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© 2025 Fully-Booked: Literary Podcast
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A Podcast for Casual Bookworms Everywhere. Every week, join co hosts Meaghan & Shirin as they share their thoughts & opinions about books and their adaptations-the good, the bad & the crappy of it all. Do they have any expertise? No. Are they going to tackle all that the literary world has to offer anyway? You bet. New episodes drop every Friday.
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Regretting You (2025) movie review + full spoiler breakdown of Colleen Hoover’s latest adaptation.Plot recap, ending talk, what worked, what flopped—and why it feels oddly too tame for CoHo.We finally watched Regretting You (2025) and we have thoughts. In this episode, we dive into the big twists, the relationship fallout, the teen romance subplot, and the super-neat ending that left us going: “wait… that’s it?”
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Netflix has officially brought Emily Henry’s People We Meet on Vacation to the screen, and Megan + Sherine are diving in while it’s fresh. The hosts unpack how the film handles the novel’s dual timelines, friends-to-lovers tension, and that “why didn’t they just TALK?” two-year fallout.They get into what worked (hello, chemistry, pacing, and genuinely funny moments), what felt off at first (a more manic-pixie-leaning Poppy early on), and how the adaptation streamlined character motivation in ways that made the story hit cleaner in a 2-hour runtime.Plus: the most important book-to-movie differences—family dynamics and side characters that got trimmed, how Sarah reads very differently on screen, and the film’s version of the final love-declaration beat.
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Book-to-screen adaptations are booming in 2026—so is a book better as a movie or a TV series?Meaghan & Shirin break down film vs TV adaptations, streaming’s impact, and why fantasy is hardest to adapt.Welcome back to Fully-Booked, our first episode of 2026! With major adaptations landing this year, we’re debating the pros and cons of book-to-film vs book-to-television in the streaming era.
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In this end-of-year Fully Booked wrap-up, Megan and Sherine say goodbye (respectfully… kind of) to 2025 and dig into what really mattered: the books that delivered.We rank our Top 5 reads of 2025—from twisty thrillers and darkly funny satire, to high-stakes fantasy/romantasy, slashers, vampires, and one horror novel that genuinely jump-scared us while reading. Along the way, we talk about what a “good reading year” even means, why stress can wreck reading momentum, and why the whole “how many books did you read?” discourse misses the point.Plus: honorable mentions, the books we wanted to finish (hello, Quicksilver), and the upcoming adaptations and 2026 reads already on our radar.
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The Housemaid (2025) movie review + Frieda McFadden book-to-film breakdown (Paul Feig, Amanda Seyfried, Sydney Sweeney).SPOILERS: We compare the twist and ending, as well as the changes made from the novel to the movie.Megan and Shirin are back with a full deep dive on The Housemaid—the new adaptation of Frieda McFadden’s viral domestic thriller.
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It’s our 2025 Fully Booked recap—part “podcast Wrapped,” part honest creative debrief. We break down our top 5 most-listened episodes (and why the internet clearly loves a timely adaptation take), share our personal favorites (from book hangovers and games to big-topic conversations like banning books), and unpack the months that felt too rigid, too narrow, or just creatively exhausting.We also talk about how the book-to-screen world keeps accelerating—trailers, releases, streaming drops, and adaptations arriving so fast that staying locked into strict monthly themes can mean missing the exact conversations everyone’s already having. So we’re making a change: 2026 will be looser, more flexible, and more “let’s talk about what’s happening right now.”If you’ve been listening all year (thank you!), this episode is both a celebration and a reset—plus a little peek at what we’re excited to cover next.
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Our 2025 reading wrap-up is here! We’re talking fantasy burnout, new mom thriller binges, ARCs we loved, and a late-year return to horror, cozy fantasy, and darkly funny mysteries.If you’re hunting for fantasy, thriller, and horror book recommendations—plus real talk about reading through seasonal slumps and motherhood—this episode is for you.
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Why do some fantasy series absolutely explode while others quietly disappear from your TBR? In this episode of Fully-Booked, Megan and Shirin unpack the rise of romantasy, dark romance, and spicy dragon epics to figure out what really makes a fantasy series go viral.Is there a magic formula behind today’s breakout fantasy hits? The hosts talk worldbuilding vs romance, character-driven sagas, the role of BookTok and RomantasyTok, and whether every new “high fantasy” release really needs explicit spice on every other page. They compare classic epic fantasy vibes (Tolkien, The Dark Tower, Shannara) with the current wave of dragon academies, fae courts, and dark romance crossovers, and wonder if we’re due for the next shift.If you’ve ever picked up a “high fantasy” only to discover it’s basically an erotic novel with dragons, or you miss old-school worldbuilding where the plot is more than just who’s kissing who, this conversation is for you.
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Welcome back to Fully-Booked, and happy Wicked Week!In this spoiler-packed episode, Meghan and Shereen sit down the day after seeing Wicked: Part Two to ask a big question: was this sequel actually good, or just really, really pretty?Drawing on Meaghan’s experience with Gregory Maguire’s novel and the Broadway musical, and Shirin's fresh movie-focused perspective, they unpack how the film handles Elphaba’s story, why Glinda weirdly feels like the main character in Part Two, and how much the new original songs actually add to the runtime. They talk fan expectations, social media intensity, and why some viewers seem ready to defend this franchise like it’s a personality trait.
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Hey there, fictional friends!On this episode of Fully Booked, Meghan and Shirin take a break from “serious” adaptations and dive into a mixed bag of comfort reads, ranging from horror to romance.💘 Main Chat: Forever My Girl – Book vs MovieWe unpack the Heidi McLaughlin novel and its 2018 film adaptation: runaway groom country-music star, furious florist ex, secret kid, small-town Louisiana vibes, and why the movie softens some of the book’s toxicity while dialling up the swoon.🧠 Escapism, Doomscrolling & Mental HealthWhy horror and small-town romances are hitting so hard right now, how feminists are remaking body horror, and why taking a social-media break to read might be the ultimate self-care move.👻 Bonus: Sparks x Shyamalan = RemainWe also scream a little about Nicholas Sparks & M. Night Shyamalan’s new supernatural love story Remain and its upcoming film with Jake Gyllenhaal and Phoebe Dynevor — the exact horror-romance crossover this era deserves.
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Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein is finally on Netflix—here’s why this Creature-first, practical-effects gothic works (and where it stumbles).We break down Oscar Isaac’s Victor, Jacob Elordi’s heartbreaking Creature, Mia Goth’s dual role, and the film’s lush, tactile world.We caught an early festival screening and a limited theatrical run before release, so this episode digs into the performances, the production design (including those glorious built sets), and why this isn’t a shot-for-shot adaptation but a bold interpretation that honors Mary Shelley’s spirit. We also trace Frankenstein’s cultural afterlife and tease where the Bride may rise next.
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On Halloween Day, Meaghan and Shirin celebrate the end of October with a love letter to the Universal Monsters—and the filmmaking moves that made them immortal.We trace the real beginnings of Universal horror (hint: Jekyll & Hyde was on screen long before Bela Lugosi’s Dracula), peek at the bootleg chaos of Nosferatu, and geek out over Lon Chaney’s groundbreaking makeup that hard-coded the “look” of classic monsters—Phantom’s skull-mask, Frankenstein’s square brow, caped Dracula, and the bandaged Invisible Man.Beyond trivia, we dig into why these creatures endure: unchecked power (The Invisible Man), inner conflict (Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde), the tragedy of creation (Frankenstein), and the tug-of-war between terror and seduction (is your vampire a monster…or a crush?). We talk modern riffs—from sympathetic monsters to today’s reboots—and why Universal’s IP keeps shapeshifting across eras without losing its bite.If you love Halloween, classic cinema, or just believe monsters say more about us than about them, this one’s for you.
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If you’ve ever wondered why It (2017/2019) still crawls under our skin, this episode is your sewer-level deep dive. We revisit Chapters 1 & 2 and talk about how Stephen King’s coming-of-age terror works on two timelines—childhood and adulthood—to explore memory, guilt, friendship, and the way a town learns to look away. We break down:Pennywise as a mirror for human cruelty—and why Bill Skarsgård’s performance vaulted into horror’s pantheon.Beverly’s story of survival; Richie & Eddie’s dynamic; Mike’s under-sung backbone; and Henry Bowers’ terrifying escalation.The casting magic: kids and adult counterparts who feel like the same people decades apart.The scenes that still devastate (hello, funhouse mirrors and “you’ll float too”).Why It is one of the most effective King adaptations—and how It: Welcome to Derry extends the mythos.With horror thriving at the box office and prestige circles, this rewatch lands right as It: Welcome to Derry (a 1962-set prequel on HBO/Max) premieres, promising more of Pennywise’s origins. We connect those dots and share what modern horror trends say about It’s staying power.
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What makes folk horror so unsettling? This episode maps the weird woods: isolated settings, old customs that refuse to die, and the outsider who realizes too late they can’t leave. Shereen arrives a skeptic; Meaghan leads the tour—through forests, farmlands, and edge-of-the-map towns where tradition presses against modern life.We unpack how setting becomes a character, why slow dread beats jump scares, and how folk horror pits the past against the present. We also explore how the subgenre is evolving—think eco-anxieties and even tech-resistant towns—and share a stack of must-reads and must-watches that capture the vibe: Brom’s Slewfoot, Stephen Graham Jones’s The Only Good Indians, A.M. Shine’s The Watchers, plus The Wicker Man and The Village. If you’ve ever walked into a place that felt “off” for reasons you couldn’t name, this one’s for you.
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YA horror isn’t just training-wheels terror — it’s where coming-of-age meets fear, identity, and community. In this episode, Megan and Shirin dig into why teen horror stays perpetually popular: it’s plot-forward, nostalgia-charged, and perfectly tuned to the search for self. We trace subgenres (slashers, hauntings, dark academia), talk inclusive casts and queer themes that live on the page without fanfare, and call out the steady stream of adaptations bringing YA scares to screens. Plus: nightstand reads, Montreal-set chills, and a quick tour of recent faves to start your TBR.
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Horror fans, assemble. In this episode, we dive into the last decade’s most effective page-to-screen chills and why adaptations are thriving right now. We talk TV’s “Flanaverse” and how The Haunting of Hill House set a new bar for character-first terror; the surprising heart (and heartbreak) in Doctor Sleep as King’s universe expands; how AMC’s Interview with the Vampire modernizes Rice without losing the bite; why The Invisible Man works as a tech-tinged, trauma-aware update; the pure slasher fun of Fear Street; the Poe-soaked spectacle of The Fall of the House of Usher; BBC’s Dracula and a terrifying Claes Bang performance; and more—plus honorable mentions like Gerald’s Game and the 2024 gothic revival of Nosferatu.We also chat about why modern audiences (hi, millennials) keep fueling bigger horror budgets and better fidelity to source material.If you love books, films, and the delicious space where they meet, this one’s for you.
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We’re three weeks into Dark Academia month and pivoting from the lack of new adaptations to the ones we want. From Ninth House and The Atlas Six to The Maidens, Bunny (plus its sequel), These Violent Delights, and The Honeys, we map the smartest book-to-screen plays—plus some spicy reader confessions (DNFs, trophy shelves, and the dusty corner).We dig into:Leigh Bardugo’s Alex Stern/Ninth House: Yale, secret societies, class tension, and occult edges tailor-made for prestige TV.Mona Awad’s Bunny (+ the new sequel): cult-classic campus horror with a tone that could swing from satire to nightmare.Olivie Blake’s The Atlas Six: found-family frenemies, the Library of Alexandria, and character-driven magic—screaming “ensemble show.”Alex Michaelides’ The Maidens: Cambridge, a too-charming professor, and a one-and-done thriller film.Micah Nemerever’s These Violent Delights: 1970s queer psychological spiral—two knockout leads could carry a festival-circuit hit.Ryan La Sala’s The Honeys: boarding-school hive-minds and identity; YA-leaning horror with sharp claws.
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Dark academia reads gorgeously on the page—but stumbles on screen. In this episode, we unpack the big reasons: the aesthetic-over-story trap, elite settings that limit relatability and diversity, and the reality that streamers cancel fast and world-build slow. We use “Wednesday,” “The Order,” and our beloved Poe-soaked, gothic campus imagery to ask: is the genre “unfilmable”… or just misunderstood? We also float a fix—adult animation—plus how fandom pressure and multi-book epics make accuracy impossible without killing character depth. We cover:Why the vibe can eclipse plot (and how that nukes character empathy).Elitism, scholarship kids, and why viewers bounce off “pretentious” casts.Streamer economics: fast cancellations vs. slow-burn worldbuilding.“Wednesday” S2 hype (and that cameo) vs. book-to-screen pipelines.The bold idea: make dark-academia animation for adult audiences.
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It’s September (aka back-to-school season), so we’re launching a month of dark-academia conversations. In this opener, we map the genre’s core—elite or boarding-school settings, gothic vibes, and a lean toward mystery, fantasy, and even horror—and dig into why secret societies and clandestine clubs keep showing up in these stories.We compare “real” vs. fictional societies, talk initiations and rituals, and why the forbidden—anything faculty might frown upon—creates irresistible narrative tension.On our nightstands: The Perfect Marriage by Geneva Rose (and the follow-up Perfect Divorce), With a Vengeance by Riley Sager (a ’50s train mystery with Murder-on-the-Orient-Express energy), and an ARC of The Shattered King by Charlie N. Holmberg (out Sept 2), a romance-fantasy about a healer named Nim, a mysteriously sick prince, and a banned-magic world—book two expected 03/03/2026.We also name-drop fan favorites—Ninth House, Bunny, A Deadly Education, The Atlas Six, The Maidens, and more—and unpack why the “secret club” trope endures.
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In this episode of Fully Booked: Literary Podcast, Meaghan and Shirin jump into Season 3 of The Summer I Turned Pretty — both the show and the original book trilogy by Jenny Han. They share brutally honest thoughts about how the story has progressed, especially how much they’ve soured on the central romance between Belly and Jeremiah.The hosts discuss their evolving opinions since Season 1, when the story had a certain charm, to now, where it feels like a frustrating spiral of poor decisions and forced drama. Belly’s character development (or lack thereof), Jeremiah’s red flags, and Conrad’s surprising maturity are all on the table. So is the hot topic of that cringeworthy engagement plot twist.You’ll also hear how the side characters — especially Steven, Taylor, Laurel, and John — are actually carrying the emotional weight of the show. There’s a lot of love for the mother-daughter dynamics and a whole lot of shade for the unnecessary melodrama.They compare The Summer I Turned Pretty to Han’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and even throw in thoughts on The Kissing Booth just to round things out. If you’re hate-watching or just hanging on for closure, this one’s for you.
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