BookTalks Podcast

Booktalks Podcast Episode 107 reviews Every Summer After by Carley Fortune before watching the TV adaptation. This is Part 1 of our Every Summer After series! We discuss Percy and Sam's relationship, Charlie, the alternating timelines, our favorite moments, what worked, what didn't, and whether the TV show has a chance of living up to the book. ⚠️ Full spoilers for the novel. Next week we'll be ba...

We watched Amazon’s Off Campus series… and we have THOUGHTS. In this episode of Booktalks Podcast, we’re comparing the Off Campus TV show to Elle Kennedy’s book The Deal! We break down what changed, what was left out, the biggest storyline differences, and whether the adaptation actually improved the original story. Did the show stay true to the book? Did the changes work? Were there moments we mi...

Booktalks Podcast Episode 105 is our full spoiler review of Someday Garden by Ashley Poston! After catching up on our latest reads, Kindle purchases, summer reading plans, and the Off-Campus series, we dive into Ashley Poston's newest novel to discuss everything from the magical realism and emotional storytelling to the romance, grief, symbolism, and whether this book is actually a romance at all....

Book Talks Podcast Episode 104: The Deal by Elle Kennedy Review (Part 1 of Our Off Campus Series) This week we're kicking off our two-part Off Campus series with a full review of The Deal by Elle Kennedy. Before diving into the new TV adaptation, we wanted to revisit the hockey romance that started it all. We discuss Garrett Graham and Hannah Wells, the fake dating trope, college romance dynamics,...

In this episode of Booktalks Podcast, we sit down with author Alicia Thompson to talk about her writing journey, creating memorable characters, and the inspiration behind her books. Alicia shares her thoughts on storytelling, romance, character development, and what goes into bringing a book from an idea to the page. Whether you’re a longtime Alicia Thompson reader or discovering her work for the...

In this episode of Book Talks Podcast, we're sharing everything we read in May and what we're hoping to read in June! We discuss our thoughts on Shield of Sparrows , Golden Son , The Shippers , and the surprise books that completely took over Kayla's reading month. Kayla dives into her newfound obsession with Maggie Gates, why Our Perfect Storm might be her favorite book of the year, and why she's...

In today's BookTalks Podcast episode, we're reviewing Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry and discussing whether this new fantasy romance has what it takes to become the next massive fantasy series. From the worldbuilding and characters to the romance, plot twists, and overall reading experience, we're breaking down everything we loved, what surprised us, and whether we think Shield of Sparrows des...

This week on Book Talks Podcast, we’re discussing The Shippers by Katherine Center — one of the biggest romance releases of 2026! We dive into JoJo and Cooper’s friends-to-lovers story, the cruise ship setting, hilarious rom-com moments, emotional depth (or lack of it), and whether this book lived up to our expectations as longtime Katherine Center readers. We also rank our favorite Katherine Cent...

Today I’m reviewing Any Trope But You by Victoria Lavine, one of the newest romance books getting attention on BookTok. In this spoiler-free review, I’m talking about: the romance tropes character chemistry writing style pacing what worked for me what didn’t and whether this BookTok recommendation is actually worth the hype. If you love contemporary romance, tension, banter, and trope-heavy romanc...

Golden Son by Pierce Brown (Red Rising #2) absolutely DESTROYED us. In this episode of BookTalks Podcast, we’re diving into our full spoiler-filled debrief of the second book in the Red Rising saga — and honestly… how are we supposed to recover after THAT ending?! We talk about: Why Golden Son was even better than Red Rising Kayla’s hatred for Cassius Why the Ares reveal didn’t fully land for us D...

In this episode, we’re sharing our April reading wrap-up and everything on our May TBR! We discuss all the books we read this month, including How to Kill a Guy in 10 Dates , Unsteady , Unloved , Unbound , The Art of Catching Feels , Never Been Shipped , Promise Me Sunshine , Golden Son , In Every Possible Way , The Night We Met , Project Hail Mary , and Love Letter to a Serial Killer . From five-...

In this episode of Book Talks Podcast, we’re discussing our April Book of the Month: The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez . This romance completely took over our lives—and we’re breaking down everything from the emotional love triangle to the character dynamics, messy relationships, and whether this story actually works. We dive into: The Mike vs. Chris debate Whether the relationship crosses into emo...

Welcome back to Booktalks Podcast! In this episode, we’re sharing our full honest recap of BookCon 2026 — from buying tickets and planning the weekend to attending both Saturday and Sunday of the event. There’s been a LOT of conversation surrounding BookCon this year, and we wanted to give our balanced, real experience after seeing it all firsthand. We break down the highs, the lows, the organizat...

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir completely blew us away. In this episode of Booktalks Podcast, we dive into our full spoiler review, why we LOVED this sci-fi masterpiece, and how it somehow still has 1 star reviews?! We talk all things Rocky (our favorite character), the emotional moments we didn’t expect, and our personal reading experiences with this unforgettable story. If you’re a fan of Projec...

In this episode of Book Talks Podcast, we’re diving into our March Reading Wrap Up—where we somehow read 18 books between us. We’re breaking down our favorite reads, biggest disappointments, and the books we can’t stop thinking about. From thrillers to romance (and a few chaotic reads in between), this month had everything. We also talk about reading habits, book-to-screen adaptations, and how we’...

In this episode of Book Talks Podcast, Kayla and Marisa celebrate reaching 100 subscribers and discuss their February Book Club pick: Red Rising by Pierce Brown. Spoiler Warning: This episode contains full spoilers for Red Rising. They break down Darrow’s journey from a Red miner on Mars to infiltrating the elite Gold society, discuss the brutal trials at the Institute, and share thoughts on memor...

Sarah J Maas gave a rare interview on the Call Her Daddy podcast on March 4, 2026. Kayla and I break down EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW plus give our thoughts and insights into the fan theories she confirmed and denied. We discuss Nesta's journey (a highly controversial topic), the debate around Feyre's pregnancy, and the breaking news about the ACOTAR 6 and 7 release dates.   If you love Sarah J Ma...

SPOILER WARNING: This episode contains spoilers for Throne of Glass and Wuthering Heights. In this episode of Book Talks Podcast, Kayla and Marisa share their February Reading Wrap Up and March TBR while surviving busy season as tax accountants. We discuss DNF’ing Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil, reviewing Wuthering Heights (and debating whether it’s even a romance), finishing our Throne of Gl...

In this episode of BookTalks Podcast, we dive into Ruth Ware's latest thriller, The Woman in Suite 11. We discuss our differing perspectives on the characters, the pacing of the plot, and the decisions made by the protagonist. Our conversation highlights the book's build-up to suspense, character dynamics, and the overall enjoyment of the read, while also critiquing its rushed ending and the neces...

Love it or hate it, Valentine’s Day is the perfect excuse to talk about romance books 💘 In this special episode of Book Talks Podcast , Kayla and Marissa dive into all things romance — from their all-time favorite tropes to the ones that instantly ruin a book. Kayla (our resident romance lover) and Marissa (selectively romantic) break down what makes a swoony love story work… and what makes them...

Kayla and Marisa discuss their January wrap-up, setting reading goals, book ratings and reviews, book discussions and recommendations, adapting books to screen, exploring different genres, anticipated book adaptations, and speculating future book releases. The conversation covers a range of topics including book characters and movie portrayals, TV shows and reality TV, book series and author traum...

We're kicking off 2026 by reflecting on our favorite books of 2025, sharing our most anticipated reads of 2026, and setting our bookish goals for the year. We also speculate on ACOTAR 6, talk about being OVER smut, and share our excitement for Bookcon 2026!

In this episode of Book Talks, Kayla and Marisa dive into 'The Love Haters' by Catherine Center, exploring its themes of self-discovery, body image, and the importance of friendship. They discuss character development, emotional connections, and the role of the Coast Guard in the narrative. The conversation highlights the impact of trauma and healing, as well as the significance of supportive rela...

In this episode of BookTalks Podcast, we dive into Holly Jackson's latest book, 'Not Quite Dead Yet.' This book revolves around a character solving her own murder which is HELLA fun, but we also get into our different reading experiences, character dynamics, and the emotional weight of the story, particularly regarding themes of death and family. This is a SPOILER EPISODE so we will be analyzing p...

In this episode of Book Talks Podcast, Kayla and Marisa dive into their reading experience of 'Silver Elite' by Danny Francis. They discuss their newfound love for libraries, the controversies surrounding the book, and the dystopian themes that resonate throughout the story. The conversation flows into character analysis, focusing on relationships, betrayals, and the moral complexities of the upri...