Chapter One and Beyond

Christina Emerson

Welcome to Chapter One and Beyond – a cozy, bookish podcast for readers tackling their towering TBRs one book at a time. Hosted by Christina, a lifelong reader and self-proclaimed book hoarder, this podcast dives into honest book reviews, reading updates, and casual chats about genres like horror, fantasy, sci-fi, thrillers, classics, and dystopian fiction. Whether you’re in a reading slump or just love the smell of a new book, this show is your reading buddy on the go. Expect spoiler-free recommendations, trend deep-dives, seasonal TBRs, wrap-ups, and fun reflections on the chaotic joy of being a book lover. 🎧 New episodes weekly #bookpodcast #bookish #TBRchallenge #fantasybooks #horrorreads #bookcommunity #currentlyreading Best, Christina!

  1. 4 de set.

    August Reading Wrap up

    It’s time for my August 2026 Reading Wrap-Up! 📚 In this episode of Chapter One and Beyond, I’m breaking down everything I read in August — the books I loved, the ones that surprised me, the disappointments, and all of my thoughts along the way. August brought another month of working through my never-ending TBR, continuing some series, diving into new worlds, and trying to make progress toward my 2026 reading goals. From fantasy and science fiction to thrillers and everything in between, we’re talking about what worked, what didn’t, and which books I think are actually worth adding to your reading list. 📖 IN THIS EPISODE:• Every book I read in August 2026• My ratings and spoiler-free book reviews• My favorite and least favorite reads of the month• Fantasy, sci-fi, thriller, and other book recommendations• Series updates and continuing reads• Progress toward my 2026 reading goals• What I’m planning to read next If you love monthly reading wrap-ups, honest book reviews, fantasy and science fiction recommendations, reading challenges, and watching someone attempt to conquer an absolutely unreasonable TBR, you’re in the right place. 🎙️ ABOUT CHAPTER ONE AND BEYOND Chapter One and Beyond is a book podcast for readers who love talking about books without pretending every book is a five-star read. Join me for reading wrap-ups, book reviews, reading challenges, TBRs, recommendations, reactions, and conversations about everything happening between chapter one and the final page. 💬 What was the best book YOU read in August? And did you have any major disappointments this month? Let me know! Subscribe/follow Chapter One and Beyond for more book reviews, monthly reading wrap-ups, reading challenges, TBR updates, and bookish chaos. #AugustReadingWrapUp #ReadingWrapUp #BooksIRead #BookReviews #BookRecommendations #BookPodcast #FantasyBooks #SciFiBooks #MonthlyWrapUp #ReadingChallenge #TBR #BookTube #BookCommunity #Books2026

  2. 28 de ago.

    Cheers to fifty episodes on COAB lets talk final push of 2026 reading list

    🎉 WE MADE IT TO EPISODE 50 OF CHAPTER ONE AND BEYOND! 🎉 For this milestone episode, I’m looking ahead at my final reading push of 2026 — and apparently I’ve decided to make it a little unhinged. 😂 I’ve narrowed down a massive 37-book TBR that comes directly from my bookshelf that judges me for not getting to it faster and this will become the foundation of my reading plans for the rest of the year. In this episode, I’m breaking down all 37 books, talking about why they made the list, and sharing how I plan to tackle this ambitious end-of-year reading challenge. Last year, I finished 132 books in 2025, and this year I’m determined to surpass that reading goal and see just how far I can push myself before December 31st. Between physical books, audiobooks, giant fantasy reads, backlist titles, and books that have been sitting on my shelves waiting for their turn, there is a LOT of reading ahead. Episode 50 also feels like the perfect time to say THANK YOU. ❤️ Chapter One and Beyond has grown because of everyone who has listened, watched, commented, subscribed, recommended a book, or joined me for one of my ridiculous reading challenges. I genuinely appreciate every bit of support. 📚 In Episode 50: My 37-book TBR for the rest of 2026My plan to beat my 2025 reading goal of 132 booksPhysical books vs. audiobooksMy end-of-year reading strategyBooks I’m most excited (and slightly terrified 😂) to tackleCelebrating 50 episodes of Chapter One and Beyond! Can I actually read all 37 books before the end of 2026? There’s only one way to find out. 😬📚 #ChapterOneAndBeyond #BookTube #BookPodcast #ReadingChallenge #2026ReadingGoals #TBR #EndOfYearTBR #BooksToRead #ReadingGoals #BookRecommendations #Bookish #BookLover #ReadingVlog #Audiobooks #FantasyBooks #50thEpisode

  3. 18 de ago.

    Is The Anxious Generation Worth Reading? + Books I'm Keeping or Unhauling

    Welcome back to Chapter One and Beyond! It's time for update episode of this round of Try It or Trash It, the series where I revisit books from my physical TBR, discuss whether they were worth reading, and decide if I'd recommend them to other readers and whether i am keeping them or not for future reading. In this episode, I'm talking about my progress from episode 15, sharing my thoughts, ratings, surprises, disappointments, and whether each title earned a "Try It" or a "Trash It." After that, I'll be choosing a brand-new group of books from my shelves to tackle next. I also recently read the anxious generation by Jonathon Haidt and honestly wanted to splurge on talking about this book more than just my broad previous reviews i love or hated it. So I share some thoughts and perspective as a mom myself and a software engineer too. So I hope you enjoy that part as well of the episode! If you love book recommendations, reducing your physical TBR, reading challenges, fantasy, science fiction, horror, thrillers, classics, and honest book discussions, this episode is for you. Join me as I continue working through my ever-growing bookshelf one book at a time and discover which books are worth your reading time. If you enjoy the episode, please follow, subscribe, rate, and share the podcast. Your support helps Chapter One and Beyond reach more readers and grow our book-loving community. Happy reading and thanks for listening! #BookPodcast #BookRecommendations #TBR #PhysicalTBR #FantasyBooks #SciFiBooks #HorrorBooks #BookTube #ReadingCommunity #BookReview

  4. 14 de ago.

    I Own WAY Too Many Books… Massive Bookshelf Unhaul & Haul

    In Episode 48 of Chapter One and Beyond, I’m going through a huge book unhaul and saying goodbye to books I’ve read, books I’ve lost interest in, and books I’m finally admitting I probably won’t pick up. But don’t worry—the shelves definitely didn’t stay empty for long. 😂 I’m also sharing the books I picked up with my birthday money, some exciting new additions to my collection, upcoming book releases I can’t wait to get my hands on, and books currently sitting VERY high on my future book-buying wishlist. We’re talking: 📚 A massive book unhaul 🎂 Books I bought with my birthday money 🛍️ New books joining my shelves ✨ Upcoming and anticipated book releases ❤️ Books I loved enough that I want my own physical copies 👀 Books currently tempting me to completely ignore my book-buying budget If you love book hauls, bookshelf unhauls, anticipated releases, fantasy and sci-fi books, physical TBRs, and generally watching another reader attempt to make responsible bookshelf decisions before immediately acquiring more books...this episode is for you. Grab your current read, settle in, and let’s talk BOOKS! 🎙️ Chapter One and Beyond — a bookish podcast about reading challenges, TBRs, book reviews, reading goals, fantasy, sci-fi, and everything that happens after chapter one. #BookPodcast #BookUnhaul #BookHaul #BirthdayBookHaul #BookWishlist #AnticipatedReleases #BookRecommendations #FantasyBooks #SciFiBooks #Bookish #TBR #ReadingPodcast #BooksToRead #ChapterOneAndBeyond

Sobre

Welcome to Chapter One and Beyond – a cozy, bookish podcast for readers tackling their towering TBRs one book at a time. Hosted by Christina, a lifelong reader and self-proclaimed book hoarder, this podcast dives into honest book reviews, reading updates, and casual chats about genres like horror, fantasy, sci-fi, thrillers, classics, and dystopian fiction. Whether you’re in a reading slump or just love the smell of a new book, this show is your reading buddy on the go. Expect spoiler-free recommendations, trend deep-dives, seasonal TBRs, wrap-ups, and fun reflections on the chaotic joy of being a book lover. 🎧 New episodes weekly #bookpodcast #bookish #TBRchallenge #fantasybooks #horrorreads #bookcommunity #currentlyreading Best, Christina!