Meet Me At The Bookstore

Our latest short stories episode is a pot-pourri of bookish updates in our lives, from attending bookstore launches and book club meetings to a live book haul and reading anecdotes. We've been lost in the bookish sauce recently and we wanted to share with you!

In this episode of Short Stories we are joined by special guest Miles Spencer, adventurer, tech investor, and co-author of ‘A Line in the Sand.' We talk with Miles about the inspirations behind his story, the underlying message he hopes to share, the writing process, and best of all, his escapades across the Middle East! Having grown up in Saudi Arabia, we particularly enjoyed talking to Miles about his adventures in the Kingdom, and hearing his perspective on certain issues that hit close to home. Find out more about Miles at milesspencer.com and check out ‘A Line in the Sand' on Amazon!

In this Short Stories episode, we are delving into the behind-the-scenes of our podcast journey! We discuss the birth of our podcast idea, managing everything from editing to marketing, and balancing it with our personal and professional lives. To end, we reflect on the podcast's challenges, growth, and our hopes for future episodes. 00:54 Full Moon Reflections and Tarot Readings04:42 Podcast Journey and Friendship08:35 Starting the Podcast: The Origin Story11:18 Podcast Growth and Future Plans22:23 Podcast Goals

From “It Girl” celebrity book clubs to sneaky senators and questionable government bills, this episode of Short Stories is all about who gets to influence the books that we read. With the new wave of celebrity book clubs popping up, it looks like reading itself, and particularly the types of books we read, is becoming a status symbol. On the other hand, representatives in Oklahoma are trying to clamp down on the distribution and even creation of romance books (of the spicy variety). Why is everyone so obsessed with what we are reading? The message we leave you with: reading is political!

For our third short stories episode, we have something a little different (and super exciting) to share with you guys: our first guest interview with poet Caitlin Kent-Halliday! We talk with Caitlin about her writing process, inspirations, our favourite poems in her collection, and much more. We hope you enjoy this heartfelt conversation with Caitlin about her debut poetry collection 'Peace of Mind' as much as we did.To find out more about Caitlin and her poetry, you can visit her website at www.caitlinkenthalliday.com.

In this episode of Short Stories, we continue the conversation around "Onyx Storm" as we discuss the controversial social media discourse surrounding it. In the second half of the episode we talk about the drama surrounding author Neil Gaiman's sexual misconduct allegations which leads to further questions about other problematic authors.

Welcome to Short Stories with the Hot Girls Read Podcast! In addition to our regular seasons that include longer episodes, we are coming to you hot with some shorter segments that will cover bookish news and recent updates. In our first episode of Short Stories, we talk about the US Tiktok ban, how booktok dealt with it, and the highly anticipated fantasy read, “Onyx Storm.” Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hotgirlsreadpodcast  Check out our website: https://hotgirlsreadpodcast.com/

Part II of our 2024 Wrapped starts off exactly where we left off in Part I and we get straight into our top Non-fiction reads of the year. We continue on to our most memorable books across the categories of Poetry, Overhyped Booktok Books, Unexpected Top Read, Cozy Read, Spicy Read, and last but not least, or top read of 2024!  After all the fun of delving into the books that have accompanied us throughout 2024, we end the episode talking about our reading plans for the end of the year and what 2025 has in store for the Hot Girls Read podcast. As always, we loved creating this episode for you guys and we look forward to many more in the New Year!

After our short and sweet season 5, we've decided to end the year with one last episode: our 2024 wrapped! We had ambitious goals for this episode, namely sharing our top books of the year across 12 different categories and ending with our top read of the year. So in typical fashion, we went on for so long that we had to break the episode into two parts. In Part I of our 2024 Wrapped, we start out by dissecting our reading habits and trends over the past year, which seemed to differ quite a bit! This became even more clear as we got into our top books for each category, starting with Adult Fantasy and covering YA/MG Fantasy, Fiction, Romance, and Mystery. Catch the rest of our top 2024 reads and some updates about the Hot Girls Read podcast in Part II!

For our final episode of the season, we chose a topic recommended by one of our listeners: interracial romance reads. The Romance genre is a refuge for many readers – it offers lighthearted storylines with plenty of passion and intrigue that are easy to escape into, as we have done countless times. However, the genre can be found lacking in its offer of interracial relationships. We decided to  delve further into the world of interracial romance, and tasked ourselves with finding and reading a variety of interracial romance demographics.  In this episode we are excited to share our list of interracial reads, and of course, our honest thoughts about them. We truly went on a journey of discovery here, and in some cases, even found new favorites to add to the TBR!  Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meetme_atthebookstore/  Books Mentioned: Party of Two by Jasmine Guillroy That Time I Got Drunk and Yeeted a Love Potion at a Werewolf by Kimberly Lemmings Twisted Love by Ana Huang King of Wrath by Ana Huang The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang Dust Child by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai The Dating Plan by Sara Desai First Love, Take Two by Sajni Patel Forbidden Jewel of India by Louise Allen The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna His Road Home by Anna Richland

S5E5: Greek Mythology retellings have always been popular, most memorably during our middle school days, but never have they seemed more widespread than they are right now. Greek retellings fill up the ‘New In' shelves and people just can't get enough of them – us included! In this episode we not only talk about the Greek myths and retellings we've read and loved (or didn't love), but we also get into what drew us to Greek myths in the first place, as well as the differences we see among retellings, particularly between books geared towards adults versus young adults.   Content warning: Rape, Sexual Assault. Books Mentioned: Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan Ariadne by Jennifer Saint Elektra by Jennifer Saint Circe by Madeline Miller Galatea by Madeline Miller Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller Ithaca by Claire North House of Odysseus by Claire North Neon Gods by Katee Robert Electric Idol by Katee Robert Wicked Beauty by Katee Robert Iliad by Homer Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meetme_atthebookstore/

Continuing our book club tradition, in this episode we discuss our latest buddy read: Rebecca Kuang's “Yellow Face,” one of the most popular fiction books from 2023. As usual, we share our ratings and conduct a deep dive into the characters, the writing, and our overall thoughts. “Yellow Face” was an eye-opening, and perhaps controversial, read for two people who are interested in and linked to the world of books, writing, and publishing. Needless to say, we had a lot to say about this one! Content warning: Rape Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meetme_atthebookstore/

S5E3: This isn't the first time we've talked about online bookish communities (see Season 2 Episode 4, The One Where We Talk About Booktok Parts 1 & 2), but this time we're turning our eyes to Bookstagram. From blowing up during the COVID lockdown to now influencing the publishing industry and international book charts, Bookstagram is an ever-growing and powerful community, for better, and sometimes, for worse. Ayesha shares her own experience of building a bookstagram account and then we discuss themes we've noticed in the community – the good, the bad, and the ugly. If you've ever been convinced to get a book based off of someone's Instagram post, listen to this episode to get a behind the scenes look into the world of book influencing! Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meetme_atthebookstore/

S5E2: Why is reading about relatable characters so fun? Why is it so frustrating when a character feels completely unrelatable? Is character relatability actually important to us as readers? Can fantasy characters still be realistic? These are some of the questions we delve into during this episode about unrelatable book characters. To begin, we go down a rabbit hole of discovering the differences between realistic vs. relatable/unrealistic vs. unrelatable when it comes to analyzing book characters. Our working definitions thus defined, we then share what the internet seems to think about the whole realistic/relatable character debate before getting into which characters we find the most relatable and unrelatable across both fantasy and fiction. Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meetme_atthebookstore/

S5E1: Kicking off Season 5, we talk about how to get back into reading!  Almost everyone has experienced reading slumps of some sort. Whether you used to love reading when you were younger but can't find the time or energy these days, are not as consistent a reader as you wish to be, or simply don't know where to start when it comes to finding a new book, we've got you covered! Even as self-proclaimed bookworms, we too have endured our fair share of reading slumps, and in this conversation we lay down the best tips for how to get out of a reading slump, big or small, from our own experiences and that of our friends. Stay until the end for a rundown of our suggested books that are sure to get anyone out of a slump! Books Mentioned: Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir The Fortunes of Jaded Women by Carolyn Huynh The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna  The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time by Mark Haddon Attached by Amir Levine & Rachel S. F. Heler Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton Dear Dolly by Dolly Alderton The Lost City of the Monkey God by Douglas Preston In Defense of Witches by Mona Chollet Mott Street by Ava Chin Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas An Ember in the Ashes series by Sabaa Tahir Deltora series by Emily Rodda Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meetme_atthebookstore/ 

For our final book club read of 2023, we read “Days At the Morisaki Bookshop” by Satoshi Yagisawa, and it was the perfect book to end on. It's sweet, comforting, and a testament to the power of reading. We loved the book's setting in the Jimbocho district of Tokyo, a cozy neighborhood known for its multitude of second hand bookshops, the oddball but loveable characters, and the simple yet effective writing that managed to convey so much emotion!  Whilst this book turned out to be different than we both expected, it was still such a heartwarming read as it evaded cliches and remained enjoyably realistic.  Wishing you all a happy New Year!

In November, we read the shortest book in our podcast history: “Assembly” by Natasha Brown.  This was a controversial read for us, and our lowest rated book club read to date. That said, it definitely made for an interesting conversation to discuss a book that both confused and underwhelmed us. Talking through our own questions about the book led us down a rabbit hole of more questions concerning certain plot points, messages, and characters.  While it's an odd feeling to disagree with the reviews of such a highly acclaimed book, it felt good to apply our own unique perspectives to form a critique of why it didn't hit home for us.

Look no further for our favorite cozy read of the year - Sangu Mandanna's “The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches.” This book was an absolute joy for us to read, and it was equally fun for us to talk about! After sharing our initial ratings, we discussed what made the characters so likable (authentically quirky and kind) and the book itself so enjoyable (diverse cast, and the coziest atmosphere). Talking together about the book made us realize just how much we loved reading it, especially compared to similar books out there, prompting us to change our ratings by the end – so stay tuned to find out!

It's time for our ‘flaming' hot takes on the most hyped up fantasy book this year! It seems like everyone has been talking about “Fourth Wing” by Rebecca Yarros since the start of summer and with the release of the sequel earlier this week, it's the perfect time for us to share our thoughts. As usual, we did not hold back, and voiced our many thoughts and criticisms concerning the school (was the Gauntlet an original idea or was Yarros watching too much American Ninja Warrior?), the writing (can we please talk about those name pronunciations?), the characters (how was Violet's body managing the bedroom activities but not combat?), and much more. Recorded back in August, we consider this a cheeky episode from the vault!

For our second book of the book club series, we read “Beach Party” by Amy Sheppard. This was a particularly fun buddy read, as we read it whilst on our girls trip in Portugal! The Algarve was a world away from the blustery Cornish coast where the book takes place, which made it all the more fun as a breezy, beachy, murder mystery to dive into. The many red herrings and double twist in the book were no match for Ayesha's detective skills, but still kept Julia on her toes.  After a quick synopsis, we talk about the characters, the writing, and the big reveal – covering all the things that we liked and the many that annoyed us (as usual).  The best part about reading this one was getting to yell out our thoughts to each other from the next sunbed over, and we highly recommend doing a buddy read with friends the next time you are on a group trip!

We're starting a new monthly book club series, and each month the two of us will buddy-read a book and share all of our thoughts. For our first book of the series, we read “Attached” by Amir Levine and Rachel S.F. Heller. We open the episode by sharing our ratings and then delve into the three attachment styles: anxious, avoidant, and secure. We discuss in detail the various examples shared by the authors, and even get into our own experiences with the workbook activities.  Overall, “Attached” gave us much to talk about and to consider – we learned more about dating, relationships, and ourselves, and we hope to share that knowledge in this episode.

E14: The One Where We Re-read ‘Twilight' For our last episode of the season, we continue our ‘re-read' series with a special guest, our long-time friend Danielle! We all read ‘Twilight' back when we were in middle school together in Saudi, so this was the perfect book for us to come back together and chat about. ‘Twilight' is infamous for its cult following back in the day, but has it aged well? As always with our re-reads, our goal is to see how we react to the same stories we once read as kids, and whether our opinions have stayed the same or differed from our first read. Needless to say, our thoughts have changed A LOT, and we had so much fun talking and laughing about it! Books Mentioned: Twilight by Stephanie Meyer The Path to Love by Deepak Chopra Many Lives, Many Masters by Brian Weiss Aphrodite by Isabelle Allende A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara ---- 4:15 - Currently Reading9:00 - Overall Thoughts13:56 - Bella Swann26:39 - Edward Cullen34:30 - Bella & Edward48:24 - Other Characters54:52 - The Writing

S3E13: In celebration of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage month, we are discussing romance reads from a pan-Asian perspective. As two Asian women ourselves, we wanted to take time to focus on Asian written romance and how we view the representation we read about. We go into the facets of representation that we love, but also the stereotypes that we don't, and end with a segment on how the romance we have read throughout the years has influenced our dating lives! Books Mentioned: A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara We've Got This: Unlocking the Beauty of Unlocking by Ritu Bhasin The Path to Love By Deepak Chopra Dating Dr. Dil by Nisha Sharma The Trouble With Hating You by Sajni Patel The Phoenix King by Aparna Verma The Bride Test by Helen Hoang The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandya Menon Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan ---- 1:17 - Currently Reading4:33 - Why this topic5:25 - What We Love15:53 - What We Didn't Like30:00 - Standards with Asian Romance35:26 - Dating: Fiction vs. Reality

S3E12: We are back again for another deep dive, and this time we delve into a YA contemporary fiction read by one of our favorite authors - ‘All My Rage' by Sabaa Tahir. We have both talked a lot about our love for Sabaa Tahir's ‘An Ember in the Ashes' series, and we were equally enthralled by ‘All My Rage.' As usual, there was much to discuss, including the various characters, plot nuances, and of course, our love for Tahir's writing and ability to make us feel ALL THE FEELS.   Disclaimer: this episode is full of spoilers! Books Mentioned: All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir One Foot in Front of the Other by Ann Webb The Phoenix King by Aparna Verma --- 2:45 - Currently Reading9:00 - Synopsis & the Writing19:12 - Misbah27:22 - Sal42:31 - Noor49:37 - Noor & Sal57:11 - Toufiq1:01:11 - The School/Town1:06:20 - Overall Thoughts

S3E11: The two of us often talk about growing up in the Middle East, and it's time we dedicated an episode to the region we have called home for so long. We start by trying to define the Middle East, but realise that it's not so simple – which is exactly what makes it such a captivating region to read about! We then share our favourite books that are either written by Middle Eastern authors, set in the region, or concern Middle Eastern characters. Between the two of us, we cover an array of books set in different countries, offering diverse perspectives.    Books/Writers Mentioned: The Path to Love by Deepak Chopra Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski  A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum Call Me American by Abdi Nor Iftin The Corpse Exhibition and Other Stories of Iraq by Hassan Blasim Our Women On The Ground by Zahra Hankir Girls of Riyadh by Rajaa Alsanea Does My Head  Look Big in This? By Randa Abdel-Fattah Princess by Jean Sasson We Free the Stars Duology by Hufsah Faizal In the Kingdom of Men by Kim Barnes 8 Months on Ghazzah Street by Hilary Mantel The 40 Rules of Love by Elif Shafak The Sleuth of Baghdad by Charles B Child Writers in general: Rumi, Ghibran, Darwish, Quabbani, Khaled Hosseni 3:14 - Currently Reading6:14 - How Do We Define It?11:04 - Ayesha's Faves19:04 - Julia's Faves30:10 - Why Do We Enjoy Reading About the Middle East?

S3E10: In this episode, we are talking poetry! We start the conversation by discussing our relationship to poetry – not only what we enjoy, but what we sometimes struggle with as well. We go on to talk about our first introductions to poetry as kids, to what we read at school, and are now exploring on our own – including writing our own poetry (feel free to follow Julia's poetry @day.dream.diaries on Instagram). We also share a list of our top poets and poems, including a few of our favourite lines of verse for good measure, and finish off the episode with the poets whose works we are looking forward to reading in the near future. Books Mentioned: To Fall in Love, Drink This by Alice Feiring  Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski, Ph.D 8 Rules of Love by Jay Shetty Ariadne by Jennifer Saint

We hear a lot about them, but what exactly are book tropes, and what purpose do they serve? In this episode we are diving into the infamous book trope! After first defining what a book trope is, we discuss whether we believe they are being overused, and perhaps even used incorrectly. We then spend the rest of the episode sharing our favourite and least favourite tropes to read about. Stay tuned for our Patreon as we dive deeper into the ‘enemies to lovers' book trope! Books Mentioned: All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir To Fall in Love, Drink This by Alice Feiring  Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski, Ph.D 8 Rules of Love by Jay Shetty ---- 2:32 - Currently Reading6:41 - How Do We Define It?11:10 - Are They Overused?18:38 - Tropes: Our Favorites & Favorite Book Tropes Least Favorites

In this episode, we are not talking about books but magazines!  You may have heard us talk about magazines we've been reading during our previous currently reading segments, and these were inspired by this episode. We start the episode talking about the magazines that we're most familiar with, and those we would consider as current favourites. We then jump into the magazines we used to enjoy as kids which opened up many memories! We also discuss the values of digital versus print magazines, and end the episode comparing magazines to books.  Books Mentioned: The 40 Rules of Love by Elif Shafak Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski, Ph.D Magazines Mentioned: Philosophie  Tatler  Oh, Reader  The Paris Review Mizz  Cosmo Girl  Cosmopolitan Bon Appetit National Geographic ---- 0:52 - Currently Reading6:01 - Current Favorite Magazines19:12 - Pasttime Favorite Magazines23:48 - Digital vs. Print31:55 - Magazines vs. Books

S3E7: We are back again with another genre master list, and this time we're going through our top historical fiction reads that have left their mark on us! Historical fiction is probably one of our favourite genres, and we start our list off with ancient civilizations and travel through time and across the world as we trade titles. As always, these lists are ever evolving, and we end the episode acknowledging the many gaps we have in our historical fiction repertoire, and how we plan to fill them! Head to our Instagram for our current comprehensive list, and please share your thoughts and recommendations as we are always excited to learn about new must-reads! ---- 3:35 - Currently Reading7:25 - How Do We Define It?9:17 - Ancient Civilizations18:05 - WW1/WW227:16 - Partition30:32 - North American38:35 - European41:13 - Generation Over Time

S3E6: In what is probably one of our most wholesome episodes yet, we talk about the very heart of books themselves: friendship! We analyse the in and outs of the friendships within some of our favourite fantasy series, namely Harry Potter, Throne of Glass, A Court of Thorns and Roses, and Crescent City. We talk about what makes them great, why they work, why we love them – and of course, we can't help but fantasize about which fictional characters and friend groups we would be friends with too! Books Mentioned: Lady Chatterly's Lover by D.H. Lawrence Harry Potter Series by J.K Rowling Throne of Glass Series by Sarah J. Maas ACOTAR series by Sarah J. Maas Crescent City Series by Sarah J. Maas ---- 2:22 - Currently Reading7:11 - Harry Potter16:17 - Throne of Glass25:07 - ACOTAR33:54 - Crescent City

S3E5: This episode has been a long time coming – we are diving headfirst into our juiciest topic yet: spicy reads! The episode is split into two halves. During the first half, we discuss our experience with a variety of spicy fantasy, and in the latter half, we dig into the two spicy fiction books that we read in preparation for this episode, ‘Dark Russian Angel', and ‘Praise'. Our spiciest content is NSFS (Not Safe For Spotify) so we will be putting it up on Patreon if you would like to hear the full, uncut version! More details on Patreon to follow soon. Books Mentioned: The Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas Crescent City series by Sarah J. Maas River of Shadows by Karina Halle  Crown of Crimson by Karina Halle Dark Olympus series by Katee Robert  King of Battle and Blood by Scarlett St Clair Zodiac Academy series by Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti Gild series by Raven Kennedy From Blood and Ash series by Jennifer L. Armentrout Ice Planet Barbarians series by Ruby Dixon Vicious by L.J. Shen  Fifty Shades series by E. L. James Praise by Sara Cate Dark Russian Angel: A Vancouver Mafia Romance by Odette Stone ---- 1:11 - Currently Reading5:01 - Concept of Smut12:21 - Fantasy30:19 - Fiction35:02 - Buddy Read: Dark Russian Angel49:15 - Buddy Read: Praise1:10:59 - Overall Take

S3E4: Are fairytales a bad influence? We are back again with our Taboo Topics series, and this time, we are talking about the controversy over fairytales. Once the golden standard of children's literature, fairytales – whether in book form or on screen – are now being heralded as a bad influence on children. But are these worries warranted? To get to the bottom of this issue, we dive into a brief history of fairytales, their evolution, and the criticism they face today. We of course dish out our own thoughts on fairytales and the concerns surrounding them, no holds barred! Books Mentioned: In Defense of Witches: Why Women Are Still On Trial by Mona Chollet A Week Abroad Magazine 8 Rules of Love by Jay Shetty Circe by Madeline Miller Glass Hearts and Broken Promises by Kayla McCullough ---- 1:29 - Currently Reading10:36 - The History and Evolution of Fairytales18:07 - The 'Issues'24:08 - Our Thoughts

S3E3: Every booklover knows that reading and wellness go hand in hand. We often joke that the act of reading is our therapy, and in this episode, we dive into the myriad of ways that it really can be! We broach the subject by ruminating on the ways reading itself has supported us in times of need, and how important reading can be for your mental health. We then get into our history of reading wellness focused books specifically, and our thoughts around the ‘self-help' moniker. We discuss the different categories of wellness reads that interest us, as well as the less-talked-about toxic side of the wellness reading space. We round out the episode talking about some of our favorite wellness reads that have made a lasting impact on us, and those we look forward to reading soon! Books Mentioned: Good Vibes, Good Life by Vex King The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire by Deepak Chopra Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul by Deepak Chopra Anam Cara by John O'Donnahue The Body Says No by Gabor Mate ‘Daughter Drink This Water' by Jaiya John ---- 4:04 - Currently Reading14:46 - Reading & Therapy18:29 - Wellness Reads: Why We Started Reading Them28:05 - Wellness Topics30:51 - Toxicity44:01 - Our Recommendations

S3E2: Book to screen adaptations are a touchy subject for the booklover. In this episode, we talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to the book to screen adaptations we've come across, including Pride and Prejudice, Twilight, and Eragon, to name a few. We also discuss popular adaptations that we liked where we didn't read the book, those that might even be better than the book, and of course, those we could hardly bear to watch. With more and more adaptations hitting the screens, we can only sit back and hope that our book-borne fantasies will be listened to, and met! Books Mentioned: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by JK Rowling Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan Eragon by Christopher Paolini Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan Twilight by Stephanie Meyer ---- 1:36 - Currently Reading7:15 - Best Adaptations19:27 - Honorable Mentions of Best Adaptations23:44 - Worst Adaptations33:35 - Honorable Mentions of Worst Adaptations37:01 - Adaptations Better Than the Source-Material?

S3E1: Welcome back to Season 3 of our podcast! We are so excited to be back for another season of ‘Meet Me At The Bookstore', and we hope you are looking forward to more of our bookish babble too! To start off our new season, we give a recap of who we are and what we are all about, sharing the humble beginnings of our 16 year friendship up until now. Jumping off of our year end bonus episode, we also give an update on how our bookish goals have been going so far. Books Mentioned: September Love by Lang Leave A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson ---- 4:00 - Currently Reading 5:14 - Recap 13:27 - 2023 Goals

The season isn't over yet – we are ending the year with a cheeky little bonus episode! We begin by sharing our thoughts on the past year, and talk about the many changes that have taken place for the both of us. We then move on to our aspirations and goals for 2023 regarding our personal lives, our bookish ambitions, and this podcast. We hope to encourage all those listening to acknowledge their own journeys over the past year, and look forward to what is yet to come – even if it's just the next book on your TBR!

Stressed out by fast approaching year end deadlines, holiday socials, and upcoming travels? We invite you to sit back and unwind with us as we wrap up our second season of Meet Me at the Bookstore on a light and joyful note to usher in the holiday season! We start off by running through our gift guide for fellow book lovers, and end with sharing some of our favorite seasonal reads, from winter romances to snow-blanketed murder mysteries! We wish all of you a happy holiday and a wonderful year end. We will be back for season 3 in the new year! Books Mentioned What Lies Beyond the Veil by Harper L. Woods The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake Jade City by Fonda Lee Seasonal Reads: Christmas at The Mysterious Bookshop edited by Otto Penzler The Mistletoe Murder and other short stories by P.D. James Midwinter Murder: Fireside Tales from the Queen of Mystery by Agatha Christie The Santa Klaus Murder by Mavis Doriel Hay Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson The Gift by Cecilia Ahern Sleigh Bells in the Snow by Sarah Morgan How to Find Love in a Bookshop by Veronica Henry Dear Reader by Cathy Rentzenbrink --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In what is probably our nerdiest episode yet, we talk about the different methods and platforms that we use to organize our reading habits. From our own personal techniques to widely used apps, we share what we find helpful, what we like, and what we struggle with when it comes to keeping track of what we read. Whether you're a data-lover looking for another way to compile your reading stats, wondering how to bring your reading addiction to a new level, or simply wanting to compare notes, this episode has got you covered! Books Mentioned: Jade City by Fonda Lee The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan What Lies Beyond the Veil by Harper L. Woods --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In our latest episode, we continue our deep dive series by delving into the mystery and thrill of 'The Paris Apartment' by Lucey Foley. We discuss the in and outs of each character, reconstructing the story bit by bit, until we get to the big reveal. We also go into the writing itself, what we found confusing, and what we liked (and didn't like)! We finish off the episode with our first ever book rating! Warning: This episode contains spoilers. Books Mentioned: The Sky Beyond the Storm by Sabaa Tahir A Broken Blade by Melissa Blair Anam Cara by John O'Donohue The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

As a little Thanksgiving gift from us to you, this week we have also included a short bonus clip of us taking a quiz to find out which SJM man is our soulmate. See the link below to play along with us: https://www.quotev.com/quiz/15331091/Which-Maasverse-Man-is-your-Soulmate

We love reading fantasy for many reasons: the thrill, the magic, the adventure, but most of all, the men! Join us as we dish about all our favorite male characters within the fantasy genre - from high lords and batboys, to archangels and warriors! We spend a significant portion of the episode discussing the men… *ahem* males (iykyk) in the Sarah J. Mass universe (she knows how to write ‘em!), and conclude our thoughts with a game of kiss, marry, kill. From there, we mention a few more notable rogues and ruffians and finish off the episode by philosophizing on the art of fantasizing. As a little Thanksgiving gift from us to you, this week we have also included a short bonus clip of us taking a quiz to find out which SJM man is our soulmate. See the link below to play along with us: https://www.quotev.com/quiz/15331091/Which-Maasverse-Man-is-your-Soulmate Books Mentioned: The Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Together We Burn by Isabel Ibanez Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas Crescent City series by Sarah J. Maas Ember in the Ashes series by Sabaa Tahir Caraval series by Stephanie Garber King of Scars duology by Leigh Bardugo Song of the Lioness series by Tamora Pierce Graceling by Kristin Cashore --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

During this episode, we take a trip down memory lane and revisit a favorite from our youth: Sophie Kinsella's ‘Remember Me?' This re-read was an experiment for us to see if we would have the same experience reading a book now in our 20s compared to when we were pre-teens. Needless to say, there were some major and unexpected differences that cropped up! After breaking it all down, we realise that certain aspects of the story seem to have lost their magic. Is it the price we must pay as we grow up and realise that reality doesn't always live up to our fictional ideals? Are early-2000s chick-lits simply outdated in this day and age? Are the characters really at fault, or were things just different back then? As it turns out, reading an old favorite with a newly turned critical eye unleashes a plethora of questions, comments, and judgement – and we leave no stone unturned in our discussion! Books Mentioned: Remember Me? By Sophie Kinsella House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Every town, city, and country has its own unique relationship to books. Following our latest trips and moves, we discuss the bookish cultural quirks we've noticed between New York, Virginia/DC, London, and Paris. Pertaining to independent bookstores, book deserts, libraries, and more - we chat about the differences we've found and come to some intriguing conclusions about book culture in this day and age, and across the world. Disclaimer: All thoughts are our own and are derived from our own observations. Books Mentioned: The Secret History by Donna Tartt House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas All the Lovers in the Night by Mieko Kawakami --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

The world of fan fiction is a world unto itself - another universe of literary imaginings for book-lovers and day-dreamers to explore. While we're not well versed in fan fiction, with the increase of authors entering mainstream book publishing with a fan-fiction background, we decided it was time to educate ourselves! To begin, we discuss a few popular books and series that were once mere fan-fics. We then share our thoughts on some Harry Potter fan fiction that we recently read. To wrap it up, we dissect the allure of reading and writing fan fiction - and of course, we leave this episode with many more reads added to our ever growing TBR! Books Mentioned: The Secret History by Donna Tartt A Holiday for Murder by Agatha Christie Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Macguire Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James After by Anne Todd Manacled by SenLinYu The Howling Nights by C.H. Darling --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Continuing our series on Taboo Topics, the contentious issue of this episode revolves around book banning and censorship! Books have been banned throughout time and nations - but is there ever actually a justifiable reason for banning a book? We begin the conversation by briefly discussing classic books that have been historically banned in the US. We then move onto books that have been banned more recently, featuring some popular books we grew up reading. From there, we attempt to unpack why both institutions and parents try to ban certain books from young readers, if it is warranted, and what the consequences of censorship, or a lack thereof, would be. Books Mentioned: The Secret History by Donna Tart A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this eclectic episode, we share our bookish adventures from our trip together to London. Staying in an area known for its abundance of bookstores, we had so much fun visiting old and new favorites, and couldn't help buying a few treats for ourselves! We end our episode talking about current and upcoming reads with a bit of a fixation on Sarah J. Maas' well known series, A Court of Thorns and Roses, and Crescent City. Books bought from Marchpane: Matilda by Roald Dahl (1st edition) Fairies of the Trees by Cicely Mary Barker Lavender Laughs in the Chalet School by Elinor Brent-Dyer Books Mentioned: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid Heartstopper by Alice Oseman A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In today's episode, we continue the momentum of sharing our most memorable books in a particular genre, starring Non-Fiction. However, before jumping into the meat of our episode, we start out with a little more booktok drama that just had to be aired out. That aside, while Non-Fiction may not seem to make as many appearances on our podcast as Fantasy or Fiction, it is not a genre to be slept on! Indeed, we had so many books to talk about, we were only able to share our absolute top recommendations without going on for too long. We wrap up with a little discussion about our relationship to the genre itself, the iconic ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul' books (IYKYK), and some Non-Fiction books we have in the pipeline. The entirety of our considerable list of great Non-Fiction reads can be found on our Instagram page - be sure to check it out so you can add to your never ending TBR! We definitely had a lot to add after this one! Books Mentioned: The Body Keep the Score by Bessel van der Kolk The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This episode is all about the Classics. Starting with our middle school days and then going into our high school curriculums and beyond, we share our memorable experiences with some of the most widely read books in western literature. Not only do we talk about the books we loved, liked, and really didn't like, but we also take the time to call out the overwhelming presence of white male authors among the required reading lists of US high schools. To end on a modern note, we share our takes on the books that we feel have the potential to turn into classics in the years to come. Head to Instagram to see our full Master List of the Classics that we have enjoyed and recommend. Books Mentioned: House of Blood and Earth (Crescent City) by Sarah J. Maas Hunt the Stars by Jessie Mihalik The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

It's TEA time! From cancel culture and questionable TikTok creators to racist authors and a certain book subscription company, we are here to address some of the controversies circulating on BookTok in our latest two-part episode. Although we ourselves are not very involved in BookTok, our aim for this episode is to try and understand the discussions at hand in order to promote a more open minded bookish community. Books Mentioned: The Body Keep the Score by Bessel van der Kolk House of Blood and Earth (Crescent City) by Sarah J. Maas We Hunt the Flame by Hafsa Faizal The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery Lightlark by Alex Aster Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

It's TEA time! From cancel culture and questionable TikTok creators to racist authors and a certain book subscription company, we are here to address some of the controversies circulating on BookTok in our latest two-part episode. Although we ourselves are not very involved in BookTok, our aim for this episode is to try and understand the discussions at hand in order to promote a more open minded bookish community. Books Mentioned: The Body Keep the Score by Bessel van der Kolk House of Blood and Earth (Crescent City) by Sarah J. Maas We Hunt the Flame by Hafsa Faizal The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery Lightlark by Alex Aster Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In today's episode, we are diving deep into our favorite genre - fantasy! Have you ever had a multitude of questions pop up when reading a fantasy novel? Like, HOW do you pronounce that name?? Or, they did WHAT now? And how old are they again?? We have both certainly come across our share of burning questions and are excited to finally have the chance to air them in an effort to make sense of the imaginary, as found in the fascinating world of fantasy. Books Mentioned: The Twyford Code by Janice Hallett House of Badawi by C.J. Khemi We Hunt the Flame by Hafsa Faizal The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire by Deepak Chopra Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin Twilight Series by Stephanie Meyer --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app