Can I Bring My Book

Brimstone by Callie Hart: An In-Depth Chat with Your Book Besties

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.
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Bestie Book Swap Chaos: Four Books, Too Many Opinions

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.
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When the Hype Doesn’t Hit: Wicked, Returns, & Reader Guilt

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.
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Your Book Besties Attempt The Great Trope-Off

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.)
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Books Hitting the Big Screen: Your Book Besties Talk Upcoming Adaptations

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.
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Tourist Season by Brynne Weaver: An In-Depth Chat with Your Book Besties

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.
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Your Book Besties Talk Body Piercings

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.
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Can I Bring My Book Social Links:Instagram: @canibringmybook_clubTikTok: @canibringmybook_clubFacebook: www.facebook.com/canibringmybook

Your Book Besties Buddy Read The Scared Sexy Short Story Collection

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
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Can I Bring My Book Social Links:Instagram: @canibringmybook_clubTikTok: @canibringmybook_clubFacebook: www.facebook.com/canibringmybook

Books That Broke Us (And Other Unhinged Q&A Confessions)

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!
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Pumpkin Spice, Gilmore Girls, and the $5 Book Bamboozle

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!
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Can I Bring My Book Social Links:Instagram: @canibringmybook_clubTikTok: @canibringmybook_clubFacebook: www.facebook.com/canibringmybook