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- [00:00]
A
Welcome to booktok. That's not the right tone.
- [00:03]
B
No. And you also didn't do your countdown.
- [00:05]
A
I'm trying to get rid of it because I think it's silly. Welcome to Book Talk Etc, a podcast bound to grow your tbr. I'm Tina from TBR Etc.
- [00:26]
B
And I'm Hannah from Hand Picked Books.
- [00:28]
A
This is a conversational podcast about books and more from two Midwest Mood readers who are easily distracted by new releases. And today we are leaning in and we're sharing thoughts on some new releases.
- [00:39]
B
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 Podcasts or sharing us on social media. It truly helps us connect with other book lovers.
- [00:53]
A
Hi, Hannah.
- [00:55]
B
Hey, Tina. How are you?
- [00:56]
A
I am good. How are you doing?
- [00:58]
B
I'm doing okay. I am just barely under the weather a little bit, so if I sound a little bit congested, that is why. But I'm going to do my best to sound as normal as possible.
- [01:09]
A
I think every person I know is a little bit under the weather right now, you know?
- [01:14]
B
Yeah, yeah. We have a lot of.
- [01:15]
A
It is.
- [01:16]
B
We have a lot of people in our circle who have a stomach bug, which thankfully, you know, is not currently going around our family. But I am definitely. I've definitely got the sniffles. I've got the sniffles a little bit.
- [01:29]
A
All right. I can't hear. The only time I ever got a stomach bug was when I was pregnant with Cassia.
- [01:35]
B
Oh.
- [01:36]
A
Can I tell you, it almost killed me. I was like, oh, my God. I think. I think this is the end for me. Truly. It was terrible. So I feel for anybody who's not feeling their finest right now, it's that time of year. I was also walking to school today and it was like a full ice sheet. Literally. I was like ice skating, like, with my little feet holding onto this wagon, just shuffling along. And everybody at school is like, how did you get here? Do you have like knives on your shoes? Or how did you do this? I'm like, basically, you wore cleats. Skated my way, right? I should have worn cleats. I should have grabbed a pair of John's cleats and I would have been on my way. But I was like, this is so much ice. I've never seen anything like it.
- [02:17]
B
That's interesting that you got that over there because we had something similar. I mean, we had school canceled today because of the ice, so. And I feel like sometimes that. Sometimes it's the same on the other side of the lake and sometimes it's not.
- [02:34]
A
Yeah, it was a weird thing to wake up to. I'm like, okay, well, here we go. Today we're talking new releases. I have a interesting collection overall still in my mystery and thriller. A little bit of horror mindset. That's where I'm. Where I'm at.
- [02:51]
B
Okay. Fun. And I've got totally different genres to bring to the table, so we've got a full spread today.
- [02:56]
A
Okay. Ooh, I like when that happens.
- [02:58]
B
Right?
- [02:59]
A
Alrighty. My loving lately is book related and I cannot believe I've not brought this to the show before because it's something I reference often. It is a website called Jen Horizon Ryland Reviews and it's a blog. Right. I don't know who Jen Ryland is. If you're a listener, great work. Because I didn't do much more research than this. This website has spoiler reviews and you know, I love a spoiler review. That was something I started years ago on my Instagram, was having spoiler chats with the authors because I love a spoiler. I love to discuss, you know, I. I love reading books and giving you all non spoiler reviews. But sometimes I'm like, I just want to dig in. And for this episode today that I'm sharing, I'm sharing one of the books that I brought to our winter reading guide that I wanted to bring here to the main show because I want to make sure people get their eyes on it. But I was like, oh, my God, I know there's a dead body, but who the hell died? I cannot remember which one of whoever done it. Anyway, luckily I went to this website which I've used many times before, and she's got a great search feature. You just type in the book's title, boom, it'll tell you the breakdown. And that's really helpful to somebody who, you know, forgets the finer points. The spoilers are not on the main page. So don't worry if you go here, it's not going to like tell you, like, oh my gosh, this is exactly what happened right away. You do have to enter in your email address and create an account, I think, to see the spoilers, which I'm happy to do because like, whatever, I, I want that information. Happy to give you my email address and support. But she's got a ton, obviously, by and large, it's mystery thriller. There I see some historical mysteries which I'm going to dive into. Also has a Fair amount of book lists on here, but I would say largely in the thriller mystery suspense space. So if you too like spoiler reviews, head on over. Get the over to Jen Ryland reviews and the email or the website is just Jenryland.com and of course we will link to it.
- [04:57]
B
Ooh, great recommendation. I also like that there's almost kind of that extra buffer where if you want these spoilers you have to put in your email. Like it's almost like extended consent, right? Like yes, I exactly the spoilers.
- [05:09]
A
Are you sure? Right. Because sometimes too like, you know, if you're just poking around, I'm like, oh my God, I've not read that book yet. But they're always behind this little extra bump where you have to like click on it. So yeah, I was very, very happy to share this one.
- [05:23]
B
And the website's really nice too. I peeked at it and it just looks really nice and clean and it's really pleasant to look at which I always straightforward. Exactly. My loving lately is a beauty product and it is one that I don't think anybody is. Well I shouldn't say anybody. It is not one that I feel is unfamiliar. This is a well loved brand and I think product. But I have been using the Thayer's facial toner, the rose petal one. And I have been the past few days back and forth from the hospital, not for me, but for a family member. And if you've ever done that before, you know that especially if you're juggling kids and rides and all that stuff, it's just hard to fully take care of yourself. And I had a little bag in my tote that I was kind of carrying around that had just like some basic essentials for self care and this was one of them because I tend to have oily skin and it really burns, bothers me and annoys me especially if I can't go home and wash my face. And this toner has been a lifesaver the past couple of days because I've had it in a little baggie. I have the travel size in a little baggie with just some cotton pads. And when I've just been feeling yucky and you know, waiting at the hospital or whatever, I can just take it out when I go use the restroom and swab my face and I feel clean. And feeling clean just makes you feel so much better overall. So it is been a lifesaver for me the past couple of days. I've always used this product. It's in, you know, kind of my, my Facial routine. I'll use it, like, in the middle of the day between meetings if I don't want to fully wash my face, you know, in the middle of the day. So it's been a great product for me. And I really like the rose petal scent, so. So that is the Thayer's facial toner.
- [07:24]
A
Okay. I like that. My skin would actually peel off from my skull if I tried to wash it throughout the day.
- [07:31]
B
Yeah, exactly.
- [07:32]
A
Throughout the day. Because I'm very dry. I'm on the opposite end of this spectrum. I am a dry gal. But I'm glad that you found something that worked for you also. Who are you bringing? Beauty products.
- [07:42]
B
More beauty products. Yes.
- [07:44]
A
You are turning a corner.
- [07:46]
B
I really am.
- [07:47]
A
Yeah, I am. I'm. I'm having a positive, I think, effect on you.
- [07:52]
B
Absolutely.
- [07:53]
A
All right. Well, I teased you and told you that I have a horror novel, and I do. That is my latest read. It's actually the one. Truly, this rarely happens, but it is my actual latest read. I just closed the book yesterday. It is Lone Women by Victor Lavall. And do you know this author at all?
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B
I do.
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A
Have you read him before?
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B
He wrote the Changeling, Right.
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A
Yes.
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B
Yeah, I've read that.
- [08:17]
A
Okay, cool. Yeah, I had not read him before, and this book was one I read last year. I think it was actually a full year ago. And I put it aside for no real reason. I just. It was one that I. So I have two categories. I have my pause, and then I have my dnf, like, where I'm positive I'm never going to return to this. Then I have some that I've paused, and this one was one that I paused. It's historical horror set in 1915 in the American west, featuring a woman with a past who carries a mysterious trunk to a town on the edge of nowhere. She. She is very careful with this trunk and keeps it locked at all times, because when the trunk opens, people around Adelaide start to disappear. And this book has an incredible open. Something in the trunk leads her to kill her parents and burn down their family home. So, like, pretty dramatic. And she then flees from California and makes her way to Montana because she's interested in becoming a homesteader. She's got this trunk in tow, and she becomes one of the lone women taking advantage of the government's offer of free land for those who can tame it. So they're basically giving away free land if you can manage to live there for a year. But easier said than done. And Adelaide's not alone. There are many People that are trying to make their way as these homesteaders. And she also has with her this secret that she's tried so desperately to lock away. And this secret might be the only thing that keeps her alive in this new territory. This book is good. It's subtle, it's subtly horrific. And I do like that it doesn't hit you over the head with the supernatural and the things and the. That. Like, you're getting a very truly historical horror novel, which tend to work for me because a lot of the time the horrors came from being a black woman alone in 1914 Montana. And I loved those sections. I loved Adelaide as she finds her way with her neighbors. And, you know, at one, in one scene, I thought was so poignant. They're, like, doing each other's hair and, like, talking about how to find particular hair products. And I just. I loved that juxtaposition with, like, okay, what the hell's in the trunk? Right? And the setting and time and place was excellent. Laval did a great job bringing this history to life. Like, I really felt like I was there with her. And I loved reading about Adelaide's fight. Simply surviving on her own was enough of a task. But also, not to mention, she's trying to keep whatever's in the trunk tamed. There are a lot of questionable characters that get introduced in a lot of this book is just her finding her way out there. There's good representation in this book with at least one queer character. And the ending was cinematic. His writing reminds me of Tananarive Dues, which is a compliment. That's kind of the. The feeling that I got while reading this. Now it sounds like I loved it and I did like it. It was good, but it took me longer to really sink into than I prefer. And I don't know why I was curious the whole time I was reading it. But I didn't get obsessed like I usually get with books that I absolutely love. I'm still in the minority, though, with my. I think I'm giving it 3.75 stars. But a lot of people gave this five stars on Goodreads, so I think I'm just in the minority with this one. I still do recommend it. I will still seek out this author again, and I'm glad I didn't officially DNF it, but it wasn't one where I'm going to return back to. I'm proud of myself, though, because at the beginning of the year, I sent to. I set up 12 books that I want to read in 2025. And I've read two of them and we're in the second month of the year, so good for me. This was on that list, so I'm proud of myself for that. Overall, this is a recommend. And this book was Lone Women by Victor Laval. Wow.
- [12:10]
B
Good job knocking two books off already. Well done.
- [12:14]
A
I'm like, am I a TBR reader? Possibly.
- [12:17]
B
Possibly. I think we're both a little bit of both.
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A
A combo.
- [12:21]
B
A combo.
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A
Shocking. Nobody, right? We have a thousand ways to track our reading, a thousand ways that we share about books, and a thousand ways to read.
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B
And they're all valid.
- [12:31]
A
You know they are.
- [12:31]
B
We love all parts of us.
- [12:33]
A
That's right.
- [12:34]
B
All right, well, I am bringing a fantasy novel, and this one came out last year and I saw a lot of fantasy reviewers raving about it and I'm glad that I finally got to it. It's Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. wang. And this is about a brilliant and determined young mage, Siona, who has spent 20 years fighting for a place in this prestigious high magistry. This is a school. It's like a magic school, which I love in fantasy settings. And she is the first woman who has ever been admitted to this school. But earning the title is only just the beginning. Her new colleagues, who are all men, are very hostile. And instead of a lab assistant, she is assigned someone from the janitorial staff. Unbeknownst to everybody, her quiet assistant was once a nomadic hunter whose past holds a lot of secrets. He knows a lot, and little do they know that he, you know, knows enough to potentially cause some chaos. And the unlikely pair uncover a lot of buried conspiracies and realize that their discoveries could really change magic forever if they survive to tell it. I really, really liked this one. So I will say that it was a little bit heavy handed in its political themes, but I think that it was really paired well with my current feelings surrounding politics right now. And my favorite part of this book was that in the beginning, our heroine is frustrating. She has a problematic worldview that is based on her very limited and insular and privileged experience. And once she becomes close with someone who has been on the opposite side of the political and social line, she not only does a 180, but she also learns to make choices and repair some of the damage that she personally has done because of these belief systems that she previously held. And she's willing to say, okay, now I know better, so I'm going to do better and I'm changing my mind. This doesn't spoil anything. There is so much that happens in this book that is complex with the magic system, the lore, the characters, et cetera, that will totally sweep you up, capture you and take you by surprise. Another thing that I really enjoyed about this book is that the heroine is really smart and powerful and the other men in power start to become pretty afraid and intimidated by her. And at one point she asks why everybody is so afraid of her and one of the advisors says, well, you're a threat to their comfortable mediocrity. I loved that line. I and this book is full of a ton of lines like that. It also made a lot of points about making people's conditions impossible to live in and then blaming them for being barbaric and inhuman. And there are lots of lines about, you know, people taking and taking and taking from people who don't even have it and then having the audacity to say, well, they brought this on themselves. So lots of interesting, you know, conversations being had in this book. And again, some of those conversations were a little heavy handed, but I didn't mind it so much in this one, although that is something that can bother me. So I wanted to mention it here, but. But overall I really enjoyed this one and I would highly recommend it. And that's Blood Over Bright Haven by ML Wang.
- [16:14]
A
I'm glad you read this one. I love the COVID of it and I could totally like the whole time you were talking about it now I didn't know what it was about but I'm like, that makes sense. I'm glad it worked by and large for you.
- [16:26]
B
Yeah.
- [16:27]
A
And it's actually funny because it comes in ties really nicely, I think, into what we're chatting about for BookTok.
- [16:34]
B
Yes, because.
- [16:34]
A
Because we wanted to talk about what does it mean to be well read and how we define it. Does being well read matter? I mean, I'd argue yes, and so I will. But I think being well read can mean different things to different people. For me, it is not necessarily about reading a lot. It's not like, oh, I want to read every book that there's ever been written. It's not like I want to read, you know, every book that's ever been written. It's more about reading widely and thoughtfully and really making a point to. I always have said this about my reading. I like to read widely. What I mean by that is not necessarily just genre, although that's part of it. It's also about the authors themselves. It's about reading from authors that are different than me and getting a chance to you know, sort of vicariously, if you will, experience those things that the characters and potentially the authors have gone through that have different viewpoints and different worldviews than mine. And it sounds like sort of that's what the characters in the book you were just talking about did. They, like, had dialogue over that. It forced them to, like, really confront some of their own biases. For me, that's what I like in reading. I like when it's challenging me or, you know, forcing me to open up my worldview.
- [17:57]
B
Yeah. And I think that. I mean exactly for me, too, in terms of being, well, read, not necessarily being about quantity, but also being about the type of books that you read. And I mean, I think that there is a lot to. To reading widely when you read well outside of your own lived cultural experience. It doesn't change who you are, are, or inherently change your belief system, but I think it does a. I mean, allow you to see something from another lens that will ultimately help you understand and connect better with humanity and your community, and also give you the opportunity to maybe bring light to a truth that you would have never been exposed to or you hadn't been exposed to when you only view life through your, you know, narrow lens of experience. And I know I grew up in a really conservative evangelical Christian household, and I 100% attribute books to where I am today. And I definitely gleaned a lot of good from my upbringing. Wasn't all bad. Absolutely. At all. But I also was sheltered and didn't know a lot of what I didn't know. And I'm really thankful to books and reading for being able to, you know, shed light on things that I wouldn't have known better about if I hadn't read a book about it or read a book about someone who had that experience or, you know. So I do think that it is really important to read outside of your experience. And I think that that doesn't necessarily have to mean there are so many things to experiences. Right. I mean, it could even mean reading a translated book from a country that you're not from. It could mean, you know, reading about, like, if you're a Christian, it could mean about reading someone who's Muslim. It could mean so many things. So.
- [19:47]
A
Yeah. And how lucky are we that I think now? You know, I think about when I was growing up and how I picked the books that I read. I don't know, went to the library.
- [19:55]
B
Yeah, exactly.
- [19:55]
A
Looked at what was on the shelves and picked from there, and I think I read. I would not say that I read widely. I read a ton when I was little, But I think it was probably all very narrow. I'm thinking babysitter's club. I'm thinking Sweet Valley High was sort of people from the America, people that looked largely like me. I didn't. Not that I. I don't know that I sought them out. I don't know if they were around at the time. You know, I'm talking about books that had, you know, a wide variety of different characters. How lucky. Now, like, our kids and just people today have things like the Internet and book lists and podcasts and all of these things where we can say, okay, I'm interested in reading more widely. Where do I begin? And it's great that you don't have to put the onus on, you know, other people, like, tell me about the books you read growing up. That can be a conversation, but it's all out there on the Internet, and you can sort of find those recommendations. I also. I swear, I used to think that I wasn't well read because I hadn't read a lot of the classics. And I'm like, oh, you know, I just read recreationally. And this was before the podcast and social media and all of that. But I was like, I read what I read in high school, and then I didn't take any college English courses. I was a psych major. And so I thought for a while, like, okay, I don't have that foundation, so how can I be well read? But I think that is very narrow. I think being a part of that is, you know, being open to potentially knowing the original canon. Like, okay, for example, I read Rebecca maybe however many years ago, and I'm like, oh, I see now why all of the mystery and thrillers I love. Like, I kind of. It opened my eyes to what gothic means and sort of why that book stood the test of time. I think it also means not just classics, but nonfiction books. It means, like you said, global books. It means translated fiction. Could mean genre fiction. It could mean contemporary with characters that are not like you. I just get so excited and so amped up about that. And that's one of the things I always tried to bring to the podcast, was I never want to feel like I'm bringing just, okay, every week, y'all are going to be getting the same three types of books, right? The same three thrillers written by three white authors that you've probably heard. I want to be intentional with, you know, reading widely. And it also enriches my own reading experience. I'M not saying that I'm picking these books because I'm like, oh, I want to check a box. Obviously not. I want to make sure that I'm enriching myself, and I want that for our listeners as well.
- [22:19]
B
Yeah. And if that's a part of your normal reading routine, then, no, it's definitely not just checking a box. You're going to come across these books maybe even organically, and I think that that's great, especially when you're open. I mean, just being open to a new recommendation source or, you know, just trying something new or. And also, I. I feel like even reading, you know, outside of your own lens of experience could even mean, like, okay, you're reading a book about a character whose parents died of a terminal illness. Well, I've never had a parent pass away from a terminal illness before. And so maybe this book could give you a perspective on how to better, like, support someone, encourage someone who is grieving right now. And there are so many aspects to this, but I think just piggybacking off of some of the things that you said, Tina. I also think it's why it's so important to keep advocating for. There to be access to all of the books. And. Yeah, I don't know. I just. We are definitely so privileged that we have all this access to these books, and we definitely want to keep. Keep that up and keep that going and. Which means, you know, continuing to support your local libraries and continuing to support these committees that keep books in our library systems, et cetera. So.
- [23:42]
A
No, you're absolutely right. I mean, yes, the books exist, the books are out there, but can everybody access them? That's the thing. It's scary, frankly.
- [23:51]
B
Yeah.
- [23:51]
A
To see how much, you know, censorship is going on. And, you know, we're going to keep doing, I think, what we do and doing our part to make sure that we're promoting a wide range of literature. Like you said, it doesn't necessarily. It could be anything. It could mean a lot of different things. And I always feel like, I think I said it, maybe I said it on a bonus episode or on air when I feel like I'm reading too many of the same books. I'm like, okay, that's enough junk food. I need a vegetable. I need to enrich my body. I need to enrich my mind. And, you know, it's, I think, good to have a balance of both. And I enjoy both reading experiences.
- [24:24]
B
Yeah, absolutely. It's definitely important to have both. Both reading experiences are totally valid. And you can also, like, Read widely while you're also reading for fun. I mean, it doesn't have to be one or the other. Sometimes it needs to be, and that's also okay. But it can also be both.
- [24:38]
A
You know, it could be both. Exactly. So I don't know. I encourage y'all to think about, you know, being well read. I think if you listen to book podcasts, I would argue that you are well read. Right, I agree. But, you know, I think it's overall, at the end of the day, about curiosity. It's about engaging with different ideas and sort of expanding your understanding of the world. Like you said when you were young, it's kind of like you grow. Everybody grows up into. In the. With the lens that they've been given at birth. And then the more we meet people and read and understand, it's like, how exciting. I also don't think that being well read is like, oh, I'm gonna wear a badge. I'm well read. I think it's something I'm constantly moving toward. Right. Like, I don't know if it's like a binary. Yes. No, it's like, I want to continue to be well read as I get older and as I, you know, continue to grow up. Like, I want to keep that status, if you will.
- [25:30]
B
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, you could never, I feel like, know everything or everyone or have every. Like, you can never have enough opportunity to continue to learn and. And grow. Yeah. Wow. We sound so.
- [25:43]
A
Learning. Grow.
- [25:44]
B
Learning, learning, grow.
- [25:46]
A
And with that, I'm going to bring. I can't think of a more enriching book to bring than the crash by Frida McFadden.
- [25:55]
B
Wow.
- [25:57]
A
I love it. This is definitely on my junk food list, but I picked it up. It was available on my hoopla. It's also on Kindle Unlimited, and I quite liked the COVID And I also love a wintry thriller. So I'm like, all right, this is my shot. Let me give Frida another go. This is about Teagan. Teagan is eight months pregnant, and she desperately wants to put her crumbling life in the rear view mirror. So she hits the road. She wants to get away for a weekend, and she's planning to stay with her brother until she can figure out what she wants to do next. But she doesn't realize she's heading straight into a blizzard. So right off the bat, you know, she maybe isn't the sharpest crayon in the crayon box. But she never arrives at the destination. She becomes stranded in rural Maine with a dead car and a broken ankle. And she is panicking naturally. She didn't bring water, she didn't bring supplies, and she's stuck in a snow bank. She's like, I am in trouble. But then miraculously, she is rescued by a man in a snowplow. And he gets her out, even though she's very afraid of him. She agrees to go with him. And he offers her a place to warm up and kind of wait until the roads are clear. And once she gets there, she's like, okay, he's married. So that at least gives me a little bit of comfort. And they end up, you know, taking care of her for a couple of days. But then she's sitting there and as time ticks by, she starts to realize, okay, I think this is maybe I fear I have made a mistake. And so now she must do whatever it takes to save herself and to save her unborn child. This one is a thriller that puts pregnancy and motherhood at front and center, which, by and large, this worked for me. It gave me decent, isolated, survival horror thriller vibes. Teagan was a frustrating character at times, but she wasn't totally empty. She did have some fight in her. She did keep me engaged. I didn't love the nickname that Frida gave or the character gave to her daughter or her baby. She kept calling it tuna. And I feel like Frida McFadden does that. She'll find a word that she wants to use over and over. In the Coworker, it was turtles, Turtles, Turtles. And in this one it's tuna. But if you can forgive that, I would say the tension is solid. She's in this basement of this couple and I'm like, how are you going to get out? Right? The villain was fully realized. There was decent pacing, and I did read this over the course of a day. Now, was the ending my favorite? No, of course not. But I was entertained. I think if you like thrillers that have this snowed in atmosphere, that have a character fighting for their life. If you, if you don't mind messy protagonists, this might work for you. This wasn't my favorite Frida, but I have truly, really disliked some of hers. So this one is right in the middle. I'm going to give it three stars. I recommend it. It did get me a little bit out of a reading slump and I had a good time reading reading it, even though I feel like I need a vegetable after this one. This book was the crash by Frida McFadden.
- [29:10]
B
I love that you're continuing on the Frida journey and that this One was, you know, at least a little bit of a good romp. Like kind of a good time.
- [29:20]
A
You know, kind of a good time. Would I recommend it to Hannah? Absolutely not. No, I would not. I would not tell you to pick this one up. But if you like popcorn, popcorn thrillers and you want a little. It's a good distraction, for sure.
- [29:33]
B
I mean, I will give Frida that. Like, her books are fast. You can just eat them up right through them.
- [29:40]
A
I will say, though, I did see a publication and I didn't. I'm not going to cite the source because I can't remember where, but it was somebody basically saying that she copies or gets very heavily inspired by a lot of other authors. So she's not doing herself any favors with this one because this one does have heavy Misery Vibes by Stephen King, which is a book that I absolutely loved. She doesn't do it the exact same. Who can do it the same as Stephen King? It's kind of a popcorn version of Misery. Yeah, I would say that.
- [30:11]
B
Yeah, I think that that's fine. Okay. I am bringing a romance, my first romance of the year, and I am happy to say that this one really worked for me. This is Only in youn Dreams by Ellie K. Wilde. And this is an author I had not read before. This is a pretty spicy, small town brother's best friend sports romance. We are following melody woods, who 10 years after one of the most heartbreaking nights of her life, she is back in her small hometown of Oakwood Bay. She is broke, jaded, and she is dumped by her big city boyfriend. And to top it all off, her twin brother Parker is pushing her to take his spot on a camping trip. Trip with the one guy that she has spent a decade avoiding. And then we have Zach Porter, his best friend's twin sister. Melody has been off limits always. And after Fumbling his chance 10 years ago, he was devastated and sure that he had lost Melody for good. So when she shows up at the campsite instead of her brother Parker, Zach realizes that now is the time to prove to her that they were always meant to be, no matter how long it takes to make up for his teenage herself's mistake. Reeling from the truth of her last relationship, Melody plans to stay in town just long enough to get back on her feet. But meanwhile, Zach is facing an uphill battle to coach his team and to win the game and also to show Melody how she deserves to be loved and to have her stay and keep Parker, her brother, from ever finding out. So we've Got a lot going on here, but I absolutely loved this one. I am not one for sports romances typically. And, you know, Zach is a coach in this one. And that's kind of one of the big plot points, is he's a coach for this team, he's trying to get them to win, et cetera, et cetera. I have tried sports romances before here and there, and they either just typically don't appeal to me or they don't work for me. But I'm really glad that I gave this one a try anyway, because I really enjoyed it. I love a quiet, sacrificial hero, and that was totally Zach. He was definitely a great golden retriever hero who also wasn't afraid to stick up for Melody when he really needed to. I thought that this romance had really good character development, really great story behind the romance. It was a little cheesy in parts. And there were definitely some, like, fake dating elements that didn't totally make sense to me. And with Zach, like, not wanting, you know, Melody's brother to find out that they were dating, but also, like, wanting her to stay and never leave. And, like, there were some things that were just hard to suspend disbelief about. But that's always the case with romances. I'm just, you know, an overly analytical reader and I've gotta let some of that stuff go. But when I was able to let some of that stuff go, I was really able to enjoy these characters and the story and the plot. The other thing that I will note is that this was about my limit for spicy content. And I definitely did have to skip some things just because I don't mind that content and romance at all. But I do tend to have a limit and I can sometimes suffer from that, like, secondhand embarrassment a little bit if it gets too repetitive. And this was a 400 page book and there were quite a few scenes. So just know that going into it if you are a romance reader and you have, like, you know, certain limits with that kind of content. This one was definitely heavy on the spice, but overall also had some really great plot points. Like, it wasn't only about that. There was definitely some great character development, et cetera. I really like this one and even enjoyed the sports elements. So I would read from this author again and I would recommend this. And that is only in your dreams by Le K Wilde.
- [34:24]
A
So if the crash is not for you, this one's not for me because I can't do cringe or too much spice. I would. There was a lot faint.
- [34:33]
B
Yeah, this One is not one that I would recommend to Tina or Tina readers. For sure. This. I mean, if I'm feeling a secondhand embarrassment from the cheese and the content, then if that's something that you're like on the fence on, it's 400 pages. So not for you.
- [34:51]
A
Right.
- [34:52]
B
Not a Tina book.
- [34:52]
A
I know. That took me aback when you said 400 pages, but okay, that's long for a romance. That is long. Right? Yeah. All right. I'm bringing the Inheritance by Tricia Saklicha and I'm excited to finally talk about this on the show because it was in our winter reading guide and I highly recommend it. This is a mystery that mixes succession style family drama with a locked room slash locked island murder mystery. It follows the wealthy Agarwal family as they gather on a private island for a high stakes reunion. The patriarch, Raj is ready to announce his business succession plan. But every member of the family has their own secrets, ambitions, and hidden agendas. You've got his wife Shalini, who is the fragile matriarch, and she is ready to have her husband to herself after years of sacrifice to the family business. Myra, the golden child, is the owner of the island and the host of the reunion. And she, unbeknownst to her family, is on the brink of bankruptcy. Aseem is the only son and supposed heir. He is torn between the love for his wife and duty to his family. Aisha is the youngest. She's a party girl whose antics are legendary. She can't pass up an opportunity to wreak havoc. Then there's Zoe, Aseem's wife, the outsider whose hashtag insta perfect life is built on a foundation of lies. They've all got secrets that they would die to protect. But who will survive this high stakes reunion? This one is great. It's suspense, so it's not a popcorn thriller. It is a little bit slower. There's a bit build up, but trust me, it does get there. In the end. She keeps the reader invested with multiple POVs. You're hearing from the outsider. Zoe. You're hearing from the eldest sister. You're hearing from some of the other characters as well. And in the beginning, you know, something really bad has happened in the family, which has kept the mom sort of more removed and everybody around her is sort of protecting her because, you know, something really bad happened. And a pet peeve for me is when a book teases out the bad thing that happened for many, many, many, many pages without telling us. But in this case, they tell us like 35% in what happened. So that's great. I wasn't wondering for too long. It didn't bother me. And I think because you're getting these different POVs, it gives you that right mix of emotional depth and suspense. I was really curious to see how it would end. I also like that you don't quite know, you know, there's a body on the island. You don't know who it is. Right. There were a lot of red herrings and a lot of things that had me questioning everything. I also appreciated the historical details that were woven in, especially in reference to the Highland clearances, something that I did not know about. It definitely added to the creepy eeriness of this setting. The comps for this are Lucy Foley's the Guest List and Big Little Lies. Liane Moriarty. And I would say I recommend this to people who enjoy family dramas with wealth, power, betrayal. If you enjoy locked room mysteries, if you enjoy atmospheric settings and messy, morally gray characters, then pick this up. I quite enjoyed it. I think this is a very solid mystery. This was the Inheritance by Tricia Saklecha.
- [38:14]
B
Well, I'm glad that you brought this. And it's fun that we have like a popcorn thriller and then maybe, you know, a mystery or thriller that's a little bit on the other, you know, side of the mystery thriller landscape.
- [38:26]
A
So little more meat on the bones here.
- [38:30]
B
Yeah. And an author I hadn't heard of. So I'm, I'm glad that you brought like maybe an under the radar gem. Would you say that this one, I.
- [38:38]
A
Think it's under her debut? Yeah, I do think so. And that's why I wanted to bring it because it came out in January. I think it came out toward the end of January, but I haven't heard a ton about it yet.
- [38:47]
B
Yeah.
- [38:48]
A
Oh, actually, I just looked it up. This is her third book. This is not her debut. She has two other psychological thrillers. So the Inheritance is actually her third novel. So to your point. Yes, I think she is more of an under the radar author because I had not heard of her before this.
- [39:02]
B
Well, I hope more people pick it up.
- [39:05]
A
Yes.
- [39:05]
B
My next book is We Could Be Rats by Emily Austin. Really excited to pick this one up because I read, I want to say it was her debut, but I, I read her book Everyone in this Room Will Someday Be Dead a few years ago and absolutely loved it. I would say, like, to this day, a few years later, it's still like one of my favorite books. I would put it maybe in my top 10. I absolutely loved that one. So I was really excited to pick up another one of her books. We Could Be Rats is about Sigrid, who has never conformed to adulthood's expectations. She chooses aimless days with her best friend Greta over school and work, much to the frustration of her older sister Margit. But beneath Sigrid's detachment lies a lot of pain. She has a volatile home life and she has lost friends to the opioid crisis. And as Margit tries to understand her sister's struggles, they both realize that rekindling their childhood imagination may just be the key to healing in this really, really poignant and surprising story of sisterhood and resilience and the power of nostalgia. Oh, this book really surprised me. I will say in the beginning it's very stream of consciousness. We basically have no dialogue. We are really in one of the characters heads in the first part of the novel. It's just very, it's just very stream of consciousness. So I will say if that is something that you don't like, hang in there because there is a little bit of a shift later on in the novel and I just really want to encourage people to kind of hang on and wait for that shift to happen because you don't know what's coming as a reader. And it really kind of flips the script on what you think that this book is about and what it's trying to say. I think that this book does a really good job at humanizing folks who are dealing with really severe mental struggles. I don't usually talk a ton about content warnings, like heavily. I feel like a lot of times the content is kind of clear when I'm, when I'm talking about a book in terms of what it might contain. But I, I do want to preface with this one particularly because it's really heavy and it talks a lot about suicide, suicidal ideation, and that's like a really big main topic of the book. And if that's not something that you can read about, then I definitely would just know that going into this one because it was really heavy and the author does a really, really good job with it. But just something that I think should be pointed out. I thought that this was a beautiful character study and our main character was tortured, she was funny, she was queer, and everything that I adore about a main character. And I found a lot of enjoyment following her even through a lot of her struggles and pain. I think that if you've read an Emily Austin before, you know that she just drops great one liners and I really appreciated That I always laugh out loud and cry reading her books. And it was no different with this one. I just thought that this was really clever. I wish I could say more about, like, the, you know, plot elements that happened that really surprised me, but I can't. This is just one of those ones you really have to go into, not necessarily blind, because you don't get an idea of what's going to happen reading the synopsis. But I just want more people to read this one and to specifically talk about it with others. So if you have read this one and want to reach out to me, please do, because I'd love to chat about it. And that is We Could Be Rats by Emily Austin.
- [43:06]
A
Yay. This is an author that makes me think of you. So I'm glad this book worked for you. I know, and I love when those books we love, but you can't share much because it's like, well, that's going to give away the whole thing. So just read it.
- [43:17]
B
Just read it. But knowing that it is heavy and, you know, there are some.
- [43:23]
A
Read it if you're the right reader.
- [43:24]
B
Yes. Read it at your own risk. And if you're the right reader for sure, I think that that is it. I think we can move on to shelf editions.
- [43:31]
A
Okay. Okay. My shelf edition. This is hot off the press. It came in the mail just a moment ago, which, by the way, I think my UPS driver hates me, bless his heart. He was, like, skating all over the ice. He had these two huge boxes of books, and this one was, like, in a separate envelope and it was like, floating all over the top. The big boxes of books were from. We're a member of Book Club, Girls Book Club. And it's awesome. It's through the publisher, but every month I get like, a big old box of books. And anyway, I'm sure this guy's like, what does she do for a living? But this little guy was on top. So I'm like, let me grab it. And I'm so glad I opened it because it's Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay. And this, I don't think, could be more for me if it tried. It is about parents that go to their kids who are in colleges. Parents Weekend. And bad things happen. So in the glow of their children's exciting first year of college at a small private school in Northern California, five families plan on a night of dinner and cocktails for the opening festivities of Parents Weekend. As the parents stay out of the way, past their bedtimes, their kids, five residents of Campeche hall never show up for dinner. At first, everyone thinks they're just being college students, being irresponsible and forgetting about the gathering. But as the hours click by and another night falls with not so much as a text from the students, panic ensues. Soon the campus police call in reinforcements, search parties are formed, reporters swarm the small enclave, and rumors swirl. So they're calling the people that disappeared, the five, the podcasters and tiktokers and all of that. They come from very different families. What led them out on that fateful night? Could it be the sins of their mothers and fathers come to cause imperil or a threat to the friend group from within? This one's told through multiple points of view and past and present. Oh, and I don't like this. It marks the return of FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller from every last fear in the Night Shift. I don't know who that is. And it makes me think, do I have to read those other two books? But I'm not going to. This one is a thriller that explores the weight of expectation, family dysfunction, and those exhilarating first days we all remember in the dorms when our friends become our family. This book is Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay, and this one comes out on May 6th.
- [45:53]
B
Have you read from this author before?
- [45:55]
A
I was trying to think. I don't know. His books are always. I'm always intrigued by them. I don't think I've actually ever read him, though.
- [46:03]
B
Okay. I. I feel like he doesn't write series, like, mystery series.
- [46:09]
A
I don't think he does. I think they're more standalones. It's just like a character that's reoccurring. But this synopsis made me crack up because it makes me think of when I went to college and I got dropped off by my parents. And I don't. I think I can tell this story on air. But my dad is really, really, really funny. He's such a character. And I went to college. I am an elder, so I went to college. We had answering machines, and my dad would just call and leave these very brief, unhinged messages for me, like, hello, is my daughter there? Is she alive? I don't know. She won't call me back. Click. And like, my roommate Joan was like, your dad is hysterical. So when my dad first met my roommate, who I'm still friends with today, her name is Joan, and he had some very interesting things to say about her name. He is just the worst, but also the best. And I'm glad to say that Joan and I are still friends today because against all odds I'm like, oh my God. But it's kind of this like notorious funny story. I could totally see my dad like getting involved in some shenanigans at a parents weekend.
- [47:16]
B
Oh, that's really funny. And I love when there are kind of just fun little like personal tidbits that make you like. It makes you think of these really random things that happened in your life because of a book. I just always think that that's really fun.
- [47:29]
A
I think that's why I like college novels so much because I like remember very vividly all of my experiences and just such a time.
- [47:37]
B
Love a personal tie in. My shelf edition is called okay. My shelf edition is the Heart of Winter by Jonathan Evison. And this is a new release. It is about Abe and Ruth, who were never meant to last, at least according to Ruth. But their disastrous college blind date led to a 70 year marriage filled with love, loss and resilience on their Bainbridge island farm. As Ruth's declining health forces them to confront new challenges, Abe must learn to care for the woman who has always been his anchor while their children question his ability to do so. This is a story that spans decades of triumphs and heartbreaks and is a portrait of marriage, aging, and the quiet moments that define love. I love books like this, so I am really excited to read this one. And that is the Heart of Winter by Jonathan Evison.
- [48:35]
A
Good, you can have that. I think it sounds beautiful. I can't. If there's like one thing I can't read about, it's like characters later in life that are married and you like worry for one of them or like somebody has like dementia setting and I'm like, I cannot handle it. Yeah, I just can't. I can't do it.
- [48:53]
B
But yeah, I know. I could see that being. I could see that being. I mean that is tough to read about and I could see that being like a no on on content for. For folks. So good to know. I'll take this one.
- [49:06]
A
I'm going to pretend that my that I'm going to be just as with it as I am today. One might argue I'm not that with it to begin with. So unclear. But 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 DOT.
- [49:40]
B
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 Tina, TBR Etc and Hannah at handpickedbooks. Talk to you next week.
- [49:52]
A
In the meantime, remember, everything's better with books. I told you the story about Lily, right?
- [50:01]
B
Which one?
- [50:02]
A
When they found out that we her gender still reveal this one in 2020, I did the blood work thing and they called me and they're like, hey, also, everything looks good. Also, we found out the sex of the baby. Do you want to know? And I said, of course. And she goes, yeah, well, is your husband there? I said, sure, but it's not 1960. But okay, fine. John, come here. Blah, blah, blah. Put her on speaker. I said, okay. And then she goes, well, is your husband an athlete? And I said, yeah, actually he is. And she goes, oh, I'm sorry, it's a girl.
- [50:36]
B
Wait, what?
- [50:37]
A
Literally, no joke. Like, for real.
- [50:41]
B
That's really.
- [50:42]
A
And I was like, what? And I was like, we wanted a girl. I'm literally getting hot right now. Talking, telling you this story. I tell it to all of my Psych 101 classes because it's just so insane. Like, what do you mean? This is wrong on so many levels. One, what if my heart was set on a boy? You just broke my heart. Two, as if women can't be athletes.
- [51:02]
B
Can't be athletes.
- [51:03]
A
Three, why does it matter if my husband's around anyway? There's so many things wrong with that. Also, why?
- [51:08]
B
What a random question.
- [51:09]
A
What a random question.
- [51:10]
B
Random gendered question. Like, of all the gendered questions you could ask. Weird. It would have almost been still just as infuriating. But like, if you're asking like, whatever, if your husband's there and then been.
- [51:21]
A
Like, oh, like, does he want a boy?
- [51:23]
B
I'm sorry, it's a girl.
- [51:24]
A
Yeah, right.
- [51:25]
B
Like, even that, like, which is horrible and still just messed up. But like, the athlete thing is really throwing me off.
- [51:31]
A
It's very weird and very specific and also specifically relates to us. And it's not like she had met him. Like, it wasn't like she was like, oh, I know, Jonathan is a big athlete. Sorry, it's a girl. It was just a random question. It's so insane. So this the second time I was at work. And I was like, in my office with my colleague Laura, and I was like, laura, we're getting the call. And then I was like, should we find out what kind of baby we're having? She's like, let's do it.
- [51:54]
B
What kind of baby we're having?
- [51:56]
A
She. So they call me, everything looks good. And they're like, do you want to find out the sex? And I'm like, yeah. They're like, well, what do you have at home? I was like, a girl. They're like, well, she's getting a sister. Congrats. And I was so happy. I was like, way to go. Because you didn't do it in the way that shitty. I'm sorry. It's a boy or it's a girl. You're having to. You know what I mean? Like, it was so dumb, but me and Laura were like, yay. And then I was like, yeah, it is. That makes sense. I knew it was a girl. It just was Cassia. It made perfect sense.
- [52:23]
B
But, yeah.
- [52:24]
A
Isn't that insane?
- [52:25]
B
That is insane. Anyway, and just really asinine.
- [52:29]
A
I'm gonna make sure Lily is an athlete just to, like, throw it in.
- [52:32]
B
The face of win the Olympics.
- [52:35]
A
She doesn't have the. The grit for that. But who does?
- [52:39]
B
Do we have the grit for that?
- [52:41]
A
Oh, are you kidding me? I am still in my pajamas. Yeah.
- [52:44]
B
Yep, Yep, yep.
- [52:45]
A
But 4:00pm, so no, I sure don't have the grit.