Reading Materials

We’re back in historical fiction territory with  A Death at Fountains Abbey  by Antonia Hodgson. In this episode, we discuss whodunnits, visualising Victorian settings (badly), and whether a good murder mystery can survive murky descriptions. Episode Timepoints: 00:00 Intro 00:35 Life Updates 02:05 An introduction to the author 06:25 A Discussion of A Death at Fountains Abbey 53:40 The book we wil...

This week we dive into  The Book of Lost Things  by John Connolly, a dark, folktale-laced coming-of-age story full of gruesome imagery and haunting twists. We unpack the horror, the heart, and ask: who exactly was this written for? Episode Timepoints: 00:00 Intro 00:35 Quick Life Updates 03:05 A Discussion of The Book of Lost Things 19:50-21:20 TRIGGER WARNING (Pedophilia / Bestiality / Rape) 47:1...

This week, we reflect on  The Beekeeper of Aleppo  by Christy Lefteri—a moving story of displacement, loss, and resilience. We talk about the emotional weight of grief, the symbolism of bees, and what it means to find hope when everything familiar is gone. Episode Timepoints: 00:00 Intro 00:32 Life Updates 01:55 An Introduction to the Author 09:15 A Discussion of The Beekeeper of Aleppo 49:40 The...

In this episode, we hop between Red, Grey, and White London with  A Darker Shade of Magic  by V.E. Schwab. Expect talk of magic systems, iconic coats, snarky heroines, and the universal importance of a good pub. Spoiler: we have opinions. Episode Timepoints: 00:00 Intro 00:40 - Life Updates 03:15 - Revisiting Foundation 04:45 - Corrections 05:50 - A Discussion of A Darker Shade of Magic 16:55-19:1...

We’re blasting off to the far future with  Foundation  by Isaac Asimov—but not without a few bumps in the time-space continuum. In this episode, we talk about the big ideas that made this sci-fi classic so influential, our confusion over the missing plot, and the severe shortage of female characters. Also… where exactly is the science? Episode Time Points: 00:00 - Intro 00:31 - Life Updates 03:19...

Step through the magical doors with us in  The Ten Thousand Doors of January  by Alix E. Harrow. We chat about villains who steal the show, friendships flirting with romance, and whether there’s such a thing as too much description (spoiler: maybe). Episode Time Points: 00:00 Intro 00:25 Our Thoughts on the Normal People TV Adaptation 03:40 A Discussion of The Ten Thousand Doors of January 53:35 T...

In this episode, we ditch our usual fantasy escapes to dive into Sally Rooney’s  Normal People and quickly get hung up on the missing quotation marks and Connell and Marianne’s epic communication fails. Plus, we compare their uni drama to our own awkward college days. Grab your coffee and join us for some real talk and bookish laughs. Episode Timepoints : 00:00 Intro 00:40 An Introduction to the D...

We dive headfirst into the  A Court of Thorns and Roses  series, where fairytale retellings get a dark, steamy twist. From beastly beginnings to battles with inner demons, we unpack how Sarah J. Maas weaves in trauma, recovery, and romance with wingspan-level drama. Warnings: mild swearing; discussion of misogyny / rape / female genital mutilation / difficult pregnancy and labour / depression / su...

We’re kicking off the podcast with a trip to Hogwarts—and down memory lane. In this episode, we revisit the  Harry Potter  series by J.K. Rowling, the magical books that sparked our university friendship. We share our favourite characters (spoiler: it’s not who you think), and chat about why Stephen Fry’s audiobook narration still feels like home. Episode Timepoints: 00:00 - Intro 02:00 - Personal...

We will be publishing the first episode of the Reading Materials podcast on the 3rd of May 2021. Here’s a little taster of what you can expect from the Harry Potter and the Pilot Episode. Website: www.anchor.fm/reading-materials Instagram: @readingmaterialspod Facebook: Reading Materials Twitter: @readingmat