Westmoreland Reads Podcast

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 Behind Series, 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.

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!

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!

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!

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 Mention
Find 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!

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 Mention
Find 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!

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 Mention
Find 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!

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 Mention
Find 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!

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!

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 Books
For 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!

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!

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!

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!

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!