Unabridged: A Book Podcast

Do you like spooky reads, or do you tend to steer clear of anything too creepy? In Episode 298, Jen and Ashley share our favorite books for the season, and we talk about what makes the perfect fall read.

We start with our Bookish Check-in: Ashley is listening to Thorn Season (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) by Kiera Cass, and Jen’s revisiting Richard Matheson’s I Am Legend (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm). Then we each bring a fall pick to the table: we share about Megan Bannen’s The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) and Adriana Mather’s How to Hang a Witch (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm). Both picks have ghosts, magic, and just enough spookiness to feel seasonal without being nightmare fuel.

Just a reminder that if you purchase books using our affiliate links for Bookshop.org and Libro.fm, or if you shop on Bookshop using our Unabridgedpod shop, we get a small percentage of those sales, which supports us and the companies.

We wrap things up with a Lit Chat question about DNFs: do you finish every book you start? We share a little honesty about how hard it can be to stop reading something once it’s begun. Join us, and let us know on Instagram what your favorite spooky reads are (and whether you’re a completionist or a proud DNFer)!

Visit the Unabridged website for our full show notes and links to the books mentioned in the episode. Interested in what else we're reading? Check out our Featured Books page.

Have you read Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic or seen the musical adaptation? In episode 297, our September Book Club pick takes us into Bechdel’s layered, brilliant graphic memoir about family, identity, and the stories we use to make sense of our lives.

We kick things off with a bookish check-in (Ashley’s listening to Jennifer Lynn Barnes’s The Ruling Class; Jen just started Angeline Boulley’s Sisters in the Wind) and then dive into Fun Home. We discuss Bechdel's literary references and her stark honesty, the grief and humor, and why this one is so often challenged. We’d love to hear your thoughts and favorite moments from the book. Come join the conversation!

Visit the Unabridged website for our full show notes and links to the books mentioned in the episode. Interested in what else we're reading? Check out our Featured Books page.

Have you ever hesitated to pick up a buzzy book because you weren’t sure it would live up to the hype? In Episode 296, Jen and Ashley kick off Season Nine with a chat about the books that absolutely do.

We start with our Bookish Check-in: Jen’s reading Suleika Jaouad’s The Book of Alchemy, and I share thoughts on Elana K. Arnold’s What Girls Are Made Of. Then we each bring a hyped pick that worked for us (hello, Susan Choi’s Flashlight and Allison Espach’s The Wedding People). We wrap with a card from Book Riot's Lit Chat Game about which fictional journey we’d tag along for.

Join us, and tell us on Instagram which hyped reads delivered for you!

Visit the Unabridged website for our full show notes and links to the books mentioned in the episode. Interested in what else we're reading? Check out our Featured Books page.

Which books are going in your beach bag this summer? In today’s episode, we’re sharing a few great picks for your next vacation—or just your next relaxing afternoon in the sun. From fast-paced thrillers and twisty YA mysteries to a heartfelt rom-com set in the world of podcasting, we’ve got something for everyone.

We're heading into a summer break for Unabridged soon and wanted to make sure we'd shared some fun picks for summer before we pause.

For our beach bag picks, Ashley recommends Lucy Foley’s The Guest List, a compulsively readable thriller set on a remote island during a glamorous wedding weekend. Jen shares Back After This by Linda Holmes, a thoughtful, feel-good rom-com about podcasting, heartbreak, and second chances.

We wrap up with a Lit Chat question: What’s a book or series you think is overrated?

Let us know what you thought about this one! Remember that you can support us on Patreon if you're interested in contributing to the podcast.

Visit the Unabridged website for our full show notes and links to the books mentioned in the episode. Interested in what else we're reading? Check out our Featured Books page.

Have you read Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson—or maybe even the whole series? In this May 2025 Book Club episode, we’re diving into the twisty world of Ellingham Academy with Stevie Bell and company. But first, we kick things off with a Bookish Check-In. Ashley’s reading Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune (yes, the sequel to The House in the Cerulean Sea), and Jen shares her thoughts on Nnedi Okorafor’s Death of the Author.

Then we dive into all things Truly Devious—what makes Stevie such a compelling protagonist, how Johnson balances multiple mysteries across timelines, and why this one’s a must-read for fans of dark academia and character-driven whodunits. We wrap up with perfect book pairings, plus a few favorite things outside the reading life.

Let us know what you thought about this one! Remember that you can support us on Patreon if you're interested in contributing to the podcast.

Visit the Unabridged website for our full show notes and links to the books mentioned in the episode. Interested in what else we're reading? Check out our Featured Books page.

Have you watched the Heartstopper series or read the graphic novels by Alice Oseman? In this episode, we’re sharing a conversation that originally aired on Patreon all about the pilot episode of Heartstopper, based on Oseman’s beloved graphic novel series. Before we dive into the adaptation, we kick things off with a bookish check-in—Ashley shares about Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros, and Jen is rereading Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison. We wrap things up with a fun Lit Chat question about whether we prefer borrowing or buying books (spoiler: it depends!).

Whether you’ve read the series, watched the show, or are just curious what all the buzz is about, we hope you’ll tune in and join the conversation.

Let us know what you thought about this one! Remember that you can support us on Patreon if you're interested in contributing to the podcast.

Visit the Unabridged website for our full show notes and links to the books mentioned in the episode. Interested in what else we're reading? Check out our Featured Books page.

In this month’s Book Club episode, we’re discussing Solito by Javier Zamora, a powerful memoir that chronicles his journey as a nine year old traveling alone from El Salvador to the United States. With vivid detail and emotional clarity, Zamora recounts the two-month trek that took him across borders, through deserts, and into the hands of strangers—some kind, some dangerous—all with the hope of reuniting with his parents on the other side.

We discuss the emotional weight of Zamora’s story, the beauty of his writing, and the way his experience speaks to the resilience of young people navigating unimaginably difficult circumstances. Tune in to hear our thoughts, a few favorite quotes, and recommendations for other powerful reads to pair with this unforgettable memoir.

Let us know what you thought about this one! Remember that you can support us on Patreon if you're interested in contributing to the podcast.

Visit the Unabridged website for our full show notes and links to the books mentioned in the episode. Interested in what else we're reading? Check out our Featured Books page.

Have you ever found that reading with a friend makes a book even better? In this episode, we (Jen and Ashley) dive into the joys of buddy reading, spotlighting some of our favorite young adult books we've read together through Unabridgedpod Buddy Reads—a community reading experience we host monthly on Instagram.

We share how these reads have shaped our perspectives, helped us connect more deeply with the stories, and brought us closer to our reading community. From emotional reads like Darius the Great Is Not Okay to page-turners like Jennifer Lynn Barnes'sThe Naturals, we’re talking about the power of reading together and the books that have stuck with us along the way.

Whether you’re new to buddy reading or a long-time participant in our monthly chats, this episode is a celebration of shared stories and the friendships that grow from them.

Let us know what you thought about this one! Remember that you can support us on Patreon if you're interested in contributing to the podcast.

Visit the Unabridged website for our full show notes and links to the books mentioned in the episode. Interested in what else we're reading? Check out our Featured Books page.

How do you find your place when you feel stuck between worlds? In this episode, Jen and Ashley dive into Kareem Between by Shifa Saltagi Safadi, our March 2025 book club pick. This middle-grade novel in verse explores identity, belonging, and tough moral choices as Kareem navigates friendships, football, and family while feeling caught between cultures.

We discuss our overall impressions, the book’s powerful themes, and some of the moments that stuck with us. Plus, we share book pairings that explore similar themes of identity and community.

Let us know what you thought about this one! Remember that you can support us on Patreon if you're interested in contributing to the podcast.

Visit the Unabridged website for our full show notes and links to the books mentioned in the episode. Interested in what else we're reading? Check out our Featured Books page.

Have you read Nella Larsen's Passing (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm), a brilliant classic written in 1929? Today, we're sharing our Patreon discussion of the film adaptation of this, which we both thoroughly enjoyed. We talk about the book and film and share our thoughts about the artistic choices.

We end with a couple of very entertaining Lit Chat Game questions, so be sure to stick around for those!

Visit the Unabridged website for our full show notes and links to the books mentioned in the episode. Interested in what else we're reading? Check out our Featured Books page.