Best Bookstacked.com Podcasts (2025)

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So long 34:40

Play Pause

3y ago34:40

34:40

It's the final episode! The Bookstacked Team reunites for the last time to reflect on some of their favorite memories from running the website and podcast while also diving into what they learned after covering YA books for almost a decade. Thank you to everyone who's joined us on our journey — whether you were here for a short while or a long time…

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Book Club: 'Bloodmarked' by Tracy Deonn 29:22

3y ago29:22

29:22

It's our final YA book club discussion! In this episode, Saul and Brigitte return to the world of Tracy Deonn's Legendborn in the exciting sequel, Bloodmarked. We're excited to report that the followup is just as exciting and profound as its predecessor. We dive into how Tracy Deonn uses every aspect of storytelling to reinforce themes of ancestral…

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Book Club: 'Squad' by Maggie Tokuda-Hall (Writer) and Lisa Sterle (Artist) 31:54

3y ago31:54

31:54

The YA book club returns with this Halloween-themed graphic novel from author Maggie Tokuda-Hall and artist Lisa Sterle. When Becca starts at a new school, the last thing she expects is to make friends with a pack of cool-girl werewolves. Entering their vicious world brings confidence and power, but it also sets Becca on a slippery slope that leave…

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Fall 2022: What we're reading 23:15

3y ago23:15

23:15

Fall doesn't only provide the best aesthetic (brightly colored leaves! sweaters! ghostly vibes!) but it often provides some of the best reads too. Bookstacked writers Saul Marquez and Spencer Miller discuss the recent and upcoming novels that have caught their attention. There's plenty to choose from whether it be a spooky Halloween read, fantasy w…

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Join our Halloween-themed book club! 5:46

3y ago5:46

5:46

The podcast might be winding down at the end of the year, but we're still planning to fit in a couple more book club discussions, starting with a special Halloween-themed pick! This month we're reading a graphic novel: Squad by Maggie Tokuda-Hall, illustrated by Lisa Sterle. Here's what you need to know from the blurb: Pretty Little Liars meets Tee…

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Bookstacked is closing at the end of 2022 13:19

3y ago13:19

13:19

To learn more about the closure of the website and podcast, click here. To send Saul your questions, email him at: saul [at] bookstacked.com.

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Self-love and inspiring the next generation of writers with Kacen Callender ('Lark & Kasim Start a Revolution') 24:10

3+ y ago24:10

24:10

In Kacen Callender's latest, self-love is its own type of revolution. Lark Winters is on the path to being a writer, but when they cover up a social media accident for a past friend, they find themselves under the scrutiny of hordes of online strangers. Finding a way out of this mess is going to require an inner struggle of self-discovery. Kacen jo…

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Expanding the universe of 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' with F. C. Yee ('The Dawn of Yangchen') 31:58

3+ y ago31:58

31:58

There's no exaggeration in saying that Nickelodeon's 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' is one of the most popular animated shows of all time. For the generations that grew up with the show, it's a great time to be a fan. With more television series and movies on the horizon, there's a massive demand for Avatar content. YA book author F. C. Yee knows all…

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Summer camps and whodunnits with Jessica Goodman ('The Counselors') 24:25

3+ y ago24:25

24:25

Jessica Goodman is no stranger to YA thrillers, and with the release of her third novel, The Counselors, it's clear to see that she has cemented her place as a master of the genre. In her latest novel, Jessica tells the story of Goldie as she returns to summer camp with her two best friends. Dark secrets begin to wash up on the shore of Alpine Lake…

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Book Club: 'All My Rage' by Sabaa Tahir 43:09

3+ y ago43:09

43:09

We're re-introducing our YA book club! Sabaa Tahir's latest novel, All My Rage, is the first book we're kicking our 2022 book club off with. This newly-released contemporary might as well be crowned a YA classic. It's easily one of the best books we've read on the show. Exploring the lives of a Pakistani community through the eyes of two young prot…

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Raw and honest storytelling with Candice Iloh ('Break This House') 30:46

3+ y ago30:46

30:46

Despite their novel, Break This House, being written in prose, Candice Iloh's history of writing poetry is woven into the book's fabric. On top of being beautifully written, Minah's story of confronting her past — almost literally by traveling back to her hometown after learning of a family tragedy — is one that is sure to inspire and encourage you…

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Can we talk about 'Heartstopper'? (Spoilers!) 38:36

3+ y ago38:36

38:36

Netflix's 'Heartstopper' is taking the YA world by storm — and rightfully so! The series, based on the popular webcomic-turned-graphic novel by Alice Oseman, is both enlightening and uplifting. The show highlights the love story between Charlie Spring and his classmate Nick Nelson while also diving into their wonderful cast of friends. This charmin…

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Long-distance relationships and young romance in YA with Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka ('With and Without You') 35:18

3+ y ago35:18

35:18

By the time this YA novel begins, Siena and Patrick have already been dating for three years. With college in the near future, Siena is ready to let go and move on — to give herself a chance to grow. But before she can break up with Patrick, he breaks the news that he's moving out of state. Hoping that their relationship will break apart over time,…

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Chronic illness and authenticity with Heather Kamins ('The Moth Girl') 31:13

3+ y ago31:13

31:13

Anna isn't unlike the other girls her age, except for her recent diagnosis: the fictional disease of lepidopsy. Suddenly, the life she once knew begins to drift away — literally. Her disease causes her to physically float, amidst other moth-like symptoms such as craving light. Now Anna is forced to come to terms with her new reality, while still tr…

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Queer love and boybands with Adib Khorram ('Kiss & Tell') 38:26

3+ y ago38:26

38:26

Author Adib Khorram explores the complexities of being queer in the public eye in his latest YA book, Kiss & Tell. Hunter is a role model for queer teens — a boy band star currently touring North America. But with that stardom comes a lot to juggle, especially when his love life is under the microscope of public pressure. Adib joins Chelsea Regan t…

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The power of representation with Deborah Falaye ('Blood Scion') 43:24

4y ago43:24

43:24

Deborah Falaye waited years to find a book that represented her culture and identity, but "that never happened," she said. Now she's making it happen. Bookstacked writers Chelsea Regan and Spencer Miller sit down with Deborah to talk about her fantasy/sci-fi debut, Blood Scion, which follows the harrowing story of fifteen-year-old Sloane, a descend…

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Our spring 2022 YA book reads 23:52

4y ago23:52

23:52

Are you ready to pack up your heavy coats and scarves? It's time for the weather to warm up, which means we're looking for YA books to read during this springtime season! The Bookstacked Team shares which books they think are perfect for spring in this panel discussion. We're recommending newer releases as well as some classics, with genres spannin…

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Where crime, court drama and magic meet with Astrid Scholte ('League of Liars') 25:25

4y ago25:25

25:25

In League of Liars, 17-year-old Cayder Broduck has sights on becoming a prosecutor. He wants to see illegal magic users punished. What follows is a magical court drama and a process that leaves Cayder rethinking his black and white mindset. Maybe the legal system he knows isn't as clean-cut as he used to believe? Magical crime. Teenage criminals. T…

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2022 YA book adaptations to keep on your radar 30:56

4y ago30:56

30:56

Young adult books are getting something of a renaissance when it comes to film and TV adaptations these days. While the silver screen has seen something of a YA "drought" in recent years, studios are snatching up book rights once again — often for streaming and television — which means there's plenty that should be on your radar! Bookstacked writer…

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Chasing the Olympic dream with Jennifer Iacopelli ('Finding Her Edge') 46:23

4y ago46:23

46:23

Adriana Russo has her eyes set on the Olympics. While that dream is still at least four years away, she's dedicated to ice dancing — a dynamic winter sport where the competition is fierce. But when her skating partner, Brayden, suggests they play up their relationship, a fake-dating plot ensues and threatens to knock Adriana off balance. Jennifer I…

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Shining a light on the dark corners of history with Ruta Sepetys ('I Must Betray You') 41:55

4y ago41:55

41:55

In I Must Betray You, Ruta Sepetys' characters face a dark world of strict obedience. When seventeen-year-old Cristian Florescu is forced to become an informer for the secret police, he risks his life and tries to undermine the dictatorship he lives under. It might sound like another dystopian novel, but this one is set against the backdrop of a re…

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Modernizing 'My Fair Lady' with Jennieke Cohen ('My Fine Fellow') 28:35

4y ago28:35

28:35

When author Jennieke Cohen sat down to write her new novel, she knew she was going to take inspiration from the classic musical, 'My Fair Lady.' She also knew she wanted to bring the story into the modern age. Stripping away the misogyny. Crafting British history to make it more inclusive. Adding a gender-swapped twist. Jennieke gives us insight in…

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Gender swapped fairytales and combating destiny with Leslie Vedder ('The Bone Spindle') 26:19

4y ago26:19

26:19

Fairytale retellings are still going strong in 2022, which is proven by Leslie Vedder's debut, The Bone Spindle. This gender-flipped take on Sleeping Beauty adds so much to the original story readers know and love. From exploring concepts of destiny, to marrying the fairytale genre with exciting elements from favorites like Indiana Jones — this is …

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Best of 2021 YA Book Recommendations 32:31

4y ago32:31

32:31

Happy New Year! It's time to say hello to 2022, but not without a quick retrospective on some of our favorite YA books from 2021. Join us in this episode as we discuss which YA books from 2021 surprised and delighted us most. We also share some of the upcoming books we can't stop thinking about. By the way, if you have recommendations for our book …

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YA books and activism with Veronica Chambers of The New York Times ('Call and Response') 37:27

4y ago37:27

37:27

The summer of 2020 was different. Against the backdrop of the pandemic, millions of individuals from around the world took to the streets to make a statement: Black Lives Matter. In many ways, young adults led the charge. The history of the Black Lives Matter movement is documented in Call and Response: The Story of Black Lives Matter by Veronica C…

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Crafting a holiday romance with Tif Marcelo ('The Holiday Switch') 32:26

4y ago32:26

32:26

An original romance with a bookish girl in a charming holiday town? Sounds like the perfect winter read. Author Tif Marcelo joins us for this episode of the podcast to discuss her new novel, The Holiday Switch. There's fangirling, book blogging, a swoony love interest and lots of holiday cheer. You're not going to want to miss this special holiday …

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Book Club: 'Iron Widow' by Xiran Jay Zhao 35:36

4y ago35:36

35:36

Are you ready for Bookstacked's final book club discussion of the year? Xiran Jay Zhao's debut novel, Iron Widow, rocked the YA book world at the beginning of the fall season which gave us plenty of reason to choose it as our third book club pick for 2021. An exciting sci-fi fantasy, this book challenges readers' expectations by adding exciting twi…

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Meet Adrian, the final Montague sibling, with Mackenzi Lee ('The Nobleman's Guide to Scandal and Shipwrecks') 48:55

4y ago48:55

48:55

The story that started with Monty's swashbuckling adventure, finally comes to a close, as we meet his little baby brother, all grown up and headed off on a quest of his own. We talk to bestselling author Mackenzi Lee about everything from how she developed her beloved books to how she feels about where she leaves our favorite siblings. This series …

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Boys will be held accountable with Carrie McCrossen and Ian McWethy ('Margot Mertz Takes It Down') 41:18

4y ago41:18

41:18

This YA detective takes on revenge porn in this debut that's being billed as Veronica Mars meets Moxie! Carrie McCrossen and Ian McWethy introduce readers to Margot Mertz in their debut YA book, Margot Mertz Takes It Down. Margot is known for hunting down and erasing embarrassing digital content that others don't want online. When Margot discovers …

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Living with grief and developing film with Kate Sweeney ('Catch the Light') 28:42

4y ago28:42

28:42

Kate Sweeney's debut novel, Catch the Light, is a YA contemporary that explores grief and love — and the ways they can change a person. After the death of her father, Marigold and her family move across the country. For Marigold, this means leaving everything she knows behind and starting a new life. How will she reconcile the change? Memory. Photo…

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NaNoReeeeeRyeMo 27:57

4y ago27:57

27:57

Every year thousands of writers around the world challenge themselves to write a 50,000-word novel in a month. This event, National Novel Writing Month (or NaNoWriMo), is a favorite of ours! Bookstacked writer Chelsea Regan took on the challenge last year, blogging about her experience for Bookstacked. Fellow team members Michael Burns and Saul Mar…

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And our final book club pick of the year is … 4:38

4y ago4:38

4:38

We're closing out the year with a final book club pick: Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao. As with all our book club picks, we're focusing on books that highlight underrepresented authors, characters and issues. We've already read two powerful books in 2021: Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas and Legendborn by Tracy Deonn. We're excited to continue with this…

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Bringing reality TV to YA with Sarah J. Schmitt ('Where There's a Whisk') 32:31

4y ago32:31

32:31

Have you ever wondered what it'd be like to compete in a reality TV show? Sarah J. Schmitt's new release, Where There's a Whisk, introduces readers to Peyton Sinclaire, a young waitress who gets the opportunity of a lifetime when she becomes a competitor of a teen reality TV show. If Peyton wants to win a scholarship to her dream culinary school, s…

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Exploring female friendships with Hayley Krischer ('The Falling Girls') 40:13

4y ago40:13

40:13

What happens when you fall out of sync with your best friend — the person you've shared everything with? Friendships evolve over time, and Hayley Krischer's latest novel, The Falling Girls, doesn't shy away from this reality. In The Falling Girls, best friends Shade and Jadis drift apart when Shade takes on cheerleading and finds new friendships wi…

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Do audiobooks count as reading? 29:00

4+ y ago29:00

29:00

We're bringing the great debate to our podcast and asking the question, do audiobooks count as reading? Bookstacked writer Michael Burns dived into the history and culture around audiobooks in a recent article, and we decided to dissect it on the show. When's the best time to listen to audiobooks? Is the audiobook ever better than the book itself? …

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Gender bending in King Arthur’s Court with Robyn Schneider ('The Other Merlin') 35:23

4+ y ago35:23

35:23

Robyn Schneider is best known for her contemporary novels like The Beginning of Everything and Extraordinary Means. Now she's venturing into the realm of young adult fantasy in her latest book, The Other Merlin — a feminist retelling of King Arthur with a couple of twists up its sleeve. We welcome Robyn to the podcast where she gives us all the det…

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A Conversation with Lemony Snicket ('Poison for Breakfast') 42:05

4+ y ago42:05

42:05

The story of the Baudelaire orphans has been explored in books, a television show and even a movie. While the final pages of A Series of Unfortunate Events were penned years ago, the story of Lemony Snicket continues in his latest book, Poison for Breakfast. In this episode, Bookstacked writer Chelsea Regan chats with author Daniel Handler—the man …

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It's time for back to school fall-ish book recommendations 19:23

4+ y ago19:23

19:23

Freshly sharped pencils, old and new faces, sweater weather and — of course — lots and lots of books. It's time to jump into fall, and what better way than with some great reads to dive into? From old and new releases, there are several books on our mind that strike us as perfect for the season, whether you're actually returning to school or not. T…

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Book Club: 'Legendborn' by Tracy Deonn 36:55

4+ y ago36:55

36:55

Bookmarked's YA Book Club is back, and this time we're venturing headfirst into one of last year's biggest fantasy novels: Legendborn by Tracy Deonn. Legendborn has been at the top of numerous best-of lists and we're happy to report that the hype is real. This layered story breathes new air into Arthurian lore. With twists and turns at every corner…

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YA book recs for your Summer TBR 38:58

4+ y ago38:58

38:58

Bust out the sunglasses, beach towels and books! With summer well underway, we sat down to discuss some of our favorite YA book reads for the season. We hit on new and old titles, discussing why each should be on your TBR (we apologize in advance for adding to it). This episode is sponsored by Libro.fm. Buy audiobooks while supporting your local bo…

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Introducing our Summer YA book club pick 4:55

4+ y ago4:55

4:55

By way of information, we want to announce to our readers and listeners that we are continuing the Bookmarked YA Book Club we started earlier this year! In February, we read Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas. We posted our status updates on Twitter and Instagram and then got members of the Bookstacked Team together to discuss the book on our podcast, B…

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Finding the perfect blend of magic and humor with Natalie Mae ('The Cruelest Mercy') 23:59

4+ y ago23:59

23:59

The Kinder Poison was an unforgettable race across the desert, complete with rival rulers, inventive magic and a very relatable, potential human sacrifice. Now, all the characters you fell in love with are back in the sequel, The Cruelest Mercy. This episode includes minor spoilers for The Kinder Poison and The Cruelest Mercy! We talked to Natalie …

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I'd like you to meet my fake girlfriend — with Misa Sugiura ('Love and Other Natural Disasters') 26:36

4+ y ago26:36

26:36

Misa Sugiura's new novel Love and Other Natural Disasters isn't just a great twist on the fake dating trope, it's also a great novel to kick off Pride Month. Misa joins us for a bonus episode of Bookmarked to talk about her new novel and how she's offering a refreshing twist on the YA book rom-com. Purchase a copy of Love and Other Natural Disaster…

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Is Netflix's 'Shadow and Bone' better than the book? (Shadow and Bone Review) 43:05

4+ y ago43:05

43:05

Netflix's adaptation of 'Shadow and Bone' might be one of those rare occasions where the show turned out to be better than the book. *GASP!* We know, we know — it's blasphemy! But we still appreciated many of the changes to the source material, especially when those changes mean more screen time for our favorite Crows. In this super-packed episode,…

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YA dystopia and climate change with Joan He ('The Ones We're Meant to Find') 34:57

4+ y ago34:57

34:57

This episode is sponsored by Libro.fm. Buy audiobooks while supporting your local bookstore. Libro.fm has a special offer for Bookstacked readers. Get TWO audiobooks for the price of one with your first month of membership when using the code Bookstacked. Click here to get started. Joan He's captivating novel, The Ones We're Meant to Find, is a sto…

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Rebellion, romance and dragon riding with Rosaria Munda ('Flamefall') 44:24

5y ago44:24

44:24

SPOILER WARNING: This episode includes minor spoilers for 'Fireborne' and 'Flamefall'! In 2019, Fireborne introduced us to Lee and Annie, two young dragon riders struggling to come to terms with their pasts as they competed to see who would lead their newly rebuilt society. Now, their story continues in Flamefall, where the political intrigue gets …

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Book Club: 'Concrete Rose' by Angie Thomas 51:27

5y ago51:27

51:27

Concrete Rose is Bookstacked's first YA book club pick — and we all agree it was a good one. Angie Thomas' Concrete Rose is an emotional journey that packs a punch. It's a relevant and needed book in today's world, one that further explores what it means to be Black in America while also being so relatable to absolutely anyone who picks it up. In t…

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Introducing the Bookmarked YA Book Club 8:40

5y ago8:40

8:40

We’re excited to announce the launch of the Bookmarked YA Book Club, which will be a new addition to our flagship podcast, Bookmarked. The Bookstacked Team already meets monthly to discuss the bookish life alongside the latest news and updates in YA as part of our podcast. We figured we should throw some actual reading into the mix! Our book club s…

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The biggest YA book takeaways from 2020 48:00

5y ago48:00

48:00

There's a lot to say about 2020. Like every other industry, publishing wasn't spared from the pandemic. Readers and authors around the world reckoned with the current events that shaped our lives. As we say goodbye to 2020, we look back at some of the biggest changes and themes we saw in YA books and publishing as a whole. One thing is for certain:…

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Retelling Cinderella ... but with Quidditch, with Anna Meriano ('This is How We Fly') 39:55

5y ago39:55

39:55

Quidditch is a real thing ... sort of. It might not be the magical experience many know, but athletes across the world have transformed the once-fictional activity into a real and authentic sport. It's behind that backdrop that author Anna Meriano has penned her young adult novel, This Is How We Fly. Meriano sits down with Bookstacked writer Chelse…