From the Front Porch

This week on From the Front Porch, Annie and Hunter discuss their top 10 favorite books of 2025! Annie 1. A Guardian and a Thief by Megha Majumdar2. The Correspondent by Virginia Evans3. Flashlight by Susan Choi4. Tilt by Emma Pattee5. The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett6. Things in Nature Merely Grow by Yiyun Li7. Memorial Days by Geradine Brooks8. Buckeye by Patrick Ryan9. Life, and Death, and Giants by Ron Rindo10. Awake by Jen Hatmaker Hunter 1. Audition by Katie Kitamura2. Flashlight by Susan Choi3. Ordinary Time by Annie B. Jones4. Lightbreakers by Aja Gabel5. Minor Black Figures by Brandon Taylor6. A Guardian and a Thief by  Megha Majumdar7. Mothers and Sons by Adam Haslett8. Middle Spoon by Alejandro Varela9. The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett10. Alligator Tears by Edgar Gomez Annie - July picks1. Tilt by Emma Pattee2. Flashlight by Susan Choi3. The Correspondent by Virginia Evans4. Things in Nature Merely Grow by Yiyun Li5. Show Don’t Tell by Curtis Sittenfeld6. Memorial Days by Geraldine Brooks7. Everything Is Tuberculosis by John Green8. The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett9. Lucky Night by Eliza Kennedy10. Playworld by Adam RossHunter - July picks1. Audition by Katie Kitamura2. Ordinary Time by Annie B Jones3. Mothers and Sons by Adam Haslett4. Alligator Tears by Edgar Gomez5. Among Friends by Hal Ebbott6. The Wilderness by Angela Flourney7. Open, Heaven by Sean Hewitt8. The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett9. Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico10. Exit Zero by Marie-Helene Bertino From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram, Tiktok, and Facebook, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com.  A full transcript of today’s episode can be found here. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Podcast Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations.  This week, Annie is reading Grace and Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon. Hunter is reading Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club. If you liked what you heard in today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. You can also support us on Patreon, where you can access bonus content, monthly live Porch Visits with Annie, our monthly live Patreon Book Club with Bookshelf staffers, Conquer a Classic episodes with Hunter, and more. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week. Our Executive Producers are...Beth, Stephanie Dean, Linda Lee Drozt, Ashley Ferrell, Wendi Jenkins, Martha, Nicole Marsee, Gene Queens, Cammy Tidwell, Jammie Treadwell, and Amanda Whigham.

This week on From the Front Porch, The Bookshelf staff share their favorite books of 2025! To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, stop by The Bookshelf in Thomasville, visit our website (search episode 559) or download and shop on The Bookshelf’s official app: Olivia: Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy Erin: Life, & Death, & Giants by Ron Rindo Keila: Water Moon by Samantha Soto Yambao Kyndall: Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram and Facebook, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com.  A full transcript of today’s episode can be found here. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Podcast Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations.  This week, Annie is reading A Beautiful Year by Diana Butler Bass. If you liked what you heard in today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. You can also support us on Patreon, where you can access bonus content, monthly live Porch Visits with Annie, our monthly live Patreon Book Club with Bookshelf staffers, Conquer a Classic episodes with Hunter, and more. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week. Our Executive Producers are...Beth, Stephanie Dean, Linda Lee Drozt, Ashley Ferrell, Wendi Jenkins, Martha, Nicole Marsee, Gene Queens, Cammy Tidwell, Jammie Treadwell, and Amanda Whigham.

This week on From the Front Porch, it’s an episode of Annie Recommends! In this series, Annie curates a stack of books in a certain genre or theme for you – just as if you walked into our brick-and-mortar store, The Bookshelf. This month, Annie recommends her favorite holiday reads. To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, stop by The Bookshelf in Thomasville, visit our website (search episode 558) or download and shop on The Bookshelf’s official app: A Home for the Holidays by Taylor Hahn Before I Forget by Tory Henwood Hoen Eight Heartbreaks of Hanukkah by Jean Meltzer Faking Christmas by Kerry Winfrey Grace and Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon by Matthew Norman From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram and Facebook, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com.  A full transcript of today’s episode can be found here. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Podcast Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations.  This week, Annie is reading Lightbreakers by Aja Gabel. If you liked what you heard in today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. You can also support us on Patreon, where you can access bonus content, monthly live Porch Visits with Annie, our monthly live Patreon Book Club with Bookshelf staffers, Conquer a Classic episodes with Hunter, and more. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week. Our Executive Producers are...Beth, Stephanie Dean, Linda Lee Drozt, Ashley Ferrell, Wendi Jenkins, Martha, Nicole Marsee, Gene Queens, Cammy Tidwell, Jammie Treadwell, and Amanda Whigham.  

This week on From the Front Porch, Annie recaps the books she read and loved in August. You get 10% off your books when you order your November Reading Recap bundle. Each month, we offer a Reading Recap bundle, which features Annie’s favorite books she read that month. To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, stop by The Bookshelf in Thomasville, visit our website (search episode 557), or download and shop on The Bookshelf’s official app: November Reading Recap Bundle This bundle includes Wreck by Catherine Newman (hardcover) The Land of Sweet Forever by Harper Lee (hardcover) Grace and Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon by Matthew Norman (paperback) (currently backordered) The Midnight Show by Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne  Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke Wreck by Catherine Newman  How to Survive in the Woods by Kat Rosenfield The Land of Sweet Forever by Harper Lee Grace and Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon by Matthew Norman From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram and Facebook, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com.  A full transcript of today’s episode can be found here. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Podcast Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations.  This week, Annie is reading Upward Bound by Woody Brown. If you liked what you heard in today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. You can also support us on Patreon, where you can access bonus content, monthly live Porch Visits with Annie, our monthly live Patreon Book Club with Bookshelf staffers, Conquer a Classic episodes with Hunter, and more. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week. Our Executive Producers are...Beth, Stephanie Dean, Linda Lee Drozt, Ashley Ferrell, Wendi Jenkins, Martha, Nicole Marsee, Gene Queens, Cammy Tidwell, Jammie Treadwell, and Amanda Whigham.

This week on From the Front Porch, we announce our Conquer a Classic book club selection for 2026! We’re excited to announce A Year With Flannery – a communal exploration of Georgia author Flannery O’Connor’s short stories (and novels). Listen to learn how to join our From the Front Porch Patreon Conquer a Classic book club (you’ll also find details below). To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, stop by The Bookshelf in Thomasville, visit our website (search episode 556) or download and shop on The Bookshelf’s official app: From the Front Porch Patreon Conquer a Classic 2026 Collection The Complete Stories by Flannery O’Connor Conquer a Classic 2026 Bundle This bundle includes The Complete Stories The Violent Bear it Away Wise Blood Mystery & Manners: Occasional Prose Now is the perfect time to join the From the Front Porch Patreon community and our Conquer a Classic Book Club. One perk of being a Patreon member is being a part of our super-popular, year-long Conquer a Classic book club! Each year, Annie and Hunter select a classic book and read it with our Patreon community over the course of the year.  Our Conquer a Classic book club begins in January 2026. Your Conquer a Classic orders ship by Friday, December 12.  Join our Conquer a Classic book club:  Step 1. Join the Patreon here. You’ll unlock bonus episodes of the podcast where Annie and Hunter discuss Flannery’s works, plus discussion forums with other Conquer a Classic book club members. Step 2. Buy your copy of THE COMPLETE STORIES or your Conquer a Classic bundle here. Your order will include an exclusive reading guide and bookmark. Your order will ship by Friday, December 12. On Patreon, you can choose from two different tiers to join our Conquer a Classic book club:  For $5/month, you get:  Monthly Conquer a Classic recap episodes with Annie and Hunter for THE COMPLETE STORIES Monthly Porch Visits on Zoom with Annie For $20/month, you get:  Monthly Conquer a Classic recap episodes with Annie and Hunter for THE COMPLETE STORIES Monthly Porch Visits on Zoom with Annie Quarterly book club conversations about O’Connor’s books: WISE BLOOD, THE VIOLENT BEAR IT AWAY, and MYSTERY AND MANNERS Biannual movie recap episodes with Annie and Hunter: FLANNERY (2019) and WILDCAT (2023) From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram and Facebook, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com.  A full transcript of today’s episode can be found here. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Podcast Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations.  This week, Annie is reading The Midnight Show by Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne. If you liked what you heard in today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. You can also support us on Patreon, where you can access bonus content, monthly live Porch Visits with Annie, our monthly live Patreon Book Club with Bookshelf staffers, Conquer a Classic episodes with Hunter, and more. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week. Our Executive Producers are...Beth, Stephanie Dean, Linda Lee Drozt, Ashley Ferrell, Wendi Jenkins, Martha, Nicole Marsee, Gene Queens, Cammy Tidwell, Jammie Treadwell, and Amanda Whigham.