The Books We Loved

Troy Public LIbrary
  • 5.0 (18)
  • BOOKS
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

The Books We Loved is a podcast about revisiting old favorites with an open mind and a new perspective. Despite the title, we won’t be limiting ourselves to books-- movies, music, TV shows, and other aspects of pop culture will be up for discussion. Hosts and TPL Librarians Manda and Olivia (alongside some special guests from the Troy community!) will be asking themselves: does this book hold up? Tune in to revisit your old favorites while adding some new titles to your TBR list.

  1. 3D AGO

    Heated Rivalry Readlikes!

    Today the ladies discussed readalikes for the show (and book!) everyone is talking about: Heated Rivalry. Titles discussed include: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz Red White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston If This Gets Out by Sophie Gonzales & Cale Dietrich Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid The Prospects of KT Hoffman The Long Run by James Acker Check, Please!: Book 1, Hockey (and it’s sequel, Check Please: Book 2, Sticks and Scones), Ngozi Ukazu  Like Real People Do: a novel, E.L. Massey Him (book 1), Us (book 2), Epic (book 2.5), Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy  All's Fair in Love and Field Hockey, Kit Rosewater Rookie Move (Brooklyn Bruisers #1), Sarina Bowen

    16 min

  2. JAN 1

    BONUS: K-Pop Demon Hunters inspired reads

    Due to the recent success of the film, K-Pop Demon Hunters, the gals thought it was high time to offer our listeners some K-Pop inspired reading recs! Buckle up, buttercups, and be prepared to impress your friends (and, dare we say, kids) with this K-Pop inspired reading list!  Titles discussed today: K-pop Confidential, Stephan Lee I’ll Be the One, Lyla Lee XOXO, Axie Oh  Somewhere Only We Know, Mauren Goo I'll love you forever: notes from a K-pop fan, Giaae Kwon Skylar and the K-Pop Principal, Luan Goldie  Make a Move, Sunny Park!, Jessica Kim Where the Mountain Meets the Moon (trilogy), Grace Lin Meesh the Bad Demon, Michelle Lam When You Trap a Tiger, Tae Keller BTS: K-pop's biggest headliners, Leslie Holleran

    19 min

  3. 12/31/2025

    So long, 2025--these were our favs!

    The girls round out the year by sharing their personal favorite reads of 2025. See below for the booklist.  Olivia's recs: Atmosphere, Taylor Jenkins Reid Heart the Lover, Lily King  The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny, Kiran Desai All the Way to the River, Elizabeth Gilbert This American Woman, Zarna Garg Death of the Author, Nnedi Okorafor  Back After This, Linda Holmes Swept Away, Beth O’Leary Manda's recs: No More Chairs, Gill Everyday Bean (Tiny Bean's Big Adventures, Book #1), Graegin Frank’s Red Hat, Avery Max in the Land of Spies (book 1); Max in the Land of Lies (book 2), Gidwitz We Were Liars (book 1), Family of Liars (book 2), We Fell Apart (book 3), E. Lockhart The Only One Left, Sager I’ll Be Gone in the Dark: one woman’s obsessive search for the Golden State Killer, McNamara The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse (book 1), The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, the Horse, and the Storm (book 2), Charlie Mackesy

    42 min

  4. 12/24/2025

    BONUS: Rob Reiner remembered

    Today Olivia and Manda reflect on the cinematic gifts left to the world by the genius, Rob Reiner. Along with each movie mentioned, the girls offer book recs for your reading delight (list below). Happy Holidays!  When Harry Met Sally: Heartburn, Nora Ephron The People We Meet on Vacation, Henry (really any Emily Henry book) Normal People, Rooney Rachel Incident, O’Donoghue Eleanor and Park, Rowell One Day, Nicholls   Misery Dolores Claiborne, Stephen King Dream Girl, Laura Lippman Notes on a Scandal, Heller Tender, McKeon   Stand By Me Something Wicked This Way Comes, Bradbury The Night Circus, Morgenstern The Outsiders, Hinton Okay For Now, Gary D. Schmidt Pop AND Schooled (both were mentioned, but really any Gordon Korman book)   This is Spinal Tap A Fine Line Between Stupid and Clever: The Story of Spinal Tap Spinal Tap 2: the end continues (movie rec) AC/DC: Maximum Rock & Roll: The Ultimate Story of the World’s Greatest Rock-and-Roll Band, Engelheart I am Ozzy, Osbourne Hammer of the Gods: The Led Zeppelin Saga, Davis The Life of Brian (movie rec) Monty Python bios/memoirs: Always Look on the Bright Side of Life: A Sortabiography, Eric Idle So, anyway…, John Cleese The Pythons Autobiography, The Pythons French Exit, deWitt The Princess Bride Tress of the Emerald Seas, Sanderson Kill the Farm Boy, Dawson As you wish: inconceivable tales from the making of the Princess Bride, Elwes Magicians, Grossman

    32 min

  5. 12/17/2025

    The Great(?) Gatsby

    Today the gals are joined by fellow TPL staffer, Hannah, for a discussion of every high school's favorite assigned book, The Great Gatsby. O

    52 min

  6. 12/03/2025

    Gift giving recs

    Looking for some great gift ideas? You've come to the right place! The girls share ideas for all ages, babies to adults. In case you were walking/driving/jogging and couldn't write down the titles, the gals discussed:  When Pigs Fly: a song for dreamers, Sandra Boynton The Book of Candles: eight poems for Hanukkah Laurel Snyder, illus. by Leanne Hatch The 13th Day of Christmas, Adam Rex Once Upon a Kwanzaa, Nyasha Williams The Amazing Generation, Jonathan Haidt and Catherine Price The Stolen Songbird Judith Eagle Brownstone, Samuel Teer and Mar Julia This American Woman: A One-In-A-Billion Memoir, Zarna Garg The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus, Emma Knight  Turning to Birds: the power and beauty of noticing, Lili Taylor Lifeform, Jenny Slate The Third Gilmore Girl: a memoir, Kelly Bishop

    21 min

  7. 11/19/2025

    Agatha Christie's The Body in the Library

    Today the gals dig into Agatha Christie's novel, The Body in the Library--the second book to feature beloved sleuth extraordinaire, Ms. Marple!

    28 min

  8. 11/07/2025

    BONUS: reader recs just in time for turkey!

    Today's quick episode is in response to a request from our listener, Eliza. Don't forget, if you would like us to give you recommendations, shoot us an email at: podcast@troypl.org If You Lived During the Plimoth Thanksgiving, by Chris Newell, illustrated by Winona Nelson Keepunumuk: Weeâchumun's Thanksgiving Story, written by indigenous authors: Danielle Greendeer (Mashpee Wampanoag), Anthony Perry (Chickasaw), Alexis Bunten (Unangan/Yup'ik), and illustrated by Garry Meeches Sr. (Anishinaabe) Thank You, Sarah: the woman who saved Thanksgiving, by Laurie Halse Anderson, illustrated by Matt Faulkner Balloons over Broadway: the inspiring true story of the puppeteer of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, written and illustrated by Melissa Stewart Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean's Most Fearless Scientist, by Jess Keating, illustrated by Marta Alvarez Miguens Whoosh! Lonnie Johnson’s Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions, by Chris Barton, illustrated by Don Tate Dancing Through Space: Dr. Mae Jemison soars to new heights, by Lydia Lukidis, illustrated by Sawyer Cloud Saving American Beach: the biography of African American environmentalist MaVynee Betsch, by Heidi Tyline King, illustrated by Ekua Holmes A Line Can Go Anywhere: The Brilliant, Resilient Life of Artist Ruth Asawa, by Caroline McAllister illustrated by Jamie Green Kahoʻolawe : the true story of an island and her people, by Kamalani Hurley, illustrated by Harinani Orme Fairytales/Folktales native to a culture!

    11 min
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5
out of 5
18 Ratings

About

The Books We Loved is a podcast about revisiting old favorites with an open mind and a new perspective. Despite the title, we won’t be limiting ourselves to books-- movies, music, TV shows, and other aspects of pop culture will be up for discussion. Hosts and TPL Librarians Manda and Olivia (alongside some special guests from the Troy community!) will be asking themselves: does this book hold up? Tune in to revisit your old favorites while adding some new titles to your TBR list.

Information

  • Creator
    Troy Public LIbrary
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    99
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2022 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    The Books We Loved

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