We're back in Memoir Land this week, talking about the life of Elvis' daughter Lisa Marie Presley. The book is told from two perspectives, Lisa Marie and her daughter Riley. We talk about Elvis' super stardom, growing up in the shadow of fame, celebrity marriages, and more. All of us were moved by Riley's description of grief and we had a new appreciation for her portrayal of Daisy Jones. In our catch up this week, Kaitlin secures us tickets to see Paul Mescal in New York, Steph decorates for th...
Dec 12, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 54
This week we are transported to Tree Hill, North Carolina thanks to Bethany Joy Lenz's memoir. The actress, best known for her role as Haley on One Tree Hill, has written a vulnerable and honest account of her time in a religious cult. We talk about the power of high control groups, how to recognize gaslighting, and how her story shed new light on her role on a fan favorite show. We discuss the iconic TV show, the rewatch podcast, and our hopes for Lenz in the future. In our catch up this week, ...
Dec 05, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 53
Our annual tradition is back! Ahead of Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday, we're sharing our favorite books to gift. This year, we're strongly encouraging you to prioritize banned books to ensure some of the most important and powerful stories get into the hands of new readers. We have recommendations across literary fiction, memoir, romance, YA, graphic novels, children's books, cookbooks, and more. In our catch up, Kaitlin shares about a bread pudding that altered her brain...
Nov 21, 2024•51 min•Ep. 52
Welcome to a tale of two covers. Two key holes, two maids, two murder mysteries. This week we're talking about The Maid by Nita Prose (and The Housemaid by Freida McFadden). We just finished Prose's story about a maid named Molly who works at a luxury hotel. We talk about narrators who are on the spectrum and how challenging it is to read about people being taken advantage of. In our catch up, Kaitlin updates us on her move prep, Molly shares about a delicious meal at a new restaurant, and Steph...
Nov 14, 2024•56 min•Ep. 51
This is a very special week. We're celebrating 50 episodes - one year of Plans are Booked! We kick off by sharing all the details of our four days in the Big Apple, including crushing on Kit Connor in Romeo + Juliet on Broadway, channeling The Bear at Michelin star restaurant Eleven Madison Park, enjoying the finer things in Soho, falling in love with The Strand Bookstore, catching up with besties, and having an iconic celebrity sighting. Next, we reflect on our first year of podcasting together...
Nov 07, 2024•1 hr 25 min•Ep. 50
This week we're talking about a second chance love story that surprised us. Rainbow Rowell has written two honest and vulnerable leads, Shiloh and Cary, who move through friendship, distance, and romance over two decades. We talk about the resonance of flawed characters, the levity delivered via a spunky little kid, and make comparisons to movies with similar vibes. In our catch up, Steph recaps her five days of dog sitting and gives us an update on house flipping. Kaitlin details her evening wi...
Oct 24, 2024•59 min•Ep. 49
This week we shine a light on an author we all adore, Casey McQuiston (they / them). Steph shares how she was first introduced to Casey's writing and how quickly all of us became super fans. Kaitlin and Molly recap seeing Casey in person with the Brookline Booksmith and how that deepened our fandom. We cover Casey's gift for writing banter-fueled love stories, vivid descriptions of food and travel, and LGBTQIA+ representation. We talk about our favorite moments from Red, White & Royal Blue, ...
Oct 17, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 48
This week we marvel at author Chris Whitaker's talent and share our thoughts on the story of Patch and Saint. We chat about the importance of well rounded side characters, our love for short chapters with poignant closing sentences, parallels to Forrest Gump, and the text Kaitlin found so powerful she's considering for her next tattoo. We also continue our fascination with how books are chosen for celebrity book clubs, noting Whitaker's shoutout to Jenna Bush Hager in the acknowledgements. In ou...
Oct 10, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 47
This week we have something extra special for you. We're debuting a line of Plans are Booked romance trope candles! We light a candle each time we record and we want to share that ritual with you. We can't wait for you to smell them, enjoy them in your home, or gift them to your reader bestie. In our catch up this week, Kaitlin recaps a wonderful wedding she went to in Connecticut, Molly details two delicious restaurant meals, and Steph shares an honest update about the querying process and how ...
Oct 03, 2024•56 min•Ep. 46
It's Molly's birthday week and the Libra season energy is in full effect. We kick off with Molly sharing two book-themed gifts she's unwrapped, including one that Steph and Molly's mom conspired together to procure and secretly have delivered. Steph catches us up on the very special pup she took care of over the weekend. We close out the catch up by sharing two brand new TV shows we're loving. Next, we discuss Margo's Got Money Troubles, a book so unique and specific we had a tough time comparin...
Sep 26, 2024•46 min•Ep. 45
This week we mentally transport ourselves to northern California to join Lana, Beth and Jack, the three generations of women who star in Mother-Daughter Murder Night. This debut novel from former NASA engineer Nina Simon features unlikely detectives, hilarious family dynamics, and a picturesque setting that some people will do anything to protect. We talk about the Emily and Lorelai Gilmore-like relationship between Lana and Beth, and who we'd love to see cast in a screen adaptation of this stor...
Sep 19, 2024•54 min•Ep. 44
This week we're embracing the transition to fall and donning our favorite sweatshirt + shorts combos (shout out to the OG, Princess Diana). Kaitlin shares her excitement for the return of football and the joy she's feeling from all the Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce sightings. She also fills us in on the wedding she went to on the South Shore and an epic meal she had at Bianca in Newton. Steph reminisces about a blissful Labor Day weekend at the beach with Nemo and Scout, updates us on her query ...
Sep 12, 2024•47 min•Ep. 43
Fueled by milkshakes, this week is an all out gigglefest. Steph shares her day at the barn, including getting to know some adorable, tiny kittens. Kaitlin recaps her weekend on Cape Cod, including an awesome round of golf with her mom. Molly details her annual getaway to Maine, including a growing menagerie of inflatables. Then we deep dive on a book we read in Wyoming, Wild Love by Elsie Silver. Kaitlin and Molly gush about the male lead, Ford Grant, and Steph makes a surprising confession. We ...
Sep 05, 2024•51 min•Ep. 42
This week we are headed west to Wyoming! We kick off our conversation by sharing a detailed recap of our trip to Jackson Hole, including making friendship bracelets at the airport, our love affair with our rental house's living room, declaring Jenny Lake the prettiest place we've ever seen in real life, buffalo sightings in Yellowstone, customizing cowboy hats, Kaitlin and Steph getting tattoos, and the restaurants you absolutely have to hit if you're planning a future visit. Then, we discuss au...
Aug 29, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 41
This week is a big one: we're toasting to 40 episodes! We open by reflecting on our journey so far and sharing the things that have surprised us most about the experience. In our catch up, Steph recaps her trip to Portland for Kate Spencer's author event, Kaitlin updates us on her house hunt, and Molly recounts her weekend road trip. Next, we debrief on the TV adaptation of Holly Jackson's A Good Girl's Guide to Murder (Netflix), which we all enjoyed despite its major location change. Then we de...
Aug 15, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 40
This week we're discussing a story that has dominated the book club circuit. We deep dive on Yellowface, a tale of deceit and deplorable behavior. We share our individual levels of cringe and why we think this should never be adapted for the screen. In our catch up, Molly recaps her trip to New Hampshire, Kaitlin fills us in on the Newport Folk Festival, and Steph educates us on the units of measure for the height and head size of horses. We have a passionate conversation about the highlights of...
Aug 08, 2024•54 min•Ep. 39
Murderinos, this one's for you. This week we're deep diving on Home Is Where The Bodies Are. Steph admits she was Instagram influenced to purchase this book (in hard cover!). After she raced through it, she was positive all of us would love it. It's a mix of family drama, solving the case, and 1980s nostalgia. In our catch up this week, Steph dog sits for her favorite neighborhood pup, Kaitlin prepares for the Noah Kahan concert at Fenway Park, and Molly welcomes her parents to the beach house f...
Aug 01, 2024•43 min•Ep. 38
It's Stephanie's birthday! With bubble tea in hand, we're toasting and catching up on a very big week. Steph recounts her recent rescue ride with a foster dog, Kaitlin fills us in on her Cape Cod and New York City trips, and Molly shares a major life update. Then we deep dive on a book we all loved, Even If It Breaks Your Heart. We talk about how Erin Hahn rivals Lynn Painter in the banter game, and how excited we are to read more of her books. In "what we're reading this week," Steph describes ...
Jul 25, 2024•52 min•Ep. 37
This week we have a special treat for you. We are recording at Molly's beach house (a first!) and talking about a subject all three of us are very passionate about - the best book to movie / TV adaptations. Our list is vast and covers many genres - coming of age, family drama, sports towns, dystopian tales, mystery, romance and more. In our catch up, Steph shares about celebrating birthdays at the horse barn, Kaitlin declares her summer sea glass quest, and Molly describes a book she recently fi...
Jul 18, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 36
This week we have a lively catch up, including Steph updating us on the plumbing saga, Kaitlin surviving a golf tournament during a scorching heatwave, and Molly meeting some of the visitors to her Little Free Library. Then we deep dive on The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston. During our chat, we share our favorite time hop stories (books and movies). When we get into what we're reading this week, we launch into a conversation about content warnings (are they necessary?), Steph gushes about a pi...
Jul 11, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 35
We kick off this week with a lively catch up. Steph details the latest drama with the plumber at the renovation house (and makes a big reveal). She also tells us about volunteering at two different barns. Kaitlin recaps her re-retirement party from teaching and gushes about the recent Normal People viewing party with Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar Jones. Molly insists everyone try the burrata and smashed avocado salad at Josephine and gets all the feels talking about the official start to summer in...
Jun 27, 2024•51 min•Ep. 34
This week we're in a summer state of mind. We're elated about the warmer weather, driving with the windows down, and ordering giant iced drinks. In our catch up, Kaitlin tells us about her weekend trip to Portsmouth, NH. Molly recaps her road trip to Vermont (and her newfound love for maple-flavored desserts), and Steph shares her weekend of reading and hanging with her favorite neighborhood pup. Then, we deep dive on Carley Fortune's newest book, This Summer Will Be Different. We enter Felix in...
Jun 20, 2024•53 min•Ep. 33
We have a very special episode for you this week. In addition to chatting about a book we all loved and think should be required reading, we kick off the episode by sharing the TV shows we are currently loving. Molly admits she finally cut the cord with cable, which launches a spirited conversation about how all of us will watch the upcoming Paris Olympics. We debate which Olympics are better (summer or winter), Kaitlin makes a plea to Steph and Molly to consider watching more professional sport...
Jun 13, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 32
We're back, baby! After a week off we've returned to the airwaves. In our catch up, Molly shares all about her two-week vacation, Stephanie chronicles her recent escapades at the flip house (hello, flying squirrel!) and she tells us about writing her query letter. Kaitlin updates us on her house hunting quest and we hear all about her private school's recent centennial celebration. This week we deep dive on Kate Kennedy's book, One in a Millennial, including our thoughts on pop culture analysis ...
Jun 06, 2024•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 31
This week we celebrate entering our 30s! Well, 30 episodes. In our catch up, Molly shares an intense work moment, Steph talks about a great conversation with a friend writing a memoir, and Kaitlin gives a live text message update on her house hunt. Then we deep dive on a book we all really enjoyed, Songs in Ursa Major. We talk about the appeal of stories set in New England seaside towns, the joy of reading about generations of women living under one roof, the strong side characters in this cast,...
May 23, 2024•31 min•Ep. 30
We have a packed episode for you this week. Stephanie celebrates finishing the second draft of her book manuscript. She also tells us all about her day trip to Chicago for her cousin's bridal shower at Cindy's Rooftop. Kaitlin shares that she resigned from her teaching position, and Molly and Kaitlin recap their evening at the Boujee Bookstore's Bookstagram Bash in Norwood, MA. We gush about meeting other bookstagrammers, the incredible raffle prizes, and Molly's bounty of winnings by the end of...
May 16, 2024•47 min•Ep. 29
Fueled by Mexican food, gin cocktails and a bottle of rosé, we're sharing our live reactions to the film adaptation of The Idea of You by Robinne Lee. We gathered at Steph's house to watch the movie together and boy do we have thoughts. We break down our approach to managing expectations when books head to screen, why many of these productions should come with a "loosely inspired by" warning, the shocking changes to the lead character of Solene, the switch up of the primary conflict in the plot,...
May 09, 2024•54 min•Ep. 28
This week we deep dive on a book we all raced through, She Rides Shotgun. We chat about the appeal of adult / kid tag teams, anti-hero stories, how writers create a sense of grittiness, and whether this author has personal ties that enabled him to write so realistically about both trauma and the justice system. In our catch up this week, Stephanie shares that her flip house is officially listed for sale! We also hear about her weekly volunteering at the horse barn. Molly squeals with excitement ...
May 02, 2024•39 min•Ep. 27
We have a packed episode for you this week! In our catch up, Molly shares about her recent girls trip to Long Beach Island. Kaitlin fills us in on her latest round of open houses, her upcoming concert line up, and her discovery of the new Romeo + Juliet coming to Broadway this fall. Stephanie details her volunteer time at the barn, including what made her tear up in the ring. We share our plans for Indie Bookstore Day (Saturday, April 27) and answer the question, "What makes you stop reading a b...
Apr 25, 2024•38 min•Ep. 26
We are one day away from the release of the new Taylor Swift album and the Plans are Booked gals are excited! Kaitlin shares that she's going to a Swiftie dance party to celebrate. She also fills us in on her house hunting journey and her recent trip to Wu Song tiki bar in Harvard Square. Molly recaps her food-filled weekend in Charleston, SC. Stephanie details the final weeks of her house renovation, including what we're now calling the "no toilet" phase. We close out our catch up with the arri...
Apr 18, 2024•48 min•Ep. 25
