Ep. 202: 2025 Micro Genres We Love with Susie (@NovelVisits)
Release Date: 08/06/2025
Ep. 202: 2025 Micro Genres We Love with Susie (@NovelVisits)
Sarah's Bookshelves Live
In Episode 202, Susie () and Sarah explore some of their new favorite Micro Genres. Since starting the Micro Genres series, they’ve loved taking the opportunity each year to examine and define their tastes in these sub-sub-genres. This year, they have curated a list of 10 all-new Micro Genres, along with notable books for each category. With over 80 books mentioned, this is another year of niching down for some great book recommendations! This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Books Told From the Perspective...
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Ep. 201: Lidija Hilje (Author of Slanting Towards the Sea) + Book Recommendations
Sarah's Bookshelves Live
In Episode 201, author Lidija Hilje talks with Sarah about her debut novel, . Spanning two decades and one transformative summer in Croatia, is a love story that also delves into the profound journey of coming of age in a nation younger than you are. Lidija shares lots of details about how this book came to be and the inspiration for the story and its lush Croatian setting, which becomes a character of its own. They also discuss how the Croatian War of Independence influenced both her own childhood and the novel’s narrative. Plus, Lidija shares some of her top book...
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Ep. 200: 200th Episode Celebration with Susie and Catherine
Sarah's Bookshelves Live
Welcome to the 200th episode of Sarah’s Bookshelves Live with a very special celebration with both co-hosts: Susie () and Catherine of . Today, they are answering listener-submitted questions all about their reading journeys, their podcast journeys, and some about their pre-podcast blogging days! This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights Their early reading lives. The most surprising things about their reading history. Susie’s secret endeavor! How much they talk about books in their...
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Ep. 199: Best Books of 2025 (So Far) with Susie and Catherine
Sarah's Bookshelves Live
In Ep. 199, Susie Boutry (), Catherine Gilmore (), and Sarah are all back on the mic, ready to catch up on how their reading is shaping up for 2025 — so far! They talk about the current publishing landscape, what books are topping bestseller lists to date, and their personal reading as it stands halfway through the year. They share reading stats and talk about expectations and hopes for the remainder of the year. Plus, their TOP 5 books and their biggest disappointments so far. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no...
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Ep. 198: Best of Thrillers with Anderson McKean of Page & Palette (@PagePalette)
Sarah's Bookshelves Live
Ep. 198 is the second episode of our brand-new “Best of…” series. Anderson McKean of joined me for the Best of Thrillers, with her all-time TOP TEN favorite thriller novels…and, a couple buzzy thrillers that didn’t work for her. Also, Anderson talks about how she started reading thrillers, the wide variety available in the genre, and books from her list that would be perfect for those new to the genre! This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights What draws her to the thriller...
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Ep. 197: Summer 2025 Book Preview with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)
Sarah's Bookshelves Live
Welcome to the Summer 2025 Book Preview with Catherine of ! Today, Catherine and Sarah share 12 of their most anticipated books releasing from June through mid-August. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Announcement One of the many benefits to supporting the podcast through either our or our (both for just $7/mo) is that you get access to several bonus podcast episode series, including Book Preview Extras! In these episodes, Catherine and I share at least 4 bonus books we...
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Ep. 196: Spring 2025 Circle Back with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)
Sarah's Bookshelves Live
In Episode 196, Sarah and Catherine of catch up on the 12 new releases they shared in the , now that they’ve read them. They share their reading stats, chat about what worked — and hash out which books didn’t work and why. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Our Printable Cheatsheet for the is available to anyone who signs up for either a 7-Day FREE TRIAL of our Patreon Community (sign up ) OR a 30-day FREE TRIAL of our paid Substack Community (sign up ). We...
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Ep. 195: 2025 Summer Reading Special with Susie (@NovelVisits)
Sarah's Bookshelves Live
In Ep. 195, Susie () and Sarah are back to share their favorite books that missed last year’s Summer Reading Guide and our #1 picks for each category featured in my . Plus, they begin by sharing how their summer reading habits have evolved over the years. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Once again, we are happy to offer a Printable Cheatsheet for this year’s Guide: Summer Reading The Evolution of Our Summer Reading Journeys Books Mentioned by Susie by Edward Rutherfurd (1997) by Stieg...
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Ep. 194: Bookish Time Capsule (2017) with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)
Sarah's Bookshelves Live
In Ep. 194, Catherine () and Sarah head back to the year 2017 in the book world with this second annual special retrospective episode! They share big bookish highlights for that year, including book news, award winners, and what was going on in the world outside of reading. They also talk about how their own 2017 reading shook out, including their favorite 2017 releases. Plus, a quick run-down of listener-submitted favorites! This episode is overflowing with great backlist titles to add to your TBR! This post contains affiliate links through which I make a...
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Ep. 193: Clare Leslie Hall (Author of Broken Country) + Book Recommendations
Sarah's Bookshelves Live
In Episode 193, author Clare Leslie Hall talks with Sarah about her US debut, — a breakout hit and a . A genre mash-up that is part love story and part murder trial, Clare talks about marketing Broken Country, how this came to be her first U.S. release, and the ways the novel evolved over time. Plus, Clare shares her book recommendations. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights Books by Clare Leslie Hall: , (previously published as Mine),...
info_outlineIn Episode 202, Susie (@NovelVisits) and Sarah explore some of their new favorite Micro Genres. Since starting the Micro Genres series, they’ve loved taking the opportunity each year to examine and define their tastes in these sub-sub-genres. This year, they have curated a list of 10 all-new Micro Genres, along with notable books for each category. With over 80 books mentioned, this is another year of niching down for some great book recommendations!
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
Books Told From the Perspective of the Person Left Behind (Sarah) [2:26]
Sarah
- The Wanderers by Meg Howrey (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [3:39]
- Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [3:52]
- Happiness Falls by Angie Kim (2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [4:29]
- Miracle Creek by Angie Kim (2019) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [4:31]
- Shred Sisters by Betsy Lerner (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [4:42]
- Penitence by Kristin Koval (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [4:52]
- Z by Therese Ann Fowler (2013) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [5:11]
- The Paris Wife by Paula McLain (2011) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [5:19]
- An American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld (2008) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [5:26]
- The Swans of Fifth Avenue by Melanie Benjamin (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [5:35]
- The Wives by Simone Gorrindo (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [5:59]
- A Mother’s Reckoning by Sue Klebold (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [6:41]
Susie
- Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel (2014) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [7:07]
- Good Morning, Midnight by Lily Brooks-Dalton (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [7:35]
- The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton (2022) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [7:37]
- Circe by Madeline Miller (2018) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [7:52]
We Begin at the End (Susie) [8:22]
Sarah
- Beyond the Point by Claire Gibson (2019) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [12:46]
- Penitence by Kristin Koval (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [13:16]
- I’m That Girl by Jordan Chiles (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [14:20]
Susie
- The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[10:20]
- What Happened to Nina? by Dervla McTiernan (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[10:49]
- Victim by Andrew Boryga (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [11:48]
- How We Named the Stars by Andrés N. Ordorica (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [12:21]
- Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [12:28]
Other Books Mentioned
- We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker (2021) [8:33]
- A Marriage at Sea by Sophie Elmhirst (2025) [13:54]
Big Business Women (Sarah) [14:34]
Sarah
- Anna Bright is Hiding Something by Susie Orman Schnall (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [15:29]
- The Boys’ Club by Erica Katz (2020) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [15:46]
- Women Are the Fiercest Creatures by Andrea Dunlop (2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [15:51]
- Dead Money by Jakob Kerr (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [15:55]
Susie
- The Whisper Network by Chandler Baker (2019) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[16:30]
- The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer (2018) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [16:55]
Other Books Mentioned
Books By Irish Authors Telling Distinctly Irish Stories (Susie) [17:35]
Sarah
- Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe (2018) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [22:30]
- Northern Spy by Flynn Berry (2021) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [22:43]
- The Rachel Incident by Caroline O’Donoghue (2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [22:52]
- 56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard (2021) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [23:39]
Susie
- Nesting by Roisín O’Donnell (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [19:39]
- The Coast Road by Alan Murrin (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [20:07]
- The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[20:54]
- Juno Loves Legs by Karl Geary (2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [20:59]
- Home Stretch by Graham Norton (2020) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [21:02]
- Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan (2021) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [21:50]
- Trespasses by Louise Kennedy (2022) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [22:07]
Other Books Mentioned
- Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt (1996) [19:20]
- Normal People by Sally Rooney (2018) [23:16]
- Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent (2023) [24:07]
- Unraveling Oliver by Liz Nugent (2013) [24:09]
The Collective “We” Narration (Sarah) [24:33]
Sarah
- The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides (1993) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[25:59]
- We Wish You Luck by Caroline Zancan (2020) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [26:16]
- The Mothers by Britt Bennett (2016)| Amazon | Bookshop.org [27:31]
- Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett (2022) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [27:56]
Susie
- The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka (2011) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [28:38]
- The Swimmers by Julie Otsuka (2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [28:58]
Other Books Mentioned
- The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker (2012) [25:09]
- The Strange Case of Jane O. by Karen Thompson Walker (2025) [25:11]
- The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett (2020) [27:39]
Torn Between Two Lovers: The Women’s Edition (Susie) [29:40]
Sarah
- Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell (1936) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:05]
- Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding (1996) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:14]
- Twilight by Stephenie Meyer (2005) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:35]
Susie
- Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [31:18]
- The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller (2021) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [31:38]
- One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [32:18]
- An American Marriage by Tayari Jones (2018) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [32:44]
Fiction Modeled on Real-Life Serial Killers or Crimes (Sarah) [33:50]
Sarah
- The Death of Us by Abigail Dean (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [34:33]
- Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll (2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [34:39]
- Heartwood by Amity Gaige (2025)| Amazon | Bookshop.org [34:42]
- We Burn Daylight by Bret Anthony Johnston (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [34:52]
- The Girls by Emma Cline (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [35:00]
- Only Love Can Break Your Heart by Ed Tarkington (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [35:05]
- When the Stars Go Dark by Paula McLain (2021) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [35:29]
- Monday, Monday by Elizabeth Crook (2014) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [35:39]
Susie
- Wolf at the Table by Adam Rapp (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [36:05]
Books with Characters Struggling with Mental Health (Susie) [36:57]
Sarah
- Sociopath by Patric Gagne, PhD (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [41:24]
- Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason (2020) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [41:58]
- Bitter Sweet by Hattie Williams (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:13]
- Fire Exit by Morgan Talty (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:23]
- When I Ran Away by Ilona Bannister (2021) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:28]
- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (2003) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:36]
Susie
- Shred Sisters by Betsy Lerner (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [37:56]
- More or Less Maddy by Lisa Genova (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [39:06]
- Interesting Facts About Space by Emily Austin (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [39:43]
- My Lovely Wife in the Psych Ward by Mark Lukach (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [40:13]
- I’m Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [40:58]
Other Books Mentioned
- Soldier Sailor by Claire Kilroy (2023) [42:33]
Dude Thrillers (Sarah) [42:45]
Sarah
- Dead Money by Jakob Kerr (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [43:34]
- The Boomerang by Robert Bailey (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [43:40]
- Departure 37 by Scott Carson (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [43:55]
- The Wealth of Shadows by Graham Moore (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [44:10]
- Red Widow by Alma Katsu (2021) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [44:27]
- Red London by Alma Katsu (2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [44:28]
Susie
- The Holdout by Graham Moore (2020) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [44:57]
- The River by Peter Heller (2019) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:24]
- Burn by Peter Heller (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:25]
- The Martian by Andy Weir (2011) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:36]
Other Books Mentioned
- Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (2021) [45:41]
- All the Sinners Bleed by S. A. Cosby (2023) [45:33]
- Blacktop Wasteland by S. A. Cosby (2020) [46:06]
- Razorblade Tears by S. A. Cosby (2021) [46:13]
Standalone Fantasy Set on Earth (Susie) [46:36]
Susie
- The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab (2020) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [48:36]
- Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V. E. Schwab (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [48:39]
- The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [49:07]
- Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo (2019) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [49:08]
- Weyward by Emilia Hart (2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [49:28]
- The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins (2015) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [49:32]
- Circe by Madeline Miller (2018) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [49:50]
- The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (2011) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [49:51]
Other Books Mentioned
- A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas (2015) [47:03]
- Black Chalk by Christopher J. Yates (2013) [50:30]