S03.01: Putting Descartes Before the Horse

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
It's happening. We're doing it. It's happening. I didn't see it happen. Guys, I

(00:08):
Listen first I have discovered that my cord to my microphone is broken
So I was like, oh I can just hold one connecting piece in the entire time
except that then we got a few minutes into recording and it fell out and
Instead of being like, oh we just like stopped recording because your input fucked up
The Zen caster was like abort. Yeah, it was like we've aborted your audio

(00:31):
Okay
He's trying to keep us away from the core. I
Don't know that reference. Oh
Listen, this is a real obscure reference because I don't remember almost anything about the rest of the movie
But we did as a family see the live-action version of Charlotte's Web
Which is a movie that exists what what it's just saying participant Caroline is having a problem

(01:01):
So many problems it says participant Caroline is having a problem participant failed with member
Something failure reason there high quality audio stream from microphone has stopped
True I think they're just angry that you don't have your microphone plugged in so I think we're gonna yeah
If you're listening and you're like, why is Caroline's audio quality terrible?

(01:22):
It's because of the aforementioned broken microphone cord that aborted our
Recording in the most dramatic fashion. So now I'm just going with headphones until I can get a new cord, which hopefully will be within days
Anyway in the live-action movie version of Charlotte's Web
There are these random I'm sure they're voiced by comedians, but I was too young to know who they were

(01:45):
Two crows who you come back to yeah
periodically throughout the movie and they are always trying to get some corn but there's a
Scarecrow and they're very afraid of the scarecrow. So the scarecrow keeps scaring them off
But then they'll like hype each other up and be like, yeah, we're gonna go in like we're gonna get again
I haven't seen this movie more than probably once and I don't remember that much

(02:06):
But I have a very clear memory of a scene where they're like we're gonna go in
We're not gonna let that guy scare us like we're gonna get this guy
We're gonna let that guy scare us like we're gonna get this corn and the two of them start flying in and as they get
Close to the scarecrow the one goes up
Abort and they fly away and at a different point
Whether this is before or after one of them goes he's trying to keep us away from the and the other one goes corn

(02:32):
Which was the quote what i'm hearing is that that's us preparing for a podcast saying it's not going to be long. Sure
um
and
Yep, and also what i'm hearing is that two wolves out two crows inside you in
Welcome to romance your tbr season three

(02:52):
We represent the two crows living inside you
Ka-chao
Ka-chao indeed. Yeah
Um, so yeah, this is going to this is actually going to be a short one because please bad audio quality. We have to assume
We've already got cut off once
Um, it's not much 9 30 where I am and I am

(03:16):
Simply ready for bed. Also. I have six cookies that I ordered and were delivered
Oh, you can't wait to go eat those. Um, so we gotta
Keep this short and sweet so I can go eat them cookies
She's got to eat them cookies. She's gotta
She's gotta um
Welcome to romance your tbr. Participant caroline is having a problem. Participant caroline that should be my

(03:38):
my social media bio on all
I'm gonna make that my um
Like teams meeting like when I join a meeting i'm gonna change my name
To say participant caroline is having a problem so that no one ever asks me to talk
Because they're like, oh that's weird
She's having a lot of issues

(04:02):
Participant caroline. Wow. I like it. It's fun
I like it. She really is. Anyway, like we said welcome back to season three
Uh, we are your hosts
I'm caroline
I'm participant hannah
Participant caroline and participant hannah
You know, we're here we made it against all odds honestly against all odds against

(04:28):
All obstacles thrown at us. They were never in our favor
Never never
No, um
So basically this is going to be just like a very quick
Hello
Little life update a couple of books that we would recommend that we've read recently
um
and

(04:49):
Uh a little overview of like what the plan is for the rest of the season which is very much still in the works
this will be our
on air conversation about
What the rest of I think we have a general idea. Yeah. Yeah
Yeah, it's going to be fairly similar to past seasons in my mind
I just have to assume that tbr tuesday is gonna happen like

(05:14):
When's every blue moon? I think that's a special occasion
Yeah at this point for like holidays and stuff. Sure
Sure, I think that makes sense because I just don't have the time
No to edit that we need to use we'll utilize the the newsletter more hopefully we say that
I am realizing I am saying that we will hopefully at some point

(05:35):
We do that in send out. Yeah
the newsletters and we can
Maybe make a format. That's like quicker for us to do so we can just like drop in
Yeah, and you can read them and you can read them and you can read them and you can tell us about them
There we go. Why are we always doing so much for you?
You can tell us about the books
As if we didn't vlog here

(05:58):
Yeah, no
Um, i'm being held hostage. Yeah
Yeah
We are being held hostage. We are going to you know, do a little
Listen, we're here for the vibes. You know this if you've listened to any of our podcasts before now
And I hope you are because
Jumping right in this is a bold move for you to start with bold season three

(06:23):
um
But welcome, this is the vibe
It's tech issues participant caroline having a problem
Perhaps some obscure charlotte's web live-action movie references
It sounds like we're in a cult participant caroline brother
Like my dad, um was in a fraternity in college and he still gets letters addressed to him as brother

(06:45):
Our last name concerning and so like I got it one time
It's like a running joke in my like group chat now with my friends because like I sent it. I was like
why are they calling him this because like
It was it was jarring but it's also hilarious because now they just randomly bring it up
Good and i'm like, yep. That's the brother

(07:07):
Yep
Um, yeah, so the episode's vibes we are bringing back old school school
whatever the
Well last season was 101 now we're in 201. I don't remember how college courses work
Who knows sometimes it's like 101 sometimes it's 102

(07:28):
That's like and then sometimes it's 201. Yeah, it's been a while then there's like 3 000 levels. Yeah, we're not there yet
I don't know if I want to be there
Books that are like yeah, that's there are some that scare me that's intensive. Um
Um
Uh, so more to come there

(07:50):
Hopefully we will be able to start putting those out soon
um
The plan is to do a little bit different of a format, which I don't want to say too much about but um
Having more guests on guest lecturers if you will for the old school episodes
So it won't just be us reading and talking about the books

(08:11):
Yeah, um, but again, nothing is really locked down
So i'm not gonna say too much there and the reason nothing is locked down even though we've been off for months is because one of us
Decided it would be a good idea
To pick up and move across the country
That's how it goes
They getcha
They getcha they said we'll give you your dream job, but you do have to move to new york city and I said yeah

(08:34):
I can do that
Do you know my original plan was to take one day off of work and that one day was the day I was flying up? Yeah
The giggling is the correct response. What was I thinking?
I don't know because yeah when I moved to new york, like it was during the floods. Oh boy, like
Nature was not on our side. So like

(08:56):
Yeah, um
everything was flooding and we were like driving and
we were in
Pennsylvania, I think we stayed at like two hotels so like two separate nights of driving or like days of driving in hotels
I think we were at like
Penn state or like one of the college towns has like
A large town with lots of hotels and stuff. So we were there and then on the news

(09:20):
It's like oh, yeah
All these massive floods are going to be right in your way driving into like jersey and new york
And so I have to be like, okay. Well, we just have to stay another night
So that was an extra night at that hotel that I had to pay for
and then um
I had to call the building and I was like, hey
Like I can't be there on my move-in day and they're like, that's fine

(09:40):
But also since you're gonna be here on thursday rather than wednesday, you can't move in till friday
Like you can physically enter the building but your stuff can't
Because they like you have to like reserve the elevator and I was like, well see that's cute
because
Because how how is that gonna work? So we were in the building I had to be there because my job was delivering my macbook

(10:04):
Like they were literally delivering my laptop. So I had to be there for that
Um, and then there was no furniture in there
So then we had to get a nasty and I mean nasty hotel and it was like a 400 hotel
It was like a hilton but don't stay in the one in like, I don't know where in manhattan like it's like central manhattan
Well, I would never again stay in a hotel in manhattan anyway, I wouldn't that's where my apartment was

(10:27):
so like I we had to get something like within walking driving distance and um
One so it obviously cost so much but it smelled like pee like the first room like just straight up pee and I was like
Who marked this territory?
Who did this had to have been someone smuggling a cat in or something. So we had to go down and like I don't like

(10:49):
Being a nuisance, but like you couldn't it was just moist because there was like no ac
And then we had to be like we need a new room and then the second one was like fainter
It was still kind of there but like we had to deal with it
but um, so yeah, like my stuff was in our truck in a parking garage we had to like get it out the next morning
And then you had to like pay completely different

(11:11):
to like get back in because you can't like remove and it was a whole thing and then parking was so expensive and
But I will say moving out was worse
Because there was also only a limited amount of time that you can move out and what I didn't realize
When I had the moving company or it was even moving company
It was like a junk removal because I had like a desk chair like I had stuff that we just couldn't fit like in

(11:32):
Our truck and I didn't need it. I was like, I want it gone. So we had this junk removal
Um, I think it's like the college bros or whatever. Oh and yeah and like
God
Yes, what? Yeah, um, so
so I
So I had booked this like months in advance or like however, I didn't have months. I had three weeks guys

(11:54):
I was lying right then. I don't know why I said that I booked it right when I realized I had to move
And the guy could have told me hey ma'am miss
Your name like hannah like
I would book the first appointment
because
They're going to be so late
That they won't even make it to your apartment if you book any other time besides the first appointment

(12:15):
He could have told me that and I would have been like, you know, that's fine. I I don't care
I won't tell anyone i'll just do it didn't do that. Um, so I had like a one scheduled between like 11
And like 1 pm and I had to be out like all this stuff had to be out by three
Um, because you can't
For some reason the apartment just wouldn't allow like big furniture like being taken out after three

(12:36):
And they didn't get there till five
And I had basically like bribe the doorman
To like let us like have those people and like they were so sweaty
I mean
Like I was I was just like please take it like I don't care. They were like apologize. I'm like, I don't care
Please just I will pay you I overpaid because they just jacked up the rent. I'm like, I don't care. I want it out

(12:58):
I want it gone
um
and I just
Would never use that company unless you're the first appointment just heads up because like they were they like the first appointment or whatever
The guy didn't have any elevators in his apartment said he was on like the highest floor
And so they had to like walk up and down and so they just didn't factor that in and then that wasn't even like

(13:19):
They had multiple appointments before me because why in new york city would you think about the fact that yeah buildings might not have elevators?
Yeah, that would be crazy to even consider
Yeah, and he's like this happens all the time. I was like that would have been great information
Like I would have had the first spot if I would have known
But so if anyone is looking to use them, I probably wouldn't but also um

(13:40):
Just always take the first spot
Well, also, um, I learned from a friend listen
This might not be the same company, but it feels like it might be two dudes or something
It was yeah, that sounds like yeah
I mean they have trucks all over take I saw a multiple grain of salt because I could be just straight up lying to you
However, I would also be lying. I just like I said

(14:01):
three weeks ago
so
My friend who came to visit was just telling me about I can't remember like what show
It was on or like what stupid she was talking about this guy who?
I have to assume it was this company because that sounds like the same thing. She was talking about like in college
He started yeah, like a junk removal service. Um, and now

(14:27):
He's he like he doesn't really go do that anymore because he's the ceo
Um, but he's super rich from it. And so he I know why he's rich sure but he um
Whatever the I again, I have no memory of like what show or thing this was that she saw this but apparently he's very
Essentially insecure with dating because he thinks

(14:51):
The women going out with him are going out with him for his money
And so his response to this
I love that. I'm telling you that this is like my friend who's heard it from somebody else who heard it from says this is truly
So trickle-down gossip, um

(15:12):
But it was some kind of show or something he he went
On this date with this woman they had planned
This nice dinner, but he pulled up
in the truck
And was like
Basically his whole thing was like he wanted to test her to see if she could like get her hands dirty

(15:35):
And like isn't dating him for his money
So this woman is standing there in like a dress like a nice dress and heels
And he was like psych our first date's gonna be hauling junk
And so she just had to like climb in which first of all, i'm automatically out
I'm like if you had warned me ahead of time, i'd be like, okay

(15:56):
Maybe why not but not in not with no warning
However, he pulls up she gets in he gives her like a big shirt to wear
Um, and I think like boots when they get there, but she's still like I would love if I had pants
That would be great
And then made her haul junk and I think my thing is like he could have still with the intention of like testing you which is weird

(16:22):
He could have shown up and been like hey
I am so sorry
I really wanted to have this date, but I had this last minute client situation come up
And I was the only one who could deal with it
I know this is a little crazy, but because this is like part of my life
Would you be down to like come do this with me and I feel like if that happened, I would be so much more like honestly

(16:44):
Yeah, yeah
Do you mind if I run up and grab a change of clothes like yeah, let's do it
And you still would be able to test me without it being like surprise
I don't care that you're wearing heels. We're hauling junk. I'm so angry
I mean there was a book I can't remember which book but I wrote in my review because they were going on a date

(17:04):
And she asked she's like do I need to wear like what do I wear?
And he's like it's like nothing like it's gonna be easy. Like you don't need to dress like
Like four crazy adventure things sure
And then he ends up taking her on like a hike and she has to like climb over this like she's like be on top of this
Rock and like get over it and I'm like sir

(17:25):
First of all, why the hell?
Wouldn't you specify at least like where like hike like boots or something?
And like pants because she was and like I was overly dramatic about it
Because I was already not having a good time
But I was just like that was such an easy thing for me. Why are you not considerate enough of me?
Yeah, like give me basic instructions

(17:45):
Because I am happy to prepare and she was like breaking a sweat
So I'm like I need to know and you should bring water
Like there are a bunch of things that you should do if you're going to be doing certain things
So, I mean not only do I have to do certain things
I have to be doing certain things. So I mean that guy sounds like he created the business that
Um, I have interacted with I really feel like it was the same one now that this is relevant

(18:08):
I had a slightly less horror story, but still not pleasant move, which was that um, originally
So I had booked my flight for a wednesday and my original
Thought process was i'll just pop up on wednesday. It'll be fine. I work remotely
And then Estelle my boss was like, um
Um, have you considered maybe taking the day after off?

(18:31):
And I was like, um, so the thing like I am very hesitant about taking vacation days
Yeah, because what if I need them? Yeah, like I have trips
I want to go on that I haven't planned out yet. And what if I or like something comes up?
I don't know. I don't want to use all my vacation days on this stupid move
um
So I was like, okay
I'll take the day after off and I was talking about like being stressed about this whole like i'm moving alone from texas

(18:56):
To new york. She's like, why don't you also take the day before off to like pack and I was like, uh,
I guess so basically the plan was to take tuesday wednesday thursday and then friday was like tentatively
I'd be working remotely but like if I needed it off that was kind of understood that might happen
And then the next monday was going to be mlk day. Oh, yeah. Um

(19:20):
So
There were issues with like mailing boxes, but basically I mailed like 11 boxes of things
um
Four of which were books
as one does
um, and then I had packed to literally the 50 pound limit both
My big like the two largest suitcases and then also had like my stuff. How did you maneuver?

(19:43):
Well, my mom helped me into the airport and then on the way out I sucked it up and paid however much money
It is to get a luggage cart and then oh
Oh, okay. That makes sense
It wasn't fun, but it happened. Um
So we go
We're very emotional
Uh my flight got it got delayed

(20:04):
So the night before I knew that it had gotten delayed a bit and the thing was I wasn't flying out of my
City I was flying out of austin
Because I was able to get like a really cheap direct flight if I did that and so we had to like drive an hour
And a half to this other airport
And so I didn't mind that it got delayed like an hour or something because it meant I didn't have to leave quite as early
And it was gonna be not like horribly early, but earlier than I really wanted to

(20:27):
So I was like, that's fine. And my dad is like, are you sure like we can find another flight?
I'm like, no, it'll be fine. I'll still get in it like
Seven or eight something like that. Yeah, like it'll be fine
But then in the airport it also got delayed and then they just took so like I don't know what the issues were
But there were issues with like cleaning or something and it took so long

(20:50):
So then it was basically delayed more
So I get in fairly late
And then I proceed to get what I can only assume is scammed by like three lift drivers in a row
Where I called the lift and they would like I could see them pulling up to the like area where it was supposed to be

(21:11):
And then it would say that they're here
But I'm looking around and I'm not seeing any license plates that match that
And it's it'll it'll give you the little like you have five minutes to find them basically before they're leaving
And I would call them and it would go straight to voicemail and I would message them and they would never answer
So I'm like, hey, I can't find you like I'm standing under the sign where I said I would be

(21:34):
Where are and then they would leave because the time limit would be up and then I would get charged like a fee
Really?
So I ended up getting all that money back because lift it's super easy to be like
That's good like kind of complain it like it has a little preset
Like I think this charge was the wrong thing and it gave I think
Two of them gave it back and one of them was like it gave me credit for that. So like it was fine

(21:56):
And also it was only like three dollars, but when it happens to you three times in a row
I stood outside in the cold for probably like 45 minutes. Were there any taxis or is it like a different spot? I don't
I was actually stressed me out. I never I avoid i've used them. Yeah, but I avoid them. Um
So finally I get one and it is late by this point and also i've got to get to my apartment and the thing is

(22:24):
I live in an old building in brooklyn
And so it's got like a set of two doors that are locked and inside the first set of doors
It's like where the mailboxes are. Um, so
Set of doors is like where the mailboxes are. Um, but there's no doorman or anything like that
And so for packages to be delivered
other than like the postal service

(22:45):
They buzz the apartment and someone has to buzz them in at least into the first set of doors
Because with the exception of one idiot, which i'll get to they don't leave packages like outside on the street
Yeah, because it's new york. I mean that's good business practice, but also sure
Sure. Yeah, but this means that when I was sending things to myself
Before I moved I was like i'll send them to an amazon pickup spot

(23:08):
So that I don't have to deal with like a roommate trying to let them in or something
So I sent an air mattress and a set of sheets to an amazon pickup spot at a whole foods
That was like a few subway stops away from this apartment
But because of these flight delays and these various lift drivers apparently scamming me
I got to my apartment at like 9 58 and the whole foods closed at 10

(23:34):
And I was like, well, I don't have
Like a bed
Or like a place to sleep
So I get in another lift and I go to target
And I pick up a frankly too expensive air mattress
But it's one of the like I don't have to buy a pump or whatever
So I buy this air mattress on a set of sheets and I come back

(23:55):
And I set this stupid thing up and I'm so tired
And it's like 11 pm by this point and I have been traveling
And then I don't remember the exact sequence of events
But basically, um, I live with three other people
And only the fourth person or the the third person rather hadn't moved in yet

(24:19):
So there were like two people already here
But they were kind of in and I don't even remember like what was going on
But like I didn't really know them
I think they were talking like or had friends over something where I just like
Was not asking a lot of questions
I just wanted to like get in move in and be done
And I could not get the hot water to work
One of two things happened either because recently we went several days

(24:43):
Where the hot water also didn't work
That's great
Or like it would only work in the afternoon
But like not at morning or at night, you know when you need hot water
So either it just wasn't working that night
And like because I really feel like I tried both sides of the faucet
And just like it would not heat up
It was ice cold and I was like I can't I'm so tired

(25:05):
I wanted to either shower or wash my face so bad
But I was like fine micellar water like just anything and I'm going to bed
Or what might have happened is um
I just was turning the wrong side of the faucet
Potentially because hot water is always on the left right?

(25:25):
Yeah
I googled this because I was like am I crazy hot water is always on the left right?
I'm not crazy
My grandma's a switch they like messed it up one time
Well that must be what happened because I googled it
It's always on the left so that blind and visually impaired people always know
So I'm sitting here googling which side is hot water on like I'm crazy
Because I'm running the tap and it's not heating up

(25:47):
It just it like was not working
Was not working and so the next day later at some point I was like I asked a roommate
I was like what is going on with the hot water like why can I not get it to work?
Um and he's like oh it's um I was like it's on the left right?
And he's like yeah like if you're like in the shower

(26:08):
It's like on the left like hot shower is in the middle and then cold
And I'm like trying to get the shower to heat up it's not working
I'm like he said it's on the left I'm running the hot water
I don't understand and I ran it for like 10 minutes
And he had said like sometimes it takes a minute to heat up but it was a long time
So I was like what is like what's I can't get it to heat up
And he's like oh I was thinking like standing like as if the the he was this hour

(26:34):
Yeah like from the other way
So basically the hot water is on the right and it took days for me to learn this
Because of just like me not being here when other people were
Like it was just so unhinged
I mean that is arguably the hardest part in like hotels and stuff is figuring out the shower
Which time is it on?
The shower took me a minute and then it will get boiling

(26:58):
It's insane it will like burn me
So you can only put a tiny little bit of hot
Listen it was so much
So already I'm not having a good time it's 11 pm I had to go buy this air mattress
I can't get the hot water to work whatever
I set it up
It is below freezing at this point
And I have since discovered that I think my room like juts out a little bit more than the rest of the apartment

(27:27):
Like I think I have more walls like exposed
And so I think my room just gets a little bit colder
And also I have a window that I'm pretty sure has a draft
Yeah
But the radiators in this ancient building
Mine just like does not do as much as I guess the rest of them
But even so

(27:47):
It's trying
The participant radiator
The participant radiator is having problems
But even so my roommate's like yeah it's um
Because I was like turning the knob
But it wasn't turning I was like it's stuck
Like I can't turn this knob
But she's like oh no it's the landlord that gets controlled in the basement
So it's only on when they decide that it's on

(28:09):
And also
Yeah that's something I learned and I was like well that's not correct
Sure but even then they just kind of like come on randomly
Like we're not basically we can't control the heat
And it's worse in my room than it is in the rest of the house
But for whatever reason that night I swear to god the radiator was ice cold all night

(28:30):
It wasn't even like now I'm fine
Yeah
It'll still be cold during the day because it doesn't tend to come on during the day
But like that night was not on
It was ice I was so concerned I was on an air mattress which is colder because it's air
The air in the room
So if it's cold air you're gonna be sleeping on a cold air mattress
And all they had were a set of sheets and I had managed to stuff one like throw blanket

(28:54):
Into my carry-on or one of my suitcases
So I had to throw a blanket
And I was so cold that I was wearing like a full-on pajama set
And also a sweatshirt and I had thrown my coat on over my feet
And I still couldn't sleep because I was so cold
It was miserable
Anyway so I cried it out because I was like oh my god I moved away from my parents

(29:17):
I miss my cat like it is so cold and I haven't had a shower
It was genuinely so horrible
And the next day was not that much better but I did sleep a little bit
And then I went to an art museum that's like a few minutes away
And I was like wow art women
And then I like cried over art and everything was much better

(29:38):
Like that's all it took really
And everything is okay oh and then the saga continues because
I mailed all these boxes of things to myself
Yes you did
Most of them showed up fairly quickly but the books are media mail so they take longer

(29:58):
So it's like a couple of them show up one day
Another one shows up either the next day or like a couple days later
I'm not really that worried about it
But the last box of books I'm like where is it?
Where's this fourth box?
So I go like put in the tracking number
It's like oh it was delivered this morning and it was a day when I was in the office
So I wasn't home

(30:19):
But the postal service doesn't need like I don't know how they get in
But they don't need to buzz in like they just kind of give us our mail
So it's always like inside the little room
So this was already inside
Yes it's inside that first set of doors is where they leave things
So I'm at home at night after work I look at this tracking number
It's like oh it was delivered this morning
I'm like that's weird it wasn't there like when I got back from work

(30:43):
There is like a little I once had a tar oh my god wait back to the first night I moved in
I had also had pillows sent these ones I had delivered to me not to the pickup place
But they attached a picture on the Amazon thing of like here we delivered it
And it was sitting outside on the stoop
So when I got there obviously that package was not there

(31:04):
And pillows are a hack commodity
I mean I guess but like yeah what who ripped the pillows
Who in New York City is going to deliver a lot of package
Yeah probably a lot
None of my other packages have ever just been left out like I've had them try
And if nobody buzzes them in they're like sorry
We tried to deliver it but we couldn't like we'll try again later

(31:27):
Anyway so this last box of books I'm like where is it
I'm kind of looking around like maybe they put it like in like on the first floor somewhere
And I didn't see it there's like a an outdoor basement
Such it or like down the stairs which I once had a target package
They left it down there which like didn't get stolen because it was down under like down a set of stairs

(31:48):
With like I checked there wasn't there I was like that
Super weird maybe it got scanned on the truck like accidentally but left on the truck
So maybe like so I wait a couple days it's still not there
I tried to report it or I waited a day before I was trying to like report it
And say like there was an issue but then it was it was giving me an error message

(32:10):
And so I tried again the next day and it was like oh that's not available for this tracking number
And I was like what the so I walked to the post office which is like
I walked to the post office which is not super far but it's not super close either
I walked to the post office I'm like hey this package says it was delivered it's not there

(32:32):
He's like oh you need to talk to a supervisor go wait at that window
Half an hour later no supervisor has arrived
This other girl was also trying to find some package she's like how long have you been here
I was like at least half an hour and she's like this is insane because this happened yesterday too
I ended up having to just leave we waited there for so long and the supervisor like
It was like an hour later and eventually somebody was like hey the supervisor left

(32:58):
So we wait 45 like probably a full hour by the time the supervisor finally decides to show up
And do her job um she plugs it in she's like yeah I've got the GPS location it says it was
Delivered to the correct address so like check with your neighbors basically and I was like
They wouldn't have left it outside or something like they couldn't she's like no we don't leave
Packages outside so it was delivered inside my apartment building and has been gone at this point

(33:23):
That's on Saturday and it was delivered on a Wednesday so I'm like doing with these books
So I'm what were they doing so I'm like that's bizarre someone in my building
Yeah unless like maybe somebody was inside and grabbed them on the way out
Yeah but like because they did they put them return them outside we're getting there
Someone presumably in my building took the and I'm like trying to give them the benefit of the doubt

(33:46):
Because I'm like maybe they thought it was I had sent them in like a target box I'm like maybe they
Were expecting something from target or maybe they like thought it was for like a roommate who wasn't
Home I did that to someone's groceries once wasn't my fault but I felt bad right like something some
Kind of mixed up picked it up thought it was for something else whatever um so I'm like on the

(34:08):
Phone with my parents complaining about all of this as I walk home and I have to walk past my apartment
Building to get to the coffee shop where I had a friend waiting for me and um as I'm walking past
You can see they're like glass doors as I'm walking past I glance in and there is an open target box
Sitting inside that little like in the mail area uh-huh full of books the trade paperbacks that I was

(34:35):
Missing as far as the trade paperbacks I was actually very grateful that the yeah I guess
They're the more that you can they were all new purchasing again yeah right some of them were signed
And some were annotated yeah but at least I don't have to go track down like an original tender is
The yeah like it's fine anyway so I'm like huh those are my books so I go meet my friend we come

(35:01):
Back this is I was gone about two hours so sometime in the two hours I was gone they put this back
So I go get my books I take them up I start unpacking them the thing that I notice immediately is
They're packed differently than I packed them um because the box isn't just open it's like the flaps
Are all folded in and also I had packed them stacked vertically and they packed them like spines up

(35:25):
But they're all like neatly repacked and like some of the books were kind of sitting on top like they
Didn't fit all the books back into this box so I'm like you went you didn't just open it and go
Ah like here were my two options that I'm working with either you thought this was your package you
Opened it you go oh no this isn't for me this is books in which case why would you go through all

(35:51):
The books and take them we're getting there or two you stole it thinking ahaha a box and then you
Opened it and went aww books books that's not what I wanted and then you put it back but if you did
That why did you go through it and neatly repack it so I'm unpacking these trade paperbacks I'm sorting
It and putting on the shelves I notice I don't remember which one I noticed first but it was like

(36:14):
It was probably the India Holton the middle one general women which is arguably arguably was missing
Love you bro yeah and I was like number one weird because that's the middle book in a series like
Let's say you're going through these books and you're just picking like based on covers that
Look good do you why would you take all three yeah also weird because that one along with

(36:37):
Beach read I have three Emily Henry paperbacks and they only that's so they only took beach read
Also annotated and tabbed and then gentlewoman witches was annotated and tabbed and so I'm like
Either like I could see maybe if you're like oh this one's tabbed like it must be really good
But in that case why wouldn't you take all the books that were tabbed yeah
But they did I literally I looked on pango book to see if someone was like selling

(37:00):
Because they upsell them yeah when they're like tabbed and stuff but no but but but these like I
Don't so odd and then it was so it was like those and then like I have all five of Denise Williams
But they only took the fastest way to fall which of course is my favorite one
Like I had the two harlequin Adriana Herrera's they only took the most on the hustle

(37:22):
Oh I I ended up I went to an event at the rip bodice that she was at and I ended up buying a new copy of it
And was like somebody stole like I told her this story um so I hope they enjoyed but like it was all
Contemporary but all like one by an author and then one india holton so I'm like truly at this point

(37:43):
Someone took it for reason unknown went through all the books for reason unknown
And kept about five or six of them again for reason unknown and only like one by an author never
A whole series never all of an author's books some of which were annotated and tabbed
And at this point in my life I don't even want the books back if you will just tell me why

(38:06):
If you will just tell me why what was the reason like what was your thought process I just want to
know it kept them so long yeah like three days three like full days and then I knew it wasn't
theirs like right away what happened in those three days why did you only take some and if

(38:30):
you were going to take any why did you then like neatly repack them and leave them why did you
return them right weird because it couldn't be to like sell them because number one why would you
pick those and number two why wouldn't you sell all like there are just so many unanswered questions
I know I have talked for so long but like genuinely why I don't know that's very weird it's like it

(38:57):
haunts me a little bit and not even because I desperately need like I don't think any of them
were signed yeah and the ones that I annotate like that's a bummer but I don't write anything
hugely moving in my annotate like it's okay I'll just annotate them the next time but like
it was all books that I liked too well except for I think they took I had two of the Sinali dev

(39:23):
Pride and Prejudice and Other Flavors and then I had not the second one but I think maybe the third
one and they took that one and I hadn't read that one yet but all the other ones they took I'm pretty
sure are books that like were favorites by that author that I really I'm like how did you do that
how did you know which ones to take they follow you on TikTok they've been stalking you this
entire time and they realized it was their chance I just am so like why I'm guys I'm actually so

(39:50):
like why I just want I'm tempted to leave a note be like to the person who stole my books you can
keep them if you just like explain why you took them oh my god like what was the reason yeah you
yeah I don't know we've talked for 40 minutes um this was supposed to be a really short episode

(40:14):
and we have not talked about literally anything but like I truly
this is bookish these are the questions we need answered I would love to hear if people have the
theories I have gotten so far because I was posting updates on my Instagram story were um
that it's going to be a me cute that they're going to like return them and have annotated them and

(40:36):
have thoughts to which I say they don't know what apartment I'm in they're not say it on the box
or well maybe they the other weird thing I was breaking down I had like kind of piled up some
cardboard boxes because I've you know had so many things delivered and I was breaking them down and
one of them was that box and I had already noticed like it must have been opened from the bottom or

(40:57):
like it was upside down when they opened it for whatever reason um but when I was breaking it down
I realized when I sent those I had like hand written the address on um like just a blank piece
of paper and then like copied it and cut it out and taped it like with clear tape onto all of
that so every box I sent had like a white square with my handwriting of the address and then also

(41:20):
when you mail things with the post office they print a label neither of those were on the box
that's so weird I don't even like there's no marking of where on the box it was they were just
gone why did you take the address off maybe they know that you're their book dealer now
every package you get could be books they want but like that's odd and they live in your building

(41:48):
that's odd he must because I don't know how else anybody would have they would have gotten in to
get them and then back in to return it right yeah so like that's just another weird development why
was both my label which was like fully it wasn't just like stuck on it was like taped right like
fully taped down and also the post office's like printed label why were they not on the box

(42:13):
because it had to have been on the box when it was delivered otherwise how would it get delivered
questions that need answers um so odd literally no part of this story makes sense no
like I was assuming they'd want to like sell the annotated ones but then you said that they hadn't
they didn't take all the annotated ones that's what that would have made more if there was like

(42:37):
a pattern if it was yeah oh they took only the historicals or only the content or like all of
one author and like I didn't keep track of which books I sent myself and which I left at home so
honestly there could be more missing that I just don't remember that I sent myself but I don't
think there are um there's only so many that could fit in the box that's true oh the other theory

(42:58):
which doesn't explain the like missing label or anything like that um was because of the way it
was left like kind of on the step inside the building open with all those books and like some
of them were kind of stacked on top because they didn't fit I have had people say like maybe they
like people going in and out of the building thought it was like three books yeah that is true

(43:20):
which is still a possibility in theory it's the the thing that makes me hesitate on that is that
I was only gone two hours total that is yeah and it wasn't there when I left so they would have had
to put the box back and enough people would have to walk by to like take six but which like how many
and like dig through it yeah right and it didn't look like any unless they grabbed off the top

(43:43):
which why would you do that um and also usually there's a sign like if I saw a box of books I
wouldn't go oh free book yeah I would be like oh weird why are these books here you know
so still a possibility but I don't think a likely one that's so odd there are just so many weird

(44:09):
pieces to that story um anyway so my move has not been the smoothest however I am there are plus
sides the downsides are this morning I walked outside and they all barely missed stepping on a
dead mouse in the middle of the sidewalk and when I say barely missed I mean like my foot was in the
air and I course corrected mid-step as I made eye contact with its lifeless beady little eyes

(44:32):
um and the weirdest part of that was that I was listening to my like main character rom-com like
movie or like morning sequence yeah on track you know so um that was that a perfect day that song
legally blonde was blasting in my earbuds as I think I was thinking dreams by the cranberry

(44:56):
um no a perfect day was blasting in my ears as I made eye contact with that lifeless mouse
um and I was like this is a simulation um welcome to new york anyway there have been really good
things there have been less good things but um I work in the forever offices now well the you know

(45:17):
high shot offices yes and that's is the what street is it on manhattan uh sixth avenue or
avenue i think i think we were on seventh we've since changed offices um because it was like
really close to that barnes and noble almost out there and like the public library and stuff
it's right by the public it's like literally right next to or like on the block next to um radio

(45:39):
city music hall yeah so I we weren't on that one but yeah it was on the way um yeah which is kind
of fun and quirky it makes me feel very like tiki it did like rom-com main character who is she
she's in manhattan on her way to work it is too early in the morning and I haven't had coffee but

(46:01):
here I am at radio city music hall yeah yeah it was definitely fun living out there right next to
the big abracrambi where they had that is cool formula one car that is cool it was I've been on
my mission to buy the perfect pair of like mom jeans and abracrambi is my target because like
I know my size it's just I had to like wait for this one pair of jeans to be in stock for days

(46:23):
I had to like keep checking because like I've learned that nothing is truly out of stock they
will keep coming back and it's worked for me so many times like I will just stock the because
like people return and then it goes back in so I'm just like I gotta keep looking it's worked at
Hollister abracrambi because they're on the way to me now um but yeah don't ever let them get you

(46:47):
down don't ever take no for an answer don't let the dead mice be stepped on by you
I texted my parents like a picture of this dead mouse yeah and told them this whole story and I
was like I don't know what kind of omen this is I don't know what this says about my day um
and my mom was like maybe it means that you're gonna kill it today

(47:09):
I was like thank you so much that is what that's the interpretation I'm taking
because that's hilarious um I feel like I did kill it today so I'll take it I saw a formula one car
I went with Dana um and we bought matching mcclaren shirts um it was very cute and also
took some videos for um a cover reveal that's coming up soon so a forever cover reveal if

(47:38):
you're just now listening for some reason I work for forever I don't know why you would have made
it this far without ever having listened to our podcast before no no clue but maybe you are there
I mean 47 minutes in that's a commitment welcome happy to have you we're so happy to have you
oh god we haven't talked about books at all I mean the books that we've read we've talked about

(48:01):
books that were stolen from me well to be fair I mean I read over 30 books in January which
it always happens like January is always my like most reading months um for some reason like last
year I read like a lot of books in January because I was I don't know I don't know
January because I was I don't know hot off the presses but really feeling that new year
yeah goal vibes this year I've just been reading a lot of like shorter like YA like thrillers and

(48:27):
stuff so they just go by faster and then like I just want to like keep reading like in that series
um I just like haven't my tbr isn't tbr-ing like I have what I have in like my prh audio
like app like that serves me well but then I listen to what I want to listen to and then it's just
waiting for them to add to it then like I just don't know what historical romance is like of the

(48:54):
backlist not like coming out because then I have a bunch of arcs but I don't really I want to
crochet so I don't really want to like read an arc that's like on an ebook I want to crochet I
I want to crochet it's been great I've made a cardigan and I love it in a blanket but I can't
read and do that unless it's an audiobook so then I'm like what do I want to listen to

(49:16):
and then I just end up watching bobs burgers and so somehow I managed to still read a lot of books
without reading like a lot that were like in the genre that I would like preferably want to read
like five stars like I've given a lot of four stars or like rounded up to four stars
um but like only a few five and I guess I can talk about those but like it's been a weird I don't

(49:42):
know I just need like someone to tell me like what backlist book that's not narrated by Rosalind
Landor to read I did find like a copy of the old Lisa Klepis um what one is it it's the one with
Sir Ross Cannon that's not near it's by Susan Duerdin rather than Rosalind Landor so I'm gonna
listen to that at some point while it's still available um and soak that in but like I just

(50:08):
need something like Loretta Chase Lord of Scoundrels but not that because I don't want to reread I mean
I could just reread I did think I should just finish the other Loretta Chase series I started
last year now is the time fabric one who what for you to finally commit to the tome that is the wind
flower I do have that on audible I bought that on sale like a year ago I mean listen it's long

(50:33):
yeah you've got hours of crocheting I do have hours of crocheting it is simply so absurd
we could we could do an episode on it it's old school it is old school I don't remember I remember
very specific you remember you'll remember more by the end of that book than I will well that's
you will have not read it in like two years that's so true um what I really remember about it is a

(50:55):
squid in a bucket like her pet squid in a bucket um solid that book is so silly yeah I need so
that's a good recommendation because like I want more like old school that are like the Joanna Lindsay
that like the gentle rogue that we read that aren't like bodice ripper but they're just like fun

(51:16):
and like either like indigo or Lord of Scoundrels like something kind of like chaotic um I do
recommend Lady Pirate by Lindsay Sands that one was like early 2000s and it has an audiobook um
and I just read Mesmerize by um what what is her name something Candice Camp which I did not I

(51:37):
didn't read the the summary I don't think I just saw someone say that Candice Camp never lets them
down so I was like okay um and it was paranormal I didn't think it was going to be paranormal
and I was like what is happening there was like a haunted like house they were having visions
basically like I couldn't like I don't think they were like reincarnated from these like Norman

(51:59):
like old love story but like they could have I don't quite know what was happening it was very
good I gave it five stars it was very Teresa Medeiros um I was just so blown away and then
the second book just didn't do it for me at all I mean he was basically a confederate like he
like he wasn't like he was from the south and then his reasoning was I fought for the north

(52:20):
but I felt bad going into the south guns blazing taking their homes and I'm like hmm whose homes
did you take before that to get to America like it was just written in 2000 like three or four and
I was like yeah okay um why is he feeling bad I'm like he wasn't even feeling bad for like
like the impoverished in the south he was feeling bad that his grandfather's plantation was burned

(52:45):
down sure and I was just like hmm things aren't connecting because like I just like the story was
fine but the romance wasn't doing it and he was also like so close to being a confederate I just
couldn't couldn't find it in myself to care by the end of it um the third one that I'm currently
reading which it's going to take me a while just because I like I just need to listen to it

(53:08):
just need to listen to it there's like a haunted mansion or something sure um so I don't I it's a
random series but now I just feel like I need to go on to something else since like the second one
kind of like soured it a little bit and then returned to book three because like I've had
I have a lot of those books like physical so it's always a mission to kind of like knock out

(53:29):
some ones that I own um but yeah when I was picking books it was like favorites and like
books that have good covers or step backs that I also haven't read that like I think I could read
were definitely my favorite it's hard and when I when I moved out there like I was still taking

(53:50):
pictures on my bookshelf like that was like the only thing I was doing like on my bookstagram
and like I needed the bookshelf that like I had in my room so my dad he put it in my bedroom so
I was like how about you just do it in New York so we like bought everything and like these big
ass planks of wood uh because you could like you could do whatever you wanted to the apartment um

(54:13):
but that I brought so many books because I had to fill this fucking bookshelf and it was long and
it was horrible transporting them yeah and now I've like transitioned to just like not even taking
photos because I don't have the energy during the day or like the time to like get the good
lighting for photos and then I realized I need to post and like it's the night before I'd want to

(54:35):
pose and I don't have anything to put in it it's a whole thing and it was just limiting and whatever
um so now I'm free to I'm not gonna move anywhere anytime soon but I'm free to spread my wings
and get away from my bookshelf so I would have to widow down like window down and like really
select the books to bring which would be impossible so yeah yeah it was not fun I had not figured out

(55:00):
what I'm gonna I mean I have a white bedspread it's by a window I do have a bookcase but I have not
posted I think I posted one thing since I've been here that was like a picture I already had
because I just I have been busy and I've been tired and I've been working and like yep I'm just
I'm hoping as I settle it'll be like okay now back to fun things it's the the commute is I mean

(55:27):
because like how many days into the office it's only two days only that's nice because like
same like when I was there like we there were no specific days that you like had to go in
but when you're commuting and like I was literally only commuting like 20 minutes by like
bus or whatever it's not crazy it could have been a lot worse but not live in Manhattan yeah I mean

(55:48):
it's like 45 minutes yeah and it just takes up a space of your brain that you have to like think
about you have to get up that much earlier you have to get there and then you're thinking about
it and then when you go home you still have that much you're not paid for it and then like I was
spending like an hour the night before like packing my lunch like getting everything ready so that I
could like didn't have to do all that in the morning and then just like eats up the time and

(56:12):
we started we did like 10 to 6 so it was like especially late yeah so it was it was hard it's
not super bad I mean like I said 40 minutes I think is kind of a minimum if you're not
living in Manhattan so yeah and that's not not bad that far but it is it has been a little like
I today listen to an audiobook there in fact because I'm now at a point where like I kind of

(56:35):
know what trains I'm taking like I have it figured out and again we're only I'm only in like Wednesdays
and Thursdays so it's not like I'm doing it every day but I have figured it out enough but like for
the first few times I went in I would maybe have music in I think the first day I like did not have
headphones in at all yeah just because I was like I don't know how to I mean I know how to use the

(56:58):
subway I have like your maps app will tell you number one and number two I have used my Apple
watch was my my best friend but like even though you know what trains to take and you have used the
subway before like just trying to get to a new plate and like switching trains and it was just
yeah like my brain could not focus on something else while I was doing that so now I'm like okay

(57:20):
I can listen to an audiobook while I do this or a podcast or something but even so and then like
I'm just I have been in this lump I think out of the if I'm counting the one that I'm currently
reading because I'm going to finish it tonight out of the 11 books that I have read this month which
is very low for me um five of them have been forever titles like books that either I'm working

(57:43):
on or just like that we have published because I'm trying to read the books that I'm working on and
that we publish for obvious reasons um yeah but like yeah so basically like half have been books
for work which is fine they're good but it's still like like not counting those because I

(58:04):
don't rate them I've had I think one five star read this month and it wasn't even a romance it
was the one non-fiction formula one book that I read that was my fun and like other you know
forever books that probably could be counted as five stars but I don't rate them so yeah excluding
those one and it was non-fiction I do not know what's going on it's hard because then when you

(58:26):
get into that like I think the best bet is to just reread I'm not even moved to reread well that's
the thing like I'm not either like I think about it and then I'm just like what Bob's Burgers calls
to me in a song that I love to sing to yeah so like I've been like I'm watching the I watched the
new Percy Jackson show um when those episodes would come out I there are like some old like

(58:48):
random movies and things that I would like see a clip of or an edit of on TikTok and be like oh I
want to watch 10 or how to lose a guy in 10 days yeah I did because why not but like yeah I've just
that's why I'm like in my YA thriller era because like I just wanted to watch Knives Out and like
those kind of movies so I'm like reading like every mystery yeah I don't know something I mean

(59:08):
I feel much more settled I've been here for I think three weeks now um or something like that
so like I feel much more settled but like even so there's still that like mental exhaustion I think
yeah like there's still just so much new stimulus and things to think about that I have never had

(59:29):
to think about before where like if I want to go grocery shopping I cannot drive to AGV which like
I knew ahead of time but I didn't think about just like how tiring it would be when I don't know how
to do xyz it's a lot figure out xyz yeah like I realized that I love my car and that I love being
able to get into my car and drive myself to Target because like I would just walk to Target when I

(59:55):
was there was like a 20 minute walk which was fine but then you have to walk back with everything so
I got most of my groceries delivered most of the time but then that's expensive and then I was paying
so much for my apartment because I had three weeks to find it it's the only thing I could like do in
that time frame um and like I could afford it barely if I wanted to eat uh that's why like I
didn't stay there because it was going up I was like no thank you um but having to like think about

(01:00:23):
how to go get groceries and then being so tired when you get there and hot and sweaty and then
like having to get back or like take a lift or an uber like it's just a lot of moving parts
and yeah well in particular because I understand like you know New Yorkers people in cities like
this don't do like I would do once every either a week or like once every two weeks just like do one

(01:00:44):
big grocery shopping trip and like I had a car so it didn't matter yeah that is not feasible when
you're I mean I have like a rolling cart but even so you've got to get it like up and downstairs and
on the subway if like unless you're going to um within your neighborhood but like if I want to go
to Trader Joe's or Target those are subway right away um so that's a whole other added layer um

(01:01:06):
no and so I get like oh you know you go like get one thing one like you know you've got your
different like there's one store that does like fruits and vegetables near me where like okay I'll
go get my produce there and then I'll do this at this market down the street and whatever like it's
not that's even like a lot of different or right it's cheaper and easier when you know like the

(01:01:28):
the different specialty stores to go to which is another thing I'm still trying to figure out um
but also having just moved in I'm like getting basic where like I did a big Trader Joe's run
because I was like I don't have milk I don't have eggs I don't have any kind of spices I don't have
olive oil or sauces or coffee or like I did not have anything yeah so I had to go get like and I

(01:01:53):
still don't have all the things that I need but just like basics and that's already so much as
opposed to like oh I'm out of these three things I can just like feeling like stocking up to where
you have like a full like range of condiments and spices and stuff it's so much money yeah and I mean
we have a teeny tiny kitchen and there's yeah that too so like we do share some yeah not really like

(01:02:17):
food but there's like a lot of spices and things um and like I didn't bring I brought like six mugs
or something and then like my french press and my little espresso not like a machine but you know
the little what you might call it like steamer thingy yeah frother no I do also have a frother
like a little handheld one um but just like I cannot remember what they're called

(01:02:41):
it's like a teeny tiny little um kettle looking thing and you put the like coffee grounds and
the whorlover thing no it makes espresso percolator maybe I don't know okay well someone
I have an espresso what I'm talking about um I got it well actually I got one in Italy and then I

(01:03:02):
lost it so I got another one um so like I brought those things with me but like I didn't I bought
I bought like a pan but like we have pots and pans and things we also don't currently have a
working stove or oven so that's a separate issue wow um but it's just like a lot of things

(01:03:23):
I like mentally have not been in a good reading space well and you're having to read for work
which I think is a whole separate thing it is a whole separate thing thankfully we publish good
books that is good um yeah because I learned in college that it's hard mentions is not even a

(01:03:44):
romance but it has romance elements guys I I this is a book that we publish but I promise you I'm
not being paid um the disappearance of Astrid Burkhard by Natasha Lester I cried so much
so like the whole last 20 percent and like part of it was sad crying part of it was also happy

(01:04:10):
crying yeah and part of it was just like I really want to give my mama hug
like it's one of the it's like historical fiction about like three generations of women so you're
going back and forth between like Mitsubara card in the 40s um in Europe so like during World War
II and then her daughter she's they're all like muses of fashion design you come to find out

(01:04:33):
they're actually all fashion designers but because they're women everybody only talks about the fact
that like Mitsubara card was Christian Dior's muse but it turns out she was actually a designer um
but then her daughter Astrid Burkhard is like oh the daughter of the super famous muse but she goes
to fashion school and is like a designer in her own right but falls in love with this guy who is

(01:04:56):
like a guy who becomes the famous designer and she's his muse um and then Blythe Burkhard is her
daughter who like has not lived up to the potential basically that everybody expects her to have
has a problem well he required participant um participant Blythe um but in the set so it's
going back and forth between the 70s in Europe and then no sorry the 40s in Europe the 70s in

(01:05:20):
New York and then Blythe is in Paris visiting like her ex-husband's dying mother with her kids for
reasons um but in the 70s so it starts with Astrid going missing in the 70s and so the whole thing is
kind of like pulling together all the and like Blythe doesn't know what happened to her mother

(01:05:40):
and so like figuring all the different pieces out but then also there is this is not really a
spoiler but if you're a romance reader two of the Mitzah kind of does her own thing and you know
that but the other two stories do get HEAs or like HFNs whatever they're happy at the end

(01:06:02):
and I it was like so I was like really rooting for the romance but also the mystery kicks off
right away where I was like there's a bloody dress on the floor at the battle of the fashion
like battle of Versace like they get me out of slumps or put me into a different kind of
slump I was so yeah and I'm not even a huge like I've read some good historical fiction don't get
me wrong but like I'm like the fashion it was oh my god and then I was crying and then I was like

(01:06:33):
you know that scene in Little Women where Joe March is like women they have hearts and they have
whatever like that whole speech that was the energy like oh my god it was so I was sad but
I was also happy and then there are also like these whole like all the themes of like motherhood
and like undiagnosed postpartum depression it was oh my god that's my forever like I've read a lot

(01:06:59):
of good forever books but I cannot stop thinking about that one yeah my favorite historical
romance that I've read this month was Haither and the Prince by JJ McAvoy like that one just felt
like back to basics like enemies to lovers like miss like a wrong or like a bad first impression
so then because like he's like insulting her basically and then she overhears it um and he

(01:07:23):
doesn't know she's there and it's like turns out he's the prince that she's kind of been wanting
to marry because Aphrodite obviously married the duke and Haither's always been compared to Aphrodite
and so she's kind of got a chip on her shoulder and she's like been joking that like you can't
do better than a duke and then this prince comes to town and then everyone is like Haither like is
going to go after this prince because he's a prince and then she realizes that he's the guy who

(01:07:46):
insulted her she's like fuck this dude like I'm not like I'm so angry that he's the prince because
this has ruined all my plans um it was just like the tropes like there were just so many like that
stem from enemies to lovers and it it was so good it was perfect I I just I had such a good time
because um I liked Aphrodite and the duke I really liked it um the third act went crazy we all know

(01:08:11):
this but and you saw it coming so I was just kind of like scared for this one because I didn't I
didn't really like the second book um same thing like the because that was the the duke's younger
sister and then you had like his crazy family still trying to torment her and all that and it
was the doctor which he they were in this one and I liked them fine in this book um the doctor is

(01:08:35):
still hot love him for that um but like the third act in this one it worked like it was chaotic but
like they they weren't they didn't they didn't weren't like separated like because they want
like I don't know like pride or anything like that like it was good and um it just really felt like

(01:08:55):
because they were very young like he was like 24 and she was like 20 um so it felt almost like
new adultish like it just felt different and it's in first person um so like her writing just
already feels different just because of the tense in historical um but I was super happy
that I was reading it and I was super sad when I wasn't reading it because I was like it's over

(01:09:18):
I need more that's so real so that one I recommend um I don't know when it's out I think like March
or something maybe February but it was amazing it was oh I think about it a lot and then I read
Ready or Not by Cara Bustone um which it just like came up on the PRH audio app and I was like

(01:09:40):
why the heck not um because she like gets pregnant before the book starts through like a one night
stand and then it's like a friend's lover so it's not the baby daddy like he's his own separate dude
and he's got his issues um she like finds him at the beginning yeah we all have problems
separate dude yeah he participated in the baby in the making of it but he had problems and so like

(01:10:03):
you start the book off and she's got this like her best friend's brother um is like a cute puppy dog
and I didn't think anything of him I was like oh he's cute whatever and I swear the narrator
wasn't on it too because like the way she narrated him at the beginning to with the way like he
sounded at the end was so different and I just didn't clock it because like I did not like I

(01:10:24):
did not see myself caring for him as much as I did by the end of that book because like it was such
a slow burn just because it was I've seen multiple people say it's like women's fiction which I think
the romance did enough for me to be conservative romance I was rooting hard for it other people
didn't or they just thought it was like women's fiction with like a heavy emphasis on romance or
whatever or they didn't even like the romance which wrong but whatever um it was on a day when

(01:10:48):
everyone was like roasting that book on twitter after I finished it and I was like I hurt um and
I just stayed out of it because I was like you know what I like pregnancy I like it and it was
advertised it wasn't surprised before the book yeah like it wasn't everyone was saying everyone
was saying surprise I'm like it's not like you knew why did you read it so guys a surprise

(01:11:10):
pregnancy is only in surprise pregnancy if it's not advertised anywhere in like yeah the the synopsis
blur what I like yeah and and it has to happen late in the book yeah and so like it definitely
like is very pro pregnancy like it does like abortion was an option like she just didn't want
one but like it was never villainized which I appreciated um but like it definitely like is a

(01:11:36):
love letter to like motherhood and all that which was just interesting like I enjoyed being in her
head like the the main character I love a romance about a mother me freaking too me too so I didn't
have any issues with that um and then when the romance kind of like took me away I was like oh
my god and it was like yeah yeah it hit different um like it I just did not expect because it was

(01:12:02):
like four stars and then by the end I was like fucking five stars like it was just it was so good
and again like we've we've known that I like pregnancy and books but it just really it worked
because then like the hero just like the way he like interacted with her it was cute and like the
baby daddy like it wasn't a love triangle even though I thought it was going to be but again he
had his own issues and he was kind of there and kind of not and doing his own thing and whatever

(01:12:25):
um yeah like it was it was and I do like pregnancy more in historical just I don't read a lot in
contemporary so like I get there are always always like more scary things in contemporary but this
one it really worked so yeah speaking of narrator I'm bringing a forever book again because half the

(01:12:46):
books I read this month were forever books and once again I'm not getting paid for this um this
is my podcast I say what I want but I'm reading uh Red String Theory right now by Lauren Cung
Jessen which is like a really I love Lauren's writing Lunar Love was her debut made that book
up they're both like uh I know it's low spot I think it's closed door or like it's either

(01:13:11):
love was like closed door they didn't even talked about it well that's why I don't know if it counts
as closed door if like the couple has not had sex you know what I mean it's not like oh they
yeah we don't get to read about it yeah like that is true they just have not been intimate so it's
that level of like low to no spice yeah because I think they like had sex in Lunar Love but like

(01:13:32):
there was just nothing like you never so I don't know if that's the same I know it's low spice
we'll just say that closed door possibly but like there's just like not really any
they're both like very broad this one's more like serendipity like very rom-com-y um the the premise
is that they have like six hours like one kind of magical night in NYC where like she's an anonymous

(01:14:00):
artist and they like ran into each other and then they kind of ran back into each other a couple of
times and then like spent the night not like in a sex way but like they were out doing things yeah
like that whole night they went got like midnight dumplings whatever um don't really know anything
about each other and he had given her his phone number but his phone was dead so she texted him

(01:14:20):
but his phone was dead but then after he left they discovered that he or like she mixed up the phone
something went wrong with the phone number so they don't have any way to contact each other they don't
know anything about each other at least not like that they could google yeah um and then
months later she's an anonymous artist um and he had seen her like sculpture work while he was

(01:14:46):
there in New York but didn't realize she was the artist but he works at NASA and they're doing this
artist in residence program and he puts forward this anonymous artist that he saw the work and
really liked um and so she gets there and obviously neither of them realized who they were so now they're
like co-workers kind of pretend but like they don't really know each other because they just

(01:15:09):
spent six hours together but they also yeah kissed like they do kind of know each other but they're
kind of pretending like they didn't but they're also spending a lot of time together and like he
doesn't believe in fate but she does she's a big believer in the whole like red string
theory theory yeah that makes sense um and so they're like testing fate together but also working

(01:15:30):
on this like artist in residence program thing that he's the liaison on and it's just so fun
like it's just a good time um very rom-com very like it's just like them going and doing fun
rom-com things and like having good banter and good like deep conversations and like she's like

(01:15:55):
an like a sculpture artist she works with red string and he works at NASA which is like fun and
interesting i don't it's anyway the reason i bring this up besides the fact that i'm just really
enjoying it is that the audiobook i feel like i must have read an audiobook that has done this before
or but i can't think of one um it's dual narration but so if for example Rooney uh the heroine like

(01:16:21):
the female narrator is narrating this chapter because it's from her like pro yeah whatever
he does his dialogue they did that the Canadian boyfriend one is like that yeah which i had talked
to Estelle she mentioned that because i was telling her like i don't think i've had an audiobook that
did this so i don't know if it's like a Hichette audio thing they're trying or what i mean i've
seen it before i'm not like a huge fan of it i do like it when i think i was when i started just

(01:16:45):
because it was so jarring but it took me like a chapter to adjust and now i actually really
like it because i don't have to deal with like if one narrator doesn't do a good voice to the other
character like and also it just feels like i would rather have one narrator who does me do a thing
yeah i'm not a duel yeah this because i i actually really like having them do the dialogue because

(01:17:08):
it feels kind of like cinematic like those just are their voices i really like it i've had it
happen in a few when they're reading the texts because like already like texts feel different
in a book like there's punctuation there's all that kind of stuff that normally doesn't happen
in audio it was really nice like i liked that because like and i think they even added i don't

(01:17:29):
know what one it was it oh i think they like added the text sounds too like the little like
sense sound i was like what do you mean there's another audiobook that i was talking to somebody
about i thought it was like my phone i was like what the same thing like i i like when they do
little it was also um not a romance even a little bit but fantasy um the princess of thornwood drive

(01:17:55):
also forever i listened to the audiobook of that one and that one was kind of interesting because
they would do it was like half in the real world half in a fantasy world and they would do
sound effect like voice effects sometimes on like at least i think unless i'm mixing this up with
another book but i think it was this one where it would kind of have like that layered echo effect

(01:18:16):
over like an evil character where it's like sort of and i actually really liked that too where it
was just it wasn't a lot it wasn't like every single character they did something weird it
wasn't constant sound effects but it was just like this one like ominous layered character voice that
i was like yeah they do that in the especially i mean and maybe a few other like mystery whatever

(01:18:40):
ones but in the good girls guide to murder series a whole production yeah which is super cool um and
i really like like when they have like an audio recording like they have like the sound like up
the click but then also like it sounds like it's a recording and like the way that they like layer it
and do those things it's a really good a good production same thing with cosco jackson's um

(01:19:00):
audible original one like that's another podcast oh the true crime one yeah yes yeah i do remember
that yeah the audible originals tend to do stuff like that a lot exactly yeah i think it's called
the city we became by nk jemisin is like a it's like high fantasy not high fantasy it's technically
urban fantasy but like listen i don't know the cities of the world have their own avatars sort

(01:19:23):
of so new york has like one main one but also one for each borough but like there's an evil thing
try i don't know i could not really tell you anything about the plot about that book um i do
think it's hilarious the spoiler alert i think it's i want to say statin island ends up being evil
and they replace it with jersey city gets its own avatar because it's more new york than that um so

(01:19:48):
anyway uh but that one was a full cast and also like they would have music playing in the action
sequences and like voice effects and that was just like a sick audiobook yeah i love it makes more
sense in fantasy than it does in romance for obvious reasons but i love a full production
audiobook i eat it up yeah i think it's a kid or miss for me i don't read it a ton so like i don't

(01:20:10):
have many circumstances to encounter it um but when i do and it's unexpected and like it works i'm
like it's got to be something with like like it can't just be like a regular romance it's got to
be like a fantasy or like good girls got like a murder investigation or like it's a podcast like
something like that makes sense to me yeah i want more like i just need like 10 million more

(01:20:34):
ya thrillers and then i'll be happy because they just it's like why is it my comfort genre i don't
know i don't know but it just does it because even if they're bad like it's probably only bad
at like the last bit so i guess i've probably gotten to most of it and enjoyed it one had kids

(01:20:55):
doing like meth oh and i was like and they were these rich kids i'm like are rich kids doing meth
nowadays yes i was so confused because they were talking about drugs and i was like oh
you're doing meth it's weed and they're like no and i was like oh it's cocaine no it's meth
and i was like huh and they were on a cruise ship so like i'm like these rich kids on a yacht

(01:21:20):
was it the atria cruise no t that's devastating mark sebastian
um they were just very confused i was just like why is meth why has meth entered the chat like
why is meth entered it was just so i was like are the kids doing math like are the kid like is this

(01:21:41):
like have i been that far removed i don't think so but also i didn't even know what the kids were
doing when i was one me neither so i mean like i i always listen to these like ya books and i'm like
i was so like either sheltered or just ignorant or whatever um and blissful about it um because
like i don't really judge ya books on like obviously like relatability or like decisions

(01:22:03):
that kids make because that's different than me as an adult even if i feel like a kid um but the meth
got me the meth i just i was just like i i i don't know how did they why are they who is doing the
meth so is it yeah and i it just i don't even know how to do math we represent the two pros inside

(01:22:26):
you but neither of the pros know how one but what i did learn a lot about in health class growing
up huffing i was just reminiscing the other day they were so scared of us huffing paint
that was not my experience they were terrified of kids having pain because we did drug abuse
resistance education um and our big one was always cigarettes oh we had cigarettes too like there

(01:22:50):
was an oprah episode with like one like cigarette long and whatnot i was oh my god to this day
i mean i don't do like i don't do any kind of like drugs or anything like that i never wanted to
um but to this day when i see p and like around here a lot of folks smoke cigarettes yeah like i
don't care if you're smoking weed i won't but like live your life you do whatever but if i see you

(01:23:16):
smoking a cigarette i will judge you so i'm like that's me with a gross also vaping but that my
annoyance is more because people with vapes are rude yeah that's in the privacy of your own home
but i will be walking behind people who are walking down the street and they will like
be vaping and then i'm walking through a cloud of it and i'm like at least usually people aren't

(01:23:37):
smoking a cigarette while walking usually and sometimes they do do that and it pisses me off
even more than just seeing somebody smoking but usually they will go stand somewhere so at least
then i can hold my breath because your gross smoke is contaminating my lungs i'm sorry when like it's
never been cool but like it definitely hasn't been cool recently it made like a resurgence in college

(01:23:59):
i don't understand people just started smoking again i was like what that it's like terrible and
also just gross it's gross you smell like that all the guys this is my don't smoke cigarettes memo
please don't yep i it's like i like actively hate the smell and also will judge you yeah
yeah it i was just not prepared for that book for the math yes for the math yeah because i'm like

(01:24:28):
cool because like literally i think it was a bobs burgers episode where something someone gene or
something said something about like huffing paint and i was like they really were so scared i never
us like it was like a whole video like it was a production about like kids like huffing all these
like nitrous oxide and stuff the only thing i'm like with cream cans like we weren't allowed to

(01:24:49):
buy sharpies under 18 like at walmart or something i guess yeah i mean if you would sniff them quite
yeah like was anyone actually doing that well that's what like they were terrified of it like
i don't know i think it was like a cool trend in the 90s it must have been because they were like
old videos um classic and so apparently now they have meth meth is in and i it just didn't get that

(01:25:13):
memo so i felt very like the gossip girl version of high school where you're like was that was this
what high school was like for anyone yeah yeah yep yep yep yep um i'm trying to think if there were
any other like standout books i read the alexis hall one 10 things that never happened where he
fakes amnesia that was really fun because that's just a funny always funny from alexis hall and

(01:25:40):
i read amelie howards any duke in a storm which you know that was a sleigh hey that's it was so
unhinged that's the perfect like it's not quite a pirate romance in the sense that it's not like
your traditional like a pirate kidnaps somebody who does xyz and they're neither of them is like

(01:26:02):
technically a pirate but they're both basically pirates and they're yeah they could get into a
tussle with a real pirate and win and they're they're carrying out pirate-esque activities
mm-hmm and they're on a ship and there's a small child saying very pirate things

(01:26:23):
and she's out here like castrating people and then they're like having sex she literally castrated
him on pumpage i was so happy when she just cut that man's balls off not the hero to be clear no
somebody else a bad guy but he was just pierced which was also great um i read sinner's aisle in

(01:26:43):
december and i don't think we talked about it whenever we stopped recording that one was also
really good like it'll make you so angry it's like like people are so mean to women because like
you're reading astrid yeah like i was so angry but then like i knew like i was really punching the
air like when she was like i was like like i was decorating my christmas tree i was like walking

(01:27:06):
around it just like talking to myself like yes girl like fuck him up like i was so happy when
she finally did um because she's like a sorceress kind of and they like harness her powers and use
it for evil and then he's like a pirate who washes up on shore and they're like basically
faded or whatever very good 10 out of 10 recommend um the my favorite of the y a thrillers that i read

(01:27:27):
was wander in the dark by jumada emil i read the black queen last year but this one was definitely
better um like it was it was just really well done and i mean it gets really dark like there
are a lot of content warnings i'll have to see if like the author has some because i don't even
know where to start like some of the stuff that's in it um and just like what the white kids at that

(01:27:51):
school do which is horrible um but it was very interesting and i was like hooked and i had no
clue what was happening well i like on the mystery and like i had no clue who killed killed the girl
because i was like i don't know either like she seemed beloved so mystery um and like i can't say

(01:28:12):
anything about like anything else because spoilers and also it would ruin the whole thing um but the
audiobook was really good um but yeah i mean i read a fair amount but that one definitely stuck out
that thing is only when i gave five stars out of like all the ya ones i normally like rate them
four stars um but yeah i don't i guess i did read that improbable me cute anthology um and the ashley

(01:28:41):
poston one was my favorite with any luck it's like the hangover kind of like she's the group she's
the best man and he's the maid of honor like for their respective friends they had like a hookup
like a year ago and then she doesn't like him obviously she thinks he's hot but she doesn't
like him so then they come back and then she hosts the bachelor party she wakes up next morning

(01:29:04):
having lost the groom and then she has to like find him as one does yeah with the hero um people
were so confused by it in the in the reviews i'm like how were you confused i'm like it was a foot
like there was a start and there was a finish and things happen and it was like very easy to follow
like what is happening it's like the lowest rated one and i take it personally like i'm out here in

(01:29:26):
the streets like canvassing for this book like i don't understand why like i am just like ashley
what did you ever do to people so there's that and then jasmine guillory's was my second favorite
um i have a chance you can you can buy them up hers see i read like one or two of her books

(01:29:46):
and i didn't really like them but as a novella it worked very well um because i wasn't a huge fan
of like half of them and then sally thorns was good um it was definitely very quirky like
i'm like if you understand that one how do you not vibe with ashes but whatever it's fine it's
fine i'm fine i'm okay i don't know i just have taken it really personally and we'll probably

(01:30:12):
talk about it for the rest of my life but it's okay i think my only other like standout ones um
pride and protest nicky payne oh i have issues with it it is i will say and the thing with
adaptations is some people are going to want it to be really really faithful and some people

(01:30:33):
get frustrated when it's faithful and then they go on rant about how they didn't do anything
interested if they just retold interested if they just retold it i just for my own vibes generally
prefer a really faithful adaptation um it it depends i think nisha sharma especially i have
that one from the library tastes like sugar like i think that one does something really interesting

(01:30:56):
specifically because she puts so much thought into like what do these shakespearean characters
and their experience have in common with like the first gen like south asian experience and so it's
it's not a one-for-one translation but like there's enough one-for-one translation but then also
enough interrogation of like themes yeah and it works um this one i think is the most faithful

(01:31:21):
adaptation of pride and prejudice i've read like it really is one for one i love to the mother
other slay um it was like i have issues like i think i only would have given it about four
stars there were just like certain things that i didn't like or especially like with their
relationship dynamic that i didn't love but but i like nicky payne's style like it was a plot

(01:31:47):
thing or like character things i didn't like but like i i will be reading the next one you know
i mean and like i have been refreshing my prh audio app daily for that book because it comes out in
february i'm like where is it i think it's february and i'm just like i've been waiting
because i'm not in my ebook era i'm intrigued especially like sense and sensibility is one of

(01:32:09):
my least favorite austin's it's never been a top austin for me i don't love it i'm very intrigued
to see what nicky payne does with it um they get like i have issues with this one specifically but
not for like style or writing you know what i mean um and then don't want you like a best friend

(01:32:31):
that's another one that like i have issues with the plot
i think it just was like a little too like it felt like the third act or rather like the conflict
was the whole like yeah a second half of the book where i was like i needed a little bit more time
to just be happy before the conflict and also i got to a point where i was very frustrated with

(01:32:57):
like there was an obvious solution this entire time and the people involved just wouldn't make
the decision for no like really good i mean i i get it but also i was like guys
i feel like one conversation would have kind of like wrapped that up where like i just found
i just found myself getting frustrated where i was like how are we still in the conflict i think

(01:33:20):
i really like i just enjoyed that one except for the i thought it was fun person present um i think
that didn't bother me at all um i did the audiobook and it's two it's dual narration but it's like
mary jane wells and um oh she narrates more ag sims yeah that do both i wonder yeah it was great
narration um i couldn't i couldn't do cats abashians we could be so good in audio i had to read it

(01:33:43):
physically to get over the third person present i did that one in audio too so this is not an issue
i know i wish it was wasn't a music either and i liked the characters and i liked the vibes i just
i wish the conflict had been a little bit shorter i think i also am picky about like
queer historical romance the conflict is all not always it's very frequently the whole like we can't

(01:34:06):
be together because it's the regency or the victor whatever era and which is why i love the kj charles
series right i really like when they which like not to say that's not an important discussion
because i think it was an important discussion but when it's so much of the plot and like i i do tend
to prefer the ones where it's just like i mean forbidden romance is never my bread and butter

(01:34:29):
yeah it's just hard because i understand that's that's an important conversation to have and that
would have been a huge like um the jess everly book one where it's like they could get like arrested
like yeah like hanged like it was serious for men especially like that's not a thing that you can
take super lightly but i do i do like when the authors are able to kind of like um we could be

(01:34:53):
so good i feel like was a good example of my god not that it wasn't an issue but that wasn't the
main conflict in their relationship and i tend to and you saw the full like they were friends like it
took you so long throughout the relationship for all the reasons um so yeah this one i would have
liked a little bit more time with just them and a little bit less time because it was like multiple

(01:35:16):
layers of like we can't be together but maybe we can but no we can't where i was like there's an
obvious solution if you would just take it i'm also really intrigued by the setup for the second
i'm so i've i haven't requested on neck alley whenever that goes through i'm excited for that
one i read technically yours in december um yeah i had an issue with the heroin what an issue

(01:35:38):
with the heroin girl you're telling me this hot deeply devoted man wants to just give you
everything thousands of dollars or milk orgasms like 30 000 not for you but for your like a cause
you support right with your entire life yeah yeah like it and i there's simply i get no world

(01:36:04):
in which i know world yeah because i didn't think like she fumbled another bill like she fumbled a
billionaire and not saying she fumbled him in the sense that like she wasn't the catch because she
was the catch and he wasn't great but he was also a billionaire and i would have been a little bit
sad to have like had a billionaire and then she wasn't even fazed by it and i'm like what do you
mean because i would i wouldn't be seen for a year um and then i just so this is actually the perfect

(01:36:32):
man yeah that's the thing so i was just like one jealous two where can i get one three why don't
you want the one that you have and he wants you and like i just feel that it was almost three stars
but he even like him like because he always went back to her like she never like went like he was

(01:36:55):
always even when she was like she should have been the one to have to go back like she was like
putting him through like all these different like loops and stuff like she would say she didn't want
him but then get mad when he didn't call it all that's i was like girl i like you as a character
like i like being in your head but also when relating to him why but then the way that he

(01:37:15):
always went back i was like one that's kind of like he shouldn't be doing that but two it makes
him even hotter true because like he's just so desperate yeah and so i was like i can't even be
mad at like at that because like because they only make them hotter yeah no i get it and so i brought
it up it was like okay it has to be like three and a half rounded up to four because he was just so
hot i mean i love janice's writing that was my one where i was like i could understand to a certain

(01:37:41):
extent yeah but it got very frustrating with the back and forth where you're like pearl girl i get
it you're traumatized but like this is a step too far it it just it's the thing that i run into with
i mean any like romance basically when there's a rich person and um i mean she wasn't even she was

(01:38:04):
like just then they're many babes yeah like i just simply would always so just there's that
i was like he's donating thirty thousand dollars yes it's tax deductible but thirty thousand dollars
to a cause that you support let's just appreciate that it was but it was still like again the

(01:38:25):
writing was good the audiobook was really good the narrators were good it just hurt me a little bit
that that she didn't want his money like i did and then i read dungeons and drama which was like a
classic ya one fake dating loved it um i don't know if i talked about the sabrina jeffries one
the christmas one that i read i again don't know where we left off but that one was really good it

(01:38:49):
was like an old historical twas the night after christmas and like i honestly can't tell you much
about it he was like at like his estate with his mother and then the mother like brings the heroin
or maybe he does and it just if the hero has like convinced him i don't know it was so good and i

(01:39:12):
again i i'm not remembering it but it was perfect for everything i read on christmas evenings i read
after we had already recorded i don't think there was a ton oh it's another forever book i read a
lot of forever books but the second chance year by melissa wiser that eight that i was like not
expecting i'd like i don't i didn't know what to expect um but it was like a perfect like last read

(01:39:36):
of the year it starts and i don't know if it ends it starts on new year's eve um where like she's had
a horrible horrible year and she's living with like her brother's best friend basically because
she's broke up with this other guy and doesn't have a place to live and she's been living there
and she's jobless and it's a whole thing and they like have a moment but like they grew up together

(01:39:57):
and this has never been a thing before but like now we're having a moment um on new year's eve
and then she goes to a party and she meets a fortune teller and wishes to do her year or like
to start the year over so the book is her reliving her entire year i do like a weird time travel
moment it was so like it was like a really good specifically new years or like yeah last year

(01:40:19):
to your first read of the new year type read because the whole premise of this book is that
she gets to do it over and do the things she wishes that she had done and obviously as we all know
that never goes the way that you expect but just seeing like the way that she tries to be a different
person and the ways that that actually is not good but like she's still able to end up where she

(01:40:43):
needed to be by the end of it and then also you have this like very sweet brother's best friend
who's actually definitely been pining for her since they were kids and she just never noticed
and he's a musician and she's a pastry chef so i was hungry the whole time but like
it was just so like wholesome and like i don't there was like you know what the message is going

(01:41:09):
in yeah but it's because you expect like yeah that's why i read it right you know but it's so
it's just like a nice thing to experience and like have that like what would happen what would happen
if she made all these different choices and obviously you know but like it was just so fun
and sweet i really really liked that book now i'm like when do i read that new year or randomly

(01:41:36):
throughout the year i mean it doesn't have to be it's yeah because it literally it's the entire
year yeah that's true it's just that she like makes the wish on new years um yeah but like she
ends up like she's back with the guy she's back at the job that she got fired from it was uh
and then another new year's one is a risk worth taking by jessica joys which is like a novella

(01:41:59):
takes place around like christmas new years and that one was really good she packs a lot
into not a lot of pages um and like i knew it was going to be good because i really enjoyed her debut
um but it was really it was really good um i think she just like meets him at the bar i think she's
bartending and he's like at a work function and then they like spend the weekend together um

(01:42:23):
over the holidays and then kind of like have to go their separate ways and then come back to each
other which was really good and we both read a halifax holiday right did you read that no oh
my god i'm a liar no i never did um because it wasn't on goodreads i didn't want to i was so angry
about that i literally is it on twitter no i looked yesterday because i forgot about it yeah so i went

(01:42:47):
on twitter i was like hey are there any goodreads librarians who could put this on goodreads i just
counted um margo halifax twice because i wanted it in my goodreads total but she was like no because
it's not like for sale and i'm like but why are all her other ones there before they were like
republished people and so then fan fiction i know so i was like so you're just a rule follower which

(01:43:08):
i respect but also unfortunate yeah and then and then literally she releases her newsletter one
on monday like she just released it her new one and that one was already on goodreads and i'm like
well i don't know this is a this is a call out if anyone knows of anyone who could put a halifax
holiday on goodreads please do it yeah i'll probably save it for next year honestly it's

(01:43:29):
like a fun little treat um because i need to read the other novella but currently i'm in my mission
to read all the formula one romances so it's not going well um they just put all the loren asher
ones for sale in audible i thought of you i was like oh yeah those i try not to like shit talk
books on here very often because you know i work in publishing yeah but i have to be so real i read

(01:43:52):
the first two books and i'm gonna finish the series because i'm committed to this bit where
i read all the formula one romances those books are bad like first of all i think that she should
apologize to women for the male pov's second of all do you have anything you want to say to women
yeah no sorry women yeah that's the vibes um second of all i don't feel confident she's ever

(01:44:16):
watched an f1 race just based on the fact that i was i knew that these things didn't make sense
having watched like one i was like that's not how that works so i have a lot of feelings however if
you are in f1 and are like i could use a like fun quirky little non-fiction that isn't intense how to
be an f1 driver by jensen button that's my one five star read of the month um minus you know all

(01:44:39):
the forever books that i don't write um because it's not even like a memoir it's as the title
suggests it's set up as like how to be an f1 driver like lessons that he learned over the years
over the years but it's basically just him telling silly goofy little stories
and that was so slight of him he's like here's how expensive it is to own a yacht it was a

(01:45:02):
horrible mistake i bought two oh that's the one that i sent you where he talks about like
just loving his motorhome and going home and opening up the fridge and seeing his beloved
baby bells which took me so off like i was caught so off guard at no point had he talked about baby
bells prior it wasn't like a running bit it was just randomly he was like my beloved baby bells

(01:45:25):
and i was like hannah it is high he just needed the triscuits oh god oh they're so good may i
proposition you i have a proposal for you okay how about you read immoral love to dark how about you
just do it how about you just at least get to kiss of a demon king so that we can talk about it

(01:45:47):
what if you just do it what if what if because i was looking through my december and i've like
i read shadow seduction for the first time which is like crusty's only like mm1 in the series
and i had previously not read it because i fucking hated one like cast one of the heroes um in

(01:46:08):
the book where he like debuted in but it wasn't like shadows claim like it wasn't like his book
you did like i hate it he he debuted and i threw tomatoes at him i was so angry like i was she
chose dead mouth five tickets over beheaded heads of her abusers and it just rubbed me so wrong

(01:46:31):
but i got over that kind of in the year between and i listened to the audiobook because i just
had things to do and i was like i'll just listen to it and robert petkoff like narrated it and it
was so good i know and it was so good so i was like okay i have to reread the other one where
i hated him and getting his perspective made me hate him a whole lot less i was still angry

(01:46:52):
for other reasons and like it took like it felt like a very long book so it wasn't perfect but
it was vastly improved by me not hating him sure so that's all to say i need you i know to read
books for work and then i also have to read all the formula one romances and all this way of arcs
and the thing but technically there's a car in kiss of edemian king when i start he drives a car

(01:47:16):
i won't be able to stop and then also but it'll feel so good well you may want to stop in the
middle being like a straight white author and like yeah i even when it's the same author that i'm
reading their books i always feel weird doing too many straight white authors back to back
for obvious reasons and like so it makes it hard when i want to just like binge one person's series
because i'm like oh that's just the same that's when i have time to like that's when i try to

(01:47:40):
like have something like i'm reading physically then um yeah but i don't have much time for that
right now physically yeah um yeah so it's just i know i know listen i sit in a cubicle next to dana
of course i know i have to read i just think like you'll have such a great life i know i mean you'll

(01:48:04):
have a bad life during some of them they're painful but like still still good but you ride
strong just but then you haven't even got oh my god there's something at the end that are so good
i have until what march is when the new one comes out yeah and that's just a novella and then so

(01:48:25):
that's like the witch queen of halloween which is um one of the shadow guys like i think he's he's
friends with kade and ride strum i think that's him um so that's his novella and then
cosmina is the uh full-length book i think and we don't know the hero we've met him before but

(01:48:51):
we don't know him i think is what i've heard on the streets in the crescico facebook
that i believe the streets that has now been publicly that's public info so whatever
but yeah i am conflicted about that because i'm like do i wait for robert to narrate because i
just don't think i could like read like i think i need him to do it like it just won't be the same

(01:49:14):
i think we all need robert peckhoff yes yes we do just generally so fucking good
that's so real that was our we we had a new intern and she's never really read any paranormal except
for like twilight um and we were like oh we have to like educate or historical really we've got a
lot of educating to do um but we're like oh you know like we've got some vampires we could recommend

(01:49:36):
and i'm like throw her into the deep end start with immortals after dark that man gnaws off his
own leg don't worry it grows back and you're growing from there i don't know if she was
kidding when she was like yeah throw me into the deep end but i'm like girl i'm so serious right now
like yeah that's shark infested waters literally in book two she gets torn apart by like shark fish

(01:50:01):
thing she does so he's just straight up sharks sharks yeah it was bad for her it was not good
tell you what i've i've since i've i started i gave that book three stars and then i reread it after
i'd read the other books kind of and then i gave it four stars and then i reread it in december and
i gave it five stars it because i just like have grown so much to love sebastian and katerine and

(01:50:29):
like it was just so good and i'm like how could i have ever given you three stars but i was so
unprepared i was like what is happening it's so bloody so many limbs are being lost there were
oh sorry i muted myself there was like oh my god mic issues no it was me

(01:50:50):
i i my roommate came home and it's on the phone question mark maybe um and so i don't know how
much the mic is going to pick up so if you hear someone oh i think i can kind of loudly that's
why so i'm trying to mute myself when i'm not talking yeah yeah that there's always like good
uh living in a tiny apartment within walls and three roommates life yeah fantastic well

(01:51:16):
hey remember when we were like we should limit ourselves to like two to three books
and half an hour what i think i'm gonna do because i'm not in the mood to edit this
is to just edit out the background noise and call it a day that was so i was gonna suggest
you just chop out me complaining about moving but then i could do that but i think people are

(01:51:38):
interested that's fair like i feel like i'd be interested i was interested like i feel like it's
a lot like well congrats y'all you're getting a two hour intro episode yeah season and only half of
it if that was about books it's an update on the lives we live i've since gotten a new desk chair

(01:51:59):
so it doesn't squeak anymore i love it i also have a new desk chair but you know okay that'll do it
um i have yosified my microphone i got like a bandana thing from uh the magic eraser like
washcloth it like came randomly with like a bandana and i was like why the hell did this happen um so
i tied it around my microphone and it's cute and i made a friendship bracelet that says rom into tbr

(01:52:23):
for the microphone slant yeah and then i have this like tropes and trifles like sticker that fits like
perfectly like in the space at the bottom of the microphone that i have to like get the courage to
like stick down um because it's like a heart with a dagger through it um because that's like the
minneapolis bookstore that i went to over the holidays and now they're closed because they're
like renovating but that was super cool and i bought um the one one crested coal book i didn't

(01:52:48):
have i was like yes so that was really cool nice but on the topic of friendship bracelets yeah i
was gonna say we promised we're making them i mean yes i haven't started but they are happening
yes um however we're pushing it to valentine's day for the vibes so if you didn't sign up and you want
to you can go sign up to get a friendship bracelet or friendship bracelets from us and also valentine

(01:53:13):
and valentine's day cards um and you don't have to but if you want to send us
yes bracelets slash valentine's in return you can check a little box and we'll email you our
address yeah um again you don't have to just for the vibes we haven't forgotten it's happening i
just literally moved across the country i'm so sorry i have not had time you've been crocheting

(01:53:35):
i've been packing up my entire life we got these problems are equal okay we were occupied
yeah i've like i've like looked at my friendship bracelet stuff because i made a bunch for
we did like a saran wrap ball for like our family holiday so i like made a bracelet of every like
family member's name which forever because there's a lot of us it was really fun because it was like

(01:53:57):
they were like whipping around the room um and so i did that and then i haven't looked at the beads
since well i've seen them in my peripheral vision because they're just right behind me you might
read my craft box under my bed yeah i saw them when i got out my cross stitching stuff to keep
working on my formula one car cross stitch um i think it was crafty they've not made them

(01:54:17):
craft but it's happening gals i promise yes yes and excited i got like a bunch of names and
addresses last year when i did like the valentine's memes and like i thought i was gonna send cards out
that year but it was like already after valentine's day and i was like this seems like a lot of work
so i'm gonna like do that this year and then we'll have like these addresses too and then

(01:54:38):
pressure bracelets yes so i don't know i should i don't have a printer but um
um i can email them yeah you'll just get a little email of a valentine from me
that's your but you'll get a friendship bracelet so so i'll figure it out it'll happen
there's probably somewhere i can do it not expensively

(01:55:00):
so you wanted like the whole reason of this episode was to say that that was
um and to say hello we're allowed to yes and that we are working on this season it's just life
life and not even in like oh i've been really busy way but like in an actual give me a few weeks

(01:55:24):
guys i say as if anyone has pressured us you haven't no one is like where is romance your tbr
yeah not even me i forgot we had a podcast i would because i would look at my yosified microphone
like you're cute but i'm lazy so real so true we're i'm just gonna start inserting f1 episodes

(01:55:48):
every month where it's just me i mean you can get away with it when you start reading all those
romances so true i'll start doing little updates where i also then start talking about the drivers
and you're like wait what are this isn't really and i'm like but it is it is related to the romance
and you have to watch the race to understand why see this doesn't make sense in this lauren

(01:56:09):
asher book because if you watched barrain 2019
i don't know what happened at barrain in 29 i assume there was a race in barrain in 2019
but i don't know now i'm gonna go off assuming off of your assumption that you are correct

(01:56:30):
well you know what they say about assumptions they make a nice ass so true out of you i want
to leave our listeners with a joke oh this is my new favorite joke so a horse walks into a bar
clip-clop clip-clop clip-clop and the bartender says hey you're in here a lot are you concerned

(01:56:53):
that you might be an alcoholic and the horse says i don't think i am poof the horse disappears
now this is funny because decart the philosopher famously said i think therefore i am so when the
horse said i don't think i am he ceased to am he no longer existed poof he disappeared which

(01:57:19):
i could have led with um i could have so you would have the context but i didn't want to
put decart before the horse wait where's my hold on hold on nobody move we got the microphone or
is the remote back i don't know where my microphone is i was doing it to my mic that's not plugged in
yes and with that yes that concludes the first episode of season three we made it we did it we

(01:57:48):
didn't put decart before the horse we did not put the cart before we instead started with two crows
actually we did put the cart before the horse because we talked so long before the horse which
was valentine's stuff

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.css-r6mb8g{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:1;overflow:hidden;}NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal

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S03.01: Putting Descartes Before the Horse

NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal