Today’s episode dives into the Books Around the Block pick of the month — Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry. This story sparked a rich and heartfelt discussion between Adrienne, Audrey, and Lindsay, touching on everything from its emotional depth to its laugh-out-loud moments. We're unpacking it all — from thought-provoking book club questions to who we’d cast in the dream movie adaptation!

Books & Media Mentioned in this Episode:

READ- My Friends by Fredrick Bachman

WATCH- Keeping up with the Kardashians

READ- With a Vengeance by Riley Sager

WATCH- Bridgerton - Season 3

READ- One Golden Summer by Carly Fortune

READ- Joyful Recollections of Trauma by Paul Scheer

WATCH: The Last of Us - Season 2

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

The Tenant by Freida McFadden

Summer is calling, and Books Around the Block is here to help you answer with the perfect read! In today’s episode, your hosts Adrienne, Audrey, and Lindsay are diving into sunshine, suitcases, and stories as we each share our ultimate summer reading picks. From swoon-worthy romances and breezy beach reads to spine-tingling thrillers and vacation adventures gone hilariously wrong, we’ve got something for every kind of reader. We've each brought a few favorite titles across different summer-themed categories—so whether you're poolside, lakeside, or just dreaming of your next getaway, get ready to fill your TBR with books you won’t want to leave behind.

READ: The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff

WATCH: A Deadly American Marriage on Netflix

READ: The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simone St. James

The Last of Us on HBO Max

READ: Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn

Paul American on Netflix

Summer Fridays by Suzanne Rindell

Savor It by Tarah DeWitt

The Summer of Broken Rules by K.L. Walther

The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager

Into Thin Air by John Krakauer

The Wedding People by Alison Espach

A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams

The Ruins by Scott Smith

The Hotel Nantucket by Elin Hilderbrand

Join Lindsay, Audrey, and Adrienne this week as they share a list of hidden gems — books with fewer than 50,000 ratings on Goodreads that they’ve read and absolutely loved. These underrated, under-the-radar reads deserve so much more attention. If you’re looking for something a little different from what’s all over Bookstagram or BookTok, this is the episode for you!

Books and Media Mentioned in this Episode:

All That Life Can Afford by Emily Everett

The Four Seasons on Netflix

Drew and Ellie Holcomb

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Lil Wayne

The Met Gala

Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren

Pride and Prejudice

Warfare

Lizzie McAlpine- Spring into Summer

Small Animals by Kim Brooks

One Night Only by Catherine Walsh

The Summer That Melted Everything by Tiffany McDaniel

Take It Back by Kia Abdullah

How to Kill Men and Get Away with It by Katy Brent

A Girl Called Samson by Amy Harmon

Olympus, Texas by Stacey Swann

What Does it Feel Like? by Sophie Kimnsella

June First by Jennifer Hartman

In this episode, Adrienne, Audrey, and Lindsay recap all the books they read in April—from the ones they couldn’t put down to the ones that fell flat—and share the titles they're most excited to dive into this May. If you're hunting for your next great read or just love hearing what others are reading, you won’t want to miss this spoiler-free conversation!

Books Mentioned in this Episode:

A Forty Year Kiss by Nikolas Butler

Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito

Happy Place by Emily Henry

Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaughy

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

Where the Lost Wander by Amy Harmon

Broken Country by Claire Leslie Hall

The Mist by Stephen King

Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree

From Here to the Great Unknown by Lisa Marie Presley

Nothing To See Here by Kevin Wilson

The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston

James by Percival Everett

Say You'll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez

The Tell: A Memoir by Amy Griffin

All the Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah Harman

The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff

We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid

The Safekeep by Yael Van Der Wouden

With a Vengeance by Riley Sager

Joyful Recollections of Trauma by Paul Scheer

In this month’s book club episode, Adrienne, Audrey, and Lindsay journey into Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy—a haunting, powerful novel that left us with so much to unpack. Join us as we explore the book’s most unforgettable moments, tackle the questions it stirred up, and even imagine who we’d cast in a dream adaptation. Fair warning: spoilers ahead! We encourage you to read Wild Dark Shore first, so you can dive deep with us into every layer of this moving, thought-provoking story.

Books & Media Mentioned in this Episode:

Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy

The Tell by Amy Griffin

Once Upon a Time in Nashville

Good American Family on Hulu

James by Percival Everett

The Valley on Bravo

The Toast

Lost and Lassoed by Lyla Sage

Ransom Canyon on Netflix

Justice (Album) - Justine Bieber

Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy

Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy

In this episode, Adrienne, Audrey, and Lindsay are talking to the book-curious among us: the ones who want to get into reading but haven’t quite found the right story or the right genre. We’re sharing our favorite easy-to-pick-up, hard-to-put-down reads across a variety of genres—from thrillers and romances to memoirs and fantasy. And if you’re already a reader in a bit of a slump, these books might be just the thing to pull you back in.

Books Mentioned in this Episode:
Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaughy
The Griffin Sisters Greatest Hits by Jennifer Weiner
The Mist by Stephen King
Say You'll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez
Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan
The Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate
Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Mayluna by Kelley McNeil
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid
From Here to the Great Unknown by Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough
The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
The Teacher by Freida McFadden
Never Lie by Freida McFadden
The Inmate by Freida McFadden
The Coworker by Freida McFadden
It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover
November 9 by Colleen Hoover
Verity by Colleen Hoover
Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover
A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks
The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks

Ever wish you could wipe your memory just to experience your favorite book all over again? In this episode, Adrienne, Audrey, and Lindsay each reveal the one book they’d choose to re-read with a totally clean slate—no spoilers, no plot twists remembered, just pure reading bliss.

Plus, we’re introducing a brand-new segment: Read, Watch, Listen! Each of us shares what we’re currently into across the worlds of books, film and television, and music/podcasts. It’s your one-stop shop for recommendations (and maybe a few hot takes).

Books Mentioned in this Episode:

Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McCaugnhy

First Time Caller by B.K. Borison

The Pact by Jodi Picoult

Broken Country by Claire Leslie Hall

The Pact by Jodi Picoult

The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult

11/22/63 by Stephen King

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood

Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez

Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez

Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez

One Day by David Nichols

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

A Court of Thorns and Roses (Series) by Sarah J. Maas

Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree

Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Before We Were Strangers by Renee Carlino

Defending Jacob by William Landay

The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown

In this episode of Books Around the Block, Adrienne, Audrey, and Lindsay recap their March reads—discussing the hits, the misses, and the ones that left them with all the feelings. From gripping thrillers to best-selling romances, they cover a variety of genres and share their honest thoughts. Plus, they reveal their April TBR lists—what’s on their radar, what they’re excited to dive into, and which books might just end up in the DNF pile. Grab your favorite beverage and join the conversation!

Follow us at @booksaroundtheblockpod on Instagram and TikTok for more fun content and news on upcoming episodes! Share your thoughts for future episodes or reach out just to chat at booksaroundtheblock@gmail.com.

Books Mentioned in this Episode:

Broken Country by Claire Leslie Hall

Mayluna by Kelley McNeil

Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Deep End by Ali Hazelwood

Penitence by Kristin Koval

Wild Side by Elsie Silver

The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin

The Longest Race by Kara Goucher

From Here to the Great Unknown by Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough

The Woman in Me by Britney Spears

The Griffin Sister's Greatest Hits by Jennifer Weiner

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston

Long Bright River by Liz Moore

First Time Caller by B.K. Borrison

James by Percival Everett

The Mother Next Door: Medicine Deception, and Munchausen by Andrea Dunlop, Mike Webber

Where the Lost Wander by Amy Harmon

I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes

Claire, Darling by Callie Kazumi

The Favorites by Layne Fargo

All the Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah Harman

Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy

Music by AudioCoffee at pixabay.com