Hot Girls Read Podcast

We are thankful to be in autumn and happy to leave some of that European summer heat behind us. But before we enter the best season of the year, we had to share our catch up on summer reading. This is a classic throwback episode where not only discuss the books that we read, but we’ll share what we loved and what we didn't! There was definitely no reading slump this summer on the Hot Girls Read Podcast. Tune in to discover more books to add to your TBR or to see if we have the same thoughts about this year’s reads!

Books Mentioned:

The Adventures of Amina Al Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty

Paris à la Nage - Guide des piscines parisiennes by Colombe Schneck

The Rainfall Market by You Yeong Gwang

Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan

Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hood

Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky

Blood Over Bright Haven by ML Wang

Half City by Kate Golden

Polo Fever by Kathereine Reilly

Down to Earth by Julia Turshen

Intimacy by Hanif Kureishi

Darkbirch Academy by Krista Graves

Because I Killed Him by Edith Birde

Fervor by Meg Smitherman

Double Standard by Mallory Thomas

The Jasad Crown by Sara Hashem

If Books Could Kill by Kate Eberle

Vacation Self by Alexandra Romanoff

Heart the Lover by Lily King

Never Lasting by Angela Bourassa

The Poison Daughter by Sheila Masterson

Heart of Thieves by Jessica S. Olson

Daggermouth by HM Wolfe

Tropesick by Lauren Okie

Don't Let Him In by Lisa Jewell

When Sparks Fly by Monica Murphy

Evenings and Weekends by Oisin Mckenna

We’re turning the spotlight on Julia and learning more about her new print magazine! Also changing careers (from finance to a variety of creative pursuits), she describes her move from NYC to Paris and rediscovering her creative passions. Julia’s journey spans from writing poetry daily to becoming a magazine editor during her masters program and now building a creative business from the ground up. We focus on her latest news: the launch of Paris Untapped! Julia shares about growing on Substack, immersing herself in Parisian culture, and working with local artists to build this debut magazine.

Paris Untapped is accessible for English speakers and readers all over the world who are interested in Parisian arts, culture, and gastronomy.

S7E4: Some books age better than others…is UGLIES by Scott Westerfeld one of them?

With the dystopian genre picking back up in popularity (perhaps due to global politics), we spend this episode with a re-read of Scott Westerfeld’s UGLIES. It’s crazy to think that this book came out almost twenty years ago, and let’s just say that reading it again at 30 was quite the mixed bag experience! 

Our deep dive discussion leaves no stone unturned. We delve into the nuances of the UGLIES world, the characters, the plot, our favourite lines, and the immense amount of hoverboarding – and by the end of our chat, you could say we had a new-found appreciation for this middle-school classic.

In a time where the pressure to be ‘pretty’ is more demanding than ever, the message at the core of UGLIES hits home no matter your age.

S7E3: With the spotlight on Ayesha in this episode, we finally get to hear the inside scoop of what literary agenting is like! From advice on changing careers (pivoting from consulting to publishing) and how to become an agent, to answering the question of ‘what exactly do book agents do?’ and giving us a behind the scenes look into the London Book Fair, Ayesha spills some secrets of the world behind the books we read. Importantly, we also get into some of Ayesha’s submission tips – if you have always wondered how it all works, or are an aspiring author or agent, this episode is a must listen! 

S7E2: Calling all fans (or haters – we don’t discriminate!) of the Bridgerton-verse! We are diving into the latest season of Netflix’s most popular rompy regency romance, and comparing it to the book it’s based off of, ‘An Offer from a Gentleman’, by Julia Quinn. Since watching (our favorite) season 2 together, with the recent release of season 4, we thought it would be even more fun to read the source material and discuss both book and show! 

We start the episode with our thoughts on season 4 – what we liked, didn’t like, and how it stacked relative to previous seasons. Then, we get into the book, noting all the ways it was similar, different, and dare we say, better than the series. If you love a good show vs. book breakdown or simply adore the Bridgerton series, this is an episode you can’t miss!

S7E1:And just like that, we have done 6 seasons of the Hot Girls Read podcast! Welcome to our first episode of season 7: the one where we share our 2026 goals.

We recorded this episode a couple of days after the start of the lunar near year, and perhaps it’s the action-focused energy of the zodiac (year of the fire horse!) that inspired us to dedicate an episode to our literary hopes and dreams for the year. 

From chatting about astrology and Saturn Returns to what the year might hold for us as readers and podcasters, this episode heralds the start of a new year, a new season, and hopefully, lots of brilliant happenings in 2026!

The big question: are we living in a literary golden age or a post-literate society ??? 

On this week’s episode we’re doing something a little different to our usual bookish chats, and we’re breaking down a couple of intriguing Substack essays on the combined subject of literature and society. Our primary references include ‘Ignore the pessimists – we are living through a literary golden age’ by Henry Oliver versus ‘The dawn of the post-literate society’ by James Marriott. From the simultaneous (oddly, and apparently) global decrease and increase in reading to the role of screens in the downfall of reading comprehension, we wade through the facts, the arguments, and our own experiences to come to a conclusion about the current state of the literary world. But, we’re also interested to hear what you guys think – tune in and join the debate!

S6 E6: Join us in conversation with Gregory Grosvenor, writer, author, teacher and fellow only child. We talk about Greg’s early inspirations in writing, from growing up in Germany, supportive parents, and an early conviction to write. We then delve into a myriad of topics including Greg’s experience as a creative writing teacher, his past as an alcoholic, and of course, his debut novel, Second Pocket First, full of quirky characters, bucolic Vermont scenery, great outfits, and some good old fashioned burglary. 

To learn more about Greg Grosvenor and to purchase Second Pocket First, you can check out his website, and follow him on Instagram.

In this episode we talk to Laura Goode, author, essayist, poet, screen writer, and educator, about her latest book, Pitch Craft. Pitch Craft is all about the art of presenting yourself as a person and a writer, but our conversation doesn’t just end there. From talking about the quirks and perks of being an only child to the magic of female friendship, this is a conversation that explores the hidden side of writing – the part which is less about the writing itself than it is about connecting with yourself and the people around you. 

To learn more about Laura Goode and to purchase Pitch Craft, you can check out her website, and follow her on Instagram.

S6E4: While the days are getting shorter and the temperatures are dropping lower, being indoors is looking a lot more cozy. In other words, it's the perfect season to get back to reading! Not only is autumn THE season for reading, but there are so many sub-genres that perfectly compliment the moody weather and spooky atmosphere of fall. Tune in to hear our recommendations for witchy and gothic reads, to cozy, dark academia, and just plain dark. We also spend some time reviewing lists compiled by reading platforms (GoodReads and Fable) on suggested autumnal reads. As ever, happy reading from the Hot Girls Read podcast. 

Titles Mentioned

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna

The Secret History by Donna Tart

Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree, 

Discworld series by Terry Pratchett

The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery

The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston

The Hexologists by Josiah Bancroft

The Wisteria society for Lady Scoundrels by India Holton

Weird Woods: Tales from the Haunted Woods of Britain (A British Library short story collection)

Anything by Shirley Jackson (Haunting of Hill House, We Have always lived in the Castle) 

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

Bunny by Mona Awad

Temptation of Magic by Megan Scott

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Natasha Preston books

A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid

The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

Weyward by Emilia Hart

The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow

Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

The Green Witch: Your Complete Guide to the Natural Magic of Herbs, Flowers, Essential Oils, and More by Arin Murphy

Slewfoot by Alexis Henderson

Psychic Witch by Mat Auryn

Dracula by Bram Stoker

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving

The Complete Stories and Poems by Edgar Allan Poe

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