Quick Picks

With the holidays coming up, food is on everyone's mind and Michelle Habrych and I are here to talk about some of our favorite books that feature different foods.

Secret, Book, and Scone Society, Ellery Adams (#1 of 7 Secret, Book, and Scone Society Series)

Death By Dumpling, Vivien Chien (#1 of 12 Noodle Shop Mysteries)

Spellshop, Sarah Beth Durst (#1 of 2 in Spellshop series)

Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers, Jesse Q. Sutanto (#1 of 2 Vera Wong series)

Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, Lisa See

Lady Tan's Circle of Women, Lisa See

Legends and Lattes, Travis Baldree (#1 of 4 Legends and Lattes series)

Coincidence of Coconut Cake, Amy E. Reichert

Kindred Spirits Supper Club, Amy E. Reichert

Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking, T. Kingfisher

Winter in New York, Josie Silver

Sourdough, Robin Sloan

Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post, Allison Pataki

Delicious In Dungeon, Ryoko Kui

Food: A Love Story, Jim Gaffigan

Dad is Fat, Jim Gaffigan

Murder in an Irish Village, Carlene O'Connor (#1 in Irish Village Mysteries)

Julie and Julia, Julie Powell

Taste: My Life Through Food, Stanley Tucci

Cheesemaker's Daughter, Kristin Vukovic

Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen, Molly Wizenberg

Delaney: A Man, a Woman, a Restaurant, a Marriage, Molly Wizenberg

Dead Husband Cookbook, Danielle Valentine

I Guess I Haven't Learned That Yet, Shauna Niequist

Bread and Wine, Shauna Niequist

Cookbooks:

Well Fed (Volumes 1 and 2), Melissa Joulwan

New Creative Crockpot Cookbook, Rival

Clean Paleo One-Pot Meals, Christina Shoemaker

Skinnytaste Cookbook, Gina Homolka

Michael Symon's 5 in 5, Michael Symon

Cookies, Martha Stewart

Food Lab, Kenji Lopez-Alt

Alton Brown books

A mysterious, unknown boo,k something like Mac'n'Cheese Cookbook, purchased long ago at Aldi.

Witches are an integral part of spooky season and related fall celebrations. Since witches as a subject are so wide-ranging in genres, I attempt to tag and separate them into sub-genres.

Nonfiction:

The Witches by Stacy Schiff (2015, Salem Witch Trials)

The Witch by Ronald Hutton (2017, world history)

Folklore and Myth Retelling:

The Witch and the Tsar by Olesya Salnikova Gilmore (2022, folklore, Russian, Slavic, Baba Yaga)

Winternight Trilogy, by Katherine Arden (2017, folklore, Russian, Slavic)

Uprooted, by Naomi Novik (2015, folklore, Russian, Slavic)

Spinning Silver, by Naomi Novik (2018, folklore, Rumplestiltskin)

The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec (2021, Norse myths)

Circe, by Madeline Miller (2018, Greek myths)

Stone Blind, by Natalie Haynes (2022, Greek myths)

Witch of Colchis, by Rosie Hewlitt (2024, Greek myths)

Historical Fiction:

Thistlefoot, by GennaRose Nethercvott (2022, folklore, Baba Yaga, Judaism, holocaust, LGBTQIA+)

The Crucible, by Arthur Miller (1953, Salem Witch Trials)

I, Tituba, by Maryse Conde (1994, Salem Witch Trials, slavery, Barbados)

The Year of Wonders, by Geraldine Brooks (2002, Britain, bubonic plague, witch hunt)

The Last Witch in Edinburgh, by Marielle Thompson (2024, LGBTQIA+)

Voodoo Dreams, by Jewell Parker Rhodes (1995, voodoo, undead, Marie Laveau)

How to Hang a Witch, by Adriana Mather (2016, YA, Salem, romance, ghosts)

Modern Dark Fantasy:

Women of Wild Hill, by Kristen Miller (2025, female rage, eco-fiction, generational)

Seven Miracles of Beatrix Holland, by Rachel Herron (2025, LGBTQIA+, Latinx)

Children of Blood & Bone, by Tomi Adeyemi (2018, YA, West Africa, adventure)

The Year of the Witching, by Alexis Henderson (2020, YA, misogyny/patriarchy, religious fanaticism)

Cackle, by Rachel Harrison (2021, relationships, women's fiction, light horror)

Bewitching, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (2025, gothic, historical, mystery)

Play Dead by Anne Frasier (2004, mystery, Gulluh, West African culture, voodoo, undead)

Nettle & Bone, by T. Kingfisher (2022, light horror, adventure, light romance)

Witch’s Orchard, by Archer Sullivan (2025, mystery, light horror)

Horror:

Hex, by Thomas Olde Heuvelt (2013, female rage, ghost)

Changling, by Victor LaValle (2017, fairy tale retelling)

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls, by Grady Hendrix (2025, historical, female rage, medical horror, misogyny)

Romance, Romantasy, Cozy:

Honey Witch, by Sydney Shields (2024, romance, cozy, LGBTQIA+, spicy)

Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping, by Sangu Mandanna (2025, cozy, romance, spicy)

Dark & Secret Magic, by Wallace Kinney (2024, romance, cozy, clean)

Enchanted Greenhouse, by Sara Beth Durst (2025, romance, cozy, clean)

Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating a Demon, by Sarah Hawley (2023, romance, spicy)

Sorcery & Small Magics, by Maiga Doocy (2024, romantasy, LGBTQIA+, clean)

Bewitched, by Larua Thalassa (2023, romantasy, spicy)

Coven, by Harper L. Woods (2023, romantasy, spicy, dark academia)

Adventure:

Howl’s Moving Castle, by Diana Wynne Jones (1986, romance)

September is back-to-school time which is a perfect opportunity to read some books about dark academia, no matter your age or favorite genres.

Discussed:

Secret History, by Donna Tartt

Society of Lies, by Lauren Ling Brown

Katabasis, by RF Kuang

My Dark Vanessa, by Kate Elizabeth Russell

Discovery of Witches (#1 in All Souls series), by Deborah Harkness

I Have Some Questions for You, by Rebecca Makkai

Portrait of a Thief, by Grace D. Li

How to Get Away with Murder, TV show 2014-2020

If We Were Villains, by M.L. Rio

The Bewitching, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

This Book Will Bury Me, by Ashley Winstead

Arcana Academy (#1 Arcana Academy series), by Elise Kova

Vicious, by V.E. Schwab

Miss Mabel's School for Girls (#1 Network series), by Katie Cross

The Maidens, by Alex Michaelides

Ninth House (#1 Alex Stern series), by Leigh Bardugo

Song of Achilles, by Madeline Miller

Stone Blind, by Natalie Haynes

Circe, by Madeline Miller

Michelle Habrych joins me again to talk about some of our favorite books (and a couple movies) that are either about vacations or have a setting where we'd like to go on vacation.

Fast, exciting reads for your summer consumption.

Discussed:

Dead of Summer, by Jessa Maxwell

Cape Fever, by Nadia Davis

Saltwater, by Katy Hays

King of California, by Jordan Harper

She Rides Shotgun, by Jordan Harper

King of Ashes, by S.A. Cosby

Where They Last Saw Her, by Marcie Rendon

Dying to Meet You, by Sarina Bowen

Don't Tell Me How to Die, Marshall Karp

Rage, by Linda Castillo

Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage, by Asia Mackay

Kill Your Darlings, by Peter Swanson

Dead of Night, by Lisa Gray

What better genre for fun summer reads is there than magic and magical realism? Tana and I thoroughly enjoyed our books and discussion on some of our recent favorites.

Discussed:

Forget Me Not Library, by Heather Webber

Amalfi Curse, by Sarah Penner

Cat Who Saved the Library, by Sōsuke Natsukawa

Not the Witch You Wed, by April Asher

Murder Most Owl, by Sarah Fox

The In-Between Bookstore, by Edward Underhill

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls, by Grady Hendrix

Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking, by T. Kingfisher

Ministry of Time, by Kaliane Bradley

If you're a reader, you have a TBR list. And if you're like us, you have more books to read than books completed in your repertoire. Today, Tana and I are joined by Michelle Habrych to talk about books we've had on our TBR lists for a long time, and things we recommend you add to your own.

Discussed:

Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, by Taylor Jenkins Reid

If I Had Your Face, by Frances Cha

House Across the Lake, by Riley Sager

Only One Left, by Riley Sager

Lock Every Door, by Riley Sager

Soul Mate, by Sally Hepworth

Highway 59 series, by Attica Locke

Sunrise on the Reaping, by Suzanne Collins (and the entire Hunger Games series)

Where the Crawdads Sing, by Delia Owens

Daisy Jones and the Six, by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Just for the Summer, by Abby Jimenez

Say You'll Remember Me, by Abby Jimenez

(Abby Jimenez's bakery in Minnesota nadiacakes.com)

Songbirds, by Christi Lefteri

Beekeeper of Aleppo, by Christi Lefteri

Circus Train, by Amita Parikh

Water for Elephants, by Sara Gruen

Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern

Pretty Girls, by Karin Slaughter

(I couldn't remember the name of this book and promised to put it in the show notes-)

What Happened to Nina, by Dervla McTiernan

Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl, by Renee Rosen

Let's Call Her Barbie, by Renee Rosen

Carnegie's Maid, by Marie Benedict

Personal Librarian, by Marie Benedict

Only Woman in the Room, by Marie Benedict

Lady Clementine, by Marie Benedict

Brooke Shields is Not Allowed to Get Old, by Brooke Shields

Down Came the Rain, by Brooke Shields

Big Dumb Eyes, by Nate Bargatze

Poppy Fields, by Nikki Erlick

The Measure, by Nikki Erlick

My Friends, by Fredrik Backman

King of Ashes, by S.A. Cosby

10 Marchfield Place, by Nicola Whyte

The God of the Woods, by Liz Moore

Long Bright River, by Liz Moore

Saltwater, by Katy Hays

Propaganda Girls, by Lisa Rogak

Page Turner, by Viola Shipman

To Get to the Other Side, by Kelly Ohlert

Ex-citing Proposition, by Kelly Ohlert

Let's Get Quizzical, by Kelly Ohlert

Uncharted Ex-perience, by Kelly Ohlert

We all know them and for some of us maybe we are them, but grouchy old people who are actually quite great have a special place in our hearts and these are some of the books Tana and I discussed.

Nosy Neighbors, by Freya Sampson

How to Age Disgracefully, by Clare Pooley

Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting, by Clare Pooley

A Man Called Ove, by Fredrik Backman

My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry. by Fredrik Backman

Britt-Marie Was Here, by Fredrik Backman

Armand Gamache series, by Louise Penny

Thursday Murder Club, by Richard Osman

We Solve Murders, by Richard Osman

Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, by Phaedra Patrick

Vera Stanhope series, by Ann Cleeves

The New Neighbor, by Carter Wilson

How to Solve Your Own Murder, by Kristen Perrin

The Heiress, by Paula Hawkins

Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers, by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Dial "A" for Aunties, by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Killers of a Certain Age, by Deanna Raybourn

Kills Well With Others, by Deanna Raybourn

Maud series, by Helen Tursten

Since March is Women's History Month, I've invited Michelle Habrych, friend and writer, to talk about some wide-ranging books, fiction and nonfiction, that tell stories of women in history.

Michelle's list discussed:

• Lady Tan's Circle of Women, by Lisa See
• Island of Sea Women, by Lisa See
• Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post, by Allison Pataki
• The Women, by Kristin Hannah
• Becoming Madam Secretary, by Stephanie Dray
• Women of Chateau Lafayette, by Stephanie Dray
• My Dear Hamilton, by Stephanie Dray
• Well Behaved Women, by Therese Ann Fowler
• The Social Graces, by Renee Rosen
• Reference to "The Gilded Age" on HBO
• Vanderbilt, by Anderson Cooper & Katherine Howe
• Astor, by Anderson Cooper & Katherine Howe
• The Rainbow Comes and Goes, by Anderson Cooper and & Gloria Vanderbilt
• Personal Librarian, by Marie Benedict & Victoria Christopher Murray
• Having Our Say, by Sarah & Elizabeth Delaney
• Radium Girls, by Kate Moore
• First Women, by Kate Andersen Brower
• Founding Mothers, by Cokie Roberts
• Ladies of Liberty, by Cokie Roberts
• Capital Dames, by Cokie Roberts
• Rise of the Rocket Girls, by Nathalia Holt
• Hidden Figures, by Margo Lee Shetterly
• The Almost Astronauts (children's book), by Tanya Lee Stone
• The Astronaut Wives' Club, by Lily Koppel
• Fly Girls, by Keith O'Brien
• Eighty Days, by Matthew Goodman
• Ten Days in a Mad House, by Nellie Bly
• The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacke, by Rebecca Skloot
• The Hiding Place, by Corrie ten Boom
• The Swans of Harlem, by Karen Valby

Nikki's List discussed:

• Lone Women, by Victor LaValle
• Take My Hand, by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
• White Chrysanthemum, by Mary Lynn Bracht
• The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, by Kim Michele Richardson
• Giver of Stars, by Jojo Moyes
• The Witches, by Stacy Schiff
• The Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan
• "Rules of the Game" (short story), by Amy Tan
• Clan of the Cave Bear, by Jean Auel
• Memoirs of a Geisha, by Arthur Golden
• Life After Life, by Kate Atkinson
• Bright Young Women, by Jessica Knoll
• Frozen River, by Ariel Lawhon
• Go as a River, by Shelly Read
• Lessons in Chemistry, by Bonnie Garmus
• Fever, by Mary Beth Keane
• Clark and Division, by Naomi Hirahara
• Tallgrass, by Sandra Dallas
• Northern Spy, by Flynn Berry
• Lost Apothecaryt, by Sarah Penner
• Mercy House, by Alena Dillon

Inspired by Groundhog Day and the move by the same name, Nick and I are here to discuss things we've liked that have to do with cycles and time loops.

Discussed:

The OA (TV series)

Hades (videogame)

7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, by Stuart Turton

Until Dawn (videogame)

Mickey 7, by Edward Ashton

Steins;Gate (anime)

Rick and Morty (animated series)

Supernatural (TV series)

Happy Death Day (film)

Everything Everywhere All At Once (film)

About Time (film)

Before I Fall, by Lauren Oliver

Life After Life, by Kate Atkinson

First Fifteen Lives of Harry August, by Claire North

Cassandra In Reverse, by Holly Smale

The Prestige (film)

Midnight Library, by Matt Haig

The Humans, by Matt Haig

Map of Tiny Perfect Things (film)

In Five Years, by Rebecca Serle

Sliding Doors (film)