Westmoreland Podcast: Recent Episodes

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This little interlude is a brief “hello!” to let you all know I’m here and thinking of you and still experiencing technical difficulties. I’ll hopefully be back with a full episode next week!

…currently reading…

• What Alice Forgot, by Liane Moriarty

…contact etc…
Email - westmorelandpodcast@gmail.com
Instagram - @westmorelandreads
Website - www.westmorelandpodcast.com
Heidi’s Bookstagram - @heidisbooksjustso 

To help the podcast find the exact right audience, leave a rating and review on iTunes (or wherever you listen!) or give a shoutout and tag on social media. 

Theme music is by SergeQuadrado on Pixabay

Links in the show notes support websites and businesses I use and enjoy, but are not affiliate links and I do not receive any compensation for clicks or orders.

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It took me a minute, but I had to realize that my kids weren’t going to automatically love books I chose for them just because I, also, love to read. I share about some of that journey, my method for both getting my kids to read what they want and what I want, and (cheating a little) two recommendations for you as you (hopefully) raise readers!

…recommendation(s)…

• How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare, by Ken Ludwig
• Birth of an Island, by Millicent E Selsam

…currently reading…

• The Hidden Lives of Trees, by Peter Wohlleben

…other books & things mentioned…

• The Wingfeather Saga, by Andrew Peterson
• Peter Pan, by JM Barrie
• Dogman, by Dav Pilkey
• The Borrowers, by Mary Norton

…contact etc…
Email - westmorelandpodcast@gmail.com
Instagram - @westmorelandreads
Website - www.westmorelandpodcast.com
Heidi’s Bookstagram - @heidisbooksjustso

To help the podcast find the exact right audience, leave a rating and review on iTunes (or wherever you listen!) or give a shoutout and tag on social media.

Theme music is by SergeQuadrado on Pixabay

Links in the show notes support websites and businesses I use and enjoy, but are not affiliate links and I do not receive any compensation for clicks or orders.

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Today’s episode is an amazing story of young Jewish writers and how their work (and much more) was saved during WWII, plus a book recommendation about some very special giraffes. My brain has been so full of these good stories lately; enjoy!

…recommendation…

• West With Giraffes, by Lynda Rutledge

…currently reading…

• Out of the Silent Planet, by CS Lewis

…other books & things mentioned…

• Five articles about the 2017 discovery of Yiddish artifacts: New York Times, YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, Smithsonian Magazine, The Jewish Chronicle, Narratively Article & Podcast Episode
• When I Grow Up, by Ken Krimstein
• YIVO Online Museum

…contact etc…
Email - westmorelandpodcast@gmail.com
Instagram - @westmorelandreads
Website - www.westmorelandpodcast.com
Heidi’s Bookstagram - @heidisbooksjustso

To help the podcast find the exact right audience, leave a rating and review on iTunes (or wherever you listen!) or give a shoutout and tag on social media.

Theme music is by SergeQuadrado on Pixabay

Links in the show notes support websites and businesses I use and enjoy, but are not affiliate links and I do not receive any compensation for clicks or orders.

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This episode is a slight interruption to the regular format so I can share 3 “superlative” reads from August 2022. Since I can’t totally leave you without a story, though, I’m also sharing about a special retreat I took around my birthday weekend and how I basically immersed myself in books the whole time.

…August superlatives…

• People of the Book, by Geraldine Brooks
• Third Culture Kids, by David C Pollock & Ruth E van Reken
• Miss Pickerell Goes to Mars, by Ellen MacGregor

…currently reading…

• Heart Songs, by E Annie Proulx

…other books & things mentioned…

• Book Fare Podcast

…contact etc…Email - westmorelandpodcast@gmail.com
Instagram - @westmorelandreads
Website - www.westmorelandpodcast.com
Heidi’s Bookstagram - @heidisbooksjustso

To help the podcast find the exact right audience, leave a rating and review on iTunes (or wherever you listen!) or give a shoutout and tag on social media.

Theme music is by SergeQuadrado on Pixabay

Links in the show notes support websites and businesses I use and enjoy, but are not affiliate links and I do not receive any compensation for clicks or orders.

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Today I’m sharing an author’s story that captured my attention when I was searching for bookish quotes…I hope the life story of The Neverending Story’s Michael Ende is just as fascinating for you as it was for me. My recommendation this week takes place all around the world; and wrapping up the episode is a quick share of a book I’m currently reading.

Find other biographies of Michael Ende here, here or here.
I mentioned The Thorn Birds here and here.

…recommendation…

• At Home: A Short History of Private Life, by Bill Bryson

…currently reading…

• The Ladies of Missalonghi, by Colleen McCullough

…other books mentioned…

• A list of books by Michael Ende
• The Thorn Birds, by Colleen McCullough

…contact etc…Email - westmorelandpodcast@gmail.com
Instagram - @westmorelandreads
Website - www.westmorelandpodcast.com
Heidi’s Bookstagram - @heidisbooksjustso

To help the podcast find the exact right audience, leave a rating and review on iTunes (or wherever you listen!) or give a shoutout and tag on social media.

Theme music is by SergeQuadrado on Pixabay

Links in the show notes support websites and businesses I use and enjoy, but are not affiliate links and I do not receive any compensation for clicks or orders.

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Back when I was first learning to run (for real), I listened to my first audiobook. It forever linked running, reading, and Kipling in my head…and to my Bookstagram. I’ve also got a 5 star recommendation from the books I’ve read this year so far, and what I’m currently reading.

…recommendation…

• The Girl in His Shadow, by Audrey Blake

…currently reading…

• The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas

…other books mentioned…

• Just-So Stories, by Rudyard Kipling
• The Surgeon’s Daughter, by Audrey Blake

…contact etc…Email - westmorelandpodcast@gmail.com
Instagram - @westmorelandreads
Website - www.westmorelandpodcast.com
Heidi’s Bookstagram - @heidisbooksjustso

To help the podcast find the exact right audience, leave a rating and review on iTunes (or wherever you listen!) or give a shoutout and tag on social media.

Theme music is by SergeQuadrado on Pixabay

Links in the show notes support websites and businesses I use and enjoy, but are not affiliate links and I do not receive any compensation for clicks or orders.

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Welcome to a season 3 preview of Westmoreland Reads! Today I (Heidi) am sharing one of my personal favorite bookish stories from my own middle school reading and travel experiences, as well as giving you a little sneak peek into what’s coming up this season on the podcast.

Disclaimer: though I was a big fan in middle school, as an adult I now consider the Left Behind series a 3ish star example of dystopian fiction and an imaginative rendering of what end times might look like.

…books mentioned…

• The Left BehindSeries, by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B Jenkins (2:08)

…currently reading…

• The People of the Book, by Geraldine Brooks

…contact etc…Email - westmorelandpodcast@gmail.com
Instagram - @westmorelandreads
Website - www.westmorelandpodcast.com
Heidi’s Bookstagram - @heidisbooksjustso

To help the podcast find the exact right audience, leave a rating and review on iTunes (or wherever you listen!) or give a shoutout and tag on social media.

Theme music is by SergeQuadrado on Pixabay

Links in the show notes support websites and businesses I use and enjoy, but are not affiliate links and I do not receive any compensation for clicks or orders.

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Our third mini bonus episode is the finale of Season 2! Lisse talks about a few books she's read recently and we have a little piece of news about the podcast, so listen to the end!

Books Lisse Mentions

• Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
• Untamed by Glennon Doyle
• The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by VE Schwab

Heidi's review of Spinning Silver from the Seaons 1 trailer 

To talk books (or other things), here’s how you can get in touch:

• westmorelandpodcast@gmail.com
• @westmorelandpodcast on Instagram
• www.westmorelandpodcast.com

Our links support websites and businesses we enjoy, but are not affiliate links and we do not receive any compensation for clicks or orders from links in the show notes. Thanks!

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In this second special bonus episode, Lisse talks about a couple of her favorite books and her thoughts on recent movie adaptations.

Books Lisse Mentions

• Dune, by Frank Herbert
• Rebecca, by Daphne DuMaurier

To talk books (or other things), here’s how you can get in touch: 

• westmorelandpodcast@gmail.com
• @westmorelandpodcast on Instagram
• www.westmorelandpodcast.com

Our links support websites and businesses we enjoy, but are not affiliate links and we do not receive any compensation for clicks or orders from links in the show notes. Thanks!

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Season 2, Bonus Episode 1: Lisse’s Favorite Board Games

After a year-long break, we are back to bring closure and wrap up season 2 of the podcast. In this episode Lisse talks about three of her favorite board games and sets the stage for 2 more bonus episodes she recorded last year (right when life got really crazy). Enjoy!

Lisse’s Favorite Board Games

• Azul
• Lost Woods
• Seven Wonders

To talk books (or other things), here’s how you can get in touch:

• westmorelandpodcast@gmail.com
• @westmorelandpodcast on Instagram
• www.westmorelandpodcast.com

Our links support websites and businesses we enjoy, but are not affiliate links and we do not receive any compensation for clicks or orders from links in the show notes. Thanks!

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In this episode, Heidi has a couple stories about great vacation read-alouds and a few classic books to bring along on your next vacation...just in case you find yourself rained out or with some very bookish people. Enjoy!

Books We MentionFind all the books we mention on this episode through this link.

• Life of Pi, by Yann Martel
• Till We Have Faces, by CS Lewis
• The Hobbit, by JRR Tolkien
• The Last Battle, by CS Lewis
• A Room With a View, by EM Forster

Get in touch with us to talk books @westmorelandpodcast, or email westmorelandpodcast@gmail.com.

Our next episode is scheduled for July 30th. Happy reading!

Affiliate disclaimer: all our affiliate links are for abebooks.com...your cost stays the same, but the little kickback from your purchases through our links supports the podcast and helps us keep recording!

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Welcome to the first installment of a seasonal series: the Summer Reading Club! Four #bookstagram friends join forces to talk about books they enjoy and recommend to other readers. Enjoy this episode getting to know Susy, Susan, and Melissa and hear about books and genres they love!

Books We MentionFind all the books we mention on this episode through this link

• The Children’s Blizzard, by Melanie Benjamin
• The Thursday Murder Club, by Richard Osman
• Internment, by Samira Ahmed
• No Judgements, by Meg Cabot
• The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, by Kim Richardson
• Still Life, by Louise Penny
• A Darker Shade of Magic, by VE Schwab
• The Language of Flowers, by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
• The Fountains of Silence, by Ruta Sepetys
• Salt to the Sea, by Ruta Sepetys
• Vienna Prelude, by Bodie & Brock Theone

Other Things We Mention

• Author Meg Cabot on Instagram @officialmegcabot

Get in touch with us to talk books @westmorelandpodcast, or email westmorelandpodcast@gmail.com.

Our next episode is scheduled for July 23rd. Happy reading!

Affiliate disclaimer: all our affiliate links are for abebooks.com...your cost stays the same, but the little kickback from your purchases through our links supports the podcast and helps us keep recording!

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Today’s episode is titled after the random variety of books Heidi read in the month of June. Ten titles ranging from sci fi to graphic novels to British literature, all here and summarized for you in hopes that you find a couple of good books to add to your TBRs. Enjoy!

Books We MentionFind all the books we mention on this episode through this link.

• The Martian, by Andy Weir
• Jefferson’s Sons, by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
• Four Hundred Souls, edited by Ibram X Kendi & Keisha N Blain
• Bone, Vol. 2: The Great Cow Race, by Jeff Smith
• Vienna Prelude, by Bodie & Brock Theone
• The Trumpet of the Swan, by EB White
• Lark Rise to Candleford, by Flora Thompson
• The Power of the Seven, by Darren Tyler
• The Penderwicks, by Jeanne Birdsall
• The Souls of Poor Folk, by Alexander Irvine
• Concrete Rose, by Angie Thomas
• How to Read a Book, by Mortimer J Adler
• A Darker Shade of Magic, by VE Schwab

Get in touch with us to talk books @westmorelandpodcast, or email westmorelandpodcast@gmail.com.

Our next episode is scheduled for July 16th. Happy reading!

Affiliate disclaimer: all our affiliate links are for abebooks.com...your cost stays the same, but the little kickback from your purchases through our links supports the podcast and helps us keep recording!

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On today’s episode, Heidi interviews her bookstagram friend and author Katie Proctor about her new book, Hand in Hand. They cover the book and how it both tells a story and teaches middle grade readers a beginning lesson on civil rights, as well as chat about being moms and fitting all their writing and reading into busy days. Enjoy!

Stuff We Mention

• The Currently Reading Podcast, where both Heidi & Katie are Patreon supporters and love it.
• Puffin Rock on Netflix...the baby’s favorite show!

Books We MentionFind all the books we mention on this episode through this link.

• Shadow and Light: A Journey Into Advent, by Tsh Oxenreider
• My Storied Year, by Katie Proctor
• Hand in Hand, by Katie Proctor
• Project Hail Mary, by Andy Weir
• Souls of Poor Folk, by Alexander Irvine
• My Lady of the Chimney Corner, by Alexander Irvine
• Four Hundred Souls, edited by Ibram X Kendi & Keisha N Blaine

The Movie Heidi Was Talking About...is called No More Baths, and while she can’t vouch for whether it’s problematic, outdated, or even if the acting is good, in her very fuzzy memory it was a great introduction to civil rights, property rights, and race relationships for a young student.

Read more of Katie’s writing on her blog, or get in touch with her @katieproctorwritesandreads on Instagram. Order a copy of My Storied Year or Hand in Hand from your local Indie bookstore, or on Bookshop.org.

Get in touch with us to talk books @westmorelandpodcast, or email westmorelandpodcast@gmail.com.

Our next episode is scheduled for July 9th. Happy reading!

Affiliate disclaimer: all our affiliate links are for abebooks.com...your cost stays the same, but the little kickback from your purchases through our links supports the podcast and helps us keep recording!

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In today’s episode...Lisse’s back! Hooray! Big hugs and all the love as Lisse shares a little bit about her absence from the podcast and how she’s doing now. After catching up a bit, we had a good time talking about books we’re excited to read this Summer. Get ready for lots of backlist gems to add to your TBR’s!

Books We Mention

Find all the books we mention on this episode through this link.

• The Red Rising Series, by Pierce Brown
• Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, by Lisa See
• The Souls of Poor Folk, by Alexander Irvine
• Angela’s Ashes, by Frank McCourt
• My Lady of the Chimney Corner, by Alexander Irvine
• Rebecca, by Daphne DuMaurier
• A Darker Shade of Magic, by VE Schwab
• Nory Ryan’s Song, by Patricia Reilly Giff
• Sula, by Tony Morrison
• Moonstone’s Curse, by Sam Siciliano
• Reading Lolita in Tehran, by Azar Nafisi
• Lark Rise to Candleford, by Flora Thompson

Stuff We Mention

• Overnight on an alpaca farm! (We really hope Lisse wins this super fun prize from her library!)
• Episode 3 with Mindy Brouse
• Easton Press Books

Get in touch with us to talk books @westmorelandpodcast, or email westmorelandpodcast@gmail.com.

Our next episode is scheduled for July 2nd. Happy reading!

Affiliate disclaimer: all our affiliate links are for abebooks.com...your cost stays the same, but the little kickback from your purchases through our links supports the podcast and helps us keep recording!

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On today’s episode, Heidi chats with her Bookstagram friend, Alyssa Kleczynski, about foster care. Alyssa’s family motto is “know better, do better”, and this episode is an effort to do better as Alyssa brings three categories of books about foster care to listeners. Enjoy!

Books We Mention
Find all the books we mention on this episode through this link.

• A Mind Spread Out On the Ground, by Alicia Elliot
• Murder On the Orient Express, by Agatha Christie
• And Then There Were None, by Agatha Christie
• Four Hundred Souls, edited by Ibram X Kendi & Keisha N Blain
• The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert, by Rosaria Butterfield

Foster Care BooksFor People Who Know Nothing…

• Keep the Doors Open, by Kristin Berry
• The Body Keeps the Score, by Bessel Vanderkolk
• Between the World and Me, by Ta-Nehisi Coates

For Those in the Trenches

• The Whole Brain Child & No Drama Discipline, by Daniel Siegel
• The Connected Child & The Connected Parent, by Karen Purvis
• Reframing Foster Care, by Jason Johnson
• Faith, Hope and Connection, by Melissa Corkum
• Try Softer, by Aundi Kolber

For People Wanting to Support Foster Families

• The Gospel Comes With a House Key, by Rosaria Butterfield
• Replanted, by Jen Cook

Other Resources from Alyssa

@fosterthefamilyblog and @fosterthefamilyus with Jamie Finn, on Instagram

@lyssinthelibrary, Alyssa’s Bookstagram

The CASA Program

Get in touch with us to talk books @westmorelandpodcast, or email westmorelandpodcast@gmail.com.

Our next episode is scheduled for June 25th. Happy reading!

Affiliate disclaimer: all our affiliate links are for abebooks.com...your cost stays the same, but the little kickback from your purchases through our links supports the podcast and helps us keep recording!

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Surprise! It’s Wednesday (not Friday) and Heidi is on to let you all know that life “happened” this week with sickness and crazy schedules and the podcast is taking a short “recovery” break. Just in case you need a book-fix, though, we have a few podcasts to recommend where you can get tons of material for your reading. See you next week!

Books We Mention

• Four Hundred Souls, edited by Ibram X Kendi & Keisha N Blain

Podcasts We Mention

• Currently Reading Podcast
• From the Front Porch
• Novel Pairings Podcast
• One Great Book
• Strong Sense of Place
• Poetry Unbound from On Being Studios

Get in touch with us to talk books @westmorelandpodcast, or email westmorelandpodcast@gmail.com.

Our next episode is scheduled for June 18th. Happy reading!

Affiliate disclaimer: all our affiliate links are for abebooks.com...your cost stays the same, but the little kickback from your purchases through our links supports the podcast and helps us keep recording!

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Alexander (Heidi’s husband) joins Heidi today for her reading recap from the month of May. It’s a short discussion about a lot of books...and a little bit of a window into how much fun they have talking together. The sound went a little wonky in the middle, but it works itself out. Enjoy!

Books We Mention

Find all the books we mention on this episode through this link.

• Hello Ninja, by ND Wilson
• The Tale of Peter Rabbit, by Beatrix Potter
• Hush Little Baby
• The Chronicles of Narnia, by CS Lewis
• Celebration of Discipline, by Richard Foster
• The Wingfeather Saga, by Andrew Peterson
• Tongues of Serpents, by Naomi Novik
• The Inheritance of Lion Hall, by Corina Bomann
• Shanghai Girls, by Lisa See
• The Island of Sea Women, by Lisa See
• Dreams of Joy, by Lisa See
• The Family Under the Bridge, by Natalie Savage Carlson
• Nory Ryan’s Song, by Patricia Reilly Giff
• Taking Charge of Your Fertility, by Toni Weschler
• Cycle Savvy, by Toni Weschler
• News from the World, by Paulette Giles
• The Good Earth, by Pearl S Buck
• Iron & Silk, by Mark Salzman
• The Martian, by Andy Weir

Stuff We Mention

• NetGalley - click here and create an account to begin reading advanced reader copies!
• Season 1, Episode 3, with Mindy Brouse

Get in touch with us to talk books @westmorelandpodcast, or email westmorelandpodcast@gmail.com.

Our next episode is scheduled for June 11th. Happy reading!

Affiliate disclaimer: all our affiliate links are for abebooks.com...your cost stays the same, but the little kickback from your purchases through our links supports the podcast and helps us keep recording!

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This episode is a little bit of a housekeeping episode while we figure out our show notes, check in with a reading update from Heidi, and listen to Lisse and Heidi ramble about everything from their teenage selves to the Enneagram and Life Languages personality profiling systems. Enjoy!

Books We Mention

Find all the books we mention on this episode through this link.

• Fable, by Adrienne Young
• Namesake, by Adrienne Young
• Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, by Lisa See
• The Island of Sea Women, by Lisa See
• Shanghai Girls, by Lisa See

Stuff We Mention

Lisa See’s website

Episode 3, with Mindy Brouse

Episode 4, with Sage & Sky

Get in touch with us to talk books @westmorelandpodcast, or email westmorelandpodcast@gmail.com.

Our next episode is scheduled for June 3rd. Happy reading!

Affiliate disclaimer: all our affiliate links are for abebooks.com...your cost stays the same, but the little kickback from your purchases through our links supports the podcast and helps us keep recording!

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In this episode, Sage and Sky Giles join Heidi for a board game/book pairing session, talking about their favorite games and some books Heidi recommends to go alongside them...plus a few bonus books, since Sky just can’t help it. ;) Enjoy!

Books We Mention

Find all the books we mention on this episode through this link.

• Artemis Fowl, by Eoin Colfer
• Tuesdays at the Castle, by Jessica Day George
• Troll Fell, by Katherine Langrish
• The Rook, by Daniel O’Malley
• Ender’s Game, by Orson Scott Card
• The Oracle of Stamboul, by Michael David Lukas
• Escape from Mr Lemoncello’s Library, by Chris Grabenstein
• Sideways Stories from Wayside School, by Louis Sachar
• Knockout, by KA Holt
• Ella Minnow Pea, by Mark Dunn
• Winterhouse, by Ben Guterson

Games We Mention

• Ticket to Ride
• Firefly
• Chess
• Superfight
• Apples to Apples

Get in touch with us to talk books @westmorelandpodcast, or email westmorelandpodcast@gmail.com.

Our next episode is scheduled for May 28th. Happy reading!

Affiliate disclaimer: all our affiliate links are for abebooks.com...your cost stays the same, but the little kickback from your purchases through our links supports the podcast and helps us keep recording!

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We are so delighted to have Mindy Brouse as a guest on today’s episode. Mindy is a host on Bookend Homeschoolers and a cohost of Currently Reading. Today we’re talking about books that are “required reading” for our kids. Get ready: your book lists are about to explode!

Books We Mention

Find all the books we mention on this episode through this link.

• Nory Ryan’s Song, by Patricia Reilly Giff
• The Wingfeather Saga, by Andrew Peterson
• The House of Sixty Fathers, by Meindert DeJong
• I Juan De Pareja, by Elizabeth Borton de Trevino
• The Family Under the Bridge, by Natalie Savage Carlson
• The Book of the Dun Cow, by Walter Wangerin Jr.
• A Single Shard, by Linda Sue Park
• Where the Red Fern Grows, by Wilson Rawls
• Till We Have Faces, by CS Lewis
• Peace Like a River, by Leif Enger
• The Track Series, by Jason Reynolds
• The Nevermoor Series, by Jessica Townsend
• All American Boys, by Jason Reynolds & Brendan Kiely
• The Firekeeper’s Daughter, by Angeline Boulley
• The Gift of Fear, by Gavin Debecker
• The Road Back to You, by Ian Cron & Susan Stabile
• Boundaries, by John Townsend & Henry Cloud
• The Chemistry of Calm, by Henry Emmons
• Harry’s Trees, by Jon Cohen
• Hamnet, by Maggie O’Farrell
• A Celebration of Discipline, by Richard Foster
• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Steven Covey

Get in touch with us to talk books @westmorelandpodcast, or email westmorelandpodcast@gmail.com.

Our next episode is scheduled for May 21st. Happy reading!

Affiliate disclaimer: all our affiliate links are for abebooks.com...your cost stays the same, but the little kickback from your purchases through our links supports the podcast and helps us keep recording!

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Lisse is currently traveling cross-country, so Heidi takes over the podcast today with a short reading recap of all the books she read in April...from chocolate to steamy romance, it’s basically all here in these seven books!

Stuff We Mention

• Heidi’s new thrift shop on Instagram is @thebookshelfshop

Books We Mention

• Victory of Eagles, by Naomi Novik
• A Kiss at Midnight, by Eloisa James
• The Elegance of the Hedgehog, by Muriel Barbery
• Dear Committee Members, by Julie Schumacher
• Dune, by Frank Herbert
• Like Water for Chocolate, by Laura Esquivel
• Milk and Honey, by Rupi Kaur

Get in touch with us to talk books @westmorelandpodcast, or email westmorelandpodcast@gmail.com.

Our next episode is scheduled for May 14th. Happy reading!

Affiliate disclaimer: all our affiliate links are for abebooks.com...your cost stays the same, but the little kickback from your purchases through our links supports the podcast and helps us keep recording!

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We’re back for another season, and so excited to be here! In this episode we talk about how we spent the podcast-break, including a literal break on Lisse’s part, and share a few books we finished recently. The first part of the episode is our life updates, and the book talk starts at about the 12:24 mark, just in case you’d like to skip straight to that. Thanks for listening!

Stuff We Mention

• The Westmoreland Podcast Zazzle store! Here you can find tshirts, a coffee cup, a library bag, and more! Let us know if there is anything else at all you’d like to see a Westmoreland Podcast logo and we’ll add it to the store for you!
• Netgalley for reading books before publication!

Books We Mention

• His Majesty’s Dragon, by Naomi Novik
• Black Powder War & Empire of Ivory, by Naomi Novik (look for the audiobooks!)
• Brooklyn, by Colm Toibin
• Call Me Athena, by Colby Cedar Smith
• A Kiss at Midnight, by Eloisa James
• Paris in Love, by Eloisa James

Get in touch with us to talk books @westmorelandpodcast, or email westmorelandpodcast@gmail.com.

Our next episode is scheduled for May 7th. Happy reading!

Affiliate disclaimer: all our affiliate links are for abebooks.com...your cost stays the same, but the little kickback from your purchases through our links supports the podcast and helps us keep recording!

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Season 2 of the podcast is coming! and in this trailer episode we’re talking about our ideal literary lunch dates with characters from some of our favorite books...as well as Lisse’s crutches, old crushes, and what we’re currently reading. Enjoy!

Books We Mention

• The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
• The Lord of the Rings trilogy, by JRR Tolkien
• Usborne Illustrated Stories from Shakespeare
• The Elegance of the Hedgehog, by Muriel Barbery

Stuff We Mention

• Are hedgehogs lucky? Or just cute?

Get in touch with us to talk books @westmorelandpodcast, or email westmorelandpodcast@gmail.com.

Season 2 is scheduled to begin at the end of April...happy reading!

Affiliate disclaimer: all our affiliate links are for abebooks.com...your cost stays the same, but the little kickback from your purchases through our links supports the podcast and helps us keep recording!

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In this first mini bonus episode, Heidi dives a little deeper into one of her favorite books, H is for Hawk, by Helen Macdonald, and her own experience with grief after losing loved ones. Thanks for listening!

Books Mentioned

• Vesper Flights, by Helen Macdonald
• Falcon, by Helen Macdonald
• Shaler’s Fish, by Helen Macdonald

Find Heidi @heidisbooksjustso on Instagram, and Lisse @lissedolinger. Get in touch with us to talk books @westmorelandpodcast.

Season two is scheduled to begin at the end of April...happy reading!

Affiliate disclaimer: all our affiliate links are for abebooks.com...your cost stays the same, but the little kickback from your purchases through our links supports the podcast and helps us keep recording!

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In this episode we wrap up the season answering questions from our listeners, and a couple for each other too! We talk about our season 1 Listener Survey(which you can still take to add your feedback!), as well as things that are changing or coming up in season 2. Lisse also sings a little, so that’s fun too!

Stuff We Mention:

• Upcoming summer plans, daylights savings time, and traveling!
• Our book spreadsheet, a reference for you to find the 100+ books we’ve mentioned on the podcast so far and in which episode we talked about them!
• How to pronounce Thanhha Lai

Books We Mention:

• Fable, by Adrienne Young
• Namesake, by Adrienne Young
• Mr. Chartwell, by Rebecca Hunt
• An Englishman in Madrid, by Eduardo Mendoza
• Off the Clock, by Laura Vanderkam

Lisse’s recommendation: Listen, Slowly, by Thanhha Lai

Our next season begins at the end of April! ...but stay tuned in between now and then for a few mini bonus episodes, and follow us on Instagram @westmorelandpodcast to keep in touch and talk books. Happy reading!

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In this episode Alexander and Benji come on the podcast and hang out with us and talk books! We also play a lightning round questions game...but not very quickly. From strong opinions about movies to little arguments along the way, we’ve got you covered with a hilarious and book-filled hour for the weekend!

Stuff We Mention:

Carbs, SCUBA, wigs, how squirrels are cute, speeding tickets, deal breakers when we were dating, Star Realms card game, Red Rising game, audiobooks, and much, much...much more.

Books We Mention:

• Dune, Frank Herbert
• Eragon, Christopher Paolini
• Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte
• The Boys in the Boat, Daniel James Brown
• Kitchen Confidential, by Anthony Bourdain
• A Year in Provence, by Peter Mayle
• The Mistborn Series, Brandon Sanderson
• Warbreaker, Brandon Sanderson
• The Wingfeather Saga, by Andrew Peterson
• A Wrinkle in Time, Madeleine L’Engle
• The Space Trilogy, C.S. Lewis
• The Red Rising Series, by Pierce Brown
• Chaos Walking, Patrick Ness
• The Lotus War Trilogy, Jay Kristoff

Movies We Mention:

• Dune
• Eragon
• Julie & Julia
• A Wrinkle in Time
• Chaos Walking

Lisse’s recommendation: The Girl Who Drank the Moon, Kelly BarnhillBenji’s recommendation: The Stormlight Archives, Brandon SandersonHeidi’s recommendation: Paris in Love, Eloisa JamesAlex’s recommendation: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen R. Covey

Our next episode is scheduled to release March 19th, and we’ll be conducting a Q&A to answer listener’s questions as well as a few we have for each other, too. Until then, happy reading!

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Welcome to Episode 10 of the Westmoreland Podcast!

In this episode we talk about some of our favorite movie adaptations of books we love and like and what we look for in movies. We also ask all our listeners to fill out our listener survey and talk about the next season of the podcast and things we’re looking forward to changing (and keeping the same!).

Stuff We Mention

• Our Season 1 Listener Survey...please go take a look and fill it out!
• The podcast's Linktree (on our Instagram too, @westmorelandpodcast)
• Easton Press Books and Juniper Books (we're not sponsored, we just like them!)
• Manga, Japanese writing style we briefly discuss.
• Lisse’s pants that threw Heidi off so much…. (in the bloopers! So listen to the end)

Books We Mention

• The Red Rising Series, by Pierce Brown
• Kiki’s Delivery Service, Eiko Kadono
• The Murmur of Bees, Sofia Segovia (translated by Simon Bruni)
• Jim the Boy, Tony Earley

Movies We Mention

• Secondhand Lions
• Pride & Prejudice
• Little Women
• Julie & Julia
• The Devil Wears Prada
• Dune
• Jane Eyre
• Holes
• The Lord of the Rings
• The Hobbit
• Where’d You Go, Bernadette

Lisse’s recommendation: Dune, by Frank Herbert
Heidi’s recommendation:Where’d You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple

Next up for Heidi: Wearing God, by Lauren F Winner
Next up for Lisse:Listen, Slowly, by Thanhha Lai

Stuff We MissedDune is actually a trilogy… now the ending makes a little more sense... well actually it's a 6 book series. So Lisse found another series unintentionally! And cannot survive without reading the others. Let her know if you have it and want to sell the whole series to her… :)

Our next episode is scheduled to release March 12th, 2021 and we’ve invited our husbands, Benji and Alex, to talk with us on the podcast...and it’s going to be so funny! Happy reading!

Affiliate disclaimer: all our links are Amazon affiliate links...your cost stays the same, but the little kickback from your clicks and purchases through our links helps us keep recording and provide fun things (in the future!) for our listeners too!

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Welcome to Episode 9 of the Westmoreland Podcast!

Well friends, it was only a matter of time before two sisters creating a podcast managed to talk about cycles...and Shakespeare? Yes. Per our usual, we cover a lot of bookish ground in one episode! But don’t worry, the cycle talk is under 2 minutes and includes an awesome resource for teens. Otherwise, in this episode we discuss whether or not we collect books intentionally or just accumulate as many books as possible. It’s maybe a little of both. Also, the outtakes are a whole conversation with strong opinions about chocolate, so don’t miss that...and let us know your chocolate preferences! Thanks for listening!

Stuff We Mention

• Easton Press Books

Books We Mention

• A Fatal Grace, by Louise Penny
• Taking Charge of Your Fertility, by Toni Weschler
• Cycle Savvy, by Toni Weschler
• Usborne Illustrated Stories from Shakespeare, illustrated by Christa Unzner
• How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare, by Ken Ludwig

Lisse’s recommendation: Princess Academy, by Shannon Hale
Heidi’s recommendation: The Three Pines Series, Books 1-3, by Louise Penny

Next up for Lisse: Britt-Marie Was Here, by Fredrik Backman...The Casual Vacancy, by JK Rowling
Next up for Heidi: How Long Til Black Future Month? by NK Jemisin

Our next episode is scheduled to release March 5th, 2021 and we’re talking about movie adaptations of books and our opinions of them. Happy reading!

Affiliate disclaimer: all our links are Amazon affiliate links...your cost stays the same, but the little kickback from your clicks and purchases through our links helps us keep recording and provide fun things (in the future!) for our listeners too!

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Welcome to Episode 8 of the Westmoreland Podcast!

In this episode we’ve got some somewhat apathetic feelings about the books we finished (not all of them are winners, after all) and Heidi talks with our good friend and author, Chad (CT) Giles. Their families have long years and many hours of life together under their belts and the conversation reflects that; from meeting famous authors to grief and even parenting in an age of prevalent pornography...they also just indulge in a good bit of book talk! ...especially his new book, When God Was a Boy. It’s a true picture of what a Friday night might look like with our families in community and late-night conversation and we are so excited we get to share it with you. Heidi actually forgot to recommend a book or talk about what she’s reading next, but we think that’s okay. Find details about Chad’s book below, and enjoy this longer episode with our very first author interview!

Stuff & People We Mention

• The Bema Podcast
• Orson Scott Card
• Dallas Willard
• Episode 5, when Lisse talks about Fable

Books We Mention

• Dr. Seuss’s Sleep Book
• Fable, by Adrienne Young
• The Witch’s Boy, by Kelly Barnhill
• Ender’s Game, by Orson Scott Card
• Moby Dick, by Herman Melville
• War and Peace, by Leo Tolstoy

Chad’s recommendation: The Benedict Option, by Rod Dreher

Author Interview: When God Was a Boy, by CT GilesGet in touch with Chad, read the first chapter of When God Was a Boy, and preorder your hardback at the website linked here. We are so excited for the next phase of publishing; the first chapter has already reached around the world, and your participation in listening to the podcast and reading will help it go even farther.

Our next episode is scheduled to release February 26th, 2021 and will feature a deep dive into our libraries and book collecting habits. Happy reading!

Affiliate disclaimer: all our links are Amazon affiliate links...your cost stays the same, but the little kickback from your clicks and purchases through our links helps us keep recording and provide fun things (in the future!) for our listeners too!

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Welcome to Episode 7 of the Westmoreland Podcast!

In this episode we jump into how we rate the books we read and the individual systems we use to record those ratings. We reference GoodReads rating, what we like and don’t like about rating, we talk about plastic bag heads (at least, in the outtakes), and freelancing. Thanks for listening!

Stuff We Mention

• Heidi’s Freelance Profile
• GoodReads’ Rating System
• Jinx Game
• Black History Month
• Author Highlight: Georgette Heyer

Books We Mention

• A Grief Observed, by C.S. Lewis
• Snowdrift and Other Stories, by Georgette Heyer
• Vinegar Hill, by A. Manette Ansay
• Men Beyond the Law, by Max Brand
• H is for Hawk, by Helen Macdonald

Lisse’s recommendation: The Witch’s Boy, by Kelly Barnhill (narrated by Ralph Lister)
Heidi’s recommendation: A Homemade Life, by Molly Wizenberg

Next up for Lisse: If I Stay & Where She Went, by Gayle Foreman
Next up for Heidi: Using Black History Month to kick off some diverse reading with...

• A Lesson Before Dying, by Ernest J. Gaines
• How Long until Black Future Month, by N.K. Jemisin
• Paradise, by Toni Morrison
• Song of Solomon, by Toni Morrison

Stuff We Missed:
Gayle Foreman’s If I Stay Collection are not thrillers…they are romances. Just so you know. :)

Our next episode is scheduled to release February 19th, 2021 and will feature Heidi's interview with our friend and new author CT Giles. Happy reading!

Affiliate disclaimer: all our links are Amazon affiliate links...your cost stays the same, but the little kickback from your clicks and purchases through our links helps us keep recording and provide fun things (in the future!) for our listeners too!

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Welcome to Episode 6 of the Westmoreland Podcast!

We started this episode with the intention of briefly discussing a few books that have helped us grow as people and also been a lot of fun but guys, this turned into a sisterly deep dive. We cover meditation, marriage, prioritization, and so much more. Thanks for listening!

Stuff We Mention

• Financial Peace University
• Heidi’s Instagram highlight about “making good choices”
• Salted caramel hot chocolate...because Lisse’s chocolate-for-breakfast was gross, and she needs a better option

Books We Mention

• Boys in the Boat, by Daniel James Brown
• The FitzOsbornes in Exile, by Michelle Cooper
• Seekers of the Wild Realm, by Alexandra Ott
• Celebration of Discipline, by Richard Foster
• The Sacred Year, by Michael Yankoski
• A Severe Mercy, by Sheldon Vanauken
• The Inquisitor’s Tale, by Adam Gidwitz
• Outlander, by Diana Gabaldon
• The Princess and the Goblin, by George Macdonald
• The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, by Alexander McCall Smith

Lisse’s recommendation: The Shades of Magic Series, by VE Schwab
Heidi’s recommendation: The Giver, by Lois Lowry

Next up for Lisse: Garden City, by John Mark Comer and Men Beyond the Law, by Max Brand
Next up for Heidi: Peace Like a River, by Leif Enger

Stuff We Missed:
There are actually 21 books in the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency Series. Here are books 1-20, and here is number 21, called How to Train an Elephant. Also, the Max Brand book Lisse mentions is over $900 on Amazon...oh my! We linked it anyway so you can go look, just for fun.

Our next episode is scheduled to release February 12th, 2021 and we’ll talk about how we rate books we finish. Happy reading!

Affiliate disclaimer: all our links are Amazon affiliate links...your cost stays the same, but the little kickback from your clicks and purchases through our links helps us keep recording and provide fun things (in the future!) for our listeners too!

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Welcome to Episode 5 of the Westmoreland Podcast!

In this episode we’ve got some fun bookish-project updates for you all and some great recommendations and books we’ve finished to share. We also talk about whether we’re book-buyers or more library users, and have a great discussion about some of the lesser-known places we find our books. We end up all over the map and deep into the world of thrifting for books, and we hope you enjoy the conversation!

Stuff We Mention

• The Libby app
• The Hoopla app
• Heidi’s scratch-off world map

Books We Mention

• To Sleep in a Sea of Stars, by Christopher Paolini
• A Brief History of Montmaray, by Michelle Cooper
• The Woman on the Orient Express, by Lindsay Jayne Ashford
• The Edge, by Dick Francis
• One Hundred Years of Solitude, by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Lisse’s recommendation: Fable, by Adrienne Young
Heidi’s recommendation: The Head of the Saint, by Socorro Acioli

Next up for Lisse: Namesake, by Adrienne Young
Next up for Heidi: Airman’s Odyssey, by Antione de St Exupery

Stuff We Missed:Just so you know, A Brief History of Montmaray is a young adult novel (but Heidi didn’t feel like that fits).

Our next episode is scheduled to release February 5th, 2021 and will feature our top books from January as well as books that have helped us grow as people...or just been a lot of fun. Happy reading!

Affiliate disclaimer: all our links are Amazon affiliate links...your cost stays the same, but the little kickback from your clicks and purchases through our links helps us keep recording and provide fun things (in the future!) for our listeners too!

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Welcome to episode 4 of the Westmoreland Podcast!

In this episode we discuss our first buddy read, The Nightingale, by Kristin Hannah. We do our best to give NO spoilers, but we do include a couple of quotes from the book. We also have a fun chat about our bookish dreams, including (but not limited to) having personal libraries and Little Free Libraries. Lastly, we may or may not gush about another favorite book podcast...a lot! We hope you enjoy this longer episode full of good discussion and goofy laughter.

Stuff We Mention

• Lisse’s bookends (a Christmas gift: thank you Niki!)
• Don’t YOU want a Delorean??
• Strong Sense of Place Podcast

Books We Mention

• The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, by Marie Kondo
• The Babysitter’s Club Series, by Ann M. Martin
• The Zion Covenant Series, by Bodie Thoene
• Writers & Lovers, by Lily King
• Ready Player One, by Ernest Cline
• Ready Player Two, by Ernest Cline
• Murder on the Orient Express, by Agatha Christie

Lisse’s recommendation: The Martian, by Andy Weir
Heidi’s recommendation: The Boys in the Boat, by Daniel James Brown

Next up for Lisse: The Woman on the Orient Express, by Lindsay Jayne Ashford (narrated by Justine Eyre)
Next up for Heidi: Seekers of the Wild Realm, by Alexandra Ott

Our next episode is scheduled to release January 29th, 2021, and we'll discuss our favorite and sometimes secret places we find and buy our books.

Affiliate disclaimer: all our links are Amazon affiliate links...your cost stays the same, but the little kickback from your clicks and purchases through our links helps us keep recording and provide fun things (in the future!) for our listeners too!

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Welcome to episode 3 of the Westmoreland Podcast!

In this episode we discuss our favorite books of all time, giving honorable mention to those childhood favorites we continually re-read, and this episode is heavy on book series mentions, so fair warning! We also allow ourselves a tangent to discuss hijacked sneezes and yawns, staying true to our belief that you truly can learn something new every day (timestamps for the tangent are 13:03-14:26, just in case you want to skip it and stick with the book talk...we won’t be offended).

Stuff We Mention

• Scratch off World & USA map for Heidi’s 2021 reading goal
• The Ready Player One movie
• The LEGO IDEAS Igiby Cottage from The Wingfeather Saga

Books We Mention

• Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library, by Chris Grabenstein
• Ready Player One, by Ernest Cline
• A Darker Shade of Magic, by VE Schwab
• City of Ghosts, by VE Schwab
• The Chronicles of Narnia, by CS Lewis
• Anne of Green Gables Series, by LM Montgomery
• A Wrinkle in Time Series, by Madeleine L’Engle
• The Little House on the Prairie Series, by Laura Ingalls Wilder
• The Calvin and Hobbes Collection, by Bill Watterson
• The Monster at the End of This Book, by Jon Stone
• The Wingfeather Saga, by Andrew Peterson
• The Temeraire Series, by Naomi Novik
• Fountains of Silence, by Ruta Sepetys
• Between Shades of Gray, by Ruta Sepetys
• The Red Rising Series, by Pierce Brown
• Armada, by Ernest Cline
• Skyward, by Brandon Sanderson
• Introverted Mom, by Jamie C Martin
• Treasuring Christ When Your Hands are Full, by Gloria Furman
• Peace Like A River, by Leif Enger
• Warbreaker, by Brandon Sanderson

Lisse’s recommendation: The Sherlock Holmes Series, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Heidi’s recommendation: Mr. Chartwell, by Rebecca Hunt

Next up for Lisse: Ready Player Two, by Ernest Cline, Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson
Next up for Heidi: The Nightingale, by Kristin Hannah

Stuff We Missed…So,City of Ghosts is not part of the same series as A Darker Shade of Magic, by VE Schwab. Oops. Also, the “LEGO Ideas” page is actually a page where anyone can propose set ideas to LEGO for creation...so that’s cool. This section of show notes could be called “welcome to the podcast where we are excited and make mistakes. It's great to be human!" ;)

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Welcome to Episode 2 of the Westmoreland Podcast!

In this episode, Lisse realizes that she craves really good novels and wonders...can our listeners help her out with some recommendations? Heidi indulges in some childhood nostalgia, and then we discuss our reading goals (or lack thereof) for 2021.
We also announce our January buddy read: The Nightingale, by Kristin Hannah. We hope you’ll join us in reading and send in your comments and thoughts for our episode on January 22nd! We’ll be sure to include some listener comments in that episode too.

Stuff We MentionStrong Sense of Place podcast...and The Edge, by Dick Francis is the book Heidi bought on impulse after hearing their episode about trains.

Books We Mention

• Buttermilk (The Serendipity Books), by Stephen Cosgrove
• The Chronicles of Narnia, by CS Lewis
• The Virgin Blue, by Tracy Chevalier
• Where the Crawdads Sing, by Delia Owens
• Remarkable Creatures, by Tracy Chevalier
• A Single Thread, by Tracy Chevalier
• Girl With the Pearl Earring, by Tracy Chevalier
• The Eragon Series, by Christopher Paolini

Heidi’s recommendation: I Shall Be Near to You, by Erin Lindsay McCabe
Lisse’s recommendation: Warbreaker, by Brandon Sanderson

Next up for Lisse: To Sleep in a Sea of Stars, by Christopher Paolini
Next up for Heidi: H is for Hawk, by Helen Macdonald

Our next episode is scheduled to release January 15th, 2021.

Affiliate disclaimer: all our links are Amazon affiliate links...your cost stays the same, but the little kickback from your clicks and purchases through our links helps us keep recording and provide fun things (in the future!) for our listeners too!

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Welcome to Episode 1 of the Westmoreland Podcast!

In this episode, we introduce ourselves by recapping our reading in 2020 as well as share some of our personal stories as readers. Spoiler alert: we have seven kids in our family and grew up overseas, so we have lots to talk about. We also recommend one book each and let our listeners in on what we’re planning to read next. Don’t forget to stick around for the outtakes...you never know who might show up!

Stuff We Mention

• Heidi’s reading journals
• Lisse’s reading journal

Books We Mention

• Artemis, by Andy Weir
• Persuasion, by Jane Austen
• The Thorn Birds, by Colleen McCullough
• My Storied Year, by Katie Proctor
• The Wingfeather series, by Andrew Peterson
• His Majesty’s Dragon, by Naomi Novik
• At the Back of the North Wind, by George Macdonald
• Little Fires Everywhere, by Celeste Ng

Things We Forgot

Heidi forgot to mention that My Storied Year was written by her Bookstagram friend, Katie Proctor! Get in touch with Katie on Bookstagram @katieproctorwritesandreads.

Our next episode is scheduled to release January 8th, 2021.

Affiliate disclaimer: all our links are Amazon affiliate links...your cost stays the same, but the little kickback from your clicks and purchases through our links helps us keep recording and provide fun things (in the future!) for our listeners too!

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Welcome to the first (sort of) episode of Westmoreland Podcast!

In this trailer/teaser discussion Heidi & Lisse are talking about Jolabokaflod, the Icelandic tradition surrounding books & Christmas, and how they celebrate with their spouses.

Books We Mention

• Sleeping Giants, Sylvain Neuvel
• The Parable of the Sower, by Octavia Butler
• Kindred, by Octavia Butler
• The Brothers Karamazov, by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
• The Five Kingdoms series, by Brandon Mull
• The Unknown Ajax, by Georgette Heyer
• Out of the Easy, by Ruta Sepetys
• Caroline: Little House, Revisited, by Sarah Miller
• Spinning Silver, by Naomi Novik
• The Mark of the Lion trilogy, by Francine Rivers

Lisse is currently reading… Persuasion, by Jane Austen

Heidi is currently reading… The Thorn Birds, by Colleen McCullough

Fact Check! Lisse mentioned that Iceland has the most books published per capita in the world, but actually found out since recording that the UK currently holds that distinction...and it was big news when it happened in 2017.

Subscribe and watch for our first official episode scheduled to release January 1st, 2021!

Affiliate disclaimer: all our links are Amazon affiliate links...your cost stays the same, but the little kickback from your clicks and purchases through our links helps us keep recording and provide fun things (in the future!) for our listeners too!