We were lucky enough to record this episode together in a studio at Vanishing Point Records in Chesterfield. 

We kick off with a wrap-up of our reading stats for the year: how many books and pages, the moods and re-reads.

*Accessed through our work/from the publisher

2024 debut book:

Caitlin: The Heir Apparent by Rebecca Armitage*

Michelle: Confessions by Catherine Airey*

Non-fiction:

Michelle: John and Paul: A Love story in Songs by Ian Leslie 

Caitlin: The Third Gilmore Girl by Kelly Bishop

Australian book:

Michelle: Consider Yourself Kissed by Jessica Stanley

Caitlin: Until the Red Leaves Fall by Alli Parker*

Romance: 

Michelle: Swept Away by Beth O’Leary 

Caitlin: An Academic Affair by Jodi McAlister

Fiction: 

Michelle: The Offing by Benjamin Myers

Caitlin: Ever Blessed by Olivia O’Flynn*

Young Adult:

Michelle: Red Flags by Sophie Jo*

Caitlin: Grumpy Darling by Alexandra Moody*

Most surprising:

Caitlin: Fake by Stephanie Wood

Michelle: The Lamb by Lucy Rose

Favourite cover:

Caitlin: A Smart Girls Guide to Second Chances by Steph Vizard*

Michelle: Sad Girl Hours by Anna Zoe Quirke*

Recommendation for each other:

Michelle: The Wedding People by Alison Espach

Caitlin: *Until the Red Leaves Fall by Alli Parker

Worth the hype:

Michelle: Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Caitlin: Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

Books on our radar for 2026:

• Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke 
• Motherfaker by Anna Brook-Mitchell
• The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke*
• Esther is Now Following You by Tanya Sweeny*
• Heartstopper volume 6 by Alice Oseman
• The Silent Appeal by Janice Hallett
• Caller Unknown by Gillian McAllister
• Whatever Happened to Madeline Stone by Louise O’Neill
• Fruit Fly by Josh Silver
• This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page
• Survival Show by Juno Dawson
• Hopeless Romantics by Mhairi McFarlane
• Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune

Favourite TV:

Michelle: 

• The Americans
• Outrageous
• Supernatural
• Daddy Issues

Caitlin:

• Fresh Off the Boat
• Severence
• Heated Rivalry

Favourite films:

Michelle: 

• Civil War
• The Thursday Murder Club
• Lily & Stitch (live action)
• Downton Abbey: The Finale

Caitlin:

• September 5
• Wicked: For Good
• Thelma

Favourite podcasts:

Michelle: 

• Just The Gist
• Big Small Talk ‘Big Talk’ episodes 
• Last Podcast on the Left episodes on Heinrich Himmler and The Great Molasses Flood

Caitlin:

• Pulp Kitchen
• Good Hang
• Hamish & Andy

But for your convenience, here's everything else we mentioned in this episode:

• Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
• The Beatles by Hunter Davies
• Katabasis by RF Kuang
• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
• Wings: The Story of a Band 
• Rivals by Jilly Cooper
• The Dry Heart by Natalia Ginzburg
• Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsey
• The Job Share by Sophie Jo
• Heartbreak Era by Sophie Jo
• All Fours by Miranda July
• Literary Legends Reading Challenge
• The Goldmans
• The Stringer: The Man Who Took the Photo (film)
• Zootopia 2
• Celebrity Traitors
• Spotlight
• The Rest is Entertainment
• Inside Out 2

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