Our annual, spoiler-free Reading Wrap Up is here! We each share 3 favorites and 3 flops of fantasy and romance books that we read this year, along with our DNFs & reading stats!

🤍 CTB Links: ⁠⁠ ⁠https://linktr.ee/checkthisbookout⁠

📖 Books Mentioned:

• Onyx Storm - Rebecca Yarros
• The Knight and the Moth - Rachel Gillig
• Scythe and Sparrow - Brynne Weaver
• Tourist Season - Brynne Weaver
• Off To The Races - Elsie Silver
• Six of Crows - Leigh Bardugo
• The Blood Traitor - Lynnette Noni
• The Will of the Many - James Islington
• Blood Over Bright Haven - M. L. Wang
• Morning Star - Pierce Brown
• Good Spirits - B.K. Borison
• Eldritch - Keri Lake
• Anathema - Keri Lake
• Nocticadia - Keri Lake
• Never Keep - Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti
• Mistborn - Brandon Sanderson
• The Emperor Sol - Brandon Sanderson
• Say You’ll Remember Me - Abby Jimenez
• The Strength of the Few - James Islington

The Strength of the Few was a chaotic & suspenseful sequel & we discuss it all in this review! 🏛️ We dive deep into the layered world building, complex character development, political tension, & that unforgettable ending. We ponder theories & what’s to come, so tune in to hear our honest thoughts! (P.S. this review contains spoilers!)

🤍 CTB Links: ⁠⁠ https://linktr.ee/checkthisbookout

📖 Books Mentioned:

• The Strength of the Few - James Islington
• The Will of the Many - James Islington

The Strength of the Few Synopsis:

"OMNE TRIUM PERFECTUM.

The Hierarchy still call me Vis Telimus. Still hail me as Catenicus. They still, as one, believe they know who I am.

But with all that has happened—with what I fear is coming—I am not sure it matters anymore.

I am no longer one. I won the Iudicium, and lost everything—and now, impossibly, the ancient device beyond the Labyrinth has replicated me across three separate worlds. A different version of myself in each of Obiteum, Luceum, and Res. Three different bodies, three different lives. I have to hide; fight; play politics. I have to train; trust; lie. I have to kill; heal; prove myself again, and again, and again.

I am loved, and hated, and entirely alone.

Above all, though, I need to find answers before it’s too late. To understand the nature of what has happened to me, and why.

I need to find a way to stop the coming Cataclysm, because if all I have learned is true, I may be the only one who can."

Timestamps:

00:00:00 the strength of the few review!

00:01:50 our ratings & initial thoughts

00:05:00 split POVs, time skips & confusion

00:19:00 obiteum plot walk & giggles

00:27:00 hannah's fav obiteum scene

00:30:00 mad's fav obiteum scene

00:33:00 thoughts on ka

00:37:00 crazy theories - caeror, ostius & will

00:50:00 luceum plot walk & sweet little deaglan

00:54:30 vis's dad makes us cry

00:58:00 hannah's fav luceum scene

01:00:00 mad's fav luceum scenes

01:05:00 res plot walk

01:08:05 the most shocking death

01:14:00 ostius analysis

01:17:00 hannah's alupi theory

01:20:50 mad's fav res scene

01:22:10 the truth of the concurrence

01:35:00 final thoughts

Romance author M. J. Hughes is joining us on the pod to talk all things writing & publishing of her spicy, college, hockey romance standalone series, A River Road Series! 🏒 From behind-the-scenes writing stories to navigating indie-publishing, this episode is packed with honesty, inspiration, & all the bookish chaos we love.

M. J. shares how she went from passionate reader to self-published author & the reality of balancing work full-time with writing & content creation. Also expect the full scoop on her hockey romance world of Barker University & future stories & audiobooks releasing soon!

Whether you’re a hockey-romance lover like us or just curious about what it takes to be indie-published, this is a conversation you don’t want to miss!

🤍 CTB Links: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/checkthisbookout⁠⁠

🤍 M. J Hughes' Links: https://linktr.ee/mjhughesauthor

• https://authormjhughes.etsy.com?coupon=CHECKTHISBOOKOUT Use code CHECKTHISBOOKOUT for $5 off!

📖 Books Mentioned:

• What If - M. J. Hughes
• What Now - M. J. Hughes
• What Next - M. J. Hughes

#booktube #romancebooks #romancereader #bookrecommendations #bookreview

The weather is getting colder, the books are getting cozier, & this paranormal romance by B.K. Borison suits the season perfectly ❄️ In our review of Good Spirits, we cry (literally), laugh, & gush over everything that made this book so special to us. The characters, magic, & emotional depth tucked into the quaint city of Annapolis left us dreamy & eager for more B.K. Borison paranormal romances in the future! (P.S. this episode contains spoilers!)

🤍 CTB Links!: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/checkthisbookout⁠⁠

🖋️ Good Spirits Synopsis:

Ghost of Christmas Past Nolan Callahan intends to spend this holiday haunting like every other—get in, get out, return to his otherwise aimless existence as a ghost awaiting the afterlife. But when he’s faced with Harriet York, the sweetest assignment he’s ever had, he suddenly finds himself wishing for a future.

Harriet York has no idea why she’s being haunted. She’s a good person—or, at least, she tries to be. A people pleaser to her core, she always does what’s expected of her. But as she and Nolan begin to examine her past, they discover there are threads that bind them together— and realize there might be more to moving on than expected.

With the deadline of Christmas Eve fast approaching, will they find the key to their futures in each other’s pasts? Or will they stay firmly in the present, indulging in their unexpected, spirited connection?

📖 Books Mentioned:

• Good Spirits - B.K. Borison
• First Time Caller - B.K. Borison
• Lovelight Farms - B.K. Borison
• Grim Tidings - B.K. Borison
• Holidaze - Christina Lauren
• Say You’ll Remember Me - Abby Jimenez
• The Will of the Many - James Islington
• The Strength of the Few - James Islington
• Prison Healer - Lynette Noni
• Great Big Beautiful Life - Emily Henry

⏱ Time Stamps:

00:00:00 good spirits by b.k. borison!

00:01:10 christmas disclaimer

00:2:20 out of hannah's comfort zone

00:3:20 our ratings + book overview

00:8:20 b.k.'s writing style

00:11:00 magical realism & paranormal elements

00:15:20 character dimension & trauma

00:20:00 the setting

00:22:00 the meh hook

00:25:00 the perfect pallet cleanser

00:28:00 visceral emotional reactions

00:33:00 harriet's first memory

00:34:30 sweet sweet soulmates

00:40:30 the boat scene

00:45:50 matched loneliness

00:47:30 hannah's first pod tears

00:51:00 thoughts on dual pov & dialogue

00:53:50 the spy cat

00:56:00 the next books

00:58:00 2025 wrap up foreshadowing

01:02:20 we loved harriet & magic

01:08:15 goodreads choice awards nominations

01:18:00 outro

We're back with Part 2 of our deep dive into The Will of the Many! 🏛️ We’re unpacking everything that makes this book so addictive: the writing, the world, the politics, the twists, & that jaw-dropping ending. (P.S. This episode contains spoilers!)

🤍 CTB Links!: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/checkthisbookout⁠⁠

🖋️ The Will of the Many Synopsis:

"AUDI. VIDE. TACE.

The Catenan Republic – the Hierarchy – may rule the world now, but they do not know everything.

I tell them my name is Vis Telimus. I tell them I was orphaned after a tragic accident three years ago, and that good fortune alone has led to my acceptance into their most prestigious school. I tell them that once I graduate, I will gladly join the rest of civilised society in allowing my strength, my drive and my focus – what they call Will – to be leeched away and added to the power of those above me, as millions already do. As all must eventually do.

I tell them that I belong, and they believe me.

But the truth is that I have been sent to the Academy to find answers. To solve a murder. To search for an ancient weapon. To uncover secrets that may tear the Republic apart.

And that I will never, ever cede my Will to the empire that executed my family.

To survive, though, I will still have to rise through the Academy’s ranks. I will have to smile, and make friends, and pretend to be one of them and win. Because if I cannot, then those who want to control me, who know my real name, will no longer have any use for me.

And if the Hierarchy finds out who I truly am, they will kill me."

📖 Books Mentioned:

The Will of the Many (Hierarchy #1) - James Islington

The Strength of the Few (Hierarchy #2) - James Islington

The Shadow of What Was Lost (The Licanius Trilogy #1) - James Islington

Empire of Storms - Sarah J. Maas

The Way of Kings - Brandon Sanderson

The Name of the Wind - Patrick Rothfuss

⏱ Time Stamps:

00:00:00 intro

00:01:50 festival of the ancestors

00:06:00 adventure to the 2nd ruins

00:09:20 vis adopts a dog

00:11:20 caeror’s letters

00:13:15 creepy ghost theory

00:17:30 cataclysm theory

00:23:30 the duel + aequa deep dive

00:30:00 madeline cries lol

00:31:30 vis goes home

00:37:00 dynamic duo - military and anguis

00:37:50 the perfect theory book

00:40:00 emissa's

00:42:15 vis is a chess king

00:52:20 crazy synchronism theories

00:58:20 the iudicium deep dive

01:11:00 is it a prophecy?

01:16:00 the rest of the iudicium

01:27:00 outro

The Will of the Many has completely taken over the fantasy community & we totally get why 🏛️ We’re unpacking everything that makes this book so addictive: the writing, the world, the politics, the twists, & that jaw-dropping ending. Join us for Part 1 of our Hierarchy series deep dive, & stay tuned for Part 2 next Tuesday! (P.S. This episode contains spoilers!)

🤍 CTB Links!: ⁠https://linktr.ee/checkthisbookout⁠

📖 Books Mentioned:

• ​The Will of the Many (Hierarchy #1) - James Islington
• ​The Strength of the Few (Hierarchy #2) - James Islington
• ​Red Rising - Pierce Brown
• ​The Shadow of What Was Lost (The Licanius Trilogy #1) - James Islington
• ​Blood Over Bright Haven - M.L. Wang

⏱ Time Stamps:

00:00:000 intro

00:01:30 our ratings

00:06:20 the elephant in the room

00:09:35 the writing style

00:12:15 the pacing

00:14:40 show vs tell

00:17:00 vis is a planner

00:21:10 world building and science fantasy

00:25:45 vis is so smart

00:27:45 we loved the roman inspired setting

00:29:30 the pyramid structure

00:34:30 overpowered characters

00:36:20 a great hook

00:39:40 pre-academy plot deep dive

00:45:20 imagining transvects

00:51:30 relucia/sedotia

00:55:20 veridius intro

00:59:00 big sister lanistia + training montage

01:03:00 the naumachia

01:12:30 vis at the academy + his flaws

01:25:30 first visit to the ruins

01:40:00 final thoughts

Happy Halloween! 🎃 Join us for a hilarious game of blind-picking halloween costumes for our favorite book characters! Featuring group costumes for Fourth Wing & Throne of Glass to couples’ costumes for Beach Read and Just For The Summer, we were dying laughing! (P.S. This episode is spoiler free!)

🤍 CTB Links!: https://linktr.ee/checkthisbookout

📖 Books Mentioned:

• ​Butcher and Blackbird (The Ruinous Love Trilogy #1) - Brynne Weaver
• ​Prison Healer - Lynnette Noni
• ​House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City #1) - Sarah J. Maas
• ​Twilight - Stephanie Meyer
• ​Check & Mate - Ali Hazelwood
• ​Red Rising - Pierce Brown
• ​Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
• ​A Court of Thorns and Roses - Sarah J. Maas
• ​The Right Move - Liz Tomforde
• ​Beach Read - Emily Henry
• ​Say You’ll Remember Me - Abby Jimenez
• ​The Awakening (Zodiac Academy #1) - Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti
• ​Fourth Wing (The Empyrean #1)- Rebecca Yarros
• ​Bride - Ali Hazelwood
• ​Throne of Glass - Sarah J. Maas
• ​The Knight and the Moth (The Stonewater Kingdom #1)- Rachel Gillig
• ​Yours Truly - Abby Jimenez
• ​Part of Your World - Abby Jimenez
• ​Just For the Summer - Abby Jimenez
• ​Hot For Slayer (Scared Sexy Collection) - Ali Hazelwood
• ​Mate (Bride #2) - Ali Hazelwood
• ​The Serpent and the Wings of Night (Crowns of Nyasia #1)- Carissa Broadbent

⏱ Time Stamps

️ 00:00 happy halloween!

01:40 butcher and blackbird

03:00 the prison healer

04:55 crescent city

07:50 twilight

08:25 check and mate

09:40 red rising

12:55 the hunger games

15:00 ACOTAR

19:05 the right move

20:10 beach read

21:10 say you’ll remember me

22:30 zodiac academy

29:15 fourth wing

32:00 throne of glasss

36:00 the knight & the moth

37:15 wildcard!

39:20 our halloween plans

42:40 shopping spree

52:35 our thoughts on the life of a showgirl

October is here & so is our honest review of Brynne Weaver's latest release, Tourist Season! 🔪🩸 We talk about the novel's witty banter, dark romance, vigilante serial killing, & many plot points. Was the suspense worth it? Tune in to find out!

(P.S. this episode contains spoilers!)

🤍 CTB Links!: https://linktr.ee/checkthisbookout

Tourist Season Synopsis:

“Cape Carnage is a seaside town of colorful houses, quirky shops, and an unusually high body count. But with tourists comes trouble, and Harper Starling won’t let anyone ruin her picture-perfect home. A skilled gardener with killer instincts, Harper protects her sanctuary at any cost—especially for her aging mentor with a fading memory. Troublesome tourists don’t check out of Carnage. They compost beneath Harper’s award-winning flowerbeds.

But Nolan Rhodes isn’t your average tourist. Devilishly handsome, disarmingly charming, and skilled with a blade, Nolan is relentless in the pursuit of revenge. On every anniversary of the hit-and-run accident that fractured his life, Nolan slays another target. And he’s saved the best for last: the undeniably beautiful Harper Starling. The problem? Harper isn’t the monster he expected. And she won’t go down without a fight.

When an amateur true crime investigator comes to Cape Carnage on the trail of a long-lost serial killer, Harper and Nolan strike an uneasy truce. If Nolan helps Harper protect her town, she’ll keep quiet about his hunting habits . . . for now. But their alliance soon spirals into obsession, one that threatens to shatter every secret in Carnage—including their fragile love.”

📖 Books Mentioned:

• ​Tourist Season - Brynne Weaver
• ​Butcher & Blackbird - Brynne Weaver
• ​Leather & Lark - Brynne Weaver
• ​Scythe & Sparrow - Brynne Weaver
• ​The Love Hypothesis - Ali Hazelwood
• ​Problematic Summer Romance - Ali Hazelwood
• ​The Inheritance Games - Jennifer Lynn Barnes
• ​The Strength of the Few - James Islington
• ​The Will of the Many - James Islington
• ​Mate - Ali Hazelwood
• ​Alchemy of Secrets - Stephanie Garber

⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00:00 tourist season book review

00:01:50 our ratings

00:05:55 writing quality

00:07:20 dual POV complaints

00:09:05 cringey smut

00:13:15 insta love

00:15:20 the spooky small-town setting

00:19:35 the hook

00:26:00 ignorance isn’t bliss

00:28:40 boring meet cute

00:31:10 blackmail plot line

00:32:25 half baked sub plots

00:38:20 the body treasure hunt

00:39:40 nolan & harper

00:43:20 arthur lancaster

00:44:45 lukas + the sleuthseekers

00:48:45 la plume deep dive

00:57:15 a quick summary

01:01:30 reading goodreads reviews

01:10:50 outro