The Book Club Review

The Book Club Review
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The Book Club Review

Discussion, debate, even a little dispute – expect it all on The Book Club Review. Every month hosts Kate and Laura bring you a new episode. That could be Book Club where we chat about the book read most recently by one of our book clubs. It could be Bookshelf, an episode dedicated to the books we’re reading outside of book club – the ones we get to pick and choose. Or it could be an interview with a book club, bookshop or book lover. Whatever the topic, every episode features lively and frank reviews and recommendations.

  1. How to Read Yourself Happy, with Daisy Buchanan • Episode #171

    15 FEB

    How to Read Yourself Happy, with Daisy Buchanan • Episode #171

    Author, podcaster and reader Daisy Buchanan joins Kate to discuss Read Yourself Happy, her latest book that explores ‘shelf-help’ and the healing power of books and reading to inspire, comfort and fortify. You might not think that someone who regularly interviews literary stars like Anne Patchett and Lauren Groff on her podcast 'You're Booked' might also be someone who has struggled throughout her life with anxiety. Find out how books helped Daisy overcome her fears and inspired her to be adventurous in the manner of her favourite literary heroines. We also discuss the practicalities of the reading life, how to manage a mountainous TBR, and insider stories from the Jilly Cooper book club. With Valentine's Day in mind, find out how to 'Read Yourself Romantic' with Daisy's favourite romance novels. Oh, and you'll get about a million other brilliant book recommendations along the way! Notes If you're interested to try a Serious Readers lamp use our special offer code BCR at checkout for £150 off any HD light. Looking for your perfect bookish match? Use our offer code BookClubReview for 10% off a subscription to Book Lovers Dating. Reading list The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary Strange Beach by Oliwaseun Olawiola The Pirahna Club: Power and Influence in Formula 1 by Timothy Collings (my husband's book, by the way, in case you were wondering. He's been dipping in for something he's working on.) Rachel’s Holiday by Marian Keyes Love, Nina by Nina Stibbe Happy All the Time by Laurie Colwin The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré A Little Life by Hanya Yanigahara Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton Rivals by Jilly Cooper The Come Up by Jonathan Abrams I Want my MYV by Rob Tannenbaum Uncommon People by Miranda Sawyer Early Morning Riser by Katherine Heiny Us by David Nicholls Good Material by Dolly Alderton Fleishman is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser Akner Peter Hujar’s Day by Linda Rosenkrantz Deano: Life After Football by Dean Windass By Grand Central Station I Sat Down and Wept by Elizabeth Smart Camp by Paul Baker Notes from the Henhouse by Elspeth Barker O Caledonia by Elspeth Barker The Gemma Books by Noel Streatfield Love Junkie by Robert Plunket Again, Rachel by Marian Keyes Expiation by Elizabeth Von Arnim They Were Sisters and Greenbanks by Dorothy Whipple The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford Mhairi McFarlane - various titles, try If I Never Met You

    50 min
  2. Book Club: The Empusium by Olga Tokarczuk • #170

    9 FEB

    Book Club: The Empusium by Olga Tokarczuk • #170

    Olga Tokarczuk's haunting 'health resort horror story' may have wow-ed the critics, but how did it fare with Laura's book club? Phil, Sarah and Laura join Kate to discuss it. You'll also find out the books we've been reading lately, and our suggestions for follow-on reads if The Empusium leaves you hankering for more. Books mentioned The Sewing Girl’s Tale by John Wood Sweet Two Step Devil by Jamie Quattro The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary Book Lovers by Emily Henry Strange Beach by Oluwaseum Olayiwola The Fizcarraldo poetry subscription The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann The Books of Jacob by Olga Tokarczuk Sanatorium by W. Somerset Maugham The Wind Rises by Hayao Miyazaki The Extinction of Irena Rey by Jennifer Croft The Paper Hound bookshop The Plague and I by Betty Macdonald Backlisted episode #138 The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman Schwärmerai NOTES Support the show and get exclusive subscriber benefits On Patreon: weekly-ish minisodes, chat groups, special feature episodes, War & Peace readalong, and at the higher tier join the monthly book club Or via Substack: weekly-ish minsodes and special feature episodes

    50 min
  3. Meditations for Mortals, with Oliver Burkeman • Episode #169

    25 JAN

    Meditations for Mortals, with Oliver Burkeman • Episode #169

    Step into a world of philosophical musings and practical wisdom with Oliver Burkeman. 'Meditations for Mortals' is his latest book designed as a four-week mental retreat, promising to help readers lead a 'saner, freer, and more enchantment-filled life'. Oliver joins Kate to talk about everything from the inspiration he took from Marcus Aurelius to how to invite people over without feeling like you have to spend three hours tidying the house. He also reveals his tips on making life-changes that stick, and the books he turns to when he's not reading for work. Keen to test out the methodology, Kate is then joined by City high-flyer and busy mother-of-three Emily Bohill to discover how Meditations for Mortals works in practice. From managing work-life balance to facing literal rats in the PTA shed, we explore whether the lessons of Meditations are ones that will stay. This episode is for everyone who is keen to turn knowledge into action and embrace life's imperfections. No less important is the fact that Meditations for Mortals is perfect for sparking deep conversations, and there's nothing we love more at The Book Club Review than that. Reading list 4,000 Weeks by Oliver Burkeman Meditations by Marcus Aurelius Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life by James Hollis   Find out more and sign up for The Imperfectionist (a free newsletter) at Oliver Burkeman's website   Subscribe and support the show Want more from the pod? You can subscribe to The Book Club Review via Patreon. Click through for full details and to sign up with a 7-day free trial.   You'll get a weekly-ish minisode, with access to the full archive, and extra bits and bobs like extended episodes or Patreon-only specials, plus access to book recommendations from Kate and fellow pod fans in the chat group. At the higher tier you can join the pod book club and come and talk books with me, Kate, in person. We meet on the last Sunday of the month via Zoom, with a recording posted to listen back to anytime. In February we're reading All The Beauty in the World by Patrick Bringley, and in March it's Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage by Alice Munroe. Upcoming books are decided by members vote, so join in and suggest one that you would love to read and discuss.    If you're a Substacker you can also subscribe and support the pod there. (It's slightly cheaper as you don't get the chat or the book club options, but everything else is just the same.)   Timecodes for the time-poor 00:00 Introduction 01:32 An overview of the book, and the degree to which Oliver Burkeman put himself in there 03:55 The relationship between Meditations for Mortals and Four Thousand Weeks 06:24 Imperfectionism 10:45 Practical Applications and personal reflections 13:01 Field-testing the book’s methodology 29:37 Daily-ish and embracing imperfection 34:34 Scruffy hospitality and overcoming procrastination 45:34 Has it changed our lives?

    48 min
  4. Page-Turning Plans: Looking ahead to 2025 • Episode #168

    10 JAN

    Page-Turning Plans: Looking ahead to 2025 • Episode #168

    It's a new year and a new episode. Join Kate and Laura as they consider reading intentions for the year ahead, and try to set some realistic goals. Will 2025 be the year Kate gets into poetry? Will it be the year Laura weans herself off romance novels? And as always, they're thinking of book club reads to come. Meanwhile Phil sets a goal for himself in 2025 that might surprise you. Books mentioned  4,000 Weeks and Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman  Rejection by Tony Tulithamutte Bliss Montage by Ling Ma The George Smiley novels by John le Carre Karla's Choice by Nick Harkaway  My Struggle, Karl Ove Knausgard The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan Assembly and Universality by Natasha Brown Also a Poet and Crush by Ada Calhoun Our Country Friends and Vera, or Faith by Gary Shteyngart Intimacies and Audition by Katie Kitamura Robert Caro's Fifth Lyndon Johnson book Polostan by Neal Stephenson Finance for the People by Paca Leon Essays of E. B. White The Ladies of Grace Adieu by Susanna Clarke The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna The Husbands by Holly Gramazio  All That Glitters by Orlando Whitfield Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Törzs Intermezzo by Sally Rooney The Empusium by Olga Tokarczuk My Friends by Hisham Matar  The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett Eight Months on Ghazzah Street by Hilary Mantel The Gifts of Reading, Robert Macfarlane (ed) Untitled Memoir from Nicola Sturgeon Katabasis by R. F. Kuang Patrick Rothfuss (The Name of the Wind trilogy) Book Lovers by Emily Henry Living and Death and Intimations by Zadie Smith Notes If you’re looking for inspiration in your reading life over the coming year why not subscribe to The Book Club Review Patreon. In addition to the various special episodes you’ll find on there, you’ll get The Book Club Review Weekend, my weeky-ish bonus episode just for Patrons, featuring Laura’s reading updates and regular chats with friends of the pod. Laura and I have cooked up a new feature, called One Book Wonder, that allows us to talk about those books that slip through the cracks between regular episodes. Listen in for our thoughts on Good Material by Dolly Alderton.  You get all that at the entry level, but at the higher tier you can also join the podcast book club and come and talk books with me in person at the end of every month over zoom, or listen back anytime if you can’t make the live session. In January we’re reading the novel that appeared on many a best-of-the-year list, Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar, In February we’re we’re reading All The Beauty in the World by Patrick Bringley, a museum guard's quest to find solace and meaning in art, and in March it’s short stories with Hateship, Friendship, Loveship, Courtship, Marriage by Alice Munroe. But will they make for good book club reads? Join me and the book clubbers over on Patreon and find out. Join our bookish community, get brilliant book recommendations and get the warm glow from knowing that you’re supporting me in making the show. Head to Patreon.com/thebookclubreview and sign up today. Otherwise come and find me anytime on Instagram @bookclubreviewpodcast or check out our website, thebookclubreview.co.uk. But for now, thanks for listening and happy book clubbing.

    46 min
  5. Unputdownable: the best books we loved in 2024 • Episode #167

    29/12/2024

    Unputdownable: the best books we loved in 2024 • Episode #167

    Wrap up your year with the Book Club Review podcast! Celebrate the joy of reading with us as we highlight the standout books we read in 2024, from page-turners to genre reads, to literary fiction and best book club books. We'll finish with our 'if we could only choose one' favourites for our overall book(s) of the year. This episode also features recommendations from our podcast book clubbers, fantastic readers all, who bring their choices into the mix. This is a bonus length episode as there was so much to go through, so take that dog for an extra long walk, get the children prepared for a long swing at the park or just curl up in a cozy spot with notepad in hand to jot down some of these books we think you shouldn't miss. Or, of course, use the handy list below. Books mentioned Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa What You Are Looking For is In The Library by Michiko Ayoyama Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree   Most enjoyable read Loot by Tania James Greta and Valdin by Rebecca K. Reilly The Wedding People by Alison Espach   Best page-turner The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley Going Infinite by Michael Lewis    Best Non-fiction How to Say Babylon by Safiya Sinclair Grief is for People by Sloane Crossley The Garden Against Time by Olivia Laing The Burgundians: A Vanished Empire by Bart van Loo Maurice and Marilyn by Sophie Elmhurst The Story of a Heart by Rachel Clarke   Best Book Club Book Enter Ghost by Isabelle Hamid The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden Cuddy by Benjamin Myers The Fraud by Zadie Smith August Blue by Deborah Levy Mild Vertigo by Mieko Kanai (Polly Barton trans.) Wifedom by Anna Funder Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny (The Inspector Gamache series)   Best Genre Novel or Comfort Read How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells The Alex Verus series by Benedict Jacka   Overall best book read in 2024 James by Percival Everett Kate: The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride Laura: Real Estate by Deborah Levy (vol. 3 in her 'living autobiography' series   Join the Book Club Review club Head to Patreon.com/thebookclubreview to explore what's on offer with regular extra episodes packed with reading recommendations and at the higher tier membership of the pod bookclub: upcoming reads for January are Marty by Kaveh Akbar, February: All The Beauty in the World by Patrick Bringley and March: Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage by Alice Munro.  Serious Readers For seriously good reading lamps with a Book Club Review special discount head to seriousreaders.co.uk/BCR and use the code BCR at checkout for £100 off any HD light. Shipping within the UK is free, and you get a 30-day trial period so you can see for yourself what a difference they make. Stay connected Find Kate on Instagram and Threads @bookclubreviewpodcast, or drop us a comment anytime at the episode page on our website. What were your favourite reads from 2024? We'd love to hear about them.

    1h 20m
  6. The Booker Prize 2024 • Episode #166

    09/11/2024

    The Booker Prize 2024 • Episode #166

    Curious about the 2024 Booker Prize? Wondering if the shortlisted novels live up to the hype? In this latest episode Kate and Laura are joined by returning guests Phil, Sarah and Martin to dive deep into this year's shortlist bringing you their usual frank, honest opinions in true book-club style.  This isn’t your typical review show — you get real, unfiltered thoughts from book lovers who tell it like it is. From literary brilliance to unexpected twists, find out which books wowed us, which ones left us wanting more, and whether this year’s Booker picks truly deserve the spotlight. Plus of course our guesses as to which one might win. Notes Check out Martin's brilliant blog Eyes on the Prize for a fantastic look back through Booker Winners past, including his 'worst to best' ranking. Other books mentioned Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware We Solve Murders by Richard Osman The Trees by Percival Everett Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver My Friends by Hisham Matar Subscribe Want more from The Book Club Review? Want to help support it financially? Come and join Kate at Patreon.com/thebookclubreview where for a small monthly fee you'll receive benefits such as a weekly books minisode, occasional special episodes of the podcast made just for Patreons, and at the higher tier you can join our monthly book club for live discussions with Kate over Zoom. If you’re a Substacker you’ll also find extra content from The Book Club Review there – check thebookclubreview.co.uk/bookspodcast/subscribe for more details. For the love of a good lamp:  Visit seriousreaders.com/BCR for our special offer on any HD light – use the code BCR at checkout and if you're in the UK you can also benefit from free shipping. You get a month to try out the lights to decide if they're for you, if not you can return them. We seriously love them, and think you will too.

    1h 23m
  7. Summer Reading Report 2024: Hits, misses and anticipations

    07/09/2024

    Summer Reading Report 2024: Hits, misses and anticipations

    Summer Reading Report: hits, misses, and anticipations   We're back from the beach and reflecting on our summer reading in this bonus length bookshelf episode. On Kate's stack summer favourite GRETA AND VALDIN by Rebecca K. Reilly, Olivia Laing's memoir The Garden Against Time, the hotly tipped HEADSHOT by Rita Bullwinkel, TRUST by Hernan Diaz, Miranda July's new novel ALL FOURS and upcoming book club reads THE FRAUD by Zadie Smith and HUMANELY POSSIBLE by Sarah Bakewell. Meanwhile Laura talks about REAL AMERICANS by Rachel Kong, THE LAST UNICORN by Peter S. Beagle, THE LAST MURDER AT THE END OF THE WORLD by Stuart Turton, Kiley Reid's latest COME AND GET IT, Reese's Book Club pick SLOW DANCE by Rainbow Rowell and Austeriltz by W. G. Sebald.    We also hear about the best bookish party Laura attended courtsey of the Vancouver Public Library, and the Kate's experience of reading just one book, and one book only, at a time – a strong departure from her usual habits of three on the go at once. But will she stick to it?   Timecodes for the time poor 08:58 Real Americans by Rachel Kong: A Not-to-Read Recommendation 17:39 The Garden Against Time by Olivia Lange: A Deep Dive 25:27 The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle: A Disappointment 30:44 Headshot by Rita Bullwinkle: A Mixed Review 40:02 Stuart Turton's The Last Murder at the End of the World: A Fun Read 44:20 Exploring 'Trust' by Hernan Diaz 49:34 Campus Life and Money in 'Come and Get' It by Kiley Reid 59:57 Miranda July's 'All Fours': A Perimenopausal Journey 01:12:40 A Lighthearted Romance: 'Slow Dance' by Rainbow Rowell 01:15:13 Upcoming Reads and Final Thoughts Patreon Want more from your favourite podcast? Want to support the person who makes it? Come and join Kate at Patreon.com/thebookclubreview where for a small monthly fee you'll receive benefits such as a weekly books dispatch, which you can read or listen to as a pod, occasional special episodes, and at the higher tier you can join our monthly book club for live discussions with Kate over Zoom.  For the love of a good lamp:  Visit seriousreaders.com/BCR for our special offer on any HD light – use the code BCR at checkout and if you're in the UK you can also benefit from free shipping. You get a month to try out the lights to decide if they're for you, if not you can return them. We seriously love them, and think you will too.

    1h 6m
  8. Notebook Nirvana: Stationery and the Joys of Notetaking, with David Frostick

    25/08/2024

    Notebook Nirvana: Stationery and the Joys of Notetaking, with David Frostick

    In this special episode, originally released for our Patreon subscribers, Kate celebrates the joys of the perfect notebook with fellow enthusiast and stationery shop owner David Frostick (Lift, Southwold). From the importance of flat-lay paper to the perfect pen we've got it all covered just in time for back-to-school season. And then we turn to the art of notetaking. Kate and Laura discuss how they take notes on the books they're discussing on the show, and then we find out how the professionals do it, with friends of the pod, journalist Phil Chaffee and literary critic Emily Rhodes. We also hear from Bibliotherapist Ella Berthoud whose book, The Art of Mindful Reading, is full of great suggestions for how to get the most from your reading.  If this whets your appetite come and join us at Patreon.com/thebookclubreview where for a small monthly fee (or you can sign up for annual membership if you prefer) you'll receive benefits such as Kate's weekly books email, occasional special episodes, and at the higher tier you can join our monthly book club for live discussions with Kate over Zoom. If you love the pod your support is helpng Kate make the shows, which means a lot, so thank you for considering it. Discover David's store LIFT here. For other things referenced in this episode here's an index to products with links. For the love of a good lamp:  Visit seriousreaders.com/BCR for our special offer on any HD light – use the code BCR at checkout and if you're in the UK you can also benefit from free shipping. You get a month to try out the lights to decide if they're for you, if not you can return them. We seriously love them, and think you will too.

    44 min
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About

Discussion, debate, even a little dispute – expect it all on The Book Club Review. Every month hosts Kate and Laura bring you a new episode. That could be Book Club where we chat about the book read most recently by one of our book clubs. It could be Bookshelf, an episode dedicated to the books we’re reading outside of book club – the ones we get to pick and choose. Or it could be an interview with a book club, bookshop or book lover. Whatever the topic, every episode features lively and frank reviews and recommendations.

Information

  • Creator
    The Book Club Review
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2025
  • Episodes
    177
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    The Book Club Review

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