Sarah's Bookshelves Live

It's been an unpredictable year in publishing! Literary agent Michelle Brower, co-founder of Trellis Literary Management, joins Sarah to talk about the surprises, shifting sales trends, and changing relationships between indie and traditional publishing. They also get into what's working (and what isn't), play a round of Bookish Over-Under, and look ahead to what 2027 might bring.

This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
Highlights
Why 2026 has been such an unpredictable year for publishing.
How indie publishing success stories are changing the way traditional publishers do business.
What's behind the slump in nonfiction sales?
Which genres and book trends are holding strong, and which ones might be losing steam?
What Michelle looks for in a manuscript, regardless of what's trending.
Why literary fiction, debuts, and celebrity book clubs are having a tougher time.
Sarah puts Michelle through a round of Bookish Over-Under with some buzzy 2026 releases.
Michelle's predictions for 2027, from feel-good fiction to concerns about AI-generated books.
State of the Publishing Industry in 2026
HIGH-LEVEL OVERVIEW
Theo of Golden by Allen Levi (2025)* | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [3:58]
Dungeon Crawler Carl (Book 1) by Matt Dinniman (2025)* | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [4:00]
The Poison Daughter by Sheila Masterson (Aug 18)* | Amazon | Bookshop.org [5:15]
No One's Coming by Kevin Hazzard (Mar 3) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [14:24]
London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe (Apr 7) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [14:28]
Strangers by Belle Burden (Jan 13) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [14:32]
The Vanishing Family by Robert Kolker (Sep 29) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [14:39]
The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [17:37]
Stitched by Eli McCann (Sep 8) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [17:42]
Fruit Fly by Josh Silver (Aug 4) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [17:50]
Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke (Apr 7) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [18:27]
The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett (May 5) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [18:59]
The Help by Kathryn Stockett (2009) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [19:14]
Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [20:42]
Heated Rivalry (Book 2) by Rachel Reid (2019) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [20:49]
A Court of Splintered Harmony (Book 6) by Sarah J. Maas (Oct 27) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [21:05]
Threshing Day (Book 3.5) by Rebecca Yarros (Oct 13) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [21:08]
2026 BOOK SALES & TRENDS 
The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [23:20]
Theo of Golden by Allen Levi (2025)* | Amazon | Bookshop.org [23:41]
Whistler by Ann Patchett (Jun 2) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [23:44]
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (2022) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [23:49]
In the Round by Rebecca Handler (Nov 24, 2026) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [26:49]
Upward Bound by Woody Brown (Mar 31) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [29:22]
This Is Not About Us by Allegra Goodman (Feb 10) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [29:26]
The Reservation by Rebecca Kauffman (Feb 24) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [29:30]
Brawler by Lauren Groff (Feb 24) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [29:34]
My Dear You by Rachel Khong (Apr 7) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [29:37]
Seek Immediate Shelter by Vincent Yu (May 5) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [29:51]
All the World Can Hold by Jung Yun (Mar 10) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [31:35]
Man Overboard! by Kathleen Rooney (Jul 7) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [31:38]
The Shippers by Katherine Center (May 19) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [31:40]
American Fantasy by Emma Straub (Apr 7) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [31:42]
Heated Rivalry (Book 2) by Rachel Reid (2019) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:01]
The Disappearers by Marlon James (Sep 1) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [35:21]
BOOKISH OVER-UNDER FOR 2026 RELEASES
Taipei Story by R. F. Kuang (Sep 8) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [36:51]
Good People by Patmeena Sabit (Feb 3) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [37:07]
Kin by Tayari Jones (Feb 24) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [37:21]
Into the Blue by Emma Brodie (Apr 7) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [37:53] 
Crux by Gabriel Tallent (Jan 20) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [38:11]
London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe (Apr 7) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[38:32]
Go Gentle by Maria Semple (Apr 14) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [38:51] 
Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple (2012) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [39:04]
The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout (May 5) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [39:13]  
The Shampoo Effect by Jenny Jackson (Jun 30) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [39:21]
John of John by Douglas Stuart (May 5) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [39:35]  
Michelle's 3 Favorite Books of 2026
Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke (Apr 7) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [48:53]
Life of M by Rachel Cusk (Aug 25) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [48:55]
Villa Coco by Andrew Sean Greer (Jun 9) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [51:03]   
*Publication year reflects the later traditionally published edition for a book originally self-published.
Other Links
Dear Head of Mine on Substack | The Nonfiction Book Market is Collapsing by Sean Delone
The New York Times | The Quilting Novel That Stormed the Best-Seller List by Elisabeth Egan

Gayle Weiswasser, co-owner of Wonderland Books in Bethesda, Maryland, returns to catch up with Sarah as the bookstore approaches its second anniversary! Gayle shares how the business has grown, what they've learned along the way, and how their first full year compared to expectations. Plus, they talk about the books flying off the shelves, surprising sales trends, and how owning a bookstore has changed Gayle's own reading life. And, of course, Gayle shares her top book recommendations!

This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
Highlights
How Wonderland's first full year compared to Gayle's financial expectations and biggest fears.
What they've learned from their first full holiday season, plus the changes they've made as the business has grown.
Which genres are selling especially well at Wonderland … and which have been surprisingly slow.
The books they can't keep on the shelves, some unexpected bestsellers, and how this fall's biggest releases are performing.
How Gayle handles customers asking her about specific books that she didn't particularly like.
How the bookstore has affected Gayle's personal reading habits.
Gayles's Book Recommendations
Two OLD Books She Loves
I'll Come to You by Rebecca Kauffman (2025) | Bookshop.org [34:28] 
The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue (2023) | Bookshop.org [36:67] 
Other Books Mentioned The Reservation by Rebecca Kauffman (Feb 24) [34:49] 
The Gunners by Rebecca Kauffman (2018) [35:01] 
Chorus by Rebecca Kauffman (2022) [35:02] 

Two NEW Books She Loves
Brawler by Lauren Groff (Feb 24) | Bookshop.org [38:14] 
Good People by Patmeena Sabit (Feb 3) | Bookshop.org  [40:11] 
Other Books Mentioned Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff (2015) [39:50]

One Book She DIDN'T Love
The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater (2025) | Bookshop.org [42:48] 
Two NEW RELEASES She's Excited About
Kaleidoscope by Dani Shapiro (May 4, 2027) | Bookshop.org [46:30] 
Lunch Money by J. Ryan Stradal (May 4, 2027) | Bookshop.org [48:54] 
Other Books Mentioned Inheritance by Dani Shapiro (2018) [46:40] 
Signal Fires by Dani Shapiro (2022) [48:32] 
Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal (2015) [49:02] 

Books From the Discussion
Threshing Day by Rebecca Yarros (Sep 29) [8:24]
A Court of Splintered Harmony by Sarah J. Maas (Oct 27) [8:28] 
James by Percival Everett (2024) [12:32] 
The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett (May 5) [12:48]
Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke (Apr 7) [12:53]
The Help by Kathryn Stockett (2009) [13:27]
Strangers by Belle Burden (Jan 13) [14:55]
Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman (2024)* [15:04]
East of Eden by John Steinbeck (1952) [15:41]
Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon (2023) [15:53]
Long Bright River by Liz Moore (2020) [15:56]
The Secret History by Donna Tartt (1992) [16:03]
Taipei Story by R. F. Kuang (Sep 8) [17:18]
Partita by Barbara Kingsolver (Oct 6) [17:27]
American Hagwon by Min Jin Lee (Sep 29) [17:31]
Hollywood, Ending by John Green (Sep 22) [17:53]
Exit Party by Emily St. John Mandel (Sep 15) [18:34]
Big Little Truths by Liane Moriarty (Aug 25) [19:00]
The Disappearers by Marlon James (Sep 1) [19:07]
The Pirate Queen by Ariel Lawhon (Sep 8) [19:34]
Under Story by Chloe Benjamin (Sep 1) [19:51]
The Odyssey by Homer, translated by Emily Wilson (2017 translation) [20:08]
The Iliad by Homer, translated by Emily Wilson (2023 translation) [21:05]
The Odyssey: A Graphic Novel by Gareth Hinds, adapted from Homer (2010) [21:10]
The Iliad: A Graphic Novel by Gareth Hinds, adapted from Homer (2019) [21:38]
The Aeneid: A Graphic Novel by Gareth Hinds, adapted from Virgil (March 16, 2027) [21:39]
Whistler by Ann Patchett (Jun 2) [21:53]
The Many Lives of Mama Love by Lara Love Hardin (2023) [32:40]
*Publication year reflects the later traditionally published edition for a book originally self-published.

Author Deesha Philyaw joins Sarah to discuss her debut novel, The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman. Deesha first started writing this book more than 20 years ago, before her short story collection, The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, became a National Book Award finalist. She shares the journey of bringing this novel to life, the women who inspired its characters, and how the story (and its author) evolved along the way. Plus, Deesha shares her top book recommendations!

This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
Highlights
Books by Deesha Philyaw: The Secret Lives of Church Ladies and The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman
What it means to be a "First Lady" in Black churches — and how that role figures into the novel.
How Deesha's own experiences as a church lady more than 20 years ago first inspired the story.
Why she put the novel aside to publish The Secret Lives of Church Ladies — and what that experience taught her.
How the novel changed between its earliest version and the finished book.
Sarah and Deesha talk about the importance of a great opening line — and when those first sentences come together in Deesha's writing process.
Plus, a bit about her upcoming work!
Deesha's Book Recommendations
Two OLD Books She Loves
Daddy Was a Number Runner by Louise Meriwether (1970) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [35:14] 
The Sellout by Paul Beatty (2015) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [36:16] 
Two NEW Books She Loves
The Seven Daughters of Dupree by Nikesha Elise Williams (Jan 27) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [37:51] 
Desperate Bodies by Lydia Mathis (Sep 15) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [39:17] 
Other Books Mentioned Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi (2016) [38:52]
The Love Songs of W. E. B. Du Bois by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers (2021) [38:53] 

Two Books She DIDN'T Love
The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger (1951) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[40:13] 
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway (1952) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [42:31] 
Other Books Mentioned Black Boy by Richard Wright (1945) [41:23] 
Native Son by Richard Wright (1940) [41:24] 
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote (1966) [42:13] 
The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway (1926) [42:52] 
Moby-Dick; or, The Whale by Herman Melville (1851) [43:07] 

One NEW RELEASE She's Excited About
These Girls Out Here by Dawnie Walton (June 15, 2027) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [44:50] 
Other Books Mentioned The Final Revival of Opal and Nev by Dawnie Walton (2021) [45:35] 

About Deesha Philyaw
Website | Instagram | Facebook
Deesha Philyaw is the author of the debut novel, The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman. Her debut short story collection, The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, won the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, the Story Prize, the LA Times Book Prize: The Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction and was a finalist for the National Book Award for Fiction. Deesha is a Kimbilio Fiction Fellow, a Baldwin for the Arts Fellow, a United States Artists Fellow, and co-host of two podcasts, Ursa Short Fiction (with Dawnie Walton) and Reckon True Stories (with Kiese Laymon). She is currently at work developing TV shows based on her short fiction.

Next Episode
Coming October 28: Gayle Weiswasser, co-owner of Wonderland Books, returns to catch up with Sarah and talk about what she's learned after two years of owning an indie bookstore.

Elizabeth Barnhill of Fabled Bookshop joins Sarah for the latest installment of the "Best of…" series to share her ALL-TIME TOP TEN historical fiction novels, plus a few popular picks that didn't work for her.

This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
Highlights
Elizabeth shares her personal definition of historical fiction.
How she first found her way to the genre.
What draws her to historical fiction and keeps her coming back to it.
What works for her in historical fiction — and what doesn't.
 
All the books mentioned in this episode are linked through Fabled Bookshop or Libro.fm. If you decide to purchase, we'd love for you to use our Fabled links in the show notes — if your budget allows. As a bonus, use promo code SARAH at checkout for 10% off your Fabled order! Prefer audio? You can find the books on Libro.fm and select Fabled as the bookstore you'd like to support.
Elizabeth's All-Time Top Ten Historical Fiction
City of Thieves by David Benioff (2008) | Fabled | Libro.fm  [18:43]
Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum (2004) | Fabled | Libro.fm [21:11]
The Winter Rose (The Tea Rose, 2) by Jennifer Donnelly (2006) | Fabled | Libro.fm  [22:45]
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (2007) | Fabled | Libro.fm  [25:26]
The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton (2008) | Fabled | Libro.fm  [27:37]
As Bright As Heaven by Susan Meissner (2018) | Fabled | Libro.fm   [29:36]
The Shoemaker's Wife by Andrea Trigiani (2012) | Fabled | Libro.fm  [31:57]
The Winter Sea (Slains, 1) by Susanna Kearsley (2008) | Fabled [33:52]*
Greenwood by Michael Christie (2019) | Fabled | Libro.fm  [35:47]
The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes (2019) | Fabled | Libro.fm  [37:36] The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson(2019) | Fabled | Libro.fm  [37:56]

High-Profile Historical Fiction She Didn't Love
The Children's Blizzard by Melanie Benjamin (2021) | Fabled | Libro.fm  [41:16]
The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton (2018) | Fabled | Libro.fm [43:12]
Other Books Mentioned
Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard (2011)  [4:06]
Lake Effect by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney (2026) [8:20] 
Little House on the Prairie (Little House, 3) by Laura Ingalls Wilder (1935) [10:00] 
Anne of Green Gables (book 1) by L. M. Montgomery (1908) [10:02] 
Message From Nam by Danielle Steel (1990) [10:48] 
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah (2015) [14:44] 
The Tea Rose (The Tea Rose, 1) by Jennifer Donnelly (2002) [24:55] 
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (2003) [25:35] 
And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini (2013) [27:19] 
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield (2006) [28:24] 
The Distant Hours by Kate Morton (2010) [28:45] 
A Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meissner (2014) [31:33] 
Big Stone Gap (book 1) by Andrea Trigiani (2001) [32:03] 
Outlander (book 1) by Diana Gabaldon (1991) [34:00] 
The Children's Blizzard by David Laskin (2004) [41:25] 
The Swans of Fifth Avenue by Melanie Benjamin (2016) [42:27] 
The Windsor Affair by Melanie Benjamin (2026) [42:48] 
Homecoming by Kate Morton (2023) [44:01] 
*The UK title is Sophia's Secret.

Sarah and Chrissie (@ChrissieWhitley) dig into their very different relationships with big books, from what counts as "big" and knowing when the moment is right to what makes a long book worth the extra pages. They also share some of their favorite big books — and a few they wish had been shorter.

This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
Highlights
Where Sarah and Chrissie each draw the line between a regular book and a big book.
Is a 700-page book intimidating … or an invitation to settle in?
When, and why, are they most likely to pick up a long book?
Does format or genre change how big a book feels?
What makes a book actually deserve its high page count?
Some of their favorite big books … and a few they really wish had been shorter.
Some Favorite BIG Books
Chrissie
4 3 2 1 by Paul Auster (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [30:38] 
The Princes of Ireland (The Dublin Saga, 1) by Edward Rutherfurd (2004) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [33:36]
Fox by Joyce Carol Oates (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [35:54]
Red Comet by Heather Clark (2020) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [39:10]
Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke (2004) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [42:45]
The Love Songs of W. E. B. Du Bois by Honoree Fanonne Jeffers (2021) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [44:30] 
Sarah
11/22/63 by Stephen King (2011) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [32:31] 
I Know This Much Is True by Wally Lamb (1998) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [34:32]
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving (1989) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [37:23]
The World According to Garp by John Irving (1978) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [37:25]
Natchez Burning (Penn Cage, 4; Natchez Burning, 1) by Greg Iles (2014) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [41:19] 
Wanderers (Wanderers, 1) by Chuck Wendig (2019) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [43:40]
Other Books Mentioned
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy (1869) [30:06]
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas (1846) [30:07]  
The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne (2017) [31:43] 
Sarum by Edward Rutherfurd (1987) [33:49]
London by Edward Rutherfurd (1998) [33:53]  
The Rebels of Ireland (The Dublin Saga, 2) by Edward Rutherfurd (2006) [34:19] 
Whistler by Ann Patchett (2026) [38:04] 
Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard (2011) [40:23]
Some BIG Books That Felt Too Long
Chrissie
Ordinary Monsters (The Talents, 1) by J. M. Miro (2022) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [48:39]
Wellness by Nathan Hill (2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [51:24] 
Sarah
City on Fire by Garth Risk Hallberg (2015) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [45:39] 
The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy (1986) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [49:51]
Other Books Mentioned
The Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe (1987) [46:06]
The Second Coming by Garth Risk Hallberg (2024) [48:05] 
Books From the Opening Discussion
The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett (1989) [9:24]
The Brightness by Chad Harbach (October 27, 2026) [11:47]
I Know This Much Is True by Wally Lamb (1998) [14:07]
Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, 1) by Sarah J. Maas (2012) [14:51] 
Outlander (Outlander, 1) by Diana Gabaldon (1991) [19:05] 
1929 by Andrew Ross Sorkin (2025) [22:12]
Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi with Curt Gentry (1974) [22:19]
Generations by Jean M. Twenge, PhD (2023) [22:26]  
Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke (2026) [26:13] 
The Elements by John Boyne (2025) [29:08] 
A Court of Forgotten Memory (ACOTAR, 7) by Sarah J. Maas (January 12, 2027) [29:39] 
Other Links
The Gilmore Guide to Books | Catherine's Review of Ordinary Monsters