Prose before bros

Welcome to the prose before pros quarterly report. This episode we go over some KPIs, our stats and our highs and low points of our reading. You are entitled to a union representative. We also discuss Taylor Swift, The Civil Wars and the glorious nations of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.  Elizabeth recommends The Ballad Of Wallis Island.  Ems recommends Project Hail Mary. Listen to make us literary ho...

If book podcasts be the food of love, play on. This week, we discuss arguably the literary love of our lives, William Shakespeare. Together we discuss the first plays we read and saw, our favourite adaptations and reimaginings, Glen Powell, Heath Ledger, and the secret league of husbands and boyfriends that Ems has adopted. Ems recommends the Boots Recycling Scheme.  Elizabeth recommends ‘How To M...

In this week's episode, we attempt to discuss this book without getting cancelled. Jennette spellbound us both with her memoir I’m Glad My Mum Died, but will her fiction book meet our high expectations? We also discuss weird character names, shopping addiction and men leaving their wives.  Elizabeth recommends Run Better With Ash’s stretching videos.  Ems recommends It Was Just An Accident.  L...

Call us Sabrina Carpenter because this week we’re keeping it short and sweet with our reaction to The Women’s Prize Longlist. No recommendations, just us clowning on how wrong we are and how happy Ems is for Alice Evelyn Yang.  Listen to make us literary hot girls! Get in touch! Pod: @prosebeforebrospod Ems: @brattyreads Elizabeth: @reads.elizabeth

Greetings loved ones, today we’re being lover girls again and talking about our auto-buy authors, or authors we’ve read every book from, or whatever you want to call it. Together we take you through 5 authors each and chat about The Guardian, wet weird girl fiction and of course, the Baz Luhrman adaptation of Romeo and Juliet.  Elizabeth recommends 'The Latest' on the Today in Focus podcas...

Surprise divas! Book Club is back with a very special guest and returning friend of the podcast, Ross Kelly! Together we unpack Wuthering Heights, both the book and Emerald Fennell’s recent feature length film. Prepare for cackling, vigorous literary discourse and getting overly emotional about Emily Brontë.  Ross recommends Lost Lambs by Madeleine Cash.  Elizabeth recommends Eric and Anna’s Women...

Surprise, divas. We’re giving you one hour of unedited behind the scenes content of us choosing our Women’s Prize predictions. Enjoy us bickering and Ems’ Julia Gillard impression.  Listen to make us literary hot girls! Get in touch! Pod: @prosebeforebrospod Ems: @brattyreads Elizabeth: @reads.elizabeth

Let’s go girls. It’s nearly time for the Women’s Prize, and in anticipation Ems and Elizabeth give you 16 books that they think will (or should) appear on the Women’s Prize Longlist. Join them as they talk through their picks, their Women’s Prize knowledge and general literary gossip; with a very special treat revealed at the end.  Ems recommends Sorry Baby (film) Elizabeth recommends Britons Prot...

Proving we can have long standing friendships, Ems and Elizabeth invite Sophia Nash, a long time friend of the podcast to discuss books by answer the devilish questions. Together they explain to Elizabeth the lore and mythology of The Warrior Cats series, Ancient Egypt, Sylvia Plath and their dead philosophy teacher. (Yes, Ems and Sophia went to school together).  Listen to make us literary hot gi...

Hello girls, gays and theys. This week on the podcast Ems and Elizabeth guide you through some of their favourite queer books to celebrate LGBTQ history month. Together they also chat about jury service, visiting Greenland and Jack Edwards.  Elizabeth recommends the TV show Industry.  Ems recommends an episode of A Bit Fruity: She Had Elon’s Baby. Then The Leopards Ate Her Face. https://open.spoti...

For one week only, drive bys are back. This week, Ems and Elizabeth bare all and expose now they rate books and give you some scandalous star ratings. A good time had by all. They also chat about blue slushies, the Hamnet adaptation and men naming footballers as a form of hanging out.  Elizabeth recommends Hamnet Ems recommends Blanket’s new album True Blue.  Listen to us to make us literary hot g...

Our first book club episode of 2026 is here! This month we’re tackling Booker Prize winner Flesh by David Szalay which has been recommended by many of our favourite people (including Dua Lipa)! Together, we chat about our history of the booker prize, upcoming albums, People We Meet on Vacation and launch next month’s very special book club pick!  Elizabeth recommends the film People We Meet on Vac...

Elizabeth and Ems are joined by close personal friend of the podcast Amy to answer the devilish 8 questions. Amy is best known for being the PBB’s guide to Edinburgh, but what bookish secrets will the questions reveal? Together, they chat a lot about Jilly Cooper, greek mythology and recommending things on the podcast that Elizabeth won’t enjoy. Elizabeth recommends the television show Amandaland....

We are so back, baby. In our first episode of 2026, Ems and Elizabeth guide you through their top tips on how to read more in 2026. Whether you’re seasoned readers or just starting out, we hope you find this advice useful. Together they talk about phone addiction, celebrating New Years Eve, Denis Johnson, and retiring their hater behaviour on the podcast. Elizabeth recommends TJ Power on Jamie Lai...

Elizabeth and Ems have made it to the end of the year and to celebrate, bring you their Top 5 books of the year (and some extra bonuses). Together, they beg for a sponsorship from Dead Ink books (not sponsored), getting into post hardcore band Thursday, and Elizabeth’s very earnest love of romcoms.  One of Ems’ recommendations is a book that was very kindly sent to her by Dead Ink Books in exchang...

In our final book club of the year, Ems and Elizabeth delve into Mary Shelley’s seminal horror-sci-fi spectacular Frankenstein. Ems, a long time fan and Frankenfreak guides Elizabeth, a novice, through this classic and its impact on pop culture. Together they talk about visiting Mary Shelley’s grave when they were 17, building your boyfriend, and whether Jacob Elordi is babygirl.  Ems recommends T...

We continue the non-fiction November celebrations by inviting long-time friend of the podcast Chloe to share some non-fiction love and answer the devilish 8 questions. Together they talk about organ donation, Matilda by Roald Dahl, the Women’s Non-Fiction Prize and praying on the downfall of George Orwell.  Chloe recommends The Woman Who Poked the Leopard Elizabeth recommends I Poured My Blood, Sw...

Step into Christmas! It’s ho-ho-ho’s before bros and we are giving you our best books to gift this year. Whether you’re searching for a mum, a dad, a child or even an illiterate boyfriend, Ems and Elizabeth put on their santa hats and help you out. Together they also discuss Catholicism, Anthony Bourdain and The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd.  Elizabeth recommends The Hack on ITV Ems recommen...

This week, we continue with the unbearably chic non-fiction November by offering you our non-fiction book recommendations. We try to offer some books that you may not have heard of or may have forgotten that will help you learn more about the world. Together, Ems and Elizabeth also discuss Catholic mysticism and 90 minute films. Get in touch! Pod: @prosebeforebrospod  Elizabeth: @reads.elizabeth...

Celebrating the unbearably chic non-fiction November, Elizabeth and Ems delve into their first non-fiction book club pick, Shon Faye’s Love In Exile. Recommended by not one, but two former guests of the podcast Ross and Georgie, will it meet their high expectations? Together they discuss love, heterosexuality, Catholic mysticism and a bunch more as they unpack what love and this book is to them. ...

A belated spooky season celebration awaits as Elizabeth and Ems interview Adam, Ems’ first bookstagram friend and favourite horror fiend. Together they unpack the 8 fiendish questions and discuss uncanny literary fiction, Deafheaven, Steven King, the opioid crisis and why they hate Butter by Asako Yuzuki.  Get in touch! Adam: @chaosofcold   Pod: @prosebeforebrospod Ems: @brattyreads Elizabeth: @re...

Returning from their musical hiatus, Ems and Elizabeth delve into the drama of this year's literary prizes. Together they discuss the prizes they love, the prizes that they miss and the prizes that have let them down. They also discuss Adam Leslie’s Lost In The Garden, Tess Gunty’s The Rabbit Hutch, 2 hour podcast episodes and how much £50,000 would change their lives.  Listen to make us liter...

On this week’s episode, the Prose Before Bros team step into the spotlight and transform into a music podcast to review Taylor Swift’s Life of A Showgirl. Both Elizabeth and Ems are avid swifties, but how does the album and discourse around it stack up? Fashionably late, they bring hot takes, in depth musical analysis (what else) and ultimately unpack what Taylor Swift means to them as young women...

It’s hoa hoa hoa season at Prose Before Bros, and coinciding with its 20th Anniversary, Ems and Elizabeth delve into the misty world of Twilight by Stephanie Meyer. Together they return to this staple of teenage girlhood and ask: Is Charlie Swan the only good cop? Why does the film adaptation’s soundtrack slap so hard? Why is Mormonism like that? And of course, does Twilight hold up to readers in...

Elizabeth and Ems open up their studio and are joined by Elizabeth’s partner in crime, podcasting extraordinaire and 365 party girl Yasmin Mills to answer the devilish eight questions. Together, they chat about Malory Towers, Lady Jane Grey, World War II evacuation and the Bridgerton Brothers. Listen to make us literary hot girls.  Get in touch! Yasmin - @yasminl.mills Ems - @brattyreads Elizabeth...