BookTalks Podcast

September was a MONTH.

We may have been in a reading slump, but that didn't stop us from having A LOT to say.

In this episode of BookTalks Podcast, we talk about our September reading, what we're planning to read in October, and some of the biggest bookish conversations happening right now.

We have THOUGHTS on Ali Hazelwood's upcoming sequel to The Love Hypothesis, whether authors revisiting beloved books and worlds is becoming more about the money than the story, and the early reactions to the Verity movie. We also get into our VERY mixed feelings about Fourth Wing / Iron Flame, Rebecca Yarros' new Threshing Day novella, and where we think the Empyrean series might be headed.

Plus, we're talking about:

Our September reads and ratings

The books we're taking into October

Marisa's spooky season reading challenge

Romance recommendations (including some VERY strong ones)

Renaissance Fairs and our questionable future career plans

Exciting upcoming ARCs, author interviews & BookTalks Podcast updates

What do YOU think? Are authors taking sequels and spin-offs too far when a book already has a satisfying ending? And what are your thoughts on the direction of Fourth Wing/Iron Flame?

Let us know in the comments!

Books & authors mentioned: Ali Hazelwood, Colleen Hoover, Rebecca Yarros, Christina Lauren, Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka, Susanna Clarke, Maggie Gates, Ellen O'Connor, Sarah J. Maas, Wanda M. Hellmann and more.

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Booktalks Podcast episode 118: We’re talking all about The Love Hypothesis movie! Kayla and Marisa break down Ali Hazelwood’s highly anticipated book-to-screen adaptation, comparing the movie to the original novel and discussing the biggest changes from page to screen.

⚠️ SPOILERS AHEAD for both the book and movie!

We’re talking Adam and Olive, fake dating, the changes to Tom’s storyline, why Holden being cut from the movie was such a big change, Adam’s different personality on screen, the casting, the rom-com vibes, and whether The Love Hypothesis lived up to the book.

We also get into other Ali Hazelwood adaptations, upcoming releases, and plenty of tangents along the way.

Did you read The Love Hypothesis before watching the movie? Let us know what you thought of the adaptation!

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We are rereading A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas — and this time, we’re looking at the book with a few more years of reading experience behind us.

ACOMAF is one of the most beloved books in the ACOTAR series, but does it still hit the same on a reread? We’re talking Feyre, Rhysand, Tamlin, the Inner Circle, our favorite moments, the things that stood out differently this time, and all of our honest thoughts on the book.

Whether you’re an ACOTAR veteran or discovering the series for the first time, come hang out with us for a full reread discussion!

⚠️ SPOILERS FOR A COURT OF MIST AND FURY / ACOTAR SERIES

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What did YOU think of ACOMAF on your first read vs. your reread? Tell us in the comments! 👇

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This week on Book Talks Podcast, we're discussing our August Book of the Month: Out on a Limb by Hannah Bonam-Young!

⚠️ SPOILER WARNING: This episode contains FULL SPOILERS for the entire book, including the ending!

We’re talking all things Win and Bo, the surprise pregnancy trope, disability representation, their relationship, the lack of conflict, the happily-ever-after ending, and all of our thoughts on whether this romance actually worked for us.

We also get into a bigger conversation about surprise pregnancy romances and whether you can really say you hate the trope if you've only encountered it in other genres. Plus, we compare Out on a Limb to some of our favorite surprise pregnancy books, including Wild Card, Ready or Not, Forever Undone, and Seven of Hearts.

Was Out on a Limb too perfect? Did we need more conflict? Did the epilogue go on too long? And where does this book rank among our favorite surprise pregnancy romances?

Let us know what you thought of Out on a Limb and what surprise pregnancy romance we should read next!

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We’re sitting down with romance author Maggie Gates to talk about what really makes a romance story feel fresh—even when it uses familiar tropes. Maggie shares her “tropes are ingredients” philosophy, how real life inspires her characters, why she cries while writing, and how writing helped her process some of her most personal experiences.

We also talk about negative reviews, plotting vs. pantsing, emotional scenes, her interconnected book universe, and (of course!) her upcoming romance, BLUE JEAN SUMMER, releasing September 15.

Maggie’s rapid-fire trope answers are also VERY revealing—including why she’d choose one horse over one bed.

ABOUT BLUE JEAN SUMMER:

Marriage of convenience • Age gap • Childhood friends • Billionaire hero • Broke heroine • Cowboys • Ranch romance

If you love romance books, author interviews, bookish conversations, and getting a behind-the-scenes look at how your favorite stories are created, make sure to subscribe to BookTalks Podcast!

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Booktalks Podcast Episode 114: We’re rereading A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas! 📚✨

We’re going back to the beginning of the ACOTAR series and looking at the first book with everything we know now. Does A Court of Thorns and Roses hold up on a reread? Are Feyre and Tamlin really the love story we remembered? And how much more obvious are the Rhysand clues when you already know where the series is headed?

We’re talking about Feyre’s character, Tamlin and Feyre’s relationship, Rhysand’s role in the story, the riddle, Feyre’s time Under the Mountain, the trials, the ending, and all the little details we noticed differently this time around.

We also discuss why ACOTAR became such a beloved series despite the first book being slower and more of a setup for the larger story, and why A Court of Mist and Fury is the book we really remember making the series special.

If you’re an ACOTAR fan, Sarah J. Maas reader, or rereading the series before the next book, come listen as we revisit where it all began!

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⚠️ SPOILER WARNING: This episode discusses the first ACOTAR book and includes discussion of events and character developments from later books in the series.

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Booktalks Podcast Episode 113: We’re wrapping up our August reading and looking ahead to our September TBR! 📚

August was a rough reading month for both of us, with busy work schedules, life updates, and a very hyped fantasy book sending Kayla into a reading slump. We’re talking about the books we finished, our ratings, a few DNFs, romance reads, our August Book Club pick, and the books we’re planning to tackle in September.

We’re also getting back into Sarah J. Maas with A Court of Mist and Fury, continuing Avatar, starting new romance series, discussing Maggie Gates, hockey romances, cowboy romances, and more.

Plus, we’re chatting about the upcoming Sarah J. Maas release, new ACOTAR covers and fan theories, book-to-TV adaptations, The Summer I Turned Pretty, Sterling Point, and what’s happening in the book world.

And, as always, we’re trying to figure out what our Booktalks Podcast Book Club should read next!

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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.