Reading & Ranting

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!

Dearest Gentle Reader, Bumble Fumbled

What’s that song playing in the background? Oh… no… it’s actually just the carriage scene with classical Pitbull in the background. Brace yourselves, ladies and gentlemen, as Mia & Karly are swooning over the Polin in the air. The girls were giggling and kicking their feet binge watching Bridgerton Season Three Part One, but fear Netflix must make haste to drop Part Two. But the true scandal (which we just know Lady Whistledown would have written about) is Bumble's latest campaign, which quite literally feels like it could be a relic from the Regency era. Being called a nun by a dating app was not on the 2024 bingo card, but here we are once again shaming women for their sex lives. Celibate or not, your favorite podcast hosts are just here to say that with our vibrators and our gals around us, we don’t see an issue. But thanks for asking Bumble!

What Makes a Five-Star Read and Our Biggest Flops

Have you ever wondered what makes a book a 5 star read? Although it varies from person to person (see also: “I didn’t say it was a GOOD book, I said I ENJOYED it”), the girls have some thoughts. 
Karly & Mia weigh the importance of character depth, world-building, romance tropes, pacing, and the rare book (or Dramione fanfic in Karly’s case) that is such an emotional rollercoaster we are left staring at the ceiling with a book hangover that lasts for days. 
Per usual, your favorite podcast co-hosts aren’t afraid to laugh at themselves. The girls share their most infamous flops including hitting on uninterested guys, a limbo competition gone wrong, and one terrible period horror story in Diplo’s bathroom (yes, really.)
If possible, please take a moment to rate and review our podcast wherever you’re listening! Happy reading besties!

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!