Shelf Obsessed

Carleigh and Hannah answer 15 questions about their 2023 reads, including what book was their absolute FAVORITE of the year. Can you guess?

Carleigh and Hannah review Lovelight Farms , by B.K. Borison. It's a lighthearted, somewhat spicy, cute Christmas romance novel. They also give an update on the Goodreads Choice Awards and which of their favorites may or may not have won. Spoilers for Lovelight Farms begin in minute 34. 

If you need a non-fiction book to reach your reading goal by the end of the year, Carleigh and Hannah HIGHLY recommend this one. John Green wrote this collection of essays that will inspire you, tear your heart out, and make you nostalgic for experiences you haven't had yet. And then at the end of each chapter, he gives the topic of the essay a rating on a 5-star scale. Sort-of-spoilers all t...

Carleigh and Hannah discuss the Goodreads Choice Awards (including the Romantasy category - new this year). They predict which ones will win and talk about all the books they still need to read.

How is it almost the end of the year?! Carleigh and Hannah discuss the goals they made at the beginning of the year. And how they may or may not be meeting those goals by the end of 2023. 

Yes, Carleigh and Hannah did indeed read the infamous Ice Planet Barbarian s, by Ruby Dixon. And in this episode, they don't hold back on their feelings about the book. Spoilers begin around minute 29. 

Carleigh and Hannah talk spooky book recommendations in honor of the last dregs of spooky season. They recommend books they've already read and some they haven't yet. But remember to keep the spooky in your hearts, even when October ends. 

Carleigh and Hannah discuss  My Best Friend's Exorcism , by Grady Hendrix, and they disagree (gasp).  Spoilers begin at time 24:45. (Also some trigger warnings for content discussed during this section. They preface before delving into the graphic stuff.)

Spoooooooooky edition! Carleigh and Hannah read one-star reviews of some recent spooky reads. Spoiler-free! 

Vampires of El Norte is a gothic horror book by Isabel Cañas. It's set in 1840s Mexico and follows Néstor and Nena in a bit of a star-crossed lovers meets scary creatures story. Carleigh and Hannah loved the spooky vibes and loved discussing it even more (maybe). Spoilers begin around minute 33.

Carleigh and Hannah are getting cozy now that it's officially Autumn! This week, they're talking about the Fall Book Tag, started by Zezee with Books, and recommending books that make it feel like Fall. 

Carleigh and Hannah talk about a series that they both FLEW THROUGH this year! The first is Finlay Donovan is Killing It , then Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead , and lastly (so far) Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun . And Elle Cosimano just announced Book Four: Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice , coming Spring 2024. Spoilers begin around 29:45

Carleigh and Hannah talk about some books they've read recently and (spoiler) they were all 5 stars! They may or may not be "underrated" but they definitely need to be talked about more. See if they convince you to pick these books up. No spoilers :)

Have you read The Turn of the Key or Woman in Cabin 10 or The It Girl ? Well Hannah and Carleigh are here to talk about Ruth Ware's newest book, Zero Days, about a woman who experiences a personal tragedy and must solve it herself while the police chase her every step.  Spoilers start at 26:40

Carleigh and Hannah read one-star reviews of some of their favorite books. Spoiler-free!

Sign Here is the debut novel of Claudia Lux. It's a book about a literal corporate hellscape and one deal-making devil named Peyote Trip whose goal is to get the fourth generation of the Harrison family to make a deal. And Carleigh and Hannah really enjoyed talking about it. Spoilers begin at 21:30

Carleigh and Hannah talk about recent book purchases and the ones they are most excited to read! Biography, Sci-fi, Magical Realism, they're all across the board!

Carleigh and Hannah have talked about this author before and now they tackle his newest book, In the Lives of Puppets, which is a retelling of Pinnochio with a twist (or many twists). They discussed before how his books can feel like such a hug. This one... may not exactly be a hug, but Carleigh and Hannah definitely can talk about their favorite characters for a while. Spoilers begin in minute 26...

Carleigh and Hannah fancast (or dreamcast) their favorite books. They have ideas for Emily Henry and would definitely be willing to collaborate. So Emily, DM anytime. As well as for V.E. Schwab, Riley Sager, T.J. Klune, and more. Tune in to hear their casting calls and go tell them your fancast on Instagram. 

If you're on social media, you've most likely seen this book. Everyone is talking about Fourth Wing , by Rebecca Yarros. And now, Hannah and Carleigh are talking about it. They talk about favorite characters, least favorite characters, critiques, and what they love about being part of the book community. 

Carleigh and Hannah play round 3 of literary 20 questions! This time instead of doing book titles, they're asking questions to figure out a character from literature. What kind of literature? You'll just have to listen...

If you listened to Riley Sager Smackdown Part One, you know Carleigh and Hannah love to talk about him, the good and the bad, the whole package. In this episode, they discuss Lock Every Door , Survive the Night , and his newest book, The Only One Left . Where do you think these books fall in their rankings?

Hannah and Carleigh admit to the books that have been on their TBR (to-be-read) shelves for the longest time. Lots of gems found deep on the goodreads/storygraph accounts. 

Beartown is the first in a trilogy of novels by Fredrik Backman that center around a small Canadian town that pins a lot of its hopes on the youth hockey teams and the kids that are the stars. Carleigh and Hannah have a lot to say about this book and can't wait to discuss Us Against You (Beartown #2) and The Winners (Beartown #3) in an episode soon! Spoilers begin about 36 minutes in.

Carleigh and Hannah talk about books that will be released in the second half of 2023 that they are excited about (or not exactly excited about... looking at you, Robert Galbraith).