BookTalks Podcast

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...

Summary In this episode of Book Talks Podcast, hosts Kayla and Marisa dive into Ali Hazelwood's 'Problematic Summer Romance.' They discuss their initial hesitations about the age gap in the romance, the character dynamics, and the humor that permeates the story. The conversation also touches on the significance of setting, the role of epilogues in romance novels, and the challenges of book publish...

In this episode of the Book Talks Podcast, Kayla and Marissa delve into the world of 'The Hunger Games' series, particularly focusing on 'Sunrise on the Reaping.' They discuss character development, personal reflections on the series, and the complexities of Haymitch's journey. The conversation touches on themes of trauma, survival, and the influence of the Capitol, as well as the nature of volunt...

In this episode of Book Talks Podcast, we rank all of Emily Henry's books, analyze character dynamics, and discuss the importance of storytelling techniques. Our conversation also touches on the expectations readers have for romance novels and the impact of AI in literature, culminating in a SPOILER-FILLED discussion about key plot points in Great Big Beautiful Life. In this conversation, we discu...

We are Back! Join us while we kick off season 7! In this episode of the Booktalks Podcast, we reconnect after a break, sharing personal updates, discussing our reading habits, and diving into our favorite books and authors. We reflect on the evolution of our podcast, the challenges of managing our TBR lists, and our preferences between genres like romance, fantasy, and thrillers. The conversation...

Today, Marisa sits down with the Queen of Crime herself (Karin Slaughter) to discuss all things Will Trent! This is Why We Lied is the 12th book in the Will Trent series and is on sale NOW in the US. We hope you enjoy this special AUTHOR INTERVIEW episode of Booktalks Podcast!!

Today, Marisa and Kayla sit down with a glass of wine to discuss The Catch by Amy Lea. We laugh, we drink, we cry (just kidding!), and we share our *highly* professional opinions concerning this book. We hope you enjoy it!!!

Today, Marisa and Kayla sit down with a glass of wine to discuss House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J Maas. We laugh, we drink, we cry (just kidding!), and we share our *highly* professional opinions concerning this book. We hope you enjoy it!!!

Today, Marisa and Kayla sit down with a glass of wine to discuss Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. We laugh, we drink, we cry (just kidding!), and we share our *highly* professional opinions concerning this book. We hope you enjoy it!!!