This spring on my podcast Off the Grid we did a whole series on AI. Part of that series included a reading list... which felt perfect to bring over to Pleasure Reading!

So today I'm sharing the 7 books that shaped my perspective on AI and helped me reclaim my creative attention in the process:

• Supremacy by Parmy Olson
• Unmasking AI by Dr. Joy Buolamwini 
• The Practice of Attention by Cody Cook-Parrott
• Making Time by Maria Bowler
• The Listening Path by Julia Cameron

I also (finally!) tell you about my own book — Your Attention is Sacred Except on Social Media — which is all about attention, creativity, and technology.

 
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Wanna go down a sunken book rabbit hole with me? 🤿

In this episode, I tell you the story of why I spent the past four months reading underwater books... including my fave shipwreck, cave-diving, and sea creature reads that I now highly recommend.

For the first time in pleasure reading history, I also include movie, tv, and podcast recommendations! Because this underwater theme truly took over my entire media landscape. 🪸

Find all the books here: https://bookshop.org/lists/underwater-horror-thriller-sci-fi-recs

Find all the movies here: https://letterboxd.com/ameliaaaaaaaphd/list/underwater-freaks-like-me/

 
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Today I welcome a dear friend and fellow podcaster to the show — Caro Griffin!

Caro is the host of Between Drinks podcast and newsletter  — where she shares her international travels and recounts the history of different beverages. You should definitely subscribe to her newsletter and tune in on Apple, Spotify, or anywhere you listen.

In this conversation, Caro shares her five favorite books about alcoholic & non-alcoholic beverages. We also explore the story of the woman behind champagne, why coffee was almost illegal, the global impact of Coca-Cola, and the many reasons we love cocktail bars.

Here are the books we discuss:

• Girly Drinks by Mallory O'Meara
• The Widow Cliquot by Tilar Mazzeo
• A History of the World in Six Glasses by Tom Standage
• And a Bottle of Rum by Wayne Curtis
• The Way of the Cocktail: Japanese Traditions, Techniques, and Recipes by Julia Momosé

Find all of them here: https://bookshop.org/lists/5-spirited-non-fiction-reads-with-caro-of-between-drinks (affiliate link)

 
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Spring has sprung, and I'm getting ready to plant my garden! 🪏

I love growing food in my backyard, but it can be expensive to invest in seeds, beds, dirt and more. So over the past few months, I've been researching low-cost gardening methods.

Here are my four fave books I've found so far (affiliate links):

• Grow Your Groceries by Simon Akeroyd
• Home Sweet Home Grown by Robyn Jasko
• Grow Food for Free by Huw Richards
• The Preserver's Garden by Staci & Jeremi Hill

 
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Happy Galentine's Day, pleasure readers!

Today I'm sharing 10 brand new romance releases just in time for your weekend reading.

We've got sports romance, sapphic romance, celebrity romance, enemies-to-lovers, chronic pain cuties, and more — set across the US, Europe and Latin America.

Find all the books here, and have a romantic weekend! xoxo

 
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It's almost Valentine's Day! And my sweetheart reading is in full swing to celebrate.

In this episode, I'm sharing my five fave romance writers — who I think are woefully underrated.

Tune in to hear me rave about Lizzy Dent, TJ Alexander, Talia Hibbert, Naina Kumar, and Falon Ballard. I'll talk about my fave books, upcoming releases, and more.

Find all the books here, and have a romantic week! xoxo

 
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Happy 2026, readers!

Last year, I made some biggggg reading plans and proceeded to accomplish... none of them.

(I'm looking at you 2025 5-star TBR. 👀)

So this year, I'm lowering the bar, embracing my inner mood reader, and thinking about books differently.

Tune in to this quick episode, where I share my 2026 reading plans and the process I'm using to build themed TBRs for the year ahead.

I also build a few TBRs for us! On the themes of Palestinian liberation, the astrophysics of time loops, and reasons to hate Big Tech.

Find all the books right here, and enjoy!

 
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Happy New Years Eve, readers! In this comeback episode, I'm sharing quick-hit reviews of all the books I've read since September.

Tune in for Parisian magicians, murderous influencers, werewolf romantics, gay hockey players (yes, I got into Heated Rivalry...), and more!

I also talk a bit about my TBR failures, how many books I read this year (123!), and my reading goals for 2026.

Find all the books right here: https://bookshop.org/lists/pleasure-reading-fall-2025

 
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Fall is my favorite season for reading, because I love cozy blankets, warm lattes, and books that make me feel some kind of way.

In this episode, I’m sharing books for my 3 fave fall feelings: cozy, sexy, and spooky. 🧶💄👹

It’s a Libra & Scorpio season adventure, full of amazing reads that just came out this year!

ALSO! I just published a new book of my own. It’s called Your Attention is Sacred Except on Social Media, and you can pick up a paperback or an ebook right here.

Recommended Books (with affiliate links):

• A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna
• Dragon Fires Everywhere by Hazel Beck
• Ghost Business by Jen DeLuca
• ZomRomCom by Olivia Dade
• Arcane Academy by Elise Kova
• Play Nice by Rachel Harrison
• Katabasis by R.F. Kuang
• The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
• The Whistler by Nick Medina

 
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OK it's been a minute since I made an episode... but I promise I've been reading!

In fact, I've read 47 books since the end of March, and I have plenty to say about them.

So get cozy, press play, and tune in to let these 60-second reviews wash over you. There's everything from age-gap romance to cerebral mysteries to weirdo body horror. Plus I found three 5-star reads this summer!

Find all the books here: https://bookshop.org/lists/pleasure-reading-spring-summer-2025

 
More from Amelia:
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