Shelf Obsessed: Recent Episodes
Carleigh and Hannah
Carleigh and Hannah are back for their mid-year update and (I feel like they've said this before) it's been a really good reading year so far! What has been your favorite book so far this year?
Carleigh and Hannah are back for a looooooong reading update. But 2025 has started off strong for book-reading!
Another year in the BOOKS! Carleigh and Hannah review their reading year and reminisce about the many amazing (and sometimes not) books they read this past year. Happy New Year and happy reading in 2025!
Carleigh and Hannah discuss the cozy romance novel The Pumpkin Spice Cafe, by Laurie Gilmore. Perfect for wintery days! What are your cozy recommendations?
And side note, they call a certain movie Scrooged (a whole different movie than Spirited, which is what they're trying to say).
Carleigh and Hannah talk about some of the books they've read lately that they can't get off their minds.
Do you prefer the book, the movie, or the show? Carleigh and Hannah discuss and compare the book The Haunting of Hill House, by Shirley Jackson, to its media adaptations.
Carleigh and Hannah update their All-time Favorites list and there may be some surprising choices ahead.
Carleigh and Hannah react to more hot takes (courtesy of Lexi, aka Newly Nova and her wonderful fans). Which one was the hottest?
Carleigh and Hannah have strong feelings about Adrienne Young's newest (relative use of newest) novel, The Unmaking of June Farrow.
Spoilers begin around minute 28.
Carleigh and Hannah review Riley Sager's newest thriller, Middle of the Night. Sager's books are a little hit-and-miss for them, so we'll see where this one lands among the rest.
Spoilers begin around minute 30.
Carleigh and Hannah read more One Star Reviews of books they liked (or sort of liked, or sort of disliked). Brother eughhh
Hannah has read three Jeneva Rose books and only liked one of them... will Carleigh and Hannah agree on Home is Where the Bodies Are? And Jeneva sure is charming on social media!
Carleigh and Hannah give a mid-year update on their book reading. That includes statistics (courtesy of The Story Graph), their biggest fictional crush currently, and the best book of 2024 so far!
First off, most sincere apologies for the audio and the background sounds (especially to headphone listeners)! It's not a rocket taking off, it's a new A/C unit. But more importantly: Hannah and Carleigh are talking about Funny Story, the newest romance novel from Queen Emily Henry!
Spoilers begin in minute 32.
Carleigh and Hannah discuss books they've read because of Booktok and other social media. For better or for worse.....
Carleigh and Hannah have differing opinions on Katherine Center's book Hello, Stranger. If you've read it, they may need a tie-breaker.
Carleigh and Hannah talk about books they've recently read that deserve more discussion and try to convince each other to read their picks. You might recognize some of the titles, but there might be a few that are new to you.
Carleigh and Hannah discuss Ali Hazelwood's first published Paranormal Romance novel. They're back to their roots... VAMPIRES! (Or Vampyres, in this book)
Spoilers begin around minute 38.
Carleigh and Hannah discuss bookish hot takes. Cartoon romance covers, mass market paperbacks, hyped books... nothing is safe.
Bunny, by Mona Awad, is a nightmare fairy tale of Samantha Mackey as she navigates an exclusive MFA program in the company of a clique of girls who call each other "Bunny." She gets an invitation to join the Bunnies' Smut Salon and the book gets very hard for Carleigh and Hannah to describe after that. But they give it the ol' college try (wink wink).
Spoilers begin in minute 31.
Carleigh and Hannah talk about upcoming books releasing in 2024 that they're excited about. Of course, they mention Emily Henry and Riley Sager, but tons of other exciting books are on the list too!
A Short Stay in Hell is about a religious man who dies and discovers that the afterlife he believed in during his life on Earth is not exactly what he expected. He gets cast into a version of hell based on Borges's Library of Babel where he (and others in his same situation) are tasked with finding the story of their life in order to go onto a version of heaven. It is a task none of them understand at first, but they (and us as the readers) get a little taste of what 'infinite' actually means. Existential, haunting, beautiful, thought-provoking - this novella packs quite a punch.
Spoilers begin in minute 33.
Happy New Year! Carleigh and Hannah celebrated by making their new reading goals for 2024. Do you have reading goals for this year?
Carleigh and Hannah answer 15 questions about their 2023 reads, including what book was their absolute FAVORITE of the year. Can you guess?
Carleigh and Hannah review Lovelight Farms, by B.K. Borison. It's a lighthearted, somewhat spicy, cute Christmas romance novel. They also give an update on the Goodreads Choice Awards and which of their favorites may or may not have won.
Spoilers for Lovelight Farms begin in minute 34.
If you need a non-fiction book to reach your reading goal by the end of the year, Carleigh and Hannah HIGHLY recommend this one. John Green wrote this collection of essays that will inspire you, tear your heart out, and make you nostalgic for experiences you haven't had yet. And then at the end of each chapter, he gives the topic of the essay a rating on a 5-star scale.
Sort-of-spoilers all the way down.
Carleigh and Hannah discuss the Goodreads Choice Awards (including the Romantasy category - new this year). They predict which ones will win and talk about all the books they still need to read.
How is it almost the end of the year?! Carleigh and Hannah discuss the goals they made at the beginning of the year. And how they may or may not be meeting those goals by the end of 2023.
Yes, Carleigh and Hannah did indeed read the infamous Ice Planet Barbarians, by Ruby Dixon. And in this episode, they don't hold back on their feelings about the book.
Spoilers begin around minute 29.
Carleigh and Hannah talk spooky book recommendations in honor of the last dregs of spooky season. They recommend books they've already read and some they haven't yet. But remember to keep the spooky in your hearts, even when October ends.
Carleigh and Hannah discuss My Best Friend's Exorcism, by Grady Hendrix, and they disagree (gasp).
Spoilers begin at time 24:45. (Also some trigger warnings for content discussed during this section. They preface before delving into the graphic stuff.)
Spoooooooooky edition! Carleigh and Hannah read one-star reviews of some recent spooky reads. Spoiler-free!
Vampires of El Norte is a gothic horror book by Isabel Cañas. It's set in 1840s Mexico and follows Néstor and Nena in a bit of a star-crossed lovers meets scary creatures story. Carleigh and Hannah loved the spooky vibes and loved discussing it even more (maybe). Spoilers begin around minute 33.
Carleigh and Hannah are getting cozy now that it's officially Autumn! This week, they're talking about the Fall Book Tag, started by Zezee with Books, and recommending books that make it feel like Fall.
Carleigh and Hannah talk about a series that they both FLEW THROUGH this year! The first is Finlay Donovan is Killing It, then Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead, and lastly (so far) Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun. And Elle Cosimano just announced Book Four: Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice, coming Spring 2024.
Spoilers begin around 29:45
Carleigh and Hannah talk about some books they've read recently and (spoiler) they were all 5 stars! They may or may not be "underrated" but they definitely need to be talked about more. See if they convince you to pick these books up. No spoilers :)
Have you read The Turn of the Key or Woman in Cabin 10 or The It Girl? Well Hannah and Carleigh are here to talk about Ruth Ware's newest book, Zero Days, about a woman who experiences a personal tragedy and must solve it herself while the police chase her every step.
Spoilers start at 26:40
Carleigh and Hannah read one-star reviews of some of their favorite books. Spoiler-free!
Sign Here is the debut novel of Claudia Lux. It's a book about a literal corporate hellscape and one deal-making devil named Peyote Trip whose goal is to get the fourth generation of the Harrison family to make a deal. And Carleigh and Hannah really enjoyed talking about it.
Spoilers begin at 21:30
Carleigh and Hannah talk about recent book purchases and the ones they are most excited to read! Biography, Sci-fi, Magical Realism, they're all across the board!
Carleigh and Hannah have talked about this author before and now they tackle his newest book, In the Lives of Puppets, which is a retelling of Pinnochio with a twist (or many twists). They discussed before how his books can feel like such a hug. This one... may not exactly be a hug, but Carleigh and Hannah definitely can talk about their favorite characters for a while.
Spoilers begin in minute 26.
Carleigh and Hannah fancast (or dreamcast) their favorite books. They have ideas for Emily Henry and would definitely be willing to collaborate. So Emily, DM anytime. As well as for V.E. Schwab, Riley Sager, T.J. Klune, and more. Tune in to hear their casting calls and go tell them your fancast on Instagram.
If you're on social media, you've most likely seen this book. Everyone is talking about Fourth Wing, by Rebecca Yarros. And now, Hannah and Carleigh are talking about it. They talk about favorite characters, least favorite characters, critiques, and what they love about being part of the book community.
Carleigh and Hannah play round 3 of literary 20 questions! This time instead of doing book titles, they're asking questions to figure out a character from literature. What kind of literature? You'll just have to listen...
If you listened to Riley Sager Smackdown Part One, you know Carleigh and Hannah love to talk about him, the good and the bad, the whole package. In this episode, they discuss Lock Every Door, Survive the Night, and his newest book, The Only One Left. Where do you think these books fall in their rankings?
Hannah and Carleigh admit to the books that have been on their TBR (to-be-read) shelves for the longest time. Lots of gems found deep on the goodreads/storygraph accounts.
Beartown is the first in a trilogy of novels by Fredrik Backman that center around a small Canadian town that pins a lot of its hopes on the youth hockey teams and the kids that are the stars. Carleigh and Hannah have a lot to say about this book and can't wait to discuss Us Against You (Beartown #2) and The Winners (Beartown #3) in an episode soon!
Spoilers begin about 36 minutes in.
Carleigh and Hannah talk about books that will be released in the second half of 2023 that they are excited about (or not exactly excited about... looking at you, Robert Galbraith).
Carleigh and Hannah attempt to give you some of their personal recommendations for books that have LGBTQIA+ representation for June! There are probably a few that you haven't read, so check it out.
Carleigh and Hannah attempt to give you some of their personal recommendations for books that have LGBTQIA+ representation for June! There are probably a few that you haven't read, so check it out.
Carleigh and Hannah give an update on their reading goals for the year and a rundown of some of their favorite (and least favorite) characters, books, and authors in 2023 so far. Can you guess where they place Riley Sager, Emily Henry, and Fredrik Backman?
If you like a twisty, convoluted, psychological thriller, then Carleigh and Hannah have a recommendation for you. The Kind Worth Killing and its sequel, The Kind Worth Saving, are both thrillers by Peter Swanson that will have you on the edge of your seat. Listen to a spoiler-free recommendation until they get into the spoiler section.
Why haven't more people read these books?! Carleigh and Hannah discuss and recommend books that have under 100 thousand reviews on GoodReads. Books they loved as a kid (that still hold up) and recent reads that need more hype.
Radium Girls: The Dark History of America's Shining Women, by Kate Moore, is a non-fiction book about the overlooked story of the "wonder drug" Radium and the strength of the women who worked with it. Carleigh and Hannah get a bit feisty talking about the details.
Carleigh and Hannah have a low-key episode playing more Would You Rather with book-themed questions. And of course have to bring Twilight into it. And Taylor Jenkins Reid. And Cassian from Silver Flames.
Emily Henry has done it again! Another great book down and Carleigh and Hannah are already ready and waiting for her next one. In this episode, they discuss mostly Happy Place, the newest release, and sprinkle in discussions about Beach Read, People We Meet on Vacation, and Book Lovers. What's your favorite?
Carleigh and Hannah discuss what books give them major cozy vibes! You might be surprised by some of the picks. Or maybe you're weird like them!
Babel is a historical fiction novel by R.F. Kuang (author of The Poppy War Trilogy) that follows Robin Swift, a Chinese boy taken to England and raised to become a linguistic scholar. Carleigh and Hannah do their best to discuss the hard and important topics of this book.
Spoilers begin in minute 23.
Carleigh and Hannah talk about the books that influenced them. Books that shaped their humor, their future taste in books, and even their ideas about feminism. And they might even cry while talking about these books.
The Writing Retreat is a debut thriller by Julia Bartz and Carleigh and Hannah do a deep dive. They discuss their favorite and least favorite characters and their favorite and least favorite parts of the book!
Part 1 is spoiler free. They'll warn you before spoilers :)
Carleigh and Hannah discuss Reagan's questions (PeruseProject on youtube) about the MOST INTIMIDATING books on their To-Be-Read lists. Fredrik Backman, Kristin Hannah, Tessa Bailey... who don't they cover?
Oona lives her life out of order, jumping to a random year every New Year's Day. And Carleigh and Hannah couldn't get enough of watching her live out those years. In this episode, they discuss Margarita Montimore's novel, Oona Out of Order.
Spoilers begin at minute 23.
Carleigh and Hannah discuss their books icks. What makes them go ICK when they are reading a book? And what are the physical attributes that make them go ICK? Find out now
Happy 50th Episode, Shelf Obsessed! To celebrate 50 episodes, almost a whole year of podcasting, Carleigh and Hannah delve into two of their favorite books: Circe and Song of Achilles, by Madeline Miller. There is also a giveaway on Instagram, @shelfobsessed.podcast, so go enter!
Carleigh and Hannah invite two very special guests for this episode! Tune in to find out who! And why we talk about Colleen Hoover for so long...
*Had to work some editing magic with the sound to make everything audible, so bear with us, please.
The Cabin at the End of the World is a horror novel by Paul Tremblay that was recently adapted for the silver screen by M. Night Shyamalan into the movie Knock at the Cabin. Carleigh and Hannah read the book and then went and saw the movie so they could review them both for you.
Mild spoilers begin at 18:55, heavy spoilers at 21:30
Who's the villain you love to hate the most? Hannah and Carleigh discuss some of the villains they find most interesting, complicated, or compelling.
If you've dabbled in tiktok over the last few years, you've probably seen Hank Green's face, but have you read his book? Hannah and Carleigh think you should. In fact, they think everyone should. Listen to hear why!
Spoilers start around minute 35
Get ready for more unpopular opinions! Or at least Carleigh and Hannah's reaction to them. They asked listeners for their unpopular opinions on books, so get ready for some doozies.
Goodreads Choice Winner for Best Fiction of 2022, Book of the Month's Book of the Year, and more. Carleigh and Hannah discuss the deeply flawed characters and the tumultuous lives they lead. They also let you know whether this book is worth the hype.
Content warnings: This book (and discussion of it) contains references and/or descriptions of suicide, cancer, depression, death, etc.
Well, sort of outside of books. Hannah and Carleigh still talk about books. I know, shocker. But they also talk about their favorite animals, movies, and the strange things they collect.
Maybe this episode will feel like a warm hug, because Carleigh and Hannah talk about one of the biggest warm hugs of a book you could find: The House in the Cerulean Sea, by T.J. Klune.
HAPPY NEW YEAR! Like the rest of their country, Carleigh and Hannah are making New Year's Resolutions, but their resolutions are bookish. They reveal their book goals for 2023 and take a hard and somewhat embarrassing look at their TBR piles (to-be-read).
They've come full circle! Carleigh and Hannah re-do their first-ever episode, answering 15-ish questions about the books they've read in 2022.
Is it a summer book? Is it a Christmas book? No one knows, but Carleigh and Hannah are going to do what they do: theorize.
Spoilers begin around 34:50
Carleigh and Hannah aren't allowed to say one of their favorite words (well, they say it twice... or four times if you're being picky), so instead, they talk about other forms of media. Mainly corny Christmas movies. Tune in for chaos.
Carleigh and Hannah talk about one of their favorite classic novels, The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde. And by association, Ben Barnes.
Carleigh and Hannah discuss how they annotate the books they read and why. Whether it's a quote that's powerful or just has good vibes, they give some examples and explanations.
In this week's book review, Carleigh and Hannah talk about Lessons in Chemistry, a novel by Bonnie Garmus. They talk a little bit about the plot and a lot about the characters.
Spoiler-free until about 26:30.
Carleigh and Hannah answer cute fall-themed book questions from the Fall Book Tag, originally created by The Bionic Book Worm Blog.
Carleigh and Hannah discuss two of Andy Weir's books: The Martian and Project Hail Mary, as well as the movie adaptation of The Martian.
Spoiler-free until around minute 33.
Last episode of Spooky Season! Carleigh and Hannah go back to the 20 questions game, this time with dark, spooky book picks. Can you guess before they do?
It, by Stephen King, can be a polarizing book. It can also be INCREDIBLE SPOOKY! So buckle up for a long conversation with many tangents as Carleigh and Hannah delve into the ups and downs. Happy spooky season
Spoilers begin 35:58
Is your favorite book on the list? Carleigh and Hannah discuss some of the books they see everywhere and some that they think should be everywhere.
Hannah and Carleigh discuss the perfect spooky book for your October reading list.
There are some audio issues this episode, so maybe don't turn the volume up too high
This atmospheric novel takes place in 1950s Mexico and centers around Noemí and the mysterious Doyle family. Her cousin married into the family and moved to their remote manor house outside of a small mining town. As Noemí learns more about the strange family, she suspects that her cousin's illness has dark origins.
Spoilers begin at 17:11
Living in fairy tales or romance novels, only reading 3-star books, choosing between favorite characters... how do you think Carleigh and Hannah will answer?
Do you think Verity could be considered a Gothic novel? Carleigh and Hannah will give you some food for thought in this episode reviewing the book Verity, by Colleen Hoover.
Spoilers begin at 19:43
Who do Carleigh and Hannah want to see dead? In fiction, that is. They're asking and answering the hard questions this episode.
Can you guess what special book Carleigh and Hannah are reviewing for their 25th episode extravaganza?! Find out by pressing play.
And make sure to keep an eye on the instagram @shelfobsessed.podcast to enter the giveaway
Carleigh and Hannah give their opinions on the best and worst book-to-screen adaptions. Who caught the vibe? What movie is perfect? Who failed miserably? Listen and find out.
The Light of the Fireflies by Paul Pen is a book about a boy who has only known life in "the basement." As he learns more about the world outside and about his own family, it tests everything he thinks he knows. This book is translated from its original language of Spanish. Carleigh and Hannah summarize the book, delve into the family dynamics at play, and question who the real villain is.
Content warning: This book contains instances of child abuse, violence, bullying, incest, rape, and death. Carleigh and Hannah discuss the instances but do not go into descriptive depth.
Carleigh and Hannah spill the scalding hot tea while answering the Anti-TBR Challenge questions created by YouTuber Nicole & Her Books. Is your favorite book on the list?
Carleigh and Hannah talk about a childhood favorite: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. They talk about the magic, the symbolism, and all the nostalgic feels.
If you're intimidated by genres outside your comfort zone, this episode is for you! Carleigh and Hannah discuss their recommendations for great books that will help you dip your toes into other genres.
A non-fiction memoir that is stranger than fiction. Carleigh and Hannah discuss the much-awarded memoir Educated, by Tara Westover, which details the author's life growing up in a religious, survivalist family without formal education to completing a PhD at Cambridge.
Carleigh and Hannah stump each other with the worst clues possible while playing literary 20 questions. Zero alcohol was involved, but there is A LOT of giggling.
Which Riley Sager novel will win in this epic smackdown between The Last Time I Lied, Home Before Dark, and The House Across the Lake? Don't worry, Carleigh and Hannah give a definitive answer.
Spoilers begin at 34:50
Carleigh and Hannah discuss (in no particular order or any order at all) the tropes that they love and the tropes that make them go ehhhhh no thanks.
Carleigh and Hannah get tongue-tied talking about one of their all-time favorite books, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, by V.E. Schwab. It's a standalone novel that is gorgeously written, sorrowfully wistful, and beautifully relatable. They give a spoiler-free summary of the book, discuss some of the themes, and then get into spoilers around minute 28.
Spoilers begin around minute 28
Carleigh and Hannah go over their Story Graph statistics and book spreadsheets and geek out (even more) about the great books they've read so far in 2022.
Carleigh and Hannah discuss the 1st Science-Fiction Novel published by a black woman: Kindred, by Octavia Butler.
Spoilers begin around minute 26.
Carleigh and Hannah read some "unpopular opinions" about books and try to figure out the difference between Utopian and Dystopian novels (still not clear). Don't forget to rate, review, and share!
Carleigh and Hannah discuss two popular booktok romance novels, The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood and It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey, and the fictional characters that inspired them.
Spoilers begin around minute 14:40.
BONUS EPISODE! Carleigh and Hannah talked so long about their all-time favorites that it had to be split into two episodes. Enjoy part two, where they finish their favorites through genres, favorite authors, and their all-time favorite books. Don't forget to rate, review, and share, it's appreciated.
This episode was recorded before they figured out the microphone situation, so the audio is not up to normal quality.
Carleigh and Hannah get to gush on all their favorite books across different ages and genres!
This episode was recorded before they figured out the microphone situation, so the audio is not up to normal quality.
Carleigh and Hannah discuss one of Carleigh's all-time favorite books, The Great Gatsby, its surprising comedy, toxic relationships, and the beautifully tragic trainwreck that is Jay Gatsby. Don't forget to follow, rate, and review!
We've all been there. We want to read more, but something is holding us back. This week, Carleigh and Hannah tell all their best tips and tricks to get back to reading as much as you want! Share, subscribe, and don't forget to review!
Carleigh and Hannah talk about the wildly popular book A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. The good, the not quite as good, and the incredibly sexy. Tune in and don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review!
Carleigh and Hannah go over bookish Superlatives like "Made You Cry the Most" or "Taught You the Most" or "Most Likely to be a Modern Classic" and more.
This week, Carleigh and Hannah review the sort-of-romance novel It Ends With Us, by Colleen Hoover.
It Ends With Us follows Lily Bloom into a romance with Ryle, a handsome, charming doctor. We also see journal entries and memories from the past of her first love, Atlas, a boy she met during a time of trial for both of them. The two stories intertwine in the book, as well as Lily's life when Atlas shows up again, challenging everything she's built with Ryle and creating parallels between her past and present.
⚠️Trigger warning for domestic abuse⚠️
Carleigh and Hannah discuss their reading habits, from preferred reading format to defacing books to library cards.
Hannah and Carleigh discuss the historical fiction novel Daisy Jones & the Six, by Taylor Jenkins Reid, starting with a spoiler-free section for anyone who hasn't read the book yet. But they think everyone should read this book.
In this first episode ever, Hannah and Carleigh answer 15-ish questions about the books they read in 2021. And surprise! They don’t keep it to one book per answer.
Get a taste of your new favorite book club in the trailer for Shelf Obsessed, a bookish chat between two book-loving sisters.