Books Around the Block

Book-to-screen adaptations are everywhere, and we’re talking about the end-of-year 2026 movies and TV shows we’re most excited to watch! In this episode of Books Around the Block, each of us picks one upcoming book adaptation we cannot wait to see on screen. Will we choose one you're also looking forward to (Verity... Harry Potter... Hunger Games) or will we bring an adaptation to your attention you didn't know about?
We’re chatting about the plots, the casts, and the reads you loved coming to your screen in October, November, and December 2026. Do we think these stories will live up to the books we loved? Tune in now! If you love books, movies, TV shows, BookTok, and seeing your favorite novels brought to life, this episode is for you!
Which 2026 book-to-screen adaptation are YOU most excited to watch?
Seek Immediate Shelter by Vincent Yu
Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman
The Golden Spoon by Jessa Maxwell
Sunrise on The Reaping by Suzanne Collins
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
Verity by Colleen Hoover
 Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito
The Bodyguard by Katherine Center
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
Strangers by Belle Burden

The final months of 2026 are here, and we’re looking ahead to new books coming in October, November, and December 2026! Each host is sharing her top 3 most anticipated new book releases for Quarter 4, giving you 9 books to add to your fall and winter TBR.
From highly anticipated new releases and bestselling authors to hidden gem picks and books we think you’re going to be talking about all season, we’re breaking down the October, November, and December 2026 book releases we can’t wait to read. If you’re looking for your next great read, want to build your TBR list, or love knowing which new books are worth watching, this episode is for you!
We also dive DEEP into the true crime documentary Death of the Pastor's Wife on Netflix.
Good People by Patmeena Sabit
The Academy by Elin Hilderbrand
Slasher Summer by E.L. Chen
Back Where We Started by Becca Freeman
Bad Words by Rioghnach Robinson
It’s Beginning to Look a lot Like Murder by Ally Carter
The Betrayal of Cora Wexford by Bethany Joy Lentz
The Witch by Freida McFadden
When They Find Me by Carter Wilson
Whale Harbor by Mary Beth Keane
A Court of Splintered Harmony by Sarah J Maas
Wolf Point by Lisa Howells
Strangers by Belle Burden

Looking for your next great read? In this month's reading recap, we're sharing every book we read in August, including our favorite book, our biggest disappointment, and one book we just had to rant or rave about. Whether you're searching for your next five-star read or hoping to avoid a book that didn't live up to the hype, we've got plenty of honest opinions and book recommendations to add to your TBR.
Then we're looking ahead to September and each sharing the two books we're hoping to read this month. From new releases to backlist favorites, we're talking about the books we currently have on our TBR.
If you love book recommendations, monthly reading wrap-ups, TBR videos, book club discussions, romance books, thrillers, historical fiction, literary fiction, and all things Bookstagram and BookTok, you'll feel right at home with Books Around the Block.
Follow the podcast so you never miss a new episode every Tuesday, and come read with us!
The Shampoo Effect by Jenny Jackson
Into the Wild by John Krakauer
 The Academy by Elin Hildebrand
The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett
 The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow
Wild Atlantic by Cillian Dunn
 My Husband’s Wife by Alice Feeney
 Love and Other Killers by Brynne Weaver
All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Brynn Greenwood
Love You More by Emily Griffin
Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead by Mai Nguyen
Emma B Lions (vol 3) by Beth Brower
The Thoroughbreds by Elin Hildebrand
The Bright Side by Sarah Damoff
Trust Fall by Lynn Painter
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
A Married Little Christmas by Abby Jimenez
Incidents Around The House by Josh Malerman

It’s time for our August book club discussion! In this episode of Books Around the Block, we’re diving into Whistler by Ann Patchett, sharing our ratings and discussing the book in full, including characters, relationships, major themes, favorite moments, and all of our thoughts on the ending. Warning: this episode contains full spoilers for Whistler.
We’re also announcing our September book club pick, so stick around to find out what we’ll be reading next! If you love book club discussions, Ann Patchett books, book reviews, spoiler discussions, book recommendations, and finding your next great read, this episode is for you.
What did you think of Whistler? Did it live up to the hype? Listen in for our full review, ratings, and spoiler-filled discussion!
Five by Ilona Bannister
The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow
The Five Star Weekend by Elin Hildebrand
Strangers by Belle Burden

It's time to go back to school! In this episode of Books Around the Block, we're sharing 6 must-read books set in schools, colleges, boarding schools, and academic settings, or books that are academia adjacent. Each of us brings two books to the table, covering everything from school drama and campus life to academia, boarding schools, dark academia, secrets, friendships, and more.
Whether you're looking for back to school books, books set at school, campus romance, or dark academia reads, we've got plenty of books to add to your TBR. 
You don't have to go back to school to read these books!
My Husband’s Wife by Alice Feeney
Whistler by Ann Patchett
The Five Star Weekend by Elin Hildebrand
The Lake of Dead Languages by Carol Goodman
Heart the Lover by Lily King
The Women in White by Sarah Pekkanen
The Academy by Elin Hildebrand
Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood
Icebreaker by Hannah Grace