February went by in a flash and thankfully, I finished some good notable books! In February, I finished 13 books: 11 were audiobooks and 2 were kindle. Out of those 13, 4 books were from Netgalley. Easily my favorite of the month was The Sound of Gravel. How was your month of reading? 

Favorites

The Sound of Gravel by Ruth Wariner

The Sea Child by Linda Wilgus

Daughter of Egypt by Marie Benedict

Liked Them

So, I Met This Guy by Alexandra Potter

Destination Funeral by Paige Harbison

A Novel Crime by Deborah Levison

Blade by Wendy Walker

Just Okays

Clutch by Emily Nemens

Romantic Hero by Kirsty Greenwood

Definitely Maybe Not a Detective by Sarah Fox

You and Me and You and Me and You and Me by Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees

Flops

Spectacular Things by Beck Dorey-Stein

When I Kill You by BA Paris

In this episode, I’m joined by Tracy Sierra, author of Nightwatching—one of my favorite books of 2024 and a Jimmy Fallon Book Club pick—to talk about what’s happened since her debut and the inspiration behind her gripping new novel, Warning Signs.

We catch up on Tracy’s life post-Nightwatching and dive into the tension-filled world of Warning Signs, a heart-stopping story set during a father-son backcountry ski weekend that goes terrifyingly wrong. We talk about survival, fear, complicated family dynamics, and how nature—and people—can both become incredibly dangerous when warning signs are ignored.

This was such a fascinating conversation about suspense, atmosphere, and writing stories that linger long after the last page. If you love dark, unsettling thrillers that get under your skin, this one’s for you.

Find Tracy on Tour: IG @tsierrauthor

Website: https://www.tracysierraauthor.com

Book Recommended by Tracy: Dead Weight by Hildur Knutsdottir

This week on the podcast, I’m chatting with Elisha Zepeda, a talented book cover designer whose work you’ve probably admired without even realizing it. We dive into the creative process behind designing a cover—from those first sparks of inspiration to the many behind-the-scenes steps it takes to get a book from concept to print. It was such a fascinating conversation about the art, strategy, and storytelling that go into a single cover, and you’ll never look at your bookshelf the same way again.

Go follow Elisha! @ez.bookdesign

https://www.elishazepeda.com/

In this episode, I’m joined by author Sara Maurer to talk about her debut novel, A Good Animal, and her journey to becoming a published author. We chat about what inspired the book, what it was like writing and publishing her first novel, and the rural farming community that shapes the story.

Set outside Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, A Good Animal explores first love, ambition, and the pull between staying and leaving—and how one choice can ripple through a community. Sara shares insight into the people, places, and experiences that influenced the novel, and it was such a joy getting to learn more about her background and creative process.

This was a thoughtful, grounded conversation about writing, place, and the quiet power of rural life—and I think you’ll really love it.

Website: https://www.saramaurerwrites.com/

IG: @saramaurerwrites

Back with another fun "What I'm Loving" episode to share with you all the things I've been thinking about lately. Personal battles, fun finds, real life struggles, and of course what I'm currently reading. The line up of categories is below. Thanks for listening!

1. What I'm Loving

2. What I'm Watching

3. What I'm Reading

4. What I'm Cooking

5. What I'm Doing More Of

6. What I'm Buying

7. What I'm Looking Forward To

This week on the podcast, I’m joined by instant New York Times bestselling author Catherine Newman! Her novel Sandwich was a standout sensation and we were all overjoyed to see the continuation of the story in her latest, Wreck. Catherine has been writing for many years, and it was such a joy to finally connect and talk all things craft—her signature authentic tone, the way she creates deeply human characters, and why relationships and their dynamics are always at the heart of her stories. This conversation felt like catching up with an old friend, and I loved hearing her reflections on writing, connection, and what keeps her inspired. I can’t wait to see what she does next—and I think you’re going to love this episode.

Website: https://www.catherinenewmanwriter.com/

I had the best time chatting with Danielle (@foreverbookedup) — we’ve been book friends for years, so this conversation felt less like an interview and more like catching up with an old friend. We talked about how our reading lives have changed, the joy (and nerves!) of starting something new, and her journey launching a mobile bookstore last year.

One of my favorite parts was hearing about the community she’s built in her area through hosting book events — the kind that bring readers together and make books feel like a shared experience, not just a solitary one. It was such a warm, thoughtful, genuinely fun conversation, and I’m so excited to share it with you.

Danielle's IG: @foreverbookedup

Mobile Bookstore: @rollingchapters

The book Danielle recommended: The Grace Year by Kim Liggett

In this episode, I’m joined by bestselling author Sadeqa Johnson to talk about her stunning new novel, Keeper of Lost Children. Sadeqa shares her journey from indie publishing to traditional publishing, what it’s been like releasing her sixth book, and the moment she felt called to shift from women’s fiction into historical fiction.

We dive into the deep responsibility and beauty of telling stories that have long gone unheard, and why Keeper of Lost Children felt like a story she had to write. This conversation is honest, inspiring, and rooted in purpose—about trusting the call, honoring the past, and writing stories that matter. This is one you won’t want to miss.

Find Sadeqa on her book tour: https://www.sadeqa.net/

Surprise episode! I’m joined by my fairly newly established bestie book club—Corine, Kelsi, and Julia—for a full-spoiler discussion of The One by John Marrs. And yes, we mean full spoilers, so if you haven’t read it yet… consider this your sign to stop everything, read the book, and come back immediately.

We dive into every character, every questionable decision, and every “oh no they did NOT” moment. We unpack the impact of finding your perfect match, whether the science is a gift or a curse, and how love, loyalty, ambition, and fear collide once the results are revealed. From shocking outcomes to moral gray areas, we ask the big questions: Would you take the test?

It’s thoughtful, dramatic, occasionally unhinged, and exactly what happens when four best friends overanalyze a book that refuses to let you look away. Thanks for listening!

Next month, we will be reading Heart the Lover by Lily King.

January was a very three-star kind of reading month. I read a lot of books that were fine, enjoyable, and easy to turn the pages on—but not many that fully took my breath away. In this episode, I’m breaking down what worked, what didn’t quite hit, and why a three-star read isn’t a bad thing at all. *I forgot to mention A Good Animal which I really enjoyed! Plus, I’m sharing the few standouts that really rose to the top and are easy recommendations if you’re looking to start your year strong.

Loved

🎧 The One ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Liked

🎧 Warning Signs ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🎧 A Good Animal ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The One Day You Were My Husband ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🎧 Keeper of Lost Children ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Dolly All the Time ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🎧 Wreck ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
🎧 The List of Suspicious Things ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

🎧 The Midnight Taxi ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Worse Than Strangers ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

🎧 This is Not About Us ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Just Okay

🎧 The Future Saints ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The One and Only Vivian Stone ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Summer State of Mind ⭐️⭐️⭐️

🎧 Everyone in This Bank is a Thief ⭐️⭐️⭐️

🎧 The Fourth Princess ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Women in White ⭐️⭐️⭐️

🎧 Anatomy of an Alibi ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Meh

🎧 The Lost Ticket ⭐️⭐️💫