan Tan, Author of the Cilla Lee-Jenkins Series →

This week my guest is Claire Handscombe, author of the new book Unscripted and host of The Britlit Podcast. Unscripted is the perfect next read for fans of One Day in December by Josie Silver and One Day by David Nicholls. You can also listen on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. Books Mentioned On This Episode: Unscripted One … Continue reading Ep. 30: Claire Handscombe, Author of Unscripted →

One of my favorite authors, Laura Vanderkam, returns to the podcast this week to discuss her new book, Juliet’s School of Possibilities, which is a time management fable. Laura is the author of several other time management and productivity books, including Off the Clock: Feel Less Busy While Getting More Done as well as I Know How … Continue reading Ep. 29: Laura Vanderkam, Author of Juliet’s School of Possibilities →

This week I’m thrilled to share an interview with the author of the beloved middle grade series Because of Mr. Terupt. His latest book is The Perfect Secret, the second book in a wonderful new series. You can also listen on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. Books Mentioned On This Episode: Because of Mr. Terupt Mr. Terupt … Continue reading Ep. 28: Rob Buyea, Author of “The Perfect Secret” →

This week we’re featuring a special bookish destination, perfect for Jane Austen fans. I’m chatting with Mary Guyatt, Director of the Jane Austen’s House Museum in the UK. You can also listen on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. Books Mentioned On This Episode: Jane Austen at Home: A Biography Pride and Prejudice Persuasion Sense … Continue reading Ep. 27: Jane Austen’s House Museum, Bookish Destination →