Reacting to BOOKISH POLLS

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Reacting to BOOKISH POLLS"

Podcast: I'll Read What She's Reading
Hosts: Reggie, Mikayla, Kennedy
Episode Date: June 24, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this lively, banter-filled episode, the hosts Reggie, Mikayla, and Kennedy dive into a series of bookish Instagram polls they recently ran, exploring the community’s opinions on hot reading topics, tropes, habits, and book adaptations. Along the way, they detour into their latest TV obsessions, share memorable scenes from adaptations, and debate controversial stances on reading behaviors—ultimately capturing the relatable chaos and fun of a group chat-turned-book club.

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1. "I'll Watch What She's Watching": TV & Movie Tangents

(00:24–16:21)

Discussion Highlights:

• The hosts open with a roundup of recent TV and movie binges before diving into bookish topics.
• All discuss the new Off Campus series adaptation, sharing mixed feelings about changes from the books, acting, and “cheesy” elements.
  • Kennedy: “I will not be reading the books. I just, I don't want to. I’m so sorry. I just feel like the show was great enough for me and I feel very satisfied with that.” (01:08)
  • Locker room scene divided opinions; some found it unnecessary or cringy.
  • Praise for the show's delicate handling of heavy topics and standout emotional scenes, notably Hannah’s bench moment and calls with her mom.
  • Reggie: “Those two moments… just to show, like, womanhood love, I think, was just so cool.” (06:21)
• Other shows recommended:
  • Love Story with John F. Kennedy and Carolyn Bessette: praised for acting, chemistry, and authentic 90s visuals.
  • The Burrows: a quirky, sci-fi mystery with older characters, described as “kind of fun and different.” (09:30)
  • Epic: The Musical (YouTube): a fan-made adaptation of "The Odyssey", soon to be an animated movie; hosts surprised by how many viral TikTok sounds it inspired.
  • Pop Culture Jeopardy: unexpectedly high-stakes and fun for testing pop culture knowledge.
    • Kennedy: “Truly, I'm not being dramatic when I say that the last episode of Pop Culture Jeopardy is absolute cinema.” (14:37)
  • Game Streaming: a guilty pleasure for some hosts—proof that fandoms extend beyond the page.

Timestamps for key TV talk:

• Off Campus adaptation: 00:43–07:00
• Love Story w/ JFK & Carolyn Bessette: 07:09–08:37
• Epic: The Musical: 10:18–13:56
• Pop Culture Jeopardy: 13:56–16:21

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2. Reacting to Bookish Instagram Polls

(16:22–49:53)

A. DNF Policies: When to Quit a Book

• Poll Q: If a book doesn’t get good by 50%, do you DNF or finish?
  • Consensus: Highly situational—depends on book length, genre, and investment in characters.
  • Mikayla: “If I'm invested enough in the characters, I'll finish it, but if I'm not, I won't.” (17:06)
  • 59% finish, 41% DNF (per poll).
• Goodreads and DNF: Many only count toward reading goals if 50%+ completed; others value personal choice and not “yucking your yums.”

B. Plot vs Romance

• Poll Q: In romance, what matters more—plot or romance?
  • Split opinions, but romance edges out as crucial to most hosts.
  • Reggie: “What good is a romance book if you're not rooting for the couple?” (22:34)
  • Result: 53% plot, 47% romance—almost even.

C. Judging People for their Reads

• Poll Q: Do you judge people based on their book choices?
  • Hosts generally say no, though they’re less likely to take recs from people with very different tastes.
  • Kennedy: “I don't judge what you're reading, but I probably won't take a book recommendation from you…because I know our tastes don't align.” (24:25)
  • Poll: 59% admit to judging, 41% don’t.

D. One Bed Trope: Overrated or Elite?

• Poll Q: Is it overrated, elite, or somewhere in between?
  • Kennedy finds it predictable, wants more creativity; others still “gobble it up.”
  • Favorite “micro-tropes” discussed: tending to wounds, special nicknames, washing hair.
  • Poll: 8% overrated, 40% elite, 52% in between—most slightly indifferent.

E. Friend Recommendations: Immediate Add or TBR Purgatory?

• Most hosts read each other’s picks quickly (FOMO!), but otherwise wait until in the mood.
• Poll: 59% wait for mood, 34% TBR for years, 7% immediately.

F. Reading Environment: Silence or Background Noise?

• All prefer silence or subtle instrumental for immersive reading; lyrics are a distraction.
• “Would love a perfectly synced soundtrack app for books.”—idea floated.
• Poll: 61% need silence, 39% need background.

G. Morally Gray vs Golden Retriever MMC Debate

• Agonizing for hosts; most fantasy defaults to “morally gray,” which some find repetitive.
• Mikayla wants more fantasy books with “golden retriever” MMCs for freshness; Peeta from Hunger Games cited as rare example.
• Poll: 61% morally gray, 39% golden retriever.

H. BookTok Hype: Disappointed or Delighted?

• Most are “50/50” when trying BookTok favorites.
• Only 3% consistently disappointed.

I. New Releases from Favorite Authors: Read Now or Wait for Reviews?

• Overwhelmingly, people read immediately (87%) rather than waiting.
• Authors the hosts would “auto-buy, no delay”: Sarah J Maas, Pierce Brown, Suzanne Collins, Rebecca Yarros (for a blend of fantasy and romance).

J. Book Adaptation Hype: “Beach Read” Movie Reactions

• Mixed feelings about the “Beach Read” movie casting and adaptation—most “not sure,” some excited.
• For adaptations, the hosts care more about chemistry than visual accuracy: “Even if it’s not the exact person for Xaden, what I care about most is the chemistry." (46:44)
• Poll: 28% loving it, 66% not sure, 6% hate it.

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3. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On DNFing at 75%:

  • “I DNF’d at 75%…like, I just don't really care. I know they're gonna end up together. I wasn't invested enough in their relationship to, like, care to finish it." (16:56, Mikayla)

• On Romances Requiring More than Just Chemistry:

  • “There’s gotta be some other piece to the puzzle…that connects me to the characters outside of their relationship.” (21:35, Kennedy)

• On Adaptations:

  • “I care more about the chemistry between the characters…when I think about Fourth Wing, I’ve kind of given up on maybe having the exact person for Xaden that I think. But what I care about most is the chemistry.” (46:44, Kennedy)

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4. Overall Vibe & Takeaways

• The episode is equal parts bookish debate, friendship chaos, and unexpected life tangents.
• The hosts’ banter is unfiltered and relatable—they don’t shy from admitting FOMO, reading slumps, or shifting priorities.
• The group prioritizes reading for joy, connection, and self-acceptance over rigid rules or community judgment.
• Their takes on hot tropes and trends reflect a desire for both comfort and freshness in current books and adaptations.

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Key Timestamps

• TV/film talk: 00:24–16:21
• Book DNF poll: 16:26–19:53
• Plot vs romance debate: 21:20–23:09
• Judging people’s reads: 23:20–26:11
• One Bed trope discussion: 27:55–30:31
• Friend recommendations: 31:09–32:54
• Reading environment: 32:54–35:29
• Morally gray vs golden retriever MMC: 36:10–39:11
• BookTok disappointment: 39:19–41:25
• New release urgency: 41:32–44:12
• Beach Read adaptation: 44:41–48:54

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For more uniquely bookish chaos and polls, find the podcast at @whatshesreadingpod on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.

Transcript

[A]

Foreign.

[B]

Hello, everybody. Welcome back to I'll read what she's reading. I'm Reggie.

[A]

I'm Michaela. And I'm Kennedy.

[B]

Today we're going to be sharing some and reacting to some polls we put up on our Instagram story to get your feedback on, you know, just some random. Some bookish things. But before we begin, we're gonna. It's been a while. We're gonna chat and do our little segment that we like to call I'll watch what she's watching.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Because you know, sometimes as much as I love my audiobooks and sitting down and reading a book, sometimes you just need a good show movie to watch. I think we can all say that we've been watching Off Campus. Shall we discuss.

[C]

Are you.

[A]

Did you finish it? Yeah, I did.

[C]

Oh, you did?

[A]

Oh, I didn't even realize you finished it.

[B]

I did.

[A]

Oh, okay.

[C]

Let's discuss.

[A]

I will not be reading the books. I'm sorry to everybody who loves the Off Campus series. I just, I don't want to. I'm so sorry. I just feel like the show was great enough for me and I feel very satisfied with that. And I know they changed a lot from the books and people are pretty

[C]

upset about it, but I think it was unnecessary.

[A]

It was unnecessary?

[C]

No, it was a necessary change.

[A]

Do you know what they changed?

[C]

I don't know.

[A]

They.

[C]

I just did not like the first book, but I'm like, I liked the show. So besides the locker room scene.

[A]

Very unnecessary.

[C]

A little unnecessary in my opinion, but absolutely.

[A]

I think the intent behind that scene is to make us feel as shocked as she felt walking into the locker room. That's what I've gathered.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

But what did she expect? She's walking into a locker room. You know what I mean? Yeah, I've heard that. And correct me if I'm wrong, Michaela, because you've read the book. I know it's been a really long time, but I've heard a lot of people didn't love being in some of the guys brains because they're kind of gross.

[C]

Yeah, they're a little nasty.

[A]

So I feel good about my decision to not read them.

[C]

Like Garrett in the movie is a lot sweeter. Like, I don't know, you know, you just don't get the inner dialogue like you do in books and sometimes I. I prefer not to.

[B]

Right.

[C]

Yeah. So yeah.

[A]

That's not to say that if you've watched the show and you loved the show that you shouldn't go read the books. I'm not saying you listening? Should not read the books. I'm just saying, for me, there's too many books, so little time. And at this point, I feel like I've kind of. It's too far gone from the book hype me for me to pick it up. Does that make sense?

[B]

Yeah. So, yeah, I thought it was. So. It was entertaining. I don't know if I. Like, there were some moments that I was, like, screaming at, but it was. There was. There were enough, like, cheesy, silly moments, I guess, that I almost, like, couldn't take seriously that I. It was fine. It was a fine watch. Like, I. I enjoyed it, but I don't know if I was expecting to love it more than I did based off of other people's reactions and stuff. I am intrigued, though, for season two. Like, I'm excited.

[A]

Messy.

[B]

Yeah, it's gonna be messy.

[C]

I think I love, like, the actors more outside of the show than, like, them actually in the show. I don't know why. Well, they're doing a great job at doing good PR interviews, you know, with, like, those magazines where they, like, ask questions and stu stuff. So I feel like I love their dynamic, especially the characters who play Garrett and Hannah.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Outside of it. More than I liked them in the show.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

But, yeah, I think I will enjoy season two more.

[A]

I think it's just going to be a little bit more drama. A little bit more.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Entertaining. I ate it up. I watched it. I watched it for six hours in one day. It just was. I don't know what it was just like, bingeable, silly, cheesy. But I will say, when it's cheesy, it's like cringy Cheesy. The play. Oh, my gosh. I get cringed every time. I don't know. It's not that she can't sing, but I just feel like the singing in the show, I didn't love. I didn't love when. What's his name, wannabe Zaden Josh character. This is the only show I've ever seen him in, and it immediately gave me the ick. I don't know why I didn't love him singing.

[B]

I feel like when there's shows that have to do with any sort of performing aspect, any sort of musical thing, any of sort, it's very hard to not make it cheesy. There's times that it's done really well, but I feel like in that kind of setting of, you know, the. Just the, like, silly kind of drama, then it's like. And I know it Covered some serious topics, too, but I think it's just what you're pairing it with can make it feel very cheesy. So, like, I. I was just, like, dying at, like, the keyboard up in the serenading. I just am like, I know that it's like, there's some movies where you see stuff like that, and you're like, oh, that is the most romant thing ever. But then you see it in other things, and you're like. I don't know.

[C]

I was gonna say, I do feel like they handled the, like, heavy topics really well. Like, that was not the part that I thought was cheesy at all. Like, it was handled, like, very delicately and very well, and I. I appreciated that, like, kind of, like, getting a little bit more inside the trauma that both of the characters had. So, like, that part was, I thought, was, like, really well done and sweet and tender. It was just some other things that

[A]

were a little cheesy.

[C]

Yeah, a little cheesy.

[A]

I honestly. Two of my favorite scenes and surprised to know when I did cry in both of them was when Allie and Hannah are sitting in Hannah's room, and she, like, confesses that, yeah, she was the friend, and Ali was like, I knew you were the friend.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Sobbed. It just was, like, so sweet and tender. And then also when she's sitting on that bench and she's having this moment and she called the helmet. We don't even talk about the helmet, but she's sitting on this bench. Bench. And she's calling her mom.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

And her mom just. I started sobbing. I mean, just because, like, I don't know if you guys relate to this, but just, like, calling your mom and just having this mental breakdown with your mom, and her mom literally says something to her, like, what did you do wrong?

[C]

Yeah. S.O.B.

[B]

yeah.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

It just was those two moments, I think. Not that Garrett and Hannah weren't so special, but just to show, like, womanhood love, I think, was just so cool. Y. And just. Yeah, I love those two scenes.

[C]

I tried screenshotting the bench scene and, like, posting on our stories, like, saying, like, immediately calling my mom, but it wouldn't let me. It just did a black screen because, like. And so I was like.

[A]

I don't know how to, like, show

[C]

that I'm, like, watching this scene. Yeah. Because I was just watching on my phone. I guess I could have turned it on my TV and taking a picture, but, yeah. Yeah, it just made me want to call my mom. And so, yeah, those were really sweet scenes.

[B]

Sweet, tender, loving.

[A]

I just Eat it up. I love fake dating. I don't know what it is. I just. I just love it.

[B]

You still watching Suits?

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

I haven't watched anything in quite some time, but I. I did finish the Love Story with John F. Kennedy and Carolyn Bassett. Loved it. Ate it up, cried.

[A]

I need to watch it.

[C]

On the last episode, I didn't know much about them or, like, the hype around them, but I did, like, call my parents and be like, yeah, like, tell me what it was like. Because I'm like, you guys were alive during this. So I was like, what. What was all this about? So it was really good.

[A]

And you know how, like, accurate was it? Pretty accurate. Is it more dramatized?

[C]

I feel like it's a bit dramatized, but I feel like it was pretty accurate because it was kind of cool. I would, like, kind of go check, like, actual paparazzi images.

[A]

Okay.

[C]

And I was like, she's, like, wearing almost, like, an identical outfit, like, and stuff like that. So it was just really cool to, like, kind of, like, compare and contrast, because I think the casting. Oh, my gosh. I'm obsessed with the casting. The chemistry those two had, like, they made it, like, literally come to life.

[A]

The way they filmed it just, like,

[C]

very much gave off. You know how everyone makes fun of, like, Netflix lighting? Like. Like, that is very much not a thing in this show.

[B]

Love that.

[C]

Like, it almost feels like a grainy, Ooh, like, feel.

[A]

I wonder what camera they shot.

[C]

I don't know, but it's done so well. I just loved it.

[A]

All right. That would be my next show. Next show.

[C]

I walked fine.

[A]

You said chemistry, and I said, I'm sold.

[B]

Hulu, because I feel like I haven't seen, like, a movie. We haven't gone to the movies in a long time. We've been pretty avid moviegoers.

[A]

I haven't been going to freaking Toy Story. As soon as it comes out.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

When does it come out?

[A]

I think next Saturday.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Was it the 20th, 19th, Friday.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

We've been counting down the days in my house. We've. I've actually watched the trailer. No joke, you guys. I could probably memorize. I think I haven't memorized it. We've watched Toy Story so often because my kids are so excited. But do you guys have other shows?

[C]

I have one more. If you guys.

[A]

I do finish yours up, I'll finish mine.

[C]

Last one is the Burrows.

[B]

Oh, yeah. You were telling us about that.

[C]

It's made. Directed by the Duffin brothers.

[A]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[C]

So it gives off kind of similar. Eerie about old people. Yes.

[A]

Okay.

[C]

So it's like a retirement community in like California, Arizona area and. But it has like a sci fi element to it where I'm not quite finished with it. But it's just kind of funny because I feel like in movies or shows it was really funny that like these kids were like going on these adventures and stuff like that.

[B]

Now it's like these, the old people are.

[C]

And so it's just kind of like it kind of fun different because I feel like old people just like are just there and they're never really like the main characters in shows or movies where they're like investigating things and like figuring things out. So I find it interesting so far. Yeah, love.

[A]

I need to add that to the list too.

[C]

That one's on Netflix.

[A]

Shout out Netflix.

[B]

Well, my show's on YouTube. Okay. So some of you listening are going to be like, reggie, do you live under a freaking rock? But I just recently discovered Epic the Musical. And if you're like immediately like I'm skipping ahead 30 seconds because I don't want to hear about a musical. If you like to read fantasy, if you're familiar with the Odyssey. This is like I can't even begin to explain how obsessed in the rabbit holes that I have gone down because of this. But it's basically a. It's a fan made musical of the Odyssey. The music is incredible. And then they have like fan. There's fan made animation and they've put it and compiled it all together on YouTube in this video. And it's actually been recently picked up to be made into an animated movie by what's his name. He produced like Pirates of the Caribbean. What's his name? Jeremy Bruckheimer picked is producing the movie and I saw like the announcement of that and everyone freaking out and I'm like, what is this talking about? And then I started watching it and I was so glued and so sucked in. And then I was noticing that a ton of the songs have been like viral TikTok sounds. And I'm like, oh, I've never put this together. It is so good. If you love like a big epic fantasy book. I also, I did not know anything about the Odyssey, you guys. My husband was like, are you kidding me? I'm like, I never learned about it in school. And anyways, my husband's been obsessed with it and I've just been getting people to watch it and they're like, this is so sick. I'm like, yeah. So anyways, the Odyssey movie is coming out next month. The Christopher Nolan film.

[A]

So already?

[B]

Yes. So if you want to. I thought it comes in July.

[C]

Oh, is it?

[A]

Does it?

[B]

Yeah, Tickets are on sale.

[A]

It's the third. I thought the Odyssey in Doomsday came out at the same time. It's Dune and Doomsday.

[B]

That's what it is. Yeah. So anyways, and if you're not like a big musical person, don't use. Give it a try. Let's watch the first, like 10 minutes, see what you think. But it's so good. And now I'm like, feeling more excited to go see the movie. I'm a little scared because it is kind of dark. Oh, it's. It's. Oh, it's. I know. Yeah. I mean, a musical and Christopher Nolan.

[C]

The story line is very different than like, the actual Odyssey story.

[B]

Yeah. I think the thing with the Odyssey, though, is that, like, it's a story that's been retold for thousands of years. And so it's like, I don't think anyone knows the true, true original story, but I'm not like, thrilled to see the movie, but I feel like I'm going to be watching it, singing the songs in my head. But anyways, highly recommend because it has consumed me for the last, like two, three weeks.

[A]

Wait, so when you say you're not excited to see the movie, you're not excited to see the Odyssey movie by Christopher Nolan?

[B]

Oh, no, I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm just intrigued to now see the Christopher Nolan.

[A]

Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay.

[B]

I'm very excited for them to pick up, like, epic. The musical to be made into a movie is going to be, I think, very good. I'm hoping, crossing my fingers, but, like, insane that a fan made musical is being. Is like, has been picked up for an actual movie. It's insane. So it's very cool. Anyways, yeah, that's just been. Been me if I don't know. I've like, been in such a reading slump, so I just like turn on the. The YouTube video on or the album on. On my phone. It's constantly playing on loop in my mind. So anyways, did you have anything you wanted to share that you.

[A]

Mine aren't nearly as fun, so my husband and I have just been watching Pop Culture Je.

[C]

That's so fun.

[A]

It's just. It's actually really, really fun because it's almost like not a competition, but it's fun because just to see, like, to test your knowledge, I could never in a million years Watch regular Jeopardy. Because the questions and stuff they ask is so obscure. I'm not that kind of intelligent, but I do love pop culture. I was telling these two earlier that there was a whole book talk section on this show and I was so excited. But it's just kind of fun to just like test your knowledge and not like exercise your brain because it's mind numbing information, but like kind of test your brain at the same time.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

If you would have told me that me and my husband were so invested in who won, like to the point where we were screaming at the tv, never, never would have guessed because we're not Jeopardy. People. But one night we were just like, let's just turn this on. We need something to watch. And we were hooked from the get go. So if you love Jeopardy. Truly, I'm not being dramatic when I say that the last episode of Pop Culture Jeopardy. Is absolute cinema. I genuinely meet it. Like, it was crazy, you guys. It was crazy.

[C]

So who's the host for Pop Culture Jeopardy?

[A]

Colin Jost.

[C]

Because do you know the lore about regular Jeopardy? Alex? No host now?

[A]

No.

[C]

Like he won it so many times that they invited him to be the host.

[A]

Oh, yeah. Because Alex Trebek retired. That was the original Jeopardy. House. And then the other guy came. Okay, okay, that makes sense.

[C]

Like he just had won it so many times that they were like, you should just become the host.

[A]

I love that for him, I could

[B]

never do Reagan Jeopardy.

[A]

But yeah, and then the other thing I've been watching, it's not embarrassing to admit.

[C]

Okay.

[A]

Someone in our friend group also does this, so I don't feel as stupid. But something about me is I love actually being a part of a fandom and I love being a nerd. So I love the fact that I read fantasy books. I love the fact that I love Marvel. I love being a nerd. I don't know if you guys know this about me. I also, I also game. I have a little handheld gamer, so I watch a lot of streamers and lately someone listening I know watches this too. So DM me because we can talk about it. I've been watching the streamer queso so it's very fun for me, actually. You just turn it on plays a whole bunch of different games. I was watching him play Dressed to Impress this weekend. It's really entertaining, you guys. He's so funny. He's so funny. And I know that's such a weird thing to watch, but I love it. I love it for you.

[B]

So amazing.

[A]

Well, anyways, back to the Real point of the episode.

[B]

Let's chat about books. We polled you guys on Instagram and we're gonna discuss some of these. I don't know how juicy. I don't know how juicy they are, but good conversation will be had. Are we ready for this first poll? If a book doesn't get good after 50% or till 50%, do you DNF or do you finish it?

[A]

Typically, I do finish it and I hate that about myself.

[C]

I feel like depends on the length of the book.

[A]

Good point.

[C]

Because I mean, the deal I DNF'd at 75%. The thing is, the thing is, is, like with the whole deal thing and the off campus, like, they were together.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

And like, I was like, I just don't really care. I know they're gonna end up together. I just didn't really. I wasn't invested enough in their relationship to, like, care to finish it. So I feel like if I'm invested enough in the characters, I'll finish it, but if I'm not, I won't.

[B]

That makes sense.

[A]

I also think too, it depends on genre. Like, obviously a romance book, but a fantasy book, I feel like, especially if it's a first book, they don't typically get good until a halfway point anyways.

[B]

But I'd say I typically dnf, but, like, more often than not. But I do think it. Yeah, it depends on how many pages it is because it's like if you are reading a 600 page book and you've already read 300 pages, it's like, well, might as well push through. But I don't know. Yeah, I feel like it kind of depends. But you guys said, 59 said that you finish it, 41 said you DNF.

[A]

I also feel like I've actually quote, like, DNF'd a few books this year because I would start them and then I would get into it and realize I wasn't in the mood. But, like, all the books I've quote DNF'd are books that I'm going to revisit later because I feel like I'm doing them a disservice because I'm not in the mood. And I'm trying so hard to get in the mood to read. Read them.

[B]

So I also think it sucks when, like, you've committed so much time already to reading a book that sometimes I will just finish a book just because I'm like, I don't want the last, like, six hours of me reading this book to have been wasted. So anyways, but yeah, most of you are.

[A]

You do finish the book, you persevere.

[C]

I feel like what's hard is that that that question is just a situational

[A]

for sure answer for me, you know?

[C]

Yeah, for sure. I feel like most of the time I do finish it.

[A]

Ah.

[C]

I don't actually.

[A]

I don't know. And honestly, you want to know what? It's a 50.

[C]

50.

[A]

This is so psycho. But it's kind of hard to just DNF it. Let's, let's, let's ask this question to us 3. If you DNF a book at 51%, like let's say, what percentage are you dnfing a book and not counting it towards your reading goal at any percent?

[B]

I feel like I never count DNFs towards my reading goal just because I don't really know how that works.

[A]

Do you mark it as red on Goodreads though?

[C]

Before I did because I would rate it one star, but now I.

[A]

They have a DNF shelf now.

[C]

Now they have a DNF shelf, so I don't know. I would say over 50. You can count it.

[A]

I would agree with that also. It's just like it's up to yourself. There's a lot of people probably that would disagree. Probably.

[B]

But that would have been a good poll.

[A]

Honestly. Here's the thing. I ain't yucking your yums. If you want to read a book and you hit 15 and you want to market towards your reading goal, it's none of my business. You ain't some of it.

[B]

But if you're an assessment.

[A]

I read one word, I read the title, read it, read.

[B]

Well, yeah, but then it's like if you DNF a book, I think it sucks too, because I'm like, I want these pages to count towards my reading goal.

[C]

Yeah. You know when you're really into a book and the last thing you want to do is stop and make food? That's been us a time or two.

[B]

So we've been keeping G2G bars around because they're just an easy on the go snack. They're really high in protein, they're made with simple ingredients and honestly perfect when you need something quick. But don't want to interrupt a reading bin inch.

[A]

I've been grabbing one right before I leave for a walk with my dogs while listening to an audiobook. It's just the easiest snack to throw in my bag.

[C]

If you want to try them, you can grab them at g2gbar.com and use code readers R E A D E R s for a 15 off discount.

[B]

Hit your protein goal and your reading goal with G2G bar.

[A]

So you know that perfect moment where you have a good book but nowhere to be. Yeah, that right there, that is my happy place.

[C]

And lately we've been spending it wrapped up in our Minky Couture blankets.

[B]

Whether I'm reading late into the night or just pretending to read while I'm scrolling book talk, my Minky keeps me cozy through it all.

[A]

The best part is they come in the most pretty colors and they make the best gift for any reader in your life or honestly, for yourself.

[C]

So if you're ready to make your reading experience even cozier, head to the link below and use our code read Readers R E A D E R S at checkout for 50 off.

[B]

Because every good reader deserves the best.

[A]

Blanket reading goals are toxic.

[B]

Okay, guys, this next one, I'm really intrigued. I like, I'm surprised by the results of this a little bit. In a romance book, what's more important, plot or romance to you personally? Like, what makes a good romance book? I guess the actual romance.

[A]

I feel like most of the romance books I rate 5 stars are ones that have, like, some sort of subplot that's really interesting if it's straight up just about the couple. I usually am not obsessed. Like, there's gotta be some other piece to the puzzle that connects me to the characters outside of their relationship. But at the same time, if you're reading romance book and the romance sucks.

[C]

Yeah, yeah.

[B]

I feel like they definitely go hand in hand, but I'm trying to think of. But I also feel like there's books that I've enjoyed reading that have a really good plot. But maybe I wasn't, like, obsessed with the actual romance. Like, I didn't feel like there was a ton of chemistry, but there was something about the plot that I really enjoyed. So that one's also kind of depends on the book.

[A]

I mean, I answered these myself from my own personal Instagram on our Instagram story. And when I answered it, I said plot. Like first. First reaction plot.

[C]

I think my initial reaction is romance, because I think a book can, like you said, have a really good plot and then have zero chemistry and it ruins the book.

[B]

Yeah, I would say romance too, just because if you're like, what good is a romance book if you're not rooting for the couple? You know? So I'd probably say romance because I think there's some books that I've read I can't think of any off the top of my head where, like, I couldn't really tell you the plot, but, like, I know that I was so invested in the couple. But I could also say the same about some books with having a really good plot and not being as if that makes sense. But more often than not, I would say romance is gonna trump the plot.

[C]

Yeah, same.

[B]

So the results were 53% said plot, 47% said romance.

[A]

Pretty even.

[C]

Pretty good, if you ask me. Yeah.

[B]

Okay, next. Have you ever judged someone based off the books they read? Yes or no? Honestly, I don't know if I have, just because I feel like people probably judge me for the books I read. So I'm just kind of like,

[A]

if

[B]

you like something that I don't like, you probably don't like something that I like. Does that make sense? I'm trying to think.

[C]

Yeah, no, it does make sense. I'm sorry. I'm just trying to think of my answer.

[B]

I mean, maybe I have. I don't want to say, like, I completely haven't, but I would say I

[A]

don't judge people based on the books that they read because, like, I don't care what you do with your spare time if it doesn't affect me. Like, whatever.

[B]

You can read whatever you want.

[A]

I don't want to say I judge people if they don't like books that I like. I would say that it's more so. I don't even want to use the word offended. But, like, this one's like, if someone reads Throne of Glass or Red Rising, for example, because those are, like, my top two favorite series, and they say they, like, dawn of Glass sucks or Red Rising sucks. I'm immediately like, I don't care what you read when I don't trust your taste. That's more so what it is. Like, I'm not judging what you're reading, but, like, I probably won't take a book recommendation from you and put it high on my TBR because I know our tastes don't align. Does that make sense?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

No, I think that's a really good answer.

[A]

I. Yeah, I would like to say I really haven't.

[C]

I maybe would be like, oh, that's an interesting choice to, like, read, but maybe not necessarily, like, judging them. Just being like, oh, okay.

[B]

Like, yeah, like, I'll say something. Some people I'm friends with on Goodreads, I start reading, and I'm always like, like, what? Like, I would have never guessed this person would be, like, into this type of genre or book or whatever. But it's not necessarily like, oh, my gosh, I can't believe they're reading that.

[A]

Are you gonna bring up me? Like, when you read the Moon Cheese one?

[C]

I wasn't judging you.

[A]

I more so was just like, that's a really interesting choice. Or that one time. Wasn't there a time where I marked credence as wanting to read? And I think one of you, like, oh, yeah, you texted me or something, and you're like, do you know what that book is about?

[C]

And I was like, no.

[A]

And then you told me, and I said, oh, okay. Not yucking anybody's yums. Like, no, you can read whatever you want.

[B]

Most of you say that you do judge people, and it's okay.

[A]

I love the honesty.

[B]

59 said yes. 41 said, we're gonna out all the time.

[A]

So who said yes, Number one.

[B]

Just kidding. I just think it's, like, interesting because I feel like sometimes in the book talk space, people will judge you, like, online for some of the books you read. And I just think it's. There's nothing wrong with, like, an innocent, like, judging, but sometimes I think people take it a little too far.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And to me, it's just, like, more funny than it is, like, serious. I'm just like, well, I also think

[C]

it's human nature to judge.

[B]

And what is it about books that, like, people get. Get so, so much more invested in someone saying, I don't like Red Rising, for example. And it's like you feel almost so much more offend. Like, would you be more offended, Kennedy, if someone said, I hate I hated Red? Right. Like, they read all the books and they're like, I hated Red Rising. Or if someone was like, I hate Marvel, probably.

[A]

I think with books, it's just harder. So much more personal. Yes. Because I think that. Not to say you don't connect with TV shows and movies the same way you can with books, but I just think there's something in, like, our brain chemistry as humans with reading that you just have a deeper connection with the characters. Like, I think about the characters that I absolutely love in any fandom, and it's like, I feel way more connected to my book fandoms than I do a TV or movie fandom.

[C]

Yeah. I don't know.

[A]

So I think it's just. There's got to be some sort of study that they've done. There's got to be some psychology behind that. Just.

[C]

Everyone just becomes obsessed with. Yeah. Book characters that you connect and relate to.

[A]

Yeah. And also, I think you spend so much more time with them. For the most part, I don't. I don't know.

[C]

Yeah, well, it's very into. If you think about it, reading is a very intimate, like, thing to do because you're solely focused on that. The words on the pages. Like TV shows, movies. There's lots of background things going on. There's characters, you know, I just feel like it's very intimate thing to have between you and your brain when you read. Yeah, right. Dang. Reading get deep.

[B]

To me, we're getting deep.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

This one's kind of a silly one. The one bed trope is overrated. Elite or you feel somewhere in between?

[C]

I think I've done well.

[A]

It's elite.

[C]

I eat it up. I gobble it up.

[A]

Every time I put overrated.

[B]

You said overrated.

[A]

Yes, because I don't think. I think it's overdone, and I feel like it's just kind of an afterthought at this point.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

And a little predictable. Like, they show up to an inn immediately. I'm like, one bed. I want it to be. I want an only one bedroke. But I needed to be more creative. Yeah. You know?

[B]

Yeah. Like, I love me some forced proximity, but let's get a little more creative with it. I couldn't tell you how to do that.

[A]

I will say that I do eat it up when. And I'm thinking of off campus because this just recently happened.

[C]

I don't know why.

[A]

I love stubbornness in people, but when there's one bed and they both refuse to take the bed and they end up on the floor, I just think that's hilarious.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

I don't know. I just think. I don't know. It's not my favorite trope. On planet Earth. If I had to choose a microtrope to be in a book, it's not going to be the one bed. It's going to be something else. I don't know.

[B]

Yeah, I would like to. I like forced proximity as a whole more than I like specifically, like, the one bed trope.

[A]

Do you guys have a favorite microtrape? Is that considered a micro trope? Yeah.

[B]

Yeah, I'd say so.

[A]

Do you guys have a favorite.

[B]

Favorite micro trope? Why do I feel like we did a podcast episode on this once? I love tending to wounds.

[A]

I feel like him washing her hair.

[B]

Oh, that's pretty specific.

[C]

It's very niche.

[A]

Or like, I also don't know. I don't know if this is a microtrope, but I love when they call each other a nickname. And then in, like, a heat of a mo, like, he's worried about her or he's upset with her and he uses her real name.

[C]

I don't know why. I love that. Yeah.

[B]

Yeah, that's a good one. But it can't be overdone.

[A]

Yeah, it's like, it happens once in an entire book.

[B]

Yeah. But I hate when it's, like, a nickname, and it's so cute. And then after, like, three chapters, you're like, like, how many times has he called her Pumpkin?

[A]

Or, like, okay, I like it when there's multiple nicknames. Like, when it's not just one. Do you know what I mean? Like, using her name Short or calling her Pumpkin or whatever.

[B]

There's. There's always, like, a lot of good ones. And I love when there's something new that I discover that I'm like, ooh,

[A]

what was the result?

[B]

Oh, the result. 8% said it's overrated, 40% said it's elite. 52% of you said, somewhere in between,

[A]

we'll just crawl in a hole.

[B]

Pretty indifferent about it, so. No, I, I, I agree with your take because.

[A]

But I know why people love it.

[B]

I just. It's just such an iconic trope, and it's one of those where. Yeah, you see it come the second going on a journey, I'm like, they're gonna have to stop somewhere to sleep. And for some reason, there's only gonna be one bed. It's just. It writes itself, you know? So, anyways, next, if a friend recommends a book, do you tend to read it immediately, put it on your TBR for years, or wait until you're in the mood to read it? Just typically, I know it's a situational. I feel like when I think friends, I'm thinking, like, you two.

[C]

I know. I feel like with.

[B]

I tend to almost read it immediately because I have such major fomo. I'm like, all right. They both read it. It's my turn. I gotta pick it up. Sometimes I have to be in the mood for it, but usually I feel like my FOMO gets the better of me and I'm racing to add it to my Libby or something.

[C]

With you guys, it's probably immediately. With other people, it's put on my TBR for years.

[A]

When I pressed the button on this, I think I said, it depends on, like, I'll wait till I'm in the mood.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Cause you also don't want to start something and not be in the right mood for it. Maybe I shouldn't have added that as an option, but I.

[A]

If it wasn't an option, it would probably be. I agree. I think when you guys have both read a book, I get really bad fomo, so I'll definitely read it faster. But also, I just feel like a lot of people that I know that read don't have the. I feel like out of all the people in my life that read, you guys have the closest taste to me. Anybody else in my life that reads, I feel like doesn't have the same taste as me.

[B]

And you know the title of our podcast.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Hey, who would have thought?

[C]

Well.

[B]

Well, most people say they wait till they're in the mood, which I feel like is. That's a good sense. 59%, 34% said put it on TBR for years. 7% said they read it immediately. See, I think it probably the people

[A]

who read it immediately are like the

[B]

best kind of friend.

[A]

The best kind of friend. Yeah. I'm sorry, I'm not that kind of friend.

[B]

So many books. A little time. I know so.

[C]

Or I feel like I would read things a lot sooner if the wait times on Libby weren't as long. I have to. Literally, it's just a time, a manner.

[A]

I can't talk.

[C]

I'm just waiting for the book to become available to me. Yeah.

[A]

Very real.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

All right. When reading a book, and this goes for, like, a physical book. Okay. Do you need to read in either complete silence or do you have to have background noise of any sort?

[C]

I feel like I fall into the category of no, it doesn't matter to me. I literally read a book at a baseball game.

[B]

But, like, if you're just, like, at home sitting down to read, it probably

[C]

would be in silence for me. Like, I. I don't naturally gravitate towards, like, putting on music.

[B]

Same.

[C]

But, like, I can.

[B]

There's times that I've had really elite reading experiences because I have, like, a very quiet instrumental of a soundtrack going on. And that's fun. But then sometimes it can kill the vibe when I'm in this really intense scene. And then all of a sudden it's like playing the sad melancholy, and I'm like, oh, let me skip it. So I typically say silence, but there's times that listening, like when I was reading the Will of the Many I had on the Gladiator soundtrack and the Dune soundtrack, it was so fun experience. It was so fun.

[A]

I feel like for me, it depends on if I'm. If I'm going to sit down and read for long Long period of time. I typically like to have some sort of. Of background noise that just has to do with my attention span. Span, if I'm being honest.

[C]

Is it only, like, instrumental, or. Can you listen? Okay.

[A]

Oh, I can't listen to the music. You can't listen, like, the lyrics and stuff. But I wish someone, like. I know there was that kind of app where you could play songs based on the chapter you were listening to, but I'm pretty sure it was, like, all AI generated unit music, and the clips are, like 15 seconds long and they just repeated themselves. Oh. So I wish someone. And it would be so tricky because you'd have to, like, get rights to music and whatever. But even if there was some good Samaritan out there who could have playlists, and it was like, track one is chapter one, track two in the playlist, so then it mat. It syncs with the book. That would be so cool.

[B]

Or like, a graphic audio where you have the option to have music playing while you're listening to, like, mute the

[A]

voices, but you hear the sounds and the.

[B]

Yeah, you can, like, opt in to the music or you can opt out.

[A]

That'd be so audible.

[C]

I literally think the only setback with that is literally people's, like, reading speeds are just very different. True. I think that's literally the only thing

[B]

that would be like.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Because there's times I've listened to a graphic audio and I'm like, whoa.

[C]

But I. I think that would be so cool.

[A]

That would be so sick. Someone someday is going to make an app that hopefully is something like that and with, like, real music. But yeah, one day. One day it will happen. It's my favorite.

[C]

Like, envisioning a movie being made to a certain, like, sound like song or whatever. I'm like, they better put this in the movie.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[B]

Well, 61 said, you read in silence. 39 said you need some background noise. So. So I'm just curious, like, what background noise people like? I'd guess, like, instrumentals.

[C]

Yeah, but.

[B]

All right. This is a hard one for me.

[C]

Oh, no.

[B]

Which are you choosing, The Morally Gray MMC or the Golden Retriever mmc.

[A]

I stopped filling out the polls because this put me into a conundrum. So then I exited out because I said, I don't know which one to choose.

[B]

Okay. Someone messaged us and said, if it's a romance book, a golden Retriever, like, yeah, if it's a fantasy book, it has to be the morally gray character, which I feel is just pretty typical. But I feel like if I had to pick for myself, like, if my husband was one of these people, I would want him to be the golden retriever,

[A]

which he is.

[B]

But, like, I don't know, like, in real life, what I want to be.

[C]

I feel like it'd be really interesting to. I don't know if you guys have read a fantasy book where the male main character is like, a golden retriever.

[A]

I want one.

[C]

Yeah. I think I'm gonna pick golden retriever because that's, like, something I want, because

[A]

it would be different. Same.

[C]

It'd be very interesting to read in a fantasy setting, because I feel like the fantasy setting, it's usually set up for the male main character to be a morally gray character because it makes it more interesting. I get that.

[B]

Higher stakes.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Usually it's enemies to lovers or rivals to lovers, so of course he's going to be cold towards her because he hates whatever. Yeah. I would love. I agree.

[C]

I'm.

[A]

I'm gonna ditto to what you said.

[C]

I. Maybe just because, like, the repetitiveness of morally gray. I would love to just see something a little bit different. Yeah.

[B]

Like, it kind of sucks to start a new fantasy book, and you're kind of. Immediately, it's like this tall, broody man with lots of tattoos and a 12 pack comes stalking towards me. I hate his guts. I'm like.

[A]

But he's the most beautiful man I've ever seen.

[C]

It's just like, smells like pine, teak wood.

[B]

It's always pine.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Pine and leather.

[C]

Leather and sweat.

[B]

I love him, but I hate him. Yeah. It's just.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

I would honestly eat it up. I don't know how they would do it to, like, make it more intriguing. Maybe he's a little too golden retriever. Like, too friendly with everyone, and so, like, can't. She can't read the signals. He's trying to mask how she feels.

[B]

Guys have any fantasy book recommendations with a golden retriever male main character?

[C]

I feel like the only one I can think of is Hunger Games. Yeah.

[B]

I guess it's not a fantasy book.

[A]

Give me a novella about Riddick falling in love.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

The side quest.

[C]

I was gonna say daughter of no worlds, but he.

[A]

I feel like he's like a little sweetie. But I wouldn't say he's like a golden retriever.

[B]

He's like a cinnamon roll. Yeah.

[C]

Cinnamon ball one.

[A]

You got them, Bones.

[B]

I think that's honestly a big reason why I like that book.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

So that's a good. That's a good recommendation. Maybe not full on golden retriever, but different. Yeah, that's a good one.

[C]

Different, Esh.

[B]

All right, well, 61% said morally gray, 39% said golden retriever.

[C]

Yeah, I like that.

[B]

All right, next one. How often are you disappointed by a book talk book? All the time. Most of the time. 50, 50 or hardly ever.

[A]

I know this is like a cop

[C]

out, but I feel like it is 50, 50.

[A]

Same.

[C]

Yeah, like literally right down the middle.

[B]

I know I was like, almost didn't put 50 50, but then I'm like, I. I feel like that's probably going to be most people's answer, which it was. 71% said 5050 with hardly ever coming in at 16%. Oh, most of the time, 11. And then all the time, 3%.

[A]

3%. I'm so sorry for that. 3% of you. All the time.

[B]

Yeah. That's a.

[A]

You got to fix your algorithm.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

It's so interesting to see, like, the books that will pop up on my book talk versus the ones that probably pop up on yours.

[C]

But I actually don't know the last time a book has been like, popped up the most.

[A]

The latest one that I've been getting a ton of, and I thought it was all the rage.

[C]

Hold on.

[A]

But then I put it on my Goodreads and I was like, wait, not this many people are reading it. I bet you guys have heard of this, though. This is the last book recommendation I got from Booktok. Because I Killed him by Edith Birdie.

[B]

Yes. That's when all my. Yes, that's one on mine.

[A]

That's. It literally only has 3, 000 ratings because it's like. Because I killed him.

[B]

Yeah, I've heard a lot of people talking about that.

[A]

See, that's what I'm saying. It would just. Just there was a day where there was probably three or four people that were talking about it and.

[C]

Oh, okay, that's lost.

[B]

Yeah, yeah.

[C]

Okay.

[A]

Yeah, the COVID The COVID does not give dystopian or futuristic fantasy anything. So I'm too scared to read it because who knows, could.

[C]

You could really like it, though. It's 5050 chance, right?

[B]

Why not?

[A]

Why not?

[C]

Oh, I feel like the last time when I saw. Saw on, like, Booktok with Starside.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, that too.

[C]

Yeah. Yeah.

[B]

That's on my TBR for summer, unfortunately. I might.

[A]

I'm hoping you might really like it.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

All right, next one is your favorite author releases a new book. Do you read it immediately or wait for reviews?

[A]

I don't give a rip what anybody thinks.

[C]

I'M just gonna read it. Yeah, I usually don't look at reviews.

[B]

Most people 87 said they read it immediately, but 13 said they wait for reviews.

[A]

Rude.

[B]

Everyone.

[A]

I didn't mean to.

[C]

Come on.

[A]

I just love them.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

I feel like I'm a very loyal person. It takes a lot for me to like write off an author altogether. So, yeah, read it immediately.

[C]

I feel like if it's a newer author, yeah, I'll read some reviews of books. But if it's an author that I already love, it's an immediate buy and read.

[A]

You guys have to choose three authors. Three authors that are an immediate buy that you get to read the day it comes out. Every other author, you have to wait at least a month to read their new release. Who are you choosing?

[B]

Sarah J. Maas.

[A]

Absolutely.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Pierce Brown.

[A]

Yeah, I'd probably choose him.

[C]

It was really interesting. I haven't really ever been in the era of him like, releasing books.

[B]

Well, so help me if I got a Red God spoiler a month after it was released.

[A]

I also. Sorry, this is such a tangent. I'm also curious to see. Not to say that his books didn't have the hype that they do now when Lightbringer was out, but I think Lightbringer came out in 2022. 2021 is.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

So like, I think the rise of Red Rising will be so interesting just to see how Red God goes. Like just the, the press and the publicity, all that anyways.

[B]

But third author, I don't know. I feel like it's got to be something fantasy because I'm not always like immediately running to a romance book just because it's kind of like, oh, what? What could really get that spoiled for me? You know what I mean? It's a romance book.

[A]

I'm surprised you're not seeing Suzanne Collins.

[B]

Oh, duh. Yeah. Suzanne Collins.

[A]

I forgive you. It's a lot to think about.

[B]

But, you know, depending on if she releases another book, I might be too scared to pick it up.

[A]

So I honestly feel like, like most

[C]

of my auto buy authors and like the authors I read the quickest are romance authors.

[A]

I'm gonna say one because it's double dipped in both worlds. Rebecca Yaros.

[C]

Oh, that's a good one.

[A]

Oh yeah.

[B]

To wait a month to start the

[A]

next book because I was going to say a romance author because I feel like my other favorite author is probably a romance author. Like if I had to choose. But it's a good point. What are you gonna get spoiled in a month from a Romance book. Probably not a lot. Yeah. But fantasy book.

[C]

I'm gonna steal that one.

[B]

Yeah, that's a good one.

[C]

Rebecca Yarrow. Sanjay Madison.

[A]

Sorry, that was a. No, that was a left field question.

[B]

That was our last one, actually. Wait, Michaela, was this you that posted this one after. Let's count this one.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

To our poll, because Michaela posted a poll.

[C]

Wait, did you say what the.

[B]

Oh, did I. 87 read it immediately? 13 weight ref reviews. So I can see why some people want to wait for reviews. Because I feel like maybe if you're not in the mood to read, it

[A]

can also, like, give you the correct expectation going into a book.

[B]

Well, our last poll.

[C]

Yeah, sorry, I just.

[B]

No, it's okay. I love it.

[C]

I was excited about this screen grab, and I was like, I gotta.

[B]

We got a screen grab as we're recording this today from the director of the Beach Read movie, which is coming to theaters, which is. Is kind of exciting knowing that it's coming to be in theaters and not just streaming somewhere. And the poll is. How are we feeling?

[A]

How are we feeling?

[B]

Adaptation. 28% say they're loving it. 66% say not sure how I feel, and 6% say they hate it. I'm a little surprised. I thought more people would say they hate it.

[A]

I'm gonna say, what was the first option?

[C]

Loving it. What was the other one?

[A]

One. Not sure. I'll just say I'm not sure. The thing is, is I. Beach Read is not my favorite Emily Henry book, so I don't feel like I have. I'd never had a very specific person in mind for Gus. Yeah. So to me, I'm like, I know people say that he doesn't look like him. I've also never seen him act, so I literally don't have any opinion on him other than everybody else's opinion on that they hate it. So for me, I'm just kind of like. Like, whatever.

[B]

I just hope. I'm surprised. And I. Yeah.

[C]

I just think their. Their chemistry is insane.

[A]

That's what. That's. That's literally. I think this is what I've come to find out about all these adaptations. I don't necessarily. I care about what they look like. Right. But I know a lot of people were upset that I think Hannah's eyes in the book are a different color than what the actress's eyes are. Are.

[C]

Oh, really?

[A]

Yeah. And people were so upset that her eye color was not the same. And I can't remember what creator it was, but she basically was like, why do we care about the eye color?

[C]

Like, really, Especially in romance books. It really doesn't add. Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. So to me, I've just come to find out that I literally don't care about. Obviously. Like, there's certain things that need to be accurate to what the author wrote. Like, you know.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Certain things. However, I care more about the chemistry between the characters. Even if it's like, friendship chemistry, romantic chemistry. When I think about fourth wing, I've kind of given up on maybe having the exact person for Xaden that I think. But what I care about most is the chemistry. Yeah. So let's hope when they did their chemistry read, it was off the charts.

[B]

I'm sure it had to have been amazing.

[A]

Well, either that or it's not.

[B]

I will say based off this. I mean, camera test is really all that it really was. But, like, he looks a lot better in this photo than he does in, like, other photos I've seen of him. Like, I think the longer, kind of darker hair is giving me a little more Gus. But he's still not.

[A]

What?

[C]

He's got a chain?

[B]

Yeah, he's still not.

[A]

So, you guys, if you told me. I have no idea what description Gus has in the book.

[C]

He's supposed to have, like, a curlier, like, a little bit more, longer, rugged look. Okay.

[B]

Right.

[A]

We say you have some facial hair right here.

[B]

Well, we'll see.

[A]

Let's hope that the chemistry.

[B]

May 7th, everyone, is the movie release date.

[C]

So May 7th, 20.

[B]

We've got a whole year.

[A]

Wait. How do you guys feel about it?

[B]

I'm just, you know, I'm not setting any expectations. I'm just like, can't wait to see it.

[A]

It.

[B]

I hope I like it.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

I'm like, I think she's great, and I'm interested to see who else they cast. I mean, I know there's not, like a ton of, like, I can't remember. I don't know. I need to reread that one. That was my very first Emily Henry book. And it's been a long time.

[C]

It's been a long time.

[A]

They're both authors and they're writing in houses next to each other, Correct? Yeah, yeah. And it's, like, cold.

[B]

They go on this weird side quest that I thought was kind of strange, but.

[A]

Yeah, it's to help one of them write a book. Yeah, they're doing research for one of their books.

[C]

Cemetery.

[B]

Yeah. Something or mortuary to me. But, like, I remember really enjoying it.

[C]

So vibes different. I'm just. I. If I Had to pick one. I'd be like, I'm not sure how we feel.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Not.

[B]

Not who I would personally pick, but I am excited. It's going to be in theaters, so.

[A]

Yeah, theaters.

[B]

Hopefully catch us at something different about it.

[C]

Something about the theater.

[A]

Now ask us how we feel about the fourth wing casting. When that comes out. We have a lot of opinions.

[B]

It's gonna be months away. We got a long time to sit and think about it.

[C]

Do we know?

[A]

I feel like they've got. They've gotta have the cast pretty quick. I feel like. I feel it. I feel like they're a lot farther with casting than we think they are.

[C]

Yeah. Especially with them, like, going on stage, having this, like, whole Michael B. Jordan being like, we're gonna do you guys justice with the books.

[B]

Did they confirm that they're actually shooting at that castle? You know, that castle?

[A]

No, I. That was just. I think it's confirmed. That was just me theorizing.

[C]

It's a good theory. Hey, I think it's great.

[A]

Thank you.

[B]

But, yeah, I don't know. Anyway, stay tuned. We're always talking about adaptations and all of our thoughts. So I'm sure you'll be hearing. This isn't the last you'll be hearing us talk about it.

[A]

No.

[B]

But thanks so much for tuning in. We hope that you enjoyed this episod and are reading a good book right now. You can always see what we're reading on our Goodreads, which is linked in our highlight on our Instagram story, which are ads for our socials are what she's reading pod on TikTok and Instagram and YouTube. You can also check out our merch at. I'll read what she's reading dot com. We have some very exciting stuff releasing very soon, very, very soon. So please, if you want the most updates, you can follow us at what she's Reading shop. Thanks so much for listening. We will see you next week.

[C]

Bye.