Books and BS Podcast

That's Novel Books
  • 5.0 (7)
  • Books
  • Updated Biweekly

Two readers and friends talk books, business and a whole lot of other BS.

Episodes

  1. Jun 1

    Episode 10: Men, Undeserved Redemption Arcs And The Kindred's Curse Saga

    A big heads up before you begin this episode: THERE ARE SPOILERS. Around 1 hour 20 minutes, we begin discussing the Kindred's Curse Saga by Penn Cole in more depth. If you have not finished all three books in this series, we do not recommend listening past that point unless you are okay with spoilers! This week we're thrilled to have special guest Andrea McRae on the podcast! Andrea is one of the booksellers at That's Novel and the reason why over half of our staff is obsessed with The Kindred's Curse Saga by Penn Cole. Following Cole's announcement of Burn Of The Everflame, the final book in the series, we have her on to discuss the series as a whole and her hopes for the final book. Books we mention with links to purchase them at indie bookstores: Red Rising - Pierce Brown The Neverlist - Jade Presley Dungeon Crawler Carl - Matt Dinniman When The Moon Hatched - Sarah A. Parker The Ballad of Falling Dragons - Sarah A. Parker  The Island Women of the Sea - Lisa See Bride - Ali Hazelwood Mate - Ali Hazelwood  The School For Good Mothers - Jessamine Chan The Push - Ashley Audrain Verity - Colleen Hoover Tender Is The Flesh - Agustina Bazterrica Payback's A Witch - Lana Popović Spark of the Everflame - Penn Cole Everything Is Tuberculosis - John Green The Anthropocene Reviewed - John Green The Fault In Our Stars - John Green Looking For Alaska - John Green Hollywood, Ending - John Green Burn of the Everflame - Penn Cole

    1h 44m

  2. May 18

    Episode 9: Special Guest Author Marissa Serrao And The Return To The Amazon Discussion

    Welcome back to another fun episode of Books & BS with your favorite hosts, Eb and Alyssa. In this one you'll get some fantastic reading updates from each, but we've got another special treat: Charlotte romantasy author Marissa Serrao is joining us and giving us all the nitty gritty of what working with Amazon as an indie author is like. We're talking royalties, Kindle Unlimited, selling on TikTok, receiving edits, the pros and cons of indie publishing vs. trad publishing, and the true grind it takes to be an indie author full time. It's a long one, but full of great discussion. As always, this episode is spoiler free, but all the books we discuss, with links to purchase them from independent bookstores, are listed below: Outlander - Diana Gabaldon When The Moon Hatched - Sarah A. Parker Starside - Alex Aster  Stormside - Alex Aster Fury Bound - Sabel Sorensen Dire Bound - Sabel Sorensen This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me - Ilona Andrews Fourth Wing - Rebecca Yarros  The Poet Empress - Shen Tao I Probably Should Have Gone To Therapy - Darah DeWalt On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous - Ocean Vuong Martyr! - Kaveh Akbar  This Time Tomorrow - Emma Straub The Midnight Library - Matt Haig  Not Safe For Work - Nisha J. Tuli  Then She Was Gone - Lisa Jewell  Mate - Ali Hazelwood  The School For Good Mothers - Jessamine Chan The Island of Sea Women - Lisa See  Between Mischief and Magic - Marissa Serrao  Between Salt and Serenades - Marissa Serrao  Between Broomsticks and Beating Wings - Marissa Serrao

    2h 20m

  3. May 4

    Episode 8: Interview With Bestselling Author Nisha J. Tuli

    Welcome to a particularly exciting episode of Books & BS! In this episode Alyssa and Eb give an update on their hectic month, they finally discuss the book recommendations they gave each other, AND they interview best selling author Nisha J. Tuli. You might know her for her Artefacts of Ouranos series (Trial Of The Sun Queen) or her rom com, Not Safe For Work. In this episode we chat with her about her upcoming book release for STORM BREAKER, a YA Dystopian releasing on May 5. We ask her about her writing process, where she draws her inspiration from, and she teases some of her upcoming projects she'll be annoucing real soon! As always, this episode is spoiler-free. Below are a list of the books we discuss with links to purchase from Indie Bookstores. Trial Of The Sun Queen - Nisha J. Tuli Legendborn - Tracy Deonn Red City - Marie Lu Katabasis - R.F. Kuang Yellowface - R.F. Kuang The Poppy War - R.F. Kuang Babel - R.F. Kuang  Shield of Sparrows - Devney Perry Rites of the Starling - Devney Perry  When The Moon Hatched - Sarah A. Parker Praise - Sara Cate Starside - Alex Aster Martyr! - Kaveh Akbar  The 57 Bus - Dashka Slater The Thursday Murder Club - Richard Osman Big Swiss - Jen Beagin Lights Out - Navessa Allen The Women - Kristin Hannah  The Nightingale - Kristin Hannah Crucible - B.B. Reid Storm Breaker - Nisha J. Tuli Too Cold For Comfort - Nisha J. Tuli Not Safe For Work - Nisha J. Tuli

    1h 45m

  4. Apr 20

    Episode 7: Amazon, Book Crawls, and Everything Is FINE

    Welcome back to another epsidoe of Books & BS. In this one you'll hear Eb and Alyssa talk about the realities of business ownership and life, the bizarre books they've been enjoying, and all things Amazon: the latest kindle news, their predatory practicies, and more. As always, this episode is spoiler-free. Here are all the books discussed in the episode, with links to purchase each from an indie bookstore: On Wings of Blood - Briar Boleyn The Poet Empress - Shen Tao Red City - Marie Lu The Left Hand of Darkness - Ursula K. Le Guin Know My Name - Chanel Miller When We Lost Our Heads - Heather O'Neill Martyr! - Kaveh Akbar

    1h 28m

  5. Apr 6

    Episode 6: Chaotic Rolling Opens And Our Fav FMCs

    Welcome back to another chaotic episode of Books and BS. Today you're going to hear about our parenting woes, our witchy Hollywood theories, the books we've been reading and our top five favorite female main characters. As always this episode is spoiler free. Below are the books we discuss: Flock - Kate Stewart On Wings of Blood - Briar Boleyn Not In Love - Ali Hazelwood Problematic Summer Romance - Ali Hazelwood The Lion Women of Tehran - Marjan Kamali Legendborn - Tracy Deonn The Left Hand of Darkness - Ursula K. Le Guin When We Lost Our Heads - Heather O'Neill Score - Kennedy Ryan Shield of Sparrows - Devney Perry Our Vicious Oaths - N.E. Davenport Throne of Glass - Sarah J. Maas From Blood and Ash - Jennifer L. Armentrout Crescent City - Sarah J. Maas Can't Get Enough - Kennedy Ryan Chain-Gang All-Stars - Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah Mistborn - Brandon Sanderson Parable of the Sower - Octavia Butler Dawn - Octavia Butler The Brit - Jodi Ellen Malpas Atonement - Ian McEwan The Women - Kristen Hannah Lights Out - Navessa Allen

    1h 50m

  6. Mar 23

    Episode 6: Romance, Why Choose, and the SJM Controversy

    Your two favorite hosts are back after an extra week off, and we've got an extra long episode for you because of it! You're going to get some updates on Alyssa's trip, Eboni's daugther and everything they've been reading (including Eb branching out a bit)!  We also talk about the SJM controversy, what our plans are for the release of ACOTAR 6+7, and we give you a bunch of teasers for our SCORE midnight release. Here's a list of the books mentioned in the show: Black. Single. Mother. - Jamilah Lemieux The Book of Azrael - Amber V. Nicole Beauty and the Demon - Aurora Ascher Guardian Demon - Aurora Ascher Crucible - B. B. Reid City of Mirth and Malice - Alexis L. Menard Reel - Kennedy Ryan  Score - Kennedy Ryan Long Shot - Kennedy Ryan Pucking Around - Emily Rath Flock - Kate Stewart Dante - Sadie Kincaid Chain-Gang All-Stars - Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah Blood At The Root - LaDarrion Williams  Ashes At The Altar - LaDarrion Williams Endpapers - Jennifer Savran Kelly Someday, Maybe - Onyi Nwabineli Moonrise Over New Jessup - Jamila Minnicks Last Night At The Telegraph Club - Malinda Lo Fevered Star - Rebecca Roanhorse Mirrored Heavens - Rebecca Roanhorse Not In Love - Ali Hazelwood  Lion Women of Tehran - Marjan Kamali The Topeka School - Ben Lerner ACOTAR 6 ACOTAR 7

    2h 3m

  7. Mar 2

    Episode 5: Book Recommendations, Prison Boyfriends and B&N

    Your two favorite hosts are back with another chaotic episode! In this one, Eb and Alyssa finally share their book recommendations with each other, they connect over their shared New York experience (upstate for Alyssa, city for Eb) and they discuss the importance of intentional diversity efforts. This episode is spoiler free! You can see a full list of the books discussed in this epsiode, including links to purchase them from indie stores, below:  The American - Jodi Ellen Malpas The Wolf King - Lauren Palphreyman The Night Prince - Lauren Palphreyman Pucking Around - Emily Rath From Blood and Ash - Jennifer Armentrout Dire Bound - Sable Sorensen The Book of Azrael - Amber Nicole Love - Toni Morrison The House of Eve - Sadeqa Johnson Men We Reaped - Jesmyn Ward  Audre and Bash Are Just Friends - Tia Williams Chain-Gang All-Stars - Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah Better Living Through Birding - Christian Cooper My Funny Demon Valentine - Aurora Ascher House of Bane and Blood - Alexis L. Menard Lights Out - Navessa Allen Atonement - Ian McEwan Atmosphere - Taylor Jenkins Reid How To Be An Antiracist - Ibram X. Kendi

    1h 36m

  8. Feb 16

    Episode 4: Guests, Book Boyfriends and Accents

    We're thrilled to welcome our first ever podcast guest to the show, Fayelee Overman! Fayelee is one of the book sellers at That's Novel Books and friends with our hosts, Eboni and Alyssa. In this episode they discuss the Super Bowl half time show, their top 5 book boyfriends, what they're currently reading, and so much more. Please note: the last 20 mintues of the podcast will have heavy Throne of Glass series spoilers. All other major spoilers have been edited out. Books shared in this episode: Knight in the Moth - Rachel Gillig Crescent City - Sarah J. Maas Throne of Glass - Sarah J. Maas  This Could Be Us - Kennedy Ryan From Blood and Ash - Jennifer Armentrout  Pucking Around - Emily Rath Heated Rivarly and Game Changer - Rachel Reid Spark of the Everflame - Penn Cole Legendborn and Oathbound - Tracy Deonn The Wolf King - Lauren Palphreyman Gild - Raven Kennedy  Fourth Wing - Rebecca Yarros God of Malice - Rina Kent The Brit and The Enigma - Jodi Ellen Malpas Reel - Kennedy Ryan  The Most Wonderful Time - Jayne Allen Exit West - Moshin Hamid You're Not Supposed To Die Tonight - Kalynn Bayron Cincerella Is Dead - Kalynn Bayron  Love - Toni Morrison Frostblood - Elly Blake Apprentice To The Villain - Hannah Nicole Maehrer The Book of Alchemy - Suleika Jaouad

    1h 37m

  9. Feb 2

    Episode 3: Smut, Kinks and Anti-Intellectualism

    In this episode, Eboni and Alyssa get NSFW. There's a lot of discussion around dark romance and various kinks, so proceed with caution. They also discuss what they're currently reading, Black History Month, the anti-intellectualism movement on BookTok, and a whole lot more.   Books mentioned in this episode include:   Trials of a Sun Queen by Nisha J. Tulli The Ritual by Shantel Tessier House of Bane and Blood by Alexis Menard Twisted Game by Eva Ashwood God of Malice by Rina Kent How We Show Up by Mia Birdsong Whispers Of The Lake by Shanora Williams What We Can Know by Ian McEwan Atonement by Ian McEwan The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese  Reel by Kennedy Ryan The Most Wonderful Time by Jayne Allen

    1h 29m

  10. Jan 19

    Episode 2: 2025 Wrapped, All Time Favorites and 2026 Goals

    Welcome back, book babes! This episode Alyssa and Eboni are sharing what they've been reading, a look at their "2025 wrapped," they're discussing a little online drama that happened when Alyssa vague-posted something, and they're sharing some tips on how to read more this year. Of course, they mention a lot of books in the episode, and they kept it spoiler free. Find them below with links to get them at That's Novel or other Indie Bookstores!  Heat Of The Everflame by Penn Cole The Brit by Jodi Ellen Malpas Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult The Mad Wife by Megan Church Wilderness: Volume 1 by Jim Morrison The Hellbent Series by Penelope Douglas Five Broken Blades by Mai Corland Alchemised by SenLinYu How We Show Up by Mia Birdsong Trials of the Sun Queen by Nisha J. Tuli Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig Sociopath by Patric Gagne ACOTAR by Sarah J. Maas The Legendborn Series by Tracy Deonn A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara A Light In The Flame by Jennifer Armentrout Half The Sky by Nicholas Kristoff and Sheryl WuDunn The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath Beloved by Toni Morrison The Book of Alchemy by Suleika Jaouad The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron

    1h 24m

  11. 12/31/2025

    Episode 1: Welcome To Books and BS

    Welcome to the Books and BS podcast, a That's Novel Books production hosted by Alyssa and Eboni. We're a bookstore owner and manager living and reading in Charlotte, NC, and we love to talk about books, business and a whole lot of bs. This episdoe we're introducing ourselves and talking about our top 5 books of the year. Don't worry, we've bleeped out any spoilers. We're excited to be on this reading and gabbing journey with you! Follow us on Instagram: @booksandbspodcast

    1h 26m
  • 11 Episodes

5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Two readers and friends talk books, business and a whole lot of other BS.

Information

  • Creator
    That's Novel Books
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    11
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025
  • Show Website
    Books and BS Podcast

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