S03.06: Confessions of Independent Bookstore Shopaholics

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
We gotta record we gotta be doing that we can't talk about ants without recording my

(00:05):
Nemesis I
Know I also I said right before we started recording five seconds ago that I came home to Hannah's nightmare
I walked into my room and there were ants all over my bed, which is funny because there's no like open food
There's some like sealed. They're tricky little bastards. They just hate people. I don't know why they're here

(00:25):
They hate hot people specifically all over my bed. I mean the bed is next to the window
Yeah, and I have to assume that they came in through the window. What have you done to like remedy it?
Well, so I had noticed a couple of ants before like a week or two before and so I had bought some like spray
Yeah, like to light that shit up

(00:48):
But then they disappeared and I didn't see anymore and I was like, oh well I guess I'm good
Then I came in to just ants all over specifically only on the bed though
I'm so sorry
Which you know arguably the worst place they could be but arguably no I had that happened to like it was on my bed
And I was like, are you shitting me right now? I spent three months up on our couch upstairs

(01:10):
Well, because like they were they were in my room like I'm terrified to enter my room now because it's like their time
You know and I will honestly go insane
I thought I had solved I put like coffee grounds on the outside
Oh, yeah, they hate they hate mint to like peppermint oil
Yeah, I did coffee grounds and then I used a little bit of salt

(01:33):
I felt like a fucking like I was gonna say like lining my windows. Yes, all okay. I guess
But I sprayed I killed all of them that I could find
Well, at least the only consolation is that they kind of go back to their hidey hole of doom
At night, so hopefully like while you're sleeping they'll be gone

(01:54):
And then if they need to have a reign of terror, it can just be during the day when you're at work or not in bed
Well, at least there's that
My like smallest fainted
Raid the crap out of yeah, like all around the window and even the like kind of baseboards just in case I really think it's the window
Yeah, that's

(02:16):
I'm like for what and you're are you on like the first floor or like on the second floor?
Why are you here? They're so disgusting and tiny and easy to ruin your life
I mean, I don't have like a fear of ants or anything. No, like I don't have a I just have a fear of like one being on
my bed

(02:37):
Where I sleep? I mean, it's not ideal
It's not great. Yeah, I mean it's different than cockroaches like I would handle ants
I just hate them and they make me angry but like cockroaches I would shit my pants
We do have roaches in the kitchen such as city life, but they're they're little and

(02:58):
I haven't seen a ton lately and they had roaches
Yeah, and stuff. Yeah
They aren't there aren't too many of those anymore
But I mean, okay, but in Texas I was living with roaches for a few years that were
Like inches long industrial size industrial sized roaches and they could fly they would fly at my head

(03:19):
Why yes?
The scorpions showed up more at my like parents have like the kind of rural
House those we would get and they've got really good pest control. So typically I didn't see them
But every once in a while they would get in
Those are the worst
I can't imagine just I think I my mom has a friend in Arizona and they just have scorpions and I'm just like can you imagine?

(03:43):
I'm just walking and I think in Florida too
Or just snakes my cousins down there and I just could not imagine walking outside or into a shower and being like a scorpion
You don't like let's see him outside
I think they hide pretty well because I didn't you didn't normally encounter them just like out and about but you would
They'd be like on the wall or something or that one time that one could have fallen on my head because it was in the shower

(04:06):
I was gonna say at your most vulnerable. Yeah
Naked literally naked and afraid
Literally, like what do they want from you?
Like I just the amount of times I've encountered spiders in the shower when I'm literally so vulnerable like they know
They know the scorpions were bad, but they were at least pretty limited the roaches were not an issue there

(04:27):
The roaches were an issue when I was living in Austin in the city
Yeah, especially when I was on a first floor apartment the second floor apartment was a little bit better
I dealt with those only occasionally that apartment had other weird bug problems though
They were like termites or flying ants or something that swarmed in through a hole in the floor one day
And there were so many that I vacuumed them up and then I never saw them again

(04:49):
So that was a weird I thought I also had an infestation of flies in that apartment. I hate days
Yeah, that was really gross theme is
Suck because what I think I also have I talked about the ladybugs that follow me on this podcast before
I feel like maybe I'm sure they have
Not enough apartment also, let's shame ladybugs and those other kind of beetles. No, no, no

(05:13):
I hate the ladybugs. I know you are you the one that has an issue with ladybugs because they swarmed your car. It's
Yeah, it's the orange one. So the like
Sure, um, you know, it's like ladybugs. Yeah, they've killed all the ladybugs here. So we don't get ladybugs
We don't get the nice red ones. I had like a pet ladybug as a kid like I looked right
Um, but no, they're just the nasty orange ones that smell and live on my car. Well now that's really good

(05:36):
We sold the car. So now I have room in the driveway to like our old van is moves
and now I have to park under the tree where they were like
Living on and then I would like put my windshield on and they wouldn't die
They would just go into my like so I'd have my wipers on and they would just go from the windshield to the hood
And they would crawl back while I'm driving 50. I'm like, what the fuck do you mean?

(05:56):
Like get away from me. Well, they made me very angry. Yeah, no ladybugs actually ladybugs are the ones
Oh, yeah, you know that I went from that's my apartment in Austin that I had a ladybug like you're not infestation
But they yeah some reason there. Yeah would show up inside the apartment and I was like, how did you get it?
Like no other house. I mean at this point no other bugs were coming in just ladybugs

(06:19):
And then I had the same thing happen at home when I was living with my parents only my room
I would get ladybugs in there all the time. I
Am convinced that it's because when my sister and I were growing up it was like this running theme
they would I
Was like the little ladybug and my sister was a busy bee because she was always running around and so we would have matching like
We had raincoats that were like mine was a ladybug and the rain boots were ladybugs

(06:42):
My sister had the bee version and we had like little necklaces
No, and I would get the ladybug and she would get the bee and so I think that they recognize me as one of their
Own. I'm I would gladly deal with a ladybug infestation here because they don't do anything
They don't know I think we had in our old house when I was younger
My brother's room that I think was also mine for a time had like a porch and I was like a play porch

(07:05):
But that thing was full of ladybugs. Well, like I wasn't scared. Yeah, they're cute
You just kind of like they don't love anything. They don't like you and they don't smell
Like the no, I think I I think I I thought I had gotten like bit by a ladybug once
But I bet it was one of those orange ones
No, I don't think ladybugs by access. I went on tic-tac

(07:27):
She was like I have a ladybug infestation, but it's fine cuz they're cute and then people were like, honey
Those are orange. Those are they will
They will die and smell and leave stains and bite you and she's like, oh shit
Those are the worst. Yep, and they're like an infestation. I'm just like
Just hate bugs, but I don't want them good ones to die. I just want the bad annoying ones to get away from me. I know

(07:54):
Yeah, I can really do without the ants. I'm like I already got roaches in the kitchen. Isn't this enough? Yeah
Haven't I been through enough? You'd like to think we've been through it as you guys may have noticed we haven't been through it
Yeah
We're down a grand total of five grandpas between the two of us

(08:21):
Say what you want, but we can always win something some arbitrary contest we can always win
We're winners we stay way we stay winning
That's a large amount
Five that's
To be clear
My dad's biological dad died when he was five. So like

(08:42):
Who know family I have learned over this past weekend that I went down to Alabama for that funeral
Mm-hmm fucking bonkers for no reason. I didn't realize I was in Alabama
Oh, yeah, it was a great time
I didn't realize I was in Alabama. Oh, yeah, it was the worst
Alabama's the worst. It was so moist. I was gonna say moist and it was so humid

(09:03):
It was already hot. I came back and was like, wow, thank goodness for a New York
Like I mean, it's rainy and overcast but at least it's like 50 degrees
Yeah there it was like 80 in the 80s and it was humid and so like to the point where I mean granted my
Aunt and uncle like to kind of leave they have like a screened-in patio and they like to leave the door open to the house
But like I was humid indoors. I was moist at all times

(09:28):
Full offense to anyone listening who lives in Alabama, why do you live there?
It's an arm at all times the armpit of the United States is the deep south. Yeah, I
Have only been
South as in Florida, I think and like Southern California
I know we still have to do that too. I can't we have to do two separate episodes

(09:53):
It has to be 15 and 15 or 16
Simply there is a 0% chance. I will be able to match historical romances to the songs on that album
Oh, I've already started. I
Don't I don't have
That was the most depressing album
See I
opposite of a romance novel

(10:14):
It's just horrible relationships going badly. I
Think we can do it with a broken heart
Banger not a book that I can't or a song that I compare with a book though. I
Feel like do I have one for that already?
I
Listen to it so much now that like I've got like the small themes that I can like figure out for books rather than like

(10:37):
the I dated Maddie Healy and it ruined my life because yeah, that's a
a challenge the to find a
Historical romance with that. I'm pretty sure I could if I'm being entirely honest
I'm exactly like I think there's well, technically one of the ones that I'm gonna recommend today
Her sister has a tortured poet and she's trying to save her from him

(10:59):
Um, do I have a no, uh, I do have two choices for I can do it with a broken heart
So I have no faith in my ability on this album I have faith in you
The second half I think is gonna be harder than the first half because the second half only gets more depressing

(11:22):
Yeah, I say Aaron desner of it all
the Aaron desner of it all
Yeah, at least we've got
We've got a few in there that aren't like stabbing me in the face, but
Not too many. Not many. I know I liked the first one
Like the Travis one really is the only one
Yeah, and I like I'm gonna get you back to that one's fun

(11:43):
Um, this shits long there's a lot
But then like I didn't think like I liked it immediately more than Midnight's for me
But then I was like, it's still not like I'm still not a huge fan of it and then I just kept listening to it
Because they just got stuck in my head and now I'm obsessed with it. Oh my
Fuck was that my dad's outside and he just whacked my window

(12:06):
That was a bird. That was a bird. I was like, oh my god. Is that a bird? It's a plane. I
What's that from I know that it's Superman. Come on now
It's Superman come on now
Because I don't is it a bird is it a plane no, oh I was my brain
We got there. It's been as tortured guys. It's just too much

(12:31):
We're not gonna unpack this album right now because I'm sure we're gonna spend four hours talking about it
That's why we got to either record the episode and split it into two
Or just do it in two separate times because I have no faith
I have no faith. Yeah. No. Yeah, I have very mixed feelings about it. That's okay. There are some bangers though. Mm-hmm
Down bad just lives in my head at all times at this point

(12:53):
It was its way into my little brain and then I'm just down bad crying like that. Exactly
It's throwing ass but crying
It's because I was like originally told my friends I was like this I can't dance to this and what am I doing?
It's awkward
But it exists. Have you seen it is dancing all that? I don't know if it's different people. It might be the same

(13:16):
Yeah, I think it might be the same account. I and he did yeah it is and he like there's one where he like licks his like two fingers
And he like puts him in his eyebrows and he's like do that. He's hilarious. I've seen I've liked every single video
It's the same person just posting them all yeah, but it's funny to me every single time cuz that's exactly how it is

(13:39):
Or whatever song guilty is guilty is the same thing. Yeah, like I just love Post Malone so much. So such a weird man
He is he is I just love how he's working with Beyonce
Taylor just doing whatever and his Beyonce that song was my song on that album Post Malone. Yep mine too and

(14:00):
Fortnite is up at the top album. It is cowboy carter. Oh
Damn mangers. Okay. Welcome to romance your TBR
It is us. It's only 15 minutes into the episode. I was gonna say who are we if we're not talking for 15 minutes before the start of the episode
We got a banter our way into it
It's a little banter if you're anything like my mom you can just skip through the opening banter exactly. We have timestamps

(14:26):
They're stamping away for a reason
Where Hannah and Caroline that's how it was. This is Caroline didn't expect to hear you say my name. That was a
adrenaline rush
Not the panic. Yeah, I paid it what I'm nothing what?
I called out in school. Yeah, I feel so high school

(14:49):
Stop I can't I can't do it. Okay, I can
with a broken heart, um
Damn it. We got to stop with the references. Yeah, welcome to romance your TBR
We're back after five million weeks of hiatus. I
don't even know how long
I think I don't know either. I do. I'm just not also I'm not reading books. I'm not reading a lot of books

(15:15):
I'm very busy also. Yeah, like
Post move I thought things would settle but honestly they have not um, yeah
Well, cuz then you're in the office more you have more to do almost so I do I do
Yeah, I have a lot to do so I do think we're probably gonna switch to in every other week
I like that I do newsletters on well the newsletters are nice because they're kind of like a living

(15:36):
like
Journal entry of our recommendations, which I think is valuable in a different way than like a podcast episode
You can like go back and just rather go glad exactly a list rather than listen exactly and you can technically like I think on
The subsec app do like narrate this
Newsletter so you can like have it read it to you

(15:57):
You can sound you can hear us talking to you even though we're not talking to you Wow
Truly let us invade your lives
Mm-hmm. So we'll probably do an alternating
Yeah podcast episode and newsletter
Mm-hmm format moving forward. Although hopefully now that we've gotten post
dead grandpa times

(16:20):
This is how I'm coping to dualities dead grandpa times I'm alone
The two post dualities
Haha, okay, that is got me you got me
Yeah, you're doing great

(16:43):
Anyway
Do you wanna yeah today?
So I realized that if you listen to this on Friday
I'm independent bookstores on Saturday April 27th. I think it's like the last the last Saturday of yep
I'm April every year and
I'm getting together with my family and we're going to like all the indie bookstores in Minneapolis including tropes and trifles

(17:09):
Which is like the new romance bookstore very excited
I think I was there before they did their like grand reopening because they had it open for a short time
Um, and so I was like I have a lot of them like making a list of books that I want to buy to like kind
Of keep myself in line, but also I don't buy a lot of books anymore
So like I want to be intentional
But the ones that I do have just since I have like no room after I bought like 12 Nora Roberts books today

(17:34):
Did you know morning glory ran? Did you know morning glory was a movie with?
Christopher Reeves the liberal sponsor. Yeah, I freaking found that at the zeus bookstore with the Christopher Reeves
The old Superman on it and it was like now a major motion picture. I'm like, what do you mean?
So if I want to cry, yeah, but like with a movie instead of a book, yeah

(17:58):
Apparently it's a thing and it's Superman. So he's hot
I know
This knowledge is too much power
So while you digest that with great power comes great responsibility. Is that spider-man? That's spider-man. Yeah
Yeah
um and so I was like, why don't we do an episode of like books that we are a

(18:24):
going to buy an indie bookstore day and then be
Books that you should add like maybe we already own them or whatever
That you should buy or look out to buy on Saturday
So that's so we've each got our grocery list five books and your grocery list listener of five books
exactly

(18:45):
Shopping list not grocery. You get it. Whatever groceries we eat they eat these books eat. That's so true
Mm-hmm. They feed me and they feed my soul. I
Can't go into bookstores. I love the smell of them. I
Will not have time to go book shopping on Saturday Dana and I are going to the f1 arcade in Boston. Oh

(19:08):
Yeah, didn't realize how hard it is or I should say how expensive it is to get from New York to Boston
Is it you know, it's like $200 amtrak tickets round trip like $100 each way. Why for what amtrak?
Amtrak you are on our enemy list. Honestly. Yeah new nemesis
new nemesis added amtrak ants

(19:31):
It's like the um, I watched this tik-tok yesterday
of
Oh, that's horrible news of these girls doing like the
The most
Unnecessarily hostile dating app bios. Mm-hmm. I mean they're it's like satire. It's wildly out of it, but they open with

(19:54):
my new favorite thing
Which is nice to swipe on you, it's me your new enemy
Honestly, it's just how I'm gonna start leading I think
That's me at amtrak anyway, let's get into it
Welcome to our book shopping lists indie bookstore day edition

(20:16):
Oh, my point was I don't have time to go to the stores, but I think I'm gonna try to like bookshop.org or
Yeah, I was gonna say
like
Like I guess you're close to the strand. I wonder if they do pickup orders
I know they normally like last year they did like a coupon like percentage off
I think like the ripped bodice like online does something or like cuz I think

(20:36):
There was ways by a shirt. Yeah, like order online, especially on Saturday. That's what my mom and I've been doing the past few years
It's just like online stuff and like powells I think in Portland
Yeah, I also I I don't remember if I've seen if bookshop.org is doing anything
But I think it's probably I think it's probably free shipping at least. Yeah, we're like something

(20:57):
Yeah, I'm sure I have a liberal FM is like doing promotions and they're just like audiobooks that support indie bookstores and stuff
So there are lots of ways to do it besides just like going into stores and everything
So that is what this episode is going to be about 20 minutes into it
Oh

(21:22):
Okay, well I can start with do we want to like alternate for the shopping lists yeah
Okay, I think keep it short and sweet. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I mean most of these I've already talked about
Or yeah, I feel like I mean the first one that I put with no questions asked was hey there in the prince
Cuz I can't wait to get my hands on it
I'm like, I think I've seen it on pango books

(21:42):
But I'm like, no, I want to like go to the store and buy this book like I need to have that experience
So I'm very excited for that one. It was so good. I reread it
I reread the audiobook and it was even better. The narrators were great. So
Recommended all the way around like god with the book and it's so pretty too of the green. Oh
Yeah, also these are books that like I like the covers because like if a books ugly, even if I like it

(22:07):
I don't need to own it because like sorry
facts
Top of my list is a book that I haven't actually finished yet. I started reading it yesterday, but it's how to end a love story
Oh that one by um, you'll eat. Yeah
I
Started the audiobook. I know you can't but I started the audiobook as someone who doesn't care about what tense

(22:29):
POV etc. It is in I am not people care and not care
turns out
Listen do whatever you want. I do not care at all
Um, I knew it or whatever. Yeah, I wish you know
Yeah, I have to

(22:51):
She's everywhere which of course she is she's directing is it yeah the screenwriter. Yeah
Yeah, so the book is also she I tuned into I helped like coordinate this
Barnes and Noble live
With Kennedy Ryan and her and they like chatted about each other's books. And so most of that conversation

(23:13):
Was because Kennedy's books are also working. There's a screen adaptation in progress for those
And so most of the conversation was I'm talking about like the book to screen process
And so the book is also about
The heroine is an author who's in the writing room as a screenwriter helping or you know working on her books being

(23:35):
adapted for screen and then the hero is
Not such a fun premise also working on it as a screenwriter. Yeah, but he is
You find out in like the prologue first chapter
Whatever that her younger sister when they were they went to high school together and her younger sister committed
Trigger warning committed suicide by throwing herself in front of his car. Oh, yeah. I saw what yeah

(23:58):
I saw something so she like blames him essentially
For her. Yeah, so definitely content warnings. It's a really heavy premise
But I'm also like I kind of love when authors really commit to doing something like that because it's like how can you possibly?
Like you don't have to just forgive and work with somebody who yeah
You know logically is not responsible for your sister's death, but is still the vehicle by wit both bad pun

(24:23):
but oh
I didn't mean to I swear
I
I
Really promise I
Am guilty as sin, um, but the still how
we brought about her death like I it's like a

(24:43):
Like a Sherri Thomas level Oh like how or a
Lorraine Heath even of like how are these two people gonna get past that?
So I'm very intrigued to see where it goes and I really like the cover and it's pink
Yes, it is pink. So I talked too long about that one, but I'm intrigued by an origin story is

(25:05):
You can't even like not do the audiobook and just read
With no, I think audio is worse. I think I can I can handle like if I know that's what I mean
Like if you just read with your eyes instead if I yeah, I could probably do it
Like I'll finish it like if you read it if you like it
Yeah, cuz it's like there was also like the part of it being like that angsty to where I'm like
Is it gonna be for me? So but yeah, if you like anything, yeah

(25:28):
I've heard also people complaining about the audiobook because they they said it's like really meta and I'm like, okay
But I love meta things. I
love a meta
like it feels
Like I can't explain because I haven't experienced it myself
So I'm not like a hundred percent sure on what they're talking about

(25:49):
My understanding was that it like it feels like it's written by a screenwriter
Like oh, yeah, the layers of like this could be written for screen
but
Mm-hmm or like, you know, the self-referential like that's what I feel like third-person present is I feel like I'm reading a script
Like it's like I feel like I'm like seeing something be directed to someone else to do like it just feels cuz that's how you know

(26:11):
Like back cover copy is like it's normally third-person present
I could just gives a different feeling in my brain that I just it's a hard time for me getting past
But like if I was reading in a movie script like I could it does a different thing
It does a different thing
Yeah, I actually like that like out of there. I can then also it's again
It's like an author adapting her book to screen. So I I think as I get deeper into it, there's gonna be more with that

(26:35):
So yeah, anyway, no, I've heard good things about that one. Um
my next one is
What's the author? It's we got the beat. It's like a sapphic YA one. It takes place in Minnesota
I know we got it also makes me want to sing. Um, who is the author? She I met her at steamy lit

(26:57):
Yeah, and I it was Jenna Miller
And I was like one of her like promo cards had like hot dish like tater-tot hot dish
I was like, are you a Minnesotan?
I was like I spy this and she's like yes
Well, cuz I was like one
One no, literally so I went up to her I was like, are we are we like twins?

(27:21):
And so then her book I don't think had come out yet. So I was waiting for the audiobook
It came out in like February, but I just read it recently
one
Character she's a volleyball player. I think the other one is a
There they're in high school
So volleyball captain and then the journal like a journalist for the school newspaper
and she wanted to be like the head editor, but she got put on the sports beat and so she has to like go to

(27:46):
all the volleyball games and like write about the captain especially but they were like friends and now they're not and
Underlying emotions and stuff
And so it was yes, it was very good emotions
I know and so I'm hoping they either have like signed copies of tropes and trifles or I'm just gonna pick one up because
I know she's gonna be

(28:07):
Either at Stimulet again or the one in Wisconsin that I'm going to with Kylie in September. So either way
Oh speaking of Kylie number one shout out. She was in the city. Oh
Yeah, she came to New York and we got lunch and I talked to her off about Formula One
Got a picture together. It was very cute. And while I'm doing shout outs number two is

(28:30):
I believe her name was Bianca who I met at the Fated Mates live
But it's been so long since we've recorded an episode and I'm so sorry if I'm getting your name wrong
You know who you are if that is the case, you know, I'm really terrible with names
So I tried to hang on to that one, but I make no promises
but I went to the Fated Mates live podcast recording and

(28:54):
I've been recognized for like my tik-toks or Instagram where people are like, oh I follow you
This was the first time somebody ever came up to me and said, oh, hey, I listen
You don't know me, but I listen to your podcast and I was like, oh
That's never happened to me
Why I?
Think that is actually what I said. I said why?

(29:14):
Why?
But we we have a picture together. So I'll try to post it like on Friday or Saturday on our stories
Because that was so fun and you were so nice and if ever you see at least me in public
But I assume you too, although people recognize your face a little bit less
But if you do recognize us, you can always say hi. That was exactly I know I had um, I don't know

(29:38):
I think her mom told her listen to this podcast. Um, I was at
This is an interesting podcast recommendation choice for a mom. I know I was at my grandpa's celebration of life
Down over start but my aunt's friend must have recommended me to the friend's daughter

(29:58):
Because like I think she's like 23 or something. So around our age
And she followed me and I didn't know because it was like a private like personal account
And so then her mom comes up because she wasn't there wrong comes up and is like, oh my daughter
Love of law follows you so then I went followed her back and she was like and then someone was saying about a podcast
And I was like, yeah, it's like in my bio. I'm like you shouldn't listen to it

(30:20):
But I think she also because they're in like a book club. So I think she probably reads like some romance, too
Um, and I was like, oh my gosh, I was taken aback and so that was exciting even though
It was not a random I guess stranger, but I didn't know her
That's so fun. It was it was I
Mean while was trying to actively keep my conservative Catholic brother from finding the podcast

(30:42):
It came up in conversation and I said, yeah, my oh sub stack came up and I was like, oh we use that for our like
Podcast newsletter and he was like you have a podcast
And I was like, yes, and he was like what about and I was like, what do you think? It's about?
Formula one, bro. Yeah
Slowly but surely no historical but then he didn't think to look at my Instagram bio or anything like that to see where it would

(31:05):
Be listed. He just went on Spotify and started searching for romance podcasts, which
You're not finding us guys in the top
Yeah
So a host of Fated mates didn't yeah, so I think he got distracted before he got even close to finding it
But it made me laugh because if he had just gone, yeah to my Instagram. Mm-hmm

(31:28):
Linked in the bio
Love that for us. I avoided that though. I was like, oh god, please do not find it. Yeah. No, we don't need that
Don't put that evil on me Ricky Bobby exactly my family does not you give Ricky Bobby
My next recommendation like that or my start on my shopping list is a love song for Ricky Wilde

(31:50):
No
Ballad of Ricky Bobby love song for Ricky Wilde
Not even a little bit similar in premise or tone. Oh
This one yeah, Tia Williams, I'm sorry. We're you done with yes. I was yeah
I feel like that ended like five minutes ago. Well, I cut you off because you mentioned Kylie and I didn't snip snip snip

(32:14):
We're good. I forgot this name definitely sounds familiar. Yeah. Yes by Tia Williams
This was a banger I think I still preferred seven days in June, but this cover is so gorgeous it is
Ooh, there's magical realism in it. It is magical realism. So she moves from her terrible family. She like

(32:35):
It's like a funeral home dynasty weirdly on brand
There have been a lot of books about death and yeah shit and I'm like
You know, it is what it is. Uh, but she loves
She loves flowers so this like older woman like kind of shows up in her life and is like

(32:58):
Oh, like I have this I think it's like a brownstone and
Harlem that if you want to like use the lower level or whatever, basically she moves to Harlem and opens a flower shop
And this woman that she doesn't know is like this kind of older lady that has kind of become like her grandma now and

(33:20):
Then this guy starts showing up around the leap year, but like only
This is a leap year book. It's a leap year book and he
Has I can't remember the name of the book
He has I can't really it's hard to explain the premise of this book without spoiling anything
But I I will say he is not from this time and place

(33:41):
Um, and he is a pianist
There is there actually there are like a couple of really
Sexual scenes involving a piano, which is just interesting that it happened twice
um, and she and this like older woman
Who content warning does pass away towards the end of the book, but you kind of get the sense that's gonna happen

(34:05):
Um, but it turns out their lives are more intertwined. Um along with this guy
Oh my god, that's so fun. Okay. It is it is really really well written to you williams is yeah
It seems like something that would just like like could get lost in
Yes, I really enjoyed the audiobooks right now to read
my body my body

(34:26):
Nice. It's very atmospheric. Yeah, that's yeah, i'm just like giving the cover too. Like it just looks very
The cover matches the vibes very well
So amazing, that's a good one. Um, what's my next one?
Oh, yeah, uh, this is just kind of a throwaway one, but I do need to pick up the witch queen of halloween by cressley cole

(34:48):
Just because I know tropes and trifles I believe is like the only place in the cities i'll be able to like get a physical copy
So if I see it, I want to grab it. Um
Because I own all the books I like in that series
I don't own the ones I don't like because I think they would just harm me in my sleep
I think they would just like find me
They would actually stick ants on you in your sleep. Yes

(35:10):
Yeah, um, so I'd wake up with ants on your bed and you'd be like cressley
Literally
quite literally, um, so I need to pick that one up and
And i'll let you go for your next one. I thought I had other ones, but it's just the one I wrote
Mine is also kind of a cheat
This next one. Um, and that is the roommate risk by talia hibbert, which is not a new book

(35:35):
Yeah, but they're but it's been rejacketed. It's been rejected and
Renarrated because I listen because that's I've listened to the alc
Geriatric
He sounded so old not the new one. The old one. Oh, I was about to no no
No, so they yes, I didn't like the old white guy. I believe probably white guy who narrated it

(35:58):
And so I get why they're re-narrating. Thank god. Um, I saw that coming on neck alley, too
And I was like, fuck yeah, because the book was so good. It's a great audiobook
It's it's so good. And like I got lost in the narration that I think I gave it like four stars
but i'm gonna download because I
Um, I think I have like read now from dreamscape
And i'm so excited to re-listen to it with like hot people

(36:21):
Um, it was and it's dual narration. Yeah, i'm so that book was so good
They do the accents really because hers is kind of like she has the sort of proper like standard british accent
But then slips into another one kind of when she drinks or when she gets emotional whatever and that's always fun for me
As an american to hear the different. Yeah, and I like the new cover. It's a really good. I really like the new cover

(36:43):
So that's my I know you can get it on bookshop.org and since that's probably what i'm gonna be doing anyway
I would like to acquire a copy
But I did I saw it come up on neck alley and I listened that was the first time I had read the roommate risk was
When it came up on there and I went ahead and snagged the ALC and it was a banger
I don't know if I read it last year or the year before but like it was a sleeper book kind of like I think um

(37:05):
The duke who didn't which is another one that I want to buy at tropes and trifles if they have it because
That's another like indie one
Um that like I was kind of going along with it and then all of a sudden I was like, oh my god
I love them so much. I just like
Intelligibly trust like I knew that it was gonna be a banger. It's not gonna be bad because she's hilarious
She's so funny. This one isn't as funny as some of her other books. I don't think but it it did still have that like

(37:30):
Narrative if you want a guy who's just straight up obsessed
Oh, he's so down bad. He is crying at the gym. He's crying. He's going to the gym multiple times a day. Yep. Yep
Oh god. Okay. Yeah, I need to reread that
Maybe I should just do that because I know that's good and I want to listen to the new one
Anyway, oh my god. Wait down bad is actually his song
Mm-hmm, because they like

(37:50):
I fucking loved once when they were in college and then she was like you can either be my friend or you can fuck me
And he was like I'm gonna be your friend. Okay. Okay. Oh god. I love it. Oh, he is down bad crying at the gym
Wow, it's all coming together
She beamed him up on her ship. She did. Oh, yeah. Okay. That's a great one
Um, the next one is one just because the cover is so good and the book inside is Earl's Trip by Jenny holiday. It just came out

(38:16):
Yesterday as we're recording this one. I love the illustrated cover. It's so bright and fun and green and pink
Um, but to this book made me cry
very dramatically and I did not expect it because basically
It starts off like they're um childhood friends, but then they kind of go their separate ways and they don't really think about each other
Um, and then in the meantime, she's being courted by this tortured poet

(38:39):
and then um
Of course, he's a terrible person aren't they all in his Jehovah's Witness suit?
And um, they're so annoying
Yeah, i'm, so sorry if you don't like taylor swift you probably don't like us and that's well within your means
Within your rights because I understand I can't even blame you. No

(39:03):
um
So and then it turns out that her sister her younger sister ends up eloping with him and she's like hell no
He's bad. That's gonna be terrible
um, and so
The guy this earl he's going on an earl's trip with his two friends because they get together each year. They're all earls
They're all it's like the hangover like they're all earls. They're all kind of there is kind of another tortured poet in their group

(39:28):
Um, and it's they're just so nice being earl
The next book is called manic pixie dream earl
Sleigh sleigh, um, and they're just like really wholesome men who are just lovely
And then they get this letter and they're so excited to go to this earl strip and then he's like, ah damn
I have to go save her and he's like, oh if you guys don't want to come to find her like no

(39:50):
We got you. We're gonna come we love you
Um
So they go find her she ends up shooting him non-fatally, of course
So he gets shot to clarify non-fatally as if this is not a romance novel. It could be a ghost ghost man's so um
But yeah, so he gets shot pretty soon within the start of the book, which I loved I had such a great time

(40:12):
And then they're just kind of on this road trip
Like they go to someone's estate and just have a good old time
And then his mother has like early dementia or something. So trigger warning for that. Definitely
Um, but the end literally made me sob my pants off, but it was so good
it was so cute and funny and fun and

(40:33):
because I had read like a
The excerpt that they posted on netgalley like last year and then I was like refreshing and constantly waiting for them to like upload the full book
Um, and then when they did I was like i'm hopping on that train and I it did not disappoint
And the audiobook I think comes out may 7th. So I have to wait. I was just looking for the audio book
Yeah
Because I was yeah, that's actually um, my other cheat on this list because I haven't read it yet

(40:56):
But it is one that I would totally go pick up. Um, so that's
you've covered the next one on my shopping list as well because
What
Are you what's your next one earl strip? Oh, that was my cheat for like one that I hadn't actually read
But I was gonna go. Oh, okay. I was like

(41:17):
What did I do? You lost something? No, you covered that that was also on my list. So, okay. Perfect. Check that box
Yeah, hell. Yeah, that was that was a really good one. I bet the audiobook is gonna be really good
I don't know who's now reading it, but something tells me it's gonna be a banger
Um, the next one is when we both read any duke in a storm. I like got an email from source books

(41:38):
Asking me if I wanted to finish copy and then my grandparents died
That'll do it
And I just didn't respond. Um, and so I'm like
I think I'm just gonna buy it. I don't feel like responding now. They're like hi
It's me
I'm the problem. Um, but I do want to own that one because I love the cover but also the book is so good

(42:00):
And I have the other ones in the series. So I need to make a finish set
And then I'll get Amelie to sign it. Oh, yeah, because we have the arcs, but I want Amelie to sign like the finished copy
When we see her again
Um when we see her again?
My good book
um, my last one is
Unfortunately funny story by Emily Henry because I can't not yet

(42:24):
I listened to the audiobook. Um, I thought you like pre-ordered it or something. No, I
Wasn't sure how I was gonna like this one. It ended up being like four stars about your thoughts
Oh, sorry. My body is just aching. I still loved it like I
I'm one of those people that I I don't know that Emily Henry can write a book that I don't like

(42:46):
Yeah, that's me with Sally Thorne. I guess yeah, just like something about her writing
um, so this one I don't know that it's my least favorite I would have to revisit I think happy place because I
Yeah, that's the one that I know the least
Um, I think I reread all three of the other ones and that one I only read the ones. Um
Um, and I I also have the audiobook for that one and I I want to because I read the digital arc

(43:10):
Of happy place and I want to go back and listen to the audiobook of happy place
There's one thing Julia Whelan's gonna do is put her entire Julia Whelan pussy
Her Julia Whelanussy. Yes
I posted on my which if you follow me, you probably saw I posted on my instagram story when I was listening to this book
Um, and I said is he hot?
Or is Julia Whelan just doing her mmc voice?

(43:33):
And I have never gotten so many responses on an instagram story before
The sheer it was like me, you know when you swipe up to look at hugh's future stories
I was scrolling through the people who had like liked or responded to it and then I was getting
Countless dms almost every single dm was just someone saying both

(43:54):
It's both
And I respect that miles is not for me
He's a lovely male main character stoner who wears crocs. Yes. He's not like a stone
I mean at the beginning of the book, um, he's in a rough place and he is smoking a lot of weed
He doesn't really smoke throughout the rest of the book. I'm just like very unattracted to people who smoke weed

(44:14):
College memories that come up with that that make me viscerally. Yeah, I don't
I just like I really don't like the smell of weed
Yeah, I don't like being around any kind of smoke
So that is a big turn off for me the crocs not great, but I can work with it
He's on his he's like a bartender at a winery. Um
Or like a worse maybe like

(44:35):
Well, because they're comfortable for service workers. Oh, I guess
I had a lot of co-workers when I worked at half rice books that all wore crocs because they said they were the most comfortable
Shoes, I could definitely see it at half price. I just I guess the depends on the winery the winery
Yeah, it's like it makes sense. Look it all makes sense in the book. Um
But admittedly his personality is really hot

(44:56):
I saw someone say that it's like the closest to beach read
How do you?
Feel about that
Because I like like beach read is the only one that I really like like I liked that one a lot
I don't so I've been debating on reading this one
I mean, I guess in the sense that it's like forced proximity and well
But happy place was also for prospect forced proximity in a fake relationship, and that's what this one is, too

(45:18):
I do I really really liked it. It didn't the only reason it was I would say four instead of five stars for me
was just because every other Emily Henry book I've read has
Slapped me in the face and called me ugly and made me sob
And this one I like teared up a little bit at one point instead of like it
Oh, the whole town is like helping with this thing or whatever. But like

(45:39):
It didn't have the same emotional weight for me
And I think that that is fine
And there's always going to be some books that just don't hit you
Personally the way that they how basically every anticipated read of this year for me has gone
I'm like what is happening and the ones that I'm not anticipating are just kind of like sleeper books are like the ones that I get
Five stars something about it. I'm like, what's this witchcraft? Yeah, so it's me off to be honest

(46:04):
I'll probably buy myself a copy of that
I'm debating if I'm actually gonna get a copy though, or if I'm gonna wait until next year when it comes out in back trade paper
Yeah, unless you do you have some in hardcover?
I do have so I left most of my Emily so I brought my trade paper
Emily Henry books with me when I moved I left
Beach read

(46:25):
Yeah, I bought a new copy of it. It's fine
Um, but I left I have all of the UK editions of those books and then the happy place hardcover
Um, UK and US and I left all of those at home and then just bought the trade paper happy place winning books
So I'll probably because it does she do like signed happy places

(46:46):
Is that yeah, I think I got a signed one. I think I'm not positive on that though. I know like I got assigned book lovers
I think I got a sign
I think it was that one. I have some signed stuff from her. Yeah, so
This one I don't feel as strongly about
So I probably will get myself a copy just because I I have all of them

(47:07):
Yeah, at the very least I'll ship it to my home like at also
I just I'm obsessed with the color schemes of them all and like how they look together
Someone had like a bookmark that was like a color strip
You know a paint strip and it had like all the different colors of the covers and I was like, okay
I do really like the like out of print merch. Yes that they did for this book. It's really
Your books are my happy place to my happy place totes. I got that one for free

(47:30):
But I feel I felt weird still being in that like influencer program once I got my full-time
Yeah gig, um, so I didn't like apply
To be in it again, but I I do really like their
Their merch is very cute
It is as a non Emily Henry stan. I am also fighting
With my inner demons to buy the totes and stuff

(47:52):
Really cute bag. I know I've been debating because I've had the arc or like the ALC of this one
I think for a few months
And I'm just like if I don't like it, I just don't want to read it
But I'm like if I had hard for me to get it
But I'm like if I had hard for me to gauge which Emily Henry's you're gonna like and I mean
It's a really funny premise. I also do respect that so they they moved in together after her fiance

(48:16):
It's like the was it Shania Twain who did that? I don't even know but
Left her
Ex got together and then she started dating. I think the Shania slay
He left her for miles's girlfriend who is his like childhood best friend
Um, and they left together that's what gets me is it but so they like move in together and then they get the wedding invite

(48:41):
um from those two and they get
So drunk she got like blackout drunk
And miles is basically like we should RSVP to the wedding and she's like no and then he's like no
I guess you're right and she's like actually let's do it. So they get blackout drunk
They sing witchy woman a lot
They RSVP to the wedding and then the next day her ex calls her and is such a little

(49:01):
Condescending shit and it's like I just like you don't have to come if you don't want to like especially because you're gonna be there
Alone and she's like i'm not gonna be there alone and he's like well
You did an RSVP for a plus one and she's like that's because he got his own
Invite and like word vomits out this fully formed live she and miles are dating and her ex always really hated miles
um

(49:22):
And when she tells she goes to miles to like confess this horrible grievous sin that she has committed
And he's like that's fucking hilarious. Let's do it
On her upper thigh. He has he has he really has but he's like that's fucking hilarious. Um, I love it
And I respect that. It's not like an agony written like oh my god. We have he's like bet. Yeah

(49:46):
Well, that's like that's the turn of
Things that I like it's just when they just are like, yeah sure
there's not much drama so like
things that you would expect resistance to
Anyway
We've talked about I may or may not read that
I feel like I probably will just cuz I know it's Julia Whalen. I know I know how bad can it be?

(50:10):
Uh, yeah, I mean honestly, I mean if I made it through happy place
Which was not for me. This one sounds like it's more for me than that
And I read happy place so
At this point why not?
So yeah, I think I'd wait till I don't even think I have the happy place because again like I do love the covers and spine
So I do have to buy happy place

(50:32):
Um, but I'll probably get that one on pango with some of my credit
Um, and I'll probably wait for funny story until the soft cover as well
Um
So, yeah, I think that's like all
Yeah
So there are shopping lists. Yes now we have your shopping lists. Yeah
For shopping lists. Yeah

(50:53):
for books that we already own but
Mm-hmm. You need something to buy at an indie bookstore on Saturday
You could buy these
That is exactly go first. Um, hell yeah
First of all the catch amy lee can't go wrong. I thought thank god you said that I didn't have it on my list

(51:14):
Can't go wrong. I mean, I still think x's and o's is my favorite
I haven't read the first one but x's and o's that one's my least favorite. That's generally what I hear from people
Yeah, I think if I was rereading it I would like it more just because now I have like this emotional attachment to amy lee
Um, and it was still a good book. I gave it four stars. I think it maybe three and a half rounded up. Um, but

(51:36):
they were
There's just a little bit more miscommunication and like forced tension that just didn't quite make sense in that one
um, whereas
These last two have just been they hit so good bangers
And she's gotten progressively hotter. I feel like yeah, this was like sexy hallmark
It was exactly sexy hallmark sexy. He's a hot lobster fisherman in canada. Come on now

(52:00):
In the poutine, I have a strong attachment to like melted cheese on fried things. That's so fair
Yeah
Deeply relatable content coming at you. Yeah, so that one triggered something very that's so fair emotion
Yeah, the catch that was a banger. Yes. That was that was a really good book

(52:24):
um
I feel like I have a lot of berkeley books just because I read a lot of berkeley books
Um because this next one for me is also a berkeley one and that's the kiss countdown by eddie easton one the cover is a banger
spaceships pink beautiful
Black romance. Love it. It's just the cover. It's so good. Look at it. I know I've seen it

(52:45):
So good, um, I always sent this book a couple months ago. Nope a month ago
um, and
It was really good. It's like fake dating. It's just the perfect
Like low angst fake dating situation
She's basically in this coffee shop and her ex is there with a new girlfriend
And she's run into this like handsome stranger a few times and she doesn't like get the great greatest vibes from him

(53:06):
But when push comes to shove and your terrible ex is in this coffee shop. What do you do? You say?
Oh my gosh. Yes. I'm actually dating this guy and the ex is like, oh, what do you do for work?
And he's like i'm an astronaut
And the ex is like, oh
You're not an astronaut. Oh
It's time to like these I really wish we were using the video recording because we can mine does that

(53:30):
Astronaut did I do something with my hands? I think you did a thumbs up
I think it's like, um, I thought they heard me say astronaut and it was like fireworks. No for our listeners
Hannah just did I think it was the thumbs up, you know how like the iphone yeah, it was it just did it again. Um, and
Her video screen

(53:52):
Did a bunch of fireworks
You know like how the iphone's do that on facetime now where it'll be like a thumbs up, which is so weird
pops up it does it using when we're on google meets for work
And it'll randomly do like the thumbs up. It'll do like a bunch of thumbs up emojis like everywhere, which is also very odd
So that happened i'll see if I can like get that clip and we can wow post in our stories or something

(54:15):
Yeah, that was amazing. Um
Um, honestly fireworks immediately when he was like, yeah, i'm an astronaut and she's like, wow, he's hot and he's an astronaut like
That's i'm kind of obsessed and then it was just a great moment of like her being like, okay
Is this dude lying about being an astronaut? Like he didn't need to lie and he whips out his nasa badge and he's like
Clock me
It was great. And then um, so she gets through with that of the things you could whip out nasa badge is

(54:41):
pretty cool
literally and
Then um his sister I think walks in and so then they have to be like, oh, yeah, we're dating
And then um, she like invites her to their like family cabin
And he's like, okay, this is actually a win-win because my family like keeps telling me that I have to get married and stuff
So we're just gonna like pretend to date to get them off my back

(55:02):
And then they're just like having the sexual tension all over that little cabin
um, and it was really good and
I just love fake dating. I
Even in contemporary, I know people don't like it. I i'm obsessed with it. It's just so fun every time
so
Read that one and buy it because it's beautiful

(55:24):
I am just realizing my list is only four
I think that you emailed me the invite to record before I found a fifth book. And so now i'm like, oh shoot
Well, I have no trouble talking. So
I know
It might just be that I only provide four. I'm so sorry. Um, and that is okay
The marquee who mustn't this one's a little tricky because it's indie so

(55:48):
It can be hard to find but i'm
98 sure you can get it on bookshop.org
Yeah, yeah, um
I'm pretty sure and if not, I got mine at the rip bodice. So yeah tropes and trifles. I believe we'll have it
Yeah, Minneapolis and there are like more romance bookstores popping up. Yeah, so I believe in your ability to find it and

(56:10):
Courtney Mulan
You beautiful beautiful radiant motherfucker you I
That's a fireworks moment
I really need that audiobook to come out. I've really got nothing to add
You know how you listen or know how we love the duke who didn't the marquee who mustn't I was like
Uh, I don't know. It's just not as like fun as the duke who didn't like the premise isn't as fun

(56:36):
It's more serious. I don't know and then halfway through I was crying and I was like, oh my god
And then halfway through I was crying and I was like happening and it was delightful and I was crying about my relationship with my mom
What was happening? I don't know but it was a banger
Courtney Mulan, you can do no wrong
And it's just a great cover too. It's a great cover and it's chinese characters in historical romance

(56:59):
love
Banger, yeah, because the first one was like a really tight father-daughter relationship. Uh, okay
um enough of the emotions
Um, the next one is another banger of a cover. It's one dangerous night by kathy maxwell
Um, I think it was I think I have a I think avon sent it to me. Um, maybe last month and um

(57:22):
It was fantastic. I read it last year. I think even before winter
So I read it a long time ago and I've waited for my moment to talk about it
Because the cover's so pretty like the only reason I read it was because the cover was just gorgeous
Um, and basically I like was start I started reading the arc and then I immediately started book one because this is book two
Um, so like I got probably like 30 in because I was at like an outdoor concert like an orchestra concert

(57:47):
And it was so good
And then I was like well, maybe I should go back and read book one because i'm loving this and book one was not as good
Um, because like the little sister in book one is the heroine in book two and I definitely did not like her a lot in book
One, so i'm happy that I was already like emotionally attached to her
um in book two because she was a little bit of a

(58:11):
aunt
Little pest in book one. Um
But book two was so fun
She basically like storms off because she is in love or in quotation mark love with her sister's new husband
Um, because she thought she was gonna marry him and so then she just like storms off
And um ends up going on this like mail coach and there's this hot stranger who has like long hair and

(58:34):
Doesn't look like anything much and then the carriage or the mail coach crashes
The there were the only two people on it and then the two drivers or whatever have died
And then she's got like rescue this dude who like protected her he like put his arm around her
She says like I owe him a life debt
She drags him out and then they just immediately start bickering like they just add each other's throats
Like yes, they save each other, but they're also kind of like angry that they did because they're just clashing

(59:00):
Um, he is a duke who kind of had his little
Um, i'm done with society moment and he's like trying to like live off the land and not use his duke money because he's going through it
He's trying to like reform himself. So he's being a little dramatic and then she's being dramatic a little i'm gonna live off the land
Yes, eric, yeah, so he literally
I can say

(59:22):
aristocrat
Um, and so
They're both just very emo
Going through it. Um, he thinks she's like a little maid. She's like a lady
um, or like
landed gentry or something and then
um
He is a duke. She thinks he's just like some stable boy or something. So that's like hidden

(59:43):
Mistaken. Oh my god, is that an ant?
Uh, ran into the first and the first aunt of um, our 2024 podcast
Made an appearance. I don't know if I got it or if it just ran deeper into my makeup case. Oh, oh well
yosified ant
um
um

(01:00:04):
And so basically they're just like fighting each other and then she has this glorious moment where it's like that. Um
tangled meme of fin just kind of sitting on the rock and then
uh, what's her name just like
laying in the field just like
Done. She has a moment where she gets like stuck in this like net
and then she just like freaks the hell out she's just like

(01:00:24):
Flailing her body and screaming and stomping and like losing her mind and he's just kind of there
Just like watching it and then she kind of just like ends that stands up brushes herself off and then walks away
And honestly
It gave me everything I needed. It was a lot of fun
um
And that's another one I paired for torture poets when I was going through things. Um

(01:00:46):
Do I remember it? No
Um, but that one it was and the cover so good and it was just so fun and i'm reading the audio book right now
So i'm rereading it. Um
And it's just as good
so
There's that
I'm
Cheating once again and recommending a book that I worked on

(01:01:08):
Um
So standard disclaimer in case you're somehow listening to this for the first time and didn't know that I work for forever. Um
the other one that i'm going to recommend is also a forever book, but i'm not the marketer on it, so it's like
Whatever this one I was one of the marketers on so like

(01:01:28):
I straight up was paid to tell people to read this book. However, i'm telling you right now
That even if I wasn't paid to tell people to read this book, I would tell you to read this book
Um, and that is this could be us by kennedy ryan
Um number one new york times bestseller
This could be us by kennedy ryan
um
Because I love her and that book

(01:01:50):
Is a banger. Um
It's a non-traditional kind of romance format. I would say where she spends a lot of the book self-partnering
But he's just so
obsessed with her
From the beginning, but they can't really be he like put her terrible husband in prison as one does. Whoo when they're embezzling a lot of money

(01:02:10):
um
And he's like I want you
To work on yourself as much as you need to and I will just be here to support you
In any way that I can while you're going on this journey
And that is so hot
that is
Um a banger truly also this is reminding me why I like to read

(01:02:34):
I've kind of lost the plot here for a little bit. I've like me just not reading
It's rough out here
It is rough if you're running a oh my gosh, look at that time. I like podcasts when you're not reading books. Yeah
that's why the newsletter is fun because some you just can like sit down and like think of like
Tropes and it's just so much easier doing tropeless like that than like an episode of like us having to limit ourselves and they end up being so long

(01:02:59):
It's true
All that. Oh, I need to read both that book and then the first one
That's there. Are they related or they just have the similar covers? No, they are. It's a like a friend group. Great
Amazing. Love that for me and people who have to
Still read it like me

(01:03:19):
My brain kind of stopped there for a second. That's okay. Um the next one
When did I read this back in February?
Um, it was at first fight by Olivia Dade and this is I think only the second book by Olivia Dade that I read
But I loved it. I wasn't a huge fan of the first one that I had read
Uh, but this one was so good. Like it's it's if you liked, um

(01:03:41):
The worst best the worst best man by Mia Sosa or at least like the setup of that one
This is like very similar because basically, um, she is engaged to this kind of
Douchebag
Um, and then she had never met his brother before and at her engagement party
She's like chatting up this handsome stranger and she's like, wow, this was a really good conversation

(01:04:01):
And then she realizes it that it's her fiance's brother
And she's like, well, that's awkward because I don't really like you that much because
I think the brother always or the fiance always use the brother as like an excuse or something
And so she doesn't really like him and then uh, she like overhears him
Insulting her and saying that they shouldn't get married and then they end up like breaking up

(01:04:22):
So then she is not married anymore, but she ends up buying like a spite house
Which I didn't know what it was until this book because she had originally like
She was a too much of a giver and the fiance was too much of a taker
And so she ended up like buying this house for this guy
But then they broke up he broke up with her because his brother told him to so he broke up with her
Because his brother told him to so now she owns this house next to his brother

(01:04:46):
And then she's gonna move into it because she's spiteful and hates him and hates the fiance and hates everyone
And i'm like get it girl
Um, and so then she's living next to this guy and he is I believe he's like a pediatrician or something
So he's just hot off the bat. Um
And he's obviously misunderstood of course obviously emotionally

(01:05:07):
emotionally locked up
And um, so she keeps like blasting like smutty alien romance like through their window because like his windows right next to hers
and just like putting him through hell because obviously he's just like
Attracted to her and like hates himself hates himself because of course it's his egg his brother's ex-fiance

(01:05:28):
And so they're both going through it. Um, and it has one of my favorite tropes
Which I guess is a spoiler. I don't really care. It's a virgin hero
In contemporary romance, fuck me up. It was so good
Like he studied
So long, like I think I gave this book
This is the truth. I gave this book 4.25 stars

(01:05:50):
So I gave it four stars on goodreads and then I just sat there thinking about it
and then after two hours of just thinking like how that man just
loved
Eating her out so much and just like kept going back like he just kept going back and then I just kept going back to the scenes
I was like, you know what?

(01:06:10):
Fuck it five stars
Because I was like
I was like I just kept thinking about like it's one of those where i'm like it just caught up with me
Like how much I really liked it because I think the third act kind of made me a little bit angry
Which is why?
Um, because I thought he had made a lot of progress and then he kind of like went backwards in the third act which frustrated me
But then I was like, you know what?

(01:06:32):
that man
Could be freaking michael phelps with those lungs. So like
I ended up just giving it five stars because it had a lasting impression
um, and there's a really like poignant scene or a few scenes where she's in like a
Depressive episode and the way that he like cares for her. He like the things that he does

(01:06:55):
are just
Next level and i'm not gonna say them because like you need to experience it for yourself
but it was just so soft and lovely and beautiful and
He was so giving
She needed to give her she needed to give her after the taker
And she got it. So
Thank god all around that one was really good and the audiobook is really good, too

(01:07:20):
Wow
Well on a very different note as I said another forever book
I'm not the marketer lady charlotte always gets her man by violent marsh. Listen, I am a sucker for like a
Just a like
Delightfully silly historical romance. She like what if it's just like, um heist-esque

(01:07:42):
Novel where there's like a bad guy
Who she's engaged to and she's to prove that he murdered his previous wives or whatever to try to get out of marrying him
And his brother who is her brother's best friend?
His recently returned and he's so hot but he's super nerdy
And also secretly a vigilante and spends part of the book like running across rooftops and stuff

(01:08:06):
For no of his brother at one point. He does like oh, okay
And then there's also like a monkey who falls in love with a parrot
Yes, which is delightful
it
I don't know what more you want. Actually, it's just like I want like a silly good time in a historical setting
And also like a you know a little room. It's

(01:08:28):
Like closed door or whatever not spicy and steamy what like at all, but like just I just I want like a silly goofy time
And it was a silly goofy time it delivered
The scooby-doo vibes of it all
Like they know who the villain is
But there's a scene that is basically that scene at the end of scooby-doo where they like take the mask off

(01:08:48):
Even though they knew who it was the whole time and I was like, wow, this is very scooby-doo of you
okay, I love whenever that comes up in like modern media of just like
the
Oh, you meddling kids you meddling kids. I also learned that she was inspired by friends. Yeah, that's crazy
Which I didn't realize but as soon as dana said it I was like
Oh the book starts with her at a wedding dress fitting and she like runs out and goes to this coffee house and meets

(01:09:16):
Like I think it's like a strange family and then it's her brother's best friend who I'm pretty sure has been in love with
Her this whole time like it's bros and Rachel but like if Ross was hot and not terrible
Um, and also is it a paleontologist or something? He has a monkey. He does have a monkey. That's so true
He is a paleontologist. Yeah. Yeah, this guy's like a biologist like a scientist and also a doctor

(01:09:37):
The pieces are all coming into place. Yeah
Funny funny funny funny. So there you go. I do wish I would have known that so I could
Have kept tabs more on the friends references. I know I think it was probably just the setup
Yeah, I don't know that it was like a whole
Retailing thing but as soon I was like, oh the wedding dress and the coffee shop and they keep coming back to the coffee shop

(01:09:59):
And that's where they kind of like group of them keep meeting
That's oh, that's funny
I can't wait for um, lee howards. Um, was it she's all that you sell that god. I just love
historical romance inspired by
You mean the the forever one yeah, the worst duke in london is ten things I hate about you
Yeah, what did I say? She's all that

(01:10:22):
Oh, yeah, ten things there I read another one that duke saw that
I don't know which one that is. I'm also excited for the
The new forever one
Yeah, he's got a cat climbing his leg. Oh my god christina britain's is the do so that I mean another recommendation
But that's you're so right
Bookshop cinderella was she's all that right?

(01:10:44):
Yeee
Yes, I believe so. I can't remember the plot of she's all that now
Oh, yeah the the bet
Yeah, but am I a fucking bet? Yeah. Yeah, but like if she knew she was the bet from the get go. Yep
Amazing um the worst duke in london everyone needs to go look at the cover right now because there is a little kitten climbing that man's leg

(01:11:06):
Me goes to look at it again. Yeah, I love it
So there's a couple of kittens on the cover, but specifically there's one climbing his leg
And it's so cute. I love ten things. I hate about you. It'll be so good. I'm so excited and this is umlee howard
So like when all I have to say because I this is a book that i'm a marketer on i'm working on it with dana
I haven't read it yet, but I did command f search in the lake kindle

(01:11:30):
And it does appear to be in true omlee howard form like see me
uh amazing
I would expect nothing less of
I mean me there based on heath ledger. I'm just gonna assume it's gonna be a banger and I say that
I would say whether I were working on it or not
Yeah, i'm not working on it at all and I say that so there you go

(01:11:51):
So that's how you know, it's unbiased because we are the least biased people
To romance novels and authors
Yo, never been biased once in my life actually so never
What are you doing? Uh, yeah, so i'm very excited for that one. But again that was uh for a while
Um, the next one that has been out for a little bit

(01:12:13):
But again, you should definitely buy is the partner plot another pink book
Um, the next one i'm gonna do is pink too, but you know what? I mean, I'm my list is done. So
Okay, cool. I have a brand and it is pink books and that one again is like just so
Hallmarky and fun
And low angst. Um a little bit more angsty. I'd say than the kiss countdown just because it was like second chance

(01:12:36):
Um, she turns into like this pretty big I believe is like celebrity stylist, I think
um, and then he
was
They were like high school sweethearts and then I think he had like an injury but
He was like a really good basketball player and then now he like teaches or he coaches a high school team
I believe and then I think um, he wants to like go up to the college level or something like coach up there

(01:13:02):
Um, so he kind of like wants to get out of this town
But then she like already escaped this town
But then she moves back because she breaks her leg or like sprain something and then she like gets trapped in this town that she
Had just like went back to visit and then he's there and they accidentally end up married in vegas
Sure as one does yeah
and so because they were both down there for separate reasons and they like run into each other and then um,

(01:13:28):
they wake up married and
Banger of a plot every single time. I love it. I just it's so fun to me. Um, and then they go home
to their town and then I think she ends up like
Injuring herself and then having to stay there. So they have to like like pretend that they're like actually like happily married for like pr
Basically because his coaching position wants like someone married and then her career

(01:13:51):
for reasons i'm forgetting she needed to have someone I think because her ex was like
Dating like a pop star or something and like rebounding and so she needs to have like her shit lockdown
um
And it was just really fun
I gave the neighbor favor also by christina forest five stars and I gave this one five stars like she just writes
Like the perfect I think level of like angst but fun

(01:14:15):
Like and just setups that are just so freaking fun like the neighbor favor
She's like pen pals with her favorite author and he turns out to be really hot in her new neighbor
Like and he takes her on dates to barnes noble and just buys her books. Like I want that like
She just really writes things that I just want
She knows

(01:14:36):
She knows um
And again, that cover is so beautiful. So 10 out of 10 recommends
um, and then you said your list was done. Yeah, I didn't have a
A fifth the last yeah
The last one is another one that is just pink and pretty and that's say you'll be mine by nana kumar
um

(01:14:56):
That's another fake dating one
Because her ex is a douche canoe and he's getting married. So then he sends her an invite
She doesn't really want to go but then her parents are like setting her up on dates and she ends up fake dating
The most recent date because they got along like they liked each other
um, but they both weren't like looking for relationships, but then

(01:15:17):
So on so forth, you know end up fake dating and he like falls like pretty fast
But then she's still kind of like hung up on because he was like a friend
That she's always had feelings for but he just like uses her and oh, oh fine. I dropped my phone
Sorry, and she's like she's like the best man in his wedding
And he's just so horrible

(01:15:38):
The hero was so but the hero was such a cinnamon roll and she gets to like yell at this guy like the bad one
at the end
um again the cover I just really like
And it was very cute and it was a really good debut and I can't wait to read the next book
um
by her
and
That concludes that

(01:16:01):
Anticlimactic of me just thinking I had something more to say and then not
Perfect of course, I mean we did it we did we did it. Mm-hmm
So there you have it. There you do. There you do
There you do, um, there you do. Yeah
Um

(01:16:24):
I got nothing no, I um, uh in the future other than episode or newsletter on
Uh more like anticipated or like I read a lot of books are coming out this summer
And they were all very good, but none of them I can talk about for this because they're not
Out yet. Um, so I feel like I want to do like a summer tbr or something like that

(01:16:44):
Because there are some good ones coming
and um
Stay tuned for whatever we end up doing with torture poets lord help me
lord
Oh my god
Yeah, that's gonna it's gonna be a lot but we can do it I have faith I don't I do I do

(01:17:09):
You can do it with a broken heart that's not what I meant to say but I went there anyway
Okay
Well, um, I mean we did it hit up an indie bookstore
If you don't have any books to buy you hit up bookshop.org or lever lfm if you're an audiobook listener
Those are both and likes to support indie bookstores. Yeah, and if you're looking for like a romance one

(01:17:30):
I know meet cute bookshop does online stuff ripped bodice does online stuff
Um, I feel like there's some more they're like popping up. Um that if you're not by them, they still do online shopping as well
Um, and if you were just clear on the library, that's good for books, too
I know it's not indie bookstores, but you know, it's not the authors
If you weren't clear on bookshop.org if you hadn't heard of that one that you choose an indie bookstore that your purchase

(01:17:55):
Supports same thing with lebro. Um, but shipping. Yes, and that one's audiobooks. So yeah, yeah, so it's really cool
Yeah, and I've like been seeing
Sales and stuff and like promotions
for this week
On the weekend. Um
Yeah, it's just a fun time a fun time indeed

(01:18:16):
So yay indie bookstores, we love them
We do
Do you have a formula one update?
I feel like so many things have happened
Pick your favorite or least favorite landon oris came in p2 at the chinese grand prix. That was a crazy race
What's it was bonkers she whispers?

(01:18:37):
What's the two plate? Yes second place. Okay
They don't call it second place. They say p1 p2
p3 p4, etc
They won't confuse me second place. Yes, just you just me you specifically in fact
so
I love that for you. My resident landon oris stan. I am yeah

(01:19:00):
Our resident. Yes
Her member throbs for lando
I don't really love that. Um, you're out wrong
I just don't care for the phrasing. Um, I don't think anyone should
If you cared for that phrasing i'd have
Questions comments and concerns I could really do without that in my brain

(01:19:23):
What's what's your least favorite?
What's your high and low? Well, we got your high. What's your low high and low?
uh
Well currently my low is the
Ferrari is apparently taking on a title sponsor like hp is going to be a new sponsor of theirs, which would be fine like
The printers? Yeah. Um, but the thing about title sponsors is that that's how you get things like visa cash app racing bowls

(01:19:48):
or um
Stake at one team kick salver
So what was scootery a ferrari? There are rumor. I don't know if it's been confirmed yet
I've just seen people talking about this as a nope. They changed it
It's on instagram. It's now scootery a ferrari hp
Which I mean we're all still just gonna call it ferrari, but like

(01:20:09):
It's a it's the historic team. It's the one that's been there since the first
Formula one race and it's always been scootery a ferrari
So the audacity to add an hp to it
That's like blasphemous actually that's horrific
I already don't like title sponsors. Yeah

(01:20:30):
Yeah
And to do it to ferrari they do though counterpoint
For miami they're doing a blue
We don't know what the car is gonna look like but they released some very cool
Like merch shots of the drivers wearing this like gorgeous think like um

(01:20:50):
Guido from
Cars that little blue guy that color blue from star wars, which was also blue. So I see why they well there you go
Um, it's all coming together
But that like color blue is the color of the shirts and stuff they've been wearing and i'm really hoping they give us a full blue
Ferrari for miami. I think that would be sick. However, i'm really upset about scootery a ferrari hp. What's a scootery? It's a team

(01:21:17):
Is that like someone's name?
It's italian for teams. Oh, okay. I was like what there are several
There I think there's a couple of other f1 teams that use scuderia instead of team but I can't remember what they are
Huh?
Yeah, but I mean the person ferrari is like the one that they refer to as like the scuderia

(01:21:42):
Yeah, like it's it's under it's understood the audacity to add hp. Whatever land. Okay, miami
The audacity to add hp. Whatever. Orlando came in second place. I'm doing great
The duality
So true
The duality jack and off aaron desnar of it all
I fear unfortunately, I am a jack and off curly

(01:22:03):
I
Can be either one depending on what song they write and produce together
Like aaron desnar did aaron desnar did hits different
I have that clocked that no, I wouldn't have gotten so he's got it in him. He's got the spirit of jack in him
It just didn't come out a lot in this album

(01:22:24):
because down bad
Right, I've just seen the guy who he does I think he's on like patreon or something
But I always see clips of him on tiktok who like reacts to
I've seen a few different reactions. I don't know if it's this he's like a he
he
a like h
h
Hayes something or other but he

(01:22:47):
He like a lot of people watch him specifically. He doesn't only react to taylor swift
I just only ever see him he actually reacts to a lot of like musical things
He must do something with music because he sounds like he knows what he's talking about. Yeah, I don't know who he is
I know. I love seeing him react to taylor swift music
Um, I think he like went on a whole journey because he had like never really listened to her before and listened to all of it

(01:23:07):
Now I watch a lot of youtubers and that
Kind of down. Yeah, and so i've seen clips of him responding to this one
And when he did I can do it with a broken heart the chorus hit and he paused it and went jack
That's a crazy bleacher song
He was like i'm just gonna make you a bleacher song you're gonna do and it hit it was a banger
It was so that's a fun song

(01:23:29):
We need to stop talking about this, um, yeah and just sign off and call it a day so happy indy bookstore day
Okay
Welcome back to us welcome back to us indeed and then we're gonna go go away for a week
And do a newsletter
And then we'll be back once again

(01:23:49):
Right in your ear holes. I'll be back
You'll be beithoven. Oh
I'll be back
That's not where you went. I said that's okay
The duality of my eye
It is us it is us
and with that
Good. Goodbye

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S03.06: Confessions of Independent Bookstore Shopaholics

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