Book Talk, Etc. — "Reading Modern Myths, Timeless Retellings, and Books Rooted in Folklore"

Hosts: Tina (@tbretc) & Hannah (@hanpickedbooks)
Date: November 4, 2025
Theme: Exploring modern mythmaking, retellings, and folklore-inspired novels—plus recommendations, personal reflections, and a candid review of the Book Talk, Etc. community read.

Episode Overview

Tina and Hannah dive into the literary world of folklore, atmospheric reads, and the recent surge in mythological retellings. They exchange book recommendations, explore how storytelling rooted in tradition resonates during the fall, and reflect on personal reading habits and challenges. The discussion is candid and lively, highlighted by an honest debate over their latest community read.

Key Discussion Segments

1. Setting the Atmosphere (00:01–03:11)

Vibe: Late-night, cozy, "after dark" energy with animal prints and moody lights.

• The hosts are celebrating their birthday week and recording with cocktails in hand, leaning into the "atmospheric" theme from the get-go.
• They consider themselves "moody" readers, often distracted by new releases.

  “If this isn’t Scorpio season, I don’t know what is.” —Tina (00:29)

2. Loving Lately (03:11–12:20)

Tina’s Pick: Wine Cork Memories (03:11)

• Tina discusses her tradition of saving wine corks, writing down significant dates and memories on them.
• She stresses the importance of "romanticizing your everyday life" and cherishing small rituals.

  “Anytime you can find a way to romanticize your everyday life, you should try and embrace that.” —Tina (05:08)

Hannah’s Pick: How We Feel App (06:49)

• Hannah introduces a free mental health app for daily emotional check-ins and reflections.

• The app facilitates tracking emotional trends and sharing with friends.

  “You log the feeling… and after a while you have some interesting data of how you were feeling, when you are feeling it, and who you were with when you were feeling those things.” —Hannah (09:08)

• Both hosts discuss the challenge of maintaining daily habits and how quick, guided tools help.

3. Community Read Review: "The Heart the Lover" by Lily King (12:21–23:37)

Spoiler-free, but emotionally honest review.

• Background: The book is both a prequel and sequel to King's previous novel "Writers & Lovers," but is designed to stand alone.
• Divergent Opinions:
  • Hannah: Enjoyed the novel, called it “heartbreaking,” and compared it to Ann Tyler and Ann Napolitano. Rated it 4 stars.

    “It reminded me a little bit of Ann Napolitano, but not quite as commercial. Maybe a little bit more literary.” —Hannah (15:13)

  • Tina: Strongly disliked it due to personal triggers (debt, medical anxiety) and a literary style she found emotionally distant.

    “For me, it deals with two things that I abhor reading about… I also don’t… I love that you compared this to Ann Tyler, because I thought that same thing. And guess what? I DNF’d her.” —Tina (16:36)

• Discussion: Both agree the writing style creates distance between reader and character; appreciated the chance for honest, respectful disagreement.

  “That disconnect I thought was kind of interesting ... I felt like it was intentionally done.” —Hannah (21:58) “It kind of feels empowering to know, like, all right, you know, this author is not for me, and that's cool.” —Tina (23:13)

4. Why Folklore & Retellings? (23:55–27:27)

• Why this topic? Perfect for fall; offers an alternative to typical seasonal genres like dark academia and horror. Folklore retellings can be cozy, atmospheric, and deeply rooted in cultural storytelling.
• Personal connections: Both hosts have longstanding affection for stories with retelling elements.

  “At first, I’m like, have I read many retellings? And then I thought about it, I’m like, yeah, you have. And also, you like them.” —Tina (26:03)

5. Reading Habits & Reflections (27:29–29:13)

• The hosts reflect on how the podcast encourages them to read outside their comfort zones, experiment with new genres and subgenres, and learn about themselves as readers.
• They both appreciate when episode topics push them to discover unexpected favorites.

Book Recommendations & In-depth Reviews

Tina’s Picks

1. The Poppy Fields by Nikki Erlick

(Inspired by The Wizard of Oz)
Summary:
In a remote California desert, a controversial treatment center promises that those suffering from grief can sleep through their heartbreak—at a potentially high price. The story follows a diverse cast on a road trip (in a yellow car, nodding to the Yellow Brick Road) to the poppy fields, exploring grief, healing, and the cost of forgetting pain.
Highlights:

• Road-trip narrative with clear Wizard of Oz parallels (characters, dog, yellow car).
• Explores speculative, “what would you do?”-style questions about memory and healing.
• Includes a compelling POV from the “Wizard”-like founder of the center.

“It’s about the journey, not necessarily the destination… It’s about grief, consciousness, and what you would or wouldn’t give up to lessen your pain.” —Tina (35:52)
Rating: 4 stars.
Timestamps: (32:35–37:26)

2. The Great Man by Kyra Davis Laurie

(Retelling of The Great Gatsby, set in 1945 LA’s historic Black neighborhood)
Summary:
Charlie Trammell arrives in a vibrant, affluent Black community in postwar LA. He’s swept into the orbit of James “Reaper” Mann, whose lavish lifestyle and mysterious past evoke Gatsby parallels. The novel intertwines real court cases (Sugar Hill’s fight against racially restrictive covenants), historical figures (Lena Horne, Hattie McDaniel), and the tensions of race, class, and ambition.
Highlights:

• Author’s note ties inspiration explicitly to Fitzgerald’s problematic depiction of Black wealth.
• Deeply atmospheric, layered historical fiction with embedded real-life figures.
• Engaging, under-the-radar gem deserving wider recognition.

“If you like a well-told, rich, gosh, historical fiction story that will really get you activated, I think you should pick this up.” —Tina (48:43)
Rating: Loved; one of Tina’s “under the radar gems” for the year.
Timestamps: (43:58–49:18)

Hannah’s Picks

1. The Bog Wife by K. Chronister

(Appalachian gothic, original folklore)
Summary:
A multigenerational family, the Hadleys, serve a magical cranberry bog that sustains them in exchange for a ritual sacrifice; in return, the “bog wife”—a being from vegetation—keeps the family prosperous. When the ritual fails, siblings struggle, revealing secrets in a blend of family saga, magical realism, and eco-horror.
Highlights:

• Multiple POVs from five siblings, each uniquely drawn.
• The bog is an atmospheric, characterful presence—timeless, mysterious.
• Raw, emotionally messy, and deeply “lost in space and time” (modernity peeks in only via details like cell phones).

“The absolutely wonderful uniqueness of each character… they each had such a strong voice and held reasons for the reader to despise them but also love them equally, which in my opinion makes for the best well rounded characters.” —Hannah (40:31)
“The bog is the ancient living being—a very rich present character of its own.” —Hannah (41:48)
Rating: 4–4.5 stars (ending less satisfying, but journey worthwhile).
Timestamps: (38:27–43:37)

2. A Land So Wide by Erin A. Craig

(Drawn from Scottish folklore, atmospheric fantasy)
Summary:
In a prosperous but cursed village, protagonist Greer is “trapped” by mysterious supernatural boundaries protecting them from creatures called the Bright Eyed. When tragedy strikes, she must journey through danger and secrets to uncover what the settlement is really hiding.
Highlights:

• Strong sense of “wilderness setting”, with immersive world-building and Scottish folklore roots.
• Surprise twists, complex plotting, and emotional stakes.

“The atmosphere, the vibes are very similar [to The Grace Year and Adrienne Young]… I felt very viscerally present within the wilderness.” —Hannah (51:32)
Rating: Loved it—calling it a personal favorite atmospheric/fantasy read.
Timestamps: (50:10–54:25)

Thematic Insights & Memorable Quotes

• On the appeal of folklore retellings:

  “I kind of liked the idea of adding a discussion around a subgenre of books that fits into kind of more of like a cozy, atmospheric nature that is outside of those typical fall genres… but still feels very quintessentially fall.” —Hannah (24:18)

• On learning through reading:

  “I feel like I learned more about myself as a reader in reading for this episode. And that was really fun.” —Hannah (27:09)

• On the power of disagreement:

  “I really enjoyed listening to you critically talk about a book, and I think that it made for a more interesting discussion because a lot of the things that you were saying you didn’t like about it were actually what I enjoyed about it.” —Hannah (21:58)

Notable Moments & Listener Value

• The hosts openly disagree about a book, modeling respectful, nuanced literary discussion.
• Thoughtful definitions and boundaries for “retellings” and “folklore-inspired” novels (“a story or a myth or a legend… retold in its own unique way”—Hannah, 30:53).
• End-of-episode brainstorm: plans for sillier, lighter topic prompts in the future, inspired by BookTube and a desire to keep the podcast dynamic and fun (55:19–61:20).

  “Reading the next two books that get sent to us like that could be a silly prompt episode. You know what I'm saying?” —Tina (60:59)

Additional Book Mentions

• The Measure by Nikki Erlick (compared to The Poppy Fields; highly recommended by Tina)
• Cinder series by Marissa Meyer (well-loved retelling series, YA)
• These Heathens by Mia McKenzie (recommended as a readalike for The Great Man)
• The Grace Year by Kim Liggett (compared to A Land So Wide)
• Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll (brief mention, Tina notes a rare 'Tina' character)

Shelf Additions (56:03–61:20)

Tina

• The Wives of Hawthorne Lane by Stephanie DeCarolis (Domestic suspense, forthcoming)

Hannah

• It’s Different This Time by Joss Richard (Second-chance romance, autumn vibes)

Final Thoughts

The episode is an engaging blend of bookish camaraderie, critical thought, and thematic depth, perfect for readers contemplating what makes a story “timeless” or how modern literature continues to mine the rich vein of myth and folklore. The hosts’ genuine enthusiasm, willingness to disagree, and mix of deep cuts and fresh releases provide listeners with an expanded TBR—and the affirmation that “everything’s better with books.”

Quick Reference — Timestamps for Major Segments

• 00:01—03:11: Cozy intro, “atmospheric” energy
• 03:11—12:20: “Loving Lately” picks
• 12:21—23:37: Community read review: The Heart the Lover
• 23:55—29:13: Why folklore/retellings—genre talk
• 32:35—37:26: The Poppy Fields review
• 38:27—43:37: The Bog Wife review
• 43:58—49:18: The Great Man review
• 50:10—54:25: A Land So Wide review
• 56:03—61:20: Shelf additions & future episode ideas