Novelbound: A Comedy Book Podcast
By Anna & Celine
In our weekly podcasts, we’ll discover new books and authors together and, with our friends, further explore the fun side of reading! We are building a community all about books, so tune in and join the fun. Our listeners can come on and dish all about their favorite books with us, so get ready!
Novelbound: A Comedy Book PodcastApr 29, 2024
Self Publishing for Dummies (It's us, we're the dummies) with Sheila Masterson | Bloom Writing
Over the last year, Anna and Celine have BOTH been writing books. And now, we're embarking on our next step: GETTING PUBLISHED. We're testing out both traditional AND self publishing, and thought we'd learn from someone who has ALL the knowledge and know-how!
Teenage us LIVED for the FALLEN ANGEL BOOKS
Yes babes, we're going back to the era of CHUCKS, twilight, midnight premieres, and business casual outfits to go party. Anna takes us through her FAVORITE fallen angel books and their moody, beautiful hold on her and we'd LOVE to hear what books had YOU GUYS in a chokehold!
WE ARE OBSESSED WITH THE LOVE HYPOTHESIS
we read the love hypothesis, and this is the wildest rampage (of us screaming about adam driver and about HEAs) ever.
Crescent City 3 | SPOILER FILLED | Live Reaction | Sarah J Mass | House of Flame and Shadow
This is 30 Minutes of pure... unadulterated.... reacting.
If you've read CC3 and want to know Anna's take on it and Celine's live reaction, here's what our thoughts are!
THE Sarah J Mass Episode
If you wanted to know our unhinged, completely raw feelings about Sarah J Mass, here's all our thoughts!
We start off with our faves and then share our thoughts on the Crescent City Series!
THIS episode is Spoiler Free up to Crescent City 2!
The One Where We Poorly Explain Plots
This episode is a non-apologetically OBSESSIVE discussion of the fandoms of our childhood. Peeta Mellark (which is a separate fandom from the Hunger Games, obviously) Harry Potter, Chronicles of Narnia and More are all discussed as we try to figure out what these poorly explained plots could be.
How many did you get right?
The GREATEST, GUILTY PLEASURE HALLMARK Christmas Kindle Unlimited Reads (and Hanukkah!)
Hi. It's that time of year where you put down the halloween candy and PICK UP THE CHRISTMAS BOOKS. These books are full of fun christmas holidays and traditions BUT ALSO LOVE. And they're better than hallmark movies because it's not JUST ONE KISS. We have recs ranging from sweet to spicy, and honestly this is the episode that will make you feel warm this season :)
Recs:
Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh
Snowed In by Catherine Walsh
Solo for the Season by Martha Keyes
A Snowbound Courtship by Holli Jo Monroe
Lovelight Farms by B.K Borison
Eight Winter Nights
The Easiest, Most Delicious, & Pure Fun Contemporary Romances from 2023
Hi. It's that time of year again when you desperately need an escape. Whether it's an audiobook while you bake a million cookies for a school fundraiser or you're driving for ten hours to see family, or you're sick of your kids because they are animals at your parents house at Christmas.... these are books you can pick up, forget about the world, but be able to put down. They're gonna be there for you in those moments when you just need to know that love is real. These can be read anytime of year, but right now we're giving this to you when we know you guys will be traveling, dealing with kids at home and also trying to deal with wild family members. Here's the list so it's easy to screenshot!
The True Love Experiment - Christina Lauren
Something Wilder - Christina Lauren
Happy Place - Emily Henry
The Body Guard - Katherine Center
Practice Makes Perfect - Sarah Adams
Honeymoon for one - Porsche MacIntosh
Divine Rivals Recap
Sit and talk all things Divine Rivals with us, this is the episode to listen to before starting Ruthless Vows. We go through everything that happened and speculate about what will come! We go absolutely crazy over IRis and Roman, I mean the BANTER are you kidding us?! We devoured this book and it was absolutely delicious. Give a listen and let us know your theories and thoughts!
The Fourth Wing Episode
What made Fourth Wing such an amazing book?
In this episode, we discuss the perfection that is Fourth Wing, and how it blew up this summer. Why it was hyped, our favorite parts, and all the chaotic parts that will live forever in our brains.
Also, for the first twenty minutes, you're treated to the absolutely WILDLY embarrassing saga of THE HOT MESS YOU BECOME after having a child, so if you're just here for Fourth Wing, fast forward.
We Talk Murder Mystery With Maureen Johnson
Sit and listen to the wise words of the one and only (and slightly sick) Maureen Johnson while she walks us through her magnificent brain.
Hi Monster Books Scare Us
We wanted to come back strong for ya'll. Anna found some out of pocket monster book (let's be real they're all out of pocket..) recs. We just had to scream about the absurdity of them, let us know which one made you laugh the most on Instagram!
Stacey McEwan!!!
On todays Podcast we talk with author of "Ledge" Stacey McEwan!! We talk about balancing being a mom, working, and writing a book. Tell about our worst rejections (received or given). We also answer some really fun game like questions, like "what would be your weapon of choice?". Lots of fun and laughs in this episode, so don't miss this one!
Here's a little about Stacey:
Stacey McEwan is a school teacher by day and fantasy writer by night. She is a book influencer on multiple platforms and began writing her most current manuscript LEDGE after book lovers of the internet begged her to share her story ideas. Stacey was born and raised on the Gold Coast, Australia. She still resides in her hometown with her husband, two children and one questionable dog. Before she entered the online bookish community, Stacey received her Bachelor of Education from Griffith University. She has been teaching children in the classroom for 9 years to date. When Stacey isn’t writing, teaching, or making ridiculous tiktoks, you’ll find her playing with her children, reading, annoying her husband, or if she’s lucky – all three at once.
Books We Can't Wait For In 2023!
We're so excited for all the new books that are going to be hitting shelves in 2023! Here are a few we're most pumped about reading! Also, we talk about Meghan and Harry, a little about us in high school, and just our lives :)
Q&A
We answer some your questions from our discord chats. We love hearing from you and answering all your questions, so if you have them, feel free to ask! We talk about our lives and what we hope our 2023 will look like! Thanks for listening!
Top Books of 2022
We're back for the New Year!! But first, let's talk about our top books (both loved and not loved) of 2022!! If you need book recommendations for this year, this is the episode to listen to. We loved last years reads and we can't wait to read even more books in 2023!!
Nolan's Birth Story
We're back with another episode! Anna gives us all the details about the day she gave birth to her newborn Nolan. Mothers and soon-to-be mothers, this is the episode for you! Cause when I say we give all the details- I MEAN ALL THE DETAILS!
Christmas Recs
Do you want a book you can cozy up with a warm blanket and some hot chocolate with? If so, here's some books for all your Christmas/Wintry reading needs!
Patreon Episode from the Past: TBR List
Thought we'd say thank you for all the fun this year with an episode only our Patreon have heard!
YOUR CRAZY DRAMA
In this episode we read and react to the drama that has happened in your lives. It gets crazy!!! If you love hearing other people's drama, this is the episode for you!
Adrienne Young- Spells for Forgetting
Warning: This is going to be a spoiler-filled episode!!!! If you haven't read Spells for Forgetting, be prepared to hear spoilers!
We're so excited to share our interview with Adrienne Young! We talk about her new book "Spells for Forgetting"!
A little about Adrienne:
Adrienne Young is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Sky and Sea duology, the Fable series, and Spells for Forgetting. When she’s not writing, you can find Adrienne on her yoga mat, on a walk in the woods, or planning her next travel adventure. She lives and writes in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.
Fall Books+Shade
We love the fall and all the books that come out with it, but what has happened to the YA world? We talk about the YA writing lately and throw a little bit of shade in this weeks episode ;)
Stephanie Garber- The Ballad of Never After
Join us and Stephanie Garber as we talk about books, Vampire Diaries, and, of course, her new book The Ballad of Never After. This is a spoiler free episode, so feel comfortable to listen whether you've read the book or not (But you obviously should be reading it because it's amazing)!
A little about Stephanie: Stephanie Garber is the #1 New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author of THE CARAVAL SERIES, which has been translated in over 25 languages.
A Haunted Wood: An Original Story Inspired by Salem
Anna and Celine have written original stories based off of Folklore. This one is Celine's story, and it's set in the 1850s in Salem, MA. Full of ghost stories and piano backing, here's something original to get into the spirit!
Tropes That Deserve More Attention
We talk about all our favorite tropes that we LOVE (and maybe some that we're not a fan of). Give us some more book recommendations for tropes that you love that we should we read!
NOTHING MORE TO TELL WITH ***THE*** KAREN MCMANUS!!!
We interview Karen McManus and talk to her about her new book Nothing More to Tell!!
This will be a spoiler filled discussion so we can really dive into the plot and characters!
A little about Karen:
Karen M. McManus is a #1 New York Times and international bestselling author of young adult thrillers. Her books include the One of Us Is Lying series, which has been turned into a television show on Peacock and Netflix, as well as the standalone novels Two Can Keep a Secret, The Cousins, You’ll Be the Death of Me, and Nothing More to Tell.
Love on the Brain with Ali Hazelwood
***WARNING THIS A SPOILER FILLED EPISODE FOR LOVE ON THE BRAIN BY ALI HAZELWOOD***
If you haven't read Love on the Brain yet, then DO IT! After reading this book, come listen as we squeal and gush over Ali's book with her. We loved talking with her and she may be the coolest/funniest person we've ever met!
What Makes an Enemies to Lovers Book
In this weeks episode we talk about what makes an enemies to lovers book. We'll go over the stages of how the characters of our favorite books go from enemies to friends to lovers.
Also listen for how you can submit your story to be published in our anthology set in the Harry Potter world!
Sad Girl Autumn
It may still be August, but we're honestly ready and in the mood for Fall. Listen as we catch up with Anna from her trip to Europe, discuss some spooky stuff like haunted houses and Hocus Pocus, and maybe even talk about a few books :)
Some Mistakes Were Made (and one of them was NOT INTERVIEWING KRISTIN DWYER SOONER)
How lucky do we feel to have the literal TAYLOR SWIFT of writing on our podcast? Kristin has a magical way of bringing up the feelings and fears you pressed deep down into your subconscious, and then magically heals you by the end. This book is giving EVERYTHING. And we had to scream about it with the world.... and the author herself. We swooned. We embarrassed ourselves. We screamed way too loud. Can't wait for you guys to hear it!
This Golden State: Book Interview with Marit Weisenberg and Discussion on Building Tension for Your Readers!
This Golden State is an INCREDIBLE book, and we are so lucky to discuss the book with the author herself, Marit Weisenberg! We also go deep into building the tension and talk about the world after the book! It's spoiler-filled because this book is SOOOOOO tightly packed with twists we had to dissect it all!
Bloom Writing Series: Love Stories & Creating TENSION! And how to rock kindle unlimited!
Bloom Writing Series: Courtney Willis is an amazing regency author who dominates the kindle unlimited world! Her stories are compelling and the way she writes love is inspirational!
Bloom Writing: Getting to Know Your Characters & Get DEEP with your story with Mckell!
This girl is here to teach us all the ways to understand your characters more. She's brilliant at creating powerful stories and characters, and we are so lucky to have her on!
Bloom Writing Series: Exploring Fantasy with Beck Michaels
Ever wondered how to create a world all your own? Here's a deep dive we LOVED with Beck Michaels! If you're interested in the way fantasy gets written, here's the episode for you!
Summer Books We Can't Get Enough Of
Y'all, it's JUNE! Summer is officially here, and these are the books we have been reading, and honestly REREADING!
Part of Your World: A Wildly Adventurous Book Recap
Y'all, we had way too much fun recording this episode! It's so much fun discussing this semi-steamy book. This episode is a little bit PG 13, but we discuss the wild parts we loved about this book! It was one of our favorite guilty pleasure reads of this year!
Bloom Writing | Shelby Mahurin | Write Through It
Honestly, this was one of the most emotional and impactful interviews we have ever done. We learned so much from Shelby- about not only creating a story but writing when it's hard. Writing when you've got a toddler at the door, or when you doubt yourself... or even when it's the middle of the night
This was the interview that has carried us through so much of our writing journies. and we can't wait for you to hear her words!
Bloom Writing ~ Writing Fantasy With Beck Michaels
In this episode we talk all about world building for fantasy! Beck explains how she came up with the characters from Divine Blood, breaking the traditional mold of a female main character, and how impactful all the guardians are. We discuss how expansive her world is, and ask 'was it always going to be like this?' and further talk about how things can change in your story!
Bloom Writing: Finding Your Voice and Pushing Through with Sasha Peyton Smith
Sasha is so insightful and opened up to us a ton about her journey with writing. Here are the questions we asked her, and she DELIVERED!
- How did you plot out and world-build so beautifully? Did it come character first or world first? You mixed magic with history so well, and I loved the way she uses magic to create something so beautiful.
- You brought to life so many of the secondary characters and the world that you had. In your first draft, did you have that? How did that change and grow when you are developing those characters?
- What kind of advice would you give to someone who was in the middle of their first draft and it feels so messy, half plotted, and all the characters are flat?
- What do you do when your character's wants don’t seem strong enough?
- When you’re plotting, how often do things change for you?
- YOU ARE QUEEN OF THE TWISTS. How did you put enough in ahead of time to make it feel natural but still twisty?
- What is it like writing a sequel? Is it intimidating? Exciting?
Bloom Writing: Self Publishing & The Art of Romance with Sarah Adams!
We're back with a DREAM interview, where we learn SO much about the self-publishing world from Sarah Adams! We also talk a ton about how to make a slow-burn romance that is filled with tension. Sarah's work is so incredible and we were so lucky to have her on!
How These Books SHOULD Have Ended
We go off on some of our favorite popular books that took place that destroyed us, specifically during those dystopian eras. We also discuss harry potter, red queen, hunger games, truly devious, the summer i turned pretty, maze runner, pride and premeditation, and a few more! there are spoiler warnings throughout so you should be safe if you need to skip a book or two!
Bloom Writing ~ Adalyn Grace: What It Takes
In this episode we talk with the one and only Adalyn Grace! She shares her raw and personal journey on becoming a published Author, as well as the time and dedication it took her. She peels back the curtain to show us that it might not always be rainbows and butterflies but boy it is fulfilling. We break down what it takes to truly create a likable unlikable heroin and journey it takes to fully draft a story.
Bloom Writing ~ Jordan Grey: Critique Partner
In this episode we talk about all things Critique Partner with the lovely Jordan Grey! She tell us what exactly it means to be someone partner and help them develop their story! We get real personal about the trials of becoming a published author and the dedication you need to put into your work. Jordan shares her Journey of writing and how she became a critique partner, and spoiler ya'll, it wasn't easy, THE DEDICATION.
The Books that are WORTH the read, and the one's we recently DNF'd.
Here's us spilling the tea on some of the books we were obsessed with, and the ones we immediately skipped through. There's also a story about how Celine's car set on fire, and how it led to her first kiss. Wild tales, y'all.
Bloom Writing ~ Rachel Griffin Interview: Writing Magic
Starting of our Bloom writing series strong with the queen herself Rachel Griffin! In this episode we talk about how to create a magic system and the many, many changes it can go through. She shares insight into just how much work went into her wonderful book "The Nature of Witches", and the multiple drafts it went through. She's convinced us to be as obsessed as the pacific northwest as she is (If thats possible). The honest conversation we have about what it takes to create a story and dedicate yourself too it is so uplifting and inspiring. Let us know what inspiration you got while listening!
Never Have I Ever (Book & Boy Edition!)
Today we’re playing never have I ever… but with a twist.
We’re spilling the secrets both book related and boy related, and we are dropping names and spilling shade on our high school experiences and college adventurers.
Guilty Pleasure Reads We CANNOT Stop Raving About
Here's our current curated list of contemporary guilty pleasure reads. Get your TBR list ready, you're in for a really, really good time!
Our Interview with Christina & Lauren!
Yeah, we're freaking out too. We got the incredible chance to interview the best friend duo and writers of over 28 books that we love. Most recently they wrote the unhoneymooners, which was so funny we had to have them come on!
We talked a ton about the soulmate equation, a book that comes out in paperback tomorrow! (If you loved the Love Hypothesis, this book blows it out of the water with the emotional depth and steamy, hilarious moments!) We were crying laughing throughout this episode and inspired by their friendship and the way they share their writing process! We seriously have major girl crushes on them, and this episode is spoiler-free except for the last 4 minutes! Snag one of their books and laugh along with us!
DESERTED ISLAND (full of ROASTING and book boyfriends)
I thought it'd be a funny episode to do a "if you had to bring one thing to a deserted island, what would it be" and it was funny.... but for the completely opposite reasons. Welcome to the CHAOS of a show where we just fight about books and holidays ;)
2022 Most Anticipated Reads! (And some you WON'T expect!)
We did this last year, and it led to us being able to meet some of the coolest authors out there! Here's our list!