Easily Distracted by New Releases and Defending Our Book Collections

Summary

Podcast Summary: Book Talk, etc. Episode: Easily Distracted by New Releases and Defending Our Book Collections
Release Date: March 11, 2025
Hosts: Tina (@tbretc) and Hannah (@hanpickedbooks)

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Introduction

In this engaging episode of Book Talk, etc., hosts Tina and Hannah delve into their passion for new book releases and the challenges of maintaining extensive book collections. Skipping the initial casual chatter, the conversation swiftly transitions into meaningful discussions about their latest reads, resources for TV show enthusiasts, and the societal pressures surrounding book ownership.

Loving Lately: TV Show Recommendations

Timestamp: [04:00] – [06:05]

Tina introduces Jock from Jock's Watch List, a multifaceted creator active on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. Jock offers deep dives into under-the-radar TV shows, akin to "bookstagram" but dedicated to television. Tina praises Jock's ability to recommend shows based on viewers' preferences, highlighting her weekly updates on new TV releases.

Tina: "She does the same thing as new release Tuesday videos with books but for television." [04:55]

Hannah shares her enthusiasm for finding television discussions through her obsession with the show Severance, expressing her intent to explore Jock's content further.

Hannah: "I'm going to be searching that when we're off of here to see if they have anything to say about the shows that I'm watching right now." [05:40]

Loving Lately: Recipe Hub - Brock Your Body

Timestamp: [07:16] – [10:40]

Hannah recommends Brock Your Body, a comprehensive recipe hub she discovered while seeking new meal ideas. The website stands out with its user-friendly design and specific Trader Joe's recipes, catering to fans of the store's unique ingredients.

Hannah: "I love a good recipe website. That's not me too. You know what I mean?" [08:22]

Tina echoes the sentiment, emphasizing the importance of accessible and aesthetically pleasing recipe resources.

Tina: "I love Brock your Body, which I quite like as a title." [10:19]

Both hosts appreciate the simplicity and creativity of the recipes, noting their alignment with their shopping preferences at Trader Joe's and Aldi.

Defending Our Book Collections

Timestamp: [23:07] – [27:49]

Tina addresses the backlash against large book collections, advocating for the value of owning books and dismissing the notion that having many books is inherently negative.

Tina: "There are way worse things to spend your money on than books." [24:09]

Hannah shares her practical approach to managing her collection, emphasizing the importance of owning books she loves and frequently references through her podcast.

Hannah: "I do have some stress right now with the amount of books that I have, but not because of books that I have on my shelves that are unread." [26:09]

The conversation emphasizes that owning a substantial book collection is a personal choice and not a measure of one's reading habits.

Where They Buy Books

Timestamp: [29:55] – [36:45]

Hannah discusses her preferred bookstores, including Barnes and Noble and local independent stores, highlighting the unique setup of her local indie bookstore that combines separate buildings for children’s and adult books.

Hannah: "I love shopping there... it's adorable." [30:47]

Tina complements this by sharing her reliance on secondhand markets and local bookstores, expressing decision fatigue when selecting new books but finding satisfaction in discovering titles she enjoys.

Tina: "I have the worst decision fatigue when I enter a bookstore." [31:25]

Both hosts emphasize the joy of owning physical books and the challenges of balancing collection size with available space.

Book Reviews

1. Back after this by Linda Holmes

Timestamp: [12:30] – [17:11]

Tina reviews her latest read, Back after this by Linda Holmes, praising its authentic characters and relatable workplace dynamics centered around podcast production.

Tina: "She's sharp, very funny, and a little bit work obsessed, which I found very relatable." [13:07]

Hannah appreciates the audiobook narration by Linda Holmes, noting that it enhanced her listening experience.

Hannah: "I loved Evie Drake Starts Over." [16:58]

2. The Empusium by Olga Takarczyk

Timestamp: [17:11] – [22:44]

Hannah provides a thoughtful critique of The Empusium, highlighting its slow-building suspense and exploration of women's mental health within a historical context.

Hannah: "This is one of the slowest, but not in a bad way, but one of the like slowest and most thoughtful books I've ever read." [17:42]

Tina relates to Hannah’s experience, sharing her own uncertainties regarding the author's intentions.

Tina: "Do I stick it out? I think it's fine." [22:09]

3. Tilt by Emma Petit

Timestamp: [37:21] – [41:35]

Tina discusses Tilt, a debut novel centered around Annie, a pregnant woman navigating the chaos of a massive earthquake in Portland. She praises the book's introspective elements but expresses disappointment with its fulfillment as a thriller.

Tina: "It did a great job making you pause and think about what would I do in this situation." [39:12]

Hannah acknowledges mixed reviews but commends Tina for providing a balanced perspective.

Hannah: "I think you did a really good job setting that up." [41:12]

4. We Rip the World Apart by Charlene Carr

Timestamp: [41:35] – [45:12]

Hannah reviews We Rip the World Apart, a multi-generational story exploring motherhood, race, and family secrets. She appreciates the book's distinct character timelines but finds it overshadowed by similar works.

Hannah: "I think it's because I loved Good Dirt so much. And this one just got really blurry to me." [45:12]

Tina reflects on how similar thematic elements between books can impact the reading experience.

Tina: "A book that isn't standing out for you. And it's nothing necessarily, it's just sort of blurry." [46:38]

5. Broken Country by Claire Leslie Hall

Timestamp: [46:44] – [50:19]

Tina enthusiastically endorses Broken Country, a Reese’s Book Club pick, for its immersive storytelling and emotional depth. She highlights the book's ability to intertwine past and present narratives seamlessly.

Tina: "This book was emotional and the stakes were high. I don't think there was, like, a dry moment in this entire book." [48:18]

Hannah expresses excitement about reading and discussing the book's engaging plot.

Hannah: "Oh, I love when a book has, like, a love triangle or, like, there's multiple love interests and you can't choose." [50:19]

6. Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone

Timestamp: [50:37] – [54:25]

Hannah explores Promise Me Sunshine, a slow-burn romance about Lenny, who is grieving the loss of her best friend while navigating a new relationship. She praises the book's emotional depth and character development.

Hannah: "It's a very slow burn and I think it would definitely be skippable easier for this one than, you know, some of the other romance books that I have read." [54:25]

Tina appreciates Hannah's detailed analysis, reinforcing the book's strengths.

Tina: "Love this book. You would love this book. I think I would really eat it up." [50:36]

7. Liquid A Love Story by Mariam Rahmani

Timestamp: [54:43] – [56:59]

Tina reviews Liquid A Love Story, critiquing its classification as a romantic comedy due to its heavy plot involving a family tragedy that compels the protagonist to confront personal issues.

Tina: "I think it sounds great. I also love somebody that tries to like man manufacturer this perfect dating scenario." [56:35]

Hannah finds the premise intriguing, suggesting a diverse reading experience.

Hannah: "That one sounds really interesting to me." [56:37]

8. Buffalo Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones

Timestamp: [57:12] – [58:37]

Hannah introduces Buffalo Hunter, a horror novel focusing on a Lutheran pastor uncovering a diary from 1912 that reveals a massacre. She praises Stephen Graham Jones for his masterful storytelling and immersive horror elements.

Hannah: "Although I don't always love religious stuff in books, I do love mixed media. And I do trust this author." [57:30]

Tina echoes the excitement, expressing her eagerness to read the vengeance-driven narrative.

Tina: "I want this book so bad. I want it so much." [57:17]

Conclusion

Timestamp: [58:37] – End

As the episode wraps up, Tina and Hannah reflect on the balance of their book discussions, acknowledging the mix of positive and critical reviews they've shared. They encourage listeners to explore the books mentioned and engage with their content across various platforms.

Tina: "If you enjoyed today's episode, you can help us by following wherever you listen and by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts." [59:06]

Hannah: "Remember, everything's better with books." [59:06]

Listeners are invited to connect with the hosts via email and social media, and to access exclusive content through their Patreon page.

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Notable Quotes:

• Tina on Book Collections: "There are way worse things to spend your money on than books." [24:09]

• Hannah on Book Collections: "I'm starting to run into a problem where the books that I want to have a place on my shelves, I'm like, I'm going to need a couple of new bookshelves." [26:09]

• Tina on "Back after this": "She's sharp, very funny, and a little bit work obsessed, which I found very relatable." [13:07]

• Hannah on "The Empusium": "This is one of the slowest, but not in a bad way, but one of the like slowest and most thoughtful books I've ever read." [17:42]

• Tina on "Broken Country": "This book was emotional and the stakes were high. I don't think there was, like, a dry moment in this entire book." [48:18]

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For more detailed discussions and to listen to the full episode, visit Book Talk, etc. on your preferred podcast platform.

Transcript

[Tina]

I put this on the back of my phone today or yesterday. It says it's kind of being blocked, but it says, hello, I'm reading. Go away.

[Hannah]

Go away. Oh, cue. Love a reading sticker. I see you've got your popsocket magnet.

[Tina]

Yeah, because I'm a. I literally was walking around, not like, I didn't have a magnetic case. And I was thinking, I'm like, these magnets don't work, like, the magnetic chargers and things. And like, I have a magnetic tripod. I'm like, it's not that strong. And then finally I realized you're a. You need to have a magnetic case.

[Hannah]

No, I did the exact same thing.

[Tina]

Did you?

[Hannah]

Yes. I was like, it's not sticking. I would, like, put it up and it would just fall.

[Tina]

Yes.

[Hannah]

And I was like, okay, well, this is a stupid design.

[Tina]

I. I swear. I was like, it's. I've been fooled.

[Hannah]

And then I worked with popsocket. Like, they asked if they could send me, like, some. Some popsockets and some stuff. And then I was like, wait, why did they send these, like, circular magnets? Their stuff? And then I was like, oh, that's why it hasn't been sticking. So I did the same thing. No, we're both ding dongs.

[Tina]

Ding dongs. Unsurprising. All right.

[Hannah]

Unsurprising.

[Tina]

Welcome to Book Talk Etc, a podcast bound to grow your tbr. I'm Tina from TBR Etc.

[Hannah]

And I'm Hannah from Hand Picked Books.

[Tina]

This is a conversational podcast about books and more from two Midwest new readers who are easily distracted by new releases. And today we are leaning into our love for new releases and sharing reviews on some new books we've recently read.

[Hannah]

If you enjoy listening, we'd love for you to follow us on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app. And if you have a quick minute, please consider leaving us a review on Apple Podcast or sharing us on social media. It truly helps us connect with other book lovers.

[Tina]

Hi, Hannah.

[Hannah]

Hey, Tina. How are you?

[Tina]

I'm all right. How are you doing?

[Hannah]

Doing great. Except for the fact. Midwest, you know, Weather update.

[Tina]

Weather update.

[Hannah]

We got snow this morning.

[Tina]

Yeah, I thought. I was like. I woke up and I looked at my neighbor's roof and I'm like, is that snow? It's not allowed to snow in March. So I was not happy to see that.

[Hannah]

I mean, sometimes it's. No, it was in April, but we won't talk about that.

[Tina]

It was. We went to a Cubs game last year or two years ago with Amy, who's Our friend and a listener, and it literally all in one day. We were at Wrigley, and she's from California. She saw snow, she saw hail, rain, and sunshine all in one game. She's like, what's happening? And I was like, you're getting the full Midwest right now.

[Hannah]

So usually we get that in the span of a few days, but getting it in one day is pretty special.

[Tina]

It was. It was great. Yeah. And it was very cold at this baseball game, but that's showbiz.

[Hannah]

At least you're at a baseball game.

[Tina]

Yeah. And I was pregnant, so I was like, probably not the best company. So we'll have to. Amy, if you're listening, let's do it again. Now that I'm not pregnant.

[Hannah]

Better weather, better, you know, life season for a baseball game where you can actually have a beer and, you know, and chill.

[Tina]

One of my books takes place in a podcast studio, and I am so. It was so great, but I am so cognizant in the book. They talk a lot about mic and vocal performance and, like, how annoying the host is. They keep, like, smacking their lips and drinking the water. And I'm so cognizant right now of, like, being very clear to talk into the mic, because I had just read this book that was, like, basically a podcast editor talking about her. Her host and how they were, like, now he was the worst. But, like, I'm just very cognizant right now of, like, okay, talk close to the mic.

[Hannah]

Make sure that you're not making any weird mouth noises.

[Tina]

Popping your peas. Yeah, exactly.

[Hannah]

Popping your peas.

[Tina]

I can do that sometimes, so I'm working on that. But I have to say, I will lead us into our loving lately. And I swear to you, I am sort of running out of loving lately. And not to say that this recommendation is not a good one, because it is, but I was trying to think. I have lists of all of these things that I would like to try as loving lately is for the show. But I've come to realize that I think I love making lists of things I want to watch or read or consume as much as I actually do consuming the content. So this is related to one of my favorite hobbies, which is building a list of TV shows that I want to watch. And I'm never watching shows, right? I always want to, but I'm always, like, doing something else. Podcasting, listening to an audiobook, whatnot. But I do want to share one of my favorite places to get show recommendations, because she is a creator named Jock from Jocks Watch List. And she is on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok. So wherever you spend time online, she likely has an account there. And I love what she shares. It is sort of like bookstagram but for television because she does deep dives on certain shows. She'll do shows that are under the radar. She'll do book lists is what I want to say. But she'll do show lists where you like, if you liked this, watch that. And then she does a weekly, or I guess it's more than once a week, deep dive on what's coming out on TV this particular day. And so if you're like avid TV watcher, I think this is such a great resource because I don't pay attention to what's coming out. I'm like years behind everything at this point. So I sort of note it and like put it on my long list of book TV shows that I eventually want to read. But she does these posts and they're kind of like my new release Tuesday videos with books but for television. And I know I will never be able to catch up, at least in this season of my life. But I wanted to mention it because I know a lot of our listeners are also TV folks and I wanted to share this resource if you're looking for your next TV show to get obsessed with. So that's all it is, a creator jock from Jocks Watch List. And we'll link that in the show notes.

[Hannah]

Oh, that's awesome. And that's on, on YouTube or on TikTok.

[Tina]

She's on all three Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. So yeah, if you're anywhere, anywhere online, she's probably there.

[Hannah]

That's perfect. I've been on a lot of like TV and movie people's TikTok and Instagrams lately because I'm obsessed with severance right now, which I brought as a loving lately a couple weeks ago. And it's definitely one of those shows that has like a massive Reddit thread and stuff. But all that to say I've been finding other people who talk about television through my obsession with that show, but I haven't run across Jacques yet. And so I'm going to be searching that when we're off of here to see if they have anything to say about the shows that I'm watching right now.

[Tina]

I hope so. And I can't speak to that because I don't, I don't know why I love that though. I really think I just like, I like making lists and I like the possibility.

[Hannah]

Oh, I Love making lists. That's why I love deciding what to like. I love like curating a TBR and then I'm like, and I'm not gonna read any of those.

[Tina]

I know. Same. I. The, the vlog that I just posted to my YouTube just now a couple of hours ago. I. The first, it's a 30 minute video and the first 15 minutes are me picking my reads because I was reading first sentences and I was having such fun just sort of building this TBR and going through the different books. But anyway, yeah, if you are a TV person, give her a look.

[Hannah]

Oh, I'm excited about that. Okay. My loving lately is a recipe hub called Brock your Body. And I found this actually kind of through like a rabbit trail. But I was looking for recipes as you do online and was like stuck in a recipe rut. And I found this noodle dish that looked really, really good. And it was. When someone was posting about it, they were like, this recipe is actually from Rock your Body, but I just made some revisions to it. And so I was like, oh, I'm curious about the original, you know, recipe poster because I want to get like the ingredients list and I want to check out their other stuff. So I then found their TikTok and then I went to their website and they have tons of stuff. And their website is also just really pretty. And that's a big deal for me because I want it to be easy to navigate and I want it to look nice. What I especially love about this, like recipe blog hub is that they have specific Trader Joe's recipes. And we are definitely like a Trader Joe's and Aldi family. And it's really nice to be able because sometimes Trader Joe's has really specific ingredients that are specific to two Trader Joe's. And so like the sauces or even certain spices and things like that. And she has recipes positioned around those kind of specific Trader Joe's ingredients. And so that's what I've used it primarily for. We made this noodle dish that I can link to that was really yummy. And then we also made what is technically a fall sweet potato sheet pan dish. But we had it recently and it's fine any time of year. Spoiler alert. But we really, really liked it. And it was kind of a unique sheet pan meal. I feel like sheet pan meals can be hard to be creative with and oftentimes I see the same thing. Three sheet pan meals, you know, on rotation all the time. This one was a little bit different. It had like a maple mustard Sauce that we put over the top of it that was really yummy. But anyway, I've added a few of their recipes to our to try list as well. But so far every recipe we've tried, which is two have been great and I've written a few down. So I'm excited to explore this website more and the recipes and that is Brock your body.

[Tina]

I love a good recipe website. That's not me too. You know what I mean? Person that makes recipes online. I have been obsessed with cooking in the Midwest. I have made so many of his video his meals lately and his are kid friendly so that like has been working really well.

[Hannah]

Tons crock pot meals.

[Tina]

Tons of crock pot meals. I think I brought him as a loving lately at one point in time. But if not cooking in the Midwest, if you're a Midwest person, I truly make his meals at least twice a week. Yesterday I made his tacos. He's got a chicken pasta dish and yum. But I do need to expand because it's been very basic. So I'm going to check out Brock your body, which I quite like as a title.

[Hannah]

I. Which you what?

[Tina]

I quite like that as a title. Brock your body. Cute.

[Hannah]

It's cute. And the recipes are also just simple ingredients. And she doesn't just have the Trader Joe's recipes and she has some that just have really simple, easy ingredients. Some of them are just stuff that you'd have in your pantry, but kind of a more creative version of it.

[Tina]

So I just can't believe I've never seen this before because I hadn't either.

[Hannah]

And I've been on a lot of recipe websites.

[Tina]

Yes. Looks like right up my alley.

[Hannah]

Tina.

[Tina]

What?

[Hannah]

Someone at the office, my, my office yesterday brought the kale Caesar salad from Love and Lemon and they were eating it for lunch.

[Tina]

Yeah. Were you like, I know that salad.

[Hannah]

I know. Well, I literally. I actually didn't say anything I should have, but I'm awkward. But I was, I, I was kind of looking at her. I was kind of looking at her and, and I could tell she was kind of like, huh? And I was like. And then instead of being a normal person and just saying like, oh, did you get that recipe off Love and Lemon? No. I asked her if she massaged her kale first.

[Tina]

No, you didn't.

[Hannah]

I did. I did.

[Tina]

And was the answer yes?

[Hannah]

Actually, she didn't hear me and didn't answer, but the person sitting next to me did answer and she said, yeah, you have to massage your kale.

[Tina]

Amazing. Okay.

[Hannah]

See, I'M very socially aw, you know, moment.

[Tina]

But imagine you coming up. Hey, did you massage your kale?

[Hannah]

Did you massage your kill?

[Tina]

Sorry. Come again? What? That made me laugh. All right, let me get off this Brock your body website because again, this could be a whole thing. And Trader Joe's, they need to make one near me. There's, there's One that's about 30 minutes away, is our closest TJ's, and that's just simply not tenable for everyday shopping or weekly shopping.

[Hannah]

No, the closest one to us is also 30 minutes away. And so when we go a lot of times the ingredients we get from them are like their packaged stuff, their frozen meals, and like a lot of their sauces and spices and stuff. But in terms of just, you know, everyday produce and things like that, we, we have to go to go to the old Aldi.

[Tina]

I love Aldi. I am Aldi's number one fan. I have in our Christmas scene, we have an Aldi store because I saw it there and I'm like, aldi, cute.

[Hannah]

That's so cute.

[Tina]

In Aldi. I'm anyway, it's very sweet, but we'll transition. I mean, we'll get off food talk for here for now, but I'm gonna go into my latest read and all three of my books today are new releases, which is very exciting for me. You know, I love those. But I will bring my actual latest read. It is back after this by Linda Holmes. And Linda Holmes is an author, cultural critic, and podcaster. She writes for NPR and hosts the podcast Pop Culture Happy Hour. And I'm a completist, actually. I have read her two previous books, Evie Drake Starts over and Flying Sol and Back after this is my favorite one of all three, which is so exciting.

[Hannah]

Ooh, that is exciting.

[Tina]

Yes. Basically, the setup is what happens when a podcast producer becomes the subject of her own show. Cecily Foster is great at making podcasts, just not the kind that put her love life under the microscope. She is an editor. She's always been more behind the scenes, but after a brutal breakup with a colleague who stole more than just her heart, she has sworn off romance and is focused on work for the last several years. That is, until her boss approaches her with a dream opportunity with a catch. She's always wanted to produce her own show and have more of a focal role, but in order to do that, she has to be on this show that they are co producing with a very peppy influencer named Eliza. And she has to agree to go on 20 blind dates because this Influencer is launching a matchmaking company, and they're basically using Cecily as a guinea pig. And as if that wasn't bad enough, just as she begins to start this podcast journey and agree to be on the show, she meets Will, a photographer with a heart of gold and an very adorable dog. There's real chemistry between them, but it sort of puts her in a bad position because she is now on this show to hopefully try and find love. So she has to decide what she's going to do. Should she trust her instincts, follow her gut, or sort of do what she's always done and focus on her career? If you love books that feel like a warm conversation with a friend, back after, this is the kind of read that makes you want to check in on the main character when you're not reading. Like, she's a real person. I'm like, what's Hesley up to now? She's. What date is she onto? And I think Linda Holmes has this really incredible way of writing characters that feel authentic and lived in and like people you'd actually hang out with. And this is how I found Cecily. She's sharp, very funny, and a little bit work obsessed, which I found very relatable, maybe too relatable. And she's sort of in this time period in her life where she is caught at a crossroads about what she wants to do with her personal life and her career. She's happy, but also she's kind of wondering, should she be doing something different? And as a podcaster, of course, I love the behind the scenes of podcast production. And I kept telling Jonathan about this book all week because some of the scenes were so relatable. I'm like, you always say that to me. Get close to the mic and all of that. It was really fun to have that exchange with my husband because he edits the show. I also love workplace books, and this one fits firmly in that category. Cecily is a great character. She's funny, kind of dry, but, like, again, somebody I would hang out with. And I love how the author set up her romantic history because, yes, she was burned by her ex, but by the time we meet her, that was five years ago. And so we feel like time has truly passed and she was in a really good place to embark on this next step and maybe find a relationship. The romance itself, if you are a romance person, it is sweet, it is not spicy. It's probably a one on the spice scale, which is fine for me, but, you know, just wanted to mention that there were a lot of coincidences that further the plot. However, it's tongue in cheek. Like they, they sort of make it a thing. Like oh my God, you're here again. And this and that. And I didn't mind it. It's very light and sort of breezy. More than anything, I think this book is about recognizing your worth. Not in some grand, life changing way, but in the small everyday choices that add up to something bigger. If you liked her debut, Evvy Drake Starts over, you'll love this one too. It has enough depth to make you feel like you're reading a smart book, but it's not so dark and intense that it's going to bum you out at all. I highly recommend this book. I thought it was excellent. That is back after this by Linda Holmes.

[Hannah]

Oh, I saw you reading this on your stories yesterday and I was excited to hear you talk about it. I really liked Evie Drake Starts over.

[Tina]

So cute. I just wanted to add too that I did the audio for this and Linda Holmes narrates and typically I am fussy when authors narrate their own audiobooks, but because she's a podcaster, she was great. Like I had no problem listening to her.

[Hannah]

That's great. Yeah. I'm always hit or miss on authors that narrate their books as well. Typically amiss, but it's always nice when. Well, it sounds like. I mean, she's a. She's a host for npr, you said, and. Or a writer. It sounds like she's got some on the mic experience. So it makes sense that she would also be a good audiobook narrator because it sounds like that's right in her wheelhouse.

[Tina]

Yeah.

[Hannah]

Cool. Well, I could not be bringing a book. I wouldn't say more different, but it's. We're definitely taking a left turn here with my latest read, and that is the Empusium by Olga Takarczyk.

[Tina]

Oh my God.

[Hannah]

And oh, I'm really excited to talk about this one. This one is set in a sanatorium on the eve of World War I in September of 1913. We are following a student who is suffering from tuberculosis and he arrives at the Willem Opitz Guest House for Gentlemen, which is a health resort in what is now Western Poland. Every day, the residents of this health resort gather in the dining room to imbibe a word that Tina taught me and means to share beverages with each other. So they they gather in the dining room to imbibe the hallucinogenic local liqueur, to obsess over money and status and will there Be war, monarchy or democracy. Do devils exist? Are women inherently inferior? That is a big conversation in this book. And meanwhile, disturbing things are beginning to happen in the guest house and it's surroundings. Stories of shocking events in the surrounding highlands reach the men of the health resort and a really strong sense of dread starts to build. Someone or something seems to be watching them and attempting to infiltrate their community. And as our main character attempts to unravel both the truths within himself and the mystery of the sinister forces. And throughout the book, our main character attempts to unravel both the truths within himself and the mystery of the sinister forces at hand. So this is one of the slowest, but not in a bad way, but one of the like slowest and most thoughtful books I've ever read. Like I mentioned, like, there's a really strong sense of dread that starts to build, but it starts very slow and then it kind of reaches ahead, but it definitely happens really slowly and thoughtfully. This is the story of the history of women's health, both mental and also just the exploration of their bodies too. Although I'd argue it's definitely more of an exploration of women's mental health and men navigating that since the beginning of time, this author fully commits to her vision. And in the beginning you are at least I wasn't. I was not sure if I was going to trust the author to take us on the right path. Because at first it almost seems like, okay, do me and this author align? Like, does she hate women or do just these men here in the story hate women? But it wasn't clear if the author was on the side because sometimes, you know, you'll have characters in a book that are saying horrible, hateful things, but it's clear based on how the author chooses to tell the story that they are against what is happening. And with here, she was not laying out her moral stance throughout the story at all. I'm like, is she trying to pull this not all men narrative that takes us back into the history of misogyny and patriarchal power systems? Am I being tricked here? But as the story unfolds, you realize that she is making a really powerful statement and she's just really sticking to her storytelling choice. And if you have to stick around for the landing to have her like reach the finish line because she does it so well, it's worth it. All the way until the last page. She positions this honestly pretty saturated and familiar topic in a way that I've never personally seen done before. And I just love when an author can Prove that. Even when topics have been discussed over and over again, like women's history and women's mental health or just stories about women in general, I love it when they can take those. And in the right hands, something really creative can still come out of it. And I definitely think that that is what happened with this one. And that was the Empousium by Olga Takarczyk.

[Tina]

Oh, I'm so glad to hear you talk about that. That one sounded like it was right up my alley. Just a sanatorium. The illness. And I know exactly the experience you're talking about, where you're like, is the author in on it or not? And that's how I felt reading the I'm starting to worry about this Black Box of Doom book because there are some things that this author wrote that are wild. I'm like, is he making a point and just doing it to the extreme? Or like, am I, like, kind of regretting having read this? I don't.

[Hannah]

Do I stick it out?

[Tina]

Do I stick it out? I think it's fine. Yeah. Anyway, y'all know I mentioned that a couple weeks ago, but that was exactly how I felt. I'm like, do I hate this? Is he a misogynist or is he, like, trying to make a point?

[Hannah]

Right.

[Tina]

I'm still unclear, so perhaps the point was not well made. But anyway, I'm glad to hear you bring that.

[Hannah]

Yeah. And I will say she does eventually make her point for sure. And I obviously liked it. So you can take that with what you will and where she stands. But yeah, it's just. It was just really, really good.

[Tina]

Do you know if this is a book in translation?

[Hannah]

It is, and I will. When I put it in the show notes, I will note who the translator is. I should have made sure that I had that before I talked about it. But I do know that it's translated. I do believe that translator is, like, fairly prolific and does a really good job. So I'll make sure to add her alongside the author when I put the show notes together.

[Tina]

Good on you. I know that's something you always like to focus on.

[Hannah]

Yeah.

[Tina]

But awesome. Okay. Yeah, that was one that was on my long list. Tbr. I'm happy to hear you talk about that. And we're going to transition into book talk because today we are talking about collections of books. Books that we have. Book collections, physical tbrs, all of those things. We're basically talking about all of the books that are in our homes.

[Hannah]

And.

[Tina]

And I have a lot to say about this. I'M a little activated right now about this topic. I can see your energy because right before I went downstairs to start recording someone, I saw this video come across and it was basically sort of shaming people for having too many books, essentially. And I want to make a couple of points on that. One, yes, it is the amount of books that at least I have in my home, and I suspect that you have in your home, Hannah, is not what is typical, but also this is our job. And we've also been doing this now for how many years, right? Almost 10 years. 10 years. I think for you.

[Hannah]

Yeah, it's. This is my 10th year.

[Tina]

Yeah. That is a long time. And obviously in those amount of years you collect and, you know, absorb a lot of information and you tend to get a pretty big collection. I. And obviously we're both very privileged to work with a lot of publishers and get a lot of books sent to us. But I will say it didn't happen overnight. But anyway, I just wanted to make that point because I hate the. I think. Okay, here's what I think bugs me though, because I don't like the shaming that sometimes comes from people that are very big into like, under consumption, because I totally get that. But one, there are way worse things to spend your money on than books. And two, if you feel like personally offended when you see somebody has a big home library, I feel like that's something you should work on, like internally. Right. Like, that is nothing. My collection, I don't think has anything to do with, you know, why it is that. That you feel like we shouldn't have as many books as that. We do. But I also think you don't need to own this many books to be considered a reader. If you don't own a singular book, you are still a reader if you are somebody that opens a book and reads any amount of pages. But yeah, I was just thinking about that topic earlier because I'm like, I don't like the backlash for like, I think it's probably more so on these massive book hauls that people go on and like big book buying sprees, which I don't think either of us to do, but still, again, I maintain there are worse things to spend money on than books.

[Hannah]

Yeah, I think it's different, I think, to your point, you know, it's. It's not like we are. Because I also am someone that sometimes I'll see like these massive book hauls or whatever, especially from companies that I don't personally like to purchase my books from. And Things like that. And I might have some thoughts about that, but it's never about how many books they actually own on their shelves.

[Tina]

Right.

[Hannah]

That's never something that I'm sitting there wondering, like, why do you have so many books? Well, first of all, I'm never wondering that because I have a lot. An excessive amount.

[Tina]

Yeah.

[Hannah]

And I think for me, I love having all of the books on my shelves. I love having my big bookshelves. I think at this point I am running into a space issue. Yeah. And bookshelves are expensive. And so, like, I do have some stress right now with the amount of books that I have, but not because of books that I have on my shelves that are unread. I feel like I'm running. I'm starting to run into a problem where, like, the books that I want to have a place on my shelves, I'm like, I'm going to need a couple of new bookshelves because these are books that I know I love. I know I'm going to continue to recommend them. It's not just waste that I have laying around my house. I am kind of needing some more space for the books that I know have already earned a place on my shelves. I'm pretty brutal about unhauling unread books. And the podcast has actually been really helpful for that for me. Because if I was on the fence about reading a book and then I see that you're reading it, or you bring it as a books on the radar or something like that, and I have it either from a publisher and I've already shared about it, or I have the arc of it, and I tried a little bit of it, but wasn't sure. And then again, like, I see you're reading it or you brought it as a books on the radar, I'm like, great, that's one that I can unhaul or one that I can put in a little free library. So that has definitely helped, I feel like, narrow things down with the unhauling process, which has been great. But yeah, I think to your point, there are much worse things that you could be spending your money on. And I think books make the world better. So if you're going to have a lot of something, I think books is a great option.

[Tina]

Think it should be books? Yes, I think it should be books. I agree with you though. Obviously, shelving issue is totally something that is a problem. I'm running into it myself, believe it or not, because the way that I have my structured my shelves structured is that upstairs is where all of my read books are, like the books that I have already read. And then downstairs here, which you can kind of see behind me, that's all of my TBR books. Those are all of my TBR books. And E.T. cetera, et cetera and et cetera. There's definitely a lot of et cetera down here right now still to this day. But on the shelves upstairs, they are packed in their baby. They are packed to the gills. And I'm like, I think I'm going to have to start to be a little more brutal. If it's three stars or lower and I don't have much to say about it, I might have to donate it because I only keep books. Well, I keep a lot of books, but I like to look at them 1. Obviously, I think it's sort of an aesthetic thing. I like having them in my library. I like them in my background when I'm on zoom calls for work or when doing videos and whatnot. I loan out a lot of books once a month. My mom's like, I need more books. So I bring a little book bag over, and obviously I make a lot of content, so I like to have the physical copies in front of me just so that we can have that and be reminded. And I do get bookmail, and I try and promote every single book that I get. Just at least, like, in one of my videos or something like that. Yeah. But it is getting to the point where I'm like, all right, I need to whittle things down and figure out a better situation. I actually think I have my situation settled. It's just cold out, and so I have not wanted to, like, go to a bunch of little free libraries or go places to, like, help with this problem because it's chilly. But come spring, summer, that is my plan. I'm gonna do a lot of walks with the girls with my little wagon and put some books in some of our little free libraries that are local.

[Hannah]

Oh, we should make a day out of that.

[Tina]

Doesn't that sound fun? We got an ice cream stand in town. We'll get a little ice cream. I mean, it sounds perfect, especially now that it's still snowing here. But I have a question. So we obviously have these collections. Do you buy books? And, like, where do you get your books from?

[Hannah]

Yeah, I would say I don't buy books terribly often.

[Tina]

Yeah.

[Hannah]

If I'm going to buy my books from a larger retailer, I will shop at Barnes and Noble. We also have a local indie. I love shopping there. And I Love the way our specific local indie is set up because it's two bookstores technically that are separate buildings, but then they're conjoined by like a walking path. And one of them is specifically a kids bookstore. So it's got like kids books, toys, middle grade. It's really cute. And like just the, the setup in there is adorable. And then across the street you have the cafe and then YA books and adult titles. And I just, I love it. So I do a lot of shopping there. Typically when I do my shopping there, I do like a shopping day because they have great merch and I'll want to get stuff for the kids and stuff like that too, which I am digressing. But point being, I don't buy books very often, but when I do, I will go to Barnes and Noble and I also do shopping at my local indie. I've done bookshop before. I haven't done it terribly often, but I obviously love promoting bookshop.org because it's a way to purchase books online from independent bookstores, especially if you live in a really rural area that doesn't have like a close bookstore nearby and gets a great resource. And then I also order from Blackwell's uk, I would say at least a few times a year. How about you?

[Tina]

Yeah, same. Pretty much. I don't buy a ton of books, and if I do, it's because I've already read them and I want them for my shelves. And if I get them, typically it's via Pango books. We I, that's where I get most of my books is sort of on that secondhand market, but in person. Anytime I visit a local bookstore, if I'm traveling or if I'm, you know, here, I visit. And if I make a visit, I'll make a purchase and I'll get a book there. But I swear to you, I have the worst decision fatigue when I enter a bookstore. I'm like, I've never read a book in my life. I have no idea what is good. What book do I want? Because it feels like such a big commitment. I'm like, you want me to pay full price for a book?

[Hannah]

Yeah. Which is like 30 bucks.

[Tina]

I know, and I'm happy to do so. But for me, what you have to know, what if I hate it? Then I'm gonna be really mad.

[Hannah]

I have to. If I'm going into a bookstore to, to purchase a book, typically it's because I haven't gotten it, you know, from the publisher. My library doesn't have it right now. I can't find it on Pango. And so usually when I go into a bookstore, it's for a certain book or, like, for a certain thing. Because to your point, otherwise you go in there, and it's like, this is really overwhelming. So typically, I go in there for a specific thing that's smart.

[Tina]

That's much better for me. And again, I will know that I'm going to a bookstore, and I just will freeze. But it is so satisfying when you pay full price for a book that you haven't read and end up loving that. My last experience was the Safekeep. I remember I bought it at the Elliot Bay Book Company when I was visiting Seattle, which is here on my little mug.

[Hannah]

And I love all your stickers.

[Tina]

I. It took me an hour and a half to decide on one book and one sticker, because I was like, they have so many choices. I'm so overwhelmed. What book do I want? But I ended up loving that one. I was so happy that I was, like, a person that owned a copy of it. If I do buy a book, though, it's probably also from a beloved author. Like, I know John Green has one coming out in March that I will be purchasing, and there isn't. I know. And there's a. That's another. Tuberculosis. A word I cannot say. But it's a tuberculosis book.

[Hannah]

It's about.

[Tina]

It's trying to say it. Go ahead, you say it.

[Hannah]

Tuberculosis.

[Tina]

Tuberculosis.

[Hannah]

I have words like that, too. There are some that just. They just don't roll off the tongue, you know?

[Tina]

Yeah. But his book is one that I'll be purchasing. I also can't wait for the latest Hunger Games. And I have to have that one.

[Hannah]

Should I read that book about President Snow? I haven't read it.

[Tina]

Oh, I thought you were going to say the Hunger Games.

[Hannah]

Oh, no, I've read the Hunger Games multiple times over.

[Tina]

I don't know. I think you should, as a completionist.

[Hannah]

Yeah. You have to read that to read this.

[Tina]

No, this one's about Haymitch. I know.

[Hannah]

Tina. I didn't know.

[Tina]

Yeah.

[Hannah]

I thought that it was a sequel, and so that's why I, like, wasn't terribly interested in it, because I was like, I don't really necessarily want.

[Tina]

No, I definitely know what team is. I don't think you need to read Songbirds and Snakes to, like, feel like we should. To feel like you need to. Obviously. I'm gonna Google it. Do I need to read Songbirds and Snakes before? No, you do not need to read the Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes before the new Hunger Games book. You obviously need to read the trilogy.

[Hannah]

Yeah, I've read that.

[Tina]

Of course. I really thought you were gonna say you hadn't.

[Hannah]

Oh, no, I've read it multiple times.

[Tina]

I'm actually gonna.

[Hannah]

It's one that I reread the most, probably. Actually.

[Tina]

Yes. I want to do a reread for all of them because I am insane. Win. Don't know. But I feel like those books are really quick, so.

[Hannah]

They are, but there's a lot to discuss in them.

[Tina]

There is. There is. It's telling me you should read the Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes before the Hunger Games Sunrise on the Reaping, as it is a prequel to the main series and provides crucial context. I don't think so, though. I really think Songbirds and Snakes, it's all about snow, and it's sort of the origin story. Right. Of the big vil of this trilogy. I think you would be fine.

[Hannah]

Okay. But anyway, maybe I'll just read that one too. I've heard, actually, it's pretty good. Well, I shouldn't say I've heard that. The movie is even better.

[Tina]

Oh, I didn't know it was a movie. Okay.

[Hannah]

Yeah.

[Tina]

Well, let's get back to what we were doing.

[Hannah]

Let's get back to books.

[Tina]

Let's get back to books. Right?

[Hannah]

We're talking about books. We're just really going in the weeds here.

[Tina]

Yeah. Do you purchase ebooks at all?

[Hannah]

Rarely. And if I do, it's usually from. I think I've brought it as a loving lately before. I'll go on book riot sometimes and look at their sales and see if they've got any for anywhere between, you know, like a dollar and five dollars. If I'm going to purchase one, it has to be one that's already been on my radar. Like, I'm not gonna buy a book for me, typically on my Kindle unless it's one that I was already planning on reading. Well, now I have really easy access to it. I used to buy books on my Kindle all the time. And then I realized after like, like five or six years that I read maybe like a dozen at max books on my Kindle every year out of the 100 books a year that I read. And so I was like, this is dumb. This is.

[Tina]

Yeah.

[Hannah]

No, for me.

[Tina]

Yeah, for you. Right. No, it's okay. Same. I don't buy books, ebooks, because I want the trophy. Even though I tend if I do have a book, I'm probably going to listen to It. But anyway, those are our criteria for how we organize our books. Or maybe don't organize our books. I say, as I'm looking at my on or organized pile on the floor. We mentioned this last.

[Hannah]

Chaos piles.

[Tina]

Our chaos piles. I will share that. Of course, this is a podcast that you're listening to, but there's also on YouTube. It's the same thing. It's just us talking to each other. And I'm sure Jonathan at this point already has done this. He has inserted some B roll of our shelves, which is going to be. I hope it's fun. I think it's really fun to look at people's shelves. If you're nosy like the two of us, then definitely be sure to look at the video component of this as well, because I'll show you some of my piles or shelves.

[Hannah]

I'll also be transparent and show some of my chaos piles.

[Tina]

Oh, okay.

[Hannah]

You know, we can maybe get. Get a little honest.

[Tina]

Get a little honest solidarity. Oh, God, the baby's awake. All right, well, that is it for the shelves. And we'll dive into the books that we did read for this. I'll go first. And unfortunately, I am. Okay. The good and the bad one. The good is that both of mine are from my March books on the Radar. I'm very proud of that, that I've actually, like, read books that I said I wanted to read in March, One I loved, one I didn't. So I'm going to start with the one I didn't, and that is Tilt, by Emma Petit. Y'all, I know have heard me talk about the setup for this one because it's kind of memorable, but it's set over the course of one day. And it's about Annie, who is nine months pregnant and shopping for a crib at IKEA when a massive earthquake hits and she's in Portland, Oregon. She has no way to reach her husband, no phone, no money, and the city is in absolute chaos. So there's nothing for her to do but walk. And from the very first page till throws you straight into the action. And literally in the first chapter, you're getting this once in a lifetime massive earthquake. You are getting her escaping the ikea. You're getting her running into fellow people and, like, her having to grapple with, can she help? Should she help? Should she just turn a blind eye? Should she get in this car with this stranger? Like, it's obviously massive chaos. And she becomes very fixated, of course, on getting home and trying to find her husband. And you are literally in this main character's head the entire time. For the most part, that worked. But I will say a lot of it is her contemplating their lives prior. And Annie is a very complex character. At first, I really liked her. I thought her inner monologue about pregnancy was relatable if you've ever been a pregnant person. It was funny. She had me cracking up. And yes, I did. Ha. I did judge her for not having her crib ready at 37 weeks, but she very much judged herself plenty throughout the story.

[Hannah]

Sounds like she was going through some stuff.

[Tina]

She was. She was definitely. But as the story unfolds, it kind of wore on me. The humor started to fade naturally. Of course, we're in, like, this massive, like, catastrophe. But it's not even that you can. I think she can act how she wants to act in that situation. It was how she was prior to that. She is grieving. You find out some things that happened to them before she was pregnant. And you find out a lot about her relationship with her husband. And she's questioning everything. She's really reflecting back on her previous relationships as she's going through what she's calling the apocalypse. And eventually she does meet up with some other survivors and they navigate the city together. I would say the good. The good of this book is that it does a great job making you pause and making you think about what would I do in this situation? Would. Would I be a savior? Would I be selfish? Who would I be? Or who might I be in this type of situation? There was a lot of uncertainty, a lot of survivalist as a story, and a ton of introspection. The reason why I can't recommend this fully is that it's marketed sort of as a thriller. And I'm. I'm not even super fussy by that. But I think the reason that I'm not recommending this personally is that there were some great elements to it, but ultimately I walked away unsatisfied. I won't spoil the ending, but I don't think it held up to what potentially it could have been, at least for me as a reader. I think this is much more literary fiction than thriller or mystery, which is typically fine. I just was not satisfied. And I feel like just a few things here and there would have made this an excellent read for me. I would say skip it or at least borrow it. But keep in mind that this is a debut and I would be curious to know the author's motivation for this. I'd be curious to read her again, but for Me, I don't necessarily recommend, but if you're somebody that loves to read a book that makes you ask what would I do in this situation, then this could be a really good one for you. This book was Tilt by Emma Petit.

[Hannah]

No, you did a really good job with that. I've heard similar things from other readers. I mean, I've heard. I've heard some people share that they've enjoyed this as well. But overall I feel like it's been pretty mixed on how people are feeling about this one. And so I think you did a really good job setting that up and also kind of making it clear who may or may not enjoy a book like that.

[Tina]

It's got great reviews on Goodreads so far, so I definitely could be in the minority with this, but I was like gah. And it's like my particular Piccadilly's I think that made me not like this.

[Hannah]

It'll find its right readers.

[Tina]

It sure will, I think. Yeah.

[Hannah]

Okay. So my first book is We Rip the World Apart by Charlene Carr and this is a sweeping multi generational story of motherhood, race and a buried family secret. We are following 24 year old Karila as she learns she's pregnant and we also follow her struggle with identity as a biracial black woman with a complicated family history. We also follow her mother Evelyn, who once fled Jamaica for Canada only to face new struggles including the tragic loss of her son to police violence. And we're also following Evelyn's mother in law as she moves in and Karila gains a deeper connection to her heritage, but long held family secrets threaten to unravel all of this and this story spans multiple timelines and explores how choices are made in moments of crisis and how those choices can echo for generations. I love multi generational stories and I was so excited to read from a new voice that I hadn't read from in a sub genre that I really love. I think that what this book did really well is really set the timelines and points of view up in a way where you don't feel lost in time or place, which I think is important with books and stories like these. The characters are very distinct and their stories unfold and overlap in a way that really keeps the reader informed on where we are in this family's history and how it relates to and impacts what is happening right now in the current and present timeline. I think the mistake I made when reading this truly was reading it so close to Good Dirt because not only were both of these multi generational Family stories about Caribbean and even more specifically Jamaican families. But it also involves the traumatic and violent death of a family member. It had multiple points of view and multiple timelines with like, very similar generationally. Like, those points of view were very similar generationally. In both of those books, it had a very similar formula. The author's names are even really similar, Charlene Carr and Charmaine Wilkerson. And so it's just wild that I didn't put it together until I was trying to figure out why this book seemed so blurry to me a couple of weeks after I was after reading it. And I think it's because I loved Good Dirt so much. And this one just. Yeah, I feel like that's the best way of putting it. This one just got really blurry to me. I will say that this one had an activism and social justice component that was more unique and more like pertinent to this story as opposed to Good Dirt. And it focused more on women's bodies, rights, more. That was actually a really big part of the story that definitely stood out with this one and I appreciated that. But is this a book that I would recommend? Yes, I will say, like, I did enjoy it. I thought it was a little bit long. But I think that if you want to read a story like this, I think I would also just recommend Good Dirt more. But we like to read multiple books in these same genres, so I recommend both. Just maybe don't read them back to back like I did. So that is We Rip the World Apart by Charlene Carr.

[Tina]

That's actually a fascinating topic for booktok is how your not just like mood can affect your reading, but like, I suppose this plays into your mood, but literally the books that you read surrounding it and how that can affect your reading experience. Because I wonder if you hadn't read a book that's sort of similar thematically, if that would feel different if you would have read it, you know, after reading a horror novel.

[Hannah]

Yeah, it was different with this one because. And I agree, I think that'd be a really interesting topic, I think for this one. Like, I don't even know how this happened. I mean, they were just so similar, like weirdly similar with not even just, oh, it was like a multi generational family story about two like Jamaican families or. Oh, it was like it was everything that was so, so similar about it. And so. And they both had. I don't want to say that like they copied and pasted from each other because I do think that they were original enough. I think both of the authors did a good job and weren't intending to copy each other at all. I just think that because there were so many. It's why I can't read romance back to back. I mean, romances are very. It's like you have two love interests and then you have. I know there are people who just read of one genre, but especially with those really formulaic genres, I don't know. That would be really hard for me because I feel like they would all blend together. And that was really similar with this one. It was like that same formula, same amount of characters, same backgrounds, et cetera.

[Tina]

I love what you called that. You said it was blurry. I feel like that's such a really great way to define.

[Hannah]

Yeah.

[Tina]

A book that isn't standing out for you. And it's nothing necessarily. It's just sort of blurry.

[Hannah]

Yeah. Things got. Things got lost.

[Tina]

Well, one that is not blurry is my next read, and that is Broken country by Claire Leslie Hall. And last week, our podcast episode was about fantastic opening sentences, and this easily could have been a contender. It's the farmer is dead. He is dead. And all anyone wants to know is who killed him. This is the author's US debut, and it's the Reese's Book Club pick for March. This is about Beth and her gentle husband Frank, who are happily married on a farm in the English countryside. But their relationship relies on the past staying buried. And when Beth's brother in law shoots a dog going after their sheep, Beth doesn't realize that the gunshot will alter the course of their lives, because the dog belonged to no other than Gabriel Wolf, the man that Beth loved as a teenager and the man who broke her heart many, many years ago. And Gabriel has returned to their village with his young son Leo, a boy who reminds Beth very much of her own son who died in a tragic accident. And as Beth is pulled back into Gabriel's life, tensions around the village rise and dangerous secrets and jealousies from the past resurface. This, and then Beth is basically forced to make a choice between the woman she once was and the woman she has become. When I tell you this book, it absolutely hooked me. I'm showing it on the screen now.

[Hannah]

Oh, the. The arc is really pretty.

[Tina]

Yeah, it's a lovely. It's a lovely.

[Hannah]

I like the cursive.

[Tina]

It's a lovely book. And I picked this up when I first got it. I got it in January, I want to say. And I read that first little chapter and I'm like, holy crap. Crap. This is really good, and I wanted to read it right there, but I wanted to save it to closer to pub day. This book hooked me. When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it. I carried this little arc around with me all throughout the house. I carried it when I went out.

[Hannah]

Because I love that.

[Tina]

Maybe I'll, like, sneak some pages in. This is. Writing this book wrecked me. It is a master class. Intention, heartbreak, and immersive storytelling. And it essentially is taking you through these two timelines. The past, when Beth and Gabriel meet, and then the near present leading up to this tragic event. And for me, personally, I was locked into both timelines because I could not fathom a way out for Beth. I couldn't see her without either man. And it was odd. Like, it was a weird experience. I watched the Bachelor, and sometimes they're like, I fell in love with two people. I don't know how it happened. And I'm like, that can't happen. And like, reading this, I'm like, no, I. I sort of see it. I get it. And the way the past and the present collide was so inevitable, but so shocking and just devastating. What I love too, is she very sparingly drops in scenes from the trial. So we know that something happens and somebody goes to trial and you don't quite know who it is and what happened until the very, very end. This book was emotional and the stakes were high. I don't think there was, like, a dry moment in this entire book. I was, like, reading as fast as I possibly could. She captured first love so well. Belonging, the regret, the unshakable pull. It's all there. And if you like books that get under your skin, that haunt you long after you turn the last page, this book is the read for you. Shout out to Renee and Katie at basic Bees guide, because we did a buddy read together and there was plenty of. For us to talk about. This is an unequivocal five stars from me. And it's Broken country by Claire Leslie Hall.

[Hannah]

Oh, I love when a book has, like, a love triangle or, like, there's multiple love interests and you can't choose. I feel like that's one that's done really, like, that's done really. I love it. It's done really well. I love it.

[Tina]

Love this book. You would love this book. I think I would really eat it up.

[Hannah]

We'll add it to my.

[Tina]

I know.

[Hannah]

Tbr. No, I. I will. I will bring this one eventually. We'll wait a little while and then.

[Tina]

Then you'll Bring it.

[Hannah]

I'll read and we can discuss.

[Tina]

Yes, sounds like a plan.

[Hannah]

Perfect. Okay. My next new release is Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone. And I read Ready or Not last year and really liked it a lot. I loved it and I was really excited to read her next book. And this one is following Lenny, who is grieving the loss of her best friend. She feels really lost and she is avoiding her past while trying to complete the live again Listen. Which is a list that she and her best friend had made in the past to help her move forward with her grief and her life. She takes a job as a babysitter for a single mom and her daughter, Ainsley. And it's a welcome distraction, except for Ainsley's grumpy uncle Miles, who sees right through her act. And Miles is no stranger to grief, and he proposes a deal. He will help her tackle her list if she helps him bond with his niece, Ainsley. So they spend more time together. And Lenny starts to realize that sometimes losing everything really is just the beginning of finding yourself and finding love again. So you can probably tell based on the synopsis that this is not a romantic comedy. This book is pretty heavy. And Lenny is grieving throughout most of the book. I think if you're a fan of slow burns, I am. Buckle up. Because this might just be the slowest burn of a romance that I've ever read. And Lenny is not ready for romance for most of the novel. So, you know, it's. It's kind of like it starts as enemies to lovers, but then it really grows into friends to lovers because they're spending all of this time. Miles is helping her really grieve well and stay safe while grieving. And so, yeah, she's not ready for romance for most of the book. She's navigating a really significant loss in her life and Miles is there for her throughout the story. But nothing really romantic happens for a long time as he's truly helping her go through this really challenging season. I was definitely worried that the two of them were just going to be trauma bonded by the time we got to the happily ever after, but. But the author handled this so well and I was really happy with the healing and growth that happened alongside a really sweet love story. The side characters are also really important to me in a romance story, and I really loved Ainsley and her mom and thought that they added like, good meat to the story without distracting from the hero and heroine's journey. And then in terms of like, spicy content with this one, there is one Open door scene. I want to say one, it's like at the very end and I will say it's like one of the least open doors of open doors. So yes, like you definitely are in the bedroom with them at one point, but it doesn't happen for quite a while. Like I said, it's a very slow burn and I think it would definitely be skippable easier for this one than, you know, some of the other romance books that I have read. I think if you are a fan of more emotional romances or romances similar to Abby Jimenez, then you would really like this. And if it wasn't clear, I also really liked it. I think I loved it more than ready or Not. I think that this stood out as a sophomore novel and I. I really loved it. This is a second big hit for me and I'm excited to continue to read her romances as they come out. I've loved, like I said, every one of them so far. And that was Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone.

[Tina]

Oh, good. I'm glad that one worked for you.

[Hannah]

Yay.

[Tina]

Look at us. We're so romantic this episode.

[Hannah]

And we brought one that we, we both brought one that was like, well, you brought one you didn't love very much. I guess I brought like a mid one and then one that I, I liked. But we had a good balance this episode, I guess is what I'm trying to say.

[Tina]

Yes. Yes. And I am bringing for my shelf edition, my literal one of my.

[Hannah]

I'm excited about this one.

[Tina]

Most recent. Are you okay?

[Hannah]

Yeah.

[Tina]

It is called Liquid A Love Story by Mariam Rahmani. And I grabbed this from my March book of the month pick and boy, oh boy. I was like not seeing a lot of love for this. Like, I feel like a lot of people were not interested. I almost brought this to my books on the radar for March. You didn't bring it for March, did you? Okay. But here's why I love it. It's got an unnamed narrator, and she has always believe herself to be the smartest person in the room. And from an early age, she and her best friend Adam have turned their noses up at other people's riches. But as her career slows, she seems no closer to the middle class comfort promised to her by the prestige of her education in the successes of her immigrant parents. Jokingly, her friend says, why don't you just marry Rich? So she decides to take his challenge literally and creates a spreadsheet and outlines a goal. 100 dates with rich Angelenos and a marriage Proposal in Hand by Autumn. What follows is a whirlwind summer with martinis. There's board games with somebody. There's an evening spent dodging the halitosis of a surgeon from Orange County. But then a medical emergency happens in her family, which takes her back to Tehran. And an overdue familial reckoning can alter her increasingly manic trajectory and force her to confront some of the issues she's having in her lives. But anyway, this is basically a marriage project from somebody that seems to be very, very, very type A who is taking things literally. And I love the COVID for this. It's. It's a spreadsheet on the front. And I think this one could be really good. It is said to. I'm questioning it. It calls it a romantic comedy in this. I. I don't know. I. I'll have to read it and get a sense of it.

[Hannah]

Could be a miss market.

[Tina]

Could be a miss market. Cause I just don't know if a family tragedy that takes you back to where your family lives is. Could potentially be, you know, a comedy. But I am super curious about this one. I think it sounds great. I also love somebody that tries to like man manufacturer this perfect dating scenario. And I'm curious. This one is Liquid A Love Story by Mariam Rahmani.

[Hannah]

Yeah, I. That one sounds really interesting to me. Okay. I'm gonna steer us away from love and move us into horror. And I am bringing for my shelf edition, the Buffalo Hunter. Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones.

[Tina]

I want this book so bad. I want it so much. Actually, it's my aardvark for this month.

[Hannah]

Oh, yay.

[Tina]

I can't wait.

[Hannah]

Okay, okay. I'm excited about it, too. So this story follows a Lutheran pastor who has found a diary written in 1912 that is discovered in a wall. And what it unveils is a slow massacre, A chain of events that go back to 217. Blackfeet, dead in the snow. This is told in transcribed interviews, sharing the narrative of this particular person's life over a series of confessional visits. This is an American Indian revenge story. It's written by, you know, master horror writer Stephen Graham Jones. I have really liked Stephen Graham Jones books in the past. And although I don't always love religious stuff in books, I do love mixed media. And I do trust this author. So I'm excited about this one. He is popping out books like hotcakes. I don't know how he's doing it, but his stories really are good. So maybe there were ones that he like had already had written and now he's getting them published. But regardless, this sounds really interesting. I'm really excited for it. It's called the Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones.

[Tina]

Heck yeah. I think this one sounds so good. I love a revenge story. I've never read this author, but I'm going to this year. I will change that and I am pumped for it.

[Hannah]

All right, let's wrap this baby.

[Tina]

That's it for today, you guys. That's it for today. Hannah has two minutes. That's it for today. We thank you for spending a part of your day with us. Links to all the books mentioned can be found in the show notes and if you enjoyed today's episode, you can help us by following wherever you listen and by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps us get our show out to new listeners and grows our audience. And don't forget, if you'd like access to exclusive bonus content and community, you can join us for $5 a month on patreon.com booktalk Etc.

[Hannah]

If you'd like to connect with us, you can email us@booktalk etcmail.com you can also connect with us both at Booktalk Etc. On Instagram and tinabrec and hannahandpickedbooks. Talk to you next week. In the meantime, remember, everything's better with books. Okay, so my. Wow. The words really left my. Really left my brain there for a second.