Well-read & Unfiltered

Who gets to decide what belongs on your bookshelf?

This week on Well Read and Unfiltered, we’re talking banned books, the freedom to read, and where parental guidance crosses into policing everyone else’s shelves. From "1984" and "The Handmaid’s Tale" to ACOTAR, we unpack the stories that spark controversy, the value of uncomfortable reads, and why representation matters.

Expect strong opinions, a few reading confessions, and a debate about whether banning a book just makes us want to read it more.

What banned or challenged book has left an impression on you? Tell us in the comments.

BOOKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• Harry Potter series — J. K. Rowling
• 1984 — George Orwell
• Fahrenheit 451 — Ray Bradbury
• The Handmaid’s Tale — Margaret Atwood
• The Hunger Games — Suzanne Collins
• A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) — Sarah J. Maas
• Lolita — Vladimir Nabokov
• The Crucible — Arthur Miller (the film adaptation is mentioned)
• I Am Malala — Malala Yousafzai, with Christina Lamb (edition unspecified)
• Animal Farm — George Orwell
• The Outsiders — S. E. Hinton
• The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time — Mark Haddon
• The Perks of Being a Wallflower — Stephen Chbosky
• To Kill a Mockingbird — Harper Lee
• The Buffalo Hunter Hunter — Stephen Graham Jones
• The Love Hypothesis — Ali Hazelwood
• Mein Kampf — Adolf Hitler
• The Giver — Lois Lowry
• Powerless — Lauren Roberts
• Beloved — Toni Morrison
• Billy Budd, Sailor — Herman Melville
• The Diary of a Young Girl — Anne Frank
• Looking for Alaska — John Green
• The Bluest Eye — Toni Morrison
• Desert Sons — Mark Kendrick
• Victorian Psycho — Virginia Feito
• Goosebumps series — R. L. Stine
• Model Home — Rivers Solomon
• Brave New World — Aldous Huxley
• The Color Purple — Alice Walker
• Slaughterhouse-Five — Kurt Vonnegut

This week on "Well Read and Unfiltered", we’re sharing our fantasy favorites, the books that hooked us on the genre, and the fictional worlds we can’t stop thinking about. From epic series and dark standalones to unforgettable characters and magic systems, we’re getting into what makes a fantasy worth the commitment, and whether a little romance helps or hurts.

Expect nostalgic favorites, unfiltered opinions, and more books for your already impossible TBR.

What fantasy book or series will you always recommend?

BOOKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

The Infernal Devices - Cassandra Clare

The Mortal Instruments - Cassandra Clare

Chain of Thorns - Cassandra Clare

Twilight - Stephenie Meyer

The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien

The Faithful and the Fallen - John Gwynne

His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman

A Court of Thorns and Roses - Sarah J. Maas

Tress of the Emerald Sea - Brandon Sanderson

Onyx Storm - Rebecca Yarros

The Will of the Many - James Islington

The Strength of the Few - James Islington

The Bloodsworn Saga - John Gwynne

Of Blood and Bone - John Gwynne

Fourth Wing - Rebecca Yarros

A Game of Thrones - George R. R. Martin

Villains Series - V. E. Schwab

Dungeon Crawler Carl - Matt Dinniman

The Way of Kings - Brandon Sanderson

The Spellshop - Sarah Beth Durst

The Enchanted Greenhouse - Sarah Beth Durst

Sea of Charms - Sarah Beth Durst

Legends & Lattes - Travis Baldree

Assistant to the Villain - Hannah Nicole Maehrer

The Sword of Kaigen - M. L. Wang

Blood Over Bright Haven - M. L. Wang

The Grace of Kings - Ken Liu

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride - Roshani Chokshi

Shield of Sparrows - Devney Perry

Life of Pi - Yann Martel

Remarkably Bright Creatures - Shelby Van Pelt

Between Two Fires - Christopher Buehlman

The Works of Vermin - Hiron Ennes

Of Blood and Fire - Ryan Cahill

Farseer trilogy - Robin Hobb

One Dark Window - Rachel Gillig

Shades of Magic - V. E. Schwab

Nettle & Bone - T. Kingfisher

Liveship Traders - Robin Hobb

Mistborn - Brandon Sanderson

The Dandelion Dynasty - Ken Liu

Jade City - Fonda Lee

Valour - John Gwynne

The Blacktongue Thief - Christopher Buehlman

The Knave and the Moon - Rachel Gillig

The Poet Empress - Shen Tao

The Poppy War - R. F. Kuang

Babel - R. F. Kuang

Yellowface - R. F. Kuang

Katabasis - R. F. Kuang

We are looking ahead to the releases they’re most excited about for the rest of 2026, and your TBR is about to get longer!

From unsettling horror and sweeping historical fiction to spicy holiday romances and highly anticipated fantasy, there’s something for every kind of reader.

Along the way, we share our current reads, debate whether rereading can change your opinion of a book, and discuss the pressure on authors to deliver the next installment. Expect Shakespeare enthusiasm, romantasy FOMO, and a spirited disagreement about Christmas creeping into spooky season.

Which upcoming releases are on your radar?

BOOKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• Kaiju: Battlefield Surgeon — Matt Dinniman
• Dungeon Crawler Carl — Matt Dinniman
• Dominion of Blades — Matt Dinniman
• Trailer Park Fairy Tales — Matt Dinniman
• The Knight and the Moth — Rachel Gillig
• The Knave and the Moon — Rachel Gillig
• One Dark Window — Rachel Gillig
• Two Twisted Crowns — Rachel Gillig
• Bad Tourists — Caro Carver
• Mazywood — Tananarive Due
• The Reformatory — Tananarive Due
• Threshing Day — Rebecca Yarros
• Fourth Wing / Empyrean series — Rebecca Yarros
• A Court of Thorns and Roses / ACOTAR series — Sarah J. Maas
• The Disappearers — Marlon James
• Scorpion Deep — C. G. Drews
• Don’t Let the Forest In — C. G. Drews
• You Did Nothing Wrong — C. G. Drews
• It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder — Ally Carter
• The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year — Ally Carter
• Exit Party — Emily St. John Mandel
• Station Eleven — Emily St. John Mandel
• Sea of Tranquility — Emily St. John Mandel
• Pin Feathers — Christina Henry
• The Girl in Red — Christina Henry
• Bunny — Mona Awad
• Christmas Staycation — Meghan Quinn
• How My Neighbor Stole Christmas — Meghan Quinn
• Merry Christmas, You Filthy Animal — Meghan Quinn
• The Nightmare Before Kissmas — Sara Raasch
• American Hagwon — Min Jin Lee
• Pachinko — Min Jin Lee
• Off the Reservation — Stephen Graham Jones
• The Only Good Indians — Stephen Graham Jones
• The Buffalo Hunter Hunter — Stephen Graham Jones
• Cardinal Rule — Liz Tomforde
• Windy City series — Liz Tomforde
• The Two Wills — Blair Fell
• A Court of Splintered Harmony — Sarah J. Maas
• The Last King of Faerie — Cassandra Clare
• Shadowhunters series — Cassandra Clare
• The Mortal Instruments series — Cassandra Clare
• The Infernal Devices series — Cassandra Clare
• The Dark Artifices series — Cassandra Clare
• The Wicked Powers series — Cassandra Clare
• The Wolves of War — John Gwynne
• The Shadow of the Gods — John Gwynne
• The Faithful and the Fallen series — John Gwynne
• Valor — John Gwynne

This week on "Well Read and Unfiltered", we debate the hits and misses of book-to-screen adaptations, from "Project Hail Mary" and "Off Campus" to "Jurassic Park" and "The Ruins".

We unpack casting choices, changed endings, and what it takes to capture a story’s heart, then wrap up with a lightning round of adaptations they’re excited to watch or happy to skip. And all of this begs this question: Is the book always better?

As always, please follow, like, share, and comment to help us find more avid readers and lovers of all things books! This truly helps us reach new people and improve our podcast! And be sure to follow us on Instagram at @wellreadandunfilteredpodcast for more!

BOOKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Project Hail Mary - Andy Weir (Sci-fi)

Off-Campus Series - Elle Kennedy (Romance)

Heated Rivalry - Rachel Reid (Romance)

The Ruins - Scott Smith (Horror)

Jurassic Park - Michael Crichton (Sci-fi)

Every Summer After - Carley Fortune (Romance)

The Golden Summer - Carley Fortune (Romance)

Hamnet - Maggie O'Farrell (Historical Fiction)

Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien (Fantasy)

The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien (Fantasy)

Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling (Fantasy)

The Mortal Instruments - Cassandra Clare (Romantasy)

Sword Catcher - Cassandra Clare (Fantasy)

Life of Pi - Yann Martel (Psychological Fiction)

Remarkably Bright Creatures - Shelby Van Pelt (Literary Fiction)

Sunrise on the Reaping - Suzanne Collins (Dystopian Fiction)

Verity - Colleen Hoover (Thriller)

Odyssey - Homer (Epic Poem)

The Love Hypothesis (Ali Hazelwood)

Fourth Wing - Rebecca Yarros (Romantasy)

The Nightingale - Kristin Hannah (Historical Fiction)

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow - Gabrielle Zevin (Literary Fiction)

The God of the Woods - Liz Moore (Thriller/Mystery)

The Correspondent - Virginia Evans (Literary Fiction)

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo - Taylor Jenkins Reid (Historical Fiction/Romance)

Whalefall - Daniel Kraus (Survival Horror)

Incidents Around the House - Josh Malerman (Horror)

Dungeon Crawler Carl - Matt Dinniman (Sci-fi)

The Villains Series - V.E. Schwab (Sci-fi/Fantasy)

East of Eden - John Steinbeck (Classic)

August reading brought five-star surprises, major disappointments, and plenty of unfiltered opinions. We’re recapping the romances, fantasy epics, literary fiction, sci-fi, and horror that defined our month, then revealing the one book each of us recommends above all the rest.

Pour yourself a drink, prepare to add to your TBR, and join the conversation!

What was your best—or most disappointing—read of August?

BOOKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Blood Over Bright Haven — M. L. Wang
• The Sword of Kaigen — M. L. Wang
• Fourth Wing — Rebecca Yarros
• A Photo Finish — Elsie Silver
• Heartless — Elsie Silver
• Seed — Ania Ahlborn
• The Unseen — Ania Ahlborn
• The Shuddering — Ania Ahlborn
• Brother — Ania Ahlborn
• The Night We Met — Abby Jimenez
• Say You’ll Remember Me — Abby Jimenez
• Just for the Summer — Abby Jimenez
• I Leave It Up to You — Jinwoo Chong
• Them — W. H. Chizmar
• Scion — James Islington
• The Will of the Many — James Islington
• The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Vol. 1 — Beth Brower
• The Renovation — Kenan Orhan
• Malice — John Gwynne
• Valor — John Gwynne
• Ruin — John Gwynne
• A Time of Dread — John Gwynne
• The Wolves of War — John Gwynne
• We Burn So Bright — T. J. Klune
• The House in the Cerulean Sea — T. J. Klune
• Somewhere Beyond the Sea — T. J. Klune
• The Bones Beneath My Skin — T. J. Klune
• The Knight and the Moth — Rachel Gillig
• The Knave and the Moon — Rachel Gillig
• One Dark Window — Rachel Gillig
• Two Twisted Crowns — Rachel Gillig
• The Calamity Club — Kathryn Stockett
• The Help — Kathryn Stockett
• The Murderbot Diaries — Martha Wells

Class is back in session, and so is the assigned reading trauma!

This week on Well-Read and Unfiltered, we revisit the books and plays we were required to read in high school: the ones we loved, the ones we faked our way through with SparkNotes, and the ones we’re still holding a grudge against.

From 1984, Lord of the Flies, and Macbeth to Casey's and K's mutual disdain for, Billy Budd, we’re talking literary crushes, confusing symbolism, unforgettable characters, and which books we’d assign to students today.

What required-reading book left the biggest mark on you—for better or worse? Tell us in the comments! 🎓🍷

BOOKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

The Giver - Lois Lowry

Lord of the Flies - William Golding

The Pearl - John Steinbeck

Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck

The Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck

1984 - George Orwell

The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood

The Good Earth - Pearl S. Buck

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time - Mark Haddon

Much Ado About Nothing - William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet - William Shakespeare

Macbeth - William Shakespeare

Billy Budd - Herman Melville

Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad

All the King's Men - Robert Penn Warren

To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee

The Catcher in the Rye - J. D. Salinger

A Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens

Les Misérables - Victor Hugo

The Metamorphosis - Franz Kafka

Odyssey - Homer

The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald

Nuclear War: A Scenario - Annie Jacobsen

Life of Pi - Yann Martel

Beartown - Fredrik Backman

Project Hail Mary - Andy Weir

The Things They Carried - Tim O'Brien

All Quiet on the Western Front - Erich Maria Remarque

The Red Badge of Courage - Stephen Crane

The Canterbury Tales - Geoffrey Chaucer

The Tao of Pooh - Benjamin Hoff

Mythology - Edith Hamilton

Some books entertain us. Others absolutely wreck us. 📚💔

This week on Well Read & Unfiltered, we’re talking about the books that made us feel: the ones that shattered our hearts, made us angry, left us speechless, or somehow became the stories we still think about years later.

We ask ourselves (and the listeners!): Why do certain books affect us so deeply? And how much do our own experiences shape the way we connect with them?

We also talk comfort reads, rereading old favorites, trigger warnings, and whether a book can ever be too emotionally devastating.

Be sure to sound off in the comments: What book made the biggest emotional impact on you? The one that broke your heart, made you ugly cry, filled you with rage, or simply stayed with you long after you finished it?

And be sure to follow us on Instagram at wellreadandfunfilteredpodcast!

BOOKS MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST

• The Women — Kristin Hannah 
• The Nightingale — Kristin Hannah
• The Great Alone — Kristin Hannah 
• Hamnet — Maggie O’Farrell
• A Little Life — Hanya Yanagihara
• Theo of Golden — Allen Levi
• The Kite Runner — Khaled Hosseini
• A Thousand Splendid Suns — Khaled Hosseini
• And the Mountains Echoed — Khaled Hosseini 
• A Language of Limbs — Dylin Hardcastle 
• My Friends — Fredrik Backman 
• All the Colors of the Dark — Chris Whitaker 
• Shark Heart — Emily Habeck 
• Bird Box — Josh Malerman
• To Shake the Sleeping Self — Jedidiah Jenkins 
• Small Town Horror — Ronald Malfi
• Red Rising — Pierce Brown
• Golden Son — Pierce Brown
• Morning Star — Pierce Brown
• I Was a Teenage Slasher — Stephen Graham Jones
• The Buffalo Hunter Hunter — Stephen Graham Jones 
• American Rapture — C.J. Leede
• Liveship Traders Trilogy — Robin Hobb
• Farseer Trilogy — Robin Hobb
• Realm of the Elderlings — Robin Hobb 
• The House in the Cerulean Sea — TJ Klune 
• The Spellshop — Sarah Beth Durst
• Project Hail Mary — Andy Weir
• Dungeon Crawler Carl — Matt Dinniman 
• The Caretaker — Marcus Kliewer
• Beartown — Fredrik Backman
• Tender Is the Flesh — Agustina Bazterrica 
• The First Witch of Boston — Andrea Catalano
• The Fury of the Gods — John Gwynne
• It Lasts Forever and Then It’s Over — Anne de Marcken 

We're a little more than halfway through the year means one thing: it’s time to crown our favorite books of 2026...thus far!

In this episode of Well Read & Unfiltered, we each share:

• Our Top 5 books of the year
• One honorable mention
• Our biggest reading disappointments
• The stories we still can’t stop thinking about

From literary fiction and horror to fantasy, sci-fi, romance, and nonfiction, this episode has recommendations for every kind of reader.

Now we want to hear from you: What’s your favorite book you’ve read in 2026 so far? Drop it in the comments because we’re always looking to add more books to our TBR.

Aaron's Top 5:

1. "Theo of Golden" by Allen Levi
2. "The Bloodsworn Trilogy" by John Gwynne
3. "Light Bringer" by Pierce Brown
4. "Nuclear War: A Scenario" by Annie Jacobsen
5. "Last Seen" by Christopher Castellani

Honorable Mention: "So Old, So Young" by Grant Ginder

Karen's Top 5:

1. "A Parade of Horribles" by Matt Dinniman
2. "Between Two Fires" by Christopher Buehlman
3. "A Short Stay in Hell" by Steven L. Peck
4. "Good Boy" by Neil McRobert
5. "Vengeful" by VE Schwab

Honorable mention - "Project Hail Nary" by Andy Weir

Casey's Top 5:

1. "One Dark Window" by Rachel Gillig
2. "Light Bringer" by Pierce Brown
3. "Dark Age" by Pierce Brown
4. "Rites of the Starling" by Devney Perry
5. "In Her Own League" by Liz Tomforde

Honorable Mention: "The Shippers" by Katherine Center

July gave us everything: five-star classics, bizarre sci-fi, heartbreaking historical fiction, horror that left us speechless, and a few books that missed the mark!

In this episode we’re sharing our biggest surprise reads, the books that didn’t quite live up to the hype, our favorite book of July, and the books we’re most excited to read next.

What’s the best book you read in July? Let us know in the comments wherever you listened to this podcast! And be sure to follow us on Instagram at @wellreadandunfilteredpodcast to get the latest updates!

BOOKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

The Luminous Dead - Caitlin Starling (Horror)

The Starving Saints - Caitlin Starling (Horror)

Jurassic Park - Michael Crichton (Sci-fi)

Congo - Michael Crichton (Sci-fi)

My Friends - Fredrik Backman (Literary Fiction)

Beartown - Fredrik Backman (Literary Fiction)

A Man Called Ove - Fredrik Backman (Literary Fiction)

After I Do - Taylor Jenkins Reid (Romance)

Forever, Interrupted - Taylor Jenkins Reid (Romance)

A (Dead) Thing Like Me - E. G. Young (Cozy Horror)
The Boyhood of Cain - Michael Amherst (Literary Fiction)

The Sixth Nik - Daniel Kraus (Sci-fi Horror)

Whalefall - Daniel Kraus (Sci-fi Horror)

A Darker Shade of Magic - V. E. Schwab (Fantasy)

Villains Series - V. E. Schwab (Sci-fi Fantasy)

Of Blood and Fire - Ryan Cahill (Fantasy)

Red Rising - Pierce Brown (Sci-fi)

The Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien (Fantasy)

The Fall - Ryan Cahill (Fantasy)

John Dies at the End - Jason Pargin (Horror Comedy)

There Are No Giant Crabs in This Novel - Jason Pargin (Horror Comedy)

East of Eden - John Steinbeck (Classic)

Pachinko - Min Jin Lee (Historical Fiction)

Off to the Races - Elsie Silver (Romance)

Hamnet - Maggie O'Farrell (Historical Fiction)

Lost Lambs - Madeline Cash (Satire Fiction)

Angel Down - Daniel Kraus (Historical Horror)

Valour - John Gwynne (Fantasy)

Malice - John Gwynne (Fantasy)

The Only Way Out Is Up - Django Wexler (Sci-fi)

Dungeon Crawler Carl - Matt Dinniman (Sci-fi)

John of John - Douglas Stuart (Literary Fiction)

Young Mungo - Douglas Stuart (Literary Fiction)

Shuggie Bain - Douglas Stuart (Literary Fiction)

Episode 4 is all about the characters that stay with us long after we finish a book.

We dive into what makes a truly unforgettable character, debate whether flawed protagonists are better than perfect heroes, celebrate our favorite sidekicks (human and animal), and reveal the book characters we simply can’t stand. From Red Rising and Dungeon Crawler Carl to Project Hail Mary, The Sword of Kaigen, Fourth Wing, Lord of the Rings, and more, it’s a fun, spoiler-light conversation about the fictional people who make us laugh, cry, rage, and keep turning the pages.

BOOKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Yesteryear - Caro Claire Burke (Satire Fiction)

The Knight and the Moth - Rachel Gillig (Romantasy)

One Dark Window - Rachel Gillig (Romantasy)

The Faithful and the Fallen Series - John Gwynne (Fantasy)

The Mean Ones - Tatiana Schlote-Bonne (Horror)

Mile High - Liz Tomforde (Romance)

A Court of Thorns and Roses - Sarah J. Maas (Romantasy)

A Court of Silver Flames - Sarah J. Maas (Romantasy)

Giovanni's Room - James Baldwin (Literary Fiction)

The Sword of Kaigen - M. L. Wang (Fantasy)

Project Hail Mary - Andy Weir (Sci-fi)

Red Rising - Pierce Brown (Sci-fi/Fantasy)

Fourth Wing - Rebecca Yarros (Romantasy)

Throne of Glass - Sarah J. Maas (Romantasy)

Dungeon Crawler Carl - Matt Dinniman (Sci-fi)

The Bloodsworn Trilogy - John Gwynne (Fantasy)

Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien (Fantasy)

The Devils - Joe Abercrombie (Fantasy)

Between Two Fires - Christopher Buehlman (Horror/Fantasy)

A Little Life - Hanya Yanagihara (Literary Fiction)

Deep End - Ali Hazelwood (Romance)

We Are Legion (We Are Bob) - Dennis E. Taylor (Sci-fi)

The Stormlight Archive series - Brandon Sanderson (Fantasy)

Adrift - Will Dean (Thriller)

The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook - Matt Dinniman (Sci-fi)

North Woods - Daniel Mason (Historical Fiction)

Land - Maggie O'Farrell (Literary Fiction)
Of Blood and Fire - Ryan Cahill (Fantasy)

Malice - John Gwynne (Fantasy)

Our Perfect Storm - Carley Fortune (Romance)

Sarafina - Philip Fracassi (Horror)

Fabulous Bodies - Chuck Tingle (horror)

ACCOUNTS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

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