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- [00:01]
A
Oh, did you hear that?
- [00:02]
B
Yes. What was that?
- [00:07]
I don't like that. Sorry, the mic picked that up.
- [00:24]
Welcome to Book Talk Etc, a podcast bound to grow your tbr. I'm Tina from TBR Etc.
- [00:30]
A
And I'm Hannah from Hand Picked Book.
- [00:32]
B
This is a conversational podcast about books and more from two Midwest Mood readers who are easily distracted by new releases. And this week we read some new releases and we'll be sharing our thoughts on them.
- [00:43]
A
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 and love our show, please consider leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts or sharing us on social media. It truly helps us connect with other book lovers.
- [00:59]
B
Hey, Hannah.
- [01:01]
A
Hi, Tina. How are you?
- [01:03]
B
I am good. I'm excited to be recording today. I've got a lot to say. How are you doing?
- [01:08]
A
Me too. Yeah, I'm also doing good and also really excited to talk about my new releases because I loved both of my picks today and they're both totally different books.
- [01:19]
B
Fantastic. I love when that happened. I have one that many people have heard me talk a little bit about, but then I have one that nobody knows my thoughts on and I have so much to say about it. It's going to be. So I'm excited to get through on or to get to that one.
- [01:35]
A
I am excited that you are talking about a polarizing book or polarizing thoughts excited.
- [01:42]
B
Both. I've gotta. Yeah, it's gonna be. Yeah, it'll be a good one to review. And we are fresh off of we recorded live last night or we were on live on our YouTube channel for our patrons talking about the Goodreads Choice award winners. We had a great time but I never want to see that list again. I really, I'm all set on that list.
- [02:03]
A
That particular one.
- [02:04]
B
That specific list. Particularly the winners I rated the winner of mystery and thriller two stars and the second place one star. So one star. My opinions are not, I guess with. With what the masses think. But that's okay. You know, I will get over it. Justice for King of Ashes by SA Cosby. But that's okay.
- [02:27]
A
Yeah, that was my vote as well for Mystery and thriller. So good. Go read that one.
- [02:31]
B
But we are moving on and we are looking ahead to next year and I'm excited to do so. And I love the book talk topic that you picked for today because we're talking about bookish ins and outs and these are not necessarily like our reading goals or anything like that. Some of it is going to be our reading goals, but it's more so our intentions for reading next year. And just some silly stuff thrown in there as well.
- [02:54]
A
Yes.
- [02:55]
B
And this is a perfect, literally perfect topic. We couldn't have planned it better because my loving lately ties very nicely into my bookish ins and outs for 20, 26. Because what's in for me next year, baby, I'm bringing my book journal back. So my loving lady is a specific book journal and I'm so excited. Actually, it's not a book journal. It's a. It's a plain journal. It is from vivid scribbles and it's their dot grid journal and it's got 200 pages. It was very important to me that it had more than the typical 100 something pages because I read at least 100, maybe 150 books every year and so I needed something that can hold that volume. So I'm opening it on camera right now if you're on YouTube, but if you're not, I'll just describe it. So it came in this lovely box. That's mine. It came with a thank you card and some stickers and things like that.
- [03:49]
A
Oh, that's nice that it comes with kind of some personalized things.
- [03:53]
B
Yeah, Makutra mom and I went with beautiful. It's like a violet. It's soft. Some ASMR for you. And I'm out of the box here.
- [04:03]
A
Oh, it's thick.
- [04:05]
B
It's very thick and I love that. But it's also soft. It's got one of those, of course. It's got one of the little straps to hold it shut. It's got a little thing for your pen and then you open it up and it's got three little bookmarks if you want to use that.
- [04:20]
A
It doesn't look like it's too thick to where it's not laying flat. It doesn't seem like it's like cracking when you try to open it up. That's so nice.
- [04:30]
B
It's pretty sturdy. The pages are soft. It's a dot journal. Right. What I love too, though, specifically for book journaling. So my plan for this is to keep track of certain things like ratings. I'm going to use this as a space to really be more mindful. And one of my bookish ends for this year is to. For next year is to be more mindful and really sort of process my thoughts on a book versus eating them. Like a fricking chain reader. Right. Where I just read, read, read, read, read and like rarely Take chain reader down. Chain reader. It's a problem, right? So I read so many back to back that I feel like this will help me take time to pause where it lost me. Last time I tried two years ago was that I was trying to write my live thoughts as I was reading. That doesn't work because half the time I can't find the journal when I'm thinking of it. So my live thoughts will go into my phone and the reviews sort of will go into this. And I feel like this is going to help me podcast even more. That's all of this to say I love in the very beginning. It's got a key. I've already set my key out to where, you know, what, how many stars is, what color. It comes with an index. I've already jacked it up. I'm a little upset with myself, but that's okay. That's why white out exists. And so and I started working on my tracker. I am very excited about this and I feel like it is something I really enjoy and I need to find a way to make time for it. So this is my plan and specifically my loving lately is this notebook. If you're looking for a notebook for next year, if you want to buy it as a gift, this came and I was like, wait a minute. I feel very special. So I highly recommend this. And the pages are thick, too. I actually used permanent marker to write my name on it.
- [06:13]
A
Oh, wow. Thick enough for permanent marker, at least.
- [06:17]
B
For this beginning page. I use permanent marker to write my name on it and it didn't bleed at all. Look at that. Anyway, love it. Love it. I'm excited for book journaling, and specifically, I love my new journal by Vivid Scribbles their dot grid journal. And we'll link it in our notes here.
- [06:34]
A
We sure will. This is my favorite time of year, is when you're getting ready for 2026, or not 2026, but you know, the year ahead and you're thinking about how you want to track your reading and how you want to make your reading life, you know, elevated for the next year. It's my favorite thing to do come December. I had a couple different options for my loving lately today, and I was going to bring a different one, but I think I'm going to save it because this other one that I have lines up perfectly with what you just brought. And it's pretty simple. It is using a cloth makeup bag for your journaling items instead of an actual, you know, pen case. I started and I can't take credit for this. This is from TikTok. I saw someone doing this and they were like, I use a makeup bag for my pens and I will link the specific one that I use, but this one is kind of like a corduroy texture. It's really soft. And I really like that because depending on how many pens I have in it, it is able to kind of thin out and like slip in my bag more easily. Because it doesn't.
- [07:43]
B
Yes.
- [07:44]
A
Stay that bulky, you know, because it's cloth. Right. So the pens can easily move around in there and lay more flat if they need to fit in your bag. And in here, I have an entire pack of highlighters. I have my. My really cheap Bic pens, which are like my favorite pension. And I love them. They're just like, they're not good pens, but I just love.
- [08:07]
B
They're so buttery. I just love them. Yeah.
- [08:09]
A
I just love them. And then I also have two things of sticky notes in here. Like, it fits a lot.
- [08:16]
B
Yeah.
- [08:16]
A
For those watching, you can see like all of the stuff in there. And then when you zip it up, it still lays, like, pretty thin and flat.
- [08:25]
B
I love this.
- [08:26]
A
So pretty simple Loving lately. But it goes along with your journaling so well. And I. I know it sounds so silly, but it's just something that has really elevated my journaling or my coffee shop dates where I'm going to annotate a book. And it's cute too. Like, it's just.
- [08:44]
B
It's very cute with me.
- [08:46]
A
So that is my loving lately is using a makeup bag for your journaling items. And I will link the one that I have.
- [08:54]
B
I love this idea. I actually too use a bag for my stuff like that and I stick it in my desk and I'll show it to you guys here on YouTub too.
- [09:04]
A
Oh, I love it.
- [09:05]
B
But it's actually a book Talk etc one. So in one of our stores, we have these pouches. They're like these hemp pouches. So it's not a makeup bag. But it's big enough to where I got these new markers too, alongside of my journal. Because of course, as one does you have to get new markers. We can link to those as well. I've loved them and I just threw them all in this bag because normally I would put them in like a cup or something. But the problem is my girls find them and they're like, markers fantastic. And then they lose the top. So the makeup bag is a nice decoy because they maybe won't have the dexterity yet. At least my girl unzipped it. So it's like another way to, like, you know, have something just for mommy. I try and explain, like, this is just for me. Like, not everything is.
- [09:47]
A
That's a good way to explain it.
- [09:49]
B
Yeah. It doesn't always land, but hard concept. Hard concept, right. Especially for this only child. I'm like, wait, what? What do you mean you want to take all of my stuff at all times? Speaking of community items, we are, for our latest read, having a shared latest read. It was our community read for November. It is Cursed Daughters by Oyinkin Braithwaite and. Boy, oh boy, this is a sticker, meaning it will stick with you after you close the page. And it's one of those rare books, and I know you feel the same way where it is good to the very last, like, scene, right?
- [10:31]
A
Especially to the last scene.
- [10:33]
B
Especially to the last scene, yes. Because the last scene in this one definitely extra made it. So this one is about even. And Even is pregnant. And she gives birth to her daughter Anai on the day they bury her cousin Monife. And what's crazy is when the. The baby is born, there is no denying the startling resemblance between the child and her cousin that passed away. And so begins the belief, fostered and fanned by the entire family, that Aniyi is the actual reincarnation of Monife, fated to follow in her footsteps in all ways, including that tragic end. And there's a family curse that you're dealing with, as you might guess from the title, where one of the relatives from years and years ago got a curse put on them. And in it, it basically said, no man will call your house his home, and if they try, they will not have peace. So for generations, you have these three generations of the Fallotan women who are living under the same roof. And then you sort of follow, as the baby is now an adult, it's. It doesn't take very long to get there, but she is now an adult and ends up falling in love with a handsome boy she saves from drowning. And she basically has to figure out, is she really destined to follow in her fallen cousin's footsteps? Is she reincarnated? And if so, what can she do to break this pattern? So that is what this is about. And frankly, I loved it. I really, really enjoy this reading experience. What do you think?
- [12:11]
A
I also really enjoyed the reading experience, and I love that you tied in, like, is this actually a curse or is this something that, you know, these characters are just thinking is happening? And I think that that's woven in throughout the entire book. And it stays. It stays that way where you as a reader are trying to figure that out as well. And I really love how that was done. I think it was really beautifully done. And one of my favorite parts of the story.
- [12:39]
B
I agree. And when I'm reading the synopsis or trying to pitch this to somebody, I'm like, oh, gosh. In my head, I'm like, I can hear it. It sounds convoluted. And it sounds like it would take a while to get into that. And. No, it does not. In my opinion. I was hooked from the get go. I really was. And I was happy because I was thinking that, okay, I need to really spend time with this and figure out who everybody is. And of course, there are some characters that you're getting to know. But I feel like the prose was seamless. She made it to where she gave us a lot of information and it could have felt dense, but it didn't. I'm very impressed with how the story was constructed.
- [13:17]
A
Her writing was really elevated in this one.
- [13:20]
B
Yes. And that was something else that our patrons noted or, you know, we talked about in the discussion is that many of us had read My Sister, the Serial Killer. Most of us liked it. I really enjoyed it, although I don't remember a ton of it because it was many years ago at this point. But the.
- [13:35]
A
And such a different story.
- [13:37]
B
Such a different story, yes. But the writing for this one is much. It's elevated and in. In a good way. What I love, though, is that one of the things I personally enjoyed about My Sister, the Serial Killer, is that it's funny. It's like, darkly humorous. This one is the same thing. It' darkly funny, but it also digs into some heavy emotional territory and does so in a way that's still entertaining. Very hard to pull off.
- [14:01]
A
Yes, because it didn't feel really sad. There were really hard things that were discussed and it could have, but it didn't feel really, really sad. And I really liked the balance that she put in the writing of, like you said, kind of some of that levity and humor and dark, dark humor that made just. It was pulled off so beautifully.
- [14:23]
B
So one of the big themes for this one is really living for yourself or living under the shadow of your family. And are our fates predetermined or are we our own people? And what happens if you are a dead ringer for someone in your family who has passed? And there were some really. You were speaking to some of the sadder moments. I really felt for many of the characters in different scenes. Because what I love too is you're getting to know them at different points in their life. Specifically Moni Faye's mom. I felt for her. She still, even in her later years, is still mourning the loss of her daughter. Of course, who wouldn't? But it was interesting to see them prior to the loss and then after. She also does a lot of playing with time in this one. And so you're not following a linear story necessarily. You're. You're getting to know Monife when, when she was younger, leading up to the big event that took place. And then you're also following her niece, who is supposedly reincarnated from her in her present day and following her forward. I just thought it was really, really well done. There was one thing I wanted to happen and I can't tell you what, and it happened and I was like, hell yeah, I love that. How, how wicked. And I just think this book was spectacular. I really, really liked it. The pacing was strong, even with the interspersed myth and curse explanations because there were some little chapters in between curse. But it didn't bog anything down. It was just a page or two and really, really helped me understand the context of the story. There's also a family tree at the front and I overall just really, really loved this book. I. I don't know what I'm rating it. I think it's a four and a half stars and I don't know why it's not a full.
- [16:05]
A
I would say same for me, but.
- [16:07]
B
I don't know why. So, you know, I, I stand to be able to change that opinion down the line. But, you know, as it stands still, highly recommended.
- [16:16]
A
Same here. I'm glad that we read it together as a group and it was a great discussion.
- [16:20]
B
It was a really good discussion book and I think everyone enjoyed it. I don't think there was anybody that was like, this book sucks.
- [16:25]
A
Nope, it was one of our.
- [16:27]
B
No, it was say it like that.
- [16:28]
A
But one of the few instances where everybody kind of felt the same about it and it was positive.
- [16:34]
B
Exactly. So highly recommend cosine from these readers. And so as we alluded to earlier, we are going to share some of our bookish ins and outs for 26.
- [16:46]
A
This is gonna be so fun.
- [16:48]
B
This is fun. I got a sneak peek of Hannah. So I want you to kick things off and tell us a couple that have made your list and maybe why you added it.
- [16:56]
A
Okay. I will start with my first bookish in. And this is something that Tina actually talked about. I think it was a couple of episodes ago, or maybe it was one of our patron chats, but you mentioned it and I was like, I've never heard of this before. Personal curriculums, that's kind of a trend that's going on on TikTok right now. But personal curriculums for reading and for me specifically is something that I am really into and really want to do in 2026. And I haven't figured out all of the logistics behind kind of what I want to do personally and what I. What I want to deep dive into for my reading life. But I like this idea. I don't think I'll ever do a month long one because that's just such a short period of time. I feel like months go by in like a second. But I'm thinking like maybe six months or three months or maybe even one that lasts all year. So that is something that I'm super into for 2026.
- [18:00]
B
So when you say personal curriculum, are you thinking, can you tell me more like, are you thinking nonfiction? Or haven't you gotten to that point yet?
- [18:10]
A
I haven't really gotten to that point yet, but I'm thinking for me it'll be either a certain topic or a certain muscle that I want to strengthen with my reading life. Whether that's annotating or whether that's like critical reading with classics or like a topic like that. And then kind of picking a select curriculum for whatever it is that I either want to learn more about or whatever like muscle I want to strengthen in my reading life that goes along with that topic.
- [18:38]
B
Got it. Okay. So if listeners are interested in personal curriculum, they're all over social media right now, like personal curriculum reading, so you can get more information about that. I like people sharing theirs and I'm like, good for you, Good for you. I. Not for me, right now, in this moment in space and time, I couldn't possibly take on one more damn thing. But I love hearing about it and I am a champion for it.
- [19:01]
A
Totally.
- [19:03]
B
Yes. I already told you one, I'm going to get back to my book journal and sort of tied into that. I want to continue my quest to read deeply. And what I mean by that is I love when I have a physical copy and I'm either doing a tandem read or I have it, you know, audio, and then I'm following along in the print, which I suppose is the definition of tandem, but I love. So what I'm showing right now is the front cover of my book and I sort of have the character list. Here I have the location I wrote November 2025. BTE community read the dates that I read it, and then this one's broken up into several parts. And then I had some questions that I wanted to know and then just general notes and themes. I feel like having this in the front of my book really helps me read deeper and helps me remember my books more. And I think that's a little bit of what I am interested in too, is reading deeper and reading less. As of this recording, I've read almost 150 books, which is my goal. Was. My goal initially I think was 125 and I blew that away. So I'm like, all right, I guess I'll bump it up. But at what? To what end? I don't need to read 200 books a year, personally. Like, it's just I want to read deeper versus just reading as many as humanly possible. At least that's what I'm saying right now in this moment.
- [20:23]
A
No, I love that. And I think so many people are feeling that. I know I've seen a lot of that same sentiment kind of going around. I'm feeling the same way. I don't read quite as many books, but I think still you can get slogged down by reading so many just for the sake of reading them and you kind of lose the sense of why am I reading what I like this. I need to spend time with this. I actually enjoy this hobby. Let's. Let's enjoy it and spend more time with it. And I love kind of your personal.
- [20:54]
Way of reading deeply and how you write in the front of your book. I think everybody could think about, okay, what is it going to be for me that will help me have that deeper reading experience. You mentioned tandem reading, which goes along with my next bookish in. And I think that people call it tandem reading. I've also seen it called immersive reading. And I really like that. And that's my next in is I want to do more immersive reading. I used to do this more like in 2020, 2024. I was listening to audiobooks while reading at the same time and I loved doing that. I didn't do that a lot this year and it's something that I want to bring back in in 2026.
- [21:37]
B
I love it and I am, when I do it, I will be listening and I'll have the print nearby, but I'm not necessarily following line by line because that feels daunting in my. In my soul. But I love having it handy. Because then if I have a handy, I could run and like, you know, line and whatever. Like notate some things that again, help me read deeper, help me remember it more. Okay. So I love that we're both aiming to do that.
- [22:04]
Something else. And I don't have too many ins. Quite honestly. I'm very happy with my reading life. I feel like.
- [22:13]
I feel like there's not a ton I would change and one of them. And this could just be a reaction to coming off having, you know, reacted to the Goodreads Choice Awards because that was really recent. Right. But one of the things I walked away with, I was very annoyed with the Goodreads Choice winners in general. Right. I was. And I know I'm not alone in that. And it's not. I'm not annoyed because my faves didn't win. That's not the source of my irritation. It is more.
- [22:44]
The fact that.
- [22:48]
It'S the same authors over and over and over again. Right. The same authors from similar backgrounds over and over again. And I feel like I'm seeing the same thing and I'm getting burnt out. And I have to imagine the authors are too. Right. I mean, I don't know. That's their job and whatever. But I'm like, okay, how many.
- [23:08]
Romance categories can Emily Henry win? I think this is her fifth in a row, we said. Or fourth in a row.
- [23:15]
A
Yeah, it's four.
- [23:17]
B
I think it's fourth in a row. And that's not good for the author. Right. But to that end, my. In maybe my. Maybe this is like a dual. And again, this is nothing against the authors, but I'm sort of over the really buzzy books. I'm over it. And my thing is this. I'm like, gosh. But I feel like if I'm looking at myself objectively online, I'm like, people know me for new releases and know me, you know, they. They sort of feel like we maybe have similar tastes and come to me for, oh, what did you think about this in that book? And I have found that I think my reading has gotten away from me a little bit in favor of reading things that I know. I'm like, oh, people might want to hear my thoughts on this. So on my Instagram story last night, I asked, I posted something and it says, these awards made me mad. Question for you. And be honest, which would you rather from my content thoughts on Buzzy Books or Under the radar gems? And I thought it's going to be far and away thoughts on Buzzy Books? Nope. Under the radar gems had 75% of the votes. 255 people said they'd rather that 86 people said buzzy books. And I'm like, I'm free. Let me landslide. Do what I can, do what I want. Right. And it's so funny because I look at creators that I love and I'm like, read what you want, read what it makes you happy. And yet doing it yourself feels, you know, you can't really always look at yourself the same way. So anyway, all of this to say my ins for next year is I'm going to look for more under the radar gems. I'm going to work really hard at it because it takes time. That's the other thing that folks should know. It's not easy because it means a lot of sampling and a lot of vetting. But I really want to try to find some more under the radar gems because as content creators, if we get sick of seeing the same books over and over and over, we have to do our part to sort of shake it up and bring more.
- [25:07]
A
You know, other people are feeling the same way.
- [25:10]
B
Yeah, exactly. And I'm excited.
- [25:13]
A
Yeah. And I think about some of the books that I associate you with, even from this year, are ones that I haven't seen, as as many people talk about, like Dominion by Addy Kitchens. I associate that book with you and your recommendations, and that's totally an under the radar gem. I mean, I've seen some people in certain literary spaces talk about that a decent amount, but not as much as, you know, some of these other really buzzy thrillers or more commercial fiction, et cetera. So I completely co sign this idea. I love that you're going to be doing that. I would also like to read more under the radar books, like within my own genre spaces too, for. For next year.
- [25:54]
B
You do a good. I feel like you do a good. A better job than me. You do a good job with that because, like, oftentimes I find you bring stuff and I'm like, I have never heard of this book, but I now I want to read it.
- [26:04]
A
And maybe that's because we're in different spaces, because I feel like you do that too, but, oh, you know, we also just love each other, so maybe love each other.
- [26:13]
B
I'm just very close to whatever you're. I'm like, yes, bring it. I love it.
- [26:17]
A
Bring it. Good to be hype girls for each other. Okay, my next in is silent reading parties or like reading field trip days or like date days with either friends or even by Yourself. I have seen people talk about their communities doing this, and mine doesn't. But I want to start it, or I want to start doing it myself. Where I take myself on a reading trip or a reading date or. And just, I don't know, like, date myself, but also date my books kind of a thing. Like, go out and maybe go to a coffee shop, and then maybe after that, go get dessert and bring my book. And then maybe, like, end the evening with grabbing a glass of wine with my book. I just love this idea, and I want to do this in 2026.
- [27:06]
B
Can we please support Hannah in this endeavor? Because. Fantastic. I think we need to. I'm writing these down, by the way. I'm writing my own down, and I want you to do the same. Oh. If there's one thing that us busy folks can do, it's put intentions into the world. Say something, and then immediately forget it.
- [27:26]
A
We gotta write it down. I do have mine written down, but maybe I need to put it in a spot where I can, like, come back to it and remind myself I'm. These were my intentions.
- [27:38]
B
That's where the intentions will go. Okay, do I.
- [27:41]
A
Do I bring back bullet journaling?
- [27:43]
B
Do you bring back bullet journaling?
- [27:45]
A
Do I do it? But I have to do it in a way that I can keep up with it.
- [27:48]
B
Yeah. And there's got to be a way. Figure, you know, sort of experiment.
- [27:52]
A
Figure it out.
- [27:53]
B
Figure it out, man. What's going to work for you? I think the thing I will. I will. I think the thing with journaling, slash bullet journaling is. And I'm talking to myself here, is allowing yourself to let it take on whatever form it needs to, whatever version it needs to. It cannot be perfect. It will not be perfect.
- [28:10]
A
It won't.
- [28:12]
B
But that's hard. It's for. And that's what stickers are for. And, like, you can make it. It's. It's. It's okay, you know? And sometimes I feel like I hold on to journals. Cause I'm like, I don't want to make a mistake in it. And I had to let that go. And even if my big thing is, I feel like I didn't start it this year. Cause I was like, oh, I don't have time to finish it out. That's okay. Because I was looking at my journal from 2024. I only got through March, but I still was loving what I had done through March. And I'm like, wait a minute. Why did you stop? You loved this anyway. All of this to say it's not going to be perfect, but even a little bit of journaling is better if that's something you want to do for yourself. A little bit's better than nothing at all, in my opinion.
- [28:51]
A
Yeah, you're right. I need to, I need to figure out a way to do that. I do think I want to bring that back, so.
- [28:56]
B
All right.
- [28:56]
A
Thanks for the inspo.
- [28:58]
B
I would love to see it. Do you have any more ins.
- [29:01]
A
I have one more and it is. And, and Tina, I know, I know that you. This is not going to be for you and that's okay. Just throwing that out there. But for me, for me, I would like to do more bookish substacks and podcasts and less social media scrolling for this personal reader because I just get so stuck on social media with like, it kind of ties into my deeper reading. It's also like deeper content consumption because I struggle with keeping my attention even online. And then I'll keep scrolling and I'll be like, wait, what was that book that I wanted to read that I saw five posts ago? And I think it's easier for me to be a little bit more intentional about my reading life when I'm doing it in slower form content. And so I'm, I'm hoping that this might be better for me in the coming year to kind of help with that deeper reading aspect is doing more sub stacks or podcasts. Kind of like how we used to read bookish blogs and things like that, which aren't as much a part of the bookish space anymore, although there are still some. And I would like to do some more of that as well. But yeah, slower form book content, I.
- [30:14]
B
Love that for you. And yes, and Hannah says it's not going to work for me. I am a known. I don't do substack. I, I will support people that are over there and like, I'll like subscribe or whatever, but I don't like it. For me, it doesn't work right. For whatever reason, I'm a visual person and I like the video aspect of it, short form pictures. But I also struggle with consuming content when I'm trying to create it because I can absorb energy and I can absorb opinions very easily and I don't like to. And I like to make sure that my thoughts are my own. And so yeah, anyway, that's what she means with Tina. This isn't for you. I don't. I want to make it clear I support those mediums. I just am not a consumer of them 100% my last in is challenges. I actually loved doing the Goodreads Choice Awards Reading Challenge. I loved it. It taught me a lot about my reading and about how far I could push myself. And I'm not going to overload it, but I, I do like the idea of a lot more mini challenges. And I'm also going to read the Aspen Words Literary Prize with some of our patrons. We're doing a slow read through through April until the winner is announced over there. And I'm excited about that. So it's about three a month Quick plug. Join our Patreon if you want to read along with that in our discord with us because we are excited to get through those. But I guess it's sort of me acknowledging that I like challenges and keep going if they're bring me joy.
- [31:36]
A
Yeah, I like that too. And I like that a lot of these are kind of tying back into a deeper reading experience because I think, I know, I know for you and me too, loving that community aspect and then also reading potentially more literary works and things like that. So it's participating the challenge, which you love, but it's also participating in more of that deeper reading experience. You can do both.
- [31:58]
B
Good way. I can do both. That leads me into my out because the first thing, baby, it's, it's book subscription. So I am going to probably just pause my Book of the Month and Aardvark. Not because I don't support those companies, but more so I don't like paying however many dollars.
- [32:18]
And the choices are not always it for me. This month specifically, long story short, I got charged and I shouldn't have for all three because I still had credits in there and it bugged me and.
- [32:28]
A
I'm like, you know, I hate when that happens.
- [32:30]
B
16. Yeah, it annoys me. I could take $16 and instead buy it at a local indie and they could really use it. Not to say I'm not a fan of Book of the Month and Aardvark, particularly Aardvark. I really like their books when I do find ones that I agree with. But I'm like, you know what, I'm taking a step back from book subscriptions.
- [32:48]
A
Personally, I, I like that I had for one of mine not an out for bookish subscriptions, but an out for Book of the Month and tying in with kind of an in of being Aardvark because I just think their quality is better. I like that their selections are more under the radar. And so that was just kind of my quick plug of that being an out for me. I also think I'm kind of done with book of the month Again. No. Like Hate or Shade or anything like that. I think it's good for what it is, but for me, there have been enough annoyances and things like that that I. I think I'm gonna break up with them for 20.
- [33:26]
B
I'm gonna break up. I agree. I think so. Same here.
- [33:30]
A
Okay. Do you have more outs?
- [33:33]
B
I honestly don't. I think I'm going to leave it there. I know that sounds crazy because I just have those two things, but I feel like I'm doing. I feel like I. My reading is. Is. Is large. I'm lying. Well, I guess I already talked about this earlier. We're talking your friends, less buzzy books. You know what I mean? Less buzzy clunkers. Because there's so many books that I'm like, oh, my God, this was missable. This was missable. No, less clunker.
- [33:57]
A
Yes. Okay. Well, I will end, though, with saying that I'm kind of done with the book talk tables at Barnes and Noble. I just. It's so random. But I just. Every time I see them, I'm like, wait, I don't know. The. The. The. The Booktok tables never make sense to me. They're always books that I haven't ever seen on booktok, which maybe it's just my algorithm. And they're also just so largely.
- [34:24]
And they're so largely books that just are not ones that I want displayed on tables. I know that's personal preference, but. And they're very largely the same genres. It really doesn't branch out that much. And so it's largely either commercial thrillers or Romantasy. And while I have a lot of love for those genres, seeing just those two things on a popularity contest table can be frustrating. So.
- [34:53]
B
Yeah.
- [34:54]
A
Anyway, I'm gonna. A little bit of a controversial pick.
- [34:56]
B
I guess, but I think it. So you're not taking yourself to the Barnes and Nobles booktok table for your date with a book?
- [35:03]
A
No, I'm not. I'm not.
- [35:05]
B
No. I think that's totally fair. Well, thanks for listening as work through our ins and outs and intentions for 2026. We, of course, would love to hear yours. So, you know, comment on our YouTube channel or find us somewhere and let us know what you all are intending to do for the next reading year.
- [35:22]
A
Yes, that was fun to talk about.
- [35:24]
B
All right, well, that was really fun to talk through. And here's the thing, right? I did find my first book because of my completion of one of these challenges, because I'm going to talk to you all about the Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown. Listen, I am not going to bring all of the books I read for the Goodreads Choice Awards to the show because who wants to hear me talk through all of them? And frankly, I want to move on from them myself. However, I wanted to talk about this one specifically because this was the book that I was looking the least forward to and I ended up really enjoying. I think I ranked this fifth out of the 20. So I personally really enjoyed the Secret of Secrets. As Tracy Thomas of the Stacks would say, this is a dad book. It is. It's a dad book. But I really enjoyed it. This is book five in the Angels and Demons series. Although do not let that scare you. I promise you can dive right in. You are following Robert Langdon. We know him. He's. He is a professor of symbology and he is in Prague with his friend, quote, unquote, Catherine Solomon. She is a noetic scientist with whom he has recently begun a romantic relationship. She is on the verge of publishing a breakthrough book that contains explosive scientific discoveries about the nature of human consciousness. And these revelations threaten to disrupt centuries of established beliefs. And you're basically starting the book where a murder catapults the trip into chaos. Catherine goes missing, her manuscript is destroyed, and Langdon is like, what the heck? How. How am I going to find her? And things sort of kick off from there. I was not looking forward to this because it's pretty long. It is 670 pages. And I thought, oh, boy, that's going to feel like a real drag if I don't enjoy it. But I ended up really liking it. I found this to have a strong sense of nostalgia. It reminded me of the Da Vinci Code. It reminded me of Angels and Demons, which are two books that I really enjoyed back in the day, whenever it was that I read them. And it sort of just gave me that old feeling of reading for joy and just going along for the ride. Prague was also a great character in this. It made me want to visit. I had never been there. And I was like, oh, they're. They're talking about all of these different landmarks. And I thought it was really fun to read through. So I would say that the atmosphere for this is a major asset. I love that there. There are elements that I was like, I don't know how this is going to make sense. There's something called a golem in it. And I was like, I don't know if this is supernatural. I don't know if this is a person. Where am I with this? And I was very happy to know that he introduced what it is in a very tasteful way that could have gone really wrong in different writers hands. Okay, so just stay with me. Just know that it makes sense. I love that Dan Brown isn't afraid to like kill off some characters that you think are gonna go far in the plot. I was like, what? What do you mean? You know, I wasn't expecting certain things. I felt like it raised the emotional stakes for me, kept the t attention high and kept me turning the pages. Even though this is thick, I thought the plot was pretty addictive for me because I wanted to know what. What's going on? Who is at play? How are they going to get out of Prague? Is he going to find his girlfriend? Who is the golem? And I was just fascinated. Okay, I will say there are some heavy scientific themes in this. I was like, what is a noetic scientist? I did not know. And that is the study of consciousness. And so she is really thinking through the brain and some psychological concepts to the point where I'm like something that they mention it's a fact about the brain. And I was like, I used that the next time I was teaching Psych 101 because I was like, I forgot about that. But that's a really good point I was trying to make in class. And it was like fun to have that memory jogged as a result of reading this. So know that I love psychology. And she's talking about neurotransmitters, baby. She, I mean the scientists. So technically Dan Brown, I mean it gets in the weeds with some of this neuroscience science things like GABA's a part of it. I loved that. I love it.
- [39:39]
A
Nerd out.
- [39:39]
B
Psychology. Nerd. But that's where I think some people are probably like, nope. So I saw a lot of people on my comments say I had to DNF after like 30%. Let the psychology of it all wash over you. You'll still. You could still enjoy the story without having some of those finer points. This book has big philosophical and moral questions and it is one of those that takes on big ideas and I think some of it is happening in real life. Let me read from the very beginning of this and I'm so glad that they included it because I'm like, hold on a minute. This is fascinating. It says fact. All artwork, artifacts, symbols and documents in this novel are real. All experiments, technologies and scientific results are true to life. All organizations in this novel Exist. Which is really.
- [40:28]
A
Wow.
- [40:30]
B
Yes. It's really, really fun because of what you uncover in this. So I'm like, wait, this could really happen. This is about ethics of science, scientific experimentation. It's about the brain. And I had a great time with it. I really did. I gave it four and a half stars. That's my recommendation. Read it if you want to. That is the Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown.
- [40:51]
A
Oh, my gosh. You did such a good job talking about that book and pitching it. And I love hearing you nerd out about psychology.
- [40:58]
B
I was like, gaba. Oh my God, Gaba. I was so excited when she started, like, referencing some of these things. I was like, no, I totally, it totally makes sense. I see how that could work.
- [41:08]
A
And you want to bring it to one of your classes. I love when reading does that and it jogs that memory or kind of spurs something that makes you want to implement it in something that's actually a part of your everyday life. So I love that this book was able to do that and that it was a surprise on top of it all.
- [41:25]
B
Exactly. Which is why it's good sometimes to challenge yourself, right?
- [41:29]
A
Totally. Well, I am also bringing one that I. It's not necessarily one that I. I would have picked up. And I'll. I'll get into that in a minute. But this is the true, true story of Raja the Gullible and his Mother by Rabbi Alameddine.
- [41:45]
B
Yeah, this is on the Aspen Words list. No, I didn't, but I'm going to. I think I put it for April, but I was so excited to read it.
- [41:52]
A
It.
- [41:52]
B
Tell. Tell me more.
- [41:53]
A
Okay, well, great. So I will tell you a little bit about it and then why I picked it up. So in this story we are following Raja, who is a 63 year old high school philosophy teacher living in a tiny Beirut apartment with his mother, Zalfa. He loves books, long meditative walks and a tidy, quiet life. And he is known in his neighborhood as the friendly neighborhood homosexual. And he has carved out a sense of identity that he genuinely enjoys. Zelfa, however, is his octogenarian mother and sees his craving for privacy as a personal insult. She wants to know everything about his day, his job, and especially his love life. And she is not big on boundaries. So when Raja gets an invitation to an all expenses paid writing residency in America, it feels like perfect timing. Lebanon has been hit with national turmoil. He's dealing with a personal heartbreak, and the idea of some space far, far, far away from his mother sounds like salvation. But once he sets out what first felt like an unexpected blessing becomes something more complicated, pushing him to revisit the very disasters and betrayals and all of these memories that he has been trying to outrun his entire life. This story is told in Raja's very irresistible, wickedly funny voice. This is a very, very, very voicey novel. I think Sarah from Sarah's Bookshelves coined that term and I love it. And this is a perfect description of a very voicey book. The story moves across six decades, tracing a life full of mistakes and self discovery, trauma, and maybe even a little bit of forgiveness as well. I first heard about this book from someone that I follow and I love her book recommendations that she shares in her stories. Her handle is tarajoy90. I will link her in our show notes, but she has great book recommendations and I feel like we share very similar taste when it comes to literary fiction. So this was also the winner of the National Book Award for this year, which is, I think why she may have read it and why a lot of other people have read it. I did not know about the Aspen Awards, but that is good to know and I think that it totally deserves that recognition. This book really surprised me in the best and strangest ways. Raja is narrating his life through years of financial struggle and civil war, and these huge tragedies shape everything about his entire life experience. But the way he talks about it all with this lightness, this levity and hilarity makes everything feel kind of surreal as a reader. Like, wait, is trauma actually happening? You're. You're kind of going through a lot right now, right? Like you're reading about really, really heavy things, but the. You're also laughing like you're cracking up while he is telling the story. And then suddenly you have to stop and ground yourself and process what is actually happening to Raja in this moment. And honestly, the relationship between Raja and his mom is the centerpiece of this book. Their dynamic is so juicy. It is also extremely toxic at times, but just also weirdly lovely and funny and real. That mother son push and pull really keeps the story moving and it creates this amazing juxtaposition. Heavy history and tragedy on one side and then this humorous, resilient, really tender legacy on the other. The only thing that pulled me out a little bit was that some of the themes felt a little bit over explained on the page toward the end. I kind of wish the story trusted readers to connect the dots instead of spelling everything out so directly, specifically in this one conversation that happened toward the end. But this book Also just had a ton of plot points that I was really surprised by. And Raja's mom, during certain sections of the book. Oh my gosh, I adore this woman. She goes on this wild rampage trying to find her son, at one point trying to find Raja, and she knows that something bad has happened to him. She just doesn't know what. She doesn't know who is involved, and she is unhinged, trying to get to the bottom of it in the best way. The way this woman looks out for her son, for her family, there's just. It's just wonderful and it's hilarious. She's the kind of person that, you know, if you met her one time, you'd never forget her. There is this line in the book where she is confronting the military. Okay, this is during the Lebanese civil war. She is confronting this man in the military. And this man is recounting this experience that he had with Raja's mother to Raja. And he said, everyone at the command is terrified of her. And so she is just incredible. Such she makes this book worth it, in my opinion, as well as Raja. There are very similarities between these two characters. Overall, this is a story that somehow blends dark history, family chaos, and pure joy. It is totally unique, totally bizarre, and very worth the read. This one has minimal readership on Goodreads, despite it winning the National Book Awards and being on the Aspen Awards long list. But I want more people to pick it up. I think that it is worth these awards and accolades that it's getting. And I think that if more people read it, they would be really surprised by it, just like I was. So that is the true, true story of Raja the Gullible and His Mother by Rabbi Alameddine.
- [47:35]
B
Fantastic job. I had forgotten that it won the National Book Award. And I, more so than any, I think of the others that are on the Aspen list, I was like, the sonat I had, that wasn't on my radar, but the synopsis of it, I was like, this sounds really good. Like I was into it based on the synopsis. I also love the cop. The title. The title is wild and I think it's really fun. I'm so glad that that one worked so well for you. And great review. I'm like, now I'm like, oh, gosh, it's already. It's one of our April picks. But that's okay. I'll get to it at some point next year here.
- [48:09]
A
It's totally absurd, but in the best way.
- [48:11]
B
Absurd in the best way is my kind of reading.
- [48:15]
A
Yes, me too.
- [48:16]
B
All right. My next book is the one I was talking about earlier that I think is going to be a little controversial, and I'm not even sure how I feel about it. So I will process with you all. It is her One Regret by Donna Fritus, and she's the author of the Nine Lives of Rose Napolitano, which I did not read. Did you read that book?
- [48:36]
A
Book? I didn't, but one of my really good friends, Kat from Read with Kat, she read this a while back and loved it, and it's been on my TBR ever since.
- [48:46]
B
Okay. Because I knew it was. I knew it had been making the rounds whenever it came out. Now, this one they're billing as a riveting feminist thriller that tackles an unspeakable taboo, Regretting Motherhood. Now, I did not know that regretting motherhood would be such a main theme in this because I didn't really read that. I just read. I actually saw the person who runs the social media for book of the month. They said a real estate agent disappears from the parking lot of a grocery store, leaving her baby behind. And they're trying to figure out what happened to her. And her friend has information that no one else has that she had confessed that she regretted becoming a mom. And I was like, sign me up. I'm. I'm interested. So I ended up picking this one up. And it is about Lucy Mendoza. She is a successful real estate agent and literally vanishes, leaving her baby behind. And this quickly makes national headlines. Her best friend Michelle is devastated and terrified that Lucy's life is at stake. But she knows something that could complicate the police investigation because Lucy has confessed that she regretted becoming a mother so much that she had fantasized about faking her own kidnapping. And the friend's like, dude, I have this information. They cannot find out because, like, she knows that her friend is going to be vilified for this. This. She's also convinced that her friend did not fake her own kidnapping. She's like, I know that something bad has happened to her, but she feels like people are not believing her. This one gets told from the point of view of that friend named Michelle. You're also getting the point of view of a new mom named Julia who lives in their same town, and Diana, who is a retired detective. And you're getting those alternating points of view. This is well written. I will definitely give it that. It is well constructed, and it is not a thriller. I would call this a suspenseful motherhood story. Okay. If that Sounds good. Then it could work for you. But they're calling this Pulse Pounding a feminist thriller. Now, there were elements to this. I will say the pacing was great because a lot of it was.
- [50:53]
Obvious that the author had an agenda in mind and she had these themes she wanted to explore of this. This regretting motherhood and what that looks like. But then she also tried to incorporate this mystery of the missing woman and where is she and is she going to be found? So I think readers who are expecting a straight up missing woman story are going to pick this up, being like, what's all this other stuff? Right? This is too much. I thought it was a good balance and I enjoyed reading it. But I also like motherhood stories. The reason why I'm calling this one taboo is because she talks a lot, a lot, a lot about regretting being a mom. And I'm not talking saying it's hard or going through hard times or even postpartum depression. I am talking a woman who is a very sound mind saying that she wishes she could undo it. That is a tough freaking pill to swallow. Like, that is a lot to read, and it was a lot for me to read. Read. I would not read this, frankly, if you are an exp. If you're expecting. I think there's too much unknown and uncertainty during that time that if I were to have read this while I was pregnant, I think it would have freaked me out. So I would not recommend that for expecting mothers. I would not. I don't know if I would recommend it for women and men who are in the early days of having a newborn. It might make you feel seen. It might creep you out and make you upset. So I guess read it with caution. The experience is, gosh, it's just really, really tough. So she really does take on this idea of motherhood as a source of stigma or regretting motherhood as this sort of stigma, and how that is so taboo, and why is it that men can leave their families and no one, no one doesn't believe them that they didn't want to be a father, but women don't have that same privilege. And she sort of explores that. Women moms for life. And then in the back of the book, the mom, or, I'm sorry, the author says that I will. She talks about how she didn't want to have babies or doesn't want to have children and how people are insistent, some people are insistent that you'll regret that choice. She's like, I know that I wouldn't. And so that got her thinking, what happens if the reverse happened? If a mom had a baby and genuinely regrets it. And she says, I will never know what would have happened if I had a baby. But I do know this for sure. I have no regrets about not having children children. And to me it's different. I really struggle with believing that there are moms that wish they could undo it. I hear myself say that and I'm someone that could see the gray area, man, but I'm like, it's hard, it's a hard pill to swallow. And that's not the same thing. Regretting not having kids and regretting becoming a mom when the kid is there are two very different things. And I'm still like, gosh, I can't imagine that. She also does, though. The author is a professor and as any good professor would, she cites her sources and she talks about this book called Regretting Motherhood, a study by Orna Donath that I'm curious about because I guess it's like surveys of mother of women who do regret becoming mothers. So if you can buy and sort of swallow and accept and hear that, I think it's interesting. I think she may have conflated postpartum depression and regret in some instances, especially with one of the characters. She does talk about vilification of moms and how, you know, it's sort of unless you're perfect, you're, you're a villain, you know, according to some people. I also thought it was fairly heavy handed. And so some of it I'm like, okay, I get it, you know, I, I, I'm with you, I'm with you. I hear you. But what can we get back to the missing person story I might have liked? I feel like this was 60, 40 issues in 40% thriller. I would have liked more of a 5050 split for this reader. I still liked it. I was surprised by the ending, which is always a pleasant surprise. Although it's not an unusual feeling for me because I'm often surprised. I.
- [55:00]
Felt like it was a little bit shoehorned the resolution and sort of some of the other things that were happening. Again, she had this theme that she wanted to explore and then sort of shoehorned a mystery in which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I just don't think it was perfectly executed. Again though, you know, there were some really significant areas of tension that made me go, oh my gosh, my heart's in my throat. So kudos to the author for that. She was able to give us a little bit of both this I think is a modest recommendation. I would say four stars, teetering on 375. I am glad I read it. I liked it. I thought it was a page turner and it's interesting and it will make me think, but I don't know that I could recommend it widely. If you're in a book club that likes to unpack stories, that doesn't mind stories that are a bit provocative, that are a bit polarizing, this could be a good recommendation because I certainly think there is a lot to uncover and discuss. I liked it well enough and was it better than some of the books I read for the Goodreads Choice Awards? Yes, absolutely. I still wouldn't have nominated this personally, but I'm not mad that I read it. This book is her one Regret by Don Freitas that sounded like a tough.
- [56:10]
A
One to talk about and you did a really good job. It also does sound like a great book club discussion book. It sounds like there would be a lot of opinions and thoughts about some of the themes going on in that.
- [56:23]
B
One and that's always what a tough topic. Tough topic. But that's always a fun thing, right? When people have big feelings about what they want, what they've read.
- [56:30]
A
I completely agree. My next reading read is very different from that one. It is a dystopian romantasy and that is Conform by Ariel Sullivan. This is that, I think first book in Jenna read with Jenna's new imprint and it got a lot of buzz when it first came out and so I was very curious about it. This is a far future dystopian world and we are following a young woman who finds herself caught between two loves and two sides of a rebellion simmering beneath the surface. This is the first book in what is going to be a dystopian romance trilogy and it definitely sets the stage with a world rebuilt centuries after a catastrophic world war has nearly wiped out all of humanity. From those ruins emerged a very tightly controlled city that is ruled by the Ilum, which is a mysterious technologically advanced group that keeps everyone out of else in line. Emmaline is who we are following. She is the protagonist and at 27 she is stuck in this limbo. She spends her days sorting old human artwork for destruction and waiting for the moment that she will be assigned a mate for a procreation contract. Most people are thrilled to be chosen for appropriation contract. It's the only way to really gain status in this world. But Emmaline has never felt like she belongs in a society where your worth is measured by Monitored genes, perfect health, and your ability to reproduce, produce. She has done her best to hide her discomfort, but everything changes when she is finally selected and her assigned mate turns out to be Colin, who is a member of the elum. It is a shock to everyone. Elum leaders haven't taken mates in decades, so why choose her? And this question kind of strings along throughout the entire book. Suddenly, Emmaline is pulled into an elaborate world of courting, ball gowns, formal dinners, constant evaluation where one move can get you eliminated. Parts of this glamorous new life surprise her in good ways, but the deeper she goes, the more she sees the darkness behind the elum's polished surface. And the signs of a rebellion are quietly growing as Emmaline's connections to two men throughout the story deepen, the Elum begin tightening their grip on the city in brutal and terrifying ways. She is forced to question everything she's ever been been told and decide whether saving others will require sacrificing not just her heart, but her life also. This is another one that I was so pleasantly surprised by. Romantasy is really a hit or miss for me. It's a very polarizing genre for me personally as a reader, and I never know how I'm going to feel going in, But I listened to this over Thanksgiving weekend and ended up being the perfect travel companion. It was totally escapist, easy to sink into, and just a really fun and absorbing listen. This book has been pitched as Handmaid's Tale meets Hunger Games. And at first I didn't really understand, especially the Hunger Games comp. It has a very clear comparison to Handmaid's Tale with, like, the procreation contract and things like that. But the Hunger Games connection I wasn't really making until further on. The book is kind of set into factions similar to the Hunger Games or. I'm sorry, not factions. That's diverse.
- [59:58]
B
Oh, it is, yeah.
- [60:00]
A
What is the word? I'm thinking of districts. Districts. There are kind of these, like, higher, middle and lower districts in the story. And so I think that's kind of where the comparison is. And Emmaline, who we're following, lives with the elite class. And so it would be kind of like if you were reading Hunger Games games from the perspective of someone who was from a higher district, like District 11 or something, but then they had to move to District 1 and live there among the elite and the higher class. So kind of interesting. And I think that's where I was making that connection with the Hunger Games. One of the things I really loved was the Love triangle. I know people have very strong opinions about those, but this is one felt high stakes. Emmaline is genuinely torn throughout the book, and you can feel her wrestling with how much she actually cares about each love interest. And as a reader, you get a little emotional whiplash too, in a good way, because you're constantly questioning who you trust and who you don't. And is, you know, Colin who he says he is? Or is Colin who we think he is, is he not? And it just made the stakes feel really high with this love triangle, and I really liked that. I also have to say, the writing felt really polished. I personally feel like a lot of books in this genre can feel rushed or under edited, but this one was really tight and intentional and I appreciated that a lot. Emeline herself definitely annoyed me at times, but ultimately I thought she was brave, trying her best, and I really rooted for her even when I wanted to shake her a little bit. And the ending, I was so happy with the ending. A lot is definitely left unresolved as this is the first book in a trilogy and I absolutely need to know where things are headed. I do think that enough was resolved to be satisfying. You don't feel too frustrated at the end of the book, but, you know, enough things are left unresolved that I am very eager for the next book and I immediately want to dive in and find out what happens next. I will absolutely be continuing the series because I can't be left hanging like that. So I am so excited to see where this story goes. And that is Conform by Ariel Sullivan.
- [62:12]
B
I am so glad you brought that. The imprint was kind enough to send me a copy along with this freaking awesome bag.
- [62:20]
A
Oh, yay. Yeah, I don't have a copy to to share. I don't have a copy actually of either one of my books.
- [62:25]
B
That's okay. It's insane. And so thank you so much to the publisher for sending and I'm glad my co host was able to review the book on my behalf. But look at this bag.
- [62:35]
A
Yay.
- [62:36]
B
It's incredible. It's my work bag and it holds everything I own. I love it so, so much. The brand is MZ Wallace. And I'm like, when they sent it, me and Lily, Lily opened it with me and we were like, what? What is this anyway?
- [62:49]
A
This is gorgeous.
- [62:50]
B
Gorgeous. Love it. And it's shiny. And my girl loves anything shiny. So I will end things with my shelf edition. It is a book called Just Watch Me by Liora Torrenberg. This one comes out on January 20th. Hannah how do you feel about this cover?
- [63:09]
A
I think I like it, but let me get a closer look. You're kind of blurry.
- [63:14]
B
It's kind of weird. It's got. It's very interesting. Okay, so it looks like.
- [63:18]
A
Are those eyeballs?
- [63:19]
B
These are eyeballs. These are eyeballs. These, I don't know, they're like little like bursts of something. It's a really unique.
- [63:26]
A
I feel like the COVID is very striking. I like it.
- [63:28]
B
Very striking. I like it too. It looks like the font is sort of hand drawn. It's just interesting. And so here's what it's about. They're comping this to fleabag meets Big Swiss and this one's a debut. I know, I was like, I enjoy those comps. And it's about Del Danvers, who is barely keeping it together. She's behind on rent for her bathroomless studio apartment, which was formerly a walk in closet. She is being plagued by perpetual stomach pain, and her younger sister Daisy is in a coma at a hospital that wants to. Wants to pull the plug. Freshly unemployed and subsisting on selling plant propagations to trust fund kids, Dell impart impulsively starts a 24 hour live stream under the username Mademoiselle Dell to fundraise for private life support for Daisy. Okay, so stick with me, guys. It gets a little, a little, a little different. Dell is her stream's dungeon master, banishing those who don't abide by her terms and steadily rising up the platform's ranking pranks with her sympathetic story and angry, funny screen presence. Once she discovers she has a talent for eating spicy food, her streaming fame explodes as her pepper consumption escalates from jalapeno to ghost pepper to the hottest pepper on earth, the Carolina Reaper.
- [64:48]
Excuse me. Dell is finally good at something. But as her behavior becomes riskier and a shadowy troll threatens to expose her dark past, Dell must reckon with what her digital life ignores and what real redemption means. This is just narrated over the course of seven taught chapters, one for each day of Dell's live stream. Just Watch Me careens through a week of the life of this charismatic misfit with a heart of gold. It's voyeuristic, it's visceral, audacious and outrageous. This debut is both a ragers, a razor sharp tragic comedy about the Internet economy in a surreptitiously moving tale about the desire to be watched and the terror of being seen. I mean, come on, on, sign me up, baby. I think this sounds so good.
- [65:32]
A
I'm glad that you Brought this.
- [65:33]
B
Why do you know it?
- [65:34]
A
Because it pairs well. It pairs really well with me.
- [65:36]
B
Oh, fantastic. What have you. Oh, so this is Just Watch Me by Lior Tornberg.
- [65:40]
A
I will also say one more thing before I bring my. Before I bring mine. This sounds like fleabag meets Big Swiss meets an episode of Hot Ones.
- [65:49]
B
Oh, right.
- [65:50]
A
With the peppers.
- [65:51]
B
Yeah, with the peppers. I know, right? I was like, I love that angle, actually.
- [65:57]
A
Me too. So fun. Okay, so my shelf edition is Mulka by Monica Kim.
- [66:04]
B
Oh my God. Yes, please.
- [66:07]
A
Yeah, this comes out April 28th of 2026. And this is the same author of the Eyes Are the Best Part. So I guess there's an eyeball connection. Baby, with the eyeballs on. On your cover there. And Molka refers to hidden sneaky cameras. And so this has a voyeuristic element. And in one ordinary office in Seoul, IT tech Jun Young has access to all of the cameras. He watches every hallway, every bathroom, every woman, convincing himself that this makes him powerful. And then he notices Daya. And Daya has always wanted to be loved. Loved. Especially after growing up in the shadow of her perfect older sister who drowned years earlier. Her wealthy, charming boyfriend seems like the answer until a hidden camera scandal erupts among the city's elites and her life falls apart. He dumps her, her parents reject her, and she starts seeing haunting visions of her sister. As Jin Young's fixation on Daya becomes dangerous and the truth about both their lives come to the surface, Daya is pushed to the edge and forced to take drastic action to expose what is really happening. So if I. I've read this author before and if she does something similar, this is going to be pretty absurd. It's going to get weird, it's going to get freaky. And you know, this deals with voyeurism. So I think the odds are that it is going to be all of those things. I am so excited to see what this author is does next. And I will definitely be reading this when it comes out. That is Mola by Monica Kim.
- [67:45]
B
That sounds excellent. And it is also on my list.
- [67:50]
A
Woohoo.
- [67:51]
B
Woohoo. All right.
- [67:52]
A
The COVID is interesting too. It's got like bleeding it. It's really cool. You'll see for those watching, but it's like blue and it's got like blood. Coming through.
- [68:02]
B
Event very. I like. And I like that you told us what mocha means. That's a fun addition, right? But that is it for today, everybody. Thank you so much for spending a part of your day with us. Links to all the books mentioned can be found in the show notes. And if you enjoyed today's episode, you can help us by following wherever you listen and by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps us get our show out to new listeners and grows our audience. And don't forget, if you'd like access to exclusive bonus content and community, you can join us for $5 a month on patreon.com booktalk Etc.
- [68:34]
A
And 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 Handpicked Books. Talk to you next week.
- [68:46]
B
And in the meantime, remember, everything's better with book.
- [68:57]
A
Yeah, it is.
- [68:59]
B
We did it. Love it. We did it.