Unabridged Podcast

Welcome to Unabridged, the podcast where teachers take on books! Every week, Sara, Jen and Ashley (shown left to right in the photo) talk books, share recommendations, and celebrate all things bookish. On our blog (see our posts below!) we share bookish faves, pub day shout-outs, show notes, and book reviews each week.

Want to get more involved? Check out our 2022 reading challenge, join our buddy reads on Instagram, or sign up on Patreon!

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Jane Harper's THE SURVIVORS - An Atmospheric Mystery

Jan 15, 2021
2 min

Jane Harper's THE SURVIVORS - An Atmospheric Mystery

by Sara Voigt (@meaningfulmadness) Happy Friday! Today, I am here to write about Jane Harper's most recent release, The Survivors. (Thanks to Libro.fm #partner for my audio copy of this book!) One of my favorite things about Harper's work is her ability to write the setting of the story as an almost main protagonist in the story. Every book I have read of Harper's has had a strong atmospheric tone throughout the whole book. The Survivors is no different. Harper establishes th

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Book Review- Jenny Bayliss's The Twelve Dates of Christmas - A Fun Rom-Com for the Holidays

Dec 4, 2020
3 min

Book Review- Jenny Bayliss's The Twelve Dates of Christmas - A Fun Rom-Com for the Holidays

by Sara Voigt (@meaningfulmadness) The holidays are upon us! Woo-hoo! If you have been listening to the pod, you know that I have been deep in holiday reading since mid-October. I have read some fun holiday reads in that time, and one of my favorites is Jenny Bayliss's The Twelve Dates of Christmas. (Thanks to Putnam Books #partner for my ebook review copy! All opinions are my own.) I talked about this in this week's episode that focuses on Christina Lauren's In a Holidaze, b

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John Green's TURTLES ALL THE WAY DOWN: A Study of Character

Nov 13, 2020
3 min

John Green's TURTLES ALL THE WAY DOWN: A Study of Character

by Sara Voigt (@meaningfulmadness) Friends, first of all, I must say, I love John Green. I love some of his books more than others, but what I like about his writing is that he doesn't rush his characters. He develops them, and the story follows. Often his books aren't super plot driven, but instead are a study of how characters, many with quirks and oddities, relate to people, themselves, and their environment. Green's most well-known work is probably The Fault In Our Stars,

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Christina Lauren's IN A HOLIDAZE - A Fun Holiday Romp

Oct 2, 2020
2 min

Christina Lauren's IN A HOLIDAZE - A Fun Holiday Romp

by Sara Voigt (@meaningfulmadness) Things have been tough lately, so I was in the mood for a festive holiday read. In October. Yep. October. So, I requested Christina Lauren’s In a Holidaze, which releases October 6th. Thanks to NetGalley #partner for my free e-galley of this book. You all know what a slow reader I am, and I flew through this book. Talk about the right book at the right time. This Groundhog Day-esque (Yes, I made up that word.) tale about Maelyn (Mae) Jones,

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Lindy West's SH*T, ACTUALLY: The Definitive, 100% Objective Guide to Modern Cinema

Sep 25, 2020
3 min

Lindy West's SH*T, ACTUALLY: The Definitive, 100% Objective Guide to Modern Cinema

by Sara Voigt (@meaningfulmadness) Omg. This book came at THE most perfect time for me. Both Jen and Ashley have talked about Lindy West's work on the podcast and in our bookish off-mic conversations, but I have never read one of her books. Shit, Actually, has made me a forever fan. First, Lindy West is not afraid to tell it like it is. She doesn't care if she offends you (or me) or if you don't agree with her. And I. Am. Here. For. It. In Shit, Actually, West delves into so

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Beth O'Leary's THE SWITCH - A Must Read on Audio

Sep 11, 2020
2 min

Beth O'Leary's THE SWITCH - A Must Read on Audio

by Sara Voigt (@meaningfulmadness) Wow. I can't describe to you how much I enjoyed Beth O'Leary's The Switch. It was the perfect book for me at the most perfect time. If you can--listen to this (more on this later). I listened to this book through libro.fm's ALC program. (Quick sidebar: We love libro.fm, because they give back to independent bookstores. We love that! We are also in the process of getting a promo code so our listeners can try out libro.fm! Stay tuned!) This bo

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R. Eric Thomas's HERE FOR IT - Hilarity Ensues

Aug 7, 2020
3 min

R. Eric Thomas's HERE FOR IT - Hilarity Ensues

by Sara Voigt (@meaningfulmadness) I picked up R. Eric Thomas's new book, Here for It: Or, How to Save Your Soul in America, Essays (on both audio and e-book) after hearing rave reviews about it. And let me tell you, it did not disappoint. I am not an easy customer when it comes to essay collections. Often, I find it hard to stay engaged in essay collections, and more often than not, an essay collection takes me a LONG time to finish. This is not the case with Here for It. I

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Farrah Rochon's THE BOYFRIEND PROJECT - Just the Right Amount of Steam!

Jul 17, 2020
2 min

Farrah Rochon's THE BOYFRIEND PROJECT - Just the Right Amount of Steam!

by Sara Voigt (@meaningfulmadness) Romance. Mystery. Women in STEM. Yes, please! I cannot tell you how much I loved Farrah Rochon's contemporary romance novel, The Boyfriend Project. Rochon takes the typical rom-com scenario and turns it on its head. Which, I am here for. The protagonist of the story is Samiah Brooks, a super-smart, super successful computer coder who goes on a terrible date, becomes the target of office gossip, and swears off men for 6 months along with her

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Laura Hankin's HAPPY & YOU KNOW IT--A Wild Ride

Jun 26, 2020
3 min

Laura Hankin's HAPPY & YOU KNOW IT--A Wild Ride

by Sara Voigt (@meaningfulmadness) When I picked my next read recently, I knew I needed contemporary fiction. Not literary fiction. Not historical fiction. So, I chose Laura Hankin's new novel Happy & You Know It. This book begins with Claire, a recently dismissed musician from a band that found fame...right after she was dismissed, as she struggles to find her footing in New York City. She finds herself entangled in a playgroup filled with a privileged, yet diverse, array of

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Knox McCoy's ALL THINGS RECONSIDERED: The Magic Is in the Footnotes!

May 8, 2020
3 min

Knox McCoy's ALL THINGS RECONSIDERED: The Magic Is in the Footnotes!

I just finished Knox McCoy's second book, All Things Reconsidered: How Rethinking What We Know Helps Us Know What We Believe. Thanks to W Publishing for my review copy. His first book, The Wondering Years, was one of my favorite books of 2018. And, I will tell you, his second book is just as good (or better!). What I love about McCoy’s style of writing is the straight-shooting, witty way he addresses difficult and not-so-difficult topics. Unlike many books in this genre, McC

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5 Graphic Memoirs You Should Read Immediately

May 4, 2020
3 min

5 Graphic Memoirs You Should Read Immediately

by Sara Voigt (@meaningfulmadness) Some of us (me!) might be having a hard time getting through books. What better way to get through some books than to read some really great graphic memoirs? If you are not familiar with this sub-genre, I think you are going to be happy you found it. The great thing about graphic novels is that they are quick and have beautiful artwork to enjoy along the way. The great thing about memoirs is they are raw, truthful, and often share moments of

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Jason Reynolds's WHEN I WAS THE GREATEST- Pardon Me While I Fangirl--Sara's Review

Apr 10, 2020
3 min

Jason Reynolds's WHEN I WAS THE GREATEST- Pardon Me While I Fangirl--Sara's Review

I am SO excited to write today, because I have an amazing book to talk to you about for the young people in your life! Full disclaimer, I LOVE Jason Reynolds. If you aren't familiar with Reynolds, he has a pretty prolific array of quality middle/high school work that tackles hard topics in an accessible way. If you follow him on Twitter (@JasonReynolds83), you know he is a delight and such an advocate for children and reading. When I Was the Greatest follows Ali, a 15- year-o

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Rainbow Rowell's CARRY ON- Harry Potter Fans Take Note--Sara's Review

Mar 20, 2020
4 min

Rainbow Rowell's CARRY ON- Harry Potter Fans Take Note--Sara's Review

Let’s talk YA fantasy today. I recently finished a YA backlist title, Carry On by Rainbow Rowell. This came highly recommended to me by bookworms that I trust, so it has been on my list for quite some time. I had read other of Rowell’s work (Eleanor & Park, Fangirl), both of which I loved, so I felt sure Carry On would be no different. I also read this in anticipation of Rowell’s most recent novel, Wayward Son, the follow up to Carry On. The beginning of this novel was a litt

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Helen Hoang's THE KISS QUOTIENT--Can You Say STEAMY?--Sara's Review

Feb 14, 2020
2 min

Helen Hoang's THE KISS QUOTIENT--Can You Say STEAMY?--Sara's Review

First, this book, Helen Hoang's The Kiss Quotient, is totally out of my comfort zone. I like angsty romance (I am sure this can be attributed to the VAST amount of young adult books I read when I taught 8th grade.), but this was a STEAMY romance. Not 50 Shades of Grey steamy (P.S. I totally bailed on that book 1/4 of the way through. Not for me.), but steamy nonetheless. That being said, I did enjoy the book, particularly the main character, Stella Lane. (Side note: Do not mi

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Jan 22, 2020
2 min

Welcome - Introduction and Overview

Just getting started with Unabridged Podcast? Welcome! We're Ashley, Jen, and Sara, and we are teachers and podcasters who are passionate about books. We have four kinds of posts here on our blog. On Mondays, we post about our Bookish Faves, on Tuesdays we do Pub Day Shout-outs, on Wednesdays our episodes drop, and on Fridays, we post book reviews. (Be on the lookout on Thursdays, too; we sometimes have an extra post then!) There are many ways to connect with us! In addition

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Cynthia Leitich Smith's Hearts Unbroken - Sara's Book Review

Dec 27, 2019
2 min

Cynthia Leitich Smith's Hearts Unbroken - Sara's Book Review

Thank you to Candlewick Press for my free review copy of Hearts Unbroken by Cynthia Leitich Smith. This book released on October 9th, 2019. Hearts Unbroken is the story of Louise Wolfe, a Native teenager, Muscogee Nation. She deals with all of the normal teenage angsts-boys, friends, hormones, etc., but she also wrestles with what it is to be a Native person, the “Hollywood Indian” that is commonly used in the narrative of Thanksgiving and other historic events and on sports

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Lisa Lutz's The Swallows --- Sara's Review

Nov 22, 2019
2 min

Lisa Lutz's The Swallows --- Sara's Review

Today I am here to talk to you about a new release by Lisa Lutz, author of The Spellman Files series. Her newest book, The Swallows, grabbed me from page one. Thanks to @randomhouse #partner for my review copy! The Swallows is a novel centered around Stonebridge Academy, a private boarding school in New England. Alexandra (Alex) Witt, our protagonist, finds herself teaching at Stonebridge after a mysterious departure from her last teaching assignment. Once immersed in life at

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Tracey Garvis Graves's THE GIRL HE USED TO KNOW -- Sara's Review

Nov 8, 2019
2 min

Tracey Garvis Graves's THE GIRL HE USED TO KNOW -- Sara's Review

Hey all! Sara here! I am going to talk to you today about a book I absolutely adored. It was one of those books that came at exactly the right time for me as a reader. AND if you know me from the podcast, you know that I am a pretty slow reader and I zipped right through this one. The book is told in first person in alternating perspectives, in alternating timelines. First, we meet Annika. It is 2001 in Chicago and she runs into her college boyfriend, Jonathan, who she has ne

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Busy Philipps's This Will Only Hurt a Little - Sara's Review

Aug 24, 2019
3 min

Busy Philipps's This Will Only Hurt a Little - Sara's Review

Over the last few years, I have so begun to appreciate the art of the celebrity memoir. I have consumed the memoirs of Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Kevin Hart, and Tiffany Haddish. What I have come to realize with this particular genre is if you can listen to the audio of these books and they are read by the author, you must choose that medium. It adds a whole other element to the enjoyment of the book. I have loved Busy Philipps for a long ti me. Although, I wasn’t an early adopte

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