Kris and Mads

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Release Day! Thomas Weaver on Artificial Wisdom, AI Elections & His Penguin Random House Deal Aug 12, 2025

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It’s publication day for Artificial Wisdom—the gripping 2050 techno-thriller murder mystery that blends AI, politics, and climate catastrophe! We sit down with author Thomas Weaver to celebrate the U.S. release with Penguin Random House’s Del Rey. Tom shares his journey from indie publishing to Amazon bestseller to landing an agent and selling Artificial Wisdom—and its unwritten sequel!—to a major publisher. We talk AI vs. human leadership, writing high-stakes thrillers, and what it’s like to relaunch a book to the world. Plus: live audience Q&A on the craft, the business, and what’s next for Thomas Weaver.If you love sci-fi thrillers, climate fiction, political intrigue, or stories of publishing success, this interview is a must-watch.#ArtificialWisdom #ThomasWeaver #BookReleaseDay #PenguinRandomHouse #DelReyBooks #AIElectionThriller #TechnoThriller #ClimateFiction #SciFiThriller #AuthorInterview #Booktube #WritingCommunity #AIThriller #PoliticalThriller #NewBookRelease #SciFiBooks #PublishingJourney #FromIndieToTrad #BookLaunchDay #scifiauthor Let’s connect!Join our Patreon read-and-watch club: patreon.com/KrisandMadsSisterhoodHave a business inquiry? Email our manager: nancy@farq-media.comTikTok: / kris.and.mads Instagram: / krisandmads All our other links are here: https://linktr.ee/kris.and.madsTo check out our brother C.Ray's music which we use in all our episodes, you can find him here: / @seerayhardly #BookTube #FantasyBooks #BookClub #Reading #Books

So You Want to Read The Wheel of Time? Start Here: What to Know Before Starting the 14-Book Epic Aug 06, 2025

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So you’re thinking about reading The Wheel of Time… but 14 books? A thousand characters? Constant skirt-smoothing?? We get it. In this episode, we’re spilling all the spoiler-free tea to help you decide if this iconic fantasy series is for you—and how to actually enjoy the ride.Here’s what we cover:• The forming, storming, norming, and performing phases of reading the series• What it’s like reading a series the original author didn’t finish (shoutout to Brandon Sanderson for saving the day)• The tools that will actually help you keep characters, maps, and timelines straighthttps://apps.apple.com/us/app/wot-com...https://wheeloftimelines.com/ @DanielGreeneReviews recap videos: • Let's Summarize The Wheel of Time • Cringe alerts: the gender dynamics, the braid-tugging, the constant clothing descriptions 😅• Why fans still love it: a killer magic system, rich themes, and an iconic fandom• Who should read it—and who might want to skip it (we won’t judge)If you love massive worlds, fandom lore, magical systems, and long-haul reading with payoff—The Wheel of Time might be your next obsession. We’re here to help you go in with eyes wide open and a solid game plan.Timestamps:00:00 Intro02:04 Breaking the Wheel of Time Into Sections03:02 The Forming Phase05:45 The Storming Phase09:42 The Norming Phase15:05 The Performing Phase19:57 Reading Resources for Wheel of Time25:55 The Cringey Parts of Wheel of Time33:01 The Best Aspects of Wheel of Time40:56 Who Should Read The Wheel of Time and When?Let’s connect!Join our Patreon read-and-watch club: patreon.com/KrisandMadsSisterhoodHave a business inquiry? Email our manager: nancy@farq-media.comTikTok: / kris.and.mads Instagram: / krisandmads All our other links are here: https://linktr.ee/kris.and.madsTo check out our brother C.Ray's music, which we use in all our episodes, you can find him here: / @seerayhardly #BookTube #FantasyBooks #BookClub #Reading #Books #WheelOfTime #RobertJordan #BrandonSanderson #FantasySeries #WheelOfTimePodcast #EpicFantasy #LongSeriesReading #WoTCompendium #WheelOfTimelines #DanielGreene #FantasyFandom #SpoilerFreeGuide #HowToReadWheelOfTime #BookPodcast #FantasyBooks #ReadingTips

23 Books We Read in July 2025 📚 | New Favorites, Hot Takes & Big Disagreements Aug 01, 2025

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We read 23 books in July and it was a wild reading month! From standalones and surprises to potential best book of the year (Maddie is obsessed 😍), we’re breaking down everything we loved, didn’t love, and totally disagreed on. One super popular book flopped for us, and we had completely opposite reactions to Atmosphere. Come hang out with us for a cozy chat full of honest reviews, spicy ratings, and maybe a new book for your TBR 💬✨Let us know if you read any of these or disagreed with our takes!Time Stamps00:00 Intro 02:28 Prophet Song By Paul Lynch 11:51 The Guest List By Lucy Foley14:09 Death on the Nile By Agatha Christie19:08 A Memory of Light By Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson25:39 A Reaper at the Gates and A Sky Beyond the Storm By Sabaa Tahir32:07 The Finish Line, One Last Rainy Day, Severed Heart By Kate Stewart39:10 Library at Mount Char By Scott Hawkins43:51 The Dead Romantics By Ashley Boston48:33 Writers and Lovers By Lily King 51:36 Onyx Storm By Rebecca Yarros55:59 Find Grace By Loretta Rothschild 57:58 Atmosphere By Taylor Jenkins Reid01:03:27 Ship of Magic By Robin Hobb01:10:53 The Dispossessed By Ursula K. Le Guin 01:14:46 Pachinko By Min Jin Lee01:116:56 Final thoughts The Dispossessed guide • Freedom is Constant Revolution | The Dispo... Let’s connect!Join our Patreon read-and-watch club: patreon.com/KrisandMadsSisterhoodHave a business inquiry? Email our manager: nancy@farq-media.comTikTok: / kris.and.mads Instagram: / krisandmads All our other links are here: https://linktr.ee/kris.and.madsTo check out our brother C.Ray's music which we use in all our episodes, you can find him here: / @seerayhardly #BookTube #FantasyBooks #BookClub #Reading #Books

Bestselling Author Kate Stewart on Severed Heart, Her “Ravens” Community, and the Audiobook! Jul 24, 2025

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In this powerful episode, we sit down with Severed Heart author Kate Stewart—a queen of dark romance. We dive into her latest release Severed Heart, now out in audio from Podium, and the process of bringing it to life as a fully produced audiobook.Kate opens up about her incredibly loyal reader base, known as the "Ravens," a passionate community that's not only obsessed with the series but also committed to doing good in the world through local state chapters.We also talk about her hands-on role in the audiobook production, what’s next for her as an author, and the exciting news that she’s now screenwriting and producing her own film adaptation of Flock. If you love dark romance, fandoms that matter, and behind-the-scenes creative stories, this one’s for you.Timestamps:00:00 Intro00:43 Kate Tells Us Two Truths and a Lie02:16 The Inspiration and Origin of the Ravenhood Series04:32 All About Severed Heart - The Audiobook09:48 More Books Coming in the Ravenhood Legacy!13:42 Delays in Publishing and Kate's Amazing Team of Publishers14:41 Who is Kate's Favorite Character to Write15:12 Kate's "Pinch Me" Moments from Book Tour16:29 The Readers ("Ravens") and How Kate Considers Them Family19:56 What Does Kate Love to Read?23:16 Why Romance? What Pulls Kate to the Genre?24:31 What Are Kate's Writing Rituals? What's the Writing Process?26:48 All About Flock's Screen Adaptation33:43 Kate's Hopes for the FutureLet’s connect!Join our Patreon read-and-watch club: patreon.com/KrisandMadsSisterhoodHave a business inquiry? Email our manager: nancy@farq-media.comTikTok: / kris.and.mads Instagram: / krisandmads All our other links are here: https://linktr.ee/kris.and.madsTo check out our brother C.Ray's music which we use in all our episodes, you can find him here: / @seerayhardly #BookTube #FantasyBooks #BookClub #Reading #Books #KateStewart #SeveredHeart #DarkRomance #RomanceBooks #PodiumAudio #AudiobookLaunch #RavensFandom #FlockSeries #RomanceAuthors #IndieRomance #BookToScreen #ScreenAdaptation #BookPodcast #AuthorInterview #RomanceCommunity #BookishPodcast #RomanceBookstagram #ReadersOfInstagram #BookTok #RomanceTikTok

Our Infinite Fates Author Laura Steven ✨ | New Book Silvercloak, Fantasy, and What’s Next Jul 22, 2025

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Today Kristen's dream came true when we sat down with New York Times bestselling author Laura Steven, whose novel Our Infinite Fates has been a breakout fantasy favorite of 2025! Her new adult fantasy release Silvercloak, is coming July 29th, and we couldn’t wait to ask her everything.This conversation felt like a FaceTime with a friend—relaxed, inspiring, and packed with behind-the-scenes details on Laura’s writing process, the magic of Silvercloak, her thoughts on romance in fantasy, and what’s coming next. If you’re a fan of immersive fantasy worlds, witty characters, or just want to hang out with your new favorite author, this one’s for you.Laura Steven website https://www.laura-steven.com/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/laurasteven...Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@authorlaurast...Time Stamps 00:00 Intro 02:01 Silvercloak book launch 02:30 Two truths and a lie 08:41 Laura’s background in writing 21:25 Why adult fantasy 25:09 Is Silvercloak romantic31:48 Authors and books Laura loves34:01 Who did you write Silvercloak for36:54 How do you use social media44:45 Is Silvercloak going to have more books41:21 Is writing a series intimidating 48:10 Foreshadowing 48:59 Do you have arc readers 51:07 2025 book tour 52:00 What do your readers mean to you55:40 Laura’s writing rituals 59:21 Future dream and plans 01:01:35 Movie adaptation 01:03:58 Where to follow Laura Steven Let’s connect!Join our Patreon read-and-watch club: patreon.com/KrisandMadsSisterhoodHave a business inquiry? Email our manager: nancy@farq-media.comTikTok: / kris.and.mads Instagram: / krisandmads All our other links are here: https://linktr.ee/kris.and.madsTo check out our brother C.Ray's music which we use in all our episodes, you can find him here: / @seerayhardly #BookTube #FantasyBooks #BookClub #Reading #Books

Reading is Trending 🔥 | But Where are We Getting our books in 2025 📚 Jul 15, 2025

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In this episode, we’re talking all about how we actually get our books—whether it’s through libraries, bookstores (big or indie!), audiobooks, eBooks, or book apps. We go through the pros and cons of each, share how we personally read and listen to books, and even dream up what our own cozy little bookstore would look like. ☕📚We also get into a big question: if more people are reading, why are library visits and checkouts going down? Is it all about convenience, funding, or something else?This was such a fun and thoughtful conversation, and we’d love to hear from you too—how do you usually access books these days? Drop your thoughts in the comments 💬Article Mentioned: https://www.thefp.com/p/front-page-de...Time stamps 00:00 Intro 01:09 Article about libraries 03:28 Libraries13:09 Barns & Noble 17:30 Indie Bookstores21:23 Thrifted bookstores24:03 Online book shopping27:32 Hardback or paperback 28:25 Reading Apps30:19 Market book selling31:02 Little Free Libraries 32:47 Bookstore combos 33:51 Bookstore of our dreams 30:04 Are more people reading42:04 Our goals Let’s connect!Join our Patreon read-and-watch club: patreon.com/KrisandMadsSisterhoodHave a business inquiry? Email our manager: nancy@farq-media.comTikTok: / kris.and.mads Instagram: / krisandmads All our other links are here: https://linktr.ee/kris.and.madsTo check out our brother C.Ray's music which we use in all our episodes, you can find him here: / @seerayhardly #BookTube #FantasyBooks #BookClub #Reading #Books

2025 Mid-Year Book Freakout Tag 📚 | Our Favorite Reads, Surprises & Disappointments! Jul 09, 2025

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It’s time for the 2025 Mid-Year Book Freakout Tag—our favorite annual tradition! 🎉 In this cozy podcast-style episode, we go through all questions from the tag and give our brutally honest thoughts on our reading year so far.💥 From best books and big surprises to disappointing reads, fictional crushes, and the new releases we still haven’t gotten to… this episode is packed with laughs, strong opinions, and some tough decisions.Let’s connect!Join our Patreon read-and-watch club: patreon.com/KrisandMadsSisterhoodHave a business inquiry? Email our manager: nancy@farq-media.comTikTok: / kris.and.mads Instagram: / krisandmads All our other links are here: https://linktr.ee/kris.and.madsTo check out our brother C.Ray's music which we use in all our episodes, you can find him here: / @seerayhardly 00:00 Intro 00:39 Best book of the year 07:25 Best sequel 12:32 New release you haven’t yet read15:02 Most anticipated release 16:52 Biggest disappointment 26:33 Biggest surprise 29:15 New favorite author 31:48 Favorite fictional crush 37:28 Newest favorite character 41:25 Books that made us cry us happy 44:25 Books that made 47:39 Most beautiful book49:28 book to finish before the end of the year 51:06 Favorite audiobook 54:16 Favorite reread 55:31 Favorite reading moment or memory 58:26 Reading goal update Books MentionedAssassin’s Fate and Royal Assassin By Robin HobbOur Infinite FatesBy Laura Steven Atmosphere By Taylor Jenkins Reid The Strength of the FewBy James Islington The Wise Man’s FearBy Patrice RothfussAll Systems Red By Martha WellsDungeon Crawler CarlMatt Dinniman Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac Caroline Peckham Suzanne Valenti The OutsidersBy S. E. Hinton This is How You Loose the Time WarBy Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone11/22/63 and Fairy tale Stephen King Severed HeartBy Kate Stewart Heartless By Elsie Silver The Knight and the MothBy Rachel Gillig The Perks of Being a Wallflower By Stephen Chbosky The Licanius TrilogyBy James Islington Sunrise on the Reaping By Suzanne Collins Gifted and Talented By Olivia Blake Death of the Author by Nnedi OkoraforDaughter of the Empire By Janny Wurts and Raymond E. FeistThe Fires of Vengeance By Evan Winter Intermezzo By Sally Rooney The Lord of the RingsBy J.R.R. Tolkien The Wheel of TimeRobert Jordan and Brandon SandersonAn Ember in the AshesBy Sabaa Tahir #BookTube #FantasyBooks #BookClub #Reading #Books

June Reading Wrap Up: 17 Books, 2 Flops, and a 5-Star Wheel of Time Book! Jul 02, 2025

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We read 17 books in June and had THOUGHTS. From a surprisingly good dark romance to two disappointing hyped books, this wrap-up has it all: spicy fantasy (From Blood and Ash), sci-fi (All Systems Red), classics (Emma + Picnic at Hanging Rock), a pop-culture classic (The Perks of Being a Wallflower), and even more Wheel of Time—where one of us finally gave a book in the series 5 stars! 😱We give spoiler-free takes on each read, share what worked (and what didn’t), and talk about what we’re learning from reading so many books together—especially as book club hosts. Whether you love Stephen King, Jane Austen, or graphic novels like Saga, we’ve got a recommendation—or a rant—for you.Drop your June reads in the comments, and tell us if we’re wrong for being underwhelmed by a certain viral novella 👀📚Timestamps00:00 Intro02:58 From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout04:58 Comparing FBAA to An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir15:38 All Systems Red by Martha Wells19:51 What we’ve learned about books worth reading in a book club21:51 Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor28:11 Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay34:08 Summer in the City by Alex Aster39:46 Ravenhood Series by Kate Stewart46:11 Emma by Jane Austen50:25 The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky56:18 Saga by Brian K. Vaughan and illustrated by Fiona Staples58:44 A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young01:00:48 Fairytale by Stephen King01:04:30 Knife of Dreams, Gathering Storm, and Tower of Midnight by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson (Wheel of Time books 11-13)Let’s connect!Join our Patreon read-and-watch club: patreon.com/KrisandMadsSisterhoodHave a business inquiry? Email us: contact.kris.and.mads@gmail.com TikTok: / kris.and.mads Instagram: / krisandmads All our other links are here: https://linktr.ee/kris.and.madsTo check out our brother C.Ray's music which we use in all our episodes, you can find him here: / @seerayhardly #BookTube #FantasyBooks #BookClub #Reading #Books #ReadingWrapUp #BookRecommendations #FromBloodAndAsh #WheelOfTime #StephenKing #JaneAusten #BookClubReads #DarkRomance #BooktokReads #FantasyBooks #PodcastForReaders #BookReviewPodcast #ViralBookReviews #JuneReads

Our Favorite Books of Every Month of 2025 (so far) Jun 27, 2025

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We picked one favorite book for every month of 2025 so far, and honestly? It was harder than we expected. From massive fantasy series to books that made us cry (or scream), we’re talking about the standouts that actually stuck with us.If you’re looking for what to read next, want to know which books are really worth it, or you’ve read some of these and just wanna hear us gush… this episode is for you.We’re talking:• The Lord of the Rings, The Wheel of Time, Six of Crows• Little Women, Sense and Sensibility, The Outsiders• And newer picks like Our Infinite Fates & The Knight and the MothThis is for the fantasy lovers, the BookTok browsers, the “I’m overwhelmed by my TBR” folks, and anyone who loves hearing passionate book chat.Basically, if you love books, you’ll probably vibe.Books Mentioned:The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. TolkienThe Wheel of Time by Robert JordanThis Is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone and Amal El-MohtarWayward Pines Trilogy by Blake CrouchThe Licanius Trilogy by James IslingtonSix of Crows by Leigh BardugoLittle Women by Louisa May AlcottOur Infinite Fates by Laura StevenSunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne CollinsThe Outsiders by S.E. HintonSense and Sensibility by Jane AustenThe Fires of Vengeance by Evan WinterThe Fitz and the Fool Trilogy by Robin HobbRoyal Assassin by Robin HobbThe Knight and the Moth by Rachel GilligFairytale by Stephen KingAn Ember in the Ashes by Sanaa TahirA Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. MartinLet’s connect!Join our Patreon read-and-watch club: patreon.com/KrisandMadsSisterhoodHave a business inquiry? Email us: contact.kris.and.mads@gmail.com TikTok: / kris.and.mads Instagram: / krisandmads All our other links are here: https://linktr.ee/kris.and.madsTo check out our brother C.Ray's music which we use in all our episodes, you can find him here: / @seerayhardly Timestamps:00:00 Intro00:37 Favorite Books from January05:05 Favorite Books from February15:16 Favorite Books from March19:06 Favorite Books from April23:26 Favorite Books from May30:04 Favorite Books from June#BookTube #FantasyBooks #BookClub #Reading #Books #FantasyBookRecommendations #BestBooks2025 #BookPodcast #MonthlyReads #BookTube #WhatToReadNext #FantasyReaders #BookTalkPodcast #EpicFantasy #YAReads #ClassicBooks #BookReviewPodcast #BestFantasyBooks #ReadingWrapUp #FavoriteBooksOfTheYear

Confessions Part 2: Sister Challenges, Health Struggles, Personality Tests Results, etc. Jun 17, 2025

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In this special behind-the-scenes episode, we're stepping away from book reviews to answer your most personal questions—straight from our private book-to-screen club on Patreon. (Thanks for the questions FAMBAM!) We're getting real about our relationship as sisters and co-workers, our crunchy health habits (yes, we talk home births and meditation), and our approach to wellness.We also dive into the stories behind our kids' names, our favorite comfort shows, what fantasy worlds we'd want to live in, our personality types, and how we built and expanded our content.Listen for:• Our top wellness values & crunchy lifestyle confessions• Childhood dreams & how we met our husbands• The fantasy worlds we’d wake up in• Books we love but hate the covers of• Enneagram deep dive + Big Five results• The truth about our sister dynamic and business partnershipJewelry Brands Mentioned ⁨@mejuri⁩ ⁨@D.Louise⁩ ⁨@katiewaltmanboutiquehttps://jenny-bird.com/Timestamps:00:00 Intro00:57 Are we crunchy: home births, naturopaths, meditation09:43 Our favorite book challenge: TBR wheel10:47 Would we ever write a book?12:42 Where do we get our jewelry?14:05 What would our animal companion be?15:30 What are our drink orders?16:17 Top 5 comfort movies/shows: You’ve Got Mail, The Holiday, Newsies, Summer Stock, Gilmore Girls, Outlander, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and Sense & Sensibility18:11 Where would we live in the U.S. and abroad?19:08 Our health/wellness philosophies29:37 The story behind our kids’ names34:52 What were our childhood dreams?40:15 How did we meet our husbands?43:35 What time period would we teleport to?44:59 What places are on our bucket lists?47:55 What fantasy world would we want to wake up in?48:47 What books that we love have bad covers?49:45 Tips for getting out of a reading slump53:16 What are our enneagram numbers? The Big Five Personality Test.56:23 What is our health attitude?59:27 Our content creation journey/strategy01:03:45 Our meditation practices01:11:13 What are some of our favorite bands?01:13:33 Have we always been this close? All about our relationshipLet’s connect!Join our Patreon read-and-watch club: patreon.com/KrisandMadsSisterhoodHave a business inquiry? Email us: contact.kris.and.mads@gmail.com TikTok: / kris.and.mads Instagram: / krisandmads All our other links are here: https://linktr.ee/kris.and.madsTo check out our brother C.Ray's music which we use in all our episodes, you can find him here: / @seerayhardly #BookTube #FantasyBooks #BookClub #Reading #Books Q&A podcast episode, sisters podcast, personal Q&A, health and wellness podcast, crunchy lifestyle, behind the scenes podcast, book lovers podcast, fantasy book questions, enneagram personality types, sister co-hosts, bookish podcast, comfort movies, wellness values, private book club, TBR challenge, reading slump tips, book world we’d live in, content creator journey, podcast for women, Patreon Q&A, book influencer podcast

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