Reading Materials
Episodes
S04 E08 - Piranesi
14 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Published in September 2020, Susanna Clarke's novel Piranesi was highly recommended to us by multiple people, so we have finally taken the jump! Join ...
S04 E07 - Book of Night
31 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Published in May 2022, Holly Black's debut adult fantasy novel Book of Night introduces us to a world where shadows can become sentient. Join us for o...
S04 E06 - The Last White Man
17 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Published in August 2022, Mohsin Hamid's "The Last White Man" tackles the topics of race, grief, challenging societal norms and managing major life-ch...
S04 E05 - The Bone Orchard
03 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Published in March 2022, The Bone Orchard is the debut gothic by Sara A. Mueller. Join us for our discussion of this dense novel, full of strong femal...
S04 E04 - Luxuria
21 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Published in April 2022, 'Luxuria' by Colette Rhodes explores illicit fantasies, arranged marriage and a romance like no other in a world where the th...
S04 E03 - Sea of Tranquility
05 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Published in April 2022, Emily St. John Mandel's speculative fiction novel 'Sea of Tranquility' tells a story across centuries and space. Join us as w...
S04 E02 - You Made A Fool Of Death With Your Beauty
22 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Continuing the theme of recent publications, Akwaeke Emezi's new book "You Made A Fool of Death With Your Beauty" gives us some real food for thought ...
S04 E01 - Book Lovers
08 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Emily Henry is back to open the new season with her newest hit, Book Lovers. Join us as we wax lyrical once again about her ability to write great cha...
Mold, Madness & Mansions: Mexican Gothic | Bonus Episode
25 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this bonus episode, we get trapped in the eerie halls of Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Tune in as we explore haunted houses, unsettling...
Whiskers, Wanderings & Wrenching Goodbyes : The Travelling Cat Chronicles | Bonus Episode
11 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this week’s bonus episode, we dive into the tender and tear-jerking pages of The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa (translated by Phili...
Darkly Funny, Worryingly Real : QualityLand | S03 E10
28 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We wrap up Season 3 with special guest Luisa and a wild ride through Marc-Uwe Kling’s QualityLand. From rogue AIs to political satire—and yes, un...
Time Loops and Existential Crises : The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August | S03 E09
13 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the penultimate episode of the season, we unpack Claire North’s The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August—a time-travel tale with a twist. From ...
Dudes Who Read Romance: The Bromance Book Club | S03 E08
31 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Surprise switch-up! Instead of aliens, we’re diving into The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams.Join us for a chat about second chances at love...
Meet Death’s Intern : MORT | S03 E07
19 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Discworld—a flat planet, four elephants, one giant turtle, and infinite chaos!In this episode, we dive into MORT by Terry Pratchett and...
Heartbreak, Humanity & Harvesting: Never Let Me Go | S03 E06
05 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s our one-year podiversary! 🥳 And what better way to celebrate than by diving into Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro? Join us as we get deep...
That Ending?! Crescent City Chaos Continues: House of Sky and Breath | S03 E05B
18 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We’re back in the Crescent City with House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas! This week, we dive into old favorites and exciting new characters, ...
Angels, Murder, and Party Girls: House of Earth and Blood | S03 E05A
11 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We’re back with a fan favourite! Join us as we dive into House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas. Expect best friends, fierce female heroines, s...
Holy Orders and Unholy Bloodshed: Empire of the Vampire | S03 E04
06 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week we sink our teeth into Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff — possibly our biggest read yet! From bloodthirsty vampires to religion, or...
A Tower, A Test, A Rebellion: The Wind Singer | S03 E03
21 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week, we dive into meritocratic regimes and embark on a fantastical adventure with Kestrel, Bowman, and Mumpo in William Nicholson’s The Wind ...
Dark Academia, Dirtier Secrets: Ninth House | S03 E02
08 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Yale—where the ghosts are real, the secret societies are dangerous, and the dark magic is darker than your coffee. In this episode, Corri...
Twins, Truths, and Passing for White: The Vanishing Half | S03 E01
21 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Season 3 kicks off with The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett—a moving, multi-generational story of identity, sisterhood, and the long shadows of pas...
Murder, Mayhem, and Mugs of Tea : The Thursday Murder Club | Bonus Episode
14 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this surprise bonus episode, Corrie and Lucia dive into The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman—a cozy crime caper with unexpected heart. Tun...
Lies, Faces & Cheese That Explodes: A Face Like Glass | S02 E10
08 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Mad geniuses, memory-twisting lies, and a protagonist who can’t fake a smile. We wrap up Season 2 with special guest Jessica, Lucia’s good friend...
Wholesome Chaos & Magical Found Families: The House in the Cerulean Sea | S02 E09
24 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Found families, magical misfits, and a grumpy man with a clipboard. In this episode, Corrie and Lucia dive into The House in the Cerulean Sea by T....
Where’s the Data on Half the World? Reading Invisible Women | S02 E08
11 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Seatbelts, smartphones, drug trials—what do they all have in common? They weren’t designed with women in mind. In this episode, Corrie and Lucia ...
Our 2021 Bookmarked Moments | Bonus Episode
03 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Slightly messing up the timing of Season 2, here is your end of season bonus episode, a little early! We sit down to talk about 2021, and answer a few...
Bah Humbug! Revisiting A Christmas Carol | S02 E07
25 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this very special Christmas episode we discuss A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, Christmas Day in the Morning by Pearl S. Buck, and we recommen...
Time Travel, Regret & Café Rules: Before the Coffee Gets Cold | S02 E06
13 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
If you could travel back in time… but only until your coffee gets cold—would you? In this episode, Corrie and Lucia discuss Before the Coffee Ge...
Books Are Dangerous (Apparently): Let’s Talk Fahrenheit 451 | S02 E05
29 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Firemen, forbidden books, and a future that feels a little too real. In this episode, Corrie and Lucia dive into Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury to ...
Magic, Mystery, and a Lot Going On: The Ladies of the Secret Circus | S02 E04
15 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Magicians, mysteries, and a cursed love story that spans decades. In this episode, Corrie and Lucia dive into The Ladies of the Secret Circus by Co...
Murder, Morbid Curiosity & Mixed Feelings: Stalking Jack the Ripper | S02 E03
01 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Victorian London, autopsies, and a bit of tea—what more could you want? In this episode, Corrie and Lucia dig into Stalking Jack the Ripper by Ke...
Gender, Ice, and Alien Politics: The Left Hand of Darkness | S02 E02
18 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We’re heading back to sci-fi with Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Left Hand of Darkness - an interplanetary deep dive into gender, politics, and icy surv...
Romance with a Side of Sadness: Let’s Talk Beach Read | S02 E01
04 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Season 2 kicks off with Beach Read by Emily Henry - because nothing says “new season energy” like enemies-to-lovers, lakeside cottages, and a wh...
Bookish Q&A: Listener Questions, Honest Answers | Bonus Episode
20 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It's time for a bonus episode! This week we are answering listeners' bookish questions.Books Mentioned in this Episode:Fishes of the Orinoco in the Wi...
Convenience Store Woman: Weirdly Relatable or Just… Weird? | S01 E10
06 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We wrap up Season 1 with our first-ever guest! Matt joins us to chat about Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata—a sharp, surreal look at socie...
Murder, Manners & 1700s Intrigue: A Death at Fountains Abbey | S01 E09
23 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We’re back in historical fiction territory with A Death at Fountains Abbey by Antonia Hodgson. In this episode, we discuss whodunnits, visualising...
Lost in the Woods – Talking The Book of Lost Things | S01 E08
09 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week we dive into The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly, a dark, folktale-laced coming-of-age story full of gruesome imagery and haunting tw...
From War to Refuge: The Beekeeper of Aleppo | S01 E07
26 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week, we reflect on The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri—a moving story of displacement, loss, and resilience. We talk about the emotio...
Snark, Spells, and Several Londons – A Darker Shade of Magic | S01 E06
12 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we hop between Red, Grey, and White London with A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab. Expect talk of magic systems, iconic coats,...
Foundation: No Women, Minimal Plot | S01 E05
28 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We’re blasting off to the far future with Foundation by Isaac Asimov—but not without a few bumps in the time-space continuum. In this episode, w...
Unlocking Magic & Mayhem: The Ten Thousand Doors of January | S01 E04
14 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Step through the magical doors with us in The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow. We chat about villains who steal the show, friendship...
Too Clever to Communicate? Normal People, Unpacked | S01 E03
31 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we ditch our usual fantasy escapes to dive into Sally Rooney’s Normal People and quickly get hung up on the missing quotation mark...
Beauty, Beasts & Big Feelings: ACOTAR and Mental Health | S01 E02
17 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We dive headfirst into the A Court of Thorns and Roses series, where fairytale retellings get a dark, steamy twist. From beastly beginnings to battl...
Growing Up with Harry: Magic, Morals & Midlife Nostalgia | S01 E01
03 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We’re kicking off the podcast with a trip to Hogwarts—and down memory lane. In this episode, we revisit the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling,...
The Reading Materials Podcast: Introduction
03 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We will be publishing the first episode of the Reading Materials podcast on the 3rd of May 2021. Here’s a little taster of what you can expect from ...