Explore every episode of the podcast The Bibliofilles

Was Klara and the Sun really that bad, or have the critics got it wrong? Taika Waititi’s film of Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun has had one-star reviews and accusations of sentimentality. Some critics say it misunderstands the novel completely. Chaya and Sophie of The Bibliofilles have both seen it. Chaya loved it, and Sophie liked it but prefers the book “a million times over”. They ask whether the reviews are warranted, then go on to the bigger questions the story raises about AI, faith, grief and what makes us human. 📚 We discuss: •⁠ ⁠Why critics have called the film twee, and whether sentimentality makes a story less intelligent •⁠ ⁠A quiet, first-person Ishiguro novel on screen: what survives the adaptation and what is lost •⁠ ⁠How the film changes the family story and the ending, and softens the genetic enhancement storyline •⁠ ⁠Why “Klara is chat in 20 years”: AI flattery and the artificial friend •⁠ ⁠Klara, the sun and our search for meaning: Ra, Amaterasu and why people reach for faith in a crisis •⁠ ⁠What makes a person human, from Descartes to Derek Parfit’s Reasons and Persons and Altered Carbon •⁠ ⁠Genetic enhancement and the “lifted” children: who gets access, and what risk would you take for your child? •⁠ ⁠Grief, anticipatory grief and whether bringing someone back would help •⁠ ⁠Would you want to live forever? •⁠ ⁠Why Never Let Me Go is the book to read next •⁠ ⁠Sophie and Chaya’s November book club picks Have you seen the film? Were the critics right, or was it unfairly panned? Tell us in the comments, and let us know which Ishiguro novel we should tackle next. If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe and share it with a fellow book lover. #TheBibliofilles #KlaraAndTheSun #KazuoIshiguro #TaikaWaititi #BookTok #BookToScreen #FilmVsBook #BookAdaptation #NeverLetMeGo #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #Literature #Books #Reading #BookClub Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who really deserves to win a literary prize, and which of the greatest authors in history have been overlooked? 📚🏆 In this episode of The Bibliofilles, Sophie and Chaya dive into the biggest scandals, controversies and shocking snubs in the history of literary awards. From Nobel Prize drama to Booker Prize rebellions, they explore why some of the world's most celebrated books have been overlooked, why certain winners spark outrage, and whether literary prizes really reflect the best of literature. The conversation explores some of the most controversial moments in literary history, including Bob Dylan winning the Nobel Prize in Literature, the 2018 Nobel Prize cancellation following a major scandal, the Booker Prize judges defying the rules to award the prize jointly to Margaret Atwood and Bernardine Evaristo, and the Pulitzer Prize jury's recommendation of Gravity's Rainbow being overruled. Sophie and Chaya also look at the authors who never received the recognition they deserved. From Leo Tolstoy and F. Scott Fitzgerald to James Baldwin, Virginia Woolf, James Joyce and Haruki Murakami, they ask why so many literary giants missed out on major awards. Plus, they discuss Toni Morrison's Beloved, Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall trilogy, Rohinton Mistry's overlooked novels and the controversy surrounding this year's Nobel Prize in Literature winner, Anne Carson. They also explore the role of literary gatekeepers, the lack of diversity in major literary awards, and whether prizes are about recognising the best books or simply reflecting the tastes of a select group of judges. With the Booker Prize approaching, Sophie and Chaya share their predictions, debate which shortlisted books deserve to win and reveal the novels they believe should have received more recognition. In this episode, we discuss: 🏆 The biggest scandals in the history of literary awards 📚 Bob Dylan and the controversy surrounding his Nobel Prize in Literature ⚖️ The 2019 Booker Prize controversy involving Margaret Atwood and Bernardine Evaristo 📖 Why Gravity's Rainbow was denied the Pulitzer Prize 💔 The greatest authors who never won major literary awards ✍️ Why Tolstoy, F. Scott Fitzgerald and James Baldwin were overlooked 📚 Toni Morrison, Beloved and the backlash against literary prize judges 🌍 Diversity, race and the Eurocentric history of the Nobel Prize 👀 The controversy surrounding Anne Carson's Nobel Prize win 📕 Whether literary prizes actually identify the best books 🔮 Sophie and Chaya's predictions for the upcoming Booker Prize 📚 Books Mentioned The Testaments by Margaret Atwood 👉 https://link.amazon/B092P6RGa Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo 👉 https://link.amazon/B0e7noL66 Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon 👉 https://link.amazon/B0bWy5aas Last Orders by Graham Swift 👉 https://link.amazon/B09fR3UNb As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner 👉 https://link.amazon/B0f7Rvr2K Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood 👉 https://link.amazon/B057icJpH A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry 👉 https://link.amazon/B04NP9pYs Beloved by Toni Morrison 👉 https://link.amazon/B0fZQTXjw The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 👉 https://link.amazon/B04QLA3cG War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy 👉 https://link.amazon/B010lAdmY Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy 👉 https://link.amazon/B08PYjNJv Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin 👉 https://link.amazon/B06uUSjmO Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel 👉 https://link.amazon/B0htzqlwH Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel 👉 https://link.amazon/B0dUi2rNN Autobiography of Red by Anne Carson 👉 https://link.amazon/B0cPc0V0T Black Bag by Luke Kennard 👉 https://link.amazon/B06lckHMM The Disappearance by Marlon James 👉 https://link.amazon/B00qau654 The Mirror & the Light by Hilary Mantel 👉 https://link.amazon/B0hJCVtQI If you love books, literary fiction, classic novels, book recommendations, author controversies, the Booker Prize, the Nobel Prize in Literature and discussions about the books that shape our world, subscribe to The Bibliofilles for more bookish debates with Sophie and Chaya. #TheBibliofilles #BookPodcast #BookerPrize #NobelPrize #LiteraryAwards #AnneCarson #MargaretAtwood #ToniMorrison #BookRecommendations #Literature #BookTok #BookTube #Reading Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it really take to become a writer and how do you find the courage to keep writing when you know people are going to judge your work? In this very special episode of The Bibliofilles, Sophie and Chaya sit down with acclaimed author Min Jin Lee, author of Pachinko, Free Food for Millionaires and American Hagwon, for a wide-ranging conversation about books, identity, education, immigration, ambition and the craft of writing. Min Jin Lee opens up about her unexpected journey from lawyer to novelist, why she never originally thought writing was a “real job”, and how books have shaped her entire life. She also explains why she sees herself first and foremost as a reader and why she believes the relationship between a writer and their reader is something genuinely special. The conversation dives deep into American Hagwon, a multi-generational family story exploring education, ambition, identity, family expectations and the immigrant experience. Min Jin Lee discusses the research behind the novel, the complexities of the hagwon education system, and why we need to question the systems we assume are simply “normal”. She also reflects on growing up between Korea and America, the experience of feeling like an outsider in both places, and how immigration and identity have shaped her characters and storytelling. There’s also a fascinating discussion about parental expectations, the lives we don't live, hidden talents, religion, ambition and the gifts we leave unexplored plus Min Jin Lee reveals what her next novel is about. And yes, we also talk about Pachinko. 📚 In this episode, we discuss: Min Jin Lee's journey from lawyer to writer Why books “saved her life” The making of Free Food for Millionaires and Pachinko American Hagwon and the pressure of education The immigrant experience and cultural identity Korean hagwon education and academic pressure Parenting, ambition and inherited expectations Religion, community and hierarchy How Min Jin Lee approaches research and character development Why she doesn't think of writing as self-expression Trusting readers rather than worrying about critics The inspiration behind her next novel, Marshall Plan 📚 Books Mentioned Pachinko by Min Jin Lee 👉 https://link.amazon/B0g85u4Pb American Hagwon by Min Jin Lee 👉 https://link.amazon/B0dLwhE31 A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry 👉 https://link.amazon/B08pJTcA2 A House for Mr Biswas by V. S. Naipaul 👉 https://link.amazon/B0fr0lSre Clay Walls by R. K. Narayan 👉 https://link.amazon/B07N3fO5g If you love books, literature, reading, book recommendations, author interviews, literary fiction and behind-the-book conversations, subscribe to The Bibliofilles for more. #TheBibliofilles #MinJinLee #Pachinko #AmericanHagwon #BookPodcast #AuthorInterview #Books #BookTok #BookTube #Literature #Reading #BookRecommendations #FreeFoodForMillionaires Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Struggling to get into reading? Think you’re just not a book person? You might simply not have found the right book yet. In this episode of The Bibliofilles, Chaya and Sophie share the books they believe can turn even the most reluctant reader into someone who can’t put a book down. From gripping true crime and psychological thrillers to epic fantasy, historical fiction, romance and literary classics, they explore the stories that pull you in, keep you turning the pages and stay with you long after you’ve finished reading. Whether you’re stuck in a reading slump, looking for your next obsession or hoping to get back into books after years away, there’s something here for every kind of reader. They discuss why certain genres hook us, how finding books that match your existing interests can transform your relationship with reading, and why you don’t need to be a lifelong bookworm to fall in love with a great story. Expect controversial opinions, personal favourites and plenty of recommendations to add to your TBR. 👇 All books mentioned are linked below 👇 True Crime & Non-Fiction Penance by Eliza Clark 👉 https://link.amazon/B08I5PvRK Notes on an Execution 👉 https://link.amazon/B0dkiQTo1 In Cold Blood by Truman Capote 👉 https://link.amazon/B0d5YFd2t Bad Blood by John Carreyrou 👉 https://link.amazon/B07YSr5un Educated by Tara Westover 👉 https://link.amazon/B09bEMGYt Careless People 👉 https://link.amazon/B0aMFT9xM Historical Fiction & Epic Stories Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry 👉 https://link.amazon/B0aZG5F5R The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini 👉 https://link.amazon/B03ri1vAn Pachinko by Min Jin Lee 👉 https://link.amazon/B01SVgibJ Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 👉https://link.amazon/B0ialQhGv The Women by Kristin Hannah 👉 https://link.amazon/B0ddV9oWb The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah 👉 https://link.amazon/B01U9gkYr Classics & Literary Fiction The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas 👉https://link.amazon/B0hNYWmog East of Eden by John Steinbeck 👉 https://link.amazon/B01Vjqf61 The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde 👉 https://link.amazon/B08JBGtoz White Nights by Fyodor Dostoevsky 👉 https://link.amazon/B04ak2jBw Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier 👉 https://link.amazon/B0jk0l7GI The Secret History by Donna Tartt 👉 https://link.amazon/B04xnnJE2 The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin 👉 https://link.amazon/B0iT51VAf Thrillers, Fantasy & Speculative Fiction The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides 👉https://link.amazon/B0fLaUUlN Red Rising by Pierce Brown 👉 https://link.amazon/B0iC37Ww4 Witchcraft for Wayward Girls 👉 https://link.amazon/B04EqAnXa The Devils 👉 https://link.amazon/B00da3BES Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel 👉 https://link.amazon/B0fSXQpxs Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros 👉 https://link.amazon/B0hJAPWcV Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas 👉 https://link.amazon/B0gk1RsOJ Romance, Relationships & Unforgettable Characters Talking at Night by Claire Daverley 👉 https://link.amazon/B0iTKk7fJ People in Love by Claire Daverley 👉 https://link.amazon/B02MhvXs8 Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld 👉 https://link.amazon/B07KCpyg9 Disappoint Me 👉 https://link.amazon/B01GqoXJ0 My Friends 👉 https://link.amazon/B0f4uZOzt The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid 👉 https://link.amazon/B02QWIHDo Ordinary Love 👉https://link.amazon/B0iopAbAs Mythology & Other Must-Reads: The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller 👉 https://link.amazon/B059YgqjF The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker 👉 https://link.amazon/B09G0mJJm Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer 👉 https://link.amazon/B0fuf8seY Wild Dark Shore 👉 https://link.amazon/B02qnmC8j 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Sophie & Chaya. #Bibliofilles #BookRecommendations #BookTok #BookTube #BookLovers #BookClub #BooksToRead #MustReadBooks #ReadingRecommendations #ReadingSlump #BookAddict #BookObsessed #Bookish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is Netflix’s East of Eden getting Cathy Ames completely wrong? Sophie and Chaya discuss John Steinbeck’s East of Eden, the new Netflix series starring Florence Pugh, and the huge controversy surrounding its interpretation of Cathy Ames. Is Netflix’s East of Eden faithful to the book? Why has Cathy Ames been rewritten as a more sympathetic character? And what does Steinbeck actually say about good, evil, free will and the power of choice? In this episode of The Bibliofilles, we compare the East of Eden book and Netflix series, exploring the biggest changes to Cathy, the Trask brothers, the Hamilton family and the central themes of Steinbeck’s classic novel. We also discuss “Timshel”, the biblical story of Cain and Abel, Steinbeck’s letters and the real-life inspirations behind East of Eden. 📚 We discuss: • East of Eden by John Steinbeck • The Netflix East of Eden adaptation • Florence Pugh as Cathy Ames • Cathy Ames: evil or misunderstood? • East of Eden book vs TV series • The meaning of Timshel • Cain and Abel and the themes of good vs evil • Free will and the power of choice • The Trask and Hamilton families • Steinbeck’s inspiration and personal life • The biggest differences between the book and Netflix adaptation If you’re watching East of Eden on Netflix, reading John Steinbeck’s novel, or looking for an East of Eden book vs series comparison, this episode dives into everything you need to know. What do you think about Netflix’s version of Cathy Ames? Does the adaptation change the meaning of Steinbeck’s original story? Our brand new East of Eden Falling Further companion, which we do reference in today’s podcast episode can be purchased in two ways… Paid subscribers on Substack receive all our past & future companions for free, together with bonus podcast content, personal articles and more! As well as East of Eden, we also have The Odyssey & The Secret History guides published, with so many more in the works. To sign up for the cost of a coffee a month click here ⬇️  https://wearethebibliofilles.substack.com/subscribe You can also purchase the East of Eden falling further companion as a standalone product below ⬇️ https://thebibliofilles.com/companions/ We hope this brings the text to life, as it did for us and thank you for supporting two obsessive writers! Enjoy the pod! Love, Chaya and Sophie 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Sophie & Chaya. #TheBibliofilles #BookPodcast #EastOfEden #JohnSteinbeck #EastOfEdenNetflix #FlorencePugh #Netflix #BookTube #BookReview #TheBibliofilles Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when you go undercover inside the far right and discover how easily dangerous ideas can become normalised? In this episode of The Bibliofilles, Sophie and Chaya dive into Harry Shukman’s The Year of the Rat, a gripping work of investigative nonfiction that follows Shukman as he spends more than a year undercover inside far-right groups using a hidden camera and the alias “Chris.” From secret pub meetings and Holocaust denial to loneliness, online radicalisation and the communities that draw people into extremist movements, Sophie and Chaya explore what Shukman discovered while moving between nine different groups. The conversation also takes a deeper look at some of the book’s most unsettling themes, including eugenics, IVF, falling birth rates, embryo screening, Silicon Valley funding and the ways dangerous ideas can be presented as completely ordinary. They discuss the morality of undercover journalism, the psychological tension of gaining the trust of people whose beliefs you fundamentally oppose, and Shukman’s own conflict over whether he was helping the very groups he was investigating. The episode also explores the book’s criticisms, including arguments that Shukman’s definition of the far right is too broad, before comparing The Year of the Rat with Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray and its themes of identity, disguise and living a double life. 📚 Books Mentioned The Year of the Rat by Harry Shukman👉 https://link.amazon/B0iHxjhnC The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde👉 https://link.amazon/B0ff8BFt1 Pachinko by Min Jin Lee👉 https://link.amazon/B0jd1dgu5 Free Food for Millionaires by Min Jin Lee👉 https://link.amazon/B009dtWNa The Odyssey by Homer👉 https://link.amazon/B009dtWNa What do you think draws people towards extremist communities? And can dangerous ideas become normal simply because they are presented in a convincing or familiar way? 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations, literary debates, book recommendations and deep dives with Chaya & Sophie. If you love books, reading, literature, nonfiction, investigative journalism, classic novels, contemporary fiction and literary discussions, make sure you're subscribed to The Bibliofilles. #TheBibliofilles #BookPodcast #TheYearOfTheRat #HarryShukman #Books #BookTok #BookTube #Literature #Reading #BookRecommendations #Nonfiction #LiteraryPodcast #OscarWilde #DorianGray Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is fiction getting weirder? This week on Bibliofilles, Chaya and Sophie dive into the wonderfully strange world of weird books, exploring some of the most bizarre, surreal and completely unexpected stories they’ve come across. From women falling in love with bears, planes and even a front door, to characters transforming into insects, dogs and other creatures, there are some books where the premise alone makes you stop and think: how did someone even come up with this? Chaya and Sophie unpack what makes these stories so strange, why authors are drawn to the bizarre, and whether there’s something about weird fiction that makes certain books impossible to forget. Expect bizarre plots, unconventional romances, surreal storytelling and plenty of books that are almost impossible to explain to someone who hasn’t read them. What’s the weirdest book you’ve ever read? 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Sophie & Chaya. #Bibliofilles #BookPodcast #BookRecommendations #WeirdBooks #StrangeBooks #FictionBooks #BookClub #BookTok #BookTube #LiteraryFiction Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why are some of the most famous books in history called what they are? And what if they had kept their original titles? In this episode of The Bibliofilles, Sophie and Chaya dive into the fascinating world of book titles, literary titles and the stories behind them including famous novels that were almost given completely different names. From The Secret History originally being considered as The God of Illusions, to Pride and Prejudice almost becoming First Impressions, 1984 being considered as The Last Man in Europe, and To Kill a Mockingbird nearly being called Atticus, we explore how much a title can change the way we see a book. They also look at the phenomenon of the "title drop",  those brilliant moments when you suddenly realise why a book has been given its name and how titles can become bigger than the books themselves. Plus, we're joined by bestselling author Meg Mason, author of Sorrow and Bliss and Sophie, Staring There, to talk about how she creates her book titles, why Sophie, Staring There was originally called Lilac, and how much a title can shape the writing process. 📚 Books Mentioned The Secret History by Donna Tartt 👉 https://link.amazon/B047aiP9D Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen 👉 https://link.amazon/B09p14rnN Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell 👉 https://link.amazon/B0iGu7djN To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee 👉 https://link.amazon/B0eifZY86 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 👉 https://link.amazon/B00UOOQrx War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy 👉 https://link.amazon/B0g0z2BY5 The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett 👉 https://link.amazon/B0cFQ407B Dracula by Bram Stoker 👉 https://link.amazon/B00bOgUH9 Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll 👉 https://link.amazon/B03bkVwbD Catch-22 by Joseph Heller 👉 https://link.amazon/B06WOa116 Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson 👉 https://link.amazon/B0jgs2dCs Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck 👉 https://link.amazon/B07Py3TA1 Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell 👉 https://link.amazon/B00ha1Vmk Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J. K. Rowling 👉 https://link.amazon/B0jaN8TpF Northern Lights by Philip Pullman 👉 https://link.amazon/B090VVmIb Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick 👉 https://link.amazon/B0iRJO5dn Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason 👉 https://link.amazon/B09A20K1h Sophie, Standing There by Meg Mason 👉 https://link.amazon/B0dJ9P7fW What’s a book title that you think is absolutely perfect? And what book do you think should have had a completely different name? 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations, literary debates, book recommendations and deep dives with Chaya & Sophie. If you love books, reading, literature, classic novels, contemporary fiction, book recommendations and literary trivia, make sure you're subscribed to The Bibliofilles. #TheBibliofilles #BookPodcast #BookTok #BookTube #BookClub #Books #Reading #Literature #BookRecommendations #BookLovers #Bookish #LiteraryPodcast #ClassicBooks #ContemporaryFiction #MegMason Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Bibliofilles, Sophie and Chaya are back from their summer holidays with their September Book Club picks — The Year of the Rat by Harry Shukman and The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde — before diving into a much bigger question: who actually decides what we read? Inspired by new developments in Texas, where a mandatory school reading list includes more than 200 texts alongside Bible passages, Sophie and Chaya explore the politics of education, literary syllabuses and the power that comes with deciding which books students are exposed to. They look back at their own experiences of studying English, from The Great Gatsby, Frankenstein and War Poetry to The Go-Between, and ask whether students should have more choice over the books they study. The conversation then takes a deeper turn into university funding, foreign donations and the influence money can have on education, research and academic institutions. How much influence should donors have? Where does university funding come from? And can we really separate money, politics and what gets taught? Plus, Sophie and Chaya reveal the books they think should be on everyone's syllabus, including Toni Morrison, The Secret History, Giovanni's Room, Never Let Me Go, 1984 and more. Is there really such a thing as a neutral syllabus? And who gets to decide what the next generation reads? 📚 Books Mentioned The Year of the Rat by Harry Shukman 👉 https://link.amazon/B04jA3HWV The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde 👉 https://link.amazon/B0bUQ9I4G To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee 👉 https://link.amazon/B0gNt1tL0 The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas 👉 https://link.amazon/B0awcdlLf Up from Slavery by Booker T. Washington 👉 https://link.amazon/B0bGQuaRH The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare 👉 https://link.amazon/B0cEz42Jj Great Expectations by Charles Dickens 👉 https://link.amazon/B01PWmQRu Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White 👉 https://link.amazon/B0hPvrxRS Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck 👉 https://link.amazon/B0dxjifSF The Rape of the Lock by Alexander Pope 👉 https://link.amazon/B0iNQ493Z Sula by Toni Morrison 👉 https://link.amazon/B025v28K1 Beloved by Toni Morrison 👉 https://link.amazon/B04pm2BVP The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 👉 https://link.amazon/B064Bls4P The Secret History by Donna Tartt 👉 https://link.amazon/B0iBtIh8V Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin 👉 https://link.amazon/B06CMKsOs Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro 👉 https://link.amazon/B05B8w9ik Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell 👉 https://link.amazon/B04hFuY1N Frankenstein by Mary Shelley 👉 https://link.amazon/B0c6tqJ31 Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel 👉 https://link.amazon/B0bVI15Aa Mythos by Stephen Fry 👉 https://link.amazon/B0cfHtSmF I, Claudius by Robert Graves 👉 https://link.amazon/B01YLuLg1 Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall 👉 https://link.amazon/B01ofGRPf One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez 👉 https://link.amazon/B0bQKuN04 The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien 👉 https://link.amazon/B01V4NdmR Translations by Brian Friel 👉 https://link.amazon/B013y1XWF The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank 👉 https://link.amazon/B0gxXgiSi Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell 👉 https://link.amazon/B05EuH7Yh 📚 September Book Club Picks: The Year of the Rat — Harry Shukman The Picture of Dorian Gray — Oscar Wilde 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Chaya & Sophie. #TheBibliofilles #BookPodcast #BookTok #BookClub #ReadingList #Literature #Books #Education #BookRecommendations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We sat down with Professor Luke Kennard to talk about Black Bag, our July Book Club pick, and honestly we're still thinking about it. 🖤📚 Luke is a poet, novelist and critic. His collection Cane was shortlisted for the International Dylan Thomas Prize, Notes on the Sonnets won the Forward Prize for Best Collection in 2021, and his debut novel The Transition was a BBC Radio 4 Book at Bedtime pick. He's now a professor of literature and creative writing at the University of Birmingham, and somehow also finds time to review for the London Review of Books, the Telegraph, the Poetry Review and the TLS. Black Bag follows an out of work actor who gets paid to sit inside a black leather bag as part of a psychology experiment, based on a real 1967 study into the "mere exposure effect", the idea that we come to like almost anything just by being repeatedly exposed to it. Luke told us where the idea actually came from, how a footnote in a completely unrelated academic paper turned into an obsession, and why he was determined to make the costume weirder than the original. We talked about writing male vulnerability without writing a manosphere book, why the majority experience of a creative life is frustration rather than success, and what it's like judging his students' work while sending his own out to be judged in exactly the same way. In this episode we chat about: 📖 The real experiment behind Black Bag, and the mere exposure effect 🎭 Writing a passive protagonist who denies his own agency 🧠 Masculinity, emotional dysregulation, and writing men without being didactic about it ✍️ Why failure, not success, is the real story of a creative life 🎓 Teaching creative writing at Birmingham while his own work gets rejected too 🌀 Anne Carson's influence on the shape and rhythm of the book Head over to Substack for the extended cut, we've got a bonus quick fire round with Luke that didn't make the main episode. 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Chaya & Sophie. #LukeKennard #BlackBag #BookTok #BookClub #AuthorInterview #ContemporaryFiction #BritishFiction Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What makes a great book adaptation and what happens when Hollywood gets it completely wrong? 📚🎬 In this episode of The Bibliofilles, Sophie and Chaya dive into the biggest book-to-film and book-to-TV adaptations, from the adaptations they absolutely loved to the ones that completely missed the point. Plus, they get into the hugely anticipated The Odyssey adaptation, discussing Christopher Nolan’s take on Homer’s epic, what was changed from the original poem, the missing intimacy and sexuality, the depiction of PTSD, Circe, the Cyclops and whether the film captures the heart of the original story. They also look ahead to upcoming adaptations including Klara and the Sun, Pride and Prejudice, East of Eden, The Love Hypothesis, In Memoriam and Buckeye and reveal the books they desperately want to see brought to the screen. In this episode: 📚 The best book-to-film adaptations 🎬 The adaptations that completely missed the mark ⚡ Books vs films: which is actually better? 🧙 Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings & Game of Thrones 💔 Never Let Me Go & We Need to Talk About Kevin 💕 Bridgerton, It Ends With Us & the rise of romance adaptations 🏛️ Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey adaptation 🔮 The books we want to see adapted next Which book adaptation do you think got it right — and which one completely ruined the book? 👇 All books mentioned are linked below 👇 Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien 👉 https://link.amazon/B0dKivsBE Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen 👉 https://link.amazon/B0a2ffdKR The Godfather by Mario Puzo 👉 https://link.amazon/B0gWMEWLH Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling 👉 https://link.amazon/B08yksPbN The Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King 👉 https://link.amazon/B0faJ8h5R We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver 👉 https://link.amazon/B03WT5H1R Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke 👉 https://link.amazon/B07q2N2wT It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover 👉 https://link.amazon/B00VDC34Z Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir 👉 https://link.amazon/B0f8RsOa9 Dune by Frank Herbert 👉 https://link.amazon/B0dKfgPPs Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro 👉 https://link.amazon/B08C2JTr7 Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë 👉 https://link.amazon/B0dTefgkV Game of Thrones Series 👉 https://link.amazon/B05ipHoug Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer 👉 https://link.amazon/B005j12Si The Testaments by Margaret Atwood 👉 https://link.amazon/B0gLGYGBP Atonement by Ian McEwan 👉 https://link.amazon/B0cuSbjog The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins 👉 https://link.amazon/B0daEqVNI Call Me by Your Name by André Aciman 👉 https://link.amazon/B01eBEnaS Bridgerton Series by Julia Quinn 👉 https://link.amazon/B05AGH2og The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood 👉 https://link.amazon/B03zFAERq The Deal by Elle Kennedy 👉 https://link.amazon/B0dmC1VYR Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin 👉 https://link.amazon/B02XZ1df0 Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro 👉 https://link.amazon/B0a2ttTfO East of Eden by John Steinbeck 👉 https://link.amazon/B0gvYmbCL The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood 👉 https://link.amazon/B0dSpRau9 The Housemaid by Freida McFadden 👉 https://link.amazon/B0aptJMwk In Memoriam by Alice Winn 👉 https://link.amazon/B089c8smW Buckeye by Patrick Ryan 👉 https://link.amazon/B0bRaZPRy Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates 👉 https://link.amazon/B06N0L3gU The Odyssey (Emily Wilson translation) 👉 https://link.amazon/A0aVpgM5g #TheBibliofilles #BookTok #BookRecommendations #BookAdaptations #BookToFilm #BookToScreen #BookLovers #ReadingCommunity #BookPodcast #BooksAndMovies Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Bibliofilles, Sophie and Chaya round up the best books of the year so far and it's not just their own picks. They've spent hours combing through every major "best of" list from Goodreads, The New York Times and NPR, then added their own favourites, submissions from Bibliofilles Insiders, and an exclusive segment from senior editors across Spotify Audiobooks worldwide. From the most talked-about book of the year to a lit RPG series flying completely under the radar, a devastating non-fiction deep dive, and the sports romance nobody saw coming, this episode covers new releases, overlooked backlist gems, and the books they simply can't stop thinking about. 📖 In this episode: The most talked-about book of the year so far and why it's dividing readers The lit RPG series outselling literary fiction that nobody's talking about Non-fiction picks spanning true crime, memoir and modern history Sophie and Chaya's personal favourite reads of the year (including one not even out yet) Exclusive best books recommendations from senior editors at Spotify Audiobooks (US, UK, Canada and Australia) Insider picks from Bibliofilles Substack subscribers A recommendation from the National Year of Reading campaign Independent bookshop bestsellers from The Wandering Chapter The books they're most excited to read before the year is out Whether you're searching for the best books of 2026, new book releases, literary fiction, book club recommendations, or your next unputdownable read, this episode has something for every reader. 👇 All books mentioned are linked below 👇 Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke 👉 https://link.amazon/B05FZnSS2 Strangers by Belle Burden 👉 https://link.amazon/B08UUmiA7 Lost Lambs by Madeline Cash 👉 https://link.amazon/B0fC4AwVj Vigil by George Saunders 👉 https://link.amazon/B0aqKSm1Z The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett 👉 https://link.amazon/B0gUhlQrv The Palm House by Gwendoline Riley 👉 https://link.amazon/B0aaHd5kG London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe 👉 https://link.amazon/B05yqno0R Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe 👉 https://link.amazon/B0aSVsxyD A Parade of Horribles by Matt Dinniman 👉 https://link.amazon/B0bzP9UYm Daughters of the Bamboo Grove by Barbara Demick 👉 https://link.amazon/B02liHBM5 Whistler by Ann Patchett 👉 https://link.amazon/B0hSM2YrE The Dutch House by Ann Patchett 👉 https://link.amazon/B06kWomYD John of John by Douglas Stuart 👉 https://link.amazon/B01tbDnoE Transcription by Ben Lerner 👉 https://link.amazon/B00hzS8lk This is Where the Serpent Lives by Daniyal Mueenuddin 👉 https://link.amazon/B01gLxEoj I Want You to be Happy by Jem Calder 👉 https://link.amazon/B01oYdh9a Famesick by Lena Dunham 👉 https://link.amazon/B0fx92u7y Lovelight series by BK Borison 👉 https://link.amazon/B0fx92u7y This Kingdom will not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews 👉 https://link.amazon/B03KOKKRr American Hagwon by Min Jin Lee 👉 https://link.amazon/B0e2TAAvB The Pretender by Jo Harkin 👉 https://link.amazon/B0h8HMY57 Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann 👉 https://link.amazon/B0hjI6qCS Buckeye by Patrick Ryan 👉 https://link.amazon/B09Qtnh4G A Private Man by Stephanie Sy-Quia 👉 https://link.amazon/B03Ngrey9 When the Cranes Fly South by Lisa Rizden 👉 https://link.amazon/B02w4XMYM The Girls by Emma Cline 👉 https://link.amazon/B0gLIDWMI The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout 👉 https://link.amazon/B0hIvqyde Country People by Daniel Mason 👉 https://link.amazon/B0dzDqSiL Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff 👉 https://link.amazon/B0awQ3ksK Cathedrals by Claudia Piñeiro 👉 https://link.amazon/B05runErC Seek the Traitor's Sun by Veronica Roth 👉 https://link.amazon/B0a8VSPaN Fieldwork as a Sex Object by Meena Kandasamy 👉 https://link.amazon/B0gNbL3bc A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan 👉 https://link.amazon/B0j7Oazqf The Winged Game by Sophie Kim 👉 https://link.amazon/B0ifcOSpu Piranesi by Susanna Clarke 👉 https://link.amazon/B0dbl63If Life of Pi by Yann Martel 👉 https://link.amazon/B0dbZKMzL Munichs by David Peace 👉 https://link.amazon/B00VBaS89 The Correspondent by Virginia Evans 👉 https://link.amazon/B0cUEf1VN Doom Painting by AK Blakemore 👉 https://link.amazon/B0iF1Hulv We Go Way Back by Niamh Connolly 👉 https://link.amazon/B09lbWKXj 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Sophie & Chaya. 🎧 Subscribe on Substack for extended essays and exclusive bonus content. #BestBooksOfTheYear #BookRecommendations #BooksToRead #BestBooks2026 #MustReadBooks #BookTok #BookTube #BookClub #LiteraryFiction #ReadingList #BookLovers #ReadersOfInstagram #Bookstagram #TheBibliofilles #BookCommunity #NewBooks2026 #BookPodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've spoken to authors, journalists, teachers, data privacy lawyers, and sources inside publishing who've asked to remain anonymous and we're bringing you the inside scoop on what's actually being discussed behind closed doors. In this episode of The Bibliofilles, Sophie and Chaya step away from book recommendations to tackle something bigger: what AI is actually doing to books, authors, and the publishing industry right now. From a warehouse guillotine slicing book spines for AI training data to a $1.5 billion court settlement, we unpack the legal, ethical, and deeply human stakes of the AI-and-books collision and why it's not going away any time soon. 📖 In this episode: - Inside Anthropic's book-scanning operation and the machines behind it - Bartz v. Anthropic: the piracy case and the $1.5 billion author payout - Why owning a book legally doesn't erase an author's IP rights - Authors accused of using AI with zero concrete proof and the reversal of the burden of proof - A former Anthropic security researcher on AI agents that rewrite their own shutdown code - OpenAI's AI agent that hacked Hugging Face undetected for a week - Why "leaving in mistakes" might become the only proof a book is human-written - Fahrenheit 451, Hans Zimmer, and what we lose when creativity gets automated Whether you're searching for the Anthropic AI lawsuit, AI and copyright law, the future of publishing, or how AI is changing books in 2026, this episode has something for every reader who cares where their stories come from. 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Sophie & Chaya. #TheBibliofilles #AIandBooks #Anthropic #AIvsCreativity #CopyrightLaw #PublishingIndustry #BookPodcast #BookTok #BookTube #WritersOfYouTube #AIethics #BookCommunity #Bookstagram #FutureOfPublishing #ArtificialIntelligence Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Bibliofilles, Sophie and Chaya challenge the idea of the traditional summer read and explore whether the best books for summer are really the ones topping every bestseller list. From literary fiction, Greek mythology retellings, and dystopian classics to romance, thrillers, BookTok favourites, and underrated novels, we share the books we genuinely believe deserve a place on your summer reading list—whether you're relaxing on the beach, by the pool, or curled up at home. We also dive into the surprising research behind the "summer slide," why children should keep reading during the school holidays, and share some of our favourite books for young readers. 📖 In this episode: - The biggest summer reading trends of 2026 - Why there is no such thing as the perfect "summer read" - The most underrated books everyone should read - Literary fiction worth taking on holiday - Greek mythology retellings we love - Romance, thrillers and hidden gems beyond BookTok - Why summer reading is so important for children - Our personal Summer TBR (To Be Read) lists Whether you're searching for summer book recommendations, beach reads, literary fiction, BookTok books, classic novels, or the best books to read in 2026, this episode has something for every reader. 👇 All books mentioned are linked below 👇 The Children of Men 👉 https://link.amazon/B0hMNVNqN Call Me By Your Name 👉 https://link.amazon/B0bNzpLtk My Sister, The Serial Killer 👉 https://link.amazon/B07rO0md0 The Neapolitan Novels 👉 https://link.amazon/B0hgHiCPP You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty 👉 https://link.amazon/B09apRAuW Alias Grace 👉 https://link.amazon/B06zIB6ei The Remains of the Day 👉 https://link.amazon/B0bBJ2Gm3 Ariadne 👉 https://link.amazon/B0bg48WnC Welcome to Glorious Tuga 👉 https://link.amazon/B03t1yEaQ 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Sophie & Chaya. 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Sophie & Chaya. #BookPodcast #BookRecommendations #SummerReads #SummerReading #BooksToRead #BestBooks2026 #MustReadBooks #BeachReads #BookTok #BookTube #BookClub #LiteraryFiction #ReadingRecommendations #BookLovers #ReadersOfInstagram #GreekMythology #ClassicBooks #DystopianBooks #RomanceBooks #ThrillerBooks #Books2026 #TheBibliofilles #BookCommunity #ReadingList #Bookstagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you have a Bren? 💔📖 This month's Bibliofilles Book Club pick is Claire Daverley's hugely anticipated second novel, People in Love the follow-up to the word-of-mouth phenomenon Talking at Night. Chaya and Sophie sit down with Claire to talk about writing a love triangle with no villain, why the ending had to be both "inevitable and surprising," and the pressure of following up a debut that outgrew every expectation. They get into grief and secondary grief, writing a mother's mental illness with real tenderness, the narrative device readers are going to want to fight Claire over, and the difference between longing for a person and longing for a version of your own life. Plus, before the interview, they revisit their older book club pick, Octavia Butler's Parable of the Sower, and why a novel written in the '90s and set in 2024–2027 feels less like dystopian fiction and more like a documentary. 👇 All books mentioned are linked below 👇 People in Love by Claire Daverley 👉 https://amzn.to/4hsXNeI Talking at Night by Claire Daverley 👉 https://amzn.to/45jhtuk Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler 👉 https://amzn.to/3RueHPx The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood 👉 https://amzn.to/4wSMLE3 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Chaya & Sophie. #books #booktok #booktube #bookreview #contemporaryfiction #bookclub #clairedaverley #peopleinlove #talkingatnight #authorinterview #bookrecommendations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why has The Odyssey survived for over 3,000 years? ⚔️📚 This week, Chaya and Sophie dive into Homer's The Odyssey to explore why it's considered one of the greatest stories ever told. From the hero's journey and Greek mythology to translation debates, feminism, trauma, hospitality, and the enduring question of what makes someone a hero, they unpack the epic that shaped Western literature. They debate one of literature's most divisive protagonists, explore the women at the heart of the story - including Penelope, Athena, Circe and Calypso - and discuss why The Odyssey continues to inspire readers, writers and filmmakers thousands of years after it was first written. 👇 All books mentioned are linked below 👇 The Odyssey by Homer (Emily Wilson Translation) 👉 https://amzn.to/3RFScav Circe by Madeline Miller 👉 https://amzn.to/4vFSCf3 The Voyage Home by Pat Barker 👉 https://amzn.to/4wQWdYM The Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler 👉 https://amzn.to/4waEDPu Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 👉 https://amzn.to/4vznuOg The Iliad by Homer 👉 https://amzn.to/44CXNRV The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood 👉 https://amzn.to/44z1QyK 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Chaya & Sophie. #books #booktok #booktube #bookreview #classicliterature #greekmythology #theodyssey #homer #booklover #bookrecommendations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What's the difference between a community and a cult? According to researchers and survivors not as much as you'd think. In this episode of The Bibliofilles, we're going deep on one of the most fascinating, disturbing and frankly addictive topics out there: cults. We cover the psychology of why ordinary, intelligent people join them, the language that keeps them in, and why the world we live in now has made all of us more vulnerable than ever. We discuss: •⁠  ⁠Hannah Murray's (Skins, Game of Thrones) memoir The Make Believe — and how a Reiki healer in LA sent her down a rabbit hole she nearly didn't come back from •⁠  ⁠Ruby Frankie, Eight Passengers and the cult of influencer culture and how it ended with her in prison •⁠  ⁠Cultish by Amanda Montell — how the language of cults is already inside your Instagram feed, your fitness studio and your political news feed •⁠  ⁠The BITE model — the framework built to explain exactly how cults control behaviour, information, thought and emotion •⁠  ⁠Cult fiction: The Girls (Emma Cline), The Heart Goes Last (Margaret Atwood), Station 11, Arcadia and more •⁠  ⁠One of our hosts' own family connection to EST — the therapy cult John Denver helped make famous The uncomfortable argument at the centre of all of this? It's already happened to you. 🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts 📚 Join our Substack for exclusive bonus content ⭐ Like, comment, subscribe it genuinely makes a difference #Cults #TrueCrime #BookTok #Psychology #HannahMurray #CultPodcast #BookRecommendations #AuthorInterview #Memoir Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

She's been sober for 16 years. Before that, she was deep in London's club scene, doing d*ugs with celebrities, DJing alongside Alexander McQueen, and watching people around her not make it out alive. In this episode, DJ, producer and author Jodie joins us to talk about her debut memoir "You Had to Be There: An Odyssey Through Noughties London, One Night at a Time" and she does not hold back. We talk about: •⁠ ⁠Sneaking into the London Astoria at 15 with a fake ID and finding her "tribe" •⁠ ⁠Falling into a*diction on the dance floor and getting sober at 25 •⁠ ⁠Losing friends to a*diction, including Amy Winehouse a year after she got clean •⁠ ⁠Structuring her entire memoir around the clubs that raised her Astoria, Turnmills, Fabric, Pasha •⁠ ⁠Why she refused to read any other memoirs while writing her own •⁠ ⁠Getting "discovered" by a literary agent she didn't even know she had Plus a rapid-fire book recommendations round covering Elena Ferrante, Donna Tartt, Barbara Kingsolver and Sarah Waters. This is glamour, grief, queerness, addiction and recovery no filter, no spin. 📚 Subscribe to our Substack for the bonus tier from this episode she's spilling things we can't put on YouTube Jodies Book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/You-Had-Be-There-Noughties-ebook/dp/B0F6TM7XST/ref 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Chaya & Sophie. #BookClub #BookTok #BookRecommendations #Memoir #Addiction #Sobriety #LondonNightlife #BookTok #PodcastClips #AuthorInterview #RecoveryJourney Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We sat down with the incredible Imani Thompson to talk about her debut novel Honey and wow, did it deliver! 🍯📚 We talked about how she crafted Yrsa as a loveable, relatable, yet terrifying protagonist (think Villanelle from Killing Eve), why she leaned so heavily into humour to explore such dark themes, and how she wove critical race theory and Afropessimism naturally into a propulsive, page-turning plot. We also get into the real world inspirations behind the book from incel culture and the manosphere to Audre Lorde's landmark essays on anger and the influence of Jamaica Kincaid's writing. Imani also opens up about her experience working at Daunt Books while editing the manuscript, her late night writing process, and gives us a very exciting first look at her second novel, set in Dorset and inspired by the Bibby Stockholm asylum seeker barge. Before the interview, Sophie and Chaya also sit down to discuss this month's classic pairing Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys and why its themes of race, colonialism, and female identity connect so powerfully with Honey. In this episode we chat about: 📖 What inspired Honey & the creative process behind it 😤 Female rage, the manosphere & incel culture in fiction 🎓 Cambridge as a setting & intersectionality in literature 🌊 Why we paired it with Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys ✍️ Imani's late night writing habits & what's coming next 🗓️ Next Month's Book Club Picks: - People in Love by Claire Daverley - Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler 📌 If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe and leave us a review it really helps! 🎧 Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & YouTube 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Chaya & Sophie. #BookClub #ImaniThompson #Honey #FemaleRage #BookTok #BookRecommendations #CampusNovel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When does wellness become a problem? This week on The Bibliofilles, we're diving into one of the most urgent cultural conversations of the moment looks maxing and optimisation culture and exploring it through the lens of literature. From viral influencers using extreme methods to "engineer" attractiveness, to the Fitbit-ification of reading via Goodreads targets, we unpack how the obsession with maximising every aspect of life is quietly making us miserable and why fiction saw it all coming. 👇 All books mentioned are linked below 👇 Rouge by Mona Awad 👉 https://amzn.to/4uBKo73 The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde 👉 https://amzn.to/44gkf2Z The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison 👉 https://amzn.to/4fOQddP Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro 👉 https://amzn.to/4ozSWdn Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood 👉 https://amzn.to/4ovIFPe Bridget Jones' Diary by Helen Fielding 👉 https://amzn.to/4oAQ9At Female Chauvinist Pigs by Ariel Levy 👉 https://amzn.to/4uOMOiV We also discuss the backlash to Steven Bartlett optimisation obsession, the incel-to-mainstream pipeline of looks culture, and why reading itself has been infected by optimisation thinking. Perfect for: fans of feminist literary criticism, cultural commentary, book recommendations, and anyone who's ever felt exhausted by the pressure to self-optimise. 🎧 Subscribe on Substack for extended essays and exclusive bonus content including our viral extra with Maggie O'Farrell! 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Chaya & Sophie. Sponsored by London Notropics ⁠https://londonnootropics.com⁠ #looksmaxing #looksmaxxing #beautystandards #malegaze #botox   #glowup #manosphere  #podcast #trending #bookish #books #filler #lipfiller Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chaya sits down with the author of the moment New York Times, Sunday Times, Australian and New Zealand bestseller Sarah A. Parker for the most emotional, raw and revelatory interview The Bibliofilles has ever recorded. We're diving into When the Moon Hatched and the newly released sequel The Ballad of Falling Dragons in a completely spoiler-free deep dive that will leave you absolutely wrecked (in the best way). In this episode, Sarah opens up about: - The real man who inspired Kahn yes, he exists, and yes, he gave up his entire career for her - Why she built her entire world behind closed eyelids before writing a single word - The devastating personal grief that gave birth to the dragon moon concept - Her powerful stance on female rage, suppressed identity, and protecting your creative bubble - Why she refuses to look at Goodreads and why you probably shouldn't either Super fans join live with burning questions, including: - What is Kaydence actually an allegory for? - Does Elwyn share Raven's complicated relationship with rain? - Will we ever get side character books set in this world? - How many books are left and is book three already written? This is not just a fantasy podcast episode. This is a masterclass in storytelling, trauma, creativity, and what it means to write a legacy. 👇 All books mentioned are linked below 👇 When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A. Parker 👉 https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0008710333/ The Ballad of Falling Dragons by Sarah A. Parker 👉https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ballad-Falling-Dragons-romantasy-bestselling-ebook/dp/B0DB3GT6YL #moonfall #romantasy #fantasybooks #booktok #bookpodcast #podcastrecommendations  #newpodcastepisode  #podcastersofinstagram  #bookrecommendations  #currentlyreading #bookobsessed #bookishcommunity #bookboyfriend #books #reading #bookworm #newrelease Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Off Campus has become one of the biggest TV sensations of 2026, taking over streaming charts, BookTok and social media feeds around the world. In this episode we discuss the hit adaptation of Elle Kennedy's bestselling romance series and why audiences have become completely obsessed with Garrett, Hannah, Dean and the Briar University crew. We explore the show's addictive storytelling, its portrayal of consent and healthy relationships, the representation of sexual assault and trauma, and why so many viewers are calling it a cultural turning point for romance on screen. Key topics: • Off Campus review and reaction • Consent and healthy masculinity • Sexual assault representation in television • Romance books vs romance adaptations • The rise of New Adult fiction • Elle Kennedy's publishing journey • BookTok and the romance boom • Why Off Campus has become a global phenomenon • Our favourite characters and storylines Articles discussed: https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2026/05/11984138/off-campus-sexual-assault https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clypz87rqy1o https://www.pedestrian.tv/entertainment/off-campus-sexual-assault-rom-com/ https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/may/29/off-campus-tv-show-series-prime-video-global-hit #OffCampus #ElleKennedy #BookTok #RomanceBooks #PrimeVideo #BookPodcast #TheBibliophiles #NewAdultRomance Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Maggie O'Farrell joins The Bibliofilles to discuss her extraordinary new novel, Land. In this wide-ranging conversation, Maggie explores the Irish history, mythology and landscape that inspired the book, the lasting legacy of the Great Hunger, and why the land itself becomes a living character in her fiction. We also discuss historical research, writing authentic historical novels, family, memory, grief, parenthood, and the stories of ordinary people caught inside major historical events. Maggie shares insights into her bestselling novels Hamnet and The Marriage Portrait, reveals how Irish myths shaped her storytelling, and explains the fascinating real-world history behind Ireland's sacred wells and folklore. We also go behind the scenes of adapting Hamnet for the screen, writing a screenplay, collaborating with filmmakers, and experiencing the journey from novel to Oscar-winning adaptation. Topics covered: Land by Maggie O'Farrell Historical fiction writing The Irish Great Hunger Irish mythology and folklore Hamnet adaptation The Marriage Portrait Researching historical novels Family, memory and trauma Writing process and creativity Novel writing vs screenwriting If you enjoy conversations about books, literature, writing, historical fiction and storytelling, subscribe to The Bibliofilles for more author interviews and literary discussions. 👇 All books mentioned are linked below 👇 Land by Maggie O'Farrell 👉 https://amzn.to/4x5CeGF Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver 👉 https://amzn.to/4vo2hHj Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell 👉 https://amzn.to/4vlCuj2 The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell 👉 https://amzn.to/4x2nF6N 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Chaya & Sophie. Sponsored by London Nootropics https://londonnootropics.com #MaggieOFarrell #Land #Hamnet #TheMarriagePortrait #DemonCopperhead #BarbaraKingsolver #HistoricalFiction #LiteraryFiction #BookPodcast #AuthorInterview #BookTube #BookTok #ReadingCommunity #BooksBooksBooks #FictionBooks #IrishHistory #IrishLiterature #WritersLife #BookLovers #TheBibliofilles Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When was the last time you read a book… without checking the reviews first? In this episode, we read the funniest, harshest, and most unhinged one-star reviews including brutal takedowns of classic books we love. It’s hilarious… until it isn’t. Because beneath the chaos, there’s a bigger question: Are we still thinking for ourselves or letting the internet decide what we like? 👇 All books mentioned are linked below 👇 Pride and Prejudice 👉 https://amzn.to/4eKSxSn The Great Gatsby 👉 https://amzn.to/4eILoSE Frankenstein 👉 https://amzn.to/4efizx6 Crime and Punishment 👉 https://amzn.to/4n1AbyS Wuthering Heights 👉 https://amzn.to/3R79kVS The Divine Comedy 👉 https://amzn.to/3OGUPaJ 1984 👉 https://amzn.to/48vrC9j Everything’s Fine 👉 https://amzn.to/4cB4Orf A Prayer for Owen Meany 👉 https://amzn.to/4vTHJrc Never Let Me Go 👉 https://amzn.to/48Y62dK Wolf Hall 👉 https://amzn.to/4ud7UaL The Bell Jar 👉 https://amzn.to/3OM9KAs A Little Life 👉 https://amzn.to/4mZm3Gf A Discovery of Witches 👉 https://amzn.to/4wbQFsm Empire of Pain 👉 https://amzn.to/4mTBOyx Still Life 👉 https://amzn.to/4tNDJXV The Song of Achilles 👉 https://amzn.to/4cTfMr0 Penance 👉 https://amzn.to/4ueNNZF 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Chaya & Sophie. Sponsored by London Nootropics https://londonnootropics.com Discount code for 20% off  Biblio Discount Code For Bubble BIBLIO15: https://bubble.onelink.me/nnib/signup?deep_link_sub2=BIBLIO15.T&Cs £15 off first childcare booking. Not valid in conjunction with other promo codes or account credit. Valid until 01.11.26. #books #booktok #booktube #bookreview #booklover #bookstagram #bookish #bookrecommendations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when society decides certain books are too dangerous to read?  In this episode of the Bibliofilles Podcast, we explore the shocking history of banned books, censorship, moral panic, and the stories that powerful institutions have tried to silence. From 1984 by George Orwell and Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury to The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood and The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, we discuss the novels that sparked outrage, political fear, religious backlash, and cultural controversy across generations. We unpack why books continue to be banned in schools and libraries, how censorship reflects societal anxieties, and why literature remains one of the most powerful forms of rebellion. Along the way, we explore dystopian fiction, authoritarianism, surveillance culture, feminism, LGBTQ+ book bans, freedom of speech, and the growing debates around what children should and should not be allowed to read. 👇 All books mentioned are linked below 👇 1984 by George Orwell 👉 https://amzn.to/4dD4KaY The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood 👉 https://amzn.to/3RVSwSd Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood 👉 https://amzn.to/4ubP6rT Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury 👉 https://amzn.to/4vlrZwf Julia by Sandra Newman 👉 https://amzn.to/3Qdw06T A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley 👉 https://amzn.to/4vqAndX The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison 👉 https://amzn.to/4dX8Vx6 Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison 👉 https://amzn.to/4ee0UoN I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou 👉 https://amzn.to/4e3jrTQ The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck 👉 https://amzn.to/3RVT2Q9 The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie 👉 https://amzn.to/4xj6FJJ The Red Tent by Anita Diamant 👉 https://amzn.to/4fSGq6l Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi 👉 https://amzn.to/4uOnzOG Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov 👉 https://amzn.to/4dYYZ6s A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess 👉 https://amzn.to/4uI57Hr Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller 👉 https://amzn.to/3REVLxq Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling 👉 https://amzn.to/4399AXr Charlotte's Web by E.B. White and Garth Williams 👉 https://amzn.to/49ytoXX Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe 👉 https://amzn.to/3RFZNpg All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson 👉 https://amzn.to/4fiRtpo This Book Is Gay by Juno Dawson 👉 https://amzn.to/4anvXMD Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison 👉 https://amzn.to/4dHx5Nq Educated by Tara Westover 👉 https://amzn.to/4nZIbAN If you love literary analysis, classic books, dystopian fiction, banned books history, political literature, and conversations about culture through literature, this episode is for you. 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Chaya & Sophie. Sponsored by London Nootropics ⁠https://londonnootropics.com⁠ #BannedBooks #BookTok #BibliophilesPodcast #BooksPodcast #LiteraturePodcast #BookLovers #ClassicLiterature #DystopianBooks #1984 #Fahrenheit451 #TheHandmaidsTale #GeorgeOrwell #MargaretAtwood #ToniMorrison #BookDiscussion #ReadingCommunity #BookRecommendations #FreedomToRead #Censorship #BookCensorship #LiteraryPodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when one of the internet’s most aesthetic books is actually read properly? In this deep dive episode,  we unpack The Stranger by Albert Camus the slim philosophical classic that has become a cultural obsession online. From performative reading culture and celebrity book clubs to absurdism, existentialism, alienation, mental health, internet culture, and modern emotional burnout, this episode explores why The Stranger still feels terrifyingly relevant today. If you’ve ever seen someone reading The Stranger on the train and wondered what it actually means this is the episode for you. Perfect for fans of literary analysis, classic literature, philosophy, dark academia, booktok, existential fiction, and deep-dive book podcasts. 📚 Books & authors discussed: 👇 All books mentioned are linked below 👇 The Stranger 👉 https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=The+Stranger The Myth of Sisyphus 👉 https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=The+Myth+of+Sisyphus The Secret History 👉 https://amzn.to/48MawUD Assembly 👉 https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=Assembly&crid Waiting for Godot 👉 https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=Waiting+for+Godot&crid Nausea 👉 https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=Nausea&crid Notes from Underground 👉 https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=Notes+from+Underground&crid 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Chaya & Sophie. Sponsored by London Nootropics ⁠https://londonnootropics.com #AlbertCamus #TheStranger #BookPodcast #DarkAcademia #Philosophy #Existentialism #Absurdism #ClassicBooks #BookTok #LiteraryPodcast #FranzKafka #Dostoevsky #BookTube #Literature #DeepDivePodcast #TheBiblioFiles Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why is everyone obsessed with Yesteryear right now? 👀 This week we unpack the book everyone seems to be reading from trad-wife culture and influencer motherhood to religion, feminism, identity, and the dark reality behind perfectly curated online lives.  We debate one of the most divisive female protagonists we’ve read in years, discuss the ending that split readers, and explore why this debut has sparked such a huge cultural conversation. 📚🎙️ 👇 All books mentioned are linked below 👇 Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke 👉 https://amzn.to/3P7DHv4 True Grit by Charles Portis 👉 https://amzn.to/4nvJtDq Strangers by Belle Burden 👉 https://amzn.to/4wvp3yh Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center by Bell Hooks 👉 https://amzn.to/4eIubJ8 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Chaya & Sophie. Sponsored by London Nootropics ⁠https://londonnootropics.com⁠ Discount code for 20% off  Biblio Discount Code For Bubble BIBLIO15: ⁠https://bubble.onelink.me/nnib/signup?deep_link_sub2=BIBLIO15.T&Cs⁠ £15 off first childcare booking. Not valid in conjunction with other promo codes or account credit. Valid until 01.11.26. #books #booktok #booktube #bookreview #booklover #bookstagram #bookish #bookrecommendations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What’s the one book you wish you could read again for the very first time? In this episode, we dive into the books that completely consumed us the stories that altered our brains, broke our hearts, changed how we see the world, and left us chasing the feeling long after the final page. From surreal labyrinths and devastating literary epics to obsessive dark academia, emotional masterpieces, and books with twists that genuinely left us breathless… these are the books we would do anything to experience again. 👇 All books mentioned are linked below 👇 Star Side by Alex Aster 👉 https://amzn.to/49eYfII Piranesi by Susanna Clarke 👉 https://amzn.to/48P1pmh Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke 👉 https://amzn.to/4wgxSfp The Lord of the Rings by J R R Tolkien 👉 https://amzn.to/4d8y8EB A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles 👉 https://amzn.to/4tpOBuf Pachinko by Min Jin Lee 👉 https://amzn.to/42lyGBV I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou 👉 https://amzn.to/48NYI4u A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth 👉 https://amzn.to/48MnE Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 👉 https://amzn.to/4cV3Y8T The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller 👉 https://amzn.to/3P3lleC Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver 👉 https://amzn.to/4trtbwF Alchemised by SenLinYu 👉 https://amzn.to/4d9UdTb Night Bitch by Rachel Yoder 👉 https://amzn.to/3QUD1cS What I Loved by Siri Hustvedt 👉 https://amzn.to/4uwc918 A Certain Hunger by Chelsea G Summers 👉 https://amzn.to/4duyt5K Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu 👉 https://amzn.to/4wlO13o Matrix by Lauren Groff 👉 https://amzn.to/4tXZlAQ The Testaments by Margaret Atwood 👉 https://amzn.to/4uySUUS Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall 👉 https://amzn.to/3QQ3SqB In Cold Blood by Truman Capote 👉 https://amzn.to/4etAi3S We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver 👉 https://amzn.to/3QLjBHv The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides 👉 https://amzn.to/3P0pP5H 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Chaya & Sophie. Sponsored by London Nootropics ⁠https://londonnootropics.com⁠ Discount code for 20% off  Biblio Discount Code For Bubble BIBLIO15: ⁠https://bubble.onelink.me/nnib/signup?deep_link_sub2=BIBLIO15.T&Cs⁠ £15 off first childcare booking. Not valid in conjunction with other promo codes or account credit. Valid until 01.11.26. #books #booktok #booktube #bookreview #booklover #bookstagram #bookish #bookrecommendations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we dive into two unforgettable reads that explore love, identity, and the stories we tell ourselves. We sit down with Madeleine Gray, author of Chosen Family, to unpack the emotional complexity behind her novel from queer identity and self-loathing to the power of chosen relationships and modern motherhood. Then we turn to a true classic: Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin a novel that left us completely shaken. We explore its themes of shame, desire, and emotional conflict, and why it still feels so relevant today. 👇 All books mentioned are linked below 👇  Chosen Family  👉 https://amzn.to/4mIvARQ Giovanni’s Room 👉 https://amzn.to/3OI98eZ Yesteryear  👉 https://amzn.to/3OFvHRt True Grit 👉 https://amzn.to/4sMbF5N 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Chaya & Sophie. Sponsored by London Nootropics https://londonnootropics.com Discount code for 20% off  Biblio  #books #booktok #booktube #bookreview #booklover #bookstagram #bookish #bookrecommendations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Deep Dive into Possibly the Best Book Ever Written? 👀 Few novels inspire obsession like The Secret History and this time, we went all in. After a close reread, we break down the characters, key moments, and the deeper themes that make this book so enduring from elitism and morality to its chilling sense of complicity. We explore the novel’s classical and philosophical influences, unpack different interpretations, and ask the big question… why are we still so obsessed? Whether you’ve read it five times or not at all, this episode will change the way you see it. 👇 All books mentioned are linked below 👇 The Secret History by Donna Tartt 👉 https://amzn.to/48MawUD If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio 👉 https://amzn.to/4sCu4ly Weavingshaw by Heba Al-Wasity 👉 https://amzn.to/42c6Ojv Circe by Madeline Miller 👉 https://amzn.to/4cwGbLa Mythos by Stephen Fry 👉 https://amzn.to/4tgUqL0 Heroes by Stephen Fry 👉 https://amzn.to/4cgLpLZ Penance by Eliza Clarke 👉 https://amzn.to/4tfBTP7 The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake 👉 https://amzn.to/3Oo3cI8 Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo 👉 https://amzn.to/4cfIhjw Babel by R.F. Kuang👉 https://amzn.to/3QdRY9E 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Chaya & Sophie. Sponsored by London Nootropics https://londonnootropics.com Discount code for 20% off Biblio #books #booktok #booktube #bookreview #booklover #bookstagram #bookish #bookrecommendations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are so many good books out there but this week we’re diving into the ones you’ve probably never even heard of and absolutely should have. From underrated backlist gems to quiet contemporary masterpieces these are the books we can’t stop thinking about, the ones that deserve way more hype than they get. We’re talking authors you might recognise like Gabrielle Zevin, Margaret Atwood and Hilary Mantel alongside incredible writers who haven’t hit your radar yet. Fiction, non fiction, literary fiction, Romantasy, forgotten classics and cutting edge ideas there’s something here for everyone. If you’re looking for your next obsession this is it. Trust us 👀📚 👇 All books mentioned are linked below 👇 The Storied Life of AJ Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin 👉 https://amzn.to/4vvrOPZ Young Jane Young by Gabrielle Zevin 👉 https://amzn.to/4cql9yO Giving Up the Ghost by Hilary Mantel 👉 https://amzn.to/3Onqmy7 Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood 👉 https://amzn.to/4sftR7C Free Food for Millionaires by Min Jin Lee 👉 https://amzn.to/4vhZAIg Bellies by Nicola Dinan 👉 https://amzn.to/4meHMts Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson 👉 https://amzn.to/4dw2D9o All the Living by C.E. Morgan 👉 https://amzn.to/4sXPpae The Poet by Louisa Reid 👉 https://amzn.to/3PVKZC0 Homesick by Jennifer Croft 👉 https://amzn.to/4c6Zfiz Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka 👉 https://amzn.to/4c3LT6N Ordinary Love by Marie Rutkoski 👉 https://amzn.to/4vdRgcr The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See 👉 https://amzn.to/4v7pXjT When God Was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman 👉 https://amzn.to/4v7q2Ed Why Fish Don’t Exist by Lulu Miller 👉 https://amzn.to/4sa74dn The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff 👉 https://amzn.to/3PJy0n0 The Manningtree Witches by A.K. Blakemore 👉 https://amzn.to/47HiVs9 The New Life by Tom Crewe 👉 https://amzn.to/4c97PgX The Forgotten Girls by Monica Potts 👉 https://amzn.to/4bRXGX8 The Sleeping Beauties by Suzanne O’Sullivan 👉 https://amzn.to/4dwpRMq The Premonitions Bureau by Sam Knight 👉 https://amzn.to/4ct6in6 Know My Name by Chanel Miller 👉 https://amzn.to/3NJwFMo The Last Man by Mary Shelley 👉 https://amzn.to/4e5aBGz Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman 👉 https://amzn.to/4dw3Tt8 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Chaya & Sophie. Sponsored by London Nootropics https://londonnootropics.com Discount code for 20% off  Biblio  #books #booktok #booktube #bookreview #booklover #bookstagram #bookish #bookrecommendations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A book scandal has exploded and it’s raising serious questions about the future of publishing. In this episode, we dive into the controversy surrounding a viral novel accused of being largely written by AI… a story that went from self-published success to being pulled from shelves almost overnight. But this isn’t just about one book. We explore how AI is quietly reshaping the literary world from self-publishing trends to major publishers missing the warning signs and ask the bigger question: Can we still trust what we’re reading? This is a conversation about creativity, authenticity, and where we draw the line. Let us know your thoughts in the comments Would you read a book written by AI? 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Chaya & Sophie. Sponsored by London Nootropics https://londonnootropics.com Discount code for 20% off Biblio #books #booktok #booktube #bookreview #booklover #bookstagram #bookish #bookrecommendations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we are so honoured and delighted to be joined by a Patrick Ryan, the author of our inaugural book club new pick Buckeye. Buckeye was released to huge international acclaim last year, which isn’t surprising given the literary credentials of its author, a NY based editor. Whether or not you have read this, Patrick has so much to (very eloquently say) about life and resilience. If you’ve ever felt behind, doubted yourself, or questioned your path… this episode will change how you see everything. He also shares an astonishingly strange coincidence that left our jaws on the floor. We also discuss our older book club pick - by the inimitable Mel Robbins, the High Five Habit which hugely surprised us and leads to a conversation about that endless loop of self critique and confidence. In this episode we also reveal our picks for Aprils book club, which we are giddy with excitement to discuss: Chosen Family - the new release everyone is talking about Giovannis Room - the classic everyone needs to read Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin 👉 https://amzn.to/4rZ2Jd1 Chosen Family by Green Dot 👉 https://amzn.to/4ryxOE1 Buckeye by Patrick Ryan 👉 https://amzn.to/3NC8mzE The High 5 Habit by Mel Robbins 👉 https://amzn.to/470AbIB 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Chaya & Sophie. Sponsored by London Nootropics https://londonnootropics.com Discount code for 20% off Biblio #books #booktok #booktube #bookreview #booklover #bookstagram #bookish #bookrecommendations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Friendships… but make them messy, obsessive, and unforgettable 👀 From The Kite Runner to The Secret History, we’re breaking down the friendships that shaped us and the ones that completely destroyed people. Campus obsession. Fake identities. Chosen family. Lifelong bonds. Some of these friendships feel real… others feel a little too real. So the question is which ones would you actually want in your life? In Memoriam by Alice Winn 👉 https://amzn.to/4ryklfI The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini 👉 https://amzn.to/4ryxOE1 Recitatif by Toni Morrison 👉 https://amzn.to/3NC8mzE Playground by Richard Powers 👉 https://amzn.to/470AbIB Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld 👉 https://amzn.to/4scxDQ6 The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer 👉 https://amzn.to/4urb3oj The God of the Woods by Liz Moore 👉 https://amzn.to/46SQ5EU Almond by Won-pyung Sohn 👉 https://amzn.to/4sGLpKz Wonder by R.J. Palacio 👉 https://amzn.to/4lxssI8 My Friends by Fredrik Backman 👉 https://amzn.to/3PlggxT Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin 👉 https://amzn.to/3NM8Vqk Stoner by John Williams 👉 https://amzn.to/4t3hYCT The Secret History by Donna Tartt 👉 https://amzn.to/412uIxj Writers & Lovers by Lily King 👉 https://amzn.to/4b9mrOf Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo 👉 https://amzn.to/4dld8vT If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio 👉 https://amzn.to/4s9p4W4 Babel by R.F. Kuang 👉 https://amzn.to/4biouyj Yellowface by R.F. Kuang 👉 https://amzn.to/4siZ3np A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara 👉 https://amzn.to/3PtmbAX Still Life by Sarah Winman 👉 https://amzn.to/4lsjnzZ The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon 👉 https://amzn.to/4uHCRFg The Neapolitan Novels by Elena Ferrante 👉 https://amzn.to/4rwkRL9 The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker 👉 https://amzn.to/4lqV0ml Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare 👉 https://amzn.to/4rwl0OH Friendaholic by Elizabeth Day 👉 https://amzn.to/3P5lg9U Chosen Family by Madeleine Gray 👉 https://amzn.to/3P6vV4g https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVzC66JjEqz/?igsh=MWY2Y2dmY3R5dWdjaw== 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Chaya & Sophie. Sponsored by London Nootropics https://londonnootropics.com Discount code for 20% off  Biblio  #books #booktok #booktube #bookreview #booklover #bookstagram #bookish #bookrecommendations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Just watch one episode…” That’s how it starts. This viral series has completely taken over but while one of us is obsessed, the other refuses to watch it on principle. So… is it brilliant TV or morally questionable? We get into the psychology, the obsession, and the bigger question: who owns a story? Let us know your thoughts in the comments 👇 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Chaya & Sophie. Sponsored by London Nootropics https://londonnootropics.com Discount code for 20% off Biblio #books #booktok #booktube #bookreview #booklover #bookstagram #bookish #bookrecommendations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some books go viral everywhere but are they actually worth the hype? 📚👀 In this episode, we’re putting some of the internet’s most talked-about books to the test. From romantasy blockbusters to literary favourites and thrillers, we’re asking the big question: overhyped… or totally deserved? We’re sharing the viral books we loved, the ones that surprised us, and the ones we think didn’t live up to the buzz. If you’re building your TBR or wondering if that trending book is actually worth your time, this episode is your viral book reality check. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller 👉 https://amzn.to/465NE19 Alchemised by SenLinYu 👉 https://amzn.to/4uDEbsP Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari 👉 https://amzn.to/3OXDaeF Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green 👉 https://amzn.to/4b0nMqt The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid 👉 https://amzn.to/4s3HR5j On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong 👉 https://amzn.to/4qO1NZq Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin 👉 https://amzn.to/3NM8Vqk I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman 👉 https://amzn.to/3Paf3JG Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens 👉 https://amzn.to/4lnJb0g Honor by Danielle Baker 👉 https://amzn.to/4llHnVD Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood 👉 https://amzn.to/4rtgksR The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood 👉 https://amzn.to/3N9uiCc Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston 👉 https://amzn.to/4li3A6Q Beach Read by Emily Henry 👉 https://amzn.to/4b052HE Book Lovers by Emily Henry 👉 https://amzn.to/4bEzVAD Bride and Mate (2 Book Collection) by Ali Hazelwood 👉 https://amzn.to/4da9PaL My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell 👉 https://amzn.to/4bkXpuk The Housemaid by Frieda McFadden 👉 https://amzn.to/40nuIrv Never Lie by Frieda McFadden 👉 https://amzn.to/4bAiJx6 The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides 👉 https://amzn.to/40mJVJq A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson 👉 https://amzn.to/4dcJclu We Were Liars by E. Lockhart 👉 https://amzn.to/4bbU3tn Verity by Colleen Hoover 👉 https://amzn.to/411hjFH A Court of Thorns and Roses (5 Book Series) by Sarah J. Maas 👉 https://amzn.to/40XapRU Twilight by Stephenie Meyer 👉 https://amzn.to/4s7vQM8 Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling 👉 https://amzn.to/3OWSR5S 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Chaya & Sophie. Sponsored by London Nootropics https://londonnootropics.com Discount code for 20% off: Biblio #books #booktok #booktube #bookreview #booklover #bookstagram #bookish #bookrecommendations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if the scariest books aren’t just horror? In this episode of The Bibliofilles, we’re diving into the stories that genuinely unsettled us for a whole plethora of reasons — and some of these choices will definitely surprise you. We’re talking obvious nightmare fuel like We Need to Talk About Kevin and Tender Is the Flesh — books that confront brutality, moral collapse and the darkest edges of humanity. But we’re also exploring the quieter, more unexpected type of fear. Like Silver Sparrow, where the horror isn’t gore. It’s emotional truth. The slow dread of secrets. The fear of invisibility. The quiet devastation of betrayal. And then there are the near-future novels about climate collapse and artificial intelligence — stories that feel less like dystopia and more like a warning. The kind of books that make you put them down and think: this isn’t that far off, is it? In this episode, we unpack: •⁠ ⁠Psychological horror vs. existential dread •⁠ ⁠The fear of raising a child you don’t understand •⁠ ⁠The horror of systems that normalise the unthinkable •⁠ ⁠The quiet panic of environmental collapse •⁠ ⁠The creeping uncertainty of a world shaped by AI Because sometimes the scariest thing isn’t what’s hiding in the dark. It’s what feels possible. 👇 All books mentioned are linked below 👇 Empire of the Dawn by Jay Kristoff 👉 https://amzn.to/47l4dqq Free Food for Millionaires by Min Jin Lee 👉 https://amzn.to/4sjS65d We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver 👉 https://amzn.to/4u4ArQs Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy 👉 https://amzn.to/4sevOl9 Come Closer by Sara Gran 👉 https://amzn.to/3OIGcDt Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica 👉 https://amzn.to/3MYimmC Leave the World Behind by Ruman Alam 👉 https://amzn.to/4r9g16q The Names by Florence Knapp 👉 https://amzn.to/4roU4k1 Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones 👉 https://amzn.to/3OLAikU 1984 by George Orwell 👉 https://amzn.to/4l4mVZf Prophet Song by Paul Lynch 👉 https://amzn.to/4roUJSx The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood 👉 https://amzn.to/4soCb5M We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson 👉 https://amzn.to/46xmZdX Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury 👉 https://amzn.to/4aPqrli Beloved by Toni Morrison 👉 https://amzn.to/4skmrka Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel 👉 https://amzn.to/47dHufR The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt 👉 https://amzn.to/46zYQDC Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro 👉 https://amzn.to/4ldx2uL Unworthy by Agustina Bazterrica 👉 https://amzn.to/46xnJ2J I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman 👉 https://amzn.to/4u440ll Social Warming by Charles Arthur 👉 https://amzn.to/4b4Og9b Careless People by Sarah Wynn Williams 👉 https://amzn.to/40DavOt Artificial Wisdom by Thomas R. Weaver 👉 https://amzn.to/4rUvDvF The Coming Wave by Mustafa Suleyman 👉 https://amzn.to/4l5pPgm The Age of Al by Henry Kissinger and Eric Schmidt 👉 https://amzn.to/3OFF9Ek 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Chaya & Sophie. Sponsored by London Nootropics https://londonnootropics.com Discount code for 20% off Biblio #books #booktok #booktube #bookreview #booklover #bookstagram #bookish #bookrecommendations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we’re diving headfirst into books & mental health. Over the years we have received many messages asking for books for when life feels wobbly, overwhelming, or is unravelling at the seams, & we wanted to create a resource to help anyone who may need it. We’ve organised our recommendations into three groups, the self help & non fiction books (from candid memoirs to practical, perspective-shifting guides), the novels that teach you through character & the gloriously escapist fantasy reads, because sometimes salvation comes with dragons. There is also a healthy dose of lively chaos & airing of laundry! If you’ve ever needed a book to steady you, distract you, or quietly rebuild you, this one’s for you. 👇 All books mentioned are linked below 👇 How to Thrive with Adult ADHD by Dr James Kustow 👉 https://amzn.to/4bNtcWw Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë 👉 https://amzn.to/3M5Pd8v The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath 👉 https://amzn.to/3YYKecQ Open Water by Dr Julie Smith 👉 https://amzn.to/4bjrlbU Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? by Dr Julie Smith 👉 https://amzn.to/45xHoPD Welcome to Glorious Tuga by Francesca Segal 👉 https://amzn.to/3NFGpqn Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason 👉 https://amzn.to/3LTS84b There’s Nothing Wrong With Her by Kate Weinberg 👉 https://amzn.to/45z58Tw The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah 👉 https://amzn.to/4sX4Yze The Women by Kristin Hannah 👉 https://amzn.to/49WSw9Y Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb 👉 https://amzn.to/45YEsM0 The Examined Life by Stephen Grosz 👉 https://amzn.to/4pXR6SI When I Ran Away by Ilona Bannister 👉 https://amzn.to/4aeaTbN Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker 👉 https://amzn.to/4qErV8G Mythos by Stephen Fry 👉 https://amzn.to/49UxzML Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff by Richard Carlson 👉 https://amzn.to/4abQsw6 The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting by Evanna Lynch 👉 https://amzn.to/4bTuYoZ The Creative Act by Rick Rubin 👉 https://amzn.to/4rhHy68 Atomic Habits by James Clear 👉 https://amzn.to/49TMMhd Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman 👉 https://amzn.to/4qEflWZ The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk 👉 https://amzn.to/4qHuKpR When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi 👉 https://amzn.to/3M5Idsg The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion 👉 https://amzn.to/4t7f2G7 Becoming by Michelle Obama 👉 https://amzn.to/45vGjI9 Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl 👉 https://amzn.to/4aeOriI Meditations by Marcus Aurelius 👉 https://amzn.to/4jVYvjQ Bewilderment by Richard Powers 👉 https://amzn.to/3ZwTTr7 The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune 👉 https://amzn.to/4qA0Of2 On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong 👉 https://amzn.to/4qO1NZq The Midnight Library by Matt Haig 👉 https://amzn.to/4bdlnJw Soldier Sailor by Claire Kilroy 👉 https://amzn.to/4pZNnUD Bridget Jones’ Diary by Helen Fielding 👉 https://amzn.to/49Vk8fw The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella 👉 https://amzn.to/4qJE64i My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh 👉 https://amzn.to/3NET8K3 Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse 👉 https://amzn.to/45R0lNt Quicksilver by Callie Hart 👉 https://amzn.to/4rbgXYd A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas 👉 https://amzn.to/49UzrVN Discworld by Terry Pratchett 👉 https://amzn.to/4ryzkqv The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller👉 https://amzn.to/4pZOjZ9 Sponsored by London Nootropics ⁠https://londonnootropics.com⁠ Discount code for 20% off Biblio ⁠#books⁠ ⁠#booktok⁠ ⁠#booktube⁠ ⁠#bookreview⁠ ⁠#booklover⁠ ⁠#bookstagram⁠ ⁠#bookish⁠ ⁠#bookrecommendations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the very first episode of our new book podcast 🎧📚 We’re Chaya & Sophie, two readers who love talking about books the hype, the heartbreak, and the ones that stay with you long after the last page. In this episode, we share our Book Club Picks and Episode Choices, covering everything from literary fiction and memoir to fantasy and nonfiction. Whether you’re building your TBR or looking for your next book club read, we’ve got you. 👇 All books mentioned are linked below 👇 📚 Book Club Picks Buckeye by Patrick Ryan 👉 https://amzn.to/49He8se The High Five Habit by Mel Robbins 👉 https://amzn.to/3YZ7I1q 📖 Episode Choices Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin 👉https://amzn.to/3NM8Vqk A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving 👉 https://amzn.to/49URpaV Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi 👉 https://amzn.to/3Ztl3PE Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe 👉 https://amzn.to/3ZyQJ68 Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro 👉 https://amzn.to/4thHAwL Penance by Eliza Clarke 👉 https://amzn.to/4bYnu42 Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel 👉 https://amzn.to/4rg2URf The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller 👉 https://amzn.to/465NE19 The Visibility Trap (Kindle only) by Dr. Mary McGill 👉 https://amzn.to/3ZwSGjz Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros 👉 https://amzn.to/4q2fjHs 💬 Let’s talk books: Tell us your favorite read lately or what we should cover next! 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Chaya & Sophie. Sponsored by London Nootropics https://londonnootropics.com Use our discount code for 20% off Biblio #books #booktok #booktube #bookreview #booklover #bookstagram #bookish #bookrecommendations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Bibliofiles began, as all great modern love stories do, on Facebook during Lockdown. Sophie asked for a recommendation. Chaya prescribed The Song of Achilles. A DM became a dialogue; a dialogue became an Instagram ( @thebibliofiles); and now, finally, a podcast. Each week, Sophie and Chaya dive into the books they love, the ones they disagree on, and the stories that stay with us long after the final page. From modern fiction to classics, from hype to hidden gems, this is a conversation for readers who want to feel something. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices