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- [00:01]
A
Kids are back.
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Kids are back baby.
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Welcome to Book Talk Etc. A podcast bound to grow your tbr. I'm Tina from TBR Etc.
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And I'm Hannah from Hand Picked Books.
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This is a conversational podcast about books and more from two Midwest Mood readers who are easily distracted by new releases. And this week we're sharing March books on the Radar.
- [00:34]
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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.
- [00:46]
A
Hey everyone. It is the start of a brand new month so we wanted to take the time to invite you to join us on Patreon. Our Patreon Group is the best. It's such a supportive, wonderful community of readers and if you've ever wanted your reading to be more of a social acceptance experience, this is a great way to find that connection. Becoming a patron is a great way to financially support our podcast as well to meet other readers and of course get access to our exclusive Bonus content. For $5 a month, you get access to two bonus episodes in one live event as well as invites to our Book Talk, Etc Discord Server, Facebook Group and our monthly Community Read. You also get access to everything we've created since we started nearly five years ago and you help keep our main show ad free. March, as always, is jam packed full of goodness. For our bonus episodes we are going to be doing our classic what's in the Mailbag episode where Hannah and I go through the books that we've recently acquired. We will also have episode three of Bookstore Browse the Hand Sell where our featured bookseller will share personalized book recommendations based on patron submitted listener requests. Our March Community Read is one we are also excited about. It is Kin by Tayari Jones, which is a novel that explores the lifelong friendship between two motherless girls, Bernice and Annie, in the segregated South. Our live event is something we are so excited to try. We will be doing a live Reading Sprint Trivia Night. If you are interested, Please head to patreon.com booktalk etc or look for the link in our show notes. And thank you so much for your support. Hi Hannah.
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B
Hi Tina. I am so excited for our live Reading Sprint Trivia Night.
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A
I know I live for trivia. I love it. Oddly, I am not that good at it. I'm really not that great at trivia, but I love the idea of like being the person in charge of Course I do. Surprising no one.
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B
Well, that surprises me, though, because you are full of facts.
- [02:52]
A
I'm full of fun facts. But it really depends on the categories, because I know deeply about. And I think this is true for everybody. I know deeply certain topics, but not very wide. Like, if they talk about movies or history, I'm like, yeah, I don't know. But if they talk, of course, about literature or psychology, other things, I'm in. You know who's really good at trivia is Jonathan.
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My husband.
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A
You already know.
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B
Surprise me at all.
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A
Is full of. He's full of it. He's full of fun facts. Um, but I do enjoy trivia. He's full of it. You know what I'm saying? But yes, I'm excited.
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Really good at trivia, too.
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Really. I believe that we should go on. Someday the four of us can do a trivia trivia night.
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That would be so fun. Double date night. Just throw our kids together,
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entertain yourselves.
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Grace, you're the babysitter.
- [03:46]
A
Yes, exactly. Grace is my dog. Talk amongst yourselves. Anyway, so we are excited to chat today. In addition to our March books on the radar, we're also talking about our community read for February, which is vigil by George Saunders. And I have to say, and we were talking about this a little bit before we started. We're really glad that we had the chance to discuss this with our community, because walking away, I was like, huh? But we'll get into that here in a little bit.
- [04:17]
B
Yes, I'm excited to chat about that on the air.
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A
On the. Also.
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Also. Also well done on predicting kin for.
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A
Okay, book club.
- [04:27]
B
That was officially announced and you were correct.
- [04:31]
A
I was correct. It was Oprah's book club pick is Kin, which is our community read for March. And I love when it aligns. It just makes me very happy. But I'll get into my loving lately, if it's all the same to you. And this is one of those that I'm like, I know it will appeal to maybe 1% of listeners, and the rest are gonna be like, who cares? But I. I'm going to share it. I have a new lash process, so I want to tell you about the false lashes that I am wearing. And here's what I've been doing. I have been doing my, you know, kind of semi permanent lashes at home. I'm wearing them today and I'm holding them in my hand. This is the airy, cute lashes. I got these on TikTok shop, but I also saw that they are on Amazon and these are in the Brown. And I'm wearing flaunt. And I am telling you this because I really, really like the brow. Feel like it's not as harsh as when I wear a black because my hair is blondish. And so when I wear black, it's, like, very striking. I like the brown. I also like that these last. So what I do is I put them on their individual lashes, and then you've got the bond. You bonded to your lashes. And people say it could last up to a week. It does not last me a week. It lasts about three to four days, which I will take. I can sleep with them. They feel like nothing. They're so lightweight. And they have a bond and a seal. And I think the seal part is what makes them last a really long time. So I just pop these on, you know, once a week, wear them. I wear them to the gym. I do wear them in the sauna. And for some reason, they don't fall off. It's really incredible. And I've worn them now three different times. And it comes with a remover as well. And it's really easy to take them off and it doesn't mess up your natural lashes. It's witchcraft. I don't know why it works. Oh, and also, I am not great at putting on lashes. I can do it, but I really have to take my time. I was literally putting these on Hannah. I was literally putting these on Hannah. I was putting them on Hannah. Yeah, right. That I could not do, but I was putting them on. When you message me, you're like, I'll be down in 15. And I was done with plenty of time. I did this in, like, maybe four or five minutes, which is.
- [06:44]
B
That's awesome.
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A
Yeah, I'm getting really fast. Anyway, wanted to share these. We will link them down below. And I am pleasantly surprised. And I like it because I feel like I don't wear. I don't have to wear any eye makeup. I wear them to the gym. You know what I'm saying? And I look put together. It's a win. Win. These are the airy, cute lashes.
- [07:03]
B
Yeah, they look really nice. Now, do you have to get the bond or the glue or whatever you call it? Do you have to buy that separately?
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A
They came in a pack, so yes. What I'm holding is like a refill. I ordered two sets because I got free shipping if, you know, you spent whatever it was. But the. The original pack I bought came as a set. Do have to buy. It comes with the lashes. It comes with the bond, the seal, and the Remover all in one. And it's not expensive. I was looking at the sets earlier on Amazon and they do sell the bonder. You really, you definitely do need this. It's $17, so it's not like free, but it lasts.
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B
But they last probably a minute. Like even as you buy more lashes, the glue you probably don't have to repurchase as often, so.
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A
Exactly. So treat yourself.
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That makes sense.
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A
That's my loving lately.
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B
I love that. Well, my loving lately is also in the beauty department, which is kind of fun when we have overlap. Although it's, it's a little bit different. This is more in like the self care area. And it is this brand that I've really been enjoying. It's called Latika. And I actually got these first in a PR package. I got some bath salts from this brand. I wish I could remember the book that it was for so that I
- [08:21]
A
could show them out.
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B
And I don't remember what it was, but I used those bath salts, that product actually in one of my daughter's baths. And I noticed afterward like her skin was so soft and the bathroom just smelled so good. And I was like, I need to get more of these. And I did. And I've just been really happy with it. It makes your skin feel really, really soft after a bath and it smells strongly without being like headache strong. You know it.
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A
Yeah.
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But it leaves your bathroom, you know, smelling fresh afterward. You can kind of smell it, smell it on yourself. Sounds like a weird thing to say,
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but I know what you mean.
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You can smell it on yourself. It has a really pleasant scent that lingers. We'll say it that way. I have also decided to try their shower steamers and I love this. I've never used a shower steamer before and they are so nice. I am obsessed. I literally just ordered a couple more today in the Relax and Focus and the Uplift and Energize. Because the one that I tried before was their Breathe and release shower steamers. Loved those. So I wanted to try some of their other options. They have safe ingredients, their products are free from SLS parabens and they combine clean, effective formulations with creative designs to enhance daily care routines and inspire self care. They are also cruelty free, which I always love to see. And they have lots of other options on their site. I'm looking here now and they have bath bombs. They have other just kind of nice luxury shower and bath items. So I'm excited to check out more of their products. But recently I have been loving their bath Salts and their shower steamers. So that is my loving lately. And that's the. The brand Latica. And I'll link them in the show notes, obviously.
- [10:25]
A
Obviously. Speaking of my husband Jonathan, he loves a good bath salt. So I will have to check this out.
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B
Oh, I've been loving these. I'd always just gotten the Dr. Teals, which no shade. I love those too. But this made me realize they're all built different.
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A
Oh, they're built different.
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B
They're built different.
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Yeah. I'm a utilitarian shower, like in and out. Like I don't, you know, there's not a lot of self care happening.
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B
I hear you.
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A
I'm just like, nah, you know, I like the idea.
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B
I gotta do it.
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A
Do what I gotta do. I don't love a bath. I know it's so boring, but I, I love it for people that love it. I have been enjoying the sauna now and again I will say I'm like, okay, I like being warm. It's. It's sort of a similar idea.
- [11:12]
B
Yeah, I definitely do it for headache care and just, you know, stress relief in general.
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A
I like that. Yeah, I just power through like a
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B
freaking power through like a train.
- [11:29]
A
It's not a great thing. It's not great. It's not great. But I will transition into our current, I should say our latest read. This is our joint latest read that we just finished this week and chatted to our patrons or with our patrons about it is Vigil by George Saunders. I don't even remember, Hannah, what made us choose this? I don't remember at all. I think I.
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B
Other than it was plugged it. Yeah, well, yes, but we definitely both, I think adamantly agreed upon it.
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A
Yeah, it was like an easy. Yeah, this sounds great.
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B
Yeah, I think it was just a really not buzzy, but like highly anticipated. Yes, thank you. That's the word. I was looking for a highly anticipated release, I think from a lot of different readers in both of our circles. We'd seen some kind of positive early buzz for it. And I'm pretty sure this is an author that neither one of us have read before. And we both had wanted to, you know, he came out with Lincoln and the Bardo a while ago, which I don't think either one of us have read, but was really buzzy and popular. You know, one of Obama's favorite books, the year it came out, et cetera. And so I know for me it was kind of like, okay, I want to give this author a try. Yes, this book is short. Maybe It'll be a good initial, good introduction. Yeah. A good introduction for this author.
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A
Yeah.
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B
What a book.
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What a book. Yeah. So I think, too, I loved the synopsis of it. The synopsis is great. You're following Jill Dahl Blaine, who in the very, very opening scene finds herself hurtling towards Earth, reconstituting as she falls. So she's literally falling from heaven, I guess, and getting more and more solid as she falls to the earth. And she is headed to her latest charge, who is another soul that she must usher into the afterlife. And she has performed the sacred duty 343 times since her own death. And her charges generally have been greatly comforte in their final moments from her. But this one, she soon discovers, isn't like the others. The powerful KJ Boon will not be consoled because he has nothing to regret. He has lived a big, bold life. It's been epic. And the world is better for it, isn't it? And essentially, this book takes readers through the wild final evening of a complicated man. Visitors begin to arrive in his bedroom. You know, both worldly visitors and unworldly visitors clamoring for a reckoning. And you sort of are with these two people through this man's final evening.
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B
And he's dying in his bedroom.
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A
He is dying in his bedroom, like. Yes.
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Hence why they're visiting them there.
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A
Yes, it is. So he is about to be a soul and, you know, she's sort of guiding him from the land of the living to. To the afterlife. I will say I'm glad we read it. The discussion we had, man, I could barely keep up. We literally all. It was so funny. And this doesn't always happen some. A lot of times we'll bring, like, discussion questions, but this time I was like, great. At 6:30, kick it off. Folks were just flying in.
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B
Yeah.
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And, you know, discussing it. I love when that happens. And then I feel like we all got our out of our system. And then we're like, okay, this was a overall enjoyed book. We did a poll in Discord, and there were no one or two stars. Definitely some threes and fours. And I think we had one five. I rated it three and a half. I was sort of right in the middle and I still don't know how to feel about it. I think it's unique. I think this author definitely has his own writing style. And it's iconic, it's recognizable. You know, when you have an author and you're like, yep, that's Stephen King's writing, for example. I feel like George Saunders is probably similar where, you know, again, this is my first book by him, but it was a very recognizable reading style, and I don't know that it was definitely my cup of tea. I thought of it as stream of consciousness. Some of our patrons called it poetic, which I really like. I love that they were able to see sort of the beauty within it. For me, I never really sunk in, in the ways that I like to when reading books. What about you?
- [15:57]
B
I gave it four, I think mostly four stars. And I think that's mostly because I thought that the book was doing a lot of really interesting things in really interesting ways. And I thought that his writing style was objectively good, like, very gifted writer, even if it wasn't 100% wholly my preference. I guess if I were to rate it just on personal enjoyment, it might be closer to a three. But I felt like I needed to give it that extra star just to give the book its flowers, you know?
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A
Yeah, yeah.
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B
And I also bumped it up a little bit after having our discussion because some of our, you know, patrons just brought up some really interesting points, even in, like, certain words that were italicized that changed the meaning from being, you know, like, plain to being sarcastic or like, adding satire. I mean, Saunders really does a lot with even the style, like, yeah, like, italicizing words in certain places to change the meaning of sentences. He does a lot here. And those things being brought up from some people in our discussion just made me really think deeper about a book that I actually read very quickly. And I appreciated that.
- [17:15]
A
Yeah, that was a really good point made, I think. I have to say, I almost found it unreadable in print. I was like, what is going on? And you mentioned this in our chat, too. You have to pay attention to every word or you're gonna be lost. At least that was my experience once I switched to audio. The audio is exemplary. I loved it. I do love when an audio book is a production. This had tons of narrators, and it was very well produced. There was, you know, different accents with some of the characters. They brought in sound effects. I thought the audio was just fantast. And that really helped me get through it and helped me really enjoy it. Shout out to this character named the Frenchman. It was my favorite narration by far. He was just essentially, you're following this man who is a billionaire and has contributed to climate change essentially, and had basically no regrets and said, you know, sort of sold it as he did what he had to do.
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B
That's her charge.
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A
That's her charge.
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B
If you will.
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A
And the Frenchman is laughing. I was laughing and relating to him because he's basically screaming like the world is on fire. What do you mean? Like, this is a big deal. And, you know, people were just kind of like, yeah. But anyway, I enjoyed the Frenchman very, very much. I also appreciated the main character of Jill Doll Blaine. Yeah, you get to find out a little bit more about her and, you know, sort of what happened to her when she was Earthside. And overall, you know, it's a book. I don't know. A lot of. Lots of people appreciate it more than I did. I just thought it was philosophical.
- [18:55]
B
Yeah, that's, like, fair.
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A
And it wasn't even. Yeah, there was. I had a lot of critique, but I feel like saying it would be. Would give too many reveals away.
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B
Yes, I. That's why I haven't said a whole lot either, because I feel like so many of my feelings about the book would give away too much. And one thing that I do think that this book does really well is it doesn't really explicitly tell you how it feels about the things that it is talking about in terms of climate change and ethical billionaires and. Or the ethics behind being a billionaire, et cetera. And so it had a lot of really great conversations that were had. But it definitely makes you, as the reader, think about how you feel in terms of the themes and the questions that this book poses. And I think if you like that, then this would be definitely a short but thoughtful book to pick up. I feel very strongly that the best way to read this would be to do the audio with the print in front of you. If you are looking for a book to do that. Immersive reading experience. I think that this would be the perfect book to do that with because, like Tina mentioned, the audio is exemplary. Full cast. There's even, like sound effects and things like that. It was so well done. But I do think that having the print in front of you while listening to it makes it a little bit easier to follow along. I think just doing one, unless you are just a very, very focused, disciplined reader, then maybe you could. But I feel strongly that that would be the best way.
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A
Yeah, the print doesn't do. The print has no quotation marks either, which I hate. And I know it's like a personal preference, so I was just like, the print did nothing for me other than, you know, I suppose, because there's not. You're following a lot of characters and that you sort of are going in and out. It's very nebulous. But I think you make a great point in that if you are a reader that likes to insert your own opinions and interpret things in the way that you want to interpret them and not be told essentially what to think or what the author thinks, you'll like this a lot, I think.
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B
Yeah, I think so too.
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A
I like to be told, literally. I, you know me, I love an epilogue. I want it all. I want it all on the page. And so I was kind of left wanting, I think. And that's probably why I didn't love this as much as others. Will I read Lincoln in the Bardo. I will. I heard from most of our folks that they, if they read both, preferred Lincoln. Although I had. I know there was one person that preferred Vigil.
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B
Okay. Yeah. I. I'm still undecided about Lincoln and the Bardo. I do want to read his nonfiction, A Swim in the Pond in the Rain, where he dissects a bunch of short stories and talks about the art of writing. And I've heard really good things about that one, so that is on my list.
- [21:56]
A
I love Lincoln books randomly. I really like that. I read Booth by Karen Joy.
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B
Oh, yeah, Fowler.
- [22:03]
A
I do want to read that one years ago. And I loved it. I couldn't believe how invested I was into that. So I'm like, I had Lincoln and the Bardo on my radar at that time. So I did buy a copy. I think it is time. I will do. I'll get both audio and print. But that's what we thought this one was. Vigil by George Saunders.
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B
Woohoo.
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A
Woohoo. So this was a nice literary pick as we transition into the books that are on our radar for March. I don't have anything literary. It's all mystery and thriller. Baby. We are going to. We are going for it.
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B
Yes.
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A
Love that. Before we dive in, I want to shout out one that I brought as a shelf edition that I'm not bringing today, but we're getting a new Liz Nugent, and she's one of my favorite authors. It is the Truth about Ruby Cooper, and that comes out on March 12th. And then I know there's another one that we are both very excited about, Ruins by Lily Brooks Dalton, which is an author that I absolutely love. She wrote the Light Pirate. She has a new book coming out as well. Believe on the 31st.
- [23:09]
B
No, I have to feel excited for
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A
that one and that one comes out on March 31. But both of those I'm very excited about, but didn't make the official list because I've already talked about them.
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B
Yes. And another one that I am excited about that I don't have on my list because I brought it as a shelf edition is Frida's Cook by Florencia Etchevez. And that sounds really, really good. It is a historical debut that whisks us to the home of Frida Kahlo. And I just think it sounds like a really unique historical perspective. And I'm really excited about that one. But I brought it as a shelf edition, so I didn't include it in my books on the radar today.
- [23:45]
A
I thought you were gonna say Frida McFadden's. I was about to be bowled over by a feather.
- [23:50]
B
You know, she's. She's not my personal cup of tea.
- [23:53]
A
But of course, Frida McFadden does have one coming out in March. Now it is a re release. It's called want to know a Secret? That one comes out sometime in March. But I know only one. Only one this month, right?
- [24:05]
B
Only one.
- [24:06]
A
Well, the, the, you know, it's still February as we're recording, so there is time. But I will begin by. You mentioned earlier that I correctly predicted one of the celebrity book clubs, which was Oprah's pick of kin. Now, lady, my first book on the Radar is one that I also predicted, but I know that I got the club wrong. It's Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hockhauser. This one comes out on March 3rd. I am so excited. This is a reimagining of Cinderella as told through the eyes of its iconic evil stepmother. Say less. I'm in. I love the sound of that. And Ethel Dreda. Ethel Drayda is the main character. She is a widow twice over, and she is now saddled with the care of her two children, a priggish stepdaughter and a razor taloned falcon. Her entire life has become a ruse, just like the manor they live in. It's grand in, ornate on the exterior, but crumbling brick by brick inside. Fierce in the face of her misfortune, she clings to her family's respectability, the lifeboat that will float her daughter straight into the secure hands of marriage. And then a royal ball offers the chance to secure the future she desperately desires. And she must risk her secrets, pride and limited resources in pursuit of an invitation for her daughters, only to see her hopes fulfilled by the wrong one. We all know this. We've seen Cinderella. As an engagement to the heir of the kingdom unfolds with unnerving speed, she discovers a sordid hidden secret in the depths of the royal family. Forcing her to choose between the security she has sought for years and the well being of the feckless stepdaughter who rebuffed her at every turn as if Bridgerton met Circe. It's exhilarating to its core. And it reimagines the myth of the evil stepmother. I find that the more I age and go back and watch Disney movies with my children, the more I side with the parents. Or I'm thinking specifically of the Little Mermaid and Sebastian and how the whole movie he's basically like yelling at her like, where are you going? Like, can you stop putting yourself into these dangerous situations? Now that I'm a parent, I'm like, oh, I see Sebastian's side. So I have a feeling when I read Lady Tremaine, I'm going to be like, yeah, Cinderella sucked.
- [26:29]
B
Well, in the original Little Mermaid, she dies.
- [26:32]
A
Huh? Well, yeah.
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B
And the like, original, original, like where that Disney classic came from.
- [26:37]
A
I know, but I'm talk.
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B
You know.
- [26:39]
A
Yeah. Wait, what?
- [26:41]
B
You were talking about the Little Mermaid and Sebastian.
- [26:43]
A
Well, yes, but I said I feel like Cinderella sucks, and then you said in the original she dies. But.
- [26:48]
B
Oh, I'm behind.
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A
You were behind.
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B
Sorry, I was still on the Little Mermaid.
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A
So. Okay, so in the original Little Mermaid, the Little Mermaid dies. Spoiler alert for a fairy tale that
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B
was written for the dark side of a fairy tale.
- [27:02]
A
Yes, I remember that though. I remember we had like a Grimm's fairy tale book and it was like, I wish I could find it. Oh my gosh. I wish I could like reobtain that and hide it from my kids until they're of appropriate age. But at any rate, I am excited for Lady Tremaine by Rachel.
- [27:20]
B
I am too. I actually had this on my list as well. What got me for this one was if Bridgerton met Circe. Yes, hello. That sounds so good.
- [27:29]
A
Sounds great.
- [27:30]
B
So I'm excited for this one as well. My first pick is a romance. It's no Matter what by Caraba Stone. This is coming out the day that this Episode releases on March 3rd by Dial Press and I have already read Ready or not and Promise Me Sunshine by this author. And absolutely loved both. This one is about Roz and Vin who can't look each other in the eyes anymore, let alone share a bed. It has been a year since they survived a life altering accident and their marriage has not been the same since. But Roz has held out hope that they can fix things until she discovers Vin has signed a new lease already. So she does what any soon to be divorced Manhattanite would do sign up for a figure drawing class. Apparently that's what she decides to do. Between Roz's determined attempts to improve her artistic skills and her adventures with her best friend Raffi, she can almost ignore Vin's impending move out date and his footsteps in their previously unoccupied guest room. But it would all be a lot easier if Vin wasn't Raffi's older brother and if she didn't still find him incredibly and debilitatingly attractive and kind. So kind, in fact, that Vin offers to let Roz draw him. What is she supposed to say? It's probably better than her original plan of finding some random male model online and she needs all the practice that she can get. Plus, that is sure to make a separation easier, right? I don't know. I don't know how that it would but focus on every detail of your estranged spouse's body while drawing him after the year that they have spent avoiding each other, it feels good to see and be seen by one another again. As Roz works to capture the wholeness of a person that she fell in love with, will they both be to draw upon the feelings they buried deep inside to finally heal together? I haven't always loved a marriage romance before where the couple is already married and they're kind of trying to reignite their romance with one another. But I have enjoyed this before and I trust it in the hands of an author that I already know really works for me. So I am hopeful for this one that is no Matter what by Cara Bastone I Yay.
- [29:47]
A
That sounds good. It reminds me of Titanic. Draw me like one of your French women. Girls. Yes, French girls. I know her.
- [29:57]
B
Look.
- [29:57]
A
Look at me. I've watched movies. See, I've watched at least three.
- [30:01]
B
The Titanic is a classic.
- [30:03]
A
That one is a classic. Okay, next for me is one that has one of my favorite overly specific sub genre or tropes in it. The book is Strangers in the Villa by Robin Harding and I like Robin Harding. I've read a lot of her thrillers and have enjoyed them. This one is a psychological thriller and okay, so they are married, they are in New York and Sidney's life is shattered when she finds out that her husband Curtis admits to a meaningless affair with a client. Begging for forgiveness and vowing to prove his devotion. Curtis suggests the couple retreat to a remote hilltop house in Spain to repair their marriage. High above the Mediterranean, Sydney and Curtis are working on the isolated property and their relationship when a pair of Australian travelers turns up at their door. In dire need of help. Lonely for companionship and desperate for free labor, they invite the attractive young couple to stay. But as days pass, dark secrets come to light. The Lowe's bond is tested, and not everyone will leave the villa alive. I love when you have guests that overstay their welcome. I love it. It's so uncomfortable. Get out of here. Why are you still here? Like, I just love it. So I can't wait to see how this goes. This book is Strangers in the Villa by Robin Harding.
- [31:24]
B
Yeah, that sounds good.
- [31:26]
A
I can't wait.
- [31:27]
B
Okay, my next pick is one that I was surprised to have on my list, but it really does sound intriguing to me, and that is Ruby Falls by Jen Phillips, also out on March 3rd when this episode drops. And Tina, did you read Fierce Kingdom by by Jen Phillips?
- [31:48]
A
I DNF'd it. I liked the synopsis, but I didn't like the execution.
- [31:53]
B
Yeah, so that thriller actually weirdly worked for me. And I still like strongly remember my reading experience with that one. And I haven't read anything else by this author, but this one sounds really interesting. It's kind of a unique take on the locked room mystery. It's set in 1928. A Chattanooga man disappears down a hole in the ground and discovers a 150 foot waterfall in the middle of a mountain that he names after his wife, Ruby Falls. Within months, visitors can buy tickets to see the falls for themselves. And then we have Ada Smith, who has been sneaking into the caves at night, entranced by the natural wonders around her and the freedom granted by this new underground world. But it's tough timing for a natural wonder. As the country flounders in the Great Depression, a shrewd public relations ploy seems like the only way to save Ruby Falls. A famous mind reader and mystic agrees to launch himself into the Ruby Falls caverns, where he will attempt to locate a hidden hat pin using only his psychic abilities. He'll be joined by five others. His manager, his wife, a guide, a Chattanooga businessman, and a reporter from the Chicago Times. But they are not alone in the caverns. Ada and another guide, Quentin, have been asked to follow the mind readers party at a distance, staying out of sight. They are a safety net in case of a broken leg or busted flashlights, etc. But one of them will be dead before the end of the day. Faced with a corpse and a stark reality that one of the people in her midst is a killer, Ada needs to get everyone, the murderer and the innocent people, back above ground before the lights turn out. It says that this is a unique twist on the locked room mystery and an exploration of loss and what it means to start over. Although locked room mysteries don't always work for me. I love an adventure or survival thriller or having that element tied in. And I also like the idea that this was set during this specific time period and how that historical element may tie into the thriller. So I am excited to see more reviews of this one as well and how it's received when it comes out. And that is Ruby Falls by Jen Phillips.
- [34:10]
A
That one was low key on my radar as well because I love the I went to Niagara Falls last summer and we learned a lot about the local lore and I just like the sound of it. I like the time period. And again, I think you're right. That one has some definite potential. My next one is one that I was surprised to have on my list as well. Okay. So it's called that's what Friends Are for and it's by an author named Wade Rouse. And this one comes out on March 3rd as well. Okay. Wade Rouse is an author that I used to read religiously. I read him so much. He wrote like in the 2006 through 2011 era, there was one called At Least in the City someone would hear me scream. He wrote a book called It's All Relative and I just love, loved his writing. He was so funny. And he, I think has had a couple of books since then, but this one is obviously it's been a while since we got one from him. This is a hilarious story inspired by TV's beloved the Golden Girls. And it's about love, aging, finding your people, and the art of impeccably timed one liners. Okay, so Theodore Copeland is the main character and he has created a fabulous life in the desert oasis of Palm Springs, where he shares a fabulous pink mid century home with three fabulous friends. Barry, a former actor still clinging to his youth, his hair and the memory of the dream role that killed his career. Ron, an uprooted Christian from the Midwest with a big heart but no one to give it to. Sid, who after coming out late in life, has never found love. And Teddy. And Teddy is the caustic, unspoken leader of the Golden Gays, the foursomes monthly drag tribute to the Golden Girls. Despite their foibles and bickering, they have turned their golden years into a golden era. But the harmony of their desert enclave becomes a carousel of emotional baggage when Teddy's estranged sister Trudy shows up on their doorstep, her dramatic teenage granddaughter in tow. While Teddy keeps Trudy at arm's length. She manages to worm her way into the lives of the golden gays until the real reason for her visit is revealed and the secrets they've all been hiding from each other unravels. A novel that gives thanks to old friends. This proves that while family may be the tie that binds, it's the chosen family that truly keeps us together. I love it. I love it so much. It reminds me, of course, of the gunkle, But I've read this author several times and he is funny, so I'm looking forward to this. The book is that's what Friends Are for by Wade Rouse.
- [36:44]
B
Yeah, that was not on my radar, and I feel like I'm already in love with those characters.
- [36:49]
A
I know, right?
- [36:50]
B
Yeah. What a fun setup. Yeah.
- [36:53]
A
Off to Netgalley. Is it there? Let's find out.
- [36:56]
B
Let's find out. Well, you can look that up while I tell you about my next pick, which is the Shock of the Light by Laurie Inglis Hall. And this one comes out on March 17th. This follows twins Tessa and Theo, and they are inseparable, bound by a deep, almost instinctive connection. When World War II breaks out, both feel compelled to serve. Theo becomes a pilot, while Tessa joins the highly secretive special operations executive, carrying out dangerous, dangerous missions behind enemy lines. Two years later, Theo returns home from the war, injured and haunted, and Tessa does not. Consumed by grief and unanswered questions, Theo risks everything to learn what happens to his sister, even as his own wartime secrets threaten his future. Decades later, Edie, a PhD candidate researching the SOE, tracks down Theo in London, and together they search for the truth about Tessa and the one secret she never shared. This is said to be a powerful novel about courage, loss, and the lasting bond between siblings and the unexpected forms that love can take in the aftermath of war. Honestly, what drew me in about this one at first was the COVID It has this gorgeous, like, sunset cityscape cover with this real big, like, blocky, sans serif font. It's really pretty, but it also sounds really good. I've really been digging historical fiction, and this sounds like kind of a newer take on World War War II with this mystery and sibling element added in. So that is the Shock of the Light by Laurie Inglis Hall.
- [38:34]
A
That's a good one. I have not heard of that.
- [38:36]
B
Yeah.
- [38:37]
A
Yes. I went ahead and googled the COVID I love how you describe covers. I don't have any. You know, I can't visualize anything, so I'm like, what does that mean? Okay, so I've got two more to share. And March is just a packed month. I mean we always say that, but I'm like, I feel like, especially like, how am I going to get all of these books that I want to read? But the next one I'm bringing is called Nothing Tastes as Good by Luke Dumas.
- [39:02]
B
And I don't have this on my
- [39:03]
A
list, but it sounds so good, sounds so fantastic. It has got this excellent cover. There is a jelly filled donut on the front and it's dripping. Okay, get a load of this. It is about retail worker Emmett Truesdale. He's really never fit into the Southern California community he lives in. With everyone having their six packs and muscles. He is over 300 pounds and carries the weight of his childhood trauma and millennial ennui. His waist and in his soul. After trying every diet under the sun, he rem stuck in his dead end job, in his love and in his body. He becomes desperate for help and decides to enroll in a clinical trial for a new weight loss product called Obexity. The treatment is as horrifying as the results are miraculous. And as Emmett sheds pounds at superhuman speed, every part of his life improves overnight, unfortunately. And so you might be thinking that doesn't sound interesting. Here's the fun part. Obexity kind. Sorry, I'm laughing. This. Maybe I should have. Obexity comes with some killer side effects, including lost stretches of time and overwhelming, overwhelming cravings. Worse, people who were cruel to him have started disappearing. And when the police warn of a cannibalistic killer on the loose, he fears that Obexity is turning him into a monster. But how can he give it up now that people are starting to finally treat him like he's human? Yeah, I'm gonna read that. That.
- [40:26]
B
It sounds so good. It sounds like the GLP1 horror of the Troop by Nick Cutter.
- [40:30]
A
Oh, exactly. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So we will see. I will report back and let you know. I'm hopeful that they do the body talk and the weight loss stuff well. And like, you know what I'm saying, like that's my only sensitive topic. I'm like, oh, I hope it's. I'll just trust in the author. But this one is Nothing Tastes as Good by Luke Dumas.
- [40:50]
B
Yeah, that's a good point. I do hope that it's handled delicately. But it does sound great.
- [40:57]
A
It does sound great. And I'm looking at it and I can tell you it's a long book. It's like maybe four. Oh, what? 329 pages. Sorry. It feels a lot bigger, but I can tell that it has little appendices in here about people's health. It looks like there's also text messages and, you know, multimedia, if that does anything for people.
- [41:20]
B
Yeah. I will tell you about my next book, which is Strange Girls by Savat Haseen, and this comes out on March 10 from Dutton. A decade has passed since Ava spoke to Alia. During their years of silence, Ava's life has remained at a standstill, while Alia got the one thing that they both wanted more than anything, which is a book deal. Forced back together at a mutual friend's bachelorette in London, Ava returns to Alia's doorstep, desperate to unpack the truth of their shared history and what they meant to each other. When the two first met in the halls of their historic campus, their connection was electric. Ilia and Ava created a world of their own through the stories that they wrote, influencing and borrowing from each other's work. But when the end of college loomed, the real world began to pull them in opposite directions. Was their bond ever truly as strong as Ilya thought? And what would become of the stories that they told themselves about each other? Weaving together the friends past and present, Strange Girls is an ingenious portrait of a fragile, fraught friendship and an exploration of the ties forged in the intensity of the college experience and the scars left when they break. I think we've all kind of. I guess I shouldn't say all. I think many of us have experienced a college friendship or even a high school friendship that either you guys kind of went opposite directions or went separate ways. And they're that one person that you're just always curious about what happened or, you know, you've kind of maybe wanted to reach back and get back in touch with them. I just think that the idea and the concept of that is really interesting in the literature, literary sense. And I'm excited to see what this one does with that topic. And that is Strange Girls by Sabbat Haseen.
- [43:02]
A
Yes, that one was on my long list as well. It sounds really good. You know, I love a college sort
- [43:08]
B
of themed college moment.
- [43:09]
A
A college moment. This next one, I think sounds like a U book, but I'm gonna bring it and I. I like it as well. It's called A Good Person by Kirsten King. This one comes out on March 31. The comps for this are a little silly. Gone Girl meets Big so Swiss. Not everything needs to be comped to Gone Girl, however many years we are after its initial publication. But that's okay, this is maybe Unhinged Women kind of. I don't know. Maybe it is a comp to Gone Girl. I obviously have not yet read it. It's about a millennial anti hero who seeks revenge on her ex, situationship with a hex, only for him to actually, literally die. Okay, so you're following Lillian and Henry, and they've been enjoying each other's company, especially in bed. Even though Lillian's best friends call situationship, she is determined to lock Henry down. And she has a plan. She will be the best, most accommodating version of herself until he falls in love with her, because that always works. But when Henry blind signs Lillian with a breakup, she exacts revenge by performing a drunken hex on him. Lillian expects Henry to come crawling back, but what she doesn't quite anticipate is that she is now the prime suspect in his murder case because he's found dead. As she grapples with the loss of her sort of boyfriend, she's hit with another big reveal. That Henry had a long term girlfriend. Oh, Henry.
- [44:36]
B
Oh, Henry.
- [44:37]
A
Yeah. Desperate to control the narrative, clear her name, and assume her rightful place as Henry's mourning girlfriend, Lillian's pursuit of truth will throw her into a dangerous tailspin. This is supposed to be dangerously addictive. It's a debut, and it explores our most human impulses. I'm excited. That book is called A Good Person by Kirsten King, and I feel like it sounds great. The COVID is great, and I am into it.
- [45:03]
B
Yeah, I see what you mean about it maybe being a Hannah book. I feel like I can't explain myself further, but this feels like hetero fanfiction of Chapel Roan. I don't know. It just. Maybe the COVID is partially what's giving that.
- [45:18]
A
Oh, got it. Okay.
- [45:20]
B
The COVID I just feel it, and I'm just gonna put it out there.
- [45:24]
A
You have a cover that's got a lot of neon. It's pink, navy, and neon green. And then there's a side profile of a woman with curly red hair biting onto a flower, sort of biting the head off this flower, it looks like,
- [45:37]
B
which feels Chapel roan coated.
- [45:39]
A
I see. No, I'm. I'm. I'm right there with you.
- [45:42]
B
Okay. Thank you for going on that journey with me.
- [45:45]
A
It's like, what? And then I saw the COVID I was like, oh, okay. Okay.
- [45:48]
B
Okay.
- [45:48]
A
Yeah.
- [45:49]
B
Even, like, the hairstyle kind of gets, but okay. My last pick for today is the Fountain by Casey Kisetska. I don't know if I'm pronouncing that last name right, but I think that is correct. This is coming out on March 17th from Harper and it says that this is Tuck Everlasting for grownups, which is what pulled me in. Loved that movie with Alexis Bledel. Loved that book as a kid and an adult when I reread it. So this is right up my alley. This is about Vera Van Valkenburgh, who hasn't been home in 188 years. But now, Vera, forever, 26 and able to heal from any wound, has returned to the Catskills. Whatever made her family immortal happened here. And if she can uncover it, maybe she can reverse it. After nearly two centuries, an endless sequence of unnoticed, meaningless lives and soul shaking incident in the desert, she longs to be released east. Posing as a newly arrived forest ranger, she quickly blends into the upstate community and learns of something curious and disturbing. A mysterious, well funded company is snapping up local property, no matter how high the asking price. But her brother, a fellow immortal, shows up accompanied by a woman whose face is incredibly familiar to Vera. The purpose of her return starts to get clouded, and Vera is in this race against time to find out what caused her condition before somebody else does. That sounds good. I don't know. I'm interested in obviously, like, maybe this company is, you know, figuring out this key to immortality and that's why they're buying up these properties. I'm already excited to just uncover everything that's going on here, and that is the Fountain by Casey Shisetska.
- [47:41]
A
I loved Talk Everlasting. I read that so many times, so I'm very, very excited about that one. Good pick.
- [47:51]
B
Yeah.
- [47:51]
A
All right, well. Oh, I was going to bring you my shelf edition, but I'm not because we're going to do current reads instead. What am I reading? That's a great question. Oh, yes, I am delighted to be reading a book by one of my favorite authors. I'm reading what Happens in the Dark by Kia Abdullah, and this one is really good. I'm doing the audio of it. And this is about two people. This is about two friends that went to high school together. They did not come up with money, but now they're in their adulthood pursuing their careers. One's a journalist and one is a morning show talk. Morning show. Talk host. Morning talk show host. And anyway, there's this huge reveal that I forgot it is in the synopsis, but I was just sort of going along. They end up. There's this thing that happens to the famous one and they end up getting back in contact with each other. Other. I'm so happy with the reveal because I kind of forgot that it was a part of the synopsis. And it's so good. Kia Abdullah just does this thing similar to SA Cosby where even if it's like a side character, you know they have a full backstory for them. She does. She takes her time. She gives you a good legal thriller and I am so invested. I have about two and a half hours left on audio. This book is what Happens in the Dark by Kia Abj.
- [49:10]
B
Angela, I love that you are becoming. Are you becoming a completionist?
- [49:14]
A
I am becoming books. I sure am. I think I have. I think I have one more left after this.
- [49:19]
B
Oh, that's exciting. Oh my gosh. And you finished essay Cosby's book.
- [49:23]
A
I did. I know. Look at you go cruising right along. Look at me.
- [49:27]
B
You really are okay. My current read is one that if you follow us on Social you will see that I was also currently reading this a few weeks ago. It is because I'm doing a month long buddy read with my buddy reading friend Emma and I have to finish it today. I only have a couple of hours left so I am on the home stretch. I am finishing up the Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson. This is a long first book in a trilogy and it is high fantasy. And it wasn't 100% working for me in the beginning only because it's been a long time since I've read high fantasy. But I'm so glad that I decided to stick through it because it is worth it. It is about this. It's political high fantasy. So we are following a fight for a throne. There are trials involved. There are factions or groups of people that are kind of fighting against each other for this throne. There is also a mystery, a murder mystery in the middle of all of that, which might sound like it is doing too much. And in the beginning I was like how is this all going to be pulled off? I feel like the author is going there. I am loving the tail end of this book and everything really is starting to piece together. I am really excited to talk about this one in full Both with my FaceTime date tomorrow with Emma to unpack everything and also on the show when I finally give this book a full review. I have a feeling it might be a little bit of a longer one because I have so many thoughts and feelings about about it. That's the Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson.
- [51:05]
A
Fantastic. But that's it for today. We thank you for spending a part of your day with us. Links to all the books mentioned can be found in the show notes. And if you enjoyed today's episode, you can help us by following wherever you listen and by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps us get our show out to new listeners and grows our audience. And don't forget, if you'd like access to exclusive bonus content and community, you can join us for $5 a month on patreon.com booktalk Etc.
- [51:31]
B
If you'd like to connect with us, you can email us@booktalk etcmail.com you can also connect with us both at Booktalk etc. On Instagram and YouTube. You can find Tinabrec and Hannah at handpickedbooks. Talk to you next week. And in the meantime, remember, everything's better with books. Did we say anything funny?
- [51:57]
A
No, not even a word. Sorry. Enjoy.
- [52:00]
B
You can't be funny every week, everyone. I know sorry is what it is.
- [52:05]
A
We can be pretty though. I want the listeners to know that I was able to get that's what Friends Are for as a read now and an audio. So I am.
- [52:13]
B
Look at you. What a flex.
- [52:14]
A
Tickled. I am tickled.