Off Book: Lanoi on Emma M. Lion, Historical Fiction & Mood Reading
- genredpodcast
- 2 days ago
- 9 min read
Some readers have a favorite genre. Some readers have a favorite trope. And some readers, like our guest Lanoi, are simply vibing through the shelves with a library card, an emotional support New Yorker, and an uncanny ability to recommend a book before the internet discovers it.
In this Off Book episode, Katy and Elyse are joined by Elyse’s college friend Lanoi, a reader whose taste ranges from historical fiction and literary fiction to cozy Regency journals, smutty Jane Austen fan fiction, true crime podcasts, and whatever book happens to meet the emotional weather of the moment.
This conversation starts with college roommate lore, birthday cake shots, and the very important discovery that Colonel Brandon may, in fact, be the original book boyfriend. From there, we get into reading as comfort, grief, mood reading, Libby drama, Emma by Beth Brower, and why sometimes the right book is less about genre and more about timing.
Meet Lanoi
Lanoi and Elyse go way back to college, where they were roommates in what sounds like a deeply underproduced reality show about smart girls, birthday cake shots, New Yorker subscriptions, and one apartment full of sophomores trying to become people.
Lanoi describes Elyse’s college friend group as “the Newsies,” a group of college students who would walk into the apartment and immediately start having the kind of smart, intense conversation where you either knew what you were talking about or quietly left the room.
Honestly? We see the vision.
Now, Lanoi reads across genres, recommends books with alarming accuracy, and believes that asking someone what they last read opens a tiny door into who they are.
What Is Lanoi’s Favorite Genre?
This one is not simple, because Lanoi is a mood reader in the truest sense.
Her first answer is historical fiction and literary fiction, but the real answer is a little more expansive. Lanoi likes books about people. Relationships. Found families. Coming-of-age stories. Grief. Emotional connection. The strange little moments that make you feel less alone.
Historical fiction works for her because it gives her the comfort of knowing where history is headed while still getting swept up in the characters. Literary fiction works because it can hold a little bit of everything: emotion, relationships, humor, sadness, and the weird little human details that make a story stick.
As Lanoi puts it, she likes stories where reading becomes both escape and comfort.
Reading as Comfort, Grief, and “Literary Therapy”
One of the most moving parts of the episode is when Lanoi talks about turning to books after her dad passed away.
Her father loved books and believed you could always find the answer in one. After losing him, Lanoi found herself reaching for grief books, Buddhist books, nonfiction about impermanence, and anything that could help her anchor herself through the waves.
Instead of always reading straight through, she would sometimes pull a book from her bag, close her eyes, open to a random page, and let that page guide her.
It is such a beautiful reminder that reading does not always have to be about finishing, reviewing, ranking, or even understanding everything right away. Sometimes a book is just something you hold onto when you need somewhere to put the feeling.
The Historical Fiction Starter Pack
When asked where someone should start with historical fiction, Lanoi points to authors and books that are emotionally accessible but still rich enough to pull you in.
Her recommendations include:
Kristin Hannah
Especially The Nightingale, which she says broke her, and The Great Alone, which her book club recently read.
The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
A Gilded Age classic full of tension, restraint, longing, and beautiful writing.
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
One of Lanoi’s favorites, although she says you need to be in the right mood for it.
I, Claudius by Robert Graves
A favorite of hers, despite the fact that Roman history can feel like an impossible name-tag exercise. Except Nero. Everyone remembers Nero.
Let’s Talk About Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower
A huge chunk of this episode turns into a love letter to Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower, and honestly, deserved.
Lanoi recommended the series to Elyse long before it started popping up everywhere online. Elyse admits she ignored the recommendation at first because historical fiction is not usually her go-to. Then she finally read it and immediately realized Lanoi had been right all along.
In Lanoi’s words, Emma is cozy, sweet, vulnerable, and full of quirky Regency charm.
The series follows Emma, an orphan trying to survive society, family complications, money problems, and the season. She loves books, especially because her father used to draw and write in the margins of his own books. After his death, those books are sold, and part of Emma’s emotional journey is wrapped up in that loss.
There is also a strange house, a horrible aunt’s husband, a beautiful cousin, a group of male friends, and a local ghost-like figure called Saint Crispian who apparently steals things and leaves them in public places because why not.
Most importantly, there is a very, very slow burn romance.
Like, sixth-or-seventh-book slow burn.
Like, throw-your-phone-down-because-it-finally-happened slow burn.
Is Emma Spicy?
No. And this is apparently very important.
Despite the Regency setting and the multiple men in Emma’s orbit, Emma is not smutty. It is cozy. Very cozy. Extremely cozy. Internet-confirmed cozy.
Katy and Elyse joke that in a different kind of romance series, Emma would absolutely be dating all three men, everyone would be in love with everyone, and the boyfriends would also be boyfriends. But that is not what is happening here.
That said, Lanoi did go looking for Emma fan fiction because she wanted to know if the smut existed.
It does not.
Yet.
Colonel Brandon: Original Book Boyfriend?
Before the Emma spiral, Lanoi reveals that her book boyfriend is Colonel Brandon from Sense and Sensibility.
Her case is strong:
He is patient.
He is rich.
He gets things done.
He has a house full of beautiful flowers.
He rides horses.
Willoughby who?
This naturally leads to a discussion of smutty Jane Austen fan fiction, because wherever Jane Austen left off, the internet apparently picked up and clicked “yes, I am of age and consent.”
Vampires, Witches, and Anne Rice
Lanoi also talks about going through a vampire smut phase with Anne Rice and the Mayfair witches, which leads to a quick detour into the newer Interview with the Vampire series.
The consensus: the show is hot, extremely good, and absolutely worth watching.
Anne Rice is also lovingly referred to as one of the original smut greats, which feels correct.
Audiobooks, Libby, and the Audiobook Ick
The group gets into audiobooks, including Lanoi’s love for the Emma audiobook narrated by Genevieve Gaunt, whose voice she describes as perfect for the cozy Regency world.
But not every audiobook works.
Sometimes you get the audiobook ick. Sometimes the narrator, the scene, or your own mood just makes you say, “Nope, not this right now.” Katy says that sometimes she realizes she is about to hit a smutty section while doing her nails and decides she needs true crime instead.
Honestly, relatable.
True Crime as a Palette Cleanser
Katy’s true crime comfort zone comes up too, including:
My Favorite Murder
Crime Junkie
Audiochuck shows
CounterClock
The Lululemon murders
Which brings us to a very specific kind of reader behavior: switching from romance or smut into true crime because the vibes demand it.
Genre? Flexible. Mood? Everything.
Books That Bring People Together
One of the loveliest parts of the episode is Lanoi talking about the way books connect strangers.
She remembers the day the final Harry Potter book came out and Boston felt unusually quiet because everyone was outside reading. Just a city full of people silently sharing the same story.
She also tells a story about seeing a teenage girl reading Tuesdays with Morrie on the train. An older woman nearby clearly knew exactly what part the girl had reached, watched her start to cry, and reached out to hold her hand.
That is the kind of tiny, deeply human book moment that basically explains the whole episode.
Books are not just stories. They are little bridges between people who might otherwise never speak.
Books and Beers
Lanoi also shouts out her book club, Books and Beers, which pairs books with beer and wine choices, often based on covers and labels.
The group talks about how someone’s book club pick can reveal a lot about them. Lanoi’s picks have included David Sedaris, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Remarkably Bright Creatures, which apparently led to the diagnosis that her taste is “chaotic.”
Fair.
But also, that sounds like an excellent book club.
Childhood Books That Did Emotional Damage
The conversation turns to formative books, including the ones we were all apparently handed as children with no warning and then expected to emotionally survive.
Mentioned in this category:
Bridge to Terabithia
Watership Down
A Wrinkle in Time
Anne of Green Gables
Sideways Stories from Wayside School
Elyse and Lanoi especially bond over A Wrinkle in Time, which Elyse names as her all-time favorite book. They talk about how it combines weirdness, fear, difference, acceptance, and adventure in a way that still holds up.
Also, yes, A Wrinkle in Time is scarier than people remember. The synchronized ball-bouncing children? Nightmare fuel.
If Lanoi Could Only Read One Genre Forever
For the final question, Lanoi chooses literary fiction.
Mostly because it is broad enough to contain all the streams: mainstream, upstream, mood reads, emotional reads, short stories, big books, weird books, and whatever she happens to fancy at the moment.
It is the perfect answer for a reader who does not want to be boxed in.
She will read anything. She will follow the mood. She will recommend the book. She may not finish it. Libby may call her out. But she will keep reading.
Books and Authors Mentioned
Emma by Beth Brower
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
I, Claudius by Robert Graves
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
The Women by Kristin Hannah
The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
My Friends by Fredrik Backman
Beartown by Fredrik Backman
The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren
Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice
The Witching Hour / Mayfair Witches books by Anne Rice
Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig
Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Books by Terry Pratchett
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Watership Down by Richard Adams
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar
Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin
Up in the Old Hotel by Joseph Mitchell
David Sedaris
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
Other Pop Culture and Podcasts Mentioned
Interview with the Vampire on AMC
The Bachelorette
Taylor Frankie Paul
Ballerina Farm
Ruby Franke
My Favorite Murder
Crime Junkie
Audiochuck
CounterClock
Mythic Quest
Ted Lasso
Bridgerton
Fast Facts
Episode type: Off Book interview
Guest: Lanoi
Main genres discussed: Historical fiction, literary fiction, Regency fiction, romance, fantasy, true crime
Comfort genre: Historical fiction
Forever genre: Literary fiction
Big recommendation: Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower
Most underrated book boyfriend: Colonel Brandon
Recurring theme: Books as comfort, connection, and emotional survival
Vibe: Literary friendship spiral meets cozy Regency evangelism
Mini FAQs
What is this episode of Genre’d Off Book about?
This Off Book episode features Katy and Elyse talking with Lanoi about her reading life, favorite genres, historical fiction, literary fiction, grief books, book clubs, audiobooks, and her love for Emma by Beth Brower.
What genre does Lanoi usually read?
Lanoi gravitates toward historical fiction and literary fiction, but she is a true mood reader. She also loves short stories, found family stories, coming-of-age books, fantasy, magical realism, and emotionally rich books about people and relationships.
What book does Lanoi recommend in this episode?
The biggest recommendation is Emma by Beth Brower, a cozy Regency-style series told through Emma’s journals. Lanoi also recommends authors and books like Kristin Hannah, Edith Wharton’s The Age of Innocence, Min Jin Lee’s Pachinko, Robert Graves’ I, Claudius, and Fredrik Backman.
Is Emma by Beth Brower spicy?
According to the episode, no. Emma is described as very cozy, sweet, and slow burn, but not smutty. The romance develops gradually over multiple volumes.
Why does Lanoi love historical fiction?
Lanoi loves historical fiction partly because it gives her the comfort of knowing the broad historical outcome while still letting her emotionally connect with fictional characters.
What does Lanoi mean by reading as comfort?
Lanoi talks about using books during grief, especially after her father passed away. For her, reading can be a form of comfort, grounding, and emotional guidance when therapy or conversation does not feel like enough.
This episode is for the mood readers, the Libby hold list warriors, the historical fiction girlies, the people who believe one book recommendation can reveal an entire personality, and anyone who has ever turned to a book because they needed somewhere to put their heart.
Lanoi reminds us that reading does not have to be neat. It can be emotional, weird, nostalgic, smutty, literary, cozy, devastating, or just the thing you picked up because the mood hit.
And honestly? That might be the whole point.
Listen to the full episode of Genre’d Off Book wherever you get your podcasts, and remember: no genre shaming unless it’s funny.
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