Booktalks Podcast Episode 112: We’re wrapping up July with everything we read this month and looking ahead to our August TBR! 📚

Kayla read an impressive 13 books, including a major Maggie Gates and Jay Salmon binge, while Marisa shares her July reads including Wild Card, Poker Face, Elle Kennedy’s The Mistake, This Story Might Save Your Life, and more.

We’re talking romance, surprise pregnancy tropes, thrillers, fantasy, books we loved, books we’re unhauling, and the books that just didn’t quite work for us.

Then we’re planning our August reading, including our Fable Book of the Month, Out on a Limb, Star Side, Blood Bound, Morningstar, and an upcoming Avatar reread.

Plus, we may have officially discovered our niche: surprise pregnancy books. 😂

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Thornbird by Elle Kennedy surprised us… because this wasn’t the romance book we expected.

In this BookTalks Podcast episode, Kayla and Marissa discuss their July book club pick, Thornbird by Elle Kennedy, and why they think it works best as a thriller with a romance subplot rather than a romance trying to become a thriller.

We break down:

Ryan’s complicated journey as the daughter of a serial killer

Chase and why the broody love interest completely won us over

The thriller elements, twists, pacing, and character development

How the podcast storyline adds a unique layer to the book

Why this could be the perfect “bridge book” for romance readers wanting to try thrillers

We also compare it to books like A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder and discuss whether the twists landed, which characters frustrated us, and what we’re reading next.

Plus, stick around for our next Book Club poll picks:

Cowboy Casual

Rights of the Starling

Killing Floor

Out on a Limb

What did you think of Thornbird by Elle Kennedy? Was it more thriller or romance? Let us know in the comments!

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We’re halfway through 2026, so it’s time to check in on our reading lives! We’re looking back at the goals we set in January, sharing how many books we’ve read, and revealing the stories that surprised, disappointed, and completely consumed us.

We discuss our unexpected Maggie Gates obsession, whether the Fourth Wing series deserves its hype, our plans to continue Red Rising and Shield of Sparrows, and why mood reading has helped both of us read more than ever. We also weigh in on the BookTok debate about whether creators are actually reading every book they claim to finish.

Then, we reveal our favorite books of 2026 so far—including Project Hail Mary, The Night We Met, Our Perfect Storm, You Deserve to Know, and Alchemized—along with our biggest disappointments, such as The Shippers, How to Kill a Guy in 10 Dates, and The Night Circus.

Plus, Kayla has a major personal update: she’s engaged! Hear the full story of Tom’s Central Park proposal and how he managed to surprise her after a morning filled with suspicious hints.

We close out the episode with our reading and podcast goals for the rest of 2026, including finishing several series, tackling our physical TBRs, returning to fantasy reading this fall, and working toward 500 YouTube subscribers.

What are your best and worst books of 2026 so far? Share them with us on Instagram or TikTok at @booktalkspodcast.

Did Amazon stay true to Carly Fortune's bestselling romance? In this spoiler-filled episode, we compare Every Year After to Every Summer After, discussing the biggest changes, what worked, what didn't, and why so many fans are disappointed with the adaptation.

We also chat about One Golden Summer, successful adaptations like Off Campus, and finish with a recommendation for Maggie Gates' Beaufort Poker Club series. Follow BookTalks Podcast for weekly book reviews, adaptation discussions, and romance recommendations.

In Booktalks Podcast Episode 108, we're sharing everything we read in June and the books we're hoping to tackle in July!

Kayla wraps up an incredible month of reading 11 books, including a deep dive into Maggie Gates' romance universe, while Marisa gives an update on her physical TBR challenge and shares her latest thriller and romance reads.

We also discuss Every Summer After, The Deal, The Someday Garden, The Silent Patient, Deep End, upcoming ARCs, Kindle Unlimited favorites, and the books we're most excited to read this month.

Whether you're looking for your next romance, thriller, fantasy, or beach read, we've got plenty of recommendations to add to your TBR.

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Booktalks Podcast Episode 107 reviews Every Summer After by Carley Fortune before watching the TV adaptation.

This is Part 1 of our Every Summer After series! We discuss Percy and Sam's relationship, Charlie, the alternating timelines, our favorite moments, what worked, what didn't, and whether the TV show has a chance of living up to the book.

⚠️ Full spoilers for the novel.

Next week we'll be back with Part 2 after we've watched the TV adaptation to compare the show with the book.

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We watched Amazon’s Off Campus series… and we have THOUGHTS.

In this episode of Booktalks Podcast, we’re comparing the Off Campus TV show to Elle Kennedy’s book The Deal! We break down what changed, what was left out, the biggest storyline differences, and whether the adaptation actually improved the original story.

Did the show stay true to the book? Did the changes work? Were there moments we missed from the novel? We discuss it all!

Plus, we end with a hilarious hockey romance game where we draft our perfect hockey boyfriend… and discover Kayla is looking for a golden retriever friends-to-lovers hero while Marisa apparently needs a brooding, moody enemies-to-lovers man

Let us know:

Did you prefer the book or the show?

Who would be your perfect hockey boyfriend?

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Booktalks Podcast Episode 105 is our full spoiler review of Someday Garden by Ashley Poston!

After catching up on our latest reads, Kindle purchases, summer reading plans, and the Off-Campus series, we dive into Ashley Poston's newest novel to discuss everything from the magical realism and emotional storytelling to the romance, grief, symbolism, and whether this book is actually a romance at all.

We also debate:

• Gus vs. Oliver

• Whether the romance felt rushed

• Ashley Poston's writing compared to The Dead Romantics

• Our favorite magical realism books

• Our final ratings

We wrap up with a fun game of Plant It, Prune It, or Compost It, where we rank popular romance and fantasy tropes.

⚠️ This episode contains full spoilers for Someday Garden.

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Book Talks Podcast Episode 104: The Deal by Elle Kennedy Review (Part 1 of Our Off Campus Series)

This week we're kicking off our two-part Off Campus series with a full review of The Deal by Elle Kennedy. Before diving into the new TV adaptation, we wanted to revisit the hockey romance that started it all.

We discuss Garrett Graham and Hannah Wells, the fake dating trope, college romance dynamics, character development, our favorite moments, and whether this beloved romance still lives up to the hype.

If you're planning to watch Off Campus or you're looking for your next hockey romance read, this episode is for you.

Next week we'll return with Part 2, where we review the Off Campus TV show and compare it to the book.

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Please rate, review, and follow the podcast to help other readers discover the show.

In this episode of Booktalks Podcast, we sit down with author Alicia Thompson to talk about her writing journey, creating memorable characters, and the inspiration behind her books.

Alicia shares her thoughts on storytelling, romance, character development, and what goes into bringing a book from an idea to the page.

Whether you’re a longtime Alicia Thompson reader or discovering her work for the first time, this conversation is a behind-the-scenes look at the author and the stories readers love.

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