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The Currently Reading Podcast
Season 7, Episode 23: Virtual Reading Retreats + Enjoying Hobbies while Reading
00:59:27
On this episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Mary are discussing: Bookish Moments: virtual reading retreats and tattoos that lead to bookish convos Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we’ve been reading lately ...
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- [00:00]
A
Foreigners. Welcome to the Currently Reading podcast. We are bookish best friends who spend time every week talking about the books that we've read recently. And as you already know, we do not shy away from having strong opinions. So be ready.
- [00:24]
B
We are light on the chit chat, heavy on the book talk, and our descriptions will always be spoiler free. Today we'll discuss our current reads, a bookish deep dive, and then we'll visit the fountain.
- [00:34]
A
I'm Katie Cobb, a homeschooling mom of four living in Arizona, and when I really love something, I physically show it.
- [00:42]
B
And I'm Mary Heim, a therapist and mom of one living in Wisconsin, and I am leaning into the joy, comfort, and certainty of rereading in uncertain seasons. This is episode number 23 of season seven, and we are so glad that you're here.
- [00:55]
A
Oh, we love a good reread, Mary. We also love a good top 10 list. And so I did want to maybe manage some mischief here at the top. Will we be getting a top 10 list from you and Roxanna this year, Katie?
- [01:08]
B
You bet we will. Roxanna and I are recording a week. So just under a week from today when you and I are recording this, just before I hopped on the mic with you, I was putting the finishing touches on my list so that I can get planning for the episode. I'm sorry. So excited. That episode with Roxanna last year was so much fun. I cannot wait to share our top 10. It feels like I'm seeing everybody else's list come out and I'm like, chomping at the bit to share. So that's coming soon. I cannot wait to record that episode.
- [01:40]
A
And we're doing something a little different this year. Mary and Roxanna are going to be kind of taking over the show again. We're giving them full reins. Mom and dad are going off to play and they're going to have a full episode next week. So the entire hour of currently reading will be dedicated to their top 10. Just like you heard from Meredith and I last week. Lots of great books on there. Can't wait.
- [02:02]
B
It's gonna be a blast.
- [02:04]
A
So fun. Okay, I will let everybody know at the top here that our deep dive today we're gonna be talking about integrating our hobbies into our reading lives, or vice versa, which I'm excited to talk about with you specifically. But first, we'll get started the way we always do with our bookish moments of the week. Mary, what is yours, my friend?
- [02:21]
B
Okay, Katie, I am digging back into the bookish moment vault a little bit for this one. To my recent virtual reading retreat with our friend of the show, social media maven, my buddy reader, Betsy. Betsy and I, buddy read some books together regularly, but we had the idea to do a virtual reading retreat around the start of the holiday season. And it was such a joy. If you, like me, love seeing these fantastic reader retreats that everyone puts together, but you want to make it work on a smaller scale for any reason. I cannot recommend this highly enough. Betsy in Texas, me in Wisconsin. We picked a book that we'd both read together in real time. We marked off a day on our calendars, stocked up on all things cozy, our favorite beverages, coziest blankets, best ASMR rooms, snuggly socks, Kindle stands, you name it. And then once we had our kids where they needed to be, laundry going, dinner in the crock pot, whatever, we settled in to read uninterrupted for hours. We would text back and forth as we went along. We were buddy reading in real time, which is like, next level. So much fun. And it was just the most delightful day. We ended up nearly finishing the book. We both really loved it. I don't think I've had that much uninterrupted reading time since I became a parent, which was fantastic. I kind of thought my attention span was broken because I feel like I'm reading in, like, fits and spurts. Right. Or I'll get distracted and get up. But this day really proved that when I make space for it, I can absolutely sink into a book, just totally lose myself. I loved it. I immediately demanded that we do this on a regular basis. It was so much fun.
- [03:56]
A
Okay, so what's a regular basis? Like, can we. Can we pull this off for Mary and Betsy Quarterly?
- [04:01]
B
We were even. I was like, once a month. Should we do this once a month? Yeah, we haven't planned anything for January yet. I'm gonna have to text Betsy and see what she thinks. But at least I feel like quarterly is an easy. It's an easy thing to make happen. It's pretty simple. I'm lucky to get to set my work schedule. So on Fridays, I typically try to take that day off work. My kids at school. I can settle in and devote that day to reading if I don't have other stuff that needs doing. And I can make that happen once a quarter. Like, that's totally reasonable. So it was super fun. And I will encourage our listeners as well. Like, even if you don't have a full day to spare, could you grab A couple hours in the morning. Could you even do this, like, at night with a friend right after kids are in bed or after you're done with work and you can kind of settle in like, it. It doesn't have to be all the way for it to feel special and fun, but if you can swing a solid chunk of hours in a row, I highly recommend it.
- [05:03]
A
Okay, one more question, because I know people are going to have questions about this. A. I just saw that bookish friend Alex Cox just did this as well. She shared a lot on her story, so we'll have Megan link that in show notes, but she made it into a highlight, so you can go check out kind of how they planned theirs. But do you think it is important or necessary to be on the same time zone as your buddy reader?
- [05:25]
B
I mean. Okay, so Betsy and I are right central, and I feel like it. The only thing I could see being tricky is if you were buddy reading with a friend across the pond. Right. Who's like six hours ahead of you. I don't feel like you need to be, because for me, you know, Betsy and I are in different life stages. She's got older kids.
- [05:48]
A
Mm.
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B
And I was like, okay, I have to get my kid to school and I've gotta do a little bit of work, you know? And we had various things to kind of get situated. And then once we really, like, we kind of both settled in at varying times. It was okay that we weren't exactly, you know, in the same time on the same schedule. Alex had texted or not texted, but she had DMed me after I shared about ours. And she was like, how'd you do this? What did you do? And when I was watching her stories, I was like, wow, they took this so much more. Next level, next level that I did, and it was so awesome. I was so impressed with their schedule. And I also would say, like, you can make this work for you however you want it to. I think if you've got a friend on the opposite coast, maybe they just start a little bit before you. Or maybe you two coordinate on the chunk of hours that you can read together. It was really cool for us to be reading. Betsy and I really did pace along for most of the day at the same place in the book, which was really cool. But it doesn't have to be perfect to be good.
- [06:50]
A
Yes. That is a mantra that we could all hallelujah tattoo on our foreheads. Love that. Okay. Speaking of tattoos, Mary, my bookish woman, it kind of correlates with our deep dive but really, it's just fun. And I couldn't not talk about it this past Friday in real time. But 10 days before this episode releases, I finally went and got started on the tattoo that I have been thinking about for. For nearly three years at this point.
- [07:18]
B
Yay.
- [07:18]
A
I got a large octopus on my left calf, including a tentacle that wraps around the front of my shin, like, wraps around my ankle, almost like an anklet. It's so pretty. It's by far my largest piece, probably six to 10 times larger than the previous largest tattoo I had. It's my first one with color. All the listeners here are well acquainted with my love of octopus. It is bookish because that love started with books and has grown exponentially since then. And I also brought a book to my appointment, although my reading speed was drastically reduced. Pain does not make for a great reading experience, but I did read about 60 pages over the two hours. And I also incorporated bookish conversations into this appointment, including the fact that a woman was getting a tattoo while I was there. Probably five or six people got tattooed while I was there, because I was there for a long time. Yeah, she was getting Medusa tattooed on her wrist, so I was like, excuse me, ma'am, have you ever heard of Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes? So I'm, like, working book recommendations in while I'm laying on this table being stabbed with a needle thousands of times. I was so excited to put that into her hands. And by the time this episode airs, I will be only a few days away from adding color to my beautiful beastie. It's going to be purple, blue, and pink. I'm so excited for it to be done. It has far exceeded my wildest dreams, imaginations. I'm in love with it. So pleased with it. Funniest responses to my stories about getting a tattoo were the friend that said, whatever I was getting, it better be either an octopus or a spreadsheet. That has led to a number of hilarious conversations. And then podcast pal Sarah Dickinson over at Sarah's Bookshelves Lives saw the story, but didn't realize what was happening until she got to the image of the tattoo. She thought I was getting a massage, and we kind of decided that that was the opposite of what was happening to me that day. Yes, But I was laying on a massage table. It was so lovely. It was so fun. I'm so excited about it. I'll probably share again, especially now that the redness has gone down a bit because it's so big. I had more, like, swelling and pain for the days afterward than I've ever had before. Cause I've only had smaller tattoos before, so this was a new experience in a lot of ways.
- [09:35]
B
Yeah, I can imagine. But I'm so excited to see it with color. I didn't realize you were gonna get it colored. That is. Oh, I can't wait to see.
- [09:45]
A
Yes. Purple, pink, and blue. Pink for the little suckers. And that was. He was like, well, what do you think about, like, red? And I said, you know, my daughter will be thrilled if mommy has some pink in her tattoo. Purple is my favorite color. Blue is the favorite color of most of my boys. So it kind of works all of us into the equation. I'm very excited about it.
- [10:05]
B
That's perfect. Oh, I'm so excited for you, Katie.
- [10:07]
A
So fun. Okay, let's get into current reads. I'm sorry to say I have no octopuses in my current reads today.
- [10:13]
B
Bummer. Well, this is not an octopus book either, so we'll just set the bar low.
- [10:17]
A
Okay, Perfect.
- [10:18]
B
To start. Okay. My first book today, Katie, is Blood at the Root by Ladarian Williams.
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A
Okay.
- [10:24]
B
I am so excited to talk about this one with you. I feel like, you know, I probably could pretty confidently tell you to put this on your TBR right now before I even get into it. But let me get into it. So, 10 years ago, Malik's life changed forever when his mother disappeared in front of his eyes and he discovered his own magical powers. In the years since, he's done everything he can to control his magic and keep himself and his younger foster brother safe. Until one day, when his brother's life is in danger and his path crosses with a mysterious stranger with an unexpected connection to Malik's past. Suddenly, Malik is thrust into the magical world at Cayman University, unraveling the mystery behind his mother's disappearance, his own emerging magic, and a danger that threatens the entire magical world, just as he is learning to know it now. Katie, if this plot sounds a little familiar to you, of course it does. Right. This is not necessarily a new concept, Magical School. But the reason I was so excited to bring this book to today's episode, and particularly to your hands, is because I think that this book does something so fresh and powerful within the kind of Chosen One magical school trope that we are really missing in the genre. The characters in this story are where things really shine. In fact, I'm going to require that anyone who reads this book must read the author's note first, as it gives such beautiful context to his inspiration for this story. Namely, though, how Underrepresented young black men are in fantasy. Malik is a fully fleshed out, nuanced character. He is both stereotypical Gen Z teenager with his friends and his crushes and getting in trouble, but he is also a grieving son battling his own losses. He has had trauma, but also tenderness and vulnerability. He's got power and anger. The story itself is compelling and moves along quickly. We get to experience both the world building of K Minu as well as the history building of the black experience with the addition of this complex and generational magic system. It was really, really well done and a fantastic listen on audio. This is ya. Older ya. I would say it's the start of a series. So while I think there was a good bit of wrap up at the end of this first novel, be prepared that the story is also bigger than just this first installment. It was a solid four stars for me. I hope to continue see getting the credit that it is due that is Blood at the Root by Ladarian Williams.
- [12:41]
A
Okay, this sounds fun. You know I love, I mean, you know, I love like diversifying our magical school. I loved the Marvelers by Dhonielle Clayton. I of course love Amari and the Night Brothers. That's our next read aloud for my kids, which I'm very excited to introduce them to that world. So definitely putting this on my list. Yeah, very excited.
- [13:01]
B
This story is like the, I would say the next step up, right? Like the next age group up from Marvelers and Amari. It's really kind of taking. It's walking the line between YA and new adult, I would say.
- [13:13]
A
Perfect.
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B
It's a really good one and I love, I've now followed the author on social media and the way that he talks about like the importance of bringing the story that, that he does. He's so great. I really love this book and I love what he's doing for the genre. So I really hope that some of our listeners pick this one up today. It's such a good one.
- [13:33]
A
Amazing. Okay, I have a first book to talk about as well. I know we're all surprised. Can't wait to tell you all about the Light Pirate by Lily Brooks Dalton. So I brought Lily Brooks Dalton's first book to the very first episode of currently reading 6 and a half years ago and I have just loved it ever since. That one is called Good Morning Midnight. It's kind of an end of the world situation. I can be very honest here though and say I was a little nervous to pick up a sophomore novel even though I've only Ever seen great reviews of this one? I finally did and it paid off. It was excellent. This book, the Light Pirate, takes place in a near future in which rising sea levels have Florida half underwater and the climate is rapidly changing. Superstorms are ravaging the coast and the infrastructure of the state of Florida especially is crumbling. When Hurricane Wanda approaches the small town where Kirby lives with his pregnant wife and two sons, they are well versed in preparation and they decide to stay and ride out the storm. But then the boys go missing just before Wanda hits land and Kirby heads out into the storm to find them. Meanwhile, Frida, his wife, goes into labor and gives birth to baby. Her name is Wanda, named after the storm that changed their lives and ended hers as a mother. This is not going to be for everyone to read, especially right now. This book is Wanda's coming of age novel though, so that is very much that's the setup, but I was like oh wait, is she going to kill everybody in this book? Like what? What's happening? Also of note is that Wanda is a very late in the Alphabet letter and that speaks to the fact that there are so many superstorms happening anymore that they have gotten all the way through the Alphabet. It's mid hurricane season, they're going to have to take another stab at it, go all the way around again. But this novel follows Wanda as we as she journeys from birth to childhood into adulthood and as Florida becomes a chain of islands populated only by those people who are brave enough or dumb enough to stay in a community that has no infrastructure, government or I mean people are disconnected as we see in a lot of post apocalyptic stuff where you're not sure if you can trust other people. There's limited resources, so are they all going to try and take it from you? Wanda's strangeness starts at birth and grows as she does, adding a bit of magical realism to this story that involves light and water. It's literary and propulsive and really beautifully written. I enjoyed it, but when it was getting started I didn't think I was going to. It's literary in its writing, but it's literary in the fact that I messaged Katie, my reading partner, while I was about halfway through and said I didn't think anybody was going to make it to the end of this book. Lily Brooks Dalton doesn't shy away from tearing everything away from our protagonist and it's a bleak world she's living in, but there are glimmers of light and loveliness and found family in this novel and I really Loved Wanda as our central character. This is near future Cli Fi Sci Fi. It kept me burning through the pages. I ended up giving it 4.75 stars, even though I wasn't even sure I was gonna like it. This is the Light Pirate by Lily Brooks Dalton.
- [16:46]
B
That sounds so beautiful. And as I said in my bite size intro, I am currently leaning into rereads right now because I am seeking comfort and certainty in my books. So this is not what. Maybe I'll pick it up in five years and I will tuck it away. Now is not the time for me in this book, but it does sound stunning and I know that this is going to be a hit with a lot of our listeners and fellow readers, so. Excellent. Good for you. Not for me. It sounds so great.
- [17:15]
A
Yes. And as I said, so many people have read this and just loved it. It has astronomically high ratings on review sites. I mean, I just was scared because I didn't think that I was going to love it as much as her first. And. And truly I did, which surprised me no end.
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B
So that's awesome. Yeah, that's always fun when that happens.
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A
All right, let's talk about a second book.
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B
All right, Katie. Well, big old swing pivot here. Back to something fun and light and you can totally lose yourself in. Just in case any of our listeners are vibing more with me today. Hey, I've got a variety and my bookish vibes. Yep. Okay, so this, my second book this week is the Millicent School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science by Kate McKinnon.
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A
I got this for my kids for Christmas.
- [18:00]
B
I'm so excited. Oh, Katie. Oh, my God. I loved this book so much. Okay, so, y'all, if that author name didn't catch your attention, it absolutely should have. This book is pure Kate McKinnon. I loved every second of it. If you were like, what would a book by Weird Barbie be? It's this book. It is this book.
- [18:20]
A
Yay.
- [18:21]
B
It's so good. And I'm gonna say this again in my review as I talk a little bit more about this, but I'm gonna encourage you, Katie, to pair the audio with the physical book because she reads it and she. I just. That is what kicked this book into a five star. It's probably going to make it onto my top 10 of the year. Her performance is next level. Okay, I'm getting ahead of myself. I'm going to pull it back here for a second before I start gushing more. But our story follows three adopted daughters, Gertrude Eugenia and Dede, who stick out like sore thumbs in their Stepford meets Whoville kind of world. They have been progressively kicked out of every etiquette school they've ever enrolled in, until one day, a mysterious envelope arrives, inviting them to a new etiquette school that nobody's ever heard of. Imagine their surprise when they arrive. They won't be learning to host a luncheon for fancy ladies, but they have been enlisted by the one and only Millicent Quib, renowned mad scientist who needs their help saving the town from a mysterious cabal of mad scientists gone bad. This is just a total romp. And again, the narration is pitch perfect. I'm certain that it is a major player in why I loved this book so much. And I actually, my husband did buy us physical copy and I loved pairing it with the audio because there's great illustrations in the book. In fact, in the audio, if you do the audio, you will get a PDF of the illustrations and things like that, so you don't need the physical book. But the way she references looking to the PDF for some of these pictures is hysterical. She just performs the story with such charm that I found myself literally laughing out loud, certainly wanting to keep listening, find every spare second that I could to keep going with this story. Unsurprisingly, this one is middle grade. But as with most great middle grade, this is excellent fun for so many readers, especially any of us who have ever felt just a little left of center, especially in those really awkward middle grade years yourself. I just had such tenderness for these characters, and Kate McKinnon wrote them so well. I immediately went to put this on my list of books to get for the middle graders in my life. And I have forced my husband to listen to the audio because it is just that good. I cannot wait to read this with my kid when she's a bit older and do what I can to encourage her to march to the beat of her own drum as well. That is the Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science by Kate McKinnon.
- [20:46]
A
Oh. Even the title. Everything about it.
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B
Everything.
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A
Mine's a signed copy, which I got it at Costco. They just had some, like, printed ones that have her signature. It just says Kate.
- [21:00]
B
Sure. That's so fun, Katie. You're gonna love it. Your kids are gonna love it.
- [21:03]
A
I love it so much. I'm so excited.
- [21:06]
B
I was talking to my sister about this, and I have some nieces who are, like, just about to turn seven, and I totally think that they like. My kiddo's five. She's maybe a little bit young, but I feel like you could totally read this, especially with, like a reader six or seven year old. So I feel like you could read this with all four of your kids and they would love it.
- [21:24]
A
That's what we're gonna do. I decided to hold the audio from the library while you were talking so that we can have that tandem read experience that you're talking about. So I will refrain. And I mean, we've gotta finish Amari and the Night Brothers first, so it should be just about perfect to have that one be our next read after that.
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B
Oh, I love it. I cannot wait to hear what they think.
- [21:44]
A
Oh, it'll be so great. You know what? My kids write really great reviews when we finish books. And for one of them, we, a bookish friend here locally gifted me a copy of the book, and I ended up sending her the review when we finished. And she was like, look at this. I love this. When we read Katie Proctor's book, I sent her the review. So when we finish this one, Mary, I will send you the review.
- [22:07]
B
Oh, my God. I'm so honored. Oh, I am so excited. I was like, please. I hope that that's where this is going. Okay. Yay. I can't wait.
- [22:15]
A
That'd be the end of this story. Okay. So fun. I love it. All right. My second book this week is called Peter Darling by Austin Chant. This episode does not have a single dud for me in it, and so far, even Mary's books don't have a single dud for me in them. So it's going very well for me. I'm really pleased. Peter Darling is one that I bought this fall after it was patiently but repeatedly pressed into my hand by bookish friend Jesse Weaver. It released in 2017, and I don't know when she started gently messaging it to me, but it took the long con for me to finally pick it up. This story is a retelling, or maybe a continuation of the Peter Pan story, which takes place 10 years after Peter left Neverland to grow up. He left behind all his boyish fantasies and entered the real world. But of course, he was always Peter Pan. And so he finally returns to Neverland and his arch enemy, Captain Hook, and the boys who loved him best of all, the Lost Boys and his beloved companion, tink. But after 10 years away, everything is different, including Peter himself. Kind of like the changes that happen when Robin Williams returns to Neverland in the movie Hook. Everything's different. There's almost a Rufio even. There's a new leader to the Lost Boys. The pirates are running things differently than they did a decade ago, and everything has gotten deadlier. So the games they used to play, they're bloodier now. Peter is different than he was as well. He never really fit in when he was living in Victorian London. And perhaps most importantly, there's a simmering attraction between Peter and Hook that feeds on that animosity that guides them through all their actions. This is a delicious little fantasy romance written by a trans author, and I love the way they incorporated all the canon elements of Peter Pan and Neverland and the island into the story, while also giving us a completely new lens to look at the story through the darkness that they interweave into this children's fantasy story. And the yearning moments of the romance are really lovely. This is not a children's fantasy story. The original was a children's fantasy story. This is for adults. As to those romantic elements, I'd put this at about a 2 on a spice scale. So there's not. You could. You could hand it to a younger reader. It's pretty obliquely referred to, but there is intimacy on the page. I would be comfortable handing this to my older kids without issue, even though it is a book for adults. I really loved it and I'm so grateful that Jesse was so patient with me as she reminded me of it over the many years of our friendship. Jesse, thank you my friend. This was Peter Darling by Austin Chant and I loved it.
- [24:53]
B
This is reminding me. A couple of years ago, a friend of mine, you know those that Instagram kind of template that was popular in the last couple years of like 12 friends to recommend 12 books? This is one that was actually recommended to me by a former co worker of mine and I'm realizing I never picked it up. So you are reinvigorating my excitement around this one. Katie. I love the premise. I know just enough about kind of what happens in this story to be excited again about picking it up and digging into it. I love that it worked for you and I love that Jesse really stuck with you playing the long game to bring this one to you at the right time.
- [25:32]
A
She did, definitely. I also the blurb for this has part of the story revealed that I very carefully did not reveal in my setup for it. It's not gonna ruin it if you go read the blurb first, but it took away some of the magic of the way the author revealed it to us in the writing. So that's why I Didn't include it here. I hate it when that happens. So I basically, you know, Jesse recommended this over and over again, and I knew kind of what I gave you here. Retelling of Peter Pan, continuation of the story and a trans author. And then I didn't read the setup, and I feel like that really served me well because it was more enrapturing to read it instead from the author's voice.
- [26:11]
B
So that's a good tip.
- [26:13]
A
Yeah, definitely. Okay, what's your third book?
- [26:15]
B
All right, Katie, My third book this week is off the Grid Adventures with a Clueless Craftsman by Patrick Hutchinson. Okay, I'm going to give you two setups for this book, Katie. And here's the first one. This is Bill Bryson for Millennials. The end. Okay, and now for the longer version, because this one does deserve the full treatment. But if you want to know all you really need to know, there you have it. Cabin is the memoir of our author's pipeline from writer in a desk job writing about the outdoors to total newbie who decides to take on the refurbishment of 120 square foot off grid cabin and ultimately finds his peace himself and a new sense of purpose. I picked this arc up on a whim and ended up devouring it. It came at a time where I was feeling myself desperately needing some disconnection from the virtual world and reconnection with the 3D world around me. Right. And I am pleased to say, as someone who loves nature and also loves heat and sleeping in beds, this scratched the itch just enough to ensure that I am never going to actually abandon my day job and go refurbish a rundown cabin. But really reinforced and reminded me the benefits of unplugging and being present. Getting out in nature, doing something with your hands. This one was voicey to the max. You can tell that he has his history as a writer. And I found it to be the perfect kind of narrative nonfiction that totally swallows you up and keeps you turning pages. It was cozy, it was adventurous, but it was also very grounded and homey. That is Cabin off the Grid Adventures with a Clueless Craftsman by Patrick Hutchinson.
- [27:51]
A
This sounds so good. It's giving me vibes of Downton Shabby as well. Ooh, did you read that one?
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B
No.
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A
No. You need to. It's by Hopwood Dupre. Is his name.
- [28:03]
B
Okay.
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A
Oh, it's so good. And he, like, inherits a crumbling Abby, and then he has to figure out what to do with it. Like he's the last Hopwood. Oh, my gosh.
- [28:12]
B
I'm immediately getting this one from the library. That sounds perfect.
- [28:16]
A
I feel like they would just be really good friends, these two people. They would just play really nice together. So they want to hang out on the bookshelf together.
- [28:23]
B
They want to hang out. And then after reading Downton Shabby, I feel like you should go watch the BBC version of Ghosts, which this is not the first time I've talked about that show on this on the big show. And I will keep on doing it because it's one of my favorite shows of all time.
- [28:36]
A
You know, Shad has been repeatedly. And I think my mom watches Ghosts. I think they both really like it.
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B
There's a CBS version and a BBC, and honestly, both are good, but the BBC is like this couple inherits an old abbey, or not an abbey, but like an English estate home. And they're trying to, like, turn it into a B and B or something. And of course it's haunted, but in like a really cheerful, funny way. So anyways, here's a pairing for you friends.
- [29:02]
A
All right. We love a good pairing.
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B
That's a good one to go. Ugh, I love it.
- [29:06]
A
Okay, so my third book this week is called the Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal. This was part of a boss my TBR episode that we did last year, season seven, episode 14. One of our victims was named Katie Picken, and she had this title on her list of picks. I had never heard of it before. Neither had Meredith. But in preparing for the episode, we both got very excited about it. We were like, what is this book? How come we haven't read it? It sounds amazing. Well, I hurried up and I grabbed it and I read it recently. This was first released in 2018, and I was bummed to find that the audio is an Audible exclusive. Grr. Makes me mad. But I did end up grabbing it in a two for one credit sale, which made it easy to share it with my middle boy, who's 11 years old and devoured it just as quickly as I did. Here's the setup. It's the spring of 1952. A huge meteorite crashes into Washington D.C. the U.S. capitol, and destroys basically every layer of government, along with much of the Eastern Seaboard. Power passes to the Secretary of Agriculture. Because they had to go that far down the line of secession. Everyone else has been decimated. But that first catastrophe is only where the story starts. Because of greenhouse gas effects and rising ocean temperatures, Earth will soon become inhospitable to life, sooner than we expect. So we must press forward to the stars. Kind of like the dinosaurs. If they had been able to leave the planet, they probably would have been okay. Elma York is our protagonist. She served as a WASP pilot during World War II, and she's got one of the most brilliant mathematical minds in existence. She can do amazingly complex calculations in her head like my beloved Google sheets. Like she just. She doesn't even need a spreadsheet. She can just do it all in her head. When the aerospace coalition goes full tilt into putting a man on the moon, she asks why it can't be a woman. Instead, she has the scientific know how the flight experience and her husband's skills and experience get her into rooms where women are otherwise uninvited. She's determined to become the first lady astronaut come hell or high water. This book is the fierce feminism of Lessons in Chemistry, the Science y Women of Hidden Figures, and the one I read first in 2024, which was called Shoot the Moon by Issa Arsen. And then the climate change acceleration of the one I already talked about today, the light Pirate. It's nerdy and propulsive and I was cheering for Elma all the way through. I did allow my 11 year old to read it, as I mentioned already. But listeners should know that Elma and her husband enjoy their time together in the bedroom. Although it's usually referred to in euphemisms like this was a successful rocket launch, which is very funny. I'm thrilled that the Boss My TBR segment led to such a success in my own reading life, and I hope it was for Katie as well. But I thank Katie Picken for bringing such a great pick to me, even though that's not usually how the segment works. This was so good. It is the start of a series called I think Lady Astronauts, but it's marked as number one on audible and other places where you can get this book. That was the Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal.
- [32:12]
B
Do you follow her on Instagram?
- [32:13]
A
No.
- [32:14]
B
Okay, I follow Mary Robinette Koala on Instagram. I have not read any of her books but I am obsessed. She has taught her cat to speak using these buttons and her cat is like very proficient with these buttons. And actually so she shares a lot about like her pets and this like button system. She has taught them to use to speak and that actually was John Scalzi's inspiration for the speaking the Talking Cats and Starter villain.
- [32:46]
A
Oh my gosh, that's amazing.
- [32:48]
B
She's such a fun follow. I love watching her sassy cat speak using these buttons and I'm like, if my cat weren't 16 years old, I would try to teach her to speak because she'd probably be just as sassy. But I feel like she's like, I'm tired, Mary. Don't make me learn this new thing. But she's such a fun follow, and I have been meaning to get to her books for the longest time. So I'm thrilled this one was such a hit for you, and I can't wait to read it. And I also can't wait for you to go watch her talking cat on Instagram.
- [33:17]
A
Oh, I absolutely will do that. Okay. This was delightful, and we had so many great books this week.
- [33:23]
B
That's a good list. Yeah. Good job.
- [33:25]
A
Definitely. Okay, let's talk about our deep dive, because as soon as we figured out we were going to be recording together, Mary, I was like, what do you think about this? And we both got very excited about it. So I proposed this deep dive of integrating our hobbies into reading, because I happen to know that both of us are very into fiber crafts. We'll call that as a more general thing. But I am a crocheter now for a year and a half, and Mary does a lot of knitting. More specifically, though, because right now, the shawl I'm working on is based on the Princess Bride. So each color of the yarn comes from a line from the movie. It's a fandom collection. This yarn dyer does a great job with themed releases. It's called Long Dog Yarn in Santa Fe. And even though I lived there for four years, I never went there because she just runs this out of her own home. And I didn't start crocheting until after I moved away. So double loss there. But it turns out that crochet has, like, fandoms to it, and it's easy to work in things that you love into this physical hobby that makes real things in the real world. So I just wanted to talk about, like, how we incorporate hobbies into our reading, how we incorporate reading into our hobbies. Is there a balance? Do you have to go full bore? One or the other? Right. Like, what does that actually look like? So, Mary, let's talk about some of your favorite hobbies first. Even though we know that you like to dabble a little bit.
- [34:49]
B
I do like to dabble, for sure. Knitting is kind of one that has always. I will ebb and flow right into what hobbies. Kind of sparking joy for me at any given moment. A lot of, you know, I was really into needle felting in early 2024, and then my Carpal tunnel got really bad because of it. So I took a break and I kind of got back into knitting. And so definitely those kind of fiber arts are a really fun one for me. I love to do creative things like that. I've always liked to say that I'm a crafter. I'm not necessarily an art, like, not on the artsy side, but I am on the crafty side. I love to sew. That's one that I picked up this year. That one's kind of ebbed and flowed again. But it's. It's one that I see myself coming back around to time and time again. Really like making things, particularly things that have use, like scratches. Lots of itches in my brain. Right. That I can sew, something to wear, I can knit something to wear. I can. You know, needle felting is maybe a little bit less so, but it's like I can create something that brings joy in my home or to a loved one. Painting my nails was one that I was really into for a while. I still am. Maybe not with. With quite the same fervor, but those are all things, like something that is. That I can do frequently. I was actually just talking to a friend of mine about this not too long ago, a fellow therapist friend. And she said it's so important for therapists to have hobbies, like a project you can finish, because our work is. People are not projects you can finish. Right? Unfortunately, yeah. Right. Parenting parents need to have hobbies you can finish. Therapists need to have hobbies you can finish that you can kind of look at this and say, like, look what I did. And I feel that way about reading, for sure. Of course, that's like such a, huge, you know, that's a hobby we all share, of course. And the same feeling of, like, joy and excitement and completion that I get from finishing a book is very present in these other hobbies. And it's been really joyful merging them together in a really thoughtful way for me.
- [36:55]
A
Okay, so let's talk a little bit about. Okay, I guess I'll do the same and kind of overview my hobbies. Crochet. It's relatively new. Like I said, I've been into this for about a year and a half. Like many people on the Internet today, it started with a woobles kit. When my kiddo turned 10, he wanted a woobles kit, so we both got one so we could learn together. And now he is also a great crocheter. He gave me an octopus family for Christmas, including a big purple mommy octopuses and four little baby octopuses and then these little peas in a pod. And he just made them, like. And he would be like, don't look back here. He'd be crocheting in the back of the car and stuff. Just really cute. Adorable. I will share a picture of those because they make me very happy. I also love to puzzle.
- [37:41]
B
Oh, that's a big.
- [37:43]
A
That's a big one for me. And it is. That sense of completion, although puzzling, is almost problematic for me because I can. Can pick up and put down a crochet project, and that's okay, and I'll just make progress on it. Once I open a puzzle, there's nothing else getting done until I've done the puzzle. I don't. I can't just, like, walk away from it. It's very. It sucks me in in a big way.
- [38:05]
B
Yeah.
- [38:06]
A
So I have to. I have to not open a puzzle unless I'm like, listen, this is gonna be done by dinner time.
- [38:11]
B
Here's three hours.
- [38:12]
A
We're blasting through. We're blasting through. Exactly. I adore building Lego. We are a LEGO home here. I mean, that's pretty much it. I do also enjoy woodworking and house projects. My dad is a woodworker, so he. That's kind of a thing that we get to share with each other, which I really love. And he got me new tools for Christmas, which was really fun. So I've already been like, look, Dad, I put together this thing, and he's all, oh, I can't wait to come over and see it. Like, it's just very fun to have that thing that connects us, but on a broader level. Now I want to get into a little bit of how these hobbies either impact our reading lives, maybe by hindering it a little bit, or how we incorporate them into each other, specifically, for some reason, I just want to start talking about nail painting, because that seems very hard to work reading into. So are we audiobooking and nail painting, or are we just listening to music and saying reading is for later?
- [39:08]
B
I mean, so it will depend. Nail painting is one that I will do a lot. Like, at night, while Jeremy and I are sitting down to watch a show or something like that. It's also really fun. My sister and I, even though we live in the same city, we both have kids and busy jobs, and she's on one side, I'm on the other. So we will, like, zoom sometimes and paint our nails and just catch up. So that is probably, of all of these, the one that I do the least Amount of reading along with my nail painting. But I am not the type of person who can knit and look at a book. Even if my Kindle stand is set up, even if I've got a book bone in my physical book, I can't do that. I need to be looking at my project. So I've talked about this a lot ever since going to full time working from home. My audiobook reading just absolutely dropped off of a cliff. So I really enjoy having an audiobook in my ears while I do something else. And for me it is a prerequisite. Right? Like I need to be doing something else while I'm listening to an audiobook. I couldn't be just sit there and listen. Unfortunately, I think my attention span is not set up for that. But I really do. Like, I will sometimes paint my nails and listen to an audiobook and that's like a nice sometimes if I'm like, mommy needs to go have some quiet time all by myself. That is a favorite thing that I will do is put on a book and paint my nails. The audiobook listening paired with my other hobbies I think is what keeps my audiobook listing afloat. And another one too. I love walking. A lot of times that's like, like, right. That's my most consistent exercises, like two miles a day. And I get a lot of reading done when I'm outside and I can enjoy and I, I feel like it keeps me more present in my walk because I'm not like running my brain on a to do list and the 75,000 other things I have to do. I can like really be present in nature and enjoy my book. And it's like those are the only two things on my brain right now. And the same with all of these other hobbies. I think it helps me focus more by having those two boxes ticked. What about you?
- [41:16]
A
Yes, I can absolutely see that. That is how I feel about doing Lego and definitely doing a puzzle that I can get into like a Zen state. That's probably most of why I tend to binge puzzle is because I'm also binge listening. I'm so sucked into my story that I'm not even really looking at the puzzle. I'm just on autopilot and enjoying my body being in itself, which is not a thing I do very often in my body where I'm just like, I will sit and just be a human. So having my hands be busy and my mind taking in a story allows me to just be physically still and present in a different way than I Normally am. It turns out I have figured out how to crochet and read. I am a little slower. Like, I'm not turning to pages as quickly. I usually use my book bone, which is a terrible name, but a great product, has two weights connected by a piece of silicone. And that means it kind of has a little bit of friction so it won't slide down a book. And I just have to, you know, move it back and forth. As I want to read the top of a page, I have to move the thing down to the bottom and then vice versa to read the bottom of the page. I'm getting quite a bit of reading done that way, which I do enjoy a lot. And that's because crochet, I think maybe because it just uses one hand, I'm not at risk of dropping stitches, which is a different thing than knitting. Right.
- [42:40]
B
That's what I'm afraid I'm gonna do, is drop stitches.
- [42:43]
A
Yeah. And it, like knitting. I mean, it's dangerous. You drop a stitch, you could have a hole all the way through your project.
- [42:49]
B
Amen. No, thank you.
- [42:51]
A
A mess. I also have seen people do this. I have not done it myself, but they will make crochet granny squares that match their books for the year.
- [43:02]
B
I was gonna ask you. I saw the coolest reel about this. I was gonna ask you if you were gonna do this.
- [43:07]
A
I cannot. There's no way. I. I can barely manage to appropriately log my books afterwards.
- [43:14]
B
You're not going to also crochet a granny square for every book?
- [43:19]
A
And it would make me a little bit batty if it turns out that I read, you know, 227 books for the year, and I couldn't figure out how to turn it into something. A, it could be completely unwieldy, and B, it could be that I need to make another 75 to turn it into something that's actually rectangular. Like, it would just make me. It wouldn't play well with the way my brain works. So I would. I just have to let that go.
- [43:44]
B
What if, like, the. And I'm sure that this is something that probably is a ridiculous thing to be concerned about, but what if the colors of your book are hideous and you've got this beautiful blanket with, like, a burnt orange and. I don't know, but no offense to orange.
- [43:58]
A
Gorgeous colors of, like, pastels or dark blues, and then all of a sudden, there's just one square that's, like, atrocious.
- [44:06]
B
Yeah.
- [44:07]
A
That would be so sad.
- [44:09]
B
But I did. The one person that I did see doing this on the Internet. I was like, that is very cool. I will never. But that is very cool.
- [44:17]
A
But very cool. Yes, definitely. What about. Does that integration of hobbies ever flip and show up the other way? Like, have you ever painted your nails to match a book?
- [44:26]
B
Okay, I did it once or twice when I was sharing my nails more frequently on Instagram. And when I was like, I'm gonna be a real Bookstagra, I was, like, sharing book reviews more frequently. I did do it a couple of times, and it was fun. And then I, like, stopped caring about it, and I stopped doing it as frequently. But I have seen. I have seen some really cool, like, bookish mannies, and it's so fun. And I wouldn't say, like, I will never do it again. It's not something that I'm like, oh, I'm gonna do it all the time. But sometimes, like, if I'm trying to think about what color do I want to paint or what's the vibe I'm going for? It's fun to look for inspiration in the world around you. And there are some really frigging beautiful book covers on my shelf, and I would totally look for inspiration there. That's fun.
- [45:17]
A
Yeah, I like that a lot. I also. I talked about this a few months ago, but in. I think it was in November, there was a Lego gift with purchase. That was a little bookshelf with a little reader and a reading chair and a side table and a plant and a coffee mug and a globe. And. And it's just like this cute little library. So we're a Lego family. I ended up with three of those. Please nobody do that math as to what that means for what I had to have spent on Lego, because it's a lot. Christmas was coming. There were a lot of Lego purchases.
- [45:46]
B
Yeah.
- [45:47]
A
The plan, and my kids and I are gonna work on this together, is that I will incorporate them all three into one build. And it will have a sliding ladder like Belle in Beauty and the Beast when she goes to the bookshop, and it's slide across. And then the chair, instead of it being one little blue reading chair three times, we're going to turn it into a love seat and a chair. So it's going to be a little diorama family reading time. And of course, the reader will look like me. Right now, she kind of looks like my mom, which is pretty cute.
- [46:16]
B
But it's your Lego set.
- [46:18]
A
Like, it's. It's very cute. Honestly, I'll probably keep her and then add my own self. So that we can be reading together, but just turning it into something that reflects multiple hobbies. I love doing that and like you said, being able to give it as gifts. I did give Micah, who's 14. He and his best friend got BFF beanies from me this year which have Wolverine and Deadpool logos crocheted into them. And that child, I'm throwing him under the bus right here. So he opened that gift first. Cause he told me clothes are boring. I'm just gonna get this one out of the way. Cause he could tell it was soft. He knew there were clothes in there or something. Cloth. He has worn that beanie every single day for the past two weeks. He loves it so much. He's always got it on. He was so excited to give Colin his beanie because they could be matching. So cute. He's obsessed with it and I just love getting like, I made that with my hands.
- [47:17]
B
Yeah.
- [47:18]
A
And now you're wearing it every day. That's so fun.
- [47:21]
B
That's the best. There's nothing better. I have become a little bit more. I will discriminate a little bit more on who I make something for because you want to make sure. I mean, it takes a long time for me, I'm not a fast knitter. It takes a long time to make something. So I will discriminate on if I think it's going to be someone who's really going to enjoy it. And a 14 year old boy, that's a crapshoot. But it really is when you, I mean, that is like perfectly, so perfectly tailored to him. I love that you get the benefit of like having made something for him that he loves that much. Katie, that's so sweet. I'm melting into a puddle.
- [47:57]
A
Well, and he tells people, well, my mom made this.
- [47:59]
B
My daughter will do that too. My mom made this sweater. I'm like, oh, I love it. Okay, Can I say one other thing? I have one other thought on this of what hobbying while audiobook listening has actually taught me that I think has improved my physical book reading as well is the benefit of having something to fidget with while I'm physically reading. So I know for myself that I'm a fidgeter anyways. But when I spoke at the beginning with my bookish moment, Abba, I talked about like, I just feel like my attention span is broken and can I sit and read for three hours at a go? And I, I put together a little care package of stuff for Betsy and I for their virtual reading retreat. And in them was these. I have them Here at my desk, they're like silicone fidget stones.
- [48:46]
A
Okay.
- [48:47]
B
And they have like different textures on them, and you just kind of play with them, like rub them in between your fingers and bop them around, whatever. It's no different from any of the millions of fidget toys that are on the market. Of course, as a therapist, I've got my favorites.
- [49:01]
A
Yeah.
- [49:01]
B
But this is one. It doesn't need my attention. Right. It's not stitches that I'm gonna drop. So I have really found a benefit of having my. My body to be able to do something while I'm reading a physical book that has kept me able to sit down and read so much more at a go. And I learned that by seeing what a benefit to my audiobook reading it was to pair it with something else. So if you. It's something that I have really enjoyed learning about myself and have found helping that attention span growth. That's something I'm really working on lately. So to give yourself something very low stakes to do too, while you're reading, if you, like me, can't do something physical and read a physical book at the same time just to do something you don't really have to pay attention to. That was another benefit that I feel like was kind of a reverse lesson from doing this reading together with my other hobbies. I thought that was really interesting.
- [50:00]
A
Well, and I think that same lesson plays, you know, in reverse again, if you think about the way that silence versus noise versus music can impact our reading experience. So, for instance, last night I was crocheting. I was also reading the Plan by Kendra Adachi, which is my buddy read with Katie right now. And it was very quiet in my house. I had just the doggies next to me. And Einstein snores a little bit, but it's a little irregular because he's an old man dog. And I kept getting fidgety. I kept getting distracted, even though my hands were busy and my eyes were busy. So I ended up putting on one of the Netflix fireplaces. They have introduced some new ones, so now there's additional fireplaces. And that's because an ASMRMA room is great. I don't pay for YouTube Premium, so they do get interrupted by ads, which I hate. And also sometimes they're too busy for me. There's too much going on. There's sometimes music or bells or something else makes a little noise and it's distracting for me. Whereas just a crackling fire, even if my eyes stray and look up, they feel inclined to come back down in A different way than if there were something more interesting on the tv. And that little bit of noise was just enough to make it feel like I could sink better into the book that I was working on and the project that I was working on, which was very cool. Cool.
- [51:20]
B
Yeah. So I'm absolutely the same way with some background noise. Just enough to, like, tune out that part of my brain that wants to hold on to something, not enough to, like, engage it.
- [51:31]
A
Yes, yes, for sure. And that could be. That could even be white noise or brown noise or pink noise, whatever noises we're all using anymore.
- [51:39]
B
But yes.
- [51:41]
A
Yeah. Being able to engage different parts of your brain in different ways in order to make. Make the hobby more enjoyable and the reading experience more enjoyable. This applies on all levels.
- [51:52]
B
Yes.
- [51:52]
A
Okay.
- [51:53]
B
Love it.
- [51:54]
A
I feel like we did a good job with that. And I can't wait to hear about or see people's reading centric hobbies or the way you incorporate reading into your hobby. Please show us your bookish manis if you do them, or your fiber craft projects. Maybe you make the COVID of every book out of needle felting. That would be exciting.
- [52:10]
B
Oh, I was gonna say, if anybody crochets themselves a granny square book blanket, please tag me. I want to see it. And just be in awe of yourself.
- [52:21]
A
One of our bookish friends, Aubry Cheadle, is working on hers from 2024, and the last time I checked with her, she was almost done with it. So I'm really hoping we get an update on that one. Oh, I hope she shares, like, Minnesota Reading Mama. I think so. MN Reading Mama. She's a great follow, too.
- [52:37]
B
I love it.
- [52:38]
A
It's a really great talker about books. Books on Bookstagram. So, okay, let's get into our fountain wishes. Mary, what are you wishing for?
- [52:46]
B
All right, Katie. My fountain wish this week is a simple one and also one that no one can grant for me, so I'm just gonna whine about it. I wish we were at the stage in our home renovation that I had my bookshelf back. We had to dismantle our big main upstairs bookshelf while we were having an addition put on. It is currently. Okay, no, when I wrote this, it was currently in pieces in the basement. My husband, over the last couple days, he has put the bookshelf back together, but it is not in its permanent spot yet, and it's a big un, so we have to anchor it to the wall. It's gonna live in the basement. Now we're gonna have a different bookshelf upstairs. So even though it is put together, I cannot access my books in the same way. And they are just in piles in the corner of the basement. And we have many more home reno steps to go until we have our new upstairs bookshelf functioning and ready in that addition. I've been a little slumpy lately for a variety of reasons, but I think one absolutely the fact that I just don't have access to my books. I am living and dying by my library, my Kindle, the occasional book that I can fish from the top of an easily accessible pile. But it is still just a struggle and I want to be able to stare at them. And I love setting a seasonal shelf, a seasonal TBR shelf, and I can't do that. And I just am ready to have my books back. Pink splash.
- [54:04]
A
Yes. That is a difficult time. I. I was not doing a remodel, but I did have some black mold, an issue with a leak in my house, and it required taking down two of my three bookshelves in my entryway and just piles of books everywhere. And they made me, you know, I. It was for a good reason and it was only a couple weeks, but it made me so anxious and I was like, I just can't wait to get this done so I can put these back where they belong.
- [54:29]
B
Yes. Huh. The visual clutter also. And granted it's in the basement, so it's out of the way, but that doesn't help either. And I just want my book. Books. I want my books. They're like a security blanket.
- [54:39]
A
Yes.
- [54:39]
B
I want to look at my books.
- [54:40]
A
Agree. Agree. Love that. Okay. My wish is for a better way to read books one handed. And I do think that this one's grantable and I think the people will be able to give me what I want here. So we already talked about how I managed to read while crocheting with the book bone, and it's not ideal. I got a bit of a sticking point when I go to move the book bone around, which has to happen multiple times per two page spread, I get out of rhythm. I have to get to a point where I can stop crocheting, hooking, move the book bone and then pick up a stitch again. I've considered and I. This is really what I'm wondering whether the Kindle plus remote option is the way to go for this because I don't know if, if I could just keep it in my hand while I hold the yarn, maybe that would be exciting. I'm not sure. But I would love other knitters and crocheters Mary is like, raising her hand. Yes, you're going to talk in just a second, Mary, to chime in here. But basically, I want a wish to make reading even more hands free or need only one hand or finger to make it happen. Right now, I do read while brushing my teeth by using my left elbow to tap the screen, which is really great. That's why I have a Kindle that can prop itself up on the page. That works, keeps everything tidy. But I can't do that while I'm crocheting. I would get, like, an ab cramp. I think, how can I make it happen? Somebody's gonna fix it. And maybe it's Mary right now.
- [55:58]
B
Maybe it's me. I'm jumping out of my skin here.
- [56:00]
A
Okay.
- [56:00]
B
Okay. So my friends told me. They were like, you need a Kindle stand, and you need a Kindle remote. And I was like, that's ridiculous. No, I don't. I have arms. I can hold my Kindle. Well, finally, they won me over.
- [56:11]
A
Badgered you into it.
- [56:12]
B
Badgered me into it. And I ordered myself a Kindle stand and that I got the ring remote. So it is a ring that I put on my finger, and I literally just have to tap the button. You could put it. I'm not as familiar with hand position, but. But I could totally do it with needles in hand. And I think with your crocheting, you could. You just put the ring on your finger and you tap it. It is magnificent, Katie.
- [56:41]
A
Okay.
- [56:42]
B
That was a big reason why, for our reading retreat, I set up my Kindle stand. I, like, snuggled down under my blanket, and I had my ring remote on my finger, and I was just like, I didn't have to move for a very long time. I could just, like, tap. And I. I thought that was the height of ridiculousness before I got my own. And nope, I was wrong. It's the best thing in the world.
- [57:03]
A
Okay.
- [57:04]
B
Sometimes it's a little glitchy. Like, sometimes it'll accidentally go backwards instead of forwards, but that it's worth it to me to troubleshoot it a little to get it working again. It's Bluetooth. It's the best thing in the world. You need the ring remote and a stand or Meredith's pillow or somewhere that you can prop it. And the ring remote remote. I've solved your problem.
- [57:26]
A
Okay. Okay. I know. I've seen the ring remote. I remember when Jamie golden shared about it because she was talking about being able to snuggle under a blanket, and I'm like, I don't I don't ever need that. I'm totally fine. But I can see what you're saying here.
- [57:41]
B
Yeah. You could hold it in your yarn hand.
- [57:43]
A
Huh?
- [57:44]
B
And just like.
- [57:45]
A
Because my thumb is not busy on that and I just have yarn trailing over my. Okay. Okay. This might be my late Christmas present to myself.
- [57:54]
B
Yeah. It's like $15. It doesn't even need to qualify as a Christmas present, right? Maybe. Yes. I cannot wait to hear if it works for you. You have to report back.
- [58:04]
A
Well, maybe by the time this episode comes out, I'll be like, y'all, ta da Ring remote has changed my life. Don't even listen to my wish anymore. It's amazing. We'll see what happens. I'm very excited. That's it for this week, though. As a reminder, here's where you can connect with. You can find me I'm Katie at notesonbookmarks on Instagram. Meredith is @meredithmonday Schwartz, and you can.
- [58:24]
B
Find me at maryreadsandmakes on Instagram.
- [58:27]
A
Our show is produced and edited every week by Megan Putabong Evans. You can find her on Instagram at most of megansreads full show notes with the title of every book we mentioned in the episode and timestamps so you can zoom right to where we talked about. It can be found on our website currentlyreadingpodcast.com youm can also follow the show.
- [58:44]
B
@Currentlyreading podcast on Instagram or email us at currentlyreading podcastmail.
- [58:49]
A
If you really want to help us become a bookish friend, we might boss your tbr. You get the brand new spreadsheet. Everything's amazing. We love it over here. Lots of bonus content. You can also rate and review us on Apple podcasts or shout us out on social media. All of those make a huge difference in our finding the perfect audience.
- [59:06]
B
Bookish friends are truly the best friends ever. Thank you for helping us grow and get closer to our goals.
- [59:12]
A
All right, until next week, Mary. May your coffee be hot and your.
- [59:16]
B
Book be unput downable.
- [59:18]
A
Happy reading, Mary.
- [59:19]
B
Happy reading, Katie.