A Pair of Bookends

Hey Bookends! We're back with our BONUS episode of September, this time joined by the much-loved YA and Contemporary fiction author Holly Bourne to chat about her latest YA book 'You Could Be So Pretty'! We discuss beauty standards, modern society, internet culture, body image, safeguarding in books, sensitivity readers and so much more. It was such an empowering and thought-provoking conversation that we hope you all enjoy!
As always, if you enjoy this episode please do rate, review & subscribe so we can reach more of you.
You can follow us @apairofbookendspod on Instagram and @apairofbookends on Twitter and Tik Tok.

To buy Holly's books:
You Could Be So Pretty
The Places I've Cried In Public

To follow Holly and her work:
Instagram
Holly's website

Books & other recs discussed:
I'm a fan by Sheena Patel
Weirdos Book Club Podcast- I'm a fan Ft Nish Kumar: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/im-a-fan-by-sheena-patel-with-nish-kumar/id1699406650?i=1000625500266
The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf
You Could Be So Pretty by Holly Bourne
The Places I've Cried In Public by Holly Bourne
Girls & Sex: Navigating the Complicated New Landscape by Peggy Orenstein
Only Ever Yours by Louise O'Neill

For future episodes or book recs you can reach us [email protected]
Until next time, happy reading! Han & Lyd x

Welcome back Bookends to another Bonus Books episode, for this episode we were joined by crime and thriller author Victoria Selman. Aswell as deep diving into Victoria's latest book 'All The Little Liars', we discuss how true crime has become such a cultural phenomenon, her writing process, toxic teenage female friendships and so much more. We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did.

To buy Victoria's books:
https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/all-the-little-liars-victoria-selman/7333997?ean=9781529430349
https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/truly-darkly-deeply-an-unsettling-thriller-with-a-shocking-twist-victoria-selman/6399508?ean=9781529420685

To follow Victoria & her work:
Twitter - @VictoriaSelman
Instagram- @Victoriaselmanauthor
http://www.victoriaselmanauthor.com/
Listen to her podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/crime-time-fm/id1556906895
https://open.spotify.com/show/3nRtWe8ZnnbwKETkJQgXGj

You can get in contact with us at [email protected], @apairofbookendspod on Instagram or @apairofbookends on Twitter/X and Tik Tok.
https://linktr.ee/apairofbookendspod

Books & Other Recs mentioned:
The Catcher In The Rye by J.D. Salinger
The Girls by Emma Cline
Snapped - Now TV
Ordinary Human Failings by Megan Nolan
Notes On An Execution by Danya Kukafka
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Catastrophe - Netflix

Please do rate, review & subscribe as it helps us to reach more of you. Thank you so much for listening, Han & Lyd x

Welcome back Bookends to another episode in our Debut Spotlight series! For this episode we were joined by Gabriella Braun, the Director of Working Well to chat about her debut non-fiction book 'All That We Are'. We speak about toxic work cultures, how she took psycho-analysis out of therapy rooms and into workspaces and how we can better equip ourselves in our working lives, it was such an insightful and enlightening conversation and we hope you get as much from it as we did.

To buy 'All That We Are': https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/all-that-we-are-uncovering-the-hidden-truths-behind-our-behaviour-at-work-gabriella-braun/4957828?ean=9780349427300

To connect with Gabriella:
Website- https://www.gabriellabraun.co.uk/
Twitter- https://twitter.com/BraunGabriella
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabriellabraun/?originalSubdomain=uk
https://www.workingwell.cc/

If you enjoyed this episode, please do rate, review & subscribe so we can reach more listeners! If you want to reach out to us you can do so [email protected], @apairofbookendspod on Instagram and @apairofbookends on Twitter and Tik Tok.

Books recommended:
Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa


The Queen of Dirt Island by Donal Ryan
Old God's Time by Sebastian Barry

Thanks so much for listening, happy reading! Han & Lyd xr

WE'RE BACK BOOKENDS! For the first episode in our new season, we were joined by none other than Anne Enright, a Booker Prize-winning author, no less!
Aswell as deep diving into her latest novel, we chat about sibling dynamics, mothers and daughters, social media and so much more, it was an absolute JOY to chat to the Irish powerhouse herself and we hope you love this conversation as much as we did.
If you enjoyed this episode, please do rate, review & subscribe as it helps us to reach more of you!

To buy The Wren, The Wren: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-wren-the-wren-anne-enright/7376786?ean=9781787334601

Books discussed:
The Wren, The Wren by Anne Enright
Wild Houses by Colin Barrett
Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
Actress by Anne Enright

Irish Poets, as recommended by Anne:
Michael Longley
Seamus Heaney
Jessica Traynor
Jane Clarke
Leontia Flynn
Sinéad Morrissey
Victoria Kennefick
Leanne O'Sullivan

Follow us for more: https://linktr.ee/apairofbookendspod
Thanks so much for listening! Until next time, happy reading! Han & Lyd x

Hey Bookends! Welcome to our Season finale episode where we chatted to Australian novelist Eliza Henry-Jones about her latest novel Salt & Skin, which was released in Australia and New Zealand last year and was recently released in the UK & U.S.

Aswell as deep diving into her beautiful genre-bending novel, we discuss how her professional experience of trauma and grief counselling influenced her writing of these topics, climate change, morally ambiguous characters and so much more, it was such a treat to gain insight into her writing process and to have such a thought-provoking conversation, we really hope you enjoy this one! As always please do rate, review & subscribe as it helps us to reach more of you!

We are now officially on break and will resume uploading on the 15th of September.

To buy Salt and Skin (UK):
https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/salt-and-skin-eliza-henry-jones/7422492?ean=9781914613364

(US): https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/salt-and-skin-eliza-henry-jones/1143139560?ean=9781914613364

(AUS & NZ): https://www.booktopia.com.au/salt-and-skin-eliza-henry-jones/book/9781761152955.html

To follow Eliza: https://www.instagram.com/elizahenryjones/?hl=en

Books discussed:
Surfacing by Kathleen Jamie
Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney
The Situation and the Story: The Art of Personal Narrative by Vivian Gornick
Peter Darling by Austin Chant

Thanks so much for listening and for all your support this year, we're so so grateful.
To follow us:
https://linktr.ee/apairofbookendspod

Until next time, happy reading! Han & Lyd x

Welcome back Bookends to another episode in our Debut Spotlight series where we shine the light on the freshest authors and their work! For today's episode we were joined by debut novelist of 'I Will Greet The Sun Again', the incredible Khashayar J. Khabushani.
We discuss his highly contested debut, how he can read multiple books at once, why basketball means so much to him, why his mother is such a huge inspiration and so much more, we hope you enjoy this conversation and we hope it encourages you to read his beautiful book so you can fall in love like we did. As always, if you enjoy this episode please do rate, review & subscribe so we can reach more of you!

To buy 'I Will Greet The Sun Again': https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/i-will-greet-the-sun-again-khashayar-j-khabushani/7310803?ean=9780241514733

To follow us: https://linktr.ee/apairofbookendspod

Books mentioned:
Small Worlds by Caleb Azumah Nelson
Then the War and Selected Poems, 2007–2020 by Carl Phillips
Savage Tongues by Azareen Van der Vliet Oloomi
Chain Gang All Stars: A Novel by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah


Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
The Golden Notebook by Doris Lessing
Middlemarch by George Eliot
Slam! by Walter Dean Myers
Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse



Thank you so much for listening & until next time, happy reading! Han & Lyd x

Welcome back Bookends to another Bonus books episode where we were joined by the powerhouse that is Daisy Buchanan! A journalist, novelist and host of a number of brilliant podcast series including the fan favourite 'You're Booked', we were delighted to have Bookend royalty on the podcast and her recommendations are certainly not in short supply!

TW: This conversation includes mention of difficult topics such as sexual assault and cancer which may be triggering for some, listen with care.

Aswell as deep diving into her brilliant new novel, we discuss online/offline identities, bodies and autonomy, sisterhood and so much more, we hope you love this episode as much as we do!

To buy Daisy's latest book 'Limelight' from House of Books and Friends:
https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/limelight-daisy-buchanan/6403461?aid=9407&ean=9781408725597

To buy 'Insatiable':
https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/insatiable-a-frank-funny-account-of-21st-century-lust-independent-daisy-buchanan/4938039?ean=9780751580198

To buy 'Careering':
https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/careering-daisy-buchanan/4958437?ean=9780751580235

To follow Daisy:
https://www.instagram.com/thedaisybee/

Listen to You're Booked:
https://play.acast.com/s/booked

To follow us:
https://linktr.ee/apairofbookendspod

Books, Authors & Other Recs mentioned:
Yellowface by R.F Kuang
The 52 Seductions by Betty Herbert
I Could Not Believe It: The 1979 Teenage Diaries of Sean DeLear by Sean DeLear
Push Off from Here: Nine Essential Truths to Get You Through Sobriety (and Everything Else) by Laura McKowen
We Are the Luckiest: The Surprising Magic of a Sober Life by Laura McKowen
Barbara Pym
Nora Ephron
The Other Side Of The Story by Marian Keyes
Marian Keyes & Nina Stibbe on 'Book Off!': https://play.acast.com/s/bookoff/marian-keyes-and-nina-stibbe-id-like-to-live-in-a-cave-cover
Between Us by Mhairi McFarlane
Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld
American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld
Wild Geese by Mary Oliver
Rachel's Holiday by Marian Keyes
Thank You For Listening by Julia Whelan
Brother of the More Famous Jack by Barbara Trapido
Polo by Jilly Cooper
Luster by Raven Leilani
Insatiable by Daisy Buchanan
Idol by Louise O'Neill
The Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll
Succession (TV- HBO)
Strong Female Character by Fern Brady
The Electricity of Every Living Thing: A Woman’s Walk in the Wild to Find Her Way Home by Katherine May
Joanna Scanlan on Bryony Gordon's Mad World Podcast : https://open.spotify.com/episode/4KbSp5A3DowlW5EVYCqhan
Katherine May & Pico Iyer on The Half Known Life: https://soundcloud.com/5x15/pico-iyer-and-katherine-may-on-the-half-known-life-finding-paradise-in-a-divided-world
The Watermelon Woman (Movie- currently showing on Prime)
The List by Yomi Adegoke

Thanks so much for listening! Until next time, happy reading! Han & Lyd x

Hey Bookends! Welcome back to another episode in our Debut Spotlight series, for this episode we were joined by the incredible Emily Habeck to discuss our firm favourite read of the year 'Shark Heart'. We talk about her journey from the world of Theatre to novel writing, her research process of Great White Sharks and the wonderful help she received from Marine Biologist Greg Skomal, the protagonists that we will never forget and so much more. We hope you love this episode as much as we did! If you did please do rate, review & subscribe as it helps us to reach more of you!

You can also follow us: https://linktr.ee/apairofbookendspod

To buy Shark Heart, published by Quercus: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/shark-heart-a-love-story-emily-habeck/7422751?ean=9781529432213

To follow Emily & her work: https://www.instagram.com/emily.habeck/
https://www.emilyhabeck.com/

Books & Other Recs mentioned:
You Can Make This Place Beautiful: A Memoir by Maggie Smith
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chasing-Shadows-Tracking-Great-White/dp/006309083X
Out There: Stories by Kate Folk
The Sopranos - TV
The Bear - TV

Thank you so much for listening! Until next time, happy reading! Han & Lyd x

Hey Bookends! For our July Book Club episode we were joined by the brilliant Megan Nolan, all the way from NYC! We of course deep dived into her latest novel Ordinary Human Failings, chatted about her experience with the publication of her debut novel during COVID, why pro-lifers need to read her new book, her interest in journalism and so much more, we hope you love this one and as always please do rate, review & subscribe so we can reach more of you.
TW: Our conversation contains mention of abortion, death and violence.

Books & Other Recs discussed:
Malady of the Mind: Schizophrenia and the Path to Prevention by Jeffrey a Lieberman
Acts of Desperation by Megan Nolan
Ordinary Human Failings by Megan Nolan
Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson
Somebody's Husband, Somebody's Son by Gordon Burn
The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule
We All Go Into The Dark by Francisco Garcia

Boy A - Channel 4
Killed Podcast - https://killedstories.com/
Dekalog - TV

To buy Megan's book: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/ordinary-human-failings-megan-nolan/7299107?ean=9781787332508
To follow Megan: https://www.instagram.com/mmegannolan/?hl=en

To follow us: https://linktr.ee/apairofbookendspod

Until next time, happy reading! Han & Lyd x

Welcome back Bookends to another episode in our Debut Spotlight series! For today's episode we were joined by debut novelist Mikki Brammer to chat about her beautiful novel 'The Collected Regrets of Clover' which is out now & published by Viking (UK).
We discuss why it's important to have more open conversations about death and grief, why New York was the perfect setting for her novel, the gorgeous characters we fell in love with and as always, lots of excellent recommendations.
To buy 'The Collected Regrets of Clover':
UK: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-collected-regrets-of-clover-an-uplifting-story-about-living-a-full-beautiful-life-mikki-brammer/7369892?ean=9780241588420
US: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-collected-regrets-of-clover-mikki-brammer/1141976587

If you enjoy this episode please do rate, review & subscribe as it helps us to reach more listeners. You can give us a follow @apairofbookendspod on Instagram and Threads and @apairofbookends on Twitter & Tik Tok.

To follow Mikki - https://www.instagram.com/mikkibrammer/

Books & other recs discussed:
Real Life by Brandon Taylor
The Late Americans by Brandon Taylor
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Vladimir by Julia May Jonas
Past Lives (Film- A24)

Until next time, happy reading! Han & Lyd x