Midyear check-in time!

We're officially halfway through 2026, so we're looking back at the books that completely blew us away... and the ones we wish we could unread. From new favorites to biggest disappointments, we're sharing our best and worst reads of the year (so far), plus all the other media we've been obsessed with lately, from TV and movies to documentaries and more.

Come see if your favorites made the list, add a few more titles to your TBR, and let us know in the comments: What's been your best (and worst) book of 2026 so far?

Join the BYO book club ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Our July 2026 pick is Tropesick by Lauren Okie!

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Baby, don't you know that you're my golden hour? 🦋

This week, Kayla is hosting a solo episode where she pairs every track from Golden Hour to a book that captures the same feeling, the same emotional beat, the same message. From the quiet dignity of letting someone go, to the giddy disorientation of falling in love, to the radical act of finally letting yourself be okay. There's a book for every moment on this record.

Whether you're a longtime Kacey Musgraves devotee or just discovering it for the first time, this episode is for anyone who has ever finished a song or a book and thought: that's exactly it. That's exactly how it feels.

If you'd like to avoid spoilers for a particular book recommendation or skip to a specific song, use the timestamps below:

Slow Burn: 5:34

Lonely Weekend: 9:50

Butterflies: 13:33

Oh, What a World: 17:35

Mother: 21:46

Love Is a Wild Thing: 23:59

Space Cowboy: 28:40

Happy & Sad: 35:50

Velvet Elvis: 39:42

Wonder Woman: 43:28

High Horse: 47:07

Golden Hour: 50:37

Rainbow: 53:40

Join the BYO book club ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Our July 2026 pick is Tropesick by Lauren Okie!

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🚨 Welcome to the Bookish Khia Asylum 🚨

We're following the iconic "7 Levels of…" trend, but make it bookish.

From Level 1 to Level 5 in our case, we're deciding which authors, bookish things, concepts, opinions, ANYTHING- deserve each floor. Who's getting early release, and who's never seeing daylight again? Expect hot takes, and some ten-toes-down defending.

Check yourself in and tell us: who are you sentencing to the Khia Asylum?

Join the BYO book club ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Our July 2026 pick is Tropesick by Lauren Okie!

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What if every song on Taylor Swift's folklore had the perfect book to match?

This week, Brandi is hosting a solo episode where she pairs every track from folklore with a book recommendation that captures the song's atmosphere, themes, and emotional depth. From heartbreaking love stories to nostalgic coming-of-age tales, each recommendation is inspired by the world Taylor created on this iconic album.

Whether you're a longtime Swiftie, a passionate reader, or just searching for your next great read, this episode has something for you.

If you'd like to avoid spoilers for a particular book recommendation, use the timestamps below to skip ahead:

2:59 – the 1
6:11 – cardigan
13:12 – the last great american dynasty
16:41 – exile
17:36 – my tears ricochet
24:50 – mirrorball
28:13 – seven
32:17 – august
35:55 – this is me trying
40:01 – illicit affairs
41:35 – invisible string
45:00 – mad woman
48:12 – epiphany
51:20 – betty
53:41 – peace
56:15 – hoax

Which folklore song would you pair with a book? Share your picks in the comments!

Join the BYO book club ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Our July 2026 pick is Tropesick by Lauren Okie!

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Former Bachelorette and bestselling author Hannah Brown joins BYO to discuss her new book, Reasons to Be Loved By You. In this candid conversation, Hannah opens up about the inspiration behind the book, the personal experiences that shaped her writing, and the lessons she's learned about resilience, growth, and finding her own voice.

We talk about the journey from reality TV to authorhood, what readers can expect from her latest work, and the message she hopes they'll take away. Whether you've followed Hannah's story for years or are discovering her for the first time, this episode offers an honest and insightful look at what has brought Hannah to the romance writing community, and how everything up to now has played a role.

Tune in for a thoughtful conversation about storytelling, self-discovery, and the power of embracing life's unexpected chapters.

Check out Reasons to Be Loved by You here! Follow Hannah here!

Join the BYO book club ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Our June 2026 pick is Score by Kennedy Ryan!

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You'll come for the spicy Hades retelling and stay for Chip's incredible energy.

We had an absolute BLAST talking with Chip Pons about Dearly Departed, the queer Hades retelling that's stealing readers' hearts. From writing swoon-worthy romance and irresistible tension to balancing humor, emotion, and mythology, Chip brought the behind-the-scenes scoop. Watch us tear up with emotion, then almost immediately switch to tears of laughter in this interview!

If you're into queer joy, Greek mythology, lovable disasters, book boyfriends, or just watching a genuinely fun author interview, this episode is for you.

Chip recommends these authors in the episode:

-Julian Winters

-Lyla Lee

-Steven Rowley

-Ben Alderson

Follow Chip on Instagram @booksovrbros

Join the BYO book club ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Our June 2026 pick is Score by Kennedy Ryan!

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So we watched Every Year After... and we have thoughts.

In this BONUS episode, we're diving into one of the most anticipated book-to-screen adaptations of the year. As huge fans of the novel, we went in ready to relive all the heartbreak, chemistry, and emotional depth that made us fall in love with the story.

Join us as we break down what the show got wrong, why the adaptation missed the mark for us, and the key moments from the book that deserved so much better. We'll compare the characters, relationships, pacing, and emotional impact, & explain why the book still reigns supreme.

If you've watched the series, read the book, or are trying to decide whether either is worth your time, this episode is for you.

Join the BYO book club ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Our June 2026 pick is Score by Kennedy Ryan!

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BYO Book Club is officially 1 year old! To celebrate, we ranked every book club pick... and some of these takes toward the end might end friendships!

From instant classics to books we wish we could un-read, we're giving our brutally honest rankings with zero mercy for every book we read this year.

Which book do you think got robbed, and where did we go right?

Join the BYO book club ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Our June 2026 pick is Score by Kennedy Ryan!

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In this episode we’re spotlighting the most anticipated romance, literary, and fantasy releases of the summer season. From heavy-hitting, big name romance releases, to debut authors we can’t wait to read, these are the books about to take over your TBR.

Whether you’re here for romance, litfic, or romantasy recommendations, this Summer Book Release Radar has you covered. Get your calendar ready for authors like Olivie Blake, Sierra Simone, Rachel Lynn Solomon, Tarah DeWitt, Tia Williams, and more!

Drop the title you’re most excited about in the comments, and let us know what we should read next!

Join the BYO book club ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Our June 2026 pick is Score by Kennedy Ryan!

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Brooke Averick joins Bring Your Own to discuss her debut novel Phoebe Berman’s Gonna Lose It and why modern life feels like one long emotional emergency. From existential crises to dating disasters, Brooke dives into the balance of chaos and sincerity, and why that combination makes the best stories.

Known also for her hit show Brooke and Connor Make a Podcast, Brooke is no stranger to conversations about social anxiety, embarrassing moments, and being deeply online. This episode gets into all the messy, funny, painfully relatable details while unpacking Phoebe’s journey through sex, shame, adulthood, and trying not to feel “behind” while figuring life out.

SPOILERS FROM 24:22 - 27:34

Join the BYO book club ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Our May 2026 pick is Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune!

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