Reading & Ranting

House of Flame and Shadow Reactions & Deep Dive

Calling all Sarah J. Maas loyalists (which, if you’re listening to this podcast, we hope you already are), it’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for… House of Flame and Shadow is finally here! 
 
Today, Karly and Mia spill all the details. From jaw-dropping plot twists that had them screaming, to bonus chapters that practically had them weeping on the page, they discuss the highs and lows without holding back. The unexpected MVPs of this book? Coping with torture through dark humor, Lidia Cervos, listening to club music in a dark tunnel under a mountain, motherly hugs, and literal Princes of Hel being the good guys. Karly and Mia are practically convulsing over the confirmation of their wild Maasiverse theories, and of course, they've gathered their predictions for Crescent City 4. We can only hope to see more pegasus content one day.
 
We hope this episode helps soothe your book hangover, and as always, happy reading besties!
 
SPOILER WARNING: PLEASE, IF YOU HAVE NOT FINISHED ALL OF CRESCENT CITY, ACOTAR, AND THRONE OF GLASS DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE!

The Maasiverse AKA Our Superbowl

IT’S TIMEEEE - *cue Mariah Carey voice*
We’ve almost been waiting a whole year to record this one, because in today’s episode, Karly & Mia are breaking down the entire Sarah J. Maas universe, better known as the Maasiverse, ahead of the release of House of Flame and Shadow (Crescent City #3) on January 30, 2024. They accumulated about 11 pages of evidence (better known as their red string crime scene board) to prepare for this episode, so buckle in and grab your notebook because you’re gonna want to take some notes. 
Between the hard facts, hidden details, theories and headcanons, the girls cover it all to prepare for SJM’s new book. Enjoy besties, we’ll be back screaming, crying and throwing up in our next episode to deep dive into this latest release. 

Two Girls, One Ski Trip, Zero Limes

If you listened to last week’s episode, then you know Mia & Karly were reunited in Aspen and had one too many spicy margaritas. This week, they’re diving into the perfect reads based on your travel destination/season, as the girls were obviously snuggling by the fire (made by Mia) and tearing through some books during couch rotting time. 
 
Today’s rant is the star of the show, as they discuss the ins and outs of a group trip, including roles & responsibilities set for each guest as well as what’s absolutely illegal (forgetting to buy limes at the grocery store when you’re trying to make margs). Quick reference: In - high credit lines, jalapeño simple syrup, forcing men to read fantasy smut; Out - perky vs. hungover people, red wine, overcooked steak. 

Crescent City Deep Dive

In today’s episode, Karly & Mia will be diving into their favorite fantasy zootopia, the world of Crescent City by Sarah J. Maas. Between Fae, Angels, Wolves, Mer-people, Vampires, and more, Midgard is every fantasy girly's dream come true. This book is packed with amazing main characters, centering around our favorite Starborn girl Bryce (who we both have crushes on, along with every other male in the Crescent City universe), as well as our favorite Angel boy Hunt (refer to the backwards Sunball cap and grey sweatpants). Karly & Mia will discuss notable takeaways from House of Earth and Blood (CC1) & House of Sky & Breathe (CC2), and how they are literally foaming at the mouth ahead of the release of House of Flame and Shadow (CC3) in late January 2024. Mia already put PTO on her calendar for January 30. All they can say is the last line of CC2 had them screaming, crying, and throwing up. 
 
They also quickly rant about how Crescent City slander needs to end, as they actually truly love the series, the characters, and how different the modern day fantasy world is compared to the typical romantasy read. How often do your favorite romantasy couples facetime each other?! 
 
P.S. For the first time since Summer 2023, Karly & Mia recorded this episode together LIVE from Aspen! Enjoy their reunion pod and get ready for many more when Mia makes the move to NYC in Spring 2024!  

New Year, New Me

 
Welcome to our Reading & Ranting 2024 debut! In the spirit of diving into a new year in their 20s, in today’s episode Karly & Mia break down some of the most influential self-help books Mia has read. Please note: this was the sole reading era Mia had in college if that tells you anything about her mental state at the time. From Brene Brown's wisdom in "Rising Strong" to Glennon Doyle's storytelling in "Untamed" to the comfort of Brianna Weist’s essays, get ready for the life-changing advice Mia took away from these books.
In the rant section, they tackle their view on New Year's resolutions. Lowkey, they hate the idea, but instead are all about setting intentions for self-love and giving yourself grace. Plus, Mia admits to her vision boarding obsession—because who needs resolutions when you can manifest your dreams visually?

A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) Deep Dive

Welcome back to another ACOTAR themed episode. Sick of it yet? Not us. 
 
In today’s episode, Karly & Mia dive into the A Court of Thorns and Roses series that literally kickstarted their friendship. In their discussion about the five books in the series so far (four novels and one novella), Karly & Mia dissect notable takeaways, their ACOTAR Roman Empires, and unanswered questions (like the pool of starlight in the Spring Court…) that they hope the Maasiverse will answer soon.  
 
They also rant about their ideal ACOTAR fancasts for when the series inevitably hits the big screen, and will say this once: Jacob Elordi is NOT Rhysand, please and thank you. Happy reading besties!

Beach Read & Our Bust-a-Nut Foundation

Buckle up besties -- class is in session. The course? All things female orgasm. Today’s episode features our first ever R&R guest, self-proclaimed sexpert Emily! 
 
Of course, they kick things off by diving into Beach Read, a non-romantasy read that got Karly & Mia hooked on Emily Henry books. They discuss why January and Augustus are #relatable as anti-social bookworms that enjoy a drink or two, and how it’s the perfect feel-good read for a beach day (quite literally as the title says). 
 
The bread and butter of today’s episode comes when Karly, Mia & Emily discuss the orgasm gap between men and women and how important it is for the girlies to know what they like first and foremost. Between the things that girls need to know about the big O and what guys need to know (pro tip: send this episode to the man in your life for some tips and tricks), the girls dig deep into why women should approach the bedroom with confidence and always finish first (and second and third). Karly’s future dreams include a charity dedicated to the ladies, called the Bust-a-Nut Foundation, where donations will be made to end the orgasm gap endemic and encourage vibrator use. Happy reading besties! 

Throne of Glass Deep Dive

While Karly & Mia normally have zero chill, they will ABSOLUTELY lose their shit if you mention the title “Throne of Glass.”  Be prepared for them to pull a seat up to your table and word vomit until you are literally begging them to leave your personal space. 
 
That’s right, in today’s episode, Karly and Mia deliver a breakdown of the series book by book; covering the highs, the lows, and the moments that made them scream. 
 
While today’s episode is heavy on the reading section, we couldn’t forget about our rant. Karly & Mia spend the time catching up on their weekend adventures, and note as per usual, they are hungover while recording this episode. Between Mia’s Spring Court coded masquerade party and Karly making out with a man ten years older than her, it was quite the tame weekend. Happy reading besties!

Book Besties & Long Distance Friendships

From initially bonding over ACOTAR to the nostalgia of childhood booknerd-dom, Karly & Mia explore the profound impact of reading on their friendship in today’s episode. Your favorite duo covers the joy of recommending books, the love in the #BookTok community, and the intricacies of friend buckets (yes, that's a thing). 
Spoiler alert: Mia and Karly’s relationship status officially changed to long-distance when Karly moved to New York this fall. So of course they’re bringing you along to navigate the challenges of maintaining long-distance friendships in the chaos of your early 20s.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year: Harry Potter Season

What’s the first thing you think of when you imagine winter, a cozy snow day, or Christmas? Harry Potter? Us too. 
 
If Harry Potter is your ultimate comfort movie and book series, this episode is for you. Karly & Mia have been HP girlies since day one (once again living the same childhood by both reading Harry Potter during recess in middle school.) One serious expectation for their future romantic partners is they must also be fans of the Harry Potter Wizarding World. I mean, isn’t everyone’s ideal date night binge-watching three HP movies in one night? They’ll discuss their favorite scenes from the book (if you’ve only seen the movies you’re a fake fan) and the main differences between the books and movies. Also, please be advised this is a Hermione/Emma Watson stan podcast.
 
Of course, the Reading & Ranting girls have a rant prepared, and will be talking about Harry Potter headcanons, hot takes, and the ultimate Harry Potter question: are the books or movies better? Happy reading besties!