Reading & Ranting

Reading & Life Updates (Karly is Back from Down Under)

Karly is finally back from her incredible two week trip to Australia! Now that the besties and co hosts are reunited, they’re here to tell all about their latest reads and life updates. Karly has lots to share about her trip down under (inclusive of blackout uber eatsing $80 worth of drunk eats and waking up at 5am on her friend’s couch) and Mia has a new frenemies relationship with a dive bar bartender. Happy reading besties! 

Taylor Swift By The Book Pt. 2 (Lover - TTPD)

Besties, welcome back for part two of Mia’s deep dive into Taylor Swift’s literary influences! With Karly still off living her best life in Australia, Mia takes the mic solo to continue unpacking the insights from Taylor Swift By The Book: The Literature Behind the Lyrics, From Fairy Tales to Tortured Poets by Rachel Feder and Tiffany Tatreau. 
This time, she’s covering the emotional rollercoaster of Lover, the poetic heartbreak of Folklore and Evermore, the gothic depths of Midnights, and the raw vulnerability of The Tortured Poets Department. From sentimentalism to postmodernism, Mia explores how Taylor’s lyrics include literary allusions and how these albums have shaped her own life. If you’ve ever screamed “You’re On Your Own, Kid” on a solo drive or sobbed to “Champagne Problems” after a breakup, this episode is for you.

Taylor Swift By The Book Pt. 1 (Debut - Reputation)

It’s been a long time coming… Karly may be off living her Wildest Dreams in Australia, but Mia is here with a solo episode topic she’s been waiting for: Taylor Swift. Inspired by Taylor Swift By The Book: The Literature Behind the Lyrics, From Fairy Tales to Tortured Poets by Rachel Feder and Tiffany Tatreau, Mia unpacks the literary influences behind Taylor’s discography, one era at a time.
This book offers a fascinating lens through which to analyze Taylor’s evolution as both a songwriter and a storyteller. Mia found herself learning new vocab words from the getgo, from the bildungsroman themes of Debut to the fairy-tale magic of Fearless and Speak Now, the modernist heartbreak of Red, the Gatsby-like grandeur of 1989, all the way to the indulgent, unapologetic decadence of Reputation. 
Whether you’re a die-hard Swiftie or just someone who likes their lyrics with a little literary flair, this episode will have you enchanted.

Psychoanalyzing Xaden & the Existential Crisis of Choosing a City

Mia & Karly are still deep in their Onyx Storm hangover, so naturally, it’s time for a full-blown therapy session psychoanalyzing Xaden Riorson. The girls discuss his mommy and daddy issues, his self-sacrificing streak, and his relationship with Violet. But let’s be honest, they’re really just here to swoon over yet another shadow daddy book boyfriend. Spoilers for Onyx Storm are included in this episode!
Based on a real life conversation held last weekend on Mia’s couch, the girls are rehashing the dilemma of where the hell to move next. As single twenty-something women, the world is technically our oyster—but how do you actually decide where to live? Mia & Karly are breaking down the important factors like career opportunities, cost of living, public transport (looking at you, NYC), and whether we need an emotional support friend group nearby. Are we chasing adventure or stability? And more importantly… is the food scene good?

How to Cure Your Onyx Storm Hangover

Karly & Mia are here to save you from that post-Onyx Storm book hangover! If you’re still reeling from the emotional rollercoaster and just can't seem to recover, don’t worry—the girls have got you covered with some romantasy recommendations that'll have you out of your reading slump and back on your feet. There’s nothing quite like a hair of the dog (i.e., treating your post romantasy book depression with another post romantasy book depression). 
The girls also are giving a real time life update, but don’t expect too much. Sometimes life is just… boring. Sometimes you catch up with a long-distance friend and have to tell them absolutely nothing has changed in your life since the last time you spoke three months ago. Ever felt the same? Good, because the girls are feeling their winter uglies and seasonal depression slump too.
Winter: 2
Karly & Mia: 0

Onyx Storm Reactions & Deep Dive

FULL Spoilers for the Empyrean series by Rebecca Yarros!
Cadets, welcome to Battle Brief! Mia, Karly & book bestie Gill are here to break down Onyx Storm, sharing their raw reactions to the book. But most importantly, it’s time to break out the tin foil hats because it’s time to theorize. What really happened in the missing 12 hours? Who turned venin? And what the literal f*ck was Papa Sorrengail doing? The girls somehow came out of this book with even more questions than answers (but did get a few new ideas about how to use an armchair.)
May all our souls be commended to Malek while we wait for book 4.

Surviving January & The Year of Dramione

2025 is already off to a chaotic start, but at least the Dramione girlies are winning! This year, three iconic fics are getting traditionally published (The Auction → Rose in Chains, DMATMOBIL → Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy, Manacled → Alchemised), and Karly & Mia are gnawing at the bars of their enclosure to get their hands on these bad boys. 
Meanwhile, January is being January. TikTok got banned, LA was on fire, Dry January tested our limits (edibles don’t count, right?), and the NYC weather gaslit us into thinking 40 degrees is “warm.” To survive, the girls are straight up hibernating and aggressively tracking what time the sun sets via the weather app. The longest month of the year is over, finally, so let’s see what the rest of 2025 has in store!

Onyx Storm Theories

IT’S TIIIIIIIIIME!! Karly & Mia (along with book bestie Gill) are headed back to Basgiath War College to celebrate the upcoming release of Onyx Storm on January 21st! They kick things off with recaps of Fourth Wing and Iron Flame, revisiting the unforgettable moments that introduced us to Violet, her dragons Tairn and Andarna, and everyone’s favorite dragon riding shadow daddy, Xaden Riorson himself. 
Mia, the resident theory master, has been preparing for this book like an AP Navarrian History test. The girls unleash their most elaborate theories about what’s coming next in Onyx Storm. Could Violet’s second signet be tied to intinnsic abilities or resurrection? Is Brennan hiding something? And of course, what is going to happen to Xaden?? Whether you're a seasoned Empyrean rereader or are in desperate need of a refresher before the next installment, this episode is packed with enough hype to make January 21st feel just a little closer.
And besties, with TikTok likely going away, please follow us @readingandrantingpodcast on Instagram and subscribe to Reading & Ranting on YouTube for video content of the podcast!

Current Reads & 2025 Ins and Outs

Hey besties, Karly & Mia are reunited at last (AKA going 3 weeks without seeing each other) and are recapping their current reads. The girls could not be on more different vibes as Mia continues to tackle Romantasy books, and Karly has found herself in a LGBTQ hockey romance wormhole. Sound… interesting? Listen in and get some inspiration for your 2025 TBR! 
They’re also ranting about their 2025 ins and outs, which include but are not limited to drunk cigs, dry January, and QR code menus. They’ll see you guys at the end of the year to recap what stayed in and what made it to out purgatory. Happy reading besties!

Mia's 2024 Best Reads & Lessons Learned

In this solo episode, Mia kicks off 2025 by reflecting on her top 10 reads of 2024 and the lessons that shaped her year.
She’s dropping short and sweet spoiler-free reviews of her standout books, including 6 romantasy reads, 3 rom coms, and even 1 memoir (thank you Drew Afualo!) Oh, and here’s your annual reminder to switch from Goodreads to The StoryGraph for all your book tracking needs in 2025!
Mia also opens up about the personal growth she experienced in 2024, from learning to live intentionally and embracing financial mindfulness to building new friendships and setting boundaries. Happy new year and happy reading besties!