Bookstupid with Claire and Molly

This week, we provide almost the exact coordinates of where we live. Hint: Molly has Legionnaire's. We have a lot of media to catch up on this week, including the Peacock adaptation of Elin Hilderbrand's Five Star Weekend. Claire read the book and Molly watched the show. Together, we recount most of the plot. Molly reviews Jennifer Lopez's latest, Office Romance, and Claire finally gives her take on 2007's Atonement, which leads us to discuss when and how to use "the worst word you can possibly imagine."

Let&t’s t&talk about&t it&t. If you could decode that, download the limited edition Plum LP of this episode (kidding). We stayed in town this Fourth of July for a very special occasion. To celebrate, we try our hand at one of life’s most challenging writing exercise: vows. Log your bets on Kalshi now for who you think gets to be @killatrav. Also this week, we discuss daddy-daughter romance in Harlan Coben’s I Will Find You. Plus, Molly digs into what she’s loving and what she’s liking just ok from Elle on Prime. Thanks, Adam!

That’s right, we’re talking about Ansel Elgort for at least five minutes again. And this time, we compare him to Nick Robinson, which we’re sure is flattering for him. We watched Voicemails for Isabelle and we can’t stop thinking about Mr. Robinson’s hand acting, or the concept of dessert nachos. Other topics covered this week: Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke, the Empire State Building engagement, one specific episode of Black Mirror, and Claire’s highly anticipated return to Panem (nurse, she’s reading The Hunger Games again.) Speaking of nurses and things that won’t die, we debate the state of Mitch McConnell.

We’re back, and Molly is cursing more than ever before. Your Bookstupid hosts are fresh off their longest stint apart since Claire studied abroad in college (did you know?? That she studied abroad??). In addition to a much needed catch up on our lives, Ali Hazelwood’s Not in Love x Problematic Summer Romance, Christina Lauren’s (but really Lauren’s) Love and Other Words, Widow’s Bay, and Every Year After, we do a close read on a generational new romance text: Olivia Rodrigo’s You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love. Oliva, we have received your message.

If you’re reading this, former president of Fordham University Father McShane, we’re going to watch Fifty Shades of Grey. We know about s-e-x and we’re allowed to watch that movie. This week, we talk about the steamy scenes that inspire us, and we’re still figuring out what that means exactly. We also discuss Obsession, the newest season of Four Seasons, and weird dates we witnessed in the wild this week. This is a message to the women of Manhattan: dump him!

If it seems like Claire is bursting with energy in this week’s episode, it’s because she can hardly wait another second to talk about the new season of her favorite Scandinavian horror show, The Chestnut Man. Also this week, we discuss the lifestyle movies that made us yearn for womanhood (The Devil Wears Prada), as well as a show that makes us sad about girlhood (The Testaments). Finally, we review a new summer romance — and Little Women fanfic — on shelves now: Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune.

The state of our writing mirrors the state of our Union: bleak, bordering on hopeless. But we barely talk about the economy and AI in this episode, if you can believe it! Instead, we discuss the Off Campus tv adaptation, Molly’s cult-of-one classic LOL (starring Miley Cyrus and D’mi Moore), and Claire’s latest second chance romance Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan — in addition to workshopping our own rough writing. It’s about time you put us in your prayer books.

This week, we catch up after an eventful weekend that includes a James Patterson commencement speech, a trip down memory lane, a mostly sober viewing of The Devil Wears Prada 2, and the rescue of 1,500 beagles. Since we last met, Molly finished Rites of the Starling and Claire (finally) finished The Poisonwood Bible. Also this week, we tackle Claire’s favorite romance trope: airports and airplanes. Hopefully you can’t catch Molly’s chronic cough through your headphones.

It’s game night! Much like the 76ers and the Knicks, Claire and Molly are facing off in a battle of grit, heart, and skill. That is, we are dusting off Joops’ dad’s friend’s game, Writer Blocks, and writing short stories against a prompt and a time limit. Tune in for this and a misandrist reading of Eternity, a hit job on (one of our favorite writers) Mindy Kaling via review of her (very good) show Running Point, an indictment of old timey romantasy, and a close read of one particular scene in Paradise season 2. Oh, and if you’re thinking about jimmying Claire’s knee? You’re too late.

Nasty people make the best friends and nasty people are smarter than everyone else. That’s one of many very nice takes we drop in this week’s episode, as we cover Grant Ginder’s So Old, So Young, The Drama, and Bigfoot the Musical. We also report from our time at the book lover’s hottest destination, BookCon. One more thing: could you please have some generosity for our basketball team?

Mars is in Aries and we’re embracing conflict— with everyone we’ve ever met and within our books. That’s right, we’re writing again, but ask us anything about it and we’ll clock you! This episode also includes a Spring weather report, a reverse HIPAA violation on Molly’s new therapist, a big announcement re: Claire’s reno, and our final reviews of Something Very Bad is Going to Happen and the Artefacts of the Ouranos series (both need to figure out their magic systems).

Let's get one thing out of the way: we're not talking about writing this week. What we are talking about this week: bunny brunch, childhood science experiments, glucose, Claire's period, Molly's romantic attachment to Jonathan Groff, Paradise, Harlan Coben and Dan Brown, and so much more. Plus, Molly makes sure that the Epstein files stay top of mind, while Claire reminds us once again about the impending apocalypse. If the audio is a little cooked this week, it's because Joops left us alone and we're doing our best.

This episode is an interview with our first real guest (sorry to our previous guests, who are more so our friends)… Irish romance author extraordinaire, Catherine Walsh! Catherine shares her invaluable writing advice, inspiration, and encouragement. We also chat about her latest, How to Write a Love Story. It’s Molly’s favorite to date (sucker for an editor MMC) and Claire’s second favorite (topped only by the airplane setting of Holiday Romance).

If you’re watching this episode and you think we’re being held hostage, put down the phone. We moved into a new Joop studio, and we brought our commentary on The Gift of the Magi with us. We’re back from Florida with the bee stings, sunburns, and good retirement vibes to prove it. We delve into what we consumed on our various plane rides. Molly read two new romantasies, Arcana Academy by Elise Kova and Dire Bound by Sable Sorensen (sure). Claire finally watched Fever Pitch and The Social Network. We also met a new AI frenemy at writing class.

This episode features Ireland as a silent third host. We read St. Patrick’s day short stories we’ve written, inspired by the Emerald Isle herself, and are generally pale and freckled. We show unbelievable restraint with accents, mostly deployed to mock the English. And, as always, we catch up on recent culture and content consumption, including the Traitors finale, Bridgerton part two, Square Waves by Alexandra Romanoff, and School Spirits season 3.

First of all, head to YouTube to see Molly’s latest hat. She may be auditioning for the next season of White Lotus, or the next adaptation of Clueless. This week, we clock in on various casting announcements, including Beach Read and Every Year After. We also roast the hairstyling on Traitors and a troubling trend we’re noticing at boutique fitness classes. Finally, we workshop passages from our drafts and try to find the magic of Christmas.

Get ready to get your Heights Wuthered— we’re talking book AND movie. We’re also engaging in an experiential interpretation of the novel by being insane and finding romance on this, the 200th day of winter. Spoiler, Molly’s “most romantic” this week is a stranger reminding her to buckle her seatbelt. We also talk about Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model, Pillion, Rob Rausch, and Claire’s forever valentine.

At My Cottage, the MeUndies stay on. This week, we change our tune on Bridgerton after seeing the stairwell scene that would make even Belly Conklin blush. Molly recounts the plot of F1 while actively fighting her need to talk about Top Gun: Maverick. Finally, we review the Kindle Unlimited Valentine’s Day short story collection, which somehow includes two murders and two attempted murders.

Will you be our valentine? We wrote you romantic short stories! To round out the bouquet, we offer you incisive commentary on Bridgerton season 4 (first two eps), Finding Her Edge (up until the last 8 min), and Kate Alice Marshall’s What Lies in the Woods (at the halfway mark— but you’ll find that Molly correctly guesses it’s a Slenderman situation). If you decide to accept our valentine offer, you can find Claire at the Irish Exit bar at Penn Station.

We may not be women in STEM but that doesn’t mean we don’t know chemistry. This week, we briefly put down our hot chocolate to discuss what makes sparks fly off the page and workshop passages from our books. Also on the agenda: Luke and Lorelai, the Beast Games, and a review of Brooke Averick’s debut novel. Plus, we determine that Rob from Traitors has chemistry with…us? Claire wants everyone to know that she’s been corrected on her usage of “viscous” and that she has contact dermatitis on her eye.

It’s the Heated Rivalry episode, you pervs! We’re talking about everyone’s favorite on-page, on-screen, on-ice romance. Our culture catch-up also touches on Tell Me Lies, His and Hers, Katherine Center’s Rom-Commers, and Audible’s full cast Harry Potter productions. And if you notice that Claire is blonder and more starry eyed than usual, it’s because she recently paid a visit to one of the great loves of her life— Charles the hairdresser, whom Molly had to break up with because he kept giving her The Rachel.

Season 2 is here and we’re kicking off with an in-depth exploration of the movie adaptation of Molly’s least favorite Emily Henry novel, People We Meet on Vacation. One thing’s for sure: that’s not Linfield, Ohio. We also talk about our holidays, which included talking to inanimate objects and consuming large helpings of media in a fugue state. Maybe next week Molly will crack The Da Vinci Code or Claire’s Warmie will talk back.

We’re finishing our first season strong, meaning we didn’t finish our books but Molly met Xaden and Claire met a new pen pal. In this episode, Molly slips back into Fourth Wing psychosis and Claire is drinking the Heated Rivalry Kool-Aid. We also look back on our first season of Bookstupid and the many trips we took to Best Buy this year. Finally, we put the team behind the pod, producer Joops and editor Ben, in the hot seats. And don’t worry, season 2 is coming soon.

The lawyer becomes the defendant as Molly commits multiple offenses at puppy play class. Claire is also in the doghouse with the witch who put a curse on her. Will true love’s kiss make her keys come back? Also this week, we discuss Netflix’s The Beast in Me and argue about whether Redemption Babies™️should be allowed to be boys. We also argue over whether boys should be allowed to have secrets as we continue our conversation on Heart the Lover. And get ready for a holiday-inspired writing exercise that has us clutching our Warmie.

The Climate Clock is on, and we’re racing to write our novels. You may not be getting them by end of year (EOY for my stupidheads with jobs,) but we are pinning down a key element this episode: what is the main character’s deal? You’ll also get a full NYC weather report and Die My Love / Sexy Scaries recaps sure to ruin your week.

We recap a Halloweekend with high highs and low lows, including a crosswalk miracle, a generational witch’s brew, and an iPhone in a trash chute. Claire gets into the spooky spirit with the newest Ryan Murphy production about Ed Gein, while Molly seeks sunnier weather in Miami with a rewatch of Do Revenge. Turns out she loves pastels. We also indulge in a TED Talk about life and writing from author and white woman with dreads (yikes), Anne Lamott.

This week, we grappled with writing inner monologue— a challenge for two women who voice essentially every thought we have. We also cover Claire’s recent bout with scarlet fever (a harbinger of Christmas) and Molly’s time on the birthday circuit. Looking for closure on Claire’s watch of Task? You’re in luck. Hope to understand it? Sorry!

Uh, oh! We want to get margaritas with the Big Rizzler, also known as Jenna Bush Hager. In this week’s episode, we recap our trip to the Ripped Bodice in Brooklyn to hear JBH talk about her new imprint and its first novel from debut author, Ariel Sullivan. We also discuss how our final stop on the wedding circuit ended with a patriotic bang. And we try to claw Molly back from the clutches of Elle Kennedy’s Off Campus series.

This week, we celebrate some fall classics: rewatching Gilmore Girls, being haunted by ghosts, and starting up classes again at The Tessa Bailey School of Smut. We also review a representative sports romance, Elle Kennedy’s The Deal, which Claire hates and Molly recounts like she is trying to win her third Battle of the Books championship title.

This week, we coin a sixth love language: merch. Claire recounts her latest stop on the wedding circuit, and Molly reveals her new business venture, naming babies. We’ve also been watching crime procedurals that leave us feeling icky. Finally, we explore the idea of “setting as a character,” which takes us to Brooklyn, the airport, New Jersey, and a snowy cabin in the Pacific Northwest, probably.

It’s Meet Cute week, and we’re reading the excerpts from our novels wherein heroine meets hero! But even as you start to see us as authors, please don’t forget that we’re also lawyers. In fact, we at the offices of Grant & Young LLC have taken on a new case: what happened to Claire’s pants (UK) and dress (US), but not her Spanx (™)? Next on the docket, Claire defends the allure of full brief underwear and Molly nails The Riddler on racketeering.

In this episode, we have a come-to-Jesus moment about “the project” and “deadlines.” In other spiritual news, Claire has a fight with Spectrum that leaves us wondering if God is a clanker. Plus, Molly calls on the MLB to free Mrs. Met from the glass house that is her sexuality. We also cover the chaste kisses of My Life with the Walter Boys and The Hunger Games. If you’re looking for something saucier, download Cherry Pie.

Music lovers rejoice! In this episode, we review Haim’s current tour (stop talking to your props), write an original jingle (working title “Cruel is Cool”), and finally reveal ghosts’ favorite song (“Bubbly” by Colbie Callait). We also do an exercise in subverting romance tropes that Molly keeps wrongly comparing to Scattergories.

It’s Bookstupid with Maggie and/or Patty, which is what all Irish-American women were called in the 1800s. We learned that from a tour of the haunted Lizzie Borden house, which you’re sure to feel like you’ve visited too. We also discuss the progress we’re making on our respective romance novels, Juliet balconies, hobby farms, and— you guessed it— The Summer I Turned Pretty.

Claire went on vacation and got inspiration from her nephew’s command of the English language. And in a shocking role reversal, Molly tells a story about sports. We also cover the engagement of our close personal friend, Taylor Swift. Molly recaps Jesse Armstrong’s Mountainhead and we discuss the merits of romance without smut (brave but ugh.) Finally, we get into the heads of our main character with personality tests, and we diagnose Claire with internalized misogyny.

One of the joys of finding a great new romance is sharing it with your friend. And what fun when you co-host a romance podcast with that friend. This week, we recap not one but two Ali Hazelwood romances: The Love Hypothesis and Deep End. We also discuss episode 5 of The Summer I Turned Pretty and discuss what it looks like when an adult eats a peach.

Unfortunately, we can’t keep Jeremiah Fisher’s name out of our mouths, so get ready for more TSITP fodder. We also cover Claire’s recent return to religion after being visited by baseball angels. Eventually, when we truly run out of distractions, we talk about our writing and How It’s Going. In that way, this episode emulates our writing process itself! All very meta, lowercase m.

We’re back in Cousins, baby! This week, we reckon with the idea that this might actually be a “The Summer I Turned Pretty” recap podcast. We do a deep dive on the legality of Jeremiah’s affair (we WILL be representing Belly in court.) And much like Season 3 Episode 5 of TSITP, it’s time to provide a POV from our books’ leading men.

This week we’re talking about how we’re always thinking, which is writing, in a way. Beyond a generalized catch up on how our drafts are going, we cover the celebrity couples we have in our prayer books, Hector’s new trainer (and Claire’s new crush), and some all-time favorite rom coms we’ve recently revisited.

It’s time we try our hand at another creative medium: visual art! This week, we design our book covers. One of us stuns in new photos and the other should probably stick to the written word. Also this week, Molly displays signs of a mental health crisis by visiting Shondaland and Claire finally finds herself alone in the suburbs. One thing we can never seem to find? The damn dessert table at a wedding.

Ever heard of playing through the injury (Nuuly induced sciatica)? That’s what Claire does this episode, and my god it’s magnificent. We dive deep into the subgenre of Cowboy Romance, reviewing Lyla Sage’s Done and Dusted, and we’re relatively rattled by our first rodeo. You should also listen to this episode if you want to hear the whole plot of Netflix’s Dept. Q from someone who was mostly on her phone while watching.

Well, it’s looking like this might be the summer we finally turn pretty. This week, Molly is visited by a witch on Long Island and it turns out she also has “an unsettling energy”. We also review My Oxford Year and continue our conversation about Carly Fortune. Plus, a hilarious writing exercise finds us writing erotica in an italian restaurant during biblical times.

This episode, we examine effective dialogue from some of our favorite films and books in pursuit of writing Good Chat. We hope this study will translate to our own work better than a hankie travels from nostril to eyeball (Claire should stop doing this). We also talk through some favorite recent reads including Sandwich by Catherine Newman and Beach Read by our lord and savior Emily Henry.

This week, Molly and Claire both get fooled — Claire by a married man and Molly by a Young Adult novel, again. Molly read Divine Rivals and found a new rival of her own. Meanwhile, Claire watched Sirens and Stolen Girl, both shows about young women who are lost in a sense. We also chat about creating flawed female characters, writing at the beach, and crafting the first ten pages.

Hey, Sharks! This week we’re pitching short form content ideas, seeking investors and consumers. Claire drops a new crush on an old man, Molly has her head in the slush pile, and Emily Henry eases our originality complexes (Great Big Beautiful Life IS The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo but better! We’ll bravely say it!).

Love abounds this week as we reflect on what makes our favorite fictional couples work, how to transition bar banter from fraternal to flirtatious, and what happens when you give a ring bearer a lollipop (he’s gonna want another). We also talk about getting in Hugh Jackman’s jeans.

“Cutting a bob.” “Flotussy.” “Twinicide.” These are all phrases said for the first time ever on this week’s episode. We also review Emily Henry’s Great Big Beautiful Life (good!) and men reading performatively in public (bad!).

Claire’s been busy in The Pitt (still) and Molly’s reading Letters from Paul to the Ephesians. Meanwhile, we’ve reached our first deadline — 10,000 words. But here’s the thing, we didn’t. But we have good reasons!

Forgive us if we seem distracted this week— Claire can’t stop thinking about Dr. Robby, and Molly can’t stop thinking about a specific picture of Rudy Giuliani. We compare notes on McNally Jackson’s Debut Novel 101 panel and find that we both wrote down NERDS in all caps?? Listen on for more insights!

Not to brag but we’re WRITING! It’s slower and more painful than we expected, but it’s also… rewarding? If you’re listening to this episode, picture Claire in a French cut swimsuit. If you’re watching this episode, excuse her second consecutive sweatsuit.