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Kelly joins me for August's Real Time Reading episode where we discuss our current, past, and upcoming reads.
Kelly's Selections:
Last:
Hollow Bones by Jodi Piccoult
The Amateur by Chris Bohjalian
Now:
Minbak by Ela Lee
Breathing Under Water by Jaqueline Friedland
Next:
Fallow by Sarah Anderson
The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman by Deesha Philyaw
DNFs:
Land by Maggie O’Farrell (again)
It’s Not What You Think by Clare Mackintosh
The Things You’ll Never Know by Ashley Audrain
Book Mail highlights:
Serious Music by Percival Everett
Behind Every Face by Charlie Donlea
Cindy's Selections:
Special shoutouts:
Some People by Parini Shroff
Two Lives by Alexis Schaitkin
Bad Words by Riognach Robinson
Last:
Proof of Progress by Elizabeth Castellano
Miss Archer by Jordan Harrison
Now:
Briefly, Forever by Sarah Gray
The Camino by Anya Niewierra
Next:
Fallow by Sarah Anderson
The Minute Givers by Christine Smonk
Didn’t Work/DNFs:
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
The Dog Stars by Peter Heller
Sunrise by Tea Obreht
Little Wonder by Sophie Chen Keller
The Traveling House by Kristin Cashore
Book Mail highlights:
Just in Time by Emily Wibberly and Austin Siegemund-Broka
Revenge Plot by Stephanie Wrobel
Connect with Kelly Hooker on Instagram.
Looking for some great summer reads? Check out my printable 18-page Summer Reading Guide here for a tip of your choice or for a set price here via credit card with over 45 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this summer - a number of books you will not see on other guides. So many fabulous books are coming out in 2026, and you can learn about a bunch of them in my guide.
Thanks so much to those of you who have donated to the show. Donate to the podcast here or on Venmo.
Want to know which new titles are publishing in June - October of 2026? Check out our sixth Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead, and we color-code by genre in this one!
Sign up for my literary salon in Virginia.
Looking for something new to read? Here is my monthly Buzz Reads column with five new recommendations each month.
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