Reading Through Life

142: May 2026 Book Reviews 08.06.2026 3min

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit readingthroughlife.substack.com*Want to add our podcast directly to your podcast feed? CLICK HERE for all the details.*Hi, book nerds! We’re really excited to bring these monthly episodes to our paid subscribers. And we’re so glad to be back in your ears again, and to discuss May’s books with you.We’ll be sharing what we read this past month, starting with some featured books that ha…

141: April 2026 Book Reviews 11.05.2026 3min

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit readingthroughlife.substack.com*Want to add our podcast directly to your podcast feed? CLICK HERE for all the details.*Hi, book nerds! We’re really excited to bring these monthly episodes to our paid subscribers. And we’re so glad to be back in your ears again, and to discuss April’s books with you.We’ll be sharing what we read this past month, starting with some featured books that …

140: March 2026 Book Reviews 13.04.2026 2min

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit readingthroughlife.substack.com*Want to add our podcast directly to your podcast feed? CLICK HERE for all the details.*Hi, book nerds! We’re really excited to bring these monthly episodes to our paid subscribers. And we’re so glad to be back in your ears again, and to discuss March’s books with you.We’ll be sharing what we read this past month, starting with some featured books that …

139: February 2026 Book Reviews 09.03.2026 3min

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit readingthroughlife.substack.com*Want to add our podcast directly to your podcast feed? CLICK HERE for all the details.*Hi, book nerds! We’re really excited to bring these monthly episodes to our paid subscribers. We’re so glad to be back in your ears again, and to discuss February’s books with you.We’ll be sharing what we read this past month, starting with some featured books that h…

Underrated books with Sarah Hartley 27.02.2026 26min

Eek, I did my very first Substack Live, y’all! When Sarah Hartley asked me to join her to talk about underrated books we’ve read recently, I was nervous, but I immediately said yes. Mostly because I miss her, and also because I’ve always wanted to try a Substack Live video. In case you’re new here, it’s time for a tiny bit of back story. Sarah and I started Reading Through Life years ago because we wanted to have a reason to talk to each other about books. Then, sadly, Sarah left us last year for other pursuits. But then Carrie Palumbo graciously said yes to joining as a co-host so I wouldn’t have to do this by myself! Anyway, I hope you enjoy our conversation and getting to see Sarah again for a brief visit. I heart your face, lady! -MiaBooks Mentioned:Mia: The Husband Stitch by Carmen Maria Machado from the collection Her Body and Other PartiesSarah: The Sunflower Boys by Sam WachmanMia: Merry Christmas, You Filthy Animal by Meghan QuinnSarah: The Book of Guilt by Catherine ChidgeyMia: The Last Father-Daughter Dance by Lisa WingateSarah: The Force of Such Beauty by Barbara BourlandAlso Mentioned:-The Substack article from Kate Jones about The Husband Stitch (there are spoilers!)-The Reading Room-The RTL mood reader book club prompt for March This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit readingthroughlife.substack.com/subscribe

138: January 2026 Book Reviews 06.02.2026 3min

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit readingthroughlife.substack.com*Want to add our podcast directly to your podcast feed? CLICK HERE for all the details.*Hi, book nerds! We’re really excited to bring these monthly episodes to our paid subscribers. And we’re back in your ears again, after a bit of a break, and excited to talk January books with you.We’ll be sharing what we read this past month, starting with some featu…

137: October 2025 Book Reviews 10.11.2025 4min

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit readingthroughlife.substack.com*Want to add our podcast directly to your podcast feed? CLICK HERE for all the details.*Hi, book nerds! We’re really excited to bring these monthly episodes to our paid subscribers. We’re back in your ears again and excited to talk October books with you.We’ll be sharing what we read this past month, starting with some featured books that have more of an-depth review. And then we’ll finish off the episode with the rest of the books we read with a couple of quick thoughts, and also share some books we’re excited to read next. Time to dive in! Happy listening!!

136: September 2025 Book Reviews 10.10.2025 39min

*Want to add our podcast directly to your podcast feed? CLICK HERE for all the details.*Hi, book nerds! We’re really excited to bring these monthly episodes to our paid subscribers. We’re back in your ears again and excited to talk September books with you.We’ll be sharing what we read this past month, starting with some featured books that have more of an-depth review. And then we’ll finish off the episode with the rest of the books we read with a couple of quick thoughts, and also share some books we’re excited to read next. Time to dive in!We’re sharing this episode FREE with all of our subscribers this month. If you aren’t yet a paying subscriber, click this link to take advantage of our 40% off discount for monthly or annual subscriptions. Discount ends Oct. 31, 2025. And without further ado, here are our September book reviews - happy listening!September 2025 Featured Book Reviews:C: Katabasis by R.F. KuangM: How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady HendrixC: Discontent by Beatriz SerranoM: All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. CosbyC: Ring Shout by P. Djèlí ClarkM: My Name Isn’t Paul by Drew HuffC: Elena Knows by Claudia PiñeiroM: You Invited It In by Sarah JulesC: The Hounding by Xenobe PurvisThe Rest of Our September Reads:M:* Hold On, Sweetheart by Chahak Kawatra* A House with Good Bones by T. Kingfisher* Eerie Basin by Ivy Pochoda* The Wonder of Creation by Louie GiglioC:* Fever Dream by Samanta Schweblin* Acquired Taste by Clay McLeod Chapman* What the Dead Know by Barbara Butcher* Strange Pictures by Uketsu* Rust & Stardust by T. Greenwood* Flashlight by Susan ChoiOne Book We’re Excited to Read in October:M: House of Bone and Rain by Gabino IglesiasC: The Mad Wife by Meagan ChurchAlso Mentioned:-If you’re a free subscriber to Reading Through Life, we’re offering a 40% off discount for paid annual or monthly subscriptions. Click here to save. Discount ends 10/31. -Don’t forget to join us for our mood reader book club. October’s reading prompt is: What does spooky season (or fall reading) mean to you? Click here for more details. That’s all for September. We’d love to hear your thoughts. Have you read any of the same books? What was your favorite book that you read in September? Tell us everything in the comments! See you back here next month. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit readingthroughlife.substack.com/subscribe

135: August 2025 Book Reviews 05.09.2025 3min

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit readingthroughlife.substack.com*Want to add our podcast directly to your podcast feed? CLICK HERE for all the details.*Hi, book nerds! We’re really excited to bring these monthly episodes to our paid subscribers. We’re back in your ears again and excited to talk August books with you.We’ll be sharing what we read this past month, starting with some featured books that have more of an-depth review. And then we’ll finish off the episode with the rest of the books we read with a couple of quick thoughts, and also share some books we’re excited to read next. Time to dive in!If you aren’t yet a paying subscriber, click the button below to upgrade and unlock the entire episode. It’s just $5/month to support our show.

134: July 2025 Book Reviews 08.08.2025 3min

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit readingthroughlife.substack.com*Want to add our podcast directly to your podcast feed? CLICK HERE for all the details.*Hi, book nerds! We’re really excited to bring these monthly episodes to our paid subscribers. This is the first episode Carrie and Mia are recording together, so give us some grace as we figure out what we’re doing in terms of podcast editing, haha. And please excuse Mia’s unsexy man voice, she’s still recovering from COVID.We’ll be sharing what we read this past month, starting with some featured books that have more of an-depth review. And then we’ll finish off the episode with the rest of the books we read with a couple of quick thoughts, and also share some books we’re excited to read next. Time to dive in!If you aren’t yet a paying subscriber, click the button below to upgrade and unlock the entire episode. It’s just $5/month to support our show.

133: May 2025 Book Reviews + Summer Break 03.06.2025 3min

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit readingthroughlife.substack.com*Want to add our podcast directly to your podcast feed? CLICK HERE for all the details.* IMPORTANT NOTE: We’re taking a hiatus for the month of June. We want to enjoy the summer sunshine with our families and take a little break. What does this mean for you?If you’re a…Free Subscriber - you will not see any new posts in the month of June. See you back here in July!Paid Monthly Subscriber - you will not see any new posts in June (after this episode), and your membership will be paused for the month so you won’t be charged the $5 monthly fee. Everything will resume in July and we’ll see you back here then!Paid Annual Subscriber - you will not see any new posts in June (after this episode) and you will have an extra month added to your subscription so that you don’t lose out on anything you’ve already paid for. See you back here in July!If you have any questions, feel free to comment on this post and we’ll get back to you ASAP! Thank you, we appreciate your support. xo*****Hi, book nerds! We’re really excited to bring these monthly episodes to our paid subscribers. We’ll be sharing what we read this past month, starting with some featured books that have more of an-depth review. And then we’ll finish off the episode with the rest of the books we read with a couple of quick thoughts, and also share some books we’re excited to read next. Time to dive in!

132: April 2025 Book Reviews 29.04.2025 2min

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit readingthroughlife.substack.com*Want to add our podcast directly to your podcast feed? CLICK HERE for all the details.* Hi, book nerds! We’re really excited to bring these monthly episodes to our paid subscribers. We’ll be sharing what we read this past month, starting with some featured books that have more of an-depth review. And then we’ll finish off the episode with the rest of the books we read with a couple of quick thoughts, and also share some books we’re excited to read next. Time to dive in!If you aren’t yet a paying subscriber, click the button below to upgrade and unlock the entire episode. It’s just $5/month to support our show.

131: March 2025 Book Reviews 01.04.2025 2min

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit readingthroughlife.substack.com*Want to add our podcast directly to your podcast feed? CLICK HERE for all the details.* Hi, book nerds! We’re really excited to bring these monthly episodes to our paid subscribers. We’ll be sharing what we read this past month, starting with some featured books that have more of an-depth review. And then we’ll finish off the episode with the rest of the books we read with a couple of quick thoughts, and also share some books we’re excited to read next. Time to dive in!If you aren’t yet a paying subscriber, click the button below to upgrade and unlock the entire episode. It’s just $5/month to support our show.

130: February 2025 Book Reviews 04.03.2025 3min

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit readingthroughlife.substack.com*Want to add our podcast directly to your podcast feed? CLICK HERE for all the details.* Hi, book nerds! We’re really excited to bring these monthly episodes to our paid subscribers. We’ll be sharing what we read this past month, starting with some featured books that have more of an-depth review. And then we’ll finish off the episode with the rest of the books we read with a couple of quick thoughts, and also share some books we’re excited to read next. Time to dive in!If you aren’t yet a paying subscriber, click the button below to upgrade and unlock the entire episode. It’s just $5/month to support our show.

129: January 2025 Book Reviews 04.02.2025 3min

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit readingthroughlife.substack.com*Want to add our podcast directly to your podcast feed? CLICK HERE for all the details.*Hi, book nerds! We’re really excited to bring these monthly episodes to our paid subscribers. We’ll be sharing what we read this past month, but we’ll be going a little more in depth than we do in our weekly recaps. Well… sort of. We kind of decided that we don’t want to talk much about books that we don’t really care for (other than a quick thought about why it didn’t work). We’d rather be super excited about sharing books we loved or want to feature for a particular reason. Let us know what you think about this change.If you aren’t yet a paying subscriber, click here to upgrade and unlock the entire episode. It’s just $5/month to support our show.

128: Top Ten Fiction Books of 2024 23.12.2024 32min

*Note: At times throughout the episode, Mia’s mic was giving her grief. Please give us grace.*Well, hello there! We’re back in your ears and we’re so excited to share our top fiction books of 2024. We each have our top 10 lists and we even have 2 books in common, gasp! We hope you enjoy our lists and the giggles and we’re wishing you happy holidays from our bookshelves to yours.Number 10[07:22] M: TOLD YOU SO by Sarah Asermily[09:10] S: HOW TO HIDE IN PLAIN SIGHT by Emma NoyesNumber 9[10:18] M: SOMEONE YOU CAN BUILD A NEST IN by John Wiswell[11:39] S: THE DAYS I LOVED YOU MOST by Amy NeffNumber 8[12:45] M: MARGO’S GOT MONEY TROUBLES by Rufi Thorpe[13:52] S: THE SAME BRIGHT STARS by Ethan JoellaNumber 7[14:45] M: SMALL MERCIES by Dennis Lehane[15:45] S: THE HEART’S INVISIBLE FURIES by John BoyneNumber 6[16:51] M: THE SAME BRIGHT STARS by Ethan Joella[17:51] S: FATHER OF THE RAIN by Lily KingNumber 5[18:40] M: BLACKTOP WASTELAND by S.A. Cosby[19:42] S: MARGO’S GOT MONEY TROUBLES by Rufi ThorpeNumber 4[20:36] M: A HEAD FULL OF GHOSTS by Paul Tremblay[22:13] S: BLUE SISTERS by Coco MellorsNumber 3[23:04] M: IF WE WERE VILLAINS by M.L. Rio[24:08] S: THE OTHER YEAR by Rea FreyNumber 2[25:33] M: YOU LIKE IT DARKER by Stephen King[26:35] S: THE WOMEN by Kristin HannahNumber 1[27:45] M: I’M THINKING OF ENDING THINGS[29:13] S: SANDWICH by Catherine NewmanAlso mentioned:* Best of 2024 Books So Far* Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age by Shannon Watts (Sarah’s story is in here!) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit readingthroughlife.substack.com/subscribe

127: RTL in a New Format 10.04.2024 6min

Show notes: We left you with a cliffhanger in our last episode about some big news for RTL. Well, the day has come to give you the full scoop about the podcast and its future. This is a don’t-miss episode, so please tune in! We love you, book nerds. Join our RTL Substack to become a free or paid subscriber. Follow RTL on Instagram: @readingthroughlifepod Follow Sarah on Instagram: @sarahhartleyco Follow Mia on Instagram: @fastlifeinslowlane This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit readingthroughlife.substack.com/subscribe

126: What We Read in March 03.04.2024 27min

Show notes: We’re back again with our monthly reading recap. We’re sharing 10 books we read in March and giving you the scoop on what we loved and didn’t. Also, Patrons, don’t forget to tune into our Overflow bonus episode this Friday to hear the rest of our March reviews. Happy listening! Find the time stamped show notes below with links to all of the fun things we mentioned. Something Bookish: [01:59] S: The Bookish Goods store [02:53] M: I Am Homeless If This is Not My Home by Lorrie Moore Lithub article: 30 New Books Critics Think You Should Read Right Now Books We Read in March: [05:04] S: Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen [06:59] M: It Waits in the Woods by Josh Malerman [08:33] S: Interesting Facts About Space by Emily Austin [10:18] M: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith [12:37] S: Something Wild by Hanna Halperin [14:27] M: Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi [16:48] S: Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano [18:16] M: Ankle Snatcher by Grady Hendrix [19:54] S: Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez [22:36] M: Shark Heart by Emily Habeck [25:54] The Rest of the Books We Read in March Want our show notes delivered right to your inbox? Join our RTL Substack so that you’ll get a link for every single book we mention with no extra work. It’s free! Follow RTL on Instagram: @readingthroughlifepod Follow Sarah on Instagram: @sarahhartleyco Follow Mia on Instagram: @fastlifeinslowlane * The books noted above contain affiliate links. This means that we may get a small kickback if you purchase through our links, at no additional cost to you. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit readingthroughlife.substack.com/subscribe

125: Books and Music 20.03.2024 26min

Show notes: Music and books pair together so well. We’re both huge music fans and reading books about music and musicians really fascinates us. Today, we’re sharing some fiction and nonfiction books recs about music and we hope you’ll tune in to find some new faves! Click here to join us on Patreon for exclusive bonus bookish goodies! Get our monthly overflow, new books episodes, and Life Through Reading episodes, our private Facebook group, and more. Plus, supporting us in this way just shows that you love what we do! Find the time stamped show notes below with links to all of the fun things we mentioned. Something Bookish: [04:43] S: Grayson by Lynne Cox This is Love podcast, “Something Large and Wild” [06:18] M: A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay Fiction Books About Music: [12:35] S: Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid [13:20] M: Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid [14:22] S: The Final Revival of Opal and Nev by Dawnie Walton [14:57] M: The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto by Mitch Albom [16:06] S: Wreck the Halls by Tessa Bailey [16:53] M: Run, Rose, Run by Dolly Parton and James Patterson [17:42] S: Charm City Rocks by Matthew Norman [18:19] M: Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel [19:11] S: The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb [20:06] M: The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks [21:03] S: Modern Lovers by Emma Straub [21:41] S: The Breakup Tour by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka Nonfiction Books About Music: [22:29] M: The Beautiful Ones by Prince [23:10] S: The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music by Dave Grohl [23:56] M: Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics by Dolly Parton [24:38] S: Open Book by Jessica Simpson [25:16] M: Scar Tissue by Anthony Kiedis Want our show notes delivered right to your inbox? Join our RTL Substack so that you’ll get a link for every single book we mention with no extra work. It’s free! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit readingthroughlife.substack.com/subscribe

124: What We Read in February 06.03.2024 28min

Show notes: It’s time for our February reading recap! We’re sharing 10 books we read in February and our opinions of them, the good and the bad. It was a bit of a weird reading month for us, but we powered through! Also, Patrons, don’t forget to tune into our Overflow bonus episode this Friday to hear the rest of our February reviews. Happy listening! Click here to join us on Patreon for exclusive bonus bookish goodies! Get our monthly overflow, new books episodes, and Life Through Reading episodes, our private Facebook group, and more. Plus, supporting us in this way just shows that you love what we do! Find the time stamped show notes below with links to all of the fun things we mentioned. Something Bookish: [02:13] M: If you’re in a reading rut, try reading books in a different format. Audiobooks have helped me get my reading mojo back! [02:45] S: I’m sharing a lovely memory of going to the bookstore with all of my boys recently. Books We Read in February: [05:51] M: Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier [07:54] S: This Could Be Us by Kennedy Ryan [10:14] M: Leaving: A Novel by Roxana Robinson [13:12] S: Five Years From Now by Paige Toon Only Love Can Hurt Like This by Paige Toon [14:59] M: In Bloom by Paul Tremblay [16:17] S: Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin [18:10] M: Survive the Night by Riley Sager [19:49] S: The Great Transition by Nick Fuller Googins The Displacements by Bruce Holsinger [22:50] M: If We’re Being Honest by Cat Shook [25:06] S: Lucy by the Sea by Elizabeth Strout [27:40] The Rest of the Books We Read in February Want our show notes delivered right to your inbox? Join our RTL Substack so that you’ll get a link for every single book we mention with no extra work. It’s free! Follow RTL on Instagram: @readingthroughlifepod Follow Sarah on Instagram: @sarahhartleyco Follow Mia on Instagram: @fastlifeinslowlane * The books noted above contain affiliate links. This means that we may get a small kickback if you purchase through our links, at no additional cost to you. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit readingthroughlife.substack.com/subscribe