Easily Distracted by New Releases + How Expectations Impact Reading Experience

Summary

Book Talk, etc.

Episode: Easily Distracted by New Releases + How Expectations Impact Reading Experience

Date: March 17, 2026
Hosts: Tina (@tbretc) and Hannah (@hanpickedbooks)

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Episode Overview

In this engaging episode of Book Talk, etc., Tina and Hannah dive into how the hype and their own expectations shape their reading experiences, especially when it comes to buzzy new releases. The hosts reflect on how being mood readers and content creators influences the way they approach hyped books, offering thoughtful discussion about the pressures and joys of staying current in the book world. Along the way, they recommend a mix of popular, underrated, and just-for-fun reads—plus share candid personal stories, a few dog tributes, and their recent obsessions.

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Key Segments and Themes

Loving Lately

Timestamps: 02:29—10:21

• Tina’s Pick: Stacked Water

  • What is it? Water with “boosters” like collagen, probiotics, electrolytes, lemon juice, etc., inspired by Jeffrey’s House on social media.
  • Why she loves it: Fun, hydrating, and a way to avoid energy drinks.
    • “It just makes me feel special…Jonathan’s been making these for me.” (03:16, Tina)
    • Pro tip: Use a powerful rechargeable mixer to avoid ‘chunks’ in your drink! (06:06)
  • Useful Links: Hosts mention linking recipes and recommended mixers in the show notes.

• Hannah’s Pick: Kindle Page-Turner Clicker

  • What is it? A Bluetooth-powered remote that lets you turn pages hands-free on your Kindle.
  • Why she loves it: Especially great for reading in bed or curled up “blind as a bat” with her Kindle close and font large.
    • “This is a luxury that is necessary. I do not know why I waited so long to get it.” (09:36, Hannah)
    • Real-life use: Makes late-night reading and reading with glasses off much easier.
    • Pro tip: Pair with a gooseneck Kindle holder for even more comfort.

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Latest Reads & Reviews

Timestamps: 11:16—21:28; 33:52—55:30

Tina’s Reads

• What Happens in the Dark by Kia Abdullah
  (11:16)

  • Legal thriller with social justice themes and twisty, morally gray characters.
  • Follows estranged best friends Safa (journalist) and Lily (TV presenter) whose lives collide after a murder and a serial killer storyline.
  • What stood out: Two rich storylines, focus on East Asian women, open-ended but satisfying.
    • “Kia Abdullah is always going to give you a social justice tie-in, a gray area that’s really going to challenge you, and a twist or two.” (14:06, Tina)
    • Rating: High—second favorite from Abdullah.

• Her Last Breath by Taylor Adams
  (33:53)

  • Claustrophobic, twisty thriller about two friends trapped in a cave with an ominous stranger.
  • Personal expectations: Tina loved No Exit but hated Hairpin Bridge, came in wary but open.
    • “I think that the casual thriller reader will love this…It had great elements of caving…I just didn’t buy everything hook, line and sinker.” (35:41, Tina)
    • Critique: Struggles with male authors writing female protagonists authentically.
    • Rating: 3.75 stars; expects it to make the Goodreads Choice Awards list but “lukewarm recommendation.”

• Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hawkhouser
  (42:20)

  • Cinderella reimagining from the stepmother’s point of view—NOT a typical retelling.
  • “This book is flawless to the point where I’m not even holding it because I’ve already lent my copy out. It is Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hawkhouser. This book is everything.” (45:12, Tina)
  • Themes: Motherhood, societal pressures, and the complexities of being a woman.
  • Warning/joke: “If you do not like this book, do not tell me. I don’t want to hear it.” (42:22, Tina)
  • Status: Favorite book of the year so far.

• Shelf Addition: Little Wild by Laura Evans
  (55:32)

  • Described as a feminist fairy tale; set in 1937 Suffolk, features forbidden love and hints of dark, magical transformation.
  • Tina is intrigued by the cover and premise: “Maybe that’s my brand of fantasy—feminist fairy tale.” (55:40, Tina)
  • Release: June; unsure genre blend—historical/fantasy/fairy tale.

Hannah’s Reads

• The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson
  (16:24)

  • Epic fantasy, dark academia, political intrigue, and murder mystery in a lush empire setting.
  • Long and immersive: “This took me all of February to read…almost a five star read for me. Maybe 4.5.” (17:00, Hannah)
  • Best parts: Political intrigue and beautiful writing.
  • Slight letdown: The romance felt forced.
  • Series info: First in a trilogy; book two not yet announced.

• The Swamps by Seraphina Nova Glass
  (38:23)

  • Paranormal-tinged thriller set in the Louisiana bayou; think Ghost Hunters meets missing persons YouTube sleuthing.
  • Strengths: Vivid, atmospheric swampy setting; creepy comedic side characters (landlord and handyman).
    • “The atmosphere in general was just…I think this book’s biggest strength.” (41:01, Hannah)
  • Downside: “The twist almost ruined the entire book for me…it just felt cliche and cheap.” (41:27, Hannah)
  • Summary: A ‘cheap thrill’—fun and fast, but not a top recommendation.

• The Best Dog in the World: Essays on Love, edited by Alice Hoffman
  (48:29)

  • Nonfiction essay collection featuring famous authors (Emily Henry, Jodi Picoult, Roxane Gay, Bonnie Garmus, etc.) and their soul dogs.
  • Touching and relatable for dog lovers:
    • “[It’s] a heartwarming and tender collection of people sharing their experiences with their dogs…if you’ve loved a dog, then this would be a good balm for your soul.” (52:19, Hannah)
  • Favorite anecdote: Emily Henry on “anatomically improbable” dogs, Bonnie Garmus naming her dog after a number.
  • Both hosts share sweet stories of their own soul dogs, Maddox (Tina) and Punkin/Victor (Hannah). (53:12–55:22)

• Shelf Addition: In Her Defense by Philippa Malika
  (58:15)

  • Rhys’s Book Club pick; twisty legal/domestic thriller about a therapist on trial, disputed memories, and who controls a family’s truth.
  • Appeal: Praised debuts and the promise of “compulsively readable, but not too heavy” themes.

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Discussion: How Expectations and Hype Impact Reading Experiences

Timestamps: 21:28—33:52

• Both hosts explore how the hype around new releases affects reader enjoyment and engagement as public-facing reviewers.
• Hannah: Hype can feel intimidating—sometimes pulls away from buzzy titles, especially if worried about not liking them.
  • “I felt like something was wrong with me because I didn’t adore [Fourth Wing].” (24:10, Hannah)
• Tina: Tends to read ARCs/early copies, so sometimes misses both the pressure and the thrill of the hype wave. Finds herself less motivated to read super-popular books after the fact.
• Both agree: Early reading allows for genuine, uninfluenced impressions. Hype can make readers overly critical or force them into contrarian roles.
  • “Do you believe…people are pickier with books that are hyped and…looking for flaws?” (27:07, Tina)
  • “Yes, I think so.” (27:19, Hannah)
• Reviewer responsibility: Being balanced—share what you loved but also forewarn who may not love it and why.
  • “I always try and say I loved it because I love her writing…But you might not like it if you don’t like X, Y and Z.” (29:26, Tina)
• Advice for readers: Track your own patterns with buzz versus off-the-radar books; consider genre preferences and reflect on what truly excites you.

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Memorable Quotes

• “The hype is real. And just do me a favor, listeners, and sort of go in with an open mind. And if it’s overhyped for you, don’t tell me.”
  —Tina on Lady Tremaine (45:40)

• “This is a luxury that is necessary. I do not know why I waited so long to get [the Kindle clicker].”
  —Hannah (09:36)

• “When a book is really, really, really hyped…sometimes I am like, oh, I want to take a step back and maybe give it a minute.”
  —Hannah (23:32)

• “I think it can make a mid book…make you feel bad, when in reality it was just good. But because it was so hyped, you’re like, ‘I didn’t like this!’ You can be harder on it.”
  —Hannah (27:23)

• “I do think there are people…that are like, great, this is a popular book, I’m gonna find all the flaws.”
  —Tina (28:19)

• “If you’ve had the chance to have a dog like that, it just like really changes you, positively.”
  —Hannah (54:12)

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Notable & Fun Moments

• Banter about bangs and beauty routines (01:13)
• Hilarious struggle pronouncing “spoon” and “Scooters”—Chicago accent in full force (61:21—62:13)
• Both share emotional stories about their soul dogs, blending book talk with heartfelt reminiscence.
• Reflections on the drama/fandom around Wuthering Heights adaptations and the fun of book community discourse (33:10)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:29 — Tina’s “stacked water” loving lately
• 07:03 — Hannah’s Kindle clicker rave
• 11:16 — Tina’s review: What Happens in the Dark by Kia Abdullah
• 16:24 — Hannah’s review: The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson
• 21:28 — Deep dive: How expectation & hype impact reading
• 33:53 — Tina’s review: Her Last Breath by Taylor Adams
• 38:23 — Hannah’s review: The Swamps by Seraphina Nova Glass
• 42:20 — Tina’s rave: Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hawkhouser
• 48:29 — Hannah’s “Best Dog in the World” essay collection
• 55:32 — Shelf additions: Little Wild by Laura Evans; In Her Defense by Philippa Malika
• 61:21–62:13 — Chicago accent, “Spoon” and “Scooters” banter

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Final Thoughts

This episode captures the nuanced pleasures and pitfalls of reading deeply within book community culture, with a perfect mix of buzzy releases and under-the-radar gems. Tina and Hannah’s chemistry, warmth, and honest insights are especially valuable for readers trying to find their place amid the ceaseless “hype cycle”—and for anyone who just loves books (and dogs).

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Further Information

• Full list of recommended and discussed books available in the show notes
• Connect with the hosts:
  • Instagram & YouTube: @booktoketc
  • Tina: @tbr.etc
  • Hannah: @handpickedbooks

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“Everything’s better with books.” (Hannah, 60:36)

Transcript

[Hannah]

I'm just trying to think of. I'm just trying to think of myself.

[Tina]

I'm trying to think of myself.

[Hannah]

Who am I? Self?

[Tina]

Who am I? 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 Mood readers who are easily distracted by new release. And this week we are leaning into our love for new releases and reviewing a few.

[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 Podcasts or sharing us on social media. It truly helps us connect with other book lovers. Hello.

[Tina]

I was like, what comes next?

[Hannah]

Hello.

[Tina]

I had to scroll past all the other nonsense announcements.

[Hannah]

Hi, Tina.

[Tina]

Hey, Hannah. How are you?

[Hannah]

I am doing great. I had a little bit of a scattered morning, but the second I saw your beautiful face, I was like, I am feeling refreshed.

[Tina]

We're here. Is it the bangs? Is it the bangs?

[Hannah]

The bangs are definitely helping.

[Tina]

They're here. And I was telling Hannah before we started recording that I feel bad for her because two of the people she talks to the most in her life, her best friend and me, both got bangs, like, full bangs. And so now she has to hear about them incessantly because you can't bangs and like, go on with your day, people will remind you, you have bangs, you think about them. They look different in every single time I look at myself, they look different. So apologies. I'm gonna try to not mess with them or talk about them anymore on this podcast.

[Hannah]

I. Okay, but why did you say too. Oh, you kind of explained it. You were like, too bad we have bangs. It's just because you talk about them all.

[Tina]

Because you have to hear about them now. Because now we maybe it's just a singular experience and. And your friend is much better than me at not.

[Hannah]

Oh, I full tour videos.

[Tina]

Good. Okay. I'm. I was like, I know it's a thing. Like, I know that if. If the bangs are there, you've got to talk about them, you know? And you gotta talk about it. You gotta talk about them. I love it. Thank you. Yes, I am doing fine.

[Hannah]

Send me pictures of your hair routine, how you put your eyelashes on and how you're gonna do your bangs next time you like it.

[Tina]

I love it. You guys, I'm not going to tell you about eyelashes or hair today, I promise. I Moved on briefly, temporarily. I have a new loving lately that's something that anybody could get into, so don't worry about that.

[Hannah]

Well, tell us about it.

[Tina]

I sure will. That's a great transition. Don't you say? Don't you know? Okay, so also before we started recording, Hannah was like, what's in your cup? What's your. What are you drinking? And I said, I can't tell you because it is my loving lately. So my loving lately is called stacked with water. Have you heard of this stacked water trend?

[Hannah]

No.

[Tina]

Okay, well, stacked water is, I think, sort of coined, if you will, by, hey, Jeffrey's house. He's a content creator and it is water with mix ins. Okay. So it's. It's a water like I am holding here a giant Stanley. The person that has this account, his. His cup is see through so you can like see what he's doing and you can hear. I got full, full of ice and goodies in there.

[Hannah]

Look at that. Asmr.

[Tina]

But basically, stacked water is when you sort of have your normal water base and then you add boosters. So this one has collagen. You could add creatine. We don't. I don't think maybe, I don't think there's creatine in here. Probiotics I know are in here. Electrolytes, vitamin C if you want, and then honey, lemon juice, lemonade powder, whatever you have. It's basically water with a bunch of stuff in it. But here is why I enjoy it. 1. It just makes me feel special. Jonathan's been making these for me. He's like, do you want a water? I'm like, yes, obviously I want a water. I'm talking. This man is making like he's got a watermelon and like somehow squeeze the juice out of it. We've had blueberry water and it's just fun. I don't know, it's just like a fun thing to do. It's also, obviously, you know, you want to drink plain water too, but it's a good way to make sure that you're staying hydrated. Boy, I am holding two giant drinks in my hands here, so Lord knows I will be nice and hydrated by the end of this podcast, but I think having this type of stacked water is great, is a great replacement or in addition to energy drinks, right? Because if I only drink coffee straight into water all day, then I'm tempted in the middle of the day to have like an energy drink or something because I want something different. This is my way of Having that something different that doesn't necessarily have caffeine in it. Now will I still have a diet Coke or like a you know, energy drink mid afternoon? Of course. But it's just a nice way to get other nutrients in while you're still drinking water. And it's just a fun thing. Plus I love like we. I left mine overnight and it had lots of ice in it. And the next day I came back to it. There was still tons of ice in it because it's a. Stanley and I. Anyway, I'm very much enjoying my drink. So my loving lately is stacked water. And we will put. We'll link to the person that John. So I should say Jonathan discovered this. We will link to that person in our show notes. That guy has a ton of different recipes, if you will.

[Hannah]

Ooh, a bunch of different recipes. Yum. Do you like for the collagen powder and stuff like that, is it all flavored or is just some of the things you put in flavored? And some of them are just supplements.

[Tina]

Some of them are just supplements. So the collagen powder is just plain. We can also link to this mixer I got. We had an old mixer that used batteries like a drink frother and it would.

[Hannah]

That's what we have.

[Tina]

Died. I mean it died. It just doesn't get strong enough.

[Hannah]

It gets slow. Yeah, it starts to really slow down.

[Tina]

The motor just breaks down. We got a new one and this thing is one rechargeable. But two, the motor on this is turbo. I'll be buying. So strong to the point where I make my coffee in mason jars. I use powder. Powdered Cafe Bustello to make my coffee in the mornings. If I have this much liquid in it and I put it toward the top, it'll shoot right out. I mean it'll go. So you gotta be really careful. But I love it because when you're mixing things like collagen powder or whatever, things that are a little bit bulkier, it does a great job. So we can also.

[Hannah]

Chunks of that in there.

[Tina]

No chunks. I hate a chunk. I can't have a chunk in my water. I can't do it. Or any drink that I'm having, I can't have chunks in it. And so this thing prevents the chunking.

[Hannah]

Well good. We don't want any powdery chunks in our drinks.

[Tina]

Amen.

[Hannah]

Well, we will. If you have any of those special mix ins that you want as well.

[Tina]

Absolutely.

[Hannah]

Go ahead and throw those in our notes so that I can. I can get those linked. My loving lately is so basic, and it's something that I feel like anybody with a Kindle already has. I don't know why I was delaying getting this for so long. Tina, do you have any guesses of what it is?

[Tina]

Is it a cover?

[Hannah]

No, it's not a cover. You're in the right wheelhouse, though.

[Tina]

What is it? A clicker?

[Hannah]

It's a clicker.

[Tina]

Oh, it's a clicker.

[Hannah]

Let me see my Kindle clicker now, y'.

[Tina]

All.

[Hannah]

There are, I think, several different brands, if you will, or, you know, different kinds that you can get that are on Amazon. I just found one that had the color I wanted. Oh, absolutely. Obviously, with that one, these are really inexpensive. This was, like, $15, and you literally just clip it. You clip it to your Kindle onto the side where you would normally tap to turn the page, and then you have a remote control in your hand with a button that has a Bluetooth. It's like Bluetooth sensing to the other little piece, and it turns the page for amazing. And I don't have. So a lot of people have, you know, the full setup where they also have a gooseneck or something like that to hold their Kindle up in front of them. I, at night, have to take my. I like to take my glasses off to read my Kindle. I am blind as a bat, so I have to have this Kindle like it is. I mean, it is right there. It's, like, right up in my face, but I kind of prop it up on my pillow so I don't have to use my hands.

[Tina]

Oh, gorgeous.

[Hannah]

Cuddle myself in my covers and make the font, like, embarrassingly, I was gonna say.

[Tina]

Can you please show us the font? I want to see how big your font is.

[Hannah]

Right now. I have it. So I have, like, two settings, one for with glasses and one without. So this is my setting for when I don't have my glasses.

[Tina]

Oh, that's large. Yeah. Yeah, I don't mind.

[Hannah]

I don't want it to be so big that it's only, you know, three words a page.

[Tina]

Well, no wonder you need a clicker, because otherwise you'd be like, bonk, bonk.

[Hannah]

Exactly, exactly, exactly. I have to do it pretty quick. So anyway, so basic, but I don't know why it took me so long. So if you are a person that's like, why would I need a clicker? I can just tap my Kindle like, this is. This is silly. Because that's what I was saying. I was like, I don't need a clicker.

[Tina]

Am I That I need a clicker.

[Hannah]

How. How hard is it to just tap, tap a screen? Come on. No, I'm sorry. This is a luxury that is necessary. I do not know why I waited so long to get it. It's really enhanced my evening late night reading. So that is my loving lately is my Kindle page turning clicker.

[Tina]

That sounds delightful. I too need one. I was walking on the treadmill or I was like warming up and I had my little phone and I read when I'm like war up at this. At this high intensity class. I'm sitting there poking my phone and I'm thinking, people probably think I'm actually nuts. So I was like, I wonder if I could get a clicker for that very reason. But it's my phone and not. Anyway, it's a whole thing.

[Hannah]

Well, do you have the. You have the Kindle app on your phone, right?

[Tina]

Yes.

[Hannah]

Do you would. Will you do scrolling? Because you can have that setting on your Kindle where you're just scrolling.

[Tina]

Yeah, I do scroll, but that's the same motion. You know what I'm saying? I still have to reach forward and you know, we can't be. Can't be doing that.

[Hannah]

I see what you're saying.

[Tina]

Yes.

[Hannah]

Bottom line. You're reaching for your phone on bottom line.

[Tina]

I'm like this the whole before. Anyway, it's a dumb aside, but I am. I suppose I'm trying to illustrate the fact that I agree in the utility of a clicker. You need. You need one. If you use it like we do,

[Hannah]

gooseneck might be up next for when I do my. My specs on.

[Tina]

I. Yeah, well, you know, I don't know if it's gonna be like goosenecked right onto your face.

[Hannah]

Right? Hey, that would be a.

[Tina]

You're like actually a photo. Yes. You're like the goal.

[Hannah]

To my face. Hands free. Let's do this.

[Tina]

Let's do this. Okay, well, I will tell you about my latest read. My latest read is a book that I am proud of myself because when we wrap our books on the radar episodes, we always say, what are you currently? We always say, what are you reading now? And I told you I was reading this and I finished it. It is what Happens in the Dark by Kia Abdullah. And I know this because I. I had a moment of panic this morning. I was like, have I already brought this to the. Because I remember you saying you're almost a completionist and we had that conversation. So.

[Hannah]

Yes.

[Tina]

No, I have not told you about my thoughts on this book. This book Follows Safa and Lily, and they grew up together, were very best friends, and then in adulthood grew apart. Their, their lives went on different trajectories. Lily is now the nation's favorite breakfast TV presenter. And Safa was once a renowned journalist, but had this thing happen to her at work. And now she's trying to sort of rebuild her career at a newspaper that not necessarily the most illustrious place to work. Then news breaks about bruises on Lily's body. And Safa's like, well, I hate to use this in, but I'm going to. And so she decides to talk to Lily and try and figure out like, hey, dude, you got caught with bruises on you. You know, what's, what's going on? One, because maybe it's a story and she wanted to give her the opportunity to tell it from her side. But two, because she cares about her friends. And that's just the kickoff. I mean, that's like the first couple of chapters and how these two get back together as, you know, friends and connections. And then this is in the synopsis. So don't, you know, think I'm spoiling anything. One night the police get called to Lily, the TV presenter's house, and there is a dead body. And Lily pleads not guilty and then says nothing more. And her friend Safa is very. She's a journalist, so she's like, what happened? Because she refuses to believe that her friend did this or she knows that there's more to the story. And Safa becomes pretty obsessed with figuring out why Lily had bruises and what happened. This book's really, really good. And here's what I'll say. It's a legal thriller. Kia Abdullah is one that will really set the scene. She really gives you this backstory. She always infuses social justice into her stories and I personally love that because you're following these two friends and the body of it all. But you're also following Safa because she is also working on a story. There is a serial killer who is targeting East Asian women. And so she's also going door to door to try and get these women to tell their stories. And it's really, really an interesting aside, but I will say you almost feel like you're getting two stories with this because I was like, okay, I'm mildly interested in this serial killer of it all, of course, right? I want know what's going on there. But then I'm like, but what's going on with Lily? Like, I want to know more about the trial. And you certainly do get the ins and outs of what happened to her friend. But I will say it really does have almost two parallel storylines going on. I will also say that this does end with one of the ties loose. You know what I'm saying? There's an open ending. Not really the. The most of it gets tied up. But I can definitely see that we're going to be meeting Safa again in a different story. I didn't mind that. And I'm saying to you, if you're somebody that's like, oh, I wish every. I don't want to read book one in a series. Just know that going in, I don't know if it'll be a series. I haven't seen any announcements or anything like that. But one of the storylines I don't think was perfectly tied up. And that's okay because the main one is, I thought this was excellent. This author is always going to do a couple of things. She's going to give you a social justice tie in. She's going to give you a gray area that's really going to challenge you and make you think, what would I do in this situation? And she's also going to give you a twist or two. And this book has all of those things. I really thoroughly enjoyed it. Next of Kin is still one of my all time favorite books. That's my top. I actually think this is second though, so that's high praise. I really enjoyed it, highly recommend it. And if you like legal thrillers, I think you should give this a shot. This one is what Happens in the Dark by Kia Abdullah.

[Hannah]

And now you're a completionist of her books.

[Tina]

Oh, not quite, unfortunately. Well, that's actually good. I have one more. I have.

[Hannah]

I thought this was your last one.

[Tina]

No, I have. Truth be told, this one just came out not too long ago. This is her latest. I ordered it from Blackwell's in the uk. Shout out to Blackwell.

[Hannah]

I was gonna say the COVID looks a little bit different and I could pinpoint it if that makes sense. It's not a US cover.

[Tina]

I know. Isn't that interesting that you're able to tell? I could tell too. Yeah. It's good though.

[Hannah]

This is how there's something that's, I don't know, a little bit different. But I actually can't even put my finger on because it is kind of a typical thriller cover. But there's just something unique about it. Yes. Okay. I am bringing for my latest read the book that took me all of February to read.

[Tina]

Yes.

[Hannah]

And that is the Raven Scholar. By Antonia Hodgson this book was and is super hyped on fantasy TikTok. I've also been seeing a lot of it on YouTube from people that I follow and watch their content regularly and this is the first book in the Eternal Path Fantasy trilogy. It is a story of intrigue, political competition and it also has a murder mystery. It's set in an empire called Orin and the book starts out when Emperor Burson steps down and seven candidates have to compete for the throne. But the high scholar Nima Kra must find a killer after one of the contenders is murdered and this forces her to try to clear her name because she is kind of one of the people that suspected of this murder and so she's trying to clear her name and navigate the treacherous path to power herself if she even decides that she wants it. This novel is witty and it blends epic fantasy with a murder mystery plot. That is where I'm going to leave it. Like I said, this had elements of murder mystery, political intrigue and also dark academia. And then the trials that are involved here also give it a little bit of a Hunger Games feel too, which I really enjoyed. Again, this took me all of February to read. I was buddy reading it with my friend Emma and we decided to at the beginning that we were going to chunk this up throughout the month so that we could read other things in between. But this was a buddy read and I'm really glad that we decided to do it this way because it's around 700 pages. Like 650700 pages. However, I do wonder if I would have enjoyed it even more if I had just been able to like spend two weeks and get through it. However, it's I guess neither here nor there because this was almost a five star read for me. I want to say four stars, but maybe even a little higher. Maybe 4.5. I really, really enjoyed all of the political intrigue with this book. I think that was the most compelling part of the story for me. It's also extremely well written. I listened to this on audio and read it on my Kindle, but if I'd had a print book in front of me and when I do eventually purchase this book, which I think I will, I will absolutely be going back and annotating it because it was just really beautiful in parts. The actual plot was just so unique. Not only did you have these trials and this political intrigue and you know, this whole world and system, but you also had this murder mystery on top of it and it sounds like it might be Too much, but it really wasn't. I did not feel like this book was trying to tackle more than it could actually take on, which is probably where the length helped a little bit. The one thing that I will say is there is a romance in this story. And you know me, I actually don't even love reading fantasy if it doesn't have some kind of romance thrown in, even if it's barely on the page, like, even if there's a hint. I love that typically. But the romance here felt a little bit thrown in, and it didn't really seem to wholly make sense. I didn't hate it. It just wasn't a part of the book that I really loved. And usually the romance element is this part of the fantasy novel that I really like and appreciate. I was going to say the trope, but I think saying the trope would spoil it a little bit. So I'm not. But it's typically a romance trope, even, that I really enjoy. So all that to say, really loved this one and I will absolutely be continuing on in the series. I don't know if there's a date yet for the next book, but I am excited to keep going. It ended on, like, a pretty big cliffhanger. There were actually some really big twists revealed toward the end, and I can't wait to see where the author takes those twists and where the story is headed next. So this was a big win for me. And that's the Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson.

[Tina]

I'm glad that it's a win. I'm proud of you for reading fantasy. And I was going to ask if book two has been announced. You said this is going to be a trilogy.

[Hannah]

Yes, it's going to be a trilogy. I want to say. Let me look it up really quick. I want to say that the second book has been announced, but I don't think it's coming out super soon.

[Tina]

Go to my favorite website, fantasticfiction.com.

[Hannah]

i was going to say I'm looking on Goodreads and I can't see, but Fantastic Fiction is a much better place place to check.

[Tina]

It looks like it has not been announced over there.

[Hannah]

So the second book has not been announced yet, and I think people are eagerly awaiting for that to happen. But it does say that it's going to be a trilogy, so we know that it's coming.

[Tina]

Love that. Okay. All right. Well, I know when book two comes out, people are going to have high hopes and high expectations, and that actually ties in nicely to what we're talking about today. For book talk, and that is bookish expectations. And do bookish expectations color our reading experience? What's our role as reviewers and podcasters? But then also, what can we do as readers? Those are the things that are on my mind about it. So I guess I would start by asking you, would you say that your expectations of a book alter your reading experience at all?

[Hannah]

Yeah, I would say that they can. I think what comes to mind especially, and where I think that this. This affects readers the most, or I guess I can't speak for all of readers, but for myself, is when a book is really, really, really hyped. Would you agree?

[Tina]

Yeah, I would say yes. I rarely. Here's what I. Okay. For me, as a personal reader, not as a public reader. For me, I usually read things very early, before they have a ton of hype.

[Hannah]

You're so good about that.

[Tina]

Thank you. And then when I get to it, it's something I just enjoy, and then I get to it, and then if there's something that I missed, I won't read it. For example, I've not read Theo of Golden. I've not read the Correspondent. I've not read what's that one? Lessons in Chemistry. Haven't read them. Not because I, like, patently won't. And I'm not even waiting for, like, a certain time in my life to read them. Maybe I am, though. Maybe I'm like, you know, no one needs to hear my opinion on these really, really popular books at this point. So it's just sort of gone to the bottom of the pile because I'm like, I don't know. I'm sure I would like them fine, but I just don't have that drive like I do for some books that I'm, like, still trying to discover.

[Hannah]

On the other hand, though, yeah, I always really love it when creators or, you know, podcasters that I like talk about a book that's hyped because I want to know what. Because I want to know what their opinion is.

[Tina]

Yeah, that's true.

[Hannah]

I completely know what you mean. I feel like I tend to be this way more in the romance and romantasy space. Although I do read some hyped ones sometimes, but I'm a little bit more selective. And again, it. I don't. I can't even pinpoint why, but when it's super, super hyped, sometimes I am like, oh, I want to take a step back and maybe give it a minute.

[Tina]

Why? Why do we do that, do you think?

[Hannah]

I don't know. And maybe It. And it leads me into one that was really, really, really hyped. And then I read it and I felt like something was wrong with me because I didn't adore it. Like, Fourth Wing.

[Tina]

Oh.

[Hannah]

And I read the second one and I actually ended up enjoying the second one more. But I. But also I read it before anybody had a chance to say anything. And it's funny because people ended up really not liking as much at all.

[Tina]

Oh, my God. That's so funny because I read and loved 4th Wing. Read it before. It was a thing. I literally just shot. Saw it on the shelf. And I was like, guys, look at this spine. There's dragons. Literally, as though I. It was one of the very first times I had seen it and I was like, you know what? Let me just buy it. And that turned into a whole.

[Hannah]

Oh, my gosh. People were.

[Tina]

People were selling them. Yeah. But I just bought it. I think it was on pub day. I was like, this looks cool. But then I did not like book two. I DNF'd it. And I think because some of my excitement died down, I was like, I'm not into this and. And maybe I will come back someday. But, yeah, my excitement had died down for. That's a funny example.

[Hannah]

I think for me, I've had that experience where I just end up being disappointed. And.

[Tina]

Yeah.

[Hannah]

And I feel like I'll try to talk myself out of it sometimes where I will say, okay, just have your own opinions about this one. It's really hyped, but you might not like it as much as everybody else.

[Tina]

And that's okay. That's also valid.

[Hannah]

But also, if you love it, great. Like, I'll. I'll try to allow you have this, like, all these feelings. And then I read it and I. I have this experience and I'm like, did I have that experience? Because.

[Tina]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Hannah]

I was so overthinking it when I went into it. So it's really interesting. And. And maybe we'll never know because.

[Tina]

Right. Because hype is the thing that exists. And if you are somebody that consumes any sort of book review content, which our listeners obviously do, you can't help but get a book hyped or unhyped or whatever in your head by listening to it. I think for me, it is the. It's no longer exciting to me when it gets too many listen or too many reads. Interesting. I'm not. It doesn't really. And I did this even last year. There were certain books that I know a lot of people were really excited about. And I was like, like the names, for example.

[Hannah]

Yes.

[Tina]

I just never. I grabbed it. I have a copy of it. And I was like, you know, I'll keep it for a while. I have a whole stack of books that you or Renee have brought to the show at one point that I will read someday.

[Hannah]

I want to read these.

[Tina]

I'm just like, a weirdo, and I'm like, if Hannah or Renee already vetted it, like, I feel like I don't need to the show anyway. That's my own personal issue.

[Hannah]

And it's funny that you brought up the names, because I read that as an arc.

[Tina]

I know, I know. You read it super early.

[Hannah]

I read it really early, and then I was like, oh, wait, I didn't know this one was going to be really, really. I knew it was going to be hyped. I did not realize that it was going to be almost up there with the Correspondent, you know, where it was, like, really hyped. And again, I read it before. And so I do think that you brought up that good point of when you kind of read these books ahead of the hype and can really gain your own experience with it and you have own opinions without the influence of anybody else's opinions, I think it can really help.

[Tina]

Yeah, I think it can. Do you believe that people and. Or you yourself are pickier with books that are hyped and, like, are looking for the flaws?

[Hannah]

Good question. Yes, I think so.

[Tina]

Yeah. Right.

[Hannah]

And I think it can make a mid book, make you feel, like, bad about it, when in reality it was just. It was good. It was fine. But because it was so hyped, you're like, I didn't like this. And like you said, you can be harder on it.

[Tina]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And I. It's hard because I try. And so an example I'm thinking of, I read Woman down by Colleen Hoover early, and I really disliked that book. And I was trying the whole time I was reading it to separate the experience of reading what I knew would be a very hyped book from my experience of reading it. Do you know what I'm saying? And so I was like, am I being fair to this? I do stand. I gave it two stars, and I think that was generous. But it was one of those ones where I was like, okay. I was preemptively answering the hype. You know, I was, like, trying to, like, read it as a book that stands on its own. But I do think people.

[Hannah]

Hard to do. It's hard to do other Influences shape even how you talk about it.

[Tina]

But I do think there are people, and I don't think either of us are this way that actively are like, great, this is a popular book. Look, I'm gonna find all the flaws with it. And they sort of like being a contrarian. And that's just like a personality thing, you know, that I love pers. Like just personality theory. No, no, Small personalities only make yourself small. No, no, no. I do like big personalities. I was going to say I love personality theory, and I love kind of correlating that with readers and like, how, okay, if you're a contrarian, you know, by nature, like, you probably are somebody that's going to pick up a hyped book and be like, great. Can't wa all the flaws or can't wait to, like, find them for yourself. Whereas I think some others, I am more of a vibes reader. I'm like, you know what? This is what it made me feel. And it's also tricky when you're reviewing books. Like, for example, this Kia Abdullah one I just talked about. I loved it. I was like, flawless. Loved it. Amazing. And then I talked about it online, and some folks were like, I didn't like how. Blah, blah, blah. And I was like, dang it. Good point. You're right about that. So I always try and say I loved it because I love her writing, and here's what I love about her writing, for example. But you might not like it if you don't like X, Y and Z. And I think that's where the role as reviewers come in. We sort of have to set these expectations of, here's what I loved about it. But also here are the things that different readers might pick out, you know.

[Hannah]

Yeah. Which you did in your review.

[Tina]

Yeah, it's natural now. Now it's like, natural to be like, okay, here's what who might like it, here's who won't. And think you have to do that as a reviewer, you could certainly just share your opinion. But I like to be more balanced.

[Hannah]

Yeah, I. I think that you made a good point. You know, some people kind of are more that contrarian, or maybe they'll even read a hyped book because they want to have, like, this big opinion on it. Because that's their brand. That.

[Tina]

Yeah, yeah.

[Hannah]

Like, that's their brand. That's their personality. Like God of the woods was, you know, really hyped the year it came out. I also loved that one. And so sometimes maybe. And I definitely talked, almost talked myself out of that one too. I gave myself the speech, you know, you might not like this. You might. But then I ended up liking it. So maybe we are better at forming our own opinions than we think. Because we do walk out of these books having sometimes we agree and sometimes we don't.

[Tina]

It's not as though we always are. Like, yeah, it was amazing because everyone else said it was.

[Hannah]

Exactly. So maybe we're a little hard on ourselves. Ourselves.

[Tina]

But maybe we overthink it. What else is new?

[Hannah]

I mean, what else is new?

[Tina]

Would that be a shock?

[Hannah]

People that talk about really niche bookish topics every single week. Because we overthink all things books because we love it.

[Tina]

It's very.

[Hannah]

And all things in general.

[Tina]

Yeah. I would say, you know, what do we do about it as readers? Like, what do readers do about it? I don't know if there's anything you can do about. What I mean specifically is hyped books. And sort of walking in and letting hyped might alter your expectations of reading it. I don't know. I guess look at your. I would say look at your reading trend. Right. And think about, okay, if the last four books that were hype that you picked up because you had FOMO fear of missing out didn't work for you, maybe you're somebody that needs to either read them early or, you know, maybe read things that are less buzzy, less sort of on the cusp of what's being talked about right now. Because you might not like that. Conversely, if you're someone that's like, great, love the last five buzzy buzz, then you obviously know, like, okay, that's something like, I'm someone that like, can read a buzzy book and appreciate it for what it is. Yeah. And I think both are valid.

[Hannah]

Yeah. And I think too, paying attention to genre, like, I tend to enjoy literary fiction books that are hyped a little bit more. But sometimes the buzzy romantasy books or the buzzy thrillers aren't ones that'll work for me. So you could also. Yeah, pay attention to that too. Of the. Maybe buzzy thrillers work for you, but maybe the buzzy horror ones don't. Or vice versa.

[Tina]

Right, Right. And I think I always hate when I talk about a book, I don't know that I hate it, but I am always like, this book was. When people say this book was over hyped, I'm like, but I read it early. Like, I didn't know it was going to be hyped or not. I contributed to the hype Machine, you know, and it's just interesting. It's like we are almost reading different, different books when you read it early versus when you read something that has already been hyped up or even hyped up, slash adapted. Like I know books often. Obviously we're seeing it now with Wuthering Heights. That book's been around for a long time and people are reading it and being like, this is different from what I was expecting. It's been fun to sort of see that discourse over, I think people's expectations versus what they're getting on screen and all the differences. Not that I read or saw either fully support both, but sort of that was a recent example that I was, was noticing.

[Hannah]

Yeah, I haven't read or watched either and I don't think I've read that book. If I did. It's a long time.

[Tina]

Yeah.

[Hannah]

Yeah. But I found myself liking both the like really funny. We hated the movie reels and content.

[Tina]

Yeah.

[Hannah]

And then also the conversations around why people loved it. I, I was like, I'm just really enjoying the discourse around all of this.

[Tina]

Yeah. I, I like anytime people are talking about books or books, things. Book, bookish, related things. Right. Yeah. As long as people are reading, I guess. Yeah.

[Hannah]

Wait, you were just talking about Wuthering Heights, Right?

[Tina]

Okay, good.

[Hannah]

I want to make sure. I don't know why I had a brain fart. I was like, wait, was I talking about the thing?

[Tina]

No, no, no, that's the one. That's the one. Wuthering Heights. I will say I will hop into my first book if that's all the same to you.

[Hannah]

Yes, please.

[Tina]

Because my bookish expectations, I think did alter my reading experience. I read Her Last Breath by Taylor Adams. This is a thriller. Taylor Adams, of course, is the author of no Exit, a book that I loved. He is also author of Hairpin Bridge, a book that I loathed. So I was coming into this a little nervous because I was like, I don't know if I'm going to enjoy it. People in the thriller space have read it, who have read it early have been loving it. And I will tell you what I think in a moment. It is about two best friends, Tess and Ali. Their lives have taken pretty sharply divergent paths since high school. Allie is a self made travel influencer and Tess is a, a shy and a little bit withdrawn legal assistant who's going through law school. And the two, you know, again, have these very different personalities. And Tess has been like, come on, let's go caving. You love it. Let's push yourself. And so finally Ally's like, all right, let's go. And so when they get there, of course there's a man in the cave. And the man is. The vibes are weird. He, like, calls one of them baby girl and they're like, no, you can't come with us. He claims that he works for the forestry or whatever. I mean, it wouldn't be the forestry, but the equivalent for caves. And anyway, you come to find out that he is not who he says he is. And that's again in the synopsis. And the whole crux of this is that one of them gets trapped in a narrow crawl space and is fighting to stay alive. And again, still in the synopsis, you also know that they do survive because they're recounting their tale of survival. I will leave it there. I don't want to talk about any more of these synopsis is just know that you're getting present when they're. I guess it's the past, but you're getting present day where this Tess is in the hospital bed. And then you're also getting the pass where they were in the cave and what the heck happened to her friend? Who's this dude? What's going on? I think it. I. I think that the casual thriller reader will love this. I think they will absolutely gobble it up. I think it felt claustrophobic. I think this is a proper thriller in that it, you know, made you want to keep turning the pages. It had great elements of caving. This is an activity I personally will never participate in. And there were also the plenty of twists to go around. And for that I really appreciated it. I cannot tell you my issue because if I do, that's a spoiler, so I will. If you've read this and want to talk, obviously feel free to message me. I'm more than happy to talk spoilers with you. I just didn't buy everything, hook, line and sinker. The reason I said my expectations were sort of. I was trying to check myself while reading this one, because there's a book that I did not like by this author. But two, I often struggle with male writers writing female protagonists, especially in the thriller space. I feel like they don't often read. Not often. Sometimes they can read realistic and authentic. And sometimes I'm like, no, I'm looking

[Hannah]

at you, Riley Sager.

[Tina]

I'm looking at you, Riley Sager. And I think Taylor Adams is the same. I can enjoy the stories for what they are, but I'm also like, no, that's not what would happen.

[Hannah]

Give us some credit.

[Tina]

Give us some credit. But I think that people again, will really enjoy this. I do not think it's a bad book. I just. And have that five star. Oh my God. Best book of the year reading experience with it. I'm giving it 3.75 stars. I will say I think this is going to be on the Goodreads Choice Awards for best thriller of the year. So just sort of. People have asked me to call them, right? People have asked me to call them when I see them. And I do think this will likely be on the list. Not my personal fave now. Certainly not as bad as some of the ones that were on the list last year. I will say that. So I enjoyed reading it. I did the audio though. Nothing stands out. Which again, for me is a compliment because it means that like nothing was grading. But I don't remember anything good, bad or otherwise. Overall, this is a lukewarm recommendation. And again, feel free to message me if you've finished. This is Her Last Breath by Taylor Adams.

[Hannah]

Well, you've had one you loved by him, one you hated. And now amid a middle of the

[Tina]

road, it's even like a little better than middle of the road. Okay, but like, slightly, slightly liked it. Liked it. Yes, yes, yes. It wasn't. It wasn't meh. It wasn't meh. I did feel feelings while reading this. I just was like, I wish you didn't do this. And this and this.

[Hannah]

Yeah, that's fair. That's fair. Okay. My next book is also a thriller and it's one that I've heard absolutely nobody talk about. But it was a Libro FM ALC copy and so I had it downloaded on, on my phone and I needed something quick. I decided to pick it up. It's the Swamps by Seraphina Nova Glass.

[Tina]

Oh yeah.

[Hannah]

And apparently I think this is a pretty well known thriller author. I've never read anything by her before. This was my first. This one is about Macy and Ethan who have built their careers chasing the unknown. And they have turned their YouTube channel Ghost Patrol into a viral sensation. As they investigated the paranormal.

[Tina]

Normal.

[Hannah]

But they venture into the murky depths of Louisiana bayou to investigate the disappearances of Emily Tremblay and Elizabeth Brockton alongside their own team members, Tasha and Max. And this latest case takes a lethal turn. So what begins as a routine hunt for answers quickly spirals into something far more sinister. Shadows are starting to move where they shouldn't be. Secrets are surfacing where none should exist. In. And when Macy stumbles upon a horrifying truth, she realizes that they were never just hunting a story. They were lured here for a reason. So I love the show Ghost Hunters like Guilty Pleasure. And so I was immediately drawn to the premise of following a couple who, you know, run this YouTube channel investigating missing persons in this case, but Also their whole YouTube channel surrounds paranormal Activity. That setup alone made the story feel like it could just be a good time for me. And that is another reason why I decided to pick this one up. The creepy, decaying cabin that they are renting. You know, at the very beginning of the book, they get to this cabin, and it's one of those Airbnb situations where the listing was definitely hiding some things about how the property actually looked. This is completely decaying. Yeah, completely decaying, decrepit cabin. And then they call the landlord of the cabin, and she is absolutely bizarre. And she has an even stranger handyman with her when she comes to look over some things on the property. And this creates some of the book's most fun moments. I think for me, there are a couple of moments with this landlord and the handyman that kind of offer some comedic relief, if you will. And I thought that that was really fun. And the atmosphere in general was just. I think this book's biggest strength. The swampy, isolated setting felt really rich and immersive, and it made this story really easy to breeze through. And it helps that the book is not very long, so the pacing moves along really quickly. Unfortunately, there is a twist at the end, and this is where it almost ruined the entire book for me. You know, those twists, we all have, the kinds of twists and tropes that, when they happen, were just like. And this was ruined. It just felt like the kind of reveal that was really cliche and cheap, and it undercut a lot of the tension that the story had been building. Overall, I wouldn't necessarily recommend this one, but if you're looking for a quick, slightly, you know, sinister read that doesn't take much time, this might be a cheap thrill. So that was the Swamps by Serafina Nova Glass.

[Tina]

A cheap thrill. I love that descriptor thrill. You also called this a swampy thriller. Yesterday, when we were talking and I was like, what do you mean by swampy thriller? And now I know. Yes, a swampy thriller. Got it.

[Hannah]

Set in the Louisiana bayou, which was just great. So definitely a plus for this one.

[Tina]

Well, now that we had a pause to spoil each other's books, which was very fun. Sorry you missed it, but as always, feel free to message us if you want to know what doing. We're thought my book, too. Listen, this is going to be one of the most hyped books of the year. And I want you to hear me when I say, if you do not like this book, do not tell me. I don't want to hear it. Because for me, this book is flawless to the point where I'm not even holding it because I've already lent my copy out. It is Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hawkhouser. This book is everything. It's my favorite book of the year so far. And it is about Ethel Drake, who is Lady Tremaine. And it is a reimagining of Cinderella, but told from the, quote, evil stepmother's point of view. And I'm very specifically calling it a reimagining, not a retelling, because it's not a retelling necessarily. Certainly there's elements that are familiar to Cinderella, like lots of them, but this is different. She does. She's a widow twice over. She has her two children and then a stepdaughter, which seems familiar. And she also has a razor taloned peregrine falcon. Love a falcon as a pet. Not a pet, but, you know, as a pet, essentially. She is doing her best to keep it together. She lives in this manner. This manor is falling apart brick by brick. And she refuses to let people know she's keeping up appearances. Because in this day and age, in whenever this took place, if people knew that they really didn't have it like that, her daughters would be forever marred and they wouldn't be able to have suitable marriages and they, you know, couldn't live, essentially. There's a royal ball. Fantastic. You know, Great. And Ethel Dreda does everything she can to get her daughters an invitation. And I'm gonna leave it there. I. I don't think you need anything else, really. You could read the synopsis, but you don't need it. That's the. I think I didn't take a single note on this book. Like, I think I wrote in my book. So to my friend, hopefully I told her, when I gave it to her, I was like, listen, just ignore my. Please don't judge me. Right? Because it's like, when you're reading and annotating, it's very personal. And so I'm like, here's my thoughts as I was going along. Right. I just love this book so much. It is about a mother's love. It is about being a woman and trying to make your way. It Is okay. And one thing, somebody reached out to me. They're like, oh, I just don't want it. Does this book justify abuse? Because that's not what I want to read. No, it does not. The relationship between the Cinderella, like, character and the stepmother is different than it is in the movies. Not totally different, but certainly a little bit different. Different enough. And I would say the goal of this was not make. Not to make you feel like Lady Tremaine is justified in abusing Cinderella. It just gives you a different perspective. It gives you a different take on it. I loved everything about this book. I don't have any other notes. I literally can't say anything else because I just enjoyed the heck out of it. It's one of those where I wanted to savor it. I was listening to it, and I stopped listening to it because I was like, I love this too much. I don't want to finish it too fast. So I stopped and then I finished it in print. And it was just everything to me. Me. The hype is real. And just do me a favor, listeners, and sort of go in with an open mind. And if it's overhyped for you, don't tell me. Thank you. This book. This book is Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hawkhouser.

[Hannah]

Well, what a fun book to bring to during this particular episode when we were talking about hype. And, I mean, this one even got some early buzz.

[Tina]

Yes.

[Hannah]

And what that's so awesome that you were able to say co sign really like this one. Worth the hype. I know that I'm going to this one, too.

[Tina]

Got to read it. I'm going to.

[Hannah]

And I'm gonna read it, like, soon. Even if I don't bring it to the podcast for another few months, I'm definitely going to be picking this one up. I feel like I'm on a really good reading pace right now, so you're gonna love it. I'm really excited.

[Tina]

And if you don't, I won't tell me.

[Hannah]

I might have to.

[Tina]

You might have to. I will just turn off my camera.

[Hannah]

I'm gonna be really, really nice about it.

[Tina]

I know.

[Hannah]

Don't think that that will happen.

[Tina]

No, I don't either. I don't either. I feel good in my prediction.

[Hannah]

Yeah. And I am loving all of the Cinderella retellings. The Bridgerton season of this year, which I haven't seen. I only watched the first episode so far, which I enjoyed. I just haven't been prioritizing it because Dustin and I have been deep into silo which, by the way, we finished the first season.

[Tina]

Amazing.

[Hannah]

I still stand by that recommendation. So good, good. But the new season of Bridgerton is also a Cinderella retelling. Oh, so that's fun.

[Tina]

It does say as if Bridgerton met Circe. See?

[Hannah]

Love it.

[Tina]

And I was like, I don't. I don't engage with either of those works, so I couldn't really say anything. But I'm glad that that's true.

[Hannah]

Yeah, totally.

[Tina]

Maybe I should. Maybe I'd like Bridgerton. When am I gonna watch it? I'm sure I would.

[Hannah]

You know what, though? Tina Bridgerton would be a great show. Now, maybe not with the little ones around, but it would be because it is pretty explicit.

[Tina]

But bodices are being ripped.

[Hannah]

Not often, but in several, like usually one or two episodes in the season, we'll have a bodice ripping scene. But this would be a good one. You mentioned that you'll have TV on in the background while you're doing other things. This is a great show, I think, to do that. Like, are the stories good? Yes, but they're mostly just fun visually.

[Tina]

Okay, okay, okay. Yeah.

[Hannah]

And, you know, a spice here and there. But I think this would be a good background show.

[Tina]

I love that.

[Hannah]

Okay.

[Tina]

Thanks for the rack.

[Hannah]

Of course. Okay. This might be my most random pick yet, but that's a lot coming from

[Tina]

you because you always pull stuff that I'm like, what? But I love the balance because I'm reading the most popular and you're reading books that are more under the radar. Not always.

[Hannah]

Okay. So apparently, according to Amazon and Goodreads, this is a number one bestseller right now. I personally haven't heard anybody else talking about it it, but I really enjoyed it. This is a nonfiction anthology of essays called the Best Dog in the World. Essays on Love, edited by Alice Hoffman. This has so many authors that are sharing their stories and experiences with dogs and dogs that have either popped into their life or their soul. Animals or soul dogs. And again, this is edited by best selling author and devoted dog lover, Alice Hoffman. Hoffman. And it's an essay collection celebrating the profound bond between humans and canine companions. We have 15 authors here, including some really popular ones. Roxane Gay, Emily Henry, Jodi Picoult, Elizabeth Strout, and Amy Tan, just to name a few. And they share their personal stories about the dogs who left lasting paw prints on their lives, capturing everything from the joy of welcoming a new puppy to the heartbreak of saying goodbye. This is filled with humor and tenderness and reflection and is absolutely just a tribute to the Loyalty, empathy and unconditional love that dogs bring into our lives. This book is honestly exactly what the synopsis says. It is just a heartwarming and tender collection of people sharing their experiences with their dogs. I, Emily Henry's is one of the very first ones in, in the collection. And she even makes a reference of there's a reason why there's a website dedicated to does the dog die at the end? Because we care so much about these little creatures. And she also mentioned something funny that I wrote down in my notes about her dog in particular, because my soul dog who passed away last summer was this way. And she said, said this dog, she said, she said this was an anatomically improbable dog. Oh, and that was my dog too. Anytime I brought him to the vet, they were like, like a new vet. When we moved they were like, what is he?

[Tina]

Right? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Hannah]

That just made me laugh. Another author who I thought was funny, Bonnie Garmus, who wrote Lessons in Chemistry.

[Tina]

Yes, yes.

[Hannah]

Which is funny because you just brought that up earlier in the episode. But in Lessons in Chemistry there is a dog named Six Thirty. Like that's the name of the dog. And people when that book was really popular were making comments about that. Well, Bonnie Garmas herself named her dog 99.

[Tina]

So I was like, oh, well, see,

[Hannah]

she has a thing with naming dogs after numbers. And her story was funny too because this was such a. Like she had a greyhound and, and the dog was kind of unfriendly, but ended up just being this really key piece of their life. But it just wasn't a typical story where the dog loved me so much and was so loyal and the story is special in other ways. But not all of the stories are exactly the same in how exactly these dogs touched these people's lives, which I really appreciated. In fact, not all of the stories were from owners of these dogs. Some of them were from veterinarians who had dogs that really touched their lives that were regular Peters patients. And so there was some diversity there in terms of the perspectives that we were getting, et cetera. Overall, if you want, like, are just an easy listen that is tender hearted, that is a little bit sad in parts. Some people are saying goodbye to these dogs. But I think that if you've had a dog, if you've lost a dog, if you've loved a dog, then this would be a good balm for your soul. I listened to it. I really enjoyed the listening experience. This was nice to just have on while I, while I was doing chores and Making commutes and things like that. So that is the best dog in the world. Essays on Love, edited by Alice Hoffman.

[Tina]

What a great book. And specifically for you. I know. Was it really a year ago that you lost your dog?

[Hannah]

Okay, it wasn't quite a year, but almost. He passed away on June 30, so we're a couple months away from the one year. Yeah.

[Tina]

Well, I will tell you, I have two quick dog asides. We have. Have a dog that now my parents have. His name is Clark. And you mentioned anatomically, what was it? Anatomically improbable.

[Hannah]

Anatomically improbable.

[Tina]

We had an anatomically improbable dog. He is basset hound mixed with Weimariner. So he's like a very muscly, long, big headed dog. He's an elder now, but he's really weird. And I know specifically the breeds because we rescued him, but we're like, we need a DNA test on this dude, because what is this dog? But my soul dog. I have to shout out. His name was Maddox and he was my everything. And that is what got me and Jonathan. Jonathan and I early bonded over our dogs. Maddox was a kind of a. Another rescue. So we don't know exactly, but he was like. Looked like a German shepherd, but fully blonde. He was a beaut. And he died.

[Hannah]

He was so loyal.

[Tina]

He was so loyal. He hated walks. It was great. But he. When he passed away and luckily I'd already met Jonathan, he like died in the apartment. And so. So that was like one of our core memories. I was like, oh, my God. He was like carrying him. We lived in a high rise, like out on this elevator. And I'm like weeping as this man I just started dating is carrying my dog, but it's cementing together. What a green flag. But Rip Maddox, I mean, that was literally. God, when was that? That was over 10 years ago. And I'm still. I could cry thinking about Maddox, but that was my soul dog.

[Hannah]

It's. I feel like if you've had the chance to have a dog like that, it just like really changes you positively again. When his name was Victor, but we always called him Punkin.

[Tina]

I didn't know his name was Victor. How. What is amazing. That was his legal name.

[Hannah]

Legal name. That was his legal name.

[Tina]

Yeah.

[Hannah]

But Punkin, when he, when he died, you know, it was really hard for, for the first few days, for the first couple of weeks. But I do still catch myself every once in a while having a day where I'm just like, man, I just

[Tina]

miss that damn dogs.

[Hannah]

I miss that frickin damn dog. And yeah, I mean, I got him out of college and he was with me the very first place that I lived in without my parents. He was there and he was with me when I moved to Indiana, when I moved like out of state for the first time. He was there when I got married. Married. He was there for all of the birth, like the births of my two kids. And yeah, it's just they are with you for so much of your life. And anyway, and I had had a couple of days like that in last couple of months and so I was like, you know what? I'm gonna read?

[Tina]

I'm gonna read a dog book. I'm glad you did. My goodness, I could have gone either way with that read. But I'm glad it was a positive reading experience.

[Hannah]

Div. Yes.

[Tina]

Well, I will share my shelf edition. And I like this cover very much. It's called Little Wild and it's by the author, Laura Evans. And.

[Hannah]

Oh, I do like that.

[Tina]

Isn't it nice? Now, I grabbed this because it is a feminist fairy tale. And I'm like, maybe that's my brand of fantasy. Because I would call Lady Tremaine a feminist fairy tale. This is set in Suffolk, 1937, in the English countryside. They are having a historic heat wave, and preparations for a party at Snare House are in full stage swing. Their only daughter is returning home for this summer, and only Margaret, a longtime ward of the family and Joanie's closest friend, knows the truth about what's going on with Joanie. Joanie's supposed to be going to Oxford, but Margaret knows she's not actually going to Oxford. Oh. Instead, the two will be leaving the society they know to live together in London as lovers. Oh. And then they're discovered and everything goes wrong. Banished to the nearby woods, Margaret must rely on her estranged father for. For help. As summer curdles into autumn and magpies throng the forest, Margaret begins to lose herself. Her dreams turn dark and terrifying, and she wakes up from them with dirt on the soles of her feet and scratches on her back. Everything suggests that a perverse power is awakening within her. Perhaps the very one that led to her mother's ostracism and eventual death. If she can harness it, Margaret may be able to secure an approximation of the love she's always craved. But at what cost? Question mark, Question mark. Question mark. Huh? I don't understand. Is this. Oh, so it's a fan. A fairy tale. And we know. Okay, now, now I'M back in it because I'm like, is this fantasy? Is it historical fiction? What? Yes. Processing allowed. You know, the Grimm's fairy tales are grim, man. They are dark. And so I'm wondering if this is kind of that surreal weird stuff's going on. The photo of the.

[Hannah]

I love a Grim's fairy tale.

[Tina]

I love a Grim's fairy tale. The COVID has this hand and it's growing leaves. So I don't know what is this power? I am unsure. Sure. But this book comes out over the summer in June, and it is exciting. Yeah, It's Little Wild by Laura Evans.

[Hannah]

Is this a debut or has Laura Evans written other.

[Tina]

I don't know who she is. Let's find out.

[Hannah]

I don't know who she is either.

[Tina]

Well, she lives with the world's friendliest cockapoo, so that's cool.

[Hannah]

Evans. Let's look you up, girl. She lives in the uk.

[Tina]

I would guess that this is her.

[Hannah]

It looks her debut. She is. She is best known for her role as Madison Square Gardens in the popular BBC television and children's show, the Basil Brush Show.

[Tina]

Okay.

[Hannah]

What, she's a blues singer?

[Tina]

Well, she's got a. I mean, she contains multiple. She's a woman of many talents, clearly.

[Hannah]

That's cool. That was kind of a fun aside.

[Tina]

Yeah. Fun discovery.

[Hannah]

Yes. Okay. My shelf edition is one that I just recently downloaded on Libro fm and I plan to listen to listen to it soon. It is picked for Arisa's Book club, so people already have this on their radar, but I'm excited to give it a listen. And it's in her defense by Philippa Malika. I had heard nothing about this pre release, but then it, you know, blew up when Rhys chose it for her book club. And I read the premise and it sounds really interesting. It starts and says, everyone is watching. Only one person knows the truth. Truth. The whole country has been riveted by the trial. Beloved TV star and national treasure Anna Finbow standing in court, accusing her daughter's therapist, Jean Guest, of brainwashing her daughter for her own financial gain. Jean insists Mary's traumatic memories arise from her upbringing and her time studying the prestigious art school in Rome. Wounds only Jean's therapy can heal. But as the trial unfolds, it's Gus Bernard Bird, Anna's former employee, a seemingly insignificant bystander, a nobody who ends up holding the key to unraveling the tangled web of lies and deceit. What really happened to Mary in Rome? And if her memories can't be trusted, how Will they ever uncover the truth behind her estrangement? It says this one is twisty and propulsive and is a compulsively readable debut. Another debut for fans of Lucy Foley and Laura Daniel Dave. And that is in her defense, by Philippa Malika Reese pick I have a feeling it. It sounds really heavy, but I'm guessing it's not going to be too heavy. Yeah, it's a Reese's pick.

[Tina]

I would agree there. And the debuts this year have just really been giving. I've had some good debuts. Lady Tremaine's a debut. Burned Down Master's House is a debut I loved. So I am excited about the debuts this year. Year.

[Hannah]

That's exciting.

[Tina]

Well, folks, that's it for today though. Can you believe it? 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 booktok 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 Booktok. Etc. On Instagram and YouTube. You can find Tina TBR Etc. And Hannah at HandpickedBooks. Talk to you next week. And in the meantime, remember, everything's better with books. Well, I think that you have. Do you have a new. I saw you with your water. Do you have a new topper with your water?

[Tina]

Oh, yes. Well, the topper that is just. We got this from the drive through when we were somewhere, some state and I. Do you recognize this logo? No, it's from a coffee chain that we don't have here. Scooters, Shooters. I don't know.

[Hannah]

Oh, yeah, I wouldn't recognize that.

[Tina]

Yeah, and they gave it to us as a part of our, like, thing and so I love it.

[Hannah]

Oh, cute.

[Tina]

Is it.

[Hannah]

Is this when you were in Florida? Like, is it a Southern thing?

[Tina]

I don't think so. I don't think we were in Florida. We were somewhere, though. My gut says Ohio, but I, I just always assume it was Ohio. Shooters. Shooters. Coffee. Sorry. Now I'm Scooters. Scooters. Scooters makes more sense.

[Hannah]

Yeah, Scooters. Scooters.

[Tina]

Scooters. That would be. That would be something different, I suppose. Yes. Scooters. I have hard with the double O's. I have hard with double O's. Like the word that you. What do you call the thing you use to stir your tea or your coffee?

[Hannah]

A spoon.

[Tina]

Yes. I cannot say that. Right. I call it a. A spoon.

[Hannah]

That doesn't sound bad. It just sounds very Chicagoan.

[Tina]

A spoon. Spoon. A spoon. I can't say it. Not like that. Spoon. A spoon. Anyway, I'm like, boat. That's Canada. Boat. A boat.

[Hannah]

Elias about to have this book that. It was like. That was every other word. It was like a rhyming word about water vehicles. And the further I got in the book, the worse it would get. So I would keep reading.

[Tina]

You're like, this doesn't sound like words anymore. Yeah, right. And the dish ran away with the spoon. Oh, God.