Meagan's Book Club Podcast

Hot takes incoming. This episode is all about my least favorite books of 2025—the overhyped, the underwhelming, and the ones I truly wish I’d DNF’d sooner. If you love honest book talk and a little spice, this one’s for you. Thanks for listening! Here are the Least Favs of 2025:🎧 The Crash ⭐️🎧 Her One Regret ⭐️🎧 PS I Hate You ⭐️⭐️The Love Haters ⭐️⭐️🎧 Count My Lies ⭐️⭐️Promise Me Sunshine ⭐️⭐️🎧 Swept Away ⭐️⭐️Say You’ll Remember Me ⭐️⭐️🎧 Betting On You ⭐️⭐️🎧 My Lovely Wife ⭐️⭐️A Beautiful Family ⭐️⭐️Don’t Open Your Eyes ⭐️⭐️Remain ⭐️⭐️🎧 Not Quite Dead Yet ⭐️⭐️And Then There Was You ⭐️⭐️🎧 Please Don’t Lie ⭐️⭐️Once and Again ⭐️⭐️🎧The Three Lives of Cate Kay ⭐️⭐️🎧 Gone Before Goodbye ⭐️⭐️🎧 What Kind of Paradise ⭐️⭐️💫🎧 Annie Bot ⭐️⭐️💫🎧 The Compound ⭐️⭐️💫The Reservation ⭐️⭐️💫Don’t Let Him In ⭐️⭐️💫🎧 Kill Your Darlings ⭐️⭐️💫

In this final book club episode of the year, we dive into How to Read a Book by Monica Wood—a tender, layered novel about second chances, chosen family, and the stories that shape us. We unpack the themes, characters, and the moments that linger long after the last page.We also take a moment to look back on our entire 2025 reading year and the 10 books we tackled together. From emotional highs to unexpected favorites, it’s a warm recap of everything this community has explored.And because this marks the end of an era, I close with a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has been part of book club over the years. Your insights, messages, and enthusiasm have made this space something truly special. I’m so grateful we got to read together. Make sure to follow along for our new January challenge: A New-to-You Author Start the year with someone you’ve never read before

This week, I’m joined by acclaimed audiobook narrator Karissa Vacker, whose voice has brought to life some of today’s most gripping and emotional stories. We talk about the craft of narration, how she builds character through voice, and what really happens behind the mic. Whether you’re an audiobook lover or just curious about the art of storytelling, this is such a fun and fascinating conversation. Thanks for listening!A few books narrated by Karissa: Good Spirits by BK Borison, Shark Heart by Emily Habeck, When in Rome by Sarah Adams, PS I hate You by Lauren Connolly, Lost Roses by Martha Hall Kelly, The New Year's Party by Jenna Satterthwaite, Fun at Parties by Jamie Harrow

November came and went in a flash! I had two trips back to back and didn’t get the amount of reading I was hoping for, but even with a busy schedule, I was still able to read some books that were on my list. Highs? Being caught up on Emma M Lion. Lows? Reading Reese Witherspoon’s book and hating it every second. How was your November? Any standouts?Loved▪️🎧 Every Beautiful Mile ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (reread to do the new audio!) ▪️🎧 The Unselected Journals of Emma M Lion #8 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫▪️More Than Enough ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫Liked▪️🎧 Love and Saffron ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️▪️ Handle With Care ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫Just okay▪️🎧 An Academic Affair ⭐️⭐️⭐️▪️🎧 A Merry Little Lie ⭐️⭐️⭐️The Flops▪️The Reservation ⭐️⭐️💫▪️🎧 Gone Before Goodbye ⭐️⭐️▪️🎧 Her One Regret ⭐️DNF▪️Some Kind of Famous▪️Overdue▪️The Wilderness▪️The Mating Game▪️The Sunshine Man▪️Charlie Quinn Lets Go

In this episode, I sit down with author Tory Henwood Hoen to talk about her beautifully written new novel, Before I Forget. It’s a heartfelt, funny, and tender coming-of-age story about a woman returning home to care for her father, who’s been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Set against the backdrop of a beloved Adirondack lake house, it explores memory, loss, and rediscovery—with touches of whimsy and humor woven throughout. Tory and I chat about the inspiration behind the story, writing about family and identity, and how memory shapes who we are and who we become.Website: https://toryhenwoodhoen.com/IG: @toryhenwoodhoenBooks Tory Recommends:God of the Woods by Liz Moore, The Friend by Sigrid Nunez, The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy