pleasure reading

Happy New Years Eve, readers! In this comeback episode, I'm sharing quick-hit reviews of all the books I've read since September.Tune in for Parisian magicians, murderous influencers, werewolf romantics, gay hockey players (yes, I got into Heated Rivalry...), and more!I also talk a bit about my TBR failures, how many books I read this year (123!), and my reading goals for 2026.Find all the books right here: https://bookshop.org/lists/pleasure-reading-fall-2025  More from Amelia:📖 Follow what I'm reading on Storygraph📝 Send me a message📚 Shop my used books on Pango🎁 Gift me a book from my Bookshop wishlist

Fall is my favorite season for reading, because I love cozy blankets, warm lattes, and books that make me feel some kind of way.In this episode, I’m sharing books for my 3 fave fall feelings: cozy, sexy, and spooky. 🧶💄👹It’s a Libra & Scorpio season adventure, full of amazing reads that just came out this year!ALSO! I just published a new book of my own. It’s called Your Attention is Sacred Except on Social Media, and you can pick up a paperback or an ebook right here.Recommended Books (with affiliate links):A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu MandannaDragon Fires Everywhere by Hazel BeckGhost Business by Jen DeLucaZomRomCom by Olivia DadeArcane Academy by Elise KovaPlay Nice by Rachel HarrisonKatabasis by R.F. KuangThe Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-GarciaThe Whistler by Nick Medina  More from Amelia:📖 Follow what I'm reading on Storygraph📝 Send me a message📚 Shop my used books on Pango🎁 Gift me a book from my Bookshop wishlist

OK it's been a minute since I made an episode... but I promise I've been reading!In fact, I've read 47 books since the end of March, and I have plenty to say about them.So get cozy, press play, and tune in to let these 60-second reviews wash over you. There's everything from age-gap romance to cerebral mysteries to weirdo body horror. Plus I found three 5-star reads this summer!Find all the books here: https://bookshop.org/lists/pleasure-reading-spring-summer-2025  More from Amelia:📖 Follow what I'm reading on Storygraph📝 Send me a message📚 Shop my used books on Pango🎁 Gift me a book from my Bookshop wishlist

Let’s get spicy this summer! This month on the pod, I’m sharing my current TBR that’s full of sweet and sexy queer romance novels.Tune in to hear me rave about Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid, and then to share how these 10 other romances landed on my bedside book stack.Recommended Books (with affiliate links):Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins ReidTriple Sec by TJ AlexanderFor Her Consideration by Amy SpaldingBecause Fat Girl by Lauren Marie-FlemingBrewed with Love by Shelly PageFlirting Lessons by Jasmine GuilloryMy Best Friend’s Honeymoon by Meryl WilsnerGirl Crushed by Katie HeaneyThey Both Die at the End & The First to Die at the End by Adam SilveraHeartwaves by Anita KellyDelilah Green Doesn’t Care, Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail & Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date by Ashley Herring Blake And if you find yourself in Portland, I highly recommend checking out Grand Gesture Books!   More from Amelia:📖 Follow what I'm reading on Storygraph📝 Send me a message📚 Shop my used books on Pango🎁 Gift me a book from my Bookshop wishlist

Pull out your mood rings, because this week we're reading by vibes!Today I'm returning to the pod with an extra special guest, Rachel Ropeik. Rachel is a cultural catalyst and pirate who works with equal parts wisdom and whimsy. From navigating the halls of the Guggenheim, the Brooklyn Museum, and MoMA to setting sail as a consultant changemaker, she blends thoughtful disruption and playful innovation in work with both cultural organizations and individuals.Rachel reached out to me this spring to ask if we could chat about our different reading styles. And even though I was deep in a reading slump... I still said YES PLEASE!In this conversation, Rachel and I unpack the concept of "mood reading" and share a few of the moods that inspired our recent reads. Tune in for over a dozen vibe-specific recs, including:From Rachel:​The Antidote by Karen RussellThe Hymn to Dionysus by Natasha PulleyWe Will Rest!: The Art of Escape by Tricia Hersey​Rest is Resistance by Tricia HerseyThe Nap Ministry's Rest Deck by Tricia HerseyAnnihilation by Jeff VanderMeerThe Mars House by Natasha PulleyThe Giver by Lois LowryFrom Amelia:Problematic Summer Romance by Ali HazelwoodThe Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-DaltonGhost Station by S.A. BarnesThe Deep by Rivers SolomonThe Idea of You by Robinne LeeMistakes Were Made by Meryl WilsnerThe Song of Achilles by Madeline MillerCirce by Madeline MillerNeon Gods by Katee RobertMore links from Rachel: NPR's Book of the Day, NYTimes Read Like the Wind, What To Read If from Elizabeth Held  More from Amelia:📖 Follow what I'm reading on Storygraph📝 Send me a message📚 Shop my used books on Pango🎁 Gift me a book from my Bookshop wishlist

Today we've got our second ever nonfiction list, and it's all about TIME! Tune in to hear how I've been reimagining the clock with the help of these four books. Then find the (affiliate) links below to purchase them for yourself. 🕰️ Recommended BooksSaving Time by Jenny OdellMaking Time by Maria Bowler (sponsored)Dismantling the Master's Clock by Rasheedah PhillipsWorld Enough & Time: On Creativity and Slowing Down by Christian McEwen   More from Amelia:📖 Follow what I'm reading on Storygraph📝 Send me a message📚 Shop my used books on Pango🎁 Gift me a book from my Bookshop wishlist

I read 13 books in February and 15 books in March. So we're gonna do another monthly reading recap! In this episode, I'm sharing 60 second reviews of everything I read in late winter — from dark academia to light romance to my first non-fiction reads of 2025.You can expect podcasters falling in love, goddesses rising from the dead, and sexy sacrilegious smut. I hope you enjoy!Books mentioned in this episode:Their Vicious Games by Joelle WashingtonWhere Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Àbíké-ÍyímídéAce of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-ÍyímídéThe Mary Shelley Club by Goldy MoldavaskyA Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria LeeHow We Fall Apart by Katie ZhaoKnow Your Newlywed (audio only)Just My Type by Falon BallardPriest by Sierra SimoneWe All Rot Eventually by Mia BallardElegy for the Undead by Matthew VeselyGoddess of Filth by V. CastroThe Inheritance by Trisha SakhlechaLo Fi by Liz RiggsDeep Cuts by Holly BrickleyPerfume & Pain by Anna DornBack After This by Linda HolmesTo the Gorge by Emily Halnon (I forgot to talk about this one but it's amazing!)Must Love Silence by Lucy BexleyThe Centre by Ayesha Manazir SiddiqiGoddess Complex by Sanjena SathianThe Fever Series by Karen Marie MoningEverybody is a Liar by Liv Constantine (audio only)Fat Girls Hiking by Summer Michaud-SkogCareless People by Sarah Wynn-WilliamsSeven Brief Lessons on Physics by Carlo Rovelli  More from Amelia:📖 Follow what I'm reading on Storygraph📝 Send me a message📚 Shop my used books on Pango🎁 Gift me a book from my Bookshop wishlist

This one goes out to all my cooler-than-thou millennials tuning in — because this week I’m sharing books set in the indie sleaze scene!If you’re not familiar with indie sleaze, think skinny jeans, sweaty clubs, early aughts attitude and bands like The Strokes, LCD Soundsystem, and Yeah Yeah Yeahs.The scene was dominate by boys-in-bands, but in my personal (admittedly nostalgic) experience the music venues were full of women! So I wanted to find books by all the girls in the crowds like me, who loved this music but maybe weren’t well-represented there.Tune in for three books that are also playlists. I hope you enjoy!🎸Indie Sleaze Reads I Recommend:06:15 — Lo Fi by Liz Riggs + the playlist13:15 — Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley + the playlist19:00 — I Love You So Much It’s Killing Us Both by Mariah Stovall + the playlistAnd if you love this episode, you might also love the documentary Meet Me in the Bathroom!  More from Amelia:📖 Follow what I'm reading on Storygraph📝 Send me a message📚 Shop my used books on Pango🎁 Gift me a book from my Bookshop wishlist

OMG we've got our first guest — Bailey Lang of The Writing Desk!Bailey is a late-diagnosed neurodivergent writer, editor, and coach. Through her company, The Writing Desk, she helps businesses and authors tell stories that matter. Bailey has been an avid reader for as long as she can remember, and her favorite thing to do is talk about books and writing.Bailey reached out to me at the end of last year, asking if we could do an episode together. She proposed that she could share a list of fiction reads with great neurodivergent representation… and I said YES PLEASE!So in this episode, we’ll hear from Bailey as she shares a few of her fave books with implicit and explicit representation of autistic or neurodivergent characters. We love to see/hear it!😎 Bailey’s Book Recs:The Heart Principle by Helen HoangCassandra in Reverse by Holly SmaleAll Systems Red by Martha Wells“Vaster Than Empires and More Slow” by Ursula K. Le GuinPLUS! This whole list of neurodivergence-related books that Bailey recommends  More from Amelia:📖 Follow what I'm reading on Storygraph📝 Send me a message📚 Shop my used books on Pango🎁 Gift me a book from my Bookshop wishlist

Poetry is perfect for liminal seasons. And I find myself craving poetic wisdom as winter drags on and slowly turns to spring.So in this episode, I’m recommending seven recent poetry collections (released in 2023, 2024 or 2025) that are helping me feel alive right now!These books take on a wide range of themes, tones, and poetic forms, so there’s something here for everyone. Enjoy!📜 Recommended Books3:00 Two Open Doors in a Field by Sophie Klahr5:00 Instructions for Traveling West by Joy Sullivan6:00 Gemini Gospel by Bianca Alyssa Pérez8:30 recurring characters by evan chelsee11:45 Amouroboros by Amelia K.14:45 Big Money Porno Mommy by Catherine Weiss18:00 Survival Takes a Wild Imagination by Fariha Róisín  More from Amelia:📖 Follow what I'm reading on Storygraph📝 Send me a message📚 Shop my used books on Pango🎁 Gift me a book from my Bookshop wishlist

February is the shortest, darkest month. So why not go back to the most ominous place I can imagine... high school? ☠️In this episode, I'm recommending six dark academia books that all take place in high school and are written for a YA audience. Tune in to hear how these academic adventures take on the more unsavory aspects of our society — addressing racism, sexism, and classism within the ivory tower and beyond. Then grab the (affiliate) links below to purchase your own copies! 🎓 YA Dark Academia Recs:How We Fall Apart by Katie ZhaoWhere Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Àbíké-ÍyímídéThe Mary Shelley Club by Goldy MoldavaskyTheir Vicious Games by Joelle WashingtonAce of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-ÍyímídéA Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee    More from Amelia:📖 Follow what I'm reading on Storygraph📝 Send me a message📚 Shop my used books on Pango🎁 Gift me a book from my Bookshop wishlist

Happy Valentine's season, my lovely readers/listeners!In this episode, I'm celebrating the month of ~~love~~ by sharing a curated list of 5-star romances including my all time faves, a few unexpected picks, and my February romance TBR.We're talking about 17 romantic books in this episode — including all your fave tropes like enemies-to-lovers, grumpy-sunshine, forced proximity, second chance and more. Tune in to inspire your own heartwarming reading list. Happy Valentine's Day! xoxo  💘 ALL TIME FAVE ROMANCE RECSExpiration Dates by Rebecca SerleIn Five Years by Rebecca SerleRole Playing by Cathy YardleyThe Pairing by Casey McQuistonRed, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuistonThe Seven Year Slip by Ashley PostonBeach Read by Emily HenryBook Lovers by Emily HenrySeven Days in June by Tia Williams🖤 UNEXPECTED ROMANCE PICKSThe Argonauts by Maggie NelsonEven Though I Knew the End by C.L. PolkBride by Ali HazelwoodYou Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi💓 MY CURRENT ROMANCE TBRBefore I Let Go by Kennedy RyanDelilah Green Doesn’t Care by Ashley Herring BlakeForget Me Not by Julie SotoThis Time it’s Real by Ann Liang  More from Amelia:📖 Follow what I'm reading on Storygraph📝 Send me a message📚 Shop my used books on Pango🎁 Gift me a book from my Bookshop wishlist

I read 15 books in January. Some I loved, some I...didn't, and others I barely remember! 🙃So let's try out a monthly reading recap. In this episode, I'm sharing 60 second reviews of everything I read this month from romance to fantasy to extreme horror. Dragons, dancers, and time travel, oh my! I hope you enjoy! Books mentioned in this episode:Bloom by Delilah S. DawsonGuillotine by Delilah S. DawsonExpiration Dates by Rebecca SerleEven Though I Knew the End by C. L. PolkAll Systems Red by Martha WellsSecond Night Stand by Karelia and Fay Stetz-WatersOnyx Storm by Rebecca YarrosSeven Days in June by Tia WilliamsRest Stop by Nat CassidyBluejay by Megan StocktonDead Girls Talking by Megan Cooley PetersonJust Some Stupid Love Story by Katelyn DoyleCassandra in Reverse by Holly SmaleThe Night Guest by Hildur Knútsdóttir Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams  More from Amelia:📖 Follow what I'm reading on Storygraph📝 Send me a message📚 Shop my used books on Pango🎁 Gift me a book from my Bookshop wishlist

My favorite winter activity is cozying up with a good book. And when I *really* want to embrace the dark vibes of the season, I turn to a creepy, cold-weather thriller.So in this episode, I'm recommending three snow-drenched thrillers that I recently enjoyed reading — all of which feature blizzards, bad relationships, and twists that I never saw coming. I hope you enjoy!  Books recommended in this episode:⛪️ Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney✍️ The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz❄️ Night Watching by Tracy Sierra  More from Amelia:📖 Follow what I'm reading on Storygraph📝 Send me a message📚 Shop my used books on Pango🎁 Gift me a book from my Bookshop wishlist

My intention for 2025 is to read fewer books and to read better books. Basically, I *really* want more 5-star reads this year, and I think I have to change up my reading habits to make that happen!So to kick off my year in reading, I've collected 25 books I already own that I think will be 5-star reads for me. I'm calling this MY FIVE-STAR TBR (yes, that's all-caps), and in this episode I'm introducing all 25 books to you and explaining why I think they might be 5-star reads!Tune in to hear the list, or head straight to my bookshop to find them all at your convenience.  More from Amelia:📖 Follow what I'm reading on Storygraph📝 Send me a message📚 Shop my used books on Pango🎁 Gift me a book from my Bookshop wishlist

Today I'm wrapping up our year in reading by sharing my four favorite books of 2024 and my four biggest flops — not the books I hated but the reading habits and routines that really did not work for me this year.Tune in to hear why I loved the books I loved best and what went ... horribly wrong on my TBR over the past twelve months.  My Fave Reads of 2024:🛣️ Instructions for Traveling West by Joy Sullivan🍋 Body Work by Melissa Febos🍷 The Pairing by Casey McQuiston👹 Come Closer by Sarah Gran   More from Amelia:📖 Follow what I'm reading on Storygraph📝 Send me a message📚 Shop my used books on Pango🎁 Gift me a book from my Bookshop wishlist

Somehow I managed to read 150 books this year (?!) and in honor of this wildly unrealistic accomplishment, I decided to record a mega-episode reviewing every single one of them! Tune in to hear my 30-second recap + review of all these books, featuring lots of popular romance, thriller, horror and literary fiction. 📚 And click here for a list of every single book I mentioned in this episode!    More from Amelia:📖 Follow what I'm reading on Storygraph📝 Send me a message📚 Shop my used books on Pango🎁 Gift me a book from my Bookshop wishlist

As an avid holiday romance reader, I've experienced the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of the genre. 🙃 So in this episode, I'm curating the three books that I think actually live up to the Christmas romance hype!  Tune in to learn why these three are my faves and to hear about a few honorable mentions that I recommend for certain kinds of readers. And be sure to click the (affiliate) links to gift yourself or your fave friends a copy.   Books recommended in this episode:❄️ THE CLASSIC ROMANTIC ONE — One Day in December by Josie Silver🎁 THE BRAND NEW ONE — Make the Season Bright by Ashley Herring Blake🌶️ THE SEXY SERIES — A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone🎄 HONORABLE MENTIONS — Set the Record Straight by Hannah Bonam-Young, Just Like Magic by Sarah Hogle, The Wedding Witch by Erin Sterling, Love You a Latke by Amanda Elliot  More from Amelia:📖 Follow what I'm reading on Storygraph📝 Send me a message📚 Shop my used books on Pango🎁 Gift me a book from my Bookshop wishlist

We’re heading back to school this week with five magical dark academia reads. ☠️Each of these books features a clever cast of students facing out-of-this-world challenges — and the educational settings range from southern gothic mansions to murderous-monster-schools, including Yale University, a dragon-wielding war college and the mythical Library of Alexandria.Tune in to hear about these eclectic, intellectual fantasies, and grab the (affiliate) links below to purchase your own copies! 🎓 Dark Academia Recs:An Academy for Liars by Alexis HendersonA Deadly Education by Naomi NovikNinth House by Leigh BardugoThe Atlas Six by Olivie BlakeFourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros 📓 Also mentioned:The Secret History by Donna TarttIf We Were Villians by M.L. Rio 🎬 Youtube videos to watch:The Book Leo on Dark AcademiaThis Story Ain’t Over on Race in Dark Academia   More from Amelia:📖 Follow what I'm reading on Storygraph📝 Send me a message📚 Shop my used books on Pango🎁 Gift me a book from my Bookshop wishlist

Today we dive into other peoples’ lives with this list of seven memoirs and self-help books by people I adore!Tune in to hear how these amazing folks and their books have changed my life for the better. Then find the (affiliate) links below to purchase. These all make great gifts! 🔑 MemoirJoy Enough by Sarah McCollSitting Pretty by Rebekah TaussigHow to Be Alone to Nicole AntoinetteRust Belt Femme by Raechel Ann Jolie 🔑 Self-HelpYou Belong by Sebene SelassieFeel Something, Make Something by Caitlin MetzInner Workout by Taylor Elyse Morrison  More from Amelia:📖 Follow what I'm reading on Storygraph📝 Send me a message📚 Shop my used books on Pango🎁 Gift me a book from my Bookshop wishlist