In this episode, August and Kendra share their favorite books (fiction and nonfiction) of the year so far. They pit the months against each other and decide on their favorite books for the first half of the year. Some really hard choices had to be made, but there can only be one favorite! Tune in to find out which ones they each pick. ***This episode is completely spoiler-free***

In this episode, the hosts discuss the highly controversial My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell. Kendra and August share their reactions, analyze the major themes, and rage, rage, rage. They also discuss the alleged plagiarism controversy involving Wendy C. Ortiz's memoir Excavation (2014). This episode is full of spoilers, so please only listen if you are comfortable with learning all about this book. TW: sexual assault, sexual abuse of a minor, & pedophilia. Books mentioned...

At some point in their life, every reader experiences a reading slump. It can be frustrating and demoralizing--and it is incredibly common! In this episode, the hosts discuss their experiences with reading slumps and share a variety of books that either put them IN the slump or pulled them OUT. At the end of the episode, they share tips on how to get excited about reading again during those times when the drive just isn't there. This episode will have no spoilers.

In this episode, Kendra and August ask each other a question that has been haunting each of them respectively over the past year: "How can you not like a genre I love?" August gushes about her love for an American/Southern Gothic while Kendra begs August to consider reading a fantasy. Will either of them be successful in their endeavor? Will the other finally give in and read their cohost's favorite? Only time will tell. This episode is completely spoiler free! Books mentioned in the...

In this episode, the hosts talk about censorship. They share a few of their favorite banned books and discuss some of the reasons those books were banned. Censorship sucks, but both August and Kendra had a lot of fun with this one! Books mentioned in the episode: Goosebumps Series by R.L. Stine The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie (2007) The Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde (1890) Bless Me Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya (1972) Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov...

Here is a short bonus episode to update you all the books we've read from May-June! This is completely spoiler-free, we'll only offer short reviews for each. Check out our Goodreads profiles to keep track of the books! August: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/122578796-august-braddock Kendra: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/93348303-kendra-l

In this episode, the hosts talk everything true crime: books, podcasts, movies, documentaries, and everything that comes to mind! TW: brief mentions of kidnapping, murder, and sexual assault. Books: Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell (2020) The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune (2020) Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe (2018) Zodiac by Robert Graysmith (1986) I'll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara (2018) The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson (2003) The Stranger Beside Me...

In this episode, the hosts discuss Shakespeare's Macbeth. They share some historical context, their favorite moments, and August can't resist relating the text to the mob. This episode is filled with spoilers, so please only listen if you're okay with knowing the play's main plot points. Books mentioned in the episode: Macbeth by William Shakespeare (1606) The Complete Poems by Edna St. Vincent Millay (1892-1950) Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu (2020)

In this episode, August and Kendra recommend some vacation reads. Everyone looks for a different experience when reading on their vacation, so the hosts offer their own preferences and what makes a book a vacation read for them (big surprise, they have very different picks!). This episode is completely spoiler-free. Books mentioned in the episode: Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion by Jia Tolentino (2019) Home by Toni Morrison (2012) Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan...

In this episode, Kendra and August discuss The Awakening by Kate Chopin. Books mentioned in the episode: The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr. (2021) The Awakening by Kate Chopin (1899) The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin (1894) The Storm by Kate Chopin (1892)

In this episode, the hosts discuss Amy Engel's thriller The Roanoke Girls (ICK!). Lot's for August and Kendra to unpack there. They share how they feel about the book, representations of grooming and abuse, and some books that The Roanoke Girls reminds them of. The first half of the episode is SPOILER FREE and includes the recommendations, so do enjoy the episode even if you have not read the book! Warnings will come right before the spoiler section. TW: mentions of sexual abuse, incest,...

Kendra and August list their favorite books with unreliable narrators in this spoiler-free episode. Both hosts enjoy reading from the perspective of an unreliable narrator because it requires a critical approach and a degree of skepticism towards what is presented to the reader. Books mentioned in the episode: The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel (2017) The Mothers by Brit Bennett (2016) History of Wolves by Emily Fridlund (2017) Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn (2006) Pale Fire by Vladimir...

In this episode, August and Kendra discuss the popular and polarizing book A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara. There is a brief spoiler-free portion in the first half of the episode, but the majority of the episode is filled with spoilers for the book. There will be plenty of warnings before the spoiler-filled portion if you'd like to listen before reading!

In this episode, the hosts share their favorite historical fiction novels. One host finally overcomes their denial that this might be their favorite genre, while the other gets to gush about a familiar favorite. No spoilers in this episode, so enjoy whether you've read any of the books mentioned or not! Books mentioned in the episode: A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara (2015) Calypso by David Sedaris (2018) Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood (1996) The Jungle by Upton Sinclair (1905) City...

In this episode, hosts August and Kendra share their 5 (and a few bonus) LGBTQ+ narratives. This is a list episode, so no spoilers will be shared. Books mentioned in the episode: In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado (2019) A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara (2015) Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin (1956) Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeannette Winterson (1985) The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (2011) Call Me By Your Name by André Aciman (2007) Her Body and Other Parties...

The great, big classics of Literature have been taught, debated over, dismissed, and then taught again in an attempt to answer one essential question: do we really need to still read this? In this series, this is the question that August and Kendra attempt to answer. They each choose one historically lauded work from the English canon and try to prove why it is still worth reading by going into what they love about them and why they are so culturally pervasive.

Here is a short bonus episode to update you all the books we've read from March-April! This is completely spoiler-free, we'll only offer short reviews for each.

A bildungsroman is "a novel dealing with one person's formative years or spiritual education". Often, it is recognized as Coming of Age. And it's a genre that August and Kendra both love! In this episode, the hosts list their five favorite coming or age texts of all time. This episode is spoiler-free, so feel free to enjoy whether you have read any of the texts or not. Books mentioned in the episode: Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin (1956) Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson...

In this episode, hosts August and Kendra discuss Fitzgerald’s famous novel, The Great Gatsby. This is one of August’s favorite books, but Kendra isn’t as wild about it, so there is definitely a healthy dose of both raving (August) and ranting (Kendra). This episode is also full of spoilers—so please only listen if you are okay with knowing everything that happens in this book. Books Mentioned in the Episode: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925) 84 Charring Cross Road by Helene...

In this spoiler-free episode, hosts Kendra and August list their five favorite audiobooks. They also list where they listen to audiobooks and give suggestions for getting into audiobooks for the very first time. Check out Libby and Hoopla for free audiobooks through your local library!

The great, big classics of Literature have been taught, debated over, dismissed, and then taught again in an attempt to answer one essential question: do we really need to still read this? In the first of this series, this is the question that August and Kendra attempt to answer. They each choose one historically lauded work from the English canon and try to prove why it is still worth reading by going into what they love about them and why they are so culturally pervasive.

In this episode, hosts Kendra and August discuss James Baldwin's classic Giovanni's Room. This episode is filled with spoilers, so please only listen if you have read the book or are okay with spoilers! TW: the conversation includes mentions of sexual assault, rape, alcoholism, homophobia, and misogyny.

In this spoiler-free episode, the hosts list their 5 favorite gothic narratives. August and Kendra explore very different texts within the genre and sub-genres of Gothic literature, so there is a little bit of something for everyone!

In this episode, the hosts cover stigmas in the reading and academic communities. They draw from their experiences to discuss elitism, ableism, and gatekeeping, and rage about the enduring lack of diversity in the English canon. There might have been too much to cover, so a part 2 may be needed at some point!

The great, big classics of Literature have been taught, debated over, dismissed, and then taught again in an attempt to answer one essential question: do we really need to still read this? In the first of this series, this is the question that August and Kendra attempt to answer. They each choose one historically lauded work from the English canon and try to prove why it is still worth reading by going into what they love about them and why they are so culturally pervasive.