UNDER-HYPED BOOK RECS

Summary

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Podcast Summary: "UNDER-HYPED BOOK RECS"

Podcast: I'll Read What She's Reading
Hosts: Kennedy, Mikayla, and Reggie
Date: April 15, 2026

Overview

In this lively episode, the hosts of I'll Read What She's Reading—Kennedy, Mikayla, and Reggie—dive into “under-hyped” book recommendations. Each host shares a lesser-known book from their own TBR (To Be Read) pile before exploring listener-submitted under-the-radar suggestions across genres, from fantasy to thriller to romance. The episode celebrates book discovery outside of the usual BookTok/Bookstagram hype cycles. Expect infectious enthusiasm, candid TBR confessions, relatable reading habits, and a treasure trove of unique book recs.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What Makes a Book "Under-Hyped"? (00:14–01:00)

• Kennedy: “What is considered underhyped is obviously subjective. To me, just means I don’t hear about it too much.”
• Goal: Inspire listeners to explore less-discussed books and revisit browsing habits: “Maybe, hopefully you can have your Goodreads out and add some new books to your TBR that you haven’t heard of.” (00:38–00:46)

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2. Host Book Picks: Under-Hyped on Our TBRs

Reggie's Pick: A Day Like This by Kelly McNeil (01:00–04:20)

• Reggie shares a “cry-your-heart-out” contemporary about memory and loss.
• Synopsis: Annie wakes up after a car accident and discovers her daughter never existed; five years of her life are missing.
• “If it was any other author, I’d be like, nope, I’m not reading that, but it’s Kelly McNeil. I can’t. Like, I can’t. I’m intrigued.” — Reggie (02:41)
• The group discusses the emotional punch and haunting premise: the possibility that the protagonist might have "dreamt all that up."
• Memorable Quote: “What if everything you’ve ever loved, ever known, ever believed to be true, just disappeared?” — Reggie reading the synopsis (02:06)

Mikayla's Pick: Silver Cloak by LK Stephen (04:23–07:13)

• A fantasy where magic is powered by pleasure and pain; features a detective infiltrating dark mage gangs and an academy element.
• “I thought it was a male main character when I picked this book up, but it sounds like it’s a she.” — Mikayla (06:47)
• Appreciated for its “sick” blue-edged pages and beautiful cover.

Kennedy's Pick: Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan (07:20–08:43)

• Meta-fantasy: protagonist Rey is dying and gets to live inside her favorite fantasy book—but as the villain.
• “She gets to live out, you know, all of our favorite dreams. All of our dreams to live in our favorite fantasy series… But as the bad guy.” — Kennedy (08:13)
• Kennedy: “Second book comes out soon, so…” (08:40)

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3. Listener-Submitted Under-Hyped Book Recs

1. Hollow Heathens by Nicole Fiorina (08:49–11:27)

• Gothic, small-town paranormal romance; “monster” love interest with dark secrets; duology.
• Reggie: “People call this guy a monster. He’s cold and hollow. They said she shouldn’t go near him. He’s actually a big, saucy—”
• Group muses that it gives “Sleepy Hollow” or haunted mansion vibes.

2. Graceless Heart by Isabel Ibanez (11:27–14:41)

• Renaissance Italy, Medici intrigue, magical realism; competition hosted by immortals.
• “I wish I would have known about this before I went on my trip. Imagine this: Renaissance Italy. 15th century… there’s a competition hosted by a secretive immortal family.” — Mikayla (11:53)
• Noted standalone or possible quartet; confusion over whether it’s part of a series.

3. No Matter What by Cara Bastone (Romance) (14:43–17:12)

• Second chance romance: couple on verge of divorce reconnect via drawing class.
• “Our female main character Roz signs up for a drawing class… and then her husband that they’re having a rocky marriage with volunteers to be her subject. And so the story is about her drawing him and them reconnecting. Will they get back together? Who knows?” — Kennedy (16:21)

4. Do What Godmother Says by L.S. Stratton (Gothic Thriller) (17:12–19:31)

• Dual timeline: modern writer inherits a haunted painting linked to a Renaissance artist, sinister patrons, and murder; “spooky,” “paranormal” vibes.
• Reggie: “Her grandma’s like, here, take this painting. Like, thanks a lot, Grandma.” (19:09)

5. Deadly Occupants (Horror/Thriller) (19:43–21:18)

• Haunted house Halloween read; friends survive a traumatic night but their house becomes alive.
• “It’s giving Monster House.” — Reggie (20:33)
• “Entertaining, but you may be able to predict everything.” — Mikayla, quoting a Goodreads friend (20:44)

6. The Deer and the Dragon by Piper CJ (Fantasy, Norse/Mythic) (22:46–24:48)

• MC sees angels/demons; discovers she’s involved with the Prince of Hell and swept into a mythic war.
• “This is off to a wild start.” — Kennedy (23:28)

7. To Bleed a Crystal Kingdom by Sarah A. Parker (Fantasy/Rapunzel Retelling) (24:52–27:17)

• Rapunzel-inspired, castle-bound heroine, “unrequited love for a man who’s utterly unavailable.”
• Quoting a Goodreads review:
  • “Was this book confusing to follow? Yes. Did the protagonist randomly go into heat mid book, which was never addressed before or after this point? Yes. Am I a bit obsessed with it anyway and need to read the next book as soon as possible also. Yes.” — Read aloud by Reggie (26:59)
• All agree: More completed fantasy series like this are needed.

8. The Thirteenth Child by Erin A. Craig (Fantasy/Standalone) (28:06–29:53)

• Gifted healer who is a goddaughter of death; must end lives when necessary, called to court to save a king.
• “She has always known her fate comes with a cost… must end it herself.” — Mikayla (29:00)
• Hosts excited about standalone status.

9. The Adventures of Amina Al-Sarafi by Shannon Chakraborty (Pirate Fantasy) (30:37–33:11)

• Female pirate legend pulled back for one last quest; features pirates, sorcerers, forbidden artifacts.
• “On the high seas. Pirates and sorcerers, forbidden artifacts and ancient mysteries.” — Kennedy (31:04)
• Mikayla: “You know, I’m always down for pirates.” (32:36)

10. I See You’ve Called In Dead by John Kenny (Dark Comedy, Contemporary) (33:13–35:11)

• Obituary writer pens his own obit and faces unexpected consequences.
• “The Office meets Six Feet Under. A coming-of-age tale about a second chance to write your life’s story.” — Reggie (33:31)
• Hosts appreciate the blend of humor and existential themes.

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Reflection on Discovering Under-Hyped Books (35:11–36:00)

• The hosts note how easily BookTok hypes make it hard to discover less popular books, and emphasize bringing back the joy of bookstore browsing.

• Kennedy: “I used to go into bookstores and actually browse … I would try to buy one book that I’d never heard of. And I haven’t done that in so long. I need to do that again.” (27:58)

• Reggie: “People have the most crazy, brilliant, unique brains... If you sat down and were like, Reggie, you gotta write a fantasy book right now... that’s so cool.” (30:13)

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• “Maybe, hopefully you can have your goodreads out and add some new books to your TBR that you haven’t heard of.” — Kennedy (00:45)
• “Her estranged sister is now her best friend. And maybe in a coma… and her recently deceased dog is now alive and well.” — Reggie, on A Day Like This (03:18)
• “I just, look, I was like, this is sick.” — Mikayla, on Silver Cloak’s cover (07:01)
• “No, I’m not a bad guy.” — Kennedy, discussing villain MCs (08:31)
• “Thanks a lot, Grandma.” — Reggie, on inheriting a haunted painting (19:09)
• “[Episodes] like these make me go back to my roots, you know, and just want to discover books by myself.” — Kennedy (27:43)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:14 — What is "under-hyped"? Why spotlight lesser-known books
• 01:00 — Reggie’s pick: A Day Like This
• 04:23 — Mikayla’s pick: Silver Cloak
• 07:20 — Kennedy’s pick: Long Live Evil
• 08:49 — Listener pick: Hollow Heathens
• 11:27 — Graceless Heart
• 14:43 — No Matter What (Romance)
• 17:12 — Do What Godmother Says (Thriller)
• 19:43 — Deadly Occupants (Horror)
• 22:46 — The Deer and the Dragon
• 24:52 — To Bleed a Crystal Kingdom
• 28:06 — The Thirteenth Child
• 30:37 — The Adventures of Amina Al-Sarafi
• 33:13 — I See You’ve Called in Dead
• 35:11 — Reflection and call for more under-hyped book submissions

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Episode Tone & Takeaway

The conversation is upbeat, candid, and sprinkled with friendly teasing. The hosts’ curiosity, passion for reading, and honest admissions (unread TBRs, cover buys, fears of spooky books) make the episode highly relatable. It’s a joyous rallying cry for readers to widen their horizons—browse blindly, trust their own taste, and keep book discovery fun and personal.

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For Listeners:

Find these under-hyped gems on your next bookstore trip! DM your own under-the-radar favorites to the hosts on Instagram/TikTok @whatshesreadingpod.

Transcript

[A]

Foreign. Hello, guys. Welcome back to I'll read what she's reading. I'm Kennedy.

[B]

I'm Mikayla.

[C]

And I'm Reggie.

[A]

And today is an episode dedicated to under hyped books. We each are going to share a book on our underhyped tbr and then we're going to go through with some of the responses you guys gave us for books on your underhyped tbr. Now, what is considered underhyped is obviously subjective to me. Just means I don't hear about it too much.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So maybe you've heard about these books, maybe you haven't, but guess we'll find out. And maybe, hopefully you can have your goodreads out and you can add some new books to your TBR that you haven't heard of. Let's get it. Are we just jumping right in?

[C]

Let's do it.

[A]

Okay, Reggie, let's have you share your book on your under hyped tbr.

[C]

All right. I added this one recently to my goodreads because I was thinking of a different book by this author and I was like, does she have any other books? Because if so, I want to read them. So the book is A Day like this by Kelly McNeil, author of May Luna. I think this book came out in. In 2021, so I think it came out before me. Luna sounds like a book that's gonna make me sob like a baby. And I just, you know, need some more emotional books on my. On my tbr. The photo of it, like the COVID she had. Kelly has great covers for her books. It's a mother holding a daughter's hand. Oh, Gol.

[A]

Reggie in a field.

[C]

Look at the hover. Isn't that really pretty? Yeah, I think I might be a mess, but I'm, like, a little scared. But I really liked May Luna. I'm like, I can't not read another book. So I'll read you the synopsis.

[A]

Okay.

[C]

Please.

[A]

I'm ready.

[C]

I don't know why I feel like the synopsis might even make me cry. What if everything you've ever loved, ever known, ever believed to be true, just disappeared? Oh. So the main character, her name's Annie. She has basically the perfect picture. Perfect picture life. It's a day like any other when she takes her. Wait. Oh, she's on her way to a doctor's appointment with her daughter, and then she wakes up from a car accident. And when she asks for her daughter, the doctors are confused and say that she never existed.

[B]

You're kidding. Oh, you're.

[A]

Why are you choosing this for yourself?

[C]

Well, if it was any other author, I'd been like, nope, I'm not reading that. But it's Kelly McNeil. Like, I love May Luna so much. I can't. Like, I can't. I'm intrigued.

[A]

This sounds nothing like May Luna.

[C]

No. So in fact, nothing after waking up from the car crash is the same as she remembers. Five happy years of her life apparently never happened. The last five years of her life. Her marriage is coming to an end. She was a successful artist living in New York. She's no longer home. Like, she. She just not there anym. Her estranged sister is now her best friend. And maybe in a coma.

[A]

Did she dream this of maybe I

[C]

shouldn't say this part. And her recently deceased dog is now alive and well. With each passing day, she's remembered past and unfamiliar. Her past and present begin to blur, and she can't decide if everyone's lying to her. And so she's on the search for getting answers to where she's at now and if she can reconcile the memories with reality to discover the truth about the life that she's living.

[A]

Well, I think that's gonna make you cry. Yeah, just a teensy bit. Just a little tiny bit.

[C]

Wow. But I saw that cover and I was like, stunning. All right.

[A]

Yeah, good luck. I'll let you read that and then let me know how it is.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. Oh, my gosh.

[C]

No, for real.

[A]

Was she in a coma and she dreamt all that up?

[C]

Yeah, that's what I'm.

[A]

She woke up and it was like, that's what.

[C]

That's. That's what it's looking like for you.

[A]

I guess you'll find out.

[C]

Yep. I will keep you guys posted.

[A]

Oh, take lots of crying self.

[C]

You know it.

[A]

Yeah, that sounds emotional for sure.

[B]

Mikayla, is that me? So I have this book physically. Just have not read it.

[A]

I can see it on her phone.

[B]

And I also have this book physically. I just picked it up because it was beautiful. It's Silver Cloak by LK Stephen. And it sounds very interesting. It's a fantasy series where magic is fueled by pleasure and pain. Oh.

[A]

Oh. I didn't know this about this book

[B]

when I bought it. An obsessive detective infiltrates a brutal gang of dark mages.

[A]

Oh, okay.

[B]

Anyways, it's like she's like a detective and she's kind of a little bit on the run. At least that's what it. It sounds like on her run. Like, on the run. Trying to, like, navigate the stuff that she infiltrated like try not to get killed by them. And there's like two rival gangs involved. Lots of magic. Anyways, it just sounds really good.

[C]

Sounds fun and exciting.

[B]

I don't know how long of a series it's going to be. I think there's just the first book out, so I don't know if I'll get to it like super soon because I have been trying to avoid series that are not. I think it's only gonna be a duology.

[C]

Lovely.

[B]

What's a saga?

[C]

Saga is like what are they? Series, is it not?

[B]

Okay, so it's gonna be more than two.

[A]

Now I'm curious, how many books Saga versus a saga. Oh, three or more.

[B]

Three or more. Okay, so the second one comes out in September.

[C]

Oh, interesting. Sorry. This says a saga is a long sweeping narrative, often covering generations or complex interconnected events. Example Lord of the Rings. While a series is a set of books or films following the same characters or world in sequence, often with individual self contained plots.

[B]

It also seems like there's a training academy. Academy, Like Silver Cloak is like, I think a sort of detective. Like. So there's like an academy element. Anyways, fun. Seems like a fun time. I thought it was a male main character when I picked this book up, but it sounds like it's a she from what the synopsis says. Unless there's multiple POVs.

[A]

You know, I mean, I physically have that book as well. Didn't read the back. It just was really pretty.

[B]

Yeah, it was really pretty. Does yours have like the blue pages? Yep. Yeah, I just, look, I was like, this is sick. Yeah, so. And that one only has like 10,000 reviews.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

So very cool. It could be fun. Yeah.

[C]

Report back, Report back. Please also let us know if you've read any of these that we're talking about. Yeah, I want to know.

[A]

All right. My under hyped book. I'm going to be totally transparent with you guys. I talked about this probably over a year ago on the podcast. Never read it. So here I am again sharing this again with the hopes that I'll read it. And I think I will because it's duology. Second book comes out in May. So I think that's why I haven't. I held off on reading it because I wanted to read them closer together. So the book is called Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan and we are following Rey, our main character. She is dying, but she gets a second chance at life because she gets to go live in her favorite fantasy series.

[C]

Oh, I remember you talking about this. I Forgot this book existed.

[A]

Yes. She ends up being the villain in the fantasy series.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So she gets to live out, you know, all of our favorite dreams. All of our dreams to live in our favorite fantasy series.

[B]

But as the.

[A]

But as the bad guy, you know,

[C]

I wouldn't say no to that. I don't know if I'd say no to that.

[A]

I might say no to that, but

[B]

might make it entertaining.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

No, I'm not a bad guy.

[A]

It sounds really fun. Mm. I mean, unique. And the second book comes out soon, so.

[C]

Interesting.

[A]

That's my underhyped book on my tbr.

[C]

I love love. All right, let's get into your guys's. Yeah. Am I starting?

[B]

Yes.

[C]

All right. First book is Hollow Heathens by Nicole Fiorina. Uh, it's a series book. This is book one. It's the Tales of Weeping Hollow. So. So a woman named Fallon basically comes to her hometown of Weeping Hollow to care for one of her relatives. And for some reason, this town has a very dark reputation and there's some fear surrounding her family. So she ends up being drawn though to someone named Julian, a cursed and feared man tied to an ancient darkness, though. They're like, they're supposed to stay away from each other, but they can't deny that there is this almost faded connection, and they feel like their story has been written before.

[B]

So what was that called? Something. Heathens.

[C]

Hollow Heathens.

[A]

Hollow Heathens.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

So.

[B]

Wow.

[C]

Yeah. People call this guy a monster. He's cold and hollow. They said she shouldn't go near him. He's actually a big, saucy.

[B]

He's a morally gray character.

[A]

Only Is soft for her. Yeah.

[C]

So I don't really know what the plot is other than the fact that she has this pull to this guy she shouldn't be pulled to in this kind of dark and spooky town. So it kind of gives from the COVID and the synopsis. Kind of gives, like. I don't know why. The first thing that popped into my brain was, like, haunted mansion.

[A]

I am like, Sleepy Hollow.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Like.

[C]

Yeah. Sleep. Yeah. Sleepy Hollow.

[A]

Just.

[C]

We got some. Yeah. Very dark, broody.

[B]

Whoa.

[C]

Guy. How many are you. Do you have it pulled up? Yeah. Hollow Heathens.

[B]

H. How you spell it?

[C]

H, O, L, L, O, W. Okay, so then let me tell you how many books there are. Hold on. Okay. There's only. There's two books that are out. I don't know if the second book is the last. Maybe it's just a duology.

[B]

Interesting.

[C]

But it doesn't say that she has any?

[B]

Yeah, because of the last.

[C]

Oh, wait.

[B]

One came out in 2023.

[C]

Yeah. So duology. We love a good duology. Yeah, maybe it's good. According to the reviews, I mean, the average rating is, like, a 3.88, but that's only 16,000 ratings. Yeah.

[B]

So the COVID looks interesting. That's for sure.

[C]

Our girl Heath, she's read it. She hit four stars.

[A]

Hey, so sounds good. That does feel good.

[B]

Yeah. My turn. You know what's really funny is I almost picked this book up, and I didn't, and now I'm regretting not picking it up. I didn't even realize this was by the same author of the books that I have been reading. But this one's called Graceless Heart by Isabel Ibanez. I wish I would have known about this before I went on my trip. Imagine this. Renaissance Italy.

[C]

Ooh.

[B]

15th century. And it has to do with, like, the Medici family missed opportunity.

[A]

I know.

[B]

I think there's, like, magical realism in this, and it's just like she's trying to save her brother, and she's desperate to win something. Oh, there's a competition. Duh. There's a competition hosted by a secretive immortal family. Ooh.

[C]

Ooh. I'm a trait. Ooh.

[B]

Can offer an invaluable boon to the victor. I don't know what boon means.

[A]

B O, o, N E. No.

[B]

B, o, o, N. Boon. Boon. Bone.

[C]

Boon.

[A]

Boon the moon.

[B]

And she has some magical abilities that makes her a target. Ooh.

[C]

Okay. I looked up Boone. Something very helpful, beneficial, or a timely blessing that improves your quality of life.

[B]

Okay. Interesting.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And then she gets target. She gets kidnapped and taken to Florence.

[A]

Michaela.

[B]

I know.

[A]

Oh, I'm so mad.

[C]

How many books are there?

[B]

It's a standalone. Oh, it's a magical standalone. Adult.

[C]

Should I take it up?

[A]

Hold up.

[C]

What's it called again?

[B]

Heartless. Oh, wait. Sorry, I lost it. Graceless Heart. I almost bought that at Target the other day because the COVID is so unique.

[C]

Wait, this is book number one.

[B]

It's a quartet.

[C]

Oh, it's. Because it just came out in January.

[B]

Well, it says in the achingly magical standalone.

[C]

Oh, it just says the spellbound history

[A]

number one when we were picking books for each other. I literally almost got this for you in Lovebound.

[C]

That's so funny.

[A]

Well, I literally had no idea what it was about. That's.

[B]

That's my problem for not writing the

[A]

backup that covers beautiful. I know. I don't know.

[B]

Maybe.

[A]

What's a.

[B]

What's a quartet 4.

[C]

4.

[B]

But then why does it say so maybe there's gonna be different characters.

[A]

It's about. Yeah, I was gonna say maybe it's not. Yeah.

[B]

Because I feel like a quartet means there's four people involved in the story, so. Or like in the quartet. So, anyway, so I think just going to be. I don't know, it says in the book description that it's a standalone, so

[A]

maybe it's kind of like same universe, different characters.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

I mean, yeah. Yeah.

[B]

I'm stoked about that.

[A]

Stoked. Sounds lovely.

[B]

Anyways, Heart. Graceless Heart. I don't know why I want to say Heartless Grace. Graceless Heart by Isabel Ibanez. Sounds freaking good. I'm so mad at myself for not

[A]

reading that while I was on my trip.

[B]

Anyways, that sounds good.

[A]

Sounds very good. All right, I'm going to switch gears just a tiny bit since we've got two fantasy books and I'm going to share a romance book.

[B]

Oh.

[A]

Now the author is. Has the author of this book wrote Promise Me Sunshine, Ready or Not? Yes. So this book, once again, these are ones you guys submitted, so we're following.

[C]

Wait, what's it called?

[A]

Oh, I'm so sorry. No Matter what by Cara Bastone.

[C]

Is that her? What does the COVID look like?

[B]

It is a picture.

[C]

It's okay.

[A]

I don't have it open on my glitter either. It's a house. It's like a flat. Like a Manhattan flower.

[C]

Oh, yes. It's just out of the swagger. Yeah. My tbr. Yeah.

[A]

So this book is called no Matter what by Cara Bastone. She is author of Promise Me Sunshine.

[C]

And there's Ready, Ready or Not.

[A]

Yeah, Ready or Not. So in this book we are following our couple who gets into a life altering accident and they're on the cusp of divorce. Okay, so what I'm assuming is we have Roz and Vin. Ros, I think, is our female main character. And Vin signed a lease to go move somewhere else. So, you know, their marriage is on the rocks. It's not doing well. So our female main character Roz, signs up for a drawing class and she's her best friend with her best friend Rafi. But Raffi is Vin's sibling. So her husband that she's currently like struggling.

[C]

So her, like, in law.

[A]

Yeah, basically, yeah.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So yeah, Roz signs up for a drawing class and then her husband, that they're having a rocky marriage, volunteers to be her subject. And so the story is about her drawing him and them reconnecting. Will they get Back together, who knows?

[B]

We shall see. That sounds interesting.

[C]

Yeah, I like that kind of concept.

[B]

Sunshine was really. It was good. And so I feel like that would be a really good book.

[A]

I feel like everybody said it was emotional.

[C]

I haven't read. Yeah, I feel like. I mean, that's the only book of hers that I've read. But hearing that, and from what I know about Ready or Not, her books are romantic, but they. I think they just kind of COVID some. A lot of, like, grief.

[A]

Yeah, that's kind of what they have,

[C]

like an underlying tone of just. That's a little heavy.

[A]

So that's kind of what this one sounds like.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So.

[C]

Yeah, her covers are beautiful. So beautiful. I want them on my shelf. All right, well, sorry, were you done? Well, to a completely different genre, we've got do what Godmother says by L.S. stratton. It is a gothic thriller.

[A]

Ooh.

[C]

So. And it also goes along the lines of an artist, like, painting. So there's this modern day writer and a Renaissance artist. They're connected by a painting with a deadly secret national treasure. It's hard. Okay. So she finds herself newly single, out of a job, our female main character. And she's cleaning out her grandmother's house when she comes across this painting. And she's drawn to it in a way that she can't explain. So her grandma tells her to keep it. Okay, hold on. Yeah, she's told to keep this painting. And she soon uncovers that the story of the artist is this Renaissance painter named Estelle Johnson. The young woman was taken under wing by the wealthy art patron Maude Bachman, or godmother, as she insisted artists call her and shortly vanished after her brutal murder. So as this girl is digging deeper, she gets really paranoid and is convinced that she's being stalked and that this painting is haunting her. And anyways, the truth of why she's being haunted, I guess, is hiding in plain sight. And it's deadly and scarier than she could have imagined. So creepy.

[A]

So is it paranormal?

[C]

I don't know. It just says a dual timeline gothic thriller.

[A]

This sounds like the plot to, like a whole bunch of video games.

[C]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

Where the painting is haunting them. Ugh.

[B]

Don't know if I like.

[C]

So I guess there's all. It also says that there's like, deaths that are happening around her since she got the painting.

[A]

So it's basically the real.

[C]

But her grandma's like, here, take this painting. Like, thanks a lot, Grandma. I don't know.

[A]

Thanks a lot, Grandma.

[C]

Yeah, the COVID looks kind of spooky. Some eyes. Oh, yeah. So if you're in the mood for a spooky book, maybe give do what godmother says a try. It only has 2000 ratings on Goodreads.

[A]

Why does the COVID I mean, I've never seen get out, but the COVID gives. Give that get out vibes.

[B]

Oh, I have to be in the right mood for books like that.

[A]

Yeah, spooky, spooky, spooky.

[B]

Okay, this one is called Deadly Occupants, so similar. Similar vibes as the other one. The synopsis is really short, so I'm just gonna read it all. It's a haunted house tour on Halloween nights with three of her college best friends takes a twisted turn as Blair barely escapes with her life. The night may have ended, but the horrors are just beginning. Soon after, their home seems to come alive, making them question if they're truly alone. As the paranormal activity rises to a fear filled high, Blair discovers that the house isn't the only thing haunting her, but only her past.

[A]

Bruh.

[B]

Now Blair faces the challenges of solving the devastating mystery or risk succumbing to the same torturous fate.

[A]

It's giving.

[C]

Monster House.

[B]

It is. I don't know if it's like an

[C]

adult version of Monster House. That's her. That movie terrified me as a kid. Honestly, it still terrified me as an adult.

[B]

I have a friend on Goodreads that thread it. They said it was really good but a little predictable. So like entertaining, but you may be able to predict everything.

[A]

I can't decide if I like spooky horror, like spooky ghosty thrillers or not. I haven't read enough of them to populate.

[C]

I don't like spooky paranormal kind of books. That's not a book for me, but I would love for someone to spoil it for me and tell me all about it.

[A]

All right. That sounds like a great Halloween.

[B]

Yeah, straight up.

[A]

Starts on Halloween.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. Let me add that to my list for my Halloween reads. 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.

[B]

And lately we've been spending it wrapped up in our minky couture blankets.

[C]

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.

[B]

So if you're ready to make Your reading experience even cozier. Head to the link below and use our code Readers R E a D E R s at checkout for 50%

[C]

off because every good reader deserves the best blanket.

[B]

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.

[C]

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 binge.

[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.

[B]

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.

[C]

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

[A]

Okay. Bringing it back to fantasy, we have the Deer and the Dragon by Piper cj this synopsis is also very short, so I'm going to just read it off as well. It says the deities you call aren't always the ones who answer. Marlo needs to believe she's crazy. The alternative would mean embracing the gift or curse shared by her mother. And she can see angels and demons, including a dark and haunting entity who's been with Marlo her entire life. At least she believes that's all he is. Until a Fae from the Nordic Panthenon strolls into her life and informs her that she's been sharing a bed with the Prince of Hell. This is off to a wild start.

[C]

It like started off feeling like one dark window.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

And then.

[A]

Oh, the Prince of Hell is missing. Before she knows it, she's entangled in a century old war, stumbling into the battleground of mighty beings of myth and legend and powerful panthenons around the world. Wow.

[B]

What was that one called again?

[A]

It is called the Deer and the

[B]

Dragon by Piper CJ and the Dragon.

[C]

Let me see.

[A]

It's interesting.

[B]

That sounded not at all what I thought.

[A]

No. So let's see. It is. I don't know if it's complete. I'm not sure. It said that the third one was supposed to come out on February 17th of 2026, but three books in the series.

[B]

Dang.

[A]

Sounds kind of crazy.

[B]

That does sound really interesting.

[A]

448 pages, not super long. Hmm. Sounds interesting.

[C]

What would you say the author was Piper?

[A]

Cj.

[C]

All right.

[A]

The Prince of Hell really got me. Yeah, Surprise, surprise. Shoddy. I picture it being like, you know, the angel and demon, or the angel and the devil on your shoulder. Yeah, that she's seeing. Anyways.

[B]

Oh, that sounds wild.

[A]

Wild.

[C]

I have a review I need to read for this next book because it just made me laugh. Okay, this next book, I have the physical copy and it's very beautiful. So this is To Bleed A Crystal Kingdom by Sarah A. Parker. She probably heard of her because she wrote when the Moon Hatched. It's kind of like a Rapunzel retelling, but, like, more fantasy heavy. So 19 years ago, this is the. Here's the synopsis. 19 years ago, I was plucked from the heart of a bloody massacre that spared nobody else. Small, fragile, and enigma, now ward to a powerful high master who knows too much and says too little. I lead a simple life, never staying from the confines of an imaginary line I've drawn around the castle grounds. Stay within, never leave. So she's not supposed to leave the castle. Out there, monsters lurk inside. I'm safe, though at a cost far greater than the blood I drip into a goblet daily. Toxic, unreciprocated love for a man who's utterly unavailable. My savior, my protector, my almost executioner. Oh, I can't help but be enamored with the arcane man who holds the power to pull my roots from the ground. When ferocious beasts spill across the land and threaten to fray the fabric of my tailored existence, the petals of reality will peel back to reveal an ugly truth. No tower is tall enough to protect me from the horror that tore my life to shreds.

[A]

Wow. And this is complete?

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Yes. There's three books, so, yeah, very beautiful, this new cover that they have for it. But, yeah, it was, like, published in 2021. There's only like 20,000 reviews. Honestly, I hadn't heard about it until I got this book I loved, when the Moon Hatched. I was going to read you guys this review that someone gave for it because they gave it five stars, but the review says, was this book confusing to follow? Yes. Did the protagonist randomly go into heat mid book, which was never addressed before or after this point? Yes. Am I a bit obsessed with it anyways and need to read the next book as soon as possible also. Yes.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

What?

[C]

I'm, like, going heat. Okay. Hmm.

[A]

Interesting.

[C]

So, yeah, I'm very. I mean, I love me some Rapunzel.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

So, yeah, Crystal Bloom, book number one.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

You want to know what? I'm gonna move that up in my tbr. I need more completed series in my life because I have not read enough.

[C]

Yeah, same. And I feel like a lot of the ones you hear about are like brand new books.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

That are going to be multiple books, but, you know, I want to start them. Or you've heard too much about them and you already have, like, preconceived notions.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So honestly, sometimes it's hard not to get caught up in the rat race of Booktok and what's currently popular.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

But episodes like these make me go back to my roots, you know, and just want to discover books by myself.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

I used to go into bookstores and actually browse. And just every time I would go into a bookstore, I would try to buy one book that I've never heard of. And I haven't done that in so long. I need to do that again.

[B]

This is your sign.

[A]

It's my sign.

[B]

It's your sign to do it.

[A]

Whose turn is it?

[C]

Michaela?

[B]

Is it mine?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

I'm so sorry. Okie dokie. Let me go to my screenshots. Okay, I. Here's the thing. I have heard of this, but I haven't read it, nor do I know much about it. Only reason I know about it is because it was a book of the month.

[A]

Ooh. Okay.

[B]

Pick. But only has like 20,000 ratings. And someone put this as Our listeners put this as a book that was under hyped. The thirteen Child by Aaron A. Craig. And it's about a gifted healer and a goddaughter of death.

[A]

Oh, I love that. Wait, wait, so you're telling me the healer is the guy?

[B]

No, she's a gifted healer and also a God. Daughter of death

[A]

love.

[B]

She has always known her fate has come with a cost. Blessed with the ability to cure any illness, but also burdened with seeing when a life cannot be saved and must end it herself.

[A]

Yeah, I like that. Yeah.

[B]

When she's summoned to a royal court to save a dying king, Hazel is forced to choose between obeying death's will or following her heart.

[A]

And it's a freaking standalone, y'.

[C]

All.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Remind me the title.

[B]

It's called the 13th child.

[C]

Okay, I'll just go scroll through.

[A]

You guys ever have a book on your, like, shelf and then you remove it and you add it so it's back at the top so you don't forget about it? Yeah, yeah, I'm doing that right now.

[B]

Yeah, no, that sounds really good. That's just Been sitting on my shelf for a long time, and I think this is my sign to actually read it. But that sounds really good.

[C]

Very cool.

[B]

So, yeah, thanks. Whoever wrote that in as an underhived, because that really. Yeah. Really pushes that up on my tbr.

[A]

Yeah, that pushes that up on my TBR as well.

[C]

I just. I. I don't know, hearing all these synopsis. Synopsis. I'm just like, people have the most crazy, brilliant, unique brains. Like, if you sat down and were like, reggie, you got to write a fantasy book right now. I'd be like, like, crazy. That's so cool.

[B]

Be like Brittany Broski. Like, there's dragons. Yes.

[C]

There's a morally gray man. All my favorite things fantasy book that I've probably read a hundred times.

[A]

So, yeah, my next one, Michaela, might really like.

[B]

Oh, okay.

[A]

So I'm just gonna preface this by I am probably going to butcher the pronunciation of the names, and I apologize sincerely. Okay. The book title is the Adventures of Amina Al Sarafi.

[B]

Oh.

[A]

By Shannon Chakraborty.

[B]

Okay. Okay. Okay.

[A]

This is a trilogy.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

On the high seas. Oh, you already sold me pirates and sorcerers.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

Forbidden artifacts and ancient mysteries.

[B]

Oh, yep.

[C]

Sold me.

[A]

Yeah. So I'm going to. Out. Seraphi once had a scandalous career as one of the Indian Ocean's most notorious pirates. She survived backstabbing rogues, vengeful merchant princes, several husbands, and one for real demon.

[B]

Oh, okay.

[C]

Several husbands and a demon.

[A]

Can you go back to that? And she's ready to retire. She's ready to be done. But she's tracked down by a very wealthy mother of a former former crewman. And the mother offers her a bunch of money to retrieve the crewman's kidnapped daughter. So she goes on this epic journey to find this kidnapped daughter with her crew for one last adventure, one last hurrah.

[B]

Wait, what was that one called?

[A]

The Adventure of the Adventures of Amina Al Sarafi says the deeper Amina dives, the more it becomes alarmingly clear that there's more to this job. The girl's disappearance. Okay. There's more to the job and the girl's disappearance than she was led to believe. 4. There's always risk in wanting to become a legend. To seize one last chance at glory and to savor just a bit more power. The price just might be your soul. Anyways.

[B]

That sounds so interesting.

[A]

Down for a pirate story.

[B]

You know, I'm always down for pirates. Wait, that's sounds fun.

[A]

Trilogy.

[B]

I wonder how old the main character is, because you said she Was wanting to retire right. From her hurrahs.

[A]

From her piracy.

[B]

Her piracy. So I'm curious to know, like, what her age is going to be, because if It's. She's like 30s, 40s, that would be kind of interesting.

[A]

It'd be kind of cool. Yeah. I mean, have you guys ever heard of the City of Brass series? Yes, same author. Okay, so I've never heard of that

[B]

series either, but yeah, I haven't read Steve Glass, but I've heard of it.

[C]

Cool. My turn.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Okay. This one's called I see you called In Dead by John Kenny.

[A]

I see what?

[C]

And I see you've called in Dead. Oh, this is such an interesting concept, which I'm. I'm a little confused as to like how this works. You'll see what it's saying. Okay. The Office meets six Feet Under.

[A]

Oh, I'm sold.

[C]

A coming of age tale about a second chance to write your life's story. So it's basically about this obituary writer who is feeling sorry for himself and he is afraid to live. His wife just let him go for a more interesting man, and he goes on a blind date with a woman who brings her ex, and he's just having a night of like, poor me. And he drinks one too many glasses of scotch and proceeds to pen and publish his own obituary.

[A]

Funny.

[C]

He's an obituary writer, so publishes it and the newspaper. So because he is now pronounced dead, according to his job, they can't fire a dead person, but they want to fire him. And so this forces him to realize that life may actually be worth living. So as he waits to see what his fate will be at work, he. His life just kind of hangs in the balance and he's given another shot by his boss to. He starts to attend the wakes and funerals of strangers to learn how to live.

[A]

Oh, my gosh. I would love this book. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Wait, what is this called?

[C]

I see you've called in Dead.

[A]

Yeah, this is right about.

[C]

It's only 294 pages. A lot of the reviews are talking about how brilliant it was. I laughed, I cried. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Sound like the second I read the Office meet six feet Under, I was like, wait.

[A]

So sometimes, though, you have to be careful about books that say the office meets something, because sometimes it gets real cringy real fast. Yeah, but that sounds really. That sounds great.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

See, here's the thing. Never would have heard of any of these books if it wasn't for you guys writing these in. I feel so inspired on that note, there are some books that hopefully you haven't heard of that you can add to your tbr. This is something that we want to do more frequently, so if you like this episode, let us know. And always, if there's ever a book that you read that you think any one of us would like, and it's severely underhyped, please DM us. We really want to read some more underhyped books this year. So if you're not following us on Instagram, you can follow us on Instagram and TikTok at what she's reading pod. And we just want to say thank you guys so much for always shopping our merch. You guys are the best. And for supporting us, following us, listening to the podcast. We wouldn't be here without you guys. So thank you so much. We'll see you next week.

[C]

Bye.

[B]

Bye.