2026 Micro Genres with Anderson McKean | Ep. 232

In Episode 232, Sarah is joined by returning guest Anderson McKean of Page & Palette Bookstore for the 2026 edition of Micro Genres! Each year, this series gives us a chance to niche down even further into the kinds of books we love — spotlighting those very specific sub-sub-genres that capture a particular reading taste. This year, Sarah and Anderson have 10 all-new Micro Genres to share, along with standout books for each. With more than 80 books mentioned, you're bound to find a few new additions to your TBR — and maybe recognize a Micro Genre or two of your own.

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CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.

Politically-Adjacent Stories (Sarah) The Hopefuls by Jennifer Close (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [3:00]  Charlotte Walsh Like to Win by Jo Piazza (2018) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [3:11]  American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld (2008) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [3:36] Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld (2020) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [3:38]   Vantage Point by Sara Sligar (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [3:47] The Emperor of Ocean Park (Elm Harbor, 1) by Stephen L. Carter (2002) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [4:48]   Palace Council (Elm Harbor, 3) by Stephen L. Carter (2008) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [4:49]  The Boomerang by Robert Bailey (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [5:23] State of Terror by Louise Penny and Hillary Clinton (2021) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [6:14]  The Situation Room by George Stephanopoulos (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [6:55]  Becoming by Michelle Obama (2018) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [8:18]  From the Corner of the Oval by Beck Dorey-Stein (2018) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [8:53]  Retellings that Are NOT Mythological (Anderson) Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser (2026) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [10:41]  The Beheading Game by Rebecca Lehmann (2026) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [10:58]  Beautiful Little Fools by Jillian Cantor (2022) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [11:55]  Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese (2022) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [12:23]  Honeysuckle by Bar Fridman-Tell (2026) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [12:55]  Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [14:03]  Anna K (Anna K, 1) by Jenny Lee (2020) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [14:08]  Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver (2022) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [14:20]  The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson (2015) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [14:36]  The Favorites by Layne Fargo (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [14:48]  Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [14:57]  Wasp's Nest by Kat Stoddard (2026) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [15:26]  A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley (1991) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [15:39]  Other Books Mentioned The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne (1850) [12:32]  James by Percival Everett (2024) [12:36]  Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (1813) [14:07]  Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (1878) [14:11]  David Copperfield by Charles Dickens (1850) [14:24]  Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith (1950) [14:41]  Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë (1847) [14:55]  The Go-Between by L. P. Hartley (1953) [15:03]  The Philadelphia Story by Philip Barry (1939) [15:32]  King Lear by William Shakespeare (1608) [15:45]  Ministers Behaving Badly (Sarah) Dominion by Addie E. Citchens (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [16:36] Awake by Jen Hatmaker (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [16:45] God Spare the Girls by Kelsey McKinney (2021) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [17:19] The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman by Deesha Philyaw (Sep 29, 2026) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [17:36] The Dearly Beloved by Cara Wall (2019) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [17:51] The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver (1998) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [18:16] Dear Reader / Love Letters to Books (Anderson) This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page (2026) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [19:14] The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern (2019) | Amazon | Boo