In this episode, we’re reviewing Half His Age by Jennette McCurdy and Lost Lambs by Madeline Cash. Both were provided by publishers for review! 

For your convenience, here's everything else we mentioned in this episode:

• Operation Mincemeat musical
• Come From Away musical 
• I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
• Slags by Emma Jane Unsworth
• The Bee Sting by Paul Murray
• The Greatest Possible Good by Ben Brooks

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We've ⁠got a Substack publication⁠. At the end of the month, we share recommendations for two things we reckon you should read/watch/listen to. The beauty of Substack is you can revisit all our old editions and comment on our episode updates to share your thoughts. ⁠Come say hi!⁠

Connect with us on Instagram: ⁠@betterwordspod

In this episode we’re reviewing Bad Publicity by Bianca Gillam and Esther is Now Following You by Tanya Sweeny. 

For your convenience, here's everything else we mentioned in this episode:

• Red Flags by Sophie Jo
• Heated Rivalry
• The Mushroom Tapes by Helen Garner, Chloe Hooper and Sarah Krasnostein

Enjoyed this episode? Please share it with a bookish friend to help spread the word.

We've ⁠got a Substack publication⁠. At the end of the month, we share recommendations for two things we reckon you should read/watch/listen to. The beauty of Substack is you can revisit all our old editions and comment on our episode updates to share your thoughts. ⁠Come say hi!⁠

Connect with us on Instagram: ⁠@betterwordspod

In this episode we’re discussing things we watched together in January: The Traitors UK, Heated Rivalry and musicals Hercules, and Just For One Day. Caitlin also talks about The Devil Wears Prada and The Mousetrap.

For your convenience, here's everything else we mentioned in this episode:

• Smart Girl’s Guide to Second Chances and The Love Contract by Steph Vizard
• Caitlin’s rom-com recommendations 
• The Work and Seed by Bri Lee (our interview)
• Do We Deserve This? by Elinor Elliot Thomas (our interview)
• The Unexpected Mess of It All by Gabrielle Tozer
• This Stays Between Us
• Eras: ABBA (BBC podcast)

Enjoyed this episode? Please share it with a bookish friend to help spread the word.

We've ⁠got a Substack publication⁠. At the end of the month, we share recommendations for two things we reckon you should read/watch/listen to. The beauty of Substack is you can revisit all our old editions and comment on our episode updates to share your thoughts. ⁠Come say hi!⁠

Connect with us on Instagram: ⁠@betterwordspod

We were lucky enough to record this episode together in a studio at Vanishing Point Records in Chesterfield. 

In this episode, we’re discussing Future Boy by Michael J Fox, which explores how the iconic Back to the Future film was made. 

For your convenience, here's everything else we mentioned in this episode:

• Anne of Green Gables (1980s version)
• Confessions of a Shopaholic
• What Went Wrong podcast

Enjoyed this episode? Please share it with a bookish friend to help spread the word.

We've ⁠got a Substack publication⁠. At the end of the month, we share recommendations for two things we reckon you should read/watch/listen to. The beauty of Substack is you can revisit all our old editions and comment on our episode updates to share your thoughts. ⁠Come say hi!⁠

Connect with us on Instagram: ⁠@betterwordspod

We were lucky enough to record this episode together in a studio at Vanishing Point Records in Chesterfield. 

We kick off with a wrap-up of our reading stats for the year: how many books and pages, the moods and re-reads.

*Accessed through our work/from the publisher

2024 debut book:

Caitlin: The Heir Apparent by Rebecca Armitage*

Michelle: Confessions by Catherine Airey*

Non-fiction:

Michelle: John and Paul: A Love story in Songs by Ian Leslie 

Caitlin: The Third Gilmore Girl by Kelly Bishop

Australian book:

Michelle: Consider Yourself Kissed by Jessica Stanley

Caitlin: Until the Red Leaves Fall by Alli Parker*

Romance: 

Michelle: Swept Away by Beth O’Leary 

Caitlin: An Academic Affair by Jodi McAlister

Fiction: 

Michelle: The Offing by Benjamin Myers

Caitlin: Ever Blessed by Olivia O’Flynn*

Young Adult:

Michelle: Red Flags by Sophie Jo*

Caitlin: Grumpy Darling by Alexandra Moody*

Most surprising:

Caitlin: Fake by Stephanie Wood

Michelle: The Lamb by Lucy Rose

Favourite cover:

Caitlin: A Smart Girls Guide to Second Chances by Steph Vizard*

Michelle: Sad Girl Hours by Anna Zoe Quirke*

Recommendation for each other:

Michelle: The Wedding People by Alison Espach

Caitlin: *Until the Red Leaves Fall by Alli Parker

Worth the hype:

Michelle: Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Caitlin: Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

Books on our radar for 2026:

• Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke 
• Motherfaker by Anna Brook-Mitchell
• The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke*
• Esther is Now Following You by Tanya Sweeny*
• Heartstopper volume 6 by Alice Oseman
• The Silent Appeal by Janice Hallett
• Caller Unknown by Gillian McAllister
• Whatever Happened to Madeline Stone by Louise O’Neill
• Fruit Fly by Josh Silver
• This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page
• Survival Show by Juno Dawson
• Hopeless Romantics by Mhairi McFarlane
• Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune

Favourite TV:

Michelle: 

• The Americans
• Outrageous
• Supernatural
• Daddy Issues

Caitlin:

• Fresh Off the Boat
• Severence
• Heated Rivalry

Favourite films:

Michelle: 

• Civil War
• The Thursday Murder Club
• Lily & Stitch (live action)
• Downton Abbey: The Finale

Caitlin:

• September 5
• Wicked: For Good
• Thelma

Favourite podcasts:

Michelle: 

• Just The Gist
• Big Small Talk ‘Big Talk’ episodes 
• Last Podcast on the Left episodes on Heinrich Himmler and The Great Molasses Flood

Caitlin:

• Pulp Kitchen
• Good Hang
• Hamish & Andy

But for your convenience, here's everything else we mentioned in this episode:

• Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
• The Beatles by Hunter Davies
• Katabasis by RF Kuang
• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
• Wings: The Story of a Band 
• Rivals by Jilly Cooper
• The Dry Heart by Natalia Ginzburg
• Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsey
• The Job Share by Sophie Jo
• Heartbreak Era by Sophie Jo
• All Fours by Miranda July
• Literary Legends Reading Challenge
• The Goldmans
• The Stringer: The Man Who Took the Photo (film)
• Zootopia 2
• Celebrity Traitors
• Spotlight
• The Rest is Entertainment
• Inside Out 2

Enjoyed this episode? Please share it with a bookish friend to help spread the word.

We've ⁠got a Substack publication⁠ now! On the last day of the month, we share recommendations for two things we reckon you should read/watch/listen to. The beauty of Substack is you can revisit all our old editions and comment on our episode updates to share your thoughts. ⁠Come say hi!⁠

Connect with us on Instagram: ⁠@betterwordspod

In this episode, Caitlin gives you dozens of recommendations for brilliant Aussie rom-coms. While Michelle chats briefly about Paul McCartney's new book, Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run.

For your convenience, here's everything else we mentioned in this episode:

• Man on the Run (upcoming Amazon documentary)
• Wings Deluxe Collection on vinyl (also available to stream on Spotify)
• Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
• That Island Feeling by Karina May (listen to our interview with Karina here)
• The Matchmaker by Saman Shad
• The Cicada House by Ella Ward*
• Ever Blessed by Olivia O'Flynn*
• Rival Darling and Grumpy Darling by Alexandra Moody*
• An Academic Affair by Jodi McAlister (listen to our previous chat with Jodi here)
• What Did I Miss by Holly Brunnbauer*
• A Smart Girl's Guide to Second Chances by Steph Vizard*
• Love Overdue by Ali Berg and Michelle Kalus (listen to Caitlin's full rec here)
• Love and Other Scores by Abra Pressler (Caitlin's full rec)
• Ghosted by Amy Hutton (listen to our interview with Amy here)
• Drive Me Crazy by Lizzie Dent*
• Sex Lives of Married Women by Saman Shad
• Jenna Lo Bianco (The Italian Marriage, Love and Rome, Venetian Lessons in Love, and Love, Al Dente)
• Natalie Murray (Lights, Camera, Love and Love, Just In)
• Anita Heiss (Not Meeting Mr Right)
• Engaged Apparently by Amy Andrews
• The Wedding Forecast by Nina Kenwood (listen to our interview with Nina)

Enjoyed this episode? Share it with a bookish friend to help spread the word.

We've got a Substack publication now! On the last day of the month, we share recommendations for two things we reckon you should read/watch/listen to. The beauty of Substack is you can revisit all our old editions and comment on our episode updates to share your thoughts. Come say hi!

Connect with us on Instagram: @betterwordspod

In this episode, we're chatting about:

• The secret skill of book signings
• Girl Dinner by Olivie Blake*
• Park Avenue by Renée Ahdieh*
• The Americans (TV series)
• The Buccaneers (TV series)

*Accessed through our work/from the publisher

But for your convenience, here's everything we mentioned in this episode:

• Lucy Worsley (British historian and author) – we didn't mention but you can listen to her brilliant BBC podcast Lady Killers
• Katabasis by RF Kuang
• The Great (TV show)
• Mad Men (TV show)
• The real-life inspiration for The Americans
• Morning Wars (TV show)

Enjoyed this episode? Please share it with a bookish friend to help spread the word.

We've got a Substack publication now! On the last day of the month, we share recommendations for two things we reckon you should read/watch/listen to. The beauty of Substack is you can revisit all our old editions and comment on our episode updates to share your thoughts. Come say hi!

Connect with us on Instagram: @betterwordspod

In this episode, we're discussing The Names by Florence Knapp. Unlike review episodes, book club chats will include some spoilers (although we'll still try to keep things vague).

About the book:

It is 1987, and in the aftermath of a great storm, Cora sets out with her nine-year-old daughter to register the birth of her son. Her husband intends her to follow a long-standing family tradition and call the boy after him. But faced with the decision, Cora hesitates, questioning whether it is right for her child to share his name with generations of domineering men. Her choice in this moment will shape the course of their lives.

Seven years later, her son is Bear, a name chosen by his sister, and one that will prove as cataclysmic as the storm from which it emerges. Or he is Julian, the name his mother set her heart on, believing it will give him the opportunity to become his own person. Or he is Gordon, named after his father and raised in his image - but is there still a chance to break the mould?

This is the story of three names, three versions of a life and the infinite possibilities that a single decision can spark. It is the story of one family and how love endures, no matter what fate has in store.

*Michelle received a copy from the publisher

Here's everything else we mentioned in this episode:

• Sliding Doors (film)
• Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
• Consider Yourself Kissed by Jessica Stanley
• The Treasures by Hariette Evans

Enjoyed this episode? Share it with a bookish friend to help spread the word.

We've got a Substack publication now! On the last day of the month, we share recommendations for two things we reckon you should read/watch/listen to. The beauty of Substack is you can revisit all our old editions and comment on our episode updates to share your thoughts. Come say hi!

Connect with us on Instagram: @betterwordspod

In this episode, we're chatting about seasonal reading: what we're looking for and what it means to us. Then we share some recommendations for the summer ahead in the Southern Hemisphere and autumn vibes for our Northern Hemisphere pals. Enjoy!

For your convenience, here's everything we mentioned in this episode:

• Australia's Top 100 books countdown
• Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton
• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
• The Hottest 100 Australian songs
• Gravity Let Me Go by Trent Dalton
• The Offing by Benjamin Myers
• Love and Other Scores by Abra Pressler
• Five Bush Summers and Love Clare Fletcher
• That Island Feeling by Karina May
• Swept Away by Beth O’Leary
• One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune
• The Summer I Turned Pretty series
• Katabasis by R.F Kuang
• Hungerstone by Kat Dunn
• The Lamb by Lucy Rose
• Carmilla by J Sheridan Le Fanu
• Dracula by Bram Stoker
• The Treasures by Harriet Evans
• Buckeye by Patrick Ryan
• Sad Girl Hours by Anna Zoe Quirke (this was gifted by the publisher)
• Our previous interview with Anna about Something to Be Proud Of
• Rewitched and Uncharmed by Lucy Jane Wood
• The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston
• Make Me A Monster by Kalynn Bayron

Enjoyed this episode? Share it with a bookish friend to help spread the word.

We've got a Substack publication now! On the last day of the month, we share recommendations for two things we reckon you should read/watch/listen to. The beauty of Substack is you can revisit all our old editions and comment on our episode updates to share your thoughts. Come say hi!

Connect with us on Instagram: @betterwordspod

In this episode, we're chatting about:

• Michelle's birthday trip to The Lake District and our excitement for the bookish girl autumn Maisie Peters is teasing with her new single
• Caitlin's brief thoughts on The Life of a Showgirl
• Kalynn Bayron's supernatural twist on Mary Shelley's classic Frankenstein (which Michelle hasn't read)
• An update on Michelle's journey through watching Supernatural
• Second-chance dual timeline rom-com Love Overdue by Ali Berg and Michelle Kalus

For your convenience, here's everything else we mentioned in this episode:

• We love the vibe from everything Maisie Peters has teased about her new album
• 'Our Review of Life of a Showgirl' by the Shameless podcast
• Our interview with Kalynn Bayron
• Katabasis by R.F. Kuang
• Mary and the Birth of Frankenstein by Anne Eekhout
• Scot and Bothered by Alexandra Kiley
• While You Were Reading and Fancy Meeting You Here by Ali Berg and Michelle Kalus
• The Smart Girl's Guide to Second Chances by Steph Vizard

Enjoyed this episode? Share it with a bookish friend to help spread the word.

We've got a Substack publication now! On the last day of the month, we share recommendations for two things we reckon you should read/watch/listen to. The beauty of Substack is you can revisit all our old editions and comment on our episode updates to share your thoughts. Come say hi!

Connect with us on Instagram: @betterwordspod