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Off Book: Emily Zogbi on Contemporary Fantasy, YA Comfort Reads & Poetry

  • Writer: genredpodcast
    genredpodcast
  • 9 hours ago
  • 4 min read

emily zogbi

This week on Off Book, we’re joined by poet, editor, and contemporary fantasy enthusiast Emily Zogbi—and within minutes, we are deep into maps in books, fanfiction origin stories, and the extremely specific rules we all pretend to follow about buying books .


Emily is one of those people who makes you want to immediately rethink your entire reading life.


Also, this conversation should make everyone reconsider poetry.



But first, we have some things to say


Before we get into poetry and hidden worlds, we naturally cover:

  • The universal truth that if a book has a map, it’s about to be good

  • Why Kindle should absolutely let you click into maps like it’s Google Earth

  • The chaotic reality of podcasting, including deleting apps off your phone just to record

  • The deeply personal system of “you can only buy books you’ve already read”… which no one actually follows


And yes, we revisit our fanfiction eras:

  • Supernatural girlies

  • Harry Potter kitchen makeout scenes

  • The very real need for “just a little more romance than the original text allowed”



What we cover in this episode


Emily’s reading identity


Emily describes herself as:

  • A book hoarder (affectionate)

  • A physical book loyalist with Kindle exceptions

  • A poet who reads everything


Her rule system includes:

  • Used bookstores always

  • Poetry books are always allowed

  • Kindle is for… books you don’t want permanently judging you from your shelf


Which, honestly, feels correct.


The genre conversation (but make it Emily)


If you had to define her taste:

  • Contemporary fantasy

  • Magical realism

  • YA comfort reads

  • Anything a little weird


Her core idea:


The best books feel like real life… but something is slightly off. 


Think:

  • Magic just outside your awareness

  • A hidden world layered on top of ours

  • The sense that something is happening behind the scenes


Books that shaped her brain


Emily walks us through the books that made her her:

  • The Spiderwick Chronicles → foundational childhood series, will never be removed from her shelf

  • Like Water for Chocolate → magical realism that fully changed how she sees storytelling

  • The Raven Cycle → found family, ley lines, slow burn, and just enough chaos

Also:


We do, in fact, get a full explanation of why YA still hits.


And why it’s the ultimate “before bed” genre.


Reading habits we all relate to


We get into:

  • Having multiple books going at once (no limit, apparently)

  • “In the world” book vs. “bedtime” book

  • Skimming war scenes with zero shame


A shared take emerges:


We do not need 75 extra pages of battle logistics.


Thank you.



Let’s talk about poetry (because its Emily after all)


Emily’s biggest take:


Poetry is not boring. You just haven’t found your poet yet. 

She reframes it as:

  • Poetry = music

  • A poetry collection = an album

  • You don’t have to love every poem


And suddenly… it makes sense.


If you think you “don’t like poetry,” start here:

  • Mary Oliver

  • Andrea Gibson

  • Anne Carson


Also:


Poetry is meant to make you feel something.


If it doesn’t? It’s just not your poem.


Poetry as performance


One of the best parts of this episode is hearing how Emily approaches poetry:

  • As performance

  • As emotion

  • As something meant to be experienced, not analyzed


Which leads to a moment where we all realize:


Oh.

That’s why poetry felt different when it was read out loud.



Other very important topics discussed


Because this episode does not stay on one track:

  • Horny Peter Pan retellings (mixed reviews)

  • The line between smut and plot (there should be one)

  • Why dubious consent is an immediate no

  • The Harry Potter reboot discourse we were not prepared for


And yes:


We do briefly spiral into Interview with the Vampire and whether you need to fully pay attention to TV shows.



Emily’s “if I could only read one thing forever” answer


Poetry.


Immediately.


No hesitation.



What she cheats on poetry with


YA fiction.


Specifically:

  • Comfort reads

  • Sarah Dessen

  • Books you can curl up with and disappear into


Also casually thrown in:


Slaughterhouse-Five as a comfort read.


Which honestly tells you everything you need to know.



📖 Get Emily’s Book


If you loved this conversation and want more of Emily’s voice, you can read her poetry collection:


All the Time More Than Anything by Emily Zogbi


Buy directly from the publisher:


Or find it via her linktree:



Book mentions & recommendations


Fantasy / magical realism / YA

  • The Spiderwick Chronicles by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi

  • The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater

  • Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel


Memoir / nonfiction

  • Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner


Fantasy romance / current reads

  • Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

  • Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross


“We had thoughts” books

  • The Never King by Nikki St. Crowe

  • Hooked by Emily McIntire


Join the conversation


We need answers:

  • Do you actually look at the map in books?

  • Are you a “one book at a time” person or absolutely not?

  • What’s your comfort genre?

  • And be honest… do you think you hate poetry, or have you just not found your poet yet?


Listen & follow along


📸 @genredpodcast

⭐ Rate, review, subscribe


Send this to the friend who says they don’t like poetry.

We’re fixing that.



Fast facts

Episode type: Off Book

Guest: Emily Zogbi (poet, editor, reader with elite taste)

Main vibe: poetry, hidden worlds, YA comfort, and strong opinions

Unexpected takeaway: we might all like poetry now

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