'Tis the season for Book Awards and holiday reads! This month we have an exciting episode filled with talks of book award winners, Kindle news and a little bit of romance.

Holiday book discussions include thoughts on How My Neighbor Stole Christmas by Meghan Quinn and My December Darling by Lauren Asher before jumping into our Book Club discussion of the Victorian holiday novella, A Holiday by Gaslight by Mimi Matthews.

While Matthews book is sweet and romantic, it is surprising how quickly the discussion turned to more spicy topics in romance books. What do spreadsheets have to do with spice? Well, you'll need to check out this episode to learn more.

We will be back in a couple weeks with one of our favorite episodes of the year - Year in Review! Until then, Happy Reading!

#HappyReading

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 holiday season is upon us. And as always, there is so much to talk about when it comes to the world of books! So, what will you get in this episode?

• The Booker Prize challenge winner
• Update on NaNoWriMo
• Mini-Book Discussions
• Engaging interview with Author DW Brooks

Plus a whole lot of fun and laughs! Don't miss it!

#HappyReading

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 October - one of the best times of the year! Join us as we take on all the fun of the spooky season!

Besides our chat on upcoming book adaptations, a mention of a recent Disneyland trip and an upcoming Ireland trip, and NaNoWriMo goals, we discuss many books that might give you something to add to your end of the month reading list.

Just a small sampling of the books we discuss:

• Slewfeet by Brom
• Chasing the Boogeyman by Richard Chizmar
• Dreamcatcher by Stephen King
• Witchy Sour by Gina LaManna
• Eyes of Darkness by Dean Koontz
• The Church Beneath the Roots by Felix Blackwell

What more would you want during October than witches, vampires, werewolves, ghosts, zombies and all matters of things that go bump in the night? Well, if you are a Robin Cook fan you're in luck! We do a little dive into medical thrillers as well.

There is definitely something for everyone this month don't miss out. We will be back next month with a guest author!

Don't forget to vote for us beginning Nov. 1 for the Indieverse Awards!

#HappyReading

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

What's in store for you in the latest episode? More of what you have come to expect and love from Speaking LITerally! We give our respects to Dame Maggie Smith, discuss the end of Banned Books Week 2024, and make our formal Booker Prize predictions.

Sarah Chamberlain's new book, Slow Burn, and Hooked by Emily McIntire get some mini book discussion air time. And, this is all before we welcome Indie author, Madeleine Elizabeth to the show.

While Madeleine shares her thoughts and ideas on her debut novel, Castle Witch, she also discusses multiple Taylors, Maine lobsters, the importance of Finding Nemo, and the power of traditional literary elements.

#HappyReading

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 September, which means it's time to kick off spooky season. Nothing does that better than bringing together the Speaking LITerally Book Club girls for one of our best book discussions to date! What book? Darcy Coates' Gallows Hill! Get ready for a great time!

The Gilmore Girls and Hypnovels are also topics discussed in between book conversations which include The Host by Stephanie Myers, Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff and One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig.

It may be one of the longer episodes, but you won't regret sticking with it until the end. The speed round game this episode is definitely one for the books.

#HappyReading

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 not just Instagram and TikTok. Instead, it's been Bookstagram and Booktok for quite some time! Holly and Liz take on exploring the influence of social media in the literary world, more specifically, their own literary worlds.

The bookish duo are both feeling quite under the weather, but that doesn't keep them from having fun and discussing everything from the rise of book clubs and book events for Gen Z to the recent BookTok Awards and everything in between!

Books mentioned this month include: The God of Woods by Liz Moore, The Taking by Dean Koontz, The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward, You Like it Darker by Stephen King, 50 Shades of Grey by EL James, and so many more that.

The question remains, how has social media influenced your literary journey?

#HappyReading

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 great episode with not just one special guest, but two!

After sharing some of the latest bookish news, Holly's 15-year-old daughter Penelope joins the show to participate in a book talk on the newest book in the Inheritance Games series, The Grandest Game, by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. She's quite opinionated, especially about Grayson.

Then author Kimberly Burns shares her passion for historical fiction and the women of the Old West. As an indie author, she talks about her experiences and the women whose stories she wants to tell, like Mattie Silks and "Baby Doe" Mrs. Tabor. Kim also describes some the Museums of Prostitution that were visited during her research!

As always, it's a fun and wild episode. The Book Club Ladies will all be back September 9, to kick off fall and spooky reading season with a discussion of Gallows Hill by Darcy Coates.

#HappyReading

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

Indie author Bridget Van der Eyk joins the show to talk about her two romance books, 10 Dates and 3000 Words. Bridget is one of the most bubbly, friendly and carefree people you will meet, and the interview was an absolute blast!

Bridget shares her story of self publishing, her inspiration for the story, snippets of her life and what it's like to be an Australian author writing books about the United States. Bridget is also a 2024 Indieverse Award nominee for Best Romance Novel, so don't miss this episode. We will definitely want to learn more about her and her books - not to mention her WIPs!

Also in this episode, Holly and Liz give a mid-year check in on books read and anticipated reads. Fabulosa Books in San Francisco gets a little shout out as well.

Some of the books mentioned and discussed in this episode include Butcher and Blackbird, Seeds of Deception, The Serpent & Wings of Night, and The 57 Bus. Also discussed are The Grandest Game and TJ Klune's TWO upcoming releases.

Author CT Ortega gets huge shout out as his newest stand alone, Death's Loving Embrace, gets some high marks.

July is a bonus episode month, so be on the lookout for the next episode to drop on July 29

#HappyReading

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