In this episode of Booked & Unfiltered, Michelle Glogovac and Stephanie Hockersmith unpack the latest controversy surrounding bestselling author Ali Hazelwood and the harsh realities of online book discourse. They dive into the complexities of fandom culture, the rise of performative outrage, and how bullying masked as “critique” is eroding empathy in the book community.

Michelle and Steph share why reading the actual book still matters, why we can care about literature and global issues at the same time, and how nuance has all but disappeared from internet conversations. This episode is a rally cry for book lovers who still believe stories can build bridges—and that authors deserve humanity, not harassment.

What We're Talking About...

• Feedback on the Read the Damn Book series is positive.
• It's okay to put down a book you're not enjoying.
• People feel pressure to read certain books in professional settings.
• Online bullying over fictional character preferences is unnecessary.
• Empathy should guide our discussions and disagreements.
• Books can open our eyes to different perspectives.
• The importance of treating authors as human beings.
• Fandom debates can become toxic and unproductive.
• We should focus our energy on real-world issues.
• Reading should be an enjoyable escape, not a source of conflict.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Podcast Overview 00:58 The Importance of Reading and Book Discussions 02:56 Author Ali Hazelwood and Online Criticism 06:01 Team PETA vs. Team Gale: Fandom Debates 09:04 The Impact of Online Bullying and Keyboard Warriors 12:08 Empathy and Understanding in Discussions 15:05 Books vs. Real-World Issues 17:54 Conclusion and Call to Action