Podcast
Book Gang
Hosted by Amy Allen Clark · EN
Are you looking for your next book recommendation? This book podcast celebrates debuts, backlist, and under-the-radar book selections. Expand your book stack with these recommendations and look at the book industry behind the scenes with Amy Allen Clark (MomAdvice.com). She shares the microphone with her favorite writers and bookstagrammers to help you have your best reading year ever.
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Episodes
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July Book Club: Daughters of Shandong
4d ago00:56:08Tap to summarizeEve J. Chung joins our July Book Club to discuss Daughters of Shandong, a gripping historical novel of survival, resilience, and family during wartime China. This week on Book Gang, Eve J. Chung—acclaimed human rights lawyer, debut novelist, and storyteller inspired by her family's extraordinary past—joins us for a riveting conversation about her powerful historical novel, Daughters of Shandong. Eve brings a deep personal history to the page, exploring the cost of survival during China's 1948 Communist Revolution. In this episode, we’ll talk about turning family history into fiction, the ethical challenges of writing about trauma, and how Eve researched and structured a sweeping historical novel that moves with the urgency of a thriller. Eve reveals how her experience as a human rights lawyer challenged her writing process, the unique struggles of portraying women who both resist and uphold patriarchy, and the responsibility of illuminating lesser-known history for the next generation of readers. In this thought-provoking conversation, we discuss: 📚 Transforming Family History Into Fiction: Eve shares the moment her grandmother’s story took hold of her imagination, how she balanced fact and invention, and the research process that brought 1948 China to life. She discusses the challenges and responsibilities of fictionalizing family trauma and how she honored her relatives’ experiences while protecting their privacy. 📚 Writing Women, Power, and Patriarchy: Eve explores her approach to portraying women who both reinforce and resist patriarchal systems, including complex characters like Hai’s grandmother. She explains the importance of showing both oppression and agency within one household, and how her background in human rights law shaped her understanding of these dynamics. 📚 Illuminating Hidden History: Eve discusses the little-known historical events that inspired Daughters of Shandong, her strategies for bringing lesser-documented moments to life, and the balance between emotional intensity and reader accessibility—especially in the book’s most harrowing scenes. 📚 FREE BONUS BOOK LIST: To celebrate Eve's book, I have created a companion book list with a rather unique subgenre that I love: 21 Books About Walks. I have gathered books where the journey on foot is the story's engine, including my all-time favorites and a few new releases I can't wait to read. You can browse the full list for free on Patreon! Patrons will receive weekly printable checklists, five hidden gem titles, and a bonus spoiler episode with Eve. Meet Eve J. Chung Eve J. Chung is a Taiwanese American lawyer and women’s human rights specialist. She has worked on a range of issues, including torture, sexual violence, contemporary forms of slavery, and discriminatory legislation. Her writing is inspired by social justice movements and the continued struggle for equality and fundamental freedoms worldwide. She currently lives in New York with her husband, two children, and two dogs. Daughters of Shandong is her debut novel and is available on store shelves now. Mentioned in this episode: NEW BOOK LIST:: 21 Incredible Books About Walks- Take a long walk through fiction and nonfiction today! (FREE TO BROWSE ON PATREON THIS WEEK) SUPPORT OUR FAMILY: Download the 2026 Summer Reading Guide (57-Pages of Bookish Fun With 70 Tried-and-True Recommendations): http://buymeacoffee.com/bookgangpodcast/e/535779 SUPPORT OUR FAMILY: Join the Book Gang- patreon.com/momadvice 2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections) Daughters of Shandong by Eve J. Chung The Young Will Remember by Eve J. Chung Daughters of Shandong with Eve Chung on Reflecting History Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores. Connect With Us: Join the Book Gang Patreon Connect with Eve J. Chung on Instagram or Her Website Connect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdvice Get My Happy List Newsletter Get the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter
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Skin Contact: Crafting an Interconnected Story Structure with Elisa Faison
3w ago00:51:09Tap to summarizeElisa Faison joins Book Gang to discuss Skin Contact, her debut exploring the impact of an open marriage on a couple and their circle. This week on Book Gang, Elisa Faison—acclaimed short story writer, debut novelist, and someone living openly in a nontraditional marriage—joins us for an unflinching conversation about her novel, Skin Contact. Elisa brings rare firsthand insight to the page, drawing from her own experience to challenge stereotypes and misconceptions about open marriage that have long been absent in our fiction stacks. In this episode, we’ll talk about writing from the inside of creative work and what it means to craft intimacy and connection in this refreshing story that hits all the romance story beats. Elisa reveals how she built the intricate structure of Skin Contact, her approach to nontraditional relationships on the page, and the craft of weaving multiple storylines into a resonant whole. In this rich conversation, we discuss: 📚 The Writing Journey & Literary Beginnings: Elisa shares her roots as a bookseller and editor, the winding path from her initial idea for Skin Contact to securing her agent and book deal, and what surprised her most about the debut journey. She reflects on outlining, the evolution of the novel’s interconnected structure, and the pivotal moments that shaped the sale of her book, including the role book scouts play in her international sales. 📚 Love, Marriage, and Literary Complexity: Elisa discusses nontraditional relationship structures, including her own experience in an open marriage and what many stories get wrong about these dynamics. She shares the craft of writing intimacy and connection, the delicate dance between genre expectations and literary ambitions, and her perspective on how literature can challenge assumptions about love and commitment. 📚 Story Structure & Creative Identity: We dive deep into Frances’s job as a ghostwriter—how invisibility, credit, and creative ownership shape her story—and what drew Elisa to this lens. Elisa discusses the challenge of writing unresolved grief and how her own experiences informed Frances’s emotional journey. 📚 FREE BONUS BOOK LIST: 17 Literary Love Stories That Linger—Discover 17 unforgettable stories that explore connection and longing, curated as the perfect companion to Skin Contact in this week’s book list. Patrons receive a printable book list, five bonus book ideas, and a bonus spoiler chat with Elisa in their inbox today. Meet Elisa Faison Elisa Faison is a writer and freelance editor living in Carrboro, North Carolina with her partner and two-year-old twins. She has published stories in The Missouri Review, Electric Literature, Smokelong Quarterly, and more. Her story “Motherlove” was the recipient of the 2024 Peden Prize, awarded by The Missouri Review and judged by Rachel Yoder. Her story “Group Sex” was the third most-read story of 2023 in Electric Literature. Formerly, Elisa worked as a bookseller at Flyleaf Books and as the book reviews editor at The Carolina Quarterly. She holds a PhD in English from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Skin Contact, this week’s featured selection, arrives June 23rd from Cardinal Press. Mentioned in this episode: NEW BOOK LIST: 17 Literary Love Stories That Linger (FREE TO BROWSE ON PATREON THIS WEEK) NEW: Download the 2026 Summer Reading Guide (57-Pages of Bookish Fun With 70 Tried-and-True Recommendations): http://buymeacoffee.com/bookgangpodcast/e/535779 2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections) Skin Contact by Elisa Faison Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason Sophie, Standing There by Meg Mason Thirst Trap by Gráinne O’Hare Moderation by Elaine Castillo Love is an Algorithm by Laura Brooke Robson A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan Vladimir by Julia May Jonas Vladimir Acts of Service by Lillian Fishman The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff The Bright Years with Sarah Damoff (Podcast Interview) The Burning Side with Sarah Damoff (Podcast Interview) The Correspondent by Virginia Evans Slanting Towards the Sea by Lidija Hilje Slanting Towards the Sea with Lidija Hilje(Podcast Interview) Fates & Furies by Lauren Groff The Best Plus Size Romance Characters to Love with Julia Murphy & Sierra Simone (Podcast Interview) Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores. Connect With Us: Join the Book Gang Patreon Connect with Elisa Faison on Instagram or Her Website Connect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdvice Get My Happy List Newsletter Get the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter
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Next of Kin: Mastering Tension in Legal Thrillers with Kia Abdullah
4w ago00:57:13Tap to summarizeKia Abdullah joins Book Gang to discuss Next of Kin, her gripping backlist thriller about sisterhood laced with a high-stakes courtroom drama you won’t forget. This week on Book Gang, we’re joined by Kia Abdullah, award-winning novelist and founder of Asian Booklist, for a deeply engaging conversation about her acclaimed thriller Next of Kin. We’ll dig into Kia’s unique journey from a career in tech to her bold work as a full-time author, and explore how her advocacy is changing the landscape for British-Asian writers in publishing. Kia share more behind the art of writing high-stakes suspense, the impact of BookTok on the thriller genre, and the real-life inspirations behind Next of Kin’s unforgettable courtroom drama. Discover the secrets to building authentic tension, crafting twisty plots, and what she hopes readers will take away from her exploration of sisterhood, responsibility, and the complexities of motherhood. In this informative conversation, we discuss: 📚 The Writing Journey & Bold Storytelling: From a background in computer science and tech to full-time novelist, Kia shares what gave her the courage to pursue writing and how she built a career tackling controversial themes. Her reflections on confidence, resilience, and the impact of BookTok on her work offer deep insight into her evolution as a thriller writer. 📚 Crafting High-Stakes Suspense (Spoiler-Free): Kia discusses how she uses backstory, emotional stakes, and authentic courtroom drama to build suspense in Next of Kin. From the novel’s powerful opening to its exploration of sisterhood, motherhood, and responsibility, she shares her approach to writing tension-filled, thought-provoking crime fiction. 📚 Amplifying British-Asian Voices: Kia Abdullah founded Asian Booklist to spotlight British-Asian authors who are often underrepresented in publishing. Through this initiative, she’s opening doors for new and established writers, creating a much-needed space for authentic stories and diverse perspectives to reach wider audiences. 📚 BONUS FREE WEEKLY BOOK LIST: 16 Legal Thriller Books to Read Now Discover 16 Books 16 Legal Thrillers to add to your book stack. Prepare for high-stakes courtroom drama, fascinating true crime, and the kind of page-turning suspense that keeps you up way past your bedtime. Patrons receive a printable book list, five bonus book ideas, and a bonus spoiler chat with Kia in their inbox today. Meet Kia Abdullah Kia Abdullah is an author and journalist from London. Her novels include Take It Back (a Guardian and Telegraph thriller of the year), Truth Be Told (shortlisted for a Diverse Book Award), Next of Kin (longlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger Award) and Those People Next Door (a Times Bestseller and Waterstones Thriller of the Month). Her new novel, What Happens in the Dark, is out now. Kia has won a Diverse Book Award (2022) and a JB Priestley Award for Writers of Promise (2020). She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and has written for The New York Times, The Guardian, The Times, and the BBC, among others. Next of Kin, this week’s featured selection, is on store shelves now. Mentioned in this episode: NEW BOOK LIST: 16 Legal Thriller Books to Read Now FREE TO BROWSE ON PATREON THIS WEEK) NEW: Download the 2026 Summer Reading Guide (57-Pages of Bookish Fun With 70 Tried-and-True Recommendations) 2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections) Next of Kin by Kia Abdullah Take It Back by Kia Abdullah Asian Booklist Substack Brick Lane by Monica Ali Junie by Erin Crosby Eckstine Zubs Uncovered Truth Be Told by Kia Abdullah Books with Good Plot Twists That Will Make Your Jaw Drop The Chain by Adrian McKinty Stealing Hollywood by Alexandra Sokoloff The Science of Storytelling by Will Storr What Happens in the Dark by Kia Abdullah The Nine Lives of Rose Napolitano by Donna Freitas Elizabeth Day Royal Society of Literature Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores. Connect With Us: Join the Book Gang Patreon Connect with Kia Abdullah on Instagram or Her Website Connect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdvice Get My Happy List Newsletter Get the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter
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Saoirse Takes Readers On a Journey Through 1990s Ireland
Jun 501:02:25Tap to summarizeTravel to Ireland with Charleen Hurtubise to celebrate her US debut, Saoirse—a moving story of art, memory, and reinvention set on Donegal’s wild Atlantic coast. Book Gang welcomes Charleen Hurtubise, novelist and artist, to discuss her sweeping and quietly powerful novel, Saoirse. Charleen draws on her transatlantic life, her creative work as an artist, and her deep ties to Ireland and Michigan to bring this immersive story to life. Set in 1990s Donegal, this immersive novel follows Saoirse Byrne, an artist whose life is transformed when she unexpectedly wins the prestigious Margaret Dowling Art Prize. As fame threatens to uncover long-buried secrets from her Michigan past, Saoirse must navigate a world shaped by Ireland’s social and political change, Catholic influence, and her own search for freedom. In this layered and moving conversation, we discuss: 📚 Transatlantic Inspirations & Setting: Discover how Charleen Hurtubise’s own transatlantic life—growing up in Michigan, and building a creative career in Ireland—informs the layered world of Saoirse, and why Donegal’s landscape and history were essential to her story of reinvention. 📚 The Art and Craft of Storytelling: Go behind the scenes of Charleen’s writing process, from the novel’s earliest inspirations in true stories of hidden identities to the painstaking assembly of Saoirse’s “literary jigsaw”—a narrative woven from memory, visual art, and the secrets of the past. Learn how her background as both an artist and a writer shaped the novel’s unique structure. 📚 1990s Ireland: Explore the complex realities of 1990s Ireland for women—where issues of freedom, social change, and Catholic influence collide—and how Charleen uses Saoirse’s journey, her art, and her relationships to examine what it truly means to find autonomy, belonging, and a sense of home. 📚 BONUS WEEKLY BOOK LIST: 23 Books About the 1990s Discover 23 Books About the 1990s with today’s NEW book list! From literary mysteries and coming-of-age gems to memoirs and multigenerational sagas, this collection celebrates the books that capture the decade’s energy, anxieties, and hopes. Browse for free, friends! Patrons will receive a printable book list and a bonus spoiler episode with Charleen. Meet Charleen Hurtubise Charleen Hurtubise is a novelist and artist. She is the author of The Polite Act of Drowning, published in Ireland and the UK in 2023. Saoirse is her US debut. She holds an M.Sc. from Trinity College Dublin and an MFA in creative writing from University College Dublin, where she has facilitated creative writing seminars. The sixth sister in a family of nine, she spent much of her childhood in Michigan, her early adult years in Boston, and has now lived half of her life in Ireland, which is home. Though she lives in Dublin with her Irish family, the pull of Donegal never leaves and continues to influence her drawings and writings, including Saoirse. Mentioned in this episode: NEW: Download the 2026 Summer Reading Guide (57-Pages of Bookish Fun With 70 Tried-and-True Recommendations) NEW BOOK LIST: 23 Books About the 19990s to Read Right Now (FREE TO BROWSE ON PATREON THIS WEEK) 2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections) Saoirse by Charleen Hurtubise Joan Eardley The Polite Act of Drowning by Charleen Hurtubise Pope John Paul II Becomes the First Pope to Visit Ireland Una Watters Tess of the D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy Poor by Katriona O’Sullivan Edna O’Brien Book Club Kit for Saoirse Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores. Connect With Us: Join the Book Gang Patreon Connect with Charleen Hurtubise on Instagram or Her Website Connect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdvice Get My Happy List Newsletter Get the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter
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The Sign for Home Brings the DeafBlind Experience to Life
May 2901:08:03Tap to summarizeBlair Fell joins Book Gang to discuss The Sign for Home, exploring the DeafBlind experience and a moving journey of autonomy and connection in this backlist feature. Book Gang welcomes Blair Fell, acclaimed playwright, television writer, essayist, and ASL interpreter, to discuss his heartfelt and eye-opening novel, The Sign for Home. Fell’s unique life experience—including decades as an ASL interpreter for the Deaf and DeafBlind communities—shapes this deeply immersive story. Longlisted for The Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, The Sign for Home is a funny, moving, and transformative read that will leave you curious and inspired. I’m thrilled to celebrate this unforgettable debut as part of this year’s Summer Reading Guide backlist feature and to honor the community it serves. Don’t miss how Blair’s story left such an impression on a reader that they changed their will after reading it. In this rich, humorous, and moving conversation, we discuss: 📚 Writing from Lived Experience: Fell shares what it means to craft a character as complex as Arlo, drawing from his personal career as an interpreter and from interviews with members of the DeafBlind community. Discover how authentic representation and the many years of drafting shaped every page of this coming-of-age story. 📚 The Ethics and Intimacy of Interpretation: Learn about the real-world team dynamics, physical demands, and ethical dilemmas facing ASL interpreters, and how these play out in Arlo’s story. Fell’s insider details—from tag-team interpreting to nuanced moments of tactile signing—bring the profession vividly to life. 📚 Crafting Voice and Language: Fell’s inventive narrative choices mirror the rhythms of ASL, with Arlo’s dialogue rendered in a unique cadence and interpreters’ speech in standard English. Explore how these stylistic decisions deepen readers’ immersion and illuminate the power of language. Meet Blair Fell Blair Fell writes and lives in New York City. His television work includes Queer as Folk and PBS’s California Connected. He’s written dozens of plays, including The Tragic and Horrible Life of the Singing Nun, the award-winning Naked Will, and the cult miniseries Burning Habits. His essays have appeared in HuffPost, Out, Daily News (New York), and more. Fell is a two-time winner of the Doris Lippman Prize in Creative Writing, including for an early draft of the USA Today best-seller Disco Witches of Fire Island, a RuPaul book club pick and Lambda Award finalist. His debut novel, The Sign for Home, was longlisted for the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize and was selected as an Indie Next and Indie’s Introduce book by the American Booksellers Association. Blair has also worked as an actor, producer, ASL interpreter, and director. He lives in Jackson Heights, NY (Queens, New York City). Mentioned in this episode: Temporary Show Notes Location with Transcript (Apologies for the web issues today!) NEW: Download the 2026 Summer Reading Guide (57-Pages of Bookish Fun With 70 Tried-and-True Recommendations) NEW BOOK LIST: 18 Books With Disabled Characters to Read Now (FREE TO BROWSE ON PATREON THIS WEEK) 2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections) Join the June Book Club 6/25 at 8 PM ET (Woodworking) The Sign For Home by Blair Fell Disco Witches of Fire Island by Blair Fell The Two Wills by Blair Fell The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff Sarah Damoff - The Bright Years Podcast Interview Delicious Foods by James Hannaham True Biz by Sara Nović Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores. Connect With Us: Join the Book Gang Patreon Connect with Blair Fell on Instagram or His Website Connect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdvice Get My Happy List Newsletter Get the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter
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Unpacking Returns & Exchanges with Kayla Rae Whitaker
May 2201:07:59Tap to summarizeStep inside a 1980s Kentucky department store as Kayla Rae Whitaker shares the family secrets and ambition behind her novel Returns & Exchanges. Book Gang welcomes acclaimed author Kayla Rae Whitaker to discuss her much-anticipated new novel, Returns & Exchanges. Whitaker’s immersive storytelling and meticulous research bring the 1980s era and its consumer culture to vibrant life. Set in Kentucky during the 1980s, this sweeping family drama follows Fred and Fran, a couple whose rags-to-riches ascent as department store owners brings both fortune and unexpected turmoil. As their business thrives, the family’s personal lives become increasingly complicated in this messy family saga. Through multiple perspectives and intricate subplots, the novel explores themes of identity, desire, mental health, and the complexities of the American dream in this page-turning story. In this warm and insightful conversation, we discuss: 📚 Inside the Writing Process: It has been nine years since Whitaker’s breathtaking debut, The Animators. We discuss the pressure writers are under to write the next book and why she chose a different timeline for herself. Get insight into Whitaker’s approach to developing memorable characters, managing a sprawling narrative, and the questions she hopes book clubs and readers will debate after finishing Returns & Exchanges. 📚 Recreating 1980s Kentucky: Discover how Kayla Rae Whitaker’s meticulous research brings the sights, sounds, and family dynamics of a 1980s department store empire to life. We discuss how YouTube offered fun, immersive experiences that helped her connect the dots on stocking her store, allowing us to be immersed in the nostalgia of a well-stocked department store. 📚 Ambition, Identity & Queer Desire: Explore how the novel boldly handles themes of ambition, identity, and queer desire, as Whitaker discusses the risks she took to portray a family unraveling under the pressure of success and the true love story at the center of this moving novel. As an English teacher, she brings incredible examples of books she sees in conversation with her novel. 📚 BONUS WEEKLY BOOK LIST: Books About Malls and Retail Stores Discover 22 must-read books about malls and stores where retail locations take center stage in their stories. Patrons receive a printable checklist and a bonus spoiler chat with Kayla Rae Whitaker, streaming today. Meet Kayla Whitaker Kayla Rae Whitaker’s work has been published in The Los Angeles Times, Buzzfeed, Electric Literature, and others. Her first novel, The Animators, was named a best book of 2017 by Entertainment Weekly, NPR, Kirkus, and BookPage. Her second novel, Returns and Exchanges, published by Random House, is on store shelves now. She is a graduate of the University of Kentucky and New York University. She writes and teaches in Queens, New York. Mentioned in this episode: Download Today's Show Transcript NEW: Download the 2026 Summer Reading Guide (57-Pages of Bookish Fun With 70 Tried-and-True Recommendations) NEW BOOK LIST: 22 Books About Malls and Stores to Read Now 2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections) Janelle Brown Interview (What Kind of Paradise) Join the May Book Club 4/30 at 8 PM ET (What Kind of Paradise) Returns & Exchanges by Kayla Rae Whitaker The Animators by Kayla Rae Whitaker Commonwealth by Ann Patchett Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen East of Eden by John Steinbeck King Lear by William Shakespeare Nixonland by Rick Perlstein One’s Company by Ashley Hutson Inside One’s Company: Obsession, Isolation, and Talking with Ashley Hutson The Beheading Game by Rebecca Lehmann Carol Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores. Connect With Us: Join the Book Gang Patreon Connect with Kayla Rae Whitaker on Instagram or Her Website Connect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdvice Get My Happy List Newsletter Get the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter
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The Burning Side with Sarah Damoff
May 1501:01:24Tap to summarizeSarah Damoff joins Book Gang to discuss The Burning Side, a powerful family saga of marriage, memory, and the secrets that bind generations. This week’s Book Gang conversation welcomes back acclaimed author Sarah Damoff, whose new novel, The Burning Side, delivers a gripping book club premise: a multigenerational family forced to rebuild after tragedy, now under one roof. Opening with a house fire, readers witness the unraveling of the tangled lives of April and Leo, who must seek shelter with April’s parents—only to discover old wounds and new truths simmering beneath the surface of Deb and Billy’s life as they navigate carrying a heavy secret of their own. Damoff draws on her experience as a social worker to craft heart-wrenching, compassionate scenes of family struggle, childhood trauma, and the hard choices that shape marriage and parenthood. In this inviting and deeply immersive conversation, we discuss: 📚 Breaking through without a platform: Sarah shares the behind-the-scenes story of launching The Bright Years—without a major social media following, publishing pedigree, or built-in audience—and how her debut still became a national bestseller and Goodreads Choice finalist. We discuss what truly drives word-of-mouth success, the role of authentic storytelling, and what her experience reveals about connecting with readers in today’s book world. 📚 What happens after “happily ever after?”: Sarah explores the overlooked middle and later years of marriage—when routines settle, old dreams fade, and couples like Leo and April or Deb and Billy face new tensions and vulnerable reckonings. We discuss how these shifting roles and quiet heroics shape both relationships at the novel’s heart. 📚 Writing memory and identity in decline: We talk with Sarah about the emotionally charged process of bringing Billy’s early-onset dementia to life on the page. She shares how she honored both the vibrant man Billy was and the person he’s becoming, capturing the heartbreak of losing not just memories, but layers of identity. 📚 FREE BONUS WEEKLY BOOK LIST: Books About Fires Discover 19 must-read books about fires where fire ignites drama, mystery, and transformation—perfect picks for book clubs and fans of immersive stories. Patrons receive a printable checklist and a bonus spoiler chat with Sarah Damoff, streaming today. Meet Sarah Damoff Sarah Damoff is the author of the debut novel, The Bright Years, published by Simon & Schuster in 2025—a national bestseller and Goodreads Choice Awards finalist, now translated into fourteen languages. Her writing has appeared in Oprah Daily, Porter House Review, Ruminate Magazine, and Open Global Rights. She holds a Child Protection Certification from Harvard University and lives with her family in Dallas, Texas, where she has worked as a social worker. The Burning Side arrives in stores on May 19th. Mentioned in this episode: Download Today's Show Transcript NEW: Download the 2026 Summer Reading Guide (57-Pages of Bookish Fun With 70 Tried-and-True Recommendations) NEW BOOK LIST: 19 Books About Fires 2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections) Janelle Brown Interview (What Kind of Paradise) Join the May Book Club 4/30 at 8 PM ET (What Kind of Paradise) Sarah Damoff - The Bright Years Podcast Interview Christina Baker Kline (The Foursome) Podcast Interview The Burning Side by Sarah Damoff The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff The Sideways Life of Denny Voss by Holly Kennedy The Correspondent by Virginia Evans The Dallas Museum of Art Arts & Letters Program Maggie O’Farrell Valley of Forgetting by Jennie Erin Smith Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores. Connect With Us: Join the Book Gang Patreon Connect with Sarah Damoff on Instagram or Her Website Connect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdvice Get My Happy List Newsletter Get the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter
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The True Story Behind The Foursome with Christina Baker Kline
May 1200:52:37Tap to summarizeChristina Baker Kline joins Book Gang to discuss The Foursome, a novel inspired by her family ties to the descendants of conjoined twins Chang and Eng Bunker. This week’s Book Gang conversation welcomes #1 New York Times bestselling author Christina Baker Kline, whose new novel The Foursome delivers a captivating book club premise inspired by the true story of Chang and Eng Bunker. Kline’s narrative follows the conjoined twins from their international stardom to settling in North Carolina, where they seek love and family, culminating in an unexpected and unforgettable love story with sisters Adelaide and Sarah. Kline invites readers into her flourishing career, where she reflects on Orphan Train’s success and what’s changed since she began in the 1990s. For writers and readers alike, she offers compelling advice on weathering publishing changes. In this inviting and deeply immersive conversation, we discuss: 📚 Love and loyalty knotted together: Step inside the Bunker household, where devotion, sacrifice, and longing shape both the extraordinary and everyday. Kline discusses the choreography required to flesh out the complexity of penning four lives forever entwined, and how love perseveres—and sometimes fractures—under the most unusual circumstances. 📚 Identity, exploitation, and survival: Through one sister’s intimate perspective, we witness the complexities of life alongside the Bunker twins—how questions of belonging, power, and survival shape their world, and the uncomfortable truths that arise when victims become participants in the very systems that once oppressed them as Kline explores the harder truths woven into their lives. 📚 Sights, sounds, and secrets of history: Kline transports us to nineteenth-century North Carolina in vivid detail, and discusses her literary influences who shaped the bustling farmsteads and kitchen tables, all made possible through the shadows of slavery. With 21 children and two intimate households, Kline discusses how this stretched her as a storyteller. 📚 BONUS WEEKLY BOOK LIST: BOOKS ABOUT TWINS Discover 43 books about twins that span thrillers, historical fiction, and heartfelt dramas—exploring the unique bond only these unique siblings can share. Perfect for fans of The Foursome. Meet Christina Baker Kline A #1 New York Times bestselling author of ten novels, including Orphan Train, The Exiles, Please Don’t Lie (co-authored with Anne Burt), and the forthcoming The Foursome (May 2026), Christina Baker Kline is published in more than 40 countries. Her novels have received the New England Prize for Fiction, the Maine Literary Award, and a Barnes & Noble Discover Award, among other prizes, and have been chosen by hundreds of communities, universities, and schools as “One Book, One Read” selections. Her essays, articles, and reviews have appeared in publications such as The New York Times and The New York Times Book Review, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, and The San Francisco Chronicle. Mentioned in this episode: NEW: Buy the 2026 Summer Reading Guide (help our show stay on air) Download Today's Show Transcript 2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections) Janelle Brown Interview (What Kind of Paradise) Join the May Book Club 4/30 at 8 PM ET (What Kind of Paradise) UPDATED BOOK LIST: 43 Books About Twins for Double the Drama The Foursome by Christina Baker Kline Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline Piece of the World by Christina Baker Kline Christopher Paolini Please Don’t Lie by Anne Burt and Christina Baker Kline Watch Her Lie by Anne Burt and Christina Baker Kline Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink Historical Fiction: The Pleasures and Perils of Writing About Other Eras Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores. Connect With Us: Join the Book Gang Patreon Connect With Christina Baker Kline on Instagram or Her Website Connect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdvice Get My Happy List Newsletter Get the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter
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The 2026 Summer Reading Guide Is Here
May 800:35:11Tap to summarizeThe 2026 MomAdvice Summer Reading Guide is here! Discover 70 must-read titles and 57 pages of fresh picks for your best summer yet. It’s time for one of my favorite episodes: the official reveal of the 2026 MomAdvice Summer Reading Guide! This year’s edition showcases 70 carefully curated titles spanning every genre, so you can find the perfect read for every summer mood. In this special Book Gang episode, I’m sharing this year’s reading challenges with the buzziest books that didn’t deliver but ultimately changed my sails towards the unexpected, from magical days at the library for backlist fun to under-the-radar gems like the ones I’m debuting today. Out of the 114 books I read to prepare for this one, I’m spotlighting five unforgettable novels that deserve a spot on your TBR. These new voices captured my heart, and I hope you’ll fall in love with them, too. Grab your notebook (or open your Libby app!)—let’s dive into the WHY behind this year’s selections and get ready to build your summer reading stack. GET THE GUIDE: Browse the 2026 MomAdvice Summer Reading Guide (with ads) or receive the 57-page reading guide download ($7) to support our show. If you are a show patron, check your inbox for your copy as part of your member benefits- thank you for supporting my small business! Meet Amy Allen Clark Amy Allen Clark is the founder of MomAdvice.com, a vibrant online community she has nurtured since 2004. Through this platform, Amy shares practical advice on recipes, DIY projects, and book recommendations for her readers. In 2013, Amy authored The Good Life for Less, published by Penguin, and offered families tips for running their households on a shoestring budget. Amy launched the Book Gang Podcast in 2021. The book podcast celebrates debut authors, explores backlist titles, and highlights under-the-radar book selections. Through engaging conversations with writers and fellow book enthusiasts, Amy aims to connect you with your new favorite book. Mentioned in this episode: NEW: Buy the 2026 Summer Reading Guide (help our show stay on air) 2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections) Join the May Book Club 4/30 at 8 PM ET (What Kind of Paradise) Ellery Adams talks Invasive Species: Horror in the Neighborhood Substack on Yesteryear (the religious perspective) Stormy Daniels Isn’t Backing Down 17 Years After The Help, Kathryn Stockett Returns to Mississippi Connect With Me: Connect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdvice Support the Show With a Tip on Buy Me a Coffee
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Laurie Frankel Explores Autonomy at Any Age (Enormous Wings)
May 101:06:37Tap to summarizeLaurie Frankel joins Book Gang to discuss Enormous Wings, a bold, bighearted novel about aging, autonomy, and the messiness of modern family life. This week’s Book Gang conversation welcomes New York Times bestselling author Laurie Frankel, whose latest novel delivers a juicy book club premise wrapped in the chaos and warmth of a multigenerational Jewish family. When breast cancer survivor Pepper Mills loses her home and independence, she’s thrown into a new world at Vista View Retirement Community—only to face the unimaginable: a pregnancy at seventy-seven, and a gauntlet of opinions from loved ones, doctors, and the wider world. In this lively, surprising conversation, we discuss: 📚 Radically ordinary desires: Frankel unpacks the inspiration behind Pepper’s late-life pregnancy, exploring how aging, romance, and reproductive choice are rendered with empathy and humor. We talk about the importance of portraying older women’s desires as deeply human, never tragic or comedic. 📚 Family, autonomy, and the messiness of care: We dive into the family dynamics at the heart of Enormous Wings—how adult children can both rally around and inadvertently bulldoze their parents in the name of safety, and why there’s no right way to navigate the complexities of midlife and elder care. 📚 The riotous specificity of family: Frankel shares how she builds such vivid, lived-in characters—like grandkids who speak in emojis and National Coming Apart Day—without losing the emotional core. We discuss the joys and challenges of balancing humor, tradition, and heart in a story that celebrates both individuality and belonging. 📚 📚 BONUS WEEKLY BOOK LIST: Celebrate ageless adventures with this week’s list: 60 Books with Older Protagonists—stories that prove life’s boldest chapters can begin at any age. This has a lovely mix of upcoming releases, new releases, and backlist gems to browse. Patrons can grab a printable checklist for their next reading spree! Meet Laurie Frankel Laurie Frankel is the New York Times bestselling, award-winning author of Family Family, One Two Three, Goodbye for Now, The Atlas of Love, and the Reese’s Book Club Pick This Is How It Always Is. She lives in Seattle with her husband, daughter, and border collie. Enormous Wings is available now from Henry Holt & Co. Mentioned in this episode: Download Today's Show Transcript 2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections) UPDATED BOOK LIST: 60 Books With Older Protagonists Janelle Brown Interview (What Kind of Paradise) Join the May Book Club 4/30 at 8 PM ET (What Kind of Paradise) Enormous Wings by Laurie Frankel A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings by Gabriel Garcia Marquez This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores. Connect With Us: Join the Book Gang Patreon Connect With Laurie Frankel on Instagram or Her Website Connect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdvice Get My Happy List Newsletter Get the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter
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