Tag: Podcast

Ep. 205: Hena Khan on Her Banner Year of Books

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This week, award-winning author Hena Khan returns to the podcast. Known for her compassionate and relatable books for children that draw on her experiences as a Pakistani-American Muslim, Hena has 5 new books releasing in 2024. 

We discuss the creative process behind this banner year of books, what she hopes young readers take away from these stories, the impact of book bans, and much more. If you’re a teacher, librarian, or parent looking for summer reading titles for your kids, this would be a great episode to tune into.

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.

★ A monumental achievement and exquisite testament to the power of collaboration and community, this novel moves beyond the reality of diversity into the necessity of it.   —School Library Journal on The Door Is Open

★ A nuanced and quietly powerful story.—Kirkus Reviews on Drawing Deena

 

About the Author:

Hena Khan has been publishing books for children, including many that center Pakistani American and Muslim characters, for over two decades. She writes award-winning books in a multitude of formats, including picture books, middle grade fiction, pick-your-path adventures, and graphic novels. Her stories are often centered around her culture, community, friendship, and family, and draw from her own experiences. Hena’s bestselling novels include Amina’s Voice and More to the Story. She is also the author of the Zayd Saleem Chasing the Dream, Zara’s Rules, and Super You! series. Hena’s acclaimed picture books include Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns, Under My Hijab, and It’s Ramadan, Curious George. She holds an MA in International Affairs from The George Washington University, has served on the board of We Need Diverse Books, and is a member of the Children’s Book Guild of DC. Hena lives in her hometown of Rockville, Maryland. Learn more: henakhan.com

 

Browse Books Mentioned On This Episode:

Looking for a book mentioned on the podcast? Want to browse books by past guests? Visit A Bookish Home Podcast’s Bookshop.org page.

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Links: 

Macmillan Audio

Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

ABookishHome.com

*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.

Ep. 204: Clare McHugh on Royals, Romanovs, and the New Novel Perfect for Fans of The Crown

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This week, Clare McHugh is here to discuss The Romanov Brides, a novel of the last tsarina and her sisters. This is a fascinating story about two young princesses–granddaughters of Queen Victoria– who become intertwined with the Romanov family in the years preceding their downfall.

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“Two motherless German princesses struggle to choose husbands from the limited pool of European suitors, while we, as readers, know the devastating consequences their ultimate decisions will have. Clare McHugh illuminates the hearts and souls of these young women in a novel that is clever, gripping, and beautifully written. A masterpiece!” – Gill Paul, author of A Beautiful Rival

 

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.

About the Author:

Clare McHugh is the author of two historical novels, A Most English Princess and The Romanov Brides. After graduating from Harvard College with a degree in European history, she worked for many years as a newspaper reporter and later magazine editor. The mother of two grown children, she currently lives with her husband in London and in Amagansett, New York. Learn more: claremchugh.com

Browse Books Mentioned On This Episode:

Looking for a book mentioned on the podcast? Want to browse books by past guests? Visit A Bookish Home Podcast’s Bookshop.org page.

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Links: 

Macmillan Audio

Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

ABookishHome.com

*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.

Ep. 203: Annabel Monaghan on Her Latest Hopeful, Heart-tugging Summer Romance

Posted in Romance, Summer Reading, WritingTagged , Leave a comment

This week, I’m delighted to have one of my favorite authors, Annabel Monaghan, back on the podcast to discuss Summer Romance, another heart-tugging, hilarious love story about a recent divorcee and professional organizer whose life is a mess, and the summer she gets unstuck with the help of someone unexpected from her past.

This book is just the comfort read I needed – it’s hopeful and funny and warm and you won’t want to leave this world or the characters.

summer-romance

“The romance strikes the perfect balance of stomach-butterflies and the realities of dating with kids. Sweetly satisfying.” —Booklist (starred)

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.

About the Author:

Annabel Monaghan is the author of LibraryReads pick and national bestseller Same Time Next Summer and Indie Next and LibraryReads pick Nora Goes Off Script, as well as two young adult novels and Does This Volvo Make My Butt Look Big?, a selection of laugh-out-loud columns that appeared in the Huffington Post, the Week, and the Rye Record. She lives in Rye, New York, with her family. Learn more: annabelmonaghan.com

Browse Books Mentioned On This Episode:

Looking for a book mentioned on the podcast? Want to browse books by past guests? Visit A Bookish Home Podcast’s Bookshop.org page.

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Links: 

Macmillan Audio

Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

ABookishHome.com

*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.

Ep. 202: Sarah T. Dubb on the Journey to Joyful Romances

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This week my guest is Sarah T. Dubb, author of the delightful new romcom, Birding with Benefits, in which a newly-divorced, almost-empty-nester embarks on a “year of yes” and becomes the fake girlfriend and bird-watching competition partner of a man who changes her life.

birdingwithbenefits

“This book is unqualified joy! … Readers will absolutely relish watching the love between John and Celeste take flight!”

–Christina Lauren, New York Times bestselling author of The True Love Experiment

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.

About the Author:

Sarah T. Dubb is a writer, public librarian, parent, and activist living the dream with chickens and desert tortoises in her hometown of Tucson, Arizona. Birding with Benefits is her debut novel; she is currently working on her second romantic comedy. Visit her at SarahTDubb.com.

Browse Books Mentioned On This Episode:

Looking for a book mentioned on the podcast? Want to browse books by past guests? Visit A Bookish Home Podcast’s Bookshop.org page.

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Links: 

Macmillan Audio

Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

ABookishHome.com

*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.

Ep. 201: Ruth Ware Takes on Reality TV Tropes in an Addictive New Thriller

Posted in Summer Reading, Thriller, WritingTagged , Leave a comment

This week,  New York Times bestselling author Ruth Ware is here to discuss One Perfect Couple, a high-tension and ingenious thriller that follows five couples who start out filming a reality tv show and end up trapped on a storm-swept island as a killer stalks among them.

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“The ultimate trouble-in-paradise thriller, One Perfect Couple is timely, gripping and all too plausible. The Love Island / Lord of the Flies mash-up you didn’t know you needed.”—Erin Kelly, The Sunday Times bestselling author of The Skeleton Key

 

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.

About the Author:

Ruth Ware worked as a waitress, a bookseller, a teacher of English as a foreign language, and a press officer before settling down as a full-time writer. She now lives with her family in Sussex, on the south coast of England. She is the #1 New York Times and Globe and Mail (Toronto) bestselling author of In a Dark, Dark Wood; The Woman in Cabin 10; The Lying Game; The Death of Mrs. Westaway; The Turn of the Key; One by One; The It Girl; and Zero Days. Learn more: https://ruthware.com/

Browse Books Mentioned On This Episode:

Looking for a book mentioned on the podcast? Want to browse books by past guests? Visit A Bookish Home Podcast’s Bookshop.org page.

Screen Shot 2024-02-28 at 12.36.04 PM

Links: 

Macmillan Audio

Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

ABookishHome.com

*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.

Ep. 200: Eve. J. Chung on the Sweeping Saga Inspired by Her Family History

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This week my guest is Eve J. Chung, author of the powerful new novel, Daughters of Shandong, which tells the story of a mother and daughters caught up in China’s communist revolution, based on the author’s family story.

shandong

“One of those rare works of fiction that entertains, educates, and inspires. Harrowing, heartbreaking, and brilliantly paced, Daughters of Shandong is impossible to put down. I’ll definitely be recommending this one to my book club.”
—Jamie Ford, New York Times bestselling author of The Many Daughters of Afong Moy

 

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.

About the Author:

Eve J. Chung is a Taiwanese American lawyer and women’s human rights specialist. She has worked on a range of issues, including torture, sexual violence, contemporary forms of slavery, and discriminatory legislation. Her writing is inspired by social justice movements, and the continued struggle for equality and fundamental freedoms worldwide. She currently lives in New York with her husband, two children, and two dogs. Learn more: https://evejchung.com/

Browse Books Mentioned On This Episode:

Looking for a book mentioned on the podcast? Want to browse books by past guests? Visit A Bookish Home Podcast’s Bookshop.org page.

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Links: 

Macmillan Audio

Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

ABookishHome.com

*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.

Ep. 199: Jilly Gagnon on the Delightful, Hilarious New Rom Com You Need In Your Beach Bag this Summer

Posted in Romance, Summer Reading, WritingTagged , Leave a comment

This week I’m excited to share a conversation with Jilly Gagnon, author of the delightful new romcom Love You Mean It, featuring dueling delis, fake dating, and just the right amount of amnesia.

loveyoumeanit

“Beautifully written, brilliant, and perfectly salty, Love You, Mean It is a total dream of a rom-com—an instant favorite to savor on every reread. Ellie and Theo’s sizzling chemistry leaps off the page, and Jilly Gagnon’s hilarious subversion of the amnesia trope only adds to the deep tenderness of their slow-burn romance. I adored every moment.”—Lana Harper, New York Times bestselling author of Payback’s a Witch

 

 

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.

About the Author:

Jilly Gagnon is the author of Scenes of the Crime, All Dressed Up and the young adult novel #famous. Her humor writing, personal essays, and op-eds have appeared in Newsweek, Elle, Vanity Fair, Boston magazine, and McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, among others. She lives in Salem, Massachusetts, with her family and two black cats. Learn more: https://jillygagnon.com/

Browse Books Mentioned On This Episode:

Looking for a book mentioned on the podcast? Want to browse books by past guests? Visit A Bookish Home Podcast’s Bookshop.org page.

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Links: 

Macmillan Audio

Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

ABookishHome.com

*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.

Ep. 198: Yukiko Tominaga Wrestles with Grief, Love, and Joy after Loss

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Yukiko Tominaga is here this week to discuss her debut novel, See Loss, See Also Love, which follows a Japanese widow raising her son between worlds with the help of her Jewish mother-in-law as she wrestles with grief, loss, and—strangest of all—joy.

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“Yukiko Tominaga has written a book aglitter with hard-won truths. It is courageous about human fragility and devoted to human vigor, as funny as it is shattering.” —Megha Majumdar, author of A Burning

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.

 

About the Author:

Yukiko Tominaga was born and raised in Japan. She was a finalist for the 2020 Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction, selected by Roxane Gay. Her work has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and has appeared in The Chicago Quarterly Review, The Bellingham Review, among other publications. She also works at Counterpoint Press where she helps to introduce never-before-translated books from Japan to English language readers. See: Loss. See Also: Love is her first book. Learn more: https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Yukiko-Tominaga/204725631

Browse Books Mentioned On This Episode:

Looking for a book mentioned on the podcast? Want to browse books by past guests? Visit A Bookish Home Podcast’s Bookshop.org page.

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Links: 

Macmillan Audio

Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

ABookishHome.com

*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.

Ep. 197: Stephanie Dray Gives an Unsung American Heroine Her Due

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This week, New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Dray discusses her captivating new historical novel, Becoming Madam Secretary, about Frances Perkins, one of the greatest political figures of the twentieth century, and an unsung heroine whose legacy is woven into the fabric of every American life.

becomingmadamsecretary

“Becoming Madam Secretary is a proud anthem to a forgotten founding mother. Frances Perkins starts out a bright young thing with an economics degree and an iron determination to make the world a better place, and ends up a shining star: first woman appointed to a presidential cabinet, architect of the New Deal, mother of Social Security, and FDR’s much-relied-upon work wife throughout his entire presidency. Stephanie Dray’s love and respect for this American heroine shines from every page, as does her impeccable research. Unputdownable!”
—Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Diamond Eye

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.

About the Author:

Stephanie Dray is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal & USA Today bestselling author of historical women’s fiction. Her award-winning work has been translated into many languages and tops lists for the most anticipated reads of the year. She lives in Maryland with her husband, cats, and history books. Learn more: https://www.stephaniedray.com/

Browse Books Mentioned On This Episode:

Looking for a book mentioned on the podcast? Want to browse books by past guests? Visit A Bookish Home Podcast’s Bookshop.org page.

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Links: 

Macmillan Audio

Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

ABookishHome.com

*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.

Ep. 196: A.H. Kim on the Comfort Read Sense and Sensibility Fans Have Been Waiting For

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This week, A.H. Kim is here to discuss her enormously entertaining new novel Relative Strangers, a modern feminist spin on Sense and Sensibility featuring two half-Korean sisters and their ex-hippie mother, multiple messy love affairs and one explosive secret that could ruin everything.  

This is one of the most delightful reading experiences I’ve had in ages. Relative Strangers feels so true to the spirit of the original, but utterly fresh as well.

relativestrangerscover

Calling all Austen fans! In Relative Strangers, A.H. Kim puts a modern spin on Jane Austen’s beloved novel about sisterhood and romance, Sense & Sensibility. Welcome to a world of family secrets, inheritance disputes, and rescues in the rain, as sisters Amelia and Eleanor Bae-Wood meet an array of eligible bachelors. But expect some surprises too… Even Austenites will be guessing right up until the final pages of this stellar retelling.
– Finola Austin, Author of Bronte’s Mistress

 

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.

About the Author:

A. H. Kim (Ann) was born in South Korea and immigrated to the US as a young child. Ann was educated at Harvard College and Berkeley Law. Prior to becoming a novelist, Ann practiced corporate law for many years and served as chief of staff to the CEO and as head of investor relations at a Fortune 200 company. Ann is the proud mother of two sons, a longtime cancer survivor, and community volunteer. After many years living in the Bay Area, Ann and her husband now call Ann Arbor home. Learn more: https://www.ahkim.net/

Browse Books Mentioned On This Episode:

Looking for a book mentioned on the podcast? Want to browse books by past guests? Visit A Bookish Home Podcast’s Bookshop.org page.

Screen Shot 2024-02-28 at 12.36.04 PM

Links: 

Macmillan Audio

Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

ABookishHome.com

*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.