I stumbled upon this episode of "Literally Reading," and I’m so glad I did! Traci and Ellie are the perfect bookish friends, making every discussion feel like a fun, cozy chat. Even though I’m not much of a reader, I loved listening to them recap their summer reading—it’s like getting the highlights without lifting a page. Their passion and banter are infectious, making the podcast a joy to listen to! Looks like I might be picking up a new hobby 📚💖

The audiobook episode was fantastic!!!! I love all the episodes, and the best of episodes especially. I look forward to listening every week. Thank you for delivering quality recommendations both in print and on audio.

UPDATED REVIEW: I have to update my previous review after they’ve made the decision to start a Patreon. I fully understand and support creators need to monetize their content. However. I feel like it is a little bit of a gimmick to choose the “favorite” episode of the podcast (what they literally read in my opinion is the episode that gives the most recommendations in one place) and make that the draw to get people to begin to pay. I feel like Patreon should be used to add new content to what is already being created, not try to begin to charge for the favorite podcast episodes on the feed. All that said, I appreciate their worldviews and approach in their reviews. I will still listen occasionally, but I anticipate this change will cause me to find other book podcasts rather than pay to hear their favorites. It’s too bad. OLD REVIEW I look forward to this podcast every single week! I seem to have overlapping tastes with both hosts and it is so refreshing to have a book podcast that isn’t full of politics and wokeness that need to be filtered through. I love this podcast! Thank you!

I applaud the honesty and enthusiasm that Traci and Ellie bring to their reading lives. Although producing a polished weekly show is a challenge that necessarily emphasizes quantity of books consumed over quality of analysis, they manage to share exactly the kinds of insights and recommendations that avid readers like me need.

I just found these women and I am thoroughly enjoying their content. They are covering a lot of titles I have heard of, but more that I have actually read and loved so I believe they will be a great resource for me! Yay!

These ladies know what they are talking about! It is hard to find readers who recommend things to my taste so I’m so glad I found this podcast 😁

This kept popping up on the “You Might Like” portion of my page and I kept believing I had listened before. I have. And I turn away each time. This last listen proved too much when one host pronounced the word magnate as “magnet,” in their January 2024 preview episode. I say this sincerely and with the least amount of malice as I can—they have potential when not talking over each other, but how can a reader trust their judgment when basic vocabulary is a struggle?

I found these lovely ladies because of Ellie and mines love of Annie B. Jones and The Bookshelf in Thomasville, GA. Quickly I have become hooked to this podcast and you can tell that Traci and Ellie really care about how they speak about books and I love how they don’t hold back. My TBR is bursting because of these wonderful ladies!!

I call these ladies my bestfriends😂. I love how lighthearted and fun they are. They made me see how it’s ok to read books that I previously thought would be “embarrassing”. They made me see that we should all read what we enjoy. Sometimes it’s literary. Sometimes it’s a rom com. That’s ok! And they are the ones who got me to try ACOTAR. I never in a million years would have picked one of these up before. I love them!!!

California girls who love books!!! I love these ladies! I look forward to their recommendations weekly. Listeners beware that your tbr list is going to skyrocket 😊

I discovered this podcast a couple of months ago and it has been an absolute joy for me ever since! I pretty much only listen to book podcasts so I was happy to find another one I enjoyed so much. Ellie and Traci are so genuine and down-to-earth. They make me laugh and give so many good book recommendations.

I enjoy this podcast, and they talk about a LOT of books! I feel like it’s primarily new or relatively new titles and very little backlist which I think matters either a little or a lot depending on the listener. I don’t mind it at all. The co-hosts have great rapport and know each other’s tastes well. I like their 4 Rs system, although sometimes I wish they’d talk about books in more depth. Their annual favorites wrap ups are my favorite! I have a few quibbles that have been mentioned in other reviews (overuse of “like”, interrupting/talking over one another, talking too fast) plus they both say, “you guys” SO often. (One of those things where once I noticed that, I realized they say it a couple dozen times per episode sometimes.) But, given that this is a podcast made for pure fun and I always look forward to it, I give it a solid 4 stars!

Halfway through my first episode of this podcast, I just had to turn it off. People who use the word “like” every five words just turn me off. Especially when it’s people who love to read and discuss books, I would expect better grammar.

Thank you so much for the episode featuring Catherine Steadman. I never would’ve found these books without you. I just finished “The Family Game” and was enthralled! I also liked “Something in the Water,” and I agree she’s getting better and better. I love your podcast! Thanks for all your hard work.

A good podcast to enjoy on my runs. Small suggestion: please don’t talk over the other person when they announce the next book they’re discussing. A “oh, yah” at the wrong moment smothers the title!

Great interviews! One little thing, stop saying the constant “yeah,mmhmm” in the middle of someone talking. Please let your interview subject talk! Otherwise, very engaging and fascinating!

Y’all need to identify who each of you are frequently throughout the podcast please. The two of you sound alike! You kinda talk alike, lol. So in case I want to select a book based on one or the other, it is hard to know who is who. I am sure as I listen more, which I plan on doing, I’ll be able to tell you apart better.

I’m so glad to find a lovely little podcast about books that I actually enjoy and look forward to hearing! There’s a big variety of books covered, and I enjoy their friendly banter. Thanks!!

Please please please ladies listen to some of the seasoned podcasters and follow their language. It’s so hard listening to the word like all the time, and speaking so fast you fumble words. So many great bookish podcasts you could model yourself after and this show would be great.

I love, love, love Literally Reading! This podcast is like listening to and talking with two dear, bookish friends. With the perfect balance of book talk and friendly chat, I always come away with a smile on my face and some great book recommendations. Thank you, ladies!

I love your podcast, and I love your book reviews. But I have a question, do you listen back to your selves before you publish? You constantly stumble over your words. Very choppy, and could be much smoother.

I love listening to this weekly podcast every Wednesday. They have a great selection of books, fresh format, and just the right length of episodes.

I listen to a lot of bookish podcasts and Literally Reading is one of my favorites. They give great book reviews- both when they love a book and when a book doesn’t work for them. I appreciate the fact that they focus on the book talk without a lot of unrelated chitchat. Ellie & Traci have such a fun, conversational way of talking to each and listening to them each week while I’m running or doing housework is a true delight. 📚❤️

I like to listen to the bookish conversation between Tracy & Ellie. Lots of good recommendations, and details of the why behind their likes and dislikes. This really helps me find books to add to my TBR list!

I LOVE this bookish podcast!! Ellie and Traci are so fun to listen to because they give such great insight into books without giving away spoilers. I enjoy the two friends have differences in their reading choices and also commonalities (aka romcoms😍). I’ve added countless books to my TBR because of these two!! My favorite episodes are their reading recaps. I find it really helpful when they do their “read alike” where they compare a book they read to another popular book. This always gives me a good idea of how the book will read and if the book is for me or not. Definitely give this one a listen if you are a reader and are looking for ideas on what to read next!!📖📖📖

Ellie and Traci are friends that make reading more fun! Their podcast is informative, honest, funny and easy to listen to.

I love tuning in to catch up with what these two friends are literally reading! I love that they bounce book recommendations off each other as they pass them on to the listener. Pure bookish fun!

I love Literally Reading! I have a long and tedious work commute, and the podcast is my happy escape! The recaps of what the ladies read or will be reading is super fun, and they do an incredible job of offering a wide variety of book recommendations. The conversation is lighthearted and fun, and I’m always sad when the episode ends! Thank you for this wonderful show!

I’ve been listening to Literally Reading for a couple years, and it’s my favorite podcast! I love the different styles of episodes that Elli and Tracie share, and I always have a few more books on my TBR by the end of an episode. They’re so positive and their joy for books is infectious. If you’re looking for a bookish podcast, look no further. ☺️

I really like this podcast! Ellie and Traci have a great banter, and you can tell they are great friends. :) I like when they disagree on the same books and give reasons why they disagree. I do love that they are authentic that they overlap in their reading a lot, but sometimes it feels like deja vu when one reads and reviews a book, and then the other reads it a few weeks or months later. My personal preference would be a bit less romcoms, but again they are authentic and I appreciate that aspect.

I absolutely love your podcast! It is my favorite one each week. I love your book reviews and the way you make me want to read all of them! And today’s episode made me realize I am more of a Tracy reader😊 I do love a lot of Ellie’s also though! But melancholy was the exact word I used to describe Hello Beautiful! It was so well written and she is an amazing author but J Ryan Stradal is my favorite and I can’t wait to read his new book! I recommend your podcast to everyone! Y’all are the best!

Listening to this podcast was the most fun I’ve had in ages. The hosts have created an inviting and cozy space in which to indulge my inner book nerd. Their discussions (no spoilers!) inspire myriad ideas for my TBR list and leave me in awe of their deep knowledge of novels, new and old, of all genres. Listening to Literally Reading is a truly a treat. I look forward to many more episodes and all of the new novels it will inspire me to read.

Extremely shallow/surface book reviews. These ladies LOVE a lot of books that are just plain bad and can’t be bothered with anything that has any substance. Ok for them, but I am really looking for a book podcast with much more discerning readers. If you like the Reading Through Life podcast you will probably like this. I hate that for the same reason :(

I’m a librarian and avid reader - I’m really enjoying your podcast and book recommendations. Your 4 R system is great!

Feels like a good chat with friends every episode. I get so many great book recommendations from Traci and Ellie and look forward to listening every week!

I love listening to Ellie and Tracy on my drives to and from work. They have introduced me to so many new books and authors! Listening to them has kept me out of a reading slump since they inspire me to keep reading. Sometimes they can go on rants and I zone out a bit, but it’s not often. They have found a way to keep their uploads unique and original instead of uploading episodes discussing what they’re reading every time, which is why I look forward to seeing what they’ve come out with on Wednesdays! They also do a great job of trying to talk about and explore other genres than just the ones they love. Definitely recommend this podcast if you love reading or want to get back into it!

Love this podcast. Feels like I’m hanging out with 2 friends talking about books. Highly recommend!

These girls know a thing or two (or ten million!) about books, what to read, when to read it, and what NOT to read! Honest and fun reviews with unapologetic opinions mixed in! Your go-to podcast for listening for fun or getting out of that non-reading slump for inspiration!

There are so many good books in the world, but what to grab next?! This podcast helps me answer that - whether it’s what Ellie and Traci are literally reading (or listening to) now or what they’re reviewing. Also, as other reviewers have mentioned, it feels like I could be sitting in a room with them and find myself responding with a nod or even audibly!

I love listening to Traci & Ellie talk about books!! My personal reading taste align with Traci closest, and I’ve gotten so many book recommendations from listening! This is my “listen while folding laundry”podcast! 📚 📖

Best friends but never predictable!

I LOVE this podcast for the book recs for sure! But I also feel like Ellie and Traci come across as genuine, fun, lovely people that I could be best friends with in real life! Highly recommend having Literally Reading in your ears regularly!

This is one of my absolute favorite book podcasts! Traci and Ellie have so many good recommendations! I look forward to this every week!

I’ve added about a million books to my TBR since starting this podcast! Love it!

I enjoy these podcasters so much! I alway get a book or 5 to add to my TBR!

I think this is my favorite book podcast. Thanks for the great show!

I love this podcast so much. After every episode my tbr list has grown so much. I’m always impatiently waiting for the next episode. Keep it up ladies!

Traci and Ellie share what they are literally reading and listening to. I love their reviews and discussions. I feel like I’m part of the conversation even though they can’t hear what I’m saying 😂

I love listening to Traci and Ellie. I have gotten some great book ideas, anc they’re fun to listen to.

I love this podcast so much!! Ellie and Traci are very similar readers as me so I feel I can trust them when they recommend a book! I recommend this podcast to every reader I know!