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- [00:00]
Hannah
Does that cup like keep it hot?
- [00:03]
Tina
I don't know. Little T asmr. I love that. Welcome to Book Talk Etc, a podcast bound to grow your tbr. I'm Tina from TBR Etc.
- [00:24]
Hannah
And I'm Hannah from Hand Picked Books.
- [00:26]
Tina
This is a conversational podcast about books and more from two Midwest movies mood readers who are easily distracted by new releases. And today we are sharing our July books on the Radar.
- [00:36]
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.
- [00:49]
Tina
Hey Hannah.
- [00:50]
Hannah
Hey Tina. How are you?
- [00:52]
Tina
I'm good. I almost asked you the dumbest question of all time. Like, oh, are you a Michigan fan? Then I remembered you are like in Michigan.
- [01:01]
Hannah
So I am in Michigan and I have always said that I'm a Michigan fan over Michigan State. Do I have a reason for that? No.
- [01:12]
Tina
Negative.
- [01:13]
Hannah
Negative. I don't. But enough of my friends in high school were Michigan over Michigan State and I've stuck with it ever since.
- [01:20]
Tina
I don't mind it though. I always said I wish I went to a Big ten school so that I could have that fandom. I went to a Division 3 school so it really was not like I don't really have any allegiance. I'm not really like U of I girly like it's just I don't have a college football team that I follow. I followed Ohio State for a while with when Renee was on, so I still like to watch them, but I like a sport. And then I'm realizing too that you don't really do sports either. So you probably. That's not the connection that you're making with the university.
- [01:48]
Hannah
No, not really. But I. Yeah, a lot of my good friends in high school and college loved college football and they preferred Michigan over Michigan State. So that is where my alliance stands.
- [02:01]
Tina
Yeah, it's a beautiful. They're both beautiful campuses, really. They're both really, really nice. Back when, before the world shut down for Covid, I would do a ton of campus visits. So I've been to that one. I've been to Michigan State and those are two of my favorite campuses. They're quite nice. And for those of you that are watching us on YouTube, before we begin, I want to acknowledge that I know I'm orange if I look orange to you on screen because I am. I self tanned earlier today and I didn't Quite scrub it off in time for the episode. So I'm like feeling very self conscious. I also took a chunk out of my chin with my nails when I was sleeping. I just went ahead and just took a chunk out of my chin and I woke myself up and I'm like, am I bleeding? And I was like.
- [02:41]
Hannah
Scratching yourself in your sleep?
- [02:43]
Tina
I think I rolled over and I just got a nice little corner there, so I can't see that. Okay, good. Not the best we've looked online. I mean, you look fine, but you know, what are you gonna do?
- [02:54]
Hannah
I mean, my face is a little puffy. You know, it's been a little bit of a hard day. You've got a self tanning problem. We are out here doing our best.
- [03:02]
Tina
We're doing our best. But other than that. Yes, I have some exciting things to share today. I really loved my latest read. I really loved my Loving lately. So why don't we just go ahead and dive right in My Loving Lately. You know, I like to bring creators. When I find somebody that I really resonates with me, I like to spotlight them. And this is sort of a trend on TikTok that a person started. It's called how long does it actually take? Now are you familiar with this?
- [03:31]
Hannah
No.
- [03:31]
Tina
Oh my gosh, I'm so excited to introduce it to you. So she is named Christine Rootson and she is just so funny. She has this series where she will literally be doing something at or standing in front of something at her house and she'll say, how long does it actually take to do whatever thing she's been procrastinating for however long. And so she will say she'll be standing in front of like, I don't know, her kids, you know, her junk drawers in her kitchen. She'll be like, how long does it actually take? I've been procrastinating this for four months. And then she will film herself organizing it and then tell us how long it took. When I tell you this changed my brain chemistry and I'm not being. That's not a hyperbole. It. I do this to myself all the time now. I'm like, okay, earlier I had these clothes on top of the dryer and I'm like, yeah, I'll do it later. And then I'm like, but how long does it actually take? And so I set myself a timer and I was like, I bet I can do it in under 15 minutes. And so I did whatever. But it's just I literally will see something. I'm like, how long does it actually take in her voice in my head, and then I'll go ahead and do that thing. She has gone pretty viral. She's got a lot of followers, and it's just a wholesome, sort of, I guess, fun Internet trend that I think is doing good things for a lot of people, myself included. And normally she doesn't like that. She's not, like, influencing to buy anything or whatnot.
- [04:52]
Hannah
Yeah, right.
- [04:53]
Tina
However, one of the things that she did talk about, and I'm trying to find the video, but is this thing I'm holding right here. She said, how long does it actually take to clean my makeup brushes? And I thought, well, I don't know. Depends on how many you have. When's the last time you've done it? I have not cleaned my makeup brushes in a really long time. So she had this thing. It was like $9 on Amazon. And I'm holding it right here. It is a brush cleaner. And so it's not just a brush holder. It is also a brush little cleaner. So you can see this. It's got these little ridges inside. And what you do is you slap some soap in there or, you know, whatever it is you want to use. I like actually Dawn. So a little squirt of dawn in there, and then you take your brush and then you go and then run it underwater, and it really gets in there. Now, this one I've done recently. Same with these two. When I tell you these were disgusting, especially this one. It's my concealer brush. It was no good. Put a little soap in there and you just squirt it. And then what's lovely is you flip it over and then they dry out. And then you don't have to have them just all over your counter. I love this thing. I can't wait to do the rest of my brushes, but I wanted to do a few to show you and bring it to the show. But it's a double. It's a twofer. Today, it's a twofer. I don't know what to call this thing. But of course, as always, we will link it in the notes to the podcast. But it's a brush cleaner, apparatus. And then also a creator named Christine Rootson in her series How Long does it Actually Take?
- [06:23]
Hannah
I love that you said apparatus.
- [06:25]
Tina
Apparatus.
- [06:26]
Hannah
That was the word pause after you said that, where I was like, ah, there's a word. There she goes.
- [06:32]
Tina
It was like, right there. It was right there. I was like, I know. There's a specific word I want. And there it is. I was glad I was able to find.
- [06:38]
Hannah
It is so good. And I love that this creator is doing these videos also, because I don't know if she has ADHD or if that's what inspired her to do this, but people who do have it or are familiar. If you have task avoidance, specifically with folks who have adhd, what gets you to do a task is either interest or entertainment or urgency. And what a great way to create interest in something that you're typically going to avoid because she's finding a way to make it fun. And I feel like that is such a good way to do those tasks that you've been avoiding for a long time. She literally found a way to make it fun and create content out of it. And I think that's so smart.
- [07:30]
Tina
It's so smart. And she just seems like a wholesome, lovely person. And the thing for me is I will ignore things like after a while, I just won't see it anymore. And so that's what's so great about this because I'll just have that little, like, voice in my head. How long does it actually take? And I'm not doing a good impression because obviously I'm. I'm not her, but I just hear her voice and I'm like, yeah, let's figure this out. How long does it actually take?
- [07:52]
Hannah
Anyway, that's a good one. I like when you bring creators because you brought dollar tree dinners a while back and thought about her today. Literally, still follow her and use her tips and tricks all the time. So, yeah, always fun to find someone that you can follow.
- [08:13]
Tina
I think that Ms. Christine sold this thing out because when I bought it on Sunday, it was the brush cleaner app. $10. Yes. And now it's not found on Amazon. And it went up. The price went up to. Oh, no, that. Okay. Yeah. And it looks like it's just not found on Amazon anymore. Don't know what happened in the last couple days. I guess they just ran out because this thing looked really cool. So anyway, I guess I'll try and find it and maybe we'll link it, maybe we won't. Just depends.
- [08:45]
Hannah
Okay, well, if we can find it, we'll link it. My loving lately is a little bit basic. But listen, I absolutely love Book Page, and Book Page is a monthly magazine and it has all of the literary information, all of the books that are coming out for that month. It has spotlight articles for, you know, buzzy books or maybe debuts with authors who've done interviews and things like that for the month. I Love using bookpage as a way to kind of look more traditionally at what is coming out in a month and see what libraries are excited about, see what literary journalists are excited about. I think I love social media. I love looking at YouTube and TikTok and Instagram for book recommendations, especially when it comes to new releases. But I also kind of like the idea of looking at a more traditional approach to, okay, what are libraries looking at? What are, you know, literary journalists looking at in terms of what is coming out for the month? And I've really enjoyed some of the author spotlights and interviews that are in these magazines as well. And it has been really fun to use BookPage as a journal tool. So if you have a physical book journal, specifically something that I've been doing for every single month is cutting out little parts of this book. And if you're watching YouTube, I can show a picture of kind of what I've done with some of my spreads in my journal. But it kind of creates a fun visual look back too, if you're looking back at previous months to see what was popular or what stood out to you at the time or what you've read and what you haven't. So I like getting this physical copy as a way to journal as well. You can get these for free at your local library. You can also get a digital subscription if you want to just have it dropped in your inbox every month. It's 25 bucks a year. You can also get a print subscription, but it's I think like 40 something dollars a year and it gets delivered to your house, but you can also just get it for free in print at your library. So that's what I do. But I have been loving this for a long time and I just recently got back into getting it every single month and journaling with it. So that is my loving lately. And that is book page.
- [11:34]
Tina
I'm so excited you brought this I love book page. Now, do I always read it cover to cover? No.
- [11:42]
Hannah
Right.
- [11:42]
Tina
I get really excited about it. I'm like, yes, I can't wait to read it. It comes home with me with all the other books and then it like gets lost or crumbled at the bottom of the bag, which is not good. But I love what you said about journaling and just having that as more of a snapshot, a moment in time. What were the buzzy books for summer 2025 like? You know, we sort of love trends and we love to follow that. So that is a really good recommendation that I can't Believe we haven't shared before.
- [12:06]
Hannah
Yeah, I will again share. And maybe we can share on our stories, too. The pages that I've put in my journal. I would love to see some inspiration.
- [12:16]
Tina
I think that would be awesome. I am going to bring my latest read, which is a very buzzy book. It is Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid and I loved it. And that's all you need to know. No. So this is a, I want to say it very important to know that this has its atmosphere. A love story. That's the full title of this. And that'll come into play in a little bit here. But this one's about Joan, who's been obsessed with the stars for as long as she can remember. Joan is thoughtful and she's a bit reserved and she works as a professor of physics in astronomy at a university. And she helps take care of her niece. That is, until she comes across an advertisement seeking the first women scientists to join NASA's space shuttle program. Suddenly, Joan's like, this is what I'm going to do. I want to be an astronaut. She wants to go to space. And so she actually gets selected from a pool of thousands of applicants. And it takes place in the summer of 1980. She begins training at Houston Johnson's Space center alongside a exceptional group of fellow candidates. You've got pilots, you've got other scientists, you've got, you know, other folks that have their own reasons and desires as they are there. And then you have the magnetic Vanessa Ford, who is an aeronautical engineer who can fix any engine and fly any plane. And you follow the astronauts as they become unlikely friends and prepare for their first flights. And Joan really finds herself when she's in this program. As you might imagine, she also finds love. And in this new light, she begins to question everything she thinks she knows about her place in the observable universe. Then in December 1984, on a mission, everything changes in an instant. You know, I've actually never read this synopsis. Not a. Not a single time. Didn't need it said. Oh, okay. It's Taylor Jenkins reading space like, fantastic. I want that immediately. And I think it's interesting to note that she doesn't in here tell you who it is that she falls in love with. I think she alludes to it potentially, but you don't know exactly who it is that fall in love. But I think this story was everything. It was so good to me and I very much got sort of old school Taylor Jenkins Reid writing in this. What I mean by that, I did not read her very beginning stuff. I found her, I think when many of us did. It was Evelyn Hugo, the Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. And then Daisy Jones. And the six came out. I think that's the order. And then there were a couple others that I was like. They wrote, they were good, but I didn't love them like I loved the first two. For me, this was a return to form. I liked this just as much as I liked Daisy Jones and Evelyn Hugo. I thought this one, I mean, it captivated me. It had me. The only bad thing about it was that I read it too fast. I ate it up and sort of flew through it. I did. I have the print in front of me, and I did most of it in print, but also would switch to audio just to have. And Julia Whelan does narrate. So if you're a big fan of hers, you might like that. I think this book did something that I don't know, that I've read or seen very often in fiction. And what she did was she presented this relationship between the main character, Joan, and her niece. And she almost has this sort of motherly relationship with her niece. She almost turns into a caretaker of sorts. And she just really was able to express the love that can take place between an aunt and her nieces or her niece. And I thought that was really smart. I don't have any nieces and sort of made me wish I did. But I do have daughters. And some of the writing in this literally just made me cry because she's talking about watching her niece grow up and, like, how you're gutted because you want to freeze this moment in time, but you also want to get to know her when she's an adult, and then you want to see her when she's a baby. The writing in this one for me, was so solid. This book's very feminist. I love what she had to say about being a woman working for NASA and what that was like, and the competition that they faced, you know, with. Within the group, but also within each other. And it's not always smooth with some of the women that are in this program. I think that's all I need to say about this. I really enjoyed it. I'm very glad I read it. I think it has a chance of being one of my favorite books of the year. And I can honestly see myself rereading this also. The beginning of this is fantastic. I didn't tell you about the setup of it, but the setup is in the present day. It's December 29, 1984 and you're like, oh God, you know the big bad thing that happens and you're sort of your heart is in your throat the entire first few pages and then she pulls back and then you get to meet some of the characters and then you figure figuring out all of what is going on. I loved it and as I stated could see this being in my favorites of the year. That was Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid.
- [17:30]
Hannah
Love hearing you gush about that book. This is one that I might have to make time to squeeze in.
- [17:37]
Tina
Yes.
- [17:37]
Hannah
Even if I can't talk about it right away. Yes, I might find some time to squeeze it in because I kind of want to be a part of the buzz and I have heard that I have heard from multiple people that this is kind of a reach back to her Daisy Jones and Evelyn Hugo era of writing and I love the idea of that. So I'm so glad that you brought this for all of us to share your thoughts.
- [18:03]
Tina
You would like it.
- [18:04]
Hannah
I think I will. Okay, I am bringing another buzzy new release that people are reading and loving and I also really enjoyed it and that is the Night and the Moth by Rachel and Gillig and I am so excited to talk about this one. It is about a devoted diviner and in the final year of her service she begins to notice something unsettling. Her fellow diviners are vanishing without a trace. And as the mystery deepens, Sybil, our diviner, finds herself reluctantly joining forces with an unlikely motley crew of sorts, including a boy king, his unconventional kn, and a delightfully endearing gargoyle. Together this team embarks on a journey that is going to shatter everything that Sybil thought that she knew and believed in and it's going to lead her to truth and self discovery in a very surprising and wonderful love story. Again, this book has swept the Internet by storm and for good reason in my opinion. People are saying that this book is heavy on the vibes and the romance and I would also agree with that statement. This is a romantic fantasy that has all of the dark atmospheric vibes that you could ever hope for in a book like this. There's also a non human companion that makes the book extra special. I love when stories have a companion or a side character that isn't human and he added a perfect levity and humor to all of the dark adventure that was happening. He also added a great deal of emotion and acted as a good tool to fix some of the communication or what could have been miscommunication and those barriers between our hero and heroine. And I really loved the way this character was used in that way. Overall, this is exactly what I look for in a book like this. The writing was really solid. It was extremely thoughtful. I think there could have been a little bit more world building instead of it just relying on the vibes, but I have a feeling that we might be getting more of that in book two. I also do think there was a little bit of a gap between our hero and heroine having a lot of disdain for each other and then falling in love. Because this is supposed to be an enemies to lovers romance. But it kind of seemed like at the beginning they just had this immediate disdain for each other and then it kind of had an immediate jump to and now they're completely in love and head over heels for each other. So I guess if I were to share any criticism, I wish that there had been more of a slower and natural build to their falling in love with each other. That said, once the two of them were squarely in love, their romance was so good, the pining intention was top tier. And I totally see why people are raving about this one. And I cannot wait to read her backlist duology while I wait for the sequel to this one. And that is the Night and the Moth by Rachel Gilligan.
- [21:14]
Tina
I am so glad you like that. And I think it's really hard to have a non human companion character and do it well and do it well when it's done well. I'm like, I. I feel like I give the author extra kudos because that's hard to do.
- [21:30]
Hannah
Absolutely.
- [21:30]
Tina
I imagine. What do I know?
- [21:32]
Hannah
Especially when they are there to add levity and humor. I am not someone who is easily. Haha. I don't know how to say that. I don't know.
- [21:44]
Tina
You know, it takes a lot to make you laugh when you're reading.
- [21:47]
Hannah
A lot to make me laugh when I'm reading. You know. And I. And I really did enjoy the humor and the levity that he brought. It was very endearing, very sweet.
- [21:58]
Tina
So I love that.
- [21:59]
Hannah
Top tier.
- [22:00]
Tina
Very good. All right, well, let's get into our July Books on the Radar now. Reminder. We've already done our Summer Bonanza list, so several of the ones we are very much looking forward to were already mentioned in our Summer Bonanza podcast episode. So go back and listen to that if you haven't already. But I will kick things off with one that I cannot believe. I missed the first go round and this is getting a fair amount of buzz. This is Night Watchers by Daphne Wolsencraft. This one comes out on July 8th and I'm going to credit Dennis at Scared Straight Reads for setting the Internet ablaze with his recommendation for this one. Did you see him talk about it?
- [22:39]
Hannah
Yes, I did.
- [22:40]
Tina
Yes. He called this his best book of the year so far. And I said great, say less. And I immediately requested it on NetGalley. This is about Nola Strait, who is a late night radio host in Portland, Oregon who listens to stories of hauntings and cryptic sightings for a living. But one foggy evening, a caller describes an eerie scene that triggers memories of Nola's childhood escape from a serial killer and and she fears he's back to finish what he started. There's a lot more to it, but I want a quick comment that. Okay, it sounds like we've heard this before, right? So I'm curious how the author will put their own spin on it. So that's basically it. Now I read this synopsis and there's a little bit more, you know, if you, you take a look at the full synopsis. But I thought, okay, you know, I feel like we've seen stories like this before where it is she's a late night radio host, but I thought podcaster and then also a person that had a run in with a serial killer when they were young and fears they're back to haunt them. So I'm very curious to see where the author is going to take this to make it to where Dennis, who reads so many thrillers is calling this his favorite of the year. He said this one was really creepy. So I can't wait. I'm going to read this as soon as I can because you know, I love me a creepy story. This one is Night Watcher by Daphne Wollson Croft.
- [23:58]
Hannah
Yeah, I am excited about this one. I also requested it on Netgalley. You know, haven't been approved yet but.
- [24:07]
Tina
Sure would love to because it sounds Grand Central Publishing.
- [24:10]
Hannah
I know I and that is another publisher that I tend to really enjoy their books. So yes, I am excited about that one. Great pick. My first book on the radar is My train leaves at three by Natalie Guerrero. This one comes out on July 15th and it's a bit of a short one. 256 pages, which I'm just loving that length of book by the way. Just as a little side note, I just think that it's perfect. 250 to 300 pages. Chef's kiss. This is an electric coming of age debut about grief, family, love and identity. And it follows Xiomara, who is an ambitious Afro Latina actress from Washington Heights as she chases her Broadway dreams in the wake of her sister's death. She is nearing 30, she is stuck in a tiny apartment with her devout Puerto Rican mother, and she is working two dead end jobs including singing show tunes at a tourist diner. Xiomara is cynical and adrift, but she comes across the chance to audition with a hotshot director and she makes a budding connection with a new coworker which threatens to shake up her world and she's forced to confront the toxic underbelly of the industry and kind of figure out what she's willing to sacrifice for success. This is pitched to be gritty, raw and hopeful and a story about the cost of ambition and the courage that it takes to stay true to yourself but also follow your dreams. Again, it's 250ish pages, perfect novel length for me lately and it just feels like a length that is a full novel but one that you could sit and read in one sitting if you really wanted to. I tend to enjoy books about art industries in general and I like that this is a debut. I'm trying to read more of those this year. That is My Train Leaves at Three by Natalie Guerrero and it comes out on July 15th.
- [26:12]
Tina
That sounds really good and I think you did a good job pitching it.
- [26:16]
Hannah
Thank you.
- [26:16]
Tina
It's so funny because again we prep for these episodes and I never heard of it.
- [26:20]
Hannah
Never heard of it.
- [26:21]
Tina
Couldn't. Brand new information to me.
- [26:24]
Hannah
I know I always look forward to they'll always be one if not all books that you bring that are new to me.
- [26:31]
Tina
So I love it because we have an overlap but I think there's still enough of a difference where it's like we can get surprised. Agrees this one sounds really good. It is the Other Wife by Jackie Thomas Kennedy. And this is about Susan Zuzu Braeburn, who is turning 40 and has the life she's always dreamed of. A beautiful house, a child, a successful partner. But something between her and her wife has been off for a long time and she can't help but wonder if she's chosen wrong at every turn. Choosing to live with her white mother over her black father after their divorce, choosing to become a lawyer rather than an artist, and most importantly, choosing to marry Agnes despite her unrequited feelings for her male best friend Cash. When an unexpected loss takes her back to her hometown, the what ifs in her mind become too loud to ignore. This is a brazen and heartfelt debut about love and regrets. I mean, I want to know. I want to know what happens. This comes out on July 15th from Riverhead Books. And I that is a publisher I tend to have my eye on. And I also quite like the COVID for this. I feel like you would like it too. That is the Other Wife by Jackie Thomas Kennedy.
- [27:47]
Hannah
Yeah, that sounds really good. It sounds messy and I hope it is. Exactly. I'm like, that sounds like the kind of messy that I could really get on board with. Okay. My next one is called Mendel Station by JB Huang. This comes out on July 22 from Bloomsbury. This is another debut and it follows Miriam, a woman reeling from the death of her best friend and the collapse of her faith. In early 2020, she quits her job teaching and researching Scripture and takes up a position with the Postal Service, which just sounds like a pretty wild diversion of career paths. So she does this just as the city begins to shut down for the 2020 COVID pandemic. And as she is adjusting to life as an essential worker, Miriam finds solace in her route and begins writing unsent letters to her best friend Esther, reflecting on their shared past, their friendship, and their complicated families. This is supposed to be a quiet, moving portrait of grief, work, and the small enduring acts that carry us through. I love softer fiction like this that can pack a punch while still feeling heartwarming and tender. This one is also 200 pages. I didn't intend to do that, but just sounds like the perfect book length for a story like this one. I am sensing some Claire Keegan vibes here, but I haven't read it yet, so we will see if that's an apt comparison if and when I get to this one. And that is Mendel Station by JB Huang.
- [29:21]
Tina
I love what you said calling it softer fiction. I think that's so that's such a good call out and honestly something that we both need, we, both of us need more of in our lives because you're just always ready to have the most insane books that you can think of as a recommendation. So I like one that's a little softer.
- [29:40]
Hannah
Agreed.
- [29:41]
Tina
Mine is not softer. It is the Confessions by Paul Bradley Carr. This comes out on July 22nd. This is a high octane, high concept thriller for fans of Blake Crouch. And that's sort of like what pulled me in. And this is written by a former Silicon Valley journalist turned bookstore owner. Like in real life, that's what the author does.
- [30:03]
Hannah
That's cool.
- [30:04]
Tina
And what I like about this is the it sounds a little Bit speculative, because one day, millions of letters arrive in the mail. Murders are uncovered, affairs are revealed, and family secrets are exposed. These are the first confessions. This is our last chance. And you have something called Liam. I think that's how you say it. It's an acronym, and it's the world's most powerful supercomputer. It's built to make the toughest decisions for its users. Where to work, who to marry, and even who should live or die. But when Liam suddenly goes offline with no explanation, the world is thrust into chaos and paralyzed by indecision because they've forgotten how to make decisions for themselves. Stocks plummet, chaos ensues, and then the first letters arrive. And on every continent, in every language, mysterious envelopes arrive. And again, it exposes people's darkest secrets. And all of the letters begin with the same chilling words. We must confess. With millions of people suddenly made to confront their past transgressions and society fast unraveling, CEO Caitlin Goss must track down the only person who can help undo the resulting chaos. Maude Brooks, an ex nun who taught Liam what it means to be human. Okay. But when Maude receives a letter herself, revealing Caitlyn's own unforgivable sin, the two women are forced into a deadly game of deceit as the world teeters on the brink. I don't know. I mean, this could be really well done. It could be a little too far out there. It reminded me a little bit of the Measure by Nikki Ehrlich, which is what made me the break. Blake Crouch. And the little bit of the Measure made me put it on my list. So that is the Confessions by Paul Bradley Carr.
- [31:46]
Hannah
Yeah, that sounds really interesting and, like, it could be really exciting if it's well done. Okay. My next one is Rose and Chains by Julie Soto. And this comes out July 8th from Forever Publishing. We're going back to Long books. This one's 464 pages. I don't know why I tracked the pages of these when I was doing this. I don't think I've done that in the past. But I have learned that it's something that I want to know when I'm picking up a book. So I'm going to go ahead and start sharing that information because I think it's useful. This one is about Briony Rosewood, who, after losing a brutal war, is captured as her kingdom is falling apart. Her brother, the prophesied heir meant to unite the realm, is dead, and the dark forces of Bomard have claimed their Victory. She is stripped of her magic and freedom. And Briony is sold at an auction to Tovin Hurst, who is a powerful noble and the object of her long standing, ill fated affection. As she navigates life under enemy control, Briney must adapt quickly to survive in a court that seems sees her as nothing more than a political tool. So I don't know if anyone has those authors that in their mind they love, but they haven't actually read anything from them because that's me with Julie Soto. I have some of her contemporary books sitting on my shelves too. I'm pretty sure this is her fantasy, her romantic fantasy debut, but I'm convinced that I'm going to love all of her books, so I hope that that's true because I've yet to read any of them, but this one sounds really good. The early reviews for this book are a little bit mixed, but I have heard some people already raving about this one. I'm really excited to try it. So I'm planning on reading this one. I hope sometime this year. That is Rose and Chains by Julie Soto.
- [33:40]
Tina
And I love. Before we started recording, you were like, I don't think we'll have any overlap. And it's. I'm glad to see that it's not. Oh, do we?
- [33:49]
Hannah
Oh, I thought you were gonna say we do have overlap. No, I was gonna be shocked.
- [33:52]
Tina
No, no. I mean, that would not be one. I don't think that would make its way to my list. But I love that we have such a wide variety. But now I see why you were so confident that you were like, no, I don't think it'll be overlapped. Right. Yeah, that does sound good, though.
- [34:04]
Hannah
Yeah.
- [34:05]
Tina
All right, next for me is Everyone is Lying to you by Joe Piazza. The reason why I added this to my list. One, I really like the COVID and, you know, I just love a good cover cover. But two, it says the hashtag tradwife murder mystery we've all been waiting for. Yes, yes, I. I accept. And so this is about Lizzie and Bex, who were best friends in college. After graduation, Bex vanished, leaving Lizzie confused and devastated. Fifteen years later, Bex is now Rebecca Summers, a traditional Instagram influencer with millions of followers who salivate over her perfect life on her ranch with her five children and. And handsome husband, Gray. Lizzie is a struggling magazine writer watching reels while her young children demand her attention. One night, out of the blue, Beck calls Lizzie with a career making proposition. An exclusive interview with her about her multimillion dollar business venture. And an invitation to mom bomb the high profile influencing conference.
- [35:06]
Hannah
Okay, nice.
- [35:07]
Tina
At the conference, Bex goes missing and Gray is found. Oh. Brutally murdered on their ranch. Lizzie finds herself plunged into the dark side of the cutthroat world of social media that includes jealousy, sorted, a fail, swingers and backstabbing. She must learn who her old friend has become and who has double crossed her to try and find her, clear her name and maybe even save her life. If she pulls this off. This could be very entertaining. It's a mystery thriller and, you know, I am certainly. My interest is certainly, certainly peaked. This is Everyone is Lying to you by Joe Piazza.
- [35:43]
Hannah
This one sounds like it might be a good one for those of us anxiously awaiting part two of season two of the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.
- [35:52]
Tina
Absolutely.
- [35:53]
Hannah
You know, obviously I had to think that after the whole swinging mention, but.
- [35:59]
Tina
You know, that was added after. You know, that was added after mom talk was a thing.
- [36:04]
Hannah
It had to have been, because this is also about influencing. It's about moms. I mean, the plugs are all there and I'm buying it. I'm buying into it. It's working on me, in case you're.
- [36:16]
Tina
Wondering what I'm doing. If you can see me, I have. Honey, I forgot to put it in my tea, but my voice is going, so I'm just sucking it right out of the packet.
- [36:24]
Hannah
Yes, I love that. That's like one of your go to methods for voice healing. It works. It really does work. Yeah. Okay. My next one is called Soulgazer by Maggie Rapier. And this one comes out July 8th from Ace Publishing. This one's sitting at 480 pages, so we're getting longer and longer here. This is about Saoirse, which, by the way, I love that name and like the actress and how it's spelled. Yes, I love it, I love it.
- [36:55]
Tina
I could never say it. I'm glad. I like hearing you say that.
- [36:58]
Hannah
Saoirse. This is about Saoirse, who has spent her life suppressing a dangerous magic that she can't control. But when it finally breaks free, her parents offer her in marriage to the cruel Stone King. She's desperate to escape her fate and rid herself of the curse. And she strikes a deal with Fallon, who is a cunning pirate known as the Wolf of the Wild. He is going to help her find a mythical island said to absorb the divine power if she uses her magic to locate it. With enemies in pursuit and trust in short supply, Saoirse makes one final demand to ensure her safety aboard his ship, which is, of course, a marriage of convenience. And I like a marriage of convenience when it comes to these types of books, specifically fantasy, because I like for the tension to build in those stories, and I feel like that trope can be a good avenue to do so. I haven't heard many people talking about this one, but it sounded good to me. And that is Soulgazer by Maggie Rapier.
- [38:03]
Tina
Man, another good one.
- [38:04]
Hannah
Yeah.
- [38:05]
Tina
And I feel like romantasy fantasy, that sort of arena can be longer. Is that right? The books tend to be.
- [38:13]
Hannah
In the long run. Yeah, the books can be longer, for sure. Well, that's. That was one of the reasons why I loved the Night in the Moth by Rachel Gillig, is because it was just a little over 300 pages, and it was still super fleshed out and a little bit more concise. So I do think there's a way to make them short. But you're right, it does tend to be a little bit longer in that genre and fantasy in general.
- [38:35]
Tina
Yeah, well, exactly. We were talking at Mood Reader Happy Hour about the Wheel of Time, the series that one of our patrons, Genevieve, is reading. And it's what, like, 13 books? Something like that?
- [38:46]
Hannah
Yes, it's 14, I think, technically, but the last three are like a thousand plus pages.
- [38:54]
Tina
Oh, my. Good luck to you, banana pansies. It really is all right. Finally, I have angel down by Daniel Krause. This one comes out on July 29, and I just had to bring it. He is the author of Whalefall, which I read a couple years ago, and it was so good and so unique that I thought, I've got to read this guy again. This one is about Private Cyril Bagger, who has managed to survive the unspeakable horrors of the Great War through his wits and deception, swindling fellow soldiers at every opportunity. But his survival instincts are put to the ultimate test when he and four other grunts are given a deadly mission venture into the perilous no man's land to euthanize a wounded comrade. What they find amid the ruined battlefield, however, is not a man in need of mercy, but a fallen angel seemingly struck down by artillery fire. This celestial being may hold the key to ending the brutal conflict, but only if the soldiers can suppress their individual desires and work together. As jealousy, greed and paranoia take hold. The group is torn apart by inner demons threatening to turn their angelic encounter into a descent into hell. Angel down plunges you into the heart of World War I and weaves a polyphonic tale of survival, supernatural wonder and moral conflict. I think this Sounds so interesting. And I know he can do it. I know he'll make this a story you won't forget. That one is angel down by Daniel Krause.
- [40:29]
Hannah
Ooh, I love when we get World War I. I do, too. The historical fiction representation. I just. It's not one that's talked about as much, and I always appreciate that. My last one is a mouthful of a title, and it is the entirely true story of the fantastical mesmerist Nora Gray by Kathleen Kaufman.
- [40:53]
Tina
Wow.
- [40:54]
Hannah
Yeah, I'm actually surprised I said that all in one breath.
- [40:56]
Tina
Good job.
- [40:57]
Hannah
Thank you. This comes out on July 29 from Kensington, which we talked about in last week's episode when we explored independent publishers. And this one is sitting at 400 pages. As spiritualism peaks the turn of the 20th century, a Scottish girl crosses the veil to uncover a powerful connection within a notorious asylum. This is an atmospheric exploration of feminine rage and agency. It's about Narna Lyeth, who travels the Scottish countryside with her charlatan father, Tavish, scraping by as he stages fake encounters with the dead while she reads tarot for paying customers. But unlike Tavish, Narna possesses a true gift for communicating with the spirits, which is an inherited power that could see her labeled as a witch. When voices from the past begin calling to her, Narna is drawn to the story of her grandmother Lottie, a Welsh miner's widow who was imprisoned and exploited in a notorious asylum. As the echoes of Lottie's past grow louder, Narna must confront betrayal, greed, and manipulation and learn to claim her own future. This one just sounds really vibey and good and, like, magical. Yeah, that's. That's all I have to say about that one. That is the entirely true story of the fantastical mesmerist Nora Gray by Kathleen Kaufman.
- [42:29]
Tina
Wow. A plus pronunciation of that title, because that would take me seven tries to get through. All right, those are our July books on the radar. Now, I want to tell you about my current read. I just. I went off script with this one, and I picked up a book called Jill Is Not Happy by Kyra Roda. And it is about a couple that are basically on this doomed road trip. One wants to get a divorce, the other one is not having it, and the wife basically terrorizes her husband the entire way to Utah. And it's making me laugh because as of this recording, Jonathan and I and the girls are about to embark on our own road trip. So it was perfect timing, and so far it's so good. I'm doing the audio and I'm breezing right through it. I'm curious to see how this ends because I can't imagine it ends any place good. And that one is Jill Is Not Happy by Kyra Roda.
- [43:27]
Hannah
I was looking that up as you were talking and because I was typing as you were talking, I just typed Jill Utah. And I was like, why is this book not coming up? Because that's not Jill Utah.
- [43:39]
Tina
You know the one.
- [43:40]
Hannah
Jill Utah. You know that book?
- [43:41]
Tina
Yeah.
- [43:42]
Hannah
Well, that sounds really good offline. Are you reading this for our weird episode?
- [43:48]
Tina
No.
- [43:48]
Hannah
Or just for fun?
- [43:49]
Tina
Just for funsies.
- [43:50]
Hannah
Okay.
- [43:51]
Tina
Yeah.
- [43:51]
Hannah
Okay. Well, speaking of your road trip tomorrow, I want you. This is my plug, my official plug. I really want you to listen to Fantastic Land so bad.
- [44:00]
Tina
Yes, Yes. I need to. I need to. I have that book tomorrow.
- [44:04]
Hannah
Might not be the time, but it's. It is so good. I feel like a must on audio specifically.
- [44:10]
Tina
I remember you said that before. Like it must have been when you. It was a while ago. Not to me specifically, but you said that that was the one to do. If you're going to do any books specifically on audio, that's one to grab.
- [44:20]
Hannah
So, yeah, it's a hill. I'll die.
- [44:22]
Tina
Maybe tomorrow is the day. Who knows?
- [44:24]
Hannah
If it is, I want live updates.
- [44:26]
Tina
I will let you know immediately.
- [44:29]
Hannah
Okay. My current read is Victorian Psycho by Virginia Fato. I'm reading this one. Here's my asmr. I'm reading this one on my Kindle and it is weird. It is horror. It is about a governess who goes to work for a family and you know at the very beginning chapter that it doesn't end well. And it starts out the gate, weird and graphic and gory. Lots of body horror in this one. It's also very satirical and there's a lot of breaking of the fourth wall. She addresses the reader a lot, which I actually like so far. I'm enjoying it. I'm about halfway through and I'm really excited to talk about this one. I feel like this is going to be a really fun one to talk about. And that is Victorian Psycho by Virginia Fato.
- [45:23]
Tina
That is one I would like to read as well because I feel. I love when the authors make characters that break the fourth wall. I think that is so fun.
- [45:30]
Hannah
Yes. She's constantly like, now, reader, I know what you're thinking. And sure enough, she's right. Almost every time.
- [45:36]
Tina
Right. All right, well, that's it for today. We thank you for spending a part the of 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 would like access to exclusive bonus content and community, you can join us for $5 a month on patreon.com booktalk etc.
- [46:05]
Hannah
If you'd like to connect with us, you can email us@the booktalk etcmail.com you can also connect with us both at Booktok Etc. On Instagram and YouTube. You can. You can find Tina at TBR Etc. And Hannah at HandpickedBooks. Talk to you next week. And in the meantime, remember, everything's better with books.
- [46:29]
Tina
Next week, I'll be less or.