"… this was a book about beauty, and I wanted it to be very honest."

In Mona Awad's Rouge, gothic family-drama meets fairy tale (with a hint of horror) as a young woman navigates the world of youth and beauty in the aftermath of her mother's death.

Awad joins us to talk about how her obsession with skincare led to writing this book, creating a mother and daughter dynamic, the importance of writing with a distinct voice and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over. We end this episode with TBR Topoff book recommendations from Marc and Madyson.

This episode of Poured Over was produced and hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app.

Featured Books (Episode): Rouge by Mona Awad Bunny by Mona Awad 13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl by Mona Awad American Psycho Bret Easton Ellis Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys Good Morning, Midnight by Jean Rhys

Featured Books (TBR Topoff): Maeve Fly by CJ Leede Siren Queen by Nghi Vo