The Novel Tea

Neha & Shruti
  • 4.9 (40)
  • BOOKS
  • UPDATED BIMONTHLY

Welcome to The Novel Tea, where your favorite English class meets your neighborhood book club. Join us as we go beyond the traditional classics, exploring books from diverse authors and backgrounds. Each episode, we'll talk about a book through different themes, analyzing characters, plot, and writing styles, to determine: does it stand the test of time? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 1D AGO ·  BONUS

    In Conversation: Alli Hoff Kosik on influencers, gossip, and the online world in books

    Author Alli Hoff Kosik joins us to discuss her new book Too Blessed to Stress, a novel following four Christian influencers as they navigate their online lives and deal with private struggles becoming public. We talk about communication and the internet as tools of power, how gossip can be wielded for good and for evil, and the ways social media has begun to appear in novels in a variety of ways. And, of course, we share tons of book recommendations as we talk all about how Too Blessed to Stress is in conversation with other books, media, and popular culture. This is a spoiler-free discussion (with very minimal discussion of plot and characters) so dive in - whether you read the book and loved it, or have never heard of it until now! Books and Media Mentioned The Book of Essie by Meghan MacLean Weir The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Sex and the City The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares Gossip Girl Such a Bad Influence by Olivia Muenter The Influencers by Anna-Marie McLemore Tehrangeles by Porochista Khakpour If You're Seeing This, It's Meant for You by Leigh Stein The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami In Her Defense by Philippa Malicka Dracula by Bram Stoker Colton Gentry's Third Act by Jeff Zentner The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot Amelia's Notebook by Marissa Moss The Correspondent by Virginia Evans Paper Cut by Rachel Taff If you would like to get additional recommendations, analyses, and behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack. We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com. This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    53 min

  2. MAR 25

    Greenwood by Michael Christie: legacy and inheritance

    In this episode, Neha and Shruti discuss Greenwood, a multigenerational family saga tied together with a repeating motif of trees and forests. We discuss themes of legacy, inheritance, nature, and addiction, and we also share our critiques of the book, from its character construction to its central message. Interview with Michael Christie Shelf Discovery: What We Can Know by Ian McEwan The Overstory by Richard Powers Playground by Richard Powers Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi If you would like to get additional recommendations, analyses, and behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack. We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com. This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 2m

  3. MAR 11

    Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer: entropy and uncertainty

    In this episode, Neha and Shruti discuss Annihilation, the first book of Jeff VanderMeer's Southern Reach trilogy. We discuss its world building, character development, and share our many theories about the central mystery and the book's ending. Shelf Discovery & Books Mentioned: His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher Piranesi by Susanna Clarke If you would like to get additional recommendations, analyses, and behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack. We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com. This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    57 min

  4. FEB 25

    What We Can Know by Ian McEwan: memory and preservation

    In this episode, Shruti and Neha discuss What We Can Know, Ian McEwan's latest speculative novel about a lost poem, climate change, and the power of stories. We discuss this novel through the themes of memory and preservation, and talk about our differing opinions on some of the major twists in the novel. Shelf Discovery & Books Mentioned: Possession by A.S. Byatt Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf Universality by Natasha Brown If you would like to get additional recommendations, analyses, and behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack. We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com. This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 7m

  5. FEB 11

    Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer: conceit and control

    In this episode, Neha and Shruti discuss Jon Krakauer's famous account of the 1996 Mt. Everest disaster, Into Thin Air. They discuss his chosen narration style, clarify what actually happened on that mountain, and talk about the role of a writer in controlling their story. Shelf Discovery The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin The Call of the Wild by Jack London If you would like to get additional recommendations, analyses, and behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack. We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com. This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 4m

  6. JAN 28

    Season 7: The Natural World

    New year, new season! In this episode we introduce the theme for our upcoming season, The Natural World - then we get into the eight books we'll be discussing over the next few months. Vote for your choice of novel here Books Mentioned: Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer What We Can Know by Ian McEwan Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer Greenwood by Michael Christie Barkskins by Annie Proulx We Are Green and Trembling by Gabriela Cabezón Cámara Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy The Seed Keeper by Diane Wilson Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver Moby Dick by Herman Melville If you would like to get additional recommendations, analyses, and behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack. We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com. This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    25 min

  7. 12/26/2025 ·  BONUS

    2025 in Books: Our Favorite Books, Reading Reflections, and More

    In our final episode of 2025, we talk about what our reading lives were like this year, and discuss our stand-out reads through superlatives. Listen in to hear the best page-turners, best characters, and most unexpected reads we encountered this year, to name a few! Books Mentioned The Margot Affair by Sanae Lemoine Diary of a Void by Emi Yogi The Bee Sting by Paul Murray The Wall by Marlen Haushofer The Days of Abandonment by Elena Ferrante The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin Friends of the Museum by Heather McGowan Butter by Asako Yuzuki The Oppermans Lion Feuchtwanger Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai Universality by Natasha Brown My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante Audition by Katie Kitamura Heart the Lover by Lily King Water Moon by Samantha Soto Yambao The Old Man by the Sea by Domenico Starnone Emma by Jane Austen Free Food for Millionaires by Min Jin Lee Bunny by Mona Awad The Remembered Soldier by Anjet Daanje Orbital by Samantha Harvey Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles If you would like to get additional behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack. We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com. This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 4m

  8. 12/17/2025

    Cities, Places, and Settings in Books with Strong Sense of Place

    Get your TBR lists ready, because in this wrap up episode we talk all about the books we read in Season 6, and then welcome David and Melissa of Strong Sense of Place for a special guest segment! They tell us about their favorite travels, settings they've loved, and unique books that have transported them. We also get into our issues with short stories, and discuss ways to get into reading them. Books Discussed: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë Wakenhyrst by Michelle Paver The Stranger in the Woods by Michael Finkel The Works: Anatomy of a City by Kate Ascher The Last Warner Woman by Kei Miller Elephant Complex: Travels in Sri Lanka by John Gimlette Stoner by John Williams The Prague Sonata by Bradford Morrow The Godmother by Hannelore Cayre Vintage 1954 by Antoine Laurain A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles Table for Two by Amor Towles A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders Passing by Nella Larson The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon From The Mixed Up Files of Mrs Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsberg The Cricket in Time Square by Garth Williams The Original by Nell Stevens Brat Farrar by Josephine Tay The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highswmith The Remembered Solider by Anjet Daanje My Family and other Rockstars by Tiffany Murphy If you would like to get additional behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack. We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com. This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 2m
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4.9
out of 5
40 Ratings

About

Welcome to The Novel Tea, where your favorite English class meets your neighborhood book club. Join us as we go beyond the traditional classics, exploring books from diverse authors and backgrounds. Each episode, we'll talk about a book through different themes, analyzing characters, plot, and writing styles, to determine: does it stand the test of time? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Neha & Shruti
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    79
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Shruti Koti, Neha Ambati
  • Show Website
    The Novel Tea

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