The Mis-Education of Indigenous Children in America with MacKenzie Green Bookwild Collective 2026-09-21 | The Mis-Education of Indigenous Children in America with MacKenzie Green
Jennifer Fawcetts Keep This For Me: A Serial Killer, Generational Trauma and Motherhood Bookwild Collective 2025-10-05 | This week, Gare and I got to talk with Jennifer Fawcett about her serial killer thriller Keep This For Me! We dive into her inspiration for the story, how she was drawn to writing about the aftermath of a serial killer's actions, and how grief and trauma effect families for generations.Keep This For Me SynopsisOne hot August night in 1993, a young couple go to a party. When their car breaks down, they are picked up by a truck driver who attacks the man and abducts the woman. She is never seen again.That woman was Fiona Green’s mother.When the trucker, Eddie Ward, is caught, a mass grave of bodies is discovered in his backyard but Fiona’s mother isn’t there. Thirty years later, on his prison deathbed, Ward insists that he didn’t kill her, so Fiona finds herself back in the small town where her mother disappeared. Fighting demons of her own, she’s shocked when history repeats itself: another woman, another roadside breakdown, and another disappearance. Only this time the primary suspect is Jason Ward, Eddie’s son. Desperate, Fiona hunts down answers, unaware that she is being drawn into a dangerous trap.With Jennifer Fawcett’s signature “suspenseful and immersive” (Library Journal) prose, Keep This for Me is a fresh, spellbinding exploration of what we unwillingly inherit from our parents and how one random act can send ripples years into the future.#booktube #bookwild #writertube #crimefiction
C.I Jerezs At The Islands Edge: Healing After Trauma, Family Bonds, and Second Chances Bookwild Collective 2025-10-05 | This week, I talk with C.I. Jerez about her emotional and empowering novel At the Island's Edge. We dive into the inspiration for the story, how she explored PTSD, and why she chose to write about a single mom who served in the army.At the Island's Edge SynopsisAn Iraq War veteran returns to Puerto Rico to reconnect with―and confront―the past in a heart-wrenching novel about duty, motherhood, and the healing power of home. As a combat medic, Lina LaSalle went to Iraq to save the lives of fellow soldiers. But when her convoy is attacked, she must set aside her identity as a healer and take a life herself.Although she is honored as a hero when she returns to the US, Lina cannot find her footing. She is stricken with PTSD and unsure of how to support her young son, Teó, a little boy with Tourette’s. As her attempts to self-medicate become harder to hide, Lina realizes she must do the toughest thing yet: ask for help.She retreats to her parents’ house in Puerto Rico, where Teó thrives under her family’s care. Lina finds kinship, too―with a cousin whose dreams were also shattered by the war and with a handsome and caring veteran who sought refuge on the island and runs a neighborhood bar.But amid the magic of the island are secrets and years of misunderstandings that could erode the very stability she’s fighting for. Hope lies on the horizon, but can she keep her gaze steady?#bookwild #bookish #booktube #writertube
Bending Away from Convention featuring Cleyvis Natera Bookwild Collective 2025-09-29 | Liz and Greg sit down with novelist Cleyvis Natera, whose acclaimed debut Neruda on the Park was a New York Times Editors’ Choice, and whose latest, The Grand Paloma Resort, released last month and is available everywhere. They talk impostor syndrome, perseverance after rejection, and how class and privilege shape her stories. Cleyvis opens up about building community, staying authentic while shifting genres, and why cultural commentary belongs at the heart of contemporary fiction. It is a candid look at craft, career evolution, and the personal growth that fuels great writing.
Alma Katsus Fiend: Family Wealth, a Family Curse, and Family Horror Bookwild Collective 2025-09-29 | This week, I talk with Alma Katsu about her new horror novel Fiend. We dive into her inspiration for the story, what draws her to horror, and how she crafted this insidious family.**Every tech issue that could happen did happen, so there's a somewhat rough cut when we had to switch platforms.Fiend by Alma Katsu SynopsisImagine if the Sackler family had a demon at their beck and call.The Berisha family runs one of the largest import-export companies in the world, and they’ve always been lucky. Their rivals suffer strokes. Inconvenient buildings catch on fire. Earthquakes swallow up manufacturing plants, destroying harmful evidence. Things always seem to work out for the Berishas. They’re blessed.At least that is what Zef, the patriarch, has always told his three children. And each of them knows their place in the family—Dardan, as the only male heir, must prepare to take over as keeper of the Berisha secrets, Maris’s most powerful contribution, much to her dismay, will be to marry strategically, and Nora’s job, as the youngest, is to just stay out of the way. But when things stop going as planned, and the family blessing starts looking more like a curse, the Berishas begin to splinter, each hatching their own secret scheme. They didn’t get to be one of the richest families in the world without spilling a little blood, but this time, it might be their own.#booktube #bookwild #writertube
‘Nature vs. Nurture’ featuring: Patricia Dunn, Deborah Levison, and Wendy Whitman Bookwild Collective 2025-09-22 | In this episode of Imposter Hour, Liz Keenan and Greg Wands sit down with crime writers Patricia Dunn, Deborah Levison, and Wendy Whitman to talk imposter feelings, writing about darkness, and the communities that keep us brave. They trace the winding paths that brought them to the genre, share candid truths about promotion and platform, and preview what’s next. It’s a smart, generous conversation about craft, confidence, and the complicated link between creativity and self-perception.
“If You Do It, You Can Do It featuring Lauren Morrow Bookwild Collective 2025-09-15 | In this episode of “Imposter Hour with Liz and Greg,” we sit down with debut novelist and book publicist Lauren Morrow to talk about her just-published, buzzed-about debut, “Little Movements.” Lauren opens up about stepping through the publishing looking glass, balancing ambition with real life, and how personal truth fuels believable fiction. It’s an honest, practical conversation about the writing life, identity, and sticking with it. Tune in for craft talk, creativity, self-doubt, and the leap from behind-the-scenes to byline.#writertube #booktubers #bookwild
Books on Our Fall TBRs with Gare and Steph Bookwild Collective 2025-09-15 | This week, Gare, Steph and I share books we are excited about on our Fall TBRs!Books We Talked AboutThe Reformatory by Tananarive DueSalt Bones by Jennifer GivhanKeep This for Me by Jennifer FawcettThe Women of Wild Hill by Kirsten MillerCursed Daughters by Oyinkan BraithwaiteThe Hitchhikers by Chevy StevensThe Mad Wife by Meagan ChurchAlchemy of Secrets by Stephanie GarberThe Intruder by Freida McFaddenThrough Our Teeth by Pamela N. HarrisThe Haunting of Room 904 by Erica T. WurthThe Bone Thief by Vanessa LillieLife and Death and Giants by Bob Rinaldi#bookwild #bookish #booktube #fictionlovers
L. S. Strattons In Deadly Company: Hollywood Hijinks, Bad Rich People and Dual Timelines Bookwild Collective 2025-09-09 | This week, I got to talk with L.S. Stratton about her newest thriller In Deadly Company! We dive into how she wanted to write a fun, bingey thriller, how she used the meta approach of a movie being made about the past timeline, and how she crafted the very corrupt, very welathy family in the middle of it all.In Deadly Company SynopsisAs the assistant of the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, Nicole Underwood has plenty of tasks on her to-do list—one of which is the blowout birthday celebration for her nightmare, one-percenter boss, Xander Chambers. But when the party ends in chaos and murder and Nicole is one of the survivors, suspicion—from the investigators to the media—lands on her. Was she the reason for all the bloodshed?A year after those deadly events, Nicole tries to set the public record straight by agreeing to consult on a feature film based on her story. However, on the set in LA, she's sidelined by inappropriate casting and persistent, bizarre script changes, while also haunted by the events of that party weekend with visions of her now-deceased boss. It seems clearing her name isn't so simple when the question of guilt or innocence is...complicated.#bookwild #booktube #writertube
Learning From Fiction with Steph Bookwild Collective 2025-09-08 | This week, Steph and I talk about fiction books that taught us about different subjects!Books We Talked AboutPlay Nice by Rachel HarrisonEloquent Rage by Brittney CooperWordslut by Amanda MontellHood Feminism by Mikki KendallThe Great Mann by Kyra Davis LurieFrancine’s Spectacular Crash and Burn Renee SwindleYou Know Her by Meagan JennettThe Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan KamaliWhat Comes After by Joanne TompkinsBlood Sisters by Vanessa LillieThe Whistler by Nick MedinaDo What Godmother Says by Shelley StrattonHarlem Rhapsody by Victoria Christopher MurrayThe Reformatory by Tananarive DueMy Government Means to Kill Me by Rasheed NewsonThe Great Believers by Rebecca MakkaiThe Yellow Wife by Sadeqa JohnsonThe House of Eve by Sadeqa JohnsonTake My Hand by Dolen Perkins-ValdezHappy Land by Dolen Perkins-ValdezThe Foundling by Ann LearyThe Manor of Dreams by Christina Li
”Competing with Yourself” featuring Samantha Downing Bookwild Collective 2025-09-08 | Imposter Hour is back. This week, in our first episode after the summer hiatus, Liz and Greg sit down with internationally bestselling thriller author Samantha Downing. We dig into her new novel, Too Old for This, starring Lottie Jones, a 75-year-old retired serial killer who refuses to go quietly, and we revisit the breakout that started it all, My Lovely Wife. The conversation hits craft, voice, and the business side of branding, then gets real about imposter syndrome in publishing. How success does and does not quiet the doubt, what still triggers it, and the habits that keep the words coming. If you love darkly funny crime and honest talk about the writing life, this week’s episode is your perfect reentry.
Rebecca McKannas Dont Forget the Girl: Remembering the Victims, Female Friendship and True Crime Bookwild Collective 2025-08-27 | This week, I got to talk with Rebecca McKanna with Steph Lauer IN PERSON about Rebecca's book Don't Forget the Girl. We dive into how a short story collection inspired the book, how she got to know her characters, and why she chose the ending she chose.Don't Forget the Girl SynopsisWe never remember the dead girls. We never forget the killers. Twelve years ago, 18-year-old University of Iowa freshman Abby Hartmann disappeared. Now, Jon Allan Blue, the serial killer suspected of her murder, is about to be executed. Abby's best friends, Bree and Chelsea, watch as Abby's memory is unearthed and overshadowed by Blue and his flashier crimes. The friends, estranged in the wake of Abby's disappearance, and suffering from years of unvoiced resentments, must reunite when a high-profile podcast dedicates its next season to Blue's murders.Tense and introspective, Don't Forget the Girl is an astonishing debut thriller that mines the complexities of friendship and the secrets between us that we may take to the grave.
Short, Bingey Books with Gare and Steph Bookwild Collective 2025-08-22 | This week, Gare, Steph and I share short, bingey books we highly recommend!Books We Talked AboutEveryone Is Lying to You – Joe PiazzaThe Favorite Girl – Monica AryaThe Mad Wife - Meagan ChurchThe Grave Artist – Isabella Maldonado & Jeffrey DeaverHappy Land – Dolen Perkins-ValdezBath Haus – P.J. VernonShort & BingeyEverything Is Tuberculosis – John GreenThe Trap – Catherine Ryan HowardThe Locked Door – Freida McFaddenLiars – Sarah MangusoThe Retreat – Krysten RitterI Did It for You – Amy EngelLula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books – Kirsten MillerBlack Sheep – Rachel HarrisonThe Woods Are Waiting – Katherine Green#booktube #bookish #bookwild
Zoe B. Wallbrooks History Lessons: Dark Academia, Satirical Humor & Navigating Racial Tensions Bookwild Collective 2025-08-20 | This week, I talk with Zoe B. Wallbrook about her hilariously funny and suspenseful mystery novel History Lessons. We dive into her inspiration for the book, how she incorporated misogynoir and how she injected so much humor.History Lessons SynopsisA college history professor must solve her superstar colleague's murder before she becomes the next target in this funny, romantic debut mystery, perfect for readers of Janet Evanovich, Kellye Garrett, and Ali Hazelwood.As a newly minted junior professor, Daphne Ouverture spends her days giving lectures on French colonialism, working on her next academic book, and going on atrocious dates. Her small world suits her just fine. Until Sam Taylor dies.The rising star of Harrison University’s anthropology department was never one of Daphne’s favorites, despite his popularity. But that doesn’t prevent Sam’s killer from believing Daphne has something that belonged to Sam—something the killer will stop at nothing to get.Between grading papers and navigating her disastrous love life, Daphne embarks on her own investigation to find out what connects her to Sam’s murder. With the help of an alluring former-detective-turned-bookseller, she unravels a deadly cover-up on campus.This well-crafted, voice-driven mystery introduces an unforgettable crime fiction heroine.#writertube #booktube #bookwild
Kaila Yus Fetishization: Yellow Fever, Sexualization, Fetishization, Feminism & Beauty Bookwild Collective 2025-08-20 | This week, I got to talk with Kaila Yu about her memoir Fetishization: A Reckoning with Yellow Fever, Feminism, and Beauty. We dive into her experience growing up amidst yellow fever, how her self image was affected, and how she learned to love and accept herself.Fetishization: A Reckoning with Yellow Fever, Feminism, and Beauty SynopsisNo one fetishized Kaila Yu more than she fetishized herself. As a young girl, she dreamt of beauty. But none of the beautiful women on television looked like her. In the late '90s and early 2000s Asian women were often reduced to overtly sexual and submissive caricatures—the geishas of the book-turned-film Memoirs of a Geisha; the lewd twins, Fook Mi and Fook Yu, in Austin Powers in Goldmember; Papillon Soo Soo’s sex worker character in the cult Vietnam War movie Full Metal Jacket; and pin-up goddess Sung-Hi Lee. Meanwhile, the "girls next door" were always white. Within that narrow framework, Kaila internalized a painful conclusion: The only way someone who looked like her could have value or be considered beautiful and desirable was to sexualize herself.Blending vulnerable stories from Yu’s life with incisive cultural critique and history, Fetishized is a memoir-in-essays exploring feminism, beauty, yellow fever, and the roles pop culture and colonialism played in shaping pervasive and destructive stereotypes about Asian women and their bodies. Yu reflects on the women in media who influenced her, the legacy of U.S. occupation in shaping Western perceptions of Asian women, her own experiences in the pinup and import modeling industry, auditioning for TV and film roles that perpetuated dehumanizing stereotypes, and touring the world with her band in revealing outfits. She recounts altering her body to conform to Western beauty standards, allowing men to treat her like a sex object, and the emotional toll and trauma of losing her sense of self in the pursuit of the image she thought the world wanted.#memoir #yellowfever #writertube #bookwild
A True Crime Chorus: The Vanishing of Ethel Cain | Gares Love Letter to Ethel Cain Bookwild Collective 2025-08-15 | This week, Gare shares all the ins and outs of Ethel Cain's dark, haunting album Preacher's Daughter!Check out the album here:open.spotify.com/album/3WmujGwOS0ANHkJRnMH6n8#ethelcain #preachersdaughter #conceptalbum
Leigh Dunlaps Bless Your Heart: Buckhead Betties, Racial Tensions and a Murder Bookwild Collective 2025-08-14 | This week, I chat with Leigh Dunlap about her darkly comical debut thriller Bless Your Heart. We dive into her inspiration for the story, how her screenwriting background influenced her novel writing process, and how her relationship with her son formed the story.Bless Your Heart SynopsisAnderson Tupper, a member of one of Atlanta’s richest families, has been murdered in the dugout of the Little League field where he was a volunteer coach, and it’s up to Detective Shay Claypool, a single mother from the other side of town, to find his killer.With the exclusive area of Buckhead threatening to secede from the city of Atlanta and take its tax revenue with it, Shay is under pressure to solve the murder of one of Buckhead’s own. Accustomed to handling drug dealers and prostitutes, she must now contend with an even more sinister the Buckhead Betties, the insufferably entitled women of Georgia’s most affluent zip code. One of them might be a murderer, but who? Is it the old-money queen of Buckhead? The mysterious new girl in town? The drug dealing trophy wife?It seems secrets and lies are as plentiful as luxury handbags in Atlanta and everyone’s guilty of something. Shay’s investigation will make her examine her own prejudices and discover that, as women and mothers, she might not be that different from the Betties after all. And if she isn’t careful, they just might take her down with them.#bookwild #booktube #readersofyoutube #writersofyoutube
Samantha Downings Too Old For This: A Retired Serial Killer, A Nosy Journalist, And Tons of Mayhem Bookwild Collective 2025-08-12 | This week, I talk with Samantha Downing about her snarky new thriller Too Old for This. We dive into her inspiration for the story, her favorite parts about writing Lottie, and how she chooses memorable names for her characters.Too Old for This SynopsisLottie Jones thought her crimes were behind her.Decades earlier, she changed her identity and tucked herself away in a small town. Her most exciting nights are the weekly bingo games at the local church and gossiping with her friends. When investigative journalist Plum Dixon shows up on her doorstep asking questions about Lottie’s past and specifically her involvement with numerous unsolved cases, well, Lottie just can’t have that.But getting away with murder is hard enough when you’re young. And when Lottie receives another annoying knock on the door, she realizes this crime might just be the death of her…#booktube #readersofyoutube #samanthadowning
Memorable Characters with Steph Bookwild Collective 2025-08-09 | This week, Steph and I talk about books with memorable characters who we will never forget!Books We've Been ReadingYou Belong Hereapp.thestorygraph.com/books/965cd909-1a95-498f-a9c6-9eb13f81e87fDon’t Forget the Girlapp.thestorygraph.com/books/eb367d58-e760-45ed-8f86-17934021f81bRecursionapp.thestorygraph.com/books/88f7ad4b-740e-4e2a-8a7f-beeca9235905Doll Partsapp.thestorygraph.com/books/cc425bbf-3192-4e9f-81ef-755935f4c2daHoney and Spiceapp.thestorygraph.com/books/e268eb28-ab01-4676-9054-ad1ec78c3c3cDo What Godmother Saysapp.thestorygraph.com/books/297a9b80-a896-43fe-97d2-8b6a19e912d8Books with Memorable CharactersJunieapp.thestorygraph.com/books/47d81287-6584-4c2b-ae0c-9e7817dbd757Remarkably Bright Creaturesapp.thestorygraph.com/books/a5da6127-beb2-44b9-aba6-f63de4327707Dissolutionapp.thestorygraph.com/books/b652d738-9da8-4160-bf16-e13eb25de131The Paper Palaceapp.thestorygraph.com/books/f51192d9-4112-4c42-9a44-587900ea01ddAn Inconvenient Womanapp.thestorygraph.com/books/6bf12182-38f7-49d4-8b2d-65c59bdf79a0None of This is Trueapp.thestorygraph.com/books/b6d6cfd0-89fc-4eb8-b4a7-b26a74d011cd------Get Bookwild Merchbookwildcollective.com/bookwild-merchCheck out the Bookwild Community on Patreonpatreon.com/bookwildCheck Out Author Social Media Packagesbookwildcollective.com/author-content-packagesFollow @imbookwild on Instagraminstagram.com/imbookwildCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion Substackimbookwild.substack.comSign Up for Libro.Fmhttps://libro.fm/referral?rf_code=lfm905319#booktube #fiction #bookwild #readersofyoutube
Cobie LaJeannes Blood in the Cradle: Missing Children, and a Detective with Synesthesia Bookwild Collective 2025-08-05 | This week, I talk with Cobie LaJeanne about her pitch-black thriller Blood in the Cradle. We dive into her inspiration for the story, how the book developed over time, and what it was like creating a detective with synesthesia!Blood in the Cradle SynopsisWhen decorated detective Chloe Van Belle receives a call about a severed limb in a fountain, she dreads returning to Encounters, a renowned angel-worshipping church tied to her dark childhood wounds. She’s further shocked to learn six-year-old Lillian vanished [from the congregation] without being reported.Chloe’s half-sister Rosie, a devout believer engaged to the reverend’s son, remains unwavering that everything unfolds according to divine will, refusing to see the evil in front of her.An eerie search leads to Lillian’s body tucked in a cradle with a vintage watch, linking the crime to a similar murder twenty years ago. The gruesome scene triggers Chloe’s morbid fascination with death, making her visual-gustatory synesthesia, which gives murder a literal sweet taste, harder to hide. With Chloe’s nightmares and half-memories resurfacing, she engages in a macabre game of cat and mouse with the killer.As casualties grow and evidence points to the highest levels of the church leadership, Chloe must protect Rosie and her team—but is it from a monster or herself?Check Out Author Social Media Packagesbookwildcollective.com/author-content-packagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on Patreonpatreon.com/bookwildFollow @imbookwild on Instagraminstagram.com/imbookwildSign Up for Libro.fmhttps://libro.fm/referral?rf_code=lfm905319Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substackimbookwild.substack.com#booktube #readersofyoutube #bookwild
New Favorite Authors with Gare and Steph Bookwild Collective 2025-08-05 | This week, Gare, Steph and I talk about new-to-us authors we discovered and love!Books We Talked AboutThe Book of Accidentsapp.thestorygraph.com/books/e7b37626-1e32-45f7-801e-551fba97d811The Babysitter Livesapp.thestorygraph.com/books/65179ed8-8a3a-4561-8670-2312da4000fdThe Killer on the Roadapp.thestorygraph.com/books/cebb3105-15d0-441e-a548-f142c38bb996Unlikely Animalsapp.thestorygraph.com/books/8adaa2cd-c3db-4e4e-a8df-27850c08076eHistory Lessonsapp.thestorygraph.com/books/18437412-530e-495f-90c3-df3ca638e308What Lies Between Usapp.thestorygraph.com/books/dd10b218-ed8a-49ba-ab30-4f8139c4f7f4Behind Every Good Manapp.thestorygraph.com/books/571c94e6-45d3-4740-8a2c-b745cbe65d19Love You to Deathapp.thestorygraph.com/books/4ffd068e-b2da-4108-9e79-409aff0c9a9cDeeper Than the Deadapp.thestorygraph.com/books/85e9b57f-b45c-4f39-9349-5a0b4f018a4eThis Violent Heartapp.thestorygraph.com/books/2da1ef88-2036-45ff-99f3-5be873d62d67-------Check Out Author Social Media Packagesbookwildcollective.com/author-content-packagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on Patreonpatreon.com/bookwildFollow @imbookwild on Instagraminstagram.com/imbookwildCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion Substackimbookwild.substack.comSign Up for Libro.FMhttps://libro.fm/referral?rf_code=lfm905319#booktube #readersofyoutube #bookwild
Clèmence Michallons Our Last Resort: Dual Timelines, Cult Memories and a Locked Resort Mystery Bookwild Collective 2025-07-29 | This week, Gare and I talk with Clèmence Michallon about her new thriller Our Last Resort. We dive into her inspiration for the book, her fresh take on a locked room thriller, and how she crafted a believable cult.Our Last Resort SynopsisInnocence doesn't bail you out; it just makes you easier to trap.Frida and Gabriel arrive seeking a fresh start at the stunning Ara Hotel in the secluded desert of Escalante, Utah. Once so close they were able to finish each other’s sentences, they’ve grown apart in recent years after a sudden, unspeakable tragedy. Now, at the luxe resort, they are ready to reconnect between dips in the pool and hikes on spectacular desert trails. It all feels like paradise—until the dead body of a beautiful young woman who was vacationing at the Ara with her powerful, much older husband is discovered.When the local police arrive and suspicion quickly falls on Gabriel, Frida is forced to revisit memories from their upbringing in a cloistered cult in upstate New York, their dramatic escape, and the scandal that followed. Frida’s belief in Gabriel’s innocence never wavered at the time, but now even she can’t ignore the evidence mounting against him.Alternating between past and present timelines, Our Last Resort builds toward a shattering climax that uncovers the fate of the murdered Ara guest and poses the question: how well do we ever really know those we love? Multi-layered, gripping, and intense, Clémence Michallon’s latest suspense novel is a nail-biter until the last page, cementing her status as a major new talent in the genre.Check out Bookwild T-Shirtsbookwildcollective.com/bookwild-merchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion Substackimbookwild.substack.comCheck Out Author Social Media Packagesbookwildcollective.com/author-content-packagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on Patreonpatreon.com/bookwildFollow @imbookwild on Instagraminstagram.com/imbookwild#booktube #writertube #readersofyoutube #bookwild
Writing Updates, Creating Without Shame, Changes in the Publishing Industry with Halley Sutton Bookwild Collective 2025-07-25 | This week, Halley Sutton and I catch up about where we are with our writing processes (spoiler: I am focusing more on building Bookwild than writing).Halley shares a new approach to writing that has worked for her that she found on TikTok.tiktok.com/t/ZT6N2agGUHalley also shares some insights into the traditional publishing industry and we discuss the appeal of self publishing.#booktube #bookwild #bookish
Melanie Anagnos Nightswimming: Noir in 1970s New Jersey with Halley Sutton Bookwild Collective 2025-07-25 | This week, Halley Sutton and I chat with Melanie Anagnos about her new noir Nightswimming. We dive into her love for 70s culture, how reading noir shaped Nightswimming, and the future for the trilogy.Nightswimming SynopsisPaterson, New Jersey, 1979: Jamie Palmieri is an up-and-coming patrol officer, three years out of the academy and frustrated with his slow rise to detective. That all changes one frigid night in January, when a double homicide at a local bar leaves the owner and a young woman dead. In the wake of the Rubin "Hurricane" Carter proceedings and the city's lingering distrust for the police, Jamie is told to expect a "no one saw a thing" investigation. But as Jamie traces a series of small leads, he's sent on a path where the tables turn suddenly - with the still-unknown killer now stalking Jamie and the people he's closest to.A classic police procedural charged with the social turbulence of the 1970s.Check out Melanie's Substack: melanieanagnos.substack.com
Christina Dotsons Love You to Death: Wedding Crashing, Toxic Friendships and Racial Tension Bookwild Collective 2025-07-22 | This week, I talk with Christina Dotson about her voice-y thriller loosely inspired by Thelma & Louise. She shares how she created Kayla and Zorie's friendship, why she set the story in the south, and what she loves about writing "unlikeable" characters.Love You to Death SynopsisWhen two best friends' hobby of crashing weddings takes a deadly turn, they’re forced to embark on a road trip of survival in this addictive thriller.How well do we really know our friends?As the only Black women at an antebellum-themed wedding, Kayla and Zorie should’ve known this heist was doomed from the start. They should never have come, but when their financial situation became dire, they agreed to hit one last wedding.Jaded and cynical Kayla has spent the last decade trying to fix her life since an angsty teen prank led to her arrest. Now, with her housekeeping job at a subpar hotel and her disappointing, Cinderella-esque relationship with her dad and obnoxious stepsister, she hates the life she’s built. Her only bright spots are her best friend, Zorie, and their favorite weekend pastime of crashing weddings to steal the money and pawn the gifts. But what started as a lark has evolved into a greedy obsession, making each wedding haul riskier than the last.While trying to avoid the angry bride and groom, Kayla and Zorie's getaway takes a gruesome turn and suddenly the “Wedding Crash Killers” are national news. The best friends are forced to hit the road to dodge the authorities, but their escape plan leaves behind a bloody trail of destruction from Georgia all the way to the bayou. As past grudges resurface, Kayla realizes that the best friend she thought she knew is more dangerous than she could ever have realized.Sharp, unpredictable, and madcap from start to finish, Love You to Death is the most fun—and deadly—road trip you’ll ever take.#booktube #writertube #bookwild #writingprocess
Cebo Campbells Sky Full of Elephants: Exploring Black Identity in a World Without White People Bookwild Collective 2025-07-15 | This week, I got to talk with Cebo Campbell and MacKenzie Green about Cebo's speculative novel Sky Full of Elephants. We dive into his inspiration for the story, how he chose Charlie and Sidney as the characters to lead the story, and get a few details into the production of the Sky Full of Elephants movie!Sky Full of Elephants Synopsisapp.thestorygraph.com/books/be65af9f-01fd-4381-9b6d-0a14cbf0db82In this exquisite speculative novel set in a world where white people no longer exist, college professor Charlie Brunton receives a call from his estranged daughter Sidney, setting off a chain of events as they journey across a truly "post-racial" America in search of answers. One day, a cataclysmic event occurs: all of the white people in America walk into the nearest body of water. A year later, Charles Brunton is a Black man living in an entirely new world. Having served time in prison for a wrongful conviction, he's now a professor of electric and solar power systems at Howard University when he receives a call from someone he wasn't even sure existed: his daughter Sidney, a nineteen-year-old who watched her white mother and step-family drown themselves in the lake behind their house. Traumatized by the event, and terrified of the outside world, Sidney has spent a year in isolation in Wisconsin. Desperate for help, she turns to the father she never met, a man she has always resented. Sidney and Charlie meet for the first time as they embark on a journey across America headed for Alabama, where Sidney believes she may still have some family left. But neither Sidney or Charlie is prepared for this new world and how they see themselves in it. When they enter the Kingdom of Alabama, everything Charlie and Sidney thought they knew about themselves, and the world, will be turned upside down. Brimming with heart and humor, Cebo Campbell's astonishing debut novel is about the power of community and connection, about healing and self-actualization, and a reckoning with what it means to be Black in America, in both their world and ours.Follow Cebo hereinstagram.com/cebocampbellFollow MacKenzie hereinstagram.com/missusa2mbaCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion Substackimbookwild.substack.comCheck Out Author Social Media Packagesbookwildcollective.com/author-content-packagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on Patreonpatreon.com/bookwildFollow @imbookwild on Instagraminstagram.com/imbookwild#booktube #writertube #speculativefiction #bookwild
M.M. Delucas The Divorce Party: A Toxic Friend Group, A Divorce Party, and A LOT of Secrets Bookwild Collective 2025-07-08 | This week, I talk with M.M. Deluca about her new thriller The Divorce Party! We dive into why she wanted to write a thriller with some humor, how her trip to Vegas inspired the story, and the way well developed characters with complete character arcs improve thrillers.The Divorce Party SynopsisSavannah, Daisy, and Zoe haven’t spoken in almost twenty years, since the night that changed everything. But when an unexpected invitation arrives from Evie, the ruthless queen bee of their college clique, they have no choice but to reunite in Las Vegas for her lavish divorce party.Savannah, now a glamorous Vegas dancer, has spent years running from a past that refuses to stay buried. Daisy, a burned-out substitute teacher drowning in debt, is desperate for a second shot at the excitement she missed. Zoe, a respected paediatrician, has built a life of perfection. But perfection comes at a cost, and the cracks are starting to show.As the drinks flow and old resentments resurface, it becomes clear that Evie’s invitation isn’t just about celebrating her freedom. And when the weekend takes a deadly turn, the friends must confront their past to survive the present…#bookish #booktube #bookwild #writertube
ThrillerFest Recap with Sabrina Thatcher and Lori Brand Bookwild Collective 2025-07-04 | Last year, Sabrina Thatcher (aka Olivia Day Wallce) and Lori Brand shared their experiences at ThrillerFest, and this year, since I got to go for the first time, we all get back together to discuss Thrillerfest 2025!Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substackimbookwild.substack.comCheck Out Author Social Media Packagesbookwildcollective.com/author-content-packagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on Patreonpatreon.com/bookwildFollow @imbookwild on Instagraminstagram.com/imbookwild
Blue and Yellow Cover Thrillers with Gare and Steph Bookwild Collective 2025-06-28 | This week, I shared a quick ThrillerFest Recap (more to come on that front), and then Gare and Steph and I shared some of our favorite iconically blue and yellow covered thrillers!Books We Talked AboutNo Road Homegoodreads.com/book/show/199798083-no-road-home?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=GLKWSgxfaQ&rank=1Keep it in the Familygoodreads.com/book/show/60109530-keep-it-in-the-family?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_21Believe Me Nowgoodreads.com/book/show/213483406-believe-me-now?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_14When No One is Watchinggoodreads.com/book/show/49398072-when-no-one-is-watching?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_23The Pactgoodreads.com/book/show/56393543-the-pact?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=cpp6Q7Ug5n&rank=7Daughter of Minegoodreads.com/book/show/176443330-daughter-of-mine?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_16Not a Happy Familygoodreads.com/book/show/56366617-not-a-happy-family?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_18What Have You Donegoodreads.com/book/show/201102399-what-have-you-done?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_18Darling Girlsgoodreads.com/book/show/127280429-darling-girlsref=nav_sb_ss_1_13#booktube #readersofyoutube #bookwild
Kimberly G. Giarratanos Make a Killing: P.I.s in Competition and Business Conspiracies Bookwild Collective 2025-06-24 | This week, I got to talk with Kimberly G. Giarratano about her newest installation in the noir Billie Levine series, Make a Killing! We dive into what was different about writing this one, how she landed on a luxury luggage company for the story, and how capitalism has seeped into college.Make a Killing SynopsisPrivate Investigator Billie Levine should be ecstatic. She’s finally getting the cheating spouse cases she’s always wanted. Nothing to do but sit back, snap incriminating photos, and get paid. Except Jeremy Yang is competing for work with his own P.I. firm. Advertising himself as “the man to get the job done” (insert eyeroll), he keeps swooping in and stealing prospective clients. Not to be outmaneuvered, Billie has offered her services to scorned women everywhere.Their rivalry escalates when Billie and Jeremy are hired by an ultra wealthy couple on opposite sides of a corporate takeover. When the bodies start dropping, Billie and Jeremy will have to join forces if they are to come out unscathed; they can kill each other later.
Rob Harts The Medusa Protocol: Assassins In Recovery and Bad Guys Mining Memories Bookwild Collective 2025-06-24 | This week, I got to talk with Rob Hart about the second book in his Assassins Anonymous Series The Medusa Protocol. We dive into the inspiration for the title, how he crafts action without letting his main characters kill anyone, and plans for the third book in the series.The Medusa Protocol SynopsisWhen Astrid, known in her assassin days as Azrael, stopped showing up to Assassins Anonymous, the group assumed her past had caught up with her. Only her sponsor Mark, formerly the deadliest killer in the world, holds out hope that she’s okay. Then, during a meeting, the group gets a sign, or rather, a pizza delivery. Is there another psychopath out there who actually likes olives on their pizza, or is Astrid trying to send Mark a message?Meanwhile, Astrid wakes up in the cell of a black site prison, on a remote island. A doctor subjects her to mysterious experiments, plumbing the depths of her memory and looking for a vital clue from her past. She’ll do anything to escape, except…killing anyone. Hmm. Turns out it’s not easy to blow this joint without blowing anything, or anyone up.#booktube #readersofyoutube #actionthriller #bookwild
Audiobooks Steph and I Love: Fiction, Non-Fiction and Memoirs Bookwild Collective 2025-06-20 | This week, I was lucky enough to go to Chicago with Steph to see Julie Clark in conversation with Mary Kubica about her new thriller The Ghostwriter!! If you haven't seen the sprayed edges already, you need to. We had so much fun at the event, but also had the best time recording our first IRL episode! The reading gods smiled down on me and now specific fiction books work for me in audio form, so we decided to share some of our favorite audiobooks!Books We Talked AboutFinding Me by Viola DavisThis American Woman by Zarna GargCue the Sun! by Emily NussbaumGirl on Girl by Sophie GilbertThe Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan KamaliDon't Tell Me How to Die by Marshall KarpThe Good Sister Sally HepworthAllegedly Tiffany D. Jackson#audiobooks #bookstagram #bookwild #bookish
Its So Gay And I Love It with Gare and Steph Bookwild Collective 2025-06-15 | This week, Gare, Steph and I share some of our favorite LGBTQIA+ books for Pride Month! Also, don't forget you can #ReadQueerAllYear!Books We Talked AboutHarriet Tubman Live in ConcertWinging it With YouWe Are Never Meeting in Real LifeGlitter in the DarkGame ChangerOne Killer ProblemThis Violent HeartJust By Looking At HimHouse of HungerThe Snow GardenThe HoneysExtrasThese Violent DelightsHidden ScarsProvidenceThe ShardsYoung MungoThe Three Lives of Cate KayChain Gang All StarsMad HoneyNo Road Home#bookwild #bookish #booktube #lgbtqia #pridemonth
Jennifer Okos Just Emilia: Stuck in an Elevator with Three Versions of Yourself Bookwild Collective 2025-06-10 | This week, I got to talk with Jennifer Oko about her uniquely crafted novel Just Emilia. We dive into how she created the three women in the elevator as their own characters, but also all the same woman, and the inspiration for the story.Just Emilia SynopsisThe past, present, and future collide in a DC Metro elevator as three women get caught up in a gripping time-traveling tale of memory, emotion, and unspoken truths about their shared history.When Emilia Fletcher finds herself trapped inside a Washington, DC Metro elevator, getting out is the least of her problems. Sharing the confined space with her are Em, a troubled teenager plagued by suicidal thoughts, and Millie, an elderly woman yearning to mend ties with her estranged daughter. As the hours drag on, hunger, exhaustion, and panic set in, revealing an almost incomprehensible truth: they are the same person. Locked in an uncompromising match of memories, the three women excavate and attempt to reckon with the shared shame and suffering stemming from an unresolved trauma that has cast a profound shadow over their lives. Brimming with biting humor, compassion, and quick-witted insight, JUST EMILIA is remarkable journey of self-discovery.#booktube #writertube #speculativefiction
“Let the Story Unfold” featuring Karen Dukess Bookwild Collective 2025-06-10 | In this episode of Impostor Hour, hosts Liz and Greg sit down with acclaimed author Karen Dukess for a rich, honest conversation about creativity, confidence, and the winding path of a writer’s life.Karen reflects on the success of her debut novel, The Last Book Party—a critically praised coming-of-age story steeped in literary nostalgia—and how that experience shaped both her confidence and her expectations moving forward.They dive into her newest novel, Welcome to Murder Week, a sharp, atmospheric mystery inspired by the haunting beauty of the English countryside. Along the way, Karen opens up about grappling with imposter syndrome, the emotional aftermath of rejection, and the challenges of writing her ambitious novel set in Russia.She discusses the process of unlearning habits from her journalism background in order to embrace the fluidity of fiction, and how she’s found joy in balancing the “highbrow” with the purely entertaining.This candid, insightful episode explores what it means to keep growing as a writer—even after success—and how to stay grounded in your voice when self-doubt creeps in.#booktube #writertube #bookwild #bookish
Gares Montreal Mystery Festival Recap and Our Mid-Year Favorite Reads with Gare and Steph Bookwild Collective 2025-06-06 | This week, Steph and I ask all about Gare's experience as a moderator at the Montreal Mystery Festival, and we all share some of our favorite reads halfway through 2025!Don’t Tell Me How to Diegoodreads.com/book/show/215177041-don-t-tell-me-how-to-die?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=14DAOZpQSC&rank=1This Book Will Bury Megoodreads.com/book/show/213570821-this-book-will-bury-me?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_22The Paper Palacegoodreads.com/book/show/55994372-the-paper-palace?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_16Julie Chan is Deadgoodreads.com/book/show/220195725-julie-chan-is-dead?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_18Keep it in the Familygoodreads.com/book/show/60109530-keep-it-in-the-family?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_21The Devil and Mrs. Davenportgoodreads.com/book/show/162505604-the-devil-and-mrs-davenport?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_17The Manor of Dreamsgoodreads.com/book/show/214152076-the-manor-of-dreams?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_19Night Watchergoodreads.com/book/show/221179063-night-watcher?ref=nav_sb_ss_5_13The Secret Lives of Church Ladiesgoodreads.com/book/show/51582376-the-secret-lives-of-church-ladies?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_33#booktube #readersofyoutube #bookwild
Allison Buccolas The Ascent: Cults, Murder and Postpartum Depression Bookwild Collective 2025-06-03 | This week, I got to talk with Allison Bucola about her new thriller The Ascent. We dive into her cult research, the long term damage of growing up in a cult, and how Ophelia's postpartum mental health contributed to the story.The Ascent SynopsisTwenty years ago, the members of a reclusive commune outside Philadelphia vanished without a trace. The mystery of their disappearance has never been solved. No sightings of the members were ever verified, and no bodies ever found. But the group did leave one thing behind: a twelve-year-old girl wandering alone on the side of the road in search of her lost family.In the years since that morning, Lee Burton has tried to put the pain of her past behind her. She has built a new identity for herself, with a doting husband and seven-month-old daughter, Lucy. No one in her life now knows about her connection to “the cult that went missing,” not even her husband. But new motherhood is proving a bigger challenge than she anticipated. She doesn't want to let Lucy out of her sight even for a moment. She can't return to work. She's not sleeping, and she's starting to have paranoid thoughts of Lucy being harmed.Then a stranger shows up on her doorstep, offering to finally answer all of Lee’s questions about her past—if she could only trust that the woman is who she says she is. As she digs deeper into the woman's history, the safe, stable life that Lee has constructed for herself threatens to shatter. In The Ascent, Allison Buccola has crafted a nerve-rattling thriller about motherhood, identity, and the truths we think we know about our families.Check out author social media packages:bookwildcollective.com/author-content-packagesCheck out the Bookwild Patreon:patreon.com/bookwild#booktube #writertube #bookwild #writingprocess
Kristen L. Berrys We Dont Talk About Carol: 6 Missing Black Girls & Intergenerational Family Drama Bookwild Collective 2025-06-03 | This week, I got to talk with Kristen L. Berry about her debut mystery thriller We Don't Talk About Carol! We dive into Kristen's writing process, the inspiration for the story, and how one person can still make little differences against systemic oppressors.We Don't Talk About Carol SynopsisA dedicated journalist unearths a generations-old family secret—and a connection to a string of missing girls that hits way too close to home—in this gripping debut novel.In the wake of her grandmother's passing, Sydney Singleton finds a hidden photograph of a little girl who looks more like Sydney than her own sister, or mother. She soon discovers the mystery girl in the photograph is her aunt, Carol, who was one of six local North Carolina Black girls to go missing in the 1960s. For the last several decades, not a soul has talked about Carol or what really happened to her. With her grandmother gone and Sydney looking to start a family of her own, she is determined to unravel the truth behind her long-lost aunt and the sinister silence surrounding her.Unfortunately, this is familiar territory for Sydney. Several years prior, working the crime beat as a journalist on the case of another missing girl, her obsession eventually led to a psychotic break. And now, in the suffocating grip of fertility treatments and a marriage that's beginning to crumble, Sydney’s relentless pursuit might just lead her down the same path of destruction. As she delves deeper into Carol's fate, her own troubled past resurfaces, clawing its way to the surface with a vengeance. The web of secrets and lies entangling her family leaves Sydney questioning everything—her fixation on the missing girls, her future as a mom, and everyone she’s come to trust.Delving into family, community, secrets, and motherhood, We Don’t Talk About Carol is a gripping and deeply emotional story about overcoming the rotten roots of your family tree—and what we’ll do for those we love.#booktube #writertube #thrillerbooks #bookwild Check out author social media packages:bookwildcollective.com/author-content-packagesCheck out the Bookwild Patreon:patreon.com/bookwild
“Keeping Track of the Lies” featuring Kaira Rouda Bookwild Collective 2025-06-03 | In this episode of Impostor Hour, hosts Liz and Greg sit down with bestselling author Kaira Rouda for a candid and compelling conversation about the intersections of ambition, storytelling, and self-discovery. Kaira shares her unique path from the business world to bestselling fiction, unpacking the recurring themes of perfection, deception, and female empowerment that define her work. Together, they explore the craft of writing, the emotional truth behind character development, and the importance of authenticity in both life and literature.We do a deep dive into Kaira’s newest novel, Jill Is Not Happy, a sharp and timely exploration of marriage, image, and the stories we tell ourselves. Along the way, Kaira opens up about genre experimentation, navigating the shifting tides of publishing, and the sustaining power of the creative community—especially during the isolating days of the pandemic. With warmth and insight, she encourages writers to lean into their voices, embrace imperfection, and write through the dark to reach the light.#impostersyndrome #writingprocess #writertube #booktube #bookwild
Problematic Artists, Body Image Wars & The Intersection of Creativity & Commerce with Halley Sutton Bookwild Collective 2025-05-30 | This week, Halley Sutton and I catch up on everything we've been reading and watching, including The Studio and how it examines the intersection of creativity and commerce. We also get into the messy subject of what to do with the art of problematic artists, and the pernicious linguistics and attitudes about women's body image. It's a little bit of everything this week!Halley's Substackhalleysutton.substack.comThe White Lotus Podcastpodcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-white-lotus-official-podcast/id1789416962Author Social Media Packagesbookwildcollective.com/author-content-packagesBookwild Patreonpatreon.com/bookwild#bookwild #booktube #thestudio #tv
Tori Eldridges Kauai Storm: Family Drama and a Missing Persons Case Bookwild Collective 2025-05-27 | This week, I got to talk with Tori Eldridge about her newest novel Kaua'i Storm. Tori shares the inspiration for the book, how her settings matter so much to her, and how this book had her personally invested in nailing the culture.Kaua'i Storm SynopsisReturning to Kaua‘i, park ranger Makalani finds her family divided and their way of life at risk in this rich and emotional adventure by the bestselling author of the Lily Wong series.After ten years as a national park ranger in Oregon, Makalani Pahukula is back on Kaua‘i for her grandmother’s birthday. Having been gone for so long, Makalani finds the disconnect with her people and her struggles have never been more profound. Neither has her need to reacquaint herself with everything she left behind. When she reaches the homestead, she finds a bickering family and the disconcerting news that her cousins—a failed college football player and a rebellious teenage girl—have gone missing.Makalani hopes they just ran off, too careless to realize the worry they’ve caused. But when hunters find a dead body in the Keālia Forest Reserve, Makalani fears something ominous is at play, and the search for her cousins grows more desperate. Although her help may not be welcomed by family and locals, Makalani is determined to solve a mystery that poses a greater risk than anyone imagines.The investigation will open her heart, reawaken her love for the land she calls home, and strengthen her bond with her family. Because no matter how long she’s been away, for Makalani, Hawai‘i is in her blood.#booktube #bookwild #thrillerlovers #writertube
“The Intimacy of Books” featuring Debbie Babitt Bookwild Collective 2025-05-26 | This week on Impostor Hour, hosts Liz Keenan and Greg Wands sit down with novelist Debbie Babbitt to explore her compelling journey from stage to page. A former actress and playwright, Babbitt brings a unique perspective to the world of thrillers, weaving her theatrical background into richly drawn characters and suspenseful plots.They discuss the emotional architecture of character development and how Hitchcock’s signature storytelling style helped shape her voice as a writer. Babbitt shares how backstory can make or break a thriller, and reflects on the tightrope walk between writing and self-promotion in today’s publishing world.Throughout the conversation, she opens up about navigating the challenges of imposter syndrome, coping with criticism, and finding strength in vulnerability. The episode also touches on the lasting impact of classic literature, the intricacies of narrative structure, and the way setting can function as a character in its own right.Whether you're a writer, artist, or lover of story, this episode offers candid insights into the creative process—and a reminder that community and emotional honesty are essential to every great work.#writertube #impostersyndrome #writersofyoutube #bookwild
Bad Things Happening in Cul-De-Sacs with Brian Watson Bookwild Collective 2025-05-23 | This week, I chat with Brian Watson @readingwithbrian about how long we've both been reading, thrillers that stood out as ones that created our love for thrillers, and some of our favorite domestic suspense thrillers!Regrets Only by Kieran ScottThe Push by Ashley AudrainYou Deserve to Know by Aggie Blum ThompsonThe Woman Inside by E.G. ScottA.R. TorreMadwoman by Chelsea BiekerI'll Be You by Janelle BrownLocal Woman Missing by Mary Kubica#booktube #bookwild #readersofyoutube #thrillerbooks
Rabbit Holes with Allison Buccola Bookwild Collective 2025-05-20 | In this episode of Imposter Hour, hosts Liz Keenan and Greg Wands welcome Alison Buccola to talk about her gripping new novel The Ascent. Together, they unpack themes of imposter syndrome, motherhood, and the psychological tension of characters caught between truth and memory.Alison opens up about her writing journey, the research behind the cult at the center of her novel, and how personal experience and societal pressures shape the way she writes women. They also dig into the mental load of being creative while parenting, and how gender bias and self-doubt can sabotage the writing process before you even open the document.She shares what it’s like to promote a book while quietly panicking, how community sustains her through it all, and what’s next — including her upcoming novel about three sisters and the complexities of memory, identity, and perception.#impostersyndrome #writingprocess #writertube
Jaime Lynn Hendricks Their Double Lives: What Would You Do to Save Your Dog? Bookwild Collective 2025-05-20 | This week, the iconic Jaime Lynn Hendricks is back for the fifth time to chat about her newest page turner Their Double Lives! Gare and I ask all our burning questions, and we discuss Gare's dog Murphy's debut in a book!Their Double Lives SynopsisA down-on-her-luck waitress at a posh New Jersey country club, Kim Valva couldn’t be living a more different life from the carefree socialites she serves. Her live-in boyfriend recently cheated on her, her social life is in shambles, and her dog needs a life-saving surgery that she can’t afford. Then her luck seems to change when a mysterious figure identifying themself only as The Stranger contacts her with an offer she can’t refuse: Put a pill in the new member’s drink and, when he dies, she’ll have enough money to fix her dog and her life.Her target turns out to be Tony Fiore—Kim’s bad boy ex-boyfriend from high school. Fifteen years have passed, and he now goes by Anthony Fuller. He’s cleaned up, made tens of millions, and his gorgeous fiancée, twenty-two-year-old PJ Walsh, is on his arm.PJ had her own agenda from the second she met Anthony. Find him, trick him, marry him, kill him. It was supposed to be easy, but she finds that while living her double life, the lines blur between who she is and who she’s pretending to be.Stunned to see Tony again, Kim can’t bring herself to go through with spiking his drink. Instead, it is PJ who dies horrifically at the table just as dinner ends. Was someone else at the club—member or worker—tasked with poisoning PJ just as she had been instructed to do to Tony? Who would want both of them dead? With no one to trust and The Stranger to answer to, Kim must peel back the layers of deceit to reveal a deeply buried truth, more shocking than she could ever imagine…#booktube #bookwild #readersofyoutube #thrillerbooks
Summer Thriller Releases We Are Excited for with Gare and Steph Bookwild Collective 2025-05-16 | This week, Gare, Steph and I are talking about the 2025 Summer thriller releases we are excited to read!Merch:bookwildcollective.com/bookwild-merchThrillerFest GoFundMe:gofundme.com/f/send-bookwild-to-thrillerfest-for-thrillerfest-contentBooks We Talked AboutLove You to Death by Christina DotsonNight Watcher by Daphne WoolsoncroftThe Laughing Dead by Jess LoureyJust Emilia by Jennifer OkoOne Dark Night by Hannah RichellThe Ghostwriter by Julie ClarkDoll Parts by Penny ZangForget Me Not by Stacy WillinghamOur Secrets Were Safe by Virginia TrenchEcstacy by Ivy PochodaWe Are All Guilty Here by Karin SlaughterHigh Season by Katie BishopHer Many Faces by Nicci ClokeGuess Again Charlie DonleaKing of Ashes by S.A. Cosby#bookstagram #booktube #bookish #thrillerbooks #bookwild
Going Bookwild at ThrillerFest 2025! Bookwild Collective 2025-05-16 | Hey! I'm Kate, but you probably know me as Bookwild on Bookstagram . I've been creating content with thriller authors since I started my podcast Between the Lines back in 2021, which morphed into the Bookwild podcast this year. I've always wanted to go to ThrillerFest!I'm launching this GoFundMe to fund the cost of admission and lodging. I will be posting daily content that would include short, bite-sized interviews with authors, snippets of the speakers, as well as recaps on my YouTube channel. I would love if you would consider helping fund this trip and enjoying all the ThrillerFest content I come up with!GoFund Me Link:gofundme.com/f/send-bookwild-to-thrillerfest-for-thrillerfest-content#thrillerfest #thrillerlovers #thrillerbooks #bookwild #booktube
Judy Hustons Spy Notes: The Music Business as the Perfect Cover for a Spy Bookwild Collective 2025-05-13 | This week, I talk with Judy Hutson about her new spy thriller Spy Notes! We dive into the inspiration for the story, how her job as a publicist in the music industry informed the book, and how she chose the places for Johnny to travel to!Spy Notes SynopsisMusic, Mayhem, and Missions...When music publicist Johnny Harrington isn't managing her superstar client Naive, she's enjoying Christmas on her family's idyllic island home in Barbados. But this year's holiday harmony is shattered when an undercover detective turns up dead, and Johnny's new romance with charming businessman Henley becomes entangled in a web of suspicion.Using her backstage pass to Europe's most exclusive social circles through Naive's tour, Johnny becomes an unlikely spy in designer heels. As she juggles a volatile artist with her secret mission, she uncovers a deadly network of drug trafficking that hits dangerously close to home. In a world where every VIP party could be a cover and every intimate encounter could be a setup, Johnny must figure out who's playing her before she becomes the next victim.From private island paradises to high-stakes concert venues, this glamorous thriller proves that in both the music business and espionage, the most dangerous notes are the ones you don't see coming.#spythriller #fiction #booktube #readersofyoutube #writersofyoutube
“The Page Will Save Me” featuring Raul Palma Bookwild Collective 2025-05-13 | In this episode of Imposter Hour, Liz and Greg sit down with Raúl Palma, Cuban-American author of the haunting and brilliant debut novel A Haunting in Hialeah Gardens. Together, they explore how Palma’s background in writing and academia intersects with imposter syndrome and how debt — both financial and emotional — becomes a kind of haunting in his work.Raúl talks about his protagonist, a spiritual healer who doesn’t believe in ghosts, and how that contradiction mirrors the emotional weight many of us carry. From the mechanics of capitalism to the invisible toll of poverty, this conversation dives deep into the intersections of identity, creativity, and survival.They also dig into how writing can be a form of self-care, especially when confronting the emotional landscape shaped by capitalism. Raúl shares how cultural identity informs his fiction, the role of support systems in sustaining a writing life, and what it means to feel “unauthorized” to tell your own story — and to write anyway.#impostersyndrome #writertube #writersofyoutube
Five Fave Authors and Books with Gare and Steph Bookwild Collective 2025-05-09 | This week, Gare, Steph and I talk about five of our favorite authors and our favorite book of theirs!Books We Talked AboutThe Last HousewifeBright Young WomenPlay NiceThe Woman InsideJar of HeartsThe Family Next DoorThe Night She DisappearedDark HighwayThe Quarry GirlsThey Never LearnThe TrapThe Children on the Hill#bookstagram #bookish @bookwild #booktube
I don’t know when I’ll stop thinking about Sinners #sinnersmovie #moviereviews #ryancoogler Bookwild Collective 2025-05-07 | ...
