Sarah's Bookshelves Live

By Sarah Dickinson | Sarah's Bookshelves

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What's Sarah's Bookshelves Live about?

Sarah’s Bookshelves Live is a weekly show featuring real talk about books and book recommendations from a featured guest. Each week, Sarah of the blog Sarah’s Bookshelves will talk with her guest about:

- 2 OLD BOOKS THEY LOVE
- 2 NEW BOOKS THEY LOVE
- 1 BOOK THEY DON’T LOVE
- AND 1 NEW RELEASE THEY’RE EXCITED ABOUT

I’m getting real about all things books and serving you up a bit of snark on the side.

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LAST EPISODE

Ep. 151: Angie Kim (Author ...

09.20.2023

Episode 151 brings author Angie Kim back to the podcast with her sophomore novel, Happiness Falls. Angie is carving out her niche with literary mysteries featuring children with disabilities or illnesses, drawing inspiration from her own family’s encounters. I broke ...

Sarah's Bookshelves Live episodes:

09.20.2023 Ep. 151: Angie Kim (Author of Happiness Falls) + Book Recommendations Episode 151 brings author Angie Kim back to the podcast with her sophomore novel, Happiness Falls. Angie is carving out her niche with literary mysteries featuring children with disabilities or illnesses, drawing inspiration from her own family’s encounters. I broke ...
09.06.2023 Ep. 150: Fall 2023 Book Preview with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) Welcome to the Fall 2023 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books! In this episode, Catherine and I share 12 of our most anticipated books releasing in mid-August through December. This post contains affiliate links through which I ...
08.30.2023 Ep. 149: Summer 2023 Circle Back with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) In Ep. 149, Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) and I revisit the 12 books released from June to mid-August that we featured in the Summer 2023 Book Preview. We update you on our reading stats for summer, chat about the books we’ve tackled ...
08.23.2023 Ep. 148: Backlist: Best Books of 2020 with Susie (@NovelVisits) For Episode 148, as the podcast takes a brief break, we revisit a backlist episode…the Best Books of 2020 with Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits). Re-listening to this one is a unique opportunity to get a look back on a strange year. ...
08.09.2023 Ep. 147: Lara Love Hardin (Author of The Many Lives of Mama Love) + Book Recommendations In Episode 147, Lara Love Hardin joins me to discuss her memoir, The Many Lives of Mama Love. Lara shares her journey from opioid addict (funded through credit card theft) to successful ghostwriter. Her warm and candid storytelling touches on ...
07.26.2023 Ep. 146: Katie Williams (Author of My Murder) + Book Recommendations In today’s podcast episode, Katie Williams and I delve into the complex questions surrounding motherhood, marriage, and society’s fixation on a certain type of murder victim that she explores in My Murder. We discuss the romanticization of white female victims, ...
07.12.2023 Ep. 145: 2023 Micro Genres We Love with Susie (@NovelVisits) In Episode 145, Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) and I dive into micro genres — the niches within niches that we’ve come to adore. Over the past year, we’ve discovered even more unique themes and types of books that consistently captivate us. ...
06.28.2023 Ep. 144: John Marrs (Author of The One, The Passengers, and The Marriage Act) John Marrs, best-selling author of The One, The Passengers, and The Marriage Act, talks about his journey from self-published to bestselling author, his writing process, how he manages writing in multiple genres for two different publishers, and more. John’s journalism ...
06.14.2023 Ep. 143: Behind the Scenes of Book Coaching with Abigail K. Perry (of Lit Match Podcast) + Book Recommendations In today’s episode of Sarah’s Bookshelves Live, we dive into the fascinating world of book coaching with Abigail K. Perry (@abigailkperry)! We chat about the role of book coaches, the perks of working with them, and uncover some valuable insights ...
05.31.2023 Ep. 142: Summer 2023 Book Preview with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) Announcement In addition to my annual 2023 Summer Reading Guide, I’m once again offering Superstars Patrons ($7/mo) exclusive access to Summer Shelves, featuring even more recommendations for the season. Summer Shelves features BACKLIST summer reading recommendations from 17 former podcast ...
05.24.2023 Ep. 141: Spring 2023 Circle Back with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) Catherine (Gilmore Guide to Books) and I revisit the 12 books released in April and May featured in the Spring 2023 Book Preview. We give updates on our reading stats, share our thoughts on the books we’ve read or attempted, ...
05.17.2023 Ep. 140: 2023 Summer Reading Special with Susie (@NovelVisits) Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) and I share our favorite books that missed last year’s Summer Reading Guides, some nonfiction books we think are great for summer reading, and our #1 picks for four categories, including what I have featured in my ...
05.03.2023 Ep. 139: Brendan Slocumb (Author of Symphony of Secrets) + Book Recommendations In Episode 139, Brendan Slocumb talks about his sophomore novel, Symphony of Secrets, and the inspiration behind it. He shares a fascinating look into musical history of the 1920’s, his unique approach to writing musical thrillers, and how he balances ...
04.19.2023 Ep. 138: Rebecca Makkai (Author of I Have Some Questions for You) + Book Recommendations In Episode 138, author Rebecca Makkai discusses I Have Some Questions for You, her latest novel that explores societal issues such as racism and wrongful incarceration through the lens of a crime story. This was a five-star book for me ...
04.05.2023 Ep. 137: Spring 2023 Book Preview with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) Welcome to the Spring 2023 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books! In this episode, Catherine and I share 12 of our most anticipated books releasing in April and May. This post contains affiliate links through which I ...
03.29.2023 Ep. 136: Winter 2023 Circle Back with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) In today’s episode, Catherine (Gilmore Guide to Books) and I circle back to the 16 books we featured in the Winter 2023 Book Preview. We’ll be sharing our reading stats and thoughts on the books we’ve read (or attempted), to ...
03.22.2023 Ep. 135: William Landay (Author of All That Is Mine I Carry With Me) + Book Recommendations In episode 135, author William Landay discusses his latest novel, All That Is Mine I Carry With Me, while also sharing his background as a prosecutor and how he incorporates family drama into his crime novels. William shares a couple ...
03.08.2023 Ep. 134: Deborah Goodrich Royce (Author of Reef Road) + Book Recommendations In today’s episode, Deborah Goodrich Royce joins me to talk about her latest book, Reef Road. We discuss the personal story behind her book and the role of generational trauma in her writing niche, which she calls “Identity Thrillers.” We ...
02.22.2023 Ep. 133: Speculative Fiction / Fantasy 101 with Sarah Landis (Literary Agent) Literary agent Sarah Landis joins me for a deep dive into the Speculative Fiction / Fantasy genre. Sarah breaks down these terms, shares popular books in these genres, and discusses the trends she’s seeing in the publishing industry. Also, Sarah ...
02.08.2023 Ep. 132: Katie Gutierrez (Author of More Than You'll Ever Know) + Book Recommendations Katie Gutierrez joins me for a spoiler-free discussion of her debut novel, More Than You’ll Ever Know, which is a character study about a complex and fascinating woman behind a highly unusual crime. This is a deeply layered story touching ...
01.25.2023 Ep. 131: The Best Backlist Books We Read in 2022 with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) In Episode 131, Catherine (@gilmoreguide) and I share the best backlist books we read in 2022. We each share our top 5 backlist books from 2022, some underrated backlist gems, and our backlist reading stats. Catherine and I both had ...
01.11.2023 Ep. 130: Winter 2023 Book Preview with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) Welcome to the Winter 2023 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books! In this episode, Catherine and I share 16 of our most anticipated books releasing January through March. This post contains affiliate links through which I make ...
12.14.2022 Ep. 129: Best Books of 2022 Genre Awards with Susie (@NovelVisits) Our 2022 year-end reading roundup continues today with our Best Books of 2022 Genre Awards with Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits). We reveal our Overall Best Books (Fiction and Nonfiction) and we have a full breakdown by genre, including: Best Literary Fiction, ...
11.30.2022 Ep. 128: Best Books of 2022 Superlatives with Susie (@NovelVisits) Our 2022 year-end reading roundup starts today with Best Books of 2022 Superlatives with Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits). This year, we’re splitting our wrap-up into two episodes: Superlatives and Genre Awards (coming in mid-December). We have 17 Superlatives categories for you, ...
11.16.2022 Ep. 127: Fall 2022 Circle Back with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) In the Fall 2022 Book Preview, Catherine (Gilmore Guide to Books) and I shared our 16 most-anticipated books that released mid-August – December 2022. In today’s episode, we’re going to circle back to update you on the books we’ve had ...
11.02.2022 Ep. 126: Behind the Scenes of Producing Audiobooks (with Karen Dziekonski of Penguin Random House Audio) + Audiobook Recommendations In Episode 126, audiobook producer Karen Dziekonski from Penguin Random House Audio joins me for today’s deep-dive discussion. Karen takes us behind the scenes from the growth of audiobooks in the industry to the ins and outs of how audiobooks ...
10.19.2022 Ep. 125: 2022 Debuts Special with Susie (@NovelVisits) In Episode 125, Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) and I are back for our 2nd annual Debuts Special. Today we’re sharing our favorite debut novels from 2022 (so far)! Plus, we discuss our reading stats for debuts this year and we talk ...
10.05.2022 Ep. 124: Candice Carty-Williams (Author of People Person) + Book Recommendations Candice Carty-Williams joins me for a spoiler-free discussion of her sophomore novel, People Person. In People Person, Candice writes about serious issues in a light-hearted way that’s full of dry humor. She explores questions of obligation to family — especially ...
09.21.2022 Ep. 123: Nikki Erlick (Author of The Measure) + Book Recommendations In Episode 123, Nikki Erlick joins me to discuss (spoiler-free!) her debut novel, The Measure, and share her book recommendations. A both otherworldly and of our time story, in a symbolic way rather than a literal way. The Measure will ...
09.07.2022 Ep. 122: Doubled Booked with Catherine (September 2022) Double Booked is a monthly series, available to my Superstars patrons, where a co-host and I each share our own book recommendations in the same format as the big show (2 old books we love, 2 new books we love, ...
08.24.2022 Ep. 121: Fall 2022 Book Preview with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) Welcome to the Fall 2022 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books! In this episode, Catherine and I share 16 of our most anticipated books releasing mid-August through December. This post contains affiliate links through which I make ...
08.17.2022 Ep. 120: Summer 2022 Circle Back with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) In Episode 120, Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books and I circle back to the books we shared in the Summer 2022 Book Preview — now that we’ve actually had a chance to read them. Returning to our 12 summer ...
08.10.2022 Ep. 119: Keri Blakinger (Author of Corrections in Ink) + Book Recommendations In Episode 119, Keri Blakinger joins me to discuss her debut memoir, Corrections in Ink, a mind-blowing personal story, also speaks to the broader issues of addiction and women in the prison system. Keri went from being an elite figure ...
07.27.2022 Ep. 118: Editing Literary Fiction with Caroline Zancan (Senior Editor at Henry Holt) + Book Recommendations In Episode 118, Caroline Zancan, Senior Editor at Henry Holt, joins me for another episode in the Genre 101 series — this time with a twist. Caroline answers behind-the-scenes questions about editing literary fiction, as well as a deep dive ...
07.13.2022 Ep. 117: Annie Hartnett (Author of Unlikely Animals) + Book Recommendations In Episode 117, Annie Hartnett, author of Unlikely Animals, shares the intriguing backstory behind her new novel. She is wonderfully candid and shares interesting tidbits from the germ of the idea, through some of the editing process, all the way ...
06.29.2022 Ep. 116: Micro Genres We Love with Susie (@NovelVisits) In Episode 116, Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) joins me to talk about niching down from traditional genre categories into the micro genres we love. Over the past year, I have picked up on some key themes and types of books that ...
06.15.2022 Ep. 115: Bonnie Garmus (Author of Lessons in Chemistry) + Book Recommendations In Episode 115, Bonnie Garmus, author of Lessons in Chemistry, discusses the inspiration behind her best-selling debut novel, sexism in the workplace, and the story behind Six-Thirty the dog. Plus, Bonnie’s book recommendations! This post contains affiliate links, through which ...
06.01.2022 Ep. 114: Summer 2022 Book Preview with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) Welcome to the Summer 2022 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books! In this episode, Catherine and I share our most anticipated books coming out June through mid-August. This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a ...
05.25.2022 Ep. 113: Spring 2022 Circle Back with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) In the Spring 2022 Book Preview, Catherine (Gilmore Guide to Books) and I shared our most anticipated books that released April – May 2022. In today’s episode, we’re circling back to update you on the books we’ve had a chance ...
05.18.2022 Ep. 112: 2022 Summer Reading Special with Susie (@NovelVisits) Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) and I share our favorite books that missed last year’s Summer Reading Guides, some deep backlist books we think are great for summer reading, and our #1 picks for four categories featured in Sarah’s 2022 Summer Reading ...
05.04.2022 Ep. 111: Dolen Perkins-Valdez (Author of Take My Hand) + Book Recommendations In Episode 111, Dolen Perkins-Valdez (author of Take My Hand) shares details about the real-life events that inspired the book about a tragic story and historical landmark in the battle for women’s rights. Dolen also talks about her research methods ...
04.20.2022 Ep. 110: Memoir / Essays 101 with Mary Laura Philpott (Author of Bomb Shelter) + Book Recommendations In Episode 110, Mary Laura Philpott (author of Bomb Shelter) joins me for a deep dive into the memoir & essays genre, including the differences between a memoir and an essay collection, the level of involvement from editors and publishers, ...
04.06.2022 Ep. 109: Spring 2022 Book Preview with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) Welcome to the Spring 2022 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books! In this episode, Catherine and I share our most anticipated books coming out in April – May 2022. This post contains affiliate links, through which I ...
03.30.2022 Ep. 108: Winter 2022 Circle Back with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) In the Winter 2022 Book Preview (Ep. 102), Catherine (Gilmore Guide to Books) and I shared our most anticipated books set to release January – March 2022 (with one early April release). Today, we’re giving an update on the books ...
03.23.2022 Ep. 107: Behind the Scenes of Ghostwriting with Barbara Feinman Todd (Author of Pretend I’m Not Here) + Book Recommendations In Episode 107, Barbara Feinman Todd (author of Pretend I’m Not Here) takes me behind the scenes of ghostwriting after a career of writing for many top names in Washington, DC. Barbara is wonderfully candid and we have a fascinating ...
03.09.2022 Ep. 106: Superlatives with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books joins me for a special Superlatives episode where we are answering from the fourth bucket of questions submitted for the Ask Me Anything episode of Sarah’s Bookshelves Live. We give you a little taste ...
02.23.2022 Ep. 105: Thrity Umrigar (Author of Honor) + Book Recommendations In Episode 105, Sarah and Thrity (author of Honor) tackle some hard-hitting questions related to the themes in her emotional book: religion, women’s rights, and identity. Thrity discusses the complicated relationship an immigrant often has with their homeland and the ...
02.09.2022 Ep. 104: Catherine Ryan Howard (Author of The Nothing Man and 56 Days) + Book Recommendations In Episode 104, hotly anticipated guest, Catherine Ryan Howard (author of The Nothing Man and 56 Days), joins me to discuss her journey to becoming an author, behind-the-scenes of making of her books, her process for writing successful crime thrillers, ...
01.26.2022 Ep. 103: The Best Backlist Books We Read in 2021 with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) In Episode 103, Catherine Gilmore (@gilmoreguide) and I share the best backlist books we read in 2021. We each share our top 5 backlist books from 2021, as well as some underrated backlist gems. Catherine and I both had a ...
01.12.2022 Ep. 102: Winter 2022 Book Preview with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) Catherine and I share our most anticipated books coming out January – March 2022 (and one early April release). Also, stay tuned for my Most Anticipated Books of Winter 2022 blog post, coming out soon. On there, I’ll share some ...

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