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- [00:00]
A
Although I have been thinking about. I was like, what did we say in our bonus book Talk After Dark? I'm like, were we rude? And then I was like, no, I stand ten toes down with whatever I did say, like, AI slop I. You know, like, whatever.
- [00:12]
B
I was like, oh, was I a
- [00:13]
A
little too, like, what, is AI going to be upset with us? Or like, people are going to be mad. Like, no, we love our AI. Overlord. Overlords.
- [00:22]
B
Overloids.
- [00:23]
A
Overlords. The overlords.
- [00:25]
B
That little like, Boston accent there.
- [00:27]
A
Give me humans or give me nothing.
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B
Amen.
- [00:41]
A
Welcome to Book Talk Etc, a podcast bound to grow your TBR. I'm Tina from TBR etc.
- [00:47]
B
And I'm Hannah from Hand Picked Books.
- [00:49]
A
This is a conversational podcast about books and more from two Midwest Mood readers. We're easily distracted by new releases and today we are talking about our July books on the radar.
- [00:59]
B
If you enjoy listening, we'd love for you to follow 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.
- [01:15]
A
Hi, Hannah, how are you?
- [01:17]
B
Hi, Tina. I am doing great. How are you?
- [01:21]
A
I am doing great. We are days before my daughter's birthday party and I feel like I have a lot to do for that. So that's sort of where my spirit is. Although I'm always happy to be recording. I'm like, wow, you're having a lot of people come to your home. You got to maybe pick up a few things. I don't know, go get the food. You know how it goes. But other than that, very happy and a good problem to have.
- [01:44]
B
Do you have an Audi book set up for your cleaning spree?
- [01:47]
A
Oh, how dare you. Yeah, I did 30% in. I DNF the man made of Smoke by Alex North. Oh. I was doing it for our upcoming episode and I was like, you know, it's not grabbing. Just talked about this one not grabbing me, folks. So I have selected another one that is, I think going to stick, but unfortunately I just finished the mutual read we're talking about for our latest read this morning and I was like, dang it, now you have all these things to do and no audiobook yet.
- [02:18]
B
So anyway, well, whatever, whatever it is, I hope that it keeps you good company.
- [02:23]
A
Thank you. Thank you. I know, right? What a tease. Question for you. How has your summer reading been going so far?
- [02:30]
B
It's honestly been going really great. I feel like I've made a decent dent in my summer bonanza, especially considering I keep forgetting, you know, we record the summer bonanza a little bit before summer technically starts. So summer solstice happened, you know, within the last week or so, so we're really just technically into summer. And I've already knocked a few books off of my technical summer reading list, so I'm really happy with that. I feel like I'm kind of starting to get in a solidified groove of what I'm in the mood for this summer and I'm considering. Drumroll, please. An actual TBR for July.
- [03:05]
A
I. I'll believe it when I see it. You show it to me. I would love to. That I believe in you, though. I do believe in you. You could definitely do it. And I feel like you like it.
- [03:15]
B
Yeah, I have a lot of books that I want to get to and I'm like, I keep forgetting what I actually want to read. I've been doing. I've been doing pretty good the last couple of months, but in general that's an issue for me. And so I'm at least I think going to put together something loose and have it somewhere where I can see it regularly because object permanence and all of that. So I'm gonna. I'm gonna try it. I know you'll believe it when you see it. I will.
- [03:43]
A
I believe in you. Keep us posted. My summer reading has been medium. It's not been the best. And I'm not happy to say that I've read some books that I had been meaning to read. So it's not that. It's just that they are not five star loves that I want them to be. So I'm really hoping that I can settle down because June has been pretty roug since John of John, my five star fave that I read early in June. I've kind of been like, you know,
- [04:13]
B
that can happen, you know.
- [04:15]
A
I know. And I wouldn't call it a really great book.
- [04:17]
B
Yeah.
- [04:18]
A
But I'm like, it's. It's. It's been fine.
- [04:21]
B
Yeah.
- [04:22]
A
That's.
- [04:22]
B
I was gonna say. Has it been like low rated books or. Meh books?
- [04:27]
A
Yeah, meh books. And we always say this. I would rather a book be low rated. I hate it. At least give me feelings. Feelings, man. I'm like, okay. You know, it was fine. I don't know.
- [04:39]
B
What a bummer.
- [04:40]
A
What a bummer. But that's okay. What can you do? I am ready to dive into our loving latelies if you are.
- [04:49]
B
Yes. I'm Ready.
- [04:50]
A
Yeah. I'm bringing a website that I discovered fairly recently. I've known about it for a while, but I've never ordered from it. And what it is, it is called yesstyle.com and you're like, what, what is that? Maybe yes, Style. If you've not heard of this, they are known for their K beau, so which is Korean beauty. So they have a huge range of products for your skin care routine. They also have cosmetics. But specifically why I went here is for sunscreen and it is authentic Asian beauty products. And you may know that sunscreen in the US is, is, has different formulation than it has in other countries. I've always been curious about Korean skincare, but also Korean sunscreen specifically. And I was reading something on my, you know, favorite way to pass time threads and it was a dermatologist talking about this specific ingredient that the US Is now approved. Do not quote me on this. I don't know the details. Okay. Again, I was just browsing and things were being filtered in. But what this person did say, they gave a recommendation of like 5 or 6 different sunscreens. And the one that I ordered specifically is known for not burning the skin or the eyes. My thing is if I get a whisper of sunscreen in my eye, it will, it will mess with me for forever. And so I'm like, I want something good. So I ended up making a little purchase from them. The sun cream that I got is from a brand called Beauty of Jossian. And I ordered, it was a three pack. You get two regular size and then one that like a travel size. It was like $25 for all of this.
- [06:30]
B
Oh, nice.
- [06:31]
A
And I can confirm. Oh my God. Is it so good? It's so good. It's clear, it goes on and it gives you a little bit of a shine. But it doesn't smell like any. It, it looks like nothing. It really does feel like I'm wearing absolutely nothing. And I love that you can use it, I guess it's a very well known iconic sunscreen and it is sort of lightweight, but also gives you great protection. It's. It's SPF 50. It's so lightweight that I was like, does this have SPF in it? And I was like looking at the. Of course. It's all in Korean. I was like looking at the box, I'm like, yep, there, it says it right there, SPF 50. And so this is a great deal. I'm really, really happy with it. I think you could use it. I pretty much use it only on my skin. But you know, you could use it wherever. I can also confirm that it has zero white cast. No matter your skin tone, it looks good. You know, you're not getting that like flashback or what have you, the white cast that you can sometimes get. Of course, while I was there, I was like, I want free shipping. So, like, let me see what else they have. I got a four dollar lip essence called one thing moisturizing lip essence. This thing is so fantastic. I'm not wearing it right now, but it's more of a treatment. It's so lovely. And again, no smell. Just feels very rich and moisturizing. And for $4, you cannot beat it. And then the last piece I needed was moisturizer. I was totally out. So I'm like, well, while I'm here, let's go ahead and get one. The one that I went with is Skin 1004 Madagascar Centella Cream. Whatever. Don't know much about this brand, but I sort of was like looking and seeing again. Really like this product doesn't smell like anything. Comes in a nice pot, has a nice scooper, and it's just lovely. It's got ceramides, hydration, all sorts of different things. And I enjoy it very much. It's very. It feels very clean. I'm like, okay. It doesn't feel like it's too weighty. It doesn't feel like it's too light or too greasy. It just really absorbs well and I'm enjoying it. So we can link to the three products, products that I mentioned. But sort of my bigger loving lately I was like, oh, I can see this being a slippery slope. Is the website. Yes. Style. Every time I've looked at this, they have like a code going on right now. It's like 15% off with the code HOT26. Anybody could get that. So tech, check it out. Especially if you're looking for more sunscreen. I totally recommend this website.
- [08:56]
B
Okay. I have been doing some not research, but I have heard about this ingredient that they're adding to sunscreen. And I have also been looking into just minerals, sunscreens. But the thing with mineral sunscreens is that even if they don't have that ingredient, they are so thick and pasty and that white screen, I mean, and. And my kids are, are very well, especially my son who's five. He is like translucent and that still shows up on his skin. The white casting, I think is what you called it.
- [09:30]
A
Yeah.
- [09:31]
B
Is just. It's really thick and it's hard to rub in. And get completely absorbed into the skin. So worth it to not have, you know, those toxic ingredients. But still, I would love to have a product that didn't do that. And so I will have this.
- [09:47]
A
Check that, check out this website.
- [09:49]
B
Okay. Well, my loving lately is also skin and body care related. It is a body wash that I have been using for a really long time and I feel like I just never get the opportunity to talk about it. It's specifically for my kidd shows, although they have skin and body care for all ages and skin types. But it's called the Alaffia body wash and we use the Everyday coconut. We've also used the Everyday Shea before. But I just love this shop in general. It's a black owned hair and body care company that is celebrated for its fair trade practices and empowerment of women in West Africa specifically. They have just really ethical and safe hair, face and body care. And then all of the ingredients are also indigenous and. Oh wow. Yeah. And so it's just a great product and great place to support in general. But I just really like their soap. It doesn't have a heavy scent. It is, it's thick but it lasts for a really long time. And my son has very sensitive skin and anything with dyes in it or things like that just can make him break out in hives or just be really itchy. And this has caused him zero issues. We've literally been getting it since he was a kiddo and it's like, well, he is a kiddo but since he was a baby. And they have stuff for both babies and kids. They've also used the bubble bath and the bubble bath is great. It's free of dyes, it suds up really, really nice and again, doesn't have a really strong scent. I'm noticing that something that you and I both have mentioned. Yeah. About the products we're using especially for kids. I mean I don't, I don't like super strong scents either but I feel like especially for the kids, like they don't need all of that. So I have been using this for a while but wanted to mention, mention it and bring it because I just stocked up on their product. We needed a bunch of new bath like bubble bath and body wash and things like that. So I just ordered some more from their shop. But that is the Alafia body wash. We use the Everyday coconut. But I really just recommend this brand in general.
- [12:03]
A
Well, dang, we've got you covered from tip to tail in this episode. I know. I do love a good skincare or Body care recommendation.
- [12:13]
B
Yes.
- [12:13]
A
Now we will dive into our latest read and boy, oh boy, sometimes when we talk about latest reads, it's like, oh yeah, I remember. I read this maybe a week or two ago. No, this baby is fresh off the press, if you will. We read or we are reading for our community read this month, Land by Maggie o'. Farrell. And in this moment, we have not yet had our discussion with our book talk, et cetera patreon community. That will take place next week. But when you guys hear this podcast, I think it's Tuesday night.
- [12:44]
B
It'll be the day of.
- [12:45]
A
Yeah, okay. I thought so. So if you're not familiar with land or haven't heard of it somehow allow me to give you a bit of a synopsis. It is. It takes place on a windswept peninsula stretching out into the Atlantic Ocean. You're following Tomas and his reluctant son Liam, who are working for the Great Ordinance Survey project to map the whole of Ireland. Starts off in 1865 and it hasn't been that long since the country was ravaged by the great hunger. And it's not an easy task. And Tomas is very determined, though. He, you know, essentially likes what he's doing, but also has to provide for his family. The British soldiers are coming. They're set to arrive any day. And then Tomas has something very off putting happen to him. He stumbles across a cops or a group of trees and he comes back a changed man. Liam is like, what's going on here? His dad's normally pretty taciturn and mellow and driven and now all of a sudden he's like got these sort of very interesting ideas and worst of all, his dad doesn't want to continue the project. And Liam's we need to. And so the story takes off from there. That is about maybe not even a fourth, not even a quarter of what takes place in this. I would maybe like a sixth. I don't know. That's a little bit about how it kicks off, how it starts, how it starts. But really what this book is about is this entire family and it's about the family. You come to find out that Tomas has two sisters. And there's other folks in, in the story as well, but it's a story about separation, about reunion, tragedy, recovery, colonization and rebellion. And it all by and large takes place in Ireland. And I am enjoying the conversation that people are having about this in our discord. That's where our community reads take place.
- [14:45]
B
You know, we've already started really discussing it.
- [14:48]
A
Many people have finished and I just love it because we can sort of hide spoilers. So the best part is when you're finished to, like, go in there and, like, unhide spoilers.
- [14:56]
B
Yes.
- [14:57]
A
By and large, I really enjoyed this. I'm very happy that we are reading it together. I don't think this is one that I would have prioritized had we not made it a community read for no real reason other than it is pretty. I wouldn't even say dense. It's literary fiction.
- [15:15]
B
It's a little.
- [15:15]
A
You have to pay attention. It's dense.
- [15:18]
B
I know. I know what you mean about hesitating to use that word because it makes it seem a little bit different. It.
- [15:24]
A
It just very descriptive.
- [15:26]
B
It's very descriptive, and I would say is challenging to read quickly, hence why I. I'm a little over halfway through now. Tina, I know you finished it. I'll obviously finish before we discuss with our patrons, but it is hard to read through quickly. And so while I know what you mean about it not being dense per se, it is very descriptive, and there is a lot to unpack in every paragraph, sentence, etc, as Maggie o' Farrell does with her books. And so, yeah, it's. It's dense in a way.
- [16:02]
A
It's sweeping. I would say you're really getting to know these people. And. And it's so interesting because, okay, at the end of the day, it's a story about a family. That's all you need to know. Like, it really is. There are some elements in here that are a little bit out of my comfort zone. And I was like, are we gonna stay in this little copse with the trees too long? Like, how far are we going to be in here? I will say for this book, it's challenges are. It's set up in four parts. That's all you're getting. You're not getting short chapters. You really are kind of essentially just getting four sections, like four parts. And once you get about halfway through part two, you're money, you're good. You're gonna be fine. Because now you're sort of off and running with the rest of the story. But in the beginning of that, I'm like, where are we going? How. Where is my footing here? I just finished it this morning. And I really appreciate what she did with the ending. I was like, okay, I see. I feel like it all came together. I feel like she really. My favorite quote, landed the plane. It's also a book that made me Google a lot, which I always say I really enjoy doing. And if you're you can read this, I think, in however you want. I'm also somebody that the beginning, I'm like, let me just let this wash over me. I feel like I didn't need to have all of the lyrics and all of the beautiful writing unpacked and like, I could go back to it. Certainly there are some wonderful sentence structures and really interesting ways that she phrased things, but for a while I was like, let me wash over it. And then once I got to a certain point, I was like, okay. I really, really enjoy saying here. I don't know what I'm rating it. I don't know that I would rate it 5 stars. I think it's easily in the fours, so I still personally highly recommend it. There are a lot of things in here that I think are rife for discussion. So I'm curious to chat about this. And I think you, Hannah, or maybe. Maybe it was somebody else. Sorry. Had asked me if it was how it compares to John of John, that.
- [18:06]
B
That because of like the landscape and the setting and things like that. Yeah, yeah.
- [18:10]
A
John of John, though, is in Scotland. This one's in Ireland, and this one follows a whole family over the course of their entire lives, essentially. And John of John is a very specific father son in a very specific period of time. So I would say. Yeah, it's just sort of. Yeah, exactly. It's. You're following them for a very. Not a very short period of time, but a shorter period of time. I like John of John better, but I think people will probably make some comparisons. But yeah, yeah, I enjoyed this one. I think it can be very immersive. I. I sort of. I did most of it on audio. I really appreciated the audiobook narration. I do think there are some folks that are like. I don't know if I love the Irish accent, but I thought it read pretty authentic. And he's not the most demonstrative narrator, but I didn't mind that it sort of fit how he's telling the story. I like it with the lyrical prose. Yeah, I feel like it really goes.
- [19:05]
B
I sometimes don't want something over performed. In fact, more often than not, I don't actually. I just want to get through the story. And sometimes if it's a little overperformed, I'm focusing so much on how they are saying certain things that I'm actually losing the story a little bit. And so while I love, obviously a great narrator, for me sometimes that means just a. I don't want to say plain narrator, but you had a good word for it just a little bit more.
- [19:34]
A
I said, he's less demonstrative than some where it's very performed. Like you said, I love narration when I don't notice it. That's sort of my favorite where I'm like, let me just hear it. So I would be remiss if I didn't mention that there is a spot in this book where the narrator is reading and I'm just going to pull from a random sentence. This wasn't the part. But he goes, did the devil appear you. Oh, sorry. Did the devil appear to you? He, like, forgot a word and literally they forgot to edit it out. He goes, oh, sorry. And then goes back and, like, redoes it. And I know there's some talk online. People are like, how did they not catch that? And fair, right? I'm sure there's a big budget for this. But I also didn't mind it because I was like, oh, it's so human. It was so charming. And like, people don't talk like that. It flowed so well that I was like, I bet you whoever narrated, whether it was a software or a person didn't even notice it because it just sort of like went. Went right through it. But at any rate, all of this to say I highly recommend it and I can't wait to hear your final thoughts on it when we have our discussion on Tuesday. But that book is Land by Maggie o'. Farrell.
- [20:36]
B
Yay. Yeah, I have a feeling it's going to be at least a four, if not five star for me. So I'm really excited.
- [20:44]
A
I actually, I said I love going in our discord and like, looking to see what people said. I honestly, I did it earlier, but I didn't get very far because I had not finished. But I'm like, ooh. I haven't looked yet to see what folks are saying over there, but people are buzz about it that we will get all of that going soon. We don't do book talk, right? For these. We just kind of go right into the book. Hey, well, how about that hot dog?
- [21:09]
B
And it's up next to you, baby.
- [21:11]
A
All right, well, me again. Hello. I'm going to share my first book that I have slated for my July books on the radar. As always, we do have a full summer bonanza list and it can be challenging sometimes to find books that were not vetted already for our bonanza. I honestly had no problem this time, though. Sometimes it can be challenging. I was like, oh, my God, there's 100. Like, I could have added 100 but I could have added way more. But we're gonna share five each today.
- [21:37]
B
Yes.
- [21:38]
A
Right. And I'll start with my first one, which is a book called Country People by Daniel Mason. And this one is about the year in the life of a family as they strike out into the unknown, AKA Vermont, in leaving all the comforts of home behind. This is said to be a rollicking, lyrical novel. Daniel Mason, you might remember him, he is the author of Northwoods, which is a book I really want to read. I do own it behind me, but I've not yet had a chance to read it. In Country People, you're following Miles. He has a devoted husband, a doting father beloved for his outlandish bedtime stories, and the proud owner of a truffle hunting dog in a land with no truffles. He's also a bit lost. 12 years late with his PhD in Russian folktales and increasingly haunted by a sense that he become a disappointment. But then his wife Kate accepts a visiting professorship at a prestigious college in the faraway forests of Vermont. He decides that this will be the year to finally make move forward with his life. And essentially they get to Vermont and as soon as they get there, he becomes entangled with a cast of characters who are very colorful and he is meeting these new friends and also he also hears tell that there are enchanted woods. And he's like, like, I'm gonna look what I can see, what I can find here. And he stumbles upon a local legend which he begins to suspect might not be a legend after all. This is said to be joyous, absurd and life affirming and it's an exploration of marriage and parenthood. And I'm like, this sounds really good. It sounds like it's got enough themes in there and deeper and more serious topics, but also maybe with a light hearted tone. I could be way off with this. But it reminded me of Annie Hartnett's books, who I adore. She is the author of Un Likely Animals. I love that book and that sort of tone, the serious stuff with this, this sense of humor to it reminded me of that. So I'm hopeful that this is a good one. This one comes out on July 7th and that is Country People by Daniel Mason.
- [23:41]
B
Yes. I didn't have that on my list for today, but it is one that I considered putting on there and it's one that I know is on its way to me in the mail. So fun. Yes. I also am excited about that one. So good one. My first pick is every version of By Natalie Messier. And this comes out on July 7th. And this is about Joey Vasquez, whose life is the definition of good on paper. At 32, she's a lawyer on the cusp of making partner. She owns a house in la, and she almost keeps pace with her doctor sister in her parents eyes. When she reluctantly arrives at the very coupley dinner party hosted by Elijah Aarons, the best friend that she secretly pined after for 14 years, she is dismayed to find that the last person on earth she'd ever want to see again is also there. Alex Aquino, your basic rich Silicon beach bro. The night couldn't possibly get worse. And then she dies. Wow. I wasn't. I actually don't remember reading that when I first read it, but it makes sense because of the title. Every version of you. But then I surprised myself with that plot twist. So she dies and then when Joey is given a second chance at life, she finds herself 18 again. The year that she met both Elijah and Alex. Armed with memories from her first life, Joey is certain she's come back to finally convince the one man she's ever loved to love her back. So why does she find herself strangely drawn to the man she thought that she hated? This is said to be fan for fans of the Love of My Afterlife and the Seven Year Slip and it is a contemporary romance debut and follows a woman who gets this. This really unique second chance romance. It's like not quite a Groundhog Day book, but kind of. Right? She goes back in time and then it's like a unique spin on a love triangle. It sounds like too. So I like the sound of this. It sounds like it's going to take some tropes that we love and kind of turn them on their heads with this very unique premise of her going back in time. So sounds really unique. I'm excited about that one. That is every version of youf by Natalie Messier here.
- [25:56]
A
I like the sound of this. I would love to see it picked up by one of the celebrity book clubs. But I'm not sure that it will be. But that was one of the ones that I loosely predicted.
- [26:05]
B
It says that it's Reese's Book Club lit up. What is that?
- [26:09]
A
Yes. So I did the same. I had that same question. So she. I guess Reese's Book Club has a program that supports debut authors and like helps them on their writing journey. And so this was one of the books that was selected for it. Yeah. Very cool. Which is why I was like, I don't know if it would Also be a celebrity book club pick because. Because they may not do that. I know Jenna has come out and said she doesn't pick her imprint Thousand Voices for her book club. So like, you know, I wasn't sure. But anyway, I at either. At any rate, I do like the sound of that.
- [26:40]
B
And Jenna's book club does pick romances for their book clubs. Her book clubs sometimes, but not this type of romance. This is definitely more of like a Rhys type romance. But considering she's picking it lit up, it's probably not so.
- [26:51]
A
Exactly.
- [26:52]
B
Yeah, I see.
- [26:53]
A
Thought process I went through here. All right, well, I'm going to shift pretty hard to Not With a Bang by Temi O. And this is an apocalypse book. I meant to bring this as one of my Summer Bonanza bonus picks and I forgot about it. So I'm really happy to bring it to the show here. And this one, okay, it says it's station 11 meets leave the World behind, which. Hello. And it's also a family drama. Drama. So it says. In the summer sky, a celestial object is fast approaching due to slingshot around the Earth and disappear again. Its consequences are unknown, but everyone has their own theory on what it is. A meteor, A planet, Aliens. Yet Briar Minton can't stop thinking about her classmate who went missing six months ago. Obsessing over her disappearance leads Briar down a rabbit hole deep into the world of a cult. And then the alien intelligence they claim to be communicating with with. Meanwhile, her father is becoming more unhinged after losing his job and doomsday prepping takes over his life. And he forces his unwilling wife and children along for the ride because he's completely convinced the apocalypse is coming. And oddly enough, he seems like a little like into that. He like, would welcome it.
- [28:06]
B
There are people like that?
- [28:08]
A
Yeah. And as the celestial object arrives, the Mintons reach a breaking point. Can they find their way back to each other at the end of the world? And what will be left to cling to if they do? I. This is from Saga, comes out on July 14th and it has, I think it's four separate parts. No, three separate parts. Part three is the fallout. I love an apocalypse or sort of end of the world story. I love the ones that specifically focus on the buildup. Meaning, like, okay, is it happening? Is it not? What's going on here? And so this sounds like it's going to be really, really fun for me and I'm excited to try it. This book is Not With a Bang by Temi.
- [28:47]
B
Oh yeah, that Sounds great. I hadn't heard of that one. That was not on my radar. And it sounds kind of similar to. I mean, not entirely, but vibes wise and somewhat premise wise to the Apple TV Mini. Well, it's not a miniseries, there will be multiple seasons, but the Apple TV series called Pluribus, which is an alien invasion, but like it. Is it an alien invasion? You know, it's definitely similar. It's one of the most unique premises for a show that I've ever watched. And as you were describing that book, I was like, oh, this sounds kind of similar. So if you're looking for a show to watch that is kind of that same vibe, maybe check that one out on Apple tv.
- [29:31]
A
Apple tv. Okay. I was going to ask where you. Where you got it.
- [29:34]
B
Yeah, Apple TV has some really great shows. I am going to keep consistent with my theme for now. I do have some diversity in my genre moving forward, but this one is called Crash Into Me by Robin Lee. And this comes out again on July 7th. This is the same author of the Idea of you. And in this one we are following Cecilia Chen. She's in a complicated marriage and raising her children in Los Angeles's toxic playground of privilege and power. And she's really struggling to find her real self among the many labels assigned to her wife, mother, artist, daughter, until the moment she crashes literally into the Anouk Ferrand. It has been 20 years since she last encountered the enigmatic model on a photo shoot in Mexico, and it's this chance second meeting that will upend Cecilia's life. Seeing Anouk again forces Cecilia to revisit their brief time together and question where she truly fits in. Can the renewed intensity of her explosive physical and emotional entanglement with Anouk finally give her an answer? This one is said to be heartbreakingly real and emotionally layered, and it illuminates the unexpected detours that change our lives forever. So, kind of a similar theme to the first one that I brought and I never read the Idea of you by Robin Lee. I know, and I never watched the movie either. Another one that I could have done for our adaptation episode that I will have to read another time. But this one sounded. Sounded interesting and I'm excited to try something by this author that is Crash into Me by Robin Lee.
- [31:19]
A
Yeah, I really, really enjoy the idea of you, so I was very keen on knowing how this one will be. So if you read it, I can't wait to hear what you think about it. The Idea of you is very good. Is that Anne Hathaway stars in that one, right?
- [31:33]
B
Yeah, that's right.
- [31:35]
A
Yeah, I was interested in that.
- [31:37]
B
Was it confirmed that it was a Harry Styles fan fiction, or is that just speculation?
- [31:43]
A
I think it's speculation. I'm not sure.
- [31:46]
B
Okay.
- [31:46]
A
I think it's. Yeah, I, I, everybody always said, like,
- [31:49]
B
oh, it's Harry Styles fan fiction, but I'm like, is it? Or do people want it to be, or.
- [31:54]
A
I am not. That's not my canon Harry Styles body of work, so I'm not sure.
- [31:59]
B
I don't. Yeah, not really. I like him fine. Like, I just don't. I'm not super involved in the lore, so. Yeah.
- [32:05]
A
Yes, exactly. I'm like, maybe. Let's see here. All right, next up for me is a book that I think sounds so good, and it's by my new. I don't want to play favorites, but my, my, my incoming favorite publisher. I've just really been enjoying their stuff. The book is the Mortons by Justine Larbelster and Scott Westerfield. The publisher that I'm talking about is Pamela Dorman Books, and they've just been getting some, some things out in the world that I've really enjoyed. This comes out on July 21. And okay, it says, meet the Mortons. In this family, murder is currency and business is booming. The Mortons are a modern day old money dynasty with impeccable taste. From their exquisitely crafted cocktails to their expertly tailored vintage garments, there are also stone cold killers. For the Mortons, homicide is heritage. They, along with the other crime families, send their progeny to Hellshire College, where legacy students learn to exercise control over their wealthy peers. Jessica Morton has always excelled at Hellshire, secure in the knowledge that she is a prodigy of her generation. Now, having committed to her first kill, it should be Jessica's moment, her honor. But that kill will cut more ways than one, unknotting a series of revelations spanning the Morton's country estate, the New York City art world, and Hellshire itself. Supposed to to be sharp and hick sharp and hypnotic, and it's an epic novel of alliances and power and the consequences of ruthless ambition. Scott Westerfield's an author I've heard of before. He wrote the young adult series the Uglies.
- [33:41]
B
The Uglies? Yeah, I never read that. But they were so popular.
- [33:45]
A
They were so popular. And I can't tell you if I read it or not, isn't that I want to say I did back in the day, but it was so long ago. It was so long ago. Normally, I'm better about knowing if I've read it it or not. But survey says that, no, I did not. But other author also is a young adult novel. Now. This is adult. So I, you know, I. I don't see it as tagged as young adult. So I'm hopeful that that's right. It's blurbed, though. The blurbs are actually what got me. Because the blurbs are, get this, Charlotte McConaughey. Hello. Of course, my favorite. Okay, Sarah Pekkanen, who I. I also love. And she writes more in the thriller mystery space. And then Lev Grossman from the Magicians trilogy. Isn't that an interesting group of people that have blurb, oh, Julie Clark's in there, as is Will Dean. I'm like, what?
- [34:38]
B
Those are both thriller.
- [34:39]
A
Ashley Winstead, Tracy Sierra. It's crazy. These blurbs are crazy. But I mean, it is murdery. So, you know, there's that. But I don't know. I gotta tell you, I'm intrigued. I am intrigued. That book is called called the Mortons by Justine Larbelster and Scott Westerfield.
- [34:57]
B
It's funny that you said that you were just talking about not remembering if you'd read something, and this only happens to me occasionally, but it actually happened to me when I was prepping this episode because there's a book called Fast by Millie Belizer that's coming out this month. But when I was looking at it, I was like, well, it's either coming out this month or maybe like end of June. But anyway, I was looking at it and prepping for this episode, and I was like, I swear I've read this book before. I swear I've read it. And I looked it up and I guess it was Originally published in 2020.
- [35:33]
A
Oh, I was like, I thought I
- [35:35]
B
read it even before then, but maybe I didn't.
- [35:38]
A
Isn't that cool?
- [35:39]
B
Then I looked at my reading log in 2020, and I didn't have it on my reading log, but I swore that I read it. And I was very diligent about tracking my books that year. And so I'm like, did I read it in another universe or something? I don't know. It was just a really weird experience.
- [35:56]
A
Writing book deja vu.
- [35:58]
B
Yes, it was like book deja vu. So anyway, I just thought it was funny that you mentioned that because that just happened to me while prepping for this episode. Okay, I'm gonna say switch gears both genre wise and theme wise for my next pick. And that is the man by Laura Sims. This is one that I wondered if you wouldn't have.
- [36:20]
A
I do like Laura Sims, but no.
- [36:22]
B
Yes, I said I. Sorry, I said Sams. I meant Laura Sims. So this one is about Judith Stanley. And the photos that she takes are just for her. This is a private passion to fill her suburban days. But when she shares them with Paul Sorensen, her new photography instructor, she is unprepared to hear his astonished praise. Stunning. He calls her photos extraordinary. She has an uncanny eye, he says, and should consider publication. And he could help. Except Judith has no interest in sharing her work and in fact, the mere idea of it frightens her. Still, emboldened by Paul's encouragement, Judith ventures out beyond her quiet neighborhood, the city, in search of increasingly striking images. When she starts to notice a dark shape of a man in the corner of her self portraits, Judith is certain that he is an attacker from her past. She doesn't know why he has returned, but she is sure of his presence. The hoarse sound of his breathing, his hard grip on her elbow. Perhaps it would appease the man if she were to put the camera down and give up her private passion. But she can't. She refuses. Until one night when the man finally emerges from the shadow shadows and Judith's story suddenly and irrevocably becomes his own. This is chilling and heart poundingly propulsive and is a phenomenal and timely novel exploring the inescapable fear of living as a woman, the tantalizing seduction of artistic freedom, and the very real dangers that lurk both inside and outside the confines of the mind. I think that this one sounds really unique and. And I don't know if I've read a book that really tackles the topic of just the fear of living as a woman. I mean, I'm sure I have, but that kind of being the central focus, especially as it ties to really wanting your own freedom in your passions and then still having to kind of live with that fear. I just think that this sounds really interesting and I hope that it tackles this theme. Well, that is the man by Laura Sims, and that comes out on July 2nd 7th.
- [38:31]
A
That does sound good. I feel like she'll do this really well. She's sort of a. Yeah, she wrote a really good story of obsession. I feel like this one should be able to.
- [38:40]
B
Is that. Was that.
- [38:41]
A
What was it called? It was the Looker is what it was called. And it's got such low ratings.
- [38:47]
B
I never read that.
- [38:48]
A
Yeah, I enjoyed it, but yeah, people, it has a 3.06 average rating. That is crazy town. But anyway, I thought Looker was good. Oh, she does have. How can I help you, Hannah? You're right. You're right.
- [38:59]
B
Okay. That was the one that I read. And that one also, I'm pretty sure has pretty low ratings as well. And I really enjoyed that 3.4 on that one.
- [39:07]
A
Oh my gosh, I forgot that she wrote both of them. Yes, I did not love Can I help you? But I remember reading it.
- [39:15]
B
That was also a novel about obsession.
- [39:17]
A
Yes, she does.
- [39:18]
B
Kind of in a different context.
- [39:20]
A
Yeah, for sure. Okay, move. Moving on. Oh my gosh, this next one sounds so good. I have a copy of it, but I don't know where it is right now. It is called the New People by Andrea Uptmore and okay. This book is set in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. It is about a newly married lesbian couple who moves into a flipped foreclosure home, unaware that the former homeowners are still living in the attic.
- [39:47]
B
Oh my gosh.
- [39:48]
A
What? I'm like, oh my God. Spooky, weird house. There's people living inside of it. Guests that won't leave. Sign me up, it says. Months after the housing bubble bursts, newlywed Chicagoans, Emma and Rachel move into a charming little house in a conservative Indiana college town, hoping for a fresh start after a painful miscarriage. As Rachel immerses herself in her new role as a tenure track professor and best selling novelist adjunct Emma struggles in the shadow of her wedding wife's success. Desperate to build something of her own, Emma secretly pursues IVF even as Rachel insists that they wait to have children. That's an interesting choice. The house, initially a symbol of a new beginning, becomes a refuge for Emma from the town she's convinced is set against her. Until strange occurrences make her question whether she and her wife are truly alone. They aren't. Charlotte and Dirk, the former homeowners, are secretly living in the attic above their attached garage. So the garage is attached and they're living above it. Dispossessed by the recent recession and anxious about her husband's declining health, Charlotte listens to the interlopers below and her resentment steadily grows. What starts as small acts of defiance, missing food, flipped breakers in the fuse box, subtle scratches in furniture soon becomes sabotage. But when her campaign to drive out the couple goes too far, Charlotte and Emma's stories converge in a an explosive climax. I'm sorry, this sounds perfect for me. I can't wait to read it. I must know this is not going to end well, but I got to see it to its to its conclusion. This book is the New People by Andrea Aptmore. And this one comes out on July 21st.
- [41:31]
B
That sounds absolutely bananas and kind of similar to the Marcus Cleaver book. Oh, what's it called? It's the white one. Why am I having a hard time?
- [41:42]
A
We used to live here. Yes, that one like this sounds like a more grounded version of it. Yeah, Correct.
- [41:49]
B
People in the home, for sure.
- [41:50]
A
Yeah.
- [41:51]
B
They should not be there. It should not be there trope that you really enjoy with.
- [41:55]
A
I just love it.
- [41:57]
B
Yeah. People not leaving.
- [41:58]
A
Guess that won't leave.
- [41:59]
B
Overstaying. Yeah, guess I won't leave.
- [42:01]
A
Yes. Guess that overstay their welcome. I love it.
- [42:05]
B
Okay, my next one is called the Half Life by Rachel Beanland. And this comes out on July 14, when 23 year old Eileen O' Malley meets charismatic naval officer Paul Archer in Charles in a Charleston department store. She doesn't expect to fall so hard so fast, but Paul is funny and ambitious. And soon Eileen's got a ring on her finger and is following him to the tiny sun drenched Mediterranean island of La Maddalena, where Paul will be heading up radiological controls aboard a submarine tender. It is here that Eileen joins a makeshift community of Navy wives who are hell bent on making the island feel a little more like home. But for Eileen, whose brother died in Vietnam, home is a very loaded word. And as she settles into life on the island, taking Italian lessons, learning to make collisiones. Which is like a ravioli. I guess I looked it up. I looked it up before I mentioned this and then I still, you know, had a hard time saying the word. But that's okay. It is a. Yeah, like a ravioli. It's like a stuffed cheese pasta. But she begins to love the place for all the ways that it is not like where she came from. Still, it does not take long for Eileen to be confronted with the complexities of being an American abroad. The decision to send nuclear powered subs into the Maddalena archipelago was a contentious one. And the US government is doing whatever it can to ensure that the island, not to mention all of Italy, doesn't go communist in the next election. When Italian activists and scientists begin to sound the alarm about possible nuclear contamination in the water, the island erupts in a series of protests made worse by the ongoing mishaps of the U.S. navy. Soon, Eileen's marriage falters and her loyalties begin to shift as she's drawn into a web of secrets and into a local journalist who forces her to imagine a life beyond the one she's been Handed. This is a story of love and awakening of one woman forced to choose between loyalty to her husband and country and to the Italian locals who show her the high cost of American exceptionalism. That was a mouthful. It sounds really, really good though. And, and I like the idea of her finding this community abroad and rethinking her life. So that is the Half Life by Rachel Beanland.
- [44:36]
A
I think that sounds good as well. And I love books for the summer that take you on an armchair travel experience, which I'm like, I love this setting. You know what? I was debating between two for my last one and I think with that segue, I will go ahead and go with this one. It is called the Parisian Heist by Joe Piazza and it's thick. She is a. She's a long one. There's maybe 380 pages or so, so it's not terrible. But this one is a dual timeline mystery drenched in the art world intrigue, brimming with family secrets, betrayal and the intoxicating lure of power. The first point of view is Emma. She's a struggling artist in Paris and thought she had left her dreams behind when she took a job cleaning for the city's wealthy elite. Then she meets Stella Swanson, widow to one of the world's most notorious art dealers in the business. They are billionaires and she gets drawn into their dazzling wealth and the pull of a dangerously charming grandson. And she becomes both a player and pawn in a family battle to protect their empire and conceal their crimes. You're also getting a point of view. In the late 1800s, the young widow Joe Van Gogh inherits hundreds of paintings from her brother in law, Vincent, which the art world deem worthless. Determined to prove their genius and secure a future for herself and her young son, Jo becomes consumed by Vincent's legacy as her devotion deepens. A vanished painting and a thwarted love affair leave her unsure whom she can trust and how much of herself she's willing to lose in the process. From the glittering auction houses to the idyllic canals of Amsterdam and the grand museums of Paris, the lives of these two women converge as Emma uncovers the Swanson family's darkest secrets and agrees to mastermind a daring heist. The stakes have never been higher and these women refuse to be written out of history, no matter the cost. So I think this sounds good. I like historical fiction. I read the first couple pages of this. The woman's cleaning the wealthy billionaire's home and she has a Vincent van Gogh painting. And then I love that. The other point of view you're getting is a young widow of who is related to Vincent van Gogh. And I'm like, okay, I think that's interesting. I want to know how these two come together. The Emma's point of view, by the way, is 1996. Because I was like, wait, is what is the time frame there? So if Joe.
- [46:54]
B
Historical fiction, that's. Yeah.
- [46:56]
A
But the other one is the late 1800s. So my question was, do they come together? Like, are they both alive at the same time? And I think they can be. So at any rate, this one, I think sounds really interesting. And it's called the Parisian Heist by Joe Piazza.
- [47:10]
B
Yes. I have never read anything by Joe Piazza, but I have communicated with her like in my earlier bookstagram days, and she's just very, very sweet. She seems like a very, very nice person.
- [47:21]
A
So I love to hear that.
- [47:23]
B
We love reading from kind, nice authors.
- [47:27]
A
Right.
- [47:28]
B
This next one is also about some billionaires and I was excited about it because it is set at the Grand Hotel, which any Michigander will know is the only hotel on Mackinac Island. The book is Make Nice by Ryan Efgan. And this is a debut novel. Novel. And it's about the Pickford siblings, who arrive at the Grand Hotel, which is a very nostalgic tourist paradise of the horse drawn carriages, muddled cocktails and white sweaters on the tennis court. There are no vehicles allowed on Mackinac island, so I think that'll just be a fun setting for a book. And all of these siblings have every intention of spending the long weekend making nice. We have Pete, the nation's foremost expert on gastropods, also known as mollusks, and he is keen to wait around in the lake in search of a rare and exciting Carthusian snail. Then we have Viv, who is reeling from the secret revelation that her husband is gay and she is determined to put on a brave face for her daughter. And then we have Corey, a charming, handsome grifter who has lucked into five pounds of cocaine and he plans to sell it to the first dumb rich guy he can find. That's right on the back of the novel. I thought that was was funny. But when Pete falls for the alluring mother of a local kid and Viv's daughter gets up to teenage trouble. And when Corey finds the wealthy guests less interested in party drugs than golf clubs and waffle cones, the long weekend of family bonding veers into complete disaster. Why did their father bring them to this cushy island resort in the first place? And why does Corey the biggest mess up of them all seem to be the only one who actually knows the truth. Truth in a story that is as sneakily wise as it is absurdly funny. This debut shows that sometimes the people who bring out your worst, your family can also be the ones that bring you out of your shell. I just think that sounds really fun and funny and I just love family stories so much. I can't get enough of them. I eat them up. That is Make Nice by Ryan Efkin. That comes out out on July 14th.
- [49:45]
A
I love that. That's a hyper local recommendation. I mean you're not like on Mackinac island, but the state, you know what I mean?
- [49:50]
B
No, it's, it's like eight hours away from me. But same state, damn it, same state. No, I know, I know. It's just a bummer. I meant, I more meant that not too bad.
- [50:01]
A
Too bad so far you.
- [50:02]
B
But as a bummer, like, oh, it would take me like eight hours to get there and you have to take a ferry to get there.
- [50:08]
A
No cars.
- [50:09]
B
No cars. Yes.
- [50:11]
A
So that sounds nice.
- [50:12]
B
Like you said, yes. A very fun local recommendation.
- [50:14]
A
We will wrap this episode with our current reads. And I alluded to this earlier. The book that I'm currently reading is not that I Could Tell by Jessica Strasser. And I'm reading this if you listen to our last episode we announced and pulled for our tackling our TBR shelf new regular series. And so the topic that we pulled was reading book of the month books we own that are over a year old. This one came all the way from March 2018. So I would definitely say that it fits the bill. I can tell you exactly why it's lasted this long because it's a beautiful purple cover. And I also like the front of it. It's like these two chairs sitting around a fire pit with glasses of wine. And this one's about a group of neighborhood women who are gathering around a fire pit, kind of like, you know, laughing with each other. And then the next day one of them is gone and they're trying to figure out like what the heck happened to. Or was it the husband? Oh, looks. Look at that. It looks like I started it and only got 28 pages back in the day.
- [51:15]
B
Back in the day.
- [51:16]
A
I'm farther in now. But this, the book that is my current read, is not that I Could Tell by Jessica Strasser.
- [51:22]
B
Guess what?
- [51:23]
A
You read it.
- [51:24]
B
I've read this one.
- [51:25]
A
Yeah, I knew it. I could tell by your face. How'd you like? Well, no, don't tell me.
- [51:27]
B
I'm not gonna say. I'm not gonna say. I want to hear your thoughts. And then you'll have to let me know what you think of it when you finish it.
- [51:35]
A
I sure will. You're gonna hear about it on the show.
- [51:37]
B
Yes, I sure will. But, yeah, for once in my life, I'm like, oh, a thriller that I've read.
- [51:43]
A
I know, right? There's so few and far between these thrillers I haven't read.
- [51:46]
B
I know. Okay. Well, I am obviously, as I mentioned before, finishing up Land by Maggie o' Farrell ahead of our chat on Tuesday. But I also just started on my Kindle a book called Sacculina by Philip Fricassi. And this is a novella. And this is about a group of brothers and it's a family. And they go. They charter an ocean fishing boat to celebrate Jack's new freedom. Jack has just been released from prison. So they go on this fishing trip and a mutant species rises from the darkness. Terrorize them.
- [52:25]
A
No.
- [52:25]
B
Yep, that is the story. That's all I'm gonna say. It's a very short break book. I literally just started it, but I love creepy ocean books, so I'm really hoping that this will terrify me and delight me in the same breath. So that is Saculina by Philip Fricassi.
- [52:43]
A
I can't wait to hear about it. Me too. All right, folks, that is it for today. We thank you for spending a part of your day with us. Links to all the books mentioned can be found in the show notes. And if you enjoyed today today's episode, you can help us by following wherever you listen and by leaving a review on Apple podcasts. It helps us get our show out to new listeners and grows our audience. And don't forget, if you'd like access to exclusive bonus content and community, you can join us for $5 a month on patreon.com booktalk Etc.
- [53:13]
B
If you'd like to connect with us, you can email us@booktalk etcmail.com you can also connect with us both at Booktok. Etc. On Instagram and Tina at TBR Etc. And Hannah at HandpickedBooks. Talk to you next week. And in the meantime, remember, everything's better with books. Crushed it.
- [53:38]
A
Nailed it. Nailed it.