Books to Define a Year: Celebrating Kendra

Books to Define a Year: Celebrating Kendra

Author: Brandi, Kendra, & Kayla May 7, 2026 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, with books like Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid, Correspondent by Ann Patchett, Phoebe Beman's Gonna Lose It by Brooke Averick, No Matter What by Cara Bastone, and more. We also revisit her old BookTok videos (RECEIPTS, PROOF, TIMELINES, etc., etc.), reflect on how her 27th year has shaped her, and look forward to more joy to come. Expect a mix of nostalgia, honest reactions, a little chaos, and plenty of book recommendations along the way. Come celebrate Kendra with us through the stories that shaped her year! Join the BYO book club ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Our May 2026 pick is Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune! 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
Readers Review the People We Meet on Vacation Movie  👀 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:23:56
This week, we’re discussing the highly anticipated People We Meet on Vacation movie starring Tom Blythe and Emily Bader on Netflix! We share our initial reactions to the film, what we loved, what we hated, and what chang…
Worst Books of 2025 (According to Our Listeners) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:51
We asked our listeners to share their LEAST FAVORITE reads of 2025 and we are reacting live! Some submissions make us giggle, some break our hearts, and some make our inner defense attorneys come to life. Tune in now to…
Best Books of 2025 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:40:26
This week Kendra, Kayla, and Brandi kick off Season 6 of Bring Your Own by sharing their top ten reads of 2025, some honorable mentions, and their favorite shows and music thrown in to round it out! This is also BYO’s fi…
The 2025 BYO Book Awards | S5E39 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:52
As we begin to round out 2025 we are handing out bookish superlatives to the best and the worst of 2025. Join us as we award books the title of Most Emotional Read, Worst of the Year, Best Audiobook, Worst Book Boyfriend…
2025 BookTok Drama Round-Up with Gracie (@grapiedeltaco) | S5E38 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:36
This week we’re joined by our friend Gracie (@grapiedeltaco on TikTok) to discuss her infamous BookTok Bingo Board and other notable drama that swept the bookish community by storm this year. As we know, the best kind of…
Bookish Naughty & Nice Lists | S5E37 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:19:52
This week we're leaning into the holiday vibes and putting together our Bookish Naughty & Nice Lists. Anything and everything from the book community is fair game, from authors and books to our favorite bookish activitie…
Winter Book Releases to Have On Your Radar in 2025/2026 | S5E36 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:23:58
Winter is near and so are new book releases. We share the romance and fantasy books everyone will be picking up from December 2025 to February 2026! Join our book club on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠! This December, we're reading The Eve…
Thanksgiving Dinner with Book Heroes and Villains | Mini Ep [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:31
Happy Thanksgiving! We’re celebrating by presenting you with various Thanksgiving tables filled with our favorite and least favorite book characters. Pick your table and enjoy the feast! Join our book club on Patreon⁠⁠⁠!…
Tier Ranking Popular 2025 Romance and Fantasy Books | S5E35 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:43
We’re back with another Tier Ranking! We’ve gathered 21 of the most popular romance and fantasy books released this year and rank them on how good they actually are. Join our book club on Patreon⁠⁠! This November, we’re…
Books We’ll Never Read | S5E34 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:19:51
This week, we reveal the books we refuse to read and why! These books include BookTok and Bookstagram favorites, and a few iconic classics. Think you can change our minds on any of these? Join our book club on Patreon⁠!…