Can I Bring My Book

Alan Opts Out: Consumerism, Chaos + Trademark Drama

Your book besties are back, and this week we're discussing a book that asks an important question:
What happens when the high-achieving ad executive who's built his entire identity around success suddenly... opts out?
This week's Buddy Read Chat is Alan Opts Out by Courtney Maum, a sharp, funny satire about consumerism, ambition, family, status, and what really matters when life doesn't go according to plan.
We discuss talking-to-animals children, secret social clubs, doomsday communities, surprise betrayals, and why every member of this family desperately needed therapy (and maybe a hug).
Buddy Read Chat
Alan Opts Out by Courtney Maum
This week we're talking:
consumerism and keeping up with the Joneses
career burnout and work-life balance
family dysfunction
suburban social politics
secret clubs and status symbols
talking-to-animals children
and one betrayal we absolutely did not see coming
⭐ Kat: 4.5 stars
⭐ Amanda: 5 stars
What's On Our Shelf
When Sparks Fly by Monica Murphy
Honey. by Imani Thompson
Madame Restell: The Life, Death, and Resurrection of Old New York's Most Fabulous, Fearless, and Infamous Abortionist by Jennifer Wright
The Wedding People by Alison Espach
Costalegre by Courtney Maum
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower
Carl's Doomsday Scenario by Matt Dinniman
New Releases We're Adding to our TBR
Heather by Caitlin Mullen
Villa Coco by Andrew Sean Greer
Daughters of the Sun and Moon by Lisa See
Cat Love by Tomas Q. Morin
Lost in the Summer of '69 by Eliza Knight
Harvest Season by Brynne Weaver
Bookish News and Other Tangents
This week we're discussing the internet meltdown surrounding the attempted trademarking of the phrase "Hot Girls Read," the backlash from readers and small businesses, and the surprisingly long list of bookish phrases that are already trademarked.
Spoiler: we have opinions.
Plus! A... fun?! soda spiral! 
Whether you’re here for the books, the chaos, or the unfiltered opinions- we’re glad you’re 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

The Ballad of Falling Dragons: Dragon Theories + Library Advocacy

This week, your book besties are wrapping up The Ballad of Falling Dragons by Sarah A. Parker, and we have thoughts.
We're talking favorite characters, heartbreaking moments, confusing plot twists, dragon lore, family trees, theories for book three, and the many questions we're still trying to untangle. Plus, we discuss whether this series is best experienced in audio, ebook, or physical format, and why some fantasy books practically require a dedicated study guide.
Then we shift into some book world news, including a viral discussion about Libby, libraries, and author compensation, why library users should never feel guilty about borrowing books, and a Goodreads post that has us questioning whether book covers and titles are all starting to look the same.
Buddy Read Chat
The Ballad of Falling Dragons by Sarah A. Parker(Chapters 50-book completion)
⚠️ This episode contains spoilers forhe Ballad of Falling Dragons and When the Moon Hatched
What's On Our Shelf
Credence by Penelope Douglas
Till Summer Do Us Part by Meghan Quinn
The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth
On Looking by Alexandra Horowitz
A Cute Little Murder by Molly Harper
New Releases We're Adding to our TBR
Down with the Shipmans by Meg Mitchell Moore
Girl’s Girl by Sonia Feldman 
Let’s Not Go Overboard Here by Erica Hendry
Marion by Leah Rowan
Alan Opts Out by Courtney Maum
Whether you’re here for the books, the chaos, or the unfiltered opinions- we’re glad you’re 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

The Ballad of Falling Dragons: Dragons, Desire + Cliffhangers

Your book besties are back and this week we’re diving into dragons, moon shards, complicated fantasy politics… and one VERY spicy river scene.
We’re talking theories, cliffhangers, emotional support dragons, confusing timelines, and why fantasy books apparently require a glossary, a map, and a support group.
And because this book is approximately the size of a small weapon, we’re splitting this Buddy Read Chat into TWO parts.
Buddy Read Chat
The Ballad of Falling Dragons by Sarah A. Parker(Chapters 1–49)
This week we’re talking:
why rereading When the Moon Hatched might actually be necessary
worldbuilding that hurts your brain a little
dragon lore and moon shards
our theories about “the Other” 
and Kaan Vaegor becoming everyone’s favorite consent king
Plus:
emotional support dragons
fantasy timelines that make absolutely no sense
sparkle poop discourse
and Amanda and Kat accidentally turning the episode into a spice analysis podcast 😅
⚠️ This episode contains spoilers for chapters 1–49 of The Ballad of Falling Dragons
What's On Our Shelf
Dom-Com by Adriana Anders
Till Summer Do Us Part by Meghan Quinn
Is This a Cry for Help? by Emily Austin
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower
New Releases We're Adding to our TBR
The Fortune of Sand by Ruta Sepetys
Phoebe Berman's Gonna Lose It by Brooke Averick
The Rainshadow Orphans by Naomi Ishiguro
When Sparks Fly by Monica Murphy
Ode to the Half-Broken by Suzanne Palmer
The Last Book Club by Joanne Rock
Bookish Conversations
This week also includes:
audiobook vs. physical fantasy reading
why some books absolutely require a physical copy
Kindle Unlimited discourse
and whether fantasy glossaries are actually mandatory reading
Whether you’re here for the books, the chaos, or the unfiltered opinions- we’re glad you’re 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

The May House: Sister Drama + Bookish Conversations

Your book besties are back and this week we’re diving into messy families, beach houses, sister dynamics, and one fictional mother that we absolutely could not stand.
We’re talking time jumps, family trauma, pacing issues, and whether The May House really needed to be quite that long… plus book-to-screen adaptations, upcoming releases, and romance tropes we would absolutely not survive in real life.
Buddy Read Chat
The May House by Jillian Cantor
This week we’re talking:
sister dynamics and family dysfunction
multiple timelines (and whether there were maybe too many)
pacing issues and plot holes
emotionally unavailable parents
and characters we struggled to fully connect with
Including:
Ocean Avenue/Yellowcard discourse
audiobook narration struggles
and Amanda’s conspiracy theory about Veronica’s actual father
Final ratings:⭐️ Kat: 3.5 stars⭐️ Amanda: 4 stars
What's On Our Shelf
Wreck by Catherine Newman
Dom-Com by Adriana Anders
On Looking by Alexandra Horowitz
The Inn at Thistledown Hollow by Devon Yates
Thinky Thoughts by Gwenda Bond
Till Summer Do Us Part by Meghan Quinn
Is This a Cry for Help? by Emily Austin
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
New Releases This Week
Fever Dream by Elsie Silver
Murder at the Hotel Orient by Alessandra Ranelli
A Sprinkle of Sweet Serendipity by Rachel Linden
Score by Kennedy Ryan
The Shippers by Katherine Center
The Ballad of Falling Dragons by Sarah A. Parker
The Player’s Club by Rachel Mills
The Burning Side by Sarah Damoff
Safari Murder Party by Rachel Moore
Bookish News & Adaptations
This week we’re also talking about:
Margot’s Got Money Troubles getting renewed for season two
our thoughts on the Remarkably Bright Creatures adaptation
Netflix vs theatrical releases
and one adaptation that actually did the book justice
A Fun Question For the Week
Which romance trope would you absolutely not survive in real life?
Because apparently:
Kat would cry if grumpy/sunshine were her IRL
and Amanda says “touch her and die” sounds significantly less romantic outside of fiction
Whether you’re here for the books, the chaos, or the unfiltered opinions- we’re glad you’re 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

Mothman Is My Boyfriend: Cryptid Romance + Queer Joy

Your book besties are back and this week we’re talking about cryptid romance, queer representation, emotional sea monsters… and whatever the hell was happening with Skate God.
So yeah... Things got weird.
Buddy Read Chat
Mothman Is My Boyfriend by McKayla Coyle
Mothman Is My Daddy bonus novella
This week we’re talking:
cryptid romance as a genre (apparently this is our life now)
our favorite and least favorite stories
emotional support frog women and sea monsters
why Skate God felt weirdly out of place
and whether this entire collection is secretly an allegory
Plus:
Mothman logistics
Flatwoods discourse
“how would this relationship actually work?”
and, we like our coffee with a side of what...?!
What's On Our Shelf
Credence by Penelope Douglas
Honey by Imani Thompson
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
The Inn at Thistledown Hollow by Devon Yates
Thinky Thoughts by Gwenda Bond
New Releases This Week
A Parade of Horribles by Matt Dinniman
Electric Shamans at the Festival of the Sun by Monica Ojeda
Take Me to Your Leader: Perspectives on Your First Alien Encounter by Neil deGrasse Tyson
The Anniversary by Alex Finlay
Burnout Summer by Jenna Ramirez
First and Forever by Lynn Painter
The Last Page by Katie Holt
The Forgotten Midwife by Laura Anthony
Seek the Traitor’s Son by Veronica Roth
Femme Feral by Sam Backbessinger
The May House by Jillian Cantor
Bookish Conversations
Audible's story house pop-up
Hoopla love
weird girl lit discourse
And, whether or not book cons and events should have dedicated reading spaces and sensory relief zones (They should!)
Whether you’re here for the books, the chaos, or the unfiltered opinions- we’re glad you’re 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

We Burned So Bright: End of the World + Emotional Damage

Your book besties are back and this week we’re talking about a book that wrecked us emotionally… but, like, in a meaningful way.
This week’s Buddy Read Chat dives into We Burned So Bright by TJ Klune- a quieter, deeply emotional end-of-the-world story about love, grief, humanity, and what matters most when time is running out.
And somehow… there are still hippies, flower crowns, and edible-fueled wedding ceremonies.
Buddy Read Chat
We Burned So Bright by TJ Klune
This week we’re talking:
black holes and the literal end of the world
why TJ Klune keeps making us cry
the difference between hopeful sadness and devastating sadness
found family, grief, and surviving impossible things
and all the strange people Don and Rodney meet on their final road trip
Including:
creepy apocalypse families
hippies with edibles and flower crowns
lightning balls (apparently real??)
and one storyline that genuinely haunted us
⚠️ This episode contains discussion of grief, suicide, death, and end-of-life themes.
What's On Our Shelf
Credence by Penelope Douglas
H Is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald
The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar
The Inn at Thistledown Hollow by Devon Yates
Thinky Thoughts by Gwenda Bond
New Releases This Week
Enormous Wings by Laurie Frankel
Honey. by Imani Thompson
How the Story Goes by Andrew Forrester
Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson
Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune
Payback by Elizabeth Rose Quinn
Rules for the Summer by Meghan Quinn
The Author Weekend by Laura Zigman
The Daisy Chain Flower Shop by Laurie Gilmore
Mothman Is My Boyfriend: Ten Tales of Cryptid Love and Lust by McKayla Coyle
Whether you’re here for the books, the chaos, or the unfiltered opinions- we’re glad you’re 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

Mad Mabel: Five Stars, Found Family + Bookish Drama

Your book besties are back and this week we’ve got a five-star buddy read that completely surprised us- plus cozy reads, new releases, and some very chaotic bookish news.
Buddy Read Chat
Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth
This week we’re talking:
a story that’s not what you think it is
found family, second chances, and loneliness
past vs. present timelines that actually work
and a main character we fully supported… even when we maybe shouldn’t have
Plus: plot twists we almost saw coming, imaginary friends theories, and an ending we loved.
What's On Our Shelf
Credence by Penelope Douglas
The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy by Brigitte Knightley
The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar
The Faraway Inn by Sarah Beth Durst
The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife by Anna Johnston
Thinky Thoughts by Gwenda Bond
New Releases This Week
Breakroom by Miye Lee
Ms. Mebel Goes Back to the Chopping Block by Jesse Q. Sutanto
Death Meets Cute by J. Penner
An Accident of Dragons by Cheri Radke
The Duke by Anna Cowan
The Story of Birds by Steve Brusatte
We Burned So Bright by TJ Klune
Bookish News & Conversations
Rebecca Yarros dropping a surprise Fourth Wing novella 👀
Shield of Sparrows suddenly taking over everyone’s TBR
Practical Magic 2 and our skepticism around sequels
the very weird (and very concerning) Bookstagram trend you need to know about
and the ongoing debate around DNF culture
Whether you’re here for the books, the chaos, or the unfiltered opinions- we’re glad you’re 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

The Auction: A Hump Day Edition + Bookish Chaos

We didn’t plan for this to be a Hump Day episode… but after this book, it kind of had to be.
Your book besties are back… just a day late 😅
Kat was down for the count this week, but we’re back with a very special (and very fitting) Hump Day edition and, honestly... after this buddy read… it feels appropriate.
Buddy Read Chat
The Auction by Sadie Kincaid
This week we’re talking:
Beauty and the Beast vibes… but make it darker
pacing issues and a story that maybe could’ve been shorter
characters we liked (and ones we absolutely did not)
and a cliffhanger that left us with thoughts
Plus: age gap dynamics, character consistency, and whether this one really delivered on what it promised.
What's On Our Shelf
Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams
The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy by Brigitte Knightley
We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer
The Faraway Inn by Sarah Beth Durst
The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife by Anna Johnston
Bookish News & Conversations
the Goodreads DNF feature and how readers (and authors) feel about it
when it’s okay to quit a book (and ask for your credit back?!)
BookCon chaos- overcrowding, long lines, and whether it’s worth it
Some self-publishing platforms are starting to charge just to upload your book, in an effort to cut down on AI content… and yeah, we’re here for it.
Whether you’re here for the books, the chaos, or the unfiltered opinions- we’re glad you’re 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

American Fantasy: Mixed Reviews + Bookish Drama

Your book besties are back and this week we’re diving into a buddy read that had us… thinking, questioning, and maybe wanting just a little bit more.
From cruise ship chaos and 90s boy band energy to character growth, pacing issues, and “is this a romance or not?” — we’re breaking down all our thoughts.
And then… we get into it.
New releases, bookish trends, and some real conversations about what’s happening in the reading community right now- from “biblical conviction” discourse to audiobook narrator controversy and where we draw the line as readers.
What We’ve Been Reading
Ryder by Jessica Peterson
Can't Stop by Lauren Biel
We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer
The Astral Library by Kate Quinn
So Happy Together by Olivia Worley
Buddy Read Chat
American Fantasy by Emma Straub
This week’s BRC has us talking:
multiple POVs (and when they don’t quite work)
pacing that doesn’t always grab you
character arcs vs. underdeveloped storylines
and whether this was romance… or something else entirely
New Releases This Week
Cherry Baby by Rainbow Rowell
Go Gentle by Maria Semple
I Could Give You the Moon by Ann Liang
Stranger Things Have Happened by Kasie West
Wife Shaped Bodies by Laura Cranehill
Dear Monica Lewinsky by Julia Langbein
Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead by Mai Nguyen
Leave Your Mess At Home by Tolani Akinola
Bookish Trends & Conversation
This week we’re talking about:
“Biblical conviction” posts and what they’re really saying
religion, reading, and where people cross the line
the role of politics in the book space
audiobook narrator controversy and accountability
Whether you’re here for the books, the chaos, or the unfiltered opinions- we’re glad you’re 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

Game On: Spice vs Plot + What We’re Reading

Your book besties are back and this week we’ve got a little bit of everything- a spicy Buddy Read Chat, and some very strong opinions about plot vs. smut.
What We’ve Been Reading
Right Number, Wrong Man by I.M. Wraith
Heretical Fishing by Haylock Jobson
Nero by S.J. Tilly
The Astral Library by Kate Quinn
So Happy Together by Olivia Worley
The Faraway Inn by Sarah Beth Durst
Buddy Read Chat
Game On by Navessa Allen
This week’s BRC has us talking:
audiobook vs. reading experience (and speed-running a book in one day 😅)
steamy scenes vs. actual plot… and where the line is
bonus chapters that maybe should’ve just been in the book
and whether this one lives up to the rest of the series
What We’re Still Thinking About
Can a book be too focused on spice?
When does a “bonus chapter” stop feeling like a bonus?
And why do some books feel rushed?
Plus: Kat gets called out for trying to pull a fast one on Amanda... AGAIN… and the chaos continues.
Whether you’re here for the books, the chaos, or the unfiltered opinions- we’re glad you’re 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