This week, we're sharing our 5-star reads of 2026 so far and helping you figure out which ones belong at the top of your TBR.

From books that completely consumed our lives to stories that left us emotionally devastated, we're matching our favorite reads to the type of reader who will love them most.

Looking for your next obsession? A reading slump cure? A book that will make you feel something? We've got recommendations for all of the above.

In this episode, we're talking about:

⭐ The book that had us staying up way too late
⭐ The most emotionally impactful read of the year
⭐ The perfect reading slump cure
⭐ A recommendation for romantasy readers looking to branch out
⭐ The one book we'd bet money you'll love

Books discussed:
• Binding 13 by Chloe Walsh
• The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff
• Daggermouth by H.M. Wolfe
• One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune
• Into the Blue by Emma Brodie
• The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
• Wild Reverence by Rebecca Ross
• The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow

Plus, we're debating what actually makes a book five stars and if readers have become harder to impress...

Grab your notes app. Your TBR is about to get longer.

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She built one of the most passionate reader communities in romantasy right now and she did it by trusting her gut, staying off Goodreads, and planning that Vows and Ruins ending from day one.

This week we're sitting down with Helen Scheuerer, the author behind the Legends of Thezmarr series, to talk all things Thea, Wilder, and the slow burn that has readers absolutely losing their minds. Helen walks us through the craft behind writing a romance that feels genuinely earned across four books, why she made Thea morally gray, and what it actually feels like to resist caving to the tension as a writer. We also get into the Wilder discourse, her honest take on navigating reader reactions, and the intentional choices behind keeping conflict alive across an entire series.

Plus we talk about her brand new book Kiss of the Black Flame, her first traditionally published US title, what it means to start completely fresh after a series that exceeded every expectation, and what she wishes she'd known at the start of her indie publishing career.

If you've been living in the Thezmarr world, this one is going to hit. And if you haven't started the series yet, consider this your sign.

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In today’s episode of Book Bits & Chill we’re diving into our May reading wrap up and June TBRs, but somehow this episode also became a full existential crisis about reading moods, sequel fatigue, BookTok pressure, and whether we’ve all been forcing ourselves to read books like homework.

We talk about:

- the books that completely consumed our personalities
- our newest 5 star reads
- the most emotionally lingering books of the month
- why we think romantasy burnout is REAL
- sequel fatigue and release pressure
- the Binding 13 casting discourse
- mood reading vs forcing your TBR
- our perfect summer reading plans
- the books we think could become favorites of the year

Books mentioned include:
Into the Blue by Emma Brodie
Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
Famesick by Lena Dunham
Dire Bound & Fury Bound by Sable Sorenson
The Boys of Tommen series by Chloe Walsh
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion
When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A Parker
Score by Kennedy Ryan
Emma by Jane Austen
Phoebe Berman’s Gonna Lose It by Brooke Averick
…and more.

If you love romantasy, literary fiction, contemporary romance, honest ratings, chaotic reader conversations, and hearing two girls spiral over fictional men and their TBRs… welcome home.

Subscribe for weekly podcast episodes, book reviews, reading updates, BookTok Tested videos, and all things books.

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Off Campus just dropped on Prime Video and we spiraled so hard we had to make an episode about it. This week Cassie and Emily are breaking down the full Season 1 adaptation of Elle Kennedy's The Deal — what the show got exactly right, what they changed from the book, and whether you should read The Deal before or after watching.

We get into the scenes that had us absolutely feral (THAT "show me" scene — they delivered), why Allie and Dean almost stole the show entirely, the female gaze vs. the millennial gaze, the iconic cinematic parallels to our favorite rom-coms, and why Belmont Cameli's jaw ticks broke us on a personal level.

Plus: our full book vs. show ratings, the read-before-or-after debate (we disagree), and our theories on what Season 2 is going to do with Dean and Allie's storyline.

If you binged Off Campus and immediately doom-scrolled TikTok fan edits at 1am, this episode is for you.

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Fury Bound is one of the most hyped romantasy sequels of 2026 and the internet keeps calling it “Fourth Wing with wolves”… so obviously we had to talk about it.

In this episode of Book Bits & Chill, we review Dire Bound and Fury Bound by Sable Sorensen and answer the big question: should you actually read this viral romantasy series right now, or can it wait?

We get into:
• Fourth Wing comparisons
• Our final review
• Entry-level romantasy vs expert romantasy readers
• The plot twist chaos
• Whether the deaths actually landed emotionally
• The wolf bonds, magic system, and romance
• Why this series feels like “junk food books”
• Whether book three is worth continuing

This episode is spoiler free at the beginning, then turns into full book club discussion with spoilers for Dire Bound and Fury Bound.

If you love romantasy, fantasy romance, Fourth Wing, ACOTAR, Quicksilver, or dramatic book club conversations, welcome home.

Subscribe for weekly romantasy reviews, book club discussions, adaptation reactions, BookTok Tested verdicts, and chaotic reader commentary.

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Did Netflix nail the Remarkably Bright Creatures adaptation? We're breaking down the May 8th release of Shelby Van Pelt's bestselling novel and giving our full book-to-screen verdict — spoilers included.

In this episode, Cassie and Emily dive into the casting choices (Sally Field as Tova = perfection, but who is Lewis Pullman as Cameron?), debate whether Marcellus the octopus got the voiceover he deserved (David Attenborough vs. Michael Urie's iconic audiobook performance — fight us), and unpack the sly changes Netflix made from the book, including the shift from estranged brother to husband and the minimized search for Cameron's father.

We also cover:

– The CGI Marcellus and whether it landed emotionally

– Why the twist hit harder in the book than on screen

– The mop-bucket finale that wrecked us both

– Why this is the perfect Mother's Day movie watch

– Our final star ratings on adaptation accuracy, emotional impact, and casting

If you loved the BookTok-famous novel, are deciding whether to stream the movie, or just want a cozy, character-driven cry — this one's for you.

🎧 Next week: Should You Read This? on Fury Bound by Sable Sorenson, the highly anticipated follow-up to Direbound.

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Okay besties… we failed our TBR.

We break down our April wrap up and May TBR, including what we actually read, what surprised us, and what completely derailed our plans. From Shield of Sparrows to The Deal and other viral BookTok books, this month had range.

We also get into:

00:00 We failed our TBR
02:00 DNF to obsessed… Shield of Sparrows pipeline
06:00 Is binge reading better than waiting for sequels?
10:30 The Deal review… fun or cringey?
15:30 Book to movie adaptations… are we doing too much?
21:00 The most divisive book of the month
26:00 May TBR… are we being realistic?
30:00 What we are actually excited to read

Then we reset for May with a more realistic TBR… or at least we are pretending it is.

If you are looking for what to read next or want honest reader reactions, this one is for you.

BOOKS MENTIONED

• Beach Read by Emily Henry
• Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry
• Rites of the Starling by Devney Perry
• The Deal by Elle Kennedy
• Into the Blue by Emma Brodie
• Dire Bound by Sable Sorenson
• Fury Bound by Sable Sorenson
• Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan
• Stormbreaker by Nisha J. Tuli
• Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune
• The Burning Side by Sarah Damoff
• Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
• Fame Sick by Lena Dunham

JOIN THE CHAT: What did you read in April? Did you stick to your TBR or spiral like us? What is on your May TBR?

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This week on Book Bits & Chill, we are joined by bestselling author Nisha J. Tuli, the brilliant mind behind the Artefacts of Ouranos series, including Trial of the Sun Queen, as well as contemporary romance and her highly anticipated YA dystopian debut, Storm Breaker.

We get into ALL of it: the iconic first line that started everything, how the Atlas misdirect was completely intentional (she knew exactly what she was doing to us), why the slow burn had to hurt that badly across four books, and how Nadir went from secondary character to the love interest we would absolutely die for. Nisha also opens up about being a Brown author in a very white genre, why Artefacts of Ouranos selling over a million copies still has not landed it on a U.S. bestseller list, and what that actually says about publishing.

AND we get into the big news. Storm Breaker, her upcoming YA dystopian romance, has already been optioned by Amazon for a TV adaptation before it even hits shelves on May 5th. Nisha walks us through the world, her discovery writing process (chaotic with zero notes), and what it was like to pivot from Ouranos to a brand new universe set 1,000 years into a storm-ravaged Manhattan.

If you love enemies-to-lovers slow burns, morally complex MMCs, diverse fantasy, and authors who tell the truth about publishing, this one is for you.

Pre-order Storm Breaker now. It releases May 5th and we are not calm about it.

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In this episode of Book Bits & Chill, we’re diving into Rites of the Starling by Devney Perry, book two in the Shield of Sparrows series, and asking the real question: is this sequel actually worth the hype or are we in another cursed Book 2 era?

We start spoiler-free (promise, not even a whiff), then move into full book club chaos with spoilers, unhinged theories, and gossip.

We’re chatting:

• Spoiler-free review: vibes, pacing, and where it sits on the romantasy spectrum
• Who should read it now vs who should wait until book 3 is out
• Our honest ratings: overall, spice, hangover, book club potential
• Is this truly romantasy… or fantasy with a side of romance?
• The curse of book twos (Iron Flame, Brimstone, we’re looking at you)
• Full spoiler book club section: dual timelines, THAT twist, new characters, side quests, and magic systems
• Why we wanted more for our characters (and maybe a whole novella?)
• Devney Perry’s fantasy era and what we think book 3 is setting up

If you love romantasy, fantasy romance, girlhood chat, book club-style deep dives, silly but thoughtful hot takes, and deciding your next read based on best-friend banter… you’re in the right place.

Subscribe for weekly episodes filled with romantasy breakdowns, spicy (and not-so-spicy) reviews, adaptation chats, and cozy chaos. 📚✨

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 Is Rites of the Starling actually worth the hype?
01:38 The curse of Book 2s (Iron Flame, Brimstone, etc.)
03:39 Spoiler-free thoughts: vibes, pacing, and expectations
05:04 Romance vs plot: is this really romantasy?
07:51 Who should read it now vs who should wait for the full series
08:35 What Devney Perry does really well (worldbuilding, monsters, POVs)
11:19 Ratings: recommendability, spice, hangover, book club potential
14:15 Overall star ratings & the series vs the individual book
17:09 SPOILERS START HERE
19:58 Dual POVs, timelines, and the big plot twist talk
23:14 Caspia, Andreas, and why we weren’t fully sobbing (but kind of wanted to be)
27:29 Should Caspia & Andreas have been their own novella/book?
31:33 Girl power: Odessa, Caspia, and this being a book for the girls
35:09 The mavens, side characters, and missed opportunities
38:16 Being confused in the best (and worst) ways
42:08 Evie, emotional stakes, and why parts felt uncomfortable
48:13 Devney Perry’s fantasy writing style & expectations for book 3
50:02 Final thoughts + next week’s guest: Nisha J. Tuli & Stormbreaker

📖 Books Mentioned

Rites of the Starling by Devney Perry
Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry
Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
Brimstone by Callie Hart
Metal Slinger by Rachel Schneider

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Harry Potter Series
A Song of Ice and Fire / Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas
Trial of the Sun Queen (Artifacts of Ouranos series) by Nisha J. Tuli
Stormbreaker by Nisha J. Tuli

💬 Let’s Connect

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Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts  

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In this episode of Book Bits & Chill, we’re breaking down our ultimate auto-buy authors guide. Including what an auto-buy author actually is, why they’re the best reading hack, and the exact roadmap you should follow to fall in love with them (instead of getting burned).

We’re sharing:

•  Our definition of a true auto-buy author 
•  The authors we will read no matter what 
•  Who we read for comfort, ugly crying, tension, and feeling ✨intellectual✨ 
•  AND the exact reading order for some of our favorite authors 

Including deep dives into:

• Emily Henry
• Kristin Hannah
• Taylor Jenkins Reid

If you’ve ever picked up a book from one of these authors and you are like "I just don't get the hype?" Then this episode is for you!

Because sometimes it’s not the author… it’s where you started.

What you’ll hear in this episode:
00:00 Why auto-buy authors are the BEST reading hack
03:00 What actually makes an author “auto-buy”
06:00 Our auto-buy author game
11:00 Emily Henry reading order guide (where to start + what to avoid first)
20:00 Kristin Hannah reading roadmap (and why timing matters)
27:00 Taylor Jenkins Reid guide (don’t start in the wrong place)
35:30 Final thoughts + how to build your own auto-buy list

Books Mentioned:

•  Beach Read 
•  People We Meet on Vacation 
•  Funny Story 
•  Happy Place 
•  The Nightingale 
•  The Great Alone 
•  Firefly Lane 
•  The Women 
•  Daisy Jones & The Six 
•  The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo 
•  Atmosphere 

📺 Watch full episodes on YouTube

💬 Tell us: Who is YOUR auto-buy author?

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