Celebrating a Year of Stories and Holiday Magic!

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Join us in celebrating a year of the Lazy Girl Library podcast as we navigate the whirlwind of holiday preparations and the joy of cherished traditions. We'll share the highs and lows of our festive season, from the frenzy of gift shopping to relishing in precious family moments. In our whimsical take on holiday traditions, we'll brainstorm literary-themed movie plots and reflect on the personal joys of holiday rituals. We'll also exchange ideas for thoughtful bookish gifts, while sharing childhood memories. Share in the spirit of the season with us as we embrace the magic of small gestures, matching pajamas, and everything that makes this timne of year truly special!

Join our book club on Fable!

We absolutely love hearing from fellow book lovers, so don’t forget to share your thoughts and your favorite reads with us on our social media. You can find us on Instagram @lazygirllibrary. Also, be sure to check our website, lazygirllibrary.com – your one-stop-shop for all things Lazy Girl!

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:10):
Welcome to the Lazy Girl Library, the podcast, where
reading is a pleasure andcaptivating adventures happen
from the comfort of your couch.
I'm your host, darby, and I'mMikayla, and if you've ever
spent more time rearranging yourbookshelf than your priorities,
then you, my friend, are in theright place.

Speaker 2 (00:30):
Happy holidays.
Happy holidays, hi Darby, hiMikayla.
Welcome back listeners, episode15.

Speaker 1 (00:42):
The last one of the year.
This is crazy.

Speaker 2 (00:45):
we made it a full year of lazy girl library.
That's just wild.
I'm emotional.
We've talked about doing thisfor so long, so the fact that we
already now have a year underour belt it's crazy.

Speaker 1 (00:57):
It is crazy and I know it might not seem like a
lot to all the podcasters outthere, but 15 episodes was a lot
for us.
It was.

Speaker 2 (01:03):
Being newbies and trying to figure this out all on
our own.
This was big.
This was a big checkmark for2024 for us.

Speaker 1 (01:11):
I love it.
Super exciting.
Can't wait to see what 2025 hasin store.

Speaker 2 (01:15):
Yes.

Speaker 1 (01:16):
But welcome back in for today.
Let's do a little life check-in.
What's your five star and onestar?

Speaker 2 (01:23):
Oh, you know, preparing for this episode I did
everything, but think aboutthat.
Let's see, I always like tostart with the negative.
My one star will probably bejust the holiday craziness
trying to come up with so manygifts, Because I have a small
family but Josh comes from abigger family Not huge but like

(01:46):
bigger than mine and so tryingto find out Christmas gifts not
only for my family but for hisfamily, and then plus they have
a lot of December birthdays, soit's like double the gifts that
you're trying to think of forthese people has been crazy.
Josh and I spent all of theweekend racking our brains,
running around everywhere tryingto figure out what the heck

(02:07):
we're getting everybody.
But, I guess the five starwould be that we did it, we
accomplished it.
All Christmas shopping is done.
No, last minute Christmasshopping this year.

Speaker 1 (02:16):
I wish I could say the same.

Speaker 2 (02:19):
So we've done it, it's finished, and now I can
just relax a little bit andenjoy the season.

Speaker 1 (02:24):
I feel like you are probably always someone that
gets their Christmas shoppingdone early.

Speaker 2 (02:28):
I try to have it done by Black Friday.

Speaker 1 (02:30):
That's crazy.
Just because, like budgeting, Istarted on Black Friday and was
like this is so early and I'mnot done yet.

Speaker 2 (02:39):
I try to at least have an idea before Black Friday
, because obviously Black Friday, cyber Monday, is when I try to
do most of my shopping for allthe deals and then whatever
stragglers I have left.
I'll kind of figure out thatfirst second week of December,
but really I'm pretty good aboutgetting it done early.
This year, however, was not.

Speaker 1 (02:57):
Well, you are getting married and doing lots of stuff
, so I think that's okay.

Speaker 2 (03:01):
Giving myself grace, but we did figure it out.
So, yeah, I think that thatwould be my five star and one
star.

Speaker 1 (03:06):
What about you, darby ?
One star maybe the fact thatChristmas is next week and I
feel like I haven't even doneany like Christmas stuff.
Well, I've done some Christmasstuff, but like Justin and I
normally go on a Christmas dateand we like haven't done that
yet, and so I'm just feeling alittle rushed, and we like
haven't done that yet, and soI'm just feeling a little rushed

(03:27):
this year, yeah, and I thinktoo, I'm super busy at work and
I'm just like feeling thepressure, yeah, so I think
that's adding to it as well,that I'm like, oh, but five star
is there's been some goodfamily time.
So last week my mom was in town, which was was really nice,
especially because she hung outand I was like working from home
and she was like folding mylaundry and doing the dishes.

(03:49):
So obviously I loved that.
Thanks, mom, love you, mama.
Well, mom, yes, and we wentshopping and like grocery
shopping and it was on her.
So I'm like racking up on likecanned soups and stuff that is
like non-perishable, because I'mlike she's buying.
I feel like I'm preparing forhurricane season, like let's
just get stuff, absolutely.
So that was really sweet.

(04:10):
And then obviously next weekwith christmas, there's gonna be
a lot of good family time too.
So that that's probably my fivestars it's just.

Speaker 2 (04:17):
That's a good one, thanks, yeah, the holiday season
I feel like it, just as we getolder, it gets crazier and
crazier, to where the time likeyou said, like trying to enjoy
the holiday season is so muchharder now than it used to be.
But it also makes youappreciate that family time so
much more when you have it.

Speaker 1 (04:35):
Yeah, what you make it.
So you have to be intentionalabout your christmas time and
like celebrating and, you know,making sure you turn your
christmas lights on or put onwhatever it is that you need to
feel in that spirit, becausewhen you're a kid, your parents
were the ones who wereintentional with making that for

(04:56):
you.
So right now, having to do itfor yourself, I think, too,
we're still young enough thatwe're figuring out how to how to
do it on our own.
Absolutely good insight.
I like that thank you thank you,feeling philosophical love it
you fit.

Speaker 2 (05:10):
You've been in your philosophical age this year I
love this mic and like a newperson comes out I love it you
truly blossomed thank you.
Uh well, speaking of this year,uh, this episode, we're kind of
just closing the chapter on2024.
So this is going to be our lastepisode for the year.

(05:32):
We won't be gone too long.
We will be picking back up herein January with our next book
topic and we'll announce thebook for January then as well.

Speaker 1 (05:44):
That's great.
No book talk this month or bookclub this month, but, like
Mikaela said, we're going to bepicking a new one for next year
and we hope that you join us onFable for that one so excited.

Speaker 2 (05:58):
We have two members of our Fable, which is not a lot
, but it's neat, don't?
We don't know them.
They're strangers.
They're complete strangers.
So shout out to I'm.
I'm so sorry if I mispronounceyour name, but merte and carol,
they are love you too.
There are two members on fablethat just joined, complete
strangers to us, and we lovethem dearly.

(06:19):
Thank you for joining.

Speaker 1 (06:21):
Come join the rest of us joining and participating.
Yes, oh, I love it, I lovedjoin.

Speaker 2 (06:27):
Love hearing we were all talking about, uh, tomorrow
and tomorrow and tomorrow, whichwas our last book?
Uh, love hearing everybody'sthoughts.
Come join us and our friendsmerti and carol on fable.

Speaker 1 (06:38):
The link will be in the description, yeah it's
seriously so cool, especiallybecause they are two new friends
or people that we don't know,and so it's amazing.
This was the best Christmaspresent ever.
Oh, seriously, seriously, inthis episode we're going to be
having some book and readingrelated topics that we're

(07:01):
talking about in regards to likethe holidays and some of our
traditions, to help us get intothe spirit of the holiday season
and recapping our 2024.

Speaker 2 (07:11):
So let's hop right in All right.
So looking back on 2024, whatwere some standout moments in
the literary space for you?
Was it like a certain trend,new book release or like a
personal reading achievement?
What stood out All?

Speaker 1 (07:27):
of the above.
Well, I feel like, especiallywith this podcast, I was so much
more in the know of like booktrends, which was awesome, but
it also felt so long because Ifeel like there were so many
things that happened.
I would say Sarah J Mass's bookrelease was a big one.
That Third Crescent City bookShook the book talk world it

(07:49):
really did, and once you read it, mikaela, we can actually talk
about it.

Speaker 2 (07:53):
I'm sorry.
Everybody should note the saltin Darby's tone right there.
Yes, I will get to it, Ipromise.

Speaker 1 (08:00):
She's the only person I can talk to about this know,
I'm sorry, no it's okay.
Um, I would also say somethingthat stood out is the tears that
were shed over some of thebooks I read this year.
Um, so shout out to nightingaleand addie larue.
Yes, uh, you really did one onme.

(08:20):
Uh, I would say something elsethat stood out to me was the tea
with powerless in the red queenseries, being that they're so
similar, and I even just saw Ithink the author's name is
victoria abegard abegard,something like that.
She was like describing herbook before she like turned it
over and it it was like, if youlike xyz and all the were like

(08:43):
it's crazy how this is alsodescribing powerless, like
they'd be exact same and they'revery similar.
So I just found that to beinteresting, since I had read
both of them and I cancontribute to that discourse.

Speaker 2 (08:55):
I'll be curious to read them because I know that
you have highly suggested them.
But I saw all the trending too,when this is going out.
So I'm yeah, I'm curious to getinto it.

Speaker 1 (09:07):
And then my final like thing that stood out was
that I almost doubled what Iread last year, which is insane.
You crushed it, thank you.
This is the most books I'veever read in a year and I'm
really proud of myself.
So I read 40.
And I have to say, audiobooksare a huge part of that.

(09:27):
I can whip those out,especially because for
audiobooks I really only likedoing like light-hearted romance
books, so it's easy to likedigest those and I don't have to
pay too much attention to them.
But yeah, I'm really proud.

Speaker 2 (09:42):
Yes, I am so proud of you.

Speaker 1 (09:44):
Last year I think I read like 20 or 24 or something
along those lines, which I'mstill probably going to set my
reading goal to like 24 for nextyear I'm not sure yet, maybe a
little bit higher, but I don'tlike putting pressure on myself
for the reading goal.
So like two books a month, I'mlike that.
If I could do that, that'sincredible, and so the fact that
I'd like almost doubled that iswild to me, but that was a lot

(10:08):
of things that stood out to mein 2024.
It was a big year.
I love it.
Tell me about some of thethings that stood out for you um
.

Speaker 2 (10:15):
So I had a harder time thinking of trends, but
before we started recording, youdid remind me I have my
lavender and pine scented candlelit right now.

Speaker 1 (10:25):
It smells so good.
This is like the most accurateChristmas candle I've ever
smelled.

Speaker 2 (10:30):
It is really it smells really good.
It's from Bath and Body Works,but this kind of went viral
towards the beginning Kind ofmore fall season, I want to say
Whenever they came out.
Bath and Body Works came outwith their Christmas candles but
everybody was like, oh my gosh,lavender and and pine that's
what rowan from throne ofglasses described to be smell as
so like this has been dubbedthe rowan candle from a book

(10:53):
talk, and so of course I had toget it to try it and it smells
just like christmas.

Speaker 1 (10:58):
It's fantastic it's so good.
If this is what rowan likes,then he might like bump up on my
list a little bit more for malemain characters.

Speaker 2 (11:07):
So yeah, that was kind of a cool trend, not really
a book trend, but joining Fablethis year has been really fun.
Oh, that's a good one, this wasa late start but obviously we've
already met two new friends,which is so exciting, but even
so, just kind of getting to knowa new app.
I don't necessarily like itmore than Goodreads I think
Goodreads tracks my books betterand like my reading better than

(11:29):
Fable does but I appreciate alot of the aspects that Fable
has.
Like the shelfy is cute whereit takes like your top eight
books and creates like abookshelf with like different
trinkets and gives you like atype of reader style that you
are based on the books, um,which is cute.
Or how it helps you um makeinstagram stories for like your

(11:54):
recap of what you read thatmonth.
Yeah, and like those templatekind of things.
It's really cool.
Like some of the aspects of,and obviously the book club part
of it is really it's reallyeasy to be collaborative on
there.
So I'm really interested to useit more in 2025.
But that was a really cool findhere for 2024.
And then some trends that I'mkind of over.

(12:16):
I want to say over because Istill love book talk, but part
of book talk driving me a bitcrazy.
I'm tired of seeing the samethings and specifically all the
sarah j mass conspiracy theorytiktoks there's so many.
As much as I am a conspiracytheorist myself, I love thinking
ahead and trying to figure outwhat's going on and like making
connections throughout books.

(12:36):
I get tired of seeing so manyand people go down such deep
rabbit holes with it that I feellike it if you read too much or
watch too much um of them, itcan kind of ruin new books that
are coming out, because if itdoesn't meet the expectation of
like what you think is going tohappen, or if somebody comes out
with a theory you absolutelylove, but then what actually

(12:58):
happens?
the book can be like lacklustercompared to what other people.
I think it just kind of ruinsthe reading experience for you a
little bit yeah, I get whatyou're saying a fine line you
walk, and I think that somepeople take it too far over the
edge, so I'm trying to like cutthose out of my for you page a
little bit this year?

Speaker 1 (13:15):
well, because, like, the memes are funny.
But, yeah, I get what you'resaying.
When it's like too in depth,yeah, I honestly I don't watch a
lot of the like theories.

Speaker 2 (13:25):
I'm like Sarah will tell me what's happening, like,
eventually, I started with thembecause it does make you think
about certain things, but a lotof them it just got too much.
So, yeah, I'm just trying tolike kind of cut that out a
little bit, but the memes, let'skeep them going.
Oh, absolutely, the memes arehysterical.
Our but the memes, let's keepthem going.

(13:46):
Oh, absolutely, the memes arehysterical.
Our friend sarah is constantlysending us like new meme tiktoks
, so she comes across good onenot to be confused with our
friend slash author sarah j massright different sarah, that's a
great clarification.
um, lastly, a personal uhreading achievement for me this
year was I really found mygroove with nonfiction
audiobooks.

(14:06):
I really did not do anyaudiobooks before 2024, but this
podcast kind of, and you starthonestly, you started doing the
audiobooks which Trendsetter youare.
I tried to do fiction, couldn'tdo fiction, but I really found
my groove with nonfiction andthat's helped boost my reading
up a little bit, not nearly asmuch as you, but just truly not

(14:29):
a competition.

Speaker 1 (14:30):
As long as you enjoyed your reading, yeah
that's what matters and I'm soglad that you enjoyed it.
Non-fiction thanks.

Speaker 2 (14:36):
So yeah, that's been, that's been good and that's
kind of like expanded a lot ofmy like reading horizons too,
which has been nice.
That is nice.
But speaking of books thatwe've read this year, let's get
into top threes.
So what were your top uh threebooks of 2024 and what were your
bottom three books of 2024?

Speaker 1 (14:54):
okay, I will.
I I don't know which one I wantto do first.
I'll do top three.
I feel like, if you've listenedto this podcast, you've heard
me talk about these books a lotanyway, so you're going to be
able to know.
The Nightingale ripped my heartand soul, threw it on the
ground and crushed it, ran itover, and I would do it again

(15:15):
7,000 more times.
It was so good.
So thank you, kristen Hanna,for coming into my life.
The Invisible Life of AddieLaRue that one was just such a
neat fantasy concept, andespecially because I've just
been in the romantic world forso long that it was really nice
to be taken out into fiction,fantasy, but also breath of

(15:40):
fresh air kind of thing.
Yeah, and like a thinker as well.
So that one was really good,also cried.
So thank you, miss schwab, forthat.
And then, finally, funny storyby emily henry.
So last year I read almost allof the emily henry books and
then I finished them at thebeginning of this year with
funny story, which just came outand gosh, she is like she's my

(16:04):
favorite romance girl.
Um, abby jimenez talked abouther a lot because I read like
all her books this year too, butthat was to replace emily henry
, um, since I'd read all of hersand, yeah, no one does, does it
like emily henry?
Yeah, it's so good, it's just Ilove her.
Um, now my bottom three yes,which I've seen mckayla's notes,

(16:25):
this is gonna be funny.
The first one on my bottomthree is tomorrow, tomorrow,
tomorrow, it's okay, Iunderstand which will alert this
.
may or may not be making this up, but so that's on my bottom
three.
And then, uh, worstst Best manby Lucy Score and the Housemaid.

(16:47):
Worst Best man was just bad,yeah, like not even my taste is
different.
Like that was just bad.
The Housemaid by Freda McFaddenI wouldn't say it was bad, like
the story writing was good, butit's just like as much as I try

(17:08):
to get into the mystery murder,thriller, that type of genre, I
just like can't or it.
So far it just hasn't been forme, and this one was a really
popular one with a lot of peopleand it still wasn't for me.
So I'll keep trying, you know,for the sake of book club and
book talk, but yeah, no, it justdid not do it for me I have a
good one that I read in 2023.

Speaker 2 (17:29):
That's almost like a fantasy, but it's more truly
like mystery that I feel like weshould try for 2025 to like see
if you really don't like it,then you just truly might not be
a mystery girl, but if you dolike it might open up a new door
for you okay, so sounds likewe'll talk in the new year.

Speaker 1 (17:48):
Yeah, we did have some of the same bottom threes
though yes, not tomorrow,tomorrow, tomorrow.
But do you want to share?

Speaker 2 (17:56):
yeah, I'll start with my bottom three.
So definitely housemaid andworst best man wearing my bottom
three too.
Um, the housemaid, I justcouldn't get past the writing
like the actual style of writingwas like nails on a chalkboard
for me.
I had the dnf it do not finish,um, it just was not it for me.
But I do love mystery and I,like I said, if you go back and

(18:19):
listen to um our book, talk onthat.
I do enjoy the concept of itbecause I do love mystery and
thriller.
Like I, am that kind of reader,um, and I see I heard that
they're going to be making itinto a series, so I am going to
watch that and the the actorsthey picked for it I think are
pretty spot on, like I thinkit's gonna be really good I

(18:39):
think so too.
So I and I said even in thatpodcast I think that it was
really meant for that and so Iwill be watching.
I think that it will be reallygood in that way, but as a book
could not get behind it, it justwas not for me.
Worst, best man we're not evengoing to go into.
That's probably the worst bookI read this year.
It is the worst book.
No offense to Lucy's score, Iwill be trying you again, I, but

(19:08):
that one.
And then my other bottom threewas agrippina, the most
extraordinary woman of the romanempire, by emma southen.
Um, this one sounds boring.
I really I love history.
So I was like, oh, let me get ashot.
And it's kind of like written,very modern, like conversational
kind of.
So I thought it'd be good.
But I just got.
I barely got into it as anaudiobook.
It was way too confusingbecause a lot of historical
names have the same names and sotrying as an I'm not an audio

(19:33):
learner, which is why I strugglewith audiobooks.
So with having that, it was justtoo confusing, I had to dnf it.
It just was not not it for meyeah, that sounds tough.

Speaker 1 (19:43):
I'm not a big history person in general, so I will
not be adding that to my show no, I wouldn't recommend but my
top three.

Speaker 2 (19:51):
I'll go from the bottom up.
So number three was the king ofatolia by megan whalen turner.
This is the second book in thequeen's thief series.
This is probably my favorite sofar.
Um, it would just.
No, yes, no, that's the thirdbook, not the second book.
Sorry, I misspoke third book inthe series.
Um, so so well done.

(20:13):
This is one of those that'slike a top series for me where
it's all it's technicallyfantasy but it's more on like
the political side than it islike war and battles kind of
thing.
Yeah, um, but so well done.
So many twists and turns and Inever knew what was coming next,
which is huge for me.

(20:33):
I love that for you so, andthey're really short reads,
they're not like long epicfantasies, they're like you know
, 300 plus pages, so really easy.
She fits a lot of action andthings in there, fantastic, uh.
My number two was tomorrow andtomorrow and tomorrow by
gabrielle zevin this book justhit me in a great way.

(20:58):
I'm not gonna go too much intodetail, um, because we just
talked about it.
Yeah, we did this talk about itin our last book talk.
So go check it out if you wantmy full thoughts, but this was
one that just kind of liketouched me in a certain way that
I'm going to be thinking aboutfor a long time.
A lot of great quotes and a lotof good, like lessons or things

(21:19):
that are nuggets of truth tothink about, kind of thing.

Speaker 1 (21:22):
Some great reminders.

Speaker 2 (21:23):
Yes, and then my top book was the nightingale by
kristen hannah.
Nothing can top it.
So many tears shed the gasp Igasped when we got to the end.
Gosh, we will be revisiting herbooks.

Speaker 1 (21:36):
Oh yes, I really think I could make myself cry if
I think about it for longenough.
That'll be too, which like well, it's pretty easy to make
myself cry, but but oh, it's sogood, it was so good, it was so
moving, so well done.

Speaker 2 (21:51):
Definitely one of those books that, like you think
, is like overhyped, but likethe hype does, the overhype
doesn't even do it justice likeit's.
It's the overhype is underhypedfor this book.
Yeah, so phenomenal, absolutely, and we will definitely be
reading one of her books again.

Speaker 1 (22:07):
Yes, but I'm glad that we've spaced it out because
, well one, they're very heavybooks emotionally, but also like
I don't want to finish themlike too fast because her
writing is just so solid yes,spot on, absolutely so.

Speaker 2 (22:24):
That was a phenomenal one, and those were the top
three for 2024.
But speaking of reading, uh,what defines like a great year
of reading to you?

Speaker 1 (22:36):
is it like?

Speaker 2 (22:36):
number of books you've read, diversity of genre,
memorable, memorable stories orlike emotional impact.

Speaker 1 (22:44):
Honestly, I think it's just the fact that I get to
and have the ability to read,and that I am fortunate enough
to always have something to readon hand, or, you know, that I'm
able to go get something toread.
I have friends that I couldshare books with.
So I think just the fact that I, like I can seek out books and

(23:07):
find them and read them, andit's not hard for me to do Just
being able to have thatprivilege, is probably what
makes reading great.
As well as having time to read,I think that's another like
privilege perk that makesreading so great is being able

(23:27):
to sit down and just open a book, because it's such an
intentional time and it's it'snot, like, you know, watching tv
.
I can also scroll on my phone.
It's very like you just have tobe in it, absolutely so.
I feel like those are a littlemore vague, but I think that's
what makes reading great.
For me.
It doesn't necessarily have tobe like hitting a number on a

(23:48):
goal.
The goal actually means nothingto me, like you know.
It's just the fact that I getto read, and I do, like, when a
story has an emotional impact orum is memorable, but also just
the fact that, like I can readright, I know how to read.

Speaker 2 (24:03):
That's so good.
That's such a like healthymindset to have about that too.
Um, and we truly, it is such aprivilege to be able to, like
have the ability to read in thetime too, because time is so
precious nowadays.
It is um.
For me, the goal does matternot in a bad way.
No, not, it is never the number, like I could have 10 be the

(24:25):
number, but it's specificallyfor me like if I'm setting a
goal for myself, I have to atleast meet it, if not exceed it
it's still intentional yes, andthat's.
That's not a bad thing yeah, soI always have to be careful
about what goals I set formyself because, yeah, it will be
.
It will be bad, but truly what Ithink defines a good year of
reading for me would beemotional impact and memorable
stories.
Um, I also love diversity ofgenres, but I think that kind of

(24:49):
plays into the impact that theyhave in the stories that matter
the most to me, because thoseare the ones that I'm thinking
about constantly.
It just like leaves your hearthappy and like fulfilled and
you're learning things and youhave just like good vibes all

(25:13):
around, and so it makes it abetter year in that regard.

Speaker 1 (25:15):
Yeah, I love that.
No, I love that.
I think that's great.
What are some of your favoritebookish gifts that you've
received or are on your list forSanta this year?
Do you have any good ideas forlisteners looking for a last
minute gift?

Speaker 2 (25:31):
year.
Do you have any good ideas forlisteners looking for a last
minute gift?
Um, okay.
So one thing that I know kindof goes viral on social media
for book people um, that I thinkis perfectly hyped, is a book
embosser.
I got this for either christmasor my birthday from josh a
couple years ago phenomenal.
I love it so much.
It's the little things, but assoon as I get new books to bring
them home, it's the first thingI do is I stamp them with the

(25:53):
like from michaela's library andit just makes me feel like so
official yeah, I love it so it'struly like your trophy.
This is no one else's now likethis is mine, and like whenever
people borrow my books, it'slike even more like I own a
library because it's stamped,it's from my library.
I don't know, it's just, it'sthe little things, it's
something about it.
It just like makes my hearthappy.

(26:15):
So I love a good embosser.
Um, also, my kindle.
I did become a kindle girlythis year.
That is good, so that was beenfun and I've been really
enjoying my kindle journey.
It will never replace a physicalbook, but I definitely
understand the hype and I thinkthat if you are able, or if
you're on the fence about it,like I don't know, I really like
physical books, but you can see, like the pros of kindle highly

(26:38):
recommend I really do.
Um, it makes it lighter totravel with you, have so many
books just like at yourfingertips without having to
carry so many with you, likewhen you're traveling.
Um, I love the be able tohighlight feature, because I
don't like writing in my books Iknow a lot of people do, but
for me that's like a thing thatI just can't.
So I like being able to do thatin the Kindle, though, and like

(27:00):
easier to go back and findthose.
So Kindle for sure.
And then, the one thing on mylist this year that my entire
family made fun of before butI'm standing by my heels dug in
the ground is.
I asked for a barcode scanner.
What does that mean?
I saw this tiktok at thebeginning of 2024 and I saved it
specifically to ask for forchristmas, so I've been sitting

(27:22):
on this one for a while.
It's literally just like whatyou see at the stores where they
have little barcode scanner.
It's like a little wireless one, but you can scan the barcodes
on your books and you can hookit up to.
There's like this websiteonline that like categorizes all
of your books like a librarysystem, like a true like library
website.

(27:43):
For so I can not only have mybooks embossed for my library,
but I can have them categorizedtoo and like be a true librarian
, scanning every book after Iembossed for my library.
But I can have them categorizedtoo and like be a true
librarian, scanning every bookafter I emboss them to add it to
like my little library onlineand like to be able to organize
them by like author or genre orlike figure out what's next to

(28:04):
read.
Like it's all just there, um,yes, this is on my list.
That is cute.

Speaker 1 (28:09):
Is it funny that it's stressing me out thinking about
that and this?

Speaker 2 (28:14):
is why we work.

Speaker 1 (28:16):
It's giving me anxiety, but I am so glad that I
will be able to come check outa book at the Kayla's library.

Speaker 2 (28:23):
Thanks, Because I could not do that.
Santa, if you're listening,I've been really good, I promise
.
If you're listening, I've beenreally good, I promise.

Speaker 1 (28:30):
That's so funny.

Speaker 2 (28:31):
That totally describes us too.
That like this is my dream andyou're like this is too much.
I'm like let me know when it'sdone so I can come.
So you can come, give mewhatever you have, cause I can't
do it.
That's so funny.

Speaker 1 (28:44):
But that describes us perfectly.

Speaker 2 (28:45):
That's why we work, I agree, all right.
What's on your list, darby?

Speaker 1 (28:47):
Okay, I agree.
All right, what's on your list,darby?
Okay, I don't know if this is ahot take, but I'm not a huge
bookish gift girl.
But I do have this book flowervase that I got that I really
like.
I think I got it for Christmaslast year.
It's just a clear base.
I just haven't put flowers init yet.
It's on my bookshelf but it'slike cool, it is cute.
And then Michaela got me abookmark when she asked me to be

(29:11):
a bridesmaid in my bridesmaidproposal, and it's a really cute
one.
It has, like, my birth flowerin it and I don't know if this
was meant to be, but it matchesmy birth color, which is like
amethyst, so it's all purple andit's super cute.
So I really like that one.
I'm so glad it's super cute.

(29:33):
So I really like that one soglad.
Um, though I'm not into bookgifts, really like bookish.
Like merch justin got me apersonalized stamp which can be
a cute gift idea.
I don't actually use it that'sokay I do think an embosser
would be cooler than a bookstamp.
It's so thoughtful.
I'm very, very grateful forjust, but it's just, yeah, yeah
that's okay, I think a blinddate with a book could be really

(29:53):
fun, like a really great giftfor people, because for me the
best bookish gift is a book.
So I'm hoping to get like aBarnes Noble gift card or like
same thing.
Blind date with a book would becool.

Speaker 2 (30:09):
It's so nice receiving books from people too,
because of, like, the personalthought that they put like.

Speaker 1 (30:14):
I think you would really enjoy this, yeah I've
never had someone like annotatea book and give it to me, but I
know that's something that a lotof people like.
I don't know if I'd getdistracted by the like
annotation, but it would be.
I don't know like how it couldbe done.
Yeah, like a notes like with itso like after you finish reading

(30:35):
and go back, yeah, or like evenlike a personal, like book club
on fable, like just me and thatperson like with the book,
because yeah, I don't know, butthose, those are sweet.

Speaker 2 (30:46):
Yeah, yeah, I like that.
That's a good yeah they're fun.

Speaker 1 (30:50):
I just like I don't know.
I have so many things alreadythat for me and also I'm
indecisive, so like I can't be asticker girl because I can't
pick what stickers go on stufflike I used to like try, and
then I just would never use thestickers.
Even Michaela got me super cutelike stickers, yeah, and
they're on like a cork board,like I'm not gonna put them on
anything like I can't.

(31:11):
It's just I can't commit.
Yeah, I guess, so I like that,but yeah, I don't know.
Like the, the book merch is toohard for me.

Speaker 2 (31:19):
I love book words.

Speaker 1 (31:21):
I could do like I have a hoodie that has like
books on it and that's cool andcasual, but I don't know.

Speaker 2 (31:28):
I wish I could but I didn't to each their own.
I totally understand it, um,for it saves the money for it,
for sure, because lord knowsthat I've probably spent a
little too much on book merchthis year.
But I live in like all of myhoodies, um, and when I
especially when I'm like workingfrom home, so I love having all
of my like sergey masks or likeI did Harry Potter, so I got my

(31:51):
Gryffindor sweatshirt on whileI'm reading Harry Potter, I just
, I don't know or even mystickers, because I do decorate
like my water cups with them.
Just bring me a little joy whenI see them and like little
reminders of, like your favoritethings that like spark joy no,
it's so cute, I love it so much.

Speaker 1 (32:08):
There is this like fourth wing shirt that I saw on
the tiktok shop that I might goback and get.
That looks like cute becauseit's like welcome to, uh, what's
it called bass?
What's the college name bass?
It's like welcome to the calllike it like looks cool, uh-huh.

Speaker 2 (32:22):
So I don't know it's the little things that spark
true, because I'm just a merchgirl in general, like it doesn't
have to be books, it can belike disney or taylor, swift or
whatever.
Yeah, um, I just it's thelittle things that like spark
you have to find the joy in thelittle things in life, and
that's my one thing that bringsme joy in the little things, so
I love that I love that, um, butspeaking of gifts, uh, do you

(32:44):
prefer giving or receiving giftsbetter?
and then do you have a favoritegift that you've given or
received?

Speaker 1 (32:50):
yes, so I like giving gifts better.
Um, I feel like there's toomuch pressure with receiving
gifts, but pressure for myself.
No one is pressuring me to givea certain reaction or feel a
certain way.

Speaker 2 (33:05):
Um so, you want to make the other person feel good
yeah, because you know they'vethought about it.

Speaker 1 (33:10):
And also I do think I might be a little hard to shop
for.
I used to think I wasn't, butlately I think I'm coming to
terms with it.
That's okay.
Hence, like justin's superthoughtful, like stamp book
thing, um.
But at the same time.
So I think that like I'm hardto shop for because I'm
particular about things, butthen at the same time, like if

(33:33):
you were to Well, ok, I'll justskip one of my favorite gifts
that I've received, I said, wasthe massage that you got me.
So like if someone got me amassage gift card for the rest
of my life, that would be thebest gift Every time I
experience is girly, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2 (33:53):
So I don't know if I am hard to shop for, or maybe I
just haven't found my niche yet.
I don't think it's that you'rehard to shop for.
I think it's just like knowingyou and what you like.
I think a lot of people nobodyknows me.
I'm so different, um, butcorrect me if I'm wrong, but I
feel like j Josh is this way.
But I feel like if somebody wasto give you like an experience
like the concert tickets or well, not concert tickets, because

(34:15):
you're not a concert girl, butlike a date night, or like a
date night for, or even likegirls date for, like a zip
lining date or to like go to Idon't know like a trip for the
weekend somewhere, I feel likeyou love doing stuff like yeah,
doing things like potteryclasses.

(34:36):
I do love to do stuff like thatkind of thing versus, or like
the massage, you know, likedoing stuff versus like the
physical gifts yeah, maybethat's it.
Those are good not that youdon't enjoy those, but like,
yeah, easier to like no, I likeyour thoughts.

Speaker 1 (34:51):
I like your thoughts, pinpoint it.
I also, um, I have a notes listthat I shared with justin and
I've had it since, like almostsince we started dating or maybe
like a year into us dating,because he's always been like I
don't know to get you and he'salso boys, and I gave him a list
.
He's never gotten me anythingoff the list and the list
literally says things darbywants but not enough to buy

(35:12):
herself.
And there's varying things onthere, like from like a slack
line to like um, it's like asnowboard, like you know crazy
things, so like he could get meanything on the list and he
never has, we will be having atalk.
Well, it's just like when he'slike I don't know what to get
you, I'm like there are thingson that list that I've forgotten

(35:33):
about.
That would be a true surpriseto me.
I've literally writteneverything down for you, I know.
He's so funny.

Speaker 2 (35:39):
Men.

Speaker 1 (35:40):
But sorry.
Back to gifts.
So one of my favorite giftsthat I've received is the
massage that Michaela got me,and my favorite gifts that I've
received is the massage thatMichaela got me and I am
grateful for all gifts and Iknow I'm definitely blanking on
other big gifts that I've gotten.
Um, I will say, growing up, myfavorite gift that I got as a
kid was a trampoline.

(36:01):
Love that.
I use that thing all the timeand the only reason why we got
rid of it is because, like, wedidn't have a fenced-in backyard
and one day someone from theinsurance company was walking
around and saw the backyard, sothey made us.
They said you can either put upa fence or get rid of it, and
my parents didn't want to get afence.
But I feel like most people Italked to that had a trampoline
growing up are like I used inthe beginning that just sat

(36:24):
there.
No, I use this thing every day.
Oh my, my gosh, I loved it.
It was so good.
And then favorite gift I'vegiven are concert tickets.
One of my like best friends inhigh school I got us tickets to
Carrie Underwood, which wasactually my first concert, and
it was just like so fun and itwas so like cute and it was just

(36:48):
us Like I don't know.
It's a really good memory thatI have tied with that gift.
And then also um, one of myfirst big gifts I got justin.
It was like with my um, what'sit?
What's called in when you getlike money back from your taxes
after your taxes?
Oh, your tax refund?
Yes, I used my tax refund tobuy floor tickets to see um kid
with.
Justin, and that was fun tooyeah that was cute, that's

(37:11):
awesome, yeah, what about you,um.

Speaker 2 (37:14):
So this is kind of tough because trying to decide,
like, whether what I like moregiving or receiving because I
love giving gifts and likeputting the thought into it-
it's so much fun.

Speaker 1 (37:25):
It's really.

Speaker 2 (37:26):
It's like the big puzzle for me and like figuring
out like the niche and remindingthings.
I have a notes app too of likethings people mention.
I'll like write it down whileI'm thinking about it.

Speaker 1 (37:35):
Yeah, makayla is like a top tier gift giver, like, oh
my gosh, we recently had like adual birthday party with two of
our friends and I was liketexting her and like I like
giving, I like giving gifts.
But makayela is on anotherlevel, like I was running ideas
by her because I was like she'llknow, I was like she will know

(37:55):
and hers were so good.

Speaker 2 (37:56):
Thank you so much.
I really pride myself on it.
I really try.
It's so much fun for me.
So I will say I think that'sprobably my favorite is the
giving over the receiving, butreceiving is my love language.
Over the receiving, butreceiving is my love language.
Yeah, so it's just like thelittle things, like when josh
will bring home, like a snickersbar, when he stops for gas kind
of thing for me, or just likethe.

(38:19):
It's just the like, the littlethings of like I thought of you
that bring me so much joy.

Speaker 1 (38:23):
So I do love those are cute I love the little
receivings, but I do.

Speaker 2 (38:27):
I think that giving is so much fun.
It is um my favorite gift thatI've given.
It's a new tradition that Istarted last year that I'm
continuing this year.
Um is giving personally curatedbooks to my family so mean like
I just just finding books for myfamily that I think that
they'll like, but I give it tothem all at the same time,
because they know that at thispoint, that they know that it's

(38:48):
coming for this year, um,because even my sister made a
comment about it.
I was like you're not supposedto know, they know, um, so that
way they know.
Like this is the time I'mgiving them books, but it's like
each one has a specific bookand I'll stand there and I'll
explain to them why I picked outthat book that's so sweet, and
I tried to pick out a book thatI'll books, that I'll read with

(39:10):
them.
So that way it's like not onlyam I giving them a book that's
personalized to them, that theywill like, but or I think that
they'll like, but I'm also goingto read it so we can talk about
it too.
So that's like my new favoritething that I've started and I'm
favorite gifts I received as akid was the weed and similar.

(39:33):
No we wii, um, that was one ofthose gifts that I think
everybody kind of went throughthis phase you're reminding me
now.

Speaker 1 (39:52):
Yeah, my family also like the day it was like all the
kids in the family were playingwheat bowl and we're going
crazy.
That was.
That was the thing.

Speaker 2 (40:01):
Yeah, it was huge, and I feel like everybody had
like this experience or maybenot everybody, but it's popped
up on my tiktok a few times herein the christmas season uh,
where that's what everybodywanted for christmas was a wee,
and everybody's parents likegaslit them and like I will
never buy you that.
What are you talking about?
Like we don't need that in thehouse, you could break something

(40:21):
, you're just gonna be annoying,whatever.
And then christmas morning,sure enough, santa brings a wee.
So you're like my gosh, likethis was one of those gifts that
prolonged my belief in Santa.
Like I was at that age I thinkit was like fourth grade where,
like you're really starting tolike kind of age out of it but
because my mom was such anamazing actress and truly got me
to believe that she would neverbuy me a Wii and Santa brought

(40:42):
a Wii, it prolonged that just alittle bit.
I'm like, okay, well, maybe,maybe, actually.

Speaker 1 (40:47):
Yeah, that's incredible.
I don't remember being gaslit,but I also don't remember like
yearning for a wee.
But I do remember that, likethe morning we got it, it was
like everyone, we just played itall day.

Speaker 2 (41:00):
It was so fun that was like one of my friends had
one, so I was playing, alwaysplaying, at her house and so I
was like I just wanted one, sobad begging, so that was
definitely like a core memorygift.
And then, as an adult, similarkind of vibe was my iPad.
Josh didn't gaslight me on thisone.
I just never would haveimagined that he'd buy me my
iPad.
That's sweet.

(41:20):
So when he did, I was shocked,Like so sure, that was one that
I did not cease to see coming atall.
So yeah, those both werecomplete shocks and both core
memories.

Speaker 1 (41:34):
I love that.
Those are good.
I have a question Did you everused to lay out all your gifts
and the bags and post on socialmedia when you're in like middle
school or was that just myhometown?
Because I have vivid memoriesof laying out like the pink bag,
the bag, and then like layingout the clothes I got, and I

(41:54):
remember seeing other people toolike pictures of like their
presents and they're like thanks, santa, you know all that stuff
.

Speaker 2 (42:01):
It definitely was like a thing.
I'm not I was never a hugesocial media girly, so I didn't
really participate, but it wasdefinitely not just your
hometown.

Speaker 1 (42:10):
I do remember like that being a thing, with people
posting like on their snapchatstories like what they were
getting I feel like same thingwith, like easter people put
like their easter baskets whichthat one's kind of random, like
christmas, I can see a littlebit more.
I don't know.
It's just really funny, likewhen you look back and think
about it, it's's like all our12-year-olds were like flexing.

Speaker 2 (42:28):
Oh my gosh, we were ahead of the curve because that
was the original haul.
Yeah, exactly that was.

Speaker 1 (42:35):
That's the OG hauls.
Yep, there's probably somethingmore OG than that, but for our
age.

Speaker 2 (42:40):
That's our OG haul.

Speaker 1 (42:42):
We started it.
Yeah, Okay, Should we get intomore holidays like traditions?
Okay, should we get into moreholidays like traditions.
What are your favorite holidaytraditions, like your favorite
holiday movies or songs?

Speaker 2 (42:56):
So we have a lot of Christmas traditions.
Like Christmas is huge in myhousehold we nickname my mom Mrs
Claus because she goes all outalways a thing.
But to just like keep it concise, more a few of like the
standouts are we always read thenight before Christmas and are
matching Christmas PJs beforebed on Christmas Eve.

(43:17):
It's always the thing like weget one present on Christmas Eve
and it's always like whatevermatching PJs my mom decides.
And when I say this, like thishas been going on since I was a
baby to now being 27 years old.

Speaker 1 (43:29):
We still do this we do matching pjs too, yes, but
ours didn't start until a coupleyears ago gotcha.

Speaker 2 (43:35):
No, this has always been like my mom's things.
We take the pictures and it'salways the surprise of what kind
of pjs she gets this year.
And then my dad will alwaysread the night before christmas
before bed.
This time, now that we'vegotten older, we kind of like
turn it into a performance andlike take turns and like popcorn
, kind of yeah, or like act outa little bit.
You do the voices, but yes, sothat's one.

(43:58):
And then the next day we doabsolutely nothing.
We open presents, we stay inour christmas pjs all day, um,
because we'll typically do uhmass on christmas eve.
So then, yeah, christmas Daywe're just underpages all day.
We do super easymake-your-own-pizzas-for-dinner,
so nobody's stressed in thekitchen, we're just having a
good time playing games alltogether.

Speaker 1 (44:19):
That's sweet.

Speaker 2 (44:20):
Do you?

Speaker 1 (44:20):
guys do like a fancy dinner on Christmas Eve, or just
no fancy dinners.

Speaker 2 (44:24):
It depends.
It's less of a tradition.
My mom used to try.
My mom fought tooth and nail totry to keep the fancy meals,
but for the rest of my family wealways had thanksgiving as like
the really nice meal.
So we're like don't put thatpressure on yourself.
We'd rather spend that timelike together playing a game or
watching a movie than like youspending half the day in the

(44:45):
kitchen preparing this meal yeahlike, let's just keep it easy.
We just did that forthanksgiving.
I love that.
Thanks, I'm gonna steal it.
Yes, it does.
It makes it so much nicer andjust like less stress about it.
Um, and then we'll save thenice meals for easter and for
thanksgiving.
Um, but rapid fire.
Favorite movie is the santaclaus.
Josh can and my family canattest I know this movie

(45:09):
backwards forward inside outlike the back of my hand.
I quote it as we're watching itand I annoy the crap out of my
family.
Love the movie.
Also a tradition that we watchit every year on Christmas Eve.
That's my family's like coreholiday movie too.
So, so good.
Favorite songs White Christmas,specifically.
The like, more upbeat onethat's like in Home Alone, that

(45:34):
specific version, carol of theBells, any version I just love
pleasing to the ear.
And, mary, did you Know thePentatonix version?
Oh yeah, that's a good one.

Speaker 1 (45:44):
So good yeah, that like scratches something on your
brain.
That one.

Speaker 2 (45:48):
It just like moves me every year when I listen to it.
Oh, resonates.

Speaker 1 (45:51):
Those are good.
What about you?
For me, some traditions, thingsthat I loved growing up reading
by the Christmas tree with likeits perfect smell.
So growing up my family alwaysdid real trees so I have such
fond memories of just like theChristmas smell and like the OG

(46:12):
lights and just reading by theChristmas tree, which is funny
now because I love reading still.
And then now we have a faketree because my parents are
getting older, so it's justeasier, which is fine, but it is
different.
So I love that.
Growing up we used to go toIHOP every Christmas Eve with my
family, which we don't do thatanymore because we don't really

(46:33):
have an IHOP by us, but stillthat was like a fun tradition
growing up with Justin.
I love we get a new ornamenteach year and we put a picture
of ourselves in it, normallyfrom like the Christmas date or
something like that.

Speaker 2 (46:47):
So that'll be fun and I'm excited for one year when
it's just all our faces over thechristmas tree, but it's like
varying ages it's like memoriesas you're putting them up, and
like going back and thinkingabout those days, and I don't
know about you, but I'm someonewho like writes on the back of
the ornaments.

Speaker 1 (47:04):
So, like my mom got me last year, she got me like a
wedding cake ornament, so Iwrote on the bottom of it, like
mom gave after bridal shower,with the date.
And then so, like one of theornaments, um, like the
ornaments I have with justin,typically I've written like went
to ice with justin, the themewas the grinch, like something

(47:24):
little that's so cute to helpyou remember.
Yeah.
And then so justin's aunt,uncle, just got us us a
Christmas ornament because it'sour first Christmas as a married
couple.
And I wrote on the back likeAunt Jen and Uncle Jason got you
this ornament.
And so yeah, I really like doingthat too with my ornaments,
because we're definitely notlike an aesthetic tree, we're

(47:45):
like the memory type tree.
So I love doing that.

Speaker 2 (47:50):
That's so cute we do something similar in my family.
Um, not the faces, but like eachyear growing up, we would get
an ornament that, like,represented that year kind of
thing, whatever it was like a,like, an interest or something
that you did, um, and so mysister and I would always pick
them out, and I'm continuingthat with josh, so, like this
year, um, I got a snitch because, uh, harry potter was like the

(48:12):
big thing for me this year, andhe got a snowflake made of
planes because he's beentraveling a lot this year.
No so, uh, yeah, so we dosomething like kind of similar,
but I like how you put thememory on the back.
That's really smart.
I might steal that do steal it,please.

Speaker 1 (48:29):
It's, I love it.
Um.
Okay, for movies, I really dolove the santa claus movies, um,
but also there's so many goodones, so the grinch was also a
really big one in my house.
I just animated, or live action.
The live action.
Jim carrey also holds a specialplace in my heart.
He he's on my hear me out cake.
He was like my first crush as akid.

(48:51):
So I just love him, I think justbecause he was funny Home Alone
.
That's a good one.
I really like that one too,although when I was a kid it
used to like scare me a little,but now I'm just like, it's so
quirky and funny.
And then recently and by recentI mean last nightin and I
watched that new movie, red one.
Oh, did you like it?

Speaker 2 (49:09):
yes, did you watch it ?
No, but I saw it and it was oneof those that was so kind of
ridiculous that it intrigued meand I really want to watch it.

Speaker 1 (49:16):
No, I really liked it .
They had great actors in it, soit was like um the rock.
Uh, chris evans, I think it'skiernan.
Sure, I'm totally butcheringher name.
The girl from.

Speaker 2 (49:28):
Charlie's Angels right.

Speaker 1 (49:32):
No, sabrina the Teenage Witch, the new version,
I think that one was her, orthere's another girl that looks
just like her, I don't know.
It was really good and it wasdifferent.
I don't want to spoil anything.
There were just little momentsthat were smart, the way they

(49:52):
rationalized in that world thedifferent Christmas reasons for
things happening.
So I really enjoyed it and Ihope they make a sequel for it
because I would watch it.
Adding to the list, pleasewatch it.

Speaker 2 (50:07):
And then for songs, this is a really sad one, but
Christmas shoes, oh I saw Ithat's one of those so good that
I cannot listen to because Isob every time, every time when
the kids start singing.
But um, yeah, so I like thatone, because it's like it's an
emotional roller coaster.

Speaker 1 (50:27):
Yeah, that one's a good one.
Sorry, I'm kidding you off.
No, that's okay.
And then very different drummerboy by justin bieber.
I love that one, I love that.
So the two spectrums.
But as soon as I hear that,that justin bieber song, that
gets me going, I love that.
So those are good christmassongs those are good ones.

(50:49):
All right, cozy season.
How do you like to curl up withyour current read?
Are you able to read anywhereand everywhere?
Do you have a specific setupthat you like?
What would your ideal setup belike?

Speaker 2 (51:03):
So I definitely am a setup cozy girl.
I can read, especially with theKindle.
It's kind of made me branch outa little bit more and like,
just bring it with me, like butalso you have a kindle setup.
But I do have a kindle.
I am a setup like I have.
I like get nice and cozy.
I have we have it going now thefireplace on youtube that runs
for like eight hours.

(51:24):
I have either the kindle arm ormy little book and the cozy
lighting and a nice soft blanket, a candle lit and the ambiance
music.
I like to do different types ofmusic depending on the book
vibe that I'm reading.
So I try to do more likefantasy vibes or like romance,
like violins or like just achill lo-fi have you ever looked

(51:48):
up?

Speaker 1 (51:51):
or like just a chill lo-fi have you ever looked up?
So when I was reading carvel, Ilooked up carvel music.
Um, because it's like acarnival and it had like good
music obviously not like afull-on carnival.
Yeah, it's different than it,right anyway.
Uh, but I like sometimeslooking up the book and then
looking up like playlist ormusic.

Speaker 2 (52:07):
Smart.
I haven't thought to do that,but I will now.
I did do like the Harry Pottermusic soundtracks while I was
reading those.
It just helps set the vibe.
I like the cozy setup.
Ideally in the future samething, but I want a real
fireplace and a really big,comfy chair in a library.
We talk about this all the time.

(52:28):
We're going to have our ownpersonal libraries at some point
, and so that would be like justlike taking it to the next
level for me.
Yeah, but what?

Speaker 1 (52:35):
about you.
I definitely can read anywhere,um, and sometimes I like to
read in nature.
You know, like that's if I wereto read outside of the home.
It's like I want to read in thegrass or on my.
You know something like that.
You know, I don't know how yousay that, the little hammocks
that you tie in the trees, butif I'm trying to make a cozy

(52:57):
space at home typically verysimilar I'll light a candle,
I'll put on like a background onthe TV, or a lot of times I'll
do.
It's like the jazz, the eighthour jazz music, and then it has
like a virtual setting.
So that's a big one for me.
In fall, since we don't get afall season, I love doing like a
fall background and pretendingthat I'm in this fall coffee

(53:20):
shop with all the orange leaves.
I cry thinking about that.

Speaker 2 (53:23):
It really helps.

Speaker 1 (53:25):
It does, and then I'll just like cuddle up on the
couch with a blanket.
So that would be my like cozyat home setup.
Ideally, if I had like, I guess, like perfect.
Well, there's no perfect Really.
As long as I have the book,that's perfect.
But a cool setup would be tohave like one of those benches

(53:45):
or couches that's like kind oflike built into the wall that
has a big window right next toit, so you get all that natural
light, and obviously it would bein a library as well, um, of
course, with a ladder, therolling ladder, our bell dreams.
Yeah, seriously love that.
I think that would be good.

(54:06):
But do you know I'm talkingabout like the walls, where then
it like, like goes in and yeah,it's like, um, oh, what's the?

Speaker 2 (54:12):
word, it's like a little nook like it's like a day
bed kind of bench thing.
I know what you're talkingabout.

Speaker 1 (54:18):
There's like a specific word for it, but yeah
like I think that would be fun,but I wouldn't like.
Some of them don't lookcomfortable like.
I'd obviously want one that'slike more couch feeling.

Speaker 2 (54:28):
Um, yeah, that'd be good love that um, okay, so kind
of fun questions moving forwardthey're all fun questions.
They are all fun questions, butthese make us think creatively.
Yes, yes, uh, if you were awriter for the hallmark channel,
what would the plot of yournext literary themed holiday hit
be?

Speaker 1 (54:49):
Okay, I've never really gone into Hallmark, which
is funny because I amdefinitely a person my grandma
always used to say this may sherest in peace but she would
always say I like happy shows, Ilike happy endings.
And I'm very similar like Ilike happy endings, like I don't
want to have to put, like youknow, scary things on the mind
if I don't want to have to put,like you know, scary things on
the mind if I don't have to.
But for some reason I've neverreally gone into hallmark.

(55:11):
Anyway, all that to say, Ithink I would have a like in the
in the movie, it would be awriter and she is like writing a
fantasy novel and then she likefalls into the fantasy novel
that she was writing where, likein this novel, they celebrate
christmas um, kind of like anakatar, um, how they have that

(55:33):
and obviously, like the darkhaired bad boy, closeted good
boy, would be showing her thereal christmas magic.
I love that and obviously therewould be more stuff and I think
that she would to.
There would be a problem in thefantasy world that she would
have to like help them solve andit would have to do with

(55:54):
something like winter solstice,someone stealing, some type of
magic that helps them orsomething along those lines.
But then it would finish at theend she would wake up and see
that her whole novel has beenlike written.

Speaker 2 (56:09):
Yeah, oh, my gosh, forget Hallmark.
Get this in theaters now.
I want to watch it.

Speaker 1 (56:14):
I don't know how Hallmark it is, but when you
said like literary themedholiday hit, that's just what
came to mind.

Speaker 2 (56:19):
I love that, thank you, and I need to watch it as
soon as possible, or someonewrite it.

Speaker 1 (56:30):
That too, but Darby gets credit.
But please put me on, let mestar in it.

Speaker 2 (56:32):
Yes, that'd be so fun .
What about you Give it to me.
So I'm also not like a hugeHallmark girly.
I used to.

Speaker 1 (56:39):
I watched him with my mom a lot growing up, because
my mom's a huge Hallmark person,but when you have stuff like
the Santa Claus movies, youcan't top that.
No.

Speaker 2 (56:46):
I'm just it's too predictable for me.
It's the same thing with booksLike I get the peel for sure and
like my dad and I have fun likemaking fun of them, we're like
what plot point is it going tobe this time?
Yeah, but yeah, I don't put iton by myself, but not.

(57:07):
But it's definitely Hallmarkvibes where it's like I forget
if she's like truly Mrs Claus orif it's like Guardian Angel,
but it's like this old woman whobasically comes into like the
main character's life and likehelps in like certain ways, like
set them up, uses a bit ofmagic or like of like medals in
the life to like make things allturn out okay.

(57:29):
So I'd go mrs miracle style andhave mrs claus own a bookstore
in like a small hallmarkchristmas town.
But she gets involved trying toset up people in the town who
visit the library based on theirlike taste in books.

Speaker 1 (57:44):
So it's like matchmaker book like library,
mrs claus kind of thing it kindof reminds me of the movies like
valentine's day and year's eve,you know, where there's like
like 20 different, like yeahplots going on or like you know,
they all like their stories,but they intertwine that's the
vibe it's giving me and I lovethat because I love those movies
.

Speaker 2 (58:03):
Yes, so that that would be mine.

Speaker 1 (58:04):
That's the vibe that would be so good.
I really like that.
Okay, someone please write andcreate our stories, bring them
to life and then give us creditand like give us royalties yeah,
it's all yours yeah um, okay,speaking of hallmark, I saw this
thing in cracker barrel.
In cracker barrel, so, settingthe scene, and it was like a
banner or poster.

(58:25):
That was like you could have achance to guest star in a
hallmark movie and I was likethis is so funny that, like you
know, trying to be in a hallmarkmovies in cracker barrel
because they really are like thesame thing.

Speaker 2 (58:37):
I would have never put that together, but as you
say it, it makes so much sense.
Yeah, it was like a sweepstakesand I was like this is just so
funny, that definitely checks.
And I was like should I, shouldI apply?
Yes, just kidding, that's sofunny.
Okay, so continuing on likeNorth Pole library vibes.
What kind of books do you thinkthe residents of the North Pole

(58:57):
would check out from theirlibrary?
Like what's on Santa's TBR?
Mrs Claus the elves reindeer,what we got going.

Speaker 1 (59:05):
These all came to me really quickly, so these are
like first thoughts that came tomind when I thought of it.
So, santa, he's all aboutself-help and the psychology of
people and kids.
You know why they want whatthey want, why they act the ways
that they do, what makes themnaughty and nice.
Oh my gosh, I'd love that.
Thank you, really, thank you.
So that's what santa's readingfor me.

(59:25):
Um, mrs Claus, she's obviouslyreading some baking books, like
baking recipe books, or alsolike a Hallmark romance style
book, something really lightwith a happy ending.
The elves they vary, but theydo have a monthly book club on a
children's book to like stayhip Love, yeah, makes perfect

(59:46):
sense.
And then that way they can comeout with like merch based off
of and so smart off of the kidsbooks.
You know the next bluey stuffedanimal, I love that.
Um.
And then the reindeers.
At first I was like they arenot reading, they're just
snacking.
But then I thought if, if theywere reading, it would be like
sports book to elevate theirgame and like their you know
flying game because I picturethem like like kind of take it

(01:00:09):
serious.
Yeah, I kind of picture themlike bros, like I picture the
reindeers as like frat bros.
So I'm thinking they like theyall want to be the best.
They want to be the front ofthe sleigh, like riding um, or
like, yeah, being like the thecoolest.
Oh my gosh, I love that, thankyou.
So they're for sure readingsports books.

Speaker 2 (01:00:26):
Oh, those are all so good, we can skip mine, that's
fine.
No, don't do what yours arereading.
No, those are so good, I lovethat.
Thank you.
That makes so much sense, too,mine.
I struggled with more because Idon't have as much of that
creativeness as you do when itcomes to.

(01:00:48):
You have so much creativeness,mi.
Thank you.
It took me a while, but we gotthere.
So this is what I came up with.
I feel like Santa, after a longChristmas Eve night, is kicking
his feet up and getting lost inlike an epic fantasy kind of
book, like Brandon Sandersontype books where it's just like
the really deep dive.
Just escape from it all for alittle while Mrs Claus, I feel
like I can peg her as a sergeymask early.

(01:01:09):
Okay, I think that she'd belike in bed reading while
santa's out doing his job,waiting for him to come back,
and like giggling, kicking herfeet with the rest of us when,
like the bat boys come around,um the elves, I feel like are
definitely listening toaudiobooks while they're making
toys.
Good, that's good, and I thinkthat they like into some

(01:01:29):
mysteries and thrillers and likehelp keep their mind sharp,
trying to put together like theplot twists that are coming,
which also like kind of tiesinto them, figuring out how to
build like a Barbie dream housefor.

Speaker 1 (01:01:41):
Pete, you know, ooh, that's smart, see, that's
creative.

Speaker 2 (01:01:44):
Thanks, I'm trying.
And then the reindeer similarthought to you.

Speaker 1 (01:01:52):
But I said sports romance books because I feel
like you know.
So yours are in a sorority,minor in a fraternity.

Speaker 2 (01:01:55):
Yes, Because I feel, like you know, they love their
reindeer games but they're likecute, fluffy, lovey animals that
just have like soft gushyhearts too.
I love that Sports romance.

Speaker 1 (01:02:06):
No, those were just as creative.
Thanks, I love those.
I feel like if you mushed ourstogether, that's like the
perfect.
Yes, that's good.

Speaker 2 (01:02:14):
That was great, so fun, all right, but what about
like books that we're readingnow?
Let's get into Borrowed andReturns.

Speaker 1 (01:02:20):
Borrowed and Returns.
It's that time Since we lasttalked.
I've read a lot, so my returnsI'm going to go star order of
like, least to best.
Okay, so my three stars that Iread were Yours True, no
Powerful by Lauren Roberts andDaydream by Hannah Grace, which
I feel like Powerful.
If I had written it as a bookinstead of, or paperback instead

(01:02:44):
of audio, it would have gonehigher, but it just like didn't
hit the same for me.
But also that one is like, um,like a novella right it's a
novella and it's not like aprequel, but it's giving the
same energy as assassin's blade.
Okay, and I do not have the sameconnection to sam as many

(01:03:04):
people do and well, I definitelyread that in the wrong order so
that that attributes to it.
But um same with like powerful,there's like a death in it that
I just, I don't know just likedidn't hit, whereas, like I know
, some people in their reviewswere like sobbing um.
So anyway, those are my threestars.
Okay, my four, four stars,yours Truly.

(01:03:27):
By Abby Jimenez solid, goodromance book, and then Light
Lark by Alex Astor.
I can see why it was reallypopular.
It was a good book.

Speaker 2 (01:03:36):
That's on my physical TPR right now too.

Speaker 1 (01:03:38):
Yeah, and then Finale by Stephanie Garber was my five
stars.
This was the ending to theCarvel series and I loved this
one.
It was such a cool like settingagain, because we love like
romanticist books and justfantasy books.
But sometimes you know they'repopular for a reason, but they
kind of have the same vibe, andso this, this book, just felt a

(01:04:01):
little different.
Yeah, um, but it while stillhaving like the same things that
you really want from that likefantasy, like trilogy, but just
the world felt very differentand unique.
So I really liked that.
I'm so glad that ended well foryou oh, it did, and there's a
spin-off series that I will bestarting very soon.

(01:04:21):
But that was five stars andthen borrows.
I'm currently reading nightbane by alex astor, so that's
the second book in the LightLark series and it's going good
right now.
But I think I like almost liketired myself out from reading
because I went hard in the paintduring Thanksgiving so I didn't
read it all last week.
But I think maybe I'll readwhen I get home or tomorrow, hop

(01:04:44):
back into it, take a littlebreath, yeah, but it's going
good.
I enjoy it as well.
Those are my borrows andreturns.
Hit me with yours.

Speaker 2 (01:04:52):
Oh, before we get to mine, what about your reading
goal for 2024?

Speaker 1 (01:04:56):
Oh, my reading goal for 2024,.
Thank you for reminding me.
I think I had it set at yes,okay, it was set at 20 and I
have hit 40.
Yeah, crazy, wow.
And again last year, like Isaid, I I read like 24 books or
22, something like that.

(01:05:17):
So I've like crushing it,doubled it.
So I like proud of you.
I'm so confused how I did that.
I don't know.
It doesn't compute because Ihad so many books.
Yeah, but what about you?

Speaker 2 (01:05:29):
um, so my returns.
I did finish the harry potterseries.
I'm so proud of you, thank you.
I did do it before the end ofthe year.
However, I'm kind of upset withhow it ended.
Oh, I loved it up until thelike the fifth book.
If I I could like remind me howmany books are in this year,

(01:05:51):
there's seven okay, so six andseven is really where the series
took a turn for me.
I loved it up until like,completely like, understand the
obsessed really up through bookfive.
books six is where it took aturn.
For me that's half Half-BloodPrince.
I gave it 3.75 stars, which Ithink is still a little generous
that one.
The fifth book was frustratingin the sense of character

(01:06:14):
development because you'regetting really frustrated with
the characters and, like whatthey're doing, you're just like
shaking, yelling at them, likewhat are you?

Speaker 1 (01:06:19):
doing.
It's kind of like when a TVseries goes on for too long and
it's like you don't know whatelse to do with the characters,
but it's like the fifth book.

Speaker 2 (01:06:25):
it was like in a good way, because there was
resolution, like they learnedfrom it.
It truly did develop thecharacters that I feel like to
use as a springboard for whatshould have been the sixth and
seventh books.
However, jk Rowling did notdeliver for me in that regard,
because the sixth book and theseventh book, they were just so
frustrating and I feel like thecharacters really regressed back

(01:06:47):
at that point.
Just so frustrating and I feellike the characters really
regressed back at that point.
They're going through a lot oflike similar problems and things
that they already like learnedfrom.
So they should have been ableto handle like differently, yeah
, and but they handled worsethan the first time and I felt
like the story kind of draggedon and so that was just like,
and I feel like, especially inthe seventh book, she kind of

(01:07:08):
like introduced big things andthen just glossed over it to
move on to other big things,like never really finished a
thought.

Speaker 1 (01:07:15):
So it's just really frustrating and kind of like a
lackluster end to the series forme, which was, yeah,
frustrating but, I did love itup until the sixth book it's
like you, almost like the, thealmost ending better than the
actual ending.

Speaker 2 (01:07:28):
Yeah, exactly.

Speaker 1 (01:07:29):
That's why I felt with yours truly, that's why I
didn't get five stars, becausethey had like where it basically
ended, but then for some reasonthey added on like an extra
part that I was like Unnecessaryyeah.

Speaker 2 (01:07:38):
Yeah, so I'm not even mad about like.
I think like story wise, likehow it ended made sense and like
the actual plot points itselfwere fine.
It's just like how it waswritten could have been way
better.

Speaker 1 (01:07:48):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:07:49):
That makes sense.
So that was like kind offrustrating, but I did finish it
.
Oh, and the Harry PotterDeathly Hallows, which is the
seventh book I rated a 3.5 stars.
So and then my friend Madisonand I, our friend Madison, we
are watching Harry Potter seriesnow that I finished them.

Speaker 1 (01:08:08):
So we just got through the second movie and I'm
enjoying like doing the wholething.
Yeah, the parallel, yeah, moreinsight, that's so fun yeah, so
that's been good.

Speaker 2 (01:08:13):
Um borrows I started wretched by emily mcintyre,
which is part of the never afterseries.
She has going on where, likeyou know, villains get the happy
ending, but it's verycontemporary kind of romance.
Um, but what I love about theseis they're just quick, easy
reads with good romance.

(01:08:34):
But, um, the details that sheadds and picks from the stories
that she's retelling, so likethis one, is wicked or like the
wizard of oz, so I just didn'tfor this.
Yeah right, it just so happenedthat's gonna be the next one.
Um, so I just love finding thelittle easter eggs throughout.
That's what makes these likereally captivating for me
compared to like other kind ofromance books.

(01:08:56):
So enjoying that.
And I also started the bookthat abby gave me um called adhd
for smart ass women by tracyotsuka.
Um, it's just kind of like anon-fiction kind of self-help
book to like help identify umcharacteristics for 80 women,
specifically for women with adhd, and like how give you

(01:09:19):
strategies and like how to likemove forward with it or like
best, like live your best lifewith it my santa would be proud
of you, the one that's readingthe self-help book.

Speaker 1 (01:09:26):
Since I called you, um.

Speaker 2 (01:09:29):
So yeah, that's been good and that was like sweet
that she like thought of mebecause I was struggling with
that for a little bit, so she'slike thought of me and buy me
this book, so reading that,taking that in and that's been
interesting.
So yeah, um, and then my readinggoal.
I said it, I said for 35technically, but I did cheat and
realized halfway through theyear there's no way I'm getting
the 35.
So I marked it down to 30.

(01:09:50):
Still challenging, but it tookoff a few and I did get it to 31
.
Let's go, girl.
So we just made the goal.

Speaker 1 (01:09:58):
That's awesome, and December's not over yet.
It's not, that's what we'll doby the end of the year.
Yep, I doubt.

Speaker 2 (01:10:09):
I'll get the 35, but I might get to 34.
Hey, pick up some dr seussbooks, you'll get to 35.
So yeah, and that's that's myawesome.

Speaker 1 (01:10:14):
It so again, reading goals.
We aren't defined by the number, but it is crazy when you look
at other people's numberssometimes, oh my gosh, it's
insane the people that get intothe hundreds.
I don't understand, like atthat point, how are you?
Like absorbing what you'rereading it's great and you have
to be reading like every day anddoing audiobooks at like three

(01:10:36):
times speed.
Right it graze like more powerto you because there are so many
books in the world that I wantto read and I won't get through
them all in my lifetime, butthat's insane.
I wish that I could well, evenlike 40, I'm like that's, that's
a lot like how did I even readthat like?

Speaker 2 (01:10:54):
yeah, how do?
I remember that you keep it up,you might get to those hundreds
no way.

Speaker 1 (01:10:59):
If I get to those hundreds, I think someone needs
to sit me down and be like darbyyou need to do the dishes or
something.
That means I'm neglectingeverything else in life.

Speaker 2 (01:11:08):
That's so funny, uh, yeah no, I, I don't know how
people do.
I think I've just as much asyou like to say.
I'm a fast reader.
I'm really not, like it takestime for me to like process what
I'm reading.
So the fact of trying to getthrough that many books in a
year, just like oh, more powerto you amazing.
I wish I could, but my braincan't function.
Yeah way.

Speaker 1 (01:11:27):
Yeah, it's so difficult, but we are proud of
you if you read one book, if youread 200 books, if you didn't
read any books we are proud ofyou and we hope that you have
had a great 2024 year.
We hope you have the happiestof holidays and know that we are
so grateful for you and thanksfor joining us on our first year
journeying through the podcastworld.

Speaker 2 (01:11:48):
We really appreciate you joining us, and join us on
Fable, the Lazy Girl Library.
Check us out on Instagram atLazy Girl Library or send us a
note on our websitelazygirllibrarycom.

Speaker 1 (01:12:02):
Yeah, we're so excited.
We have fun things planned instore for next year, and you'll
hear more about it in our nextepisode.
But happy holidays and happynew year.
Bye, guys, bye.
Well, dear listeners, we findourselves at the end of another
episode and remember, the lazygirl library is not just a

(01:12:25):
podcast, it's a.
We absolutely love hearing fromfellow book lovers, so don't
forget to share your thoughtsand your favorite reads with us
on our social media.
You can find us on Instagram atLazy Girl Library.
Make sure to check out ourwebsite, lazygirllibrarycom,
your one-stop shop for allthings Lazy Girl.
Before we go, we want to take amoment to thank all of our

(01:12:47):
wonderful listeners.
Whether you're listening fromyour cozy bed, on your way to
work or anywhere in between,thank you for making us a part
of your day and for being a partof our Lazy Girl family.
So keep those pages turning,keep those imaginations
flourishing and remember thebest stories are yet to be
discovered.
Until next time, stay lazy andhappy reading.