Friday Night Readers: Book Club That Reads Like Gilmore Girls

Welcome to Friday Night Readers, a virtual book club inspired by Gilmore Girls, hosted by Julianne Buonocore, who has run a Rory Gilmore reading challenge since 2021 and wrote the Unofficial Guide to the Books on Gilmore Girls. Fueled by coffee, we help you read, live, and write like Rory.

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Read the full transcript/blog post and subscribe to our Substack community: Books from Season 2 of Gilmore Girls

Timestamps:

03:46 Featured Book of the Month: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

06:25 Audible deal for Prime members: For only $0.99/mo for the first 4 months and a $20 credit, you can pick any audiobook title from their unparalleled collection. It auto-renews at $8.99/mo after 4 months, but you can cancel anytime, including before the auto-renewal, meaning you get a handful of audiobooks for practically nothing. The offer ends October 7, 2026, at 11:59 PM PT, so click here now to see if this insanely cheap book deal applies to your account.

08:02 Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom

09:36 Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson

11:23 Howl and Other Poems by Allen Ginsberg

12:51 Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens

13:26 Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

14:24 The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. by Washington Irving

15:48 The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand

16:56 Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger

18:13 “Paul Revere’s Ride” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

19:07 Othello by William Shakespeare

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Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. These show notes contain affiliate links through which I earn commissions at no extra cost to you.

Welcome to Friday Night Readers, a virtual book club inspired by Gilmore Girls, hosted by Julianne Buonocore, who has run a Rory Gilmore reading challenge since 2021 and wrote the Unofficial Guide to the Books on Gilmore Girls. Fueled by coffee, we help you read, live, and write like Rory.

Gilmore Girls is best known for feeling light, but it actually shares many storylines with dark academia books. It all started when Rory was “Puffed” at Chilton, and it continued when she “jumped, Jack” with The Life and Death Brigade at Yale. Rory’s schoolgirl style has that traditional collegiate look, and even Richard’s Connecticut study looks straight out of the Ivy League.

So, as we take our Rory Gilmore reading challenge to read the books on Gilmore Girls, let’s explore the dark academia these characters referenced, along with a few more of my personal favorite fall books with this moody aesthetic.

Light a fall candle, throw on a Rory Gilmore sweater, and turn these pages this autumn as you rewatch the fall episodes of Gilmore Girls.

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Read the full transcript and subscribe to our Substack community: Dark Academia Books

Timestamps:

01:45 What actually makes a book dark academia?

02:50 Audible deal for Prime members

04:28 The Bell Jar

06:25 Brideshead Revisited

07:48 Frankenstein

09:47 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone  (MinaLima edition of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone; Audible exclusive, full-cast productions)

12:51 The Picture of Dorian Gray 

14:29 The Secret History

17:09 If We Were Villains

18:42 Never Let Me Go

20:04 A Separate Peace

21:28 The Witches of Cambridge

24:43 Study Decor Inspired by Richard Gilmore

25:18 Collegiate Style Inspired by Rory Gilmore

25:58 For Paid Subscribers Only: 10 Books That Didn’t Make My Cut

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Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. These show notes contain affiliate links through which I earn commissions at no extra cost to you.

Welcome to Friday Night Readers, a virtual book club inspired by Gilmore Girls, hosted by Julianne Buonocore, who has run a Rory Gilmore reading challenge since 2021 and wrote the Unofficial Guide to the Books on Gilmore Girls. Fueled by coffee, we help you read, live, and write like Rory.

Listen to the podcast on: Substack | Apple | Spotify | Amazon | YouTube

Read the full transcript and subscribe to our Substack community: Books Like Gilmore Girls

Timestamps:

00:27 Meet the Expert Panel of Literary Gilmore Girls Superfans: Jules @ Friday Night Readers and Kristy Woodson Harvey

03:27 Falling for Peachtree Bluff

03:37 Affiliate Partner: New customers can get $5 off your first purchase of $10 or more on PangoBooks with code LITLIFE.

13:24 Nantucket Second Chances

14:55 The One & Only

16:43 Talulah’s Back in Town

17:53 This Book Made Me Think of You

20:19 The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living

20:48 The Honeycrisp Orchard Inn

21:12 If It Makes You Happy

21:52 The Pumpkin Spice Cafe

22:24 Something About September

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Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. These show notes contain affiliate links through which I earn commissions at no extra cost to you.

Welcome to Friday Night Readers, a virtual book club inspired by Gilmore Girls, hosted by Julianne Buonocore, who has run a Rory Gilmore reading challenge since 2021 and wrote the Unofficial Guide to the Books on Gilmore Girls. Fueled by coffee, we help you read, live, and write like Rory.

Listen to the podcast on: Substack | Apple | Spotify | Amazon | YouTube

Read the full transcript and subscribe to our Substack community: Lorelai Gilmore Reading List

Timestamps:

00:22 Intro - Rory Gilmore reading challenge and a Read Like a Gilmore challenge to read the books on Gilmore Girls

04:27 Featured Book of the Month: Macbeth, No Fear edition

05:41 10 Iconic Books Lorelai Read on Gilmore Girls - Deenie by Judy Blume, The Dirt: Confessions of the World’s Most Notorious Rock Band by Tommy Lee, et al., I’m With the Band by Pamela Des Barres, Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain, Moby Dick by Herman Melville, Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich, Out of Africa by Karen Blixen/Isak Dinesen, Sailing Alone Around the Room by Billy Collins, Secrets of the Flesh: A Life of Colette by Judith Thurman, Wild by Cheryl Strayed

16:27 The Full Lorelai Gilmore Reading List: 136 Verified Books

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Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. These show notes contain affiliate links through which I earn commissions at no extra cost to you.

Welcome to Friday Night Readers, a virtual book club inspired by Gilmore Girls, hosted by Julianne Buonocore, who has run a Rory Gilmore reading challenge since 2021 and wrote the Unofficial Guide to the Books on Gilmore Girls. Fueled by coffee, we help you read, live, and write like Rory.

Listen to the podcast on: Substack | Apple | Spotify | Amazon | YouTube

Read the full transcript and subscribe to our Substack community: Anna Karenina Book Review

Timestamps:

01:10 books set in Europe

03:21 Anna Karenina key details

05:06 Get a good translation: Oprah’s Book Club edition, Audible exclusive audiobook

05:54 Formulate your reading plan.

07:23 Remember the opening line—the most famous quote.

07:57 Master the main characters.

09:17 Learn the basic summary.

09:52 Watch an adaptation. (2012 Keira Knightley adaptation)

10:34 Read a modern retelling. (Anna K by Jenny Lee)

11:40 Pair it with Gilmore Girls. (Want all the books on Gilmore Girls listed by episode? Become a paid subscriber to access my 15-page checklist as a perk or buy my 200-page Unofficial Guide to the Books on Gilmore Girls.)

14:40 Understand the point of it all.

15:22 Know that it’s worth it.

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Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. These show notes contain affiliate links through which I earn commissions at no extra cost to you.

Welcome to Friday Night Readers, a virtual book club inspired by Gilmore Girls, hosted by Julianne Buonocore, who has run a Rory Gilmore reading challenge since 2021 and wrote the Unofficial Guide to the Books on Gilmore Girls. Fueled by coffee, we help you read, live, and write like Rory.

Listen to the podcast on: Substack | Apple | Spotify | Amazon | YouTube

Read the full transcript and subscribe to our Substack community: Books Set in Europe

Timestamps:

01:36 Elle Reads Library Books. Note that she’s currently running a 60% off sale on annual paid subscriptions for one week just for Friday night readers like you!

04:16 Rory Gilmore reading challenge is to read one book set in Europe from the Gilmore Girls book list.

06:20 Anna Karenina

08:27 Barefoot in Paris

11:34 The Merchant of Venice

14:50 Outlander

19:00 Rebecca

23:01 A Room of One’s Own

25:21 Our TBR Lists: Tender is the Night, Zorba the Greek, Daisy Miller Gigi

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Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. These show notes contain affiliate links through which I earn commissions at no extra cost to you.

Welcome to Friday Night Readers, a virtual book club inspired by Gilmore Girls, hosted by Julianne Buonocore, who has run a Rory Gilmore reading challenge since 2021 and wrote the Unofficial Guide to the Books on Gilmore Girls. Fueled by coffee, we help you read, live, and write like Rory.

Listen to the podcast on: Substack | Apple | Spotify | Amazon | YouTube

Read the full transcript and subscribe to our Substack community: Shakespearean Tragedies

Timestamps:

03:57 What You Need to Know About Shakespearean Tragedies

06:21 Hamlet

09:20 King Lear

11:51 Macbeth

13:15 Othello

15:15 Romeo & Juliet

19:26 Tips for Reading Shakespeare’s Works (No Fear editions )

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Follow: Instagram, Threads, Facebook, GoodReads, YouTube, TikTok, Pinterest, X, Reddit, LinkedIn

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. These show notes contain affiliate links through which I earn commissions at no extra cost to you.

Welcome to Friday Night Readers, a virtual book club inspired by Gilmore Girls, hosted by Julianne Buonocore, who has run a Rory Gilmore reading challenge since 2021 and wrote the Unofficial Guide to the Books on Gilmore Girls. Fueled by coffee, we break down the books on the show, so you actually understand what the characters are talking so fast about, and help you read, live, and write like Rory.

Listen to the podcast on: Substack | Apple | Spotify | Amazon | YouTube

Read the full transcript and subscribe to our Substack community: American Girl Tribute

Timestamps:

03:25 My Origin Story: What It Meant Then and Means Now

07:00 On American Girl’s 40th Anniversary: From 1986 to 2026

The Making of American Girl (a swoonworthy coffee table book)

An American Girl: How a Billion-Dollar Doll and Its Unlikely Founder Changed Girlhood Forever by Amanda FitzSimons (a nonfiction deep dive)

12:59 Felicity Merriman

15:28 Josefina Montoya

18:12 Kirsten Larson

20:02 Addy Walker

22:25 Samantha Parkington

24:53 Molly McIntire

27:26 Reading Tips for Beginners

28:54 The Impact of American Girl on This Community

33:28 More American Girl Fandom to Explore

Samantha: The Next Chapter by Fiona Davis

Meg’s Collecting Corner

my appearance on her podcast

Meg’s Reading Room’s interview with author Valerie Tripp and Meg’s interview with Blake Changnon / The CF Museum of Toys & Collectibles

Sydney Rose Paulsen (@5hensandacockatiel)

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Follow: Instagram, Threads, Facebook, GoodReads, YouTube, TikTok, Pinterest, X, Reddit, LinkedIn

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. These show notes contain affiliate links through which I earn commissions at no extra cost to you.

Welcome to Friday Night Readers, a virtual book club inspired by Gilmore Girls, hosted by Julianne Buonocore, who has run a Rory Gilmore reading challenge since 2021 and wrote the Unofficial Guide to the Books on Gilmore Girls. Fueled by coffee, we break down the books on the show, so you actually understand what the characters are talking so fast about, and help you read, live, and write like Rory.

Listen to the podcast on: Substack | Apple | Spotify | Amazon | YouTube

Read the full transcript and subscribe to our Substack community: Best Elin Hilderbrand Books with Laura Yamin of The Reading Receipt — by Laura of What to Read Next

Timestamps:

02:19 About Queen of the Beach Reads, Elin Hilderbrand

08:27 The Rumor

10:23 The Hotel Nantucket

13:19 Swan Song

16:11 The Perfect Couple

18:07 Silver Girl

19:18 Summer of ’69

20:37 Winter in Paradise

21:56 28 Summers

24:31 Authors Like Elin Hilderbrand to Read Next

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Follow: Instagram, Threads, Facebook, GoodReads, YouTube, TikTok, Pinterest, X, Reddit, LinkedIn

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. These show notes contain affiliate links through which I earn commissions at no extra cost to you.

Welcome to Friday Night Readers, a virtual book club inspired by Gilmore Girls, hosted by Julianne Buonocore, who has run a Rory Gilmore reading challenge since 2021 and wrote the Unofficial Guide to the Books on Gilmore Girls. Fueled by coffee, we break down the books on the show, so you actually understand what the characters are talking so fast about, and help you read, live, and write like Rory.

Listen to the podcast on: Substack | Apple | Spotify | Amazon | YouTube

Read the full transcript and subscribe to our Substack community: Full List of Short Books

Timestamps:

01:03 Rory Gilmore reading challenge to read one book per month from the Gilmore Girls book list

03:41 Featured Book Author of the Month: William Shakespeare (No Fear editions)

09:32 10 Popular Short Classic Books Everyone Should Read

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

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Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. These show notes contain affiliate links through which I earn commissions at no extra cost to you.