We’re halfway through the year, and it’s time to check in on our bookish goals and reading lives of 2025!
Books and other media mentioned in this episode:
2025 ALA Annual Conference
Jane Austen books
Book of the Month Club
Women’s Prize for Fiction
Libba Bray books
Agatha Christie books
Emily Henry books
Abby Jimenez books
Strange Pictures by Uketsu
Strange Houses by Uketsu
Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley
Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall
Gifted & Talented by Olivie Blake
A Witch’s Guide to Magical Inkeeping by Sangu Mandanna
The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst
The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst
Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins
Left of Forever by Tara DeWitt
Immaculate Conception by Ling Ling Huang
Natural Beauty by Ling Ling Huang
Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
The Women in Suite 11 by Ruth Ware
The Favorites by Layne Fargo
The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown
The Names by Florence Knapp
One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune
Heart the Lover by Lily King
A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher
Ready or Not by Cara Bastone
The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones
The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
Katabasis by R.F. Kuang
Brigands & Breadknives by Travis Baldree
Sisters in the Wind by Angeline Boulley
Alchemised by SenLinYu
Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
Manacled by SenLinYu
Rose in Chains by Julie Soto
Mate by Ali Hazelwood
Bride by Ali Hazelwood
Good Spirits by B.K. Borison
Crafting for Sinners by Jenny Kiefer
Grady Hendrix books
What We’re Reading This Week:
Ann: Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker
Halle: The Will of the Many by James Islington
– Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas
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Vacations Gone Wrong
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Episode 156 - Summer 2025 Preview
It’s already summer – how!? But we’re very ready for summer reading with our lists of the books we’re most excited about. As always, we’ll end with what we’re reading this week!
Books and other media mentioned in this episode:
Under the Same Stars by Libba Bray
Mutual Interest by Olivia Wolfgang-Smith
The Starving Saints by Caitlin Starling
Marble Hall Murders by Anthony Horowitz
How to Seal Your Own Fate by Kristen Perrin
The Favorites by Layne Fargo
Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley
Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson
Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson
First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison
Sleepless in Seattle (film)
When Harry Met Sally… (film)
Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy
The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami
Passion Project by London Sperry
Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone
Ali Hazelwood
Annabel Monaghan
Ann’s picks:
The Phoenix Pencil Company by Allison King (releases June 3)
The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater (releases June 3)
– The Wolves of Mercy Falls series by Maggie Stiefvater
– The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
Death at the White Hart by Chris Chibnall (releases June 10)
– Broadchurch (TV)
Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild (releases July 8)
How to Survive a Horror Story by Mallory Arnold (releases July 8)
– And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
– The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
Hemlock & Silver by T. Kingfisher (releases August 19)
– Snow White and the Seven Dwarves
– Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher
– A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher
Five Found Dead by Sulari Gentill (releases August 19)
– Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
– The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill
– With a Vengeance by Riley Sager
Katabasis by R.F. Kuang (releases August 26)
– Babel by R.F. Kuang
Halle’s picks:
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid (releases June 3)
– The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
– Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
– Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
– Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid
– Top Gun (film)
The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark (releases June 3)
Park Avenue by Renée Ahdieh (releases June 3)
– Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
– Succession (TV)
– Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn
– Gossip Girl (TV)
Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab (releases June 10)
When Javi Dumped Mari by Mia Sosa (releases June 24)
Rose in Chains by Julie Soto (releases July 3)
– The Thrashers by Julie Soto
– The Auction by LovesBitca8 (fanfiction)
The Girls Who Grew Big by Leila Mottley (releases June 24)
– Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley
– The Mothers by Brit Bennett
These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean (releases July 8)
What We’re Reading This Week:
Ann: Kate & Frida by Kim Fay
– Love & Saffron by Kim Fay
Halle: The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett
– Rabbit Cake by Annie Hartnett
– A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
– The Guncle by Steven Rowley
– Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe
– Run for the Hills by Kevin Wilson
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As librarians, books are kind of our thing. Listen in as we talk about what we're reading, make book recommendations, and all sorts of book-related fun.
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