July's book club discussion gets real, and a little vulnerable, as we dive into The Poppy Fields by Nikki Erlick, a novel that imagines a controversial grief treatment center where patients can choose to sleep through their heartbreak.

We talk about how the book made us think differently about grief: Would we ever choose to sleep off our pain? Why might we not? And what are the ways we can actually support others through real, raw loss?

It’s a powerful, emotional conversation about grief, healing, and human connection—and a reminder that sometimes, the best thing we can do is simply show up for each other. Thanks for listening!

July was a great month of reading! Shockingly, I only had two ⭐️⭐️ books which felt like a huge accomplishment. As we know, audiobooks are keeping me busy while walking and busy puzzling.  and hanging with my kids at the pool. I can’t believe August is looming! Any favorites from your July reading?

Loved

🎧 The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Liked

🎧 A Court of Mist and Fury ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🎧 Everyone Is Lying To You ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🎧 Far and Away ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🎧 Anywhere With You ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🎧 The Lost Book of First Loves ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

🎧 A Marriage at Sea ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

So Old. So Young ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

🎧 Under the Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Just Okay

🎧 The View from Lake Como ⭐️⭐️⭐️

🎧 Wes and Addie Had Their Chance ⭐️⭐️⭐️

🎧 Sunburned ⭐️⭐️⭐️

🎧 Falling For You Again ⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Killer Motive ⭐️⭐️⭐️

🎧 Let’s Make a Scene ⭐️⭐️⭐️

🎧 The Sweet Taste of Muscadines ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Meh

🎧 The Compound ⭐️⭐️💫

🎧 The Hunting Wives ⭐️⭐️

NYT bestselling author Miranda Cowley Heller, known for her debut novel The Paper Palace, joins me to talk about her beautiful new poetry collection What the Deep Water Knows. We dive into why poetry felt like the right next step, the themes that run through both books, and what it means to write from a place of emotional truth. It’s an insightful, tender conversation you won’t want to miss.

Get your copy today! Happy Listening!

This week I’m joined by my friend and fellow bookstagrammer Sara Hildreth from @fictionmatters! Sara is a former English teacher and lifelong book lover who brings such thoughtful insight to every bookish conversation. We chat about all kinds of readerly things—from reading by mood to the power of fiction to teach empathy and expand our worldview. If you love deep dives and meaningful convos about why we read, this one's for you!

Substack: https://fictionmatters.substack.com/

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/fictionmatters

Three Books Sara Recommends:

The Last Samuari by Helen Dewitt

Audition by Katie Kitamura

Fox by Joyce Carol Oates

This week, I’m joined by Daphne Woolsoncroft—co-host of the hit true crime podcast Going West and debut author of the gripping thriller Night Watcher. Inspired by the real-life disappearance of her aunt in the 1980s, Daphne shares how her family’s story shaped both her podcast and her novel. We chat about her shift from true crime to fiction, the writing process, and the emotional journey behind the book. It was such a fun and fascinating conversation—I can’t wait for you to hear it!

Website: http://www.goingwestpod.com/

IG: @daphne.woolsoncroft and @goingwestpodcast

Books are personal, and while some titles became new favorites for many readers, they just weren’t for me. In this episode, I’m talking about my least favorite books of the year and why they missed the mark—let’s get into the bookish drama! This is the line up! I do talk spoilers on all the books so this is your heads up now if you don't want to know for any of the books listed below. Let's gooooo!

1. 🎧The Three Lives of Cate Kay ⭐️⭐️
2. 🎧 Flirting with Disaster ⭐️⭐️💫
3. 🎧 PS I Hate You ⭐️⭐️
4. 🎧 The Crash ⭐️
5. 🎧 Annie Bot ⭐️⭐️💫
6. The Love Haters ⭐️⭐️
7. 🎧 Count My Lies ⭐️⭐️
8. Promise Me Sunshine ⭐️⭐️
9. 🎧 Swept Away ⭐️⭐️
10. Say You’ll Remember Me ⭐️⭐️
11. 🎧 Betting On You ⭐️⭐️
12. 🎧 What Kind of Paradise ⭐️⭐️💫
13. 🎧 My Lovely Wife ⭐️⭐️
14. A Beautiful Family ⭐️⭐️
15. Don’t Open Your Eyes ⭐️⭐️

Author Jo Piazza joins me to chat about her new juicy-as-hell thriller Everyone Is Lying to You—and we go deep on the influencer world, the dark side of “tradwife” culture, and how social media is messing with women’s heads (and lives). Jo is as sharp and funny as her writing, and this was such a fun, thoughtful conversation. Don’t miss it!

Website: https://www.jopiazza.com/

IG: @jopiazzaauthor

I had the best time chatting with author Emily Harding about her brand-new book How Freaking Romantic! We talked all about what it was like for her to go from co-writing with her best friend to releasing her very first solo novel—and how fun (and maybe a little scary!) that process was. Emily is such a joy and a total champion of the romance genre. If you love books that celebrate love and authors who aren’t afraid to gush about it, you’re going to love this episode!

Website: https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Emily-Harding/193899432

https://audreyandemily.com/

IG: @emilyhardingwrites

In this episode, I’m joined by the fabulous Merrick White, the creative force behind @merricksart. We dive into her inspiring journey from blogging to becoming a top fashion influencer and building a thriving business that empowers women to feel confident in their style. Merrick also shares how growing up in a book-loving home shaped her reading life today—and yes, she’s still a big reader! We wrap things up with a fun fashion-themed “this or that” lightning round and two great book recommendations from Merrick herself. Whether you're here for the fashion or the fiction, there’s something for everyone in this episode!

Her recs:

One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune and Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave (#5 in the series)

Website: www.merricksart.com

IG: @merricksart

This week, I had the absolute joy of chatting with bestselling author Sarah MacLean! Known for her wildly popular historical romances, Sarah is taking a bold step into new territory with her latest novel These Summer Storms. We dive into what inspired this emotional family drama, the importance of reading for fun and joy, and why romance still holds such a vital place in the literary world. These Summer Storms explores grief, sibling estrangement, and the unraveling of a wealthy family's legacy—and we unpack it all in this heartfelt conversation.

Website: https://www.sarahmaclean.net/

IG: @sarahmaclean