The Book Blab Episode 18: Books for Book Club Plus Two Perfect Summer Reads

When Suzanne and I last chatted, we talked about everything you need to know to start a book club . . . except for the books you might actually want to read at said book club! That's what today's episode is for. Consider this a part two (in fact, you might want to watch part one first if you missed it). It's chock-full of book recommendations (although we did try to show some restraint), and it was fun to get to the heart of what makes a book a great choice for a book club discussion (spoiler: it's not always your favorite book). As always, we'd love to hear YOUR thoughts. What have been some of your favorite books to discuss with your book club?

0:24 - Summer update
1:35 - Today's topic: What makes a good book club book?
2:25 - Tips for choosing books for book club:

• 2:47 - Favorite books don't always make for a good discussion
• 3:55 - Choose a book that generates opposite opinions or strong feelings
• 6:35 - Some ambiguity in the plot/ending encourages discussion
• 8:15 - This is a simple indicator for knowing if a book will be good for book club
• 9:58 - Take the length of the book into consideration
• 12:45 - Be careful of choosing a bestseller 
• 15:30 - Check if your library has book club sets
• 16:12 - Identify the unique tastes and interests and commitment levels of your book club
• 17:22 - Nonfiction is generally a safe choice

18:50 - A few of our favorite book club books

28:17 - Two recommendations for summer reading

• 29:03 - Suzanne's recommendation 
• 31:20 - Amy's recommendation

32:32 - Conclusion

Books and links talked about during the show:

The Book Blab Episode 17: Book Clubs (Part One)
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
The Children Act by Ian McEwan (Amy's review)
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving (Suzanne's review)
Educated by Tara Westover (Suzanne's review)
America's First Daughter by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie
The Wolves at the Door: The True Story of America's Greatest Female Spy by Judith L. Pearson (Amy's review)
 The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo (Amy's review // Suzanne's review)
Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War by Steve Sheinkin (Suzanne's review)
Bomb: the Race to Build--and Steal--the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin (Amy's review // Suzanne's review)
The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman (Amy's review // Suzanne's review)
Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee (Suzanne's review)
Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson (Amy's review)
Half the Sky by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn (Suzanne's review)
Jefferson's Sons by Kimberly Brubraker Bradley (Amy's review)
The Truth According to Us by Annie Barrows (Suzanne's review)
The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls (Amy's review)

Now it's your turn: Share your favorite book club reads, and tell us what we should talk about next time on The Book Blab!

The Book Blab Episode 17: All Things Book Clubs Plus Two of Our Favorite Books for Mother's Day

Well, that was kind of a long hiatus, but Suzanne and I are finally back with another episode of The Book Blab! This one was worth the wait though, I promise.

Long-time readers will know that I have been a dedicated member of my book club (actually, several) for many years. Suzanne, it turns out, is the same, and between the two of us, we have quite the array of experiences. We had fun reminiscing about the various book clubs we've participated in, and we also shared a few tips and tricks for how to make a book club work no matter your situation.

The time flew, as it always does, and so we never got around to actually talking about the kinds of books that work well in a book club, so stay tuned for part two of this discussion!

As always, we'd love to hear about what your experience in a book club has been like, what some of your favorite book club reads have been, and why you think book clubs are so amazing (because you do think they're amazing, right?!).

Enjoy! (Oh, and p.s., please excuse the little technical glitches in this episode. We had a bit of a slow connection.)

1:00 - Life updates
1:50 - Today's topic: book clubs
2:40 - Why would you want to be in a book club?

• 3:20 - A book club lets you discuss those books that beg to be discussed
• 4:08 - A book club helps you see a certain book in a new way
• 4:16 - It's fun to socialize with other readers
• 5:10 - A succinct answer to that question

5:58 - A few descriptions of some of the book clubs we've been in

• 6:17 - Suzanne's traditional book club in Chicago
• 7:50 - Suzanne's casual book club in Houston
• 8:03 - Suzanne's Learning Circle through the Power of Moms organization
• 9:22 - Amy's education group
• 10:15 - Suzanne's brand new book club in Kansas City
• 10:33 - Suzanne's virtual book club with former college roommates
• 11:57 - Amy's neighborhood book club
• 12:58 - Amy's very traditional, very serious book club
• 15:55 - Amy's family reunion book club
• 17:00 - Suzanne's family book club (and surprising confession!)
• 17:53 - Amy's plans for a book club with her kids this summer
• 19:30 - The Book Blab mini-book clubs

20:18 - Helpful tips for making a book club work well
25:36 - A few ideas for how to start a book club
29:26 - Two of our favorite books about motherhood

• 30:05 - Suzanne's recommendation
• 31:20 - Amy's recommendation

33:47 - Conclusion

Books and links talked about during the show:

The Read-Aloud Family by Sarah Mackenzie
Power of Moms Learning Circles
Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis
Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner
The Four Tendencies by Gretchen Rubin
Mini-book clubs on The Book Blab (Episode 6 on A Man Called Ove and Episode 13 on The Girl Who Drank the Moon)
Educated by Tara Westover (Suzanne's review)
The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey (Amy's review // Suzanne's review)
The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio by Terry Ryan (Amy's review)

The Book Blab Episode 16: On Reading Classics Plus Two of Our Favorite Books from 2017

I still haven't finalized my reading goals for 2018 (but don't worry, they're coming), but I plan to include at least one goal that involves reading a classic. It's not that I don't like reading classics, but sometimes I need a little push to get myself to choose to read one over something that would take a little less brain power.

If you're also hoping to up your reading game this year and read more classics, then this episode of The Book Blab is just for you. We tackle all sorts of issues, like what makes classics intimidating and how to get past that and just read them. Luckily, Suzanne knows a lot more about classic literature than I do (and is extremely well read), so I think you'll enjoy this conversation.

And, as always, please chime in with your thoughts and opinions, as well as any future topics you'd like for us to discuss, in the comments below.

1:35 - Today's topic: the whats, whys, and hows of reading a classic
3:12 - What is a classic?
5:15 - How long does it take for something to become a classic?
7:55 - What are some of the sub-genres of classic literature?
10:10 - Suzanne's favorite classic genres
13:10 - A few ideas for making classics more accessible

• 13:35 - Discuss it with a friend/group
• 14:18 - Read outside material
• 16:00 - Watch adaptations
• 18:00 - Audiobooks

21:12 - Many classics are surprisingly readable

23:15 - A few possible reading goals involving classics

28:00 - Some of our favorite classics

31:15 - Two of our favorite reads from 2017

• 32:05 - Suzanne's recommendation
• 33:40 - Amy's recommendation

37:00 - Conclusion

Tell us about your experiences with reading classics, and please share some of your favorites!

Books and links mentioned during the show:

Episode 3 of The Book Blab: Reading Goals
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling (Amy's review)
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
What Should I Read Next podcast, Episode 112 with Laura Vanderkam
To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (Suzanne's review)
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (Suzanne's review // Amy's review)
East of Eden by John Steinbeck (Amy's review)
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles (Suzanne's review) 
Rules of Civility by Amor Towles (Suzanne's review // Amy's review)
Duck! Rabbit! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal by Amy Krouse Rosenthal (Suzanne's review // Amy's review)

The Book Blab Episode 15: The Joys and Sorrows of Book Recommendations Plus Two Books for Fall Reading

It's been a few months since Suzanne and I last chatted, but I think you'll find this episode was worth the wait. We had a great time talking about allllllllllllll the emotions that go with both giving and receiving book recommendations. This was actually a topic suggested by one of our readers/viewers (thanks, Beth!), and we know we can't be the only ones who have awkward stories of book recommendations gone awry. We'd love for you to share your own experiences in the comments, as well as any book recommendations YOU have for US. Also, if you have any ideas for future topics of discussion, we'd love to hear those, too.

0:20 - Suzanne's new PhD program
1:35 - Today's topic: the perilous territory of making and receiving book recommendations
2:30 - Personal experiences with bad book recommendations

• 3:00 - Suzanne's experience
• 5:20 - Amy's experience

7:25 - How to handle a book recommendation that you didn't like

10:28 - The joy that comes from getting a good recommendation

• 11:10 - Suzanne's experience
• 11:50 - Amy's experience

13:25 - The anxiety of giving a book recommendation (but we love making recommendations anyway!)

15:40 - Suzanne's book recommendation gone wrong

18:20 - The times we've forced a book on someone, and it's gone over well

• 19:00 - Amy's experience
• 20:05 - Suzanne's experience

20:53 - The moral of this discussion

22:40 - Two seasonally appropriate reads for October

• 23:30 - Suzanne's reccomendation
• 24:50 - Amy's recommendation

28:08 - Conclusion

Books and links mentioned in the show:

Suzanne's recent post about time: Never Enough Time

Tell Me What to Read via Janssen at Everyday Reading

Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones (Amy's review)

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey (Suzanne's review) (PSA: there's currently a killer deal on the Kindle edition)

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (Suzanne's review // Amy's review)

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman (Suzanne's review // Episode 6 of The Book Blab)
A Time to Dance by Padma Venkatraman (Amy's review)

The God Who Weeps by Terryl and Fiona Givens (Suzanne's review)

Dracula by Bra Stoker (Suzanne's review) 

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (Amy's review)

The Book Blab Episode 14: Summer Reading Programs Plus Two Books With Settings We'd Love to Visit

With summer in full swing, I'm sure many of you are participating in summer reading programs. Last summer, I became so disenchanted with my library's summer "reading" program that I created my own for my kids. It was a huge success, and we're doing it again this year. So on this episode of The Book Blab, Suzanne and I discussed how to start your own summer reading program and why external motivation can be a good thing (and I even convinced Maxwell to come chat with us for a bit).

Before we jump into the episode, I'd like you to think about three questions, and answer them in the comments if you feel so inclined:

1. What does your ideal summer reading program look like?
2. What incentives would motivate YOU?
3. What topic would you like Suzanne and I to discuss on a future episode?

And now, on with the show!

0:20 - Suzanne's busy summer
0:57 - Today's topic: summer reading programs
1:42 - Suzanne's experience with summer reading programs
4:10 - Amy's experience with summer reading programs
7:15 - The summer reading program Amy created for her kids
9:47 - Special guest appearance by Amy's 7-year-old, Max

• 10:54 - Max's favorite prize
• 11:53 - Max's thoughts on being rewarded for reading
• 12:48 - The number of hours Max reads every day
• 13:53 - Becoming an adventurous reader
• 14:33 - One of Max's favorite books this summer

15:52 - The good and bad of incentive programs and external motivation
21:30 - What would a summer reading program look like for adults?
24:40 - Tips for tracking time
25:40 - Two books with settings we'd love to visit

• 26:15 - Suzanne's recommendation
• 28:24 - Amy's recommendation

30:25 - Conclusion

Books and links mentioned in the show:

Sunlit Pages: Raising Readers: Summer Reading Program
Sunlit Pages: A Summer Reading Program You Can Do at Home
The Secret Garden by Francis Hodges Burnett (Amy's review)
The Penderwicks at Point Mouette by Jeanne Birdsall (Amy's review)

The Book Blab Episode 13: The Girl Who Drank the Moon Plus Two Other Newbery Favorites

Several months ago, Suzanne and I announced that we would be reading The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill in preparation for an upcoming mini book club. That mini book club finally happened last week when Suzanne was in Utah for a friend's wedding, and I was able to steal her away for an hour so we could discuss the book in person.

There was so much to talk about with this story, and we could have gone on for much longer if we'd had the time (and if we'd thought anyone would actually want to watch a three-hour long episode). In fact, after we wrapped up our conversation and stopped recording, we remembered other things we had wanted to talk about. (And at that time, Suzanne also diagnosed why I loved this book even though it's fantasy. Apparently it's because it's more theme driven instead of plot driven. Who knew?!) Anyway, we hope some of you accepted the invitation to read this book with us and will share your thoughts, questions, or opinions in the comments. Enjoy!

1:23 - There will be spoilers in this episode!
2:00 - Plot summary of The Girl Who Drank the Moon
5:40 - Introduction of characters
8:58 - Sorrow versus hope
14:00 - "A story can tell the truth, but a story can also lie."
17:15 - The power of love

• 19:35 - The relationship between love and magic
• 21:15: "There is no limit to what the heart can carry." 

23:40 - Humanizing the villain leads to complex emotions
27:00 - Did this book deserve the Newbery?

• 28:25 - Amy's thoughts
• 29:50 - Suzanne's thoughts
• 32:20 - Would a child like this book?

34:40 - Two other Newbery recommendations

• 35:00 - Suzanne's recommendation 
• 36:20 - Amy's recommendation

37:50 - Conclusion

Books talked about during the show:

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
A House in the Sky by Amanda Lindhout and Sara Corbett
The Giver by Lois Lowry
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

The Book Blab Episode 12: The Joy of Reading Aloud

This just might be my favorite episode of the Book Blab yet. Suzanne and I discussed the ins and outs of reading aloud, a subject that I am quite passionate about (I definitely do more than my fair share of talking in the video--sorry, Suzanne!). Enjoy, and please share your own thoughts, tips, and read-aloud recommendations in the comments!

0:24 - The topic of this episode: How to make reading aloud a part of your family
0:58 - Reading aloud can be enjoyed by anyone of any age
1:58 - Why is reading aloud so important?

• 3:38 - Great relationship builder
• 4:51 - Navigate difficult topics
• 5:30 - Physical closeness

7:15 - Tips and tricks for making reading aloud work in your family

• 7:25 - How to make time/fit in reading aloud
• 10:50 - How to manage different ages/levels/interests
• 13:25 - How to pick interesting books to read aloud
• 17:00 - How to keep kids engaged while reading aloud (quiet activities)

20:35 - When is an appropriate age to begin reading aloud chapter books?

23:42 - A few fun read-aloud recommendations

31:50 - Two favorite read-alouds from our own childhoods:

• 32:15 - Suzanne's recommendation
• 34:30 - Amy's recommendation

37:15 - Conclusion and reminder: Mini-book club next episode: The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill

Links and books talked about during the show:

The Read-Aloud Revival with Sarah MacKenzie (podcast and website)

All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor (Amy's review)
The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary (Suzanne's review)
Henry Huggins series by Beverly Cleary (Amy's review)
Ramona Quimby series by Beverly Cleary (Amy's review)
The Chocolate Touch by Patrick Skene Catling (Amy's review)
Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren (Amy's review)

Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl (Amy's review)

By the Great Horn Spoon by Sid Fleischman (Amy's review) 

Owls in the Family by Farley Mowat (Amy's review)

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White (Amy's review // Suzanne's review)

Flat Stanley series by Jeff Brown (Suzanne's review)

Rascal by Sterling North (Amy's review)

Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls

Little Britches series by Ralph Moody

The Book Blab Episode 11: Love and Marriage in Books Plus Two of Our Favorite Reads from 2016

Were you wondering if Suzanne and I had abandoned The Book Blab in favor of other pursuits? Well, I guess we did, but only temporarily. Suzanne had her baby girl at the end of December and took a little maternity leave from her blog. But she's back, which means we're back with another episode of The Book Blab! This time, we discussed our favorite literary romances, shared a couple of favorite recommendations from 2016, and announced the book we'll be reading for our upcoming mini-book club. Enjoy, and please let us know your favorite romances in the comments!

0:35 - Suzanne had her baby!
1:42 - Today's topic: Romance novels . . . the tame variety.
3:15 - Regency/Classic romances

• 3:55 - Favorite Jane Austen novels
• 7:15 - Defining the actual regency period
• 9:45 - Contemporary regency romances
• 12:21 - Other favorite classics with love stories

15:47 - Contemporary romances
21:23 - Fantasy/Fairy Tale romances
23:35 - Young Adult romances
26:14 - Love and marriage in nonfiction
29:33 - Two favorite reads from 2016

• 30:10 - Suzanne's recommendation
• 31:00 - Amy's recommendation 

32:55 - Upcoming mini-book club: The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
35:17 - Conclusion

Books mentioned during the show:

Persuasion by Jane Austen
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen (Amy's review)
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (Amy's review // Suzanne's review)
Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson (Amy's review // Suzanne's review)
The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer (Amy's review // Suzanne's review)
Gone With the Wind by  Margaret Mitchell (Amy's review)
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier (Amy's review)
North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell (Suzanne's review)
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens (Amy's review)
Dombey and Son by Charles Dickens
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
Middlemarch by George Eliot (Amy's review)
Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner (Amy's review // Suzanne's review)
What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty (Amy's review)
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman (Amy and Suzanne's combined review in Episode 6)
Dancing on Broken Glass by Ka Hancock (Amy's review)
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes (Amy's review // Suzanne's review)
The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman (Amy's review // Suzanne's review)
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer (Amy's review // Suzanne's review)
Betsy-Tacy series by Maud Hart Lovelace (Betsy in Spite of Herself is #6 in the series)
Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery (Suzanne's review)
Emily of New Moon trilogy by L.M. Montgomery (Amy's review)
Happier at Home by Gretchen Rubin (Amy's review)
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalinithi (Amy's review // Suzanne's review)
The Seven Principles For Making Marriage Work by John M. Gottman (Suzanne's review)
The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman and D. Ross Campbell (Suzanne's review)
A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanaukin (Suzanne's review)
A Time to Dance by Padma Venkatramen (Amy's review)

The Book Blab Episode 10: Books and Food Plus Two Cozy Fall Recommendations

I always seem to crave a really great food book (be it memoir, nonfiction, or fiction) in November, so for this month's Book Blab, Suzanne and I decided to delve into the topic. This episode is packed with recommendations (and all of them are listed in the show notes below), and it was just too much fun chatting about one of our favorite genres. We could have gone on all afternoon!

0:30 - This month marks the one-year anniversary of The Book Blab
0:55 - All previous episodes of The Book Blab can be found on YouTube
2:30 - Today's topic: Food books!
3:32 - Favorite cookbooks . . . or not
5:35 - Food memoirs
14:14 - Nonfiction food books
20:30 - Fictional stories with memorable food scenes
26:33 - Two book recommendations for cozy November reading

• 27:33 - Suzanne's recommendation
• 29:10 - Amy's recommendation

33:20 - Conclusion

Books and links mentioned in the show:

Past episodes of The Book Blab
Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise by Ruth Reichl (Amy's review)
My Kitchen Year: 136 Recipes That Saved My Life by Ruth Reichl
Bread and Wine by Shauna Niequist (Suzanne's review)
Delancy: A Man, a Woman, a Restaurant, a Marriage by Molly Wizenberg
A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes From My Kitchen Table by Molly Wizenberg (Amy's review)
Dinner: A Love Story by Jenny Rosenstrach (Amy's review)
How to Celebrate Everything by Jenny Rosenstrach
Make the Bread, Buy the Butter by Jennifer Reese
My Life in France by Julia Child (Suzanne's review // Amy's review)
In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan (Suzanne's review // Amy's review)
The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan
How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease by Michael Greger (Suzanne's review)
Near a Thousand Tables: A History of Food by Felipe Fernandez-Armesto
Disease-Proof Your Child: Feeding Kids Right by Joel Fuhrman
Real Moms Love to Eat by Beth Aldrich and Eve Adamson
Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us by Michael Moss
French Kids Eat Everything by Karen Le Billon
Bringing Up Bébé by Pamela Druckerman (Amy's review) 
Delicious! by Ruth Reichl (Suzanne's review)
Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder (Amy's review)
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis (Amy's review)
Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl  (Amy's review)
Peace Life a River by Leif Enger (Suzanne's review // Amy's review)
Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George (Amy's review)

And now it's your turn: did we mention any of your favorites? Which food books would YOU recommend?

The Book Blab Episode 9: Reading as a Means to Learning Plus Two Books That Helped Us Learn Something New

Suzanne and I got together a couple of days ago and recorded another episode of The Book Blab, and I'm so happy to share it with you today! As mentioned in our last episode, we had to switch to Google Hangout. It doesn't use a split screen but instead shows the person who is talking at that moment. I didn't love it last month, but this month was even more annoying. I've had a cough for a couple of weeks, and every time I gave even a little cough, the screen switched to me hacking away. Sorry about that! Other than that, this platform seems to be working for us, so I think we'll continue with it.

And now, onto the show! Enjoy!

0:20 - September marks the beginning of a new school year
1:36 - Today's topic: Reading for educational purposes
2:06 - Reading for pleasure vs. reading for information
3:39 - Pew survey says parents of small children do the most informational reading
5:35 - If presented in the right way, nonfiction can be just as riveting as fiction
6:15 - A few examples of books that satisfied a specific educational need
7:30 - Biographies vs. memoirs
8:58 - Self-help books
9:52 - Fictional reading can be educational, too
11:10 - Classic and historical fiction novels are a great way to learn about history
12:52 - The value of writing about literature in a critical way
16:28 - Why there can be educational value to "cotton candy" books
17:45 - The subtle way fiction can actually help you be a better parent, spouse, human etc. and expand your perspective
19:45 - Use reading goals to tackle topics you want to learn more about
21:47 - Two books that helped us learn something new

• 22:06 - Suzanne's recommendation
• 25:38 - Amy's recommendation

28:27 - Conclusion

Books and links mentioned in the show:

A Disciple's Life: The Biography of Neal A. Maxwell by Bruce C. Hafen (Amy's review)
Beethoven by Maynard Solomon (Amy's review)
Baby-led Weaning by Gill Rapley (Amy's review) 
Better than Before by Gretchen Rubin (Amy's review; Suzanne's review)
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens (Amy's review)
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy (Suzanne's mentions it in this post)
Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes
Rifles for Watie by Harold Keith
Little Men by Louisa May Alcott (Amy's review)
Middlemarch by George Elliot (Amy's review)
Reading goals (Amy's; Suzanne's)
Being Mortal by Atul Gawande (Suzanne's review; Amy's review)
Honey for a Child's Heart by Gladys Hunt (Amy's review)

What about you? Do you read for information or pleasure or both? What is one of the most memorable things you've learned through reading? 

The Book Blab Episode 8: The Pros and Cons of Book Ratings Plus Two 5-Star Books

Surprise! Suzanne and I recorded another episode of The Book Blab last week. We usually give a little heads up to those of you who like to catch it live, but the blab platform officially died earlier this month (making our name a little obsolete, but no matter), and so we had to try something else instead. We weren't sure how, or even if, it was going to work, so we kept it on the down-low, but aside from cutting off the first few seconds of the video and flipping back and forth between screens (sorry!), it worked out great. So here it is, along with the show notes, and we hope you enjoy it and share your thoughts on the controversial subject of book ratings!

0:17 - Suzanne is having a girl!
1:33 - Today's topic: book ratings
2:20 - The two sides of the book ratings issue: do I judge books by their ratings? and how do I rate books?
3:18 - First issue: using ratings to judge books

• 3:42 - Amy's opinion
• 4:45 - Suzanne's opinion

6:30 - The value of an actual review vs. just a starred rating
7:30 - Are there certain types of books that are more prone to 5-star ratings?
8:40 - Second issue: How Suzanne personally rates a book
10:40 - How the passage of time can change a rating (either higher or lower)
11:50 - How Amy personally rates a book

• 12:55 - Is it the best in its genre? (in which Amy defends giving children's books five stars)
• 15:05 - Was it personally significant and meaningful?
• 16:25 -Was it an immersive reading experience? Was it pure pleasure?

18:00 - Why rating a book can induce anxiety
19:20 - Different rating scales: 5 stars vs. 10 stars
21:45 - Beyond the starred rating (other rating systems we've seen)
24:18 - Buying a book warrants a 5+-star rating
26:25 - Two 5-star recommendation

• 27:02 - Suzanne's recommendation
• 28:36 - Amy's recommendation

30:54 - Conclusion

Books and links mentioned in the show:

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith (Amy's review)
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman (Suzanne's review; Book Blab episode)
Book Riot: Buy, Borrow, Bypass
Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner (Suzanne's review; Amy's review)
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo (Amy's review)

How do you feel about book ratings? Do you rate books? Do you find other readers' ratings helpful? What's your system? Oooh, and what is one of YOUR 5-star books?!

The Book Blab Episode 7: Travel Reading Plus Two Books We Loved Reading on Vacation

I prefer face-to-face conversations. Phone calls, facetime, or emails just can't compare to actually sitting down with a friend in the same room and having a good old-fashioned chat. And that's why this episode of The Book Blab was so fun. Suzanne was in Utah with her family for a family reunion and wedding, and she found a free hour when we could sit down in my living room and chat about books. It was THE BEST (and I may have gotten a little hyper about it on the video, so forgive me for that, but sometimes it just can't be helped). We had a great time and will definitely make it happen again if the opportunity presents itself. Enjoy! (Show notes are below the video.)

0:35 - Why Suzanne came to Utah
1:10 - Today's topic: Reading during travel
2:12 - How Suzanne and Amy plan their travel reading
4:09 - How travel converted both Amy and Suzanne to e-readers
5:30 - Suzanne's audiobook catastrophe!
6:45 - Tips for e-books deals
8:50 - Amy and Suzanne's favorite genres for travel
11:40 - Place-sensitive reading (reading books that are related to the place you're traveling to)
13:48 - Travel reading . . . with kids!
17:45 - Suzanne's fun tradition when she's traveling
19:05 - One more tip for traveling light even if you don't have an e-reader
20:30 - Quick poll: In general (not travel specific), do you prefer an e-reader or the hard copy?
22:10 - Two books that remind Amy and Suzanne of trips they went on (and that you'll enjoy whether you go on the same trip or not!)

• 22:50 - Suzanne's recommendation
• 24:45 - Amy's recommendation

27:00 - Conclusion

Links and books mentioned in the show:

Modern Mrs. Darcy's Kindle Deals (5-7 new titles every day, usually ranging between $0.99 and $4.99)
Goodreads Deals (If you have a Goodreads account, you should already be getting handpicked deals in your inbox.)
BookBub (lots of free and really inexpensive e-books)
On Such Stuff: A random, free e-book that Suzanne took a chance on and really liked
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway
The Monuments Men by  Robert M. Edsel
The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara
On Sunlit Pages: Review of The BFG by Roald Dahl
On Of Books and Blooms: Review of Watership Down by Richard Adams
On Such Stuff: Review of Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
On Sunlit Pages: Review of Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

I'm interested to know how YOU plan YOUR travel reading? What types of books do you like to bring on vacation? What's a favorite book of yours that is inseparably connected with a trip? And of course, the most burning question of all: do you use an e-reader?

The Book Blab Episode 6: A Man Called Ove Book Discussion, Plus Two Readalikes (with show notes)

Ever since Suzanne and I started The Book Blab, I've been worried about the possibility of technological difficulties. Technology has never been my thing, but at least with a blog, if I have issues, I can get them all sorted out without anyone knowing there even were issues. But the blab is live and we have a set time to go on air, so we can't afford to have problems. But on Thursday, we had problems. I guess I should be grateful that it's taken until episode 6 before we ran into any major difficulties, but it was still really frustrating.

For some reason, my mic wasn't connecting to my computer, so Suzanne couldn't hear me. My technical skills are limited to "find headphones jack; plug in headphones; talk." So when I wasn't being heard, I didn't know what to do. I tried a different set of headphones without success. Finally I switched to our older laptop and got things working, but I had to open a new blab, which was such a bummer because it meant that anyone who wanted to watch the live show and participate didn't get the chance, and I'm so sorry about that!!! I wish I could say it will never happen again, but I don't have that much confidence in myself, especially since I still don't really know what the issue was.

Anyway, even though we can no longer get your real-time responses to the questions, we would still love for you to participate in the comments. Please share your reaction to the story, opinions about the characters, how many times you laughed or cried, etc. Let's keep this discussion going!

0:50 - Suzanne finished her master's degree!
1:54 - This month's topic: A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
3:25 - Spoiler-free plot summary
5:54 - What is your favorite funny moment?

• 6:28 - Saab references
• 8:36 - Ipad scene

10:40 - How did you feel about the structure of the novel? How did it influence the way you thought about Ove?

• 12:00 - Brilliant emotional manipulation
• 13:05 - True to real life

13:45 -  Does Ove's personality change during the course of the story? Is it influenced by Sonja or, later, Parveneh?

• 14:43 - Ove's personality doesn't change, but our perspective of him does.
• 16:08 - His friends learn how to interact with him.

17:45 - There are several interesting marriages in this book. What makes them work?

• 17:55 - Ove and Sonja
• 20:00 - Parveneh and Patrick

22:27 - How did you feel about Parveneh's character? Was she rude and invasive? Or should more people be like her?

• 23:28 - Is their friendship realistic?
• 25:40 - Introverts and extroverts

26:58 - What was your takeaway from the book?

• 27:30 - "We can busy ourselves with living or dying."
• 28:45 - You can't judge people when you don't know the backstory.

30:20 - Two similar recommendations to A Man Called Ove

• 30:46 - Suzanne's recommendation
• 33:00 - Amy's recommendation

36:05 - Conclusion

Links from the show:

Suzanne's review of A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
Suzanne's review of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
Amy's review of The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

Thanks for watching! And again, we'd love for you to chime in with your questions, thoughts, and opinions in the comments! We'll be back in about a month with another fun discussion about books!

The Book Blab Episode 5: How to Find Time to Read, Plus Two Books About Motherhood (with show notes)

Last Thursday evening, Suzanne and I sat down and had a virtual chat about how we make time for reading in our lives. We shared seven of our best tips and had a great time commiserating about our book nerdiness.

In case you missed watching it live, here is the replay along with the show notes. Enjoy!

0:44 - This month's topic: How to fit in more time for reading
2:30 - What made Suzanne prioritize reading in her life again
3:40 - Tip #1: Manage your reading list
6:27 - Tip #2: "Read" audiobooks
10:02 - Tip #3: Speed-read some books (nonfiction, textbooks, online articles, etc.)
12:38 - Tip #4: Read multiple books at a time
16:55 - Tip #5: Keep a book with you always
18:42 - Tip #6: Use external motivators (reading goals, book club, etc.)
21:33 - Tip #7: Schedule a time to read
23:48 - Two favorite books about motherhood

• 25:12 - Suzanne's recommendation
• 26:27 - Amy's recommendation 

29:15 - Conclusion + reminder of next month's show

Links from the show:

Episode 3 of The Book Blab: Reading Goals
On Such Stuff: "Does it Count as 'Reading' if You're Listening?"
The book that was ruined because Amy listened to it at regular speed
On Such Stuff: "Speed Reading vs. Slow Reading"
Suzanne's review of The Light Between Oceans
Amy's review of Little Men 

We would love to hear your recommendations for how you fit more reading time into your busy lives! Please share in the comments!


And P.S., don't forget that next month we'll be having a mini book club discussing A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman. We invite you to read it, too, and come share your insights. We'll announce the  date in a few weeks.

The Book Blab Episode 4: 2016 Releases and Two Springtime Reads (with show notes)

Suzanne and I got together again via Blab and had another great chat, this time about the 2016 releases we're eagerly anticipating and exciting information about an upcoming episode. If you missed watching the video live, you can see the replay below, along with the show notes and links to the things we talked about. Enjoy!

0:42 - Amy's new roof
1:12 - Topic of Episode 4: New book releases in 2016
2:12 - How Suzanne finds out about new releases
3:30 - The two situations where Suzanne stays on top of new releases
4:20 - How Amy finds out about new releases
5:30 - A few blogs that regularly feature new releases
6:40 - A good podcast for new releases
7:28 - Two instagram accounts
8:00 - Publishers Weekly
8:45 - Goodreads
9:14 - Publishers' catalogs
10:20 - Children's literature vs. adult literature
11:24 - Some of the books we're looking forward to in 2016

• 11:37 - Bands of Mourning (January 2016) by Brandon Sanderson
• 13:22 - The Thank You Book (May 2016) and Nanette's Baguette (October 2016) by Mo Willems
• 16:00 - Red: The True Story of Red Riding Hood (April 2016) by Liesl Shurtliff
• 18:08 - Raymie Nightingale (April 2016) by Kate DiCamillo
• 19:48 - Firestorm (June 2016) by Katie Robison
• 21:22 - It Ain't So Awful, Falafel (May 2016) by Firoozeh Dumas
• 23:00 - Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (July 2016) by Jack Thorne/J.K. Rowling

24:50 - Details on The Book Blab's first ever book club

• 25:34 - The book Suzanne chose for Amy to read
• 26:57 - Amy's response
• 28:20 - Details on Hoopla (a lending service through your local library)

29:19 - Two book recommendations for spring reading

• 30:15 - Suzanne's recommendation
• 31:44 - Amy's recommendation

35:00 - Final wrap up 

Links from the Show:

Blogs for new releases:

• Modern Mrs. Darcy
• A Fuse #8 Production
• Jen Robinson's Book Page
• What Do We Do All Day
• Heavy Medal

Books on the Nightstand podcast

Two Instagram accounts:

• @thecuriousreader
• @harperchildrens

Publishers Weekly free email newsletters

Candlewick catolog
Simon and Schuster catalogs

More info on Bands of Mourning by Brandon Sanderson

Publishers Weekly article: "Mo Willems Busy, Busy Year"

Liesl Shurtliff's blog

Kate DiCamillo on her newest book

Katie Robison's blog

Hear Firoozeh Dumas pronounce her own name

"'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child' Play to be Published as a Book

Suzanne's review of A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

Borrow the audiobook version of A Man Called Ove from Hoopla

Suzanne's review of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

Amy's review of Joy in the Morning by Betty Smith

The Book Blab Episode 3: Reading Goals for 2016

Suzanne and I had so much fun chatting on Friday morning about reading goals. Thanks to those of you who watched us live! We tried a new day and a new time, which was better in some respects and worse in others. Feel free to weigh in with your opinion if morning, afternoon, or evening works better for you.

For those of you who missed it, here is the replay, along with the show notes. It was such a great conversation, and it was hard to cut it off at the end because there was so much more we wanted to say! Enjoy.

0:38 - Amy's laryngitis and Suzanne's special guest

1:35 - Follow up to last month's conversation about pretty editions

2:40 - Goals for the new year

• 2:55 - Amy's opinion
• 3:32 - Suzanne's opinion 

4:36 - Reading goals

• 4:50 - Suzanne's thoughts (what prompted her to start making reading goals)
• 5:50 - Amy's thoughts

7:00 - Some of Amy's content-specific goals

10:30 -  Suzanne's numbers goals

11:40 - Why Suzanne is not making any content goals

14:10 - How to make manageable reading goals

16:45 - The pros and cons of planning too much or too little

18:00 - Suzanne's reading for school vs. pleasure

19:05 - The pros and cons of setting a numbers goal

20:45 - Two favorite self-help books

• 22:10 - Suzanne's pick
• 24:09 - Amy's pick

27:35 - Answering questions

• 27:45 - Do you prefer physical books over audio books?
• 28:35 - How is your retention when you read a lot?
• 29:25 - Do you have any recommendations for time management books?
• 30:36 - What are some books worth spending audible credits on?

32:45 - Conclusion

Links from the show:

Amy's reading goals: 2013 / 2014 / 2015 / 2016
Suzanne's goals: 2014 / 2015 / 2016
Modern Mrs. Darcy's 2016 Reading Challenge
Suzanne's review of  The Willpower Instinct by Kelly McGonigal
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
Magic Lessons (Elizabeth Gilbert's podcast)
Breaking Busy by Alli Worthington
Amy's review of The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
Happier (Gretchen Rubin's podcast)
Suzanne's review of 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think by Laura Vanderkam
Audible.com
Amy's review of The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown
Amy's review of  Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

The Book Blab: A New (Video!) Series

Last week, I alluded to an upcoming project on the blog, and it's time to reveal it to you.

On the recent Sunlit Pages survey, one of you suggested including some video on the blog. While I wouldn't necessarily call a single suggestion a universal clamoring, it did plant the idea in my head. I considered: if I were to add some video to the blog, how would I do it? What would I talk about? What platform would I use?

The idea of sitting by myself chatting to a screen kind of terrified me, but then one of my friends suggested doing a Blab, and I was like, "What's a Blab?"

The simplest answer is that Blab is like Periscope but for several people. But if you're like me and haven't joined the Periscope craze yet, then that explanation probably didn't help you.

Basically, Blab is a live video streaming service where two to four people interact through video and potentially many more people watch and participate through comments on the sidebar. Rather than a couple of people videoing their conversation in isolation and then publishing it for everyone to see, it all happens live, right in front of you.

The idea that I wouldn't be doing this alone was instantly appealing, and I knew almost immediately who I wanted for my partner in crime: Suzanne.

You might remember Suzanne from my post about nine blogs I visit for book recommendations. Her blog, Such Stuff, has been one of my favorites for a long time, and I knew that if there was someone I'd feel comfortable just chatting over the screen to, it would be her. I proposed the idea, she liked it, and we began to work out the details.

We are finally ready to share those details with you:

Our first blab will air live next Thursday evening, November 19th, at 7:00 PM MST (that's 6:00 PST, 8:00 CST, and 9:00 EST). There are a few options for how to view this event:

• You can watch the video live from this site (or Suzanne's site) at the scheduled time. So just pop over here at 7:00 MST, and the video will be going. You won't have to do a thing. As my kids would say, easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy, right?
• Alternatively, you can watch it directly from the blab site by following this link (from your desktop or your phone). If you want to participate, you can sign in using your twitter account (don't worry, you won't be on video--you'll just be able to type in comments and questions).
• If you can't make it on November 19th at 7:00 MST, we will be recording the blab and will post the replay of it the following day, so you can watch it at your convenience. 

This first episode will mainly be an introduction to the series as well as a chance to learn a little bit more about Suzanne and myself, but we have some fun topics coming up in the future, so we hope you'll join us for these monthly video chats.

Questions? If this confuses any of you, feel free to ask me more about it. I don't promise to know the answer since this is the first time in my life I've been on the social media forefront. Also, if there's anything you've been dying to know about Suzanne or me, feel free to ask and we'll try to answer it on Thursday. See you then!

P.S. Check out Suzanne's announcement, too. She does a better job of explaining this whole Blab thing.