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. 3D AGO

    Short Stories Just in Time for Valentine's | Spoiler Book Reviews

    For Valentine’s this year, we’re reviewing The Improbable Meet Cute: Second Chances collection! 💘 Six romance authors took the prompt of ‘a second chance at love’ & wrote six short stories to binge for the holiday. We read each one & surprisingly have conflicting opinions on what these beloved & new-to-us authors had to offer. Tune in for some sibling rivalry & many laughs! (P.S. This episode contains spoilers & explicit content!) 🤍 All CTB Links: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/checkthisbookout 🤍 2026 Book Bingo Card: https://tr.ee/QO4azNLxDV  📖 Books Mentioned: ​Time Will Tell - Hannah Bonam-Young​Accidentally Yours - Christina Lauren​Second Act Romance - Julie Soto​A Play For Love - Trilina Pucci​Death To Valentine’s Day - Catherine Cowles​Valentine’s Slay - Navessa Allen​Big Fan - Alexandra Romanoff​Next of Kin - Hannah Bonam-Young​The Exception to the Rule - Christina Lauren​All The Missing Pieces - Catherine Cowles​Lights Out - Navessa Allen​Butcher & Blackbird - Brynne Weaver​The Housemaid - Freida McFadden​Falling - Christina Lauren⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 intro 03:30 general thoughts on short stories 05:45 the comets are fake 💀 09:20 time will tell ratings & review 15:30 accidentally yours ratings & review 21:40 second act romance ratings & review 26:20 hannah’s an actress 28:00 a play for love ratings & review 34:25 death to valentine’s ratings & review 46:20 valentine’s slay ratings & review 57:00 final thoughts!

    59 min

  2. JAN 27

    On Theme With PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION by Emily Henry | Spoiler Book Review

    Emily Henry is a staple author of ours so we must discuss People We Meet On Vacation with y’all!🌴 Diving deep into both the book & movie, we debrief the writing, characters, favorite scenes, & disappointments. This episode had us laughing hard & shaking our heads, so tune in for the chaos! (P.S. This episode contains spoilers!) 🤍 All CTB Links: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/checkthisbookout 🤍 2026 Book Bingo Card: https://tr.ee/QO4azNLxDV  🤍 February Book Club: The Improbable Meet Cute: Second Chances 📖 Books Mentioned: ​People We Meet On Vacation - Emily Henry​Beach Read - Emily Henry​Funny Story - Emily Henry​Book Lovers - Emily Henry​Happy Place - Emily Henry​Great Big Beautiful Life - Emily HenryOn Wings of Blood - Briar BoleynProject Hail Mary - Andy WeirThe Raven Scholar - Antonio HodgsonIn Your Dreams - Sarah Adams ⏱​️ Timestamps: 00:00:00 intro 00:01:15 star rating refresher 00:07:20 our ratings of the book 00:08:45 our ratings of the movie 00:09:20 writing style 00:17:00 that first ch was something special 00:19:00 thoughts on poppy & alex 00:24:45 men & women can never be friends 00:27:25 fav and least fav plot points 00:34:50 was the movie better than the book? 00:37:00 differences between bok & movie 00:41:30 giggle break 00:41:40 the past scenes were the best part 00:46:00 the ending & emotionally unavailable women 00:48:20 ranking emily henry's books 00:51:00 yap time! (reading journal & current reads)

    1h 3m

  3. JAN 20

    Our 2026 Fantasy & Romance TBRs!

    We’re sharing the fantasy & romance book releases we can’t wait to get our hands on in 2026, along with our personal reading goals for the year ahead! If you're planning your TBR for the new year like us, this episode is packed with plenty of recs for you to kick off 2026! 🤍 CTB Links: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/checkthisbookout 🤍 Book Bingo Card: https://tr.ee/sH5fQ6VTZT📖 🧡 January Book Club: People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry (releases on 1/27/26) 📖 Books Mentioned: ​In Your Dreams - Sarah Adams [Dec 30, 2025]​What Next - M. J. Hughes [Feb 21]​And Now, Back To You - B.K. Borison [Feb 24]​In Her Own League - Liz Tomforde [March 3]​The Night We Met - Abby Jimenez [March 31]​Rites of the Starling - Denver Perry [April 7]​Our Perfect Storm - Carley Fortune [May 5]​Light Wielder - Rachel Schneider [June 9]​A Darker Shore: Letters from Ketterdam - Leigh Bardugo [June 30]​The Secret World of Briar Rose - Cindy Pham [June 2]​The Romance Revival - Christina Lauren [July 14]​Burn of the Everflame - Pen Cole [tbd]​Adversary to the Villain - Hannah Nicole Maehrer [Aug 4]​People Pleasing - Hannah Bonam-Young [Sept 10]​Grim Tidings - B.K. Borison [Sept 15]​The Fires of December - Brandon Sanderson [Dec]* Tempest - Victoria Aveyard [tbd]​Red God - Pierce Brown [tbd]​Horneater - Brandon Sanderson [tbd] ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 - our 2026 fantasy & romance tbr 00:50 - it's our 1 yr bday!  03:35 - meet hannah 05:25 - january book releases 06:00 - february book releases 09:25 - march book releases 13:40 - april book releases 14:45 - may book releases 17:30 - june book releases 23:40 - july book releases 29:00 - september book releases 33:35 - december book releases 35:50 - TBD release dates 40:30 - our 2026 reading goals 48:20 - 2026 book bingo! 50:00 - CTB book club

    52 min

  4. JAN 6

    The Books We Checked Out In 2025!

    Our annual, spoiler-free Reading Wrap Up is here! We each share 3 favorites and 3 flops of fantasy and romance books that we read this year, along with our DNFs & reading stats! 🤍 CTB Links: ⁠⁠ ⁠https://linktr.ee/checkthisbookout⁠  📖 Books Mentioned: ​Onyx Storm - Rebecca Yarros ​The Knight and the Moth - Rachel Gillig​Scythe and Sparrow - Brynne Weaver​Tourist Season - Brynne Weaver​Off To The Races - Elsie Silver​Six of Crows - Leigh Bardugo​The Blood Traitor - Lynnette Noni​The Will of the Many - James Islington​Blood Over Bright Haven - M. L. Wang​Morning Star - Pierce Brown​Good Spirits - B.K. Borison​Eldritch - Keri Lake​Anathema - Keri Lake​Nocticadia - Keri Lake​Never Keep - Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti​Mistborn - Brandon Sanderson ​The Emperor Sol - Brandon Sanderson​Say You’ll Remember Me - Abby Jimenez​The Strength of the Few - James Islington ⏱️ Timestamps: 02:52 Onyx Storm 06:06 Knight & the Moth 08:02 Scythe and Sparrow 09:35 Tourist Season 11:12 Off to the Races 13:58 Top 3 Books of the Year 14:07 Six of Crows 14:39 The Blood Traitor 16:14 The Will of the Many 18:16 Blood Over Bright Haven 19:16 Morning Star 20:41 Good Spirits 21:59 Top 3 Kiss Marry Kill 25:13 # of DNFs 29:05 2025 Reading Stats 36:00 # of Audiobooks 37:25 Average Ratings 40:17 Book Journaling

    45 min

  5. 12/23/2025

    Ruminating On THE STRENGTH OF THE FEW by James Islington | Spoiler Review

    The Strength of the Few was a chaotic & suspenseful sequel & we discuss it all in this review! 🏛️ We dive deep into the layered world building, complex character development, political tension, & that unforgettable ending. We ponder theories & what’s to come, so tune in to hear our honest thoughts! (P.S. this review contains spoilers!) 🤍 CTB Links: ⁠⁠ https://linktr.ee/checkthisbookout  📖 Books Mentioned: The Strength of the Few - James IslingtonThe Will of the Many - James Islington The Strength of the Few Synopsis: "OMNE TRIUM PERFECTUM. The Hierarchy still call me Vis Telimus. Still hail me as Catenicus. They still, as one, believe they know who I am. But with all that has happened—with what I fear is coming—I am not sure it matters anymore. I am no longer one. I won the Iudicium, and lost everything—and now, impossibly, the ancient device beyond the Labyrinth has replicated me across three separate worlds. A different version of myself in each of Obiteum, Luceum, and Res. Three different bodies, three different lives. I have to hide; fight; play politics. I have to train; trust; lie. I have to kill; heal; prove myself again, and again, and again. I am loved, and hated, and entirely alone. Above all, though, I need to find answers before it’s too late. To understand the nature of what has happened to me, and why. I need to find a way to stop the coming Cataclysm, because if all I have learned is true, I may be the only one who can." Timestamps: 00:00:00 the strength of the few review! 00:01:50 our ratings & initial thoughts 00:05:00 split POVs, time skips & confusion 00:19:00 obiteum plot walk & giggles 00:27:00 hannah's fav obiteum scene 00:30:00 mad's fav obiteum scene 00:33:00 thoughts on ka 00:37:00 crazy theories - caeror, ostius & will 00:50:00 luceum plot walk & sweet little deaglan 00:54:30 vis's dad makes us cry 00:58:00 hannah's fav luceum scene 01:00:00 mad's fav luceum scenes 01:05:00 res plot walk 01:08:05 the most shocking death 01:14:00 ostius analysis 01:17:00 hannah's alupi theory 01:20:50 mad's fav res scene 01:22:10 the truth of the concurrence 01:35:00 final thoughts

    1h 42m

  6. 12/09/2025

    Meet Romance Author M. J. Hughes!

    Romance author M. J. Hughes is joining us on the pod to talk all things writing & publishing of her spicy, college, hockey romance standalone series, A River Road Series! 🏒 From behind-the-scenes writing stories to navigating indie-publishing, this episode is packed with honesty, inspiration, & all the bookish chaos we love. M. J. shares how she went from passionate reader to self-published author & the reality of balancing work full-time with writing & content creation. Also expect the full scoop on her hockey romance world of Barker University & future stories & audiobooks releasing soon! Whether you’re a hockey romance lover like us or just curious about what it takes to be indie-published, this is a conversation you don’t want to miss! 🤍 CTB Links: ⁠⁠ https://linktr.ee/checkthisbookout 🤍 M. J Hughes' Links: https://linktr.ee/mjhughesauthor https://authormjhughes.etsy.com?coupon=CHECKTHISBOOKOUT Use code CHECKTHISBOOKOUT for $5 off!📖 Books Mentioned: What If - M. J. HughesWhat Now - M. J. HughesWhat Next - M. J. Hughes#booktube #romancebooks #romancereader #bookrecommendations #bookreview

    1h 3m

  7. 11/26/2025

    Tidings of GOOD SPIRITS by B.K. Borison

    The weather is getting colder, the books are getting cozier, & this paranormal romance by B.K. Borison suits the season perfectly ❄️ In our review of Good Spirits, we cry (literally), laugh, & gush over everything that made this book so special to us. The characters, magic, & emotional depth tucked into the quaint city of Annapolis left us dreamy & eager for more B.K. Borison paranormal romances in the future! (P.S. this episode contains spoilers!) 🤍 CTB Links!: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/checkthisbookout⁠⁠ 🖋️ Good Spirits Synopsis: Ghost of Christmas Past Nolan Callahan intends to spend this holiday haunting like every other—get in, get out, return to his otherwise aimless existence as a ghost awaiting the afterlife. But when he’s faced with Harriet York, the sweetest assignment he’s ever had, he suddenly finds himself wishing for a future. Harriet York has no idea why she’s being haunted. She’s a good person—or, at least, she tries to be. A people pleaser to her core, she always does what’s expected of her. But as she and Nolan begin to examine her past, they discover there are threads that bind them together— and realize there might be more to moving on than expected. With the deadline of Christmas Eve fast approaching, will they find the key to their futures in each other’s pasts? Or will they stay firmly in the present, indulging in their unexpected, spirited connection? 📖 Books Mentioned: Good Spirits - B.K. BorisonFirst Time Caller - B.K. BorisonLovelight Farms - B.K. BorisonGrim Tidings - B.K. BorisonHolidaze - Christina LaurenSay You’ll Remember Me - Abby JimenezThe Will of the Many - James IslingtonThe Strength of the Few - James IslingtonPrison Healer - Lynette NoniGreat Big Beautiful Life - Emily Henry ⏱ Time Stamps: 00:00:00 good spirits by b.k. borison! 00:01:10 christmas disclaimer 00:2:20 out of hannah's comfort zone 00:3:20 our ratings + book overview 00:8:20 b.k.'s writing style 00:11:00 magical realism & paranormal elements 00:15:20 character dimension & trauma 00:20:00 the setting 00:22:00 the meh hook 00:25:00 the perfect pallet cleanser 00:28:00 visceral emotional reactions 00:33:00 harriet's first memory 00:34:30 sweet sweet soulmates 00:40:30 the boat scene 00:45:50 matched loneliness 00:47:30 hannah's first pod tears 00:51:00 thoughts on dual pov & dialogue 00:53:50 the spy cat 00:56:00 the next books 00:58:00 2025 wrap up foreshadowing 01:02:20 we loved harriet & magic 01:08:15 goodreads choice awards nominations 01:18:00 outro

    1h 20m

  8. 11/12/2025

    Decoding THE WILL OF THE MANY by James Islington (Part Two)

    We're back with Part 2 of our deep dive into The Will of the Many! 🏛️ We’re unpacking everything that makes this book so addictive: the writing, the world, the politics, the twists, & that jaw-dropping ending. (P.S. This episode contains spoilers!) 🤍 CTB Links!: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/checkthisbookout⁠⁠ 🖋️ The Will of the Many Synopsis: "AUDI. VIDE. TACE. The Catenan Republic – the Hierarchy – may rule the world now, but they do not know everything. I tell them my name is Vis Telimus. I tell them I was orphaned after a tragic accident three years ago, and that good fortune alone has led to my acceptance into their most prestigious school. I tell them that once I graduate, I will gladly join the rest of civilised society in allowing my strength, my drive and my focus – what they call Will – to be leeched away and added to the power of those above me, as millions already do. As all must eventually do. I tell them that I belong, and they believe me. But the truth is that I have been sent to the Academy to find answers. To solve a murder. To search for an ancient weapon. To uncover secrets that may tear the Republic apart. And that I will never, ever cede my Will to the empire that executed my family. To survive, though, I will still have to rise through the Academy’s ranks. I will have to smile, and make friends, and pretend to be one of them and win. Because if I cannot, then those who want to control me, who know my real name, will no longer have any use for me. And if the Hierarchy finds out who I truly am, they will kill me." 📖 Books Mentioned: The Will of the Many (Hierarchy #1) - James Islington The Strength of the Few (Hierarchy #2) - James Islington The Shadow of What Was Lost (The Licanius Trilogy #1) - James Islington Empire of Storms - Sarah J. Maas The Way of Kings - Brandon Sanderson The Name of the Wind - Patrick Rothfuss ⏱ Time Stamps: 00:00:00 intro 00:01:50 festival of the ancestors 00:06:00 adventure to the 2nd ruins 00:09:20 vis adopts a dog 00:11:20 caeror’s letters 00:13:15 creepy ghost theory 00:17:30 cataclysm theory 00:23:30 the duel + aequa deep dive 00:30:00 madeline cries lol 00:31:30 vis goes home 00:37:00 dynamic duo - military and anguis 00:37:50 the perfect theory book 00:40:00 emissa's 00:42:15 vis is a chess king 00:52:20 crazy synchronism theories 00:58:20 the iudicium deep dive 01:11:00 is it a prophecy? 01:16:00 the rest of the iudicium 01:27:00 outro

    1h 30m
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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
    40
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Madeline and Hannah Bookout
  • Show Website
    Check This Bookout

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