Virtual Book Tour
Arts
Book of the Month
Since we've never been ones to keep interesting new books to ourselves, we're kicking off a series of conversations with Book of the Month authors about God only knows what. Recorded at Book of the Month headquarters on West 27th St. in front of a live audience of raucous employees! Give us your ears and we'll give you a look into the minds of writers we admire and a treasure trove of anecdotes, wisdom, and fun. Suggestions or ideas? Email us at [email protected].
Total 142 episodes
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Anna Rasche leaves no stone unturned.
Anna Rasche leaves no stone unturned.
Author Anna Rasche visits our headquarters for this week’s episode of VBT to discuss her new book, The Stone Witch of Florence. She covers writing about the Black Plague during a modern day-pandemic, the importance of wellness girlies, and why she loves crystals. After nearly a decade in exile for witchcraft, Ginevra di Gasparo is called upon to use her healing powers to save people from the Black Plague—or so she thinks. When she’s asked to use her unique abilities to hunt down a thief, she starts to suspect she may be a pawn in a larger political scheme.  Get The Stone Witch of Florence at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
23:2029/10/2024
Ann Liang on milking her JSTOR access.
Ann Liang on milking her JSTOR access.
The best way to listen to Virtual Book Tour is in the Book of the Month app!  Author Ann Liang joins us on this week’s episode of VBT to discuss her newest book, A Song to Drown Rivers. From making the most of her JSTOR access while it lasted, to thinking deeply about beauty standards across centuries, she breaks down how her historical fantasy novel got made. Xishi is beautiful—and deadly. When she is tasked with infiltrating an enemy kingdom and seducing the king, she undergoes rigorous training from Fanli, a famous young military advisor. But the more she succeeds, the more she stands to lose—from her own life to a burgeoning romance with Fanli. Get A Song to Drown Rivers at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
24:1609/10/2024
Coco Mellors wants you to cry in public.
Coco Mellors wants you to cry in public.
33:2302/10/2024
Laura Dave has a complicated relationship with thrillers.
Laura Dave has a complicated relationship with thrillers.
The best way to listen to Virtual Book Tour is in the Book of the Month app!  Repeat author Laura Dave joins us on this week’s episode of VBT to discuss her newest book, The Night We Lost Him. We talked about the question she wanted to answer with this story, how grief is an extension of love, and her complicated relationship with the thriller genre. Estranged siblings discover their father has been keeping a secret for over fifty years, one that may have been fatal… Liam Noone was many things to many people. To the public, he was an exacting, self-made hotel magnate fleeing his past. To his three ex-wives, he was a loving albeit distant family man who kept his finances flush. To Nora, he was a father who often loved from afar–notably a cliffside cottage purchased on the California coast from which he fell to his death. Get The Night We Lost Him at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
20:4225/09/2024
Chelsea Bieker is obsessed with grocery stores.
Chelsea Bieker is obsessed with grocery stores.
The best way to listen to Virtual Book Tour is in the Book of the Month app!  Chelsea Bieker joins us on this week’s episode of Virtual Book Tour to discuss her new book, Madwoman. We talked about her somatic practice around writing (shaking your sillies out) and our (mostly her) obsession with wellness. Clove has gone to extremes to keep her past a secret. But when she receives a letter from a women’s prison in California, her past comes screeching into the present, entangling her in a dangerous game with memory and the people she thought she had outrun.  Get Madwoman at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
34:2211/09/2024
Kimberly McCreight on the intensity of mother-daughter relationships
Kimberly McCreight on the intensity of mother-daughter relationships
The best way to listen to Virtual Book Tour is in the Book of the Month app!  Repeat author Kimberly McCreight joins us on this week’s episode of VBT to discuss her newest book, Like Mother, Like Daughter. We spoke about how Kimberly’s former days as a lawyer helped inform this story and we also discussed the intense relationships between mothers and daughters. When Cleo arrives late for dinner at her childhood home, she finds food burning in the oven and no sign of her mother. Then Cleo discovers her mom’s bloody shoe under the sofa. Something terrible has happened. But what? Get Like Mother, Like Daughter at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
28:1707/08/2024
Liz Moore was not a happy camper.
Liz Moore was not a happy camper.
The best way to listen to Virtual Book Tour is in the Book of the Month app!  Repeat author Liz Moore joins us on this week’s episode of VBT to discuss her newest book, The God of the Woods. We talked about how her own family history with the Adirondacks inspired the setting for this novel, her own experience with camp as a kid, and the myth and reality of self reliance.  When a teenager vanishes from her Adirondacks summer camp, two worlds collide. Early morning, August 1975: a camp counselor discovers an empty bunk and the camper has gone missing. This camper isn’t just any thirteen-year-old: she’s the daughter of the family that owns the camp. As a panicked search begins, the drama unfolds with a dynasty of secrets and second chances. Get The God of the Woods at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
29:4430/07/2024
Sarah Pekkanen loves eavesdropping.
Sarah Pekkanen loves eavesdropping.
The best way to listen to Virtual Book Tour is in the Book of the Month app!  Repeat author Sarah Pekkanen joins us on this week’s episode of VBT to discuss her newest book, House of Glass. We talked about the benefits of eavesdropping, how Sarah’s experience as an investigative reporter informs her work as a thriller novelist, and haunted mega mansions. On the outside they were the golden family. On the inside they built the perfect lie. A young nanny who plunged to her death, or was pushed? A nine-year-old girl who collects sharp objects and refuses to speak. A lawyer  whose job it is to uncover who in the family is a victim and who is a murderer. But how can you find out the truth when everyone here is lying? Get House of Glass at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
34:2402/07/2024
Isabel Banta on what makes a perfect pop song.
Isabel Banta on what makes a perfect pop song.
The best way to listen to Virtual Book Tour is in the Book of the Month app!  This week we spoke with Isabel Banta on what it means to be a child popstar. We discussed the price of celebrity, coming-of-age experiences, and how music lets us all connect.  It is 1997, and Amber Young has received a life-changing call. It’s a chance thousands of girls would die for: the opportunity to join girl group Cloud9 in Los Angeles and escape her small town. She quickly finds herself in the orbits of fellow rising stars Gwen Morris, a driven singer-dancer, and Wes Kingston, a member of the biggest boy band in the world, ETA. Get Honey at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
25:4528/06/2024
Rufi Thorpe's persona is a Germanic washerwoman.
Rufi Thorpe's persona is a Germanic washerwoman.
The best way to listen to Virtual Book Tour is in the Book of the Month app!  We had so much fun getting to talk to Rufi Thorpe, the author of Margo's Got Money Troubles on this week's episode of VBT! We talked about the consequences of snap judgements, how OnlyFans has shifted over the past couple of years, and Rufi's love for wrestling.  As the child of a Hooters waitress and an ex-pro wrestler, Margo has always known she’d have to make it on her own. So she enrolls at her local junior college. She is still figuring things out and never planned to have an affair with her English professor–and while the affair is brief, it isn’t brief enough to keep her from being pregnant. And despite everyone’s advice, she decided to keep the baby.  Get Margo’s Got Money Troubles at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
35:2325/06/2024
Laura Hankin and the romance of friendships in your 20s.
Laura Hankin and the romance of friendships in your 20s.
The best way to listen to Virtual Book Tour is in the Book of the Month app!  Live from the BOTM headquarters, Laura Hankin joins us to discuss her newest book, One-Star Romance. We had a lovely conversation about the romance of friendships in your 20s, why we shouldn't feel stuck in our timelines, and how Laura once got eviscerated by a teenager. Natalie and Rob couldn’t have less in common. The only thing they share is their devotion to their respective best friends–who just got engaged. Still, unexpected chemistry has Natalie cautiously optimistic about being maid of honor to Rob’s best man. Until, minutes before the ceremony, Nat learns that Rob wrote a one-star review of her new novel. Get One-Star Romance at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
30:2118/06/2024
Brynne Weaver and the golden age of smut.
Brynne Weaver and the golden age of smut.
The best way to listen to Virtual Book Tour is in the Book of the Month app!  Brynne Weaver joins us in the BOTM headquarters to discuss her newest book to The Ruinous Love trilogy, Leather & Lark. We asked Brynne why she was ruining all of our favorite foods and talked about how one woman's red flags might actually be another's green flag.  Contract killer Lachlan Kane wants a quiet life working in his leather studio and forgetting all about his traumatic past. But when he botches a job for his boss’ biggest client, he knows he will never claw his way out of the underworld. At least not until songbird Lark Montague offers him a deal. As Lachlan and Lark navigate the dark world, it becomes impossible to discern their fake marriage from a real one. Get Leather & Lark at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
29:1411/06/2024
Mai Corland is afraid of birds.
Mai Corland is afraid of birds.
The best way to listen to Virtual Book Tour is in the Book of the Month app!  The author of Five Broken Blades joins us in the BOTM office for this week's episode! We talked to Mai Corland about her epic new book, Korean mythology and history, and the transition from writing for younger audiences to now writing for adults.  It’s the season for treason; the king of Yusan must die. The five most dangerous liars in the land have been mysteriously summoned to work together for a single objective: to kill the god king. But for these killers, it’s not enough to forge an alliance. To survive, they’ll have to find a way to trust each other, but only one can take the crown. Get Five Broken Blades at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
27:0528/05/2024
Kaliane Bradley has a crush from 1847.
Kaliane Bradley has a crush from 1847.
The best way to listen to Virtual Book Tour is in the Book of the Month app!  Kaliane Bradley, author of The Ministry of Time, joins us to celebrate her debut novel! We talked about how she fell in love with Graham Gore, what she would be "excited" to experience if she could go back to the Victorian Era, and her modern tech pet peeves.  A government ministry is gathering “expats” from across history to establish whether time travel is feasible. She is tasked with working as a “bridge:” living with, assisting, and monitoring Commander Graham Gore, from 1847. Over the next year, what the bridge initially thought would be a horrifically uncomfortable roommate dynamic, evolves into something much deeper.  Get The Ministry of Time at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
31:0121/05/2024
Rachel Khong on what it means to be a real American.
Rachel Khong on what it means to be a real American.
The best way to listen to Virtual Book Tour is in the Book of the Month app!  On this week's episode, we sit down with Rachel Khong to discuss her new novel, Real Americans. We had so much fun asking the big questions like, “what do we inherit from our families and their histories,” and what it means to be a “real American.” Real Americans begins on the precipice of Y2K in New York City when Lily Chen meets Matthew. Matthew is everything Lily is not, but despite the differences, they fall in love. In 2021, fifteen-year-old Nick Chen has never felt like he belonged on the isolated island where he lives with his single mother, Lily. Real Americans is a story of trust, forgiveness, and finally coming home. Get Real Americans at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
27:2614/05/2024
Emiko Jean may be on a watch list…
Emiko Jean may be on a watch list…
The best way to listen to Virtual Book Tour is in the Book of the Month app!  On this week's episode, we sit down with Emiko Jean, author of The Return of Ellie Black. We talk about how this book was originally written as a YA novel, her past as an entomologist and how it could inspire a future book, and why she may be on a government watch list... Detective Chelsea Calhoun’s life is turned upside down when she gets the call that Ellie Black, a girl who disappeared years earlier, has resurfaced in the woods of Washington state–but Ellie’s reappearance leaves Chelsea with more questions than answers. Ellie won’t say where she’s been,  or who she’s protecting, and it’s up to Chelsea to find the answers.  Get The Return of Ellie Black at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
24:3807/05/2024
Makiia Lucier would never eat a seadragon egg.
Makiia Lucier would never eat a seadragon egg.
The best way to listen to Virtual Book Tour is in the Book of the Month app!  Makiia Lucier, author of Dragonfruit, joins us on this week’s episode of Virtual Book Tour! We learned that this beautiful fantasy novel was inspired by Makiia’s own memories of growing up on Guam and the historical elements that she used as  inspiration for her story. Hanalei of Tamarind is the cherished daughter of an old island family, but when her father steals a seadragon egg meant for an ailing princess, she is forced into a life of exile. In the years that follow, she finds solace in studying the majestic seadragons, until an encounter with a female dragon offers what she desires most. A chance to return home, and to right a terrible wrong. Get Dragonfruit at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
21:2330/04/2024
Yulin Kuang on what makes an office romance so hot.
Yulin Kuang on what makes an office romance so hot.
The best way to listen to Virtual Book Tour is in the Book of the Month app!  We had so much fun with Yulin Kuang, author of How to End a Love Story! We talked about her journey from screenwriter to author, what it's like to work in a writer's room, and what makes office romances so hot. Helen Zhang hasn’t seen Grant Shepard in the thirteen years since the tragic accident that bound their lives together forever. Now, a bestselling author, Helen earned a coveted spot in the writers’ room of the TV adaptation of her novel, only to find that Grant is the screenwriter on her show. Can they write themselves a new ending? Get How to End a Love Story at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
29:5523/04/2024
Simone Gorrindo on the unusual expectations of a military wife.
Simone Gorrindo on the unusual expectations of a military wife.
The best way to listen to Virtual Book Tour is in the Book of the Month app!  Simone Gorrindo joins us on this week's episode of VBT to discuss her new memoir, The Wives. We talk about uprooting her life from Manhattan to rural Georgia, the unusual expectations of being a military wife, and how her view of friendship changed.  The Wives tells the story of one woman’s experience of joining a community of Army wives after leaving her New York City job - a profound intimate look at marriage, friendship, and today’s America.  Get The Wives at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
30:1516/04/2024
Holly Gramazio created every single person’s dream attic.
Holly Gramazio created every single person’s dream attic.
The best way to listen to Virtual Book Tour is in the Book of the Month app!  On this week’s episode, we sit down with Holly Gramazio to discuss her debut novel, The Husbands. We talked about the choice fatigue that comes with online dating, her background in game design, and the importance of playing to feel at home When Lauren returns home to her flat in London one night, she is greeted at the door by her husband. There’s only one problem–she’s not married. As she tries to puzzle out how she could be married to someone she can’t remember meeting, her husband goes to the attic and abruptly disappears. In his place, a new man emerges, and she realizes that her attic is creating an infinite supply of husbands.  Get The Husbands at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
25:4809/04/2024
Ashton Lattimore on the fight for freedom in 1830s Philadelphia.
Ashton Lattimore on the fight for freedom in 1830s Philadelphia.
The best way to listen to Virtual Book Tour is in the Book of the Month app!  On this week’s episode, we sit down with Ashton Lattimore to discuss her debut novel, All We Were Promised. We dove deep on the evolution of abolition in Philadelphia, how family ties bond us, and how her background as a lawyer and journalist finds its way into her writing.    A housemaid with a dangerous family secret conspires with a wealthy young abolitionist to help an enslaved girl escape, in volatile pre-Civil War Philadelphia. Together, they will risk everything for one another in this story of friendship, deception, and women crossing boundaries in the name of freedom. Get All We Were Promised at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
28:3202/04/2024
Steve Cavanagh’s hangover sent him to law school.
Steve Cavanagh’s hangover sent him to law school.
All the way from Ireland, Steve Cavanagh joins us in the BOTM office to discuss his new thriller, Kill For Me, Kill For You. We discussed where the idea of a murder swap originated, when to get your revenge, and how a hangover sent him to law school. One dark evening on NYC’s Upper West Side, two strangers meet by chance. Over drinks, they realize how much they have in common, especially loneliness and an intense desire for revenge against the men who destroyed their families. As they talk into the night, they come up with the perfect plan: if you kill for me, I’ll kill for you.  Get Kill For Me, Kill For You at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
32:4926/03/2024
Amy Lin says grief is the final form of love.
Amy Lin says grief is the final form of love.
Amy Lin joins us at the BOTM HQ to discuss her new memoir, Here After. This was such a beautiful and moving conversation about how her late husband inspires her to be brave every day, why grief is the final form of love, and the importance of community during loss.  Amy Lin never expected to find a love like the one she shares with her husband. Here After is a rich and unflinchingly honest portrayal of her life with her late husband, the vortex created by his death, and the ongoing struggle she faces as she attempts to understand her own experience in the context of commonly held “truths” about what the grieving process looks like. Get Here After at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
41:0519/03/2024
Sierra Greer predicts robot girlfriends.
Sierra Greer predicts robot girlfriends.
On this week’s episode, we sit down with Sierra Greer, author of Annie Bot! We had so much fun talking about the future of AI, the ways we never stop coming-of-age, and we play a rapid fire game of “Real or Fake AI.” Annie Bot was created to be the perfect girlfriend for her human owner. Designed to satisfy his emotional and physical needs, she has dinner ready for him every night, wears the outfits he orders for her, and adjusts her libido to suit his moods. But becoming more human also means becoming less perfect, and as Annie’s relationship grows more intricate and difficult, she starts to wonder: does he really desire what he says he wants? Get Annie Bot at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
25:0812/03/2024
Xochitl Gonzalez owes her college roommate $20.
Xochitl Gonzalez owes her college roommate $20.
We are so excited to sit down with Xochitl Gonzalez to discuss her newest book Anita de Monte Laughs Last! We discussed why this book feels more personal to her than her debut, how our view of relationships change as we grow older, and why she owes her college roommate $20.  Anita de Monte, a rising star in the art world, is found dead in NYC; her tragic death is the talk of the town. Until it isn’t. By 1998, Anita’s name has been all but forgotten, certainly by the time Raquel, a third-year art history student, is preparing for her final thesis. But when Raquel finds herself rising up the social ranks, she stumbles upon Anita’s story, raising questions about the dynamics of her own relationship. Get Anita de Monte Laughs Last at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
31:0905/03/2024
Cara Bastone is rooting for the nice guy.
Cara Bastone is rooting for the nice guy.
This is a preview of our episode with Cara Bastone, author of Ready or Not. Our full conversation is available for free in the Book of the Month app.  Cara Bastone joined us at the BOTM HQ to talk about her new book, Ready or Not! We had so much fun talking about how she first conceived of this story (pun intended), how to show up for someone who is expecting, and how she was first introduced to the romance genre. Eve Hatch is pretty content with her life, until she finds herself expecting after an uncharacteristic one-night stand. The unplanned pregnancy cracks open all of the relationships in her life. Eve’s loyal friendship with her best friend Willa is feeling off, right when she needs her most. And it’s Willa’s brother who steps up to help. Before long, Eva is rethinking everything she thought she knew about herself and her world. Get Ready or Not at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
10:4429/02/2024
Kristin Hannah shines a light on the forgotten women of the Vietnam War.
Kristin Hannah shines a light on the forgotten women of the Vietnam War.
This is a preview of our episode with Kristin Hannah, author of The Women. Our full conversation is available for free in the Book of the Month app.  We sit down with 3-peat BOTM author Kristin Hannah to discuss her new book, The Women! We talk about the original inspiration behind the book, the role women played in the Vietnam War, and the importance of engaging with our history. When Frances McGrath’s brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path. As inexperienced as the men sent to fight, Frankie is overwhelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. Each day is a gamble of life and death and hope and betrayal. But war is just the beginning; the real battle lies in coming home to a changed and divided America. Get The Women at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
08:3027/02/2024
Avery Cunningham on the melting pot of 1920s Chicago.
Avery Cunningham on the melting pot of 1920s Chicago.
We sat down with Avery Cunningham to discuss her debut novel, The Mayor of Maxwell Street. We discussed the wealthy's pastime in horse racing, the seedy underbelly of organized crime, and the lesson Avery took from writing this story. After the unexpected death of her only brother, Nelly becomes the premier debutante overnight, but Nelly has aspirations beyond society influence and marriage. For the past year, she has worked undercover as an investigative journalist, sharing the achievements and tribulations of everyday Black people living in the shadow of Jim Crow. Her latest assignment thrusts her into the den of a dangerous vice lord: the Mayor of Maxwell Street. Get The Mayor of Maxwell Street at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
34:1913/02/2024
Yangsze Choo knows when you're lying.
Yangsze Choo knows when you're lying.
We're speaking with Yangsze Choo about her new book, The Fox Wife! We talked about why Yangsze based this story in 1908 Manchuria, how her time abroad informed her approach to stories, and of course, magic.  In the last years of the dying Qing Empire, a courtesan is found frozen in a doorway. Her death is clouded by rumors of foxes, which are believed to lure people by transforming themselves into beautiful women and handsome men. Taking inspiration from Chinese folklore, this winter tale follows a fox seeking revenge in the dangerous world of men. Get The Fox Wife at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
32:4306/02/2024
Rebecca Ross finds magic in everyday life.
Rebecca Ross finds magic in everyday life.
Rebecca Ross joins us on Virtual Book Tour to discuss her duology - Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows. We had a magical time talking about the duality that lives in all of us, why romantasy is a genre capturing readers, and how Rebecca's love of fantasy started. In this epic follow-up to Divine Rivals, Iris has returned from the front, but the war is far from over. Roman is missing, and the city of Oath continues to dwell in a state of disbelief and ignorance. As the days grow darker, inevitably drawing Roman and Iris closer together, the two of them will risk their very hearts and futures to change the tides of the war.  Get Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
25:2001/02/2024
Amy Jo Burns on the beauty of regret.
Amy Jo Burns on the beauty of regret.
On this week's episode, we sit down with Amy Jo Burns, author of Mercury! We had a great time speaking about the legacy of making things with your hands, why we should be rethinking the term "Rust Belt," and the learnings that come with regret.  It’s 1990 and seventeen-year-old Marley West is blazing into the river valley town of Mercury, Pennsylvania. A perpetual loner, she seeks a place at someone’s table and a family of her own. The first thing she sees when she arrives in town is three men standing on a rooftop. The Joseph brothers become Marley’s whole world before she can blink. Get Mercury at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
33:4630/01/2024
Alex Michaelides is playing with your expectations.
Alex Michaelides is playing with your expectations.
We are so excited to be welcoming Alex Michaelides, three-time BOTM author, onto VBT for this week's episode! We took a peek behind the emerald curtain and got to learn more about how he plays with the expectations of the reader, why The Fury is a whydunit rather than a whodunit, and how Alex fell back in love with writing. Lana Farrar is a reclusive ex-movie star and one of the most famous women in the world. Every year, she invites her closest friends to escape and spend Easter on her private Greek island. It has all the necessary ingredients for a press sensation: a celebrity; a private island cut off by the wind…and a murder.  Get The Fury at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
36:4723/01/2024
Molly Roden Winter and the perks of open marriage.
Molly Roden Winter and the perks of open marriage.
Live from the BOTM headquarters, Molly Roden Winter joins us to discuss her new memoir, More. We talked about everything from motherhood, outdoor escapades, and the intricacies of an open marriage. This episode had the whole office in tears from laughing; you're in for a treat! Molly Roden Winter was a mom of two young children with her husband, Stewart. One night, when Stewart missed the kids’ bedtime, again, she stormed out of the house to clear her head. At impromptu drinks with a friend, she met an unbelievably hot younger man. When Molly told her husband that Matt had asked her out, she was surprised that he encouraged her to accept. There began Molly’s open marriage and with it a life-changing journey of self-discovery. Get More at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
43:4518/01/2024
Amy Pease is a little too fond of eyebrows.
Amy Pease is a little too fond of eyebrows.
We are so excited to be sitting down with Amy Pease to talk about her debut book, Northwoods. We loved getting to hear about her experience going from a Book of the Month long-time member to author, and we also talked about the hallmarks of writing a small town mystery, how her work as a healthcare provider helped her writing, and Amy's favorite niche sub genre.  Eli North’s drinking is getting worse by the day, his emotional wounds after his deployment in Afghanistan are as raw as ever, his marriage and career are over, and the only job he can hold down is at the local sheriff’s department with his mother. When the body of a boy is found in the lake, Eli has the opportunity to solve the case and get the shot at redemption he so desperately needs. Or will answers to this dark case elude him and continue to bring destruction to the Northwoods? Get Northwoods at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.   
28:2709/01/2024
Emily Austin, family relationships, and phobias of bald men.
Emily Austin, family relationships, and phobias of bald men.
New Year, new Virtual Book Tour Episode! We are so excited to be kicking off 2024 with Emily Austin, author of Interesting Facts About Space! We discuss writing about anxiety, rediscovering artifacts from our youth, and of course, space. Enid is obsessed with space and can tell you any fact without batting an eye in fear. Her one major phobia? Bald men. But she tries to keep that one under wraps. When she’s not listening to her favorite true crime podcasts on a loop, she’s serially dating a rotation of women from dating apps, while also trying to forge a relationship with her estranged half-sisters. Interesting Facts about Space shows us the power of revealing our secret shames, the most beautifully human parts of us all. Get Interesting Facts About Space at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
38:3102/01/2024
Josie Silver is bringing the holiday cheer.
Josie Silver is bringing the holiday cheer.
We have the perfect episode for the holiday season–we are talking with Josie Silver about her newest book, A Winter in New York. We talk about the inspiration to set the story in New York, how grief reshapes our approach to love, and we learn some interesting facts about the history behind Valentine's Day. When Iris takes a walk through Little Italy, a family-run gelateria catches her eyes, and she realizes that it's the same shop that is in an old photo of her mother’s. Curious, Iris returns the next day and learns that the sole keeper of their family’s gelato recipe is sick and the shop is in danger of closing. When Iris samples the gelato, she realizes that their gelato and her mother’s are one in the same.  Get A Winter in New York at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
31:1126/12/2023
Nita Prose’s writing career started on an airplane napkin.
Nita Prose’s writing career started on an airplane napkin.
We are so excited to be speaking with Nita Prose about her second Book of the Month book, The Mystery Guest. We talk about the co-creation between the writer and the reader, sneaking into hotels for book research, and the airplane napkin that started Nita’s writing career. Molly Gray has a flair for cleaning and proper etiquette, and has risen through the ranks of the five-star hotel to become the esteemed Head Maid. Right as her life reaches a pinnacle state of perfection, her world is turned upside down when a world-renowned mystery author drops dead on the hotel’s floor. With the entire hotel under investigation, Molly must solve the mystery. Get The Mystery Guest at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
37:0719/12/2023
Vanessa Chan on multigenerational storytelling.
Vanessa Chan on multigenerational storytelling.
On this week's episode, we sit down with the author of The Storm We Made, Vanessa Chan! We talk about how the foundation of her book came from her grandmother, how the Pacific Theater was impacted during World War II, and how her relationship with Malaysia has changed in the process of writing this book.  The Storm We Made takes place in 1945 Malaya, and Cecily’s family is in danger. Her fifteen-year-old son has disappeared, her youngest daughter is confined in a basement, and her eldest works at a tea house frequented by drunk Japanese soldiers. Cecily knows two things: that this is all her fault; and that her family must never learn the truth.  Get The Storm We Made at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
36:2012/12/2023
Emma Grey’s last love note to her husband.
Emma Grey’s last love note to her husband.
We are so excited to be sitting down with Emma Grey to discuss The Last Love Note. We talk about the highs and lows of experiencing loss, the importance of community while grieving, and chasing the light in hard times. Grab your tissues, this episode is a  tearjerker!  The Last Love Note follows Kate two years after losing her young husband. She’s grieving, solo parenting, working like mad, always dropping the ball—and yet clinging to her sense of humor. When an in-flight problem leaves Kate and her boss stranded for a weekend on the east coast of Australia, she finally has a chance to process her grief and see what’s right in front of her. Get The Last Love Note at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
33:1005/12/2023
Kate Robb wrote her best spicy scene on the train.
Kate Robb wrote her best spicy scene on the train.
On this week’s episode, we sit down with debut author Kate Robb to discuss her November book, This Spells Love. We talk about the butterfly effect, when it’s appropriate to put a spell on an ex, and how Kate perfected the art of writing spicy romantic scenes.  When Gemma gets dumped by her long-term boyfriend, she gets drunk with her sister, aunt, and best friend. After one too many margaritas, they perform a love-cleansing spell, which promises to erase Gemma’s ex from her memory. When she wakes up, she realizes that the silly spell has worked, but the rest of her life is completely unrecognizable and her best friend has no idea who she is.  Get This Spells Love at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
26:1328/11/2023
Jonathan Evison infiltrated a Bigfoot expedition.
Jonathan Evison infiltrated a Bigfoot expedition.
What would you do if you came back century after century in different forms to live multiple different lives? Jonathan Evison explores this idea in his new novel, Again and Again. We talk about the importance of continuing the dialogue between the reader and the writer, the power of storytelling, and we play a game of Famous Reincarnations. Eugene “Geno” Miles is living out his final days in a nursing home, struggling to connect with his new nursing assistant, Angel. She is understandably skeptical of Geno’s insistence of having not just one life but many – all the way back to medieval Spain. As Angel comes to learn the truth about Geno and his miraculous story comes to a head, so does the biggest truth that love is sometimes right in front of us. Get Again and Again at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
26:5521/11/2023
Anna Pitoniak is thirsty for the CIA.
Anna Pitoniak is thirsty for the CIA.
We are sitting down with Anna Pitoniak on this week's episode of Virtual Book Tour to discuss her new spy thriller, The Helsinki Affair! We talk about her idea for the novel, what qualities you would need to work for the CIA, and how spy craft has changed over the years.  Amanda Cole is a young CIA agent, following in the footsteps of her father, and when a Russian operative tells her that a US Senator is about to be assassinated, she is thrust into an international conspiracy. As she gets closer to solving the case, she finds that her father’s name was written in the senator’s notes. In order to get to the bottom of this international plot, Amanda must decide if her loyalty lies with her country or with her family. Get The Helsinki Affair at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
36:0614/11/2023
V.E. Schwab believes in magic.
V.E. Schwab believes in magic.
To celebrate our 100th episode, we sit down with V.E. Schwab, author of The Fragile Threads of Power and 2020 BOTY finalist The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. We talk about the power of magic, writing accessible fantasy, and writing your own rules.  Once, there were four worlds pulsing with fantastical power, and connected by a single city: London. When the magic grew too fast, the worlds were forced to seal the doors between them to protect their own. The only magicians who still have the power to open the doors between worlds are the Antari, and only three are known in recent memory. Get The Fragile Threads of Power at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
38:1107/11/2023
Jean Kwok and the real life inspiration behind her novel.
Jean Kwok and the real life inspiration behind her novel.
On this week’s episode, we sit down with Jean Kwok, author of The Leftover Woman! We talk about her thoughts on motherhood, ambition, and her experience as a ballroom dancer. We also got an impromptu merengue lesson post-interview! Jasmine Yang arrives in New York City without money or family support, on a search for her daughter who was taken from her at birth due to China’s One Child Policy. Rebecca Whitney seems to have it all: a prestigious family name, wealth, a successful career, and an adopted Chinese daughter she adores. But when Rebecca faces an industry scandal, her marriage, job, and perfect world begin to crumble.  Get The Leftover Woman at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
35:1131/10/2023
Hannah Morrissey has a murder board.
Hannah Morrissey has a murder board.
Hannah Morrissey joins us on today's episode to discuss her latest thriller, When I'm Dead. We talk about her time as a police transcriber, how Hannah plans her fictional murders, and we play a game of Never Have I Ever.  On an October night, Medical Examiner Rowan investigates the death of her daughter’s best friends, and hours later, her daughter goes missing. A mosaic of clues force Rowan and her husband to question how well they really know their daughter, and they begin to uncover disturbing details about their daughter. When I’m Dead is a twist-filled thriller that will have you wondering how well we can ever know those we hold dearest.  Get When I’m Dead at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
27:2526/10/2023
Alix E. Harrow, scary stories, and haunted homes.
Alix E. Harrow, scary stories, and haunted homes.
We're continuing in the spirit of Spooky Season and talking with Alix E. Harrow, author of Starling House. We talk about feeling like an outcast in a small community, the meaning of home and ownership, and, of course, haunted homes, scary stories, and monsters. Starling House follows Opal, an orphan and high school dropout, determined to find a better life for her younger brother. Desperate to get out of Kentucky, Opal steps into Starling House to make some extra cash and the sinister forces dig her deeper into it’s buried secrets. Get Starling House at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
33:1124/10/2023
Adrienne Young on embracing and accepting life.
Adrienne Young on embracing and accepting life.
Adrienne Young joins us on this week’s episode of Virtual Book Tour to discuss her newest book, The Unmaking of June Farrow. We cover having multiple soulmates, modern love, déjà vu, and the power of writing.  In The Unmaking of June Farrow, the Farrow women are known for their thriving flower farm, and the mysterious curse that has plagued their family line. It’s been a year since June started seeing and hearing things that weren’t there, but June is determined to end the curse. When June discovers a series of cryptic clues, she embarks on a journey that will change both the past and the future.  Get The Unmaking of June Farrow at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
32:3817/10/2023
Nathan Hill on placebos, self-care fads, and wellness.
Nathan Hill on placebos, self-care fads, and wellness.
We are excited to be sitting down with Nathan Hill on this week’s episode of Virtual Book Tour to discuss his new novel, Wellness. We talk about algorithms, placebos, self-care fads, and Nathan’s personal definition of wellness. When Jack and Elizabeth meet as college students, the two instantly fall in love. Fast-forward twenty years to married life, and alongside the challenges of parenthood, they encounter cults disguised as mindfulness support groups, polyamorous couples, and Facebook wars. For the first time, Jack and Elizabeth struggle to recognize each other and they risk losing the best thing in their lives: each other.  Get Wellness at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
37:2210/10/2023
Breanne Randall believes in magic.
Breanne Randall believes in magic.
We're kicking off October with Breanne Randall, the author of The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic. We talk about the power of magic, the special bond between a grandparent and their grandchild, and Breanne's perspective on rejection.  Sadie Revelare has always believed that the curse of four heartbreaks that accompanies her magic would be worth the price. When her grandmother is diagnosed with cancer, and her first heartbreak returns to town, her structured life begins to unravel. As her feelings for her first love rekindle, and her grandmother gets sicker, Sadie has to decide if love is more important than magic.  Get The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
28:4503/10/2023
Etaf Rum on taking ownership of your dreams.
Etaf Rum on taking ownership of your dreams.
On this week's episode, we sit down with 2019 BOTY finalist Etaf Rum, author of Evil Eye. We discuss the importance of chasing your dreams, the first time Etaf felt seen as a writer, and fitting in within your community.  Raised in a conservative Palestinian family in Brooklyn, Yara thought she would finally feel free when she married an entrepreneur and moved to the suburbs. She’s gotten to follow her dreams, but as a traditional wife, she also raises her two daughters, takes care of the house, and has dinner ready for her husband. When Yara faces trouble, her mother blames a family curse, and to save herself, Yara must reckon with the reality that her childhood could have damaging implications for her and her daughters’ future. Get Evil Eye at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  
37:3426/09/2023