Share
Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books™️
Sadeqa Johnson, THE HOUSE OF EVE
Zibby Owens interviews award-winning author Sadeqa Jones about her latest novel, The House of Eve, which is Reese's February Book Club pick! This daring and heartrending book is set in the 1950s and follows two Black women in Philadelphia and Washington, DC as they navigate motherhood, ambition, forbidden love, and life-altering decisions. Sadeqa reveals that this story is inspired by her own family history, and shares how much she enjoyed exploring race, class, elitism, and the fate of young Black women in mid-20th century America. She also talks about the taboo love story that Zibby loved (matzah ball soup involved!), her next historical fiction project, and the incredible book tour she is about to embark on.
Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3HL33XJ
Subscribe to Zibby's weekly newsletter here.
Purchase Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books merch here.
More episodes
View all episodes
19. Natasha Sizlo, ALL SIGNS POINT TO PARIS: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Destiny
28:26||Season 23, Ep. 19Special re-release: In support of authors who have lost their homes in the tragic LA fires, we will be resharing their podcast episodes.Zibby speaks to Natasha Sizlo about ALL SIGNS POINT TO PARIS, a sparkling and adventurous memoir about her quest to find her astrological soulmate—a man born in Paris on November 2nd, 1968! Natasha talks about the difficult life events that prompted her journey, the amazing online community she grew while abroad, and how the experience strengthened her relationship with her sister (who also went to Paris!). She also talks about being the biggest cynic believer of astrology and spirits (are the voices in her head thoughts or ghosts!?) and hints at some yet-to-be-announced book updates—perhaps an adaptation?Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4g9bD1OShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!18. Tom Rosshirt, CHASING PEACE: A Story of Breakdowns, Breakthroughs, and the Spiritual Power of Neuroscience
29:11||Season 23, Ep. 18Zibby speaks with Tom Rosshirt about his poignant and transformational new book, CHASING PEACE: A Story of Breakdowns, Breakthroughs, and the Spiritual Power of Neuroscience. Tom shares his extraordinary journey from debilitating chronic illnesses, depression, and anxiety to healing through the latest practices in brain science. He explains how self-directed neuroplasticity—a daily practice of retraining the brain—helped him reorient his relationship with pain, fear, illness, and suppressed feelings. This one’s a must-listen for anyone seeking practical tools for living a fuller, healthier life!Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/40rEJ6zShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!17. Nancy Reddy, THE GOOD MOTHER MYTH: Unlearning Our Bad Ideas about How to Be a Good Mom
22:42||Season 23, Ep. 17Zibby chats with author Nancy Reddy about THE GOOD MOTHER MYTH, an incisive, meticulously researched, and beautifully written book that blends science, cultural criticism, and memoir to challenge the unrealistic expectations placed on mothers and advocate for a more compassionate, community-driven approach to parenting. Nancy unpacks the damaging "supermom" ideal and explains why understanding motherhood as a shared, relational experience—rather than a solo performance—is key to parental well-being and children's development. Nancy offers wisdom on navigating early parenthood, letting go of perfectionism, and embracing the power of asking for help.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3CjBhCWShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!16. Alison Wood Brooks, TALK: The Science of Conversation and the Art of Being Ourselves
30:38||Season 23, Ep. 16Celebrated Harvard Business School professor and leading expert on the psychology of conversation, Alison Wood Brooks, chats with Zibby about TALK, a groundbreaking and immediately useful book that reveals the hidden architecture of our conversations and teaches us how to be better at them. Alison shares her personal and professional journey and then introduces her framework for better conversations—TALK: Topics, Asking, Levity, and Kindness. Zibby reflects on her own experiences with social anxiety and public speaking, and then they touch on parenting, teaching children social skills, and the transformative potential of thoughtful communication.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3CeZ5YLShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!15. Sarah Mlynowski, UPSIDE-DOWN MAGIC and WHATEVER AFTER series
27:10||Season 23, Ep. 15Special re-release: In support of authors who have lost their homes in the tragic LA fires, we will be resharing their podcast episodes.Zibby chats with New York Times bestselling author Sarah Mlynowski, the creative force behind popular children’s and teen book series like WHATEVER AFTER and UPSIDE-DOWN MAGIC. Sarah shares her journey from adult chick lit to middle-grade magic, her meticulous writing strategy, and how she weaves humor, magic, relatable and empowering characters, and life lessons into her books. She also reflects on the impact of personal experiences on her work, how she balances writing and parenting, and her aspirations to explore different genres and mediums, like picture books and TV adaptations.Purchase on Bookshop:Upside-Down Magic: Book #1Whatever After: Book #1Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!14. Samantha Ettus, THE PIE LIFE: A Guilt-Free Recipe for Success and Satisfaction
30:37||Season 23, Ep. 14Special re-release: In support of authors who have lost their homes in the tragic LA fires, we will be resharing their podcast episodes.Zibby interviews Harvard MBA, best-selling author, and “queen of unsolicited advice” Samantha Ettus about her 2016 self-improvement guide for working women, THE PIE LIFE: A Guilt-Free Recipe for Success and Satisfaction. Sam talks about the importance of nurturing every part of our lives (each of the “seven slices”), rejecting guilt and embracing messiness in motherhood, the myth of maternal instincts (dads can do everything moms can do!!), and her passion for empowering women and helping them achieve financial independence.Purchase on Bookshop: bit.ly/3tPZ2uvShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!13. Lisa Cheek, SIT, CINDERELLA, SIT: A Mostly True Memoir
23:06||Season 23, Ep. 13Zibby speaks with writer and former film editor Lisa Cheek about her heartfelt and quickwitted memoir, SIT, CINDERELLA, SIT: A Mostly True Memoir. Lisa shares her story, from her groundbreaking career in TV commercial editing to her extraordinary adventure flying to rural China and editing a film about the origins of the Cinderella story on the Tibetan border with a Mandarin-speaking crew—a job she took without knowing the language. She also touches on her nomadic upbringing, her father’s love of books, her pandemic pink hair transformation, her love for dogs, and the profound role kindness has played in her journey.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4fZvfoIShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!12. Sarah Hoover, THE MOTHERLOAD: Episodes from the Brink of Motherhood
27:22||Season 23, Ep. 12Debut author Sarah Hoover joins Zibby to discuss THE MOTHERLOAD, an unflinchingly honest and brutally funny motherhood memoir that turns the ecstatic narrative women have been fed on its head. Sarah reflects on her harrowing journey through postpartum depression, navigating identity shifts, new motherhood, marriage challenges, and a complex relationship with her own mother. She shares how the trauma of childbirth and her struggle to find herself in the New York art world inspired her to write a book she wished she’d had during her darkest moments. She also reflects on the joy she now feels in her relationship with her son and offers heartfelt advice for new moms.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4h95sMBShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!11. Alice Feeney, BEAUTIFUL UGLY
26:55||Season 23, Ep. 11Zibby is joined by New York Times million-copy bestselling author Alice Feeney to discuss her magnetic, jaw-dropping new thriller, BEAUTIFUL UGLY. Alice delves into the story, which follows struggling author Grady Green a year after his wife’s mysterious disappearance, and what happens when he travels to a tiny Scottish island to get his life back on track... and sees a woman who looks exactly like his missing wife. Alice describes her creative process and explores her novel’s themes of grief, love, identity, and revenge. She also reflects on the balance between fiction and personal experience.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4068ppKShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!