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- [00:00]
Tina
I have had a coffee and also a Red Bull.
- [00:03]
Hannah
I was going to say, you finish it. So chipper.
- [00:06]
Tina
So chipper. Welcome to Book Talk Etc, a podcast bound to grow your tbr. I'm Tina from TBR, et cetera.
- [00:25]
Hannah
And I'm Hannah from Hand Picked Books.
- [00:27]
Tina
And this is a conversational podcast about books and more from two Midwest Mood readers. We're easily distracted by new releases and today we let ourselves Mood Read.
- [00:37]
Hannah
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.
- [00:53]
Tina
Hi, Hannah.
- [00:54]
Hannah
Hi, Tina. How are you?
- [00:56]
Tina
I'm great. How are you?
- [00:58]
Hannah
Good. We got our little chit chats out, which is nice.
- [01:01]
Tina
Got the Wiggles out.
- [01:02]
Hannah
We got our Wiggles out.
- [01:05]
Tina
Yes. And it's a sunny.
- [01:06]
Hannah
Oh, go ahead.
- [01:07]
Tina
I was just gonna say I'm in a good mood today. I'm feeling prepped. It's a sunny day. We took a little walk this morning. I walked on my treadmill, so I am just energized.
- [01:16]
Hannah
Yeah, I can tell. It's helps that it is a bright and sunny day after quite the weather week in the Midwest.
- [01:23]
Tina
Oh, we had some great storms. I mean, it was like, so we had a thunderstorm overnight and it was early. It was like maybe 6am and like I. It was just so much lightning. And then it would thunder, you know, lightning on one side, thunder on the other. And it was like, I was like staring at Jonathan. I'm like, wake up, wake up, wake up. And then he like literally like cracked. And I was like, it's raining, It's a thunderstorm. I know. He's like, I'm aware. But I was so excited. I don't know, I was like, so excited.
- [01:51]
Hannah
Last year when I like first joined the podcast. It was. We were getting some kind of, I think, yeah, spring and summer storms. And I was like recording the lightning because I'd never seen lightning like this before. And I remember that I messaged you and John, look at this lightning. And both you and John were like super into it. And I was like, I found the right people. This is it.
- [02:12]
Tina
Well, if you like to talk weather, you've certainly found the right people because there's nothing. Jonathan is known in our neighborhood though it's really funny for like, if there's like, you know, a tornado warning or something, like they'll. He doesn't respond to Most group texts, but if there's something weather related, like, he's on it. He's like, well, I've looked at the radar. It's coming. The other day, I think I told you this. He came home from practice literally three minutes later, the tornado sirens went off. And he just timed it perfectly. I was like, how did you know? He's like, I looked at the word. The radar.
- [02:37]
Hannah
Like, all right, the radar.
- [02:39]
Tina
Well, excuse me.
- [02:40]
Hannah
I did a little bit of Googling this week because our tornado sirens were going off, but it was raining and thundering, but it wasn't like. I think it was just that the conditions were ripe for, like, a tornado, but there hadn't been one that had landed yet. And so I was curious because I was like, well, I don't think we need to go into the basement or anything. But I'm. Anyway, I got to Googling, and I'm pretty sure from what I found that the tornado sirens became a thing basically for farmers who were out in their fields and didn't have access to, like, cell phones and things like that at the time. And so they needed to know when they needed to go inside. So really, the sirens are not like, get in your basement, There's a tornado on the ground. It's like, you probably shouldn't be, like, out plowing your fields right now.
- [03:28]
Tina
Sure. Well, you've seen the wizard of Oz. You know, that's how she got in trouble.
- [03:31]
Hannah
Yeah, that's how she got in trouble. She was not inside. Her house was fine. Right. It's still standing at the end. Little roughed up. But, like, isn't it okay? Or, oh, no. Her whole house gets sucked up.
- [03:43]
Tina
Her whole house gets sucked up.
- [03:45]
Hannah
Never mind. Don't mind me.
- [03:47]
Tina
That was a dream, though. I think. I think that was a part of the game. Or when she got clobbered on the head. Yeah.
- [03:53]
Hannah
Because when she wakes up, her house is still. It's not, like, gone.
- [03:56]
Tina
Yeah. And, like, there's, like, people hanging in her window staring at her. I was like, what the hell? Right. Anyway. All right. So my loving lately ties very nicely into nature and the outdoors because my loving lately is the Merlin bird identification app. And both Jonathan and I are obsessed with this. Now, I will say this is something that Renee has previously bought. Previously brought to the show. But I've been using it non stop these last couple of weeks, so I wanted to mention it. And this is designed to be a birding coach for bird watchers at every level. And basically what it does is it allows for you to identify the birds that you see or hear in their database. I guess they have something like 1300 birds, and it's run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. And what I love is you can identify birds in one of two ways. You can either see it and, like, take a picture or. And upload it to the app, and it'll tell you, hey, that's a sparrow, or whatever. Or you can record the sound, and then it will tell you what bird is singing based on the sound that they're making. And the sound one is what I've been really into. And same with Jonathan. We sort of just took a walk this morning. We both had our little phones out. We were, like, walking, trying to catch different birds, I guess. He was in our backyard earlier with our daughter, and they heard five different species of birds in our backyard, which I think was just so cool. And it basically allows for you to compare their songs. It can compare their chirps and figure out what bird it is. It also is completely offline, so you can identify birds no matter where you are. You don't have to be, like, connected to wi fi or anything like that. My favorite feature is that you can add birds to your life list. And there's nothing I like more in life than a list. So basically, anytime you just see a new bird, I get really excited because I'm like, oh, my God, this is new. Let me add it to my life list. And you could also write down where you're hearing these birds. So I. I had one when we were in North Carolina on the balcony. I had one in our backyard or whatever. So, you know, it's kind of a nice reminder, too. When you go back, it's almost like this journal of times that I was, like, having fun and, like, paying attention to my surroundings. And usually when I'm hearing birds and noticing them, I'm relaxed and enjoying myself. So it's a nice little journal that way, too. And Jonathan's favorite feature is that you can listen to those sounds the birds make on the app. So. So he's been really good at, like, oh, I think that's a cardinal, or that one's a sparrow or whatever. Maybe that's a singing sparrow. And it's just been really fun. The girls have got really into it as well. And what's cool is the recording. It captures not just their bird sound. It also captures, like, you talking. And so I'll listen back. You can hear in the background our baby going, bird, bird. Like, when she. Whenever she sees a new One. So it's really sweet. Now he works in a forest preserve, so he gets to hear all kinds of birds and I'm very jealous. He has something like 20 plus birds in his life list. I only have eight so far, so I'm feeling very behind. But leave it to me to make this really nice passive hobby into a competition. But I have loved this. If you want to get into bird identification and just, you know, want to identify birds, it's fun. Download the Merlin app.
- [07:04]
Hannah
I am curious if you notice any difference in birds when you were in North Carolina as to where you are in the Midwest, did you find like a bunch of new birds or ones that were just as common?
- [07:16]
Tina
No, both. So I was really excited because I had that same question. I'm like, now are these regional birds? Am I going to go home and not find them? And so far, a couple of the birds that I heard there were. I only had heard there. Now that doesn't mean they don't come in the Midwest. It's just they're not common. But this, this app is incredible. I mean, it's. If you get really, really into it, you could learn a lot about birds and like where they're from and etymology and all of these different things. I mostly just like collecting the list because I list, but gosh, it's been really fun.
- [07:47]
Hannah
Well, it sounds like it has a bunch of features depending on obviously what kind of user you are. So like you said, if you are into like etymology or something like that, then this could be an app that provides that for you alongside all these other fun birding facts and tips and learning.
- [08:04]
Tina
Exactly. And they do a good job making it easy for like lay people or beginners and then people that are really knowledgeable.
- [08:11]
Hannah
Okay. My loving lately is the clever Fox reading journal. And I always laugh when I bring another reading journal or like when you bring other things to like track stuff. Because I feel like you and I both are just constantly on the track with like a new way to track this. You know what? Let us live, okay? Because I just enjoy this. And right now my current obsession is this clever Fox reading journal. And it's so much fun because it gives you so many options on how to track your reading. But it's options in print, which is nice. And I love that it gives me the option to keep all of my reading notes, thoughts and book reviews in one place. I say that it gives me the option to. Now I also use storygraph and I've also gotten back into Goodreads lately. But I like that this is one place to keep it in print. It has these guided prompts that help me personally reflect on each book in detail, which is helpful especially when thinking about what to talk about for the podcast because it will help me think about other things to mention or bring up about a book that I might not have just thought of myself. And then it has blank pages that give me the freedom to jot down quotes or extra thoughts if I have anything else to add or anything that I personally thought about while I was reading. The Reading Log and Tracker and then Books to Read section are really helpful for organization and reading motivation if you are someone who is motivated by goal setting or by organizing. So I think that that's a really nice feature of the journal and the high quality materials. It is so nice. It's made with this vegan leather, has really thick paper and color coded bookmarks. It also comes with stickers. So if you love to put stickers in books, that's kind of a fun added bonus as well. So again, I'm always looking for more ways to track my reading and this has been a fun addition. And that is the clever Fox Reading Journal.
- [10:15]
Tina
This looks perfect. It looks cute. Complex enough to like really make sure that you're able to track everything you want to, but also pretty straightforward. It's not overly complicated now and you.
- [10:26]
Hannah
Don'T have to use every section. Sure, if you didn't want to like I don't use the TBR section that much. The books to read just because I've never found a place to put like my immediate TBR that actually works for me except for physically putting them on my nightstand so that I can look at them. But you like if you are someone who reads strictly from a tbr, then this could be a great place to kind of track maybe the books you own or the ones you want to get at the library, et cetera.
- [10:56]
Tina
Do you have the smaller one or the larger one?
- [10:59]
Hannah
I have the smaller one. I like that size better. But then I have so Clever Fox also has a planner which I've used their planners before, really like them and then I have the larger size of their planner and don't tempt me girl.
- [11:13]
Tina
I'm on a low buy. But I did get a gift card so now I'm like well maybe this is what I can use my gift card on. What color do you have?
- [11:20]
Hannah
I have the. It's. I forget what the official name of it is, but it's like a brownish. Brownish tan.
- [11:28]
Tina
The official name is Brown.
- [11:30]
Hannah
Brown. I have the Brown one.
- [11:31]
Tina
The brown one. Dusty. Yeah. There's a lot of color options, which is why I asked, because there's, like, a few on here. Very cool. Okay, good recommendation. And you've already tempted me.
- [11:42]
Hannah
I might have the dusty rose. It might be the dusty rose.
- [11:46]
Tina
Okay. Because brown is pretty dark.
- [11:48]
Hannah
See it? People who are viewing this will get to see what color it is.
- [11:52]
Tina
So plug for our YouTube channel. Don't forget to look at us over there. And honestly, though, YouTube is a really good way for you to, like, leave us notes and leave us things in real time. Although don't correct us, because I can't. Honestly, sometimes in the. In the real time, it's hard to come up with words. Like, I had a couple people last week, we were trying to think of a particular word, and they, like, helped us out with that. They're like, this is the word you were looking for.
- [12:15]
Hannah
Yeah.
- [12:16]
Tina
What is that? Like a Monday morning quarterback? I'm like, you're right. But in the moment, sometimes it's hard to come by. But I do encourage you to take a look over there because it's been really, really fun. And thank you. We have quite a few followers, quite a few listeners who have already found us over on YouTube. I am going to dive into latest reads, and I'm bringing today is my latest read, Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins, of course, and you probably know this if you follow me online at all, but I lost my mind a little bit in March and reread the entire Hunger Games series, books one through five. And while I don't think it's required to reread all of them, I am really glad I did. If you want my full thoughts on my entire rereading experience, we can link my reading vlog for that for these below. But for now, I'm going to keep my thoughts spoiler free to the other books in the series as well as into this one. Now, this book is Haymitch's story, and it asks the question, when you've been set up to lose everything you love, what is there left to fight for? And if you've read these books before, you know who Haymitch is. Haymitch is one of the mentors to Katniss and Peeta, and I've always found him to be a really sympathetic character, somebody that I wanted to know more about. And you get that with this. This is basically his origin story, because when the book opens, the day begins on the 50th annual Hunger Games, and it's also his birthday the Fourth of July is his birthday and that's where Hunger Games take place. And this year, in honor of it being a Quarter Quell, they kind of make it a little bit more noteworthy every 25 years. And this time they are taking twice as many Tributes from their homes and putting putting them in the Hunger Games. So, as you know, Haymitch is in District 12 and he gets selected. And he's trying not to think too hard about what this means. So this book has a couple different parts. Obviously it leads up to the Games and then you're in the Games and then after. But leading up to the Games, Haymitch is trying to keep his cool and not worry too much about it. And he, you find out, has a love. And all he's thinking about is hoping that he and his girl make it through okay. But then Haymitch's name is called and he feels all his dreams break. He of course, gets shuttled to the Capitol and gets put in the Hunger Games. He's also put in the Hunger Games with people, of course, that he knows from his neighborhood. A young friend who's basically a sister to him, a compulsive odds maker, and the most stuck up girl in town. And as the Games begin, Haymitch is realizing that this is not a game that he can win, but there's something in him that wants to fight. And I'll leave it there. To me, this was fantastic. It had the perfect blend of nostalgic and new in a way that even songbirds and snakes didn't, because that's President Snow's story. You're set up to not like him. And that one's more about the Games itself and how he came to be and other things, but this one really feels like an original. I've always wondered about Haymitch and wondered why he was so surly. And you learn a lot about what happened to him and they really do him dirty in this book. What I loved about this too is that you get to see some other characters that you get introduced to in the original series. And so it was so nice to see them younger. Obviously you're also seeing hey, Mitch younger and you're seeing some other characters. And overall, I think this was a fantastic addition. Right before this, I just found out that there is going to be an adaptation. It's already in the works and it's set to release in November 2026. So I am excited. Maybe by the time that comes out, I will actually watch the movies so that I can catch up and Watch the movies as well. But I highly recommend this if you are a Hunger Games lover. If you haven't read the series yet, I'm so jealous of you because you get to experience them for the first time even if you. They hold up. That was one thing that impressed me too. They really hold up very well. Even though they were written what, in 2008? Ish. But I highly recommend it. It's Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins.
- [16:17]
Hannah
Well, you did a great job giving us enough for those who have read it and then also like making it intriguing and not giving away too much for people who haven't read the series yet.
- [16:29]
Tina
So because there's some good reveals. There's definitely some good reveals and things that I was like, what? Oh my God. You know.
- [16:35]
Hannah
Well, I've heard there's a lot of ties in this book that make you go like, oh, to the, to the original series. Which is so fun and cool that she could work backward like that.
- [16:44]
Tina
Yes, very impressive. And I love her as an author. She's an unproblematic queen. I feel like she just like comes up with a new book every five years and then like gets off, you know, and does whatever. I am wondering who is going to be next if she's going to come up with any more of these books. I have a theory, but I don't want to say it because I don't want to spoil anything.
- [17:05]
Hannah
Okay, you'll have to tell me later. I want to know. My latest read is called the Other People by CB Everett. I. I messaged Tina saying that because I messaged her about this book earlier this week and I'll tell you a little bit of why I did so. So I received this book from Simon Audio's audiobook program. So that's why I decided to give this a try. Even though I don' always pick up books like this, you know, like locked room mystery thrillers. But every once in a while a premise sounds unique enough and if I'm provided the opportunity to read it, I'll give it a try. So this book is about 10 strangers who wake up in a locked, eerie house. They have no memory of how they got in this house and they discover that in order to escape they have to solve a young woman's disappearance. But they've also been informed that there is a killer who is picking them off one by one. So I'm going to start out with what I liked about this one. The book is very self aware in the beginning when the third or fourth character is Introduced. The character's first line is, don't you hate it when so many characters are introduced all at once from the beginning of a story and you can't keep everyone straight, especially in a thriller? And I was like, yes, correct. That's exactly right. And then the narrator goes on to give you a brief rundown of every single character. And he's like, okay, so here's what you need to know about everybody. And then he like lists them off one by one. He's like, I can't tell you about everyone and everything because that would ruin the fun. So get excited for some new introductions and plot twists along the way. And I was like, this is kind of like goofy and self aware. I'm into it. And I really loved this narrator. He has snippets all throughout the book where he kind of is like, okay, let's break this down. I really enjoyed that. I was anticipating being really satisfied with this book overall because of this. And I really did enjoy it until we got to like 90%. And I think what was most disappointing about this one is that I was enjoying it all the way until the very end. And as we know, this is the tricky part about thrillers is the endings and the reveals. And this one had one that was just so disappointing. I. I don't think that I could have thought of a more frustrating ending for this reader. I honestly don't know who I would recommend this book to. Maybe just read the Goodreads reviews if you're curious. Some of them have some spoilers, which I ended up reading after, and they give you a really good idea about what you can expect with this twist. Like, they compare it to certain pieces of media that will give you an idea. So if you want me to spoil this one for you, message me, because I will be happy to indulge you. But yeah, I like this one until about 90% through, and then ended up being really disappointed by the reveals. So that was the Other People by CB Everett.
- [20:02]
Tina
Yeah, that is hard. And I feel like for me, I'm a reader that needs a good resolution in the ending. I've said this before. One, I don't like an ambiguous ending. But two, I don't like an ending that I like. You know what I mean? That I, like, disagree with. I feel like it kind of ruins the whole book for me. I'm not somebody that's like, well, I still enjoyed 90% of it. I'm like, no, no, I'm mad. Like, I'm actively mad about this.
- [20:25]
Hannah
Actively upset. That's definitely kind of how I felt, which was like, I feel like sometimes when you read thrillers, you're like, man, that was a fun time. Like, pretty predictable ending, but whatever. Like, it was still fun. Whereas this one was like, I'm actively upset.
- [20:40]
Tina
Yeah, predictable. I can handle predictable. I'm not, like, overly mad with. I'm like, oh, okay, I got it. Whatever. I guessed it right. At least it didn't get anything. I don't like being pissed off. That's a good niche novels episode. Books with endings that we loved or that, like, made the reading experience for us.
- [20:56]
Hannah
Yeah.
- [20:56]
Tina
Because I just finished one and I'll talk about that next week. That had a fantastic ending. I'm like, you know what? This is bumping it up. Which usually doesn't happen. Usually the endings I find bump it down.
- [21:05]
Hannah
Oh, I love that.
- [21:06]
Tina
I'm a little disappointed. Anyway, for book Talk today, we wanted to dive in. We are, what, a quarter of the way into the year?
- [21:12]
Hannah
Exactly. Almost exactly.
- [21:14]
Tina
Okay. And it doesn't feel right, and yet it feels exactly correct. So we wanted to share some stats, but because today is our mood reading episode, we thought we would share a little bit about the pros and cons of mood reading. But I will begin, I think, with my quarter one stats or pieces that I want to share. I am really, really happy with my reading life. So far this year, I've read so many books, and that's not what makes it so great. They've also been really quality. Last year, I think the new releases were subpar. This year, they are knocking it out of the park, by and large. So I wanted to share a couple of standout books that just, I have a feeling are going to be on my favorite of the year list. Of course. And I know we share this one. Wild Dark shore by Charlotte McConaughey. I also wanted to mention Broken country by Claire Leslie Hall. The favorites, of course, by Lane Fargo. And then Red Clay by Charles B. Fancher, which I'm mentioning, one because I loved it, but two, because I want more people to grab it. I know my other three are pretty buzzy, but Red Clay is under the rad are, and I want more people to read it. So which books do you have on your list that are standouts?
- [22:21]
Hannah
Yeah, like you said, we share Wild Dark Shore, and then one that I haven't brought to the show yet, but will soon, and that's the Names by Florence Knapp. It comes out in May, and I really want to put it on people's radar. One of the most unique books I've ever read. And just Chef's Kiss, it's so good. And then Sandwich by Kathryn Newman and also Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson.
- [22:46]
Tina
Oh, yeah, that one was really good too.
- [22:49]
Hannah
Yeah.
- [22:49]
Tina
And another stat, I grabbed this from Hannah's Instagram, so if you want to look at, you know, her full post, you can do that there. You also had listed books that you can't stop thinking about. And I just immediately. The first book that came to mind with this is a book called He, she they by Schuler Baylor. And this is. I've mentioned this book to at least five people in real life and I feel like it's a book that everyone should read, especially now. And basically it's written by a transgender former athlete and it talks about gender and how talk about it. And I just thought this one was the perfect blend of instruction, but also memoir. And I am really glad that I read that one.
- [23:26]
Hannah
Yeah, that sounds like a really important book that basically everybody should read. My book that I can't stop thinking about is Human Sacrifices by Maria Fernanda Ampuero. This is a short story collection and there are just several short stories from this collection that I cannot stop thinking about to the point where I've had a couple of dreams about a couple.
- [23:47]
Tina
Oh yeah.
- [23:48]
Hannah
Did you bring this to the show? I did. Recently I brought this one to our booktok does Booktok episode because this is one that was recommended to me from a lot of. Well recommended to everyone from a lot of horror creators that I follow on BookTok. So that's why I read it and I brought it to that episode and.
- [24:07]
Tina
Then I took to storygraph because I was curious about some of my most read genres and I am am shocked by my top three. My top three most read genres this year are literary thriller and science fiction, sci fi. I know it's probably because of the Hunger Games. Oh, I feeling so smug. I was like, I am so cool. Although there were eight books listed, so that means if we're counting five Hunger Games, I'm still reading, you know, other books in sci fi. But yeah, I just put that together.
- [24:36]
Hannah
Yeah. My most read genres are not super surprising. I do anticipate romance being higher on this list maybe by the end of the year because I typically read a lot of romance in the summer and spring, partially because my favorite romance authors come out with books in the summer in the spring. And so that's when I read their books. So we'll see if romance ends up being on this list by the End of the year. But right now, my top genres are literary, contemporary, and horror.
- [25:03]
Tina
Yep. Classic. Those usually are mine. But, yeah, science fiction snuck in there this time. And then the last piece is just my average rating, which is 3.98. And I'm not mad at that because I worked on. I'm working on being more, like, discerning and saying. Because sometimes I just have this guilt where I'm like, don't call this book two stars, even though you thought it was. But, like, I'm leaning in and calling a book 2 stars if I feel like it was. Or, you know, not being generous and saying, for you. Yeah, yeah, you know, yeah. So anyway, three point.
- [25:33]
Hannah
I saw that on your most recent reel on Instagram, and I was like, look at. Look at you go.
- [25:38]
Tina
I struggled because it's a debut, and I hate beating up on debuts. But.
- [25:43]
Hannah
But anyway, no, I love that I. My average rating is 4.11, which feels suspiciously high for me.
- [25:53]
Tina
You've had a great reading year, but.
- [25:54]
Hannah
I think I've had a really good reading year, and 2025 releases have just been incredible. I have. That was another thing that I mentioned the other day on my social is that this year I have been reading more front list and more front list has been working, and I've been getting higher ratings from those frontless titles. And that's typically. That's not typical for me as a reader. And backlist books haven't been working as well. So I don't know if I'm just not picking and choosing the right books and stories or what's going on, but I'm happy with that because it feels good to really be enjoying some of the new books and buzzy books that are coming out. Because it just, you know, makes you feel more a part of the community.
- [26:38]
Tina
Exactly. No, and I think a part of it, of course, is the podcast, because we do so many episodes. We do the books.
- [26:44]
Hannah
Yeah.
- [26:45]
Tina
But I'm glad that it's working. I would feel bad.
- [26:47]
Hannah
It's been working.
- [26:48]
Tina
It's like, wow, I've hated all the new books I've read. That would be harder.
- [26:52]
Hannah
Yeah. But if that was true, I mean, I do think that there are some years that are good for publishing or, like, better for publishing than others. I know a lot of people have said that they think last year for publishing was particularly hard. Election years are typically hard, I've heard, for book releasing, like, book releases in general. But I do think that if you're not enjoying any of the new releases you're reading that also might just be indication that maybe you should reflect a little bit on your reading life. And I don't mean that as like a call out or like you should be doing whatever, but, like, I have to reevaluate what I enjoy all the time, and sometimes that changes year to year. So, you know, if you're not. If you're really not enjoying your books, then might be a good opportunity to reflect and see what new releases you should be reading or need to look out for or, you know, what might have changed in your reading life in general.
- [27:42]
Tina
No, I think you're right. And that ties in nicely to sort of the bigger conversation of being a mood reader. I think you and I both would classify ourselves as such. And we worked this in because it sometimes gets taxing to have, you know, a topic after topic. And so we sometimes need a break not from reading, but from reading for a specific topic. So. So most recently, we did historical fiction, and then we figured, okay, we need a little bit of a brain break in here. But I have to say, it's almost harder sometimes to not have any sort of guidance at all, at least for me. I was having major decision fatigue to the point where I went on my Instagram and I was like, all right, here's four books that I've recently gotten from NetGalley. Tell me which one, you tell me what to read. And anyway, the list, the followers did great because I picked one, the one that had the most votes, and it was fantastic. So I'll talk about that later. But it was hard for me to. To really. I'm somebody that has a hard time deciding what mood I'm in. I'm like, what mood am I in? What. What do I want to read right now? It's hard to identify. Who am I? It's like an existential crisis every time I start a new dang book. But anyway, how is picking your books for you?
- [28:48]
Hannah
Yeah, well, again, challenging. And that's partially why we had mentioned we wanted to talk about this is we are Mood readers, and I definitely am one. And then, of course, we have it for an episode. And I'm like, I don't know who I am anymore. Like, what is this? What mood am I in? And me and a friend of mine were actually just talking about this this week because on top of it, both of us have been like, do we even like reading anymore? Because, I mean, if you're a patron, we have a fun DNF episode coming up. Because I have DNFed like, five books just this Week, really? I decided to count it as a win. I know you had three.
- [29:23]
Tina
Yeah. And we just did a DNF episode, like, recently. That's why I'm like, I have to.
- [29:27]
Hannah
Do another one soon.
- [29:28]
Tina
Sooner than later.
- [29:30]
Hannah
Sooner than later. But what was good about it, I'm gonna. I'm gonna reframe this positively. Is I really need to be better about truly knowing what I like and don't like. And it doesn't mean that I'm not gonna take risks sometimes because, like, the thriller that I brought is my latest read. I'm not disappointed that I read it because every once in a while I'm just gonna wanna pick up a mystery or thriller and see, I know that they don't work for me, but mysteries and thrillers are also so easy. And so, you know, sometimes it's worth it to take that risk. I've definitely read some and been surprised and really enjoyed some, but it really made me do a lot of deep reflecting of what are some books that I pick up just for the hype or the buzz? What genres do I generally not just want to read, but really enjoy? And so I was able to do kind of some deep reflecting on who I am as a reader this week in, like, you know, April of 2025. Not what I've typically enjoyed in the past or who I used to be as a reader, because I can get a little caught up in that too. Like, well, I used to always love reading, you know, romances with fake dating or whatever. Well, they're not working for me now, and that's okay. So let's do some reflecting and kind of see, and that might help guide your mood because you know yourself.
- [30:47]
Tina
So, yeah, I love what you said about that. And I think it's true that our tastes do evolve and change. And sometimes as readers, you can easily get into the habit of saying, oh, I don't like X or I don't read Y. And my friend has been calling me out lately because I said to her last year, I was like, I don't really read romance. And then I've like, cut to me recommending several romance books since then. And she's like, I think it's time to stop saying that because I think you do like romance and I do. And what's been fun is to really figure out and evaluate, okay, what types of romance do I like? I know the certain ones that I. I don't like, but there are some that I like with atypical relationships. And you'll hear me talk about One of those later today as well.
- [31:26]
Hannah
Oh, I'm excited to hear about that one.
- [31:28]
Tina
We want to dive in.
- [31:29]
Hannah
Let's dive in.
- [31:30]
Tina
Okay, cool. My first one is the one that I was just hinting at in terms of me saying that I don't like romance. And that is a 40 year kiss by Nicholas Butler. And if you're looking at us on YouTube, look at the sprayed edges. I mean, honestly, gorgeous, flawless. I.
- [31:45]
Hannah
It's beautiful.
- [31:45]
Tina
I love a sprayed edge myself. I know it is getting overdone and you don't need it in every bookstore. You don't need multiple copies. But I just think, oh, this is like a pretty surprise. But the 40 year kiss is about Charlie and Vivian, who parted ways after just four years of marriage. They married when they were in their early 20s and they just had too many problems and too many struggles. They didn't stop loving each other necessarily, but they could not make it work. Work. And Charlie moves away, lives his life, and ends up returning to Wisconsin 40 years later. And he is coming back sort of with his tail between his legs, not sure what he will find. But he is sure of one thing more than anything. He wants to reconnect with Vivian. And not only that, he wants to try and pick up the pieces of their broken past. But 40 years is a long time and, you know, he doesn't know anything about her in present day. He doesn't know really if she's married and, like, what's going on, where she's worked, things like that, that. But he decides to reach out to her and try and rekindle something. And I was hooked on this book from the jump because it opens up in a bar in their hometown in Wisconsin, which I just felt like, yeah, that's in the winter. That's where you go, right? Where else are you going? But they are meeting up together after not seeing each other for 40 years. So he again has moved back home and he sought her out. He found her on Facebook and like, you know, they started connecting there and then started texting, but they haven't, like, met up yet. And so this beginning scene is awesome. You've got these two characters who are in their mid-60s, really nervous about seeing their. Their former love. And like, they're kind of evaluating each other, but also the author did it in such a nice way. It wasn't like they weren't hating on each other for being in their 60s. And like, oh, I used to look this way. It was just like a really authentic sort of taking stock of that moment and like, you know, thinking about the expectations of the other person. I was immediately rooting for Charlie. I loved Charlie as a character. I want to make it clear that he is not perfect. Neither of them are. But in the beginning especially, I was like, should I be rooting for him or do we hate him? Like, what did he do to you? What's going on? And what's pros and cons of this writing style? There are no quotation marks, which I typically don't like. It bugs me. But I got over it because the author is really, really talented and he takes you in and out of both Charlie and Vivian's minds in the scene. So you sort of get to see what they both are thinking. This book is nostalgic. There is no way you could read this without thinking of your first love or about thinking of the early days with your spouse. And this book asks the question, can people change? Does everyone deserve a second chance? And what if that second chance comes too late? I found this book to be a very realistic, sweet story with characters who again, are not perfect, but could be just what the other person needs. It's also about enjoying the time you have together. It's a bit of a love letter to the Midwest. He is from Wisconsin and like all of this takes place in and around Wisconsin. There's even a scene in Chicago that I loved. And overall, this was a fantastic story. It's a full of nostalgia, regret, hope, and ultimately love. I'm so happy that I read it. I'm so happy that certain elements that I was worried about weren't introduced. And I want to end by reading the two sentence synopsis from the publisher because I think it describes it perfectly. They call this book a rugged Feel Good Valentine. A small town novel for readers who still believe in sunset, triumph and second chances.
- [35:19]
Hannah
Oh, that's beautiful.
- [35:21]
Tina
So this is a 40 year kiss by Nicholas Butler.
- [35:24]
Hannah
Oh my gosh. I love listening to you gush about books. It's so good. I. Okay, fine, you suck. So no, I love books set in the Midwest and Wisconsin and Chicago and Michigan, even like Iowa. I just love it. I absolutely love it.
- [35:49]
Tina
It's so great. It's so great. I was like to the. I was so into this book, I swear to you. I don't spend a ton of time in Wisconsin, but I'm like, wait, where is this now? He went over the river here. It's close to Minneapolis. Really? How far is Minneapolis? I'm looking on the map because he put me so well into this part of the US That I was like, I need to know. Know where these places are in relation to one another. So. Chef's kiss. Loved this book.
- [36:10]
Hannah
Oh, that's awesome. Yeah. I am lucky enough to have a good friend who lives in Madison. And it's such a good city. Madison, Wisconsin. And shout out to Madison. Love the Midwest. Shout out to Madison.
- [36:24]
Tina
Shout out to Madison. This is from. I think the author's from Eau Claire.
- [36:27]
Hannah
Okay. I don't know where that is.
- [36:29]
Tina
Yeah. And he.
- [36:30]
Hannah
Is that in Wisconsin.
- [36:31]
Tina
Yeah. And he currently lives in rural Wisconsin. So anyway, yada, yada, yada. Read this book. Book.
- [36:36]
Hannah
Cheers to cheese curds. Okay. My next book is the Filling Station by Vanessa Miller. And okay, I have a lot to say about this, so buckle up.
- [36:48]
Tina
Buckle up.
- [36:49]
Hannah
This story is about two sisters, Margaret and Evelyn, who have grown up in Tulsa's thriving Greenwood district. This is known as the Black Wall Street. While Margaret dreams of teaching in their community and Evelyn aspires to study fashion on the east coast, their plans shatter when the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre destroys everything that they have and know and their family and their father's business, and it forces them to flee. They seek refuge and find solace at the Threat Filling Station, which is a rare haven in Jim Crow America. They wrestle with grief and faith, and they can't stay hidden because Greenwood needs to be rebuilt, and they are going to take part in that. Their journey to reclaim their past and search for their father becomes a path toward resilience, ensuring the legacy of those lives who were lost during this tragedy. So first of all, I love a book that will make me Google. Tina and I both love this, and this book definitely had me Googling. So the Threat Filling Station was located along Route 66 in Luther, Oklahoma. And this was a black owned gas station that was built in the early 1920s by Alan throwing. And the station provided fuel, food, and lodging for black motorists who were often denied service elsewhere due to segregation. At the time, this became a crucial stop along the historic route, offering refuge and safety in a time when traveling as a black person in America was extremely dangerous. So more than a business, this filling station played a key role in the local black community and served as also like a meeting place for civil rights discussions as well. And actually, in recent years, efforts have intensified to preserve and restore this building, which is still standing. And in 2021, the National Trust for Historic Preservation included the Threat Filling Station on its list of America's 11 most endangered historic places. So this definitely kind of highlights the need for its conservation, really. Interesting context and backstory for this story because it was information I didn't know and, and I think just makes the impact on stories like these so much greater. So now that we've had a little history lesson, I will say that this book was really enjoyable. It was sad and heartbreaking. The characters were lovable and it had a really moving story. There's a little romance in here as well. What I didn't realize though, and this is a little bit of a. This is a little bit of a bomb drop here. So this is Christian fiction and I didn't know until I got halfway through, did that make this book bad for me? No, it still worked. And I almost took the Christian messages at first as just these people living according to their faith and belief systems, which happens and sometimes is a part of a character's development. It got a little bit slightly heavy handed though, and I was like, hmm. And then I looked and the publisher is Thomas Nelson, and Thomas Nelson is a known Christian publisher. However, this book was not conservative propaganda. It was still a really powerful portrait of this time period in history that I didn't know a lot about. And honestly, I would be really happy if a lot of Christians picked this book up and realized how important it is to not ban books like this. So I am happy that this book exists. Actually. I didn't know a lot about this time in history and I learned a lot about so. And if I had known that it was Christian fiction, I probably wouldn't have picked it up. But I'm happy that I read it nonetheless. And that was the Filling Station by Vanessa Miller.
- [40:37]
Tina
Oh my God, you did such a good job with that one. And that's one of those time periods in history or events that took place in history that I'm fascinated and horrified by.
- [40:48]
Hannah
Exactly.
- [40:49]
Tina
Yeah, I agree. This is one that more people need to know about and I'm glad you brought it to the show. And so of you know, because you could have easily been like, well, maybe not, but I'm glad to hear.
- [40:59]
Hannah
Well, and I don't say I wouldn't have read it knowing it was Christian fiction because I actually still consider myself to be a part of the Christian faith in different ways. But it's not what I typically read. And like, I don't necessarily want to read about that like in my fiction. It's just not something I'm drawn to or sounds appealing to me. So. But yeah, I'm glad that I read this one. And the COVID is gorgeous.
- [41:22]
Tina
Yeah, okay, good one. Mine is a very sharp Left turn into thriller town. And this is the one that my people on Instagram picked for me and I loved it. Spoiler It's Julie Chan is Dead by Lian Zhang. And this one is a debut and it's a thriller. This is about Julie Chan who has nothing and her twin sister has everything except a pulse. And Julie Chan in the beginning of the book is working as a supermarket cashier with nothing to lose. And she finds finds herself unwillingly thrust into the glamorous yet perilous world of her late twin sister, Chloe Van Hussen, a popular influencer. And they were separated when they were very young. They are though identical twins and polar opposites and they rarely spoke except for one viral video that Chloe initiated. Finding my long lost twin and buying her a house. Hashtag emotional. And and that's why I'm saying she's unwillingly thrust into this world because in the beginning you find out that Chloe did buy her a home, which is great, but she also very much used her for clickbait. Julie has a reason for going to Chloe's house, even though it's pretty atypical for her to do that. And when she gets there, she discovers Chloe's body under mysterious circumstances. This is the setup. It's the very beginning of the book. So not a spoiler. And you all know I love a dead body discovery. And so she takes this chance and decides to take her sister's life and live the life she's always envied. And honestly, transforming herself into Chloe is easier than expected. She dives into the influencer life, she tries on her clothes, she does her new skincare routine and basically starts to communicate with her millions of followers. But Julie soon realizes that Chloe's picture perfect life was anything but. She gets very much haunted by what she has done and haunted by trying to convince everybody that she is indeed Chloe. And sort of it all culminates with the Belladonnas, which is this influencer group she's a part of going on this wellness retreat. I love a wellness retreat setting. Rarely do I see it done. Well, this one was done very well. And frankly, I am hashtag obsessed with this book. The comps for this are impeccable. They call this Bunn meets Yellowface. And I couldn't have said it better myself because that's exactly what you get with this Julie slash Chloe. Well, it's Julie. She's a despicable character and yet I loved being in her head. She's sharp, she's funny, and really becomes this whole other person Once she has an ounce of approval from social media. And this book is a very of the times book about influencer culture, but also offers sharp commentary on race and privilege in social media. This is also absurd and in no way would happen, but would it? Maybe this is over the top in a way that really worked for me and I had the most fun reading this. But if you are sick of the formulaic thrillers, give this one a try because trust me, it is different. This book is sharp in a debut from an author to watch. And I think it's interesting to share the author's bio because it says after a short stint as a skincare content creator, the author graduated from university with a degree in psychology and criminology. And that totally flipping tracks. Knowing what you know. Reading this book. Get this on your radar. It comes out April 29, and that is Julie Chan is Dead by Lian Zhang.
- [44:58]
Hannah
This sounds like a thriller I might like.
- [45:00]
Tina
It was so fun and smart. And you would like it, I think. I really do.
- [45:05]
Hannah
Yeah. Well, I liked. I liked Bunny.
- [45:07]
Tina
So you liked Bunny.
- [45:08]
Hannah
And I've heard that this one kind of gets on the fringe of weird, which is typically my thing.
- [45:16]
Tina
It's absurd.
- [45:17]
Hannah
That's my thing.
- [45:18]
Tina
So you actually, I think, would very much enjoy this. Yes. Now that I'm saying this.
- [45:22]
Hannah
Okay. I will add it to my TBR to read later this year.
- [45:27]
Tina
Your Tina tbr, et cetera list.
- [45:28]
Hannah
My Tina tbr.
- [45:30]
Tina
Yay.
- [45:30]
Hannah
I love that. Okay. Yay, Tina.
- [45:34]
Tina
I know I kind of lost Yay, Tina. I meant like, yay, Tina list. I love it.
- [45:41]
Hannah
I mean, also yay, Tina. I like you.
- [45:43]
Tina
Thank you. You're welcome. I like you too.
- [45:46]
Hannah
Okay, thank you. So great that we get to hang out together every week. My next read is the Risk by Abby Jimenez. And yeah, so this is. You know, Abby Jimenez is a romance author I really like and enjoy. And I didn't know that she was on the list of authors where there was like an Amazon or Audible exclusive. Well, it's not Audible exclusive because I read this on my Kindle, on Kindle Unlimited. But there was like a list of romance novellas that came out that were a part of a series. They're all separate, but they were novellas that these romance authors wrote. And I didn't know that Abby Jimenez was a part of that, like, author cohort that did these novellas. And when I found that out, I was like, well, I've got to read that.
- [46:32]
Tina
Got to.
- [46:33]
Hannah
So the Risk is about two neighbors who have to make the best of A bad Valentine's Day. This is about Charlotte who is in self imposed isolation. She's wary of men after dealing with a stalker. A really scary situation. And then across the hall we have Seth, who is a recently divorced arborist with trust issues. Lots of tree talk in this one, which I loved. There is an unexpected apartment disaster that traps them together for the weekend. And of course they start to talk to each other and open up more. And after spending some time with each other, they start to like each other and maybe even fall in love a little bit. I wondered how Abby Jimenez was going to manage creating her very typical drama, depth and tension in a romance novella. And while I think the length in her full length novels definitely add to that level of depth that she's able to provide in her, you know, typical story, I think that she did a great job here with the small amount of pages that she had. We really did get to know Charlotte and Seth. Their backstories were both like very real and drama filled, but also humorous which allowed for some of that really great banter back and forth. This was really cute. As I mentioned when we were talking about mood reading, I've been feeling a little slumpy and like who am I? So it was great to come back to an author that I really enjoy and know that I love and have the palate cleanser that I needed. This was nothing groundbreaking. I think it's hard for romance books of this nature to be groundbreaking, but it was a good time and I really needed that. And that is the Risk by Abby Jimenez.
- [48:22]
Tina
And I'm so glad you brought this because you are somebody that knows Abby Jimenez's writing and so you're able to say like in terms of a short story, like did this translate or not? Whereas I've only read one of her books so I might not be able to like give that same perspective.
- [48:35]
Hannah
Yeah. Nope. I definitely felt like I could tell that it was Abby Jimenez. Obviously it was different because it was a little bit more fun than her other books. It did deal with some deeper subject matter. Like for example, she had a stalker and that's obviously not a small thing, but because it's a shorter book, she didn't spend a lot of time in those harder topics and conversations. So this one felt a little bit lighter. But I could definitely tell that it had some of her. Her trademark themes and tropes and writing styles.
- [49:04]
Tina
Yes. Well good. I am excited to read her again this month for our book talk etc community read. We are reading say you'll remember me together. So we will chat about that at the end of the month and I will wrap up today's episode by sharing my shelf edition. This one comes out on April 15th and I sort of missed it when I was preparing my April Books on the Radar episode script. The book that I'm bringing for my shelf edition is the Eights by Joanna Miller. This one follows the unlikely friendship of the four women in the first female class at Oxford. So it takes place in Oxford in 1920, and for the first time in the 1000 year history, Oxford University officially admits female students. Burning with dreams of equality, four young women move into neighboring rooms in corridor eight. You have Beatrist, Dora, Marianne and Otto, collectively known as the Eights. And they come from all walks of life, each driven by their own motives, each holding tight to their secrets and who are thrown into this unlikely but unshakable friendship. Dora was never meant to go to university, but she lost both her brother and fiance to the war and she arrives in their place. Politically minded Beatrice is a daughter of a famous suffragette and so she sees Oxford as a place to make her own way. Atto was a nurse during the war, but she's excited to return to her socialite lifestyle and wants to hopefully distract herself from some terrible memories that she has. And then finally, Marianne is quiet, clever and the daughter of a village pastor who has a shocking secret. If I am going to predict what her shocking secret is, I bet she's pregnant, but that's just my speculation.
- [50:41]
Hannah
Oh, fun.
- [50:42]
Tina
What this does. It sort of takes place in the long shadow of the Great War, and it's about these four women who must navigate and support one another in a turbulent world in which misogyny is rife, influenza is still a threat, and the ghosts of the Great War don't always remain dead. I feel like this is going to be really good. This is called the Eights by Joanna Miller.
- [51:03]
Hannah
That one was not on my radar.
- [51:05]
Tina
Oh, my gosh.
- [51:05]
Hannah
It sounds really good.
- [51:06]
Tina
I got nervous because, like, I was like, as I'm saying this, I'm like.
- [51:09]
Hannah
No, sounds like Hannah.
- [51:10]
Tina
And did you already bring it?
- [51:11]
Hannah
Because I know I didn't. I made that face because I. There was an item that was. Was up on my bookshelf while you were talking that fell, but it fell behind my bookshelf. So, like, I heard something fall, but then I looked over, it wasn't there and I didn't see anything spooky. But then I. But then I looked at my bookshelf and I was like, what's missing? And I was like, oh, it fell behind my thing. It fell behind for sure.
- [51:35]
Tina
Spook.
- [51:36]
Hannah
Anyway.
- [51:36]
Tina
Haunted.
- [51:37]
Hannah
Some spooky, spooky business spooks and stickers. So my shelf edition is a book that doesn't come out until December of this year, so really something to look forward to. And that is Needle Lake by Justine Champagne. I read her debut novel last year and loved it. So this is her sophomore novel and it follows two cousins, Ida and Elna, from two completely different worlds. And they spend one transformative winter together that changes their lives. I already love this because I feel like it's always a transformative summer. So I'm here for a transformative winter together. 13 year old Ida, who was born with a heart condition and feels very isolated in her small town, is drawn to her older, much more confident cousin Elna, who is from San Francisco. And they, as they spend time together, they bond. A man's death on Christmas Eve reveals a dark secret that they both must share. This is going to explore the intense and sometimes dangerous world of girlhood and the complexities of adolescence. Very excited to give this a try from a debut author that I'm hopeful I can follow like through the career. That doesn't happen to me very often, you know, or you read their debut and then you get to continue to read all of their books. So I'm so excited to do that. That's Needle Lake by Justine Champagne.
- [53:01]
Tina
I said yeah, because I saw this, I was like, I got really into a deep dive the other day and I feel like I saw this one and I remembered you had brought her debut to the show last year, I think.
- [53:11]
Hannah
Yep, last year. And, and it's funny because if you look this up on Goodreads, the COVID is not updated yet on Goodreads and the book isn't listed at all on the story graph yet. But I have it on my Kindle and the COVID is absolutely gorgeous.
- [53:25]
Tina
I just looked at the COVID on the publisher's website and it's really good. And yeah, we'll, we'll show it here on our YouTube. Speaking of quick plug here if you wouldn't mind, go ahead and go to our YouTube page, LinkedIn our show notes like this video and subscribe to our channel. We would really appreciate it. Jonathan puts a lot of work into editing it and I would love to see you all over there because it's a pretty direct way for us to be able to communicate with you. But for now, that is it for today. We thank you for spending a part of your day with us. Links to all the books mentioned can be found in the show notes. And if you enjoyed today's episode, you can help us by following wherever you listen, following us on YouTube or by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps us get our show out to new listeners who might also enjoy our content content and grows our audience. And don't forget, if you would like access to exclusive bonus content and community, please join us for $5 a month on patreon.com booktalk Etc.
- [54:20]
Hannah
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, booktok etc on YouTube and Tina TBR etc and Hannah at handpickedbooks. Talk to you next week. And in the meantime, remember, everything's better with books.
- [54:41]
Tina
Insane in the membrane. Insane in the brain.
- [54:49]
Hannah
You know, scripting and stimming is also another ADHD trait.
- [54:54]
Tina
Shut up.
- [54:58]
Hannah
I do it. We do it so much in my house.
- [55:00]
Tina
So much. So much.
- [55:01]
Hannah
So much.
- [55:02]
Tina
I know. I constant.
- [55:05]
Hannah
I mean, just like quotes from movies, songs that randomly pop up in her head.
- [55:10]
Tina
You just have to get it out.
- [55:11]
Hannah
And then when we're sick of like singing the song we have stuck in our head over and over and over again, we then decide to like, make up lyrics and we sing them about our dogs and our kids instead.
- [55:22]
Tina
Oh yeah, Absolutely.
- [55:23]
Hannah
To make it more fun.
- [55:24]
Tina
Sure. Keep it fresh.
- [55:26]
Hannah
Just normal, neurotypical things.
- [55:29]
Tina
Well, the best part is, like when you do it, I'll do it back to you. Or like when you make sounds. Give you. I can't just make you. Let you make those weird sounds on your own. Like I have to train.
- [55:40]
Hannah
No. Oh, so empathetic of.