Kirsty and Naomi discuss two books about unconventional women: Miss Iceland by Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir, translated by Brian FitzGibbon, and Come to the Edge by Joanna Kavenna.

Also mentioned:

The Lasting Harm by Lucia Osborne-Crowley

The Caretaker by Ron Rash

Kirsty and Naomi discuss two non-fiction books by Black American women: Caste by Isabel Wilkerson and Don’t Let It Get You Down by Savala Nolan.

Also mentioned:

Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver

Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan

Kirsty and Naomi discuss two books about immigration set largely on the US/Mexico border: Signs Preceding the End of the World by Yuri Herrera, translated by Lisa Dillman, and Of Women and Salt by Gabriela Garcia.

Also mentioned:

Rental Person Who Does Nothing by Shoji Morimoto, translated by Don Knotting

No Small Thing by Orlaine McDonald

Kirsty and Naomi discuss two queer horror short story collections: Things We Say in the Dark by Kirsty Logan and Parallel Hells by Leon Craig.

Also mentioned:

Sociopath: A Memoir by Patric Gagne

My Good Bright Wolf by Sarah Moss

Kirsty and Naomi discuss two novels about people in their 20s: The Bricks That Built the Houses by Kae Tempest and Rainbow Milk by Mendez.

Also mentioned:

Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar

The Lost Love Songs of Boysie Singh by Ingrid Persaud

Kirsty and Naomi discuss two Scottish coming of age novels: O Caledonia by Elspeth Barker and The Panopticon by Jenni Fagan.

Also mentioned:

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

Pity by Andrew McMillan

Kirsty and Naomi discuss two books about mothers and daughters: Cold Enough for Snow by Jessica Au and Oldladyvoice by Elisa Victoria.

Also mentioned:

Headshot by Rita Bullwinkel

Entitlement by Rumaan Alam

Kirsty and Naomi discuss two books about bears: Deaf at Spiral Park by Kieran Devaney and Bear by Marian Engel.

Also mentioned:

The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi

The Horse by Willy Vlautin

Kirsty and Naomi discuss two non-fiction books about music: This Woman’s Work, edited by Sinéad Gleeson and Kim Gordon and A Little Devil in America by Hanif Abdurraqib.

Also mentioned:

Grief Is for People by Sloane Crosley

Ti Amo by Hanne Ørstavik, translated by Martin Aitken

Kirsty and Naomi discuss two chunky historical novels: Pachinko by Min Jin Lee and The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen.

Also discussed:

Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad

James by Percival Everett

Kirsty and Naomi discuss two short story collections: Dinosaurs on Other Planets by Danielle McLaughlin and Alligator & Other Stories by Dima Alzayat.

Also mentioned:

The Salt Path by Raynor Winn

Lákíríboto by Ayodele Olofintuade

Kirsty and Naomi discuss two novellas in translation: Pedro Páramo by Juan Rulfo (translated by Margaret Sayers Peden) and Permafrost by Eva Baltasar (translated by Julia Sanches).

Also mentioned:

The Woman in Me by Britney Spears

Cinema Love by Jaiming Tang

Kirsty and Naomi discuss two books about infidelity: Standard Deviation by Katherine Heiny and The Harpy by Megan Hunter.

Also mentioned:

Open Throat by Henry Hoke

The Coiled Serpent by Camilla Grudova

Kirsty and Naomi discuss two books about the AIDS crisis: The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai and Close to the Knives by David Wojnarowicz.

Also mentioned:

Less by Andrew Sean Greer

North Woods by Daniel Mason

Kirsty and Naomi discuss two science fiction novels: The Employees by Olga Ravn (translated by Martin Aitken) and Far From the Light of Heaven by Tade Thompson.

Also mentioned:

Still Life with Bones by Alexa Hagerty

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

Kirsty and Naomi discuss two group biographies: No Modernism Without Lesbians by Diana Souhami and Square Haunting by Francesca Wade.

Also mentioned:

The New Life by Tom Crewe

Queen K by Sarah Thomas

Kirsty and Naomi discuss two anthologies of erotic stories: Unreal Sex edited by So Meyer and Adam Zmith and Anonymous Sex edited by Hillary Jordan and Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan.

Also mentioned:

Reach for the Stars by Michael Cragg

Alison by Lizzy Stewart

Kirsty and Naomi discuss two books about crime: Furious Hours by Casey Cep and In the Woods by Tana French.

Also mentioned:

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson

Naomi and Kirsty discuss nature and climate change in Under the Rock by Benjamin Myers and The High House by Jessie Greengrass.

Also mentioned:

Ghostwritten by Ronald Malfi

Kick the Latch by Kathryn Scanlan

Kirsty and Naomi discuss two books about love, sex and relationships: This One Sky Day by Leone Ross and 100 Boyfriends by Brontez Purnell.

Also mentioned: 

A Heart That Works by Rob Delaney

Sea Bean by Sally Huband