Episodes

  • Against the Boards by Cynthia Gunderson
    Oct 11 2023

    Welcome back to episode 33 of the BookTok Book Club Podcast.

    Today we are talking about Cindy’s latest book, Against the Boards.

    We always love getting to hear about the books from the person who imagined them and hearing a little bit about the behind the scenes of the writing process. Against the Boards is a slow-burn, fake dating, low spice hockey romance. 

    It is about a woman named Emma who finds a driver's license belonging to Tyler Bowen, a hockey player on her brother's team. Emma's brother is overprotective and has warned her to stay away from Tyler, but Emma is tired of being controlled and convinces Tyler to mess with Sean and pretend they're in a relationship for just one night. Little does she know that Tyler has a surprise in his playbook. He needs Emma's assistance to face a formidable opponent: his father, the ultimate player of hearts.

    It was supposed to be all fun and games, but when the photography studio Emma works for is sold unexpectedly and Tyler's dad offers her a job, she realizes she may have glided too far into enemy territory.

     The Book was released last September 19th and is available on Amazon.  

     Join us again next week and be sure to check out our previous episodes. 

     Connect with them on Tiktok: @cindygwrites and @aekingauthor

     

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    16 mins
  • Red Rising by Pierce Brown with Allison Eisner
    Oct 4 2023

    Welcome back to episode 32 of the BookTok Book Club Podcast.

    Today we are talking about  Red Rising by Pierce Brown with Allison Eisner @allisonsaplusreads

    We loved getting to know Allison and learning a little bit more about how she fell in love with books. When she was a child, she disliked reading and viewed it as a tedious chore. However, her perspective changed when she began reading the Warriors cat book series.

    And of course, we always get excited about new books. Join us today as we discuss Red Rising by Pierce Brown. Red Rising is a 2014 dystopian science fiction novel, and the first book and eponym of a series. The novel, set in the future on Mars, follows lowborn miner Darrow as he infiltrates the ranks of the elite Golds.

    Join us again next week and be sure to check out our previous episodes.

    Connect with us on Tiktok @cindygwrites, @cynthiagwrites and @aekingauthor

     

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    38 mins
  • Those Left Behind by N.C. Scrimgeour with Neil Williams
    Sep 27 2023

    Welcome back to episode 31 of the BookTok Book Club Podcast.

    Today we are talking about Those Left Behind by N.C. Scrimgeour with Neil Williams @NeilTheBookGuy

    We loved getting to know Neil and learning a little bit more about how he fell in love with books. Neil has been reading his entire life, thanks to his mom who was a kindergarten teacher who loved reading herself. The book that really inspired him to dive into the fantasy genre was Redwall by Brian Jacques. Ever since then, he hasn't been able to stop.

    And of course, we always get excited about new books. Join us today as we discuss Those Left Behind by N.C. Scrimgeour . Those Left Behind is an epic, galaxy-spanning space opera full of exploration, adventure, and ancient alien mysteries. Fans of Mass Effect, The Expanse and Star Wars will love this character-driven science fiction novel—the first installment in the Waystations Trilogy.

    Join us again next week and be sure to check out our previous episodes.

    Connect with us on Tiktok @cindygwrites, @cynthiagwrites and @aekingauthor

     

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    28 mins
  • AE King and Cindy Gunderson's Summer Reads
    Sep 20 2023

    Welcome back to episode 30 of the BookTok Book Club Podcast.

    Join Cindy and Amy today as they discuss the books they read this summer. 

    • The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E Schwab - The story follows a young French woman in 1714 who makes a bargain with the Dark that makes her immortal, but curses her to be forgotten by everyone she meets.

    • Gallant by V.E Schwab - A darkly magical and thrilling tale of a young woman caught between the world and its shadows, who must embrace her legacy to stop the approaching darkness.

    • A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E Schwab - When a dangerous artifact from a forbidden realm falls into Kell's possession, he and a thief named Lila Bard become entangled in a perilous adventure.

    • Upgrade by Blake Crouch - After a botched raid, GPA agent Logan Ramsay discovers he's been infected by an unknown virus. A virus that slowly changes his DNA, upgrading his mental and physical prowess and turning him into the kind of anomaly the GPA hunts down.

    • Red Rising Series by Pierce Brown - set in the future on Mars, Red Rising follows lowborn miner Darrow as he infiltrates the ranks of the elite Golds.

    • Devil in the White City by Erik Larson - a historical non-fiction book that intertwines the true tale of the 1893 World's Fair and the cunning serial killer who used the fair to lure his victims to their death.

    • House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune - an enchanting fantasy romance novel. It  follows a case worker for magical children forced to choose between saving the world or dividing a family when he is sent to a mysterious residence housing half a dozen unique youths.

    • The Italian Teacher by Tom Rachman - It tells the story of Pinch, a man whose whole life is overshadowed by his father, the great 20th-century artist Bear Bavinsky.

    Join us again next week and be sure to check out our previous episodes.

     Connect with us on Tiktok @cindygwrites, @cynthiagwrites and @aekingauthor

     

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    23 mins
  • The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E Schwab with Kristen and Maddie
    Sep 13 2023

    Welcome back to episode 29 of the BookTok Book Club Podcast.

    Today we are talking about The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E Schwab with Kristen and Maddie @kris.and.mads 

    We loved getting to know sisters Kristen and Maddie and learning a little bit more about how they fell in love with books. They have 4 other siblings and they are all avid readers! 

    And of course, we always get excited about new books. Join us today as we discuss The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E Schwab. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is a fantasy novel. The story follows a young French woman in 1714 who makes a bargain with the Dark that makes her immortal, but curses her to be forgotten by everyone she meets.

    Join us again next week and be sure to check out our previous episodes.

    Connect with us on Tiktok @cindygwrites, @cynthiagwrites and @aekingauthor

     

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    41 mins
  • Catching Up on AE King and Cindy Gunderson's Latest Reads
    Sep 6 2023

    Welcome back to episode 28 of the BookTok Book Club Podcast.

     Join Cindy and Amy today as they discuss the books that they are currently reading. 

    • The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson - Author Erik Larson imbues the incredible events surrounding the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. Larson tells the stories of two men: Daniel H. Burnham, the architect responsible for the fair's construction, and H.H. Holmes, a serial killer masquerading as a charming doctor.

    • Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen - Skin of the Sea is a 2021 young adult fantasy novel by Nigerian Welsh writer Natasha Bowen. Bowen's debut novel follows Simi, a mami wata who travels across sea and land in search of the Supreme Creator after breaking a law that threatens the existence of all mami wata

    • Unravel Me by Tahereh Maf - A heart wrenching novel about Shadi, a Muslim teen struggling to forge a blurry identity, fall in love, and find hope in the wake of 9/11.

    • The Italian Teacher by Tom Rachman - A grand and moving family drama set against the pretention, prestige and pomp of the international art world.

    • The Stolen Heir: A novel of Elfhame by Holly Black - A runaway queen. A reluctant prince. And a quest that may destroy them both. Eight years have passed since the Battle of the Serpent. But in the icy north, Lady Nore of the Court of Teeth has reclaimed the Ice Needle Citadel. There, she is using an ancient relic to create monsters of stick and snow who will do her bidding and exact her revenge.

    • Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert - A laugh-out-loud story about a quirky content creator and a clean-cut athlete testing their abilities to survive the great outdoors—and each other.

    • Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez - A novel of terrible first impressions, hilarious second chances, and the joy in finding your perfect match.

    • The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune - A magical island. A dangerous task. A burning secret. Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages.

    Join us again next week and be sure to check out our previous episodes.

    Connect with us on Tiktok @cindygwrites, @cynthiagwrites and @aekingauthor

     

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    30 mins
  • If You Still Recognise Me by Cynthia So with Avery
    Aug 30 2023

    Welcome back to episode 27 of the BookTok Book Club Podcast.

    Today we are talking about If You Still Recognise Me by Cynthia So with Avery @readbyfin 

    We loved getting to know Avery and learning a little bit more about how she fell in love with books. She always loved to read books as a child. But her love for reading blossomed even more during the pandemic when she had more free time and was able to connect with other book lovers.

    And of course, we always get excited about new books. Join us today as we discuss If You Still Recognise Me by Cynthia So. If you loved Heartstopper and need more feel-good LGBTQ+ romance - If You Still Recognise Me is the one for you!

    Elsie has a crush on Ada, the only person in the world who truly understands her. Unfortunately, they've never met in real life and Ada lives an ocean away. But Elsie has decided it's now or never to tell Ada how she feels. That is until her long-lost best friend Joan walks back into her life.

    In a summer of repairing broken connections and building surprising new ones, Elsie realizes that she isn't nearly as alone as she thought. But now she has a choice to make...

    Join us again next week and be sure to check out our previous episodes.

    Connect with us on Tiktok @cindygwrites, @cynthiagwrites and @aekingauthor

     

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    22 mins
  • Legendborn by Tracy Deonn with Mikah
    Aug 23 2023

    Welcome back to episode 26 of the BookTok Book Club Podcast.

    Today we are talking about Legendborn by Tracy Deonn with Mikah @mikah_mia_reads 

    We loved getting to know Mikah and learning a little bit more about how she fell in love with books. She fell in love with books as a child, but her passion for reading waned in middle school as she got busy with school. However, her love for books was rekindled when she had her daughter and experienced postpartum anxiety. She turned to books for comfort and escape from the challenges of motherhood.

    And of course, we always get excited about new books. Join us today as we discuss Legendborn. Legendborn is a 2020 debut young adult fantasy novel by Tracy Deonn. Called "a modern day twist on Arthurian legend", it follows Bree Matthews, a 16-year-old girl who lost her mother in a car accident. She is sent to a residential program for bright high schoolers at UNC–Chapel Hill. On her first night on campus, she witnesses a magical attack. She learns that there is a secret society of students called the Legendborn who hunt down magical creatures. One of the Legendborn, a teenage mage who calls himself Merlin, attempts to wipe Bree's memory of what she saw, but fails. This unlocks Bree's own unique magic and a buried memory with a hidden connection: the night her mother died, another Merlin was at the hospital.

    Bree decides to infiltrate the Legendborn as one of their initiates in order to find out the truth about her mother's death. She recruits Nick, a self-exiled Legendborn with his own grudge against the group. Their reluctant partnership pulls them deeper into the society's secrets—and closer to each other. The Legendborn reveal themselves to be the descendants of King Arthur's knights and explain that a magical war is coming. Bree has to decide how far she'll go for the truth and whether she should use her magic to take the society down—or join the fight.

    Join us again next week and be sure to check out our previous episodes.

    Connect with us on Tiktok @cindygwrites, @cynthiagwrites and @aekingauthor

     

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    24 mins