
Literally Reading
Books & Literature
We are two bookish friends who love to talk all things books and reading.
Location:
United States
Description:
We are two bookish friends who love to talk all things books and reading.
Language:
English
Episodes
165. Reading Habits and Goals for 2026
2/18/2026
We are Traci and Ellie, two bookish friends who read in any spare minute that we have. This week we are discussing our low key reading goals for 2026. To shop the books listed in this episode, visit our shop at bookshop.org.
Care to join us on Patreon with even more content? We would love to have you join us at From the Bookstacks of Literally Reading!
Duration:00:31:41
164. What We Literally Reading in January 2026 (Preview)
2/4/2026
We are Traci and Ellie, two bookish friends who read in any spare minute that we have. This week we are sharing a preview of all the books we read in January 2024! To shop the books listed in this episode, visit our shop at bookshop.org.
Care to join us on Patreon with even more content? We would love to have you join us at From the Bookstacks of Literally Reading!
Ellie:
Penitence by Kristin Koval
A Grim Reaper's Guide to Cheating Death by Maxie Dara
Traci:
My Friends by Fredrik Backman
Her One Regret by Donna Freitas
Duration:00:17:34
163. Top 10 Books of 2025
1/21/2026
We are Traci and Ellie, two bookish friends who read in any spare minute that we have. This week we are sharing our Top Ten Books of 2025! To shop the books listed in this episode, visit our shop at bookshop.org.
Care to join us on Patreon with even more content? We would love to have you join us at From the Bookstacks of Literally Reading!
Top Ten Books of 2021
Top Ten Books of 2022
Top Ten Books of 2023
Top Ten Books of 2024
Traci:
Grace and Henry's Holiday Movie Marathon by Matthew Norman
The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix
The Favorites by Layne Fargo
Gone, Baby, Gone by Dennis Lehane
Kate and Frida by Kim Fay
Alchemised by SenLinYu
Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy
Tartufo by Kira Jane Buxton
Broken Country by Claire Leslie Hall
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Vols. 1-8 by Beth Brower
Ellie:
First Time Caller by B.K. Borison
The Bullet that Missed by Richard Osman
The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
Wreck by Catherine Newman
Ordinary Time by Annie B. Jones
The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Three Days in June by Anne Tyler
The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Vols. 1-8 by Beth Brower
Duration:00:47:45
BONUS: Our Top 11-20 Books of 2024 (Rerelease from Patreon!)
1/7/2026
We are Traci and Ellie, two bookish friends who read in any spare minute that we have. This week, we are sharing with you our Top 11-20 Books from 2024! This is an episode that previously was just available for our Patreon Supporters. If you are interested in our Top 11-20 Books of 2025, we would love to have you join us at From the Bookstacks of Literally Reading! To shop the books listed in this episode, visit our shop at bookshop.org.
Ellie:
The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman
Betting on You by Lynn Painter
Happy Go Lucky by David Sedaris
Be Ready when the Luck Happens by Ina Garten
The Painter's Daughters by Emily Howes
Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty
Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera
Dinner for Vampires by Bethany Joy Lenz
The Rachel Incident Caroline O'Donoghue
The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter
Traci:
All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker
What Does it Feel Like by Sophie Kinsella
P.S. I Hate You by Lauren Connolly
Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter
Darkness, Take My Hand by Dennis Lehane
Dinner with Vampires by Bethany Joy Lenz
Funny Story by Emily Henry
Kill for Me, Kill for You by Steve Cavanagh
Worst Case Scenario by T.J. Newman
Ready or Not by Cara Bastone
Duration:00:53:29
Fall 2025 Reading Recap
12/17/2025
We are Traci and Ellie, two bookish friends who read in any spare minute that we have. This week, we are chatting about our Fall 2025 reading recap! To shop the books listed in this episode, visit our shop at bookshop.org.
Care to join us on Patreon with even more content? We would love to have you join us at From the Bookstacks of Literally Reading!
Traci:
Conform by Ariel Sullivan
Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance by Alison Espach
Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins
The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamala
Ellie:
The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Dinosaurs by Lydia Millet
The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
Rebel Summer by Cindy Steel
Duration:00:32:31
BONUS: Ellie's Selected Thoughts on Emma's Unselected Journals, Vol. 4
12/5/2025
We are Traci and Ellie, two bookish friends who read in any spare minute that we have. This week, we have something a little different for you. Ellie is doing a SPOILER-FULL deep dive into The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion Vol. 4 by Beth Brower! To shop the books listed in this episode, visit our shop at bookshop.org.
Care to join us on Patreon with even more content? We would love to have you join us at From the Bookstacks of Literally Reading!
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion Vol. 1 by Beth Brower
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion Vol. 2 by Beth Brower
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion Vol. 3 by Beth Brower
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion Vol. 4 by Beth Brower
Duration:00:28:28
161. Plotting Ahead: Winter 2025-26
12/3/2025
We are Traci and Ellie, two bookish friends who read in any spare minute that we have. This week, we are chatting about what books are coming out Winter of 2025-2026! To shop the books listed in this episode, visit our shop at bookshop.org.
Care to join us on Patreon with even more content? We would love to have you join us at From the Bookstacks of Literally Reading!
A Grim Reaper's Guide to Cheating Death by Maxie Dara
Everyone in the Group Chat Dies by L.M. Chilton
Brimstone by Callie Hart
The Briars by Sarah Crouch
The Anatomy of an Alibi by Ashley Elston
The Storm by Rachel Hawkins
My Husbands Wife by Alice Feeney
The First Time I Saw Him by Laura Dave
Cursed Daughters by Oyinkan Braithwaite
Her One Regret by Donna Freitas
Big Nick Energy by Kristen Bailey
Christmas Fling by Lindsey Kelk
The Heir Apparent by Rebecca Armitage
Love Me Tomorrow by Emiko Jean
In Your Dreams by Sarah Adams
And Now, Back to You by B.K. Borison
Duration:00:26:57
160. Thanksgiving Prep Reads
11/19/2025
We are Traci and Ellie, two bookish friends who read in any spare minute that we have. This week, we are sharing what books you should listen to while you prep Thanksgiving dinner. To shop the books listed in this episode, visit our shop at bookshop.org.
Care to join us on Patreon with even more content? We would love to have you join us at From the Bookstacks of Literally Reading!
Literally Reading:
The River is Waiting by Wally Lamb (Traci)
The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession by Michael Finkel (Ellie)
Crack the Book Open:
Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan Stradal (Traci)
Penelope in Retrograde by Brooke Abrams (Ellie)
My Life in France by Julia Child (Traci)
A Winter in New York by Josie Silver (Ellie)
From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg (Traci)
The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes (Ellie)
Duration:00:33:00
159. 2025 Holiday Gift Guide
11/5/2025
We are Traci and Ellie, two bookish friends who read in any spare minute that we have. This week, we are sharing our 2025 Holiday Gift Guide. To shop the books listed in this episode, visit our shop at bookshop.org.
Care to join us on Patreon with even more content? We would love to have you join us at From the Bookstacks of Literally Reading!
Check out our previous gift guides here:
2020 Gift Guide
2020 Kid Lit Gift Guide
2021 Gift Guide
2022 Gift Guide
2023 Gift Guide
2024 Gift Guide
Crack the Book Open:
The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon (Ellie)
Table for Two by Amor Towles (Traci)
The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter (Ellie)
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore (Traci)
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman (Ellie)
The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean (Traci)
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman (Ellie)
One Star Romance by Laura Jankin (Traci)
Duration:00:27:00
BONUS: Ellie's Selected Thoughts on Emma's Unselected Journals, Vol. 3
10/22/2025
We are Traci and Ellie, two bookish friends who read in any spare minute that we have. This week, we have something a little different for you. Ellie is doing a SPOILER-FULL deep dive into The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion Vol. 3 by Beth Brower! To shop the books listed in this episode, visit our shop at bookshop.org.
Care to join us on Patreon with even more content? We would love to have you join us at From the Bookstacks of Literally Reading!
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion Vol. 1 by Beth Brower
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion Vol. 2 by Beth Brower
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion Vol. 3 by Beth Brower
Duration:00:21:48
The Scariest Books We've Ever Read
10/15/2025
We are Traci and Ellie, two bookish friends who read in any spare minute that we have. This week, we are sharing some of our favorite scary books. To shop the books listed in this episode, visit our shop at bookshop.org.
Care to join us on Patreon with even more content? We would love to have you join us at From the Bookstacks of Literally Reading!
Literally Reading:
Alchemised by SenLinYu (Traci)
Crack the Book Open:
The Butcher by Jennifer Hillier (Ellie)
Bird Box by Josh Malerman (Traci)
The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris (Ellie)
Darkness, Take My Hand by Dennis Lehane (Traci)
56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard (Ellie)
The Stand by Stephen King (Traci)
The Push by Ashley Audrain (Ellie)
I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara (Traci)
Duration:00:46:21
Author Spotlight: Jane Austen
10/1/2025
We are Traci and Ellie, two bookish friends who read in any spare minute that we have. This week, we are starting a new series: Author Spotlight! This week, we are talking all about the legend, Jane Austen. To shop the books listed in this episode, visit our shop at bookshop.org.
Care to join us on Patreon with even more content? We would love to have you join us at From the Bookstacks of Literally Reading!
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
Emma by Jane Austen
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
Persuasion by Jane Austen
Duration:00:41:06
BONUS: Ellie's Selected Thoughts on Emma's Unselected Journals, Vol. 2
9/19/2025
We are Traci and Ellie, two bookish friends who read in any spare minute that we have. This week, we have something a little different for you. Ellie is doing a SPOILER-FULL deep dive into The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion Vol. 2 by Beth Brower! To shop the books listed in this episode, visit our shop at bookshop.org.
Care to join us on Patreon with even more content? We would love to have you join us at From the Bookstacks of Literally Reading!
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion Vol. 1 by Beth Brower
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion Vol. 2 by Beth Brower
Duration:00:24:18
Book Club Recs
9/17/2025
We are Traci and Ellie, two bookish friends who read in any spare minute that we have. This week, we are chatting about book clubs! To shop the books listed in this episode, visit our shop at bookshop.org.
Care to join us on Patreon with even more content? We would love to have you join us at From the Bookstacks of Literally Reading!
Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy (Traci)
The Other Side of Now by Paige Harbison (Ellie)
Olympus, Texas by Stacey Swann (Traci)
The Library Book by Susan Orlean (Ellie)
Small Great Things by Jodi Piccoult (Traci)
Just Mercy by Brian Stevenson (Traci)
The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd (Ellie)
East of Eden by John Steinbeck (Traci)
Shark Heart by Emily Habeck (Ellie)
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkin Reid (Traci)
Flying Solo by Linda Holmes (Ellie)
Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting by Clare Pooley (Ellie)
The River is Waiting by Wally Lamb (Traci)
Duration:00:42:46
Plotting Ahead: Fall 2025
9/3/2025
We are Traci and Ellie, two bookish friends who read in any spare minute that we have. This week, we are chatting about what books are coming out Fall of 2025! To shop the books listed in this episode, visit our shop at bookshop.org.
Care to join us on Patreon with even more content? We would love to have you join us at From the Bookstacks of Literally Reading!
Fake Skating by Lynn Painter
Anne of Avenue A by Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding
The Academy by Elin Hilderbrand
The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman
The Black Wolf by Louise Penny
The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown
Yours for the Season by Emily Stone
Good Spirits by B.K. Borison
Conform by Ariel Sullivan
Alchemised by Sen Lin Yu
Heart the Lover by Lily King
Wreck by Catherine Newman
What We Can Know by Ian McEwan
How About Now by Kate Baer
Mate by Ali Hazelwood
Famous by Blake Crouch
Duration:00:44:24
BONUS: Ellie's Selected Thoughts on Emma's Unselected Journals, Vol. 1
8/29/2025
We are Traci and Ellie, two bookish friends who read in any spare minute that we have. This week, we have something a little different for you. Ellie is doing a SPOILER-FULL deep dive into The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion Vol. 1 by Beth Brower! To shop the books listed in this episode, visit our shop at bookshop.org.
Care to join us on Patreon with even more content? We would love to have you join us at From the Bookstacks of Literally Reading!
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion Vol. 1 by Beth Brower
Duration:00:21:45
We Don't Just Literally Read (August 2025)
8/20/2025
We are Traci and Ellie, two bookish friends who read in any spare minute that we have. This week, we are chatting about what we are doing besides reading! To shop the books listed in this episode, visit our shop at bookshop.org.
Care to join us on Patreon with even more content? We would love to have you join us at From the Bookstacks of Literally Reading!
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion Vol. 1 by Beth Brower
Smitten Kitchen's Frozen Watermelon Mojitos
Smitten Kitchen's Slushie Paper Airplanes
Ina’s Outrageous Brownies
New York Times Mississippi Roast
Smitten Kitchen's Caesar Salad
The Big Boo Cast
Duration:00:36:44
Literary Lineup: August 2025
8/6/2025
Hi Readers! Welcome to Literary Lineup: August 2025 Edition! On this mini-episode, we’ll each share three books that we are hoping to pick-up in August.
Care to join us on Patreon with even more content? We would love to have you join us at From the Bookstacks of Literally Reading!
August 2025
These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean (Ellie)
Katabasis by R.F. Kuang (Traci)
Forget Me Not by Stacey Willingham (Ellie)
The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter (Traci)
So Good To See You by Francesca Hornak (Traci)
Duration:00:19:53
Best Books of 2025... So Far!
7/30/2025
We are Traci and Ellie, two bookish friends who read in any spare minute that we have. This week, we are sharing our top books of 2025…so far! To shop the books listed in this episode, visit our shop at bookshop.org.
Care to join us on Patreon with even more content? We would love to have you join us at From the Bookstacks of Literally Reading!
Ellie:
Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall
Poor: Grit, Courage, and the Life-Changing Value of Self-Belief by Katriona O’Sullivan
Ordinary Time by Annie B. Jones
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion (#1-3) by Beth Brower
The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett
Traci:
The Favorites by Layne Fargo
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion (#1-3) by Beth Brower
Gone, Baby, Gone by Dennis Lehane
Tartufo by Kira Jane Buxton
Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall
Duration:00:39:06
Christmas in July
7/16/2025
We are Traci and Ellie, two bookish friends who read in any spare minute that we have. This week, we are celebrating Christmas in July! To shop the books listed in this episode, visit our shop at bookshop.org.
Care to join us on Patreon with even more content? We would love to have you join us at From the Bookstacks of Literally Reading!
Literally Reading:
Shopgirls by Jessica Anya Blau (Traci)
Three Days in June by Anne Tyler (Ellie)
Crack the Book Open:
In A Holidaze by Christina Lauren (Traci)
The Christmas You Found Me by Sarah Morgenthaler (Ellie)
The Family Game by Catherine Steadman (Traci)
The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand (Ellie)
Always in December by Emily Stone (Traci)
A Winter in New York by Josie Silver (Ellie)
The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter (Traci)
Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh (Ellie)
A Very Merry Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams (Traci)
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (Traci)
Seven Days of Us by Francesca Hornak (Traci)
Faking Christmas by Cindy Steel (Ellie)
Ten Blind Dates by Ashley Elston (Ellie)
Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison (Ellie)
I’ll Be Home for Christmas by Jenny Bayliss (Traci)
Good Spirits by B.K. Borison (Ellie)
Duration:00:38:05