It's Dark Academia time and the book duo couldn't be more excited. But there is so much to talk about in the book world. Author Jacqueline Wilson is bringing back the characters from her series "The Girls" 20 years later as adults. " Ransom Riggs is releasing a brand new Fantasy Series, his first since the "Miss Peregrine" series.

Plus conversations on books including Sweet Valley High, Mister Magic, Atlas Six, The Familiar, Babel, Ninth House, and several more.

This episode is not short on laughs, shenanigans, and lots of books. You won't want to miss it. The Book Club girls return June 17 for a discussion on Jinx by Indie Author, Jessica Huntley.

About Speaking LITerally

Resident bookworms Liz & Holly explore their favorite world--BOOKS--in this all new podcast focused around new releases, old favorites, and everything in between.

What are you reading? Find our their favorites and upcoming reads along with stories from authors and more on Speaking LITerally!

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@speakliterallypodcast

@lizzieslittlebooknook

@azdesert_bookworm

Get ready for a jam packed episode! This month we are so excited to bring on multiple guests starting with Emily and Jody from Tucson Tome Gnome, a non-profit organization that brings books into the community every month in a Scavenger Hunt style. This is such an amazing organization created by three friends who have a passion of books. The origins of their partnership with author TJ Klune is a really cool story you won't want to miss.

We are also joined by Sarahlyn Bruck who discusses her new book Light of the Fire which is a great book focused on love, life, friendship, and the pressures of holding in a 20 year old secret.

AND, did you know that Holly Black is working on a strategy game? Well, we share what we know!

About Speaking LITerally

Resident bookworms Liz & Holly explore their favorite world--BOOKS--in this all new podcast focused around new releases, old favorites, and everything in between.

What are you reading? Find our their favorites and upcoming reads along with stories from authors and more on Speaking LITerally!

Follow on Instagram

@speakliterallypodcast

@lizzieslittlebooknook

@azdesert_bookworm

It's Book Club Month!

Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson is the topic for this month's discussion, and there is a split opinion on it.

Before the deep dive into the book, the book duo discuss topics including influential women authors in honor of International Women's Month, Audible's new royalty program, and Leigh Bardugo's new mega publishing deal just to name a few.

Some books mentioned in this episode include The Watchers, Belladonna, Vampires of El Norte, Necessary Lies and Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone.

About Speaking LITerally

Resident bookworms Liz & Holly explore their favorite world--BOOKS--in this all new podcast focused around new releases, old favorites, and everything in between.

What are you reading? Find our their favorites and upcoming reads along with stories from authors and more on Speaking LITerally!

Follow on Instagram

@speakliterallypodcast

@lizzieslittlebooknook

@azdesert_bookworm

Author Katie Cawood joins the show to discuss her book Lesson Learned and the upcoming sequel, Love Lessons, that will be released on March 29. Katie's series is a workplace romance surrounding teachers. We have a fun conversation, including what her 12 year old son thinks.

There are also some lively discussions surrounding Romance Exclusive bookshops, Generation Z's reading preferences, and M. Night Shyamalan's upcoming movie adaption of AM Shine's The Watchers which will hit theaters in June.

Some of the books that come up in conversation include The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy, Belladonna and Unwind just to name a few.

About Speaking LITerally

Resident bookworms Liz & Holly explore their favorite world--BOOKS--in this all new podcast focused around new releases, old favorites, and everything in between.

What are you reading? Find our their favorites and upcoming reads along with stories from authors and more on Speaking LITerally!

Follow on Instagram

@speakliterallypodcast

@lizzieslittlebooknook

@azdesert_bookworm

We are starting 2024 with a bang! Did you set a goal for the year to read more of your TBR list? It's great to have our first episode be on a topic like TBR lists as readers can relate.

Join us as we discuss all things TBR, identify some of the books that have been hanging out on our lists and what we plan to do about it.

We welcome special guest Kristina Carmela to discuss the 2024 Indieverse Awards. This is such a cool opportunity and one that we will be discussing and monitoring throughout the year. She shares everything you need to know about how to participate!

There is also some great discussion about Instagram engagement groups, Goodreads, Zooniverse and a whole bunch of books.

You don't want to miss the fun, the laughs, or the tangents. Take a listen!

About Speaking LITerally

Resident bookworms Liz & Holly explore their favorite world--BOOKS--in this all new podcast focused around new releases, old favorites, and everything in between.

What are you reading? Find our their favorites and upcoming reads along with stories from authors and more on Speaking LITerally!

Follow on Instagram

@speakliterallypodcast

@lizzieslittlebooknook

@azdesert_bookworm

Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2024, but before we can embrace the new year, we must close out 2023. This past year has been full of ups and downs, but it didn't fail in providing some amazing reads.

After discussing a bedbug issue in a London Library and a research study on reading comprehension impact between print and digital books, the bookish friends dive into all the memorable books of 2023.

They discuss topics from the strangest books read to their top genres. The year in review wouldn't be complete without identifying their top monthly reads as well as their favorite book of the year. Spoiler alert - for the first time in podcast history, they picked a different top book!

There are romance and thrillers. There are fantasies and historical fiction. With a combined total of 128 books read between the pair in 2023, there is a lot to talk about.

About Speaking LITerally

Resident bookworms Liz & Holly explore their favorite world--BOOKS--in this all new podcast focused around new releases, old favorites, and everything in between.

What are you reading? Find our their favorites and upcoming reads along with stories from authors and more on Speaking LITerally!

Follow on Instagram

@speakliterallypodcast

@lizzieslittlebooknook

@azdesert_bookworm

Speaking LITerally #33: Book Club featuring Winter Spirits: Ghostly Tales for Frosty Nights

It's Book Club time! This month's conversation focuses on Winter Spirits: Ghostly Tales for Frosty Nights. It is a collection of 12 short stories set to a Gothic tone. It was a very different read, but provided a lot of topics for discussion. There is also a bonus mini discussion on Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros that you won't want to miss (no spoilers for this one.)

This month other topics include the 2023 Goodreads Choice Awards, 2023 Booker Prize winner, and the winner for the 2023 oddest book title. Beyond these, there is always so much fun bookish and non-bookish randomness to chat about. Have you heard of lebkuchen? Well, it's a brief topic of conversation.

As always, there are many laughs and so much fun to be had. So sit, back, relax, and take a listen. See you in 2024!

About Speaking LITerally

Resident bookworms Liz & Holly explore their favorite world--BOOKS--in this all new podcast focused around new releases, old favorites, and everything in between.

What are you reading? Find our their favorites and upcoming reads along with stories from authors and more on Speaking LITerally!

Follow on Instagram

@speakliterallypodcast

@lizzieslittlebooknook

@azdesert_bookworm

Author Jes Smyth joins the show to discuss her debut novel, Time for Once, and drops a little exclusive piece of information regarding the upcoming release of her second novel, Dream for a Second.

The shenanigans are in full effort throughout this month's show which creates laugh after laugh. Naturally, Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros is discussed (with no spoilers) because well, why would it not be discussed!? Additional topics this month include James Joyce, Shadow and Bone Season 3 update, Goodreads Book of the Year Voting, and music sensation Pink's partnership with PEN America.

Make sure to listen to the end, the show's traditional speed round is one to not be missed.

About Speaking LITerally

Resident bookworms Liz & Holly explore their favorite world--BOOKS--in this all new podcast focused around new releases, old favorites, and everything in between.

What are you reading? Find our their favorites and upcoming reads along with stories from authors and more on Speaking LITerally!

Follow on Instagram

@speakliterallypodcast

@lizzieslittlebooknook

@azdesert_bookworm

Welcome back to another adventure into the bookish world.

Liz and Holly have finally read their first Colleen Hoover book, Verity, and have quite a lot to say about it with their pals Stephanie and Jennifer as part of the book club discussion.

It's also Spooky Season, so it would be irresponsible to not talk about books for the season. Books discussed in this episode include: The September House by Clarissa Orlando, Gerald's Game by Stephen King, The Grand Hotel by Scott Kenemore, All Hallows by Christophers Golden plus a few of our other favorites.

Besides scary books and the breakdown of Verity, Bookish topics include AI's impact on the book world, the Booker Prize Shortlist, and more.

When they're Speaking LITerally, it's bound to a good time with plenty of shenanigans.

About Speaking LITerally

Resident bookworms Liz & Holly explore their favorite world--BOOKS--in this all new podcast focused around new releases, old favorites, and everything in between.

What are you reading? Find our their favorites and upcoming reads along with stories from authors and more on Speaking LITerally!

Follow on Instagram

@speakliterallypodcast

@lizzieslittlebooknook

@azdesert_bookworm

The book duo is back at it! This month they welcome author Peter D Baker to the show to discuss his novel, Rain City Gothic!

Additional book chat consists of Rachel Beanland's book talk debacle in Florida in regards to her new historical fiction book, The House is on Fire and our excitement over next month's release of Lessons In Chemistry on Apple TV.

Books discussed this month include:

• The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater
• Stars Like Gasoline by Jessika Grewe Glover
• The Brothers Hawthorne by Jennifer Lynne Barnes
• The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse
• And several more

This episode goes from popcorn to politics., so be prepared!

Next month, they return with another Book Club episode focusing on Colleen Hoover's Verity. This will be the first Colleen Hoover book Holly and Liz have every read! You will definitely not want to miss it.

About Speaking LITerally

Resident bookworms Liz & Holly explore their favorite world--BOOKS--in this all new podcast focused around new releases, old favorites, and everything in between.

What are you reading? Find our their favorites and upcoming reads along with stories from authors and more on Speaking LITerally!

Follow on Instagram

@speakliterallypodcast

@lizzieslittlebooknook

@azdesert_bookworm