Book Talk, Etc. – November and December Books on the Radar (2025)
Hosts: Tina (@tbretc) & Hannah (@handpickedbooks)
Date: October 28, 2025
Overview
In this vibrant, conversational episode, Tina and Hannah close out the year with their final "Books on the Radar" segment for 2025, spotlighting the November and December releases they're most excited about. Alongside a bevy of new titles (across thriller, contemporary fiction, romance, and literary genres), the hosts share recent reads, bookish tangents, and cozy “loving lately” recommendations. Their infectious enthusiasm and bookish banter offer listeners a treasure trove of TBR additions to carry into the holidays and beyond.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Opening Banter & Bookish Catch-up
- Organizing Shelves and Favorite Drinks (00:05–02:30)
- Tina shares her joy at spending her day organizing books: “I've got a whole couch covered of TBR books...there's a method to my madness.”
- Hannah is delighted about Poppy’s cranberry fizz drink rolling out for the holidays.
Loving Lately: Bookish & Lifestyle Faves
Tina: Wild Cosmetics Deodorant (03:03–06:09)
- Recommends a “Wild Cosmetics” natural deodorant (strong, pleasant scent; eco-friendly Bee case).
- Shares funny backstory: a bridesmaid’s hunt during wedding events led to this new find.
- Praise: “I can confirm that this is a great deodorant...I have sweaty hands and it's just, I need a good deodorant. This one works super well.”
- Vegan approved, aluminum/paraben/phthalates-free, refillable case.
Hannah: Novel Wicks Candles (06:52–10:03)
- Shoutout to bookish candle brand “Novel Wicks” (handmade, family-run, based in Little Rock, AR).
- Notable names: “Live Laugh Lobotomy,” “Death by TBR,” “Brunch and Browsing Books.”
- Unique features: strong fragrance, cute art, fandom candles (Stranger Things!), glitter on the wax.
- Exclusive discount: “If you use the code podcast then you will get 10% off your order if you order from Novel Wicks candles.” (09:47)
Latest Reads
Tina: The Intruder by Frieda McFadden (11:00–15:53)
- Atmospheric thriller set during a hurricane: “I am a book...that will read a book that has a storm in it.”
- Plot follows Casey (prepping for disaster) and a blood-covered girl who appears during the storm.
- Dual POV, explores mother/daughter neglect and hoarding.
- Notable insight: McFadden is “intentional” about keeping thrillers “family-friendly” (15:25).
- Tina’s take: “Definitely more character-driven than a twisty psychological thriller...I recommend it.”
Hannah: A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers (16:39–20:13)
- “One of the most pure, kind, thoughtful and cozy science fiction stories I have ever read.”
- Follows tea monk Dex and a robot on a journey of self-discovery and philosophical conversation.
- Praise: “I could feel the stress melting off of me as I read this book. Dex and Robot had such thoughtful conversations...” (18:27)
- Highly universally recommended: “I can't think of a single person that I would not recommend this book to.” (19:59)
Books on the Radar: November & December Releases
Note: Full discussion with blurbs, excitement, and speculation. (21:02 onward)
Tina’s Picks
- 59 Minutes by Holly Seddon (Nov 18) – Nuclear missile alert, countdown thriller. “All they have is 59 minutes...very fast paced and sort of counting down.” (23:47)
- Son of the Morning by Akwaeke Emezi (Nov 25) – Paranormal romance set in the Black South, featuring Lucifer and a heroine with mysterious origins. “...a journey of magic and fantasy that will take you to the very depths of Hell itself.” (28:17)
- The Heir Apparent by Rebecca Armitage (Dec 2) – Royalty, succession, and family drama inspired by real-life royalty. “What happens if [being a princess] is your reality, but you don't want it?” (33:26)
- Love Me, Stalk Me by Laura Bishop (Dec 2) – “Dark romantic comedy”, AI boyfriend app gone wrong with You-comp vibes. Tina: “...a book to escape and you want to see a little yearning.” (40:13)
- Watch Us Fall by Christina Kovac (No date specified) – Psychological thriller among a friend group in Georgetown; missing journalist, hidden secrets. “Lies and delusions that lurk beneath cloistered groups of female friends...” (43:09)
Hannah’s Picks
- The Sunshine Man by Emma Stonex (Nov 4) – Revenge, grief, and shifting truths in a cat-and-mouse thriller. “I love a revenge story...I can't wait to figure out what Birdie Keller is hiding.” (24:05)
- That's Not How It Happened by Craig Thomas (Nov 4) – Family memoir turned Hollywood script upends a family; disability rep and family tensions, written by a How I Met Your Mother co-creator (audiobook narrated by Cobie Smulders & Josh Radnor). “It sounds like it deals with some really complicated family dynamics.” (30:37)
- Palaver by Bryan Washington (Nov 4) – Estranged son and mother in Tokyo, queer identity, family wounds, and cultural belonging. “This one does just sound really tender, but also hard.” (36:45)
- The Emergency by George Packer (Nov 11) – Dystopian collapse, generational rifts, and existential questions in emergency conditions. “I am very curious about this emergency and I like books that explore disasters.” (42:05)
- The Place Where They Buried Your Heart by Christina Henry (Nov 4) – Haunted house horror meets sibling disappearance. “I am hit or miss...on haunted house stories. But this has a disappearance element to it...” (46:49)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On book best-of-year pressure:
“My best of the year list is very important to me and I feel like I have to make sure that I'm reading the 2025 releases that I think stand a chance at being on my best of.” – Tina (51:44) - On discount codes and bookish shopping:
“If something has a code, even if it's more than I would typically spend on something, I'm like, but I got the discount code.” – Tina (10:19) - On snug sci-fi reads:
“If you want a good reminder of why it is enough [to] just exist and wonder at the beauty that we are here and connected to one another, pick this up, read it, and be reminded that your purpose in life could possibly be to just marvel at the birds.” – Hannah, on A Psalm for the Wild-Built (19:59)
Additional Listener Value: Current Reads & Tangents
- Tina: Currently reading Writers and Lovers by Lily King (with conflicted feelings due to medical debt/trauma content). (47:26)
- Hannah: Reading The Bog Wife by Kay Chronister – “Appalachian gothic, ecological historical family saga...I am really loving it.” (49:00)
- Hosts riff on the “bog book” trend and compare notes on buddy reads, audiobook vs print, and their reading idiosyncrasies.
Timestamps for Key Segments
| Segment | Timestamp (Approx.) | |-------------------------------------------|---------------------| | Opening, book organizing, drinks | 00:00 – 02:30 | | Loving Lately (deodorant, candles) | 03:03 – 10:03 | | Latest Reads | 11:00 – 20:13 | | Books on the Radar – rapid fire recs | 21:02 – 47:26 | | Current Reads & wrap-up banter | 47:26 – End |
Tone & Style
Warm, chatty, unpretentious, and full of readerly curiosity—the hosts frequently encourage each other’s tangents ("I'm loving the variety of your picks today!"), empathize with reader quirks, and create a space that’s both welcoming and TBR-busting.
Conclusion
This episode delivers an eclectic, thoughtfully-sourced set of book recommendations for late 2025—with something for every mood reader. Between their playful rapport and honest takes (even on books they’re not sure will “work” for them), Tina and Hannah’s “Books on the Radar” will help listeners fill holiday downtime with page-turners and hidden gems alike.
Links to all books available in the show notes. For more, follow @booktalketc on Instagram and join the Book Talk, Etc. Patreon community.