Happy Pride Month! In the wise words of Chappell Roan, what we really need is a… femininomenon! And Sarah J. Maas consistently delivers. Today, Karly & Mia dive into their not so secret obsessions with the leading ladies, from Aelin’s sass to Bryce’s body-ody-ody, they break down why these badass ladies have captured their hearts (and fantasies). Sticking to the theme, Karly & Mia break down the importance of exploring your sexuality, and Mia’s current status as a baby gay.

Today Karly & Mia are throwing it back to the 2010s YA Dystopian Fiction era and diving into the worlds of "Shatter Me" by Tahereh Mafi and "Uglies" by Scott Westerfeld. In this episode, they provide spoiler-free background insights into both captivating series, exploring the dystopian landscapes and compelling characters that have captured their 10-year old (and now 24-year old) imaginations. Join the girls as they pit these two beloved series against each other to determine which one reigns supreme.   Speaking of the 2010s, remember when we all downloaded instagram for the first time and followed anyone within a 10 mile radius? Karly & Mia recently hit a wall and unleashed an Instagram following purge. The girls are ready to rant about how to feel empowered to hit that unfollow button with no second thoughts. If you need any convincing to clear out your following, Karly seriously envisioned her villain arc movie montage and Mia was quite literally giggling and kicking her feet in the aftermath. But actually though, the endless scroll of perfection and supply of engagement pics is exhausting, and no one has time for that in 2024. Happy reading besties!

What’s that song playing in the background? Oh… no… it’s actually just the carriage scene with classical Pitbull in the background. Brace yourselves, ladies and gentlemen, as Mia & Karly are swooning over the Polin in the air. The girls were giggling and kicking their feet binge watching Bridgerton Season Three Part One, but fear Netflix must make haste to drop Part Two.  But the true scandal (which we just know Lady Whistledown would have written about) is Bumble's latest campaign, which quite literally feels like it could be a relic from the Regency era. Being called a nun by a dating app was not on the 2024 bingo card, but here we are once again shaming women for their sex lives. Celibate or not, your favorite podcast hosts are just here to say that with our vibrators and our gals around us, we don’t see an issue. But thanks for asking Bumble!

Have you ever wondered what makes a book a 5 star read? Although it varies from person to person (see also: “I didn’t say it was a GOOD book, I said I ENJOYED it”), the girls have some thoughts.  Karly & Mia weigh the importance of character depth, world-building, romance tropes, pacing, and the rare book (or Dramione fanfic in Karly’s case) that is such an emotional rollercoaster we are left staring at the ceiling with a book hangover that lasts for days.  Per usual, your favorite podcast co-hosts aren’t afraid to laugh at themselves. The girls share their most infamous flops including hitting on uninterested guys, a limbo competition gone wrong, and one terrible period horror story in Diplo’s bathroom (yes, really.) If possible, please take a moment to rate and review our podcast wherever you’re listening! Happy reading besties!

Emily Henry has done it again folks! Join the girls as they dissect Funny Story, arguably their first 5-star read of 2024! With forced proximity, friends to lovers, and fake dating tropes all packaged into a small-town whirlwind summer romance with a sexy Nick Miller coded tatted bartender, what’s not to like?  While Karly & Mia haven’t experienced any of this IRL, Emily Henry’s writing is so good they truly felt like they lived in Waning Bay, Michigan. But let’s be honest, what they have experienced is struggling with the fear of being unlovable, boyfriend sickness, and rediscovering yourself after a breakup. So sit back, relax, and dig into the world of Daphne and Miles with your favorite podcast cohosts.

While Karly & Mia’s relationship status has remained firmly single in the dating world, their relationship status with reading has taken a turn, and it’s complicated.    Dare they say they have hit a Romantasy overload. The girls are ready to branch out a little, and you know they already have reads lined up. Plus, a little treat in the spirit of revisiting the 2010s era books… Mia shares an excerpt of her famous Gallagher Girls fanfiction with Karly for the first time ever.    But most importantly, this couldn’t come at a better time as the girls are preparing for Hot Girl Summer. This summer we’re building rosters while prioritizing the girlies, all while sipping a spritz on a rooftop. So grab your SPF, craft your Nuuly orders, and enter your say yes mentality.

It was all over when Karly & Mia realized Rhys is pronounced Reese, and therefore Rhysand is not, in fact, pronounced Rice-and. In this episode, Karly & Mia unravel the inner world of Rhysand from ACOTAR (A Court of Thorns and Roses) by Sarah J. Maas. From his initial introduction as a mysterious villain figure to his transformation into a beloved character, the girls put on their detective hats and break out the magnifying glass to explore Rhysand's complexities, decode his every move, and uncover his motivations. As they delve into Rhysand's journey, Karly & Mia also take a moment for a mental health check-in. Winter blues? New therapist struggles? Join the club, girlies. But the good news is, you’re not alone! Beware of spoilers for the entirety of the ACOTAR series in our reading section, and extra spoilers for House of Flame and Shadow from 13:46-17:30. Happy reading besties!

Join the girls for round two of swoon-worthy book boyfriends and their personal two cents on the latest BookTok drama. With men questioning why women are "only reading smut," the girls aren't holding back. They're here to defend the female gaze and why these steamy reads hit the spot (the g-spot that is) for the ladies. In a major personal life update, Mia & Karly are FINALLY reunited! Mia has arrived in the Big Apple, and in response the earth literally quaked. Karly shares her take on taking the plunge in your 20s to move to a new city. Spoiler alert: trust your gut and don't let a man dictate your ZIP code!

Today’s episode is a special review of the Lightlark series by Alex Aster! Karly & Mia received their first ever gifted book PR, the Lightlark series by Alex Aster! Today, they’re diving into their reactions with a spoiler free review of Lightlark, and the newly released sequel Nightbane. The girls are a tad split on this one, but they can agree it was entertaining to read, and loved that the story was set against a unique background with fun world building! (However, can we get some love for the untalented girls in fantasy books, please?) No rant for the day as your favorite hosts were locked in to read this series and review as quickly as possible. Happy reading besties!

Yes, you did read the title right - Karly & Mia do more than read - they sometimes watch movies and TV too. However, in line with their entire personality, it comes as no surprise that their favorite genre is book to movie/tv adaptations. Think Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, Twilight, Pride & Prejudice, The Summer I Turned Pretty, and more, because the girls have seen them all (except to Mia’s complete and utter shock, Karly still needs to watch LOTR and they will be promptly binge watching together.)    But what do the girls love maybe even more than a book to movie adaptation? A drink in hand. Even better, they love watching movies AND having a drink in hand for the ultimate girlhood experience. The girls are going to dive into drinking culture, beginning in NY and Austin suburbia, through college and now adulthood. They may have traded  Fireball, shitty flavored Svedka, and Mike’s Hard lemonades for overpriced cocktails, but they are definitely still overindulging at the bar and drinking 10x more casually than before (they both love a selfcare night AKA a glass of wine immediately after signing off from their 9-5s.) Happy reading, watching, and drinking besties!

Mia & Karly are officially entering their hater era… AKA talking about the characters they love to hate from their favorite books. From Tamlin's questionable fiddling in ACOTAR to Elena Galathynius' top spot on Mia's hit list, they’re exposing the biggest icks characters have given them. They’re also diving into the drama of frenemies and unhealthy friendships, and how to recognize toxic behaviors (please refer to the people who are constantly competing with you, talking shit behind your back, or purposely excluding you.) Long story short, they’ve had their fair share of ups and downs in friendships and have come out the other side, and so can you. Happy hating (re: reading), besties!

Today, Karly & Mia are giving you every tip you’ll ever need to build a book community. Whether it’s striking up a conversation with your local book bar bartender or attending a book launch party, you’ll be set to build your book bestie community and talk smutty books with your girl friends.    The girls also dive into the trials and tribulations of dating, especially on dating apps like Hinge. Dating apps are quite literally at their all time low but it’s nearly impossible to meet people IRL. Between men refusing to approach women and the heinous Hinge messages the girls receive, they’ll be sticking to their book boyfriends until further notice. Happy reading and dating besties!

New standard unlocked: emotionally charged love letters from an anonymous pen pal that lead to a love so strong it *literally* transcends godly powers. That’s right, today Mia & Karly are delivering a spoiler free review of Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows (AKA the Letters of Enchantment duology by Rebecca Ross.) The girls feel very strongly about these books, and their presidential campaign to bring love letters back 2024.    And… drumroll please… HAPPY 6 MONTH ANNIVERSARY TO READING & RANTING! Mia & Karly were clearly born to yap but forced to work, and thus Reading & Ranting was born as a passion project. The girls truly cannot believe how far they’ve come, and want to give a massive thank you to anyone and everyone who has supported them along the way. Thanks for joining this wild ride, from the early days of their SJM obsession to dissecting the female orgasm and talking about mental health. Your favorite podcast hosts have lots in store for the future and can’t wait to keep their content coming - happy reading besties!

Picture this: You just devoured a book so good, it left you in an emotional and fragile state. You're in a complete book hangover, stuck in literary limbo, and the mere thought of cracking open a book makes you break out in a cold sweat. From revisiting old favorites to trying out new genres, Karly & Mia share some of their hacks to help claw your way out of that literary abyss.   The girls also tackle the rollercoaster ride of life and how to manage life slumps. Whether it's navigating post-relationship blues or grappling with career uncertainty, they've been there. But fear not, dear listeners, for they've armed themselves and will be sharing an arsenal of coping mechanisms, including but not limited to: therapy, delusion, and copious amounts of self-care. Happy reading besties, and remember, you're never alone in your slumps (reading, life, or otherwise.)

Have you ever had a book boyfriend with literal spikes coming out of his skin? Well, after this episode you will! Karly & Mia are diving headfirst into the dark fantasy romance world of the Plated Prisoner series by Raven Kennedy. Join the dynamic duo as they give you the lowdown on Auren's quest for freedom and autonomy amidst a kingdom teetering on the edge of war. They’re dying to talk about how this series truly lives up to the hype, and are giving a spoiler-free rundown of the plot! If you enjoy our discussion, take this as your sign to give the books a try! As if that wasn't enough, Karly & Mia are oversharing (as per usual) about their own struggles as twenty-something women battling body image demons and enduring the joys of second puberty (thanks, hormones). Spoiler alert: men trying to mansplain women's bodies is their 13th reason. So grab your favorite snack (if you're on your period – definitely reach for the ice cream and chocolate) and tuck yourself in for some R&R!

If Rick Riordan has no fans, then Mia & Karly are dead. In today’s episode, your fav podcast hosts are diving into the latest adaptation of the Percy Jackson & The Olympians series on Disney+. (Please note: Karly uses Mia’s Disney+ account and their profile pics are a shark and Dory from Finding Nemo, respectively.)   Middle school Mia & Karly would be hard fangirling knowing that they would eventually get the adaptation of Percy Jackson that they DESERVE - although they’re still disappointed the show didn’t pay homage to the mediocre Logan Lerman movie adaptation and the infamous Lotus Casino/Poker Face scene. They discuss their deep seated history with Riordan’s book series and give their professional opinions on the show as OG Percy Jackson and Percabeth fanfiction readers. Seeing as it’s been a decade since they last held a copy of a Percy Jackson book, the girls are due for a re-read and will surely be delivering a deep dive episode in the future.    They’ll also discuss how the 2010s fandom culture era was quite literally the best time to grow up in and why it shaped them into the women (and readers) they are today. Fandoms walked so roman empires could run. Between One Directioners, Beliebers, and the Edward vs. Jacob craze, it’s a wonder the girls got any school work done when they were reading POV fanfiction about dating Harry Styles. Happy reading besties!

Your favorite podcast hosts are here to tackle the eternal struggle of whether to push through a book or give it the ol' DNF (Did Not Finish) treatment. Mia stands firm in her stubborn determination to see it through to the bitter end (or she’s simply motivated by the StoryGraph stats), while Karly is happy to leave a book unfinished and read a Dramione fanfic instead. But we can all admit that sometimes you come across a book that just doesn’t do it for ya (*cough* Poppy's inner monologue). Between prequels, sequels, and spin-off series, sometimes it’s hard to keep the energy going. And of course, we have to recount our newly adopted motto of doing it for the bit. Some of our best bits include, but are not limited to: terrible Australian accents, attending Montana Community, and selling a car on Craigslist. Sometimes the best stories come from doing it for the bit besties!

Calling all Sarah J. Maas loyalists (which, if you’re listening to this podcast, we hope you already are), it’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for… House of Flame and Shadow is finally here!    Today, Karly and Mia spill all the details. From jaw-dropping plot twists that had them screaming, to bonus chapters that practically had them weeping on the page, they discuss the highs and lows without holding back. The unexpected MVPs of this book? Coping with torture through dark humor, Lidia Cervos, listening to club music in a dark tunnel under a mountain, motherly hugs, and literal Princes of Hel being the good guys. Karly and Mia are practically convulsing over the confirmation of their wild Maasiverse theories, and of course, they've gathered their predictions for Crescent City 4. We can only hope to see more pegasus content one day.   We hope this episode helps soothe your book hangover, and as always, happy reading besties!   SPOILER WARNING: PLEASE, IF YOU HAVE NOT FINISHED ALL OF CRESCENT CITY, ACOTAR, AND THRONE OF GLASS DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE!

IT’S TIMEEEE - *cue Mariah Carey voice* We’ve almost been waiting a whole year to record this one, because in today’s episode, Karly & Mia are breaking down the entire Sarah J. Maas universe, better known as the Maasiverse, ahead of the release of House of Flame and Shadow (Crescent City #3) on January 30, 2024. They accumulated about 11 pages of evidence (better known as their red string crime scene board) to prepare for this episode, so buckle in and grab your notebook because you’re gonna want to take some notes.  Between the hard facts, hidden details, theories and headcanons, the girls cover it all to prepare for SJM’s new book. Enjoy besties, we’ll be back screaming, crying and throwing up in our next episode to deep dive into this latest release.

If you listened to last week’s episode, then you know Mia & Karly were reunited in Aspen and had one too many spicy margaritas. This week, they’re diving into the perfect reads based on your travel destination/season, as the girls were obviously snuggling by the fire (made by Mia) and tearing through some books during couch rotting time.    Today’s rant is the star of the show, as they discuss the ins and outs of a group trip, including roles & responsibilities set for each guest as well as what’s absolutely illegal (forgetting to buy limes at the grocery store when you’re trying to make margs). Quick reference: In - high credit lines, jalapeño simple syrup, forcing men to read fantasy smut; Out - perky vs. hungover people, red wine, overcooked steak.