by Jen Moyers ( @jen.loves.books ) Update: It's been four years since I posted this list, and we've circled around again with our Reading Challenge. This year's category is "Book about the environment." Since then, I've continued to read in this area, hoping both to broaden and deepen my knowledge of books I can share with my students . . . and just to learn more. (I've marked new books with an asterisk.) This year's Unabridged Podcast Reading Challenge includes the category

http://Libro.fm Have you ever been surprised by how powerful a story about an animal can be? In this episode, we’re sharing book recommendations for the “books about animals” category of our 2026 Reading Challenge. We start with a quick bookish check-in: Ashley is reading Pugs and Kisses by Farrah Rochon ( Bookshop . org | Libro . fm ), and Jen is listening to With Love from Harlem by ReShonda Tate ( Bookshop . org | Libro . fm ). Then we each share a featured recommenda

Curated by Jen Moyers ( @jen.loves.books ) One of the greatest joys of reading is discovering voices that open windows into experiences, cultures, and communities beyond your own—and the authors featured in today's post do exactly that. This month, we're spotlighting books by Asian-American, Pacific-Islander (AAPI) authors across a range of genres, all of which would meet the category in this year's Unabridged Podcast Reading Challenge. Whether you're in a reading funk, cravi

Have you discovered a nonfiction audiobook that completely drew you in? In this episode, we’re sharing some of our favorite nonfiction audiobooks as part of the 2026 Unabridged Reading Challenge. Before diving into our recommendations, we start with our bookish check-in. Then we turn to nonfiction audiobooks we’ve loved. Jen recommends Hannah Ritchie’s Not the End of the World: How We Can Be the First Generation to Build a Sustainable Planet ( Bookshop . org | Libro . fm ),

by Jen Moyers ( @jen.loves.books ) Last month, I focused on an Unabridged Podcast Reading Challenge category, " Book published in the year of your birth ." I thought that this month, I'd focus on "Book from a favorite author's backlist," which was also the subject of an episode last week, episode 306, " Book from a Favorite Author’s Backlist ." I keep a list of authors whose work I want to explore fully, and each of these will be inspiring some of my reading this year. Here a

Have you ever loved an author so much but then realized you’ve barely scratched the surface of their backlist? In episode 306, we’re talking about the “Book from a Favorite Author’s Backlist” category from the Unabridged Podcast Reading Challenge and why exploring earlier works can be such a rewarding reading experience. Before diving into our backlist picks, we kick things off with a bookish check-in. For our main discussion, Ashley shares about The Obsession by Jesse Q. Su

by Jen Moyers ( @jen.loves.books ) Any other Bicentennial Babies out there? One of our Unabridged Podcast Reading Challenges this year asks that we read a book from the year of our birth. Since I was born in 1976, I thought I'd start researching options. Goodreads has a list called " Most popular books published in 1976: Books most frequently added to Goodreads members' shelves, updated weekly "; I also checked out Wikipedia's " 1976 in literature ." I'm using both as a start

Are you the kind of reader who loves a little structure, or do reading challenges make you want to run the other way? In Episode 304 (our first episode of 2026!), we’re ringing in the new year with a conversation about reading challenges , reflecting on what worked for us in 2025, what didn’t, and how we’re thinking about setting reading intentions for 2026. Then we dive into the 2026 Unabridged Podcast Reading Challenge, walking through all 12 categories and sharing a few

What does it mean to explore identity, legacy, and the complexities of family through a literary lens? For our January book club episode of Unabridged, join us as we discuss Percival Everett’s James . This inventive retelling of Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn reimagines the story from Jim’s perspective, giving voice to a character often overshadowed in the original. Packed with humor, grief, and rich reflection, Everett’s novel invites readers to explore themes

Have you read Elliot Page's brilliant new memoir, Pageboy ( Bookshop.org | Libro.fm ) ? Jen and Ashley are discussing our thoughts about this powerful book in the November book club episode. We also share our pairings, including George M. Johnson’s All Boys Aren’t Blue ( Bookshop.org | Libro.fm ) and Kacen Callendar’s Felix Ever After ( Bookshop.org | Libro.fm ). In addition to monthly bonus episodes, we are now releasing more content on Patreon for subscribers. We appr

Are you looking for an amazing classic by a Black author? James Baldwin's If Beale Street Could Talk ( Bookshop.org | Libro.fm ) is a perfect fit for the Unabridged Podcast Reading Challenge . We're discussing it as our March book club pick, and we also share our pairings including Tayari Jones’s An American Marriage ( Bookshop.org | Libro.fm ) and Bryan Stevenson’s Just Mercy ( Bookshop.org | Libro.fm ). If you're loving the podcast or our Unabridged blog and would lik

by Jen Moyers ( @jen.loves.books ) In my quest to read more environmental and nature literature for school—and to complete the Unabridged Podcast Reading Challenge!—I've been reading some fabulous books centered on these topics. A while back, I posted " 5 Nonfiction Books about Nature and the Environment "; here's a list of fiction to consider reading in the same vein! Julia Glass's Vigil Harbor ( Bookshop.org | Libro.fm ) I’d read only one of Julia Glass’s prior novels—her

Have you read any books that center nature or the environment lately? In this episode, Ashley and Jen share books they've read recently - including Charlotte McConaghy's Once There Were Wolves ( Bookshop.org | Libro.fm ) and Barbara Kingsolver’s Flight Behavior ( Bookshop.org | Libro.fm ) - that consider the role of nature as part of the story. These recommendations are perfect for the 2022 Reading Challenge category about the environment. Bookish Check-in Ashley - Abdi Na

by Jen Moyers ( @jen.loves.books ) While I'll listen to almost anything on audio, I often find that nonfiction is my favorite . . . and, since I sometimes veer more towards fiction when I'm reading print, it's a great way to fit in more nonfiction. Over the summer, I listened to some amazing audiobooks that I thought I'd share—if you're working on the Unabridged Reading Challenge, these offer some fantastic options! Eliot Schrefer's Queer Ducks (and Other Animals): The Natura