Author Archives: heatherkauffmanpeters

Episode 88: YA Short Stories

The Mamas get dark, emotional, and angst-y with a collection of short stories for Young Adults (ages 14-18) that they may be too old to fully understand but fully enjoyed. Join the Mamas as they discuss the significance of collections, the struggles facing modern teens, and the power of weirdos.

Book Chat:

The Collectors, edited by A.S. King (winner of 2024 Printz Award Medal)

Other books the Mamas are currently reading:

The Funeral Ladies of Elerie County by Claire Swinarski (for grown-ups)

Lightlark by Alex Aster (young adult)

Episode 87: New MG Fantasy

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The total eclipse (of the sun not the heart) inspired the Mamas to explore gilded worlds and travel through time (and party like it’s 1999) with new Middle Grade fantasy books for ages 8-12. As you may have suspected, the Mamas were once just two farm girls waiting to be picked from obscurity for a special quest like all the best main characters of their favorite fantasies, towel capes and all.

Book Chat:

No Ordinary Thing by G.Z. Schmidt

Sona and the Golden Beasts by Rajani LaRocca

Episode 86: March Mysteries

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In episode 86, the Mamas party like it’s 1999 with their favorite genre, mysteries. Heather brings you a new Middle Grade mystery and rebel Mama, Margie, shares one of her favorite newer grown up series. The Mamas also explore the mystery of the Middle Grade slump and follow up the book chat with a list of new Middle Grade books with boy main characters that will hopefully put an end to Margie’s whining.

Book Chat:

The World-Famous Nine by Ben Guterson (MG)

Suburban Dicks and Self-Made Widow by Fabian Nicieza (Grown Up)

Pick 6: New MG books with boy MCs

The First State of Being by Erin Entrada Kelly

Walkin’ the Dog by Chris Lynch

Max in the House of Spies by Adam Gidwitz

Olivetti by Allie Millington

Race to the Truth series

Show Links:

Post on fromthemixedupfiles.com

The Middle Grade Slump

Episode 85: Middle Grade March

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Happy Middle Grade March! The Mamas are in their element, celebrating new Middle Grade book releases that cover a roller coaster of categories from Emily Post’s etiquette tips and environmental activism to Dungeons & Dragons style quests and cryptid monsters from other dimensions. Margie follows up the MG book chat with six grown up March releases you won’t want to miss.

Book Chat: MG New Releases

Emily Posts by Tanya Lloyd Kyi

The Doomsday Archives – the Wandering Hour by Zack Loran Clark and Nick Eliopulos

Pick 6: Grown Up New Releases

Finlay Donavan Rolls the Dice by Elle Cosimano
American Spirits by Russell Banks
The Funeral Ladies of Ellerie County by Claire Swinarski
How to Solve Your Own Murder by Krisitn Perrin
Hags: The Demonisation of Middle-Aged Women by Victoria Smith
The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan

Episode 84: Spies & Heists

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In episode 84, the Mamas go full fangirl swooning over beloved spymaster James Ponti, author of the bestselling City Spies series and Crime Fighters series for middle grade (ages 8-12). The Mamas fell for Ponti back in 2020 with the first City Spies book and were eager to reinvestigate the series with the newest release while also snooping into Ponti’s previous series. Grab your grappling hooks, brush up on your Russian, and synchronize your watches, because the Mamas are taking you into the world of espionage.

Book Chat: James Ponti

City Spies: Mission Manhattan

Crime Fighting Series: Framed, Vanished, and Trapped

Episode 83: Hot Off the Presses

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The Mamas have burned their little mom fingers to bring you the hottest new books for 2024. From grown up books in the book chat to picture books in the Pick 6, the Mamas are sharing the latest books that grabbed them in a world with so many books and too little time. What do you think of their tastes? Too weird? According to Margie, that’s what the Mamas are here for! Heather can’t disagree.

Book Chat: New Releases for Grown Ups

The Fetishist by Katherine Min

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins

Pick 6: New Picture Books

Treehouse Town by Gideon Sterer and illustrated by Charlie Mylie

Not a Monster by Claudia Guadalupe Martinez illustrated by Laura Gonzalez

100 Mighty Dragons All Named Broccoli by by David LaRochelle illustrated by Lian Cho

Today is For You by Sally Lloyd-Jones illustrated by Kevin W’aldron

Habitats: a Journey with Nature by Hannah Pang, illustrated by Izobel Lundie

Teeny-Weeny Unicorn by Shawn Harris

Show links:

Nowhere Bookshop

Episode 82: Graphic Novels R Cool (Who Knew!)

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In this episode of the Two Lit Mamas podcast, the Mamas get graphic but Tipper Gore can chill – no warning label required for this bundle of sweet, fun, and entertaining Middle Grade (ages 8-12)and Young Adult (ages 13 and up) novels in comic form! That’s right, the mamas are chatting about graphic novels and *spoiler alert* they are loving them.

Book Chat:

The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz
Inked by Dominic Bustamante, Colored by Eleonora Bruni

EVE by Victor LaValle
Illustrated by Jo Mi-Gyeong, Colored by Brittany Peer

Break by Kayla Miller

Doom’s Day Camp by Joshua Hauke

Animal Rescue Friends by Meika Hashimoto and Gina Loveless
Illustrated by Genevieve Kote, Breakdowns by Axelle Lenior

World Class byJay Sandlin
Illustrated by Patrick Mulholland, Colored by Rebecca Nalty

Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier

Episode 81: Books for Grown Ups

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The Mamas want to help you through the dark days of winter with recommendations for the grown up books they plowed through over the holidays. Don’t worry, they’ll be back with kid book recs next time around, but for episode 81, all you parents, teachers, and writers out there, prepare to get your read on. Happy New Year! Here’s to hoping 2024 isn’t a hot mess.

Book Chat:
See What I Have Done by Sarah Schmidt

Margie’s Winter Break Reads:
They Never Learn by Layne Fargo
The House in the Pines by Ana Reyes
The Forgotten Girls by Monica Potts

Heather’s Winter Break Reads:
Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman
Divine Rivals & Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross
Galatea by Madeline Miller

Episode 80: Mystery & Mayhem for the Holidays

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The Mamas get festive for the last episode of 2023 with a holiday-themed short story collection for 8–12-year-olds filled with murder, mystery, and mayhem. If you enjoy a holiday haunted house, listen in as the Mama’s say good-bye to 2023 with a book chat about creepy funhouses, famous cat burglars, and conspiracies meant to silence the most benevolent among us. Happy Holidays!

Book Chat:

The Very Merry Murder Club edited by Serena Patel and Robin Stevens

Episode 78: Holiday Gift Guide, Part 2

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Stuff your mouth with turkey while the Mama’s share their opinions on funny, sexy, and murdery Grown Up books that made the top of their lists in 2023. Heather went for fantasies filled with dragons and angry gods, while Margie nabbed myths, space murders, and, of course, zombies.

You can’t go wrong when a nerd and an outcast team up – that’s when the Two Lit Mamas are at their finest. Happy Thanksgiving! And, don’t forget to hit your local bookstores on Small Business Saturday or you’ll end up on the Mamas’ naughty list.

The Mamas’ Top Just-for-Fun Reads

Heather’s Faves:

Circe by Madeline Miller

An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good by Helene Tursten

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna

Margie’s Faves:

Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn

The Push by Ashley Audrain

Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica

Holiday Gift Guide Grown Up & YA Recs:

Heather’s Picks:

The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman