Russell, Rachel, and Rachael chat about our February reading challenge, books based solely on loving the cover. Listen in as we delve into our personal aesthetic, poorly describe colors, and make a lot of fish puns. 

Books we discuss include:

• “The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches” by Sangu Mandanna
• “This Tender Land” by William Kent Krueger
• “The Revenant” by Michael Punke
• “Bog Queen” by Anna North
• “My Vampires” series by Jenna Levine
• “Lords of the Fly: Madness, Obsession, and the Hunt for the World Record Tarpon” by Monte Burke
• “A Walk in the Park: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon” by Kevin Fedarko
• “Book Nooks: Inspired Ideas for Cozy Reading Corners and Stylish Book Displays” by Vanessa Dina, Claire Gilhuly, photography by Antonis Achilleos
• “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow” by Gabrielle Zevin
• “The Overstory” by Richard Powers
• “Direct Descendant” by Tanya Huff
• “The Eyes are the Best Part” by Monika Kim
• “Ordinary Grace” by William Kent Krueger
• “The Guide” by Peter Heller

In this final installment of a special 5-episode weekly series, Russell, Rachael, Rachel, and Jess M. share meaningful quotes from favorite authors. Take just a few moments out of your day to "Be Inspired in 2026!"

Quotes from:

• "Little House on the Prairie" by Laura Ingalls Wilder
• "Time Piece" by Andrea Gibson
• "What You Are Looking for Is in the Library" by Michiko Aoyama, translated by Alison Watts
• "Where Wolves Don't Die" by Anton Treuer
• "A Light in the Attic" by Shel Silverstein
• "The Lorax" by Dr. Seuss
• "The House in the Cerulean Sea" by T.J. Klune
• "The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry" by Gabrielle Zevin

In this fourth installment of a special 5-episode weekly series, Russell, Rachael, Rachel, and Chrislyn share meaningful quotes from favorite authors. Take just a few moments out of your day to "Be Inspired in 2026!"

Quotes from:

• “A Wrinkle in Time” by Madeleine L'Engle
• “Automatic noodle” by Annalee Newitz
• “The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol. 8” by Beth Brower
• “Tracker” by Gary Paulsen
• “Oathbringer” by Brandon Sanderson
• “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish” by Dr. Seuss
• “The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol. 1” by Beth Brower
• “The Midnight Library” by Matt Haig

In this third installment of a special 5-episode weekly series, Russell, Rachael, Rachel, and Jess Austin share meaningful quotes from favorite authors. Take just a few moments out of your day to "Be Inspired in 2026!"

• "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho
• "A New Year Prayer" by Silas House
• "By Any Other Name" by Jodi Picoult
• "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand
• "The Overstory" by Richard Powers
• "The Summer Day" by Mary Oliver
• "Horton Hears a Who" by Dr. Seuss
• "The Princess Bride" by William Goldman

Russell, Rachel, and Rachael chat with our guest Tim Rogers, branch manager for Mount Hermon Public Library and former manager of B. Dalton bookstore at Piedmont Mall in Danville. We take a leisurely stroll down memory lane, go behind the scenes into the workings of the bookstore world, and learn how you go from finding books boring to managing a library.

Books we discuss include:

• “The Sinking of the Bismarck” by William L. Shirer
• “Dracula” by Bram Stoker
• “Sherlock Holmes” series by Arthur Conan Doyle
• “The Lord of the Rings” by J.R.R. Tolkien
• “Mere Christianity” by C.S. Lewis
• “What Color Is Your Parachute” by Richard Nelson Bolles
• “FoxTrot” series by Bill Amend
• “The Far Side Gallery” series by Gary Larson
• “Charlie Brown” series by Charles M. Schulz
• “A Bad Case of Stripes” by David Shannon
• “Strong Ground: The Lessons of Daring Leadership, the Tenacity of Paradox, and the Wisdom of the Human Spirit” by Brené Brown
• “The Women” by Kristin Hannah
• “Why Does Everybody Hate Me” by Karen Dockrey
• “How To Speak Southern” by Steve Mitchell
• “The Angel Doll” by Jerry Bledsoe
• “Have a Nice Day!: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks” by Mick Foley
• “Rockin' the Rockpile: The Buffalo Bills of the American Football League” by Jeffrey J. Miller

In the second episode of this special 5-episode series, Russell, Rachael, Rachel, and Brianna share inspiring quotes from favorite authors. 

• “The Midnight Library” by Matt Haig
• “No Particular Night or Morning” by Ray Bradbury
• “Sunrise on the Reaping” by Suzanne Collins
• “Spirit of Steamboat” by Craig Johnson
• “Winnie-the-Pooh” by A.A. Milne
• “The Lorax” by Dr. Suess
• “The Legend of Bagger Vance” by Steven Pressfield

In the first episode of this special 5-episode series, Russell, Rachael, Rachel, and Riley share inspiring quotes from favorite authors. 

• Brené Brown, “Atlas of the Heart”
• C.S. Lewis, “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe”
• Rita Mae Brown, “Rubyfruit Jungle”
• Lauren Wolk, “Echo Mountain”
• Dr. Seuss, “The Lorax”
• Jack London, “The Call of the Wild”

Russell, Rachel, and Rachael chat about our January reading challenge, books featuring a horse. They discuss the Chinese Zodiac which inspired the challenge, share a glimpse behind the scenes into the creative process and bond over the nostalgia of childhood trauma.
If you have a favorite literary horse we somehow missed, let us know on social media!

Books we discuss include:

• “The Neverending Story” by Michael Ende
• “Animal Farm” by George Orwell
• “My Friend Flicka” by Mary O’Hara
• “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving
• “The Lord of the Rings” by J.R.R. Tolkien
• “The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck” by Don Rosa
• “Casper and Nightmare” comics
• Barney Google Snuffy Smith
• “The Princess Bride” by William Goldman
• “The Horse and His Boy” by C.S. Lewis
• “Horse” by Geraldine Brooks
• “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse” by Charlie Mackesy
• “Seabiscuit: An American Legend” by Laura Hillenbrand
• “The Ride of Her Life: The True Story of a Woman, Her Horse, and Their Last-Chance Journey Across America” by Elizabeth Letts
• “Misty of Chincoteague” by Marguerite Henry
• “The Perfect Horse: the Daring U.S. Mission to Rescue the Priceless Stallions Kidnapped by the Nazis” by Elizabeth Letts 
• “Ghost Riders: When US and German Soldiers Fought Together to Save the World's Most Beautiful Horses in the Last Days of World War II” by Mark Felton
• “The Unmothers” by Leslie J. Anderson
• “Wild Horse Country: The History, Myth, and Future of the Mustang” by David Philipps
• “Black Beauty” by Anna Sewell
• “National Velvet” by Enid Bagnold
• “The Black Stallion” series by Walter Farley
• “Joe Pickett” series by C.J. Box

Find out more about Booked Monthly on our website.

Russell, Rachel, and Rachael chat with our guest Katelyn Murray, one of the new owners of The Dog-eared Page bookshop on Main Street. We discuss finding that one perfect book for you, receiving letters of praise from your favorite author, and unexpectedly learning how showers work!

Books/Authors we discuss include:

• “Daughter of the Forest” by Juliet Marillier
• “Redwall” series by Brian Jacques
• “Kaleidoscope” and everything by Ray Bradbury
• “The September House” by Carissa Orlando
• Author Ali Hazelwood
• Author Abby Jimenez
• “Lonesome Dove” by Larry McMurtry
• “The Wondrous Life and Loves of Nella Carter” by Brionni Nwosu
• “Vampires of Shanghai” by Katherine Mercer (releases January 2, 2026)

For more Ray Bradbury, join us at Unrequired Reading Classics Book Club to discuss “Fahrenheit 451” on Monday, January 26 at 5:30PM. Call 434.799.5195 or visit readdanvilleva.org to register.

Russell, Rachel, and Rachael chat about our December reading challenge, books with a holiday theme, which it turns out cover a wide range of topics and genres. We discuss the magic of Santa, turkeys, and the 80s.

Books we discuss include:

• “Turkey Claus” by Wendy Silvano, illustrated by Lee Harper
• “Santa Jaws” by Bridget Heos, illustrated by Galia Bernstein
• “The Christmas Guest” by Peter Swanson
• “Secret Santa” by Andrew Shaffer
•  “Silent Night: Fear Street Super Chillers” by R.L. Stine
• “Spirit of Steamboat” by Craig Johnson
• “Christmas in Absaroka County” by Craig Johnson
• “Hiddensee: A Tale of the Once and Future Nutcracker” by Gregory Maguire
• “The Christmas Appeal” by Janice Hallett
• “American Christmas Stories” edited by Connie Willis, featuring stories by Mark Twain, John Updike, Langston Hughes, Ray Bradbury and more
• “Claus: Legend of the Fat Man” by Tony Bertauski
• “The Immortal Nicholas” by Glenn Beck
• “A Boy Called Christmas” by Matt Haig
• “Nicholas - The Legend Begins” by Joe Dodridge
• “Consumer Rites: The Buying and Selling of American Holidays” by Leigh Eric Schmidt
• “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens
• “Make My Wish Come True” by Rachael Lippincott
• “Small Things Like These” by Claire Keegan