Best Aileen Calderon Podcasts (2024)

1
S2 E14: We all read Latinx writers! 52:56

2y ago52:56

52:56

*Trigger warning: The beginning of this episode starts off with a politically charged conversation about the Supreme Court and the recent overturning of Roe v Wade. But we eventually do talk about books. ** Also, this is our last episode before our summer break, but we will be back in the fall rested and refreshed, with more amazing books to share …

1
S2 E13: YA titles recommended by actual young adults 59:32

2y ago59:32

59:32

Alisa’s daughter Ella, and Lauren’s daughter Ana gave us a list of YA titles we hadn’t read yet. Aileen read We Were Liars by E. Lockheart, a thriller with a blow-your-mind twist at the end. Though classified as YA, we all felt like this book was just as suitable for adults also. Lauren read The Book Thief by Markus Zusak after years of her daughte…

1
S2 E12: The thinking woman’s page turners 53:39

2y ago53:39

53:39

This week we read books that hovered somewhere in the beach read category, yet much more challenging and satisfying than the run-of-the-mill sand and surf fluff. Aileen read The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller, a story of summer, secrets, love, and lies. Lauren read Mr. Wrong Number, a hilarious rom-com by Lynn Painter. Alisa read The Seven H…

1
S2 E11: Guest host NYT bestselling author Beth Revis 48:43

2y ago48:43

48:43

This week on Fiction Between Friends we have a special guest, New York Times bestselling author, Beth Revis! We talk about her new book The Princess and the Scoundrel, coming out August 16, 2022, and her serial novel Museum of Magic that is out right now on Kindle Vella. Beth tells us all about the lovely people at Star Wars, and about how she work…

1
S2 E10: We read historical fiction and love it 55:08

2y ago55:08

55:08

This week the gang reads historical fiction. Alisa and Aileen are old pros at this sub-genre while Josie and Lauren are more like dabblers. Ironically, almost all of the picks were in the WW2 category while Josie was the odd duck who traveled back to medieval Europe. Aileen read Moloka’i by Alan Brennert. She’s been trying for years to read this bo…

1
S2 E9: Guest host writer/director Barbara Stepansky 50:05

2y ago50:05

50:05

Ever wonder how your favorite book becomes a movie or a TV show? Well, wonder no longer because we have brought in a bona-fide filmmaker to explain it. Lauren couldn’t be with us, but we had our first guest speaker, Barbara Stepansky on in her place. Barbara is an award-winning screenwriter and a director who writes for the show Outlander. She had …

1
S2 E8: Books on our nightstands 51:14

2y ago51:14

51:14

This week on Fiction Between Friends, anything goes! It was the “What’s on Your Nightstand?” episode. Aileen read Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld. A modern re-telling of Pride and Prejudice. Lauren swung for the fences and read a book in Spanish that she’s been trying to read forever. En los Zapatos de Valeria by Elisabet Benavent, about 4 women who …

1
S2 E7: Books that got us through the pandemic 52:39

2y ago52:39

52:39

We talked about it, and we’ve decided that the pandemic is over. For now at least. And we wanted to celebrate by talking about what helped get us through it. Each other, of course, but also what we read. Aileen talked about how much she loved reading Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid. Lauren reminisced about Ross Poldark, the first boo…

1
S2 E6: Books set in New England (our hometown) 59:11

2y ago59:11

59:11

This week we all read books that were set in our neck of the woods. New England! Aileen starts us off with On Beauty by Zadie Smith. Lauren covers The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe. Josie read The Secret History by Donna Tartt. But Alisa probably “won” this week with her read, We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry. Trigger warnings…

1
S2 E5: Books that made us laugh 57:28

2y ago57:28

57:28

We felt like we needed to lighten up a bit, so this week we read books that made us laugh. Lauren read an old favorite, One for the Money by Janet Evanovich. Alisa read Faking It by Jennifer Cruise. Aileen read The Humans by Matt Hague. And Josie read one of her favorites, Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett.…

1
S2 E4: Books turned into movies 57:00

2y ago57:00

57:00

Aileen had always wanted an excuse to read Nora Ephron, so she read Heartburn by Nora Ephron. Lauren got her sweet tooth fix with an old copy of Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel. Alisa read A River Runs Through It by Norman McClain, and Josie dug up her copy of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.…

1
S2 Ep3: Steamy love stories 1:00:47

2y ago1:00:47

1:00:47

Happy (early) Valentine’s Day! Lauren read The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon. Fun, vivacious dialogue and tons of red hot lovin’. Aileen had a much more PG rated read with The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion, about a quirky, schedule-obsessed hero, and the innocent, light-hearted love that he develops for the girl who breaks all the rules. Alisa h…

1
S2 Ep2: We all read Stephen King 59:17

2y ago59:17

59:17

Aileen is a huge Stephen King fan and has been for as long as we can remember. This week she picked a book of his for each of us to read. Aileen read one of King’s more recent books, Billie Summers. A crime thriller that’s something of a departure from what we all think of as a typical Stephen King novel. Alisa should have read 11.22.63 like Aileen…

1
S2 Ep1: We read banned or reconsidered books 1:09:16

2+ y ago1:09:16

1:09:16

Right now in our country there are towns, cities, and states making lists of books that certain people want banned from schools and libraries, and we are absolutely horrified by this. So, each one of us pick an AMAZING book that is on one of these nefarious lists and read the heck out of ‘em. Aileen read The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, and had her…

1
Ep.8: We read love stories 59:24

2+ y ago59:24

59:24

Our final episode of the season! We'll be off for three weeks and then be back January 10 for Season 2. Things get quite steamy in this episode, as Aileen warms us up with Jennifer Weiner’s, Big Summer. Then Lauren goes full romance with Robyn Carr’s, Virgin River, and Alisa gives a saucy reading of one of the love scenes. Alisa then brings back a …

1
Ep.7: Eleanor Oliphant and The Song of Achilles 59:47

2+ y ago59:47

59:47

We tried something a little different for this episode and chose to partner up and cover two books instead of four. Aileen and Lauren read Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman, the smart, warm, and uplifting story of an out-of-the-ordinary heroine whose deadpan weirdness and unconscious wit make for an irresistible journey as she re…

1
Ep.6: Erotic Stories + Witches = A Deadly Education 57:21

2+ y ago57:21

57:21

We read books recommended by Lauren, our in-house librarian, who is still out of commission, and it’s unanimous. She’s a book whisperer. Aileen read and thoroughly enjoyed Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal a lively, sexy, and thought-provoking East-meets-West story about community, friendship, and women's lives at all ages. Ali…

1
Ep.5: Books we loved about captivity and survival 53:16

2+ y ago53:16

53:16

Unfortunately, Lauren couldn’t make it, but the remaining gang soldiers on without her and discusses captivity and survival stories. Aileen re-read Flowers in the Attic by V. C. Andrews and found that her opinion of this once beloved book had changed drastically since her teen years. Many of the things she adored about this “forbidden read” shocked…

1
Ep.4: Three violent books and a palate cleanser 53:07

2+ y ago53:07

53:07

We chose to go dark on this one, all except for Lauren who went with some lighter fare because sometimes you read what the book gods send your way and you don't ask any questions. Aileen tips off the book talk with her pick, The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier. Alisa cuts the line with Lord of the Flies by William Golding. Lauren brightens the mood…

1
Ep.3: Books we re-read the most 55:27

2+ y ago55:27

55:27

What is it about certain books that brings us back, again and again? Why re-read at all, considering there are so many great books waiting on our TBR lists? Well, this week we break down our favorite re-reads. Aileen dusts off her old copy of Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret by Judy Blume. Lauren shares A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. A…

1
Ep.2: Our favorite books about friendship 56:55

2+ y ago56:55

56:55

Since this is a podcast celebrating books and friends we thought it was important for our second episode to cover books centered around friendships. We discuss Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells, Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World by Ashley Herring Blake, Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg, and The Si…

1
Ep.1: Books that made us fall in love with reading 48:30

2+ y ago48:30

48:30

Since this is our very first episode we thought it would be appropriate to make the theme for this one, "Books that made us fall in love with reading". We cover Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson, Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary, and Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery (published as L. M. …

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Aileen Calderon Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

2404
Fiction Between Friends

Josephine Angelini, Aileen Calderon, Alisa Hilfinger, Lauren Sanchez

1
S2 E14: We all read Latinx writers! 52:56

1
S2 E13: YA titles recommended by actual young adults 59:32

1
S2 E12: The thinking woman’s page turners 53:39

1
S2 E11: Guest host NYT bestselling author Beth Revis 48:43

1
S2 E10: We read historical fiction and love it 55:08

1
S2 E9: Guest host writer/director Barbara Stepansky 50:05

1
S2 E8: Books on our nightstands 51:14

1
S2 E7: Books that got us through the pandemic 52:39

1
S2 E6: Books set in New England (our hometown) 59:11

1
S2 E5: Books that made us laugh 57:28

1
S2 E4: Books turned into movies 57:00

1
S2 Ep3: Steamy love stories 1:00:47

1
S2 Ep2: We all read Stephen King 59:17

1
S2 Ep1: We read banned or reconsidered books 1:09:16

1
Ep.8: We read love stories 59:24

1
Ep.7: Eleanor Oliphant and The Song of Achilles 59:47

1
Ep.6: Erotic Stories + Witches = A Deadly Education 57:21

1
Ep.5: Books we loved about captivity and survival 53:16

1
Ep.4: Three violent books and a palate cleanser 53:07

1
Ep.3: Books we re-read the most 55:27

1
Ep.2: Our favorite books about friendship 56:55

1
Ep.1: Books that made us fall in love with reading 48:30

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