Book of the Month Live

Our next guest went from teaching students, to becoming a Jungian expert, to writing another novel that’s stirring conversations all over the country. Best-selling author Matthew Quick joins us today to talk about his newest novel, We Are the Light. He shares which landmark inspired this story, why movies hold such a special place in his heart, and what should be on your dad’s Christmas list this year (besides beer and football memorabilia).  We Are the Light tells the story of Lucas Goodgame, a man who suffered an unimaginable tragedy, and Eli, a boy ostracized from his community who Lucas takes under his wing. In this moving tale of hope and redemption, Lucas and Eli’s unlikely film production brings together their small town racked with grief. Get We Are the Light at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com

The day everyone has been waiting for has finally arrived, and we are pleased to announce the 2022 golden Lolly goes to... Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin! Listen back on the episode we recorded with Gabrielle in July and find out what makes her book so deserving. To hear more from Gabrielle on her BOTY win, visit bookoftheyear.com or download our app and watch our new video where she discusses what it means to be this year's winner. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a moving story of friendship and art-making that will make you nostalgic for your favorite childhood video games. It follows two characters, Sam and Sadie, who bonded while playing video games together as young kids. When they meet again as university students, they start building a video game together, which becomes incredibly successful and wrenches them into a life of unexpected fame. This book will make you feel all the feels, guaranteed. Get Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com

It’s the question we’ve all been asking ourselves since January 1, 2022: Which book is going to win the Book of the Year Award at Book of the Month for 2022? Readers have left their opinions. BOTM staff members have stated their suspicions. And now you, the listener, can make your own predictions as to which author will win the coveted golden Lolly. Here are this year’s nominees:  A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin Vote for your favorite at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com

Do flirty bisexuals make the best spies? Where does this historical fiction writer get her fight scene inspirations? What would happen if Pinocchio researched how to be a real boy on TikTok? We get the answers to these burning questions with our most recent guest, Chloe Gong, author of the YA historical fiction novel, Foul Lady Fortune.  Foul Lady Fortune follows Rosalind Lang, a nationalist spy who cannot die. When a series of murders causes unrest in her city of 1930s Shanghai, Rosalind teams up with another nationalist spy, Orion Hong. The two spies soon find that there are deeper and more horrifying layers to this mystery than they ever imagined. Get Foul Lady Fortune at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com

When you think of Hell, what do you think of? To our next guest, Claudia Lux, it means unpredictable puddles, non-stop car horns, and waking up in a hangover fog every morning. Claudia sits down with us to talk about her debut novel, Sign Here. She shares what the term “fluffy Hell” means, why the only drink in her version of Hell is Jägermeister, and why bike trolleys are the bane of her existence.  Sign Here follows Peyote Trip who works in the deals department on the fifth floor of Hell. Pey has a great opportunity to earn a devilishly big promotion. But first he needs to get one more member of the Harrison family to sell their soul. Get Sign Here at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com

Written by Book of the Month author Kiersten White. Author website: https://www.kierstenwhite.com/ New members can get Kiersten White’s novel The Guinevere Deception at bookofthemonth.com for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. Here’s the brief: Every kid in the neighborhood knew not to go near the big house at the end of the crooked lane. The Victorian mansion was perpetually dark and shuttered, surrounded by overgrown trees that cast long, spindly shadows. The old lady who lived there was known to threaten trespassers with a sharp-handled broom. Rumor had it there was even a dead body buried in her backyard. And so every Halloween, the neighborhood trick-or-treaters steered clear of that driveway. That is, until this Halloween night, when we noticed something unusual: The big house’s porch light was on. The door was open. And Tommy dared me to go inside.

Written by Book of the Month author Laura Hankin. Author website: https://www.laurahankin.com/ New members can get Laura Hankin’s novel Happy & You Know It at bookofthemonth.com for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. Here’s the brief: Every kid in the neighborhood knew not to go near the big house at the end of the crooked lane. The Victorian mansion was perpetually dark and shuttered, surrounded by overgrown trees that cast long, spindly shadows. The old lady who lived there was known to threaten trespassers with a sharp-handled broom. Rumor had it there was even a dead body buried in her backyard. And so every Halloween, the neighborhood trick-or-treaters steered clear of that driveway. That is, until this Halloween night, when we noticed something unusual: The big house’s porch light was on. The door was open. And Tommy dared me to go inside.

Written by Book of the Month author Julie Clark. Author website: https://julieclarkauthor.com/ New members can get Julie Clark’s novels The Lies I Tell and The Last Flight at bookofthemonth.com for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. Here’s the brief: Every kid in the neighborhood knew not to go near the big house at the end of the crooked lane. The Victorian mansion was perpetually dark and shuttered, surrounded by overgrown trees that cast long, spindly shadows. The old lady who lived there was known to threaten trespassers with a sharp-handled broom. Rumor had it there was even a dead body buried in her backyard. And so every Halloween, the neighborhood trick-or-treaters steered clear of that driveway. That is, until this Halloween night, when we noticed something unusual: The big house’s porch light was on. The door was open. And Tommy dared me to go inside.

What is the number one export of Other Birds' fictional Mallow Island? Marshmallows. And today, we’re talking with a very sweet guest, Sarah Addison Allen, author of Other Birds. She shares why moms make the best neighbors, why misfits make the most welcoming communities, and why even ghosts still need to learn a thing or two.  Other Birds is an enchanting novel that follows the quirky, soulful stories of the unlikely neighbors in a magical apartment complex. This book walks the line between the real and the imaginary, exploring the stories that take flight in the most extraordinary ways. Get Other Birds at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com

Why are we so afraid of monsters? What would you do if you saw a house running around town on chicken legs? If your past determines your magical abilities, what would they be? In this episode fit for the spooky season, GennaRose Nethercott is talking about an old crone with a secret agenda, the creepy history of certain folklore tales, and why walking around in a graveyard at dusk is just too on-brand for her.  Thistlefoot is the fantasy novel you get when you mix a house on chicken legs, a girl who can bring inanimate objects to life, and a prophecy foretold. Inspired by old Baba Yaga folk stories, this book is a fairy tale for grown-ups mixed with a touching story of sibling relationships and self discovery.  Want more from GennaRose? You can check out her puppet show for a limited time exclusively on the Book of the Month app. Get Thistlefoot at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.