What Did We Just Read?!

Season 2 is here! We had so much rest during our hiatus, but we're so glad to be back reading books for y'all. We're starting Season 2 with Back In Your Arms by Monica McCallan. This was the perfect book to come back with because it was steamy, sweet, and most exciting of all GAY. This is our first lesbian romance and it DELIVERED. If you missed our State of the Podcast and listen to episodes when they drop, we're moving to posting every other week. We love doing this podcast, but with both of us having full time jobs, we want to make sure we're being realistic about what we can handle and prevent burnout. What Did We Just Suggest?! Justin: If you're a big weeb like Justin, the final season of Attack on Titan just started and is very good so far. Maya: Wordle! Gotta get that topical reference. It's a daily word puzzle game and it's nice to have a little brain blast once a day.

OMG. Long time, no see! Get ready because What Did We Just Read is coming back for Season 2, and we are so excited. Here's what's new: We're moving to a every other week schedule. We want to put out the best podcast possible for you, but we also want to take care of ourselves and this is gonna help us do that. We'll be back next week with a new season and new books and new laughs and hopefully less gaslighting!

Hey! It's been a while! In the interest of following our own, frequent advice to practice self-care, we'll be going on hiatus until 2022. We absolutely love doing this podcast, but it's a lot of work and we owe it to ourselves to give ourselves a good rest. We'll be back in January of 2021 to read more books, make more jokes, and maybe even expand our repertoire a little. Follow us on social media for more updates or to see Maya obsess over hockey every day.

This might be the end of Halloween, but the real friends were the scares we had along the way! This week, we wrapped up The Impossible Julian Strande series with Ghosts and Liars by Kathryn Ann Kingsley. It wasn't quite the conclusion we were hoping for, and Justin and Maya had some definite feelings. Trigger Warning: Domestic Violence. Yea, we weren't quite expecting that either. What Did We Just Suggest?! Maya: Get a library card! Then, see if your library is connected to Hoopla or Libby so you can read all the ebooks your little heart desires. Justin: Whether it's a bullet journal or a calendar, get yourself some kind of planner system to help keep you focused, on track, and organized.

This episode might be possessed! Part Three of our Inaugural Spooky Season was a doozy to make due to some technical issues, but the devil can't get us down! We read My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix. Flashback to the 80s with us as we read about a teenager who determined to save her best friend from an ailment no one else is taking seriously (pssst, it's a demon). We have some Trigger Warnings for you: mentions of sexual assault, suicide, animal cruelty, racism, and just basically all the problematic stuff that happened in the 80s. What Did We Just Suggest?! Maya: Since Maya is fully into hockey now and obsessed with Brandon Tanev, here's a fun video of this man's chaos. Also, look up his team pictures. Justin: Watch You on Netflix. Third season just came out, Joe is a great lovable villain and Justin loves it (Maya is not a fan, but Victoria Pedretti is a cutie so...)

Mansions, Magicians, and Ghosts! Oh my! Our inaugural Spooky Season series is on a roll! All treats no tricks! This week we read Illusions of Grandeur by Kathryn Ann Kingsley, part one in The Impossible Julian Strand series. This book has all the things we want in a ghost story AND all the things we love about romances too hot to handle.   Trigger Warning: this book does feature a little dubious consent. Kathryn Ann Kingsley classes this more as a villain romance so both the male leads are pretty pushy in ways that wouldn't be hot if the male leads weren't tall, dark, handsome, and in a series we know ends in an HEA. It works for us, but it's something to note.   What Did We Just Suggest?! Maya: She found a really delicious meal replacement smoothie recipe that has spinach, mango, banana, and avocado. Filling and not overly sweet! Justin: Enhance your sleep with a personal fan you can aim directly at yourself. Also, sleep with less clothes. Get all comfy and cozy in your sheets!

Welcome to Who Did We Just Scare?! It's October and Justin and Maya are huge fans of Halloween so the next few episodes are going to be scary or Halloween adjacent! For the first episode of our inaugural Halloween series, we read The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher. This creepy and appropriately humorous novel sent us on a dreadful journey through a realm we never quite understood (and maybe weren't supposed to).  We were simultaneously delighted and, as you'll hear, regularly horrified. It was awesome! What Did We Just Suggest? Justin: There's a really fun gacha game that came out last year called Ginchin Impact and you should try it! Maya: Daddy Maya is back. This is your reminder to change your sheets. Get new pillows on there. Get in bed with some nice clean sheets tonight.  

We love a podcast with intense feelings! This week, we unfortunately unenjoyed Captivated by Tessa Bailey and Eve Dangerfield. This book had a lot of tropes we don't particularly like, but we think it made for some good content, nonetheless. Trigger Warning: the main characters in this book engage in rape fantasy/stalking kink. The kink wasn't one of our red flags in the book so it could be triggering because of the content and not because the kink is poorly written. What Did We Just Suggest?! Maya: Billie Eilish's album Happier Than Ever is a definite favorite of hers. Justin: Listen to Morbid, a true crime podcast where one of the hosts is a mortician (fun!)

The gang is back together! It was our first time recording in over three weeks and we read Before She Knew Him, a gripping we-know-who-done-it thriller about one woman's quest to prove her fears about her new neighbor aren't just in her head. It was nice to be fully back in action once more and we had a lot to say about this book and what the last few weeks of our lives have been like. What Did We Just Suggest?! Justin: MrBallen on YouTube. He has tons of videos about true crime, but also just weird, maybe paraormal stories. Justin is addicted. Maya: Cracking the Cryptic on YouTube. It's a delightful British man solving incredibly complex Sudoku puzzles (sometimes with 0 digits!) and it's very soothing.

We're back after a short hiatus! This week, Maya got her hockey gay hockey wish and we read Him by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy. This cute and steamy romance is about two hockey players and best friends who become a little bit more. Maya had a fun time introducing Justin to both hockey logistics and other kinds of logistics. Bedroom logistics. Between two dudes. Who play hockey! This episode was recorded before Hurricane Ida made landfall in Southeast Louisiana. Luckily, Justin, Maya, our friends, and Louisiana family made it out of the other side, but there is still a lot of work to be done to help the gulf coast bounce back from the devastation. If you'd like to donate to or volunteer with organizations that help Louisiana communities after a storm like Ida, we've got some resources below. Culture Aid NOLA provides twice-weekly distributions of free, fresh food. Cajun Navy Relief volunteers rescue assistance to areas affected by severe flooding. Louisiana SPCA helps to rescue abandoned animals and reunite lost pets with their homes. Second Harvest Food Bank helps community members gain access to food, water, and cleaning supplies. Those are just a few of the many organizations that help with relief and recovery after storms. What Did We Just Suggest?! Justin: Go get yourself a candle! Candles smell nice and are a nice comfort. Justin is currently partial to the Black Cherry Merlot from Bath and Body Works! Maya: If you are a fan of ice chai lattes, find some Tazo Chai Concentrate and make one just like they do at Starbucks!

It's the exciting conclusion to The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune. The second half of this book delivered and then some on it's themes of family, identity, and doing the right thing even if it isn't the easy thing. Justin and Maya loved this book and had such a blast reading it that you might want to make sure your ears are protected. What Did We Just Suggest?! Justin: Check out Pokemon Unite! It's like League of Legends but Pokemon and less toxic. Maya: Try out some Zebra Mildliners. They're like highlighters but pastels!

It's our first two-parter! This week we fell into TJ Klune's beautiful world building in The House in the Cerulean Sea. This magical novel is about love, bias, and discovering an unlikely family when you least expect it. If you want to read along with us and shout your own opinions at your listening device of choice, you still have time before we upload part two next week. What Did We Just Suggest?! Maya - Highly recommend watching the new show Reservation Dogs, a hilarious coming of age comedy by Taika Waititi about four Indigenous teens in Oklahoma hustling to make a better life for themselves. And best of all, it's #OwnVoices and all the writers and creators are indigenous!  Justin - You should also watch The Last Kingdom. It's about Saxons and Vikings discovering your past might not be what you thought it was. It's got a few seasons already for all your binging needs.

This is a fun one! This week, we gleefully devoured Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert and couldn't get enough! This hilarious rom-com ticked all of our boxes. It was incredibly funny, wonderfully steamy, and it made Justin tear up a little bit because he is a big, old softy. This book was just a pure delight. What Did We Just Suggest?! Maya: Drink water. It's good for you. Set your goal higher than you need it so you still end up drinking more water than you expected. Justin: "There is more to life than increasing its speed" - Gandhi. Don't rush through life. Enjoy your indeterminate amount of time.

Welcome back to our humble podcast! This week we dove into Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami, a nostalgic coming-of-age story about grief, guilt, and memory. This novel was dense, intense, but just like our last Murakami read, so beautifully written.  Join us as we talk about plane travel and friends who seem complex and nuanced but are really just jerks. Trigger Warning: This book deals with themes of suicide and sexual assault. What Did We Just Suggest?! Maya: Lemon Bliss Skinny Dipped Almonds. They're delicious yogurt-covered almonds with a super good sour lemon kick. Maya is obsessed with them. Justin: Get a good night's sleep. Sleep is important for your health! Have a consistent sleep routine. Your body will thank you!

Episode 10! This week we read Have We Met? by Camille Baker, a delightful romantic comedy about a mysterious app and suspicious second chances. We loved that this book was rich with representation from POC to LGBTQ to Deaf. It was a very affirming and very fun read! Come along for the ride as we chatter hockey and spend too long trying to figure out Romancelandia phrases. What Did We Just Suggest?! Justin: Take note of the things you love and take time to do something wholly for yourself and enjoy it. Maya: The jalapeno cheddar bites at Burger King are addictive and delicious.

We are on a roll with great reads! This week we read, The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson, a twisty thriller that broke our brains so well we couldn't put it down. There's deception, sex, and muuuurder, all the hallmarks of a great mystery. This book is going in the hall of favorites for sure! Trigger Warning: This book briefly touches on themes of sexual assault and grown adults being creepy with children. What Did We Just Suggest?! Justin: The Case Study of Vanitas is a great anime! It's only got a couple episodes out, but they've both been really good. Give it a watch. Maya: I am your dad now, go get your oil changed. Also, reset your trip mileage every time you get gas so you can keep track of your car's mileage.

The great romance slump is finally over! It was an absolute delight to read Getaway Girl by Tessa Bailey. This romantic comedy romp delivered on all fronts. We laughed, we swooned, and we blushed very hard. This book is totally up there as a favorite read. By the way, we have a Facebook page now! You can search for "What Did We Just Read?" if you'd like to give us a like or a follow. What Did We Just Suggest?! Justin - Loki is great! It gives some great MCU set up and has a little bit of romance. Maya - Try to take a social media hiatus or be your own parent and use parental controls to limit your social media usage. Stop the scroll!

Welcome back (or welcome), listener! This week, we read After Dark by Haruki Murakami, a gripping novel we still can't quite explain. It was a beautifully written book about a group of individuals experiencing a completely normal, not weird at all, totally cool night. Join us as we discuss not being able to read clocks, lying about movie plots, and perfectly normal sibling interactions. We also have a new segment! What Did We Just Suggest? Maya: Read Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston. It's one of the best romance novels she's read in a long while and she's still thinking about it. Justin: Take a quick second and breathe. Get out of your head for a minute and breathe.

Welcome back! This week on What Did We Just Read?! Maya and Justin talked about The Checklist by Addie Woolridge, a comedic novel about a Type-A lady trying not to lose her mind as her personal and professional lives descend into chaos. Hot topics this week: jerk bosses, inattentive boyfriends, dubstep, and olives, trying to find our outro groove. We hope you enjoy the episode! 

Hey y'all! This week on What Did We Just Read?! we dived into Remote Control by Nnedi Okorafor. This book was a fantastic Africanfuturistic novel set in Ghana about a little girl who inspires fear, female empowerment, and community. We had such a fun time talking about holistic remedies thought up by children, Maya's kindle refusing to sync, and ROBOCOPS (not how you're thinking). No trigger warnings this week, just vibes.

Welcome back! This week, we tackled Someone Else's Secret by Julia Spiro. This novel is an emotional suspense book about secrets, privilege, and growing up way too fast. It was an uncomfortable read, but that doesn't mean we didn't have things to say! Join us as we discuss creeps, how much it sucked to be fourteen in 2009, and reiterate the same point fifty times.   Trigger warning: Someone else's Secret deals with themes of sexual assault and grooming. We do not go into detail during the podcast, but if mentions of these themes are triggering for you, be advised.   Also, if you'd like to know what books we're reading next, read with us, or suggest a book for us, become a member of our Amazon Book Club page. We already have a month's worth of books scheduled and we'd love suggestions.

Welcome back after an unintended break! This week we read The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides, a thriller about a woman's violent act against her husband and the psychotherapist obsessed with finding out why. Come along for the ride as we discuss questionable therapeutic techniques, play a rousing game of Hot or Not, and recount the hours Maya spent trying to understand the ending. As a heads up, this episode was delayed because of some audio issues while recording. Justin worked tirelessly to work out all the kinks, and we hope any lingering weirdness doesn't diminish your listening experience. Next week will be better!    

Welcome back to What Did We Just Read?! After last week's intense thriller, Maya and Justin were super excited to switch gears and read Girl Gone Viral by Alisha Rai. Girl Gone Viral is a sweet and steamy romance novel about a former model trying to keep her identity private after a failed meet cute goes viral. Lucky for our heroine, she's got a great support system, including the hot bodyguard whose eyebrows she wants to kiss. Join us as we ramble about the Do's and Don'ts of shipping real people (Don't), falling in love with dogs immediately (Do), and the best phrases to describe the birds and bees (dealer's choice).

It's our first episode! In this totally-not-longer-than-we-planned first episode of What Did We Just Read?!, Justin and Maya discuss No Exit by Taylor Adams. No Exit is an edgy thriller about four strangers, too much snow, a kidnapped child, and a heroine we loved to hate. Listen to us wax poetic about the joys of Pooh-bearing, precious young children we would die for, and bad decisions all around. Justin and Maya had a lot of opinions about this book and this episode was a blast to record. We hope you'll love it, too!   Trigger Warning: This book gets a little gruesome so if you're squeamish, be warned.

Welcome to What Did We Just Read?! the podcast coming in May 2021. Every Tuesday, tune in as Justin and Maya, two best friends, read/review a different book and push each other out of their genre comfort zones. Justin likes thrillers and fantasy. Maya enjoys smutty romance and chick lit. Will they love it? Hate it? What the heck was that one chapter about? Find us on Twitter @WhatDidWeRead and Instagram @WhatDidWeJustRead. See you soon!