Book Talk
We tackle our ever-growing TBR towers, debate how to actually define fantasy subgenres, and confess to Hannah’s less-than-stellar book-group track record. Along the way, we chat about Room 706 by Ellie Levenson, Writers & Lovers by Lily King, and the short story The Knight and the Butcher Bird by Alex E. Harrow. Plus, Hannah makes it her personal mission to convince Nikki to download fewer books and actually buy physical copies, and we introduce our new “book jar” idea — a hopeful attempt to push our reading habits beyond the usual comfort zones.
Nikki is Reading:
Writers & Lovers – Lily King
The Knights and the Butcher Bird – Alex E Harrow
Nikki To Be Read:
The Warm Hands of Ghosts – Katherine Arden
Ninth House – Lee Bardugo
Hellbent – Lee Bardugo
The Familiar – Lee Bardugo
My Sister the Serial Killer – Oyinkan Braithwaite
Hannah is Reading:
Room 706 – Ellie Levenson
Hannah’s TBR:
The Swell – Kat Gordon
My Husband Simon – Mollie Panter-Downes
Episode Takeaways
- Exploring class divides through the lens of an alternative universe
- The power and precision of world-building in fantasy fiction
- Why a writer might choose short fiction over long-form (and vice versa)
- Extramarital affairs and how they unfold within the realities of motherhood and marriage
- Living with the fallout when lies start to unravel
- Building empathy for characters who make morally messy choices
- The power (and frustration) of an unresolved ending
- Crafting a compelling character within a historical setting
- The influence of time and history on a writer’s work
Next week:
A Walk in the Park – Jill Mansell