We all make New Year's Resolutions, but we don't always stick to them! Did you make reading more a goal for 2023? Are you looking for our tips, tricks and suggestions to stay on track?

Whether you want to read more books, diversify your reading, join a book club or start a book podcast this year, we've got the episode for you. Maybe you're a numbers girl (like Emily) or you prefer qualitative goals (that would be Abigail), but either way we have some advice for you.

Mentioned this episode:
Online Reading Tools:
https://www.thestorygraph.com/
https://www.goodreads.com/

Libby (online library tool):
https://www.overdrive.com/apps/libby

If We Were Villians by M.L. Rio:
https://bookshop.org/p/books/if-we-were-villains-m-l-rio/8476867?ean=9781250095299

Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese:
https://bookshop.org/p/books/hester-laurie-lico-albanese/17856048?ean=9781250278555

If you enjoy the podcast, be sure to leave a review for us on Apple Podcasts! You can also follow us on Instagram @readirectpodcast. 

Today we're joined by a very special guest, Stephanie Edwards aka @bookstagrammarian, to recap this year in books! We're highlighting some of our favorite books we've read this year, and looking forward to new releases coming in 2023. 

Books Mentioned: 

Abigail: 

• The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
• Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat
• Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowley 

Emily: 

• Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reed
• The Secrets we Kept by Lara Prescott
• The Appeal by Janice Hallett 

Stephanie: 

• Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmut
• The Blue Bistro by Elin Hildebrand
• Acts of Violet by Margarita Montimore
• The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
• If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

In 2022: 

• "You Just Need to Lose Weight" by Aubrey Gordon
• Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood
• Another Life by Kristin Hannah
•  Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun by Elle Cosimano
• Nine Liars by Maureen Johnson 
• A Tempest at Sea (Lady Sherlock #7) by Sherry Thomas
• The Last Confessions of Mara Dyer and Noah Shaw by Michell Hodkin (WILL THIS EVER COME OUT?? Unknown.) 

Today, we're giving you gift ideas for the book lover in your life! Or, even if they don't love books as much as we do, you'll still find ideas!

Gift Guide Mentions

• Tu Casa, Mi Casa by Enrique Olvera
• From Crook to Cook by Snoop Dog
• 30- minute One Pot Meals by Joanna Cismaru 
• Great British Bake Off 
• I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jeanette McCurdy
• Miss Me With That by Rachel Lindsay
• Yes Please by Amy Pohler
• In the Shadow of Man by Jane Goodall
• The Body Keeps the Score by Dr. Bessel Van Der Kolk 
• The Wisdom of Your Body by Dr. Hillary McBride
• Group by Christie Tate
• Falling Upward by Richard Rohr
• Native by Kaitlin Curtis
• The Little Book of Hygee by Meik Wiking
• Dessert Person by Claire Saffitz
• What’s for Dessert by Claire Saffitz
• Maid by Stephanie Land
• Educated by Tara Westover

Books We’ve Been Reading 

• The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath 
• The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz

Today we're doing a deep dive of all things Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood! We're discussing our favorite swoon-worthy moments, the book's biggest reaches, our thoughts on the ending and whether we think the main couple would stay together in the end.

We'd love to hear your thoughts on this book and episode, so head over to our Instagram and let us know what you think! 

Books we've read recently:

• Abigail - Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover
• Emily - River Woman, River Demon by Jennifer Givhan

As we're getting ready for Thanksgiving, we're discussing the families we'd want to spend the holiday with. Who would sit at the kids table? Who would cause the drama? And most importantly, who would be staging a play with all the cousins?

We'd love to spend Thanksgiving with the Pevensies in Narnia or in Palm Springs with Gay Uncle Patrick. 

Books We've Read Recently: 

• Me and White Supremacy (Abigail)
• Tell Me Everything (Emily) 

And if you want to make the mac & cheese recipe Emily was referencing (it's delicious), you can find it on TikTok at this link. 

If you enjoyed the podcast, be sure to subscribe for new episodes! And you can follow us on Instagram at @readirectpodcast.

Today we're talking all about tropes in Romance books! Fake dating, enemies to lovers, one bed, we'll cover it all. 

Books mentioned: 

• The Love Hypothesis 
• Book Lovers
• Funny You Should Ask
• Love and Other Words 

What we've read recently: 

• Skin of the Sea
• The Wife Upstairs

Follow us on Instagram at @readirectpodcast! 

In this episode, Abigail and Emily each select three books that they would recommend you read during Spooky Season.

What is Spooky Season you might ask? It's that time of year when the air is crisp, leaves crunch beneath your feet, the sky is blue and Halloween is right around the corner. Spooky Season books can have supernatural elements, be creepy/scary, have a mystery, be set in the fall, or just have a general fall vibe (think When Harry Met Sally, ok).

Emily's Picks: 

• The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
• In the Waning Light by Loreth Anne White 
• Shiver, Linger, Forever (Wolves of Mercy Falls Series) by Maggie Stiefvater

Abigail's Picks: 

• Payback's a Witch by Lana Harper
• Cackle by Rachel Harrison 
• The Once and Future Witches by Alix Harrow 

Follow us on Instagram at @readirectpodcast!

It's finally here, the moment we're sure you've all been waiting for... We're going to deep dive The Twilight Saga. Join us as we discuss the famous books, the movie adaptation, and the social issues raised by some of the plot points. 

We love Twilight ourselves, but look at the series with a critical eye to see how it holds up years later. 

Be sure to follow us on Instagram @readirectpodcast to be a part of this conversation. 

Emily and Abigail discuss one fiction and one non-fiction book related to The Bachelor. Critics are saying this will be their most dramatic episode yet...

One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London
Bachelor Nation by Amy Kaufman

Also mentioned:
Miss Me With That by Rachel Lindsay
Chatty Broads with Bekah and Jess (podcast)
The Popcast (podcast)
Roses for Every Body Campaign (instagram)

Follow us on Instagram at @readirectpodcast! 

A brief introduction episode where you can learn more about the hosts, this podcast and what to expect for future episodes.