Novel Pairings
Episodes
66. The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende Part Two
22 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara discuss the second half of The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende, Chapters 7 through 14. In this episode, we cover new cha...
65. Classic novels to read with your book club and tips for getting more out of book club discussions
15 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today, Chelsey and Sara discuss: when it comes to the classics, what makes a great book club pick? They also share a handful of highly discussable c...
64. The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende Part One
08 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara discuss the first half of The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende, Chapters 1 through 6. There's so much to discuss in this ...
63. Brand new summer books and backlist pairings to topple your TBR
01 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We're kicking off the summer reading season with a TBR toppler full of highly anticipated summer releases and backlist pairings! This episode is full ...
62. Quarterly Favorites: page-turning reads and reflections on Spring 2021
25 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Every quarter, we stop to reflect on our reading lives and share a few of our favorite reads. Today, we're looking back at books from our spring readi...
61. The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery, plus books about complicated families, romance, and boundaries
18 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara discuss The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery. This classic Cinderella story follows Valancy Stirling as she receives life-changin...
60. Backlist coming of age novels for book clubs and beach reads
11 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara share a few of their favorite coming of age novels featuring characters past adolescence. If you're looking for your next book ...
59. In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez, coming of age stories, and sweeping historical fiction
04 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara are discussing In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez. We kept this conversation spoiler-free, so choose your own adve...
58. Grounded and inventive speculative fiction recommendations for your TBR
27 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara explore speculative fiction and sci-fi in anotherTBR toppling episode. We're not big sci-fi readers, but we have a bunch of gro...
57. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut and science fiction stories for literary fiction lovers
20 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara are discussing Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut. We take some conversational bunny trails to explore our high school readin...
56. Speech Sounds by Octavia Butler, a short story club discussion
13 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today in "Short Story Club," Chelsey and Sara are discussing "Speech Sounds" by Octavia Butler. This post-pandemic story about the importance of langu...
55. Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin and modern pairings with evocative writing
06 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara are discussing Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin. We both loved this evocative, ground-breaking classic and couldn't wait to dig...
54. Pride and Prejudice retellings, sequels, and pastiche
30 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We couldn't close our immersive Pride and Prejudice experience without sharing a bunch of book recommendations for readers who want to stay with Eliza...
53. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Part Two
23 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In today's episode, Chelsey and Sara discuss Part Two of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen and share their contemporary pairings for romantic and ins...
52. Backlist pairings for our most anticipated Spring 2021 book releases
16 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We're back with another TBR toppling episode! Today, Chelsey and Sara pair brand new and upcoming spring book releases with backlist titles that sha...
51. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Part One
09 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In today's episode, Chelsey and Sara discuss Part One of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, including fond memories of reading the book and in-depth ...
50.5 Five tips for reading Pride and Prejudice (or any Austen novel)
02 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We're sharing our top five tips for reading Jane Austen's novels with you, whether you're a frequent re-reader or new to her work. Today's episode is ...
50. Quarterly Favorites: the stand-out books we read in Winter 2020-2021
23 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today, Chelsey and Sara share some stand-out titles they read over the winter season, including amazing audiobooks, short story collections, and page-...
49. The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter and twisted Gothic fairytales to read in one sitting
16 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara are discussing The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter. This collection of twisted, Gothic fairytales is perfect for fans of Rebecc...
48. Fairytale retellings for readers of all ages
09 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today, Sara and Chelsey topple your TBR lists with fairytale retellings for every type of reader. They reminisce about the book that sparked their lov...
47. There is Confusion by Jessie Redmon Fauset and ambitious family stories that span generations
02 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara are discussing There is Confusion by Jessie Redmon Fauset. We loved this Austen-like Harlem Renaissance novel, and we kept this...
46. Love letters to books: nonfiction books about the reading life
26 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Readers, today's episode is inspired by Helene Hanff's love of books, nonfiction, and observation. We're sharing a bunch of nonfiction books about boo...
45. 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff and charming books for devoted bibliophiles
19 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara are discussing 84 Charing Cross Road by Helen Hanff, the ultimate comfort read for bibliophiles. Chelsey can't believe she hadn...
44.5 Anticipated book releases for winter 2021 and backlist books to read while you wait
15 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara are ready to topple your TBRs with highly anticipated winter releases and backlist books. Our goal is to hype up the buzzy new ...
44. Short Story Club: The Hunter's Wife by Anthony Doerr and wintry books to cozy up with this season
12 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today in Short Story Club, Chelsey and Sara are discussing "The Hunter's Wife" by Anthony Doerr. This wintry, atmospheric story is absolutely absorb...
43. Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde and books that center intersectional feminism
05 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara are discussing Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde. This collection of essays, speeches, and other writings is highly discussable an...
42. Superlatives for underrated, surprising, and well-loved books we read in 2020
29 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Instead of the "best books of the year" or our "favorite reads from 2020," we're sharing 12 bookish superlatives to highlight some underrated gems, po...
41. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott and contemporary book recs inspired by the March sisters
22 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara are discussing Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. We share what we admire about Alcott and her iconic children's classic, as we...
40. The joy of nostalgic reads and books that Jo March would love with Annie B. Jones, owner of The Bookshelf
15 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today, Chelsey and Sara talk about their favorite books from childhood, Little Women fashion, and family stories to read this winter with Annie B. Jon...
39. My Antonia by Willa Cather, plus books about community and survival to read this winter
08 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara are discussing My Antonia by Willa Cather with a special guest: Michelle Timmins, English literature student and Novel Pairings...
38. The Best Audiobooks We Read in 2020
01 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Have we mentioned how much we love audiobooks? We've both been avid listeners for a long time, but between pandemic life and Sara's Aspen Words readin...
37. Quarterly Favorites: the best books we read in Fall 2020
24 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we reflect on our favorite reads from the last three months. These quarterly reflections might be our favorite episodes to record. It's lovely ...
36. The Autobiography of Malcolm X, as told by Alex Haley, with Traci Thomas of The Stacks
17 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today, Traci Thomas of The Stacks podcast joins Chelsey and Sara to discuss The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm, X, as told by Alex Haley. We lo...
35. A 2020 Gift Guide for every literary taste
10 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It's holiday shopping season! Today we're pairing giftable books with fun items for readers with varied tastes. Build your holiday shopping list or yo...
34. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie and twisty, atmospheric mystery novels
03 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara are discussing And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. We're sipping some red wine while we talk about this classic locked...
33.5 Discussing the new Netflix adaptation of Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier, starring Lily James and Armie Hammer
30 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Readers, today we have a special treat, a bonus episode! We watched the new Rebecca adaptation on Netflix, and we have OPINIONS. We're talking about h...
33. Reading challenges and books for every fall reading mood with Courtney Wallace, The Incessant Bookworm
27 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today we are thrilled to welcome Courtney Wallace, also known as The Incessant Bookworm on her blog, Youtube, and Instagram account where she shares w...
32. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and eerie books to read with the lights on
20 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara are discussing Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. We admit to some bad English major habits in this episode, and we get super nerdy ...
31. Short Story Club: Horror Story by Carmen Maria Machado and spooky book recommendations
13 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara are discussing "Horror Story" by Carmen Maria Machado for this season's installment of Short Story Club. Each quarter, we choos...
30. The Crucible by Arthur Miller and witchy books to read this fall
06 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara are kicking off the spooky season by discussing The Crucible by Arthur Miller—a play about the infamous Salem witch trials. W...
29. Campus novels to read in the fall and why we love books about school
29 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara are toppling your TBRs with campus novels. We know this back to school season is weird for students, teachers, parents, and t...
28. Love Medicine by Louise Erdrich, books by Indigenous authors, and intergenerational family stories
22 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara are discussing Love Medicine by Louise Erdrich, which we selected for our back-to-school season as "a book we wish we read in h...
27. Anticipated Fall 2020 Reads and backlist books to pair with them
15 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara are back to topple your TBRs with highly anticipated fall releases and backlist books. We know hardback books are pricey and ...
26. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and books about The American Dream
08 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara are discussing The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. We both read this in high school, had mixed feelings, came back to the ...
25. Quarterly Favorites: The Best Books We Read in Summer 2020
25 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We love to take time to reflect here at Novel Pairings. Each season, we stop and consider our favorite episodes, our favorite reads, and what we've le...
24. The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien and fantasy novels for readers who love strong characters and complex worlds
18 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara are discussing The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien. We're not shy about sharing our lack of experience with the fantas...
23. On Campus with Novel Pairings, a preview of our back to school fall season and books that feel like Autumn
11 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara are sharing the lineup for Novel Pairings' fall season. We share our plans for an extra nerdy back-to-school-inspired season an...
22. Like Water for Chocolate and mouth-watering fiction books about food, cooking, and romance
04 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara are kicking off Women in Translation Month by discussing Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel. This romantic, sensuous no...
21. Book & Wine Pairings with Jamise Harper and book recommendations from our recent reads
28 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara are chatting with Jamise Harper of @spinesvines and @diversespines. Jamise is a champion for independent bookstores, for author...
20. Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston and romantic Black feminist heroines
21 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara are chatting about Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, the perfect book to discuss on a sweltering summer day. ...
19. Short Story Club: All Summer in a Day by Ray Bradbury and descriptive dystopian novels
14 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today, in "Short Story Club," Chelsey and Sara are chatting about "All Summer in a Day" by Ray Brudbury. This short story is about a group of young sc...
18. The Odyssey by Homer and mythology retellings for adventurous readers
07 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara are chatting about Homer's The Odyssey. Sara reveals her nerdy middle school obsession, Chelsey has strong opinions on defining...
17. Buzzy Summer Books and backlist titles to read while you wait on your library holds
30 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara are toppling your TBRs with backlist books to enjoy this summer. We know hardback books are pricey and library waitlists for ...
16. Passing by Nella Larsen and books about complicated sisterhood
23 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara are chatting about Passing by Nella Larsen. Published in 1929, Passing is a book about two women: Clare and Irene, who grew up ...
15. Literary Throwbacks and reading YA for fun: a chat with Alli Hoff Kosik of The SSR Podcast
16 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We're excited to welcome our first guest on the podcast today! Alli Hoff Kosik is the host of the SSR Podcast, where she breaks down an old school rea...
14. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith and light summer reads with literary nostalgia
09 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara are chatting about I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith, one of the first novels categorized as Young Adult fiction. We discuss ...
13. Quarterly Favorites: The Best Books We Read in Spring 2020
26 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As we wind down our spring season, Chelsey and Sara are talking about our favorite Novel Pairings episodes and the best books we read over the last ...
12. Beloved by Toni Morrison and books inspired by Morrison's Great American Novel
19 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara are chatting about Beloved by Toni Morrison. This American masterpiece and 1988 Pulitzer winner tells the story of Sethe, a wom...
11. Summer Reading Preview including fast-paced classics, classic YA, and epic adventures for every staycation mood
12 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara are sharing the lineup for Novel Pairings' summer season. We discuss what makes a great summer read, different readerly tastes ...
10. The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan and books that feature female friendships and motherhood
05 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara are chatting about The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan. We're discussing iconic literary mothers and the depiction of motherhood in Am...
9. Roman Fever by Edith Wharton and book recommendations for fans of Gossip Girl and Gilmore Girls
28 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara are trying something a little different and discussing a short story. First, we'll deep dive into the dishy, gossipy, and glitz...
8. Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare and the magic of Young Adult romance novels
21 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Hey listeners! Today we're talking about Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. As you probably know, this play ends tragically with the two star-crossed lov...
7. Celebrating National Poetry Month with reading tips and poem recommendations
14 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara are celebrating National Poetry Month. We chat about our strong feelings towards poetry in high school, how our view has change...
6. The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro and books for Downton Abbey fans
07 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara are chatting about The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro. Set in 1954, this Booker Prize winning novel follows a quintessent...
5. English Major Lingo and getting academic with the feminist and gender lens
31 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara dig up some well-loved English major lingo and dust it off. We're talking about critical theory and how it enhances our readi...
4. Comforting Classics and other absorbing reads
24 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara are toppling your TBR with classics and pairings to keep you company during the pandemic. Comfort reading is different for ever...
3. The Awakening by Kate Chopin and books that feature feminine self-discovery
17 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara are chatting about The Awakening by Kate Chopin. This novella published in 1899 follows Edna Pontellier as she discovers her de...
2. The New Emma Movie and our favorite Austen adaptations
10 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chelsey and Sara are chatting about the new Emma movie directed by Autumn de Wilde. In this sparkling new film adaptation, Emma is just as snark...
1. Emma by Jane Austen and our favorite modern romantic heroines
03 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we're discussing Jane Austen's final novel, Emma. We admit our love for Emma's sass and bossiness, debate her potentially problematic...
0. Introducing Novel Pairings, a podcast dedicated to making the classics readable, relevant, and fun
03 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Novel Pairings, a podcast dedicated to making the classics readable, relevant, and fun. In this welcome episode, Chelsey and Sara introduce...