Easily Distracted By New Releases + Our Process for Starting New Books

Summary

Podcast Summary: Book Talk, etc.

Episode: Easily Distracted By New Releases + Our Process for Starting New Books
Date: May 12, 2026
Hosts: Tina (@tbretc) & Hannah (@hanpickedbooks)

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Tina and Hannah dive into an engaging discussion focusing on recent new book releases, their current stationery obsessions, and a conversation about the processes and challenges involved in starting new books. The hosts also share their recent reads—many with "weird" or unorthodox characters—and explore how they curate (and sometimes wrestle with) their To-Be-Read (TBR) lists.

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Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Busy Lives, Self-Care, and Stationery Joy

Timestamps: 02:12–10:00

• Both hosts commiserate about the jam-packed month of May, balancing work, teaching, and parenting, hoping the podcast serves as a balm for busy listeners.

• Tina introduces her "loving lately":

  • The Hobonichi Techo Cousin A5 planner, complete with a beautiful illustrated cover ("the COVID"), which she uses for both daily planning and journaling.
  • Tina breaks down her custom daily layout, including a "big five" list, fun events, quotes, "today I learned," and wrap-ups.
  • She highlights the soft, buttery paper and her erasable FriXion pens (08:41), with a caveat about easily staining the cover.
  • Quote:

    "It's a planner, yes, but I'm also semi-using it as my commonplace journal. I know you brought your journal. You're doing, like, a little burst of joy every day… It's all in one." – Tina [07:28]

• Hannah's "loving lately":

  • The rise of the “analog basket” or analog hobby tote, inspired by TikTok creator Cease Campbell (10:37).
  • A portable or home-based basket filled with screen-free activities: journaling, puzzles, word searches, coloring, and more.
  • Using it to combat doom scrolling and as a personal toolkit for both her and her daughter, promoting low-pressure family time outside of reading.

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2. Recent Reads: New Releases with Big Feels & Weird Characters

Forget You Saw Her by Noelle Eiley (Tina)

[16:46–21:16]

• Thriller that begins with a bang: Sabrina, now in her 30s, finds out the daughter she gave up for adoption as a teen may be the missing person whose remains have been found.
• The emotional weight, grief, and unique narrative device (not spoiled for listeners).
• Quote:

  "This book is emotional, man… I mean, I can't think of anything worse… I loved this book. I thought it was really, really solid." – Tina [19:32]

• Content warning for heavy/gritty themes, but highly recommended for thriller fans.

Into the Blue by Emma Brody (Hannah)

[22:29–29:38]

• Buzzy literary romance with a Hollywood/celebrity twist, following the connection and estrangement between AJ (aspiring SNL writer) and Noah (famous actor).
• Explores friendship, missed connections, reconciliations, and the complexities of returning to old love.
• Noted drawn-out "will-they/won’t-they" tension in the latter half, but ultimately rewarding.
• Quote:

  "I have such complicated feelings about it… I really loved the start of their friendship… This was really heavy, and I… didn't mind the heaviness, but that back and forth… happened a lot." – Hannah [25:57]

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3. Book Chat: How We Start New Books

[30:00–39:02]

• Both hosts unpack the anxiety and inertia around starting new books.
• Tina’s approach:
  • Creating a shortlist TBR for the month to minimize decision fatigue ("I have come up with some strategies on how to, I suppose, get over that feeling." [31:23]).
  • Using holds in different formats and flexibility as holds come in.
  • TBR “graveyard” for books deferred indefinitely.
• Hannah’s method:
  • Struggles more with the decision of what to read than actually starting.
  • Forcing herself to read for ten minutes ("I have to set a timer for 10 minutes, and I have to read for 10 minutes." [34:56])—often gets “moving and grooving” after that.
  • Avoids starting new books late at night as mental fatigue interferes.
• Audio note: Tina prefers to start books with print for immersion, using audio later.
• They both agree starting strong (with the right mindset and physical format) helps determine if a book is a “not right now” DNF or simply not a good fit.

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4. More Notable New Releases (and Oddball Characters)

A Good Person by Kirsten King (Tina)

[39:44–43:05]

• Lillian, just dumped, drunkenly puts a curse on her ex via an “Etsy witch” and wakes to find him dead.
• Debut novel compared to "Big Swiss" (not "Gone Girl"!), featuring an unlikable but magnetic, darkly funny and crass protagonist.
• Quote:

  "What I say about Lillian is I hope to never meet a Lillian in my life… but I can’t look away… she’s problematic… but the author was able to draw her in such a way where I’m like… what are you gonna do now?" – Tina [42:24]

Homebound by Portia Elan (Hannah)

[44:01–48:30]

• Multi-generational, puzzle-box-style speculative novel drawing comparisons to "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow" and "Cloud Atlas."
• Story centers on a text-based 1983 video game that connects characters across centuries, including a future sea captain and a sentient robot.
• The narrative is initially disorienting (recommended to read quickly for best experience), but ultimately rewarding for readers who stick with it.
• Quote:

  "This book was confusing in the first couple chapters… but this book is really rewarding if you push through… It is a little weird and it takes some work to get through the beginning, but I personally found it worth it." – Hannah [47:19]

Nothing Tastes as Good by Luke Dumas (Tina)

[49:27–54:20]

• Horror with speculative twists: Emmett, a lonely, overweight retail worker, undergoes an experimental obesity treatment with monstrous side effects.
• Strong themes of body image and trauma, not fat-shaming per author’s own experience.
• Noted for unique, multimedia storytelling (with abundant use of emojis in the audiobook).
• Highly recommended for those who want a "cinematic" and "over-the-top" horror ending—comped to "The Bright Lands" and its wild finale.
• Quote:

  "It gets to be very surreal, very horrific, totally wackadoodle time, but really good." – Tina [53:01]

Ruins by Lily Brooks Dalton (Hannah)

[55:47–62:39]

• Literary dystopian novel following archeologist Ember as she seeks proof of a lost empire amid professional and personal unraveling.
• Split between academia/relationship drama and adventure/exploration.
• Main character is intentionally “curmudgeonly” and the tone is distant, more about exploring themes (technology, apocalypse, identity) than individual warmth.
• Quote:

  "She has lost this dream, and she is just so neutral and numb and apathetic… I personally found it to be worth it, because you really do get to know Ember in a different way in this second half of the book." – Hannah [58:40]

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5. Shelf Additions: Anticipated Fall Releases

Hollow Bones by Jodi Picoult (Tina) [64:00–66:08]

• September 2001: Molly Fitzgerald’s mother dies in the World Trade Center. Now an adult running Rhode Island’s Emergency Preparedness department, Molly faces new upheavals and personal crises. Dual-timeline, classic Picoult style.
• Highly praised in early NetGalley reviews; for fans of her “old school” work.

Love Felt Like This by Julie Olivia (Hannah) [66:29–68:19]

• Upcoming romance (September 8): A brooding famous singer seeking inspiration teams up with a children’s show producer (think: Miss Rachel vibes) after a TV appearance goes viral. Forced proximity in a cozy mountain town, sweet and humorous in tone.
• Quote:

  "I like kind of that Forest Proxy trope, and I haven't read a Forced Proximity in a while. And this sounds like a cute version of that." – Hannah [67:59]

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Sensory Fun Facts:
  • "My hands get very, very sweaty… and now that we're talking about it, it's really ratcheting up." – Tina [00:00–00:38]
• On unlikable but compelling characters:
  • "Wouldn’t want to know her. But fun to read about her." – Hannah, on Lillian from "A Good Person" [42:21]

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Useful Timestamps

• 07:26 — Tina details her daily planner & journaling process
• 10:37 — Hannah explains the "analog basket" concept
• 16:46 — Tina's review: "Forget You Saw Her"
• 22:29 — Hannah's review: "Into the Blue"
• 30:00 — Both discuss challenges around starting new books
• 39:44 — Tina: "A Good Person"
• 44:01 — Hannah: "Homebound"
• 49:27 — Tina: "Nothing Tastes as Good"
• 55:47 — Hannah: "Ruins"
• 64:00 — Tina’s shelf addition: "Hollow Bones"
• 66:29 — Hannah’s shelf addition: "Love Felt Like This"

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Episode Tone & Chemistry

• Bright, casual, and conversational, filled with personal anecdotes, laughter, and the easy rapport between Tina and Hannah.
• The hosts are honest about their neuroses and reading hang-ups, creating a welcoming, relatable vibe for bookish listeners.

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For links to all books discussed, check the episode show notes. Tune in next week for the anticipated "Summer Bonanza" book preview!

Transcript

[Tina]

Another sensory fun fact, actually. It's happening right now. And my friend Joey, I've known him since I was like, 12, I have hyperhidrosis of the hands. My hands get very, very sweaty. And so every time he sees me, and he's been doing this now for however many years, he'll just grab my hand and touch it because he's like. He knows if I talk about my hands being sweaty, they get sweaty.

[Hannah]

They get sweaty.

[Tina]

And they're doing it right now. Yes. And if you. You probably can't see on camera, but they get real glistening. It's the weirdest thing.

[Hannah]

Give us a close up for those watching, you know, hair gorgeous. Look at the sheen.

[Tina]

Beautiful. They're not as sweaty as they could be.

[Hannah]

Okay, well, get to work.

[Tina]

Get. I know. Now that we're talking about it, it's really ratcheting up.

[Hannah]

Ratcheting. Oh, my God.

[Tina]

Ratcheting up.

[Hannah]

All right, well, are you excited to talk about books?

[Tina]

I am just so delighted.

[Hannah]

So excited.

[Tina]

I'm tickled. These might be the most unhinged books. No, actually, I switched one. I switched my latest read. But these are like weirdos. And you've heard me anyway. You've probably heard me talk about them, but I'm going to do it again. Here we go.

[Hannah]

I can't wait.

[Tina]

Let's counter in 3, 2, 1. Welcome to Book Talk Etc, a podcast bound to grow your tbr. I'm Tina from TBR Etc.

[Hannah]

And I'm Hannah from Handpicked Books.

[Tina]

This is a conversational podcast about books and from two Midwest new readers who are easily distracted by new releases. And this week we leaned in and we are sharing thoughts on some new releases.

[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.

[Tina]

Tiana.

[Hannah]

Hi.

[Tina]

How's it going? I'm like, why are you looking at me like that? You're like, oh, look at fancy seeing you here. As though I didn't, you know, know you were on the mic across from me.

[Hannah]

Yeah. Fancy seeing you here. We've been chatting for a little bit already, but we're nice. I'm excited.

[Tina]

We're nice and activated, though, so I'm pretty. I was gonna say pumped. I feel like we're both in a good mood.

[Hannah]

Yeah, we're both feeling good today. I'm just so happy to be here. Work has Been so overwhelming for me the last few. Every time I get to hop on the mic instead, I'm like, you know what? I'm glad I'm in a meeting that doesn't involve that stress. This is just fun. So.

[Tina]

Just fun. I'm glad I can bring that fun for you. We were also commiserating on May itself, being in one's mind every year. I'm like, oh, it'll be easy, you know. No, May is the most busy month because you're dealing with end of school year stuff. Work, busy, I'm teaching. I mean, you know, Jonathan has track and field. It's a lot, all good things. But also I'm like, oh, it's just a lot. Let's fit this in. We I have two hours in my week in which I can do this with you, Hannah. Which one works? So, yeah, happy that we both have that flexibility though, and sort of get the busyness of it all. So if you two are busy listeners, we're right there with you. Hopefully our podcast can be a bomb for you and also relieve some stress. I'm going to dive into loving lately. If it's all the same to you, please do, because we're talking about being busy. And I'm so excited to officially finally share my planner. This is the Habane cousin.

[Hannah]

Oh, nice.

[Tina]

I went ahead, I'm showing it on camera. If you're watching us on YouTube, I went ahead and did it. Now, if you're not familiar with the culture, I should say neither am I. I am very new to the Havane world and it is really a world. It's along the lines of stationery and pens and people are just so into it. And I love that. I love any sort of fandom where people can just get really, really specific about what they like, what density of paper, this and that. I don't have that knowledge and I don't frankly want it. I just know what I like when I see it. And so I've been really coveting one for a long time. The planner I had last year, I brought it on the show. I really liked it. They stopp selling it for whatever reason. And so I was looking for an alternative and I finally settled on this. Now, what I'm holding actually is two things. It is the COVID So this is the Hobonichi techno cousin cover, but the planner itself is the A5. And we'll link to it in case you're curious about specificity. But what I like about it is it's pretty. It's a good Size, it's not enormous. It's also not tiny. I know they have one that's the weeks that's pretty tiny. This one is a bit bigger than that. And it does have several different sections. So of course if you search online, Havonichi Cousins set up, you'll get into a rabbit hole that is so satisfying because people are so freaking creative and just artistic and make them beautiful. I am using this. Some people use this as a journal. I'm using it pretty specifically as a planner. So in the very beginning, of course, you've got the yearly. Then second section is it's kind of a one line a day type situation. At least that's what I'm using it for. So it gives you a number for each day of the month. And so I've just been writing. Okay. You know, something we did, for example, on May 5, we went to Cooper's Hawk with the family. It's a restaurant here. So I love that I'm. It's helping me keep my memories in a better way. Then of course you have your typical monthly spread, which is just like what you would expect. And I like that for longer term, bigger picture planning. And then of course, you've got. The thing that I really like is the day to day and it's by hours. And so I'll go in there and sort of list out, okay, what's my day today look like? And then I know this is a lot and trust me, I'm fully aware that this is kind of a nutty, very involved type situation. So where I like to spend the majority of my time is on the daily page. So each day gets its own page. And it's kind of a blank slate. So I have sectioned it off in different areas in ways that make sense to me. So at the top I have my big five. So those are the five things I want to try and do. Sometimes it's one or two, but you know, I try and put big five things that I need to do. Dream big, dream big, I'll do today. So I write, you know where I'm working, the weather, what I'm reading. There's a to do list that I put on the left. The middle box I've made is just sort of a scratch paper. You know, those things you're jotting down, whatever you want to sort of remember it. Nothing specific or special. It's just a blank spot to put that down. And then I have fun events, quotes. And today I learned and wrap up. And so the goal is at the each you know, at the end of every day, I sort of am, like, taking a minute to be like, okay. You know, I really love chatting. For example, I love chatting with Amy Allen Clark. Shout out to her. She's a fellow podcaster, but we had a great chat in the dms. And I, like, loved writing that down because I'm like, oh, yeah, I did talk to her about that. And then I wrote, oh, it's. Today was one of my best teaching days. I had a really good lesson, apparently, on the 29th. And I love that I can go back and remember that.

[Hannah]

Oh, I love that.

[Tina]

So I'm so into this. It's a planner. Yes. But I'm also semi using it as my commonplace journal in which I'm writing things down. I know you brought your journal. You're doing, like, a little burst of joy every day, if you will. It's kind of that same thing. It's all in one.

[Hannah]

It's kind of commonplace. It's just a little more specific instead of a broader journal with a bunch of different lists like that.

[Tina]

Exactly.

[Hannah]

Yeah.

[Tina]

And they have some cool things in the back. Now, I will say mine. A couple things. The cousins, you can buy them in January start or April start. I bought an April start, obviously, because I bought it in April.

[Hannah]

They know. People.

[Tina]

They know. They know that people are gonna get their planner at the beginning of the year. They're like, this one sucks. I'm gonna go ahead for this one. Yes. They knew. They saw me coming. And I will say they have English, but mine is in Japanese. So there's a lot on here that I, you know, don't know what it says. And that's fine by me. I have just been translating it. At the bottom, there's quotes and things like that, but it's. It's really not been a hindrance whatsoever to not know exactly what each page says. I love how soft it is. I love. The paper is very soft. And I've been talking about to ask

[Hannah]

what the texture was.

[Tina]

Texture is so soft. It's buttery. It's dreamy. It works so well with the pens I brought a couple weeks ago. The erasable. Who makes these? The Fritz and Pilot pens. Oh, it you can erase. I love it. I mean, truly. I can't say enough about it. I've loved it. The only downside to this, it's real soft. But I did already get a stain on it, which makes me a little

[Hannah]

tiny bit stabby on the COVID Is that a cover or is the actual journal?

[Tina]

It's a Cover. So the journal is tucked in here and I don't want to pull it out because it's of hard to get in there. The journal cover is just plain cream. It's just like a paper journal. So you don't even need this cover. I just like it because it holds my pens on the side.

[Hannah]

Where did you get the COVID Yeah,

[Tina]

thank you for asking because I was going to mention I got both of them together, both of them together at a website called JetPens.com and they do free shipping. You do? Okay. They do free shipping to the US on orders over 35. And I was like, I had to Google really quick. I'm like, is this a legit site? And like everyone's like, yes. Like this is a great site. So I'm really happy with it. I promise listeners to stop bringing planners because I think I've found the one. So my loving lately is my Hobbanichi techno cousin and cover in the A5. And the COVID itself is beautiful. It's like a sky with some, I don't know, plants on it. It's pretty.

[Hannah]

Yeah, it's really pretty nice. I. Well, I can't make the same promise. I'm probably going to bring plenty of journals and they're all going to be, you know, I am specific.

[Tina]

They're very specific. Use case.

[Hannah]

Yes. And I'm so delighted that you brought a stationary item because my loving lately, I have a feeling is going to stem like it's going to be like the big umbrella for a lot of loving lately that I am going to have in the coming weeks. And it is what I am. Well, I'm not calling it. It's. It's an analog basket and I don't know if you've seen these.

[Tina]

Say less. I know exactly what you're talking about. I love it so much.

[Hannah]

Yes. And these were. Okay, so this was originally created by. I mean I think a lot of people have had these, you know, analog bags, baskets, hobby baskets. I've, I've seen them and heard them called a lot of different things on various social media apps. But it was popularized by a TikTok creator, Cease Campbell and it is a curated either tote or bag with non digital hands on activities that are really made to combat reaching for your phone and to combat doom scrolling and really to just reduce screen time overall. And its original purpose was really to function as a portable hobby kit including activities like journaling, watercoloring, reading, even like sudoku, word searches, journaling, you know, any of those screen free activities that are nice to have that are just as easy as pulling out your phone. Now I also have a bag and I have been using that. But I, my basket is big and it has all of my activities in it. And if I'm going to go somewhere and I think that I'm going to be in a situation where I might be like reaching for my phone, like a doctor's waiting room or something like that, I can take activities from my basket and put them in my bag. But I have so much stuff. I have too many interests and so many, you know, journals and puzzles and these dot by letter workbooks that I've been working in and all of these, all of these things that I've been doing. I don't always know what I'm going to want or what my fixation is going to be in the moment. So I wanted the big basket that I could keep at home. And then I do have that bigger bag. I got one at TJ Maxx. It's like a big craft bag that's easy to tote around that I can put various items in when I do leave the house and want to take some of those screen free items with me. So I have been watching analog bag and basket, like tour, like bag tours, you know, basket tours on Tick Tock. I've been loving that and it's just been really fun. I, I recently started getting into color talk. Don't even get me started on on that. That has been just a deep dive. Of course I'm, I'm saying all of that as I'm talking about an analog basket and then I'm deep diving things on TikTok. I am who I am. Okay.

[Tina]

Yeah, we do both. We do both.

[Hannah]

We're reducing screen time, not eliminating it here. But yeah, I have been loving that and I will, I'm sure be sharing in the coming weeks and months some particular things that I am really enjoying that might be new to my analog basket fun. Because I have been trying new things and doing some things that I maybe wouldn't have considered doing before, like that are just fun and easy workbooks and puzzles and things like that. So I am loving my analog basket. I will link the creator who kind of popularized this, who popularized this movement in the show notes. So that is my analog basket.

[Tina]

I love it. I have a craft bag that's very similar. It's more my journaling stuff. It's my markers, my pens, my little printer, all of that. It goes in my base bag which I brought as a loving lately a while yes. And I love it. It's perfect for that because it sort of opens up. It's like a Mary Poppins bag. It just opens like a big carpet bag. It's like been great. But I love the idea of adding more to it. Like a word search or like a sudoku. Have you. That is all also really good for your brain. I was, I'm getting a. Of longevity content pushed to me and even like I was thinking my journal here. They say that even going back through your pictures or going back through memories and remembering what you did that day is really good for, you know, sort of re. Reinforcing connections and your memory and all of those different things.

[Hannah]

So pattern recognition. Yeah.

[Tina]

I love that we're both doing that. I want to continue to do more crafting and make it, you know, more of a must do somehow fit it in into all the other things that we are doing. Yeah, exactly.

[Hannah]

Yeah, I agree and I will say. And then I. And then we can be. Be done talking about this. But my daughter has her own because she saw me putting mine together and she was like, I want one. And this has been great because she is a big reader, but she doesn't want to read every single night. And I never want reading to become tiresome for her and I. She doesn't have to read every single night. It's never been something where she drops the habit and then doesn't go back to it. She always does. But it's nice to have other screen free things that we can do together in the evening so that we're still getting that quality time together that we got through reading. But it's just a different activity like coloring together or something like that. Yeah.

[Tina]

Amelia Bedelia again for that.

[Hannah]

And then. Right. Although she's reading more middle grade books now that are a little more enjoyable. But yes, that has been. That has been great.

[Tina]

Yeah. We're still in the board books for the little but which is fun. You know, it's just funny. I'm like, oh, okay, Little P Again. Okay, we've got it. Here we go. Little P. Hates candy.

[Hannah]

With my, you know, son who is four, almost five, he will pick the same books over and over again still. And they're not board books, they're picture books. But those are even longer. So if you're doing them every night. And I've gotten to the point sometimes where I'm like, you know, we've done that book a few nights in a row. We're gonna pick something different tonight.

[Tina]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Hannah]

And I'm not I don't feel bad about it.

[Tina]

No, no, not at all. It's just funny because I'm like, how am I gonna say no if you bring me this book that we've read a hundred times? Like, of course. Sure.

[Hannah]

She's still little.

[Tina]

Yeah, she too. Although she's an enormous too. And everyone's always like, how old is she? I'm like, still too.

[Hannah]

She's still top very.

[Tina]

She's still two. She's just tall. Okay. I am going to transition into my latest read and this one's really pretty sad. It's called Forget you saw her by Noel Eiley. Now, I am going to be judicious with my synopsis because I picked this up literally only because I had never read Noelle Ily before and I was doing a vlog where I was reading thriller authors I've never read. I asked online for people to share their favorite thriller authors with me and she was one that was mentioned quite a bit. And I happened to have an audio of this. I said, great, let me go ahead and turn it on. And you get dropped into the action pretty much right away. Which I think is pretty consistent with her books. But this one I recommend not knowing a ton about because you will get spoiled to, I think some of what makes it unique. So forget you saw her. I did find out is the prequel to Ask for Andrea. I think the books are related and it's a pretty small connection, but one book doesn't spoil what goes on in the other book. So I really like that she did that. It's sort of a nod versus a formal series or anything like that. But what you're doing in this story is following a woman named Sabrina who is a woman now in her 30s. She's happily married and she is reflecting back on the pregnancy she had. When I think she was about 17, she had the baby. And when the baby was about three years old, she and her family decided to give her up for adoption. And you're meeting Sabrina now in present day because the police have contacted her. They have found remains and she finds out that the daughter she gave up for adoption is a missing person. And the police has found remains and they wanted to test her DNA up against what they found to see if it's her daughter. And so she pretty understandably become. She understandably becomes pretty interested in knowing what's going on and knowing if this is indeed her daughter or if it is not. I invite you to just read based on that. That's all I'm gonna say. Because if I had known formally what the setup of this is, I would have been like, nah, not for me because I'm a snob. And I was like, I don't like xyz, you know, because I was thought I would be like, I don't like this particular element in it and it is unique. I will give the author props for that. It is a storytelling technique that I've seen a couple times, but rarely in thrillers. This book is emotional, man. I mean, I can't think of anything worse. You have your child, give her up because you want a better life for her and you know, you can't take care of her and then she's potentially missing. I mean, horrifying. I had a couple folks say that this they think is based or maybe inspired by or this happened in real life. And I don't know what the case is, but if you Google it, you'll probably find it. But I was just like, oh my gosh, I can't think of anything more horrible. This is a story. You of course find out what happened and what's going on. This is a story about people that are on the margins. It's a story about grief and reconciling with the choices you made when you were younger. I. I guess I'll leave it there. I loved this book. I thought it was really, really solid. I did the audio what I it and we're actually going to talk about book talk in a second about this very thing. I was sort of deciding h what am I going to read? You know, you and I both have struggles sometimes with starting new books. I got hooked on this from the moment I started it. So I think that says enough about it to make you want to pick it up or not. It is sad, though. I will say it's pretty gritty. Maybe look up content warnings if that is something that you're like. I like thrillers, but I don't like them too dark. I mean, this one will make you cry. It was really pretty dark, but also very well done and respectful, in my opinion. Can't wait to read. Ask for Andrea. I've already. I've already purchased a copy from Pango Books because I will be continuing on and reading that particular book and I've heard great things. This one is forget you saw her by Noel Eiley.

[Hannah]

Yeah, I Ask for Andrea is the one that I'm always hearing things about that people love from this authority. And I think that it just came out with a sequel. I don't know if they're just Connected. Or if they're actually.

[Tina]

Is that the one that I read one, maybe.

[Hannah]

Is it? Oh, is it?

[Tina]

Yeah.

[Hannah]

Okay.

[Tina]

I actually don't know when. Oh, so forget you saw her. Came out in November 2025. It's a prequel.

[Hannah]

The prequel. Okay. Yes. I knew. I didn't realize that. That's the book. Book you were just talking about.

[Tina]

Yes.

[Hannah]

When you were talking about that book, it reminded me of that documentary that came out a while back a few years ago called into the Fire, the Lost Daughter. And it is about this mother who gave her child up for adoption, but then she goes missing and she becomes an integral part of the investigation.

[Tina]

Oh, interesting. Yes. Okay. That, I think, is what people were saying, hey, you know, it reminded me of this.

[Hannah]

Yeah.

[Tina]

Wow. No, I have to look into that. I have not seen that documentary. But, yeah, very sad. Like there's nothing else to say. It's just really a terrible thing to have happen to anyone.

[Hannah]

Yeah, absolutely. Well, I'm gonna. I'm gonna put some pep in our step and bring it up a bit. I'm gonna bring it up a bit, and I'm going to talk about into the Blue by Emma Brody. Oh, gosh. And this is that buzzy romance.

[Tina]

That girl.

[Hannah]

She is that girl. I feel like not quite as much of an it girl as yesteryear right now, but. But, you know, she's. She's up there. And this is from the author of Songs in Ursa Major, which I have not read yet, but is on my TBR. This book is set in the summer of 2000. That's where we start. And we're following AJ Graves, who dreams of writing for SNL, but instead she is stuck working in a video rental store with slim odds of ever escaping this small town and really big, very dysfunctional family. But then in walks Noah drew, the enigmatic and very intense scion of the Dru acting dynasty. So definitely Nepo baby here. And her life then changes forever. Despite completely different upbringings and all of their differences, the two of them form a really deep and cosmic bond. First as friends and then as acting partners. Until one day, Noah just disappears from her life without any word, and she's not able to get a hold of him. He is gone. But then, seven years later, AJ is living in New York City, and she is really surprised to find herself cast in the same intergalactic TV production as Noah. Tina, I don't know if maybe the word intergalactic is what made you think this was potentially a time travel book.

[Tina]

You also said cosmic love story and cosmic love story.

[Hannah]

So, you know, I could definitely see how that could. How that could maybe spark that thought. But anyhow, she is cast in the same intergalactic TV production as Noah, who is by then a very well known Hollywood heartthrob. And their on screen characters grow closer every day and the lines between reality and acting really begin to blur. And they are unable to stay away from each other. They are forced to confront the truth of what happened years ago and that ends up bringing them together again. And there are, you know, some secrets that are unveiled between the two of them and. But their fate just keeps drawing them together. And I'm going to leave it. I'm going to leave it there. I will say, oh, my gosh. I feel like I say this about every book that I bring. I have such complicated feelings about it, but I really do. I mean it every time I say it because I think that I rated this one four stars. At the end of the day, I gave it four. So I really, really liked it. I mostly liked the beginning. So I really loved the start of their friendship. I really loved kind of getting to know Noah and AJ as characters. I felt like they were very fully demented, like fully fleshed out characters that did not feel one dimensional or flat at all. I really enjoyed them both. A.J. moore. Noah is a little sad boy, you know, and that gets a little out. It gets a little old.

[Tina]

It reminds me of, oh, God, I'm going to get canceled. The Invisible life of Addie Larue Henri.

[Hannah]

Oh, so emo.

[Tina]

I was like, I can't do.

[Hannah]

I did. I did like Addie Larue. But I hear you and I think that that's a good comp in terms of just energy and vibe. Obviously, this is not fantastical. There's no time travel. There's no a romance with death itself in fate.

[Tina]

And I'm like. And I know these aren't your words necessarily. It's probably from the publisher. So it's. They did give us this. I'm not.

[Hannah]

They gave us.

[Tina]

They. They were. Anyway, sorry, but I think that it's accurate.

[Hannah]

No, I like having conversations like this. I do think that those are accurate descriptions of this book. And. Okay, so where this fell apart for me a little bit is when AJ and Noah are back together and they're really starting to have these hard conversations. Why did Noah leave? You know, what actually happened? What are these secrets that you're keeping from me? Why didn't you talk to me? Why did you just disappear and you didn't talk to me. We were best friends. Like, there's no excuse for that. And I was worried in the book because I was like, how are they going to make me forgive this guy? Like, this was. This was terrible. You do understand what happened. It is really sad. And. And while I don't want to spoil anything for the story, I think you need to go into this one knowing it is a romance. It does have an ending where these two have reconciled and they are together, but it is different because there are still some sad realities that just cannot be fixed and you still have those realities at the end of this story. So it was really heavy and I. That wasn't the part that I minded. What I minded was when they were coming back together and having these conversations and working on reconciliation. The push and pull lasted for like, I gotta say, like a hundred plus pages. I mean, it was. This is a long book. It's 400 plus pages. And I feel like there will. They won't. They lasted for so long. And I. And it was kind of toxic, right? Because it was like very physical, intimate, like passionate, and then completely opposite pulling away. And that happened like that back and forth. Happened a lot toward the latter half. This book is very open door. Not at all open door in the very beginning. And so you're almost getting this like, totally different romance in the other half, which was also a little bit jarring. I didn't mind it particularly, but I could see some readers being like, oh, if I didn't want this, I couldn't even skip it because it's. It's all there in the very end. So just knowing that going into it as well. So those were my thoughts. Overall, though, I did really enjoy it because I really liked these characters and I thought that their love story was. Was worthwhile, even with the qualms that I had with maybe pacing and how long certain parts of the story took to fully develop and land the plane. So I totally get why this one is super buzzy and hyped. I think that it does something different with the Hollywood trope and the second chances. And it's maybe not like some of the other more generic romances that are out there. So I. I can see why people are loving it and why it's intriguing. So many readers. Hopefully I gave you enough information to decide whether you want to pick it up yourself or not, but that is into the Blue by Emma Brody.

[Tina]

Yes, I think you did. I think people will listen to that and say, that sounds intriguing. I want to know. Or they will be at me and be like, I am good. My initial gut reaction was, I'm going to pass and I'm remaining in the past. There you go. For nothing and nothing against how you framed it. I think you did a great job with that, because I got it. I don't need that.

[Hannah]

Not for you, not for me.

[Tina]

Good for you, not for me. And that's just fine. All right. So as I alluded to earlier, something that we were going to chat through today is. And it sounds silly when you say it, but we're talking about how to start a book. Do you want to expand upon how you came up with this idea?

[Hannah]

Yeah, well, I. It's something that I've been struggling with personally for a while. I do think I heard someone else talk about this, and it's been a while now. And I want to say it was Sarah Hildreth from Fiction Matters, but it's been a while since she's talked about it. But. And I think it was on substack. If I can find that, I will link it. But ever since I heard them talking about that, it's been on my mind because I have been trying to develop a process of how can I start a book in a way that's setting myself and the story up for success? And I haven't quite figured that out yet. But I do have a couple of things that I've been trying to lean on that have been working better, I would say, for me. But in general, starting a book is just so hard. And I don't think that it's something that you and I have talked about on the mic before. You and I have mentioned it to each other, but we've never taken the opportunity to really dive into this as a book talk topic.

[Tina]

Yes. And I. We say it all the time, or I know I do, is that I hate starting new books. I like it in theory. Like, I like. Of course, I'm like, ooh, you know, I get to finally see what I think about this or that story. But I also hate learning new characters, especially given that I. If it's a book that I loved that I'm coming off of, I'm like, I gotta leave these people, go and meet all these new people. Like, I don't really want to do that. So I will say it's a good thing to think through because I've come up with some strategies on how to, I suppose, get over that feeling. And for me, what has really worked, I would say for maybe about the last year or so, is that I have created that TBR shortlist. I thought for a long time that I was not a TBR girl. I was more vibes Mood reader. Hello. It's in our tagline. And I will still say that that is somewhat true. But I also find that I do really well when I have a list or a challenge. Like the Goodreads Choice list kind of set my TBR up for the month of November. So now I do kind of loose ish TBRs for each month. And what I do is one why I like doing that is for a lot of reasons, but one, I like to then put my holds in and I put it in on all formats. E audio if I can, if I have enough holds or whatever. And of course, you know, we have other ways to access them, like netgalley and things like that. So I always have to write down, like, where am I getting this book from, like hoopla or what have you. And then that way it sort of gives me a little bit of flexibility depending on when holds come in or whatnot. And I try to read through that list. Basically, if I don't get to one either I will DNF it and then that goes in our DNF chat episodes or I put it on what I call my TBR long list. And the TBR long list is different from like the TBR graveyard. Graveyard is everything that's just sort of anything goes read at any point. But the TBR long list are a group of books that I want to read before the end of the year for whatever reason. A lot of the time it's because they are buzzy of the year or whatever. Just for whatever reason. I'm like, okay, I want to try and prioritize these ones before the end of the year. If I don't, then they go in the TBR graveyard and sort of back in the general population where maybe I'll get to it someday. Perhaps not. But that's how I've been setting my reading up. And I find that having that list really cuts down on the decision fatigue. So I think for me, I kind of identified why it's hard for me to start books. Sometimes it's that decision fatigue. What do I want to read next? Couldn't tell you. And that for me causes reading slumps because I get out of the habit. I get out of that, you know, forward motion.

[Hannah]

You need to keep the momentum. Like the inertia of it.

[Tina]

The inertia of it. And that has really been working for me.

[Hannah]

Yeah, I've got to figure something out for me, that works to keep that inertia like we mentioned. And I'm always reading. I always do end up picking something up. But I do have a hard time making a decision of what to read, and that is almost harder for me. You mentioned decision fatigue than picking it up and starting it. The picking it up and starting it part. I have developed a system that works pretty well. Once I've chosen my book, I have to set a timer for 10 minutes, and I have to read for 10 minutes.

[Tina]

Oh, how fun.

[Hannah]

I usually keep going, but it's that act of. Of starting where it's like, oh, like, I feel so overwhelmed by starting. This is a new world. There are new characters. I'm gonna have to learn all of this new anatomy of this book, and that's overwhelming. But if I set that timer, I'm like, okay, I'm gonna set a timer for 10 minutes. I just have to read for 10 minutes. And then I. But then once the 10 minutes is up, I'm like, well, I'm reading. I'm moving and grooving now. Like, you know, you've gained that momentum. I'm in it, and so I keep going. And it helps to. If it's an audiobook, it helps to do, like, a really rote chore with that to dishes or laundry, something I literally don't have to think about at all. And if I'm reading physically, it helps to just be in a quiet space where I don't have a lot of distractions and I can actually focus and sit for 10 minutes. The other thing is I can't start it late at night. If it's right after the kids go to bed, and I'm not going to be going to bed for a few hours, I could maybe start it. What I can't do, even after the kids are in bed, is make it like it cannot be at the end of the day. It has to be at the beginning of the day is choosing what I'm going to read next.

[Tina]

I think that's so funny and very valid, too, because it's almost like you sort of don't know because your brain is so tired. At the end of the day, you've done all of the things, you've made a million.

[Hannah]

I've done too much.

[Tina]

And you're like, am I disliking this? My funny quirk about starting new books is that I. And I don't want to say I can't, but I don't love starting a book solely on audio first. If I can, I Love having the print in front of me. So that way I can say, okay, who are these people? Who am I meeting?

[Hannah]

Immersing yourself.

[Tina]

I'm like, all right, where am I reading? What's the time period? And who are the characters? That really helps me enjoy. I feel like I could read almost any book as long as I have that initial setup where I can get those things knocked out. I often start books on audio, like the one I just brought. The Forget you saw her easy to follow, like, immediately was hooked on audio. But for books especially, maybe literary fiction or. Or historical fiction, I definitely prefer that format where I'm doing multiple things or sort of having it in multiple form.

[Hannah]

Yeah, I would agree. I like to do that as well. I just feel like it puts you in a really good spot to enjoy the book to the best of your ability. And you'll also be in a good spot to know for sure if it's not going to be for you. Because it's not going to be a question of was I not paying attention or do I just need to start over and regroup myself? It's like, no, I was really immersing myself there for a minute and now I can be more confident, at least for me, that maybe this book was not lot for me because I know that it wasn't because it wasn't paying attention or I started it at night or, you know, some of those other factors that can contribute to not enjoying a book as much as you maybe could have.

[Tina]

Yeah, and that's one of those things, too. We talk about this sometimes on our DNF episodes. It's a Not Right now book versus a strong dnf. Like, I know if it's a strong dnf, I'm like, I know I'm not going to read this. Like, I don't want to, but I kind of like that. I. You know, it makes me put it back in the pile. It makes me say, okay, check. I actually check those books off my. To my tbr, which I did just recently. This week. I had one. I was like, oh, I think this sounds so good. I listened to maybe, I don't know, maybe 45 minutes of it. I was like, no, I'm good. It wasn't a bad book. But I was like, I know. I this. I could tell it was going to be no more than three stars. I was like, I'm not enjoying this. And I feel valid in that sort of sitting in that. I don't know. Do you have any other thoughts on how to start a Book.

[Hannah]

No, I don't have any more thoughts. I did want to say I actually found that substack article that I mentioned at the very beginning, and it was Sarah from Fiction Matters, so I linked it. It's already in the show. Notes for those of you listening, if you want to get more intel on what we talked about today. But I. Yeah, I think that's. That's all for me.

[Tina]

All right, well, that's all for me, too. We will dive into the books. We're talking about this episode. All right, Are you ready?

[Hannah]

Yeah, I'm ready to hop back in. Yep. Although the floor is yours.

[Tina]

Well, I want. I want your full attention.

[Hannah]

Okay, the floor is yours, but I am ready. I am locked and loaded, ready to stare right at you.

[Tina]

Oh, good. That's my favorite. Okay.

[Hannah]

I know you love attention.

[Tina]

I love attention. I am a. A showboat, as somebody once called me. And I thought, how accurate. I love that.

[Hannah]

You just. You're like, you know what?

[Tina]

You know, fair. All right.

[Hannah]

Speaking of showboats, I'm excited to hear you talk about this.

[Tina]

My gosh. The book I'm bringing is called A Good Person by Kirsten King. I am so glad that I read this. I was this one of my books On a Radar. On the radar. I can't remember if I formally brought it or you brought it as a

[Hannah]

Books on the Radar or a shelf edition, and I can't remember what. Which one.

[Tina]

And then I saw it was picked for book of the month for, I believe, April. And anyway, yada, yada, yada, here we are. I've read it, and what I'm holding is a book that is about Lillian. Lillian is one of the most fascinating characters I've read from in a while. She is dating a man named Henry, and they're not official, but, like, she's ready to take things to the next. Next level. And she is sort of trying to, you know, force his hand a little bit. She's not exactly the most patient person. And they. He's still calling it, though, a situation ship, which whatever that's lingo for. They're not officially boyfriend girlfriend. And then just as she's like, okay, fantastic, he's about to ask me to be his girlfriend. I thought you'd never ask. He breaks up with her, and she is pissed. And so she gets drunk one night with her bestie, and they decide to essentially consult an Etsy witch to put a hex on him. The next day, Henry is dead. He's found murdered outside of a bar. And obviously, she starts to spiral for many, many reasons. Mainly because she's like, did this work? Like, do I. Did I actually cause this man to die? Now, this book, they.

[Hannah]

They.

[Tina]

The comps that the publisher made are Gone Girl meets Big Swift. And I'm like, gone Girl who? I don't see that in the slightest.

[Hannah]

Quit doing that.

[Tina]

I. This is so not Gone Girl. I can go with Big Swiss. I could see that, but I will see that too. Yeah, she's definitely an anti hero. This is not a character that you're gonna be like, oh, my gosh, I miss her. No. In fact, what I say about Lillian is I hope to never meet a Lillian in my life because I don't want that type of energy in my world. She is really. I found her to be really funny, really dry, dark, and just unpredictable, for sure. It was also really fascinating to watch her spiral. She is problematic. This woman is problematic. And yet the author was able to draw her in such a way where I'm like, you're so unlikable and problematic. But I can't look away because what are you gonna do now next? Who knows?

[Hannah]

Wouldn't want to know her. But fun to read about her.

[Tina]

Exactly. This book is crass. It's got that, like, kind of language. You're like, oh, my God. What do you. Oh, no, don't talk. Okay. Like, pretty crude language.

[Hannah]

Guess we're going there.

[Tina]

Guess we're going there. But it's also fascinating to read through. This is a debut, and I am so happy to have read it. I think this book is fantastic. I had a great time with it. I will definitely read this author again if you like books that are sort of a slow descent into madness. Here you go. Read a good person. It was really fun. I don't know. Highly recommend it. Don't pick it up if you don't like unlikable characters because she was almost too much, even for me. But in the end, I ended up loving this reading experience. So that is a Good Person by Kirsten King.

[Hannah]

Yeah, I'm glad that you talked about that one. I knew at one point, like, when you were reading it that you were reading it. And when I knew that, I was already looking forward to when you were going to bring it to the show. So I'm glad that today was the

[Tina]

day I had to give Lillian her. Her time in the sun.

[Hannah]

Yeah, I was gonna say her flowers, but it sounds like she didn't deserve any flowers.

[Tina]

No, I would say she did not.

[Hannah]

We're not gonna give her any flowers. Okay. My And I decided to bring because, okay, all of the books that I'm talking about today are new releases, but I decided to pair the two that I am bringing for our new release segment together because these are two books that go very much in conversation with each other. So I kind of wanted to talk about them back to back. The first one is Homebound by Portia Elan.

[Tina]

You read it?

[Hannah]

I did.

[Tina]

Oh, okay.

[Hannah]

I just finished it yesterday. I read it quickly.

[Tina]

You did?

[Hannah]

Because I was like, yeah, like in a couple days.

[Tina]

Oh, cool.

[Hannah]

It's not very long and it is very immersive. So I would say this one is pretty easy to get into and finish quickly. In fact, I would recommend doing that actually. But let me tell you a little bit about the book first. This is a multi generational puzzle box story. And I. I'm saying that specifically because that is the word that publishers are using. And when I was looking up reviews for this one after finishing it, like everybody is calling it this puzzle box story. And I totally agree. So I'm going to kind of co. Cosign that explanation for what this book is. And the story really explores human connection, grief and queer identity across six centuries. You're following five generations that will seem to not be connected at first. They are super different points of view, but they do connect to create a very full and complete story. The narrative centers on a text based video game in 1983 by one of our characters, Beck, that ends up linking to a 20th century teenager, to a sentient robot, and then to a far future sea captain. And all of these stories end up connecting through this video game. This book was confusing in the first couple of chapters because again, you're really dropped in and you've got this far future sea captain and then you're dropped back into 1983 and you're like, whoa, where, where are. Where are we? What's happening? And I did see that I was not the only one that felt that way again when I explored some reviews after finishing it. But what I also saw and completely agree with is that this book is really rewarding if you push through that confusion and trust the process that the author is pulling you through these interlocking stories and points of view. While they feel disjointed at first, the connections do become clearer and clearer as you continue on with the story. Which again is kind of why I said I almost do recommend reading it through quickly because then you get to experience confusion to clarity and more of a like broad stroke rather than sitting in that confusion for too long necessarily. I very much agree with its connections to Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow. It's also been comps to Cloud Atlas. I've never read that, so I can't speak to that, but I wanted to go ahead and mention it in case that's a buzzy comp for anyone listening to this review. Again, I see the the comparison to Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow with that strong video game element and focus on human connection and experiences. This one in particular was not as focused on that friendship element however, so you won't find that comparison here in the same way. My two personal favorite characters were Bex and Yasiko and so those points of view were the ones that I was really waiting to get back to when I was away from their chapters. But I do still really appreciate the other sections for how they developed the story. They were important and they were necessary. I am just more of a character driven reader and those characters, Bex and Yasiko were the ones that I found the most compelling. This is truly a story about interconnectedness. It's very soft in tone and it has these really highly technical themes, but it's still soft. It doesn't feel very overly sciency or analytical. And while it's dystopian, again, it doesn't have that really hard dystopian nature to it. Its characters were so diverse, which I really appreciated, just across the spectrum of identity. And I really liked that there was also this mystery that you were trying to unfold without feeling that typical rush of anxiety like you do with other stories that might include a puzzle through line. I think that this one is really unique and entertaining. I do not think it will be for everyone. It is a little weird and it takes some work to get through the beginning, but I personally found it worth it. So that was Homebound by Portia Elam.

[Tina]

Good one. I this was one of the ones picked for GMA for their celebrity book club for May and so I've tried to pitch this book more than once and each time I'm like what?

[Hannah]

What are you gonna say here?

[Tina]

What are you saying? What is this book about? So really well done. I'm glad to hear that once you're get settled it is more straightforward than I think it sounds like it would be on the surface. Yes, the structure reminded me of Emily St. John Mandel's book Sea of Tranquility where you've got far future point of view as well as sort of, you know. And of course they all get interconnected at the end.

[Hannah]

Yep, I could see that.

[Tina]

Wow.

[Hannah]

It's actually one of Emily St. John Mandel's books I have not read and I still need to. So maybe this will be the push to do that. Because again, the book that I'm bringing after this, this also kind of has a connection to Homebound. So I'm excited to talk about that one too. But but tell us about your next new release. What do you have for us?

[Tina]

I feel like I've been on the biggest weird character kick and I can't get out of it. And I don't even want to get out of it. My next one goes in line with that. I'm reading or I read Nothing Tastes As Good by Luke Dumas I want to say Luke Dumas so bad, but the audiobook narrators says do miss so I'm going to go with that. And oh my gosh. Okay. Nothing Tastes As Good is certainly a horror story. It is about a man named Emmett. Emmett works in retail, he works at Target, and he really has never fit the aesthetic of Southern California in that, you know, everyone's muscled and suntan surfers. He is over 300 pounds. He carries the weight of his childhood trauma and millennial ennui around. He's a really sort of sad person and very sympathetic in my opinion. He is somebody who has tried every diet under the sun to lose weight, and he comes across an ad for something called Obexity and the treatment sounds perfect. Yes, it's a clinical trial, but it sounds like they've had really, really successful results. And so he gets picked and goes on it and he starts to shed pounds at superhuman speed and his life improves dramatically. Unfortunately, Obexity comes with some killer side effects and he fears that the drug is turning him into a monster, but he's not necessarily willing to give it up. This book is very, very good. My big fear with it going into it, it was that it was going to be fat shaming and I was like, oh boy, here we go. I was a little wary for that reason, but then I saw the author himself share on his Instagram and I believe it's still a pinned post about his own experience with weight. He really went through a similar time as to what the character in his book goes through and I love he said that this almost felt autobiographical in some ways, and I love that he included that tidbit because it really made me feel because the character is very authentic and it really made me like the story even more. I did this one on audio and I will say audio is a fine way to Go with this. It does have multimedia. The narrator did a really good job. However, just know that again with a lot of multimedia, for example, I'm showing text messages to Hannah. You hear a lot of things such as leaf emoji, DNA emoji, smiley face emoji because the narrator is trying to read the emojis. Right. And he did a pretty good job with it. It wasn't too distracting and I got used to it. But especially in the very beginning, it's a lot of this because Emmett, the character has to write what you know, he has to keep like this diary as a part of the clinical experiment. And so you're getting a lot of people's handles and comments and whatever. It did get to be a lot, but it didn't take take away from the story. For me, this one had a very sympathetic main character. I really loved his best friend. She was a fantastic support person for him. She was excellent. And I will say, if you liked the Bright Lands by John Fram, if you read that and remember the ending, how it's just cinematic and over the

[Hannah]

top, I'll never forget that ending.

[Tina]

Literally. That's sort of how this is, right? It gets to be very surreal, very horrific. Totally wackadoodle time, but really good.

[Hannah]

And I know exactly what you mean. And if you've read the Bright Land,

[Tina]

you know exactly, exactly. So don't go in thinking it's going to be like a slasher or something that like is totally, you know, know, totally of this world. It does get pretty wild. But again, wackadoodle gets wackadoodle. But I loved it. I really did enjoy this story. I think he did a great job. This is my first book by the author. I definitely would pick him up again. I think he had a lot of really great things to say about weight and what that does to a person. And he. I will say again, this is a pretty intense examination of somebody who is struggling with his weight and has these disordered eating thoughts and has just a lot of, you know, negative self talk. If that's going to affect you, don't read it. Because it felt really, really personal and very authentic in my opinion. But I thought the story was worth it. So this book is Nothing Tastes as Good by Luke Dumas.

[Hannah]

Yeah, I love the COVID Great cover.

[Tina]

It's like a dripping donut filled with jelly. Is it jelly? Is it blood? Who's to say?

[Hannah]

Who's to say? I have a couple comments. The first one is that totally different genre. But when someone talks about an ending like That I. I think of the Bright Lands, but I also think of They're There by Tommy Orange. Have you read that?

[Tina]

I love that book. That book, Deb.

[Hannah]

Me too.

[Tina]

I have not thought of it in so long. Long. Oh, my gosh.

[Hannah]

That ending.

[Tina]

The ending is wackadoodle. Yes.

[Hannah]

I don't know that's necessarily the appropriate term to say, considering what exactly happened at the end of that book, if you've read it. Yeah, it just gets wild.

[Tina]

It's. It's cinematic in that one. And I loved. I remember there. There. All of the characters come together in the end for, like, one big showdown, so to speak. And that's sort of what you get in this, is that everything is coming to a head and there's a big showdown at the end. That's what I would say. Yes.

[Hannah]

And then my second comment that I was going to make is, I feel like this book is the pilot episode for a group of books that we're going to get surrounding Ozempic culture and all of that. And so I'm curious to see how that conversation unfolds in media, because it always unfolds in media, and it's always really interesting to explore in that capacity. So. So I'm, you know, good for Luke for really pushing out the pilot episode there.

[Tina]

Yes. That's a good way to say it.

[Hannah]

Yeah. Okay. My next newest read is Ruins by Lily Brooks Dalton. And I was not expecting these two books to connect so much when I started them both. I was reading Ruins as a buddy read and then Homebound. Tina.

[Tina]

I actually.

[Hannah]

Actually picked it up. Because of your video for book clubs. Because I had it as an arc copy.

[Tina]

Yeah.

[Hannah]

And then when you talked about it and you mentioned it had gotten picked up, I was like, you know what?

[Tina]

Yeah, I'm gonna do it.

[Hannah]

Because at first it seemed. Yeah, at first it seemed a little too out there for me, but then it was GMA that picked it up. Right.

[Tina]

Yeah.

[Hannah]

And GMA I feel like I have a good experience with, so that is why I decided to try that one. So totally different reasons for picking these both up, and I kind of serendipitously did so at the same time, and I'm really happy I did because they really had so much conversation together. Ruins follows Professor Ember Agnee, and she is a rising star in archaeology, and she's trying to balance a very unfulfilling career in academia, and her marriage is really falling apart. She's also trying to pursue her true passion, which is unearthing this lost empire that no one else believes existed, but she does, and that's her big passion project. Just as she's about to give up on the ambitious expedition that she spent a decade trying to fund and trying to get, you know, sponsorship behind, a message arrives from overseas, and a former student claims to have found something extraordinary that is an artifact that hints at this forgotten world lying beneath history's very tidy surface. So from there, Ember decides to take the risk for the sake of discovery and go on this odyssey and trek that will either make her name or completely ruin her and destroy all of these beliefs that she had held for so long. But she's very driven by faith and her vision for this belief, for this project that she has been dreaming of for a long time. And she really challenges the limits of her nation, of her colleagues, and of herself to go deep into this untouched wilderness in the pursuit of this dream that she has had for so long. So, part of why I think these two books connect so much, they're both kind of dystopian in nature, right? And. And they are both in ways exploring themes that I can't fully delve into here because it might run into spoiler territory, but I will just say they are both kind of these odyssey books, and they are both exploring themes in technology and dystopian themes that just connect really well together, including just really randomly. There's both. In both of these stories, there's a lot of ship time. Like, a lot of time on the ocean, on ships. What was interesting about this one is the very first half of this book, you are just in that academia setting. You're really getting to know Ember. You are, you know, kind of with her as her relationship is really falling apart, and you're learning kind of the darkness that's there in her marriage. And really what you're learning about Ember is that she is kind of a difficult person to follow. And she's not. I hate saying, like, she's unlikable. She's an unlikable character, but she really is. She's not necessarily what I would call a pleasant person to be around and get to know. Right? She has lost this dream, and she is just so neutral and numb and apathetic. And that really shows up with her conversation she has with her colleagues, leagues with her husband. And I kind of wanted to shake her at the beginning. At the beginning. That happens for, like, the first 50, 60% of the book. So for this whole big chunk of time. And again, it's a little bit of a longer book. It's about 400. Like, maybe a little more than 400 pages. So not a super short book, but for a really long chunk, we're just waiting for this expedition to even start. And I want to bring that up because. Because I feel like when I learned about what this book was about, I was kind of expecting more of an archaeological adventure.

[Tina]

Yeah, same.

[Hannah]

And you get that in the last half, and it's almost like you've got this part one and part two, even though it's not officially set up that way. And I personally found it to be worth it, because you really do get to know Ember in a different way in this second half of the book. She's really exploring herself a little bit more. And of course, we get to learn kind of the whole mystery of the story, which is, what is this artifact that she found? Because that's not told to you at the beginning. You just know that she found an artifact. And you're like, what is this artifact? It's just called the artifact at the beginning. So you learn that you unpack that mystery and you learn more about this lost empire and this place that she has been wanting to explore and that she truly believes existing. You find all of that out at the end. And I found that to be really rewarding and worth it personally, through my reading experience. This was so different from the Light Pirate. I have not read her other book. I think it's called Good Morning Midnight. I have not read that one, so I can't compare it to that particular story. But I would say that this one explores a dystopian kind of apocalyptic world very differently than the Light Pirate did. And it's not as warm as the Light Pirate. I do feel like with the Light Pirate, there was kind of this, like, warmness to it and the characters. And there was a lot of love in that one that I felt, and that is very much kept at a distance with this particular story. And it was more of like, an odyssey and a mystery that you're trying to unpack, that you're trying to unpack through our main character, who is not warm by any stretch of the imagination. So I ended up really enjoying this one. The person I was body reading with it actually DNF'd it. And so I, again, don't think that this book is going to be for everyone. But if you kind of go into it, I think, with the right expectations, knowing that it's going to be set up in this Part one, Part two, then maybe you'll know if you want to pick this One up for yourself. It ended up being worth it to me, so I'm glad that I read it. That was Ruins by Lily Brooks Dalton.

[Tina]

Yeah. Good review. I have this one on my shelf. I'm curious about it. I loved her previous books, the Light Pirate and yes, Good Morning Midnight. That Good Morning Midnight is colder, for sure. It's. It's. It's okay. Not in a bad way, but it is less about individuals, more about. She does. She does really interesting stuff. Right? It's more commentary, I think, on sort of humanity itself versus, like, the individual characters. And, like, they weren't necessarily the most. Because I remember one of them is. He's sort of by himself on Earth. He's like a real curmudgeon. Like, I would not call either of his characters likable. So I'm. That seems to track with her writing

[Hannah]

and that theme that seems more similar with this one. Definitely a book that is. You used a certain word that you said. Good Morning Midnight was very. You used a certain word. And now I can't think of what it is.

[Tina]

If only I had a break, like,

[Hannah]

in conversation with themes, rather than, you know, this, like, oh, I love this character. And they were so warm and I wanted to follow them through the story. No, this was definitely more of an exploration of themes and topics. And then the character that you are following is a curmudgeon. I would totally call her a curmudgeon. For sure.

[Tina]

Perfect. Okay. All right, we'll wrap it up with my shelf edition. And I was meticulously and specifically avoiding books that are coming out in summer because, folks, we're doing our Summer Bonanza episode next week. Next week you'll be able to hear that, and I cannot wait. So excited. However, I went for fall for this one. And I am Bringing Hollow Bones by Jodi Picoult. Jodi Pico is an author I love. I've been reading her as pretty much as long as I've been a reader. And this one, she is taking on something that happened on September 11th. So it says, on September 11th, 2001, when Molly Fitzgerald was only two months old, her mother went into an appointment at the World Trade center and never came home. Her father and stepmother who raised her couldn't have loved her more. But she still grew up with a healthy dread of disasters. As an adult, she runs the Rhode Island Department for Emergency Preparedness. Interesting choice for someone that dreads disasters to really lean in and seek out that profession, but fair. And she maps out ways to save lives during storms, epidemics, and Airplane crashes. She and her husband Jesse, a police polygraph expert with his own history of crisis, have found a love that is a solace in a dangerous world. But then the unexpected upends their new marriage, leading them both to. To question everything they thought they knew. This does move between the past and the present, which I think is important to out. And that's what this one's about. I am curious. I do typically trust and enjoy Jodi Pico's books. I like books that are in and around September 11, for better or worse to say that. And I'm curious. It's actually interesting. Pub day. This one comes out on September 15th of this year. So almost during that same time of year I'll be reading it. It has really excellent early reviews in NetGalley. It's five star with like over, like over 200. Yeah. With like about 200 or so ratings currently. So I think that says, you know, gives me hope. This one is Hollow Bones by Jody Picoult.

[Hannah]

Okay, I, I forget that you have like read Jody's books and you kind of have a good idea of what her books are like. And I, I'm excited. I hope that you end up reading this one and talking about it because I want to hear you talk.

[Tina]

People are. Early reviews are saying this is an old school Jody book, which is catnip for me. Yes.

[Hannah]

Okay, that sounds great. Mine is also a September release. This one comes out on September 8th and it's a romance and it's called Love Felt like this by Julie Olivia. And this one is about Griffin Harvey, who lives his life in the spotlight. And that is very reluctant on his his part. He is a brooding famous singer songwriter and he is on the cusp of composing his sophomore album. If only he could find the notes. But after gaining custody of his two year old daughter, the only music that he's been writing is about shapes and counting to 10. Then we get Beverly, who lives her life in the background producing children's television and laughter. I'm thinking like Miss Rachel type vibes. I don't know. That's kind of what I'm thinking thinking, which I love that if that's the case. But Joy has been hard to find for her because it's hard to find when her nonprofit is losing its funding. She sinks all of her savings to revive the children's show by herself. But when her variety show appearance collides with Griffin's, their banter and chemistry is caught on live television. Suddenly, Griffin is singing a new tune. He needs a muse and Beverly needs all the help she can get. With his secret daughter in tow, they hide out in her cozy mountain hometown, attempting to script, compose, and revive that television magic. Their dynamic shouldn't work. But of course, as we know, it does. And what happens when it seems that the true magic might actually be found in each other? I can't wait to find out. I'm excited for this one. I like kind of that Forest Proxy trope, and I haven't read A Forced Proximity in a while. And this sounds like a cute version of that. That is Love Felt like this by Julie Olivia.

[Tina]

Good. I feel like we needed something lighter after some of the books that we bought today.

[Hannah]

I know we brought some heavy ones,

[Tina]

pretty heavy hitters today, so I'm glad that that one, you know, we end with a little bit of a light note.

[Hannah]

Yes.

[Tina]

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

[Hannah]

If you'd like to connect with us, you can email us at booktalk. Etc. Mail.com. you can also connect with us both at Booktok. Etc. On Instagram and YouTube. You can find Tinabrec and Hannah at handpickedbooks. Talk to you next week. And in the meantime, remember, everything's better with books. Here we go.

[Tina]

Here we go. A little asmr.

[Hannah]

Okay.

[Tina]

Oh, tap, tap, tap.

[Hannah]

Or no.

[Tina]

Oh, I hate that. No, I don't like that you hate that.

[Hannah]

It doesn't give you the fuzzy. Like the.

[Tina]

No, it makes my teeth hurt.

[Hannah]

Oh, teeth hurt.

[Tina]

Oh, yes. Okay, so what. What it reminds me of is going to make my teeth hurt. The thought of. I can't even tell you. The thought of teeth rubbing on fabric makes me gag.

[Hannah]

That is a weird one. That's a weird one.

[Tina]

Is it?

[Hannah]

You know, I just. I've never heard that. I have my weird things, too, and I'm thinking about them right now. That make my.

[Tina]

It's like a nails on the chalkboard feeling. But my fingers.

[Hannah]

The tips of my fingers get really pruny. Like, when I think about it, there isn't a right word. Like hot isn't the right word. Tingly isn't fully the right word, but, like, kind of in that vein. Like, my. The tips of my fingers will get really, like, hot and tingly and almost numb if I think about a sound or texture that I don't like. But my teeth don't hurt.

[Tina]

Well, my teeth hurt. Oh.

[Hannah]

I don't know why that is so.

[Tina]

So weird.

[Hannah]

Funny, I've never thought about people having different physiological responses to sensory sensitivities.

[Tina]

What if you, like. Like nails on a chalkboard? Does that do anything to you? You?

[Hannah]

I don't love it, but it's not my worst one.

[Tina]

Okay. Okay. Does it make your teeth hurt or your fingers tingle?

[Hannah]

Makes my fingers tingle.

[Tina]

Really?

[Hannah]

Yeah. Makes my fingers tingle. My teeth don't ever hurt when I experience a sensory meltdown.