Check This Bookout

Madeline and Hannah Bookout
  • 4.6 (8)
  • Books
  • Updated Biweekly

Calling all book lovers! Check This Bookout is your go-to podcast for fantasy and romance book talk, hosted by two book-obsessed sisters, Madeline and Hannah Bookout. (Yes, that's our real last name!) Join us for unfiltered reviews, bookish games, seasonal book recs, monthly book club, and more! We’ll be here every other Tuesday discussing the books that made us laugh, cry, and stay up way too late. So find your comfy reading chair, grab your never-ending TBR, and let’s Check This Bookout!

  1. 14h ago

    This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews | Book Review

    "I fell asleep every time I opened it." That's how Madeline started her review of this month's book club pick, and Hannah wasn't about to let that slide. This week on Check This Bookout, we review ‘This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me’ by Ilona Andrews, a portal fantasy where a die-hard fan wakes up inside the unfinished, cliffhanger-ending series she's read a hundred times, and has to survive a cutthroat medieval world while trying to save her favorite characters. We break down our ratings, debate whether the slow first half almost cost this book a DNF, and dig into the writing style, the political great houses, the found-family arc, and that delicious slow-burn romance. 🤍 All CTB Links: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/checkthisbookout 💌 July Book Club: Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune 📖 Books Mentioned: This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me (Maggie the Undying) - Ilona Andrews Magic Bites (Kate Daniels series) - Ilona AndrewsBastion (The Immortal Great Souls) - Phil TuckerKingdom of the Wicked — Kerri ManiscalcoThrone of Glass - Sarah J. MaasThe Wheel of Time — Robert JordanOutlander — Diana GabaldonA Song of Ice and Fire / Game of Thrones — George R.R. MartinThis Kingdom Will Not Kill Me Synopsis: "When Maggie wakes up cold, filthy, and naked in a gutter, it doesn't take her long to recognize Kair Toren, a city she knows intimately from the pages of the famously unfinished dark fantasy series she's been obsessively reading and re-reading while waiting years for the final novel. Her only tools for navigating this gritty world of rival warlords, magic, and mayhem? Her encyclopedic knowledge of the plot, the setting, and the characters' ambitions and fates. But while she quickly discovers she cannot be killed (though many will try!), the same cannot be said for the living, breathing characters she's coming to love—a motley band that includes a former lady’s maid, a deadly assassin, various outrageous magical creatures, and a dangerously appealing soldier. Soon, instead of trying to get home, she finds herself enmeshed in the schemes—and attentions—of dueling princes, dukes, and villains, all while trying to save them and the kingdom of Rellas from the way she knows their stories will end: in a cataclysmic war." ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 – intro 00:01:38 – rating reveal 00:05:08 – spoiler-free plot overview (outlander meets game of thrones) 00:04:50 – spoiler warning begins 00:08:14 – writing style and the info-dump debate 00:18:45 – world-building, maps, and geography confusion 00:27:12 – how dark this book actually gets 00:28:47 – plot and character breakdown 00:39:44 – reynald/ramond tension and found family 00:41:20 – the serial killer subplot 00:47:51 – the butcher and rising stakes 00:49:08 – the adoption scene (fav moment) 01:02:53 – the final climax 01:03:57 – silveren theory 01:07:42 – final ratings reconsidered 01:08:52 – romantasy or epic fantasy 01:12:33 – wrap-up #bookclub #bookreview #bookpodcast #fantasybooks

    1h 13m

  2. Jun 16

    What We've Been Reading: DNFs to Five Star Reads!

    It's time for our mid-year reading check-in! 📖 In this episode, we highlight some books we've read so far, from DNFs to 5-star favorites. Along the way, we cover fantasy, romance, & romantasy releases, debate which books live up to the hype, & talk through what actually makes a book worth finishing versus worth putting down for good. We also recap of our first book signing experience! We met Cindy Pham & Ali Hazelwood to celebrate the release of The Secret Life of Briar Rose at BookPeople in Austin, TX. Tune in to hear all about it! 🤍 All CTB Links: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/checkthisbookout 💌 June Book Club: This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me — Ilona Andrews 📖 Books Mentioned: Road of Bones — Demi Winters Rites of the Starling — Devney Perry The Mistake — Elle Kennedy The Ascended — Bree Greenwich And Now, Back To You — B.K. Borison North Country — K.A. Tucker People Pleasing — Hannah Bonam-Young Tempt Me — K.A. Tucker Flawless — Elsie Silver Bastion — Phil Tucker The City of Brass — S.A. Chakraborty Yumi and The Nightmare Painter — Brandon Sanderson Wind and Truth — Brandon Sanderson Project Hail Mary — Andy Weir All Rhodes Lead Here — Mariana Zapata Funny Story — Emily Henry The Raven Scholar — Antonia Hodgson The Secret Life of Briar Rose — Cindy Pham This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me — Ilona Andrews

    53 min

  3. Jun 3

    METAL SLINGER by Rachel Schneider | Our Most Controversial Book Review Yet

    One of us gave it 4 stars. One of us would have given it zero if that were allowed. And one of us was just trying to survive the chaos in between...Welcome back to Check This Bookout, the podcast where two sisters (and their honorary third sister Jamie) review fantasy, romance, and romantasy books. This episode is our full spoiler review of Metal Slinger by Rachel Schneider, our May book club pick. We talk about everything: the villain twist ending that genuinely made Hannah gasp out loud, the fated mates bond between Brynn/Jovi and Acker, why the unreliable narrator in first-person POV created more frustration than payoff, the world of Alaha and why the giant squids deserved more page time, and the one scene ;) that everyone agreed was well done. Plus: our theories on book two, whether Frederick is Jovi's new love interest, the Off Campus TV adaptation, and a very important conversation about birthday party themes. Metal Slinger is a debut romantasy that got traditionally published after going viral, and this episode is our honest, messy, loving and sometimes brutal take on whether it lived up to the hype. 🤍 All CTB Links: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/checkthisbookout💌 May Book Club: This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews 📖 Books Mentioned: ​Metal Slinger by Rachel Schneider​Light Wielder by Rachel Schneider​Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry​The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen​Crescent City by Sarah J. Maas​Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros​Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas​Zodiac Academy by Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti​Quicksilver by Callie Hart​Off Campus series by Elle Kennedy​Beach Read by Emily Henry Metal Slinger Synopsis: "Even though she's not one of them, Brynn has spent her life among the Alaha, training to be a guard and waiting for the chance to attend the annual market hosted by the Kenta–the very same people who exiled her adopted community to a life at sea. Going to the market is a rite of passage eagerly anticipated by all young guards, but Brynn does not anticipate breaking a century-long peace treaty while there. Nor does she plan for the intense encounter with an enemy soldier that now threatens to unwind the fragile coexistence between their people–and everything Brynn once believed about herself to be true. Brynn's loyalty to the Alaha is tested when the truth of her identity is brought to light by this soldier who's taken an oath to bring her back to where she belongs. Narrowly escaping death on the violent high seas, Brynn's connection to the Alaha is further tested when she learns about the world of magic she's been denied. She was once certain of her fate and where she belonged, but the dark, knowing eyes of this stranger have her questioning everything, including her heart." Timestamps: 0:00 - cold open 1:40 - ratings reveal 3:10 - spoiler-free plot synopsis (and the bon jovi discovery) 6:30 - spoiler territory: that ending 8:00 - the unreliable narrator problem 14:40 - world building: the good, the half-baked, and the giant squids 18:00 - the fated mates romance breakdown 22:00 - "bring back simping, bring back yearning" 23:50 - the smut scene 25:30 - the messer situation and the mystery bird 31:00 - goodreads review #1: the one that said everything 45:00 - goodreads review #2: the potential this book wasted 51:00 - theories for book two- light wielder 58:00 - the magic system and unanswered questions 1:07:00 - reading the book two preview chapter live 1:13:00 - final ratings (they changed) 1:17:00 - off campus tv adaptation + birthday party theme chaos 1:23:00 - outro and closing

    1h 24m

  4. May 19

    This Is Romantasy's Last Chance...

    We have a bone to pick with the romantasy genre. The misuse of tropes, the imbalance of romance & fantasy plot lines, the questionable quality… The list goes on. In this episode, we breakdown what makes a romantasy book/series successful within its genre. Specifically, we’ll list out books we’ve read that do romantasy a disservice & books that redeem why we should all still give romantasy a chance. (P.S. this episode is spoiler-free!) 🤍 All CTB Links: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/checkthisbookout 💌 May Book Club: Metal Slinger - Rachel Schneider 📖 Books Mentioned:  Metal Slinger - Rachel Schneider A Court of Thorns and Roses - Sarah J. MaasThrone of Glass - Sarah J. MaasShield of Sparrows - Devney PerryA Court of Silver Flames - Sarah J. MaasFourth Wing - Rebecca YarrosFrom Blood and Ash - Jennifer L. ArmentroutHeartless Hunter - Kristen CiccarelliAnathema - Keri LakeObsidian - Jennifer L. ArmentroutShatter Me - Tahereh MafiZodiac Academy - Caroline Peckham and Susanne ValentiNever Keep - Caroline Peckham and Susanne ValentiThe Knight and The Moth - Rachel GilligOne Dark Window - Rachel GilligThe Ascended - Bree Grenwich and Parker LennoxOn Wings of Blood - Briar BoleynBlood and Steel - Helen Scheuerer This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me - Ilona AndrewsMagic Bites - Ilona AndrewsTimestamps:00:00 Cold Open & Intro00:26 The Romantasy Epidemic04:20 Defining Romantasy (And Why It's Kind of a Marketing Gimmick)07:25 Tangent: Does "Romance" Require a HEA?10:09 The Cons: What's Going Wrong With Romantasy Right Now13:29 The Slow Burn Rule16:03 More Cons: Imbalanced Fantasy vs. Romance Plots22:34 The Pros: Why We Still Love This Genre27:10 Tangent: Stop Adapting These Books for TV28:25 Good Examples: Heartless Hunter & Anathema31:56 Throwback Good Examples: Obsidian & Shatter Me35:21 POV Count & Why It Matters for Romantasy38:51 Bad Examples: The Night and the Moth43:14 Bad Examples: The Ascended (Madeline Loses It)46:01 Bad Examples: On Wings of Blood50:00 Bad Examples: The Legends of Thezmar53:56 Romantasy's Last Chance: Metal Slinger & Final Thoughts56:49 Is Romance Better When Written By Men?57:50 Outro & Book Club Reminder

    59 min

  5. Apr 29

    Emotionally Wrecked by THE NIGHT WE MET by Abby Jimenez

    Abby Jimenez’s new novel The Night We Met is here & we are feeling alllll the emotions. Tune in for our full review of this book in which we dive into the writing, characters, plot, romance, & more! Warning: tears ahead… (P.S. this episode contains spoilers!) 🤍 All CTB Links: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/checkthisbookout 💌 April Book Club: The Night We Met - Abby Jimenez 📖 Books Mentioned:  The Night We Met - Abby JimenezSay You’ll Remember Me - Abby JimenezThe Friend Zone - Abby Jimenez Abby Jimenez’s new novel The Night We Met is here & we are feeling alllll the emotions. Tune in for our full review of this book in which we dive into the writing, characters, plot, romance, & more! Warning: tears ahead… (P.S. this episode contains spoilers!)🤍 All CTB Links: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/checkthisbookout💌 April Book Club: The Night We Met - Abby Jimenez📖 Books Mentioned: * The Night We Met - Abby Jimenez* Say You’ll Remember Me - Abby Jimenez* The Friend Zone - Abby JimenezTimestamps:00:00:00 intro & book club kickoff 00:02:15 star ratings reveal 00:04:20 high level plot 00:05:30 entering spoiler territory! 00:06:30 jumping to the end lol 00:09:45 the friend zone by abby jimenez 00:11:00 abby's writing style has changed 00:15:00 favorite quotes 00:17:30 TOP BOOK BF 00:21:15 the beginning was boring 00:25:45 woofarine??? 00:27:00 the chris/mike dynamic 00:34:30 we loveeee chris 00:38:30 did we like larissa? 00:45:30 love triangle 00:52:00 our fav & least fav scenes 00:56:00 the uncomfortable ending 01:00:00 our final thoughts 01:05:00 may book club announcement 01:09:30 hannah's an author

    1h 14m

  6. Apr 14

    Books That Deserve Their Flowers

    No book is perfect, but some are pretty close! 💐 In this episode, we recommend fantasy & romance books that we rated four stars. Sure, we docked a star in our rating, but they still deserve recognition! These books are dear to us, so we bet y’all will love them, too! P.S. This episode is spoiler-free! 🤍 All CTB Links: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/checkthisbookout 💌 April Book Club: The Night We Met - Abby Jimenez 📖 Books Mentioned:  The Prison Healer - Lynette NoniThe Invisible Life of Addie LaRue - V. E. SchwabFlawless - Elsie SilverThe Ex Vows - Jessica JoyceShield of Sparrows - Devney PerryYours Truly - Abby JimenezShadow Reaper - Lynette NoniHeartless - Elsie SilverWild Love - Elsie SilverRites of Starling - Devney PerryThe Night We Met - Abby Jimenez ⏱️Time Stamps: 00:00:00 Welcome! 01:31:19 The Prison Healer 06:38:05 The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue 09:10:00 Flawless 14:09:15 The Ex Vows 18:44:20 Shield of Sparrows 24:36:13 Yours Truly 30:00:07 Join our Fable book club!

    33 min

  7. Mar 24

    Saving Earth with Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir | Spoiler Book Review

    On this weeks episode, we’re blasting off with Andy Weir’s hit novel Project Hail Mary. In this book review, we unpack the science, prose, humor, and plot and obsess over one of the most lovable characters we have ever read! (P.S. This episode contains spoilers!) 🤍 All CTB Links: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/checkthisbookout 🤍 2026 Book Bingo Card: https://tr.ee/QO4azNLxDV  🤍 March Book Club: Project Hail Mary - Andy Weir 📖 Books Mentioned: Project Hail Mary - Andy WeirThe Martian - Andy WeirMadeline's Goodreads Review: gosh, what’s not to love about this book?! the narration, relationship development, story telling, and creativity are just a small sample of the things that make Project Hail Mary incredible. +1 extra ⭐️ for how many times this book made me cry. highly recommend the audiobook! Hannah's Goodreads Review: Besides the cringe fist pumps & “what the fudge?”, this book was fantastic & hilarious. For my 1st hardcore sci fi, I struck gold with this one. Project Hail Mary Synopsis:"Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission – and if he fails, humanity and the earth itself will perish. Except that right now, he doesn't know that. He can't even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it.All he knows is that he's been asleep for a very, very long time. And he's just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.His crewmates dead, his memories fuzzily returning, Ryland realises that an impossible task now confronts him. Hurtling through space on this tiny ship, it's up to him to puzzle out an impossible scientific mystery and conquer an extinction-level threat to our species.And with the clock ticking down and the nearest human being light-years away, he's got to do it all alone. Or does he?"⏱️ Timestamps:00:00 We Believe in Aliens 👽00:14 Intro + Back to Sci-Fi01:33 ⭐ Our Ratings (5 Stars?!)03:16 Writing Style: Funny but… Cringey?05:18 Being Alone in Space (Why It Works)09:10 Emotional Impact Already??11:12 Plot & Premise (Why It Feels Real)18:44 The Opening Hook: Amnesia + Dead Crew23:53 First Contact… Wait, That’s an Alien27:53 Rocky Steals the Show 🥹33:33 Chaos Mode: Science + Survival40:10 The Taumoeba Breakthrough46:00 The Big Sacrifice Decision50:30 The Ending (We Have Thoughts)56:00 Why This Book Made Us Cry59:30 Final Thoughts + Should You Read It?

    1h 4m

  8. Feb 24

    Drafting Books for the Book Olympics!

    We’re bringing the Olympics to the bookish world & it gets competitive! We each drafted our romance & fantasy teams by pulling book titles blindly then strategically decided which category they would perform best in. From one-bed bobsled to the slow burn endurance trial, every round proved a challenge. And stay tuned post-game as we chit chat about our highs, lows, & current reads! (P.S. This episode is spoiler-free!) 🤍 All CTB Links: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/checkthisbookout 🤍 2026 Book Bingo Card: https://tr.ee/QO4azNLxDV  🤍 March Book Club: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir 📖 Books Mentioned: We Were Liars - E. LockhartThe Will of the Many - James IslingtonNovember 9 - Colleen HooverLove and Other Words - Christina LaurenA Part of Your World - Abby JimenezThrone of Glass - Sarah J. MaasShatter Me - Tahereh MafiTime Will Tell - Hannah Bonam-YoungOut on a Limb - Hannah Bonam-YoungLove on the Brain - Ali HazelwoodGood Spirits - B.K. BorisonA Fate of Wrath and Flame - K.A. TuckerZodiac Academy - Susanne Valenti & Cartoline PeckhamA Deadly Education - Naomi NovikPrison Healer - Lynette NoniCaraval - Stephanie GarberDivine Rivals - Rebecca RossOnyx Storm - Rebecca YarrosBride - Ali HazelwoodThe Invisible Life of Addie LaRue - V. E. SchwabNext of Kin - Hannah Bonam-YoungRhythm of War - Brandon SandersonA Tongue So Sweet and Deadly - Sophia St. GermainFlawless - Elsie SilverProject Hail Mary - Andy Weir

    40 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.6
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

Calling all book lovers! Check This Bookout is your go-to podcast for fantasy and romance book talk, hosted by two book-obsessed sisters, Madeline and Hannah Bookout. (Yes, that's our real last name!) Join us for unfiltered reviews, bookish games, seasonal book recs, monthly book club, and more! We’ll be here every other Tuesday discussing the books that made us laugh, cry, and stay up way too late. So find your comfy reading chair, grab your never-ending TBR, and let’s Check This Bookout!

Information

  • Creator
    Madeline and Hannah Bookout
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    48
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Madeline and Hannah Bookout
  • Show Website
    Check This Bookout

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