Read Alert
Read Alert is a bookish podcast that was on sabbatical and will be returning soon in 2025! Happy reading!
Episodes
14 episodes
Good Dirt, MABS S2E1
Welcome to season 2 of Read Alert! Back after a hiatus, this season Ashtar and Sarah will bring you two types of episodes: Most Anticipated Books (MABs) and Blind Date episodes.In our first episode this season, Ashtar and Sarah discuss C...
Disorientation and Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm
In this episode, Ashtar and Miriam discuss two more debut novels: "Disorientation" by Elaine Hsieh Chou and "Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm" by Laura Warrell. Listen in to hear us discuss the writing, plots, and themes, as well as whether we ...
Violeta and South to America
In this episode, Miriam and Ashtar explore two different novels with a history focus: "Violeta" a historical fiction novel by Isabel Allende and "South to America: a Journey Below the Mason Dixon to Understand the Soul of a Nation" a work of na...
Goliath and Siren Queen
In this episode, Ashtar and Miriam dive into two fantasy novels: "Goliath" by Tochi Onyebuchi and "Siren Queen" by Nghi Vo. Listen in to hear us discuss whether these books should even be classified as fantasy, whether we liked the books,...
Manifesto and Finding Me
In this episode, Miriam and Ashtar explore two different memoirs: "Manifesto" by Bernardine Evaristo and "Finding Me" by Viola Davis. What defines a memoir? When should someone write a memoir? This episode touches on those questions, and ...
BONUS EPISODE: Time is a Mother and Content Warning: Everything
Surprise! We got a bonus minisode for you! In this episode, Miriam and Ashtar read two poetry collections for this conversation: Time is a Mother by Ocean Vuong and Content Warning: Everything by Akwaeke Emezi. This episode felt a little vulner...
You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty and Yinka, Where is Your Huzband?
In this episode, Miriam and Ashtar dive into two very different romance novels: "You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty" by Akwaeke Emezi and "Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband?" by Lizzie Damilola Blackburn. These books took us both ...
Fiona and Jane and The Memory Librarian
In this episode, Miriam and Ashtar dive into two short stories: Fiona and Jane by Jean Chen Ho and The Memory Librarian by Janelle Monáe and collaborators. Are these books even short stories? How does classifying a book as a short story change ...
Sea of Tranquility and The Candy House
In this episode, Miriam and Ashtar discuss two of the most anticipated books of the year: Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel and The Candy House by Jennifer Egan. Do they deserve the hype? Listen in to find out!Spoiler Alert: m...
Black Cake and Wahala
In this episode, Miriam and Ashtar discuss two books that tell distinct stories of friends and family: Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson and Wahala by Nikki May.Spoiler Alert: many plot points are given away during this discussion. List...
The School for Good Mothers and How High We Go in the Dark
In this episode, Miriam and Ashtar dive into two dystopias with The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan and How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu. Spoiler Alert: many plot points are given away during this discussio...
To Paradise
In this episode, Ashtar and Miriam discuss Hanya Yanagihara's much-anticipated novel, To Paradise. Spoiler Alert: many plot points are given away during this discussion. Listen in to find out whether this book deserved its place on the most ant...
