Tune into this episode for my thoughts on several AMAZING recent reads, including: Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica (Mystery) Archer's Voice by Mia Sheridan (Romance, Mystery) The Things we Leave Unfinished by Rebecca Yarros In the Likely Event by Rebecca Yarros The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros PLUS: I've read all 24 books written by Colleen Hoo…

Megan Birkel - a fan-favorite guest of mine and a fan-favorite in general - is used to asking her followers if they have any questions for her throughout the week. There's a reason for that: there's practically nothing this woman can't sell me, and following her has totally eliminated my need to spend hours scrolling through product reviews as Mega…

A few weeks ago, my mom got me one of the best presents I've ever received: an Oura Ring! If you don't know what the Oura Ring is, it's a smart ring that serves as a wellness tracker and helps you understand vital info about your sleep patterns, daily readiness, fertility + cycle, stress levels + more, and in this episode I'm talking about all of t…

Yep, you read that right: I have three daughters, and each of them is in a different school. I spent a long time this summer thinking about how I would make it work, and this morning, I pulled off the first drop off succesfully and have so much to share with you on how I'm doing things differently this year. Links I mentioned: The Five Minute Journ…

I've been waiting to see the movie adaptation of "It Ends With Us" starring Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni for what feels like forever and last night, I finally got to see it on the night it came out! In this episode, I'm sharing my completely candid and detailed review (spoiler alert!) as someone who has read all 24 of Colleen Hoover's books. Wat…

It's a widespread millennial parenting hack: kids who won't sleep? Give them some melatonin. But is it good for them? Is it bad for them? Does anyone know the answers? In this week's episode of IJHTS, Dr. Josh Tal, a sleep psychologist, is weighing in on the role melatonin can play in our sleep cycle and habits, plus how to build healthy sleep habi…

Parenting is full of pivotal moments that ask us to summon the highest version of ourselves (and all of our courage) without warning. From ushering his daughter through her first day of Kindergarten to giving the sex talk, Matt Brand, the author of "Nature and Nurture: one father's journey through the fog of parenting," is talking all about what it…

Have you ever been to a psychic? Do you think it's all just a bunch of hocus pocus or are you a true believer? Either way, Psychic Julee is here to help you hone your own psychic abilities and really get what you want out of life (hint: it's not about "wanting.") In this episode, we discuss: How Julee sees the future How you can see your own How to…

I originally shared this podcast on 5/23/24, and I'm re-broadcasting it so it's available on this feed as I switched feeds from the original about a month ago. Here's the original summary: This is my first official interview on this podcast and trust me, you don't want to miss it! Listen the whole way through to hear one of my most beloved podcast …

I know I've said it before, but DO NOT MISS this one-of-a-kind episode of "I Just Have to Say with Laura Max." Matchmaker Gaby Aratow of Keeper Introduction Services (KIS) here in Aspen, Colorado isn't wasting one minute of our hour-long episode with boring conversation. In this densely-packed exchange, we discuss: What makes people a great match W…

I met Catalina Gallegos on my first day of freshman year at the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. 21 years later (!!!) she's coming on the podcast with her 10+ years of experience in research and the field of psychology to talk about how habit stacking and other happiness and productivity hacks have optimized her joy in life as a moth…

About a week ago, half of my social media shared the now-viral AI image with text that read "All Eyes on Rafah." The other half shared another viral AI image, "Where were your eyes on October 7th?" This contrast underscored our state of division as we find ourselves injesting more and more conflicting news on the war in Israel each day. My guest on…

"What Season am I in?" It's a quiz I've taken way too many times, and I always come out with a different answer! Natalie is on the show to set the record straight and help me get closer to the answer, and to help anyone listening know how to dress their best each day. Even more, we go into: How to look your best and gain the TRUST of your audience …

Do you struggle to make big and small decisions? Are you wondering if those signs life is giving you are real or imagined? Have you gone through a major life change and want to hear about what you can look forward to in your next chapter? In this chat with Julie Lauren, host of Hashtag No Filter, we're talking about signs from above, growth after m…

I'm officially saying goodbye to Look Ma' No Hands - come join me and subscribe to 'I just have to say by Laura Max" on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Listen here.

I spent the month of May really swimming upstream as a parent. That's when I had a realization about parenting advice that I'm sharing with you today.

Smiling, happy siblings are the picture we see often when presented with family snapshots on social media and in holiday cards, but are siblings who get along really imperative to a functioning family? If your kids don't like each other, is there anything you can do about that? Blimie Heller returns to Look Ma' No Hands to give her perspective.…

"You were two before, and now, you are three. And yes, you wanted to become three, but that still doesn’t mean that you aren’t grieving the loss of when you were just two. This is completely normal and many couples don’t allow themselves the space to go through this transition and acknowledge both the complex emotions that accompany it, as well as …

Whether you identify as religious or not, there's little room for doubt that many of us millennial parents were heavily influenced by religious philosophy in our youth and continue to question it in our adulthood. While it's a straighforward commandment on its face, "Honor Thy Mother and Father" can be complicated if your relationship with your par…

It's human nature to want what we can't have, but what if the influences around you actually make you think want things you don't actually want? This is a phenomenon called mimetic desire, and in his book "Wanting", Luke Burgis explores how mimetic desire can lead us down an unfulfilling path and also help us curate a life that genuinely brings us …

Look Ma' No Hands is BACK...and trust me, this conversation is all the proof you'll need to know it's better than ever. In this first episode of Season Two, I'm welcoming one of your favorite guests, Megan Birkel of Willow Crowns, back to the podcast to discuss: Zoloft and motherhood What's really important in parenting (and what's really NOT) The …

Welcome back to another episode of The Grim Reader! We're back to work full time and we're pretty exhausted, maybe we should rename the podcast The Tired Readers? This week we chat all about Chris Pine and the drama surrounding the "Don't Worry Darling" movie. Our books this week are "The Girl on the 88 Bus" by Freya Sampson, and "The Corrections" …

Welcome back! The Grim Readers have returned from their summer holidays and have managed to record an episode (woo). Nikki tells us about her adventures in Amsterdam and teaches us all a very handy Dutch phrase. Rebecca on the other hand just roasts her. Our books this week are "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow" by Gabrielle Zevin, and "Looking…

Welcome back to The Grim Reader Podcast! This week Rebecca and Nikki talk all about their holidays, with Nikki finally sharing the "top secret" holiday location and all the adventures she got up to. We chat all about the heatwave, and do our bit in spreading the word that GLOBAL WARMING IS REAL! Our books this week are "Maybe You Should Talk to Som…

Join the Grim Readers this week as we hear all about Nikki's holiday plans, Rebecca shares her dream of living in a bookshop (we all knew this one already), and we get some Matteo appreciation! We also have a Grim Reader Revisits with Rebecca telling us what she thought of "Sunset" by Jessie Cave. Our books this week are "The Secret History" by Don…

Welcome back to The Grim Reader Podcast! This week Nikki chats about going to see Mitski (yes, as usual this was recorded in advance, while Rebecca talks all about her trip to Paris and her dream of living in Shakespeare and Co. Another popular topic comes up, old age and how we have decided that we shall stay young forever. Our books this week are…

Catch up with The Grim Readers this week as they talk absolute rubbish, as per usual! We launch into the Oscars (yes, it's June, we recorded this episode in April), Nikki's mic disaster, and we talk about non-fiction books that have made an impact on us. Our books this week are "New Animal" by Ella Baxter, and "The Library" by Bella Osborne.…

Join the Grim Readers this week as they chat about being Irish and all things from having a fear of wooden spoons to drinking 7up when you're sick. Rebecca tells us all about her new podcast obsession "Murder Most Irish" which covers Irish true crime. Our books this week are "Young Mungo" by Douglas Stuart, and "Crossroads" by Jonathan Franzen. Lis…

Welcome back to The Grim Reader Podcast! It's been a while (let's not work out how long). Join Rebecca and Nikki as they talk about their long break from podcasting and give life updates. They chat all about booktok and bookstagram and how both are encouraging people to read. Our books this week are "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo" by Taylor Jen…

Is cancel culture cancelling culture? How can we move forward in the face of hurt caused by another without writing them off entirely? Societally, can we move in a more constructive direction when opinions shock and surprise us? What can we do differently when it comes to strangers, friends, ourselves and our children? Rachel Tuchman, license menta…

When it comes to relationships and marriages, kids are a total game changer. Often times, the advice we get about connecting and reconnecting with our partner or spouse once our children are born is unattainable or impractical, but in this episode, psychologist Dr. Elizabeth Miller is sharing practical, real-life and every day ways to strengthen yo…

A happy, calm family starts at the top (read: with mom.) If you've ever needed permission to put yourself first, and evidence as to why that actually helps everyone around you, this is the LMNH episode you can't miss.

Sibling rivalry is one of the biggest challenges in parenting, and Blimie Heller of Unconditional Parenting is here to help us navigate these complex dynamics and do what we can to contribute to harmonious relationships between our children.

Catch up with The Grim Readers this week as they're joined by fellow podcaster Álanna. Her podcast "The Art of The Conversation" promotes the arts in Ireland from writing to music, to art, and even more. Every second episode she is joined by a guest where they can discuss their work and art. We would absolutely recommend listening! Álanna joined us…

Catch up with The Grim Readers this week as they chat all about a book they've been looking forward to for months! Yes, it's "The Man Who Died Twice*" by Richard Osman. We adored "The Thursday Murder Club" and couldn't wait to get our hands on the sequel. If you're a fan of the series and want to hear all our ramblings about our favourite group of …

We all knew this episode was coming! Join The Grim Readers this week as they discuss the latest novel from Sally Rooney, "Beautiful World Where Are?" We chat about our thoughts on the book, characters, themes, and pretty much everything Sally Rooney. It goes without saying that there will be spoilers, you have been warned!…

The Lost Episode of Atlantis is finally here! Catch up with the Grim Readers this week as we chat about recording woes, in particular any attempt to try and record in person together. There's a brief little rendition of a classic Lizzie Maguire tune before we get stuck into talking about the music industry. Such a wide variety of talking points! Ou…

Catch up with The Grim Readers this week as Becca finally gets roasted! We of course have to talk about the new Sally Rooney book, and Nikki having to buy two copies. We also talk about tote bags, yes we know we get into random topics at times. Be prepared for a very informative speech from Nikki about tote bags. Our books this week are "Sunset" by…

This week The Grim Readers have finally released another book club episode (we know, it's been a while). We chat all about "The Flatshare" by Beth O'Leary. In this book, Tiffy and Leon share a flat and bed. The only thing is they've never met! A book with amazing heartfelt moments that will have you sobbing, loveable and cherished characters, and h…

On this week's episode, Nikki and Rebecca chat about recording this very last minute. They mention many times throughout the episode the soon to be infamous "Lost Episode of Atlantis," the episode they had recorded but audio problems mean that is now lost. Nikki tells us that she's finally watching "Lost" (at least it's something different than Hou…

Author and Washington Post columnist Meghan Leahy is back on the podcast today to give you some straightforward answers to your trickiest parenting conundrums, along with debunking some of what we're told about "getting on the same page" as our spouse and why being on different pages can actually be helpful in raising our children. If you love hear…

Catch up with The Grim Readers this week as we chat about Indiana Jones and cinema memories, be it movies we should not have watched at nine years of age or getting ID'd when you're nineteen. Nikki tells us about her horrific ferry journey, while Becca chats about the upcoming Marian Keyes book (yes, we know it won't be released till next year). Ou…

This week on The Grim Reader, Nikki makes us all jealous by telling us about her upcoming trip to Galway and about getting her second vaccine. Rebecca tells us about Merlyn, her lovely dog who just has a love of running away at the moment or trying to eat plants that aren't good for her. (Merlyn is also present for the entire recording and is very …

You've seen him on TikTok...now you can hear MrChazz on Look Ma' No Hands! On this episode of LMNH, MrChazz talks all about his experiences teaching young children, what he learned and how and why he seeks to teach adults about all the best ways to interact with and nurture our kids. From letting go of perfectionism and being an "improvenist" to th…

Join The Grim Readers this week for the absolute chaos that was our first attempt to record in person! We chat about previous scores we've given books, there's a few in there we regret. Rebecca tells us about discovering Storygraph, a more personalised way to track your reading, while Nikki gives a public apology to the whole of Limerick. Fun times…

I had no idea what an "integrity child" was versus a "harmony child" when I first sat down to interview Blimie Heller, but once she started telling me about what each one was and what their differences are, my mind was blown. I can say with confidence that this episode changed the way I look at and parent my children on a daily basis, and so much o…

Catch up with all three of The Grim Readers this week! Yes, hooray! The prodigal host of podcasting has returned, a big welcome back to Chloe! Rebecca fills us in on listening to "Sentimental Garbage," how has it taken her this long to listen to it? Nikki chats about becoming a plant mom and catching up on Love Island through Marian Keyes' Twitter.…

Join the Grim Readers this week as they chat all about melting in the heat. Ireland was not made for the heat, we have no air conditioning! Somebody save us! We talk about our vaccines and how important they are, while also reminiscing on the great Chopiano story from last week. Chopiano shall live on forever. Our books this week are "Grown Ups" by…

This week The Grim Readers are joined by a special guest! A big welcome to Brennan from "The Ghost Story Guys", a podcast where he covers true stories of paranormal activity and beyond. Definitely a big recommendation for any spooky guys or gals out there. Brennan tells us about his two Irish poet stories featuring Seamus Heaney and Paul Muldoon. A…

This week on The Grim Reader, Nikki tells us all about her recent vaccine (lucky her), and we talk about our mutual tiredness and what our emoji lookalikes are. We chat about TikTok, the good, the bad, and the ugly sides of it. I mean no one should ever make lasagne in their dishwasher! And Rebecca tells us all about trying out a TikTok recipe, pes…