Novel Finds

Follow Alexene Farol Follmuth (sometimes known as Olivie Blake) and Julia on a journey through so many different topics that magically all pull together into the neat package that is her newest YA book, Twelfth Knight. In Twelfth Knight, Vi Reyes is just trying to live her life to the highest standard, but she always seems to come in second next to Jack "Duke" Orsino. The only respite she can find is through her favorite online gaming platform, Twelfth Knight, but when Jack suddenly is out of commission for the rest of the football season, he suddenly finds himself playing an incredibly addicting and popular online game... Twelfth Knight comes out on May 28th! Grab it from one of Alexene's favorite independent bookstores: The Ripped Bodice, Village Well, The Novel Neighbor, Brookline Booksmith, or Harvard Book Store Follow Alexene (Olivie) on Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Spotify, and YouTube Interested in reading her fanfiction? Find Divination for Skeptics here and her Ao3 here Want to read some of Alexene's favorite books? Try You Should Be So Lucky, We Could Be So Good, Our Share of Night, Legendborn, and Gwen and Art are Not in Love --- Thanks for listening to Novel Finds! Follow the podcast on Instagram and don't forget to rate and review the show through your podcast app. If you'd like to support the show, join the Patreon! There's cool merch, and random book-related and behind-the-scenes posts by yours truly. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet the last animal...well, she's the first and also the last cold-adapted elephant. Jane and her daughters, Eve and Vera, embark on a chance of a lifetime to find and bring back the wooly mammoth to Earth. Ramona Ausubel brings the readers on a journey through life at its most tumultuous, and expertly guides them through to the other side. The Last Animal is available now! Ramona's Favorite Books: Shards by Ismet Prcic and Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino Workshops with Ramona: June 11-16 Writing Workshops Paris and September 18-22 Writing by Writers Ramona's Favorite Indie Bookshops: Boulder Book Store, The Read Queen, Books Inc, Collected Works Bookstore, Garcia Street Books Follow Ramona Ausubel on Instagram and check out her website --- Thank you for being a Novel Friend! Follow the podcast on Instagram and don't forget to rate and review the show through your podcast app. If you'd like to support the show, join the Patreon! There's cool merch, and random book-related and behind-the-scenes posts by yours truly. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Taleen is back with her next queer Armenian romance! Ellie is beckoned to Chicago to help her parents with a food conference that may help put their amazing Armenian-Lebanese food on the map, but when she gets there, her parents' bitter rivals are also vying for the same spot of recognition. Despite the feud, their daughter Vanya catches Ellie's eyes and a sweet secret summer romance ensues. Featuring amazing foods and Chicago landmarks, this book is such a fun read. It's available May 7, 2024. Real Life Chicago places to go: The Aviary & Aire Ancient Baths Taleen's Fave Queer Books: Delilah Green Doesn't Care by Ashley Herring Blake & In the Dreamhouse by Carmen Maria Machado Find Lavash at Taleen's fave indie bookstores: Christopher's Books, Book Passage, and Books Inc Follow Taleen on the socials: Twitter and IG, and sign up for her newsletter here Thank you for being a Novel Friend! Follow the podcast on Instagram and don't forget to rate and review the show through your podcast app. If you'd like to support the show, join the Patreon! There's cool merch, and random book-related and behind-the-scenes posts by yours truly. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In conversation with award-winning author Adib Khorram, we discuss his young adult romantic comedy The Breakup Lists. Jackson Ghasnavi is a lot of things—a techie, a smoothie afficionado, a totally not obsessive list-maker—but one thing he’s not is a romantic. Until he meets Liam Coquyt, that is. The downside? His sister likes him too. Will Jackson be forced to write another breakup list, or will love finally prevail? The Breakup Lists is available now! Find it at one of Adib's favorite indie bookstores: Rainy Day Books Under the Cover Books Inc Little Shop of Stories East City Bookshop Loudmouth Books Women & Children First Follow Adib Khorram on Instagram, Tumblr, Bluesky, TikTok, and and check out his website Thank you for being a Novel Friend! Follow the podcast on Instagram and don't forget to rate and review the show through your podcast app. If you'd like to support the show, join the Patreon! There's cool merch, and random book-related and behind-the-scenes posts by yours truly. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In conversation with debut author Sara Koffi, we discuss her domestic thriller While We Were Burning. Taking place in Memphis, Tennesee, this explosive dual POV narrative examines the intersection between race, class, and female friendship...and the devastating consequences of everyday actions. While We Were Burning is available on April 16, 2024. Pre-order the book and find the info about Sara's launch event @ novel. here! Follow Sara Koffi on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter and check out her website Thank you for being a Novel Friend! Follow the podcast on Instagram and don't forget to rate and review the show through your podcast app. If you'd like to support the show, join the Patreon! There's cool merch, and random book-related and behind-the-scenes posts by yours truly. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In conversation with Bookstagram's own Rachel of @TheMenuscript covering one of her favorite books, Remarkably Bright Creatures written by Shelby Van Pelt. This is a lovely debut novel about a Giant Pacific Octopus, a woman just trying to live her life, and a young man trying to find his. It's a triple POV set in a sleepy Washington town, that will make you want to visit! **Trigger Warning: Death of a child mentioned** Thank you for being a Novel Friend! Follow the podcast on Instagram and don't forget to rate and review the show through your podcast app. If you'd like to support the show, join the Patreon! There's cool merch, and random book-related and behind-the-scenes posts by yours truly. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're kicking off season four with a Regency Era double feature! In this episode, we have two modern reimaginings of two classic Jane Austen novels. First up: Melodie Edwards with Once Persuaded, Twice Shy, Jane Austen's Persuasion reimagined. You can find Melodie on Instagram and through her website. Her book is available now! Grab it from her favorite indie bookstores: Old Niagara Bookshop, Thistle Bookshop and Cafe, or TYPE Books Followed by: A.H. Kim with Relative Strangers a retelling of Sense and Sensibility. AH can be found on Instagram and through her website. Relative Strangers is available for pre-order, and comes out on April 2, 2024. Grab it from her favorite indie bookstores: Literati, Booksweet, Schuler Books, or Green Apple Books on the Park Thank you for being a Novel Friend! Follow the podcast on Instagram and don't forget to rate and review the show through your podcast app. If you'd like to support the show, join the Patreon! There's cool merch, and random book-related and behind-the-scenes posts by yours truly. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We did it! We made it through season three! Thank you to all the friends and family that have joined us on this crazy season. In this final episode we recap all our favourite moments, silliest episodes, and books we read in 2023 that we will never stop thinking about. Oh, and one of us has an incredibly bittersweet announcement. As always, thank you for being a Novel Friend. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Happy Holidays from your two favorite Novel friends!! We sit down to spread some holiday cheer and giggle over two marvelous LGBTQ+ Christmas reads. Sit down with a cup of cocoa and join us for our penultimate episode. Our internet connection was WILD while recording. So the episode hops around a bit, and the sound isn't perfect, but it's still an enjoyable episode, I promise! As always, thank you for being a Novel Friend. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today is the very last author interview of season three! Maggie sits down with Margarita Barresi to chat all about her debut novel, A Delicate Marriage. This book is a historical fiction piece following the marriage between Marco and Isa, and deals with class and oppression in Puerto Rico 40 years after it became a U.S. colony. We discuss research, how Margarita's family inspired the novel, and the balance of romance and politics in the book. For more on Margarita Barresi, check out her website: https://www.margaritabarresi.com/about To purchase A Delicate Marriage from Brookline Booksmith: https://www.brooklinebooksmith.com/search/site/a%20delicate%20marriage Or purchase on Bookshop.org: https://uk.bookshop.org/categories/m/fiction As always, thank you for being Novel Friend! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

BURN IT DOWN. God bless Rebecca Yarros and Basgiath War College and the absolute drama that is dragon riding. Our episode on the second book in the Empyrean series is here and we loved getting to talk all about Iron Flame. We delve into a bit of Fourth Wing and Iron Flame comparison, talk about all our favorite moments and lines, and the all new Gryphon Fliers! The second half of this episode is positively filled with spoilers including theories, signets, and all the twists and turns we never saw coming (or did we???). We hope you enjoy this episode filled with all the best dragon content around! Please excuse Maggie's monotone voice as she was healing from a bit of a cold whilst recording. As always, thank you for being a Novel Friend! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adventure Romance is at an all-time high with Rosie Danan's newest novel! If you enjoy The Mummy, The Lost City, curses, and Brendan Fraser this is definitely the book (and episode!) for you. Do Your Worst is a smart, sexy, and hilarious book with enemies-to-lovers set in the Scottish Highlands. Join us for our latest author interview with Rosie Danan as we chat all about favorite tropes, the Highlands, and her book's steamiest scene. We delve into real world magic and historical curses. Click play for thirty minutes of romance and escapism and the sound of my constant laughter because Rosie is hilarious and simply too much of a delight. I tried to cut out all my giggles, I really did. For more on Rosie, including special edition books and updates, check out her website: rosiedanan.com To purchase Do Your Worst: https://www.townebc.com/book/9780593437148 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us for a very fun fantasy filled author interview as Julia sits down to chat with the one and only Jennifer L. Armentrout all about her latest novel, A Fire in the Flesh, the third installment of the Flesh and Fire series. The only thing that can save the realms now is the one thing more powerful than the Fates. After a startling betrayal ends with both Sera and the dangerously seductive ruler of the Shadowlands she has fallen madly in love with being held captive by the false King of the Gods, there is only one thing that can free Nyktos and prevent the forces of the Shadowlands from invading Dalos and igniting a War of Primals. Convincing Kolis won’t be easy, though – not even with a lifetime of training. While his most favored Revenant is insistent that she is nothing more than a lie, Kolis’s erratic nature and twisted sense of honor leave her shaken to the core, and nothing could’ve prepared her for the cruelty of his Court or the shocking truths revealed. The revelations not only upend what she has understood about her duty and the very creation of the realms but also draw into question exactly what the true threat is. However, surviving Kolis is only one part of the battle. The Ascension is upon her, and Sera is out of time. But Nyktos will do anything to keep Sera alive and give her the life she deserves. He’ll even risk the utter destruction of the realms, and that’s exactly what will happen if he doesn’t Ascend as the Primal of Life. Yet despite his desperate determination, their destinies may be out of their hands. But there is that foreseen unexpected thread—the unpredictable, unknown, and unwritten. The only thing more powerful than the Fates… Julia and Jennifer chat about fantasy worlds, Bramble romance, book events, and favorite characters. We hope you enjoy, and, as always, thank you for being a Novel Friend. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Happy Halloween! (almost). We're here with our annual Halloween episode and we're delving into A Discovery of Witches and A Good Girl's Guide to Murder. Very different, but both perfect for the autumnal season in their own way. So, grab a warm cup of tea and join us for an hour of laughs and spookiness! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the third installment following Sarah J Maas' bestselling series, we sit down with the wonderful Shelby Van Rossum to discuss A Court of Wings and Ruin! Like with ACOTAR and ACOMAF, Shelby shares all her insights and opinions on the series. There's talk of theories, plenty of spoilers, and deep dives into all your favorite (and least favorite) ACOTAR characters! So, what are you waiting for? Press play and spend the next hour amongst the fae in the Night Court. As always, thank you for being a Novel Friend! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today's episode we delve into Belladonna, the YA Gothic Mystery by Adalyn Grace. There is talk of love triangles, plot twists, and good antagonists. With autumnal weather finally in the air, sit down with a warm drink and join us as we talk about your next spooky read! As always, thank you for being a Novel Friend. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kicking off the autumnal season is an author interview with Logan Steiner! Julia and Logan sit down and chat all about After Anne, a book detailing the life of LM Montgomery. Delve into the world of Anne of Green Gables, favourite characters, and a reading from Logan's book! It's a sweet episode you don't want to miss. As always, thank you for being a Novel Friend! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today's interview, Maggie sits down to chat with Pim Wangtechawat about her debut novel, The Moon Represents My Heart, a family drama with time travel. This has been one of my favourite reads of the year, and had me sobbing on the train to Inverness earlier this year. Pim was an absolute delight, and I will genuinely be surprised if this episode doesn't convince you to go out and purchase two copies of her book (one for you and one for a friend). I have already purchased two for upcoming Christmas gifts. We spoke on the research she did, what era she'd love to travel to, and the inspirations for her characters. Pim also shared what actors she'd love to see in the adaptation of her book! If you're interested in purchasing her book, you can do so at one of her favourite independent bookshops: https://lighthousebookshop.com/ https://www.primrosehillbooks.com/ https://www.bookbaruk.com/the-booklist https://www.toppingbooks.co.uk/ If you're interested in following Pim's writing journey, you can do so through her website: https://pimwangtechawat.net/ As always, thank you for being a Novel Friend! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Holy mother of dragons it's here...an episode on the iconic Fourth Wing! We DEVOURED this book and absolutely loved it. Tune in for our takes on the dragons, political intrigue, and the sexy romance. What kind of dragon would you want? Why does Dain have Gale energy? Did we perfectly cast Tairn, Sgaeyl, and Andarna? Give it a listen to find out! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Happy Sunday! We're back with an author interview, this time with romance author and enthusiast Pernille Hughes. Maggie and Pernille sit down and talk about her book, Ten Years, an enemies-to-lovers romance spanning a decade. They chat favourite romance tropes, the best part of falling in love, gin busses, and play a round of Shag, Marry, Avoid. This episode is some of the best fun I've had! Pernille is so lovely, and I so enjoyed getting to chat with her. I hope you enjoy and, as always, thank you for being a Novel Friend. For more on Pernille, follow her on Instagram @pernillehughes or her website: https://pernillehughes.com/ To purchase one of her books from her local independent bookshop, check out this link: https://chilternbookshops.co.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.