Reading & Ranting

Book Q&A with Karly and Mia

Discover Karly and Mia’s book preferences in today’s Q&A episode! The two are asking each other questions they’ve never asked before, ranging from book guilty pleasures to the first book they ever read. The real question is whether Karly prefers fanfiction over published books. Spoiler alert: if it’s a Dramione fic, the answer is probably yes.
The girls are open books so submit additional questions to their TikTok @readingandrantingpod or email @readingandrantingpod@gmail.com if you have any juicy questions for them. Happy reading besties!

Microtropes & Euro Summer

This week, Mia & Karly are breaking down their favorite oddly specific book tropes. From knife-wielding heroines (The Cruel Prince), dramatic "who hurt you?" moments (Heir of Fire always hits different), angsty betrayals (Bridge Kingdom), romance-filled training montages (Fourth Wing), the classic one-bed trope (ACOMAF), dark and broody MMCs who'd burn the world for their love (Shatter Me), comedic best friends who lighten the mood (Six of Crows), assassin love stories (A Shadow in The Ember), and fake make-outs that turn real and steamy. 
Plus, they’re ranting about affordable ways to enjoy summer when you're too broke for a Euro trip: be a tourist in your own city, host a movie night, plan a food crawl, take a day trip, try DIY crafts or join a class. But most importantly, if you need to find Karly & Mia this summer, all you need to do is look up (they’re on a rooftop.)

Texts from an Ex

In Karly & Mia’s opinion, one of the worst jumpscares you can receive is a text from your ex. And that begs the question: how do you respond? They share personal stories of shock, anger, and hurt, exploring the disrespect and gaslighting often encountered when dealing with an immature ex. And let’s be clear, the girls have RECEIPTS, PROOF, TIMELINES, SCREENSHOTS, as Mia quite literally scoured her iMessages for the out of the blue post break up texts.
Hopefully you can find these anecdotes relatable, and maybe some valuable advice on handling the return of an ex with clarity and confidence. Because, as we all know, they ALWAYS come back.

Happy Place

Karly & Mia are completely enamored with Emily Henry's "Happy Place," set against a coastal Maine backdrop which, be warned, sparks an intense craving for buttery lobster rolls. Among the book’s several tropes, including fake dating and found family, Happy Place weaves together themes of mature friendships, romance, and personal growth, earning Emily Henry yet another five-star rating from the girls. 
If you’ve been here since last summer, you know the girls' Fourth of July weekend got rowdy and expensive. Karly & Mia are happy to share that absolutely nothing has changed as they spent another Independence Day weekend in the Hamptons among overpriced cocktails and east coast beaches. Between several fake boyfriends, the repercussions of extravagant spending, and yet another Montauk outing, the girls spill all the details of their weekend. Spoiler alert: they verbally sparred with 17-year old boys and are thinking of pursuing full time professions of fighting with men. 

SJM Presidential Debate: Aelin vs. Rhysand

In honor of using fantasy faerie books to escape reality, today’s episode takes a special twist on last week’s U.S. presidential debate, Maasiverse style. Karly & Mia are breaking down presidential campaigns with a showdown between Aelin and Rhysand. They firmly believe the country would be in better hands if it were led by everyone’s favorite fictional characters.
 
On a different note, for today’s rant Mia discusses how she has officially gotten Karly into her gardening era. (This may or may not have been induced by accidentally taking extremely potent edibles to watch Breaking Dawn Part 2.)
 
Jokes aside, what’s NOT funny is the reality of the presidential election this fall so please be sure to enact your civic duty and vote! 

Reading BookTok Books So You Don’t Have To Part 1

POV: you finally picked up that “FIVE STAR MUST READ” book you’ve seen all over BookTok, and it left you less than satisfied. Well you’re in luck, because today Karly & Mia settle in for a candid conversation separating the overhyped from the underrated. Brace yourselves as they share their unfiltered opinions on which viral reads deserve the hype and which ones might have missed the mark. But they’re not just critiquing—make sure you have your TBR handy for a trove of underhyped book recommendations that deserve more love. 
As summer swings into full gear, so do the pressures around body image. In today’s rant, Karly & Mia are tackling those tough moments when body confidence takes a hit. From the fear of wearing a bikini to bad body image days, they share their personal strategies and insights that help them feel their best in the summer. Just remember, everyone struggles with body image and you are not alone!

Eloise Bridgerton is So Real for Wanting Single Friends

Dearest Gentle Listeners, Karly & Mia are back with their thoughts on Bridgerton Season Three Part Two! To be honest, the girls feel like Part One was all foreplay, and Part Two offered no climax. Some of the most unexpected plot lines stuck with them (Michaela Stirling and Benedict’s random threesome) more than the main attraction of Polin itself. Eloise was once again the realest Bridgerton for wondering why the only thing girls can talk about is their prospects and impending engagements. 
With that being said, today’s rant is all about why you need single girlfriends. As Karly so eloquently puts it, we love our girl friends in relationships, but while they may support the cause, they do not understand trench warfare (AKA, life as a single girly). Whether you want to scheme men at the bar, find someone to drop everything for last-minute plans, or just need some good ol’ advice, single girl friendships are some of the most special and fun parts of singledom.

Hunger Games x Ozempic

Dystopian is so back baby. Karly & Mia’s jaws were on the floor when they heard the news that Suzanne Collins is dropping Sunrise on the Reaping, the fifth installment in the Hunger Games series. 
The girls can’t wait until March 2025, but until then they will have to be content with speculating every fan theory under the sun about the second Quarter Quell, starting with Haymitch’s family and backstory, Maysilee Donner, and for the love of god Suzanne please give us Tigris as a stylist in the games
Suzanne said the question of "real or not real" seems more pressing every single day, and we couldn’t agree more. In a surprise to no one, this past weekend the girls had an interesting encounter at a bar. The question of the hour: can a Harvard-educated man tell the difference between plastic surgery and natural boobs? You’re about to find out. 

Why We’re Gay For The SJM Girlies

Happy Pride Month! In the wise words of Chappell Roan, what we really need is a… femininomenon! And Sarah J. Maas consistently delivers. Today, Karly & Mia dive into their not so secret obsessions with the leading ladies, from Aelin’s sass to Bryce’s body-ody-ody, they break down why these badass ladies have captured their hearts (and fantasies).
Sticking to the theme, Karly & Mia break down the importance of exploring your sexuality, and Mia’s current status as a baby gay. 

Book Wars: Dystopian Edition

Today Karly & Mia are throwing it back to the 2010s YA Dystopian Fiction era and diving into the worlds of "Shatter Me" by Tahereh Mafi and "Uglies" by Scott Westerfeld. In this episode, they provide spoiler-free background insights into both captivating series, exploring the dystopian landscapes and compelling characters that have captured their 10-year old (and now 24-year old) imaginations. Join the girls as they pit these two beloved series against each other to determine which one reigns supreme.
 
Speaking of the 2010s, remember when we all downloaded instagram for the first time and followed anyone within a 10 mile radius? Karly & Mia recently hit a wall and unleashed an Instagram following purge. The girls are ready to rant about how to feel empowered to hit that unfollow button with no second thoughts. If you need any convincing to clear out your following, Karly seriously envisioned her villain arc movie montage and Mia was quite literally giggling and kicking her feet in the aftermath. But actually though, the endless scroll of perfection and supply of engagement pics is exhausting, and no one has time for that in 2024. Happy reading besties!