Book of the Month Live

Mad Libs, pan roms, and SNL! We talk with Curtis Sittenfeld all about how a pandemic hobby inspired her new book, Romantic Comedy! Plus, we play a hilarious game of Mad Libs, discuss the inner workings of SNL, and ponder the idea of seasonal love. In Romantic Comedy, Sally Milz is a sketch writer for “The Night Owls,” the late-night live comedy show that airs each Saturday. With a couple of heartbreaks under her belt, she’s abandoned the search for love and focuses on her career success. Enter Noah Brewster, a pop music sensation with a reputation for dating models. When Sally and Noah hit it off, she begins to wonder if there might actually be sparks flying. Get Romantic Comedy 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.  

Calling all pop culture fans! This episode of Virtual Book Tour is for you! We chat with Kirthana Ramisetti about her new book, Advika and the Hollywood Wives, dating red flags, and navigating friendships and relationships. In Advika and the Hollywood Wives, Advika Srinivasan considers herself a failed screenwriter. To pay the bills and to keep her mind off of the recent death of her twin sister, she takes up bartending A-list events, where she meets legendary Julian Zelding. Despite the 41-year age difference, Advika falls helplessly under his spell, and a month into their marriage, Julian’s first wife dies and a tabloid reports a shocking stipulation in her will. Realizing she rushed into the marriage for all the wrong reasons, Advika uses the info gleaned from the lives of her husband’s exes to concoct a plan to extricate herself from Julian once and for all. Get Advika and the Hollywood Wives 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.  

Murder, attempted murder, and more murder. We have a whirlwind conversation with Sally Hepworth! We discuss The Soulmate (a March pick!), how she infuses empathy into her stories, and her penchant for writing about dysfunctional family relationships. The Soulmate follows Gabe and Pippa in their dream home in a sleepy coastal town set on a tall cliff that has become a popular spot for people to end their lives. Night after night, Gabe comes to their rescue, literally talking them off the edge, until he doesnt. When Pippa discovers Gabe knew the victim, their perfect facade of their marriage begins to crack and the deepest darkest secrets begin to unravel. Get The Soulmate 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.  

A Prohibition-era family drama with a fierce female lead? What could be better! We sat down with Jeannette Walls to discuss her new book, Hang the Moon, gender roles within families, the 18th Amendment, and so much more!  Hang the Moon follows Sally Kincaid, the daughter of the biggest man in a small town - the charismatic Duke Kincaid. Determined to reclaim her place in the family, Sally confronts the secrets and scandals that hide in the shadows of the Big House, navigates the factions in the family and town, and finally comes into her own as a bold, sometimes reckless bootlegger. Get Hang the Moon 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.  

Would you attend a séance? Do you believe in ghosts? Listen in to hear what Sarah Penner has to say! We sat down with Sarah Penner to discuss her second novel, The London Séance Society. She shares why she likes to create rebellious female characters, what she learned from attending a séance, and if she believes in ghosts.  In 1973 Paris, The London Séance Society follows Vaudeline D’Allaire, an acclaimed spiritualist known for her talent in conjuring the spirits of murder victims, and Lenna Wickes, trying to find answers to her sister’s death. When Vaudeline is beckoned to England to solve a high-profile murder, Lenna accompanies her and they begin to suspect that they are not merely out to solve a crime, but perhaps entangled in one themselves… Get The London Séance Society 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 you think you would do well in the Wild West? Victor LaValle says he has no chance! We’re talking with Victor LaValle, author of Lone Women to discuss his love for monsters, why he thinks horror is optimistic, and how parenthood changed his approach as a storyteller. Lone Women follows Adelaide Henry, a woman fleeing past sins attempting to forge a new life homesteading in 1914 Montana's harsh plains. She carries an enormous steamer trunk with her that stays locked at all times because when the trunk is open, people around her start to disappear. Get Lone Women 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 porcelain dolls freak you out? Us too… We sat down with Kristen Loesch to talk all about her debut novel, The Last Russian Doll. She dives into the process of writing historical fiction, plus her fascination with dolls and fairy tales. The Last Russian Doll weaves one family’s tragic splintering into the larger tapestry of Russia’s turbulent 20th century in a dual timeline. The 1990s timeline follows Rosie after her mother dies and Rosie returning to Russia, armed with little more than her mother’s strange folklore and a single key. What she uncovers is a devastating family history that spans the 1917 Revolution, the siege of Leningrad, Stalin’s purges, and beyond. The 1916 timeline begins with Tonya, whose actions will set off a sweeping story that reverberates across the country. Get The Last Russian Doll 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.

What’s something in your home you detest, but your partner won’t get rid of? Listen on to hear Jenny Jackson’s answer! We sat down with Jenny Jackson to talk about her debut novel, Pineapple Street! She shared her experience going from editor to author, what inspired the book’s setting, and her many celebrity run-ins in Brooklyn Heights. Pineapple Street puts Brooklyn’s 1% under the microscope, exploring what happens to a trust fund deferred. Darley is the eldest daughter in a well-connected, old-money family; Sasha is from a middle-class family married into a Brooklyn Heights family; and Georgiana, the millennial conscience of the family who wants to give it all away. Get Pineapple Street 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.

True or false: crows hold grudges. Emilia Hart has the answer. Today, we’re talking with debut author Emilia Hart to discuss her novel, Weyward, the meaning of witchcraft, insect appreciation, and of course, everything about crows. Weyward weaves together the stories of three extraordinary women across five centuries. 2019: Kate fleeing London to leave her abusive partner. 1619: Altha is awaiting trial for the murder of a local farmer, and as the evidence for witchcraft is set out against her, Altha knows she must maintain her freedom. 1942: Violet is trapped in her family’s estate during World War II longing for the education her brother is receiving. Weyward is an enthralling novel of female resilience and the transformative power of the natural world. Get Weyward 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.

If you wrote a psychological thriller about a writing retreat, would you still attend a real-life writing retreat? Julia Bartz would! Today, we’re talking with author Julia Bartz to discuss her debut novel The Writing Retreat, how becoming a therapist made her a better writer, and getting in touch with her dark side to write this spooky thriller. The Writing Retreat follows Alex, a writer who is about to give up on her dreams when she receives a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attend an exclusive writing retreat hosted by her hero, Roza Vallo. Quickly she learns that the attendees must complete an entire novel during the next month, and that the winner will receive a seven-figure publishing deal. But when one of the writers vanishes during a snowstorm, Alex realizes that something very sinister is afoot. With the clock running out, she’s desperate to discover the truth and save herself. Get The Writing Retreat 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.