Episode notes
It's time for our July reading recap! 📚 We're sharing everything we read this month, what surprised us, what disappointed us, and which books we'd recommend.Books discussed:The Odyssey by Stephen FryThe Odyssey by Homer, translated by Emily WilsonLucky by Marissa StapleyThe Vanishing Half by Brit BennettThe Correspondent by Virginia EvansWellness by Nathan HillA Man Called Ove by Fredrik BackmanMansfield Park by Jane AustenThe Bone Ships by R. J. BarkerTheo of Golden by Allen LeviLand by Maggie O'FarrellThe Housemaid by Freida McFaddenAnna Karenina by Leo TolstoyLet us know what your…
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Kris and Mads
Kristen and Maddie · Arts & Books · English
We’re Kris and Mads—sisters, readers, and the creators behind a thriving book and screen club that explores the stories that shape us. On this podcast, we deep dive into the books we’re reading, the shows and films we’re watching, and the bigger themes behind the stories we love. We interview author
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S2 · E45 · 9 Oct 2026 · 1 hr 9 min
Kris & Mads Host a LIVE Author Event in London! | Thomas R. Weaver
Welcome back, friends! 📚✨ We have a VERY special video for you today! Maddie and I had the incredible opportunity to host a live author interview with Thomas R. Weaver in London to celebrate Infinite Wisdom , the second and final book in his series that began with Artificial Wisdom ! The event took place at the Penguin Random House headquarters in London, and we were joined by fellow book influencer Michael Kist for an amazing panel discussion with Thomas. We talked about the series, his writing, and the highly anticipated conclusion to this story. But one of the BEST parts of the day was…
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S2 · E43 · 5 Oct 2026 · 59 min
September Reading Wrapup 2026
Spilling the tea on everything we read this month! Lots of thrillers, some romance, a chunky classic, and some duds. What was your best read of the month??Timestamps 0:00 - Intro 4:11 - Imperfect Women by Araminta Hall 9:31 - The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood 13:31 - Verity by Colleen Hoover 22:01 - The Lost Daughter by Elena Ferrante 28:02 - Upgrade by Blake Crouch 32:21 - A Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes by Suzanne Collins 37:50 - Drinker of Ink by Shannon Castleton 42:21 - Foe by Iain Reid 46:03 - Dragon Keeper by Robin Hobb 50:50 - The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky 56:56 -…
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S2 · E42 · 7 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 4 min
August Reading Wrapup! | So Many 5 Star Books!!!
Join our Patreon read-and-watch club! In September, we're doing palate cleansers: Imperfect Women, The Love Hypothesis, and Verity! You can try out the Fellowship Tier for free for 7 days! / krisandmadssisterhood We had an awesome August, with a bunch of 5-star books and a variety of genres! What was your best read of August??Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro 7:15 - The Good Parts by Evann Normandin 12:35 - When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi 18:23 - I’m thinking of ending things by Iain Reid 22:02 - Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen 25:10 - Book Club updates! 29:34 - Pachinko by Min Jin Lee…
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S2 · E41 · 1 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 1 min
Rachel Gillig Interview | The Knave and the Moon, Romantasy, Gothic Fairy Tales & BookTok
Bestselling fantasy author Rachel Gillig joins us for a conversation we’ve been dreaming about ever since we read her Shepherd King Duology in 2023! In this episode, we sit down with the author of One Dark Window and the bestselling Shepherd King duology to talk about her new series, The Stonewater Kingdom and its conclusion, The Knave and the Moon, out September 1, 2026 from Orbit.If you love adult fantasy romance, but with a dark fairy tale spin, and lush worldbuilding, complicated characters, and unforgettable romance, this is an episode you absolutely won’t want to miss.Rachel takes us…
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S2 · E40 · 10 Aug 2026 · 59 min
10 Classics We Think Everyone Should Read!
If you want to read some classics with us, join our Patreon read-and-watch club for free for 7 days: / krisandmadssisterhood If you want to read more classic books but don't know where to start, this episode is for you! Today we're talking about 10 classic books everyone should read at least once — from gothic romances and sweeping love stories to family sagas, historical adventures, and literary masterpieces.We’re sharing the classics we genuinely think are worth reading, including Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, Little Women by Louisa May Alcott,…
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S2 · E38 · 15 Jul 2026 · 50 min
Lucky is NOW on Apple TV! | Our Interview With the Author: Marissa Stapley
✨ This week on the podcast, we're joined by New York Times bestselling author Marissa Stapley! ✨Marissa sits down with us to talk about her bestselling novel Lucky, the Reese's Book Club pick that has now been adapted into the brand-new Apple TV+ series Lucky, starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Annette Bening, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Timothy Olyphant, and Drew Starkey.We dive into the incredible journey from page to screen, what it was like seeing her story come to life, the inspiration behind Lucky, and the highs and challenges of being a bestselling author. Marissa also shares behind-the-scenes…
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S2 · E37 · 3 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 15 min
Kristen Read ONLY 5-Star Books?! | June Reading Wrap Up
Welcome back to the show you guys! June was one of our favorite reading months of the year...especially for Kristen, who somehow managed to read five books and give every single one ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐! 🤯📚In today's June Reading Wrap Up, we're sharing honest reviews, ratings, favorite moments, disappointments (or lack thereof!), and whether each book is worth adding to your TBR. From cozy summer romance and timeless classics to epic fantasy, literary fiction, nonfiction, and mythology, this month had a little bit of everything.Whether you're looking for your next five-star read or just love hearing…
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S2 · E36 · 1 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 3 min
Meeting Chloe Gong in NYC! The Story Behind These Violent Delights, Immortal Longings & Coldwire
We had the incredible opportunity to sit down with bestselling fantasy author Chloe Gong in New York City for one of our favorite conversations we've ever had.Chloe's tumblr: / chloegong Chloe's tiktok: / thechloegong Chloe's instagram: / thechloegong Chloe's website: https://thechloegong.com/ Chloe's debut novel, *These Violent Delights*, holds a special place in our hearts because it was the very first book our online book club ever read together. It became a gateway into fantasy for us and helped shape so much of our reading journey, so getting to interview Chloe in person truly felt like…
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S2 · E35 · 19 Jun 2026 · 56 min
Top 10 Books That Shaped Us
Every reader has a story, and these are the books that shaped ours.In this episode, we're taking a trip down memory lane and sharing the 10 books and series that formed us into the readers we are today. From beloved classics our parents read aloud to us as children to the stories that sparked lifelong obsessions with fantasy, adventure, and literature, these books helped shape our imaginations, our values, and our love of reading.Along the way, we share family memories, childhood stories, and a little bit of our reader lore as we reflect on the books that have stayed with us for years. If…
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S2 · E34 · 11 Jun 2026 · 56 min
Top 10 Best Books Of All Time
Welcome back to the show you guys! Today we are each sharing our TOP 10 BEST BOOKS OF ALL TIME after reading hundreds of books every single year across fantasy, sci-fi, literary fiction, historical fiction, classics, romance, and more. These are the books that completely changed us as readers, stayed with us for years, and truly stand the test of time.From Robin Hobb and George R.R. Martin to Jane Austen, Pierce Brown, Ken Liu, and M.L. Wang, we’re ranking the books that we consider masterpieces and explaining why they’ve become our all-time favorites. Whether you’re looking for the best…
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