Cool People Reading

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Your favourite footballers, chefs and influencers — but make it bookish. Steph from @stephanieshouseofbooks gets behind the mic to talk reading, recommendations, and the chaos of fitting books into busy lives with some of Australia's most creative and cool people. Smart talk, hot recommendations and hilarious stories.

  1. Chantel Mila (aka Mama Mila), content creator and cleaning, styling and home hacks expert

    Apr 29

    Chantel Mila (aka Mama Mila), content creator and cleaning, styling and home hacks expert

    Chantel Mila, also known as Mama Mila to her four million followers, joins Steph to chat about books, balance, and the mental load we don't talk about enough. Known for her cleaning and home styling pro-tips, Chantel shares how she finds time to read in her day, why she can't say no to a suburban psychological thriller, and how we can hack our way to more reading time. Plus, what happened when Chantel discovers Freida McFadden's new book is a choose-your-own-adventure? And what's the book Chantel finished only to realise she'd read it somewhere before.... Plus, Chantel talks about her new book The Fair Share, and shares her advice on sharing the mental load and ways we can avoid shouldering it alone. Chantel Mila is a best selling author of two lifestyle books, including The Dream Clean, a styling, cleaning and organising expert, and mum of two. ++ Is there a cool person you would like to hear on our podcast? Let us know in the comments! Follow us on socials: @Mama_Mila_au @Stephanieshouseofbooks Today's reading list: The Fair Share by Chantel MilaThe Dream Clean by Chantel MilaNone of this is True by Lisa JewellNever Lie by Freida McFaddenThe Boyfriend by Freida McFaddenThe Housemaid by Freida McFaddenThe Housemaid’s Secret by Freida McFaddenThe Housemaid is Watching by Freida McFaddenAtomic Habits by James ClearA Brain that Breaths by Jodi WilsonMad Mabel by Sally HepworthThe Silent Patient by Alex MichaelidesParis: the Memoir by Paris HiltonLike Follow Die by Ashley Kalagian Blunt

    30 min
  2. Megan Waters, breathwork facilitator, presenter and Nike trainer

    Apr 22

    Megan Waters, breathwork facilitator, presenter and Nike trainer

    Breathwork facilitator, TV presenter and proud Warumungu/Yawuru woman Megan Waters joins Steph to talk about some of her favourite books and how she fits reading in within her busy life. What are the huge (literally) books Megzy loves? Has the Brick really changed her life? And what happens when she applies the Let Them theory in real life? Megzy also talks about why it's important the Stolen Generation is represented in contemporary literature and non-fiction, and why Archie Roach's book Tell Me Why means so much to her. ++ Is there a cool person you would like to hear on our podcast? Let us know in the comments! Follow us on socials: @Megzzy @Stephanieshouseofbooks Today's reading list: Breath by James NestorLeBron by Jeff BenedictUnmasked by Turia PittVerity by Colleen HooverTell Me Why by Archie RoachLong Walk to Freedom by Nelson MandelaThe Housemaid By Freida McFaddenThe Housemaid’s Secret by Freida McFaddenThe Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins

    28 min
  3. Jodi Wilson, curator of calm, health journalist and author

    Apr 15

    Jodi Wilson, curator of calm, health journalist and author

    We're back! After a few months of down time, Steph is joined by the perfect guest - author of A Brain that Breathes, Jodi Wilson. Jodi talks about how to find your way back after burnout, ways we can find breathing space in our every day lives (and YES, it includes reading!) and shares some of her favourite books (think nature nature nature). Plus, what makes the ultimate nightly cocoon? How do you put yourself to bed? And what happened when Jodi decided to take the plunge and go for a walk without her headphones or her phone?? Jodi Wilson is a bestselling author, yoga teacher and postpartum doula. Her work has been published in the Guardian and ABC, and The Brain that Breathes is her fourth book. ++ Is there a cool person you would like to hear on our podcast? Let us know in the comments! Follow us on socials: @practisingsimplicity @stephanieshouseofbooks Today's reading list: A Brain that Breathes by Jodi WilsonLost Lambs by Madeline CashRodham by Curtis SittenfeldRaising Hare by Chloe DaltonConsider Yourself Kissed by Jessica StanleyWriters and Lovers by Lily KingHeart the Lover by Lily KingSandwich by Catherine NewmanWreck by Catherine NewmanThe Octopus and I by Erin HortleA Catalogue of Love by Erin HortleWild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghyAre You There God? Its Me, Margaret by Judy BlumeForever by Judy Blume

    29 min
  4. Ben Shewry, Attica owner and head chef

    11/12/2025

    Ben Shewry, Attica owner and head chef

    Acclaimed restaurant owner, chef and author Ben Shewry, best known for his innovative approach to modern Australian cuisine and commitment to sustainability at his Melbourne restaurant Attica, joins Steph to talk about his love of books. How on earth does Ben find time to read? And what's his perfect snack to accompany a book? What did he do when he came face-to-face with Anthony Bourdain’s former assistant, after he bagged Kitchen Confidential in his own memoir? And will Ben ever dare to skateboard with his long time friend Tony Hawk? Plus which rock and roll front man's memoir could Ben not get past page one of? ++ Is there a cool person you’d like to hear on our podcast? Let us know in the comments! Follow us on socials: @benshewry⁠ @stephanieshouseofbooks⁠ Today’s reading list: ​Uses for Obsession by Ben Shewry​Care and Feeding by Laurie Woolever​Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin​The Darkest White by Eric Blehm​The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell​The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway​Dark Emu by Bruce Pascoe​A Different Kind of Power by Jacinda Adern​A Lick of Fireweed by Erik Jensen​The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway

    31 min
  5. Olivia Molly Rogers, podcaster, speaker and mental health advocate

    10/29/2025

    Olivia Molly Rogers, podcaster, speaker and mental health advocate

    One of Australia’s most in demand media and digital personalities and host of Tell Me More, Olivia Molly Rogers, joins Steph from @Stephanie's House of Books for a chat. Ever read your book in the shower? Perhaps while putting on makeup? Liv shares her clever reading hacks to get more in her day, the prolific author she has read 11 titles by this year, and how embracing her inner bookworm has helped her connect to her authentic self. And will Liv finally convince Steph to move over to a Kindle...? ++ Is there a cool person you’d like to hear on our podcast? Let us know in the comments! Follow us on socials: @Oliviamollyrogers @Stephanieshouseofbooks Presented by  —your go-to spot for free e-books. ++ Today’s reading list: White Oleander by Janet FitchThe Girls by Lisa JewellFiguring Out Thirty by Bridget Hustwaite Don’t Let Him In by Lisa JewellNever Lie by Freida McFaddenNone of this is True by Lisa JewellUnbreakable by Jelena DokicFearless by Jelena DokicIt’s on me by Sara Kuburic Untamed by Glennon DoyleMothering on Our Own: 30 Stories of Love, Hope and Navigating Single Motherhood by Rachel MaksimovicWe Love You, Bunny by Mona AwadBunny by Mona AwadThe Dry by Jane HarperForce of Nature by Jane Harper

    27 min
  6. Brandon Jack, former AFL footballer and author

    10/23/2025

    Brandon Jack, former AFL footballer and author

    Former Sydney Swans footballer and author of 2025's unhinged footy novel Pissants, Brandon Jack, joins Steph from @Stephanie's House of Books for a chat. How did being an AFL player prepare Brandon for being an author? What hurts more - being critiqued by your editor or letting down your coach? And will Brandon actually reveal WHO the embittered fringe players from Pissants are based on? Plus, Brandon shares his hot tips for perfecting your writing craft and we ask the big questions, like can you change the colour of track changes in Word? Brandon Jack is an Australian author, journalist, musician and former Sydney Swans AFL player. After retiring from football in 2017, he published his memoir 28 in 2021 and in 2025 released his debut novel Pissants, a chaotic and hilarious behind-the-scenes look into what actually goes on in a professional football club. ++ Is there a cool person you’d like to hear on our podcast? Let us know in the comments! Follow us on socials: ⁠@brandonjackk⁠ ⁠@stephanieshouseofbooks⁠ Presented by  ⁠Obooko ⁠—your go-to spot for free e-books. ++ Today’s reading list: ​28 by Brandon JackPissants by Brandon JackTrainspotting by Irvine WelshPostcards from the Edge by Carrie FisherA Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer EganLess Than Zero by Bret Easton EllisThe Shards by Bret Easton EllisIn Persuasion Nation by George SaundersTenth of December by George SaundersBoy Swallows Universe by Trent DaltonCrime and Punishment by Fyodor DostoevskyJust Kids by Patti SmithDusk by Robbie ArnottThe Rain Heron by Robbie Arnott

    32 min
  7. Ashley Kalagian Blunt, author

    10/15/2025

    Ashley Kalagian Blunt, author

    Queen of tech-noir, author Ashley Kalagian Blunt joins Steph from @stephanieshouseofbooks for a chat. Find out what happened when law-abiding Ashley stepped into the dark web for the first time, what current true crime she's obsessed with, and how she single handedly re-defined an entire sub-genre of thriller. Plus, how hitting rock bottom with chronic fatigue actually helped Ashley find the thing she was really meant to do. Ashley Kalagian Blunt is the Sydney-based author of Dark Mode, Cold Truth and How to Be Australian. Her books explore how modern technology makes us vulnerable , and have inspired a new generation of thrillers about internet-based crime. Her new Audible Original, Like, Follow, Die, is out now, with the print and ebook editions coming in March 2026. ++ Is there a cool person you’d like to hear on our podcast? Let us know in the comments! Follow us on socials: @stephanieshouseofbooks @akalagianblunt Presented by Obooko—your go-to spot for free e-books. ++ Today’s reading list: ​My Name is Revenge by Ashley Kalagian Blunt​Dark Mode by Ashley Kalagian Blunt​Like Follow Die by Ashley Kalagian Blunt​Cold Truth by Ashley Kalagian Blunt​How to be Australian by Ashley Kalagian Blunt​And Then the Darkness: The disappearance of Peter Falconio and the trials of Joanne Lees by Sue Williams​The Wolf Tree by Laura McCluskey​The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena​The Secret History by Donna Tartt​Body Friend by Katherine Brabon​Cure by Katherine Brabon

    28 min
  8. Season Finale with Literature Lad

    04/22/2025

    Season Finale with Literature Lad

    I'm Steph from ⁠⁠@Stephanieshouseofbooks⁠⁠ and it's our season finale! I'm joined today by @literature_lad who has brought a small suitcase of Australian fiction to share with us. Join us as we chat about some of our favourite moments from this season, reflect on Steph's latest favourite book Reservoir Bitches, and manifest the celebs we want to visit the pod next season. Also, Zack announces there will be a Cool People Reading in real life book club, but stay tuned, because we need to work out the details first. Thanks so much for listening to Season One! I hope you've loved it. See you in Season Two! ++ Is there a cool person you’d like to hear on our podcast? Let us know in the comments! Follow us on socials: ⁠⁠@stephanieshouseofbooks⁠⁠ @literature_lad Presented by ⁠⁠Obooko⁠⁠—your go-to spot for free e-books. ++ Today’s reading list: Reservoir Bitches by Dahlia de la CerdaAnimal by Lisa TaddeoAustralia Day by Melanie ChengThe Burrow by Melanie ChengDiving Falling by Kylie MirmohamadiBetween a Wolf and a Dog by Georgia BlainAustralian Gospel by Lech BlaineEx-Wife by Ursula ParrottColony by Annika NorlinThe Thrill of It by Mandy BeaumontThe Furies by Mandy BeaumontAn Exciting and Vivid Inner Life by Paul Dalla RosaLimber Lost by Robbie ArnottThe Rain Heron by Robbie ArnottThe White Girl by Tony BirchWomen and Children by Tony BirchLove, Pamela by Pamela Anderson

    29 min
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About

Your favourite footballers, chefs and influencers — but make it bookish. Steph from @stephanieshouseofbooks gets behind the mic to talk reading, recommendations, and the chaos of fitting books into busy lives with some of Australia's most creative and cool people. Smart talk, hot recommendations and hilarious stories.

Information

  • Creator
    Obooko
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    17
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Obooko
  • Show Website
    Cool People Reading

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