Amy DuBois Barnett joins us to discuss If I Ruled the World (Flatiron Books, Jan. 27). “A young Black woman navigates the treacherous world of New York magazines in the 1990s,” Kirkus writes in an admiring review of Barnett’s fiction debut: “Style, love, and hip hop converge in this lively, likable novel.” Then our editors recommend their top picks in books for the week.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:

• Children of the Fullness by Cyd Ropp, illus. by Elfaza Studio
• We Met at a Halloween Party by Marcus R. Ferrell
• What We Hold No Longer by Aaron Gedaliah
• The Beekeeper’s Question by Christina Baldwin
• Unbuttoning by Ross Taosaka

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On our special Spring Preview episode, celebrating the most anticipated titles of 2026, New York Times bestselling writer and artist Chanel Miller joins us to discuss The Moon Without Stars (Philomel, Jan. 13). “After her zines launch her into the popular crowd, seventh grader Luna must decide what she’s willing to sacrifice to stay there,” Kirkus writes in a starred review of Miller’s latest middle-grade novel. “Genuine and poignant; [The Moon Without Stars] has the makings of a modern classic.” Then our editors recommend some of 2026’s most anticipated titles.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:

• 50 Secrets Nobody Tells You in Hollywood by Mike Kimmel
• The Compass Room by Mark James
• Twelve Purposeful Immersions by Jess Barcco
• The Last Wizard by Alex Mizgailo
• Ruled by Fate by Sam Withrow & Amelia Pinkis

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Culture journalist and critic Adam Morgan joins us to discuss A Danger to the Minds of Young Girls: Margaret C. Anderson, Book Bans, and the Fight to Modernize Literature (One Signal, Dec. 9, 2025), which Kirkus calls “a lively biography of a bold woman.” Then our editors recommend their top picks in books for the week.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:

• One Ordinary Man: A Novel Based on the True Story of Harry Hopkins by Steve Vesce
• The Real Conversation Jesus Wants Us To Have by Regina V. Cates
• Sammy Goes to the Doctor by Brittany Feria, illus. by Wandson Rocha
• The Angry Skies by Blake Kerr
• On Earth As It Is in Heaven by Joseph Hawke

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.