June is packed, and so is this episode. Megan, Debra, and Lance break down the biggest new releases hitting the shelves, including Ann Patchett’s quietly unsettling Whistler, Melissa Albert’s dark fairy tale adult fiction The Children, Isabel J. Kim’s buzzy sci fi thriller Sublimation, and Marion, a feminist Psycho retelling where this time, the knife is in her hands.

Then a customer asks for fantasy novels without romance, and the shelf gets complicated fast. Project Hail Mary, Murderbot, Discworld, Piranesi, gothic fiction, Miss Marple, self defense, Harlequins, and Lance’s possible 500 subscriber romance punishment all end up inside the no mance debate.

Can you recommend great books without romance, especially in fantasy?

Support Middle Ground Books wherever you are!

Physical books and ebooks are available worldwide through the shop’s Bookshop page, and audiobooks are available through the store as well.

Print and ebooks

https://bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooks

Audiobooks

https://libro.fm/middlegroundbooks

If you’re near Emporia, Kansas, visit Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street, Emporia, KS to browse in person, meet the team, and find your next great read.

You can also explore upcoming events, book clubs, and everything happening at https://www.middlegroundbooks.com

Follow and subscribe to @middlegroundbooks on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to stay connected with the shop and the reading community.

📖 The Covered Pages

Books by Melissa Albert

The Children

The Hazel Wood duology and companion

Books by Terry Pratchett

Mort

Hogfather

Guards! Guards!

Books by Susanna Clarke

Piranesi

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell

Books by Ann Patchett

Whistler

Books by Isabel J. Kim

Sublimation

Books by Katherine Arden

The Unicorn Hunters

Books by Maggie O’Farrell

Land

Books by Lisa See

Daughters of the Sun and Moon

Books by Leah Rowan

Marion

Books by Jennifer N. Brown

The Last Book of Elizabeth Barton

Books by John Scalzi

Starter Villain

Books by Martha Wells

Murderbot Diaries

Books by Czajkowski

Green City Wars

Books by Alex Michaelides

The Silent Patient

Books by J. R. R. Tolkien

Lord of the Rings

Books by Stephen King

Misery

Books by Edwin Abbott

Flatland

Middle Ground Books After Hours is produced and audio engineered by Cosmic Atom Sound Studios. If you’re working on a podcast, business media, or creative project and need audio, video, or media assets, learn more at https://www.cosmicatomsounds.com ( ⁨@CosmicAtomSounds⁩)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.