Books are Chic

Queen, Icon, Legend, @dannypellegrino joined me on @booksarechic and all I can say is WHAT 👏🏻 A 👏🏻 DREAM 👏🏻 If you are a fan, follower, reader or listener of Danny, I can tell you he is exactly how you hoped he would be. Charming, funny, sparkly, smart, the BRIGHTEST light ✨ This was a bucket list author for me and it’s never lost on me how lucky I am to be able to talk to people like Danny. We united to celebrate his holiday essay collection, Jolliest Bunch @sourcebooks AND his brand new @hallmarkchannel movie, Deck the Walls- the perfect holiday aperitif. 🎄 I can’t begin to list all we chatted about but I can say- @jcchasezofficial , @beverlyhills90210 , nostalgic Disney plushies, books, Bravo, @erinleighcarlson , the list is endless 🙌🏻 This literally was a highlight of my year and my entire podcast career. Thank you Danny for the gift of you, you are ALL the JOY we need in this crazy world! 🫶🏻

Pip Drysdale writes a thriller that sucks you in and makes you not want to stop turning the pages. The Close Up, her latest, centers around a writer and her stalker who is acting out the pages of her first book. It is tense and twisty. But also she had me at stalker. I was so excited to welcome her to Books are Chic to chat about the inspiration for this book as well as celebrate it. She was open and honest about her past and I appreciated her sharing. We chatted thrillers, writing and so much more.

I love a YA thriller and I have said multiple times, I feel like YA thrillers are having a resurgence of popularity and amazingness. I was so thrilled to welcome Jan Gangsei for her AH-mazing YA thriller, Dead Below Deck. It is giving Pretty Little Liars meets Below Deck. Toxic friendships, murder and a dream yacht are all the players in this popcorn thriller. I loved chatting with Jan about her writing, why YA?, her fave reads and so much more.

I loved chatting with Clare Gilmore about her latest rom-com, Perfect Fit. I love a rom-com around the holidays and this had all the perfect ingredients- spice, heart and banter. We chatted writing, romance and lots more.

I had the privilege of chatting with Sarah Labrie to celebrate her debut memoir, No One Gets to Fall Apart. This book has garnered amazing reviews from the New York Times and Oprah Magazine and it is worthy of them all. It is open, honest and authentic to Labrie's voice. I loved having the opportunity to chat with her about her process and her story. We chat mental illness, adult friendship and persisting through life. While this book is tiny it packs a punch with thought and emotion.

One of my favorite episodes of the year, Katie Cicatelli-Kuc. This episode is special for a few reasons: 1. Chloe and I buddy read, Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice and it was the perfect fall read, 2. When I read the book, I noticed Katie, in the acknowledgements, said she wrote the book while undergoing cancer treatments (my daughter went through cancer treatment as well) 3. I immediately reached out to Katie, who responded instantly to join me on the podcast and she, having not been on a podcast, said YES!

This conversation is filled with the healing powers of reading and writing, the power or persistence and the love of a pumpkin spice latte. I will let the episode and Katie's badassness do the talking!

I love YA and love being able to welcome fab YA authors to Books are Chic. I was so thrilled to welcome Olivia Worley to Books are Chic for her latest YA thriller, The Debutantes. Set in gothic New Orleans against the backdrop of the cutthroat debutante society. A missing girl, murder, glitz and mystery all make up this perfect fall read. Olivia and I chatted inspo, YA, writing and so much more.

I had the best time welcoming back JT Ellison to Books are Chic! We had the best talk when she first came on for her book, It's One of Us as I appreciated her openness on the subject matter and respected her way to speak her truth through story. I was more than thrilled to read and celebrate her latest, A Very Bad Thing. Murder, stalking, the book world and a high profile author- all things that are the perfect recipe for a thriller. We caught up, talked writing, author life and what that is like and so much more.

Part 2 Halloween double feature:

The Hitchcock Hotel by Stephanie Wrobel, the perfect homage to Alfred himself and the perfect fall read IMO. I was so thrilled to welcome Stephanie to Books are Chic to talk writing, books and the inspiration and research behind this book. We also chatted themes from her other books and so much more. Who doesn't love a weekend getaway with old friends at a remote hotel with a suspicious innkeeper. I had so much fun chatting with Stephanie and can't wait to have her back!

Part 1 of my Halloween double feature:

Hidden Pictures was one of my favorite reads last year so I was thrilled to welcome Jason Rekulak to Books are Chic! His latest, The Last One at the Wedding, was wedding gone wrong - a fave suspense plot line. Boston, murder, fabulous wedding and too many suspects were all the ingredients to this perfect fall read. I had to much fun chatting with Jason about thrillers, writing, Stephen King and parenting. Definitely a conversation not to be missed!