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Bestseller
Brian and Barbara Luke
36 episodes
2 months ago
Brian and Barbara review the latest books topping the hardcover fiction list. Twenty minutes with us, and you'll know whether to read it ... or regift it! Five essential facets are rated: GRIP & GRAB (does the story pull us in); SHE GOT FLAIR (does the writing crackle and pop, or lie there, dead on the page); BEAM ME UP (is this is a world we'd want to visit); NEW BEST FRIENDS (what about the characters); and ALL THE FEELS (emotional impact of the read). Brian and Barbara engage books as passionate, life-long readers; we're always on the lookout for the next great imaginative realm. Join us as we sift the bestseller list for that priceless find, a book that goes there and takes us with it.
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Books
Arts
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All content for Bestseller is the property of Brian and Barbara Luke and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
Brian and Barbara review the latest books topping the hardcover fiction list. Twenty minutes with us, and you'll know whether to read it ... or regift it! Five essential facets are rated: GRIP & GRAB (does the story pull us in); SHE GOT FLAIR (does the writing crackle and pop, or lie there, dead on the page); BEAM ME UP (is this is a world we'd want to visit); NEW BEST FRIENDS (what about the characters); and ALL THE FEELS (emotional impact of the read). Brian and Barbara engage books as passionate, life-long readers; we're always on the lookout for the next great imaginative realm. Join us as we sift the bestseller list for that priceless find, a book that goes there and takes us with it.
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Books
Arts
Episodes (20/36)
Bestseller
"Never Flinch" by Stephen King reviewed
Brian and Barbara review the suspense novel Never Flinch by Stephen King, number one on the June 15, 2025 New York Times hardcover fiction list. Twenty minutes with us, and you'll know whether to read it ... or regift it!bestseller episode #36, recorded 8/10/2025
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2 months ago
47 minutes 27 seconds

Bestseller
"Atmosphere" by Taylor Jenkins Reid reviewed
Brian and Barbara review the novel Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid, number one on the July 20, 2025, New York Times hardcover fiction list, and GMA Book Club pick for June, 2025. Twenty minutes with us, and you'll know whether to read it ... or regift it!Episode #35 of bestseller, recorded 7/21/2025
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3 months ago
46 minutes 57 seconds

Bestseller
"The Perfect Divorce" by Jeneva Rose reviewed
Brian and Barbara review the suspense novel The Perfect Divorce by Jeneva Rose, number one on the New York Times hardcover fiction list of May 4, 2025. Twenty minutes with us, and you'll know whether to read it ... or regift it!episode #34 of bestseller, recorded June 28, 2025
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4 months ago
37 minutes 54 seconds

Bestseller
"The Nightingale" by Kristin Hannah reviewed
Brian and Barbara review Kristin Hannah's 2015 World War II novel, The Nightingale, which spent 82 weeks on the New York Times hardcover fiction list at the time of its initial release, and re-entered the list on March 9, 2025, when reissued in a deluxe, ten-year-anniversary hardcover edition. Twenty minutes with us, and you'll know whether to read it ... or regift it!bestseller episode #33, recorded May 17, 2025
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5 months ago
44 minutes 21 seconds

Bestseller
"Iron Flame" by Rebecca Yarros reviewed, plus 2024 wrap-up
Brian and Barbara count down the top ten performing hardcover fiction bestsellers of 2024, and review #BookTok sensation Rebecca Yarros's megahit novel, Iron Flame, the second book in her planned five volume romantic fantasy series, "The Empyrean." Twenty minutes with us, and you'll know whether to read it, or regift it!episode #32 of bestseller, recorded March 30, 2025.
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7 months ago
49 minutes 13 seconds

Bestseller
"The God of the Woods" by Liz Moore reviewed
Brian and Barbara review the suspense novel The God of the Woods by Liz Moore, 28 weeks and counting on the New York Times hardcover fiction list.Twenty minutes with us and you'll know whether to read it ... or regift it!episode #31 of bestseller, recorded 2/1/2025
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9 months ago
32 minutes 2 seconds

Bestseller
"James" by Percival Everett reviewed
Brian and Barbara review the novel James by Percival Everett, number one on the New York Times hardcover fiction list of December 29, 2024. Twenty minutes with us, and you'll know whether to read it ... or regift it!episode #30 of bestseller, recorded 12/31/2024
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10 months ago
39 minutes 52 seconds

Bestseller
"Funny Story" by Emily Henry reviewed
Brian and Barbara review the novel Funny Story by Emily Henry, number one on the New York Times hardcover fiction lists of May 12 and May 19, 2024.episode #29 of bestseller, recorded November 30, 2024.
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11 months ago
49 minutes 23 seconds

Bestseller
"Eruption" by Michael Crichton and James Patterson reviewed
Brian and Barbara review the book Eruption by Michael Crichton and James Patterson, number one on the New York Times hardcover fiction list of June 23, 2024.  Twenty minutes with us, and you'll know whether to read it ... or regift it! Episode # 28 of bestseller, recorded on October 5, 2024
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1 year ago
32 minutes 58 seconds

Bestseller
"You Like It Darker" by Stephen King reviewed
Brian and Barbara review the book You Like It Darker by Stephen King, number one on the New York Times hardcover fiction list of June 9, 2024.  Twenty minutes with us, and you'll know whether to read it ... or regift it! Episode # 27 of bestseller, recorded on September 17, 2024
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1 year ago
41 minutes 7 seconds

Bestseller
"Remarkably Bright Creatures" by Shelby Van Pelt reviewed
Brian and Barbara review the book Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt, 53 weeks on the New York Times hardcover fiction list from May 22, 2022, to August 4, 2024. Twenty minutes with us, and you'll know whether to read it ... or regift it! Episode # 26 of bestseller, recorded on July 30, 2024
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1 year ago
33 minutes 7 seconds

Bestseller
"The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store" by James McBride reviewed
Brian and Barbara review James McBride's new novel, The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, the Barnes & Noble fiction book of the year for 2023 and a New York Times bestseller for 37 weeks.   Twenty minutes with us, and you'll know whether to read it ... or regift it! Episode #25 of bestseller, recorded on June 22, 2024.
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1 year ago
32 minutes 10 seconds

Bestseller
"The Women" by Kristin Hannah reviewed
Brian and Barbara review the book The Women by Kristin Hannah, number one on the New York Times hardcover fiction list since February 25, 2024.  In her new novel of historical fiction, Kristin Hannah takes us to the era of the Vietnam War, following Frances Grace McGrath (“Frankie”) as she tries to make her family—especially her Dad—proud by joining the Army as a combat nurse. After two tours of duty, Frankie comes home a changed person, now a skilled surgical nurse with deep, life-long friends, new love interests, and a sharper understanding of the war itself. As difficult as it was to survive life in a combat zone, Frankie finds it just as challenging to adjust to a society deeply divided over this American war, and unwilling to acknowledge the heroism of the women who risked their lives serving it.  Episode # 24 of bestseller, recorded on April 12, 2024.
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1 year ago
50 minutes 50 seconds

Bestseller
"First Lie Wins" by Ashley Elston reviewed
Brian and Barbara review the book First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston, number five on the New York Times hardcover fiction list of January 21, 2024, and the Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick for January, 2024.  Evie, the main character in this debut suspense novel, is a thief—a high end thief, who goes undercover to steal art, jewels, proprietary business secrets, or whatever her mysterious boss, Mr. Smith, tells her to get her hands on. She’s very good at what she does, but her latest job is … complicated: she may be falling for her target, the hunky financial planner Ryan, she’s being investigated for a murder she may or may not have committed, and it looks like Mr. Smith may be souring on her employment, a situation that could be deadly for Evie.       Twenty minutes with us, and you'll know whether to read it ... or regift it! Episode 23 of bestseller, recorded on March 9, 2024.
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1 year ago
36 minutes 56 seconds

Bestseller
Overview of Fiction Bestsellers, January, 2024
Brian and Barbara introduce ten new bestselling novels that entered the New York Times hardcover fiction list in January of 2024. Twenty minutes with us and you'll know whether to read it ... or regift it!bestseller episode #22, recorded 2/24/2024
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1 year ago
33 minutes 38 seconds

Bestseller
"Let Us Descend" by Jesmyn Ward reviewed
Brian and Barbara review Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward, number five on the New York Times hardcover fiction list of November 12, 2023, and the Oprah Bookclub pick for October, 2023. Two-time National Book Award winning novelist Jesmyn Ward invites us to descend into the hell of race-based slavery in the antebellum South, telling the story of Annis, a young woman separated from her mother in the Carolinas and sold into the brutal sugar production economy of Louisiana. Episode # 21 of bestseller, recorded 2/3/2024
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1 year ago
40 minutes 32 seconds

Bestseller
Best of 2023, Part 2
Brian and Barbara complete the review of 2023 by recognizing the hardcover fiction bestsellers with the highest (and lowest) social media ratings, counting down the top ten best selling bestsellers of the year, and sharing our favorite books of the year just past.Twenty minutes with us, and you'll know whether to read it ... or regift it!Episode #20 of bestseller, recorded 1/22/2024
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1 year ago
56 minutes 46 seconds

Bestseller
Best of 2023, Part 1
Brian and Barbara take a look back at the 191 books that made the New York Times bestselling hardcover fiction list last year, choosing the best of the best of 2023.With "Bestie" awards given in categories such as "Best Opening Line," "Best Cover Design," "Best Social Media Response," "Best Selling Book of the Year," and, of course, "Best Book of the Year" (not necessarily the same as biggest seller of the year), we help you figure out whether to read them ... or regift them.Episode 19 of bestseller, recorded 1/14/2024
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1 year ago
42 minutes 41 seconds

Bestseller
"Dirty Thirty" by Janet Evanovich reviewed
Brian and Barbara review the book Dirty Thirty by Janet Evanovich, number one on the New York Times hardcover fiction list of November 19, 2023.  Stephanie Plum, Trenton, New Jersey’s most famous fictional detective, is back in her thirtieth adventure, this time trying to apprehend a fugitive who thought a good way to escape the tedium of his assembly line job at the local button factory would be to commit armed robbery of a jewelry store. Can Stephanie track him down and get paid before her rent is due, while dealing with car wrecks, fire-bombings, amorous ex-lovers, an assistant who thinks her apartment is haunted by an ogre—a real ogre—and a golden retriever who remains perpetually hungry no matter how recently, and often, he’s been fed?  Twenty minutes with us, and you'll know whether to read it ... or regift it! Episode #18 of bestseller, recorded on 1/6/2024
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1 year ago
26 minutes 20 seconds

Bestseller
"The Exchange" by John Grisham reviewed
Brian and Barbara review the book The Exchange by John Grisham, number one on the November 5 and November 12, 2023, New York Times hardcover fiction lists.  Attorney Mitch McDeere, having escaped a mob-corrupted Memphis law firm at the end of author James Grisham’s 1991 breakthrough novel The Firm, resurfaces fifteen years later in Manhattan, now a junior partner in the largest international law firm in the world. Mitch returns to Memphis to seek a reprieve for a convicted killer, then heads overseas to lead a team suing the erratic Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi for failure to pay a billion-dollar construction bill. A young member of Mitch’s team is kidnapped by terrorists, and the pressure on Mitch to get her back builds to the breaking point when his wife Abby is pulled into the ransom negotiations.  Twenty minutes with us, and you'll know whether to read it--or re-gift it! Episode 17 of bestseller, recorded on 12/31/2023.
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1 year ago
29 minutes 40 seconds

Bestseller
Brian and Barbara review the latest books topping the hardcover fiction list. Twenty minutes with us, and you'll know whether to read it ... or regift it! Five essential facets are rated: GRIP & GRAB (does the story pull us in); SHE GOT FLAIR (does the writing crackle and pop, or lie there, dead on the page); BEAM ME UP (is this is a world we'd want to visit); NEW BEST FRIENDS (what about the characters); and ALL THE FEELS (emotional impact of the read). Brian and Barbara engage books as passionate, life-long readers; we're always on the lookout for the next great imaginative realm. Join us as we sift the bestseller list for that priceless find, a book that goes there and takes us with it.