Bookish Flights: Themed Book Recommendations & Author Interviews

Kara Infante
  • 5.0 (101)
  • Books
  • Updated Weekly

Discover your next great read with themed book recommendations, author interviews, and books you won’t want to miss. Hosted by Kara Infante, Bookish Flights is a weekly book podcast featuring conversations with authors and storytellers about books, writing, reading, and life. Every episode features a book flight: three book recommendations paired by theme, topic, or genre. Think of it as a wine flight of books! From historical fiction and mysteries to memoirs, romance, fantasy, and classics, there’s always something new to discover. We’re not literary critics, and you certainly don’t need to be one to join the conversation. We’re simply people who love books and love talking about them. Whether you’re a lifelong reader, exploring a new genre, or just getting back into reading, you’re welcome here. I started Bookish Flights to explore books outside my usual reading habits. Along the way, I’ve discovered that books do so much more than entertain us. They introduce us to new perspectives, help us understand one another, and bring people together. I believe books can be both a bridge and a balm for loneliness. Tune in every Wednesday for a new conversation and a fresh book flight! Find more book recommendations, our free BFF Book Club, and Family Book Flights at www.bookishflights.com.

  1. 7h ago

    Finding Hope, Overcoming Rejection, and Dramatic, Emotional Romances with Deborah Clack (E246)

    Send us Fan Mail Today on Bookish Flights, I'm joined by contemporary romance author Deborah Clack to talk about her journey from high school history teacher to published novelist. Deborah shares how she always viewed the world through the lens of storytelling, the steep learning curve of becoming an author, and the rejection she faced along the way. We also talk about making time for ourselves as moms, finding hope in difficult seasons, and her Shelter & Sky series, including her newest novel, After We Fall. Episode Highlights: Growing up with a love of storytellingGoing from teaching history to writing romanceBelieving in your stories while still learning the craftNavigating rejection and the road to publicationMaking time for creativity and letting go of mom guiltWriting about grief, hope, and learning to live againWhy the Shelter & Sky books can stand alone, but are even better read in orderA Book Flight featuring three dramatic, emotional romances Connect with Deborah: InstagramWebsiteSome links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show. Books and authors mentioned in the episode: Lynne Gentry booksBecky Wade booksThe Water Keeper by Charles MartinOur Perfect Storm by Carley FortuneJohn Le Carre booksLynn H. Blackburn booksBook Flight The Bodyguard by Katherine CenterDream a Little Dream by Susan Elizabeth PhillipsLong Way Gone by Charles MartinThe BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats. Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with: One chapter book for growing readersOne picture book for our littlest readersA few family conversation starters + a simple activityThree books. One common theme. → Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily Support the show Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening! InstagramFacebookWebsite

    Finding Hope, Overcoming Rejection, and Dramatic, Emotional Romances with Deborah Clack (E246)

  2. 5d ago

    BFF Book Club - Brighter Than Before by Courtney Walsh (E245)

    Send us Fan Mail What happens when you step outside your comfort zone and make room for something new? Courtney Walsh joins the BFF Book Club to talk about her novel Brighter Than Before and the courage it takes to get out of your own way, build meaningful connections, and remember just how strong you really are. Episode Highlights: Getting outside your comfort zone (even when you’d really rather stay home!)Finding friendship and community as an adult and making friends when you’re constantly on the moveWhy the smallest everyday interactions can make such a differenceThe value of spending time alone and getting into your own headWhy female friendships can be so difficult—and so important—to find as an adultThe courage it takes to start over and Cclebrating the bravery and strength of women Connect with Courtney: InstagramWebsite📚 Next Meet the Author Book Club - The Brunswick with Callie Murray 🗓️ Nov 3rd | 🕓 5 pm PST / 7 pm CST / 8 pm EST After her seemingly perfect life falls apart, Claire takes a leap of faith into a fresh start in Chicago, discovering friendship, purpose, and the possibility of a brighter future along the way. Register Here. Books and authors mentioned in the episode: Crafting Sweet Escapes and Swoony Fiction with Courtney Walsh (E153)Ashley Poston booksKatherine Center booksAs Luck Would Have It by Courtney Walsh (Pre-order for 03/02/27 pub date)Anne of Green Gables by L.M. MontgomeryHarry Potter - Full-Cast Audio by J.K. RowlingBook Flight Becky Wade booksCover Story by Mhairi McFarlaneThe Blonde Identity by Ally CarterDessert Pairing Spies, Lies and Alibis by Natalie WaltersThe BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats. Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with: One chapter book for growing readersOne picture book for our littlest readersA few family conversation starters + a simple activityThree books. One common theme. → Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily Support the show Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening! InstagramFacebookWebsite

    BFF Book Club - Brighter Than Before by Courtney Walsh (E245)

  3. Oct 7

    Cold War Spies, Historical Fiction & Classic British Mysteries with Katherine Reay (E244)

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Bookish Flights, I’m joined by national bestselling and award-winning author Katherine Reay to talk about her latest novel, The Undercover Bookshop. We chat about life on a Montana ranch, writing spy novels, the fascinating true history behind her fiction, and why sometimes the facts are far more unbelievable than anything she could make up. Katherine also brings us a Book Flight of Classic British Mysteries. Episode Highlights: Life on a Montana ranch and finding creativity in the quietHow moving gave Katherine a chance to recalibrate her life and routinesWriting spy novels—and why she says she would “crumble like an old biscuit” as a real spyThe roles women played during the Cold WarDigging into the true history behind The Undercover BookshopChoosing fact over fiction when the real story is already unbelievableThe luxury of sneaking in an hour of reading during the dayKatherine’s Book Flight of Classic British Mysteries Connect with Katherine: InstagramFacebookWebsiteSome links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show. Books and authors mentioned in the episode: A Shadow in Moscow by Katherine ReayThe Berlin Letters by Katherine ReayThe Seven Dials Mystery by Agatha ChristieWhat’s Didn’t The Ask Evans by Agatha ChristieJohn Le Carre booksFrederick Forsyth booksDaniel Silva booksPride and Prejudice by Jane AustenThe Astral Library by Kate QuinnBook Flight A Shilling for Candles by Josephine TayStrong Poison by Dorothy L. SayersThe Murder of Roger Ackroydby Agatha ChristieThe BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats. Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with: One chapter book for growing readersOne picture book for our littlest readersA few family conversation starters + a simple activityThree books. One common theme. → Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily Support the show Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening! InstagramFacebookWebsite

    Cold War Spies, Historical Fiction & Classic British Mysteries with Katherine Reay (E244)

  4. Sep 30

    Writing for Kids, Loving Your Readers & the Magic of a Good Book with Annie Barrows (E243)

    Send us Fan Mail Today, I’m joined by bestselling author Annie Barrows to talk about her journey from editor to author, why she loves writing for children, and her Stella & Marigold series, including the newest book, Past and Presents. We also talk about the joy of getting lost in a story, writing with the reader in mind, and, of course, I couldn’t let Annie go without asking about one of my favorites, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Episode Highlights: Annie’s journey from editor to author and the moment she realized the writers were having more funWhy she loves writing for children and believes kids are “the most interesting people on earth”The Stella & Marigold series and writing stories that entertain and respect young readersWhy Annie believes a writer’s first loyalty should be to the readerThe pleasure of slowing down with a book and how reading can make us better writersThe joy of stepping outside yourself and living in someone else’s world through a storyThe Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and why Annie believes the book continues to connect so deeply with readers Connect with Annie: WebsiteInstagramFacebookSome links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show. Books and authors mentioned in the episode: David Copperfield by Charles Dickens Ivy and Bean by Annie BarrowsThe Best of Iggy for Annie Barrows (series for boys)Like by Annie BarrowsThe Magic Half by Annie BarrowsIndigo’s Star by Hilary KayBook Flight The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall (Middle Grade)Big Red Lollipop by Rukhsana Klan, Illustrated by Sophie Blackall (Picture book)Bog Myrtle by Sid Sharp (Fairy tale - early chapter book, read aloud)The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats. Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with: One chapter book for growing readersOne picture book for our littlest readersA few family conversation starters + a simple activityThree books. One common theme. → Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily Support the show Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening! InstagramFacebookWebsite

    Writing for Kids, Loving Your Readers & the Magic of a Good Book with Annie Barrows (E243)

  5. Sep 25

    How to Build Deeper Friendships & Meaningful Connection with Alex Alexander (E242)

    Send us Fan Mail Today’s episode features Alex Alexander, author of Are We Friends Yet: How to Deepen Your Relationships and Create the Community You Need and host of the Friendship IRL podcast. Alex and I talk about writing her first book, what surprised her about the process, and her experience navigating self-publishing versus traditional publishing. We also explore the ideas at the heart of her work: how reframing the way we think about friendship can make connection feel much more accessible. Her book flight features books about friendship and connection. Episode Highlights: How Friendship IRL and Are We Friends Yet? complement each otherWhat surprised Alex most about writing her first bookSelf-publishing versus traditional publishingWhy continuing to “put in the reps” matters as a writerReframing what friendship and community can look likeSimple ways to connect with the people already in our livesHow sharing something as simple as a favorite book can build connection Connect with Alex: InstagramWebsiteFriendship IRL PodcastSome links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show. Books and authors mentioned in the episode: Good Friends by Priya VulchiBook Flight Modern Friendship by Anna GoldfarbHow We Show Up by Mia BirdsongThe Art of Gathering by Priya ParkerThe BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats. Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with: One chapter book for growing readersOne picture book for our littlest readersA few family conversation starters + a simple activityThree books. One common theme. → Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily Support the show Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening! InstagramFacebookWebsite

    How to Build Deeper Friendships & Meaningful Connection with Alex Alexander (E242)

  6. Sep 23

    Zibby Owens on Between Chapters, Reinvention & What 2,300 Author Interviews Taught Her (E241)

    Send us Fan Mail This week, I’m joined by Zibby Owens—bestselling author, host of Totally Booked with Zibby, and founder of Zibby Media—to talk about her new memoir, Between Chapters. We talk about motherhood, reinvention, the emotions that come with telling your own story, and what she discovered looking back over a decade of her life. After interviewing more than 2,300 authors herself, Zibby also shares what all of those conversations have taught her about people, stories, and books. Episode Highlights: How reflecting on a decade of her life became Between ChaptersThe uncertainty of not always knowing when one chapter is ending and another is beginningReal-life motherhood and the messy moments that come with itWhat writing this memoir helped Zibby learn about herselfWhy we don’t need to compare our hard things to someone else’sWhat she has learned from interviewing more than 2,300 authorsBuilding a life and career around books, stories, and connectionAnd, of course, how she manages to find time to read!Zibby’s Book Flight: Memoirs from debut authors coming out this fall, each centered around overcoming something.Connect with Zibby: InstagramWebsiteSome links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show. Books and authors mentioned in the episode: Slow Motion by Dani ShapiroThe Things You’ll Never Know by Ashley Audrain (Pub date 01/12/27)Book Flight Downhill by Juana LibedinskyTell Me About Joy by Kara KavenskyDesire Feeds the Feast by Tarajia Morell (Pub date 11/03/26)Dessert Pairing Between Chapters by Zibby OwensThe BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats. Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with: One chapter book for growing readersOne picture book for our littlest readersA few family conversation starters + a simple activityThree books. One common theme. → Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily Support the show Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening! InstagramFacebookWebsite

    Zibby Owens on Between Chapters, Reinvention & What 2,300 Author Interviews Taught Her (E241)

  7. Sep 16

    Finding Humor, Fighting Loneliness & Unlikely Friendships with Gordon Jack (E240)

    Send us Fan Mail Today’s episode features Gordon Jack, author of Poppy Montgomery Gets Even. After 30 years as a high school librarian and writing two young adult novels, Gordon is turning his attention to adult fiction with a cozy mystery featuring an unforgettable octogenarian crime fighter. He talks about how his years surrounded by books shaped him as a writer, finding humor in complicated characters, and bringing two generations experiencing loneliness together on the page. His Book Flight features funny books that influenced his own writing and sense of humor. Episode Highlights On the natural pairing of librarians and writers: “You are in a world of books and surrounded by them.”How rereading taught Gordon to notice “the craft of a sentence and word choice”Why “the most important thing about being a writer is that you are interesting to yourself”Finding humor in the fact that “people are complicated and have faults”Why Gordon considers himself “more a tinkerer than a creator”Exploring loneliness among young men and older adults and bringing those generations together through fiction Connect with Gordon: InstagramFacebookWebsiteSome links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show. Books and authors mentioned in the episode: The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. SalingerHercule Poirot series by Agatha ChristieSheila Grau booksTranscription by Ben LernerNothing to See Here by Kevin WilsonCountry People by Daniel MasonNest of Tongues by Randy RibayBook Flight Joy in the Morning by P.G. WodehouseToday Will Be Different by Marie SempleCivilWarland in Bad Decline by George SaundersDessert Pairing Birds of America by Lorrie MooreEpisode Sponsor - The Future Lab with Lee Schneider The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats. Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with: One chapter book for growing readersOne picture book for our littlest readersA few family conversation starters + a simple activityThree books. One common theme. → Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily Support the show Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening! InstagramFacebookWebsite

    Finding Humor, Fighting Loneliness & Unlikely Friendships with Gordon Jack (E240)

  8. Sep 9

    Romantasy, Hybrid Publishing & the Influence of Readers with Penn Cole (E239)

    Send us Fan Mail New York Times bestselling author Penn Cole joins me to celebrate Burn of the Everflame, the fourth book in her Kindred’s Curse Saga. We talk about her journey from self-publishing to hybrid publishing, building her community one reader at a time, and the growing influence readers have on the publishing landscape. Penn also shares what it takes to write both sides of romantasy well, how fantasy creates space for political and social commentary, and why she stood behind her work when traditional publishing came calling. Episode Highlights: Penn’s lifelong love of reading and writingBuilding a community one reader at a timeHow readers are influencing the publishing landscapePenn’s journey from indie to hybrid publishingWriting both the romance and fantasy sides of romantasy wellFinding fresh ways to approach the romance formulaUsing fantasy to explore political and social issuesWhy writers should take their time before publishingHer Book Flight includes books that gave her “lightbulb moments” in her own writing Connect with Penn: WebsiteInstagramFacebookSome links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show. Books and authors mentioned in the episode: Lore of the Wilds / Heir of the Prophecy by Analeigh SbranaBook Flight Kushiel’s Dart by Jacqueline CareyChildren of the Star by Sylvia EngdahlZodiac Academy by Caroline Peckham and Suzanne ValentiThe BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats. Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with: One chapter book for growing readersOne picture book for our littlest readersA few family conversation starters + a simple activityThree books. One common theme. → Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily Support the show Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening! InstagramFacebookWebsite

    Romantasy, Hybrid Publishing & the Influence of Readers with Penn Cole (E239)
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About

Discover your next great read with themed book recommendations, author interviews, and books you won’t want to miss. Hosted by Kara Infante, Bookish Flights is a weekly book podcast featuring conversations with authors and storytellers about books, writing, reading, and life. Every episode features a book flight: three book recommendations paired by theme, topic, or genre. Think of it as a wine flight of books! From historical fiction and mysteries to memoirs, romance, fantasy, and classics, there’s always something new to discover. We’re not literary critics, and you certainly don’t need to be one to join the conversation. We’re simply people who love books and love talking about them. Whether you’re a lifelong reader, exploring a new genre, or just getting back into reading, you’re welcome here. I started Bookish Flights to explore books outside my usual reading habits. Along the way, I’ve discovered that books do so much more than entertain us. They introduce us to new perspectives, help us understand one another, and bring people together. I believe books can be both a bridge and a balm for loneliness. Tune in every Wednesday for a new conversation and a fresh book flight! Find more book recommendations, our free BFF Book Club, and Family Book Flights at www.bookishflights.com.

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