The Book Up with Verdell Walker | Book Reviews & Book Recs cover art

The Book Up with Verdell Walker | Book Reviews & Book Recs

The Book Up with Verdell Walker | Book Reviews & Book Recs

By: Verdell Walker | Writer & Book Reviewer
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Welcome to The Book Up, your thoughtful guide to discovering great books that aren’t on the end cap - but should be.


I’m your host, Verdell Walker, a Harvard MBA who’s blazed a trail at companies like The Wall Street Journal, Goldman Sachs, Scholastic, and Sesame Street. I’m also a Black Southern belle raised by books, and a published writer who knows how stories work.


Books are my passion, and my mission is to help you find the stories you'll love to read — and dodge the ones you won't. Whether you're looking for your next great read or just need a trusted source for book recs that actually deliver, you've found your place.


Each week, I review a book, and in just 15 minutes, you’ll know whether it belongs at the top of your TBR pile or is destined for a DNF.


Think of me as your personal book matchmaker — here to give you reading recs that will rock your world, and save you from wasting your time, money, and library holds along the way.


Stories bring us together, and there’s always room in my reading nook for everybody. Whether you're a lifelong reader, someone crawling out of a reading slump, or a book lover who just needs a trusted voice to help them find a great story — you're exactly who I built this for.


New episodes drop weekly on Tuesdays. Come on in, get cozy, and let me give you The Book Up!


​P.S. Looking for a playful way to tend to your reading life?​ Join​ the community newsletter and receive a free The Book Up Bingo Card to add a little ​m​ore cozy to your ​bookish goals and TBR pile! ​Sign up here: https://thebookuppodcast.mystrikingly.com/#bingo


CONNECT WITH THE BOOK UP

Website: https://thebookuppodcast.mystrikingly.com/

Instagram: @thebookuppod

YouTube: @TheBookUpPodcast

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thebookuppodcast/

Substack: https://thebookuppod.substack.com/

Shop: The Book Up Bookshop* and Amazon


Help me reach more book lovers like you by following the podcast & leaving a rating or review on Apple & Spotify! Thanks for sharing The Book Up's story!


*Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org and Amazon. I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase of any of my fiction and nonfiction book recs, at no extra cost to you!

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Episodes
  • Always Be Reading: TBR Top Up Three [Season Three Finale]

    Always Be Reading: TBR Top Up Three [Season Three Finale]
    May 26 2026
    It’s time for a TBR refresh! In this episode - the season 3 finale! - I’m sharing the books currently on my to-be-read list, along with a few upcoming releases that have caught my eye. Whether you're looking to add to your own stack or just want to hear about what’s on my radar, tune in for a mix of anticipated reads and spontaneous picks. Always Be Reading!Episode Overview In this To-Be-Read (TBR) refresh, I stack up a fresh selection of highly anticipated books. This episode dives into a rich mix of genres, honest mid-read updates, and why you should never be ashamed to DNF a book that doesn't spark joy.Genre Deep Dives: Exploring the boundaries of Cli-Fi (climate fiction), Asian "healing fiction" with a bit of a bite, non-fiction historical mapping, and the subversion of the dark academia/magical boarding school trope.The Power of Subversion: A discussion on how veteran speculative fiction authors breathe fresh life into overly played-out fantasy tropes.Reading Reflections: Candid critiques on narrative craft, balancing heavy theoretical prose with lighter reads, and the mechanical shift when a romantasy novel hits its final act.Here are the books I’ll be chatting about today: A Guardian & A Thief: Bookshop.org | Amazon Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon: Bookshop.org | Amazon The Conjuring of America: Bookshop.org | Amazon A Deadly Education: Bookshop.org | Amazon Other books discussed:Water Moon: Bookshop.org | Amazon (listen to my review from S1 here)The Temeraire Series - Book One is "His Majesty's Dragon": Bookshop.org | Amazon The Knight & The Moth: Bookshop.org | Amazon The Knave & The Moon: Bookshop.org | Amazon Other links:TBR Top Up #2BONUS EPISODE: Cozy Fantasy Books — Low Stakes, High Comfort ReadsCozy Fantasy — Low Stakes, High Comfort (Substack post)(Using Apple Podcasts on desktop and can’t click? Copy/paste this link into your browser: https://bookshop.org/lists/tbr-top-up-3)This episode is hosted, produced, and edited by Verdell Walker. Music by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. You can find more details and the full license information at Audionautix Creative Commons Music.Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org and Amazon. I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase of any of my fiction and nonfiction book recs, at no extra cost to you!​P.S. Looking for a playful way to tend to your reading life?​ Join​ the community newsletter and receive a free The Book Up Bingo Card to add a little ​m​ore cozy to your ​bookish goals and TBR pile! ​Sign up here: https://thebookuppodcast.mystrikingly.com/#bingoCONNECT WITH THE BOOK UPStories bring us all together, and there’s always room in my reading nook for everybody.Website: https://thebookuppodcast.mystrikingly.com/Instagram: @thebookuppodYouTube: @TheBookUpPodcastSubstack: https://thebookuppod.substack.com/Shop: The Book Up BookshopIf you'd like to support the show, please visit The Book Up on Ko-fi to give a one-time or monthly gift. And if you can’t give financially right now? Help me reach more book lovers like you by following the podcast & leaving a rating or review on Apple & Spotify!
    Show More Show Less
    11 mins
  • Book Review: The Everlasting by Alix Harrow | Fiction - Fantasy, Romance

    Book Review: The Everlasting by Alix Harrow | Fiction - Fantasy, Romance
    May 19 2026

    Love books? Looking for honest book reviews and book recs? Whether you're a lifelong reader, crawling out of a reading slump, or just need a trusted voice to help you find a great story — you're in the right place.


    Today’s book is "The Everlasting" by Alix Harrow, a romantic fantasy about a legendary lady knight, a time-traveling historian who's obsessed with her story, and what happens when the myth and the real person finally meet. It's got time loops, epic romance, and a sharp takedown of how history gets written — and who gets to write it. This episode is just a scooch over 15 minutes because I NEEDED to wax poetic about it and gather my emotions at times!


    If you’d like to read it, you can purchase a copy for your TBR pile: Bookshop.org | Amazon


    (Using Apple Podcasts on desktop and can’t click? Copy/paste this link into your browser: https://bookshop.org/lists/season-three-featured-books)


    Oh, I’ve got some more lady knight books for you if this one isn’t enough:

    • The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig: Bookshop.org | Amazon
    • The Second Death of Locke by V L Bovalino (on my TBR): Bookshop.org | Amazon
    • The Starving Saints by Caitlin Starling: Bookshop.org | Amazon
    • The Isle in the Silver Sea by Tasha Suri: Bookshop.org | Amazon


    This episode is hosted, produced, and edited by Verdell Walker. Music by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. You can find more details and the full license information at Audionautix Creative Commons Music.


    Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org and Amazon. I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase of any of my fiction and nonfiction book recs, at no extra cost to you!


    ​P.S. Looking for a playful way to tend to your reading life?​ Join​ the community newsletter and receive a free The Book Up Bingo Card to add a little ​m​ore cozy to your ​bookish goals and TBR pile! ​Sign up here: https://thebookuppodcast.mystrikingly.com/#bingo


    CONNECT WITH THE BOOK UP

    Stories bring us all together, and there’s always room in my reading nook for everybody.

    Website: https://thebookuppodcast.mystrikingly.com/

    Instagram: @thebookuppod

    YouTube: @TheBookUpPodcast

    Substack: https://thebookuppod.substack.com/

    Shop: The Book Up Bookshop


    If you'd like to support the show, please visit The Book Up on Ko-fi to give a one-time or monthly gift. And if you can’t give financially right now? Help me reach more book lovers like you by following the podcast & leaving a rating or review on Apple & Spotify!
    Show More Show Less
    17 mins
  • Book Review: The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer | Cozy Literary Fiction

    Book Review: The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer | Cozy Literary Fiction
    May 12 2026

    Love books? Looking for honest book reviews and book recs? Whether you're a lifelong reader, crawling out of a reading slump, or just need a trusted voice to help you find a great story — you're in the right place.


    Today’s book is "The Wishing Game" by Meg Shaffer. This charming, whimsical novel follows Lucy Hart, a 26-year-old teacher's aide who grew up feeling unloved and found comfort in a beloved children's book series. When the reclusive author behind those books resurfaces with a brand-new title and an invitation to compete for the only copy, Lucy jumps at the chance because winning could mean everything for her and the seven-year-old boy she's trying to adopt. Think Willy Wonka vibes, a slow-burn romance, and a love letter to the books that shaped us.


    If you’d like to read it, you can purchase a copy for your TBR pile: Bookshop.org | Amazon


    Other books by Meg that I mentioned:

    • The Lost Story: Bookshop.org | Amazon (on my TBR pile)
    • The Book Witch: a DNF for me, my thoughts here


    (Using Apple Podcasts on desktop and can’t click? Copy/paste this link into your browser: https://bookshop.org/lists/season-three-featured-books)


    Curious about the cozy fantasy content I mention in the episode? I gotchu:

    • BONUS EPISODE: Cozy Fantasy Books — Low Stakes, High Comfort Reads
    • Cozy Fantasy — Low Stakes, High Comfort (Substack post)


    This episode is hosted, produced, and edited by Verdell Walker. Music by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. You can find more details and the full license information at Audionautix Creative Commons Music.


    Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org and Amazon. I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase of any of my fiction and nonfiction book recs, at no extra cost to you!


    ​P.S. Looking for a playful way to tend to your reading life?​ Join​ the community newsletter and receive a free The Book Up Bingo Card to add a little ​m​ore cozy to your ​bookish goals and TBR pile! ​Sign up here: https://thebookuppodcast.mystrikingly.com/#bingo


    CONNECT WITH THE BOOK UP

    Stories bring us all together, and there’s always room in my reading nook for everybody.

    Website: https://thebookuppodcast.mystrikingly.com/

    Instagram: @thebookuppod

    YouTube: @TheBookUpPodcast

    Substack: https://thebookuppod.substack.com/

    Shop: The Book Up Bookshop


    If you'd like to support the show, please visit The Book Up on Ko-fi to give a one-time or monthly gift. And if you can’t give financially right now? Help me reach more book lovers like you by following the podcast & leaving a rating or review on Apple & Spotify!
    Show More Show Less
    13 mins
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