New Episode! Campus Novel TBR Toppler
Plus Michelle's experience this fall, scratching that academic itch, and looking forward to spooky season
Hi, listeners!
Michelle here! This week Sara and Chelsey are toppling your TBR pile once again with their favorite campus novels. I, for one, am so excited to hear their picks because I am craving more of the fall, academic feel in my life right now. School started about two weeks ago for me but the atmosphere on campus is definitely more subdued than usual. Without the hubbub of everyone coming back together again for the start of a new year, the next best thing is to read books about this excitement and live vicariously through the characters.
One thing I’m trying to do differently this year is make time for pleasure reading amidst all of my assigned reading. I normally allow school reading to take over and that’s ok, but I would really like to learn how to balance the two. I was so happy to have read so many fun books this summer and I really want to keep it up. I recognize that I’ll have to be deliberate about how I use my time (especially in the evenings) in order to fit my own personal reading list into my schedule.
Some great links for additional reading…
For even more campus novels, look here.
If you can’t get enough TBR toppling, here are some books to look forward to in October.
Fall is a time for learning new things (whether that be in school or on our own), so check out books that will teach you something you didn’t know here and here.
Some of our links are Bookshop affiliate links. We earn a small commission when you make a purchase using these links (plus, you support independent bookstores).
Coming up:
Next week Chelsey and Sara are jumping into spooky season with an episode on The Crucible by Arthur Miller. If you’re someone who’s fascinated by the Salem Witch Trials or if you simply love scandalous drama, you’ll want to tune in!
The following week, you can expect another installment of the Short Story Club (my favorite!) that will cover “Horror Story” by Carmen Maria Machado. This is a very short work that will probably take you less than ten minutes to read, so be sure to follow along with this one!
Currently Reading:
I just finished Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi and loved it! She is truly a gifted writer and I appreciate the way she tackled various charged issues in this novel. One could also argue that this has a bit of a campus feel to it as the main character, Gifty is a graduate student who talks a lot about her current research and past experiences in college.
I also read The Door by Magda Szabó for my literary theory class this week. It gave me great insight into what Hungary was like around the time of WWII. The mysterious, slightly creepy feeling was also an interesting touch by Szabó.
Finally, I’m in the middle of I Miss You When I Blink by Mary Laura Philpott. I feel like I would be good friends with Philpott if we were to ever meet. I relate to her in more ways than one and I think any reader can find something that resonates with them in this memoir.
Listeners, we’re excited to be partnering with Libro.fm to offer you two audiobooks for the price of one. Just click this link to get two audiobooks for $15 all while supporting the pod and independent bookstores!
And click here to find a list of Black-owned bookstores to support when you sign up.
Where to find us:
Download episodes of Novel Pairings wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. Check out our blog for bonus pairings, reading tips, and book recommendations. Find Sara at @fictionmatters and her newsletter. Find Chelsey at @chelseyreads or @hereadsheread. We love hearing what you’re reading, so feel free to tag us in your #bookstagram posts!
We declare after all, there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book!
Have a lovely week, everyone!
-Michelle