Thoughts from a Page Podcast

Kelly joins me for December's Real Time Reading episode where we discuss our current, past, and upcoming reads. Kelly's Selections: Last:  My Husband’s Wife by Alice Feeney Good People by Patmeena Sabit Now: How to Get Away With Murder by Rebecca Philipson Meet the Newmans by Jennifer Niven Next: Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser American Han by Lisa Lee DNFs: None Book Mail highlights: This Book Makes Me Think of You by Libby Page The Caretaker by Marcus Kliewer Cindy's Selections: Last:  Good Guys by Sharon Bala The Finest Hotel in Kabul by Lyse Doucet Now: Wait for Me by Amy Jo Burns The Gales of November by John U. Bacon Next: Nonesuch by Francis Spufford London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe Didn’t Work/DNFs: A Far-Flung Life by M.L. Stedman  Wreck Your Heart by Lori Rader-Day Book Mail highlights: Lavonia Chow Mein by Abigail Savitch-Lew The Best Dog in the World edited by Alice Hoffman Purchase our Shelf Ceremony ⁠here⁠. We discuss tons more great read from 2025. Connect with Kelly Hooker on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Donate to the podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Venmo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Check out⁠⁠⁠ this list of all the great books⁠⁠⁠ I loved in 2025. Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2026? Check out our fifth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Literary Lookbook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead, and we color-code by genre in this one!  Looking for something new to read? Here is my monthly ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buzz Reads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ column with five new recommendations each month. Connect with me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mary Webber O'Malley and Pamela Klinger-Horn join me to recommend their favorites reads of the first quarter of 2026.  Mary’s titles January:All The Little Houses by May Cobb Skylark by Paula McLain The First Time I Saw Him by Laura Dave  February: Imposter by LJ Ross Saoirse by Charleen Hurtubise More than Enough by Anna Quindlen So Old So Young by Grant Ginder It's Not Her by Mary Kubica  March :Wait For Me by Amy Jo Burns Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser Bloom by Robbie Couch Murder at 30000 Feet by Susan Walter   Pamela’s titles: January:The Jilted Countess by Loretta EllsworthHow to Commit a Postcolonial Murder by Nina McConigleyMeet the Newmans by Jennifer NivenMissing Sam by Thrity UmrigarMurder Your Darlings by Jenna Blum  February:This Book Reminds Me of You by Libby PageFamily Drama by Rebecca FallonA Sociopath's Guide to a Successful Marriage by M.K. OliverWhere Wildflowers Grow by Terah Shelton Harris March:All the World Can Hold by Jung YunA Far-Flung Life by M.L. StedmanThe Creek, the Crone and the Crow by Leah WeissLake Effect by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney Donate to the podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Venmo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Check out⁠⁠⁠ this list of all the great books⁠⁠⁠ I loved in 2025. Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2026? Check out our fifth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Literary Lookbook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead, and we color-code by genre in this one!  Looking for something new to read? Here is my monthly ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buzz Reads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ column with five new recommendations each month. Connect with me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠.  Mary's social media handles: ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠. Pamela's social media handles: ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Kelly Hooker and I discuss our top reads of 2025. Our Top Shared Reads: Dead Money by Jacob Kerr This American Woman by Zarna Garg The Correspondent by Virginia Evans The Book of Guilt by Catherine Chidgey A Guardian and a Thief by Megha Majumdar  Kelly’s Remaining Selections:   Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy The Girls Who Grew Big by Leila Mottley Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall Slanting Towards the Sea by Lidija Hilje Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley Life & Death & Giants by Ron Rindo Seeking Shelter by Jeff Hobbs Cindy’s Remaining Selections: What Happened to the McCray’s? by Tracey Lange Nesting by Roisin O’Donnell Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton Heartwood by Amity Gaige No More Tears: The Dark Secrets of Johnson & Johnson by Gardiner Harris What Kind of Paradise by Janelle Brown The Whyte Python World Tour by Travis Kennedy Spectacular Things by Beck Dorey-Stein Culpability by Bruce Holsinger Gemini by Jeffrey Kruger Purchase our Shelf Ceremony here. We discuss tons more great read from 2025. Connect with Kelly Hooker on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠. Donate to the podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Venmo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Check out⁠⁠ this list of all the great books⁠⁠ I loved in 2025. Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2026? Check out our fifth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Literary Lookbook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead, and we color-code by genre in this one!  Looking for something new to read? Here is my monthly ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buzz Reads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ column with five new recommendations each month. Connect with me on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this interview, I chat with Matthew Norman about Grace & Henry's Holiday Movie Marathon, writing a holiday romance, choosing which movies to incorporate into the story and the movie that didn't end up in the book, exploring the many faces of grief, holidays as universal experiences, naming the dog Harry Styles, and much more. Matthew's recommended reads are: The Faculty Lounge by Jennifer Mathieu The Holiday Season by Michael Knight Thanks so much to those of you who have donated to the show. Donate to the podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Venmo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Check out⁠ this list of all the great books⁠ I loved in 2025. Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2026? Check out our fifth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Literary Lookbook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead, and we color-code by genre in this one! ⁠⁠Grace & Henry's Holiday Movie Marathon ⁠can be purchased at my Bookshop storefront.  Looking for something new to read? Here is my monthly ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buzz Reads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ column with five new recommendations each month. Link to my article about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠older protagonists in fiction⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.     Connect with me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this interview, I chat with Beck Dorey-Stein about Spectacular Things, having her book selected as a Reese's Book Club pick, writing about sacrifice and grief, tackling the sister relationship in fiction, writing about soccer, the hardest character for her to write, her title and cover, and much more. Beck's recommended reads are: Heart the Lover by Lily King Wreck by Catherine Newman Thanks so much to those of you who have donated to the show. Donate to the podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Venmo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Check out this list of all the great books I loved in 2025. Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2026? Check out our fifth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Literary Lookbook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead, and we color-code by genre in this one! ⁠Spectacular Things⁠ can be purchased at my Bookshop storefront.  Looking for something new to read? Here is my monthly ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buzz Reads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ column with five new recommendations each month. Link to my article about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠older protagonists in fiction⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.     Connect with me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices