13 Going on 30: Revisiting Books We Loved as Tweens

13 Going on 30: Revisiting Books We Loved as Tweens

Author: Brandi, Kendra, & Kayla April 30, 2026 Duration: 1:15:50
In this week's episode Kayla, Kendra, and Brandi take a nostalgic dive back into the books that shaped us during our tween years, and the stories we once obsessed over. Now that we’re older (and allegedly wiser), we’re revisiting these favorites with fresh eyes. Do they still hold up? Were they as deep as we remembered, or just dramatic in that perfectly middle-school way? We found a mix of heartfelt reflection, some light roasting, and even some “wait… why did no one question this??” Let us know, what book defined your tween years, and are you brave enough to reread it now? Join the BYO book club ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Our April 2026 pick is The Name Game by Beth O'Leary! Follow us on Instagram @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BringYourOwnPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Brandi @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Brandos.Books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Kendra @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Kendra.Readz⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Kayla @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Kaylas.Bookshelf⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tucked between the pages of your latest read, there's a conversation waiting to happen. Bring Your Own: A Bookish Podcast for Romance Readers is that conversation, hosted by three friends-Brandi, Kendra, and Kayla-who first connected online over a shared love of stories. This isn't a formal review show; it's the feeling of settling into a comfy chair with your most opinionated book-loving friends. Each episode captures their genuine, unfiltered dynamic as they dive into the books they adore, debate tropes and character choices, and pull back the curtain on the wider romance community. You'll hear them champion new authors, revisit old favorites, and share the unique joys and occasional frustrations that come with being dedicated readers. The charm of this podcast lies in its authentic camaraderie; the hosts' distinct personalities and deep passion for the genre make every discussion feel both personal and expansive. It's a space built for anyone who finishes a book and immediately needs to talk about it, offering thoughtful analysis, plenty of laughs, and the comforting sense that you've found your people. Tune in for a weekly dose of literary camaraderie that goes beyond the synopsis, straight to the heart of why we fall in love with stories in the first place.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Bring Your Own: A Bookish Podcast for Romance Readers
Podcast Episodes
Tier Ranking Your Favorite Book Couples [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:04
🚨 YOUR FAVORITE BOOK COUPLE IS BREAKING UP 🚨 Okay… maybe not literally… but we are tier ranking some of your favorite iconic romance book couples and making some VERY controversial decisions. From “together in every life…
Books to Define a Year: Celebrating Kendra [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:52
A year of reading, evolving, and growth! We’re celebrating Kendra the only way we know how: through love and stories. In this special episode, we look back on the reads and other media that defined Kendra’s past year, wi…
Reading 1-Star Review of our Favorite Books [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:55
We decided to hurt our own feelings this week. We went straight to the Goodreads 1-star reviews on our favorite books (AKA Hell on Earth) and pulled the meanest, funniest, most ridiculous takes we could find, then tried…
The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez Deep Dive [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:45
Three hosts, one book, and very different opinions. In this week’s episode of Bring Your Own, we break down The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez. What worked, what didn’t, and why we couldn’t agree - and don’t worry, we star…
Romance Author Rose & Thorn [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:40
This week we got REAL about our favorite romance authors. In this week’s episode, listeners called in to share their “roses and thorns,” the best and worst parts of authors they love. Some of these hot takes had us noddi…
Mismatched Book Comps [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:39
We’ve all seen those “For fans of…” and “Perfect for readers who love…” blurbs on romance novels, but what happens when the comps make absolutely no sense together? This week, Brandi, Kendra, and Kayla are putting that i…
Which Book Did It Better? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:17:39
In this episode of Bring Your Own, we put books head-to-head and ask the question every reader secretly argues about: which book actually did it better? Kayla, Kendra and Brandi compare books with similar tropes, oddly s…
2026 Spring Book Releases To Have On Your TBR [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:19:45
In this episode we’re spotlighting the most anticipated romance and fantasy releases of the spring season. From heavy-hitting, big name romance releases, to debut authors we can’t wait to read, these are the books about…