The big question: are we living in a literary golden age or a post-literate society ???

On this week’s episode we’re doing something a little different to our usual bookish chats, and we’re breaking down a couple of intriguing Substack essays on the combined subject of literature and society. Our primary references include ‘Ignore the pessimists – we are living through a literary golden age’ by Henry Oliver versus ‘The dawn of the post-literate society’ by James Marriott. From the simultaneous (oddly, and apparently) global decrease and increase in reading to the role of screens in the downfall of reading comprehension, we wade through the facts, the arguments, and our own experiences to come to a conclusion about the current state of the literary world. But, we’re also interested to hear what you guys think – tune in and join the debate!

S6 E6: Join us in conversation with Gregory Grosvenor, writer, author, teacher and fellow only child. We talk about Greg’s early inspirations in writing, from growing up in Germany, supportive parents, and an early conviction to write. We then delve into a myriad of topics including Greg’s experience as a creative writing teacher, his past as an alcoholic, and of course, his debut novel, Second Pocket First, full of quirky characters, bucolic Vermont scenery, great outfits, and some good old fashioned burglary.

To learn more about Greg Grosvenor and to purchase Second Pocket First, you can check out his website, and follow him on Instagram.

In this episode we talk to Laura Goode, author, essayist, poet, screen writer, and educator, about her latest book, Pitch Craft. Pitch Craft is all about the art of presenting yourself as a person and a writer, but our conversation doesn’t just end there. From talking about the quirks and perks of being an only child to the magic of female friendship, this is a conversation that explores the hidden side of writing – the part which is less about the writing itself than it is about connecting with yourself and the people around you.

To learn more about Laura Goode and to purchase Pitch Craft, you can check out her website, and follow her on Instagram.

S6E4: While the days are getting shorter and the temperatures are dropping lower, being indoors is looking a lot more cozy. In other words, it's the perfect season to get back to reading! Not only is autumn THE season for reading, but there are so many sub-genres that perfectly compliment the moody weather and spooky atmosphere of fall. Tune in to hear our recommendations for witchy and gothic reads, to cozy, dark academia, and just plain dark. We also spend some time reviewing lists compiled by reading platforms (GoodReads and Fable) on suggested autumnal reads. As ever, happy reading from the Hot Girls Read podcast.

Titles Mentioned

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna

The Secret History by Donna Tart

Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree,

Discworld series by Terry Pratchett

The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery

The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston

The Hexologists by Josiah Bancroft

The Wisteria society for Lady Scoundrels by India Holton

Weird Woods: Tales from the Haunted Woods of Britain (A British Library short story collection)

Anything by Shirley Jackson (Haunting of Hill House, We Have always lived in the Castle)

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

Bunny by Mona Awad

Temptation of Magic by Megan Scott

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Natasha Preston books

A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid

The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

Weyward by Emilia Hart

The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow

Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

The Green Witch: Your Complete Guide to the Natural Magic of Herbs, Flowers, Essential Oils, and More by Arin Murphy

Slewfoot by Alexis Henderson

Psychic Witch by Mat Auryn

Dracula by Bram Stoker

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving

The Complete Stories and Poems by Edgar Allan Poe

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S6E3: Settle in for a cozy and long overdue catch up with us! Life has been busy lately and it’s time for the two of us to debrief the start of the fall season, the back-to-school rush, and all the changes that have come with it. From moving countries, starting new jobs, solo trips, and all the little things, we had a lot to chat about. And of course, being us, somehow everything relates back to books and bookish things. What can we say – being a booklover (read, Literary It Girl) is a lifestyle!

If you love books, like really love books, you’ve probably dreamed of opening your own bookstore – we definitely have! Well, in this episode we’re getting ALL THE TEA on running a bookstore from Jamie Fortin, owner of Friends to Lovers, a romance bookstore in Alexandria, VA. From building a community to overcoming challenges (like a fire that almost shut her down before day 1!) and having fun with it all, Jamie has created a thriving business that proves that independent bookstores are here to stay. If you want to know what it takes to open a bookstore, or any business for that matter, this is an episode you must listen to. As Jamie says, if she can do it, you can too!

S6E1: Season 6 of the Hot Girls Read podcast has officially begun! We are opening the season by chatting with Kailu Yu: author, travel writer, and former pop star. Kaila’s recently released book, Fetishized, is a collection of essays that explore Kaila’s first hand experience of the fetishization of Asian women in the US during the early ‘00s. Not only do we cover everything from ABGs, import modelling, the fetishization of robots, and the current reality of racism towards Asians in the United States, but we also talk about Kaila’s journey from model and pop star to writer. This one is a conversation that touches on a little bit of everything!

Tune in for our interview with software engineer and author, Liz Shipton. With her upcoming release Dot Slash Magic, we cover a multitude of topics: the consequences of AI and its effect on the publishing industry, Liz’s writing inspiration, her journey as an author and viral presence on Booktok, and much more! We end with a debate about the enemies to lovers trope: is it simply a marketing ploy or is it really a key hingepoint of a plot? Listen and find out!