A Pair of Bookends

Kicking off season 6 in our Debut Spotlight series is the wonderful Emily Buchanan to chat about her debut novel Send Flowers (spoiler free as always!). We discuss Emily's experience working for Greenpeace, how Emily was involved in the UK fracking ban, the cynicism surrounding creating change, what comfort shows she's enjoying & lots more!
If you enjoy this episode please do rate, review & subscribe to help more people find us. For extra content you can find us over on Patreon & Substack. 
You can buy Emily's book here (UK) & here (US)
You can follow Emily via Instagram & Tik Tok
You can follow us via Instagram, Twitter/X & Tik Tok

Books & other mentions in this episode:
The Great Orchid Heist by Eleanor Vendrell
The Origins of Totalitarianism by Hannah Arendt
Writing The Other by Nisi Shawl and Cynthia Ward
Gilmore Girls
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997)


Let us know your thoughts by emailing us [email protected] or you can DM us @apairofbookendspod on Instagram. Until next time, happy reading!

Rounding off Season 5 in our Debut Spotlight series with the wonderful Loretta Rothschild to discuss her debut novel Finding Grace which is one of Hannah's fave reads of the year!
We discuss the importance of reading widely, what makes a great opening, support systems & lots more. If you enjoy this episode please do rate, review & subscribe as it helps to boost us in the charts! You can follow Loretta via https://www.lorettarothschild.com/ & Instagram
You can follow us via Instagram, Twitter/X & Tik Tok
You can buy Finding Grace here (US) & here (UK)

Books & other mentions in this episode:
Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy
The Sirens by Emilia Hart
How to End a Story: Collected Diaries by Helen Garner
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Charlotte Brontë
Grief Is the Thing with Feathers by Max Porter
The Intouchables (2011)

Let us know your thoughts by emailing us [email protected] or you can DM us @apairofbookendspod on Instagram. Until next time, happy reading!

On today's episode Hannah was joined by Juhea Kim, author of Beasts of a Little Land to discuss her latest novel City of Night Birds. 
They discuss how Juhea has navigated the success of her books, what it was like to win the Yasnaya Polyana Literary Award, her passion for ballet, the importance of combining her work as an author with humanitarian work and so much more. 
If you enjoy this episode please do rate, review & subscribe as it helps more of you to find us! For extra content you can find us over on Patreon and Substack. 
You can buy Juhea's new book from here (UK) and here (US)
You can find Juhea via https://juheakim.com/ & Instagram
You can follow us via Instagram, Twitter/X & Tik Tok

Books, authors & other mentions in this episode: 
 Oxford Soju Club by Jinwoo Park 
The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen
Sinners (2025)
Out of Africa (1985)
The Karamazov Brothers by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
Nikolay Gogol
Alexander Pushkin
Guy de Maupassant
Franz Kafka
TOJI: Park Kyung-Ri Epic Novel 21Volume Set
Park Wan-Suh

Let us know your thoughts by emailing us [email protected] or you can DM us @apairofbookendspod on Instagram. Until next time, happy reading!

In today's episode Hannah chats to debut author Jennifer Trevelyan about her novel A Beautiful Family. They discuss how Jennifer finally carved out writing time for herself & the guilt that came with that, the extensive list of writers that have influenced her and what the pros and cons were of having a child as narrator in this book. If you enjoy this episode please do rate, review & subscribe as it helps more of you to find us! For extra content you can find us over on Patreon and Substack. 
You can buy Jennifer's book here (UK),here (Australia) & here (U.S)
You can find Jennifer via instagram or Twitter/X
You can find us over on Instagram, Twitter/X & Tik Tok

Books, authors & other mentions in this ep:
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay
Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney
You Are Here by David Nicholls
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
Stephen King
Anne Tyler
Elizabeth Strout
Carol Shields
Joyce Carol Oates
Donna Tartt
Shirley Jackson Short Stories
Claire Keegan


Let us know your thoughts by emailing us [email protected] or you can DM us @apairofbookendspod on Instagram. Until next time, happy reading!

For today's episode Hannah was joined by debut novelist Silvia Park to discuss their sci-fi novel Luminous. They discussed how they went from working on a different novel for seven years to working on a children's book which became this novel for adults. They also chat about adaptations, fascinating research on robots, whether they could invite a robot into their own home and lots more. If you enjoy this episode please do rate, review & subscribe, for more content you can find us via Patreon or Substack. 
You can find Silvia via Instagram
You can buy Luminous in the UK here or the US here
You can find us via Instagram, Twitter/X & Tik Tok

Books & other mentions in this episode:
Trust Exercise by Susan Choi
Flashlight by Susan Choi
My Education by Susan Choi
Never Let Me Go: Twentieth Anniversary Edition by Kazuo Ishiguro
Never Let Me Go (2010)
Professor Minoru Asada
Astro Boy
Foundation (2021)
Murderbot
Severance (2022)
Burning (2018)
The Elephant Vanishes by Haruki Murakami (includes mentioned story Barn Burning)
Snowy Day and Other Stories by Lee Chang-Dong
Poetry (2010)


Let us know your thoughts by emailing us [email protected] or you can DM us @apairofbookendspod on Instagram. Until next time, happy reading!

For our June Book Club episode we are discussing Somewhere Else with author of the novel Jenni Daiches who was longlisted for this year's Women's Prize for Fiction. We discuss how we can and should be learning from history, how she writes tragedy effectively, why Edinburgh is such a special place for her and her love for Elizabeth Strout. If you enjoy this episode please do rate, review & subscribe as it's a wonderful way to support the pod and means so much! 
You can buy Somewhere Else here.
You can follow us via Instagram, Twitter/X & Tik Tok
For more content you can find us on Patreon & Substack. 

Books & other mentions in this episode: 
https://womensprize.com/prizes/womens-prize-for-fiction/
Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout
My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout
Joyce Carol Oates
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

Let us know your thoughts by emailing us [email protected] or you can DM us @apairofbookendspod on Instagram. Until next time, happy reading!

On today's episode Hannah was joined by writer Hazel Barkworth to discuss her latest novel The Drownings. (spoiler free) 
Aswell as writing and book chat, they discuss competitive swimming, body image, influencers & loads more. If you enjoy this episode please do rate, review & subscribe- it's a free way to support the pod & means the world! For exclusive content you can find us via Patreon & Substack. 
You can follow Hazel via Instagram & you can buy her previous book Heatstroke here.
You can follow us via Instagram, Twitter/X & Tik Tok

Books & other mentions in this episode:
Kingfisher by Rozie Kelly
https://serenitybooksellers.com/ / instagram.com/serenitybooksellers/
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
Uncomfortable Oxford Tours
The End of Everything by Megan Abbott
High Season by Katie Bishop

Let us know your thoughts by emailing us [email protected] or you can DM us @apairofbookendspod on Instagram. Until next time, happy reading!

On today's episode Hannah was joined by debut author Daria Lavelle to discuss her novel Aftertaste.
Aswell as discussing the book (spoiler free), Daria tells us her most romantic food memory, why we should all be going on food tours, her love of speculative fiction and lots more. If you enjoy this episode please do rate, review & subscribe and for further content you can find us via Patreon and Substack.
You can follow Daria via Instagram, her website & Twitter
You can buy Aftertaste in the UK here & in the US here.
You can follow us via Instagram, Twitter/X & Tik Tok

Books & other mentions in this episode: 
Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley
The Antidote by Karen Russell
Vampires in the Lemon Grove by Karen Russell

Let us know your thoughts by emailing us [email protected] or you can DM us @apairofbookendspod on Instagram. Until next time, happy reading!

For today's episode Hannah was joined by writer & podcaster Lotte Jeffs to discuss (spoiler free!) her debut novel This Love. We also discuss her experience of collaborating with poet Thomas Stewart to create the poetry of her character Ari, chosen family, why the gays do partying better & lots more! If you enjoy this episode please do rate, review & subscribe and for more content you can find us via Patreon & Substack. 
You can follow Lotte via Instagram or via https://lottejeffs.com/
You can listen to her podcast with Stu Oakley here. 

Books & other mentions in this episode: 
The Queer Parent: Everything You Need to Know From Gay to Ze by Lotte Jeffs & Stu Oakley
My Magic Family by Lotte Jeffs, Illustrated by Sharon Davey
How to be a Gentlewoman: The Art of Soft Power in Hard Times by Lotte Jeffs
https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/article/cynthia-nixon-interview-miranda-sex-city-just-like-that-2023-zfspcdfwv
https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/dan-levy-theres-always-laughter-in-dark-times-dxnscbq86
Good Grief (Netflix)
Waist Deep by Linea Maja Ernst (translated by Sherilyn Nicolette Hellberg)
What A Shame by Abigail Bergstrom
Selfish Girls by Abigail Bergstrom
The Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall
Texas
Natalie Imbruglia
Romeo & Juliet (1996)
Sarah Waters
Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson
The Ellen Show
fourteen poems: a queer poetry anthology edited by Ben Townley-Canning
Do Ask, Do Tell: Queer Life, Love and Culture Laid Bare by Lotte Jeffs & Stu Oakley

Let us know your thoughts by emailing us [email protected] or you can DM us @apairofbookendspod on Instagram. Until next time, happy reading!

On today's episode Hannah was joined by Saba Sams to discuss her debut novel Gunk, listeners may remember Saba from our podcast back in 2023 when she joined us to discuss her award-winning short story collection Send Nudes
They discuss Motherhood, the fear of infertility, living in the age of capitalism, short books & lots more. If you enjoy this episode please do rate, review & subscribe and if you'd like to support us further you can subscribe via Patreon or Substack
You can follow Saba via Instagram 

Books & other mentions in this episode: 
Fun and Games by John Patrick McHugh
Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin
Janet Planet (2023)

Let us know your thoughts by emailing us [email protected] or you can DM us @apairofbookendspod on Instagram. Until next time, happy reading!