Reading & Ranting

Funny Story

Emily Henry has done it again folks! Join the girls as they dissect Funny Story, arguably their first 5-star read of 2024!
With forced proximity, friends to lovers, and fake dating tropes all packaged into a small-town whirlwind summer romance with a sexy Nick Miller coded tatted bartender, what’s not to like? While Karly & Mia haven’t experienced any of this IRL, Emily Henry’s writing is so good they truly felt like they lived in Waning Bay, Michigan.
But let’s be honest, what they have experienced is struggling with the fear of being unlovable, boyfriend sickness, and rediscovering yourself after a breakup. So sit back, relax, and dig into the world of Daphne and Miles with your favorite podcast cohosts.

Rules for Hot Girl Summer

While Karly & Mia’s relationship status has remained firmly single in the dating world, their relationship status with reading has taken a turn, and it’s complicated. 
 
Dare they say they have hit a Romantasy overload. The girls are ready to branch out a little, and you know they already have reads lined up. Plus, a little treat in the spirit of revisiting the 2010s era books… Mia shares an excerpt of her famous Gallagher Girls fanfiction with Karly for the first time ever. 
 
But most importantly, this couldn’t come at a better time as the girls are preparing for Hot Girl Summer. This summer we’re building rosters while prioritizing the girlies, all while sipping a spritz on a rooftop. So grab your SPF, craft your Nuuly orders, and enter your say yes mentality.

Psychoanalyzing Rhysand

It was all over when Karly & Mia realized Rhys is pronounced Reese, and therefore Rhysand is not, in fact, pronounced Rice-and. In this episode, Karly & Mia unravel the inner world of Rhysand from ACOTAR (A Court of Thorns and Roses) by Sarah J. Maas. From his initial introduction as a mysterious villain figure to his transformation into a beloved character, the girls put on their detective hats and break out the magnifying glass to explore Rhysand's complexities, decode his every move, and uncover his motivations.
As they delve into Rhysand's journey, Karly & Mia also take a moment for a mental health check-in. Winter blues? New therapist struggles? Join the club, girlies. But the good news is, you’re not alone!
Beware of spoilers for the entirety of the ACOTAR series in our reading section, and extra spoilers for House of Flame and Shadow from 13:46-17:30. Happy reading besties!

Book Boyfriends Pt. 2 & NYC Reunion

Join the girls for round two of swoon-worthy book boyfriends and their personal two cents on the latest BookTok drama. With men questioning why women are "only reading smut," the girls aren't holding back. They're here to defend the female gaze and why these steamy reads hit the spot (the g-spot that is) for the ladies.
In a major personal life update, Mia & Karly are FINALLY reunited! Mia has arrived in the Big Apple, and in response the earth literally quaked. Karly shares her take on taking the plunge in your 20s to move to a new city. Spoiler alert: trust your gut and don't let a man dictate your ZIP code!

Lightlark by Alex Aster

Today’s episode is a special review of the Lightlark series by Alex Aster!
Karly & Mia received their first ever gifted book PR, the Lightlark series by Alex Aster! Today, they’re diving into their reactions with a spoiler free review of Lightlark, and the newly released sequel Nightbane. The girls are a tad split on this one, but they can agree it was entertaining to read, and loved that the story was set against a unique background with fun world building! (However, can we get some love for the untalented girls in fantasy books, please?)
No rant for the day as your favorite hosts were locked in to read this series and review as quickly as possible. Happy reading besties!

Literary Libations and Cinematic Conversations

Yes, you did read the title right - Karly & Mia do more than read - they sometimes watch movies and TV too. However, in line with their entire personality, it comes as no surprise that their favorite genre is book to movie/tv adaptations. Think Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, Twilight, Pride & Prejudice, The Summer I Turned Pretty, and more, because the girls have seen them all (except to Mia’s complete and utter shock, Karly still needs to watch LOTR and they will be promptly binge watching together.) 
 
But what do the girls love maybe even more than a book to movie adaptation? A drink in hand. Even better, they love watching movies AND having a drink in hand for the ultimate girlhood experience. The girls are going to dive into drinking culture, beginning in NY and Austin suburbia, through college and now adulthood. They may have traded  Fireball, shitty flavored Svedka, and Mike’s Hard lemonades for overpriced cocktails, but they are definitely still overindulging at the bar and drinking 10x more casually than before (they both love a selfcare night AKA a glass of wine immediately after signing off from their 9-5s.) Happy reading, watching, and drinking besties!

Entering Our Hater Era

Mia & Karly are officially entering their hater era… AKA talking about the characters they love to hate from their favorite books. From Tamlin's questionable fiddling in ACOTAR to Elena Galathynius' top spot on Mia's hit list, they’re exposing the biggest icks characters have given them. They’re also diving into the drama of frenemies and unhealthy friendships, and how to recognize toxic behaviors (please refer to the people who are constantly competing with you, talking shit behind your back, or purposely excluding you.) Long story short, they’ve had their fair share of ups and downs in friendships and have come out the other side, and so can you. Happy hating (re: reading), besties!

Book Girls Try Dating

Today, Karly & Mia are giving you every tip you’ll ever need to build a book community. Whether it’s striking up a conversation with your local book bar bartender or attending a book launch party, you’ll be set to build your book bestie community and talk smutty books with your girl friends. 
 
The girls also dive into the trials and tribulations of dating, especially on dating apps like Hinge. Dating apps are quite literally at their all time low but it’s nearly impossible to meet people IRL. Between men refusing to approach women and the heinous Hinge messages the girls receive, they’ll be sticking to their book boyfriends until further notice. Happy reading and dating besties!

Celebrating Our 6 Month Anniversary with Rebecca Ross

New standard unlocked: emotionally charged love letters from an anonymous pen pal that lead to a love so strong it *literally* transcends godly powers. That’s right, today Mia & Karly are delivering a spoiler free review of Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows (AKA the Letters of Enchantment duology by Rebecca Ross.) The girls feel very strongly about these books, and their presidential campaign to bring love letters back 2024. 
 
And… drumroll please… HAPPY 6 MONTH ANNIVERSARY TO READING & RANTING! Mia & Karly were clearly born to yap but forced to work, and thus Reading & Ranting was born as a passion project. The girls truly cannot believe how far they’ve come, and want to give a massive thank you to anyone and everyone who has supported them along the way. Thanks for joining this wild ride, from the early days of their SJM obsession to dissecting the female orgasm and talking about mental health. Your favorite podcast hosts have lots in store for the future and can’t wait to keep their content coming - happy reading besties! 

Reading & Life Slumps

Picture this: You just devoured a book so good, it left you in an emotional and fragile state. You're in a complete book hangover, stuck in literary limbo, and the mere thought of cracking open a book makes you break out in a cold sweat. From revisiting old favorites to trying out new genres, Karly & Mia share some of their hacks to help claw your way out of that literary abyss.
 
The girls also tackle the rollercoaster ride of life and how to manage life slumps. Whether it's navigating post-relationship blues or grappling with career uncertainty, they've been there. But fear not, dear listeners, for they've armed themselves and will be sharing an arsenal of coping mechanisms, including but not limited to: therapy, delusion, and copious amounts of self-care. Happy reading besties, and remember, you're never alone in your slumps (reading, life, or otherwise.)