XO, MU by Melissa Urban

XO, MU by Melissa Urban

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XO, MU by Melissa Urban
XO, MU by Melissa Urban
BONUS XO, MU: The Pop Culture Moms' favorite reads
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BONUS XO, MU: The Pop Culture Moms' favorite reads

A fun twist on book reviews from the new ABC podcast Pop Culture Moms

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Melissa Urban
Sep 19, 2024
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XO, MU by Melissa Urban
XO, MU by Melissa Urban
BONUS XO, MU: The Pop Culture Moms' favorite reads
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I recently connected with New York Times bestselling author Andie Mitchell and Sabrina Kohlberg, a producer for Good Morning America. They have a new podcast called Pop Culture Moms, where they seek the best advice and most valuable insights from the fictional parents we love most from TV and movies.

I’ve been listening since it came out—the Gillian Flynn episode was fantastic; Sharp Objects was one of my favorite audiobooks of 2024, and I loved Andie and Sabrina opened the conversation with boundaries. But I also geeked out hearing my dear friend

Elise Loehnen
talking about “bad moms” and the pressure to be good! (Her book On Our Best Behavior is a must-read for all women.)

When we started brainstorming on how we could collaborate, I immediately went to a fun twist on their new show. What have the hosts of Pop Culture Moms learned from the moms in their favorite books?

They loved the idea, and immediately set off to choose their top three recent reads (and listens) featuring strong mothers. I was thrilled to see that many of these are books I haven’t read yet. (They’re now at the top of my TBR pile.)

Andie’s picks

Andie says, “I am an audiobook fanatic. In 2024 alone, I have read a staggering (embarrassing?) number of books—almost exclusively in the thriller/horror genre, which I think makes me an expert in the field.”

Sundial by Catriona Ward

Sundial is both distinctively original and absolutely gripping. Rob (short for Roberta) is a woman who is deeply troubled by her past and the secrets she carries. She is fiercely protective of her children, especially her eldest daughter Callie, who is exhibiting increasingly disturbing behavior. Rob is determined to understand and address the source of Callie’s issues (while protecting her younger daughter). Ultimately, we see how heavily guilt and trauma weigh on her, and how both keep her stuck. To me, Rob is a lesson in redemption; a lesson in willingness to confront pain and to do the honest, often hard work of healing—not just for yourself, but for everyone who comes after you. 

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