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- [00:02]
A
It's like hella moldy here. We have more mold today than we've had since I think the 1970s or something like that. So it's very.
- [00:09]
B
More mold.
- [00:10]
A
Like, like not in my house, in the, in the south suburbs, like in the Chicagoland area, there's more mold. The higher level, highest levels of mold there's been in like 30 something years. That's not 30 years. Maybe a long time.
- [00:23]
B
Is that something that can affect like what people call allergies, like seasonal allergies?
- [00:27]
A
Oh, yes. So that's, I'm like, interesting. Anyway, okay, welcome to Book Talk Etc, a podcast bound to grow your tbr. I'm Tina from TBR Etc.
- [00:48]
B
And I'm Hannah from Hand Picked Books.
- [00:50]
A
This is a conversational podcast about books and more from two Midwest. Mood Readers are easily distracted by new releases and today we are talking about October new releases.
- [01:01]
B
If you enjoy listening, we'd love for you to follow us on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app. And if you have a quick minute, please consider leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts or sharing us on social media. It truly helps us connect with other book lovers.
- [01:17]
A
Hi, Anna.
- [01:18]
B
Hi, Tina. You look amazing today.
- [01:21]
A
How are you? I am fantastic, thank you. We are going to a wedding later, so. So it's. I was telling John all morning, I'm like, I got a tight ship today. I'm off work. We got to go to the coffee cart. I got to record the podcast. I got to do my makeup and get ready. Anyway, it's a long list of things.
- [01:36]
B
And I have to do schedule on you.
- [01:38]
A
You actually changed it for the better though. I thought about it. I'm like, okay, this is good. We bumped it up. So now anyway, it doesn't matter. But the reason Hannah is saying that we can see each other and I warned her before she logged in. I'm like, just so you know, I have a full face of makeup on. It's 10am in our time. So I'm like, there's lashes, there's everything. So don't think I'm insane because we do have a somewhere to go after this.
- [02:01]
B
But yes, I love seeing you in full glam though. It's kind of fun to, you know, get to see a different side of, of Tina across the mic.
- [02:10]
A
It was so the, the wedding is for the women that live across the street from us. So we went over there this morning to celebrate chat and they had a coffee car and some of the girls were getting their makeup done and I was like, gosh, John, how Come. I didn't get my makeup done for our wedding. I liter doing my makeup on the way to our wedding in the backseat of my friend's car. They were driving me there. I was like gluing lashes on and doing everything. And he's like, because you like to put on a full face of makeup every, you know, as often as you can. I was like, you're right, I do like my own makeup. It's all of these years of beauty I'm finally going to use. I'm all right, you know, I.
- [02:47]
B
Well, you know, I mean, I. You're lucky if I get on eyebrows and mascara.
- [02:51]
A
So. Right.
- [02:52]
B
You're talking to the right kind of person. Yes, you are definitely good. What am I trying to say? You're great. You're great at makeup is what I'm saying.
- [02:59]
A
Thanks so much. When I say if I. When I said earlier, I just so you know I have a full beat. Have you ever heard that term before?
- [03:06]
B
No, I haven't. I was like, I think she just means like a full face of makeup.
- [03:09]
A
But that's exactly what I meant. And I said it to somebody else before. I cannot remember the context. But I was like, oh, I have a full beat. And they're like, what are you talking about? And that's when I realized I'm like, I think I'm in too deep with beauty YouTube. Because I'm like, oh, I thought that was just like normal vernacular. But at any rate, I meant a full face of makeup.
- [03:29]
B
Well, I like it. I like the phrase. It's kind of a fun phrase. A full beat to say. Yeah, a full beat.
- [03:34]
A
But this is a perfect transition actually because my loving lately are my eyelashes. So I wonder if I can zoom this camera in.
- [03:43]
B
They look so good.
- [03:44]
A
I'll see if I can figure out the zoom. I already know John's rolling his eyes at us like, girl, what is it called?
- [03:52]
B
The exposure. Got the exposure.
- [03:54]
A
Got the exposure. Geez Louise. Hello. Okay, here we go. Oh my God, this is so creepy. Wow, look at those though. Does anyone ever need to be this close to my face? I don't think so. Okay, so my loving lately are these eyelashes. And. But what I like about these eyelashes is that they are individual. So my loving lately is 156 piece self adhesive eyelashes. And I will link to the ones that I purchased in our, you know, in our notes here because they are so easy to put on there by the brand extension. I don't know, it doesn't matter. And they were so inexpensive. They're $11 and these are just three on each side. I filmed myself putting them on and I was curious how long it would take me. It took me three minutes total. Both eyes. I'm like, this is incredible. Wearing the longer ones right now. This pack comes with 8 millimeter, 10, 12 and 14. I'm only wearing the 12 so they get even longer if you want that. But these also are great because you can wear them like every day. You know, not every day, but if you were, you know, wanted your eyelashes to be nicer for a day, you can, you don't have any of that extra glue. So when you put eyelashes on, it's like all sticky. You got to wait for it. No, these are self adhesive. I, I have worn them now. This is my third day trying them and I've worn them all day. Like I can't believe how easy they are to put on and how quick I was able to get them on. They're also the kind that you put in under your lash line so you're not putting them over your lash line so you can't see. Like when you're close up to me and looking down, you won't be able to see the eyelash band because there is no eyelash band because it goes up underneath your eyelashes. I am delighted. So if anybody listening is a fake eyelash wearer or you want to become one, I highly recommend these things. They're $12 right now on Amazon for 156 pieces, which is a lot that will get you a lot of wears. So my loving lately are these self adhesive eyelash clusters.
- [06:02]
B
Well, they look fabulous and we love an affordable beauty product because those are few and far between.
- [06:09]
A
You said it.
- [06:11]
B
Okay, well, I have no great way to segue into my loving lately because it is so different. But it is a book that my 7 year old actually picked up at our local library. And it has been something that our whole family has been loving. And it is this book that's called 101 Things for Kids to do Screen Free. Finding activities to do without a screen can be really challenging as a parent and so many of the things that I feel like a lot of, I don't know, parents offer or homeschool moms or things like that are so. They're wonderful but they're very time consuming and I wish that I had that time to, you know, do those more time consuming crafts and things like that with my kids, but I don't. I'm a working parent. But I love spending time with My kids, especially after school. And it's fun to have an activity to do after school that is not going to take a super long time. Now, some of these activities are, are a little bit more time consuming, but some of them are just fun ideas that kind of take that decision fatigue out of what am I going to do with my kids? Like, one of them I'm looking for it in here is to make a mug cake. So if you have cake mix and eggs, you can make a little mug cake with your kids after dinner. It takes, you know, 20 minutes to put together. One of them was to make a tin foil river, which now that it's out of summer, you know, might not be as easy to do. But literally, if you have tinfoil to just like make a little tinfoil river outside and then give your kids some toy cars, like Matchbox cars or things like that to let your kids play with this tinfoil river. It really doesn't take a lot to impress your kids, right? Trust me, they can make fun out of the simplest things. But what I like about this book is it just takes the decision fatigue out of it. You can be like, I, okay, I've got, you know, a couple of empty cans and some string. I can make some tin can stilts for my kids and they can have fun walking around in the yard with their tin can stilts. So this just has some really fun ideas. And I think regardless of what your parenting schedule is, or if you're a stay at home parent, or if you're a working parent, there is an activity in here that will fit your schedule needs and your material needs. Some of these just have really minimal materials, which is great. So we have been loving this, and that is 101 things for kids to do screen free.
- [08:52]
A
I think that's a great idea because we have the same problem. Our kids always want to, like Lily, our older kid always wants to play pretend. She's like, let's play pretend, whatever. Like, everything is pretend. And sometimes I'm like, mommy is not clever. Like, I, I don't have the imagination that you do right now. So I think this sounds like a great way to be like, okay, let's pick something and you can, you know, you know, it's gonna be a little entertaining. Maybe not entertaining them the whole day, but it'll give you something to do for maybe an hour or two.
- [09:22]
B
Exactly. One that we did recently my daughter really wanted to do. And at first I was like, we can't do that. But then I realized I had cleaning gloves and that was the only material you needed was clean. Well, it was cleaning gloves and food coloring. And you literally just put water in the cleaning gloves and then you put them in the freezer. You'd like tie it up and put them in the freezer. And you just like fucking hands. Yeah, just ice hands. That's it. It was just making ice hands. And of course she was like, oh my gosh, this is the most fun thing we've ever done. And I'm like, I'm glad you like it because someone just gave me a random idea from this book and it was so fun for them.
- [10:01]
A
I always feel bad when I do something really simple like that, that like I took a bowl and put toys in there and put water in it and put it in the freezer and then I let them like I got the ice and let them dig it. Thought it was a delay. Then, then it got started getting sharp, the ice and then I was. And then it broke my bowl. So it wasn't a perfect success, but I was like, you know what? This was a, an entertaining way. And they were so delighted. I'm like, wow, I should really come up with more creative ideas. But I have to check out this book. I'm always getting the books you bring. I always bring them, put the, the holds on them at the library. So thank you for your recommendations. Yes, of course. I have another recommendation for you. It is my latest read. It is One Yellow Eye by Lee Radford. I. You know how there's some books you just absolutely won't accept criticism about? That is me and One Yellow Eye. I loved this book. I cannot wait to tell you all about it because I haven't heard of. I've only heard of like maybe one or two other people talk about it. One Yellow Eye is about Kesta Shelley and she has just survived a major zombie epidemic with that has left London ravaged. Kesta is a researcher and she is a scientist. And she's really spent her life looking down the barrel of a microscope rather than interacting with people. But that all changed when she met Tim, the love of her life, her best friend, her absolute everything. So when Tim was one of the last people in London to be infected with the zombie virus, Kesta went into triage mode. The government in London had already rounded up all of the infected. So for all intents and purposes, the zombie epidemic has ended. But Kesta was able to keep her husband unalive and hidden in their house using some resources from the hospital. She spends her days working for this organization that's trying to find a cure for the zombie epidemic. And she spends her nights trying to care for him, but clearly he's declining. The sedatives aren't working as they used to, and his violent outbursts are becoming more frequent. And obviously, this starts to wear on her. She starts to wither away. She has an alcohol problem, and it's taking a toll on her because, you know, she's trying to keep her zombie husband alive and find a cure to change him back. And I'll leave it there because there are things that are happening at the lab that you come to find out as you're reading this. Okay, I started this one only on audio. The audio is well done, but it was a little bit slower for me. I was like, okay, I love a novel with a scientist in it. I love a zombie epidemic, you know, and I love an epidemic or a pandemic in general. So it had all of the makings for a book I would really like, But I wasn't sure at the beginning. I'm like, am I going to enjoy this? I loved this book. I wept. No joke, not a hyperbole. By the end, I was ugly, crying. Like, I couldn't believe how much I cared for Casta and her challenges trying to find a cure. The author captured grief and incredibly well. Like, it is gonna make me cry thinking about it. The ending of this one is so well done. It's just so satisfying, I guess, is the word. All the loose ends were tied up. You feel like you get a solid resolution. You feel like you care about the characters. Cassa is not perfect, of course. You know, no fun characters to read about are ever perfect. And she's a little bit unlikable. And you want her to do things maybe differently, but you can also really empathize with her and see why she's making the choices has. I also was crying because of the acknowledgments. The author says One Yellow Eye is a novel about how far we will go to keep the ones we love alive. And it's inspired by her dad, because her dad had cancer while she was writing this, and he ended up dying as she was writing this. And that is the sort of story you're getting. Oh, my God. This book makes you really appreciate your life when you're living it. It really makes you appreciate your loved ones. It's got science, it's got monsters. It is loosely inspired. Frankenstein, actually, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. And I put that together when I read the author's note, because the main character is Named Kelly. So it's a nod to Frankenstein.
- [14:19]
B
Frankenstein's feminist horror queens.
- [14:21]
A
Feminist horror queens. I loved this book. It is, I guess, technically horror, right? Because there's a zombie epidemic. It didn't. It's not.
- [14:31]
B
It's a grief horror.
- [14:33]
A
Grief horror, yes. You know, I love grief horror. That's like my favorite type of horror. One of them. But it didn't feel like horror in the sense that, like, oh, my God, zombies. Ah. They're popping out of the woodwork to scare us. You know what I'm saying? It wasn't like a haunting. It wasn't. It was more like, oh, no, these. It felt like the pandemic, really. It felt like Covid. It felt. But obviously a very different version. You know, it's this. Oh, and I should also say she gives a really good scientific explanation as to why the people were turning into zombies. She had me Googling. I'm like, wait, is this real thing? Like, is this a real thing that happens in animals? Yes, it is. I just thought this was fantastic. 5 stars. Get your hands on it. If you like grief horror, if you like novels that will. That are different, they're going to do something different that will make you think that will probably make you cry. Highly recommend it. It is one Yellow Eye by Lee Radford. Loved it.
- [15:23]
B
I am so excited that you brought this one because my latest read pairs so perfectly. It is also Zombie Adjacent. And where yours sounds like it had some scientific elements to it, this one has more philosophical elements to it. And that is. And then I Woke up by Malcolm Devlin. This is a horror novella. Have you heard of this one?
- [15:49]
A
No, I haven't heard of it. But you were loving this when you were reading it, right?
- [15:53]
B
Yes. Oh, yes. I messaged Tina when I was reading it, and I was like, I am so excited to talk about this book because it's just so interesting. This one drops us into a world that has been devastated by a strange plague where monsters think again, like zombies might be roaming the streets. Or maybe it's all on their heads and it just looks that way. When a disease changes how people perceive reality, nothing feels certain. And at the center of this story is Spence, one of the cured living in a rehab facility called Ironside. He is drowning in guilt and avoiding the outside world until a new inmate pushes him to help her track down her old crew. But the question is, if Spence can't tell what's real and what's not, how can he know whether he's actually helping or just making everything worse? This Book had such an interesting premise, which is basically that people thought that they were becoming zombies and people were becoming zombies, but maybe that wasn't the case. And again, there were these rehab facilities that people were going to to be cured and to help kind of cleanse mind and figure out what was going on. This book is surprisingly emotional and introspective for basically being again, a book about zombies and the end of the world. But not in a way that felt too pretentious or overly performative. It was just very quietly profound and thoughtful. This is definitely less on the gory side of horror than it is deeply political and philosophical. There are some scenes that portray violence for sure, but often. But otherwise I would put this on the horror light side of the gory spectrum. I love that this book talks about storytelling and perception, both from an interpersonal perspective, but then also a collective perspective and how both of those things can intertwine and also separate from one another. It talks about groupthink and cultish mentality when it comes to political propaganda. Like what if instead of being cured from this sickness, what if instead of turning off the TV from this harmful rhetoric, we merely changed the channel? Which is an actual metaphor that this author used in the book that I thought was really interesting. What does it mean to be cured? To change the narrative from this political climate? And how do you know if you are opening your eyes to just move from one version of a spun out story to the next one? It was a little bit on the nose, but I really appreciated what it had to say. It was a little bit meandering and I don't think that it took all of its themes to the level and degree that I wanted it to. But I think that it's worth the read if you enjoy philosophical horror that has some minimal jump scares and gore, but for the most part will just leave you thinking about your own thoughts for a very long time. I really appreciated this book and would recommend it. And that is. And Then I Woke up by Malcolm Devlin.
- [19:02]
A
I love a horror novella and I was curious. I'm like, what do you mean more philosophical than scientific? And that makes perfect sense, like literally exactly what they said. I like that premise. Oh my gosh, how fun that we.
- [19:16]
B
Both was really interesting that we both.
- [19:18]
A
Brought zombie novels, like, who would have guessed it really? And kind of different ones I know, right?
- [19:22]
B
That are not your typical like the Last of Us novel, you know.
- [19:26]
A
No, not at all. All right, shall we get into the books?
- [19:30]
B
Let's get into some October releases.
- [19:32]
A
Let's do it. And I, frankly, I will be honest, I had a hard time with this month. I really did. Really, I really did. I could not find a ton. Like most months. My list is overflowing. This month I was like, I don't see that many. Which actually for me is a good thing because it means maybe I can catch up on my tbr. So not to say these ones aren't exciting, but I was like, okay, this is not as easy as it has been for some months. It sounds like you had a better time, though.
- [20:02]
B
Yes, I did. I had a hard time picking, honestly.
- [20:05]
A
Okay, good. So if there are any that we have overlap, then I pick a new one.
- [20:11]
B
I'll pick a new one for sure.
- [20:13]
A
All right. And also too, I know there are a few that I was excited for. John Grisham has another one coming out. So does John Fram, and I've already brought those as shelf editions. I was like, dang it, now I've got to find new ones. But we got there in the end.
- [20:26]
B
We also have Heart the Lover, which I believe comes out, which. Which is our community read. So we aren't going to be talking about that one in today's episode, but it is one that Tina and I are both very excited about.
- [20:39]
A
That one should be out today as we're recording this. That One comes out September 30th. There's an extra.
- [20:44]
B
Oh, it was on all of the October release.
- [20:49]
A
They're wrong pages. I don't love it. I don't love a Tuesday new release on the last day of the month because I'm. Who cares? But I care because, sure, then you feel, like, weird. It's a September release technically, but it's September 30th. It's the last day of the month. So that's. You know what I mean? So there's a couple.
- [21:09]
B
Guard.
- [21:09]
A
Yeah, disregard. I pay a lot of attention to new releases, probably more than anybody needs to, who doesn't do this as a full time job. But at any rate, we indeed are excited for Heart the Lover. And I can't wait to chat about that one with our patrons in October. But I'll kick things off with the first book that I'm recommending and this one's called Workhorse by Caroline Palmer. This one is set against the glamour and privilege of media and high society in New York City at its height. This one, I like the time period. It takes place at the turn of the millennium, so early 2000s. And you're following Chloe Harmon, who wants nothing more than to rise through the ranks at the world's most prestigious fashion magazine. That's her goal. She wants to work at a fashion magazine and she is working there, but she wants to move up the ladder. And the problem with that is she does not have the right pedigree. She is what's called a workhorse. Somebody who will get her hands dirty, who will maybe do the things that people don't love. And she is surrounded by beautiful, wealthy and impossibly well connected show horses who get ahead without effort because they come from the right background. And this includes her beguiling cubicle mate, Davis Lawrence, the daughter of a beloved but fading Broadway actress. So anyway, that is essentially the setup. It's about CLO as she makes her way in this fashion in the world of fashion magazines. And she really wants to move up the ranks in. She wants to be an important person within the confines of a world where female ambition remains cloaked. But who really is CLO underneath all the borrowed designer clothes and studied manners? And who are we if we share her desires? Anyway, I love a workplace novel, so that's what caught my eye. I also love a novel that takes place in New York City and at the early 2000s, because in my brain, I like that. I don't feel like I've read a ton of books that specifically take place in the early 2000s and I would like to start. So that is Workhorse by Caroline Palmer. This one comes out on October 14th.
- [23:16]
B
That one sounds really good.
- [23:17]
A
I am intrigued. It's also really long. I got an arc of it. I couldn't find it to bring it, you know, in my hands here, but it's long. I want to say it's something like 500 pages, which I thought was a lot.
- [23:28]
B
Oh yeah, that's long.
- [23:29]
A
550. Yeah.
- [23:31]
B
Yeah. It sounds really interesting though. And it wasn't one that I had on my radar already, so I am excited that you brought that. My first book is the Hitchhikers by Chevy Stevens. This comes out from St. Martin's on October 7th. And this is set in 1976 on the remote Canadian highways. And we are following Tom and Alice, who are a couple trying to repair their marriage, which is on the fringes after a devastating loss. They pack up their RV and they are hoping that this trip will give them a fresh start. But along the way, they pick up two young hitchhikers who seem innocent at first until we find out that Ocean and Blue, the two people that they have picked up are really Jenny and Simon. And they have already left a trail of violence behind them. Suddenly, Tom and Alice are caught up in a terrifying game with nowhere to run. And the story keeps you guessing about where real evil lies. This is said to be a dark and twisty thriller that keeps the tension high all the way to the end. I don't know why, but there is something about a thriller specifically that is on the road that I like, even if it isn't, you know, a highbrow or, like, really smart thriller. And I'm not saying that this one won't be those things, but it's just one of those thriller tropes that, regardless, I'm probably going to have a good time and I need to have a good time right now. So I am excited about this one. And that is the Hitchhikers by Chevy Stevens.
- [25:07]
A
Yes, I agree. I love a thriller that takes place on the road, and I feel like there are so many. It's just unsettling, right? Like, being alone. It's kind of like a road trip novel, but that, you know, you know, it's a thriller, so, you know, it's going to be bad, it's going to end poorly.
- [25:22]
B
Exactly. It's going to be dangerous.
- [25:24]
A
Dangerous.
- [25:24]
B
It might be, you know, there might be some, you know, some dumb things that happen, but you. You let it go because they're on the road and it's fun and it's exciting.
- [25:34]
A
What's. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I was just. Sorry. I was like, I just read a book that turned into a road trip novel, and I wasn't expecting it. It was the Poppy Fields and that one is a road trip novel. And I, like, didn't realize that.
- [25:45]
B
Interesting.
- [25:46]
A
Even though it's based on the wizard of Oz, which in and of itself is a road trip novel.
- [25:50]
B
Yeah, they're on a journey.
- [25:50]
A
They're on a journey. And I was like, duh. Why didn't you put that together?
- [25:54]
B
Interesting. I wouldn't have either.
- [25:56]
A
Yeah, you'll. You guys will hear me talk about the Poppy fields soon, but not today. So I will tell you, though, about Boomtown by Nic Stone. This one is Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl Meets P. Valley, and it's Nick Stone's adult thriller debut. And it's about two missing erotic dancers from Atlanta's most notorious gentleman's club and the women committed to finding them. So you're following Charm Wilburn, a new daytime dancer, and she is missing for her shift at Boomtown. And the former headliner lyrics suspects something more than a no call, no show. She's like, okay, something happened to Her. Right. I don't think she's just missing. She. Something happened to her. As Lyric's former headline partner and lover Lucky, also vanished under similar circumstances, Lyric decides she's going to find them. Delving deeper into Charm and Lucky's disappearances, Lyric uncovers a tangled web of deceit, privilege, and power. The line between friend and foe blurs, forcing Lyric to confront. The question is finding these women worth the threat to her own life? This one's a thriller, and it takes you through the peaks and valleys of Atlanta's underworld. I am definitely intrigued. This one is Boomtown by Nic Stone, and it comes out on October 14th.
- [27:13]
B
Is this an adult novel? Because doesn't Nic Stone write young adult stuff, too?
- [27:18]
A
It says it, yeah. There. It's Nic Stone's adult thriller debut.
- [27:22]
B
Ooh, that's exciting.
- [27:23]
A
Yeah.
- [27:24]
B
I always like it when that happens. It always excites me to read like an adult debut from an author who's previously written in another age range or genre even.
- [27:33]
A
And I'm glad that it's very clearly their adult debut. Cause I'm like, I don't know that this would be, like, an appropriate one for. Right.
- [27:41]
B
That was my first thought exactly, Given the line of work and all of that stuff.
- [27:46]
A
Yeah. She wrote the books. Dear the Dear Martin series, which I believe that I read the first one.
- [27:52]
B
I think that I read the first one, too. I think I read that in 2020. But that was, you know, a blurry time, so who knows?
- [28:01]
A
Who's to say?
- [28:02]
B
Exactly. Okay. My next one is historical fiction. It's Boland Trader by Philippa Gregory. This comes out on October 14th from William Mor. And while she is a very prolific historical fiction writer, I have actually never read any of Philippa Gregory's books. And I looked to make sure that this wasn't a part of a series. It is not, but it does follow the Boleyn family. This one takes us straight into the Tudor court through the eyes of Jane Boleyn, a woman who manages to survive four queens but might not survive a tyrant. At a time when secrets are the most dangerous currency, Jane learns how to wield wars like a weapon. She's been everything the court required of her. She has been a wife, a sister, a spy. But as the Bowlands rise and fall, she has to step out of the shadows and find her own way to survive. The question is, can she outlast the dangers of Henry VIII's court, or will the king's sword fall on her next? I have just been wanting to try this author For a long time. And this one looks like it stands alone and sounds really interesting. The Boland family has just always fascinated me, as it has many of us. It's just a very tragic and fascinating period of time in history with Henry VIII's tyranny. And I haven't really heard that many people talk about this one. So that is the Bohlin Trader by Philippa Gregory.
- [29:31]
A
Yeah. And I really like the COVID of this one. Holy Cat. Isn't it so good?
- [29:35]
B
I agree.
- [29:36]
A
I love that this is historical fiction, but they're giving it more of a almost modern take on historical fiction. The woman's facing the camera. Believe it or not, it's historical fiction. Where she's looking in the lens. Like, it is not what.
- [29:50]
B
It's like a painting, almost wearing. And like, the things that are, like, holding her up look sinister.
- [29:57]
A
They look like skulls. They are skulls.
- [29:59]
B
Yeah.
- [29:59]
A
It looks awesome.
- [30:00]
B
Yeah, it's sinister. It looks. Looks cool.
- [30:01]
A
Good for you. Okay.
- [30:02]
B
I want to try this one. It's almost 500 pages again, which is a hard time, but I want to push myself to read some longer books toward the end of the year.
- [30:11]
A
We can do it. We can do it. I, too, want to read some longer books by the toward the end of the year, and my next one would fall under that umbrella. This one comes out on October 21st, and it's when they Burned the Butterfly by Wen Yi Lee. This one is an adult fantasy debut, and it's Silvia Moreno Garcia meets Fonda Lee with the feverish intensity of RF Kuang's Poppy War trilogy. We recently read Katabasis for our community read for September. Had a great time. I really enjoyed it. You'll hear us talk about that next week. But I'm very interested now to read more of our Of Kuang. And this is a comp for that. So I thought, heck, yeah, let's go for it. Also, if you're watching on YouTube, it matches my nails very well.
- [30:54]
B
It sure does.
- [30:55]
A
You know what I mean? Not.
- [30:56]
B
I love that cover, too.
- [30:58]
A
I love it, too.
- [30:58]
B
Is the text like chrome?
- [31:00]
A
I think it will be. It is not. This is an arc, so it's just flat. But I feel like it could definitely be. I feel like they could do really cool things with this one. Yeah, it's really pretty. Yeah. It begins in Singapore in 1972, when Singapore is newly independent and grappling for power in a fast, modernizing world. Here, gangsters in Chinese secret societies are the last conduits of their ancestors, migrant gods, gods, and the back alleys where they fight are the last place magic has not been assimilated and legislated away. You're following loner schoolgirl Adeline, and she has never needed more company than the flame she can summon at her fingertips. But when her mother dies in a house fire with a butterfly seared onto her skin, and Adeline hunts down a girl she saw in a back alley bar fight, a girl with a butterfly tattoo, she discovers she's far from alone. Ange is a red butterfly, one of the gang of girls who came from nothing, sworn to a fire goddess and empowered to wreak vengeance on the men that abuse and underestimate them. Adeline's mother had led a double life as their elusive patron, Madame Butterfly. And now that she's dead, Adeline's bloodline is the sole thing sustaining the goddess. Between her search for her mother's killer and the gang's succession crisis, Adeline becomes quickly entangled with the girl's dangerous world and even more so with the charismatic Tian. But anyway, so that's what it's about. And I was laughing when I was reading this because I was like, wow, you are looking for a girl with a butterfly tattoo. You're going to find 20,000 just in this neighborhood alone. Because that was a very popular tattoo to get in the early aughts, at least in my neck of the woods. But I think this one sounds interesting. I am somebody that is potentially open to trying more fantasy, especially if it's accessible and maybe tied into historical fiction, which it sounds like this one is. So this is When They Burned the Butterfly by Wen Yi Li.
- [33:00]
B
Yeah, that one sounds really interesting and wasn't one that I looked at when putting my list together. So I'm glad that you brought it, and I'm so impressed you're bringing a fantasy book.
- [33:10]
A
You know what? It just appeared. So thank you to Tor for sending it. And I thought, hey, why not?
- [33:17]
B
It does sound up your alley. Like, it sounds like one that you would try.
- [33:20]
A
I do like. I do like magic.
- [33:22]
B
Okay, awesome. My next one is Horror. It is Girl Horror.
- [33:28]
A
Horror.
- [33:30]
B
It is Girl Dinner by Olivey Blake. This is also a tour book, and this one comes out October 21st. It is about the house, the most exclusive sorority on campus, and every member, past and present, is gorgeous, accomplished, and seemingly untouchable. For sophomore Nina Carr, getting in feels like her ticket to redemption. After a disastrous freshman year, she believes the house will give her the protection and prestige that she has been craving. And at the same time, Dr. Sloan Hartley, an adjunct professor and new mom, agrees to serve as the group's academic liaison. Exhausted and insecure after stepping back in her career, she can't help but envy the alumni, who look like they have mastered life. But as both Nina and Sloan get pulled deeper into the house's rituals, it becomes clear that perfection comes at a cost. And the closer they get to the inner circle, the more dangerous the game becomes. I have really enjoyed Olivie Blake in the past. I read the Atlas 6 before, and while I didn't love the story, I loved her writing. And I'm really curious to see what she does with horror. This one sounds really interesting. I love a campus setting, and that is Girl Dinner by Olivee Blake.
- [34:49]
A
Yes, and I knew that one would be up your alley, and I was like, I'm gonna leave it alone and see.
- [34:54]
B
Hey, there we go. And you were right.
- [34:56]
A
I was right. Fantastic. Okay, my next one is from a very under the radar author that I don't know if anyone's ever heard of. It is Gone Before Goodbye by Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben.
- [35:08]
B
Oh, oh, some sarcasm. Now I know.
- [35:11]
A
Very, very. I know they need our promotion, but. Too intrigued. I do like Harlan Coban, even though my brain says no. Yeah, he's going to be cheesy, but I've enjoyed a fair amount of his book, so I am curious to see what Rhys can do with this. This is a suspense novel that Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Cobin have written together. And Gone Before Goodbye is the story of a woman trapped in a deadly conspiracy where uncovering the truth could cost her everything. Maggie McCabe is teetering on the brink. A highly skilled and renowned army combat surgeon, she has always lived life at the edge where she could make the most impact. And it was all going to plan until it wasn't upside down. After a devastating series of tragedies leads her medical license to being revoked, Maggie has lost her purpose, but not her nerve or her passion. At her lowest point, she is thrown a lifeline by a former colleague. An elite plastic surgeon whose anonymous clientele demand the best care money can buy as well as absolute discretion. Halfway across the globe, sequestered in the lap of luxury and cutting edge technology, one of the world's most mysterious men requires unconventional medical assistance. Desperate and one of the few surgeons in the world skilled enough to take this job, Maggie enters his realm of unspeakable opulence and fulfills her end of the agreement. But when the patiently suddenly disappears while still under her care, Maggie must Become a fugitive herself or she will be the next one who is Gone Before Goodbye. It sounds hella cheesy, but also I'm intrigued. And I've got Sue Me. I wanna over the Top. I wanna know what's going on. I like that we're taking on a female main character. I like a medical professional who's forced maybe to compromise their ethics a little bit because of something that a rich person wants. And Harlan Coben's books are often over the top, but typically pretty entertaining and satisfying. So I am curious that one is Gone Before Goodbye by Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Cobin.
- [37:13]
B
I'm glad that you brought this one. I was so close to bringing it because I, too, am just intrigued. I want to know what Reese Witherspoon is doing.
- [37:22]
A
I. I'm wondering if this is going to be adapted, if that was, like, a part of it or, like, if it's going to be picked up by her own book club.
- [37:29]
B
Yeah. Become like an HBO miniseries or something like that.
- [37:32]
A
Who knows?
- [37:34]
B
Honestly, if she did that, I'd watch it.
- [37:36]
A
Honestly, like, good for you, though.
- [37:37]
B
Sue me.
- [37:38]
A
Sue me. Good for you. I don't know. You're rich and you've got a lot of resources. Like I would.
- [37:43]
B
Yeah, I'm like a somewhat decent person. I mean, I know, like, the wealthy, the elite, whatever, but also, like, you know, she seems legit.
- [37:52]
A
Yeah. What do they call it? Chaotic Good.
- [37:55]
B
Chaotic Good. Yeah. Yeah.
- [37:57]
A
Wow. I went to put that. I went to put a hold on this one. It has several months. Wait, one copy ordered. 187 people waiting.
- [38:05]
B
Copy order.
- [38:06]
A
Come on, one copy. So I guess I won't put my hat in the ring for that one.
- [38:12]
B
Well, maybe you can use a credit or something.
- [38:16]
A
Never. I will die with credits in my account.
- [38:20]
B
Me too. We all know. Okay, my next one is Minor Black Figures by Brandon Taylor. This is coming out from Riverhead. And I have read from this author before and really enjoyed his work. I loved Real Life, which was a campus novel that he wrote several years back. And that book has stuck with me for a really long time. I recommend it a lot and I really wanted to read more of Taylor's work. And in this one, we meet Wyeth, who is a black painter who has just moved from the south to New York and is struggling to find his place in the cutthroat art world, which is really interesting because real life was science and this one is art. So I like that he's going such a different route with this one. He is surrounded by pretentious artists, messy gallery politics and a whole lot of backstabbing, all while dealing with his own creative block. He is part time. His part time job restoring art keeps him afloat. But his painting feels stalled until he meets Keating, a white former seminarian who has left the priesthood. Their friendship forces Wyeth to confront big questions about art, race, the white gaze, and and the compromises we make to keep going. Brandon Taylor once again delivers a sharp and tender exploration of friendship, creativity and what it takes to carve out space for yourself. I am really excited to read Brandon Taylor's writing again. I just loved real life and I think that this sounds perfect for fall as well. And that is Minor Black Figures by Brandon Taylor.
- [39:58]
A
Yes, I forgot that that one was coming out out.
- [40:02]
B
I did not read the last book that Brandon Taylor put out, but this one sounded a little bit more up my alley.
- [40:09]
A
Yes, that one does sound good and I have not read him, although I do own, I think a book of his. So I got to think you would.
- [40:15]
B
Like real life a lot.
- [40:16]
A
I think I would. I think that's the one I have. All right, I will wrap things up with the unveiling by Quan Berry and this one comes out on October 14th. I actually am out of order, but that's okay. Forgive me. This one I thought sounded so good. You know, I love a book set at and around Antarctica. So it's about Stryker. Stryker isn't entirely sure she should be on this luxury Antarctic cruise, a black film scout. Her mission is to photograph potential locations for a big budget movie about Ernest Shackleton's doomed expedition. Along the way, she finds private, if cautious amusement in the behavior of both the native wildlife and the group of wealthy, mostly white tourists who have chosen to spend Christmas on the Weddell Sea. But when a kayaking excursion goes horribly wrong, Stryker and a group of survivors become stranded on a remote island along the Antarctic peninsula. A desolate setting complete with boiling geothermal vents and vicious birds. And soon the hostile environment will show each survivor their true fate face. As the polar ice thaws in the unreasonable warmth, the group's secrets, prejudices and inner demons will also emerge, including revelations from Stryker's past that could irrevocably shatter her world. Anyway, sounds great to me. I am in. I've actually never read this author before, Quan Berry, so I'm excited to give them a shot. And so far reviews are mixed, so we should see. I'm seeing people say reading this was a horrifying and a bit confusing of an experience, but they Gave it five stars, so heck yeah, I'll try it out. I and I do think this is a horror novel, so it's got a little bit of maybe, I don't know, spooks and scares as well. This one is the Unveiling by Quan Berry.
- [42:06]
B
Yeah, I almost brought that one, but I'm glad that you did. I've also never read Quan Berry before, but I want to read this one. And we write Upon Sticks Again, mixed things about I think all of this author's work kind of gets mixed reviews, but it lands for the people who like their books. Which could be us.
- [42:26]
A
Which could be us.
- [42:27]
B
You never know.
- [42:27]
A
Who's to say? Unless we try.
- [42:29]
B
Unless we try. Okay, well, unless you were worried about me for not bringing romance, fantasy or a mix between the two, we've got it here. So I am bringing the Isle in the Silver Sea by Tasha Suri this is coming out from orbit, which is. I love Orbit. I tend to prefer them over Tor, typically in terms of my star ratings, but I love Tor 2. No hate. This is coming out from orbit. This book takes us to a version of Britain where stories themselves fuel the world and one particular story keeps getting told again and again. A witch and a knight are destined to fall in love. And every time that love destroys them both. Both in this lifetime. We are following Simran, who is the witch of the woods, and Vina, who is a knight of the Queen's court. As the two women start to fall for each other, they are trapped in this cycle of passion and doom. But when mysterious assassin begins hunting down stories like theirs, Simran and Beena realize that they will have to find a way to rewrite fate itself. Creating a story strong enough to finally break. Break free. This one sounds so romantic and exciting and I have read from this author before in the past and really enjoyed their world building and they just write really lovely romances as well. So I am excited to read this one and that is the Isle in the Silver Sea by Tasha Sori.
- [43:55]
A
I'm glad that you brought a romance. You've got to stay true to who you are at your core.
- [43:59]
B
How to stay true. Exactly.
- [44:01]
A
All right, so we will end things with our current read. And I am reading a book that is incredibly intense. It is a thriller and it's called Nobody Knows yous're Here by Bryn Greenwood. And you may know that author, she wrote all the ugly and wonderful Things. And I love her writing. It's okay. This one's about a kidnapping. Essentially a woman's down on her Luck and someone offers a job to her and ends up up drugging her coffee that she gives her and taking her to this house where she is now caretaking for this young boy that they've kidnapped. I don't know what's going on. I have a feeling it's very intense and I'm reading it rather slowly, not because it's not a page turner but because I'm like, oh dear, this is going to be ugly. But yeah, you are getting a main character to root for and essentially I think she's going to try and break away from this home with the boy. And I am nervous, but I'll report back and let you know how I enjoy it. I think if you want a page turning emotion thriller, you'll get it in this one. Although I can't say if I recommend it yet. That one is Nobody Knows yous're Here by Bryn Greenwood.
- [45:07]
B
Ooh, I'm excited that you're bringing that one. I thought this book sounded really interesting, but I knew that you would be picking it up because I know that you loved all the Ugly and Beautiful Things. Is that what that book is called?
- [45:20]
A
All the Ugly and Wonderful Things.
- [45:21]
B
All the Wonderful Things.
- [45:23]
A
Also loved her other one too. It was so unique and she. Her titles never stick in my brain. So I'm like, I don't know what it's called. The Reckless Oath We Made. I also really enjoyed Ah, okay.
- [45:34]
B
Yeah, I forget that she wrote that one.
- [45:37]
A
Yeah.
- [45:37]
B
But I've heard of that book too. My current read is the Once and Future Me by Melissa Pace. And this is a psychological thriller. It's set in a psychiatric hospital and I am definitely intrigued. I'm not super far in, I want to say. I'm like on. I'm like 30% through the audiobook. So not quite halfway there, but things are really starting to come together. We're getting to meet a lot of the women in the psychiatric hospital and kind of starting to learn some of the lore that is a little bit problematic and trying to piece together what is going on and why the main character that we are following is even here in the first place. So. So color me intrigued. I'm excited to see what I end up thinking about this one. And that is the Once and Future Me by Melissa Pace.
- [46:27]
A
Well, 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. If you enjoyed today's episode, you can help us by following us 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 Apple access to exclusive bonus content and community, you can join us for $5 a month on patreon.com booktalk Etc.
- [46:52]
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 YouTube and Tina TBR etc and Hannah at HandpickedBooks. Talk to you next week. And in the meantime, remember, everything's better.
- [47:08]
A
With books following wherever you listen. Go Racy girl and Johnny and Cassia.
- [47:25]
B
My calling John the dog.
- [47:27]
A
No, no, it's all of them. It's all of them.
- [47:29]
B
Oh, okay.
- [47:30]
A
Yeah, they just got.