If You Loved ACOTAR Or Murderbot, Read These Next

In this episode of the Fully-Booked literary podcast, we’re back in the room with Meaghan, Shirin, and Arthur, though Arthur gets plenty of playful shade right out of the gate. The energy is chaotic in the best way, and we all seem to embrace it.

This time around, we’re not doing a structured game or typical author discussion. Instead, we’ve decided to have a casual roundtable where we toss out book recommendations based on popular titles.

Think of it as a “if you liked this, try this” style chat, the kind of stuff you might scroll through on BookTok, but with more tangents, more laughs, and a whole lot more coffee shop banter.

So, yes, it’s a podcast version of one of those aesthetic recommendation reels, but longer and full of personality. We’re hoping it helps listeners find their next favorite read, whether they’re winding down for bed or commuting with earbuds in. Along the way, we make plenty of jokes, toss in personal stories, and keep things as relatable as ever.

Cozy Fantasy And Twisty YA Picks

Meaghan kicks things off with Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree. It’s a standout in cozy fantasy, a genre that’s all about lower stakes and high charm. This one's about a retired assassin who just wants to run a coffee shop. We love it because it’s charming without the constant doom that high fantasy sometimes leans into. If you're tired of watching your favorite characters die dramatically, this is your safe space.

From there, we get three recommendations to follow that cozy vibe:

• This Will Be Fun by E.B. Asher offers more of an epic twist, following four heroes who reunite years after saving the world to stop another evil. It’s got humor, sarcasm, and a nostalgic team-up energy.
• Forged by Magic by Jenna Wolfhart includes orcs, elves, and romance, much like Legends and Lattes, but kicks the fantasy world-building up a notch.
• Dreadful by Caitlin Rosakus is quirky and a bit chaotic. A man wakes up in an evil wizard’s lair and slowly realizes… he’s the wizard. It’s got dark magic with a comedic undertone that keeps things from getting too heavy.

Next, Shirin brings up We Were Liars by E. Lockhart, a twisty, emotional YA mystery that clearly divides readers. Some of us saw the ending a mile away. Others (hi, Shirin) were shocked. Either way, it sparks strong reactions. From there, the recommended reads are:

• One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus, a classic high school murder mystery.
• A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson, which begins as a school project but morphs into a full-on whodunit.

Both offer those unreliable narrators and layers of secrets that make for great binge reads (and binge-worthy shows, too).

Sci-Fi Sarcasm and Robots with Feelings

Arthur (yes, we’re letting him talk now) shifts us into sci-fi territory. He spotlights The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells, which is being adapted into a TV show. The series centers around a sarcastic AI bot who’s pretending not to be sentient while dealing with messy human feelings. It’s funny, sharp, and dives into questions about identity and autonomy.

The companion picks for Murderbot are:

• Neuromancer by William Gibson, the cyberpunk classic full of noir and hacking vibes.
• Autonomous by Annalee Newitz, a gritty, emotional dive into freedom and biotech ethics.
• Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie features a starship AI stuck in a single human body, trying to cope and also seek revenge.

This whole section sparks a thoughtful conversation about how sci-fi is evolving to focus more on questions of self, ethics, and AI rights, especially as real-world conversations about artificial intelligence ramp up.

From Gothic to Gruesome: Creepy Houses and Haunting Pasts

Meaghan circles back with another strong pick: Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. This gothic classic inspires a group of haunting and eerie recommendations:

• The September House by Carissa Orlando, where every September, the house goes full horror mode with blood on the walls and something lurking in the basement.
• The Only One Left by Riley Sager, ano