S02.26: Seeing a Man Suffer Is…Bewitching

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
I knew the Muppets theme song. I would hum it. I don't know why that came into my head with what I was just doing.

(00:05):
I tried to think of the Muppet theme song just now and what I got instead was the dinosaurs theme song.
Did you ever watch the show Dinosaurs?
No, but I watched the one with the magic dinosaur stone thing.
No. Not a cartoon.
Dragon Tales. That was Dragon Tales, not Dinosaurs.
No, no, no. Okay. This recently came up because I was staying with a friend who also had not seen Dinosaurs.

(00:30):
There are two types of families in the world. The families who you will say, have you ever watched Dinosaurs?
And they'll go, what is that? No, kind of like you did just now.
And then there's the families, like the family that I come from, where the answer is, yes, of course we've watched Dinosaurs, not the mama.
So, and if you'd watched Dinosaurs, you'll know exactly what I just did.

(00:52):
There's a, I was going to open this with a question to our listeners about what level of animal death is approved in their romance novels,
but we're going to have to come back to that way down the line.
We'll come back to it in our next episode when I'm talking about the book that is in this book.
Oh no, we're coming back to it. Is it in today? No.
Okay. I was like, in what next episode would we be talking about?

(01:15):
Well, the Halloween one is what I'm talking about. The book that I was talking about, the death being in, it's going to be that I'm going to talk about.
We'll come back to that next episode. You've got some time to think on it, get it percolating.
Dinosaurs was a sitcom, and I believe the 90s, question mark, although nobody quote me on that, because I wasn't born until 98, so I don't know.

(01:37):
Well, it's a sitcom, but it's set in the- Oh, it's that one? Yes.
I only know that from the Happy Days preview that would be in VHS's.
Sunday, Monday, Happy Days. That one.
In front of the Rugrats and stuff and a lot of old VHS's we have in our cabin, they have these weird freaking dinosaurs in it, and I never knew what they were.

(02:02):
It's like if you're watching a typical family sitcom, but it's set in prehistoric times and they're all dinosaurs.
The dad is named Earl, and he works at a construction site, and he comes home every day, and he just wants to watch TV. Fran is the mom, and she's very put upon.
They have a teenage son and a tween teenage daughter, and then at the very beginning of the show, they have a baby.

(02:26):
The baby is by far the funniest character in the show, and he refers to Earl as not the mama. Hence my not the mama.
And he smacks him with stuff all the time, and it's one of the funniest shows genuinely I have ever seen. At least at the beginning.
We never watched into the later seasons. Yes. So it was created, or at least the idea was come up with by Jim Henson.

(02:48):
So they're kind of like Muppets. Oh, so it's- I mean the Muppets ties into that.
We can segue. Well, that's true, but I immediately got that- which is their song.
Anyway, I highly recommend Dinosaurs. It is genuinely very funny.
This has answered a question that I've harbored in the back of my brain.

(03:11):
It's excellent. We watched one this weekend while I was staying with my friend. She put on one I had never seen, because our family never watched into the later seasons.
We only watched the first few. But we watched them a lot, and we quote them a lot to this day.
Dang, the only dinosaur one that I really vibed with was The Land Before Time. And even then, I'm traumatizing.

(03:32):
Yeah, I think I remember watching it and being like, why would you show me this?
Yeah, like I still say, yep, yep, yep. Like that. Like Ducky, she lives with me. The trauma also lives with me, because I was too young for that.
But yeah, I get not the mama. I also get- this scene actually lives in my head rent free.

(03:53):
There's a scene where the dad is watching TV, as he is doing a lot.
And the baby's hand comes up from like kind of in front of the couch under the table and starts like kind of feeling around.
And he's like, don't you touch that remote. And he touches it.
And I'm forgetting the exact sequence, but he says something about like, you better not change that channel.

(04:15):
And he does. And he goes, if you turn that TV off, you're going to be one sorry little dinosaur.
And he does. And then he pops up and goes, I'm sorry.
And I quote that too much. I quoted a lot. Like a lot.

(04:37):
That's crazy that I never watched that. I- mom just wants to know.
I am the mighty Megalosaurus, the king of the dinosaurs. The T-Rex is the king of the dinosaurs.
I know, I dated one in high school.
A T-Rex? I was quoting for him, but yes.
I was like, wow. Not to brag, but I'm living all the Katie Robert heroine life.

(05:01):
Yeah. Except for maybe the two dicks will actually be useful.
Just saying. That's dragons, not T-Rexes. That is dragons.
Does she have a dinosaur? She hasn't written any dinosaurs, no.
I don't know, but I did read the one where he chomped off her arm and she got horny over it.
Classic. There was that. Wow.

(05:25):
Yeah, that still lives with me. Like, yeah, your mate's fed, but it's your arm.
So. But it's your arm.
I don't- The Wonderful World of Dinosaurs. Jurassic Park, my favorite film score. Shout out to my man,

(05:50):
John Williams. My man. Just a baller soundtrack.
Johnny Wills.
Johnny Wills. Yeah. And I think he'd make a bomb soundtrack for
bewitching if he ever decided to just have something to do in his spare time.

(06:11):
That's probably true. This would make a fun- Actually, the whole time I was reading it,
well, actually, pre I was reading it when I first heard about it and added it to my want to read
shelf, I was like, so you're telling me that if I really like the show, bewitched. Yeah.
But I want it as like a historical romance. That exists.
That exists. And for the most part, I feel like that's an accurate comp.

(06:37):
Cool. Because I think I've seen like some bewitched.
Gasp. What an excellent show. I know.
It's one of my mom's favorite shows. So we watch that one a lot too.
I was wondering, because I was like, assuming that it felt those vibes, but I didn't know.
I mean, except the bewitched is like a sitcom. So yeah.
Yeah. Like, I think I watched more Sabrina with Melissa Joan Hart.

(07:00):
Yeah. I didn't watch much. I've seen episode, but that's-
Yeah, I didn't. Like, I wasn't like religiously watching. I was a Disney Channel kid. So I was
like pretty much. And Nickelodeon.
Dinosaurs and bewitched kid, apparently.
And Jane Austen.
And Jane Austen, yeah.
And Shakespeare.
Yeah. Yeah. Different vibes. Speaking of different vibes, it makes me laugh that you're

(07:21):
wearing a Camp Half-West shirt. I'm currently wearing a crop Lando Norris, Texas Grand Prix
jersey. So once again, we are the two wolves inside you.
We are. So who's your favorite now?
I think it's Lando. I think he has surpassed Charl.
I know.
I mean, I do still- like, listen, I want Charl to be a world champion. And I want Ferrari to stop

(07:47):
fucking his life. Did you see- you don't care about F1, but he did get disqualified from the
Grand Prix. What?
Yeah. He and Lewis Hamilton both got disqualified after the race.
How do you get disqualified?
It was like the plank under his car was a few tenths of a millimeter to-
basically it was like running a little bit too low to the ground. And so it's an unfair advantage

(08:10):
by a few tenths of a millimeter, she says. Annoyed. It was complicated. It wasn't as bad for him.
I mean, he came in sixth after starting in first because of terrible strategy.
Classic Ferrari move.
But it does mean that he lost a place in the Drivers' Championship and Lando went up a place.

(08:31):
They swapped.
He also went up a position for me to be in.
Yeah, he did. I mean, he was already kind of there.
It really sucked for Lewis Hamilton because Lewis Hamilton came in second
and absolutely killed that drive. He was excellent. And then they disqualified him.
That would hurt.
Yeah. Yeah. So-

(08:52):
I did not see that.
It was a wild weekend.
How was it?
It was great. It was awesome. It was really hot.
It was so hot.
Yeah, it was not envious of the hot, but it looked fun.
I loved your pose.
Thank you. See, I think I'm hilarious.
Well, because I knew you had told me about what it was.

(09:12):
Well, I got there. For context, if you don't follow me on Instagram, there's an excellent meme-
What are you doing?
So true.
There's a meme of George Russell because in the intro to the F1 intro this year,
they show very dramatic shots of all of the drivers posing dramatically,
but mostly fairly normally, except for a few.
And George, if you look up his- I'm sure if you look up George Russell meme,

(09:35):
it'll come up or pose, whatever. He's T-posing very aggressively with his head down.
But his foot is crossed.
Yeah, he's got a foot crossed and he's got his arms on the walls next to him with his head
down. And then he looks up very dramatically and stares into the camera.
And this has been a meme all year that people have photoshopped into different things.

(09:57):
And so I showed up at COTA.
Well, really I took the picture at the end of the day because there were fewer people,
but at the entrance they had big hashtag CO, and then there was a blank with little places
where you put your feet and then A, so you could stand and be the T in COTA.
Be the T.
Very cute.
Be the T you want to see.
Exactly.
And I watched person after person go up and just smile, do a little T pose. It was cute.

(10:22):
Or here's the dad with the kids all kind of in a row in front of him doing it. Very adorable.
And I was like-
Where's the drama? Where's the cinema?
I was like, the perfect opportunity has been handed to us on a plate.
I don't under- So I did it, obviously. And somebody commented that they also did it
because apparently they were at COTA and they did that. So I'm glad. I'm sure others did,

(10:45):
but nobody that I saw. And I was deeply disappointed by all of the people that I was watching.
You would think people would do both.
I mean, I did both. I have like one of me just smiling, but it's just that the George
Russell T pose is right there.
And that's why it's there, right? That's why the-
No, I'm sure it was there. I'm sure that was just a thing.
Oh, well that just fits perfectly though.

(11:06):
No, it just happened. I was like, look at this. How magical. How perfect. Anyway, it was a great
time. 10 out of 10, we'll probably go back next year. I'm going to try to- This is not going to
actually happen. However, in my dreams, so forever announced- Oh my gosh, let me back up. I started

(11:31):
working for Forever Again party, but not as an intern, as an actual employee. You'll love to see
it. And they announced that they had acquired an F1 romance. And I'm like, how do I convince
the higher ups that sending me, and honestly, I would try to convince Dana to go to the Grand Prix

(11:58):
is a business expense. I actually have to go for marketing purposes, right? It seems reasonable
to me. So I think that they should- Rainy author. And then you're golden.
Here we go. We can all go sit in the grandstand. It'll only cost several thousand dollars.

(12:20):
It's for love, okay? It's for love.
It's for love. And for money. We don't-
Love and money. We just pray for cars, right?
So none of this is relevant. I got up on a tangent there. Why? Oh, T-Pose. George Russell.

(12:45):
Formula One, wearing a jersey. I'm in love with Lando Norris.
Yes. Who ever thought that Charles LeClair, I mean, I just get disqualified from your heart.
You know what? I should have seen it coming. Because here's the thing. Charles is lovely.
He's very classically handsome. You look at him and you're like, wow, that is a handsome man.

(13:07):
Lando Norris is funny though. And one thing about me is you can be a very strange and or mediocre
looking man. But if you're funny, like I would take you to my penthouse and I'd freak it. You
know what I mean? Like, you got me. That's all you needed to do. And Lando Norris is very funny.

(13:32):
And also, I didn't think he was attractive, but I've apparently revised that previous statement.
Suddenly, there are a lot of thirst trap Lando Norris edits saved in my TikTok.
Because he was the Noah Centineo one. Is that him?
Yes, I think. Or he wasn't the Liam one.

(13:52):
No, no, no. I think he was. He called him Noah Centineo.
Yeah. I don't know how to explain it, but I've watched a lot of edits.
And I've watched a lot of videos of him being very silly and bullying his teammate,
who I also love. Also, all the IndyCar McLaren drivers are hot and they just
signed their they decided to be the sponsor for an F1 Academy driver. I mean, all of the F1 teams

(14:18):
are going to sponsor an F1 Academy driver, but I really like the driver that they picked.
Is that for women? Yeah.
Yeah. Nice.
And there's like, they're just all hot and funny.
Hell, yeah. I just saw that there's going to be a pro women's hockey league.
Oh. And it's like Minnesota, Massachusetts.

(14:40):
Well, I mean, I suppose like Minnesota, Boston, New York, and then two or three places in Canada.
I know Toronto and Ontario, maybe. So like, they at least got the states right and the Canada right.
I'm excited. I don't know when it's going to I don't know what's going to happen,
but I will be purchasing the merch. I'm excited.
I love that. So, I know my mom told me about it today. I was like, why haven't I heard about that?

(15:04):
Hmm. So sports. Gotta love it. Sports. Sports. And witches. And witches.
And witches. It only took us 15 minutes to take it.
Well, technically you brought it around way sooner. I just took a second to hand it.
That's okay. We got on the broomstick and puttered away for a little bit.

(15:25):
So true. So, yeah.
We wouldn't be romance or TBR if we didn't have at least one episode the past few weeks
that tangents egregiously in the best way, because we've been pretty good lately.
Just because like, I don't know, I feel like we've been tired.

(15:45):
Which I'm not saying I'm not tired. Don't get me wrong.
We're always tired. Tired is a constant state of.
You come to me in a day. You come to me on a day when I'm so sleepy.
Tired is my resting emotion.
Okay. We are going to put our tiredness on pause and talk about Bewitching by Jill Burnett.

(16:11):
Yes, we are. Yes, we are. Spoilers ahead. Many spoilers.
Spoilers. Oh, we're going to be talking about the
spoilers. Spoilers. We teased a little bit about it last week in our episode. I hadn't read it yet.
Caroline had. And then I just finished the audiobook today.

(16:32):
She read the ebook. I did the audio and the audio was very good. So I endorse the audio.
I forgot I read the ebook. I have the physical book.
The physical. Yeah, I have the ebook. I got it for some time.
Wait, because if I have the ebook, then I have highlights. But if I only because sometimes I will
like download the ebook and then mark highlights. Yeah, even though I'm reading with it. OK, no,

(16:54):
I don't have the ebook. So I only had the physical book, which means I have no highlights.
Um, trad. Delatable. Yep.
So we're just going to have to roll off with whatever I remember, which frankly isn't much.
I mean, it starts. Yeah, so she's a witch.

(17:17):
Gotta love it. I just love historical paranormal, like because there's not a lot.
And so it's just so comforting. I really enjoy it. But she's like a full on witch.
Like, I mean, she's not a great witch.
Which same a poor witch is a poor skill. Yes. But heart, she is rich.

(17:44):
She is talented at being in love with a gray haired Duke named something that I can't remember.
Oh, no, not me also not knowing. Hang on. Wait, Alec Alec. Oh, yeah, because he's her darling.
Alec, how did I forget that? Well, it's not impossible for you to forget.
That's very normal, actually. And her name was Joyous. Yes, Joy.

(18:10):
Oh, so cute. She was so fun. This book was so cute.
It was. I was it was a little slow at the beginning, just because I was kind of like, what?
Well, because at first, it's funny, I had tweeted right before I started reading this that I get
really annoyed when one character like starts the book, like patrols engaged in love with wanting

(18:34):
to marry someone else. And then like, I was like having conversations with that on Twitter. And
I start this book, and then he's like, Oh, yeah, I'm engaged. I've been I've been doing my best to
get her. I hired lawyers to go find her. I mean, and I was like, God fucking damn it. And then she
jilted him. I was like, oh, so happy. That's how you got to do it. If I'm going to stick around,

(18:57):
that's how you got to do it. And then and then she like, they run into this like fortune teller
lady. She's like, Oh, yeah, you're going to meet your wife. Like real soon. You'll marry the next
woman you meet. Yeah. He says. Yeah. And then what what does Joy do but stumbles right into his life?
Well, it's more like she appears from the ether directly on top of him.

(19:22):
I mean, that too, which is me, thinking to myself, like, surely I will meet the love of my life if I
just like never leave my house and I sit in my room and read books all day. So apparently in my head,
they're going to pull a joyous Macquarie and just like,
fall on will it? Yeah. Yeah. Which isn't how things work. Um,

(19:42):
which isn't how things work. Um, but I sure wish it was. So true. This took, like, grumpy sunshine
to another level. Because he is so like, not here for it. And she's so Oh, no, I accidentally
brought the statues to life. And we're having a party. Yeah, because he because then he's like,

(20:07):
Yeah, I'm gonna marry you. Like, we're gonna get married. He calls her Scottish, which was adorable.
Yeah. So they get married, like, pretty, pretty quickly into the book. And like that, like, it
was a good intro. I wasn't like, it wasn't as like intriguing. And then they were like at his,
like, estate. And then she like, before they can consummate, she feels guilty. She's like,

(20:31):
I gotta tell him that I'm a witch. I can't good conscience. Like, I can't not tell him. So then
she does. And he's just like, not prepared his mind. Like, he's already done the crazy and like,
married someone that he doesn't know, like, this is very out of his comfort zone. And then to know
that. And he basically just picked it because he is like, his pride was hurt that he was jilted,

(20:54):
like, he was just like, like hubris got him a little bit. Um, and so he was just like, I can't
handle that right now. So then he just storms out. And then he's like, pretty like, logical about it
the next morning, which I liked. And then he proceeded like from the majority of the book to
be like, please don't, like, don't do magic at all. Like, because then they had to go meet like

(21:20):
Prinnie. And he's like, you like, we will get like hung, hanged. We will be dead if you like,
accidentally conjure like something because like, witchcraft. Sure. Like he's superstitious, like
you can't do that. Because like her magic is super uncontrollable. Like she'll sneeze and
I love whatever you're thinking. That took me actually there were so I was like giggling,

(21:46):
kicking my feet for most of the road trip element. I was so hooked. Because I think what also happened
was I was right away. I was also I was working. So like, I was listening to like the first little
bit while I was working in like my mind was like kind of half there. And then half just working.
Because I that's where I listened to most of my audio books. And so I was able to go do a puzzle.

(22:12):
For like the the best part of the book, in my opinion, which was like the middle
where there was a snowstorm and a carriage and a lot of things happened. And it was just them,
like just the two of them on the page, which I thought was really fun. And that poor Duke,
milking cows and having to cook and bake and he just has no clue. And he's just like muttering
to himself, like just so angry. So I got to do that when I was like my entire mind, it was just like

(22:38):
in the story at that point. And I did say in my review, I was like, you know what, I wasn't really
in the mood to read this. So like, I'm a huge mood reader. So I was like, honestly, like if I were
to reread it, which I think I will next year, or probably like deep into winter, like this was more
like a winter than a spooky book for me. Yeah. You know, so like I like I wanted to read it because

(22:58):
I want to be able to talk about it. But I think I just need to be in the right. Again, I still it
was a very good book. But I think I was just a little like at the beginning, I was like, I want
to be reading Amores After Dark, because I did break that seal. And I read No Rest for the Wicked,
because Twitter and people were talking about things. And I couldn't contain myself. So I had

(23:23):
things in my mind. But yeah, that the the writing was just super fun. And then when they were alone,
it was so well written. It was so like, charming, like, genuinely funny, and not in like an over
the top Teehee, like, I'm gonna be so silly way, but genuinely funny way. I posted on my story like

(23:47):
very early on, because a few chapters in I was like, I have been laughing like out loud consistently.
It was just cracking me up. I mean, really, Frostbite has never been more funny. Like, yeah,
hypothermia, like, because they get in the carrot, like they have to go, they're going to London
and for the basically introducing her to Prinnie. I think it was Prinnie, I don't fucking know.

(24:11):
Yeah. And then it's like, he's like, you can't use your magic, like around me around anyone,
like you can't do it, you can't do it in private. He's there coming off the statues coming to life
and Pan scaring his, what's her name? What's the maid? That main maid? Oh, I don't remember her

(24:31):
name. Not her name, but like, what's the position? The housekeeper? Is that like that? Is that what
you're looking at? Yeah, I think so. I don't know why the main maid, like stern older woman who runs
the house. Yes. I don't know why that escaped, escaped me, but escape it did. We're back. So

(24:52):
like a lecherous satyr came to life out of his bronze statue and was wreaking havoc on that.
Yeah, I know. So he's a little irritated. They're in the carriage and then it gets super snowy,
super quick. And she's like, can I do my magic to magic us out of here? Because they're coachmen,

(25:13):
they're like, they've all left to go try to find where and in his thing, should hit the fan.
And then he's like, no, and I'm like, bro, like, bro. And then he finally concedes. He's like,
you can do your magic. And she just magic them into the middle of a snowstorm. She's doing her

(25:39):
best, but it wasn't quite good enough. And then he's just so exasperated. And then she gets
hypothermia. And then she starts like stripping. And then before you know it, she's completely
naked, like having a conversation with herself. I was like, I could have stayed in that, that whole

(26:03):
little aside, like for the rest of the book, it was so good. So they find the inn and the
ins people magically disappear. So then it's just them for a few days. I think what really gets me
is there were times where I was annoyed with him, but also I was like, I understand why you are the
way you are, but I need you to pull it. Because you want him to just be happy and have a little

(26:26):
magic in his life. I think what got me is that kind of a character. Because when I read the premise
where he first is like, basically he wants her to just not use magic. I was annoyed.
Because how very man of you to demand that she not do the thing that is a part of who she is.
But Jill Barnett wrote it in a way where it wasn't overbearing and awful. Or even when it was,

(26:49):
it was balanced out with enough humor and you understand why he is the way he is. Or where he's
like, we will get killed. You cannot display your witchcraft in front of the prince regent. I need
you to pull it together. And then she just decimated his entire perception of his life.
Because his father raised him to be unfeeling, doesn't believe in love, all of that fun stuff.

(27:14):
Yeah. So she just managed to take... Because I feel like it would not have been as satisfying
if he just like, you know what, I love you, it's fine, you can do magic. I think I would have taken
it and been like, okay, fine, you figured it out. But I appreciate that she was like, no, this is
not just about her. I need you to reevaluate who you believe you are. And I think that's

(27:36):
like, reevaluate who you believe you are. And your principles. Yeah. I think it took a little
long for me. Just again, I wanted to be reading something else. So I mean, I still gave it like
4.25, four and a half stars. It was still a very good book. But I was like, okay, we're a little...

(27:57):
Because then it kind of meandered a few different points. And then by the end, I was like, what
is this? Which was good. But then I was also like, what is happening? My thing with that is she just,
I felt like she apologized too many times. And I felt bad for it. Because like, I mean, it wasn't
like in even really a meek way. She was just kind of like, I'm sorry, I can't control it. Like,

(28:20):
whatever. And I was like, girl, just do what you want. He'll follow. Hatchelstic was not a part of
who she was, though. And I do feel like he got his comeuppance. He did. And that's why it worked.
The ending. I know. So like, I was like teetering on like, definitely being annoyed at parts.
Because I was just... It was like after the... When they were just them together. Because like,

(28:43):
they had made like good progress. And then it was like kind of taking a few steps backward.
But it needed to happen that way to have the end be what it was. So like, it knew what it needed
to do. So again, it's like, I understand why he was annoyed. I understand why. Because then it made

(29:03):
a very satisfying ending. Right. So, which again, yeah, I saw that you were crying. And I was like,
I won't cry. Because the first like 80% of this book is like, this is so cute and fun. And then
it just takes her. She's a witch. And she's like, hang on, let me read you, which also took me out.
Because it's been a long time since I've seen the first episode of Bewitched. But it's a very

(29:27):
similar... There's like a cute little very fast like, boy meets girl. Like they keep bumping into
each other. They get married very quick. It's like the 50s or 60s. I think it's the 50s. Like,
they get married. And then on their wedding night, she's like, I'm a witch. And he doesn't believe
her. And she has to... Again, it's been a long time since I've seen it. But she like moves things
around. And I'm pretty sure she picks like levitates the chair he's sitting in. Like, I read

(29:53):
that and was like, oh, you mean like in Bewitched where she levitates the chair he's sitting? Like,
I think that was like a straight up reference to it. So was Bewitched a show? Yeah. Because did they
remake it with Will Ferrell? I think they made a movie of it. Yeah. So I saw the movie. That's not
good. Yeah, because the whole thing was about her like nose like wiggling. Yeah. She wiggles her nose

(30:16):
with him. That's which was also a little bit in the book. But her not like wiggling her nose,
but like scrunching her nose. Yeah. Maybe that's... Ignore the movie. That's not... Don't. But the
the show is excellent. Anyway, so you're giggling. You're Teehee-oo-ooing. You're having a great time.

(30:36):
And then? And then his brother appears. And then you're crying. I was like, what do you mean?
I was like, why am I emotionally dead? And, and, and then he tells the story. And then he does the
thing where like people are making him sweep and he's like, what's the Tom Jones thing? Yeah,
whatever that was. He doesn't realize that everyone's laughing at him and not with him.

(30:59):
And it's giving Flowers for Algernon. Did you read that? No. Flowers for Algernon is a short story.
Have you read that? No. Listen, Flowers for Algernon is a short story that emotionally
devastated me. I did read Scarlet Ibis, which also emotionally devastated me. Well, I don't
know that one. So you got, you got me there. You're good there. It also deals with a

(31:24):
sibling relationship and it's a whole thing. So this one isn't a sibling. It's devastating.
So it's about... Algernon is a lab mouse. Oh, hell no. You don't really... It's not about him.
It's about... So Algernon is a lab mouse. He's undergone surgery to make him more intelligent.

(31:45):
The story is told, it's a series of progress reports, according to Wikipedia, because I had
to revisit. He's the first human subject for this to make him more intelligent. So he starts out the
book. It's unclear, but like intellectually disabled, right? Like it's not very well written.

(32:06):
It's like there's a lot of spelling errors, things like that. So this is a person, not the mouse?
Yeah, it's a person. Algernon is like, he talks about Algernon. Okay. Okay. Because they do it to
the mouse and they do it to him, the first human subject. And you see him get more and more
intelligent as the progress reports progress. And he's like taking care of Algernon. And then

(32:26):
Algernon, I think he gets worse and he dies. And so it becomes very apparent that it is not a permanent
thing. And so you get to about halfway through and he is fully aware. He's like, this isn't going to
last. Like, I don't want to watch myself regress back to where I began. And he does over the course
of the rest of the progress reports, he regresses more and more. And he's like devastatingly aware

(32:51):
of it until he isn't because he's regressed so far. And then Algernon dies and then it stops.
And it's implied that he's died also. And in it, he at the beginning talks about, I don't know if
it's like other students or what, but basically it's a very similar, like he thinks he's very
friendly with all of these people and that they're like laughing and joking with him. And as he
becomes more intelligent or like, you know, improves, he realizes that they were actually

(33:15):
laughing at him and not with him. And then as he regresses, he returns back to that, like not
realizing when people are making fun of him. So this was a devastating read for middle school me.
It would be a devastating read now, I guarantee it, because you read it and you're like, oh,
and so that was the energy it was giving when he's talking about like his friends

(33:39):
who want him to like show how well he does his job. And then you're just crying.
I was crying. That is accurate. Oh my gosh. No, but I did read of Mice and Men, which is another mouse.
And that one also hurt. Oh, God. Yeah, I was like, so devastated, too. I know. I know,

(34:06):
because it's basically the Duke. They had had a second son, like I think when the hero was like
three and he didn't know about it. And he was intellectually disabled. And you don't get much
information besides that. And then he was like sent away to live with some person named Robbie.

(34:28):
I don't quite know who Robbie is, but he had a good life like he is a fisherman or something.
Oh, yeah. Like he enjoyed like he loved Robbie. Like he was raised. Yeah. At least with love.
Like, thankfully, it was at least. Yeah. I mean, yes. I mean, he had a better life with Robbie than
he would have had with the fucking Duke, whatever. But yeah. So the hero didn't know. There were like

(34:48):
no hints, no clues that this was going to happen. So then you just got to knock on the door and she's
she answers and she's like, hello. And they're like, hey, is the Duke here? Because he's now the
guardian of this ward, this ward. And because the former guardian had passed away. And then I'm like,

(35:11):
what the hell? And then you think like she does. Oh, we have a child entering the mix. Yeah. Which
is which is weird, because I literally just read a Megan Frampton arc where he thinks his guardian
that he just becomes a guardian. He thinks his ward is a child and she's like 70.
And so like I was like flashback and the their genetic, they genetically have gray hair.

(35:38):
And so once the once he took his hood off or hat or whatever off and then everyone was in the room,
they realized that he was his brother. And then the Duke kind of that was like the final shift.
And he's just so sweet. And yeah, just wants to be loved. And he wants people to think that he's

(36:00):
smart and like him. And he's Yeah, he's just so lovely. And people yell at him and make fun of
him. I know. So then the frickin housekeeper she gets boosted because nasty ass evil wench.
What really? So I Oh, you know what I did down the download the ebook briefly,
because my so my copy of bewitching, I got it on like thrift books or something, I think. And it

(36:25):
turns out it's an arc. It's an arc from 1993. Oh my god. So I'm like, okay, but it means there
were a couple like little grammatical errors and things as I was reading that I'm like, I assume
that got corrected. But that scene for some reason, it cut from like she was yelling at him and joy

(36:46):
was kind of stuck in the back of the crowd. And then I don't remember if I saw I think I did,
Alex showed up and he was like, but then it cut like kind of in the middle of while he was talking
and all of a sudden it jumped to like her comforting. Yeah, what's the brother's name?
Um, it's like, is it Kevin or something? Why is that in my head? I don't know why I forgot it. I

(37:11):
had forgotten it. Steven. Steven. I was thinking Evan. I don't know. Steven. Yeah, because then
did you think that he didn't like throw her out? Well, I mean, I found out late because they
reference it later that she was leaving but I so she does the like get away you're nothing but an
animal or beast you belong in an asylum look at you you don't belong here. Steven began to

(37:33):
saw I didn't mean to I would have fixed it. And then it cuts to she took the pieces. Mrs. Watt
Leah shouted at you before hasn't she and like her talking about it. So I actually didn't even
get to the part where Alex stepped in. So I'm like, how did I get there? Like what happened? So I
finished the I just assumed there was like something missing. And there was so I went back later.

(37:54):
And it was like, hang on, how did we get? I look. Well, thankfully, that that it got the first he
was on so bad, like not badly. He's shocked. But like, because you're like, oh, like, does he not?
Like, is he going to respond poorly? Yeah. Right. And then you find out he's just so betrayed that

(38:14):
his parents do something like this. Oh, yeah, because he kind of family. I guess he means he
just goes on rides horses. Okay. Yeah. Well, because he grew up trying to impress his father
in his shadow, trying to model and live being perfect. And like he because he thought that if
he would be like his father, his father would love him. And so I think it was just like,

(38:37):
obviously, therapy would have provided him sure, sure many outlets. But from what we saw, he was
just really reckoning with like, well, if I was trying to be like my father, my father could do
this. And like, I'm basing all of my preconceived notions on what I have conceived from my father.
Like what? Who am I? Am I not a good person? Like just dismantling all of those things. Like

(39:03):
his entire sense of self in the world. Yeah. Yeah. And also now he has this brother to be with.
And there was a great job. But you but I cry. Oh, I wept. And then he broke himself in front of it.
And at child, I was like, OK, I was like, he cannot die. Oh, yeah. But I was like, I don't know.

(39:30):
I was like, I, I don't know, because to bring back the dog death, I had just read a book where I was
like, the dog can't die. It did on the page. And I was like, unacceptable. And so I was like,
I trust no one right now. I was like, oh, my God. And then he was like, OK, what is that?
Oh, man. Because then he was like, Joy, you need to come with me. And she was like, what? He's like,

(39:55):
I need to use your magic now, because like he hadn't approved of it. There was times when like
when they'd be having sex, she'd like conjure up like pink roses. That was like, he's like, I
want to go for it. But he but he like admitted that when he thought that she she was like,
tell the truth. And he didn't know he was under kind of like a truth spell. So then
this was like the first time he like actively after the snowstorm fiasco was like, please do

(40:18):
your magic. And she's like, I can't. Like I my magic is not strong enough for that. And he was
just devastated. Like that was like too much for him. It was too much for me. And I was like, oh,
my God, it was too much for all of us. It was too much. All of this was too much. I was crying a
whole way through. Yeah. Yeah. Stephen was also crying, which is like the worst possible thing

(40:40):
in the world. And then you have the drama, the other witch being like, yeah, it's you or Stephen.
And obviously, she's going to choose Stephen. Yeah. Well, yeah, I was like, I was like, how do
we get here? Like, what do you mean she has to leave? Because it was basically like it was like

(41:01):
it was like, yeah, because the way it was framed, which again, like I didn't see coming was that
he didn't learn how to love like in the time frame that the her like, Aunt Witch or whoever
that witch was. I think that was that was like in the beginning. And it was kind of like here there.
And she was like, well, he hasn't learned to love you. And like how to love it was giving the last

(41:26):
pedal has fallen. Yeah. And it did. And so she's like, OK, well, then so she just disappears
because basically the witch is like, I will save Stephen, like I have enough power to do that.
But he does like Alec doesn't desert like you can't be with him because you you're put into his life.
Try to like show him love and he just isn't receptive. And I was like, well, that's cruel.

(41:54):
That hurt a little bit. I was like, OK, yeah, but I love seeing that slap me in the face.
Yeah, but I love seeing that slap me in the face. Why don't you? Yeah. Well, because then it all it
was very satisfying. Oh, yeah. To see him in pain, watching him run through the streets and then like
beg that old woman to bring his wife back only for her to be like, I don't know what you're talking

(42:17):
about and disappear. It's giving in the like Samara Parish, the second one, I think, when he has his
like pristine reputation and the entire book, he's like hell bent on like keeping his reputation.
And then at the end, he just goes in, does whatever the hell he would like to ruin it.

(42:38):
It goes absolutely Sam. Yeah. And like it felt like that. What if I ride through Hyde Park, make it?
And so this was a little bit different because he wasn't actively trying to ruin his reputation.
He was just going through it. He just like did not. That was it wasn't like I'm going to make a
gesture of ruining my reputation. No, it wasn't a gesture. I don't care. It was I am losing my mind.

(43:01):
Somebody chase that old woman down right now. I don't care who sees me. I need to get on my knees
and bring my wife back because I love her so much. And then he suffered for like a month or so or
something. Yeah. It was a long time. And and then obviously obsessed with her and with her hair and

(43:23):
Scott, I know the hair and the calling her Scottish. There there was I can't remember what
it was because again, I was doing the audiobook, but one like something that he said in the cabin,
I was like, oh, my God, it was just so cute and sweet. And then, yeah. And then when he finds her.

(43:44):
It was just very wholesome. It was so wholesome. Mm hmm.
Yeah, I know that Apple. Yeah, we're not. I again, don't know. I was still crying like I was already
crying. And then it was like, what if I then give you an image of his little magical children like
practicing their magic on him? They're like a joding father. And then five magical children

(44:08):
and one child who they all love equal is outwitting the children. Iconic of him.
And his little daughter's like levitating his chair. And he's like, wow, well done. I'm so proud
of you. And then I'm crying. Well, yeah, because earlier when they were going to consummate, he was
like, like when she she told him that she was a witch, we came back the next day. He's like,

(44:30):
honestly, that's fine. That's OK. Just don't do magic. He was so he's like, honestly, like,
you're hot. We're in this together. Like, we're all in this together. Clap, clap, clap.
And then he and then she was like, well, you do know that it can be like it's genetic.
Like my children could inherit it like it's not 100 percent. But I did have a mortal parent and I
am a witch, not a good one, but I am a witch. And he's like, well, that changes the game.

(44:55):
And then he just leaves to talk to his solicitor and you're like, huh? And it's a whole thing.
So then seeing an epilogue, him embracing obviously like this romance like you thought he would. But
to see it on the page was another kind of pain. And then Stephen is reading a book to one of them.
Stephen with the kid. I was like making sure that they were going to wrap it. Oh, God, it was just.

(45:17):
It was chicken soup for the soul. But also. Oh, my God. Also that familiar. What is that? Yeah.
A ferret. No, it's something. I thought it was something else. A weasel.
It's like a weasel ferret thing. It's like a weasel ferret thing. It just it confirmed.
It confirmed me not wanting one. I mean, I never did. So that wasn't ever an issue. I mean, that's

(45:41):
very true. But I was like, yeah, that's because well, they have an ermine in a tessadere. And then
also I was like, I don't want an ermine. An ermine weasel.
Oh, well, you were correct. Ermine. They don't have a good rep in books. So sorry to the ermines
out there. You kind of. Well, but then the proposition you got the weasel. I thought it was a

(46:06):
ferret. I thought it was a weasel because weasels are the ones that hunt. Are they ferrets? I don't
know. I know mongoose and snakes. I don't know. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not.
I feel like it was a weasel, but it could have been a ferret. What's the difference? I don't know.

(46:26):
I don't. Is there one? Who knows? And there had to have been one in Lisa Klevis one.
Maybe. I think there was a ferret there. Yeah. Yeah. That ferret that loves
the governess. Yeah. Catherine Marks. Catherine. Yeah. And that ferret loves her
garters so much. Oh, yeah. So this guy, he loved hair and he just ate the hair off this.

(46:48):
That poor footman. He just had bald spots and he literally just like ate his cue off.
I respect that he was so chill about it too. I know. Because that, again, reaffirms how good
of a person that she was that he was willing to do that for her. Again, he was also just a good
person who let an ermine weasel eat his hair. And then he got on the shoulder of a maid and started

(47:14):
eating her hair. And then he woke up, like woke up next to the ermine weasel. And it was like,
every time I say ermine weasel, it's like I'm like first and last naming this animal.
And he's like, I got to check my hair because I don't want to be bald from it. So it was funny.

(47:37):
But God, I still, the hypothermia scene, when she just started taking off her clothes.
And then he's like, what are you doing? The one that got me was really and truly
the sneezing everything that she was thinking. Yeah. What was he even thinking about? The first
time it was in the cabin. And she's thinking about the dastardly duke. Which was also iconic of her.

(48:00):
Didn't she sneeze up like a riding crop or something? Yeah. He was holding, yeah,
because she was like turned on. Hello. After he was like milking a cow and getting milk in his face.
Just such a silly goofy time. It's a movie that I want to watch. Honestly, yes, that is so true.

(48:24):
I haven't seen the best reviews for book two, which is called dreaming. It's the Earl because
there's that one I have to assume deals with alcoholism. That's like historical romance.
Again, the proposition, the other ones. And so he has a Viscount and an Earl are like his two best

(48:46):
friends. Who I loved, by the way. Yeah. They're like, I mean the Viscount. I assume it was in the
audiobook. Chapter 13 is omitted because it was unlucky. That was hilarious. Because for a second
I was like, oh no, like, is this something about me having an art? No. At the request of Neil

(49:07):
Viscount Seymour, Chapter 13 has been omitted. Bad luck, you know. That's the type of humor I want.
Yeah. That's giving India Holton. Yes. Or India Holton's giving Jill Barnett. Yeah. All of the
above. And it's excellent. Yeah. So he has the two friends and one of his friends is an Earl who

(49:28):
is assumed to be an alcoholic. Basically, when he has alcohol in his system, he is not very nice.
He is lecherous. He is not fun to be around. But then the Duke is like, but when he doesn't...
And he has alcohol in his system a lot. At least in this book by the time we meet him. Yeah.
And then when he doesn't, he is a lovely person. And then he shows like who he is at the end.

(49:48):
And I'm happy he wasn't like, he didn't do anything like a villainous. I was scared a little bit.
Yeah, he was a little bit of a dick. Yeah. I was like scared that it was going to be like a Sebastian
St. Vincent situation where he was going to like do something egregious, but he did not. So the
second book, which was written like, I think many years after this one, because it's almost like in
the nineties and that was in the two thousands. Unless it was just that edition. So don't quote

(50:12):
me on that. It's his book because there's a woman in... Letitia. Yeah. Letitia, who is tormenting
him because she's just like in love with him. And like they kind of like make her the butt of the
joke. And so then she's his heroine, which that intrigues me. But then I have just seen a lot of

(50:33):
reviews being like, he is just really mean to her, which makes me sad. And they're like, he doesn't
have to win her. And so I'm like, I don't... Again, those are just like a few reviews. It doesn't
have like too many because it's older. So I'm like contemplating. They did say that
Bewitching was the better book, but the second one, Dreaming, was funnier. And I'm like, it was

(50:59):
funnier, you say, because this was funny. That's fairly impressive. Yeah. I was like, okay, so
that's intriguing to me. Because if I can laugh through the pain, we can maybe make it work. So
who knows? I'm tempted, probably not this season, but maybe if I reread it and I have a wild

(51:23):
urge to do it, I will. I just don't want to be tarnished. I read the second in the Whitney,
My Love, because I loved that guy. And then he was just horrible. And I was like, so if I went to
Reddit, I could have just loved him unconditionally. And now there are conditions. I mean, but do you
really like his character? No. So this one, I did not really like him. It could only really get better.

(51:46):
Yeah. I thought he was funny. I mean, I also recognized that he was a dick when he drank. But
by the end, he had stopped, or at least not that he had stopped, but there were a lot of scenes where
he was not drunk. And he was very charming. And they also befriended Steven and were going around
with them. And I'm wondering if there's magic in that book, if there's any paranormal elements.

(52:09):
I have to assume not, but I know. So I'm kind of like, what's the vibe? So again,
curiosity may get this cat. Who knows? Maybe. I would love that. I know. So that poor woman.
I mean, relatable. She's a foolish one. Love her. Love her queen. She was doing her best.

(52:31):
She was. And Bo Brummel was yelling at her. And Joy was like, absolutely not. I'm going to magically
silence that man, as she should. Yeah, his friends were a really fun addition. Because they, I mean,
they were like witness to like him getting the, you're going to marry the first woman that you
see. And they're kind of like, what? But they went with it as good friends do. That man went

(52:57):
through it. He reminds me of like, there were so many times where I imagined him just like,
with a buffering symbol. You know, the like little turn it like just buffering. Yeah. Just
what is happening? What it, why is the scene where he gets the letter where he gets jilted
and he just like tears at it and then rips it up in tiny pieces and puts it back on the tray and

(53:21):
it's like no response and then proceeds to like, I'm pretty sure play the rest of his game of cards
before finally being like, I am no longer betrothed. Because he was just giving his whole speech
about how it was such a wise decision to get the team of lawyers to go get him a wife that was like
the most advantageous and he was so just stuffy about it. And I was like, that's what needs to

(53:49):
happen. Well, because I was like, I was kind of always waiting again, which maybe a reread will
be even better because I was kind of always waiting for the other shoe to drop. I was waiting for him
to do something like truly like really bad. And he never did. I mean, there was one time when he,
I mean, I guess there are a few like one time she had like had like a lovely dinner, like set for

(54:10):
him and then he snapped at her. And I mean, again, he was a dick about it. But like it wasn't,
it's never egregious. It's not like, oh, why would you say that? Like you heard her feelings,
but it's not irredeemable. Yeah. So like I was so if it feels like there's another shoe that's
going to drop there, I don't feel like I didn't feel like there really was one. But I was scared
because you had also said that there was like, what did you mean when you said that there was

(54:33):
something that I didn't know how you were going to respond to Steven. Steven. Oh, yeah. That whole
little plot line that worked. It that I really enjoyed that. Because I was like, what was like,
what's going to happen? I was like, does he have a mistress? Like, how is there this much of the
book left? Like, they seem like they're in a really good place. Is there a third act break?

(54:55):
And there was but not in the lake. Yeah. It wasn't just like, oh, no, it's a miscommunication. It was
like, oh, his disabled brother that he didn't even know about that he now has come to love very
deeply has just been run over when saving a child and he's in critical, critical agony and his
lungs are filling up and he's not going to make it through the night. And so he snapped at his wife.

(55:19):
Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I was on the break. I was on the air. I was like,
you're stressed, but it's not like, oh, this was a miscommunication. It was like, this man is
devastated and said something that he shouldn't have. But and I liked the Steven inclusion
because it really added a layer to many characters. Like they like seeing them respond to the

(55:43):
situation was really nice. Like, I also enjoyed any Duchess will do by Tessa Dare. I don't know if
you've read that one, but her sister has developmental delay. And basically, that's kind
of like her tie to her hometown is that she needs to protect her sister because her parents are

(56:08):
like, icky. And then once Griff, like she's like very worried for the hero to like meet her and
like judge her. But he's like, great. And that was very charming. And so like, I feel like they're
like I've read it like a few different books. And this one I really enjoyed. Same thing with the
test there. There's Elizabeth White one that I was like, that's horrible. Which it wasn't the

(56:33):
character was like what happened to the character. And then it was like very dramatic. And I was like,
I cannot handle that because if you don't know, I have a sister with Down syndrome listeners,
if you don't know. So it can be like a very like, something for me. Yeah. Yeah. And I realized that
with the Elizabeth White one. But this one I felt was like very good. So yeah, I really liked it.

(56:56):
And I really I think I already talked about it. But I will reiterate, I just really love that
it wasn't like and the power of love redeemed him. Yeah, he actually had to reevaluate his entire,
like every structure of life and sense it like he was completely shaken and his identity had to be
rebuilt. And it's like, again, I don't always love it when characters have to like change who they

(57:24):
are. But in this case, it was like reckoning with things that weren't great, but he'd never changed
like, because you could see him have that soft underbelly. It was just protected. Very, I mean,
it was him like, releasing years of like daddy issues, basically. And major social structures

(57:47):
that were not benefiting him in the slightest. Well, and also you add to that, like, it wasn't
just he had to learn how to love joy, like he learned how to love this brother that he didn't.
I mean, it wasn't like he did really learn how to but there was kind of that adjustment period of
like, I don't know what to do about this. Well, and seeing people mistreat and being kind of like,
people suck. Yeah, he was kind of just like, I can't like, like the Duke is like, very close

(58:13):
to one of the highest, like, honors or whatever, no titles in the land. And he was so shitty. And
he like did not. He like he was so bad. And so I think like, viewing that and then viewing the
people in the story of them making fun of him. And then when he saw it again, he's kind of just
like, man, people suck. So that can also like take a hit. I was like, Oh, God. Yeah. So it reminds me

(58:40):
structurally of Lord of scoundrels, actually a lot because there's a lot of kind of parallel, like,
obviously, the characters are not the same even a little bit. So their arcs are very different. But
that idea of like, you need this, like you need to heal your inner child. Yeah. And you need to
like work that out on your own. And it's not something that just like, oh, I fell in love. And

(59:02):
now everything is magically fixed. And so bringing that other in his case, Dane's case, the child,
and Alex case, his brother to be like, you're you are not okay. And you need to deal with that
before you can like love this other person. Yeah, which I like that. Speaking of magically fixing,
in the snowstorm period, when they're at the end, he's like, oh, she's put a she's put a love spell

(59:28):
on me. That's why I feel all of these things for her. So funny. Like he is just saying he's like,
oh, everything makes sense. Because like that, he could understand, like that it made so much sense
to me. He's like, okay, she is hexed me. I understand now it makes so much sense. I'll have
peace when she takes it away. So he's like, hey, you've bewitched me, you got to take it back. And
she's like, okay, fine. It's gone. Babidi babidi boo. It's gone. And she knows he hasn't she hasn't

(59:53):
done anything like she doesn't have the power to do that. And so then he's like, are you sure you
took it away? Because I'm still kind of like feeling these like weird love things towards you.
And she's like, you're feeling love things towards you say like, well, that's interesting. Like I
promise I took it away. And so it's like, she knows that he loves her like, at that point, which like,
made it better because then she was like, he's just not like realizing he's just not accepting it.

(01:00:13):
Which like, I really loved and it was just funny watching him try to like rationalize his thoughts.
The way that her having put a love spell on him is more immediately believable. Yeah, and just him
having feelings. Deep feelings. Yeah. He's like, no, that can't be it. It's gotta be the magic.

(01:00:35):
Yeah. And it was just so interesting, again, like how her magic never was able to fix like,
the truly bad things or like, she couldn't bewitch him into falling in love. She couldn't really,
I mean, she kind of like got them to the vicinity of the inn, but it's still they were like on a lake
or like a body of water. So then she falls in and that's how she gets to know because the inn

(01:00:55):
wasn't real. No, she had to like visualize it. And then they like get I, I envisioned it is like,
she got them kind of somewhere close to an inn. But when they leave the inn disappears. It's implied
that. Oh, yeah, because the people that what's her name, the aunt is all of the. She's I think
it's her and her familiar are the dwarf and the giant. She created the inn. That's why they

(01:01:19):
vanish. They are the cook and the butler. They kind of vanish at the end and they're not really
sure why. I caught that they vanished, but I was like, I don't know. No, it's because. And
first, he was like, oh, you know, when he goes, oh, the old woman, of course. And I was like, what
old woman? What are we? And it took me a minute. Like it took me a while to think back. But then

(01:01:42):
they they kind of I don't think they were like really explicitly explain it, but it's kind of
a. That makes a lot of sense. Yeah. Well, because they were I remember the those things. He was
like, oh, I'm happy I wasn't making that up because like I swear there was like people there. Yeah.
And then they. And then as they ride away from the inn, it's like mentioned that the inn just
disappears into the. Oh, see, I just accepted it. I mean, I was like, so magical. I didn't realize

(01:02:06):
until the end that both of those pair, I assume it was her and the familiar, because I don't know
how she could be two people at once, but it was both of them and then both the cook and the
butler. That makes a lot of sense. I don't think there was anybody else, but I think it was those
two. Well, that makes more sense because I was like he was really going to die, too,

(01:02:31):
because she had he just like redressed her after she'd like
been submerged in the freezing cold water. And then she was like in his he's like holding her.
And then she like pops up and he's like, well, she's fine. That's great. And then she starts
like disrobing and then she's naked and like having the conversations. And it's like, oh,
she's delirious. This is bad. And she's like, it's burnt. And then she's like, oh,

(01:02:51):
she's delirious. This is bad. And she's like, it's burning. I'm like, well, that is that would be
hypothermia. He's like, she's not shivering. That seems concerning to me. The implication was that
the aunt never went to America. This was all set up and she was watching over them. That makes more
sense at the end than to. Yeah. OK. She knew she was she was there. OK. Following the process.

(01:03:16):
She's even worse at magic than I was given her credit for. She really just fucked them over
so well in that snowstorm. She just yes, no storm on top of a body of water and ice.
She magic them there and he's like, what do you mean? And then she couldn't fix

(01:03:37):
Steven. She couldn't like save him. And obviously, the aunt's magic was able to do it.
But like she's like, I wonder, like in her years, if she ever got better as a witch. I don't know.
I don't know.
Curious. I mean, her kids magic seemed to be. Yeah. Well, I mean, she could do small ish things.

(01:04:01):
It's probably just a confidence thing, too. Yeah. And they talk about like, her focus is a big
issue. Yeah. She got ADHD or something. Mm hmm. Too magical. Too much going on. Can't focus.
No. What a good book. Honestly, yeah. Might be a new favorite. I know. Well, I saw someone

(01:04:27):
before this that they reread it and like I didn't get it until I got it.
And I'm like, yeah, I'll definitely reread because again, it's kind of like it's so soothing to
reread to me because you know what's going to happen. You know how things are going to turn out
because then you can focus on other things. You can focus on like more than nuance and everything.
Because I definitely get very scared when I'm reading new books.

(01:04:49):
So you never know what's going to happen. And so now I can just be like, OK, I know.
I'm going to go back and revisit the spells she would make up. Those crack me up.
I'm like, honestly, that's the most impressive part of this because I cannot make up rhymes
on the spot to save my life. My brother can do it. He like changes the lyrics to songs
and makes them silly, but they always rhyme. And that's always impressed me so much because I'm

(01:05:11):
like, I can't. I can. I did that with my brother when we were younger to the Shrek soundtrack.
We'd be like taking road trips with our family and then we'd have like All Star on and it would
just be like, hey, now I want to go to McDonald's. Oh, my God. Get the milkshake and fries like that
kind of stuff, because we annoy our parents into doing that. But that's my extent.

(01:05:34):
But yeah, well, I mean, I just read the Elizabeth. No, Theresa Madeiros,
A Breath of Magic, and she is a Puritan witch.
And so that one, again, you should read that. It was fucking fun.
She like a magics herself into 1996. And there was like the whole like trying to convince him

(01:05:57):
that she's a witch. And he's just like, no, like, well, because I'll talk about more in our episode.
But there's like he has reasons to think she's like scamming him, obviously, because it's 1996.
And he's like, you're not like, what do you mean? Obviously, because it's 1996.
And it's just so funny reading a historical book that's now historical because it's 1996.

(01:06:21):
But then just the Puritan time. It was really funny. So like seeing that, like how Magic was
treated there and how it was treated here was really fun. Because then in the in the next book,
it's when she goes back, she's the daughter of the two of them. And then she goes back in time,
it's like the 1200s. And she gets a hot night. And it's great. That one was that one was even

(01:06:44):
better than book one, because the hero in book one was a little bit like hot and cold. Yes, no, but
like the night. He's wrong. And he's right. He was hot. That makes me think of that movie.
One with Hugh Jackman and Meg Ryan. Oh, yeah. I'm not going to remember the name. But that one.

(01:07:10):
Oh, God, it's right. Tip of my. Yeah, I'm not even trying because I'm not going to think of it.
He as a side note, I was flipping through this book and I feel the need to bring up number one,
all the funny little section titles, which I love. Bring that back. Like the Once Upon a Time,
the magic, the Mayhem. Yeah, there's like the heartbreak change. Yeah, all of that delightful.

(01:07:36):
Second of all, in the sex scene where she's like, oh, thanks for like shrinking it and making it fit.
It was great. Can you shrink it a little bit? And he's like.
I was like the first time because he was like still inside her. It was like after they both
finished. And then she's like, oh, wow, that's so nice. Like, that's so nice of you. He's like,

(01:08:00):
what? He's like, oh, you just shrunk it a little bit. Oh, God, that was great. The Hugh Jackman
movie was Kate and Leopold. Oh, thank you. And then there's the night before Christmas or something
with Vanessa Hudgens. I never watched that. Oh, I love it. That one. The night comes to the 21st
century. That's fun. I need more time travel books because I ate it up. It was so good. It was

(01:08:25):
phenomenal and also more magic, more witches. I just need it all. So that's my plea. That's my
call to the universe. I would love more historical paranormal. There are the problems. There are some
like this one that are really excellent, but there are quite a few where I'm like, yeah, like,
that's just like the Teresa. Like the Teresa Medeiros were good, but they weren't great.

(01:08:50):
I will say the animal death was really the baggage of book two. Spoiler alert, which I think you
should be spoiled on that just so you know what you're going through. Book one was interesting
because it's like different kind of magic. And then the other one, it didn't. It was like it
took place in like May, like spring, which I was like, why? So the vibes are kind of a little off.

(01:09:13):
But that one, I was close to giving a five stars. It was very good. But it was like different. And
the series was unfinished. So there were like some things I was like, I want more. But yeah,
well, I mean, she's just a phenomenal. I wish she had written more because I mean, her other
paranormal, nothing to do with magic, but the vampire ones are so fucking good. Like, honestly,

(01:09:41):
like I'm so close to just buying her entire backlist because she only has two audiobooks,
which I did listen to. Those were like my least favorite, which is obviously going to be the case.
The two audiobooks that exist are going to be the ones that I wasn't as huge. They were just more
normal, I guess. But what an author to just like knock it out of the park. Good for her.

(01:10:04):
So yeah, because then because you've been reading a few other ones. Oh, boy, have I.
Some of those like vintage. God, I love signet. I don't even care that they're not that great.
I'm just here for the vibes. It was only the one before that was not that great. The one I'm
reading now is actually pretty good so far, but I'm not very far in. So we'll see. Well,
there's the one Lisa Klepis that I see people talk about. Yeah. And I'm kind of like not

(01:10:29):
read side eyeing. Like, do I want to read it? But yeah, I wish there were more. There is a
Elisa Braden sent me a faded email last night. I mean, it wasn't just me, but I'm main charactering
myself. It was fate. She sent out a mass email to her subscribers and she's got a novella,

(01:10:52):
The Secrets of a Moonlit Night on Kindle Unlimited. That one involves a ghost. And then
she's part of a paranormal anthology that's coming out, I think on the 28th of October.
It's on my birthday. Oh, hell yeah. Love that for you. And that is called Once Upon a Haunted
Romance, a historical romance collection. Why aren't there more Halloween historicals?

(01:11:16):
I know. They want more. I know. And apparently, like her novella that's on KU was in one from
last year that was a Midnight Requiem from Dragonblade Publishing. Oh, I saw that. I
didn't read it, but it was on my list of things to consider. Yeah, I should have bought. I didn't
know that. I mean, I just think of Requiem for a Dream from Parks and Rec. But this is a plea.

(01:11:42):
This is a call to action. It's so funny when you get witchy contemporary romances very in right
now. And there are so different. There are a lot of contemporary witch romances. So they're so hard
to pull off for me. Well, I'm just intrigued by the fact that that's so big that it hasn't...
Yeah. I haven't really seen anybody recently write a historical witch romance. Yeah.

(01:12:10):
There was an instinct to have in the market. Contemporary and historical always do the same
thing at the same time. But you think... I mean, because there's like... I mean, now a lot of
authors are going towards shifters and traditionally published contemporary romance authors are making
their sci-fi and monster romance debuts and stuff. And yeah, I mean, the thing about contemporary

(01:12:32):
witches, now it published 2022, 2023, they're always so distinctly the same in a way. It's like
they're very... Quirky is not the right word, but there's just something about them that is almost
dating. They're very dated in the modern time. I don't quite know. I think I know what you mean.

(01:12:57):
They all feel... Not all. There are some really standout ones that I have read, but a lot of them
feel like they're written by the same person. Yes. Yeah. And I don't... So it's very hard
for me to find one that I'll absolutely go to bat for. It's just a book that I reread
outside of the season. So I'm like... And again, I just like historical romance better. So I would

(01:13:22):
love if there were more options to choose from. I did get... I had asked for submissions on my
story about people telling... For more historical paranormal ones. I do have a lot written down
that I need to read, but we'll get into that on our Halloween episode. Yeah. Yeah. I'll see if I
can get any more in, or I will just put them in a TBR list in the show notes.

(01:13:48):
But yeah, that's just our thoughts on the severe lack of historical witches and paranormal stuff.
I mean, there are the Susan... Susan Allen. I read one of them. Wasn't a huge fan.
But again, I think I just wasn't in the mood for it.
I have another one of hers I need to read. I mean, there are a few, but they're not usually

(01:14:11):
witches. There are a lot... Not a lot, but... Shifters. There's several shifters, several
vampires. I think vampires are the biggest one I've seen in historical, which makes sense.
And vampires, I feel like are kind of having a comeback. They sure are. Yeah. Which I'm here
for. Oh, I also am. I love a vampire. I really do. But where are the witch historicals?

(01:14:31):
I agree. I just feel like the vibes are right. They really are.
Alexandra Vassey, if you're listening, I would love for you to read it. Oh my God.
It's a witch historical romance. I just feel like you would eat that.
It should be so good.

(01:14:51):
Well, now I want that to happen. Okay, wait. I feel the need to say
India Holden is excluded from this narrative. I feel like I'm going to have to read it.
I feel the need to say India Holden is excluded from this narrative because she delivered
excellent witches. She really did. They're less spooky. No, they're more spunky.

(01:15:11):
But not spunky in the bad spunk. Not the Elizabeth Hoy spunky, just spunky. Snazzy.
Snazzy. Why would you want that? I have to distinguish.
Because the word has been forever tainted.
I know. Yeah. But India Holden, bow down. You are a queen. Yes. We need a princess.

(01:15:38):
We need a princess. One who is not Jill Barnett. Somebody who's writing right now.
Yeah. Holding out for a hero. I need things happening, publishing right now. Because again,
Theresa Madeira, she's not writing anymore. Elizabeth Boyle, I have no clue. That series
got canceled. So she hasn't written anything paranormal since then. The Alexis Hall one that
I read, the sapphic one, they're not. I'm trying to remember what happened. Was that the Morta Follies?

(01:16:02):
It's told by Puck. So there aren't witches. I mean, there's one character who's like kind of
a witch, but I don't think she uses the term witch. She's a witch. Yes. I got better.
Yeah. She turned me into a newt. I don't think they're witches though. I think one of them is

(01:16:23):
she's accused of being a witch. People kind of think that she is and that she used her magic to
kill her family. But she's not really. But there are gods and goddesses involved and it's kind of
magical. So I really love that book, but not witchy. But if you like witchy... And I...

(01:16:44):
Rome. That's a book that's like... It's more like that. Yeah. In the same vein. Yeah.
Just like anything paranormal, sci-fi-ish, but also historical. Because it's just like, I just miss...
I love the historical customs and the inherent... Just the world that it is. It's just something that
I love so much that contemporary just doesn't give me. And so it just really makes me happy to read

(01:17:10):
them. Well, there's that. I kind of got a little bit of a preview for Halloween. So that's going
to be an episode. Get ready. Oh boy is it. I've read so many books this month. I know. I've read

(01:17:31):
the most books probably of the year. It will be in October. Just because I've been reading a lot of
novellas. Me too. And I've been in like a weird like arc slump where I don't want to read anything
that I have. So it's just novellas after novella after novella. Because they're just short and
like easy. I'm on like book 33 or something for the month. Yeah. And again, quite a few have been
novellas, but like not as many as you would think. And I'm fighting the urge to reread

(01:17:58):
Amorals After Dark. Not the entire thing. Just pull a few. Just rein it in until after Halloween.
I know, but they're so spooky. Spooky is a state of mind. It is. And I'm always in the Amorals After
Dark state of mind. I'm probably gonna, I'll try to restrain myself until after Halloween. But who
knows? I'm a wild card. I'm risky. So there's that. But and the thing is, I like those, they read

(01:18:26):
almost like historical because the heroes are so old. And some of the heroines too. Like Sebastian,
he's so old. And she's older. She's like, like, like centuries old. And he's just a little baby
compared to her. But he basically reads like a historical romance hero. Same thing with like
Reidstrom. They all kind of do. So I'm like, you know what? That's my contemporary historical.

(01:18:52):
Anyway, we've lost the plot. Yeah, lost the plot. Where is it? It's gone forever. Cool.
Love that for us. Bewitching. I was bewitched. Go watch the show Bewitched. It is a banger.
It's got some funny Halloween episodes too. Because her husband works in advertising.

(01:19:15):
And he does an ad that's like an old crone looking witch. Like he's an illustrator, like he draws it.
And she is so offended that he would, she's like, this promotes harmful stereotypes about witches.
And he's like, Samantha, this is an ad. You need to read the Theresa Medeiro, the Breath of Magic,
because like she sees the Wizard of Oz. And she's like, I cannot believe they killed the witch.
She's like, Dorothy is a bitch. She's like, I hate Dorothy. Can't believe they did that. And he's

(01:19:40):
like, what? So fun. Yeah, well, she leads a whole campaign to be like down with harmful stereotypes
about witches. I'm pretty sure she like haunts that guy's dreams to do it. Or like she makes
him think that he's dreaming by showing up at night and then being like, I'm pretty sure.

(01:20:04):
I know the one witch that ended up with a vote for Coolidge sign. That makes me laugh.
The Theresa Medeiros one, the first one takes place on Halloween. Or like, there's like, it's
like a big, like they have like a Halloween party and like they go back in time on all Hallows Eve.
So that is the most seasonally relevant one that I've read so far. If you

(01:20:27):
listener need to read something quick before because our episodes coming out on Halloween. So kind of
preparing you for next year. I feel like I read one recently that takes place on Halloween.
There were like a few contemporaries and stuff. I don't feel like I've read like a few other ones.
Oh, Captain Bride by Catherine Ash. There's a ghost and he's gonna marry this virgin who's

(01:20:48):
trapped in a castle and he's gonna do it on Halloween. And then the virgins no longer a
virgin. So our heroine is suddenly the only virgin left. And so he's gonna do it with her. And she's
like, no, you're totally bluffing. But then he might not be bluffing. And so basically, it's like,
oh, we have to have sex to keep you from becoming this ghost bride and then die. Was it good? No.

(01:21:10):
But like, that's disappointing. Was it a vibe? Yes. You know what I mean? Like, it wasn't good.
But I also was like, you know what, there's like a ghost that you can hear but only virgins can see.
And he he's like kind of evil, but also kind of funny. I don't know. It was a weird book,

(01:21:32):
but I did have a good time even though it wasn't very good. So more to come in our Halloween episode.
And that, that's all I'm leaving you with. We've got some sort of
moonlight mad something old school school episode. Moonstruck Madness. Moonstruck Madness. Next

(01:21:53):
Friday. And then we're almost done with the year. I think that's what it's called. I could have.
It is. Yeah. Okay. No. It's Laurie McVean. I know that. Yep. Yep. She's like a highwayman or something.
And it's a whole thing. Exciting. It is. It is exciting. Yay. So that's happening. We have a

(01:22:14):
break somewhere around Thanksgiving. Somewhere. Sometime. Yeah. Julie Garwood happens.
That's all. That's all I've got for you. However, the Muppets end their, their show.
I don't know. I don't either. I still would know. That's all folks. Or is that Looney Tunes? You're

(01:22:36):
thinking of Looney Tunes. Whatever. Well, everything is Looney Tunes. Just like these books. That's all folks.
You gotta do the little circle spinny thing. That'd be a treat for the people who listen to
the very end and don't. Shout out to you. You get all the gems. After the music's ended,

(01:23:01):
picking up bottles on New Year's Day and then woo.
One spider was how I'm making up this podcast. It's for you.

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