GENRE'D Review

And that’s a wrap on 2025. 🥂 This week on Genre’d , Katy and Elyse close out the year with a full “Year in Reading” debrief: the books we loved, the ones that personally attacked us, the tropes that carried, and the reading habits we’re taking into 2026. We also have things to say —namely: Goodreads is doing absolutely the least, the “reading challenge” math is suspicious, and somehow we started a podcast and lived to tell the tale. Spoiler note: This is a wrap-up episode.

A cozy, Hallmark-adjacent holiday romance review featuring forced proximity, grumpy toy-makers, small-town charm, and festive vibes — with spoiler-free thoughts and a full breakdown.

This week on Genre’d: Off Book , Elyse and Katy welcome their forever friend Ankeen to talk about the genre that raised them all: romance (with a generous side of smut). From sneaking Harlequins out of the library at age ten to rereading Montana Sky every time she needs a comfort book, Ankeen walks us through how romance hooked her early, why she took a long detour into philosophy, and what brought her back to smutty romance books as an adult. We dig into the big misconcep

Join Genre’d Podcast as we discuss Alchemy of Secrets by Stephanie Garber—an urban fantasy filled with magic, Hollywood myths, time loops, and a high-stakes scavenger hunt. Spoiler-free review, character analysis, themes, and full spoiler discussion.

A deep dive into dystopian fiction, celebrity memoirs, and adorable kid-book wisdom—plus a bonus interview with Melissa’s 4-year-old son about Captain Underpants.

In this episode of the Genre’d podcast, we review Girl Dinner by Olivie Blake — a dark, satirical campus novel about sisterhood, ambition, feminism, and the pressures of modern womanhood. Includes a spoiler-free summary, full book discussion, and our honest reactions to the twist ending.

This week on Off Book , Katy flips the mic to co-host Elyse for a deep dive into her forever favorite: fantasy. From childhood obsessions (Tamora Pierce forever) to adult hot takes (“fantasy is politics with dragons”), Elyse walks through where to start, what to read next if you’re fully converted, and why she’ll always have room in her TBR for fake dating and marriage of convenience. We also detour into high-heat subgenres, romance as a gateway back to fantasy, and an extre

About the episode This week on Genre’d, Katy picked A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna — a cozy witchy fantasy about loss, belonging, and one very opinionated house. Come for the spoiler-free first ~17 minutes; stay for the zombie rooster discourse, “grumpy × grumpy” confusion, and an unexpectedly emotional chat about representation, power, and what it really means to find home. If you’re looking for a spoiler-free review, podcast discussion, or plot summ

About the episode: This week on Off Book , we sit down with writer, dancer, and communications pro Dinah Alobeid to talk about her one true love: literary and upmarket fiction . We dig into what those distinctions actually mean, why they get such a bad rap, and how they might convert even the most die-hard romantasy readers. Along the way, Dinah shares her favorite gateway reads, the “advanced stack” for serious fans, and the books that made her cry, clutch her chest, and r

In this episode of the Genre’d podcast, we review Alchemised by SenLinYu — a sweeping, 1,000-page dark fantasy epic filled with war, memory, magic, and morally black love. Includes a spoiler-free summary, full book discussion, worldbuilding analysis, and our reactions to the late-book twists.

Welcome to Genre’d: Off Book Our new in-between-the-episodes mini-series where we sit down to ask five questions that get to the heart of why we read what we read. Think of it as a peek behind the bookshelf: a quick chat about our genre comfort zones, our bookish red flags, and the titles that turned us into lifelong readers. From Thrillers to Throne of Glass: Katy’s Genre Origin Story In our very first Off Book episode, Katy takes the mic to talk about the genre that change

A deputy with regrets. A small town full of secrets. A thriller that feels like Sharp Objects meets True Detective. We unpack We Are All Guilty Here by Karin Slaughter—spoiler-free intro, wild finale, and one twist we did not see coming.

In this episode of the Genre’d podcast, we review The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig — a lush, gothic fantasy with magic, mystery, and aching romantic tension. Includes a spoiler-free summary, worldbuilding discussion, character analysis, and our reactions to the atmospheric, folk-lore-inspired storytelling.

In this episode of the Genre’d podcast, we review Rose in Chains by Julie Soto — a romantasy novel filled with magic, tension, longing, and emotional depth. Includes a full review, trope breakdown, and our thoughts on the character dynamics and romance.

About the episode: This week on Genre’d Podcast, we’re diving into Bourbon and Lies by Victoria Wilder, a spicy small-town romance...

Welcome to the very first episode of Genre’d Podcast , where we mix book club banter with spicy takes on romance, fantasy, and everything...

About this episode: In our second episode of Genre’d Podcast, we dive into Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry — a romance novel...

About this episode: This week on Genre’d Podcast, we dive into The Compound by Aisling Rawle — a gripping mix of suspense, romance, and...

About this episode: This week on Genre’d Podcast, we’re diving into In the Veins of the Drowning by Kallie Cassidy — a romantasy debut filled with deadly siren politics, shadowy kings, and swoony tropes. We’re joined by our younger sister, who brings unfiltered opinions, unplanned tangents, and sibling chaos to the mix. 💥 Spoiler warning : we cover everything from dangerous siren bargains to shocking twists and our biggest “huh?” moments. What we cover in this episode: Our t