In today’s episode, your book besties are officially closing out their 2025 reading year with a full recap, a sportsballs-legit bookish bracket, and the ultimate question: what was our best read of the year? Kat goes first, walking through her favorite read from each month, explaining how her wild cards came into play, and narrowing everything down to one standout winner. Amanda follows with her own month-by-month picks, reflecting on romantasy binges, audiobook obsessions, and the book that ultimately stole her heart this year. Along the way, we talk about reading patterns, surprise favorites, tough eliminations, and why seeing your year laid out in a bracket can change how you think about what you’ve read. Below are our 2025 reads, separated by bestie...  Kat’s 2025 Reads Monthly Picks January: Margot’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe February: A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers March: Food for Thought by Alton Brown April: Heir by Sabaa Tahir May: The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo June: This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone July: The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown August: Leather & Lark by Brynne Weaver September: Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen October: Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V. E. Schwab November: The Day Tripper by James Goodhand December: The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow Wild Cards The Third Gilmore Girl by Kelly Bishop Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst Kat’s overall favorite of 2025:The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown Amanda’s 2025 Reads Monthly Picks January: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros February: Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros March: Women Don’t Owe You Pretty by Florence Given April: A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson May: The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose June: Lights Out by Navessa Allen July: Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid August: One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid September: Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez October: Butcher and Blackbird by Brynne Weaver November: Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez December: The Housemaid by Freida McFadden Wild Cards A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst Amanda’s overall favorite of 2025:Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez 💙📚 Want to join our book club? Sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop. You can signup here Can I Bring My Book Social Links:Instagram: @canibringmybook_clubTikTok: @canibringmybook_clubFacebook: www.facebook.com/canibringmybook

Join your besties as we dive deep into Brimstone by Callie Hart- the much-anticipated second book following Quicksilver-  Kat and Amanda unpack what worked, what didn’t, and why Brimstone feels both more enjoyable and more exhausting than its predecessor. We talk overhype, sequel expectations, and the growing trend of sprawling romantasy worlds that might be doing a little too much. Vampires, infected vampires, gods, the underworld, dragons, shifting identities, surprise villains, and unresolved plotlines all enter the chat- sometimes all at once. The conversation spirals into pacing issues, emotional fatigue, and whether reader demand (hello, BookTok) is pushing publishers to rush books out before they’re fully ready. We get candid about editing, publishing pressure, typos, ARC feedback, and what it means when a sequel feels like it needed more time to breathe. Of course, no buddy read episode would be complete without friendly arguments — including whether this series has ever been a slow burn, which characters deserve more page time, and why the emotional weight landed hardest… for a fox. If you love romantasy, have strong opinions about sequels, or have ever thought, “Maybe this book needed one less plot thread,” this episode is for you. Want to join our book club? Sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop. You can signup here Can I Bring My Book Social Links:Instagram: @canibringmybook_clubTikTok: @canibringmybook_clubFacebook: www.facebook.com/canibringmybook

This week’s episode is a full-on Bestie Book Swap chaos round, which means we’re attempting to discuss four different books, half-forgetting what we read, questioning past decisions, and absolutely spiraling along the way. You know… a normal episode. Kat and Amanda kick things off by revisiting their November swaps (or, was it October...?!): Cinder by Marissa Meyer and The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros. We talk fairy tale retellings, YA vs. adult reading preferences, overthrowing governments (as one does), and why Amanda has some beef with Cinderella. Then things take an emotional turn as we unpack The Last Letter—from early tears to multiple endings and the very strong opinion that maybe… just maybe… one ending would have been enough. Next up, December’s swaps bring Kiss of the Basilisk by Lindsay Straube (formerly Split or Swallow) and Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt into the mix—two books that could not be more different if they tried. We debate excessive smut, questionable character choices, medieval Bachelor vibes, and whether a book can be both wildly popular and wildly exhausting. On the flip side, we gush about octopus POVs, found family, gentle magic, and the kind of story that makes you almost cry but in the best way possible. We wrap things up by assigning the next round of swaps- including one book chosen purely for selfish “I need to talk about this immediately” reasons- and tease what’s coming next in our ever-growing reading chaos. Want to join our book club? Sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop. You can signup here Can I Bring My Book Social Links:Instagram: @canibringmybook_clubTikTok: @canibringmybook_clubFacebook: www.facebook.com/canibringmybook

This week’s episode was supposed to be our buddy read chat for Wicked… but after attempting both the book and the movie, your book besties made a joint executive decision: we’re tapping OUT. 😂 In this episode, Kat and Amanda share their brutally honest (but still very us) thoughts on Wicked- from confusing worldbuilding to audiobook woes to the shock of discovering that the Broadway sensation is only loosely connected to its source material. We talk DNF guilt, hype that doesn’t land, and why sometimes sitting in silence is better than forcing yourself through a book you’re not vibing with. Then we pivot into a surprisingly thoughtful conversation sparked by a viral TikTok! In this episode, sprayed edges, Barnes & Noble avoidance strategies, holiday shopping trauma, and chaotic bestie problem-solving all make an appearance. It’s a candid, cozy, slightly unhinged chat- aka exactly what you expect from us. Want to join our book club? Sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop. You can signup here Can I Bring My Book Social Links:Instagram: @canibringmybook_clubTikTok: @canibringmybook_clubFacebook: www.facebook.com/canibringmybook

In today’s episode, your book besties go full chaos gremlin. Inspired by a random car conversation, we attempt the impossible: take the most popular romance tropes… and flip them. What starts as “simple enough” spirals quickly into: Grumpy/Sunshine becoming Hangry & Honey Forced proximity turning into a long-distance saga across continents Touch Her and Die… morphing into Touch Her and Live (??) One-night stands becoming Fast Fizzles Age gaps turning into same-day-birth hospital birthday parties Rich vs Poor → a world with no money Stalker obsession → “I forgot you exist” energy Miscommunication → talking literally all night And, an unexpected pivot into dog-run dystopias, dead bodies, bunk beds, and everything in between It’s messy. It’s unhinged. It’s creative chaos. And it’s exactly why you tune in. We may or may not have created the blueprint for a bestselling novel- or at least the world’s strangest writer’s room. Stick around for technical difficulties, accidental tangents, and the moment we realize we were definitely supposed to be taking notes. Thanks for joining us on this wild trope-flipping adventure. And if you end up writing a book using our ideas… just remember: you owe us money. (Kat said it. It’s legally binding now.) Want to join our book club? Sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop. You can signup here Can I Bring My Book Social Links:Instagram: @canibringmybook_clubTikTok: @canibringmybook_clubFacebook: www.facebook.com/canibringmybook

This week, your book besties are diving straight into the world of book-to-movie adaptations- the good, the bad, the chaotic, and the ones we’ll absolutely watch even if we haven’t read the book (yet). From The Housemaid and The Running Man to Wicked, Frankenstein, People We Meet on Vacation, Project Hail Mary, and even The Odyssey (yes… Nolan’s doing The Odyssey), Kat and Amanda are talking upcoming releases, which ones they plan to read first, and which movies they’ll watch without a second thought. We’re covering: Whether you should read the book before the movie 2025–2026 adaptations we’re excited (or chaotic-neutral) about Tangents about childhood reads, reluctant TBR choices, and algorithm-driven destiny Bestie peer pressure, nostalgic thrillers, and why Kat is still trying to get Amanda to read The Hunger Games A mini meltdown over Wuthering Heights And, a whole lot of other unfiltered opinions And of course… we wrap up with Trope Talk, where the rules are questionable, the arguments are petty, and the tropes? Well, we might be recycling them at this point. Grab your popcorn (or your TBR cart). It’s adaptation season. Want to join our book club? Sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop. You can signup here Can I Bring My Book Social Links:Instagram: @canibringmybook_clubTikTok: @canibringmybook_clubFacebook: www.facebook.com/canibringmybook

Your book besties are back- snacks, spoilers, and all- for a full-on debrief of Tourist Season by Brynne Weaver. In this episode, Amanda and Kat dive deep into Harper and Nolan’s morally gray romance, dissect the connections to the Butcher and Blackbird universe, and debate just how many serial killers one world really needs. Spoiler warning: If you haven’t read Tourist Season, go read it first — then come back and scream with us. From raven research and questionable nipple-piercing logistics to emotional moments with Arthur (cue the tears), they cover it all- the spice, the chaos, and the “take me now, murder daddy” energy that only Brynne Weaver can deliver. Expect laughs, tangents, trope talk, and a few serious questions- like, wait… was there even a hamburger scene? Grab your headphones and join the chaos as we unpack our latest buddy read! Tropes discussed: enemies to lovers, forced proximity, touch-her-and-die, revenge arc, moral ambiguity, and dark humor. Want to join our book club? Sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop. You can signup here Can I Bring My Book Social Links:Instagram: @canibringmybook_clubTikTok: @canibringmybook_clubFacebook: www.facebook.com/canibringmybook

Your Book Besties Talk Body Piercings It started with a random thought mid-read, and quickly spiraled into one of the most chaotic (and hilarious) tangents yet. This week, your book besties, Amanda and Kat, tackle a burning literary question: why do so many fictional men have body piercings… and is it actually realistic? From the logistics (and pain!) of piercings in unexpected places to the rise of “book-inspired” tattoos and the possibility of “book-inspired” piercings, nothing is off-limits in this chat. Your besties debate whether hockey players can safely sport piercings on the ice, dive into Reddit rabbit holes, and somehow end up designing their ideal book boyfriends- complete with tattoos, cooking skills, and the occasional pierced… well, you’ll have to listen. Come for the unfiltered laughs, stay for the book recs and the banter only Amanda and Kat can bring. Want to join our book club? Sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop. You can signup here Can I Bring My Book Social Links:Instagram: @canibringmybook_clubTikTok: @canibringmybook_clubFacebook: www.facebook.com/canibringmybook

In this episode, Amanda and Kat are talking Amazon's Scared Sexy collection of novellas. They can barely remember the details from one book... now six?! Yup! Cue the chaos!  Want to check out these reads yourself? Click here Want to join our book club? Sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop. You can signup here Can I Bring My Book Social Links:Instagram: @canibringmybook_clubTikTok: @canibringmybook_clubFacebook: www.facebook.com/canibringmybook

This week’s episode is pure unfiltered book chaos! Kat brought the questions, Amanda brought the vibes, and neither of us brought a plan. We rapid-fire our way through a whirlwind of bookish Q&A: the books that broke us, the ones that shocked us, and the authors we wish would rewrite entire plots. From emotional blind dates with books to Kindle Unlimited rabbit holes and the heartbreak of overdue Libby loans… get in, bestie. We're going for a ride! Want to join our book club? Sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop. You can signup here Can I Bring My Book Social Links:Instagram: @canibringmybook_clubTikTok: @canibringmybook_clubFacebook: www.facebook.com/canibringmybook

Your book besties are back, and this time… we’ve got thoughts. In this week’s episode, Amanda and Kat buddy read Pumpkin Spice & Everything Nice by Katie Cicatelli-Kuc, a YA seasonal romance with big Barnes & Noble promo energy—and not a lot else. Is it cute? Maybe. Is it cozy? Sort of. Is it secretly a middle school book disguised as a fall-themed romcom? Absolutely. We talk about mismatched marketing, the "new kid in town" trope, and the ongoing epidemic of miscommunication in YA romance. We also get a little ranty about Gilmore Girls comparisons, sticker covers, and how many times one character can whine about a pumpkin spice latte. Plus: The truth about PSLs When covers lie What makes a real mother-daughter story Audiobook speeds that might actually break your brain And of course… Trope Talk is back! Want to join our book club? Sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop. You can signup here Can I Bring My Book Social Links:Instagram: @canibringmybook_clubTikTok: @canibringmybook_clubFacebook: www.facebook.com/canibringmybook

Your book besties are at it again! This week, we’re spiraling into our latest bookish obsessions and honestly? We’re not even pretending to feel bad about it. We’re talking blind date books we’re too nervous to unwrap, time travel stories that completely took over Kat’s reading life, and 2AM reading binges that we definitely regret in the morning (but also… not really). Also in this episode: Amanda packed six books for a two-night trip. Plus her Kindle. Obviously. Kat is in her wake-up-in-the-middle-of-the-night-to-read era. We debate the “Oops, They Were Roommates” trope and the joy of incompetent fictional police. And we shout out a few of our recent faves, including Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands, The In-Between Bookstore, and Before the Coffee Gets Cold. Come hang out with us in the chaos. And maybe bring a book. Or five. Want to join our book club? Sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop. You can signup here Can I Bring My Book Social Links:Instagram: @canibringmybook_clubTikTok: @canibringmybook_clubFacebook: www.facebook.com/canibringmybook

Can I Bring My Book: The podcast where besties meet books… and sometimes can’t tell if we loved or just survived them. This week, Amanda and Kat dive into I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue. Did our FMC drive us up a wall? Absolutely! Did we love every cringey moment of it? You know we did! Want to join our book club? Sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop. You can signup here Can I Bring My Book Social Links:Instagram: @canibringmybook_clubTikTok: @canibringmybook_clubFacebook: www.facebook.com/canibringmybook

She thought she had no triggers... then came this book. This week, we're talking unhinged books, a conversation prompted after Amanda read Little Stranger by Leigh Rivers. Want to join our book club? Sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop. You can signup here Can I Bring My Book Social Links:Instagram: @canibringmybook_clubTikTok: @canibringmybook_clubFacebook: www.facebook.com/canibringmybook

This week, your book besties Amanda and Kat dive deep into their latest buddy read: House of Frank by Kay Synclaire. Selected via a whimsical trinket-based recommendation game (thank you, @emilysreadingera), this cozy fantasy read gave us adorable vibes, complex characters, and more than a few tears. We talk about grief, memory loss, found family, and the magical weirdness that is Ash Gardens. From chair brothers to ghostly dinner guests, there’s no shortage of heart in this story—and we have thoughts. Like: did Ollie’s behavior really have to give middle school boy energy? Why didn’t anyone notice Frank’s decline earlier? And should more of us plan to be turned into trees? Plus: Trope talk featuring haunted gothic mansions and cantankerous roommates A quick comparison to Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune And some emotional devastation that snuck up on us (yes, we cried) Also: Kat's Goodreads math skills are on full display, and Amanda may or may not be searching for fan art of two bickering cherubs. Want to join our book club? Sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop. You can signup here Can I Bring My Book Social Links:Instagram: @canibringmybook_clubTikTok: @canibringmybook_clubFacebook: www.facebook.com/canibringmybook

This week, your book besties try something new: letting an Insta reel decide their next buddy read. Amanda and Kat take on the “Pick a Trinket, Get a Book Rec” trend from @emilysreadingera — and it works (kind of). We also spiral into: Our favorite Kindle accessories (and shamefully naked e-readers) Our book merch wishlist A killer (literally) romance series one of us is binging And of course... trope talk!!! Books mentioned: House of Frank by Kay Synclaire The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez Lights Out and Caught Up by Navessa Allen Butcher and Blackbird, Leather and Lark, and Scythe and Sparrow (Ruinous Love Trilogy) The Mindfck Series* by S.T. Abby Whether you’re a cozy Kindle girly, a glass-cup girlie, or a serial killer romance girlie (or all three?), there’s a little something for you in this chaotic episode. Want to join our book club? Sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop. You can signup here Can I Bring My Book Social Links:Instagram: @canibringmybook_clubTikTok: @canibringmybook_clubFacebook: www.facebook.com/canibringmybook

Can I Bring My Book: The podcast where besties meet books… and sometimes fall in love with monsters. Hey! We don't judge here!  What happens when your favorite book besties read a monster romance about a broke millennial with student loans and a very unconventional job? Apparently, a lot of screaming. And swooning. In this week’s episode, Kat and Amanda dive headfirst into Morning Glory Milking Farm — a smutty-but-surprisingly-sweet book that’s exactly what the cover suggests… and also so much more. We talk cinnamon roll love interests, interspecies acceptance, awkward audiobook moments on airplanes, tiny-hand tropes, and the surprisingly cozy vibes of Cambric Creek. Kat gives it 3 stars for being a little rushed, while Amanda bumps her rating up to 5 stars mid-episode. Bonus: we debate minotaur anatomy, read some of our favorite (unhinged) quotes, and explore the other books in the Cambric Creek universe. Want to join our book club? Sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop. You can signup here Can I Bring My Book Social Links:Instagram: @canibringmybook_clubTikTok: @canibringmybook_clubFacebook: www.facebook.com/canibringmybook

It’s our mid(ish)-year reading check-in, and your book besties are here to spiral through our top 10 books of the year (so far) — plus an honorable mentions we just couldn’t leave out. Along the way, we talk tropes (forbidden love! smut with plot!), tearjerkers, and why some books just hit even if we can't explain why. Our 2025 so-far standouts include: Amanda’s Picks: A Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America by Matt Kracht Are You Mad at Me? by Meg Josephson First Time Caller by B.K. Borison Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid Lights Out by Navessa Allen Women Don’t Owe You Pretty by Florence Given Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers Kat’s Picks: The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown This Is How You Win the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid Heir by Sabaa Tahir Food for Thought by Alton Brown The Third Gilmore Girl by Kelly Bishop A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe Honorable Mention (shared by both Amanda and Kat): The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst Want to join our book club? Sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop. You can signup here Can I Bring My Book Social Links:Instagram: @canibringmybook_clubTikTok: @canibringmybook_clubFacebook: www.facebook.com/canibringmybook

Can I Bring My Book: The podcast where besties meet books… and sometimes can’t tell if we loved or just survived them. This week, Amanda and Kat dive into Quicksilver by Callie Hart. Did we love it? No. Did we hate it? Also no. Do we have thoughts? You bet! Want to join our book club? Sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop. You can signup here Can I Bring My Book Social Links:Instagram: @canibringmybook_clubTikTok: @canibringmybook_clubFacebook: www.facebook.com/canibringmybook

Can I Bring My Book: The podcast where besties meet books… and sometimes hit 2x speed just to get through the cringe. This week’s impromptu episode is a chaotic love letter to audiobook narrators—and a warning about graphic audio sound effects. Amanda and Kat discuss Lights Out and Caught Up by Navessa Allen, and why Jacob Morgan might just be the blueprint for romance narration. Also in this episode: Why Jacob Morgan is the standard and Teddy Hamilton just didn’t quite hit When sound effects in graphic audio go too far Amanda's love for Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez The joy of finding a perfect beach read The single dad trope and why it doesn’t always hit for us Quick trope talk: summer romances, accidental crushes, and Bridgerton tangents This one’s got chaos, crushes, and a little cringe. You’ve been warned. Want to join our book club? Sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop. You can sign up here Can I Bring My Book Social Links:Instagram: @canibringmybook_clubTikTok: @canibringmybook_clubFacebook: www.facebook.com/canibringmybook