In this week's episode of the Now in Books Podcast, Eve Laren dives into one of the year’s most controversial and highly-anticipated releases: Jennette McCurdy’s Half His Age.

Content note: This episode discusses sexual relationships involving a minor, emotional manipulation, and abuse of power.

Listen on:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | wherever you get your podcasts. 

Join our Listener Club and find your next book obsession. Visit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nowinbooks.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Connect with me⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@nowinbooks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. My DMs are always open for book chats, feedback, and special requests.

If you grew up loving Twilight, The Vampire Diaries, and paranormal fantasy—but always wished those stories had deeper representation—this episode is for you.

This week, Eve is joined by #1 New York Times bestselling author Britney S. Lewis to talk about Blood Moon, the first book in The Blood Chronicles.

Britney shares how her love for vampires and werewolves, frustration with Bonnie Bennett’s storyline, and desire to center Black girls in fantasy inspired a series rooted in nostalgia, rage, joy, and radical imagination.

Britney also shares the challenges of moving from standalone novels to series writing, insight into the publishing industry post 2020, and how she dealt with online bullying, and what readers can expect from her next 2 series!!!

Chapters

03:50 - Justice for Bonnie: The Spark Behind Blood Moon

05:27 - The Chaos and Commitment of Writing a Book Series

10:39 - Options, Rejections, and One Life-Changing Yes

22:53 - Viral Backlash, Trolls, and Finding Your Community

35:30 - Mirabella’s Story

49:08 - Blood Lust, New Big Bads, and Future Worlds

Listen on:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | wherever you get your podcasts. 

Join our Listener Club and find your next book obsession. Visit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nowinbooks.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Connect with me⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@nowinbooks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. My DMs are always open for book chats, feedback, and special requests.

Some stories don’t stay on the page—they demand the screen.

In this episode of the Now in Books Podcast, Eve takes you beyond the book and into the world of film and television, breaking down the biggest book-to-screen adaptations of 2026.

From psychological thrillers to sweeping romances, emotionally charged adaptations, bold reimaginings of literary classics, and the return of one of fashion’s most iconic films, this episode is your guide to what’s worth watching — and what’s worth debating.

Whether you’re a reader who loves seeing your favorite books come to life or someone who’s cautiously optimistic about adaptations, this episode explores what happens when stories leave the page and step into motion.

✨ Books, movies, TV, and the adaptations everyone’s talking about — all in one place.

Which one are you most excited for?

Listen on:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | wherever you get your podcasts. 

Join our Listener Club and find your next book obsession. Visit⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nowinbooks.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Connect with me⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@nowinbooks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. My DMs are always open for book chats, feedback, and special requests.

A new year means new books—and January is already stacked with releases that feel destined to be everywhere.

In this episode, Eve Laren breaks down the must-read January releases you’ll be seeing all over your feeds, group chats, and bookstore tables. From buzzy literary fiction that’s already sparking debate, to romantasy packed with dark academia and tarot magic, to addictive thrillers, cult stories, and powerful historical fiction inspired by true events—there’s something here for every kind of reader.

Whether you’re setting reading goals—or ignoring them entirely—this episode is your guide to what’s new, what’s now, and what belongs on your January TBR.

✨ Spoiler-free
📚 New & noteworthy
🔥 Books you’ll be hearing about everywhere

Listen on:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | wherever you get your podcasts. 

Join our Listener Club and find your next book obsession. Visit⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nowinbooks.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Connect with me⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@nowinbooks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. My DMs are always open for book chats, feedback, and special requests.

In this episode of Now in Books Podcast, Eve Laren reviews King of Ashes by S. A. Cosby — a Southern crime novel.

King of Ashes follows Roman Carruthers as he’s pulled back into his Virginia hometown after a family crisis—and forced to confront old wounds, dangerous power players, and the cost of protecting the people you love.

⚠️ Spoiler note: This episode includes character names and references (but doesn't detail) widely known plot points.

If you love crime fiction, high-intensity reads, and character-driven stories that don’t shy away from darkness, this one’s for you.

Listen on:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | wherever you get your podcasts. 

Join our Listener Club and find your next book obsession. Visit⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nowinbooks.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Connect with me⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@nowinbooks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. My DMs are always open for book chats, feedback, and special requests.

I went into The Housemaid movie completely blind—no book, no plot summary, no reviews—and that turned out to be the best decision I could’ve made.

In this episode of Now in Books Podcast, I’m breaking down my reaction to the film adaptation of Freida McFadden’s bestselling thriller.

We’re talking first impressions, favorite scenes, what worked (and what frustrated me), and why I walked out ready to read the entire book series immediately.

No major spoilers—just vibes.

If you love psychological thrillers, messy characters, and stories that slowly reveal their teeth… this one’s for you.

Listen on:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | wherever you get your podcasts. 

Join our Listener Club and find your next book obsession. Visit⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nowinbooks.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Connect with me⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@nowinbooks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. My DMs are always open for book chats, feedback, and special requests.

Looking ahead to 2026 and building your future TBR? This episode is for the planners and anyone who wants to know what’s next in books.

In this episode, Eve Laren shares her six most anticipated book releases by Black authors coming out from January through June 2026—one title per month.

Whether you’re planning your 2026 reading goals early or just love staying ahead of upcoming releases, this episode will help you start curating your list now.

✨ Upcoming 2026 releases

✨ Book by Black authors

✨ Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review—it helps new readers discover the show!

Listen on: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠ | wherever you get your podcasts. 

Join our Listener Club and find your next book obsession. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nowinbooks.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Connect with me ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@nowinbooks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. My DMs are always open for book chats, feedback, and special requests.

Get into the holiday spirit with this mini-roundup of festive reads!

Whether you're in the mood for a NYC Christmas romance, the hijinks found at a small-town Christmas tree farm, a snowed-in romance or a darkly comedic family chaos, there’s something for every reader this season.

Listen on: ⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠ | wherever you get your podcasts. ✨ Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review—it helps new readers discover the show!

Join our Listener Club and find your next book obsession. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nowinbooks.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Connect with me ⁠⁠⁠⁠@nowinbooks⁠⁠⁠⁠. My DMs are always open for book chats, feedback, and special requests.

December may be known for slow book releases, but this year said “plot twist.”

In this episode, Eve Laren breaks down the standout new titles hitting shelves this month—from epic fantasy to dark academia, psychological thrillers, swoony romance, LGBTQ stories, and buzzy debuts you need on your radar.

We’re talking the books that survived the end-of-year marketing chaos and still managed to shine. Plus, a quick update on the Goodreads Choice Awards finals, and a peek at the holiday vibes shaping Eve’s December reading mood.

If you’re looking for fresh new books by BIPOC and LGBTQ authors or something truly unputdownable to close out your reading year—this guide has you covered.

Chapters

00:00 — December Book Releases Overview
02:22 — Holiday Vibes and Personal Reflections
04:30 — Goodreads Choice Awards Update: The Finals
05:51 — Epic Fantasy: Dawn of the Firebird
08:12 — Dark Academia: An Arcane Inheritance
10:40 — Dark Romance: Love Me Stalk Me
13:06 — Psychological Thriller: The House Guests
15:08 — Romance: Sea Salt and Coffee Beans
16:58 — LGBTQ Rep: The Book of Luke
19:08 — Buzzy Debut: When the Fireflies Dance

Listen on: ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠ | wherever you get your podcasts. ✨ Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review—it helps new readers discover the show!

Join our Listener Club and find your next book obsession. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nowinbooks.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Connect with me ⁠⁠⁠@nowinbooks⁠⁠⁠. My DMs are always open for book chats, feedback, and special requests.

In this week’s episode, Eve Laren reviews The White Hot by Quiara Alegría Hudes—an emotional, layered story about mothers, daughters, and the generational weight women carry. From April Soto’s explosive “white hot” moment to the legacy of Las Mujeres Soto, Eve unpacks the rage, trauma, and inheritance stitched into this powerful novel. 

If you love complex female characters, messy choices, and stories that challenge you, this episode is for you.

Listen on: ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠ | wherever you get your podcasts. ✨ Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review—it helps new readers discover the show!

Join our Listener Club and find your next book obsession. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nowinbooks.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Connect with me ⁠⁠⁠@nowinbooks⁠⁠⁠. My DMs are always open for book chats, feedback, and special requests.