The best is when you get to the place where all the genres blend and you just read everything!

This series finally ended a reading slump I thought I'd never get out of. I was afraid I'd never find another series that would literally absorb me, but Pierce managed that. The first book had been sitting on my shelf for a while already because once I've heard someone say LOTR fans would like it. I was hooked right from the start, I couldn't understand how a character's death (Eo) after knowing them for such a short time could bring out such strong emotions. I have never cried so hysterically while reading like when Ragnar died. Cassius' beef with Darrow over Julian wasn't sitting right with me and I was so happy when they teamed up again. Just to get my hear ripped out at the end of Light bringer. Lysander has to die, there is nothing that this hypocritical piece of garbage could do to change my mind. I can't wait for Red God.

I'm from Ireland and haven't really travelled my country much since I was a child, but your videos made it look so beautiful and inspired me to do so more in the future. Glad you guys had fun and next time come to Cork!

lovely video, as always!

I will forever be offended on Hermione behalf!!

Obsessed with this video! Thanks for sharing

Your video quality is so clean and crisp 😍 well done! What camera are you using if you don’t mind me asking?

Babel, picture of dorian gray, secret history!

Loved hearing about your journey!! Mine has a lot of similarities. You both have impeccable taste! 🤌🏼

Light academia is two Oxford professors being like, “I put you in my book! You’re a wise old professor who guides the protagonist!” and “I also put you in my book! You’re a giant talking tree!” Also, there’s got to be Harry Potter fan fiction that is more of a Dark Academia novel from a random student’s point of view, who is completely missing all the adventures because they’re too obsessed with grades (like, they are familiar with Hermione, because they are in competition with her for top of the class, but have no clue about Harry, Voldemort, or literally any other major events of the books). You both seem to like political intrigue; what are your favorite books that mostly focus on political schemes and maneuvering?

Love this!

LOL This is amazing! I have been asking AI for recs based on the last few books I loved and honestly, it’s doing a solid job.

Babel so far has been the blueprint of what I expect of my dark academia. I expect to learn something in some way shape or form when I read a dark academia. If it’s just the dark aspect set in a school I think it’s more of just a vibe. Which is fine and I still enjoy that as well. I just have a different standard for true dark academia

Babel is for sure. I would also say A Lesson in Vengence and an Education in Malice are as well. Legendborn I sometimes see on DA lists sometimes not. Same with Bunny! For me a key aspect of the genre is portrayal/critique of things like competition to the point of obsession, pretentiousness, oppression, and exclusivity in academia/high art society.

Babel is definitely a favorite in the genre, and I also did enjoy Ninth House. Blood Over Bright Haven is on my November tbr, so I can definitely see that becoming a fave too!

Frankenstein, babel, ninth house too!

Babel is definitely dark academia

This was perfect timing! I have book of doors on my November TBR!!!

For me if a book isn’t critiquing academia in some way and/or showing the dark side of an obsession with knowledge it’s not dark academia or it’s just the aesthetic and not the genre. There also doesn’t need to be a school to fit within the genre imo

Looks like you girls had a WONDERFUL time! And Ireland what a beautiful country 💚 I'd love to visit there someday and have half the fun you guys did there 😊

Nancy Drew. Obviously.

Random, but Maddie, can I ask what’s on your lips? It’s gorg ☺️

A discovery of witches has dark academia vibes and I’m obsessed

I love hearing about this process for his writing!

I’d love a video on books classic or not, that your parents had you read or you would have your kids read

The Guiness is different in Ireland...its so creamy & good!

He seems so lovely 😭 What a kind, humble man. You all are such talented interviewers and you ask such thoughtful questions!

I can not wait for the future Netflix docu-series on Allie's family.

I’m in a Brandon Sanderson era, I feel like 2024 was MY year of Sanderson 🤣 and a favourite from YA era is The Cruel Prince by Holly Black. Anything Elfhame just hits for me.

I started my romantic fantasy era about a year ago (still here) but M dipping my toe into epic fantasy. I’ve never read The Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit - should I read those before diving too deep into epic fantasy?

I LOVE this idea and would love to recreate it!! such iconic picks and lots of my favorites in here too <3

❤📚📚❤️

I have just entered my Realm of the Elderlings era and I know it will be taking over my life!!

I have gotten picky with my adult Romantasy reads, as I find the best ones are YA and I’m not in that era right now. I still read them when I need something less dense but I’m also much more so craving epic series right now. I dabble in lit fic, historic fic, and even a tiny bit of non fic but Fanatsy and SciFi have forever and always been my home. I don’t think there were many millennial teen readers who weren’t apart of the dystopian YA monopoly (and yes I am excited about the next Hunger Games prequel Sunrise on the Reaping). Definitely a lot of overlap with our childhood/middle school reading eras. Harry Potter was probably 65% of my personality

I feel like I’m in my I’m so depressed I act like it’s my birthday every day era….. Prob need to slow down the purchasing of things I can’t use now! I love that advice and will be looking into those reflection books and then buy them 😂

I am in my historical fiction era. Wolf Hall, Pillars of the Earth (everyone should read this), Lonesome Dove (everyone should read this too), Shogun, Bernard Cornwall's The Saxon Chronicles, Conn Iggulden's Conqueror series, Musashi, Gates of Fire. I can't stop reading them, they're like fantasy books without the magic. Although I've hit the point in life where I'll read almost anything and I just have genre phases, the era of true freedom.

My favorite book will always be Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. But, I am now obsessed with Travis Baldree. I love this crazy, cozy world!!

This was great! But not gonna lie, I'm a little disappointed there was no Taylor Swift involved 🫶 I feel like I was in some of the same eras as you guys maybe around the same times even though I'm probably about 15 years older, whatever that says about me. Late Bloomer! 🤷‍♀️ I'm so excited for the new Hunger Games book, though!

Awe my dad read the Hobbit to us when we were little as well!!

What an interesting journey! Is there any type of book or specific book that you want to read eventually, but it just hasn’t been the right era yet?

I love this format! The books I read during my childhood really shaped who I am. Going through each era feels almost too personal to share so thanks for talking about it! As a kid I would find an author I liked and demolish their bibliography. I went through an Anne Rice phase, James Patterson phase, Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, Twilight, Hunger Games. One of the authors I fell in love with as a kid and to this day is one of my favorite fantasy authors is Patricia A McKillip, shes know for her Riddle Master trilogy, but my favorites are her standalones. I just get lost in her beautiful poetic writing. Anyways, it almost feels like the most vivid memories of my childhood are of the books I read, which might not be a good thing...

Omg i looooove this!!

Rn I’m in a dark academia era! Loving it so much. My last era was romantasy and a favorite was the shepherd king duology 😍

My eras line up very similarly to both of yours except I went down a rabbit hole of paleo books and came out the other end reading anything about paleo veganism before going back to meat. 🤣

I love my nonfiction books!!! No shame! Fiction let’s me escape and nonfiction helps me challenge myself

Loved this video so much! Love when you guys do video form book content! I see and share so many book tastes in each of you❤❤

I just love that your parents were so dedicated to reading these stories to you!! I am the only real “reader” in my family, so I love seeing that it was so ingrained in your family💜 I am desperately needing to get into my Jane Austen era, that’s a 2025 goal for sure!

I am in my "Trying new Genres" Era. I've had different eras through the years as well, but now being in my 40's, I've been pretty well stuck in only the ones I know for sure I'll like, which are Classics, Horror, Fantasy, and Sci-Fi. This year I set a goal of trying more Contemporary, Mystery, Popular pics etc. I've done well so far, had a lot of hits, and a lot of misses (lots of dnf's). But I have realized I've been missing out on so many great authors/genres, it's opened up so many doors! Well, gotta get reading, so many books, so little time!! (Btw, you guys are sister goals, get a sister who looks at you the way Kristen and Maddie look at each other!)

John Gwynne seems like a very genuine, wonderful guy. What an honor for you guys to be his first interview he's done years! You guys did an amazing job 😊 There were so many beautiful, honest moments

I absolutely love this interview by 3 of the absolute greatest from booktok ❤🥰🥰🥰