Bring Your Own: A Bookish Podcast for Romance Readers

Midyear check-in time!

We're officially halfway through 2026, so we're looking back at the books that completely blew us away... and the ones we wish we could unread. From new favorites to biggest disappointments, we're sharing our best and worst reads of the year (so far), plus all the other media we've been obsessed with lately, from TV and movies to documentaries and more.

Come see if your favorites made the list, add a few more titles to your TBR, and let us know in the comments: What's been your best (and worst) book of 2026 so far?

Join the BYO book club ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Our July 2026 pick is Tropesick by Lauren Okie!

Follow us on Instagram @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BringYourOwnPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow us on Tiktok @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BringYourOwnPod_⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Follow Brandi @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Brandos.Books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Follow Kendra @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Kendra.Readz⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Follow Kayla @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Kaylas.Bookshelf⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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Baby, don't you know that you're my golden hour? 🦋

This week, Kayla is hosting a solo episode where she pairs every track from Golden Hour to a book that captures the same feeling, the same emotional beat, the same message. From the quiet dignity of letting someone go, to the giddy disorientation of falling in love, to the radical act of finally letting yourself be okay. There's a book for every moment on this record.

Whether you're a longtime Kacey Musgraves devotee or just discovering it for the first time, this episode is for anyone who has ever finished a song or a book and thought: that's exactly it. That's exactly how it feels.

If you'd like to avoid spoilers for a particular book recommendation or skip to a specific song, use the timestamps below:

Slow Burn: 5:34

Lonely Weekend: 9:50

Butterflies: 13:33

Oh, What a World: 17:35

Mother: 21:46

Love Is a Wild Thing: 23:59

Space Cowboy: 28:40

Happy & Sad: 35:50

Velvet Elvis: 39:42

Wonder Woman: 43:28

High Horse: 47:07

Golden Hour: 50:37

Rainbow: 53:40

Join the BYO book club ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Our July 2026 pick is Tropesick by Lauren Okie!

Follow us on Instagram @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BringYourOwnPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow us on Tiktok @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BringYourOwnPod_⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Follow Brandi @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Brandos.Books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Follow Kendra @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Kendra.Readz⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Follow Kayla @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Kaylas.Bookshelf⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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🚨 Welcome to the Bookish Khia Asylum 🚨

We're following the iconic "7 Levels of…" trend, but make it bookish.

From Level 1 to Level 5 in our case, we're deciding which authors, bookish things, concepts, opinions, ANYTHING- deserve each floor. Who's getting early release, and who's never seeing daylight again? Expect hot takes, and some ten-toes-down defending.

Check yourself in and tell us: who are you sentencing to the Khia Asylum?

Join the BYO book club ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Our July 2026 pick is Tropesick by Lauren Okie!

Follow us on Instagram @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BringYourOwnPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow us on Tiktok @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BringYourOwnPod_⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Follow Brandi @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Brandos.Books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Follow Kendra @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Kendra.Readz⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Follow Kayla @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Kaylas.Bookshelf⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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What if every song on Taylor Swift's folklore had the perfect book to match?

This week, Brandi is hosting a solo episode where she pairs every track from folklore with a book recommendation that captures the song's atmosphere, themes, and emotional depth. From heartbreaking love stories to nostalgic coming-of-age tales, each recommendation is inspired by the world Taylor created on this iconic album.

Whether you're a longtime Swiftie, a passionate reader, or just searching for your next great read, this episode has something for you.

If you'd like to avoid spoilers for a particular book recommendation, use the timestamps below to skip ahead:

2:59 – the 16:11 – cardigan13:12 – the last great american dynasty16:41 – exile17:36 – my tears ricochet24:50 – mirrorball28:13 – seven32:17 – august35:55 – this is me trying40:01 – illicit affairs41:35 – invisible string45:00 – mad woman48:12 – epiphany51:20 – betty53:41 – peace56:15 – hoax

Which folklore song would you pair with a book? Share your picks in the comments!

Join the BYO book club ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Our July 2026 pick is Tropesick by Lauren Okie!

Follow us on Instagram @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BringYourOwnPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow us on Tiktok @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BringYourOwnPod_⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Follow Brandi @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Brandos.Books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Follow Kendra @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Kendra.Readz⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Follow Kayla @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Kaylas.Bookshelf⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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Former Bachelorette and bestselling author Hannah Brown joins BYO to discuss her new book, Reasons to Be Loved By You. In this candid conversation, Hannah opens up about the inspiration behind the book, the personal experiences that shaped her writing, and the lessons she's learned about resilience, growth, and finding her own voice.

We talk about the journey from reality TV to authorhood, what readers can expect from her latest work, and the message she hopes they'll take away. Whether you've followed Hannah's story for years or are discovering her for the first time, this episode offers an honest and insightful look at what has brought Hannah to the romance writing community, and how everything up to now has played a role.

Tune in for a thoughtful conversation about storytelling, self-discovery, and the power of embracing life's unexpected chapters.

Check out Reasons to Be Loved by You here! Follow Hannah here!

Join the BYO book club ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Our June 2026 pick is Score by Kennedy Ryan!

Follow us on Instagram @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BringYourOwnPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow us on Tiktok @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BringYourOwnPod_⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Follow Brandi @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Brandos.Books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Follow Kendra @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Kendra.Readz⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Follow Kayla @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Kaylas.Bookshelf⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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