Ep. 202: 2025 Micro Genres We Love with Susie (@NovelVisits)
Release Date: 08/06/2025
Best of Horror with Meredith Monday Schwartz (Currently Reading) | Ep. 216
Sarah's Bookshelves Live
Episode 216 continues the Best of… series with a deep dive into the horror genre. Meredith Monday Schwartz of the podcast joins the show to discuss her all-time Top Ten favorite horror books, along with a few buzzy titles that didn’t quite work for her. Meredith also talks about how she came to the genre and the wide range of reading experiences horror has to offer. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights How Meredith defines the horror genre — and where she draws the lines Subgenres of...
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The Best Backlist We Read in 2025 with Catherine Gilmore | Ep. 215
Sarah's Bookshelves Live
In Episode 215, Sarah and Catherine of share the best backlist books they read in 2025. They discuss their top 5 backlist books from last year, highlight some underrated backlist gems, and review their backlist reading statistics. Devoting an entire episode to backlist reading is both a team and listener favorite annual tradition! This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Announcement The Best of the Backlist Guide: Favorite Backlist Books Read in 2025 is available now! Members of the Sarah’s...
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Winter 2026 Book Preview with Catherine Gilmore | Ep. 214
Sarah's Bookshelves Live
Welcome to the Winter 2026 Book Preview with Catherine of ! Today, Catherine and Sarah share 16 of their most anticipated books releasing from January through March. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Announcement The 2026 Reading Tracker is out! This year brings upgraded features across the board — including NEW average star rating and 5-star book tracking for every stat on the Dashboard — plus an updated Lite Tracker for those who prefer a streamlined version. Both Trackers are...
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Best Books of 2025 Genre Awards with Chrissie (@ChrissieWhitley) | Ep. 213
Sarah's Bookshelves Live
In Episode 213, Sarah and Chrissie () wrap up the year with the Best Books of 2025 Genre Awards. They reveal their Overall Best Books (Fiction and Nonfiction) and a full breakdown by genre, including: Best Literary Fiction, Best Romance, Best Brain Candy, Best Genre Mash-Up, and more! Plus, they share the winners for these same genres as chosen by the Sarah’s Bookshelves Live Member Community. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Announcements The 2026 Reading Tracker is out! This year brings...
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Best Books of 2025 Superlatives with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) | Ep. 212
Sarah's Bookshelves Live
In Ep. 212, Sarah and Catherine of start wrapping up 2025 with the first of the two year-end episodes: Best Books of 2025 Superlatives. In this episode, they share their picks for over 25 superlative categories, including Weirdest 5-Star Read of 2025, The Book That Made Us Furious, Most Underrated Gem, Too Dark Even for Me, and so much more! This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights Our best books of the year from over 25 categories, including: My First 5-Star 2025...
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Fall 2025 Circle Back with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) (Ep. 211)
Sarah's Bookshelves Live
In Episode 211, Sarah and Catherine of catch up on the 14 new releases they shared in the , now that they’ve read them — or at least tried to! They share their reading stats and discuss which books worked and which didn’t…and why. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights Catherine’s success rate bounces back from summer. Sarah’s fall reading felt kind of “meh” despite a higher success rate. They also share their combined 2025 Preview success rates....
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State of the Publishing Industry in 2025 with Laura McGrath, Author of the textCrunch Substack (Ep. 210)
Sarah's Bookshelves Live
In Ep. 210, Laura McGrath, author of the popular Substack newsletter, , joins Sarah to take a sharp look at the State of the Publishing Industry in 2025. This packed episode covers a high-level look at the top sales and book trends, as well as Laura’s insights into the future of the book world for 2026. Also, Laura shares her favorite books of 2025! This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights Laura McGrath’s book (publishing April 28, 2026) is available for pre-order...
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Ep. 209: 2025 Debuts Special with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) and Chrissie (@ChrissieWhitley)
Sarah's Bookshelves Live
In Episode 209, Catherine () and Chrissie () join Sarah for the 5th annual Debuts Special! They’re sharing their reading stats for debuts this year, along with their favorite debuts, new and backlist — so far for 2025. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights How debuts from 2025 compare to those from previous years. A full breakdown of Sarah’s, Catherine’s, and Chrissie’s 2025 debut-related stats. Featured debuts, split into two categories: Favorite Debuts of 2025 (so far) Favorite...
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Ep. 208: Best of Narrative Nonfiction with Elizabeth Barnhill of Fabled Bookshop (@FabledBookshop)
Sarah's Bookshelves Live
Ep. 208 brings the third installment of our “Best of…” series. Elizabeth Barnhill of joined Sarah for the Best of Narrative Nonfiction, sharing her ALL-TIME TOP books in this genre. Plus, she brings a few popular nonfiction reads that didn’t work for her. This episode is chock-full of fantastic book recommendations to get you ready for Nonfiction November or just your next nonfiction pick. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights How Elizabeth got started with narrative...
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Ep. 207: Regina Black (Author of August Lane)
Sarah's Bookshelves Live
In Episode 207, Sarah chats with author Regina Black about her newest novel, . A second-chance romance about two people healing from trauma, is set in Arcadia, Arkansas, with themes of family, generational scars, and a unique thread of Black country music. Regina also talks about how she got into writing Romance on top of her job as a law school administrator, how long she’s been writing, and what spurred her on to seeking publication. Plus, Regina shares some of her top book recommendations! This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a...
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]