Jo opens their mind to further basketball books after reading Hanif Abdurraqib’s There’s Always This Year, while Charlotte (11:30) revisits a YA novel from her youth, Bette Green’s Summer of My German Soldier. Glamorous Marlowe Granados then joins (24:30) to expound on great novels of mid-century women, namely Margaret Drabble’s The Millstone. Other books discussed in this episode: Mary McCarthy's The Group and Rona Jaffe's The Best of EverythingMarlowe Granados is the author of Happy Hour, a novel the New Yorker called an "effervescent debut." In 2021, it was shortlisted for the Amazon First Novel award and received starred reviews from Publisher's Weekly and Kirkus Review. It is considered a RAVE on Literary Hub’s BookMarks, a website that aggregates reviews from major publications. She writes a substack called "From the Desk of Marlowe Granados" and is currently at work on her second novel. After spending time in New York and London, she now lives in Toronto. Send questions, requests, recommendations, and your own thoughts about any of the books discussed today to readingwriterspod at gmail dot com. Charlotte’s most recent book is An Honest Woman: A Memoir of Love and Sex Work. Learn more at charoshane.comJo co-edits The Stopgap and their writing lives at jolivingstone.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the podcast, Addy discusses Homer’s epic, The Odyssey. She goes over the characters, plot, and themes, plus compares it with Homer’s Iliad. Enjoy!

**SPOILER ALERT: this episode contains spoilers for both Where the Red Fern Grows and A Tale of Two Cities. Don't listen until you have read BOTH of these books!** What does Where The Red Fern Grows and A Tale of Two Cities have in common? They both say the same thing but in two completely different ways! Join Addy in this episode as she discusses her favorite trope/genre of all time, cries at multiple points, and talks about how two authors can have the same theme that they want to show but go completely different ways to present it. Hope you enjoy! Quote of the day: "It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known." -A Tale of Two Cities(Charles Dickens)

In this conversation, Jeff Zentner chats with Jennifer  about his reader's heart and his writing process. They discuss the power of literature written for young people to shape hearts and help readers navigate the world. They also explore the themes of found family and redefining masculinity in Zentner's books. They delve into Jennifer favorite Jeff Zentner book: Rayne and Delilah's Midnight Matinee, and the importance of depicting relationships with mental illness in young adult literature. They also discuss Zentner's new book, Sunrise Nights,'a verse novel co-authored with Brittany Cavallaro, and Zentner's upcoming adult novel set in a puppet studio in 1970s New York City. Show notes, including a chance to win 2 signed copies of Jeff's books mentioned in this episode from Bookelicious, can be found here.  Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Personal Connection 03:02 The Power of Literature for Young People 08:26 Exploring Found Family and Redefining Masculinity 11:26 Depicting Relationships with Mental Illness in Young Adult Literature 40:46 Upcoming Adult Novel: A Journey into a Puppet Studio

Turtles All The Way Down by John Green Picked by Myranda ****TRIGGER WARNINGS**** This book talks a lot about mental health struggles and has some intense moments of anxiety, and compulsive disorders that may be triggering for some. This month’s book was chosen from the YA genre “Turtles All The Way Down” by John Green. •• This story is thick with the experience of its main character Aza’s challenges with her mental health. •• We talk about the uniqueness of mental health struggles, and how someone navigating these things, could be perceived by their friends or family, and how it can be isolating and confusing when your mind doesn’t quite work like the people around you. •• As always, listen to the show and let us know what you think! We’d love to hear from you! Leave us a comment down below or even a review on our podcast😁

Our Patron Julius the Nice Dragon requested today's book saying, “I want to nominate...“First Impressions” by SJ Saunders…It’s the first of three installments in a rather short trilogy I found floating on audible, but it never found an audience. Several years later it has about five total reviews online! So I think the question [for] this book is - Why did it flop the YA “dystopia” space? Is it too mediocre? Just got bad and irrelevant? Good but undiscovered?" We return to The Dunks! This book is all about cyborgs and supersoldier cloned teens in future Boston. Naturally, we discuss the MBTA for too long because we discover that even in an imagined highly advanced technological society, it still doesn't work. In fact, there is so much Boston-talk in this episode that it may be dangerous to listeners outside of New England. Please be advised.

S4 E7: Mara, Daughter of the Nile by Eloise Jarvis McGraw Young adult books are essential for beginning a life-long journey of reading. “You are both daring and unscrupulous, and you think fast. I have been looking for a person with those particular characteristics. Also I noticed you speak Babylonian.” Eloise Jarvis McGraw, Mara, Daughter of the Nile Young adult books provide relatable characters and situations that resonate with readers in this age group. These books often address important issues such as identity, relationships, and personal growth, which can help young adults navigate their own experiences. These books are written in a way that is accessible and engaging, making them an ideal starting point for those who are new to reading or looking to develop their reading and critical thinking skills. Join Sarah and Rebecca as they travel back in time to Ancient Egypt to discuss the books that started their love of reading. “…The queen’s mocking laughter cut in. “This is your treasure, Lord Sheftu?” “Aye. The greatest treasure in Egypt—a maid whose loyalty cannot be bought. Whatever bargain we make, Daughter of the Sun, must include her freedom.” Eloise Jarvis McGraw, Mara, Daughter of the Nile Music by Sights of Wonder #EpidemicSound"Egypt Calling" www.epidemicsound.com/track/TWXNESmrL1/"Egyptology" www.epidemicsound.com/track/S8xAaqeWAN/

I actually read Louis Sachar's "Holes" when I was in middle school for one of my English classes and decided to read "Small Steps" soon after to see what happened to Armpit from Camp Green Lake. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/daniellesreadingnook/support

“The 5th Wave,” “The Infinite Sea,” “The Last Star.” Ally by Rick Yancey --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/daniellesreadingnook/support

All about “The Cheetah Girls!” You can find the books online! Hope you decide to read them! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/daniellesreadingnook/support

The Vampire Academy series books: 1.)Vampire Academy, 2.)Frostbite, 3.)Shadow Kiss, 4.)Blood Promise, 5.)Spirit Bound and 6.)Last Sacrifice. Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight Saga: 1.)Twilight, 2.)New Moon, 3.)Eclipse, 4.)Breaking Dawn, 5.)Midnight Sun --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/daniellesreadingnook/support

If you are ages 10 to 14 and want to read horror novels, check out the “Goosebumps” series by R.L. Stine. They are centered around many different topics and not really that scary. But still, check out this series if you want to be thrilled; but in a good way!! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/daniellesreadingnook/support