Shows
Can I Bring My BookYour Book Besties Read WHAT?!?!Can I Bring My Book: The podcast where besties meet books… and this week, we might need to explain ourselves.
In one of our most unhinged episodes to date, Amanda and Kat spiral into the strange, sentient, and downright sizzling world of inanimate object romance. (Yes, it’s real. No, we don’t understand it either. But, do we love it? Absofuckinglutely!)
Inspired by the absurd dating simulator Date Everything, this episode covers pretty much the entire catalog of Holly Wilde:
The Deviled Egg Made Me Do
SPF Me (sunscreen. It's sentie...2025-07-2922 minCan I Bring My BookAtmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid: An In-Depth Chat with Your Book BestiesCan I Bring My Book: The podcast where besties meet books… and sometimes get emotionally wrecked by slow-burn space heartbreak.
This week, Amanda and Kat deep-dive into their July buddy read: Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid.
(⚠️ Heads up—this episode contains spoilers from start to finish! Plus there's mention of suicide.)
Set during NASA’s 1980s shuttle era, Atmosphere follows aspiring astronaut Joan Goodwin through training, trauma, queerness, and quiet acts of resistance. As she builds her future among the stars, she also wrestles with heartbreak, sisterhood, and a slow-burn romance that left both of us...2025-07-2231 minCan I Bring My BookBooks That Made Us Cry and We Loved Every MomentCan I Bring My Book: The podcast where besties meet books… and ugly cry over them.
This week, Amanda and Kat tackle the ultimate emotional damage: books that made them cry. Amanda brings the heartbreak with Sandwich and A Little Life, while Kat breaks down the emotional gut punch of At First Spite and the historical devastation of Salt to the Sea. It’s fine. We’re fine. (We are not fine.)
Also in this episode:
The books that broke us (and the ones we’re still recovering from)
Bathtub rescues, emotiona...2025-07-1520 minCan I Bring My BookNever Have I Ever (But Maybe I Have)Can I Bring My Book: The podcast where besties meet books… and reveal way too much during bookish party games.
This week, Amanda and Kat play a bookish round of Never Have I Ever — and things get personal. From dog-earing pages to borrowing books indefinitely, they confess it all (including some spicy inspiration). Then, they take a BuzzFeed quiz to find out their romance novel archetypes — turns out, they might both be the thoughtful observer type.
Also in this episode:
Their favorite book tropes of the week: Single Parent and Age Gap romances
2025-07-0817 minCan I Bring My BookMy Type? Morally Gray With a MaskCan I Bring My Book: The podcast where besties meet books… and confess our book crushes.
This week, Amanda and Kat get personal about their literary love lives—aka, book boyfriends (and the occasional book breakup). Amanda swoons over her masked man Josh from Lights Out, while Kat... is book-boyfriend single. For now.
In this episode, we dive into:
Their favorite book boyfriends (and why morally gray is irresistible)
The “I hurt you to protect you” breakup trope
A breakdown of the masked man trope (yes, it’s a real thing...2025-07-0124 minCan I Bring My BookThis Is Not the Book Haul You Planned ForCan I Bring My Book: The podcast where besties meet books… and bring zero plans.
This week’s episode starts with birthday vibes and somehow unravels into hot takes, book haul logistics, and an existential debate about whether the "mentor dies" trope is a literary rite of passage. Amanda wants a birthday book spree. Kat wants rules. And neither of them agrees on how many books one person should be allowed to carry.
They dive into:
The chaos of viral book buying sprees (and whether they’re sustainable)
Barnes & Noble vs. used b...2025-06-2417 minCan I Bring My BookWe Really Should Have Had an AgendaCan I Bring My Book: The podcast where besties meet books… and occasionally forget to plan ahead.
This week’s episode is a full-on hot take tornado. Amanda and Kat may not have had an agenda, but they definitely had opinions. From mood reading denialists and Goodreads ethics to reading as “overconsumption,” nothing is safe.
Along the way, they discuss:
📚 Why mood reading is real (and personal)
🎧 Accidentally re-reading the wrong story
🔥 Grady Hendrix’s unhinged author reviews of his own books
💬 The debate over reading 20+ books a month—and whether th...2025-06-1720 minCan I Bring My BookFound Family, Fake Dating, and Fabio MomsCan I Bring My Book: The podcast where besties meet books… and sometimes black coffee reveals your reader soul.
This week, Amanda and Kat spiral through chaotic quizzes, coffee orders, and the wild world of interspecies romance. (Yes, really.) First up? A deep dive into Novelist, a new tool offered by their local library that serves up book recs based on shows you love (like The Bear) or tropes you're obsessed with (like "found family" and "whimsy"). Then, things take a turn…
What starts as a “What your coffee order says about you as a reader...2025-06-1017 minCan I Bring My BookPick a Mushroom, Pack a Goat: Quizzes, Chaos & Favorite TropesCan I Bring My Book: The podcast where besties meet books… and sometimes unhinged fantasy quizzes.
This week, Amanda and Kat dive into a chaotic “Pack Your Bag” fantasy quiz—and discover that Amanda is a panicky pixie packing an anxious teddy bear and a goat named Bitey. Naturally.
The episode spirals delightfully from there with a round of bookish “Would You Rather” (dog-eared pages or spoilers, anyone?) and a debate over naming pets—or children—after fictional characters.
They also reveal their trope obsessions of the week:
Dystopian societies (The Last Bookstore on Ear...2025-06-0316 minCan I Bring My BookJudging Books by Their Covers (And We Regret Nothing)You know what they say—don’t judge a book by its cover. But honestly? Sometimes we do. In this episode of Can I Bring My Book, Kat and Amanda explore the irresistible world of cover buys: books they picked up purely because of how pretty, striking, or downright soft-to-the-touch they were. From bold color palettes and intriguing titles to irresistible textures and filigree chapter pages, we’re sharing the cover art that convinced us to give a book a shot (even if we’ve already DNF’d it once before).
We also reveal our latest finds from the F...2025-05-2716 minCan I Bring My BookTBR Confessions and Bookish CrimesTBR Confessions and Bookish Crimes
This week on Can I Bring My Book, Kat and Amanda get real about the chaos of their TBRs, the bookish habits they’re slightly ashamed to admit, and the hot takes that might get them banned from the bookish internet. From using dust jackets as bookmarks (we’re sorry) to confessing our dependence on airplane mode for Kindle hoarding, we’re laying it all out.
Plus, we dive into a very specific (and very forbidden) trope: the off-limits crush. You know the one—your brother’s best friend, your professor, your ex’s dad...2025-05-2021 minCan I Bring My BookTBR Time Travel + Our Most Unhinged Trope Talk YetTBR Time Travel + Our Most Unhinged Trope Talk Yet
Time to dust off the digital shelves—Amanda and Kat are throwing it back to the very first books they ever added to their Goodreads TBRs (we're talking 2011-level chaos). From books they still haven’t read to ones they completely forgot about (and maybe even hate-read), this episode is packed with judgment, nostalgia, and a surprising amount of purging.
Plus, we round things out with Trope Talk, featuring two very spicy favorites:
Amnesia Romance 🧠💔
Reverse Harem 👑👑👑👑
Books mentioned include:
Nothing by Janne T...2025-05-1321 minCan I Bring My BookPOV Wars: First Person vs. Third PersonIs it more fun to live the story or to watch it unfold? In this episode, we’re diving into the big narrative debate—first person vs. third person point of view. From omniscient storytelling to limited perspectives, we unpack the pros and cons of each and share which styles we gravitate toward (spoiler: it depends on the vibe).
We also chat about one of our favorite storytelling devices—the unreliable narrator—and list the books that pulled it off flawlessly. Whether you’re team “I want all the inner monologue” or “just tell me what’s happening,” there’...2025-05-0617 minCan I Bring My BookCult Vibes, Curses, and New Bookish ObsessionsTitle:
Cult Vibes, Curses, and New Bookish Obsessions
Episode Description:
This week on Can I Bring My Book, Amanda and Kat are back with fresh book reviews of their Bestie Book Swap read this month! Kat shares her thoughts on The Vicious Circle by Katherine St. John — a thriller that brings all the culty, secluded island drama. Meanwhile, Amanda dives into Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber and officially joins the Jacks fan club.
Along the way, they chat about what they expect from thrillers, the charm of slightly messy main ch...2025-04-2914 minCan I Bring My BookDramatic Goodreads Readings & Five-Star ShadeEpisode Title: Dramatic Goodreads Readings & Five-Star Shade
Book reviews, dramatic readings, and a little friendly shade—what more could you ask for?
In this episode of Can I Bring My Book, Kat confronts Amanda about her ahem generous Goodreads ratings and challenges her to revisit old book reviews. Cue the dramatic readings, cringey commentary, and some surprising reflections.
We talk about:
The books we used to love (or not)
The evolution of our reading tastes
Amanda’s villain origin story as a 5-star reviewer
Trope...2025-04-2217 minCan I Bring My BookShould We Challenge Ourselves as Readers? A Debate on “Shoulds,” Genres, and Bookish GrowthEpisode Title: Should We Challenge Ourselves as Readers? A Debate on “Shoulds,” Genres, and Bookish Growth
Can I Bring My Book — the podcast where we, Kat and Amanda, tangentially discuss books... and so much more.
This week, Amanda and Kat dive into the tension between comfort reading and personal growth, all sparked by a spicy internet comment about what books readers should be reading. Is it enough to read only what you want to read? Or does challenging yourself to step outside your favorite genre actually lead to a more fulfilling reading life?
The du...2025-04-1518 minCan I Bring My BookLet’s Build the Ultimate Book BoyfriendEpisode Title: Let’s Build the Ultimate Book Boyfriend
In this week’s episode, Amanda and Kat take a break from their towering TBRs to do something far more important—design their perfect fictional boyfriends. From battlefields to bakeries, black tees to farmhouses full of goats, the duo takes online quizzes (some more accurate than others, or maybe none that are accurate at all) and debate everything from pickup lines to dream proposal settings.
Along the way, they add even more books to their TBRs (shocker), reveal their all-time favorite book boyfrien...2025-04-0820 minCan I Bring My BookSpring Cleaning Your ReadingSpring Cleaning Your Reading
This week, Amanda kicks things off by sending Kat on a mission to grab five books from her physical TBR cart… and chaos ensues. Together, they reflect on reading goals, shift some priorities, and play a bookish version of “keep, read, donate” (don’t worry, no books were harmed in the making of this episode).
Also in this episode:
📚 How Goodreads guilt-trips Amanda
📚 Kat’s fear of spring cleaning and giving up her precious reads
📚 Books we’ve had since 2019 and still might read someday
📚 A quick-and-cha...2025-04-0120 minCan I Bring My BookBestie Book Swap & Precious Little RobotsBestie Book Swap & Precious Little Robots
In this week’s episode, Amanda and Kat are back with another Bestie Book Swap! We each read a book picked by the other—and, as usual, we’ve got thoughts.
Kat reviews The Year of Less by Cait Flanders, a memoir (sort of) about minimalism, consumption, and self-discovery. Spoiler alert: someone’s feeling a little misled by the marketing.
Amanda shares her love for A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers and her introduction to the cozy, hopeful world of solarpunk...2025-03-2523 minCan I Bring My BookHow to Break Out of a Reading SlumpHow to Break Out of a Reading Slump
Reading slumps—every book lover’s worst nightmare. Whether it’s burnout, life getting in the way, or a book so good that nothing else compares, we’ve all been there. In this episode, Kat and Amanda break down what causes reading slumps and share practical tips to help you rediscover your reading groove.
We discuss:
📚 The different types of reading slumps and what causes them
📚 How long Kat’s last reading slump lasted (spoiler: it was years)
📚 Whether reading challenges help or hurt motivation
📚 E...2025-03-1815 minCan I Bring My BookBookish Hot Takes & Controversial OpinionsBookish Hot Takes & Controversial Opinions
Get ready, book besties—we’re stirring the pot in this episode! Kat and Amanda dive into bookish hot takes, from whether reading a bad book is worse than watching a bad movie to the eternal debate of paperback vs. hardcover. We’re also chatting about series vs. standalones, dog-earing pages (monstrous or practical?), and whether smut is really just… well, you’ll have to listen to find out.
Plus, we’re introducing Trope Talk! This week, we discuss meet-cutes and found family—two of our favorites!
2025-03-1121 minCan I Bring My BookBooks and Cake and CostumesGet ready cuz it's Episode Ten Plus One: Cake, Cozy Mysteries, and Bestie Book Swap Updates
We’re celebrating our 11th episode (or as we like to call it, "ten plus one") with some bookish chat about cozy mysteries, annotated book swaps, and our latest reads. Plus, we talk about the books that inspired us as kids, the joy of missing out, and Kat’s spirit week adventures.
📚 Books Mentioned:
Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe: https://amzn.to/3WL15Py
The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris by Jenny Colgan: ht...2025-02-0433 minCan I Bring My BookBooks and DragonsReading Relay, Bestie Book Swap, and Fourth Wing Love
Can I Bring My Book. The podcast where we, Kat and Amanda, will tangentially discuss books... and so much more.
In this episode, Kat and Amanda share their recent reads, including 4,000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman, A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara, and Murder and Marble Cake by Nancy McGovern. They also discuss their January Bestie Book Swap picks—Kat reflects on Maid by Stephanie Land, a moving memoir about resilience, poverty, and overcoming stigma, while Amanda gushes over Fourth Wing by Rebecca Ya...2025-01-2133 minCan I Bring My BookBooks and Author ConvosBehind the Book: A Conversation with Tamara Lemus, Author of Runaway Fae
*While we tried to limit any spoilers for Runaway Fae, we recommend you get a copy of the book and read before listening to the episode*
Can I Bring My Book. The podcast where we, Kat and Amanda, will tangentially discuss books... and so much more.
In this episode, we are joined by Tamara Lemus, the talented author of Runaway Fae. Tamara shares the journey that sparked her love of reading, the inspiration behind her deb...2025-01-071h 23Can I Bring My BookBooks and Reading GoalsReading Goals, Bonus Books, and the Icelandic Book Flood
Can I Bring My Book. The podcast where we, Kat and Amanda, will tangentially discuss books... and so much more.
In this bonus episode, Kat and Amanda take advantage of December’s fifth Tuesday to reflect on their 2024 reading goals and look ahead to 2025. Kat discusses revising her 2024 goal to better fit her busy schedule and explores plans to read more nonfiction next year. Meanwhile, Amanda celebrates a massive reading year (134 books!) and outlines her goal for 2025: maintaining her reading momentum while creating a custom Ca...2024-12-3120 minCan I Bring My BookBooks and EinsteinCracking Spines, Comfort Reads, and a Nutcracker Love Affair
Spoiler alert for The Other Einstein: skip 16:00–23:20 if you plan to read it
Can I Bring My Book. The podcast where we, Kat and Amanda, will tangentially discuss books... and so much more.
In Episode 7, Kat and Amanda dive into their current reads, share their thoughts on DNF’ing (Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Fairies and Tarta Americana), and admit to unexpected reading detours. Kat reveals her frustration over The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict and gushes about the delightful chaos of Will...2024-12-1737 minCan I Bring My BookBooks and Rating Our ReadsCan I Bring My Book. The podcast where we, Kat and Amanda, will tangentially discuss books... and so much more.
In Episode 6, Kat and Amanda dive into the world of rating books, debating their approaches to reviews and star ratings. Kat breaks down her firm five-star system and shares why she’s okay with rating books she didn’t finish (hot take alert!), while Amanda reveals her approach as a recovering people-pleaser and the inner conflict of rating anything less than a five.
The discussion takes a spicy turn as the duo explores whether readers shou...2024-12-0342 minCan I Bring My BookBooks and Where to Track Your Reading ActivityBooks and Where to Track Your Reading Activity
Can I Bring My Book. The podcast where we, Kat and Amanda, will tangentially discuss books... and so much more.
In Episode 5, Kat and Amanda chat about their current reads, diving into cozy fall novels like The Pumpkin Spice Café by Laurie Gilmore and Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice by Katie Cicatelli-Kuc, whimsical fantasies like The Fellowship of Bakers and Magic by J. Penner, and The Dallergut Dream Department Store by Miye Lee, and more. Amanda raves about The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune, wh...2024-11-1936 minCan I Bring My BookBooks and When to Quit ThemCan I Bring My Book. The podcast where we, Kat and Amanda, will tangentially discuss books... and so much more.
In Episode 4, we’re celebrating a full month of the podcast and diving into a lively discussion on DNF-ing (Did Not Finish) books—when to do it, how to decide, and our personal approaches. Kat shares her struggle with an audiobook narrator and whether she’ll push through, while Amanda talks about her current cozy reads and the appeal of autumnal books. We also swap our second Bestie Book Swap picks, exploring The Other Einstein by Marie Benedi...2024-11-0532 minCan I Bring My BookBooks and WritingCan I Bring My Book. The podcast where we, Kat and Amanda, will tangentially discuss books... and so much more.
In Episode 3, we chat about our current reads, from Weyward by Emelia Hart to Something is Killing the Children by James Tynion IV, plus a few cozy picks perfect for fall. We also dive into the art of writing as we prep for NaNoWriMo, sharing favorite tools, books on writing, and our routines to get the words flowing. Tune in for all the bookish banter, writing tips, plus some fun surprises!
*****
U...2024-10-2933 min
Can I Bring My BookBooks and how we read themCan I Bring My Book. The podcast where we, Kat and Amanda, tangentially discuss books... and so much more.
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This episode may include spoilers for the following:
How to Train Your Dragon (Book 1 and movies)
Harry Potter movie series
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In this episode, we dive into what we’ve been reading lately, from Anne Bogle’s "I’d Rather Be Reading" to the captivating "Remarkably Bright Creatures" by Shelby Van Pelt. We also chat about our favorite bookstores, audiobook quirks, and what makes certain narrators so compelling. Plus, there’s plenty of cozy boo...2024-10-1544 min
Can I Bring My BookBooks and introductionsCan I Bring My Book. The podcast where we, Kat and Amanda, will tangentially discuss books... and so much more.
We are so excited to welcome you to Episode #1. Get to know us and our new book club.
Links:
October's Selected Read- Tender is the Flesh
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Facebook
2024-10-0130 min