This podcast is for you if you love sad books and a good cry. Today we discuss our top book recommendations for heart-wrenching stories that can pull at every heartstring.
My guest, @passions_and_prologues joins us with his top recommendations for thought-provoking and beautifully written stories that allow us to fully immerse ourselves in our seasonal depression and embrace those sad endings.
Adam Sokol the host of the Passions and Prologues podcast, has a passion for just these kinds of recommendations and discusses his new literary podcast today. This show gives readers new authors to love, and a peek at some of their most beloved passions beyond the bookish world.
He has spent over a decade in the literary world interviewing authors and promoting books. He will read anything that is written well but is especially drawn to small, heartfelt stories with big emotions, literary and speculative fiction, and stories with a touch of magic and nostalgia.
I am happy to be a loyal listener of his show and have loved listening to his guests discuss everything from strategic packing for trips to their love for weightlifting.
We discuss how Adam leads these unique conversations and how his job at Overdrive for eleven years has helped him land such amazing guests.
Get out your tissues for today’s episode!!
Sad Books for When You Want to Ugly Cry
Listen to the Show
Book Gang Podcast Episode 43:
Listen below or listen on your favorite podcast listening platform!
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Looking for your next great book to read? We share our favorite new-release books for fall (and a few backlist faves). Print this fall reading guide for your next library day!
This is our Season 2 kickoff episode of the new Book Gang podcast.
The Book Gang podcast celebrates debuts, backlist, and under-the-radar book selections. Expand your book stack with my recommendations and look at the book industry behind the scenes.
On each epsiode I share the microphone with my favorite writers and bookstagrammers to help you have your best reading year ever.
This project is completely crowd-funded through our patrons through Patreon. A membership costs only FIVE DOLLARS a month!
As a thank you, we offer offer loads of reader perks including this monthly podcast with the latest book reviews, book news, and what hits your bookstore shelves every month.
Fully Booked is available as a podcast and we share a printable newsletter so you can read, screenshot, or print what you need for your next library day.
Patrons also get access to the spreadsheet of every book that is mentioned on our show so you can plan your best reading month.
This show is hosted with Larry Hoffer, one of my favorite people in the world and trusted book reviewer.
He reads HUNDREDS of books and then tells our patrons his favorites from his stack.
He is my best friend forever, and I’m honored to share his voice.
This month’s stack highlights two 2023 book club selections, stories that catch those fall vibes, small-town love stories, and the magical realism book that ended up being a surprise hit.
We also have lots of romance spice to pair with your pumpkin spice this year!
Due to the length of our show, this has been uploaded as a two-part podcast today.
The player is embedded or you can subscribe to Book Gang wherever you get podcasts!
19 New Books to Read This Fall (PRINTABLE GUIDE)
SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM TO DOWNLOAD THE FALL READING GUIDE
Stream these cozy fall movies and tv recommendations for the autumn season. This list of 22 cozy classics also includes some fun new releases you may have missed!
From our marriage & parenting contributor, Mary Carver.
The moment the calendar turned to September, I started seeing posts about how it was time.
And while, yes, I saw and heard plenty of people celebrating the return of pumpkin spice season, that’s not what I’m talking about.
I’m referring to all the people starting their annual rewatch of Gilmore Girls, a practice that can only logically take place in the fall.
Some shows, as well as plenty of movies and books, just give us the coziest fall vibes.
Our pediatrician just said this week that she re-reads Harry Potter every single fall.
(Note: You’ve probably heard of most of these, so I won’t bore you with long plot summaries. Instead, I’m saving you time by doing the research, aka scrolling through all my streaming services, and curating a list just for you!)
22 Fall Movies & TV Shows To Cozy Up With Right Now
12 of the Best Fall Movies To Try
You’ve Got Mail (Hulu) – “Don’t you love New York in the fall?” Obviously this is my number one pick! The adorable rom com doesn’t quite hold up in every way, but do I still love it? Yep. I do. What could be better than the chemistry between Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan?
When Harry Met Sally (Netflix) – Speaking of New York in the fall, this romantic classic highlights the city in our favorite season like none other.
Love, Guaranteed (Netflix) – Fabulous sweaters, scarves, and coats and plenty of colorful leaves add a coziness to this cute romantic comedy.
Practical Magic (HBO Max) – Would you believe I hadn’t seen this movie about witch sisters until a couple years ago? Since then, it’s spooky season required watching for me!
Beautiful Creatures(Prime) – Speaking of magic, this movie based on a YA novel is gothic and dramatic in the way magical teens are dramatic. And it takes place in fall, so there you have it!
The Edge of Seventeen (Netflix) – This coming-of-age comedy has plenty of drama and jackets. The sarcasm is thick in this one, and so are the falling leaves. It’s a good fall watch!
Dead Poet’s Society(Prime) – Seize the day to watch this boarding school drama and just try not to be inspired all over again. Plus, who doesn’t want to visit New England in the fall? (starring Robin Williams)
Knives Out (Netflix) – Before the sequel comes out this winter, take time to revisit Chris Evans and his sweater, Daniel Craig and his accent, and this dysfunctional family and their mystery.
The Adam Project (Netflix) – Does this movie take place in the fall? I’m not sure, but they do wear jackets and it’s strangely heartwarming for a science fiction, action film. Therefore, I deem it fall appropriate!
Coco (Disney+) – This animated movie is about a young boy and his family as they celebrate the Day of the Dead. The music is catchy, the colors are vibrant, and the story is moving. What more could you ask for from Pixar?
Fantastic Mr. Fox (Hulu) – I haven’t seen this animated movie based on the Roald Dahl book, but my brother tells me it is, truly, fantastic. And the internet says it is, truly, a fall movie. I’ve bumped it up on my family’s to-watch list for this month!
And coming this fall:
The Storied Life of AJ Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin is being adapted into a movie starring Kunal Nayyar, Lucy Hale, and Christina Hendricks.
I actually haven’t read this beloved and frequently recommended book (I know! I will read it soon! I promise!), but I hear it’s quite cozy and the trailer for the movie has characters wearing a lot of sweaters and jackets. Plus, it’s coming out on October 7. Which is in the fall. Therefore, it’s a fall movie!
Only Murders in the Building (Hulu) – A twisty mystery that keeps you guessing, the surprisingly sweet friendship between the three main characters, and all the puffy coats Selena wears make this a great fall-feeling movie.
A Discovery of Witches (AMC+) – This fantasy about vampires, witches, and demons that’s based on the books by Deborah Harkness is moody in every way and perfect for a spooky watch this season.
Friday Night Lights (Prime or Peacock) – Fall means football, right? And while this show is about so much more than sports, everyone knows the most important season in Dillon is football season (aka, fall).
My So-Called Life (Hulu) – With its flannel and melancholy, fall is the perfect season for Gen X-ers. And few shows are more Gen X than this gone-before-its-time show.
Freaks & Geeks (Paramount+) – Speaking of short-lived shows and flannel, this is another fall-feeling show set in a school—and even has episodes about marching band and Halloween!
Good Witch (Netflix) – Small town witch inherits a haunted mansion in a show from the Hallmark Channel? Can it get any more fall-ish?
Charmed (Peacock & Netflix) – Three witchy sisters, both in the original show and the reboot, say the magic word. (It’s “fall.” Fall is the magic word!)
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (Netflix) – What can I say? Shows about witches give me fall feels. I’m too much of a scaredy cat for this one, but if you like creepy, scary stuff, this might be for you!
Halloween Wars (discovery+) – Get crafty with this seasonal competition series featuring candy makers, cake decorators, and—are you ready for this fall-ness?—pumpkin carvers!
Anne with an E (Netflix) – Like Anne, I’m so glad I live in a world with Octobers. Aren’t you?
I hope these movies and TV shows are just what you need to get into the fall mood. Grab your favorite pumpkin (or apple) spice drink and a soft blanket, and get your fall vibes on with one of these movies or shows!
What movies or TV shows do you like to watch in the fall?
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Love these recommendations? Here are two other fun fall recommendations!
Learn how body doubling can help you stay on task and improve your executive function as an adult or teen with ADHD. Get my top virtual videos to get started!
Friends, I have missed you!
It’s so good to be back at my desk after battling “the virus that must not be named.” It was just as awful as I’d expected, but we had a protocol to activate as soon as I got that positive test.
I’ve struggled with motivation since all of this, but today I wanted to share the incredible productivity hack that has changed my work-from-home life since the health chaos began.
After eighteen years of working from home, you would assume that I would have the best systems to be productive in my daily life.
You would be wrong.
The truth is, I struggle EVERY DAY and had even considered spending the money on a co-working space to hold me accountable to my work day.
I did unlock the secret for working alone while incorporating a motivating presence in my life though and it just might surprise you.
Not only is this hack helpful for people with ADHD. It’s also helpful for anyone struggling with mental health or chronic illness.
I want to talk about how body doubling can improve the lives of you or your teen/tween today!
What is Body Doubling?
Body doubling is a productivity strategy where someone can work alongside you to complete a challenging task. You can do these sessions virtually or in person with a friend or family member.
I want you to close your eyes and think about the thing that you have been putting off.
Do you see a stack of bills you haven’t paid yet?
An overflowing hamper?
The refrigerator with expired food?
The basket of socks that never got matched?
Now imagine you had a friend to do that with you.
How would this change your perception of that task?
For many people with ADHD, the presence of someone else can be just the motivation they need to stay on track.
When I think about this, I think about ways I have unknowingly done this for people in my life. There have also been people who have come to our house that sat as I folded a load of laundry, meal prepped, or cleaned my kitchen.
In those moments, it didn’t feel so burdensome. It is, perhaps, why body doubling works so well for my work life.
Do You Need ADHD to Benefit From This? NOPE!
I have not gone through the process of ADHD diagnosis because the medications that I would use to treat it wouldn’t be an option for me with my current health issues.
In case you missed it, this is something we talked about on my Book Gang podcast with Paula Engebretson, a Certified Life Coach specializing in helping adults with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) live their best lives.
Specifically, we discussed how many women get diagnosed at this stage in our lives and some ways to improve reading memory and focus through that.
It’s such an impactful episode that has changed my reading life and many of my listeners.
Listen to this episode below:
Personally, I know that I display every symptom of ADHD because it runs in my family, AND I happen to live with people who have it too.
I have gotten around treatment by choosing a job that works with my brain, but hormonal shifts and brain fog have made things even more challenging.
After that episode, I’ve been on a quest to figure out how to continue working WITH my brain, and it is through that research I discovered how body doubles work and how to use them to motivate me.
In fact, I’m using a body double RIGHT NOW to write this post.
The best part is that this productivity hack is completely free.
There are several excellent virtual options if you need a body double but don’t have a partner to work with at home.
This is how I manage the work portions on my to-do list and how my daughter finds study-date partners when she needs to accomplish studying for tests.
My preferred working method is recorded sessions on YouTube (see below for some of my favorite options).
this is an example of the breaks that are provided on screen
Many of these previously recorded sessions rely on the Pomodoro setup technique. Five-minute breaks follow these 25-minute sessions of work for recorded sessions that are, typically, two hours.
I didn’t know how motivating it would be to have a “pretend” work-from-home buddy, but I find it even more effective than anything else I’ve done for my WFH life.
There is no pressure to make small talk, someone else is monitoring the timer for our work sessions, and it puts me in the mood to get my to-do list done.
We have the Samsung Frame TV, and I can cast my favorite videos onto the television.
If you don’t have a room with a TV, you can utilize your tablet or phone to pull up the video.
Personally, I do find the larger screen to be more impactful while I’m working, and I love it displaying at eye level.
It helps brings the accountability aspect into focus.
How to Find a Live Virtual Body Double
Focusmate offers body doubling sessions with an accountability partner for a live, virtual co-working session that will keep you on task. They offer three free sessions a week or you can pay $5 to have unlimited sessions.
They have shared that 95.5% of their users reported a significant increase in productivity and reduced procrastination.
You can also find users sharing live sessions on TikTok if you search for body doubles.
So I guess social media isn’t ALL bad, is it?
How We Help Each Other as Body Doubles in Our Home
If you live with a friend or family member that can act as your support group through a task, you might not need to call on a virtual double.
Now that he is TWENTY (how is this possible?), we still work together as accountability partners and utilize this simple to-do checklist board with our most important tasks. Our to-do list is almost identical, so we check on each other throughout the day or do these tasks together.
You can see that these are VERY modest goals because I want to honor my body and where it is now.
I usually work much more than the time on my chart, but this allows me to check it even when I’m having a bad day. That is the difference between a day I’m proud of and a day that makes me feel bad about myself.
Want to give this productivity hack a try? Here are some of my favorite videos to get you started!
Try These Videos For Working at Home (or Studying)
Be sure to also look up any task you need help with- folding laundry, daily hygiene tasks, or cleaning/organizing are all available with a simple search.
Want more help with that WFH life? Check out these posts!
