The Bookshelf

Welcome the first ever Speaking LITerally Book Club! This month Holly and Liz enjoy sharing some information about the Booker Prize nominee long list and the upcoming America's Next Great Writer reality TV show. Also, The Way of the Dragon by CT Ortega becomes the focus on what we have recently read!!

But, it all leads to the book club discussion of Our Crooked Hearts by Melissa Albert. This turned out to be an amazing discussion with two additional bookish friends, Jenn and Steph. We discuss the ins and outs of the book and our takes and opinions on style, characters, conflict, conclusion and so much more. There are several spoilers, but honestly if you haven't read the book, the spoilers might actually make you want to read it more.

Another month, another fun episode with book talk, laughter, and shenanigans. We'll be back on September 19 where we will be joined by author, Christie Barlow! Don’t 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

Don’t forget to check out my other fun sites!

Brand New Website for book lovers: www.tinyurl.com/desertbookshelf It has links to my podcast Speaking LITerally, book reviews, breaking literary news, games, links to small business and more!

Speaking LITerally podcast! Our monthly misadventures into all things literary. Separated by the Atlantic, Liz and I come together in our love of reading!!! Find us wherever you listen to your other favorite podcasts! Click here to find us on iHeartRadio!

If you are really bored you can read about some of my personal adventures in life raising two teenagers and loving a husband who is fighting Chronic Myeloid Leukemia and all the lesson I learn along the way. Educate This.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebookshelf.substack.com

Nothing says summer better than a fun rom-com. Join us for a fun-filled author interview with Gillian Libby. Her debut book, Four Ways to Wear a Dress, hit stores last month. We talk everything form surfing and little black dresses to being dance moms and social media. Gillian is an amazing person and her fun personality definitely comes through in her writing!What else is in store on this month's episode? Well, we discuss Where the Crawdad's Sing, Under the Whispering Door, and Priory of the Orange Tree. Fun fact, apparently our technology doesn't like the heat. We explain this too along with the knowledge that HarperCollins has approved a union strike!Another month, another fun episode with book talk, laughter, and shenanigans. We'll be back on August 8 for our first ever Speaking LITerally Book Club !

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

Don’t forget to check out my other fun sites!

Brand New Website for book lovers: www.tinyurl.com/desertbookshelf It has links to my podcast Speaking LITerally, book reviews, breaking literary news, games, links to small business and more!

Speaking LITerally podcast! Our monthly misadventures into all things literary. Separated by the Atlantic, Liz and I come together in our love of reading!!! Find us wherever you listen to your other favorite podcasts! Click here to find us on iHeartRadio!

If you are really bored you can read about some of my personal adventures in life raising two teenagers and loving a husband who is fighting Chronic Myeloid Leukemia and all the lesson I learn along the way. Educate This.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebookshelf.substack.com

It's the one Year Bookish Anniversary of Speaking LITerarlly! Holly and Liz reflect on all the shenanigans of the past year, the authors met and the books read, and share some exciting news for year two.

This month the duo discusses Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo, Book Lovers by Emily Henry and Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak. In the world of news, they discuss the unburnable Handmaid's Tale, LGBTQ books surging sales, and Holly Black's announcement of a new Duology.

Without any more spoilers, this episode is an emotional rollercoaster, and one you won't want to miss.

Gillian Libby, author of Four Ways to Wear a Dress, joins the show on July 11 to share how her new book is doing and her experience in the literary world.

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

Don’t forget to check out my other fun sites!

Brand New Website for book lovers: www.tinyurl.com/desertbookshelf It has links to my podcast Speaking LITerally, book reviews, breaking literary news, games, links to small business and more!

Speaking LITerally podcast! Our monthly misadventures into all things literary. Separated by the Atlantic, Liz and I come together in our love of reading!!! Find us wherever you listen to your other favorite podcasts! Click here to find us on iHeartRadio!

If you are really bored you can read about some of my personal adventures in life raising two teenagers and loving a husband who is fighting Chronic Myeloid Leukemia and all the lesson I learn along the way. Educate This.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebookshelf.substack.com

Holly and Liz are back for another adventure into the book world! This month they welcome Canadian fiction author SC Jensen to the show. They discuss Jensen's cyberpunk Sci-Fi series Bubbles In Space, her other series, and the role that technology plays in our lives today. Naturally, there is much chaos as it all unfolds!

Holly and Liz share some bookish news to kick this off including the coming soon book to screen adaptions, the 2022 Pulitzer Prize winners, and how some Texans are fighting back after a country library banned books from its shelves.

The Book Duo’s one year anniversary episode drops June 20th!

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

Don’t forget to check out my other fun sites!

Brand New Website for book lovers: www.tinyurl.com/desertbookshelf It has links to my podcast Speaking LITerally, book reviews, breaking literary news, games, links to small business and more!

Speaking LITerally podcast! Our monthly misadventures into all things literary. Separated by the Atlantic, Liz and I come together in our love of reading!!! Find us wherever you listen to your other favorite podcasts! Click here to find us on iHeartRadio!

If you are really bored you can read about some of my personal adventures in life raising two teenagers and loving a husband who is fighting Chronic Myeloid Leukemia and all the lesson I learn along the way. Educate This.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebookshelf.substack.com

Welcome to Fantastical Fantasies! This month Holly and Liz take a closer look on what makes this particular genre what it is and just how far reaching it has become. From Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Alice in Wonderland to A Court of Thorns and Roses and Harry Potter, fantasies have impacted everyone to some degree.Plus, there is plenty to talk about when it comes to Where the Crawdads Sing, Blood & Honey, and the Love Hypothesis. When you are a book lover, there is always so much 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

Don’t forget to check out my other fun sites!

Brand New Website for book lovers: www.tinyurl.com/desertbookshelf It has links to my podcast Speaking LITerally, book reviews, breaking literary news, games, links to small business and more!

Speaking LITerally podcast! Our monthly misadventures into all things literary. Separated by the Atlantic, Liz and I come together in our love of reading!!! Find us wherever you listen to your other favorite podcasts! Click here to find us on iHeartRadio!

If you are really bored you can read about some of my personal adventures in life raising two teenagers and loving a husband who is fighting Chronic Myeloid Leukemia and all the lesson I learn along the way. Educate This.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebookshelf.substack.com

Join Holly and Liz for their classical conversation in this month's episode. Which of the "classic" classics are must reads? Dracula? Pride and Prejudice? Where do modern classics land on the scale of importance?

These bookish friends discuss all of this while also talking about Andy Weir's Project Hail Mary and Allison Saft's new release, A Far Wilder Magic. Plus, get caught up on some book news highlights of the last month. Do you think an author should raise money on a crowdfunding site to pay for publishing their books? This is one of the topics that comes up this month.

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

Don’t forget to check out my other fun sites!

Brand New Website for book lovers: www.tinyurl.com/desertbookshelf It has links to my podcast Speaking LITerally, book reviews, breaking literary news, games, links to small business and more!

Speaking LITerally podcast! Our monthly misadventures into all things literary. Separated by the Atlantic, Liz and I come together in our love of reading!!! Find us wherever you listen to your other favorite podcasts! Click here to find us on iHeartRadio!

If you are really bored you can read about some of my personal adventures in life raising two teenagers and loving a husband who is fighting Chronic Myeloid Leukemia and all the lesson I learn along the way. Educate This.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebookshelf.substack.com

Join Liz and Holly as they welcome author Amanda Prowse, a British author, penning 28 books who has be crowned the "Queen of Family Fiction" by the Daily Mail.

This is such an inspiration interview that will give you all the feels about books, literature but more importantly her approach to life, love and family. Amanda is hilarious and so relatable.

The bookish buddies also share their thoughts on book censorship and discuss the book adapted movies that are up for Academy Awards and BAFTAs.

If there is one episode you really need to listen to, it is this one.

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

Don’t forget to check out my other fun sites!

Brand New Website for book lovers: www.tinyurl.com/desertbookshelf It has links to my podcast Speaking LITerally, book reviews, breaking literary news, games, links to small business and more!

Speaking LITerally podcast! Our monthly misadventures into all things literary. Separated by the Atlantic, Liz and I come together in our love of reading!!! Find us wherever you listen to your other favorite podcasts! Click here to find us on iHeartRadio!

If you are really bored you can read about some of my personal adventures in life raising two teenagers and loving a husband who is fighting Chronic Myeloid Leukemia and all the lesson I learn along the way. Educate This.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebookshelf.substack.com

Welcome to 2022! To kick off the new year Holly and Liz dive right in talking about the Harry Potter Reunion Show, our anticipated reads of the year, and our own Book Award winners.

Prepare to laugh with us, or at us, as we get a little carried away with some of our thoughts and opinions!

The Book Buddies will be back with a special Valentine’s episode with a special guest. Next episode drops on February 21.

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

Don’t forget to check out my other fun sites!

Brand New Website for book lovers: www.tinyurl.com/desertbookshelf It has links to my podcast Speaking LITerally, book reviews, breaking literary news, games, links to small business and more!

Speaking LITerally podcast! Our monthly misadventures into all things literary. Separated by the Atlantic, Liz and I come together in our love of reading!!! Find us wherever you listen to your other favorite podcasts! Click here to find us on iHeartRadio!

If you are really bored you can read about some of my personal adventures in life raising two teenagers and loving a husband who is fighting Chronic Myeloid Leukemia and all the lesson I learn along the way. Educate This.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebookshelf.substack.com

2021 is coming to a close, so it's time to reflect on the best books of the year. Join Holly and Liz as they take a journey through the months sharing their favorite reads.They also discuss the Goodreads books of the year, spend a little too much time talking bout the Grishaverse, and what the heck is Mince Pie?Join them as they ring in the holidays and say farewell to 2021 in bookish style.

The Book Buddies will be back with their first episode of 2022 on January 17!

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

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebookshelf.substack.com

Holly and Liz have a lot to talk about this week! They discuss the increase of minority characters in children's books, the Kindle Vella, and the winner of the Booker Prize. Have you read The Last House on Needless Street? Well, the pair spend some time sharing why this was a five star book and a must read.

The highlight of this episode is the fun author interview with Jessika Grewe Glover to discuss her debut novel, Another Beast's Skin. There may be a slight disagreement regarding College Football, but you'll have to listen to know for sure.

The Book Buddies will be back with their Year in Review episode on December 20!

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

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebookshelf.substack.com