Explore every episode of the podcast The Readirect Podcast
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading Rewind: Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers | 27 Jan 2026 | 01:09:54 | |
Heavy content warning for this episode, please listen with care! While we do not go into gratuitous detail in our recap, this book does contain references to many serious subjects. Proceed with caution & definitely don't listen to this episode around children! Today we're revisiting Redeeming Love and...we did not like what we read! Skip to the recent reads: To hear our letters to our future husbands following our fraught Redeeming Love discussion, skip to 53:11. Recent reads start at 59:33. Recent Reads: | |||
| People We Meet on Vacation (A Yearning-Free Adaptation) | 13 Jan 2026 | 01:25:06 | |
We're going to be honest, we were not fans of Netflix's People We Meet on Vacation adaptation. This was not helped by us loving the book! But we're here to deep dive the movie and share all of our thoughts. Just a fair warning if you loved the movie, this episode may not be for you. Plus:
Follow us on Instagram and Bluesky at @readirectpodcast, shoot us an email at thereadirectpodcast@gmail.com, and leave us a five-star review if you love the show! Plus, follow Emily everywhere at @emilyrojasreads and Abigail on TikTok at @fabigail11. | |||
| Revisiting Twilight, Twenty Years Later | 11 Nov 2025 | 00:56:00 | |
In honor of the 20th anniversary of Twilight's release AND to commemorate our origins as a podcast, today's episode is all about Twilight! Hear our experiences attending screenings in the theater and our updated thoughts now that we are fully formed adults and not Edward-obsessed tweens. Plus Emily's 14-year-old self's unedited thoughts on the Breaking Dawn of it all. Read: Why We Love (and Hate) Twilight by Sarah Gallagher Recent Reads:
Follow us on Instagram and Bluesky at @readirectpodcast! You can also email us at thereadirectpodcast@gmail.com If you really, really love the show, feel free to leave us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or (even better) share our show with a friend and help us grow our community of book loving nerds. | |||
| Listener Book Recommendations 3 (Chaos Edition) | 28 Oct 2025 | 01:09:57 | |
We're back with another series of book recommendations as submitted by our listeners! PLUS: Breaking news from Abigail, recent reads, Mate reactions, the Louvre heist (???) and more chaos! BOOK REC LINKS:
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| Book Talk: Thursday Murder Club Movie, Heated Rivalry TV Show, and Recent Reads | 14 Oct 2025 | 00:54:02 | |
We're back for a chill book talk episode where Emily is definitely not going insane about Heated Rivalry for the 40th time this year. We catch up after travel, compare notes on The Thursday Murder Club film, and share a stack of recent reads. Here for the links?
Recent Reads
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| Book Club: Awake by Jen Hatmaker | 30 Sep 2025 | 01:01:02 | |
Join us for a discussion on Jen Hatmaker's newest book, Awake. Unlike our other book club episodes, this is less deep dive and more vibes based discussion. That's because we enthusiastically recommend reading this book for yourself and then coming back to join us for our discussion. You're more than welcome to use this as a TLDR, and trust we are spilling the tea, but it is also impossible for us to capture the true generosity, beauty, and impact of this book in one simple episode. So listen & read & enjoy! PLUS Twilight non-news, a buzzy Wuthering Heights trailer, and adaptations we’re excited to watch (*ahem* HEATED RIVALRY!!!!) Important Links Recent Reads
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| Book Club: Sister Wife by Christine Brown Woolley | 16 Sep 2025 | 01:22:48 | |
Today, we're doing a deep dive into Christine Brown Woolley's memoir, Sister Wife. As longtime fans of TLC's Sister Wives, we were SEATED for this tell-all from Christine. Read along or listen in for our TLDR version of this explosive book. Plus recent read from Emily, Beartown by Fredrick Backman | |||
| Our Favorite Fictional Schools | 02 Sep 2025 | 01:09:03 | |
In honor of Back to School season, we're drafting our teams of our favorite fictional schools from literature, discussing what makes these educational settings compelling, terrifying, and gossip-worthy. Team Emily
Team Abigail
Recent Reads
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| Fall 2025 Book Preview | 19 Aug 2025 | 01:09:12 | |
Today, we're previewing our most anticipated fall 2025 book releases! Plus a bunch of recent reads. Fall Releases:
Recent Reads: Emily:
Abigail:
Follow us on Instagram & Bluesky at @readirectpodcast! | |||
| Reading Rewind: The Magic Treehouse by Mary Pope Osborne | 05 Aug 2025 | 01:00:29 | |
Today we're revisiting Mary Pope Osborne's Magic Treehouse series for a Reading Rewind episode! PLUS: Is Stephanie Meyer going to release a Jacob and Renesmee sequel for the 20th anniversary of the Twilight saga? And personal updates from Emily & Abigail to round out the episode. Stay tuned to the end for a plethora of book recommendations. Recent Reads:
PLUS follow us on Instagram and Bluesky at @readirectpodcast. See you next time, nerds! | |||
| Mid-Year Reading Check-In | 22 Jul 2025 | 00:47:27 | |
We take stock of our reading lives at the halfway point of the year, discussing our progress toward reading 100 books, favorite and least favorite reads, and what's on our TBR lists.
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| Celeb Pap Walk Books | 08 Jul 2025 | 00:59:25 | |
Today we're discussing the world of celebrity pap walks featuring the celebs and their books. From Sarah Jessica Parker (who always seems to be caught with a book) to Timmy C. on the subway reading Dune to a SPIRITED debate over the Bradley Cooper-Suki Waterhouse Lolita fiasco... We've got it all. We're also discussing the recent trailer for Project Hail Mary (hello!!!!!) and the teaser/release date for People We Meet on Vacation. PLUS Recent Reads:
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| January Mini-Episode | Reading Goals, Recent Reads, and Upcoming Adaptations | 06 Jan 2026 | 00:47:20 | |
We're dropping in with a mini-episode to catch up before we get back to our regularly scheduled programming. Hear more about our recent reads, our 2026 book goals, and our thoughts on upcoming book adaptations. See you next week to our return to regular episodes with our recap of People We Meet on Vacation! | |||
| Pride Month Book Draft | 24 Jun 2025 | 01:00:53 | |
Join us for our highly competitive Pride Month book draft! We each take turns selecting our team of favorite books about queer characters and/or authors who are LGBTQIA+. Team Abigail:
Team Emily:
For even more of us gushing about The Pairing, check out our book club episode! | |||
| Book Talk: Silver Elite, Problematic Summer Romance, and Publishing Dramione Fan Fiction (+ More!) | 10 Jun 2025 | 01:00:38 | |
It's time for another jam-packed Book Talk episode! We catch up on our recent reads, from Abigail's recent Emily Henry reread journey to five-star favorites and recent DNFs, plus discuss the controversial marketing of fanfiction in traditional publishing. Plus, we're covering:
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| Book Club: Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams | 27 May 2025 | 01:15:44 | |
We're joined by dear Friend of the Show Colleen to discuss Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams. This book details Sarah's account of her time working for Facebook, and it is definitely explosive. We're recapping the highlights and horrifying revelations including: shark attacks, private planes, Settlers of Catan, Zika virus, global politics, and more. Read the book & join along, or listen to our recap as a ;tldr version of events. Either way, we hope you'll enjoy this book club episode! Recent Reads:
If you enjoyed this episode, consider leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and following us on Instagram and Bluesky @ReadirectPodcast. | |||
| Summer 2025 Beach Reads | 13 May 2025 | 00:50:16 | |
Today's episode is all about our picks for your beach reads this year! As a reminder, the beach is a closed ecosystem and what you read there does not transcend into other realms. Like the airport, nothing matters here. Read your crazy books, be free, have fun. BEACH READS:
Recent Reads: We'd love if you would support the show by leaving us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. You can also follow us on Instagram and Bluesky at @readirectpodcast, and please share the show with your friends – it's the best way to help us grow our community of book-loving nerds! | |||
| Book Club: Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry | 29 Apr 2025 | 01:02:35 | |
Join us for a deep dive of Emily Henry's newest release, Great Big Beautiful Life! Plus a discussion of upcoming releases, movie adaptations, and casting for Sunrise on the Reaping. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a five-star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, follow us on Instagram and Bluesky at @readirectpodcast, and share our show with a friend. Recent Reads:
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| Unpopular Book Opinions 2 | 08 Apr 2025 | 00:41:25 | |
We're here with a short and hilarious episode that had us CRYING laughing on multiple occasions. Today, we're sharing our unpopular bookish opinions, as well as the unpopular opinions of listeners & strangers on Reddit. Want to help us grow our community of book loving nerds? Leave us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, follow us on Instagram and Bluesky at @redirectpodcast, and share the show with a friend! Recent Reads:
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| Book Club: Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins | 25 Mar 2025 | 01:21:17 | |
SPOILER ALERT! We will be discussing this book in exhaustive details, proceed with caution! Today, we're doing a deep dive on Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins. The raw audio for this episode was over an hour and a half long, and it still somehow feels like we barely scratched the surface. There's so much to unpack with this new Hunger Games prequel. Tune in to hear our thoughts, reactions, and speculations. Recent Reads:
Don't forget to follow us on Instagram and Bluesky @readirectpodcast. We love ya! | |||
| Normal People by Sally Rooney | 11 Mar 2025 | 01:02:29 | |
We're seven years late to reading Sally Rooney's Normal People, a time capsule that takes us back to the 2010s and explores the complex relationship between two Irish teenagers as they navigate high school, college, and early adulthood. If you've been enjoying the podcast, we would humbly ask that you support us in a few very simple ways. Leave us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts, follow us on Instagram and Bluesky at @readirectpodcast, and share our show with a friend. Tune in for our next episode which will cover Sunrise on the Reaping. Recent Reads: | |||
| Book Talk: This Episode is Cursed | 25 Feb 2025 | 00:54:46 | |
Warning: This Episode is Cursed! Just kidding, but seriously, we tried recording this episode like three separate times and it felt like the forces of nature were conspiring against us! Even in the middle of this recording, we both got phone calls randomly, which we left part of the audio in for so you can see how truly chaotic this episode was. Anyway, we've read a lot lately! If you want the name of the fanfiction I (Emily) bleeped out, feel free to DM us but I can't just put my business out on the internet like that tbh. Recent Reads:
Plus we talk a bunch of other nonsense like what's going on in our lives, who should play a young Haymitch, and boygenuis tiktok edits. As always, follow us on Instagram, Tiktok, and Bluesky at @readirectpodcast! We love ya! | |||
| Our Favorite Banned & Challenged Books | 11 Feb 2025 | 00:56:05 | |
This episode may sound familiar, because it is! Tune in for a timely re-release of this older episode where we discuss our favorite banned and challenged books. This episode felt relevant when we first recorded it, and even more so now. We hope you'll consider adding some of our faves to your TBR in 2025! Team Abigail:
Team Emily:
Plus, books we've read lately:
Follow us on Instagram AND Bluesky at @readirectpodcast! | |||
| Heated Rivalry Episode 6 (FINALE!) | 30 Dec 2025 | 01:21:41 | |
We're back for one last deep dive of episode six of Heated Rivalry, aka the FINALE!!!! How did we get here so soon??? It's been an absolute blast recapping these with you. If you've enjoyed our show, consider following us into the new year. We'll be back every other Tuesday with more book goodness. We're also on Instagram and Bluesky at @readirectpodcast. Emily is everywhere at @emilyrojasreads and Abigail is on TikTok @fabigail11. We love you see you soon!!! <3 | |||
| Book Club: Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros | 31 Jan 2025 | 01:35:31 | |
Today, we're putting the ROMA into ROMAntasy with an Onyx Storm deep dive. We yapped for an hour and a half and it still wasn't enough to figure out what happened in this book & theorize what's going to come next. Plus - follow us on Instagram and Bluesky at @readirectpodcast. | |||
| Book Talk: Holiday Reads, 2024 Goals, and 2025 Releases | 14 Jan 2025 | 00:58:44 | |
We reflect on our holiday reading experiences and recap our ambitious goals for 2024. Join us as we discuss our favorite books, share insights into reading strategies, and anticipate exciting upcoming releases to fill our TBRs.
Abigail's Mentions
2025 Releases We're Excited About
Join us for a Buddy Read of Onyx Storm on Storygraph! Follow us at @fabigail and @emilyrojasreads. And as always, follow us on Instagram and TikTok (while you still can) at @readirectpodcast! We love you! | |||
| Reading Rewind: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe | 31 Dec 2024 | 00:53:52 | |
Our latest episode revisits the beloved Chronicles of Narnia, focusing particularly on The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, exploring its impact on faith, morality, and our childhood memories. Together, we navigate how these themes resonate differently in adulthood, the complexities of C.S. Lewis’s biography, and the cultural conversations surrounding the stories. | |||
| Reading Reflections: 2024 in Review + Setting Goals for 2025! | 17 Dec 2024 | 01:06:09 | |
In today's episode, we're taking a walk down memory lane for a recap of our reading in 2024! Emily Don't forget to follow us on Instagram & TikTok at @readirectpodcast! | |||
| Bookish Holiday Gift Guide | 03 Dec 2024 | 00:54:18 | |
SIGN UP FOR OUR HOLIDAY BOOK SWAP: Click here to participate!
And give us a gift by leaving a five-star review and following us on TikTok and Instagram! | |||
| Wicked! The Book, the Musical, and the Movie—Oh My! | 19 Nov 2024 | 00:49:01 | |
In preparation for the upcoming movie adaptation of beloved musical, Wicked, we're reading the source material by Gregory Maguire! | |||
| Book Characters We'd Vote For | 05 Nov 2024 | 00:56:29 | |
Escape your Election Day anxiety by exploring an imaginary world where book characters run for office! | |||
| Listener Book Recommendations 2 | 22 Oct 2024 | 00:53:29 | |
We're turning to our listeners for another round of book recommendations! We asked, and boy did you answer. We did our best to fit the brief and recommend books to add to your TBR. | |||
| Book Club: The Pairing by Casey McQuiston | 08 Oct 2024 | 00:48:56 | |
What happens when childhood friends reunite on a European food and wine tour? Join us as we explore this story of second chances and personal growth, while also celebrating McQuiston's knack for creating relatable, complex characters.
We'd also recommend chasing this episode with our book club episode covering Red, White, and Royal Blue, also by Casey McQuiston. | |||
| Nicholas Sparks Deep Dive | Emotional Manipulation, Poorly Written Women, and Eternal Sunsets | 24 Sep 2024 | 00:54:54 | |
We're here to deep dive and debunk the allure of Nicholas Sparks. What were beloved books to us at one point in our lives, are now bizarre, hilarious, and at times, genuinely disturbing.
As always, we're on TikTok and Instagram @readirectpodcast! Follow us over there for more fun and unhinged bookish content. | |||
| Heated Rivalry Episode 5 (Found You) | 20 Dec 2025 | 01:40:14 | |
Here is our recap of episode 5. In exchange for editing this insane episode down to something consumable, please leave us a 5-star review, follow us on IG and Bluesky at @readirectpodcast, and tell a friend to tell a friend to listen. We love you, we love Hollanov, we'll see you next week!!!! | |||
| Cozy Up With Fall Reads | 10 Sep 2024 | 00:51:40 | |
Get ready to expand your fall reading list with our carefully selected book recommendations. Grab your favorite fall beverage and settle in for an episode packed with books that have rich storytelling, emotional depth, and the perfect vibes for autumn. Happy reading!
Abigail's Fall Picks:
Plus Recent Read: | |||
| Book Talk: All the Young Dudes, Recent Reads, and PR Dumpster Fires | 27 Aug 2024 | 01:10:04 | |
Travis, we gotta talk about it.
Books We've Read Recently:
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| Reading Rewind: American Girl Dolls (Meet Kit and Addy!) | 13 Aug 2024 | 01:09:02 | |
In today’s episode, we’re doing a deep dive into one of our FAVORITE playthings from childhood—American Girl Dolls and their accompanying books. Joined by very special guest and leading American Girl expert Emma Wright, we’re revisiting the stories that shaped our childhood. Today, we’re revisiting Kit and Addy’s stories, plus a brief mention of Dolls of Our Lives, another book. For more about the making of Addy, we highly recommend this Slate article. Plus, take the AG personality quiz! Finally, read-along with us as we reviewed a hilarious piece, American Girl Dolls Ranked In Order of Gayness. Recent Reads: | |||
| Life & Death: Twilight Reimagined | Vampires, Gender Swaps, and Insane Names | 30 Jul 2024 | 01:11:17 | |
Did you know that Stephanie Meyer wrote a gender-swapped Twilight book for the 10-year anniversary of Twilight? Are you looking for your next summer read that will start to make you question what you ever saw in this godforsaken book series in the first place?? Look no further babes, it's Life and Death, Twilight Reimagined! | |||
| Harry Potter and Naming Your Kids After Dead People (Deep Dive Part 3) | 16 Jul 2024 | 01:26:04 | |
We are back with our third (AND FINAL) installment in our Harry Potter Deep Dive. Did we intend for this to be a full and lengthy three parts? Clearly not. However, it was fun, unhinged, and chaotic in the best ways. | |||
| Harry Potter and the Case Against Gun Control (Deep Dive Part 2) | 02 Jul 2024 | 01:05:42 | |
In the second installment of our Harry Potter deep dive, we're covering Prisoner of Azkaban and Goblet of Fire. Did we assure you we could wrap this series up in two parts? Yes. Did we fail miserably? Also yes. Don't forget to follow us on Instagram at @readirectpodcast! | |||
| Harry Potter and the Biggest Bag Fumble of All Time: Deep Dive (Part 1) | 18 Jun 2024 | 01:23:06 | |
Major Disclaimer: This podcast and its hosts do not in any way, shape, or form endorse or support or agree with JKR and her awful, transphobic viewpoints. We encourage you to avoid supporting her financially or in any other way. | |||
| Summer Reading Bucket List | 04 Jun 2024 | 00:55:54 | |
For today's episode, we're sharing our summer reading bucket lists, filled with exciting new releases like "The Guncle Abroad" by Steven Rowley, envisioning perfect reading spots from beachside getaways to cozy backyard hammocks. With plans for a season filled with adventure, relaxation, and great books, we capture the whimsical spirit of summer through our cherished memories and reading aspirations.
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| Romancing Mr. Bridgerton + Bridgerton Season 3 | 21 May 2024 | 00:56:48 | |
For today's episode, we read Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn and watched part one of Bridgerton Season 3. We're comparing the book to the tv show, and discussing our many feelings about Collin and Penelope. | |||
| Book Club: Funny Story by Emily Henry | 07 May 2024 | 00:59:53 | |
Today we're convening our Book Club for a deep discussion on Emily Henry's newest release, Funny Story! | |||
| Heated Rivalry Episode 4 (THIS! IS! NOT! ENOUGH!!!) | 15 Dec 2025 | 01:14:22 | |
All the things she said, all the things she said, running through my head, running through my head!!!! We're back with a DEEP-DIVE of episode 4, and WOW! Did we have a lot to talk about! Join us to unpack the whole episode: ginger ale, tuna melt, hockey, montages, and that f***ing club scene. This whole episode was catharsis for us all. We'll be back with our recap of episode 5 & more regular episodes soon!! Until then, you can leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and let us know you're enjoying the show. You can also follow us on Instagram and Bluesky at @readirectpodcast. | |||
| Taylor Swift Songs as Books | 23 Apr 2024 | 00:52:17 | |
Join us today for a little wine and cheese pairing, if you will. That's right, we're picking out some of our favorite books and pairing them up with the perfect companion Taylor Swift song and lyrics.
Plus, check out this Count of Monte Cristo playlist by Emily. And here's some more reading about the (mostly joking) theory that TS is a fanfiction author: #SwiftKingBean89. | |||
| Book Swap: Heartstopper by Alice Oseman & One Day by David Nicholls | 09 Apr 2024 | 00:42:49 | |
For today's episode, we are swapping reads that challenge our literary comfort zones. Emily chose One Day by David Nicholls for Abigail to read, and Abigail selected Heartsopper, vol. 1 by Alice Oseman for Emily to read. We're sharing our thoughts, FEELINGS, expectations, and recommendations after reading each other's chosen books. Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @readirectpodcast for more! | |||
| Book Talk 6: Spring Releases, Bride by Ali Hazelwood, & Recent Reads | 26 Mar 2024 | 00:39:40 | |
Today, we're inviting you along for an intimate book club discussion that's all about our recent book goals. And exciting upcoming relesaes...
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| Reading Rewind: The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner | 12 Mar 2024 | 00:43:32 | |
Today, we're revisiting a childhood favorite, "The Boxcar Children" by Gertrude Chandler Warner. Diving into the historical context surrounding the tale's publication, we discuss the stark differences between the 1924 original and the 1942 revision, revealing how time can color a story's message.
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