Episode 535 || What Would Susie Read

Summary

Podcast Summary: From the Front Porch – Episode 535 | What Would Susie Read

Release Date: June 26, 2025

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Introduction In Episode 535 of From the Front Porch, host Annie Jones welcomes her mother, Susie Jones, to discuss book recommendations tailored for readers with PG-13 tastes. The episode delves into Susie's recent reads, her insights on various genres, and the dynamic of their shared love for literature. Annie also highlights the bookstore's shelf subscription program, emphasizing the personal touch that Susie brings to the selection process.

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1. Surprised by Joy by C.S. Lewis Susie kicks off the discussion with Surprised by Joy, a memoir-esque work by C.S. Lewis. She delves into Lewis's journey from atheism to Christianity, providing listeners with a glimpse into his intellectual and spiritual evolution.

• Susie Jones [04:16]: "Surprised by Joy... it's kind of memoir-esque, I guess, because it's really his tale of his education, his schooling. You learn a little bit about his parents, and then he drifts into atheism, and then it's his coming back out of atheism in his conversion to Christianity."

• Annie Jones [05:11]: "CS Lewis is not someone you read quickly. He's not someone you read... for fun."

Insights: Susie appreciates the depth and complexity of Lewis's work, acknowledging that it requires thoughtful reading. She encourages listeners to take their time with such profound texts.

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2. Summer of Songbirds by Christy Woodson Harvey Next, Susie discusses Summer of Songbirds, a novel by Christy Woodson Harvey. She praises the book as a perfect summer read, highlighting its themes of friendship, nostalgia, and community revitalization.

• Susie Jones [08:18]: "This is the perfect read for coming up, the season we're in. Perfect beach read."

• Annie Jones [10:13]: "Great summer book."

Synopsis: The story revolves around three best friends who reunite to save a summer camp threatened by dwindling attendance post-pandemic. The narrative explores their collective efforts to revive the camp and the bonds that sustain them through adulthood.

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3. Zero to Six Months Moms on Call Basic Baby Care Susie transitions to a practical recommendation with Zero to Six Months Moms on Call Basic Baby Care by Laura Hunter and Jennifer Walker. This guide serves as a refresher for new and expecting grandparents navigating grandparenthood.

• Susie Jones [12:00]: "I wanted a little refresher for me... to be a good grandmommy and a good mom still."

• Annie Jones [17:53]: "This is a great book. And look, over 1 million copies sold."

Key Takeaways: Susie shares her enthusiasm for the book's easy-to-follow steps and comprehensive advice, making it an indispensable resource for caregivers.

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4. The Correspondent by Virginia Evans Annie introduces The Correspondent by Virginia Evans, a novel that resonated deeply with both her and Susie. The story is crafted as an epistolary novel, unfolding through letters and emails.

• Annie Jones [20:58]: "I devoured it. I immediately was like, five stars. This is amazing."

• Susie Jones [25:03]: "I read it in 24 hours. I could not put it down."

Synopsis: The protagonist, Sybil, a successful lawyer turned clerk, mentors a young boy through letter-writing, forging meaningful connections despite personal challenges, including a vision impairment.

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5. One Good Thing by Georgia Hunter Susie highlights One Good Thing by Georgia Hunter, a historical fiction set in Italy during World War II. The novel intertwines past and present narratives, emphasizing the resilience of a Jewish community.

• Susie Jones [34:19]: "I read it in, like, two days. It's called One Good Thing."

• Annie Jones [35:15]: "I think I would like to read it. I loved her."

Insights: The book is praised for its meticulous research and vivid depiction of 1940s Italy, making history come alive through engaging storytelling.

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6. Jersey Italian Love Story by Verena Palladino Susie discusses Jersey Italian Love Story by Verena Palladino, comparing it to the beloved film My Big Fat Greek Wedding. The novel blends humor and heartfelt moments within an Italian family dynamic.

• Susie Jones [41:25]: "It's all about her kids... her grandmother gets fixed up in her 90s."

• Annie Jones [43:05]: "It's not a little book."

Synopsis: The story centers on a multi-generational Italian family navigating love, expectations, and cultural traditions, all while maintaining a lighthearted and entertaining narrative.

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Personal Reflections and Insights Throughout the episode, Annie and Susie share personal anecdotes, highlighting the influence of family on their reading choices and the therapeutic aspects of journaling and reading during challenging times.

• Susie Jones [28:12]: "You get to know her [Sybil]... she's very intelligent."

• Annie Jones [27:00]: "Some of my childhood ones, I think are hilarious."

Notable Quotes:

• Susie Jones [07:20]: "Books that don't have a ton of sex, drugs, violence, whatever language. But every so often, you dabble."

• Annie Jones [26:05]: "I love reading about it. I just don't want to live it."

Insights: The conversation underscores the importance of selecting books that align with personal values and the comfort of nostalgic or meaningful narratives. They also touch upon the cathartic nature of revisiting past writings and memories.

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Conclusion From the Front Porch Episode 535 offers a heartfelt exploration of Susie Jones's book selections, blending thoughtful recommendations with personal stories. The episode serves as a testament to the enduring bond between Annie and Susie, united by their shared passion for literature and the Southern charm of The Bookshelf in Thomasville, Georgia.

For listeners interested in exploring the books discussed, Susie's curated selections are available through The Bookshelf's website, featuring a 10% discount with the code shopmomselects.

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Additional Resources

• Shop Mom Susie's Selections: bookshelfthomasville.com
• Featured Shelf Subscription: Access rotating selections curated by Susie, Nancy (bookseller), and Aaron (online sales manager).
• Follow Us on Instagram: @bookshelfthomasville

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Note: All timestamps correspond to the podcast transcript for reference.

Transcript

[Annie Jones]

Welcome to from the Front Porch, a conversational podcast about books, small business and life in the South. Most of us live less theatrically but remain the survivors of a peculiar and inward time. This feels like the truest thing I have ever read. I guess there's no bottom to a person, but I feel you have left fewer stones unturned than anyone else who's ever passed through. And it's taken me some time to recognize how knowing you has been like coming in from the cold, lonely road to find a warm fire and a table laid. So thank you for that, Theodore. Virginia Evans, the Correspondent I'm Annie Jones, owner of the Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in beautiful downtown Thomasville, Georgia. And this week I'm back talking to my mom, a beloved guest about books for readers with PG 13 tastes. Before we get started, a thank you to everyone who's left Reviews for From the Front Porch. Itunes, reviews and ratings are how new listeners can best find out about from the Front Porch and and as a result, find out about our indie bookstore too. Here's a recent review from Amy Sweet time every time. I've been listening to Annie and Friends for quite a while now and every episode brings me joy and of course, great book recs. I live in Pittsburgh but hope one day to get down to the bookstore in Thomasville, Georgia. Thank you again for brightening my day, Amy. This brings me a lot of joy and I am so glad to know we have listeners in Pittsburgh who love from the Front Porch. Thank you for leaving a review. If you haven't left a review yet, all you have to do is open up the podcast app on your phone. Look for from the Front Porch, scroll down until you see, write a review, and then tell us what you think. Your reviews help us spread the word about not only the podcast, but about our brick and mortar business too. Now back to the show. Hi Mom.

[Susie Jones]

Hi Annie Sue.

[Annie Jones]

Welcome back.

[Susie Jones]

It's good to be here.

[Annie Jones]

If you are a new listener from the Front Porch, you might not realize that Shop Mom Susie, who you may occasionally see on the Instagram or referenced when we're talking about bookstore windows and displays. Shop Mom Susie is my actual mom. I think sometimes there is some confusion about that. Nancy at the Bookshelf is a delightful bookseller. She is not my mom. She is not. She is not Shop Mom. Shop mom is my mom. And every so often she comes here on from the Front Porch to talk about books and that we, I think we just need to say redemptive reads. I feel like that's a Good way to put it. We used to say for more sensitive readers, and I still think that's true. Books that don't have a ton of sex, drugs, violence, whatever, language. But every so often, you dabble.

[Susie Jones]

Yeah. Sometimes you get hooked in and you don't know you've dabbled. The dark side.

[Annie Jones]

So PG13 is actually probably the most accurate and generous maybe descriptor. But if you like what you hear today, you should know that, mom, you've made quite a few appearances now. And so we've got them linked in the show notes. But episode 3984-164334-47468, 485, and 520.

[Susie Jones]

Wow.

[Annie Jones]

Again, those are all linked. You can hear my mom talk about all kinds of books if you go deep into the archives of the bookshelves of the from the Front Porch episodes. So today, mom is back. She was last with us in March. You've read quite a few books.

[Susie Jones]

I have, and they're great.

[Annie Jones]

Oh, good.

[Susie Jones]

They're all going to be great for people who like to read like I do.

[Annie Jones]

Okay, well, kick us off what you got.

[Susie Jones]

All right. Well, the. Well, the first one might not be for just everybody, because C.S. lewis is not for everybody.

[Annie Jones]

Correct.

[Susie Jones]

But I've been going through. Now that I don't do a shelf subscription every other month.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Susie Jones]

I've been really going through a stack of books at home that have just been sort of. I bought them and I never got around to them.

[Annie Jones]

Your unread library, if you will.

[Susie Jones]

My TBR.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah, your TBR.

[Susie Jones]

So this is Surprised by Joy, by C.S. lewis, and I wanted to read a book by C.S. lewis. And so this one is kind of memoir esque, I guess, because it's really his tale of his education, his schooling. You learn a little bit about his parents, and then he drifts into atheism, and then it's his coming back out of atheism in his conversion to Christianity. Okay, so it's a lot in a little book.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah, but he packs a punch in a few pages.

[Susie Jones]

I was gonna say CS Lewis is not one to read fast.

[Annie Jones]

No.

[Susie Jones]

But it was just something that I had on hand, and I really wanted to do it, and I'm proud that I did it.

[Annie Jones]

I'm proud of you, too. I have not read this one, actually.

[Susie Jones]

That's very good.

[Annie Jones]

And I do think I would like it. And I also do like the idea of pulling out books that you've bought but haven't read. Just visually kind of help. I. I Haven't done that. But I do have in my room right now a stack of books that I've most recently bought. And I'm not shelving them. I'm going to just try to make my way through them this summer. And so I like the idea of visually knowing, okay, these are what I'm gonna get to as time permits.

[Susie Jones]

Yes.

[Annie Jones]

Because dad and I talked about this a couple weeks ago on a different episode of from the Front Porch. But shelf subscriptions have changed, and so you no longer. You were every other month with Nancy. But only having to pick a book every few months meant that you could go maybe back in the backlist or something and read something you might not otherwise have had time for.

[Susie Jones]

At first, I was worried about it because I thought, I won't read as much.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah, it was nice to have some homework.

[Susie Jones]

It was. It sort of forced me to stop because, you know, I get. I'm up and doing things, and so it makes me stop and do my homework and. But it's all good for me. I like to be kind of forced to sit down and read a good book. And so I was a little bit worried about that. But I got a really big stack here today, and some of them were inspired. I'll tell about that as we get down the stack. But some of them were old. Some of them. I had to go back to my. They weren't even just on a pile in my bedroom. They were literally reshelved because I had them for so long. I'm like, this is ridiculous. Put them on the bookshelf.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah.

[Susie Jones]

And so I had to go back and start looking. I went, oh, I didn't read that. Or I haven't read that. So, anyway, I think I've got a really good selection today, and this was my kickoff to get me. Well, actually, I'm going to be honest. This. This was one that I wanted to read, but I'm like, I'm reading this first because if I don't, I won't.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Susie Jones]

Have books like that.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah. Well, because as you mentioned, CS Lewis is not something you read. He's not someone you read quickly or, like, for fun. Right. Like, I think I would call that a work of theology, even though it's a memoir he is writing. You're probably underlining. You're processing. If you're like me, you're reading one sentence three times to make sure you get it. So, yeah, I think that that was probably a good idea to kick off with that. Anything else would be easy.

[Susie Jones]

I know. I know that's what. And then you'll see what I went to after it. Because after. After this. Cause it's a little bit heavier. It's his time in World War I. It's all the things.

[Annie Jones]

Does he talk about his brother a little bit?

[Susie Jones]

Yes, but not as much as in another book I've read about him. But, yes, always his brother is there, I think, because they are very close.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah. So anyway.

[Susie Jones]

Surprised by Joy C.S. lewis.

[Annie Jones]

All right. And then you followed it up with.

[Susie Jones]

And then I followed it up with. Somebody find me some Christy Woodson Harvey, because I need something a little bit lighter.

[Annie Jones]

I'm glad you're talking about her. I feel like she should get a little bit more praise. I think.

[Susie Jones]

I think so, too. And especially for people who like to read like me.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Susie Jones]

And I've gone back and tried to find other books by her, and I think this one. I don't know what year this was written, but I don't think this is one of her newest.

[Annie Jones]

It's not.

[Susie Jones]

So I went back and found whatever you had in the store.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

[Susie Jones]

So this is the Summer of Songbirds by Christy Woodson Harvey. Okay. And it's a fair. This is a perfect read for coming up, the season we're in. Perfect beach read. It's about a summer camp.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

[Susie Jones]

My three best friends went to when they were six years old. One of the girls, Ants, runs it. And so her mother had died, and these best friends went every summer together. And then the camp was about to go under.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

[Susie Jones]

They were about to. Her aunt was about to lose the camp. So it's about how these girls come together and revitalize the camp and do a big campaign to try to get more people coming. Because when the pandemic hit, nobody went to camp.

[Annie Jones]

I see.

[Susie Jones]

And so this is kind of current in that way because I imagine, even though it's fiction, I imagine this really happened, I bet. With summer camps. And so it's about these girls working together in their adult lives, and then it follows them through to having their own children.

[Annie Jones]

Oh, that's fun.

[Susie Jones]

So it was very.

[Annie Jones]

Maybe people who love the Parent Trap. I love the Parent Trap.

[Susie Jones]

It kind of. I know there's kind of. There's a little drama along the way, and there's not. Everything's peachy keen and easy for the girls. I really loved it.

[Annie Jones]

Great summer book.

[Susie Jones]

It really is. It's a great summer book. And it's a great reminder of being a kid again and going to places like a summer camp and sleeping on the bunks.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah.

[Susie Jones]

You know, because you and I love.

[Annie Jones]

I was about to say we don't love that, but I love the idea. I was about to say I love the idea of it. I feel like I could run a.

[Susie Jones]

Camp, especially if it was in the Northeast.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Susie Jones]

Maybe I could.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah. I think that's the thing. We were going. Well, I won't speak for you, but you definitely sent me one year. To who?

[Susie Jones]

I. I was a cook.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah, you and dad were cooks. Central Florida Bible Camp. Was that what it was?

[Susie Jones]

I think so.

[Annie Jones]

Oh, it was hot. It was miserable. Also, I don't know if you've ever been on the podcast when I've shared my opinions about summer camp, but I think they are one step removed from a culture. And so. But at the same time, the Parent Trap is one of my favorite movies. I love the Parent Trap. And so I do love. You're exactly right. I love the idea of camp.

[Susie Jones]

Yes. And it's original for me. P.S. just FYI.

[Annie Jones]

Oh, you like the Hayley Mills version?

[Susie Jones]

Oh, absolutely.

[Annie Jones]

I love the Hayley Mills version, but I do think it's one of those things that whatever you encounter. Lindsay Lohan was my age.

[Susie Jones]

But you know why I loved the original? Is Maureen.

[Annie Jones]

Oh, yes. Maureen is the mom.

[Susie Jones]

Yes. I love her.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah.

[Susie Jones]

So I really enjoyed this book. And people who love summer camps and send their kids to summer camp will really like it.

[Annie Jones]

And again, I love reading about it. I just don't want to live it.

[Susie Jones]

Well, I breezed right through this, and I think I'm happy to recommend it to anybody that wants an easy read.

[Annie Jones]

Blurb their summer blurbed by Emily Henry.

[Susie Jones]

Yes.

[Annie Jones]

Which is cool.

[Susie Jones]

That's right.

[Annie Jones]

That probably was a big deal.

[Susie Jones]

Okay, now here's my next book. It's entitled Zero to Six Months Moms on Call Basic Baby Care. Now, does anyone out there know why I'm reading this? And this is a book by Laura Hunter and Jennifer Walker. They're nurses. And I did a little Googling for. Because you didn't want to be overwhelmed.

[Annie Jones]

No.

[Susie Jones]

And I wanted to have a little refresher.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Susie Jones]

Because I got my little grandbaby in Chattanooga.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Susie Jones]

But I just wanted a little refresher for me.

[Annie Jones]

For a local grandbaby.

[Susie Jones]

Yes.

[Annie Jones]

I have to laugh because mom and Jordan. While I was promoting and publishing a book into the world, mom and Jordan have done most of the reading. Now, I have read Emily Oster's book Expecting Better, though I have not read Crib Sheets.

[Susie Jones]

But that was your homework. And this one was mine.

[Annie Jones]

I know Jordan's reading crib sheets.

[Susie Jones]

I'll get with Jordan.

[Annie Jones]

And he's telling me things that I need to know. But truly, I do. I know that I. I know that I would, but I really. I just love learning from you and Jordan.

[Susie Jones]

Very nicely put.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah.

[Susie Jones]

Well, here's a fun backstory about this.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

[Susie Jones]

This is an excellent book.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

[Susie Jones]

And I do have a lot of underlines. Cause I'm. I'm especially interested in those first two weeks.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Susie Jones]

I think because I wasn't with Oliver his first two weeks.

[Annie Jones]

And we're recording this early for. Because of baby.

[Susie Jones]

That's right.

[Annie Jones]

And so. And what I have heard almost universally, because everyone will tell you the first two weeks are very hard.

[Susie Jones]

Right. And I just wanted a little refresher course so that I can be a good grandmommy and a good mom still. So, anyway, at your. Can I tell this at your book launch, I met two lovely ladies.

[Annie Jones]

I'm going to shout them out. Karen and Stephanie.

[Susie Jones]

Okay. I couldn't remember their names, so thank you. On their way out the door. They are actually friends of Jordan's.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Susie Jones]

And so we were chatting and I had absolutely no idea, but I must have either mentioned this book or one of them mentioned it. And I was like, oh, that's the book I'm reading. And this truly is. I'm not just saying it. This is an excellent, easy, step by.

[Annie Jones]

Step, kind of what I will say about Moms on Call, which I have not yet read myself, so it should be interesting. But when I first started as a bookseller at the Bookshelf, I don't know when this was originally published, like, the first edition, there were years in which that was all anybody wanted to buy was Moms on Call. And at the time, I don't know if this is still true, but at the time, you could only buy it through their website.

[Susie Jones]

Okay.

[Annie Jones]

So I couldn't. It was. It sticks out to me because it was not a book I could order as a bookseller. And we. And we got asked about it all the time.

[Susie Jones]

Wow.

[Annie Jones]

So I do think it's really a popular.

[Susie Jones]

It is. And it should go to. And because it's very easy.

[Annie Jones]

I do like the size. I didn't realize it was so thin.

[Susie Jones]

Right.

[Annie Jones]

I could do that.

[Susie Jones]

And this is just zero to six months.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

[Susie Jones]

And then they have another one and they have a podcast.

[Annie Jones]

Oh, okay.

[Susie Jones]

And then they have. Which I found out from her. So long story short. Well, no, kind of. But the ladies I met. I forgot which one it is. But one of Them is her sister.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah, I totally think you can tell. They look alike to me.

[Susie Jones]

And so I was. Felt like, all of a sudden, like a fan girl for her, because she was telling me all about. You can call up. You can get consultations, Annie, you can get.

[Annie Jones]

I do love a consult.

[Susie Jones]

Yes, they're available to talk to you. I am amazing.

[Annie Jones]

I will say. I do think I would. This is. This is shorter than I thought. So maybe I could do this.

[Susie Jones]

Well, my last baby book was Raising Baby of the babies of the 80s. But guess what? Babies are still babies.

[Annie Jones]

I did take classes, and I'm very.

[Susie Jones]

Very proud of you for doing that.

[Annie Jones]

I did take classes just in case anybody's like, well, what did you do, Annie?

[Susie Jones]

Well, I did. Well, you know, I'm nerdy this way anyway.

[Annie Jones]

Yes. And you have always been this way.

[Susie Jones]

And I. Yes.

[Annie Jones]

And you. Listen, you would think I would be.

[Susie Jones]

I know. I'm really. You don't have time.

[Annie Jones]

That is part of it.

[Susie Jones]

Right?

[Annie Jones]

I do think. I mean, if. Well, if Jordan were here, I think he would say Myers Briggs. Like, oh, probably you being an S and me being an N. There's a. Like.

[Susie Jones]

But you want information.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah, I do want information.

[Susie Jones]

But I love putting the notebooks together.

[Annie Jones]

She. Listen, we've got. This was very funny. So, again, when you hear this episode, the baby should be here, but we are recording this episode before the baby is here. So we were at a class. It was a diapering and swaddling class. We also learned bathing techniques. So, anyway, this was a class we went to at the hospital. And the lady who was teaching the class, the instructor said, you know, you might find it really helpful to keep a piece of paper by the changing table. Cause you need to make sure they're having. And now I'm not gonna remember it, but it's like six wet diapers, four poopy diapers or something like that. It's something like 10 diapers a day, something like that. Please don't quote me on that. I did write it down, but Jordan and I looked at each other, and I was like, luckily mom has printed out checklists on a clipboard next to our changing table, so that will be easy for us. And Jordan was like, so it's very funny. And then when I went in, we were fixing up the changing table, and I went in and I saw the clipboard with the daily log, and it already has a le Pen, like, attached. So anyway, it was very funny. So mom has got us set up with binders and checklists and I am genuinely grateful. I. I think I do feel a little bad that I have not. I thought I would read more than I have.

[Susie Jones]

Well, look, this is broken down so easily that you can even look at it.

[Annie Jones]

What do I do if it's like a guide?

[Susie Jones]

Exactly. This is a great book. And look, over 1 million copies sold.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah.

[Susie Jones]

So. Hello.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah, the numbers don't lie.

[Susie Jones]

So if anybody's out there, mom's on call or grannies want to get a book.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah. If you want to. If you want to get a leg up. If you want to be a grandma like Susie, and you should.

[Susie Jones]

Okay, Next up is releasing this month.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

[Susie Jones]

But when they. But when people hear this, it will be released.

[Annie Jones]

Oh, it'll be out already.

[Susie Jones]

Yes. And get. This is why I actually read this first, I think.

[Annie Jones]

Okay. This is Christy Woodson, Harvey's newest one.

[Susie Jones]

Yes. Beach House Rules.

[Annie Jones]

It just came out.

[Susie Jones]

So again, this released in the end of May. Again, this is the perfect. Take it to the beach with you. It is at the beach.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

[Susie Jones]

It is a beach set.

[Annie Jones]

And I do like to read when it is beachy. I like beachy books. I do.

[Susie Jones]

I do, too. And. And look, we're hot here already.

[Annie Jones]

Yes, it's hot.

[Susie Jones]

And it is to go to the beach. So this is a book about a group of women that they call it the I knew I'd forget it when I sat down Mamune.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

[Susie Jones]

So it's these women that are either divorced or there's three or maybe four women, but it's been different. Women can come in and live in this beautiful beach house while they get back on their feet. So it's about a woman whose husband gets in trouble. He gets in trouble, and he's falsely accused, and he's. But he's in jail. And so she has been very wealthy and now has absolutely nothing. And so these are women who come to this house. And this lady that owns this house kind of finds women that she.

[Annie Jones]

Who qualifies.

[Susie Jones]

And of course, they're in a very small beach community, so everybody knew of the big bad stuff her husband had done. And so she brought her daughter and they go live at this mommune until they can get back on their feet. And that's what this book is all about. All the different backgrounds, what led all the women to come together.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

[Susie Jones]

It's very beautiful setting, unique place.

[Annie Jones]

Play on the kind of traditional. It is beach house story.

[Susie Jones]

Because when you were talking about culty earlier, that's what people think.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah.

[Susie Jones]

And every woman has a story, too. So you're going to learn all these women's stories as to what brought them together, and then they're all kind of raising their kids together.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah.

[Susie Jones]

So it's really like a village. Yes. It's very different, but. And the cover's pretty.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah.

[Susie Jones]

You're gonna. I think everybody will love this for a good BEACH Read for 2025.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah.

[Susie Jones]

Book. Brand new.

[Annie Jones]

Good.

[Susie Jones]

Hot off the press.

[Annie Jones]

Hot off the press.

[Susie Jones]

Okay, next was a gift from you.

[Annie Jones]

That's right. Because I do. I do like to think I know what kind of books my parents like.

[Susie Jones]

Okay. This might go down as one of my favorite books.

[Annie Jones]

I knew it.

[Susie Jones]

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans. So let's talk about this one together.

[Annie Jones]

Okay. So I will tell you why I picked it for you. First of all. So I saw this book. Oh, my gosh. I think I started seeing it last winter, like, when people were doing, you know, bookstagrammers had gotten advanced reader copies, what have you. We did not get one at the bookshelf. You know, out of sight, out of mind. We just didn't get one. And then as I was preparing for Spring Literary Lunch, I knew this was coming out. I saw it was blurbed by Ann Patchett. I kept reading reviews, and I was like, okay, this sounds really good. I'm gonna put it on my guide. And I downloaded it to my Kindle because that was the only way I could read it, but I didn't want to. It's an epistolary novel, so it's told through letters. And for some reason, I was like, I don't want to read that on my Kindle. I want to read that in a book format. So I kept putting it off. And I say all that to say then Meg from Meg's Reading Room, and then Ashley, who owns St. Joe Story Collective out in Missouri, they both messaged me individually, and they were like, I really think you'd like this book. And I thought, well, it keeps showing up. So I finally read it digitally. I read it on my Kindle, and I. Oh, my gosh, I loved it. I devoured it. I immediately was like, five stars. This is amazing. And I truly immediately thought, my mom, you're going to love this. Mom is going to love this. And so then when I went on book tour, I bought two copies, one for myself, because it's the kind of book I wanted on my shelf. And I bought you one. And even the COVID I was like, mom is gonna love this.

[Susie Jones]

I love the COVID I read it in 24 hours.

[Annie Jones]

Okay. Which is amazing.

[Susie Jones]

I Could not put it down. And I have not read a book like this before where it's literally all.

[Annie Jones]

Letter writing, all letters and all emails. I'm gonna let you borrow a book of mine that I think you're gonna like called 84 Charing Crossroads.

[Susie Jones]

Oh, I already. I did read that.

[Annie Jones]

Oh, well, that's an epistolary novel, but I forgot. Okay.

[Susie Jones]

That's been. I did. You told me I'd love it.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah.

[Susie Jones]

Yeah. That was a long time ago, though. I've forgotten about that.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah.

[Susie Jones]

I wonder if I have a copy of that. If I don't, I should.

[Annie Jones]

You should it.

[Susie Jones]

Because that was.

[Annie Jones]

And it's a fun one to revisit because it's short.

[Susie Jones]

Yeah.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah.

[Susie Jones]

Okay. So on my list. But anyway, she's. This is literally her letter. She's very intelligent. She works. She's a big lawyer who stuck with. When her partner, I guess he was. Became judge.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Susie Jones]

She followed him and gave up.

[Annie Jones]

Gave up being a lawyer.

[Susie Jones]

Yes, she's a lawyer, but she gave up moving on to become his clerk.

[Annie Jones]

That's what I mean. She's definitely still a lawyer, I guess. But clerking for somebody is very different from being in your own practice.

[Susie Jones]

So she kind of went backwards.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Susie Jones]

Because they were just such a dynamic duo. And he's gone and she's writing these letters.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah. And it's our only way we get to know her.

[Susie Jones]

Yes, It's. And you do get to know her.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Susie Jones]

And it's. What's so funny is, of course, I got into this because I did this as a teenager.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Susie Jones]

She wrote movie stars.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah.

[Susie Jones]

And talked to them about their movies.

[Annie Jones]

That was one of my favorite surprises in the book was. And I don't. It was a surprise to me. This book has been out a couple months, so I think it's okay to say. But she writes authors.

[Susie Jones]

Yes.

[Annie Jones]

And so there are some really lovely literary moments because she is a young adult, a kid, and then later adult is writing these authors she admires. And sometimes they write her back.

[Susie Jones]

And they write her back, which is amazing. And so. And she's this. She's doing it in her later years where she is. Had this huge career.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Susie Jones]

She's very looked up to. So this isn't some little house board housewife that writes Steven Spielberg.

[Annie Jones]

Right.

[Susie Jones]

I mean, this is a very intelligent woman who sits down and writes her letters and she mentors a young child.

[Annie Jones]

She almost reminded me of Nina.

[Susie Jones]

Oh, that's great.

[Annie Jones]

Because of how Nina writes cards.

[Susie Jones]

Yes.

[Annie Jones]

But like somebody who has wrapped up a Career.

[Susie Jones]

Yes.

[Annie Jones]

And she always wrote letters. Like, some of the letters we get are from the past.

[Susie Jones]

Exactly.

[Annie Jones]

But this is something she is doing, especially in retirement. And when we meet Sybil, that's the character. When we meet Sybil, she also has this diagnosis where she's not sure how much longer she's going to have her sight. And so that plays a part as well.

[Susie Jones]

So she's writing as many letters and she writes everybody.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Susie Jones]

And so this young boy that she's sort of mentoring, which is another judge or lawyer's son who's probably a little bit different.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah.

[Susie Jones]

And she mentors him and writes him, and he. I love it because he also writes her back.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah, he writes her back. And that's what's so great. Is so in 84 Charing Crossroad, it's pretty much two people exchanging letters. Frances and Bernard is one of my favorite books. And it's basically two characters exchanging letters. What's fun about this, and a little bit different, I think, is it's Sybil writing a neighborhood.

[Susie Jones]

Yes.

[Annie Jones]

A best friend, sibling. This little boy she's mentoring or this young boy she's mentoring. Authors. So, like, you get a real full picture of who Sybil is.

[Susie Jones]

Yes, you do.

[Annie Jones]

Because of all the different types of people she's writing. I'd reread this. I liked it so much.

[Susie Jones]

As a matter of fact, I was just going to say that I would reread this, and when I finished it, I did not want it to end. I wanted more letters. I wanted the idea of me writing letters.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Susie Jones]

And I think I told you, I said, I think I'm going to start writing my grandsons.

[Annie Jones]

Oh, that's a great idea.

[Susie Jones]

I think I'm going to write letters to my grandsons.

[Annie Jones]

Yes, you should.

[Susie Jones]

And then you can either store them, because she has lots of letters.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah.

[Susie Jones]

Or you can burn them.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah.

[Susie Jones]

And I will never know.

[Annie Jones]

So. Well, somebody asked me. Somebody asked me recently. Oh, maybe it was. It was on book tour. It was at the Greenville event. And somebody's question. I was talking about all my journals I had found.

[Susie Jones]

Yes.

[Annie Jones]

All my journals and diaries. This lady asked, she. She's probably your age, and she maybe younger, but she was there with her daughter. And she said, did you keep them or are you going to burn them? Like, do you want your children to one day read your journals? And I was like, I really hadn't thought too much about it. I said, some of them are really entertaining.

[Susie Jones]

Yes.

[Annie Jones]

And so, like, my childhood ones, I think are hilarious. Now, interestingly, My college journals and diaries, I don't like reading because I think those years were harder than I remember.

[Susie Jones]

Right. And you were figuring things out. That's harder than being a little girl.

[Annie Jones]

Yes. And I.

[Susie Jones]

So I said writing that so and so wasn't nice to me.

[Annie Jones]

That's right. That to me was funny. And I feel very far removed from my 8 year old self, so I thought it was hilarious. But college and clearly grappling with faith.

[Susie Jones]

Yes.

[Annie Jones]

Clearly grappling with being dating seriously for the first time ever and grappling with being at a college where I didn't always fit. And I look back relatively fondly on my college years, but then I read these journal entries and I'm like, that was harder than I remember.

[Susie Jones]

That's right. Because you write what's hard.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Susie Jones]

You're not necessarily writing all the everything fun.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Susie Jones]

You're living the fun.

[Annie Jones]

That's right.

[Susie Jones]

You're writing the angst.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah. So anyway, I didn't know how to answer her, but I thought it was funny that then I had seen on Instagram this woman who is probably 40, and she went out to her back deck, lit a fire, went through all of her journals. She kept like a few pages, almost like Marie Kondoed, like, kept a few pages, kept a few ticket stubs, things like that. And then she got a bottle of wine and just started burning all of her.

[Susie Jones]

I burned mine.

[Annie Jones]

Did you burn yours?

[Susie Jones]

I burned mine. You know what, this is so funny. You know I write scripture every day.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Susie Jones]

I have lots of little notebooks filled with scripture. You and Chet can go through that one day and see if I probably wrote the whole Bible. But I'm like, okay, this is something I'd like my children to see, that their mother wrote scripture every day. So I've saved all those. But my journals and prayer journals and all that kind of stuff, I ripped them up and burned them.

[Annie Jones]

Did you?

[Susie Jones]

Shredded them.

[Annie Jones]

When did you do that?

[Susie Jones]

Only last summer. And it was very hard.

[Annie Jones]

Fascinating.

[Susie Jones]

Yeah, it was very hard. But I.

[Annie Jones]

Did you get a bottle of wine to help you?

[Susie Jones]

I probably should have. Yeah. But I may have saved a couple. And then I went back and I was like, once you start getting rid of them, you're like, nip. I don't need any of them.

[Annie Jones]

That is fascinating.

[Susie Jones]

And I'm in a totally new place.

[Annie Jones]

Right.

[Susie Jones]

I'm in such a different place. It's almost like you feeling about looking at your college.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah.

[Susie Jones]

I look back, I'm like, ooh, that was painful.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Susie Jones]

So I don't want to be reminded of the pain anymore.

[Annie Jones]

That's what. Well, that's what this. I think this Instagram person said. And it. Anyway, it was just a fascinating conversation.

[Susie Jones]

So when you see 500 little rifle.

[Annie Jones]

Journals, I guess I should be grateful.

[Susie Jones]

Filled with Bible verses, but that's all.

[Annie Jones]

I have to go. Yeah.

[Susie Jones]

You won't even have to trim. They're nothing personal. Somebody else wrote that.

[Annie Jones]

I think that's really fun. I. And really interesting. I did not know that you had burned them because that. It made me think. I wondered, well, I guess would I want my kid to read the. I don't know, the other idea I had the other day. And I don't know if the correspondent reminded me of this or if I read this somewhere. If somebody I follow does this, but somebody. Maybe you know who. They opened up an email account for their little one.

[Susie Jones]

Oh.

[Annie Jones]

And then they. As the mom, almost like instead of keeping a baby book or something, just wrote emails. And then the baby. I mean, obviously not the baby, but when the baby is all grown up, he or she can access the email account and it's like just little stories from. I forget. Gosh.

[Susie Jones]

It's almost like keeping a little journal. Yes.

[Annie Jones]

I forget who this was, but I thought, that's a genius idea.

[Susie Jones]

I love it.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah.

[Susie Jones]

But, you know, I actually really love the art writing.

[Annie Jones]

You especially do.

[Susie Jones]

Now, my mother had the most beautiful handwriting I've ever seen. She did have really good, like, calligraphy, but I just like the physical. I like my fun pens.

[Annie Jones]

I was going to say you love a notebook.

[Susie Jones]

I'm picky.

[Annie Jones]

You love pens.

[Susie Jones]

I'm picky. I love rifle journals. As you know, the little thin ones love them that come in a three pack and are sold at the bookshelf in beautiful downtown Thomasville, Georgia.

[Annie Jones]

Sure. You can buy those online.

[Susie Jones]

You can.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah.

[Susie Jones]

So anyway, when I read this, it inspired me.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah.

[Susie Jones]

Because I thought I'm gonna write. That's so fun, children.

[Annie Jones]

I love that.

[Susie Jones]

I do too. So that.

[Annie Jones]

I'm glad you like that book. I'm glad that was a hit.

[Susie Jones]

I loved it. So this is one that I also bought and didn't get around to yet, but it is by Georgia Hunter. And you know, we love her. We love her. She came to one book for we are the lucky ones.

[Annie Jones]

Yep.

[Susie Jones]

I love to read about World War II. And so this is another one.

[Annie Jones]

She spent a long time on this, too.

[Susie Jones]

It's been a long time between books.

[Annie Jones]

It has. She's a research queen.

[Susie Jones]

And because when you read her, you Know why?

[Annie Jones]

Yeah.

[Susie Jones]

Because she goes and she researches, she travels and she. She takes her mom.

[Annie Jones]

Yes. Which I think is great.

[Susie Jones]

Which I think. And she brought her mom that night at one Book.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah.

[Susie Jones]

So I'll never forget meeting her. I thought she was the most delightful.

[Annie Jones]

She was.

[Susie Jones]

And her mother, they were so down to earth. I have chill bumps. So I don't know if she listens, but. Hi, Georgia. If you do, if you don't, someone should tell you about this podcast. But anyway, this. Now look, I have not felt great.

[Annie Jones]

Right. Well, that's part of the reason you've read so much.

[Susie Jones]

So I have just read a ton of books. Cause this is a big book.

[Annie Jones]

That is a big book.

[Susie Jones]

So this is.

[Annie Jones]

I have put off reading it because it is big. Maybe I'll keep your copy to read.

[Susie Jones]

It's so good. And it's set in Italy. And so it's about World War II. So it is about these Jewish. This Jewish community that we've all read about many, many times. But I have to tell you that I don't know if anybody's better at capturing it than her. She's just very good. You know how I love Patti Callahan, Henry.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Susie Jones]

And I think she is also one of those researchy takes. You feel like you are there.

[Annie Jones]

Yes. They have done a lot of work.

[Susie Jones]

So this is about some girlfriends and college. And then a war is brewing across the. Well, not the country lines. They haven't come into Italy yet, but it's coming.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

[Susie Jones]

But they also have Mussolini.

[Annie Jones]

Yes. They have their own issues. Yeah.

[Susie Jones]

It's hard times. So this is just about these two girls. One of them is more activist than the other. And she does. She's an excellent for surer.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

[Susie Jones]

And so she. She is doing all of that under the behind the scenes. And her friend Lily is not. And so she is. But her best friend is very much. And her best friend's husband is also there working to help people escape. Well, the friend's husband is in Greece. And so he gets worried about his parents. He leaves. And that leaves his wife with their child.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

[Susie Jones]

And so she is in the middle of. She gets hurt. And she sends Lily, who is not the adventurer, she is not the activist.

[Annie Jones]

I see.

[Susie Jones]

She sends Lily with her child.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

[Susie Jones]

And says, run.

[Annie Jones]

I gotcha.

[Susie Jones]

Go. I mean, they have posed as nuns. Really? The church in these books. It's amazing. The refuge.

[Annie Jones]

Oh, yeah.

[Susie Jones]

And the danger that churches put themselves in. And this is an excellent book.

[Annie Jones]

I think I would like to read it. I mean, I like Georgia Hunter. I loved her. When she came for one book, I fought for. We were the lucky ones to be our one book selection. Now, growing up, I loved World War II fiction. In adulthood, I think I got a little fatigued. It's just. And it makes a lot of sense why we get so many books about it. But I think I just, yeah, maybe got overwhelmed by how many there were. But I do like Georgia Hunter, and I think she does a good job.

[Susie Jones]

I do, too. And I. I set this aside because it was so big. Let me see how many pages it has for y' all out there that might be nervous about that, too. Yes, it is 407 pages.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

[Susie Jones]

So. But I read it in, like, two days.

[Annie Jones]

Okay. It's called One Good Thing.

[Susie Jones]

One Good Thing. Yes. Thank you. I forgot to say the title. Excellent book. Okay.

[Annie Jones]

And now speaking of.

[Susie Jones]

Speaking of my other. And she truly is. And now that I've met her.

[Annie Jones]

You met her in person.

[Susie Jones]

She really is one of my favorites. Patti Callahan. Henry. She came to the bookshelf.

[Annie Jones]

Yes, she did. We have been wanting her to come for years.

[Susie Jones]

What a darling delight.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah, she was fantastic. I will never get over her telling so much about the research, the idea behind her book. Without a single. Not a single note, she had nothing.

[Susie Jones]

She was just, like, sitting around. If we'd all had coffee and she was sitting, it had been like sitting around.

[Annie Jones]

No iPad, no legal pad, nothing. No phone, just.

[Susie Jones]

And such a little darling to meet. Just a cheerleader for you. The store. She's wonderful. So this is a back. While I was meeting her and waiting for the crowd to dissipate, I went and picked up one of her other books that y' all were carrying called Surviving Savannah. Well, you know, Savannah's one of dad and my favorite places to visit.

[Annie Jones]

Yes, we love it.

[Susie Jones]

And so we've been there several times and love it. But this is about a sunken ship, almost like the Southern Titanic.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

[Susie Jones]

It was a luxury little river boat that was going to take people from blistering Savannah, Charleston, up to Baltimore.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

[Susie Jones]

And so this would be wealthy people going to escape the summer heat. And it sunk.

[Annie Jones]

Oh.

[Susie Jones]

And so now in this book, it has been found. Ah. So it. And so the story. The star of this story is a historian, and she teaches at the. @ SCAD. And so she is. But she's also researcher, and she puts together museum exhibits. So she becomes part of this. With her, it's about her best friend who died, which left her husband. I mean, her boyfriend. I don't know that they ever got married. So the ship sunk. It was a luxury ship in 1838.

[Annie Jones]

Wow.

[Susie Jones]

And it's discovered. And let me tell you, I think she just is also so grand at researching.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah.

[Susie Jones]

And. And if you've been to Savannah, then you will recognize. I want to go back and look at all these statues that were about people from that.

[Annie Jones]

And you didn't wreck.

[Susie Jones]

And I didn't know it, but I know right where she's talking about.

[Annie Jones]

Oh, that's cool.

[Susie Jones]

And I know all the. You know, it's known for its massive number of parks and squares and so everything. I felt like I was there.

[Annie Jones]

Wonderful.

[Susie Jones]

Like I was walking around, because I have been there.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah. You could probably picture it. Yeah.

[Susie Jones]

Times. Four or five times. Dad and I have been there. And I could. I could picture it. It's so. It's a little suspenseful.

[Annie Jones]

So it goes back and forth between 1838.

[Susie Jones]

Yes.

[Annie Jones]

Does it? Okay. And then the modern.

[Susie Jones]

The more modern slavery.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah.

[Susie Jones]

You're talking. It. It's fascinating. And also not a.

[Annie Jones]

No little 400 skinny book.

[Susie Jones]

So another 400 page.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah. Look at you.

[Susie Jones]

And I also couldn't put it down, so while I wasn't feeling good. So all I could do was sit in a chair.

[Annie Jones]

I know. You and I are so different. When I don't feel good, it's just tv.

[Susie Jones]

That's. You know what? Aunt Lisa's got it now. And I'm like, I have been through. I'm like, I've read five books, and these are not little bitty books.

[Annie Jones]

They're not.

[Susie Jones]

These are not golden books, people.

[Annie Jones]

These are big books.

[Susie Jones]

And she's like, I've been through three whole series.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah.

[Susie Jones]

She was watching tv.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Susie Jones]

And I was reading, so. And I'm very glad I did.

[Annie Jones]

Okay. I'm very curious about this next one.

[Susie Jones]

Okay. This is an old one.

[Annie Jones]

It is. I recognize it.

[Susie Jones]

I bought this g. Annie. How long ago? Two, maybe two weeks ago. Okay.

[Annie Jones]

I'll look and see when it was published.

[Susie Jones]

Verena Palladino's Jersey Italian Love Story.

[Annie Jones]

I just remember loving the COVID You're right. Two years ago. 2023.

[Susie Jones]

The cover's beautiful. Terri Lynn Defino. Okay. And it's touted as if you love My Big Fat Greek Wedding, which everybody does. I love My Big Fat Greek Wedding. And it's one of those movies that if I'm feeling a little. Yeah, that's your go to or whatever. It's one of them. But it's one of my go to movies that I like to put in. And I. I Love it. So I have a lot of. I can do some quotes and things and some accents, but we won't go there. Jordan and I actually quote My Big Fat Wedding.

[Annie Jones]

Yes. You and Jordan. There's some overlap.

[Susie Jones]

Yes. Okay. I want to tell you that it's okay.

[Annie Jones]

Mm.

[Susie Jones]

But it's not My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

[Annie Jones]

Well, remember. Do you remember a couple years ago when you and I both read when in Rome?

[Susie Jones]

Yes. It was also a beautiful book.

[Annie Jones]

Gosh, that book. The COVID was so great and the story sounded so good, and it was. It was fine.

[Susie Jones]

So slow.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah, it was fine.

[Susie Jones]

So slow. This is. Okay. Look, for my PG friends. I wouldn't recommend it because it's got a lot of language in it.

[Annie Jones]

Okay, well, those Italians.

[Susie Jones]

But I was absolutely. Oh. And yeah, you could get definitions of Italian. Cursed ones.

[Annie Jones]

Okay. Oh, perfect.

[Susie Jones]

I was. But I was determined. I'm like, I was homesick. I had no more books to read.

[Annie Jones]

You were picking off your TBRs one by one.

[Susie Jones]

I went to my bookcase and I'm like, what have I got that I haven't read? So. And I found this one. I went, why didn't I read that? That's so beautiful, I think you said. And then I opened it up and I went, oh, I started this before. And I knew I couldn't tell about it too much because it had language and stuff. It's not My big, Big Fat Greek Wedding. It is about an Italian family. Funny. Varina Palladino. It's really all about her kids.

[Annie Jones]

Okay.

[Susie Jones]

To me, it's more about all about her kids, which definitely is about her then. And her mom lives with her and her daughter. No, her granddaughter and her mother, who is 90 something, get to finagling together and try to find her a husband or at least a boyfriend.

[Annie Jones]

Hence the Greek. Hence the My Big Fat Greek Wedding phrase.

[Susie Jones]

And so they try to fix her up, but instead the grandmother gets fixed up.

[Annie Jones]

Oh, how funny.

[Susie Jones]

In her 90s. Okay, so it's not like it's a cute story, but it's just okay to me.

[Annie Jones]

Well, and also, you gotta be thinking, too. We talk about this on the podcast all the time. The rhythm of our reading. And if you're coming off a couple of five star books, which I just did, good luck. Like, that's what we say. Gosh. Like, my personal example is from years ago, I read Station 11, which is like one of my favorite now probably books of all time. Then I followed it up with a book called the Royal we, which everyone loves. It's supposed to Be like fiction and Kate and Will falling in love. And I hated it. And no one hates that book. Let me be very clear. Everyone loves that book. But I look back and I wonder, did I hate it or is it? And truthfully, this book really might not have been for you, but it certainly wasn't aided by the fact that you had finished what looks to be historical fictions. Yeah. And at least three, four or five star books.

[Susie Jones]

Yes. Yeah, exactly.

[Annie Jones]

And so they can't all be five star. Five stars, guys.

[Susie Jones]

But I would have said those last too. That I. And I can't remember what. On the Correspondent. I'm giving it five stars.

[Annie Jones]

Yes.

[Susie Jones]

And I'd give this three.

[Annie Jones]

Yes, that. And I think that happens.

[Susie Jones]

And that's okay.

[Annie Jones]

And you know what?

[Susie Jones]

It was meant to. It's just a.

[Annie Jones]

Well, that's what I was gonna say. Again, we talk about this on the podcast. We talk about our reading rhythms. Also, not everything has to be five stars. It's fine.

[Susie Jones]

I know, but I've. But I did read the whole thing finished. And that is, again, not a little book.

[Annie Jones]

That's not a little book.

[Susie Jones]

It is also. 400. Yeah.

[Annie Jones]

388.

[Susie Jones]

391. 391. Let's give me those pages. 391. Linda, you know, adds up all her pages. Oh, yeah, she's read for the year. I tried that last year and went. I couldn't keep up.

[Annie Jones]

So I'm like, no, I can't. I don't know how she does that.

[Susie Jones]

Well, you can throw in a couple of books. Dad probably talked about that. We read for Lent. We read.

[Annie Jones]

He didn't talk about all of them.

[Susie Jones]

I read Pause for Lent. It was a study of the Psalms. So I read that. That was just a little book. I didn't bring that with me today, but I've also read that. And so I thought that's quite a good stack for people who like to read like me. I think I just gave you a bunch of good summer reads.

[Annie Jones]

Yeah, I think so, too. That was a good list. If you are curious about the books my mom, Susie reads and loves, there are a couple of ways for you to shop her selections through the bookshelf. So first of all, you can become a shelf subscriber through our shelf subscription program. We talked about this earlier. That program has changed a little bit. But first, we think for the Better, where we now offer a revolving shelf subscription. You get choices picked by Shop Mom, Shop dad, bookseller Nancy, and online sales manager Aaron. So they kind of rotate. We talked about that on my dad's episode a couple of weeks ago, so this is a great option, especially if you're an eclectic reader. If you want just more of Susie, well, we've made that possible too. So all of today's books are on our store website. You can shop through today's episode number just like always. Today it's 5:35, but mom also has her very own page with so many books she loves Backlist and Front list, so you can shop that through the direct link in our show notes or by visiting bookshelf thomasville.com youm click Featured at the top of the page and then choose Suzy Reads. You can get 10% off her choices with the code shopmom selects. Shop mom selects. Thanks Mom.

[Susie Jones]

Well, you're welcome.

[Annie Jones]

This week I'm reading It's a Love Story by Annabelle Monahan. Mom, what are you reading?

[Susie Jones]

Another backlist book that I found on my bookcase called hello Beautiful by Anne.

[Annie Jones]

Napolitano from the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of the Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in Thomasville, Georgia. You can follow the book Bookshelf's Daily Happenings on Instagram ookshelftville and all the books from today's episode can be purchased online through our store website bookshelf thomasville.com a full transcript of today's podcast episode can be found at. From the frontporchpodcast.com Special thanks to Studio D Podcast Production for production of from the Front Porch and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warmth and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. Our executive producers of today's episode are Cami Tidwell, Jamie Treadwell, Linda Lee Jost, Gene Queens, Martha Stephanie Dean Beth Ashley Farrell, Amanda Wickham, Nicole Marcy Wendy Jenkins. Thank you all for your support of from the Front Porch. If you'd like to support Support from the Front Porch, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your input helps us make the show even better and helps us reach new listeners. All you have to do is open up the podcast app on your phone. Look for from the Front Porch. Scroll down until you see. Write a review and tell us what you think. Or if you're so inclined, support us. Over on Patreon, where we have three levels of support, each level has an amazing number of benefits like bonus content, access to live events, discounts and giveaways. Just go to patreon.com from the frontporch we're so grateful for you and we look forward to meeting back here next week.

[Susie Jones]

Leanna have you ever wanted to get inside the mind of a writer?

[Annie Jones]

Absolutely not.

[Susie Jones]

Well, now you can tune into Alchemy from Effigy Press. For people who write fiction, people who read fiction, and people who actually don't do either. It's like the creative process, except we actually finish things. Alchemy from Effigy Press. Check it out. Alchemy and the is an ellipsis.

[Annie Jones]

I mean, if you're not busy.