Fifty Percent

In their first holiday-themed book club episode, Abigail and Katey discuss “You’re A Mean One, Matthew Prince” by Timothy Janovsky, in which a rich socialite’s heart grows three sizes thanks to the magic of bunk beds and small town Christmas spirit. They also discuss the worst movies to make out to, “Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas,” a short story recommendation Katey shouldn’t have taken, and Abigail’s recent foray into audiobooks.

Abigail and Katey decided since it’s finally cold where they live, it’s time for the holidays, and that means it’s time to list out some of their favorite Christmas and holiday adjacent books. They also discuss the ordeal they went through acquiring Taylor Swift tickets, the magic of the night before Thanksgiving, and books they’re excited to read this year.

In an episode rounding up their favorite books of the year, Abigail and Katey give awards for Best Grand Gesture, Best Male Lead and Best Dog Character, among others. They also discuss books they loved outside of the romance genre, what books they’re looking forward to in 2023 and what they’re excited to read over the holidays.

In their second spooky book club episode of October, Katey and Abigail discuss "Go Hex Yourself" by Jessica Clare, which is best described as "Halloweentown but...spicy?" Conversation topics include old lady food fights, espionage, Legos, pumpkin bread, and, most importantly, Taylor Swift's "Midnights." 

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In a bonus book club episode based on Katey’s unwavering insistence, Abigail and Katey chat about “The Dead Romantics” by Ashley Poston, a love story about a ghostwriter and an actual ghost. It also features the worst man to ever exist, a very cute and furry mayor, Waffle House visits, and poignant writings about grief and all types of love. 

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Listen to Katey's favorite "The Dead Romantics"-themed playlists here and here.

In this August book club episode, Abigail and Katey talk about Bolu Babalola’s "Honey & Spice," a fake-dating story between two college students set in England. There’s plenty to talk about in this book, including collegiate political drama, friend break-ups, Kiki’s exceptional insult ability, fantasy cosplay, and the unrealistic communication expectations Malakai gives to 20-year-old men everywhere. 

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Show notes:

• Read the New York Times review of "Honey & Spice"
• Read more about the "Honey & Spice" sequel

Katey and Abigail discuss how they got into reading romance (including their friendship origin story, which features Christina Lauren), their favorite romance tropes (ONLY ONE BED!), instant-buy authors, the merits of rereading and a speed round with debates on BookTok vs. Bookstagram, ebooks vs. physical books and when a book becomes a DNF.

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