MLR Episode 56: We Love You Jillian, Thanks for All the Books

This one is bittersweet. Episode 56 is a full episode — books, opinions, a hot take about authors who apparently never sleep — but it's also a farewell. After 56 episodes together, Jillian is stepping back from co-hosting to give her full attention to a new job and her family. We send her off the only way we know how: with warmth, honesty, and a lot of good books.

In This Episode

• Jillian shares her news and what's next
• Six book reviews: thriller, cozy fantasy, literary fiction, sci-fi, historical fiction, and swoony romance
• Hot Take: Authors who release a book every year — smash or pass?
• The holds list and a proper send-off for Jillian

Books Reviewed

We Burn So Bright — TJ Klune ★★★★★ (Jillian)

Maisie Dobbs — Jacqueline Winspear ★★★ (Jillian)

And Now Back to You — BK Borison ★★★★★ (Jillian)

Little One — Olivia Muenter ★★★★★ (Erin)

Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter — Heather Fawcett ★★★★½ (Erin)

Wild People Quiet — Tara Geroux★★★★★ (Erin)

Hot Take

Authors who release a book every year — smash or pass? Both co-hosts land on smash, with nuance. Carly Fortune gets a special shoutout: five books in five years, each one earning its place. The real question: whose timeline is the production schedule actually serving?

Find Us

• Erin: @medium.lady
• Jillian: @jillianfindinghappy
• The podcast: @mediumladyreads

Fifty-six episodes. Jillian's warmth, honesty, and genuine love of books are all over this show. She's not disappearing — she's going toward something. You can still find her at @jillianfindinghappy. Thank you, Jillian.

We hope your holds arrive quickly, and your next book finds you right where you need it most.

Hello, hi, and “Welcome back to Medium Lady Reads! This is Episode 55, “Mostly Vibes Not Much Plot” We’re so glad you are here! Spring is in the air — or at least we're willing it there — and we are back with books, opinions, and a little bit of our signature chaos.

We have a solid lineup for you today. Erin and Jillian are both coming in with reviews, they've got thoughts on the holds list, and later in the episode we want to talk about something all readers are obsessed with but we’ve never asked… why do we count our books? Like, what is that actually about? We'll get into it.

Mentioned In This Episode:

• The ladies check in to see how their reading is going and even mention a few books in the process.
• If you’re wondering what types of books the ladies include this week, don’t worry because we share the deets.
• Ready or not, it’s time to add 6 new books to your TBR. Jillian and Erin share 3 new books each.
• Up next is hot takes, and we’re talking book counts in this episode. 
• It’s time for the holds list – Erin and Jillian share what’s on their holds list and what’s up next for them in the book world.

Books Mentioned In This Episode:

• Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell 
• Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear
• The White Hot by Quiara Alegría Hudes
• The Book of Lost Hours by Hayley Gelfuso
• The Time Travelers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
• The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
• The Tell by Amy Griffin 
• All Systems Red by Martha Wells
• The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff
• Tiny Experiments by Anne-Laure Le Cunff
• Little One by Olivia Muenter
• Anatomy of an Alibi by Ashley Elston
• The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
• Just Friends by Haley Pham
• And Now Back to You by B.K. Borison

Hello, hi, and “Welcome back to Medium Lady Reads! This is Episode 54, “I should have DNFd it and other tales from our winter hiatus.” As always, Erin and Jillian have new book recommendations to share!

We are back after a winter hiatus, and still in the thick of our winter reading. While the hiatus went a bit longer than we expected, we’re still here, and we’re still reading! Sort of…and we still have a series of book reviews coming your way, plus the cozy book chat you know and love!

In This Episode:

• Jillian and Erin kick off the show by checking in and sharing how their last couple of months have been going and what they’re currently reading.
• Bring on the books! The ladies share their latest 6 reads.
• Hot takes are up next! Tune in to hear what Erin and Jillian are dishing about this week. 
• Time to wrap up the show… The ladies share what they’re waiting for from the library and what their next read will be.

Books Mentioned In This Episode:

• The Mating Game by Lana Ferguson
• Bride by Ali Hazelwood
• I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman
• An Academic Affair by Jodi McAlister
• The Death of Us by Abigail Dean
• Why Fish Don’t Exist: A Story of Loss, Love, and the Hidden Order of Life by Lulu Miller
• Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
• All Fours by Miranda July
• All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker
• This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron
• This Wicked Fate by Kalynn Bayron
• Circe by Madeline Miller
• The Mother Act by Heidi Reimer
• Theo of Golden by Allen Levi 
• The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
• The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
• Verity by Colleen Hoover
• Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
• Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman
• And Now Back to You by B.K. Borison
• So Old, So Young by Grant Ginder
• The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
• The Seven Daughters of Dupree by Nikesha Elise Williams
• Anatomy of an Alibi by Ashley Elston
• First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston

Hello, hi, and “Welcome back to Medium Lady Reads! This is Episode 53, “Trust your Gut and Read What You Want PLUS our Best Books of the Year.” As always, Erin and Jillian have new book recommendations to share!

We’re so happy you’re here—especially in this cozy, end-of-year stretch. Whether you’ve been listening all along or you’re finding us for the first time, thank you for choosing to spend a little reading time with us. Today we’re settling in with fresh book talk, comforting reads, and a few titles that might be just right for this quiet in-between week.

In This Episode:

• It’s time for a check-in! The ladies check in on how their reading and life are going.
• After the check in, the ladies jump into their book reviews. Tune in to hear what books they’re recommending this week. 
• Instead of Hot Takes, this week the ladies are sharing the books that stuck with them throughout the year.
• The ladies wrap up their last show of the year by sharing what’s on their holds list and what’s coming next on their TBR. 
• The ladies will be taking a winter break for all of January, but will be back in February.

Books Mentioned In This Episode:

• Alchemised by SenLinYu
• A Merry Little Life by Sarah Morgan
• Half Spent Was the Night by Ami McKay
• Mate by Ali Hazelwood
• The Irish Goodbye by Heather Aimee O'Neill
• Girl Dinner by Olivie Blake
• The Will of the Many by James Islington
• The Strength of the Few by James Islington
• Sweet Heat by Bolu Babalola
• Honey and Spice by Bolu Bablola
• Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
• The Dirt Beneath Our Door by Pamela Jones
• Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison
• The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton
• Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy
• Can’t Get Enough by Kennedy Ryan
• The Heartbreak Hotel by Ellen O’Clover
• Weyward by Emilia Hart
• The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
• The Unseen World by Liz Moore
• Women Who Work Too Much by Tamu Thomas
• One Perfect Summer by Carley Fortune
• The Gift by Danielle Steel
• The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow
• An Academic Affair by Jodi McAlister
• Meet Me Under the Mistletoe by Jenny Bayliss

Hello, hi, and “Welcome back to Medium Lady Reads! This is Episode 52, “Romantasy VS Your English Lit Degree.” As always, Erin and Jillian have new book recommendations to share!

We’re really glad you’ve joined us today. As we ease deeper into the holiday season, maybe your reading life feels steady and cozy… or maybe it’s a little chaotic. Either way, we’ve got some great books to share that might meet you exactly where you are.

In This Episode:

• The ladies start the show the same way they usually do by checking in on how their reading and life is going. 
• Time to jump into the meat of the episode! Erin starts the show off with her review, and Jillian’s review follows it.
• Next up is hot takes! This week, the ladies discuss this Instagram reel from @kaila.books.
• Erin and Jillian wrap up with the holds list and share what they’re going to read next. 

Books Mentioned In This Episode:

• Sweet Heat by Bolu Babalola
• The Will of the Many by James Islington
• Primal Intelligence by Angus Fletcher
• If It Makes You Happy by Julie Olivia
• Sisters In the Wind by Angeline Boulley
• The Firekeepers Daughter by Angeline Boulley
• Wreck by Catherine Newman
• Sandwich by Catherine Newman
• We All Want Impossible Things by Catherine Newman
• Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker
• Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams
• Brimstone by Callie Hart
• Run Rose Run by Dolly Parton and James Patterson
• An Academic Affair by Jodi McAlister
• The Irish Goodbye by Heather Aimee O'Neill
• Katabasis by R. F. Kuang 
• Cover Story by Mhairi McFarlane
• The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai
• The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson 
• Hagitude by Sharon Blackie
• Alchemised by SenLinYu
• Snowed In For Christmas by Jaqueline Snowe

Hello, hi, and welcome to Medium Lady Reads. This is episode 51 - A VERY special episode, our FIFTH annual Cozy Christmas Reads! This is the perfect time of year for some emotional junk food in book form!

We are celebrating the fifth season of our annual Cozy Christmas Reads episode. Here are the links to 2021, 2022 and 2023 and 2024. For those who know the Cozy Christmas episode traditions well, you know that means we’re joined by two amazing and special guests Stef Cunningham and Ali Oppenlaender.

In This Episode:

• The show starts how it always does, with the ladies & their special guests checking in on how their reading is going.
• The ladies rank their reads from Scrooge to Christmas on Hallmark Street.
• Next up, the friends share the books they brought to the episode. Listener, you’ll be walking away with 8 cozy books for your holiday listening.
• It wouldn’t be an episode of Medium Lady Reads without hot takes. Tune in to find out what we’re all thinking.
• All four women share what they’re waiting for from the library and what they’re reading next.

Books Mentioned in This Episode:

• All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker 
• Maple Syrup: A Short History of Canada's Sweetest Obsession by Peter Kuitenbrouwer
• Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
• Tress and The Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson
• Hot Desk by Laura Dickerman
• Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
• Girl Dinner by Olivie Blake
• I’ll Be Home for Christmas by Jenny Bayliss
• Season for Second Chances by Jenny Bayliss
• Meet Me Under the Mistletoe by Jenny Bayliss
• The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Jenny Bayliss
• December to Remember by Jenny Bayliss
• Kiss Me at Christmas by Jenny Bayliss
• Half Spent was the Night by Ami McKay 
• The Mistletoe Mystery: A Maid Novella by Nita Prose
• A Merry Little Lie by Sarah Morgan
• The Book Club Hotel by Sarah Morgan
• The Bookbinder by Pip Williams
• The Dictionary of Lost of Words by Pip Williams
• Good Spirits by B.K. Borison
• Love Light Farms by B.K. Borison
• First Time Caller by B.K. Borison
• The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter
• Christmas at the Ranch by Julia McKay
• How to Read a Book by Monica Wood
• One In A Million Boy by Monica Wood
• The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
• A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna
• Sweet Heat by Bolu Babalola
• In the Veins of the Drowning by Kalie Cassidy
• Alchemised by SenLinYu 
• Spectacular by Stephanie Garber
• Winterhouse by Ben Guterson
• Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy
• The Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean
• Wreck by Catherine Newman
• The Correspondent by Virginia Evans 
• Walking with Beth by Merilyn Simonds
• Accomplish to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer 
• August Lane by Regina Black

Hello, hi, and welcome to Medium Lady Reads. This is episode 50 - “Celebrating Fifty Episodes plus the Book Review We’ve All Been Waiting For.”  As always, Erin and Jillian have new book recommendations to share!

We’re so happy you’re tuning in for episode 50!! The days are getting a little shorter, the reading spots a little cozier, and we’ve got some wonderful books to keep you company this season. Pour yourself something warm, settle in, and let’s talk about the stories we’ve been loving lately.

In This Episode:

• Erin and Jillian open the show with some celebratory words for their 50th episode! 
• The ladies check in to see how their reading and life is going.
• Time to jump into the meat of this week’s episode; the ladies share their 3 books each. 
• Next up is hot takes! This week’s hot take comes from our buddy read friend Stef Cunningham. Tune in to hear what it is!
• The Holds List wraps up the show! Jillian and Erin share what they’re waiting for from the library and what they’ll be reading next.

Books Mentioned In This Episode:

• The Book of Guilt by Catherine Chidgey
• Good Spirits by B.K. Borison
• The House of My Mother by Shari Franke
• Dream By the Shadows by Logan Karlie
• Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman
• The Hike by Drew Magary
• Zoey is Too Drunk for This Dystopia by Jason Pargin
• Lauryn Harper Falls Apart by Shauna Robinson
• The Heartbreak Hotel by Ellen O’Clover
• The Wilderness by Angela Flournoy
• The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
• Mate by Ali Hazelwood
• Flashlight by Susan Choi
• The Hunger We Pass Down by Jen Sookfong Lee
• Sisters in the Wind by Angeline Boulley
• People Watching by Hannah Bonam-Young
• ReWitched by Lucy Jane Wood
• Wreck by Catherine Newman 
• Girl Dinner by Olivie Blake
• It’s Different This Time by Joss Richard
• If It Makes You Happy by Julie Olivia

Hello, hi, and welcome to Medium Lady Reads. This is episode 49 - “The First Ten Percent of a Book is the Worst!”  As always, Erin and Jillian have new book recommendations to share!

Grab your beverage of choice, find your coziest corner, and join Jillian and Erin for their latest reads. They love having you as their honorary third reader, and who knows—maybe one of today’s picks will be your next five-star favorite.

In This Episode:

• Erin and Jillian check in on how their reading and lives have been going. 
• Time to jump into the reviews for this episode. Jillian and Erin share their latest 3 books. 
• Mentioned in This Episode: Embracing Enchantment with Megan Hamilton.
• Mentioned in This Episode: Leila Mottley on The Stacks Podcast.
• Hot Takes is up next. Tune in to learn what we’re talking about this week. 
• Last but not least, the ladies share what they have on hold and what they’ll be reading next. 

Books Mentioned In This Episode:

• Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
• Birding with Benefits by Sarah T. Dubb 
• Weyward by Emilia Hart
• The Secret History by Donna Tartt
• Sister Snake by Amanda Lee Koe
• A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna
• The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
• The Girls Who Grew Big by Leila Mottley
• Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley
• Crazy Spooky Love by Josie Silver 
• Kooky Spooky Love by Josie Silver 
• The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, and The Horse by Charlie Mackesy
• Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman
• I’ll Be Home for Christmas by Jenny Bayliss
• Hot Desk by Laura Dickerman
• Period Power by Maisie Hill
• The Compound by Aisling Rawle
• Maggie; or, a Man and a Woman Walk Into a Bar by Katie Yee
• The Secret Book Society by Madeline Martin
• One Day Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad

Hello, hi, and welcome to Medium Lady Reads. This is episode 48 - “Five Stars, Please.” As always, Jillian and Erin have a fresh batch of book recommendations they’re excited to share.

So pour yourself something warm, grab a blanket, and let’s talk about what we’ve been reading lately. Erin and Jillian always want you to feel like the third reader in our chat. With any luck, you’ll leave this episode with at least one new title to put on your library holds list—and maybe even your next favorite book.”

In This Episode:

• Erin and Jillian check in on how their reading and lives have been going. 
• It’s time to share their 3 books each! What will the ladies bring to the show this week? Tune in to find out. 
• Mentioned in This Episode: Cozy Christmas Reads 2024
• Next up, is Hot Takes and today Jillian and Erin are talking about a reel that Mychal Threets put out about rating books. Watch it HERE.
• Mentioned in this Episode: Medium Lady Reads 45.
• Jillian and Erin wrap up with the holds list. Listen in to find out what’s on each woman’s hold list.

Books Mentioned In This Episode:

• The Wilderness by Angela Flournoy
• Crazy Spooky Love by Josie Silver
• Winging It with You by Chip Pons
• I Leave It Up to You by Jinwoo Chong
• The Breakaway by Jennifer Weiner
• Me, But Better by Olga Khazan
• Once Upon a Time in Dollywood by Ashley Jordan
• We Are All Guilty Here by Karin Slaughter
• All The Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker
• The Plan by Kendra Adachi
• If It Makes You Happy by Julie Olivia
• Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
• Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman
• People Watching by Hannah Bonam-Young

Hello, hi, and welcome to Medium Lady Reads. This is episode 47 - “Is Romantasy Just a Marketing Ploy?”

Time to set up a fresh TBR for fall, and Jillian and Erin are ready to help you pick your next perfect read.

Fall is here, and there’s just something about this season that makes reading feel a little more magical. The days are shorter, the air is cooler, and books start to feel like the perfect way to spend your free time (if you get any!). This episode is your reminder that stories are always waiting to welcome you back, so even if it’s been a while since you finished a book, let’s find your next favorite read together!

In This Episode:

• Jillian and Erin check in with their reading and life. 
• Mentioned in this Episode: Embracing Enchantment - The Magic of Books
• Mentioned in this Episode: The Tiny Bookshop Game by Neoludic Instagram
• Next up, Erin and Jillian bring their books to the episode. Wonder what they’re bringing this week? Tune in!
• This week’s hot take is all about Romantasy. Where do each of the ladies stand? Listen in to find out.
• Finally, the ladies end with the holds list and what they have waiting for them at the library.
  
  

Books Mentioned In This Episode:

• Once Upon a Time in Dollywood by Ashley Jordan
• Weyward by Emilia Hart 
• Run for the Hills by Kevin Wilson
• Home of the American Circus by Allison Larkin
• Family Family by Laurie Frankel
• The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden
• The Summers Between Us by Noreen Nanja
• Every Summer After by Carley Fortune
• One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune
• Aftertaste by Daria Lavelle
• All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker
• Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune
• Till Summer Do Us Part by Meghan Quinn 
• Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
• To the Moon and Back by Eliana Ramage
• Orbital by Samantha Harvey
• Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
• Shopgirls by Jessica Anya Blau
• A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna
• The Borrower by Rebecca Makkai
• A Witch’s Guide to Burning by Aminder Dhaliwal 
• Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman
• Blood Over Bright Haven by M. L. Wang