Easily Distracted by New Releases (September 2025)

Summary

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.

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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.

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Notable Moments & Key Discussion Points

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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])

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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

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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.

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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.”

Transcript

[A]

I just noticed there's a bunch of spiderwebs on my mic or my camera. Why do you come?

[B]

I can hear them.

[A]

They're just like one or two wisps. But I'm like, of all places, like, I'm here every week. Welcome to Book Talk Etc, a podcast bound to grow your tbr. I'm Tina from TBR Etc.

[B]

And I'm Hannah from Hand Picked Book.

[A]

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 really leaned in and we're sharing our thoughts on some new releases.

[B]

If you enjoy listening, we'd love for you to follow us on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app. And if you have a quick minute, please consider leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts or sharing us on social media. It truly helps us connect with other book lovers.

[A]

Hey, Hannah, how are you?

[B]

Hey, Tina. I'm doing okay. It is a wonderful, rainy, fallish day over here and I am living for it. How are you?

[A]

Same. I know it was raining. I'm like, lily, Lily, look, it's raining. And she's like, great. It was drizzling while I was at school earlier. I was like, don't lose your whimsy now that you're in kindergarten. Like, listen to the sound and smell it. She was like, okay, mom, she's a big onesy. Don't lose your whimsy. You know, my back.

[B]

My first AIM username AIM was Smell the Rain.

[A]

Yeah, that's a good one. That is on brand. You know, mine was teased 25:50, so less good. You know, I was sports related.

[B]

Or was it just like your name?

[A]

Tina and then. But what's 2550 sports related? That was our. My number. Yeah.

[B]

I was gonna say those sound like sports numbers or like Jersey numbers, I guess you call them.

[A]

Exactly. Sports number. No, sports.

[B]

Like your classic, like, I don't know. Dummy.

[A]

My God. So wait, how old were you when you had your first AOL name? Were you like.

[B]

I mean, I had to have been like middle school or like, okay, late elementary.

[A]

Okay. Yeah. You know, like, maybe I was at.

[B]

Fifth grade or something like that.

[A]

Yeah. Weird, right?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I can't think about being my kids one day, being online. Don't love it.

[B]

I know.

[A]

Don't love it.

[B]

Yeah. And I definitely have not. I don't have bad, bad stories. But there were definitely situations where I'm like, oh, I'm not excited for those things to happen.

[A]

Yeah. Right.

[B]

To my kids.

[A]

Yeah. Probably shouldn't have done that. But anyway, the Internet is a different place now, and that will come into play later on in this episode. Ooh. So I do know you're going to a watch party here in a bit. What are you watching?

[B]

It is the Summer I Turned pretty, of course, and there are only three episodes left, and it's like the last. Last season. So we only three episodes left of the entire show. And I've been doing watch parties with two of my close friends. We don't live in the same states, so they're virtual watch parties, but it's still super fun because we do tele party and we can chat while we're doing it.

[A]

How fun. I love that. Yes. And I had a feeling. I don't watch that show, so I don't know any of the lore, but I was like, I know that's, like, been your obsession, so I'm wondering. I was like, I wonder if it's on today or whatever A little bit.

[B]

More later so I'll. Fabulous space to talk more about. That.

[A]

Sounds good. All right, well, I will dive right into my loving lately. I don't know if I loved this, but I was entertained. And I guarantee you've watched it, Hannah, because I think. Do we have a mutual one? We do. I knew it. I knew it. I knew it. Okay, okay. And I knew you would because there could not be a more viral movie documentary out right now. Like, there could not be a more viral one because our mutual loving lately is unknown. Number the high school catfish is that you're loving lately too?

[B]

Yep, it totally is. And I actually, when I picked it, I was like, I wonder if it's going to be Tina's too. And when we have those joint loving latelys, it's always so fun. So I took a gamble, and I'm so glad that I did. Let's talk about it.

[A]

I had a feeling it would be yours, too. Now, we didn't talk about this in advance, but I just. This was everywhere.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Also, I want to say, stop posting spoilers, you jerks. Like, I.

[B]

So I know.

[A]

I knew what had happened. Like, I had. Anyway, don't look online ever. Like, don't even open any online platform until you watch this, because it's gonna be spoiled. But as we said, it's a documentary. And I would call this a true crime documentary. And essentially the. The program opens and they set the scene. And this is what made me think of you. I was like, if you haven't watched it already, you've got to, because it's set in a small town in Michigan. They set the scene and they're, like, telling you how there's nothing much to do there. You know, there's football. And you can tell that centers on this. The high school in town, or the only school in town, and in particular, this one girl. And on the very beginning, it says, all the texts shown on screen are real. And I was like, got it. I'm hooked. I'm in. And basically, this young girl starts getting a text. Getting texts from an unknown number for a year and a half. And they're really vulgar. It has to do with her boyfriend. And it's like, okay, who's jealous of me? Or she's not saying that necessarily, but they're like, oh, your boyfriend doesn't want you. He wants to be with me. And they get increasingly horrible. And then there's this big bomb that gets dropped maybe halfway through, three quarters of the way through. And that's when everything changes. We will both be very careful in what we say because obviously a part of the fun is in the reveal. But tell me more about what you thought.

[B]

I just thought that the documentary overall was really well done. I thought that the way they told the story was clever because. And again, without spoiling anything, 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 because those questions do get answered. And just know that, like, as you're watching it, you're gonna have questions and you're gonna wonder, why didn't certain parents do this? Or why didn't the kids do this? Or why didn't the police do this?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And almost every question that me and Dustin had, we watched this together this week. Almost all of the questions that we had were answered. And we were like, oh, that's why. Or, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I wanna. Yeah, yeah.

[A]

I right away had a theory, and I was almost right. And I think it's because I watched some. Read so many thrillers. I was like, got it. I know what's going on here. And I think, you know, having read so many thrillers, I am a natural skeptic, right? And I'm like. At first, I had no idea what to expect. I was just, like, letting it wash over me. I was, like, watching. I watched it during the day on my lunch break, because I was like, I wanna. I knew I wanted to watch it. And I was like, oh, it'll be my loving lately. Perfect. So I was just Sitting there, letting it wash over me. And I was like, immediately the vibes in this whole town are off. Right. I'm like, this is a weird group of individuals. And I say that going on.

[B]

Yeah, Yeah, I agree with you totally.

[A]

Even the poor. So there's one girl in particular that has it pretty bad. Right. And things go poorly for her. She's the one who's getting the text in the beginning. Yeah. And her reactions were very stilted and very kind of like emotionally dense almost. Yeah, she was like a little bit just removed.

[B]

Yeah. She was like already totally disassociated.

[A]

Yeah. And it was interesting because it's this emotional thing that's going on. And like, I just was kind of curious about, like, I felt bad for her. Cause I'm like, oh, this thing. Poor girl is traumatized. Right. And you don't know where this is going. And you don't know if they find the person and what's going on, who's behind it and everything else. But I was just sitting there watching, like, oh my gosh. I just felt bad for her. And I was also like.

[B]

Do you feel bad?

[A]

Yeah, I couldn't tell. Yeah, I think that's what it is. Right. I couldn't tell how she was feeling about the situation because I was thinking, if it were me, oh my God, would I have handled it differently? Granted, I'm a four year old woman, but I'm like, in my brain, I'm.

[B]

Like, I think about myself as a kid and I'm like, I don't think I would have handled that the same way.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And even though some of the texts now, are they bullying? Yes. Now, they did get increasingly worse, as we mentioned. But some of those earlier ones, while they weren't kind, they were definitely harassment.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I was like, well, some of these things, it's like you would read them and you'd be like, okay, well, that's not true.

[A]

Yeah. Right.

[B]

Obviously, things I can't like say on the podcast, but just making comments about her body and again, her boyfriend and things like that. But if you were getting those, they said up to 40, 50 times a day and every single day. I mean, that, that's. That would get emotionally taxing regardless of what they were saying. Even if they were saying I love you every time, like, that's a lot.

[A]

I don't want to have that much interaction with anybody throughout the day. Right.

[B]

Blowing up that much.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, it's a lot. And it made me terrified for what's to come with my girls. Just in Terms of phones in general and clicks and social media and being online and, you know, I, I. It's life, right? And I'm sure every nation who's raising kids like ours, you know, they were probably worried about chat rooms and AOL meeting up with people online. Right? I mean, how dare they? But it's like, yeah, that's, I think, what's to come for us. I think what's really interesting about this documentary is that I'm wondering if it's sort of the beginning of what could be increased laws around bullying and cyber stalking and, like, all of those different pieces.

[B]

Agreed. And also phone policies in schools. I mean, this school didn't have a phone policy and weren't planning on implementing one anytime soon. And I just think that's silly because phones are so distracting. I mean, I know even for me, there are times when I have to put my phone in a different room while I'm working or trying to focus on reading, because if you just see those notifications pop up, it's distracting.

[A]

I just got one and it distracted me. Isn't that sad? Literally, it. How do I feel about phones in schools? I am too far removed to have a strong opinion about it. I totally see the distraction. I also completely am like, we live in America and, oh, how often do we have safety, Safety concerns, Right? So I do.

[B]

We put air tags on our kids.

[A]

I literally would love to, like, would love nothing more. Anyway, this was really good. I think this is so. I. It's viral for a reason, and I say viral, you know, I want to be respectful to the people that are involved. But it is just this very fascinating story. You know, Hannah and I love psychology, and so I just look at it from a psychological standpoint. I'm like, what? Like, it's like, right. For dissection, huh?

[B]

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?

[A]

Yeah. It's a fascinating case study. It really, really is. I think it's also, again, a fascinating use of technology and law enforcement and what the rules are and what they're going to be. This. I'm not going to say it. This is. There's just so many things that are to come. It just, It's.

[B]

We can have a mini sidebar when we're done.

[A]

I know, I know, exactly. We're going to have to. So we have to keep this short because obviously there are spoilers. It's like, what is it at 150.

[B]

It's a hour, an hour and a half.

[A]

Yep, hour and a half. All in. You won't regret it. And I think that's where I want to end it. Do you have any lasting thoughts on the High School Catfish?

[B]

I don't.

[A]

I think that's all we could say, pretty much. So feel free to chat, either of us, if and when you do watch this. But our mutual loving, lately that was unplanned was unknown caller, the High School Catfish. I can't believe how viral this thing went. Like, I'm talking. I seen it everywhere. Like, it was crazy.

[B]

No, me too. And of course I, Dustin and I, Tuesday nights is often when we end up, like, watching something together or doing something. Cause it's a night that a lot of times, like, we just don't have a lot going on. But anyway, so that's what we chose to watch last night. And it was partially because I was like, if I see this on my stories one more time and almost get spoiled. I didn't get spoiled for it, thankfully.

[A]

Okay, so we're back. We just had to do a quick 10 minute, no, like 3 minute sidebar. Because again, you've got to do. You got to talk to somebody, somebody about this one. But wow, what a ride that was. But now I feel weird because I'm like, do I go again for my latest read? I suppose so. Right? You do. Okay, I will. And hey, if you like stories like the Truth is Stranger Than Fiction type deal. Might I recommend my latest read because it is Best Offer Wins by Marissa Cascino. And allow me to apologize because this is a very early review as this does not come out until November 25th. But I don't think I realized that. When I picked it up. I was just like, pretty cover. And then I was like, oh, I remember buying a house. It was hell. And then I started reading and next thing I know, I'm like, oh, no, I'm in too deep. Like, I have to finish this. So it is about Margot Miyake, who? I love her. Let's just get that out in the open. She and her husband have been trying to get a house. They've been house hunting in this very hot neighborhood in Washington D.C. in the suburbs for 18 months. And they have lost 11 bidding wars. She's 37 and she is pretty much desperate at this point. But she is unwilling to compromise on certain things. She wants her dream home. They have the money for the dream home. She is going to get her dream home. Then they hear. They hear tell that Their perfect dream house is going to come up for sale in one month. And she and her husband, they used to live in a different house, they sold it and they're like, oh, we'll live in this apartment for, you know, a month or two while we're, you know, waiting to get our forever home. And that turned into 18 months. And it's all tied to a baby. They want to have, you know, more space for a baby. So she's can't get. She's not trying to get pregnant while she's in this apartment. So everything in her life is hinging upon getting her dream home. She's a little out there, so just go with it, right? And so anyway, she becomes obsessed with this house because she hears like, oh my gosh, this house is going to be publicly listed. And she's like, let me just like go see it, you know. So of course she goes over there to sort of case the place, right, and see, like, oh, is this really as good as I think it's going to be? And she soon becomes obsessed with buying the house before it's publicly listed. And the masses descend because what's been happening is people with all cash offers are coming and buying them up. And like, they can't get a place because they need a mortgage. And it says, a little stalking, harmless. A little bit of trespassing necessary. As Margo infiltrates the homeowners lives, her tactics grow increasingly unhinged. But just when she thinks she's won them over, she hits a snag in her plan. Undeterred, she'll prove again and again that there's no boundary she won't cross to seize the dream life she's been chasing. I love this book so much. This had everything. I called it flawless. I already talked about it a little bit on one of my YouTube videos. I call this a flawless thriller because I think it is. I loved everything about it. If you like unhinged protagonists, you've got one. If you like Julie Chan is Dead, you will love this. It's that same dark humor and like, binge worthiness. Same idea. I loved Margot so much. She obviously has a massive rage problem, but she's so wily. It's one of those things where you're like, I would love to do X thing, but then the character actually does it. You get such satisfaction watching her act. I was really rooting for her. I also love that you get a bit a backstory. So she's not just this like, obsessive woman. You figure out why she is obsessed with this perfect home and it has to do with her childhood. And I felt like the author really wrote this character with care and it sort of justifies her behavior almost. There are a lot of threads to pull in this one, but just trust me when I say it was so satisfying to watch them all come together. Just know you're in good hands and enjoy the ride. I cannot believe this is the author's debut. She was on my Media to Follow list. I added her on Fantastic Fiction because I want to read everything she writes. So get this on your radar. Bravo to the debut author. And this is Best Offer Wins by Marissa Cascino.

[B]

I love it when it's a debut too.

[A]

It was so good. I love this book so much. I loved it.

[B]

What a good feeling. I don't know. Have you had that feeling, like recently?

[A]

Yes, with my five star feeling with Addie Kitchens book Dominion, but it had been a long, long, long drought.

[B]

Dry spell, I was going to say. I just feel like you'd had a lot of losses.

[A]

Oh my God, I had a lot of three. Three and a half, four maybe.

[B]

So this was good to have you back in your thriller like heaven universe.

[A]

That's where I want to be, you know.

[B]

Where you want to be. My latest read is the Summer I Turned Pretty the Entire Series by Jenny Han. So I debated for a while if I wanted to bring these books because I reread them. So I first read them back when they came out like a decade plus ago. But I reread them recently and I didn't want to bring each book individually. So I thought that I would kind of bring the collective series because I did read them back to back. I got the box set and just swept my way right through them. So if you are not already familiar, this is a young adult contemporary romance about a girl named Belly. And yes, that is in fact the worst nickname possible for a fictional character named Isabel. But you get used to it. Here we are. But she goes to the beach with the Fisher family every single summer and we follow Belly throughout these three books as she engages in a love triangle with the two Fisher brothers. That is not a spoiler, it's just the main plot of the entire series. And you know this going into it. And while this is a love story, it is also a coming of age story. It's a series about grief and messing up and finding yourself, especially as a young woman who starts the series as a 16 year old teenager. And by the end of the series you're following her throughout the end of her college journey. So I hate to say it, but I do think that with this series overall, in particular, the TV show adaptation might be better, just maybe. And I think it's because it's a TV series with movies, I feel like that's more rare. But I think with TV series, they can really flesh things out more. However, I loved reading this alongside rewatching the episodes. It was really fun to see what the very small differences and similarities were. And the actors and actresses in the series narrate the audiobook, and then they put some of the audiobook narration over the TV series so that you kind of get their narration and their POV in the series. So it was really fun to see what they changed from the two and what they kept the same. And I thought that that was a really sweet addition, especially if you're listening to the audiobooks or reading the books and watching the show simultaneously. And it was just really fun to see the creative direction that Jenny Han took with the show versus the books. 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 going back into the world. And these characters, we just don't get as much development from some of the key characters in the love triangle and the supporting characters as well until book three. And I feel like the books themselves could have even been a little bit longer so that we could have seen that development like we did in the TV show. I do think that we see Jenny Han grow in her storytelling and get more confidence in the series that she wrote after this one. To all the boys I've loved before, to which I will say those books are definitely better than their movie adaptation adaptations. Overall, this is just such a sweet summer series that I would recommend especially to a younger audience. If you're reading the books, I think these are just quintessential young adult romance books. But if you're going into this story for the first time as an adult, I recommend perhaps just watching the show and suspending your disbelief at the entire love triangle situation between two brothers. And that is the Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han.

[A]

Oh, good job, boy. I was. I'm like, maybe I need to read them. But then I was like, I don't like coming of age and I don't like young. So probably not. Maybe when my girls want to read it in some years from now, I can read it before them and read it with them. But I'm glad you've been immersed in your enjoy in your reread.

[B]

Gotta have our things.

[A]

Like mine was the Hunger Games earlier when I read literally all of them this year. All of them again for the third time. Well, some of them for the third time, but at any rate, you almost had me adding it to my tbr. But speaking of tbr, I thought we could have a very fun chat about something that's been weighing heavily on my mind. And I don't know why I overthink certain things that deal with books, for example star ratings, for example tbr, but I do, I just overthink them. And my recent thought I made a TikTok video about and it ended up having a lot of good conversations from it. And the question I posed was this. 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? So is it a one in one out situation? Or do you have multiple TBRs in multiple places? Or are you a true chaos reader who doesn't really have a tbr? And I guess the central question I am asking all of you, including Hannah, is, is it possible to get to TBR0 and do we want to.

[B]

Is it possible? For me, Yeah. I don't know. I thought that I was being ambitious at the beginning of the year when I wanted to get my tbr and I'm, I'm talking about my physical tbr, so not my ephemeral tbr, yes. But my actual physical. The books in my house that I want to read. I wanted to get it down to 100 earlier in the year and I was like, do I make a goal where I get it down to a hundred? And that felt almost impossible to me.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

And I haven't done that yet. However, we're going to be moving soon and I would love to downsize. So maybe that would be a good test and I can report back.

[A]

Yes, I would love that.

[B]

How about you? When you. Yeah, and are you talking about a physical TBR or are you kind of speaking to that, like ephemeral tbr?

[A]

I was talking about the ephemeral tbr. So I sort of in, in fact, I literally only realized just recently I would say within the last, I don't know, year or so that people, when they say their tbr, literally mean a tbr, the physical, whether it's physical copies or they're listing Goodreads or they're listing storygraph, whatever, they literally have a list. And I'm like me in my head, it's Just this. Oh, it's the tbr. It's over here, it's over there. Who knows? It's just the tbr, you know what I mean?

[B]

My whole, the books you want to read.

[A]

My whole handle is tbr, right? And it doesn't really exist. Personally would love to make a for real tbr. I want to start at zero, literally. I don't know where I will do this. I'm like, I know gas, right? Start at 0 and then add things to my TBR, whether they are the physical copies I own, if they are the online copies I want. But my problem with that was I add stuff to my TBR daily. It feels like. So then I just started thinking like, are there people that actually get through their tbr? And I had some great suggestions. Most people are like us and they said they just add to their TBR with abandon. And to that I say, you are my people, you are us, we are you, our team. My TBR is behind me. It's true chaos. But I would, I always would strive. I think I'm always striving to be a little more organized. So that's sort of how I am. I currently have two TBRs going, but I might edit my process. Like I said, I have my story graph and that's my TBR for real. Has about a hundred books on it. And then I know I'm missing a lot though. That's the thing. I know I'm missing a ton. Then on Goodreads it has 488. And that is my catch all. Anything that sounds interesting, I throw it on there. And it also includes books that I might not want to read myself, but I think it would be good for me to bookmark for patrons or for content or whatever. And I just sort of, I'm like, oh, good to know they're coming out with a new book. Book. So some of the suggestions that folks provided, they said that they audit their TBR often, which I loved. I love that. I love an audit of the tbr. I do that myself. And basically you just look at your list and say, do I want to read this? Do I not want to read this? If so, why not? That sort of thing, right? Go line by line and take stuff, take stuff off.

[B]

That's kind of what I do. I need to do my audit more often. But. But I, I like that option.

[A]

Yeah, I like it too. Then someone else said that they have a goal to read at least three books on their physical TBR in an attempt to dwindle down their bookshelves. Because they don't usually keep books after they read them. And they also do a 10 before the end and if they don't get to them, they get donated, which I kind of like. I like that idea of having your physical tbr. I would love to audit the books that I have behind me because Lord knows there's a million and really taking stock. I think where it gets challenging for you and. And probably other book content creators is that we get so many books sent to us, which incredible gift. But also I'm like, okay, do I really want to read this? Or you know, like. Because I like having them for content creation purposes, but then I have to be really good about, you know, giving them away and putting them in little free libraries or donating.

[B]

Yeah. And having the access to knowing that so many more books exist than if we were just regularly consuming these books or walking into a bookstore and just picking up what sounded good, you know, it's again, amazing that there are so many good books out there to read and that we have access to so many of them. But it's also daunting because now we know that all of these exist and it makes it harder to choose.

[A]

Yeah. And I feel like my reading is really influenced pretty heavily by what I get sent or books that come out in the alc. For Libro. For Libro fm we get advanced listening copies every month. And you know, I'll sort of listen to what's in there and like, not. It's not a bad thing. But I do sometimes wonder, like, what would I read if no one was. Was watching? And I don't know the answer to that. Yeah, same someone else said that they use storygraph in their Up Next section, which helps them prioritize. I love that. Always want to plug story graph where we can because they have some of these great features I think that really will help handle your TBR and get a grip on it. Somebody used their tags in Libby, which is another really great tip that I have forgotten about. And they basically tag it as fiction or nonfiction. And that's their way of saying, okay, this is on my tbr. And then when they have nothing to read, they say scroll and they basically do the what's Available app. It'll say like now available, and they'll scroll until they see something tagged. Which I thought was so smart, you know.

[B]

Yeah, it is so smart. And I like the idea of using tags for multiple purposes. The only tag that I have in Libby, but I do use it religiously, is every once in a While I will go to my physical TBR and then I will look up those books on Libby and I will tag them as owned books. But I want to listen to them them. And so because I. I'm just in a season of life where I'm listening to my books primarily, but I want to be focusing on the ones that I own physically so that if I love them, I can have them on my shelves. And if I don't end up loving it, I can donate it. And that can be another book off of my physical shelf and physical tbr. So I definitely would recommend that if you have a large physical TBR but are listening to audiobooks or you want to listen to some of those books as audiobooks, you can use that tag Fe. I also have it as a tag in Libro FM of books that I have on Libro that I also own physically. So that could be a way that you could knock some extra books off as well.

[A]

That's a really smart idea. I do have tags in Libby. I don't use them. The only one I have is the smart tag titles I've borrowed. And then smart tag. Notify me when you know a book I want. I have so many on that list.

[B]

Which is so nice, especially if the book isn't released yet, but your library is planning on purchasing it when it's released. You can kind of be the first to know when they have it. So that you can get on that holds list immediately.

[A]

Exactly. And someone had this really great idea. They said they use a wheel, and once that wheel is done, they make a new wheel with new books on it. And you could use any sort of wheel. You can use a picker wheel, a wheel of names. And Canva even has one that you can make, which I thought was so fun. Yeah. Where you can. Yeah. And I could show it on the screen here. But basically it's like, I guess like an. It's. I didn't even know Canva had apps, but they have an app within the platform that allows you to make your own wheel. Very cool. So many and something I never considered. And I really appreciate this perspective. Someone said that many people said actually that they don't want to get to TBR0 and that the idea gives them anxiety. And I'm like, I can totally see that. It makes perfect sense. I completely respect that. 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. I do sometimes think in my brain, I'm like, have I read all the good books that there are, and I know I haven't, but, like, what if I have? You know, which is silly because of course I haven't, but the things that.

[B]

Make us anxious about our hobbies.

[A]

Oh, I know. Like I said, overthink it. And then my final point is my favorite. Or I should say some of these comments are my favorite. Someone says, I'll be taking my TBR in the. I will. I will be taking my TBR to. To the afterlife.

[B]

That's. I completely support that as well. And I feel the same way.

[A]

And then someone else says, oh, obviously I screenshot them, but don't add them to my list. My TBR is ever grow. So, yeah, somebody said, obviously I screenshot them, but don't add them anywhere, basically. And I've done that too. And then someone else said, my TBR is ever growing. I'm a dragon, and it is my horse, and I. I'm a dragon. I love it. So thanks to folks who left their comments. I just thought that was so funny. And I was like, I thought, surely I'm the only one who thinks about these things, but apparently not. There was plenty to chat about.

[B]

I'm really glad that you took us through all of those comments because I was going to ask what people had to say and you delivered.

[A]

Yeah, and we'll link to the actual post, too, so you can see. I mean, there's nothing crazy, but it was. It was funny to be nice to see. Yeah, it was funny to go through it. But all of this to say, do you want to dive into the books that we did knock off our tbr?

[B]

Let's dive right in. What have you got for us, Tina?

[A]

Okay. All right. First up is a book that was indeed on my tbr, and it also was sent to me. Thank you very much to Atria for sending this is Every Step She Takes by Allison Cochran. And when I got this in the mail, I was like, I need it immediately. I'm going to read this as soon as possible. And I did end up reading this before it was. Was published, which I always love when I do. The reason I said I wanted to read it immediately, it's because it's a Sapphic novel and it's set on Portugal's Camino de Santiago. And I've always, like, had an idea that I would like to walk that someday. I read a book years ago about it, and I was like, that sounds awesome. Right? And anyway, I was like, I love the setup for this. So I also was excited because Allison Cochran is an auto read author of Mine. I love the charm offensive. I loved Here we go Again. They were both 5 stars. I DNF'd kiss her once for me. So I was like, where is this gonna go? So I did have high expectations going into this one. And this is about 35 year old Seattleite Sadie Wells, who needs an escape. She's desperate to escape her monotonous routine and the family business that has consumed her entire life. And she also recently has had what they're calling gay panic. Panic. And she begins questioning everything she thought she knew about herself. Her sister is a total opposite. She is this wild child, always traveling, you know, little, few responsibilities. She's an influencer, but she ends up injuring herself. And so she was supposed to go on this trip on the Camino de Santiago and her sister Sadie, our main character, takes her place. But what her sister didn't tell her, as you can tell, I had feelings about the sister. What the sister neglected to tell Sadie is that, hey, guess what? It's a tour for all queer people. And that would have been good information for Sadie to have. She is a nervous flyer. She doesn't travel often. And so on the plane she has three glasses of wine and she's also panicking because she's sitting next to a beautiful person named Mal and she's like, oh my God, that person's stunning. What's going on? You know, but ends up drinking a lot. And then there's, there's heavy turbulence and Sadie's like, I'm literally going to die on this flight. This is horrible. And so she ends up confessing her secrets to her seatmate, Mal. When I tell you that I laughed out loud, like I screamed when what happened, happened on the plane when she comes out, it was so funny, like just a genuine funny moment. Because who hasn't been on an airplane when there's a little more turbulence than you prefer? It was just perfection. It was so good. But of course, Mal is also on this Camino tour. And anyway, they're set off on this 200 mile trek that will be a journey of self discovery, whether she wants it to be or not. And Mal is this very interesting character of her own and she calls herself her queer godmother, basically and is sort of helping Sadie come out and, you know, sort of get more confidence. Mal has her own issues and it's a romance, as you might imagine, and so things go in a certain direction. What I loved about this is that it gave me wanderlust. It increased my desire to someday walk the Camino. It again made me laugh in certain scenes. I thought it was really funny sometimes. I love that Mal is filthy rich because I love a rich character. I'm shallow, what can I say? Not really. But I just love in my fiction when I could live vicariously and be like what? What would you do if you could buy anything that you wanted? So I really enjoyed that. There's also this really great cast of side characters. As much as I like this. I didn't love it though as much as the other two and I can't really put my finger on it. It it wasn't at I don't know if it had as much depth as I liked. There was a lot of pining. I think they this book is a real slow burn and I'm not even that, you know, a person that loves open door scenes, but this one was pretty slow. I also hate to say it, but I Sadie kind of bugged me like she really did in certain sections. I was like, come on. Just she was so awkward. Like so overly awkward. I'm like, we get it. You're quirky. We got it. Still, I definitely recommend this. I gave it three and a half stars. I'm glad I read it and I will continue to read everything that Allison Cochran writes. It just wasn't a full slam dunk as some of the other ones that I brought today. But this book is Every Step She Takes by Allison Cochran.

[B]

Great review and we are just super in sync today because I am also bringing a romance that also gave me wanderlust and the hero is also filthy rich. So I am bringing Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood this was Ali Hazelwood's summer romance release and this is a book about Maya Kilgore, who is 23 and she is still figuring out who she is and what she wants. And it's also about Connor Harkness, who is 38, successful, and unfortunately the one man that Maya can't stop thinking about. He also happens to be her brother's best friend, which of course makes him completely off limits. Connor insists that their age gap and the power dynamic make any relationship between the two of them impossible, and he has made it clear that Maya should move on and not think about him as anymore. But then her brother's wedding takes them both to Taormina, where they end up sharing a gorgeous villa on the Sicilian coast. And between breathtaking ruins, seaside caves, and all of the wedding chaos, Maya starts to wonder if Connor is hiding more than he's letting on. And maybe A summer fling, messy, complicated and totally against the rules is exactly what they both, both need. I have read a lot of Ali Hazelwood's books now and what I will say about her is that I don't think she's an author where you can love all of her books. She writes so widely and so much and so many of her books just have a different vibe depending on if she's writing a billionaire romance like this one, or a sports romance or young adult or a stem romance. She. She even went totally out of her normal wheelhouse when she wrote Bride, which.

[A]

Is a. Oh yeah, it's like a werewolf one, right?

[B]

Yeah, exactly. I will say her contemporary books are definitely in my wheelhouse and I thought that this was really fun, albeit not my favorite book by her. There was a lot that I liked about this one, but also some things that I didn't. We'll start with the setting. I loved that this had this Sicilian setting. All of her other books have been based in the US that I have read, so this was different and really fun. I thought that it was really an atmospheric setting, not just a backdrop to the story because we got to go to a pasta making class with them and we got to visit ruins and go sightseeing so you really feel like you are there. And then usually with Ali Hazelwood, I love the male lead and have a hard time with the female man character. But in this one I really was not into the hero at all and was way more interested in our leading lady. I had such a hard time with how often he reminded Maya of how old he was. And bear in mind, we're talking about someone in their 20s and someone in their 30s. So this isn't a totally bananas age gap. We're talking about two adults, one in their 20s, one in their 30s. And his constant reminder of their age gap trap was a little bit tiring. We get it. His age makes him forbidden. He's a brother's best friend, which also makes him forbidden, even though they are both adults. However, Maya was fun and smart and honestly, nothing about her annoyed me at all. She was just a great heroine and I loved that. I would have read a book just about her and she is what made this story worth it for me paired with with the setting. While this wasn't my favorite of Ali Hazelwood's books, I really enjoyed it and it was a perfect story to wrap up my summer reading and that was problematic. Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood.

[A]

Good. I love the idea of an author writing a story in another country. And sort of I'm just envisioning her being like, all of my books have been set in the US we need to take a trip to Italy so that I can do research. You know what I mean? Like, why not? Why not do that? I also feel like Alison Cochran, I think she said her book was inspired by her own trip as well, if I am not mistaken.

[B]

I love that.

[A]

Yes. She decided to track the Portuguese coastal route in the midst of a debilitating case of writer's block. And you could totally see that it's very much steeped in this novel, which I liked.

[B]

Love it.

[A]

Next for me is one that I wasn't planning to read, but it is the Dead Husband Cookbook by Danielle Valentine. And I say I wasn't going to read it. I don't know why. It has a gorgeous cover. It's a hand squishing something that looks like a heart by design. And I think it's. It could be food, but who knows what it is? But what happened? I was looking for a book, desperately searching. And like I said earlier, sometimes Libro FM influences the books that I'm going to read. And this one happened to be there as one of the ALCs. I was like, ah, let me throw it on as I'm cooking. And what, what a delight that was. And immediately I kind of got hooked from the get go because this book is about a celebrity chef named Maria. Now Maria is a household name. She's an inspiration. She is an icon. Think Ina Garten and Martha Stewart wrapped up into one. And she is infamous because she used to be the wife of a famous chef named Damien. And then Damien disappeared 20 years ago. And then she sort of stepped into the spotlight and had this fabulous career of her own. She never talked about what happened to Damien publicly until now when it is announced that she is looking for a publisher for her memoir. And so everyone's like, oh my God, is she going to tell the story of what happened to this guy right now? I thought that's what this whole book centered on. This book actually centers on Thea. Thea is the editor of this book. And Thea is this woman who works in publishing. And she has had this pretty spectacular fall from grace. And she had a good reason for doing what she did, but this is her last chance, basically. And so she ends up, this woman ends up saying, the only editor I want is Thea Woods. And their publishing house is kind of like, okay, why? Right? Like they're not sure why. They only want Thea. Obviously they gotta do it. Great. And Maria has some very interesting stipulations. She's overly concerned with people stealing the memoir and leaking it early. So she makes Thea move to her cabin to edit the pages, live and in person. Basically turns out, too, that Thea is a lifelong fan. And she's like, this is my dream job. I don't know how I got so lucky. And then she ends up moving to this remote farm for a short period of time. And she's also low key, curious, because she really wants to know again. She's been a fan of this woman forever. She wants to know, like, did you really kill Damien? Because they have this rumor that her husband's ashes are what the secret ingredient is in all her stuff. Because she does this thing where she's like, every family has its secrets, and it's her secret ingredient. Very clever. So I love that that was incorporated. It was kind of whimsical. And I really was wondering, like, okay, you know, what happened? And she plays with the reader very well. I love the way the story was told because you are in the moment with Thea as you're in the farmhouse, but you are also in Maria's moments. And you find out about her when she was young with Damien, and then they find out early in their relationship. And she also incorporates recipes in between each scene. And so. And they're not just any recipe. It's like, oh, the scorned wife meatballs. And, like, she'll give you that recipe, but tie that into whatever scene was done previously. I thought it was so clever. You are going to get that. It's kind of a slow build. You get this sense of paranoia. You get a bit of a creepy house story. And I have to say, I thought this was very entertaining. It's an isolated setting, and I do think this would be a good entry point into Fall. You will get all of your questions answered. Just be patient. It's one of those stories where you're watching the characters and reading through them and you're like, I feel like they might be bad people, but also, I'm enjoying this very much. And you, you do find out in the end what happens to everybody. So, overall, I highly recommend this. I thought it was a fabulous time and a great distraction if you are in need of one. So that book is the Dead Husband Cookbook by Danielle Valentine.

[B]

Well, I know you love a fall from Grace novel, and I'm glad that this one worked for you. My next book and last is Happiness and Love by Zoe Dubno. I brought this book to September's Books on the Radar episode two episodes ago, so I am proud of myself for getting to it it so quickly. I know this book follows our narrator years after walking away from New York's pretentious art world, and she is finding herself back in the city and is still haunted by the recent death of her former best friend Rebecca. She plans to stay far from her old circle of artists until she unexpectedly runs into Eugene, who was one half of the power couple at the center of it all. Against her better judgment, she accepts his invitation to a dinner party. But this is not a memorial for Rebecca. Instead, it is a gathering to honor a young, newly famous actress who also happens to be hours late for this event. As the guests sip natural wine and fill the time with pretentious chatter, our narrator sits back and skewers them in her mind. She talks about their vanity, their shallow relationships, and their complete moral emptiness. And when the actress finally arrives, she sparks a chain of events that will unravel the evening and expose just how hollow all of their glamorous lives really are. This book, for lack of a better word, and if I could review it in just one word, would just be brutal. This book was so brutal. What I did like about it is that it takes place in a single night and I love books that play with time like that and they happen in a very short period of time. But you're getting this, this full story, or at least a full perspective of the things that happened. Our main character is attending this dinner party and she is basically just reaming everybody in her head the entire time she is there. We are completely inside of her head in her inner world and we are getting her complete stream of consciousness. This is literally pages and pages of her internal thoughts. If you do not like stream of consciousness books, you need to stay far away from this one. This one worked for me and I think I was able to find enjoyment in it because it was only 220or so pages. If this book had been any longer like a fully fledged 400 plus page book, I would not have been able to manage. It was just so much. I saw a lot of reviews use the word vitriolic when it came to this protagonist honest thoughts and I completely agree, but they were also smart and poignant and she was also funny. You know, a lot of times books like this where they're talking about these pretentious artists or they're talking about class and eat the rich. A lot of times they're really funny and this one was no different. I guess that this book is based off of Thomas Bernhard's the Woodcutter, which I am personally unfamiliar with. But I thought that I would mention it because I saw that a lot when I was doing some research on this book. Book. And if you are familiar with it, that might give you a better idea of what to expect going into the story and if you will or will not enjoy this one. But I thought that this was a good and brutal time. It was about four stars for me. And that is Happiness and Love by Zoe Dubno.

[A]

Good, I'm glad you brought that one. I remember you bringing it to Books on the Radar and we were kind of like, what's this about? Like, even after we both read it. And I was like, I don't know. I don't know that I could tell you. But now I feel like I have a better handle on it. Thank you.

[B]

Yes, well, once I read it, I was able to more accurately describe what the book was about, I feel like. So that always helps.

[A]

Of course, of course. All right, we are to shelf edition and I have the most beautiful book of the fall to bring. It just came in the mail. It's Rachel Harrison's Play Nice and she's a stunner. Rachel Harrison has the best covers. I swear. They are just gorgeous. And it's not fall if you're not getting a new Rachel Harrison. This one also matches my manicure very nicely, so I wanted to draw attention to that because that's important. But her latest book is called Play Nice and it sounds perfect. It is about Cleo Louise Barnes, who leads a picture perfect life as a stylist and influencer. But beneath the glossy veneer, she harbors a not so glamorous secret. She grew up in a haunted house. Well, not haunted, but possessed. And after Cleo's parents messy divorce, her mother Alex moved Cleo and her sisters into a house occupied by a demon, or so Alex claimed. And that's not what Cleo's sisters remember or what the courts determined when they stripped Alex of custody after she went off the deep end. But Alex was insistent and she even wrote a book about their experience in the house. It's kind of strange throwing me that they're calling their mother by her first name, Alex, which is fine.

[B]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

But it's like throwing me. So mom wrote a book about this possessed house they lived in. Everyone wrote her off as crazy. Then the mom passes away and the supposedly possessed house passes to Cleo and her sisters where her sisters see childhood trauma. Cleo, I Mean, she is an influencer, so she sees opportunity for house flipping. Content only. As the home makeover process begins, Cleo discovers there might be some truth to her mother's claims. As memories resurface and Cleo finally reads her mother's book, the presence in the house becomes more real and more sinister, revealing ugly truth that threatened to shake Cleo's beautiful life to its very foundation. I cannot wait. I'm so excited for this. It reminds me of the Simpsons episode where the Simpsons move into this haunted house, and the whole time the house is, like, trying to get them to move out, and then eventually the house implodes rather than live with the Simpsons.

[B]

So her books are satirical in nature like that kind of.

[A]

Of.

[B]

So I could see that totally being the vibe.

[A]

I can see it, too. It also kind of looks like the Simpsons house, so I am totally down for this. I can't wait. So this book is Play Nice by Rachel Harrison.

[B]

Yeah. I don't know what it is about that cover, but it is just so satisfying because there are a lot of simple covers out there. But that one is simple, but also just has a cool design. I don't know.

[A]

I don't know. I really like it, and I like that it has, like, this, like, spray. You can't see it, Hannah, but it's got, like, the. There's little dots on it. Like. Like, it's.

[B]

Oh, it's like texture.

[A]

Like purple blood. No, it, like paint swatches. It's not showing up on camera, but it's pretty cool.

[B]

Well, I got that one that is coming in the mail also, so I'll get to see it.

[A]

Fabulous.

[B]

When I receive it. My shelf edition is definitely influenced by the COVID I just think that the COVID is so beautiful. I got this one in the mail a couple weeks ago now from Random House, and it is called Full Bloom by Francesca Saratella. And. And this is a book about Iris, who is stuck in New York. She's heartbroken. She's feeling overlooked at work, and she's also watching her friends move on with marriages and babies while she struggles to plan for her own future. But then she has her mysterious neighbor create a custom perfume for her. And everything changes with just a spritz. Iris becomes magnetic. She is. Is getting noticed by men. She's feeling more confident. She's feeling powerful in ways that she's never experienced. But that power, she soon learns, comes at a cost. And the perfume stirs up old memories of the fire that she barely survived as a child. And it pulls her deeper into a glittering but dangerous world of New York's elite. This is said to be seductive, suspenseful story about desire, ambition, and what happens when you step into your fullest, fullest power, only to realize it might fully consume you. And I don't know this one. Magical realism doesn't always work for me, but I'm so intrigued by this tie in with perfume. So I'm very curious about this one. And that is Full Bloom by Francesca Saratella.

[A]

I love the COVID of that one too. We've had some good ones.

[B]

So pretty.

[A]

It's very pretty. Well folks, I mean, that is it for today. 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 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.

[B]

If you'd like to connect with us, you can email us at booktok etc gmail.com. you can also connect with us both at Booktok. Etc. On Instagram, you can find Tina, TBR Etc and Hannah Handpicked Books. Talk to you next week.

[A]

And in the meantime, remember, everything's better with books. All right, go join your I'm only seven minutes late.