Bookwild

This week, Halley Sutton is back, and we dive into everything we've been reading and watching - which is quite a lot! We also share a few 2026 books we are excited to read. What We’ve Been Reading Everyone Is Lying to You — Joe Piazza Alchemy of Secrets — Stephanie Garber Vantage Point — Sarah Sligar Good Dirt — Charmaine Wilkerson 2026 Hopefuls The Future Saints — Ashley Winstead All the Little Houses — May Cobb The Fortune Tellers of Rue Daru — Olyseia Solnikova Gilmore Vigil — George Saunders The Story Eaters of Yamm — Kevin Hincker Lady X — Molly Fader Murder Bimbo — Rebecca Novak The Temptation of Charlotte North — Camilla Bruce Movies & TV Shows We Talked About Pluribus Dexter: Resurrection The Beast in Me Ballard Death By Lightning Slow Horses The Beast Frankenstein Hamnet Wake Up Dead Man Check Out Author Social Media Packages Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Other Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, I talk with John Fram about the creative process behind his new horror-thriller The Midnight Knock , a genre-blending desert nightmare. He dives into selling the book early, wrestling with a complex multi-POV structure, and navigating the behind-the-scenes realities of publishing—from word-count limits to printing costs to foreign rights. He traces the story’s roots from a childhood moment of awe in West Texas to the unsettling idea of an endless highway, explaining how claustrophobia, cosmic horror, indigenous-informed mythology, and a terrifying owl-snake creature all converged in a motel where the guests can’t outrun their pasts—or the desert itself. Check Out Author Social Media Packages Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Other Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, Gare, Steph and I share our last, current and next reads! Kate's Books Last - Degenerate by Matt Casamassina Current - Children Like Us by Birttany Penner Next - Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson Gare's Books Last - All the Little Houses by May Cobb Current - Heated Rivalry by Rachel Ried Next - The House Guests by Amber and Danielle Brown Steph's Books Last - Everyone is Lying to You by Jo Piazza Current - At Least You Have Your Health by Madi Sinha Next - Seduction Theory by Emily Adrian Check Out Author Social Media Packages Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Other Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, Kristi DeMeester shares how her new novel Dark Sisters emerged from a collision of personal history, cultural rage, and the disturbing ease with which faith, patriarchy, and power can be weaponized. We discuss purity culture, megachurch hypocrisy, witch-trial history, feminist reclamation, the generational impact of religious fundamentalism, and how horror can become a perfect container for social truth-telling, female rage, and bittersweet hope. Check out the book here: Dark Sisters by Kristi DeMeester Check Out Author Social Media Packages Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Other Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, MacKenzie Green is back and we dive into the complexities of pop culture, the deeper meanings embedded in modern media, how storytelling has evolved, the impact of anti-intellectualism, and the importance of critical engagement with entertainment. We discuss the intersection of identity and societal issues, emphasizing that every piece of content carries a message, whether overt or subtle, and the necessity of understanding historical context in shaping narratives amidst a growing trend of superficial engagement with media. We also share how finding and creating communities that value intellectual rigor and deeper analysis of art is has helped both of us, and how even if you don't align with everyone in your family, a found family can be just as powerful. Check Out Author Social Media Packages Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Other Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, I talk with Keith Giles about how the early Christian world was far more diverse and mystical than most people realize. He unpacks the history of suppressed gospels, the erasure of Mary Magdalene’s authority, and how non-duality, interconnectedness, and compassion sit at the heart of Jesus’s original teachings. We dive into deconstruction, Christian nationalism, biblical misuse, and how theology shapes our relationships with ourselves and others. Keith offers a grounded, hopeful vision of spirituality rooted not in fear or hierarchy, but in transformation, justice, and shared humanity. The Quantum Gospel of Mary Info Check Out Author Social Media Packages Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Other Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, Gare, Steph and I all chose one of our own favorite plot devices and recommended books in that vein! This episode definitely has a book for just about everybody! Kate's Books - Books with Dramatic Irony I, Medusa Stalker Dark Sisters Sky Full of Elephants Happy Land Gare's Books - Thrillers with Sex Work Boom Town Real Easy These Women Things We Do in the Dark The Girl in 6E Steph's Books - Books with Road Trips The Road to Tender Hearts Needle Lake Paper Ghosts I Thought You Said This Would Work He Started It Check Out Author Social Media Packages Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Other Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

Audra McElyea returns to talk about her new locked-room, cancel-culture thriller Not Good People , a twisty ensemble mystery set in a blizzard-stranded Blue Ridge Mountain castle. Audra shares how a decades-old British play inspired her to blend popcorn-thriller pacing with a deeper moral reckoning, how she crafted eleven interconnected characters through actor-based mannerisms, and why the story’s escalating secrets force readers to examine not just the cast—but themselves. Check Out Author Social Media Packages Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Other Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, I talk with Erin Crosby Eckstine about her debut Southern Gothic, Junie . She shares how the book developed across years of writing, the importance of portraying enslaved characters with full humanity rather than stereotypes, and why she crafted Junie as a flawed, emotionally real teenager navigating a world she can’t yet fully understand. Erin also explains Gothic and Southern Gothic traditions, the role of ghostly elements like Minnie, the influence of literature within the story, and how intergenerational family history shaped both the novel and her own life. Follow Erin on: Instagram TikTok Check Out Author Social Media Packages Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Other Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, Gare, Steph and I share books we think are good discussion starters for book clubs! Books We Talked About Kate's Picks Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang Dominion by Addie E. Citchens My Husband by Maud Ventura Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir Allegedly by Tiffany D Jackson Gare's Picks Keep it In the Family by John Marrs Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino His & Hers by Alice Feeney American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis Steph's Picks Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix None of This is True by Lisa Jewell Sisters of the Lost Nation by Nick Medina Don’t Forget the Girl by Rebecca McKanna All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby The Last Housewife by Ashley Winstead Check Out Author Social Media Packages Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Other Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, I talk with Wen-Yi Lee about her adult fantasy debut When They Burned the Butterfly —a fierce, Sapphic story of rage, inheritance, and transformation set in post-colonial Singapore. She shares how her homecoming to Singapore shaped this deeply personal book, how real history and mythology intertwined to form her world of fire magic and girl gangs, and why female rage and found family remain at the heart of her storytelling. We also dive into her creative process, from “chasing the shiny thing” when writing to reimagining real-life places and histories that have since disappeared. If you love Jade City , The Poppy War , or any fantasy that blazes with feminist fury, you will love When They Burned the Butterfly! Check Out Author Social Media Packages Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Other Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, Gare and I got to chat with bestselling author Nic Stone to talk about her adult debut thriller, Boom Town —a gritty, sexy, and socially sharp story set in Atlanta’s iconic strip-club scene. Nic opens up about her path from YA to adult fiction, the inspiration behind Boom Town (and why she wrote it before anyone else could), and how she approached portraying sex work, power, and autonomy with authenticity and respect. We also discuss banned books, Atlanta’s strip club culture, Nic’s dad’s unforgettable reaction to the audiobook, and the sheer joy of writing complex, powerful Black women. Check Out Author Social Media Packages Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Other Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, Steph and I got chat with Kirsten Miller about her newest novel The Women of Wild Hill . She shares the evolution of her writing process, and the inspirations behind her sharp, witchy, and deeply human stories. She dives into her love of flawed “unlikable” women, and her view of witchcraft as a metaphor for women’s power and connection to nature. She unpacks how setting, character, and “vibe” shape her work; how hope underpins even her darkest stories; and how The Women of Wild Hill extends the feminist universe begun in The Change , spanning generations of women using their power against patriarchy. We also discuss the cultural resurgence of witch narratives, the importance of honoring women’s sacrifices throughout history, audiobook narration with January LaVoy, and the enduring magic of storytelling as both art and act of resistance. Women of Wild Hill Synopsis Check Out Author Social Media Packages Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Other Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, Halley is back and she shares her experiences at NoirCon, I share my new obsession with Scream With Me, a non-fiction book that draws parallels between popular horror movies from 1968-1980 and feminism, and then we must dive into the monstrous men who star in and/or create some of said films. Because how could we not end up talking about that?? We also do a brief bit on Lily Allen's new album West End Girl, Kayla Nicole's Halloween clapback, and the continuing conflict of Ms. Swift. Check Out Author Social Media Packages Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Other Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, I got to talk with Cate Holahan about her new thriller The Kidnapping of Alice Ingold. She shares the real life case that inspired the kidnapping structure, how anxiety fuels her best ideas, and how she approached writing an AI tech guru. The Kidnapping of Alice Ingold Synopsis Alice Ingold has been kidnapped. Call the police. Alert the media. You can't play this game without all the pieces. Beautiful, blond, and immensely privileged, Alice Ingold is the perfect victim for a true-crime obsessed culture--and for a masked duo with a singular purpose. Instead of a demand for ransom, her captors have a riddle, and they're inviting the entire country to solve it. No one is more invested in the search than Alice's parents: Catherine, a socialite with obscene generational wealth, and Brian, a visionary AI tech guru. But while Brian turns to machines to solve the problem, Catherine tries to crowdsource the solution, stopping at nothing to bring her daughter home. And America isn't just watching the story unfold...it's playing along. The nationwide scavenger hunt for Alice is on. As an increasingly desperate Catherine strives to understand each new clue, a complex picture of the crime develops. Soon, everyone will see the kidnapping of Alice Ingold for what it is--and Alice won't be the only one who will need saving. Check Out Author Social Media Packages Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Other Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, I talk with Pelumi Olatinpo about his new poetry collection Manifest Destiny. He shares how and why he created a new type of poetry, what inspired him to write about Manifest Destiny and the way it echoes throughout history, and the power of bearing witness. Manifest Destiny Synopsis America turns 250 in 2026. In MANIFEST DESTINY, Pelumi Olatinpo delivers an essential examination of what we’ve been, what we are, and what we might become. This isn’t a traditional book. It’s a new form entirely—159 “sonetas” that compress centuries into seconds, each one exactly sixty words. Think of them as diagnostic tools, or prayers, or evidence. Olatinpo’s innovation makes complex history feel like music in your bones. Olatinpo writes with the authority of someone who has lived the contradictions he interrogates: arriving undocumented at fifteen, becoming a citizen twenty-two years later. This second book after the acclaimed Poeta moves through four sections—from intimate love through historical memory to prophetic witness—each soneta a small revelation. “All men are created equal, some more equal than others.” “In Lagos, you damn the bled, or join the dead.” “I’ve loved you with the darkest and brightest blues / Of every ocean.” The journey spans continents and centuries, connecting Gaza to Gettysburg, colonial Nigeria to contemporary Chicago. Code-switching between biblical prophecy, constitutional language, and Nigerian Pidgin, Olatinpo reveals patterns we’ve been trained not to see. Extensive endnotes turn every reference into a teaching moment. The final piece appears on the book’s endpaper—making it impossible to close without confronting the question: who remembers? For readers of Ta-Nehisi Coates’ Between the World and Me, Claudia Rankine’s Citizen, and anyone seeking to understand America at this crucial moment. Essential reading for the 250th anniversary. A book that transcends genre to become necessary equipment for our time. Check Out Author Social Media Packages Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Other Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, Gare, Steph and I share some of our favorite recommendations for spooky season! Kate’s Picks No Road Home by John Fram The Getaway by Lamar Giles The Buffalo Hunter Hunter The Macabre by Kosoko Jackson Jackal by Erin E. Adams Gare’s Picks Nightwatcher by Daphne Wolsoncroft Please See Us by Caitlin Mullen The Sundown Motel by Simone St. James Keep This For Me by Jennifer Fawcett Steph’s Picks Look Closer by David Ellis Almost Surely Dead by Amina Akhtar Play Nice by Rachel Harrison Slewfoot by Brom How to Survive Your Murder by Danielle Valentine Check Out Author Social Media Packages Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Other Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, I chat with Vanessa Lillie about her new thriller in her Syd Walker series, The Bone Thief! We dive into her inspiration for the story, the research she did to incorporate historic and contemporary elements, and the social structures that inspired the Founders Society. The Bone Thief Synopsis In the hours before dawn at a local summer camp, Bureau of Indian Affairs archaeologist Syd Walker receives an alarming call: newly discovered skeletal remains have been stolen. Not only have bones gone missing, but a Native teen girl has disappeared near the camp, and law enforcement dismisses her family's fears. As Syd investigates both crimes, she's drawn into a world of privileged campers and their wealthy parents—most of them members of the Founders Society, an exclusive club whose members trace their lineage to the first colonists and claim ancestral rights to the land, despite fierce objections from the local tribal community. And it's not the first time something—or someone—has gone missing from the camp. The deeper Syd digs, the more she realizes these aren't isolated incidents. A pattern of disappearances stretches back generations, all leading to the Founders Society's doorstep. But exposing the truth means confronting not just the town's most powerful families, but also a legacy of violence that refuses to stay buried. Check Out Author Social Media Packages Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Other Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, Gare and I talk with THE Lucinda Berry about her new audiobook This Is a Safe Space! We dive into her inspiration for this story, how writing for audio changes her process, and how she balances twists and trauma. This Is A Safe Space Synopsis Jenna, who runs a successful private therapy practice, still struggles with trust issues of her own. She’s made a promise to stop snooping in her husband Colten’s phone, but sometimes she can’t help herself. One night, she discovers a troubling exchange between him and his cousin Bodie, who’s one of his closest friends. A dancer from a bachelor party they both recently attended is threatening Bodie, claiming they crossed a line sexually and that she’ll expose the truth to his family if she doesn’t get what she wants. They don’t know much about this woman, or how far she’s willing to go. But Jenna might. Lexus Chardonnay, the stage name of the dancer from the party, is one you don’t forget. And Jenna’s heard it before—from one of her clients. Kaitlyn is a medical school student who dances on weekends to put herself through school. Jenna’s been her therapist for years, except she hasn’t seen her for three months. Not since Kaitlyn stopped showing up for treatment, without explanation. As Jenna begins to listen back to their past sessions, desperate for answers, a more complicated picture emerges, and she must decide who to trust as her career and her family hang in the balance. Check Out Author Social Media Packages Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Other Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, I'm chatting with a new co-host, Erin Ashley! She shares her interest in memoirs about musicians, how she came to love them as a music journalist, and the fiction she's been trying to read more of this year. Follow Erin here on Instagram And subscribe to her Substack for posts and interviews! Check Out Author Social Media Packages Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Other Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, I talk with Nekesa Afia about her new historical-contemporary mystery As Long As You're Mine. We dive into her inspiration for the book, her fascination with the past, and how her present and past characters are up against similar power imbalances. As Long As You're Mine Synopsis Professional ballerina Thea Ross’s world shatters when her screen-legend father commits suicide, leaving behind a shocking confession to a decades-old murder. Determined to uncover the truth, Thea teams up with a relentless journalist, following a trail of clues that leads her back to the glittering yet treacherous world of 1930s Hollywood. There, she discovers the story of Lorelei Davies, a struggling actress willing to endure anything for her family’s sake. As Thea peels back the layers of Lorelei’s life—her dreams, fears, and dangerous secrets—the connection between Lorelei’s past and Thea’s present challenges everything she believes about her family history. But as she untangles all the lies, she comes to know herself more truly than ever before. As Thea navigates the glamorous facade of Old Hollywood, she must decide whether uncovering the truth about her father is worth sacrificing the life she planned—and whether some secrets are better left buried in Hollywood’s golden age. Check Out Author Social Media Packages Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Other Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, Steph and I chat with Sagit Schwartz about her new thriller The Underdog! We dive into her inspiration for the story, what she loved about writing crazed fan Norma, and how Sagit and I successfully recorded an audiobook thousands of miles apart from each other! The Underdog Synopsis When Liz, an aspiring director stuck working as a chaperone for a reality TV music show, picks up a new contestant from a psychiatric hospital, dubbed “The Singing Patient” by fans online, things take an unexpected turn. The contestant disappears at the airport, and Liz finds herself under police suspicion, accused of helping the woman flee in exchange for money. Across the country, Norma, an obsessive viewer of The Underdog, is captivated by one contestant's story. Feeling an intense connection, she travels to Los Angeles to watch the show filmed live and meet her. As the mystery deepens and the investigation into the missing contestant intensifies, the shocking murder of The Singing Patient’s husband leads Liz and Norma into a deadly game of cat-and-mouse. With each twist and turn, Liz discovers that Norma is not your average fan—but someone far more dangerous. Check Out Author Social Media Packages Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Other Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

Bonus Episode!! In this first episode of my new Continuing Ed series, MacKenzie Green joins me to talk about a non-fiction book she convinced me to read: Original Sins: The (Mis)education of Black and Native Children and the Construction of American Racism The book covers the way America chose to "educate" both Native and Black children, but for Indigenous People's Day, we chose to focus on how Indigenous children were treated and taught as our country built its education system. We cover how Thomas Jefferson's Doctrine of Destiny laid the groundwork for the belief in Manifest Destiny, and how Manifest Destiny lead to white people believing that Black and Indigenous populations were inferior and savage, groups of people to be "civilized" by an army of good white Lady Bountiful teachers. Make sure you go support MacKenzie's Substack here ! And follow her on Instagram here ! Check Out Author Social Media Packages Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Other Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, I got to talk with John Fugelsang about his new book Separation of Church and Hate! He shares why he's passionate about taking back the religion of his parents from the way it has been used as a cloak for hate, how it's near impossible to find a quality in Donald Trump that aligns with Jesus' teachings, and ways to lead Christian Nationalists to arguing with God/scripture instead of yourself. Separation of Church and Hate Synopsis Told with Fugelsang’s trademark blend of radical honesty, relevant humor, and deep political and religious knowledge, Separation of Church and Hate is the book every American today needs. It is a return to civility, a rallying cry for compassion and clarity, and a reclamation of the values and truths we hold dear, for anyone who was raised Christian but has become disillusioned with organized religion; for Democrats, progressives, liberals, and moderates who are tired of the right wing pretending to own Christianity; for atheists, agnostics, and any one of any faith who’s sick of the fundamentalists using religion as a cloaking device for hate; for everyone who’s realized you don’t necessarily need organized religion to be a good person. For over two centuries, the United States constitution has given us the right to live in a society where church and state exist independently, and without conflict. So why is it that, suddenly, Christianity is being co-opted by far-right groups, politicians, friends, and family members to justify oppressive and unequal policies? And how do we fight back against those acting—literally—in bad faith? In this informative, perspective-shifting guide, Fugelsang takes readers through common talking points and arguments—God condemns abortion, gay marriage is a sin, guns are an ordained right, and more—and exposes their hypocrisy and overall inaccuracy through scripture, philosophy, and plain old common sense. Separation of Church and Hate , a new and critical book from comedian and TV and radio host John Fugelsang—who himself is the child of a former Catholic nun and Franciscan brother—finally offers the answers. Check Out Author Social Media Packages Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Other Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

Halley Sutton is back! I can't even begin to tell you every topic we talked about, because we basically caught up with each others' lives while also talking about some books, movies and TV shows. Check Out Author Social Media Packages Check out the Bookwild Community on Patreon Check Out My Stories Are My Religion Substack Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Other Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba