The Readirect Podcast

We are here to take you through Collin Gosselin's heartbreaking memoir, In the Shadow of Eight. 

But first, we're giving you book news, including: 

• Violet and Xaden's casting announcement for the Fourth Wing adaptation
• The Modelland re-release
• The bizarre collab of Knix x ACOTAR
• The dumb af Hot for Hockey marketing campaign
• And motswolo on Tumblr and what that might mean for The Cadence of Part-Time Poets (pt 2)

Plus, recent reads: 

• The Compound by Aisling Rowle 
• The Good Parts by Evann Normandin

The Day of Discovery is done, and we're finally landing in Modelland! Deep dive chapters 13-17 with us. Warning: things get dark! 

Follow Us on Storygraph

• Abigail @fabigail
• Emily @emilyrojasreads

Recent Reads

• Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid
• The Pairing by Casey McQuiston
• A Gentleman Never Keeps the Score by Cat Sebastian
• Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
• Deep End by Ali Hazelwood

We did a re-read of The Love Hypothesis before diving into the movie, and found ourselves once again asking: WHERE IS THE YEARNING???

If it seems like nobody wants to yearn these days, you're not alone in your feelings. Join us for some laughs and commiseration—all while praising the parts of the movie we loved (looking at you, Lili Reinhart).

Recent Reads: 

• Caller Unknown by Gillian McAllister 
• The Soldier's Scoundrel by Cat Sebastian
• Culpability by Bruce Holsinger 
• The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman

We catch up on our reading lives in this much needed Modelland break! 

We have FINALLY made it to The Day of Discovery (aka T-DOD)! Join us as we dive deep into chapters 8-12 of Modelland! 

Recent Reads: 

• DM Emily and/or Abigail for fic recs! 
• Ice Planet Barbarians
• Sex on Murder Island 
• Just a Highland Fling

Part two of our Modelland deep dive! This week, we're recapping chapters 4-7. 

Tune in for our 100th Episode!!!! We're celebrating by inviting Friend of the Pod Emma Sandoval back to conduct a reverse interview. 

Thank you for being here for our first 100 episodes. We can't wait to get to 100 more! 

Recent Reads: 

• We Will Be Jaguars by Nemonte Nenquimo
• Good Material by Dolly Alderton
• The Ghost by Robert Harris
• Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon
• It Takes Two to Tumble by Cat Sebastian

We are reading Modelland by Tyra Banks so you don't have to (and please, we're begging you, don't read along). It took us an HOUR to get through the first three chapters, so this is part one of who knows how many. If you enjoy this, let us know, and we'll consider continuing the series! 

Whether you’re hate-reading along, curiosity-listening, or just here for the chaos, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review to help us grow our community of book-loving nerds. 

Recent Reads: 

• Conversion Therapy Dropout by Timothy Schraeder Rodriguez
• I'll Have What He's Having by Adib Khorram
• Heartstopper vol. 6 by Alice Oseman
• Into the Blue by Emma Brodie
• Two Rogues Make a Right by Cat Sebastian 
• Let Us Play by Harrison Browne and Rachel Browne

If you or someone you know claims they "don't like romance," do we have the episode for you!!! This is our full-throated defense of the genre, plus where to start if you're looking to give romance a try. 

Links: 

•  If you're new to romance...
  • Emily Henry (author)
  • Cara Bastone (author)
• If you like mystery/thrillers...
  • The Five Year Lie by Sarina Bowen
  • You Can Run by Rebecca Zanetti
  • Loreth Ann White (author)
• If you like literary fiction...
  • We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian
  • What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
  • Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld
• You like nonfiction/memoirs...
  • Love is a War Song by Danica Nava
  • Jane Eyre
• You like historical fiction...
  • The Devil Comes Courting by Courtney Milan
  • In Memoriam by Alice Winn
  • A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall
  • Lisa Kleypas
  • Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
  • Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
• If you like science fiction...
  • The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer 
  • Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon
• If you like fantasy...
  • Bride and Mate by Ali Hazelwood
  • The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow
  • Paladin's Grace by T. Kingfisher

Recent Reads: 

• Minor Black Figures by Brandon Taylor
• Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I've Cried About by Isabel Klee
• The Prophets by Robert Jones, Jr. 

CASE CLOSED 👩‍⚖️👩‍⚖️👩‍⚖️

Here's what's in store for today's short & sweet book talk episode: 

• Mid-year reading goals check-in (and how we're both woefully behind) 
• Recent reads (including Abigail's NEW favorite read for this year) 
• The Beach Read still posted to Instagram and its accompanying ChatGPT-sounding caption 
• Love Hypothesis good vibes and release date
• Books we're looking forward to in 2027 and later this year (looking at you CMQ) 
• and more!! 

Recent Reads

• The Queer Principles of Kit Webb by Cat Sebastian
• Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
• My Friends by Fredrick Backman
• Everyone in this Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson