SHOCKING Bookish Confessions

Summary

Podcast Summary: I’ll Read What She’s Reading

Episode: SHOCKING Bookish Confessions
Date: November 26, 2025
Hosts: Reggie, Mikayla, Kennedy

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Main Theme

This episode dives into the "Bookish Confessions" submitted by listeners—those guilty, quirky, or shocking reading habits you might be too embarrassed to admit in public. The hosts candidly share their own confessions, react to listeners', and riff on the ways everyone experiences books differently, all while keeping the tone playful, light, and a little chaotic.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Hosts’ Own Bookish Confessions

• Spoiling Books (and Forgetting It):
  • Reggie admits to spoiling the fanfic Manacled for herself by reading a detailed synopsis, then forgetting all the details before eventually reading and loving the book.
    • “I spoiled Manacled for myself, and then I forgot about it.” (01:57, Reggie)
    • “So I am just so glad that my memory was wiped and I got to have a Hermione slash Helena moment.” (01:44, Reggie)
• Reading Methods:
  • Kennedy and Mikayla share they always try to go into books “blind.”
  • Honest policy with book club picks—if they skip, they’d admit it.

2. Wild Listener Confessions & Reactions

a. Not Finishing or Delaying Books

• Some listeners stop reading in the middle of the climax because they “don't want it to end.”
  • “That’s wild to me…My brain could not do that.” (04:08, Reggie)
• Others read books across multiple formats—physical, Kindle, audiobook—and buy multiple copies to read at night.

b. Spoiling Endings & Skipping

• Skipping to the last page or Googling if a character dies:
  • “I want the emotional pain!” (06:02, Kennedy)
  • All hosts react with judgment and confusion but acknowledge some people just want to avoid attachment.
• Skipping “spicy” (romantic) scenes, or reading only the spicy parts:
  • “Sometimes it feels like I’m reading about two different people.” (10:19, Reggie)
• Skimming or skipping inner dialogue or battle scenes.
  • “I cannot relate because I love battle scenes!” (24:04, Mikayla)
  • Some say they just skim “most battle scenes in fantasy.”

c. Peculiar Habits

• Reading in social situations (Kindle at a sporting event during lulls).
  • “What’s so different between you scrolling on your phone and me reading my book?” (08:07, Kennedy)
• Stopping reading in the middle of paragraphs or pages:
  • “That’s like, an itch I can’t scratch. I actually can’t stop reading until I finish a chapter.” (13:11, Kennedy)
• Forgetting character names or entire book plots after finishing.
  • “Girl, were you listening to it? Were you skimming it? I can’t imagine, like, physically reading it and forgetting everything!” (17:15, Reggie)

d. Practical Reader Confessions

• Checking Libby wait times in Barnes & Noble before buying a book.
• Suspending Libby holds for months if not in the mood.
• Only reading books with a 4.0+ Goodreads rating (with caveats).
  • “A good reads rating definitely…plays a part in my rating or if I’m gonna read the book…” (27:29, Reggie)

e. Petty Irritations

• Skipping flashbacks, prequels, or epilogues; not liking non-linear storytelling.
  • “As an earlier reader I hated those as well.” (28:05, Mikayla)
• Nicknames between MMC and FMC (“main male character”/“main female character”) are a DNF trigger for some.
  • “Sometimes they can be overused…sometimes they can feel a little cringey.” (26:08, Reggie)

f. Audiobook Speed Preferences

• Some listeners only listen at 1x speed, which boggles the hosts.
  • “It sounds like they’re talking in slow motion to me.” (30:02, Kennedy)

g. Book Smells

• One listener creates theories about how her books smell a certain way.
  • “Can you elaborate, please?” (22:42, Mikayla, amused and baffled)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “A lot of people would wish for that—a Hermione slash Helena moment.” (01:44, Reggie)
• “I’m too nosy for that. I gotta know how things end.” (04:21, Kennedy)
• “Sometimes when I’m in Barnes & Noble…I’ll go on the Libby app and see how long the wait is before I actually buy the book. That’s smart.” (05:36, Kennedy)
• “I want the emotional pain!” (06:02, Kennedy, re: spoilers)
• “What’s so different between you scrolling on your phone and me reading my book? Same thing—I just might look a little bit nerdier.” (08:07, Kennedy)
• “If it feels too long, I just won’t read it.” (24:27, listener confession)
• “My memory is just not there…there’s a million tabs open in my brain, and one of them cannot be what page I’m on.” (15:54, Mikayla)
• “If the MMC and the FMC have nicknames for each other, I will usually DNF the book.” (25:46, listener confession)

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Timestamps of Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment/Topic | |-----------|----------------------------------------------------------| | 00:13 | Episode intro, bookish confessions premise | | 01:07 | Reggie’s Manacled confession | | 04:46 | First listener confession: stopping before climax | | 06:41 | Spoiling books by Googling characters | | 07:46 | Reading in social situations | | 09:19 | Skipping spicy scenes | | 11:04 | Skipping/skimming inner dialogue | | 13:11 | Not finishing at the end of a chapter | | 16:24 | Forgetting character names/book events | | 17:15 | Forgetting entire series’ plots | | 19:10 | Libby confession | | 20:13 | Getting bored after the couple gets together (romance) | | 22:18 | Book smells theory | | 23:01 | Skipping battle scenes | | 24:27 | Avoiding long books | | 26:01 | Nickname-triggered DNF | | 27:29 | Goodreads ratings influence reading choices | | 28:05 | Skipping flashbacks/prequels | | 30:02 | Audiobook speed talk | | 31:06 | Hosts’ “What We’re Currently Reading” segment |

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Hosts’ Currently Reading & Noteworthy Reads (31:06–42:26)

Kennedy:

• Reading The Bright Years by Sarah Demoff (sad, under 300pp)
• Finished Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green (nonfiction)—didn’t realize same author as The Fault in Our Stars and that he and Hank Green are brothers.
• Continues Dungeon Crawler Carl—“outrageous, funny, cheesy, but can’t read it physically, only on audio.”

Mikayla:

• DNF’ed Never Been Shipped by Alicia Thompson (63% in, just couldn’t finish)
• Finished The Right Move and Rose Hill: Wild Card—enjoyed both, surprised by how “dad’s ex” trope was handled.
• The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah: “emotional damage,” “not one good thing happens”; recommends only for the very stable.

Reggie:

• Slanting Toward the Sea (sad romance set in Croatia)—“Not a rom com, kind of sad, some beautiful real moments.”
• Started and enjoyed Windy City series, especially The Right Move and Play Along; DNFed the first in the series, found “Play Along” and “The Right Move” particularly compelling.
• Considering a break from romance after binge reading.

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Takeaways & Episode Tone

• The episode is a safe, confessional space: “This is a safe space. No judgment!”
• The hosts highlight how unique and personal every reader’s relationship to books is.
• There’s laughter, some good-hearted roastings, and a lot of bookish relatability.
• “You’re not alone—whatever your weird reader habits are, there’s at least one other person who does it, too.”

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Final Words

• Encouraging community: “Hopefully you feel a little less alone in your confessions...” (42:26)
• Plug for merch and Patreon for extra bookish content.

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This episode offers a hilarious, human look into the secret reading quirks of both the hosts and their listeners—a must-listen for anyone who has ever felt sheepish about their bookish habits!

Transcript

[A]

Foreign.

[B]

Hi, guys. Welcome back to I'll read what she's reading. I'm Kennedy. I'm Mikayla.

[A]

And I'm Reggie.

[B]

And today we are spilling some tea because you guys gave us your bookish confessions. And we're about to see what saucy stuff you guys submitted.

[A]

I mean, I've only glanced at them, but some of these are, like, diabolical.

[B]

Ooh.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

I can't believe some of you.

[C]

I haven't looked at a lot, but I've only looked at one, and I. My jaw's on the ground reading it.

[B]

Do you guys have any bookish confessions?

[A]

Maybe this isn't, like, in the realm of what people submitted.

[B]

Oh, no.

[A]

But I've never told you guys this, but it doesn't matter because I don't even remember.

[B]

I'm scared.

[A]

But when Mikaela first said on the podcast that she had read Manacold, I was like, I'm never gonna read that. And I went and read a whole synopsis of everything that happened in Manacold. Do not remember anything I read.

[B]

Wait, so you did that before reading Manacled and then you read Manacold and you didn't remember any of it?

[A]

Yeah. Isn't that weird?

[B]

How did you not remember anything?

[A]

I don't know. Isn't that so weird? Like, I just remember being like, I'll never read that. It's, like, so long. It's a fan fiction. Like, I'll never. And I went and read the, like, a whole synopsis of it, and it took me, like, 45 minutes to read it. And I just remember being like, eh, okay.

[B]

And now that's, like, your favorite book of all time.

[A]

Yeah. So I am just so glad that my memory was wiped and I got to have a.

[B]

A lot of people would wish for that.

[A]

A Hermione slash Helena moment. That literally the only thing I remember was that there was a Pegasus.

[B]

Hmm.

[A]

That's the only thing I remember reading from the synopsis when I was, like, started to read Manacled. So that's my bookish confession for you guys.

[B]

Interesting.

[A]

I spoiled Manacled for myself, and then I forgot about it.

[B]

How long. How much time had passed?

[A]

I don't know. I'm trying to think. You read it in the summer, right? July. July. Because then I read it a year ago. Because I think I read it a year ago. Cause it was the. I started reading it at our retreat.

[C]

Oh. Yeah. It was July of 2023 for me. So that would.

[A]

Oh, like over.

[B]

Like, just over a year. Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

So that's my bookish confession. I don't know if that's really.

[B]

That's pretty hot. Yeah, that's pretty hot and steamy over here.

[A]

Do you guys have any.

[B]

I'm trying to think of some.

[A]

When we.

[C]

I feel like I've already confessed everything to you guys. Well, you guys know I like going into books blind.

[B]

I'm trying to think if there's anything absolutely diabolical that I've done.

[A]

No, I don't think I have.

[C]

I thought about, like, wondering if you guys have skipped the book club books and just, like, Sparks noted it.

[B]

I actually have never done that. I don't think you guys would.

[C]

But I was like, I wonder if.

[A]

Like, I feel like if I were to do that, I would just be so straight up with you guys. I'd be like, look, I didn't read the book club book, do the episode without me, or just give me a rundown and things. Like, I don't know. I don't feel like I would do that to you guys.

[C]

No, I didn't think you guys would.

[B]

But I've thought about it, that maybe.

[A]

It sounded before like, I have. And that's why you said.

[B]

No, no, no, no, no. I don't know. I'm sorry.

[C]

I'm being, like, kind of boring. I can't think of anything, like, super juvenile.

[A]

I mean, of course I'll be the only one to share something. Just kidding.

[B]

I mean, I don't.

[C]

I feel like a lot of. I just read one and I was like, I can relate to that a lot.

[B]

Maybe.

[A]

I guess we'll just read and see.

[B]

Maybe I'll come up with a really good one once I see what some of these people are saying. Because right now, I can't really think of anything.

[A]

Yeah, well, would you like me to start with one? Go for it.

[B]

Go for it.

[A]

Okay. Someone says I stop reading the book midway through the climax because I don't want it to end. So you're saying you don't finish the book?

[B]

Oh, my OCD could never. I need some clarifying.

[A]

Or, like, I think come back to it, like, way later. My brain could not do that.

[C]

So you just never see the end of the books?

[A]

I don't know, but that's wild to me. Regardless of whether you don't finish the book or you just, like, stop and come back to it after a long period of time. That's crazy.

[B]

That would be hard.

[C]

Oh, my God.

[B]

I'm too nosy for that. I gotta know how things end. Yeah, that's How I get myself in trouble because I see a book that's popular and I'm like, I don't really want to read that.

[A]

But I feel like it wouldn't be as emotional of a. Like, maybe not emotional as the word, but, like, I don't know how you would could Give a book 5 stars if you were really enjoying it and you're like, this is a five star read. I don't want it to end. Drop the book. Come back to it. Like, I feel like you'd be so far, I don't know. I have questions. I have questions for you. Mdog. Just kidding. I'm not going to call you out.

[B]

This one I can relate to buying a physical, but also purchasing it on my Kindle so I can read into the night without a lamp.

[A]

Yeah, same.

[B]

Yeah, I've done that a few times. And then sometimes I'll even go as far as to also have the audible or the Libby.

[A]

I mean, honestly. Here's another bookish confession for me. Unfortunately, I've gotten to a point in my life where I feel like I cannot finish a book without listening to the audiobook. I hate that about myself. I need to, like, actually schedule my reading time, but then it just makes it, like, not as exciting sometimes. Yeah. So, like, I get it. Yeah.

[B]

You got to do what you got to do to finish the books and.

[A]

Make it more cozy and comfortable.

[B]

I'm trying to be the author.

[A]

They're back.

[B]

I'm trying to be a little bit better because I'm trying to, you know, save money, be a little bit more money. Smart. So I've been better at it lately also. Oh, I guess this is kind of a bookish confession. Sometimes when I'm in Barnes Noble and I see a book that I want to buy, I'll go on the Libby app and see how long the wait is before I actually buy the book. Because if it's a quick wait, smart, though, I won't buy the book. That's smart.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

That's okay. This is diabolical. It says, I'll look up if a character dies to save myself from getting detached.

[B]

Oh, no, no, no. I want the emotional pain.

[C]

It does say in our parentheses, depends on the book.

[B]

But.

[A]

Well, I'm thinking of certain books and I'm like, why would I wanted to know that. Oh, that's quite the confession.

[C]

I. I'm judging a little bit.

[A]

I am. I'm judging a little bit too.

[B]

That's also like, we have a lot of people on here that say they read the Last page of the book before beginning the book.

[C]

Could not be me.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Not me.

[C]

Yeah. Could not be me.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

No. I mean, I've already had reading experiences ruined from, like, TikTok spoiling the last, like, how a book ends for me. And truly, like, I would never wish that upon anyone. So if you wish that upon yourself. All right.

[B]

I mean, I've accidentally. Like before I was smart, sometimes I would Google characters names to see what they look like. Fan art, you know?

[C]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

And then it would come up, what's the fandom websites. And it'd be like, deceased.

[A]

You're like the wiki fandom.

[B]

Yeah, that's happened to me a few times, and it ruined my experience. So I've since learned from my mistakes.

[C]

But not to look up fan art.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So this is kind of along the same lines, but someone said I flipped to a random place at the end of the book, and if I don't like what I read, I don't get the book. So instead of judging a book by the COVID they're judging the book off of a random page.

[B]

Okay. But also, like, at the end of the book, you might not like it because you're not attached to the characters. Like, you don't have any emotional attachment. You don't know their personality style. You don't know their journey.

[A]

Their character's journey. Exactly.

[B]

That's interesting.

[A]

This is also the same person that said, I'll look up if a character dies to save myself from being attached.

[B]

So love that for you. That's okay. We.

[A]

As long as you're enjoying your reading experience. I love that for you. If. If you.

[B]

If you.

[A]

If it works for you, I'll try not to judge.

[B]

Okay, here's one. Honestly, kind of relate. When I'm with friends and there's a lull slash, everyone is on their phone. I will read on my Kindle app. Nothing wrong with that. No, I do that too. You're sitting and waiting and await.

[C]

I actually have fomo.

[B]

You want to know what is so silly to me? One time I brought my book with me to a sporting event. Okay, sue me. Started reading said book at a sporting event, and everyone that I was with was making fun of me because I was reading my book. However, at separate times during the sporting event, other people were on their phones, and I'm like, what? What's so different between you scrolling on your phone and me reading my book? Same thing. I just might look a little bit nerdier. Mm. Yeah.

[C]

You know, I don't see anything wrong with It.

[B]

I don't either.

[C]

I did it.

[B]

So some people, though, you'll get weird looks, but, like, scrolling on your phone is fine.

[C]

My mom took a picture.

[A]

We should do a social experiment to a bunch of public places, like, waiting in line for something. And we just have a paverback and we gauge people's reactions.

[C]

Just have hidden cameras everywhere. Yeah.

[A]

Like, you know those people that, like, do pranks in grocery stores and there's always like a second man, like, because I'm like, what did people do before phones were out? Like, if you had to sit and wait for something? Oh, they would have alone with your thoughts. Or you would bring a book with.

[B]

You, or they would talk to.

[A]

Or you would talk to somebody. You get to know the person standing in line. I don't know, though. I don't think that's a crazy thing.

[B]

I don't think so either.

[C]

No.

[A]

But.

[B]

No, I don't think so at all. Especially if you confessing to us a long lowell.

[A]

This is a safe space.

[C]

Okay. I feel like I'm seeing a lot of this as I'm skimming through these. A lot of people said they'll just skip spicy scenes, you know, and if it, like, gives them an ick or, like, it just makes them uncomfy.

[B]

I don't know what it is. It depends on the book. For me, like, sometimes I'm like, yeah, spicy scenes. And then other times I'm like, yeah.

[C]

I'm just gonna skip this. I. I'm trying the one I saw.

[B]

One where it's like they get secondhand embarrassment. Yeah.

[A]

I think what. For me, the times that spicy scenes really can sometimes ruin the book is when it feels almost like way too out of character for the person. Like, I understand that people have, like, their kinky sides that maybe you, like, wouldn't know about, but sometimes it's like, I'm like, I don't actually believe for a second that this man.

[B]

I don't know. I don't know. Some people are freaky.

[A]

Yeah. Which is great. That's so great. But, like, sometimes it feels like I'm reading about two different people.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And I would like to see, like, a little more of, like, who I've already seen in the book in the spicy scene, if that makes sense.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

You know what I mean?

[C]

Sometimes they're very out of love field. Like, they're a little shyer.

[B]

And then.

[C]

Because the spicy scene freak.

[B]

Yeah. Freaky. Well.

[A]

And sometimes I can cheer that on. I'm like, heck, yeah. Other times I'm like, Okay, I don't see it. But like, enjoy, you know, Enjoy, enjoy.

[B]

Sometimes it's also a little too intense for me. Like sweet, tender, great. But then it's like too much, you know, I just.

[A]

Ooh. It's like every detail again. Sometimes. But you know what? There's people that would maybe say their bookish confession is that they just read the spicy scenes in books.

[B]

You do you.

[A]

I'm sure someone out there is like that. I know I've talked to someone who does that. This one is an interesting one to me. It says I literally couldn't care less about inner dialogue. Like a whole page. I'm good. They don't like the inner dialogue.

[C]

I think it depends on the book.

[B]

Me too.

[A]

Yes. Yeah.

[B]

If I'm not gonna lie, there has been some books where I will, I will scam and I'll just read the dialogue. The moment I start doing that, the moment I'm like, this book is like.

[A]

A two star read for me.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

The moment you start skimming, you're obviously not like super involved because sometimes the inner dialogue is the best part.

[A]

Well, yeah. And then sometimes you have a character who you don't like being in their head, so you don't like their inner dialogue. But then a lot of times that plays into the plot because you get to see them like change or grow or learn, whatever as a character. So I can understand that sometimes inner dialogue lasts a little too long. I'm like, okay, wait, when is someone gonna speak out loud? Yeah, but.

[B]

Yeah, or I don't know if you.

[C]

Guys ever like notice things like that. Maybe it's just me. When like two characters are talking to each other and there's inner dialog that's just too long. I'm like, you're not thinking that because that's too long of a break in between you communicating with the other person. I'm like, you can't be thinking four paragraphs your whole life story and be talking to someone. Like, that's too.

[B]

Because they're just like just a minute long gap. They're just starting with each other. Yeah.

[C]

Sometimes I'm like, okay, this is not very realistic because you're supposed to be having a conversation with someone, but there's a four paragraph dialogue, inner dialogue in your head. Sometimes I'm like, what is going on? Yeah, I don't know. Maybe it's just me that sometimes.

[A]

No, I've definitely thought that before. There was one that I was like reading recently where the male main character asked her a question and she was Going through in her mind, like, how she was going to answer the question. And it was like this whole two pages of like, oh, well, I could tell him this, but if I say this, then this. And I was like, is he just waiting? Like, just staring at you?

[B]

Hello.

[A]

Anyways, I don't know. That was an interesting one. I feel you, though.

[B]

This one says, I will stop reading in the middle of a page paragraph because I'm done reading. I could never. That's like, an itch I can't scratch. Yeah, I can't. I actually can't stop reading until I finish a chapter. I can't stop in the middle of a chapter.

[A]

I will only stop in the middle of a chapter if I fall asleep.

[B]

And that's just.

[A]

That was me the other day. I sat down to read. This was also in my vlog. I literally was vlogging myself, falling asleep. I was, like, trying to vlog myself reading, and I was like. And then slowly, I just was like, I'm falling asleep. I should probably put my book down.

[C]

I do it. I didn't know, like, it was a thing until we started this podcast that people, like, finished on a chapter.

[A]

I would say always do it.

[B]

I think that's also just, like, personality type. Like, I'm OCD type A, Like, Didi.

[A]

You know, or like, I will look at how long, like, especially on, like, my Kindle, because that's where I do most of my physical reading. If it says it's going to take me 40 minutes to finish the chapter and I don't want to sit and read for a full 40 minutes, then I'm like, I just. I guess I won't read because sometimes I'm like, do I really want to stop in the middle of this chapter? Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't.

[C]

But I feel like I have changed my ways. I've started to do it more since, like, we started this podcast. I have done it a lot more, but I'm not scared to stop reading.

[A]

In the middle or sometimes, you know, like, in the middle of a chapter, there's, like a little. What is that called?

[B]

Oh, like a break in the paragraph. Yeah.

[A]

I'm always like, that's great. And especially, too. I mean, you have your bookmark, you. Your Kindle remembers where you are. Your audiobook remembers where you are. I think audiobooks are harder for me to stop in the middle of. Because you never know when a clear break is going to be. Yeah, but, yeah.

[B]

There'S nothing wrong with stopping in the middle of a chapter. Just, like, My brain. My brain just doesn't do anything wrong.

[C]

But I feel like a lot of people do stop at chapters, and I didn't realize, like, it was a thing.

[A]

And I also didn't know that it.

[B]

Was weird that I. After I finish a chapter, I'll always go see how long the next one is. I said that once on the podcast, and neither of you did that. And I was like, oh, that's weird. That's weird that I do that.

[C]

I. I feel like it depends on the book.

[B]

Like, I just remember Poppy War. I would finish a chapter, and then I would go and see how long the next one was, and I'd be like, I ain't reading that.

[C]

That's too long.

[B]

Shut the book.

[C]

Yeah, I don't think there's anything wrong with it.

[A]

It's like a mental thing.

[B]

It's just so funny how obviously we're all so different, but we all do the same. Like, we all read. And so you just think that everybody's experience is universal. Yeah, but everybody's so different. Like, some people use bookmarks. Some people. Dog ear. Some people. One girl said that she can remember what page she's on.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Could not be me. Could not be me.

[C]

There's a million tabs open in my brain, and one of them cannot be what page I'm on.

[B]

I'll even be like, if I have an audiobook and a physical book, I will be reading. Be like, okay, I'm on chapter 25. Shut the book. Go get my headphones. Go to see what chapter. Like to put on my audiobook. Already forgot. Yes. And I gotta go back. What chapter is I have again, Remembering my page number. It's not happening for me.

[C]

Yeah. I'm saying this one because I relate a lot to this. It says I constantly forget characters, names when trying to write the review at the end. I feel like that happens so much for me, and I'm like, crap.

[B]

So I have to go read other.

[C]

People'S reviews and be like, why? I don't know why. It's usually for romance. Books are like, I just forget the names so easily. It's bad. I. I don't. It's a. It's a bad trait to have. My memory is just not there.

[A]

We're all old. Or it's like you finish a book and then you go to write the review, and you're like, wait, what happened? What just happened?

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

I mean. Yeah.

[C]

Or when someone, like, reads a. Like, writes a review about, like, a certain scene, you're like, I don't remember that? And I'm like, I literally just finished this book.

[A]

You kind of, like, bounce off of the one you just said. This one's crazy to me. Someone said, I read the entire Throne of Glass series, and I cannot tell you one thing that happened. Girl, were you just, like. Were you listening to it? Were you skimming it? I can't imagine, like, physically reading it and forgetting everything. You know what I mean? Like, that's a commitment. I can imagine maybe if it's, like, the audiobook, maybe, and you're just kind of, like, maybe feeling like how I felt at one point in my Throne of Glass reading journey the first time of, like, okay, this is kind of like a chore. It kind of felt like a chore at one point, and so it kind of feels like background noise. But I can't imagine physically reading that series and not remembering anything.

[B]

That's also, like, you said a huge.

[A]

Did you hit your head? Are you okay?

[B]

Hey, you want to know what? I wish I was you so I could go back and reread it again and not remember anything.

[C]

Huh.

[B]

Perk.

[A]

I think this is your sign to reread.

[C]

I'm jealous.

[A]

Read it again, Christina. Pick it up again. Read it again. Try it again.

[B]

She's calling everybody out. This is supposed to be anonymous. We never said it was anonymous. That's okay.

[A]

I'm not going to share your username. We only have 20 Christinas that listen to the.

[B]

And let's talk about this for two seconds. We haven't talked about this topic on the podcast. I will suspend a hold on Libby for months because I'm never in the mood to read it. Same retweets, Same. But also, Libby, why did you change the way that you work? Yeah, I'm not gonna lie. I don't know the last time. Actually, I like the book I'm listening to right now is on the Libby app. I don't know the. Other than this book. I don't know the last time I listened to a book on Libby because I forget to go back on and, like, change. Well, no, the way they do it now is, like, you're at the top of the list on your holds. Like, when you get a hold and you're not ready for it, you're at the top of the list. So when you go and say you're ready to read it, you get it within, like, 24 hours. But I forget to go back on there and say I'm ready to listen to a book. What was wrong with it before?

[A]

I've been using Libby in a while and that's actually kind of a problem because, I mean, I've been. I spend too much money on audio subscriptions.

[B]

I'm just curious why they changed.

[C]

That really frustrates me.

[B]

Yeah, same.

[C]

Okay, this, this confession is. I get bored of books once the main character, main couple gets together. I feel that.

[A]

Yeah, I feel that. Yeah. I think it depends on the book. Sometimes I've kind of had to come to the realization because, like, that's something that would like, kind of bother me, especially if they get together pretty early in a book because I'm like, okay, they're probably going to be like some third act breakup or whatever. I've kind of realized that it's kind of like I almost enjoy books more when I can see more of what their relationship is like together. Like how they're gonna solve conflict. I don't know because I used to be like, oh yeah, third act breakup. But I'm like, I feel like it's almost kind of more boring sometimes if it's like together. I don't know.

[C]

I don't necessarily hate third act breakups, but they just have to be like, realistic.

[A]

Yeah. It can't be like a. It's always like sometimes when it's a miscommunication thing, it's like, yeah, like I.

[C]

Feel like life things make third act breakups, like, more realistic. Like life is just sometimes in the way. I don't know. I think it also depends on the book. I feel like I have less than an issue when like it's a fantasy book and the couple is together. Because there's definitely usually like a, a bigger plot behind it. And so it's not like them getting together is the only plot. You know what I'm saying? It's usually like romance books where I'm like, well, they got together really quick and, you know.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Give us the yearning. The slow burn.

[C]

Part of the confessions did say I miss the yearning.

[B]

Me too. It just kind of loses all of its magic. Like as someone who's been married for like 10 years, obviously I still get butterflies around my husband. But like, sometimes you kind of crave that like initial feeling of when you first started dating. Do you guys know what I'm saying?

[A]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

And sometimes like that yearning in romance books reminds me of what it was like to first date my husband. Obviously, like I said, you still get butterflies, but nothing will replace like the lead up to your first day or like the nervousness before your first kiss or, you know what I mean? And so when romance books take that out, it's not as fun.

[A]

And it also makes me feel like I end a book and then I'm like, this couple's not gonna last.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I'm like, this happened so quick with not very much conflict.

[C]

Maybe we should do that as an episode.

[A]

I know. It's just, like, hard because you don't wanna spoil a million different books. Yeah. Like. Or. I mean, or then it's like the epilogues. Like, they got married and had four children, and it's like, oh, okay.

[B]

They did stick together. They did.

[A]

They did figure it out. But sometimes there's books I finish and.

[B]

I'm like, I get reading.

[A]

It's not end game, but I enjoyed the story. When I smell a book, I make up theories on how it smelled that way.

[B]

I can't help because I can't smell. So I tap out theories on how.

[A]

It smelled that way. I. I don't know.

[C]

I didn't realize there was, like, different smells for different books.

[A]

Yeah. But, like, to me, it just smells like a new book.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

I'm just curious what these theories are that you're making up in your head.

[C]

Like, can you elaborate, please?

[B]

Like, can you send. It was created in the tree came from. Or is it, like, from the Amazon rainforest? I don't know.

[A]

And that's it. Like any book. And you're like, this has been sitting in someone's car for. In this. I don't know. I just thought that that was a very interesting confession.

[C]

That is interesting.

[A]

Thank you.

[C]

Yeah. Please, can you elaborate just a little bit for us? I would love to hear more. I'd love to hear more about this confession, actually.

[B]

So as someone who can. Michaela can smell anything. So I smell too much. This person said I skim most battle scenes in fantasy.

[C]

Oh, sorry. The shock, the calves. I can't. That's, like, the best part for me. Yeah.

[A]

It's like your heart's racing.

[B]

Like, they're so epic.

[A]

But what happens in a battle scene if someone, like, gets, like, died. Dies. I mean, when you miss.

[B]

I mean, when you skim, I feel like you'd be able to catch on to that.

[C]

I don't know.

[A]

Maybe. I, like. I'm trying to think of some of my favorite fantasy books, and I'm like, imagine if the fighting sequences were taken out of the book.

[C]

They'd be poo poo. Like, I'm. The first one that comes to my mind is serpents.

[A]

Yeah. Like, all the training.

[B]

All the.

[A]

All the.

[B]

A training scene.

[C]

Oh, my.

[B]

That's like.

[A]

I love them so much.

[B]

I love a good battle scene.

[C]

I cannot relate because I love battle scenes, but I. I understand because sometimes they can be a little prolonged and. No, actually, I can't.

[A]

I was just gonna say, go ahead and try and convince yourself.

[B]

I was trying to, like, help you out.

[C]

I straight up can't. I'm sorry.

[A]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

Good battle scene. Yeah.

[C]

This confession is, if it feels too long, I just won't read it. You know, sometimes I can relate to that.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

But sometimes I also torture myself and read the longest books.

[B]

Let's. Let's have a chat about this. Like, most books that are, let's say, 750 pages or more, do you think they really need to be that long? Like, think of every book that you've read over 750 pages. Does it need to be that long? No.

[A]

In some instances, yes.

[B]

I don't know if I've read a book over 750 pages. Well, the only one I can think of is Kingdom of Ash that I've read that. I'm like, yeah, that needs every single page because it's 900.

[C]

Okay, I take my answer back. I forgot it's that long.

[B]

But any other book, I don't know.

[C]

I feel like it's different. Just Kingdom of Ashes. There's, like, so many different storylines going on.

[B]

That's what I was gonna say. I think a multiple point of view story warrants that many pages. But a single point of view, That's a long book for a single point of view.

[C]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[B]

Like, I think about Alchemize, and I'm like, I think you still could have gotten the same point across if it was like 750, 770 pages. But we don't need to get into that, because if you want to get into that, you can listen to our book club episode.

[A]

This person says, the. If the MMC and the FMC have nicknames for each other, I will usually DNF the book.

[B]

Wait, so that any sort of nickname.

[A]

I don't know, like, they don't. Like when the main characters have nicknames for each other.

[B]

Like, what was it in Powerless Darlin?

[A]

Yeah, Sometimes they can be overused.

[C]

Oh, darling.

[A]

I feel like nicknames can be overused. And sometimes they can feel a little cringey. But sometimes it's cute when, like, depending on what the nickname is, it can be cute where you're like, you just hold it.

[C]

I think when it's used very sparingly, it can be enduring. And you're like, Wait, that's so cute. But if it's like every page, I'm like, it loses its flavor, it loses its spice.

[B]

And also sometimes I think if it's a nickname that has to do with their personality, like there's a meaning behind the nickname other than just like a pet name word. You guys get what I'm trying to say? Yeah. I feel like that also makes me.

[A]

Warms my heart.

[C]

I don't know, like Blue.

[B]

If I had a nickel for every time I read a book with the nickname Blue, I'd have two nickels.

[C]

Well, technically one has a lot of books. I'd have where she.

[B]

12 nickels. I don't know how many books because.

[A]

I have no idea what you're saying.

[B]

Zodiac Academy and what was it? Yeah, yeah. Windy City.

[A]

Right, Move.

[C]

Yeah, right, move. Yeah, Blue.

[B]

I know.

[C]

Every time that was mentioned, I just thought of Zodiac Academy.

[B]

I thought of what's his name?

[C]

Orion.

[B]

My professor Orion. I'm less likely to read a book if it doesn't have a four star average rating or higher on Goodreads, you.

[A]

Know, I would say that a good reads rating definitely sometimes I can admit plays a part in my rating or if I'm gonna read the book or not, but I can't. I've. There's some books I've really, really enjoyed that have less than a four star rating. So.

[B]

Yeah, especially if it's. I mean it swings both ways. Sometimes when it's a lesser known book and there's less reviews, it's gonna have a lower rating. But also if it's a really well known book and it has a ton of reviews, it could also have a lower rating because there's a big range of people reading it. Right. Yeah, I'm guilty of that too. So you're not alone.

[C]

This confession says, I hate flashbacks to earlier periods of time, Grandparents, love story, etc, and I always skip. I feel like as an earlier reader I hated those as well. Like I. I sometimes have a. I guess I still sometimes have a hard time not reading things in chronological order, you know, but sometimes I feel like it can be done well, I think if it's done good, then I don't mind it. But sometimes I can also. I can, I can see, I can see that it can be harder.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

To go back, especially in series. I'm sorry, I don't like reading prequels anything but as a prequel.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Just because. Especially if I'm. Unless I'm going to like read it after I finish the series. I don't want to stop in the middle of like where the plot is going, you know.

[A]

That's why you read Assassin's Blade first.

[B]

I'm trying to think of any other series that's like talked about that much. I mean, I'm trying to think of book series that have prequels other than Throne of Glass. Hunger Games. Yeah.

[A]

I mean, I guess I feel very passionately that you shouldn't read the Hunger Games in chronological order. You should read it in publication order.

[B]

So I don't know. Interesting.

[C]

Yeah, it is very interesting.

[A]

Some of you say that you have to listen to a book on one time speed.

[B]

Oh my. ADHD could never.

[A]

But you know, if that's what's going to help you like understand the book more because like she was saying, I can absorb the information a lot better, then that's great. But I don't think I know of anyone else out there that listens to an audiobook on one time speed. It sounds like they're talking in slow motion to me.

[B]

Like sometimes I wonder if they take their normal voice and slow it down.

[A]

Like it just straight up doesn't make.

[C]

Any sense to me. It's like they're reading like this. I went to the store.

[B]

Like that's not a normal pace for a person. They also typically sound more robotic. I think the book I'm listening to right now, I'm actually able to listen on three times speed. She talks, you guys. She talks so slow.

[C]

Who? What book?

[A]

The Bright Years.

[B]

Which I guess could be a great segue into what we've been currently reading. Is there any other ones you guys see that you want to read?

[A]

I mean, a lot of these are pretty within the same realm of what we've already talked about. Someone says they skip the epilogues. That's crazy to me.

[B]

You know, I could see skipping an epilogue in a romance book, but a fantasy book? No, I don't think I have any.

[C]

A lot of them were kind of similar. So just know that you're not alone.

[B]

No, you're not.

[C]

Some of your bookish confessions. There are people that do the same things as you guys, so.

[B]

All right, let's share what we've been currently reading. I can go first. Since I started talking about this book, I am currently reading and listening to the Bright Years by Sarah Demoff. I'm depressed. There's nothing happy about this book and I think I knew that going into it, but it's very short. It's barely. I think it's under 300 pages. And it's really sad. It's really, really sad. Like, Reggie, I don't think you could read this book. It's really sad. So I also just finished a few fun books that I haven't talked about on the podcast. We'll kind of just breeze through them real quick. I listened to Everything Is Tuberculosis by John Green and how I didn't put.

[C]

Together that the same man who wrote.

[B]

This book also wrote the Fallen Our Stars.

[A]

Oh, he didn't know that.

[B]

I don't know why I didn't put it together, but it, like, came to me. And I also didn't realize that him and Hank Green are brothers. Okay, I'm dumb. Okay. Honestly, it was a really interesting read. It's obviously nonfiction. It's about the disease of tuberculosis and how it has affected cultures, how it's affected our life Today talks about specific cases of tuberculosis. It was really interesting, and I feel like I learned so much. I really love the medical field. In another lifetime, I would have been working in the medical, like, in some realm in the medical industry. And so it was really interesting to learn about how the disease came. Came to be, how it's diagnosed, you know, treated. But also there was so much emotion just telling stories of people who had tuberculosis. So if you're interested in nonfiction, I'd highly recommend it, especially on audiobook, because John Green reads it. And then I also just finished the second Dungeon Crawler Carl book. And I don't know what made me decide to continue reading these, because they are the most outlandish, outrageous, crazy, cheesy, but yet funny at the same time books. They're unlike anything I have ever read, and I probably won't ever read anything like them. The audiobooks are so well done. I could never physically read these books, but it's just a continuation of the story of Carl as he's competing in this competition. So.

[A]

And if that does not describe Kennedy's reading taste, I don't know what will.

[B]

So there you go.

[C]

I love that.

[B]

I hit every genre, guys. Oh, if I go, you get. Oh, I don't care.

[C]

Yeah, Well, I started. I DNF'd a book because.

[B]

You DNF?

[C]

Yeah, it's called Never Been Shipped. Oh, I DNF. Well, I started it at first because I thought it would be cool because it's, like, about a band.

[B]

Who's the author?

[C]

Alicia Thompson.

[B]

Okay. I read a book by her, Love in the Time of Serial Killers. Did not like it.

[C]

I've read another book, and it was, like, about baseball. And it was cute. It was really cute. This one it's about a band that, like, broke up, and then a cruise ship hires the band to get back together and, like, be performers on the cruise ship.

[A]

Oh, why, I would love that.

[C]

I know that sounds really.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But it was not.

[C]

I got 63 of the way, and I was like, I can't do this anymore.

[A]

Oh, no.

[C]

I know the premise sounded really good, but I. Yeah, I just couldn't. I just couldn't finish it.

[A]

I'm sorry.

[C]

It's okay. It's okay. And then I read the Right Move. It was good. I will leave it at that because I feel like Reggie will talk about it. And then I read the fourth Rose Hill Wild Card.

[B]

That one's like, dad. Like, boyfriend, ex, boyfriend's dad. Yeah.

[C]

I feel like I can't say anything because I will spoil it.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Okay. Okay.

[C]

But it's not as bad as it's made to seem. Okay. If that makes sense.

[B]

I've been a little scared to read that.

[C]

That sounds like he's, like, 50 something years old, but he's not.

[B]

Okay, so.

[C]

It was good. I don't know. I think this one and the third one are tied for, like, my favorites.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

So. And then are the four wins. Oh, crickets.

[B]

There's a Chris and Hannah book for you because you read the Nightingale, right?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And this is your second one.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Damage. Emotional damage.

[C]

Yeah. I think. Yeah. This was. It was quite terrible. No, I still rated it four stars. I. I feel like I. You can't help but rate it high. But, like, I would never read it again. I probably wouldn't recommend it to very many people because there's just, like, nothing good that happens for, like, 13 hours straight of me listening to it. Like, not one good thing happens. It's just, like, one depressing thing after another.

[B]

Me, I'm like, I'm gonna read it.

[C]

I. I wouldn't actually.

[B]

Really?

[C]

No, not unless you're, like, really mentally. Okay.

[B]

Okay. I need to, like, read. I don't know what the synopsis is of that one, so I will.

[C]

Here, let me see what it says. Like, it's about the Great Depression.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

Like, it's about this girl, and she is, like, in this town. Like, her family calls her ugly. Like, she's the. Called the Ugly Ducky. Ugly Duckling. Like, her family's like, you're never gonna get married. Like, and. And it's kind of just about her. Like, her life.

[A]

That's really sad.

[C]

Yeah. And, like, her family, like, leaves her.

[B]

Maybe when I'm in the right headspace.

[C]

It'S like, yeah, that's. I wouldn't recommend it to a lot of people. In my review, I said, I just want to go hug my mom.

[B]

Oh.

[C]

So I don't. That I don't want to give away anything because, like, there's so much more that happens.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

But it. Yeah, it's. A lot of it is also, like, based on, like, true events that happened. And so, like, it's like, an important read, but it really humbles you and brings you to earth, like, a lot. And it just, like, you're like, oh, I feel like I have it so good in life.

[B]

You know, I feel like with any Kristin Hannah book, you kind of have to be in the right headspace. And also, I've only read two books by her, and neither of them were as traumatizing as what it sounds like that one is. But the great alone also made me, like, so thankful for the life that I live.

[C]

So I don't know, maybe. Maybe it was just the time that I read it that was just like, oh, my gosh. I don't know if I'd recommend it to you, Reggie.

[A]

That's all right. I probably won't read it. I love that you guys just know.

[C]

Yeah. Yeah. Anyways, that's pretty much it.

[A]

All right. I don't remember where. What books I've talked about last time we did this segment. So did I talk about Slanting Toward the Sea? I don't think I did. I don't even think I've ever heard of that book. What is that? I read Slanting Toward the Sea by Lydia Hillia Hillier. I don't know how to say her name. I saw someone, one person, talking about it on booktok. And all I knew was that it was a romance book set in Croatia. And I was like, I want to read that. And it's just really. It was pretty sad.

[B]

I mean, what's wrong with us?

[A]

We're all depressed. This is, like, super depressing. But, like, basically the premise of the book, I would. I don't think you guys would like it. I don't think you need to read it.

[B]

So.

[A]

But someone out here listening might enjoy this. It's rated fairly highly, but essentially it's about this woman who is recently. No. She's been divorced for, like, oh, it's been a while. Like maybe a decade. And she's, like, still has a relationship with her ex husband. And so it's like her trying to, like, move on, essentially. And it was. It was really sad. Like, there were some really sad Moments in the book that like, I. Yeah, but it was also like, feel good too. Like there were a lot of things in there that I was like, oh my gosh. Like, I've never had an original thought or experience ever. So it's like, it's just a very interesting premise because, like the whole time in the book I was just like, how is this? How is that she. Anyways. Very interesting. It's not like a rom com. I wasn't expecting it to be a rom com. I just thought it was gonna be like a really good feel good romance. And it was just kind of all over the place emotions and then. Oh, I did read the two. The first two books in the Eden series, but I'll save that for when we do our TBR episode. I also read. I've been, you know, I've been reading the Windy City series. I'll shut up about it, but I've really been enjoying it. I mean, I DNF'd the first book, which everyone knows that by now. I would probably say I can't decide if I like the right move or Play along better.

[C]

Play along's the fourth one.

[A]

Yes. Okay. I really liked both of those a lot. The caught up was, eh. It was okay. By the end of the book I was like, okay, I enjoyed that. Didn't really love the first one.

[B]

Wait, what sport is the fourth one?

[A]

Isaiah.

[B]

What sport is that?

[A]

Baseball.

[B]

Baseball.

[C]

Okay, like, Isaiah is not a sport.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah.

[B]

Okay. Okay, okay, okay, okay.

[A]

There were so many moments in that book, you guys, that, like, I was like, on the treadmill. Like, just Kennedy.

[B]

She has red hair.

[C]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

The main.

[B]

So it's me.

[A]

I.

[B]

Would you.

[A]

I'm really excited to see what you think about it when you read it because there's so many moments where I was like, is Kennedy gonna listen to this and be like, blushing because he's like saying Kennedy. Maybe he does call her like Kenny though, most of the time. Does anyone call you Kenny?

[C]

No.

[A]

Because you can. Anyways. Yeah, so it was really, really cute. And like, I won't tell you guys what the plot is because it will spoil something. The plot is great.

[B]

It's great.

[A]

You'll finish Caught up and be like, I need to read the next one immediately. I think it's so fun. But yeah, I've been enjoying it. I did start rewind it back this morning, but I. I'm thinking I might put a pin in it because I want to, like, really enjoy it. And I think I maybe need a little break from romance. But yeah, I've just been binging those and I'll leave it at that.

[B]

So thanks for tuning into our episode. Hopefully you feel a little less alone in your confessions, in your weird quirks as a reader, and whatever things you might do, just know there's at least one person on the earth that does the same thing as you. Yeah, we had fun reading them. It made us feel a little less alone. And if you like what we're wearing, this is our merch. It's officially live on our website. If you want to twin with us, if you want to give it to a reader in your life, it'd make a great gift. You can shop all of our merch at. I'll read what she's reading dot com. We also just recently announced a Patreon where if you guys want a little bit more behind the scenes content, some more exclusive content, some vlogs that we're putting out, head over to Patreon, sign up for that and we hope you guys are reading a great book and.

[A]

We'Ll see you next week. Bye.