Bubbles and Books

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...

As you know, this podcast is called Bubbles and Books, so naturally, every episode comes with a good read and a glass of bubbly in hand. But with so many books on our shelves, we can't talk about them all. So in this episode, we're hitting pause and spotlighting the ones we just can’t let slip by. These are the books we would be remiss to miss sharing with you. 

Books mentioned in this episode:

Ellyn:

Everyone could use a little birding in their life! That’s why we’re so excited to welcome Brenda, host of Dog-Eared’s Better Birding book club, along with bookseller Eloise, who’s just getting started with birding and already loving the journey. Birding is taking off among both adults and younger generations, so today we’re diving into the joys of birdwatching, the best apps for identifying birds, some of our favorite bird-themed b...

Get ready, book lovers, on today's episode of Bubbles & Books Ellyn and Amanda are joined by none other than Kaytee Cobb and Meredith Monday Schwartz, the dynamic duo behind the wildly popular Currently Reading podcast.

These two are bookish podcast legends, and we were thrilled to sit down with them to chat about what they’re currently reading (of course!), how Currently Reading got its start, and Kaytee and Meredith’s amazing...

Ellyn is joined by Bailey and Rachel for a chaotic deep-dive into some of fiction’s most iconic characters from Peeta and Gale in The Hunger Games, to the Roomba in Margo's Got Money Troubles. We’re dishing out red, beige, and green flags to everyone from the Dung Beetle in I Eat Poop, to Edward Cullen, Odo from O Sinners!, characters from Fourth Wing, and plenty more.

Listen to hear which characters pass the vibe check, and which ...

Today on Bubbles & Books, Amanda and Ellyn are joined by author Shoba Rao! Her upcoming novel Indian Country first caught their eye with its stunning cover, and completely captivated them with its brilliant opening. A conversation not to be missed, and be sure to grab your copy of Indian Country when it hits shelves on Tuesday, August 5!

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Make sure to subscribe and rate the Bu...

What would you do if you lost nearly everything you own?

That’s exactly what happened to Dog-Eared’s co-owner Amanda Lepper and author Helen Chandler-Wilde after devastating fires changed their lives forever. Instead of rushing to replace it all, they started asking bigger questions. What really matters? What’s worth keeping? Can we live with less?

In this episode, they open up about loss, letting go, and learning to live more inte...

Are you ready to trek out into the woods and look for Big Foot? Amanda and Ellyn have author Giano Cromley whose book "American Mythology" is a slightly creepy adventure about two friends Virgil and Jute who just so happen to be the only two members of the Basic Bigfoot Society. Giano's story centers friendship and the question of what is and isn't real.

We are so excited to welcome Giano and hope you pick up his book "American Myt...

G’day, mates! This week on the Bubbles & Books podcast, we’re heading down under! Amanda and Ellyn are joined by Amanda’s daughter Charlotte to recap their unforgettable bookstore adventures across Australia.

From the scenic mountain ranges to the sunny Gold Coast, Amanda and Charlotte explored nine incredible bookstores, each with its own charm and story. Get ready for stories about cute animals, books you're going to want to ...

We are officially halfway through 2025. Amanda and Ellyn are looking back on the last six months of reading and are sharing the best books they've read this year... so far. They also have sourced recommendations from the Dog-Eared booksellers. Listen along and let us know if you agree or share what you think your best book of 2025 is!

Ellyn's Currently Reading | The Devil Reached Toward the Sky by Garrett ...

Ellyn’s daughter Jay is in the hot seat this week—and it’s all about her serious lack of reading. To fix the situation, Ellyn went straight to Dog-Eared Books booksellers and came back with a mission (and a bag full of recommendations). Now, Jay’s been officially challenged to a summer of reading. Will she rise to the occasion or fake her way through the pages? Tune in to find out what’s on her reading list and how she really feels...

Today's episode is all about these two bitches talking about their bitchmance. Inspired by Dolls on the Brain, Amanda and Ellyn go through all the types of bitchmancery in the bitchdom and real and fictional bitchmances they admire. 

Ellyn's Currently Reading | The Perry Pickers by Amanda Peters & Indian Country by Shobha Rao

Amanda's Currently Reading | Perfect Little World by Kevin Wilson & My Friends by Fredrik Backman

Today, Ellyn is joined by Dog-Eared's Roxy Strike and Nick Narigon—writer, indie press founder, and former Iowa County resident. They chat about everything from favorite ‘90s angst anthems to what it’s really like starting a small press. It’s a fun, honest conversation full of hometown memories and creative inspiration. Be sure to check out Nick’s Hayseed Press to see what he’s been working on!

Nick who is joining us from Singapore...

On this week’s Bubbles & Books, Ellyn and Amanda are joined by bestselling author Jess Walter to talk about his upcoming novel So Far Gone.

Expect laughs, insights, and thoughtful discussion as Jess shares how this novel took shape, what it says about the world today, and why he chose to leave social media. And we're so excited to share that Jess will be coming to Dog-Eared Books for a Cocktails & Convos event on Friday, Se...

We are heading into summer and all the reading lists are coming out. Some are thoughtfully curated, and others… sloppily slapped together by AI. But today, we present you with an “AE” (Amanda & Ellyn) generated summer reading list—and trust us, it's way better than whatever the bots cooked up. Whether you're into breezy rom-coms, twisty thrillers, or something a little more unexpected, they've got you covered.

Check out the Boo...

We are excited to welcome Dog-Eared Books' best-selling author to the Bubbles & Books podcast! Amanda & Ellyn have popped the bubbles and are chatting all about Kristen's adult cozy mystery How to Solve Your Own Murder and its sequel How to Seal Your Own Fate.

Her books are full of twisty plots and eclectic characters, and she's sharing how she crafts a mystery that's both page-turning and comforting. We chat about the appe...