Podcast Summary: "BOOKISH Naughty & Nice List"

Podcast: I’ll Read What She’s Reading
Hosts: Reggie, Mikayla, and Kennedy
Episode Date: December 17, 2025
Episode Theme: The hosts share their “Naughty & Nice” lists for the year in bookish trends, based on both their experiences and listener submissions.

Overview

In this festive and lively episode, the hosts of I’ll Read What She’s Reading dive into the bookish world’s “Naughty & Nice” lists—highlighting both personal grievances and delightful moments from the past year. Channeling the spirit of a chaotic, fun group chat, Reggie, Mikayla, and Kennedy review pet peeves, celebrate new releases and adaptations, and reflect on trends submitted by their podcast community.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Naughty List: Bookish Grievances

(00:14–38:15)

• Uninspired Sprayed Edges

  • The hosts bemoan publishers who spray just solid colors on book edges, especially when anticipated special editions feel underwhelming.
    • “If you’re gonna spray the edges, just go a little extra mile. Like, why spray the edges if it’s just gonna be a solid color?” – Reggie (01:56)
  • Issues with black sprayed edges rubbing off (02:21).

• Unannounced or Delayed Releases

  • Frustration about highly anticipated releases like Pierce Brown’s Red God and ACOTAR 6 with no concrete release dates.
    • “Not having a release date makes me a little salty. No Red God release date.” – Reggie (03:31)
    • Speculation and theories on possible release timelines (04:12–05:24).
    • Listeners (and hosts!) are conflicted about pressuring authors but crave transparency.
      • “Let’s just leave the authors alone... We can be patient, because when we’re patient, the quality of the book goes up.” – Kennedy (19:14).

• Spoilers & Expiration Dates

  • Annoyance with spoilers posted online without warnings, whether on TikTok or Instagram.
    • “Anyone who doesn’t put a spoiler warning on a video…” – Reggie (05:59)
    • Debates on how long spoiler warnings should last (10 years? A month? No consensus!) (06:42–08:03).

• No Half-Star Ratings in Goodreads

  • The hosts wish Goodreads would allow half-star ratings and easier data syncing.
    • “I just really wish Goodreads would give half stars.” – Kennedy (08:29)

• Reading Slumps & Too Much “Spice”

  • Book slumps and excessive mature content (“spice”) are on the naughty list.
    • “Spice has taken me out of the story, gives me the ick, ruins my reading experience…” – Mikayla (10:29)
  • Preference for emotional build-up vs. relentless/overdone scenes.

• Over-Promoted Romantasy

  • Some new romantasy felt formulaic and repetitive this year.
    • “There was no real romantasy book that was released this year that I was completely obsessed with.” – Kennedy (14:37)

• Editing and Publishing Errors

  • Recent books (notably Brimstone by Cali Hart) have major continuity errors, likely due to razed publication timelines.
    • “Errors like that are going to catch like wildfire and it’s hard to get back from that.” – Mikayla (18:39)

• Pressuring Authors

  • The group discusses the ethics of hounding authors for release updates (with special consideration for Rebecca Yarros and Sarah J. Maas).

• Waiting on Unfinished Series

  • The pain of reading series starters and waiting years for sequels (25:18–26:49).

• Cringey or Overused Character Nicknames

  • “Sugar Tits”, “Darling”, “Reaper” – overused nicknames lose their charm fast (27:40–28:39).

• Reading Goal Anxieties

  • Stress from Goodreads goal tracking and feeling pressured to read quantity over quality (29:24–30:33).

• Movie Adaptation Disappointments

  • Regretting You film adaptation left much to be desired (32:03–32:52).

• Library App Frustrations

  • Upset about Libby’s interface updates and long library wait times (35:33–35:54).

Listener Naughty List Submissions

(Interspersed, especially 15:55-38:54)

• Publishing errors (Brimstone)
• Badgering authors for updates
• Delay/lack of information on major releases (ACOTAR 6, Red God)
• Overused sprayed edges and solid colors
• Reading unfinished series and forgetting key details before the sequel
• Overused character nicknames (“Sugar Tits”, “Reaper”)
• Self-inflicted FOMO from book releases
• Pressure to meet reading goals
• Audiobook narrator mismatches

Nice List: Bookish Highlights

(38:15–50:45)

• Upcoming Movie & TV Adaptations

  • Project Hail Mary (trailer and Gosling’s casting gets major hype)
    • “Ryan Gosling was the perfect casting.” – Kennedy (39:12)
  • Sunrise on the Reaping cast & early trailer elicit excitement and high expectations:
    • “Budget for that movie had to have been so insane. There is not one casting thing where I'm kinda like, 'eh'... I think everyone is going to do so well.” – Reggie (41:05)
  • Chestnut Springs adaptation is highly anticipated for its potential to evoke Yellowstone/Lonest Ride vibes (47:14-48:47).

• Everand & Fable Platforms

  • Praised for usability and features, including multiple audiobook credits per month (39:27–39:34).

• Recap Blog Posts by Authors

  • James Islington and Carissa Broadbent lauded for providing book recaps to help fans remember storylines before sequels.
    • “He wrote a 20 page blog post recapping The Will of the Many to prepare you to read The Strength of the Few.” – Kennedy (40:11)

• Duet Audiobook Narration

  • Preferred over single narrators; enhances immersion if both actors are solid (43:10–43:41).

• Graphic Audio Adaptations

  • Love for dramatized/“graphic audio” versions of popular fantasy books (44:43–46:46).
  • Call for easier chapter delineation for syncing with print/ebook copies.

• Duologies & Standalone Stories

  • Shorter fantasy formats that don’t demand years of commitment are appreciated (46:50–46:54).

• Strong Male Leads with Emotional Depth

  • Shield of Sparrows cited for getting the “broody yet soft” male protagonist just right (44:23).

• Community Kindness

  • Shoutouts to listeners who DM Hunger Games edits, participate in episodes, and support merch/Patreon.
    • “Every single person that’s listening... that literally makes my day. You may—they make me cry most of the time, but I think it's a very sweet gesture...” – Reggie (42:29)

Listener Nice List Submissions

• Shield of Sparrows by Sirena Woods (most-mentioned “nice” book)
• Audiobook features & duet narration
• Upcoming movie/TV adaptations (Sunrise on the Reaping, Project Hail Mary, The Housemaid, etc.)
• Graphic audio editions for fantasy series

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Sprayed Edges Petty Gripe

  • “If you’re going to spray the edges, just go a little extra mile.” – Reggie (01:56)

• Release Date Limbo

  • “The thing about Red God is he knows he has a cult and a following. He can wait as long as he wants and people will still read it.” – Kennedy (04:19)

• Spoiler Warning Rant

  • “Regardless of how long it’s been, it’s not that hard to just put spoiler warning before your video.” – Reggie (08:01)

• Half-Star Humor

  • “You don’t give me a half star rating in middle school, so y’all have been out for forever. It can’t be that hard of coding.” – Kennedy (09:43)

• Spice Discontent

  • “Spice has taken me out of the story, gives me the ick, ruins my reading experience.” – Mikayla (10:29)

• Film Adaptation Hype

  • “Ryan Gosling was the perfect casting.” – Kennedy (39:12)

• Community Appreciation

  • “Every single person that’s listening... that literally makes my day.” – Reggie (42:29)
  • “If you listen to this podcast, we are your friends.” – Kennedy (52:23)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:14–15:55: Hosts’ personal Naughty List (sprayed edges, spoilers, romance tropes, unfinished series, bad nicknames, etc.)
• 15:55–25:00: Listener Naughty List submissions and reactions
• 25:00–38:15: More community gripes; detailed discussion on publishing delays, series gaps, reading slumps, adaptation fails
• 38:15–50:45: Nice List—Book adaptations, author recaps, audio innovations, standalones, community appreciation
• 50:45–54:09: Final gratitude to listeners and wrap-up

Episode Tone

True to the show's spirit, this episode is playful, candid, and filled with friendly banter. The hosts riff off each other and the audience, creating a sense of camaraderie and shared bookworm culture. Listeners are drawn into the group-chat energy, with frequent tangents and relatable pet peeves, but always circling back to positive moments and genuine appreciation for their community.

Final Thoughts

Whether venting about minor annoyances or hyping up favorite releases, the I’ll Read What She’s Reading crew puts a fun, personal spin on the ups and downs of a reader’s life. The episode is a mix of humor, insightful hot takes, and heartfelt thanks—a joyful wrap-up for book lovers heading into the new year.

For More:

• Find the hosts’ book club picks and future discussion topics on Instagram: @whatshesreadingpod
• Merch and more at: illreadwhatshesreading.com

“You guys deserve the nicest gifts under your tree from Santa Claus… we are so incredibly thankful.” – Kennedy (52:23)