Book Talk, etc. — "Easily Distracted by New Releases"

Hosts: Tina (@tbretc), Hannah (@hanpickedbooks)
Episode Date: September 9, 2025
Theme: In this episode, Tina and Hannah revel in their shared tendency to be drawn to the latest book buzz and dazzling new releases. They discuss viral documentaries, highly anticipated novels, and tackle the ever-present issue of managing their ever-growing TBRs (To Be Read lists). The conversation is filled with relatable bookworm confessions, practical reading strategies, and candid, humorous reviews of both books and other media they’ve recently enjoyed.

Episode Overview

Tina and Hannah open up about being easily distracted by new book releases and trends, sharing thoughts on the overwhelming nature of TBRs and recent viral reads/watches. This week’s episode includes discussions about a new Netflix documentary, recent and upcoming novels, methods of handling your TBR, and shelf additions with striking covers. The hosts keep things lively, candid, and deeply relatable for fellow book lovers who feel "behind" on their reading and can’t help but keep adding more.

Notable Moments & Key Discussion Points

Rainy Days, AIM Usernames, and Nostalgia

• [00:57]: Tina and Hannah bond over rainy Midwest weather and their childhood AIM usernames.
  • Tina: “Don’t lose your whimsy now that you’re in kindergarten. Like, listen to the sound and smell it.”
  • Hannah: “[My] first AIM username was ‘Smell the Rain.’”
• Discussion about the changing internet landscape as parents and concerns for their kids online.

Mutual Loving Lately: Unknown Caller: The High School Catfish

• [03:32–12:18]
  Netflix Documentary Review (No Spoilers)
• Both hosts were swept up in the viral true crime documentary:
  • Set in a small Michigan town, it follows a teenager receiving increasingly vulgar anonymous texts over 18 months.
  • Tina warns: "Stop posting spoilers, you jerks!" ([04:21])
• Impressions:
  • Tina: “Immediately the vibes in this whole town are off…this is a weird group of individuals.” ([06:37])
  • Hannah: “You're gonna think things while you're watching it and be like, well, why didn’t they do this? Or, why not this? And you have to trust the process…” ([05:50])
  • Both felt the documentary was a well-executed psychological exploration, leaves you unsettled, and sparks discussions on technology, online safety, and potential changes in laws around cyberbullying.
  • Hannah: “Dustin and I, at the end of it, we're like, we don't feel right. I just don’t feel right. Like, what the hell did we just watch?” ([11:28])
• Recommended for “Truth is Stranger Than Fiction” fans and those interested in social commentary via true crime.

LATEST READS

Best Offer Wins by Marissa Cascino (Tina)

• [12:57]
• Early review: “This is a very early review as this does not come out until November 25th…[but] I have to finish this.”
• Plot: Margot Miyake is obsessed with buying her dream home after 18 months and 11 lost bidding wars in D.C. suburbs. Her desire becomes unhinged—"a little stalking, harmless, a little bit of trespassing, necessary." Dark humor, backstory-driven, and an “unhinged protagonist.”
• Tina: “If you like Julie Chan is Dead, you will love this. It’s that same dark humor and binge-worthiness.” ([16:13])
  “I called this a flawless thriller... Bravo to the debut author.”
• Hannah: “I love it when it’s a debut too.” ([17:07])

The Summer I Turned Pretty, Series by Jenny Han (Hannah)

• [17:41]
• Hannah reread the whole series, calling it a “quintessential young adult romance,” but finds the TV series adaptation might be even better for new adult readers.
• “The books do read pretty young, and I do question if I would have enjoyed this fandom if I had not read the books a decade or more ago and didn't have that nostalgia.” ([20:42])
• Recommendation: Good for nostalgic fans or younger audiences, or just watch the show if coming to the story fresh.

The TBR Conundrum: Can You Ever Get to TBR Zero?

• [21:56–32:01]
• Tina: “If you are someone who cares about the number of books on your tbr, what do you do when you find new books to add?... Is it possible to get to TBR0 and do we want to?” ([22:47])
• Discussion of chaos vs. organization; physical vs. digital TBRs.
• Strategies from listeners:
  • Regular TBR “audits”—removing anything you’re no longer excited about.
  • “Three books from the shelf before buying/donating” and “ten before the end” challenges.
  • Using tags in Libby, StoryGraph ‘Up Next,’ or a picker wheel for decision-making.
  • “Some people said they don't want to get to TBR0 and the idea gives them anxiety. It just. Just, you know, sort of like, I'm like, I never thought about that, but I could see why that would freak you out.” ([30:54])
  • Favorite comment: “I’ll be taking my TBR to the afterlife…I’m a dragon, and it is my hoard.” ([31:27])
• Both hosts feel solidarity with the “chaotic” TBR crowd, but are always tempted by new methods for control.

TBR Knock-Offs & Recent Reads

Every Step She Takes by Allison Cochran (Tina)

• [32:25]
• Sapphic romance set on Portugal’s Camino de Santiago and “auto-read author” for Tina.
• Standout scenes: “I laughed out loud, like I screamed when what happened, happened on the plane when she comes out, it was so funny…just a genuine funny moment.” ([34:30])
• Mixed review: Enjoyed side characters, wanderlust, humor, and representation, but found the lead a bit too awkward and the pacing slow. Rated 3.5 stars.

Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood (Hannah)

• [36:59]
• Age-gap, brother’s best friend romance set in Sicily, with vivid travel details at a wedding villa.
• Hannah: “Usually with Ali Hazelwood, I love the male lead and have a hard time with the female main character. But in this one, I really was not into the hero at all and was way more interested in our leading lady.” ([39:26])
• Not her favorite of Hazelwood’s, but fun, atmospheric, and good for fans who want a taste of Italy.

The Dead Husband Cookbook by Danielle Valentine (Tina)

• [41:18]
• Genre-blending thriller/horror: celebrity chef with a possibly murderous past; new memoir editor sent to her farm; recipes with “scorned wife meatballs.”
• “I thought it was so clever…It’s kind of a slow build. You get this sense of paranoia. You get a bit of a creepy house story…It was a fabulous time and a great distraction if you are in need of one.” ([44:09])

Happiness and Love by Zoe Dubno (Hannah)

• [45:16]
• Literary, “brutal” social satire set over the course of a single night at a dinner party in NYC’s art world.
• “If you do not like stream of consciousness books, you need to stay far away from this one…Our main character is attending this dinner party and she is basically just reaming everybody in her head the entire time she is there.” ([46:07])
• Short, sharp, and recommended for fans of internal voice and biting wit.

Shelf Additions: Gorgeous Covers Getting All the Attention

Play Nice by Rachel Harrison (Tina)

• [49:05]
• “It’s not fall if you’re not getting a new Rachel Harrison.”
• About an influencer haunted by a family past—literal and figurative demons in a “possessed house.”
• Tina: “This one also matches my manicure very nicely, so I wanted to draw attention to that because that’s important.” ([50:08])
• Light satirical horror with a great cover.

Full Bloom by Francesca Saratella (Hannah)

• [51:56]
• Iris, heartbroken and stuck in NYC, is transformed by a magical perfume created by a mysterious neighbor; confidence and opportunity ensue, but at a steep price.
• “Magical realism doesn’t always work for me, but I’m so intrigued by this tie-in with perfume.” ([53:09])
• Both hosts note the beauty of the cover and their drawn-to-covers purchasing habits.

Memorable Quotes

• “If you like stories like the Truth is Stranger Than Fiction type deal, might I recommend…” (Tina, [12:12])
• “You are my people, you are us, we are you. Our team. My TBR is behind me. It's true chaos.” (Tina, [25:11])
• On finishing your TBR: “I'll be taking my TBR to the afterlife.” ([31:10])
• “I'm a dragon, and [my TBR] is my hoard.” ([31:32])
• “I don't want to have that much interaction with anybody throughout the day.” (Tina, on the documentary texts, [09:17])
• “What would I read if no one was watching? And I don’t know the answer to that.” (Tina, [27:36])
• “I love that Mal is filthy rich because I love a rich character. I'm shallow, what can I say?” (Tina, [35:11])

Episode Flow by Timestamp

• 00:00–3:32: Banter, rain, nostalgia, internet.
• 03:32–12:18: Deep dive: “Unknown Caller: The High School Catfish"
• 12:57–21:55: Latest reads: "Best Offer Wins," "The Summer I Turned Pretty"
• 21:56–32:01: TBR chaos, strategies, audience insights
• 32:25–41:18: Recent reads: "Every Step She Takes," "Problematic Summer Romance"
• 41:18–48:43: "The Dead Husband Cookbook," "Happiness and Love"
• 49:05–54:08: Shelf Additions: Covers, upcoming books, wrap-up

Overall Tone

The episode is informal, witty, and full of good-natured ribbing, with the hosts swapping bookish anxieties and relatable struggles. Plenty of laughter, confession, and practical advice make it equally comforting and motivating for listeners who have their own growing stacks of unread books.

For Listeners Who Missed It

This episode offers empathy for distracted readers, solid book recs across genres, and practical ideas for anyone who is overwhelmed by their TBR list. It’s also a great listen if you want to feel “seen” as a book lover whose list just keeps growing.

Main message:
Embrace your bookish chaos, indulge in new releases, and remember: “Everything’s better with books.”