The Novel Tea

Shruti and Neha discuss Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy, a story of a young woman trying to reintroduce wolves into the wild in the Scottish Highlands, only to find a darker side of the town that has troubling echoes with her own past. We discuss the story through the themes of instinct, villainy, and monsters. We also share some context on real-world conservation efforts, and get into the subgenre of tragedy porn (or misery lit).Links:Interview with Charlotte McConaghyShelf Discovery & Books MentionedPopular Trauma Culture by Anne RothIt Ends with Us by Colleen HooverIsland of the Sea Wolves [Netflix]Miracle Creek by Angie KimThe Women by Kristin HannahA Little Life by Hanya YanagiharaStolen by Ann-Helén LaestadiusIf you would like to get additional recommendations, analyses, and behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at [email protected] episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Author Alli Hoff Kosik joins us to discuss her new book Too Blessed to Stress, a novel following four Christian influencers as they navigate their online lives and deal with private struggles becoming public.We talk about communication and the internet as tools of power, how gossip can be wielded for good and for evil, and the ways social media has begun to appear in novels in a variety of ways. And, of course, we share tons of book recommendations as we talk all about how Too Blessed to Stress is in conversation with other books, media, and popular culture.This is a spoiler-free discussion (with very minimal discussion of plot and characters) so dive in - whether you read the book and loved it, or have never heard of it until now!Books and Media MentionedThe Book of Essie by Meghan MacLean WeirThe Secret Lives of Mormon WivesSex and the CityThe Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann BrasharesGossip GirlSuch a Bad Influence by Olivia MuenterThe Influencers by Anna-Marie McLemoreTehrangeles by Porochista KhakpourIf You're Seeing This, It's Meant for You by Leigh SteinThe Dream Hotel by Laila LalamiIn Her Defense by Philippa MalickaDracula by Bram StokerColton Gentry's Third Act by Jeff ZentnerThe Princess Diaries by Meg CabotAmelia's Notebook by Marissa MossThe Correspondent by Virginia EvansPaper Cut by Rachel TaffIf you would like to get additional recommendations, analyses, and behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at [email protected] episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Neha and Shruti discuss Greenwood, a multigenerational family saga tied together with a repeating motif of trees and forests. We discuss themes of legacy, inheritance, nature, and addiction, and we also share our critiques of the book, from its character construction to its central message.Interview with Michael ChristieShelf Discovery:What We Can Know by Ian McEwanThe Overstory by Richard PowersPlayground by Richard PowersHomegoing by Yaa GyasiIf you would like to get additional recommendations, analyses, and behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at [email protected] episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Neha and Shruti discuss Annihilation, the first book of Jeff VanderMeer's Southern Reach trilogy. We discuss its world building, character development, and share our many theories about the central mystery and the book's ending. Shelf Discovery & Books Mentioned:His Dark Materials by Phillip PullmanWhat Moves the Dead by T. KingfisherPiranesi by Susanna ClarkeIf you would like to get additional recommendations, analyses, and behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at [email protected] episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Shruti and Neha discuss What We Can Know, Ian McEwan's latest speculative novel about a lost poem, climate change, and the power of stories. We discuss this novel through the themes of memory and preservation, and talk about our differing opinions on some of the major twists in the novel.Shelf Discovery & Books Mentioned:Possession by A.S. ByattStation Eleven by Emily St. John MandelTo the Lighthouse by Virginia WoolfUniversality by Natasha BrownIf you would like to get additional recommendations, analyses, and behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at [email protected] episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Neha and Shruti discuss Jon Krakauer's famous account of the 1996 Mt. Everest disaster, Into Thin Air. They discuss his chosen narration style, clarify what actually happened on that mountain, and talk about the role of a writer in controlling their story.Shelf DiscoveryThe Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le GuinThe Call of the Wild by Jack LondonIf you would like to get additional recommendations, analyses, and behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at [email protected] episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New year, new season! In this episode we introduce the theme for our upcoming season, The Natural World - then we get into the eight books we'll be discussing over the next few months.Vote for your choice of novel hereBooks Mentioned:Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster by Jon KrakauerWhat We Can Know by Ian McEwanAnnihilation by Jeff VandermeerGreenwood by Michael ChristieBarkskins by Annie ProulxWe Are Green and Trembling by Gabriela Cabezón CámaraOnce There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghyThe Seed Keeper by Diane WilsonProdigal Summer by Barbara KingsolverMoby Dick by Herman MelvilleIf you would like to get additional recommendations, analyses, and behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at [email protected] episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In our final episode of 2025, we talk about what our reading lives were like this year, and discuss our stand-out reads through superlatives. Listen in to hear the best page-turners, best characters, and most unexpected reads we encountered this year, to name a few!Books MentionedThe Margot Affair by Sanae LemoineDiary of a Void by Emi YogiThe Bee Sting by Paul MurrayThe Wall by Marlen HaushoferThe Days of Abandonment by Elena FerranteThe City We Became by N.K. JemisinFriends of the Museum by Heather McGowanButter by Asako YuzukiThe Oppermans Lion FeuchtwangerRebecca by Daphne Du MaurierThe Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran DesaiUniversality by Natasha BrownMy Brilliant Friend by Elena FerranteAudition by Katie KitamuraHeart the Lover by Lily KingWater Moon by Samantha Soto YambaoThe Old Man by the Sea by Domenico StarnoneEmma by Jane AustenFree Food for Millionaires by Min Jin LeeBunny by Mona AwadThe Remembered Soldier by Anjet DaanjeOrbital by Samantha HarveyHome Fire by Kamila ShamsieA Gentleman in Moscow by Amor TowlesIf you would like to get additional behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at [email protected] episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Get your TBR lists ready, because in this wrap up episode we talk all about the books we read in Season 6, and then welcome David and Melissa of Strong Sense of Place for a special guest segment! They tell us about their favorite travels, settings they've loved, and unique books that have transported them. We also get into our issues with short stories, and discuss ways to get into reading them.Books Discussed:Jane Eyre by Charlotte BrontëWakenhyrst by Michelle PaverThe Stranger in the Woods by Michael FinkelThe Works: Anatomy of a City by Kate AscherThe Last Warner Woman by Kei MillerElephant Complex: Travels in Sri Lanka by John GimletteStoner by John WilliamsThe Prague Sonata by Bradford MorrowThe Godmother by Hannelore CayreVintage 1954 by Antoine LaurainA Gentleman in Moscow by Amor TowlesTable for Two by Amor TowlesA Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George SaundersPassing by Nella LarsonThe Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael ChabonFrom The Mixed Up Files of Mrs Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. KonigsbergThe Cricket in Time Square by Garth WilliamsThe Original by Nell StevensBrat Farrar by Josephine TayThe Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia HighswmithThe Remembered Solider by Anjet DaanjeMy Family and other Rockstars by Tiffany MurphyIf you would like to get additional behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at [email protected] episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Neha and Shruti discuss The Museum of Innocence, by Nobel prize winner Orhan Pamuk, through themes of narcissism and honor. We discuss the idea of legacy, cultural norms and the patriarchy, and the way that the book's framing affects the way we interpret the story. Plus, we talk through the book's intriguing ending and reach new insights about what the book is trying to do, and its effect on readers.Shelf Discovery:Giovanni's Room by James BaldwinMy Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth RussellLolita by Vladimir NabokovIf you would like to get additional behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at [email protected] episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Shruti and Neha travel to Mumbai in Rohinton Mistry's Booker shortlisted novel Such a Long Journey, through themes of forgiveness, miracles, and misfortunes. We discuss the novel's loveable and sometimes frustrating characters, the symbolism of animals, and the looming specter of death in daily life.Books Mentioned & Shelf DiscoveryA Fine Balance by Rohinton MistryFamily Matters by Rohinton MistryThe Inheritance of Loss by Kiran DesaiIf you would like to get additional behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free newsletter.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at [email protected] episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Neha and Shruti discuss the speculative novel The City We Became, a story about New York City's five avatars who must band together to defend the city from a looming enemy. We discuss our thoughts on the book's premise and structure, get into H.P Lovecraft's legacy of horror and racism, and more!Books Mentioned & Shelf Discovery:The Call of Cthulu by H.P. LovecraftMonsters: A Fan's Dilemma by Claire DedererLone Women by Victor LaValleLovecraft Country by Matt RuffIf you would like to get additional behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free newsletter.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at [email protected] episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Neha and Shruti discuss Zadie Smith's debut novel, White Teeth. We talk about themes of religion, inheritance, class, history, and the need for control; we explore what those 'white teeth' in the title might mean; and finally we get into our issues with the book, and discuss the genre of Hysterical Realism.Links:Human, All Too Inhuman by James WoodHow White Teeth transcends its many flawsShelf Discovery:On Beauty by Zadie SmithHome Fire by Kamila ShamsieThe Shadow Lines by Amitav GhoshIf you would like to get additional behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free newsletter.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at [email protected] episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Virginia Woolf's incredible novel Mrs. Dalloway turns 100 this year! Shruti and Neha talk about this book and its themes of perception, inadequacy, memory, illness, and death. They discuss the effect of the past on the characters, the book's imperialist and pro-colonialism project, and the disappearance of the narrator.Books Mentioned & Shelf Discovery:On Being Ill by Virginia WoolfCulture and Imperialism by Edward SaidThe Annotated Mrs. Dalloway edited by Merve EmreA Room of One's Own by Virginia WoolfTo The Lighthouse by Virginia WoolfThe Hours by Michael CunninghamIf you would like to get additional behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free newsletter.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at [email protected] episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Neha and Shruti discuss Brooklyn, a historical novel about a young woman who immigrates from Ireland to America in the 1950s, through the themes of family and duty. We discuss the character of Eilis Lacey and her passivity, Tóibín's spare writing style, and the various forces pulling at the characters in this book. We also draw comparisons to Henry James, and share a few thoughts on the movie adaption.Links:The Coldest Place on Earth [London Review of Books]Books Mentioned & Shelf DiscoveryThe Portrait of a Lady by Henry JamesWashington Square by Henry JamesHello Beautiful by Ann NapolitanoAnother Country by James BaldwinGiovanni's Room by James BaldwinA Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty SmithIf you would like to get additional behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free newsletter.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at [email protected] episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we discuss Bangkok Wakes to Rain, a novel of interconnected stories set in Krung Thep (Bangkok) over several decades. We discuss how the idea of time is explored through the story, and how each character encounters displacement in their own way. We then get into a conversation about aging, beauty trends, and the afterlife, before our final Filter the Chai and Shelf Discovery segments.Sea of Tranquility: wilderness and loneliness - Apple Podcasts | SpotifyShelf Discovery:The Overstory by Richard PowersHuman Acts by Han KangSea of Tranquility by Emily St. John MandelThere Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif ShafakIf you would like to get additional behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free newsletter.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at [email protected] episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to a new season! Today we’re talking all about cities in literature – what cities represent, what ‘setting as character’ really means, and books we’ve read that really capture the magic of cities. We then share the seven books we’ll be reading this season, along with context and background, and the themes and elements we’ll be paying attention to as we read.Books Mentioned:Uglies by Scott WesterfeldThe Hunger Games by Suzanne CollinsAnna Karenina by Leo TolstoyBangkok Wakes to Rain by Pitchaya SudbanthadBrooklyn by Colm ToibinMrs. Dalloway by Virginia WoolfWhite Teeth by Zadie SmithThe City We Became by NK JemisonSuch a Long Journey by Rohinton MistryThe Museum of Innocence by Orhan PamukIf you would like to get additional behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free newsletter.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at [email protected] episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we zoom out and talk about all the books we covered over the past few months, discussing favorites and least favorites, as well as highlighting some themes that emerged, including strong settings and ‘the madwoman’ in literature. We then get into adaptation theory – some background on adaptations, and what we think makes a good adaptation (with a few tangents into the upcoming Harry Potter series and Greta Gerwig’s Narnia). Links:On the Art of Adaptation by Linda Hutcheon [Jstor]Context in Film Adaptations [Jstor]If you would like to get additional behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free newsletter.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at [email protected] episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we talk all about All's Well, a novel that is in part a retelling, in part an homage to theater, and a completely wild ride of a book. We discuss the way perception plays into the story, and how repetition functions to serve the narrative - and of course, we explore All's Well That Ends Well and MacBeth, the two plays at the heart of this novel.Shelf Discovery:Bunny by Mona AwadWoo Woo by Ella BaxterHunchback by Saou IchikawaThe Rehearsal by Eleanor CattonMy Death by Lisa TuttleIf you would like to get additional behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free newsletter.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at [email protected] episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.