Okay besties… we failed our TBR.

We break down our April wrap up and May TBR, including what we actually read, what surprised us, and what completely derailed our plans. From Shield of Sparrows to The Deal and other viral BookTok books, this month had range.

We also get into:

00:00 We failed our TBR
02:00 DNF to obsessed… Shield of Sparrows pipeline
06:00 Is binge reading better than waiting for sequels?
10:30 The Deal review… fun or cringey?
15:30 Book to movie adaptations… are we doing too much?
21:00 The most divisive book of the month
26:00 May TBR… are we being realistic?
30:00 What we are actually excited to read

Then we reset for May with a more realistic TBR… or at least we are pretending it is.

If you are looking for what to read next or want honest reader reactions, this one is for you.

BOOKS MENTIONED

• Beach Read by Emily Henry
• Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry
• Rites of the Starling by Devney Perry
• The Deal by Elle Kennedy
• Into the Blue by Emma Brodie
• Dire Bound by Sable Sorenson
• Fury Bound by Sable Sorenson
• Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan
• Stormbreaker by Nisha J. Tuli
• Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune
• The Burning Side by Sarah Damoff
• Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
• Fame Sick by Lena Dunham

JOIN THE CHAT: What did you read in April? Did you stick to your TBR or spiral like us? What is on your May TBR?

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This week on Book Bits & Chill, we are joined by bestselling author Nisha J. Tuli, the brilliant mind behind the Artefacts of Ouranos series, including Trial of the Sun Queen, as well as contemporary romance and her highly anticipated YA dystopian debut, Storm Breaker.

We get into ALL of it: the iconic first line that started everything, how the Atlas misdirect was completely intentional (she knew exactly what she was doing to us), why the slow burn had to hurt that badly across four books, and how Nadir went from secondary character to the love interest we would absolutely die for. Nisha also opens up about being a Brown author in a very white genre, why Artefacts of Ouranos selling over a million copies still has not landed it on a U.S. bestseller list, and what that actually says about publishing.

AND we get into the big news. Storm Breaker, her upcoming YA dystopian romance, has already been optioned by Amazon for a TV adaptation before it even hits shelves on May 5th. Nisha walks us through the world, her discovery writing process (chaotic with zero notes), and what it was like to pivot from Ouranos to a brand new universe set 1,000 years into a storm-ravaged Manhattan.

If you love enemies-to-lovers slow burns, morally complex MMCs, diverse fantasy, and authors who tell the truth about publishing, this one is for you.

Pre-order Storm Breaker now. It releases May 5th and we are not calm about it.

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In this episode of Book Bits & Chill, we’re diving into Rites of the Starling by Devney Perry, book two in the Shield of Sparrows series, and asking the real question: is this sequel actually worth the hype or are we in another cursed Book 2 era?

We start spoiler-free (promise, not even a whiff), then move into full book club chaos with spoilers, unhinged theories, and gossip.

We’re chatting:

• Spoiler-free review: vibes, pacing, and where it sits on the romantasy spectrum
• Who should read it now vs who should wait until book 3 is out
• Our honest ratings: overall, spice, hangover, book club potential
• Is this truly romantasy… or fantasy with a side of romance?
• The curse of book twos (Iron Flame, Brimstone, we’re looking at you)
• Full spoiler book club section: dual timelines, THAT twist, new characters, side quests, and magic systems
• Why we wanted more for our characters (and maybe a whole novella?)
• Devney Perry’s fantasy era and what we think book 3 is setting up

If you love romantasy, fantasy romance, girlhood chat, book club-style deep dives, silly but thoughtful hot takes, and deciding your next read based on best-friend banter… you’re in the right place.

Subscribe for weekly episodes filled with romantasy breakdowns, spicy (and not-so-spicy) reviews, adaptation chats, and cozy chaos. 📚✨

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 Is Rites of the Starling actually worth the hype?
01:38 The curse of Book 2s (Iron Flame, Brimstone, etc.)
03:39 Spoiler-free thoughts: vibes, pacing, and expectations
05:04 Romance vs plot: is this really romantasy?
07:51 Who should read it now vs who should wait for the full series
08:35 What Devney Perry does really well (worldbuilding, monsters, POVs)
11:19 Ratings: recommendability, spice, hangover, book club potential
14:15 Overall star ratings & the series vs the individual book
17:09 SPOILERS START HERE
19:58 Dual POVs, timelines, and the big plot twist talk
23:14 Caspia, Andreas, and why we weren’t fully sobbing (but kind of wanted to be)
27:29 Should Caspia & Andreas have been their own novella/book?
31:33 Girl power: Odessa, Caspia, and this being a book for the girls
35:09 The mavens, side characters, and missed opportunities
38:16 Being confused in the best (and worst) ways
42:08 Evie, emotional stakes, and why parts felt uncomfortable
48:13 Devney Perry’s fantasy writing style & expectations for book 3
50:02 Final thoughts + next week’s guest: Nisha J. Tuli & Stormbreaker

📖 Books Mentioned

Rites of the Starling by Devney Perry
Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry
Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
Brimstone by Callie Hart
Metal Slinger by Rachel Schneider

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Harry Potter Series
A Song of Ice and Fire / Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas
Trial of the Sun Queen (Artifacts of Ouranos series) by Nisha J. Tuli
Stormbreaker by Nisha J. Tuli

💬 Let’s Connect

Subscribe for weekly episodes of Book Bits & Chill
Follow us on Instagram: @BookBitsClub
Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts

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In this episode of Book Bits & Chill, we’re breaking down our ultimate auto-buy authors guide. Including what an auto-buy author actually is, why they’re the best reading hack, and the exact roadmap you should follow to fall in love with them (instead of getting burned).

We’re sharing:

• Our definition of a true auto-buy author
• The authors we will read no matter what
• Who we read for comfort, ugly crying, tension, and feeling ✨intellectual✨
• AND the exact reading order for some of our favorite authors

Including deep dives into:

• Emily Henry
• Kristin Hannah
• Taylor Jenkins Reid

If you’ve ever picked up a book from one of these authors and you are like "I just don't get the hype?" Then this episode is for you!

Because sometimes it’s not the author… it’s where you started.

What you’ll hear in this episode:
00:00 Why auto-buy authors are the BEST reading hack
03:00 What actually makes an author “auto-buy”
06:00 Our auto-buy author game
11:00 Emily Henry reading order guide (where to start + what to avoid first)
20:00 Kristin Hannah reading roadmap (and why timing matters)
27:00 Taylor Jenkins Reid guide (don’t start in the wrong place)
35:30 Final thoughts + how to build your own auto-buy list

Books Mentioned:

• Beach Read
• People We Meet on Vacation
• Funny Story
• Happy Place
• The Nightingale
• The Great Alone
• Firefly Lane
• The Women
• Daisy Jones & The Six
• The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
• Atmosphere

📺 Watch full episodes on YouTube

💬 Tell us: Who is YOUR auto-buy author?

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Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BookBitsAndChill

March was unhinged in the best way. Emily went on a full romantasy deep dive and has zero regrets, and Cassie somehow gave out three five-star ratings in a single month — and yes, she stands by every single one.

In this episode we're doing our March reading wrap-up and breaking it down with awards instead of a boring ratings list: main character energy books, plot twist reads, red flags, and full-on book hangovers. Then we're getting into our April TBRs — and yes, this might finally be Joey's month.

Books we talk about in this episode: Binding 13 & Keeping 13 – Chloe Walsh | The Bright Years – Sarah Damoff | Wild Reverence – Rebecca Ross | Half City – Kate Golden | The Correspondent | Artefacts of Ouranos series – Nisha J. Tuli | Wild Dark Shore | Shield of Sparrows | Rites of the Starling – Devney Perry | The Wolf King | Yesteryear | Last Night in Brooklyn | The Goldfinch | How to Solve Your Own Murder – Kristin Perrin | This Book Made Me Think of You – Libby Page | Plated Prisoner series

You'll love this episode if you:

• Read romantasy, literary fiction, or urban fantasy
• Love a good book review with actual opinions (not just vibes)
• Have ever DNF'd a book your best friend told you not to read and then loved it
• Are looking for your next five-star read

New episodes every week. Grab your blanket, grab your book boyfriend, and let's get into it.

#BookPodcast #ReadingWrapUp #RomantasyBooks #BookRecommendations #WhatToRead #TBR #Booktok #BookTalk #LiteraryFiction #BookReview

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This week on Book Bits & Chill, we are sitting down with the mind behind one of the most viral dark romantasy books right now… Sheila Masterson, author of The Poison Daughter!

This is the book that took over BookTok, climbed the Kindle Unlimited charts, and had readers staying up until 2am questioning everything. After binge reading this book we had questions, so we brought on the genius herself!

⏱️ WHAT YOU’LL HEAR:
✨ 00:00 Welcome + why The Poison Daughter is taking over
✨ 01:00 Meet Sheila Masterson
✨ 03:00 Her journey into romantasy + writing during COVID
✨ 07:00 Vibe Check (reading habits, book recs, book boyfriends)
✨ 15:00 Spoiler warning + The Poison Daughter deep dive
✨ 20:00 Spice, consent, and writing complex relationships
✨ 28:00 Emotional themes: grief, feminine rage, and hope
✨ 36:00 Chronic pain representation + character depth
✨ 41:00 Writing morally gray characters we still love
✨ 44:00 Will there be spin-offs??
✨ 49:00 Upcoming books + what’s next for Sheila
✨ 54:00 BIG announcements (!!!)

If you’ve read The Poison Daughter or it’s sitting on your TBR and you are looking for the push to start, this episode is for you!

📺 Watch full episodes on YouTube
🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
💬 Tell us in the comments… are you also feral over Henry??

📚 BOOKS MENTIONED
The Poison Daughter – Sheila Masterson
Lost God Series – Sheila Masterson
A Legacy of Stars – Sheila Masterson
Song of the Dark Wood – Sheila Masterson
And Now, Back to You – BK Borison
Tethered – Elayna R. Gallea
Heir of Illusion – Madeline Taylor
Lore – Alexandra Bracken

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Hollywood finally did it right. We saw Project Hail Mary opening weekend — and came out genuinely shocked that they pulled it off.

In this episode, Cassie and Emily dig into the movie adaptation of Andy Weir's beloved novel: what changed, what landed, and what we're still thinking about days later. We cover Ryan Gosling's performance (yes, Emily is eating her words), how Rocky was brought to life without CGI, why the sound design deserves an Oscar conversation, and the few moments that didn't hit quite as hard as the book.

We also run through our Book to Screen Scorecard — rating the adaptation on faithfulness, casting/chemistry, and whether it holds up as a standalone film for non-readers. Plus: Would You Actually Survive This Mission? (Spoiler: at least one of us absolutely would not.)

If you've read Project Hail Mary and loved it — this one's for you. And if you haven't read it yet? We're about to change that.

Topics covered: Project Hail Mary movie review, book vs. film adaptation, Ryan Gosling as Ryland Grace, Rocky the alien, Andy Weir, sci-fi book club, hopeful science fiction

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If you read Fourth Wing or A Court of Thorns and Roses and suddenly realized you might be a Romantasy reader… you are not alone.

But once you enter this genre, there are levels.

So today on Book Bits & Chill, we’re breaking down the Romantasy reader pipeline.

We rank the genre into three levels:

📚 Entry Level Romantasy
⚔️ Intermediate Romantasy
🔥 Expert Level Romantasy

And we recommend the best books to read at each level based on where you are in your Romantasy journey.

We also discuss:

✨ 01:20 What defines Entry Level Romantasy
✨ 02:00 Why Fourth Wing & ACOTAR are the gateway books
✨ 07:00 Entry Level Romantasy recommendations
✨ 12:10 The “old” Romantasy pipeline vs the new one
✨ 17:00 Intermediate Romantasy: when the tropes expand
✨ 22:00 True enemies-to-lovers and darker fantasy vibes
✨ 23:40 Unique magic systems & underhyped romantasy reads
✨ 26:30 Expert Romantasy: when fantasy starts taking over
✨ 27:00 Throne of Glass and epic fantasy storytelling
✨ 30:20 Books that blur the line between fantasy and romance
✨ 31:40 Expert-level reads that challenge the genre
✨ 33:00 The moment you officially become a Romantasy reader

Whether you're just discovering Romantasy or you’re already deep in the shadow daddy spiral, this episode will help you decide what to read next.

Welcome back to Book Bits & Chill.

📚 Books Mentioned:

Fourth Wing – Rebecca Yarros
A Court of Thorns and Roses – Sarah J. Maas
Quicksilver – Callie Hart
When the Moon Hatched – Sarah A. Parker
Crowns of Nyaxia – Carissa Broadbent
From Blood and Ash – Jennifer L. Armentrout
Gild – Raven Kennedy
Zodiac Academy – Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti
Trial of the Sun Queen – Nisha J. Tuli
Spark of the Everflame – Penn Cole
The Cruel Prince – Holly Black
One Dark Window – Rachel Gillig
In the Veins of the Drowning – Kalie Cassidy
Blood & Steel – Helen Scheuerer
Throne of Glass – Sarah J. Maas
Daughter of No Worlds – Carissa Broadbent
Divine Rivals – Rebecca Ross
The Everlasting – Alix Harrow

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