https://simplecast.com Bookwild On Tuesdays, Kate Hergott talks with authors about their books and writing processes. On Fridays, Kate talks with multiple co-host Bookstagrammers and BookTubers about a variety of bookish topics. 2024 Bookwild Collective en Tue, 21 Apr 2026 18:39:58 +0000 Tue, 21 Apr 2026 18:40:10 +0000 https://bookwild.simplecast.com Bookwild https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/7e1e7f39-9c54-4fa9-be6c-69982e916ea5/77db3695-e8ca-4911-8b0a-90c3e2e88738/3000x3000/book-20wild-20-1.jpg?aid=rss_feed https://bookwild.simplecast.com episodic On Tuesdays, Kate Hergott talks with authors about their books and writing processes. On Fridays, Kate talks with multiple co-host Bookstagrammers and BookTubers about a variety of bookish topics. Kate Hergott, Bookwild Collective true https://feeds.simplecast.com/kt_DjhKg historical fiction, bookstagram, reading, fiction, horror, movies, mysteries, mystery, thrillers, tv, non-fiction Bookwild Collective kate@bookwildcollective.com 571b7970-d492-49c4-bc1b-4f30a9dcf5b0 Follow the Rules… or Else: Marcus Kliewer's The Caretaker You all know how excited I am to say that this week, I got to chat with Marcus Kliewer about his newest horror book The Caretaker!  We dive into his unconventional path to writing, our shared fascination with psychological horror, and how he plants his Easter eggs in multiple mediums.

Listen to hear more about:

  • The Caretaker’s premise, tone, and how it connects to We Used to Live Here
  • Marcus Kliewer's origin story—from Reddit horror posts to book deals and adaptations
  • Insight into psychological horror, ambiguity in endings, and why “not knowing” is so unsettling
  • A candid discussion on OCD, anxiety, and how those experiences shape the story’s tension
  • Behind-the-scenes details on worldbuilding, Easter eggs, hidden codes, and what might connect across his books

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 21 Apr 2026 18:39:58 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Marcus Kliewer) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/follow-the-rules-or-else-marcus-kliewers-the-caretaker-YGEO0qB5 You all know how excited I am to say that this week, I got to chat with Marcus Kliewer about his newest horror book The Caretaker!  We dive into his unconventional path to writing, our shared fascination with psychological horror, and how he plants his Easter eggs in multiple mediums.

Listen to hear more about:

  • The Caretaker’s premise, tone, and how it connects to We Used to Live Here
  • Marcus Kliewer's origin story—from Reddit horror posts to book deals and adaptations
  • Insight into psychological horror, ambiguity in endings, and why “not knowing” is so unsettling
  • A candid discussion on OCD, anxiety, and how those experiences shape the story’s tension
  • Behind-the-scenes details on worldbuilding, Easter eggs, hidden codes, and what might connect across his books

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Follow the Rules… or Else: Marcus Kliewer's The Caretaker Kate Hergott, Marcus Kliewer 00:44:27 writing, psychological horror, we used to live here, reading, fiction, marcus kliewer, the caretaker true full 380 ee4318fb-11a7-42d3-8d07-e798c162219a All of My Thoughts on Yesteryear, The Drama, and Trust Me: The False Prophet Today is a solo episode, and I share all of my thoughts on Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke, The Drama and Trust Me: The False Prophet.  I briefly discuss the discourse around Yesteryear and The Drama without spoilers, and go in depth on Trust Me: The False Prophet, WITH spoilers.  Then, for anyone who wants spoilers, I discuss spoilery aspects of Yesteryear and The Drama at the end of the episode.  

Here is the link for the Substack article I mentioned about The Drama.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 17 Apr 2026 23:28:11 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/all-of-my-thoughts-on-yesteryear-the-drama-and-trust-me-the-false-prophet-AmE6_L8K Today is a solo episode, and I share all of my thoughts on Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke, The Drama and Trust Me: The False Prophet.  I briefly discuss the discourse around Yesteryear and The Drama without spoilers, and go in depth on Trust Me: The False Prophet, WITH spoilers.  Then, for anyone who wants spoilers, I discuss spoilery aspects of Yesteryear and The Drama at the end of the episode.  

Here is the link for the Substack article I mentioned about The Drama.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> All of My Thoughts on Yesteryear, The Drama, and Trust Me: The False Prophet Kate Hergott 01:46:41 false prophet, yesteryear, the drama, christine marie, fiction, films true full 379 7fc30cef-24f3-4b26-96f3-cea230d526e5 A Con Woman, A Wealthy Woman, and a Dead Husband: Rebecca Sharpe's Harmless Women In this episode, I talk with Rebecca Sharpe about her debut con-thriller Harmless Women.  

Listen to hear about:

  • Rebecca's long, bumpy publishing journey
  • How the book explores the way society underestimates women, and how that perception can be both a vulnerability and a weapon
  • How Rebecca's fluid, character-driven writing process focuses on emotional pacing, moral complexity, and letting the story evolve organically rather than rigid outlining

Harmless Women Synopsis

Avalon Dale is a masterful grifter. She researches her victims thoroughly, kidnaps and sedates them, cleans out their bank accounts, and uses injections and hair clippers to change their appearance so that when they wake up, they can't easily prove who they are. It gives her a head start and a new identity to get away. She's targeted Primrose Meath for her last big score, and then she'll fade away to a life of ease and luxury--something she's dreamed of since a very tough childhood.

On paper, Prim is the perfect wealthy, workaholic, and distracted by her cheating husband. But when Avalon finds Prim's husband dead, she can't get away so easily--not when she's been mistaken for Prim who's now wanted for murder. The two women, opposites, enemies, are suddenly on the run together, and must learn to get along, to depend on each other, in order to get away. And then, what starts as a cat-and-mouse run to the coast of England becomes a fight for their survival.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 14 Apr 2026 19:34:57 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Rebecca Sharpe) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/a-con-woman-a-wealthy-woman-and-a-dead-husband-rebecca-sharpes-harmless-women-8wSm39Oi In this episode, I talk with Rebecca Sharpe about her debut con-thriller Harmless Women.  

Listen to hear about:

  • Rebecca's long, bumpy publishing journey
  • How the book explores the way society underestimates women, and how that perception can be both a vulnerability and a weapon
  • How Rebecca's fluid, character-driven writing process focuses on emotional pacing, moral complexity, and letting the story evolve organically rather than rigid outlining

Harmless Women Synopsis

Avalon Dale is a masterful grifter. She researches her victims thoroughly, kidnaps and sedates them, cleans out their bank accounts, and uses injections and hair clippers to change their appearance so that when they wake up, they can't easily prove who they are. It gives her a head start and a new identity to get away. She's targeted Primrose Meath for her last big score, and then she'll fade away to a life of ease and luxury--something she's dreamed of since a very tough childhood.

On paper, Prim is the perfect wealthy, workaholic, and distracted by her cheating husband. But when Avalon finds Prim's husband dead, she can't get away so easily--not when she's been mistaken for Prim who's now wanted for murder. The two women, opposites, enemies, are suddenly on the run together, and must learn to get along, to depend on each other, in order to get away. And then, what starts as a cat-and-mouse run to the coast of England becomes a fight for their survival.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> A Con Woman, A Wealthy Woman, and a Dead Husband: Rebecca Sharpe's Harmless Women Kate Hergott, Rebecca Sharpe 00:45:00 writing, thriller, mystery, fiction, con true full 378 74b3bc7d-0ce4-4fe3-8f06-e0e211dc7b96 Medicine, Machines, and Meaning: Justin C. Key's The Hospital at the End of the World In this episode, I talk with Justin C. Key about his speculative novel The Hospital at the End of the World.  Justin shares how his medical training and fascination with AI, consciousness, and ethics informed the novel’s evolution from a short story into a full-length work. We dive into the tension between technological advancement and human connection, particularly in medicine, emphasizing the irreplaceable value of empathy and lived experience. Justin also discusses worldbuilding choices, balancing speculative ideas with grounded realism, and both the promise and risks of AI in healthcare and learning.

Listen to hear about:

  • How Justin’s writing journey evolved naturally from a deep love of reading into a disciplined, intuitive creative practice
     
  • How his “pantser” approach prioritizes discovery, with structure and outlines often emerging during the editing phase
     
  • How The Hospital at the End of the World began as a short story and expanded over years alongside his medical education
     
  • The way the novel explores AI in healthcare, balancing its powerful analytical potential with the risks of over-reliance and loss of human judgment
     
  • How the novel explores the irreplaceable role of human connection, arguing that empathy and presence are just as critical as data in medicine

Follow Justin C. Key here and grab a copy of The Hospital at the End of the World here

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 7 Apr 2026 20:51:38 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Justin C. Key) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/medicine-machines-and-meaning-justin-c-keys-the-hospital-at-the-end-of-the-world-HD4p2rfp In this episode, I talk with Justin C. Key about his speculative novel The Hospital at the End of the World.  Justin shares how his medical training and fascination with AI, consciousness, and ethics informed the novel’s evolution from a short story into a full-length work. We dive into the tension between technological advancement and human connection, particularly in medicine, emphasizing the irreplaceable value of empathy and lived experience. Justin also discusses worldbuilding choices, balancing speculative ideas with grounded realism, and both the promise and risks of AI in healthcare and learning.

Listen to hear about:

  • How Justin’s writing journey evolved naturally from a deep love of reading into a disciplined, intuitive creative practice
     
  • How his “pantser” approach prioritizes discovery, with structure and outlines often emerging during the editing phase
     
  • How The Hospital at the End of the World began as a short story and expanded over years alongside his medical education
     
  • The way the novel explores AI in healthcare, balancing its powerful analytical potential with the risks of over-reliance and loss of human judgment
     
  • How the novel explores the irreplaceable role of human connection, arguing that empathy and presence are just as critical as data in medicine

Follow Justin C. Key here and grab a copy of The Hospital at the End of the World here

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Medicine, Machines, and Meaning: Justin C. Key's The Hospital at the End of the World Kate Hergott, Justin C. Key 01:00:06 healthcare, speculative fiction, reading, ai true full 377 36b5277b-b775-4a64-8ea2-33ee34c7f61f How John Marrs Writes Out of Order (And Still Nails the Ending) In this episode, Gare and I chat with our long time favorite John Marrs! John shares his journey from journalist to author, his out of order writing process, why he doesn’t always think his books are that dark (LOL), and a wild group of frogs in his yard (yes, I said frogs).

Listen to our whole conversation to hear about:

What it was like getting his first book idea, writing it, and self publishing it

His transition to traditional publishing

His hybrid plotter-pantser process

The snacks he has nearby for writing

The time he got arrested in America

A unique encounter with frogs in his backyard

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 3 Apr 2026 20:49:59 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings, John Marrs) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/how-john-marrs-writes-out-of-order-and-still-nails-the-ending-G036CnsC In this episode, Gare and I chat with our long time favorite John Marrs! John shares his journey from journalist to author, his out of order writing process, why he doesn’t always think his books are that dark (LOL), and a wild group of frogs in his yard (yes, I said frogs).

Listen to our whole conversation to hear about:

What it was like getting his first book idea, writing it, and self publishing it

His transition to traditional publishing

His hybrid plotter-pantser process

The snacks he has nearby for writing

The time he got arrested in America

A unique encounter with frogs in his backyard

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> How John Marrs Writes Out of Order (And Still Nails the Ending) Kate Hergott, Gare Billings, John Marrs 01:12:53 writing, publishing, author, fiction, thrillers true full 376 ddbac9f2-c3da-4867-bcbc-1c4273960af5 Exploitation, Empowerment and Enlightenment: Courtney Kocak's Girl Gone Wild In this episode, I chat with Courtney Kocak about her debut memoir Girl Gone Wild!  She shares how it is both a personal reckoning and a cultural critique, tracing her journey from a “too much” small-town girl to a woman navigating ambition, sexuality, religion, and creative identity. She reflects on how early influences—strict religious messaging, shame around the body, and a lack of role models—shaped her relationship to power, pleasure, and self-worth, while her experiences in Hollywood and the entertainment industry reveal the harsh realities behind the myth of “making it.” 

Listen to hear about:

  • How the memoir evolved over 15+ years, requiring both craft development and personal growth to fully process her past experiences
  • How early religious and cultural messaging created deep tension between bodily autonomy and imposed shame
  • The empowerment vs. exploitation dynamic for young women, especially in entertainment
  • The way Hollywood’s success narrative often hides the economic struggle, privilege, and sacrifices required to sustain creative work
  • How Kocak shifted from chasing external validation and fame to prioritizing artistic fulfillment and an integrated, authentic identity

Learn more about Courtney or purchase Girl Gone Wild here

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Wed, 1 Apr 2026 15:11:55 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Courtney Kocak) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/exploitation-empowerment-and-enlightenment-courtney-kocaks-girl-gone-wild-8Pkq9z8R In this episode, I chat with Courtney Kocak about her debut memoir Girl Gone Wild!  She shares how it is both a personal reckoning and a cultural critique, tracing her journey from a “too much” small-town girl to a woman navigating ambition, sexuality, religion, and creative identity. She reflects on how early influences—strict religious messaging, shame around the body, and a lack of role models—shaped her relationship to power, pleasure, and self-worth, while her experiences in Hollywood and the entertainment industry reveal the harsh realities behind the myth of “making it.” 

Listen to hear about:

  • How the memoir evolved over 15+ years, requiring both craft development and personal growth to fully process her past experiences
  • How early religious and cultural messaging created deep tension between bodily autonomy and imposed shame
  • The empowerment vs. exploitation dynamic for young women, especially in entertainment
  • The way Hollywood’s success narrative often hides the economic struggle, privilege, and sacrifices required to sustain creative work
  • How Kocak shifted from chasing external validation and fame to prioritizing artistic fulfillment and an integrated, authentic identity

Learn more about Courtney or purchase Girl Gone Wild here

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Exploitation, Empowerment and Enlightenment: Courtney Kocak's Girl Gone Wild Kate Hergott, Courtney Kocak 01:02:58 essays, sex work, girls gone wild, memoir, non-fiction true full 375 82eef158-c1a5-4c47-9e88-4b027583a5bf Deconstructing Without Losing Jesus: Jeremy Jernigan's The Edge of the Inside In this episode, I talk with Jeremy Jernigan about his deeply personal and intellectual journey behind The Edge of the Inside, unpacking how Jeremy’s lifelong love of writing evolved into a healing-driven project that blends memoir and theology. We discuss how time and emotional distance were necessary to move from bitterness to clarity, allowing Jeremy to structure the book into reflection, belief, and application. We also discuss shared experiences as pastor’s kids, the disorienting process of deconstruction, and the realization that faith is far broader than what we were taught.

Listen to hear about:

  • Writing as healing, not just storytelling
    Jeremy describes the book as a form of therapy, something he had to live through and process before he could write honestly and help others.
     
  • The “edge of the inside” concept
    Inspired by Richard Rohr, this idea captures the experience of still belonging to a system while holding a perspective that challenges it.
     
  • Deconstruction and expanding belief systems
    We both reflect on realizing that what we were taught wasn’t the full picture, leading to curiosity, questioning, and broader exploration.
     
  • How language shapes belief (and confusion)
    The same words, faith, truth, provision, can mean completely different things depending on who’s using them, especially in religious and political contexts.
     
  • The “life quake” moment
    Jeremy shares the pivotal realization that doing the “right” things doesn’t guarantee success—and sometimes leads to losing everything, forcing a complete redefinition of faith and identity.

Grab a copy of Jeremy's book here!

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:15:48 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Jeremy Jernigan) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/deconstructing-without-losing-jesus-jeremy-jernigans-the-edge-of-the-inside-SNhRsXKa In this episode, I talk with Jeremy Jernigan about his deeply personal and intellectual journey behind The Edge of the Inside, unpacking how Jeremy’s lifelong love of writing evolved into a healing-driven project that blends memoir and theology. We discuss how time and emotional distance were necessary to move from bitterness to clarity, allowing Jeremy to structure the book into reflection, belief, and application. We also discuss shared experiences as pastor’s kids, the disorienting process of deconstruction, and the realization that faith is far broader than what we were taught.

Listen to hear about:

  • Writing as healing, not just storytelling
    Jeremy describes the book as a form of therapy, something he had to live through and process before he could write honestly and help others.
     
  • The “edge of the inside” concept
    Inspired by Richard Rohr, this idea captures the experience of still belonging to a system while holding a perspective that challenges it.
     
  • Deconstruction and expanding belief systems
    We both reflect on realizing that what we were taught wasn’t the full picture, leading to curiosity, questioning, and broader exploration.
     
  • How language shapes belief (and confusion)
    The same words, faith, truth, provision, can mean completely different things depending on who’s using them, especially in religious and political contexts.
     
  • The “life quake” moment
    Jeremy shares the pivotal realization that doing the “right” things doesn’t guarantee success—and sometimes leads to losing everything, forcing a complete redefinition of faith and identity.

Grab a copy of Jeremy's book here!

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Deconstructing Without Losing Jesus: Jeremy Jernigan's The Edge of the Inside Kate Hergott, Jeremy Jernigan 01:24:19 deconstruction, jesus, social justice, christianity, theologyd true full 374 fbb69444-5b3e-4f7f-a08a-2631a3a1b0f9 Racial Trauma and Culturally Responsive Care: Ashley McGirt-Adair's The Cost of Healing in Silence In this episode, MacKenzie Green and I talk with Ashley McGirt-Adair about her new book, The Cost of Healing in Silence, and the deep, often overlooked impact of racial trauma within healthcare systems. Ashley shares how her personal experiences, her grandmother’s legacy, and over a decade of work as a trauma therapist shaped her approach to culturally responsive care. 

Listen to hear about:

  • The concept of racial trauma as real trauma, and why naming it explicitly matters in both therapy and broader cultural conversations.
  • How systemic bias in healthcare shows up in real, life-threatening ways (misread medical devices, dismissal of symptoms, lack of advocacy).
  • The burden of self-advocacy in medical spaces, especially for Black patients and families navigating emergencies or chronic illness.
  • Ashley’s idea of moving from “hope” to “commitment,” and how small, individual actions create meaningful systemic change.
  • The idea of “homecoming to self” through culture, ancestry, music, food, and joy as a necessary counterbalance to generational trauma.

 

And grab a copy of The Cost of Healing in Silence here!

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 31 Mar 2026 13:38:37 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Ashley McGirt-Adair, MacKenzie Green) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/racial-trauma-and-culturally-responsive-care-ashley-mcgirt-adairs-the-cost-of-healing-in-silence-jk_goEvL In this episode, MacKenzie Green and I talk with Ashley McGirt-Adair about her new book, The Cost of Healing in Silence, and the deep, often overlooked impact of racial trauma within healthcare systems. Ashley shares how her personal experiences, her grandmother’s legacy, and over a decade of work as a trauma therapist shaped her approach to culturally responsive care. 

Listen to hear about:

  • The concept of racial trauma as real trauma, and why naming it explicitly matters in both therapy and broader cultural conversations.
  • How systemic bias in healthcare shows up in real, life-threatening ways (misread medical devices, dismissal of symptoms, lack of advocacy).
  • The burden of self-advocacy in medical spaces, especially for Black patients and families navigating emergencies or chronic illness.
  • Ashley’s idea of moving from “hope” to “commitment,” and how small, individual actions create meaningful systemic change.
  • The idea of “homecoming to self” through culture, ancestry, music, food, and joy as a necessary counterbalance to generational trauma.

 

And grab a copy of The Cost of Healing in Silence here!

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Racial Trauma and Culturally Responsive Care: Ashley McGirt-Adair's The Cost of Healing in Silence Kate Hergott, Ashley McGirt-Adair, MacKenzie Green 01:10:07 therapy, racial trauma, racism, mental health true full 373 3edc75a0-3781-4d53-bfa7-02cf6985ac30 First Quarter Favorite Reads of 2026 with Gare and Steph Gare, Steph and I share and discuss our favorite reads from the first quarter of 2026!

Kate’s Books

Queen of Faces by Petra Lord

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke

She Drinks the Light by Yasmin Angoe

Judge Stone by Viola Davis and James Patterson

These Heathens by Mia McKenzie

Gare’s Books

The Secret Lives of Murderers Wives

Strangers in the Villa by Robyn Harding

Ours Is a Tale of Murder by Seraphina Nova Glass

Sorry for Your Loss by Georgia McVeigh

The Vanishing Hour by Seraphina Nova Glass

Steph’s Books

We Used to Live Here

The Act of Disappearing by Nathan Gower

Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth

It Could Have Been Her by Lisa Jewell

Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 27 Mar 2026 19:45:05 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings, Steph Lauer) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/first-quarter-favorite-reads-of-2026-with-gare-and-steph-W2D2_QZt Gare, Steph and I share and discuss our favorite reads from the first quarter of 2026!

Kate’s Books

Queen of Faces by Petra Lord

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke

She Drinks the Light by Yasmin Angoe

Judge Stone by Viola Davis and James Patterson

These Heathens by Mia McKenzie

Gare’s Books

The Secret Lives of Murderers Wives

Strangers in the Villa by Robyn Harding

Ours Is a Tale of Murder by Seraphina Nova Glass

Sorry for Your Loss by Georgia McVeigh

The Vanishing Hour by Seraphina Nova Glass

Steph’s Books

We Used to Live Here

The Act of Disappearing by Nathan Gower

Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth

It Could Have Been Her by Lisa Jewell

Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> First Quarter Favorite Reads of 2026 with Gare and Steph Kate Hergott, Gare Billings, Steph Lauer 01:07:37 reading, fiction, books true full 372 9b38021a-5604-4577-b006-1e6a3643ab4d Secrets, Spirits, and the Stories We Inherit: Olesya Salnikova Gilmore's The Fortune Tellers of Rue Daru This week, I talk with Olesya Salnikova Gilmore about her historical-suspense The Fortune Tellers of Rue Daru.

We dive into:

  • Her writing process as a "plantser"
  • Why she's drawn to dark genres: historical fiction, gothic, fantasy, mystery
  • How blending genres creates tension and unpredictability
  • How she has experienced and writes about the “in-between” feeling of not fully belonging to one culture
  • How she processed grief through this story
  • Her research of Slavic folklore and Western spiritualism movements

The Fortune Tellers of Rue Daru Synopsis

Spirited twenty-something Zina and her secretive grandmother, Baba Valya, own a tearoom on rue Daru in Paris, where they have lived quietly since Zina’s mother’s untimely death. By day, the women serve tea, mostly to members of the bustling Russian émigré community, but when dusk falls, they divine fortunes and perform séances for their loyal clientele.

Then the charming Princess Olga and her brother arrive, searching for answers about the disappearance of their father, the Grand Duke and cousin to the murdered last Tsar of Russia. Zina, eager to learn more about the spirit world and her powers, performs the séance. She is able to summon the Grand Duke, but to her horror, he starts to haunt the shop, and he seems to know something sinister about her mother’s death.

As Zina delves into her family’s hidden past, dark secrets are unearthed, threatening Zina and her grandmother’s found family, home, and tearoom, not to mention their very lives.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 24 Mar 2026 17:41:03 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Olesya Salnikova Gilmore) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/secrets-spirits-and-the-stories-we-inherit-olesya-salnikova-gilmores-the-fortune-tellers-of-rue-daru-w588EUjp This week, I talk with Olesya Salnikova Gilmore about her historical-suspense The Fortune Tellers of Rue Daru.

We dive into:

  • Her writing process as a "plantser"
  • Why she's drawn to dark genres: historical fiction, gothic, fantasy, mystery
  • How blending genres creates tension and unpredictability
  • How she has experienced and writes about the “in-between” feeling of not fully belonging to one culture
  • How she processed grief through this story
  • Her research of Slavic folklore and Western spiritualism movements

The Fortune Tellers of Rue Daru Synopsis

Spirited twenty-something Zina and her secretive grandmother, Baba Valya, own a tearoom on rue Daru in Paris, where they have lived quietly since Zina’s mother’s untimely death. By day, the women serve tea, mostly to members of the bustling Russian émigré community, but when dusk falls, they divine fortunes and perform séances for their loyal clientele.

Then the charming Princess Olga and her brother arrive, searching for answers about the disappearance of their father, the Grand Duke and cousin to the murdered last Tsar of Russia. Zina, eager to learn more about the spirit world and her powers, performs the séance. She is able to summon the Grand Duke, but to her horror, he starts to haunt the shop, and he seems to know something sinister about her mother’s death.

As Zina delves into her family’s hidden past, dark secrets are unearthed, threatening Zina and her grandmother’s found family, home, and tearoom, not to mention their very lives.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Secrets, Spirits, and the Stories We Inherit: Olesya Salnikova Gilmore's The Fortune Tellers of Rue Daru Kate Hergott, Olesya Salnikova Gilmore 01:02:20 historical fiction, writing, reading, fiction true full 371 0903da3c-d461-44b7-b54a-13f72639f4ba Toxic Masculinity and Female Rage: Katherine Greene's Where the Truth Lies This week, I talk with writing duo Katherine Greene, aka Claire C. Riley and A. Meredith Walkters, about their new small town thriller Where the Truth Lies!

We dive into:

  • Writing a thriller inspired by real-life events and the challenge of balancing fiction with truth
  • How this story came from Abbi’s family history and a decades-old newspaper clipping
  • The emotional difficulty of writing characters based on real people vs. fictionalizing them
  • Crafting multiple POVs + dual timelines to build tension and a fuller picture of the crime
  • Exploring toxic masculinity and how it develops, including how “nice” men can be influenced
  • The concept of the “perfect victim” and how readers often unfairly judge women vs. men

Where The Truth Lies Synopsis

A picture-perfect couple's sordid past threatens to rock a sleepy southern town to its core.

Told in alternating timelines and inspired by real events, this multi-POV thriller explores toxic masculinity, gender-based violence, and female rage in the tradition of Darby Kane.

Childhood sweethearts Rhett and Lucinda seem to have the perfect marriage, the child they always wanted, and even the white picket fence. But fifteen years ago, the couple came very close to losing everything. When outsider Jennifer Moore arrived in their tight-knit Kentucky town, a brief but explosive affair between the newcomer and the soon-to-be-married Rhett stirred up a violent storm of betrayal that ended with a dead body and a mystery riddled in corruption and deception.

Now, new evidence has surfaced-including an eyewitness who places Rhett at the scene of the brutal crime. Soon, the carefully constructed life Rhett and Lucinda built starts to crumble-and the truth waiting beneath the surface could destroy them both.

In a town steeped in deadly southern charm, secrets don't fade-they fester.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 24 Mar 2026 15:53:40 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Katherine Greene) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/toxic-masculinity-and-female-rage-katherine-greenes-where-the-truth-lies-TaKWkkyD This week, I talk with writing duo Katherine Greene, aka Claire C. Riley and A. Meredith Walkters, about their new small town thriller Where the Truth Lies!

We dive into:

  • Writing a thriller inspired by real-life events and the challenge of balancing fiction with truth
  • How this story came from Abbi’s family history and a decades-old newspaper clipping
  • The emotional difficulty of writing characters based on real people vs. fictionalizing them
  • Crafting multiple POVs + dual timelines to build tension and a fuller picture of the crime
  • Exploring toxic masculinity and how it develops, including how “nice” men can be influenced
  • The concept of the “perfect victim” and how readers often unfairly judge women vs. men

Where The Truth Lies Synopsis

A picture-perfect couple's sordid past threatens to rock a sleepy southern town to its core.

Told in alternating timelines and inspired by real events, this multi-POV thriller explores toxic masculinity, gender-based violence, and female rage in the tradition of Darby Kane.

Childhood sweethearts Rhett and Lucinda seem to have the perfect marriage, the child they always wanted, and even the white picket fence. But fifteen years ago, the couple came very close to losing everything. When outsider Jennifer Moore arrived in their tight-knit Kentucky town, a brief but explosive affair between the newcomer and the soon-to-be-married Rhett stirred up a violent storm of betrayal that ended with a dead body and a mystery riddled in corruption and deception.

Now, new evidence has surfaced-including an eyewitness who places Rhett at the scene of the brutal crime. Soon, the carefully constructed life Rhett and Lucinda built starts to crumble-and the truth waiting beneath the surface could destroy them both.

In a town steeped in deadly southern charm, secrets don't fade-they fester.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Toxic Masculinity and Female Rage: Katherine Greene's Where the Truth Lies Kate Hergott, Katherine Greene 00:37:22 writing, reading, fiction, thrillers true full 370 a9eabc86-d0e4-4fe5-b834-240b5d9e21a8 Taylor Frankie Paul, Another Duggar, The Manosphere, Age of Attraction and More with Halley Sutton Halley broke the news to me that The Bachelorette was cancelled after the video of Taylor Frankie Paul was sold to TMZ, so we start off right in the mess of pop culture.  Listen for our thoughts on:

  • Cancellation/pause of The Bachelorette starring Taylor Frankie Paul due to domestic violence allegations
  • Ethics of airing real-life trauma and abuse on reality TV
  • Trad wife culture vs. reality of women as breadwinners
  • Religious conditioning and spiritual bypassing
  • Purity culture and its connection to shame and abuse
  • Grift culture (influencers, politics, capitalism)
  • Age of Attraction's age gap dating approach
  • The Manosphere - when men become obsessed with the male gaze
  • Incel/red pill ideology as a bid for connection
  • Some movies, TV shows and books we've loved recently

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 20 Mar 2026 18:52:14 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Bookwild Collective) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/taylor-frankie-paul-another-duggar-the-manosphere-age-of-attraction-and-more-with-halley-sutton-E1hoLTAw Halley broke the news to me that The Bachelorette was cancelled after the video of Taylor Frankie Paul was sold to TMZ, so we start off right in the mess of pop culture.  Listen for our thoughts on:

  • Cancellation/pause of The Bachelorette starring Taylor Frankie Paul due to domestic violence allegations
  • Ethics of airing real-life trauma and abuse on reality TV
  • Trad wife culture vs. reality of women as breadwinners
  • Religious conditioning and spiritual bypassing
  • Purity culture and its connection to shame and abuse
  • Grift culture (influencers, politics, capitalism)
  • Age of Attraction's age gap dating approach
  • The Manosphere - when men become obsessed with the male gaze
  • Incel/red pill ideology as a bid for connection
  • Some movies, TV shows and books we've loved recently

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Taylor Frankie Paul, Another Duggar, The Manosphere, Age of Attraction and More with Halley Sutton Bookwild Collective 01:27:51 true full 369 2a5605b5-8694-4e64-98bd-9d4ac402f555 The Divine Feminine, Matriarchy and Dreams: Andrea M. Butler's Mother This week, I talk with Andrea M. Butler about her debut speculative fiction Mother.

We dive into a wide range of topics, including:

  • The origin of the novel’s idea
  • Dreams and spiritual communication
  • Energy work and spirituality
  • Speculative fiction grounded in reality
  • The “predictive” nature of fiction
  • Capitalism, wealth inequality, and food insecurity
  • Religion and evangelical culture
  • Community as resistance
  • Divine feminine energy
  • Hope through storytelling

 

Mother by Andrea M. Butler Synopsis

Having gained control of the world’s food supply, a single corporation, SunRay, holds the fate of humanity in its hands. When the government passed the HOME Act and sent millions of immigrants away, it threw the nation into an unprecedented economic crisis. Set in the near future amidst the backdrop of an increasingly volatile climate, Matt and Evie Fisher are struggling to survive.

In order to find a way to save their two daughters, Matt and Evie must wrestle with their faith, their past, and a mysterious illness affecting much of the population. When a series of otherworldly dreams sets Evie on a path to find a mystical portal, and Matt finds himself in possession of information that could topple SunRay and the political network behind it, Evie realizes she is being offered a choice that could not only save her daughters, but could alter the fate of humanity forever.


 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 17 Mar 2026 15:56:09 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Andrea M. Butler) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/the-divine-feminine-matriarchy-and-dreams-andrea-m-butlers-mother-2HKAt2vW This week, I talk with Andrea M. Butler about her debut speculative fiction Mother.

We dive into a wide range of topics, including:

  • The origin of the novel’s idea
  • Dreams and spiritual communication
  • Energy work and spirituality
  • Speculative fiction grounded in reality
  • The “predictive” nature of fiction
  • Capitalism, wealth inequality, and food insecurity
  • Religion and evangelical culture
  • Community as resistance
  • Divine feminine energy
  • Hope through storytelling

 

Mother by Andrea M. Butler Synopsis

Having gained control of the world’s food supply, a single corporation, SunRay, holds the fate of humanity in its hands. When the government passed the HOME Act and sent millions of immigrants away, it threw the nation into an unprecedented economic crisis. Set in the near future amidst the backdrop of an increasingly volatile climate, Matt and Evie Fisher are struggling to survive.

In order to find a way to save their two daughters, Matt and Evie must wrestle with their faith, their past, and a mysterious illness affecting much of the population. When a series of otherworldly dreams sets Evie on a path to find a mystical portal, and Matt finds himself in possession of information that could topple SunRay and the political network behind it, Evie realizes she is being offered a choice that could not only save her daughters, but could alter the fate of humanity forever.


 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> The Divine Feminine, Matriarchy and Dreams: Andrea M. Butler's Mother Kate Hergott, Andrea M. Butler 01:10:57 writing, speculative fiction, matriarchy, community true full 368 8331aee4-b235-49c2-801c-8aaa04f226b9 Oscars Reactions (Some Choices Were… Interesting) with MacKenzie Green As promised, MacKenzie Green and I share our Oscars reactions, and thoughts on just about everything: 

- Awards season and Oscar campaigning 

- Timothée Chalamet discourse 

- Misty Copeland’s performance 

- Sinners on Broadway?? 

- Criticism of Sean Penn winning Best Supporting Actor 

- The historical context of Black Oscar winners, and why Michael B. Jordan's win is so HUGE

- Comparisons to past controversial Oscar wins (think Green Book vs Black Panther) 

- Distinctions between authentic cultural storytelling (like Sinners) and films by those outside the culture for performative or superficial benefit 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Mon, 16 Mar 2026 22:47:48 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, MacKenzie Green) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/oscars-reactions-some-choices-were-interesting-with-mackenzie-green-mxtqICEM As promised, MacKenzie Green and I share our Oscars reactions, and thoughts on just about everything: 

- Awards season and Oscar campaigning 

- Timothée Chalamet discourse 

- Misty Copeland’s performance 

- Sinners on Broadway?? 

- Criticism of Sean Penn winning Best Supporting Actor 

- The historical context of Black Oscar winners, and why Michael B. Jordan's win is so HUGE

- Comparisons to past controversial Oscar wins (think Green Book vs Black Panther) 

- Distinctions between authentic cultural storytelling (like Sinners) and films by those outside the culture for performative or superficial benefit 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Oscars Reactions (Some Choices Were… Interesting) with MacKenzie Green Kate Hergott, MacKenzie Green 01:29:16 sinners, oscars, award season, film true full 367 ca3727bc-eb5e-49f7-8f50-11f00a81b991 Buddy Review of Kin by Tayari Jones with Erin Ashley Erin and I both adored Kin by Tayari Jones, and we decided to do a whole episode discussing it!  The first 15ish minutes are spoiler free, so if you haven't read it yet, you can listen and decide if the vibes sound right for you.  After that, we get into everything we loved about the characters, the prose, the plotting and the themes!

Kin by Tayari Jones Synopsis

Vernice and Annie, two motherless daughters raised in Honeysuckle, Louisiana, have been best friends and neighbors since earliest childhood, but are fated to live starkly different lives. Raised by a fierce aunt determined to give her a stable home in the wake of her mother’s death, Vernice leaves Atlanta at eighteen for Spelman College, where she joins a sisterhood of powerfully connected Black women and marries into an affluent family. Annie, abandoned by her dissolute mother as a child, and fixated on the idea of finding her and filling the bottomless hole left by her absence, sets off on a journey that will take her into a world of peril and adversity, as well as love and adventure, and culminate in a battle for her life.
 

Tayari Jones Oprah Interview

Tayari Jones on The Stacks

Erin's Interview with ReShanda Tate about With Love From Harlem

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 13 Mar 2026 16:31:33 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Erin Ashley) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/discussing-kin-by-tayari-jones-with-erin-ashley-CY_xsUdS Erin and I both adored Kin by Tayari Jones, and we decided to do a whole episode discussing it!  The first 15ish minutes are spoiler free, so if you haven't read it yet, you can listen and decide if the vibes sound right for you.  After that, we get into everything we loved about the characters, the prose, the plotting and the themes!

Kin by Tayari Jones Synopsis

Vernice and Annie, two motherless daughters raised in Honeysuckle, Louisiana, have been best friends and neighbors since earliest childhood, but are fated to live starkly different lives. Raised by a fierce aunt determined to give her a stable home in the wake of her mother’s death, Vernice leaves Atlanta at eighteen for Spelman College, where she joins a sisterhood of powerfully connected Black women and marries into an affluent family. Annie, abandoned by her dissolute mother as a child, and fixated on the idea of finding her and filling the bottomless hole left by her absence, sets off on a journey that will take her into a world of peril and adversity, as well as love and adventure, and culminate in a battle for her life.
 

Tayari Jones Oprah Interview

Tayari Jones on The Stacks

Erin's Interview with ReShanda Tate about With Love From Harlem

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Buddy Review of Kin by Tayari Jones with Erin Ashley Kate Hergott, Erin Ashley 01:20:18 tayari jones, kin, fiction, book club true full 366 1bec3182-98f9-49df-812b-bcd4a72b41b3 Quantum Theology: Where Science Meets the Soul This week, I talk with Keith Giles, Mary Terhune, Zac Cannon and Nish Dubashia about their collective work in Quantum Theology: Volume One.

Listen to hear about:

  • How science and spirituality may not be opposites, but different ways of exploring the same underlying reality
  • How ideas from quantum physics—like interconnectedness and entanglement—echo concepts found in mysticism and religious traditions
  • Why many contributors believe the sense of separation between people, cultures, and religions is an illusion, and what recognizing our interconnectedness could mean for humanity.
  • How mystical experiences challenge the limits of language—why some spiritual insights can’t fully be explained, only experienced
  • How awakening to shared consciousness could transform ethics, compassion, and how we treat one another
     

Quantum Theology, Volume One Summary

Quantum Theology: Volume One brings together an extraordinary and diverse group of scientists, mathematicians, theologians, mystics, authors, and cultural commentators to explore one of the most provocative conversations of our time: What happens when Quantum Physics and Theology begin to overlap?

Edited and curated by author Keith Giles, this book explores the intersection between science and faith.

Featuring contributions by:
Brandy Anderson, Zac Cannon, Brother Jason (Jay) Clark, Michelle Collins, Stuart Delony, Nish Dubashia, Eric Scot English, Jeremy L. Evans, Ellen Haroutunian, DMin., Dr. Steve McVey, Mark Merizan, Jenny Lorraine Nielsen, William Sarill, Mary Terhune, R.N., Mo Thomas, and John van de Laar.

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 10 Mar 2026 18:38:32 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Bookwild Collective) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/quantum-theology-where-science-meets-the-soul-Dr85cZbY This week, I talk with Keith Giles, Mary Terhune, Zac Cannon and Nish Dubashia about their collective work in Quantum Theology: Volume One.

Listen to hear about:

  • How science and spirituality may not be opposites, but different ways of exploring the same underlying reality
  • How ideas from quantum physics—like interconnectedness and entanglement—echo concepts found in mysticism and religious traditions
  • Why many contributors believe the sense of separation between people, cultures, and religions is an illusion, and what recognizing our interconnectedness could mean for humanity.
  • How mystical experiences challenge the limits of language—why some spiritual insights can’t fully be explained, only experienced
  • How awakening to shared consciousness could transform ethics, compassion, and how we treat one another
     

Quantum Theology, Volume One Summary

Quantum Theology: Volume One brings together an extraordinary and diverse group of scientists, mathematicians, theologians, mystics, authors, and cultural commentators to explore one of the most provocative conversations of our time: What happens when Quantum Physics and Theology begin to overlap?

Edited and curated by author Keith Giles, this book explores the intersection between science and faith.

Featuring contributions by:
Brandy Anderson, Zac Cannon, Brother Jason (Jay) Clark, Michelle Collins, Stuart Delony, Nish Dubashia, Eric Scot English, Jeremy L. Evans, Ellen Haroutunian, DMin., Dr. Steve McVey, Mark Merizan, Jenny Lorraine Nielsen, William Sarill, Mary Terhune, R.N., Mo Thomas, and John van de Laar.

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Quantum Theology: Where Science Meets the Soul Bookwild Collective 01:22:44 true full 365 cc4ee814-8b6f-4aad-a219-f426269c7da9 Last, Current and Next Reads with Gare and Steph Steph has been traveling the world, and now she is back with Gare and me, talking about our Last, Current and Next Reads!

Kate’s Last, Current and Next

Kin by Tayari Jones

The Midnight Taxi by Yosha Gunaseker

When I Was Death by Alexis Henderson

Alexis Henderson’s Substack About When I Was Death

Gare’s Last, Current and Next

The Final Hunt Audrey J Cole

The Missing Sister by Joshilyn Jackson

The Vanishing Hour by Seraphina Nova Glass

Steph

Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth

Sundown Girls by L.S. Stratton

The Two Deaths of Lillian Carmichael by Paulette Kennedy

Other Books Discussed

The Secret Lives of Murderers’ Wives

The Vanishing Half by Britt Bennett

The Mothers by Brit Bennett

History Lessons Zoe B. Wallbrook

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

Never Have I Ever by Joshilyn Jackson

What We Did to Survive by Megan Lally

Breakneck Bay by Faith Gardner

The Spin Faith Gardner

Heather by Caitlin Mullen

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 6 Mar 2026 17:44:04 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Steph Lauer, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/last-current-and-next-reads-with-gare-and-steph-9HOBYMOg Steph has been traveling the world, and now she is back with Gare and me, talking about our Last, Current and Next Reads!

Kate’s Last, Current and Next

Kin by Tayari Jones

The Midnight Taxi by Yosha Gunaseker

When I Was Death by Alexis Henderson

Alexis Henderson’s Substack About When I Was Death

Gare’s Last, Current and Next

The Final Hunt Audrey J Cole

The Missing Sister by Joshilyn Jackson

The Vanishing Hour by Seraphina Nova Glass

Steph

Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth

Sundown Girls by L.S. Stratton

The Two Deaths of Lillian Carmichael by Paulette Kennedy

Other Books Discussed

The Secret Lives of Murderers’ Wives

The Vanishing Half by Britt Bennett

The Mothers by Brit Bennett

History Lessons Zoe B. Wallbrook

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

Never Have I Ever by Joshilyn Jackson

What We Did to Survive by Megan Lally

Breakneck Bay by Faith Gardner

The Spin Faith Gardner

Heather by Caitlin Mullen

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Last, Current and Next Reads with Gare and Steph Kate Hergott, Steph Lauer, Gare Billings 01:18:13 literary fiction, reading, mystery, fiction, thrillers true full 364 a74ddfc5-07be-4c42-a937-c0b4f40bd9a1 Fame, Family & the Cost of the Spotlight: Juliet Izon's The Encore This week, I talk with Juliet Izon about her debut contemporary fiction novel The Encore.

Listen now to hear about:

  • How Izon, a longtime journalist pivoted into fiction, writing secret scenes at night, cold-DMing composers on Reddit for research, and building a debut novel from pure creative obsession
  • Fame, artistic ambition, and complicated family dynamics, especially the mother-daughter tension between Anna and Lottie, and what happens when talent and identity collide
  • The craft details that make this fictional music world feel real: tour bus logistics, conservatory life, perfect pitch, scoring scenes with playlists, and why the book’s title changed from Arpeggio to The Encore

The Encore Synopsis

In 2003, at the prestigious Brookfield Conservatory in Boston, a chance encounter sparks an inimitable friendship between driven pianist and singer Anna Buckley and composer wunderkind Will Pendleton. Over the next four years, as they strive toward careers as professional musicians, their bond deepens both from shared prodigious skill and the inexplicable sense that they’re kindred souls. But on the precipice of graduation, one night forever alters the trajectory of their lives, destroying their relationship in the process.

Twenty years later in New York, 16-year-old piano virtuoso Lottie Thomas is grappling with the rigors of her elite prep school and the confounding disappearance of the woman who gave her up at birth. When Lottie suddenly discovers the startling truth of her identity, the revelation catalyzes a chain of events that not only reunites Lottie with her birth parents, but forces them together on a careening, cross-country rock and roll tour-bus journey. And it is there, trapped in these tight confines, that the three must finally reconcile with the irrevocable choices made a decade-and-a-half earlier.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 3 Mar 2026 15:52:02 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Juliet Izon) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/fame-family-the-cost-of-the-spotlight-juliet-izons-the-encore-lwUzLpc0 This week, I talk with Juliet Izon about her debut contemporary fiction novel The Encore.

Listen now to hear about:

  • How Izon, a longtime journalist pivoted into fiction, writing secret scenes at night, cold-DMing composers on Reddit for research, and building a debut novel from pure creative obsession
  • Fame, artistic ambition, and complicated family dynamics, especially the mother-daughter tension between Anna and Lottie, and what happens when talent and identity collide
  • The craft details that make this fictional music world feel real: tour bus logistics, conservatory life, perfect pitch, scoring scenes with playlists, and why the book’s title changed from Arpeggio to The Encore

The Encore Synopsis

In 2003, at the prestigious Brookfield Conservatory in Boston, a chance encounter sparks an inimitable friendship between driven pianist and singer Anna Buckley and composer wunderkind Will Pendleton. Over the next four years, as they strive toward careers as professional musicians, their bond deepens both from shared prodigious skill and the inexplicable sense that they’re kindred souls. But on the precipice of graduation, one night forever alters the trajectory of their lives, destroying their relationship in the process.

Twenty years later in New York, 16-year-old piano virtuoso Lottie Thomas is grappling with the rigors of her elite prep school and the confounding disappearance of the woman who gave her up at birth. When Lottie suddenly discovers the startling truth of her identity, the revelation catalyzes a chain of events that not only reunites Lottie with her birth parents, but forces them together on a careening, cross-country rock and roll tour-bus journey. And it is there, trapped in these tight confines, that the three must finally reconcile with the irrevocable choices made a decade-and-a-half earlier.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fame, Family & the Cost of the Spotlight: Juliet Izon's The Encore Kate Hergott, Juliet Izon 00:31:28 music, journalism, fiction true full 363 6d3e2e18-af11-4218-be84-cc39edd4e28f Reflecting on My First In Person Interview, And Getting Emosh About Bookish Communities It's a solo ep today! I get into the full story of my first ever in-person author interview at Wild Geese Bookshop with Kate Alice Marshall!  I give a play by play of what was going on in my head, and share some fun facts about Kate Alice Marshall.

For me, the experience ended up being a reminder of how far Bookwild has come. I reflect on the journey from starting a bookish podcast with no audience to finding a community of readers, authors, and indie bookstores who now feel like found family.  

Get a copy of Kate Alice Marshall's The Girls Before

Check out Wild Geese Bookshop

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 27 Feb 2026 21:42:52 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/reflecting-on-my-first-in-person-interview-and-getting-emosh-about-bookish-communities-K46rikka It's a solo ep today! I get into the full story of my first ever in-person author interview at Wild Geese Bookshop with Kate Alice Marshall!  I give a play by play of what was going on in my head, and share some fun facts about Kate Alice Marshall.

For me, the experience ended up being a reminder of how far Bookwild has come. I reflect on the journey from starting a bookish podcast with no audience to finding a community of readers, authors, and indie bookstores who now feel like found family.  

Get a copy of Kate Alice Marshall's The Girls Before

Check out Wild Geese Bookshop

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Reflecting on My First In Person Interview, And Getting Emosh About Bookish Communities Kate Hergott 00:41:27 reading, podcast, books true full 362 d2e12be0-2a2e-4d58-a37d-be6ff2fd71da Slashers, Final Girls, and Mannequins: Interview with Stephen Graham Jones This week, I talk with Stephen Graham Jones about his new short story Night of the Mannequins, and the many horror books he's also written.

Listen to hear:

  • A behind-the-scenes look at how Stephen Graham Jones writes horror: following first sentences, trusting surprise endings, and letting stories unfold without outlining or theme-driven intent.
  • Insight into why teenage perspectives, slashers, and “final girl” narratives resonate in his work, and how horror can function as a justice fantasy in an unfair world.
  • A deep dive into Night of the Mannequins, including its origin from a title and prank idea, plus a broader conversation on genre-blending, identity in storytelling, and why he writes to genuinely scare readers.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 24 Feb 2026 18:22:21 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Stephen Graham Jones) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/slashers-final-girls-and-mannequins-interview-with-stephen-graham-jones-_9GOWPoc This week, I talk with Stephen Graham Jones about his new short story Night of the Mannequins, and the many horror books he's also written.

Listen to hear:

  • A behind-the-scenes look at how Stephen Graham Jones writes horror: following first sentences, trusting surprise endings, and letting stories unfold without outlining or theme-driven intent.
  • Insight into why teenage perspectives, slashers, and “final girl” narratives resonate in his work, and how horror can function as a justice fantasy in an unfair world.
  • A deep dive into Night of the Mannequins, including its origin from a title and prank idea, plus a broader conversation on genre-blending, identity in storytelling, and why he writes to genuinely scare readers.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Slashers, Final Girls, and Mannequins: Interview with Stephen Graham Jones Kate Hergott, Stephen Graham Jones 00:32:18 stephen graham jones, horror, slasher true full 361 71ad5caa-9910-42c5-9f23-09a23d4537de Empathy, Research, and Resistance: Interview with Susana M. Morris about Positive Obsession This week, I talk with Susana M. Morris about her Octavia E. Butler cultural biography Positive Obsession: The Life and Times of Octavia E. Butler.

Listen to hear about:

  • Octavia Butler’s journey from a shy, self-diagnosed dyslexic student to a groundbreaking sci-fi author, and how her relentless “positive obsession” with writing shaped her career.
     
  • How Butler’s work reflects deep research, historical pattern recognition, and sharp social insight—explaining why her stories feel prophetic even though she chaffed at that comparison.
     
  • The personal costs and creative rewards of dedicating your life to meaningful work, and how Butler’s example encourages artists and writers to pursue their own Positive Obsessions.

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 24 Feb 2026 17:08:46 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Susana M. Morris) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/empathy-research-and-resistance-interview-with-susana-m-morris-about-positive-obsession-TRGdC6xp This week, I talk with Susana M. Morris about her Octavia E. Butler cultural biography Positive Obsession: The Life and Times of Octavia E. Butler.

Listen to hear about:

  • Octavia Butler’s journey from a shy, self-diagnosed dyslexic student to a groundbreaking sci-fi author, and how her relentless “positive obsession” with writing shaped her career.
     
  • How Butler’s work reflects deep research, historical pattern recognition, and sharp social insight—explaining why her stories feel prophetic even though she chaffed at that comparison.
     
  • The personal costs and creative rewards of dedicating your life to meaningful work, and how Butler’s example encourages artists and writers to pursue their own Positive Obsessions.

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Empathy, Research, and Resistance: Interview with Susana M. Morris about Positive Obsession Kate Hergott, Susana M. Morris 01:00:07 writing, octavia butler, biography, octavia e butler true full 360 80fe1cd1-1050-452d-af35-d0a361dde11f Secrets, Lies and Murder In Flight: Susan Walter's Murder at 30,000 Feet This week, I talk with Susan Walter about her new airplane thriller Murder at 30,000 Feet.  She shares her inspiration from the story, how she writes such cinematic thrillers, and how she managed multiple POVs.

Murder at 30,000 Feet Synopsis

It’s a ticket to paradise. Flight 868 with nonstop service to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Over a dozen tipsy passengers are off to a destination wedding. A team of high school baseball players are headed to a tournament. The plane is packed with people eager to escape their lives, and others who can’t wait to return to their beloved home.

But sweet anticipation turns to terror when a lightning strike short-circuits the avionics and plunges the plane into darkness. When the lights come back on, a passenger is found brutally murdered, with only a bewildered air marshal to solve the crime. He soon realizes that several passengers are harboring dark secrets, but the identity of the murderer eludes him. There’s only one certainty: the killer is on the plane.

Thousands of feet above the earth with thunderstorms closing in, the danger outside is as grave as the mounting threat within. Can the captain outrun the storm? Or will the murderer among them bring the plane down first?
 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 20 Feb 2026 16:59:03 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Susan Walter) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/secrets-lies-and-murder-in-flight-susan-walters-murder-at-30-000-feet-bzBphmDe This week, I talk with Susan Walter about her new airplane thriller Murder at 30,000 Feet.  She shares her inspiration from the story, how she writes such cinematic thrillers, and how she managed multiple POVs.

Murder at 30,000 Feet Synopsis

It’s a ticket to paradise. Flight 868 with nonstop service to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Over a dozen tipsy passengers are off to a destination wedding. A team of high school baseball players are headed to a tournament. The plane is packed with people eager to escape their lives, and others who can’t wait to return to their beloved home.

But sweet anticipation turns to terror when a lightning strike short-circuits the avionics and plunges the plane into darkness. When the lights come back on, a passenger is found brutally murdered, with only a bewildered air marshal to solve the crime. He soon realizes that several passengers are harboring dark secrets, but the identity of the murderer eludes him. There’s only one certainty: the killer is on the plane.

Thousands of feet above the earth with thunderstorms closing in, the danger outside is as grave as the mounting threat within. Can the captain outrun the storm? Or will the murderer among them bring the plane down first?
 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Secrets, Lies and Murder In Flight: Susan Walter's Murder at 30,000 Feet Kate Hergott, Susan Walter 00:54:01 thriller, fiction true full 359 43755737-5d56-4262-99a4-348f10984aab The America's Next Top Model Syllabus with MacKenzie Green This week, MacKenzie Green (who auditioned for ANTM) and I talk about the cultural implications of America's Next Top Model documentary Reality Check.  We also share fiction and non-fiction books that relate to the themes of the documentary.

Hear us dive into:

  • How pop culture—especially America’s Next Top Model—shaped beauty standards, body image, and the way women learned to critique themselves and each other.
  • A broader conversation about “girl-on-girl” dynamics: internalized patriarchy, reality TV as a mirror of culture, and why shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race offered a more affirming counterpoint.
  • How being a conscious consumer makes all the difference in the media you consume.

Books for the ANTM Syllabus

Girl on Girl by Sophie Gilbert

Cue The Sun! by Emily Nussbaum

The Lilac People by Milo Todd

Apprentice in Wonderland by Ramin Setoodeh

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

Model Home by Rivers Solomon

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 20 Feb 2026 16:54:34 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, MacKenzie Green) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/the-americas-next-top-model-syllabus-with-mackenzie-green-6GZdj5s9 This week, MacKenzie Green (who auditioned for ANTM) and I talk about the cultural implications of America's Next Top Model documentary Reality Check.  We also share fiction and non-fiction books that relate to the themes of the documentary.

Hear us dive into:

  • How pop culture—especially America’s Next Top Model—shaped beauty standards, body image, and the way women learned to critique themselves and each other.
  • A broader conversation about “girl-on-girl” dynamics: internalized patriarchy, reality TV as a mirror of culture, and why shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race offered a more affirming counterpoint.
  • How being a conscious consumer makes all the difference in the media you consume.

Books for the ANTM Syllabus

Girl on Girl by Sophie Gilbert

Cue The Sun! by Emily Nussbaum

The Lilac People by Milo Todd

Apprentice in Wonderland by Ramin Setoodeh

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

Model Home by Rivers Solomon

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> The America's Next Top Model Syllabus with MacKenzie Green Kate Hergott, MacKenzie Green 01:21:39 antm, america's next top model, jay manuel, pop culture, tyra banks, reality tv, miss jay true full 358 965e6c86-6df9-415b-88c6-69aba45d9206 Skates, Snow, and Secrets : Wendy Walker's Blade This week, I talk with Wendy Walker about her new ice skating thriller Blade! We dive into her past with ice skating, how she developed her cast of characters, and how she chose the unique plot structure.

Blade Synopsis

Ana Robbins was an Olympic star in the making—until tragedy forced her to leave that world behind. At the age of sixteen, she gave up her dream and never looked back. Fourteen years later, she’s a successful defense attorney, revered for her work with minors. But when her former coach turns up dead, Ana lands right back where it all began, and abruptly The Palace, a world-renowned skating facility nestled high in the mountains of Colorado.

Ana returns to The Palace to defend the young skater accused of the brutal crime—Grace Montgomery. Despite her claims of innocence, all evidence points squarely at Grace’s guilt, and she’s days away from facing charges of first-degree murder.

But Ana’s investigation dredges up childhood memories of her own, triggering the fear that permeates this place where she once lived and trained far from home as an “Orphan.” With a blizzard raging outside, and time running out for Grace, Ana is determined to uncover the truth—even if it means exposing her own secrets that she buried here long ago.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 17 Feb 2026 23:08:18 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Wendy Walker) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/skates-snow-and-secrets-wendy-walkers-blade-m96W4hHq This week, I talk with Wendy Walker about her new ice skating thriller Blade! We dive into her past with ice skating, how she developed her cast of characters, and how she chose the unique plot structure.

Blade Synopsis

Ana Robbins was an Olympic star in the making—until tragedy forced her to leave that world behind. At the age of sixteen, she gave up her dream and never looked back. Fourteen years later, she’s a successful defense attorney, revered for her work with minors. But when her former coach turns up dead, Ana lands right back where it all began, and abruptly The Palace, a world-renowned skating facility nestled high in the mountains of Colorado.

Ana returns to The Palace to defend the young skater accused of the brutal crime—Grace Montgomery. Despite her claims of innocence, all evidence points squarely at Grace’s guilt, and she’s days away from facing charges of first-degree murder.

But Ana’s investigation dredges up childhood memories of her own, triggering the fear that permeates this place where she once lived and trained far from home as an “Orphan.” With a blizzard raging outside, and time running out for Grace, Ana is determined to uncover the truth—even if it means exposing her own secrets that she buried here long ago.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Skates, Snow, and Secrets : Wendy Walker's Blade Kate Hergott, Wendy Walker 00:49:29 true full 357 9e7265b7-0c9e-40ca-83f4-e9f777548ec9 Valentines Day Adjacent Book Recs from Not Quite Romance Readers with Halley Sutton This week, Halley Sutton is back, and we catch up on what we've been reading and watching, as well as our thoughts in Emerald Fennell's upcoming Wuthering Heights adaptation. We also share romance-adjacent book recommendations for Valentine's Day.

Kate's Books

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia Williams

History Lessons by Zoe E Wallbrook

This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum

The Long Game by Rachel Reid

My Husband by Maud Ventura

Halley's Books

Enormous Wings by Laurie Frankel

Cross My Heart by Megan Collins

Crush by Frederic Dard

I’m Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself by Glynnis MacNicol

The Bridesmaid by Ruth Rendell

We Are Too Many by Hannah Pitard

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 13 Feb 2026 19:21:26 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Halley Sutton) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/valentines-day-adjacent-book-recs-from-not-quite-romance-readers-with-halley-sutton-IOg9lyPM This week, Halley Sutton is back, and we catch up on what we've been reading and watching, as well as our thoughts in Emerald Fennell's upcoming Wuthering Heights adaptation. We also share romance-adjacent book recommendations for Valentine's Day.

Kate's Books

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia Williams

History Lessons by Zoe E Wallbrook

This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum

The Long Game by Rachel Reid

My Husband by Maud Ventura

Halley's Books

Enormous Wings by Laurie Frankel

Cross My Heart by Megan Collins

Crush by Frederic Dard

I’m Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself by Glynnis MacNicol

The Bridesmaid by Ruth Rendell

We Are Too Many by Hannah Pitard

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Valentines Day Adjacent Book Recs from Not Quite Romance Readers with Halley Sutton Kate Hergott, Halley Sutton 01:13:06 thriller, fiction true full 356 8fc80fe4-2866-4278-ad30-ce65d6b4da9f Art As Resistance: Breaking Down Benito Bowl with MacKenzie Green BONUS EPISODE!!

MacKenzie Green and I were set to record yesterday (the morning after the Benito Bowl) for a Friday episode, but all we could talk about was Bad Bunny's performance, so I decide for timing's sake, it made sense to release it today!

We discuss it all: why it felt historic rather than merely entertaining, how the show functioned as protest art, communal storytelling, and cultural affirmation, especially for Latino and Afro-Latino audiences. We also dive into how intentional details—language, symbolism, ancestry, refusal to translate or explain—created a moment that centered people who are usually asked to assimilate, while inviting others to listen, learn, or sit with not fully understanding, proof that creativity, empathy, and resistance exist loudly and beautifully even in times of backlash and fear.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 10 Feb 2026 15:49:47 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, MacKenzie Green) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/art-as-resistance-breaking-down-benito-bowl-with-mackenzie-green-JC4etvdS BONUS EPISODE!!

MacKenzie Green and I were set to record yesterday (the morning after the Benito Bowl) for a Friday episode, but all we could talk about was Bad Bunny's performance, so I decide for timing's sake, it made sense to release it today!

We discuss it all: why it felt historic rather than merely entertaining, how the show functioned as protest art, communal storytelling, and cultural affirmation, especially for Latino and Afro-Latino audiences. We also dive into how intentional details—language, symbolism, ancestry, refusal to translate or explain—created a moment that centered people who are usually asked to assimilate, while inviting others to listen, learn, or sit with not fully understanding, proof that creativity, empathy, and resistance exist loudly and beautifully even in times of backlash and fear.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Art As Resistance: Breaking Down Benito Bowl with MacKenzie Green Kate Hergott, MacKenzie Green 01:25:43 bad bunny, art, revolution, resistance true full 355 14f2da09-5cf8-4e42-af2c-21d8e892e1c2 Family, Fear and the Final Frontier: Jeff Rake's and Rob Hart's Detour This week, I talk with Jeff Rake and Rob Hart about the first installment of their new series Detour. Jeff shares how he got the idea for the story originally for TV, but when he mentioned it to a friend they said it sounded like a novel. When he got connected to Rob, their partnership was instantly born, and they went on to write an entire full-length novel without meeting in person until the very end.

They share what their process was like, how they developed such a large cast of characters, and how being fathers themselves shaped the family themes in the book.

Detour Synopsis

Ryan Crane wasn’t looking for trouble—just a cup of coffee. But when this cop spots a gunman emerging from an unmarked van, he leaps into action and unknowingly saves John Ward, a billionaire with presidential aspirations, from an assassination attempt.

As thanks for Ryan’s quick thinking, Ward offers him the chance of a lifetime: to join a group of lucky civilians chosen to accompany three veteran astronauts on the first manned mission to Saturn’s moon Titan.

A devoted family man, Ryan is reluctant to leave on this two-year expedition, yet with the encouragement of his loving wife—and an exorbitant paycheck guaranteeing lifetime care for their disabled son—he crews up and ventures into a new frontier.

But as the ship is circling Titan, it is rocked by an unexplained series of explosions. The crew works together to get back on course, and they return to Earth as heroes.

When the fanfare dies down, Ryan and his fellow astronauts notice that things are different. Some changes are good, such as lavish upgrades to their homes, but others are more disconcerting. Before the group can connect, mysterious figures start tailing them, and their communications are scrambled.

Separated and suspicious, the crew must uncover the truth and decide how far they’re willing to go to return to their normal lives. Just when their space adventure seemingly ends, it shockingly begins.

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Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 10 Feb 2026 14:38:59 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Jeff Rake, Kate Hergott, Rob Hart) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/family-fear-and-the-final-frontier-jeff-rakes-and-rob-harts-detour-tekGKpTi This week, I talk with Jeff Rake and Rob Hart about the first installment of their new series Detour. Jeff shares how he got the idea for the story originally for TV, but when he mentioned it to a friend they said it sounded like a novel. When he got connected to Rob, their partnership was instantly born, and they went on to write an entire full-length novel without meeting in person until the very end.

They share what their process was like, how they developed such a large cast of characters, and how being fathers themselves shaped the family themes in the book.

Detour Synopsis

Ryan Crane wasn’t looking for trouble—just a cup of coffee. But when this cop spots a gunman emerging from an unmarked van, he leaps into action and unknowingly saves John Ward, a billionaire with presidential aspirations, from an assassination attempt.

As thanks for Ryan’s quick thinking, Ward offers him the chance of a lifetime: to join a group of lucky civilians chosen to accompany three veteran astronauts on the first manned mission to Saturn’s moon Titan.

A devoted family man, Ryan is reluctant to leave on this two-year expedition, yet with the encouragement of his loving wife—and an exorbitant paycheck guaranteeing lifetime care for their disabled son—he crews up and ventures into a new frontier.

But as the ship is circling Titan, it is rocked by an unexplained series of explosions. The crew works together to get back on course, and they return to Earth as heroes.

When the fanfare dies down, Ryan and his fellow astronauts notice that things are different. Some changes are good, such as lavish upgrades to their homes, but others are more disconcerting. Before the group can connect, mysterious figures start tailing them, and their communications are scrambled.

Separated and suspicious, the crew must uncover the truth and decide how far they’re willing to go to return to their normal lives. Just when their space adventure seemingly ends, it shockingly begins.

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Family, Fear and the Final Frontier: Jeff Rake's and Rob Hart's Detour Jeff Rake, Kate Hergott, Rob Hart 00:39:29 writing, fiction, sci-fi true full 354 c1655ba9-8617-41a3-97e5-98d0b8cd8fc0 Big Hair and Big Secrets: May Cobb's All The Little Houses This week, Gare and I chat with May Cobb about her new, messy thriller All the Little Houses! She shares the inspiration for the story, how she managed multiple POVs, and what it was like on the set of The Hunting Wives.

All the Little Houses Synopsis

It's the mid-1980s in the tiny town of Longview, Texas. Nellie Anderson, the beautiful daughter of the Anderson family dynasty, has burst onto the scene. She always gets what she wants. What she can't get for herself… well, that's what her mother is for. Because Charleigh Andersen, blond, beautiful, and ruthlessly cunning, remembers all too well having to claw her way to the top. When she was coming of age on the poor side of East Texas, she was a loser, an outcast, humiliated, and shunned by the in-crowd, whose approval she'd so desperately thirsted for. When a prairie-kissed family moves to town, all trad wife, woodworking dad, wholesome daughter vibes, Charleigh's entire self-made social empire threatens to crumble. Who will be left standing when the dust settles?

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Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 6 Feb 2026 17:23:09 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Bookwild Collective) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/big-hair-and-big-secrets-may-cobbs-all-the-little-houses-jxPKKU62 This week, Gare and I chat with May Cobb about her new, messy thriller All the Little Houses! She shares the inspiration for the story, how she managed multiple POVs, and what it was like on the set of The Hunting Wives.

All the Little Houses Synopsis

It's the mid-1980s in the tiny town of Longview, Texas. Nellie Anderson, the beautiful daughter of the Anderson family dynasty, has burst onto the scene. She always gets what she wants. What she can't get for herself… well, that's what her mother is for. Because Charleigh Andersen, blond, beautiful, and ruthlessly cunning, remembers all too well having to claw her way to the top. When she was coming of age on the poor side of East Texas, she was a loser, an outcast, humiliated, and shunned by the in-crowd, whose approval she'd so desperately thirsted for. When a prairie-kissed family moves to town, all trad wife, woodworking dad, wholesome daughter vibes, Charleigh's entire self-made social empire threatens to crumble. Who will be left standing when the dust settles?

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Big Hair and Big Secrets: May Cobb's All The Little Houses Bookwild Collective 01:02:50 writing, thriller, mystery, fiction true full 353 9fa340cd-d242-49eb-b445-fc7d05681933 Grief, Meteoric Fame and Parasocial Relationships: Ashley Winstead's The Future Saints This week, Gare and I talk with Ashley Winstead about her new contemporary fiction (tragi-comedy but don't tell Ashley's publicists we said so) The Future Saints! We dive into her inspiration for the book, how it changed over the years through rounds of edits, and her fascination with ambitious women and how the world reacts to them.

The Future Saints Synopsis

This is a love story, but not the one you’re expecting.

When record executive Theo meets the Future Saints, they’re bombing at a dive bar in their hometown. Since the tragic death of their manager, the band has been in a downward spiral and Theo has been dispatched to coax a new—and successful—album out of them, or else let them go.

Immediately, Theo is struck by Hannah, the group’s impetuous lead singer, who’s gone off script by debuting a whole new sound, replacing their California pop with gut-wrenching rock. When this new music goes viral, striking an unexpected chord with fans, Theo puts his career on the line to give the Saints one last shot at success with a new tour, new record, and new start.

But Hannah’s grief has larger consequences for the group, and her increasingly destructive antics become a distraction as she and her sister Ginny—her lifelong partner in crime—undermine Theo at every turn. Hannah isn’t ready to move on or prepared for the fame she’s been chasing, and the weight of her problems jeopardize the band, her growing closeness with Theo, and, worst of all, her relationship with her sister—all while the world watches closely. The Future Saints’s big break is here—if only they can survive it.

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 3 Feb 2026 14:42:14 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Ashley Winstead, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/grief-meteoric-fame-and-parasocial-relationships-ashley-winsteads-the-future-saints-kedAidkg This week, Gare and I talk with Ashley Winstead about her new contemporary fiction (tragi-comedy but don't tell Ashley's publicists we said so) The Future Saints! We dive into her inspiration for the book, how it changed over the years through rounds of edits, and her fascination with ambitious women and how the world reacts to them.

The Future Saints Synopsis

This is a love story, but not the one you’re expecting.

When record executive Theo meets the Future Saints, they’re bombing at a dive bar in their hometown. Since the tragic death of their manager, the band has been in a downward spiral and Theo has been dispatched to coax a new—and successful—album out of them, or else let them go.

Immediately, Theo is struck by Hannah, the group’s impetuous lead singer, who’s gone off script by debuting a whole new sound, replacing their California pop with gut-wrenching rock. When this new music goes viral, striking an unexpected chord with fans, Theo puts his career on the line to give the Saints one last shot at success with a new tour, new record, and new start.

But Hannah’s grief has larger consequences for the group, and her increasingly destructive antics become a distraction as she and her sister Ginny—her lifelong partner in crime—undermine Theo at every turn. Hannah isn’t ready to move on or prepared for the fame she’s been chasing, and the weight of her problems jeopardize the band, her growing closeness with Theo, and, worst of all, her relationship with her sister—all while the world watches closely. The Future Saints’s big break is here—if only they can survive it.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Grief, Meteoric Fame and Parasocial Relationships: Ashley Winstead's The Future Saints Kate Hergott, Ashley Winstead, Gare Billings 01:37:39 writing, reading, fiction true full 352 52a20bb4-7a0c-410d-a842-2718ed5e1032 Body Swapping, Dark Academia & Personal Magic: Petra Lord's Queen of Faces This week, I talk with Petra Lord about her debut genre bending fantasy-sci-fi-dark-academia book Queen of Faces. She shares the eight year journey of writing the book, how she injured herself while writing it, and how fantasy worlds are so effective for social commentary.

Queen of Faces Synopsis

Anabelle Gage is trapped in a male body, and it’s rotting from the inside out. In Caimor, where the magical elite buy and swap designer bodies like clothes, Ana can’t afford to escape her tattered form. When she fails the entrance exam to the prestigious Paragon Academy, her last hope of earning a new body implodes. As the clock ticks down to her last breath, she’s forced to use her illusion magic to steal a healthy chassis—before her own kills her.

But Ana is caught by none other than the headmaster of Paragon Academy, who poses a brutal ultimatum: face execution for her crime or become a mercenary at his command. Revolt brews in Caimor's smog-choked underworld, and the wealthy and powerful will stop at nothing to take down the rebels and the infamous dark witch at their helm, the Black Wraith.

With no choice but to accept, Ana will steal, fight, and kill her way to salvation. But her survival depends on a dangerous band of an impulsive assassin, a brooding bombmaker, and an alluring exile who might just spell her ruin. As Ana is drawn into a tangled web of secrets, the line between villain and hero shatters—and Ana must decide which side is worth dying for.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 3 Feb 2026 14:21:34 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Petra Lord, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/body-swapping-dark-academia-personal-magic-petra-lords-queen-of-faces-OiHTUaZm This week, I talk with Petra Lord about her debut genre bending fantasy-sci-fi-dark-academia book Queen of Faces. She shares the eight year journey of writing the book, how she injured herself while writing it, and how fantasy worlds are so effective for social commentary.

Queen of Faces Synopsis

Anabelle Gage is trapped in a male body, and it’s rotting from the inside out. In Caimor, where the magical elite buy and swap designer bodies like clothes, Ana can’t afford to escape her tattered form. When she fails the entrance exam to the prestigious Paragon Academy, her last hope of earning a new body implodes. As the clock ticks down to her last breath, she’s forced to use her illusion magic to steal a healthy chassis—before her own kills her.

But Ana is caught by none other than the headmaster of Paragon Academy, who poses a brutal ultimatum: face execution for her crime or become a mercenary at his command. Revolt brews in Caimor's smog-choked underworld, and the wealthy and powerful will stop at nothing to take down the rebels and the infamous dark witch at their helm, the Black Wraith.

With no choice but to accept, Ana will steal, fight, and kill her way to salvation. But her survival depends on a dangerous band of an impulsive assassin, a brooding bombmaker, and an alluring exile who might just spell her ruin. As Ana is drawn into a tangled web of secrets, the line between villain and hero shatters—and Ana must decide which side is worth dying for.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Body Swapping, Dark Academia & Personal Magic: Petra Lord's Queen of Faces Petra Lord, Kate Hergott 00:48:41 writing, fiction, fantasy, sci-fi true full 351 41830e2d-b7ef-4513-81fc-68a84ef57998 Motherhood, Memory, and Murder: The Water Lies by Amy Meyerson This week, I talk with Amy Meyerson about her new mystery thriller The Water Lies. We dive into her inspiration for the book, how audiobooks changed her approach to pacing, and how she grappled with intuition, pregnancy and motherhood.

*This was supposed to be released on January 1, but I put it in my release calendar for February 1, so some of our conversation may seem dated!*

The Water Lies Synopsis

Heavily pregnant with her second child, Tessa Irons has enough on her mind without her toddler throwing tantrums at the local coffee shop. The boy is inconsolable, shouting “Gigi!” to a woman Tessa’s never seen before—and never will again. The next morning, the woman’s body is dredged up from the canal outside the Ironses’ posh Venice Beach home, and Tessa’s gut tells her it’s no coincidence.

Barb Geller refuses to believe that her daughter’s death was just some drunken accident. She heads to California for answers, where she crosses paths with Tessa. Together they hunt for the truth, certain they’ll find a connection between their children.

But the police don’t believe them. Tessa’s husband dismisses her worries as pregnancy jitters, and even though people are always watching along the canals, no one saw a thing. Tessa and Barb only have each other, their intuition, and the creeping sense of danger that grows with every shocking revelation.

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Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Sun, 1 Feb 2026 19:24:17 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Amy Meyerson, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/motherhood-memory-and-murder-the-water-lies-by-amy-meyerson-rxx0s1p7 This week, I talk with Amy Meyerson about her new mystery thriller The Water Lies. We dive into her inspiration for the book, how audiobooks changed her approach to pacing, and how she grappled with intuition, pregnancy and motherhood.

*This was supposed to be released on January 1, but I put it in my release calendar for February 1, so some of our conversation may seem dated!*

The Water Lies Synopsis

Heavily pregnant with her second child, Tessa Irons has enough on her mind without her toddler throwing tantrums at the local coffee shop. The boy is inconsolable, shouting “Gigi!” to a woman Tessa’s never seen before—and never will again. The next morning, the woman’s body is dredged up from the canal outside the Ironses’ posh Venice Beach home, and Tessa’s gut tells her it’s no coincidence.

Barb Geller refuses to believe that her daughter’s death was just some drunken accident. She heads to California for answers, where she crosses paths with Tessa. Together they hunt for the truth, certain they’ll find a connection between their children.

But the police don’t believe them. Tessa’s husband dismisses her worries as pregnancy jitters, and even though people are always watching along the canals, no one saw a thing. Tessa and Barb only have each other, their intuition, and the creeping sense of danger that grows with every shocking revelation.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Motherhood, Memory, and Murder: The Water Lies by Amy Meyerson Amy Meyerson, Kate Hergott 00:44:43 writing, thriller, mystery, fiction, motherhood true full 350 c9daf526-456f-48fa-91ce-9b795c9df157 Predicting Our 2026 Favorite Books with Gare and Steph This week, Gare and Steph and I attempt to predict which books will be some of our favorite books in 2026!

Kate’s Books

Dead Beat Alex Stern Leigh Bardugo

Hot Girl Murder Club by Ashley Winstead

The Caretaker Marcus Kliewer

Honey by Imani Thompson

Queen of Faces

Gare’s Books

The Secret Lives of Murderers Wives by Elizabeth Arnott

This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum

Helpless by Jessica Knoll

Heather by Caitlin Mullen

Heart of Glass Jennifer Hillier

Steph’s Books

It Could Have Been Her by Lisa Jewell

Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead by Mai Nguyen

Forget You Saw Her by Noelle W. Ihli

Good Joy, Bad Joy by Mikki Brammer

Let’s Not Go Overboard Here by Erica Hendry

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 30 Jan 2026 17:18:43 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Bookwild Collective) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/predicting-our-2026-favorite-books-with-gare-and-steph-E_2zFpFa This week, Gare and Steph and I attempt to predict which books will be some of our favorite books in 2026!

Kate’s Books

Dead Beat Alex Stern Leigh Bardugo

Hot Girl Murder Club by Ashley Winstead

The Caretaker Marcus Kliewer

Honey by Imani Thompson

Queen of Faces

Gare’s Books

The Secret Lives of Murderers Wives by Elizabeth Arnott

This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum

Helpless by Jessica Knoll

Heather by Caitlin Mullen

Heart of Glass Jennifer Hillier

Steph’s Books

It Could Have Been Her by Lisa Jewell

Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead by Mai Nguyen

Forget You Saw Her by Noelle W. Ihli

Good Joy, Bad Joy by Mikki Brammer

Let’s Not Go Overboard Here by Erica Hendry

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Predicting Our 2026 Favorite Books with Gare and Steph Bookwild Collective 01:20:33 true full 349 463c02a5-865f-430a-a5d4-247241620133 History, Horror, and Identity: L.S. Stratton's Sundown Girls This week, I talk with L.S. Stratton about the her new YA mystery thriller Sundown Girls. Stratton discusses how the story began as an adult novel and transformed into YA once she shifted the perspective to a sixteen-year-old protagonist, allowing the narrative to flow more naturally.

She shares the real-world inspiration behind the book, including historical sundown towns, racial violence, and real kidnapping cases, and how these histories shaped both the setting and Naomi’s identity as a formerly missing girl.

We discuss her use of themes of belonging, family reunification, generational trauma, and racism—particularly how uncertainty, gaslighting, and “is this real or am I imagining it?” in the book mirror lived experiences of racism. She also dive into blending supernatural elements with psychological tension, the challenges of writing historical horror, the importance of family dynamics and emotional pacing in thrillers, and the decision to leave some questions—especially around Naomi’s kidnapped childhood—unresolved as part of her growth.

Follow L.S. Stratton here

Sundown Girls Synopsis

When sixteen-year-old Naomi Stoakes and her family head to a secluded cabin in the Shenandoah Valley for summer vacation they don’t know the small, mountainous town of Sparksburg, Virginia has a dark and twisted past. But when they arrive, Naomi can’t shake the feeling that something about Sparksburg just isn’t right. When she learns Sparksburg had once been a Sundown Town—a town where Blacks weren’t allowed after sunset lest they be murdered—well Naomi’s unease starts to make sense.

As Naomi digs more into Sparksburg’s violent origins, she finds herself haunted by the ghost of a girl, appearing nightly outside her window. Then she learns of two girls who’ve recently gone missing and suspects the past may still be present in Sparksburg and beneath the quaint façade of this tourist town is a palpable danger.

When Naomi decides to track the disappearance of the two girls herself and confronts the ghost of another, she become suspicious of a local man who has kindled fear in Naomi more than once. When she learns he has a connection to one of the missing girls, Naomi is certain he’s responsible for the disappearances.

When no one believes her, Naomi takes matters into her own hands. But to save the missing girls, she’ll have to finally face her own past trauma as a “missing girl”, and risk losing everything she loves.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 27 Jan 2026 13:28:12 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (L.S. Stratton, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/history-horror-and-identity-ls-strattons-sundown-girls-KZd2QLDy This week, I talk with L.S. Stratton about the her new YA mystery thriller Sundown Girls. Stratton discusses how the story began as an adult novel and transformed into YA once she shifted the perspective to a sixteen-year-old protagonist, allowing the narrative to flow more naturally.

She shares the real-world inspiration behind the book, including historical sundown towns, racial violence, and real kidnapping cases, and how these histories shaped both the setting and Naomi’s identity as a formerly missing girl.

We discuss her use of themes of belonging, family reunification, generational trauma, and racism—particularly how uncertainty, gaslighting, and “is this real or am I imagining it?” in the book mirror lived experiences of racism. She also dive into blending supernatural elements with psychological tension, the challenges of writing historical horror, the importance of family dynamics and emotional pacing in thrillers, and the decision to leave some questions—especially around Naomi’s kidnapped childhood—unresolved as part of her growth.

Follow L.S. Stratton here

Sundown Girls Synopsis

When sixteen-year-old Naomi Stoakes and her family head to a secluded cabin in the Shenandoah Valley for summer vacation they don’t know the small, mountainous town of Sparksburg, Virginia has a dark and twisted past. But when they arrive, Naomi can’t shake the feeling that something about Sparksburg just isn’t right. When she learns Sparksburg had once been a Sundown Town—a town where Blacks weren’t allowed after sunset lest they be murdered—well Naomi’s unease starts to make sense.

As Naomi digs more into Sparksburg’s violent origins, she finds herself haunted by the ghost of a girl, appearing nightly outside her window. Then she learns of two girls who’ve recently gone missing and suspects the past may still be present in Sparksburg and beneath the quaint façade of this tourist town is a palpable danger.

When Naomi decides to track the disappearance of the two girls herself and confronts the ghost of another, she become suspicious of a local man who has kindled fear in Naomi more than once. When she learns he has a connection to one of the missing girls, Naomi is certain he’s responsible for the disappearances.

When no one believes her, Naomi takes matters into her own hands. But to save the missing girls, she’ll have to finally face her own past trauma as a “missing girl”, and risk losing everything she loves.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> History, Horror, and Identity: L.S. Stratton's Sundown Girls L.S. Stratton, Kate Hergott 00:43:20 historical fiction, ya, horror, fiction true full 348 f6ef8973-f8ac-4acb-9bab-92af84e9e50e How the NYC Reagan 80s Taught America to Excuse Violence: Heather Ann Thompson's Fear and Fury This week, I talk with historian Heather Ann Thompson about her new non-fiction Fear and Fury, which traces how the 1984 Bernie Goetz subway shooting became a flashpoint for the Reagan-era rollback of public investment, the rise of punitive policing, and the normalization of white vigilantism.

Moving between the lived experiences of the four Black teenagers who were shot and the political, media, and economic forces that quickly transformed Goetz into a folk hero, Thompson shows how fear was deliberately manufactured and redirected away from structural inequality and toward racialized scapegoats.

We compare 1980s New York to the present moment—drawing lines to media sensationalism, carceral logic, and modern cases of state and vigilante violence—while insisting that this history is neither accidental nor inevitable. By centering the long-term human cost borne by the victims and their families, the conversation ultimately argues that understanding how white rage was cultivated is essential to imagining a more just future.

Fear and Fury: The Reagan Eighties, the Bernie Goetz Shootings, and the Rebirth of White Rage Synopsis

On December 22, 1984, white New Yorker Bernhard Goetz shot four Black teenagers at point-blank in a New York City subway car. Goetz slipped into the subway tunnels undetected, fleeing the city to evade capture. From the moment Goetz turned himself in, the narrative surrounding the shooting became a matter of extraordinary debate, igniting public outcry and capturing the attention of the nation.

While Goetz's guilt was never in question, media outlets sensationalized the event, redirecting public ire toward the victims themselves. In the end, it would take two grand juries and a civil suit to achieve justice on behalf of the four Black teenagers. For some, Goetz would go on to become a national hero, inciting a disturbing new chapter in American history. This brutal act revealed a white rage and resentment much deeper, larger, and more insidious than the actions of Bernie Goetz himself. Intensified by politicians and tabloid media, it would lead a stunning number of white Americans to celebrate vigilantism as a fully legitimate means for addressing racial fear, fracturing American race relations.

Follow Heather here

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Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 27 Jan 2026 13:11:50 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Heather Ann Thompson, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/how-the-nyc-reagan-80s-taught-america-to-excuse-violence-heather-ann-thompsons-fear-and-fury-hQkkl_RW This week, I talk with historian Heather Ann Thompson about her new non-fiction Fear and Fury, which traces how the 1984 Bernie Goetz subway shooting became a flashpoint for the Reagan-era rollback of public investment, the rise of punitive policing, and the normalization of white vigilantism.

Moving between the lived experiences of the four Black teenagers who were shot and the political, media, and economic forces that quickly transformed Goetz into a folk hero, Thompson shows how fear was deliberately manufactured and redirected away from structural inequality and toward racialized scapegoats.

We compare 1980s New York to the present moment—drawing lines to media sensationalism, carceral logic, and modern cases of state and vigilante violence—while insisting that this history is neither accidental nor inevitable. By centering the long-term human cost borne by the victims and their families, the conversation ultimately argues that understanding how white rage was cultivated is essential to imagining a more just future.

Fear and Fury: The Reagan Eighties, the Bernie Goetz Shootings, and the Rebirth of White Rage Synopsis

On December 22, 1984, white New Yorker Bernhard Goetz shot four Black teenagers at point-blank in a New York City subway car. Goetz slipped into the subway tunnels undetected, fleeing the city to evade capture. From the moment Goetz turned himself in, the narrative surrounding the shooting became a matter of extraordinary debate, igniting public outcry and capturing the attention of the nation.

While Goetz's guilt was never in question, media outlets sensationalized the event, redirecting public ire toward the victims themselves. In the end, it would take two grand juries and a civil suit to achieve justice on behalf of the four Black teenagers. For some, Goetz would go on to become a national hero, inciting a disturbing new chapter in American history. This brutal act revealed a white rage and resentment much deeper, larger, and more insidious than the actions of Bernie Goetz himself. Intensified by politicians and tabloid media, it would lead a stunning number of white Americans to celebrate vigilantism as a fully legitimate means for addressing racial fear, fracturing American race relations.

Follow Heather here

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Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> How the NYC Reagan 80s Taught America to Excuse Violence: Heather Ann Thompson's Fear and Fury Heather Ann Thompson, Kate Hergott 01:04:53 nyc, non-fiction, history, 1980s true full 347 f9e03270-fa91-4a98-8fe4-bfd84243cb07 Last, Current and Next Reads with Erin Ashley This week, Erin Ashley is back, and we talk about our Last, Current and Next reads, as well as books we are intrigued by on our TBRs.

Kate’s Books

Kill Show — Daniel Swearen-Becker

When the Reckoning Comes — LaTanya McQueen

The Future Saints — Ashley Winstead

Blade — Wendy Walker

Reader Bot — Naomi S. Baron

On Sunday She Picked Flowers — Yah-Yah Scholfield

Girl Gone Wild — Courtney Kocak

Erin’s Books

Truly— Lionel Richie

Tiny Experiments — Anne-Laure Le Cunff

Little One — Olivia Muenter

Heart the Lover — Lily King

Deep Cuts — Holly Brickley

An American Marriage — Tayari Jones

Kin — Tayari Jones

Say Everything — Ione Skye

Keeper of Lost Children — Sadeqa Johnson

The Ballad of Teena Marie — Teena Marie

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Sat, 24 Jan 2026 14:32:46 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Bookwild Collective) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/last-current-and-next-reads-with-erin-ashley-oVAjOh4h This week, Erin Ashley is back, and we talk about our Last, Current and Next reads, as well as books we are intrigued by on our TBRs.

Kate’s Books

Kill Show — Daniel Swearen-Becker

When the Reckoning Comes — LaTanya McQueen

The Future Saints — Ashley Winstead

Blade — Wendy Walker

Reader Bot — Naomi S. Baron

On Sunday She Picked Flowers — Yah-Yah Scholfield

Girl Gone Wild — Courtney Kocak

Erin’s Books

Truly— Lionel Richie

Tiny Experiments — Anne-Laure Le Cunff

Little One — Olivia Muenter

Heart the Lover — Lily King

Deep Cuts — Holly Brickley

An American Marriage — Tayari Jones

Kin — Tayari Jones

Say Everything — Ione Skye

Keeper of Lost Children — Sadeqa Johnson

The Ballad of Teena Marie — Teena Marie

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Last, Current and Next Reads with Erin Ashley Bookwild Collective 01:02:22 true full 346 4daaef65-eb0c-4784-90ba-d1cd2a0d590a Silicon Valley, Body Horror and Shadowy Visions: Matt Casamassina's Degenerate This week, I talk with Matt Casamassina about his genre-bending sci-fi-horror-thriller Degenerate. He shares his unique approach to audiobook production, how reading Stephen King as a kid influenced his writing, and how one of his co-workers inspired the story.

Degenerate by Matt Casamassina

Mason Kowalski, a twenty-four year-old copywriter for a San Mateo startup, is on the verge of a nervous breakdown when he inexplicably suffers widespread vision loss in one eye. The doctors say it’s macular degeneration triggered by overwhelming stress, but he wonders if it’s something more, especially when the shadows in his peripheral vision begin to take shape and whisper wonderful and horrible things to him. Is it madness or destiny? The answer could destroy everything and everyone he holds dear.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 20 Jan 2026 05:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Matt Casamassina, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/silicon-valley-body-horror-and-shadowy-visions-matt-casamassinas-degenerate-EKVDKAJq This week, I talk with Matt Casamassina about his genre-bending sci-fi-horror-thriller Degenerate. He shares his unique approach to audiobook production, how reading Stephen King as a kid influenced his writing, and how one of his co-workers inspired the story.

Degenerate by Matt Casamassina

Mason Kowalski, a twenty-four year-old copywriter for a San Mateo startup, is on the verge of a nervous breakdown when he inexplicably suffers widespread vision loss in one eye. The doctors say it’s macular degeneration triggered by overwhelming stress, but he wonders if it’s something more, especially when the shadows in his peripheral vision begin to take shape and whisper wonderful and horrible things to him. Is it madness or destiny? The answer could destroy everything and everyone he holds dear.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Silicon Valley, Body Horror and Shadowy Visions: Matt Casamassina's Degenerate Matt Casamassina, Kate Hergott 00:41:07 speculative fiction, horror, thriller, audiobook true full 345 de82e767-d6ac-4737-9f96-22b9d79ef977 2026 Book Releases We Can't Wait to Read with MacKenzie Green This week, MacKenzie Green is back, and we talk about 2026 releases we are excited about!

Books MacKenzie Talked About

2026 Releases

Half His Age – Jennette McCurdy
Fear and Fury – Heather Ann Thompson
There’s Only One Sin in Hollywood – Rasheed Newson
Vigil – George Saunders
American Fantasy – Emma Straub
Lady Tremaine – Gretchen McNeil

Other Books

Frankenstein – Mary Shelley
Blood in the Water – Heather Ann Thompson
The Gods of New York – Jonathan Mahler
Challenger – Adam Higginbotham
Midnight in Chernobyl – Adam Higginbotham
Frostbite – Nicola Twilley
Lolita – Vladimir Nabokov
My Government Means to Kill Me – Rasheed Newson
Lincoln in the Bardo – George Saunders
Girl Dinner – Olivie Blake

Books Kate Talked About

2026 Releases

Yesteryear – Caro Claire Burke
Sublimation – Isabel J. Kim
Screen People – Megan Garber
Language as Liberation – Toni Morrison
Japanese Gothic – Kylie Lee Baker

Other Books 

Separation of Church and Hate –  John Fugelsang
The Bluest Eye – Toni Morrison
Beloved – Toni Morrison
Project Hail Mary – Andy Weir
The Martian – Andy Weir
Scream With Me – Eleanor Johnson

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 16 Jan 2026 18:43:45 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (MacKenzie Green, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/2026-book-releases-we-cant-wait-to-read-with-mackenzie-green-AZRePcc_ This week, MacKenzie Green is back, and we talk about 2026 releases we are excited about!

Books MacKenzie Talked About

2026 Releases

Half His Age – Jennette McCurdy
Fear and Fury – Heather Ann Thompson
There’s Only One Sin in Hollywood – Rasheed Newson
Vigil – George Saunders
American Fantasy – Emma Straub
Lady Tremaine – Gretchen McNeil

Other Books

Frankenstein – Mary Shelley
Blood in the Water – Heather Ann Thompson
The Gods of New York – Jonathan Mahler
Challenger – Adam Higginbotham
Midnight in Chernobyl – Adam Higginbotham
Frostbite – Nicola Twilley
Lolita – Vladimir Nabokov
My Government Means to Kill Me – Rasheed Newson
Lincoln in the Bardo – George Saunders
Girl Dinner – Olivie Blake

Books Kate Talked About

2026 Releases

Yesteryear – Caro Claire Burke
Sublimation – Isabel J. Kim
Screen People – Megan Garber
Language as Liberation – Toni Morrison
Japanese Gothic – Kylie Lee Baker

Other Books 

Separation of Church and Hate –  John Fugelsang
The Bluest Eye – Toni Morrison
Beloved – Toni Morrison
Project Hail Mary – Andy Weir
The Martian – Andy Weir
Scream With Me – Eleanor Johnson

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> 2026 Book Releases We Can't Wait to Read with MacKenzie Green MacKenzie Green, Kate Hergott 01:10:20 reading, fiction, books, non-fiction true full 344 31f8ce1b-abc1-433d-9f2a-512bea3ddbf1 Infiltrating a Wealthy Family for a Missing Friend: Yasmin Angoe's Behind These Four Walls This week, Yasmin Angoe is back for the fifth year in a row to talk about here new mystery-thriller Behind These Four Walls! We dive into her inspiration for the story, how she created the wealthy, villainous Corrigan family, and Isla's private investigator adjacent job.

Behind These Four Walls Synopsis

Isla Thorne had a rough start in life. Orphaned young, she spent her formative years in a group home where she met her best friend, Eden Galloway. At sixteen, they decide to run away to LA…but Eden never makes it.

It’s been ten years since Eden vanished. And Isla’s determined to find her.

She begins at the last place Eden visited: the Corrigan mansion in Virginia. Eden claimed to have unfinished business there. Posing as an aspiring journalist, Isla insinuates herself into the wealthy family’s home and begins searching for the truth.

The more she digs, the more Isla discovers Eden isn’t who she thought she was. Was she even a victim, or did Eden plan this all along? Desperate for answers and to keep her identity hidden, Isla finds an ally in one of the Corrigan sons. But as she wades deeper into this power-hungry family’s secrets and lies, she finds herself in the crosshairs of a bloodline that’s more lethal than loyal.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 13 Jan 2026 16:43:06 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Yasmin Angoe, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/infiltrating-a-wealthy-family-for-a-missing-friend-yasmin-angoes-behind-these-four-walls-3eKCXvN_ This week, Yasmin Angoe is back for the fifth year in a row to talk about here new mystery-thriller Behind These Four Walls! We dive into her inspiration for the story, how she created the wealthy, villainous Corrigan family, and Isla's private investigator adjacent job.

Behind These Four Walls Synopsis

Isla Thorne had a rough start in life. Orphaned young, she spent her formative years in a group home where she met her best friend, Eden Galloway. At sixteen, they decide to run away to LA…but Eden never makes it.

It’s been ten years since Eden vanished. And Isla’s determined to find her.

She begins at the last place Eden visited: the Corrigan mansion in Virginia. Eden claimed to have unfinished business there. Posing as an aspiring journalist, Isla insinuates herself into the wealthy family’s home and begins searching for the truth.

The more she digs, the more Isla discovers Eden isn’t who she thought she was. Was she even a victim, or did Eden plan this all along? Desperate for answers and to keep her identity hidden, Isla finds an ally in one of the Corrigan sons. But as she wades deeper into this power-hungry family’s secrets and lies, she finds herself in the crosshairs of a bloodline that’s more lethal than loyal.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Infiltrating a Wealthy Family for a Missing Friend: Yasmin Angoe's Behind These Four Walls Yasmin Angoe, Kate Hergott 00:40:34 suspense, author, reading, thriller, mystery, fiction true full 343 f40b4254-4de5-4273-8a15-98437cdcd942 January and February Books We Are Excited About with Gare and Steph This week, Gare, Steph and I share our 2026 bookish goals, and January and February releases we are excited about! Steph also shares a few backlist she will be reading in January and February.

Kate’s Books

Kin by Tayari Jones

Spies and Other Gods James Wolff

Queen of Faces by Petra Lord

On Sundays She Picked Flowers by Yah-Yah Scholfield 

Unread: A Memoir of Learning (And Loving) to Read on TikTok  by Oliver James

Gare’s Books

A Box Full of Darkness by Simone St. James

Dead in the Water by John Marrs

Here Lie All the Boys Who Broke My Heart by Emma Simmerman

The Exes by Leodora Darlington

Last Seen by Christopher Castellani

Steph’s Books

Dark Sisters by Kristi DeMeester

The Act of Disappearing by Nathan Gower

It’s Not Her by Mary Kubica

Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashimo

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Sat, 10 Jan 2026 00:50:10 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott, Steph Lauer) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/january-and-february-books-we-are-excited-about-with-gare-and-steph-uyMXAYpt This week, Gare, Steph and I share our 2026 bookish goals, and January and February releases we are excited about! Steph also shares a few backlist she will be reading in January and February.

Kate’s Books

Kin by Tayari Jones

Spies and Other Gods James Wolff

Queen of Faces by Petra Lord

On Sundays She Picked Flowers by Yah-Yah Scholfield 

Unread: A Memoir of Learning (And Loving) to Read on TikTok  by Oliver James

Gare’s Books

A Box Full of Darkness by Simone St. James

Dead in the Water by John Marrs

Here Lie All the Boys Who Broke My Heart by Emma Simmerman

The Exes by Leodora Darlington

Last Seen by Christopher Castellani

Steph’s Books

Dark Sisters by Kristi DeMeester

The Act of Disappearing by Nathan Gower

It’s Not Her by Mary Kubica

Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashimo

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> January and February Books We Are Excited About with Gare and Steph Gare Billings, Kate Hergott, Steph Lauer 01:32:20 reading, books true full 342 dab3b2b1-3cf6-4bda-bd13-17f9e4e473c6 Fighting Book Bans and Censorship in Louisiana: Amanda Jones' That Librarian This week, I talk with Amanda Jones, a dedicated small-town Louisiana librarian, about the challenges she faces in her fight against book banning and censorship. She discusses her passion for literature, the importance of representation in books, the defamatory posts about her that spread like wildfire, and the impact of misinformation on community perceptions. Amanda has always championed the importance of diverse literature and the role of libraries as safe spaces for all children, particularly those from marginalized communities.

Read all about Amanda's journey in her book That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in America

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 6 Jan 2026 15:40:53 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Amanda Jones, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/fighting-book-bans-and-censorship-in-louisiana-amanda-jones-that-librarian-VYLCubwk This week, I talk with Amanda Jones, a dedicated small-town Louisiana librarian, about the challenges she faces in her fight against book banning and censorship. She discusses her passion for literature, the importance of representation in books, the defamatory posts about her that spread like wildfire, and the impact of misinformation on community perceptions. Amanda has always championed the importance of diverse literature and the role of libraries as safe spaces for all children, particularly those from marginalized communities.

Read all about Amanda's journey in her book That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in America

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fighting Book Bans and Censorship in Louisiana: Amanda Jones' That Librarian Amanda Jones, Kate Hergott 01:07:42 book bans, librarian, reading true full 341 34df56b3-0133-4071-b6f6-919d19993636 2026 Bookish Plans and Goals with Halley Sutton This week, Halley and I catch up on what we've been reading and watching, and then dive into bookish plans and goals for 2026!

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Sat, 3 Jan 2026 14:10:49 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Halley Sutton) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/2026-bookish-plans-and-goals-with-halley-sutton-YkS_qZK9 This week, Halley and I catch up on what we've been reading and watching, and then dive into bookish plans and goals for 2026!

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> 2026 Bookish Plans and Goals with Halley Sutton Kate Hergott, Halley Sutton 01:21:39 writing, author, reading, reader, films true full 340 191d6625-5742-4475-abe8-b4ab3c6d99c0 Children Like Us: Family, Heritage & Cultural Erasure with Brittany Penner This week, I talk with Brittany Penner about her memoir Children Like Us, a haunting, deeply reflective exploration of identity, faith, and survival. Brittany shares what it was like growing up as an Indigenous child adopted into a Mennonite family that fostered dozens of other children, unpacking the long-term impact of the Sixties Scoop, religious indoctrination, and being taught to feel “grateful” for circumstances rooted in colonial harm.

We dive into dissociation, self-abandonment, storytelling as a tool for healing, and the complicated reality of holding love for family while confronting the systems that caused lasting damage.

We discuss grief, nuance, and reclamation, ultimately asking what it means to trust your own memory, honor your pain, and slowly learn how to walk yourself home.

Learn more about Brittany here

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 23 Dec 2025 14:21:06 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Brittany Penner, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/children-like-us-family-heritage-cultural-erasure-with-brittany-penner-qTqjCQnH This week, I talk with Brittany Penner about her memoir Children Like Us, a haunting, deeply reflective exploration of identity, faith, and survival. Brittany shares what it was like growing up as an Indigenous child adopted into a Mennonite family that fostered dozens of other children, unpacking the long-term impact of the Sixties Scoop, religious indoctrination, and being taught to feel “grateful” for circumstances rooted in colonial harm.

We dive into dissociation, self-abandonment, storytelling as a tool for healing, and the complicated reality of holding love for family while confronting the systems that caused lasting damage.

We discuss grief, nuance, and reclamation, ultimately asking what it means to trust your own memory, honor your pain, and slowly learn how to walk yourself home.

Learn more about Brittany here

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Children Like Us: Family, Heritage & Cultural Erasure with Brittany Penner Brittany Penner, Kate Hergott 01:07:34 writing, indigenous history, foster care, memoir, adoption true full 339 c7c121a7-fa0d-4f18-af2f-80c2a13cdf36 2025 Favorite Reads and Some 2026 Hopefuls with Gare This week, Gare and I talk about what we've been watching lately, our favorite 2025 reads, and some 2026 books Gare already loves, as well as some 2026 hopefuls!

Our 2025 Faves

Kate's Books

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Junie by Erin Crosby Eckstine

And Then She Fell by Alicia Elliot

Blood Over Bright Haven by M. L. Wang

Sky Full of Elephants by Cebo Williams

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due

Gare's Books

Night Watcher by Daphne Woolsoncroft

This Book Will Bury Me by Ashley Winstead

Boom Town by Nic Stone

Keep This For Me by Jennifer Fawcett

Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid

Too Old for This by Samantha Downing

2026 Books We Talked About

Boring Asian Female by Canwen Xu

Helpless by Jessica Knoll

On Sundays She Picked Flowers by Yah Yah Scholfield

The Better Mother by Jennifer Van der Kleut

The Future Saints by Ashley Winstead

Sundown Girls by L.S. Stratton

Shows We Talked About

The Beast in Me

Dexter: Resurrection

Slow Horses

Down Cemetery Road

Stranger Things

Heated Rivalry

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 19 Dec 2025 14:57:10 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/2025-favorite-reads-and-some-2026-hopefuls-with-gare-hc0Z2HW7 This week, Gare and I talk about what we've been watching lately, our favorite 2025 reads, and some 2026 books Gare already loves, as well as some 2026 hopefuls!

Our 2025 Faves

Kate's Books

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Junie by Erin Crosby Eckstine

And Then She Fell by Alicia Elliot

Blood Over Bright Haven by M. L. Wang

Sky Full of Elephants by Cebo Williams

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due

Gare's Books

Night Watcher by Daphne Woolsoncroft

This Book Will Bury Me by Ashley Winstead

Boom Town by Nic Stone

Keep This For Me by Jennifer Fawcett

Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid

Too Old for This by Samantha Downing

2026 Books We Talked About

Boring Asian Female by Canwen Xu

Helpless by Jessica Knoll

On Sundays She Picked Flowers by Yah Yah Scholfield

The Better Mother by Jennifer Van der Kleut

The Future Saints by Ashley Winstead

Sundown Girls by L.S. Stratton

Shows We Talked About

The Beast in Me

Dexter: Resurrection

Slow Horses

Down Cemetery Road

Stranger Things

Heated Rivalry

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> 2025 Favorite Reads and Some 2026 Hopefuls with Gare Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 01:05:17 historical fiction, mm romance, reading, thriller, mystery, fiction, books true full 338 a398f22c-ef10-47df-81a8-696c3a98887c When Faith Becomes Fear: Hell, Control, and the Loss of Love with Brian Recker This week, I talk with Brian Recker about his book Hell Bent, which examines how fear-based teachings about hell distort Christian spirituality, replacing love, connection, and moral discernment with control, shame, and punishment avoidance. Drawing from his upbringing in fundamentalism and later work as an evangelical pastor, he shares how early indoctrination around hell fractures relationships with God, self, and others, discourages intuition and questioning, all while propping up systems of domination—from abusive religious authority to political movements rooted in fear. Rather than abandoning spirituality altogether, he reclaimed Jesus from these systems, reframing faith as a practice of love, justice, and liberation in this life instead of an anxious fixation on the afterlife.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 16 Dec 2025 18:01:23 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Brian Recker, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/when-faith-becomes-fear-hell-control-and-the-loss-of-love-with-brian-recker-i1_kOk5O This week, I talk with Brian Recker about his book Hell Bent, which examines how fear-based teachings about hell distort Christian spirituality, replacing love, connection, and moral discernment with control, shame, and punishment avoidance. Drawing from his upbringing in fundamentalism and later work as an evangelical pastor, he shares how early indoctrination around hell fractures relationships with God, self, and others, discourages intuition and questioning, all while propping up systems of domination—from abusive religious authority to political movements rooted in fear. Rather than abandoning spirituality altogether, he reclaimed Jesus from these systems, reframing faith as a practice of love, justice, and liberation in this life instead of an anxious fixation on the afterlife.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> When Faith Becomes Fear: Hell, Control, and the Loss of Love with Brian Recker Brian Recker, Kate Hergott 01:06:54 fundamentalism, jesus, hell, religion, christian nationalism true full 337 0583529b-00ab-45c7-84e3-379897da3eb2 What We've Been Reading and Watching, And Some 2026 Hopefuls with Halley Sutton This week, Halley Sutton is back, and we dive into everything we've been reading and watching - which is quite a lot! We also share a few 2026 books we are excited to read.

What We’ve Been Reading

Everyone Is Lying to You — Joe Piazza

Alchemy of Secrets — Stephanie Garber

Vantage Point — Sarah Sligar
Good Dirt — Charmaine Wilkerson

 

2026 Hopefuls

The Future Saints — Ashley Winstead

All the Little Houses — May Cobb 

The Fortune Tellers of Rue Daru — Olyseia Solnikova Gilmore

Vigil — George Saunders 

The Story Eaters of Yamm — Kevin Hincker

Lady X — Molly Fader

Murder Bimbo — Rebecca Novak

The Temptation of Charlotte North — Camilla Bruce

 

Movies & TV Shows We Talked About

Pluribus

Dexter: Resurrection

The Beast in Me 

Ballard

Death By Lightning

Slow Horses

The Beast

Frankenstein

Hamnet

Wake Up Dead Man 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 12 Dec 2025 19:39:55 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Halley Sutton) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/what-weve-been-reading-and-watching-and-some-2026-hopefuls-with-halley-sutton-YA_N1i_Q This week, Halley Sutton is back, and we dive into everything we've been reading and watching - which is quite a lot! We also share a few 2026 books we are excited to read.

What We’ve Been Reading

Everyone Is Lying to You — Joe Piazza

Alchemy of Secrets — Stephanie Garber

Vantage Point — Sarah Sligar
Good Dirt — Charmaine Wilkerson

 

2026 Hopefuls

The Future Saints — Ashley Winstead

All the Little Houses — May Cobb 

The Fortune Tellers of Rue Daru — Olyseia Solnikova Gilmore

Vigil — George Saunders 

The Story Eaters of Yamm — Kevin Hincker

Lady X — Molly Fader

Murder Bimbo — Rebecca Novak

The Temptation of Charlotte North — Camilla Bruce

 

Movies & TV Shows We Talked About

Pluribus

Dexter: Resurrection

The Beast in Me 

Ballard

Death By Lightning

Slow Horses

The Beast

Frankenstein

Hamnet

Wake Up Dead Man 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> What We've Been Reading and Watching, And Some 2026 Hopefuls with Halley Sutton Kate Hergott, Halley Sutton 01:12:29 horror, reading, fiction, films, books, thrillers true full 336 57835aab-91c3-4a8f-a39d-bc32db0e636f Cosmic Horror, Claustrophobia & Craft: John Fram on The Midnight Knock This week, I talk with John Fram about the creative process behind his new horror-thriller The Midnight Knock, a genre-blending desert nightmare. He dives into selling the book early, wrestling with a complex multi-POV structure, and navigating the behind-the-scenes realities of publishing—from word-count limits to printing costs to foreign rights. He traces the story’s roots from a childhood moment of awe in West Texas to the unsettling idea of an endless highway, explaining how claustrophobia, cosmic horror, indigenous-informed mythology, and a terrifying owl-snake creature all converged in a motel where the guests can’t outrun their pasts—or the desert itself.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 9 Dec 2025 14:35:10 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, John Fram) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/cosmic-horror-claustrophobia-craft-john-fram-on-the-midnight-knock-lmPJ_qs2 This week, I talk with John Fram about the creative process behind his new horror-thriller The Midnight Knock, a genre-blending desert nightmare. He dives into selling the book early, wrestling with a complex multi-POV structure, and navigating the behind-the-scenes realities of publishing—from word-count limits to printing costs to foreign rights. He traces the story’s roots from a childhood moment of awe in West Texas to the unsettling idea of an endless highway, explaining how claustrophobia, cosmic horror, indigenous-informed mythology, and a terrifying owl-snake creature all converged in a motel where the guests can’t outrun their pasts—or the desert itself.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Cosmic Horror, Claustrophobia & Craft: John Fram on The Midnight Knock Kate Hergott, John Fram 01:06:49 writing, horror, reading, thriller, fiction true full 335 31f01f36-49d3-4ef3-952d-153548af2f0a Our Last, Current and Next Reads with Gare and Steph This week, Gare, Steph and I share our last, current and next reads!

Kate's Books

Last - Degenerate by Matt Casamassina

Current - Children Like Us by Birttany Penner

Next - Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson

Gare's Books

Last - All the Little Houses by May Cobb

Current - Heated Rivalry by Rachel Ried

Next - The House Guests by Amber and Danielle Brown

Steph's Books

Last - Everyone is Lying to You by Jo Piazza

Current - At Least You Have Your Health by Madi Sinha

Next - Seduction Theory by Emily Adrian

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Sat, 6 Dec 2025 20:26:57 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott, Steph Lauer) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/our-last-current-and-next-reads-with-gare-and-steph-uD_Wd2R0 This week, Gare, Steph and I share our last, current and next reads!

Kate's Books

Last - Degenerate by Matt Casamassina

Current - Children Like Us by Birttany Penner

Next - Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson

Gare's Books

Last - All the Little Houses by May Cobb

Current - Heated Rivalry by Rachel Ried

Next - The House Guests by Amber and Danielle Brown

Steph's Books

Last - Everyone is Lying to You by Jo Piazza

Current - At Least You Have Your Health by Madi Sinha

Next - Seduction Theory by Emily Adrian

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Our Last, Current and Next Reads with Gare and Steph Gare Billings, Kate Hergott, Steph Lauer 01:10:00 reading, fiction, books true full 334 8733bbf6-c63c-418c-8c02-c342dc34a12e Purity Culture, Power, and the Women Who Survive: Kristi DeMeester on Dark Sisters This week, Kristi DeMeester shares how her new novel Dark Sisters emerged from a collision of personal history, cultural rage, and the disturbing ease with which faith, patriarchy, and power can be weaponized. We discuss purity culture, megachurch hypocrisy, witch-trial history, feminist reclamation, the generational impact of religious fundamentalism, and how horror can become a perfect container for social truth-telling, female rage, and bittersweet hope.

Check out the book here:

Dark Sisters by Kristi DeMeester

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 2 Dec 2025 16:10:46 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kristi DeMeester, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/purity-culture-power-and-the-women-who-survive-kristi-demeester-on-dark-sisters-MQc_qKu_ This week, Kristi DeMeester shares how her new novel Dark Sisters emerged from a collision of personal history, cultural rage, and the disturbing ease with which faith, patriarchy, and power can be weaponized. We discuss purity culture, megachurch hypocrisy, witch-trial history, feminist reclamation, the generational impact of religious fundamentalism, and how horror can become a perfect container for social truth-telling, female rage, and bittersweet hope.

Check out the book here:

Dark Sisters by Kristi DeMeester

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Purity Culture, Power, and the Women Who Survive: Kristi DeMeester on Dark Sisters Kristi DeMeester, Kate Hergott 01:07:08 historical fiction, writing, witches, thriller, fiction, witchcraft true full 333 7d30acab-1434-406a-90a5-2bc2a7aeb572 It's ALL That Deep (Or, Ranting About Anti-Intellectualism and Media Illiteracy) with MacKenzie Green This week, MacKenzie Green is back and we dive into the complexities of pop culture, the deeper meanings embedded in modern media, how storytelling has evolved, the impact of anti-intellectualism, and the importance of critical engagement with entertainment.

We discuss the intersection of identity and societal issues, emphasizing that every piece of content carries a message, whether overt or subtle, and the necessity of understanding historical context in shaping narratives amidst a growing trend of superficial engagement with media.

We also share how finding and creating communities that value intellectual rigor and deeper analysis of art is has helped both of us, and how even if you don't align with everyone in your family, a found family can be just as powerful.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 28 Nov 2025 19:30:51 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, MacKenzie Green) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/its-all-that-deep-or-ranting-about-anti-intellectualism-and-media-illiteracy-with-mackenzie-green-VvjRx_79 This week, MacKenzie Green is back and we dive into the complexities of pop culture, the deeper meanings embedded in modern media, how storytelling has evolved, the impact of anti-intellectualism, and the importance of critical engagement with entertainment.

We discuss the intersection of identity and societal issues, emphasizing that every piece of content carries a message, whether overt or subtle, and the necessity of understanding historical context in shaping narratives amidst a growing trend of superficial engagement with media.

We also share how finding and creating communities that value intellectual rigor and deeper analysis of art is has helped both of us, and how even if you don't align with everyone in your family, a found family can be just as powerful.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> It's ALL That Deep (Or, Ranting About Anti-Intellectualism and Media Illiteracy) with MacKenzie Green Kate Hergott, MacKenzie Green 01:18:38 media, pop culture, anti-intellectualism, media literacy true full 332 dc646924-d455-4d9e-8971-421a7baec1ad Sin Is an Illusion? Keith Giles on The Quantum Gospel of Mary This week, I talk with Keith Giles about how the early Christian world was far more diverse and mystical than most people realize. He unpacks the history of suppressed gospels, the erasure of Mary Magdalene’s authority, and how non-duality, interconnectedness, and compassion sit at the heart of Jesus’s original teachings. We dive into deconstruction, Christian nationalism, biblical misuse, and how theology shapes our relationships with ourselves and others.

Keith offers a grounded, hopeful vision of spirituality rooted not in fear or hierarchy, but in transformation, justice, and shared humanity.

The Quantum Gospel of Mary Info

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 25 Nov 2025 23:08:14 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Keith Giles, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/sin-is-an-illusion-keith-giles-on-the-quantum-gospel-of-mary-aeK1w90Y This week, I talk with Keith Giles about how the early Christian world was far more diverse and mystical than most people realize. He unpacks the history of suppressed gospels, the erasure of Mary Magdalene’s authority, and how non-duality, interconnectedness, and compassion sit at the heart of Jesus’s original teachings. We dive into deconstruction, Christian nationalism, biblical misuse, and how theology shapes our relationships with ourselves and others.

Keith offers a grounded, hopeful vision of spirituality rooted not in fear or hierarchy, but in transformation, justice, and shared humanity.

The Quantum Gospel of Mary Info

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Sin Is an Illusion? Keith Giles on The Quantum Gospel of Mary Keith Giles, Kate Hergott 01:12:02 true full 331 89a84b40-ca9e-40da-a429-2290e17b6974 Books with Dramatic Irony, Sex Work and Road Trips: Gare, Steph and I Chose A Favorite Plot Device This week, Gare, Steph and I all chose one of our own favorite plot devices and recommended books in that vein! This episode definitely has a book for just about everybody!

Kate's Books - Books with Dramatic Irony

I, Medusa

Stalker

Dark Sisters

Sky Full of Elephants

Happy Land

Gare's Books - Thrillers with Sex Work

Boom Town

Real Easy

These Women

Things We Do in the Dark

The Girl in 6E

Steph's Books - Books with Road Trips

The Road to Tender Hearts

Needle Lake

Paper Ghosts

I Thought You Said This Would Work

He Started It

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Sat, 22 Nov 2025 15:40:05 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Steph Lauer, Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/books-with-dramatic-irony-sex-work-and-road-trips-gare-steph-and-i-chose-a-favorite-plot-device-IZT7Sg3Z This week, Gare, Steph and I all chose one of our own favorite plot devices and recommended books in that vein! This episode definitely has a book for just about everybody!

Kate's Books - Books with Dramatic Irony

I, Medusa

Stalker

Dark Sisters

Sky Full of Elephants

Happy Land

Gare's Books - Thrillers with Sex Work

Boom Town

Real Easy

These Women

Things We Do in the Dark

The Girl in 6E

Steph's Books - Books with Road Trips

The Road to Tender Hearts

Needle Lake

Paper Ghosts

I Thought You Said This Would Work

He Started It

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Books with Dramatic Irony, Sex Work and Road Trips: Gare, Steph and I Chose A Favorite Plot Device Steph Lauer, Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 01:49:36 crime fiction, reading, thriller, contemporary fiction, fiction true full 330 574563fc-b588-4dec-a914-6d4506eae5ee Ghosts, Girlhood & Generational Memory: Erin Crosby Eckstine on the Humanity of Junie This week, I talk with Erin Crosby Eckstine about her debut Southern Gothic, Junie. She shares how the book developed across years of writing, the importance of portraying enslaved characters with full humanity rather than stereotypes, and why she crafted Junie as a flawed, emotionally real teenager navigating a world she can’t yet fully understand. Erin also explains Gothic and Southern Gothic traditions, the role of ghostly elements like Minnie, the influence of literature within the story, and how intergenerational family history shaped both the novel and her own life.

Follow Erin on:

Instagram

TikTok

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 18 Nov 2025 05:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Erin Crosby Eckstine, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/ghosts-girlhood-generational-memory-erin-crosby-eckstine-on-the-humanity-of-junie-4V0H4urd This week, I talk with Erin Crosby Eckstine about her debut Southern Gothic, Junie. She shares how the book developed across years of writing, the importance of portraying enslaved characters with full humanity rather than stereotypes, and why she crafted Junie as a flawed, emotionally real teenager navigating a world she can’t yet fully understand. Erin also explains Gothic and Southern Gothic traditions, the role of ghostly elements like Minnie, the influence of literature within the story, and how intergenerational family history shaped both the novel and her own life.

Follow Erin on:

Instagram

TikTok

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Ghosts, Girlhood & Generational Memory: Erin Crosby Eckstine on the Humanity of Junie Erin Crosby Eckstine, Kate Hergott 01:20:37 writing, southern gothic, gothic, fiction true full 328 00fb0470-ca16-4f11-b55a-4e992c376038 Cancel Culture, Castles and Chaos: Audra McElyea's Not Good People Audra McElyea returns to talk about her new locked-room, cancel-culture thriller Not Good People, a twisty ensemble mystery set in a blizzard-stranded Blue Ridge Mountain castle. Audra shares how a decades-old British play inspired her to blend popcorn-thriller pacing with a deeper moral reckoning, how she crafted eleven interconnected characters through actor-based mannerisms, and why the story’s escalating secrets force readers to examine not just the cast—but themselves.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 18 Nov 2025 05:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Audra McElyea) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/cancel-culture-castles-and-chaos-audra-mcelyeas-not-good-people-iHYQD5qr Audra McElyea returns to talk about her new locked-room, cancel-culture thriller Not Good People, a twisty ensemble mystery set in a blizzard-stranded Blue Ridge Mountain castle. Audra shares how a decades-old British play inspired her to blend popcorn-thriller pacing with a deeper moral reckoning, how she crafted eleven interconnected characters through actor-based mannerisms, and why the story’s escalating secrets force readers to examine not just the cast—but themselves.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Cancel Culture, Castles and Chaos: Audra McElyea's Not Good People Kate Hergott, Audra McElyea 00:30:58 writing, crime fiction, thriller true full 329 ad420075-245f-48b2-9fd7-3cd9bc986f0c Book Club Book Recommendations with Gare and Steph This week, Gare, Steph and I share books we think are good discussion starters for book clubs!

Books We Talked About

Kate's Picks

Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang

Dominion by Addie E. Citchens

My Husband by Maud Ventura

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Allegedly by Tiffany D Jackson

Gare's Picks

Keep it In the Family by John Marrs

Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino

His & Hers by Alice Feeney

American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis

Steph's Picks

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix

None of This is True by Lisa Jewell

Sisters of the Lost Nation by Nick Medina

Don’t Forget the Girl by Rebecca McKanna

All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby

The Last Housewife by Ashley Winstead

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Sat, 15 Nov 2025 15:52:34 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Bookwild Collective) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/book-club-book-recommendations-with-gare-and-steph-ezZ7yJQf This week, Gare, Steph and I share books we think are good discussion starters for book clubs!

Books We Talked About

Kate's Picks

Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang

Dominion by Addie E. Citchens

My Husband by Maud Ventura

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Allegedly by Tiffany D Jackson

Gare's Picks

Keep it In the Family by John Marrs

Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino

His & Hers by Alice Feeney

American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis

Steph's Picks

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix

None of This is True by Lisa Jewell

Sisters of the Lost Nation by Nick Medina

Don’t Forget the Girl by Rebecca McKanna

All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby

The Last Housewife by Ashley Winstead

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Book Club Book Recommendations with Gare and Steph Bookwild Collective 01:25:13 true full 327 61c4c81e-406c-44c6-8948-f59354d02ad9 Rage, Myth, and Magic in 1970s Singapore: Wen-Yi Lee's When They Burned The Butterfly This week, I talk with Wen-Yi Lee about her adult fantasy debut When They Burned the Butterfly—a fierce, Sapphic story of rage, inheritance, and transformation set in post-colonial Singapore. She shares how her homecoming to Singapore shaped this deeply personal book, how real history and mythology intertwined to form her world of fire magic and girl gangs, and why female rage and found family remain at the heart of her storytelling. We also dive into her creative process, from “chasing the shiny thing” when writing to reimagining real-life places and histories that have since disappeared. If you love Jade City, The Poppy War, or any fantasy that blazes with feminist fury, you will love When They Burned the Butterfly!

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Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 11 Nov 2025 15:57:39 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Wen-Yi Lee, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/rage-myth-and-magic-in-1970s-singapore-wen-yi-lees-when-they-burned-the-butterfly-ln65DOaE This week, I talk with Wen-Yi Lee about her adult fantasy debut When They Burned the Butterfly—a fierce, Sapphic story of rage, inheritance, and transformation set in post-colonial Singapore. She shares how her homecoming to Singapore shaped this deeply personal book, how real history and mythology intertwined to form her world of fire magic and girl gangs, and why female rage and found family remain at the heart of her storytelling. We also dive into her creative process, from “chasing the shiny thing” when writing to reimagining real-life places and histories that have since disappeared. If you love Jade City, The Poppy War, or any fantasy that blazes with feminist fury, you will love When They Burned the Butterfly!

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Rage, Myth, and Magic in 1970s Singapore: Wen-Yi Lee's When They Burned The Butterfly Wen-Yi Lee, Kate Hergott 00:51:09 writing, singapore, fiction, fantasy true full 326 43e37c20-786b-430d-a0b5-e1fb4ee9943b Strip Clubs, Power Dynamics and Storytelling: Nic Stone's Boom Town This week, Gare and I got to chat with bestselling author Nic Stone to talk about her adult debut thriller, Boom Town—a gritty, sexy, and socially sharp story set in Atlanta’s iconic strip-club scene. Nic opens up about her path from YA to adult fiction, the inspiration behind Boom Town (and why she wrote it before anyone else could), and how she approached portraying sex work, power, and autonomy with authenticity and respect. We also discuss banned books, Atlanta’s strip club culture, Nic’s dad’s unforgettable reaction to the audiobook, and the sheer joy of writing complex, powerful Black women.

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Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 11 Nov 2025 05:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Nic Stone, Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/strip-clubs-power-dynamics-and-storytelling-nic-stones-boom-town-SQgBHdp_ This week, Gare and I got to chat with bestselling author Nic Stone to talk about her adult debut thriller, Boom Town—a gritty, sexy, and socially sharp story set in Atlanta’s iconic strip-club scene. Nic opens up about her path from YA to adult fiction, the inspiration behind Boom Town (and why she wrote it before anyone else could), and how she approached portraying sex work, power, and autonomy with authenticity and respect. We also discuss banned books, Atlanta’s strip club culture, Nic’s dad’s unforgettable reaction to the audiobook, and the sheer joy of writing complex, powerful Black women.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Strip Clubs, Power Dynamics and Storytelling: Nic Stone's Boom Town Nic Stone, Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 01:17:48 writing, banned books, thriller, mystery, fiction, strip club true full 325 50698c84-6b96-48b2-95f0-7d815a05e844 Witches vs. the Oligarchs: Kirsten Miller’s Women of Wild Hill This week, Steph and I got chat with Kirsten Miller about her newest novel The Women of Wild Hill. She shares the evolution of her writing process, and the inspirations behind her sharp, witchy, and deeply human stories.

She dives into her love of flawed “unlikable” women, and her view of witchcraft as a metaphor for women’s power and connection to nature. She unpacks how setting, character, and “vibe” shape her work; how hope underpins even her darkest stories; and how The Women of Wild Hill extends the feminist universe begun in The Change, spanning generations of women using their power against patriarchy.

We also discuss the cultural resurgence of witch narratives, the importance of honoring women’s sacrifices throughout history, audiobook narration with January LaVoy, and the enduring magic of storytelling as both art and act of resistance.

Women of Wild Hill Synopsis

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Sat, 8 Nov 2025 05:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kirsten Miller, Steph Lauer, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/witches-vs-the-oligarchs-kirsten-millers-women-of-wild-hill-wQKpyi8Y This week, Steph and I got chat with Kirsten Miller about her newest novel The Women of Wild Hill. She shares the evolution of her writing process, and the inspirations behind her sharp, witchy, and deeply human stories.

She dives into her love of flawed “unlikable” women, and her view of witchcraft as a metaphor for women’s power and connection to nature. She unpacks how setting, character, and “vibe” shape her work; how hope underpins even her darkest stories; and how The Women of Wild Hill extends the feminist universe begun in The Change, spanning generations of women using their power against patriarchy.

We also discuss the cultural resurgence of witch narratives, the importance of honoring women’s sacrifices throughout history, audiobook narration with January LaVoy, and the enduring magic of storytelling as both art and act of resistance.

Women of Wild Hill Synopsis

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Witches vs. the Oligarchs: Kirsten Miller’s Women of Wild Hill Kirsten Miller, Steph Lauer, Kate Hergott 00:55:31 writing, magical realism, horror, witches, fiction, revenge, female rage true full 324 0046f1d9-d80a-40b4-87e0-9784be483ab3 NoirCon, Feminist Horror and Monstrous Men with Halley Sutton This week, Halley is back and she shares her experiences at NoirCon, I share my new obsession with Scream With Me, a non-fiction book that draws parallels between popular horror movies from 1968-1980 and feminism, and then we must dive into the monstrous men who star in and/or create some of said films. Because how could we not end up talking about that??

We also do a brief bit on Lily Allen's new album West End Girl, Kayla Nicole's Halloween clapback, and the continuing conflict of Ms. Swift.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 7 Nov 2025 21:24:23 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Halley Sutton) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/noircon-feminist-horror-and-monstrous-men-with-halley-sutton-VIMdtub1 This week, Halley is back and she shares her experiences at NoirCon, I share my new obsession with Scream With Me, a non-fiction book that draws parallels between popular horror movies from 1968-1980 and feminism, and then we must dive into the monstrous men who star in and/or create some of said films. Because how could we not end up talking about that??

We also do a brief bit on Lily Allen's new album West End Girl, Kayla Nicole's Halloween clapback, and the continuing conflict of Ms. Swift.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> NoirCon, Feminist Horror and Monstrous Men with Halley Sutton Kate Hergott, Halley Sutton 01:13:46 horror, noir, fiction true full 323 e79ebd0b-9bd3-405f-8edc-1ba2a5f773c7 Cate Holahan's The Kidnapping of Alice Ingold: Nepo Babies, True Crime Culture & Artificial Intelligence This week, I got to talk with Cate Holahan about her new thriller The Kidnapping of Alice Ingold. She shares the real life case that inspired the kidnapping structure, how anxiety fuels her best ideas, and how she approached writing an AI tech guru.

The Kidnapping of Alice Ingold Synopsis

Alice Ingold has been kidnapped. Call the police. Alert the media. You can't play this game without all the pieces.

Beautiful, blond, and immensely privileged, Alice Ingold is the perfect victim for a true-crime obsessed culture--and for a masked duo with a singular purpose. Instead of a demand for ransom, her captors have a riddle, and they're inviting the entire country to solve it.

No one is more invested in the search than Alice's parents: Catherine, a socialite with obscene generational wealth, and Brian, a visionary AI tech guru. But while Brian turns to machines to solve the problem, Catherine tries to crowdsource the solution, stopping at nothing to bring her daughter home. And America isn't just watching the story unfold...it's playing along. The nationwide scavenger hunt for Alice is on.

As an increasingly desperate Catherine strives to understand each new clue, a complex picture of the crime develops. Soon, everyone will see the kidnapping of Alice Ingold for what it is--and Alice won't be the only one who will need saving.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 4 Nov 2025 20:00:39 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Cate Holahan) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/cate-holahans-the-kidnapping-of-alice-ingold-nepo-babies-true-crime-culture-artificial-intelligence-URwZVx4p This week, I got to talk with Cate Holahan about her new thriller The Kidnapping of Alice Ingold. She shares the real life case that inspired the kidnapping structure, how anxiety fuels her best ideas, and how she approached writing an AI tech guru.

The Kidnapping of Alice Ingold Synopsis

Alice Ingold has been kidnapped. Call the police. Alert the media. You can't play this game without all the pieces.

Beautiful, blond, and immensely privileged, Alice Ingold is the perfect victim for a true-crime obsessed culture--and for a masked duo with a singular purpose. Instead of a demand for ransom, her captors have a riddle, and they're inviting the entire country to solve it.

No one is more invested in the search than Alice's parents: Catherine, a socialite with obscene generational wealth, and Brian, a visionary AI tech guru. But while Brian turns to machines to solve the problem, Catherine tries to crowdsource the solution, stopping at nothing to bring her daughter home. And America isn't just watching the story unfold...it's playing along. The nationwide scavenger hunt for Alice is on.

As an increasingly desperate Catherine strives to understand each new clue, a complex picture of the crime develops. Soon, everyone will see the kidnapping of Alice Ingold for what it is--and Alice won't be the only one who will need saving.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Cate Holahan's The Kidnapping of Alice Ingold: Nepo Babies, True Crime Culture & Artificial Intelligence Kate Hergott, Cate Holahan 00:42:41 writing, true crime, crime fiction, ai true full 322 aa985b23-1e70-47ce-8eff-d37476982ec3 Pelumi Olatinpo's Manifest Destiny: Being a Witness to Corroborate Experiences That Have Been Hidden This week, I talk with Pelumi Olatinpo about his new poetry collection Manifest Destiny. He shares how and why he created a new type of poetry, what inspired him to write about Manifest Destiny and the way it echoes throughout history, and the power of bearing witness.

Manifest Destiny Synopsis

America turns 250 in 2026. In MANIFEST DESTINY, Pelumi Olatinpo delivers an essential examination of what we’ve been, what we are, and what we might become.

This isn’t a traditional book. It’s a new form entirely—159 “sonetas” that compress centuries into seconds, each one exactly sixty words. Think of them as diagnostic tools, or prayers, or evidence. Olatinpo’s innovation makes complex history feel like music in your bones.

Olatinpo writes with the authority of someone who has lived the contradictions he interrogates: arriving undocumented at fifteen, becoming a citizen twenty-two years later. This second book after the acclaimed Poeta moves through four sections—from intimate love through historical memory to prophetic witness—each soneta a small revelation.

“All men are created equal, some more equal than others.”

“In Lagos, you damn the bled, or join the dead.”

“I’ve loved you with the darkest and brightest blues / Of every ocean.”

The journey spans continents and centuries, connecting Gaza to Gettysburg, colonial Nigeria to contemporary Chicago. Code-switching between biblical prophecy, constitutional language, and Nigerian Pidgin, Olatinpo reveals patterns we’ve been trained not to see.

Extensive endnotes turn every reference into a teaching moment. The final piece appears on the book’s endpaper—making it impossible to close without confronting the question: who remembers?

For readers of Ta-Nehisi Coates’ Between the World and Me, Claudia Rankine’s Citizen, and anyone seeking to understand America at this crucial moment.

Essential reading for the 250th anniversary. A book that transcends genre to become necessary equipment for our time.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 4 Nov 2025 11:20:10 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Pelumi Olatinpo, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/pelumi-olatinpos-manifest-destiny-being-a-witness-to-corroborate-experiences-that-have-been-hidden-xiqMtq02 This week, I talk with Pelumi Olatinpo about his new poetry collection Manifest Destiny. He shares how and why he created a new type of poetry, what inspired him to write about Manifest Destiny and the way it echoes throughout history, and the power of bearing witness.

Manifest Destiny Synopsis

America turns 250 in 2026. In MANIFEST DESTINY, Pelumi Olatinpo delivers an essential examination of what we’ve been, what we are, and what we might become.

This isn’t a traditional book. It’s a new form entirely—159 “sonetas” that compress centuries into seconds, each one exactly sixty words. Think of them as diagnostic tools, or prayers, or evidence. Olatinpo’s innovation makes complex history feel like music in your bones.

Olatinpo writes with the authority of someone who has lived the contradictions he interrogates: arriving undocumented at fifteen, becoming a citizen twenty-two years later. This second book after the acclaimed Poeta moves through four sections—from intimate love through historical memory to prophetic witness—each soneta a small revelation.

“All men are created equal, some more equal than others.”

“In Lagos, you damn the bled, or join the dead.”

“I’ve loved you with the darkest and brightest blues / Of every ocean.”

The journey spans continents and centuries, connecting Gaza to Gettysburg, colonial Nigeria to contemporary Chicago. Code-switching between biblical prophecy, constitutional language, and Nigerian Pidgin, Olatinpo reveals patterns we’ve been trained not to see.

Extensive endnotes turn every reference into a teaching moment. The final piece appears on the book’s endpaper—making it impossible to close without confronting the question: who remembers?

For readers of Ta-Nehisi Coates’ Between the World and Me, Claudia Rankine’s Citizen, and anyone seeking to understand America at this crucial moment.

Essential reading for the 250th anniversary. A book that transcends genre to become necessary equipment for our time.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Pelumi Olatinpo's Manifest Destiny: Being a Witness to Corroborate Experiences That Have Been Hidden Pelumi Olatinpo, Kate Hergott 00:51:22 poetry true full 321 3f6975b0-8d73-4888-a676-34d209325e00 Spooky Season Book Recommendations with Gare & Steph This week, Gare, Steph and I share some of our favorite recommendations for spooky season!

Kate’s Picks

No Road Home by John Fram

The Getaway by Lamar Giles

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter

The Macabre by Kosoko Jackson

Jackal by Erin E. Adams

Gare’s Picks
Nightwatcher by Daphne Wolsoncroft

Please See Us by Caitlin Mullen

The Sundown Motel by Simone St. James

Keep This For Me by Jennifer Fawcett

Steph’s Picks
Look Closer by David Ellis

Almost Surely Dead by Amina Akhtar

Play Nice by Rachel Harrison

Slewfoot by Brom

How to Survive Your Murder by Danielle Valentine

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 31 Oct 2025 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings, Steph Lauer) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/spooky-season-book-recommendations-with-gare-steph-b34w9P0T This week, Gare, Steph and I share some of our favorite recommendations for spooky season!

Kate’s Picks

No Road Home by John Fram

The Getaway by Lamar Giles

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter

The Macabre by Kosoko Jackson

Jackal by Erin E. Adams

Gare’s Picks
Nightwatcher by Daphne Wolsoncroft

Please See Us by Caitlin Mullen

The Sundown Motel by Simone St. James

Keep This For Me by Jennifer Fawcett

Steph’s Picks
Look Closer by David Ellis

Almost Surely Dead by Amina Akhtar

Play Nice by Rachel Harrison

Slewfoot by Brom

How to Survive Your Murder by Danielle Valentine

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Spooky Season Book Recommendations with Gare & Steph Kate Hergott, Gare Billings, Steph Lauer 01:06:25 crime fiction, halloween, horror, thriller, fiction, books, spooky true full 320 b6ca359b-433e-43b7-a891-ab73fad10f9f Vanessa Lillie's The Bone Thief: Stolen Bones, Stolen Land, and a Shady “Founders Society” This week, I chat with Vanessa Lillie about her new thriller in her Syd Walker series, The Bone Thief! We dive into her inspiration for the story, the research she did to incorporate historic and contemporary elements, and the social structures that inspired the Founders Society.

The Bone Thief Synopsis

In the hours before dawn at a local summer camp, Bureau of Indian Affairs archaeologist Syd Walker receives an alarming call: newly discovered skeletal remains have been stolen. Not only have bones gone missing, but a Native teen girl has disappeared near the camp, and law enforcement dismisses her family's fears.

As Syd investigates both crimes, she's drawn into a world of privileged campers and their wealthy parents—most of them members of the Founders Society, an exclusive club whose members trace their lineage to the first colonists and claim ancestral rights to the land, despite fierce objections from the local tribal community. And it's not the first time something—or someone—has gone missing from the camp.

The deeper Syd digs, the more she realizes these aren't isolated incidents. A pattern of disappearances stretches back generations, all leading to the Founders Society's doorstep. But exposing the truth means confronting not just the town's most powerful families, but also a legacy of violence that refuses to stay buried. 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 28 Oct 2025 11:40:02 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Vanessa Lillie, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/vanessa-lillies-the-bone-thief-stolen-bones-stolen-land-and-a-shady-founders-society-nEbSi6Oe This week, I chat with Vanessa Lillie about her new thriller in her Syd Walker series, The Bone Thief! We dive into her inspiration for the story, the research she did to incorporate historic and contemporary elements, and the social structures that inspired the Founders Society.

The Bone Thief Synopsis

In the hours before dawn at a local summer camp, Bureau of Indian Affairs archaeologist Syd Walker receives an alarming call: newly discovered skeletal remains have been stolen. Not only have bones gone missing, but a Native teen girl has disappeared near the camp, and law enforcement dismisses her family's fears.

As Syd investigates both crimes, she's drawn into a world of privileged campers and their wealthy parents—most of them members of the Founders Society, an exclusive club whose members trace their lineage to the first colonists and claim ancestral rights to the land, despite fierce objections from the local tribal community. And it's not the first time something—or someone—has gone missing from the camp.

The deeper Syd digs, the more she realizes these aren't isolated incidents. A pattern of disappearances stretches back generations, all leading to the Founders Society's doorstep. But exposing the truth means confronting not just the town's most powerful families, but also a legacy of violence that refuses to stay buried. 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Vanessa Lillie's The Bone Thief: Stolen Bones, Stolen Land, and a Shady “Founders Society” Vanessa Lillie, Kate Hergott 00:54:45 crime fiction, indigenous history, fiction true full 319 ca1a1301-94ed-4467-9ee7-122a9de84b82 Lucinda Berry’s This is a Safe Space: Writing for Audio and Balancing Trauma and Twists This week, Gare and I talk with THE Lucinda Berry about her new audiobook This Is a Safe Space!  We dive into her inspiration for this story, how writing for audio changes her process, and how she balances twists and trauma.

This Is A Safe Space Synopsis

Jenna, who runs a successful private therapy practice, still struggles with trust issues of her own. She’s made a promise to stop snooping in her husband Colten’s phone, but sometimes she can’t help herself. One night, she discovers a troubling exchange between him and his cousin Bodie, who’s one of his closest friends. A dancer from a bachelor party they both recently attended is threatening Bodie, claiming they crossed a line sexually and that she’ll expose the truth to his family if she doesn’t get what she wants. They don’t know much about this woman, or how far she’s willing to go. But Jenna might.

Lexus Chardonnay, the stage name of the dancer from the party, is one you don’t forget. And Jenna’s heard it before—from one of her clients.

Kaitlyn is a medical school student who dances on weekends to put herself through school. Jenna’s been her therapist for years, except she hasn’t seen her for three months. Not since Kaitlyn stopped showing up for treatment, without explanation. As Jenna begins to listen back to their past sessions, desperate for answers, a more complicated picture emerges, and she must decide who to trust as her career and her family hang in the balance.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 24 Oct 2025 12:33:03 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Lucinda Berry, Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/lucinda-berrys-this-is-a-safe-space-writing-for-audio-and-balancing-trauma-and-twists-nL3vFb_R This week, Gare and I talk with THE Lucinda Berry about her new audiobook This Is a Safe Space!  We dive into her inspiration for this story, how writing for audio changes her process, and how she balances twists and trauma.

This Is A Safe Space Synopsis

Jenna, who runs a successful private therapy practice, still struggles with trust issues of her own. She’s made a promise to stop snooping in her husband Colten’s phone, but sometimes she can’t help herself. One night, she discovers a troubling exchange between him and his cousin Bodie, who’s one of his closest friends. A dancer from a bachelor party they both recently attended is threatening Bodie, claiming they crossed a line sexually and that she’ll expose the truth to his family if she doesn’t get what she wants. They don’t know much about this woman, or how far she’s willing to go. But Jenna might.

Lexus Chardonnay, the stage name of the dancer from the party, is one you don’t forget. And Jenna’s heard it before—from one of her clients.

Kaitlyn is a medical school student who dances on weekends to put herself through school. Jenna’s been her therapist for years, except she hasn’t seen her for three months. Not since Kaitlyn stopped showing up for treatment, without explanation. As Jenna begins to listen back to their past sessions, desperate for answers, a more complicated picture emerges, and she must decide who to trust as her career and her family hang in the balance.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Lucinda Berry’s This is a Safe Space: Writing for Audio and Balancing Trauma and Twists Lucinda Berry, Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 01:03:43 writing, audible, crime fiction, audiobooks, lucinda berry, thrillers true full 318 10d6edf1-e113-4114-9b7a-8d7755f1b832 Music, Memoirs and Audiobooks with Erin Ashley This week, I'm chatting with a new co-host, Erin Ashley! She shares her interest in memoirs about musicians, how she came to love them as a music journalist, and the fiction she's been trying to read more of this year.

Follow Erin here on Instagram

And subscribe to her Substack for posts and interviews!

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 24 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Erin Ashley, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/music-memoirs-and-audiobooks-with-erin-ashley-Kvmx_kJo This week, I'm chatting with a new co-host, Erin Ashley! She shares her interest in memoirs about musicians, how she came to love them as a music journalist, and the fiction she's been trying to read more of this year.

Follow Erin here on Instagram

And subscribe to her Substack for posts and interviews!

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Music, Memoirs and Audiobooks with Erin Ashley Erin Ashley, Kate Hergott 00:50:26 memoirs, audiobooks, books, musicians true full 317 bdffcfba-7bd1-4960-b4a4-42c759a95676 Nekesa Afia's As Long As You're Mine: Solving Mysteries in Old Hollywood This week, I talk with Nekesa Afia about her new historical-contemporary mystery As Long As You're Mine. We dive into her inspiration for the book, her fascination with the past, and how her present and past characters are up against similar power imbalances.

As Long As You're Mine Synopsis

Professional ballerina Thea Ross’s world shatters when her screen-legend father commits suicide, leaving behind a shocking confession to a decades-old murder. Determined to uncover the truth, Thea teams up with a relentless journalist, following a trail of clues that leads her back to the glittering yet treacherous world of 1930s Hollywood.

There, she discovers the story of Lorelei Davies, a struggling actress willing to endure anything for her family’s sake. As Thea peels back the layers of Lorelei’s life—her dreams, fears, and dangerous secrets—the connection between Lorelei’s past and Thea’s present challenges everything she believes about her family history. But as she untangles all the lies, she comes to know herself more truly than ever before.

As Thea navigates the glamorous facade of Old Hollywood, she must decide whether uncovering the truth about her father is worth sacrificing the life she planned—and whether some secrets are better left buried in Hollywood’s golden age. 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 21 Oct 2025 20:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Nekesa Afia, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/nekesa-afias-as-long-as-youre-mine-solving-mysteries-in-old-hollywood-FWCvO0Q0 This week, I talk with Nekesa Afia about her new historical-contemporary mystery As Long As You're Mine. We dive into her inspiration for the book, her fascination with the past, and how her present and past characters are up against similar power imbalances.

As Long As You're Mine Synopsis

Professional ballerina Thea Ross’s world shatters when her screen-legend father commits suicide, leaving behind a shocking confession to a decades-old murder. Determined to uncover the truth, Thea teams up with a relentless journalist, following a trail of clues that leads her back to the glittering yet treacherous world of 1930s Hollywood.

There, she discovers the story of Lorelei Davies, a struggling actress willing to endure anything for her family’s sake. As Thea peels back the layers of Lorelei’s life—her dreams, fears, and dangerous secrets—the connection between Lorelei’s past and Thea’s present challenges everything she believes about her family history. But as she untangles all the lies, she comes to know herself more truly than ever before.

As Thea navigates the glamorous facade of Old Hollywood, she must decide whether uncovering the truth about her father is worth sacrificing the life she planned—and whether some secrets are better left buried in Hollywood’s golden age. 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Nekesa Afia's As Long As You're Mine: Solving Mysteries in Old Hollywood Nekesa Afia, Kate Hergott 00:29:16 writing, historical mystery, old hollywood true full 316 eae8b6b6-c95f-43b7-ab05-6941deeafb53 Sagit Schwartz's The Underdog: A Reality Singing Competition, An Obsessed Fan, and An Assistant Stuck in the Middle This week, Steph and I chat with Sagit Schwartz about her new thriller The Underdog! We dive into her inspiration for the story, what she loved about writing crazed fan Norma, and how Sagit and I successfully recorded an audiobook thousands of miles apart from each other!

The Underdog Synopsis

When Liz, an aspiring director stuck working as a chaperone for a reality TV music show, picks up a new contestant from a psychiatric hospital, dubbed “The Singing Patient” by fans online, things take an unexpected turn. The contestant disappears at the airport, and Liz finds herself under police suspicion, accused of helping the woman flee in exchange for money.

Across the country, Norma, an obsessive viewer of The Underdog, is captivated by one contestant's story. Feeling an intense connection, she travels to Los Angeles to watch the show filmed live and meet her.

As the mystery deepens and the investigation into the missing contestant intensifies, the shocking murder of The Singing Patient’s husband leads Liz and Norma into a deadly game of cat-and-mouse. With each twist and turn, Liz discovers that Norma is not your average fan—but someone far more dangerous.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 14 Oct 2025 11:53:16 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Steph Lauer, Sagit Schwartz, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/sagit-schwartzs-the-underdog-a-reality-singing-competition-an-obsessed-fan-and-an-assistant-stuck-in-the-middle-Fy3wQAyD This week, Steph and I chat with Sagit Schwartz about her new thriller The Underdog! We dive into her inspiration for the story, what she loved about writing crazed fan Norma, and how Sagit and I successfully recorded an audiobook thousands of miles apart from each other!

The Underdog Synopsis

When Liz, an aspiring director stuck working as a chaperone for a reality TV music show, picks up a new contestant from a psychiatric hospital, dubbed “The Singing Patient” by fans online, things take an unexpected turn. The contestant disappears at the airport, and Liz finds herself under police suspicion, accused of helping the woman flee in exchange for money.

Across the country, Norma, an obsessive viewer of The Underdog, is captivated by one contestant's story. Feeling an intense connection, she travels to Los Angeles to watch the show filmed live and meet her.

As the mystery deepens and the investigation into the missing contestant intensifies, the shocking murder of The Singing Patient’s husband leads Liz and Norma into a deadly game of cat-and-mouse. With each twist and turn, Liz discovers that Norma is not your average fan—but someone far more dangerous.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Sagit Schwartz's The Underdog: A Reality Singing Competition, An Obsessed Fan, and An Assistant Stuck in the Middle Steph Lauer, Sagit Schwartz, Kate Hergott 00:57:54 writing, crime fiction, thriller, audiobook, fiction true full 315 11dd07fd-89c5-4024-9870-eee731ac0ee0 Continuing Ed: The Mis-Education of Indigenous Children in America with MacKenzie Green Bonus Episode!!  

In this first episode of my new Continuing Ed series, MacKenzie Green joins me to talk about a non-fiction book she convinced me to read: Original Sins: The (Mis)education of Black and Native Children and the Construction of American Racism

The book covers the way America chose to "educate" both Native and Black children, but for Indigenous People's Day, we chose to focus on how Indigenous children were treated and taught as our country built its education system.

We cover how Thomas Jefferson's Doctrine of Destiny laid the groundwork for the belief in Manifest Destiny, and how Manifest Destiny lead to white people believing that Black and Indigenous populations were inferior and savage, groups of people to be "civilized" by an army of good white Lady Bountiful teachers.

Make sure you go support MacKenzie's Substack here !

And follow her on Instagram here !

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Mon, 13 Oct 2025 13:38:06 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Bookwild Collective) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/continuing-ed-the-mis-education-of-indigenous-children-in-america-with-mackenzie-green-yp09Dc_i Bonus Episode!!  

In this first episode of my new Continuing Ed series, MacKenzie Green joins me to talk about a non-fiction book she convinced me to read: Original Sins: The (Mis)education of Black and Native Children and the Construction of American Racism

The book covers the way America chose to "educate" both Native and Black children, but for Indigenous People's Day, we chose to focus on how Indigenous children were treated and taught as our country built its education system.

We cover how Thomas Jefferson's Doctrine of Destiny laid the groundwork for the belief in Manifest Destiny, and how Manifest Destiny lead to white people believing that Black and Indigenous populations were inferior and savage, groups of people to be "civilized" by an army of good white Lady Bountiful teachers.

Make sure you go support MacKenzie's Substack here !

And follow her on Instagram here !

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Continuing Ed: The Mis-Education of Indigenous Children in America with MacKenzie Green Bookwild Collective 02:04:17 true full 314 c9efc44b-4888-4dc5-b279-b4721dbbc54a John Fugelsang's Separation of Church and Hate: A Sane Person's Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists, and Flock-Fleecing Frauds This week, I got to talk with John Fugelsang about his new book Separation of Church and Hate! He shares why he's passionate about taking back the religion of his parents from the way it has been used as a cloak for hate, how it's near impossible to find a quality in Donald Trump that aligns with Jesus' teachings, and ways to lead Christian Nationalists to arguing with God/scripture instead of yourself.

Separation of Church and Hate Synopsis

Told with Fugelsang’s trademark blend of radical honesty, relevant humor, and deep political and religious knowledge, Separation of Church and Hate is the book every American today needs. It is a return to civility, a rallying cry for compassion and clarity, and a reclamation of the values and truths we hold dear, for anyone who was raised Christian but has become disillusioned with organized religion; for Democrats, progressives, liberals, and moderates who are tired of the right wing pretending to own Christianity; for atheists, agnostics, and any one of any faith who’s sick of the fundamentalists using religion as a cloaking device for hate; for everyone who’s realized you don’t necessarily need organized religion to be a good person.

For over two centuries, the United States constitution has given us the right to live in a society where church and state exist independently, and without conflict. So why is it that, suddenly, Christianity is being co-opted by far-right groups, politicians, friends, and family members to justify oppressive and unequal policies? And how do we fight back against those acting—literally—in bad faith? 

In this informative, perspective-shifting guide, Fugelsang takes readers through common talking points and arguments—God condemns abortion, gay marriage is a sin, guns are an ordained right, and more—and exposes their hypocrisy and overall inaccuracy through scripture, philosophy, and plain old common sense.

Separation of Church and Hate, a new and critical book from comedian and TV and radio host John Fugelsang—who himself is the child of a former Catholic nun and Franciscan brother—finally offers the answers.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 10 Oct 2025 21:07:04 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (John Fugelsang, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/john-fugelsangs-separation-of-church-and-hate-a-sane-persons-guide-to-taking-back-the-bible-from-fundamentalists-fascists-and-flock-fleecing-frauds-0BMOYM6I This week, I got to talk with John Fugelsang about his new book Separation of Church and Hate! He shares why he's passionate about taking back the religion of his parents from the way it has been used as a cloak for hate, how it's near impossible to find a quality in Donald Trump that aligns with Jesus' teachings, and ways to lead Christian Nationalists to arguing with God/scripture instead of yourself.

Separation of Church and Hate Synopsis

Told with Fugelsang’s trademark blend of radical honesty, relevant humor, and deep political and religious knowledge, Separation of Church and Hate is the book every American today needs. It is a return to civility, a rallying cry for compassion and clarity, and a reclamation of the values and truths we hold dear, for anyone who was raised Christian but has become disillusioned with organized religion; for Democrats, progressives, liberals, and moderates who are tired of the right wing pretending to own Christianity; for atheists, agnostics, and any one of any faith who’s sick of the fundamentalists using religion as a cloaking device for hate; for everyone who’s realized you don’t necessarily need organized religion to be a good person.

For over two centuries, the United States constitution has given us the right to live in a society where church and state exist independently, and without conflict. So why is it that, suddenly, Christianity is being co-opted by far-right groups, politicians, friends, and family members to justify oppressive and unequal policies? And how do we fight back against those acting—literally—in bad faith? 

In this informative, perspective-shifting guide, Fugelsang takes readers through common talking points and arguments—God condemns abortion, gay marriage is a sin, guns are an ordained right, and more—and exposes their hypocrisy and overall inaccuracy through scripture, philosophy, and plain old common sense.

Separation of Church and Hate, a new and critical book from comedian and TV and radio host John Fugelsang—who himself is the child of a former Catholic nun and Franciscan brother—finally offers the answers.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> John Fugelsang's Separation of Church and Hate: A Sane Person's Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists, and Flock-Fleecing Frauds John Fugelsang, Kate Hergott 00:56:35 fascism, jesus, christianity, religious fundamentalist, christian nationalism true full 313 7870c159-a3c1-4d4a-bc91-e8e79bf8e60e Halley's Scandinavian Travels and Trip to a Haunted Mortuary, Kate's First Audiobook Production Halley Sutton is back! I can't even begin to tell you every topic we talked about, because we basically caught up with each others' lives while also talking about some books, movies and TV shows.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 7 Oct 2025 20:13:25 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Halley Sutton, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/halleys-scandinavian-travels-and-trip-to-a-haunted-mortuary-kates-first-audiobook-production-njzRacGY Halley Sutton is back! I can't even begin to tell you every topic we talked about, because we basically caught up with each others' lives while also talking about some books, movies and TV shows.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Halley's Scandinavian Travels and Trip to a Haunted Mortuary, Kate's First Audiobook Production Halley Sutton, Kate Hergott 01:38:09 writing, true crime, reading true full 312 e31e77e2-191c-4686-948d-8d6f1d55884a Jennifer Fawcett's Keep This For Me: A Serial Killer, Generational Trauma and Motherhood 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 Synopsis

One 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.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Sun, 5 Oct 2025 18:35:22 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Jennifer Fawcett, Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/jennifer-fawcetts-keep-this-for-me-a-serial-killer-generational-trauma-and-motherhood-4aDu9Ghp 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 Synopsis

One 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.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Jennifer Fawcett's Keep This For Me: A Serial Killer, Generational Trauma and Motherhood Jennifer Fawcett, Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 01:07:46 writing, crime fiction, fiction, true fiction true full 311 628dcc41-4b69-457b-bff5-397976658476 C.I Jerez's At The Island's Edge: Healing After Trauma, Family Bonds, and Second Chances 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 Synopsis

An 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?

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 30 Sep 2025 16:49:41 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (C.I. Jerez, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/ci-jerezs-at-the-islands-edge-healing-after-trauma-family-bonds-and-second-chances-5UrS55Cj 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 Synopsis

An 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?

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> C.I Jerez's At The Island's Edge: Healing After Trauma, Family Bonds, and Second Chances C.I. Jerez, Kate Hergott 00:33:32 writing, reading, fiction true full 310 c96c6759-a788-447c-bdbc-39593bffcd33 10 Before The End with Gare and Steph This week, we have some chaotic dog interruptions, I recorded int he dark because I couldn't even with the light, AND we broke a record and talked about more than 30 books in one episode!! Enjoy the chaos that is Gare, Steph and my 10 Before the End episode.

Kate’s  10 Before the End

What We Leave Behind by Wanda Morris

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/250326a1-6252-41eb-8fbd-318b3903b56c

Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/3e324bb5-9f00-4258-817b-00c69ad824f7

The Midnight Knock by John Fram

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/46ce3210-0707-4b1d-89b7-0c573c72aca8

When They Burned the Butterfly by Wen-Yi Lee

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/e294b55a-9bf5-42cd-a8c2-88aa2f65c91b

Boom Town by Nic Stone

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/81091a8c-97c2-4037-aaaf-666230289df8

The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/3aaf1dab-83a2-4089-9345-680455651355

James by Percival Everett

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/cd626fd8-11de-458a-a71a-4b1c64c86ff1

Social Creature by Tara Isabella Burton

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/cda69bb3-94a7-4b17-82ef-3036a098d7cd

Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/a5d8c362-9ccc-4bfa-869c-44c8847b17ef

I, Medusa by Ayana Gray

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/e2c48dc1-1ee0-4904-9b6e-d53e3f23712b

 

Gare’s 10 Before the End

Forget You Saw Her Noelle W Ihli

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/bbd97b5b-38b0-4982-bb5d-60fcee5a243c

Haven’t Killed In Years by Amy K. Green

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/70c6f0b5-c572-4689-b5e5-880199ce497c

We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/49154c03-2e3c-4b00-b63f-1d6a7ef61fdb

Watch Us Fall by Christina Kovac

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/25a51cf8-34f3-41d5-aefa-f4ff20d1159c

With Friends Like These by Alissa Lee

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/224004584-with-friends-like-these?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=9sa6BhhMqr&rank=1

The Fix by Mia Sheridan

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/7642f03d-53ab-441d-bfc2-c435fde870a1

Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/03c6a590-d537-4566-8bb2-0147089b467d

If I Go Missing by Leslie Wolfe

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/4a5751dd-ce3d-4d23-b7e5-21d8c95028b4

The Wives of Hawthorne Lane by Stephanie DeCarolis

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/345b587e-4541-496e-91d6-9738a1e5534a

The Haunting by Natasha Preston

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/2ebce8b2-c94b-489f-87a4-bcff8591d1d8

 

Steph’s  10 Before the End

The Adults by Alison Espach

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/b9ebc09a-4c52-4a56-a833-b25b38572ac8

The Artist of Blackberry Grange by Paulette Jackson

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/1d352936-217c-4d99-a0a3-8e5167d6c7cf

Breakneck Bay by Faith Gardner

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/886205bb-7647-4a28-b688-71c275927c32

Still True by Maggie Ginsburg

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/b2973ace-7b9a-47c8-9bde-faf6b87874e3

Heartbroke by Chelsea Bieker

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/9ee3902f-6e65-4e7e-992d-cf742c3938ef

Is This A Cry For Help by Emily Austin

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/868d3c84-e887-4075-adea-460a26d5eb79

Matchmaking for Psychopaths by Tasha Coryell

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/7fe84956-aabb-4e62-9fbb-66813da5b7c5

This Girl’s a Killer by Emma C. Wells

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/ad549123-76a8-442c-a809-789048a5902a

Love You to Death by Christina Dotson

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/4ffd068e-b2da-4108-9e79-409aff0c9a9c

The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/bb8fdd23-aaa5-4103-8972-427720e99382

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Sun, 28 Sep 2025 13:55:32 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott, Steph Lauer) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/10-before-the-end-with-gare-and-steph-taxxYPU3 This week, we have some chaotic dog interruptions, I recorded int he dark because I couldn't even with the light, AND we broke a record and talked about more than 30 books in one episode!! Enjoy the chaos that is Gare, Steph and my 10 Before the End episode.

Kate’s  10 Before the End

What We Leave Behind by Wanda Morris

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/250326a1-6252-41eb-8fbd-318b3903b56c

Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/3e324bb5-9f00-4258-817b-00c69ad824f7

The Midnight Knock by John Fram

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/46ce3210-0707-4b1d-89b7-0c573c72aca8

When They Burned the Butterfly by Wen-Yi Lee

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/e294b55a-9bf5-42cd-a8c2-88aa2f65c91b

Boom Town by Nic Stone

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/81091a8c-97c2-4037-aaaf-666230289df8

The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/3aaf1dab-83a2-4089-9345-680455651355

James by Percival Everett

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/cd626fd8-11de-458a-a71a-4b1c64c86ff1

Social Creature by Tara Isabella Burton

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/cda69bb3-94a7-4b17-82ef-3036a098d7cd

Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/a5d8c362-9ccc-4bfa-869c-44c8847b17ef

I, Medusa by Ayana Gray

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/e2c48dc1-1ee0-4904-9b6e-d53e3f23712b

 

Gare’s 10 Before the End

Forget You Saw Her Noelle W Ihli

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/bbd97b5b-38b0-4982-bb5d-60fcee5a243c

Haven’t Killed In Years by Amy K. Green

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/70c6f0b5-c572-4689-b5e5-880199ce497c

We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/49154c03-2e3c-4b00-b63f-1d6a7ef61fdb

Watch Us Fall by Christina Kovac

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/25a51cf8-34f3-41d5-aefa-f4ff20d1159c

With Friends Like These by Alissa Lee

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/224004584-with-friends-like-these?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=9sa6BhhMqr&rank=1

The Fix by Mia Sheridan

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/7642f03d-53ab-441d-bfc2-c435fde870a1

Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/03c6a590-d537-4566-8bb2-0147089b467d

If I Go Missing by Leslie Wolfe

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/4a5751dd-ce3d-4d23-b7e5-21d8c95028b4

The Wives of Hawthorne Lane by Stephanie DeCarolis

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/345b587e-4541-496e-91d6-9738a1e5534a

The Haunting by Natasha Preston

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/2ebce8b2-c94b-489f-87a4-bcff8591d1d8

 

Steph’s  10 Before the End

The Adults by Alison Espach

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/b9ebc09a-4c52-4a56-a833-b25b38572ac8

The Artist of Blackberry Grange by Paulette Jackson

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/1d352936-217c-4d99-a0a3-8e5167d6c7cf

Breakneck Bay by Faith Gardner

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/886205bb-7647-4a28-b688-71c275927c32

Still True by Maggie Ginsburg

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/b2973ace-7b9a-47c8-9bde-faf6b87874e3

Heartbroke by Chelsea Bieker

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/9ee3902f-6e65-4e7e-992d-cf742c3938ef

Is This A Cry For Help by Emily Austin

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/868d3c84-e887-4075-adea-460a26d5eb79

Matchmaking for Psychopaths by Tasha Coryell

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/7fe84956-aabb-4e62-9fbb-66813da5b7c5

This Girl’s a Killer by Emma C. Wells

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/ad549123-76a8-442c-a809-789048a5902a

Love You to Death by Christina Dotson

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/4ffd068e-b2da-4108-9e79-409aff0c9a9c

The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/bb8fdd23-aaa5-4103-8972-427720e99382

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> 10 Before The End with Gare and Steph Gare Billings, Kate Hergott, Steph Lauer 01:21:04 historical fiction, crime fiction, reading, contemporary fiction, fiction, thrillers true full 309 ff561704-ced0-43b6-b679-2441f0d64b92 Alma Katsu's Fiend: Family Wealth, a Family Curse, and Family Horror 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 Synopsis

Imagine 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.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 23 Sep 2025 18:11:45 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Alma Katsu, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/alma-katsus-fiend-family-wealth-a-family-curse-and-family-horror-ToYiWCsF 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 Synopsis

Imagine 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.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Alma Katsu's Fiend: Family Wealth, a Family Curse, and Family Horror Alma Katsu, Kate Hergott 00:36:35 writing, crime fiction, horror, fiction true full 308 6f8ba680-7150-43e4-b44e-6e0a55a37d1f Narrating and Producing My First Audiobook! This week, I dive into how I went from listening to audiobooks, to wanting to edit audiobooks, to co-narrating and editing my first audiobook over the course of like six months!

Hear how narrating and producing The Underdog came together with Sagit Schwartz, what surprised me about narrating, and how sentimental I am that I recorded it in my neighborhood library.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 19 Sep 2025 18:38:16 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Bookwild Collective) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/narrating-and-producing-my-first-audiobook-vd8Sy3hk This week, I dive into how I went from listening to audiobooks, to wanting to edit audiobooks, to co-narrating and editing my first audiobook over the course of like six months!

Hear how narrating and producing The Underdog came together with Sagit Schwartz, what surprised me about narrating, and how sentimental I am that I recorded it in my neighborhood library.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Narrating and Producing My First Audiobook! Bookwild Collective 00:26:07 true full 307 3a75225c-08f9-429e-b9e8-0e46ab07605b The Grave Artist by Jeffery Deaver and Isabella Maldonado: An Aesthetic Serial Killer, and an AI Investigator This week, I got to talk with Jeffery Deaver and Isabella Maldonado about their second in their Sanchez & Heron series The Grave Artists. We dive into how they create a Serial Killer 2.0, the positive and negative uses of technology, and how they write together.

The Grave Artist Synopsis

A wedding reception is coming to a close in the Hollywood Hills when the blissful day is shattered by the death of one of the newlyweds. Though the incident appears to be an accident, Homeland Security Investigations agent Carmen Sanchez and her partner, security expert Jake Heron, discover that the tragedy is the third in a series of similar deaths and conclude something far more sinister is at play.

The two uncover chilling evidence pointing to a serial killer who has taken evil to the next level. Dubbed the Honeymoon Killer, this man isn't interested in his victims but in creating his own macabre masterpiece from their graves--focused on the survivors and reveling in their grief. And now his dark obsession has turned to Carmen and Jake...

The Honeymoon Killer has decided they are the perfect next target. Take one out and delight as the other crumbles. Time is running out as a deadly game between predator and prey begins.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 16 Sep 2025 18:46:19 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Isabella Maldonado, Jeffery Deaver, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/the-grave-artist-by-jeffery-deaver-and-isabella-maldonado-an-aesthetic-serial-killer-and-an-ai-investigator-eNJWm_Df This week, I got to talk with Jeffery Deaver and Isabella Maldonado about their second in their Sanchez & Heron series The Grave Artists. We dive into how they create a Serial Killer 2.0, the positive and negative uses of technology, and how they write together.

The Grave Artist Synopsis

A wedding reception is coming to a close in the Hollywood Hills when the blissful day is shattered by the death of one of the newlyweds. Though the incident appears to be an accident, Homeland Security Investigations agent Carmen Sanchez and her partner, security expert Jake Heron, discover that the tragedy is the third in a series of similar deaths and conclude something far more sinister is at play.

The two uncover chilling evidence pointing to a serial killer who has taken evil to the next level. Dubbed the Honeymoon Killer, this man isn't interested in his victims but in creating his own macabre masterpiece from their graves--focused on the survivors and reveling in their grief. And now his dark obsession has turned to Carmen and Jake...

The Honeymoon Killer has decided they are the perfect next target. Take one out and delight as the other crumbles. Time is running out as a deadly game between predator and prey begins.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> The Grave Artist by Jeffery Deaver and Isabella Maldonado: An Aesthetic Serial Killer, and an AI Investigator Isabella Maldonado, Jeffery Deaver, Kate Hergott 00:33:29 true full 306 6894252b-5b1d-4621-8f58-b900cbbfca90 Books on Our Fall TBRs with Gare and Steph This week, Gare, Steph and I share books we are excited about on our Fall TBRs!

Books We Talked About

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due
Salt Bones by Jennifer Givhan
Keep This for Me by Jennifer Fawcett
The Women of Wild Hill by Kirsten Miller
Cursed Daughters by Oyinkan Braithwaite
The Hitchhikers by Chevy Stevens
The Mad Wife by Meagan Church
Alchemy of Secrets by Stephanie Garber
The Intruder by Freida McFadden
Through Our Teeth by Pamela N. Harris
The Haunting of Room 904 by Erica T. Wurth
The Bone Thief by Vanessa Lillie
Life and Death and Giants by Bob Rinaldi

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Sat, 13 Sep 2025 19:20:38 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Steph Lauer, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/books-on-our-fall-tbrs-with-gare-and-steph-MFJEGP7a This week, Gare, Steph and I share books we are excited about on our Fall TBRs!

Books We Talked About

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due
Salt Bones by Jennifer Givhan
Keep This for Me by Jennifer Fawcett
The Women of Wild Hill by Kirsten Miller
Cursed Daughters by Oyinkan Braithwaite
The Hitchhikers by Chevy Stevens
The Mad Wife by Meagan Church
Alchemy of Secrets by Stephanie Garber
The Intruder by Freida McFadden
Through Our Teeth by Pamela N. Harris
The Haunting of Room 904 by Erica T. Wurth
The Bone Thief by Vanessa Lillie
Life and Death and Giants by Bob Rinaldi

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Books on Our Fall TBRs with Gare and Steph Gare Billings, Steph Lauer, Kate Hergott 01:26:30 historical fiction, crime fiction, fiction, thrillers true full 305 c1d5a4a1-e0c4-476d-b446-2beeb70b2c2c L. S. Stratton's In Deadly Company: Hollywood Hijinks, Bad Rich People and Dual Timelines 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 Synopsis

As 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.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 9 Sep 2025 11:24:30 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (L.S. Stratton, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/l-s-strattons-in-deadly-company-hollywood-hijinks-bad-rich-people-and-dual-timelines-FdL1Nv_K 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 Synopsis

As 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.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> L. S. Stratton's In Deadly Company: Hollywood Hijinks, Bad Rich People and Dual Timelines L.S. Stratton, Kate Hergott 00:45:47 writing, crime fiction, fiction, authors, thrillers true full 304 019bf5b6-f8b2-4f89-9c7b-0a650dcae360 Learning From Fiction with Steph This week, Steph and I talk about fiction books that taught us about different subjects!

Books We Talked About

Play Nice by Rachel Harrison
Eloquent Rage by Brittney Cooper
Wordslut by Amanda Montell
Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall
The Great Mann by Kyra Davis Lurie
Francine’s Spectacular Crash and Burn Renee Swindle
You Know Her by Meagan Jennett
The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali
What Comes After by Joanne Tompkins
Blood Sisters by Vanessa Lillie
The Whistler by Nick Medina
Do What Godmother Says by Shelley Stratton
Harlem Rhapsody by Victoria Christopher Murray
The Reformatory by Tananarive Due
My Government Means to Kill Me by Rasheed Newson
The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai
The Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson
The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson
Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Happy Land by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
The Foundling by Ann Leary
The Manor of Dreams by Christina Li

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 5 Sep 2025 17:03:34 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Steph Lauer) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/learning-from-fiction-with-steph-pGLRNvS0 This week, Steph and I talk about fiction books that taught us about different subjects!

Books We Talked About

Play Nice by Rachel Harrison
Eloquent Rage by Brittney Cooper
Wordslut by Amanda Montell
Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall
The Great Mann by Kyra Davis Lurie
Francine’s Spectacular Crash and Burn Renee Swindle
You Know Her by Meagan Jennett
The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali
What Comes After by Joanne Tompkins
Blood Sisters by Vanessa Lillie
The Whistler by Nick Medina
Do What Godmother Says by Shelley Stratton
Harlem Rhapsody by Victoria Christopher Murray
The Reformatory by Tananarive Due
My Government Means to Kill Me by Rasheed Newson
The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai
The Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson
The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson
Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Happy Land by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
The Foundling by Ann Leary
The Manor of Dreams by Christina Li

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Learning From Fiction with Steph Kate Hergott, Steph Lauer 01:12:34 reading, fiction true full 303 185fc2cd-4c1d-4d72-892b-8303f0d6b588 Penny Zang's Doll Parts: Dark Academia, Sylvia Plath, and Complicated Female Friendship This week, I got to talk with Penny Zang about her debut novel Doll Parts! We dive into her inspiration for the story, the importance of music throughout, and the ways Sylvia Plath's life and writing influenced Doll Parts.

Doll Parts Synopsis

Some stories refuse to stay buried.

For best friends Nikki and Sadie, college was supposed to be a fresh start, a way to blast Courtney Love from car speakers and leave their youth behind. But along with sadness-obsessed girls and intrusive professors, a dark story plagues their small all-women's school: the Sylvia Club, a campus legend surrounding the deaths of multiple Sylvia Plath-adoring students, all written off as suicides. Aspiring writer Nikki finds herself drawn to the tragic tales, so much so that dead girls begin to haunt her dark imagination. As she digs deeper, Nikki soon suspects there's much more to the story - a suspicion that will lead to a tragedy of its own, one that will tear her and Sadie apart.

It's been nearly twenty years since Sadie last saw her estranged friend. Now, Nikki is dead, and when Sadie ends up pregnant by Nikki's grieving husband not long after the funeral, she finds herself stepping into her ex-best friend's seemingly perfect life. But the longer Sadie lives in Nikki's eerily preserved home, the more she sees her appear and soon, she's convinced that Nikki is sending her clues from beyond the grave. Because it seems Nikki never stopped looking for answers about what happened to the girls of the Sylvia Club, and she may have been its latest victim. 

Told in a dual timeline, Doll Parts is a provocative and irresistible debut, at once an exploration of the dark chasms that break apart friendships, an ode to the aching beauty of girlhood, and a sharp portrayal of grief that can physically haunt you. 

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 2 Sep 2025 15:27:21 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Penny Zang, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/penny-zangs-doll-parts-dark-academia-sylvia-plath-and-complicated-female-friendship-b8lrE2Xf This week, I got to talk with Penny Zang about her debut novel Doll Parts! We dive into her inspiration for the story, the importance of music throughout, and the ways Sylvia Plath's life and writing influenced Doll Parts.

Doll Parts Synopsis

Some stories refuse to stay buried.

For best friends Nikki and Sadie, college was supposed to be a fresh start, a way to blast Courtney Love from car speakers and leave their youth behind. But along with sadness-obsessed girls and intrusive professors, a dark story plagues their small all-women's school: the Sylvia Club, a campus legend surrounding the deaths of multiple Sylvia Plath-adoring students, all written off as suicides. Aspiring writer Nikki finds herself drawn to the tragic tales, so much so that dead girls begin to haunt her dark imagination. As she digs deeper, Nikki soon suspects there's much more to the story - a suspicion that will lead to a tragedy of its own, one that will tear her and Sadie apart.

It's been nearly twenty years since Sadie last saw her estranged friend. Now, Nikki is dead, and when Sadie ends up pregnant by Nikki's grieving husband not long after the funeral, she finds herself stepping into her ex-best friend's seemingly perfect life. But the longer Sadie lives in Nikki's eerily preserved home, the more she sees her appear and soon, she's convinced that Nikki is sending her clues from beyond the grave. Because it seems Nikki never stopped looking for answers about what happened to the girls of the Sylvia Club, and she may have been its latest victim. 

Told in a dual timeline, Doll Parts is a provocative and irresistible debut, at once an exploration of the dark chasms that break apart friendships, an ode to the aching beauty of girlhood, and a sharp portrayal of grief that can physically haunt you. 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Penny Zang's Doll Parts: Dark Academia, Sylvia Plath, and Complicated Female Friendship Penny Zang, Kate Hergott 00:41:09 sylvia plath, suspense, reading, fiction, dark academia true full 302 4935b6c4-36ed-41c0-bf61-6e90e9043216 Some of Our Favorite Reads from August with Gare and Steph This week, Gare, Steph and I talk about some of our favorite books we read in August!

Books We Talked About

My Husband by Maud Ventura

Too Old for This by Samantha Downing

Don’t Forget to Write by Sarah Goodman-Confino

Happy Land by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen

Knife River by Justine Champine

Dominion by Addie Citchens

Everyone is Lying to You by Jo Piazza

Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green

The Trad Wife’s Secret by Liane Child

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 29 Aug 2025 17:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings, Steph Lauer) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/some-of-our-favorite-reads-from-august-with-gare-and-steph-1tRyGv4O This week, Gare, Steph and I talk about some of our favorite books we read in August!

Books We Talked About

My Husband by Maud Ventura

Too Old for This by Samantha Downing

Don’t Forget to Write by Sarah Goodman-Confino

Happy Land by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen

Knife River by Justine Champine

Dominion by Addie Citchens

Everyone is Lying to You by Jo Piazza

Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green

The Trad Wife’s Secret by Liane Child

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Some of Our Favorite Reads from August with Gare and Steph Kate Hergott, Gare Billings, Steph Lauer 01:20:08 historical fiction, reading, thriller, contemporary fiction, fiction true full 301 20b71264-2957-4f81-ba91-78e1bdfd4075 Rebecca McKanna's Don't Forget the Girl: Remembering the Victims, Female Friendship and True Crime Podcasts 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 Synopsis

We 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. 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 26 Aug 2025 21:44:13 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Rebecca McKanna, Kate Hergott, Steph Lauer) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/rebecca-mckannas-dont-forget-the-girl-remembering-the-victims-female-friendship-and-true-crime-podcasts-R3dTzVsx 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 Synopsis

We 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. 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Rebecca McKanna's Don't Forget the Girl: Remembering the Victims, Female Friendship and True Crime Podcasts Rebecca McKanna, Kate Hergott, Steph Lauer 01:05:19 writing, literary mystery, author, mystery, fiction true full 300 2bbb3e74-e19b-4334-9593-f45953913291 Short, Bingey Books with Gare and Steph This week, Gare, Steph and I share short, bingey books we highly recommend!

Books We Talked About

Everyone Is Lying to You – Joe Piazza
The Favorite Girl – Monica Arya
The Mad Wife - Meagan Church
The Grave Artist – Isabella Maldonado & Jeffrey Deaver
Happy Land – Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Bath Haus – P.J. Vernon

Short & Bingey
Everything Is Tuberculosis – John Green
The Trap – Catherine Ryan Howard
The Locked Door – Freida McFadden
Liars – Sarah Manguso
The Retreat – Krysten Ritter
I Did It for You – Amy Engel
Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books – Kirsten Miller
Black Sheep – Rachel Harrison
The Woods Are Waiting – Katherine Green

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 22 Aug 2025 18:45:06 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Steph Lauer, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/short-bingey-books-with-gare-and-steph-D_qyqTw7 This week, Gare, Steph and I share short, bingey books we highly recommend!

Books We Talked About

Everyone Is Lying to You – Joe Piazza
The Favorite Girl – Monica Arya
The Mad Wife - Meagan Church
The Grave Artist – Isabella Maldonado & Jeffrey Deaver
Happy Land – Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Bath Haus – P.J. Vernon

Short & Bingey
Everything Is Tuberculosis – John Green
The Trap – Catherine Ryan Howard
The Locked Door – Freida McFadden
Liars – Sarah Manguso
The Retreat – Krysten Ritter
I Did It for You – Amy Engel
Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books – Kirsten Miller
Black Sheep – Rachel Harrison
The Woods Are Waiting – Katherine Green

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Short, Bingey Books with Gare and Steph Kate Hergott, Steph Lauer, Gare Billings 01:01:13 reading, fiction, books, non-fiction true full 299 215af2ef-ada0-4087-ac92-d0acda2cbf16 Kaila Yu's Fetishized: Yellow Fever, Sexualization, Fetishization, Feminism & Beauty 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 Synopsis

No 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.
 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Wed, 20 Aug 2025 13:15:57 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kaila Yu, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/kaila-yus-fetishization-yellow-fever-sexualization-fetishization-feminism-beauty-ilpAd6aq 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 Synopsis

No 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.
 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Kaila Yu's Fetishized: Yellow Fever, Sexualization, Fetishization, Feminism & Beauty Kaila Yu, Kate Hergott 00:46:31 writing, memoir, yellow fever, fethishization true full 298 c494ea8c-2b4c-4466-a3f3-1112ed2b54fc Zoe B. Wallbrook's History Lessons: Dark Academia, Satirical Humor & Navigating Racial Tensions 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 Synopsis

A 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.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 19 Aug 2025 14:04:56 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Zoe B. Wallbrook, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/zoe-b-wallbrooks-history-lessons-dark-academia-satirical-humor-navigating-racial-tensions-t3EBpL5l 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 Synopsis

A 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.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Zoe B. Wallbrook's History Lessons: Dark Academia, Satirical Humor & Navigating Racial Tensions Zoe B. Wallbrook, Kate Hergott 00:59:36 writing, misogynoir, crime fiction, dark academia true full 297 3baad373-dfc2-485e-a4cd-459ff5f22f87 A True Crime Chorus: The Vanishing of Ethel Cain | Gare's Love Letter to Ethel Cain This week, Gare shares all the ins and outs of Ethel Cain's dark, haunting album Preacher's Daughter!

Check out the album here.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 15 Aug 2025 19:21:48 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/a-true-crime-chorus-the-vanishing-of-ethel-cain-gares-love-letter-to-ethel-cain-YW6pLCUP This week, Gare shares all the ins and outs of Ethel Cain's dark, haunting album Preacher's Daughter!

Check out the album here.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> A True Crime Chorus: The Vanishing of Ethel Cain | Gare's Love Letter to Ethel Cain Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 01:30:52 true full 296 e86b832d-245e-45bf-9667-8885aead4d77 Leigh Dunlap's Bless Your Heart: Buckhead Betties, Racial Tensions and a Murder 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 Synopsis

Anderson 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.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Wed, 13 Aug 2025 10:25:10 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Leigh Dunlap, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/leigh-dunlaps-bless-your-heart-buckhead-betties-racial-tensions-and-a-murder-lSVx_rkP 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 Synopsis

Anderson 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.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Leigh Dunlap's Bless Your Heart: Buckhead Betties, Racial Tensions and a Murder Leigh Dunlap, Kate Hergott 00:33:02 writing, crime fiction, author, thrillers true full 295 79640c86-d6d5-4baa-81bd-db60a7296385 Samantha Downing's Too Old For This: A Retired Serial Killer, A Nosy Journalist, And Tons of Mayhem 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 Synopsis

Lottie 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…

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 12 Aug 2025 15:42:01 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Samantha Downing, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/samantha-downings-too-old-for-this-a-retired-serial-killer-a-nosy-journalist-and-tons-of-mayhem-_IJEx3kf 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 Synopsis

Lottie 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…

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Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Samantha Downing's Too Old For This: A Retired Serial Killer, A Nosy Journalist, And Tons of Mayhem Samantha Downing, Kate Hergott 00:27:05 writing, crime fiction, author, thrillers true full 294 c8c5fcdb-767f-4bd9-b02c-fc9914dba1cf Memorable Characters with Steph This week, Steph and I talk about books with memorable characters who we will never forget!

Books We've Been Reading

You Belong Here

Don’t Forget the Girl

Recursion

Doll Parts

Honey and Spice

Do What Godmother Says

Books with Memorable Characters

Junie

Remarkably Bright Creatures

Dissolution

The Paper Palace

An Inconvenient Woman

None of This is True

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 8 Aug 2025 14:58:59 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Steph Lauer, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/memorable-characters-with-steph-fgzInJWG This week, Steph and I talk about books with memorable characters who we will never forget!

Books We've Been Reading

You Belong Here

Don’t Forget the Girl

Recursion

Doll Parts

Honey and Spice

Do What Godmother Says

Books with Memorable Characters

Junie

Remarkably Bright Creatures

Dissolution

The Paper Palace

An Inconvenient Woman

None of This is True

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Memorable Characters with Steph Steph Lauer, Kate Hergott 00:41:21 reading, fiction true full 293 f90e5afc-5e7f-4b67-ad17-add0bd9f92c8 Cobie LaJeanne's Blood in the Cradle: Religious Trauma, Missing Children, and a Detective with Synesthesia 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 Synopsis

When 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?

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Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 5 Aug 2025 19:34:49 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Cobie LaJeanne, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/cobie-lajeannes-blood-in-the-cradle-religious-trauma-missing-children-and-a-detective-with-synesthesia-08oS1pKq 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 Synopsis

When 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?

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Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Cobie LaJeanne's Blood in the Cradle: Religious Trauma, Missing Children, and a Detective with Synesthesia Cobie LaJeanne, Kate Hergott 00:33:03 true full 292 ca6b054c-8186-4bd0-9d37-22539d6b2f98 New Favorite Authors with Gare and Steph This week, Gare, Steph and I talk about new-to-us authors we discovered and love!

Books We Talked About

The Book of Accidents

The Babysitter Lives

The Killer on the Road

Unlikely Animals

History Lessons

What Lies Between Us

Behind Every Good Man

Love You to Death

Deeper Than the Dead

This Violent Heart

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Sat, 2 Aug 2025 15:57:24 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Bookwild Collective) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/new-favorite-authors-with-gare-and-steph-lFAh8qZa This week, Gare, Steph and I talk about new-to-us authors we discovered and love!

Books We Talked About

The Book of Accidents

The Babysitter Lives

The Killer on the Road

Unlikely Animals

History Lessons

What Lies Between Us

Behind Every Good Man

Love You to Death

Deeper Than the Dead

This Violent Heart

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> New Favorite Authors with Gare and Steph Bookwild Collective 00:58:14 true full 291 bc0ce337-916b-413f-92c8-ea1f7f725b30 Clèmence Michallon's Our Last Resort: Dual Timelines, Cult Memories and a Locked Resort Mystery 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 Synopsis

Innocence 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 Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 29 Jul 2025 16:10:20 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Clèmence Michallon, Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/clemence-michallons-our-last-resort-dual-timelines-cult-memories-and-a-locked-resort-mystery-HDg6H3tm 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 Synopsis

Innocence 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 Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Clèmence Michallon's Our Last Resort: Dual Timelines, Cult Memories and a Locked Resort Mystery Clèmence Michallon, Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 01:18:49 writing, crime fiction, reading, mystery, thrillers true full 290 2a017a28-9a97-466d-9712-457412c5486c Melanie Anagnos' Nightswimming: Noir in 1970s New Jersey with Halley Sutton 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 Synopsis

Paterson, 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 here

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 25 Jul 2025 15:33:24 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Melanie Anagnos, Kate Hergott, Halley Sutton) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/melanie-anagnos-nightswimming-noir-in-1970s-new-jersey-with-halley-sutton-xQIrXVhz 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 Synopsis

Paterson, 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 here

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Melanie Anagnos' Nightswimming: Noir in 1970s New Jersey with Halley Sutton Melanie Anagnos, Kate Hergott, Halley Sutton 00:45:30 writing, crime fiction, new jersey, reading, 1970s, noir true full 289 82909e5d-a952-4533-bc72-cbc02e6dfd97 Christina Dotson's Love You to Death: Wedding Crashing, Toxic Friendships and Racial Tension 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 Synopsis

When 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.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 22 Jul 2025 13:12:11 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Christina Dotson, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/christina-dotsons-love-you-to-death-wedding-crashing-toxic-friendships-and-racial-tension-t1X8Vlw3 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 Synopsis

When 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.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Christina Dotson's Love You to Death: Wedding Crashing, Toxic Friendships and Racial Tension Christina Dotson, Kate Hergott 00:41:49 crime fiction, thriller, reader, books true full 288 07e79929-12fc-477b-aab8-fe685f5df569 Writing Updates, A Way to Create Without Shame, Changes in the Publishing Industry, Capitalism vs Creativity, and Many Many More Topics with Halley Sutton 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.

Halley also shares some insights into the traditional publishing industry and we discuss the appeal of self publishing.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 18 Jul 2025 21:58:46 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Halley Sutton) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/writing-updates-a-way-to-create-without-shame-changes-in-the-publishing-industry-capitalism-vs-creativity-and-many-many-more-topics-with-halley-sutton-15gITLIi 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.

Halley also shares some insights into the traditional publishing industry and we discuss the appeal of self publishing.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Writing Updates, A Way to Create Without Shame, Changes in the Publishing Industry, Capitalism vs Creativity, and Many Many More Topics with Halley Sutton Kate Hergott, Halley Sutton 01:15:21 writing, publishing, reading, audibooks true full 287 c1eca70f-da70-4c96-884f-8e27ad14bdfa Cebo Campbell's Sky Full of Elephants: Exploring Black Identity in a World Without White People 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 Synopsis

n 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 here

Follow MacKenzie here

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 15 Jul 2025 11:53:08 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Cebo Campbell, MacKenzie Green, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/cebo-campbells-sky-full-of-elephants-exploring-black-identity-in-a-world-without-white-people-adKGwgLt 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 Synopsis

n 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 here

Follow MacKenzie here

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Cebo Campbell's Sky Full of Elephants: Exploring Black Identity in a World Without White People Cebo Campbell, MacKenzie Green, Kate Hergott 01:21:50 writing, black identity, speculative fiction, fiction, self-actualization true full 286 29c90ac9-cbbe-4a64-8f72-6fc688175b59 Non-Thrillers Steph and I Have Loved This week, Steph and I talk about some our favorite books outside the thriller genre, since we've both been expanding our genres a little.

Books We Talked About

Project Hail Mary

The Road to Tender Hearts

Sky Full of Elephants

PS You’re the Worst

The Three Lives of Cate Kay

The Seven O’Clock Club

An Academy for Liars

Shy Girl

Things Don’t Break On Their Own

The Book Club for Troublesome Women

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 11 Jul 2025 20:26:46 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Steph Lauer) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/non-thrillers-steph-and-i-have-loved-xb7dwYe8 This week, Steph and I talk about some our favorite books outside the thriller genre, since we've both been expanding our genres a little.

Books We Talked About

Project Hail Mary

The Road to Tender Hearts

Sky Full of Elephants

PS You’re the Worst

The Three Lives of Cate Kay

The Seven O’Clock Club

An Academy for Liars

Shy Girl

Things Don’t Break On Their Own

The Book Club for Troublesome Women

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Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Non-Thrillers Steph and I Have Loved Kate Hergott, Steph Lauer 01:01:06 literary fiction, speculative fiction, contemporary fiction, fiction true full 285 b2915f90-8f71-414f-8035-51cc09f067a8 M.M. Deluca's The Divorce Party: A Toxic Friend Group, A Divorce Party, and A LOT of Secrets 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 Synopsis

Savannah, 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…

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 8 Jul 2025 18:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (M.M. DeLuca, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/mm-delucas-the-divorce-party-a-toxic-friend-group-a-divorce-party-and-a-lot-of-secrets-iQvqCIBW 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 Synopsis

Savannah, 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…

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> M.M. Deluca's The Divorce Party: A Toxic Friend Group, A Divorce Party, and A LOT of Secrets M.M. DeLuca, Kate Hergott 00:35:56 writing, readers, crime fiction, writer, thrillers true full 284 796a74db-daac-4a10-aa2f-edfe293e5a06 ThrillerFest Recap with Sabrina Thatcher and Lori Brand 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!

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 4 Jul 2025 19:39:11 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Sabrina Thatcher, Lori Brand, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/thrillerfest-recap-with-sabrina-thatcher-and-lori-brand-AXiTc_Jm 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 Author Social Media Packages

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> ThrillerFest Recap with Sabrina Thatcher and Lori Brand Sabrina Thatcher, Lori Brand, Kate Hergott 01:06:14 author, reader, thrillerfest, thrillers true full 283 e3087bc9-7e2f-4088-84c6-ec339424f43a Kaira Rouda's Jill Is Not Happy: Jack and Jill Go on a Tense Road Trip This week, I talked with Kaira Rouda about her new thriller Jill Is Not Happy. We dive into how her own road trip inspired the story, what Kaira loves about writing domestic thrillers, and the likeable unlikeability of Jill.

Jill is Not Happy Synopsis

Some secrets keep a couple together.

If you ask Jill Tingley, she’ll tell you she and her husband Jack are college sweethearts living the dream in Southern California. Wealthy, popular and genetically blessed, theirs is an enviable life, though they’ve grown distant in recent years. Newly empty nesting with their daughter Maggie away at college, Jill suggests a road trip to reconnect.

Jack would rather do anything else than drive to Utah with his wife. He’s only stayed in this marriage because of a shared secret, a tragedy in the past he wanted to keep buried. And for his daughter’s sake. But Jack is finished with the charade of his marriage. He’s filing for divorce as soon as they return, no matter what.

But he doesn’t realize what else Jill is hiding.

So begins a cat-and-mouse road trip as a cunning wife—think Ripley in yoga pants—and a reluctant husband match wits and drive each other to the edge. But everything will be fine. Jill still loves Jack and believes he’s the only one for her. She’ll do anything to keep him. Anything. She always has.

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 1 Jul 2025 21:51:03 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kaira Rouda, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/kaira-roudas-jill-is-not-happy-jack-and-jill-go-on-a-tense-road-trip-u0dNpYQn This week, I talked with Kaira Rouda about her new thriller Jill Is Not Happy. We dive into how her own road trip inspired the story, what Kaira loves about writing domestic thrillers, and the likeable unlikeability of Jill.

Jill is Not Happy Synopsis

Some secrets keep a couple together.

If you ask Jill Tingley, she’ll tell you she and her husband Jack are college sweethearts living the dream in Southern California. Wealthy, popular and genetically blessed, theirs is an enviable life, though they’ve grown distant in recent years. Newly empty nesting with their daughter Maggie away at college, Jill suggests a road trip to reconnect.

Jack would rather do anything else than drive to Utah with his wife. He’s only stayed in this marriage because of a shared secret, a tragedy in the past he wanted to keep buried. And for his daughter’s sake. But Jack is finished with the charade of his marriage. He’s filing for divorce as soon as they return, no matter what.

But he doesn’t realize what else Jill is hiding.

So begins a cat-and-mouse road trip as a cunning wife—think Ripley in yoga pants—and a reluctant husband match wits and drive each other to the edge. But everything will be fine. Jill still loves Jack and believes he’s the only one for her. She’ll do anything to keep him. Anything. She always has.

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Kaira Rouda's Jill Is Not Happy: Jack and Jill Go on a Tense Road Trip Kaira Rouda, Kate Hergott 00:33:06 domestic suspense, author, writing process, thrillers true full 282 480cde16-065f-4c28-9510-107ec9621f2d Blue and Yellow Cover Thrillers with Gare and Steph 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 About

No Road Home

Keep it in the Family

Believe Me Now

When No One is Watching

The Pact

Daughter of Mine

Not a Happy Family

What Have You Done

Darling Girls

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Sat, 28 Jun 2025 00:31:27 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings, Steph Lauer) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/blue-and-yellow-cover-thrillers-with-gare-and-steph-AX_TUKaj 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 About

No Road Home

Keep it in the Family

Believe Me Now

When No One is Watching

The Pact

Daughter of Mine

Not a Happy Family

What Have You Done

Darling Girls

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Blue and Yellow Cover Thrillers with Gare and Steph Kate Hergott, Gare Billings, Steph Lauer 01:05:41 bookstagram, mystery, thrillers true full 281 7bbb2e8d-abda-47a2-a195-2969aee30a6b Rob Hart's The Medusa Protocol: Assassins In Recovery and Bad Guys Mining Memories 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 Synopsis

When 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.

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 24 Jun 2025 16:00:58 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Rob Hart) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/rob-harts-the-medusa-protocol-assassins-in-recovery-and-bad-guys-mining-memories-IJA5CsQ3 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 Synopsis

When 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.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Rob Hart's The Medusa Protocol: Assassins In Recovery and Bad Guys Mining Memories Kate Hergott, Rob Hart 00:34:17 mystery, writing process, action, thrillers true full 280 80a7202c-d979-4755-8781-a0cc2589f687 Audiobooks Steph and I Love: Fiction, Non-Fiction and Memoirs 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 About

Finding Me by Viola Davis

This American Woman by Zarna Garg

Cue the Sun! by Emily Nussbaum

Girl on Girl by Sophie Gilbert

The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali

Don't Tell Me How to Die by Marshall Karp

The Good Sister Sally Hepworth

Allegedly Tiffany D. Jackson

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 20 Jun 2025 10:19:20 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Steph Lauer, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/audiobooks-steph-and-i-love-fiction-non-fiction-and-memoirs-bkGOM_IW 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 About

Finding Me by Viola Davis

This American Woman by Zarna Garg

Cue the Sun! by Emily Nussbaum

Girl on Girl by Sophie Gilbert

The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali

Don't Tell Me How to Die by Marshall Karp

The Good Sister Sally Hepworth

Allegedly Tiffany D. Jackson

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Audiobooks Steph and I Love: Fiction, Non-Fiction and Memoirs Steph Lauer, Kate Hergott 00:45:59 non fiction, bookwild, audiobooks, memoir, fiction, bookish true full 279 70421197-dda4-4fbb-9fd9-5c7c8fbf2cee Kimberly G. Giarratano's Make a Killing: P.I.s in Competition and Business Conspiracies 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 Synopsis

Private 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.

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 17 Jun 2025 14:45:59 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Kimberly G. Giarratano) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/kimberly-g-giarratanos-make-a-killing-pis-in-competition-and-business-conspiracies-BWwB2oKT 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 Synopsis

Private 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.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Kimberly G. Giarratano's Make a Killing: P.I.s in Competition and Business Conspiracies Kate Hergott, Kimberly G. Giarratano 00:48:06 crime fiction, pi, noir, mystery true full 278 20cf1fa9-a3d6-4e77-b5fe-7e6e7d02292f It's So Gay And I Love It with Gare and Steph 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 About

Harriet Tubman Live in Concert

Winging it With You

We Are Never Meeting in Real Life

Glitter in the Dark

Game Changer

One Killer Problem

This Violent Heart

Just By Looking At Him

House of Hunger

The Snow Garden

The Honeys

Extras

These Violent Delights

Hidden Scars

Providence

The Shards

Young Mungo

The Three Lives of Cate Kay

Chain Gang All Stars

Mad Honey

No Road Home

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Sun, 15 Jun 2025 16:06:01 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Steph Lauer, Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/its-so-gay-and-i-love-it-with-gare-and-steph-bXiZjiyY 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 About

Harriet Tubman Live in Concert

Winging it With You

We Are Never Meeting in Real Life

Glitter in the Dark

Game Changer

One Killer Problem

This Violent Heart

Just By Looking At Him

House of Hunger

The Snow Garden

The Honeys

Extras

These Violent Delights

Hidden Scars

Providence

The Shards

Young Mungo

The Three Lives of Cate Kay

Chain Gang All Stars

Mad Honey

No Road Home

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> It's So Gay And I Love It with Gare and Steph Steph Lauer, Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 01:19:26 romance, crime fiction, fiction, lgbtqia true full 277 cd2aea4a-ec4e-4af4-97c6-af9d0321044b Jennifer Oko's Just Emilia: Stuck in an Elevator with Three Versions of Yourself 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 Synopsis

The 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.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 10 Jun 2025 19:25:12 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Jennifer Oko, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/jennifer-okos-just-emilia-stuck-in-an-elevator-with-three-versions-of-yourself-FO5_4ERt 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 Synopsis

The 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.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Jennifer Oko's Just Emilia: Stuck in an Elevator with Three Versions of Yourself Jennifer Oko, Kate Hergott 01:11:23 author, speculative fiction, writing process, fiction true full 276 cabc02ed-7815-43fc-81d1-f9cf71f78846 Gare's Montreal Mystery Festival Recap and Our Mid-Year Favorite Reads with Gare and Steph 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 Die

This Book Will Bury Me

The Paper Palace

Julie Chan is Dead

Keep it in the Family

The Devil and Mrs. Davenport

The Manor of Dreams

Night Watcher

The Secret Lives of Church Ladies

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 6 Jun 2025 13:53:42 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Steph Lauer, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/gares-montreal-mystery-festival-recap-and-our-mid-year-favorite-reads-with-gare-and-steph-SmIr7lCf 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 Die

This Book Will Bury Me

The Paper Palace

Julie Chan is Dead

Keep it in the Family

The Devil and Mrs. Davenport

The Manor of Dreams

Night Watcher

The Secret Lives of Church Ladies

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Gare's Montreal Mystery Festival Recap and Our Mid-Year Favorite Reads with Gare and Steph Kate Hergott, Steph Lauer, Gare Billings 01:30:56 bookstagram, crime fiction, mystery, thrillers true full 275 b571ea07-1192-4456-a41e-79adc6257b20 Allison Buccola's The Ascent: Cults, Murder and Postpartum Depression 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 Synopsis

Twenty 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.

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 3 Jun 2025 16:12:57 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Allison Buccola, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/allison-buccolas-the-ascent-cults-murder-and-postpartum-depression-l__XxS4d 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 Synopsis

Twenty 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

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Allison Buccola's The Ascent: Cults, Murder and Postpartum Depression Allison Buccola, Kate Hergott 00:38:10 crime fiction, mystery, writing process, cults, thrillers true full 274 14908ad4-5863-4db0-9248-5276319e738d Kristen L. Berry's We Don't Talk About Carol: 6 Missing Black Girls, Intergenerational Family Drama and Messy Motherhood 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 Synopsis

A 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.

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 3 Jun 2025 15:41:18 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kristen L. Berry, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/kristen-l-berrys-we-dont-talk-about-carol-6-missing-black-girls-intergenerational-family-drama-and-messy-motherhood-kCkJFVd0 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 Synopsis

A 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.

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Kristen L. Berry's We Don't Talk About Carol: 6 Missing Black Girls, Intergenerational Family Drama and Messy Motherhood Kristen L. Berry, Kate Hergott 00:48:11 crime fiction, mystery, writing process, thrillers true full 273 fb398fb9-3bfe-468f-87a2-7735f73e5b35 Problematic Artists, Body Image Wars, and The Intersection of Creativity and Commerce with Halley Sutton 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 Substack

The White Lotus Podcast

 

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 30 May 2025 13:59:55 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Halley Sutton, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/problematic-artists-body-image-wars-and-the-intersection-of-creativity-and-commerce-with-halley-sutton-sztgtToH 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 Substack

The White Lotus Podcast

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Problematic Artists, Body Image Wars, and The Intersection of Creativity and Commerce with Halley Sutton Halley Sutton, Kate Hergott 01:27:05 true full 272 235b04fe-6c1a-4b8f-948e-3faa476ea319 Tori Eldridge's Kaua'i Storm: Family Drama, A Missing Persons Case, and A Setting That's Its Own Character 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 Synopsis

Returning 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.

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 27 May 2025 18:00:34 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Tori Eldridge, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/tori-eldridges-kauai-storm-family-drama-a-missing-persons-case-and-a-setting-thats-its-own-character-5vc5k0I_ 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 Synopsis

Returning 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.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tori Eldridge's Kaua'i Storm: Family Drama, A Missing Persons Case, and A Setting That's Its Own Character Tori Eldridge, Kate Hergott 00:40:44 crime fiction, thriller, mystery, writing process true full 271 f0e7607b-e514-464d-bfdf-4758e5b56dc5 Bad Things Happening in Cul-De-Sacs with Brian Watson 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!

Books/Authors We Talked About

Regrets Only by Kieran Scott

The Push by Ashley Audrain

You Deserve to Know by Aggie Blum Thompson

The Woman Inside by E.G. Scott

A.R. Torre

Madwoman by Chelsea Bieker

I'll Be You by Janelle Brown

Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica

 

 

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 23 May 2025 16:32:43 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Bookwild Collective) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/bad-things-happening-in-cul-de-sacs-with-brian-watson-_Jq4n9Hj 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!

Books/Authors We Talked About

Regrets Only by Kieran Scott

The Push by Ashley Audrain

You Deserve to Know by Aggie Blum Thompson

The Woman Inside by E.G. Scott

A.R. Torre

Madwoman by Chelsea Bieker

I'll Be You by Janelle Brown

Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica

 

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Bad Things Happening in Cul-De-Sacs with Brian Watson Bookwild Collective 01:27:16 true full 270 61497551-757d-4acc-bcd9-10f2be74045b Jaime Lynn Hendricks' Their Double Lives: What Would You Do to Save Your Dog? 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 Synopsis

A 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…

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 20 May 2025 15:32:10 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Jaime Lynn Hendricks, Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/jaime-lynn-hendricks-their-double-lives-what-would-you-do-to-save-your-dog-QF06Dp_A 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 Synopsis

A 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…

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Jaime Lynn Hendricks' Their Double Lives: What Would You Do to Save Your Dog? Jaime Lynn Hendricks, Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 00:51:29 bookstagram, crime fiction, thrillers true full 269 7f2b3656-f467-48c7-804a-523d8f741e61 Summer Thriller Releases We Are Excited for with Gare and Steph This week, Gare, Steph and I are talking about the 2025 Summer thriller releases we are excited to read!

Bookwild Merch

ThrillerFest GoFundMe

Books We Talked About

Love You to Death by Christina Dotson

Night Watcher by Daphne Woolsoncroft

The Laughing Dead by Jess Lourey

Just Emilia by Jennifer Oko

One Dark Night by Hannah Richell

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark

Doll Parts by Penny Zang

Forget Me Not by Stacy Willingham

Our Secrets Were Safe by Virginia Trench

Ecstacy by Ivy Pochoda

We Are All Guilty Here by Karin Slaughter

High Season by Katie Bishop

Her Many Faces by Nicci Cloke

Guess Again Charlie Donlea

King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 16 May 2025 17:18:27 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Bookwild Collective) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/summer-thriller-releases-we-are-excited-for-with-gare-and-steph-rTv7Shtm This week, Gare, Steph and I are talking about the 2025 Summer thriller releases we are excited to read!

Bookwild Merch

ThrillerFest GoFundMe

Books We Talked About

Love You to Death by Christina Dotson

Night Watcher by Daphne Woolsoncroft

The Laughing Dead by Jess Lourey

Just Emilia by Jennifer Oko

One Dark Night by Hannah Richell

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark

Doll Parts by Penny Zang

Forget Me Not by Stacy Willingham

Our Secrets Were Safe by Virginia Trench

Ecstacy by Ivy Pochoda

We Are All Guilty Here by Karin Slaughter

High Season by Katie Bishop

Her Many Faces by Nicci Cloke

Guess Again Charlie Donlea

King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Summer Thriller Releases We Are Excited for with Gare and Steph Bookwild Collective 01:06:26 true full 268 15880b3a-6a00-4294-acf0-47ae6b447514 Judy Huston's Spy Notes: The Music Business as the Perfect Cover for a Spy 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 Synopsis

Music, 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.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 13 May 2025 14:20:41 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Judy Hutson, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/judy-hustons-spy-notes-the-music-business-as-the-perfect-cover-for-a-spy-wj9GhHn5 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 Synopsis

Music, 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.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Judy Huston's Spy Notes: The Music Business as the Perfect Cover for a Spy Judy Hutson, Kate Hergott 00:20:15 writing, crime fiction, thriller, fiction, spy true full 267 b1d2305b-46d3-4ae3-9ed7-e38d3fa2ad12 Five Fave Authors and Books with Gare and Steph This week, Gare, Steph and I talk about five of our favorite authors and our favorite book of theirs!

Books We Talked About

The Last Housewife

Bright Young Women

Play Nice

The Woman Inside

Jar of Hearts

The Family Next Door

The Night She Disappeared

Dark Highway

The Quarry Girls

They Never Learn

The Trap

The Children on the Hill

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 9 May 2025 19:10:33 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Steph Lauer, Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/five-fave-authors-and-books-with-gare-and-steph-khsmKVa2 This week, Gare, Steph and I talk about five of our favorite authors and our favorite book of theirs!

Books We Talked About

The Last Housewife

Bright Young Women

Play Nice

The Woman Inside

Jar of Hearts

The Family Next Door

The Night She Disappeared

Dark Highway

The Quarry Girls

They Never Learn

The Trap

The Children on the Hill

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Five Fave Authors and Books with Gare and Steph Steph Lauer, Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 01:02:06 crime fiction, thriller, mystery, fiction true full 266 08289fbb-0f58-41b4-b7ab-e724072dca93 Robert Bailey's The Boomerang: Hidden Cancer Cure, An Outspoken Land Baron and One Dedicated Father This week, I got to talk with Robert Bailey about his emotionally driven action thriller The Boomerang. We dive into the inspiration for the book, the research he did for certain parts, and his favorite parts of writing the relationships in the book.

The Boomerang Synopsis

The president of the United States has terminal cancer. Chief of Staff Eli James, his faithful consigliere and best friend, is one of the few who know. But just as the president’s condition mysteriously improves, Eli’s hit with another blow: his daughter has cancer too.

Hell-bent on helping her, Eli turns to Big Pharma’s top lobbyist for advice, but their encounter yields more questions than answers. As he races along a twisted trail to the truth, he stumbles upon a devastating cover-up worth billions of dollars—and millions of lives.

Armed with this deadly secret, Eli goes rogue, fleeing with his family out west. To keep them safe, he forms an uneasy alliance with land baron Nester “the Beast” Sanchez, known for his ruthless power tactics. An epic showdown brews, and it’s the state versus one desperate citizen, willing to risk everything to save his daughter. Can Eli broker a truce with his once allies? Or will there be war in the desert?

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 6 May 2025 19:44:28 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Robert Bailey, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/robert-baileys-the-boomerang-hidden-cancer-cure-an-outspoken-land-baron-and-one-dedicated-father-edm3y76a This week, I got to talk with Robert Bailey about his emotionally driven action thriller The Boomerang. We dive into the inspiration for the book, the research he did for certain parts, and his favorite parts of writing the relationships in the book.

The Boomerang Synopsis

The president of the United States has terminal cancer. Chief of Staff Eli James, his faithful consigliere and best friend, is one of the few who know. But just as the president’s condition mysteriously improves, Eli’s hit with another blow: his daughter has cancer too.

Hell-bent on helping her, Eli turns to Big Pharma’s top lobbyist for advice, but their encounter yields more questions than answers. As he races along a twisted trail to the truth, he stumbles upon a devastating cover-up worth billions of dollars—and millions of lives.

Armed with this deadly secret, Eli goes rogue, fleeing with his family out west. To keep them safe, he forms an uneasy alliance with land baron Nester “the Beast” Sanchez, known for his ruthless power tactics. An epic showdown brews, and it’s the state versus one desperate citizen, willing to risk everything to save his daughter. Can Eli broker a truce with his once allies? Or will there be war in the desert?

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Robert Bailey's The Boomerang: Hidden Cancer Cure, An Outspoken Land Baron and One Dedicated Father Robert Bailey, Kate Hergott 00:32:37 crime fiction, mystery, writing process, fiction, thrillers true full 265 177d3de1-8899-44d1-b279-398437cfd13f The Role of Subconscious in Writing, Milling for Empathy, and Craft Tactics with Halley Sutton This week, Halley Sutton is back and we delve into character development, the subconscious influences on storytelling, and the darker themes that often emerge in our work.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 6 May 2025 14:52:45 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Halley Sutton) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/the-role-of-subconscious-in-writing-milling-for-empathy-and-craft-tactics-with-halley-sutton-23cd6Vtd This week, Halley Sutton is back and we delve into character development, the subconscious influences on storytelling, and the darker themes that often emerge in our work.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> The Role of Subconscious in Writing, Milling for Empathy, and Craft Tactics with Halley Sutton Kate Hergott, Halley Sutton 01:12:36 writing process, writer true full 264 eb95026b-639f-467c-8618-cccbfe07ec9e Sinners Reactions and Analysis with MacKenzie Green This week, MacKenzie Green and I dive into everything we loved about Sinners. We dive into Ryan Coogler's succinct visual storytelling, how he tackled the themes of religion, spirituality and race, and how social horror paired with humor comes together so well.

Follow MacKenzie here

Listen to Manifestation Monday here

TikToks I mentioned

Seven Deadly Sins from TheReel Voice

Vampires Needing to Be Invited BrandonToksMovies

Sammy's Ability to Connect With People is What the Devil Wanted from 5hahem

Racism hurts White Couple Too from TheJaam

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 2 May 2025 17:34:15 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, MacKenzie Green) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/sinners-reactions-and-analysis-with-mackenzie-green-Q4eHFiZO This week, MacKenzie Green and I dive into everything we loved about Sinners. We dive into Ryan Coogler's succinct visual storytelling, how he tackled the themes of religion, spirituality and race, and how social horror paired with humor comes together so well.

Follow MacKenzie here

Listen to Manifestation Monday here

TikToks I mentioned

Seven Deadly Sins from TheReel Voice

Vampires Needing to Be Invited BrandonToksMovies

Sammy's Ability to Connect With People is What the Devil Wanted from 5hahem

Racism hurts White Couple Too from TheJaam

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Sinners Reactions and Analysis with MacKenzie Green Kate Hergott, MacKenzie Green 01:34:58 sinners, horror, ryan coogler, michael b jordan, film true full 263 857c9b4e-26fb-4e3f-9be6-fb3881ef8b4a Liann Zhang's Julie Chan is Dead: Estranged Twins, Toxic Influencers and a Wild Trip This week, I got to talk with Liann Zhang about her incredibly voicey and suspenseful thriller Julie Chan is dead. We dive into the inspiration for the story, how her ability to write the environment of the Internet is linked to how she is chronically online (same), and her favorite backstories she created for some extra vapid influencers.

Julie Chan is Dead Synopsis

Julie Chan has nothing. Her twin sister has everything. Except a pulse.

Julie Chan, a supermarket cashier with nothing to lose, finds herself thrust into the glamorous yet perilous world of her late twin sister, Chloe VanHuusen, a popular influencer. Separated at a young age, the identical twins were polar opposites and rarely spoke, except for one viral video that Chloe initiated (Finding My Long-Lost Twin And Buying Her A House #EMOTIONAL). When Julie discovers Chloe’s lifeless body under mysterious circumstances, she seizes the chance to live the life she’s always envied.

Transforming into Chloe is easier than expected. Julie effortlessly adopts Chloe’s luxurious influencer life, complete with designer clothes, a meticulous skincare routine, and millions of adoring followers. However, Julie soon realizes that Chloe’s seemingly picture-perfect life was anything but.

Haunted by Chloe’s untimely death and struggling to fit into the privileged influencer circle, Julie faces mounting challenges during a weeklong island retreat with Chloe’s exclusive group of influencer friends. As events spiral out of control, Julie uncovers the sinister forces that may have led to her sister’s demise and realizes she might be the next target.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 29 Apr 2025 17:23:38 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Liann Zhang, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/liann-zhangs-julie-chan-is-dead-estranged-twins-toxic-influencers-and-a-wild-trip-AOq4qUEX This week, I got to talk with Liann Zhang about her incredibly voicey and suspenseful thriller Julie Chan is dead. We dive into the inspiration for the story, how her ability to write the environment of the Internet is linked to how she is chronically online (same), and her favorite backstories she created for some extra vapid influencers.

Julie Chan is Dead Synopsis

Julie Chan has nothing. Her twin sister has everything. Except a pulse.

Julie Chan, a supermarket cashier with nothing to lose, finds herself thrust into the glamorous yet perilous world of her late twin sister, Chloe VanHuusen, a popular influencer. Separated at a young age, the identical twins were polar opposites and rarely spoke, except for one viral video that Chloe initiated (Finding My Long-Lost Twin And Buying Her A House #EMOTIONAL). When Julie discovers Chloe’s lifeless body under mysterious circumstances, she seizes the chance to live the life she’s always envied.

Transforming into Chloe is easier than expected. Julie effortlessly adopts Chloe’s luxurious influencer life, complete with designer clothes, a meticulous skincare routine, and millions of adoring followers. However, Julie soon realizes that Chloe’s seemingly picture-perfect life was anything but.

Haunted by Chloe’s untimely death and struggling to fit into the privileged influencer circle, Julie faces mounting challenges during a weeklong island retreat with Chloe’s exclusive group of influencer friends. As events spiral out of control, Julie uncovers the sinister forces that may have led to her sister’s demise and realizes she might be the next target.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Liann Zhang's Julie Chan is Dead: Estranged Twins, Toxic Influencers and a Wild Trip Liann Zhang, Kate Hergott 00:34:33 writing, horror, thriller, fiction true full 262 afaaae7a-21d6-4597-be1c-f622462927ab Books We Took a Chance on and Loved with Gare and Steph This week, Gare, Steph and i talk about books we took risks on that we ended up loving!

Books We Talked About

Lion Women of Tehran Marjan Kamali

Hush Anne Frasier

The Wedding People Alison Espach

An Academy for Liars Alexis Henderson

A Density of Souls Christopher Rice

The Shards Bret Easton Ellis

We Used to Live Here Marcus Kliewer

The Paper Palace Miranda Cowley Heller

IKEA Bookshelf

Ring Page Turner

Paperfeel/Matte iPad Screen Protector

The Push Ashley Audrain

The Manor of Dreams Christina Li

How We Named the Stars

Disorientation Elaine Hsieh Chou

 

Ring Page Turner

Paperfeel/Matte iPad Screen Protector

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 25 Apr 2025 16:05:47 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Steph Lauer, Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/books-we-took-a-chance-on-and-loved-with-gare-and-steph-DWqFnhVQ This week, Gare, Steph and i talk about books we took risks on that we ended up loving!

Books We Talked About

Lion Women of Tehran Marjan Kamali

Hush Anne Frasier

The Wedding People Alison Espach

An Academy for Liars Alexis Henderson

A Density of Souls Christopher Rice

The Shards Bret Easton Ellis

We Used to Live Here Marcus Kliewer

The Paper Palace Miranda Cowley Heller

IKEA Bookshelf

Ring Page Turner

Paperfeel/Matte iPad Screen Protector

The Push Ashley Audrain

The Manor of Dreams Christina Li

How We Named the Stars

Disorientation Elaine Hsieh Chou

 

Ring Page Turner

Paperfeel/Matte iPad Screen Protector

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Books We Took a Chance on and Loved with Gare and Steph Steph Lauer, Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 01:32:03 bookstagram, reading, bookish true full 261 4fd09559-1245-44eb-94dc-e5c82afac6d8 Analyzing Agatha All Along with Halley Sutton SPOILERS THIS EPISODE CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR AGATHA ALL ALONG

A couple weeks ago, Halley told me she watched Agatha All Along and loved it, which lead to me binging it in one week. We reconvened and broke down all of our favorite parts of this (dare I say) perfectly written show!

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Wed, 23 Apr 2025 16:18:05 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Halley Sutton) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/analyzing-agatha-all-along-with-halley-sutton-spoilers-GD_FcMdw THIS EPISODE CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR AGATHA ALL ALONG

A couple weeks ago, Halley told me she watched Agatha All Along and loved it, which lead to me binging it in one week. We reconvened and broke down all of our favorite parts of this (dare I say) perfectly written show!

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Analyzing Agatha All Along with Halley Sutton SPOILERS Kate Hergott, Halley Sutton 01:19:53 tv show, agatha all along, story analysis true full 260 4906af28-986c-4425-97cb-046838533442 Pyschological Thrillers, Reality TV, and a Tornado with Marishka Lunde and Gare Billings This week, Marisha Lunde, Gare and I set out to talk about psychological thrillers, but veered into all kinds of other topics, including reality TV. The episode may feel a little disjointed at times, because a tornado touched down near my home and I lost power in the middle of the episode as well as a few other times. Otherwise, enjoy meeting Marisha Lunde and hearing about her journey on Bookstagram!

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 18 Apr 2025 20:01:16 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Bookwild Collective) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/pyschological-thrillers-reality-tv-and-a-tornado-with-marishka-lunde-and-gare-billings-Wx9ZdmCK This week, Marisha Lunde, Gare and I set out to talk about psychological thrillers, but veered into all kinds of other topics, including reality TV. The episode may feel a little disjointed at times, because a tornado touched down near my home and I lost power in the middle of the episode as well as a few other times. Otherwise, enjoy meeting Marisha Lunde and hearing about her journey on Bookstagram!

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Pyschological Thrillers, Reality TV, and a Tornado with Marishka Lunde and Gare Billings Bookwild Collective 01:13:26 true full 259 a97e17ce-8257-4287-b774-62efdba3e055 Saumya Dave's The Guilt Pill: Mom Guilt, Ambition and Maintaining Your Individuality This week, I got to talk with Saumya Dave about her new thriller The Guilt Pill! She shares how she found the inspiration for the book, how her work as a psychiatrist informed the book, and how she started the book while pregnant with her first child, and finished it while she was pregnant with her second!

The Guilt Pill Synopsis

What if women could get rid of their guilt?

Maya Patel has it all—her own start-up, a sexy, doting husband, influencer status, and now, a new baby. Or does she? Because behind closed doors, Maya's drowning.Her newborn's taking a toll on her marriage, her best friend won't return her calls, and her company's hanging on by a thread. The worst part? It's all her fault. If she could just be a better boss, mother, wife, daughter, friend… Maybe she wouldn't feel so guilty all the time.

Enter: #Girlboss Liz Anderson, who introduces her to the "guilt pill," an experimental supplement that erases female guilt. At first, it’s the perfect antidote to Maya’s self-blame and imposter syndrome, and she finally becomes the unapologetic woman she’s always wanted to be. But there's a catch: for Maya to truly "have it all," she needs to be ready to risk it all. And as Maya falls deeper and deeper down the pill's guilt-free rabbit hole, her growing ruthlessness could threaten everything she's built for herself—and the family she's worked so hard to protect.

Electric, taut, and sharply observed, The Guilt Pill is a feminist exploration of motherhood, race, ambition, and how the world treats women who dare to go after everything they want.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 15 Apr 2025 13:48:28 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Saumya Dave, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/saumya-daves-the-guilt-pill-mom-guilt-ambition-and-maintaining-your-individuality-y9ILiKst This week, I got to talk with Saumya Dave about her new thriller The Guilt Pill! She shares how she found the inspiration for the book, how her work as a psychiatrist informed the book, and how she started the book while pregnant with her first child, and finished it while she was pregnant with her second!

The Guilt Pill Synopsis

What if women could get rid of their guilt?

Maya Patel has it all—her own start-up, a sexy, doting husband, influencer status, and now, a new baby. Or does she? Because behind closed doors, Maya's drowning.Her newborn's taking a toll on her marriage, her best friend won't return her calls, and her company's hanging on by a thread. The worst part? It's all her fault. If she could just be a better boss, mother, wife, daughter, friend… Maybe she wouldn't feel so guilty all the time.

Enter: #Girlboss Liz Anderson, who introduces her to the "guilt pill," an experimental supplement that erases female guilt. At first, it’s the perfect antidote to Maya’s self-blame and imposter syndrome, and she finally becomes the unapologetic woman she’s always wanted to be. But there's a catch: for Maya to truly "have it all," she needs to be ready to risk it all. And as Maya falls deeper and deeper down the pill's guilt-free rabbit hole, her growing ruthlessness could threaten everything she's built for herself—and the family she's worked so hard to protect.

Electric, taut, and sharply observed, The Guilt Pill is a feminist exploration of motherhood, race, ambition, and how the world treats women who dare to go after everything they want.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Saumya Dave's The Guilt Pill: Mom Guilt, Ambition and Maintaining Your Individuality Saumya Dave, Kate Hergott 00:52:32 writing, mom guilt, feminism, motherhood true full 258 21504206-07d8-4094-8418-915c0bb3f863 White Lotus Season Three Reactions with Halley This week, Halley and I do a DEEP dive into our thoughts after the season three finale of The White Lotus. Grab a piña colada and enjoy! 🙃

Links Mentioned:

White Lotus Podcast

No Nonsense Spirituality

Take on Death in Season 3

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 11 Apr 2025 15:39:42 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Halley Sutton) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/white-lotus-season-three-reactions-with-halley-awaXd_sL This week, Halley and I do a DEEP dive into our thoughts after the season three finale of The White Lotus. Grab a piña colada and enjoy! 🙃

Links Mentioned:

White Lotus Podcast

No Nonsense Spirituality

Take on Death in Season 3

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> White Lotus Season Three Reactions with Halley Kate Hergott, Halley Sutton 01:46:30 the white lotus, tv true full 257 3a74ddb8-0d5c-48a0-97d9-946b6665642e White Lotus Finale Predictions and Writing Catchup with Halley If you're listening to these episodes as their air, you're getting what was going to be April 8ths Tuesday episode today, because Halley Sutton and I HAD to talk White Lotus Spoilers and finale predictions!

If you want to skip White Lotus spoilers (through Season 3 Episode 7) you can listen to the first few minutes, and when I say skip to this timestamp if you don't want spoilers, skip ahead to 31:02. *Yes, there were 25 mins worth of White Lotus to talk about, and really, we could've probably done 90 minutes on it.

Then, we talk about how the setting you are in can influence your writing, and Halley shares some great insight from her friend's book Pen on Fire, about how to fit any amount of writing into your busy life. 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Sun, 6 Apr 2025 12:12:51 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Halley Sutton) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/white-lotus-finale-predictions-and-writing-catchup-with-halley-3Eio27Jz If you're listening to these episodes as their air, you're getting what was going to be April 8ths Tuesday episode today, because Halley Sutton and I HAD to talk White Lotus Spoilers and finale predictions!

If you want to skip White Lotus spoilers (through Season 3 Episode 7) you can listen to the first few minutes, and when I say skip to this timestamp if you don't want spoilers, skip ahead to 31:02. *Yes, there were 25 mins worth of White Lotus to talk about, and really, we could've probably done 90 minutes on it.

Then, we talk about how the setting you are in can influence your writing, and Halley shares some great insight from her friend's book Pen on Fire, about how to fit any amount of writing into your busy life. 

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> White Lotus Finale Predictions and Writing Catchup with Halley Kate Hergott, Halley Sutton 01:19:08 writing, reading, writing process, fiction, white lotus true full 256 b31caa53-fc65-476a-bb37-a46f4fb3d3f1 Single POV Thrillers with Gare and Steph This week, Gare, Steph and I share some of our favorite single POV thrillers!

Books We Talked About

And Now She’s Gone

Chasing the Boogeyman

The Devil and Mrs Davenport

The Book of Essie

The Family Tree

Things We Do in the Dark

An Anonymous Girl

Providence

Their Vicious Games

Kismet

Look What You Made Me Do

Sugar

A Criminal Defense

The Inmate

The Mirror House Girls

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Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 4 Apr 2025 14:57:34 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Steph Lauer, Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/single-pov-thrillers-with-gare-and-steph-gFEmPUQo This week, Gare, Steph and I share some of our favorite single POV thrillers!

Books We Talked About

And Now She’s Gone

Chasing the Boogeyman

The Devil and Mrs Davenport

The Book of Essie

The Family Tree

Things We Do in the Dark

An Anonymous Girl

Providence

Their Vicious Games

Kismet

Look What You Made Me Do

Sugar

A Criminal Defense

The Inmate

The Mirror House Girls

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Single POV Thrillers with Gare and Steph Steph Lauer, Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 01:08:16 bookstagram, reading, mystery, fiction, thrillers true full 255 6b60ecd9-6002-41f5-b0e2-c468734a36f3 Olesya Lyuzna's Glitter in the Dark: 1920s Harlem, Prohibition, Showgirls and Noir This week I got to talk with Olesya Lyuzna about her historical noir Glitter in the Dark! We dive into Olesya's lifelong obsession with the 1920s, some wild facts she learned while researching, and how humans have always been chasing really similar feelings, even 100 years ago.

Glitter in the Dark Synopsis

The search for a kidnapped singer in Prohibition-era New York leads an intrepid reporter from Harlem speakeasies to the dazzling world of the theater, all while grappling with her warring passions.

Ambitious advice columnist Ginny Dugan knows she’s capable of more than solving other people’s beauty problems, but her boss at Photoplay magazine thinks she's only fit for fluff pieces. When she witnesses the kidnapping of a famous singer at Harlem’s hottest speakeasy, nobody takes her seriously, but Ginny knows what she saw―and what she saw haunts her.

Guilt-ridden over her failure to stop the kidnappers and hard-pressed for cash to finally move out of her uptight showgirl sister’s apartment, Ginny resolves to chase down the truth that will clear her conscience and maybe win her a promotion in the process. When private detective Jack Crawford starts interfering with her case, Ginny ropes him into a reluctant partnership but soon finds herself drawn to the kind heart she glimpses beneath his brooding exterior. Equally as alluring is Gloria Gardner, the star dancer of the Ziegfeld Follies who treats life like one unending party. Yet as Ginny delves deeper into the criminal underworld, the sinister plot she uncovers seems to lead right back to the theater.

Then a brutal murder strikes someone close to her, and Ginny realizes the stakes are higher than she ever imagined. This glamorous world has a deadly edge, and Ginny must shatter her every illusion to catch the shadowy killer before they strike again.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 1 Apr 2025 14:53:18 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Olesya Lyuzna, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/olesya-lyuznas-glitter-in-the-dark-1920s-harlem-prohibition-showgirls-and-noir-9xfP4zzD This week I got to talk with Olesya Lyuzna about her historical noir Glitter in the Dark! We dive into Olesya's lifelong obsession with the 1920s, some wild facts she learned while researching, and how humans have always been chasing really similar feelings, even 100 years ago.

Glitter in the Dark Synopsis

The search for a kidnapped singer in Prohibition-era New York leads an intrepid reporter from Harlem speakeasies to the dazzling world of the theater, all while grappling with her warring passions.

Ambitious advice columnist Ginny Dugan knows she’s capable of more than solving other people’s beauty problems, but her boss at Photoplay magazine thinks she's only fit for fluff pieces. When she witnesses the kidnapping of a famous singer at Harlem’s hottest speakeasy, nobody takes her seriously, but Ginny knows what she saw―and what she saw haunts her.

Guilt-ridden over her failure to stop the kidnappers and hard-pressed for cash to finally move out of her uptight showgirl sister’s apartment, Ginny resolves to chase down the truth that will clear her conscience and maybe win her a promotion in the process. When private detective Jack Crawford starts interfering with her case, Ginny ropes him into a reluctant partnership but soon finds herself drawn to the kind heart she glimpses beneath his brooding exterior. Equally as alluring is Gloria Gardner, the star dancer of the Ziegfeld Follies who treats life like one unending party. Yet as Ginny delves deeper into the criminal underworld, the sinister plot she uncovers seems to lead right back to the theater.

Then a brutal murder strikes someone close to her, and Ginny realizes the stakes are higher than she ever imagined. This glamorous world has a deadly edge, and Ginny must shatter her every illusion to catch the shadowy killer before they strike again.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Olesya Lyuzna's Glitter in the Dark: 1920s Harlem, Prohibition, Showgirls and Noir Olesya Lyuzna, Kate Hergott 00:49:11 writing, crime fiction, reading, noir, thrillers true full 254 c22b27d3-d8f5-405c-a18a-90f24ce1742c Elizabeth Rose Quinn's Follow Me: A Thrilling Takedown of Mommy-Influencer Culture This week, I got to talk with Elizabeth Rose Quinn about her new thriller Follow Me! We dive into the personal inspiration for this book, and how cathartic it was to write as a new mother.

Follow Me Synopsis

After her twin sister, Chiara, goes missing at a mom-fluencer weekend, Adrienne Shaw will find her no matter what it takes. They may have been on the outs, but no one comes for her sister and gets away with it.

It’s been a year, the authorities have no answers, and her brother-in-law is useless in the matter. It’s time for Adrienne to take the case into her own hands. Following in Chiara’s last footsteps, Adrienne goes undercover, infiltrating the same influencer retreat as the last thing she wants to be: an Instamommy.

The remote ranch in Northern California is certainly welcoming—in a cult-adjacent kind of way. A charismatic leader, communal crafts, fixed smiles—and a lot of dead eyes.

Going on gut instinct and chasing a wild theory—that Chiara came here and never left—Adrienne is determined to uncover the truth before the too-perfect-to-believe women figure out who Adrienne really is: a threat to be eliminated.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 1 Apr 2025 14:00:40 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Elizabeth Rose Quinn, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/elizabeth-rose-quinns-follow-me-a-thrilling-takedown-of-mommy-influencer-culture-ZARFNti3 This week, I got to talk with Elizabeth Rose Quinn about her new thriller Follow Me! We dive into the personal inspiration for this book, and how cathartic it was to write as a new mother.

Follow Me Synopsis

After her twin sister, Chiara, goes missing at a mom-fluencer weekend, Adrienne Shaw will find her no matter what it takes. They may have been on the outs, but no one comes for her sister and gets away with it.

It’s been a year, the authorities have no answers, and her brother-in-law is useless in the matter. It’s time for Adrienne to take the case into her own hands. Following in Chiara’s last footsteps, Adrienne goes undercover, infiltrating the same influencer retreat as the last thing she wants to be: an Instamommy.

The remote ranch in Northern California is certainly welcoming—in a cult-adjacent kind of way. A charismatic leader, communal crafts, fixed smiles—and a lot of dead eyes.

Going on gut instinct and chasing a wild theory—that Chiara came here and never left—Adrienne is determined to uncover the truth before the too-perfect-to-believe women figure out who Adrienne really is: a threat to be eliminated.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Elizabeth Rose Quinn's Follow Me: A Thrilling Takedown of Mommy-Influencer Culture Elizabeth Rose Quinn, Kate Hergott 00:45:13 writing, crime fiction, horror, thrillers true full 253 4a22b0e0-3a3b-4c7e-9b12-8ccd6d6b018b More Kindle Unlimited Thrillers We Love Gare, Steph and I share more Kindle Unlimited thrillers so you can basically read for free.

Blacktop Wasteland

Valentine

The Devil and Mrs Davenport

Fractured

The Butcher

Strange Sally Diamond

Like a Sister

The Good Lie

Darling Girls

The Memory Watcher

Ricochet

Such Quiet Girls

A Killer’s Code

The Secret Witness

Slewfoot

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 28 Mar 2025 17:08:03 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Steph Lauer, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/more-kindle-unlimited-thrillers-we-love-euKC8Eag Gare, Steph and I share more Kindle Unlimited thrillers so you can basically read for free.

Blacktop Wasteland

Valentine

The Devil and Mrs Davenport

Fractured

The Butcher

Strange Sally Diamond

Like a Sister

The Good Lie

Darling Girls

The Memory Watcher

Ricochet

Such Quiet Girls

A Killer’s Code

The Secret Witness

Slewfoot

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> More Kindle Unlimited Thrillers We Love Kate Hergott, Steph Lauer, Gare Billings 01:00:30 crime fiction, kindle unlimited, reading, mystery, fiction, thrillers true full 252 9f695c8b-192d-4dde-911b-8005765de352 Emily Carpenter's Gothictown: Southern Hospitality Turns Out to Be Anything But Hospitable This week, I got to chat with Emily Carpenter about her new horror-thriller Gothictown.  We dive into how a newspaper article she saw during the pandemic inspired the story, and how she crafted such a creepy vibe for Julianna, Georgia.  

Gothictown Synopsis

Welcome to gentle Juliana, where you can have it all…if you pay the price.

The email that lands in Billie Hope’s inbox seems like a gift from the universe. For $100, she can purchase a spacious Victorian home in Juliana, Georgia, a small town eager to boost its economy in the wake of the pandemic. She can leave behind her cramped New York City rental and the painful memories of shuttering her once thriving restaurant and start over with her husband and her daughter. Plus, she’ll get a business grant to open a new restaurant in a charming riverside community laden with opportunity. It seems like a dream come true…or a devil’s bargain.

A few phone calls and one hurried visit later, and Billie, Peter, and six-year-old Meredith are officially part of the Juliana Initiative. The town is everything promised—two hours northwest of Atlanta but a world away from city living, a “gentle jewel” with weather as warm as its people. Between settling into their lavish home and starting her new restaurant, Billie is busy enough to dismiss any troubling signs…

But Billie’s sleep is marred by haunting dreams, and her marriage with Peter is growing increasingly strained. Meanwhile the town elders, all descended from Juliana’s founding families, exert a level of influence that feels less benevolent and more stifling day by day.

There’s something about “Gentle Juliana”—something off-kilter and menacing beneath that famous Southern hospitality. And no matter how much Billie longed for her family to come here, she’s starting to wonder how, and if, they’ll ever leave.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 25 Mar 2025 13:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Emily Carpenter, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/emily-carpenters-gothictown-southern-hospitality-turns-out-to-be-anything-but-hospitable-6xPEK_I9 This week, I got to chat with Emily Carpenter about her new horror-thriller Gothictown.  We dive into how a newspaper article she saw during the pandemic inspired the story, and how she crafted such a creepy vibe for Julianna, Georgia.  

Gothictown Synopsis

Welcome to gentle Juliana, where you can have it all…if you pay the price.

The email that lands in Billie Hope’s inbox seems like a gift from the universe. For $100, she can purchase a spacious Victorian home in Juliana, Georgia, a small town eager to boost its economy in the wake of the pandemic. She can leave behind her cramped New York City rental and the painful memories of shuttering her once thriving restaurant and start over with her husband and her daughter. Plus, she’ll get a business grant to open a new restaurant in a charming riverside community laden with opportunity. It seems like a dream come true…or a devil’s bargain.

A few phone calls and one hurried visit later, and Billie, Peter, and six-year-old Meredith are officially part of the Juliana Initiative. The town is everything promised—two hours northwest of Atlanta but a world away from city living, a “gentle jewel” with weather as warm as its people. Between settling into their lavish home and starting her new restaurant, Billie is busy enough to dismiss any troubling signs…

But Billie’s sleep is marred by haunting dreams, and her marriage with Peter is growing increasingly strained. Meanwhile the town elders, all descended from Juliana’s founding families, exert a level of influence that feels less benevolent and more stifling day by day.

There’s something about “Gentle Juliana”—something off-kilter and menacing beneath that famous Southern hospitality. And no matter how much Billie longed for her family to come here, she’s starting to wonder how, and if, they’ll ever leave.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Emily Carpenter's Gothictown: Southern Hospitality Turns Out to Be Anything But Hospitable Emily Carpenter, Kate Hergott 00:39:29 writing, crime fiction, horror, thriller true full 251 31804d28-3171-4616-9297-ef14d5c3e815 Ashley Winstead's This Book Will Bury Me: A Roman à Clef About Processing Grief, and True Crime Obsessions This week, I got to chat with one of our podcast faves ASHLEY WINSTEAD! In her third appearance on the show, we talk about her new thriller, This Book Will Bury Me, and how she exorcized her own demons after she found herself obsessed with true crime forums in the wake of her father's unexpected death. She shares why she was drawn to writing a roman à clef about grief and true crime obsession, and her willingness to critique herself through that form.

This Book Will Bury Me Synopsis

It's the most famous crime in modern history. But only she knows the true story.

After the unexpected death of her father, college student Jane Sharp longs for a distraction from her grief. She becomes obsessed with true crime, befriending armchair detectives who teach her how to hunt killers from afar. In this morbid internet underground, Jane finds friendship, purpose, and even glory...

So when news of the shocking deaths of three college girls in Delphine, Idaho takes the world by storm, and sleuths everywhere race to solve the crimes, Jane and her friends are determined to beat them. But the case turns out to be stranger than anyone expected. Details don't add up, the police are cagey, and there seems to be more media hype and internet theorizing than actual evidence. When Jane and her sleuths take a step closer, they find that every answer only begs more questions, and begin to suspect their killer may be smarter and more prolific than any they've faced before. Placing themselves in the center of the story starts to feel more and more like walking into a trap...

Told one year after the astounding events that concluded the case and left the world reeling, when Jane has finally decided to break her silence about what really happened, she tells the true story of the Delphine Massacres. And what she has to confess will shock even the most seasoned true crime fans...

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 25 Mar 2025 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Ashley Winstead) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/ashley-winsteads-this-book-will-bury-me-a-roman-a-clef-about-processing-grief-and-true-crime-obsessions-bqRmwpCX This week, I got to chat with one of our podcast faves ASHLEY WINSTEAD! In her third appearance on the show, we talk about her new thriller, This Book Will Bury Me, and how she exorcized her own demons after she found herself obsessed with true crime forums in the wake of her father's unexpected death. She shares why she was drawn to writing a roman à clef about grief and true crime obsession, and her willingness to critique herself through that form.

This Book Will Bury Me Synopsis

It's the most famous crime in modern history. But only she knows the true story.

After the unexpected death of her father, college student Jane Sharp longs for a distraction from her grief. She becomes obsessed with true crime, befriending armchair detectives who teach her how to hunt killers from afar. In this morbid internet underground, Jane finds friendship, purpose, and even glory...

So when news of the shocking deaths of three college girls in Delphine, Idaho takes the world by storm, and sleuths everywhere race to solve the crimes, Jane and her friends are determined to beat them. But the case turns out to be stranger than anyone expected. Details don't add up, the police are cagey, and there seems to be more media hype and internet theorizing than actual evidence. When Jane and her sleuths take a step closer, they find that every answer only begs more questions, and begin to suspect their killer may be smarter and more prolific than any they've faced before. Placing themselves in the center of the story starts to feel more and more like walking into a trap...

Told one year after the astounding events that concluded the case and left the world reeling, when Jane has finally decided to break her silence about what really happened, she tells the true story of the Delphine Massacres. And what she has to confess will shock even the most seasoned true crime fans...

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Ashley Winstead's This Book Will Bury Me: A Roman à Clef About Processing Grief, and True Crime Obsessions Kate Hergott, Ashley Winstead 01:23:33 writing, roman a clef, true crime, crime fiction, ashley winstead, thriller, mystery true full 250 4cad786d-abd8-420e-a984-9ee5e6624ea4 Marshall Karp's Don't Tell Me How to Die: A Family Saga, A Dying Woman Looking for Her Replacement, and A Wild Third Act Today, Gare and I talk with Marshall Karp about his book that we all loved (Gare, Steph and me) Don't Tell Me How To Die. He shares the inspiration for the book and how his determination to get the story right delivered us one of our new favorite books!

Synopsis

I have one thing to do before I die.
And time is running out.

I had it all: a fantastic husband, two great kids, an exciting career. And then, at the age of forty-three, I found out I would be dead before my next birthday.

My mother also died at forty-three. I was seventeen, and she warned me that women would flock to my suddenly single father like stray cats to an overturned milk truck. They did. And one absolutely evil woman practically destroyed his life, mine, and my sister’s.

I am not letting that happen to my family.

I have three months, and I plan to spend every waking minute searching for the perfect woman to take my place as Alex’s wife, and mother to Kevin and Katie.

You’re probably thinking, she’ll never do it. Did I mention that in high school I was voted “Most Likely to Kill Someone to Get What She Wants”?

From thriller writer Marshall Karp (cocreator with James Patterson of the #1 New York Times bestselling NYPD Red series), and rich with Karp’s deft array of three-dimensional characters and his signature biting humor, Don’t Tell Me How to Die has so many twists and turns, you’d swear he wrote it with a corkscrew.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Sun, 23 Mar 2025 15:27:20 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/marshall-karps-dont-tell-me-how-to-die-a-family-saga-a-dying-woman-looking-for-her-replacement-and-a-wild-third-act-3ixO0kH0 Today, Gare and I talk with Marshall Karp about his book that we all loved (Gare, Steph and me) Don't Tell Me How To Die. He shares the inspiration for the book and how his determination to get the story right delivered us one of our new favorite books!

Synopsis

I have one thing to do before I die.
And time is running out.

I had it all: a fantastic husband, two great kids, an exciting career. And then, at the age of forty-three, I found out I would be dead before my next birthday.

My mother also died at forty-three. I was seventeen, and she warned me that women would flock to my suddenly single father like stray cats to an overturned milk truck. They did. And one absolutely evil woman practically destroyed his life, mine, and my sister’s.

I am not letting that happen to my family.

I have three months, and I plan to spend every waking minute searching for the perfect woman to take my place as Alex’s wife, and mother to Kevin and Katie.

You’re probably thinking, she’ll never do it. Did I mention that in high school I was voted “Most Likely to Kill Someone to Get What She Wants”?

From thriller writer Marshall Karp (cocreator with James Patterson of the #1 New York Times bestselling NYPD Red series), and rich with Karp’s deft array of three-dimensional characters and his signature biting humor, Don’t Tell Me How to Die has so many twists and turns, you’d swear he wrote it with a corkscrew.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Marshall Karp's Don't Tell Me How to Die: A Family Saga, A Dying Woman Looking for Her Replacement, and A Wild Third Act Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 01:15:03 writing, crime fiction, thriller, mystery, fiction true full 249 a53de57d-af41-4376-b1d8-84e39e8476e4 Books to Read if You Love White Lotus This week, Gare and I share books we think will cure your White Lotus hangover after the season finale!

Books We Talked About

Born for This

It Could Be Anyone

Running Cold

We Were Never Here

The Hollywood Assistant

She Started It

The Whispers

The Vacationers

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 21 Mar 2025 14:45:57 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/books-to-read-if-you-love-white-lotus-SS_SnnkT This week, Gare and I share books we think will cure your White Lotus hangover after the season finale!

Books We Talked About

Born for This

It Could Be Anyone

Running Cold

We Were Never Here

The Hollywood Assistant

She Started It

The Whispers

The Vacationers

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Books to Read if You Love White Lotus Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 00:50:33 family drama, bookstagram, mystery, fiction, white lotus, thrillers true full 248 5ee182d8-18bd-4201-846b-7bceea233ab4 Nick Kolakowski's Where The Bones Lie: Bodies in Barrels, An LA Fixer and Smugglers This week, I talk with Nick Kolakowski about his mystery-thriller Where the Bones Lie! We dive into the inspiration for the story, his closeness to one of the characters, and how he subverted the noir genre.

Where the Bones Lie Synopsis

For Dash Fuller, Hollywood’s underbelly is home. He’s spent years making the film industry’s worst secrets disappear, and it’s left him a cynical burnout with a taste for bourbon and self-loathing.

But when a young woman comes to him with a peculiar quest, Dash sees a chance at redemption. Madeline Ironwood is the daughter of Ken Ironwood, a notorious smuggler and murderer who disappeared 20 years ago. Ken’s skeleton has just been discovered in a barrel at the bottom of a dried-up lake, and Madeline wants to know who killed him.

Dash agrees to help, and as this desperate daughter and jaded cynic claw their way through a world of sun-bleached secrets, crooked cops, and Hollywood thugs, they soon uncover a conspiracy involving some of LA’s most powerful people.

Learn more about Nick Kolakowski here

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 18 Mar 2025 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Bookwild Collective) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/nick-kolakowskis-where-the-bones-lie-bodies-in-barrels-an-la-fixer-and-smugglers-hAtHb2py This week, I talk with Nick Kolakowski about his mystery-thriller Where the Bones Lie! We dive into the inspiration for the story, his closeness to one of the characters, and how he subverted the noir genre.

Where the Bones Lie Synopsis

For Dash Fuller, Hollywood’s underbelly is home. He’s spent years making the film industry’s worst secrets disappear, and it’s left him a cynical burnout with a taste for bourbon and self-loathing.

But when a young woman comes to him with a peculiar quest, Dash sees a chance at redemption. Madeline Ironwood is the daughter of Ken Ironwood, a notorious smuggler and murderer who disappeared 20 years ago. Ken’s skeleton has just been discovered in a barrel at the bottom of a dried-up lake, and Madeline wants to know who killed him.

Dash agrees to help, and as this desperate daughter and jaded cynic claw their way through a world of sun-bleached secrets, crooked cops, and Hollywood thugs, they soon uncover a conspiracy involving some of LA’s most powerful people.

Learn more about Nick Kolakowski here

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Nick Kolakowski's Where The Bones Lie: Bodies in Barrels, An LA Fixer and Smugglers Bookwild Collective 00:51:03 true full 247 7406c9ab-1c6e-4267-bc62-ac8b48b22b57 Popcorn Thrillers We Love! This week, Gare and I share some of our favorite popcorn thrillers, AND discuss actors we want to see on future seasons of White Lotus.

Books We Talked About

If You See Me

Return to Midnight

On the Surface

You Killed Me First

This Girl’s A Killer

The Teacher

The Astrology House

The Final Act

The Lake of Lost Girls

Count My Lies

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

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Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 14 Mar 2025 17:12:36 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Bookwild Collective) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/popcorn-thrillers-we-love-Xi8IA4RS This week, Gare and I share some of our favorite popcorn thrillers, AND discuss actors we want to see on future seasons of White Lotus.

Books We Talked About

If You See Me

Return to Midnight

On the Surface

You Killed Me First

This Girl’s A Killer

The Teacher

The Astrology House

The Final Act

The Lake of Lost Girls

Count My Lies

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Popcorn Thrillers We Love! Bookwild Collective 00:52:16 true full 246 8047c024-88bb-47ac-8f1b-e4552d65be79 Keeping the Paint Wet: A New Writing Series with Halley Sutton (aka I said I would finish my book this year so I need to get on it) This week, Halley Sutton and I introduce a new series about writing! I've said on this podcast a few times that I will finish my book this year, and this series is a way to make sure I do spend time on it, and stay in the writing state of mind. For our first topic of this series, we talk about things that keep us close to writing even when we aren't putting down tons of words.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 11 Mar 2025 17:04:01 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Halley Sutton, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/keeping-the-paint-wet-a-new-writing-series-with-halley-sutton-aka-i-said-i-would-finish-my-book-this-year-so-i-need-to-get-on-it-mxOve1S9 This week, Halley Sutton and I introduce a new series about writing! I've said on this podcast a few times that I will finish my book this year, and this series is a way to make sure I do spend time on it, and stay in the writing state of mind. For our first topic of this series, we talk about things that keep us close to writing even when we aren't putting down tons of words.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Keeping the Paint Wet: A New Writing Series with Halley Sutton (aka I said I would finish my book this year so I need to get on it) Halley Sutton, Kate Hergott 01:15:06 writing, creative writing, fiction true full 245 5584143f-990d-473c-b080-7bcd33e7e944 Books We Wish We Could Erase From Our Memory And Read Again This week, Gare and I talk about books we wish we could erase from our memories and re-read!

Books We Discussed

Local Woman Missing

The Last Winter of Dani Lansing

The Night Bird

The Girl Who Was Taken

1984

The Shards

All the Missing Girls

What You Don’t Know

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Sat, 8 Mar 2025 15:55:11 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/books-we-wish-we-could-erase-from-our-memory-and-read-again-whlRmTkv This week, Gare and I talk about books we wish we could erase from our memories and re-read!

Books We Discussed

Local Woman Missing

The Last Winter of Dani Lansing

The Night Bird

The Girl Who Was Taken

1984

The Shards

All the Missing Girls

What You Don’t Know

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Books We Wish We Could Erase From Our Memory And Read Again Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 00:39:10 crime fiction, reading, thriller, mystery, fiction, books true full 244 498a7193-ea3a-460b-87fe-a5a39004008f Spring 2025 Thrillers We're Excited About This week, Gare, Steph and I talk about 2025 thrillers we are excited about!

Glitter in the Dark

Count My Lies

This Book Will Bury Me

Immaculate Conception

The Death of Us

Whispers of Dead Girls

A Thousand Natural Shocks

The Missing Half

Don’t Tell Me How to Die

The Memory Collectors

One in Four

Their Double Lives

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 28 Feb 2025 16:43:50 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings, Steph Lauer) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/spring-2025-thrillers-were-excited-about-KyO99T_u This week, Gare, Steph and I talk about 2025 thrillers we are excited about!

Glitter in the Dark

Count My Lies

This Book Will Bury Me

Immaculate Conception

The Death of Us

Whispers of Dead Girls

A Thousand Natural Shocks

The Missing Half

Don’t Tell Me How to Die

The Memory Collectors

One in Four

Their Double Lives

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Spring 2025 Thrillers We're Excited About Kate Hergott, Gare Billings, Steph Lauer 01:29:53 crime fiction, reading, mystery, fiction, thrillers true full 243 d5976bba-9d7e-4e21-884b-4a45d6fb8298 Books You Can Easily Escape Into with Gare and Steph This week, Gare, Steph and I share books that you can easily escape into!

Books We Talked About

Watch Out for Her

Don’t Tell Me How to Die

Notes On Your Sudden Disappearance

The Real Deal

Cross My Heart

Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder

The Paradox Hotel

A Killer’s Mind

Cackle

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:18:36 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings, Steph Lauer) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/books-you-can-easily-escape-into-with-gare-and-steph-VW6Y6i_s This week, Gare, Steph and I share books that you can easily escape into!

Books We Talked About

Watch Out for Her

Don’t Tell Me How to Die

Notes On Your Sudden Disappearance

The Real Deal

Cross My Heart

Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder

The Paradox Hotel

A Killer’s Mind

Cackle

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Books You Can Easily Escape Into with Gare and Steph Kate Hergott, Gare Billings, Steph Lauer 01:06:42 crime fiction, reading, mystery, fiction, books, thrillers true full 242 af5acafc-d685-452d-8dbd-9d74446feb9e Dark Valentine Thrillers with Halley Sutton This week, Halley and I dive into recommendations for Dark Valentine coded thrillers!

Books We Talked About

Cross My Heart

It Takes Monsters

To Die For

The Close Up

More Than You’ll Ever Know

Kill for Love

The Last Party

My Husband

It Had To Be You

Vladimir

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 14 Feb 2025 17:00:49 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Halley Sutton) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/dark-valentine-thrillers-with-halley-sutton-CSHi9780 This week, Halley and I dive into recommendations for Dark Valentine coded thrillers!

Books We Talked About

Cross My Heart

It Takes Monsters

To Die For

The Close Up

More Than You’ll Ever Know

Kill for Love

The Last Party

My Husband

It Had To Be You

Vladimir

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Dark Valentine Thrillers with Halley Sutton Kate Hergott, Halley Sutton 00:50:14 valentine, crime fiction, mystery, books, thrillers true full 241 4932ad62-4bc4-4c3c-be73-05459b0c99f7 Heather Levy's This Violent Heart: Mystery, Romance, and Coming of Age This week, I go to talk with Heather Levy about her new mystery thriller This Violent Heart! We dive into her inspiration for the book, how her personal experience informed her writing, and exploring kink through a new character.

This Violent Heart Summary

Devon Mayes thought she was done with the small conservative town she once called home. She fled when she was eighteen after her best friend Summer took her own life, leaving Summer’s twin brother, Keaton, lost in his grief. But when tragedy strikes again, Devon has nowhere to turn but back to the place that first broke her heart.

Being back in Arkana means struggling with the old guilt that shrouds her bisexuality and her feelings for Keaton. There’s so much she’s still hiding from him—and so much of their shared past that’s now resurfacing.

It’s not long before Devon has reason to believe Summer’s tragic death wasn’t suicide after all. Summer had secrets, too…and she wasn’t the only one who didn’t want them exposed.

As Devon and Keaton piece together the mystery of what happened that fateful summer, they must reckon with their own truths before they can move forward. But one person will do whatever it takes to stop them.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 11 Feb 2025 19:05:29 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Heather Levy) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/heather-levys-this-violent-heart-mystery-romance-and-coming-of-age-E2DBOkGd This week, I go to talk with Heather Levy about her new mystery thriller This Violent Heart! We dive into her inspiration for the book, how her personal experience informed her writing, and exploring kink through a new character.

This Violent Heart Summary

Devon Mayes thought she was done with the small conservative town she once called home. She fled when she was eighteen after her best friend Summer took her own life, leaving Summer’s twin brother, Keaton, lost in his grief. But when tragedy strikes again, Devon has nowhere to turn but back to the place that first broke her heart.

Being back in Arkana means struggling with the old guilt that shrouds her bisexuality and her feelings for Keaton. There’s so much she’s still hiding from him—and so much of their shared past that’s now resurfacing.

It’s not long before Devon has reason to believe Summer’s tragic death wasn’t suicide after all. Summer had secrets, too…and she wasn’t the only one who didn’t want them exposed.

As Devon and Keaton piece together the mystery of what happened that fateful summer, they must reckon with their own truths before they can move forward. But one person will do whatever it takes to stop them.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Heather Levy's This Violent Heart: Mystery, Romance, and Coming of Age Kate Hergott, Heather Levy 00:57:36 kink, writing, crime fiction, bdsm, lgbtq, thriller, mystery true full 240 bc72bed0-cbfe-4e7f-b19c-1845be6436eb Thrillers with Romance with Gare Billings and Steph Lauer This week, we answer a listener request for thrillers with romance. At least, we tried to answer it. Some felt questionable to call romance once we started talking, but that's thrillers for you!

Books We Discussed

The Woman Inside

Bath Haus

Hello, Transcriber

My Lovely Wife

Seeing Strangers

The Girl in 6E

This Violent Heart

The Grave Between Us

Killer Potential

Cackle

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 7 Feb 2025 16:53:53 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Steph Lauer, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/thrillers-with-romance-with-gare-billings-and-steph-lauer-UL4Xmk11 This week, we answer a listener request for thrillers with romance. At least, we tried to answer it. Some felt questionable to call romance once we started talking, but that's thrillers for you!

Books We Discussed

The Woman Inside

Bath Haus

Hello, Transcriber

My Lovely Wife

Seeing Strangers

The Girl in 6E

This Violent Heart

The Grave Between Us

Killer Potential

Cackle

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thrillers with Romance with Gare Billings and Steph Lauer Gare Billings, Steph Lauer, Kate Hergott 00:41:12 crime fiction, mystery, fiction, books, thrillers true full 239 cd4b73f4-59df-4c64-8882-b2d2c81da45b Carter Wilson's Fast Paced Podcast Thriller Tell Me What You Did This week, I talk with Carter Wilson about his new page turner Tell Me What You Did. We dive into the inspiration for Poe's name, what got him writing about a podcaster, and how he crafted a chilling nemesis.

Tell Me What You Did Synopsis

She gets people to confess their crimes for a living. He knows she's hiding a terrible secret. It's time for the truth to come out…

Poe Webb, host of a popular true crime podcast, invites people to anonymously confess crimes they've committed to her audience. She can't guarantee the police won't come after her "guests," but her show grants simultaneous anonymity and instant fame—a potent combination that's proven difficult to resist. After an episode recording, Poe usually erases both criminal and crime from her mind.

But when a strange and oddly familiar man appears on her show, Poe is forced to take a second look. Not only because he claims to be her mother's murderer from years ago, but because Poe knows something no one else does. Her mother's murderer is dead.

Poe killed him.

From the USA Today bestselling author of The Dead Girl in 2A and The New Neighbor comes a chilling new thriller that forces the question: are murderers always the bad guys?

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 4 Feb 2025 17:11:32 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Carter Wilson, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/carter-wilsons-fast-paced-podcast-thriller-tell-me-what-you-did-slHshk5s This week, I talk with Carter Wilson about his new page turner Tell Me What You Did. We dive into the inspiration for Poe's name, what got him writing about a podcaster, and how he crafted a chilling nemesis.

Tell Me What You Did Synopsis

She gets people to confess their crimes for a living. He knows she's hiding a terrible secret. It's time for the truth to come out…

Poe Webb, host of a popular true crime podcast, invites people to anonymously confess crimes they've committed to her audience. She can't guarantee the police won't come after her "guests," but her show grants simultaneous anonymity and instant fame—a potent combination that's proven difficult to resist. After an episode recording, Poe usually erases both criminal and crime from her mind.

But when a strange and oddly familiar man appears on her show, Poe is forced to take a second look. Not only because he claims to be her mother's murderer from years ago, but because Poe knows something no one else does. Her mother's murderer is dead.

Poe killed him.

From the USA Today bestselling author of The Dead Girl in 2A and The New Neighbor comes a chilling new thriller that forces the question: are murderers always the bad guys?

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Carter Wilson's Fast Paced Podcast Thriller Tell Me What You Did Carter Wilson, Kate Hergott 00:44:59 bookstagram, writing, author, mystery, thrillers true full 238 0acae29d-2bc0-447f-9cd3-8cc3febc330b Going Bookwild in Manhattan with Jamie Hergott After three days of bookish tourism, my sister-in-law Jamie and I recapped our trip while we waited to board at LaGuardia.  We dove into Liz and Greg's Trust Issues Book Launch, the bookstore crawl we completed, and how we slowly became subway girlies.  Some parts may be choppy since we had to pause for airport announcements!

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 31 Jan 2025 17:44:19 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Jamie Hergott, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/going-bookwild-in-manhattan-with-jamie-hergott-aGia34Rc After three days of bookish tourism, my sister-in-law Jamie and I recapped our trip while we waited to board at LaGuardia.  We dove into Liz and Greg's Trust Issues Book Launch, the bookstore crawl we completed, and how we slowly became subway girlies.  Some parts may be choppy since we had to pause for airport announcements!

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Going Bookwild in Manhattan with Jamie Hergott Jamie Hergott, Kate Hergott 00:34:34 bookstagram, nyc, manhattan, books, bookstores true full 237 09626e17-d30f-45e8-b005-491058d97c5d Jakob Kerr's Gritty Technothriller Dead Money This week, I got to talk with Jakob Kerr about his new technothriller Dead Money! We dive into hos his experience in Silicon Valley informed the book, why the tech industry is a prime thriller setting, and how he came up with one of the best intro paragraphs.

Dead Money Synopsis

Don’t call me a fixer. This isn’t HBO.

In her job as unofficial “problem solver” for Silicon Valley’s most ruthless venture capitalist, Mackenzie Clyde’s gotten used to playing for high stakes. Even if none of those tech-bro millions she’s so good at wrangling ever make it into her pockets.

But this time, she’s in way over her head—or so it seems.

The lightning-rod CEO of tech’s hottest startup has just been murdered, leaving behind billions in “dead money” frozen in his will. As the company’s chief investor, Mackenzie’s boss has a fortune on the line—and with the police treading water, it’s up to Mackenzie to step up and resolve things, fast.

Mackenzie’s a lawyer, not a detective. Cracking this fiendishly clever killing, with its list of suspects that reads like a who’s-who of Valley power players, should be way out of her league.

Except that Mackenzie’s used to being underestimated. In fact, she’s counting on it.

Because the way she sees it, this isn’t an investigation. It’s an opportunity. And she’ll do anything it takes to seize it.

Anything at all.

Featuring jaw-dropping twists and a wily, outsider heroine you can’t help rooting for, Dead Money is a brilliant sleight-of-hand mystery. Written by a longtime insider, it is also a dead-on snapshot of the Valley’s rich and famous—and a glimpse at the darkness lurking behind the tech world’s cheery facade.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 28 Jan 2025 12:10:08 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Jakob Kerr, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/jakob-kerrs-gritty-technothriller-dead-money-cGHsr3F_ This week, I got to talk with Jakob Kerr about his new technothriller Dead Money! We dive into hos his experience in Silicon Valley informed the book, why the tech industry is a prime thriller setting, and how he came up with one of the best intro paragraphs.

Dead Money Synopsis

Don’t call me a fixer. This isn’t HBO.

In her job as unofficial “problem solver” for Silicon Valley’s most ruthless venture capitalist, Mackenzie Clyde’s gotten used to playing for high stakes. Even if none of those tech-bro millions she’s so good at wrangling ever make it into her pockets.

But this time, she’s in way over her head—or so it seems.

The lightning-rod CEO of tech’s hottest startup has just been murdered, leaving behind billions in “dead money” frozen in his will. As the company’s chief investor, Mackenzie’s boss has a fortune on the line—and with the police treading water, it’s up to Mackenzie to step up and resolve things, fast.

Mackenzie’s a lawyer, not a detective. Cracking this fiendishly clever killing, with its list of suspects that reads like a who’s-who of Valley power players, should be way out of her league.

Except that Mackenzie’s used to being underestimated. In fact, she’s counting on it.

Because the way she sees it, this isn’t an investigation. It’s an opportunity. And she’ll do anything it takes to seize it.

Anything at all.

Featuring jaw-dropping twists and a wily, outsider heroine you can’t help rooting for, Dead Money is a brilliant sleight-of-hand mystery. Written by a longtime insider, it is also a dead-on snapshot of the Valley’s rich and famous—and a glimpse at the darkness lurking behind the tech world’s cheery facade.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Jakob Kerr's Gritty Technothriller Dead Money Jakob Kerr, Kate Hergott 00:42:31 writing, silicon valley, creative writing, technothriller, thrillers true full 236 72261411-b3ca-404e-8b1a-2c756affe51e Our Next 3 TBR Picks with Gare Billings and Steph Lauer This week, Gare, Steph and I talk about the next 3 books on our TBRs!

Books We Talked About

Temper

Rabbits

Vantage Point

The Dark Hours 

A Long Time Gone

A Killer’s Mind

The Reformatory

Where Are the Children?

The Last Caretaker

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 24 Jan 2025 13:58:56 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott, Steph Lauer) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/our-next-3-tbr-picks-with-gare-billings-and-steph-lauer-JGDp2Qju This week, Gare, Steph and I talk about the next 3 books on our TBRs!

Books We Talked About

Temper

Rabbits

Vantage Point

The Dark Hours 

A Long Time Gone

A Killer’s Mind

The Reformatory

Where Are the Children?

The Last Caretaker

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Our Next 3 TBR Picks with Gare Billings and Steph Lauer Gare Billings, Kate Hergott, Steph Lauer 00:43:21 bookstagram, crime fiction, reading, thriller, mystery, books true full 235 74af1b89-92f0-467d-ac80-5681a4501496 Recapping the 33 Movies We Saw in Theaters in 2024 Part Two Tyler and I finish up our recap of the movies we saw in theaters in 2024!

Movies We Talked About

Oddity

It Ends With Us 

Strange Darling

Blink Twice

Saturday Night

AfrAId

Venom: The Last Dance

Anora

Heretic

Conclave

Gladiator II

Interstellar

Babygirl

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 17 Jan 2025 13:57:38 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Tyler Hergott, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/recapping-the-33-movies-we-saw-in-theaters-in-2024-part-one-new-GHxm_bdO Tyler and I finish up our recap of the movies we saw in theaters in 2024!

Movies We Talked About

Oddity

It Ends With Us 

Strange Darling

Blink Twice

Saturday Night

AfrAId

Venom: The Last Dance

Anora

Heretic

Conclave

Gladiator II

Interstellar

Babygirl

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Recapping the 33 Movies We Saw in Theaters in 2024 Part Two Tyler Hergott, Kate Hergott 01:21:48 movies, film true full 234 33bae24a-1828-43de-b1d4-fef0931f65e3 Layne Fargo's The Favorites: Wuthering Heights Meets Figure Skating This week, Halley Sutton, Steph Lauer and I talk with Layne Fargo about her new book The Favorites! We dive into her inspiration for the book, trips Halley and Layne took to research the book, how she used character names from Wuthering Heights in The Favorites, and her lifelong love for figure skating!

The Favorites Synopsis

She might not have a famous name, funding, or her family’s support, but Katarina Shaw has always known that she was destined to become an Olympic skater. When she meets Heath Rocha, a lonely kid stuck in the foster care system, their instant connection makes them a formidable duo on the ice. Clinging to skating—and each other—to escape their turbulent lives, Kat and Heath go from childhood sweethearts to champion ice dancers, captivating the world with their scorching chemistry, rebellious style, and rollercoaster relationship. Until a shocking incident at the Olympic Games brings their partnership to a sudden end.

As the ten-year anniversary of their final skate approaches, an unauthorized documentary reignites the public obsession with Shaw and Rocha, claiming to uncover the "real story" through interviews with their closest friends and fiercest rivals. Kat wants nothing to do with the documentary. But she can't stand the thought of someone else defining her legacy either. So, after a decade of silence, she's telling her story: from the childhood tragedies that created her all-consuming bond with Heath to the clash of desires that tore them apart. Sensational rumors have haunted their every step for years, but the truth may be even more shocking than the headlines.

Inspired by the powerful love and hate that fuel Emily Bronte’s classic, Wuthering Heights, The Favorites is an exhilarating dance between passion, ambition, and what it truly means to win.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 14 Jan 2025 13:53:32 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Halley Sutton, Steph Lauer, Layne Fargo) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/layne-fargos-the-favorites-wuthering-heights-meets-figure-skating-_54fZNsy This week, Halley Sutton, Steph Lauer and I talk with Layne Fargo about her new book The Favorites! We dive into her inspiration for the book, trips Halley and Layne took to research the book, how she used character names from Wuthering Heights in The Favorites, and her lifelong love for figure skating!

The Favorites Synopsis

She might not have a famous name, funding, or her family’s support, but Katarina Shaw has always known that she was destined to become an Olympic skater. When she meets Heath Rocha, a lonely kid stuck in the foster care system, their instant connection makes them a formidable duo on the ice. Clinging to skating—and each other—to escape their turbulent lives, Kat and Heath go from childhood sweethearts to champion ice dancers, captivating the world with their scorching chemistry, rebellious style, and rollercoaster relationship. Until a shocking incident at the Olympic Games brings their partnership to a sudden end.

As the ten-year anniversary of their final skate approaches, an unauthorized documentary reignites the public obsession with Shaw and Rocha, claiming to uncover the "real story" through interviews with their closest friends and fiercest rivals. Kat wants nothing to do with the documentary. But she can't stand the thought of someone else defining her legacy either. So, after a decade of silence, she's telling her story: from the childhood tragedies that created her all-consuming bond with Heath to the clash of desires that tore them apart. Sensational rumors have haunted their every step for years, but the truth may be even more shocking than the headlines.

Inspired by the powerful love and hate that fuel Emily Bronte’s classic, Wuthering Heights, The Favorites is an exhilarating dance between passion, ambition, and what it truly means to win.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Layne Fargo's The Favorites: Wuthering Heights Meets Figure Skating Kate Hergott, Halley Sutton, Steph Lauer, Layne Fargo 01:12:37 wuthering heights, author, contemporary fiction, fiction true full 233 ae9e8238-2b77-48d5-a268-3594a74d582a Mind Benders and Cold Cases with Gare Billings This week, Gare and I chose our own sub-genres to give recommendations for!

I chose "Mind Benders" and Gare chose "Missing Persons/Cold Cases" so if you are looking for books in either of those genres, we've got you covered!

Kate's Books

Recursion

I’m Thinking of Ending Things

The Mechanics of Memory

The New One

Stay Awake

Gare's Books

The Lost House

A Flicker in the Dark

The Man on the Train

Leave the Girls Behind

All Good People Here

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 10 Jan 2025 05:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/mind-benders-and-cold-cases-with-gare-billings-XdKk5VWA This week, Gare and I chose our own sub-genres to give recommendations for!

I chose "Mind Benders" and Gare chose "Missing Persons/Cold Cases" so if you are looking for books in either of those genres, we've got you covered!

Kate's Books

Recursion

I’m Thinking of Ending Things

The Mechanics of Memory

The New One

Stay Awake

Gare's Books

The Lost House

A Flicker in the Dark

The Man on the Train

Leave the Girls Behind

All Good People Here

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Mind Benders and Cold Cases with Gare Billings Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 00:48:04 bookstagram, crime fiction, mystery, fiction, thrillers true full 232 8f47dd89-a764-453a-a95c-9b3891811251 Recapping the 33 Movies We Saw in Theaters in 2024 Part One This week, Tyler joins me to discuss the many movies we saw in 2024 thanks to our AMC membership.

Movies We Talked About

Anyone But You

American Fiction

Argylle

Dune

Dune 2

Civil War

Monkey Man

Challengers

The Fall Guy

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Inside Out 2

Bad Boys: Ride or Die

The Bikeriders

Maxxxine

Longlegs

Twisters

A Quite Place: Day One

Deadpool & Wolverine

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 7 Jan 2025 15:10:08 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Tyler Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/recapping-the-33-movies-we-saw-in-theaters-in-2024-part-one-mrIapbKv This week, Tyler joins me to discuss the many movies we saw in 2024 thanks to our AMC membership.

Movies We Talked About

Anyone But You

American Fiction

Argylle

Dune

Dune 2

Civil War

Monkey Man

Challengers

The Fall Guy

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Inside Out 2

Bad Boys: Ride or Die

The Bikeriders

Maxxxine

Longlegs

Twisters

A Quite Place: Day One

Deadpool & Wolverine

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Recapping the 33 Movies We Saw in Theaters in 2024 Part One Kate Hergott, Tyler Hergott 01:13:27 movies true full 231 b2814efd-ca72-4b43-9c4e-8dd2073cbcb7 More Backlist Thrillers We Want to Read with Gare Billings and Steph Lauer This week, we catch up on how our holidays went, talk about words/phrases of the year for 2025, and share ore backlist thrillers we want to read!

Books We Talked About

Hostage

Take it Back

What January Remembers

We Spread

Such a Pretty Smile

The Truth About Melody Browne

Out

Summer Rental

Such Sharp Teeth

The House on Needless Street

Thin Air

Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 3 Jan 2025 14:47:07 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Steph Lauer, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/more-backlist-thrillers-we-want-to-read-with-gare-billings-and-steph-lauer-aDLYqdGB This week, we catch up on how our holidays went, talk about words/phrases of the year for 2025, and share ore backlist thrillers we want to read!

Books We Talked About

Hostage

Take it Back

What January Remembers

We Spread

Such a Pretty Smile

The Truth About Melody Browne

Out

Summer Rental

Such Sharp Teeth

The House on Needless Street

Thin Air

Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> More Backlist Thrillers We Want to Read with Gare Billings and Steph Lauer Gare Billings, Steph Lauer, Kate Hergott 01:34:15 crime fiction, mystery, fiction, thrillers true full 230 f60975e0-afb9-4c7e-a80a-9640e2b61247 The Ways I Went Bookwild in 2024 There isn't an author interview this Tuesday, so I did a year in review solo episode! I dive into everything that happened with Bookwild in 2024, including merging Between the Lines and Killing the Tea into Bookwild, the co-hosts that joined this year, bookish friendships created, repeat author guests, writing progress, Imposter Hour and Bookwild's Backlist Book Club!

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 31 Dec 2024 18:28:03 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/the-ways-i-went-bookwild-in-2024-iHoGvrqJ There isn't an author interview this Tuesday, so I did a year in review solo episode! I dive into everything that happened with Bookwild in 2024, including merging Between the Lines and Killing the Tea into Bookwild, the co-hosts that joined this year, bookish friendships created, repeat author guests, writing progress, Imposter Hour and Bookwild's Backlist Book Club!

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> The Ways I Went Bookwild in 2024 Kate Hergott 00:48:14 bookstagram, crime fiction, mystery, thrillers true full 229 c1ef7bac-ca48-43d0-82cc-d23189d77216 2025 Books We Can't Wait to Read with Gare Billings and Halley Sutton This week, Halley, Gare and I catch up and also share 2025 book releases we are super excited about!

Books We Talked About

This Book Will Bury Me

Beautiful Ugly

Cross My Heart

Don’t Let Him In

A Serial Killer’s Guide to Marriage

Victorian Psycho

High Season

A Gorgeous Excitement

Vantage Point

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 27 Dec 2024 15:56:17 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott, Halley Sutton) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/2025-books-we-cant-wait-to-read-with-gare-billings-and-halley-sutton-D8jPYtY_ This week, Halley, Gare and I catch up and also share 2025 book releases we are super excited about!

Books We Talked About

This Book Will Bury Me

Beautiful Ugly

Cross My Heart

Don’t Let Him In

A Serial Killer’s Guide to Marriage

Victorian Psycho

High Season

A Gorgeous Excitement

Vantage Point

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> 2025 Books We Can't Wait to Read with Gare Billings and Halley Sutton Gare Billings, Kate Hergott, Halley Sutton 01:06:09 writing, readers, crime fiction, fiction, thrillers true full 228 2fb76f62-46f9-4233-a967-d35024b8c5d6 Hyped Books Recommendations with Gare Billings and Steph Lauer This week, Gare, Steph and each chose a hyped book and share three books like it that deserve more hype!

Kate's Books Like The Guest List (And White Lotus)

The Astrology House

You Can Trust Me

It Could Be Anyone

Steph's Books Like The Push

The First Day of Spring

Blood Sugar

Monday’s Not Coming

Gare's Books Like The Luckiest Girl Alive

Everything You Want Me to Be

Nice Girls

White Ivy

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 24 Dec 2024 13:58:52 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Steph Lauer, Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/hyped-books-recommendations-with-gare-billings-and-steph-lauer-os8RD_Y5 This week, Gare, Steph and each chose a hyped book and share three books like it that deserve more hype!

Kate's Books Like The Guest List (And White Lotus)

The Astrology House

You Can Trust Me

It Could Be Anyone

Steph's Books Like The Push

The First Day of Spring

Blood Sugar

Monday’s Not Coming

Gare's Books Like The Luckiest Girl Alive

Everything You Want Me to Be

Nice Girls

White Ivy

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Hyped Books Recommendations with Gare Billings and Steph Lauer Steph Lauer, Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 00:54:39 crime fiction, reading, thriller, mystery, fiction, books true full 227 991f7b37-2aa7-47c3-8301-9f2c8bf1ab33 Some of Our Favorite Subgenres with Gare Billings and Steph Lauer This week, Gare, Steph and I chose our own genres to pick books from, and tried to guess what each other picked based on our choices! Listen and you can play along with us!

Kate’s Picks

The Prediction

Fatal Intrusion

Dead Money

Steph's Picks

A Step Past Darkness

Jane Doe

The Mindfuck Series

Gare's Picks

The Girls Are All So Nice Here

Tell Me Everything

Only If You’re Lucky

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 20 Dec 2024 15:06:41 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Bookwild Collective) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/some-of-our-favorite-subgenres-with-gare-billings-and-steph-lauer-E8Bd8a5d This week, Gare, Steph and I chose our own genres to pick books from, and tried to guess what each other picked based on our choices! Listen and you can play along with us!

Kate’s Picks

The Prediction

Fatal Intrusion

Dead Money

Steph's Picks

A Step Past Darkness

Jane Doe

The Mindfuck Series

Gare's Picks

The Girls Are All So Nice Here

Tell Me Everything

Only If You’re Lucky

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Some of Our Favorite Subgenres with Gare Billings and Steph Lauer Bookwild Collective 00:49:36 true full 226 ccd94365-a553-4595-a6c5-ca285d8cfd31 Sagit Schwartz's Broken Threads: Ageism in Publishing and Social Media, And the Writer's Battle Against AI This week, I talk with Sagit Schwartz about her new short story thriller Broken Threads! We dive into the inspiration for the story, the fun of writing short stories, and the Easter egg for her next novel.

Broken Threads Synopsis

When Clare loses her job as a technical writer at a pharmaceutical company due to AI, she has one month’s rent saved and a historical fiction novel she’s been unable to get published. Desperate, she turns to Amber, a young influencer in her apartment building, for help promoting the book.

Amber offers Clare a shocking deal: fifty percent of the profits—if Clare allows her to claim the novel as her own. Running out of money and options, Claire hesitantly agrees.

Then, the unimaginable happens. The book is an instant runaway hit—a viral phenomenon, skyrocketing to the top of multiple bestseller lists. Literary agents reach out to Amber, eager to sign her, and Clare begins to suspect Amber is cheating her out of money. Until Amber is found dead…

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 17 Dec 2024 14:51:40 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Sagit Schwartz) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/sagit-schwartzs-broken-threads-ageism-in-publishing-and-social-media-and-the-writers-battle-against-ai-mhuk0yPa This week, I talk with Sagit Schwartz about her new short story thriller Broken Threads! We dive into the inspiration for the story, the fun of writing short stories, and the Easter egg for her next novel.

Broken Threads Synopsis

When Clare loses her job as a technical writer at a pharmaceutical company due to AI, she has one month’s rent saved and a historical fiction novel she’s been unable to get published. Desperate, she turns to Amber, a young influencer in her apartment building, for help promoting the book.

Amber offers Clare a shocking deal: fifty percent of the profits—if Clare allows her to claim the novel as her own. Running out of money and options, Claire hesitantly agrees.

Then, the unimaginable happens. The book is an instant runaway hit—a viral phenomenon, skyrocketing to the top of multiple bestseller lists. Literary agents reach out to Amber, eager to sign her, and Clare begins to suspect Amber is cheating her out of money. Until Amber is found dead…

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Sagit Schwartz's Broken Threads: Ageism in Publishing and Social Media, And the Writer's Battle Against AI Kate Hergott, Sagit Schwartz 00:35:59 crime fiction, short stories, writing process true full 225 983ff740-ee07-43a1-aa74-5ed51a9fb75b Some of Our Favorite Books We Read in 2024 with Gare Billings and Steph Lauer This week, Gare and Steph and I share SOME of our favorite books we read in 2024! I have to add that we all had plenty of others we loved, and it was hard to just pick a few for this episode.

Books We Talked About

We Used to Live Here

Return to Midnight

Margo’s Got Money Troubles

An Academy for Liars

The Lake of Lost Girls

Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books

The Last Party

Rabbit Hole

Listen for the Lie

Madwoman

Only If You’re Lucky

Don’t Forget the Girl

No Road Home

How We Named the Stars

The Golden Cage

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 13 Dec 2024 16:45:04 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Steph Lauer, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/some-of-our-favorite-books-we-read-in-2024-with-gare-billings-and-steph-lauer-M6D_Ux7q This week, Gare and Steph and I share SOME of our favorite books we read in 2024! I have to add that we all had plenty of others we loved, and it was hard to just pick a few for this episode.

Books We Talked About

We Used to Live Here

Return to Midnight

Margo’s Got Money Troubles

An Academy for Liars

The Lake of Lost Girls

Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books

The Last Party

Rabbit Hole

Listen for the Lie

Madwoman

Only If You’re Lucky

Don’t Forget the Girl

No Road Home

How We Named the Stars

The Golden Cage

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Some of Our Favorite Books We Read in 2024 with Gare Billings and Steph Lauer Kate Hergott, Steph Lauer, Gare Billings 01:30:04 bookstagram, crime fiction, fiction, thrillers true full 224 bf29184f-4f53-4e89-9881-d79901932310 You're Never Too Old to Start Writing with Karen E. Osborne This week, I talk with Karen E. Osborne about how she published her first book at 69, and continued publishing more! We dive into the grit and grace that permeate all of her stories, and her desire to see survivors of trauma as thrivers and not just the "bad guys" of a story.

Follow Karen's podcast on YouTube here

And check out her website here

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 10 Dec 2024 15:38:44 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Karen E Osborne, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/youre-never-too-old-to-start-writing-with-karen-e-osborne-JjmieS3f This week, I talk with Karen E. Osborne about how she published her first book at 69, and continued publishing more! We dive into the grit and grace that permeate all of her stories, and her desire to see survivors of trauma as thrivers and not just the "bad guys" of a story.

Follow Karen's podcast on YouTube here

And check out her website here

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> You're Never Too Old to Start Writing with Karen E. Osborne Karen E Osborne, Kate Hergott 00:49:23 writing, crime fiction, thriller, mystery, fiction true full 223 88cde0c0-f5fe-4f74-a90d-76854a9a85eb The Difference Between Twists and Reveals, But Also, Gladiator II, A Man on the Inside and a Writing Challenge with Halley Sutton Halley Sutton is back this week, and per usual, we cover ALL the things! We dive into the visuals of Gladiator II vs the plot, Michael Schur's A Man on the Inside, and give a writing challenge update. Then, we get to our main topic: the difference between twists and reveals.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 6 Dec 2024 14:24:39 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Halley Sutton) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/the-difference-between-twists-and-reveals-but-also-gladiator-ii-a-man-on-the-inside-and-a-writing-challenge-with-halley-sutton-O1bnR8Ys Halley Sutton is back this week, and per usual, we cover ALL the things! We dive into the visuals of Gladiator II vs the plot, Michael Schur's A Man on the Inside, and give a writing challenge update. Then, we get to our main topic: the difference between twists and reveals.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> The Difference Between Twists and Reveals, But Also, Gladiator II, A Man on the Inside and a Writing Challenge with Halley Sutton Kate Hergott, Halley Sutton 00:56:26 bookstagram, writing, crime fiction, thriller, mystery, fiction true full 222 ceaaccde-4e1b-437c-b1d3-77d8f3c037b3 Pip Drysdale's The Close Up: Hollywood, A Stalker, and A Book Within a Book This week, I talk with Pip Drysdale about her new Hollywood thriller The Close Up!  We dive into her inspiration for the book, how she made LA come to life, and writing a book within a book.

The Close Up Synopsis

When Zoe Ann Weiss moves to Los Angeles to pursue her dream of becoming a writer, her whole future is wide open. But then Zach, the bartender and aspiring actor she’s falling for, ghosts her. Her debut novel, a thriller, fails. And she has writer’s block worse than ever before. Now, three years later, Zach is famous and Zoe is... not.

She’s facing her thirtieth birthday, a dead-end job at a flower shop, and a demanding agent, terrified she’ll never get her life back on track. But when she goes to make a flower delivery and Zach is at the address, it’s like no time has passed at all. They start casually dating in secret, her writer’s block disappears, and Zoe begins to feel Zach inspired her first novel, so why can’t he inspire her second? But then the inevitable happens and photos are leaked, landing Zoe in the press. Her first novel goes viral, and now everyone seems to know her name. Except the problem with everyone knowing your name is that everyone knows your name—including the mysterious stalker obsessed with Zach. A stalker who begins reenacting violent events from Zoe’s book, step by step, against her...

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 3 Dec 2024 12:04:51 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Pip Drysdale, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/pip-drysdales-the-close-up-hollywood-a-stalker-and-a-book-within-a-book-rlDs1nAQ This week, I talk with Pip Drysdale about her new Hollywood thriller The Close Up!  We dive into her inspiration for the book, how she made LA come to life, and writing a book within a book.

The Close Up Synopsis

When Zoe Ann Weiss moves to Los Angeles to pursue her dream of becoming a writer, her whole future is wide open. But then Zach, the bartender and aspiring actor she’s falling for, ghosts her. Her debut novel, a thriller, fails. And she has writer’s block worse than ever before. Now, three years later, Zach is famous and Zoe is... not.

She’s facing her thirtieth birthday, a dead-end job at a flower shop, and a demanding agent, terrified she’ll never get her life back on track. But when she goes to make a flower delivery and Zach is at the address, it’s like no time has passed at all. They start casually dating in secret, her writer’s block disappears, and Zoe begins to feel Zach inspired her first novel, so why can’t he inspire her second? But then the inevitable happens and photos are leaked, landing Zoe in the press. Her first novel goes viral, and now everyone seems to know her name. Except the problem with everyone knowing your name is that everyone knows your name—including the mysterious stalker obsessed with Zach. A stalker who begins reenacting violent events from Zoe’s book, step by step, against her...

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Pip Drysdale's The Close Up: Hollywood, A Stalker, and A Book Within a Book Pip Drysdale, Kate Hergott 00:27:29 writing, hollywood, crime fiction, thriller true full 221 b4c82377-799c-4899-9e64-e7be290f4223 Victor Methos' The Silent Watcher: A Guardian, A Survivor, A Detective and a Terrifying Serial Killer This week, I talk with Victor Methos about his chilling new legal thriller The Silent Watcher.  We dive into how Batman inspired the story, how Victor's work as a lawyer has informed his writing, and how he writes multiple books a year.

The Silent Watcher Synopsis

Far from the neon glare of the Vegas strip, attorney Piper Danes walks away from a hotshot law firm to work as a guardian ad litem (GAL). Piper was once a vulnerable youth herself, and a GAL gave her hope when she needed it most. Now she’s committed to paying it forward.

Her first case is unlike any fifteen-year-old Sophie Grace is the sole survivor of a gruesome family murder. Teaming up with the formidable Judge Hope Dawson and enigmatic Detective Lazarus Holloway, Piper delves into a world more sinister than she could have imagined.

Their hunt for the truth leads to a serial killer known only as “The Creeper,” a predator who hides in the shadows. But as the team inches closer to unveiling the murderer, they find themselves in the crosshairs. Trapped in a web of lies, Piper will do anything to protect Sophie and stop the killer…before she becomes his next victim.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 3 Dec 2024 11:30:47 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Victor Methos, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/victor-methos-the-silent-watcher-a-guardian-a-survivor-a-detective-and-a-terrifying-serial-killer-0grSujnr This week, I talk with Victor Methos about his chilling new legal thriller The Silent Watcher.  We dive into how Batman inspired the story, how Victor's work as a lawyer has informed his writing, and how he writes multiple books a year.

The Silent Watcher Synopsis

Far from the neon glare of the Vegas strip, attorney Piper Danes walks away from a hotshot law firm to work as a guardian ad litem (GAL). Piper was once a vulnerable youth herself, and a GAL gave her hope when she needed it most. Now she’s committed to paying it forward.

Her first case is unlike any fifteen-year-old Sophie Grace is the sole survivor of a gruesome family murder. Teaming up with the formidable Judge Hope Dawson and enigmatic Detective Lazarus Holloway, Piper delves into a world more sinister than she could have imagined.

Their hunt for the truth leads to a serial killer known only as “The Creeper,” a predator who hides in the shadows. But as the team inches closer to unveiling the murderer, they find themselves in the crosshairs. Trapped in a web of lies, Piper will do anything to protect Sophie and stop the killer…before she becomes his next victim.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Victor Methos' The Silent Watcher: A Guardian, A Survivor, A Detective and a Terrifying Serial Killer Victor Methos, Kate Hergott 00:42:03 bookstagram, crime fiction, thriller, legal thriller true full 220 a16346f6-b725-49a8-b4d1-b09a6fd39450 BONUS: Explaining What Can Be Explained in We Used to Live Here *SPOILERS* I just finished reading We Used to Live Here, and it was truly one of my favorite reading experiences ever! I was annotating and highlighting like a mad woman, and just had to make some content diving into as many of the intricacies as I could. This entire video is FULL OF SPOILERS, so if you haven't read it yet, this isn't the video for you. If you have read it, I'd love to hear any of your theories or questions in the comments! Links mentioned in the book:

http://rare-toy-forums.net/

http://rare-toy-forums.net/watching.html

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 29 Nov 2024 14:19:20 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/bonus-explaining-what-can-be-explained-in-we-used-to-live-here-spoilers-WW6Z4qAh I just finished reading We Used to Live Here, and it was truly one of my favorite reading experiences ever! I was annotating and highlighting like a mad woman, and just had to make some content diving into as many of the intricacies as I could. This entire video is FULL OF SPOILERS, so if you haven't read it yet, this isn't the video for you. If you have read it, I'd love to hear any of your theories or questions in the comments! Links mentioned in the book:

http://rare-toy-forums.net/

http://rare-toy-forums.net/watching.html

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> BONUS: Explaining What Can Be Explained in We Used to Live Here *SPOILERS* Kate Hergott 02:21:31 bookstagram, psychological horror, horror, we used to live here, thriller, marcus kliewer true full 219 f8740275-79a3-49a0-bdd9-3cb4e049c58c Winter Thriller Releases We Are Excited for with Gare Billings and Steph Lauer This week, Gare, Steph and I are talking about thrillers we are excited to read that will be released between December 2024-February 2025!

Books We Talked About

Death of the Author

Trust Issues

Beautiful Ugly

This Violent Heart

Cross My Heart

The Favorites

Tell Me What You Did

A Gorgeous Excitement

No Place Left to Hide

The Lost House

A Killing Cold

The Mirror House Girls

A Girl Like Us

The Three Live of Kate Cay

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 29 Nov 2024 13:54:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott, Steph Lauer) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/winter-thriller-releases-we-are-excited-for-with-gare-billings-and-steph-lauer-rTvC7lQK This week, Gare, Steph and I are talking about thrillers we are excited to read that will be released between December 2024-February 2025!

Books We Talked About

Death of the Author

Trust Issues

Beautiful Ugly

This Violent Heart

Cross My Heart

The Favorites

Tell Me What You Did

A Gorgeous Excitement

No Place Left to Hide

The Lost House

A Killing Cold

The Mirror House Girls

A Girl Like Us

The Three Live of Kate Cay

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Winter Thriller Releases We Are Excited for with Gare Billings and Steph Lauer Gare Billings, Kate Hergott, Steph Lauer 01:07:17 bookstagram, crime fiction, horror, reading, thrillers true full 218 96f9f888-2a34-4c70-9f33-144aa9c26cb0 Emma Dues' Return to Midnight: A Massacre in a Victorian House, Dual Timelines and Ballerinas This week, I talk with Emma Dues about her stunningly creepy debut thriller Return to Midnight! We dive into the inspo for the book, how teaching affects her writing, and the mystery inherent to Victorian mansions.

Return to Midnight Synopsis

Nearly ten years ago, five Ohio university students were murdered in an off-campus Victorian home. The media dubbed it the Midnight House Massacre. Ever since, survivor and novelist Margot Davis has wanted to forget it, and never again utter the killer’s name. Until she’s compelled to write her side of the story. To do that, she’s returning to Midnight House.

It’ll be a chance for Margot to reconnect with other survivors, heal the trauma, and dispel the ugly conspiracy theories of obsessed true crime fanatics. But when news of Margot’s book gets out, she receives a threatening note that demands she stop lying. Or else. It chills Margot’s blood. Because she hasn’t been telling the whole truth.

As the threats continue, each more sinister than the last, a journalist comes to Margot with new suspicions about that brutal October night. Now, to save her own life, Margot must reveal her well-guarded secrets—ones that, for good reason, she’s been too terrified to share.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 26 Nov 2024 13:53:24 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Emma Dues, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/emma-dues-return-to-midnight-a-massacre-in-a-victorian-house-dual-timelines-and-ballerinas-XVFIHGe4 This week, I talk with Emma Dues about her stunningly creepy debut thriller Return to Midnight! We dive into the inspo for the book, how teaching affects her writing, and the mystery inherent to Victorian mansions.

Return to Midnight Synopsis

Nearly ten years ago, five Ohio university students were murdered in an off-campus Victorian home. The media dubbed it the Midnight House Massacre. Ever since, survivor and novelist Margot Davis has wanted to forget it, and never again utter the killer’s name. Until she’s compelled to write her side of the story. To do that, she’s returning to Midnight House.

It’ll be a chance for Margot to reconnect with other survivors, heal the trauma, and dispel the ugly conspiracy theories of obsessed true crime fanatics. But when news of Margot’s book gets out, she receives a threatening note that demands she stop lying. Or else. It chills Margot’s blood. Because she hasn’t been telling the whole truth.

As the threats continue, each more sinister than the last, a journalist comes to Margot with new suspicions about that brutal October night. Now, to save her own life, Margot must reveal her well-guarded secrets—ones that, for good reason, she’s been too terrified to share.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Emma Dues' Return to Midnight: A Massacre in a Victorian House, Dual Timelines and Ballerinas Emma Dues, Kate Hergott 00:21:01 crime fiction, horror, thriller, mystery true full 217 8fa859c7-09cd-48d4-85d8-f8350c322d5a Female Rage Thrillers with Halley Sutton This week, Halley and I once again commit to one subject, and end up covering multiple. On top of some great female rage thriller recommendations, we dive into the film Heretic, talk about religions' obsessions with rules and workarounds, and get into a brief rant about twists verses reveals (more on that in future episodes).

Books with Female Rage

This GIrl’s a Killer

In Defense of Witches

The Lion Women of Tehran

They Never Learn

Their Vicious Games

House Woman

Her Name is Knight

Smile and Look Pretty

Hurt for Me

A Certain Hunger

Lay Your Body Down

Out

Eleven Percent

The Lady Upstairs

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 22 Nov 2024 14:18:31 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Bookwild Collective) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/female-rage-thrillers-with-halley-sutton-WbAAf_Ju This week, Halley and I once again commit to one subject, and end up covering multiple. On top of some great female rage thriller recommendations, we dive into the film Heretic, talk about religions' obsessions with rules and workarounds, and get into a brief rant about twists verses reveals (more on that in future episodes).

Books with Female Rage

This GIrl’s a Killer

In Defense of Witches

The Lion Women of Tehran

They Never Learn

Their Vicious Games

House Woman

Her Name is Knight

Smile and Look Pretty

Hurt for Me

A Certain Hunger

Lay Your Body Down

Out

Eleven Percent

The Lady Upstairs

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Female Rage Thrillers with Halley Sutton Bookwild Collective 01:31:53 true full 216 4c6b2584-f046-4665-9762-ea1cf41cbc8a Jan Gangsei's Dead Below Deck: A Backwards Timeline, A Deadly Cruise and Complex Female Friendships This week, I got to talk with Jan Gangsei about her salacious new thriller Dead Below Deck! We dive into how the idea came to her, how she chose to structure it, and what drew her to YA.

Dead Below Deck Synopsis

It was supposed to be the best-ever girls’ trip: five days, four friends, one luxury yacht, no parents. But on the final night, as the yacht cruised the deep and dark waters between Florida and Grand Cayman, eighteen-year-old heiress Giselle vanished. She’s nowhere to be found the next morning even after a frantic search, until security footage surfaces . . . showing Maggie pushing her overboard.

But Maggie has no memory of what happened. All she knows is that she woke up with a throbbing headache, thousands of dollars in cash in her safe, a passport that isn’t hers, and Giselle’s diary. And while Maggie had her own reasons to want Giselle dead, so did everyone else on board: jealous Viv, calculating Emi, even some members of the staff.

What really went down on the top deck that night? Maggie will have to work her way backward to uncover the secrets that everyone—even Giselle—kept below deck or she’s dead in the water.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 19 Nov 2024 14:04:50 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Jan Gangsei, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/jan-gangseis-dead-below-deck-a-backwards-timeline-a-deadly-cruise-and-complex-female-friendships-R7F_b9J2 This week, I got to talk with Jan Gangsei about her salacious new thriller Dead Below Deck! We dive into how the idea came to her, how she chose to structure it, and what drew her to YA.

Dead Below Deck Synopsis

It was supposed to be the best-ever girls’ trip: five days, four friends, one luxury yacht, no parents. But on the final night, as the yacht cruised the deep and dark waters between Florida and Grand Cayman, eighteen-year-old heiress Giselle vanished. She’s nowhere to be found the next morning even after a frantic search, until security footage surfaces . . . showing Maggie pushing her overboard.

But Maggie has no memory of what happened. All she knows is that she woke up with a throbbing headache, thousands of dollars in cash in her safe, a passport that isn’t hers, and Giselle’s diary. And while Maggie had her own reasons to want Giselle dead, so did everyone else on board: jealous Viv, calculating Emi, even some members of the staff.

What really went down on the top deck that night? Maggie will have to work her way backward to uncover the secrets that everyone—even Giselle—kept below deck or she’s dead in the water.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Jan Gangsei's Dead Below Deck: A Backwards Timeline, A Deadly Cruise and Complex Female Friendships Jan Gangsei, Kate Hergott 00:35:32 ya, crime fiction, thriller, fiction true full 215 2bdb775c-9d59-4d90-96c6-4d5af8183a4d Thrillers from Indigenous Authors with Vanessa Lillie and Gare Billings This week Vanessa Lillie and Gare “Bleak” Billings share recommendations from Indigenous authors for Native American Heritage Month, and I think I might be reading fast paced, paranormal horror for the rest of the year!  
 

Check out these great recommendations:

The Berry Pickers

Blood Sisters

Never Whistle at Night

The Only Good Indians

Bad Cree

The Haunting of Room 904

Shutter

Winter Counts

Where They Last Saw Her

The Highway of Tears

Never Name the Dead

On the Savage Side

And Then She Fell

Venco

Indian Burial Ground

Sisters of the Lost Nation

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 15 Nov 2024 05:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Vanessa Lillie, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/thrillers-from-indigenous-authors-with-vanessa-lillie-and-gare-billings-a8RTwquj This week Vanessa Lillie and Gare “Bleak” Billings share recommendations from Indigenous authors for Native American Heritage Month, and I think I might be reading fast paced, paranormal horror for the rest of the year!  
 

Check out these great recommendations:

The Berry Pickers

Blood Sisters

Never Whistle at Night

The Only Good Indians

Bad Cree

The Haunting of Room 904

Shutter

Winter Counts

Where They Last Saw Her

The Highway of Tears

Never Name the Dead

On the Savage Side

And Then She Fell

Venco

Indian Burial Ground

Sisters of the Lost Nation

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thrillers from Indigenous Authors with Vanessa Lillie and Gare Billings Kate Hergott, Vanessa Lillie, Gare Billings 01:11:32 crime fiction, indigenous, horror, reading, paranormal, thrillers true full 214 61fe5d04-c39e-450b-ae59-07b1395dffe7 Emma. C Wells' This Girl's a Killer: A Feminist Vigilante, Preying on Male Predators, And Chosen Family This week, I got to talk with Emma C. Wells about her stunning debut serial killer thriller This Girl's a Killer! We dive into her inspiration for the book, how Cordelia was unavoidable for her, and the way women have to consider violence in ways men don't.

 

This Girl's a Killer Synopsis

Ask Cordelia Black why she did it. The answer will always be: He had it coming.

Cordelia Black loves exactly three things: Her chosen family, her hairdresser (worth every penny plus tip), and killing bad men.

By day she's an ambitious pharma rep with a flawless reputation and designer wardrobe. By night, she culls South Louisiana of unscrupulous men―monsters who think they've evaded justice, until they meet her. Sure, the evening news may have started throwing around phrases like "serial killer," but Cordelia knows that's absurd. She's not a killer, she is simply karma. And being karma requires complete and utter control.

But when Cordelia discovers a flaw in her perfectly designed system for eliminating monsters, pressure heightens. And it only intensifies when her best friend starts dating a man Cordelia isn't sure is a good person. Someone who might just unravel everything she has worked for.

Soon enough Cordelia has to come face to face with the choices she's made. The good, the bad, and the murderous. Both her family, and her freedom, depend on it.

 

Check out Bitter Southerner where Emma got her Hell Hath No Fury shirt

 

If you've enjoyed episode of Bookwild, an easy way to support ongoing episodes and content is to join the Bookwild Patreon.  Just $5 a month helps me spend more time on this content, and bring you more of it!  And if you're interested in Bookwild's Backlist Book Club, you can join the $10 tier and chat with the community at Book Club each month!

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 12 Nov 2024 05:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Emma C. Wells, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/emma-c-wells-this-girls-a-killer-a-feminist-vigilante-preying-on-male-predators-and-chosen-family-1kTily61 This week, I got to talk with Emma C. Wells about her stunning debut serial killer thriller This Girl's a Killer! We dive into her inspiration for the book, how Cordelia was unavoidable for her, and the way women have to consider violence in ways men don't.

 

This Girl's a Killer Synopsis

Ask Cordelia Black why she did it. The answer will always be: He had it coming.

Cordelia Black loves exactly three things: Her chosen family, her hairdresser (worth every penny plus tip), and killing bad men.

By day she's an ambitious pharma rep with a flawless reputation and designer wardrobe. By night, she culls South Louisiana of unscrupulous men―monsters who think they've evaded justice, until they meet her. Sure, the evening news may have started throwing around phrases like "serial killer," but Cordelia knows that's absurd. She's not a killer, she is simply karma. And being karma requires complete and utter control.

But when Cordelia discovers a flaw in her perfectly designed system for eliminating monsters, pressure heightens. And it only intensifies when her best friend starts dating a man Cordelia isn't sure is a good person. Someone who might just unravel everything she has worked for.

Soon enough Cordelia has to come face to face with the choices she's made. The good, the bad, and the murderous. Both her family, and her freedom, depend on it.

 

Check out Bitter Southerner where Emma got her Hell Hath No Fury shirt

 

If you've enjoyed episode of Bookwild, an easy way to support ongoing episodes and content is to join the Bookwild Patreon.  Just $5 a month helps me spend more time on this content, and bring you more of it!  And if you're interested in Bookwild's Backlist Book Club, you can join the $10 tier and chat with the community at Book Club each month!

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Emma. C Wells' This Girl's a Killer: A Feminist Vigilante, Preying on Male Predators, And Chosen Family Emma C. Wells, Kate Hergott 00:57:30 crime fiction, writing process, fiction, anti hero, thrillers true full 213 c7e13b13-28f9-49e7-8c2e-8e9c1ade9c40 Backlist Books We Want to Read with Gare and Steph This week, Gare, Steph and I share backlist books we really want to read.  We also manage to sneak in two that aren't even really backlist, but we still want to read them too!

Comfort Shows

English Teacher

Insecure

Top Chef

How to Die Alone

Law & Order: SVU

 

Books We Talked About

Godshot

The Year of the Witching

The Lake of Lost Girls

The Lighthouse Witches

Beautiful People

Playing Dead

Black Sheep

The Memory Police

Return to Midnight

Her Pretty Face

The Bright Lands

Eleven

American Psycho

The Cipher

The Final Act 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 8 Nov 2024 13:56:51 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Steph Lauer, Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/backlist-books-we-want-to-read-with-gare-and-steph-eMg25w_h This week, Gare, Steph and I share backlist books we really want to read.  We also manage to sneak in two that aren't even really backlist, but we still want to read them too!

Comfort Shows

English Teacher

Insecure

Top Chef

How to Die Alone

Law & Order: SVU

 

Books We Talked About

Godshot

The Year of the Witching

The Lake of Lost Girls

The Lighthouse Witches

Beautiful People

Playing Dead

Black Sheep

The Memory Police

Return to Midnight

Her Pretty Face

The Bright Lands

Eleven

American Psycho

The Cipher

The Final Act 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Backlist Books We Want to Read with Gare and Steph Steph Lauer, Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 01:26:50 backlist, crime fiction, fiction, books, thrillers true full 212 e24b5755-3085-4e51-b62f-8d6912c8214a Katherine Greene's The Lake of Lost Girls: Mixed Media, Missing Girls and The 90s This week I got to talk with writing duo Katherine Greene, made up of A. Meredith Walters and Claire C. Riley.  We dive into how they became friends and writing partners, the initial image that was the inspiration for this story, and how they approach writing thrillers together.

The Lake of Lost Girls Synopsis

It's 1998, and female students are going missing at Southern State University in North Carolina. But freshman Jessica Fadley, once a bright and responsible student, is going through her own struggles. Just as her life seems to be careening dangerously out of control, she suddenly disappears.

Twenty-four years later, Jessica's sister Lindsey is desperately searching for answers and uses the momentum of a new chart-topping true crime podcast, Ten Seconds to Vanish, that focuses on the cold cases, to guide her own investigation. Soon, interest reaches fever pitch when the bodies of the long-missing women begin turning up at a local lake, which leads Lindsey down a disturbing road of discovery.

In the present, one sister seeks to untangle a complicated web of lies.
In the past, the other descends ever deeper into a darkness that will lead to her ultimate fate.

This propulsive and chilling suspense is a sharp examination of sisterhood and the culture of true crime.

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 5 Nov 2024 13:42:19 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Katherine Greene, A. Meredith Walters, Claire C. Riley, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/katherine-greenes-the-lake-of-lost-girls-mixed-media-missing-girls-and-the-90s-NbB_pTDS This week I got to talk with writing duo Katherine Greene, made up of A. Meredith Walters and Claire C. Riley.  We dive into how they became friends and writing partners, the initial image that was the inspiration for this story, and how they approach writing thrillers together.

The Lake of Lost Girls Synopsis

It's 1998, and female students are going missing at Southern State University in North Carolina. But freshman Jessica Fadley, once a bright and responsible student, is going through her own struggles. Just as her life seems to be careening dangerously out of control, she suddenly disappears.

Twenty-four years later, Jessica's sister Lindsey is desperately searching for answers and uses the momentum of a new chart-topping true crime podcast, Ten Seconds to Vanish, that focuses on the cold cases, to guide her own investigation. Soon, interest reaches fever pitch when the bodies of the long-missing women begin turning up at a local lake, which leads Lindsey down a disturbing road of discovery.

In the present, one sister seeks to untangle a complicated web of lies.
In the past, the other descends ever deeper into a darkness that will lead to her ultimate fate.

This propulsive and chilling suspense is a sharp examination of sisterhood and the culture of true crime.

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Katherine Greene's The Lake of Lost Girls: Mixed Media, Missing Girls and The 90s Katherine Greene, A. Meredith Walters, Claire C. Riley, Kate Hergott 00:40:53 psychological thrillers, crime fiction, writing process, fiction, mixed media, thrillers true full 211 d417485d-435f-4869-ab70-885a70cb0b73 Scandals: Evelyn Hugo, Hollywood Babylon, and More with Halley Sutton This week, Halley Sutton and I talk about scandals both fictional and non-fictional!

Books, Movies, Docs We Talked About

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

The Sin Eater: The Crimes of Anthony Pellicano

Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood

Once More From the Top

Did You Hear About Kitty Karr

Fanatical: The Catfishing of Tegan and Sara

Thought Crimes: The Case of the Cannibal Cop

Mommy Dead and Dearest

I Love You, Now Die: The Commonwealth V. Michelle Carter

Hollywood Babylon

Missing White Woman

The Two Mrs. Grenvilles

La Cote Basque, 1965

You're Wrong About

The Favorites

On the Surface

Picnic at Hanging Rock

The Hurricane Blonde

The Lady Upstairs

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Sat, 2 Nov 2024 11:45:39 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Halley Sutton, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/scandals-evelyn-hugo-hollywood-babylon-and-more-with-halley-sutton-r7l9_tTI This week, Halley Sutton and I talk about scandals both fictional and non-fictional!

Books, Movies, Docs We Talked About

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

The Sin Eater: The Crimes of Anthony Pellicano

Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood

Once More From the Top

Did You Hear About Kitty Karr

Fanatical: The Catfishing of Tegan and Sara

Thought Crimes: The Case of the Cannibal Cop

Mommy Dead and Dearest

I Love You, Now Die: The Commonwealth V. Michelle Carter

Hollywood Babylon

Missing White Woman

The Two Mrs. Grenvilles

La Cote Basque, 1965

You're Wrong About

The Favorites

On the Surface

Picnic at Hanging Rock

The Hurricane Blonde

The Lady Upstairs

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Scandals: Evelyn Hugo, Hollywood Babylon, and More with Halley Sutton Halley Sutton, Kate Hergott 01:10:35 crime fiction, scandal, documentaries, fiction true full 210 326cc5c4-5ce9-4e88-8e61-81c98a354b48 Danielle Trussoni's The Puzzle Box: Savant Syndrome, Puzzle Masters and a Japanese Puzzle Box This week, I talk with Danielle Trussoni about her new installment in The Puzzle Series, The Puzzle Box!  We dive into how she created this genre-mashup of a series, what piqued her interest in puzzles, and the puzzle masters she works with for her books.

The Puzzle Box Synopsis

It is the Year of the Wood Dragon, and the ingenious Mike Brink has been invited to Tokyo, Japan, to open the legendary Dragon Box.

The box was constructed during one of Japan’s most tumultuous periods, when the samurai class was disbanded and the shogun lost power. In this moment of crisis, Emperor Meiji locked a priceless Imperial secret in the Dragon Box. Only two people knew how to open the box—Meiji and the box’s sadistic constructor—and both died without telling a soul what was inside or how to open it.

Every twelve years since then, in the Year of the Dragon, the Imperial family holds a clandestine contest to open the box. It is devilishly difficult, filled with tricks, booby traps, poisons, and mind-bending twists. Every puzzle master who has attempted to open it has died in the process.

But Brink is not just any puzzle master. He may be the only person alive who can crack it. His determination is matched only by that of two sisters, descendants of an illustrious samurai clan, who will stop at nothing to claim the treasure.

Brink’s quest launches him on a breakneck adventure across Japan, from the Imperial Palace in Tokyo to the pristine forests of Hakone to an ancient cave in Kyushu. In the process, he discovers the power of Meiji’s hidden treasure, and—more crucially—the true nature of his extraordinary talent.

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 29 Oct 2024 13:06:34 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Danielle Trussoni, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/danielle-trussonis-the-puzzle-box-savant-syndrome-puzzle-masters-and-a-japanese-puzzle-box-hUBW7cGB This week, I talk with Danielle Trussoni about her new installment in The Puzzle Series, The Puzzle Box!  We dive into how she created this genre-mashup of a series, what piqued her interest in puzzles, and the puzzle masters she works with for her books.

The Puzzle Box Synopsis

It is the Year of the Wood Dragon, and the ingenious Mike Brink has been invited to Tokyo, Japan, to open the legendary Dragon Box.

The box was constructed during one of Japan’s most tumultuous periods, when the samurai class was disbanded and the shogun lost power. In this moment of crisis, Emperor Meiji locked a priceless Imperial secret in the Dragon Box. Only two people knew how to open the box—Meiji and the box’s sadistic constructor—and both died without telling a soul what was inside or how to open it.

Every twelve years since then, in the Year of the Dragon, the Imperial family holds a clandestine contest to open the box. It is devilishly difficult, filled with tricks, booby traps, poisons, and mind-bending twists. Every puzzle master who has attempted to open it has died in the process.

But Brink is not just any puzzle master. He may be the only person alive who can crack it. His determination is matched only by that of two sisters, descendants of an illustrious samurai clan, who will stop at nothing to claim the treasure.

Brink’s quest launches him on a breakneck adventure across Japan, from the Imperial Palace in Tokyo to the pristine forests of Hakone to an ancient cave in Kyushu. In the process, he discovers the power of Meiji’s hidden treasure, and—more crucially—the true nature of his extraordinary talent.

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Danielle Trussoni's The Puzzle Box: Savant Syndrome, Puzzle Masters and a Japanese Puzzle Box Danielle Trussoni, Kate Hergott 00:39:01 writing, crime fiction, author, mystery, puzzles, writing process, thrillers true full 209 b153b868-962a-4cc9-97b9-f86af301bb2a Ranking Our Top Three from Auto-Buy Authors with Gare and Steph This week, Gare, Steph and I share some of our auto-buy authors and rank the top 3 books we've read of theirs!

Books We Talked About

Amina Akhtar

Kismet

Almost Surely Dead

#fashionvictim

Catherine Ryan Howard

The Trap

The Liar's Girl

The Nothing Man

Julia Heaberlin

Black Eyed Susans

Night Will Find You

We Are All the Same in the Dark

J.M. Cannon

This Family Lies

Blood Oranges

The Flash Girls

Chevy Stevens

Those Girls

Still Missing

Dark Roads

Sally Hepworth

The Good Sister

Darling Girls

The Mother-in-Law

Susan Walter

Over Her Dead Body

Lie By the Pool

Running Cold

Lucinda Berry

Saving Noah

If You Tell a Lie

Off the Deep End

Simone St. James

The Broken Girls

The Sundown Motel

The Haunting of Maddy Clare

 

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 25 Oct 2024 14:51:11 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings, Steph Lauer) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/ranking-our-top-three-from-auto-buy-authors-with-gare-and-steph-rxZKqCDC This week, Gare, Steph and I share some of our auto-buy authors and rank the top 3 books we've read of theirs!

Books We Talked About

Amina Akhtar

Kismet

Almost Surely Dead

#fashionvictim

Catherine Ryan Howard

The Trap

The Liar's Girl

The Nothing Man

Julia Heaberlin

Black Eyed Susans

Night Will Find You

We Are All the Same in the Dark

J.M. Cannon

This Family Lies

Blood Oranges

The Flash Girls

Chevy Stevens

Those Girls

Still Missing

Dark Roads

Sally Hepworth

The Good Sister

Darling Girls

The Mother-in-Law

Susan Walter

Over Her Dead Body

Lie By the Pool

Running Cold

Lucinda Berry

Saving Noah

If You Tell a Lie

Off the Deep End

Simone St. James

The Broken Girls

The Sundown Motel

The Haunting of Maddy Clare

 

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Ranking Our Top Three from Auto-Buy Authors with Gare and Steph Kate Hergott, Gare Billings, Steph Lauer 01:16:44 bookstagram, readers, crime fiction, suspense, mystery, books, thrillers true full 208 c39075db-d994-47fe-8a7b-ff0fbbe2b72c Alexis Henderson's An Academy for Liars: Psychological Magic, Dark Academia and Consent This week, I talk with Alexis Henderson about her new dark academia, psychological magic thriller An Academy for Liars.  We dive into her initial idea for the book, how she explored consent in the context of psychological magic, and the intricacies of free will.

An Academy for Liars Synopsis

Lennon Carter’s life is falling apart.   

Then she gets a mysterious phone call inviting her to take the entrance exam for Drayton College, a school of magic hidden in a secret pocket of Savannah. Lennon has been chosen because—like everyone else at the school—she has the innate gift of persuasion, the ability to wield her will like a weapon, using it to control others and, in rare cases, matter itself.  

After passing the test, Lennon begins to learn how to master her devastating and unsettling power. But despite persuasion’s heavy toll on her body and mind, she is wholly captivated by her studies, by Drayton’s lush, moss-draped campus, and by her brilliant classmates. But even more captivating is her charismatic adviser, Dante, who both intimidates and enthralls her. 

As Lennon continues in her studies, her control grows, and she starts to uncover more about the secret world she has entered into, including the disquieting history of Drayton College. She is increasingly disturbed by what she learns, for it seems that the ultimate test is to embrace absolute power without succumbing to corruption...and it’s a test she’s terrified she’s going to fail.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 22 Oct 2024 14:37:17 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Alexis Henderson, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/alexis-hendersons-an-academy-for-liars-psychological-magic-dark-academia-and-consent-YWJXMy_I This week, I talk with Alexis Henderson about her new dark academia, psychological magic thriller An Academy for Liars.  We dive into her initial idea for the book, how she explored consent in the context of psychological magic, and the intricacies of free will.

An Academy for Liars Synopsis

Lennon Carter’s life is falling apart.   

Then she gets a mysterious phone call inviting her to take the entrance exam for Drayton College, a school of magic hidden in a secret pocket of Savannah. Lennon has been chosen because—like everyone else at the school—she has the innate gift of persuasion, the ability to wield her will like a weapon, using it to control others and, in rare cases, matter itself.  

After passing the test, Lennon begins to learn how to master her devastating and unsettling power. But despite persuasion’s heavy toll on her body and mind, she is wholly captivated by her studies, by Drayton’s lush, moss-draped campus, and by her brilliant classmates. But even more captivating is her charismatic adviser, Dante, who both intimidates and enthralls her. 

As Lennon continues in her studies, her control grows, and she starts to uncover more about the secret world she has entered into, including the disquieting history of Drayton College. She is increasingly disturbed by what she learns, for it seems that the ultimate test is to embrace absolute power without succumbing to corruption...and it’s a test she’s terrified she’s going to fail.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Alexis Henderson's An Academy for Liars: Psychological Magic, Dark Academia and Consent Alexis Henderson, Kate Hergott 00:45:03 magic, free will, psychological thriller, thriller, dark academia, fantasy true full 207 7dbcd60a-7083-46af-ada0-f428bf9c3dfe Tell Me Lies Season 2 Recap, Reactions and Predictions *SPOILERS* Time for a bonus episode!!  I've had so much fun talking to so many of you about Tell Me Lies, and I just had to do an episode on my thoughts now that we've all seen season two.   I recap all the key moments of each episode, and share what I thought was happening in the moment I watched it verses how I view it now with the context of the whole season.  DM me with any of your thoughts and reactions!

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Sat, 19 Oct 2024 23:08:19 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/tell-me-lies-season-2-recap-reactions-and-predictions-spoilers-TTjefDXH Time for a bonus episode!!  I've had so much fun talking to so many of you about Tell Me Lies, and I just had to do an episode on my thoughts now that we've all seen season two.   I recap all the key moments of each episode, and share what I thought was happening in the moment I watched it verses how I view it now with the context of the whole season.  DM me with any of your thoughts and reactions!

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tell Me Lies Season 2 Recap, Reactions and Predictions *SPOILERS* Kate Hergott 01:47:14 psychodrama, tell me lies, tv shows true full 206 9e00d60a-c06c-492e-9bbd-cd7472338499 Hyped Books We Want to Read with Halley Sutton This week, Halley Sutton joins me to talk about hyped books we have on our TBRs but haven't gotten to reading yet.  We also, somehow, accidentally, platform men??

Books We Talked About

Kate’s Picks

The Plot

The God of the Woods

Hidden Pictures

Wrong Place Wrong Time

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow


Halley’s Picks

The Moonflower Murders

Lessons in Chemistry

The Maidens

Untamed

Anita de Monte Laughs Last

The Searcher
 

Other Books

The Graveyard Shift

Night Side of the River

This Girl’s a Killer
 

Movies We Talked About

A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night

It's What's Inside

The Substance

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 18 Oct 2024 13:18:53 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Halley Sutton, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/hyped-books-we-want-to-read-with-halley-sutton-xD48pu58 This week, Halley Sutton joins me to talk about hyped books we have on our TBRs but haven't gotten to reading yet.  We also, somehow, accidentally, platform men??

Books We Talked About

Kate’s Picks

The Plot

The God of the Woods

Hidden Pictures

Wrong Place Wrong Time

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow


Halley’s Picks

The Moonflower Murders

Lessons in Chemistry

The Maidens

Untamed

Anita de Monte Laughs Last

The Searcher
 

Other Books

The Graveyard Shift

Night Side of the River

This Girl’s a Killer
 

Movies We Talked About

A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night

It's What's Inside

The Substance

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Hyped Books We Want to Read with Halley Sutton Halley Sutton, Kate Hergott 01:00:04 crime fiction, horror, thriller true full 205 65671e3c-2eb7-4032-9d61-b2267585eba6 Carinn Jade's The Astrology House: A Group Getaway, An Astrologist with a Secret, and Free Will vs Fate This week, I talk with Carinn Jade about her deliciously twisty thriller The Astrology House.  We dive into her lifelong interest in astrology, the inspiration for the book, and exploring fate vs free will.

Check out the Pop Fiction Women podcast too!

The Astrology House Synopsis

Margot needs a minute. She’s been working eighty-hour weeks as a newly minted partner at her law firm. She’s disconnected from her brother, the only family she has left. And she’s still not pregnant after years of trying.

Stars Harbor Astrological Retreat promises rest, relaxation, and wisdom for Margot and her friends. With Instagram-worthy views and nightly astrology readings in an impeccably restored waterfront Victorian house, this resort should be the ultimate getaway.

For Margot’s brother, Adam, it’s the perfect opportunity to invigorate his romantic life and inspire his writing. But his wife, Aimee, hides the darkness of her past with a beautiful social media feed. Their friend, Farah, is a successful doctor who cannot admit that she’s losing control.

Yet no one holds a greater secret than their astrologer host, Rini. She has a plan for her guests, and one of them won’t be leaving Stars Harbor alive.
 

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 15 Oct 2024 11:46:15 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Carinn Jade, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/carinn-jades-the-astrology-house-a-group-getaway-an-astrologist-with-a-secret-and-free-will-vs-fate-luIlJVF3 This week, I talk with Carinn Jade about her deliciously twisty thriller The Astrology House.  We dive into her lifelong interest in astrology, the inspiration for the book, and exploring fate vs free will.

Check out the Pop Fiction Women podcast too!

The Astrology House Synopsis

Margot needs a minute. She’s been working eighty-hour weeks as a newly minted partner at her law firm. She’s disconnected from her brother, the only family she has left. And she’s still not pregnant after years of trying.

Stars Harbor Astrological Retreat promises rest, relaxation, and wisdom for Margot and her friends. With Instagram-worthy views and nightly astrology readings in an impeccably restored waterfront Victorian house, this resort should be the ultimate getaway.

For Margot’s brother, Adam, it’s the perfect opportunity to invigorate his romantic life and inspire his writing. But his wife, Aimee, hides the darkness of her past with a beautiful social media feed. Their friend, Farah, is a successful doctor who cannot admit that she’s losing control.

Yet no one holds a greater secret than their astrologer host, Rini. She has a plan for her guests, and one of them won’t be leaving Stars Harbor alive.
 

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Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Carinn Jade's The Astrology House: A Group Getaway, An Astrologist with a Secret, and Free Will vs Fate Carinn Jade, Kate Hergott 00:43:51 astrology, crime fiction, writing process, thrillers true full 204 59cba19b-b3c0-46d5-9cb3-091b43d1ebb5 Great Thrillers on Kindle Unlimited with Gare Billings & Steph Lauer This week, Gare, Steph and I share thrillers on Kindle Unlimited that you just have to read!

KU Books We Talked About

Fatal Intrusion

The Inmate

Real Easy

The Prediction

The Thicket

His & Hers

A Flicker in the Dark

The Murder Between Us

Jane Doe

This Family Lies

The Drowned Girls

The Heiress


Other Books We Talked About

Gaslight

Sugar

White Girl Problems

Pyschos

American Babe

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 11 Oct 2024 12:11:05 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Steph Lauer, Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/great-thrillers-on-kindle-unlimited-with-gare-billings-steph-lauer-XcsB1nW6 This week, Gare, Steph and I share thrillers on Kindle Unlimited that you just have to read!

KU Books We Talked About

Fatal Intrusion

The Inmate

Real Easy

The Prediction

The Thicket

His & Hers

A Flicker in the Dark

The Murder Between Us

Jane Doe

This Family Lies

The Drowned Girls

The Heiress


Other Books We Talked About

Gaslight

Sugar

White Girl Problems

Pyschos

American Babe

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Great Thrillers on Kindle Unlimited with Gare Billings & Steph Lauer Steph Lauer, Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 01:09:18 crime fiction, kindle unlimited, fiction true full 203 7f1da5e9-1ed3-4d50-9ee0-ce1317e35f8b Rob Hart and Alex Segura's Dark Space: Espionage, Conspiracies and A Mission Gone Wrong This week, I talk with Rob Hart and Alex Segura about their new space thriller Dark Space.  We dive into their world building, their joint writing process, and how speculative fiction helps us examine present truths.

Dark Space Synopsis

If life were fair, ace pilot Jose Carriles should have ended up a desk jockey like his former friend Corin Timony, back on the lunar colony of New Destiny. Instead, he’s the pilot of the Mosaic—a massive ship taking the Interstellar Union’s first-ever mission to outside our solar system.

Timony should have been the best spy at the Bazaar, the lunar colony’s international intelligence arm. Instead, she’s been demoted to admin duties like monitoring long-range communications. She has no one to blame but herself—and maybe Carriles.

But when the Mosaic experiences a series of strange malfunctions and Carriles is forced to take a wild gamble to save the ship, he begins to suspect the reasons behind the exploratory mission weren’t exactly on the up-and-up.

At the same time, Timony’s old instincts kick in as she realizes the distress call she received from the Mosaic has been wiped without a trace.

As people start to end up dead and loyalties are tested, Timony and Carriles find themselves entangled in a star-spanning conspiracy that drags them through the darkest corners of their government—and their own personal failures—and face-to-face with a reckoning that could destroy humanity as we know it.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 8 Oct 2024 18:47:23 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Alex Segura, Kate Hergott, Rob Hart) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/rob-hart-and-alex-seguras-dark-space-espionage-conspiracies-and-a-mission-gone-wrong-CGP3pZZ5 This week, I talk with Rob Hart and Alex Segura about their new space thriller Dark Space.  We dive into their world building, their joint writing process, and how speculative fiction helps us examine present truths.

Dark Space Synopsis

If life were fair, ace pilot Jose Carriles should have ended up a desk jockey like his former friend Corin Timony, back on the lunar colony of New Destiny. Instead, he’s the pilot of the Mosaic—a massive ship taking the Interstellar Union’s first-ever mission to outside our solar system.

Timony should have been the best spy at the Bazaar, the lunar colony’s international intelligence arm. Instead, she’s been demoted to admin duties like monitoring long-range communications. She has no one to blame but herself—and maybe Carriles.

But when the Mosaic experiences a series of strange malfunctions and Carriles is forced to take a wild gamble to save the ship, he begins to suspect the reasons behind the exploratory mission weren’t exactly on the up-and-up.

At the same time, Timony’s old instincts kick in as she realizes the distress call she received from the Mosaic has been wiped without a trace.

As people start to end up dead and loyalties are tested, Timony and Carriles find themselves entangled in a star-spanning conspiracy that drags them through the darkest corners of their government—and their own personal failures—and face-to-face with a reckoning that could destroy humanity as we know it.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Rob Hart and Alex Segura's Dark Space: Espionage, Conspiracies and A Mission Gone Wrong Alex Segura, Kate Hergott, Rob Hart 00:26:55 space thriller, thriller, spy thriller, writing process, writing partners true full 174 d43b338b-32c6-42f0-bcb2-332d6bf2ca82 Susan Walter's Running Cold: An Olympic Biathlete, An Eerie Hotel, And So Many POVs This week, I talk with Susan Walter about her new skiing related thriller Running Cold.  We dive into how the Banff Springs Hotel felt like it deserved a murder mystery, Susan's own love for skiing, and how she manages so many POVs.

Running Cold Synopsis

Julie Adler’s perfect facade is shattered by grief when her husband commits suicide. His death reveals that their luxurious California life was a house of cards, and his secret business dealings have left Julie penniless.

As she strikes out on her own, Julie feels drawn to her old stomping grounds in Banff, a charming and isolated ski town where she once trained for the Olympics. She finds work as a housekeeper at a luxury resort, but just as she starts to piece together a new life, an eccentric guest turns up dead. And Julie, the last person seen in her hotel room, is the prime suspect.

The evidence is stacked against her, but even in the encroaching blizzard, Julie knows her way around these mountains. She just needs to evade the police long enough to find the truth behind the murder…and before the real killer finds her first.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 8 Oct 2024 12:40:45 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Susan Walter, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/susan-walters-running-cold-an-olympic-biathlete-an-eerie-hotel-and-so-many-povs-fXkz2QXX This week, I talk with Susan Walter about her new skiing related thriller Running Cold.  We dive into how the Banff Springs Hotel felt like it deserved a murder mystery, Susan's own love for skiing, and how she manages so many POVs.

Running Cold Synopsis

Julie Adler’s perfect facade is shattered by grief when her husband commits suicide. His death reveals that their luxurious California life was a house of cards, and his secret business dealings have left Julie penniless.

As she strikes out on her own, Julie feels drawn to her old stomping grounds in Banff, a charming and isolated ski town where she once trained for the Olympics. She finds work as a housekeeper at a luxury resort, but just as she starts to piece together a new life, an eccentric guest turns up dead. And Julie, the last person seen in her hotel room, is the prime suspect.

The evidence is stacked against her, but even in the encroaching blizzard, Julie knows her way around these mountains. She just needs to evade the police long enough to find the truth behind the murder…and before the real killer finds her first.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Susan Walter's Running Cold: An Olympic Biathlete, An Eerie Hotel, And So Many POVs Susan Walter, Kate Hergott 00:42:37 crime fiction, reading, thriller, writing process, books true full 173 ec0e12f0-55ce-4c05-a04f-1287d853c0db Halley's Egypt Trip, Books We've Loved, Strange Darling, Oddity & The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives This week, I catch up with Halley Sutton who just got back from her trip to Egypt.  She shares highlights from the trip, and books she read while there, including one with Egypt as a setting.  We talk about bookish news and some 2025 books we are excited for, and dive into the movie Strange Darling, the movie Oddity and the TV show Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.  We basically cover it all!

Books We Talked About

The God of the Woods

What the River Knows

The Favorites

Say Nothing : Memory and Murder

This Book Will Bury Me

Trial By Ambush

This Girl’s a Killer

The Astrology House

House of Hunger

 

TV Shows We Talked About

Secret Lives of Mormon Wives

 

Movies We Talked About

Strange Darling

Oddity

My Old Ass

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 4 Oct 2024 13:52:38 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Halley Sutton, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/halleys-egypt-trip-books-weve-loved-strange-darling-oddity-the-secret-lives-of-mormon-wives-IVbJwnRY This week, I catch up with Halley Sutton who just got back from her trip to Egypt.  She shares highlights from the trip, and books she read while there, including one with Egypt as a setting.  We talk about bookish news and some 2025 books we are excited for, and dive into the movie Strange Darling, the movie Oddity and the TV show Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.  We basically cover it all!

Books We Talked About

The God of the Woods

What the River Knows

The Favorites

Say Nothing : Memory and Murder

This Book Will Bury Me

Trial By Ambush

This Girl’s a Killer

The Astrology House

House of Hunger

 

TV Shows We Talked About

Secret Lives of Mormon Wives

 

Movies We Talked About

Strange Darling

Oddity

My Old Ass

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Halley's Egypt Trip, Books We've Loved, Strange Darling, Oddity & The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Halley Sutton, Kate Hergott 01:30:11 strange darling, oddity, crime fiction, movies, secret lives of mormon wives, fiction, thrillers true full 172 8ad0453d-5826-438d-b487-714f130fdbd4 Lauren Ling Brown's Society of Lies: Secret Societies, Complex Sister Relationships and Dark Academia This week, I talk with Lauren Ling Brown about her debut dark academia thriller Society of Lies!  We dive into the inspiration for the idea, the moral dilemma at its core, and how her personal experiences influenced the novel.

Society of Lies Synopsis

Maya has returned to Princeton for her college reunion—it’s been a decade since she graduated, and she is looking forward to seeing old faces and reminiscing about her time there. This visit is special because Maya will also be attending the graduation of her little sister, Naomi.

But what should have been a dream weekend becomes Maya’s worst nightmare when she receives the news that Naomi is dead. The police are calling it an accident, but Maya suspects that there is more to the story than they are letting on.

As Maya pieces together what happened in the months leading up to her sister’s death, she begins to realize how much Naomi hid from her. Despite Maya’s warnings, Naomi had joined Sterling Club, the most exclusive social club on campus—the same one Maya belonged to. And if she had to guess, Naomi was likely tapped for the secret society within it.

The more Maya uncovers, the more terrified she becomes that Naomi’s decision to follow in her footsteps might have been what got her killed. Because Maya’s time at Princeton wasn’t as wonderful as she’d always made it seem—after all, her sister wasn’t the first young woman to turn up dead. Now every clue is leading Maya back to the past . . . and to the secret she’s kept all these years.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 1 Oct 2024 12:06:12 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Lauren Ling Brown, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/lauren-ling-browns-society-of-lies-secret-societies-complex-sister-relationships-and-dark-academia-XimS2A0a This week, I talk with Lauren Ling Brown about her debut dark academia thriller Society of Lies!  We dive into the inspiration for the idea, the moral dilemma at its core, and how her personal experiences influenced the novel.

Society of Lies Synopsis

Maya has returned to Princeton for her college reunion—it’s been a decade since she graduated, and she is looking forward to seeing old faces and reminiscing about her time there. This visit is special because Maya will also be attending the graduation of her little sister, Naomi.

But what should have been a dream weekend becomes Maya’s worst nightmare when she receives the news that Naomi is dead. The police are calling it an accident, but Maya suspects that there is more to the story than they are letting on.

As Maya pieces together what happened in the months leading up to her sister’s death, she begins to realize how much Naomi hid from her. Despite Maya’s warnings, Naomi had joined Sterling Club, the most exclusive social club on campus—the same one Maya belonged to. And if she had to guess, Naomi was likely tapped for the secret society within it.

The more Maya uncovers, the more terrified she becomes that Naomi’s decision to follow in her footsteps might have been what got her killed. Because Maya’s time at Princeton wasn’t as wonderful as she’d always made it seem—after all, her sister wasn’t the first young woman to turn up dead. Now every clue is leading Maya back to the past . . . and to the secret she’s kept all these years.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Lauren Ling Brown's Society of Lies: Secret Societies, Complex Sister Relationships and Dark Academia Lauren Ling Brown, Kate Hergott 00:28:26 crime fiction, author, thriller, writing process, dark academia true full 171 6e2494be-ea20-4d05-8e53-0e82f6dcbf80 Thrillers with Podcasts with Gare and Steph In "honor" of National Podcast Day on September 30, Gare, Steph and I share some of our favorite thrillers with podcasts in the plots!

Books We Talked About

The Night Swim

Don’t Forget the Girl

Things We Do in the Dark

Listen for the Lie

Penance

Girl, 11

Truth Be Told

Margo’s Got Money Trouble

Sadie

All the Dangerous Things

The Last Housewife

Almost Surely Dead

None of This is True

The Weight of Blood

Six Stories

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 27 Sep 2024 18:55:57 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott, Steph Lauer) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/thrillers-with-podcasts-with-gare-and-steph-qNq7kFLj In "honor" of National Podcast Day on September 30, Gare, Steph and I share some of our favorite thrillers with podcasts in the plots!

Books We Talked About

The Night Swim

Don’t Forget the Girl

Things We Do in the Dark

Listen for the Lie

Penance

Girl, 11

Truth Be Told

Margo’s Got Money Trouble

Sadie

All the Dangerous Things

The Last Housewife

Almost Surely Dead

None of This is True

The Weight of Blood

Six Stories

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thrillers with Podcasts with Gare and Steph Gare Billings, Kate Hergott, Steph Lauer 00:54:54 crime fiction, podcasts, mystery, thrillers true full 170 cdc652c8-657b-4c91-b204-326b61d8a55c Damian McCarthy's Oddity: A Paranormal Horror Whodunit Thriller This week, I talk with Damian McCarthy about his genre-mashup, paranormal horror thriller Oddity.  We dive into how he crafted plot around visuals, and how he brought together multiple ideas into Oddity's fabric.

Oddity Synopsis

A psychic medium attempts to uncover the truth behind her sister's murder at the site of the crime.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 24 Sep 2024 11:59:49 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Damian McCarthy, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/damian-mccarthys-oddity-a-paranormal-horror-whodunit-thriller-8UtJzLFB This week, I talk with Damian McCarthy about his genre-mashup, paranormal horror thriller Oddity.  We dive into how he crafted plot around visuals, and how he brought together multiple ideas into Oddity's fabric.

Oddity Synopsis

A psychic medium attempts to uncover the truth behind her sister's murder at the site of the crime.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Damian McCarthy's Oddity: A Paranormal Horror Whodunit Thriller Damian McCarthy, Kate Hergott 00:57:11 horror, thriller, writing process, paranormal, screenwriting, directing, film true full 169 9b311b73-eacd-4f5a-873a-86f2354940f4 Audra McElyea's Hush, Dear Sister: An Ex-Hollywood Star, A Haunted Mansion and The Red Carpet Killer This week, I talk with Audra McElyea about her newest thriller Hush Dear Sister.  We dive into the inspiration behind the story, the Gothic mansion as its own character, complex sister dynamics and the freedom of self-publishing.

Hush Dear Sister Synopsis

After a tragic accident she can’t quite remember, forty-something-year-old beloved Hollywood actress Annette Taylor finds herself bound to a wheelchair with several injuries. Living in Crawford Manor, the Gothic Hollywood mansion from the film that made her famous, has become too much for her to handle alone, so she must rely on her estranged, child-star sister, Sophia, to help take care of her.

Shortly after a serial killer targeting actresses emerges, the sisters agree to be filmed in the house together for renowned producer and director Frank Baxter’s new documentary about their life. Only Annette seems to be getting worse, and the rumored hauntings inside Crawford Manor prove to be more than just Hollywood legend.

When Annette’s ex-fiancé, Charlie, and her actress best friend, Monroe, grow suspicious of Sophia’s motives, they plan to remove her from Annette’s house, but more trouble ensues when they're faced with accusations of their own. Everyone finds themselves at odds with one another in a race against time and a serial killer, but trying to figure out what happened the night of Annette’s accident and how it’s connected to the Red-Carpet Killer could give them all the answers they’re looking for.
 

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Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 20 Sep 2024 12:43:37 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Audra McElyea, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/audra-mcelyeas-hush-dear-sister-an-ex-hollywood-star-a-haunted-mansion-and-the-red-carpet-killer-xciIYFyp This week, I talk with Audra McElyea about her newest thriller Hush Dear Sister.  We dive into the inspiration behind the story, the Gothic mansion as its own character, complex sister dynamics and the freedom of self-publishing.

Hush Dear Sister Synopsis

After a tragic accident she can’t quite remember, forty-something-year-old beloved Hollywood actress Annette Taylor finds herself bound to a wheelchair with several injuries. Living in Crawford Manor, the Gothic Hollywood mansion from the film that made her famous, has become too much for her to handle alone, so she must rely on her estranged, child-star sister, Sophia, to help take care of her.

Shortly after a serial killer targeting actresses emerges, the sisters agree to be filmed in the house together for renowned producer and director Frank Baxter’s new documentary about their life. Only Annette seems to be getting worse, and the rumored hauntings inside Crawford Manor prove to be more than just Hollywood legend.

When Annette’s ex-fiancé, Charlie, and her actress best friend, Monroe, grow suspicious of Sophia’s motives, they plan to remove her from Annette’s house, but more trouble ensues when they're faced with accusations of their own. Everyone finds themselves at odds with one another in a race against time and a serial killer, but trying to figure out what happened the night of Annette’s accident and how it’s connected to the Red-Carpet Killer could give them all the answers they’re looking for.
 

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Audra McElyea's Hush, Dear Sister: An Ex-Hollywood Star, A Haunted Mansion and The Red Carpet Killer Audra McElyea, Kate Hergott 00:32:10 self-publishing, crime fiction, psychological thriller, thriller, writing process true full 168 dc485d82-ba1a-4212-a71b-ab7f550df360 Marjan Kamali's The Lion Women of Tehran: Friendship, Feminism and Religious Fundamentalism This week, I talk with Marjan Kamali about her beautiful novel about friendship, The Lion Women of Tehran.  We dive into how the book covers the nature of childhood friendships, the vast spectrum of being a Lion Woman, and the jarring aftermath of women losing their rights almost overnight to religious fundamentalists in Iran.

The Lion Women of Tehran Synopsis

In 1950s Tehran, seven-year-old Ellie lives in grand comfort until the untimely death of her father, forcing Ellie and her mother to move to a tiny home downtown. Lonely and bearing the brunt of her mother’s endless grievances, Ellie dreams of a friend to alleviate her isolation.

Luckily, on the first day of school, she meets Homa, a kind, passionate girl with a brave and irrepressible spirit. Together, the two girls play games, learn to cook in the stone kitchen of Homa’s warm home, wander through the colorful stalls of the Grand Bazaar, and share their ambitions for becoming “lion women.”

But their happiness is disrupted when Ellie and her mother are afforded the opportunity to return to their previous bourgeois life. Now a popular student at the best girls’ high school in Iran, Ellie’s memories of Homa begin to fade. Years later, however, her sudden reappearance in Ellie’s privileged world alters the course of both of their lives.

Together, the two young women come of age and pursue their own goals for meaningful futures. But as the political turmoil in Iran builds to a breaking point, one earth-shattering betrayal will have enormous consequences.

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Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 17 Sep 2024 14:48:15 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Marjan Kamali, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/marjan-kamalis-the-lion-women-of-tehran-friendship-feminism-and-religious-fundamentalism-RTbqXMjF This week, I talk with Marjan Kamali about her beautiful novel about friendship, The Lion Women of Tehran.  We dive into how the book covers the nature of childhood friendships, the vast spectrum of being a Lion Woman, and the jarring aftermath of women losing their rights almost overnight to religious fundamentalists in Iran.

The Lion Women of Tehran Synopsis

In 1950s Tehran, seven-year-old Ellie lives in grand comfort until the untimely death of her father, forcing Ellie and her mother to move to a tiny home downtown. Lonely and bearing the brunt of her mother’s endless grievances, Ellie dreams of a friend to alleviate her isolation.

Luckily, on the first day of school, she meets Homa, a kind, passionate girl with a brave and irrepressible spirit. Together, the two girls play games, learn to cook in the stone kitchen of Homa’s warm home, wander through the colorful stalls of the Grand Bazaar, and share their ambitions for becoming “lion women.”

But their happiness is disrupted when Ellie and her mother are afforded the opportunity to return to their previous bourgeois life. Now a popular student at the best girls’ high school in Iran, Ellie’s memories of Homa begin to fade. Years later, however, her sudden reappearance in Ellie’s privileged world alters the course of both of their lives.

Together, the two young women come of age and pursue their own goals for meaningful futures. But as the political turmoil in Iran builds to a breaking point, one earth-shattering betrayal will have enormous consequences.

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Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Marjan Kamali's The Lion Women of Tehran: Friendship, Feminism and Religious Fundamentalism Marjan Kamali, Kate Hergott 00:50:33 historical fiction, persian culture, iran, theran, fiction, feminism true full 167 c2282fcb-a358-4c9a-af1e-53b238983e05 What to Read If You're Obsessed with Tell Me Lies This week, Gare, Steph and I share books to read if the sleazy, sexy, toxic, dark academia of Tell Me Lies has you in a chokehold!

 

Books We Talked About

Ladykiller

We Love the Night Life

Only If You’re Lucky

An Academy for Liars

A Lovely Lie

The Favorite Sister

None of This Is True

Like You Hate Me

 

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 13 Sep 2024 12:53:12 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Steph Lauer, Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/what-to-read-if-youre-obsessed-with-tell-me-lies-otS92Dcn This week, Gare, Steph and I share books to read if the sleazy, sexy, toxic, dark academia of Tell Me Lies has you in a chokehold!

 

Books We Talked About

Ladykiller

We Love the Night Life

Only If You’re Lucky

An Academy for Liars

A Lovely Lie

The Favorite Sister

None of This Is True

Like You Hate Me

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> What to Read If You're Obsessed with Tell Me Lies Steph Lauer, Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 00:54:35 crime fiction, tell me lies, mystery, fiction, psychological drama, thrillers true full 166 c1a0c963-3de8-4a96-b6e1-90db5785c88d Emily Layden's Once More From the Top: Fame, Misogyny, and Parasocial Relationships Emily Layden joins me to talk about her new contemporary fiction novel Once More From The Top!  We dive into her inspiration for the book, and our shared obsession with the many facets of fame.

Once More From The Top Synopsis

Everyone in America knows Dylan Read, or at least has heard her music. Since releasing her debut album her senior year of high school, Dylan’s spent fifteen years growing up in the public eye. She’s not only perfected her skills when it comes to lyrics and melody; she’s also learned how to craft a public narrative that satisfies her fans, her label, and the media. In the circles of fame and celebrity in which she now travels, the careful maintenance of Dylan Read pop star is often more important than the songs themselves.

And so lots of people think they understand everything about Dylan Read. But what no one knows is the part of her origin story she has successfully kept hidden: her childhood best friend Kelsey vanished the year before Dylan became famous. Now, as Dylan’s at the height of her career, Kelsey’s body is found at the bottom of their hometown lake—forcing Dylan to reckon with their shared past, her friend’s influence on her music, and whether there’s more to their story than meets the eye.

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 10 Sep 2024 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Emily Layden, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/emily-laydens-once-more-from-the-top-fame-misogyny-and-parasocial-relationships-ZXSfPFwQ Emily Layden joins me to talk about her new contemporary fiction novel Once More From The Top!  We dive into her inspiration for the book, and our shared obsession with the many facets of fame.

Once More From The Top Synopsis

Everyone in America knows Dylan Read, or at least has heard her music. Since releasing her debut album her senior year of high school, Dylan’s spent fifteen years growing up in the public eye. She’s not only perfected her skills when it comes to lyrics and melody; she’s also learned how to craft a public narrative that satisfies her fans, her label, and the media. In the circles of fame and celebrity in which she now travels, the careful maintenance of Dylan Read pop star is often more important than the songs themselves.

And so lots of people think they understand everything about Dylan Read. But what no one knows is the part of her origin story she has successfully kept hidden: her childhood best friend Kelsey vanished the year before Dylan became famous. Now, as Dylan’s at the height of her career, Kelsey’s body is found at the bottom of their hometown lake—forcing Dylan to reckon with their shared past, her friend’s influence on her music, and whether there’s more to their story than meets the eye.

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Emily Layden's Once More From the Top: Fame, Misogyny, and Parasocial Relationships Emily Layden, Kate Hergott 01:03:05 celebrity, music production, contemporary fiction, mystery, writing process, fiction, fame true full 165 916c3cad-4d09-4f0d-8b7c-8b8471ee22d7 Caileigh's @thebookpear Favorite Reads from 2024 This week, Caileigh Hynes @thebookpear joins me and shares 5 of her favorite reads in 2024 so far!  We dive into what we love about thrillers, how she started her account, and our matching pet names!

Books We Talked About

Kill for Me Kill for You

The Return of Ellie Black

Look Closer

She’s Not Sorry

Murder Road

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 6 Sep 2024 12:17:13 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Caileigh Hynes, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/caileighs-thebookpear-favorite-reads-from-2024-ElSLm29v This week, Caileigh Hynes @thebookpear joins me and shares 5 of her favorite reads in 2024 so far!  We dive into what we love about thrillers, how she started her account, and our matching pet names!

Books We Talked About

Kill for Me Kill for You

The Return of Ellie Black

Look Closer

She’s Not Sorry

Murder Road

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Caileigh's @thebookpear Favorite Reads from 2024 Caileigh Hynes, Kate Hergott 00:40:50 bookstagram, crime fiction, mystery, books, thrillers true full 164 b96b8473-6d99-4049-aaaf-df8026d721b6 Hannah D Sharpe's Between Lies and Revenge: Cons, MLMs and Revenge This week, I talk with Hannah D Sharpe about her new domestic suspense Between Lies and Revenge.  We dive into how she learned about gemology, her experiences with MLMs, and found family.

Between Lies and Revenge Synopsis

Years after the death of her brother and the theft of her heirloom jewelry, ex-con Elle is on the run ... until she spots a stranger wearing a signature piece. Determined to take back what is hers, Elle stalks and befriends the woman, using her gemology skills as a ruse. Elle offers to appraise and clean the jewelry, replicating and replacing the pieces instead.

Olivia is drowning. She maxes out credit cards behind her financially-strict husband's back in order to pay for fertility treatments, keep her blackmailing father at bay, and maintain appearances with her wealthy friends and their cultist MLM social circles. When Olivia meets Elle, she finally feels understood ... and inspired.

With Elle’s expertise and Olivia’s connections, the two start a side-hustle by way of home jewelry appraisal parties. When this isn't lucrative enough, they develop the perfect con: switching rich housewives’ gems with fakes. But their hidden truths get in the way of their success, and each other. Before their secrets bury them, they must confess their lies to one another and trust their final con will exact the revenge that’ll secure their freedom, and their lives.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 3 Sep 2024 11:43:40 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Hannah D Sharpe, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/hannah-d-sharpes-between-lies-and-revenge-cons-mlms-and-revenge-vy37ZAx2 This week, I talk with Hannah D Sharpe about her new domestic suspense Between Lies and Revenge.  We dive into how she learned about gemology, her experiences with MLMs, and found family.

Between Lies and Revenge Synopsis

Years after the death of her brother and the theft of her heirloom jewelry, ex-con Elle is on the run ... until she spots a stranger wearing a signature piece. Determined to take back what is hers, Elle stalks and befriends the woman, using her gemology skills as a ruse. Elle offers to appraise and clean the jewelry, replicating and replacing the pieces instead.

Olivia is drowning. She maxes out credit cards behind her financially-strict husband's back in order to pay for fertility treatments, keep her blackmailing father at bay, and maintain appearances with her wealthy friends and their cultist MLM social circles. When Olivia meets Elle, she finally feels understood ... and inspired.

With Elle’s expertise and Olivia’s connections, the two start a side-hustle by way of home jewelry appraisal parties. When this isn't lucrative enough, they develop the perfect con: switching rich housewives’ gems with fakes. But their hidden truths get in the way of their success, and each other. Before their secrets bury them, they must confess their lies to one another and trust their final con will exact the revenge that’ll secure their freedom, and their lives.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Hannah D Sharpe's Between Lies and Revenge: Cons, MLMs and Revenge Hannah D Sharpe, Kate Hergott 00:30:23 writing, crime fiction, suspense, author, thrillers true full 163 60925f61-833b-4d5e-99f0-5847431fca75 Chelsea Bieker's Madwoman: Motherhood, and Cycle Breakers This week, I got to talk with Chelsea Bieker about her powerful emotional suspense novel Madwoman.  We dive into the story's exploration of motherhood, traumatic childhoods, coping mechanisms, anxiety and integration.  

Madwoman Synopsis

The world is not made for mothers.
Yet mothers made the world…

Clove has gone to extremes to keep her past a secret. Thanks to her lies, she’s landed the life of her dreams, complete with a safe husband and two adoring children who will never know the terror that was routine in her own childhood. If her buried anxiety threatens to breach the surface, Clove (if that is really her name) focuses on finding the right supplement, the right gratitude meditation. 

But when she receives a letter from a women’s prison in California, her past comes screeching into the present, entangling her in a dangerous game with memory and the people she thought she had outrun. As we race between her precarious present-day life in Portland, Oregon and her childhood in a Waikiki high-rise with her mother and father, Clove is forced to finally unravel the defining day of her life. How did she survive that day, and what will it take to end the cycle of violence? Will the truth undo her, or could it ultimately save her?

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 3 Sep 2024 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Chelsea Bieker, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/chelsea-biekers-madwoman-motherhood-and-cycle-breakers-MeCtglV_ This week, I got to talk with Chelsea Bieker about her powerful emotional suspense novel Madwoman.  We dive into the story's exploration of motherhood, traumatic childhoods, coping mechanisms, anxiety and integration.  

Madwoman Synopsis

The world is not made for mothers.
Yet mothers made the world…

Clove has gone to extremes to keep her past a secret. Thanks to her lies, she’s landed the life of her dreams, complete with a safe husband and two adoring children who will never know the terror that was routine in her own childhood. If her buried anxiety threatens to breach the surface, Clove (if that is really her name) focuses on finding the right supplement, the right gratitude meditation. 

But when she receives a letter from a women’s prison in California, her past comes screeching into the present, entangling her in a dangerous game with memory and the people she thought she had outrun. As we race between her precarious present-day life in Portland, Oregon and her childhood in a Waikiki high-rise with her mother and father, Clove is forced to finally unravel the defining day of her life. How did she survive that day, and what will it take to end the cycle of violence? Will the truth undo her, or could it ultimately save her?

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Chelsea Bieker's Madwoman: Motherhood, and Cycle Breakers Chelsea Bieker, Kate Hergott 01:02:26 domestic violence, crime fiction, suspense, fiction true full 162 b16e4d8c-74cc-4161-a88c-5da52a57bc74 Fatal Intrusion by Jeffery Deaver and Isabella Maldonado: A Serial Killer, Hackers and an Unlikely Duo This week, I got to talk with Jeffery Deaver and Isabella Maldonado about their new action thriller Fatal Intrusion.  We dive into their joint writing process, the inception of the story, and creating a killer obsessed with spiders.

Fatal Intrusion Synopsis

Carmen Sanchez is a tough Homeland Security agent who plays by the rules. But when her sister is attacked, revealing a connection to a series of murders across Southern California, she realizes a conventional investigation will not be enough to stop the ruthless perpetrator.

With nowhere else to turn, Sanchez enlists the aid of Professor Jake Heron, a brilliant and quirky private security expert who, unlike Sanchez, believes rules are merely suggestions. The two have a troubled past, but he owes her a favor and she’s cashing in. They team up to catch the assailant, who, mystifyingly, has no discernable motive and fits no classic criminal profile. All they have to go on is a distinctive tattoo and a singular obsession that gives this chillingly efficient tactician his nickname: Spider.

Over the next seventy-two hours, Sanchez and Heron find themselves in the midst of a lethal chess match with the killer as they race to stop the carnage. As the victims mount, so do the risks. Because this spider’s web of intrigue is more sinister—and goes far deeper—than anyone could possibly anticipate.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Sun, 1 Sep 2024 10:49:27 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Jeffery Deaver, Isabella Maldonado, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/fatal-intrusion-by-jeffery-deaver-and-isabella-maldonado-a-serial-killer-hackers-and-an-unlikely-duo-Z_jiNk7B This week, I got to talk with Jeffery Deaver and Isabella Maldonado about their new action thriller Fatal Intrusion.  We dive into their joint writing process, the inception of the story, and creating a killer obsessed with spiders.

Fatal Intrusion Synopsis

Carmen Sanchez is a tough Homeland Security agent who plays by the rules. But when her sister is attacked, revealing a connection to a series of murders across Southern California, she realizes a conventional investigation will not be enough to stop the ruthless perpetrator.

With nowhere else to turn, Sanchez enlists the aid of Professor Jake Heron, a brilliant and quirky private security expert who, unlike Sanchez, believes rules are merely suggestions. The two have a troubled past, but he owes her a favor and she’s cashing in. They team up to catch the assailant, who, mystifyingly, has no discernable motive and fits no classic criminal profile. All they have to go on is a distinctive tattoo and a singular obsession that gives this chillingly efficient tactician his nickname: Spider.

Over the next seventy-two hours, Sanchez and Heron find themselves in the midst of a lethal chess match with the killer as they race to stop the carnage. As the victims mount, so do the risks. Because this spider’s web of intrigue is more sinister—and goes far deeper—than anyone could possibly anticipate.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fatal Intrusion by Jeffery Deaver and Isabella Maldonado: A Serial Killer, Hackers and an Unlikely Duo Jeffery Deaver, Isabella Maldonado, Kate Hergott 00:46:21 crime fiction, thriller, mystery, writing process, authors true full 161 49558289-9edc-4dbd-af2d-6e7df3f2a3bc Yapping About How Much We Love Books with MacKenzie Green This week, MacKenzie Green joins the show, and we talk about our shared love for reading, how reading expands empathy, and five books that define her reading style!

Books We Talked About

Creativity, Inc.

My Government Means to Kill Me

The Immortalists

Wordslut

The Swimmers

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 30 Aug 2024 11:48:08 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (MacKenzie Green, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/yapping-about-how-much-we-love-books-with-mackenzie-green-fS_98_XW This week, MacKenzie Green joins the show, and we talk about our shared love for reading, how reading expands empathy, and five books that define her reading style!

Books We Talked About

Creativity, Inc.

My Government Means to Kill Me

The Immortalists

Wordslut

The Swimmers

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Yapping About How Much We Love Books with MacKenzie Green MacKenzie Green, Kate Hergott 01:20:49 empathy, reading, fiction, books, non-fiction true full 160 55631146-50e8-4c9a-860e-0aff69606ec9 How Reading Increases Empathy with Halley Sutton This week, Halley Sutton and I dive into an NYU study that showed how reading raises empathy, and share books that have expanded our empathy as well.

Books We Talked About

Dear America Series

Hurt for Me

Dear Dickhead

Daisy Jones and the Six

The Force of Such Beauty

The Push

Little Deaths

Missing White Woman

The Reformatory

Did You Hear About Kitty Karr?

Say Hello to My Little Friend

The Lion Women of Tehran

Star Girl

Since She’s Been Gone

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 27 Aug 2024 12:43:47 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Halley Sutton, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/how-reading-increases-empathy-with-halley-sutton-srEeGnPI This week, Halley Sutton and I dive into an NYU study that showed how reading raises empathy, and share books that have expanded our empathy as well.

Books We Talked About

Dear America Series

Hurt for Me

Dear Dickhead

Daisy Jones and the Six

The Force of Such Beauty

The Push

Little Deaths

Missing White Woman

The Reformatory

Did You Hear About Kitty Karr?

Say Hello to My Little Friend

The Lion Women of Tehran

Star Girl

Since She’s Been Gone

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> How Reading Increases Empathy with Halley Sutton Halley Sutton, Kate Hergott 01:09:50 crime fiction, empathy, reading, fiction, books, thrillers true full 159 dae350ac-a3a2-4c2a-a25d-37bc080af49a 2024 Fall Thrillers We Can't Wait to Read with Gare Billings This week, Gare and I dive into our very long lists of fall books we can't wait to read!

Books We Talked About

Where They Last Saw Her

The Bachelorette Party

Madwoman

Society of Lies

Between Lies and Revenge

This Girl’s a Killer

Once More from the Top

Leave the Girls Behind

An Academy for Liars

The Blue Hour

Running Cold

The Boyfriend 

It Will Only Hurt For A Moment

Fair Catch 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 23 Aug 2024 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/2024-fall-thrillers-we-cant-wait-to-read-with-gare-billings-iLpqn2ik This week, Gare and I dive into our very long lists of fall books we can't wait to read!

Books We Talked About

Where They Last Saw Her

The Bachelorette Party

Madwoman

Society of Lies

Between Lies and Revenge

This Girl’s a Killer

Once More from the Top

Leave the Girls Behind

An Academy for Liars

The Blue Hour

Running Cold

The Boyfriend 

It Will Only Hurt For A Moment

Fair Catch 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> 2024 Fall Thrillers We Can't Wait to Read with Gare Billings Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 01:03:21 bookstagram, crime fiction, thriller, mystery true full 158 84b3252b-c80a-4a6d-98b6-3150cf426b22 Eye of the Beholder by Emma Bamford: A Vertigo Retelling from the Female Gaze This week, I talk with Emma Bamford about her thriller Eye of the Beholder, a feminist retelling of Hitchcock's Vertigo.  We dive into what inspired her to write a Vertigo-inspired thriller, and how well the story of controlling image still fits modern times.

Eye of the Beholder Synopsis

When Maddy Wight is hired to ghostwrite the memoir of world-renowned cosmetic surgeon Dr. Angela Reynolds, she thinks it might just be her chance to get her career back on track. She travels to Angela’s remote estate in the Scottish Highlands to hunker down and learn everything she can. But the deeper she digs, the more elusive the doctor becomes. Is there more hidden beneath the surface of the kaleidoscopic beauty industry than Angela wants to reveal?

Sharing the estate is Angela’s enigmatic business partner, Scott, whose mercurial moods change as quickly as the conditions on the darkening moors outside. Confined to the glass-walled house, Maddy can’t shake the feeling of being watched. As objects go missing, handprints appear on the windows, and a stranger lurks in the grounds, she finds herself drawn ever closer to Scott. Returning to London once the book is finished, Maddy is excited for their future together. But her dreams are shattered at the book launch when Angela learns that Scott has leapt to his death from the Scottish cliffs.

Which is why, months later and lost in a fog of grief, Maddy is completely blindsided when she sees Scott entering the Tube station just in front of her. It can’t be him, can it? After all, Scott is dead...or is he?

In exploring the differences between looking and seeing, surface and depth, and the power of the female gaze, this tribute to Hitchcock’s 1958 film masterpiece asks: If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, how much can you trust what you see?

Follow Emma on Instagram

Follow Kate on Instagram

 

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 20 Aug 2024 13:40:16 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Emma Bamford, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/eye-of-the-beholder-by-emma-bamford-a-vertigo-retelling-from-the-female-gaze-v4UYmENt This week, I talk with Emma Bamford about her thriller Eye of the Beholder, a feminist retelling of Hitchcock's Vertigo.  We dive into what inspired her to write a Vertigo-inspired thriller, and how well the story of controlling image still fits modern times.

Eye of the Beholder Synopsis

When Maddy Wight is hired to ghostwrite the memoir of world-renowned cosmetic surgeon Dr. Angela Reynolds, she thinks it might just be her chance to get her career back on track. She travels to Angela’s remote estate in the Scottish Highlands to hunker down and learn everything she can. But the deeper she digs, the more elusive the doctor becomes. Is there more hidden beneath the surface of the kaleidoscopic beauty industry than Angela wants to reveal?

Sharing the estate is Angela’s enigmatic business partner, Scott, whose mercurial moods change as quickly as the conditions on the darkening moors outside. Confined to the glass-walled house, Maddy can’t shake the feeling of being watched. As objects go missing, handprints appear on the windows, and a stranger lurks in the grounds, she finds herself drawn ever closer to Scott. Returning to London once the book is finished, Maddy is excited for their future together. But her dreams are shattered at the book launch when Angela learns that Scott has leapt to his death from the Scottish cliffs.

Which is why, months later and lost in a fog of grief, Maddy is completely blindsided when she sees Scott entering the Tube station just in front of her. It can’t be him, can it? After all, Scott is dead...or is he?

In exploring the differences between looking and seeing, surface and depth, and the power of the female gaze, this tribute to Hitchcock’s 1958 film masterpiece asks: If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, how much can you trust what you see?

Follow Emma on Instagram

Follow Kate on Instagram

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Eye of the Beholder by Emma Bamford: A Vertigo Retelling from the Female Gaze Emma Bamford, Kate Hergott 00:23:28 crime fiction, alfred hitchcock, mystery, vertigo, thrillers true full 157 062f56d9-fc6c-461f-a911-b4361583cac9 All the Missing Girls By Linda Hurtado Bond: A Missing Sister, Brujerias and Revenge This week, I talk with Linda Hurtado Bond about her new action thriller All the Missing Girls.  We dive into how her husband helps her write, and how her job as an television news anchor influences her writing.

All the Missing Girls Synopsis

As a crime reporter for a Tampa TV news station, Mari Alvarez knows when an investigation enters dangerous territory. But with her estranged sister missing and almost no information to go on, Mari can’t trust anyone but herself to find the truth. Now she has just 48 hours to sneak into Cuba undetected, track down her sister…and pray to her orisha that she’s not too late.

This is nothing like reporting in her neighborhood, though--a place she knows like the back of her hand. In Havana she has no contacts and only an ice-cold trail of cryptic clues. When Detective Tony Garcia offers to help, Mari puts aside her instincts and tries to let someone in. But soon they’re caught in a maze of lies, deception, and an undercurrent of the island’s own witchcraft, a sinister Brujería.

Every lead draws Mari further into this world of shadows, especially when her sister isn’t the only young woman who’s gone missing. Each step pushes Mari and Tony toward a revelation they never saw coming. And as they close in on the horrifying truth, one thing becomes clear…no one will let them leave Cuba alive.

 

Follow Kate on Instagram

Follow Linda on Instagram

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Mon, 19 Aug 2024 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Linda Hurtado Bond, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/all-the-missing-girls-by-linda-hurtado-bond-a-missing-sister-brujerias-and-revenge-gJP_R3Lo This week, I talk with Linda Hurtado Bond about her new action thriller All the Missing Girls.  We dive into how her husband helps her write, and how her job as an television news anchor influences her writing.

All the Missing Girls Synopsis

As a crime reporter for a Tampa TV news station, Mari Alvarez knows when an investigation enters dangerous territory. But with her estranged sister missing and almost no information to go on, Mari can’t trust anyone but herself to find the truth. Now she has just 48 hours to sneak into Cuba undetected, track down her sister…and pray to her orisha that she’s not too late.

This is nothing like reporting in her neighborhood, though--a place she knows like the back of her hand. In Havana she has no contacts and only an ice-cold trail of cryptic clues. When Detective Tony Garcia offers to help, Mari puts aside her instincts and tries to let someone in. But soon they’re caught in a maze of lies, deception, and an undercurrent of the island’s own witchcraft, a sinister Brujería.

Every lead draws Mari further into this world of shadows, especially when her sister isn’t the only young woman who’s gone missing. Each step pushes Mari and Tony toward a revelation they never saw coming. And as they close in on the horrifying truth, one thing becomes clear…no one will let them leave Cuba alive.

 

Follow Kate on Instagram

Follow Linda on Instagram

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Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> All the Missing Girls By Linda Hurtado Bond: A Missing Sister, Brujerias and Revenge Linda Hurtado Bond, Kate Hergott 00:34:42 bookstagram, crime fiction, thriller, mysteryb, action thriller true full 156 b5c0fc48-10b3-45a4-8767-9d049fbb0f5d Books That Got Us Into Reading, Changed Our Life and Changed Our Brain Chemistry with Gare Billings and Steph Lauer This week, Gare and Steph and I talk about books that got us into reading, changed our lives, and changed our brain chemistry!

Books That Got Us Into Reading

Heartsick

The Good Girl

The Fact of a Body

 

Books That Changed Our Life

A Density of Souls

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

And Then She Was Gone

 

Books That Changed Our Brain Chemistry

The Shards

The Good Daughter

The Chain Gang All Stars

 

Books We’re Reading

The Lion Women of Tehran

The Lies We Told

Talking to Strangers

 

Follow us on Instagram:

Kate

Gare

Steph

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 16 Aug 2024 11:09:35 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Steph Lauer, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/books-that-got-us-into-reading-changed-our-life-and-changed-our-brain-chemistry-with-gare-billings-and-steph-lauer-QnwKPz3A This week, Gare and Steph and I talk about books that got us into reading, changed our lives, and changed our brain chemistry!

Books That Got Us Into Reading

Heartsick

The Good Girl

The Fact of a Body

 

Books That Changed Our Life

A Density of Souls

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

And Then She Was Gone

 

Books That Changed Our Brain Chemistry

The Shards

The Good Daughter

The Chain Gang All Stars

 

Books We’re Reading

The Lion Women of Tehran

The Lies We Told

Talking to Strangers

 

Follow us on Instagram:

Kate

Gare

Steph

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Books That Got Us Into Reading, Changed Our Life and Changed Our Brain Chemistry with Gare Billings and Steph Lauer Gare Billings, Steph Lauer, Kate Hergott 01:05:12 bookstagram, crime fiction, booktok, mystery, fiction, thrillers true full 155 32481115-049d-44ca-9ff9-99b335549cef What Makes Stories Scary with Halley Sutton This week, I'm back with Halley Sutton and we dive into what makes something scary.  We discuss different movie and book concepts and the way different scary sub-genres scare different people.  My audio also recorded through my camera instead of my microphone, so sorry for the audio quality in advance.

Books We Talked About

This Family Lies

Stalker

The Chestnut Man

Maeve Fly

The Return

 

Movies We Talked About

Longlegs

Oddity

Late Night with the Devil

A Quiet Place: Day One

Maxxxine

 

Follow Kate on Instagram

Follow Halley on Instagram

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 9 Aug 2024 14:10:03 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Halley Sutton, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/what-makes-stories-scary-with-halley-sutton-_0uzg4te This week, I'm back with Halley Sutton and we dive into what makes something scary.  We discuss different movie and book concepts and the way different scary sub-genres scare different people.  My audio also recorded through my camera instead of my microphone, so sorry for the audio quality in advance.

Books We Talked About

This Family Lies

Stalker

The Chestnut Man

Maeve Fly

The Return

 

Movies We Talked About

Longlegs

Oddity

Late Night with the Devil

A Quiet Place: Day One

Maxxxine

 

Follow Kate on Instagram

Follow Halley on Instagram

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> What Makes Stories Scary with Halley Sutton Halley Sutton, Kate Hergott 01:13:46 scary movies, crime fiction, psychological thriller, horror, thriller true full 154 0ed8016f-0211-4235-9c7a-36262182eb73 The Outlier by Elisabeth Eaves: A Female Corrective to the Psychopath Thriller This week, I talk with Elisabeth Eaves about her thriller The Outlier.  We dive into what attracted her to writing an "unlikeable" female psychopath for the main character, and the quandary of hurting few to help the many.

The Outlier Synopsis

Cate Winter, at 34, is a wildly successful neuroscientist and entrepreneur who has invented a cure for Alzheimer's that will improve the lives of millions. On the verge of selling her biotech company for an obscene sum, she is also about to become very rich.

But Cate has a secret that keeps her deeply uneasy about everything she is and does: she grew up at the Cleckley Institute, a treatment facility for the rehabilitation of psychopathic children. And, as far as she knows, she is the institute's only success: all of her peers have become thwarted, maladjusted or even criminal adults.

Then Cate discovers the existence of another ex-patient and outlier who might prove that her success isn't a fluke. He has not only stayed out of jail, but he's made a mark in business and science. Though his identity is confidential, she breaks the rules and drops everything to track him down. And when she finds him, living under an assumed name in Baja California, she is immediately obsessed. Like her, he is driven and brilliant, an innovator willing to do what it takes to perfect a new energy technology that will stop global warming. Here, at last, is her mirror, her ultimate collaborator, the possible answer to the enigma of her nature.

But in the wake of a mysterious death, Cate can't avoid suspecting him. If he is involved, do his ends justify his means? Ruthless herself, she's about to find out whether there are any moral lines she won't cross.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 6 Aug 2024 11:24:21 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Elisabeth Eaves, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/the-outlier-by-elisabeth-eaves-a-female-corrective-to-the-psychopath-thriller-Y9rUgoR4 This week, I talk with Elisabeth Eaves about her thriller The Outlier.  We dive into what attracted her to writing an "unlikeable" female psychopath for the main character, and the quandary of hurting few to help the many.

The Outlier Synopsis

Cate Winter, at 34, is a wildly successful neuroscientist and entrepreneur who has invented a cure for Alzheimer's that will improve the lives of millions. On the verge of selling her biotech company for an obscene sum, she is also about to become very rich.

But Cate has a secret that keeps her deeply uneasy about everything she is and does: she grew up at the Cleckley Institute, a treatment facility for the rehabilitation of psychopathic children. And, as far as she knows, she is the institute's only success: all of her peers have become thwarted, maladjusted or even criminal adults.

Then Cate discovers the existence of another ex-patient and outlier who might prove that her success isn't a fluke. He has not only stayed out of jail, but he's made a mark in business and science. Though his identity is confidential, she breaks the rules and drops everything to track him down. And when she finds him, living under an assumed name in Baja California, she is immediately obsessed. Like her, he is driven and brilliant, an innovator willing to do what it takes to perfect a new energy technology that will stop global warming. Here, at last, is her mirror, her ultimate collaborator, the possible answer to the enigma of her nature.

But in the wake of a mysterious death, Cate can't avoid suspecting him. If he is involved, do his ends justify his means? Ruthless herself, she's about to find out whether there are any moral lines she won't cross.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> The Outlier by Elisabeth Eaves: A Female Corrective to the Psychopath Thriller Elisabeth Eaves, Kate Hergott 00:33:30 crime fiction, psychological thriller, author, thriller, psychopath true full 153 2f4bf741-7bd3-4904-88f3-c973c845b9bb Serial Killer Thrillers, Action Thrillers and Psychological Thrillers with Gare and Steph This week, Gare and Steph are both on the podcast and we all talk about books from our favorite thriller sub-genres!  Gare shares serial killer thrillers, I share action thrillers, and Steph shares "am I going crazy" psychological thrillers.

Books We Talked About

Gare - Serial Killer Thrillers

Jar of Hearts

Please See Us

Bright Young Women

 

Kate - Action Thrillers

Alias Emma

Assassins Anonymous

The Recruiter

 

Steph - Psychological Thrillers

Bloodline

When She Was Me

Like It Never Was

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 2 Aug 2024 12:39:06 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Bookwild Collective) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/serial-killer-thrillers-action-thrillers-and-psychological-thrillers-with-gare-and-steph-mUWE_IbN This week, Gare and Steph are both on the podcast and we all talk about books from our favorite thriller sub-genres!  Gare shares serial killer thrillers, I share action thrillers, and Steph shares "am I going crazy" psychological thrillers.

Books We Talked About

Gare - Serial Killer Thrillers

Jar of Hearts

Please See Us

Bright Young Women

 

Kate - Action Thrillers

Alias Emma

Assassins Anonymous

The Recruiter

 

Steph - Psychological Thrillers

Bloodline

When She Was Me

Like It Never Was

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Serial Killer Thrillers, Action Thrillers and Psychological Thrillers with Gare and Steph Bookwild Collective 01:06:24 readers, crime fiction, mystery, fiction, thrillers true full 152 c07e63d1-93b3-4de4-8f22-4ee9eee33505 Not What She Seems by Yasmin Angoe: Small Town Theatrics, The "Prodigal" Brodie Girl, and Complex Family Relationships Today, I talk with Yasmin Angoe about her new domestic thriller Not What She Seems!  We talk about the end of the Nena Knight series, how we both miss Nena, and how appearances not always being what they seem inspired her new novel.

Not What She Seems Synopsis

After years of self-exile, Jacinda “Jac” Brodie is back in Brook Haven, South Carolina. But the small cliffside town no longer feels like home. Jac hasn’t been there since the beloved chief of police fell to his death—and all the whispers said she was to blame.

That chief was Jac’s father.

Racked with guilt, Jac left town with no plans to return. But when her granddad lands in the hospital, she rushes back to her family, bracing herself to confront the past.

Brook Haven feels different now. Wealthy newcomer Faye Arden has transformed the notorious Moor Manor into a quaint country inn. Jac’s convinced something sinister lurks beneath Faye’s perfect exterior, yet the whole town fawns over their charismatic new benefactor. And when Jac discovers one of her granddad’s prized possessions in Faye’s office, she knows she has to be right.

But as Jac continues to dig, she stumbles upon dangerous truths that hit too close to home. With not only her life but also her family’s safety on the line, Jac discovers that maybe some secrets are better left buried.

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thu, 1 Aug 2024 19:02:06 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Bookwild Collective) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/not-what-she-seems-by-yasmin-angoe-small-town-theatrics-the-prodigal-brodie-girl-and-complex-family-relationships-oSJ35VPz Today, I talk with Yasmin Angoe about her new domestic thriller Not What She Seems!  We talk about the end of the Nena Knight series, how we both miss Nena, and how appearances not always being what they seem inspired her new novel.

Not What She Seems Synopsis

After years of self-exile, Jacinda “Jac” Brodie is back in Brook Haven, South Carolina. But the small cliffside town no longer feels like home. Jac hasn’t been there since the beloved chief of police fell to his death—and all the whispers said she was to blame.

That chief was Jac’s father.

Racked with guilt, Jac left town with no plans to return. But when her granddad lands in the hospital, she rushes back to her family, bracing herself to confront the past.

Brook Haven feels different now. Wealthy newcomer Faye Arden has transformed the notorious Moor Manor into a quaint country inn. Jac’s convinced something sinister lurks beneath Faye’s perfect exterior, yet the whole town fawns over their charismatic new benefactor. And when Jac discovers one of her granddad’s prized possessions in Faye’s office, she knows she has to be right.

But as Jac continues to dig, she stumbles upon dangerous truths that hit too close to home. With not only her life but also her family’s safety on the line, Jac discovers that maybe some secrets are better left buried.

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Not What She Seems by Yasmin Angoe: Small Town Theatrics, The "Prodigal" Brodie Girl, and Complex Family Relationships Bookwild Collective 00:29:02 true full 151 d510e991-df76-4649-8561-d20209d01cbb People Will Talk by Kieran Scott: A Surprise Wedding, a Dead Bride, and Three Women with Motives This week, I talk with Kieran Scott about her dishy new thriller People Will Talk.  We dive into her inspiration for the book, how she crafted three POVs, and what made her choose a chandelier as a murder weapon.

People Will Talk Synopsis

When the Frank family throws their annual clambake at their gorgeous beachside home on Cape May, the seafood is always delivered to white-clothed tables on fine bone china. And Peter Frank, the beloved son and perennial heartbreaker, will make the rounds, charming every woman on the guest list.

Top of that list this year are Maya, his tennis star girlfriend just coming off the high of winning Wimbledon; Catherine, his high school sweetheart turned wildly successful wedding planner and influencer; and Leanne, the fiercely protective aunt and legal guardian of his only son. When Maya, Catherine, and Leanne arrive expecting an extravagant feast, they’re instead lured into a room together by a mysterious text to find Peter and…Tilly.

Tilly, all golden blonde hair and perfectly tan skin, explains to the three women that she and Peter plan to get married that night, that Maya and Peter are through, that Peter will no longer be investing in Catherine’s company, and that Leanne must give up guardianship of her nephew. The enraged women attend the impromptu wedding, but when a chandelier falls and crushes the bride, suddenly they’re three likely suspects with three perfect motives. Now they’ll have to work together to figure out who really did kill Tilly, and fast—because maintaining a good reputation in this crowd can be murder.

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 30 Jul 2024 13:58:39 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kieran Scott, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/people-will-talk-by-kieran-scott-a-surprise-wedding-a-dead-bride-and-three-women-with-motives-h2IKKvdQ This week, I talk with Kieran Scott about her dishy new thriller People Will Talk.  We dive into her inspiration for the book, how she crafted three POVs, and what made her choose a chandelier as a murder weapon.

People Will Talk Synopsis

When the Frank family throws their annual clambake at their gorgeous beachside home on Cape May, the seafood is always delivered to white-clothed tables on fine bone china. And Peter Frank, the beloved son and perennial heartbreaker, will make the rounds, charming every woman on the guest list.

Top of that list this year are Maya, his tennis star girlfriend just coming off the high of winning Wimbledon; Catherine, his high school sweetheart turned wildly successful wedding planner and influencer; and Leanne, the fiercely protective aunt and legal guardian of his only son. When Maya, Catherine, and Leanne arrive expecting an extravagant feast, they’re instead lured into a room together by a mysterious text to find Peter and…Tilly.

Tilly, all golden blonde hair and perfectly tan skin, explains to the three women that she and Peter plan to get married that night, that Maya and Peter are through, that Peter will no longer be investing in Catherine’s company, and that Leanne must give up guardianship of her nephew. The enraged women attend the impromptu wedding, but when a chandelier falls and crushes the bride, suddenly they’re three likely suspects with three perfect motives. Now they’ll have to work together to figure out who really did kill Tilly, and fast—because maintaining a good reputation in this crowd can be murder.

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> People Will Talk by Kieran Scott: A Surprise Wedding, a Dead Bride, and Three Women with Motives Kieran Scott, Kate Hergott 00:27:24 crime fiction, author, mystery, reader, thrillers true full 150 e2852700-638d-429a-8757-abc327c6c358 Bingeworthy Summer Thrillers with Audrey This week, Audrey Egner ( @chapterandconverse ) and I share some of our favorite bingey summer thrillers!

Books We Talked About

Don’t Believe It

The Weekend Away

You Can Trust Me

My Summer Darlings

Lie By the Pool

It Could Be Anyone

The Au Pair

A Flicker in the Dark

An Anonymous Girl

He Started It

All the Colors of the Dark

The God of the Woods

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

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Get Bookwild Merch

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 26 Jul 2024 13:16:15 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Audrey Egner) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/bingeworthy-summer-thrillers-with-audrey-NZbDgwKQ This week, Audrey Egner ( @chapterandconverse ) and I share some of our favorite bingey summer thrillers!

Books We Talked About

Don’t Believe It

The Weekend Away

You Can Trust Me

My Summer Darlings

Lie By the Pool

It Could Be Anyone

The Au Pair

A Flicker in the Dark

An Anonymous Girl

He Started It

All the Colors of the Dark

The God of the Woods

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Bingeworthy Summer Thrillers with Audrey Kate Hergott, Audrey Egner 00:46:23 bookstagram, crime fiction, mystery, fiction, thrillers true full 131 613a64d2-9632-490e-849f-f9c7d4c3a994 No Road Home by John Fram: Gothic Thrills, A Toxic Televangelist Family, and a Devoted Father On this episode, I talk with John Fram about his genre-bending gothic thriller No Road Home.  We dive into how he found inspiration for the story in his dad, his use of Biblical imagery, and the touches of horror throughout.  

No Road Home Synopsis

For years, single father Toby Tucker has done his best to keep his sensitive young son, Luca, safe from the bigotry of the world. But when Toby marries Alyssa Wright—the granddaughter of a famed televangelist known for his grandiose Old Testament preaching—he can’t imagine the world of religion, wealth, and hate that he and Luca are about to enter.

A trip to the Wright family’s compound in sun-scorched Texas soon turns hellish when Toby realizes that Alyssa and the rest of her brood have dangerous plans for him and his son. The situation only grows worse when a freak storm cuts off the roads and the family patriarch is found murdered, stabbed in the chest on the roof of their sprawling mansion.

Suspicion immediately turns to Toby, but when his son starts describing a spectral figure in a black suit lurking around the house with unfinished business in mind, Toby realizes this family has more than murderer to conceal—and to fear.

As the Wrights close in on Luca, no one is prepared for the lengths Toby will go in the fight to clear his name and protect his son in this “grand gothic story as enthralling as it is terrifying."

 

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 23 Jul 2024 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (John Fram, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/no-road-home-by-john-fram-gothic-thrills-a-toxic-televangelist-family-and-a-devoted-father-UVIJwPQA On this episode, I talk with John Fram about his genre-bending gothic thriller No Road Home.  We dive into how he found inspiration for the story in his dad, his use of Biblical imagery, and the touches of horror throughout.  

No Road Home Synopsis

For years, single father Toby Tucker has done his best to keep his sensitive young son, Luca, safe from the bigotry of the world. But when Toby marries Alyssa Wright—the granddaughter of a famed televangelist known for his grandiose Old Testament preaching—he can’t imagine the world of religion, wealth, and hate that he and Luca are about to enter.

A trip to the Wright family’s compound in sun-scorched Texas soon turns hellish when Toby realizes that Alyssa and the rest of her brood have dangerous plans for him and his son. The situation only grows worse when a freak storm cuts off the roads and the family patriarch is found murdered, stabbed in the chest on the roof of their sprawling mansion.

Suspicion immediately turns to Toby, but when his son starts describing a spectral figure in a black suit lurking around the house with unfinished business in mind, Toby realizes this family has more than murderer to conceal—and to fear.

As the Wrights close in on Luca, no one is prepared for the lengths Toby will go in the fight to clear his name and protect his son in this “grand gothic story as enthralling as it is terrifying."

 

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Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> No Road Home by John Fram: Gothic Thrills, A Toxic Televangelist Family, and a Devoted Father John Fram, Kate Hergott 00:37:25 crime fiction, author, horror, reading, thriller, mystery, gothic thriller true full 128 f3dd4f72-b126-4202-9ffa-b700b1d38dd5 The Recruiter by Gregg Podolski: An Action Hero Who's Bad at Action with a Comedic Voice On this episode, I talk with Gregg Podolski about his debut action thriller The Recruiter.  We discuss how his job as a recruiter inspired the story, why we both love comedy with our action thrillers, and the fun of writing an action hero who isn't good at action.

The Recruiter Synopsis

When bad guys need good help, they call Rick Carter.

He's a criminal recruiter, searching for contract killers, cyber hackers, gun smugglers, and any other assorted villains-for-hire a European crime boss might need. But, when the family he left behind in New Jersey is caught up in a client's plot to monopolize the black market, Rick has to save them from two of his own top candidates: deadly assassins known only as Ghost and The Persian.

Fixing his own mess will require a set of skills he doesn't have--not a problem, as finding qualified help is where he excels. But stepping into action, becoming the hero his family needs, that's new territory. For a man who's spent the last ten years being the best at helping the worst, this may be his last chance to do something right.

 

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 23 Jul 2024 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gregg Podolski, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/the-recruiter-by-gregg-podolski-an-action-hero-whos-bad-at-action-with-a-comedic-voice-AoyOnuFS On this episode, I talk with Gregg Podolski about his debut action thriller The Recruiter.  We discuss how his job as a recruiter inspired the story, why we both love comedy with our action thrillers, and the fun of writing an action hero who isn't good at action.

The Recruiter Synopsis

When bad guys need good help, they call Rick Carter.

He's a criminal recruiter, searching for contract killers, cyber hackers, gun smugglers, and any other assorted villains-for-hire a European crime boss might need. But, when the family he left behind in New Jersey is caught up in a client's plot to monopolize the black market, Rick has to save them from two of his own top candidates: deadly assassins known only as Ghost and The Persian.

Fixing his own mess will require a set of skills he doesn't have--not a problem, as finding qualified help is where he excels. But stepping into action, becoming the hero his family needs, that's new territory. For a man who's spent the last ten years being the best at helping the worst, this may be his last chance to do something right.

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> The Recruiter by Gregg Podolski: An Action Hero Who's Bad at Action with a Comedic Voice Gregg Podolski, Kate Hergott 00:39:32 bookstagram, crime fiction, author, action thriller, thrillers true full 129 06d68bd2-49b7-40a4-865f-f31b81723d73 What We'll Burn Last by Heather Chavez: Missing Teenagers, Feuding Families, Star Crossed Lovers and a Wildfire On this episode, I talk with Heather Chavez about her newest thriller What We'll Burn Last.  We dive into her desire to write a thriller with a wildfire, the complexities of three POVs at war with each other, and how much fun she had writing the wildfire as a POV.  

What We'll Burn Last Synopsis

Three women.

When she was twelve, Leyna Clarke watched her older sister, Grace, walk away from their Sierra Nevada foothills home with her boyfriend, Adam Duran. Neither was ever seen again. Sixteen years later, a stranger who looks like Grace shows up at the restaurant where Leyna works—and vanishes soon after. When it comes out that Leyna was one of the last people to have talked with the young woman, Leyna’s childhood crush Dominic, who is also Adam’s brother, pleads with her to do the last thing she wants to do: come home.

Three secrets.

But Leyna isn’t the only one who hasn’t been able to leave that fateful night behind. Her mother, Meredith, still lives in the family’s old home—even if she claims to believe the police’s theory that Grace and Adam were willing runaways. Down the street, Adam and Dominic’s mother Olivia has also stayed, determined to be there when her son finally returns. . . and to prove that Meredith and Leyna have been hiding something all these years. But the past isn’t the only threat to the two families, or the missing girl. As a wildfire sparks, tempers flare and intentions turn deadly. Because someone in the neighborhood knows what really happened that night—and just how good the forest is at keeping its secrets.

Who will you trust?

 

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 23 Jul 2024 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Heather Chavez, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/what-well-burn-last-by-heather-chavez-missing-teenagers-feuding-families-star-crossed-lovers-and-a-wildfire-EEs_43gc On this episode, I talk with Heather Chavez about her newest thriller What We'll Burn Last.  We dive into her desire to write a thriller with a wildfire, the complexities of three POVs at war with each other, and how much fun she had writing the wildfire as a POV.  

What We'll Burn Last Synopsis

Three women.

When she was twelve, Leyna Clarke watched her older sister, Grace, walk away from their Sierra Nevada foothills home with her boyfriend, Adam Duran. Neither was ever seen again. Sixteen years later, a stranger who looks like Grace shows up at the restaurant where Leyna works—and vanishes soon after. When it comes out that Leyna was one of the last people to have talked with the young woman, Leyna’s childhood crush Dominic, who is also Adam’s brother, pleads with her to do the last thing she wants to do: come home.

Three secrets.

But Leyna isn’t the only one who hasn’t been able to leave that fateful night behind. Her mother, Meredith, still lives in the family’s old home—even if she claims to believe the police’s theory that Grace and Adam were willing runaways. Down the street, Adam and Dominic’s mother Olivia has also stayed, determined to be there when her son finally returns. . . and to prove that Meredith and Leyna have been hiding something all these years. But the past isn’t the only threat to the two families, or the missing girl. As a wildfire sparks, tempers flare and intentions turn deadly. Because someone in the neighborhood knows what really happened that night—and just how good the forest is at keeping its secrets.

Who will you trust?

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> What We'll Burn Last by Heather Chavez: Missing Teenagers, Feuding Families, Star Crossed Lovers and a Wildfire Heather Chavez, Kate Hergott 00:37:10 domestic suspense, crime fiction, author, reader, thrillers true full 130 7819d857-ab7b-4eea-87ec-bb927d379858 2024 Mid-Year Favorites with Gare This week, Gare is back!  And we share some of our favorite reads of the first half of 2024.

Books We Talk About

Listen for the Lie

Kill for Me, Kill for You

An Inconvenient Woman

The Man on the Train

This Family Lies

The Hollywood Assistant

The Hunter’s Daughter

Love Letters to a Serial Killer

Bodies to Die For

How We Name the Stars

Rabbit Hole

Missing White Woman

Things Don’t Break on Their Own

No Road Home

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 19 Jul 2024 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/mid-year-favorites-with-gare-fiOGqYyY This week, Gare is back!  And we share some of our favorite reads of the first half of 2024.

Books We Talk About

Listen for the Lie

Kill for Me, Kill for You

An Inconvenient Woman

The Man on the Train

This Family Lies

The Hollywood Assistant

The Hunter’s Daughter

Love Letters to a Serial Killer

Bodies to Die For

How We Name the Stars

Rabbit Hole

Missing White Woman

Things Don’t Break on Their Own

No Road Home

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> 2024 Mid-Year Favorites with Gare Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 01:01:44 bookstagram, crime fiction, suspense, thriller, mystery, reader true full 127 32243326-e3b3-4260-875c-a10ba1cbf4e4 Things Don't Break on Their Own by Sarah Easter Collins: A Missing Sister, A Dysfunctional Family, and the Power of Found Family This week, I got to chat with Sarah Easter Collins about her exceptionally emotional debut novel Things Don't Break on Their Own.   She shares how the shifting nature of memory, sibling differences and the first dog in space inspired her book.

Things Don't Break on Their Own Synopsis

A heart-wrenching mystery about sisters, lovers, and a dinner party gone wrong.

Twenty-five years ago, a young girl left home to walk to school. Her younger sister soon followed. But one of them arrived, and one of them didn’t. 

Her sister’s disappearance has defined Willa’s life. Everyone thinks her sister is dead, but Willa knows she isn’t. Because there are some things that only sisters know about each other—and some bonds only sisters can break.

Willa sees fragments of her sister everywhere — the way that woman on the train turns her head, the gait of that woman in Paris. If there’s the slightest resemblance, Willa drops everything, and everyone, and tries to see if it is her.

When Willa is invited to a dinner party thrown by her first love, she has no reason to expect it will be anything other than an ordinary evening. Both of them have moved on, ancient history. But nothing about Willa’s life has been ordinary since the day her sister disappeared, and that’s not about to change tonight.

Sarah Easter Collins has written an extraordinary novel about memory, lost love, and long-buried secrets that sometimes see the light of day.

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 16 Jul 2024 12:14:25 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Sarah Easter Collins, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/thins-dont-break-on-their-own-by-sarah-easter-collins-a-missing-sister-a-dysfunctional-family-and-the-power-of-found-family-wfRLscaF This week, I got to chat with Sarah Easter Collins about her exceptionally emotional debut novel Things Don't Break on Their Own.   She shares how the shifting nature of memory, sibling differences and the first dog in space inspired her book.

Things Don't Break on Their Own Synopsis

A heart-wrenching mystery about sisters, lovers, and a dinner party gone wrong.

Twenty-five years ago, a young girl left home to walk to school. Her younger sister soon followed. But one of them arrived, and one of them didn’t. 

Her sister’s disappearance has defined Willa’s life. Everyone thinks her sister is dead, but Willa knows she isn’t. Because there are some things that only sisters know about each other—and some bonds only sisters can break.

Willa sees fragments of her sister everywhere — the way that woman on the train turns her head, the gait of that woman in Paris. If there’s the slightest resemblance, Willa drops everything, and everyone, and tries to see if it is her.

When Willa is invited to a dinner party thrown by her first love, she has no reason to expect it will be anything other than an ordinary evening. Both of them have moved on, ancient history. But nothing about Willa’s life has been ordinary since the day her sister disappeared, and that’s not about to change tonight.

Sarah Easter Collins has written an extraordinary novel about memory, lost love, and long-buried secrets that sometimes see the light of day.

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Things Don't Break on Their Own by Sarah Easter Collins: A Missing Sister, A Dysfunctional Family, and the Power of Found Family Sarah Easter Collins, Kate Hergott 00:31:44 family drama, writing, author, mystery true full 126 d8059080-67c4-407d-b2fe-fd44088b56c6 It Had to Be You by Eliza Jane Brazier: An Erotic Assassin Thriller This week, I got to chat with Eliza Jane Brazier about her new erotic assassin thriller It Had to Be You.  We dive into her inspiration for the book, and how she never intended for it to be taken as anything other than fantasy.

It Had to Be You Synopsis

Two contract killers, each with a hit out on the other, must fight their growing attraction as they face off in an epic game of lust and murder across Western Europe.

When Eva and Jonathan hook up on the sleeper train from Florence to Paris, they think they’ll never see each other again. Which is too bad, because neither has ever felt a spark like this for another person. But love isn’t on the agenda in their line of work.

Six months later, they run into each other in the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles. This encounter is not by chance, because Eva has been hired to kill Jonathan. She’s a contract killer, but what she doesn’t know is that he is too.

Their meeting kicks off a high-stakes adventure across Western Europe. There will be tourism. There will be bodies. Eva and Jonathan might even fall for each other.

As the two get closer to completing their assignments, it becomes clear that they are also being hunted—by something even more dangerous than love. . . .

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 16 Jul 2024 12:06:21 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Eliza Jane Brazier, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/it-had-to-be-you-by-eliza-jane-brazier-an-erotic-assassin-thriller-oHnED_ob This week, I got to chat with Eliza Jane Brazier about her new erotic assassin thriller It Had to Be You.  We dive into her inspiration for the book, and how she never intended for it to be taken as anything other than fantasy.

It Had to Be You Synopsis

Two contract killers, each with a hit out on the other, must fight their growing attraction as they face off in an epic game of lust and murder across Western Europe.

When Eva and Jonathan hook up on the sleeper train from Florence to Paris, they think they’ll never see each other again. Which is too bad, because neither has ever felt a spark like this for another person. But love isn’t on the agenda in their line of work.

Six months later, they run into each other in the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles. This encounter is not by chance, because Eva has been hired to kill Jonathan. She’s a contract killer, but what she doesn’t know is that he is too.

Their meeting kicks off a high-stakes adventure across Western Europe. There will be tourism. There will be bodies. Eva and Jonathan might even fall for each other.

As the two get closer to completing their assignments, it becomes clear that they are also being hunted—by something even more dangerous than love. . . .

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> It Had to Be You by Eliza Jane Brazier: An Erotic Assassin Thriller Eliza Jane Brazier, Kate Hergott 00:27:43 erotica, author, thriller, action thriller true full 125 fd20d4cd-c828-4813-862b-8b2428864feb Exploring Imposter Syndrome with Liz Keenan and Greg Wands This week, I talk with Liz Keenan and Greg Wands about the inception of their new podcast Imposter Hour, a show that delves into the syndrome haunting creatives, impacting their lives and work.  We dive into the origin story of the show and their plans for it in the future.

Subscribe to Imposter Hour on Apple or Spotify

Follow Imposter Hour on Instagram

Or check out their website ImposterHour.com for more info!

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 12 Jul 2024 10:53:55 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Liz Keenan, Kate Hergott, Greg Wands) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/exploring-imposter-syndrome-with-liz-keenan-and-greg-wands-yQQO8mFI This week, I talk with Liz Keenan and Greg Wands about the inception of their new podcast Imposter Hour, a show that delves into the syndrome haunting creatives, impacting their lives and work.  We dive into the origin story of the show and their plans for it in the future.

Subscribe to Imposter Hour on Apple or Spotify

Follow Imposter Hour on Instagram

Or check out their website ImposterHour.com for more info!

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Exploring Imposter Syndrome with Liz Keenan and Greg Wands Liz Keenan, Kate Hergott, Greg Wands 01:09:25 writing, authors, imposter syndrome true full 124 85e0c474-a92f-4f98-a01b-4d267edbf428 On the Surface by Rachel McGuire: Boating YouTubers, A Missing Woman and Internet Sleuths This week I talk with Rachel Graham and Lee-Ann McGuire Whitlock, who as a writing duo make up pen name Rachel McGuire, about their super-bingeable destination thriller On the Surface.

On the Surface Synopsis

Sawyer Stone III and Dani Fox, a young couple who spend their time circumnavigating the globe aboard their 42-foot sailboat and documenting it for their fledgling YouTube channel Sailing with the Foxes, have anchored in Exuma, in the Bahamas. As they wait for the price of crypto to rebound so they can provision and continue their journey, they’re partying and exploring with their fellow cruisers offshore. On the surface, everything looks perfect. But one night, Dani vanishes after a boat party, and Sawyer has no memory of her disappearance.

The search for Dani is initially fueled by concerns that she drowned during one of her daily ocean swims, but Dani's prescheduled video posts, recorded before she went missing, soon reveal a darker side to her relationship with Sawyer. Meanwhile, Royal Bahamas Police Force Inspector Veronique Knowles has her hands full trying to keep the investigation on course as the story of the American woman missing in the Bahamas goes viral and the internet sleuths unearth secrets from Sawyer’s past. Sawyer Stone is far from perfect, but is he a murderer? 
 

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 9 Jul 2024 12:14:49 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Rachel McGuire, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/on-the-surface-by-rachel-mcguire-boating-youtubers-a-missing-woman-and-internet-sleuths-ewk3UBfh This week I talk with Rachel Graham and Lee-Ann McGuire Whitlock, who as a writing duo make up pen name Rachel McGuire, about their super-bingeable destination thriller On the Surface.

On the Surface Synopsis

Sawyer Stone III and Dani Fox, a young couple who spend their time circumnavigating the globe aboard their 42-foot sailboat and documenting it for their fledgling YouTube channel Sailing with the Foxes, have anchored in Exuma, in the Bahamas. As they wait for the price of crypto to rebound so they can provision and continue their journey, they’re partying and exploring with their fellow cruisers offshore. On the surface, everything looks perfect. But one night, Dani vanishes after a boat party, and Sawyer has no memory of her disappearance.

The search for Dani is initially fueled by concerns that she drowned during one of her daily ocean swims, but Dani's prescheduled video posts, recorded before she went missing, soon reveal a darker side to her relationship with Sawyer. Meanwhile, Royal Bahamas Police Force Inspector Veronique Knowles has her hands full trying to keep the investigation on course as the story of the American woman missing in the Bahamas goes viral and the internet sleuths unearth secrets from Sawyer’s past. Sawyer Stone is far from perfect, but is he a murderer? 
 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> On the Surface by Rachel McGuire: Boating YouTubers, A Missing Woman and Internet Sleuths Rachel McGuire, Kate Hergott 00:34:45 bookstagram, popcorn thriller, crime fiction, mystery, thrillers true full 123 14f2f909-a223-4c80-b22d-c5a82c1220fb The Hollywood Assistant by May Cobb: Hollywood Glamour, A Toxic Marriage and All the Sexual Tension This week, I talk with May Cobb about her twisty erotic thriller The Hollywood Assistant.

The Hollywood Assistant Synopsis

Cassidy Foster is heartbroken, stuck in life, and getting a little too obsessed with plants. Then when a well-connected friend becomes sick of Cassidy’s moping and gets her a gig with famous Hollywood couple, Marisol and Nate Sterling, Cassidy jumps at the chance to move to sunny LA.

The Sterlings are warm and welcoming. A perfect couple. All Cassidy has to do is be available a few hours a week for errands. In return, she has access to luxury: Designer clothes. A sparkling pool. Great pay.

When Nate takes interest in her, asking her to read scripts he’s written, Cassidy thinks this could be the key to kickstarting her writing dreams. As their business relationship grows, so does their attraction. Nate is sexy and talented, and Cassidy can’t believe her luck. Clearly, Marisol doesn’t know what she has. Maybe that’s why the two are always fighting when they think Cassidy isn’t around.

But Cassidy learns she was hired for a different purpose. The Sterlings aren’t the perfect couple. Marisol isn’t the perfect wife. And when one of them is found dead, Cassidy becomes the perfect suspect.

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 9 Jul 2024 12:09:51 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, May Cobb) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/the-hollywood-assistant-by-may-cobb-hollywood-glamour-a-toxic-marriage-and-all-the-sexual-tension-A9Y2dS0L This week, I talk with May Cobb about her twisty erotic thriller The Hollywood Assistant.

The Hollywood Assistant Synopsis

Cassidy Foster is heartbroken, stuck in life, and getting a little too obsessed with plants. Then when a well-connected friend becomes sick of Cassidy’s moping and gets her a gig with famous Hollywood couple, Marisol and Nate Sterling, Cassidy jumps at the chance to move to sunny LA.

The Sterlings are warm and welcoming. A perfect couple. All Cassidy has to do is be available a few hours a week for errands. In return, she has access to luxury: Designer clothes. A sparkling pool. Great pay.

When Nate takes interest in her, asking her to read scripts he’s written, Cassidy thinks this could be the key to kickstarting her writing dreams. As their business relationship grows, so does their attraction. Nate is sexy and talented, and Cassidy can’t believe her luck. Clearly, Marisol doesn’t know what she has. Maybe that’s why the two are always fighting when they think Cassidy isn’t around.

But Cassidy learns she was hired for a different purpose. The Sterlings aren’t the perfect couple. Marisol isn’t the perfect wife. And when one of them is found dead, Cassidy becomes the perfect suspect.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> The Hollywood Assistant by May Cobb: Hollywood Glamour, A Toxic Marriage and All the Sexual Tension Kate Hergott, May Cobb 00:24:46 bookstagram, crime fiction, mystery, thrillers true full 122 eb904832-6548-43ab-a664-27cc67d052c1 Echo Road by Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh: Blending Two Series to Catch a Serial Killer This week, I talk with Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh about their new thriller Echo Road, where they combine their Mercy Kilpatrick and Bree Taggert series into one mystery.

Echo Road Synopsis

During a vicious heat wave, a county maintenance worker stumbles upon two suspicious suitcases abandoned by the side of the road. Sheriff Bree Taggert responds to find two bodies stuffed inside the luggage. The press demands action. The community is on edge. Suddenly, Bree is at the center of a media firestorm.

In Oregon, a senator’s daughter goes missing. FBI Special Agent Mercy Kilpatrick agrees to keep the politically sensitive case on the down-low. When she finds a link between the disappearance and a double homicide three thousand miles away, Mercy takes the next plane out—and lands right in the middle of Bree’s double homicide investigation.

To save the missing girl, Bree and Mercy must work together to stop a killer who’s playing deadly games with the press and stirring up public rage. Hungry for notoriety, he dares Bree and Mercy to catch him before he kills again.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 2 Jul 2024 11:23:02 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Melinda Leigh, Kendra Elliot, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/echo-road-by-kendra-elliot-and-melinda-leigh-blending-two-series-to-catch-a-serial-killer-PdWvhFnD This week, I talk with Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh about their new thriller Echo Road, where they combine their Mercy Kilpatrick and Bree Taggert series into one mystery.

Echo Road Synopsis

During a vicious heat wave, a county maintenance worker stumbles upon two suspicious suitcases abandoned by the side of the road. Sheriff Bree Taggert responds to find two bodies stuffed inside the luggage. The press demands action. The community is on edge. Suddenly, Bree is at the center of a media firestorm.

In Oregon, a senator’s daughter goes missing. FBI Special Agent Mercy Kilpatrick agrees to keep the politically sensitive case on the down-low. When she finds a link between the disappearance and a double homicide three thousand miles away, Mercy takes the next plane out—and lands right in the middle of Bree’s double homicide investigation.

To save the missing girl, Bree and Mercy must work together to stop a killer who’s playing deadly games with the press and stirring up public rage. Hungry for notoriety, he dares Bree and Mercy to catch him before he kills again.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Echo Road by Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh: Blending Two Series to Catch a Serial Killer Melinda Leigh, Kendra Elliot, Kate Hergott 00:10:14 bookstagram, crime fiction, thrillers true full 121 2ca4a1c4-2d39-464e-9780-80f18261ea83 Our Favorite Bookish Characters with Halley Sutton This week, Halley Sutton is back and we talk about some of our favorite bookish characters!

Books We Talked About

Where Are You Echo Blue?

It Will Only Hurt for a Moment

No Road Home

Lay Your Body Down

How Can I Help You

We Have Always Lived in the Castle

The Man on the Train

Follow Her Home

Midnight is the Darkest Hour

Thursday Next Series

Over Her Dead Body

Must Love Books

I Didn’t Do It

Vladimir

The Outlier

Kill for Love

Eight Perfect Murders

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 28 Jun 2024 11:44:06 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Halley Sutton, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/our-favorite-bookish-characters-with-halley-sutton-1d9dRyD6 This week, Halley Sutton is back and we talk about some of our favorite bookish characters!

Books We Talked About

Where Are You Echo Blue?

It Will Only Hurt for a Moment

No Road Home

Lay Your Body Down

How Can I Help You

We Have Always Lived in the Castle

The Man on the Train

Follow Her Home

Midnight is the Darkest Hour

Thursday Next Series

Over Her Dead Body

Must Love Books

I Didn’t Do It

Vladimir

The Outlier

Kill for Love

Eight Perfect Murders

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Our Favorite Bookish Characters with Halley Sutton Halley Sutton, Kate Hergott 01:11:06 bookstagram, crime fiction, mystery, thrillers true full 120 9c19fc32-028d-4727-9394-2971ab386b29 Thriller Book Pairings | If You Liked That, You'll Also Like This with Steph Lauer This week, Steph Lauer and I share books that pair well with each other.  If you liked the first one, you'll probably love the second one.

Books Kate Talked About

The Hollywood Assistant

The Force of Such Beauty

The Hunter’s Daughter : Blood Sisters

Pretty Things : On the Surface

Almost Surely Dead : Missing White Woman

Big Little Lies : The Other Mothers

The Lady Upstairs : Twisted

 

Books Steph Talked About

Do What Godmother Says

Like it Never Was

Ask for Andrea : Before You Knew My Name

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder : That’s Not My Name

Butcher and the Blackbird : The Girl in 6E

In My Dreams I Hold a Knife : The Girls Are All So Nice Here

Notes on an Execution : Don't Forget the Girl

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 21 Jun 2024 13:25:14 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Steph Lauer, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/if-you-liked-that-youll-also-like-that-this-with-steph-lauer-e13VoANm This week, Steph Lauer and I share books that pair well with each other.  If you liked the first one, you'll probably love the second one.

Books Kate Talked About

The Hollywood Assistant

The Force of Such Beauty

The Hunter’s Daughter : Blood Sisters

Pretty Things : On the Surface

Almost Surely Dead : Missing White Woman

Big Little Lies : The Other Mothers

The Lady Upstairs : Twisted

 

Books Steph Talked About

Do What Godmother Says

Like it Never Was

Ask for Andrea : Before You Knew My Name

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder : That’s Not My Name

Butcher and the Blackbird : The Girl in 6E

In My Dreams I Hold a Knife : The Girls Are All So Nice Here

Notes on an Execution : Don't Forget the Girl

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thriller Book Pairings | If You Liked That, You'll Also Like This with Steph Lauer Steph Lauer, Kate Hergott 01:13:14 bookstagram, psychological thrillers, crime fiction, thriller, mystery true full 119 1dd48b14-058c-4f0f-977c-6230beb82360 The Man on the Train by Debbie Babitt: Dual Timelines, A Messy Marriage and Secrets from the Past This week, I talk with Debbie Babitt about her new Hitchcockian thriller The Man on the Train.  We dive into how she gets to know her characters, how she figures out plot and what she's working on next.

The Man on the Train Synopsis

Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Linda Haley is awakened early one morning by two police officers at the door. She has no idea that her husband has been living a secret life during his daily commute from Scarsdale into the city. Now Guy is the prime suspect in a brutal murder that could derail Linda’s high-powered career and may be connected to a cold case.

And Guy has disappeared.

With a warrant out for her husband’s arrest, Linda sets out to prove his innocence accompanied by an ex-cop who harbors a secret affection for her. Together, they travel to the scene of a forty-year-old unsolved murder and a night of violence that shattered the serenity of a small fishing hamlet just past the Hamptons.

But as the manhunt intensifies and she begins to uncover the shocking truth—and the past Guy has buried deep—Linda must decide if the stranger she married is innocent or guilty. And if he truly deserves to be saved.

Featuring tense, atmospheric suspense that moves at breakneck speed, this Hitchcockian thriller careens from a bedroom community just north of New York City to the picturesque beaches of eastern Long Island to a suburban train station, where a killer hiding in plain sight waits to exact a final revenge.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2024 11:00:31 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Debbie Babitt) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/the-man-on-the-train-by-debbie-babbitt-dual-timelines-a-messy-marriage-and-secrets-from-the-past-MyngfeC_ This week, I talk with Debbie Babitt about her new Hitchcockian thriller The Man on the Train.  We dive into how she gets to know her characters, how she figures out plot and what she's working on next.

The Man on the Train Synopsis

Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Linda Haley is awakened early one morning by two police officers at the door. She has no idea that her husband has been living a secret life during his daily commute from Scarsdale into the city. Now Guy is the prime suspect in a brutal murder that could derail Linda’s high-powered career and may be connected to a cold case.

And Guy has disappeared.

With a warrant out for her husband’s arrest, Linda sets out to prove his innocence accompanied by an ex-cop who harbors a secret affection for her. Together, they travel to the scene of a forty-year-old unsolved murder and a night of violence that shattered the serenity of a small fishing hamlet just past the Hamptons.

But as the manhunt intensifies and she begins to uncover the shocking truth—and the past Guy has buried deep—Linda must decide if the stranger she married is innocent or guilty. And if he truly deserves to be saved.

Featuring tense, atmospheric suspense that moves at breakneck speed, this Hitchcockian thriller careens from a bedroom community just north of New York City to the picturesque beaches of eastern Long Island to a suburban train station, where a killer hiding in plain sight waits to exact a final revenge.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> The Man on the Train by Debbie Babitt: Dual Timelines, A Messy Marriage and Secrets from the Past Kate Hergott, Debbie Babitt 00:33:25 bookstagram, author, thriller, mystery true full 118 3e613179-2cf2-483e-9d9c-c4fb86947829 1,000 Words of Summer Update and Book Covers We Love with Halley Sutton This week, Halley and I share updates on our 1,000 Words of Summer challenge and dive into what we love about our favorite book covers.  We also share what we've been reading, watching and listening to.

Books We Talked About

Almost Surely Dead

Stone Cold Fox

The Last Housewife

The Favorites

The Lies I Tell

The Force of Such Beauty

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 14 Jun 2024 10:32:43 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Bookwild Collective) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/1-000-words-of-summer-update-and-book-covers-we-love-with-halley-sutton-gG2s7cYK This week, Halley and I share updates on our 1,000 Words of Summer challenge and dive into what we love about our favorite book covers.  We also share what we've been reading, watching and listening to.

Books We Talked About

Almost Surely Dead

Stone Cold Fox

The Last Housewife

The Favorites

The Lies I Tell

The Force of Such Beauty

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> 1,000 Words of Summer Update and Book Covers We Love with Halley Sutton Bookwild Collective 01:29:45 true full 117 6a36de84-a111-49a9-921f-58c9518cfcf3 Assassins Anonymous by Rob Hart: What if an Assassin Swore Off Killing But People From His Past Are Coming For Him? This week, I talk with Rob Hart about his new action packed thriller Assassins Anonymous.  We dive into how he came up with the idea for an assassin who swears off killing for moral reasons, why musicals and action movies are similar, and how he created an empathetically accessible assassin as a main character.

Assassins Anonymous Synopsis

In this clever, surprising, page-turner, the world’s most lethal assassin gives up the violent life only to find himself under siege by mysterious assailants. It’s a kill-or-be-killed situation, but the first option is off the table. What’s a reformed hit man to do?

Mark was the most dangerous killer-for-hire in the world. But after learning the hard way that his life’s work made him more monster than man, he left all of that behind, and joined a twelve-step group for reformed killers.

When Mark is viciously attacked by an unknown assailant, he is forced on the run. From New York to Singapore to London, he chases after clues while dodging attacks and trying to solve the puzzle of who’s after him. All without killing anyone. Or getting killed himself. For an assassin, Mark learns, nonviolence is a real hassle.

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 11 Jun 2024 10:52:25 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Rob Hart, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/assassins-anonymous-by-rob-hart-what-if-an-assassin-swore-off-killing-but-people-from-his-past-are-coming-for-him-AEAS0FsK This week, I talk with Rob Hart about his new action packed thriller Assassins Anonymous.  We dive into how he came up with the idea for an assassin who swears off killing for moral reasons, why musicals and action movies are similar, and how he created an empathetically accessible assassin as a main character.

Assassins Anonymous Synopsis

In this clever, surprising, page-turner, the world’s most lethal assassin gives up the violent life only to find himself under siege by mysterious assailants. It’s a kill-or-be-killed situation, but the first option is off the table. What’s a reformed hit man to do?

Mark was the most dangerous killer-for-hire in the world. But after learning the hard way that his life’s work made him more monster than man, he left all of that behind, and joined a twelve-step group for reformed killers.

When Mark is viciously attacked by an unknown assailant, he is forced on the run. From New York to Singapore to London, he chases after clues while dodging attacks and trying to solve the puzzle of who’s after him. All without killing anyone. Or getting killed himself. For an assassin, Mark learns, nonviolence is a real hassle.

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Assassins Anonymous by Rob Hart: What if an Assassin Swore Off Killing But People From His Past Are Coming For Him? Rob Hart, Kate Hergott 00:32:53 crime fiction, thriller, books, action thriller true full 116 3e909f44-f8ef-4d7d-ac7b-53df755221f2 Bodies to Die For by Lori Brand: A Thriller in the Fitness World with an Empowering Message This week, Steph Lauer and I talk with Lori Brand about her insanely fun thriller Bodies to Die For.  She shares her inspiration for the book, and her personal journey writing it.  

To check out her article about why she wrote Bodies to Die For, click here

Bodies to Die For Synopsis

Popular fitness influencer Gemma has transformed herself from a Before into an After, complete with washboard abs, thriving business, and gorgeous husband. But social media can be deceiving. Offline, the cutthroat world of bikini bodybuilding may just eat her alive. That's if she's not first devoured by the secret nemesis that lurks beneath her polished surface, waiting to destroy her.

Software engineer Ashley is fat and frustrated. Frustrated with failed diets. With a world that wants her to shrink. With biased doctors, online trolls, and even her own mother. Until Ashley falls in with a mysterious and radical sect of Fat Activists who are fighting back ... by any means necessary. She's never felt so alive, so full of purpose. She'll do whatever it takes to ride this high, destroy Diet Culture, and win the approval of her charismatic leader.

But when Gemma's toughest rival turns up dead, and more fitness girls fall like dominoes, it's beginning to look like the body image war has gone too far.

With breakneck pace and keen insights, Bodies to Die For takes a hard look at social media, the $70 billion diet industry, and the war on women's bodies--the wars we wage with each other, and with ourselves.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 11 Jun 2024 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Lori Brand, Kate Hergott, Steph Lauer) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/bodies-to-die-for-by-lori-brand-a-thriller-in-the-fitness-world-with-an-empowering-message-vLrLun__ This week, Steph Lauer and I talk with Lori Brand about her insanely fun thriller Bodies to Die For.  She shares her inspiration for the book, and her personal journey writing it.  

To check out her article about why she wrote Bodies to Die For, click here

Bodies to Die For Synopsis

Popular fitness influencer Gemma has transformed herself from a Before into an After, complete with washboard abs, thriving business, and gorgeous husband. But social media can be deceiving. Offline, the cutthroat world of bikini bodybuilding may just eat her alive. That's if she's not first devoured by the secret nemesis that lurks beneath her polished surface, waiting to destroy her.

Software engineer Ashley is fat and frustrated. Frustrated with failed diets. With a world that wants her to shrink. With biased doctors, online trolls, and even her own mother. Until Ashley falls in with a mysterious and radical sect of Fat Activists who are fighting back ... by any means necessary. She's never felt so alive, so full of purpose. She'll do whatever it takes to ride this high, destroy Diet Culture, and win the approval of her charismatic leader.

But when Gemma's toughest rival turns up dead, and more fitness girls fall like dominoes, it's beginning to look like the body image war has gone too far.

With breakneck pace and keen insights, Bodies to Die For takes a hard look at social media, the $70 billion diet industry, and the war on women's bodies--the wars we wage with each other, and with ourselves.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Bodies to Die For by Lori Brand: A Thriller in the Fitness World with an Empowering Message Lori Brand, Kate Hergott, Steph Lauer 01:14:07 body image, crime fiction, mystery, thrillers true full 115 82cd0223-f946-4e1d-8956-5518593a63b5 2024 ThrillerFest Recap with Olivia Day Wallace and Lori Brand This week, Olivia Day Wallace and Lori Brand join the podcast and tell me all about their experiences at ThrillerFest!  They share their most memorable moments, their favorite panels and new books that grabbed their attention.

Books We Talked About

The Den

Such a Bad Influence

A Friend in the Dark

The Drowning Woman

Syndicate Spy

For Worse

Sing Her Down

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Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 7 Jun 2024 11:10:17 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Lori Brand, Kate Hergott, Olivia Day Wallace) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/2024-thrillerfest-recap-with-olivia-day-wallace-and-lori-brand-5Niwc4Mi This week, Olivia Day Wallace and Lori Brand join the podcast and tell me all about their experiences at ThrillerFest!  They share their most memorable moments, their favorite panels and new books that grabbed their attention.

Books We Talked About

The Den

Such a Bad Influence

A Friend in the Dark

The Drowning Woman

Syndicate Spy

For Worse

Sing Her Down

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> 2024 ThrillerFest Recap with Olivia Day Wallace and Lori Brand Lori Brand, Kate Hergott, Olivia Day Wallace 00:59:03 bookstagram, crime fiction, international thriller writers, mystery, thrillerfest, thrillers true full 114 559b21da-4acd-4517-a97e-23b0ba52fbc5 While We Were Burning by Sara Koffi: Parasite Meets Such a Fun Age This week, I talk with Sara Koffi about her addictive domestic suspense While We Were Burning.  We dive into her inspiration for the book, how she ended up writing thrillers, and her favorite part of writing the book.

While We Were Burning Synopsis

After her best friend's mysterious death, Elizabeth Smith’s picture-perfect life in the Memphis suburbs has spiraled out of control—so much so that she hires a personal assistant to keep her on track. Composed and elegant, Brianna is exactly who she needs—she slides so neatly into Elizabeth’s life it's almost like she belonged there from the start, and proves herself indispensable. Soon, the assistant Elizabeth hired to distract her from her obsession with her friend's death is the same person working with her to uncover the truth behind it.

Because Brianna has questions, too.

She wants to know why the police killed her young Black son. Why someone in Elizabeth’s neighborhood called the cops on him that day. Who took that first step that stole her child away from her. And the only way she’s ever going to be able to find out is to entwine herself deep into Elizabeth’s life, where the answers to her questions lie. As the two women hurtle towards an electrifying final showdown, and the lines between employer and friend blur, it becomes clear that neither of them is what they first appear.

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 4 Jun 2024 11:47:37 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Sara Koffi, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/while-we-were-burning-by-sara-koffi-parasite-meets-such-a-fun-age-smgcw4jg This week, I talk with Sara Koffi about her addictive domestic suspense While We Were Burning.  We dive into her inspiration for the book, how she ended up writing thrillers, and her favorite part of writing the book.

While We Were Burning Synopsis

After her best friend's mysterious death, Elizabeth Smith’s picture-perfect life in the Memphis suburbs has spiraled out of control—so much so that she hires a personal assistant to keep her on track. Composed and elegant, Brianna is exactly who she needs—she slides so neatly into Elizabeth’s life it's almost like she belonged there from the start, and proves herself indispensable. Soon, the assistant Elizabeth hired to distract her from her obsession with her friend's death is the same person working with her to uncover the truth behind it.

Because Brianna has questions, too.

She wants to know why the police killed her young Black son. Why someone in Elizabeth’s neighborhood called the cops on him that day. Who took that first step that stole her child away from her. And the only way she’s ever going to be able to find out is to entwine herself deep into Elizabeth’s life, where the answers to her questions lie. As the two women hurtle towards an electrifying final showdown, and the lines between employer and friend blur, it becomes clear that neither of them is what they first appear.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> While We Were Burning by Sara Koffi: Parasite Meets Such a Fun Age Sara Koffi, Kate Hergott 00:17:15 bookstagram, crime fiction, psychological thriller, suspense, thriller true full 113 51c3162a-ffaa-4ea5-9e9d-a77e1a66659c Our Favorite Book Buzzwords and Outlier Books We've Read with Halley This week, Halley Sutton is back and we talk about buzzwords that grab our attention in synopses and some of our favorite books that are outliers compared to what we normally read.

Books Kate Talked About

Made For Love

Ace of Spades

Last Night at the Hollywood Canteen

Did You Hear About Kitty Karr?

Carrie Soto is Back

 

Books Halley Talked About

Heating and Cooling

Mr. Fox

Thursday Next Series

Get in Trouble

How to Be Eaten

Frankissstein

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 31 May 2024 11:53:31 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Halley Sutton, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/our-favorite-book-buzzwords-and-outlier-books-weve-read-with-halley-_1Xrjld9 This week, Halley Sutton is back and we talk about buzzwords that grab our attention in synopses and some of our favorite books that are outliers compared to what we normally read.

Books Kate Talked About

Made For Love

Ace of Spades

Last Night at the Hollywood Canteen

Did You Hear About Kitty Karr?

Carrie Soto is Back

 

Books Halley Talked About

Heating and Cooling

Mr. Fox

Thursday Next Series

Get in Trouble

How to Be Eaten

Frankissstein

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Our Favorite Book Buzzwords and Outlier Books We've Read with Halley Halley Sutton, Kate Hergott 01:13:57 bookstagram, crime fiction, fiction, books true full 112 61c40653-7f19-4525-8064-8c7ddb0132bd A Lovely Lie by Jaime Lynn Hendricks: Secrets From High School Reemerge Jaime Lynn Hendricks is back to talk about her newest twisty thriller A Lovely Lie!  Steph joins our conversation about the inspiration for the book, how Jaime builds her large casts, and her favorite part of writing 90s teenagers.

A Lovely Lie Synopsis

Is it better to believe a lovely lie or to know the horrible truth?

1999: The night of their senior picnic, Scarlett Russo and her best friend Pepper were involved in a car accident that left two of their classmates dead. Afterward, they lied to the police, protecting each other from the consequences. Then Pepper left town and Scarlett never heard from her again…

Now: Twenty-two years later, Scarlett has buried that deadly incident deep in her mind and built a comfortable life for herself, working in a hotel on the west coast of Florida and raising her teenage son with her husband Vince. Her peace is disrupted, however, when Pepper’s daughter shows up with news of Pepper’s death. Zoey is twenty-one and studying to be an investigative journalist. She has a cryptic letter from Pepper addressed to Scarlett that alludes to the events of that fateful night and Pepper’s initial intentions to get an abortion. Now Zoey wants answers about her mother’s past. Who is Zoey’s father? And what really happened after the senior picnic? As Zoey continues to dig into the past, all of Scarlett’s buried secrets threaten to rise to the surface.

 

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Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 28 May 2024 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Steph Lauer, Jaime Lynn Hendricks, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/a-lovely-lie-by-jaime-lynn-hendricks-secrets-from-high-school-reemerge-wPryvg74 Jaime Lynn Hendricks is back to talk about her newest twisty thriller A Lovely Lie!  Steph joins our conversation about the inspiration for the book, how Jaime builds her large casts, and her favorite part of writing 90s teenagers.

A Lovely Lie Synopsis

Is it better to believe a lovely lie or to know the horrible truth?

1999: The night of their senior picnic, Scarlett Russo and her best friend Pepper were involved in a car accident that left two of their classmates dead. Afterward, they lied to the police, protecting each other from the consequences. Then Pepper left town and Scarlett never heard from her again…

Now: Twenty-two years later, Scarlett has buried that deadly incident deep in her mind and built a comfortable life for herself, working in a hotel on the west coast of Florida and raising her teenage son with her husband Vince. Her peace is disrupted, however, when Pepper’s daughter shows up with news of Pepper’s death. Zoey is twenty-one and studying to be an investigative journalist. She has a cryptic letter from Pepper addressed to Scarlett that alludes to the events of that fateful night and Pepper’s initial intentions to get an abortion. Now Zoey wants answers about her mother’s past. Who is Zoey’s father? And what really happened after the senior picnic? As Zoey continues to dig into the past, all of Scarlett’s buried secrets threaten to rise to the surface.

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> A Lovely Lie by Jaime Lynn Hendricks: Secrets From High School Reemerge Steph Lauer, Jaime Lynn Hendricks, Kate Hergott 00:43:56 bookstagram, crime fiction, thriller, mystery true full 111 d22f8d1c-db46-4c0d-b1e0-d7245e2fd749 First and Favorites of Some of Our Favorite Authors with Steph This week, Steph and I talk about the first book we read from authors we've read multiple books from, and which of theirs is our favorite.

Books Kate Talked About

Bodies to Die For

Lying in Wait

Strange Sally Diamond

I Found You

The Night She Disappeared

Blood Oranges

This Family Lies

Every Last Fear

The Night Shift

A Flicker in the Dark

 

Books Steph Talked About

The Helper 

The Other Mothers

Darling Girls

The Good Sister

The Invited

Children on the Hill

Then She Was Gone

Watching You

Book of Cold Cases

The Haunting of Maddy Claire

It Could Be Anyone

A Lovely Lie

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 24 May 2024 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Steph Lauer) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/first-and-favorites-of-some-of-our-favorite-authors-with-steph-zoUiDFIr This week, Steph and I talk about the first book we read from authors we've read multiple books from, and which of theirs is our favorite.

Books Kate Talked About

Bodies to Die For

Lying in Wait

Strange Sally Diamond

I Found You

The Night She Disappeared

Blood Oranges

This Family Lies

Every Last Fear

The Night Shift

A Flicker in the Dark

 

Books Steph Talked About

The Helper 

The Other Mothers

Darling Girls

The Good Sister

The Invited

Children on the Hill

Then She Was Gone

Watching You

Book of Cold Cases

The Haunting of Maddy Claire

It Could Be Anyone

A Lovely Lie

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> First and Favorites of Some of Our Favorite Authors with Steph Kate Hergott, Steph Lauer 00:49:56 bookstagram, crime fiction, mystery, thrillers true full 110 9bf24384-6c5b-4fa8-b823-133706002228 The Man Who Saw Seconds by Alexander Boldizar: Seeing the Future and Challenging Morality This week, I talk with Alexander Boldizar about his new thriller The Man Who Saw Seconds.  We dive into the gray areas of morality, the vulnerabilities of government structures and the willingness to do anything for the people you love.  

The Man Who Saw Seconds Synopsis

Preble Jefferson can see five seconds into the future.

Otherwise, he lives an ordinary life. But when a confrontation with a cop on a New York City subway goes tragically wrong, those seconds give Preble the chance to dodge a bullet—causing another man to die in his place. 

Government agencies become aware of Preble’s gift, a manhunt ensues, and their ambitions shift from law enforcement to military R&D. Preble will do whatever it takes to protect his family, but as events spiral out of control, he must weigh the cost of his gift against the loss of his humanity. 

A breathless thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page, The Man Who Saw Seconds explores the nature of time, the brain as a prediction machine, and the tension between the individual and the systems we create. Alexander Boldizar provides an adrenaline-pumping read that will leave you contemplating love, fear and the abyss.

 

 

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Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 21 May 2024 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Alexander Boldizar, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/the-man-who-saw-seconds-by-alexander-boldizar-seeing-the-future-and-challenging-morality-HWb41po_ This week, I talk with Alexander Boldizar about his new thriller The Man Who Saw Seconds.  We dive into the gray areas of morality, the vulnerabilities of government structures and the willingness to do anything for the people you love.  

The Man Who Saw Seconds Synopsis

Preble Jefferson can see five seconds into the future.

Otherwise, he lives an ordinary life. But when a confrontation with a cop on a New York City subway goes tragically wrong, those seconds give Preble the chance to dodge a bullet—causing another man to die in his place. 

Government agencies become aware of Preble’s gift, a manhunt ensues, and their ambitions shift from law enforcement to military R&D. Preble will do whatever it takes to protect his family, but as events spiral out of control, he must weigh the cost of his gift against the loss of his humanity. 

A breathless thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page, The Man Who Saw Seconds explores the nature of time, the brain as a prediction machine, and the tension between the individual and the systems we create. Alexander Boldizar provides an adrenaline-pumping read that will leave you contemplating love, fear and the abyss.

 

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> The Man Who Saw Seconds by Alexander Boldizar: Seeing the Future and Challenging Morality Alexander Boldizar, Kate Hergott 00:31:12 action books, books, sci-fi, thrillers true full 108 dc3a8d8a-e88c-4402-8903-6a65e1dc7904 One Perfect Couple By Ruth Ware: A Reality Game Show Turned Deadly This week, I talk with Ruth Ware about her newest thriller One Perfect Couple.  We dive into the inspiration for the book, and what stereotype Ruth would be on a reality show.

One Perfect Couple Synopsis

Lyla is in a bit of a rut. Her post-doctoral research has fizzled out, she’s pretty sure they won’t extend her contract, and things with her boyfriend, Nico, an aspiring actor, aren’t going great. When the opportunity arises for Nico to join the cast of a new reality TV show, The Perfect Couple, she decides to try out with him. A whirlwind audition process later, Lyla find herself whisked off to a tropical paradise with Nico, boating through the Indian Ocean towards Ever After Island, where the two of them will compete against four other couples—Bayer and Angel, Dan and Santana, Joel and Romi, and Conor and Zana—in order to win a cash prize.

But not long after they arrive on the deserted island, things start to go wrong. After the first challenge leaves everyone rattled and angry, an overnight storm takes matters from bad to worse. Cut off from the mainland by miles of ocean, deprived of their phones, and unable to contact the crew that brought them there, the group must band together for survival. As tensions run high and fresh water runs low, Lyla finds that this game show is all too real—and the stakes are life or death.
 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 21 May 2024 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Ruth Ware, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/one-perfect-couple-by-ruth-ware-a-reality-game-show-turned-deadly-oeOiUwps This week, I talk with Ruth Ware about her newest thriller One Perfect Couple.  We dive into the inspiration for the book, and what stereotype Ruth would be on a reality show.

One Perfect Couple Synopsis

Lyla is in a bit of a rut. Her post-doctoral research has fizzled out, she’s pretty sure they won’t extend her contract, and things with her boyfriend, Nico, an aspiring actor, aren’t going great. When the opportunity arises for Nico to join the cast of a new reality TV show, The Perfect Couple, she decides to try out with him. A whirlwind audition process later, Lyla find herself whisked off to a tropical paradise with Nico, boating through the Indian Ocean towards Ever After Island, where the two of them will compete against four other couples—Bayer and Angel, Dan and Santana, Joel and Romi, and Conor and Zana—in order to win a cash prize.

But not long after they arrive on the deserted island, things start to go wrong. After the first challenge leaves everyone rattled and angry, an overnight storm takes matters from bad to worse. Cut off from the mainland by miles of ocean, deprived of their phones, and unable to contact the crew that brought them there, the group must band together for survival. As tensions run high and fresh water runs low, Lyla finds that this game show is all too real—and the stakes are life or death.
 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> One Perfect Couple By Ruth Ware: A Reality Game Show Turned Deadly Ruth Ware, Kate Hergott 00:33:14 crime fiction, ruth ware, mystery, reality tv game show, thrillers true full 109 0928fe0e-7123-46c0-bbd5-aae9790de31b Gateway/Starter Thrillers with Halley Sutton This week, Halley Sutton is back to talk about good gateway or starter thrillers - like when your non-thriller reader friend asks you what they should read and you don't want to scare them away from the genre immediately.  

Books We Talked About

Kate's Picks

All the Missing Girls

Death of a Dancing Queen

All Good People Here

The Lies I Tell

Never Have I Ever

 

Halley's Picks

Stephanie Plum Series

Gold Coast

Carl Hiassen Books

I Have Some Questions For You

Fake Like Me

Hollywood Homicide Series

Patricia Wants to Cuddle

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 17 May 2024 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Halley Sutton) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/gateway-starter-thrillers-with-halley-sutton-FpOhOsBy This week, Halley Sutton is back to talk about good gateway or starter thrillers - like when your non-thriller reader friend asks you what they should read and you don't want to scare them away from the genre immediately.  

Books We Talked About

Kate's Picks

All the Missing Girls

Death of a Dancing Queen

All Good People Here

The Lies I Tell

Never Have I Ever

 

Halley's Picks

Stephanie Plum Series

Gold Coast

Carl Hiassen Books

I Have Some Questions For You

Fake Like Me

Hollywood Homicide Series

Patricia Wants to Cuddle

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Gateway/Starter Thrillers with Halley Sutton Kate Hergott, Halley Sutton 01:12:52 crime fiction, mystery, books, thrillers true full 107 6e7830d5-a51a-4bc7-8f80-383b6251cff9 Devil in Profile by Kimberly G. Giarratano: Gritty Noir with a Sense of Humor This week, I talk with Kimberley G. Giarratano about her second book in The Billie Levine Series Devil in Profile.  We dive into her favorite parts about writing the series and where she got her inspiration for the art theft plot.

Devil in Profile Synopsis

Unlicensed P.I. Billie Levine is trying to bank some extra cash, so she picks up hours working as a process server for another investigative firm. Mindless and mostly 9 to 5, Billie is content to simply hand over court documents until during a routine stakeout, she stumbles upon the corpse of an elderly man, an art collector with ties to Nazi Germany.

Compared to Billie, the dead man has it easy. Billie is feeling on edge lately. Maybe it’s because her father is insisting his estranged kids come to his wedding in Sedona, or that David is making plans to move out, or that a smug teaching assistant is getting underfoot on her latest case.

Although, it’s possible she could use the help when the cops zero in on Billie’s boyfriend, Aaron, and his connections to an international art ring. Turns out, Aaron’s stint in Israel has left him with more than just a thick scar across his neck. The woman he screwed over wants revenge, and she’s determined to leverage Billie’s murder case to get it.

With the detectives focused on Aaron, Billie sets her sights on stopping a killer who is tying up loose ends — Billie being one of them.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Wed, 15 May 2024 19:48:26 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kimberly G. Giarratano, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/devil-in-profile-by-kimberly-g-giarratano-gritty-noir-with-a-sense-of-humor-wxyurBsL This week, I talk with Kimberley G. Giarratano about her second book in The Billie Levine Series Devil in Profile.  We dive into her favorite parts about writing the series and where she got her inspiration for the art theft plot.

Devil in Profile Synopsis

Unlicensed P.I. Billie Levine is trying to bank some extra cash, so she picks up hours working as a process server for another investigative firm. Mindless and mostly 9 to 5, Billie is content to simply hand over court documents until during a routine stakeout, she stumbles upon the corpse of an elderly man, an art collector with ties to Nazi Germany.

Compared to Billie, the dead man has it easy. Billie is feeling on edge lately. Maybe it’s because her father is insisting his estranged kids come to his wedding in Sedona, or that David is making plans to move out, or that a smug teaching assistant is getting underfoot on her latest case.

Although, it’s possible she could use the help when the cops zero in on Billie’s boyfriend, Aaron, and his connections to an international art ring. Turns out, Aaron’s stint in Israel has left him with more than just a thick scar across his neck. The woman he screwed over wants revenge, and she’s determined to leverage Billie’s murder case to get it.

With the detectives focused on Aaron, Billie sets her sights on stopping a killer who is tying up loose ends — Billie being one of them.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Devil in Profile by Kimberly G. Giarratano: Gritty Noir with a Sense of Humor Kimberly G. Giarratano, Kate Hergott 00:32:43 crime fiction, noir, mystery, fiction, thrillers true full 106 5446aa7b-19b0-4a0c-ab22-19391e4416bd Summer Thrillers We Can't Wait to Read with Gare Gare is back!  And we are talking about all the summer 2024 thrillers we are excited to read!

Books We Talked About

Bodies to Die For

A Talent for Murder

On the Surface

The Sorority

Ladykiller

The Hollywood Assistant

Letters to a Serial Killer

Assassins Anonymous

Shadowheart

It Had to Be You

The Last Party

The Haters

The Best Lies

Behind You

Society of Lies

Talking to Strangers

You Will Never Be Me

The Last Girl Left

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 10 May 2024 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/summer-thrillers-we-cant-wait-to-read-with-gare-cL0OcNTu Gare is back!  And we are talking about all the summer 2024 thrillers we are excited to read!

Books We Talked About

Bodies to Die For

A Talent for Murder

On the Surface

The Sorority

Ladykiller

The Hollywood Assistant

Letters to a Serial Killer

Assassins Anonymous

Shadowheart

It Had to Be You

The Last Party

The Haters

The Best Lies

Behind You

Society of Lies

Talking to Strangers

You Will Never Be Me

The Last Girl Left

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Summer Thrillers We Can't Wait to Read with Gare Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 01:11:02 crime fiction, mystery, fiction, thrillers true full 105 d10b81cf-9527-4043-8d16-8b63d80fcd24 Blood Rubies by Mailan Doquang: International Jewel Heists and a Lovable Anti-Hero This week, I talk with Mailan Doquang about her action packed jewel heist thriller Blood Rubies.  She shares how her work as an architectural historian influenced the way she approached writing fiction, and we discuss our mutual love for anti-heroes.

Follow Mailan on Instagram

Check out Blood Rubies

Blood Rubies Synopsis

Seven days are all it takes for Rune Sarasin’s life to completely derail. It starts with a routine heist: lifting a pouch of rubies from the Bangkok hotel room of wealthy smuggler Charles Lemaire. Rune nearly gets caught when Lemaire’s goons give chase, but she manages to escape with her boyfriend Kit. Then Kit delivers some terrifying news: his teenage sister Madee has gone missing. They track her cell phone to the dangerous Khlong Toei slum, but the trail ends there. The night gets even worse when Rune realizes she lost the pouch of gems somewhere in the slum while searching for Madee.

Charles Lemaire is the wrong man to mess with. He is a perfectionist when it comes to both his attire and his crimes, and he isn’t afraid to kill to get what he wants. When he catches up to Rune and Kit, he gives Rune an ultimatum: return his rubies or she will never see her boyfriend again. Now Rune must race against time to either recover the lost gems or find something even more valuable with which to ransom Kit back from Lemaire. But she also still needs to find out what happened to Madee. As Rune investigates deeper into the shadows of the Khlong Toei slum, she uncovers a web of crime with consequences far more insidious than just one missing girl and a handful of stolen rubies.
 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 7 May 2024 12:32:57 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Mailan Doquang, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/blood-rubies-by-mailan-doquang-international-jewel-heists-and-a-lovable-anti-hero-2AyuTzS_ This week, I talk with Mailan Doquang about her action packed jewel heist thriller Blood Rubies.  She shares how her work as an architectural historian influenced the way she approached writing fiction, and we discuss our mutual love for anti-heroes.

Follow Mailan on Instagram

Check out Blood Rubies

Blood Rubies Synopsis

Seven days are all it takes for Rune Sarasin’s life to completely derail. It starts with a routine heist: lifting a pouch of rubies from the Bangkok hotel room of wealthy smuggler Charles Lemaire. Rune nearly gets caught when Lemaire’s goons give chase, but she manages to escape with her boyfriend Kit. Then Kit delivers some terrifying news: his teenage sister Madee has gone missing. They track her cell phone to the dangerous Khlong Toei slum, but the trail ends there. The night gets even worse when Rune realizes she lost the pouch of gems somewhere in the slum while searching for Madee.

Charles Lemaire is the wrong man to mess with. He is a perfectionist when it comes to both his attire and his crimes, and he isn’t afraid to kill to get what he wants. When he catches up to Rune and Kit, he gives Rune an ultimatum: return his rubies or she will never see her boyfriend again. Now Rune must race against time to either recover the lost gems or find something even more valuable with which to ransom Kit back from Lemaire. But she also still needs to find out what happened to Madee. As Rune investigates deeper into the shadows of the Khlong Toei slum, she uncovers a web of crime with consequences far more insidious than just one missing girl and a handful of stolen rubies.
 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Blood Rubies by Mailan Doquang: International Jewel Heists and a Lovable Anti-Hero Mailan Doquang, Kate Hergott 00:27:25 bookstagram, action thriller, thrillers true full 104 c8efde63-09b0-4625-b8b0-eeefb841c70b Our Favorite Tropes with Olivia Day Wallace This week, I talk with the co-host of Thrillers By the Book Club Podcast Olivia Day Wallace about our favorite tropes in thrillers!

Books We Talked About

Murder Road

Nightwatching

Alias Emma

My Darling Husband

The Mentor

I’m Not Done With You Yet

Th1rt3en

Fourth Monkey

Original Twin

Where You End 

Blood Rubies

Counterfeit

Nena Knight Series

The Inheritance Games

Very Bad Things

House on the Cerulean Sea

On the Surface

Chloe Kates is Missing

Dark Corners

Everyone is Watching

How to Kill Men and Get Away with It

They Never Learn

If Something Happens to Me

First Lie Wins

Bluff

The Night Side

Pretty Things

Look Closer

Sometimes I Lie

None of This is True

Small Secrets

The Inmate

This Girl’s a Killer

Look in the Mirror

What We'll Burn Last

The Midnight Feast

You Will Never Be Me

Ladykiller

Everybody Knows

It Had to Be You

The Peacock and the Sparrow

Long Time Gone

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 3 May 2024 13:12:48 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Olivia Day Wallace, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/our-favorite-tropes-with-olivia-day-wallace-_6U5xV_j This week, I talk with the co-host of Thrillers By the Book Club Podcast Olivia Day Wallace about our favorite tropes in thrillers!

Books We Talked About

Murder Road

Nightwatching

Alias Emma

My Darling Husband

The Mentor

I’m Not Done With You Yet

Th1rt3en

Fourth Monkey

Original Twin

Where You End 

Blood Rubies

Counterfeit

Nena Knight Series

The Inheritance Games

Very Bad Things

House on the Cerulean Sea

On the Surface

Chloe Kates is Missing

Dark Corners

Everyone is Watching

How to Kill Men and Get Away with It

They Never Learn

If Something Happens to Me

First Lie Wins

Bluff

The Night Side

Pretty Things

Look Closer

Sometimes I Lie

None of This is True

Small Secrets

The Inmate

This Girl’s a Killer

Look in the Mirror

What We'll Burn Last

The Midnight Feast

You Will Never Be Me

Ladykiller

Everybody Knows

It Had to Be You

The Peacock and the Sparrow

Long Time Gone

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Our Favorite Tropes with Olivia Day Wallace Olivia Day Wallace, Kate Hergott 01:20:27 bookstagram, psychological thrillers, crime fiction, mystery, fiction, thrillers true full 103 93b36d54-d538-4493-bc19-5bc09f21d240 Missing White Woman by Kellye Garrett: Missing White Woman Syndrome and True Crime Fanaticism This week, I talk with Kellye Garrett about her writing journey and her new thriller Missing White Woman. We discuss Kellye's early interest in writing, her inspiration for her Hollywood Homicide Series, and her writing process. Kellye also shares how her experience in TV writing influenced her novel writing, particularly in creating suspenseful chapters and realistic dialogue. We dive into the themes of Missing White Woman, including true crime Internet culture and the racial dynamics explored in the story. 

 

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 30 Apr 2024 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kellye Garrett, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/missing-white-woman-by-kellye-garrett-missing-white-woman-syndrome-and-true-crime-fanaticism-gsRA9HBk This week, I talk with Kellye Garrett about her writing journey and her new thriller Missing White Woman. We discuss Kellye's early interest in writing, her inspiration for her Hollywood Homicide Series, and her writing process. Kellye also shares how her experience in TV writing influenced her novel writing, particularly in creating suspenseful chapters and realistic dialogue. We dive into the themes of Missing White Woman, including true crime Internet culture and the racial dynamics explored in the story. 

 

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Missing White Woman by Kellye Garrett: Missing White Woman Syndrome and True Crime Fanaticism Kellye Garrett, Kate Hergott 00:29:31 bookstagram, crime fiction, mystery, books, thrillers true full 102 170f1ee5-be80-4a71-a3b1-455de8e179ea Non-Thriller Books Thriller Readers Will Love with Amy Allen Clark This week, Amy Allen Clark, host of the Book Gang Podcast and the Book Gang Book Club, joins me and shares 5 non-thriller books she thinks thriller lovers would love!

Books Amy Recommends

We Are Watching Eliza Bright

Rust Stardust

The Warehouse

All's Well

One's Company

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 26 Apr 2024 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Amy Allen Clark, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/non-thriller-books-thriller-readers-will-love-with-amy-allen-clark-5ig9d6d7 This week, Amy Allen Clark, host of the Book Gang Podcast and the Book Gang Book Club, joins me and shares 5 non-thriller books she thinks thriller lovers would love!

Books Amy Recommends

We Are Watching Eliza Bright

Rust Stardust

The Warehouse

All's Well

One's Company

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Non-Thriller Books Thriller Readers Will Love with Amy Allen Clark Amy Allen Clark, Kate Hergott 01:02:05 bookstagram, fiction, thrillers true full 101 19ae3485-3773-4c77-878f-be9a12e60bef The Childhood Books that Shaped Our Reading Tastes with Halley Sutton This week, I talk with Halley Sutton about the books we loved reading in our childhood, and how they shaped our reading preferences as adults!

Books We Talked About

Ella Enchanted

The Uglies Series

The Hunger Games

Sally Lockhart Series

Sammy Keyes Series
 

Mara, Daughter of the Nile

Inside the Walls of Troy

Walk Two Moons

Song of the Lioness Series

Into the Land of the Unicorns
 

A Wrinkle in Time

A Ring of Endless Light

From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 19 Apr 2024 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Halley Sutton, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/the-childhood-books-that-shaped-our-reading-tastes-with-halley-sutton-X2Y__Pl2 This week, I talk with Halley Sutton about the books we loved reading in our childhood, and how they shaped our reading preferences as adults!

Books We Talked About

Ella Enchanted

The Uglies Series

The Hunger Games

Sally Lockhart Series

Sammy Keyes Series
 

Mara, Daughter of the Nile

Inside the Walls of Troy

Walk Two Moons

Song of the Lioness Series

Into the Land of the Unicorns
 

A Wrinkle in Time

A Ring of Endless Light

From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> The Childhood Books that Shaped Our Reading Tastes with Halley Sutton Halley Sutton, Kate Hergott 01:15:23 bookstagram, fiction, books, thrillers true full 100 f9d7640f-4e1c-4fbb-888e-6bf30aa3096e Thriller Authors Who Deserve More Love with Steph Lauer This week, Steph and Kate discuss different ways you can support authors that don't cost a thing!  Then, they dive into thriller authors they feel deserve more attention on Bookstagram and BookTok.

Authors We Talked About

JM Cannon

Vera Kurian

Yasmin Angoe

Hannah Morrissey

Susan Walter


Julia Heaberlin

Audra McElyea

Jaime Lynn Hendricks

Sagit Schwartz

Jess Lourey
Faith Gardner

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 12 Apr 2024 15:08:08 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Steph Lauer, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/thriller-authors-who-deserve-more-love-with-steph-lauer-siJEYVdD This week, Steph and Kate discuss different ways you can support authors that don't cost a thing!  Then, they dive into thriller authors they feel deserve more attention on Bookstagram and BookTok.

Authors We Talked About

JM Cannon

Vera Kurian

Yasmin Angoe

Hannah Morrissey

Susan Walter


Julia Heaberlin

Audra McElyea

Jaime Lynn Hendricks

Sagit Schwartz

Jess Lourey
Faith Gardner

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thriller Authors Who Deserve More Love with Steph Lauer Steph Lauer, Kate Hergott 00:58:09 bookstagram, crime fiction, author, reading, mystery, thrillers true full 99 6f25746c-d2ee-47a0-95bc-eca33c633e81 Books as Messy as Reality TV with Audrey Egner This week, Audrey Egner and I share some of our thoughts on this season of Vanderpump Rules and share recommendations for books that are as messy as reality TV!

We talk about Vanderpump Rules for the first 20ish minutes, so if you want to get straight to the book recommendations, skip ahead to 23:10.

Books We Talked About

Shiver

The Hunting Wives

Tell Me Everything

The Hunting Party

Unmissing

The Romantics

The Real Deal

The Daydreams

The Club

Everyone Who Can Forgive Me Is Dead

Kill Show

We Are the Brennans

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 9 Apr 2024 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Audrey Egner) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/books-as-messy-as-reality-tv-with-audrey-egner-1xTIECZC This week, Audrey Egner and I share some of our thoughts on this season of Vanderpump Rules and share recommendations for books that are as messy as reality TV!

We talk about Vanderpump Rules for the first 20ish minutes, so if you want to get straight to the book recommendations, skip ahead to 23:10.

Books We Talked About

Shiver

The Hunting Wives

Tell Me Everything

The Hunting Party

Unmissing

The Romantics

The Real Deal

The Daydreams

The Club

Everyone Who Can Forgive Me Is Dead

Kill Show

We Are the Brennans

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Books as Messy as Reality TV with Audrey Egner Kate Hergott, Audrey Egner 01:14:35 bookstagram, psychological thrillers, crime fiction, thriller, mystery true full 98 3b056d1f-6ba3-47fd-a305-8689b30501a3 Unreliable Narrators and Cons with Elizabeth Keenan and Greg Wands a.k.a E.G. Scott This week, I'm back with writing duo Elizabeth Keenan and Greg Wands, a.k.a E.G. Scott!  They share a little about the book they are currently working together, which includes a con plot.  We dive into how cons are orchestrated, why it's hard to stop them, and how our own unreliable narration of ourselves can keep us from catching certain details.  We also share books we've been reading lately that we've enjoyed.

Books We Talked About

Splinters

The Book of Love

The Split

Listen for the Lie

Anita de Monte Laughs Last

The Coldest Case

You Know What You Did

Missing White Woman

While We Were Burning

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 5 Apr 2024 14:30:33 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Greg Wands, Kate Hergott, Elizabeth Keenan) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/unreliable-narrators-and-cons-with-elizabeth-keenan-and-greg-wands-aka-eg-scott-gPXKsg46 This week, I'm back with writing duo Elizabeth Keenan and Greg Wands, a.k.a E.G. Scott!  They share a little about the book they are currently working together, which includes a con plot.  We dive into how cons are orchestrated, why it's hard to stop them, and how our own unreliable narration of ourselves can keep us from catching certain details.  We also share books we've been reading lately that we've enjoyed.

Books We Talked About

Splinters

The Book of Love

The Split

Listen for the Lie

Anita de Monte Laughs Last

The Coldest Case

You Know What You Did

Missing White Woman

While We Were Burning

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Unreliable Narrators and Cons with Elizabeth Keenan and Greg Wands a.k.a E.G. Scott Greg Wands, Kate Hergott, Elizabeth Keenan 01:09:04 psychological thrillers, writing, cons, reading, mystery, books, thrillers true full 97 5bdcd059-de72-4194-ba85-2047f68e4516 Young Rich Widows by Kimberly Belle, Layne Fargo, Cate Holahan and Vanessa Lillie This week, I talk to the thriller writing power group behind Young Rich Widows, Kimberly Belle, Layne Fargo,, Cate Holahan and Vanessa Lillie!

Young Rich Widows came out first on Audible last year, and as of today, it's available in print!  We dive into what it was like writing in a group, who write which characters, and plans for the rest of the series!

The next book in the series, Desperate Deadly Widows is available on Audible now and will be available in print next year.

Young Rich Widows Synopsis

When the four partners of a prominent law firm are killed in a mysterious plane crash, their widows must come together to uncover the truth in this explosive, edge-of-your-seat novel.

It’s 1985 in Providence, Rhode Island, and the four partners of a prominent, mafia-affiliated law firm have been killed in a private jet that went down outside New York City. Four very different women have just lost the loves of their lives: Justine, a former fashion model adjusting to suburban life; Camille, a beautiful, young second wife some suspect is a gold digger; Krystle, committed to leaving the firm to her sons after her husband worked his whole life to support them all; and Meredith, a stripper at the local club who was in a secret relationship with the firm’s sole female partner. While the crash is initially ruled a tragic accident, something’s not adding up: The team wasn’t supposed to be in New York that day, and it’s soon revealed that there was a very large sum of cash that burned up with the plane. The women find themselves thrown together in search of the truth, with new danger and threats unfolding at every turn.

Could a dissatisfied client be seeking revenge? Or were the partners involved in something bigger—something dangerous and deadly? What other secrets were the partners keeping, and how far might people go to ensure they stay hidden? The widows must find the answers in order to protect their inheritance, their families, and their lives.
 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 2 Apr 2024 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Layne Fargo, Cate Holahan, Kimberly Belle, Kate Hergott, Vanessa Lillie) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/young-rich-widows-by-kimberly-belle-layne-fargo-cate-holahan-and-vanessa-lillie-SsHiJbLM This week, I talk to the thriller writing power group behind Young Rich Widows, Kimberly Belle, Layne Fargo,, Cate Holahan and Vanessa Lillie!

Young Rich Widows came out first on Audible last year, and as of today, it's available in print!  We dive into what it was like writing in a group, who write which characters, and plans for the rest of the series!

The next book in the series, Desperate Deadly Widows is available on Audible now and will be available in print next year.

Young Rich Widows Synopsis

When the four partners of a prominent law firm are killed in a mysterious plane crash, their widows must come together to uncover the truth in this explosive, edge-of-your-seat novel.

It’s 1985 in Providence, Rhode Island, and the four partners of a prominent, mafia-affiliated law firm have been killed in a private jet that went down outside New York City. Four very different women have just lost the loves of their lives: Justine, a former fashion model adjusting to suburban life; Camille, a beautiful, young second wife some suspect is a gold digger; Krystle, committed to leaving the firm to her sons after her husband worked his whole life to support them all; and Meredith, a stripper at the local club who was in a secret relationship with the firm’s sole female partner. While the crash is initially ruled a tragic accident, something’s not adding up: The team wasn’t supposed to be in New York that day, and it’s soon revealed that there was a very large sum of cash that burned up with the plane. The women find themselves thrown together in search of the truth, with new danger and threats unfolding at every turn.

Could a dissatisfied client be seeking revenge? Or were the partners involved in something bigger—something dangerous and deadly? What other secrets were the partners keeping, and how far might people go to ensure they stay hidden? The widows must find the answers in order to protect their inheritance, their families, and their lives.
 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Young Rich Widows by Kimberly Belle, Layne Fargo, Cate Holahan and Vanessa Lillie Layne Fargo, Cate Holahan, Kimberly Belle, Kate Hergott, Vanessa Lillie 00:37:50 bookstagram, audible, crime fiction, thriller, mystery true full 96 6a5769be-6e3d-4e58-a637-4438a3e51eea Art Theft Thrillers with Halley Sutton This week, Halley Sutton is back with a super fun topic: art theft!  She's been taking a class that dives into art theft, and it inspires conversations about forgeries, the non-violent nature of the crime, and how status symbols gain their worth.  We also shares some of our favorite books that include art-related theft or crimes!

Books We Talked About

Where Are You Echo Blue

Everybody Knows

Society of Lies

When I’m Her

What Meets the Eye

The Art Thief

Fake Like Me

My Death

Blood Rubies

Yellowface

The Plot

The Lock Box

 

Documentary We Talked About

Made You Look

 

Podcast We Talked About

Death of an Artist

 


 


 


 


 

Acting but people believe it’s you

Could past and present be ai vs real


 

  • build a model of you as an actor in case you die during filming


 

https://sayhi.chat/4a0gx


 


 


 


 


 


 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 29 Mar 2024 16:04:49 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Halley Sutton) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/art-theft-thrillers-with-halley-sutton-uop21G7V This week, Halley Sutton is back with a super fun topic: art theft!  She's been taking a class that dives into art theft, and it inspires conversations about forgeries, the non-violent nature of the crime, and how status symbols gain their worth.  We also shares some of our favorite books that include art-related theft or crimes!

Books We Talked About

Where Are You Echo Blue

Everybody Knows

Society of Lies

When I’m Her

What Meets the Eye

The Art Thief

Fake Like Me

My Death

Blood Rubies

Yellowface

The Plot

The Lock Box

 

Documentary We Talked About

Made You Look

 

Podcast We Talked About

Death of an Artist

 


 


 


 


 

Acting but people believe it’s you

Could past and present be ai vs real


 

  • build a model of you as an actor in case you die during filming


 

https://sayhi.chat/4a0gx


 


 


 


 


 


 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Art Theft Thrillers with Halley Sutton Kate Hergott, Halley Sutton 00:58:47 art theft, crime fiction, mystery, art crime documentaries, thrillers true full 95 180c0bbd-6a4e-4d85-8201-82cc4b6d786a The Vineyard Remains by Addison McKnight: A Moody Martha's Vineyard and Two Women at Odds with Each Other This week, I talk with writing duo Addison McKnight, Nicole Moleti and Krista Wells about their new thriller The Vineyard Remains!  We dive into the process they used to write with each other, their initial idea for the book, and the book's similarities to The Affair and Bloodline.

Addison McKnight's Instagram

Addison McKnight's Website

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 26 Mar 2024 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Addison McKnight, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/the-vineyard-remains-by-addison-mcknight-a-moody-marthas-vineyard-and-two-women-at-odds-with-each-other-i6qXWckC This week, I talk with writing duo Addison McKnight, Nicole Moleti and Krista Wells about their new thriller The Vineyard Remains!  We dive into the process they used to write with each other, their initial idea for the book, and the book's similarities to The Affair and Bloodline.

Addison McKnight's Instagram

Addison McKnight's Website

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> The Vineyard Remains by Addison McKnight: A Moody Martha's Vineyard and Two Women at Odds with Each Other Addison McKnight, Kate Hergott 00:25:41 bookstagram, crime fiction, mystery, thrillers true full 94 c618a2d8-0908-49ff-9999-84f3f8d9a6b2 The Best Revenge Thrillers with Steph Lauer This week, Stpeh Lauer @books.in.badgerland and I talk about our favorite revenge thrillers!

Books We Talked About

The Last Housewife

The Weight of Blood

Kill for Me, Kill for You

The Golden Cage

Look Closer

Mindfuck Series

An Inconvenient Woman

You Know Her

Never Saw Me Coming

They Never Learn

Lay Your Body Down

The Change

Ask for Andrea

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 22 Mar 2024 12:15:01 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Steph Lauer) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/the-best-revenge-thrillers-7ni1IXZt This week, Stpeh Lauer @books.in.badgerland and I talk about our favorite revenge thrillers!

Books We Talked About

The Last Housewife

The Weight of Blood

Kill for Me, Kill for You

The Golden Cage

Look Closer

Mindfuck Series

An Inconvenient Woman

You Know Her

Never Saw Me Coming

They Never Learn

Lay Your Body Down

The Change

Ask for Andrea

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> The Best Revenge Thrillers with Steph Lauer Kate Hergott, Steph Lauer 00:52:28 bookstagram, crime fiction, mystery, thrillers true full 93 9f2a304b-bcc7-4d74-b021-bc7a2e91fd79 The Night Side by M.M. DeLuca: A Grifter Mom, A Return to a Small Town, And Decades of Secrets This week, I talk with M.M. DeLuca about her newest thriller The Night Side.  We dive into what draws her to writing thrillers, inspiration from her family for this book, and the staying power of thrillers with character development.

M.M. DeLuca's Instagram

M.M. DeLuca's website

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 19 Mar 2024 13:16:25 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (M.M. DeLuca, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/the-night-side-by-mm-deluca-a-grifter-mom-a-return-to-a-small-town-and-decades-of-secrets-LsN_1DIr This week, I talk with M.M. DeLuca about her newest thriller The Night Side.  We dive into what draws her to writing thrillers, inspiration from her family for this book, and the staying power of thrillers with character development.

M.M. DeLuca's Instagram

M.M. DeLuca's website

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> The Night Side by M.M. DeLuca: A Grifter Mom, A Return to a Small Town, And Decades of Secrets M.M. DeLuca, Kate Hergott 00:31:55 bookstagram, crime fiction, mystery, thrillers true full 92 4300ae05-6234-4f02-a97f-fe435789ca82 A French Residency, Morning Pages and Philosophizing Reality TV: Halley Sutton Returns! This week, Halley Sutton returns!  

We talk about her experience in a month long residency in France, writing processes, books about writing, and books we've read and loved recently.  

Books We Talked About

Story Genius

Save the Cat! Writes a Novel

The Night Side

Disappearing Earth

Everybody Knows

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 15 Mar 2024 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Halley Sutton, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/a-french-residency-morning-pages-and-philosophizing-reality-tv-halley-sutton-returns-0kvFdUUS This week, Halley Sutton returns!  

We talk about her experience in a month long residency in France, writing processes, books about writing, and books we've read and loved recently.  

Books We Talked About

Story Genius

Save the Cat! Writes a Novel

The Night Side

Disappearing Earth

Everybody Knows

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> A French Residency, Morning Pages and Philosophizing Reality TV: Halley Sutton Returns! Halley Sutton, Kate Hergott 01:26:46 bookstagram, writing, crime fiction, fiction, mysteries, thrillers true full 91 af545bf3-ce15-44cc-8143-1bf2ba3b5b74 Audrey Egner @chaptersandconverse Shares Some of Her Favorite Thrillers This week, Audrey Egener aka @chaptersandconverse shares some of her favorite thrillers, and we talk about our favorite parts of Bookstagram and BookTube!

Books We Talked About

Jar of Hearts

Final Girls

The Kind Worth Killing

Th1rt3en

Ralph’s Party

And Then There Were None

The Secret History

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 8 Mar 2024 13:06:03 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Audrey Egner, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/audrey-egner-chaptersandconverse-shares-some-of-her-favorite-thrillers-Sr3y46rv This week, Audrey Egener aka @chaptersandconverse shares some of her favorite thrillers, and we talk about our favorite parts of Bookstagram and BookTube!

Books We Talked About

Jar of Hearts

Final Girls

The Kind Worth Killing

Th1rt3en

Ralph’s Party

And Then There Were None

The Secret History

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Audrey Egner @chaptersandconverse Shares Some of Her Favorite Thrillers Audrey Egner, Kate Hergott 00:56:54 bookstagram, crime fiction, mystery, thrillers true full 90 6c299105-80bb-4330-aa21-e87f2c85f293 Steph Lauer @books.in.bagerland Shares Some of Her Favorite Thrillers This week, Steph Lauer aka @books.in.badgerland shares some of her favorite thrillers, and we discuss our favorite parts of the Bookstagram community!

Books We Talked About

The Mindf*ck Series

Listen for the Lie

Don’t Forget the Girl

Chain Gang All Stars

Almost Surely Dead

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 1 Mar 2024 12:30:11 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Steph Lauer, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/step-lauer-booksinbagerland-shares-some-of-her-favorite-thrillers-XGQ4rpZ6 This week, Steph Lauer aka @books.in.badgerland shares some of her favorite thrillers, and we discuss our favorite parts of the Bookstagram community!

Books We Talked About

The Mindf*ck Series

Listen for the Lie

Don’t Forget the Girl

Chain Gang All Stars

Almost Surely Dead

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Steph Lauer @books.in.bagerland Shares Some of Her Favorite Thrillers Steph Lauer, Kate Hergott 00:50:16 bookstagram, crime fiction, mystery, thrillers true full 89 0bcc0919-6fa6-46af-a6ed-3983684f06a5 Spring 2024 Thrillers I Can't Wait to Read This week, Kate shares thrillers she can't wait to read coming out in Spring 2024.

Books Discussed

Missing White Woman

A Lovely Lie

The Man Who Saw Seconds

You Know What You Did

While We Were Burning

Daughter of Mine

She's Not Sorry

The Last Murder at the End of the World

When I'm Her

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 23 Feb 2024 05:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/spring-2024-thrillers-i-cant-wait-to-read-4VbPmnWM This week, Kate shares thrillers she can't wait to read coming out in Spring 2024.

Books Discussed

Missing White Woman

A Lovely Lie

The Man Who Saw Seconds

You Know What You Did

While We Were Burning

Daughter of Mine

She's Not Sorry

The Last Murder at the End of the World

When I'm Her

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Spring 2024 Thrillers I Can't Wait to Read Kate Hergott 00:48:43 bookstagram, crime fiction, mystery, books, thrillers true full 88 18dca2c5-bfda-4a2b-9ace-c0508ea959e7 Movie and TV Show Book Companions This week, we share books that match the vibes of movies and TV shows.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

If you liked the TV show Mr. and Mrs. Smith, you might like First Lie Wins

If you liked the movie Gone Girl, you might like Finding Tessa

If you liked the movie American Fiction, you might like The Other Black Girl

If you liked the movie Luckiest Girl Alive, you might like Everyone Who Can Forgive Me Is Dead

If you liked the TV show Bad Sisters, you might like An Inconvenient Woman

If you liked the movie Cruel Intentions, you might like Infamous Park Avenue Prince

If you liked the TV show Jessica Jones, you might like Death of a Dancing Queen

If you liked the movie American Psycho, you might like Kill for Love

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 16 Feb 2024 16:28:10 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/movie-and-tv-show-book-companions-0M1sChX_ This week, we share books that match the vibes of movies and TV shows.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

If you liked the TV show Mr. and Mrs. Smith, you might like First Lie Wins

If you liked the movie Gone Girl, you might like Finding Tessa

If you liked the movie American Fiction, you might like The Other Black Girl

If you liked the movie Luckiest Girl Alive, you might like Everyone Who Can Forgive Me Is Dead

If you liked the TV show Bad Sisters, you might like An Inconvenient Woman

If you liked the movie Cruel Intentions, you might like Infamous Park Avenue Prince

If you liked the TV show Jessica Jones, you might like Death of a Dancing Queen

If you liked the movie American Psycho, you might like Kill for Love

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Movie and TV Show Book Companions Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 00:37:54 bookstagram, crime fiction, movies, mystery, books, tv shows, thrillers true full 87 55a4772a-2678-4d52-b44b-37bc0d6d2bca Hyped Books That Were Worth The Hype This week, we share books that had huge hype around them that we loved reading!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About:

Verity

Gone Girl

Where the Crawdads Sing

The Girl on the Train

The Silent Patient

Twilight

The Hunger Games

Fifty Shades of Grey

Big Little Lies

Pretty Little Liars

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 9 Feb 2024 14:33:37 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/hyped-books-that-were-worth-the-hype-OSB77dPt This week, we share books that had huge hype around them that we loved reading!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About:

Verity

Gone Girl

Where the Crawdads Sing

The Girl on the Train

The Silent Patient

Twilight

The Hunger Games

Fifty Shades of Grey

Big Little Lies

Pretty Little Liars

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Hyped Books That Were Worth The Hype Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 00:53:43 bookstagram, crime fiction, thriller, mystery true full 86 3b01f3b8-6a48-4b98-9412-9985e82736a8 Since She's Been Gone by Sagit Schwartz: Disordered Eating, The Opioid Crisis and Mother-Daughter Bonds This week, I talk with Sagit Schwartz about how she integrated her own experiences with her mother, eating disorders AND the opioid crisis into her emotional, action-packed thriller Since She's Been Gone!

Synopsis

Can we ever truly know the people we love?

Losing her mother to a hit-and-run at age 15 threw Beatrice “Beans” Bennett’s life into turmoil. Bereft, she developed a life-threatening eating disorder, and went through a challenging recovery process which paved the way for her work as a clinical psychologist decades later. 

When a new patient arrives at her office and insists that Beans’s mother is still alive—and in danger—Beans is forced to revisit her past in order to uncover the truth. She learns the “patient” is a member of a notorious family that owns a drug company largely responsible for the national opioid epidemic, and that her mother was once tangled in their web. In a race against time—and her mother’s assailants—while once again facing the disorder she thought she’d put behind her, Beans discovers that, like herself, her mother had a devastating secret. 

With its fast-moving, edge-of-your-seat action and intimate look at mental health, Since She’s Been Gone will keep readers in its grasp long after the last page.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 6 Feb 2024 05:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Sagit Schwartz, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/since-shes-been-gone-by-sagit-schwartz-disordered-eating-the-opioid-crisis-and-mother-daughter-bonds-V42efe4W This week, I talk with Sagit Schwartz about how she integrated her own experiences with her mother, eating disorders AND the opioid crisis into her emotional, action-packed thriller Since She's Been Gone!

Synopsis

Can we ever truly know the people we love?

Losing her mother to a hit-and-run at age 15 threw Beatrice “Beans” Bennett’s life into turmoil. Bereft, she developed a life-threatening eating disorder, and went through a challenging recovery process which paved the way for her work as a clinical psychologist decades later. 

When a new patient arrives at her office and insists that Beans’s mother is still alive—and in danger—Beans is forced to revisit her past in order to uncover the truth. She learns the “patient” is a member of a notorious family that owns a drug company largely responsible for the national opioid epidemic, and that her mother was once tangled in their web. In a race against time—and her mother’s assailants—while once again facing the disorder she thought she’d put behind her, Beans discovers that, like herself, her mother had a devastating secret. 

With its fast-moving, edge-of-your-seat action and intimate look at mental health, Since She’s Been Gone will keep readers in its grasp long after the last page.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Since She's Been Gone by Sagit Schwartz: Disordered Eating, The Opioid Crisis and Mother-Daughter Bonds Sagit Schwartz, Kate Hergott 00:44:31 crime fiction, thrillers true full 202 5f331e19-569f-47d5-a0c7-956e086504de Books That A24 Films Should Adapt This week, we share books that A24 Films should adapt into movies!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About:

Ace of Spades

Nice Girls

Bath Haus

Seeing Strangers

Prophet

Real Easy

The Lady Upstairs

Look What You Made Me Do

Almost Surely Dead

How We Named the Stars

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 2 Feb 2024 14:50:41 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/books-that-a24-films-should-adapt-1vN8Ns4E This week, we share books that A24 Films should adapt into movies!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About:

Ace of Spades

Nice Girls

Bath Haus

Seeing Strangers

Prophet

Real Easy

The Lady Upstairs

Look What You Made Me Do

Almost Surely Dead

How We Named the Stars

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Books That A24 Films Should Adapt Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 00:59:27 bookstagram, crime fiction, a24, mystery, fiction, thrillers true full 85 48fe5be8-6ce5-4800-b59b-4d1a17393bc0 Almost Surely Dead by Amina Akhtar: Jinns, Sleepwalking and True Crime Satire This week, I talk with Amina Akhtar about her new thriller Almost Surely Dead!

Synopsis

Dunia Ahmed lives an ordinary life—or she definitely used to. Now she’s the subject of a true crime podcast. She’s been missing for over a year, and no one knows if she’s dead or alive. But her story has listeners obsessed, and people everywhere are sporting merch that demands “Find Dunia!” In the days before her disappearance, Dunia is a successful pharmacist living in New York. The daughter of Pakistani immigrants, she’s coping with a broken engagement and the death of her mother. But then something happens that really shakes up her someone tries to murder her. When her would-be killer winds up dead, Dunia figures the worst is over. 

But then there’s another attempt on her life…and another. And police suspect someone close to her may be the culprit. Dunia struggles to make sense of what’s happening. And as childhood superstitions seep into her reality, she becomes convinced that someone—or some thing —is truly after her.

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thu, 1 Feb 2024 05:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Amina Akhtar, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/almost-surely-dead-by-amina-akhtar-jinns-sleepwalking-and-true-crime-satire-A4TnAf9n This week, I talk with Amina Akhtar about her new thriller Almost Surely Dead!

Synopsis

Dunia Ahmed lives an ordinary life—or she definitely used to. Now she’s the subject of a true crime podcast. She’s been missing for over a year, and no one knows if she’s dead or alive. But her story has listeners obsessed, and people everywhere are sporting merch that demands “Find Dunia!” In the days before her disappearance, Dunia is a successful pharmacist living in New York. The daughter of Pakistani immigrants, she’s coping with a broken engagement and the death of her mother. But then something happens that really shakes up her someone tries to murder her. When her would-be killer winds up dead, Dunia figures the worst is over. 

But then there’s another attempt on her life…and another. And police suspect someone close to her may be the culprit. Dunia struggles to make sense of what’s happening. And as childhood superstitions seep into her reality, she becomes convinced that someone—or some thing —is truly after her.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Almost Surely Dead by Amina Akhtar: Jinns, Sleepwalking and True Crime Satire Amina Akhtar, Kate Hergott 00:50:09 crime fiction, thriller, mystery, writing process, paranormal true full 200 74d35357-dbe7-4a3d-92e3-2e5744bf4ed3 The Real Deal by Caitlin Devlin: Reality TV, Girlhood and Deception This week, I talk with Caitlin Devlin about her debut novel The Real Deal!

Synopsis

Belle Simon was just 12 years old when she was one of six girls plucked from obscurity to star in reality TV sensation The Real Deal. Under the wing of dazzling star Donna Mayfair, she and the other five girls were meant to become world-famous actresses, singers and dancers.

But at 26, Belle is trying to live anonymously, away from being loved or loathed. The public eye has never fully shut, however, and when a producer offers Belle a big paycheck to join a reunion special for The Real Deal, she finds it hard to say no. If people are going to talk about that shocking final episode anyway, maybe this is an unexpected opportunity.

Everyone watching thinks they know what happened, but only Belle knows what really occurred away from the cameras and outside the editing room. Is she ready to go back and confront her past? And will anyone believe her if she reveals the truth?

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thu, 1 Feb 2024 05:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Caitlin Devlin) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/the-real-deal-by-caitlin-devlin-reality-tv-girlhood-and-deception-UVX1qhtw This week, I talk with Caitlin Devlin about her debut novel The Real Deal!

Synopsis

Belle Simon was just 12 years old when she was one of six girls plucked from obscurity to star in reality TV sensation The Real Deal. Under the wing of dazzling star Donna Mayfair, she and the other five girls were meant to become world-famous actresses, singers and dancers.

But at 26, Belle is trying to live anonymously, away from being loved or loathed. The public eye has never fully shut, however, and when a producer offers Belle a big paycheck to join a reunion special for The Real Deal, she finds it hard to say no. If people are going to talk about that shocking final episode anyway, maybe this is an unexpected opportunity.

Everyone watching thinks they know what happened, but only Belle knows what really occurred away from the cameras and outside the editing room. Is she ready to go back and confront her past? And will anyone believe her if she reveals the truth?

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> The Real Deal by Caitlin Devlin: Reality TV, Girlhood and Deception Kate Hergott, Caitlin Devlin 00:29:10 reading, contemporary fiction, writing process, fiction true full 201 2fa42440-0776-4168-9692-7efaadd2abbe Books Outside Our Comfort Zone That We Loved This week, we share books we loved reading that stretched us outside our comfort zones!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About:

The Real Deal

The Paper Palace

Last Night at the Hollywood Canteen

Just By Looking at Him

The Prediction

White Ivy

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 26 Jan 2024 20:00:22 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/books-outside-our-comfort-zone-that-we-loved-T2lOgG9l This week, we share books we loved reading that stretched us outside our comfort zones!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About:

The Real Deal

The Paper Palace

Last Night at the Hollywood Canteen

Just By Looking at Him

The Prediction

White Ivy

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Books Outside Our Comfort Zone That We Loved Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 00:40:59 bookstagram, literary fiction, book club fiction, thriller, books true full 84 7e1efb94-a201-46f0-9115-7d7da7d8349c Wintry Thrillers to Cozy Up With This week, we share our favorite wintry thrillers for this freezing weather!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About:

The Deep, Deep Snow

No Exit

Rock, Paper, Scissors

The Silent Girls 

The Hunting Party

The Overnight Guest

White Out

The Snowman

Shiver

The Mountain King

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 19 Jan 2024 12:33:21 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/wintry-thrillers-to-cozy-up-with-KG1zCgpx This week, we share our favorite wintry thrillers for this freezing weather!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About:

The Deep, Deep Snow

No Exit

Rock, Paper, Scissors

The Silent Girls 

The Hunting Party

The Overnight Guest

White Out

The Snowman

Shiver

The Mountain King

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Wintry Thrillers to Cozy Up With Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 00:51:43 bookstagram, crime fiction, psychological thriller, thriller, mystery true full 83 457106fc-19f8-4ef6-991d-12978266b5ce Lie By the Pool by Susan Walter: Multiple POVs, Timeline Hopping and Reveal After Reveal This week, I talk with Susan Walter about her LA-based, fast paced thriller Lie By the Pool!

Follow Susan on Instagram here

Check out her website here

Lie By the Pool Synopsis

Bree’s new home is luxurious and private, with a fancy Beverly Hills address. What a shame it’s not hers. Widowed, penniless, living in her car, and out of options, she’s climbed the fence and crashed in the pool house. All she wants is a good night’s sleep. But when Sophie, the absentee owner, finds her, she gets a whole lot more.

Sophie invites Bree back for a party. When it winds down, Bree can’t resist sneaking upstairs to sleep in a real bed. But the next morning, she wakes to find Sophie’s dead body floating in the pool. As the resident vagabond, she’s both the only witness and the prime murder suspect.

Bree knows she shouldn’t run, but her husband’s death was mysterious, too. If she’s going to clear her name, she’s going to have to work fast. Because the killer is still out there, and she’s next.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 16 Jan 2024 05:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Susan Walter, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/lie-by-the-pool-by-susan-walter-multiple-povs-timeline-hopping-and-reveal-after-reveal-hMe1nH_V This week, I talk with Susan Walter about her LA-based, fast paced thriller Lie By the Pool!

Follow Susan on Instagram here

Check out her website here

Lie By the Pool Synopsis

Bree’s new home is luxurious and private, with a fancy Beverly Hills address. What a shame it’s not hers. Widowed, penniless, living in her car, and out of options, she’s climbed the fence and crashed in the pool house. All she wants is a good night’s sleep. But when Sophie, the absentee owner, finds her, she gets a whole lot more.

Sophie invites Bree back for a party. When it winds down, Bree can’t resist sneaking upstairs to sleep in a real bed. But the next morning, she wakes to find Sophie’s dead body floating in the pool. As the resident vagabond, she’s both the only witness and the prime murder suspect.

Bree knows she shouldn’t run, but her husband’s death was mysterious, too. If she’s going to clear her name, she’s going to have to work fast. Because the killer is still out there, and she’s next.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Lie By the Pool by Susan Walter: Multiple POVs, Timeline Hopping and Reveal After Reveal Susan Walter, Kate Hergott 00:40:07 crime fiction, writing process, thrillers true full 199 a8e31cd5-1fb1-412c-9562-256940e2c303 Books We Are Kicking Off 2024 With This week, we talk about the books we are starting off 2024 with!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About:

Walking Through Needles

No One Can Know

Good As Dead

What Happened to Nina?

They Are the Hunters

The New Couple in 5B

The Fury

Listen for the Lie

Ladykiller

The Boyfriend Subscription

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 12 Jan 2024 16:17:08 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/books-we-are-kicking-off-2024-with-zPTkPin_ This week, we talk about the books we are starting off 2024 with!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About:

Walking Through Needles

No One Can Know

Good As Dead

What Happened to Nina?

They Are the Hunters

The New Couple in 5B

The Fury

Listen for the Lie

Ladykiller

The Boyfriend Subscription

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Books We Are Kicking Off 2024 With Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 00:58:10 crime fiction, psychological thriller, reading, thriller, mystery, books true full 82 9f2065d8-636c-4da1-b1cd-b8b46d27560a Heather Levy's Hurt for Me: Shameless Sexual Expression, BDSM and A Missing Person Case This week, we got to talk with Heather Levy about her character driven, dual-timeline, steamy thriller Hurt for Me!

Get Hurt for Me now as an Amazon First Reads pick!

Synopsis

A single mother’s brutal past threatens to destroy the new life she’s built in this suspenseful dark romance set in the underground world of kink.

Rae Dixon is lucky to be alive. Fifteen years ago, she survived being trafficked and abused, escaping her captors to reclaim her life. Now, she’s running a thriving business with her best friend and raising a teenage daughter on her own. Rae’s finally in control—literally. As Mistress V, Rae is the one calling the shots catering to Oklahoma City’s elite in her private dungeon, which is fronted by a spa.

But when a client goes missing, Rae’s world spins out of control.

Detective Dayton Clearwater shows up at the spa, sparking panic when he asks questions that risk exposing Rae’s true business. After several young women from her underground community disappear, too, Rae spots a chillingly familiar pattern. Together, she and Detective Clearwater must find answers before more lives are destroyed, including those they love.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 5 Jan 2024 17:39:03 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Heather Levy, Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/heather-levys-hurt-for-me-shameless-sexual-expression-bdsm-and-a-missing-person-case-ArHTMLbc This week, we got to talk with Heather Levy about her character driven, dual-timeline, steamy thriller Hurt for Me!

Get Hurt for Me now as an Amazon First Reads pick!

Synopsis

A single mother’s brutal past threatens to destroy the new life she’s built in this suspenseful dark romance set in the underground world of kink.

Rae Dixon is lucky to be alive. Fifteen years ago, she survived being trafficked and abused, escaping her captors to reclaim her life. Now, she’s running a thriving business with her best friend and raising a teenage daughter on her own. Rae’s finally in control—literally. As Mistress V, Rae is the one calling the shots catering to Oklahoma City’s elite in her private dungeon, which is fronted by a spa.

But when a client goes missing, Rae’s world spins out of control.

Detective Dayton Clearwater shows up at the spa, sparking panic when he asks questions that risk exposing Rae’s true business. After several young women from her underground community disappear, too, Rae spots a chillingly familiar pattern. Together, she and Detective Clearwater must find answers before more lives are destroyed, including those they love.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Heather Levy's Hurt for Me: Shameless Sexual Expression, BDSM and A Missing Person Case Heather Levy, Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 01:07:00 bookstagram, bdsm, author, reading, mystery, books, thrillers true full 81 383277a8-dcf0-418c-9c00-de9b06f60884 Rabbit Hole by Kate Brody: Grief, The Dark Side of The Internet, and True Crime Obsession This week, I talk with Kate Brody about her emotionally and character driven debut thriller Rabbit Hole!

Rabbit Hole Synopsis

Ten years ago, Theodora “Teddy” Angstrom’s older sister, Angie, went missing. Her case remains unsolved. Now Teddy’s father, Mark, has killed himself. Unbeknownst to Mark’s family, he had been active in a Reddit community fixated on Angie, and Teddy can’t help but fall down the same rabbit hole.

Teddy’s investigation quickly gets her in hot water with her gun-nut boyfriend, her long-lost half brother, and her colleagues at the prestigious high school where she teaches English. Further complicating matters is Teddy’s growing obsession with Mickey, a charming amateur sleuth who is eerily keen on helping her solve the case.

Bewitched by Mickey, Teddy begins to lose her moral compass. As she struggles to reconcile new information with old memories, her erratic behavior reaches a fever pitch, but she won’t stop until she finds Angie—or destroys herself in the process.

A biting critique of the internet’s voyeurism, Rabbit Hole is an outrageous and heart-wrenching character study of a mind twisted by grief—and a page-turning mystery that’s as addictive as a late-night Reddit binge.

Follow Kate on Instagram

And check out her website here

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Wed, 3 Jan 2024 05:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Brody, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/rabbit-hole-by-kate-brody-grief-the-dark-side-of-the-internet-and-true-crime-obsession-ai9JqVMA This week, I talk with Kate Brody about her emotionally and character driven debut thriller Rabbit Hole!

Rabbit Hole Synopsis

Ten years ago, Theodora “Teddy” Angstrom’s older sister, Angie, went missing. Her case remains unsolved. Now Teddy’s father, Mark, has killed himself. Unbeknownst to Mark’s family, he had been active in a Reddit community fixated on Angie, and Teddy can’t help but fall down the same rabbit hole.

Teddy’s investigation quickly gets her in hot water with her gun-nut boyfriend, her long-lost half brother, and her colleagues at the prestigious high school where she teaches English. Further complicating matters is Teddy’s growing obsession with Mickey, a charming amateur sleuth who is eerily keen on helping her solve the case.

Bewitched by Mickey, Teddy begins to lose her moral compass. As she struggles to reconcile new information with old memories, her erratic behavior reaches a fever pitch, but she won’t stop until she finds Angie—or destroys herself in the process.

A biting critique of the internet’s voyeurism, Rabbit Hole is an outrageous and heart-wrenching character study of a mind twisted by grief—and a page-turning mystery that’s as addictive as a late-night Reddit binge.

Follow Kate on Instagram

And check out her website here

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Rabbit Hole by Kate Brody: Grief, The Dark Side of The Internet, and True Crime Obsession Kate Brody, Kate Hergott 00:29:38 crime fiction, literary thriller, writing process, books, thrillers true full 198 91552351-588a-454a-98c2-9fa664c5e7d0 Our Favorite Books of 2023! This week, we talk about our favorite books we read in 2023!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About:

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Let's Do This

Daisy Jones and The Six

The Gay Best Friend

Ninth House

How I'll Kill You

Did You Hear About Kitty Karr?

Dysfunctional

Midnight Is The Darkest Hour

The Trap

The Push

Hidden Scars 

The New One

The Murder Between Us

Never Saw Me Coming

Bad, Wrong Things

Lay Your Body Down

The Shards

The Hunger Games

Bright Young Women

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 29 Dec 2023 14:51:58 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/our-favorite-books-of-2023-FF_91BI3 This week, we talk about our favorite books we read in 2023!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About:

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Let's Do This

Daisy Jones and The Six

The Gay Best Friend

Ninth House

How I'll Kill You

Did You Hear About Kitty Karr?

Dysfunctional

Midnight Is The Darkest Hour

The Trap

The Push

Hidden Scars 

The New One

The Murder Between Us

Never Saw Me Coming

Bad, Wrong Things

Lay Your Body Down

The Shards

The Hunger Games

Bright Young Women

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Our Favorite Books of 2023! Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 01:15:35 bookstagram, romance, crime fiction, mystery, books, thrillers true full 80 a6291802-ac19-4397-9649-b217d79bbe7e My Darling Girl by Jennifer McMahon: The Book She Was Afraid to Write This week, I talk with Jennifer McMahon about her newest release, My Darling Girl!

Alison has never been a fan of Christmas. But with it right around the corner and her husband busily decorating their cozy Vermont home, she has no choice but to face it. Then she gets the call.

Mavis, Alison’s estranged mother, has been diagnosed with cancer and has only weeks to live. She wants to spend her remaining days with her daughter, son-in-law, and two granddaughters. But Alison grew up with her mother’s alcoholism and violent abuse and is reluctant to unearth these traumatic memories. Still, she eventually agrees to take in Mavis, hoping that she and her mother could finally heal and have the relationship she’s always dreamed of.

But when mysterious and otherworldly things start happening upon Mavis’s arrival, Alison begins to suspect her mother is not quite who she seems. And as the holiday festivities turn into a nightmare, she must confront just how far she is willing to go to protect her family.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Wed, 27 Dec 2023 05:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Jennifer McMahon) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/my-darling-girl-by-jennifer-mcmahon-the-book-she-was-afraid-to-write-QglXHj7h This week, I talk with Jennifer McMahon about her newest release, My Darling Girl!

Alison has never been a fan of Christmas. But with it right around the corner and her husband busily decorating their cozy Vermont home, she has no choice but to face it. Then she gets the call.

Mavis, Alison’s estranged mother, has been diagnosed with cancer and has only weeks to live. She wants to spend her remaining days with her daughter, son-in-law, and two granddaughters. But Alison grew up with her mother’s alcoholism and violent abuse and is reluctant to unearth these traumatic memories. Still, she eventually agrees to take in Mavis, hoping that she and her mother could finally heal and have the relationship she’s always dreamed of.

But when mysterious and otherworldly things start happening upon Mavis’s arrival, Alison begins to suspect her mother is not quite who she seems. And as the holiday festivities turn into a nightmare, she must confront just how far she is willing to go to protect her family.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> My Darling Girl by Jennifer McMahon: The Book She Was Afraid to Write Kate Hergott, Jennifer McMahon 00:24:57 crime fiction, horror, fiction, thrillers true full 197 d5c115ee-0d0f-4680-98ed-2f25f8f6900c Saltburn/Wealthy Families Behaving Poorly Book Recommendations This week, Saltburn is available on streaming, and Kate shares book recommendations that match its "wealthy families behaving poorly" vibes!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books Kate Talked About:

Over Her Dead Body

The Heiress

Stone Cold Fox

Good Rich People

Pretty Things

We Were Liars

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 22 Dec 2023 16:56:05 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/saltburn-wealthy-families-behaving-poorly-book-recommendations-7rlYiViJ This week, Saltburn is available on streaming, and Kate shares book recommendations that match its "wealthy families behaving poorly" vibes!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books Kate Talked About:

Over Her Dead Body

The Heiress

Stone Cold Fox

Good Rich People

Pretty Things

We Were Liars

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Saltburn/Wealthy Families Behaving Poorly Book Recommendations Kate Hergott 00:27:34 bookstagram, psychological thrillers, saltburn, crime fiction, reading, mystery, thrillers true full 79 512b6d98-1636-41b2-b8f8-27ebe4bcb1bd Ashley Winstead's Midnight Is The Darkest Hour: Fangirl Culture, Rebellion, Vampires and Rigid Religion all in a Southern Gothic This week, we talk with Ashley Winstead about her multi-faceted Southern gotchi Midnight is The Darkest Hour!  

Ashley actually introduced us 2 years ago, so this is a very special full circle moment for the podcast.  It probably wouldn't exist without her 💜

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Ashley @ashleywinsteadbooks

Midnight is the Darkest Hour Synopsis

Beware of the dark. You might like what you find...

Ruth Collier has always felt like an outsider, even as her father rains fire and brimstone from the church pulpit. In Bottom Springs, his word is as good as law.

But there are things the townspeople fear more than God, like the Low Man, a vampiric figure said to kill sinners in their beds on moonless nights.

When a skull is found deep in the swamp, a hunt for the Low Man begins. Suspicion turns to Everett – Ruth's oldest friend, with a dark past. As Ruth and Everett grow closer, Ruth begins to unearth the town's secrets, determined to discover the truth.

But as the line between good and evil grows ever thin, how far will Ruth go to save the person she loves most?

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 15 Dec 2023 15:54:30 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Ashley Winstead, Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/ashley-winsteads-midnight-is-the-darkest-hour-fangirl-culture-rebellion-vampires-and-rigid-religion-all-in-a-southern-gothic-69IL5m0n This week, we talk with Ashley Winstead about her multi-faceted Southern gotchi Midnight is The Darkest Hour!  

Ashley actually introduced us 2 years ago, so this is a very special full circle moment for the podcast.  It probably wouldn't exist without her 💜

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Ashley @ashleywinsteadbooks

Midnight is the Darkest Hour Synopsis

Beware of the dark. You might like what you find...

Ruth Collier has always felt like an outsider, even as her father rains fire and brimstone from the church pulpit. In Bottom Springs, his word is as good as law.

But there are things the townspeople fear more than God, like the Low Man, a vampiric figure said to kill sinners in their beds on moonless nights.

When a skull is found deep in the swamp, a hunt for the Low Man begins. Suspicion turns to Everett – Ruth's oldest friend, with a dark past. As Ruth and Everett grow closer, Ruth begins to unearth the town's secrets, determined to discover the truth.

But as the line between good and evil grows ever thin, how far will Ruth go to save the person she loves most?

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Ashley Winstead's Midnight Is The Darkest Hour: Fangirl Culture, Rebellion, Vampires and Rigid Religion all in a Southern Gothic Ashley Winstead, Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 01:02:03 crime fiction, ashley winstead, reading, fiction, authors, mysteries, thrillers true full 78 bd8ed628-97f5-470d-8c57-2af0d28517b2 Tessa Wegert's Cinematic, Multi-Genre Shana Merchant Series This week, we talk with Tessa Wegert about her fast paced, cinematic, New York based Shana Merchant series!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Tessa @tessawegert

Check out the Shana Merchant series here!  We aren't including the synopsis to her newest book in the series Devils at the Door to protect spoilers for the other books.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 8 Dec 2023 15:28:56 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Tessa Wegert, Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/tessa-wegerts-cinematic-multi-genre-shana-merchant-series-BMf2Ebj4 This week, we talk with Tessa Wegert about her fast paced, cinematic, New York based Shana Merchant series!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Tessa @tessawegert

Check out the Shana Merchant series here!  We aren't including the synopsis to her newest book in the series Devils at the Door to protect spoilers for the other books.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tessa Wegert's Cinematic, Multi-Genre Shana Merchant Series Tessa Wegert, Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 00:42:01 bookstagram, crime fiction, reading, mystery, fiction, books, thrillers true full 77 701337d9-b884-406f-aade-90417b52cd80 2024 Books From Debut Authors We're Excited About This week, we share books we are excited about in 2024 from debut authors!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About:

Society of Lies

Everyone Who Can Forgive Me Is Dead

Since She's Been Gone

When She Was Me

Argylle

Swiped

Original Twin

Dead Girls Walking

While We Were Burning

Nightwatching

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 1 Dec 2023 15:22:56 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/2024-books-from-debut-authors-were-excited-about-mPrmV8_A This week, we share books we are excited about in 2024 from debut authors!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About:

Society of Lies

Everyone Who Can Forgive Me Is Dead

Since She's Been Gone

When She Was Me

Argylle

Swiped

Original Twin

Dead Girls Walking

While We Were Burning

Nightwatching

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> 2024 Books From Debut Authors We're Excited About Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 00:46:32 bookstagram, crime fiction, reading, mystery, books, thrillers true full 76 133dd726-5792-4b5f-adc3-49d43c2767c9 The Other Mothers by Katherine Faulkner: The Psychological Turmoil of Motherhood, Class Warfare, And Oh So Many Twists This week I talk with Katherine Faulkner about her new thriller The Other Mothers!

Follow Katherine here on Instagram

The Other Mothers Synopsis

When a young nanny dies under mysterious circumstances near new mom Tash’s home, she is certain that this could be the story to relaunch her journalism career.

Meanwhile, she also needs to find a local playgroup for her son. Nearby is the gorgeous neighborhood filled with wealthy and friendly families, stunning houses, and lavish playdates. But when another young woman is found dead, it’s clear there’s much more to the community than meets the eye and the more Tash investigates, the more she’s led uncomfortably close to the mothers in her son’s playgroup.

Are these women really her friends? Or is there another, more dangerous reason why she has been accepted into their exclusive world? Who, exactly, is investigating who?

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Wed, 29 Nov 2023 05:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Katherine Faulkner, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/the-other-mothers-by-katherine-faulkner-the-psychological-turmoil-of-motherhood-class-warfare-and-oh-so-many-twists-LwpQk_3U This week I talk with Katherine Faulkner about her new thriller The Other Mothers!

Follow Katherine here on Instagram

The Other Mothers Synopsis

When a young nanny dies under mysterious circumstances near new mom Tash’s home, she is certain that this could be the story to relaunch her journalism career.

Meanwhile, she also needs to find a local playgroup for her son. Nearby is the gorgeous neighborhood filled with wealthy and friendly families, stunning houses, and lavish playdates. But when another young woman is found dead, it’s clear there’s much more to the community than meets the eye and the more Tash investigates, the more she’s led uncomfortably close to the mothers in her son’s playgroup.

Are these women really her friends? Or is there another, more dangerous reason why she has been accepted into their exclusive world? Who, exactly, is investigating who?

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> The Other Mothers by Katherine Faulkner: The Psychological Turmoil of Motherhood, Class Warfare, And Oh So Many Twists Katherine Faulkner, Kate Hergott 00:41:30 crime fiction, writing process, books, thrillers true full 195 4dd4a42f-9a80-4a47-a275-aeab809524ca Dysfunctional Family Thrillers To Add To Your TBR This week, Kate shares her favorite thrillers with dysfunctional families!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

Apples Never Fall

All Good People Here

Like a Sister

The Lies We Told

The Mother-In-Law

He Started It

The Family Upstairs

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 24 Nov 2023 22:07:29 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/dysfunctional-family-thrillers-6INclrab This week, Kate shares her favorite thrillers with dysfunctional families!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

Apples Never Fall

All Good People Here

Like a Sister

The Lies We Told

The Mother-In-Law

He Started It

The Family Upstairs

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Dysfunctional Family Thrillers To Add To Your TBR Kate Hergott 00:23:22 bookstagram, crime fiction, mystery, fiction, books, thrillers true full 75 bda2b45d-b72a-4f6c-80f4-8421c7038582 Blood Sisters by Vanessa Lillie: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Sisterhood and Personal Identity This week I talk with Vanessa Lillie about her third book Blood Sisters!

Follow Vanessa here on Instagram

And check out the books she recommended:

Never Whistle at Night

And Then She Fell

The Berry Pickers

Manmade Monsters

 

Blood Sisters Synopsis

A visceral and compelling mystery about a Cherokee archeologist for the Bureau of Indian Affairs who is summoned to rural Oklahoma to investigate the disappearance of two women…one of them her sister.

There are secrets in the land.

As an archeologist for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Syd Walker spends her days in Rhode Island trying to protect the land's indigenous past, even as she’s escaping her own.

While Syd is dedicated to her job, she’s haunted by a night of violence she barely escaped in her Oklahoma hometown fifteen years ago. Though she swore she’d never go back, the past comes calling.

When a skull is found near the crime scene of her youth, just as her sister, Emma Lou, vanishes, Syd knows she must return home. She refuses to let her sister's disappearance, or the remains, go ignored—as so often happens in cases of missing Native women.

But not everyone is glad to have Syd home, and she can feel the crosshairs on her back. Still, the deeper Syd digs, the more she uncovers about a string of missing indigenous women cases going back decades. To save her sister, she must expose a darkness in the town that no one wants to face—not even Syd.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Wed, 22 Nov 2023 05:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Vanessa Lillie) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/blood-sisters-by-vanessa-lillie-missing-and-murdered-indigenous-women-sisterhood-and-personal-identity-1dp_FRYn This week I talk with Vanessa Lillie about her third book Blood Sisters!

Follow Vanessa here on Instagram

And check out the books she recommended:

Never Whistle at Night

And Then She Fell

The Berry Pickers

Manmade Monsters

 

Blood Sisters Synopsis

A visceral and compelling mystery about a Cherokee archeologist for the Bureau of Indian Affairs who is summoned to rural Oklahoma to investigate the disappearance of two women…one of them her sister.

There are secrets in the land.

As an archeologist for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Syd Walker spends her days in Rhode Island trying to protect the land's indigenous past, even as she’s escaping her own.

While Syd is dedicated to her job, she’s haunted by a night of violence she barely escaped in her Oklahoma hometown fifteen years ago. Though she swore she’d never go back, the past comes calling.

When a skull is found near the crime scene of her youth, just as her sister, Emma Lou, vanishes, Syd knows she must return home. She refuses to let her sister's disappearance, or the remains, go ignored—as so often happens in cases of missing Native women.

But not everyone is glad to have Syd home, and she can feel the crosshairs on her back. Still, the deeper Syd digs, the more she uncovers about a string of missing indigenous women cases going back decades. To save her sister, she must expose a darkness in the town that no one wants to face—not even Syd.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Blood Sisters by Vanessa Lillie: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Sisterhood and Personal Identity Kate Hergott, Vanessa Lillie 00:43:21 crime fiction, reading, writing process, thriler true full 194 6635d91f-71fd-47a0-8872-a50bdb1002d9 Ten (Books) Before The End (of 2023) Challenge This week, we do the Bookstagram/BookTok challenge #TenBeforeTheEnd and share ten books we want to finish before the end of 2023!

 

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

 

Books We Talked About

Ace of Spades

One Little Word

Almost Surely Dead

Wounded

Since She's Been Gone

Perfect Little Lives

Twenty-Seven Minutes

Devilry

Rabbit Hole

Infamous Park Avenue Prince

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 17 Nov 2023 18:26:18 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/ten-books-before-the-end-of-2023-challenge-QHOYQl1s This week, we do the Bookstagram/BookTok challenge #TenBeforeTheEnd and share ten books we want to finish before the end of 2023!

 

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

 

Books We Talked About

Ace of Spades

One Little Word

Almost Surely Dead

Wounded

Since She's Been Gone

Perfect Little Lives

Twenty-Seven Minutes

Devilry

Rabbit Hole

Infamous Park Avenue Prince

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Ten (Books) Before The End (of 2023) Challenge Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 00:50:12 bookstagram, crime fiction, booktok, reading, mystery, books, male male romance, thrillers true full 74 a66e8936-9aef-4ba5-b344-2ad287300b95 It Takes Monsters by Mandy McHugh: Female Rage, Social Pressures and So Much Blood This week, I talk with the Queen of Pop Culture References Mandy McHugh about her new domestic thriller It Takes Monsters.   We dive into the social pressures women face at work and at home, the temptation for women to try to look like each other, and how King Lear inspired her second book!

It Takes Monsters Synopsis

Victoria Tate has had enough of her controlling, incompetent husband Warren. But planning the perfect murder is more difficult than it looks. When the social event of the year, an over-the-top costume ball, is rescheduled for the date she has selected for her crime, Victoria has to scramble to make sure she will still be able to follow through. But even hours of listening to crime podcasts cannot prepare her for the next wrench that is thrown into her plans: Warren turns up dead by someone else’s hand.

Now Victoria finds herself at the center of a murder investigation in which she is actually innocent. The real killer taunts her, making it clear that they knew what she was planning all along. With the police closing in and her neighbors turning on her, Victoria is going to lose everything she had hoped to gain from Warren’s death, unless she can figure out who wanted her husband dead and why. It turns out that Warren was better at keeping secrets than she ever could have guessed. But which secret is the one that led to his death? And even if she can find the answers, does Victoria have what it takes to confront a real murderer?

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Wed, 15 Nov 2023 05:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Bookwild Collective) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/it-takes-monsters-by-mandy-mchugh-female-rage-social-pressures-and-so-much-blood-3ZNCoEWV This week, I talk with the Queen of Pop Culture References Mandy McHugh about her new domestic thriller It Takes Monsters.   We dive into the social pressures women face at work and at home, the temptation for women to try to look like each other, and how King Lear inspired her second book!

It Takes Monsters Synopsis

Victoria Tate has had enough of her controlling, incompetent husband Warren. But planning the perfect murder is more difficult than it looks. When the social event of the year, an over-the-top costume ball, is rescheduled for the date she has selected for her crime, Victoria has to scramble to make sure she will still be able to follow through. But even hours of listening to crime podcasts cannot prepare her for the next wrench that is thrown into her plans: Warren turns up dead by someone else’s hand.

Now Victoria finds herself at the center of a murder investigation in which she is actually innocent. The real killer taunts her, making it clear that they knew what she was planning all along. With the police closing in and her neighbors turning on her, Victoria is going to lose everything she had hoped to gain from Warren’s death, unless she can figure out who wanted her husband dead and why. It turns out that Warren was better at keeping secrets than she ever could have guessed. But which secret is the one that led to his death? And even if she can find the answers, does Victoria have what it takes to confront a real murderer?

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> It Takes Monsters by Mandy McHugh: Female Rage, Social Pressures and So Much Blood Bookwild Collective 00:27:04 true full 193 18c85797-5cd6-45df-8576-125ca609102b Winter 2023 Books We Can't Wait to Read This week, we share books we can't wait to read that wil be released in winter of 2023!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

Last Night at The Hollywood Canteen

Don't Look Down

If You See Me

After Dark

The Vacation House

The Engagement Party

There Should've Been Eight

A Curse of Scales and Flame

The Other Mothers

Risk the Fall

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 10 Nov 2023 17:34:46 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/winter-2023-books-we-cant-wait-to-read-m8Rypol6 This week, we share books we can't wait to read that wil be released in winter of 2023!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

Last Night at The Hollywood Canteen

Don't Look Down

If You See Me

After Dark

The Vacation House

The Engagement Party

There Should've Been Eight

A Curse of Scales and Flame

The Other Mothers

Risk the Fall

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Winter 2023 Books We Can't Wait to Read Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 00:50:19 bookstagram, crime fiction, mystery, fiction, books, male male romance, thrillers true full 73 77fbf701-952c-4b77-bf53-31e5ba632454 Thrillers We Will Always Recommend This week, we share books that we ALWAYS recommend!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

The Paradox Hotel

In My Dreams I Hold a Knife

The Girls Are All So Nice Here

Till Death Do Us Part

Jar of Hearts

Kismet

Please See Us

Sometimes I Lie

The Woman Inside

Some Choose Darkness

Bright Young Women

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 3 Nov 2023 14:39:58 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/thrillers-we-will-always-recommend-jMG0xFhK This week, we share books that we ALWAYS recommend!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

The Paradox Hotel

In My Dreams I Hold a Knife

The Girls Are All So Nice Here

Till Death Do Us Part

Jar of Hearts

Kismet

Please See Us

Sometimes I Lie

The Woman Inside

Some Choose Darkness

Bright Young Women

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thrillers We Will Always Recommend Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 00:56:36 bookstagram, crime fiction, mystery, fiction, thrillers true full 72 d25533fd-42c1-4295-8314-885903307e10 1989 (Taylor's Version) Book Pairings This week, Kate shares books that pair with the vibes of four songs on 1989 (Taylor's Version)!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books Kate Talked About

 

Out of the Woods

Their Vicious Games

Alias Emma Series

 

Bad Blood

It Takes Monsters

One of Us Is Dead

 

Blank Space

First Lie Wins

You Can Trust Me

 

Clean

Lay Your Body Down

Midnight is the Darkest Hour

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 27 Oct 2023 11:30:02 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/1989-taylors-version-book-pairings-tAxeoVva This week, Kate shares books that pair with the vibes of four songs on 1989 (Taylor's Version)!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books Kate Talked About

 

Out of the Woods

Their Vicious Games

Alias Emma Series

 

Bad Blood

It Takes Monsters

One of Us Is Dead

 

Blank Space

First Lie Wins

You Can Trust Me

 

Clean

Lay Your Body Down

Midnight is the Darkest Hour

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> 1989 (Taylor's Version) Book Pairings Kate Hergott 00:23:37 bookstagram, crime fiction, reading, mystery, fiction, books, thrillers true full 71 1ba276e6-4ac2-417c-a072-79aa7573300b Terrifying Books to Read This Fall This week, we share some of our favorite scary books perfect for Halloween season!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

The Chestnut Man

Chasing the Boogeyman

Stalker

The Sundown Motel

Her Every Fear

Midnight on Beacon Street

The Alone Time

Murder Road

The Clinic

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 20 Oct 2023 15:28:17 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/terrifying-books-to-read-this-fall-hkx8KCbi This week, we share some of our favorite scary books perfect for Halloween season!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

The Chestnut Man

Chasing the Boogeyman

Stalker

The Sundown Motel

Her Every Fear

Midnight on Beacon Street

The Alone Time

Murder Road

The Clinic

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Terrifying Books to Read This Fall Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 00:44:04 bookstagram, crime fiction, halloween, horror, reading, mystery, authors, thrillers true full 70 fb9c0b94-09ee-4ba6-b175-47be8dea8d57 How Our Reading Habits Have Changed Over The Year: Our First Podcast Anniversary! Happy first podcast anniversary to all of you, our listeners!!  This week, we dive into how our reading habits and interests have changed over the last year.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

Taylor Jenkins Reid

Midnight Is the Darkest Hour

The Trap

Bright Young Women

The New One

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 13 Oct 2023 15:01:11 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/how-our-reading-habits-have-changed-over-the-year-our-first-podcast-anniversary-NrG_lRAF Happy first podcast anniversary to all of you, our listeners!!  This week, we dive into how our reading habits and interests have changed over the last year.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

Taylor Jenkins Reid

Midnight Is the Darkest Hour

The Trap

Bright Young Women

The New One

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> How Our Reading Habits Have Changed Over The Year: Our First Podcast Anniversary! Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 00:45:34 bookstagram, crime fiction, reading, thriller, mystery, books true full 69 c043fb83-f482-4962-94d8-26be163c6d0b Our Favorite Tropes This week, we talk about our absolute favorite tropes in books!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

The Last Housewife

They Never Learn

Midnight Is The Darkest Hour

Did You Hear About Kitty Karr?

White Ivy

Lay Your Body Down

Never Saw Me Coming

Necessary Evils Series

Bright Young Women

Unsub Series

The Trap

The Lies I Tell

Pretty Things

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 6 Oct 2023 13:44:32 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/our-favorite-tropes-WIll_E90 This week, we talk about our absolute favorite tropes in books!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

The Last Housewife

They Never Learn

Midnight Is The Darkest Hour

Did You Hear About Kitty Karr?

White Ivy

Lay Your Body Down

Never Saw Me Coming

Necessary Evils Series

Bright Young Women

Unsub Series

The Trap

The Lies I Tell

Pretty Things

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Our Favorite Tropes Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 00:57:01 bookstagram, crime fiction, reading, mystery, fiction, books, thrillers true full 68 3ada4509-9ffc-40d7-99e8-4e96c85c333a Putting the Dark in Dark Academia: R.J. Jacobs Talks About His New Thriller This is How We End Things This week, we talk with R.J. Jacobs about his new thriller This Is How We End Things!   We of course dive into some of our favorite subjects: dark academia and cold weather.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

R.J. @rjjacobs75

 

This is How We End Things Synopsis

Campus is empty, a winter storm is blowing in, and someone is lurking in the shadows, waiting for their chance to kill again.

Forest, North Carolina. Under the instruction of enigmatic Professor Joe Lyons, five graduate students are studying the tedious science behind the acts of lying. But discovering the secrets of deception isn't making any of the student's more honest though. Instead, it's making it easier for them to guard their own secrets – and they all have something to hide.

When a test goes awry and one of them is found dead, the students find themselves trapped by a snowstorm on an abandoned campus with a local detective on the case. As harbored secrets begin to break the surface, the graduates must find out who's lying, who isn't, and who may have been capable of committing murder. It turns out deception is even more dangerous than they thought...
 

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 29 Sep 2023 14:43:45 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (R.J. Jacobs, Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/putting-the-dark-in-dark-academia-rj-jacobs-talks-about-his-new-thriller-this-is-how-we-end-things-fB0QaxwY This week, we talk with R.J. Jacobs about his new thriller This Is How We End Things!   We of course dive into some of our favorite subjects: dark academia and cold weather.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

R.J. @rjjacobs75

 

This is How We End Things Synopsis

Campus is empty, a winter storm is blowing in, and someone is lurking in the shadows, waiting for their chance to kill again.

Forest, North Carolina. Under the instruction of enigmatic Professor Joe Lyons, five graduate students are studying the tedious science behind the acts of lying. But discovering the secrets of deception isn't making any of the student's more honest though. Instead, it's making it easier for them to guard their own secrets – and they all have something to hide.

When a test goes awry and one of them is found dead, the students find themselves trapped by a snowstorm on an abandoned campus with a local detective on the case. As harbored secrets begin to break the surface, the graduates must find out who's lying, who isn't, and who may have been capable of committing murder. It turns out deception is even more dangerous than they thought...
 

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Putting the Dark in Dark Academia: R.J. Jacobs Talks About His New Thriller This is How We End Things R.J. Jacobs, Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 00:41:55 bookstagram, crime fiction, author, reading, mystery, dark academia, thrillers true full 67 567abe4c-eb34-4077-8771-c01ba9324363 Our Favorite Voices In Thrillers This week, we talk about our favorite voices in thrillers!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

It Takes Monsters

Kill For Love

Blood Sugar

Luckiest Girl Alive

The Kind Worth Killing

Gone Girl

Strange Sally Diamond

Tell Me Everything

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 22 Sep 2023 13:13:52 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/our-favorite-voices-in-thrillers-GoDOtRmN This week, we talk about our favorite voices in thrillers!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

It Takes Monsters

Kill For Love

Blood Sugar

Luckiest Girl Alive

The Kind Worth Killing

Gone Girl

Strange Sally Diamond

Tell Me Everything

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Our Favorite Voices In Thrillers Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 00:41:52 bookstagram, crime fiction, reading, books, mysteries, thrillers true full 66 2a109b4e-234a-4114-a7f2-fa438bb9ab43 Last, Current, Next Reads This week, we talk about our last, current and next reads!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

This Is How We End Things

Like a Sister

The Taken Ones

If You See Me

Say My Name

The Other Black Girl

Bleed

 

TV Shows We Talked About

Alert

Yellowjackets

The Bear

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 15 Sep 2023 15:51:53 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/last-current-next-reads-_Z4s__LV This week, we talk about our last, current and next reads!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

This Is How We End Things

Like a Sister

The Taken Ones

If You See Me

Say My Name

The Other Black Girl

Bleed

 

TV Shows We Talked About

Alert

Yellowjackets

The Bear

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Last, Current, Next Reads Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 00:49:23 bookstagram, dark romance, suspense, reading, mystery, books, thrillers true full 65 8f159b9c-f213-44ed-ab8f-3bdd67e6955d It Ends With Knight by Yasmin Angoe: Lovable Assassins, Endless Action, and Found Family On this episode, I talk with Yasmin Angoe about the final installment in her Nena Knight series It Ends With Knight.

It Ends With Knight Synopsis

In this thrilling conclusion of the Nena Knight series, the trained assassin will have to confront the ghosts of her past…before she becomes one herself. Until his untimely death, Nena’s mentor was the backbone of the Tribe. With his leadership position unfilled and despite the Tribe’s newfound misgivings about her, Nena has stepped into a new role she never wanted. Politics is an entirely new venture for her, and now one of the Tribe’s own has been kidnapped, forcing her back to her origins as an assassin. But the only person qualified for such a rescue mission is Nena Knight—and a new team whose trust in her continues to waver. Determined to harness the power of her former role to succeed in her new one, Nena must also face what she left behind. Old fears, resentments, and anger threaten the precarious hold Nena has on her new life as she realizes that the past—and the people from it—are never far behind.

Learn more about Yasmin here

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 12 Sep 2023 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Yasmin Angoe, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/it-ends-with-knight-by-yasmin-angoe-lovable-assassins-endless-action-and-found-family-5vLU9N0S On this episode, I talk with Yasmin Angoe about the final installment in her Nena Knight series It Ends With Knight.

It Ends With Knight Synopsis

In this thrilling conclusion of the Nena Knight series, the trained assassin will have to confront the ghosts of her past…before she becomes one herself. Until his untimely death, Nena’s mentor was the backbone of the Tribe. With his leadership position unfilled and despite the Tribe’s newfound misgivings about her, Nena has stepped into a new role she never wanted. Politics is an entirely new venture for her, and now one of the Tribe’s own has been kidnapped, forcing her back to her origins as an assassin. But the only person qualified for such a rescue mission is Nena Knight—and a new team whose trust in her continues to waver. Determined to harness the power of her former role to succeed in her new one, Nena must also face what she left behind. Old fears, resentments, and anger threaten the precarious hold Nena has on her new life as she realizes that the past—and the people from it—are never far behind.

Learn more about Yasmin here

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> It Ends With Knight by Yasmin Angoe: Lovable Assassins, Endless Action, and Found Family Yasmin Angoe, Kate Hergott 00:29:13 crime thriller, spy thriller, writing process, thrillers true full 192 27abae49-d0d5-4726-b452-82e09b37e6a4 Must Watch 2023 TV Shows Kate shares some of her favorite TV shows she's been watching lately!

TV Shows Kate Talked About

Cruel Summer

Silo

The Crowded Room

Hijack

The Other Two

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 8 Sep 2023 15:29:20 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/must-watch-2023-tv-shows-hv0_p0kn Kate shares some of her favorite TV shows she's been watching lately!

TV Shows Kate Talked About

Cruel Summer

Silo

The Crowded Room

Hijack

The Other Two

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Must Watch 2023 TV Shows Kate Hergott 00:41:40 silo, the crowded room, cruel summer, tv shows, the other two, mysteries, thrillers true full 64 01ef93cc-9cd6-4eab-bfc2-9d7c5067ff8d Books That...Kept Us Up, Everyone Should Read, Got Us Into a New Genre, Made Us Cry, And We Can't Stop Thinking About This week, we answer a Bookstagram challenge from @duttonbooks 

What was the last book that...

  • Made you stay up all night
  • You think everyone should read
  • Inspired you to get into a new genre
  • Made you cry for hours
  • You Couldn't stop thinking about

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

I’m Not Done With You Yet

The Flash Girls

The Murder Between Us

The Push

Kismet

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Him

Daisy Jones and The Six

Follow the River

The Trap

Dysfunctional

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 1 Sep 2023 15:02:01 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/books-thatkept-us-up-everyone-should-read-got-us-into-a-new-genre-made-us-cry-and-we-cant-stop-thinking-about-nETQ9_jF This week, we answer a Bookstagram challenge from @duttonbooks 

What was the last book that...

  • Made you stay up all night
  • You think everyone should read
  • Inspired you to get into a new genre
  • Made you cry for hours
  • You Couldn't stop thinking about

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

I’m Not Done With You Yet

The Flash Girls

The Murder Between Us

The Push

Kismet

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Him

Daisy Jones and The Six

Follow the River

The Trap

Dysfunctional

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Books That...Kept Us Up, Everyone Should Read, Got Us Into a New Genre, Made Us Cry, And We Can't Stop Thinking About Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 00:38:37 bookstagram, crime fiction, suspense, booktok, reading, mysteries, thrillers true full 63 25c16626-6ff6-44a2-a40f-72559a79fe28 Snarky Dialogue, Subversive Women and Cinematic Imagery: A Likeable Woman by May Cobb This week, Gare and I talk with May Cobb about her summer thriller A Likeable Woman!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

May Cobb @may_cobb

Books We Talked About

A Likeable Woman

I'm Not Done With You Yet

A Friend in the Dark

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 25 Aug 2023 13:25:25 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (May Cobb, Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/snarky-dialogue-subversive-women-and-cinematic-imagery-a-likeable-woman-by-may-cobb-fU8pqFej This week, Gare and I talk with May Cobb about her summer thriller A Likeable Woman!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

May Cobb @may_cobb

Books We Talked About

A Likeable Woman

I'm Not Done With You Yet

A Friend in the Dark

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Snarky Dialogue, Subversive Women and Cinematic Imagery: A Likeable Woman by May Cobb May Cobb, Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 00:48:54 bookstagram, crime fiction, reading, mystery, thrillers true full 62 a6fa6461-7bb5-4837-af4f-5751139c05fc Fall 2023 Thrillers We Can't Wait to Read This week, we talk about fall thrillers you should pre-order!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

Bright Young Women

Midnight Is The Darkest Hour

Shadowheart

The Helsinki Affair

The Flash Girls

Necessary People

The Futures

When I’m Dead

Last Night at the Hollywood Canteen

The Taken Ones

The Traitor

Blood Sisters

This Is How We End Things

Christmas Presents

Dreambound

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 18 Aug 2023 14:16:45 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/fall-2023-thrillers-we-cant-wait-to-read-QLib_FCy This week, we talk about fall thrillers you should pre-order!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

Bright Young Women

Midnight Is The Darkest Hour

Shadowheart

The Helsinki Affair

The Flash Girls

Necessary People

The Futures

When I’m Dead

Last Night at the Hollywood Canteen

The Taken Ones

The Traitor

Blood Sisters

This Is How We End Things

Christmas Presents

Dreambound

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fall 2023 Thrillers We Can't Wait to Read Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 01:05:25 bookstagram, crime fiction, psychological thriller, reading, mystery, spy thriller, thrillers true full 61 7c4734b1-b613-4563-ba65-2ce4ddd04e1c Death of a Dancing Queen by Kimberly Giarratano: Veronica Mars and Jessica Jones But Make it A Book This week, I talk to Kimberly Giarratano about her noir PI mystery Death of a Dancing Queen.

Follow Kimberly on Instagram

Death of a Dancing Queen Synopsis

After her mother’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis, Billie Levine revamped her grandfather’s private investigation firm and set up shop in the corner booth of her favorite North Jersey deli hoping the free pickles and flexible hours would allow her to take care of her mom and pay the bills. So when Tommy Russo, a rich kid with a nasty drug habit, offers her a stack of cash to find his missing girlfriend, how can she refuse? At first, Billie thinks this will be easy earnings, but then her missing person's case turns into a murder investigation and Russo is the detective bureau’s number one suspect.

Suddenly Billie is embroiled in a deadly gang war that’s connected to the decades-old disappearance of a famous cabaret dancer with ties to both an infamous Jewish mob and a skinhead group. Toss in the reappearance of Billie’s hunky ex-boyfriend with his own rap sheet, and she is regretting every decision that got her to this point.

Becoming a P.I. was supposed to solve her problems. But if Billie doesn’t crack this case, the next body the police dredge out of the Hudson River will be hers.

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 15 Aug 2023 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kimberley Giarratano, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/death-of-a-dancing-queen-by-kimberly-giarratano-veronica-mars-and-jessica-jones-but-make-it-a-book-ZdUZFo_e This week, I talk to Kimberly Giarratano about her noir PI mystery Death of a Dancing Queen.

Follow Kimberly on Instagram

Death of a Dancing Queen Synopsis

After her mother’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis, Billie Levine revamped her grandfather’s private investigation firm and set up shop in the corner booth of her favorite North Jersey deli hoping the free pickles and flexible hours would allow her to take care of her mom and pay the bills. So when Tommy Russo, a rich kid with a nasty drug habit, offers her a stack of cash to find his missing girlfriend, how can she refuse? At first, Billie thinks this will be easy earnings, but then her missing person's case turns into a murder investigation and Russo is the detective bureau’s number one suspect.

Suddenly Billie is embroiled in a deadly gang war that’s connected to the decades-old disappearance of a famous cabaret dancer with ties to both an infamous Jewish mob and a skinhead group. Toss in the reappearance of Billie’s hunky ex-boyfriend with his own rap sheet, and she is regretting every decision that got her to this point.

Becoming a P.I. was supposed to solve her problems. But if Billie doesn’t crack this case, the next body the police dredge out of the Hudson River will be hers.

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Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Death of a Dancing Queen by Kimberly Giarratano: Veronica Mars and Jessica Jones But Make it A Book Kimberley Giarratano, Kate Hergott 00:43:17 crime fiction, reading, writing process, books, thrillers true full 191 cbef6e55-e68d-46d4-8af4-8264fbcd5d70 Bleak Endings and Writing With Your BFF: Elizabeth Keenan and Greg Wands a.k.a E.G. Scott This week, Gare and I chat with Elizabeth Keenan and Greg Wands, the writing duo behind the pseudonym E.G. Scott!  We get into our shared love for bleak endings, our thoughts on the direction of true crime docs and podcasts, what we've been reading and watching, and tons more!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

E.G. Scott @e.g.scottwrites

Books We Talked About

My Murder

The Trap

Their Vicious Games

The Quiet Tenant

Bright Young Women

 

TV Shows We Talked About

The Patient

Silo

Platonic

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

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Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 11 Aug 2023 16:16:03 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (E.G. Scott, Elizabeth Keenan, Greg Wands, Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/bleak-endings-and-writing-with-your-bff-elizabeth-keenan-and-greg-wands-aka-eg-scott-2xDDrAIq This week, Gare and I chat with Elizabeth Keenan and Greg Wands, the writing duo behind the pseudonym E.G. Scott!  We get into our shared love for bleak endings, our thoughts on the direction of true crime docs and podcasts, what we've been reading and watching, and tons more!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

E.G. Scott @e.g.scottwrites

Books We Talked About

My Murder

The Trap

Their Vicious Games

The Quiet Tenant

Bright Young Women

 

TV Shows We Talked About

The Patient

Silo

Platonic

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Bleak Endings and Writing With Your BFF: Elizabeth Keenan and Greg Wands a.k.a E.G. Scott E.G. Scott, Elizabeth Keenan, Greg Wands, Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 01:29:35 bookstagram, psychological thrillers, crime fiction, reading, fiction, books, thrillers true full 60 8e8d1dbc-18e3-4c89-aaab-6f15376a96c5 Lay Your Body Down by Amy Suiter Clarke: Christian Fundamentalism, Patriarchal Power Structures and Internalized Mysoginy This week, I talk with Amy Suiter Clarke about her newest psychological thriller Lay Your Body Down. 

Follow Amy on Instagram

Lay Your Body Down Synopsis

A young woman returns to her rural Minnesota hometown, where a radical evangelical pastor has poisoned everyone’s minds—and may be covering up a murder. After Del Walker fled her small hometown and its cult-like church, she vowed to never return. The man she loved, Lars, left her to marry the local golden girl Eve, and their romance is now the focus of Eve’s viral blog espousing the pastor’s conservative philosophy about women and marriage. But six years later, Lars is suddenly killed, and she’s convinced it couldn’t have been an accident.

When Del returns to her hometown for the funeral, she discovers the now mega-church—and the insidious, patriarchal teachings of Pastor Rick Franklin—has grown not only in size but in influence. Eve was clearly discontent in her marriage, despite the carefully constructed “Noble Wife” positivity of her blog posts, and Del knows better than anyone just how far she will go to get what she wants. Del is determined to cut through the church’s lies and corruption to find out who killed Lars—even if it means confronting the religious trauma she’s spent years trying to bury.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 8 Aug 2023 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Amy Suiter Clarke, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/lay-your-body-down-by-amy-suiter-clarke-christian-fundamentalism-patriarchal-power-structures-and-internalized-mysoginy-fBP65huT This week, I talk with Amy Suiter Clarke about her newest psychological thriller Lay Your Body Down. 

Follow Amy on Instagram

Lay Your Body Down Synopsis

A young woman returns to her rural Minnesota hometown, where a radical evangelical pastor has poisoned everyone’s minds—and may be covering up a murder. After Del Walker fled her small hometown and its cult-like church, she vowed to never return. The man she loved, Lars, left her to marry the local golden girl Eve, and their romance is now the focus of Eve’s viral blog espousing the pastor’s conservative philosophy about women and marriage. But six years later, Lars is suddenly killed, and she’s convinced it couldn’t have been an accident.

When Del returns to her hometown for the funeral, she discovers the now mega-church—and the insidious, patriarchal teachings of Pastor Rick Franklin—has grown not only in size but in influence. Eve was clearly discontent in her marriage, despite the carefully constructed “Noble Wife” positivity of her blog posts, and Del knows better than anyone just how far she will go to get what she wants. Del is determined to cut through the church’s lies and corruption to find out who killed Lars—even if it means confronting the religious trauma she’s spent years trying to bury.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Lay Your Body Down by Amy Suiter Clarke: Christian Fundamentalism, Patriarchal Power Structures and Internalized Mysoginy Amy Suiter Clarke, Kate Hergott 00:03:43 crime fiction, reading, writing process, books true full 190 88781692-326b-4626-a6af-c7e946461238 Halley Sutton's Hollywood Obsession: The Hurricane Blonde This week, Gare and I make a new best friend in Halley Sutton, author of The Hurricane Blonde out August 8, 2023!  We dive into everything from Hollywood's treatment of women to the inherent perfection of Taco Bell.  

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Halley @halleysutton25

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 4 Aug 2023 16:25:02 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Halley Sutton, Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/halley-suttons-hollywood-obsession-the-hurricane-blonde-tGsi9PCj This week, Gare and I make a new best friend in Halley Sutton, author of The Hurricane Blonde out August 8, 2023!  We dive into everything from Hollywood's treatment of women to the inherent perfection of Taco Bell.  

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Halley @halleysutton25

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Halley Sutton's Hollywood Obsession: The Hurricane Blonde Halley Sutton, Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 01:31:26 bookstagram, hollywood, crime fiction, mystery, fiction, thrillers true full 59 b182c9cd-c171-4551-a815-dcd2fb15f8bd Everyone Here is Lying by Shari Lapena: A Problem Child, a Cheating Father and a Toxic Neighborhood This week, I talk with Shari Lapena about her newest domestic thriller Everyone Here Is Lying.

Follow Shari on Instagram

Check out her website

Everyone Here Is Lying Synopsis

William Wooler is a family man, on the surface. But he's been having an affair, an affair that ended horribly this afternoon at a motel up the road. So when he returns to his house, devastated and angry, to find his difficult nine-year-old daughter, Avery, unexpectedly home from school, William loses his temper.

Hours later, Avery's family declares her missing.

Suddenly Stanhope doesn't feel so safe. And William isn't the only one on his street who's hiding a lie. As witnesses come forward with information that may or may not be true, Avery's neighbors become increasingly unhinged.

Who took Avery Wooler?

Nothing will prepare you for the truth.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 1 Aug 2023 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Shari Lapena, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/everyone-here-is-lying-by-shari-lapena-a-problem-child-a-cheating-father-and-a-toxic-neighborhood-X0RAGp_T This week, I talk with Shari Lapena about her newest domestic thriller Everyone Here Is Lying.

Follow Shari on Instagram

Check out her website

Everyone Here Is Lying Synopsis

William Wooler is a family man, on the surface. But he's been having an affair, an affair that ended horribly this afternoon at a motel up the road. So when he returns to his house, devastated and angry, to find his difficult nine-year-old daughter, Avery, unexpectedly home from school, William loses his temper.

Hours later, Avery's family declares her missing.

Suddenly Stanhope doesn't feel so safe. And William isn't the only one on his street who's hiding a lie. As witnesses come forward with information that may or may not be true, Avery's neighbors become increasingly unhinged.

Who took Avery Wooler?

Nothing will prepare you for the truth.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Everyone Here is Lying by Shari Lapena: A Problem Child, a Cheating Father and a Toxic Neighborhood Shari Lapena, Kate Hergott 00:23:30 crime fiction, writing process, books, thrillers true full 189 0f93edc4-c5a0-44c8-a322-87aaf5507ca5 TBRs, Heat Waves and Puppy Probs This week, we share 5 books we recently added to our TBRs, and all of the dogs make appearances.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

Blood Oranges

Don’t Let Her Stay

Tomorrow I Become a Woman

The Pledge

Strange Sally Diamond

Everyone Here Is Lying

The Marriage Counselor

Night Will Find You

We Are All The Same in the Dark

Redemption

The House of Eve

The Followers

Follow Me

The Hurricane Blonde

The Final Girl Support Group

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 28 Jul 2023 12:56:39 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/tbrs-and-puppy-probs-IG3tpqVp This week, we share 5 books we recently added to our TBRs, and all of the dogs make appearances.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

Blood Oranges

Don’t Let Her Stay

Tomorrow I Become a Woman

The Pledge

Strange Sally Diamond

Everyone Here Is Lying

The Marriage Counselor

Night Will Find You

We Are All The Same in the Dark

Redemption

The House of Eve

The Followers

Follow Me

The Hurricane Blonde

The Final Girl Support Group

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> TBRs, Heat Waves and Puppy Probs Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 00:59:17 bookstagram, crime fiction, reading, mystery, fiction, thrillers true full 58 97f164b0-3e43-43d5-a22b-c6c091f049d1 Small Town Secrets: Amy Engel on I Did It For You This week, we talk with Amy Engel about her newest thriller I Did It For You, out July 25!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Amy @amyengelauthor

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 21 Jul 2023 14:15:23 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Amy Engel, Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/small-town-secrets-amy-engel-on-i-did-it-for-you-YxtFNoKW This week, we talk with Amy Engel about her newest thriller I Did It For You, out July 25!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Amy @amyengelauthor

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Small Town Secrets: Amy Engel on I Did It For You Amy Engel, Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 00:30:09 bookstagram, readers, crime fiction, mystery, thrillers true full 57 d456138d-16da-4a5e-9108-9d63547ae589 Did You Hear About Kitty Karr by Crystal Smith Paul: Fame, Colorism and Generational Trauma This week, I talk with Crystal Smith Paul about her stunning debut novel Did You Hear About Kitty Karr?  We discuss the pitfalls of fame, the demands for transparency and the allure of Hollywood, as well as how Crystal's time as a journalist and in film school affected the writing process of her first book.  

Follow Crystal on Instagram or check out her website

Did You Hear About Kitty Karr Synopsis

When Kitty Karr Tate, a White icon of the silver screen, dies and bequeaths her multimillion-dollar estate to the St. John sisters, three young, wealthy Black women, it prompts questions. Lots of questions.

A celebrity in her own right, Elise St. John would rather focus on sorting out Kitty’s affairs than deal with the press. But what she discovers in one of Kitty’s journals rocks her world harder than any other brewing scandal could—and between a cheating fiancé and the fallout from a controversial social media post, there are plenty.

The truth behind Kitty's ascent to stardom from her beginnings in the segregated South threatens to expose a web of unexpected family ties, debts owed, and debatable crimes that could, with one pull, unravel the all-American fabric of the St. John sisters and those closest to them.

As Elise digs deeper into Kitty's past, she must also turn the lens upon herself, confronting the gifts and burdens of her own choices and the power that the secrets of the dead hold over the living. Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? is a sprawling page-turner set against the backdrop of the Hollywood machine, an insightful and nuanced look at the inheritances of family, race, and gender—and the choices some women make to break free of them.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 18 Jul 2023 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Crystal Smith Paul, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/did-you-hear-about-kitty-karr-by-crystal-smith-paul-fame-colorism-and-generational-trauma-S6vElAxC This week, I talk with Crystal Smith Paul about her stunning debut novel Did You Hear About Kitty Karr?  We discuss the pitfalls of fame, the demands for transparency and the allure of Hollywood, as well as how Crystal's time as a journalist and in film school affected the writing process of her first book.  

Follow Crystal on Instagram or check out her website

Did You Hear About Kitty Karr Synopsis

When Kitty Karr Tate, a White icon of the silver screen, dies and bequeaths her multimillion-dollar estate to the St. John sisters, three young, wealthy Black women, it prompts questions. Lots of questions.

A celebrity in her own right, Elise St. John would rather focus on sorting out Kitty’s affairs than deal with the press. But what she discovers in one of Kitty’s journals rocks her world harder than any other brewing scandal could—and between a cheating fiancé and the fallout from a controversial social media post, there are plenty.

The truth behind Kitty's ascent to stardom from her beginnings in the segregated South threatens to expose a web of unexpected family ties, debts owed, and debatable crimes that could, with one pull, unravel the all-American fabric of the St. John sisters and those closest to them.

As Elise digs deeper into Kitty's past, she must also turn the lens upon herself, confronting the gifts and burdens of her own choices and the power that the secrets of the dead hold over the living. Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? is a sprawling page-turner set against the backdrop of the Hollywood machine, an insightful and nuanced look at the inheritances of family, race, and gender—and the choices some women make to break free of them.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Did You Hear About Kitty Karr by Crystal Smith Paul: Fame, Colorism and Generational Trauma Crystal Smith Paul, Kate Hergott 00:19:13 reading, writing process, fiction true full 188 c47b38e6-a0ca-4020-b683-4c890dce24dc Haunted Film Sets, Fame and Psychics: Josh Winning on His New Book Burn the Negative On this episode, Kate talks to Josh Winning about his new horror-suspense Burn the Negative.

Check out the synopsis:

Arriving in L.A. to visit the set of a new streaming horror series, journalist Laura Warren witnesses a man jumping from a bridge, landing right behind her car. Here we go, she thinks. It’s started. Because the series she’s reporting on is a remake of a ’90s horror flick. A cursed ’90s horror flick, which she starred in as a child—and has been running from her whole life.

In The Guesthouse, Laura played the little girl with the terrifying gift to tell people how the Needle Man would kill them. When eight of the cast and crew died in ways that eerily mirrored the movie’s on-screen deaths, the film became a cult classic—and ruined her life. Leaving it behind, Laura changed her name and her accent, dyed her hair, and moved across the Atlantic. But some scripts don’t want to stay buried.

Now, as the body count rises again, Laura finds herself on the run with her aspiring actress sister and a jaded psychic, hoping to end the curse once and for all—and to stay out of the Needle Man’s lethal reach.

Follow Josh on Instagram or Twitter

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 14 Jul 2023 14:33:21 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Josh Winning, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/haunted-film-sets-fame-and-psychics-josh-winning-on-his-new-book-burn-the-negative-xnOc_8HL On this episode, Kate talks to Josh Winning about his new horror-suspense Burn the Negative.

Check out the synopsis:

Arriving in L.A. to visit the set of a new streaming horror series, journalist Laura Warren witnesses a man jumping from a bridge, landing right behind her car. Here we go, she thinks. It’s started. Because the series she’s reporting on is a remake of a ’90s horror flick. A cursed ’90s horror flick, which she starred in as a child—and has been running from her whole life.

In The Guesthouse, Laura played the little girl with the terrifying gift to tell people how the Needle Man would kill them. When eight of the cast and crew died in ways that eerily mirrored the movie’s on-screen deaths, the film became a cult classic—and ruined her life. Leaving it behind, Laura changed her name and her accent, dyed her hair, and moved across the Atlantic. But some scripts don’t want to stay buried.

Now, as the body count rises again, Laura finds herself on the run with her aspiring actress sister and a jaded psychic, hoping to end the curse once and for all—and to stay out of the Needle Man’s lethal reach.

Follow Josh on Instagram or Twitter

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Haunted Film Sets, Fame and Psychics: Josh Winning on His New Book Burn the Negative Josh Winning, Kate Hergott 00:28:06 bookstagram, writing, suspense, horror, reading, pop culture, fiction, thrillers true full 56 8af5ad37-b63f-47fc-bc33-949c3617fe16 Our Favorite Books from the First Half of 2023 This week, we talk about our favorite books we read in the first 6 months of 2023!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

All the Dangerous Things

The Shards

Carrie Soto is Back

Stone Cold Fox

Never Saw Me Coming

How I’ll Kill You

Did You Hear About Kitty Karr?

Kismet

The Push

Don’t Forget the Girl

Lay Your Body Down

Bright Young Women

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 7 Jul 2023 16:17:51 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/our-favorite-books-from-the-first-half-of-2023-4sB18Igj This week, we talk about our favorite books we read in the first 6 months of 2023!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

All the Dangerous Things

The Shards

Carrie Soto is Back

Stone Cold Fox

Never Saw Me Coming

How I’ll Kill You

Did You Hear About Kitty Karr?

Kismet

The Push

Don’t Forget the Girl

Lay Your Body Down

Bright Young Women

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Our Favorite Books from the First Half of 2023 Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 00:56:28 bookstagram, crime fiction, booktok, reading, fiction, mysteries, thrillers true full 55 0e3ee3b3-a7b0-4bf6-a822-46656044967c Memorable Reading Experiences This week, we talk about some of our most memorable reading experiences.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

The Girl on the Train

Gone Girl

Save the Cat Writes a Novel

Taylor Jackson Series

The Silent Patient

The Snow Garden

Verity

Into the Black Nowhere

Ninth House

Hell Bent

The Trap

Daisy Darker

The Long and Faraway Gone

Dark Matter

The Broken Girls

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Daisy Jones and The Six

Dark Corners

Yellowface

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 30 Jun 2023 13:29:34 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/memorable-reading-experiences-aJMSK37Z This week, we talk about some of our most memorable reading experiences.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

The Girl on the Train

Gone Girl

Save the Cat Writes a Novel

Taylor Jackson Series

The Silent Patient

The Snow Garden

Verity

Into the Black Nowhere

Ninth House

Hell Bent

The Trap

Daisy Darker

The Long and Faraway Gone

Dark Matter

The Broken Girls

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Daisy Jones and The Six

Dark Corners

Yellowface

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Memorable Reading Experiences Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 01:02:07 bookstagram, crime fiction, booktok, reading, fiction, mysteries, thrillers true full 54 45e5e9f7-d7af-4885-915d-6cab5f7da557 A Cruel Summer Book Playlist Thanks to @caratbrlist on Instagram for this week's topic: what to read if you are as obsessed with Cruel Summer as we are.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

All The Missing Girls

That Night

You Will Know Me

The Night Shift

The Night She Disappeared

A Flicker in the Dark

Pretty Things

The Girls Are All So Nice Here

Everything You Want Me to Be

All These Beautiful Strangers

The Lucky One

The Last Time I Lied

You Can Trust Me

If We Were Villains

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 23 Jun 2023 13:22:57 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/a-cruel-summer-book-playlist-99y4rb6Q Thanks to @caratbrlist on Instagram for this week's topic: what to read if you are as obsessed with Cruel Summer as we are.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

All The Missing Girls

That Night

You Will Know Me

The Night Shift

The Night She Disappeared

A Flicker in the Dark

Pretty Things

The Girls Are All So Nice Here

Everything You Want Me to Be

All These Beautiful Strangers

The Lucky One

The Last Time I Lied

You Can Trust Me

If We Were Villains

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> A Cruel Summer Book Playlist Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 00:59:08 bookstagram, crime fiction, cruel summer, booktok, fiction, thrillers true full 53 9068268b-99fc-4d7c-8b51-705753d20768 Riley Sager Had Lizzie Borden on the Brain: The Only One Left This week, Riley Sager joins us to talk about his new thriller, out June 20, The Only One Left.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Riley Sager @riley.sager

 

Books We Talked About

The Only One Left

The Last Word

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 16 Jun 2023 14:34:42 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Riley Sager, Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/riley-sager-had-lizzie-borden-on-the-brain-the-only-one-left-oXHONMPZ This week, Riley Sager joins us to talk about his new thriller, out June 20, The Only One Left.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Riley Sager @riley.sager

 

Books We Talked About

The Only One Left

The Last Word

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Riley Sager Had Lizzie Borden on the Brain: The Only One Left Riley Sager, Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 00:29:57 bookstagram, riley sager, author, horror, reading, thriller, fiction, books true full 52 52421873-a759-4870-b1eb-825856945be2 The Whispers by Ashley Audrain: Is It Even Possible to be a Feminist? This week, I talk to one of my favorite authors, Ashley Audrain, who wrote The Push and The Whispers.  On this episode, we talk specifically about the inspiration and themes of The Whispers, and dive into what draws Ashley to write about the visceral, unflinching parts of motherhood most of us would rather not talk about.  

You can follow Ashley on Instagram and Goodreads

And you can follow me on Instagram as well!

The Whispers Synopsis

The Loverlys sit by the hospital bed of their young son who is in a coma after falling from his bedroom window in the middle of the night; his mother, Whitney, will not speak to anyone. Back home, their friends and neighbors are left in shock, each confronting their own role in the events that led up to what happened that terrible night: the warm, altruistic Parks who are the Loverlys' best friends; the young, ambitious Goldsmiths who are struggling to start a family of their own; and the quiet, elderly Portuguese couple who care for their adult son with a developmental disability, and who pass the long days on the front porch, watching their neighbors go about their busy lives.

The story spins out over the course of one week, in the alternating voices of the women in each family as they are forced to face the secrets within the walls of their own homes, and the uncomfortable truths that connect them all to one another. Set against the heartwrenching drama of what will happen to Xavier, who hangs between death and life, or a life changed forever, THE WHISPERS is a novel about what happens when we put our needs ahead of our children's. Exploring the quiet sacrifices of motherhood, the intuitions that we silence, the complexities of our closest friendships, and the danger of envy, this is a novel about the reverberations of life's most difficult decisions.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 13 Jun 2023 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Ashley Audrain, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/the-whispers-by-ashley-audrain-is-it-even-possible-to-be-a-feminist-rffjCiP_ This week, I talk to one of my favorite authors, Ashley Audrain, who wrote The Push and The Whispers.  On this episode, we talk specifically about the inspiration and themes of The Whispers, and dive into what draws Ashley to write about the visceral, unflinching parts of motherhood most of us would rather not talk about.  

You can follow Ashley on Instagram and Goodreads

And you can follow me on Instagram as well!

The Whispers Synopsis

The Loverlys sit by the hospital bed of their young son who is in a coma after falling from his bedroom window in the middle of the night; his mother, Whitney, will not speak to anyone. Back home, their friends and neighbors are left in shock, each confronting their own role in the events that led up to what happened that terrible night: the warm, altruistic Parks who are the Loverlys' best friends; the young, ambitious Goldsmiths who are struggling to start a family of their own; and the quiet, elderly Portuguese couple who care for their adult son with a developmental disability, and who pass the long days on the front porch, watching their neighbors go about their busy lives.

The story spins out over the course of one week, in the alternating voices of the women in each family as they are forced to face the secrets within the walls of their own homes, and the uncomfortable truths that connect them all to one another. Set against the heartwrenching drama of what will happen to Xavier, who hangs between death and life, or a life changed forever, THE WHISPERS is a novel about what happens when we put our needs ahead of our children's. Exploring the quiet sacrifices of motherhood, the intuitions that we silence, the complexities of our closest friendships, and the danger of envy, this is a novel about the reverberations of life's most difficult decisions.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> The Whispers by Ashley Audrain: Is It Even Possible to be a Feminist? Ashley Audrain, Kate Hergott 00:28:02 crime fiction, reading, writing process, fiction, thrillers true full 187 d9816118-6d67-4167-89ff-86f00432db84 Books that Give #Scandoval a Run for Its Money This week, we share our most scandalous reads for those of you who are caught up in the drama of #Scandoval who want more shadiness in your life!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

Books We Talked About

The Whispers

The Favorite Sister

Made For Love

Dysfunctional

More Than You’ll Ever Know

Her Pretty Face

Stone Cold Fox

Don’t Forget the Girl

All Good People Here

Look Closer

She Started It

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 9 Jun 2023 19:57:12 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/books-that-give-scandoval-a-run-for-its-money-XJIigEPd This week, we share our most scandalous reads for those of you who are caught up in the drama of #Scandoval who want more shadiness in your life!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

Books We Talked About

The Whispers

The Favorite Sister

Made For Love

Dysfunctional

More Than You’ll Ever Know

Her Pretty Face

Stone Cold Fox

Don’t Forget the Girl

All Good People Here

Look Closer

She Started It

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Books that Give #Scandoval a Run for Its Money Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 00:56:42 bookstagram, crime fiction, booktok, reading, fiction, thrillers true full 51 4f2c046b-add4-46b8-b2aa-fee01dad121d A BookTok Challenge This week, we do a BookTok challenge Gare saw on TikTok this week.  Shout out to beau_reads for this TikTok with his wife that inspired this episode!  We share our favorite thriller, the book that shocked us the most, a book more people need to read, a palette cleanser, and what we are currently reading!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

Never Saw Me Coming

Jar of Hearts

In My Dreams I Hold a Knife

Ninth House

The Woman Inside

The Whispers

A Likeable Woman

The Ursulina

A Density of Souls

The New One

Pretty Girls

The Good Daughter

Carrie Soto is Back

You & I, Rewritten

All The Sinners Bleed

And There He Kept Her

Movies We Talked About

Us

The Blair Witch Project

Barbarian

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thu, 1 Jun 2023 12:39:27 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/a-booktok-challenge-4pJcLJPO This week, we do a BookTok challenge Gare saw on TikTok this week.  Shout out to beau_reads for this TikTok with his wife that inspired this episode!  We share our favorite thriller, the book that shocked us the most, a book more people need to read, a palette cleanser, and what we are currently reading!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

Never Saw Me Coming

Jar of Hearts

In My Dreams I Hold a Knife

Ninth House

The Woman Inside

The Whispers

A Likeable Woman

The Ursulina

A Density of Souls

The New One

Pretty Girls

The Good Daughter

Carrie Soto is Back

You & I, Rewritten

All The Sinners Bleed

And There He Kept Her

Movies We Talked About

Us

The Blair Witch Project

Barbarian

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> A BookTok Challenge Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 01:04:12 bookstagram, crime fiction, booktok, horror, reading, fiction, thrillers true full 50 46fe866b-f2fd-4483-bf4d-fae6411bfc0a Jaime Lynn Hendricks Joins Us!! This week, Jaime Lynn Hendricks joins us to talk about her third novel, I Didn't Do It, out May 23rd!  We all also discuss every book, tv show and movie we've loved recently.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Jaime @jaimelynnhendricksauthor 

Books We Talked About

I Didn’t Do It

Jar of Hearts

In My Dreams I Hold a Knife

Chloe Cates is Missing

The Last Mrs. Parrish

A Stranger on the Beach

On a Quiet Street

The Vanishing Hour

Finding Tessa

It Could Be Anyone

Did You Hear About Kitty Karr?

The Whispers

The Gay Best Friend

Whisper

The Last Word

Stone Cold Fox

The Shards

A Twisted Love Story

Don’t Forget the Girl

TV Shows We Talked About

Clickbait

Cruel Summer

Schitt’s Creek

House, M.D.

Law & Order

Euphoria

Mad Men

Billions

Bad Sisters

Movies We Talked About

Basic Instinct

Fatal Attraction

Barbarian

Watcher

Smile

Fresh

The Menu

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thu, 18 May 2023 15:58:21 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Jaime Lynn Hendricks, Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/jaime-lynn-hendricks-joins-us-sGaHULdd This week, Jaime Lynn Hendricks joins us to talk about her third novel, I Didn't Do It, out May 23rd!  We all also discuss every book, tv show and movie we've loved recently.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Jaime @jaimelynnhendricksauthor 

Books We Talked About

I Didn’t Do It

Jar of Hearts

In My Dreams I Hold a Knife

Chloe Cates is Missing

The Last Mrs. Parrish

A Stranger on the Beach

On a Quiet Street

The Vanishing Hour

Finding Tessa

It Could Be Anyone

Did You Hear About Kitty Karr?

The Whispers

The Gay Best Friend

Whisper

The Last Word

Stone Cold Fox

The Shards

A Twisted Love Story

Don’t Forget the Girl

TV Shows We Talked About

Clickbait

Cruel Summer

Schitt’s Creek

House, M.D.

Law & Order

Euphoria

Mad Men

Billions

Bad Sisters

Movies We Talked About

Basic Instinct

Fatal Attraction

Barbarian

Watcher

Smile

Fresh

The Menu

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Jaime Lynn Hendricks Joins Us!! Jaime Lynn Hendricks, Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 01:38:55 bookstagram, readers, crime fiction, jaime lynn hendricks, reading, fiction, books, thrillers true full 49 e7e97d4a-a56f-4f5b-91dc-c925a9b6d896 Our Auto-Buy Authors This week, we talk about our favorite auto-buy authors.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Authors We Talked About

Jessica Knoll

Yasmin Angoe

Karin Slaughter

Rob Hart

Max Walker

Rachel Howzell Hall

Hannah Morissey

Taylor Jenkins Reid

Jaime Lynn Hendricks

Ava Glass

Catherine Ryan Howard

Amina Akhtar

Alice Feeney

Brian Freeman

Lisa Jewell

Simone St. James

Ruth Ware

JT Ellison

Colleen Hoover

Meg Gardiner

Riley Sager

Megan Miranda

Megan Goldin

Charlie Donlea

Peter Swanson

Alex Finlay

Alex Michelades

Ashley James

Caroline Kepnes

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thu, 11 May 2023 13:31:30 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/auto-buy-authors-e9isnnfe-MaFBYmib This week, we talk about our favorite auto-buy authors.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Authors We Talked About

Jessica Knoll

Yasmin Angoe

Karin Slaughter

Rob Hart

Max Walker

Rachel Howzell Hall

Hannah Morissey

Taylor Jenkins Reid

Jaime Lynn Hendricks

Ava Glass

Catherine Ryan Howard

Amina Akhtar

Alice Feeney

Brian Freeman

Lisa Jewell

Simone St. James

Ruth Ware

JT Ellison

Colleen Hoover

Meg Gardiner

Riley Sager

Megan Miranda

Megan Goldin

Charlie Donlea

Peter Swanson

Alex Finlay

Alex Michelades

Ashley James

Caroline Kepnes

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Our Auto-Buy Authors Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 01:16:39 bookstagram, crime fiction, reading, mystery, fiction, thrillers true full 48 145dd427-a173-478c-b586-b563a0717acf Summer Thrillers to Pre-Order NOW This week, we share books we can't wait to read that come out in June, July and August of 2023.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

The Woods Are Waiting

Out of the Ashes

Kismet Ashley James

You Can Trust Me

St. Ambrose School for Girls

The Quiet Tenant

Sing Her Down

A Likeable Woman

A Twisted Love Story

What Never Happened

I Did it For You

The Last One

Don’t Forget the Girl

Dark Corners

The Trap

Where the Dead Sleep

Zero Days

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thu, 4 May 2023 19:09:56 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/summer-thrillers-to-pre-order-now-cQre_jYI This week, we share books we can't wait to read that come out in June, July and August of 2023.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

The Woods Are Waiting

Out of the Ashes

Kismet Ashley James

You Can Trust Me

St. Ambrose School for Girls

The Quiet Tenant

Sing Her Down

A Likeable Woman

A Twisted Love Story

What Never Happened

I Did it For You

The Last One

Don’t Forget the Girl

Dark Corners

The Trap

Where the Dead Sleep

Zero Days

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Summer Thrillers to Pre-Order NOW Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 01:07:16 bookstagram, reading, mystery, fiction, books, crime, thrillers true full 47 fb1fee06-466e-42a5-be0a-a769c1bb5ef7 Books We Read & Loved in April This week, we share books we read and loved in April.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

Bad Mother

The Fourth Monkey

Sing Her Down

These Women

The Grim Sleeper

The Last Word

No Exit

Hairpin Bridge

The New One

Midnights Like This

Stay Awake

Prophet

Class Act

The Boyfriend Candidate

Movies and TV Shows We Talked About

Heartstopper

The Guilty

Ambulance

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thu, 27 Apr 2023 12:36:55 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/books-we-read-loved-in-april-oGVpARgx This week, we share books we read and loved in April.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

Bad Mother

The Fourth Monkey

Sing Her Down

These Women

The Grim Sleeper

The Last Word

No Exit

Hairpin Bridge

The New One

Midnights Like This

Stay Awake

Prophet

Class Act

The Boyfriend Candidate

Movies and TV Shows We Talked About

Heartstopper

The Guilty

Ambulance

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Books We Read & Loved in April Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 01:15:08 bookstagram, crime fiction, mystery, fiction, thrillers true full 46 5764e1ca-e51c-46c6-9715-a054e33e77ff Why The Daisy Jones & The Six Adaptation Made All the Right Changes SPOILERS This week, Kate does a solo episode WITH SPOILERS about The Daisy Jones & The Six TV adaptation.  She dives way into why she thinks the changes they made in the adaptation amplified the authentic spirit of the book.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thu, 20 Apr 2023 17:23:27 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/why-the-daisy-jones-the-six-adaptation-made-all-the-right-changes-spoilers-kSfg64rL This week, Kate does a solo episode WITH SPOILERS about The Daisy Jones & The Six TV adaptation.  She dives way into why she thinks the changes they made in the adaptation amplified the authentic spirit of the book.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Why The Daisy Jones & The Six Adaptation Made All the Right Changes SPOILERS Kate Hergott 01:13:41 bookstagram, taylor jenkins reid, book adaptations, fiction, daisy jones, daisy jones and the six true full 45 a1339686-f2a5-421f-8bd9-6baa9b985812 Books that Define Our Reading Personalities This week, we share 5 books that define our reading personalities.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

White Ivy

A Density of Souls

Alias Emma

Jar of Hearts

The Paradox Hotel

The Woman Inside

Ninth House

A Court of Thorns and Roses

Pretty Girls

The Good Daughter

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Luckiest Girl Alive

The Last Housewife

TV Shows We Talked About

Beef

Murdaugh Murders

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thu, 13 Apr 2023 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/books-that-define-our-reading-personalities-7puO8tz0 This week, we share 5 books that define our reading personalities.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

White Ivy

A Density of Souls

Alias Emma

Jar of Hearts

The Paradox Hotel

The Woman Inside

Ninth House

A Court of Thorns and Roses

Pretty Girls

The Good Daughter

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Luckiest Girl Alive

The Last Housewife

TV Shows We Talked About

Beef

Murdaugh Murders

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Books that Define Our Reading Personalities Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 01:31:05 bookstagram, spy thrillers, crime fiction, reading, mystery, fiction, sci-fi, thrillers true full 44 9cb875d4-680d-41b7-a50e-36940f107390 Thriller Sesh Catch Up This week, we are have a thriller catch up sesh and talk about everything we've been reading and watching.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

The Boyfriend Candidate

Class Act

The Long and Faraway Gone

The Cheerleaders

Out of the Ashes

To Catch a Storm

Devil’s House

If I Disappear

Love and Monsters

The New One

Stalker

You Shouldn’t Have Come Here

TV Shows We Talked About

The Deuce

Insecure

The Night Agent

Swarm

Accused

One Mississippi

The Tindler Swindler

Wild Wild Country

The Girl in the Picture

Bad Sisters

Movies We Talked About

John Wick

Watcher

Prisoners

Your Place or Mine

Fear

Fatal Attraction

Mother

Black Christmas

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thu, 6 Apr 2023 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/thriller-sesh-catch-up-5A90SmBW This week, we are have a thriller catch up sesh and talk about everything we've been reading and watching.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

The Boyfriend Candidate

Class Act

The Long and Faraway Gone

The Cheerleaders

Out of the Ashes

To Catch a Storm

Devil’s House

If I Disappear

Love and Monsters

The New One

Stalker

You Shouldn’t Have Come Here

TV Shows We Talked About

The Deuce

Insecure

The Night Agent

Swarm

Accused

One Mississippi

The Tindler Swindler

Wild Wild Country

The Girl in the Picture

Bad Sisters

Movies We Talked About

John Wick

Watcher

Prisoners

Your Place or Mine

Fear

Fatal Attraction

Mother

Black Christmas

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thriller Sesh Catch Up Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 01:18:47 bookstagram, true crime, crime fiction, suspense, horror, documentaries, mystery, tv shows, thrillers true full 43 65b682f8-9544-44ae-8446-6475de293e96 Ensemble Casts We Love This week, we are talking about our favorite books with ensemble casts.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

Apples Never Fall

Notes on an Execution

Look Closer

My Summer Darlings

One of Us is Dead

The Rule of Three

It Could Be Anyone

The Night Shift

He Started It

Ohio

Not a Happy Family

Real Easy

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 31 Mar 2023 01:29:58 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/ensemble-casts-we-love-o9WZW9wP This week, we are talking about our favorite books with ensemble casts.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

Apples Never Fall

Notes on an Execution

Look Closer

My Summer Darlings

One of Us is Dead

The Rule of Three

It Could Be Anyone

The Night Shift

He Started It

Ohio

Not a Happy Family

Real Easy

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Ensemble Casts We Love Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 01:18:50 bookstagram, crime fiction, booksf, thriller, mystery, fiction true full 42 1dd7599b-83c3-423b-8251-89f3569168e7 Spring Thrillers We Can't Wait to Read This week, we are talking about thrillers with powerful moments of female rage, empowerment or survival.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

The Drowned Girls

The Hurricane Blonde

Dreambound

The Daydreams

I Didn’t Do It

Girls and Their Horses

You Shouldn’t Have Come Here

Before We Were Innocent

We Were Never Here

Don’t Believe It

You and Only You

Don’t You Dare

The Revenge List

Up Close

Not So Perfect Strangers

TV Shows We Talked About

The Vow

Wild Wild Country

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thu, 23 Mar 2023 15:41:50 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/spring-thrillers-we-cant-wait-to-read-ytle0YnD This week, we are talking about thrillers with powerful moments of female rage, empowerment or survival.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

The Drowned Girls

The Hurricane Blonde

Dreambound

The Daydreams

I Didn’t Do It

Girls and Their Horses

You Shouldn’t Have Come Here

Before We Were Innocent

We Were Never Here

Don’t Believe It

You and Only You

Don’t You Dare

The Revenge List

Up Close

Not So Perfect Strangers

TV Shows We Talked About

The Vow

Wild Wild Country

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Spring Thrillers We Can't Wait to Read Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 01:08:16 crime fiction, psychological thriller, horror, mystery, fiction, thrillers true full 41 288b828a-9479-4741-a681-806dcee9b1ad The Bad Bitches of Thrillers This week, we are talking about thrillers with powerful moments of female rage, empowerment or survival.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

Never Saw Me Coming

Her Name is Knight

The Weight of Blood

Dark Places

How I’ll Kill You

Bone Music

Jar of Hearts

The Ursulina

Whisper Network

Stalker

The Rabbit Hunter

The Last Housewife

Carrie Soto is Back

Luckiest Girl Alive

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thu, 16 Mar 2023 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/the-bad-bitches-of-thrillers-szFwWkXt This week, we are talking about thrillers with powerful moments of female rage, empowerment or survival.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

Never Saw Me Coming

Her Name is Knight

The Weight of Blood

Dark Places

How I’ll Kill You

Bone Music

Jar of Hearts

The Ursulina

Whisper Network

Stalker

The Rabbit Hunter

The Last Housewife

Carrie Soto is Back

Luckiest Girl Alive

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> The Bad Bitches of Thrillers Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 01:13:47 crime fiction, crime thrillers, horror, reading, carrie soto, spy thriller, fiction, mysteries, thrillers true full 40 610cfce0-b37e-4918-852e-9e1ce7f59377 Books to Read if You Love You (or Joe Goldberg) This week, we are talking about thrillers we are excited to read!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

Blood Sugar

They Never Learn

Look What You Made Me Do

Never Saw Me Coming

Gone Again

Nice Girls

White Ivy

The Shards

On the Savage Side

Bath Haus

Creep

Freak

Little Secrets

Things We Do in the Dark

Never Have I Ever

The Favorite Sister

Watch Out for Her

Couples Wanted

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thu, 9 Mar 2023 16:33:17 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/books-to-read-if-you-love-you-or-joe-goldberg-YxqGL_wS This week, we are talking about thrillers we are excited to read!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

Blood Sugar

They Never Learn

Look What You Made Me Do

Never Saw Me Coming

Gone Again

Nice Girls

White Ivy

The Shards

On the Savage Side

Bath Haus

Creep

Freak

Little Secrets

Things We Do in the Dark

Never Have I Ever

The Favorite Sister

Watch Out for Her

Couples Wanted

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Books to Read if You Love You (or Joe Goldberg) Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 01:06:10 you tv show, dark acedemia, crime fiction, stalker, joe goldberg, fiction, books, mysterys, thrillers true full 39 77e36a53-1394-475d-8fc3-e937a13563a6 Thrillers We're Excited to Read This week, we are talking about thrillers we are excited to read!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

Like a Sister

Natural Beauty

If We Were Villains

Such a Pretty Smile

No Home for Killers

Just Like Home

Malibu Rising

One True Loves

How to Fall Out of Love Madly

Jackal

Mickey7

Chasing the Boogeyman

The Girl on the Porch

Infinite

Hideaway

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thu, 2 Mar 2023 16:12:17 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/thrillers-were-excited-to-read-WI3MnzXb This week, we are talking about thrillers we are excited to read!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

Like a Sister

Natural Beauty

If We Were Villains

Such a Pretty Smile

No Home for Killers

Just Like Home

Malibu Rising

One True Loves

How to Fall Out of Love Madly

Jackal

Mickey7

Chasing the Boogeyman

The Girl on the Porch

Infinite

Hideaway

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thrillers We're Excited to Read Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 01:15:27 readers, crime fiction, horror, reading, mystery, fiction, books, sci-fi, thrillers true full 38 450b5d08-b459-4907-a4c5-87d8325d59db 10 More Amazing Kindle Unlimited Thrillers We had so many books we wanted to talk about on Kindle Unlimited so here are 10 more great thrillers to pick up!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

Books We Talked About

Whisper

The Shards

The Angel Maker

Death of a Dancing Queen

The Long and Faraway Gone

We Lie Here

And Now She’s Gone

These Toxic Things

His & Hers

Razorblade Tears

The Dry

Beneath Devil’s Bridge

The Memory Watcher

Unmissing

Still Missing

The Wife Between Us

Some Choose Darkness

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thu, 23 Feb 2023 13:15:25 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/10-more-amazing-kindle-unlimited-thrillers-P7SyZo5m We had so many books we wanted to talk about on Kindle Unlimited so here are 10 more great thrillers to pick up!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

Books We Talked About

Whisper

The Shards

The Angel Maker

Death of a Dancing Queen

The Long and Faraway Gone

We Lie Here

And Now She’s Gone

These Toxic Things

His & Hers

Razorblade Tears

The Dry

Beneath Devil’s Bridge

The Memory Watcher

Unmissing

Still Missing

The Wife Between Us

Some Choose Darkness

 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> 10 More Amazing Kindle Unlimited Thrillers Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 00:48:48 crime fiction, kindle unlimited, horror, reading, fiction, books, mysteries, thrillers true full 37 f81353a3-a161-4957-8c70-a75f474539fc The Best Thrillers on Kindle Unlimited We're taking your wallet in to account for this episode and sharing our favorite thrillers on Kindle Unlimited!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

Ninth House

Hell Bent

Jar of Hearts

The Girl Who Was Taken

Under Her Care

Off the Deep End

The Drowned Girls

Her Final Breath

Erika Foster Series

The Quarry Girls

Stillhouse Lake

Still Missing

Room

Go Ask Alice

I Found You

The Girls Are All So Nice Here

Good Girls Lie

Her Dark Lies

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thu, 16 Feb 2023 15:36:08 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/the-best-thrillers-on-kindle-unlimited-fKLwhCmP We're taking your wallet in to account for this episode and sharing our favorite thrillers on Kindle Unlimited!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

Ninth House

Hell Bent

Jar of Hearts

The Girl Who Was Taken

Under Her Care

Off the Deep End

The Drowned Girls

Her Final Breath

Erika Foster Series

The Quarry Girls

Stillhouse Lake

Still Missing

Room

Go Ask Alice

I Found You

The Girls Are All So Nice Here

Good Girls Lie

Her Dark Lies

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> The Best Thrillers on Kindle Unlimited Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 01:06:11 crime fiction, horror, reading, fiction, books, thrillers true full 36 e4113374-013d-4a2a-bc4f-9132bd89edf0 Messy Relationship Reads for Valentines Day We have tons of messy relationship thrillers for your Valentine's Day reading ❤️ 😈

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

Valentine

Stone Cold Fox

The Wives

One Little Word

The Snow Garden

Daisy Jones & The Six

These Violent Delights

All the Dangerous Things

Heartsick

Alias Emma

The Arrangement

The Perfect Family

Seeing Strangers

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thu, 9 Feb 2023 14:45:04 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/messy-relationship-reads-for-valentines-day-3cxNT_EE We have tons of messy relationship thrillers for your Valentine's Day reading ❤️ 😈

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

Valentine

Stone Cold Fox

The Wives

One Little Word

The Snow Garden

Daisy Jones & The Six

These Violent Delights

All the Dangerous Things

Heartsick

Alias Emma

The Arrangement

The Perfect Family

Seeing Strangers

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Messy Relationship Reads for Valentines Day Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 01:23:46 bookstagram, readers, crime fiction, suspense, horror, reading, thriller, thrillers true full 35 62269736-4d13-4ce9-b7aa-78ed8deff5f7 Jaw Dropping TV Shows This week, we talk about tv shows that blew our minds!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

TV Shows We Talked About

The Good Place

Sens8

Desperate Housewives

Mr. Robot

Dexter

Orphan Black

Animal Kingdom

Westworld

Nip/Tuck

Pretty Little Liars

Movies We Talked About

Bohemian Rhapsody

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 31 Jan 2023 14:07:04 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/jaw-dropping-tv-shows-l5concqq This week, we talk about tv shows that blew our minds!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

TV Shows We Talked About

The Good Place

Sens8

Desperate Housewives

Mr. Robot

Dexter

Orphan Black

Animal Kingdom

Westworld

Nip/Tuck

Pretty Little Liars

Movies We Talked About

Bohemian Rhapsody

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Jaw Dropping TV Shows Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 00:42:57 bookstagram, twists, tv shows, thrillers true full 34 e064f81e-4224-44dc-8828-6cbae3e975d1 Mind Blowing TV Shows This week, we get into books that blew our minds!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

TV Shows We Talked About

Black Mirror

Euphoria

Bloodline

The Affair

One Tree Hill

Friday Night Lights

Ozark

Yellowjackets

The Haunting of Hill House

The Haunting of Bly Manor

You

Movies We Talked About

Hush

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 24 Jan 2023 16:22:50 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/mind-blowing-tv-shows-we0YCgc4 This week, we get into books that blew our minds!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

TV Shows We Talked About

Black Mirror

Euphoria

Bloodline

The Affair

One Tree Hill

Friday Night Lights

Ozark

Yellowjackets

The Haunting of Hill House

The Haunting of Bly Manor

You

Movies We Talked About

Hush

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Mind Blowing TV Shows Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 00:44:32 suspense, horror, tv shows, thrillers true full 33 bd5572ae-d676-46d5-9aaa-1dd18f641d29 Jaw Dropping Books to Read This week we're talking about books that blew our minds!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

Verity

Ugly Love

The Girl Who Was Taken

You Will Remember Me

I Found You

Pretty Girls Dancing

Chasing the Boogeyman

The Reunion

Date Night

Those Girls

Dark Roads

Never Let You Go

My Lovely Wife

Good Rich People

Bath Haus

Jar of Hearts

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thu, 19 Jan 2023 17:20:24 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/jaw-dropping-books-to-read-zbhifkt0 This week we're talking about books that blew our minds!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

Verity

Ugly Love

The Girl Who Was Taken

You Will Remember Me

I Found You

Pretty Girls Dancing

Chasing the Boogeyman

The Reunion

Date Night

Those Girls

Dark Roads

Never Let You Go

My Lovely Wife

Good Rich People

Bath Haus

Jar of Hearts

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Jaw Dropping Books to Read Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 00:38:33 bookstagram, crime fiction, horror, reading, thriller, books true full 32 e487ca0b-37fa-4e7f-9bb4-be69b8e3bfee Books That Blew Our Minds This week, we get into books that blew our minds!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

The Housemaid

The Sandman

Stalker

The Silent Patient

The Woman Inside

We Were Liars

The Shards

Behind Her Eyes

In My Dreams I Hold a Knife

Other Stuff We Talked About

Bookshelf Tees Bookmarks

Kindle Page Turner

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 17 Jan 2023 14:04:49 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/books-that-blew-our-minds-s3K4kTgR This week, we get into books that blew our minds!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

The Housemaid

The Sandman

Stalker

The Silent Patient

The Woman Inside

We Were Liars

The Shards

Behind Her Eyes

In My Dreams I Hold a Knife

Other Stuff We Talked About

Bookshelf Tees Bookmarks

Kindle Page Turner

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Books That Blew Our Minds Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 00:45:08 bookstagram, crime fiction, psychological thriller, horror, thriller, mystery, fiction, books true full 31 4a0068b5-535d-44ee-af72-99ed328d9a40 Books That Deserve More Hype This week, we talk about books we love that deserve more hype!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

The Other Me

Please See Us

#fashionvictim

Everything You Want Me to Be

The Book of Essie

The Final Girl Support Group

What You Don’t Know

TV Shows We Talked About

The Righteous Gemstones

Movies We Talked About

Vantage Point

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thu, 12 Jan 2023 05:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/books-that-deserve-more-hype-KZAdj6Hz This week, we talk about books we love that deserve more hype!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

The Other Me

Please See Us

#fashionvictim

Everything You Want Me to Be

The Book of Essie

The Final Girl Support Group

What You Don’t Know

TV Shows We Talked About

The Righteous Gemstones

Movies We Talked About

Vantage Point

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Books That Deserve More Hype Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 00:40:56 bookstagram, crime fiction, suspense, reading, thriller, mystery, fiction, books true full 30 f453346b-0d6e-4b25-b3fb-2925a06a1242 Books That Deserve More Love This week, we're talking about books we love that deserve more love!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

The Villa

The Sandman

The Shards

Made for Love

Tampa

Valentine

First Born

Her Every Fear

Stalker

The Long and Faraway Gone

TV Shows We Talked About

Sex Lives of College Girls

Pretty Little Liars

Movies We Talked About

Valentine

Prisoners

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 10 Jan 2023 16:43:15 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/books-that-deserve-more-love-X_hMOtxF This week, we're talking about books we love that deserve more love!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

The Villa

The Sandman

The Shards

Made for Love

Tampa

Valentine

First Born

Her Every Fear

Stalker

The Long and Faraway Gone

TV Shows We Talked About

Sex Lives of College Girls

Pretty Little Liars

Movies We Talked About

Valentine

Prisoners

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Books That Deserve More Love Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 00:40:56 bookstagram, crime fiction, horror, reading, thriller, mystery, fiction, books true full 29 4dcffe2e-5c7f-4bc7-bb62-0996dfef4bb4 Early 2023 Books We're Excited About We continue our discussion on books we are looking forward to in 2023.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

We’re All Lying

The Survivor/Those Empty Eyes

The Girl Who Was Taken

What Lies in the Woods

The Last Winter of Dani Lansing

American Psycho

The Shards

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thu, 5 Jan 2023 15:36:08 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/early-2023-books-were-excited-about-0AfQj2I_ We continue our discussion on books we are looking forward to in 2023.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

We’re All Lying

The Survivor/Those Empty Eyes

The Girl Who Was Taken

What Lies in the Woods

The Last Winter of Dani Lansing

American Psycho

The Shards

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Early 2023 Books We're Excited About Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 00:28:09 bookstagram, crime fiction, reading, thriller, mystery, fiction, books true full 28 028a56df-34ee-42d6-93a5-dbe0f8efda9e Books We Can't Wait to Read in 2023 This week, we catch up on what we've been reading, and dive into the books we are most excited for in January - March of 2023.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

Tell Me Lies

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Ugly Love

All Good People Here

A Density of Souls

The Silent Woman

Run on Red

One of Those Faces

Hidden in Snow

The Look Alike

Stalker

The Sandman

The Kind Worth Saving

The Kind Worth Killing

Her Every Fear

More Than You’ll Ever Know

Just the Nicest Couple

The Good Girl

It’s One of Us

TV Shows We Talked About

Tell Me Lies

Movies We Talked About

Ambulance

Watcher

In the Cut

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 3 Jan 2023 15:45:58 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/books-we-cant-wait-to-read-in-2023-zuhKIhmx This week, we catch up on what we've been reading, and dive into the books we are most excited for in January - March of 2023.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

Books We Talked About

Tell Me Lies

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Ugly Love

All Good People Here

A Density of Souls

The Silent Woman

Run on Red

One of Those Faces

Hidden in Snow

The Look Alike

Stalker

The Sandman

The Kind Worth Saving

The Kind Worth Killing

Her Every Fear

More Than You’ll Ever Know

Just the Nicest Couple

The Good Girl

It’s One of Us

TV Shows We Talked About

Tell Me Lies

Movies We Talked About

Ambulance

Watcher

In the Cut

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Books We Can't Wait to Read in 2023 Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 00:50:04 bookstagram, crime fiction, horror, reading, mystery, fiction, books, action, thrillers true full 27 463933eb-5933-4f75-ae94-6bd71c2c2cbc Movies That Need Book Adaptations On this episode, we talk about our favorite movies we want to see adapted to books.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

 

Books We Talked About This Week

Before She Knew Him

Stalker

The Echo Wife

Pretty Things

 

Movies We Talked About This Week

Don’t Worry Darling

Promising Young Woman

Shame

Watcher

Black Christmas

Ex Machina

Fatal Attraction

Pearl

Basic Instinct

The Menu

Bones and All

Knives Out

Scream

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thu, 29 Dec 2022 18:36:52 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/movies-that-need-book-adaptations-DG__jvMz On this episode, we talk about our favorite movies we want to see adapted to books.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare @gareindeedreads

Kate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouch

 

Books We Talked About This Week

Before She Knew Him

Stalker

The Echo Wife

Pretty Things

 

Movies We Talked About This Week

Don’t Worry Darling

Promising Young Woman

Shame

Watcher

Black Christmas

Ex Machina

Fatal Attraction

Pearl

Basic Instinct

The Menu

Bones and All

Knives Out

Scream

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Movies That Need Book Adaptations Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 00:43:44 bookstagram, movies, horror, reading, mystery, fiction, thrillers true full 26 b10c445a-0f7d-4a21-a7eb-0137477c4183 If We Were Toxic Characters Gare woke up and chose violence.  His icebreaker question was what our most toxic traits are, and somehow we turned the icebreaker into a full episode.  You've heard us talk about hundreds of toxic characters, now it's time to talk about our own toxic hangups.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Books We Talked About This Week

Seeing Strangers

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 27 Dec 2022 16:23:33 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/if-we-were-toxic-characters-ZHxcnJC7 Gare woke up and chose violence.  His icebreaker question was what our most toxic traits are, and somehow we turned the icebreaker into a full episode.  You've heard us talk about hundreds of toxic characters, now it's time to talk about our own toxic hangups.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Books We Talked About This Week

Seeing Strangers

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> If We Were Toxic Characters Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 00:48:15 bookstagram, horror, reading, thriller, fiction, books true full 25 0379141a-5e23-4645-93fa-855bc2aa1bcb If You Liked Severance, The Witches of Eastwick or Law & Order: SVU Here Are Books You HAVE to Read Thanks to @thoughtsfromtheisland on Instagram for suggesting a book/tv show or movie recommendation episode!  We continue our discussion about our favorite movies and TV shows and share which books pair well with them.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Books We Talked About

The Sleepless

In My Dreams I Hold a Knife

The Lies I Tell

Look What You Made Me Do

I Told You This Would Happen

The Girls Are All So Nice Here

My Summer Darlings

The Change

TV Shows We Talked About

Severance

Dead to Me

Cruel Summer

Law & Order SVU

Movies We Talked About

Black Christmas

Violent Night

Witches of Eastwick

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thu, 22 Dec 2022 14:06:06 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/if-you-liked-severance-the-witches-of-eastwick-or-law-order-svu-here-are-books-you-have-to-read-N7JGqIld Thanks to @thoughtsfromtheisland on Instagram for suggesting a book/tv show or movie recommendation episode!  We continue our discussion about our favorite movies and TV shows and share which books pair well with them.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Books We Talked About

The Sleepless

In My Dreams I Hold a Knife

The Lies I Tell

Look What You Made Me Do

I Told You This Would Happen

The Girls Are All So Nice Here

My Summer Darlings

The Change

TV Shows We Talked About

Severance

Dead to Me

Cruel Summer

Law & Order SVU

Movies We Talked About

Black Christmas

Violent Night

Witches of Eastwick

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> If You Liked Severance, The Witches of Eastwick or Law & Order: SVU Here Are Books You HAVE to Read Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 00:47:54 bookstagram, crime fiction, horror, reading, thriller, mystery, fiction, books, tv true full 24 672ece28-0674-486c-b501-e09ee1caff10 If You Liked The White Lotus, The Peripheral or Freaky, Here Are Books You HAVE to Read Thanks to @thoughtsfromtheisland on Instagram for suggesting a book/tv show or movie recommendation episode!  We talk about our favorite movies and TV shows and share which books pair well with them.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Books We Talked About

Dark Matter

How to Survive Your Murder

Not a Happy Family

The Guest List

Kismet

It Could Be Anyone

Night Film

Follow Me

The Sleepless

TV Shows We Talked About

The Peripheral

The White Lotus

Severance

Movies We Talked About

Freaky

Happy Death Day

The Hating Game

Ratter

Searching

Megan is Missing

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 20 Dec 2022 15:51:55 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/if-you-liked-the-white-lotus-severance-or-freaky-here-are-books-you-have-to-read-VqHFBwJJ Thanks to @thoughtsfromtheisland on Instagram for suggesting a book/tv show or movie recommendation episode!  We talk about our favorite movies and TV shows and share which books pair well with them.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Books We Talked About

Dark Matter

How to Survive Your Murder

Not a Happy Family

The Guest List

Kismet

It Could Be Anyone

Night Film

Follow Me

The Sleepless

TV Shows We Talked About

The Peripheral

The White Lotus

Severance

Movies We Talked About

Freaky

Happy Death Day

The Hating Game

Ratter

Searching

Megan is Missing

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> If You Liked The White Lotus, The Peripheral or Freaky, Here Are Books You HAVE to Read Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 01:06:00 bookstagram, movies, reading, fiction, books, tv shows, thrillers true full 23 d3079a1e-46be-4a13-995c-479f09c76ec1 The Women Who'd Take Down Gilead with June We continue our discussion about our favorite female characters we think could take on Gilead with June (The Handmaid's Tale).

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Books We Talked About This Week

Blood Echo

All the Dark Places

Ugly Love

Too Late

Gone Girl

They Never Learn

White Ivy

Never Saw Me Coming

Nice Girls

The Snow Garden

The Secret History

The Last Housewife

TV Shows We Talked About This Week

The Handmaid’s Tale

Westworld

Looking

Yellowstone

Homeland

House of Cards

Mad Men

How to Get Away with Murder

Law & Order SVU

Movies We Talked About This Week

Gone Girl

The Pledge

Cruel Intentions

Scream

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thu, 15 Dec 2022 13:50:44 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Bookwild Collective) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/the-women-whod-take-down-gilead-with-june-SR7jMQbf We continue our discussion about our favorite female characters we think could take on Gilead with June (The Handmaid's Tale).

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Books We Talked About This Week

Blood Echo

All the Dark Places

Ugly Love

Too Late

Gone Girl

They Never Learn

White Ivy

Never Saw Me Coming

Nice Girls

The Snow Garden

The Secret History

The Last Housewife

TV Shows We Talked About This Week

The Handmaid’s Tale

Westworld

Looking

Yellowstone

Homeland

House of Cards

Mad Men

How to Get Away with Murder

Law & Order SVU

Movies We Talked About This Week

Gone Girl

The Pledge

Cruel Intentions

Scream

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> The Women Who'd Take Down Gilead with June Bookwild Collective 00:41:15 true full 22 a62446fe-a5fb-4f1c-af48-f74baa009e66 Female Leads Who Could Take on Gilead We are back this week to talk about our favorite female characters we think could take on Gilead with June (The Handmaid's Tale).

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Books We Talked About This Week

Blood Echo

All the Dark Places

Ugly Love

Too Late

Gone Girl

They Never Learn

White Ivy

Never Saw Me Coming

Nice Girls

The Snow Garden

The Secret History

The Last Housewife

TV Shows We Talked About This Week

The Handmaid’s Tale

Westworld

Looking

Yellowstone

Homeland

House of Cards

Mad Men

How to Get Away with Murder

Law & Order SVU

Movies We Talked About This Week

Gone Girl

The Pledge

Cruel Intentions

Scream

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 13 Dec 2022 13:35:36 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/female-leads-who-could-take-on-gilead-peySXpf1 We are back this week to talk about our favorite female characters we think could take on Gilead with June (The Handmaid's Tale).

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Books We Talked About This Week

Blood Echo

All the Dark Places

Ugly Love

Too Late

Gone Girl

They Never Learn

White Ivy

Never Saw Me Coming

Nice Girls

The Snow Garden

The Secret History

The Last Housewife

TV Shows We Talked About This Week

The Handmaid’s Tale

Westworld

Looking

Yellowstone

Homeland

House of Cards

Mad Men

How to Get Away with Murder

Law & Order SVU

Movies We Talked About This Week

Gone Girl

The Pledge

Cruel Intentions

Scream

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Female Leads Who Could Take on Gilead Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 00:34:50 crime fiction, movies, horror, thriller, fiction, books, tv shows true full 21 e3ff4efd-b8dc-428a-b0ee-5eb3ac27dbc4 Thriller TV Shows You Can't Miss We continue our discussion of backlist (previously aired) TV shows you have to watch.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Books We Talked About This Week

A Nest of Snakes

The Secret History

A Little Life

The Chestnut Man

The Rule of Three

The Woman Inside

TV Shows We Talked About This Week

Big Little Lies

Sharp Objects

Broadchurch

Dexter

You

Mr. Robot

The Killing

Luther

The Affair

Schitt’s Creek

Nip/Tuck

Orphan Black

United States of Tara

The Following

The Fall

Hannibal

Shameless

Movies We Talked About This Week

The Batman

Bohemian Rhapsody

The Lost Daughter

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thu, 8 Dec 2022 15:30:16 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/thriller-tv-shows-you-cant-miss-y_e5kP3K We continue our discussion of backlist (previously aired) TV shows you have to watch.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Books We Talked About This Week

A Nest of Snakes

The Secret History

A Little Life

The Chestnut Man

The Rule of Three

The Woman Inside

TV Shows We Talked About This Week

Big Little Lies

Sharp Objects

Broadchurch

Dexter

You

Mr. Robot

The Killing

Luther

The Affair

Schitt’s Creek

Nip/Tuck

Orphan Black

United States of Tara

The Following

The Fall

Hannibal

Shameless

Movies We Talked About This Week

The Batman

Bohemian Rhapsody

The Lost Daughter

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thriller TV Shows You Can't Miss Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 00:46:15 crime fiction, movies, horror, reading, mystery, books, tv shows, thrillers true full 20 81938134-4520-4fb4-b09f-4c60ac3f06ca TV Shows You HAVE to Watch We are back this week to talk about backlist (previously aired) TV shows you have to watch.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Books We Talked About This Week

A Nest of Snakes

The Secret History

A Little Life

The Chestnut Man

The Rule of Three

The Woman Inside

TV Shows We Talked About This Week

Big Little Lies

Sharp Objects

Broadchurch

Dexter

You

Mr. Robot

The Killing

Luther

The Affair

Schitt’s Creek

Nip/Tuck

Orphan Black

United States of Tara

The Following

The Fall

Hannibal

Shameless

Movies We Talked About This Week

The Batman

Bohemian Rhapsody

The Lost Daughter

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 6 Dec 2022 16:10:23 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/backlist-tv-shows-to-watch-part-one-8_Jqpv3A We are back this week to talk about backlist (previously aired) TV shows you have to watch.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Books We Talked About This Week

A Nest of Snakes

The Secret History

A Little Life

The Chestnut Man

The Rule of Three

The Woman Inside

TV Shows We Talked About This Week

Big Little Lies

Sharp Objects

Broadchurch

Dexter

You

Mr. Robot

The Killing

Luther

The Affair

Schitt’s Creek

Nip/Tuck

Orphan Black

United States of Tara

The Following

The Fall

Hannibal

Shameless

Movies We Talked About This Week

The Batman

Bohemian Rhapsody

The Lost Daughter

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> TV Shows You HAVE to Watch Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 00:33:50 bookstagram, movies, horror, reading, thriller, mystery, fiction, books, tv shows, sci-fi true full 19 169e6f95-6a1e-4589-bbbb-39c5fb394718 Our Favorite Book Series Part Two We are back this week to talk about our favorite series!  

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thu, 1 Dec 2022 13:26:24 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/our-favorite-series-part-two-IDj9lqLR We are back this week to talk about our favorite series!  

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Our Favorite Book Series Part Two Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 00:35:27 bookstagram, crime fiction, horror, reading, thriller, mystery, fiction, books true full 18 0eb43c8c-d75a-46e1-993d-6ac82cf43614 Our Favorite Book Series Part One We are back this week to talk about our favorite series!  (Kate had to look up the plural of series, and it turns out, it's series).

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 29 Nov 2022 16:54:52 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/our-favorite-series-part-one-xKiqF48U We are back this week to talk about our favorite series!  (Kate had to look up the plural of series, and it turns out, it's series).

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Our Favorite Book Series Part One Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 00:38:21 bookstagram, crime fiction, horror, reading, books, thrillers true full 17 7759e106-d967-4d40-986a-9e9504b3a4da Terrifying Books to Read We are back this week to talk about books that scared the shit out of us.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thu, 24 Nov 2022 05:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/terrifying-books-to-read-79xfBUA4 We are back this week to talk about books that scared the shit out of us.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Terrifying Books to Read Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 00:52:24 bookstagram, horror, reading, mystery, fiction, books, thrillers true full 16 1130887a-7a06-418d-8015-cf7bf4cdbddc Buddy Read Review: The Ursulina by Brian Freeman We are back this week to talk about our first buddy read The Ursulina!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 22 Nov 2022 13:48:41 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Bookwild Collective) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/buddy-read-review-X7MXSEAf We are back this week to talk about our first buddy read The Ursulina!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Buddy Read Review: The Ursulina by Brian Freeman Bookwild Collective 00:30:39 true full 15 d2e1e546-9b27-4992-9e30-dc581d62e7ca Books that Need to Be Adapted We are back this week to talk about books that need to be adapted to movies or tv shows.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 18 Nov 2022 12:15:31 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Bookwild Collective) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/books-that-need-to-be-adapted-4D5WM836 We are back this week to talk about books that need to be adapted to movies or tv shows.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Books that Need to Be Adapted Bookwild Collective 00:57:19 true full 14 dc578895-c8d5-4658-8e34-e5fa671bc67f Taylor Swift's MidnighTS as Books We are back this week to talk about our favorite songs on MidnighTS and the books they remind us of.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 15 Nov 2022 12:04:36 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/midnights-as-books-evOCTC0i We are back this week to talk about our favorite songs on MidnighTS and the books they remind us of.

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Taylor Swift's MidnighTS as Books Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 00:32:44 horror, reading, thriller, mystery, fiction, books true full 13 fc42774b-78c9-4ca3-93c1-8ecd9a1ff97c The First Buddy Read: The Ursulina We are back this week to talk about our first buddy read!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thu, 10 Nov 2022 05:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/the-first-buddy-read-e9bmcv7E We are back this week to talk about our first buddy read!

Follow us on Instagram:

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> The First Buddy Read: The Ursulina Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 00:34:40 bookstagram, horror, reading, thriller, mystery, fiction, books true full 12 f57b1255-8428-496f-8b1f-17325604d387 Books We've LOVED Lately We are back this week to talk about what we've been reading lately!

Follow us on Instagram!

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 8 Nov 2022 13:08:43 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/what-weve-been-reading-lnLbv4Pn We are back this week to talk about what we've been reading lately!

Follow us on Instagram!

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Books We've LOVED Lately Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 00:31:56 bookstagram, suspense, horror, reading, thriller, fiction, books, authors true full 11 255d85b7-191e-4791-b2f3-94a04f8b59aa Auto-Buy Authors Part Two We are back this week to talk about our auto-buy authors!

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Follow us on Instagram!

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Authors We Talked About This Week

Lisa Jewell

Alice Feeney

Lars Kepler

E G Scott

Jane Harper

Ashley Winstead

Mary Kubica

Lisa Unger

Colleen Hoover

Samantha Hayes

May Cobb

Jaime Lynn Hendricks

Jennifer Hillier

Samantha Bailey

Christopher Rice

JT Elison

Blake Crouch

Grady Hendrix

Robert Bryndza

Robert Dugoni

Charlie Donlea

Loreth Anne White

Robert Dugoni

Liane Morirarty

Books We Talked About This Week

The Silent Woman

The Girl with Dragon Tattoo

The Snow Man

Daisy Darker

Sometimes I Lie

His and Hers

I Know Who You Are

Watching You

The Night She Disappeared

Good Rich People

Local Woman Missing

Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thu, 3 Nov 2022 12:04:56 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/auto-buy-authors-part-two-tqJR9cXH We are back this week to talk about our auto-buy authors!

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Follow us on Instagram!

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Authors We Talked About This Week

Lisa Jewell

Alice Feeney

Lars Kepler

E G Scott

Jane Harper

Ashley Winstead

Mary Kubica

Lisa Unger

Colleen Hoover

Samantha Hayes

May Cobb

Jaime Lynn Hendricks

Jennifer Hillier

Samantha Bailey

Christopher Rice

JT Elison

Blake Crouch

Grady Hendrix

Robert Bryndza

Robert Dugoni

Charlie Donlea

Loreth Anne White

Robert Dugoni

Liane Morirarty

Books We Talked About This Week

The Silent Woman

The Girl with Dragon Tattoo

The Snow Man

Daisy Darker

Sometimes I Lie

His and Hers

I Know Who You Are

Watching You

The Night She Disappeared

Good Rich People

Local Woman Missing

Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Auto-Buy Authors Part Two Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 00:33:12 bookstagram, crime fiction, horror, reading, mystery, fiction, books, authors, thrillers true full 10 22d56fbf-d09c-4d1b-9d21-ad35a1824d65 Auto-Buy Authors Part One We are back this week to talk about our auto-buy authors!

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Follow us on Instagram!

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Authors We Talked About This Week

Lisa Jewell

Alice Feeney

Lars Kepler

E G Scott

Jane Harper

Ashley Winstead

Mary Kubica

Lisa Unger

Colleen Hoover

Samantha Hayes

May Cobb

Jaime Lynn Hendricks

Jennifer Hillier

Samantha Bailey

Christopher Rice

JT Elison

Blake Crouch

Grady Hendrix

Robert Bryndza

Robert Dugoni

Charlie Donlea

Loreth Anne White

Robert Dugoni

Liane Morirarty

Books We Talked About This Week

The Silent Woman

The Girl with Dragon Tattoo

The Snow Man

Daisy Darker

Sometimes I Lie

His and Hers

I Know Who You Are

Watching You

The Night She Disappeared

Good Rich People

Local Woman Missing

Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 1 Nov 2022 13:23:50 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/auto-buy-authors-svoweYWd We are back this week to talk about our auto-buy authors!

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Follow us on Instagram!

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Authors We Talked About This Week

Lisa Jewell

Alice Feeney

Lars Kepler

E G Scott

Jane Harper

Ashley Winstead

Mary Kubica

Lisa Unger

Colleen Hoover

Samantha Hayes

May Cobb

Jaime Lynn Hendricks

Jennifer Hillier

Samantha Bailey

Christopher Rice

JT Elison

Blake Crouch

Grady Hendrix

Robert Bryndza

Robert Dugoni

Charlie Donlea

Loreth Anne White

Robert Dugoni

Liane Morirarty

Books We Talked About This Week

The Silent Woman

The Girl with Dragon Tattoo

The Snow Man

Daisy Darker

Sometimes I Lie

His and Hers

I Know Who You Are

Watching You

The Night She Disappeared

Good Rich People

Local Woman Missing

Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six 

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Auto-Buy Authors Part One Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 00:49:51 bookstagram, psychological thriller, suspense, horror, reading, thriller, mystery, fiction, books, authors true full 9 0e22074f-6cac-4112-a4d3-48f3b2c62ded Our Favorite Genres Part Two We are back this week to talk about our favorite genres!

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Follow us on Instagram!

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Books We Talked About This Week

Butcher and the Wren

All Good People Here

Look Closer

Brian Freeman

Kismet

Please See Us

Jar of Hearts

The Sandman

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thu, 27 Oct 2022 10:43:17 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/our-favorite-genres-part-two-DGgQhd6Z We are back this week to talk about our favorite genres!

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Follow us on Instagram!

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Books We Talked About This Week

Butcher and the Wren

All Good People Here

Look Closer

Brian Freeman

Kismet

Please See Us

Jar of Hearts

The Sandman

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Our Favorite Genres Part Two Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 00:38:31 suspense, horror, reading, thriller, mystery, fiction, books, authors true full 8 986f9d0a-a90b-4293-80d7-5cfa92139afc Our Favorite Genres Part One We are back this week to talk about our favorite genres!

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Follow us on Instagram!

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Books We Talked About This Week

Butcher and the Wren

All Good People Here

Look Closer

Brian Freeman

Kismet

Please See Us

Jar of Hearts

The Sandman

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 25 Oct 2022 11:20:16 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/our-favorite-genres-LgU5GluR We are back this week to talk about our favorite genres!

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Follow us on Instagram!

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Books We Talked About This Week

Butcher and the Wren

All Good People Here

Look Closer

Brian Freeman

Kismet

Please See Us

Jar of Hearts

The Sandman

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Our Favorite Genres Part One Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 00:36:45 readers, horror, thriller, nordic noir, spy thriller, fiction, books, authors, sci-fi true full 7 6c5ca1c5-0e93-4f6f-9db0-22cff67c03e2 Yasmin Angoe: They Come at Knight On this episode, I talk to Yasmin Angoe about her newest thrilling installment of the Nena Knight series They Come at Knight.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Author Links

Instagram

Goodreads

Check out the book here

They Come at Knight Synopsis

For elite assassin Nena Knight, eliminating dangerous players on the world stage is part of the job. The Tribe, a powerful business syndicate in Africa, ensures that she has those opportunities. But for Nena, the Tribe is more than just her employer; it’s an organization that supports the African people—until it turns on itself.

As Nena embarks on a new mission, a violent siege by a paramilitary group throws the Tribe into chaos, and mysterious acts of violence plague the Tribe’s territories. As the attacks escalate, Nena suspects a different kind of enemy at play: someone on the inside, determined to undermine the Tribe’s leaders.

As this new threat closes in on her own family, Nena enlists a team to root out the danger. But as she gets closer to the truth, she will have to risk everything to protect the future she holds dear—even if it means facing off with an enemy she never expected.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 21 Oct 2022 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Yasmin Angoe) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/yasmin-angoe-they-come-at-knight-0cII62JN On this episode, I talk to Yasmin Angoe about her newest thrilling installment of the Nena Knight series They Come at Knight.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Author Links

Instagram

Goodreads

Check out the book here

They Come at Knight Synopsis

For elite assassin Nena Knight, eliminating dangerous players on the world stage is part of the job. The Tribe, a powerful business syndicate in Africa, ensures that she has those opportunities. But for Nena, the Tribe is more than just her employer; it’s an organization that supports the African people—until it turns on itself.

As Nena embarks on a new mission, a violent siege by a paramilitary group throws the Tribe into chaos, and mysterious acts of violence plague the Tribe’s territories. As the attacks escalate, Nena suspects a different kind of enemy at play: someone on the inside, determined to undermine the Tribe’s leaders.

As this new threat closes in on her own family, Nena enlists a team to root out the danger. But as she gets closer to the truth, she will have to risk everything to protect the future she holds dear—even if it means facing off with an enemy she never expected.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Yasmin Angoe: They Come at Knight Kate Hergott, Yasmin Angoe 00:28:33 crime fiction, reading, spy thriller, writing process, fiction true full 186 e040b436-f70d-4029-a929-4513ed9e6fea Movies from 2022 You HAVE to Watch We are back this week to talk about our favorite movies we watched in 2022.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Follow us on Instagram!

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thu, 20 Oct 2022 11:23:24 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/our-2022-movie-faves-KuWNvGMk We are back this week to talk about our favorite movies we watched in 2022.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Follow us on Instagram!

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Movies from 2022 You HAVE to Watch Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 00:30:28 movies, horror, mysteries, thrillers true full 6 bf4521e9-236e-4828-936a-004a905825d8 TV Shows from 2022 You HAVE to Watch We are back this week to talk about our favorite TV shows we watched in 2022.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Follow us on Instagram!

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

TV Shows We Talked About This Week

Black Bird

Big Little Lies

Sharp Objects

Pretty Little Liars

One of Us Is Lying

The OC

One Tree Hill

Dawson’s Creek

Riverdale

Cruel Summer

Yellowjackets

The White Lotus

Only Murders in the Building

Severance

Movies We Talked About This Week

Where the Crawdads Sing

Fresh

Sweet Home Alabama

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 18 Oct 2022 11:26:38 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/our-2022-tv-faves-aOcfYinO We are back this week to talk about our favorite TV shows we watched in 2022.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Follow us on Instagram!

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

TV Shows We Talked About This Week

Black Bird

Big Little Lies

Sharp Objects

Pretty Little Liars

One of Us Is Lying

The OC

One Tree Hill

Dawson’s Creek

Riverdale

Cruel Summer

Yellowjackets

The White Lotus

Only Murders in the Building

Severance

Movies We Talked About This Week

Where the Crawdads Sing

Fresh

Sweet Home Alabama

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> TV Shows from 2022 You HAVE to Watch Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 00:39:18 horror, reading, books, tv shows, emmys, thrillers true full 5 dee9be51-6c8a-4d0e-bd71-3092e1acf404 Books from 2022 You HAVE to Read We are back this week to talk about our favorite books we read in 2022.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Follow us on Instagram!

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Books We Talked About This Week

Stay Awake

The Girl on the Train

The Last Housewife

Kismet

How to Survive Your Murder

Blood Sugar

Notes on an Execution

Real Easy

Please See Us

 More Than You’ll Ever Know

Things We Do in the Dark

Alias Emma

A Flicker in the Dark

Date Night

All Good People Here

Pretty Girls

Tv Shows We Talked About This Week

Nine Perfect Strangers

Handmaid’s Tale

Grey’s Anatomy

This is Us

Chuck

Orange is the New Black

Euphoria

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thu, 13 Oct 2022 12:54:18 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Gare Billings, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/our-2022-book-faves-eoh4zR9a We are back this week to talk about our favorite books we read in 2022.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Follow us on Instagram!

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Books We Talked About This Week

Stay Awake

The Girl on the Train

The Last Housewife

Kismet

How to Survive Your Murder

Blood Sugar

Notes on an Execution

Real Easy

Please See Us

 More Than You’ll Ever Know

Things We Do in the Dark

Alias Emma

A Flicker in the Dark

Date Night

All Good People Here

Pretty Girls

Tv Shows We Talked About This Week

Nine Perfect Strangers

Handmaid’s Tale

Grey’s Anatomy

This is Us

Chuck

Orange is the New Black

Euphoria

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Books from 2022 You HAVE to Read Gare Billings, Kate Hergott 00:49:04 suspense, horror, reading, fiction, books, authors, thrillers true full 4 4e380543-1748-4c35-bfc3-a7f01b2c8ff1 Having Fun on Instagram We are back this week to talk about our journeys to and on Bookstagram, what we love about Bookstagram, and what we've learned since joining it.  And of course, we talk about a few books too.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Follow us on Instagram!

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

And check out Ally's Instagram that we talked about here:

https://www.instagram.com/allysbookshoparoundthecorner/

Books We Talked About This Week

Stay Awake

The Girl on the Train

The Last Housewife

Kismet

How to Survive Your Murder

Blood Sugar

Notes on an Execution

Real Easy

Please See Us

 More Than You’ll Ever Know

Things We Do in the Dark

Alias Emma

A Flicker in the Dark

Date Night

All Good People Here

Pretty Girls

Tv Shows We Talked About This Week

Nine Perfect Strangers

Handmaid’s Tale

Grey’s Anatomy

This is Us

Chuck

Orange is the New Black

Euphoria

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 11 Oct 2022 11:16:22 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/bookstagram-fun-y7FpzeVQ We are back this week to talk about our journeys to and on Bookstagram, what we love about Bookstagram, and what we've learned since joining it.  And of course, we talk about a few books too.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Follow us on Instagram!

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

And check out Ally's Instagram that we talked about here:

https://www.instagram.com/allysbookshoparoundthecorner/

Books We Talked About This Week

Stay Awake

The Girl on the Train

The Last Housewife

Kismet

How to Survive Your Murder

Blood Sugar

Notes on an Execution

Real Easy

Please See Us

 More Than You’ll Ever Know

Things We Do in the Dark

Alias Emma

A Flicker in the Dark

Date Night

All Good People Here

Pretty Girls

Tv Shows We Talked About This Week

Nine Perfect Strangers

Handmaid’s Tale

Grey’s Anatomy

This is Us

Chuck

Orange is the New Black

Euphoria

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Having Fun on Instagram Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 00:25:33 bookstagram, movies, horror, reading, thriller, mystery, books, authors, tv shows, mysteries true full 3 b6d53291-55ed-4957-8714-5c25bf0d2c59 Ava Glass: Alias Emma On this episode, I talk to Ava Glass about her relentlessly suspenseful spy thriller Alias Emma.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Author Links

Instagram

Goodreads

Check out the book here

Alias Emma Synopsis

Nothing about Emma Makepeace is real. Not even her name.

A newly minted secret agent, Emma's barely graduated from basic training when she gets the call for her first major assignment. Eager to serve her country and prove her worth, she dives in headfirst.

Emma must covertly travel across one of the world’s most watched cities to bring the reluctant—and handsome—son of Russian dissidents into protective custody, so long as the assassins from the Motherland don’t find him first. With London’s famous Ring of Steel hacked by the Russian government, the two must cross the city without being seen by the hundreds of thousands of CCTV cameras that document every inch of the city’s streets, alleys, and gutters.

Buses, subways, cars, and trains are out of the question. Traveling on foot, and operating without phones or bank cards that could reveal their location or identity, they have twelve hours to make it to safety. This will take all of Emma’s skills of disguise and subterfuge. But when Emma’s handler goes dark, there’s no one left to trust. And just one wrong move will get them both killed.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 7 Oct 2022 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Ava Glass, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/ava-glass-alias-emma-ynSJ1son On this episode, I talk to Ava Glass about her relentlessly suspenseful spy thriller Alias Emma.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Author Links

Instagram

Goodreads

Check out the book here

Alias Emma Synopsis

Nothing about Emma Makepeace is real. Not even her name.

A newly minted secret agent, Emma's barely graduated from basic training when she gets the call for her first major assignment. Eager to serve her country and prove her worth, she dives in headfirst.

Emma must covertly travel across one of the world’s most watched cities to bring the reluctant—and handsome—son of Russian dissidents into protective custody, so long as the assassins from the Motherland don’t find him first. With London’s famous Ring of Steel hacked by the Russian government, the two must cross the city without being seen by the hundreds of thousands of CCTV cameras that document every inch of the city’s streets, alleys, and gutters.

Buses, subways, cars, and trains are out of the question. Traveling on foot, and operating without phones or bank cards that could reveal their location or identity, they have twelve hours to make it to safety. This will take all of Emma’s skills of disguise and subterfuge. But when Emma’s handler goes dark, there’s no one left to trust. And just one wrong move will get them both killed.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Ava Glass: Alias Emma Ava Glass, Kate Hergott 00:24:34 crime fiction, reading, spy fiction, writing process, books, thrillers true full 185 28179013-bcb8-4aa5-b332-506ffa80d26f Getting to Know Us! Part Two Welcome to Killing the Tea with Gare and Kate!  We are two bookstagrammers who met on Instagram (obviously) and found out we have been reading the same books for years.  After blowing each other's DMs up for months, we realized we needed to do what every millennial duo does and start a podcast.  If you love thrillers, mysteries, crime fiction, and horror books, TV shows and movies, you are going to LOVE Killing the Tea with us.

In the second part of our first episode, we get to know each other and realize just how many of the same books, show and movies we love.

You can also watch this episode on YouTube.

Follow us on Instagram!

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Goosebumps

The Fear Street Books

Gone Girl

The Kind Worth Killing

The Girl With a Clock for a Heart

How to Survive Your Murder

Daisy Darker

This is How I Lied

His & Hers

Blood Sugar

Where the Truth Lies

They Come at Knight

The Last Housewife

In My Dreams I Hold a Knife

Karin Slaughter

The Snowman

Stalker

The Chestnut Man

These Toxic Things

 

Movies We Talked About This Week

I Know What You Did Last Summer

Scream

Halloween

Watcher

It Follows

Bodies Bodies Bodies

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thu, 6 Oct 2022 12:31:04 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/getting-to-know-us-part-two-Lyo8CT7A Welcome to Killing the Tea with Gare and Kate!  We are two bookstagrammers who met on Instagram (obviously) and found out we have been reading the same books for years.  After blowing each other's DMs up for months, we realized we needed to do what every millennial duo does and start a podcast.  If you love thrillers, mysteries, crime fiction, and horror books, TV shows and movies, you are going to LOVE Killing the Tea with us.

In the second part of our first episode, we get to know each other and realize just how many of the same books, show and movies we love.

You can also watch this episode on YouTube.

Follow us on Instagram!

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Goosebumps

The Fear Street Books

Gone Girl

The Kind Worth Killing

The Girl With a Clock for a Heart

How to Survive Your Murder

Daisy Darker

This is How I Lied

His & Hers

Blood Sugar

Where the Truth Lies

They Come at Knight

The Last Housewife

In My Dreams I Hold a Knife

Karin Slaughter

The Snowman

Stalker

The Chestnut Man

These Toxic Things

 

Movies We Talked About This Week

I Know What You Did Last Summer

Scream

Halloween

Watcher

It Follows

Bodies Bodies Bodies

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Getting to Know Us! Part Two Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 00:37:26 crime fiction, movies, horror, reading, mystery, books, tv shows, thrillers true full 2 80df22f0-470f-4e8a-bd31-a3c5739cb1b1 Getting to Know Us! Part One Welcome to Killing the Tea with Gare and Kate!  We are two bookstagrammers who met on Instagram (obviously) and found out we have been reading the same books for years.  After blowing each other's DMs up for months, we realized we needed to do what every millennial duo does and start a podcast.  If you love thrillers, mysteries, crime fiction, and horror books, TV shows and movies, you are going to LOVE Killing the Tea with us.

In this first episode, we get to know each other and realize just how many of the same books, show and movies we love.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube.

Follow us on Instagram!

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Books We Talked About This Week

Goosebumps

The Fear Street Books

Gone Girl

The Kind Worth Killing

The Girl With a Clock for a Heart

How to Survive Your Murder

Daisy Darker

This is How I Lied

His & Hers

Blood Sugar

Where the Truth Lies

They Come at Knight

The Last Housewife

In My Dreams I Hold a Knife

Karin Slaughter

The Snowman

Stalker

The Chestnut Man

These Toxic Things

 

Movies We Talked About This Week

I Know What You Did Last Summer

Scream

Halloween

Watcher

It Follows

Bodies Bodies Bodies

They/Them

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Tue, 4 Oct 2022 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Gare Billings) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/getting-to-know-us-l_EGF2sb Welcome to Killing the Tea with Gare and Kate!  We are two bookstagrammers who met on Instagram (obviously) and found out we have been reading the same books for years.  After blowing each other's DMs up for months, we realized we needed to do what every millennial duo does and start a podcast.  If you love thrillers, mysteries, crime fiction, and horror books, TV shows and movies, you are going to LOVE Killing the Tea with us.

In this first episode, we get to know each other and realize just how many of the same books, show and movies we love.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube.

Follow us on Instagram!

Gare

https://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/

Kate

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/

Books We Talked About This Week

Goosebumps

The Fear Street Books

Gone Girl

The Kind Worth Killing

The Girl With a Clock for a Heart

How to Survive Your Murder

Daisy Darker

This is How I Lied

His & Hers

Blood Sugar

Where the Truth Lies

They Come at Knight

The Last Housewife

In My Dreams I Hold a Knife

Karin Slaughter

The Snowman

Stalker

The Chestnut Man

These Toxic Things

 

Movies We Talked About This Week

I Know What You Did Last Summer

Scream

Halloween

Watcher

It Follows

Bodies Bodies Bodies

They/Them

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Getting to Know Us! Part One Kate Hergott, Gare Billings 00:41:09 crime fiction, movies, horror, reading, books, tv shows, mysteries, thrillers true full 1 f4a51102-a8ea-4be7-91d0-f48ddf1be4d6 Victor Manibo: The Sleepless On this episode, I talk to Victor Manibo about his thought provoking sci-fi noir The Sleepless.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Author Links

Instagram

Goodreads

Check out the book here

The Sleepless Synopsis

Journalist Jamie Vega is Sleepless: he can’t sleep, nor does he need to. When his boss dies on the eve of a controversial corporate takeover, Jamie doesn’t buy the too-convenient explanation of suicide, and launches an investigation of his own.

But everything goes awry when Jamie discovers that he was the last person who saw Simon alive. Not only do the police suspect him, Jamie himself has no memory of that night. Alarmingly, his memory loss may have to do with how he became Sleepless: not naturally, like other Sleepless people, but through a risky and illegal biohacking process.

As Jamie delves deeper into Simon’s final days, he tangles with extremist organizations and powerful corporate interests, all while confronting past traumas and unforeseen consequences of his medical experimentation. But Jamie soon faces the most dangerous decision of all as he uncovers a terrifying truth about Sleeplessness that imperils him—and all of humanity.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 23 Sep 2022 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Victor Manibo) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/victor-manibo-the-sleepless-2uZY4WRB On this episode, I talk to Victor Manibo about his thought provoking sci-fi noir The Sleepless.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Author Links

Instagram

Goodreads

Check out the book here

The Sleepless Synopsis

Journalist Jamie Vega is Sleepless: he can’t sleep, nor does he need to. When his boss dies on the eve of a controversial corporate takeover, Jamie doesn’t buy the too-convenient explanation of suicide, and launches an investigation of his own.

But everything goes awry when Jamie discovers that he was the last person who saw Simon alive. Not only do the police suspect him, Jamie himself has no memory of that night. Alarmingly, his memory loss may have to do with how he became Sleepless: not naturally, like other Sleepless people, but through a risky and illegal biohacking process.

As Jamie delves deeper into Simon’s final days, he tangles with extremist organizations and powerful corporate interests, all while confronting past traumas and unforeseen consequences of his medical experimentation. But Jamie soon faces the most dangerous decision of all as he uncovers a terrifying truth about Sleeplessness that imperils him—and all of humanity.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Victor Manibo: The Sleepless Kate Hergott, Victor Manibo 00:33:59 crime fiction, speculative fiction, reading, writing process, thrillers true full 184 18c9686e-23ec-4a38-bb4b-6e8fe52a7553 Jessica Payne: The Lucky One On this episode, I talk to Jessica Payne about her action packed, twisty serial killer thriller The Lucky One.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Author Links

Instagram

Goodreads

Check out the book here

The podcast that inspired the book

The Lucky One Synopsis

Ten years ago, I survived a serial killer. They called me the lucky one, but they don’t know the truth I’ve been hiding ever since…

Then: We danced together that night, our dresses glittering in the swirling lights. We couldn’t have known that for one of us, it would be our last night alive.

Now: Back in my hometown a decade later—the place I’ve avoided because of the memories—I can’t shake the feeling that I am being followed. I tell myself it’s all in my head, but the prickle on the back of my neck feels like a warning. Then the anonymous messages land in my inbox: I’m watching. I’ve been waiting for you.

I want to feel safe, surrounded by my closest friends. But everyone has something to hide and it’s impossible to know who I can trust.

When my friend Esme goes missing, her phone ringing through to voicemail, it feels like the past is about to repeat itself.

Someone won’t let me forget what really happened that night. What I promised. How I escaped. If the truth comes out, I only hope they can forgive me... I can’t make the same mistake again. I have to keep us all safe. What if, this time, I’m not so lucky?

An addictive, nail-biting psychological thriller, The Lucky One will have you sleeping with the light on. Fans of Stillhouse Lake, The Girl on the Train and Gillian Flynn will be totally hooked!

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 16 Sep 2022 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Jessica Payne, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/jessica-payne-the-lucky-one-_ELf8wQw On this episode, I talk to Jessica Payne about her action packed, twisty serial killer thriller The Lucky One.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Author Links

Instagram

Goodreads

Check out the book here

The podcast that inspired the book

The Lucky One Synopsis

Ten years ago, I survived a serial killer. They called me the lucky one, but they don’t know the truth I’ve been hiding ever since…

Then: We danced together that night, our dresses glittering in the swirling lights. We couldn’t have known that for one of us, it would be our last night alive.

Now: Back in my hometown a decade later—the place I’ve avoided because of the memories—I can’t shake the feeling that I am being followed. I tell myself it’s all in my head, but the prickle on the back of my neck feels like a warning. Then the anonymous messages land in my inbox: I’m watching. I’ve been waiting for you.

I want to feel safe, surrounded by my closest friends. But everyone has something to hide and it’s impossible to know who I can trust.

When my friend Esme goes missing, her phone ringing through to voicemail, it feels like the past is about to repeat itself.

Someone won’t let me forget what really happened that night. What I promised. How I escaped. If the truth comes out, I only hope they can forgive me... I can’t make the same mistake again. I have to keep us all safe. What if, this time, I’m not so lucky?

An addictive, nail-biting psychological thriller, The Lucky One will have you sleeping with the light on. Fans of Stillhouse Lake, The Girl on the Train and Gillian Flynn will be totally hooked!

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Jessica Payne: The Lucky One Jessica Payne, Kate Hergott 00:29:07 writing, crime fiction, thrillers true full 183 9cbbc2de-13bc-46d8-a538-8f212cc69cf1 Amina Akhtar: Kismet On this episode, I talk to Amina Akhtar about her darkly funny, bloody thriller Kismet.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Author Links

Instagram

Goodreads

Check out the book here

Kismet Synopsis

Lifelong New Yorker Ronnie Khan never thought she’d leave Queens. She’s not an “aim high, dream big” person—until she meets socialite wellness guru Marley Dewhurst.

Marley isn’t just a visionary; she’s a revelation. Seduced by the fever dream of finding her best self, Ronnie makes for the desert mountains of Sedona, Arizona.

Healing yoga, transcendent hikes, epic juice cleanses…Ronnie consumes her new bougie existence like a fine wine. But is it, really? Or is this whole self-care business a little sour?

When the glam gurus around town start turning up gruesomely murdered, Ronnie has her answer: all is not well in wellness town. As Marley’s blind ambition veers into madness, Ronnie fears for her life.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 19 Aug 2022 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Amina Akhtar) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/amina-akhtar-kismet-_88WYGZF On this episode, I talk to Amina Akhtar about her darkly funny, bloody thriller Kismet.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Author Links

Instagram

Goodreads

Check out the book here

Kismet Synopsis

Lifelong New Yorker Ronnie Khan never thought she’d leave Queens. She’s not an “aim high, dream big” person—until she meets socialite wellness guru Marley Dewhurst.

Marley isn’t just a visionary; she’s a revelation. Seduced by the fever dream of finding her best self, Ronnie makes for the desert mountains of Sedona, Arizona.

Healing yoga, transcendent hikes, epic juice cleanses…Ronnie consumes her new bougie existence like a fine wine. But is it, really? Or is this whole self-care business a little sour?

When the glam gurus around town start turning up gruesomely murdered, Ronnie has her answer: all is not well in wellness town. As Marley’s blind ambition veers into madness, Ronnie fears for her life.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Amina Akhtar: Kismet Kate Hergott, Amina Akhtar 00:50:17 crime fiction, writing process, thrillers true full 182 2a1b49f7-da93-430d-a509-c41da2405062 N.A. Cooper: Ripple Effect On this episode, I talk to N.A. Cooper about her though provoking psychological thriller Ripple Effect.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Author Links

Instagram

Goodreads

Check out the book here

Ripple Effect Synopsis

A long-ago illicit relationship continues to upend lives in this taut psychological suspense novel . . .

Fifteen years ago, teenage Erin had an affair with her teacher that led to tragedy and changed Erin’s life. Today, she’s a married woman who keeps to herself and stays close to home, still scarred by the experience.

When she’s attacked while running in the park, Erin doesn’t tell her husband—but she does confide in Nick, the man who came to her rescue. Then letters start to arrive, making references to her past and leaving her even more unnerved. When a neighbour reports that someone’s been watching her house, Erin’s world starts to crumble.

Erin has worked hard to distance herself from her past. But her life may be in mortal danger, and as she’s plunged back into trauma, she might finally learn the truth about what really happened all those years ago . . .

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Fri, 5 Aug 2022 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (N.A. Cooper, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/na-cooper-ripple-effect-dRQtyGkn On this episode, I talk to N.A. Cooper about her though provoking psychological thriller Ripple Effect.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Author Links

Instagram

Goodreads

Check out the book here

Ripple Effect Synopsis

A long-ago illicit relationship continues to upend lives in this taut psychological suspense novel . . .

Fifteen years ago, teenage Erin had an affair with her teacher that led to tragedy and changed Erin’s life. Today, she’s a married woman who keeps to herself and stays close to home, still scarred by the experience.

When she’s attacked while running in the park, Erin doesn’t tell her husband—but she does confide in Nick, the man who came to her rescue. Then letters start to arrive, making references to her past and leaving her even more unnerved. When a neighbour reports that someone’s been watching her house, Erin’s world starts to crumble.

Erin has worked hard to distance herself from her past. But her life may be in mortal danger, and as she’s plunged back into trauma, she might finally learn the truth about what really happened all those years ago . . .

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> N.A. Cooper: Ripple Effect N.A. Cooper, Kate Hergott 00:19:34 crime fiction, writing process, books, thrillers true full 181 737eced0-4ab4-4356-8abb-ba27788730f3 May Cobb: My Summer Darlings On this episode, I talk to May Cobb about her newest steamy psychological thriller My Summer Darlings.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Author Links

Instagram

Goodreads

Website

Check out the book here

My Summer Darlings Synopsis

A woman in the forest thinks she’s going to die.
I know he’s coming back for me.

Jen Hansen, Kittie Spears, and Cynthia Nichols have been friends since childhood. They are now approaching forty and their lives have changed, but their insular East Texas town has not. They stay sane by drinking wine in the afternoons, dishing about other women in the neighborhood, and bonding over the heartache of their own encroaching middle age and raising ungrateful teens.

Then Will Harding comes to town, moving into one of the neighborhood’s grandest homes. Mysterious and charming, he seems like the answer to each woman’s prayers. He’s a source of fascination for Jen, Kittie, and Cynthia, but none of them are ready for the way Will disrupts their lives.

As Will grows closer with each of the women, their fascination twists into obsession, threatening their friendships and their families. When he abruptly pulls away, each woman scrambles to discover the source of his affection. But what they’ll uncover is far more sinister and deadly than any of them could have ever imagined.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thu, 28 Jul 2022 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, May Cobb) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/may-cobb-my-summer-darlings-0eht6KrY On this episode, I talk to May Cobb about her newest steamy psychological thriller My Summer Darlings.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Author Links

Instagram

Goodreads

Website

Check out the book here

My Summer Darlings Synopsis

A woman in the forest thinks she’s going to die.
I know he’s coming back for me.

Jen Hansen, Kittie Spears, and Cynthia Nichols have been friends since childhood. They are now approaching forty and their lives have changed, but their insular East Texas town has not. They stay sane by drinking wine in the afternoons, dishing about other women in the neighborhood, and bonding over the heartache of their own encroaching middle age and raising ungrateful teens.

Then Will Harding comes to town, moving into one of the neighborhood’s grandest homes. Mysterious and charming, he seems like the answer to each woman’s prayers. He’s a source of fascination for Jen, Kittie, and Cynthia, but none of them are ready for the way Will disrupts their lives.

As Will grows closer with each of the women, their fascination twists into obsession, threatening their friendships and their families. When he abruptly pulls away, each woman scrambles to discover the source of his affection. But what they’ll uncover is far more sinister and deadly than any of them could have ever imagined.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> May Cobb: My Summer Darlings Kate Hergott, May Cobb 00:18:05 crime fiction, writing process, thrillers true full 180 1c6c2a5a-fb7a-4d95-a488-c41994a1bc9e Elaine Murphy: I Told You This Would Happen On this episode, I talk to Elaine Murphy about her darkly humorous psychological thriller I Told You This Would Happen.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Author Links

Instagram

Goodreads

Website

Check out the book here

I Told You This Would Happen Synopsis

Carrie’s sister is dead. Four months after losing her sister, Becca—a serial killer unknown to everyone else in town—Carrie Lawrence is finally free of her manipulative clutches. From now on, she’s keeping her hands clean, no more hiding dead bodies in the middle of the night, no more lies. She’s never been happier. Then she attends a meeting of the Brampton Kill Seekers, a group of amateur local sleuths, and learns that a recent victim left behind a note that incriminates her in their disappearance. All of a sudden the quiet, law-abiding life she’s been planning starts to unravel. She’s never had so much to lose. In her frantic quest to keep her secret dead and buried, she discovers someone nefarious lurking in the shadows…someone who’ll go to any lengths to bring her dark truths to light. Now if Carrie wants her secrets to stay hidden, she’ll have to get her hands very, very dirty.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thu, 21 Jul 2022 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Elaine Murphy) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/elaine-murphy-i-told-you-this-would-happen-_So0USKQ On this episode, I talk to Elaine Murphy about her darkly humorous psychological thriller I Told You This Would Happen.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Author Links

Instagram

Goodreads

Website

Check out the book here

I Told You This Would Happen Synopsis

Carrie’s sister is dead. Four months after losing her sister, Becca—a serial killer unknown to everyone else in town—Carrie Lawrence is finally free of her manipulative clutches. From now on, she’s keeping her hands clean, no more hiding dead bodies in the middle of the night, no more lies. She’s never been happier. Then she attends a meeting of the Brampton Kill Seekers, a group of amateur local sleuths, and learns that a recent victim left behind a note that incriminates her in their disappearance. All of a sudden the quiet, law-abiding life she’s been planning starts to unravel. She’s never had so much to lose. In her frantic quest to keep her secret dead and buried, she discovers someone nefarious lurking in the shadows…someone who’ll go to any lengths to bring her dark truths to light. Now if Carrie wants her secrets to stay hidden, she’ll have to get her hands very, very dirty.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Elaine Murphy: I Told You This Would Happen Kate Hergott, Elaine Murphy 00:19:23 crime fiction, reading, writing process, thrillers true full 179 1a83fae3-4a77-43c0-b6c5-f04661d270a9 Samantha M. Bailey: Watch Out for Her On this episode, I talk to Samantha M. Bailey about her atmospheric new psychological thriller Watch Out for Her.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Author Links

Instagram

Goodreads

Website

Check out the book here

Watch Out for Her Synopsis

Sarah Goldman, mother to six-year-old Jacob, is relieved to move across the country. She has a lot she wants to leave behind, especially Holly Monroe, the pretty twenty-two-year-old babysitter she and her husband, Daniel, hired to take care of their young son last summer. It started out as a perfect arrangement—Sarah had a childminder her son adored, and Holly found the mother figure she’d always wanted. But Sarah’s never been one to trust very easily, so she kept a close eye on Holly, maybe too close at times. What she saw raised some questions, not only about who Holly really was but what she was hiding. The more Sarah watched, the more she learned—until one day, she saw something she couldn’t unsee, something so shocking that all she could do was flee.

Sarah has put it all behind her and is starting over in a different city with her husband and son. They’ve settled into a friendly suburb where the neighbors, a tight clique of good citizens, are always on the lookout for danger. But when Sarah finds hidden cameras in her new home, she has to wonder: Has her past caught up to her, and worse yet, who’s watching her now?

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Thu, 14 Jul 2022 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Samantha Bailey, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/samantha-m-bailey-watch-out-for-her-1dPdlkT9 On this episode, I talk to Samantha M. Bailey about her atmospheric new psychological thriller Watch Out for Her.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Author Links

Instagram

Goodreads

Website

Check out the book here

Watch Out for Her Synopsis

Sarah Goldman, mother to six-year-old Jacob, is relieved to move across the country. She has a lot she wants to leave behind, especially Holly Monroe, the pretty twenty-two-year-old babysitter she and her husband, Daniel, hired to take care of their young son last summer. It started out as a perfect arrangement—Sarah had a childminder her son adored, and Holly found the mother figure she’d always wanted. But Sarah’s never been one to trust very easily, so she kept a close eye on Holly, maybe too close at times. What she saw raised some questions, not only about who Holly really was but what she was hiding. The more Sarah watched, the more she learned—until one day, she saw something she couldn’t unsee, something so shocking that all she could do was flee.

Sarah has put it all behind her and is starting over in a different city with her husband and son. They’ve settled into a friendly suburb where the neighbors, a tight clique of good citizens, are always on the lookout for danger. But when Sarah finds hidden cameras in her new home, she has to wonder: Has her past caught up to her, and worse yet, who’s watching her now?

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Samantha M. Bailey: Watch Out for Her Samantha Bailey, Kate Hergott 00:29:07 crime fiction, reading, writing process, fiction true full 178 286b678e-bc5c-4114-bbaf-14bd398f7c12 Janelle Brown: I'll Be You On this episode, I talk to Janelle Brown about her mesmerizing new psychological thriller I'll Be You.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Author Links

Instagram

Goodreads

Check out the book here

I'll Be You Synopsis

“You be me, and I’ll be you,” I whispered. 

As children, Sam and Elli were two halves of a perfect whole: gorgeous identical twins whose parents sometimes couldn’t even tell them apart. They fell asleep to the sound of each other’s breath at night, holding hands in the dark. And once Hollywood discovered them, they became B-list child TV stars, often inhabiting the same role. 

But as adults, their lives have splintered. After leaving acting, Elli reinvented herself as the perfect homemaker: married to a real estate lawyer, living in a house just blocks from the beach. Meanwhile, Sam has never recovered from her failed Hollywood career, or from her addiction to the pills and booze that have propped her up for the last fifteen years. 

Sam hasn't spoken to her sister since her destructive behavior finally drove a wedge between them. So when her father calls out of the blue, Sam is shocked to learn that Elli’s life has been in turmoil: her husband moved out, and Elli just adopted a two-year-old girl. Now she’s stopped answering her phone and checked in to a mysterious spa in Ojai. Is her sister just decompressing, or is she in trouble? Could she have possibly joined a cult? As Sam works to connect the dots left by Elli’s baffling disappearance, she realizes that the bond between her and her sister is more complicated than she ever knew. 

I’ll Be You shows Janelle Brown at the top of her game: a story packed with surprising revelations and sharp insights about the choices that define our families and our lives—and could just as easily destroy them.

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Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Wed, 15 Jun 2022 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Janelle Brown) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/janelle-brown-ill-be-you-rGkiWSzW On this episode, I talk to Janelle Brown about her mesmerizing new psychological thriller I'll Be You.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

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I'll Be You Synopsis

“You be me, and I’ll be you,” I whispered. 

As children, Sam and Elli were two halves of a perfect whole: gorgeous identical twins whose parents sometimes couldn’t even tell them apart. They fell asleep to the sound of each other’s breath at night, holding hands in the dark. And once Hollywood discovered them, they became B-list child TV stars, often inhabiting the same role. 

But as adults, their lives have splintered. After leaving acting, Elli reinvented herself as the perfect homemaker: married to a real estate lawyer, living in a house just blocks from the beach. Meanwhile, Sam has never recovered from her failed Hollywood career, or from her addiction to the pills and booze that have propped her up for the last fifteen years. 

Sam hasn't spoken to her sister since her destructive behavior finally drove a wedge between them. So when her father calls out of the blue, Sam is shocked to learn that Elli’s life has been in turmoil: her husband moved out, and Elli just adopted a two-year-old girl. Now she’s stopped answering her phone and checked in to a mysterious spa in Ojai. Is her sister just decompressing, or is she in trouble? Could she have possibly joined a cult? As Sam works to connect the dots left by Elli’s baffling disappearance, she realizes that the bond between her and her sister is more complicated than she ever knew. 

I’ll Be You shows Janelle Brown at the top of her game: a story packed with surprising revelations and sharp insights about the choices that define our families and our lives—and could just as easily destroy them.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Janelle Brown: I'll Be You Kate Hergott, Janelle Brown 00:23:34 crime fiction, reading, writing process, fiction true full 177 a7757c29-4326-4cea-8e8d-6cbb075f2763 Amy Impellizzeri: In Her Defense On this episode, I talk to Amy Impellizzeri about her disorienting legal thriller In Her Defense.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

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Amy's Podcast

Check out the book here

In Her Defense Synopsis

Ingrid DiLaurio lives in Riversedge, New York, four express train stops from Manhattan. Don't be fooled: With its tree-lined Main Street, and quaint ambiance, Riversedge is only impersonating a small town. While it's a place small enough for everyone to know each other's secrets, few do. The town revolves around the prestigious Riversedge Law Club, where deals are made and cases are resolved and where Ingrid DiLaurio -- a former lawyer turned nationally recognized podcast host - has never once been made to feel welcome.

When Ingrid's husband, Peter, is found dead, and Ingrid's former friend, Opal, is arrested as the prime suspect, the press quickly seizes on Opal's past as a single mom and stripper. Ingrid's first priority is protecting herself and her son, Drake, along with her business, from salacious gossip. But when Opal finds herself in desperate need of a defense lawyer, she tells Ingrid she wants to call in a "favor," and Ingrid reluctantly returns to the law for one last case.

As the trial unfolds, Ingrid realizes quickly that she has taken on more than she bargained for, including Opal's dark past, a corrupt judge, a blackmailing prosecutor, another dead body, and a black tinted car that follows her everywhere. In the end, it's clear that both women know more than they are letting on about Peter's death, but who will tell the truth first?

And is the truth what anyone really wants to hear?

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Wed, 8 Jun 2022 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Amy Impellizzeri) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/amy-impellizzeri-in-her-defense-z5UdJOD0 On this episode, I talk to Amy Impellizzeri about her disorienting legal thriller In Her Defense.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Author Links

Instagram

Goodreads

Website

Amy's Podcast

Check out the book here

In Her Defense Synopsis

Ingrid DiLaurio lives in Riversedge, New York, four express train stops from Manhattan. Don't be fooled: With its tree-lined Main Street, and quaint ambiance, Riversedge is only impersonating a small town. While it's a place small enough for everyone to know each other's secrets, few do. The town revolves around the prestigious Riversedge Law Club, where deals are made and cases are resolved and where Ingrid DiLaurio -- a former lawyer turned nationally recognized podcast host - has never once been made to feel welcome.

When Ingrid's husband, Peter, is found dead, and Ingrid's former friend, Opal, is arrested as the prime suspect, the press quickly seizes on Opal's past as a single mom and stripper. Ingrid's first priority is protecting herself and her son, Drake, along with her business, from salacious gossip. But when Opal finds herself in desperate need of a defense lawyer, she tells Ingrid she wants to call in a "favor," and Ingrid reluctantly returns to the law for one last case.

As the trial unfolds, Ingrid realizes quickly that she has taken on more than she bargained for, including Opal's dark past, a corrupt judge, a blackmailing prosecutor, another dead body, and a black tinted car that follows her everywhere. In the end, it's clear that both women know more than they are letting on about Peter's death, but who will tell the truth first?

And is the truth what anyone really wants to hear?

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Amy Impellizzeri: In Her Defense Kate Hergott, Amy Impellizzeri 00:41:43 crime fiction, reading, writing process, books, legal thriller true full 176 18a1e9fb-d2ec-4541-a117-1d34e6366950 Jessica Payne: Make Me Disappear On this episode, I talk to Jessica Payne about her fast paced psychological thriller Make Me Disappear.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

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Check out the book here

Make Me Disappear Synopsis

Dr Daniel Ashcroft was perfect: handsome, romantic, protective. I thought I was so lucky. But then I heard the rumors about his previous girlfriend, that she had vanished without a trace.  That’s when I found the cameras in my apartment. I was trapped. Daniel made it clear I couldn’t leave him, not without risking everyone I loved. I had to disappear, so I arranged my own kidnapping. I should have known Daniel would never let me get away that easily. But he could never have predicted what I’d do next… Make Me Disappear is a brilliantly twisty psychological thriller guaranteed to keep you up all night. Fans of The Wife Between Us, Gone Girl and The Couple Next Door will find it impossible to put down.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Wed, 18 May 2022 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Jessica Payne, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/jessica-payne-make-me-disappear-JPB0P_KY On this episode, I talk to Jessica Payne about her fast paced psychological thriller Make Me Disappear.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Author Links

Instagram

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Website

Check out the book here

Make Me Disappear Synopsis

Dr Daniel Ashcroft was perfect: handsome, romantic, protective. I thought I was so lucky. But then I heard the rumors about his previous girlfriend, that she had vanished without a trace.  That’s when I found the cameras in my apartment. I was trapped. Daniel made it clear I couldn’t leave him, not without risking everyone I loved. I had to disappear, so I arranged my own kidnapping. I should have known Daniel would never let me get away that easily. But he could never have predicted what I’d do next… Make Me Disappear is a brilliantly twisty psychological thriller guaranteed to keep you up all night. Fans of The Wife Between Us, Gone Girl and The Couple Next Door will find it impossible to put down.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Jessica Payne: Make Me Disappear Jessica Payne, Kate Hergott 00:28:28 author, reading, writing process, books, thrillers true full 175 de3b581b-7727-4649-9602-edfa825420b9 Sascha Rothchild: Blood Sugar On this episode, I talk to Sasha Rothchild about her character-driven thriller Blood Sugar.

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Check out the book here

Blood Sugar Synopsis

“I could just kill you right now!” It’s something we’ve all thought at one time or another. But Ruby has actually acted on it. Three times, to be exact.

Though she may be a murderer, Ruby is not a sociopath. She is an animal-loving therapist with a thriving practice. She’s felt empathy and sympathy. She’s had long-lasting friendships and relationships, and has a husband, Jason, whom she adores. But the homicide detectives at Miami Beach PD are not convinced of her happy marriage. When we meet Ruby, she is in a police interrogation room, being accused of Jason’s murder. Which, ironically, is one murder that she did not commit, though a scandal-obsessed public believes differently. As she undergoes questioning, Ruby’s mind races back to all the details of her life that led her to this exact moment, and to the three dead bodies in her wake. Because though she may not have killed her husband, Ruby certainly isn’t innocent.

Alternating between Ruby’s memories of her past crimes and her present-day fight to clear her name, Blood Sugar is a twisty, clever debut with an unforgettable protagonist who you can’t help but root for—an addicting mixture of sour and sweet.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Wed, 4 May 2022 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Sascha Rothchild, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/sascha-rothchild-blood-sugar-c8OVAY8D On this episode, I talk to Sasha Rothchild about her character-driven thriller Blood Sugar.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Author Links

Instagram

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Website

Check out the book here

Blood Sugar Synopsis

“I could just kill you right now!” It’s something we’ve all thought at one time or another. But Ruby has actually acted on it. Three times, to be exact.

Though she may be a murderer, Ruby is not a sociopath. She is an animal-loving therapist with a thriving practice. She’s felt empathy and sympathy. She’s had long-lasting friendships and relationships, and has a husband, Jason, whom she adores. But the homicide detectives at Miami Beach PD are not convinced of her happy marriage. When we meet Ruby, she is in a police interrogation room, being accused of Jason’s murder. Which, ironically, is one murder that she did not commit, though a scandal-obsessed public believes differently. As she undergoes questioning, Ruby’s mind races back to all the details of her life that led her to this exact moment, and to the three dead bodies in her wake. Because though she may not have killed her husband, Ruby certainly isn’t innocent.

Alternating between Ruby’s memories of her past crimes and her present-day fight to clear her name, Blood Sugar is a twisty, clever debut with an unforgettable protagonist who you can’t help but root for—an addicting mixture of sour and sweet.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Sascha Rothchild: Blood Sugar Sascha Rothchild, Kate Hergott 00:32:05 crime fiction, psychological thriller, author, reader, books, thrillers true full 149 450a4b80-4e23-4f9e-9824-0ac4961430f2 Danya Kukafka: Notes on an Execution On this episode, I talk to Danya Kukafka about her stunning new novel Notes on an Execution.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

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Check out the book here

Notes on an Execution Synopsis

Ansel Packer is scheduled to die in twelve hours. He knows what he’s done, and now awaits execution, the same chilling fate he forced on those girls, years ago. But Ansel doesn’t want to die; he wants to be celebrated, understood. 

Through a kaleidoscope of women—a mother, a sister, a homicide detective—we learn the story of Ansel’s life. We meet his mother, Lavender, a seventeen-year-old girl pushed to desperation; Hazel, twin sister to Ansel’s wife, inseparable since birth, forced to watch helplessly as her sister’s relationship threatens to devour them all; and finally, Saffy, the detective hot on his trail, who has devoted herself to bringing bad men to justice but struggles to see her own life clearly. As the clock ticks down, these three women sift through the choices that culminate in tragedy, exploring the rippling fissures that such destruction inevitably leaves in its wake. 

Blending breathtaking suspense with astonishing empathy, Notes on an Execution presents a chilling portrait of womanhood as it simultaneously unravels the familiar narrative of the American serial killer, interrogating our system of justice and our cultural obsession with crime stories, asking readers to consider the false promise of looking for meaning in the psyches of violent men.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Wed, 27 Apr 2022 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Danya Kukafka) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/danya-kukafka-notes-on-an-execution-tIAOzMuG On this episode, I talk to Danya Kukafka about her stunning new novel Notes on an Execution.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Author Links

Instagram

Goodreads

Website

Check out the book here

Notes on an Execution Synopsis

Ansel Packer is scheduled to die in twelve hours. He knows what he’s done, and now awaits execution, the same chilling fate he forced on those girls, years ago. But Ansel doesn’t want to die; he wants to be celebrated, understood. 

Through a kaleidoscope of women—a mother, a sister, a homicide detective—we learn the story of Ansel’s life. We meet his mother, Lavender, a seventeen-year-old girl pushed to desperation; Hazel, twin sister to Ansel’s wife, inseparable since birth, forced to watch helplessly as her sister’s relationship threatens to devour them all; and finally, Saffy, the detective hot on his trail, who has devoted herself to bringing bad men to justice but struggles to see her own life clearly. As the clock ticks down, these three women sift through the choices that culminate in tragedy, exploring the rippling fissures that such destruction inevitably leaves in its wake. 

Blending breathtaking suspense with astonishing empathy, Notes on an Execution presents a chilling portrait of womanhood as it simultaneously unravels the familiar narrative of the American serial killer, interrogating our system of justice and our cultural obsession with crime stories, asking readers to consider the false promise of looking for meaning in the psyches of violent men.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Danya Kukafka: Notes on an Execution Kate Hergott, Danya Kukafka 00:35:32 psychological thrillers, crime fiction, author, reader, thrillers true full 148 23b525db-0a26-4c62-b0a9-c045a65ee13b Rob Hart: The Paradox Hotel On this episode, I talk to Rob Hart about his action packed, contemplative sci-fi thriller The Paradox Hotel.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

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Instagram

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Website

Check out her company WriteWay at her website as well!

Check out the book here

The Paradox Hotel Synopsis

January Cole’s job just got a whole lot harder.

Not that running security at the Paradox was ever really easy. Nothing’s simple at a hotel where the ultra-wealthy tourists arrive costumed for a dozen different time periods, all eagerly waiting to catch their “flights” to the past.

Or where proximity to the timeport makes the clocks run backward on occasion—and, rumor has it, allows ghosts to stroll the halls.

None of that compares to the corpse in room 526. The one that seems to be both there and not there. The one that somehow only January can see.

On top of that, some very important new guests have just checked in. Because the U.S. government is about to privatize time-travel technology—and the world’s most powerful people are on hand to stake their claims.

January is sure the timing isn’t a coincidence. Neither are those “accidents” that start stalking their bidders.

There’s a reason January can glimpse what others can’t. A reason why she’s the only one who can catch a killer who’s operating invisibly and in plain sight, all at once.

But her ability is also destroying her grip on reality—and as her past, present, and future collide, she finds herself confronting not just the hotel’s dark secrets but her own.

At once a dazzlingly time-twisting murder mystery and a story about grief, memory, and what it means to—literally—come face-to-face with our ghosts, The Paradox Hotel is another unforgettable speculative thrill ride from acclaimed author Rob Hart.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Wed, 20 Apr 2022 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Rob Hart, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/rob-hart-the-paradox-hotel-yUmbgpnG On this episode, I talk to Rob Hart about his action packed, contemplative sci-fi thriller The Paradox Hotel.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Author Links

Instagram

Goodreads

Website

Check out her company WriteWay at her website as well!

Check out the book here

The Paradox Hotel Synopsis

January Cole’s job just got a whole lot harder.

Not that running security at the Paradox was ever really easy. Nothing’s simple at a hotel where the ultra-wealthy tourists arrive costumed for a dozen different time periods, all eagerly waiting to catch their “flights” to the past.

Or where proximity to the timeport makes the clocks run backward on occasion—and, rumor has it, allows ghosts to stroll the halls.

None of that compares to the corpse in room 526. The one that seems to be both there and not there. The one that somehow only January can see.

On top of that, some very important new guests have just checked in. Because the U.S. government is about to privatize time-travel technology—and the world’s most powerful people are on hand to stake their claims.

January is sure the timing isn’t a coincidence. Neither are those “accidents” that start stalking their bidders.

There’s a reason January can glimpse what others can’t. A reason why she’s the only one who can catch a killer who’s operating invisibly and in plain sight, all at once.

But her ability is also destroying her grip on reality—and as her past, present, and future collide, she finds herself confronting not just the hotel’s dark secrets but her own.

At once a dazzlingly time-twisting murder mystery and a story about grief, memory, and what it means to—literally—come face-to-face with our ghosts, The Paradox Hotel is another unforgettable speculative thrill ride from acclaimed author Rob Hart.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Rob Hart: The Paradox Hotel Rob Hart, Kate Hergott 00:37:09 crime fiction, author, speculative thrillers, reader, books, sci-fi true full 147 61f0c5b2-5530-46a3-aa49-ccbc5e96e9b2 Rea Frey: Secrets of Our House On this episode, I talk to Rea Frey about her thought provoking domestic drama Secrets of Our House.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

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Instagram

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Website

Check out her company WriteWay at her website as well!

Check out the book here

Secrets of Our House Synopsis

Desi is the mastermind behind her dream getaway house. Nestled high into the mountains of North Carolina, it is a sleek place, a luxurious place, a dark place.

A place full of secrets.

Secrets about the man she longs for, a man who is not her husband. Secrets about the roots of her family that must never, ever, see the light of day. When Desi and her family arrive from Chicago to spend the summer in the mountains, the seeds for the tumultuous months to follow are planted—her marriage on the rocks, not knowing which way they’ll go. Her seventeen year-old daughter Jules, falling in love for the first time with a local boy—and forging a new path that will take her to uncharted places. And Carter—a man Desi knew long ago, before she expunged him from her life for good.

All hurtling toward events none of them can undo.

Engaging, propulsive, and with a dramatic, heart-pounding final act, Secrets of Our House is a dazzling novel, richly-drawn, that shows no matter how hard outside forces may shake you, the bonds of family are stronger than the harshest winds.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Wed, 13 Apr 2022 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Rea Frey) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/rea-frey-secrets-of-our-house-5RaoNeXp On this episode, I talk to Rea Frey about her thought provoking domestic drama Secrets of Our House.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Author Links

Instagram

Goodreads

Website

Check out her company WriteWay at her website as well!

Check out the book here

Secrets of Our House Synopsis

Desi is the mastermind behind her dream getaway house. Nestled high into the mountains of North Carolina, it is a sleek place, a luxurious place, a dark place.

A place full of secrets.

Secrets about the man she longs for, a man who is not her husband. Secrets about the roots of her family that must never, ever, see the light of day. When Desi and her family arrive from Chicago to spend the summer in the mountains, the seeds for the tumultuous months to follow are planted—her marriage on the rocks, not knowing which way they’ll go. Her seventeen year-old daughter Jules, falling in love for the first time with a local boy—and forging a new path that will take her to uncharted places. And Carter—a man Desi knew long ago, before she expunged him from her life for good.

All hurtling toward events none of them can undo.

Engaging, propulsive, and with a dramatic, heart-pounding final act, Secrets of Our House is a dazzling novel, richly-drawn, that shows no matter how hard outside forces may shake you, the bonds of family are stronger than the harshest winds.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Rea Frey: Secrets of Our House Kate Hergott, Rea Frey 00:27:49 author, reader, books, thrillers true full 146 5dd49ed5-1384-430a-831c-185d5f62cdfc Audra McElyea: One Little Word On this episode, I talk to Audra McElyea about her mind bending debut novel One Little Word.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

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Check out the book here

One Little Word Synopsis

Allegra Hudson was murdered.

An anonymous “source” drops the note into recently widowed Madeleine Barton’s lap exactly when she needs it most. As a new single mother, she is struggling to make ends meet as a freelance reporter, and covering the mysterious death of local bestselling author Allegra Hudson could be the career-launching story of her dreams.

Working with Allegra’s grieving husband, Connor, Madeleine plunges down the rabbit hole of the writer’s privileged life. The deeper she digs, the more dirt she finds: a conniving best friend, a stalker ex-boyfriend, and a marriage in shambles. The closer Madeleine gets to the truth, the murkier the waters become.

Her source’s looming presence and constant meddling in her investigation paired with her growing bond with Connor over their shared grief have blinded her to the facts, but nothing explains why Allegra Hudson’s life feels so familiar. Only one thing is certain: Madeleine can trust no one.

One Little Word is a deliciously clever game of cat-and-mouse with a completely unexpected twist.

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Wed, 6 Apr 2022 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Audra McElyea, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/audra-mcelyea-one-little-word-XJTCGvzD On this episode, I talk to Audra McElyea about her mind bending debut novel One Little Word.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Author Links

Instagram

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Check out the book here

One Little Word Synopsis

Allegra Hudson was murdered.

An anonymous “source” drops the note into recently widowed Madeleine Barton’s lap exactly when she needs it most. As a new single mother, she is struggling to make ends meet as a freelance reporter, and covering the mysterious death of local bestselling author Allegra Hudson could be the career-launching story of her dreams.

Working with Allegra’s grieving husband, Connor, Madeleine plunges down the rabbit hole of the writer’s privileged life. The deeper she digs, the more dirt she finds: a conniving best friend, a stalker ex-boyfriend, and a marriage in shambles. The closer Madeleine gets to the truth, the murkier the waters become.

Her source’s looming presence and constant meddling in her investigation paired with her growing bond with Connor over their shared grief have blinded her to the facts, but nothing explains why Allegra Hudson’s life feels so familiar. Only one thing is certain: Madeleine can trust no one.

One Little Word is a deliciously clever game of cat-and-mouse with a completely unexpected twist.

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]]> Audra McElyea: One Little Word Audra McElyea, Kate Hergott 00:29:25 crime fiction, author, reader, hitchcock, thrillers true full 145 ea710a0b-b845-4206-89dc-737198c9db1c Alex Finlay: The Night Shift On this episode, I talk to Alex Finlay about his fast paced crime thriller The Night Shift.

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The Night Shift Synopsis

It’s New Year’s Eve 1999. Y2K is expected to end in chaos: planes falling from the sky, elevators plunging to earth, world markets collapsing. A digital apocalypse. None of that happens. But at a Blockbuster Video in New Jersey, four teenagers working late at the store are attacked. Only one inexplicably survives. Police quickly identify a suspect, the boyfriend of one of the victims, who flees and is never seen again.

Fifteen years later, more teenage employees are attacked at an ice cream store in the same town, and again only one makes it out alive.

In the aftermath of the latest crime, three lives intersect: the lone survivor of the Blockbuster massacre who’s forced to relive the horrors of her tragedy; the brother of the fugitive accused, who’s convinced the police have the wrong suspect; and FBI agent Sarah Keller who must delve into the secrets of both nights—stirring up memories of teen love and lies—to uncover the truth about murders on the night shift.

Twisty, poignant, and redemptive, The Night Shift is a story about the legacy of trauma and how the broken can come out on the other side, and it solidifies Finlay as one of the new leading voices in the world of thrillers.

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MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Wed, 30 Mar 2022 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Alex Finlay, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/alex-finlay-the-night-shift-GlO2oUn1 On this episode, I talk to Alex Finlay about his fast paced crime thriller The Night Shift.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

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Check out the book here

The Night Shift Synopsis

It’s New Year’s Eve 1999. Y2K is expected to end in chaos: planes falling from the sky, elevators plunging to earth, world markets collapsing. A digital apocalypse. None of that happens. But at a Blockbuster Video in New Jersey, four teenagers working late at the store are attacked. Only one inexplicably survives. Police quickly identify a suspect, the boyfriend of one of the victims, who flees and is never seen again.

Fifteen years later, more teenage employees are attacked at an ice cream store in the same town, and again only one makes it out alive.

In the aftermath of the latest crime, three lives intersect: the lone survivor of the Blockbuster massacre who’s forced to relive the horrors of her tragedy; the brother of the fugitive accused, who’s convinced the police have the wrong suspect; and FBI agent Sarah Keller who must delve into the secrets of both nights—stirring up memories of teen love and lies—to uncover the truth about murders on the night shift.

Twisty, poignant, and redemptive, The Night Shift is a story about the legacy of trauma and how the broken can come out on the other side, and it solidifies Finlay as one of the new leading voices in the world of thrillers.

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Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

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Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Alex Finlay: The Night Shift Alex Finlay, Kate Hergott 00:33:40 crime fiction, author, mystery, reader, thrillers true full 144 fd0b1517-7f67-4d80-9545-f3dc110e9a08 Mandy McHugh: Chloe Cates is Missing On this episode, I talk to Mandy McHugh about her thought provoking thriller Chloe Cates is Missing.

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Chloe Cates is Missing Synopsis

Chloe Cates is missing. The 13-year-old star of the hit web series, “CC and Me,” has disappeared, and nobody knows where she’s gone — least of all ruthless momager Jennifer Scarborough, who has spent much of her daughter’s young life crafting a child celebrity persona that is finally beginning to pay off. And in Chloe’s absence, the faux-fairytale world that supported that persona begins to fracture, revealing secrets capable of reducing the highly-dysfunctional Scarborough family to rubble. 

Anxious to find her daughter and preserve the life she’s worked so hard to build, Jennifer turns to social media for help, but the hearsay, false claims, and salacious suspicions only multiply. As the search becomes as sensational as Chloe’s series, Missing Persons detective Emilina Stone steps in, only to realize she has a connection to this case herself. Will she be able to stay objective and cut through the rumors to find the truth before it’s too late?

Told from multiple points of view including Jennifer, Emilina, and pages from Chloe’s lost diary, Chloe Cates Is Missing is a suspenseful novel of a child pushed to the brink, and of the troubled family that desperately needs her back. 

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Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Wed, 23 Mar 2022 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Mandy McHugh, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/mandy-mchugh-chloe-cates-is-missing-wBBOTRI4 On this episode, I talk to Mandy McHugh about her thought provoking thriller Chloe Cates is Missing.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

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Check out the book here

Chloe Cates is Missing Synopsis

Chloe Cates is missing. The 13-year-old star of the hit web series, “CC and Me,” has disappeared, and nobody knows where she’s gone — least of all ruthless momager Jennifer Scarborough, who has spent much of her daughter’s young life crafting a child celebrity persona that is finally beginning to pay off. And in Chloe’s absence, the faux-fairytale world that supported that persona begins to fracture, revealing secrets capable of reducing the highly-dysfunctional Scarborough family to rubble. 

Anxious to find her daughter and preserve the life she’s worked so hard to build, Jennifer turns to social media for help, but the hearsay, false claims, and salacious suspicions only multiply. As the search becomes as sensational as Chloe’s series, Missing Persons detective Emilina Stone steps in, only to realize she has a connection to this case herself. Will she be able to stay objective and cut through the rumors to find the truth before it’s too late?

Told from multiple points of view including Jennifer, Emilina, and pages from Chloe’s lost diary, Chloe Cates Is Missing is a suspenseful novel of a child pushed to the brink, and of the troubled family that desperately needs her back. 

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Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Mandy McHugh: Chloe Cates is Missing Mandy McHugh, Kate Hergott 00:32:10 crime fiction, author, reader, thrillers true full 143 5059de73-225e-4a28-b832-54c961610197 Bonnie Kistler: The Cage On this episode, I talk to Bonnie Kistler about her legal thriller The Cage.

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The Cage Synopsis

On a cold, misty Sunday night, two women are alone in the offices of fashion conglomerate Claudine de Martineau International. One is the company’s human resources director. Impeccably dressed and perfectly coiffed, she sits at her desk and stares somberly out the window. Down the hall, her colleague, one of the company’s lawyers, is buried under a pile of paperwork, frantically rushing to finish. 

Leaving at the same time, the two women, each preoccupied by her own thoughts, enter the elevator that will take them down from the 30th floor.

When they arrive at the lobby, one of the women is dead. Was it murder or suicide?

An incredibly original novel that turns the office thriller on its head, The Cage is a wild ride that begins with a bang and picks up speed as it races to its dramatic end.

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Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Wed, 16 Mar 2022 04:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Bonnie Kistler, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/bonnie-kistler-the-cage-vlq4CosS On this episode, I talk to Bonnie Kistler about her legal thriller The Cage.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

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Check out the book here

The Cage Synopsis

On a cold, misty Sunday night, two women are alone in the offices of fashion conglomerate Claudine de Martineau International. One is the company’s human resources director. Impeccably dressed and perfectly coiffed, she sits at her desk and stares somberly out the window. Down the hall, her colleague, one of the company’s lawyers, is buried under a pile of paperwork, frantically rushing to finish. 

Leaving at the same time, the two women, each preoccupied by her own thoughts, enter the elevator that will take them down from the 30th floor.

When they arrive at the lobby, one of the women is dead. Was it murder or suicide?

An incredibly original novel that turns the office thriller on its head, The Cage is a wild ride that begins with a bang and picks up speed as it races to its dramatic end.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Bonnie Kistler: The Cage Bonnie Kistler, Kate Hergott 00:21:46 crime fiction, author, reader, legal thriller, thrillers true full 142 b1d96ac0-d6a6-42c9-b0fa-23c31f53df0a Laurie Elizabeth Flynn: The Girls Are All So Nice Here On this episode, I talk to Laurie Elizabeth Flynn about her thriller The Girls Are All So Nice Here.

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The Girls Are All So Nice Here Summary

A lot has changed in years since Ambrosia Wellington graduated from college, and she’s worked hard to create a new life for herself. But then an invitation to her ten-year reunion arrives in the mail, along with an anonymous note that reads, “We need to talk about what we did that night.”

It seems that the secrets of Ambrosia’s past—and the people she thought she’d left there—aren’t as buried as she believed. Amb can’t stop fixating on what she did or who she did it with: larger-than-life Sloane “Sully” Sullivan, Amb’s former best friend, who could make anyone do anything.

At the reunion, Amb and Sully receive increasingly menacing messages, and it becomes clear that they’re being pursued by someone who wants more than just the truth of what happened that first semester. This person wants revenge for what they did and the damage they caused—the extent of which Amb is only now fully understanding. And it was all because of the game they played to get a boy who belonged to someone else and the girl who paid the price.

Alternating between the reunion and Amb’s freshman year, The Girls Are All So Nice Here is a “chilling and twisty thriller” (Book Riot) about the brutal lengths girls can go to get what they think they’re owed, and what happens when the games we play in college become matters of life and death.

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Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Wed, 9 Mar 2022 05:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Laurie Elizabeth Flynn) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/laurie-elizabeth-flynn-the-girls-are-all-so-nice-here-SrkcaiD7 On this episode, I talk to Laurie Elizabeth Flynn about her thriller The Girls Are All So Nice Here.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

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Check out the book here

The Girls Are All So Nice Here Summary

A lot has changed in years since Ambrosia Wellington graduated from college, and she’s worked hard to create a new life for herself. But then an invitation to her ten-year reunion arrives in the mail, along with an anonymous note that reads, “We need to talk about what we did that night.”

It seems that the secrets of Ambrosia’s past—and the people she thought she’d left there—aren’t as buried as she believed. Amb can’t stop fixating on what she did or who she did it with: larger-than-life Sloane “Sully” Sullivan, Amb’s former best friend, who could make anyone do anything.

At the reunion, Amb and Sully receive increasingly menacing messages, and it becomes clear that they’re being pursued by someone who wants more than just the truth of what happened that first semester. This person wants revenge for what they did and the damage they caused—the extent of which Amb is only now fully understanding. And it was all because of the game they played to get a boy who belonged to someone else and the girl who paid the price.

Alternating between the reunion and Amb’s freshman year, The Girls Are All So Nice Here is a “chilling and twisty thriller” (Book Riot) about the brutal lengths girls can go to get what they think they’re owed, and what happens when the games we play in college become matters of life and death.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Laurie Elizabeth Flynn: The Girls Are All So Nice Here Kate Hergott, Laurie Elizabeth Flynn 00:28:56 crime fiction, author, reader, books, dark academia true full 141 5b011f5f-1b07-4dcd-94aa-a5c4883724d4 Eliza Jane Brazier: Good Rich People On this episode, I talk to Eliza Jane Brazier about her domestic thriller Good Rich People.

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Good Rich People Summary

Lyla has always believed that life is a game she is destined to win, but her husband, Graham, takes the game to dangerous levels. The wealthy couple invites self-made success stories to live in their guesthouse and then conspires to ruin their lives. After all, there is nothing worse than a bootstrapper. 

Demi has always felt like the odds were stacked against her. At the end of her rope, she seizes a risky opportunity to take over another person’s life and unwittingly becomes the subject of the upstairs couple’s wicked entertainment. But Demi has been struggling forever, and she’s not about to go down without a fight.  

In a twist that neither woman sees coming, the game quickly devolves into chaos and rockets toward an explosive conclusion.

Because every good rich person knows: in money and in life, it’s winner take all. Even if you have to leave a few bodies behind.

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Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Wed, 2 Mar 2022 05:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kate Hergott, Eliza Jane Brazier) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/eliza-jane-brazier-good-rich-people-40Rm3dIT On this episode, I talk to Eliza Jane Brazier about her domestic thriller Good Rich People.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

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Check out the book here

Good Rich People Summary

Lyla has always believed that life is a game she is destined to win, but her husband, Graham, takes the game to dangerous levels. The wealthy couple invites self-made success stories to live in their guesthouse and then conspires to ruin their lives. After all, there is nothing worse than a bootstrapper. 

Demi has always felt like the odds were stacked against her. At the end of her rope, she seizes a risky opportunity to take over another person’s life and unwittingly becomes the subject of the upstairs couple’s wicked entertainment. But Demi has been struggling forever, and she’s not about to go down without a fight.  

In a twist that neither woman sees coming, the game quickly devolves into chaos and rockets toward an explosive conclusion.

Because every good rich person knows: in money and in life, it’s winner take all. Even if you have to leave a few bodies behind.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Eliza Jane Brazier: Good Rich People Kate Hergott, Eliza Jane Brazier 00:23:17 crime fiction, author, reader, thrillers true full 140 02cbac95-9691-44ef-81d7-cf9941e7271e Allison Buccola: Catch Her When She Falls On this episode, I talk to Allison Buccola about her debut novel Catch Her When She Falls.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

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Catch Her When She Falls Summary

When Micah Wilkes was a senior in high school, her boyfriend was convicted of murdering her best friend, Emily, a star ballerina with a bright future. A decade later, Micah has finally moved on from the unforgivable betrayal and loss. Now the owner of a bustling coffee shop in her small hometown in Pennsylvania, she’s happily coupled up with another old high school friend, the two having bonded over their shared sorrow.

But when reminders of her past begin appearing at her work and home, Micah begins to doubt what she knows about Emily’s death. Questions raised on a true crime blog and in an online web sleuthing forum force her to reexamine her memories of that fateful night. She told the truth to the investigators on the case, but was there another explanation for Emily’s murder? A stranger in the woods. An obsessive former classmate. A domineering ballet instructor. Or the internet’s favorite suspect: Joshua, Emily’s outcast younger brother who hasn’t been seen since his sister’s death.

As Micah delves deeper into the case, she feels her grip on reality loosening, her behavior growing more and more secretive and unhinged. As she races to piece together the truth about that night ten years ago, Micah grapples with how things could have gone so wrong and wonders whether she, too, might be next to disappear.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

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Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Wed, 16 Feb 2022 05:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Allison Buccola, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/allison-buccola-catch-her-when-she-falls-HlH0GK5o On this episode, I talk to Allison Buccola about her debut novel Catch Her When She Falls.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Author Links

Instagram

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Website

Check out the book here

Catch Her When She Falls Summary

When Micah Wilkes was a senior in high school, her boyfriend was convicted of murdering her best friend, Emily, a star ballerina with a bright future. A decade later, Micah has finally moved on from the unforgivable betrayal and loss. Now the owner of a bustling coffee shop in her small hometown in Pennsylvania, she’s happily coupled up with another old high school friend, the two having bonded over their shared sorrow.

But when reminders of her past begin appearing at her work and home, Micah begins to doubt what she knows about Emily’s death. Questions raised on a true crime blog and in an online web sleuthing forum force her to reexamine her memories of that fateful night. She told the truth to the investigators on the case, but was there another explanation for Emily’s murder? A stranger in the woods. An obsessive former classmate. A domineering ballet instructor. Or the internet’s favorite suspect: Joshua, Emily’s outcast younger brother who hasn’t been seen since his sister’s death.

As Micah delves deeper into the case, she feels her grip on reality loosening, her behavior growing more and more secretive and unhinged. As she races to piece together the truth about that night ten years ago, Micah grapples with how things could have gone so wrong and wonders whether she, too, might be next to disappear.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Allison Buccola: Catch Her When She Falls Allison Buccola, Kate Hergott 00:20:32 crime fiction, author, reader, thrillers true full 139 6ed4aeb1-dd4a-4894-b109-d45db43b5816 Danielle Girard: Far Gone On this episode, I talk to Danielle Girard about her second installment of the Badlands Thriller series, Far Gone.

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Far Gone Summary

When a North Dakota couple is shot down in their home in cold blood, the sleepy town of Hagen wakes with a jolt. After all, it’s usually such a peaceful place. But Detective Kylie Milliard knows better.

Despite not handling a homicide investigation in years, Kylie is on the case. A drop of blood found at the scene at first blush promises to be her best evidence. But it ultimately only proves that someone else witnessed the murder—and the results are shocking: the DNA reveals a familial match to a crime involving local nurse Lily Baker from over a decade ago. This unveiling stirs new nightmares for Lily as she’s forced to reckon with the most traumatic time in her life.

Haunted by their pasts and hunting the killer, Kylie and Lily uncover hellish secrets and impossible truths, finding answers that put both their lives in jeopardy.

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Wed, 9 Feb 2022 05:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kimberly Belle, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/danielle-girard-far-gone-Yp9m75pY On this episode, I talk to Danielle Girard about her second installment of the Badlands Thriller series, Far Gone.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

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Check out the book here

Far Gone Summary

When a North Dakota couple is shot down in their home in cold blood, the sleepy town of Hagen wakes with a jolt. After all, it’s usually such a peaceful place. But Detective Kylie Milliard knows better.

Despite not handling a homicide investigation in years, Kylie is on the case. A drop of blood found at the scene at first blush promises to be her best evidence. But it ultimately only proves that someone else witnessed the murder—and the results are shocking: the DNA reveals a familial match to a crime involving local nurse Lily Baker from over a decade ago. This unveiling stirs new nightmares for Lily as she’s forced to reckon with the most traumatic time in her life.

Haunted by their pasts and hunting the killer, Kylie and Lily uncover hellish secrets and impossible truths, finding answers that put both their lives in jeopardy.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Danielle Girard: Far Gone Kimberly Belle, Kate Hergott 00:32:43 crime fiction, author, reader, thrillers true full 138 af287cac-206c-4ec9-92f4-dfed6065fac4 Kimberly Belle: My Darling Husband On this episode, I talk to Kimberly Belle about her newest thriller My Darling Husband.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUPtR0hYEv8

Author Links

https://www.kimberlybellebooks.com/

https://www.instagram.com/kimberlysbelle/?hl=en

https://www.facebook.com/KimberlyBelleBooks

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7778742.Kimberly_Belle

Check out the book here

https://www.amazon.com/My-Darling-Husband-Kimberly-Belle-ebook/

My Darling Husband Summary

Everyone is about to know what her husband isn’t telling her…
Jade and Cam Lasky are by all accounts a happily married couple with two adorable kids, a spacious home and a rapidly growing restaurant business. But their world is tipped upside down when Jade is confronted by a masked home invader. As Cam scrambles to gather the ransom money, Jade starts to wonder if they’re as financially secure as their lifestyle suggests, and what other secrets her husband is keeping from her.

Cam may be a good father, a celebrity chef and a darling husband, but there’s another side he’s kept hidden from Jade that has put their family in danger. Unbeknownst to Cam and Jade, the home invader has been watching them and is about to turn their family secrets into a public scandal.

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Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Wed, 2 Feb 2022 05:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Kimberly Belle, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/kimberly-belle-my-darling-husband-woHItjZD On this episode, I talk to Kimberly Belle about her newest thriller My Darling Husband.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUPtR0hYEv8

Author Links

https://www.kimberlybellebooks.com/

https://www.instagram.com/kimberlysbelle/?hl=en

https://www.facebook.com/KimberlyBelleBooks

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7778742.Kimberly_Belle

Check out the book here

https://www.amazon.com/My-Darling-Husband-Kimberly-Belle-ebook/

My Darling Husband Summary

Everyone is about to know what her husband isn’t telling her…
Jade and Cam Lasky are by all accounts a happily married couple with two adorable kids, a spacious home and a rapidly growing restaurant business. But their world is tipped upside down when Jade is confronted by a masked home invader. As Cam scrambles to gather the ransom money, Jade starts to wonder if they’re as financially secure as their lifestyle suggests, and what other secrets her husband is keeping from her.

Cam may be a good father, a celebrity chef and a darling husband, but there’s another side he’s kept hidden from Jade that has put their family in danger. Unbeknownst to Cam and Jade, the home invader has been watching them and is about to turn their family secrets into a public scandal.

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Kimberly Belle: My Darling Husband Kimberly Belle, Kate Hergott 00:28:12 bookstagram, crime fiction, author, reader, thrillers true full 137 2bfaf1b8-5c5e-46ec-bdc3-9ba310e28b16 Jaime Lynn Hendricks: Finding Tessa On this episode, I talk to Jaime Lynn Hendricks about her debut thriller Finding Tessa.

Check her out on Instagram

 

Finding Tessa Summary

Jace and Tessa appear to be a young couple in love with nothing to hide. But looks can be deceiving.

When Jace Montgomery comes home late from entertaining clients, he discovers that his wife Tessa is missing. There’s broken glass at the back door. Clumps of her hair. Blood. The cops in their small New Jersey town have him pegged as a suspect, especially after he explodes at a reporter during a press conference. Jace maintains his innocence despite the mounting evidence against him, but when a coworker he's accused of having an affair with also disappears and a search warrant turns up an illegal gun in Jace’s home, all signs point to him as the culprit. What is he really hiding?

Meanwhile, Tessa finally feels safe, having set up her husband to take the fall for her disappearance—and someone close to him is helping her put him away. Breaking her lifelong pattern of bad men is only one hurdle she has to overcome. The other is outrunning her secret past while trying to stay alive, especially when those in her new life aren’t who they appear to be.

Jace’s lies don't add up and the authorities are closing in. Will Tessa’s old life catch up to her and drag her back to a life of abuse before justice is served? 

Finding Tessa is a smart domestic thriller where nothing can be taken at face value, where every twist reveals a deadlier secret than the one before. Fans of Gillian Flynn, Samantha Downing, and incisive, fresh psychological suspense won't want to miss it. 

And don't forget you can watch all episodes on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-gShTy20PVhXRpfNF33SKw

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Wed, 26 Jan 2022 05:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Jaime Lynn Hendricks, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/jaime-lynn-hendricks-finding-tessa-VK5KCF6x On this episode, I talk to Jaime Lynn Hendricks about her debut thriller Finding Tessa.

Check her out on Instagram

 

Finding Tessa Summary

Jace and Tessa appear to be a young couple in love with nothing to hide. But looks can be deceiving.

When Jace Montgomery comes home late from entertaining clients, he discovers that his wife Tessa is missing. There’s broken glass at the back door. Clumps of her hair. Blood. The cops in their small New Jersey town have him pegged as a suspect, especially after he explodes at a reporter during a press conference. Jace maintains his innocence despite the mounting evidence against him, but when a coworker he's accused of having an affair with also disappears and a search warrant turns up an illegal gun in Jace’s home, all signs point to him as the culprit. What is he really hiding?

Meanwhile, Tessa finally feels safe, having set up her husband to take the fall for her disappearance—and someone close to him is helping her put him away. Breaking her lifelong pattern of bad men is only one hurdle she has to overcome. The other is outrunning her secret past while trying to stay alive, especially when those in her new life aren’t who they appear to be.

Jace’s lies don't add up and the authorities are closing in. Will Tessa’s old life catch up to her and drag her back to a life of abuse before justice is served? 

Finding Tessa is a smart domestic thriller where nothing can be taken at face value, where every twist reveals a deadlier secret than the one before. Fans of Gillian Flynn, Samantha Downing, and incisive, fresh psychological suspense won't want to miss it. 

And don't forget you can watch all episodes on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-gShTy20PVhXRpfNF33SKw

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Jaime Lynn Hendricks: Finding Tessa Jaime Lynn Hendricks, Kate Hergott 00:59:14 bookstagram, crime fiction, author, books, thrillers true full 136 bdcb2e90-ae1f-4770-9677-9eb30dc16bfd Wendy Walker: Don't Look for Me On this episode, I talk to Wendy Walker about her book Don't Look for Me.

To learn more about Wendy, go to 

https://www.wendywalkerbooks.com/ 

Follow her on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/wendywalkerauthor/

To check out the book, go to 

https://www.wendywalkerbooks.com/books/dont-look-for-me/#description

Don't Look for Me Summary

One night, Molly Clarke walked away from her life. The car abandoned miles from home. The note found at a nearby hotel. The shattered family that couldn't be put back together. It happens all the time. Women disappear, desperate to leave their lives behind and start over. She doesn't want to be found. Or at least, that's the story. But is that what really happened to Molly Clarke?

The night Molly disappeared began with a storm, running out of gas, and a man in a truck offering her a ride to town. With him is a little girl who reminds her of the daughter she lost years ago. It feels like a sign. And Molly is overcome with the desire to be home, with her family—no matter how broken it is. She accepts the ride. But when the doors are locked shut, Molly begins to suspect she has made a terrible mistake.

When a new lead comes in after the search has ended, Molly's daughter, Nicole, begins to wonder. Nothing about her mother's disappearance makes sense.

Nicole returns to the small, desolate town where her mother was last seen to find the truth. The locals are kind and eager to help. The innkeeper. The bartender. Even the police. Until secrets begin to reveal themselves and she comes closer to the truth about that night—and the danger surrounding her.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Wed, 19 Jan 2022 05:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Wendy Walker, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/wendy-walker-dont-look-for-me-YnDBzjkN On this episode, I talk to Wendy Walker about her book Don't Look for Me.

To learn more about Wendy, go to 

https://www.wendywalkerbooks.com/ 

Follow her on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/wendywalkerauthor/

To check out the book, go to 

https://www.wendywalkerbooks.com/books/dont-look-for-me/#description

Don't Look for Me Summary

One night, Molly Clarke walked away from her life. The car abandoned miles from home. The note found at a nearby hotel. The shattered family that couldn't be put back together. It happens all the time. Women disappear, desperate to leave their lives behind and start over. She doesn't want to be found. Or at least, that's the story. But is that what really happened to Molly Clarke?

The night Molly disappeared began with a storm, running out of gas, and a man in a truck offering her a ride to town. With him is a little girl who reminds her of the daughter she lost years ago. It feels like a sign. And Molly is overcome with the desire to be home, with her family—no matter how broken it is. She accepts the ride. But when the doors are locked shut, Molly begins to suspect she has made a terrible mistake.

When a new lead comes in after the search has ended, Molly's daughter, Nicole, begins to wonder. Nothing about her mother's disappearance makes sense.

Nicole returns to the small, desolate town where her mother was last seen to find the truth. The locals are kind and eager to help. The innkeeper. The bartender. Even the police. Until secrets begin to reveal themselves and she comes closer to the truth about that night—and the danger surrounding her.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Wendy Walker: Don't Look for Me Wendy Walker, Kate Hergott 01:00:49 crime fiction, author, reader, thrillers true full 135 011f6a1f-6ca9-4d42-a55b-86ca909a78db Yasmin Angoe: Her Name is Knight On this episode, I talk to Yasmin Angoe about her fantastic spy thriller debut Her Name is Knight.

Check out the book here

Instagram

Her Name is Knight Summary

Her Name Is Knight revolves around Nena Knight, codename Echo, a highly trained assassin for The Tribe – a clandestine international organization dedicated to the protection and advancement of the peoples and countries of Africa around the world. Her Name Is Knight is a propulsive character story and action thriller driven by retribution, passion, strength — and coming to terms with your own true self, regardless of what anyone calls you.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Wed, 12 Jan 2022 05:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Yasmin Angoe, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/yasmin-angoe-her-name-is-knight-ztViSnn5 On this episode, I talk to Yasmin Angoe about her fantastic spy thriller debut Her Name is Knight.

Check out the book here

Instagram

Her Name is Knight Summary

Her Name Is Knight revolves around Nena Knight, codename Echo, a highly trained assassin for The Tribe – a clandestine international organization dedicated to the protection and advancement of the peoples and countries of Africa around the world. Her Name Is Knight is a propulsive character story and action thriller driven by retribution, passion, strength — and coming to terms with your own true self, regardless of what anyone calls you.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Yasmin Angoe: Her Name is Knight Yasmin Angoe, Kate Hergott 00:31:03 crime fiction, author, spy thriller, reader, thrillers true full 134 a1a10ba6-b2ec-41d1-9f8e-bf880a3c2ad8 Ashley Winstead: In My Dreams I Hold a Knife On this episode, I talk to Ashley Winstead about her book In My Dreams I Hold a Knife.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Author Links

Instagram

Goodreads

Website

Check out the book here

In My Dreams I Hold a Knife Summary

Six friends.
One college reunion.
One unsolved murder.

A college reunion turns dark and deadly in this chilling and propulsive suspense novel about six friends, one unsolved murder, and the dark secrets they’ve been hiding from each other—and themselves—for a decade.

Ten years after graduation, Jessica Miller has planned her triumphant return to southern, elite Duquette University, down to the envious whispers that are sure to follow in her wake. Everyone is going to see the girl she wants them to see—confident, beautiful, indifferent—not the girl she was when she left campus, back when Heather’s murder fractured everything, including the tight bond linking the six friends she’d been closest to since freshman year. Ten years ago, everything fell apart, including the dreams she worked for her whole life—and her relationship with the one person she wasn’t supposed to love.

But not everyone is ready to move on. Not everyone left Duquette ten years ago, and not everyone can let Heather’s murder go unsolved. Someone is determined to trap the real killer, to make the guilty pay. When the six friends are reunited, they will be forced to confront what happened that night—and the years’ worth of secrets each of them would do anything to keep hidden.

Told in racing dual timelines, with a dark campus setting and a darker look at friendship, love, obsession, and ambition, In My Dreams I Hold A Knife is an addictive, propulsive read you won’t be able to put down.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Wed, 29 Dec 2021 05:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (Ashley Winstead, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/ashley-winstead-in-my-dreams-i-hold-a-knife-B6l6jBzv On this episode, I talk to Ashley Winstead about her book In My Dreams I Hold a Knife.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Author Links

Instagram

Goodreads

Website

Check out the book here

In My Dreams I Hold a Knife Summary

Six friends.
One college reunion.
One unsolved murder.

A college reunion turns dark and deadly in this chilling and propulsive suspense novel about six friends, one unsolved murder, and the dark secrets they’ve been hiding from each other—and themselves—for a decade.

Ten years after graduation, Jessica Miller has planned her triumphant return to southern, elite Duquette University, down to the envious whispers that are sure to follow in her wake. Everyone is going to see the girl she wants them to see—confident, beautiful, indifferent—not the girl she was when she left campus, back when Heather’s murder fractured everything, including the tight bond linking the six friends she’d been closest to since freshman year. Ten years ago, everything fell apart, including the dreams she worked for her whole life—and her relationship with the one person she wasn’t supposed to love.

But not everyone is ready to move on. Not everyone left Duquette ten years ago, and not everyone can let Heather’s murder go unsolved. Someone is determined to trap the real killer, to make the guilty pay. When the six friends are reunited, they will be forced to confront what happened that night—and the years’ worth of secrets each of them would do anything to keep hidden.

Told in racing dual timelines, with a dark campus setting and a darker look at friendship, love, obsession, and ambition, In My Dreams I Hold A Knife is an addictive, propulsive read you won’t be able to put down.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Ashley Winstead: In My Dreams I Hold a Knife Ashley Winstead, Kate Hergott 01:10:54 readers, crime fiction, author, fiction, dark academia, thrillers true full 133 3baa6181-fce3-4d86-8716-8b331898247a RJ Jacobs: Somewhere in the Dark On this episode, I talk to RJ Jacobs about his most recent book Somewhere in the Dark.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Author Links

Instagram

Goodreads

Website

Check out the book here

Somewhere in the Dark Summary

After a childhood marred by neglect, Jessie Duval's finally got it together. With an apartment in Nashville and a job with a catering company, she's thriving.

But all that changes when Jessie works an event where celebrities will be in attendance--including the one person from her past she must avoid at all costs: singer Shelly James. Jessie doesn't hate Shelly. Quite the opposite. One summer, she followed Shelly's tour everywhere. Only, Shelly wasn't flattered; she was terrified by Jessie's devotion--especially after Jessie was arrested. But after a year of therapy, Jessie understands what happened. She's not the same person anymore.

Jessie keeps her head down, but when Shelly is found dead, Jessie's troubled past comes tumbling out and she quickly becomes a suspect in the high-profile murder. As the police close in on her, ignoring other credible leads, Jessie realizes Shelly's murder will be pinned on her--the perfect scapegoat--unless she finds the real killer. And no one knows Shelly's life and inner circle better than her. But she will have to go deeper into the dark--if ever she wants to find her way out.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> Wed, 22 Dec 2021 05:00:00 +0000 kate@bookwildcollective.com (RJ Jacobs, Kate Hergott) https://bookwild.simplecast.com/episodes/rj-jacobs-somewhere-in-the-dark-lB2EnxqO On this episode, I talk to RJ Jacobs about his most recent book Somewhere in the Dark.

You can also watch the episode on YouTube

Author Links

Instagram

Goodreads

Website

Check out the book here

Somewhere in the Dark Summary

After a childhood marred by neglect, Jessie Duval's finally got it together. With an apartment in Nashville and a job with a catering company, she's thriving.

But all that changes when Jessie works an event where celebrities will be in attendance--including the one person from her past she must avoid at all costs: singer Shelly James. Jessie doesn't hate Shelly. Quite the opposite. One summer, she followed Shelly's tour everywhere. Only, Shelly wasn't flattered; she was terrified by Jessie's devotion--especially after Jessie was arrested. But after a year of therapy, Jessie understands what happened. She's not the same person anymore.

Jessie keeps her head down, but when Shelly is found dead, Jessie's troubled past comes tumbling out and she quickly becomes a suspect in the high-profile murder. As the police close in on her, ignoring other credible leads, Jessie realizes Shelly's murder will be pinned on her--the perfect scapegoat--unless she finds the real killer. And no one knows Shelly's life and inner circle better than her. But she will have to go deeper into the dark--if ever she wants to find her way out.

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon

Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

 

]]> RJ Jacobs: Somewhere in the Dark RJ Jacobs, Kate Hergott 00:29:47 fiction, thrillers true full 132