It’s time for Part 2 of our 2025 reading preview! We invited some friends of the pod to chat about the books they’re most excited to pick up this year! 

Lauren Puckett-Pope’s Picks - Katabasis by R. F. Kuang (Out August 26), Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V. E. Schwab

Kristen L. Berry’s Picks - Greenwich by Kate Broad (Out July 22), It's Different This Time by Joss Richard (Out September 30). Her Novel, We Don’t Talk about Carol is out now!

Morgan Pager’s Picks - My Train Leaves at Three by Natalie Guerrero (Out July 15), Along Came Amor by Alexis Daria. Her Book The Art of Vanishing is out July 1!

Clémence Michallon’s Picks - El Dorado Drive by Megan Abbott, Kill Your Darlings by Peter Swanson. Her Book Our Last Resort is out July 8! 

Nnenna Odeluga’s Picks - Plus Size Player by Danielle Allen, The Wilderness by Angela Flournoy (Out September 16)

Becca’s Picks - Park Avenue by Renée Ahdieh, The Academy by Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham (Out September 2) 

Olivia’s Picks - What Kind of Paradise by Janelle Brown, The Compound by Aisling Rawle (Out June 24)

Obsessions

Olivia - Her Paper Palace Playlist

Becca - Seen Scalp Restore Serum

What we read this week

Becca - It’s A Love Story by Annabel Monaghan

Olivia - We Don’t Talk About Carol by Kristen L. Berry

June Book Club Pick - All the Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah Harman

July Book Club Pick - Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid 

Have thoughts about these books you want to share? Call in at 843-405-3157 or email us a voice memo at [email protected])

Sponsors

Wayfair - Head to Wayfair.com to shop a huge outdoor selection.

Better Help - Get 10% off their first month at BetterHelp.com/BADONPAPER. 

Cozy Earth - Go to cozyearth.com and use code BOP for 40% Off. 

Join our Facebook group for amazing book recs & more! 

Buy our Merch!

Join our Geneva!

Order Olivia’s Book, Such a Bad Influence!

Subscribe to Olivia’s Newsletter!

Order Becca’s Book, The Christmas Orphans Club!

Subscribe to Becca’s Newsletter! 

Follow us on Instagram @badonpaperpodcast. Follow Olivia on Instagram @oliviamuenter and Becca @beccamfreeman.

It’s time to check in on our 2025 Goals! Are we on track with our writing goals? Did Becca reduce her screen time? Did Olivia manage to give up Jarlic? Keep listening to find out! 

Obsessions

Olivia - Bose Ultra Open Headphones

Becca - Stick Season (Her Version) by Deeps

What we read this week

Becca - Hazel Says No by Jessica Berger Gross (out 6/17), The Knight and The Moth by Rachel Gillig, Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood

Olivia - Slanting Toward the Sea by Lidija Hilje

This Month’s Book Club Pick - All the Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah Harman (have thoughts about this book you want to share? Call in at 843-405-3157 or email us a voice memo at [email protected])

Sponsors

Quince - Go to Quince.com/BOP for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.

Wayfair - Head to Wayfair.com to shop a huge outdoor selection.

Join our Facebook group for amazing book recs & more! 

Buy our Merch!

Join our Geneva!

Order Olivia’s Book, Such a Bad Influence!

Subscribe to Olivia’s Newsletter!

Order Becca’s Book, The Christmas Orphans Club!

Subscribe to Becca’s Newsletter! 

Follow us on Instagram @badonpaperpodcast. Follow Olivia on Instagram @oliviamuenter and Becca @beccamfreeman.

It’s time for our June Three Things! But first, vote for our July Book Club Pick in our Facebook Group! Stay tuned for discussions about TJR getting the star treatment in Time magazine, the state of indie podcasting, a book battle mini-game, and more! 

Becca’s Things

Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Time Profile

The efficacy of learning languages via Duolingo

Podcast Longevity 

Olivia’s Things

Hailey Bieber Selling Rhode for 1 Billion Dollars 

Becca’s Favorite Books Battle: Fourth Wing vs First Lie Wins, You, Again vs The Bodyguard, The Rachel Incident vs The Wedding People, All My Rage and The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue, The Celebrants vs The Husbands

Our Readers’ Choice Book Club

Obsessions

Becca - Wacoal Red Carpet Strapless Bra

Olivia - Coco Mellors

What we read this week

Olivia - Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors

Becca - Filthy Rich Fae by Geneva Lee

This Month’s Book Club Pick - All the Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah Harman (have thoughts about this book you want to share? Call in at 843-405-3157 or email us a voice memo at [email protected])

Sponsors

Underlined - Check out Underlined for books and content you’ll love. You can also find them @getunderlined on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. 

Cozy Earth - Go to cozyearth.com and use code BOP for 40% off all men's apparel.

Master Class - See MasterClass’s latest deal–at least 15% off–at masterclass.com/BOP.

Join our Facebook group for amazing book recs & more! 

Buy our Merch!

Join our Geneva!

Order Olivia’s Book, Such a Bad Influence!

Subscribe to Olivia’s Newsletter!

Order Becca’s Book, The Christmas Orphans Club!

Subscribe to Becca’s Newsletter! 

Follow us on Instagram @badonpaperpodcast. Follow Olivia on Instagram @oliviamuenter and Becca @beccamfreeman.

We had the pleasure of recording a bonus episode with Katie Kitamura, the author of our May Book Club Pick, Audition! We ask her about the book’s inspiration, the writing process of such an experimental novel, what’s ~actually~ going on in the plot, and the origins of the scenes that have stuck with us the most. 

This Month’s Book Club Pick - All the Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah Harman (have thoughts about this book you want to share? Call in at 843-405-3157 or email us a voice memo at [email protected])

Join our Facebook group for amazing book recs & more! 

Buy our Merch!

Join our Geneva!

Order Olivia’s Book, Such a Bad Influence!

Subscribe to Olivia’s Newsletter!

Order Becca’s Book, The Christmas Orphans Club!

Subscribe to Becca’s Newsletter! 

Follow us on Instagram @badonpaperpodcast. Follow Olivia on Instagram @oliviamuenter and Becca @beccamfreeman.

We’re SO excited to discuss Audition by Katie Kitamura! While this book may be hard to recap (uh, what actually happened??), we can’t wait to dive into theories and themes. 

We share our feelings about the ambiguous plot and discuss the theme of performance throughout the book. We also explore overlaps with two other past pieces of favorite content. 

And get ready, we’ll have a bonus episode out tomorrow with Katie Kitamura herself to get a behind-the-scenes look on the process of writing this book. 

Obsessions

Becca - U Beauty tinted moisturizer

Olivia - Katie Kitamura (stay tuned for our bonus episode tomorrow!) 

What we read this week

Becca - It’s a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan

Olivia - The Road To Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett

This Month’s Book Club Pick - All the Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah Harman (have thoughts about this book you want to share? Call in at 843-405-3157 or email us a voice memo at [email protected])

Sponsors

Cozy Earth - Use code BOP for 40% off best-selling sheets, pajamas, and more at cozyearth.com. 

Quince - Go to Quince.com/bop for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.

Join our Facebook group for amazing book recs & more! 

Buy our Merch!

Join our Geneva!

Order Olivia’s Book, Such a Bad Influence!

Subscribe to Olivia’s Newsletter!

Order Becca’s Book, The Christmas Orphans Club!

Subscribe to Becca’s Newsletter! 

Follow us on Instagram @badonpaperpodcast. Follow Olivia on Instagram @oliviamuenter and Becca @beccamfreeman.

This week, we're chatting about the ins and outs of writing Young Adult Fiction with Jessica Goodman! We talk with her about getting started in the genre, the challenges of writing YA, how she gets inspiration for her books, and more! 

Read more from Jessica in The Meadowbrook Murders, The Counselors, The Legacies, They’ll Never Catch Us, and They Wish They Were Us.

Obsessions

Olivia -  Ocean Vuong’s Interviews

Becca - Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66 Sneakers

What we read this week

Becca - Silver Elite by Dani Francis

Olivia - All The Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah Harman

This Month’s Book Club Pick - Audition by Katie Kitamura (have thoughts about this book you want to share? Call in at 843-405-3157 or email us a voice memo at [email protected])

Sponsors

Better Help - Visit BetterHelp.com/BADONPAPER to get 10% off your first month.

Master Class - Save at least 15% off at MasterClass.com/BOP

Join our Facebook group for amazing book recs & more! 

Buy our Merch!

Join our Geneva!

Order Olivia’s Book, Such a Bad Influence!

Subscribe to Olivia’s Newsletter!

Order Becca’s Book, The Christmas Orphans Club!

Subscribe to Becca’s Newsletter! 

Follow us on Instagram @badonpaperpodcast. Follow Olivia on Instagram @oliviamuenter and Becca @beccamfreeman.

Whether you’re a library reader, a used bookstore connoisseur, or just buy books faster than you read ‘em, this episode is for you! We’re chatting about the backlist books (AKA books released over 1 year ago) on our TBR. 

Olivia’s List

Saint X by Alexis Schaitkin (2020)

Seawife by Amity Gaige (2020)

Godshot by Chelsea Bieker (2020)

The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai (2018)

Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler (1993)

Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver (1998)

Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy (2020)

Ghosts by Dolly Alderton (2020)

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid (2019)

Becca’s List

Greenlights by Matthew McConaghey (2020)

Early Morning Riser by Katherine Heiney (2021)

Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason (2020)

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett (2001)

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue (2020)

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (2005)

Happy All The Time by Laurie Colwin (1978)

Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin (1956)

American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld (2008)

Summer of ‘69 by Elin Hilderbrand (2019) or Summer People (2003)

Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors (2022)

Listener Reccomendations

The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai (2018)

The Country Club Murders (Book 1 The Deep End by Julie Mulhern)

The Cave Dwellers by Christina McDowell

Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McCallister

The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal 

Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See

Geek Love by Katherine Dunn

The Good Part by Sophie Cousens 

Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore

The Nine Lives of Rose Napolitano by Donna Freitas

Obsessions

Becca - Maybe Happy Ending musical

Olivia - Walks + Merlin bird ID app

What we read this week

Becca - Maggie; Or A Man and a Woman Walk Into A Bar by Katie Yee (7/24)

Olivia - She Used To Be Nice by Alexia LaFata (8/12), The Colony by Annika Norlin

This Month’s Book Club Pick - Audition by Katie Kitamura (have thoughts about this book you want to share? Call in at 843-405-3157 or email us a voice memo at [email protected])

Sponsors

Quince - Go to Quince.com/bop for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns

Wayfair - Shop a huge selection of outdoor furniture online at wayfair.com

Join our Facebook group for amazing book recs & more! 

Buy our Merch!

Join our Geneva!

Order Olivia’s Book, Such a Bad Influence!

Subscribe to Olivia’s Newsletter!

Order Becca’s Book, The Christmas Orphans Club!

Subscribe to Becca’s Newsletter! 

Follow us on Instagram @badonpaperpodcast. Follow Olivia on Instagram @oliviamuenter and Becca @beccamfreeman.

It’s Three Things time! We’re covering topics from Olivia’s family parasocial obsession, spin-off books, sleep routines, party snacks, and more! 

Olivia’s Things

Standout Book Covers of 2025

The Today Show Hosts’ Impact on Boomers

What snacks would you be excited to find at a party?

Becca’s Things

What book characters do you want to read a spinoff about?

Glennon Doyle’s week on Substack

Sleep Routines

Obsessions

Becca - Forever 31

Olivia - Four Seasons

What we read this week

Olivia - Ravishing by Eshani Surya, The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean

Becca - The Art of Vanishing by Morgan Pager

This Month’s Book Club Pick - Audition by Katie Kitamura (have thoughts about this book you want to share? Call in at 843-405-3157 or email us a voice memo at [email protected])

Sponsors

Nuuly - Take $28 off your first month at nuuly.com with code BOP

Cozy Earth - Head to cozyearth.com and use code BOP for 40% off best-selling sheets, pajamas, and more.

Join our Facebook group for amazing book recs & more! 

Buy our Merch!

Join our Geneva!

Order Olivia’s Book, Such a Bad Influence!

Subscribe to Olivia’s Newsletter!

Order Becca’s Book, The Christmas Orphans Club!

Subscribe to Becca’s Newsletter! 

Follow us on Instagram @badonpaperpodcast. Follow Olivia on Instagram @oliviamuenter and Becca @beccamfreeman.

So excited to talk about our April Book Club Pick, Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy! We went into this book without much context and loved experiencing this literary mystery. We discuss what genre this book falls in, our feelings on climate fiction, the real-life inspirations behind this books, and of course the many twists and turns of the mystery plotline.

Obsessions

Becca - Wegmans Cannoli chips and dip

Olivia - Daffodils

What we read this week

Becca - Anatomy of A Breakthrough by Adam Alter, Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy

This Month’s Book Club Pick - Audition by Katie Kitamura (have thoughts about this book you want to share? Call in at 843-405-3157 or email us a voice memo at [email protected])

Sponsors

Cozy Earth - Go to cozyearth.com and use code BOPBOGO

Wayfair - This summer, get outside with Wayfair at wayfair.com

Master Class - Our listeners get a discount of at least 15% off any annual membership at masterclass.com/bop

Join our Facebook group for amazing book recs & more! 

Buy our Merch!

Join our Geneva!

Order Olivia’s Book, Such a Bad Influence!

Subscribe to Olivia’s Newsletter!

Order Becca’s Book, The Christmas Orphans Club!

Subscribe to Becca’s Newsletter! 

Follow us on Instagram @badonpaperpodcast. Follow Olivia on Instagram @oliviamuenter and Becca @beccamfreeman.

We thought it was time for a good ol’ catch-up! We have much to cover, including (but not limited to) writing updates, new journaling habits, career developments, travel plans, spring hobbies, and MORE! 

Highly recommend reading What is Glitter by Caity Weaver in the New York Times

Obsessions

Becca - Soeos White Peach Candy

Olivia - He Wasn’t Man Enough by Toni Braxton

What we read this week

Olivia - This Book Will Bury Me by Ashley Winstead, The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai, Elsewhere by Alexis Schaitkin, The Dream Hotel by Laila Lailami

Becca - Quicksilver by Callie Hart

This Month’s Book Club Pick - Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy (have thoughts about this book you want to share? Call in at 843-405-3157 or email us a voice memo at [email protected])

Sponsors

Quince - go to quince.com/bop to get free shipping and 365-day returns

Better Help - Visit BetterHelp.com/BADONPAPER today to get 10% off your first month

Wayfair - Get renovating with Wayfair at Wayfair.com

Join our Facebook group for amazing book recs & more! 

Buy our Merch!

Join our Geneva!

Order Olivia’s Book, Such a Bad Influence!

Subscribe to Olivia’s Newsletter!

Order Becca’s Book, The Christmas Orphans Club!

Subscribe to Becca’s Newsletter! 

Follow us on Instagram @badonpaperpodcast. Follow Olivia on Instagram @oliviamuenter and Becca @beccamfreeman.

This week, we're talking about rejection, failure, and how two guests dealt with them! First, we’re talking to New York Times best-selling author Andrea Bartz about navigating rejection on submission, and the daily rejections entailed in living a creative life. Then, we’re talking to Azora Zoe Paknad about shuttering her business and going back to the corporate world. 

You can read more from Andrea in her newsletter, Get It Write, and her books The Spare Room, We Were Never Here, The Herd, and The Lost Night. Her latest novel, The Last Ferry Out, is out May 20. 

Read more from Azora in her newsletter, First Rodeo. You may also remember our episode from 2020 about starting her eco-friendly e-commerce marketplace, Goldune.

Obsessions

Olivia - Butter Pecan Iced Coffee at Dunkin

Becca - The audiobook Anatomy of a Breakthrough by Adam Alter

What we read this week

Becca - Audition by Katie Kitamura, Filthy Rich Fae by Geneva Lee

Olivia - Old Money by Kelsey Miller (Out September 30!)

This Month’s Book Club Pick - Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy (have thoughts about this book you want to share? Call in at 843-405-3157 or email us a voice memo at [email protected])

Sponsors

Wayfair - Get renovating and head to Wayfair.com.

Join our Facebook group for amazing book recs & more! 

Buy our Merch!

Join our Geneva!

Order Olivia’s Book, Such a Bad Influence!

Subscribe to Olivia’s Newsletter!

Order Becca’s Book, The Christmas Orphans Club!

Subscribe to Becca’s Newsletter! 

Follow us on Instagram @badonpaperpodcast. Follow Olivia on Instagram @oliviamuenter and Becca @beccamfreeman.