Get the ultimate insider's scoop on the best new books. The editors at Kirkus Reviews interview your favorite authors, tell you whether or not the books on the bestseller list are worth the read, give you behind-the-scenes insights,...
On this week’s episode, No. 1 New York Times bestselling romance author B.K. Borison joins us to discuss And Now, Back to You (Berkley, Feb. 24). Kirkus: “Opposites attract when meteorologists are forced to work together during a massive snowstorm…. [in] a wonderfully cozy and warm romance in a cold, snowy setting.”
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On this week’s episode, Eugene Robinson joins us to discuss Freedom Lost, Freedom Won: A Personal History of America (Simon & Schuster, Feb. 3). As Kirkus writes in a starred review of Freedom Lost, Freedom Won, the author skillfully illuminates a “central truth of African American history: that for every advance toward being seen as truly American, ‘in short order, that full citizenship would be revoked.’” Then Kirkus’ editors offer their top picks in books for the week.
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On this week’s episode, Allegra Goodman joins us to discuss This Is Not About Us (Dial Press, Feb. 10). “Goodman offers an unsparingly frank, wryly funny take on a multigenerational American family.,” Kirkus writes in a starred review. “Like an exquisitely baked apple cake, Goodman’s delicious and deeply perceptive novel is something to savor.” Then Kirkus’ editors offer their top picks in books for the week.
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On this week’s episode, New York Times and internationally bestselling thriller writer Lisa Unger joins us to discuss Served Him Right (Park Row Books, March 10). Kirkus: “Breaking up isn’t just hard to do—it can be fatal,” in this “twisty, satisfying thriller” (starred review).
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On our Best February Books episode, Kirkus’ editors share some of the month’s most highly anticipated titles. Then Sara Pennypacker joins us to discuss The Lions’ Run (Balzer + Bray, Feb. 3). “An orphan in occupied France during World War II finds his courage and a sense of family,” Kirkus writes in a starred review, calling this middle-grade historical fiction, “compassionate and complex.”
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Amy DuBois Barnett joins us to discuss If I Ruled the World (Flatiron Books, Jan. 27). “A young Black woman navigates the treacherous world of New York magazines in the 1990s,” Kirkus writes in an admiring review of Barnett’s fiction debut: “Style, love, and hip hop converge in this lively, likable novel.” Then our editors recommend their top picks in books for the week.
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On our special Spring Preview episode, celebrating the most anticipated titles of 2026, New York Times bestselling writer and artist Chanel Miller joins us to discuss The Moon Without Stars (Philomel, Jan. 13). “After her zines launch her into the popular crowd, seventh grader Luna must decide what she’s willing to sacrifice to stay there,” Kirkus writes in a starred review of Miller’s latest middle-grade novel. “Genuine and poignant; [The Moon Without Stars] has the makings of a modern classic.” Then our editors recommend some of 2026’s most anticipated titles.
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Culture journalist and critic Adam Morgan joins us to discuss A Danger to the Minds of Young Girls: Margaret C. Anderson, Book Bans, and the Fight to Modernize Literature (One Signal, Dec. 9, 2025), which Kirkus calls “a lively biography of a bold woman.” Then our editors recommend their top picks in books for the week.
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On our Best January Books episode, Kirkus’ editors share some of the month’s most highly anticipated titles. Then Alia Hanna Habib joins us to discuss Take It From Me: An Agent’s Guide to Building a Nonfiction Writing Career From Scratch (Pantheon, Jan. 20). Kirkus: “An invaluable resource for aspiring and professional writers alike.”
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That Kind of Girl by Jacey Bici
Use Your Palabras, Jovita! by Keishia Lee Louis, illus. by Diego Alejandro Escobar Triana
Midnight at Sea by Hoyt Rogers with Artemisia Vento and Frank Báez
Bone of Contention by Jan S. Gephardt
Digital Odyssey by SE Quinn
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Happy New Year, listeners! It’s the Fully Booked Year in Review, featuring editor-in-chief Tom Beer and Kirkus contributing writer Michael Schaub. On this jolly special episode, we take a deep dive into the weird book news of 2025 and reveal the year’s most popular episode.
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Fighting Bullies by William T. Reid, IV
Harlo by Brian Petersen
Bailing Out by Leonard Ruhl
The Nameless Dead by Leta Serafim
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On this special holiday episode, Megan presents her favorite nonfiction interviews of 2025, featuring Edmund White (The Loves of My Life) and Caro De Robertis (So Many Stars: An Oral History of Trans, Nonbinary, Genderqueer, and Two-Spirit People of Color).
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The Zygan Emprise by Y.S. Pascal
Course Over Ground by Bill C. Wilson
Between Wounded and Well by Debra Palmer
Prophets of War by Jack Brown
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