Bubbles and Books

Today, Ellyn and Amanda are joined by our newest book club host Alex Kretzinger. We're so excited to learn more about Alex's new book club and hear which books he's recommending.

Cultural expectations around masculinity pose many challenges for boys and men as they struggle to find belonging and healthy connections in relationships, family roles, education, and the workforce. The BetterMENt Book Club aims to explore those challenge...

Please note: This episode was recorded on Friday, January 23 2026.

Recently, Dog-Eared Books shared a reading list designed to help deepen our understanding of fascism, full of titles we believe are essential for thoughtful learning. We paired that list with a quote from George Orwell's 1984 as part of a window display at the store, and the response was overwhelming. Comments poured in from across the country and around the world. ...

We've turned the page into a new year, and we're looking ahead to a few books we are excited about this year. This list is unbeatable in our opinions. Discussing books that are coming out between now and June of this year. Listen along, and don't forget if you pre-order with us you'll receive 10% off your order. 

Ellyn's Currently Reading | Why Fascists Fear Teachers by Randi Weingarten, The Typewriter and the Guilloti...

We're joined today by romance favorites Denise Williams, Julie Murphy, and Sierra Simone! We're talking about their upcoming romance novels, the strength of the romance community, how romance authors show up for fellow romance authors, and so much more. Listen, enjoy, and don't forget to pre-order The Re-Do List by Denise Williams and The Fundamentals of Being a Good Girl by Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone. 

Don't miss seeing Deni...

2025 is coming to a close, and we're reflecting on our reading goals for the year. We're looking at what we set out to accomplish, what we actually achieved, and how we each approach goal-setting in our reading lives. Members of the Dog-Eared team shared what goal-setting looks like for them, how they measure their reading successes, and what matters most when it comes to making reading a meaningful part of their year.

By now, many of us have seen our Spotify Wrapped... but now it's time for the bookish edition. In today's episode, we're diving into a year's work of bookstore data to reveal our most-read genres, best-sellers, biggest surprises, and interesting trends. It's our official Bookstore Wrapped. Listen along, and let us know if anything of these stats surprised you!

Plus, listen to see what our #1 selling book of 2025 is. Hint: This auth...

When Amanda traveled to Australia earlier this year, she was introduced to her new favorite mystery series. As soon as she came home she handed her copy to Ellyn and said that we had to carry "The Bookshop Detectives" at Dog-Eared Books. We are so lucky to be joined on today's episode of Bubbles & Books by the authors and fellow indie bookstore owners Gareth and Louise Ward. Trust us, you're going to want to start on this delig...

Today’s Poppin' Off episode of Bubbles & Books is an absolute delight and reminds us why we love what we do. We are beyond thrilled to welcome debut author Lovell Holder, who joins us to chat about his thoroughly entertaining new novel, The Book of Luke.

Whether you're a reality TV addict or not, you're going to be swept away by this bingeworthy book and its main character, Luke. And after listening to this podcast, we think yo...

Small Business Saturday is the perfect time to show love to our local businesses on Main Street and in our community. In today's episode we're highlighting a few new and familiar voices from Downtown Ames. We hope you'll stop by and shop all of these wonderful stores, as well as the many others that make Downtown Ames such a special place to visit, this holiday season.

SHOW NOTES:

Browse the Dog-Eared Books 2025 Holiday Gift Guide ...

We recently launched our holiday gift guide, and we're going through the books our booksellers submitted as their favorite reads of 2025. Each bookseller sent in a short clip about why they loved their pick, and the mix of genres amongst everyone is fantastic. We know there is something for everyone, and we hope you enjoy listening.

Don't forget to browse our Holiday Gift Guide and find something perfect for yourself or someone in ...

Today, Amanda and Ellyn are highlighting Indigenous authors and stories in celebration of Indigenous Peoples Day. The history of replacing Columbus Day with Indigenous People’s Day goes back to the 1970's! In 1977, the International Conference on Discrimination Against Indigenous Populations in the Americas, sponsored by the United Nations, first began discussing this change. It is a challenge to the notion that Christopher Columbu...

Welcome to the "Bramily!" Today’s Bubbles & Books Podcast episode is a celebration of the one and only Brandi Carlile. Inspired by Ellyn's request to  pop a bottle of Brandi’s own XOBC Cellars Sparkling Wine. Brandi isn’t just a once-in-a-generation talent, she’s also one of the truly good ones, and always has been.

Right now we could all use a little more light and inspiration, so we’re diving into the essential Brandi Carlile...

Okay, hear us out... this episode of the Bubbles & Books podcast might sound slightly ridiculous (or completely unhinged), but it dives into some truly wild and weird bookish territory. We’re talking attractive cryptids, romances with sentient objects, and just how far the romance genre is willing to go in the name of pure, chaotic entertainment.

So now we’re asking you, If you had to pick a sentient object, cryptid, or other c...

Today, we’re singing our hoa hoa's and driving up the 101 of the Pacific Northwest to the iconic town of Forks, Washington. Why, you ask? Because it’s almost the 20th anniversary of Twilight, and we’re celebrating like it’s 2005! 

Dog-Eared Books is throwing a Twilight-themed Prom, and we’re embracing all the sparkly vampire vibes. In this episode, we’re joined by bookseller (and resident Twilight expert) Bailey to give us all the ...

We're bringing back one of our favorite games, reading hilariously bad reviews of some truly great books! This time, Amanda has picked out books that Ellyn read and loved this year. She’ll be reading one-star reviews to Ellyn, who has to guess which book they’re roasting. Listen along and see if you can figure it out before she does!

Books coming out this week | American Werewolves by Emily Jane, Replaceable You by Mary Roach, &...

Today we welcome Annie B. Jones, bookstore owner, author, and podcast host to today's Bubbles & Books episode! Annie is the owner of the indie bookstore The Bookshelf in Thomasville, Georgia, and the voice behind the popular podcast From the Front Porch. We’re convinced she belongs on the (imaginary but totally necessary) Bookstore Owners Walk of Fame. In this episode, we dive into the joys and challenges of bookstore ownership...