Shoulda Books – Details, episodes & analysis

the year is almost over, so you know what that means...that's right, I'm making a dang tier list of all the things I read in the dumpster fire that was 2025. did I read an impressive number of books? NO. am I letting that stop me? no, but I do feel self-conscious. AND THAT'S OKAY.

some of the books I talk about in this episode are: The Hunger Games, Parable of the Sower, My Year of Rest and Relaxation, True West (not a book, but that's okay, you'll see what I'm doing), and MORE.

if you like the show, please rate and leave a review. and if you LOVE the show, sign up for the email list at shouldabooks.com.

this is the final podcast of the year. we will be back on JANUARY 8th with the new weekly format, so stay freaking TUNED.

the people have spoken. find out which 3 books we're reading January - March of next year!

if you want to watch this episode, you can check it out the YouTube channel here

music composed by Skyler Klingenberg (thanks Skyler!)

Welcome to the next chapter of Shoulda Books. Some things are changing. Some things are staying the same. Kinda like life, I guess? This mini-episode gives an overview of where the podcast is heading in the weeks and months ahead

Weekly episodes start January 8th. 

To vote on what we'll be reading in January - March, sign up for the Newsletter at shouldabooks.com

Follow on Instagram and TikTok  @shouldabooks

Produced, hosted, and edited by Jonathan Faircloth Kirk (IG: @jf.kirk)

Miles Bonsignore joins me for the first weekly episode of Shoulda Books to share the three books he thinks everyone should read.

new episodes every Thursday

listen to Perfect Person

follow Miles on YouTube

follow Miles on Instagram

join the Shoulda Book Club on Fable

sign up for the Shoulda Books Newsletter

follow Shoulda Books on Instagram

follow Shoulda Books on TikTok

Shoulda Books theme song by Skyler Klingenberg

Jack McGill (The Try Guys) shares 3 nonfiction books that might just make you rethink everything. 

follow Jack on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@itsjackmcgill

follow Jack on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsjackmcgill/?hl=en

for February, we're reading "Jane Eyre". follow along with the Shoulda Book Club on Fable: https://fable.co/club/the-shoulda-book-club-with-shoulda-books-225140024638?brid=yapSJjJ6zqETOwu3XngDDw

books discussed below. these are affiliate links for bookshop.org. by purchasing books through these links, you support local bookstores, and I earn a (very small) commission.

"Ask Iwata" edited by Hobonichi https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9781974721542

"Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780767905923

"The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9781401323257

"Bad Thoughts" by Nada Alic https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780593466636

"Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780141441146

sign up for the Shoulda Books Newsletter: https://shouldabooks.com/

follow Shoulda Books on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shouldabooks/

follow Shoulda Books on TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@shouldabooks

follow Jonathan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jf.kirk/?hl=en

Shoulda Books theme song by Skyler Klingenberg

I sit down with editor and YouTuber Sam Bakas to discuss a book that could NOT be more relevant to today…Isabel Allende's "The House of the Spirits".

follow Sam on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheShmoopy/featured

follow Sam on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theshmoopy/

books discussed below. these are affiliate links for bookshop.org. by purchasing books through these links, you support local bookstores, and I earn a (very small) commission.

The House of the Spirits https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9781501117015

Jane Eyre https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780141441146

join the Shoulda Book Club on Fable: https://fable.co/club/the-shoulda-book-club-with-shoulda-books-225140024638?brid=yapSJjJ6zqETOwu3XngDDw

sign up for the Shoulda Books Newsletter: https://shouldabooks.com/

follow Shoulda Books on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shouldabooks/

follow Shoulda Books on TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@shouldabooks

follow Jonathan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jf.kirk/?hl=en

Shoulda Books theme song by Skyler Klingenberg

Tori Dunlap (founder and CEO of Her First 100k) shares 3 books that shaped her thinking on love, loss, and the meaning of life.

follow Her First $100K on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HerFirst100K/featured

follow Her First $100K on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/herfirst100k/?hl=en

follow Her First $100K on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@herfirst100k?lang=en

buy Tori's book: https://herfirst100k.com/financial-feminist-book

listen to the Financial Feminist podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/financial-feminist/id1566054936

books discussed:

Call Me by Your Name: https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780312426781

Life of Pi: https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780156027328

The Great Gatsby: https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780743273565

Untamed: https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780063260269

One Day: https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780307474711

The Book Thief: https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780375842207

join the Shoulda Book Club on Fable: https://fable.co/club/the-shoulda-book-club-with-shoulda-books-225140024638?brid=yapSJjJ6zqETOwu3XngDDw

sign up for the Shoulda Books Newsletter: https://shouldabooks.com/

follow Shoulda Books on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shouldabooks/

follow Shoulda Books on TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@shouldabooks

follow Jonathan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jf.kirk/?hl=en

Shoulda Books theme song by Skyler Klingenberg

YouTube film essayist Thomas Flight shares 3 books that changed the way he sees the world.

follow Thomas on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThomasFlight

sign up for his newsletter: https://www.seeingthroughfilm.com/

books discussed:

"The Burnout Society" by Byung-Chul Han https://www.strandbooks.com/the-burnout-society-9780804795098.html

"Ways of Seeing" by John Berger https://www.strandbooks.com/ways-of-seeing-9780140135152.html

"The Medium is the Massage" by Marshall McLuhan and Quentin Fiore https://www.strandbooks.com/the-medium-is-the-massage-9781584230700.html

"Amusing Ourselves to Death" by Neil Postman https://www.strandbooks.com/amusing-ourselves-to-death-public-discourse-in-the-age-of-show-business-9780143036531.html

"The Overstory" by Richard Powers https://www.strandbooks.com/the-overstory-9780393635522.html

"Infinite Jest" by David Foster Wallace https://www.strandbooks.com/infinite-jest-9780316066525.html

"No One Is Talking about This" by Patricia Lockwood https://www.strandbooks.com/no-one-is-talking-about-this-9780593189597.html

"East of Eden" by John Steinbeck https://www.strandbooks.com/east-of-eden-9780142004234.html

join the Shoulda Book Club on Fable: https://fable.co/club/the-shoulda-book-club-with-shoulda-books-225140024638?brid=yapSJjJ6zqETOwu3XngDDw

sign up for the Shoulda Books Newsletter: https://shouldabooks.com/

follow Shoulda Books on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shouldabooks/

follow Shoulda Books on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shouldabooks

follow Jonathan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jf.kirk/?hl=en 

Shoulda Books theme song by Skyler Klingenberg

Cailyn Hoertz (The Try Guys) shares 3 books that cover Greek mythology, hangover mac & cheese, a love triangle where it's impossible to choose sides, and more.

new episodes every Thursday.

books discussed:

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare https://bookshop.org/p/books/clockwork-angel-cassandra-clare/9051e39b3f858cc5?ean=9781481456029&next=t

Everything I Know about Love by Dolly Alderton https://bookshop.org/p/books/everything-i-know-about-love-a-memoir-dolly-alderton/6d7db83f537bdea3?ean=9780062968791&next=t

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-song-of-achilles-a-novel-madeline-miller/9640446024d824a5?ean=9780062060624&next=t

follow Cailyn's main account: https://www.instagram.com/cailynhoertz/?hl=en

follow Cailyn's book account: https://www.instagram.com/cailyn.reads/?hl=en

join the Shoulda Book Club on Fable: https://fable.co/club/the-shoulda-book-club-with-shoulda-books-225140024638?brid=yapSJjJ6zqETOwu3XngDDw

sign up for the Shoulda Books Newsletter: https://shouldabooks.com/

follow Shoulda Books on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shouldabooks/ 

follow Shoulda Books on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shouldabooks 

follow Jonathan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jf.kirk/?hl=en

Shoulda Books theme song by Skyler Klingenberg

MJ Smith shares 3 books that helped her deal with rage. Just don't ever call a Cheeto a chip in front of her.

follow MJ on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miss_joy99/?hl=en

follow MJ on Twitch: https://m.twitch.tv/moirajoy/home

Miles Bonsignore's 24-Hour Livestream for Creators Against ICE | Feb 15, 2026 | 9 am onward (PST)

Perfect Person podcast (where the livestream will be held): https://www.youtube.com/@PerfectPerson

Donate to Creators Against ICE: https://donate.tiltify.com/98a42569-5a95-4ee7-b045-7eb2b8bdf4ec/details

books discussed below. these are affiliate links for bookshop.org. by purchasing books through these links, you support local bookstores, and I earn a (very small) commission.

"Giovanni's Room" by James Baldwin https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780345806567

"The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780142000663

"The Art of War" by Sun Tzu https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9781590302255

"Slow Days, Fast Company" by Eve Babitz https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9781681370088

"Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780141441146

join the Shoulda Book Club on Fable: https://fable.co/club/the-shoulda-book-club-with-shoulda-books-225140024638?brid=yapSJjJ6zqETOwu3XngDDw

follow Shoulda Books on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shouldabooks/

follow Shoulda Books on TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@shouldabooks

follow Jonathan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jf.kirk/?hl=en

Shoulda Books theme song by Skyler Klingenberg