Kris and Mads

Welcome back to the show you guys! June was one of our favorite reading months of the year...especially for Kristen, who somehow managed to read five books and give every single one ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐! 🤯📚In today's June Reading Wrap Up, we're sharing honest reviews, ratings, favorite moments, disappointments (or lack thereof!), and whether each book is worth adding to your TBR. From cozy summer...

We had the incredible opportunity to sit down with bestselling fantasy author Chloe Gong in New York City for one of our favorite conversations we've ever had. Chloe's tumblr:   / chloegong   Chloe's tiktok:   / thechloegong   Chloe's instagram:   / thechloegong   Chloe's website: https://thechloegong.com/ Chloe's debut novel, *These Violent Delights*, holds a special place...

Every reader has a story, and these are the books that shaped ours. In this episode, we're taking a trip down memory lane and sharing the 10 books and series that formed us into the readers we are today. From beloved classics our parents read aloud to us as children to the stories that sparked lifelong obsessions with fantasy, adventure, and literature, these books helped shape our imagination...

Welcome back to the show you guys! Today we are each sharing our TOP 10 BEST BOOKS OF ALL TIME after reading hundreds of books every single year across fantasy, sci-fi, literary fiction, historical fiction, classics, romance, and more. These are the books that completely changed us as readers, stayed with us for years, and truly stand the test of time. From Robin Hobb and George R.R. Martin to Jan...

Welcome back to the show you guys! In today’s video, my sister and I are sharing all 18 books we read in May and giving our full honest thoughts, ratings, reviews, disappointments, and new favorites. From fantasy and classics to romance and literary fiction, this month had a little bit of everything — including some books we absolutely loved and a few that did not work for us at all. We also watch...

Welcome back friends! 🌍📚 In today’s podcast episode, we’re sharing the ultimate book lover travel bucket list — real places around the world that feel exactly like our favorite books. From the fantasy landscapes of New Zealand inspired by The Lord of the Rings, to the ancient streets of Pompeii from The Wolf Den Trilogy, and the gothic atmosphere of Romania inspired by Dracula, we are talking ab...

In today’s episode, we’re revisiting some of the most popular fantasy, romance, literary fiction, and classic books we’ve ever reviewed… because honestly? We were WRONG about some of these ratings. From beloved BookTok fantasy series and viral romance books to classic literature staples and modern literary fiction, we’re sharing the books we should’ve rated higher — and the books we may have serio...

April was a great reading month for both of us! Together we did a buddy read of a popular romantasy book, sprinkled in some classic literature, devoured some gripping historic fiction, and even threw in a new contemporary romance! Great book recommendations from https://www.youtube.com/results?searc... Let’s connect! Join our Patreon read-and-watch club: patreon.com/KrisandMadsSisterhoodHave a bus...

In this episode, we sit down with award-winning author Emma Brodie to talk all things Into the Blue—a Reese’s Book Club Pick and one of the most buzzed-about romance releases of 2026. From Star Trek references and fan fiction roots to improv acting, SNL dreams, and Comic Con culture, this is a love story that feels tailor-made for nerds, creatives, and anyone who has ever been obsessed with a fict...

If you're looking for your next great read, and are determined to avoid a reading slump, this episode is packed with book recommendations across fantasy, romantasy, thrillers, classics, historical fiction, literary fiction, and contemporary fiction! The best strategy we've found to stay interested in our TBRs is to make sure there is a lot of variety! Today we’re sharing our Priority Q2 TB...

What does it take to write morally complex characters, handle dark subject matter with care, and bring ancient women's lives vividly to the page? We sat down with historical fiction author Elodie Harper — writer of The Wolf Den trilogy and her latest, Boudicca's Daughter — to talk about exactly that. No spoilers, no required reading. Just a genuinely fascinating conversation about craft, j...

In case you missed it, check out Part 1 and 2 here: • The Great War (WWI) Overview - Part 1    • The Great War (WWI) Overview - Part 1   • The Great War (WWI) - Part 2    • The Great War (WWI) Overview - Part 2   While we are mostly a fiction-loving show, the more we read classics and historical fiction, the more we want to know the context of what really happened. One HUGE gap we have is the Firs...

let us know your best read of march!!Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro 1:10 - Our reading experience in March 5:35 - Kindred by Octavia Butler 15:34 - This month’s book club pick! 16:39 - The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower 23:58 - Reunion by Fred Uhlman 26:01 - There is No Antimemetics Division by QNTM 29:17 - The Second World by Jake Korell 35:50 - The Expanse (7-9) by James S.A. Corey...

In case you missed it, check out Part 1 here:    • The Great War (WWI) Overview - Part 1   While we are mostly a fiction-loving show, the more we read classics and historical fiction, the more we want to know the context of what really happened. One HUGE gap we have is the First World War, a.k.a. the Great War. Lucky for us, Mitch loves to read nonfiction history books and listen to history podcas...

This interview was made possible by ‪@GoodStoryGuild‬ in partnership with their project In Media Res, a full-cast podcast story, nominated for the Ambie Awards. Thanks so much to The Good Story Guild and Kyle Prue for making this episode possible! We're so honored to chat with ‪@kyleprueofficial‬ , the star of In Media Res from ‪@GoodStoryGuild‬ . This full-cast drama podcast was nominated for...

This is usually a fiction-loving channel, but the more we read classics and historical fiction, the more we want to know the context of what really happened. One HUGE gap we have is the First World War, or the Great War. Lucky for us, Mitch loves to read non-fiction history books and listen to history podcasts and has been amassing knowledge for like 20 years! He's joining us for a three-part...

Is Maddie in her first EVER reading slump? We gotta get her some 5-star reads in March, or at least make her cry! Overall, Kristen had an AMAZING reading month, rating four books 5 stars! We have lots of books to discuss in this episode across genres. Grab your tea and a sweet treat for this one! Timestamps 0:00 - Intro 1:05 - Our February Reads 3:24 - Maddie’s Reading Slump 9:03 - A Clash of King...

Welcome back, readers! 📚✨In today’s podcast episode, we’re creating the ultimate Reader Starter Pack — a guide designed to help you fall in love with more genres and get the most enjoyment out of your reading life. We’re breaking down 12 popular book genres and sharing:✔️ the best entry-level book to start with✔️ the book you can work your way up to once you’re ready✔️ how to approach each genre...

In this episode, we're coming at you like a defibrillator for your reading habit, to revive your passion for stories, in case you're in a reading slump! It can happen. Sometimes we read too much of the same thing, and it all starts to run together. That's when switching up genres, or reading something in your favorite genre that breaks the mold, is perfect! We've got ten book recom...

It's time to talk about spicy books...and more mild ones too. We're finally broaching the romance genre. What do we like? What do we hate? Which ones actually do it for us? And why! In this episode of the Kris and Mads Podcast, we’re talking about the love stories that go far beyond meet-cutes and tropes. Yes, we joke about sex (because obviously), but at the heart of this episode are powe...

We started reading some chunky sci-fi and fantasy series in January, and had such a good time! We're embracing the "quality over quantity" mantra this year, and that means fewer books, but hopefully bangers only! Off to an amazing start with these series: A Song of Ice and Fire, The Expanse, Stormlight Archive, Malazan, and Hierarchy! And we had time for a couple stand-alones too. BO...

We hate it every year, but the time has come to find out what our best book of 2025 was, bracket style! Prepare to experience us highly stressed and sweating as we go through our year of reading and choose one book to rule them all! Timestamps 0:00 - Intro 1:03 - How the Bracket is set up 3:56 - Maddie: This Is How You Lose The Time War by Max Gladstone and Amal El-MohtarVS. The Shadow of What Was...

There's nothing like a screen adaptation that brings our favorite stories to life in a whole new way! It seems the screen gods have seen fit to bless us this year, because there are so many amazing stories coming to the screen this year. We can't wait to watch some of these while reading the books they're adapted from this year with our Page-to-Screen Book Club on Patreon! Here are the...

It's ambitious and full of variety this year! We can't wait to reread some books we love, start some chunky new fantasy series, read even more classics, and pair some amazing stories with screen adaptations with our Patreon bookclub! We've never been so excited to share a list like this with you. There's something about knowing our taste, trusting the recommendations, and feeling l...

How did we save all of our best reads for the very end of 2025?! Finished up some amazing series, and feel all ready to jump into some amazing reads in 2026. What were your best reads of December?!Books and authors mentioned:Tell Me LiesBy Carola LoveringThe Hound of the Baskervilles and A Study in ScarletBy Sir Arthur Conan DoyleHarrow the NinthBy Tamsyn MuirThe Story of a New NameThose Who Leave...