The Education Wars by Jennifer C. Berkshire and Jack Schneider

 *aired the week of August 31

The Education Wars by Jennifer C. Berkshire and Jack Schneider is a short but powerful book about the history of issues facing the American public school system today. Berkshire and Schneider do a fabulous job at exploring the history and influence of people and political movements on the school system, and focus on both political parties have a stake in what happens with the school system. This informative read is full of great information, especially if you are interested in the issues facing American public schools today.

The Bitter Past by Bruce Borgos

 aired the week of August 24, 2026

The Bitter Past by Bruce Borgos is the first in a series featuring Porter Beck the sheriff of Lincoln County, Nevada.  Lincoln County borders the Nevada Test Site and Beck's current case hinges around a Russian spy that worked at the test site in the 1950s.  It seems that former spy still lives in Lincoln County and several people will stop at nothing to make sure that man is dead.  Beck has to get to the bottom of this mystery before all the men over 80 in his county start dying.  This compelling mystery is recommended for fans of C.J. Box and Nick Petrie.  The series currently has three titles with number four out this fall.

1. The Bitter Past (2023)

2. Shades of Mercy (2024)

3. The Blue Horse (2025)

4. The Riddle Maker (November 2026) 

The Blanket Cats by Kiyoshi Shigematsu

aired the week of August 17, 2026

The Blanket Cats by Kiyoshi Shigematsu is a Japanese bestseller that contains seven interconnected stories about Blanket Cats and the people who rent them out.  A pet shop in Tokyo has eight blanket cats which rent out for three days.  They come with all their own food and supplies and a blanket that ensures they sleep well no matter where they are located.  To find out about the people who rent these unique creatures you'll have to pick up this interesting series of stories.  Recommended for fans of the Kamogawa Food Detectives series and Invisible Kitties.  

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower

 aired the week of August 10, 2026

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower currently includes eight volumes.  They are the diaries of Emma M. Lion as she returns to her family home of Lapis Lazuli House in the St. Crispians neighborhood of London in 1883.  Emma is orphaned and has an elderly cousin who is supposed to be looking out for her best interest.  Only Cousin Archibald has squandered her inheritance and now she must figure out how to survive with only her wits and her friends to help her.  A humorous historical diary that will have readers cheering for the indomitable Emma M. Lion. Think Jane Austen meets Anne of Green Gables with a little Princess Diaries thrown in for fun.

Assistant to the Villain by Hanah Nicole Maehrer

 aired the week of August 3, 2026

Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer is a fun, cozy, romantic comedy about a girl named Evie who accidentally becomes the assistant to the big, evil villain of the land (at least the job has killer benefits). While working for him, it becomes apparent that there is a spy in the office, and as the assistant, it is Evie's job to find out who it is. This book began as a TikTok series and has become a well-written and engaging series. Perfect for anyone who likes cozy fantasy like Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree or the Tomes and Tea series.  

The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali

 aired the week of July 27, 2026

The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali is about two teens who meet and fall in love at the local stationery shop in Tehran, Iran during the tumultuous year of 1953. Roya thought they would get married and change the world for good but when she receives a letter from Bahman telling her he has chosen someone else she is devastated.  What has happened? This poignant story of young love and living with our mistakes is recommended for those who enjoyed The Bangalore Detective Club, Shipwreck in Fiji or People of the Book.

The Harvey Girls by Juliette Fay

aired the week of July 20, 2026

The Harvey Girls by Juliette Fay follows two young women who have just started working for the Fred Harvey Company at the Harvey House Restaurant in the Topeka Kansas train depot.  Both Charlotte and Billie desperately need this job but both are there under false pretenses and if anyone were to find out they would be fired immediately.  This informative work of historical fiction is recommended for fans of Marie Benedict, Fiona Davis and Patti Callahan Henry. 

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister

 aired the week of July 13, 2026

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister starts on the day Camilla returns to work after maternity leave.  She is surprised her husband Luke isn't home to see Polly off to her first day of child care.  Camilla barely gets settled at work before the police are there asking about Luke.  It seems he is in a hostage stand off in central London with three hostages.  This isn't her husband, the Luke she knows so well, what is going on? Recommended for fans of Laura Dave, Mary Kubica and Lisa Unger.

White Robes and Broken Badges by Joseph Moore

 *aired the week of July 6, 2026

White Robes and Broken Badges by Joseph Moore is a truly captivating memoir following his time as a FBI informant in the Ku Klux Klan. During his decades undercover in the organization, Joe stopped an assassination attempt, and gathered enough evidence to get three major leaders of the KKK in jail. This book reads like a crime drama while being a true story about Joe's experiences. Perfect for people who like true crime or American history.

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

 aired the week of June 29, 2026

 The Correspondent by Virginia Evans is a novel in letters.  Meet 73-year-old Sybil Van Antwerp a retired law clerk.  She has an exacting personality and a fraught relationship with her family members.  Sybil's thoughts and personality are revealed through her correspondence with family, former coworkers, customer service representatives, neighbors and favorite authors.  Sybil's eyesight is failing but she is determined to stay independent for as long as possible.  Recommended for fans of epistolary novels like The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows, Love and Saffron by Kim Fay and 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff.

American Girl by Wendy Walker

 aired the week of June 22, 2026

American Girl by Wendy Walker introduces 17-year-old Charlie Hudson.  Charlie works at the Triple S Sandwich Shop.  Her one goal is to earn enough money to leave her hometown of Sawyer, Pennsylvania and go to college.  But one night she witnesses something in the sandwich shop that leave the shop's owner dead.  What did Charlie see and who is she protecting?  A fast paced thriller recommended for fans of Megan Miranda, Ashley Flowers, Sheri Lapena and Charles Donlea.

Yeonnam-Dong's Smiley Laundromat by Kim Jiyun

aired the week of June 15, 2026

Yeonnam-Dong's Smiley Laundromat by Kim Jiyun is a first novel by a Korean author.  The Smiley Laundromat in the Yeonnam-Dong district of Seoul, South Korea. It is a place where people go when they need a little peace.  The notebook on the table in the middle of the laundromat has become a message board of sorts.  Old Jang reads the note that no one has responded to, "I don't want to live anymore.  Why is life so hard?"  He tries to figure out how to help give this individual some hope.  Read the five interconnected stories that all revolve around the Smiley Laundromat.  Recommended for those who enjoy novels about connection and community like How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley or We'll Prescribe You a Cat by Ishida Syou

A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L. Jensen

*aired the week of June 8, 2026

A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L. Jensen is a captivating, unique romantic fantasy. It follows Freya, who secretly has a drop of blood from the goddess Hlin, potentially making her the focus of a prophecy. When her identity is revealed, she must face a world where everyone wants to tell her what to do, and her own identity is threatened to be wiped away. If you like fantasy, political intrigue, or Norse mythology, this is the book you'd want to pick up. Suggested for those who enjoyed A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas or The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon.

Gardener's Plot by Deborah J. Benoit

 *aired the week of June 1, 2026

Gardener's Plot by Deborah J. Benoit starts out as a nice, easy, story about a community garden. Maggie and her friend Violet are hosting a new community garden, but suddenly Violet goes missing and a body shows up in one of the garden plots. Maggie turns into an amateur sleuth to solve the murder and clear her friend's name, despite the fact that someone clearly wishes she would keep her nose out of it. Gardener's Plot is perfect for those who like easy mysteries that are fast paced and not graphic.  

American Predator by Maureen Callahan

*aired the week of May 25, 2026

American Predator by Maureen Callahan tells the chilling true story of serial killer Isreal Keys. What starts as a missing person's case in Alaska turns into the capture of one of the most notorious, and unknown serial killers in American history, by complete accident. Callahan includes some never-before-heard interviews in her account of the event, showing just how lucky the police were to catch Keys in the first place. This is the perfect book for true crime fans, or anyone who has read Footsteps in the Snow by Charles Lachman. 

The Awakening by Kate Chopin

 aired the week of May 18, 2026

The Awakening by Kate Chopin was written in 1899 and is considered a landmark work of early feminism. Edna Pontellier a wife and mother is vacationing on the Gulf of Mexico with her family when she falls for Robert Lebrun.  Robert's mother owns the resort where the Pontelliers are staying and Robert tries to resist his interest in Edna by leaving on a business venture in Mexico. Edna returns home to New Orleans dissatisfied with her life and vows to live on her own terms not those of society.  She cannot return to life as it was before her personal awakening.  

Theo of Golden by Allen Levi

 aired the week of May 11, 2026

Theo of Golden by Allen Levi is set in a small Georgia town. Theo has just moved there and while he is visiting the downtown coffee shop he notices the pencil sketch portraits that line the walls.  He is taken with them deciding to purchase one and gift it to the subject.  As Theo takes on this venture he meets many of Golden's residents and learns their stories while he himself remains an enigmatic older gentleman.  A beautiful gentle read recommended for fans of Phaedra Patrick, Sarah |Addison Allen and Fredrik Backman.

The Light Eaters by Zoë Schlanger

 *aired the week of May 4, 2026

 The Light Eaters by Zoë Schlanger is a fascinating look into the world of plant consciousness, social interactions, and intelligence. In this exploration of cutting-edge botany, Schlanger explores new research that indicates that plants may be so much more than the non-sentient backdrop of our lives. Research indicates some plants can communicate through airborne chemicals, roots may be able to hear, and some plants adapt best when grown next to their family members. It sounds like the stuff of science fiction, but Schlanger's research shows that plants may have their own, plant-ish intelligence that we are just starting to understand.