Plans Are Booked

This week we're discussing a book shrouded in mystery. Written under a pen name, Silver Elite straddles the line between a dystopian tale of resistance and a sizzling romantasy. We talk about what a military setting brings to a story, including Kaitlin's devotion to group projects and Molly's love for a training montage. We praise the strength of the male / female friendships in this book, the witty and flirtatious banter, and the subtle world building that makes this a bit more accessible than some other popular titles in this category. In our catch up this week, Molly recaps her New England road trip, Kaitlin heads to a boxing event at Fenway, Steph updates us on the house renovation and shares a hilarious encounter with a customer at the bookstore. In what we're reading this week, Steph is devouring the new Ali Hazelwood book set in Italy, Kaitlin completes another small town Lucy Score romance and begins a new book that reminds her of ones we've binged by Jordan Harper and Chris Whitaker. To follow along with all of our book recommendations, join us on Instagram @plansarebooked. You can also write to us at plansarebooked@gmail.com. 

This week we're discussing an essay collection by a local author. We chat about this format and how it allows you to read as you feel called to, Lipson's honest and vulnerable reflections on womanhood, her piercing accuracy about body image and self-esteem, and how she deeply understands the complexities of all types of relationships between women. If you have a mother or you are a mother, add this to your summer reading list. In our catch up this week, Molly heads to Newburyport and binges a new page-to-screen adaptation, we beg Stephanie to make more Limoncello, and Kaitlin begins her quest to visit many of the Michelin contender restaurants around Boston. In what we're reading this week, Molly is hoping for Top Chef tea in Kristen Kish's memoir, Steph enters the land of dire wolves, and Kaitlin begins Ocean Vuong's new fiction book. To follow along with all of our top picks, join us on Instagram @plansarebooked. You can also write to us at plansarebooked@gmail.com. 

You know her from BookTok and the legal drama surrounding the screen adaptation of her novel It Ends With Us - this week we're discussing the phenomenon that is Colleen Hoover. We talk about her meteoric rise, the immersive quality of her writing, her expert pacing, how she moves between genres, and which of her books you should start with if you're a first timer. Then, we get into Reminders of Him, including our thoughts on the recent casting for the film. In our catch up this week, Molly heads to the Boston Pops and Steph updates us on installing dry wall and the dreaded porta-potty phase of the renovation. In what we're reading this week, Steph praises a new fantasy book and Molly grins over the banter in Summer Romance. To follow along with all of our book recommendations, join us on Instagram @plansarebooked. You can also write to us at plansarebooked@gmail.com. 

We reunite with the queen of summer reads this week, as we dive into her latest novel. We head back to Barry's Bay, home of the flirtatious Charlie Florek, who we'd like to nominate for the Book Boyfriend Hall of Fame. We discuss Carley's mastery of the genre, her gift for the nostalgic, the joy of a lovable grandparent character, and a pickling scene that had our hearts melting. In our catch up this week, Kaitlin heads to a graduation party and admits her addiction, Steph anticipates a page-to-screen adaptation of a childhood favorite, and Molly hits the jackpot at a neighbor's Little Free Library. In what we're reading this week, Steph highlights the author controversy around Silver Elite, Kaitlin is pleasantly surprised by How to End a Love Story, and Molly jumps into Curtis Sittenfeld's newest book. To follow along with all of our top picks, join us on Instagram @plansarebooked. You can also write to us at plansarebooked@gmail.com. 

This week we are in a summer state of mind. We've transported to Beechwood Island off of Martha's Vineyard to analyze the suspicious behavior of the Sinclair family. We're sharing our thoughts on both of E. Lockhart's stories about this mega rich family with generations of dark secrets. We talk about how this book sits at the center of a Venn diagram of YA, contemporary fiction and mystery and applaud the author's ability to tackle tough topics, share our hopes for the screen adaptation, and strongly recommend reading the books back-to-back for optimal sleuthing. In our catch up this week, Steph returns and tells us all about her time in Indiana, Molly heads to the Cape for the first time in years, and Kaitlin enjoys a family weekend and a memorable round of golf. In what we're reading this week, Steph devours an ARC, Molly deepens her admiration for Katie Sturino, and Kaitlin is immersed in a dark tale of missing women. To access all of our book recommendations, join us on Instagram @plansarebooked. You can also write to us at plansarebooked@gmail.com. 

This week we're discussing a debut novel from a beautiful writer. We dissect this singular story, delving into family dynamics and obligations, point of view decisions, unlikable narrators, and the magic of strong prose, even when you aren't rooting for a single character. After reading Wei's first book, we're eagerly anticipating what she creates next. In our catch up this week, Kaitlin heads to the club and shares the emotional rollercoaster of being a Celtics fan this playoff season. Molly recaps her trip to Miami and reveals her secret shopping trip on the way to Kaitlin's house. In what we're reading this week, we celebrate the arrival of beach read season. Kaitlin devours the new Carley Fortune, and highly recommends an essay collection about motherhood. Molly reads her first Lucy Score book and finally understands the hype. To follow along with all of our book picks, join us on Instagram @plansarebooked. You can also write to us at plansarebooked@gmail.com. 

This week we're discussing a story about found family, set in Portland, Maine. We hypothesize that chapter one may have started out as a short story, we applaud Wood's beautiful writing and intentional word choice, how the shifting verb tenses deepened our immersion with each character, the way this tale stayed with us for many days after we finished reading, and our hopes for it to become a mini series. In our catch up this week, we read a lovely listener email, Kaitlin attends a camp reunion, Steph starts painting at the flip house, and Molly recaps Independent Bookstore Day. In what we're reading this week, Steph picks up a K-drama romance, Molly opens a time capsule to 1999, and Kaitlin is halfway through a romance that reads more like a mystery. To follow along with all of our book recommendations, join us on Instagram @plansarebooked. You can also write to us at plansarebooked@gmail.com. 

This week we head to non-fiction land to read a book that is part exposé and part personal reflection. Sarah bravely shares about her experience working for Facebook and the disturbing truths of being inside a company with no moral compass. We talk about the parallels between Facebook's leadership team and our current administration, the hypocrisy of Sheryl Sandberg and her Lean In movement, the importance of boundaries at work, and the tension between altruism and reality. In our catch up this week, Kaitlin discovers a love of boxing, plumbing and electrical have started at Steph's flip house, and Molly preps for summer at Nantasket Beach. In what we're reading this week, Steph and Molly are enjoying ARCs (true crime and family drama, respectively) and Kaitlin devours the final book in Lucy Score's Knockemout series. To follow along with all of our book picks, join us on Instagram @plansarebooked. You can also write to us at plansarebooked@gmail.com. 

This week we're discussing an author we adore and deep diving (pun intended) on her newest romance novel. We talk about Ali's unique background - her PhD in neuroscience, her love for fan fiction, and our complete awe that English is not her first language. We praise her foray into sports romance, set among the swimming and diving teams at Stanford, adding a competitiveness that upped the stakes. We note that this is an edgier romance, including really important conversations about desire and consent. In our catch up this week, Kaitlin shares her plans for spring break (and admits to several iconic movies she's never seen), Steph updates us on the latest at the renovation house, and Molly recaps her trip to North Carolina. In what we're reading this week, Steph begins the final book in the Rebel Blue Ranch series, Kaitlin continues the Chole Walsh rugby series, and Molly falls hard for a fictional hockey player thanks to Tessa Bailey. To follow along with all of our book recommendations, join us on Instagram @plansarebooked. You can also write to us at plansarebooked@gmail.com. 

This week we discuss a story about resistance. Bray's novel includes three timelines and three character duos, each trying to make sense of the political environments they're living in. We discuss how YA often tackles hard topics, how strange it is to read about the pandemic, the power of first love, the themes of not being complicit and remaining hopeful, and how deeply relevant this book is to the current state of our country. In our catch up, Kaitlin recaps her trip to Charleston, Steph educates us on septic testing, and Molly shares about her vacation to Mexico. In what we're reading this week, Steph details a Tessa Bailey book set in Boston, Kaitlin starts a rugby romance, and Molly takes life advice from Matthew McConaughey's memoir. To follow along with all of our book picks, join us on Instagram @plansarebooked. You can also write to us at plansarebooked@gmail.com.