In Episode 24, Grace Atwood and Becca Freeman (Co-Hosts of the Bad on Paper Podcast) join me to talk New York City books and bookstores and share their experience as Book of the Month judges.

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Highlights

• How Grace and Becca first met (and if they initially liked each other).
• The original premise (and name) of the Bad on Paper Podcast.
• Their first ever book club pick for the podcast’s book club.
• Grace and Becca’s reading Venn Diagram.
• The Bad on Paper Book Club.
• The book I had a totally different opinion about than Becca and Grace.
• Grace and Becca’s favorite book club episode ever.
• The underrated gem Grace and Becca both think everyone should be reading.
• Speculation on how publishers distribute marketing dollars among their book list.
• Grace and Becca’s favorite NYC bookstores (McNally Jackson, The Strand).
• Rumors about how books make it onto the front tables in bookstores.
• Grace and Becca’s favorite NYC books.
• Grace’s and Becca’s experiences as a Book of the Month judges (including whether they got paid and how they determined which books they’d be recommending).
• Sarah’s track record with Pulitzer prize-winning books.

Grace and Becca’s Book Recommendations

Two OLD Books They Love

• Grace: The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson | Buy from Amazon [27:34]
• Becca: The Magicians Series by Lev Grossman | Buy from Amazon [28:48]

Two NEW Books They Love

• Grace: Necessary Peopleby Anna Pitoniak | Buy from Amazon [30:50]
• Becca: American Spy by Lauren Wilkinson | Buy from Amazon [33:07]

Two Books They Didn’t Love

• Grace: Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [35:45]
• Becca: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens (My Review) | Buy from Amazon[37:10]

Two New Releases They’re Excited About

• Grace: That’s What Frenemies Are Forby Sophie Littlefield and Lauren Gershell (July 30) | Buy from Amazon [39:09]
• Becca: American Royals by Katharine McGee (September 3) | Buy from Amazon[40:24]

Other Books Mentioned

• The Selection Series by Kiera Cass | Buy from Amazon [3:33]
• Otherwise Engaged by Lindsey J. Palmer (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [4:46]
• Normal People by Sally Rooney (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [7:37]
• The Idea of You by Robinne Lee | Buy from Amazon [8:53]
• American Spy by Lauren Wilkinson | Buy from Amazon [9:43]
• Circe by Madeline Miller (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [10:12]
• Verity by Colleen Hoover | Buy from Amazon [12:39]
• Listen to Your Heart by Kasie West | Buy from Amazon [13:39]
• Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win by Jo Piazza (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [14:26]
• A Sky Painted Gold by Laura Wood | Buy from Amazon [15:11]
• A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [19:06]
• Rules of Civility by Amor Towles | Buy from Amazon [20:06]
• Park Avenue Summer by Renee Rosen | Buy from Amazon [20:50]
• Save Me the Plums by Ruth Reichl (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [21:38]
• The Masterpiece by Fiona Davis | Buy from Amazon [22:34]
• The Dollhouse by Fiona Davis | Buy from Amazon [22:51]
• The Thousandth Floor Series by Katharine McGee | Buy from Amazon [23:03]
• Normal People by Sally Rooney (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [24:27]
• Three Women by Lisa Taddeo | Buy from Amazon [25:46]
• Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling | Buy from Amazon [28:54]
• The Futures by Anna Pitoniak (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [32:19]
• Social Creature by Tara Isabella Burton (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [32:28]
• The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [41:03]

Other Links

• The Stripe (Grace’s blog) reading lists
• Podcast Ep. 7 with Ashley Spivey
• Bad on Paper Podcast’s Normal People book club episode
• Bad on Paper Podcast’s Book Club
• #SpiveysClub Facebook Group
• Sarah’s All-Time Favorite Books List

The Bad on Paper Podcast

Podcast Website | Instagram | Facebook Group

About Grace

The Stripe blog | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

Grace Atwood is the founder + voice behind The Stripe. She is also the co-host of podcast, Bad on Paper. Currently based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn; Grace grew up on Cape Cod, which she credits for her love of the ocean (and probably a nautical stripe or two). The blog began in January of 2010 (originally Stripes & Sequins), born out of a love of fashion, beauty, and making.

Prior to running this site full time, Grace was the director of social media for BaubleBar. Before that, she worked in marketing for Procter & Gamble and Coty. She has spoken about social media and blogging at panels for Internet Week, ShopStyle, General Assembly, and IFB. She’s been featured in Glamour, The Coveteur, StyleWatch, Apartment Therapy and more. In 2019 she was named one of The Daily Front Row‘s 50 names to know right now. Outside of work, Grace’s passions include food, wine, art, yoga, reading, her Persian cat Tyrion and exploring everything New York and Brooklyn have to offer.

About Becca

Instagram | Facebook

Becca is a freelance marketing consultant in NYC. Previously, she was the Head of Marketing at LOLA. When not working, reading, or podcasting, Becca loves plane tickets, red wine, and 30 Rock reruns and has never met a dog in a costume she hasn’t liked.

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