We’re halfway through the year, and it’s time to check in on our bookish goals and reading lives of 2025! Books and other media mentioned in this episode: 2025 ALA Annual Conference Jane Austen books Book of the Month Club Women’s Prize for Fiction Libba Bray books Agatha Christie books Emily Henry books Abby Jimenez books Strange Pictures by Uketsu Strange Houses by Uketsu Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall Gifted & Talented by Olivie Blake A Witch’s Guide to Ma...
Jul 19, 2025•1 hr•Ep. 160
Jun 29, 2025•47 min•Ep. 159
It’s already summer – how!? But we’re very ready for summer reading with our lists of the books we’re most excited about. As always, we’ll end with what we’re reading this week! Books and other media mentioned in this episode: Under the Same Stars by Libba Bray Mutual Interest by Olivia Wolfgang-Smith The Starving Saints by Caitlin Starling Marble Hall Murders by Anthony Horowitz How to Seal Your Own Fate by Kristen Perrin The Favorites by Layne Fargo Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley Dream Count by C...
Jun 05, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 158
May 18, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 157
May 04, 2025•57 min•Ep. 156
Apr 13, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 155
Do you need something to help you smile right now? We sure do, so here are some of the books that have made us laugh out loud. Books and other media mentioned in this episode: Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe Love and Hot Chicken by Mary Liza Hartong Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto Ann’s picks: Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan – Good Girls Don’t Die by Christina Henry A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole The Expectant Detectives by Kat Ailes...
Mar 30, 2025•43 min•Ep. 154
It’s time for our yearly Reading From Our TBRs episode! Listen in as we make a tiny bit of room on our shelves. Books and other media mentioned in this episode: Ready or Not by Cara Bastone Ann’s picks: Final Girls by Riley Sager – The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead – Pulitzer Prize for Fiction – National Book Awards The Crane Wife: A Memoir in Essays by CJ Hauser – “The Crane Wife” by CJ Hauser (essay) Halle’s picks: An Academy for Liars by Alexis Hender...
Mar 16, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 153
It’s our 150th episode (!!!!!!!) and there’s no better way to celebrate that and our friendship than to discuss female friendships in books. Books and other media mentioned in this episode: The Sweet Magnolias series by Sherryl Wood The Wedding People by Alison Espach Ann’s picks: Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee American Ghoul by Michelle McGill-Vargas – Dracula by Bram Stoker We All Want Impossible Things by Catherine Newman – Sandwich by Catherine Newman Halle’s picks: The Sweet Spot by Amy ...
Feb 17, 2025•55 min•Ep. 152
Feb 07, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 151
We’re making reading resolutions for 2025 and giving out our 2024 book superlatives! Books and other media mentioned in this episode: Women’s Prize for Fiction The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry From the Front Porch (podcast) Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver Book of the Month Club The Bookshop Parnassus Books Brandon Sanderson books Jane Austen books Libba Bray books Colin Dexter books Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits &...
Jan 20, 2025•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 150
Dec 30, 2024•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 149
Nov 22, 2024•52 min•Ep. 148
Psychological suspense continues to be one of the most popular subgenres, but it can sometimes be hard to find the best. This week, we’re covering the authors we’d like to see become household names. Books and other media mentioned in this episode: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn Sarah J. Maas books Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff Ruth Ware books Mary Kubica books Ann’s picks: Good Girls Don’t Die by Christina Henry – Near the Bone by Christina Henry – Horseman...
Oct 13, 2024•50 min•Ep. 147
It’s that time again…the books we’re looking forward to reading this fall! Books and other media mentioned in this episode: Ann’s picks: Death at the Sign of the Rook by Kate Atkinson (releases September 3) – Jackson Brodie series by Kate Atkinson Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune (releases September 10) The Midnight Club by Margot Harrison (releases September 24) Tiny Threads by Lilliam Rivera (releases September 24) – The Devil Wears Prada (film) Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten...
Sep 29, 2024•55 min•Ep. 146
Sep 17, 2024•58 min•Ep. 145
There are more celebrity book clubs than ever! We’re discussing our favorites and some celebrity book club picks we love. Books and other media mentioned in this episode: Read with Jenna Oprah’s Book Club Reece’s Book Club Colleen Hoover books Sarah J. Maas books A Million Little Pieces by James Frey Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens Service95 Book Club Fallon Book Club Marvel Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer “How Celebrity Book Clubs Actually Work” ( E...
Aug 30, 2024•59 min•Ep. 144
Do you have a list of authors who are auto-buys when they release a new book? We’re delving into some of ours! Books and other media mentioned in this episode: Ann Patchett books Emily Henry books Tom Lake by Ann Patchett Abby Jimenez books Ali Hazelwood books Liz Moore books Kate Morton books Tana French books Leigh Bardugo books Celeste Ng books Anthony Horowitz books Sarah Dessen books Sarah MacLean books Ruth Ware books Ann’s picks: The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters – Fingersmith by Sarah ...
Aug 16, 2024•56 min•Ep. 143
The New York Times recently published their list of the 100 best books of the 21st century, and we have THOUGHTS. Let us know your impressions of the list! Books and other media mentioned in this episode: New York Times 100 Best Books of the 21st Century Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver New York Times: Readers Choose Their 100 Best Books of the 21st Century Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir The Martian by Andy ...
Aug 02, 2024•56 min•Ep. 142
We’re trying something new this week, as we review the books we read (or didn’t read…) from our Spring Preview 2024 episode. Let us know what you think! Books and other media mentioned in this episode: New York Times 100 Best Books of the 21st Century Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez Ann’s picks: Funny Story by Emily Henry The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean Halle’s picks: The Great Divide by Christina Henríquez Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xóchitl González Happily Never After by Lynn Pa...
Jul 19, 2024•43 min•Ep. 141
It’s that time again…the books we’re looking forward to, publishing June through August! Books and other media mentioned in this episode: Ann’s picks: Enlightenment by Sarah Perry (releases June 4) – The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry – The Essex Serpent (show) Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay (releases June 11) – A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay – The Blair Witch Project (film) It’s Elementary by Elise Bryant (releases July 9) Nicked by M.T. Anderson (releases July 23) – Feed by M.T. Anderson ...
Jun 19, 2024•52 min•Ep. 140
With summer around the corner, we’re feeling the heat in our reading! Listen in for our selection of hot books. Books and other media mentioned in this episode: Ann’s picks: Dry by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman – Neal Shusterman books How to Fail at Flirting by Denise Williams Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala Halle’s picks: The Pairing by Casey McQuiston Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau – Taylor Jenkins Reid books State of Wonder by Ann Patchett – Commonwealth by Ann Patchett – Bel Ca...
May 27, 2024•39 min•Ep. 139
May 04, 2024•46 min•Ep. 138
Spring is here, so we’re thinking about books that feel like sunshine! As always, we end with what we’re reading this week. Books and other media mentioned in this episode: Ann’s picks: Village School by Miss Read – Fairacre series by Miss Read A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall Mika in Real Life by Emiko Jean Halle’s picks: The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh The Garden of Small Beginnings by Abbi Waxman – The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hi...
Apr 05, 2024•37 min•Ep. 137
It’s that time again…the books we’re looking forward to the most publishing March through May! Books and other media mentioned in this episode: What Should I Read Next? (podcast) Ann’s picks: The Silver Bone by Andrey Kurkov (releases March 5) – Stieg Larsson books The Mystery Writer by Sulari Gentill (releases March 19) – The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell (releases April 2) Bless Your Heart by Lindy Ryan – Rachel Harrison books Funny Stor...
Mar 16, 2024•57 min•Ep. 136
We love reading books but we also love getting books off our shelves, so that means we love our annual Reading From Our TBRs episode! Books and other media mentioned in this episode: Ann’s picks: Take It Back by Kia Abdullah – Kia Abdullah books Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett – Audie Awards – Neil Gaiman books – Terry Pratchett books – Good Omens (TV) – The House of the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune Old Lovegood Girls by Gail Godwin – From the Front Porch (podcast) – Ann Patchett books...
Feb 28, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 135
In honor of Valentine’s Day, learn everything you need to know about the romance genre! Books and other media mentioned in this episode: Webinar: Crash Course in Romance Nicholas Sparks books Colleen Hoover books Hello Stranger by Katherine Center Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James Sarah Adams books Mindy Klasky Tropes List Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry The Wedding Party by Jasmine Guillory The Hating Game by Sally Thorne The Hating Game (film) Ali...
Feb 08, 2024•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 134
We’re back with our superlatives episode – one of our favorites of the year! Books and other media mentioned in this episode: Halle’s Instagram Women’s Prize for Fiction Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry From the Front Porch (podcast) Book of the Month Club Most Timely Ann: Spare by Prince Harry Halle: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros Most Disappointing Ann: The Cloisters by Katy Hays and Under Lock & Skeleton Key by Gigi Pandia...
Jan 22, 2024•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 133
Our favorite episode of the year, full of our favorite books of the year. Happy Holidays from your friends at Well-Read! Books and other media mentioned in this episode: Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese Ann’s picks: Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher – Sleeping Beauty Last to Leave the Room by Caitlin Starling – Piranesi by Susanna Clarke How Can I Help You by Laura Sims – Patricia Highsmith books Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin – ...
Dec 18, 2023•1 hr 25 min•Ep. 132
This week, we’re talking about book trends! Whether you’re deep in romantasy or cozy everything, we’re covering some of the biggest trends in publishing right now. Books and other media mentioned in this episode: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros The Maid by Nita Prose Anne McCaffrey books Game of Thrones (TV) A Song of Fire and Ice series by George R.R. Martin The Inheritance Cycle series by Christopher Paolini Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling Lord of the Rings series by J.R.R Tolkein Legends &a...
Nov 08, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 131
