Episode 13: Our Best Books of 2023

Hello, hi, and welcome to Medium Lady Reads this is episode 15, “Romanticize your reading with a seasonal TBR.”

In this episode, Jillian and Erin are sharing are exploring how readers (them included) embrace the season and curate their reading lists according to that season. Be sure to tag them (@jillianfindinghappy and @medium.lady) on Instagram, and share whether you’re a seasonal reader or not.

In This Episode:

• The ladies start with a check-in to see how their reading is going.
• Erin and Jillian discuss what seasonal reading is and how they embrace it in their lives.
• Why would you make seasonal reading a habit? Jillian and Erin discuss this and more.
• By reading seasonally you can add a sense of anticipation to what you’ll be reading during each season.
• If you want to know HOW to make seasonal reading a habit, Erin and Jillian share how to do exactly that.
• The ladies share some seasonal reading options for the season of love!
• It’s time for Hot Takes! Jillian and Erin share their thoughts on this week’s Hot Take.
• Erin encourages listeners to utilize their local library. 
• Jillian and Erin discuss their holds list. 
• The Link to the Buddy Reads Episode mentioned in this episode.

Books Mentioned in this Episode:

• Sincerely Yours by Tessa Bailey
• Love Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood
• So Happy For You by Celia Laskey
• Happy Place by Emily Henry
• Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
• Before the Fall by Noah Hawley
• A Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia Williams
• The Beauty of Your Face by Sahar Mustafah
• Shut up, this is Serious by Carolina Ixta
• The Last Love Note by Emma Grey

Hello, hi, and welcome to Medium Lady Reads this is episode 15, “Our Last Three Reads - Winter 2024.”

In this episode, Jillian and Erin are sharing their last three reads from the past few months - and while it’s tempting they both stay true to listing the actual three books they’ve read and hopefully they’re able to appeal to their listeners wide and varied tastes. Be sure to tag them (@jillianfindinghappy and @medium.lady) on Instagram, and share your last three reads with them. 

In this Episode:

• Before the ladies get into the meat of the episode, they check-in with each other and how their reading is going.
• The ladies take a short side pivot to talk a bit about cleaning. The two accounts Erin refers to are: @takesavillagecleeaning and @cleanhappyco.
• Then, the ladies dive into the their last 3 books. Tune in to learn what 3 books each woman recommends. 
• Erin mentions Medium Lady Reads Episode 12 - Cozy Christmas Reads.
• Recently, Drew Barrymore learned about Libby and shared about it on her show. Erin and Jillian decided to give their thoughts on famous people talking about Libby and the library for their Hot Takes segment. We want to know what YOU think, share with us on IG.
• Time to wrap up with the holds list. Jillian and Erin share their holds list and what books they have coming up.

Books Mentioned in This Episode:

• Drive Your Own Darn Bus by Julia Kristina
• The Rook by Daniel O’Malley
• Leslie F*cking Jones by Leslie Jones
• Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood
• Bride by Ali Hazelwood
• Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton
• Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
• First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston 
• Family Family by Laurie Frankel
• Come & Get It by Kiley Reid
• How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis
• Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett
• Ringmaster: Vince McMahon and the Unmaking of America by Abraham Josephine Riesman

Hello, hi, and welcome to Medium Lady Reads this is episode 14, “Our Reading Goals 2024.”

In this episode, Jillian and Erin are excited to share their reading goals for the new year. Be sure to tag them (@jillianfindinghappy and @medium.lady) on Instagram, and share your reading goals with them.

In This Episode:

• The ladies check-in and share how their reading is going. 
• It’s time to reflect on the past year (2023) of books and how Erin and Jillian’s reading went.
• Be sure to listen to Medium Lady Reads episode 13, where the women share their Top 3 books of 2023.
• Erin mentions the reading tracker that the Currently Reading Patreon puts out every year.
• Let’s talk goals! The women share their goals for 2024.
• Next up, the ladies discuss what challenges and book clubs they’re participating in, in 2024.
• Join us and do 12 reads in 12 months, you can find templates at @mediumladyreads. 
• BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!! It has to with our podcast and a book club - listen to find out more!! 
• The women share some of the NEW RELEASES they’re excited about. 
• Tune in for the Hot Takes segment.
• And, finally, the ladies share their library holds list.

Books Mentioned in this Episode:

• Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin 
• This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub
• Tom Lake by Ann Patchett 
• Pack Up the Moon by Kristan Higgins
• Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune
• The Grace of Wild Things by Heather Fawcett
• Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
• Pride by Ibi Zoboi 
• A Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia Williams
• Seven Days in June by Tia Williams
• Funny Story by Emily Henry
• Family Family by Laurie Frankel
• Come and Get It by Kiley Reid 
• Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
• Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz
• The Bodyguard by Katherine Center
• Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood
• The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

Hello, hi, and welcome to Medium Lady Reads this is episode 13, “Our Best Books of 2023.”

In this episode the ladies are so excited to talk ALL about their favorite books from 2023 and what made these books their favorite of the year. 

In This Episode:

• Erin and Jillian check-in on how their reading is going for these first few weeks of the new year. 
• Erin encourages our readers to reflect on their past year of their reading. 
• Jillian and Erin share how their year in reading was for 2023.
• They mention the Currently Reading book tracker, which is available through Currently Reading’s Patreon. 
• Goodreads and the Goodreads reading challenge and why you should use both.
• Erin shares her bookish achievements of 2023.
• The ladies start talking about their top favorite books of 2023 - listen to the episode to hear all of their top books!
• In this episode, the ladies shared what things Instagram made them wish for during the holidays.
• The adult sticker book that Erin mentioned can be found here.
• Both women share their library holds. 

Books Mentioned in This Episode:

• EarthSea by Ursula K. Le Guin
• The Whispers by Ashley Audrain
• You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi 
• Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld 
• Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune
• Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo
• Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan
• Beyond That, The Sea by Laura Spence-Ash
• Run Towards the Danger by Sarah Polley
• XOXO, Cody by Cody Rigsby
• I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makka
• Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
• Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano 
• The Grace of Wild Things by Heather Fawcett
• How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis LPC
• The Blue Between Sky and Water by Susan Abulhawa 
• The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny
• You Exist Too Much by Zaina Arafat 
• The Rook by Daniel O’Malley
• Sailing to Sarantium by Guy Gavriel Kay 

Hello, hi, and welcome to Medium Lady Reads this is episode 12, Cozy Christmas Reads 2023; Featuring Ali Oppenlaender and Stephanie Cunningham.

This week’s episode is extra special, because not only do you have Erin and Jillian, but you have the other two members of their Buddy Read Group, Ali and Stef. Together they’re going to be discussing their favorite cozy books that would be perfect to read this holiday season. 

This episode was recorded in separate locations, but it is just as full of love and fun!

In This Episode:

• All four ladies check in and share how they’re reading is going.
• If you’d like to go back and listen to the previous episodes of Cozy Christmas Reads, you can listen to 2021’s episode here and 2022’s episode here.
• Each woman shares their definition of what a Cozy Christmas Read is to them.
• The women go round-robin through their recommendations. Prepare for 8 new cozy reads!
• Next up are hot takes, listen to the episode to hear what the ladies are sharing their thoughts on.
• Parnassus Books on IG: https://www.instagram.com/parnassusbooks/?hl=en
• Supposedly Fun on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/supposedlyfun, especially his episode reviewing the NYT Top 100 books of 2023: https://youtu.be/84IoxwSjAyo?si=4C7IwUI46L9QTuhC 
• Best of Goodreads 2023 List
• To end the show the ladies share their holds list. 

Books Mentioned In This Episode:

• Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan
• A Season for Second Chances by Jenny Bayliss
• Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
• One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig
• The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow
• The Princess and The Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz
• The One in a Million Boy by Monica Wood 
• Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney
• Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune
• Legends & Lattes by Travis Balder
• Beyond the Four Kingdoms Series by Melanie Cellier
• The Grace of Wild Things by Heather Fawcett
• Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
• A Family for St. Nick: A Heartwarming Holiday Romance by Barbara Meyers
• The Maid by Nita Prose
• A December to Remember by Jenny Bayliss
• The Things We Leave Unfinished by Rebecca Yarros
• The Woman in Me by Britney Spears
• Three Holidays and a Wedding by Uzma Jalaluddin & Marissa Stapley
• All I Want for Christmas by Maggie Knox
• A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone
• Foster by Claire Keegan

If you enjoyed this episode we would love it if you recommended us to a friend or loved one!  Be sure to take a screenshot and share on Instagram stories, and tag both Jillian (@jillianfindinghappy) and Erin (@medium.lady), or the podcast @mediumladyreads, so that they can reshare the love! 

Thanks for listening and if you enjoyed what you heard, please leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts!

Tune in on December 27th for the next episode of the Medium Lady Reads Podcast.

Hello, hi, and welcome to Medium Lady Reads this is episode 11, The Joy of the Buddy Read; Featuring Ali Oppenlaender and Stephanie Cunningham.

This week’s episode is extra special, because not only do you have Erin and Jillian, but you have the other two members of their Buddy Read Group, Ali and Stef. Together they’re going to be discussing Buddy Reads, what they are and how they work for Jillian, Erin, Ali and Stef.

Even more exciting, this was recorded all in person, so you get the opportunity to peek inside the group and what they’re all about. 

In This Episode:

• The four women check-in with one another to see how their reading lives are going.
• Erin introduces what a buddy read is and where she got the idea to start a buddy read group (aka: Bossy Big Sisters Book Club) of her own.
• Jillian briefly describes the process of how they work their buddy reads.
• As a group, they discuss what they feel are the strengths of the buddy reads group. 
• They also discuss what small changes they’d make to the buddy read process – There aren’t many things they change, though.
• This group has meant so much to each of the woman, they each share how it has positively affected their lives.
• They each share the favorite book they’ve read together so far.
• Next up, they discuss the Hot Take for the week, you’ll need to listen to this episode to hear what their dishing on.
• Finally, they end the show discussing their holds list, what they have waiting and what’s coming up.

Books in This Episode:

• Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
• The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
• A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith 
• The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
• All Grown Up by Jami Attenberg
• I Will Teach You to Be Rich by Ramit Sethi
• Drive Your Own Darn Bus! by Julia Kristina
• Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton
• One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig
• The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
• In the Company of Witches by Auralee Wallace
• Wreck the Halls Tessa Bailey
• What Wild women Do by Karma Brown
• Three Holidays & a Wedding by Uzma Jalaluddin &  Marissa Stapley
• Champions of the Fox by Kevin Sands 

If you enjoyed this episode we would love it if you recommended us to a friend or loved one!  Be sure to take a screenshot and share on Instagram stories, and tag both Jillian (@jillianfindinghappy) and Erin (@medium.lady), or the podcast @mediumladyreads, so that they can reshare the love! 

Thanks for listening and if you enjoyed what you heard, please leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts!

Tune in on November 27th for the next episode of the Medium Lady Reads Podcast.

**Some of the links used in the shownotes are affiliate links. This does not change the cost of the item for you, we just get a small percentage of the cost, that helps us to offset the cost of putting out the podcast.**

Hello, hi, and welcome to Medium Lady Reads this is episode 10, “Crush Your Reading Goals with a Killer Holds List”

In this episode the ladies are so excited to bring you another Library-themed episode! This episode is all about one of Erin’s favorite library hacks, making the most of the library holds.

In this Episode:

• Erin and Jillian share how their reading is going - Jillian shares a tidbit that might normalize falling asleep while reading for you & Erin does a diagnostic check-in with Jillian.
• Our previous library themed episode - Episode 4 - Why We Love Libraries
• They talk about the power of holds.
• Jillian goes into when holds were a critical part of her life.
• And, Erin dives into how convenient holds being delivered to your local library branch can be.
• Have you ever wondered how to strategically place holds on books? Jillian shares strategic tips.
• If you’ve been wanting to manage your holds using websites and library apps, Erin has the tips for you.
• Long waitlists can be super frustrating but there is a way to maneuver through them, Jillian has the tips you need.
• Erin’s a pro at the “Holds Juggling Act” and she’s sharing her tips with you.
• While using holds is definitely one of Jillian and Erin’s favorite things, there is always some serendipity in browsing the shelves. 
• Jillian shares a story all about the pink covers of books!
• Up next is the hot takes segment - be sure to listen to hear what the ladies are talking about this time around.
• Jelly Pops Book Club with Jillian O’Keefe
• Finally, Erin and Jillian share what’s on their holds lists.

Books Mentioned In This Episode:

• The Year of Witching by Alexis Henderson
• Cassandra in Reverse by Holly Smale
• The House in the Pines by Ana Reyes
• Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress by Steven Pinker
• Outlive by Peter Attia MD
• Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
• Funny Story by Emily Henry
• Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
• Every Summer After by Carley Fortune
• Goodbye Earl: A Revenge Novel
• The Whispers by Ashley Audrain
• Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

If you enjoyed this episode we would love it if you recommended us to a friend or loved one!  Be sure to take a screenshot and share on Instagram stories, and tag both Jillian (@jillianfindinghappy) and Erin (@medium.lady), or the podcast @mediumladyreads, so that they can reshare the love! 

Thanks for listening and if you enjoyed what you heard, please leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts!

Tune in on November 13th for the next episode of the Medium Lady Reads Podcast.

**Some of the links used in the shownotes are affiliate links. This does not change the cost of the item for you, we just get a small percentage of the cost, that helps us to offset the cost of putting out the podcast.**

Hello, hi, and welcome to Medium Lady Reads this is episode 9, “Welcome to Spooky Reading Season!”

With Jillian as the resident Autumn and Halloween lover and one of the co-hosts of Medium Lady Reads, Erin and Jillian couldn’t let spooky season pass without doing an episode where they share their favorite reads for the Fall / Spooky season.

In episode 9 of Medium Lady Reads, Erin and Jillian dive into the spooky season, and share some fantastic reading recommendations. Whether you’re a hardcore horror fan or just looking for something with a touch of supernatural, they’ve got you covered.

In this Episode:

• Erin and Jillian check in with each other to see how their reading is going.
• Jillian shares what spooky reading season means to her & why we all love it.
• As someone who doesn’t typically love the Halloween season, Erin shares why.
• It’s time to kick off the recommendations! Jillian starts the show off by recommending a super creepy fantasy thriller.
• If you’re looking for a fun twisty horror novel, Erin’s first recommendation will be the perfect pick. 
• Looking for an entire cozy mystery series to dive into this Fall? Jillian’s next recommendation is what you. need!
• Do movies like “The Craft” leave you feeling nostalgic? Erin’s second pick will be the perfect choice for you on a spooky, cloudy day.
• Isn’t Autumn the perfect season to start some new cozy habits? Jillian and Erin share their cozy reading habits for the Fall.
• Scary books are often turned into scary movies, and the ladies love to watch! Erin and Jillian share some book-to-film adaptations for this spooky season.
• Want spooky vibes no matter the season? Don’t worry, the ladies have you covered! Jillian and Erin each share 1 more recommendation to get you into that spooky mood.
• Next up the ladies share their hot takes on dog earring pages vs. using a bookmark. Where do YOU stand? 
• Holds list time! Both Erin and Jillian share what’s on their holds list and what they’re most excited to receive.

Books Mentioned In This Episode:

• Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
• How to Sell A Haunted House by Grady Hendrix
• Chief Inspector Armand Gamache Series by Louise Penny
• Her Majesty’s Royal Coven by Juno Dawson
• Beneath the Stairs by Jennifer Fawcett
• The Southern Vampire Mysteries by Charlaine Harris
• Spells for Forgetting by Adrienne Young
• Our Hideous Progeny by C.E. McGill
• The Unsettled by Ayana Mathis
• The Secret History by Donna Tartt

If you enjoyed this episode we would love it if you recommended us to a friend or loved one!  Be sure to take a screenshot and share on Instagram stories, and tag both Jillian (@jillianfindinghappy) and Erin (@medium.lady), or the podcast @mediumladyreads, so that they can reshare the love! 

Thanks for listening and if you enjoyed what you heard, please leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts!

Tune in on October 30th for the next episode of the Medium Lady Reads Podcast.

**Some of the links used in the shownotes are affiliate links. This does not change the cost of the item for you, we just get a small percentage of the cost, that helps us to offset the cost of putting out the podcast.**

Hello, hi, and welcome to Medium Lady Reads this is episode 8, the books we wish we could go back to read for the first time.

If you remember, back in episode 5 of this podcast, Erin mentioned that she and Jillian should cover the topic, which books they could read again for the first time… And, today is that episode! 

In this episode, Erin and Jillian talk about the books that left an indelible mark on them. The books they wish they could erase from their memories just so they could experience the joy of reading them for the first time all over again.

In This Episode:

• Jillian and Erin get the show started by discussing how their reading has been going. 
• Erin shares the first book that comes to mind for her, and it comes along with a very sweet story about her and her husband.
• Next, Jillian shares what the first book she wishes she could read for the first time is. Her choice comes along with a fun story from when she was going through college.
• There are books many of us would reread for the first time that come from our childhood, Erin’s next choice has a similar story. 
• Jillian’s next choice comes from her favorite author and will be of no surprise to the regular listener.
• Then, Erin bring a really great nonfiction, personal development book to the show. 
• She’s recommended her next book in a few different places but, Jillian’s next book is a good one that gives off the cozy vibes.
• Jillian mentioned that she’d be discussing her last book recommendation on Jelly Pops Book Club Podcast (@jellypopsbooks on IG)
• In one of their favorite segments, the ladies discuss what Instagram has made them buy most recently.
• Finally, is the standing segment - What’s on your holds list? Where Erin and Jillian discuss what they each have on hold at the library. 

Books Mentioned in this Episode:

• Blindness by Jose Saramago
• The Giver by Lois Lowry
• The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis
• Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune
• Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily and Amelia Nogoski
• Every Summer After by Carley Fortune
• Outlive by Peter Attia
• Good Bye Earl by Leesa Cross-Smith
• The Whispers by Ashley Audrain
• Happiness Falls by Angie Kim
• In the Company of Witches by Auralee Wallace
• The Sun and The Void by Gabriela Romera Lacruz 

If you enjoyed this episode we would love it if you recommended us to a friend or loved one!  Be sure to take a screenshot and share on Instagram stories, and tag both Jillian (@jillianfindinghappy) and Erin (@medium.lady), or the podcast @mediumladyreads, so that they can reshare the love! 

Thanks for listening and if you enjoyed what you heard, please leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts!

Tune in on October 16th for the next episode of the Medium Lady Reads Podcast.

**Some of the links used in the shownotes are affiliate links. This does not change the cost of the item for you, we just get a small percentage of the cost, that helps us to offset the cost of putting out the podcast.**

Hello! Hi! Welcome to Episode 7 of the Medium Lady Reads Podcast! In today’s episode Erin and Jillian are going to be discussing their latest three reads and providing some reviews and recommendations for books you’ll be sure to want to add to YOUR to be read list!

If your TBR (to be read) pile isn’t large enough yet, then this is the episode for you! Listen in and be sure to tag us on Instagram to let us know which books you’ll be reading next.

In This Episode:

• Erin and Jillian check-in to see how each other’s reading has been going over the last month. 
• The the ladies get into the meat of the episode by diving into the last three books each of them has read. 
• Jillian starts by sharing her first last book, Talking At Night by Claire Daverley.
• Erin shares her first last read which was The Librarianist by Patrick DeWitt.
• They briefly discuss plot driven versus character driven books. 
• Jillian, then shares her next last book, which was Finding Me by Viola Davis.
• Erin shares her next last book, which is The Dance of Anger by Harriet Learner.
• Personal Development… Do you read it?
• Jillian shares her final book, Something Wild & Wonderful by Anita Kelly. 
• And, finally Erin shares her final book, which is In the Company of Witches” by Auralee Wallace.
• Erin and Jillian dive into their hot take, but you’ll have to listen to the episode to find out what their hot take is.
• Finally, they end the show with their holds list, what’s on it and what’s waiting for them at the library.

Books Mentioned In This Episode:

• Talking at Night by Claire Daverley
• The Librarianist by Patrick DeWitt
• Finding Me by Viola Davis
• The Dance of Anger by Harriet Learner
• Something Wild & Wonderful by Anita Kelly
• Love & Other Disaster by Anita Kelly
• In the Company of Witches by Auralee Wallace

If you enjoyed this episode we would love it if you recommended us to a friend or loved one!  Be sure to take a screenshot and share on Instagram stories, and tag both Jillian (@jillianfindinghappy) and Erin (@medium.lady) so that they can reshare the love! 

Thanks for listening and if you enjoyed what you heard, please leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts!

Tune in on October 2nd for the next episode of the Medium Lady Reads Podcast.

**Some of the links used in the shownotes are affiliate links. This does not change the cost of the item for you, we just get a small percentage of the cost, that helps us to offset the cost of putting out the podcast.**