Strangely Endearing Heroines + Reading Weird Girl Books

Summary

Podcast Summary: Book Talk, Etc. – "Strangely Endearing Heroines + Reading Weird Girl Books"

Episode Information

• Title: Strangely Endearing Heroines + Reading Weird Girl Books
• Hosts: Tina (@tbretc) and Hannah (@hanpickedbooks)
• Release Date: July 8, 2025
• Description: A book recommendation podcast that's bound to grow your TBR!

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1. Embracing New Hobbies: Junk Journaling

Tina shares her newfound passion for junk journaling, describing it as a blend of scrapbooking and creative expression using everyday items. She illustrates her enthusiasm by showcasing her own journal filled with mementos like keys, napkins from Lily's birthday, and maps from family trips.

Tina [04:13]: "Junk journaling is just grabbing things from your everyday and putting it together in your journal. It's finding things that might look like junk, but speak to you."

Hannah echoes the sentiment, appreciating how junk journaling helps in staying present and preserving memories from outings like visits to the zoo.

Hannah [07:24]: "It's a great way to remember and be present with a busy life."

The hosts discuss incorporating their children into the hobby, making it a family activity that fosters creativity and shared experiences.

2. Staying Hydrated with Prime Coconut Water Drinks

Hannah introduces Prime coconut water drinks, highlighting their hydrating benefits and appealing flavors. She emphasizes their low sugar content and added electrolytes and BCAAs, making them a healthier alternative to traditional sports drinks.

Hannah [10:14]: "They are really hydrating. They have electrolytes, B vitamins, and 250mg of BCAAs. They only have two grams of sugar."

Tina expresses curiosity about these beverages, noting their affordability and availability in various stores, including Dollar Tree and Amazon.

Tina [12:35]: "I got a bunch at the Dollar Tree the other day for $1.25 a piece."

They discuss favorite flavors like Cherry Freeze and Glowberry, with Hannah highly recommending the Collection Series despite its limited availability.

Hannah [12:35]: "They're really sweet. A couple of the flavors are too sweet for me, but Glowberry is really yummy."

3. Exploring Latest Reads

a. "What Kind of Paradise" by Janelle Brown (Tina)

Tina enthusiastically reviews her favorite June read, praising its literary suspense and deep character development. The novel follows a teenage girl in rural Montana who uncovers unsettling truths about her isolated upbringing.

Tina [15:03]: "It's a literary suspense where you're following a girl as she comes of age and discovers her father's lies."

She appreciates the book's nostalgic elements, reminiscent of the 1990s internet era, and commends the author for incorporating timely themes like AI.

Tina [19:45]: "It was one of my most highly anticipated books for the year, and I gave it five stars."

b. "Heartwood" by Amity Gage (Hannah)

Hannah discusses "Heartwood," a mystery set in the Appalachian wilderness. The story intertwines the perspectives of a missing hiker, a dedicated game warden, and an avid bird watcher who becomes an amateur sleuth.

Hannah [20:14]: "It's marketed as a thriller, but it's more of a mystery with endearing characters and an engaging plot."

She praises the audiobook's full-cast narration and recommends it as a perfect summer read despite its commercial tilt.

Hannah [22:56]: "It's the perfect Summer read. It was easy to follow, propulsive, and engaging."

c. "Immaculate Conception" by Ling Ling Huang (Tina)

Tina reviews "Immaculate Conception," highlighting its exploration of toxic friendships and the intrusive role of AI in the art world. The novel examines the relationship between Inka and Mathilde, two art students entangled in codependency.

Tina [30:12]: "It's a well-written book with clever twists, though it felt like it went down a little bit by the end."

She appreciates the book's high-quality storytelling and recommends it for fans of the author's previous work, "Natural Beauty."

Tina [37:06]: "I enjoyed reading it and gave it four stars. If you liked Natural Beauty, you'll like this one."

d. "Deadly Animals" by Marie Tierney (Hannah)

Hannah shares her excitement for "Deadly Animals," a debut novel long-listed for multiple awards. The book follows Ava, a 14-year-old with a morbid fascination for decaying animals, who becomes embroiled in a murder mystery.

Hannah [51:10]: "Ava is such a special girl. She's compassionate and really cares about people and animals."

She commends the book's smart clues and rich character development, comparing its vibe to Tana French and the first season of "True Detective."

Hannah [56:08]: "It's a strangely endearing murder mystery that I ended up really loving way more than I expected."

e. "Sky Daddy" by Kate Folk (Tina)

Tina presents "Sky Daddy," a quirky and humorous tale about Linda, a woman with a unique obsession with airplanes. Linda believes her destiny is to marry a plane, leading her to participate in vision board brunches that challenge her secretive nature.

Tina [45:38]: "Linda is hilarious. She makes me laugh with her observations."

She praises the book's creativity and the author's ability to blend humor with deeper themes of belonging and identity.

Tina [51:29]: "If you can get past the absurdity, this can have wide appeal."

f. "August Lane" by Regina Black (Hannah)

Hannah discusses "August Lane," a love story set in the country music scene. The narrative follows Luke Randall, a former heartthrob grappling with his past and the repercussions of stealing a song from JoJo Lane, the first black woman inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Hannah [63:17]: "It sounds like a fun, romantic, tense book about music that also has some depth."

She highlights the book's exploration of themes like redemption and facing one's past, making it a compelling read for romance enthusiasts.

Hannah [64:07]: "It's a love story that also delves into deep emotional territories."

g. "The Widow" by John Grisham (Tina)

Tina introduces her shelf edition, "The Widow" by John Grisham, marking his first whodunit novel. The story centers on Simon Latch, a lawyer accused of murder, who must uncover the real killer to prove his innocence.

Tina [60:12]: "It's John Grisham's first whodunit, which is supposed to be even more suspenseful than his courtroom dramas."

She expresses excitement about Grisham's foray into the mystery genre and anticipates an engaging read.

Tina [61:21]: "I am pumped for this."

4. Defining "Weird Books" vs. "Weird Girl Books"

The hosts delve into the distinction between "weird books" and "weird girl books," exploring how each category offers unique narrative elements.

Weird Books:

• Focus on atmosphere and unique premises.
• Often include elements of magical realism, speculative fiction, or dystopian themes.
• Emphasize character studies over plot-driven stories.

Tina [28:37]: "Weird books might have something out of the ordinary, like a sentient crow or a mysterious illness."

Weird Girl Books:

• Center around female protagonists with unconventional inner monologues or behaviors.
• Highlight characters who may seem unlikable or misunderstood yet possess endearing qualities.
• Allow exploration of deep, often hidden, human experiences.

Hannah [30:38]: "These characters can often be unlikable or even bad people, but also have endearing and wonderful traits."

The discussion emphasizes that "weird" is a positive trait, celebrating uniqueness and individuality in characters and storytelling.

Tina [28:37]: "Weird is a compliment. I think everyone's a little weird, so weird is a good thing."

5. Spotlight on Aardvark Books vs. Book of the Month

Tina and Hannah compare Aardvark Books to the traditional Book of the Month club, praising Aardvark for its high-quality selections and unique branding.

Hannah [38:35]: "They give you books you might not have picked up otherwise, which is what publishing is supposed to do."

Tina highlights the superior quality and aesthetic of Aardvark books, noting their soft covers and integrated logos.

Tina [38:03]: "The quality of Aardvark feels like what you get from a bookstore, maybe even better."

They express appreciation for Aardvark's ability to introduce readers to hidden gems beyond mainstream selections.

6. Upcoming Reads and Recommendations

Tina's Shelf Edition: "The Widow" by John Grisham

• A departure from Grisham's legal thrillers into the mystery genre.
• Follows a lawyer accused of murder who must find the real killer to clear his name.

Hannah's Shelf Edition: "August Lane" by Regina Black

• A romantic drama set in the country music industry.
• Explores themes of redemption, identity, and the complexities of love intertwined with professional rivalry.

7. Closing Remarks

The hosts conclude by encouraging listeners to check out the books discussed, follow them on social media, and engage with their community for more exclusive content.

Hannah [69:04]: "Remember, everything's better with books."

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Tina [04:13]: "Junk journaling is just grabbing things from your everyday and putting it together in your journal."
• Hannah [10:14]: "They are really hydrating. They have electrolytes, B vitamins, and 250mg of BCAAs."
• Tina [15:03]: "It's a literary suspense where you're following a girl as she comes of age and discovers her father's lies."
• Hannah [20:14]: "It's marketed as a thriller, but it's more of a mystery with endearing characters and an engaging plot."
• Tina [28:37]: "Weird books might have something out of the ordinary, like a sentient crow or a mysterious illness."
• Hannah [30:38]: "These characters can often be unlikable or even bad people, but also have endearing and wonderful traits."
• Hannah [38:35]: "They give you books you might not have picked up otherwise, which is what publishing is supposed to do."

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This episode of Book Talk, Etc. offers a rich exploration of unique literary selections and personal hobbies, providing listeners with in-depth reviews and engaging conversations that cater to diverse reading interests. Whether you're intrigued by weird narratives, endearing protagonists, or innovative book selections, Tina and Hannah's discussions serve as a valuable guide to expanding your TBR list.

Transcript

[Tina]

I was showing Cass this book yesterday with cats on it and she was. It's called 10 cats and they're like one cat, one white cat, two black cats. But by the end they accidentally get into the paint. And so like the cats are like getting paint all over them. Literally. Cassie. I was sitting there like this, oh, like, freak. Like, looking at all the paint in the mess. Like it was so cute because she was like, understanding, like, they're gonna be messy. It was so, so, so cute. Like you little angel.

[Hannah]

Sensory overload for those poor little girls.

[Tina]

I know. She's so dramatic. I can't imagine where she gets it from. Truly.

[Hannah]

I can't either.

[Tina]

Jonathan. Oh, John.

[Hannah]

Yeah, John for sure.

[Tina]

Welcome to Book Talk Etc, a podcast bound to grow your tbr. I'm Tina from TBR Etc.

[Hannah]

And I'm Hannah from Hand Picked Books.

[Tina]

This is a conversational podcast about books and more from two Midwest Mood readers who are easily distracted by new releases. And today we are sharing some weird books.

[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 and sharing us on social media. It truly helps us connect with other book lovers.

[Tina]

Hey, Hannah.

[Hannah]

Hey, Tina.

[Tina]

How are you? I am good. I'm excited to record. You know, I love to get up early and do first thing in the morning recording with you.

[Hannah]

Yes, we are recording earlier than normal today. Typically we record, you know, late morning or even early afternoon. And today we are recording bright and early. It is 7 o' clock in the morning where Tina is 8 o' clock in the morning here. But I kind of like it.

[Tina]

I do too. I like it. Let's get it done. You know, so if you hear I ice in the background. Sorry, Jonathan, but that's just my iced coffee. I have to have a little bit of iced coffee before we get into the episode.

[Hannah]

Yes, I've got my hot coffee. I like both. I like iced and warm. But we have drip coffee at home, so that's what I'm drinking to start my morning.

[Tina]

Love it. Okay. And right now it's about to be the fourth of July, so I have four days off in a row. Very excited about that. And you have a whole week off.

[Hannah]

A whole week off.

[Tina]

That you took off?

[Hannah]

Yes, that I. That I. That I took off. But I'm glad that I did. And it came at a really needed time too. Um, so I'm thankful that I get some time to actually maybe Rest.

[Tina]

Who's to say? Yeah, I was gonna say, what is. What are you gonna do? You know me, I'm like, oh, I'm gonna fill each and every moment, but hopefully that's not you.

[Hannah]

I haven't filled every moment, but I do have some plans with family. I would really like to do some gardening in the back. We have some things that we really need to clean up in our backyard. And we, like Dustin and I kind of need to do it together. And we haven't had the opportunity to do that because the weekend is always busy and we never make time to do it on the weekend. But anyway, hoping to do that. And then also we might go to the zoo, which I think you're doing today.

[Tina]

We are, yes.

[Hannah]

In a couple hours.

[Tina]

Here.

[Hannah]

Yeah. I don't know when we're gonna do that because it's gonna be like 90 degrees every day, but it's gonna be 90 here, too.

[Tina]

And I'm like, yep. Huh. So I'll put the girls in the swimsuits. They've got, like, nice, like, splash pads and things around. So perfect.

[Hannah]

Yeah. Other than that, we've really been enjoying lake beaches. So we've been going to the beach with the kids.

[Tina]

Nice like that.

[Hannah]

So, yeah. Hoping to just do some summer things.

[Tina]

Summer fun. I know. I' great summer, I have to say, and I'm happy about that. I also built in for July. A lot of summer reading. I'm like, okay, I'm putting aside this is my last weird books for a minute. I'm like, you've read the. Some wild stuff, so it's time to read some nice books. So I will work on that for the month of July. But something else I'm going to be doing in my downtime, it's my loving lately, and I'm obsessed. It's called junk journaling. Are you familiar?

[Hannah]

Yes.

[Tina]

Okay, so junk journaling. If you're watching us on YouTube, I'm holding my junk journal here. What it is it? Okay, it's. It's sort of like scrapbooking, but instead of photos. And I suppose you can use anything that you want. But really, I think the spirit of junk journaling is just grabbing things from your everyday and putting it together in your journal. So you're finding things that might look like junk, but like, for some reason, for one reason or another speak to you. So I'm going to show you. This is a key. This we got from the post office. Lily glued it into the front of my journal, but I'm showing Hannah right now. This is some stuff from Lily's birthday. That's when I started. It was Lily's birthday party. And this is one of the napkins that we use. This is the dip that I serve. Yeah, we've got some, you know, little pieces from her birthday. I'm not going to show everything. I'll show Hannah. But this was from our trip to North Carolina. Lily drew that. There's stickers from the restaurant we went to. What a great way to remember. This is my favorite spread I'm holding. It's from. It's just things I got. This note is from an author, and her book had a dog in it. So I put that. There's book talk, et cetera. It's just honestly, the most. Like, this is a little map of the forest preserves. And then we recently went to New York, so I'm still working on my New York spread. But I do have a map and, you know, a receipt from a restaurant we went to, et cetera. I'm loving it so much, and here's why I love it. There's a lot of reasons I love it. One, it's sort of romanticizing your everyday life. And so none of this is expensive. This is a very inexpensive hobby. I just bought glue sticks. I have some stickers now. You could go more expensive with it and buy scrapbook pages and whatever other accoutrements you might want. But I just use this notebook I've had for, like, 10 years. I found it when I cleaned out my basement, so I just grabbed any blank notebook and I started it. So I love that you can start with anything and that it's an inexpensive hobby. I also got Lily into it, my oldest, so she now, anytime we find, like, a fun scrap, she'll be like, junk journal. And then, like, yesterday, she found a rock. She's like, we should put this in my junk journal. I'm like, maybe not like a rock. That'll be hard to do, but, like, it's so fun that I'm, like, incorporating her into this project. We can work on it side by side. And then when I traveled, it was actually really great to be like, oh, let me find things that I could put in my junk journal. So I. I've been really, really into this hobby. It. It's something that I can do while listening to an audiobook. And I was going to say, this.

[Hannah]

Sounds like great audiobook time.

[Tina]

Fantastic audiobook time. I have something from our local farmer's market here, but, yeah. Anyway, I have a lot of work left to do, and I'M excited. This is my first junk journal year, so I'm going to finish this as far as I can go. And then of course, as you're, you know, as you get into a hobby, TikTok gets wind of it and then you get fed a ton of videos of people junk journaling. And so I have my eye on some different notebooks for next year. I might go bigger. Anyway, it's just a very, very fun hobby. And that's all I have to say about it. I have been loving junk journaling.

[Hannah]

Oh, I love this hobby. And like I said, great audiobook time. And I also know you and John, like, do a lot of things and I feel like this is so great because then you can actually remember and it's a great way to be present with a busy life. And I'm so happy. Seats from places you go out to eat and all of the sports things that y' all go to. I love it.

[Tina]

I'm already thinking for the zoo. I'm like, oh, I'm gonna have to find some.

[Hannah]

Yes.

[Tina]

Brookfield Zoo things to put in my junk journal.

[Hannah]

I love it. Do you follow notes by Nena on TikTok or Instagram?

[Tina]

I think I do, yes.

[Hannah]

She's a book talker. A New York City based book talker, but she does junk journaling. Specific are a lot of, I feel like book people that do like bullet journaling or crafty things in general. But she specifically does junk journaling.

[Tina]

Yes.

[Hannah]

And she shares a lot of her stuff, so might be a good follow for anyone else who journals or wants to do that. So. And she's just lovely person.

[Tina]

Good recommendation. Yes. I just pulled her up. I do follow her on Instagram and I love hers. It's sort of a hybrid journal where she's like writing her day or whatever, you know, thought she's having, but also including some momentos in there. I hate even calling it junk because it's not junk. You know, they're momentos. But yeah, I love. I'm obsessed with looking at other people's junk journals. And you'll be happy, Hannah. You'll be happy. Because I was like, do I need a junk journal? A TikTok account? Like, is this my new side hustle? No, I don't. I'm not going to turn this into.

[Hannah]

I'm just your hype woman. Okay.

[Tina]

You're like, do it. Get another channel. Who cares? Get another thing going. No, this is just for me for now.

[Hannah]

Okay, okay, okay. But you could share on your booktok stuff if you Wanted to.

[Tina]

I suppose I could. I don't care. Do people care? Who cares?

[Hannah]

Yeah, people care. I've thought about, I've thought about sharing. Not like lifestyle stuff, but I was like, why don't I just. When I have random thoughts, like, why don't I just share.

[Tina]

Why don't you share them?

[Hannah]

Why don't I just share them?

[Tina]

It's because we've pigeonholed ourselves into being book content creators. And that's great. It's wonderful. And then it's funny too because whenever I see somebody like Nina, I'm like, oh, I love all her stuff. Yeah, she's got book stuff, she's got journaling, she's got style. I'm like, this is great. And yet I'm like, oh, I'm just books, you know, I'm only books.

[Hannah]

Maybe we should just start with a hook for our videos. Being like, listen, I don't know what book person needs to hear this, but. And then we just go into a thought that's completely unbook related.

[Tina]

I. I like that. That'll get them in and then, you.

[Hannah]

Know, it'll get them in and then we'll lose them. Really? That's all right. Okay. Well my. Now that we've completely side tangented, I'm going to share my loving, which is very basic. But I have become obsessed and it is these prime coconut water hydrating drinks. Do you drink these, Tina?

[Tina]

I don't but I've been curious. I. I'm curious about all these fancy drinks because I drink this and water.

[Hannah]

Right. I am in fact people, people at. And alcohol people it at work. Make fun of me. Well, not make fun of me but you know, tease me because I always have some new kind of beverage.

[Tina]

I'm a beverage are the be beverage queen. I knew this about you.

[Hannah]

I love a beverage. It is my version of a sweet treat or a little snack. I mean I get that. I love a snack. I love a fun drink. And these are really hydrating. They are 10 coconut water and they also have electrolytes, they have B vitamins. They have 250mg of BCAA. I don't know what that is. What is that?

[Tina]

They're good BCAAs. John has them all the time. They're really. They're like another hydrating thing.

[Hannah]

Okay.

[Tina]

Yeah.

[Hannah]

Because it has electrolytes and antioxidants, so it's really nice. They only have two grams of sugar. No.

[Tina]

Oh, that's really good.

[Hannah]

One gram of sugar. But they, they're really sweet. In fact A couple of the flavors are too sweet for me. Some of my favorite flavors are Cherry Freeze, which is the one that I'm. I'm holding here for people watching on our YouTube. And then they have a Lem, they have a Glowberry, which is really yummy. Anyway, they have some really fun flavors. It's kind of a new Gatorade, but I like the way they taste better than Gatorade. And they don't have all of the sugar that Gatorade has. My friend Alyssa from Worlds within pages, she said that she would drink like two or three of these a day when she was breastfeeding because coconut water is so good for production and it's so hard to drink all the water that you need to drink when you are breastfeeding. And so for any, you know, parents out there who are in that season, this might be a good option for something to drink other than water that will actually hydrate you. It's summer, it's been really hot, so I've been drinking at least one of these a day. They're also really cheap. Like, I got a bunch at the Dollar Tree the other day for 125 a piece.

[Tina]

Heck, yeah. Well, you know, I was going to ask you, where do you obtain these?

[Hannah]

I go to different places because different places have different flavors. But any grocery store, the Dollar Tree has them. You can get them on Amazon in bulk. I recently got an order on Amazon because there was a flavor I'd been looking for everywhere and I couldn't find it, so I ordered a case of it.

[Tina]

What is it the one?

[Hannah]

It's their collection series. It's like a limited time thing, but anyway, I have been loving the prime drinks, prime sponsor.

[Tina]

Hannah, would you. I feel like she deserves at least a case after that.

[Hannah]

Thank you.

[Tina]

I would also like to clarify BCAAs. I knew John takes them, but I was like, I don't know what they do. It has potential to increase lean muscle mass, reduce soreness, minimize fatigue during exercise, prevent muscle breakdown, and support liver function. So there you go.

[Hannah]

Okay, well, good to know. Thanks for educating us on something that I've been drinking every. Single.

[Tina]

Right. I'm glad it's. I'm glad. It's powerful.

[Hannah]

I'm glad.

[Tina]

Have you, like, noticed that you're, like, more muscly? Like, are you, like. You know what I mean?

[Hannah]

No, but I also. Okay for a living, but fair enough.

[Tina]

Fair enough.

[Hannah]

Okay, well, I've been trying to walk every day.

[Tina]

I'm sure you do fine. It is hard. I'm sure. Especially when we're, like, sedentary for our many jobs. It's not great for the health.

[Hannah]

But, yes, I'm going to link in our show notes. I'm going to link the collection series because we are limited time and it's my favorite. It's my favorite flavor that I've had.

[Tina]

Don't sell them out, folks, because Hannah will be upset.

[Hannah]

Yeah, I know. I'm gonna be sad when they. When they leave, but I'm not gonna gatekeep. I'm gonna. I'm gonna make them for you.

[Tina]

I already know that case is going to show up at my house in about a week after John hears you talk about them.

[Hannah]

They're so good.

[Tina]

Oh, my goodness. All right, well, let's get into latest reads. And I have. I have to tell you, I've got three books today, and they're all bangers. And I'm very excited to tell you about them. Number one is what Kind of Paradise by Janelle Brown. This was my favorite book I read in June, but I haven't had a chance to share it on the show yet. It's like, July 3rd, so it hasn't been that long. I'm so happy because this was one of my most, most highly anticipated books for the year. And whenever you have an author that you're, like, friendly with or, like, follow and, like, I get nervous because I'm like, I better like their new box because if I don't, I'm gonna feel bad. But you'll know because if I. If it's a release from an author I'm friendly with and I never talk about it, that means I didn't like it, but I probably won't blast it.

[Hannah]

Fair enough. Fair enough.

[Tina]

This one, though, I hands down, loved so what it's about. It is about a teenage girl that breaks free from her father's world of isolation to discover that he's been lying to her. So you have to understand how she grew up. She grew up in rural Montana. It's in the mid-1990s, and Jane only has her father. He is clear genius, clearly sort of this too smart for his own good kind of guy. He always reminds her that he has two degrees from Harvard and he has taken them off the grid just because he believes in homesteading and they want to live more of a simple life. And he teaches her and, you know, he's basically teaching her all these philosophical things, although she doesn't go to traditional school, so she sort of missed out on a lot of the regular stuff that People learn in elementary school. Her dad's very elusive about where they came from, but she doesn't know any different. And again, it's mid-1990s, so you don't really have cell phones yet. You don't have Internet like that. But you do know. She does know that her mom died in a car accident and so that's how she grew up. But as people are want to do when they get older, she starts to want to push against the boundaries of this idyllic life that they are living. And I actually would invite you to not look at the synopsis because I think it gives you a little bit too much because all you need to know is that this, the first, maybe third of this book is about their life and how, what that looked like. And then eventually she does try and push against the boundaries. I was sat for this entire book. What I love about it is that it took me places I was not expecting, but not in a twisty turny, oh my gosh, that's crazy kind of way. It was very much this fully fleshed out, well developed story that still surprised me in all of its parts. So there are three parts and again, I would invite you to not look at the title of them because you learn a reveal if you look at them. Just know there's three parts. Part one is about her with her dad. Part two is what happens, you know, when she decides to push against the boundaries and then the rest of the book goes on. You get so much with this. And we did it for our in person book club. Janelle was kind enough to say, hey, do you want me to zoom in for a little bit? I'm like, yes, obviously. So she talked to our book club for a little bit and it was really fun to just chat about some of the reveals and things. I'm like, hey, did you have any different endings in mind? All sorts of things like that. Because what you're really, it's, it's mystery and suspense, but I would call this literary suspense. You know, I love that sub genre. You're really just following this girl as she comes of age and you follow her for her entire life, basically. So part three is everything else. It's also incredibly nostalgic because all of, well, not all of us, but if you're, you know, a millennial or older, you sort of remember when the Internet came out, right? And you remember getting a computer at your home, if you had one. You remember chat rooms, you remember your AOL handle, probably, if you had one. And I, we, we had the best discussion of, like, our first usernames and chat rooms and, like, all of this crazy stuff that, you know, happened in the 90s when the Internet was becoming a thing. So not only was it a very compelling story that kept me in suspense the entire time and felt really satisfying, it was also really fun to discuss. I feel like we had a good time unpacking the book, but then got inspired from the book in the time period to talk about our own lives. And again, it just facilitated really good conversation. My book club has people that are in their early 30s to in their 50s, so it, I think, has wide appeal as well. I think if you want this sort of sweeping story about a woman who is on a quest to find herself, I think you will like this one. This is also a book about technology. And it's so smart. It's so smart. And I don't want to tell you more than that, but it is a book about technology. And at one point I'm like, janelle, do you feel, like, prescient? Like, you really had some things in here that you included that are becoming more and more relevant today as we run into more and more instances of AI for example, and she's like, I kind of felt good about that. Right. Like. But also, it's terrifying to live in this type of time period. But I could not recommend this highly enough. Had I read it before we recorded best book so far, it would be on that list. And I gave it five stars. It's what Kind of Paradise by Janelle Brown.

[Hannah]

Awesome. And you've been doing great at reading your Summer Bonanza books.

[Tina]

Thank you for noticing. I've really been making it a focus.

[Hannah]

Yeah. I feel like I'm definitely doing worse this year than I was last year. But there is still time. We're still early on. It's just now July, so I'm gonna get there. I am bringing a kind of similar book. It sounds like in the genre wheelhouse a little bit as you. And that's Heartwood by Amity Gage.

[Tina]

Totally similar. Yes.

[Hannah]

Yeah. Not in, like, subject matter, but I think similar in the type of read that it is. So for those of you who don't know, I am deeply obsessed with Appalachia, especially lately. And Tina knows this, and a few episodes back was asking me if I had read this yet. And since she put that little bug in my ear, I have been itching to pick this one up. And I finally did. So this is about a seasoned hiker who vanishes deep in the main wilderness and a race Against Time begins. She is 42 year old Valerie Gillis and she has disappeared just 200 miles shy of completing the Appalachian Trail journey. She is stranded and alone and she is clinging to hope by penning these fragmented, lyrical letters to her mother, which we get read about as well in her perspective, which is one of the perspectives that we're following in this multiple POV novel. Another one of the perspectives that we get is Bev. She is leading the ground search and she is fierce and focused. She is a Maine State game warden and she is very committed to bringing Valerie home. She's just a force of a character and she plays a really strong role in this mystery. She was potentially my favorite POV to follow. Far from the woods in a quiet retirement community in Connecticut, we're also following 76 year old Lena, who is an avid bird watcher. And she unexpectedly takes up the case from afar, piecing together clues with her intuition and amateur sleuthing. I loved the addition of a character like this because redditors and Facebook groupies and monitors like this are often huge components to modern day mysteries and oftentimes help solve them as the story pivots between Valerie's haunting solitude and Bev's relentless pursuit of trying to find Valerie herself and then Lena's emerging investigation. So we're following these three perspectives as they try to put together the pieces of the mystery of Valerie's disappearance. And I don't want to say more than that. And I have a similar thing to say that Tina did earlier. Don't read the synopsis of this one on the back. I didn't before I went into this one and there were some surprises and I feel like the back of the book gives away too much. Why do they do that? Why do they do that anyway?

[Tina]

Sell books? I don't know.

[Hannah]

It's just frustrating because I feel like that's so much of the surprise. And sometimes people don't understand how I can go into books without reading the synopsis. I understand the overall idea, but I do feel like the synopsis so oftentimes gives too much away. Anyway, I'm gonna leave it there and I'm gonna talk about this book and what I felt about it. So first of all, I highly recommend the audio. The audiobook was absolutely phenomenal and had a fabulous full cast narration. I cannot imagine this being better in print, truly. Please pick up the audio for this if you decide to pick it up. One of the narrators is Rebecca Lowman and I love her voice. This is also just the perfect Summer read. It is marketed as a thriller, and I find that a little misleading. I would definitely say this is more of a mystery. We're, you know, following a game warden as she is trying to find and locate this missing woman. It's also pitched in places as a literary suspense and. And I also kind of disagree with that, although I would lean on that being more accurate. But this also wasn't terribly literary, in my opinion. This was very commercial. And I don't mean that as a slight. I think that this book will appeal to a mass audience. And I actually love that it was easy to follow. Propulsive, engaging, super accessible. Like I said, kind of the perfect summer read. It had mystery, endearing characters. It had. It was just. It was just a great summer read and one of those mysteries that almost felt a little bit overly sentimental or cloying, but not in a terrible way. Like, not in a bad way. I feel like a lot of times that's said in a way that makes it seem like, oh, this book was too overly sentimental. But I really cared about Bev and Lena, and I ended up feeling that race against time to find Valerie and their attachment to this case to solve the mystery of her disappearance. So overall, I just really enjoyed this one. And I would recommend this for your beach bag this summer. And that is Heartwood by Amity Gage.

[Tina]

I like what you said about it being commercial versus literary. There needs to be a step in between. I feel like there needs to be a step in between commercial and literary. And I don't know what it is. I don't know what that would be. Be called. I don't either, because you're right. I think. Yeah. For me, when I say literary suspense, I basically mean it's more well written than a popcorn thriller. It's not that, like, fast Turner, not a ripper. You know what I mean? It's. It's just got more depth to it. And. And when I say literary suspense, I want people to know. Expect a little bit of a slower burn. Please don't read this thinking, oh, my gosh, I want such a page turner. Like, it's not like that. Although I did rip through Janelle's book, it still has a different. It has more heft to it. But then I also, McFadden book, it's not a Frida McFadden book. I also don't feel like saying commercial suspense is accurate either.

[Hannah]

Not that it doesn't have the same. It doesn't have the same feel. And I think that if you are using the description that you provided for literary suspense. I would put Heartwood in that category. It is going to offer a little bit more depth than your typical popcorn thriller. It's not a ripper like you said, although, again, very propulsive and engaging. But I think that so oftentimes when you say literary, people think, oh, this is going to be too highbrow for me. It's not going to be accessible. No. Like, this is a book that I would give to a 18 year old and it's also a book that I would give to a 70 year old. Like, it is just very accessible. It's not hard to read. It also kind of does hand things to you. Again, not in a bad way, but you're not going to be sitting there being like, what was the meaning of this, this book?

[Tina]

I need things handed to me personally, so I love it.

[Hannah]

But yeah, anyway, fun, fun conversation there.

[Tina]

Yes, for sure. I know. And like, when you said that, I was like, I need to unpack that a little bit more at a later date. Because today we're talking weird books. And I am smiling because I'm like, have I misunderstood the prompt? I feel like we did it a little bit differently, you and I, because there's weird books and then there's weird girl books. And I do, I think we both maintain that there's a difference between the two.

[Hannah]

Yes.

[Tina]

I will open with, okay, what a weird book is how I envisioned it and what I meant by that. And no listener that weird is a compliment. I like weird. I think everyone's a little weird. So weird is like a good thing. What I mean by that, typically for me, when I think of a weird book, it's not as plot driven. It might have more atmosphere, it might be more vibes. It's a character study. It includes something out of the ordinary, something you wouldn't see every day, like a sentient crow or mysterious illness. It's got something in there and it introduces this thing and focuses on what would happen if that were real. And I almost see weird books. And this is over generalizing, but if you're trying to put a point on it, I almost see them as a little bit speculative. Maybe I've seen them as magical realism, but I'm hesitant to even go that far. Maybe a little dystopian depending on what you're reading. So that's what I think of when I think weird book, weird girl books or weird women books is more specific. It could have a weird premise, but it also, I think, could just have a person who's having A weird inner monologue.

[Hannah]

Yep.

[Tina]

Weird women doing weird things, if you correct.

[Hannah]

Yes, I would agree.

[Tina]

Is that how you see it?

[Hannah]

Yeah. No, I would agree with both things that you said. I also think, just to add to weird books, I think that it could also be maybe a type of story that we've seen before, but the author is doing something weird with it, whether that's with, you know, the character or the trope or the plot, you know, like, it could be a Supernatural book, which I wouldn't necessarily say is necessarily weird, because a lot of authors do Supernatural, but whatever happens with this supernatural thing could end up being way weirder than you typically see in a book. And the author surprises you with some weird stuff. So I think you can do a lot with weird. Weird is kind of broad, but fun to think about. Because the more you think about it, you're like, I've read a lot of books that really are kind of weird, you know.

[Tina]

Yeah. And exactly. It's not. We're not talking about fantasy. We're not even. The weird things can happen in fantasy. We're not talking about, like, that's why even, like, magical realism. I'm like, maybe not. We're not necessarily talking science fiction. It's just. They could be in any of those, I think, or it could be commercial fiction. It just so happens to have something weird about it. And that's the angle. I went, I. And. And I was laughing because one of my books, I. I just love the main character and I go, I kind of feel bad bringing her to a Weird Girl book episode because I'm like, she's not weird. She's just misunderstood. So. Yeah, but that's a good reading feeling, I think.

[Hannah]

Yeah. And I think, what's fun about weird fiction, Weird girl fiction? Because I am myself a girl, I. I think that so oftentimes when you're reading books like this, you'll think in your head, that is weird to put in a book. Or you're like, you know, raising your eyebrow, side eyeing, for sure. But then I feel like oftentimes when you think about it, you're like, I've had thoughts like these before.

[Tina]

Yeah.

[Hannah]

And I think that it is such a human experience and they're things that we would never say out loud. We'd never, you know, put out there into the void. And obviously not like. Like all of these things. I'm bringing a couple books, you know, later on that are quite maab. And, you know, I'm not thinking about, you know, biting children or anything like that. Necessarily, but you know what I mean, like, these. These weird thoughts that people have when you read about them. You're like, okay, she's a weird girl, but you made the point earlier. You're like, we're all a little bit weird. And I think that there is something very universally, like, neutralizing about reading it sometimes where you're just like, oh, okay. Other people have very wackadoodle thoughts as well. And, yeah, it's very humanizing.

[Tina]

It can be very satisfying. If you are feeling maybe a little untethered and you pick up a book like this, you're like, you know what? These characters have their stuff together even less than I do. So it's fun to watch somebody spiral, if that's what they're doing. And it just makes. Makes you feel like, seen sort of like the most depraved parts of you are like, oh, well, I'm not alone in these. And these call the void thoughts.

[Hannah]

That's what we call an inside thought.

[Tina]

That's what we call an inside thought. These characters are telling them, are saying them out loud sometimes, and it's too great entertainment for the reader. Any thoughts? Any more thoughts on.

[Hannah]

Well, I was just going to say one of the books that I'm bringing later, and I think you had mentioned this to me also when we were talking earlier in the week. Yes, the character in this book is odd and strange, but also very endearing. And so I think that oftentimes with weird girl books or with characters who are weird or books with weird premises, they can often, often be characters who are unlikable or even bad people. And I like those, too, because it's fun to follow an unhinged character that you're like, okay, this person takes it to a different level. But it's also fun to watch characters kind of break those stereotypes also where they are really strange and even, like, darkly strange. But also there are these parts of them that are so endearing and wonderful. And I think that these kinds of books are a great way to explore the whole of human existence. You know, some people contain multitudes. Some people don't contain as many multitudes and are just, you know, know, pure, unhinged and bad. But that is so often not the case. And it's fun to explore both.

[Tina]

Yeah, I thought you were going to say some people don't have much depth. To them, it's just all surface, baby. Which is true.

[Hannah]

Well, that's also true.

[Tina]

That's true, too. Yes. And I remember we used the word endearing, and you were like, I used it first. And you're like, wait, what are you reading? Just in case. Are we reading the same book? So I think both of our. We're not. So I think both of our characters can be a little bit endearing. I'll get to that. But first I'm going to tell you about Immaculate Conception by Ling Ling Huang. First of all, I'm going to give a little recognition to this cover. I love this cover. I think it is so beautiful. I happen to get the aardvark copy and God, their books are so soft and just lovely, like from inside out. They just do a really good job and it's high quality. So if you haven't checked out Aardvark, maybe you want to. But the book is okay. It's about Inka and Mathilde. They meet in art school. And Mathilde is this dazzlingly talented artist, but she's also very tortured, very misunderstood, but also very much sought after. And her star is on the rise. Anka is struggling a little bit because she is, we'll call, a scholarship student to this art school. She doesn't belong in this rarefied world and she's like, I don't know what my niche is. I don't know how to find my way. But she immediately gets drawn to Mathilde and Mathilde seems to bond with her more so than anybody else. So the two strike up this friendship that soon turns very codependent. And I'm talking like toxic codependent. Not like, this book is subtle, so know that it's really, really well written, but it's also very subtle. So you find these two at university are becoming really involved in each other's lives. And then Mathilde gets even more famous and sort of pulls away naturally, as can happen with friends from college, and goes like, no, no, I'm not having this. And becomes pretty desperate to keep her best friend close, no matter the cost. Now, I thought this whole thing for some reason, because again, I don't tend to really read the Synopses with a fine tooth comb. So I thought the whole time was going to be at university. And it is, because then you sort of have this set up and you introduce this thing called Scaffold. And Scaffold is pretty fascinating because it's AI essentially, and it is. It has the ability to create art in this book, which is very troubling to the art students as it sort of makes their creations obsolete. This takes AI to, like, the extreme. There's also a technology they're working on that that essentially is Allegedly going to help build empathy, which could allow somebody to inhabit another person's mind to really, you know, feel what they're feeling and get into their shoes. And the boundaries between the two minds can be blurry. So, of course, Mathilde and Inca eventually become bonded. And then it gets very disturbing and weird. This book is very well written. I thought it was so, so clever. I enjoyed reading it and I like that it took more than just university. It sort of followed them after it followed, you know, what happened to them. I mean, it gets off the wall and there are some really good reveals that I didn't see coming. I remember I was like yelling about it on one of my YouTube videos because I was like, that was. That got me. I did not see that coming. And I love when that particular angle gets introduced. And then I kind of did feel a little bit by the end. The author wrote herself into a corner and it like kind of went down a little bit by the end because it's sort of this cool relationship, but like, where could it go, you know, and. And she. There is an ending. You don't. I didn't feel unsatisfied.

[Hannah]

There is an ending.

[Tina]

There is an ending. It's a book. No, I did like this. I liked this. I think I'm giving it four stars. It's just a book that had a lot of potential and had a lot of these really interesting, weird things introduced that were more fun to think about than I think were fun to read about. I feel like it didn't super go anywhere by the end, but that's okay because I enjoyed my time. I did this. A tandem read. I have the print, but I also did the audio. It was very well narrated and I liked it. I thought it. I'm. I'm glad that I read this. I'm two for two for this author. She also wrote Natural Beauty, which is a book that I also really liked and I felt similarly about. So I think if you like Natural Beauty, I think you will like Immaculate Conception. And the title does begin to make sense, in case you are wondering, but that is Immaculate Conception by Ling Ling Huang.

[Hannah]

You talked about that really well. I love what you said. More fun to think about than necessarily read about. I relate to that with so many books, but I've never put it in such a concise term. And. And I love that. Another note about aardvark books from a branding perspective. The way they do their logo is so good. Why don't other people do that? They literally build their logo into the COVID Yep. That's so creative. They made it a part of the COVID I love that.

[Tina]

Same. And it's not on the spine at all, which is so cool. In case you're, like, obviously putting it on your bookshelf. You're not going to be like, oh, there's the aardvark book. But, yeah, yeah, I agree. I think. Lovely.

[Hannah]

And I don't get Book of the Month anymore anyway. But that was one of the things, even before when I was doing them, that I would. I would avoid actually getting the books I really wanted to read because I didn't want the Book of the Month version. And so finally, it was like, I don't really want to do Book of the Month anyway. And now I don't want to do them even more because I literally avoid need getting those spines because I don't want.

[Tina]

Yeah. And honestly, though, the quality of Aardvark is unmatched to Book of the Month. If you're comparing the two. It's the quality of Aardvark feels like what you get from a bookstore.

[Hannah]

Yeah.

[Tina]

Maybe even better. It's softer. Anyway, we're not paid by aardvark. But I'm just sort of like, I was really proud last month, I read three Aardvark books. I was like, ma', am, excuse me. I am like, who am I? I was very proud of myself. So to read the books that I bought.

[Hannah]

One more little plug here. They also do what I feel like the other company in question used to do, which was give you books that you might not have picked up otherwise, because they are an aardvark title. And so they're really doing for publishing what I feel like is supposed to be done for publishing, which is not. Here's the buzzy Book of the Month. They're actually like. Like, here's a book that you might have missed because you were picking up all of the buzzy ones.

[Tina]

Yeah.

[Hannah]

But we think that it's still worth reading. And so I love that about them. Anyway, not sponsored again at all, but.

[Tina]

Prime if you're listening. Aardvark if you're listening.

[Hannah]

If you're listening.

[Tina]

Ready, baby?

[Hannah]

I love y'. All, like, organically, naturally. Okay. I am bringing. I'm gonna do what you did, which is save my little endearing weird girl for the second book that I bring. And I'm going to first tell you about Victorian Psycho by Virginia Fato. And I don't know why I always forget if you've read this or not. But you haven't, right?

[Tina]

No. And it's so funny the first two books, because I started that. I also started the book you just brought Heartwood. And I lost track of them. And that doesn't mean I hated them. It just means I think my hold expired. It was before I was being really intentional about my TBR and I just lost track. Track. But I liked the beginning of both of them.

[Hannah]

Okay.

[Tina]

I think I might have been sampling. Yeah, exactly.

[Hannah]

I also liked the beginning of Victorian Psycho a lot. So this book centers on a young governess who joins a household that has already cycled through one too many governesses from the get go. Winifred, who is the main character that we are following, is a little more than simply eccentric trick. Winifred struggles at every turn to stifle her very deeply unsettling compulsions until her dark imagination breaches the feeble boundary of reality on Christmas morning. So that's all I'm going to say there really, this book, kind of from the beginning to the end, you are building toward this Christmas morning, Christmas Day event. Winifred was just so deeply disturbing. She was chaotic, evil, with bizarre tendencies that are very hard to forget. One of the most unsettling, weird details that I'll just drop in here to give you a piece of what we're talking about. She sucks on the children's fingers and toes after they've fallen asleep that night. Yeah, good. So it was weird, but also somehow very funny. Winifred was a funny character. There's a very dry sense of humor here. I was entertained and laughing through, I will say, the first quarter of the book with this character and her very dry sense of humor. But the humor quickly wears for me. It felt pretty repetitive and I found myself kind of losing interest in Winifred. And not just in Winifred, but kind of the whole plot and tone of the book. So. So it had this dry sense of humor, but then. But it kind of felt like the same jokes were being made over and over again. There's also a mystery woven into the narrative, but when the pieces came together, it. I didn't really love the reveal. I almost kept wondering if it was supposed to be a reveal and maybe it wasn't, but it just seemed like it was supposed to be intentionally shocking and it was not. It felt a little bit annoying and a little bit like this side thing that didn't really need to be a part of the plot, in my opinion. I thought that this story had potential, especially as a shorter piece, like maybe a novella, I think. Especially since the story leads up to Christmas morning, this could have been the perfect Christmas horror novella. The writing was really strong. And while I don't think. Think Winifred breaks new ground in weird girl fiction or the weird girl genre, I thought that there was room for something inventive here. Had this been just a shorter story. Ultimately, I think I would read more from this author because I liked her writing. It was disturbing, well written, deeply gross. But beyond the shock factor, it just didn't leave much of an impact for me personally. And that was Victorian Psycho by Virginia Fay. To too.

[Tina]

Do you think I'd like it?

[Hannah]

I have no idea.

[Tina]

Okay. It's short and I'm still super con. I'm super interested. Even though you didn't love it, I feel like I might. And you know, it's a short guy, so I might add her to the list.

[Hannah]

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts. It's. It's one that's hard to recommend. And I feel so similarly about a lot of books in kind of the horror genre like this because it's like. Like, I don't know, it's either going to land for you or it's not. And I think that so often, even with horror readers, that I have a lot of similarities with. For example, when I finally decided to pick this up, it's because Meredith from Currently Reading picked it up and she really liked it. And I have a lot of similar taste to her, specifically in the horror genre and not necessarily with crime and mystery. She reads a lot more in the crime and mystery area than I do. But in horror, we have a lot of crossover. And so I was like, okay, if she liked this, I probably will. And then I didn't. And I just feel like horror is just so subjective and it can be hard to even know your own tastes. Maybe. Maybe it's just me that feels that way, but that was a very long way of saying I'm not sure if you'd like it.

[Tina]

Fair enough. I'm okay with that. And why would you know? Right?

[Hannah]

Yeah.

[Tina]

Yeah. I will still try it.

[Hannah]

Okay.

[Tina]

One that I. One that I think a lot of people will like. I think this will have wide appeal. Stick with me. Is Sky Daddy by Kate Folk.

[Hannah]

Yes. Okay.

[Tina]

I am obsessed with this book. Look at it. First of all, look at this big airplane.

[Hannah]

And look at that big airplane.

[Tina]

Linda's gotten to me. Let me say. Let me tell you, Linda is our. She has an obsession with. With airplanes. She likes flying, but it's not just the flight that she enjoys or the travel Itself. She literally is sexually attracted to airplanes. Okay. And it's so deeply funny. She, to the outside person seems very normal, perhaps a bit drab. Weekdays she works moderating comments for a video sharing platform form. And she's very good at her job. But picture like tick tock, she works for that company and like, if something gets flagged, she has to review it to see if it violates the terms and services. And she's very proud of her important job. It's an important job, right? She's great at it. Then she rides the bus home. She rents this tiny, tiny room over a garage in a house in San Francisco. But then once a month, she indulges in her passion. She takes takes the bart, which is their public transportation to the airport for a round trip flight to a regional hub. And her secret is that she's sexually attracted to planes. She loves her intelligent windscreens and powerful engines and they make her feel a way that no human ever could. And she believes that her destiny is to someday marry a plane and that in order to do that she will die in a plane crash. She feels like this is her destiny and when that happens, she feels like that will unite her soulmate for eternity. Her soulmate plane. And Linda's very used to hiding her true nature. She knows it's not quote unquote normal and she doesn't tell very many people about it. And then she makes a friend at work, her cube mate, Karina. Karina sees friendship in Linda and invites her to her quarterly vision board brunch or the vbb. And Linda's like, okay, let me try something new. And she also is like, well, great, great. This is a way I can maybe manifest my great hope of being in a plane crash. And she gets there and she gets more than she bargained for with these vision boards. And that's where I will leave it. I think I'm rating this five stars. I really think I am. I loved this book. It is quirky, but also deeply funny. Linda is hilarious. I would be friends with Linda. She makes me laugh. Her observations are so funny. But I will say it's not. You know how some books, when they have a quirky main character, they mean like that they're potentially a person with autism. I don't get that from her and I didn't get that at all from the book, which I appreciated very much. She just a little different and has like different interests that are not as mainstream, but she's very aware of the fact that it's not mainstream and she's good with it. It feels like everybody else is like, linda, you shouldn't work here. Get a different job, or, why do you live in this small place? She's like, because I like it. Right? And she's not ashamed of herself necessarily. But people do try and make her feel like she should be. I didn't realize how much I would love this book in terms of the vision boards of it all. It's. Those scenes were so excellent to me because she's literally trying to manifest this relationship, but has to do it in a way. There's a ton of women there she doesn't know, and they have to basically present their vision boards. And so she's trying to be like. She's like, oh, yeah, I just like travel and like it. Just chaos ensues. If you want a book with an outsider who is sort of trying to fit in, but also maybe doesn't really care if she does or not, then you might like this. If you like books. I found this to be a tiny bit like bunny, but much less weird, but similar in the way of, like, fitting in, belonging, that sort of theme. I almost cried with this. Wow. So, so damn good. I honestly loved it. I really did. I really did. And I miss Linda and I wish we could hang. And honestly, I sort of see what she's saying. Planes are great. You know what I mean? Like, I was like, go for it. Like, I hope she doesn't crash in a plane crash, but you know what I mean? It works through a lot of very interesting thought experiments. And I loved it. Good job. To the author. I think she has a story collection, if I'm not mistaken.

[Hannah]

I was just about to ask if you'd read out there.

[Tina]

Yeah, I have not read that. Is that a short? Yeah, it's a short story collection. I don't read short story collections, but maybe I'll make an exception. Kate. I'm a fan. That was Sky Daddy by Kate Folk.

[Hannah]

Yes. I think that you should read out there.

[Tina]

I'm putting in a hold right now. Got my phone out.

[Hannah]

I know I don't read a lot of short story collections either. Very particular. But I definitely think that you should read that one. I. I am so happy you loved it. This is one of the things I love about what authors can do with weird books is like, you can make me cry. With a weird book, you are doing something with art and with writing and creativity, and it's just such a cool feeling to be a part of that when you're reading it.

[Tina]

And this was the one I was saying earlier with the endearing character. And if you're hesitant, just know it's not that weird. If you just say like, that's her. If you want to think of it like this is her fetish, then you. You'll be fine because. And you have me thinking now about literary versus commercial. I feel like this will have. This can have wide appeal if you can get past the absurdity of it all.

[Hannah]

I love that. That's a good call. Out now. I want to ask a question before I get into mine. Okay. So is it actually planes that excite her, or does being in a plane make her feel otherwise excited?

[Tina]

Both.

[Hannah]

Do you know what I'm saying?

[Tina]

Both. Can I please read you a sentence quickly?

[Hannah]

Yes, please.

[Tina]

I glimpsed many fine planes resting at their gates. A beefy Boeing 777 pulled back from F4, pivoting on his slender ankles with surprising grace. For such a big fellow, I could.

[Hannah]

Oh, she loves planes.

[Tina]

She loves planes. No, it's not like the vibration from the seat. No, no, no.

[Hannah]

Right.

[Tina]

It's the airplane.

[Hannah]

No, like, if she could. If that plane.

[Tina]

If she could, she would do it.

[Hannah]

She'd do it.

[Tina]

It's so funny how she, like, created this relationship between Linda and the planes. Like, it's really a good story. If you're traveling and you're not, like, scared of plane crashes yourself, I would totally recommend this. I want you to somebody send me a photo of you reading this in an airport. It would make me so happy.

[Hannah]

Oh, my gosh. Well, if someone does that, that would be amazing. I would love that. Okay. My endearing character is from my next book, which is Deadly Animals by Marie Tierney. And I am so happy I picked this up. I kind of came across it very randomly, but while I was just looking it up, this was a debut novel. It came out last year. It was long listed for Book page Best books of the year. It was long listed for Amazon Best book of the year. It also won the International Thriller Writers Award for Best first novel, and it won the. The McDermott Debut Award for Crime fiction. So I didn't know this. It doesn't have, like, a ton of reviews and ratings on Goodreads and Amazon, but the ratings are really high, like a 3.9. And I completely see why. I cannot wait to tell you about this book. This is a pretty classic murder mystery with a smart but very strange main character. And Ava, Bonnie is not your typical 14 year old. She is quiet, intelligent, and very unusually curious about death. She is secretly obsessed with watching things decay. So she lives beside a busy highway that frequently leaves roadkill. And Ava spends her nights dragging these lifeless creatures, these animals, into her hidden area, where she meticulously studies them as they are breaking down. So she visits this place, and she records what is happening, like, every day, as their bodies continue to decay and. And break down. Her morbid fascination takes a turn when she ends up discovering the body of one of her classmates. She is terrified that her secret rituals might end up coming to light. And so when she calls the police to turn this in and let them know, she does it anonymously. But the moment that Detective Seth Delahaye is assigned the case, Ava's role shifts. She gets too curious. She refuses to stay on the sidelines as more teens start to vanish, she is determined to stop this person, and she kind of ends up throwing herself into this hunt to figure out what's going on. Whether she is working alongside the authorities or just completely defying them outright, she is also up against this race of time, desperate to uncover the killer's identity before she ends up becoming the next victim. So I thought that this was just a really unique premise for a kind of classic crime mystery. You know, you've got this girl who likes looking at decaying animals, and that ends up being kind of the catalyst for the rest of this mystery moving forward. Forward. The synopsis sounds morbid and paints Ava to be this sinister girl, but really, Ava is so special. Like, she is such a special girl. I loved Ava so much. She's so compassionate and really cares about people and cares about animals, too. She's not studying them in a way that is really dark and sinister.

[Tina]

She's a scientist.

[Hannah]

She's a scientist. She's curious. This girl definitely is going to grow up to be like a Mary Roach, you know, just writing these weird books about science because she is curious, and I just loved her. I was even expecting her to be a little bit more weird than she was when I picked this up. Because you read that synopsis and you hear about the book and you're like, oh, this girl's gonna be, like, hard to read, read, read from her perspective, but, you know, it'll make for a good story. No, like, she is just lovely. And while I would definitely call this weird girl fiction, in that I think it's adjacent. Yes, for sure. But it's also just a classic mystery that takes a little bit of a different approach. I think that if you enjoy characters on the strange side, we have that here. And if you yourself have some. Some Innocent but morbid curiosities, but ultimately are on the side of taking down the baddies, then this could work for you. Ultimately, I just felt like this was really smart and unique mystery that felt like being a part of something special while you were watching it unfold. I was able to, I think, intentionally piece together what the author wanted me to piece together with some really smart clues and narrative storytelling and weaving of kind of these little plot pieces that ended up fitting together really nicely. I think what made this work for me especially is the story outside of the mystery and the narrative where we follow. I think what made this work for me is the story outside of the mystery and this narrative where we're following the detective is that these other characters in their lives were so rich and full. The characters were so unique and three dimensional. I would have read about them even if we weren't trying to solve anything. And this felt kind of like a blend between Tana French and, like, season one of True Detective. And don't worry, no spoilers with those comps because season one of True Detective was very unique story, but I'm just really talking about kind of general vibes with that comparison. If this sounds interesting to you and you think you can handle a bit of body gore, this was a strangely endearing murder mystery that I ended up really loving way more than I expected to. And that is Deadly Animals by Marie Tierney.

[Tina]

You know what's funny is I also sampled this one and all three of your books I sampled and decided not to move forward. Some of them for more intentional reasons than others. But this one, I was like, oh, I don't like. This sounds terrible. I don't like a little girl character. And I was like, I don't know about it. Like, I was like, I just. I'm not sure, but she sounds lovely. And I also don't do amateur detectives super well, but I don't know that this is a full amateur detective story.

[Hannah]

Yeah, I'm not sure either. It's funny because I also brought. Well, with Hartwood, there's also one character that's kind of amateur detective e. Because of her. Her, you know, online sleuthing. So.

[Tina]

Yes. And I think that's probably why when her POV got introduced, I was like, I don't know about this. I don't know about it.

[Hannah]

Right.

[Tina]

That's funny.

[Hannah]

Anyway, it's the amateur sleuth element. It just doesn't. It turns you off, which is totally okay.

[Tina]

I know.

[Hannah]

All right, well, that was Planes Turn Linda On.

[Tina]

Planes Turn Linda On.

[Hannah]

I Love amateur detectives do not turn you off.

[Tina]

Bye, Linda. See you later. Okay. Okay.

[Hannah]

What is your shelf Edition?

[Tina]

I will tell you all about it. My Shelf edition is this one here. It's John Grisham's the Widow. And I'm pumped for this. So this is an arc that I'm holding. It comes out on October 21st. And the reason why I'm so excited for this one, this. He's, of course, the master of the legal thriller, but this is his first ever whodunit, which is supposed to be even more suspenseful than his courtroom drama does.

[Hannah]

So him branching out.

[Tina]

I know. It's about this guy named Simon Latch, who is a lawyer. He works in rural Virginia, makes just enough to pay his bills, and his marriage is falling apart. Then into his office walks Eleanor Barnett, an elderly widow in need of a new will. Apparently, her husband left her a small fortune and no one knows about it. Once he hooks the richest client of his career, Simon works quietly to keep her wealth under the radar. But soon her story begins to crack when she is hospitalized after a car accident. Simon realizes nothing is as it seems, and he finds himself on trial for a crime he swears he didn't commit. Murder, Right. Crazy murder. Simon knows he's innocent, but he also knows the circumstantial evidence is against him and he could spend the rest of his life behind bars. And to save himself, he must find the real killer. Sure. Yes, I want it. And also, it's not terribly long. Well, it's 400 pages, so, you know, with Griffith, them, though, they can get very wordy. But this one seems. I feel like I can handle 400 pages for a whodunit story. I'm excited. Thank you, Doubleday, for sending this arc over. It is the Widow by John Grisham.

[Hannah]

Now, have you read a lot of Grisham's backlist, like, with his time?

[Tina]

Oh, yeah. I've read, like.

[Hannah]

I think I knew this about you.

[Tina]

Oh, my God. I've read like 20 of his books, probably. I've read a lot. Yeah.

[Hannah]

Is. And do you feel like. Because I feel like a lot of times with those authors that are very, very prolific, a lot of times it's like. I know for me, personally, I'm like, well, they're probably not that great because they're so prolific. I feel like. I feel that way about, like, Dean Koontz. Yeah, I see you know, some of those other people, but I've actually heard a lot of Dean Koontz's books are very good, too. And you Agree that John Grisham, like, deserves this prolific. You know, how do I say it? He. He deserves the fame that he gets all the accolades.

[Tina]

I think his accolades. Early books are really, really solid. He writes a very good legal thriller. And I used to. To love them. I mean, I read for like 10 years. I would read every book that he had, and then I lost track of it. His more recent stuff is kind of silly. Not silly, but not my favorite. I'm thinking specifically of a book called the Rooster Bar. I'm like, this is so dumb. He has other ones that I haven't tried. But this synopsis appeals to me a lot. So I will report back and let you know if this is. Is worth your time.

[Hannah]

Yeah, report back. The one that's on my personal TBR is Cold Mountain. I think that's like his most famous.

[Tina]

No, he wrote the Firm.

[Hannah]

I've never even heard of that.

[Tina]

What?

[Hannah]

I've never heard of that. The Firm.

[Tina]

What? The Firm, Hannah. The Firm.

[Hannah]

You know what you are. I'm gonna look at.

[Tina]

It's really good. And it's a book. And it's a. It's a movie too. It's a really good movie. Movie. Not that I've seen it, but I know it's really popular. I think Julia Roberts is in it. Like, it's a really big deal. Tom Cruise, she's. Julia Roberts is not in the Firm, but Tom Cruise is. Anyhow, I'm not. I refuse to calm. Regina Black, though. I see the book you're holding.

[Hannah]

I'm holding my shelf edition, which is August Lane by Regina Black. I love this cover. I know that it's kind of a simple cover, but like the very like. Like the blackout background with the yellow text is just a vibe that I am loving lately and just really pretty. So this is a book about music. It's a love story. We have a black country music star who lied about writing his only hit, risks a comeback back to reunite with the woman that he stole it from. Which sounds like it could genuinely be like an actual hate to love romance because you steal someone's music and then you end up having a romance. I find that hard to believe.

[Tina]

Yeah.

[Hannah]

For real Author can pull that off to tell you a little bit more about it. Every Thursday night, a former country music heartthrob. His name is Luke Randall. He sings another love song. So this is that famous song. And he hates it, apparently. And. But performing his lone hit at Interstate Motel Lounge is his only regular money that he makes. He is at the rock bottom of his career. And he is offered the chance of a lifetime, which is opening for this 90s era country music star JoJo Lane, who is the first black woman inducted into the Country Music hall of Fame. So that's cool. But the concert is in Arcadia, Arkansas. It's this small hometown that he swore he would never see again. And going back means facing a painful past of abuse and neglect. It also means facing JoJo's daughter, August Lane, the woman who wrote the lyrics that he has always claimed as his own. And he also hates the song. So desperate to. To keep the secret, Luke agrees to the risky performance, even though it could cost him a new record deal. I'm going to leave it there I'm going to leave it there do it, y'. All. So this sounds like a fun, romantic, tense book about music that also has some depth. It sounds like when he returns home, he's going to deal with some. Deal with some things. So that sounds great. And that is August Lane by Regina Black.

[Tina]

I like this author. Did you read the Art of Scandal by her?

[Hannah]

No, but I have. I heard of it and I have it on my e. Ephemeral tbr.

[Tina]

Yeah.

[Hannah]

Up there in outer space.

[Tina]

Yes.

[Hannah]

And so if I like this, then it could be the push that I need to finally read Art of Scandal.

[Tina]

It was good. Quick correction. Corrections Corner. Gray Mountain is what John Grisham wrote. And I'm saying this not you said Cold Mountain him. But I'm saying this because I think you might like Gray Mountain because it is set in the heart of Appalachia and it takes on the dangerous world of coal mining. So I'm like, maybe that's why you had that one stuck out in your brain. Cold Mountain.

[Hannah]

Apparently that is the one that I'm thinking of.

[Tina]

Yeah. Okay. Perfect. Cold Mountains by Charles Fraser, which I personally have not heard of.

[Hannah]

Charles. I'm looking for the COVID because there's.

[Tina]

They. The covers look nearly identical.

[Hannah]

So Cold Mountain is what I was thinking of.

[Tina]

Okay.

[Hannah]

But I also did know that John Grisham wrote a book about Appalachia that sounded interesting to me. So I was kind of like conflating.

[Tina]

The two of these, merging the two.

[Hannah]

But this was the COVID that I was thinking of. Got it.

[Tina]

That makes sense.

[Hannah]

This one, Cold Mountain by Charles Fraser, is set in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.

[Tina]

Oh, yes.

[Hannah]

And this book was everywhere in every North Carolinian bookshop shop.

[Tina]

Ah.

[Hannah]

So because the Blue Ridge Mountains are like, if you go to Asheville, those are.

[Tina]

Those are the Blue Ridge Boys.

[Hannah]

Those are the Blue Ridge Baddies.

[Tina]

Nice. Okay, cool. I'm glad we got that cleared up. I was like, wait, I just have to quickly. And I was looking at. I've read so many John Grisham books, but somehow I hadn't had the Firm on my goodreads. I'm like, I know. I read that. Anyway, it also came out in 1992, so I shouldn't. Don't feel too bad.

[Hannah]

Well, that was the year I was pretty right.

[Tina]

Exactly. So didn't quite make your TBR back in the day.

[Hannah]

Is it still worth a read? Do you think it would?

[Tina]

Yes. I kind of want to reread it. I'm like, damn, would it still be good? I know. He actually came out with a sequel not that long ago. So now I'm half tempted to reread the Firm and read the sequel to the Firm, which I did not read. Yeah, I still think he's a good author, but I see what you're saying. He does have a lot. I need to get my John Grisham collection from my mom's house because from my parents house I have so many books that are from high school, college video, YouTube video. Unearthing this.

[Hannah]

Unearthing Grisham.

[Tina]

Unearthing. There's a lot of Grisham in there. There's a lot of other weird stuff. It's when I first started getting ARCs back in the day of library.

[Hannah]

Ten years ago?

[Tina]

No, no, it was way before that. I'm. I've been out of college for almost 20 years. Anyway, let's.

[Hannah]

How did you get ARCs before then?

[Tina]

They. I mean, they existed. I. You know what Library Things is? Huh? Yeah, it's this website and it's still around. It was an early you. I think anybody could do it. You didn't need to be an influencer. You could just sign up and get physical arcs or E arcs. A lot of them were independently published and so it was probably 202008 ish that I was. Maybe before that I was reading some of these independently published books. So my book journal is very interesting for from back then.

[Hannah]

You're such a cool person.

[Tina]

You know what? You make me feel cool.

[Hannah]

Thanks. On that note.

[Tina]

On that note, you make me feel cool. I mean, you give me my flowers. You know what I'm saying?

[Hannah]

Yeah. And planes. Give Linda flowers.

[Tina]

Flowers. Linda is great.

[Hannah]

I feel like I haven't even read it.

[Tina]

If you picked it up, you would enjoy it. But you know what? That is it for today. Thank you so much for staying. Spending a part of your day with us. Links to all the books mentioned can be found in the show notes, and if you enjoyed today's episode, you can help us by following wherever you listen and by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps us get our show out to new readers and grows our audience. And don't forget, join us over on Patreon. For $5 a month, you get exclusive access to your bonus content community. So head to patreon.com booktalk etc.

[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 and YouTube. You can connect with Tina, TBR etc and Hannah at HandpickedBooks. Talk to you next week. And in the meantime, remember, everything's better with books.

[Tina]

Yay. I'm going to my mom's house later, my parents house later, and I'm gonna get that book box.