FictionMatters

Your girls our back! This Olympics was too dramatic to keep our commentary in the group chat so we’re back on mic to debrief it all. We chat through every event sharing our highlights and heartbreaks as well as answering some of your questions along the way. Plus we give some tips on how to keep up with the world of figure skating in between Olympic Games.You can follow Layne Fargo on Instagram and Substack. If you’re currently experiencing ice dance withdrawal, get yourself a copy of The Favorites and then read all about The Ice Queens, coming in 2027.You can follow Denne Michele Norris on Instagram and keep up with her work at Electric Literature through their IG and website. Her debut novel When the Harvest Comes is out now and will release in paperback in April.Read, Watch, Listen* The Nice Capades * The Runthrough* The Runthrough Ice Dance Lore Part 1* Surya Bonaly’s 1998 Olympic free skate* Ryan Bradley’s celebratory backflip* Ilia and Adam’s synchronized backflips* Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier free dance* Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnak free dance* Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko free dance* Adam Siao Him Fa Olympic short program* Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara free skate* Alysa Liu Olympic free skate* Amber Glenn Nationals short program* So You Want to Watch Figure Skating This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fictionmatters.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to the FictionMatters Podcast. This is Books That Matter. In this series, I’ll talk with writers about reading to learn about their tastes, their habits, and the books that matter to them.Today, I’m joined by Alli Hoff Kosik. Alli is a full-time writer and editor. For seven years, she independently produced and hosted The SSR Podcast. Alli holds an MFA from Temple University and lives in Philadelphia with her family. Her debut novel Too Blessed to Stress comes out March 3rd.Alli has long been one of my favorite readers on the internet. Her fun and thoughtful examination of middle grade classics in the SSR Podcast is a wonderful example of conversational criticism and how every book, no matter the genre or intended audience, can be read with care and insight. Today, we get to apply that same framework to one of Alli’s favorite novels, Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld. Then, she shares a bit about her own debut novel, Too Blessed to Stress. Kiley Reid calls Alli’s debut “a delightful satire full of tenderness and heart” and I couldn’t agree more. Watching Alli make the leap from public reader to published author has been incredible and I highly recommend listening to her Behind the Scenes of Too Blessed to Stress podcast all about her process.Too Blessed to Stress is out March 3rd, and you can preorder it now from Bookshop.org or your favorite indie bookstore. Books and Links* Too Blessed to Stress by Alli Hoff Kosik* The Wilderness by Angela Flournoy* What a Time to Be Alive by Jade Chang* The Wangs Vs. The World by Jade Chang* Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld* The Catcher in the Rye by J.D.Salinger* Bloomability by Sharon Creech* American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld* The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer* Under the Influence by Noelle Crooks* Workhorse by Caroline Palmer* Kylie ReidConnect with Alli* Instagram* Is This a Thing?* Getting It Alli Together* Pre-Order Too Blessed to Stress*This post contains affiliate links. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fictionmatters.substack.com/subscribe

The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan have begun. The torch is lit and the figure skating team event is underway. As you may know, I’m a former figure skater, and I love the winter Olympics. And so, I couldn’t resist asking two of my favorite authors and fellow figure skating fans to join me to share our Olympic enthusiasm and give you a little preview of what to watch for.Layne Fargo is the bestselling author The Favorites, They Never Learn, and other fierce stories for fearless femmes. She is an ice-dance superfan and just announced a forthcoming novel, The Ice Queens, set in the same high stakes ice dance world as The Favorites. She lives in Chicago with her partner and their pets. Denne Michele Norris is the editor and chief of Electric Literature, winner of the 2022 Whiting Literary Magazine Prize. She is the first Black, openly trans woman to helm a major literary publication. Last year, Denne released her debut novel, When the Harvest Comes as well editing and publishing the essay collection Both / And. A former figure skater herself, she is currently at work on a writing project that features figure skating.These women are two of my favorite people to talk about this sport with. They are knowledgeable, fiercely funny, and willing to talk shit when shit needs to be talked. I hope you love this conversation as much as I did and that it adds some joy into your Olympic viewing.Links* Follow Layne on Instagram and Substack* Follow Denne on Instagram and at Electric Literature* The Favorites by Layne Fargo* When the Harvest Comes by Denne Michele Norris* Both / And by Denne Michele Norris* Glitter and Gold* Deanna’s Dream* Jane Torville and Christoper Dean’s “Bolero”* Michelle Kwan’s “The Red Violin”* Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir’s “Umbrellas of Cherbourg”* Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir’s “Moulin Rouge”* Finding Her Edge by Jennifer Iacopelli* Ice Princess* The Cutting EdgeGet more FictionMatters podcast episodes by upgrading to a paid subscription!For questions, comments, or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to reach out by emailing fictionmattersbooks@gmail.com or responding directly to this newsletter. I love hearing from you!This email contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links above, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.If you enjoyed today’s newsletter, please forward it to a book-loving friend. That’s a great way to spread bookish cheer and support the newsletter!Happy reading!Sara This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fictionmatters.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to Books That Matter. Today, I’m joined by A. Natasha Joukovsky. a. natasha joukovsky is the author of the novels The Portrait of a Mirror and Medium Rare (forthcoming March 2026). Her writing has been published in Literary Hub, The Common, and Still Alive, and she writes the “quite useless” Substack newsletter. Natasha holds a BA in English from the University of Virginia and an MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business. She lives in Washington, DC. In today’s episode, Natasha and I talk about her theory of choice novels, different flavors of myth retellings, and why Evelina by Frances Burney is a book that matters to her–and to Jane Austen. Later we get into Natasha’s sophomore novel Medium Rare, a sharp, funny, piercing social novel about a mid-tier lobbyist who flies too close to the sun with a potentially perfect March Madness bracket. I adored this novel and I appreciate it all the more after this conversation. Medium Rare is available now for preorder.Books and Links* Evelina by Frances Burney* Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery* Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren* Ramona Quimby by Beverly Cleary* Emma by Jane Austen* Mansfield Park by Jane Austen* Middlemarch by George Eliot* The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James* The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton* The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton* Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen* Beloved by Toni Morrison* The Age of Choice by Sophia Rosenfeld* Metamorphoses by Ovid* Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace* The Portrait of a Mirror by A. Natasha Joukovsky* A. Natasha Joukovsky on Substack: How to read like a novelist* A. Natasha Joukovsky on Substack:The Austen Math cumulative report* Jane Austen’s Bookshelf by Rebecca Romney* Rebecca Romney on Pawn Stars* The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe* Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen* The House of Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne* The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy* Tess of the D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy* Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton* Roman Fever by Edith Wharton* House of Mirth by Edith Wharton* Fleishman Is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner* Long Island Compromise by Taffy Brodesser-Akner* The Book of Anne by H.A.Thurston* Sky Daddy by Kate Folk* Prodigals by Greg Jackson* Rejection by Tony Tulathimutte* The Ten Year Affair by Erin Somers* The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller* Circe by Madeline Miller* The Sellout by Paul Beatty* The Netanyahus by Joshua Cohen* Ars Longa, Via Brevis by Russell Bittner*This post contains affiliate links.For more podcasts from FictionMatters, upgrade to a paid Substack subscription or become a member of the FM Patreon Literary Society. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fictionmatters.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to Books That Matters. Today, I’m joined by Anika Jade Levy. Anika is a writer from Colorado, a founding editor of Forever Magazine, and an instructor in the Writing program at Columbia. Her fiction and reporting have appeared in The Paris Review, Vogue, Playboy, GQ, Interview Magazine, and elsewhere. Her debut novel Flat Earth came out from Catapult in 2025.In today’s episode, Anika and I chat about voice in fiction, the male literacy crisis, and why The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger is a book that matters to her. Later we get into Anika’s novel Flat Earth, a raw and funny novel that excels at capturing both voice and place. Anika shares about the novel’s origins as a stream of consciousness exercise, how art and ideas are contagious, and her hopes for her future writing .You can find links to Anika’s work and the books she recommends in the show notes. Alright let’s get into my conversation with Anika Jade Levy.Books and Links* Forever Magazine* Flat Earth by Anika Jade Levy* The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger* Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert* The Babysitter at Rest by Jen George* Dorothy Project* Books That Matter with Jade Chang* Taipei by Tao Lin* Leave Society by Tao Lin* NYT Review* Guardian Review* Kirkus Review* UnHerd Review* That text* Female Loneliness Epidemic by Danielle Chelosky* “Worst Friends Forever” - Kazou Robinson’s review of Flat Earth* Anika at Aspen Lit Festival* Anika’s Review of Shadow Ticket* Gravity’s Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon* Shadow Ticket by Thomas Pynchon* Rayne Fisher Kwann and what it means to be woman’d* “I’m Crazy” by J.D. Salinger* Rejection by Tony Tulathimutte* At Home in the World by Joyce Maynard* “The Sentence is a Lonely Place” by Gabrielle Lutz* Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov* A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket (Daniel Handler)* Loved and Missed by Susie Boyt*This post contains affiliate links.For more podcasts from FictionMatters, upgrade to a paid Substack subscription or become a member of the FM Patreon Literary Society. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fictionmatters.substack.com/subscribe

This episode needs no introduction. Today Liz and I are share our favorite books of the year--all new releases. This was a weird year in books, but we each managed to come up with lists we feel excited to share and champion before the new year. As always, we hope you’ll let us know about your best books in the Substack comments.If you want to hear Liz and I talking about books all year long, now is a great time to upgrade your subscription. With a paid membership, you’ll get our bonus superlatives episode and This Month in Books, our ongoing book discussion series. Subscriptions are 20% off through the month of December, so it’s the perfect time to join!Alright, let’s get to it!Books Mentioned* Loved and Missed by Susie Boyt* The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré* Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell* The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd* Liz’s Ranking of her 100 Favorite Reads from the past 5 years* James by Percival Everett* Heart the Lover by Lily King* Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy* 21:26 - Mother Mary Come to Me by Arundhati Roy (Liz’s #10)* Hanif Abduraquib* 24:15 - Days of Light by Megan Hunter (Sara’s #10)* 26:56 - The White Hot by Quiara Alegría Hudes (Liz’s #9)* 32:31- Stag Dance by Torrey Peters (Sara’s #9)* Detransition Baby by Torrey Peters* 35:330 - The Antidote by Karen Russell (Liz’s #8)* Swamplandia! by Karen Russell* 40:48 - The Devil Three Times by Rickey Fayne (Sara’s #8)* Medium Rare by Natasha Jouvkosky* Natasha Joukovsky on “the choice plot”* 44:28 - Ending by Maria Reva (Liz’s #7)* 47:35 - Among Friends by Hal Ebbott (Sara’s #7)* A Sport and a Pastime by James Salter* 51:05 - The Lack of Light by Nino Haratischvili (Liz’s #6)* The Eighth Life by Nino Haratischvili* 55:10 - Fox by Joyce Carol Oates (Sara’s #6)* 1:00:18 - People Like Us by Jason Mott (Liz’s #5)* Hell of a Book by Jason Mott* 1:05:46 - Minor Black Figures by Brandon Taylor (Sara’s #5)* 1:11:02 - Tom’s Crossing by Mark Z. Danielewski (Liz’s #4)* House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski* 1:17:41 - Flashlight by Susan Choi (Sara’s #4)* 1:19:12 - Seascraper by Benjamin Wood (Liz’s #3)* 1:22:00 - Seduction Theory by Emily Adrian (Sara’s #3)* 1:26:15 - North Sun, or the Voyage of the Whale Ship Esther by Ethan Rutherford (Liz’s #2)* Poor Deer by Claire Oshetsky* 1:31:42 - The Wax Child by Olga Ravn, translated by Martin Aitken (Sara’s #2)* My Work by Olga Ravn* The Employees by Olga Ravn* 1:37:35 - The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar (Liz’s #1)* 1:42:30 - Audition by Katie Kitamura (Sara’s #1)* The Director by Daniel Kehlman* Tyll by Daniel Kahlman* The Wilderness by Angela Flournoy* The Mobius Book by Catherine Lacey* Flat Earth by Anika Jade Levy* Universality by Natasha Brown* The Pilgrimage by John Broderick* Hunchback by Saou Ishikawa, translated by Polly Barton* Sad Tiger by Neige Sinno* One Day Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad* Dead and Alive by Zadie Smith* Original Sins by Eve Ewing* Sarah’s Bookshelves Superlative Episode This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fictionmatters.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to the FictionMatters Podcast. I’m your host Sara Hildreth and this is Books That Matter. In this series, I’ll speak with writers I admire to learn about their lives as readers and deep dive into a book that matters to them.Today, I’m joined by Jade Chang to talk about the nostalgia of childhood reading, the blurring of genres, and why The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston is a book that matters to her. Later we get into Jade’s sophomore novel What a Time to Be Alive, a thoughtful and pacey story about grief, grifting, and growing up set in an LA we don’t often see on the page. Jade shares about losing the original manuscript for this novel (I was shocked!) and why she values writing about how we actually live now.You can listen to today’s episode without having read either book. There are a couple brief audio hiccups in this episode, but please bear with us as they don’t last long! As has become tradition, this episode is overflowing with books so be sure to check out the book list and links in the show notes. You can find What a Time to Be Alive and Jade’s debut The Wangs Vs. the World wherever you browse for books. Alright let’s get into my conversation with Jade Chang.Books and Links* The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga* In the Distance by Hernan Diaz* Girl Woman Other by Bernardine Evaristo* Arbitrary Stupid Goal by Tamara Shosin* Shopsins* My Salinger Year by Joanna Rakoff* Just Kids by Patti Smith* The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin* The Tattooed Potato by Ellen Raskin* The Mysterious Disappearance of Noel (I Mean Leon) by Ellen Raskin* From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg* Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery* The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien* The Great Brain by John D. Fitzgerald* The Idiot by Elif Batuman* Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler* Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine* Just Ella by Margaret Peterson Hadix* Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary* Sweet Valley High by Francine Pascal* The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston* Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen* The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan* In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado* What a Time to Be Alive by Jade Chang* The Wangs Vs. the World by Jade Chang* Joan Didion* Eve Babitz* The Hours by Michael Cunningham* A Home at the End of the World by Michael Cunningham* Tao Te Ching by Lao TzuAlright readers I hope you enjoyed this episode of books that matter with Jade Chang. You can find links to What a Time to Be Alive, The Woman Warrior, and all the books mentioned in the show notes or substack post. If you want more FM podcast content consider becoming a paid Substack or Patreon subscriber. Paid subscribers get at least two additional podcasts each month, including my ranked reading recap and this month in books with Liz Hein. As always, thanks for listening and I’ll be back soon to help you find more books that matter.*This book contains affiliate links. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fictionmatters.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to the FictionMatters Podcast; this is Books That Matter. In this series, I’ll speak with writers I admire to learn about their lives as readers and deep dive into the books that matters to them.Today, I’m joined by Rickey Fayne. Rickey’s debut novel The Devil Three Times is currently shortlisted for the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize and one of my personal favorite debut novels of the year. In this episode, Rickey and I talk about the value of reading classic literature, the books he returned to when he started thinking he wanted to write, and why Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison is the book that matters to him. Then we get into his novel The Devil Three Times. Rickey shares where he began with his expansive project, why he isn’t a short story writer, and how a planned dissertation influenced the novel he eventually wrote.You can listen to today’s episode without having read either book. There is one moment where Rickey worries he’s giving away the end of Song of Solomon, but I promise it’s too vague to be a real spoiler! This episode is overflowing with books so be sure to check out the book list and links in the show notes and then pick up your copy of The Devil Three Times at your favorite bookshop. Books Mentioned* Loca by Alejandro Heredia* Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan* Wild Houses by Colin Barrett* Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston* House of Mirth by Edith Wharton* Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton* Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton* Summer by Edith Wharton* Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton* Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Marukami* Wise Blood by Flannery O’Connor* A Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery O’Connor* All of Hagar’s Children by Edward P. Jones* The Known World by Edward P. Jones* Jane Austen* Charlotte Bronte* Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison* Sula by Toni Morrison* The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison* The Black Book by Middleton A. Harris* On Morrison by Namwali Serpell* Toni at Random by Dana A. Williams* The Devil Three Times by Rickey Fayne* Loitering with Intent by Muriel Spark* Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi* The End of the Affair by Graham Greene*This post contains affiliate links. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fictionmatters.substack.com/subscribe

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fictionmatters.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to the Fiction Matters podcast. This is Books That Matter, an author interview series where we’ll get to know writers as readers and talk about the books that matter to them.Since this is the first in this new series, I’m going to pause our regular intro to give a little bit of background information on the series and how it came to be and what I’m hoping to do here. So for quite some time, I’ve been wanting to do more author interviews on my Substack. First of all, it’s a way to shine a light on writers that I love, and it’s a way for me to get to know more about writing and reading in general and the writers I really admire in particular.But to be quite honest, I’ve always had kind of a complicated relationship with author interviews. I can be a little bit precious about my own reading. As a reader, I really like to do the interpretive work. I like to make meaning out of a book in terms of how I connect with it, how I see it. I guess I’m kind of a self-centered reader in that regard and how I approach reading fiction. And so sometimes I can avoid author interviews because I just I don’t want to know too much that influences how I read the book.But at the same time, I love listening to authors talk and I love talking with authors. I find the conversation so fascinating because I think that writers read a little bit differently than regular readers, or at least I’ve noticed that a lot of writers read differently than I do personally. And so I’m always fascinated to hear about what they read, how they read, and the types of books that they enjoy and how that then translates into their own work.So I have been thinking about how to host author interviews and I thought, maybe I would like to talk to writers, but talk to them more as readers and in particular about the books that have really shaped or influenced or mattered to them in some way. I have actually been doing this similar series and a series that goes by the same name over on Patreon for years where I talk to literary society members of the Patreon group about books that matter to them. And so now, starting today, I’m going to be bringing a similar series called Books That Matter to Substack, where I will be talking with authors about a book that matters to them, and in doing so, hoping to get to learn a little bit more about their reading lives.I’ll also, of course, be talking to them about their writing lives and their own books, but the focus is going to be a little bit more on reading. And I’m still figuring out this whole series, exactly what it’s going to look like, how often it’s going to come out, all of that. Right now, it will just be kind of spontaneously as I find and reach out to authors who I really want to speak with. And you might notice the episode format or at least kind of discussion points shift a bit between episodes as I get into a groove, as I figure out my stride and what really works for these conversations.But the goal is going to remain the same, to get to know writers as readers and writers. discover new to us books that matter or learn about books that maybe we readers already know and love, but learn how they matter to a particular writer in a different way.So I hope you’re excited for this series. I’m so excited. I have some great guests lined up for you over the next few weeks and months and today, for the inaugural episode, I’m joined by Emily Adrian. Emily is the author of Seduction Theory, a metafictional campus novel that explores loyalty, betrayal, and writing craft through a story that’s both extremely clever and highly entertaining. In the first part of this episode, you’ll hear about Emily’s reading life, how learning to read made life snap into focus, and why Loitering with Intent by Muriel Spark became an instant favorite. Later we get into her 2025 release Seduction Theory. She shares how the narrator of the book emerged as she wrote and (remarkably without any spoilers!) how she added to the ending right before her book went on submission.You can listen to today’s episode without having read either book, and I hope you will because this was a very fun conversation! Alright after that long preamble, let’s get into my conversation with Emily Adrian.If you prefer to listen in a podcast player, here are instructions to make sure you have linked your FictionMatters subscription to your app of choice. You can also view the entire transcript of our conversation by playing this episode in your desktop browser. Links & Timestamps* Seduction Theory by Emily Adrian* Loitering with Intent by Muriel Spark* Sigrid Nunez* Susan Choi* Heart the Lover by Lily King* Vladimir Nabokov* Muriel Spark* Joy Williams* Alice Munro* Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary* The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark* 12:18 - Loitering with Intent Discussion* 32:21 - Seduction Theory Discussion * Pnin by Vladimir Nabokov* Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff* The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides* God and Sex by Jon RaymondTo get even more FictionMatters podcasts, consider upgrading to a paid newsletter subscription or checking out the Patreon Literary Society.*This post contains affiliate links. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fictionmatters.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit fictionmatters.substack.comIt’s time! Liz Hein and I are here with our annual Best Books of the Year (so far) episode and this one is FUN. The literary landscape looks different and 2025, and we are reveling in it. Last year, a few exceptional books dominated the conversation—and both Liz and my favorite books of the year. This year, our lists have much more variety, and while we’re both still looking for our under-the-radar gem of the year, it was a treat to be surprised by each other’s list and to have favorites that felt like our favorites rather than everyone’s favorites. Free subscribers, you’ll find a 20 minute preview of this episode in your inbox, app, or browser. If you love listening to Liz and me chat about books, considering upgrading your subscription to get our book discussion episodes every month!Because of travel and busy summer schedules, this Best Books episode is our June This Month in Books, but we’ll be back to share all of our thoughts on June and July reading next month! After listening, please do head to the comments to tell us all about your best books of the year (so far). New and shiny or backlist gems, I want to hear about the best things you've been reading in 2025!***As a reminder, you can find the transcript and closed captions for this episode by listening in a browser. You can also find this episode by searching for FictionMatters on Spotify. Thanks for listening!

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fictionmatters.substack.com/subscribe

In today’s special podcast episode, I’m joined by independent bookstore owner, podcaster, and debut author Annie B. Jones. Annie has been a favorite follow and a trusted source for book recommendations for me for years and I was thrilled to get the chance to read an early copy of her debut book Ordinary Time: Lessons Learned While Staying Put back in December. In this memoir in essays Annie reflects on her experiences staying: staying put, staying faithful, and staying herself. If you’re familiar with Annie’s work, it will come as no surprise to you that her memoir in essays is filled with wisdom, intention, and an earnestness. If you’ve yet to meet Annie, I hope this serves as a welcoming introduction to her thoughtful nature.In this conversation, Annie and I talk about her behind the scenes perspective on the book creation process from the vantage point of a bookstore owner turned author. She also shares delightful stories about how American Girl Magazine shaped her writing career and how getting out of her comfort zone in a line dancing class prepared her for upcoming life changes. Of course I couldn’t let her leave without sharing book recommendations, and she graciously brought five new summer books she’s already read and loved.I loved this conversation because just like in her essay collection, Annie has a unique gift for noticing and giving meaning to the little things and while not being afraid to get vulnerable about the big things. I hope you enjoy listening and be sure to get your copy of Ordinary Time, out tomorrow, April 22nd.Purchase Ordinary Time: The Bookshelf | Bookshop | Libro.fmBooks Mentioned:* I Miss You When I Blink by Mary Laura Philpott* Bittersweet by Shauna Niequest* Cold Tangerines by Shauna Niequest* I Guess I Haven’t Learned That Yet by Shauna Niequest* Take Good Care of the Gardens and the Dogs by Heather Lende* Here for It by R. Eric Thomas* Flashlight by Susan Choi* Trust Exercise by Susan Choi* Among Friends by Hal Ebbott* The Paper Palace by Miranda Crowley Heller* The Dinner by Herman Koch* The Girls Who Grew Big by Leila Mottley* A Marriage at Sea by Sophie Elmhirst* Blessings and Disasters by Alexis OkeowoGet more book recommendations from Annie by subscribing to her Instagram. Keep up with book news, bookstore happenings, and more behind-the-scenes scoop on Ordinary Time by following Annie’s podcast, From the Front Porch. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fictionmatters.substack.com/subscribe

I truly can’t believe that I’ve been writing on Substack for five years now! It feels like it was just yesterday that I decided to test the waters on this brand new platform. It’s been five years of slow and steady growth, trying new things, and building community, and I’m so glad you’re along for the ride. I love writing this newsletter even more now than when I first started and I feel so excited about continuing what’s going well and trying some new ideas out soon.To celebrate, I’m answering some reader questions in a podcast with my wonderful assistant Maddie Stough. To be honest, I find soliciting questions and recording these things a little uncomfortable BUT you all ask the best questions and I always love listening to AMAs and mail bag-type podcasts, so I’m giving it a go. Maddie and I get a bit chatty about how we’re reading with the state of the world as it is, how we choose the books we read, and the books that made us readers. I also share a bit about planning content and acquiring books as a professional reader. And, of course, we also share some book recommendations. You can find the time stamp at where those begin and the entire list of books below.Thanks so much for listening and thanks for subscribing to this newsletter. I can’t tell you how much every single reader means to me. You make all of this possible and I’m excited for all the great reading we have to come! As a reminder, you can listen to this podcast on Spotify and most other podcast apps by enabling the RSS feed. The transcript and captions are available by opening this newsletter in a web browser.1:00:24 - Books Recommendations* On Beauty by Zadie Smith* A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki* The Weight of Ink by Rachel Kadish* Possession by A.S. Byatt* Jeanette Winterson* Loved & Missed by Susie Boyd* Blue Light Hours by Bruna Dantas Lobato* Bear and Bird by Jarvis* Sophie Mouse by Poppy Green* Wellie Wishers by Valerie Tripp* Moi Moi by Kazuo Hiraki* Buffalo Fluffalo by Bess Kalb* Poopsy Gets Lost by Hannah E. Harrison* We Don’t Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins* Shakespeare* Toni Morrison* Oh, Lewis by Eve Rice* Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger* To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee* The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart* Wellness by Nathan Hill* Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton* North Woods by Daniel Mason* Arcadia by Lauren Groff* May Our Joy Endure by Kev Lambert* The Bee Sting by Paul Murray* The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff* Black Butterflies by Priscilla Morris* Commonwealth by Ann Patchett* Dream State by Eric Puchner* This Must Be The Place by Maggie O’Farrell* Detransition, Baby by Torrey PetersFor questions, comments, or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to reach out by emailing fictionmattersbooks@gmail.com or responding directly to this newsletter. I love hearing from you!This email may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links above, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.If you enjoyed today’s newsletter, please forward it to a book-loving friend. That’s a great way to spread bookish cheer and support the newsletter!Happy reading!Sara This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fictionmatters.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit fictionmatters.substack.comHey, readers!Today I’m sharing my October Ranked Reading Recap. In these monthly episodes, I walk you through every book I read in the month prior, ranking every read from least to most favorite. My October books were really solid. They include two backlist Booker nominees that are new favorites, two 2025 releases I have mixed feelings about, a nonfiction title that got me thinking, and a utilitarian how-to book that significantly improved my day-to-day.A few reminders: * If you are a FictionMatters Patreon member, you can find this same episode in your Patreon feed.* If you are a paid newsletter subscriber, you can get a personalized RSS feed or listen to this episode in a variety of podcast players or connect your Spotify to listen there.* You can access an AI generated transcript of this episode by visiting this post in a web browser.If you are a free subscriber to this newsletter, you can listen to a 10 minute preview of today’s episode. If you like what you hear, upgrade your subscription to get Ranked Reading Recap and This Month in Books podcasts delivered to you monthly!#11 Three Days in June by Anne Tyler (2:25). A slim novel that displays Tyler’s gift for voice, but ultimately let me down.Read this if:* You like snarky first person narrators.* You want a quick, surface-level family story.#10 The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate (7:29). A lovely story about found family that encourages young readers to consider humanity and the natural world.Read this if:* You want something heartfelt with a happy ending.* You’re looking for a great, tender readaloud for your middle grader.#9 The Favorites by Layne Fargo (10:45). A truly wacky mashup of ice dancing and Wuthering Heights. Read this if:* You’re obsessed with ice dance and/or Wuthering Heights.* You like novels with an oral history format.

Welcome to This Month in Books, a brand new exclusive podcast series for FictionMatters subscribers. In these monthly chats, I’ll be joined by my friend and voracious reader of new releases, Liz Hein. We’ll check in about what’s making news in the literary world and share a handful of books that need to be discussed.In each episode, Liz and I will discuss trends and important happenings in the world of books. Then we’ll each bring 4 or 5 books we’ve read recently that warrant something deeper than an Instagram caption length review. I love talking to Liz about books and our hope is that these episodes feel less like a series of reviews and recommendations and more like hanging out with your most bookish friends. After you listen, jump into the comments and tell us about your month in books. What’s catching your attention and what books are demanding to be discussed?This new monthly series is available to paid subscribers to the FictionMatters newsletter and Patreon members. If you are a Patreon member, you should see this episode in your podcast feed and Patreon app now.Paid newsletter subscribers, you can listen to this and all FictionMatters Podcast episodes on Spotify by clicking this link.If you’re considering upgrading to a paid newsletter subscription, here’s a reminder of what you’ll get*:* Past and future reading guides (biannually) which, this year, included the Paperback Summer Reading Guide and the Fall Fiction Compendium* Friday Mood Recs posts (weekly) with book recommendation organized around a mood or theme* In Summation posts (seasonally) with life updates and superlatives for books, products, meals, clothes, and more* Ranked Reading Recap podcasts (monthly) where I rank every book I read the month prior* This Month in Books podcasts (monthly) where Liz and I talk about the literary world, share a handful of books, and speculate on what books will generate the most buzz* Automatic entry into drawings for surprise book boxes (monthly)*Patreon members, please note that the only perks not also available to patrons are In Summation posts and entries into drawings (per Patreon rules). While Friday Mood Rec posts are not shared on Patreon, you have access to a spreadsheet with all the recommended books, shared in every Monthly Overview.Thank you so much to all the Patrons paid subscribers who keep FictionMatters running! I truly could not do this without you!FictionMatters is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.What’s new and noteworthy?* Fiction Matters Fall Fiction Compendium * National Book Award Longlist* Booker Shortlist* Aspen Prize Long List* Lauren GroffBooks Discussed* 14:41 Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner* 14:46  James by Percival Everett* 14:47 Orbital by Samantha Harvey (UK)* 14:48 The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden (Netherlands)* 14:49 My Friends by Hisham Matar* 14:50 This Strange Eventful History by Claire Messud* 14:57 Enlightenment by Sarah Perry* 15:47 The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry* 16:16 Held by Anne Michaels (Canada)* 16:17 Stoneyard Devotional by Charlotte Wood * 16:44 Melmeth by Sarah Perry* 17:16  Stoneyard Devotional by Charlotte Wood * 17:25 The Safekeep by  Yael van der Wouden* 17:47 Held by Anne Michaels (Canada)* 17:54 Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner* 18:53 Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zelvin* 20:32 James by Percival Everett * 20:53 The Color Purple by Alice Walker* 20:58 Rabbit is Rich by John Updike* 21:50 Two Step Devil by J.B Quattro (Liz)* 26:34 Fire Sermon* 28:34 The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout (Sara)* 28:43 Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout* 29:11 Lucy by the Sea by Elizabeth Strout* 29:12 Oh William by Elizabeth Strout* 34:30 Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe (Liz)* 37:34 Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe* 38:43 Bright I Burn by Molly Aitken (Sara)* 42:07 The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff* 42:09 Matrix by Lauren Groff* 44:05 The Repeat Room by Jesse Ball (Liz)* 49:26 How to Set a Fire and Why by Jesse Ball* 50:24 Entitlement by Rumaan Alam (Sara)* 50:41 Leave The World Behind* 51:30 Trust by Hernan Diaz* 54:31 Colored Television by Danzy Senna* 54:39 You’re Dead by Sam Sacks (Liz)* 59:20 Scaffolding by Lauren Elkin* 59:23 The Empusium: A Health Resort Horror Story by Olga Tokarczuk* 1:01:04 The Garden by Claire Beams * 1:01:08 The Illness Lesson by Claire Beams* 1:02:10 Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors* 1:03:27 Us Fools by Nora Lange* 1:03:41 Intermezzo by Sally RooneyShop the Books: Amazon | Bookshop | Libro.fm | Blackwell’sFor questions, comments, or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to reach out by emailing fictionmattersbooks@gmail.com or responding directly to this newsletter. I love hearing from you!This email may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links above, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.If you enjoyed today’s newsletter, please forward it to a book-loving friend. That’s a great way to spread bookish cheer and support the newsletter!Happy reading!Sara This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fictionmatters.substack.com/subscribe

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Best books season is upon us and I had the pleasure of talking about favorites with reader extraordinaire and recurring FictionMatters contributor, Liz Hein. Today, we each share our top 12 books of the year. We have some significant overlap, but we also each share books that just missed the other's list, that weren't mutually loved, or that the other hadn't yet read. Digressions include a cameo from Louise and just a little bit of ranting about review practices.I hope you love this episode! Be sure to follow Liz's reading life on Instagram and stay tuned for a best backlist books of the year episode coming soon.FictionMatters Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Books Mentioned:* Wandering Souls by Cecile Pin (16:20)* The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride (18:50)* On the Savage Side by Tiffany McDaniels (21:38)* The Land of Milk and Honey by C. Pam Zhang (23:50)* North Woods by Daniel Mason (26:41)* Loved and Missed by Susie Boyt (30:22)* The Postcard by Anne Berest (33:34)* The Fraud by Zadie Smith (36:09)* The Laughter by Sonora Jha (42:50)* Loot by Tania James (45:25)* Orbital by Samantha Harvey (48:28)* Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond (52:46)* The Bee Sting by Paul Murray (55:31)* Tom Lake by Ann Patchett (58:38)* The Memory of Animals by Claire Fuller (1:03:53)* My Work by Olga Ravn (1:06:55)* The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff (1:13:13)* Wellness by Nathan Hill (1:18:35)* Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward (1:22:40)* Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton (1:32:50)Shop the Books: Bookshop | Amazon | Blackwell's | Libro.fmThis post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through my affiliate storefronts, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fictionmatters.substack.com/subscribe

Hey, readers!It’s a Reading in Public first today. I have the pleasure of sharing an extremely fun and impassioned conversation with one of my favorite book people—IN PODCAST FORM!! Traci Thomas is the creator and host of The Stacks Podcast, an incredible podcast doing some of the best and most thoughtful interviews and book discussions on the internet. I asked Traci to join me after she made an astute off-hand comment to me about the frustrating state of book reviews and book criticism. Traci was kind enough to join me to talk about how we talk about books, and she offered me some new ways to think about reviewing books. We get into what makes a review helpful for readers, why Traci is adamant about reviewing every book she reads, why so many traditional book reviews are unhelpful, the best places to find good cultural criticism, and—of course—that Jesmyn Ward pan that kicked off this whole conversation. We also discuss why we'd like to see readers have more fun with reviews and why book reviewing feels so different from other forms of cultural criticism.You can listen to our conversation on your desktop, in the Substack app, or in your favorite podcast player by clicking here and following the instructions. Traci and I get very passionate in our conversation, including some adult language so be cautious about listening with littles in the car. You can find a full podcast transcript by opening today’s post in a browser or on the Substack app, but I will warn you that the AI generated notes aren’t especially helpful or easy to follow. I hope you’ll get the chance to listen to our conversation in full, because it’s really fun and extremely illuminating!Most importantly, be sure you’re following along with Traci’s incredible work by subscribing to The Stacks Podcast, following her on Instagram, and joining her Stacks Pack Book Club. Following Traci’s work has made me a better thinker and reader and I’m always eager to see what she’s reading and who she’s talking to next.Correction: After this episode aired, someone in the know informed Traci and I that Jennifer Wilson who wrote the NYT review of the Let Us Descend is in fact a very well regarded and well respected literary critic with writing and cultural commentary in many different publications. While I stand by our criticism of that review, we got it wrong when we said that Wilson was an untested critic. As Traci so astutely said in the episode, public book criticism is part of the discourse and our work is also fair game for critique and correction. I’ve loved seeing your responses to our discussion and can’t wait to hear what further insights this conversation prompts!All the Mentions* Ben Brantley’s NYT reviews* The Woman in Me by Britney Spears* Pageboy by Elliot Page* Craft in the Real World by Matthew Salesses* Traci’s conversation with Jesmyn Ward* Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward* NYT review of Let Us Descend* Vulture Books* The Atlantic Books* The Ringer* Taffy Brodesser-Akner* Taffy Brodesser Akner’s Taylor Swift profile* Tressie McMillan Cottom* Thick by Tressie McMillan Cottom* Into It: Why Literary Criticism is Broken * Into It: Country Music’s Race Problem* Andscape* Shine Bright by Danyel Smith* Maureen Corrigan* Ron CharlesReading in Public deep dives are supported by paid subscribers to the FictionMatters Newsletter. If you enjoyed today’s topic, please consider buying me a coffee or becoming a paid subscriber. If a financial contribution isn’t right for you, please forward this email along to a reader friend. That’s a great way to help FictionMatters grow and stick around. Thanks for your support!For questions, comments, or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to reach out by emailing fictionmattersbooks@gmail.com or responding directly to this newsletter. I love hearing from you!This email may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links above, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.-Sara This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fictionmatters.substack.com/subscribe