They say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but what about its first line... 🧐 Today, we're putting that idea to the test! Did these first lines hook us? Confuse us? Make us want to remove it from our TBRs? Tune in as we react in real time, & stay till the end as we debrief our August TBR picks & catch up on life outside of the Pod!

🤍 CTB Links!: https://linktr.ee/checkthisbookout 

📖 Books Mentioned:

⏱️Timestamps:

Our brutally honest review of The Knight and The Moth is in... 🗡️🦋 This highly anticipated novel by Rachel Gillig was a gothic, eerie fantasy with new magic and beloved tropes. In our review, we dissect the world building, Rachel's whimsical prose, the magic system, the plot, & the characters. (P.S. This episode contains spoilers!)

🤍 CTB Links!: https://linktr.ee/checkthisbookout

📖 Books Mentioned:

The Knight and the Moth - Rachel Gillig

One Dark Window - Rachel Gillig

Two Twisted Crowns - Rachel Gillig

Blood Over Bright Haven - M.L. Wang

Prison Healer - Lynette Noni

✍️ The Knight and the Moth Synopsis:

Sybil Delling has spent nine years dreaming of having no dreams at all. Like the other foundling girls who traded a decade of service for a home in the great cathedral, Sybil is a Diviner. In her dreams she receives visions from six unearthly figures known as Omens. From them, she can predict terrible things before they occur, and lords and common folk alike travel across the kingdom of Traum's windswept moors to learn their futures by her dreams.

⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00:00 episode intro

00:02:05 our ratings of the knight & the moth

00:05:00 high level summary

00:06:35 writing style & world building

00:10:00 we got distracted by a moth lol

00:10:40 our initial reactions

00:13:20 did the world building deliver?

00:16:10 a fascinating magic system

00:19:50 did we predict any plot?

00:26:20 the quest plot line

00:27:40 six & rory’s dynamic

00:33:50 the carnival scene + six’s arms

00:36:55 the diviner disappearances

00:38:50 the omens and false gods

00:43:10 benji deep dive

00:47:20 training montage & knighting

00:49:50 WHERE IS THE YEARNING?!

00:53:50 the diviners & religion

00:56:15 the gargoyle is the best character

00:59:40 comparison to one dark window

01:02:35 rachel gillig’s author’s note

01:06:15 will we read the next book?

01:09:30 reacting to 1-5 goodreads reviews

01:21:00 outro

It's that time of year for a reading wrap up! 📚 We’ve been busy reading & have a variety of fantasy & romance books to share with y'all. We also thought to spice up our TBRs by choosing 3 books for each other to read this August. So grab your TBR & tune in! (P.S. This episode is spoiler-free!)

🤍 CTB Links!: https://linktr.ee/checkthisbookout 

🔗 Madeline's Fable Stats: https://fable.co/madeline-bookout-544989383339

🔗 Hannah's Fable Stats: http://fable.co/hannah-bookout-363616138207 

Six of Crows - Leigh Bardugo

Crooked Kingdom - Leigh Bardugo

Blood Over Bright Haven - M. L. Wang

Red Rising - Pierce Brown

The Hero of Ages - Brandon Sanderson

Rewind it Back - Liz Tomforde

This Summer Will Be Different - Carley Fortune

The Knight and the Moth - Rachel Gillig

House of Beating Wings - Olivia Wildenstein

House of Striking Oaths - Olivia Wildenstein

Accordance - Shelly Crane

One Dark Window - Rachel Gillig

Morning Star - Pierce Brown (**minor spoiler @ 13:07**)

Elantris - Brandon Sanderson

The Name of the Wind - Patrick Rothfuss

Out on a Limb - Hannah Bonam-Young

Out of the Woods - Hannah Bonam-Young

People Watching - Hannah Bonam-Young

The Selection - Kiera Cass

The Friend Zone - Abby Jimenez

Everything I Know About Love - Dolly Alderton

Never Keep - Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti

Soul in Darkness - Wendy Higgins

Sweet Evil - Wendy Higgins

Rise of the Melody - Wendy Higgins

The Shadows Between Us - Tricia Levenseller

Lights Out - Navessa Allen

Magic Forged - K. M. Shea

⏱️ Timestamps:

Introducing Blood Over Bright Haven🩸, one of our all-time favorite 5 star reads. This book left both of us sobbing & reeling, & we have to debrief it with y'all. We unpack the book’s world building & plot, dissect the morally complex characters, & explore how Wang tackles ethics with gut-punching emotional stakes. (P.S. This episode contains spoilers!)

🤍 CTB Links!: https://linktr.ee/checkthisbookout

📖 Books Mentioned:

Blood Over Bright Haven - M.L. Wang

Sword of Kaigen - M.L. Wang

✍️ Blood Over Bright Haven Synopsis:

For twenty years, Sciona has devoted every waking moment to the study of magic, fueled by a mad desire to achieve the impossible: to be the first woman ever admitted to the High Magistry at the University of Magics and Industry.

⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00:00 intro

00:01:45 our ratings

00:02:45 what BOBH is about

00:05:25 our hiatus & an anniversary

00:09:00 world building & magic system

00:18:45 sciona’s character deep dive

00:25:39 plot deep dive

00:28:00 thomil & sciona meet

00:38:15 sciona’s crashing out

00:40:27 the library scene

00:41:49 sciona flights back

00:46:00 madeline starts crying

00:48:20 the morality theme

00:52:05 brigham character deep dive

00:56:35 thought provoking themes

00:59:10 thomil character deep dive

01:12:30 a barnes & noble story

01:15:50 pics of us crying lol

01:17:25 1000% recommend

01:21:10 outro

Last but far from least... We're closing out the Red Rising Saga review with a bang! Morning Star by Pierce Brown gave us everything we hoped for (& plenty we weren’t emotionally prepared for) & we're here to discuss it all. Special guest Nolan joins us as we dig into the jaw-dropping plot twists, powerful character arcs, & the trilogy's unforgettable conclusion. You won’t want to miss this episode!  

🤍 CTB Links!: https://linktr.ee/checkthisbookout

Book Synopsis:

"Darrow would have lived in peace, but his enemies brought him war. The Gold overlords demanded his obedience, hanged his wife, and enslaved his people. But Darrow is determined to fight back. Risking everything to transform himself and breach Gold society, Darrow has battled to survive the cutthroat rivalries that breed Society’s mightiest warriors, climbed the ranks, and waited patiently to unleash the revolution that will tear the hierarchy apart from within. Finally, the time has come. But devotion to honor and hunger for vengeance run deep on both sides. Darrow and his comrades-in-arms face powerful enemies without scruple or mercy. Among them are some Darrow once considered friends. To win, Darrow will need to inspire those shackled in darkness to break their chains, unmake the world their cruel masters have built, and claim a destiny too long denied—and too glorious to surrender."

📖 Books Mentioned:

Morning Star - Pierce Brown

Red Rising - Pierce Brown

Golden Son - Pierce Brown

Light Bringer - Pierce Brown

⏱️Timestamps:

00:00 intro

01:00 meet nolan!

04:45 nolan's fav book bf...

06:00 morning star ratings

08:20 the boring parts

10:50 our book review formula

11:25 world building

12:20 space is confusing

16:30 darrow's imprisonment

18:40 where was the trauma?

20:30 the rescue

22:02 bring the action

25:35 fake first person

27:10 reunited with sevro

32:00 book 2 was darrow's book

39:30 howler initiation

36:20 we got spoilers

37:50 quicksilver & phobos

45:30 a visit to the obsidians

48:00 ragnar broke us

51:20 choppy writing

54:00 the political genius

57:45 full body chills

58:50 darrow's growth

01:01:40 the roque space battle

01:05:40 roque broke us

01:09:40 cassius & darrow

01:12:30 and what do we do w/ murderers?

01:15:20 we're gullible readers

01:19:00 the ending & baby pax

01:28:55 sevro and victra ahhh

01:30:30 sevro is too funny

01:32:00 outro

Last but far from least... We're closing out the Red Rising Saga review with a bang! Morning Star by Pierce Brown gave us everything we hoped for (& plenty we weren’t emotionally prepared for). Special guest Nolan joins us as we dig into the jaw-dropping plot twists, powerful character arcs, & the trilogy's unforgettable conclusion. You won’t want to miss this episode!

🤍 CTB Links!: https://linktr.ee/checkthisbookout

📖 Books Mentioned:

Morning Star - Pierce Brown

Red Rising - Pierce Brown

Golden Son - Pierce Brown

Light Bringer - Pierce Brown

In this episode, we turned our love for fantasy into a competitive game night. Each square on the bingo card represents a classic or niche trope from the genre: secret royalty, talking animals, magic schools... you name it. Download our homemade bingo card below & play along with us!

(P.S. This episode contains spoilers! Check the episode chapters & see which books are *starred* below to avoid spoilers!)

🤍 CTB Links!: https://linktr.ee/checkthisbookout

🤍 CTB Fantasy Book Bingo Card: https://www.canva.com/design/DAGq1DprWnE/s8mOUAd3Ch7ye0y6xAaAOA/view?utm_content=DAGq1DprWnE&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=hac4f355142 

📖 Books Mentioned:

From Blood and Ash - Jennifer L Armentrout

Blood Over Bright Haven - M. L. Wang **

Daughter of No Worlds - Carissa Broadbent **

The Way of Kings - Brandon Sanderson

Throne of Glass - Sarah J Maas **

House of Beating Wings - Olivia Wildenstein

Kingdom of the Wicked - Kerri Maniscalco 

An Ember in the Ashes - Sabaa Tahir

The Red Pyramid - Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan

Bridge Kingdom - Danielle L. Jensen

Divine Rivals - Rebecca Ross

Spark of the Everflame - Pen Cole

Shatter Me - Tahereh Mafi

A Court of Thorns and Roses - Sarah J. Maas

The Book of Azrael - Amber Nicole

Blood & Steel - Helen Scheuerer **

Shield of Sparrows - Devney Perry **

A Deadly Education - Naomi Novik

Unearthly - Cynthia Hand

House of Earth and Blood - Sarah J. Maas **

Heartless Hunter - Kristen Ciccarelli **

Red Rising - Pierce Brown **

The Cruel Prince - Holly Black

Six of Crows - Leigh Bardugo

Sweet Evil -  Wendy Higgins

Mistborn - Brandon Sanderson

Bride - Ali Hazelwood

Fourth Wing - Rebecca Yarros

One Dark Window - Rachel Gillig

Serpent & Dove - Shelby Mahurin

Assistant to the Villian - Hannah Nicole Maehrer

Caraval - Stephanie Garber

The Name of the Wind - Patrick Rothfuss

A Fate of Wrath and Flame - K.A. Tucker

The Serpent and the Wings of Night - Carissa Broadbent

The Raven Boys - Maggie Steifvater **

00:00 intro

01:32 bingo card!

02:35 first spin & the rules

04:53 madeline is already struggling

09:20 House of Beating Wings

10:00 solving hannah's book slump

14:10 easyyy

14:35 we don't remember the plot

15:50 hannah's first bingo!

17:10 Daughter of No Worlds debate

18:55 Blood Over Bright Haven Spoiler

20:25 Shatter MAYBE?

21:40 madeline's first bingo!

24:00 han's 2nd bingo

25:30 An Ember in the Ashes

26:10 mad's 2nd bingo

26:40 bingo asmr lol

28:30 mad's 3rd bingo

28:55 hannah messed up

29:45 many bingos

32:45 what's her name

35:35 bringo lol

36:10 finally

38:30 we cheated

40:10 mad blacked out

42:50 internet etiquette parenting

52:40 outro

53:10 we're on fable

It's proposal season! 💍 In this episode, we challenge each other to guess the book based solely on its wedding or proposal scene! Featuring both contemporary romance & romantasy books, all of these nuptials are memorable to us in the best or worst way. Tune in to guess along with us! (P.S. This episode contains spoilers! Check the episode chapters & see which books are *starred* below to avoid spoilers!)

🤍 CTB Links!: https://linktr.ee/checkthisbookout

📖 Books Mentioned:

Part of Your World - Abby Jimenez **

Bride - Ali Hazelwood **

The War of Two Queens (From Blood and Ash #4) - Jennifer L. Armentrout **

The Selection - Kiera Cass **

The Book of Azrael - Amber V. Nicole

Sweet Evil - Wendy Higgins **

A Fate of Wrath & Flame - K.A. Tucker **

Divine Rivals - Rebecca Ross **

First Time Caller - B.K. Borison

Furyborn - Claire Legrand

Red Queen - Victoria Aveyard

A Deadly Education - Naomi Novik

Fourth Wing - Rebecca Yarros

Iron Flame - Rebecca Yarros

Onyx Storm - Rebecca Yarros **

Significance - Shelly Crane **

Paradise Problem - Christina Lauren **

Funny Story - Emily Henry **

These Hollow Vows - Lexi Ryan **

Zodiac Academy - Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti **

Bridge Kingdom - Danielle L. Jensen **

Unhoneymooners - Christina Lauren **

Problematic Summer Romance - Ali Hazelwood **

This Summer Will Be Different - Carley Fortune **

One Golden Summer - Carley Fortune

⏱️Timestamps:

00:00 intro

Nothing suits the summer season better than a warm, fun romance! 🏖️ If you're going to the beach or lake - or neither but you're here for the vibes - we have throwback & recently released book recs for your travels! (P.S. This ep has spoilers for some books! See below!)

🤍 CTB Links!: https://linktr.ee/checkthisbookout

📖 Books Mentioned:

Beach Read - Emily Henry

People We Meet on Vacation - Emily Henry

Happy Place - Emily Henry

Paradise Problem - Christina Lauren

Problematic Summer Romance - Ali Hazelwood (SPOILERS)

This Summer Will Be Different - Carley Fortune

One Golden Summer - Carley Fortune

Every Summer After - Carley Fortune

Meet Me At The Lake - Carley Fortune

Ex Vows - Jessica Joyce

⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00:00 beach read recs episode

In this episode, we are joined by our good friend Jamie to take book talk to the next level with PowerPoints! Each of us came prepared with our very own bookish presentation, complete with chaotic slides & questionable hot takes. Join us for a highly entertaining mix of debate, bookish banter, & unexpected PowerPoint prowess.

🤍 CTB Links!: https://linktr.ee/checkthisbookout

📖 Books Mentioned:

A Court of Thorns and Roses - Sarah J Maas

House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City #1) - Sarah J Maas

Throne of Glass - Sarah J Maas

Right Move (Windy City #2) - Liz Tomforde

The Deal (Off Campus #1) - Elle Kennedy 

Zodiac Academy - Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti

Kill Switch (Devil's Night #3) - Penelope Douglas

A Touch of Darkness - Scarlett St. Clair

Lore Olympus - Rachel Smythe

Manacled/Alchemised - SenLinYu

November 9 - Colleen Hoover

Bride - Ali Hazelwood

Butcher & Blackbird - Brynne Weaver

The Crown of Gilded Bones - Jennifer L. Armentrout

Off to the Races - Elsie Silver

⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00 - episode intro

02:10 - our first podcast guest!!!

07:00 - madeline's bookish powerpoint

08:25 - madeline, the archer

11:30 - jamie loves to party

14:40 - hannah goes to jail

18:21 - hannah's hot bf

19:35 - jamie's angel

21:06 - madeline's bat boy

22:42 - jamie's bookish powerpoint

23:00 - basketball boys

23:35 - a man with trauma

25:05 - shadow daddy *spoilers

27:25 - dragon tales *spoilers

30:20 - devils named damon

34:08 - hi hades

37:05 - mr. malfoy

40:20 - hannah's bookish powerpoint

41:00 - the prank of 2021

43:55 - you wanna guess the color...

46:15 - no more knots please

48:10 - ice cream and orzo

49:50 - honeydew allergy

52:05 - foot stomping

52:35 - pregnancy trope

54:19 - chat gpt

56:20 - monopoly?

57:20 - today's book releases