Reading Through Life

Show notes:

You hear us say it at the beginning of every episode: we have very different reading styles! Yes, there’s some overlap here and there with genres or authors that we love, but for the most part, we gravitate in opposite directions when it comes to reading. As a result, the terms “Team Sarah” and “Team Mia” have become a shorthand we use to refer to our specific reading styles and habits. So, if you’ve ever wondered which team you’re on or what it all means, this is the episode for you. 

 

Click here to join us on Patreon to get an exclusive bookish goodie every single Friday. With fun bonus episode series like: Monthly Overflow Books, Backlist Book Club, The New Books in Our Lives plus a private community for RTL Book Nerds only, you’re going to love being a part of our Patreon. Not only that, but you’re helping to support our show by saying I LOVE WHAT YOU DO. 

 

Find the time stamped show notes below with links to all of the fun things we mentioned.

 

Support indie bookstores by shopping our picks on Bookshop.org!

 

Something Bookish:

[5:21] M: Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones

[6:55] S: Got a brand new Kindle Paperwhite!

 

Team Sarah Reading Recs:

• The Idea of You by Robinne Lee

• People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

• Open Book by Jessica Simpson

• Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

• Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid

• Vicious Lost Boys series by Nikki St Crowe

• How to Be Eaten by Maria Adelmann

• I Hope This Finds You Well by Kate Baer

• Wild by Cheryl Strayed

• Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

• The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

• In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune

• The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton

• The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

• Love in the City series by Jen Morris

• The Thousandth Floor series by Katharine McGee

• The Selection series by Kiera Cass

 

Team Mia Reading Recs:

• Runaway Groomsman by Meghan Quinn

• The Meaning of Mariah Carey by Mariah Carey + Michaela Angela Davis

• Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley

• A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

• I Would Leave Me If I Could by Halsey

• Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman

• A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

• Lost on Planet China by J. Maarten Troost

• How to Stop Time by Matt Haig

• The Displacements by Bruce Holsinger

• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

• Shadow and Bone series by Leigh Bardugo

• Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton

• The Borrowed World series by Franklin Horton

 

Also Mentioned:

Click here to take the Team Sarah vs Team Mia reading quiz!

Episode 86, Long Books We Love

Follow RTL on Instagram: @readingthroughlifepod

Follow Sarah on Instagram: @sarahhartleycoaching 

Follow Mia on Instagram: @fastlifeinslowlane + @thekindredwriters 

 

* The books noted above contain affiliate links. This means that we may get a small kickback if you purchase through our links, at no additional cost to you.

 

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit readingthroughlife.substack.com/subscribe

Show notes:

April had some really great reads for us and some not so great reads. But that’s to be expected in book nerd life, right? Come listen to 10 books we read in April and if you want to hear about the other books from the month, be sure to join our Patreon for the whole scoop. 

 

Click here to join us on Patreon to get an exclusive bookish goodie every single Friday. With fun bonus episode series like: Monthly Overflow Books, Backlist Book Club, The New Books in Our Lives plus a private community for RTL Book Nerds only, you’re going to love being a part of our Patreon. Not only that, but you’re helping to support our show by saying I LOVE WHAT YOU DO. 

 

Find the time stamped show notes below with links to all of the fun things we mentioned.

 

Support indie bookstores by shopping our picks on Bookshop.org!

 

Something Bookish:

[2:32] M: Mia’s rant about book banning in Florida [article about it from the NY Times]

S: It’s Okay to be a Unicorn by Jason Tharp

 

Our April Reads:

[8:55] Both: The One by John Marrs

[12:19] S: Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano

[15:39] M: Mothered by Zoje Stage

     Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage

[18:03] S: Big Swiss by Jen Beagin

[20:36] M: Death by a Million Papercuts by Cillian Dunne

[22:48] S: Charm City Rocks by Matthew Norman (out June 6, 2023)

[24:29] M: Mr. Nightmare by Joe Scipione

[26:35] S: The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai

[29:10] M: Love, Pamela by Pamela Anderson

 

[30:40] Extra Books We Read in April

 

Also Mentioned:

The Circle, Sarah’s new coaching community, is open!

Follow RTL on Instagram: @readingthroughlifepod

Follow Sarah on Instagram: @sarahhartleycoaching 

Follow Mia on Instagram: @fastlifeinslowlane + @thekindredwriters 

 

* The books noted above contain affiliate links. This means that we may get a small kickback if you purchase through our links, at no additional cost to you.

 

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit readingthroughlife.substack.com/subscribe

Show notes:

We love a good nonfiction book around here - memoir, self-help, history, you name it, we’ve read it. Today, we’re sharing 10 nonfiction recs with you, with some bonus recs from our podcast patrons. There is absolutely a nonfiction book out there for everyone. Happy listening!

 

Click here to join us on Patreon to get an exclusive bookish goodie every single Friday. With fun bonus episode series like: Monthly Overflow Books, Backlist Book Club, The New Books in Our Lives plus a private community for RTL Book Nerds only, you’re going to love being a part of our Patreon. Not only that, but you’re helping to support our show by saying I LOVE WHAT YOU DO. 

 

Find the time stamped show notes below with links to all of the fun things we mentioned.

 

Support indie bookstores by shopping our picks on Bookshop.org!

 

Something Bookish:

[3:36] M: 1) Writer’s Coaching 2) Our RTL pen

[5:09] S: Love Buzz by Neely Tubati Alexander - out May 2

 

Our Nonfiction Recs:

[11:55] S: Into Thin Air: A Personal Account Of The Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer

[13:26] M: Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

Small Fry by Lisa Brennan-Jobs

[15:17] S: The Year of Living Danishly: My Twelve Months Unearthing the Secrets of the World's Happiest Country by Helen Russell

[16:39] M: Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich

[18:20] S: The Beauty in Breaking by Michele Harper

[19:45] M: A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard

[21:05] S: You are a Badass at Making Money by Jen Sincero

[22:33] M: The Accidental Creative by Todd Henry

[23:32] S: Inside the NBA Bubble by Jared Dudley

[25:44] M: The Missing Teacher by Lani Cox

 

[27:23] Nonfiction Recs from Our Patrons:

• A Knock at Midnight by Brittany K Barnett

• Paris: The Memoir by Paris Hilton

• Stiff by Mary Roach

• How the Word is Passed by Clint Smith

• The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson

• Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann

• Know My Name by Chanel Miller

• The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

• To Shake the Sleeping Self by Jedidiah Jenkins

• I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

• The Art of Dying Well by Katy Butler

• “You Just Need to Lose Weight” and 19 Other Myths About Fat People by Aubrey Gordon

• Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language by Amanda Montell

• Shady Characters: The Secret Life of Punctuation, Symbols, and other Typographical Marks by Keith Houston

 

Also Mentioned:

Gallup poll on American reading habits

Episode 13: Our Nonfiction Must Haves

Follow RTL on Instagram: @readingthroughlifepod

Follow Sarah on Instagram: @sarahhartleycoaching 

Follow Mia on Instagram: @fastlifeinslowlane + @thekindredwriters 

 

* The books noted above contain affiliate links. This means that we may get a small kickback if you purchase through our links, at no additional cost to you.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit readingthroughlife.substack.com/subscribe

Show notes:

We love long books and we cannot lie! OK, maybe Mia loves them more than Sarah. But today we’re talking about the pros and cons of long books, and also sharing some that we love. What are your thoughts on long books? 

 

Click here to join us on Patreon to get an exclusive bookish goodie every single Friday. With fun bonus episode series like: Monthly Overflow Books, Backlist Book Club, The New Books in Our Lives plus a private community for RTL Book Nerds only, you’re going to love being a part of our Patreon. Not only that, but you’re helping to support our show by saying I LOVE WHAT YOU DO. 

 

Find the time stamped show notes below with links to all of the fun things we mentioned.

 

Support indie bookstores by shopping our picks on Bookshop.org!

 

Something Bookish:

[3:21] M: Sparrow by James Hynes

[4:54] S: Reminder to get bookish gift cards for the book nerds in your life.

 

Our Favorite Long Books:

[11:45] S: Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead

[12:45] M: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

[14:01] S: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

[14:43] M: A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

[15:25] S: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

[16:26] M: The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

[17:35] S: Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

[18:26] M: A Promised Land by Barack Obama

[19:40] S: The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

[20:52] M: Songs in Ordinary Time by Mary McGarry Morris

[22:05] S: Honorable mentions (448 pages):

• The Displacements by Bruce Holsinger

• The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

• The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by VE Schwab

• The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer

[22:43] M: Fairy Tale by Stephen King

[24:05] M: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Follow RTL on Instagram: @readingthroughlifepod

Follow Sarah on Instagram: @thekindredvoice 

Follow Mia on Instagram: @miasutton5

 

* The books noted above contain affiliate links. This means that we may get a small kickback if you purchase through our links, at no additional cost to you.

 

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit readingthroughlife.substack.com/subscribe

Show notes:

We don’t really know why we do these things to ourselves, but in this episode, we’re answering a bunch of impossible “would you rather” questions about books and authors. Come listen to us be annoyed by the questions but also be equally amused by them. Cue the giggling! 

 

Click here to join us on Patreon to get an exclusive bookish goodie every single Friday. With fun bonus episode series like: Monthly Overflow Books, Backlist Book Club, The New Books in Our Lives plus a private community for RTL Book Nerds only, you’re going to love being a part of our Patreon. Not only that, but you’re helping to support our show by saying I LOVE WHAT YOU DO. 

 

Find the time stamped show notes below with links to all of the fun things we mentioned.

 

Support indie bookstores by shopping our picks on Bookshop.org!

 

Something Bookish:

[3:58] M: Cold People by Tom Rob Smith

Episode 79: What We Read in February

Sarah’s Pangobooks shop

[6:29] S: Doodles from the Boogie Down by Stephanie Rodriguez, with a special review from Henry

 

Also Mentioned:

Most of the “would you rather” questions are from this blog post, 65 Conversation Questions About Books and Reading

 

Follow RTL on Instagram: @readingthroughlifepod

Follow Sarah on Instagram: @thekindredvoice 

Follow Mia on Instagram: @miasutton5

 

* The books noted above contain affiliate links. This means that we may get a small kickback if you purchase through our links, at no additional cost to you.

 

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit readingthroughlife.substack.com/subscribe

Show notes:

You know when you’re reading and you are in the zone and everything just feels right with the world? Yeah, we love that feeling. Today, we’re talking about the apps and products that help us get into that reading sweet spot. We’ve gathered this list through the hard, hard work (ha!) of being book nerds, just for you. 

 

Click here to join us on Patreon to get an exclusive bookish goodie every single Friday. With fun bonus episode series like: Monthly Overflow Books, Backlist Book Club, The New Books in Our Lives plus a private community for RTL Book Nerds only, you’re going to love being a part of our Patreon. Not only that, but you’re helping to support our show by saying I LOVE WHAT YOU DO. 

 

Find the time stamped show notes below with links to all of the fun things we mentioned.

 

Support indie bookstores by shopping our picks on Bookshop.org!

 

Something Bookish:

[3:53] S: Have people pick a number from your TBR list and then read those picks

[5:10] M: RTL pod merch shop

 

Our Favorite Bookish Apps:

[9:16] S:

• Pango

• Fable

• Storygraph

• Scribd

• Libby

 

[13:47] M:

• Goodreads

• Kindle

• Amazon

• Glose

 

Our Favorite Bookish Products: 

[17:45] M:

• Kindle

• Kindle cover with built in stand

• Bookmarks

• Ear pods for audiobooks

 

[18:51] S: 

• Kindle Paperwhite

• Kindle Oasis

• Book light

• Book stand

• Book tabs

• Bookshelf

• Apple Airpods

 

Miscellaneous Reading Time Accoutrements:

[23:22] M: 

• Fuzzy EVERYTHING (socks, robes, blankets, pajamas)

• Snacks

• Oil diffuser + essential oils

 

S: 

• Cozy blanket

• Candle warmer

• Book subscriptions (Book of the Month)

• Calm app

Follow RTL on Instagram: @readingthroughlifepod

Follow Sarah on Instagram: @thekindredvoice 

Follow Mia on Instagram: @miasutton5

 

* The books noted above contain affiliate links. This means that we may get a small kickback if you purchase through our links, at no additional cost to you.

 

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit readingthroughlife.substack.com/subscribe

Show notes:

Our birthday month is over and we’re kinda bummed. But we’re never bummed by books, thankfully. In this episode, we’re sharing 10 books we read in March 2023. As always, there’s a mix of genres to suit all your reading tastes. Happy listening!

 

Click here to join us on Patreon to get an exclusive bookish goodie every single Friday. With fun bonus episode series like: Monthly Overflow Books, Backlist Book Club, The New Books in Our Lives plus a private community for RTL Book Nerds only, you’re going to love being a part of our Patreon. Not only that, but you’re helping to support our show by saying I LOVE WHAT YOU DO. 

 

Find the time stamped show notes below with links to all of the fun things we mentioned.

 

Support indie bookstores by shopping our picks on Bookshop.org!

 

Something Bookish:

[5:08] M: Drowning Practice by Mike Meginnis

[6:28] S: 3 books from Savannah trip:

The Editor by Steven Rowley

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St John Mandel

All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir

 

Our March Reads:

[10:03] M: The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay

[12:20] S: Already Enough by Lisa Olivera

[13:43] M: Runaway Groomsman by Meghan Quinn

[15:11] S: Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld

[17:59] M: The Girl in the Storm by Annabelle Fogerty

[19:57] S: Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel

[23:12] M: Light Reclaimed: Billie Knight by Teja Rhae Watson

[26:02] S: Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

[27:49] M: River Woman, River Demon by Jennifer Givhan

[30:14] S: Crazy Stupid Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams

 

[32:08] The Other Books We Read in March

Follow RTL on Instagram: @readingthroughlifepod

Follow Sarah on Instagram: @thekindredvoice 

Follow Mia on Instagram: @miasutton5

 

* The books noted above contain affiliate links. This means that we may get a small kickback if you purchase through our links, at no additional cost to you.

 

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit readingthroughlife.substack.com/subscribe

Show notes:

Reading is Funny Day is coming up on April 1st, so we wanted to talk about funny books in this episode. Plus, we just really love to giggle and laugh. We’re 12-year-old boys at heart and love jokes about butts and other body parts, so these books are right up our alley. Happy laughing!

 

Click here to join us on Patreon to get an exclusive bookish goodie every single Friday. With fun bonus episode series like: Monthly Overflow Books, Backlist Book Club, The New Books in Our Lives plus a private community for RTL Book Nerds only, you’re going to love being a part of our Patreon. Not only that, but you’re helping to support our show by saying I LOVE WHAT YOU DO. 

 

Find the time stamped show notes below with links to all of the fun things we mentioned.

 

Support indie bookstores by shopping our picks on Bookshop.org!

 

Something Bookish:

[3:32] S: Wandered Barnes & Noble alone on her birthday and it was heaven.

[4:47] M: Walking Practice by Dolki Min

 

[6:32] Projects We’re Working on Behind the Scenes:

• Kindred magazine, Vol. 4 all about self-worth

• Writer’s Coaching with Sarah and Mia [follow on IG for writing tips: @thekindredwriters] 

• The Kindred Circle, a self-paced coaching community

 

Books That Make Us Laugh:

[11:46] S: In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune

[12:20] S: People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

S: Book Lovers by Emily Henry

[13:04] M: Runaway Groomsman by Meghan Quinn

[14:57] Mia’s Funny Books

M: A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

M: We Are Never Meeting in Real Life by Samantha Irby

M: The Highland Fling by Meghan Quinn

M: See Jane Snap by Bethany Crandell

M: A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond

M: The Last Black Unicorn by Tiffany Haddish

M: Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh

M: Lost on Planet China by J. Maarten Troost

[18:10] Sarah’s Funny Books

S: Just By Looking at Him by Ryan O’Connell

S: Faking Christmas by Cindy Steel

S: You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince by Timothy Janovsky

S: The Guncle by Steve Rowley

S: The Reunion by Kayla Olson

S: Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

S: A Very Punchable Face by Colin Jost

S: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

S: I’ll Show Myself Out by Jessi Klein

S: Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson

 

[21:13] Funny Books We’re Excited to Read:

S: Less by Andrew Sean Greer

S: Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey

S: You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey by Amber Ruffin + Lacey Lamar

M: Quietly Hostile by Samantha Irby

M: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling

M: The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler

 

Also Mentioned:

Hot Ones interview with Pedro Pascal

 

Follow RTL on Instagram: @readingthroughlifepod

Follow Sarah on Instagram: @thekindredvoice 

Follow Mia on Instagram: @miasutton5

 

* The books noted above contain affiliate links. This means that we may get a small kickback if you purchase through our links, at no additional cost to you.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit readingthroughlife.substack.com/subscribe

Show notes:

We cannot get enough of climate fiction. It’s our new favorite, #sorrynotsorry. There’s something about how real it feels and about how humanity tries to survive that really appeals to us. In this episode, we talk about what exactly climate fiction is, and we share some of our tried and true cli-fi favorites, along with some titles we haven’t read yet but really want to. 

Click here to join us on Patreon to get an exclusive bookish goodie every single Friday. With fun bonus episode series like: Monthly Overflow Books, Backlist Book Club, The New Books in Our Lives plus a private community for RTL Book Nerds only, you’re going to love being a part of our Patreon. Not only that, but you’re helping to support our show by saying I LOVE WHAT YOU DO. 

 

Find the time stamped show notes below with links to all of the fun things we mentioned.

 

Support indie bookstores by shopping our picks on Bookshop.org!

 

Something Bookish:

[4:04] M: We Were Once a Family by Roxanna Asgarian

Broken Harts podcast

[5:16] S: On Being 40(ish) by Lindsey Mead

 

Our Tried and True Climate Fiction Favorites:

[9:03] M: Good Morning, Midnight by Lily Brooks-Dalton

[9:23] S: The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton

[9:44] M: The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker

[10:03] S: The Displacements by Bruce Holsinger

[10:18] M: The Road by Cormac McCarthy

[10:41] S: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

[11:45] S: Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy

[12:08] S: Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

 

Climate Fiction Books We’re Excited to Read:

[12:39] M: The High House by Jessie Greengrass

[13:13] S: Bewilderment by Richard Powers

[14:06] M: Gold Fame Citrus by Claire Vaye Watkins

[14:50] S: The End of the Ocean by Maja Lunde

[15:43] M: The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson

[16:31] S: New York 2140 by Kim Stanley Robinson

[17:36] M: The Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler

[18:38] S: Dry by Neal + Jarrod Shusterman

[19:15] M: Memory of Water by Emmi Itäranta

[19:58] S: Termination Shock by Neal Stephenson

 

Follow RTL on Instagram: @readingthroughlifepod

Follow Sarah on Instagram: @thekindredvoice 

Follow Mia on Instagram: @miasutton5

 

* The books noted above contain affiliate links. This means that we may get a small kickback if you purchase through our links, at no additional cost to you.

 

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit readingthroughlife.substack.com/subscribe

Show notes:

We’re both very different readers, but it seems like lately, there’s more of a middle ground between Team Sarah and Team Mia. Here are some books that we both love and it was easier than we thought to come up with this list.

 

Click here to join us on Patreon to get an exclusive bookish goodie every single Friday. With fun bonus episode series like: Monthly Overflow Books, Backlist Book Club, The New Books in Our Lives plus a private community for RTL Book Nerds only, you’re going to love being a part of our Patreon. Not only that, but you’re helping to support our show by saying I LOVE WHAT YOU DO. 

 

Find the time stamped show notes below with links to all of the fun things we mentioned.

 

Support indie bookstores by shopping our picks on Bookshop.org!

 

Something Bookish:

[3:23] M: RTL Quiz: Are you a Team Sarah or Team Mia reader? 

[3:58] S: Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld (Apr 4)

 

Books We Both Love:

[8:20] S:

How to Stop Time by Matt Haig 

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah 

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown

The Storied Life of AJ Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

Share Your Stuff, I’ll Go First by Laura Tremaine

In Five Years by Rebecca Serle

Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb

Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist 

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

When We Believed in Mermaids by Barbara O’Neal

 

[11:16] M:

The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton

The Displacements by Bruce Holsinger

Always, in December by Emily Stone 

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover

Heart Bones by Colleen Hoover

It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

It Starts With Us by Colleen Hoover

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

A Little Life by Hanya Yanigahara

The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker

Falling by TJ Newman

Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune 

Take What You Can Carry by Gian Sardar

The Idea of You by Robinne Lee

 

Books We’re Both Excited to Read:

M: All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham

S: In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune

 

Follow RTL on Instagram: @readingthroughlifepod

Follow Sarah on Instagram: @thekindredvoice 

Follow Mia on Instagram: @miasutton5

 

* The books noted above contain affiliate links. This means that we may get a small kickback if you purchase through our links, at no additional cost to you.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit readingthroughlife.substack.com/subscribe