What's more criminal in the book world – dog-earing pages or cracking spines? Would you abandon all fantasy books forever if it meant never having to read another detective novel? These are the tough questions we're tackling in our latest Book Bites episode!

We're playing a bookish version of "Would You Rather" that reveals surprising insights about our reading habits and preferences. From debating whether we'd rather read only books with ugly covers (but amazing writing) or gorgeous editions filled with terrible prose, to considering whether we'd survive better in a fantasy world without plumbing or a dystopian society where books are banned – our answers might surprise you!

The conversation takes amusing turns as we weigh the pros and cons of slow-burn romances versus insta-love, standalone novels versus series commitments, and whether we'd rather have an enemies-to-lovers story with no tension or a friends-to-lovers tale with zero chemistry. Our passionate reactions to certain scenarios (particularly around book care and unsatisfying endings) reveal just how deeply personal our relationships with books truly are.

This light-hearted episode offers a window into what readers value most in their literary experiences. Do we prioritize beautiful prose over plot? Would we sacrifice comfort for freedom? And why does the miscommunication trope drive us absolutely crazy? Join us for laughs, literary debates, and the revelation that some book preferences might actually be dealbreakers!

We'll be sharing these questions on our Instagram for you to weigh in with your own choices. Which side will you take in these bookish dilemmas? Let us know!

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Editing done by Connor Luther @clfilms.co
Music by @thundercatlouis
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We explore Hannah Bonman-Young's romance novel "Out of the Woods," a story about high school sweethearts Sarah and Caleb who attend a wilderness couples retreat to save their 16-year marriage after a fundraiser disaster reveals deeper relationship issues.

• Sarah experiences an identity crisis after feeling like Caleb always swoops in to fix her problems
• The "Reignite" couples retreat forces them to confront communication issues through hiking and exercises
• Sarah struggles with wanting independence while Caleb doesn't understand why his helping is problematic
• The couple works through Sarah's desire to have purpose beyond being a wife
• A dramatic accident forces both to reassess what truly matters in their relationship
• The epilogue shows both partners finding fulfillment—Sarah as a successful writer and Caleb redirecting his business toward charitable work
• Both characters maintain their decision to remain child-free throughout the story

Check out our mini-episode where we try some of the communication exercises from the book! Follow us on social media for more book discussions and recommendations.

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Editing done by Connor Luther @clfilms.co
Music by @thundercatlouis
Merch Here

We take our mini podcast episode into the woods for three friendship exercises that celebrate our long-standing connection while tying into our full-length "Out of the Woods" episode.

• Book character descriptions of each other, revealing how we see one another's essence
• Creating paper airplanes with meaningful memories and wishes written inside
• Blind trust exercise involving rock stacking with one person blindfolded
• Reminiscing about our "ugly and proud days" that predated the modern concept of "rotting"
• Sharing wishes for authentic living and creating a compound to raise our families together
• Navigating persistent bees and potential water mishaps with humor
• Successfully completing challenges while preserving our perfectly applied lashes

For the full imagery of our woodland adventure, check out our YouTube channel where you can watch these friendship exercises in action.

Support the show

Editing done by Connor Luther @clfilms.co
Music by @thundercatlouis
Merch Here