The Novel Tea

It's finally here - our year in books! In this bonus episode, we share the 10 best books we read this year, ranging from new releases, to classics, to non-fiction. We also share a few honorable mentions that we loved. And, towards the end of the episode, we spill the tea on a few 2024 releases, including some that we loved and others that didn't quite hit the mark.Books Mentioned:The GuestThe Night SwimThey Called Us ExceptionalEducatedThe Little StrangerYellowfaceThe Left Hand of DarknessMy DeathThe Bee StingJamesBirnam WoodHello BeautifulThe Hunchback of Notre DameAnother CountryCuckoldA Little LifeEnter GhostMartyr!The Illness LessonTomorrow and Tomorrow and TomorrowAn Immense WorldIn the Dream HouseThe Secret HistoryThe God of the WoodsThe WomenThere are Rivers in the SkyArgylleThe Bright SwordFunny Story

Neha and Shruti discuss all 8 books we've covered over the last few months, and talk about themes that emerged - getting a little nerdy along the way. We also discuss the Booker prize, throw some shade at the Oscars, and share more book recommendations around the theme of borders. This episode is spoiler free!Books mentioned:Culture and Imperialism by Edward SaidTermush by Sven HolmHomegoing by Yaa GyasiWe Have Always Been Here by Samra HabibThey Called Us Exceptional by Prachi GuptaThe Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin HamidGiovanni's Room by James BaldwinDisgrace by J.M. CoetzeeThe Laughter by Sonora JhaIf you would like to get additional behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free newsletter.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com.This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Neha and Shruti discuss The Parisian by Isabella Hammad, a book that follows Midhat Kamal, a Palestinian man, between the First and Second World Wars. We talk about the 19th century European novel, prominent themes we noticed in the book, and our thoughts on the characters and their development. We also get into the historical context of the events unfolding in the book.LinksIsraelPalestine For Critical Thinkers on YoutubeEmpire Podcast [Apple Podcasts] [Spotify]Books Mentioned & Shelf DiscoveryWar and Peace by Leo TolstoySentimental Education by Gustave FlaubertThe Sympathizer by Viet Thanh NguyenHope and Other Dangerous Pursuits by Laila LalamiThe House of the Spirits by Isabel AllendeOur Riches by Kaouther AdimiIf you would like to get additional behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free newsletter.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com.This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

This week we are so excited to invite Sri Ramesh of Brown Girl Bookshelf to chat with us! Last week, Neha and Shruti got into some of their critiques of The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida, and this week, Sri is here to tell us what she loved about. Will she change our minds?We also talk more broadly about Sri Lankan literature, the Booker prize, book endings, and our reading idiosyncrasies.LinksWhat Makes a Book a 'Classic'? [The Novel Tea Newsletter archive]BooksA Passage North by Anuk ArudpragasamStory of a Brief Marriage by Anuk ArudpragasamBrotherless Night by V. V. GaneshanathanThe Year of the Runaways by Sunjeev SahotaA Little Life by Hanya YanagiharaGoodbye Vitamin by Rachel KhongBird Milk & Mosquito Bones: A Memoir by Priyanka MattooA Fine Balance by Rohinton MistryThe Message by Ta-Nehisi CoatesThe Luminaries by Eleanor CattonThe Inheritance of Loss by Kiran DesaiThe God of Small Things by Arundhati RoyHomeland Elegies by Ayad AkhtarChai Time at Cinnamon Gardens by Shankari ChandranIf you would like to get additional behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free newsletter.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com.This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Neha and Shruti discuss Another Country by James Baldwin, a book that follows a group of friends and lovers in New York City in the mid-20th century. We talk about the characters and their relationships, the inaction that fills the novel, and the importance of having 'difficult' conversations with the people you love. We also go on a brief Gossip Girl tangent as we attempt to better understand the characters in this book :)Links:Another Country by Claudia Roth Pierpont [The New Yorker]Jazz by Toni Morrison: violence and ambition [The Novel Tea]Books mentioned & Shelf Discovery:A Little Life by Hanya YanagiharaThe Age of Innocence by Edith WhartonJazz by Toni MorrisonThe Sun Also Rises by Ernest HemingwayIf you would like to get additional behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free newsletter.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com.This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Neha and Shruti discuss Daughters of the Deer, by Danielle Daniel, a work of historical fiction that follows an indigenous woman and her daughter in a 17th century French colony that is now Quebec, Canada. We talk about the historical context of the book, discuss the characters and their journeys, and reflect on the importance of telling these stories.Shelf Discovery:East by Edith PattouFever 1793 by Laurie Halse AndersonHope Leslie; Or Early Times in Massachusetts by Catharine Maria SedgwickIf you would like to get additional behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free newsletter.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com.This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Neha and Shruti discuss The Savage Detectives, the story of two poets and the people and world that surrounds them, as they journey across Mexico. We talk about some of the cultural context of this book, the challenges we faced while reading, and share some strong opinions.Shelf DiscoveryAmerican Gods by Neil GaimanIf you would like to get more in-depth analysis, book recommendations, and cultural commentary, subscribe to our free newsletter.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com.This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

In this episode, Shruti and Neha discuss The Other Americans by Laila Lalami, a novel about an immigrant family that includes a romance, family drama, and a mystery. After a quick discussion of the It Ends With Us drama, we share a quick summary and dive into some themes we noticed in The Other Americans, including memory, regret, and protection. We talk about some of the key relationships and conflicts, major plot points, and Lalami's writing style.Shelf DiscoveryThe Night Watchman by Louise ErdrichThe Namesake by Jhumpa LahiriIf you would like to get more in-depth analysis, book recommendations, and cultural commentary, subscribe to our free newsletter.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com.This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.