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Books with Betsy

bookswithbetsy
Chicago
Libraries
Reading Life
Horror Literature
Books
Audiobooks
Fantasy
So Many Damn Books
Literature
Chicago, United States
Book Recommendations
Lost Children Archive
Project Hail Mary
Reading Habits
Literary Fiction
Dark Romance
Diverse Authors
Science Fiction
Booker Prize
Indie Bookstores

Books with Betsy is a podcast that celebrates the reading life of all readers. Each week, Betsy interviews a different person about their reading life. Listen for book recommendations, reading tips, and to join in the joy that reading brings. And remember, anyone who reads is a reader.

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Latest Episodes

On this episode, Nicole from Off Color Book Club joins me to discuss the most recent Off Color Book Club book,  A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan.

My Book Club Guide

If you’re interested in joining the Off Color Book Club in the future, ... more

On this episode, Molly Page, @mollypg on instagram, talks about her project visiting all of the branches of the Chicago Public Library, how her writing is how she first fell in love with words, and how adaptations drive most of her reading decisions.... more

On this episode, Brady Parkin, @booksbybrady on Instagram, is a bookseller who enjoys reading broadly but focuses on literary fiction. We talk about the seemingly magical access he has as a bookseller, how awards lists impact reading, and he gives a ... more

On this episode, Lydia Plahn, a journalism student in Chicago, who talks about how she incorporates reading into her life as a student, how being a younger sister prompted her to read more as a child, and how important used bookstores are to her. We ... more

Key Facts

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Number of Listeners
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Recent Guests

Brady Parkin
Bookseller at Books by Brady on Instagram
Books by Brady
Episode: Episode 109 - A Slow Burn to a Big Fire with Brady Parkin
Lydia Plahn
Journalism student at Northwestern
Northwestern University
Episode: Episode 108 - Forced to Read with Lydia Plahn
Maggie Brennan
Book club member
Episode: Episode 107 - Book Club - Girl, Woman, Other
Sam Luxinger
Book club member
Episode: Episode 107 - Book Club - Girl, Woman, Other
Sirenna Blas
Siren Bee Reads and Things on Instagram
Siren Bee Reads and Things
Episode: Episode 106 - Do You Even Like Reading with Sirenna Blas
Vanessa Diaz
Managing Editor at Book Riot
Book Riot
Episode: Episode 105 - The Absolute Most with Vanessa Diaz
Jeff Jones
Graphic novelist and Read and Run participant
Read and Run Chicago
Episode: Episode 104 - Screen to Page with Jeff Jones
Ben Ustig
Tapper manager at Off Color
Off Color Brewing
Episode: Episode 103 - Book Club - True Biz
Tess Page
Listener of Books with Betsy; reader with grounded-in-reality taste
Episode: Episode 102 - Real People with Tess Page

Host

Betsy Tomczak
Host of Books with Betsy; leads conversations about reading life, book recommendations, and community reading experiences.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 49 ratings
  • Love your show!

    Love listening to your show and always learning about new books ❤️

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    mferw
    United States9 months ago
  • New discovery

    I just listened to your Melissa Julwan episode. Yay! I am so glad to have found you.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ansleystreetpress
    United Statesa year ago
  • Never knew how much fun I could have listening to readers talk about the books they love!

    The concept is so simple: ask avid readers how and what they like to read. And I’m loving it! In the several episodes I’ve listened to so far, I’ve found something to ponder and something in common with each of the readers, leaving me feeling connected to the reading community. Keep up the great work, Betsy!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Chelsey_S
    United Statesa year ago
  • Great book podcast

    Really loving this pod. The host is incredibly well read and always has such a great rapport with guests. Highly recommended!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    KeenLit25
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • Enjoyed my first episode!

    I found this podcast by searching author Ann B Ross of the Miss Julia series. I started out with an audiobook purchased for $1 at my local library. I have since read about 1/2 the series as I need audio or large print books. It was fun listening to the guest describe her experience with the series and especially listing favorite recommendations. I don’t belong to a book club but this podcast gave me the feeling of being a podcast book club member!! Thank you!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    happiereview
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Guests are well-aligned with readers seeking diverse voices and thoughtful recommendations.
Listeners appreciate the warm, relatable style and the feeling of being part of a book club.
The host balances breadth of topics with practical reading tips and personal anecdotes.

Top Books Podcasts

The Book Review
The Book ReviewThe New York Times
Myths and Legends
Myths and LegendsJason Weiser, Carissa Weiser, Nextpod
The Book Club
The Book ClubGoalhanger
Selected Shorts
Selected ShortsSymphony Space
The Currently Reading Podcast
The Currently Reading PodcastMeredith Monday Schwartz and Kaytee Cobb
Fantasy Fangirls
Fantasy FangirlsFantasy Fangirls

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Episode 70 - Mystery Girl with Lauren Oliver
Q: What Happened to Lucy Vale is about a girl who moves to a small town and becomes part of a dual-mystery narrative; can you pitch it?
Lauren explains the core premise, the interwoven mysteries surrounding Lucy Vale and Nina Faraday, and how the story uses shifting perspectives to examine truth, memory, and the high school social dynamic.
Episode 70 - Mystery Girl with Lauren Oliver
Q: What do you like to read as a reader?
Lauren talks about loving mysteries, cozy and thriller-y variants, and how faith and spirituality also occupy a meaningful place in her reading life, alongside the contemporary titles that circulate on social media.
Episode 75 - Alchemize it Into Art with Rebecca Tucker
Q: Are you feeling like you're progressing on your fantasy world and your novel?
Rebecca explains she's been in the planning stage for a long time, building a fully realized fantasy world with complex magic rules, which she sees as essential to keeping the story believable.
Episode 75 - Alchemize it Into Art with Rebecca Tucker
Q: Becca, what do you want people to know about you outside of the reading life?
Rebecca describes herself as a multi-passionate artist, resilient from life experiences, and focused on alchemizing pain into art that can help others feel seen.
Episode 73 - Reading Writers on Writing with Marla Taviano
Q: What is one thing you wish more people understood about reading diversely?
Reading diversely is about intention and curiosity, not guilt; it can be joyful and transformative, and it widens our empathy and understanding of different life experiences.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Books with Betsy

What is Books with Betsy about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show centers on the reading life of a broad community of readers, featuring candid conversations with guests about their personal reading habits, book recommendations, and ways to fit reading into everyday life. Episodes cover a wide range of genres and formats—from literary fiction and graphic novels to YA and nonfiction—while highlighting libraries, book clubs, and community events. Noteworthy is the strong emphasis on sharing accessible, practical reading tips and celebrating diverse voices, with a friendly, club-like vibe that makes listeners feel part of a larger reading community.

Where can I find podcast stats for Books with Betsy?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Books with Betsy. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Books with Betsy and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Books with Betsy get?

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What are the audience demographics for Books with Betsy?

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How many subscribers and views does Books with Betsy have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Books with Betsy has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Books with Betsy?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Books with Betsy:

1. The Perks Of Being A Book Lover Podcast
2. Book Bumble
3. Book Cougars Podcast: Two Middle-Aged Women on the Hunt for a Good Read
4. Book Talk, etc.
5. Curious Readers

How many episodes of Books with Betsy are there?

Books with Betsy launched 2 years ago and published 111 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Books with Betsy?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Books with Betsy?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Books with Betsy from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Books with Betsy?

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What guests have appeared on Books with Betsy?

Recent guests on Books with Betsy include:

1. Brady Parkin
2. Lydia Plahn
3. Maggie Brennan
4. Sam Luxinger
5. Sirenna Blas
6. Vanessa Diaz
7. Jeff Jones
8. Ben Ustig

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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