Rephonic
Artwork for Sarah's Bookshelves Live
Book Recommendations
Books
Debut Novels
Literary Fiction
Summer Reading Guide
Motherhood
Fantasy
Patreon
Spring 2024 Book Preview
Reading
Character Development
2025 Releases
Publishing Industry
Fall 2025 Book Releases
Thrillers
Victim
Contemporary Fiction
Book Cover Design
Amazon Books
Micro Genres

Sarah's Bookshelves Live is a bi-weekly show featuring real talk about books and book recommendations from a featured guest. Each week, Sarah of the blog Sarah's Bookshelves will talk with her guest about: - 2 OLD BOOKS THEY LOVE - 2 NEW BOOKS THEY LOVE - 1 BOOK THEY DON'T LOVE - AND 1 NEW RELEASE THEY'RE EXCITED ABOUT I'm getting real about all things books and serving you up a bit of snark on th... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes235Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
BooksArts

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Sarah's Bookshelves Live

Latest Episodes

In Episode 225, Sarah and Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books catch up on the 12 new releases they shared in the Spring 2026 Book Preview, now that they've read them — or at least tried to! They share their reading stats and discuss which books worke... more

In Episode 224, Sarah, Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) and Chrissie (@ChrissieWhitley) celebrate the release of the 2026 Summer Reading Guide with a special behind-the-scenes conversation about putting this year's guide together. Catherine and Chrissie sha... more

May is upon us and that means Summer Reading season is just about here!

The 2026 Summer Reading Guide went through a lot of changes this year, so I'm coming to you a bit early to walk through all the details.

CLICK HERE for the full Show Notes o... more

Going back ten years to 2016, Sarah and Catherine Gilmore (@GilmoreGuide) dive into the annual Bookish Time Capsule episode and revisit the book world from that year. They cover big bookish highlights — from the buzziest books of the year to the awar... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Book Talk, etc.
Book Talk, etc.Tina @tbretc and Hannah @hanpickedbooks
The Currently Reading Podcast
The Currently Reading PodcastMeredith Monday Schwartz and Kaytee Cobb
From the Front Porch
From the Front PorchThe Bookshelf Thomasville
Literally Reading
Literally ReadingLiterally Reading
Well-Read
Well-ReadAnn Cox and Halle Carlson

Recent Guests

Lee Kelly
Co-author of The Midnight Show; author of City Of Savages and other works
The Midnight Show (author collaboration)
Episode: Lee Kelly + Jennifer Thorne (Authors of The Midnight Show) | Ep. 222
Jennifer Marie Thorne
Co-author of The Midnight Show; USA Today bestselling author
The Midnight Show (author collaboration)
Episode: Lee Kelly + Jennifer Thorne (Authors of The Midnight Show) | Ep. 222
T Kira Madden
Native Hawaiian writer and author of Whidbey
Author of Whidbey; No Tokens; Hamilton College; University of Hawaii at Manoa
Episode: T Kira Madden (Author of Whidbey) | Ep. 219
Sarajane Case
Certified enneagram teacher and author of The Honest Enneagram
Enneagram and Coffee
Episode: Reading Through the Enneagram with Sarajane Case (Author of The Honest Enneagram) | Ep. 218
Christine Kuehn
Author of Family of Spies
None
Episode: Christine Kuehn (Author of Family of Spies) | Ep. 217
Meredith Monday Schwartz
Host of the Currently Reading Podcast and a horror enthusiast
Currently Reading Podcast
Episode: Best of Horror with Meredith Monday Schwartz (Currently Reading) | Ep. 216
Catherine Gilmore
Book blogger and guest from Gilmore Guide to Books
Gilmore Guide to Books
Episode: The Best Backlist We Read in 2025 with Catherine Gilmore | Ep. 215
Laura McGrath
Writer, literary historian, and data scientist.
Assistant Professor at Temple University
Episode: State of the Publishing Industry in 2025 with Laura McGrath, Author of the textCrunch Substack (Ep. 210)
Elizabeth Barnhill
Book buyer at Fabled Bookshop and a frequent contributor to the topic of narrative nonfiction.
Fabled Bookshop
Episode: Ep. 208: Best of Narrative Nonfiction with Elizabeth Barnhill of Fabled Bookshop (@FabledBookshop)

Host

Sarah Dickinson
Host of Sarah's Bookshelves Live

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 955 ratings
  • Enjoyable

    Good one. I listen regularly. I love Catherine. I like hearing quick reviews but I do not need recs. I use the NYT book review for their recs.

    This pod is just under a 4 for me.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Bookybookyny
    United States14 days ago
  • My favorite bookish podcast

    This one is a joy to listen to. The reviews are very honest. You won’t find a lot of unrelated chit chat here. I especially enjoy the episodes with Catherine. I’ve discovered so many titles and authors that I never would have found on my own.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Retired tinknocker
    United States4 months ago
  • One of the best

    I find Sarah’s Bookshelves Live to be original and engaging without some of the annoyances of many podcasts.

    The podcast is well-edited and Sarah and her co-hosts stick to books without a ton of superfluous chit chat. They are quite forthright in their opinions, with which I often disagree, but I enjoy the counterpoints. They don’t recommend the same 20 books everyone else is discussing.

    They also are super-careful not to allow any spoilers.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Amesiowa
    United States5 months ago
  • The source of my never ending TBR

    So much on my TBR is from books mentioned on this podcast. My tastes actually align more with Susie and Catherine’s than Sarah’s, so glad they are on the show

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Paria H.
    United States9 months ago
  • Sarah’s Bookshelves Lives is one of the best bookish podcasts.

    One of my FAVORITE podcasts! I loved your episode with Anderson from Page and Pallette. Hope she is a repeat guest.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JParrish76
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners praise the concise, spoiler-conscious format and strong book recommendations.
Frequent patrons highlight honesty and trusted recommendations, with occasional criticisms about the breadth of titles.
Listeners appreciate absence of chitchat, focus on books, and helpful previews for NetGalley/library requests.
Praise for thoughtful interview style and diverse guest mix, with balanced opinions.
Positive feedback on variety of genres and depth of discussion; some critics wish for broader book choices.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#32
United States/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#94
United States/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#129
Canada/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#34
Singapore/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#77
Singapore/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#122
Israel/Arts/Books

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Lee Kelly + Jennifer Thorne (Authors of The Midnight Show) | Ep. 222
Q: For those who have not read The Midnight Show yet, can you give us a brief overview without spoiling anything?
It's a mystery set in the 1980s comedy world around a late-night show, told through emails, articles, and transcripts, centered on a headlining female star who disappears, with a love letter to the era of stand-up and backstage culture.
T Kira Madden (Author of Whidbey) | Ep. 219
Q: What made you want to revisit the impact of sexual assault after processing it in your memoir, and to do so through fiction in Whidbey?
I wanted to keep asking hard questions, not settle into a single point of view, and to examine how memory and narrative can illuminate but also complicate truth, power, and accountability across different characters and time periods.
T Kira Madden (Author of Whidbey) | Ep. 219
Q: For those who haven't read it yet, can you give us a brief overview of Whidbey without spoiling anything?
Whidbey follows three women connected by the repercussions of abuse and murder, shifting between survivor perspectives and the mother of the abuser to explore how violence reverberates through families, communities, and justice systems, while also interrogating how stories are told and commodified in culture.
Ep. 208: Best of Narrative Nonfiction with Elizabeth Barnhill of Fabled Bookshop (@FabledBookshop)
Q: Any subgenres that do not work for you?
Well, very rarely do celebrity memoirs work for me because I really don't care. So that's not the fault of the celebrity. It's just not my thing.
Ep. 208: Best of Narrative Nonfiction with Elizabeth Barnhill of Fabled Bookshop (@FabledBookshop)
Q: Tell us about your background with Narrative Nonfiction.
I've always loved just interesting stories from real people and loved history as a kid, as a student. I really probably should have majored in history.

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 Sarah's Bookshelves Live

What is Sarah's Bookshelves Live about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show centers on candid book conversations, blending author interviews with thoughtful recommendations and book-focused analysis. Across episodes, the hosts explore 2 old loves, 2 newer picks, and a few provocative opinions about books they don't love, while highlighting 1 upcoming release they're excited about. Guests range from authors and publishers to booksellers and bloggers, with a strong emphasis on diverse genres (romance, narrative nonfiction, horror, literary fiction) and publishing industry insights. The format tends to be crisp and spoiler-conscious, valuing clear takes, fresh recommendations, and behind-the-scenes glimpses into writing, editing, and getting books into readers' hands. Notably, the show regularly features bac... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Sarah's Bookshelves Live?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Sarah's Bookshelves Live. 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 Sarah's Bookshelves Live and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Sarah's Bookshelves Live get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Sarah's Bookshelves Live, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Sarah's Bookshelves Live?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Sarah's Bookshelves Live, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Sarah's Bookshelves Live have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Sarah's Bookshelves Live 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 Sarah's Bookshelves Live?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Sarah's Bookshelves Live:

1. Book Talk, etc.
2. The Currently Reading Podcast
3. From the Front Porch
4. Literally Reading
5. Well-Read

How many episodes of Sarah's Bookshelves Live are there?

Sarah's Bookshelves Live launched 7 years ago and published 235 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 Sarah's Bookshelves Live?

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 Sarah's Bookshelves Live?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Sarah's Bookshelves Live from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Sarah's Bookshelves Live?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Sarah's Bookshelves Live. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Sarah's Bookshelves Live?

Recent guests on Sarah's Bookshelves Live include:

1. Lee Kelly
2. Jennifer Marie Thorne
3. T Kira Madden
4. Sarajane Case
5. Christine Kuehn
6. Meredith Monday Schwartz
7. Catherine Gilmore
8. Laura McGrath

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.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days