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Sarah's Bookshelves Live: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Sarah Dickinson | Sarah's Bookshelves
Sarah's Bookshelves Live is a bi-weekly show featuring real talk about books and book recommendations from a featured guest. Each week, Sarah of the blog Sarah's Bookshelves will talk with her guest about: - 2 OLD BOOKS THEY LOVE - 2 NEW BOOKS THEY LOVE - 1 BOOK THEY DON'T LOVE - AND 1 NEW RELEASE THEY'RE EXCITED ABOUT I'm getting real about all things books and serving you up a bit of snark on the side.
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- 1 weeks ago40 min
Summer 2026 Book Preview with Catherine Gilmore | Ep. 226
Welcome to the Summer 2026 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books! Today, Sarah and Catherine share 12 of their most anticipated books releasing in 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!). CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog. Announcements One of the many benefits to supporting the podcast through either our Patreon Community or our Substack Community (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 Sarah share 4 bonus books (2 each) we are excited about that we did not share in the big show preview episode. Get more details about all the goodies available and sign up here for Patreon and here for Substack! Highlights A lightning round of some big summer releases that are NOT our personal preview picks. Catherine's theme this season was following her initial emotional reaction to a book, while Sarah's picks skew a bit outside of her usual comfort zone. Catherine chose books across historical fiction, cultural fiction, romance, humor, and thriller. One of the season's more challenging reads for Catherine comes from an author she trusts, while Sarah has two books over 450 pages. There's one debut in Sarah's stack this season — along with some historical fiction. Sarah has already read one of her picks — not only was it 5 stars, it's already a strong contender for book of the year. Plus, their #1 picks for summer. Big Summer Releases Villa Coco by Andrew Sean Greer (June 9) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:28] God's Country (Cork O'Connor, 22) by William Kent Krueger (August 18) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:33] The Shampoo Effect by Jenny Jackson (June 30) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:36] Biological War by Annie Jacobsen (July 28) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:43] Cool Machine (The Harlem Trilogy, 3) by Colson Whitehead (July 21) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [2:48] A Tender Age by Chang-rae Lee (August 11) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [2:53] Under the Falls by Richard Russo (August 11) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [2:55] Sunrise by Téa Obreht (August 11) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [3:14] Dominion (The Silk and Iron Trilogy, 1) by Jean Kwok (July 14) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [3:26] Other Books Mentioned Less (The Arthur Books, 1) by Andrew Sean Greer (2017) [1:32] <a href="https://a
- 2 weeks ago46 min
Spring 2026 Circle Back with Catherine Gilmore | Ep. 225
In Episode 225, Sarah and Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books catch up on the 12 new releases they shared in the Spring 2026 Book Preview, 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!). CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog. Get the 2026 Summer Reading Guide This year's Summer Reading Guide is bigger than ever — and now available as a full PDF with in-depth write-ups on every book. Here's how to access it: Full PDF Guide (with write-ups): Available to current paying members on Patreon or Substack Start a free trial (Patreon: 7 days | Substack: 30 days) *Be sure to use the link above to access your free trial on Substack. Free Cheatsheet (no write-ups): Available to everyone on the blog Free Trials close: Friday, May 22 (Memorial Day weekend) When you sign up, you'll also get: 2–3 bonus podcast episodes per month Full back catalog of bonus content Weekly reading updates + more All the details in the recent IMPORTANT DETAILS bonus podcast episode and post. Highlights This time last year, Catherine was rocking a 100% success rate — this year's was "armageddon" Sarah had really successful spring with one 5-star book and only 1 DNF with a total average star rating of 4.15. They name their best and worst books picks for spring! Books We Read Before the Preview April Sarah's Pick The Midnight Show by Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne (April 7) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [3:07] Spring 2026 Circle Back April Sarah's Picks Into the Blue by Emma Brodie (April 7) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [8:33] Leave Your Mess At Home by Tolani Akinola (April 14) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [16:27] Catherine's Picks American Fantasy by Emma Straub (April 7) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [5:45] Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke (April 7) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [12:25] Like This, But Funnier by Hallie Cantor (April 7) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [19:23] Other Books Mentioned All the World Can Hold by Jung Yun (2026) [7:59] The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (1985) [14:24] August
- 3 weeks ago57 min
2026 Summer Reading Special with Catherine Gilmore and Chrissie Whitley | Ep. 224
In Episode 224, Sarah, Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) and Chrissie (@ChrissieWhitley) celebrate the release of the 2026 Summer Reading Guide with a special behind-the-scenes conversation about putting this year's guide together. Catherine and Chrissie share what it was like participating in the guide for the first time, from the reading process to narrowing down their final picks, while Sarah talks about how much more fun her spring reading felt with the guide becoming a team effort. Together, they reveal their secret books from the guide, share what's still sitting on their summer TBRs, and reflect on the kinds of books they found themselves gravitating toward while reading for summer. 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. Get the 2026 Summer Reading Guide This year's Summer Reading Guide is bigger than ever — and now available as a full PDF with in-depth write-ups on every book. Here's how to access it: Full PDF Guide (with write-ups): Available to current paying members on Patreon or Substack Start a free trial (Patreon: 7 days | Substack: 30 days) *Be sure to use the link above to access your free trial on Substack. Free Cheatsheet (no write-ups): Available to everyone on the blog Free Trials close: Friday, May 22 (Memorial Day weekend) When you sign up, you'll also get: 2–3 bonus podcast episodes per month Full back catalog of bonus content Weekly reading updates + more All the details in the recent IMPORTANT DETAILS bonus podcast episode and post. The Secret Picks for the 2026 Summer Reading Guide Catherine Two Kinds of Stranger (Eddie Flynn, 9) by Steven Cavanagh (US: March 24, 2026) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [18:13] The Windsor Affair by Melanie Benjamin (June 2, 2026) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [26:04] The Favorite Sister by Jessica Knoll (2018) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [36:15] Chrissie Celestial Lights by Cecile Pin (March 24, 2026) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[20:33] Honeysuckle by Bar Fridman-Tell (March 24, 2026) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[30:45] Stranger Things Have Happened by Kasie West (April 14, 2026) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [39:47] Sarah Dissection of a Murder by Jo Murray (May 5, 2026) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[23:29] <a href="https://amzn.to/3Pb0Hct
- 4 weeks ago13 min
IMPORTANT DETAILS: 2026 Summer Reading Guide
May is upon us and that means Summer Reading season is just about here! The 2026 Summer Reading Guide went through a lot of changes this year, so I'm coming to you a bit early to walk through all the details. CLICK HERE for the full Show Notes on the blog. The 2026 Summer Reading Guide is launching this coming Tuesday, May 12! And, our Summer Reading Special podcast episode will air the following day (Weds, May 13). WHAT'S DIFFERENT THIS YEAR The SRG is now a team project. You'll be getting recommendations from Catherine and Chrissie in addition to me. And, there are a couple books on the SRG that are recommended by multiple team members. But, don't worry, you will easily be able to tell who recommended each book in the Guide. The primary SRG with full write-ups on every book we included will be in a printable PDF format. Changing the primary Guide to a PDF format gives us the flexibility to include some different and helpful ways to categorize the books in the guide beyond our mood-based categories. In addition to the regular part of the Guide, we'll have lists for: Books that are now out in paperback Five star books Books that are great on audio Longer books (450+ pages) Nonfiction And, our Secret picks – which you'll hear more about in our Summer Reading Special coming on May 13 We selected our Top Picks differently. In the past, I chose my #1 pick for each of my mood-based categories in the Guide. This year, we're selecting a group of our OVERALL Top Picks regardless of which mood based category they fall in. We've chosen 6 top picks that represent a range of genres, vibes, and reading tastes. And, those will be in their very own section at the front of the Guide. HOW TO GET THE 2026 SUMMER READING GUIDEDifferent from last year The primary Summer Reading Guide PDF with full write-ups on every book will ONLY be available to paying members (via Patreon or Substack). BUT, we'll be running a Free Trial for our Patreon and paid Substack communities, so you can still technically get the full PDF guide for free. Free Trial sign-ups will be open through Friday, May 22 (the Friday of Memorial Day weekend). The Substack Free Trial will be for 30 days. The Patreon Free Trial will only be 7 days long. Patreon only allows 7 day free trials and I wish they'd change that policy. Obviously, we hope you sample our bonus content and decide to stick around on Patreon or Substack, but you can also drop your membership after 1 month if all you're interested in is the full Summer Reading Guide PDF. AND, a Cheatsheet-style list WITHOUT write-ups for the books included will be available to everyone on my website. HOW TO MAKE SURE THE 2026 SUMMER READING GUIDE LANDS IN YOUR INBOX ON MAY 12 If you are NOT already a paying member, you can sign up for a Free Trial either on Patreon (here) OR on Substack (here). If you are NOT already a paying member and you are not eligible for the Free Trial (i.e. you signed up in a previous year and dropped your membership since then), you can sign up to be a paid member on Patreon (here) OR Substack (here) for $7/month (and can drop your membership after 1 month if you don't want to stick around). If you are ALREADY a Superstars member on Patreon or
- Apr 29, 202649 min
2016 Bookish Time Capsule with Catherine Gilmore | Ep. 223
Going back ten years to 2016, Sarah and Catherine Gilmore (@GilmoreGuide) dive into the annual Bookish Time Capsule episode and revisit the book world from that year. They cover big bookish highlights — from the buzziest books of the year to the award winners — along with what was happening in the wider world at the time. They also look back at their own reading from 2016, including their favorite releases, and share a quick round-up 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 small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog. Highlights The big news that was going on outside the book world Book stories and trends that dominated 2016 The 2016 books that have had staying power Big books and award winners for the year Reading in the blog years before the Rock Your Reading Tracker Sarah's and Catherine's personal 2016 reading stats Listener-submitted favorites from 2016 2016 Bookish Time Capsule [1:45] The World Beyond Books Bad Blood by John Carreyrou (2018)| Amazon | Bookshop.org [3:09] To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (1960) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [4:59] My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante (2011) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [5:11] Ferrante's true identity has never been confirmed, despite multiple attempts by journalists and various theories pointing to different people. Book Industry Sales and Trends Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J. K. Rowling, Jack Thorne, and John Tiffany (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [10:02] The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins (2015) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [10:10] Killing the Rising Sun by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [10:21] A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman (2012) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [10:36] Me Before You by Jojo Moyes (2012) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [10:40] To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (1960) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [10:45] All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (2014) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [10:57] The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo (2014) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [11:12] <a href="https://amzn.to/4ucK
- Apr 15, 202654 min
Lee Kelly + Jennifer Thorne (Authors of The Midnight Show) | Ep. 222
In Episode 222, Sarah talks with authors Jennifer Marie Thorne and Lee Kelly about their latest co-written novel, The Midnight Show. Set in the world of 1980s late-night comedy, the book is told in a documentary / oral history format that traces the rise of a breakout star — and the mystery surrounding her disappearance. They talk about how they developed a cast of characters shaped by both real-life comedy figures and their own creative instincts, as well as the challenge of writing sketch comedy that actually lands on the page. They also get into the realities of writing as a duo and the novel's exploration of how women in comedy are perceived and defined. Plus, they share what they're working on next and their 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. Highlights Books by Lee Kelly + Jennifer Thorne: The Antiquity Affair (2023), The Starlets (2024) and My Fair Frauds (2025) By Lee Kelly: With Regrets (2023), A Criminal Magic (2016), and City Of Savages (2015) By Jennifer Thorne: Diavola (2024), Lute (2022), and Newbourne Park(September 29, 2026) A brief, spoiler-free overview of The Midnight Show The inspiration behind the novel and how they created their characters using a mix of real-life performers and imagination Writing sketch comedy for the page — and how they created it organically for the story The evolution of their collaborative writing process How society views funny women — and how they're allowed to be defined What this author duo is working on next Lee's + Jennifer's Book Recommendations [38:42] Two OLD Books They Love Jennifer : The Wonder State by Sara Flannery Murphy (2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [39:07] Lee : A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan (2010) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [41:24] Other Books Mentioned The Magicians by Lev Grossman (2009) [39:34] The Candy House by Jennifer Egan (2022) [43:08] Two NEW Books They Love Jennifer : Cruelty Free by Caroline Glenn (2026) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[44:16] Lee : The Future Saints by Ashley Winstead (2026) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[45:28] Two NEW RELEASES They're Excited About Jennifer : Exit Party by Emily St. John Mandel (September 15, 2026) | Amazon| Bookshop.org [48:02] Lee : <a h
- Apr 1, 202645 min
Spring 2026 Book Preview with Catherine Gilmore | Ep. 221
Welcome to the Spring 2026 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books! Today, Catherine and Sarah share 12 of their most anticipated books releasing in April and May. 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. Announcements A preview of changes to this year's Summer Reading Guide — now a team effort, with more info to come in a separate episode coming in early May. One of the many benefits to supporting the podcast through either our Patreon Community or our Substack Community (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 Sarah share 4 bonus books (2 each) we are excited about that we did not share in the big show preview episode. Get more details about all the goodies available and sign up here for Patreon and here for Substack! Highlights A lightning round of some big releases coming this spring that are not featured in our personal preview picks. Catherine's theme is spring, but Sarah's theme is summer. Looking for balance, Catherine chose books that are lighter and brighter, but not silly. Spring picks carry 4 debuts — 3 from Catherine and 1 from Sarah. Sarah's books cover 2 books about the world of comedy and 3 family dramas. Sarah has already read one of her picks — 4.5 stars! Plus, their #1 picks for spring. Big Spring Releases The Midnight Train (The Midnight World, 2) by Matt Haig (May 26) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [3:04] The Shippers by Katherine Center (May 19) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [3:06] London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe (April 7) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [3:09] Last Night in Brooklyn by Xochitl Gonzalez (April 21) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [3:16] With a Vengeance by Riley Sager (June 10) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [3:22] Enormous Wings by Laurie Frankel (May 5) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [3:26] Seek the Traitor's Son (The Burning Empire, 1) by Veronica Roth (May 12) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [3:29] Other Books Mentioned State of Wonder by Ann Patchett (2011) [3:59] Spring 2026 Book Preview [4:38] April Sarah's Picks The Midnight Show by Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne (April 7) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [7:11] Into the Blue by Emma Brodie (April 7) | <a href="https://amzn.to/4bjz9d
- Mar 25, 202655 min
Winter 2026 Circle Back with Catherine Gilmore | Ep. 220
In Episode 220, Sarah and Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books catch up on the 16 new releases they shared in the Winter 2026 Book Preview, 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!). CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog. Announcement One of the many benefits to supporting the podcast through either our Patreon Community or our Substack Community (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 Sarah share at least 4 bonus books we are excited about that we did not share in the big show preview episode. Get more details about all the goodies available and sign up here for Patreon and here for Substack! Highlights Catherine had a high success rate, but a pretty "meh" overall feel Sarah's reading followed a familiar barbell pattern: some standout hits, several DNFs, and not much in between Catherine's ratings mostly landed as mid-range reads — with two 4.5 star wins. Sarah had one 5-star read (and a new favorite of the year), two 4.5-star reads, and one big disappointment Some of Sarah's risk-taking paid off, while other picks didn't land They share their best and worst picks from winter Books Read Before the Preview [6:08] Sarah's Pick Whidbey by T Kira Madden (March 10) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [6:13] Winter 2026 Book Preview [8:20] January Catherine's Picks Skylark by Paula McLain (January 6) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [12:49] Vigil by George Saunders (January 27) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [18:43] Other Books Mentioned When the Stars Go Dark by Paula McLain (2021) [14:53] Love and Ruin by Paula McLain (2018) [15:21] February Sarah's Picks Good People by Patmeena Sabit (February 3) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [8:25] Royal Spin by Omid Scobie and Robin Benway (February 10) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [15:49] Kin by Tayari Jones (February 24) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [26:15] Catherine's Picks <st
About Sarah's Bookshelves Live
Sarah's Bookshelves Live is a bi-weekly show featuring real talk about books and book recommendations from a featured guest. Each week, Sarah of the blog Sarah's Bookshelves will talk with her guest about: - 2 OLD BOOKS THEY LOVE - 2 NEW BOOKS THEY LOVE - 1 BOOK THEY DON'T LOVE - AND 1 NEW RELEASE THEY'RE EXCITED ABOUT I'm getting real about all things books and serving you up a bit of snark on the side.
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