Poetry is perfect for liminal seasons. And I find myself craving poetic wisdom as winter drags on and slowly turns to spring.

So in this episode, I’m recommending seven recent poetry collections (released in 2023, 2024 or 2025) that are helping me feel alive right now!

These books take on a wide range of themes, tones, and poetic forms, so there’s something here for everyone. Enjoy!

📜 Recommended Books

3:00 Two Open Doors in a Field by Sophie Klahr
5:00 Instructions for Traveling West by Joy Sullivan
6:00 Gemini Gospel by Bianca Alyssa Pérez
8:30 recurring characters by evan chelsee
11:45 Amouroboros by Amelia K.
14:45 Big Money Porno Mommy by Catherine Weiss
18:00 Survival Takes a Wild Imagination by Fariha Róisín

 
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February is the shortest, darkest month. So why not go back to the most ominous place I can imagine... high school? ☠️

In this episode, I'm recommending six dark academia books that all take place in high school and are written for a YA audience. 

Tune in to hear how these academic adventures take on the more unsavory aspects of our society — addressing racism, sexism, and classism within the ivory tower and beyond. Then grab the (affiliate) links below to purchase your own copies!

 
🎓 YA Dark Academia Recs:

• How We Fall Apart by Katie Zhao
• Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
• The Mary Shelley Club by Goldy Moldavasky
• Their Vicious Games by Joelle Washington
• Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
• A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee

 
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Happy Valentine's season, my lovely readers/listeners!

In this episode, I'm celebrating the month of ~~love~~ by sharing a curated list of 5-star romances including my all time faves, a few unexpected picks, and my February romance TBR.

We're talking about 17 romantic books in this episode — including all your fave tropes like enemies-to-lovers, grumpy-sunshine, forced proximity, second chance and more.

Tune in to inspire your own heartwarming reading list. Happy Valentine's Day! xoxo
 
💘 ALL TIME FAVE ROMANCE RECS

Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle

In Five Years by Rebecca Serle

Role Playing by Cathy Yardley

The Pairing by Casey McQuiston

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston

Beach Read by Emily Henry

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

Seven Days in June by Tia Williams

🖤 UNEXPECTED ROMANCE PICKS
The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson
Even Though I Knew the End by C.L. Polk
Bride by Ali Hazelwood
You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi

💓 MY CURRENT ROMANCE TBR
Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan
Delilah Green Doesn’t Care by Ashley Herring Blake

Forget Me Not by Julie Soto

This Time it’s Real by Ann Liang

 
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I read 15 books in January. Some I loved, some I...didn't, and others I barely remember! 🙃

So let's try out a monthly reading recap. In this episode, I'm sharing 60 second reviews of everything I read this month from romance to fantasy to extreme horror.

Dragons, dancers, and time travel, oh my! I hope you enjoy!
 
Books mentioned in this episode:
Bloom by Delilah S. Dawson
Guillotine by Delilah S. Dawson
Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle
Even Though I Knew the End by C. L. Polk
All Systems Red by Martha Wells
Second Night Stand by Karelia and Fay Stetz-Waters
Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
Seven Days in June by Tia Williams
Rest Stop by Nat Cassidy
Bluejay by Megan Stockton
Dead Girls Talking by Megan Cooley Peterson
Just Some Stupid Love Story by Katelyn Doyle
Cassandra in Reverse by Holly Smale
The Night Guest by Hildur Knútsdóttir 
Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams

 
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My favorite winter activity is cozying up with a good book. And when I *really* want to embrace the dark vibes of the season, I turn to a creepy, cold-weather thriller.

So in this episode, I'm recommending three snow-drenched thrillers that I recently enjoyed reading — all of which feature blizzards, bad relationships, and twists that I never saw coming. I hope you enjoy!
 
Books recommended in this episode:

⛪️ Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney
✍️ The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz
❄️ Night Watching by Tracy Sierra

 
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My intention for 2025 is to read fewer books and to read better books. Basically, I *really* want more 5-star reads this year, and I think I have to change up my reading habits to make that happen!

So to kick off my year in reading, I've collected 25 books I already own that I think will be 5-star reads for me. I'm calling this MY FIVE-STAR TBR (yes, that's all-caps), and in this episode I'm introducing all 25 books to you and explaining why I think they might be 5-star reads!

Tune in to hear the list, or head straight to my bookshop to find them all at your convenience.

 
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Today I'm wrapping up our year in reading by sharing my four favorite books of 2024 and my four biggest flops — not the books I hated but the reading habits and routines that really did not work for me this year.

Tune in to hear why I loved the books I loved best and what went ... horribly wrong on my TBR over the past twelve months.
 
My Fave Reads of 2024:
🛣️ Instructions for Traveling West by Joy Sullivan
🍋 Body Work by Melissa Febos
🍷 The Pairing by Casey McQuiston
👹 Come Closer by Sarah Gran
 

 
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Somehow I managed to read 150 books this year (?!) and in honor of this wildly unrealistic accomplishment, I decided to record a mega-episode reviewing every single one of them!
 
Tune in to hear my 30-second recap + review of all these books, featuring lots of popular romance, thriller, horror and literary fiction.

📚 And click here for a list of every single book I mentioned in this episode!
 

 
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As an avid holiday romance reader, I've experienced the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of the genre. 🙃 So in this episode, I'm curating the three books that I think actually live up to the Christmas romance hype!
 
Tune in to learn why these three are my faves and to hear about a few honorable mentions that I recommend for certain kinds of readers. And be sure to click the (affiliate) links to gift yourself or your fave friends a copy. 
 
Books recommended in this episode:

❄️ THE CLASSIC ROMANTIC ONE — One Day in December by Josie Silver

🎁 THE BRAND NEW ONE — Make the Season Bright by Ashley Herring Blake

🌶️ THE SEXY SERIES — A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone

🎄 HONORABLE MENTIONS — Set the Record Straight by Hannah Bonam-Young, Just Like Magic by Sarah Hogle, The Wedding Witch by Erin Sterling, Love You a Latke by Amanda Elliot

 
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We’re heading back to school this week with five magical dark academia reads. ☠️

Each of these books features a clever cast of students facing out-of-this-world challenges — and the educational settings range from southern gothic mansions to murderous-monster-schools, including Yale University, a dragon-wielding war college and the mythical Library of Alexandria.

Tune in to hear about these eclectic, intellectual fantasies, and grab the (affiliate) links below to purchase your own copies!

 
🎓 Dark Academia Recs:

• An Academy for Liars by Alexis Henderson
• A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik
• Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
• The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake
• Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

 
📓 Also mentioned:

• The Secret History by Donna Tartt
• If We Were Villians by M.L. Rio

 
🎬 Youtube videos to watch:

• The Book Leo on Dark Academia
• This Story Ain’t Over on Race in Dark Academia

 
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