Tavia Kowalchuk

Bianca Flores

Episode 9: Season 2 Wrap-Up

It’s the final episode of the season, and co-hosts Bianca and Tavia spend time reliving some of the most memorable moments from the eight prior shows of the Book Club Girl Podcast. They share their summer TBR lists, dish on their favorite episodes, and revisit some of the funniest and nerdiest moments. Tune in for replays, outtakes, and bloopers from Lucy Foley, Sally Thorne, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Jenny Colgan, and Peng Shepherd. Tavia and Bianca also pull together some never-before-heard clips from their discussion with Kelly and Anita from the Decorating Tips and Tricks podcast, and Tavia emotes about the best beach chair ever invented. And finally, the co-hosts reveal their literary affinity characters (hint: Tavia did not pick Laura Ingalls Wilder nor Claire Fraser). Lastly, don’t forget to register to join the free, virtual wrap-up party, June 8th at 8pm, starring six new authors!

Episode 8: Love in Color by Bolu Babalola

Worth the wait: our final guest in season two of the Book Club Girl Podcast is Bolu Babalola, author of Love in Color, a collection of short stories reimagining myths and folk tales from all cultures. Straight off, Tavia is boggled by Bolu’s bottomless faith in the power of love–you better believe that she was agape when Bolu spoke about love as the antidote to the darkness of the world. Bolu hops from story to story, talking about her female characters who don’t need the love that comes into their lives since they are already the main characters in their own lives. What’s not to love about this? We chat about how these stories genre-hop, from historical fiction to suspense to romance, and Bolu brings back “himbo.” Her new novel, Honey and Spice, goes on sale this summer, and we include an early exclusive excerpt from its audiobook just for our listeners

Episode 7: Island Queen by Vanessa Riley

After episode seven of season two of the Book Club Girl Podcast, there are just two shows left until we go on summer hiatus. You know what that means: it’s time to register for our virtual season two wrap party! Get all the info you need on how to join this free online event, happening June 8 at 8pm ET. Co-hosts Bianca and Tavia discuss Island Queen by Vanessa Riley on this week’s show, and there is so much to say about this historical novel based on the real life story of Dolly Kirwan, born an enslaved person who later purchased her own freedom and went on to become one of the richest people in all of the West Indies. We marvel over Dolly herself, the symbolism of the clothes and hats worn at the time, the political cartoon that inspired the book, and Vanessa’s cosplay moment. The discussion ranges from more lighthearted musings about Dolly’s love life and ten children, to the problematic reality of a formerly enslaved woman going on to own slaves herself. This is a wide-ranging and fascinating episode, so tune in!

Episode 6: Like Lovers Do by Tracey Livesay

We hope your smile is warmed up before you listen to the Book Club Girl Podcast season two, episode six, because co-hosts Tavia and Bianca laughed so much with their author guest Tracey Livesay about her romance novel Like Lovers Do. A steamy roomates-to-lovers romance set on Martha’s Vineyard, Tracey weaves in issues of racism, sexism, and taking chances into this dramatic story. Tavia and Tracey could have talked all day about the virtues of girls’ trips, but eventually the conversation does move on to more serious topics like the representation of interracial couples in romance, the horrors of sending a sexy text to the wrong person, and the experience of being a high-achieving Black woman. Tracey gives listeners a preview of her forthcoming novel, American Royalty, about a prince who wants to live his life out of the spotlight, but falls for a daring American rapper (hmm, sound somewhat familiar?). Don’t forget about our promo code BOOKCLUBGIRL which gets you 25% off plus free shipping on any book discussed on season one or season 2 of this podcast (only valid at hc.com).

Episode 5: The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan

Our fifth episode in season two of the Book Club Girl Podcast is a book lover’s extravaganza! Not only is the book we discuss a book about books (Bianca’s favorite genre), but we also interview two interior decorating experts on how to create the perfect book nook in your own home. The Bookshop on the Corner by New York Times bestselling author Jenny Colgan takes the reader on Nina’s journey of self-discovery as she loses her job in her English city library and decides to chuck it all and move to the Scottish Highlands to open a bookmobile. The book starts out with the immediately charming author’s message to readers about all the lovely places to read. Co-hosts Tavia and Bianca confess their mutual obsession with Scottish Highlanders of the male persuasion, and Jenny explains what it’s like to be a Scottish author who writes about the sunny side of life there. We discuss bravery, choices, and favorite places to buy books (Daunt Books in London, Tills in Edinburgh, and the Wigtown book shop town in Scotland). Here are gratuitous links to the real Scotland book van, and a barge bookshop that moors around London. Lastly, meet Kelly and Anita, hosts of the Decorating Tricks and Tips Podcast as they guide us on the nuances of decorating with books.

Episode 4: When Stars Collide by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

The Book Club Girl Podcast has had New York Times bestselling author Susan Elizabeth Phillips on our guest wish list since, well, the podcast launched in 2019, so you can imagine our delight when we ironed out a time to discuss her latest book When Stars Collide on episode for our season two of the show. Susan sets up the story: the second-string quarterback of the Chicago Stars and an international opera dive get thrown together on a luxury watch press tour; hijinks and seduction ensue! It’s set in Chicago, so Tavia and Bianca mention a few of their other fave reads set in the Windy City. Mother’s Day is approaching which inspired a bit of a chat about their reading role models–their moms! Tavia is beside herself with delight at returning to Susan’s Chicago Stars series, and Susan converts the co-hosts to her philosophy on when to participate in anything athletic. There’s some talk about opera, but thankfully no singing; and Susan convincingly insists she doesn’t write gratuitous sex scenes. In a first on the Book Club Girl Podcast, Susan tries to turn the tables and ask the co-hosts the questions, but only after she admits she is writing another Chicago Stars romance novel.

Episode 3: The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

Here on the Book Club Girl Podcast, we love a book-to-film situation, and a BookTok sensation, so naturally The Hating Game by Sally Thorne pushed all our buttons! The Hating Game is a book publishing rom com, and as the title implies, it’s about two colleagues who deliberately antagonize each other out of sheer animosity… or is it to deflect all the sexual tension? In episode three of season two of the Book Club Girl Podcast, Tavia and Bianca get into it with Sally, discussing friendship in the workplace, the importance of interior decorating in a novel, Sally’s favorite romance trope, and explore food poisoning as an opportunity for flirtation. Of course we get Sally to give us her candid review of The Hating Game film, and hear all about her next book Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match. Sally tells us about Blackthorne Manor, a dollhouse which is her pandemic passion and inspiration for Angelika Frankestein. No verbal description can do this dollhouse justice – you simply must visit its dedicated Instagram feed.

Episode 2: The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd

Book lovers, have we got an episode for you! Imagine yourself in a library – can you conjure up that library book smell? On the second episode of season two of the Book Club Girl Podcast we talk with bestselling author Peng Shepherd about her new novel The Cartographers, set largely inside the New York Public Library’s main branch on Fifth Avenue. In Peng’s supernatural novel, Nell must find out why a regular old gas station map is so valuable that someone would kill over it, and she uncovers a trove of family secrets that upend her understanding of the past. Bianca and Tavia have fun reminiscing about their favorite books about libraries, and everyone agrees maps are fascinating, especially those in the archival collection of the NYPL. Bianca takes us back to a time before mobile phones and their GPS apps were ubiquitous, and Peng reveals the jaw dropping true story behind the The Cartographers. Our conversation with Peng ranges from parents with secrets to adventures with friends, and we get the skinny on Nell, the headstrong and intelligent protagonist. Saving the best for last, Peng describes her personal map collection.

Episode 1: The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley

Welcome back to the Book Club Girl Podcast! We start season two off with a bang, interviewing the famous author Lucy Foley about her instant #1 New York Times bestseller The Paris Apartment. We also introduce Bianca Flores, Tavia’s new co-host, so tune in to get to know Bianca, and hear all about Lucy’s creepy stay in a Parisian apartment – the inspiration for her latest thriller. The Paris Apartment is about a young Englishwoman who shows up in Paris to visit her brother only to discover he is missing, and the other residents in his building are quite circumspect and unwelcoming. Tavia and Bianca discuss with Lucy the reversal of the missing girl trope in the thriller genre, and get an excellent blind item from the author about her weird neighbors. Also in this week’s episode: Lucy breaks down how she refreshes the upstairs/downstairs dynamic in The Paris Apartment, while Tavia admits to her mobile phone addiction. If you’ve already read The Paris Apartment and can’t wait for more from Lucy Foley, never fear! Lucy dishes about her contribution to Marple, a new anthology of stories written in tribute to Agatha Christie’s iconic amateur sleuth, Miss Marple, out September 2022.

Tavia Kowalchuk is a bibliophile and is obsessed with bookcases. She makes ice cream from scratch, enthusiastically imbibes red wine, and cites The Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson as the book that made her a lifelong reader. Tavia posts her favorite books and behind-the-scenes pics from recording days @taviareads on Instagram—follow her!

Bianca Flores is a lover of books, dogs, and beaches. Originally from Oahu and now living in California, she dives at any opportunity to go for a swim in the sea and rest on the shore with a new novel. You can follow her on Instagram at @flowsbianca to check out photos of her puppy and scenic views from her travels.