Episode 16: We've Only Just Begun - Our Favorite Series Starters

RAD Reading Podcast
Episode #16

Episode Title: We’ve Only Just Begun: Our Favorite Series Starters

Release Date: Feb. 4, 2022

Episode Summary:

It’s all about book series today! We're defining the different types of series, talking about why we love reading them, and then we’re giving our favorite series starter books. Let’s do this!

Listen above or in your favorite podcast app:

• Apple podcasts

• Audible

• Spotify

• Acast  

• Or add to your favorite podcast app with their “Add by URL” feature and paste this link there: https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/rad-reading

Highlights: 

• To series read or not to series read

• Connected series vs. continuing series

• Duets and trilogies

• Shared world series

• Roni remembers a book she forgot she wrote

• Dawn makes friends in parking lots with people pulling things out of their trunks 

• Series and fandoms and which fandom Roni was googling a decade ago

• Why we love series

• Why not waiting for a whole series to be written before buying can be important

• RIP one of Roni’s series

• Relief from decision fatigue

• Our favorite series starters recs

• Our RAD Recs of the Week

• How Loren is pronounced

*Note: all book links are affiliate links which means the podcast makes a small commission if you make a purchase, but there is no extra cost to you!

Beyone here lie episode spoilers…

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Books recommended by Roni:

• The Duke and I by Julia Quinn (The Bridgerton series)

• Secrets of a Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas

• Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan

• Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

• Halfway to the Grave by Jeannine Frost

• Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

• City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

• Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

• Captive in the Dark by CJ Roberts

Books recommended by Dawn:

• Scoring a Soulmate (Mr. Match series) by Delancey Stewart

• Big Chance Cowboy by Teri Anne Stanley

• Company Assassin by Claudia Blood

• Greed (A Sinful Empire series) by Eva Charles

RAD Reading Recs of the Week: 

• Mischief Night by Delaney Foster (Dawn’s rec)

• Simply: Easy Everyday Dishes by Sabrina Ghayour (Roni’s rec)

Other books mentioned:

The Ones Who Got Away series by Roni Loren

Melt Into You by Roni Loren

Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan

The Black Company series by Glen Cook

One for the Money by Janet Evanovitch

In Death series by J.D. Robb

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

The Enchanted Rock Immortals series

Blurring the Lines by Roni Loren (Invitation to Eden series)

True North series by Sarina Bowen

The Cocky Hero Club series by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward

Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto  (reader rec)

Find us online:

RAD Reading on Instagram

RAD Reading Facebook Page

RAD Reading Website

Connect with Roni on her website or @roniloren on Instagram

Connect with Dawn on her website or @dawnalexanderbooks on Instagram

Another note: Because we are both in the publishing industry, sometimes the books we recommend might be by an author we know personally, an author who shares a publisher, editor, or agent with Roni, or an author whom Dawn has edited. Publishing is a small world, so that will happen from time to time. However, we guarantee that we only recommend books we love. We have not been asked to promote any of these books and none are paid ads. However, some books we review may be ARCs (advanced reading copies provided by publishers to reviewers for honest reviews.)

Episode 15: Reading for Mental Health + Trigger Warnings

RAD Reading Podcast
Episode #15 

Episode Title: Reading for Mental Health + Trigger Warnings

Release Date: January 21, 2022

Episode Summary:

This week we’re chatting about how books can help our mental health, the kinds of books that work best for us when we’re feeling anxious or down, and we’re discussing the practice of putting trigger warnings in books. Also, we have our RAD Reading Recs of the week plus a few bonus picks!

Spoiler Alert: Spoiler for the book The Push by Ashley Audrain at 42:55, skip ahead one minute to 43:55 mark if you don’t want a spoiler.

Listen above or in your favorite podcast app:

• Apple podcasts

• Audible

• Spotify

• Acast  

• Or add to your favorite podcast app with their “Add by URL” feature and paste this link there: https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/rad-reading

Highlights: 

• Roni got a puppy and is feeling loopy from lack of sleep

• Why waiting rooms can be a gift

• Reading and health

• Goat yoga but with teeth

• Calgon, take me away reading moments

• Dark stories in dark times

• Bibliotherapy is a real thing and a cool word

• Someone send Roni recs for dog-themed essay collections!

• That “this is me” feeling when reading

• How A Wrinkle In Time found Dawn at the exact right moment

• Romance, weirdness, and acceptance

• Thoughts on menage and laundry

• The beauty of the guaranteed ending

• Dawn throws shade at Nicholas Sparks (do people still say “throw shade”?)

• Romance vs. “a love story”

• Genre mystery vs. literary mystery vs. cozy mystery

• Dawn’s Apollo 13 anxiety

• Sometimes sad moods and happy comedic books are a bad mix

• What is a trigger warning? 

• Are trigger warnings spoilers?

• Transcending our GenX-ness (but Roni’s not giving up her Doc Martens)

• Our personal experiences with triggers in books

• Roni wants a “Does this book have…?” database

• Different ways authors handle trigger warnings

• Roni let Dawn down by not giving her a trigger warning for a movie

• Bonus books recs 

• The RAD Reading Recs of the week

• Stay tuned for bloopers!

*episode spoilers ahead*

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*Note: all book links are affiliate links which means the podcast makes a small commission if you make a purchase, but there is no extra cost to you!

Books recommended by Roni:

• Smooth Talking Cowboy by Maisey Yates

Books recommended by Dawn:

• Marrying My Billionaire Boss by Nadia Lee

• Beauty and the Assassin by Nadia Lee

RAD Reading Recs of the Week: 

• Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb (Roni Rec)

• Kiss and Tell by Maya Hughes

Other books mentioned:

• Wanderers by Chuck Wendig

• The Girlfriend’s Guide to Pregnancy by Vicki Iovine

• A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L’Engle

• Yes & I Love You by Roni Loren

• What If You & Me by Roni Loren

• Captivated by Tessa Bailey and Eve Dangerfield

• Melt Into You by Roni Loren

• When the Stars Go Dark by Paula McLain

• One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid

• Make Me Whole by Marie Johnston

• The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

• The Push by Ashley Audrain

Other things mentioned:

• Healthline article on reading and blood pressure

• Roni’s Romantic Movie Marathon

• Does the dog die? Website (has other triggers too for movies)

• Ghostbusters: Afterlife

• Infinity War

• End Game

Find us online:

RAD Reading on Instagram

RAD Reading Facebook Page

The full list of RAD Reading Recs from every episode

Connect with Roni on her website or @roniloren on Instagram

Connect with Dawn on her website or @dawnalexanderbooks on Instagram

Another note: Because we are both in the publishing industry, sometimes the books we recommend might be by an author we know personally, an author who shares a publisher, editor, or agent with Roni, or an author whom Dawn has edited. Publishing is a small world, so that will happen from time to time. However, we guarantee that we only recommend books we love. We have not been asked to promote any of these books and none are paid ads. However, some books we review may be ARCs (advanced reading copies provided by publishers to reviewers for honest reviews.)

Episode 14: Get It Together in 2022 - Our Favorite Planners & Self-Improvement Books

RAD Reading Podcast
Episode # 14

Episode Title: Get It Together in 2022: Our Favorite Planners & Self-Improvement Books

Release Date: January 7, 2022

Episode Summary:

It’s that time of year, and we’re so here for it. Join us as we get all ourselves together for 2022. We’re sharing which planners we’re using to set goals and organize our year, and then we’re recommending our favorite self-improvement books for improving your home life, reducing distractions, getting control of your time, and boosting your creativity. We’ve got a long list! Plus, as always, we’ll be sharing our RAD Recs of the week.

Listen above or in your favorite podcast app:

• Apple podcasts

• Audible

• Spotify

• Acast  

• Or add to your favorite podcast app with their “Add by URL” feature and paste this link there: https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/rad-reading

Highlights: 

• We’ve both ditched the planners we’ve used in the past and switched to new ones

• Which planners we’re using this year – and yes, there are multiple planners because we contain multitudes, okay. No one planner can contain us! ;) 

• Roni’s a pushy planner person

• How Dawn lost many hours of her life…planning her planner

• A "happy life" planner

• Dawn made a stencil journal

• Roni is learning to “use the things”

• Roni apparently needs a lot of self-help while Dawn only needs a little

• Books really can fix things

• Books for improving your home life

• Pondering deep questions like “why am I folding my underwear?”

• Books that helped us reduce distractions and tame social media/staring at our phones all the time

• Books that help you take back your time 

• Books that give you a creativity boost

• Our RAD Reading Recs of the week 

• We still can't say “RAD Reading Rec” without stumbling on our words

• An important change to the podcast

**spoilers ahead**

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*Note: all book links are affiliate links which means the podcast makes a small commission if you make a purchase, but there is no extra cost to you!

Books recommended by Roni:

• Happier at Home by Gretchen Rubin

• Organizing Solutions for People with ADHD by Susan C. Pinksy

• The Joy of Less by Francine Jay

• Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport

• How to Break Up With Your Phone: The 30-Day Plan to Take Back Your Life by Catherine Price

• Essentialism by Greg McKeown

• Off the Clock by Laura Vanderkam

• Make Time by Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky

• Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

• Keep Going: 10 Ways to Stay Creative In Good Times and Bad by Austin Kleon

Books recommended by Dawn:

• The Me Project by Kathi Lipp

• Organize Your Way: Simple Strategies for Every Personality by Katie and Kelly McMenamin

• Unf*ck Your Habitat: You’re Better Than Your Mess by Rachel Hoffman

• Dear Writer, Are You In Burnout? By Becca Syme

RAD Reading Recs of the Week: 

• Captivated by Tessa Bailey and Eve Dangerfield

• Love & Other Words by Christina Lauren

Other things mentioned:

Rocketbook notebook

Roni’s Romantic Movie Marathon in her newsletter

Roni’s blog and her posts on digital detoxing and device-free summers

Roni’s Fighting for Focus class

Planners mentioned:

Day Designer

Cloth & Paper planner

Cloth & Paper subscription box

Powersheets

Sarra Cannon’s HB90 system

Ban.do planner

Doodlelove year at a glance poster

Passion Planner

Agendio planner

Bloom planner

Plum Paper planners

Find us online:

RAD Reading on Instagram

RAD Reading Facebook Page

RAD Rec Master List

Connect with Roni on her website or @roniloren on Instagram

Connect with Dawn on her website or @dawnalexanderbooks on Instagram

Another note: Because we are both in the publishing industry, sometimes the books we recommend might be by an author we know personally, an author who shares a publisher, editor, or agent with Roni, or an author whom Dawn has edited. Publishing is a small world, so that will happen from time to time. However, we guarantee that we only recommend books we love. We have not been asked to promote any of these books and none are paid ads. However, some books we review may be ARCs (advanced reading copies provided by publishers to reviewers for honest reviews.)

Episode 13: Let's Get Nerdy - Setting Reading Challenges & Goals for 2022

RAD Reading Podcast
Episode #13 

Episode Title: Let’s Get Nerdy - Setting 2022 Reading Challenges & Goals

Release Date: Dec. 31, 2021

Episode Summary: 

It’s one of our favorite times of the year—time to set new reading goals and challenges for 2022! Roni is sharing the many nerdy reading challenges that she’s tackling this coming year, and Dawn is firmly anti-challenge but has chosen some goals to enhance her reading year. Also, as always, we have our RAD reading recs of the week!

Listen above or in your favorite podcast app:

• Apple podcasts

• Audible

• Spotify

• Acast  

• Or add to your favorite podcast app with their “Add by URL” feature and paste this link there: https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/rad-reading
  
  
  

Highlights:

• One of us declares New Year’s their favorite holiday

• The difference between a reading challenge and a reading goal

• Can you count a DNF in a reading challenge?

• Dawn’s audiobook goal

• Roni’s book subscription addiction & Dawn tries to stage an intervention

• Reading goal suggestions

• The pros and cons of reading challenges

• The personality type that fits best with reading challenges

• The book Dawn flat out refused to read in school

• The Pizza Hut Book-It Challenge was our 80s jam

• Roni’s experience with her Read Wide challenge

• One of us has strong feelings about the randomness of some reading challenges

• Roni talks about the personal growth of not finishing one of her reading challenges this year (Update: since recording, she finished it because…personal growth is hard. :) )

• How to choose the right reading challenge for you

• Creating or customizing your own challenge

• Read Your Way to 10k (words not kilometers)

• Dawn’s reading goals

• The Bookish Subscription challenge

• The Indie Author challenge

• The Romance Roots/Fated Mates challenge

• Roni’s reading goals

• RAD Reading recs of the week

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*Note: all book links are affiliate links which means the podcast makes a small commission if you make a purchase, but there is no extra cost to you!

Reading Challenges mentioned:

• Dawn’s Read Your Way to 10k goal (download)

• RAD Romance Reading Challenge (download)

• Roni’s Read Wide challenge

• Roni’s TBR Backlog challenge

• Book Riot’s Read Harder challenge

• Roni’s Bookish Subscription challenge - read 12 books from bookish subscriptions

• Roni’s Indie Author challenge - read at least 10 indie-published books

• Roni’s Romance Roots challenge - read 12 foundational romances

• Big list of other reading challenges from A Little Read blog

Romance Roots challenge

Bookish subscription challenge

Indie Author Challenge

TBR Backlog challenge

Read Wide Challenge

RAD Reading Recs of the Week: 

• “Two Tamales, One Tokarev, and a Lifetime of Broken Promises by Stacey B. Woodsen in the Guns and Tacos anthology (Dawn’s pic)

• One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Roni’s pic)

Other things mentioned:

• The Book Drop subscription (Roni’s getting the “Bubbly” box)

• The Bookworm Box subscription

• Book of the Month club

• Fated Mates podcast

• Roni’s Happy for Now newsletter

• The Romantic Movie Marathon 

• Strictly Ballroom

Find us online:

RAD Reading on Instagram

RAD Reading Facebook Page

RAD Reading Website

Roni’s Happy for Now newsletter

Connect with Roni on her website or @roniloren on Instagram

Connect with Dawn on her website or @dawnalexanderbooks on Instagram

Another note: Because we are both in the publishing industry, sometimes the books we recommend might be by an author we know personally, an author who shares a publisher, editor, or agent with Roni, or an author whom Dawn has edited. Publishing is a small world, so that will happen from time to time. However, we guarantee that we only recommend books we love. We have not been asked to promote any of these books and none are paid ads. However, some books we review may be ARCs (advanced reading copies provided by publishers to reviewers for honest reviews.)

Episode 12: The Best of the Best - Our Top Reads of 2021

RAD Reading Podcast
Episode #12 

Episode Title: The Best of the Best: Our Top Reads of 2021

Release Date: December 17, 2021

Episode Summary: 

Who doesn’t love a “Best of” book list? Join us today as we share our top reads of 2021!

Listen above or in your favorite podcast app:

• Apple podcasts

• Audible

• Spotify

• Acast  

• Or add to your favorite podcast app with their “Add by URL” feature and paste this link there: https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/rad-reading
  
  
  

Highlights:

• Roni shares her nerdy, detailed reading statistics and the spreadsheet she used to track them

• Roni’s most successful book recommendation source

• Our favorite thrillers of the year

• Our favorite contemporary romances of the year

• Roni’s favorite historical romances

• Giving audiobooks a chance and Roni’s faves 

• Our favorite fantasy books of the year

• Roni’s favorite memoirs and essay collections

• Our favorite general fiction books

• Dawn’s random favorites

• Our RAD recs of the week

*Note: all book links are affiliate links which means the podcast makes a small commission if you make a purchase, but there is no extra cost to you!

Roni’s Faves of 2021:

• In My Dreams I Hold a Knife by Ashely Winstead (reviewed in episode 2)

• Good Neighbors by Sarah Langan

• Never Saw Me Coming by Vera Kurian (reviewed in episode 2)

• The Roommate by Rosie Danan (reviewed in episode 4)

• The Wallflower series by Lisa Kleypas (reviewed in episode 11)

• When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn (reviewed in episode 4)

• My Life In France by Julia Child (reviewed in episode 7)

• Share Your Stuff, I’ll Go First by Laura Tremaine

• Shadow and Bone trilogy by Leigh Bardugo (reviewed in episode 6)

• Vicious by V.E. Schwab (reviewed in episode 9)

• I Miss You When I Blink by Mary Laura Philpott

• Text Me When You Get Home by Kayleen Schaeffer

• Joyland by Stephen King (reviewed in episode 4)

• Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult (reviewed in episode 7)

Dawn’s Faves of 2021:

• No Exit by Taylor Adams (reviewed in episodes 5 and 9)

• Twisted Hearts/Unraveled Love (duet) by Stacey Lynn

• Fireproof by Delancey Stewart

• The Art of Falling for You trilogy by Maya Hughes (reviewed in episode 2)

• You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle

• Waking the Dragon by Juliette Cross (reviewed in episode 4)

• At the Cabin by Claudia Blood

• The Alpha’s Salvation by Marlowe Roy

• Hooked by Emily McIntire 

RAD Reading Recs of the Week: 

• Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan (Roni rec)

• Yes & I Love You by Roni Loren (Dawn rec)

• What If You & Me by Roni Loren (Dawn rec)

Other books mentioned:

• As Always, Julia: The Letters of Julia Child and Avid DeVoto by Joan Reardon

• The Ones Who Got Away by Roni Loren

Other non-book recommendations:

Sarah’s Bookshelves Reading Tracker 

Find us online:

RAD Reading on Instagram

RAD Reading Facebook Page

RAD Reading Website

Connect with Roni on her website or @roniloren on Instagram

Connect with Dawn on her website or @dawnalexanderbooks on Instagram

Another note: Because we are both in the publishing industry, sometimes the books we recommend might be by an author we know personally, an author who shares a publisher, editor, or agent with Roni, or an author whom Dawn has edited. Publishing is a small world, so that will happen from time to time. However, we guarantee that we only recommend books we love. We have not been asked to promote any of these books and none are paid ads. However, some books we review may be ARCs (advanced reading copies provided by publishers to reviewers for honest reviews.)

Episode 11: Buying Books for Others + Our Favorite Bookish Gifts

RAD Reading Podcast
Episode #11 - Buying Books for Others + Our Favorite Bookish Gifts

Release Date: December 10, 2021

Episode Summary:

Books can make fantastic holiday gifts (obviously!) but knowing how to buy the right book for someone in your life can be harder than it looks. Today we’re tackling the challenge of buying books for others and sharing our best tips. And we also have a Santa-worthy list of our favorite bookish gifts. Oh, and you’re totally allowed to buy all of these things for yourself if you have no bookish person to buy for in your life. We won’t tell. ;)

Listen above or in your favorite podcast app:

• Apple podcasts

• Audible

• Spotify

• Acast  

• Or add to your favorite podcast app with their “Add by URL” feature and paste this link there: https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/rad-reading
  
  
  

Highlights:

• Gift-giving is a love language and one of us doesn’t know how to speak it fluently

• How to know if Roni loves you and what she hasn’t done with her husband in fifteen years

• Dad books

• The key to the “also boughts” on Amazon

• When that person in your life only reads one author or one series exclusively

• Dawn is a fail at hiding gifts

• Making a book gift feel extra personal

• Roni can’t seem to conjugate a verb

• Buying for the non-readers in your life

• A good ebook reader’s power to reignite a reading life

• A drool-worthy list of bookish gifts (no, we weren’t putting stuff in our carts for ourselves as we recorded, hush.)

• What gift makes Roni feel like she has a little taste of the library in her office

• Dawn gets attacked by a fly

• Out of town library cards

• Don’t put your address in a used book or Dawn will stalk you

• The joy of bookmail and our favorite bookish subscriptions

• We have feelings about the Amazon First Reads

• Go for the gold type gifts

• Making it easier for your family and friends to buy the right gift for you

• Our RAD Reading Recs of the week

• Stay tuned for bloopers at the end

*below here, lie episode spoilers*

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books mentioned:

• Authors David Baldacci and Clive Cussler

• Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

• The Martian by Andy Weir

• James Patterson

• Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series

• Glen Cook’s The Black Company

• The Spiderwick Chronicles by Holly Black and Tom DeTerlizzi

• Company Assassin by Claudia Blood

• Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

• Bob’s Burgers cookbook

• Dungeons and Dragons cookbook

• It’s So Easy:and Other Lies by Duff McKagan on audiobook

• The Curious Viewer by Mental Floss (book about bingeable shows from last 20 years)

• 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die by Stephen Jay Schneider

• I Wrote a Book About You fill in journal

• Wreck This Journal

• Yes & I Love You by Roni Loren

• What If You & Me by Roni Loren

• Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

• Year of Yes by Shonda Rimes

Bookish Gifts

• Kindle Paperwhite

• Booklight

• Reading journals (make sure and listen to our reading journal episode for product suggestions)

• Book Beau

• Literary AF pen

• Bookish coffee mugs (First lines , Last lines, Jane Austen quotes, Banned books) 

• Banned books socks

• Book cart/TBR cart 

• Miseyo date stamp

• This Book Belongs To stamp 

• Library check-out kit for home library

Book subscriptions:

• Book of the Month

• The Book Drop

• The Shelf Subscription from The Bookshelf in Thomasville, GA

• Owl Crate

• The Bookworm Box by Colleen Hoover (charitable cause)

• The Brenda Novak book box

• Audible subscription

• Libro.fm audiobook subscription

• Kindle Unlimited

Other Things Mentioned:

• Book People, an indie bookstore in Austin, TX

• Austin Kleon newsletter

• Roni’s Romantic Movie marathon 

• Fated Mates podcast

• The Happier podcast

RAD Reading Recs of the Week: 

• Blame by Jeff Abbott (Dawn pic)

• The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin (Roni pic)

Photos

The TBR cart

Roni’s bookish mugs

Find us online:

RAD Reading on Instagram

RAD Reading Facebook Page

RAD Reading Website

Connect with Roni on her website or @roniloren on Instagram

Connect with Dawn on her website or @dawnalexanderbooks on Instagram

Another note: Because we are both in the publishing industry, sometimes the books we recommend might be by an author we know personally, an author who shares a publisher, editor, or agent with Roni, or an author whom Dawn has edited. Publishing is a small world, so that will happen from time to time. However, we guarantee that we only recommend books we love. We have not been asked to promote any of these books and none are paid ads. However, some books we review may be ARCs (advanced reading copies provided by publishers to reviewers for honest reviews.)

Episode 10: What-to-Read Decision Fatigue + the Secret to Reading Reviews

RAD Reading Podcast
Episode #10 

Episode Title: What to Read Decision Fatigue + the Secret to Reading Reviews

Release Date: 12/3/21

Episode Summary: 

The What to Read decision fatigue is real, y’all. Join us today as we talk about some practical (and some bonkers!) ways to pick your next book, how to deal with choosing if you’re a mood reader, and what to do if you keep picking up books you don’t like. Also, we’re giving you insider tips on how to read those Amazon and Goodreads reviews because all is not as it seems at first glance. Oh, and there’s an incident with an umbrella. 

Listen above or in your favorite podcast app:

• Apple podcasts

• Audible

• Spotify

• Acast  

• Or add to your favorite podcast app with their “Add by URL” feature and paste this link there: https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/rad-reading

Highlights:

• The decision fuel tank and Roni melting down over a Christmas tree

• The teetering TBR and the Why did I buy that again? brain fog

• Roni loves a spreadsheet as long as there is no math (and you can download a blank copy of her TBR spreadsheet for yourself!)

• Your taste and how books go stale

• Dawn and The Umbrella, you’ll just have to listen to understand

• Reading challenges and our opposing views

• Using “best of” book lists for inspiration

• Strange Facebook recommendation groups

• Some bonkers options for picking your next book

• Wrapping books? Um, what?

• Mood reading struggles

• Contagious bookish excitement and where to find it

• Book monogamy not required

• What to do when you keep picking up books you don’t enjoy

• Deciphering the gold in book reviews

• When  “adorable” and “hilarious” are bad words

• No, Roni doesn’t have a chip on her shoulder about reviews, shut up

• “Weird sex” reviews

• Our RAD Reading Recs of the week

Book selection spoilers ahead

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RAD Reading Recs of the Week: 

• Mercy Street by Mariah Stewart (Dawn rec)

• It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas and Devil In Winter by Lisa Kleypas (Roni rec -- yes, she cheated with two.)

Other books mentioned:

The Third Best Thing by Maya Hughes

No Exit by Taylor Adams

Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon

Cackle by Rachel Harrison

Joyland by Stephen King

Riley Thorn and the Dead Guy Next Door by Lucy Score

Breath of Deceit by Selena Laurence

Other things mentioned:

Roni’s TBR/Book Rec spreadsheet - you can access a blank version here

Roni’s Read Wide Challenge

Help Name That Book facebook group

The umbrella photo

Book Darts, Dice Rolls, and Other Creative Ways to Pick Your TBR on Book Riot

Fated Mates podcast with Sarah MacLean and Jen Prokop

Storygraph

Find us online:

RAD Reading on Instagram

RAD Reading Facebook Page

RAD Recs page

Connect with Roni on her website or @roniloren on Instagram

Connect with Dawn on her website or @dawnalexanderbooks on Instagram

*Note: all book links are affiliate links which means the podcast makes a small commission if you make a purchase, but there is no extra cost to you!

Another note: Because we are both in the publishing industry, sometimes the books we recommend might be by an author we know personally, an author who shares a publisher, editor, or agent with Roni, or an author whom Dawn has edited. Publishing is a small world, so that will happen from time to time. However, we guarantee that we only recommend books we love. We have not been asked to promote any of these books and none are paid ads. However, some books we review may be ARCs (advanced reading copies provided by publishers to reviewers for honest reviews.)

Episode 9: November's Read/Watch/Listen Recommendations

RAD Reading Podcast
Episode # 9- Read/Watch/Listen

Episode Title: Read/Watch/Listen for November

Release Date: 11/26/21 

Episode Summary:

It’s time for our November round-up of all the great things we’ve been reading, watching, or listening to this month. 

Listen above or in your favorite podcast app:

• Apple podcasts

• Audible

• Spotify

• Acast  

• Or add to your favorite podcast app with their “Add by URL” feature and paste this link there: https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/rad-reading

Highlights:

• We took a used bookstore fieldtrip and ended up in very different aisles

• Roni reads a book Dawn recommended on the podcast and Dawn reads one of Roni’s recs

• Roni feels slightly betrayed 

• Trigger warnings involving spiders who wear top hats

• A movie that gives a character a perfect goal to strive for

• A TV show about a writer

• Roni needs a hotter Darkling

• A scarier than expected kids movie

• Roni’s Romantic Movie Marathon

• Dawn’s cozy watch

• Cooking without recipes

• Fabio hunting

• Roni remembers she’s part of the Rhythm Nation

• Our RAD Reading recs of the week

*Note: all book links are affiliate links which means the podcast makes a small commission if you make a purchase, but there is no extra cost to you!

Spoiler alert: our picks are below

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Recommendations

Books recommended by Roni:

• Vicious by V. E. Schwab

• Cackle by Rachel Harrison

Books recommended by Dawn:

• No Exit by Taylor Adams

• Hidden by Laura Griffin

• An Adventurer’s Manifesto by Megan Rho

What Roni’s watching:

• Zombieland (movie)

• Shadow & Bone (Netflix show)

• Love Hard (Netflix movie)

• Magnolia Kitchen (cooking show on Discovery+)

What Dawn’s watching:

• Castle (TV)

• Jungle Cruise (movie)

• The Great British Baking Show (TV show)

What Roni’s been listening to:

• Janet Jackson’s greatest hits

• Red (Taylor’s version) by Taylor Swift

What Dawn’s been listening to:

• The Manning Cast on Monday nights

RAD Reading Recs of the Week: 

• Breath of Deceit by Serena Laurence (Dawn rec)

• Perfect by Judith McNaught (Roni rec)

Other books mentioned:

• Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon

• Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes

• Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

• Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Other things mentioned:

• Wheel of Time (TV series on Prime)

• Roni’s Romantic Movie Marathon in her Happy for Now newsletter

Find us online:

RAD Reading on Instagram

RAD Reading Facebook Page

RAD Reading Website

Connect with Roni on her website or @roniloren on Instagram

Connect with Dawn on her website or @dawnalexanderbooks on Instagram

Another note: Because we are both in the publishing industry, sometimes the books we recommend might be by an author we know personally, an author who shares a publisher, editor, or agent with Roni, or an author whom Dawn has edited. Publishing is a small world, so that will happen from time to time. However, we guarantee that we only recommend books we love. We have not been asked to promote any of these books and none are paid ads. However, some books we review may be ARCs (advanced reading copies provided by publishers to reviewers for honest reviews.)

Episode 8: Shameless Reading - Liking What You Like + Our Shameless Recs

RAD Reading Podcast
Episode # 8 

Episode Title: Shameless Reading - Like What You Like + Our Shameless Book Recs

Release Date: November 19, 2021

Episode Summary

This week we’re talking about dropping reader shame and reading what you want to read. Plus, we’re giving our favorite shameless recs! Make sure the kids aren’t in the room for this one, y’all. ;) Join us and read shameless! 

Listen above or in your favorite podcast app:

• Apple podcasts

• Audible

• Spotify

• Acast  

• Or add to your favorite podcast app with their “Add by URL” feature and paste this link there: https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/rad-reading

Highlights: 

• The language/terms used to shame readers about certain types of books

• Roni gets on her soapbox about the word “cheesy”

• How genres read primarily by women are often shamed the most

• Shame about book covers, titles, taboos, and uncomfortable topics

• Self-help books and why they shouldn’t be shamed

• Graphic novels count as reading

• Romance novels and mental health

• People who watch romance on the screen but won’t read a romance novel

• Ways to keep things private if you really can’t been outwardly shameless

• Finding your people

• Our shameless book recs including Dawn’s blue aliens and Roni’s kinky picks

• Our RAD Reading Recs of the week

*spoilers of which books we talk about below*

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*Note: all book links are affiliate links which means the podcast makes a small commission if you make a purchase, but there is no extra cost to you!

Books recommended by Roni:

• Natural Law by Joey W. Hill

• Willing Victim by Cara McKenna

• Liberating Lacey by Anne Calhoun

• The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

• Solve for Happy by Mo Gawdet

• Stillness Is the Key by Ryan Holiday

• The Upward Spiral by Alex Korb

Books recommended by Dawn:

• Omegaverse novels by Callie Rhodes

• Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon

• Bound by Eva Charles

• Masters of the Shadowlands series by Cherise Sinclair

• Sky Mates series by Susan Grant

RAD Reading Recs of the Week: 

• American Queen by Sierra Simone (Dawn rec)

• A Knight In Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux (Roni Rec)

Other books mentioned:

• My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell

• Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Other non-book things mentioned:

• How Romance Novels Helped Me Life Myself Out of Postpartum Depression by author Sherry Thomas

• Navigating Depression with the Help of Romance Novels by Carolina Ciucci

• Outlander TV show

• Bridgerton TV show

• True Blood TV show

Find us online:

RAD Reading Facebook Page

RAD Reading Instagram

Connect with Roni on her website or @roniloren on Instagram

Connect with Dawn on her website or @dawnalexanderbooks on Instagram

Another note: Because we are both in the publishing industry, sometimes the books we recommend might be by an author we know personally, an author who shares a publisher, editor, or agent with Roni, or an author whom Dawn has edited. Publishing is a small world, so that will happen from time to time. However, we guarantee that we only recommend books we love. We have not been asked to promote any of these books and none are paid ads. However, some books we review may be ARCs (advanced reading copies provided by publishers to reviewers for honest reviews.)

Episode 7: Fuzzy Sock Books - Reading for Comfort

RAD Reading Podcast
Episode # 7 Reading Why

Episode Title: Fuzzy Sock Books - Reading for Comfort

Release Date: November 12, 2021

Grab your fuzzy socks, cozy blanket, and a cup of something warm. Today is all about fuzzy sock books, AKA comfort reading. We’re talking about the types of books that lend themselves best to comfort reading, sharing cozy bookish activities, and then giving you a pile of recommendations to snuggle up with, including our RAD recs of the week! 

Listen above or in your favorite podcast app:

• Apple podcasts

• Audible

• Spotify

• Acast  

• Or add to your favorite podcast app with their “Add by URL” feature and paste this link there: https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/rad-reading

Highlights: 

• Our favorite comfort reading categories

• The odd things we see posted on the neighborhood pages in our small towns

• Black moments vs. gray moments in a story

• What’s comforting can vary widely from person to person

• To reread or not to reread

• Watching the movie/TV show of a book (gasp!) first

• Dawn’s daughter’s shocking reading habit

• Roni’s deep secret she keeps from her husband ;)

• Comforting bookish activities

• Dawn gives us an update on her book journaling

• Dawn hunting down hero-inspired body wash

• Roni’s book-inspired food emergency

• Bookish girls’ night out 

• Our cozy book recommendations

• Roni is shocked--no, like literally with electricity--and blows out her microphone

• Our RAD Reading Recs of the week

*episode spoilers ahead*

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Books recommended by Roni:

• Hope for the Holidays by Alison Kent

• Lady Bridget’s Diary by Maya Rodale

• Sex Lies and Online Dating by Rachel Gibson

• Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

• Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

• My Kitchen Year by Ruth Reichl

• Off the Clock by Roni Loren (yes, my book)

Books recommended by Dawn:

• Vangie Vale series by R.L. Syme

• Accidentally In Love with a Biker by Teri Anne Stanley

• The Outsiders or anything by S.E. Hinton

• Judy Blume: Forever, Tiger Eyes

• A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L’Engle (Dawn’s review)

• Stealing the Bride by Nadia Lee

• Sexy Sinner by Eva Charles

RAD Reading Recs of the Week: 

• Secondhand Sinners by Genevieve Lynne (Dawn rec)

• My Life In France by Julia Child (Roni rec)

Other books mentioned:

• Cackle by Rachel Harrison

• The Suite Spot by Trish Doller 

• Merlin Raj and the Santa Algorithm by D. G. Priya

• The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

• The BFG by Roald Dahl

• YOU by Caroline Kepnes

• Normal People by Sally Rooney

• The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

• Cooking at Home by David Chang and Priya Krishna

• The Ones Who Got Away by Roni Loren

Other non-book recommendations:

• YOU the TV show (Netflix)

• Normal People the TV show (Hulu)

• Dragon Noodles recipe

• Julie and Julia movie

*Note: all book links are affiliate links which means the podcast makes a small commission if you make a purchase, but there is no extra cost to you!

Find us online:

RAD Reading Facebook Page

Connect with Roni on her website or @roniloren on Instagram

Connect with Dawn on her website or @dawnalexanderbooks on Instagram

Another note: Because we are both in the publishing industry, sometimes the books we recommend might be by an author we know personally, an author who shares a publisher, editor, or agent with Roni, or an author whom Dawn has edited. Publishing is a small world, so that will happen from time to time. However, we guarantee that we only recommend books we love. We have not been asked to promote any of these books and none are paid ads. However, some books we review may be ARCs (advanced reading copies provided by publishers to reviewers for honest reviews.)

Episode 6: Distraction Detox - Less Screen Time, More Reading Time

RAD Reading Podcast
Episode # 6 - Reading Upgrade

Episode Title: Distraction Detox - Less Screen Time, More Reading Time

Release Date: Nov. 5, 2021

Listen above or in your favorite podcast app:

• Apple podcasts

• Audible

• Spotify

• Acast  

• Or add to your favorite podcast app with their “Add by URL” feature and paste this link there: https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/rad-reading

Episode Summary/Highlights: 

Do you find yourself picking up your phone instead of picking up a book or your e-reader? Yeah, us too. Today we tackle how to tame the screen time so we can get more reading time, especially during the busy holiday season. We’ll also discuss how the type of book you pick up can make all the difference. And as usual, we’ll have a pile of reading recs for you! 

Highlights:

• This is our reading brains on smartphones

• The power of Do Not Disturb

• How to reclaim reading time in a screen time world

• Roni’s haunted moaning window makes a cameo

• The types of books that are better suited for distracted minds

• Fast-starting book recs

• Recs for short and snappy reads

• Short story/essay collections that you can tackle in bite-sized bits

• Page-turning memoirs

• Some of our favorite binge-worthy book series

• Roni is horrified to realize she’s read books two and three of a series and not book one

• Roni’s doorstop length books

• Our RAD Reading Recs of the week

*Note: all book links are affiliate links which means the podcast makes a small commission if you make a purchase, but there is no extra cost to you!

EPISODE SPOILERS AHEAD…

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Books recommended by Roni:

• Boys Like You by Juliana Stone

• I Feel Bad About My Neck by Nora Ephron

• Evidence of the Affair by Taylor Jenkins Reid

• This Will Only Hurt a Little by Busy Phillips

• Shadow and Bone series by Leigh Bardugo

• Brokedown Cowboy (Copper Ridge series) by Maisey Yates

• Bad News Cowboy by Maisey Yates

• 11/22/63 by Stephen King

• Wanderers by Chuck Wendig

Books recommended by Dawn:

• Chasing Vega by Terry Shepard

• Why Moms Are Weird by Pamela Ribon

• Charmed in Texas series by Sharla Lovelace

• Faceoff anthology by International Thriller Writers

• Matchup anthology by International Thriller Writers

• Different Seasons by Stephen King

• Tinsel and Tatas anthology for charity

• The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

• Always a Bridesmaid (For Hire) by Jen Glantz

• One For the Money (Stephanie Plum series) by Janet Evanovitch

• Naked In Death (In Death series) by J.D. Robb

Other books mentioned:

• Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

• Gold Valley series by Maisey Yates

RAD Reading Recs of the Week: 

• Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons by Lorna Landvik (Dawn)

• Deep Work by Cal Newport (Roni)

Roni’s many blog posts on social media breaks and device-free summers:

• A Screen-Free Summer for Kidlet: How, Why, & If I'll Lose My Mind

• The 10-Day Update 

• 5 Week Update on Screen-Free Summer

• The End of Our Screen-Free Summer: Results and Moving Forward

• The After-Effects of Our Device-Free Summer

• Device-Free Summer 2.0: Why We’re Doing This Again

• 7 Things to Reduce Distractions and Increase Focus

• On Productivity and Distraction: Deep Work

• Revisiting Deep Work

• Stop Letting Your Inbox Distract You: Making Rules Work For You

• The Digital Declutter & Why I’m Taking a 30-Day Social Media Break

• After the 30-Day Social Media Ban: What Surprised Me & What I’m Changing

Find us online:

RAD Reading Facebook Page

RAD Reading List

Connect with Roni on her website or @roniloren on Instagram

Connect with Dawn on her website or @dawnalexanderbooks on Instagram

Another note: Because we are both in the publishing industry, sometimes the books we recommend might be by an author we know personally, an author who shares a publisher, editor, or agent with Roni, or an author whom Dawn has edited. Publishing is a small world, so that will happen from time to time. However, we guarantee that we only recommend books we love. We have not been asked to promote any of these books and none are paid ads. However, some books we review may be ARCs (advanced reading copies provided by publishers to reviewers for honest reviews.)

Episode 5: They All Float - Our Best Halloween Recs

Episode # 5

Episode Title: They All Float: Our Best Halloween Recs

Release Date: October 29, 2021

Listen above or in your favorite podcast app:

• Apple podcasts

• Audible

• Spotify

• Acast  

• Or add to your favorite podcast app with their “Add by URL” feature and paste this link there: https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/rad-reading

Episode Summary/Highlights: 

Happy Halloween! This week Roni freaks out Dawn with her scary book and movie picks (and episode title) and Dawn offers recommendations for those who prefer their Halloween on the gentler side. It’s a long one, y’all! We’ve got a pile of recs for you, including suspense, horror, true crime, and paranormal romance. Grab a bag of Halloween candy and join us! 

Highlights:

• The controversial episode title

• Our suspense recs

• We can’t pronounce author names

• Roni’s crush on a loveable (fictional) serial killer

• Our paranormal recs

• Dawn’s trauma from The Exorcist

• Roni realizes she still has a thing for hot vampires

• Stephen King and peer pressure

• Roni tries to sell us on a lizard hero

• Our true crime recs

• The “Scooby-Doo” recs for those who don’t like horror

• Roni’s scary movie recs

• The Lost Boys and why Dawn would happily get lost with any of them

• The movie Roni won’t watch alone

• Our Halloween TV recs

• Podcast recs for the horror and true crime lover

• Our RAD Reading Recs of the week

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Books recommended by Roni:

• No Exit by Taylor Adams

• YOU series by Caroline Kepnes

• Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice

• Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

• The House Next Door by Anne Rivers Siddons

• Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix

• “Sour Candy” by Kealan Patrick Burke

• “Sometimes They Come Back” in Night Shift by Stephen King

• The Last Hour of Gann by R. Lee Smith (my more extensive review I mentioned)

• Paperbacks from Hell by Grady Hendrix

• We Keep the Dead Close by Becky Cooper

• Evil Has a Name by Paul Holes and Jim Clemente

• A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

• Halfway to the Grave by Jeannine Frost

• Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Books recommended by Dawn:

• The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager

• That Last Weekend by Laura DiSilverio

• Ten by Gretchen McNeil (Scary book trailer)

• The Good Demon by Jimmy Cajoleas

• The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

• Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

• Who Killed My Daughter by Lois Duncan

• What If You & Me by Roni Loren (obviously the most fantastic book on this list ;) )

• Ghosts, Pies, & Alibis by Amanda Reid

• Her Halloween Treat by Tiffany Reisz

Other books mentioned:

• Final Girls by Riley Sager

• Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw

• The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Roni’s Movie/TV Recs:

• Happy Death Day

• The Strangers

• It Follows

• The Babadook

• Classics mentioned: Halloween, Scream, Poltergeist, The Shining, A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Exorcist, IT (the 90s miniseries), Alien, The Lost Boys, The Ring

• True Blood

• Scream Queens

• YOU

Dawn’s Movie/TV Recs:

• Stranger Things

• It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

• Community Halloween episodes

Podcast recommendations:

• Books in the Freezer

• The Horror Virgin

• Serial

• Obsessed with Disappeared

• True Crime Obsessed

Other things mentioned:

Shudder streaming channel

RAD Reading Recs of the Week: 

• Standoff by Sandra Brown (Dawn rec)

• Fierce Kingdom by Gin Phillips (Roni rec)

Check out all of our previous RAD Reading Recs on the RAD Rec page!

Find us online:

RAD Reading Facebook Page

Connect with Roni on her website or @roniloren on Instagram

Connect with Dawn on her website or @dawnalexanderbooks on Instagram

Note: all book links are affiliate links which means the podcast makes a small commission if you make a purchase, but there is no extra cost to you!

Another note: Because we are both in the publishing industry, sometimes the books we recommend might be by an author we know personally, an author who shares a publisher, editor, or agent with Roni, or an author whom Dawn has edited. Publishing is a small world, so that will happen from time to time. However, we guarantee that we only recommend books we love. We have not been asked to promote any of these books and none are paid ads. However, some books we review may be ARCs (advanced reading copies provided by publishers to reviewers for honest reviews.)

Episode 4: October's Read/Watch/Listen Recs

RAD Reading Podcast
Episode #4

Episode Title: October’s Read/Watch/Listen 

Release Date: Oct. 22, 2021

Listen above or in your favorite podcast app:

• Apple podcasts

• Audible

• Spotify

• Acast  

• Or add to your favorite podcast app with their “Add by URL” feature and paste this link there: https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/rad-reading

This week we’re giving you all of our favorites of the month! Join us as we share the books, audiobooks, TV shows, and movies that have gotten our highest marks.

Highlights:

• Dawn recommends lots of books with shirtless man covers 

• Roni recommends a steamy one with a deceiving cover

• Roni’s go to comfort read when she’s buried in revisions

• Dawn trying to get Roni to understand superheroes

• A documentary Roni couldn’t resist

• Roni’s audiobook recs

• Why 70s and 80s country songs probably messed us up

• Dawn’s singing debut in a Pizza Hut

• The songs Roni never skips

• Our RAD Reading Recs of the week

*Note: all book links are affiliate links which means the podcast makes a small commission if you make a purchase, but there is no extra cost to you!

Books recommended by Roni:

• The Roommate by Rosie Danan

• On the Way to the Wedding by Julia Quinn

• When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn

Books recommended by Dawn:

• Samson by Callie Rhodes (The Boundarylands Omegaverse series)

• Zeke by Callie Rhodes

• Troy by Callie Rhodes

• Riley Thorn and the Dead Guy Next Door by Lucy Score

• Waking the Dragon by Juliette Cross

Watch Recommendations from Roni:

• LuLaRich (Amazon Prime)

• Modern Family (Hulu)

• Milk Street (PBS)

Watch Recommendations from Dawn:

• Alias (Amazon Prime)

• What If (Disney+)

• Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings 

• Archer

Listen Recommendations from Roni:

• Making Space Clutter Free by Tracy McCubbin

• The Mother-In-Law by Sally Hepworth

• “All My Favorite Songs” by Weezer

• “All I Wanted” by Paramore

RAD Reading Recs of the Week: 

• The Martian by Andy Weir (Dawn rec)

• Joyland by Stephen King (Roni Rec)

Other things mentioned:

• Outlander 

• Bob’s Burgers

• The Goldbergs

• “Drinking my Baby Goodbye” by The Charlie Daniels Band

• Dark Matter by Black Crouch

Find us online:

RAD Reading Facebook Page

RAD Reading Website

Connect with Roni on her website or @roniloren on Instagram

Connect with Dawn on her website or @dawnalexanderbooks on Instagram

Another note: Because we are both in the publishing industry, sometimes the books we recommend might be by an author we know personally, an author who shares a publisher, editor, or agent with Roni, or an author whom Dawn has edited. Publishing is a small world, so that will happen from time to time. However, we guarantee that we only recommend books we love. We have not been asked to promote any of these books and none are paid ads. However, some books we review may be ARCs (advanced reading copies provided by publishers to reviewers for honest reviews.)

Episode 3: Making Your Own Reading Journal (AKA Fun with Office Supplies)

RAD Reading Podcast
Episode # 3

Episode Title: Making Your Own Reading Journal (AKA Fun with Office Supplies)

Release Date: October 15, 2021

Listen above or in your favorite podcast app:

• Apple podcasts

• Audible

• Spotify

• Acast  

• Or add to your favorite podcast app with their “Add by URL” feature and paste this link there: https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/rad-reading

Episode Summary: 

We love upgrading our reading lives, so this week we’re talking about one of our favorite ways to enhance the reading experience--creating our own reading journals! Plus, as always, we’re giving our RAD Reading Recs of the week.

Highlights:

• Why Dawn’s teen journals led her to get grounded--unnecessarily!

• The one journal Roni’s been able to stick with

• The basics of a reading/book journal

• Private reading journals vs. Goodreads 

• Roni avoiding awkward book signings

• What Dawn said that made Roni clutch her pearls

• The unexpected benefits of a reading journal

• Dawn’s epiphany about stencils

• The nuts & bolts of putting together your own journal

• What Roni wishes she’d been putting in her journal from the start

• Rating systems - Roni’s highly detailed one & Dawn’s low-key method

• Documenting reading challenges

• Finding your journaling style - decorative, bare bones, etc.

• Digital options for journaling

• Dawn’s signal that she’s been kidnapped

• Journaling tips

• Instagram perfect journals are not necessary

• Our favorite journaling supplies

• Our RAD Reading Recs of the Week

*Note: all book/product links are affiliate links which means the podcast makes a small commission if you make a purchase, but there is no extra cost to you!

Supplies recommended by Roni:

• Leuchtturm1917 Journal 

• Stabilo Fineliner Pens

• Zebra Mildliner highlighters 

• Staedtler Ergosoft colored pencils 

• Staedtler Template, Geometric Shapes & Symbols to draw boxes and circles

Supplies recommended by Dawn:

• Plum Paper Notebook 

• Frixion pens

• Prisma Color Pencils 

Other resources mentioned:

• Roni’s free downloadable Romance Reading Journal

• Rock Your Reading Tracker by Sarah’s Bookshelves

• My Reading Journal by Anne Bogel (Modern Mrs. Darcy)

• Pensieve app

• Book of the Month club 

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Dawn’s Reading Journal

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Roni’s Reading Journal

RAD Reading Recs of the Week: 

Dear Writer, Are You In Burnout? by Becca Syme (Dawn’s rec)

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert (Roni’s rec)

Find us online:

RAD Reading Facebook Page

RAD Reading Website

Connect with Roni on her website or @roniloren on Instagram

Connect with Dawn on her website or @dawnalexanderbooks on Instagram

Episode 2: Feeling All the Fall Feels - Seasonal Book Recs

Fall is here! This week we’re talking about whether or not we’re seasonal readers and how to enhance those autumnal vibes with your reading choices. We’re also bringing you a big stack of book recommendations! Roni’s got a pile of recs from one of her very favorite micro-genres: dark academia & campus novels. And Dawn is bringing the heat with sexy football-themed romances and some fun seasonal rom-coms. Come feel all the Fall feels with us!

Listen above or in your favorite podcast app:

• Apple podcasts

• Audible

• Spotify

• Acast  

• Or add to your favorite podcast app with their “Add by URL” feature and paste this link there: https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/rad-reading

Highlights:

• To Pumpkin Spice Latte or not?

• Which of us is a seasonal reader

• The genres we reach for in Fall

• How to enhance the season with your reading

• The types of books that are particularly suited for Fall

• Halloween getting the short end of the holiday stick

• Roni trying to pronounce “horror” but sounding like she’s saying something offensive

• Roni’s favorite dark academia and campus novels

• Why Dawn almost had to move out of her new house

• Why Roni, the romance author, doesn’t read a ton of romance 

• Roni horrifies Dawn with her stance on mysteries

• Texting whodunnit guesses while reading

• Dawn recs a football-themed romance series and some LOL seasonal rom coms

• The RAD Reading Recs of the week

• How Roni sees book scenes through Instagram filters

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*Note: all book links are affiliate links which means the podcast makes a small commission if you make a purchase, but there is no extra cost to you!

Books recommended by Roni:

• THE SECRET HISTORY by Donna Tartt

• FINDING FELICITY by Stacey Kade

• NINTH HOUSE by Leigh Bardugo 

• MISADVENTURES WITH A PROFESSOR by Sierra Simone

• NEVER SAW ME COMING by Vera Kurian

• IN MY DREAMS, I HOLD A KNIFE by Ashley Winstead 

• THE MAIDENS by Alex Michaelides 

• DINNER: A LOVE STORY by Jenny Rosenstrach

Books recommended by Dawn:

• THE FOURTH TIME CHARM by Maya Hughes

• THE ART OF FALLING FOR YOU by Maya Hughes

• FALLING INTO FOREVER by Delancey Stewart

• SHAKING THE SLEIGH by Delancey Stewart

• PINWHEELS, POTIONS, AND POSSIBILITIES by Fenley Grant

RAD Reading Recs of the Week: 

• THE LOST MAN by Jane Harper (Dawn’s rec)

• THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF ADDIE LARUE by V.E. Schwab (Roni Rec)

Other books/authors mentioned:

• The Babysitter’s Club series

• The Harry Potter series

• Author Grady Hendrix

• Author Riley Sager

• Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

• The Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris

• Author Kresley Cole

• Harlequin holiday books

• Author Ruth Reichl’s food memoirs

• My Life in France by Julia Child

• Shadow & Bone by Leigh Bardugo

• The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

Other non-book recommendations:

• Felicity (TV Show)

• YOU (TV show)

As promised on the podcast, here are photos of Roni’s cookbook collection:

Episode 1: The Life-Changing Magic of the DNF (Did Not Finish)

RAD Reading Podcast
Episode 1

The Life-Changing Magic of the DNF (Did Not Finish)

Release Date: Oct. 1, 2021

WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

• Apple podcasts

• Audible

• Spotify

• Acast  

• On the web without a podcast app

• Or add to your favorite podcast app with their “Add by URL” feature and paste this link there: https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/rad-reading

• Or just listen below!

Episode Summary/Highlights: 

Our first episode! Join us as we talk about our vision for the podcast, preview our weekly bookish themes, and then jump into our topic of the week--the life-changing magic of not finishing a book you’re not enjoying. And make sure you stay until the end to get our RAD Reading Book Recommendations of the week!

Highlights:

• A sneak peek of our four weekly themes

• The “I used to be a reader” struggle

• Why being a chronic finisher can be a roadblock to a happy reading life

• Reasons it’s so hard for some of us to DNF (not finish a book)

• The book trope Roni hates

• How to combat the DNF fears

• Do DNFs count for reading challenges?

• Tips for becoming a DNF master 

• The difference between a DNF and a Not For Now

• How to pick better books

• Our RAD Book Recs of the week

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*Note: all book links are affiliate links which means the podcast makes a small commission if you make a purchase, but there is no extra cost to you!

RAD Reading Recs of the Week: 

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (Dawn rec)

I’ll Be Gone In the Dark by Michelle McNamara (Roni rec)

Other books mentioned:

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

Emma by Jane Austen

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

The Only Plane In the Sky by Garrett M. Graff 

Non-book things mentioned:

9/11: I Was There (documentary)

Find us online:

RAD Reading Facebook Page

RAD Reading Website

The RAD Reading List

Connect with Roni on her website or @roniloren on Instagram

Connect with Dawn on her website or @dawnalexanderbooks on Instagram

Another note: Because we are both in the publishing industry, sometimes the books we recommend might be by an author we know personally, an author who shares a publisher, editor, or agent with Roni, or an author whom Dawn has edited. Publishing is a small world, so that will happen from time to time. However, we guarantee that we only recommend books we love. We have not been asked to promote any of these books and none are paid ads. However, some books we review may be ARCs (advanced reading copies provided by publishers to reviewers for honest reviews.)

Episode 1 Coming Soon!

In the meantime, check out the trailer and subscribe!

WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

Apple podcasts

Audible

Spotify

Acast  

On the web without a podcast app

Or add to your favorite podcast app with their “Add by URL” feature and paste this link there: https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/rad-reading