Show Notes
In Episode 202, Susie (@NovelVisits) and Sarah explore some of their new favorite Micro Genres. Since starting the Micro Genres series, they've loved taking the opportunity each year to examine and define their tastes in these sub-sub-genres. This year, they have curated a list of 10 all-new Micro Genres, along with notable books for each category. With over 80 books mentioned, this is another year of niching down for some great book recommendations!
This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog. Books Told From the Perspective of the Person Left Behind (Sarah) [2:26] Sarah The Wanderers by Meg Howrey (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [3:39] Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [3:52] Happiness Falls by Angie Kim (2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [4:29] Miracle Creek by Angie Kim (2019) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [4:31] Shred Sisters by Betsy Lerner (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [4:42] Penitence by Kristin Koval (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [4:52] Z by Therese Ann Fowler (2013) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [5:11] The Paris Wife by Paula McLain (2011) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [5:19] An American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld (2008) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [5:26] The Swans of Fifth Avenue by Melanie Benjamin (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [5:35] The Wives by Simone Gorrindo (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [5:59] A Mother's Reckoning by Sue Klebold (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [6:41] Susie Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel (2014) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [7:07] Good Morning, Midnight by Lily Brooks-Dalton (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [7:35] The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton (2022) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [7:37] Circe by Madeline Miller (2018) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [7:52] We Begin at the End (Susie) [8:22] Sarah Beyond the Point by Claire Gibson (2019) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [12:46] Penitence by Kristin Koval (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [13:16] I'm That Girl by Jordan Chiles (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [14:20] Susie The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[10:20] What Happened to Nina? by Dervla McTiernan (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[10:49] Victim by Andrew Boryga (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [11:48] How We Named the Stars by Andrés N. Ordorica (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [12:21] Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [12:28] Other Books Mentioned We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker (2021) [8:33] A Marriage at Sea by Sophie Elmhirst (2025) [13:54] Big Business Women (Sarah) [14:34] Sarah Anna Bright is Hiding Something by Susie Orman Schnall (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [15:29] The Boys' Club by Erica Katz (2020) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [15:46] Women Are the Fiercest Creatures by Andrea Dunlop (2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [15:51] Dead Money by Jakob Kerr (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [15:55] Susie The Whisper Network by Chandler Baker (2019) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[16:30] The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer (2018) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [16:55] Other Books Mentioned Bad Blood by John Carreyrou (2018) [15:34] Books By Irish Authors Telling Distinctly Irish Stories (Susie) [17:35] Sarah Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe (2018) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [22:30] Northern Spy by Flynn Berry (2021) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [22:43] The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue (2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [22:52] 56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard (2021) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [23:39] Susie Nesting by Roisín O'Donnell (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [19:39] The Coast Road by Alan Murrin (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [20:07] The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[20:54] Juno Loves Legs by Karl Geary (2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [20:59] Home Stretch by Graham Norton (2020) | Amazon | Bookshop.org
More from Sarah's Bookshelves Live
Author Deesha Philyaw joins Sarah to discuss her debut novel, The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman. Deesha first started writing this book more than 20 years ago, before her short story collection, The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, became a National Book Award finalist. She shares the journey of bringing this novel to life, the women who inspired its characters, and how the story (and its author) evolved along the way. Plus, Deesha shares her top book recommendations!
Elizabeth Barnhill of Fabled Bookshop joins Sarah for the latest installment of the "Best of…" series to share her ALL-TIME TOP TEN historical fiction novels, plus a few popular picks that didn't work for her.
Sarah and Chrissie (@ChrissieWhitley) dig into their very different relationships with big books, from what counts as "big" and knowing when the moment is right to what makes a long book worth the extra pages. They also share some of their favorite big books — and a few they wish had been shorter.
Sarah and Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books are back with 16 of their most anticipated books publishing from mid-August through December.
Sarah and Catherine circle back to the 12 new releases they shared in the Summer 2026 Book Preview, now that they've read them — or at least tried to! Find out which books worked, which didn't, and whether their most anticipated summer reads lived up to expectations.