Author Grant Ginder joined us at our headquarters to talk parties, the passage of time, and his novel So Old, So Young. Much like the book itself, our conversation spanned decades, touching on evolving friendships, wedding PTSD, and the realities of millennial middle age. 

Over the course of two decades and five parties, a group of college friends navigates the messy realities of adulthood–new cities, new spouses, and plenty of growing pains. As life pulls them in different directions, they're forced to confront how friendship evolves, and if theirs will endure.

Get So Old, So Young at bookofthemonth.com.

Learn more about Book of the Month LIVE at bookofthemonth.com/botm-live.

Author Melissa de la Cruz joined us at our headquarters to discuss her new romantasy, Rings of Fate. With nearly 90 books under her belt, she imparted wisdom on crafting flawed heroes, pitching a "sexy Lord of the Rings" to your publisher, and why brooding isn't always better. 

Cynical barmaid Aren Bellamore never saw herself as anyone's princess, least of all a cursed prince's prince's fiancée. But after a fake engagement draws her into a dangerous quest to save their kingdoms, she must face magic, monsters, and some very inconvenient feelings. 

Get Rings of Fate at bookofthemonth.com.

Learn more about Book of the Month LIVE at bookofthemonth.com/botm-live.

Author Sharon Kurtzman visited our headquarters to discuss her new historical novel, The Lost Baker of Vienna. She shared the true family history that inspired the story, why it took her 25 long years to complete it, and how food and family are always intertwined.

A young woman in post-war Vienna finds herself caught between two futures, and two suitors, as she struggles to keep her family afloat — and keep her father's legacy alive through baking his best recipes.

Get The Lost Baker of Vienna at bookofthemonth.com.

Learn more about Book of the Month LIVE at bookofthemonth.com/botm-live.

Murder, attempted murder, and more murder. We have a whirlwind conversation with Sally Hepworth! We discuss The Soulmate (a March pick!), how she infuses empathy into her stories, and her penchant for writing about dysfunctional family relationships.

The Soulmate follows Gabe and Pippa in their dream home in a sleepy coastal town set on a tall cliff that has become a popular spot for people to end their lives. Night after night, Gabe comes to their rescue, literally talking them off the edge, until he doesnt. When Pippa discovers Gabe knew the victim, their perfect facade of their marriage begins to crack and the deepest darkest secrets begin to unravel.

Get The Soulmate at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. 

Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.

A Prohibition-era family drama with a fierce female lead? What could be better! We sat down with Jeannette Walls to discuss her new book, Hang the Moon, gender roles within families, the 18th Amendment, and so much more! 

Hang the Moon follows Sally Kincaid, the daughter of the biggest man in a small town - the charismatic Duke Kincaid. Determined to reclaim her place in the family, Sally confronts the secrets and scandals that hide in the shadows of the Big House, navigates the factions in the family and town, and finally comes into her own as a bold, sometimes reckless bootlegger.

Get Hang the Moon at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. 

Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.

Would you attend a séance? Do you believe in ghosts? Listen in to hear what Sarah Penner has to say! We sat down with Sarah Penner to discuss her second novel, The London Séance Society. She shares why she likes to create rebellious female characters, what she learned from attending a séance, and if she believes in ghosts. 

In 1973 Paris, The London Séance Society follows Vaudeline D'Allaire, an acclaimed spiritualist known for her talent in conjuring the spirits of murder victims, and Lenna Wickes, trying to find answers to her sister's death. When Vaudeline is beckoned to England to solve a high-profile murder, Lenna accompanies her and they begin to suspect that they are not merely out to solve a crime, but perhaps entangled in one themselves…

Get The London Séance Society at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. 

Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.

Do you think you would do well in the Wild West? Victor LaValle says he has no chance! We're talking with Victor LaValle, author of Lone Women to discuss his love for monsters, why he thinks horror is optimistic, and how parenthood changed his approach as a storyteller.

Lone Women follows Adelaide Henry, a woman fleeing past sins attempting to forge a new life homesteading in 1914 Montana's harsh plains. She carries an enormous steamer trunk with her that stays locked at all times because when the trunk is open, people around her start to disappear.

Get Lone Women at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. 

Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.

Do porcelain dolls freak you out? Us too… We sat down with Kristen Loesch to talk all about her debut novel, The Last Russian Doll. She dives into the process of writing historical fiction, plus her fascination with dolls and fairy tales.

The Last Russian Doll weaves one family's tragic splintering into the larger tapestry of Russia's turbulent 20th century in a dual timeline. The 1990s timeline follows Rosie after her mother dies and Rosie returning to Russia, armed with little more than her mother's strange folklore and a single key. What she uncovers is a devastating family history that spans the 1917 Revolution, the siege of Leningrad, Stalin's purges, and beyond. The 1916 timeline begins with Tonya, whose actions will set off a sweeping story that reverberates across the country.

Get The Last Russian Doll at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. 

Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.

What's something in your home you detest, but your partner won't get rid of? Listen on to hear Jenny Jackson's answer! We sat down with Jenny Jackson to talk about her debut novel, Pineapple Street! She shared her experience going from editor to author, what inspired the book's setting, and her many celebrity run-ins in Brooklyn Heights.

Pineapple Street puts Brooklyn's 1% under the microscope, exploring what happens to a trust fund deferred. Darley is the eldest daughter in a well-connected, old-money family; Sasha is from a middle-class family married into a Brooklyn Heights family; and Georgiana, the millennial conscience of the family who wants to give it all away.

Get Pineapple Street at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. 

Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.

True or false: crows hold grudges. Emilia Hart has the answer. Today, we're talking with debut author Emilia Hart to discuss her novel, Weyward, the meaning of witchcraft, insect appreciation, and of course, everything about crows.

Weyward weaves together the stories of three extraordinary women across five centuries. 2019: Kate fleeing London to leave her abusive partner. 1619: Altha is awaiting trial for the murder of a local farmer, and as the evidence for witchcraft is set out against her, Altha knows she must maintain her freedom. 1942: Violet is trapped in her family's estate during World War II longing for the education her brother is receiving. Weyward is an enthralling novel of female resilience and the transformative power of the natural world.

Get Weyward at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. 

Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.

If you wrote a psychological thriller about a writing retreat, would you still attend a real-life writing retreat? Julia Bartz would! Today, we're talking with author Julia Bartz to discuss her debut novel The Writing Retreat, how becoming a therapist made her a better writer, and getting in touch with her dark side to write this spooky thriller.

The Writing Retreat follows Alex, a writer who is about to give up on her dreams when she receives a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attend an exclusive writing retreat hosted by her hero, Roza Vallo. Quickly she learns that the attendees must complete an entire novel during the next month, and that the winner will receive a seven-figure publishing deal. But when one of the writers vanishes during a snowstorm, Alex realizes that something very sinister is afoot. With the clock running out, she's desperate to discover the truth and save herself.

Get The Writing Retreat at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. 

Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.

Will writing a novel clear your skin? To what lengths will a mother go to find her family? Today, we're talking with debut author Eleanor Shearer, author of River Sing Me Home, about how the process of writing helped her reconnect with her family, the Caribbean history behind the novel, and what it means to be free. 

River Sing Me Home takes place the day the Emancipation Act of 1834 comes into effect; the day the king has decreed an end to slavery, but instead announces they are his apprentices. Instead of working for the king for another six years, Rachel runs and begins a desperate search for her children that were sold into slavery. This is the story of Rachel and the extraordinary lengths to which a mother will go to find her children… and her freedom. 

Get River Sing Me Home at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. 

Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.

A romantic lead with nice forearms and a rescue dog? What more could you want! We're talking to Kate Clayborn, author of Georgie, All Along, about the importance of childhood best friends, why work and identity should not always coincide, the part of high school she would and would not want to revisit, and of course, cowboys. 

Georgie, All Along follows longtime personal assistant Georgie Mulcahy when an unexpected upheaval sends her away from her hectic job in L.A. and back to her hometown where she finds a "friendfic" diary that she wrote as a teenager. The diary becomes her guidebook for getting started on a new path, all with the help of her unexpected roommate, Levi Fanning. As the two make their way through her wishlist, Georgie begins to realize that what she truly wants might not be in the pages of her diary after all, but right by her side.

Get Georgie, All Along at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. 

Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.

Author Sarah MacLean stopped by our headquarters to discuss her new book, These Summer Storms. She broke down the book's themes of wealth, power, and nobility—and spilled about writing the first chapter of her first novel on a dare.

When Alice Storm's wealthy father passes away, the whole family has to pay their final respects by playing a week-long twisted game on a private island—or risk losing out on their inheritance.

Get These Summer Storms at bookofthemonth.com.

Learn more about Book of the Month LIVE at bookofthemonth.com/botm-live.

True or false: Google is a reliable source for dating advice. Today, we're talking with Jessica George, author of Maame, about Googling embarrassing questions, mother-daughter relationships, and ignoring societal timelines. We also play a game of "Dating Red Flags."

Maame follows Maddie, a young British woman who is stuck in a dead-end job and spends most of her time caring for her father. When her mom returns from her latest trip to Ghana, Maddie leaps at the chance to get out of the family house and start living. A self-acknowledged late bloomer, she's ready to experience some important "firsts," but it's not long before tragedy strikes, forcing Maddie to face the true nature of her unconventional family.

Get Maame at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. 

Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com

Want to learn more about the UK's very real (and very absurd) laws? Want to hear how 1940's criminals got away with stealing furs? You've come to the right place! Today, we're talking with Beezy Marsh about the naughty ladies from the Queen of Thieves, old British slang, and what draws Beezy to writing about crime.

Queen of Thieves takes place in post-Blitz, 1946 London. Alice Diamond, the Queen of Thieves, rules over her all-female gang with a bejeweled fist, while her "hoisters" are expert shoplifters. Young Nell is a teenager from the slums facing a desperately uncertain future when Alice takes her under her wing. As Nell embraces the rich spoils of crime and the seedy underbelly of London, will she manage to carve out her own path to power and riches? Might she even crown herself the Queen of Thieves?

Get Queen of Thieves at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. 

Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com

Can a dark academia author recognize the names of demons? Can she tell us what really goes on behind closed doors in a secret society? Today, we're talking with Leigh Bardugo about her experience at Yale, the way hell is portrayed in her newest novel, and why demons and failed companies have eerily similar-sounding names. 

Hell Bent is the epic follow-up to Ninth House. Alex Stern thinks one can just casually go to hell and bring friends back, but the journey is a lot darker and more dangerous than she realized. This attempted rescue could cost her a future at Lethe and at Yale, and if she is going to survive, she'll have to reckon with the monsters of her past and a darkness built into the university's very walls.

Get Hell Bent at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. 

Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com

After her own meet cute happened online, Lauren Kung Jessen decided she wanted to write about the world of online dating, but with a Chinese twist. Today, we talk with Lauren about her debut book, Lunar Love, how to make a meet cute out of any situation, and why (or why not) rooster signs make good podcast hosts.

Lunar Love tells the love story between the unlikely pair: Olivia Huang Christenson and Bennett O'Brien. Olivia has taken over her grandmother's matchmaking business, while Bennett has created a dating app that could run her out of business. As the two businesses go head to head, Bennett and Liv make a deal: they'll find a match for each other—and whoever falls in love loses. But as they're helping clients achieve #RelationshipGoals, these two matchmakers learn the most amazing love story may be their own.

Get Lunar Love at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. 

Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com

What book do you get when you combine inspiration from Cory and Topanga's relationship on Boy Meets World, the pressures of fame, and a story of second chances? You get Kayla Olson's new romance novel, The Reunion. Today, we talk about why the pandemic sparked Kayla's interest in writing romance, what it means to have thick and thin skin as a creative, and where Jerrod would be if he'd modeled as a baby.  

The Reunion follows Liv Latimer, the star of the popular teen drama Girl on the Verge. After 14 years, she's asked to come back for a one-time reunion episode. But doing this means facing her former best friend and costar, Ransom Joel. They might not have got a Hollywood ending the first time around, but a revived show might just give love a fighting chance.

Get The Reunion at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. 

Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com

She may have focused on writing her novel instead of paying attention in class, but it certainly paid off. Today, we sit down with Kate Alice Marshall to talk about her newest novel, What Lies in the Woods. She shares what would be the creepiest things to find in the woods, the difference between writing YA and adult fiction, and how her childhood inspired the whimsical game in the book. 

What Lies in the Woods tells the story of Naomi Shaw and her two best friends, Cassidy and Olivia, 22 years after they sent a killer to prison. They were believed to be heroes, yet they were also liars. For decades, the friends have kept a secret worth killing for. But now, Naomi sets out to find out what really happened in the woods—no matter how dangerous the truth is.

Get What Lies in the Woods at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. 

Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com

Age really does matter when writing a book. Deepti Kapoor says that if she had written Age of Vice in her 20's, it would be completely different. Today, Deepti tells us all about the complicated cast of characters in her novel, her life as a journalist living and partying in New Delhi in the early aughts, and what it means to make broccoli-flavored ice cream. 

Age of Vice opens with a deadly car crash that has all eyes on the Wadia family — loved by some, loathed by others, feared by all. In the shadow of lavish estates, extravagant parties, and calculated political influence, three lives become intertwined: Ajay, the watchful servant. Sunny, the playboy heir. And Neda, the curious journalist caught between morality and desire.

Get Age of Vice at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. 

Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com

Happy Holidays, Listeners! In the spirit of the season, we are reflecting on and celebrating awesome conversations we had this year. We're wrapping up 2022 by re-airing our hysterical conversation with Karin Slaughter, author of Girl, Forgotten. See you in 2023!

Prom night is a memorable night for many Americans, but it's also a great setting for a murder. Today we sit down with Karin Slaughter to talk about her newest thriller novel Girl, Forgotten, why she wanted to change her last name to Laughter as a young girl, and how she channels her Southern roots in her writing.     

Girl, Forgotten follows newly minted U.S. Marshal, Andrea Oliver, as she goes on assignment in Longbill Beach, where she is haunted by a murder that happened nearly 40 years before. What really happened on Prom Night 1982? Why did no one catch the killer? And what happens when Andrea finally uncovers the truth? 

Get Girl, Forgotten at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. 

Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com

Happy Holidays, Listeners! In the spirit of the holiday season, we are reflecting and celebrating some awesome conversations we had this year. First up is Kali Fajardo-Anstine, author of Woman of Light!

What happens when you take tea leaf reading, family secrets, and powerful premonitions and blend them into an epic Western novel? You get Kali Fajardo-Anstine's Woman of Light. On today's episode, we talk about her deep Denver roots and the family stories that inspired her newest novel. 

Woman of Light is an epic yet intimate story that shows three generations of women trying to make a life in the perilous '30s American West. This novel follows Luz "Little Light" Lopez, a tea leaf reader and laundress, who is left with her aunt to make ends meet after her older brother is run out of town by a violent white mob.

Get Woman of Light at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. 

Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com

If you were to create a secret society of people who sleep on their sides, what would you call it? Today, we sit down with R.F. Kuang to talk about her popular novel. She also shares why people take on different personalities in different languages, why translation plays such a big role in her novel, and why bananas are so funny. 

Babel is a fantasy epic set in 19th-century England and follows Robin who, after being taken from China, is sent to Oxford University. There, he learns about silver-working, a method that harnesses the powers of translation to create magical effects. But as Robin uncovers how this magic is abused, he must decide what he's willing to sacrifice in order to stop those in power.  

Get Babel at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. 

Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.

The best way to listen to Book of the Month LIVE is in our app.

Author Wally Lamb visited our headquarters to discuss his new novel, The River Is Waiting. He talked about what motivates his writing (fear), the most common reported side effect of reading his books (crying), and what it takes to really forgive (listen to find out).

When a new father causes an unimaginable tragedy, he is confronted with prison time and a question he may never be able to answer: what does it take to win his family's forgiveness?

Get The River Is Waiting at bookofthemonth.com.

Learn more about Book of the Month LIVE at bookofthemonth.com/botm-live.

Would you rather lose control of your mind or your body? What if you lost control of both? Repeat BOTM author Stacy Willingham's newest novel explores these questions and more. She joins us today to talk about dangerous things like saying howdy to a pirate, our obsession with murder, and the South's haunted past. 

All the Dangerous Things tells the story of Isabella Drake, a mother who literally can't sleep ever since her son went missing a year ago. When she agrees to an interview with a true-crime podcaster, her insomnia makes her doubt what is true about the night her son disappeared. 

Get All the Dangerous Things at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. 

Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.

If you're scared of heights, can your dream circus act still be to walk on the tightrope? Our next author thinks so. We're talking with Amita Parikh about her debut novel, The Circus Train. We dive deep into embarrassing family secrets, our fascination with the circus, and why book people should care more about sports. 

The Circus Train follows Lena, who is the daughter of a headlining illusionist in a traveling circus during WWII. Yet, Lena's different from the rest — she wants to study science at a university and she's in a wheelchair. When she rescues Alexandre, everything changes and Lena must find her own path in the midst of such despair and darkness. 

Get The Circus Train at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.

Would writers survive the end of the world? Is LASIK eye surgery the key to an apocalyptic future? And what roles do isolation and connection play in a world ravaged by destructive storms? We answer these questions and more with author Lily Brooks-Dalton. 

The Light Pirate follows the life of Wanda, a girl named after the "once-in-a-lifetime" storm that ravaged her home state of Florida. As temperatures and waters rise, and as storms come harder and faster, Wanda and her family have to learn to adapt to the changing climate. Moving from childhood to adulthood, Wanda loses family, gains community, and ultimately, seeks adventure, love, and purpose in a place remade by nature.

Get The Light Pirate at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. 

Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com

Boozy grandmothers are truly the life of any holiday party. In today's episode, Alison talks about what Christmas looks like in Portland, complete with brunch mimosas, fancy cocktails, and Voodoo donuts. She also shares how Bill Pullman was her inspiration for Jack, the butch lesbian, and how consent is really cool when it comes to romance novels. 

Kiss Her Once for Me tells the story of Ellie, a struggling artist working at a coffee shop in Portland. When the coffee shop's landlord Andrew needs to marry someone in order to secure his recent inheritance, Ellie steps in. But Ellie finds out that Andrew's sister Jack is the mysterious woman Ellie fell for on Christmas Eve last year. Time to cozy up with this delightful holiday tale as old as time: boy meets girl, girl meets boy's sister.

Get Kiss Her Once for Me at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. 

Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com

Happy Thanksgiving, listeners! In celebration of the holiday season, we are re-airing our very first episode of VBT, featuring author Adriana Trigiani. We spoke with Adriana about the power of sharing family stories, as well as the role food plays in our lives. All of which is perfectly on theme!

Every conversation with Adriana Trigiani is one to remember. According to Adriana, this one was years of manifestation in the making! Editorial Director Brianna Goodman and Editorial Associate Jerrod MacFarlane sit down with Adriana to talk about how stories are everywhere, especially in your own family tree. Get ready to laugh when you listen to this episode of Virtual Book Tour. After all, it's not every day that an author makes someone who reads books for a living rethink how they view an entire genre. 

The Good Left Undone is a historical fiction spanning four generations of Italian women as they navigate love, identity, and family legacy.. If you love art, romance, and WWII history, then this is the book for you! 

Get The Good Left Undone at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.

We're taking an emotional journey with our next guest, Onyi Nwabineli. Her debut novel Someday, Maybe tackles some really tough subjects like suicide, grief, and guilt. Onyi shares what it was like to dive deep into these emotions, what sparked the idea for this story, and we even play a little game where we learn what the being 'Keeper of the Cup' entails. 

Someday, Maybe tells the story of Eve, who has suffered the unimaginable. In the aftermath of her husband's suicide, she is battling with feelings of grief and guilt. But through the transformative power of love, Eve starts to grow stronger and more hopeful. This emotional, devastatingly frank account of grief's many faces will have you in your feelings.

Get Someday, Maybe at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. 

Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com

Today, we get to ask a screenwriter-turned-author the most important question of them all: Is the book always better than the movie? Ruth Emmie Lang joins us today to talk about her newest novel, The Wilderwomen, and she shares what her go-to road trip necessities are.  

The Wilderwomen follows two sisters: one sister who can see the future; the other people's memories. When the girls meet up five years after their mother's disappearance, they start to uncover the answer to the question that has been haunting them for years: Why did she leave?

Get The Wilderwomen at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. 

Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com

Our next guest went from teaching students, to becoming a Jungian expert, to writing another novel that's stirring conversations all over the country. Best-selling author Matthew Quick joins us today to talk about his newest novel, We Are the Light. He shares which landmark inspired this story, why movies hold such a special place in his heart, and what should be on your dad's Christmas list this year (besides beer and football memorabilia). 

We Are the Light tells the story of Lucas Goodgame, a man who suffered an unimaginable tragedy, and Eli, a boy ostracized from his community who Lucas takes under his wing. In this moving tale of hope and redemption, Lucas and Eli's unlikely film production brings together their small town racked with grief.

Get We Are the Light at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. 

Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com

The day everyone has been waiting for has finally arrived, and we are pleased to announce the 2022 golden Lolly goes to...

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin! Listen back on the episode we recorded with Gabrielle in July and find out what makes her book so deserving.

To hear more from Gabrielle on her BOTY win, visit bookoftheyear.com or download our app and watch our new video where she discusses what it means to be this year's winner.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a moving story of friendship and art-making that will make you nostalgic for your favorite childhood video games. It follows two characters, Sam and Sadie, who bonded while playing video games together as young kids. When they meet again as university students, they start building a video game together, which becomes incredibly successful and wrenches them into a life of unexpected fame. This book will make you feel all the feels, guaranteed.

Get Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. 

Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com

It's the question we've all been asking ourselves since January 1, 2022: Which book is going to win the Book of the Year Award at Book of the Month for 2022? Readers have left their opinions. BOTM staff members have stated their suspicions. And now you, the listener, can make your own predictions as to which author will win the coveted golden Lolly. Here are this year's nominees: 

A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham

Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

Vote for your favorite at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. 

Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com

The best way to listen to Book of the Month LIVE is in our app.

Author Janelle Brown visited our headquarters to discuss her new work of fiction, What Kind of Paradise. She also opened up about her love-hate relationship with technology, including her former career as a tech writer, and why she thinks pastoral living sounds pretty good right about now.

A teenage girl who's grown up off-the-grid gets plugged into society during the dawn of Silicon Valley, and starts to question everything she thought she knew about her father.

Get What Kind of Paradise at bookofthemonth.com.

Learn more about Book of the Month LIVE at bookofthemonth.com/botm-live.

Do flirty bisexuals make the best spies? Where does this historical fiction writer get her fight scene inspirations? What would happen if Pinocchio researched how to be a real boy on TikTok? We get the answers to these burning questions with our most recent guest, Chloe Gong, author of the YA historical fiction novel, Foul Lady Fortune. 

Foul Lady Fortune follows Rosalind Lang, a nationalist spy who cannot die. When a series of murders causes unrest in her city of 1930s Shanghai, Rosalind teams up with another nationalist spy, Orion Hong. The two spies soon find that there are deeper and more horrifying layers to this mystery than they ever imagined.

Get Foul Lady Fortune at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. 

Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com

When you think of Hell, what do you think of? To our next guest, Claudia Lux, it means unpredictable puddles, non-stop car horns, and waking up in a hangover fog every morning. Claudia sits down with us to talk about her debut novel, Sign Here. She shares what the term "fluffy Hell" means, why the only drink in her version of Hell is Jägermeister, and why bike trolleys are the bane of her existence. 

Sign Here follows Peyote Trip who works in the deals department on the fifth floor of Hell. Pey has a great opportunity to earn a devilishly big promotion. But first he needs to get one more member of the Harrison family to sell their soul.

Get Sign Here at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. 

Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com

Written by Book of the Month author Kiersten White.

Author website: https://www.kierstenwhite.com/

New members can get Kiersten White's novel The Guinevere Deception at bookofthemonth.com for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.

Here's the brief:

Every kid in the neighborhood knew not to go near the big house at the end of the crooked lane. The Victorian mansion was perpetually dark and shuttered, surrounded by overgrown trees that cast long, spindly shadows. The old lady who lived there was known to threaten trespassers with a sharp-handled broom. Rumor had it there was even a dead body buried in her backyard. And so every Halloween, the neighborhood trick-or-treaters steered clear of that driveway. That is, until this Halloween night, when we noticed something unusual: The big house's porch light was on. The door was open. And Tommy dared me to go inside.

Written by Book of the Month author Laura Hankin.

Author website: https://www.laurahankin.com/

New members can get Laura Hankin's novel Happy & You Know It at bookofthemonth.com for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.

Here's the brief:

Every kid in the neighborhood knew not to go near the big house at the end of the crooked lane. The Victorian mansion was perpetually dark and shuttered, surrounded by overgrown trees that cast long, spindly shadows. The old lady who lived there was known to threaten trespassers with a sharp-handled broom. Rumor had it there was even a dead body buried in her backyard. And so every Halloween, the neighborhood trick-or-treaters steered clear of that driveway. That is, until this Halloween night, when we noticed something unusual: The big house's porch light was on. The door was open. And Tommy dared me to go inside.

Written by Book of the Month author Julie Clark.

Author website: https://julieclarkauthor.com/

New members can get Julie Clark's novels The Lies I Tell and The Last Flight at bookofthemonth.com for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.

Here's the brief:

Every kid in the neighborhood knew not to go near the big house at the end of the crooked lane. The Victorian mansion was perpetually dark and shuttered, surrounded by overgrown trees that cast long, spindly shadows. The old lady who lived there was known to threaten trespassers with a sharp-handled broom. Rumor had it there was even a dead body buried in her backyard. And so every Halloween, the neighborhood trick-or-treaters steered clear of that driveway. That is, until this Halloween night, when we noticed something unusual: The big house's porch light was on. The door was open. And Tommy dared me to go inside.

What is the number one export of Other Birds' fictional Mallow Island? Marshmallows. And today, we're talking with a very sweet guest, Sarah Addison Allen, author of Other Birds. She shares why moms make the best neighbors, why misfits make the most welcoming communities, and why even ghosts still need to learn a thing or two. 

Other Birds is an enchanting novel that follows the quirky, soulful stories of the unlikely neighbors in a magical apartment complex. This book walks the line between the real and the imaginary, exploring the stories that take flight in the most extraordinary ways.

Get Other Birds at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. 

Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com

Why are we so afraid of monsters? What would you do if you saw a house running around town on chicken legs? If your past determines your magical abilities, what would they be? In this episode fit for the spooky season, GennaRose Nethercott is talking about an old crone with a secret agenda, the creepy history of certain folklore tales, and why walking around in a graveyard at dusk is just too on-brand for her. 

Thistlefoot is the fantasy novel you get when you mix a house on chicken legs, a girl who can bring inanimate objects to life, and a prophecy foretold. Inspired by old Baba Yaga folk stories, this book is a fairy tale for grown-ups mixed with a touching story of sibling relationships and self discovery. 

Want more from GennaRose? You can check out her puppet show for a limited time exclusively on the Book of the Month app.

Get Thistlefoot at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. 

Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.

What happens when an author takes a literary classic and adds sythensisia, a new romantic interest, and really big shirt sleeves? We are talking with Laurie Lico Alabanese about her newest novel, Hester, which is a novel that does all of those things and much, much more.  

Hester is a powerful reimagining of Nathaniel Hawthorne's classic tale — but the women get to tell their sides of the story this time around. You'll never look at the Scarlet A the same after reading this quintessential New England tale of power and desire.

Get Hester at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. 

Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com

If you were in the dentist office, how would you ward off a potential killer? What does the old lady in the park have in her bag (besides a fluffy dog)? How do you write a fight scene? We answer these questions and more with author Deanna Raybourn. 

Killers of a Certain Age follows four sixty-something assassins, who are on their all-expenses paid retirement vacation when they realize that they have been marked for death. Nothing ruins retirement like an old employer putting a hit out on you. But these women won't go down without a fight.

Get Killers of a Certain Age at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. 

Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com

Writing a book with over 14 characters that have main-character energy is a real challenge, but Carolyn Huynh executed it perfectly in her debut novel, The Fortunes of Jaded Women. In this episode, we talk with Carolyn about her family dynamics that inspired parts of this book like motherly roasts, psychic visits, and Gen Z daughters keeping the peace through TikTok. 

The Fortunes of Jaded Women tells the story of a surprising prophecy that upends a family curse that has plagued generations of Viet women living in Orange County's Little Saigon. Filled with a cast of over 14 women, these estranged family members must find their way back to one another, while also trying to find themselves along the way.

Get The Fortunes of Jaded Women at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. 

Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com

The best way to listen to Book of the Month LIVE is in our app.

Author and fashion designer Prabal Gurung stepped out of the Met Gala and into our headquarters to discuss his new memoir, Walk Like a Girl. He also spilled about what really goes on behind the scenes on fashion's biggest night, and revealed his most iconic role model—his powerhouse mother.

From Nepal to New York, fashion icon Prabal Gurung shares his story of growing up as a queer boy, and growing into his status as a fashion legend.

Get Walk Like a Girl at bookofthemonth.com.

Learn more about Book of the Month LIVE at bookofthemonth.com/botm-live.

As a lover of Star Trek and a writer of fanfiction, Ali Hazelwood was destined to become a scientist and romance author. Today, she sits down to talk about her newest novel, Love on the Brain. She shares her secrets behind crafting the perfect sex scene, her hatred of standardized testing and her huge fear of space. 

Love on the Brain is a swoon-worthy romance that will have you questioning the laws of physics as it sweeps you off your feet in zero gravity. This enemies-to-lovers romance follows Bee Königswasser who gets the opportunity of a lifetime to work with NASA. The only catch? She has to work on this once-in-a-lifetime project with her arch nemesis, Levi Ward. 

Get Love on the Brain at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. 

Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com

Written by Book of the Month author Sarah Penner. 

Author website: https://www.sarahpenner.com/

New members can get Sarah Penner's novel, The Lost Apothecary, at bookofthemonth.com for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.

Here's the brief:

Since the day I was born, I've had a hard time keeping my mouth shut. Most of the time that's ok, but yesterday was a different story. The moment I said your name in front of everyone, I knew I'd made a huge mistake. Unfortunately, you can't swallow words back up once they come out. Now here we are.

Written and recorded by Book of the Month 3peat author Katherine Center. 

Author website: https://katherinecenter.com/

New members can get Katherine Center's latest novel, The Bodyguard, at bookofthemonth.com for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.

Here's the brief:

Since the day I was born, I've had a hard time keeping my mouth shut. Most of the time that's ok, but yesterday was a different story. The moment I said your name in front of everyone, I knew I'd made a huge mistake. Unfortunately, you can't swallow words back up once they come out. Now here we are.