Ep 412 - Do You Need a TBR? TBR Tips!

Summary

Reading Glasses Podcast Summary: Episode 412 - Do You Need a TBR? TBR Tips!

Episode Information:

• Title: Reading Glasses
• Hosts: Brea Grant and Mallory O’Meara
• Episode: Ep 412 - Do You Need a TBR? TBR Tips!
• Release Date: May 22, 2025

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Introduction and Episode Overview

In Episode 412 of Reading Glasses, hosts Brea Grant and Mallory O’Meara delve into the art of creating and managing a To-Be-Read (TBR) list. The episode caters to both novices looking to establish their first TBR and seasoned readers seeking innovative tips to refine their reading strategies. Additionally, the hosts tackle a listener-submitted book tech problem involving Libby account privacy and offer recommendations for Sapphic romances featuring trans femme protagonists.

Current Reads: Sharing Favorites

Bria's Spotlight: Bria opens the discussion by sharing her enthusiasm for The Strange Case of Jane O by Karen Thompson Walker. She describes it as a captivating epistolary novel blending mystery and psychological depth.

Bria Grant [00:37]: “It's epistolary. It's told from the point of view of a theory therapist who starts seeing this woman who's having these strange episodes...”

Bria praises Walker’s ability to create a world that feels both familiar and intriguingly surreal, highlighting the book's blend of mystery and beautifully written prose.

Mallory's Picks: Mallory counters with her current read, The Antidote by Karen Russell, expressing her admiration for Russell’s unique genre-bending storytelling.

Mallory O'Meara [02:37]: “This is historical magical realism. It takes place in the 1930s in Nebraska... the Antidote has no idea what is in the vaults of her mind...”

She lauds the novel’s intricate character development and seamless integration of historical elements with magical realism, making it a standout in her year.

Listener Feedback and Tips

Vee's Book Budget System: Listener Vee shares an innovative approach to managing her TBR by allocating a budget based on completed or abandoned books, effectively reducing her unread pile.

Vee [05:00]: “For every book I own that I finish or DNF, I give myself a $5 book buying budget credit...”

Brea and Mallory express their enthusiasm for Vee’s method, acknowledging its potential to inspire others to streamline their reading lists without feeling overwhelmed.

Heather's Support for Libraries: Heather, a children’s librarian, emphasizes the importance of personal appreciation for librarians amidst broader support efforts.

Bria Grant [06:59]: “Tell a librarian you appreciate what they do... It has made Terrible Days infinitely better...”

Mallory concurs, recognizing the invaluable role librarians play in the community and encouraging listeners to express gratitude directly.

Sponsored Segments

Green Chef: Refresh Your Meal Routine In collaboration with Green Chef, the hosts discuss the benefits of their meal kits featuring dietitian-approved recipes and fresh, organic produce. They highlight the convenience and variety offered, catering to diverse dietary needs.

Mallory O'Meara [11:06]: “Maybe you're assessing your routine... Green Chef makes it so easy to spend less time in the kitchen and more time out in that spring air.”

Listeners are encouraged to visit greenchef.com/50glasses for a special discount.

Ancient Nutrition: Modern Supplements with Ancient Wisdom Another sponsor, Ancient Nutrition, is featured with an overview of their high-quality supplements that merge ancient traditions with modern science, aimed at enhancing overall well-being.

Bria Grant [24:34]: “She loves it for her hair... I love supplements... They make cooking so easy.”

A promo code at ancientnutrition.com/glasses offers listeners a 25% discount on their first order.

Member Spotlight

Sam, Maximum Fun's Member of the Month: The podcast acknowledges Sam as Maximum Fun’s Member of the Month, rewarding them with a $25 gift card and special perks. Sam shares his appreciation for Maximum Fun’s network and how it enriches his listening experience.

Sam [13:05]: “I love being a member. I enjoy all the shows that I listen to...”

Bria and Mallory extend their gratitude, highlighting the vibrant community that supports the podcast.

Book Tech Problem: Libby Account Privacy

Layla’s Concern: Listener Layla reaches out with a distressing issue: her ex-partner has access to her Libby account, raising privacy and security concerns post-breakup.

Layla [26:00]: “I realized something terrible last night that my ex has access to my Libby account... I already reset the password, but that doesn't seem to affect devices that are already signed in.”

Hosts’ Response: Bria and Mallory empathize with Layla, sharing personal anecdotes about similar breaches of privacy. They suggest practical solutions, such as resetting PINs and contacting the library to issue a new library card, effectively severing the ex’s access.

Mallory O'Meara [30:10]: “Libby uses library cards for signing in... If the unexpected card activity continues, ask your library to issue a new library card...”

Brea adds reassurance, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding personal reading habits and offering support through their shared experiences.

Recommendations: Sapphic Romances with Trans Femme Protagonists

Luca’s Request: Luca seeks Sapphic romance novels featuring trans femme main characters to better resonate with his long-distance relationship.

Luca [33:00]: “I am frantically looking for Sapphic romances with trans femme main characters... I just want to read smut I can relate to.”

Hosts’ Suggestions: Bria and Mallory recommend Roller Girl by Vanessa North and Fake It by Lily Seabrook, both indie titles known for their spicy Sapphic romance elements and inclusive representation.

Bria Grant [34:04]: “Roller Girl by Vanessa North, which is a spicy contemporary between a personal trainer and a plumber who are on the same roller derby team.”

They acknowledge the scarcity of mainstream options and encourage listeners to share additional recommendations, fostering an inclusive literary community.

Conclusion and Calls to Action

As the episode wraps up, Brea and Mallory urge listeners to support the podcast by leaving five-star ratings and reviews on their preferred podcast platforms. They also promote their merchandise available at the Void Merch store and remind listeners to join their community on social media for updates and interactions.

Mallory O'Meara [36:01]: “Pretend that I am there with you and give us a five-star rating... It really helps the show.”

The hosts conclude with heartfelt thanks, reinforcing their commitment to enriching the reading lives of all book lovers.

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Notable Quotes:

• Brea Grant [16:01]: “I think there's a default TBR that a lot of readers have, and that's the books that they bought.”
• Mallory O'Meara [22:03]: “Make a list of authors you want to check out... It can be a giant unorganized list or very short.”
• Bria Grant [35:06]: “I was looking for a long time... I just don’t have like the background for it.”

This episode of Reading Glasses offers a blend of practical advice, personal anecdotes, and community engagement, making it a valuable resource for readers looking to optimize their reading habits and navigate book-related challenges.

Transcript

[Bria Grant]

Foreign.

[Mallory O'Meara]

You're listening to Reading Glasses, a show about book culture and literary life designed to help you read better. I'm author and book devourer, Mallory o' Meara.

[Bria Grant]

And I'm Bria Grant, filmmaker and e reader. This episode we're giving out tips on making a TBR list for the very first time. Your first time.

[Mallory O'Meara]

The very first time.

[Bria Grant]

Plus, we solve a book tech problem about an ex having access to your Libby account and recommend Sapphic romances with with trans protagonists.

[Mallory O'Meara]

But first, what are you reading, Bria?

[Bria Grant]

I just finished a book that's going to be one of my best of the year. I.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Tell me, tell me.

[Bria Grant]

I was taken by this book. It's the Strange Case of Jane O by Karen Thompson Walker.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Someone just recommended this to me. I think it was Helena.

[Bria Grant]

Oh, Helena. I have the same taste. That makes sense. Karen Thompson Walker wrote a couple books I liked the Age of Miracles and the Dreamers. Both sort of our world, but different sort of things. This is too. It's epistolary. It's told from the point of view of a theory therapist who starts seeing this woman who's having these strange episodes where suddenly. So she disappears for like a few days and they don't know where she went and then she just appeared in like Prospect park and they think she was in some sort of disassociative state and she has no memory of where she's been. Weird thing about her is when she starts seeing this, I think he's. Oh, he's a psychiatrist. Not just a therapist, a psychiatrist. Once she starts seeing the psychiatrist, come to find out she actually has one of those memories where she can remember everything that ever happened and the day it happened on. So it's very weird that she has no memory of these few days that she was gone. So it's his journal about her and what is happening with her. And then at one point it turns into a journal that she's writing for her. She has a young son. She's a single mom and she has a young son. And she starts writing to him about what's happening as well. And it's sort of a mystery about what happens, but in Karen Thompson Walker fashion, it's not like so much happens. It's more just that the characters are really interesting and it's just written in such a way that it's a little bleak but also like it's so fascinating and it's just really amazingly. It really. It just took me and I had to finish it because I had to know what was going on. And there's not like some big. Also, I like her books because they're very Our world. Like, it's just like if this. If you told me this happened, there is like a science fictional element to it. But if you told me this happened, I would be like, yeah, that makes sense. Because the way she writes it feels like it's our world. It's just such a beautifully written book. I adored it. So it's part puzzle, part epistolary. It just checks so many boxes for me. Amazing, amazing book.

[Mallory O'Meara]

All right, I'm gonna have to bump that up. Cause I did put it on my TBR after Helena told me.

[Bria Grant]

Amazing book. What are you reading?

[Mallory O'Meara]

I'm also reading a book that might be on my best of the year. We talked about it a little bit last episode. It's the Antidote by Karen Russell. I'm a huge Karen Russell fan. I like Karen Russell. And I will say off the top, there's some tough stuff in this book. This book opens up with a scene that I had to skip because it was very hard to read. It's a lot of anim. Yeah. But I skipped over it and you know what? I've been fine ever since. Okay, so it is a historic Karen's.

[Bria Grant]

We're reading two Karen.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Karen forward episode. This is. She's probably my favorite Karen writer.

[Bria Grant]

Oh, wow.

[Mallory O'Meara]

I love Karen because she writes weird fiction. So this book, it's historical magical realism. I would say it's kind of genre bendy. And it takes place in the 1930s in Nebraska. It opens on Black Sunday. So Black Sunday was this real thing that happened. It was a historic dust storm, like, that killed tons of people, destroyed a lot of property. It was like one of the worst dust storms in American history. And it's all about this, like, tiny little town that is fictional, but exists in this world that is already kind of like. Town's already kind of collapsing. People are leaving. There's not a lot of people there. And what this storm does to it and what it's like living in this dust bowl. There's all these different characters, and a couple of them are the magical realism part. One of the main characters has no name. She calls herself the Antidote. And she's a prairie witch. And her magic is. She's basically like a bank vault for people's memories. And if people have something that they don't want to forget or they don't want to remember, they tell her. And it gets stored in her body. She doesn't even know what it is.

[Bria Grant]

Oh wow.

[Mallory O'Meara]

It literally. She says that I have no more idea of what is in my, the vaults of my mind than a P.O. box does of its contents. Like she just has no idea. There is a photographer who has a camera that can time travel. But it's all about these like characters in this place dealing with the effects of this dust storm and kind of dealing with the effects of, you know, how American settlers ruined this country. And like it talks a lot about how farming, even though, you know, the farmers are doing their best, they like the way they farmed the, the area of the dust bowl, like ruined it. It ruined all the topsoil. Like that's why these dust storms are happening. So it's a really fun mix of, of like actual history and magic stuff and really great weird characters. A lot about climate change and colonialism and like it's, it's this really incredible blend. It is a honker. It's a thick book. Also, I do want to say Karen Russell wrote the out of this. There are some lines in this that I was like these are like I have to read them aloud to somebody around me kind of lines.

[Bria Grant]

Wow. Wow.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Just like she's a beautiful writer. Oh so good.

[Bria Grant]

Two beautiful Karen writers.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Two beautiful Karen writers. This is one of those book rare books that I would say it is all doorways. You could read it for language, you could read it for setting, you could read it for character or you could read it for plot.

[Bria Grant]

Wow.

[Mallory O'Meara]

I'm reading the Antidote by Karen Russell.

[Bria Grant]

And I'm reading the Strange Case of Jano by Karen Thompson Walker.

[Mallory O'Meara]

So I want to take a moment to share some listener feedback. Vee wrote in to say hello. I've mentioned in the Slack community before. Thank you so much for this community. But after the episode on self imposed book Rules, I thought I would email in the system I came up with to help me get through my tbr. I started with physical books but it can be used for any format. For every book I own that I finish or DNF, I give myself a $5 book buying budget credit. Okay, finish or DNF a book within the same calendar year I bought it, I give myself a ten dollar credit. This is the money that I use to create a book budget that I find reminiscent of the book fair energy from childhood. I've used this method since the start of 2023 and my unread physical books went from 128 to 33 by the end of 2024. Sometimes my budget goes in the red after a stop at my Favorite out of town bookstore. But as long as I have more books I am getting through either reading or dumping than I am accumulating, then it's working. In case anyone asks, it's still totally counts if you have the book in one format and then use another format from the library to get through the book.

[Bria Grant]

V I love it.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Hold on. Wait.

[Bria Grant]

This is. This is incredible. Amazing. Mallory did that one handed. By the way that I love this system.

[Mallory O'Meara]

I. I think maybe next year I'm gonna adopt this because I've actually been doing something similar where my unread physical non fiction tbr I've been getting through it through audiobooks at the library. Oh and the ones that I don't like I get rid of and the ones I do like, I keep.

[Bria Grant]

Okay, I like that.

[Mallory O'Meara]

But I like this idea.

[Bria Grant]

It's very good.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Hot book tip. Hot budget tip.

[Bria Grant]

A hot budget tip. I love that Heather wrote in and said hi guys. I absolutely loved your episode about all the ways people can support libraries in the face of the bullshit happening right now. As a children's librarian, I have a suggestion for another small thing people can do for their libraries. Tell a librarian you appreciate what they do. As wonderful it is to see all these people fight so passionately for libraries, it's pretty rare for us to get told in person that our work is appreciated. This is a job you cannot do if you're not obsess passionate about it. And we do not do it for the praise. But the few times that I've been told by a patron that they appreciate the work I'm doing has made Terrible Days infinitely better and it helps bolster us for the fight ahead. So I encourage people to go into their libraries, find a librarian and give them a heartfelt thanks for what they do in the community. That is very sweet. Yes, I think that's a great idea.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Heather also wanted to chime in about we got a lot of really fun emails about self imposed book rules that people have for themselves.

[Bria Grant]

Yeah.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Heather says I would in general say I do not do rules, but I do sort of set rules for myself each year to make sure that I'm reading more diverse books. This year I'm making a point to read more translated books. But as I was listening to the episode, I realized I might have one slightly unconscious rule. The rule is that if anyone recommends a book to me or I read about a book that should be my if I find out that it features any sort of heterosexual romance, I immediately know that I'm probably not going to Read it. It's important to note that this does not include simply straight characters. There are straight characters with no romance or romantic subplot. I'm fine, but the minute they start to have squishy feelings, I'm out. I just know I won't be able to relate. There are a few exceptions to this rule, but it has helped me narrow down my TBR a lot. Like a. That's why it's good to know your dog house, because it really helps to narrow stuff down.

[Bria Grant]

Yeah, it does. And this is actually a hard thing. I mean, there's some sort of. I know in movies, like, it's like 80 or 90% have some sort of, like, heterosexual romance plot to it.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Yeah.

[Bria Grant]

Heather's wheelhouse, in case we're curious, which we are, is gay shit. Especially Queer Joy. Historical fantasy, slash alt history, slipstream and weird time stuff. Slipstream? Is that like time travel?

[Mallory O'Meara]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Bria Grant]

Complicated, strong women, puzzle mysteries, folklore and folklore inspired cosmic horror. Ghosts, bonus of the ghosts help solve mysteries, short stories, unusual magic systems, repressed Edwardian gay men, medieval nonfiction, queer history, poetic language and fantasy that talks about the economy.

[Mallory O'Meara]

I love it. Then Alana wrote in to say hi, Brian Mallory. I've been a longtime listener since the lockdown days of COVID and I just.

[Heather]

Wanted to send a note to say.

[Mallory O'Meara]

How much I love the show. I've always loved reading, and your show is such a bright spot in my reading life. I save episodes for my commute home after I've had a particularly rough day working in the ER because I know it will cheer me up and make me laug laugh. The slide whistle is practically a Pavlovian response for me now. Love it. You introduced me to horror and magical realism, books that I never would have thought to pick up from authors I love now, such as Grady Hendrix, Paul Tremblay, and Kirsten White. I love how your taste and recommendations span so many genres and you make everyone feel like no matter what they're reading, they have great taste.

[Heather]

It's true.

[Mallory O'Meara]

You all have great taste.

[Bria Grant]

You do.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Books are great.

[Bria Grant]

You do.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Also, I do want to say, before Bria reads this wheelhouse, someone wrote in the other day to say another boring email about how I appreciate the show. Folks, these are not boring emails. No, I live for this shit. I get up in the morning for this shit. So if you want to send an email saying that this show means something to you and you feel like all the stuff you've said you want to say has already been said, that's fine. Yeah, I will hear it every day for the rest of my life and be happy about it. Yeah, what is Alana's wheelhouse?

[Bria Grant]

World War II Europe historical fiction. Bonus points if it leaves me sobbing. Rom coms with very millennial main characters, multigenerational family sagas, horror focused on TV slash movie settings, and thrillers proudly displayed in import bookstores. I like that specific and honestly, I know exactly the thrillers you're talking about.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Yep, a lot of big type on those covers. Yeah, you can email us at reading glasses podcastmail.com if you want a list of all the books we talk about on the show delivered to your inbox every month. You can sign up for our newsletter. This link in the show notes Quick bookmark for me to remind folks that on June 3rd I'm going to be doing a Daughter of Daring event in Kansas City at the Kansas City Public Library. At the date that we are recording this, I still do not have a link, but just mark that date on your calendar. I'd love to see some Kansas City glassers. And before we talk about how to make a tbr, we're going to take a quick break.

[Heather]

Reading Glasses is sponsored in part this week by Green Chef. Folks, it's springtime, which means it's the perfect time to refresh your meal routine.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Maybe you're doing some spring cleaning.

[Heather]

Maybe you're assessing your your routine, your.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Exercise, the stuff you're cooking.

[Heather]

It's the perfect time to check out Green Chef. They've got dietitian approved recipes and all of them feature fresh organic seasonal produce and a hundred percent responsibly sour source proteins. Green Chef makes it so easy to spend less time in the kitchen and more time out in that spring air. And folks, you can take it from.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Me, you know I hate cooking. You know I wish I could just.

[Heather]

Plug myself into the wall.

[Mallory O'Meara]

But you know what the next best thing is?

[Heather]

Green Chef they even have new heat and eat meals.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Which means you can enjoy a delicious.

[Heather]

Wholesome meal in just three minutes. Whether it's a salad ready in just five minutes, protein packed breakfast or a smoothie to fuel your day, Green Chef.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Has got you covered for the busiest days.

[Heather]

It doesn't mean making a whole meal folks. It's all kinds of stuff that Green Chef offer. They have over 80 weekly options and they have week to week flexibility. They make it so easy to find meals that fit your lifestyle. It doesn't matter what kind of weird.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Diet you have, if you are the.

[Heather]

Kind of person that has to ask for substitutions from the Waiter or waitress at a restaurant.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Green Chef is for you. Both Bria and I, we don't eat meat.

[Heather]

Bria is gluten free. I have lots of food allergies.

[Mallory O'Meara]

And we have a really easy time.

[Heather]

Finding stuff with Green Chef. They've been a long time sponsor of.

[Mallory O'Meara]

The show for a reason.

[Heather]

We love them.

[Mallory O'Meara]

They make cooking so easy.

[Heather]

Even easy for someone like me who wishes she didn't have to eat food.

[Mallory O'Meara]

But if I do have to eat food, I'd like it to be Green Chef.

[Heather]

So make this spring your most delicious yet with Green chef. Head to greenchef.com 50glasses and use code 50glasses to get 50 off your first month. Then 20 off for two months with free shipping. That's code [e-mail] 50glasses classes.

[Brenda]

Hi, is this Sam?

[Sam]

Yes, it is.

[Brenda]

I'm Brenda, host of Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries on Maximum Fun. And I'm calling because you've been named Maximum Fun's member of the month for May.

[Sam]

Wow. I'm really excited to hear that. I love being a member. I like all the BoCo and I just, I enjoy all the shows that I listen to. I just, I love Maximum Fun.

[Brenda]

As our member of the month, you'll be getting a $25 gift card to the Maximum Fun store. A special member of the month bumper sticker, a special priority parking spot at Maximum Fun HQ in Los Angeles, California, just for you.

[Sam]

I can't wait to see what the bumper sticker looks like.

[Brenda]

Oh, yeah. I am obsessed with bumper stickers. What's your message to people thinking about joining Maximum Fun?

[Sam]

I mean, if you really like the shows, I think it's like a really good way to help support them. I'm really happy I'm able to thank.

[Brenda]

You so much for listening.

[Sam]

Thank you for making your show become.

[Mallory O'Meara]

A Max Fun member. [e-mail] join. This week we're talking TBR lists for all the folks who have never had one. How do you start? What do you put on it? Should you have one at all? And for folks who already do have a TBR list, should you make a new one, we've got hot TBR tips for everybody. Baby, play that sizzling fajita sound. So today's episode was inspired by Erica, who wrote in to say, I have a real issue with feeling like I have to do something, and that makes me immediately feel completely unable to do that thing. No matter how interesting a book sounds when someone recommends it to me, as soon as I write it down on A list I instantly know I'll never pick it up, so I just don't have a tbr. I almost exclusively read with Libby. And when I'm ready to start a new book, I'll build a filter for what I'm in the mood for. A few times I've tried to do this, to create my own list based on books I find that look interesting, that I'm just not in the mood for. Right then thinking, then next time I'm looking, I can look at my curated list. But nope. My brain even decides that this list isn't allowed. And I've never picked up even one of the books I've put on it. This quirk of mine also caused issues when I buy physical books. I love browsing at bookshops and really want to support indie bookshops anytime I can. But when I buy a physical book, if I don't start it the day I buy it, it goes on the bookshelf. It then feels like homework I have to do, and I don't ever pick it up, no matter how excited I was to read it when I bought it. In a lot of ways, my system works for me. But sometimes I think a TBR list might make my reading better. If I could make it happen. I will go through slumps where nothing sounds good, so I'll have months go by without reading anything. And I think having a list to work through at these times might keep me on track more. Do you have any suggestions for keeping a TBR list from giving me these quote, but I don't wanna vibes. Or maybe how to start one from scratch after several failed attempts? Okay, before we go into our TBR creation tips, first question for you, Bria. Do you think everybody needs to have a T?

[Bria Grant]

No, I don't think so, but I think there's like a default TBR that a lot of readers have, and that's the books that they bought. Like Erica said, like the books they bought. That's like your TBR where you're like, I'm gonna read these because I bought them and they're right here. But that's also different because Erica's also an E reader too.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Seems like it.

[Bria Grant]

Okay, so E reader, but also buys some physical books. But yeah, I think the default TBR for a lot of people is like, whatever's on the shelf.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Yeah. Books on the nightstand.

[Bria Grant]

Yeah. What's on the nightstand? Do you think people need a tbr?

[Mallory O'Meara]

No. I mean, with a lot of stuff we talk about on the show, if you're Happy and it's working for you. Go on your little merry way. Like, if you are regularly finding books that you are enjoying without a tbr, go for it. The goal is to be happy with your reading life, not to do it in a specific way. There's no right way to be a reader. But I'd say even Erica is okay because she seems to have a good system. Except for the fact that she says she regularly gets into months long slumps. It seems like she does want to change that.

[Bria Grant]

Yeah.

[Mallory O'Meara]

And even that. I will say a period without reading is okay as long as you're happy. But if you're not reading and you wish you were, then I think it is time to figure something out. On that note, Bria, what are some tips on starting a tbr?

[Bria Grant]

Okay. You've never had a TBR before in your life. I think you do have to figure out like what kind of person you are.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Yes, I agree.

[Bria Grant]

So for me, I like a lot of options. I like not forgetting everything. So I. Anything. So I have an incredibly long list. But it doesn't bother me because I'm just like, this is not. I don't think of this as like.

[Mallory O'Meara]

A to do list.

[Bria Grant]

A to do list, or it's not a chore list I have to get through. It's just like, this is a suggestion.

[Mallory O'Meara]

It's a cabinet full of snacks.

[Bria Grant]

Yeah. So you need to. And none of them ever go bad. So you have to show, you have to think, is this a chore? Will you look at a list and be overwhelmed by it? Then you know, have a list of 10. You know, really limit yourself. But. So first of all, decide which is good for you. And second of all, I think you have to figure out what your wheelhouse is like. If you make a TBR and they're all books you're supposed to read instead of what you want to read, it's going to feel like a useless challenge. And why would you have one anyway?

[Mallory O'Meara]

Yeah. Then that, that really makes it feel more like homework.

[Bria Grant]

Yeah. What do you think?

[Mallory O'Meara]

I agree. I think it's important to remember that a TBR can be whatever you want it to be. It doesn't have to be a, like you said, a hundred book long list of random stuff. It can be, it can be that. It can be a giant unorganized list. It can be very short. Whatever makes you excited and not overwhelmed. Your TBR could be one book long. Like, I really, I really want people to remember that there's no right way to do this. A TBR list is literally just a collection of books that you want to read. You can make it whatever format you want. You can make a. Make it in a cute little journal. You can put it on your phone, in the notes app. There's no. No right way for this. What else?

[Bria Grant]

Well, like I said, think of it as a TBTR Books to try reading. Books to be tried read. That's not. That doesn't work, does it? To be.

[Mallory O'Meara]

To be tested.

[Bria Grant]

Tested. Maybe a tbt.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Yeah.

[Bria Grant]

To be. To be considered C. So just so you know, you're not putting a lot of pressure on yourself because anything starting with like a bunch of books and you're like, oh my gosh, now I have a hundred books. Like, don't. The pressure, I think is. Can be what gets to people. So think of it as like a TBT something books that you're testing out. Reading.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Yeah, a little book utery board.

[Bria Grant]

But again, but again, again, it's not a chore list, right?

[Mallory O'Meara]

Yeah. Like for me, it was a big game changer when I started curating it because I feel like the same way. Like for me, my book TBR is a wine cellar. Like, because for me, my TBR is mostly a print one. I have a gigantic bookcase that is my TBR and it's all organized by genre. I have sci fi, fantasy, horror, literary fiction, historical fiction, non fiction. And then I keep my new releases as then I have a whole, whole shelf for smut. I don't keep a written TBR at all. Like, I do not have a list anywhere. I do not have have one in my phone. I used to keep one every once in a while. If I don't own a book and I can't get it on on Libby, I will make a list in my book buddy. But most. This. This is surprising to a lot of people. I don't have a list. I don't keep an. Like my TBR is. Is. Is all physical because I keep. I put a lot of stuff on hold On Libby. And that kind of helps. But I make sure each section in my print DBR is around a shelf long. So it's not wicked overwhelming. It's like a little curated chunk. And again, it feels like browsing my own wine cellar. I don't think I will ever be very rich. This is as close as I will get to a wine cellar. But you can do this by. I do it by genre, but you could do it by mood, by topic, by trope. If you're a big romance person, you just. I think like you said earlier, it's really important to know yourself as a reader and figure out whatever categories that you're choosing from that you usually choose your next read by and organize that way, if you are a mood reader. Organize by mood. I am a. Like, I. I'm very genre focused reader. I organize by genre, maybe. I mean, there's. There's endless ways that you can curate it. You just have to figure out, like, it seems like Erica would do it by mood, you know, but there's. You could do it any way you want. So what are our tips for Erica, specifically? What do you think, Bria?

[Bria Grant]

Do you remember the four personality types? Yes, the. Okay. I think you and I are both upholders, but I'm kind of a questioner.

[Mallory O'Meara]

I think we. We're both upholders with, like, tendencies in other directions, but mainly upholders.

[Bria Grant]

So basically, it's about rules. And upholders, they follow outside rules and rules they set up for themselves. Questioners question rules and only do the ones that apply to them. So I think that is me more. And rebels hate rules. And I think Erica is a rebel.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Oh, 100%.

[Bria Grant]

That whatever you're told to do, she wants. Whatever she's told to do, she wants to do the opposite. Even if it's by her, herself. Even if she tells herself to do it. So I think the idea of this TBR is boxing her in. And I meant to ask the number one rebel in my life how he decides what to read next.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Your husband?

[Bria Grant]

Yeah. Cause I think he also just buys books when he hears about them and keeps them around for when he's ready. I'm pretty sure that's what he does. But I know this is a problem too. Cause if I was like, you should read this book, he would never read would be a problem.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Don't trick him into doing it. Yeah, you have to hide it somewhere in the house and have him just find it.

[Bria Grant]

He has to write, right? He has to feel like he discovered the book. No, he has to come to it on his. And that's fine. And I think it's good to know that about yourself, I guess. Is there a way for Erica to hide a book from herself, forget about it, and then find it.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Have someone in her life, like, just plant books around the house.

[Bria Grant]

Yeah. I don't know. Because I think the problem is you're not gonna be a TBR list just may not ever work for you. I have. Well, okay, you have a plan.

[Mallory O'Meara]

I have a potential. I'm not gonna bring out the side whistle because I don't know if this works for Erica yet. This potential hot tip.

[Bria Grant]

Okay.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Is Erica needs to make an author tbr, not a book tbr.

[Bria Grant]

Oh, okay. Go on.

[Mallory O'Meara]

This is my. I felt pretty proud, this one. Okay, so make a list of authors you want to check out. And that way, when you're in the mood for a book, you have a list of something to check out, but you are still browsing books. There's no particular book you are picking out, so you still get that feeling of discovery and picking something in the moment, but you have just a little bit of guidance. You know what I mean?

[Bria Grant]

Like you do with subjects also. Right. If you're like, yeah, you were like, I want. I think I like haunted house books. But you only then you just look at haunted house book list lists when you're ready for it.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Yes.

[Bria Grant]

Okay.

[Mallory O'Meara]

So honestly, you can do something like the reading glasses challenge, but like, I. I want to read a science book. I want to read a poetry collection. Like, you can. You can make a TBR out of anything, whether it's authors, whether it's genres, whether it's moods, whether, like, I. I think that's the way for Erica to do this is to find a way that.

[Bria Grant]

I love that.

[Mallory O'Meara]

To make. Make a list of some kind of list that is still really loose. And that way you're still remembering things you want to read, but you don't. You. You have the feeling of, oh, I got to pick my. Myself. You know what I mean?

[Bria Grant]

You should be a book podcaster. That's a good advice. That's good.

[Mallory O'Meara]

You know what's funny is this exact conversation about. Actually about a book light was the reason we started reading Glasses. This is you and I, our friend hearing us talk about giving out tips. And so a friend was like, wow, you guys should be book podcasters. And we were like, we were.

[Bria Grant]

And then we were.

[Mallory O'Meara]

And then we were.

[Bria Grant]

I think that's great. Great advice. Good hot tip. Because then it's still a tbr. Ish.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Yeah.

[Bria Grant]

But it's not like an assignment.

[Mallory O'Meara]

It's a. Won't be like a regular tbr. It's a cool tbr. It's a TBR that walks in the room and sits in a chair backwards and is like, call me by my first name.

[Bria Grant]

Yep, yep. I think that's right.

[Mallory O'Meara]

So you can send your thoughts on TBRs to reading glasses podcastmail.com. before we solve a Libby problem, we're gonna take a quick break.

[Heather]

Reading Glasses is sponsored in part this week by Ancient Nutrition. Folks, you've read Mythology.

[Mallory O'Meara]

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[Heather]

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[Mallory O'Meara]

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[Heather]

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[Mallory O'Meara]

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[Heather]

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[Mallory O'Meara]

Folks, Bria uses collagen.

[Heather]

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[Mallory O'Meara]

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[Mallory O'Meara]

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[Mallory O'Meara]

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[Mallory O'Meara]

It's hard to explain what Jordan Jesse Go is about so I had my kids take a stab at it. Probably weird stuff. You talk about jobs that are annoying, business. I think you probably learned your lesson after talking about business a couple of times.

[Bria Grant]

Grown up jokes that I don't understand and there's no pussy maker and.

[Mallory O'Meara]

All the podcasts.

[Bria Grant]

Oh boy.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Subscribe to Jordan Jessie Go a comedy show for grownups. Time to look at some book tech advances in bookish technology. This week we've got a book tech problem to solve from Layla. Layla says hello ladies. I've been a listener for years and I love the show. It has really helped me through some hard things and never fails to make me smile. I am currently going through a breakup and realized something terrible last night that my ex has access to my Libby account. He wasn't much of a reader and didn't have a library card. I know Red flag so I let him borrow mine so he could access it on his phone. I didn't think much of it until I realized that I couldn't get rid of it remotely. I don't think he'll do anything spiteful with it, but it feels really weird to think that he could potentially see what I'm reading at any given time. Again, not that he would care or check. He may even have deleted the app already, but I have no way to know. And it feels weird. I already reset the password, but that doesn't seem to affect devices that are already signed in. I even tried the reset everything option on my laptop, but that only seems to affect the device that does the reset. I really don't want to get rid of my account because it has a lot of my books tagged and a full holds list. Is there anything I can do? Or am I doomed to only use hoopla forever? Only a Sarah at heart. Layla. Bria.

[Bria Grant]

What?

[Mallory O'Meara]

You only had one?

[Bria Grant]

I said, oh my God. What if he. What if out of spite? First of all, don't give me. He's looking at what you're reading. He's looking at. Don't. You're like, he probably wouldn't. He's looking.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Second, I have a story about that.

[Bria Grant]

He's looking. And what if he went and he just maxes out your holds all the time so you can't make any holds? That would be my ultimate nightmare. If someone was maxing out my holds and I couldn't do more holds.

[Mallory O'Meara]

To be fair, I don't think that he would be able to figure that out. If he barely reads and doesn't use Libby that much, I don't think he would figure that out.

[Bria Grant]

I don't know. This really stressed me out. Well, you wrote into Libby, so I'll let you answer the question.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Spoiler alert. Layla. I wrote until I talked to Libby. I talked to Ms. Libby. I went to. Went to Ms. Libby's office and spoke to her directly. But before I get into it, I do want to say I understand this, okay? Because at first I saw this and I was like, oh, she'll probably be fine. And then I really thought about it and I was like, no, this. I would feel this exact same way about this. I dated someone very briefly last year. And I found out recently because my friends saw these posts and. And told me about them, that this person that I dated last year has still been looking through my Spotify. We don't. We didn't share anything, but he knew my Spotify account and still looks through my Spotify the playlist that I make.

[Bria Grant]

Yeah, that's what I'm saying.

[Mallory O'Meara]

He's looking and monitors them and posts about them. Yeah, I posted some playlists about HWB or, like, I, I. Me and my boyfriend love to. We're both really into music, and I've made him a bunch of playlists. And this person was going through those playlists and commenting on them, and that really made me uncomfortable because I was like, well, I'm not going to make my Spotify playlist private because I still want other people to be able to listen to them.

[Bria Grant]

Oh, your. Your Spotify is public.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Yeah. And, like, I make playlists three times a year that I share publicly. One for springtime Goth jam, Summertime Goth Jams, and then I make a Halloween playlist every year. I didn't do it last year for obvious reasons. And a lot of people forward to these playlists. I post them online, people follow them. And it, like, really upset me that this person would, like, be weird about this thing that I love to do. Like, I'm really into making playlists. So I. Layla, I understand. It made me feel really uncomfortable and made me feel really mad, and I was like, who the. You creep? So I. I understand not wanting someone to see what you're reading.

[Bria Grant]

I mean, I. You know when you go to, like, an Airbnb sometimes and a bunch of people have signed in on, like, Netflix or something? Oh, yeah. And I know I've done that before and left that shit up, up. And I always am like, oh, man. Like, I just don't want people to know, like, that. Not even, like, strangers, which is honestly fine, not a big deal, but definitely not this person that you're trying to remove from your life.

[Mallory O'Meara]

And I get it, because sometimes, I mean, like, Jeremy and I are still extremely close friends, and Jeremy and I, for. For a while after we broke up last year, still shared things. We shared a bookshop.org account for a while because, like, something happened with Jeremy's bookshop account and it, like, wasn't working. It wouldn't deliver to our address. So we shared one. And like, four months after we broke up, we shared, shared. It did not bother me at all. Jeremy and I are still very close. This person I barely ever dated, like, getting mad about me making romantic playlists for my boyfriend. Hate that.

[Bria Grant]

Yeah, it's weird.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Hate that a lot. So, like, I. I unders. I understand that it could be for specific people or, like you said, you just. Any person, you don't want them to see what you're doing. I. I get it. So I wrote into. I did some research and then I contacted Libby and Ms. Libby said, hi there, Mallory. Thanks for Writing in. Libby uses library cards for signing in. So you don't have a separate Libby account Account. We're committed to not collecting and storing personal information unnecessarily.

[Bria Grant]

They felt like they had to write, you know, because for some reason this, the opening is. This is weird.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Yeah, it feels like, like AI answer this. Well, it feels like a canned answer.

[Bria Grant]

I see.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Like, I think this is just something they copy and paste to anybody who writes in about this.

[Bria Grant]

Got it.

[Mallory O'Meara]

So Libby uses unique methods to store your information like tags and reading history instead of a more conventional email based account. Since Libby doesn't use accounts, we unfortunately won't be able to log you out of another person's phone phone to keep them from using your card. Reset your PIN or password through your library. If the unexpected card activity continues, ask your library to issue a new library card. They can move your loans and holds to the new card and cancel the old one. I hope this helps. Please let me know if I can help you with anything else. And this is from. It's not from Libby. I should give Jim credit. Mr. Jim, thank you so much for, for helping out. So, yeah, hopefully they can move your.

[Bria Grant]

Tag books too though, because that would be the stressful thing. I have a bunch of tag books like Layla has has and so hopefully they move that as well. But what we do know now is that Libby responds to emails pretty quickly. This is the email.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Yes.

[Bria Grant]

Yeah. So I would, I would contact them directly and ask them. But resetting your PIN might help if it logs the other person out.

[Mallory O'Meara]

I, I would try it, which eventually.

[Bria Grant]

It does because occasionally Libby just logs me out.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Yeah, that happens to. I was actually thinking about that because I would say like a few times a year I, I log into Libby and it's like, please log into your library card.

[Bria Grant]

Exactly.

[Mallory O'Meara]

So I think eventually that will happen. I don't think this is going to be a problem with for Layla forever. But Layla, if you are, are very uncomfortable, I would try this. Talk to your library and be like, I want a new library card. Can you move my loans and my holds and my tags to a new card? You might lose the tags, which does suck, but it might be worth it for the peace of mind like I'm thinking. I'm like, man, I wish I could block somebody from looking at my Spotify account. And if I could, I would. So like, if, if the peace of mind is that important to you, I would, I would. I mean it's, it can't hurt to talk to, to ask your librarian if they can switch the transfer your over.

[Bria Grant]

And it sounds like they can. As long as they can do those tagged books. Already doing your loans and holds. I think they could do the tag books. I bet.

[Mallory O'Meara]

I. I think it's worth asking, but I thought this was really good information. I'm sure other people have either had this happen or will have this happen. Breakups suck. They are very painful and annoying and depending on how, like, I'm very lucky that Jeremy and I are still very good friends. But there's a lot of breakups that go bad and you don't want them to see what you're doing, so. And also good to know. Don't share your Libby Bashwood with someone unless you're gonna marry them. Like, that's a. That's a big next step. Step. I have never shared Libby with anybody.

[Bria Grant]

Yeah, me neither.

[Mallory O'Meara]

That would be like more than a ring.

[Bria Grant]

Yeah, that would be. It's a lot. It's a lot. It would be a lot of lot to share with someone.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Yeah. So.

[Bria Grant]

But you're nice to do it. We're judging you.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Clearly. Leila is a very nice person and I understand this impulse because as soon as I start dating someone, I want to talk to them about books. I told the story about how I. How horny I was about the fact that HWB already had Libby on his phone, didn't need mine. I was like, wow. Okay. But now, like, this is. This is good information to have. Do not share your liby card. And Leila, what I would do is first reset your PIN and password, which I think Layla's already done. But I would talk to your library and see if they can give you a new card and then transfer everything over.

[Bria Grant]

Yeah.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Worth it. All right, so if you have a book tech problem, send it to reading glasses podcast gmail.com. now let's answer a recommendation request from Luca. Luca says hi, Brianne Mallory. I am frantically looking for Sapphic romances with trans femme main characters. My girlfriend and I are long distance for large parts of the year and I would love some books that remind me of her. I read a lot of Sapphic romances, but they're almost all centered around cisgender women. Maybe. Maybe there's a trans side character, but that's about it. If you have any recommendations, they would be hugely appreciated. I just want to read Smut I can relate to. Huge fan of the show and everything you do. All right, so we have some books in the queue for reading Smut that qualify. So Bri and I have not read These, but we have them in our queue, and I figured they might be interesting to you. Bria, you want to read about the first one?

[Bria Grant]

Yeah. Yeah. So Roller Girl by Vanessa north, which is a spicy contemporary between a personal trainer and a plumber who are on the same roller derby team.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Yes. And one of them is Trans Sense.

[Bria Grant]

Secret Love, where they're trying to keep their relationship a secret from the team.

[Mallory O'Meara]

So you have. Dude, Sapphic roller derby romance.

[Bria Grant]

Very cute. Very cute.

[Mallory O'Meara]

And then we also have Fake it by Lily Seabrook. And this is a cooking one. So this is a spicy fake dating celebrity, normal person, contemporary book. It's all about cooking. It's about this TV cooking star and a restaurant owner, and they're each trying to, like, save their careers, and they start working together, but they cause a lot of drama by being horny at each other.

[Bria Grant]

Happens. What about Triple Sec?

[Mallory O'Meara]

Triple Sec? I think there's some non binary people, but I don't think it's like, specifically trans.

[Bria Grant]

Okay, okay, okay, okay.

[Mallory O'Meara]

But there's. These are two. Roller Girl by Vanessa north and Fake it by Lily Seabrook. These are both trans femme, very spicy sapphic romances, and they both seem really good. I'm excited about the roller derby one.

[Bria Grant]

Yeah. These are on our list, so let us know if you read them and.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Folks, if folks have recommendations. Because the thing is, there aren't a lot of, A lot of tradition. Both of these are indie books. There aren't a lot of traditionally published Sapphic trans romances out there. Yeah, like I, I. And I'm looking, Trust me, now that we're doing Reading Smut, we are like the episode we're doing for June for Reading Smut is Drag Me up by RM Virtues. And that's a Hades Persephone retelling with a trans female Persephone. But it's a straight relation. It's a hetero relationship, so it's not. It's harder to find these trans sapphic ones. So if people have recommendations, send those in.

[Bria Grant]

Yeah, send them in. Because it is. I actually looked for a long time to it stuff I had already read, and then I was like, maybe some like, sci fi book is a little smutty, but they're just like, not. I, I think it's. I'm so new to romance that it's just. I don't have like the, the background for it.

[Mallory O'Meara]

But yeah, yeah. I mean, there, there are some. There's books, but there's not. Like both of these books are specifically smut.

[Bria Grant]

Yeah.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Like Luca asked for Smut she's getting smut.

[Bria Grant]

Getting smut, getting smut.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Get smut. Okay, so if you want us to answer your recommendation request or solve your reader problem, send it to reading glasses podcastmail.com as always, want to thank the wonderful mods who run server and our Facebook group. And remember, you can buy reading glasses, totes and shirts and tank tops and stickers, all kinds of fun stuff over at our Void Merch store. There's a link in the show notes and folks, okay, I know there's a bunch of you out there that have not reviewed this podcast either on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Today's the day. Today you're being drafted.

[Heather]

Today.

[Mallory O'Meara]

Pretend that I am there with you and I'm like, hey pal. Hey brother. Take your phone out. I know you probably have it nearby because we all have our phones nearby. Open up the podcast listening app that you use and give us a five star rating. If you want to say something nice, give us a little review. Say how the podcast has meant something to you. It really helps the show. It really it like people look at it and they go, wow, this reading podcast has a lot of reviews. I should listen to it. It's the same thing as when you go, you're trying to, you're on Yelp and you're trying to pick a restaurant and you see a restaurant has a lot of five, five star reviews and you're like, I should eat there. The same thing happens, but with ears with podcasts. Please open up your podcast. It will with, well, you're not eating anything.

[Bria Grant]

It's funny.

[Mallory O'Meara]

It won't take you very long. It'll take you less than a minute and it'll really make a difference for us. So whether you're on Spotify, Apple podcasts, whatever you use, open it up on your phone. You got to do it on your phone. Can't do it on, on a computer. And give us a nice rating and review. You can email us at reading glasses podcast gmail.com find us on Instagram at Reading Glasses Podcast. Thanks for listening. Thanks for reading.

[Sam]

Maximum Fun.

[Mallory O'Meara]

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