February 28, 2025 • 54 mins
Join us as we delve into our experiences from February and discuss our lives through a lens of humor and sincerity while inviting listeners to engage and share their stories too. At the heart of this episode, we share our insights and critiques of Tessa Bailey's "Secretly Yours." This romance beautifully portrays the journey of opposites—where Hallie's vibrant spirit clashes with Julian's structured life. We reflect on their character arcs and themes, examining deeper topics like anxiety and how it affects relationships.
SPOILER WARNING!
Start: 15:26
End: 47:16
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!
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
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):
Hello Darby.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Hi Mikayla.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Hi listeners, Welcome back to our February podcast
episode.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
I love it.
How's your February been?
Speaker 2 (00:43):
My February has been chaotic and hectic and all over
the place, but you know we'resurviving, we've made it through
.
It's the end of the month, newpage what?
Speaker 1 (00:52):
about you Definitely busy.
You said the other day likeyour mind's on Rainbow Road.
Yeah, so I've been feeling likeI've been taking some laps on
there too, but it's been fun.
I've been having fun on RainbowRoad while also like doing the
toad scream.
Do you know what I'm talkingabout?
The toad from Mario theHedgehog.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
So it's been fun, yeah for me at least, I feel
like I'm on Rainbow Road,playing the computer on like
expert mode, being hit by somany bananas and shells that
it's just insane.
So I am happy for this race tobe over.
Speaking of our weeks thoughlife check-in, let's say what
are your five star and one starsof the month, since we did miss
(01:37):
our first episode in february.
That was my fault because ofrainbow road.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
No, no you're so good .
You're so good, um, okay.
So my five star?
Okay, I'll start with this.
My five star was it was mybirthday month and, um, my
parents and justin and I we wentto montana for a birthday trip
which is like craziest birthdaytrip ever.
I felt so spoiled, like that'snot something normal for me or
(02:04):
for our family to like do like abig fun trip like that.
Um, cause we're we live on theEast coast for our listeners who
may not know, so that's justkind of a trek, but we got to go
snowboarding and stuff and thatthe snow was beautiful and it
was just so great and I got achance to like do some reading,
(02:24):
because this is a really busyseason for me at work, so, like
we've been saying Rainbow Road,we haven't had much time to have
any pit stops, so it was nice.
My one star I don't know whatmy one star is, which I guess is
a good thing.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
That is a good thing.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
I don't know.
Okay, actually, I know what myone star is, but it's like a
future one star.
I'm still going to say it.
My therapist is pregnant andthat's amazing, but she's going
to be gone during the time Ineed her most.
No, that's so sad, but I'msuper excited for her.
(03:03):
But I guess that's my one star.
But again, I mean, I'm feelingfine and I'll be fine, yeah.
But yeah, it's a bit of abummer for me, not for her.
She's bringing life into theworld, which is so exciting.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Exciting, but at the same time like no.
But my life will deteriorate.
Happy for you, sad for me, yeah, but that's me.
What about you?
My five stars?
On the positive note, mywedding shoes came in.
I've been obsessing over them,so gorgeous, thank you.
(03:39):
Yes, I've been.
I texted Darby when they camein and I just showed Darby when
she came over to record thispodcast, because I love them.
I'm obsessed.
They fit perfectly.
They're exactly what I waslooking for.
Obsessed.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
They're so elegant, feminine, detailed, just so, so
pretty.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
It's the details for me.
I'm such a details person as Italk about all the time, so it
is the little things on it thatI'm like oh, and versatile
Obsessed I talk about all thetime.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
So it is.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
It's the little things on it that I'm like, and
versatile obsessed,unfortunately we can't share
pictures out right now, butlater, come back in july, we'll
do a full wedding recap.
Yeah, um, yeah.
So that was that's definitelymy five star for the month.
My one star is really difficultbecause there's so many.
Where do I begin this month?
This is you took all my onestars.
I'm just kidding um oh gosh, ohno.
My one star for the month was my.
(04:34):
One of the shelves in my closetcollapsed in like early morning
hours in the middle of themonth, and the way that it fell
like jammed the door so I couldnot get into my closet at all,
like crazy.
It locked me out, and so I livein an apartment complex, and so
I had to put in like a workorder for them, but it took them
(04:56):
a few days to come in, and so Ididn't have a dresser.
I do so.
Luckily, I had access toclothes still, but it was like
shorts and t-shirts and likecomfy clothes.
Yes, um, I all my underwear isin my closet, though, so I had
to go buy new underwear, oh mygosh, um, and I couldn't access
any of my shoes.
Luckily I had a pair of likeslides, like in the living room,
so I at least had something.
(05:17):
But um, yeah, going to work wasnot an option that week, that's
so funny.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
But also maybe this is a five star because then it
just forces you to shop.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
I mean, that's true.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
Like woe is me, must buy new clothes.
I'm just kidding, that's hard.
Yeah, it was.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
It did turn into like a good thing, because then,
once they were finally able toopen my door, I had to pull
everything out, so it forced meinto early spring cleaning mode
to get rid of a bunch of stuff.
So now, like that's all takencare of, my closet is looking
much nicer than it started outwith.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
So positive end to the negative start, but yeah,
that was not a fun time no, thatdoes sound tough, but a closet
clean-out is so nice, it's soneeded until then.
Like a couple months lateryou're like where's that shirt?
And you're like, oh, I gave itaway.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
Yep yep, yep, and again, it's honestly one of
those that can go either way,because it's like on one hand,
you're, like I don't know,really sad or like body
conscious because like I don'tfit in these, and it makes you
really depressed, but at thesame time, there's something
really therapeutic about justlike getting rid of all the old,
especially because a lot ofthat stuff is like things that
I'm not even.
It's not really like my styleanymore anyway, so it leaves
(06:27):
room for like growth and likenew things that are like your
style now I agree, but then Inever replace it.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
That's what happens.
I don't replenish it like I'llget rid of stuff and slowly my
closet just keeps gettingsmaller.
But we'll get there yeah anyway, those were our five stars and
one stars Today.
In this episode we're going tobe talking about our thoughts on
the book Secretly Yours byTessa Bailey.
So this will be a nice booktalk.
(06:54):
We'll answer some bookclub-esque questions about the
book.
Give our final ratings.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
If you already, you already might know some of our
thoughts on this book if you'repart of our Fable book club.
If you're not, you shoulddefinitely join us.
Lazy Curl Library on Fable.
We just posted our new bookclub, book pick, so you'll get
to see that a little early ifyou're already on there.
If not, you'll find out at theend of the episode what it is.
(07:23):
Early if you're already onthere.
If not, you'll find out at theend of the episode what it is.
But it's such a cool time toget to like talk about the book
early and like see everybody'sthoughts as you're like reading
it in the different chapters andeverything.
Um, so definitely join us there.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
We'd love to connect yeah, that would be so fun.
And before we completely diveinto this romance book, let's
talk about our life romance.
In february, valentine's day,how did you celebrate with josh,
your fiance?
Speaker 2 (07:49):
josh, he's such a romantic too.
Uh, we actually, I say that,but we don't actually celebrate
valentine's day, but for goodreason.
Our anniversary is february 3rd, so it's kind of like too quick
a turnaround to try to do both.
So we just mutually agree Likea joint one or something.
We just do like a biganniversary kind of celebration.
(08:11):
So Valentine's Day we actuallydidn't do anything, but for our
anniversary we did a little ministaycation and we went to the
parks Disney parks oh cute.
We got a hotel on property, sothat way, living close by, we
were just constantly driving toit.
So it was nice to be able to,like you know, use the Disney
(08:33):
like transportation.
That's there.
We got to go drink around theworld together, which we haven't
done which is fun.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
What hotel did you stay at?
Speaker 2 (08:39):
The Swan.
Okay, that's a fun one.
It was nice and so we even ourroom got upgraded so we were
able to watch like the epcotfireworks from our balcony.
So it's just like a really nicefeeling, like room service and
everything.
It was a really really nicetime.
Oh, I love that yeah that's fun.
What about you?
Speaker 1 (08:58):
well, I was in montana, um, for valentine's day
, because justin also has itrough.
My birthday is two days afterValentine's Day.
So we were in Montana and itwas actually really sweet
because we like celebrated withmy parents, like it was like a
little double date kind of thing.
So we just kind of spent theday.
Justin and I spent the daysnowboarding.
(09:22):
I think Wait, was it on aFriday?
Okay, no, we weren daysnowboarding.
I think wait, was it on a wasValentine's.
Day, on a Friday okay, no, weweren't snowboarding.
So my parents and Justin and Iwe spent the day just looking at
some of the shops, so we justkind of perused some things.
My mom ended up like buying usthis cute like, um, like
traveling book type thing, orlike bucket list travel book
(09:44):
thing, which is nice.
Um, my dad bought a cowboy hat,which was funny oh my gosh, it's
so fun he's not necessarily acowboy kind of guy, um, and yeah
, so we just like hung out, didsome shopping, had some light
bites and then for dinner, my, Iwanted to cook for my parents
(10:04):
to thank them, but they ended upcooking dinner for Valentine's
Day, so we had like potatoes,broccoli and steak, but it was
funny because the grill wasunder snow so we couldn't grill
the steaks and for some reasonmy parents wanted to like broil
the steaks.
They were not great, um, butthey tried, so it was so cute.
(10:30):
I I actually kind of enjoyedthe steaks, which I shouldn't
have because they were not goodsteaks, um, but it was just
really funny and really sweet,because as you get older you
don't get to spend a lot ofthose like times with your
parents, and I don't know aboutyou, but my parents were always
like, growing up, they would getme valentines and they'd be my
valentine, and so it's justsweet and cute they made me a
(10:52):
card and I made them a card andyeah, I liked it.
That's so cute yeah, um, andthen we have some lightning
round valentine's Day questions,so you guys can comment on this
podcast or message us onInstagram and let us know your
thoughts on which you prefer onthese Valentine's Day lightning
(11:14):
rounds, starting with chocolateor flowers so tough.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
I'm going chocolate.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
I'm going to go flowers.
There's no wrong answer nowrong answer, but I think I'm
going flowers because, like, Ican buy myself chocolate anytime
, but like when a boy brings youflowers, it's just like oh see,
I'm the opposite, in the way oflike I can get flowers anytime,
but like, specifically like thevalentine's chocolates yeah,
you can only get aroundValentine's Day.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
That's true, that's true, so All right.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
Love at first sight or slow burn?
This is definitely not love atfirst sight, but I like
infatuation, like they need to,like catch my eye.
But I think if you're going offof Justin and I, that was a
slow burn.
If you're going off of Justinand I, that was a slow burn?
Speaker 2 (12:04):
No For me.
Ironically, josh and I we'relike a love at first sight, yeah
, but I much prefer reading aslow burn.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
Yeah, reading definitely slow burn.
Yeah, yeah, okay Handwrittenlove letter or mixtape slash
playlist.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
Both of these are phenomenal options, but I
think'm gonna go with playlistokay, because I feel like, at
least for me, when you'resomebody like provides you a
playlist, you get to likelistening to the song because
like wow, they were thinkingabout me whenever they hear this
song or like I don't know, it'slike the thought of like
putting it all together.
I do love a handwritten note,because then you get to hear
people's thoughts but somethingabout just like the playlist and
(12:49):
like the thought behind everypick that they have to put
together for you and now youknow like anytime you hear that
song or they hear that song,they're thinking of you.
Yeah, I love that that's cute.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
I feel like in theory , like for me the playlist is
like oh, that's cool, but I muchprefer like a love letter,
because for me the playlist islike they were thinking about me
, but like what part of the songmade them think about me?
Where it's like a handwrittenlove letters.
They're telling me exactly howthey feel and Justin's not like
a super vocal person, but hewrites these sweetest love
(13:19):
letters and I'm like I didn'teven know.
you felt this way.
They're's so cute, they're soperfect, so I'm going
handwritten love letter all day.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
Aw, love that.
Enemies to lovers, friends tolovers or second chance romance.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
Okay, In real life friends to lovers.
In book world I'll rank them.
So enemies to lovers is first,then friends to lovers and then
second chance romance isn't evenon the list.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
I cannot stand a second chance romance exact same
for both real life and books.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
Uh, same, yeah, no notes okay, what fictional
setting would be the mostromantic place to spend
valentine's day?
Speaker 2 (14:00):
um valorous, specifically starfall that's.
That would be like up on thebalcony when they're all the
stars and like the shootingstars going by.
Yes, that would be mine I haveno idea, honestly.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
A ball, any fictional ball, that like not a thing,
especially in the US, like ballsare not a thing.
There are galas, those I knowvery well.
But, it's not even the same.
Balls are so different, youknow so.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
That pops up on my TikTok occasionally, of like
cotillions or things like that,or like other countries that
have like actual balls, I'm like, wow, what a world.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
I would balls like, wow, what a world I would love.
Crazy.
Okay, on our bucket list a lazygirl library bucket list.
Go to a ball together aninternational ball.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
Oh my gosh, yeah, let's do it.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
Let's do it, live out my bridgerton dreams yes, okay,
but let's go into um anotherromance holly and julian's
romance reading recap time.
Let's get to it all right, sotake it away real quick, just so
for our listeners.
Speaker 2 (15:13):
Our reading recap is where we go through the entire
book, just like main plot points, very high level summary.
So that way, if you haven'tread the book but you still want
to listen to the podcast, youhave an idea of what we're
talking about.
But it does contain spoilers.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
Warning book spoilers ahead.
Please head to the descriptionand show notes to find where to
skip to.
You have been warned.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
Let's get into it.
Hallie Welch, a spirited andsomewhat chaotic gardener in
Napa Valley, has harbored acrush on Julian Voss since they
were teenagers.
At 14, she experienced analmost kiss with Julian in the
vineyards of his family's winery, a moment that left a lasting
impression.
Speaker 1 (15:57):
Years later, julian returns to his family's estate
on a sabbatical from hisposition as a Stanford professor
.
His goal is to write a noveladhering to his meticulously
structured routine to manage hisanxiety and maintain control
over his life.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Fate intertwines their paths when Hallie is hired
to revamp the gardens on theVoss estate.
Her free-spirited andspontaneous nature contrasts
sharply with Julian'sdisciplined lifestyle.
Despite differences, anundeniable attraction simmers
between them.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
And then, on one evening after indulging in wine,
hallie impulsively pens as ananonymous love letter to Julian,
signing it as secretly yours.
She slips the letter onto atree stump along his running
path, not anticipating theimpact it would have.
And in fact the first lettershe was like, pretty drunk so
she didn't even remembercompleting it.
(16:50):
And Julian, on the other hand,is both intrigued and unsettled
by the mysterious note leadinghim to ponder the identity of
his secret admirer.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
He's also feeling conflicted because he has such
strong feelings for Hallie, buthe's still curious about the
secret admirer.
As Hallie continues her work onthe estate, she and Julian
engage in a series ofinteractions that oscillate
between tension and flirtation.
Julian finds himself drawn toHallie's vibrant energy, which
(17:20):
begins to disrupt his carefullymaintained order.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
Meanwhile, hallie is grappling with her lingering
feelings for Julian, as well asthe fear of revealing her
identity as the letter's author.
Her internal conflictintensifies as their connection
deepens and she worries aboutthe potential repercussions of
her confession.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
Julian's curiosity about his secret admirer grows
and he starts to see beyondHallie's chaotic exterior,
recognizing the depth of hercharacter.
Their relationship evolves,leading to moments of
vulnerability and passion.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
However, the truth about the letters eventually
surfaces, leading tomisunderstandings and emotional
turmoil.
Both Hallie and Julian mustconfront their insecurities and
past traumas to find commonground.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
In the end, they acknowledge their love for each
other, embracing the blend oforder and spontaneity that
defines their relationship.
Together, they embark on ajourney of mutual growth,
understanding and acceptance.
The end, and they lived happilyever after K-I-S-S-I-N-G.
Speaker 1 (18:27):
What were your initial thoughts, Mike?
Speaker 2 (18:30):
Well, I'd say the book met my expectations going
into it.
But my expectations were thatit was going to be mid I knew
you had those expectations goinginto it.
I've talked about this many atimes.
I am a person that judges abook by its cover, and I avoid
any romance or any kind of bookthat has like the cartoon people
(18:53):
covers.
Um, I'm sure there are a lot ofgreat ones out there that I'm
missing out on.
This one has yet to prove mewrong, though.
Um it the author I felt likejust had like a lot of ideas and
and like had a hard timeconnecting them all, which made
the story kind of fall flat forme.
I can totally agree with that,yeah uh, and it was somehow like
(19:15):
extremely rushed but alsopainstakingly slow at the same
time I can also really agreewith that I like, I really
enjoyed the concept of it.
I just wish that it was morelike fine-tuned and like had
more of a clear direction.
I feel, yeah, what about you?
Speaker 1 (19:31):
I feel pretty similarly to you.
It was just an average romancebook, but I think I liked it,
probably a little more than youdid.
I definitely didn't love it,but I think I was able to go
into it with kind of like a I'mturning my brain off type of
book, um.
So it's not like I wasexpecting to feel like deep
(19:51):
emotions, um, but there weredefinitely places like concepts
that didn't need to be in thisbook or themes that just were
too exaggerated for my liking.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
Um, it's just like too much and that shouldn't
really get to like dive into anyof the specifics that you would
have wanted but it wasn't likethat.
Speaker 1 (20:17):
No, I don't think it was bad, because we have read
some books on here that Ifinished this one and that says
a lot what was your favoritepart?
Speaker 2 (20:28):
um, I really enjoyed hallie in this book, which
surprised me because normallylike the female main character
fmc so annoying, absolutelyespecially, and I always prefer
like the males pov to thefemales point of view.
Um, but in this bookspecifically it was reversed for
me.
I really enjoyed hallie, Ifound her really relatable and I
enjoyed the writing more forher and from her perspective
(20:50):
than I did for julian.
Um, and I especially loved thebeginning like third of the book
, when we're really exploringher crush for julian before like
really diving deeper into thatkind of relationship, because it
gave me very like nostalgic,like high school vibes like,
like setting up the town tooyeah, I don't know, it was just
like it was really cutesy andlike kind of made me feel like
(21:10):
girly, giggly kind of.
Yeah, I liked that part.
What about you?
Speaker 1 (21:15):
um, I definitely liked hallie as a character and
her personality.
I feel the same way as you.
The setting and the small townfeel made me feel good.
I am from like a small town andthere really is just like
something different about it,yeah, and so just reading about
that was like cute and I justfelt like, oh, like the lady who
(21:39):
owned the winery.
I just like felt for her and Iwas like I want to be her friend
, I will go there.
Like why aren't more peoplegoing?
It was cute.
And then I also really likedNatalie for some reason,
julian's sister.
I feel like she was the mostnormal and real.
We didn't hear her innermonologue, but she just felt
(22:05):
kind of like what?
Like you know what is happeninghere.
Speaker 2 (22:09):
The voice of reason, kind of yes, yes.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
So I really liked her a lot.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
Yeah, she was cool too.
What about a least favoritepart?
What didn't you like?
Speaker 1 (22:18):
school too.
What about a least favoritepart?
What didn't you like, um, Ithink, the fact that their
relationship felt more like lustthan actual feelings.
For me, so, it was very muchlike julian didn't remember her
yet was in love with her yep,totally, um, so it just felt
more like lust and infatuationthan actually like what was
(22:38):
happening, because the feelingsand like actual discussions they
were having was with a secretadmirer, which was her.
He was connecting, like on thatlevel, but then, like when they
were in person, it wasn't likethat.
Yeah, and then one of my notesis what you kind of already said
is that the writing felt rushedand slow at the same time.
So, just the pacing of it wasstrange to me.
Speaker 2 (23:01):
Very.
What about you?
What are your thoughts?
So I started writing out mythoughts and I realized I was
being specific, but I think myleast favorite part was just
Julian.
Yeah, to be honest, it was verylike instant love vibe from his
POV.
Oh my gosh like instant lovevibe from his pov oh my gosh.
So instant love like and I?
That is a trope I run from.
(23:22):
I can't stand an instant lovebecause it's like, like, if you
think about it in real life, aninstant love is creepy, I wish I
could say the same, but like,oh, having experienced that, I'm
like I get it, so I can't evensay it's unrealistic, but it is
unrealistic at the same time.
Speaker 1 (23:37):
I don't know, but I'm talking about like you can have
an instant, like let merephrase like like I went on one
date with a guy in college andlater that day he was texting me
, was like I feel like I cantell you anything.
You remind me of the sun andI'm like too much too fast.
Like that to me, I'm like no,like that's, that's too much.
(23:58):
Like I'm not that cool youdon't know me that well like
what I feel like no opposite.
No, that's good.
You're totally valid.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
There's someone out there for that guy like you know
you are absolutely, totallyvalid and I have all those
feelings up until I met Josh.
And then Josh just kind of like, changed my perspective on that
and our relationship.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
So you guys were instant like when did you know
you were going to marry him?
Speaker 2 (24:20):
First date.
I have the text to prove what.
Speaker 1 (24:24):
Okay, that's crazy.
Speaker 2 (24:25):
So that's what I'm saying it's like as much as like
I like with every fiber of mybeing.
I believe and understandtotally wholeheartedly what
you're saying and like I hatereading it.
I also feel like a hypocritesaying that because I can't say
it's unrealistic, because it wasrealistic for me.
So if I take myself out of thatsituation though like I 100%,
completely agree and I can'tread about it, it did feel very
(24:46):
like unrealistic.
Speaker 1 (24:47):
It was just weird, and it was the lust part of it.
It wasn't just instant love,but instant lust.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
And like this all of a sudden.
I didn't like the way that theauthor portrayed him wanting to
make hallie happy, because itwas like an instant, like I have
to see her smile.
She has to be happy all thetime and there's a way to do it.
That's like more romantic andless creepy and less creepy.
But the way that it was writtenwas very it kind of like took
away the depth of hallie andbeing hallie being such a good
character in this book for me.
I think that it kind of fromtook away the depth of Hallie
and being Hallie being such agood character in this book for
me.
I think that it kind of fromJulian's perspective, it made
(25:23):
her seem very flat, yeah, orlike he was viewing her very
flat, which wasn't fair.
I was like kind of like Halliedeserves better than to be just
like happy all the time, likeshe has, you know, depth to her
um.
So I didn't like that um, and Ijust felt like there was like a
better way to like write it, um.
And I also did not understand,nor like the big gesture at the
(25:47):
end that he did like the bigromantic gesture to like, yeah,
make her feel better whereeverybody's wearing all the
crazy necklaces, because that'swhat hallie does and he's like
plant these flowers anywhere inthe vineyard that you want.
I'm'm like no, that's weird, Idon't like that.
That came out of nowhere, itdoesn't even make sense.
Yeah, like no.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
And also like you have things to talk about.
Like you guys haven't talked intwo weeks.
It was bizarre.
Like you're just going topretend like you guys aren't in
an awkward like haven't talked.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
Well, and your big romantic gesture was to bring
half the town.
Speaker 1 (26:20):
So your big romantic gesture no way and you could
bring like the important peoplefrom the town but like her guy
friend that like likes her wasso strange, bizarre Didn't like
it.
Speaker 2 (26:33):
So, all to say, I don't think I cared for Julian
all that much.
Speaker 1 (26:38):
That's funny um julian and hallie have wildly
different personalitiesstructured versus chaotic.
Which one do you relate more?
Speaker 2 (26:47):
oh well, I didn't like julian, but I am julian I
think you're a toned downversion.
I don't think you are as crazyas julian I definitely like as
much as I could relate to somethings with Hallie, like I think
I've related more to Hallie andhow she was feeling versus like
who she is and her chaoticpersonality.
Yeah, I definitely related moreto Julian in that aspect and
(27:11):
his need for structure to helplike control the chaos of his
mind.
I'm very much that type ofperson.
Yes, so shocker to everybody,that would be me.
What about you?
Speaker 1 (27:22):
I guess another shocker.
I definitely lean more chaoticand I have thought this before
and big knock on wood right now.
But I always say I am not aprime suspect for serial killers
because I'm never doing thesame thing, like I don't have a
routine, like I could go run ona route on a trail and never run
(27:45):
it again.
Or if I do do something likethat I like to go do again.
It is not like weekly or daily,because that just can't things
come up like it's just not gonnahappen for daily, because that
just can't things come up Likeit's just not going to happen
for me.
So that makes me feel good andsafer in life because I'm like I
don't even know what'shappening next.
(28:05):
So it would be hard for otherpeople to track me.
Speaker 2 (28:08):
That is good.
Speaker 1 (28:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
I can't, I'm the opposite.
Yeah, you could find me on thesame thing, same place for lunch
, same order, same time no,every day different orders for
me too.
Speaker 1 (28:20):
So, like chick-fil-a, I get something different
almost every time from there.
Just yeah, I've had a lot ofthe menu it depends on the
restaurant.
Speaker 2 (28:26):
Like I am like when I go to starbucks, I get
something.
It's completely dependent on mymood, versus like if I'm going
to my typical lunch spot forwork, I get the exact same thing
every single time yeah, I getfor me.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
If it's like a sit-down restaurant, I'm
normally getting like the samething.
Like chewy's, like I'm gonnaget the same soft tacos every
time.
But like chipotle, like I'llchange up the rice, I'll change
up the meat, like I won't addsome of the toppings.
Sometimes I'll do all thetoppings interesting.
Yeah, so that one's more like amood thing yeah, depends, I
(28:57):
think, for me, but most of thetime same place, same time I,
the only time that I'm like Ireally like structure is when
I'm doing something for someoneelse so that I can have
expectations.
That way I can like meet andexceed them, um, and obviously
like in work, like having thatstructure.
(29:18):
But then the chaotic side of meneeds like the autonomy of like
, okay, like now let me get itdone, like the way that I like
can do it.
Um, I think is how I relate tostructure, and then also I used
to not be as well, but I'vereally been using google
calendar and our girl shel she'sa structured girl, that's our
(29:39):
friend, she's crazy on GoogleCalendar in a good way.
But I've been starting to dipmy toes into Google Calendar and
just putting dates out there sothat I because I often am a
double booker, because I'm like,yeah, no, I'm not doing
anything, I'm like, oh, I'mdoing something, and so that has
been helping me too.
That's good To be a little lesschaotic in life.
Yeah, I am definitely not onshelby's level um she's like
(30:02):
color-coded and when we say, thewhole month is booked up, like
every day is every day she hasit like hour by hour and I can't
I do day by day.
Speaker 2 (30:12):
I do say like I will.
I have, I love google calendar,but I use it very like
rudimentary.
I do have it kind ofcolor-coded, so like if I have,
like I have friends' birthdaysas like a certain color, and
then I have like my things acertain color, josh's things a
certain color and things we'redoing together a certain color.
But I don't use it as like adaily planner.
(30:32):
If that makes sense it's more oflike a check-in, so I don't
double book and like I can seethe bigger picture of like
what's going on in a month.
So when people are asking tohang out I can know like, oh,
I'm actually going to be gonethat weekend or I already have
something or I'm free, like thatkind of thing.
Speaker 1 (30:46):
Yeah, no, I'm not using it every day, but it's
more just like the days.
Yeah, and Justin's and mine areconnected, and so sometimes I
think it pulls it from like yourGmail too, like when you get
like an appointment notification, and that's really nice because
Justin's not putting anythingin there yet I'll know, like,
when things are happening,because he's going to tell me
like the day before and I'm like, no, I know already.
(31:08):
I saw it on the calendar, sothat's good.
Anxiety plays a big role inJulian's character arc.
How did you feel about the waythat tessa bailey handled his
mental health journey?
Again, I thought it was kind ofmid.
Speaker 2 (31:22):
I appreciated the effort.
I think that she thought sheslayed this and I appreciate the
way that she tried to tackle itand I think that she was almost
there.
She could have handled itbetter, um, but I don't think
that she was trying to be like Iknow.
I know that this book and likethe few goodreads things that I
(31:43):
saw like got a lot of hate andhow she handled it, and I don't
think that it was that horrible,because I think I think the key
word is that I knew, notice theeffort, yeah, I feel like,
instead of just being likethrowing it in there, throw in
there, um, uh, but like,especially like the way she
wrote about julian's likeanxiety attacks and how you
(32:05):
don't have to deal with themalone.
I can appreciate, but themessaging just fell flat because
it came across more like, um,you know, we can do anything
with, you know, like the powerof like the people that love us,
and like anxiety just like goesaway at that point which is not
not the case, yeah, so that'swhere it kind of like yeah, for
(32:26):
me what about?
Speaker 1 (32:27):
you um, well, I couldn't really like relate to
it, so it was just hard toalmost like judge it because it
just felt for me like tooextreme.
And again, I don't know ifthat's because I've been like
lucky to not have like aterrible amount of anxiety or
(32:47):
like panic.
I don't know if I've ever had apanic attack like a bat, like
I've definitely panicked beforeand I definitely haven't like
have had anxiety, but I don'tthink I've ever had like attacks
of it right um.
So it was just kind of hard torelate to the character um, but
I do think it was just like yousaid, there was effort there.
(33:11):
It could have been done better.
Speaker 2 (33:13):
Yeah, because I think , like for me with like the
panic attacks like it wasn't himtalking about it, because I do
think that they can.
Like the panic attacks like itwasn't him talking about it,
because I do think that theycan't be serious the way that he
was talking but then all of asudden to have like the grand
reveal at the end of it, beinglike he only has panic attacks
when the people he loves are indanger, like that part made it
so unserious from like what itactually could have been serious
(33:34):
.
I think that's where peoplehave a hard time and that, yeah,
that that was the problem I hadwith it.
Speaker 1 (33:38):
I think and because if it was something so extreme,
as like locking yourself in yourroom for two weeks, like to
then say it's because of thosepeople, exactly, that's, yeah,
that's when it feels like kindof disingenuous, hurtful for
them the people, because I, Ihave plenty of friends and
family members who definitelystruggle with anxiety, and so it
(34:01):
can.
It can be serious for sure, butI don't know, it's hard because
it's like a fictional book, soit's like she doesn't have to
like.
This isn't a mental health book, um, but if you're gonna make
that one of the big topics, it'sgotta be kind of realistic yeah
, no, I.
Speaker 2 (34:17):
I agree she probably should have done a little bit
more research on how to bettertackle that, but I do appreciate
at least her talking about ittotally instead of like I don't
know, skimming over it or justkind of like half fasting it in
a way.
Yeah, yeah, um.
But switching over to hallie,she struggles with feeling
directionalist in this book.
(34:37):
Um, do you think her characterarc had a satisfying resolution?
Speaker 1 (34:42):
Okay, I totally related to Hallie a lot more.
I fun fact in like ninth grade,what was it?
It wasn't Reddit, but it wassome sort of like Discord place
to like put questions and stuff.
And in ninth grade I wrote onthere and I was like I'm 14, I
don't know my purpose and Idon't know what I'm supposed to
(35:04):
do and everyone knows what theywant to do for a job and I have
no idea what I want to do for ajob.
And then all these like 30 yearold women are like what, which?
I'm almost a 30 year old woman,so saying that was really weird
but at the time, all these likemillennials and, um, older
people were like it doesn't youdon't need to know right now,
but so I can definitely relateto like the directionless, like
(35:26):
not knowing what I'm supposed todo or what's best, um, so again
, they're kind of like oppositespectrums, like I feel like
tessa bailey like handled hers alot better absolutely um, and
it was like satisfactory.
I was satisfied with how she didit, but I do think it like tied
(35:47):
up pretty quick.
I feel like the ending again itwas like long but rushed at the
same time.
So, and also it just felt likethere were a lot of like mini
conflicts or themes, and so it'slike Hallie was tied to her
grandmother and had this weirdthing with her mom, but she's
(36:08):
also tied to the store owner,but that's because of the
grandma.
And then she's tied to thelibrary, but that's because of
the grandma, but somehow thegrandma's not coming through
with all of this.
It's all the other things thatare feeling like the heaviness.
And then she's the secretadmirer letters weighing on her
and it just was like, well, yeah, you're going in so many
directions.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
She has a chaotic life, but then she's trying to
find structure.
But she can't do that withouther grandma.
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (36:33):
So I don't know.
Speaker 2 (36:40):
It was like good, but I get that.
I had the same thoughts.
Um, yeah, I totally related tohow, in her direction, I was
feeling.
I feel like we talked aboutthis all the time too.
We joke about like we were notmeant to be corporate girlies,
we were meant to be stay-at-homemoms, I meant to be a trophy
wife, like absolutely, there'syeah, no, I'm gonna be a trophy
wife, um, but I think like, onthe serious note of that, I
think it plays into.
It's such a trend for peoplelike Girlboss and like having
that direction of like if it'snot what you're doing for work,
(37:04):
then it's like a side hustle oreven like a passion project of
some sorts that I just can'trelate to.
I don't have that which can thenleave you feeling like stranded
in the middle of the ocean?
Yeah, and like what am I doing,which can then leave you
feeling like stranded in themiddle of the ocean?
Yeah, um, and like what am Idoing?
Speaker 1 (37:19):
which even like this podcast for sure passion project
, we did one episode this eventhen it's like I don't, I can't
do it it's very, yeah, it's like.
Speaker 2 (37:30):
It's like I'm missing .
It's not even like the passion,it's the drive I feel like that
I'm missing.
I'm missing that, like theexternal drive, that or the
internal.
I'm missing that, like theexternal drive or the internal
drive that people feel and likethe self-motivation to like want
to do these things.
I just don't have that, or atleast I haven't found something
that makes me feel that way.
So I totally related to Halliein that way and I was really
(37:52):
satisfied with her ending, moreso than Julian's or them
combined, because I feel like itwas more realistic.
it was, uh, she didn't fixeverything, but she was on the
path of like moving on, likeyeah, like trying, and like, um,
like discovery, like she didn'tfinish the library garden but
she at least attempted to liketry to sketch out a plan and
(38:15):
then allowed herself the likegrace to change things or
whatever, and it was like but Ididn't like, though, how she
like had started theconversations with the librarian
and then like kind of went awolfor a little bit it's like if
you did.
Speaker 1 (38:28):
If you said you were committing to do this, then like
you should do it you got to doit.
Speaker 2 (38:31):
Yeah, that was my only thing there that I was like
that's true, like that I wasstarting to skim towards the end
, so I probably just didn't pickup on that part.
That's okay.
Um, yeah, I don't know, I I was.
I was pretty satisfied withyeah, I really did holly for the
win.
Go holly.
Back to julian, though.
Um, julian's structuredpersonality leads to some swoon
(38:54):
worthy moments.
Uh, do you find discipline androutine attractive in a love
interest or do you prefer morespontaneity?
Where were the swoon-worthymoments?
Do you find discipline androutine attractive in a love
interest or do you prefer morespontaneity?
Speaker 1 (39:02):
Where were the swoon-worthy moments?
I'm just kidding.
Speaker 2 (39:06):
Honestly, I think, for me at least was seeing him
when he was taking charge withthe kids at the winery.
He was like all right, we'regoing to get this all taken care
of.
Or when he just took charge allof a sudden're like thank you,
that's okay.
Speaker 1 (39:20):
That's kind of what my thought was is.
It's not necessarily likediscipline and routine, but it's
like the confidence and likethe decision making, because I'm
so like indecisive andchaotically brained.
It's nice when I don't have todecide something because it's
going to take me so long tofigure it out Like I don't know.
(39:41):
So I think the confidence andthen I do like a routine when it
includes me in it.
I get that when I'm involved inthe routine, but then the
spontaneity.
Like I also like adventure, butalso it can be a pre-planned
(40:01):
adventure.
Speaker 2 (40:02):
So I don't know, I think I'm easily satisfied it's
the effort yeah, literally I getthat, um, you know, I'm kind of
somewhere in between.
Um, uh, when I was younger Idefinitely would have preferred
like the discipline, routine thepart of it and like the
confidence kind of like you said, I guess, if really more in
that way, because I'm more likea Julian, so I already have the
(40:24):
structure.
That's kind of what I leanedtowards and like building it
with me or, like you said, likeopposite, it's not necessarily
the chaos in the brain.
Speaker 1 (40:32):
It's like the.
I have so many things that I'mtaking care of, so it's nice to
have somebody just take that offmy plate, but I am a particular
person so sometimes I havecontrol issues okay yes, I say
that and it's like thespontaneity, but I think I like
pre-planned spontaneity becauseit's like what are you doing?
Speaker 2 (40:48):
like I don't know if I want to do this, like but I
will say, ever since meetingjosh, he's much more spontaneous
and I we struggled a little bitin the beginning because you'd
throw me off all the time.
We like what do you mean?
We're dropping everything youwant to go to like disney right
now, like I have what.
I wasn't prepared, I didn'tplan, like it kind of would
throw me off.
But I think that's somethingthat I've grown a lot as a
person with, kind of like julian, yeah, to like accept a little
(41:12):
bit more that I'm not so set inmy routines, because it is good
to break out of that and nothave the same thing for lunch at
the same time every single dayand to like break that up a
little bit.
Speaker 1 (41:22):
Come over to my house for lunch, yeah.
Speaker 2 (41:25):
So he kind of helps with that and like finding ways
to be spontaneous withoutthrowing off my entire system
and throwing me into chaos aswell.
So it's kind of the balancebetween the two.
Speaker 1 (41:44):
Yeah, I like that.
That.
I think that's good.
Um, if you could send asecretly yours style love letter
to any fictional character.
Speaker 2 (41:49):
Who would it be?
Um rysan from amen.
Uh, that's the such a basicanswer but, he will forever be
rysan to me.
Uh, I'm sorry.
I know that I technically ampronouncing it wrong, but I
cannot bring myself to say reeseor reese, and it just makes me
think of reese's pieces.
And then a reese witherspoonthrows off the vibes for me, so
he is rising to me.
(42:10):
Um, and that man made me feelthings that no other fictional
man has ever made me feel beforesay it again for the people in
the back, if I were obsessedwith him.
He would be mine.
I would definitely write himsecret admirer letters.
Yeah, what about you?
Speaker 1 (42:26):
Well, yeah, I would definitely write him secret
admirer letters.
But in an effort to bedifferent, zayden Ryerson and
I'm not signing it secretly,yours, I am signing my name in
big, bold letters so he knowswho to find.
I love that.
I love that.
Please know, I'm saying thisbefore reading Onyx Storm, so
who knows how I'll feelafterwards.
Speaker 2 (42:47):
But yes, that's a good one.
I like that one All right.
So kind of wrapping this up alittle bit, would you read
another book by this author?
Speaker 1 (42:58):
So, even though I didn't love this book, I'm
actually listening on audiobookto the.
This is not like a duology, butthere's a spinoff.
This one is about Julian'ssister.
Speaker 2 (43:12):
I was waiting until later to suggest that, when you
said that you really liked her.
I think the second one's aboutthat, yeah so I'm listening to
it now.
Speaker 1 (43:20):
I'm still not like loving it.
I feel Like I liked a sistermore in the first book than now,
but I just was too lazy to lookfor like another romance author
, because I'm really big intoromance audiobooks.
But if you've listened to thepodcast for a while, you know
that my girls are Emily Henryand Abby Jimenez.
(43:41):
But I've finished those alreadyand the reason why I wanted to
read this book this month andwhy I picked it out as my
birthday month pick is because Iread somewhere that Tessa
Bailey was supposed to besimilar to Emily Henry and Abby
Haviness.
She is not, which that's okay.
But I'm just feeling a littlelazy and trying to do a search
again of another romance author.
(44:01):
So if you have recommendations,please leave them in a review
in the chat, dm us.
Please tell me.
I want to know.
Speaker 2 (44:09):
Looking for good ones .
Speaker 1 (44:10):
Yeah, but so long-winded.
Yes, I would read another onebecause I am Nice.
What about you?
Speaker 2 (44:16):
Never say never, but probably not.
I just these types of romances.
I don't want to say that I'mnot a fan of them, I'm just very
particular about them, and thisone was just not it for me.
So the only way I feel like Iwould is if she writes one that
becomes viral.
Everybody's obsessed.
(44:36):
You tell me it's phenomenal.
I have to try it.
Then I'll probably give itanother shot, but for now my
bias against cartoon coverromance is stance.
Speaker 1 (44:46):
I get that, I think for me I can definitely turn my
brain off to this and it's justlike nice to have noise in the
background sometimes.
So that's why, like audiobook,I think it's kind of working.
Speaker 2 (44:57):
But I definitely can appreciate because, like the
dreamland series, which I knowyou didn't like, yeah at least
not audio.
Speaker 1 (45:05):
Maybe I need to read that one, but I hated the audio.
I hate's a strong word.
I didn't hate, I just did notget on with the audio mail for
that.
It was so like, gravelly, like,like I can't even make my voice
.
Do the voice like?
Speaker 2 (45:25):
cringe.
Yeah, I can't do any audio, soI can't even I'll relate with
you there.
But at least I read the booksand those are very much just
like turn your brain off alphamale.
Speaker 1 (45:34):
Yeah, but also there's way to do that.
Speaker 2 (45:37):
That's like nice and I love them and recent are alpha
males, they just do better I'myeah so I'm not.
I'm not against romance books,but there's, I just have
standards, yeah this one didn'tmeet it, so um.
But what about your finalthoughts and star ratings?
Speaker 1 (45:55):
three stars um, for me it was too much smut, not
enough banter um, which, again,smut.
It's not that smut's bad, butthis just like.
It felt like there was morelust and more smut than story,
than story, and the story thatwe did have was like, paced,
weird.
So I feel like setting great,like put like the character
(46:20):
potential, great writing, not asgreat, you know yeah, I get
that yeah just kind of average,but I did.
I did like it.
Like I wasn't like, oh, I haveto finish this book.
I was like, oh, what's gonnahappen, you know?
Um, yeah, just kind of averagefor me.
Three, what about you?
Speaker 2 (46:37):
I did two stars for me just because it really wasn't
my cup of tea, but I didn'thate it, like.
I did find parts of it that Ienjoyed and I think it had a lot
more potential.
The elements were there that Iliked.
It was just too all over theplace to really nail it down and
so therefore it lost me toomuch going on.
(46:57):
Not enough direction, plus theinstant love was like a hard
pass, hard, hard pass.
Speaker 1 (47:02):
So two stars for me even though you are instant love
.
Speaker 2 (47:06):
I know the irony of it all right.
Oh, I'm such a hypocrite, no,no no, I'm the same way.
Speaker 1 (47:13):
We can both be hypocrites together.
Okay, but that was our FebruaryBook Talk book.
Speaker 2 (47:21):
Now on to our next book club book, which I'm very
excited for.
It's going to be the Women byKristen Hanna.
Speaker 1 (47:29):
Kristen Hanna.
Kristen Hanna, our girl Loveher.
I can't wait to ball.
Speaker 2 (47:35):
Hit me in my heart, stab me with a knife and twist
it.
Speaker 1 (47:39):
Kristen, I'm ready One of our friends, madison.
She told me that someonerecommended the Nightingale and
she was like, but I don't wantto cry and I was like you do.
She was like I don't think Ican read something without
romance and I was like there is.
I was like please read it.
But so, just to give you guys asneak peek, this is the summary
(48:01):
or the book description, thankyou, just to give you guys the
book description.
Here is the Women by KristenHanna.
Women can be heroes.
When 20-year-old nursingstudent Francis Frankie McGrath
hears these words, it is arevelation.
Raised in the sun-drenched,idyllic world of Southern
(48:21):
California and sheltered by herconservative parents, she has
always prided herself on doingthe right thing.
Sheltered by her conservativeparents, she has always prided
herself on doing the right thing.
But in 1965, the world ischanging and she suddenly dares
to imagine a different futurefor herself.
When her brother ships out toserve in Vietnam, she joins the
Army Nurse Corps and follows hispath.
(48:42):
As green and inexperienced asthe men sent to Vietnam to fight
, frankie is overwhelmed by thechaos and destruction of war.
Each day is a gamble of lifeand death, hope and betrayal.
Friendships run deep and can beshattered in an instant.
In war she meets and becomesone of the lucky, the brave, the
(49:03):
broken and the lost.
But war is just the beginning.
For Frankie and her veteranfriends, the real battle lies in
coming home to a changed anddivided America, to angry
protesters and to a country thatwants to forget Vietnam.
The Women is the story of onewoman gone to war, but it shines
(49:24):
a light on all women who putthemselves in harm's way and
whose sacrifice and commitmentto their country has too often
been forgotten.
A novel about deep friendshipsand bold patriotism, the Women
is a richly drawn story with amemorable heroine whose idealism
and courage under fire willcome to define an era.
Speaker 2 (49:45):
I already know this is going to hit me so hard in my
feels so hard I'm so ready isgoing to hit me so hard in my
feels so hard, I'm so ready, butI'm also scared.
Yeah, if you want to hear ourearly thoughts and opinions on
this book, join us on Fable atLazy Girl Library.
Come connect with us.
We'd love to get to know you,to talk with you about this book
(50:10):
early and react with us in livetime.
Yeah, let's connect, let's doit.
Um, if you don't join us onfable, you will have to wait for
our next book talk at the endof march yes, and keep up with
us for on lazy girl libraryinstagram and at
lazygirllibrarycom.
yes we really just want toconnect with all of you.
Um, seeing earlier, like, allof the engagement that we've
(50:30):
been getting as far as listensare concerned is crazy, and so
it's really cool to see that wehave so many international
listeners and we just reallywould love to get to know you
all and talk with you, and but Iunderstand, if you don't want
to, that's fine, because I'm asilent listener for a lot of
things too, but we appreciateyou being here.
Speaker 1 (50:49):
Nonetheless, we're so thankful for you and before we
wrap up all of our thanks andgratitude, we can't leave
without doing our borrows andreturns.
So let me know, michaela.
Speaker 2 (50:59):
All right.
Speaker 1 (51:00):
What are you returning?
Speaker 2 (51:02):
I feel weird starting this time.
Normally I'm always like Darbystars, actually, yeah that this
is different.
Speaker 1 (51:07):
This is bizarre.
Start us off all right.
Speaker 2 (51:09):
Um, I don't have anything really up.
I did finish car of all bystephanie garber.
That was a four star for me.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book.
I really appreciated the freshtake on a fantasy, um and I
don't know, it was just like itwas different and it was really
good.
It definitely like it had someof the ya shine through, I think
(51:29):
, towards the end.
I think the last part of itkind of got real rushed for me
and where I'm like there's somany plot twists I don't even
know where they'll look.
But it was definitely reallyintriguing and I'm really
excited to finish the series.
We'll see how far I get beforethe wedding, because that will
(51:50):
kind of hinder my reading alittle bit here my free time,
but I'm gonna try and um, yeah,so that was my only return and
I'm so glad you liked it thanksand thanks for the
recommendation.
Oh my gosh, you're welcome forborrows it's just the women.
By kristen hannah.
I'm ready to be hurt.
I'm ready to be hurt what areyou doing there?
Speaker 1 (52:07):
um, well, for my returns it's just just Secretly
Yours by Tessa Bailey.
So just finish that one Forborrows.
I'm reading I didn't write itdown, I'm reading, unfortunately
, yours by Tessa Bailey.
And then also I'm still workingthrough Red Rising by Pierce
Brown.
So I like started it at the endof January and then I like like
(52:27):
took a break to read the bookclub book because I just I
wasn't necessarily like in asci-fi headspace, but we're back
in it and it took me a secondto get into the world building
of Red Rising.
But now that we're here it'spretty good and it's it's
interesting.
I'm liking it.
So yeah, I'm.
I think I'm a little over 60%of the way through.
(52:50):
So I'm hoping to finish thatone soon, maybe by the end of
February.
I have a couple more days, butthose are my borrows.
Speaker 2 (52:56):
Nice, yeah, that one's on my list.
I've heard really good things.
I'm glad that it startedpicking up for you.
Speaker 1 (53:01):
Yeah, I had some mixed reviews, like I saw a lot
of people really liked it, butthen I had some people that were
very much like not fans.
So I'm feeling like in themiddle.
I don't know.
We'll see, I still have more togo, but that was this month's
(53:21):
book talk.
Like we said just a coupleseconds ago, we're so grateful
for you for listening, um,whether you silently listen,
whether you leave us messages orreviews, we're thankful for you
and just glad that you likehearing us talk, because I like
yapping I love yapping with you,darby, yay all right.
Well, we'll see you guys nexttime.
Bye, bye.
Well, dear listeners, we findourselves at the end of another
(53:48):
episode and remember, the LazyGirl Library is not just a
podcast.
It's a community.
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 Library.
Make sure to check out ourwebsite, lazygirllibrarycom your
(54:08):
one-stop shop for all thingsLazy Girl.
Before we go, we want to take amoment to thank all of our
wonderful listeners, whetheryou're listening from your cozy
bed, on your way to work oranywhere in between.
Thank you for making us a partof your day and for being a part
of our Lazy Girl family.
So keep those pages turning,keep those imaginations
flourishing and remember thebest stories are yet to be
(54:32):
discovered.
Until next time, stay lazy andhappy reading.
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):
Hello Darby.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Hi Mikayla.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Hi listeners, Welcome back to our February podcast
episode.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
I love it.
How's your February been?
Speaker 2 (00:43):
My February has been chaotic and hectic and all over
the place, but you know we'resurviving, we've made it through
.
It's the end of the month, newpage what?
Speaker 1 (00:52):
about you Definitely busy.
You said the other day likeyour mind's on Rainbow Road.
Yeah, so I've been feeling likeI've been taking some laps on
there too, but it's been fun.
I've been having fun on RainbowRoad while also like doing the
toad scream.
Do you know what I'm talkingabout?
The toad from Mario theHedgehog.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
So it's been fun, yeah for me at least, I feel
like I'm on Rainbow Road,playing the computer on like
expert mode, being hit by somany bananas and shells that
it's just insane.
So I am happy for this race tobe over.
Speaking of our weeks thoughlife check-in, let's say what
are your five star and one starsof the month, since we did miss
(01:37):
our first episode in february.
That was my fault because ofrainbow road.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
No, no you're so good .
You're so good, um, okay.
So my five star?
Okay, I'll start with this.
My five star was it was mybirthday month and, um, my
parents and justin and I we wentto montana for a birthday trip
which is like craziest birthdaytrip ever.
I felt so spoiled, like that'snot something normal for me or
(02:04):
for our family to like do like abig fun trip like that.
Um, cause we're we live on theEast coast for our listeners who
may not know, so that's justkind of a trek, but we got to go
snowboarding and stuff and thatthe snow was beautiful and it
was just so great and I got achance to like do some reading,
(02:24):
because this is a really busyseason for me at work, so, like
we've been saying Rainbow Road,we haven't had much time to have
any pit stops, so it was nice.
My one star I don't know whatmy one star is, which I guess is
a good thing.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
That is a good thing.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
I don't know.
Okay, actually, I know what myone star is, but it's like a
future one star.
I'm still going to say it.
My therapist is pregnant andthat's amazing, but she's going
to be gone during the time Ineed her most.
No, that's so sad, but I'msuper excited for her.
(03:03):
But I guess that's my one star.
But again, I mean, I'm feelingfine and I'll be fine, yeah.
But yeah, it's a bit of abummer for me, not for her.
She's bringing life into theworld, which is so exciting.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Exciting, but at the same time like no.
But my life will deteriorate.
Happy for you, sad for me, yeah, but that's me.
What about you?
My five stars?
On the positive note, mywedding shoes came in.
I've been obsessing over them,so gorgeous, thank you.
(03:39):
Yes, I've been.
I texted Darby when they camein and I just showed Darby when
she came over to record thispodcast, because I love them.
I'm obsessed.
They fit perfectly.
They're exactly what I waslooking for.
Obsessed.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
They're so elegant, feminine, detailed, just so, so
pretty.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
It's the details for me.
I'm such a details person as Italk about all the time, so it
is the little things on it thatI'm like oh, and versatile
Obsessed I talk about all thetime.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
So it is.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
It's the little things on it that I'm like, and
versatile obsessed,unfortunately we can't share
pictures out right now, butlater, come back in july, we'll
do a full wedding recap.
Yeah, um, yeah.
So that was that's definitelymy five star for the month.
My one star is really difficultbecause there's so many.
Where do I begin this month?
This is you took all my onestars.
I'm just kidding um oh gosh, ohno.
My one star for the month was my.
(04:34):
One of the shelves in my closetcollapsed in like early morning
hours in the middle of themonth, and the way that it fell
like jammed the door so I couldnot get into my closet at all,
like crazy.
It locked me out, and so I livein an apartment complex, and so
I had to put in like a workorder for them, but it took them
(04:56):
a few days to come in, and so Ididn't have a dresser.
I do so.
Luckily, I had access toclothes still, but it was like
shorts and t-shirts and likecomfy clothes.
Yes, um, I all my underwear isin my closet, though, so I had
to go buy new underwear, oh mygosh, um, and I couldn't access
any of my shoes.
Luckily I had a pair of likeslides, like in the living room,
so I at least had something.
(05:17):
But um, yeah, going to work wasnot an option that week, that's
so funny.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
But also maybe this is a five star because then it
just forces you to shop.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
I mean, that's true.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
Like woe is me, must buy new clothes.
I'm just kidding, that's hard.
Yeah, it was.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
It did turn into like a good thing, because then,
once they were finally able toopen my door, I had to pull
everything out, so it forced meinto early spring cleaning mode
to get rid of a bunch of stuff.
So now, like that's all takencare of, my closet is looking
much nicer than it started outwith.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
So positive end to the negative start, but yeah,
that was not a fun time no, thatdoes sound tough, but a closet
clean-out is so nice, it's soneeded until then.
Like a couple months lateryou're like where's that shirt?
And you're like, oh, I gave itaway.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
Yep yep, yep, and again, it's honestly one of
those that can go either way,because it's like on one hand,
you're, like I don't know,really sad or like body
conscious because like I don'tfit in these, and it makes you
really depressed, but at thesame time, there's something
really therapeutic about justlike getting rid of all the old,
especially because a lot ofthat stuff is like things that
I'm not even.
It's not really like my styleanymore anyway, so it leaves
(06:27):
room for like growth and likenew things that are like your
style now I agree, but then Inever replace it.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
That's what happens.
I don't replenish it like I'llget rid of stuff and slowly my
closet just keeps gettingsmaller.
But we'll get there yeah anyway, those were our five stars and
one stars Today.
In this episode we're going tobe talking about our thoughts on
the book Secretly Yours byTessa Bailey.
So this will be a nice booktalk.
(06:54):
We'll answer some bookclub-esque questions about the
book.
Give our final ratings.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
If you already, you already might know some of our
thoughts on this book if you'repart of our Fable book club.
If you're not, you shoulddefinitely join us.
Lazy Curl Library on Fable.
We just posted our new bookclub, book pick, so you'll get
to see that a little early ifyou're already on there.
If not, you'll find out at theend of the episode what it is.
(07:23):
Early if you're already onthere.
If not, you'll find out at theend of the episode what it is.
But it's such a cool time toget to like talk about the book
early and like see everybody'sthoughts as you're like reading
it in the different chapters andeverything.
Um, so definitely join us there.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
We'd love to connect yeah, that would be so fun.
And before we completely diveinto this romance book, let's
talk about our life romance.
In february, valentine's day,how did you celebrate with josh,
your fiance?
Speaker 2 (07:49):
josh, he's such a romantic too.
Uh, we actually, I say that,but we don't actually celebrate
valentine's day, but for goodreason.
Our anniversary is february 3rd, so it's kind of like too quick
a turnaround to try to do both.
So we just mutually agree Likea joint one or something.
We just do like a biganniversary kind of celebration.
(08:11):
So Valentine's Day we actuallydidn't do anything, but for our
anniversary we did a little ministaycation and we went to the
parks Disney parks oh cute.
We got a hotel on property, sothat way, living close by, we
were just constantly driving toit.
So it was nice to be able to,like you know, use the Disney
(08:33):
like transportation.
That's there.
We got to go drink around theworld together, which we haven't
done which is fun.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
What hotel did you stay at?
Speaker 2 (08:39):
The Swan.
Okay, that's a fun one.
It was nice and so we even ourroom got upgraded so we were
able to watch like the epcotfireworks from our balcony.
So it's just like a really nicefeeling, like room service and
everything.
It was a really really nicetime.
Oh, I love that yeah that's fun.
What about you?
Speaker 1 (08:58):
well, I was in montana, um, for valentine's day
, because justin also has itrough.
My birthday is two days afterValentine's Day.
So we were in Montana and itwas actually really sweet
because we like celebrated withmy parents, like it was like a
little double date kind of thing.
So we just kind of spent theday.
Justin and I spent the daysnowboarding.
(09:22):
I think Wait, was it on aFriday?
Okay, no, we weren daysnowboarding.
I think wait, was it on a wasValentine's.
Day, on a Friday okay, no, weweren't snowboarding.
So my parents and Justin and Iwe spent the day just looking at
some of the shops, so we justkind of perused some things.
My mom ended up like buying usthis cute like, um, like
traveling book type thing, orlike bucket list travel book
(09:44):
thing, which is nice.
Um, my dad bought a cowboy hat,which was funny oh my gosh, it's
so fun he's not necessarily acowboy kind of guy, um, and yeah
, so we just like hung out, didsome shopping, had some light
bites and then for dinner, my, Iwanted to cook for my parents
(10:04):
to thank them, but they ended upcooking dinner for Valentine's
Day, so we had like potatoes,broccoli and steak, but it was
funny because the grill wasunder snow so we couldn't grill
the steaks and for some reasonmy parents wanted to like broil
the steaks.
They were not great, um, butthey tried, so it was so cute.
(10:30):
I I actually kind of enjoyedthe steaks, which I shouldn't
have because they were not goodsteaks, um, but it was just
really funny and really sweet,because as you get older you
don't get to spend a lot ofthose like times with your
parents, and I don't know aboutyou, but my parents were always
like, growing up, they would getme valentines and they'd be my
valentine, and so it's justsweet and cute they made me a
(10:52):
card and I made them a card andyeah, I liked it.
That's so cute yeah, um, andthen we have some lightning
round valentine's Day questions,so you guys can comment on this
podcast or message us onInstagram and let us know your
thoughts on which you prefer onthese Valentine's Day lightning
(11:14):
rounds, starting with chocolateor flowers so tough.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
I'm going chocolate.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
I'm going to go flowers.
There's no wrong answer nowrong answer, but I think I'm
going flowers because, like, Ican buy myself chocolate anytime
, but like when a boy brings youflowers, it's just like oh see,
I'm the opposite, in the way oflike I can get flowers anytime,
but like, specifically like thevalentine's chocolates yeah,
you can only get aroundValentine's Day.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
That's true, that's true, so All right.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
Love at first sight or slow burn?
This is definitely not love atfirst sight, but I like
infatuation, like they need to,like catch my eye.
But I think if you're going offof Justin and I, that was a
slow burn.
If you're going off of Justinand I, that was a slow burn?
Speaker 2 (12:04):
No For me.
Ironically, josh and I we'relike a love at first sight, yeah
, but I much prefer reading aslow burn.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
Yeah, reading definitely slow burn.
Yeah, yeah, okay Handwrittenlove letter or mixtape slash
playlist.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
Both of these are phenomenal options, but I
think'm gonna go with playlistokay, because I feel like, at
least for me, when you'resomebody like provides you a
playlist, you get to likelistening to the song because
like wow, they were thinkingabout me whenever they hear this
song or like I don't know, it'slike the thought of like
putting it all together.
I do love a handwritten note,because then you get to hear
people's thoughts but somethingabout just like the playlist and
(12:49):
like the thought behind everypick that they have to put
together for you and now youknow like anytime you hear that
song or they hear that song,they're thinking of you.
Yeah, I love that that's cute.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
I feel like in theory , like for me the playlist is
like oh, that's cool, but I muchprefer like a love letter,
because for me the playlist islike they were thinking about me
, but like what part of the songmade them think about me?
Where it's like a handwrittenlove letters.
They're telling me exactly howthey feel and Justin's not like
a super vocal person, but hewrites these sweetest love
(13:19):
letters and I'm like I didn'teven know.
you felt this way.
They're's so cute, they're soperfect, so I'm going
handwritten love letter all day.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
Aw, love that.
Enemies to lovers, friends tolovers or second chance romance.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
Okay, In real life friends to lovers.
In book world I'll rank them.
So enemies to lovers is first,then friends to lovers and then
second chance romance isn't evenon the list.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
I cannot stand a second chance romance exact same
for both real life and books.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
Uh, same, yeah, no notes okay, what fictional
setting would be the mostromantic place to spend
valentine's day?
Speaker 2 (14:00):
um valorous, specifically starfall that's.
That would be like up on thebalcony when they're all the
stars and like the shootingstars going by.
Yes, that would be mine I haveno idea, honestly.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
A ball, any fictional ball, that like not a thing,
especially in the US, like ballsare not a thing.
There are galas, those I knowvery well.
But, it's not even the same.
Balls are so different, youknow so.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
That pops up on my TikTok occasionally, of like
cotillions or things like that,or like other countries that
have like actual balls, I'm like, wow, what a world.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
I would balls like, wow, what a world I would love.
Crazy.
Okay, on our bucket list a lazygirl library bucket list.
Go to a ball together aninternational ball.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
Oh my gosh, yeah, let's do it.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
Let's do it, live out my bridgerton dreams yes, okay,
but let's go into um anotherromance holly and julian's
romance reading recap time.
Let's get to it all right, sotake it away real quick, just so
for our listeners.
Speaker 2 (15:13):
Our reading recap is where we go through the entire
book, just like main plot points, very high level summary.
So that way, if you haven'tread the book but you still want
to listen to the podcast, youhave an idea of what we're
talking about.
But it does contain spoilers.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
Warning book spoilers ahead.
Please head to the descriptionand show notes to find where to
skip to.
You have been warned.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
Let's get into it.
Hallie Welch, a spirited andsomewhat chaotic gardener in
Napa Valley, has harbored acrush on Julian Voss since they
were teenagers.
At 14, she experienced analmost kiss with Julian in the
vineyards of his family's winery, a moment that left a lasting
impression.
Speaker 1 (15:57):
Years later, julian returns to his family's estate
on a sabbatical from hisposition as a Stanford professor
.
His goal is to write a noveladhering to his meticulously
structured routine to manage hisanxiety and maintain control
over his life.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Fate intertwines their paths when Hallie is hired
to revamp the gardens on theVoss estate.
Her free-spirited andspontaneous nature contrasts
sharply with Julian'sdisciplined lifestyle.
Despite differences, anundeniable attraction simmers
between them.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
And then, on one evening after indulging in wine,
hallie impulsively pens as ananonymous love letter to Julian,
signing it as secretly yours.
She slips the letter onto atree stump along his running
path, not anticipating theimpact it would have.
And in fact the first lettershe was like, pretty drunk so
she didn't even remembercompleting it.
(16:50):
And Julian, on the other hand,is both intrigued and unsettled
by the mysterious note leadinghim to ponder the identity of
his secret admirer.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
He's also feeling conflicted because he has such
strong feelings for Hallie, buthe's still curious about the
secret admirer.
As Hallie continues her work onthe estate, she and Julian
engage in a series ofinteractions that oscillate
between tension and flirtation.
Julian finds himself drawn toHallie's vibrant energy, which
(17:20):
begins to disrupt his carefullymaintained order.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
Meanwhile, hallie is grappling with her lingering
feelings for Julian, as well asthe fear of revealing her
identity as the letter's author.
Her internal conflictintensifies as their connection
deepens and she worries aboutthe potential repercussions of
her confession.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
Julian's curiosity about his secret admirer grows
and he starts to see beyondHallie's chaotic exterior,
recognizing the depth of hercharacter.
Their relationship evolves,leading to moments of
vulnerability and passion.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
However, the truth about the letters eventually
surfaces, leading tomisunderstandings and emotional
turmoil.
Both Hallie and Julian mustconfront their insecurities and
past traumas to find commonground.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
In the end, they acknowledge their love for each
other, embracing the blend oforder and spontaneity that
defines their relationship.
Together, they embark on ajourney of mutual growth,
understanding and acceptance.
The end, and they lived happilyever after K-I-S-S-I-N-G.
Speaker 1 (18:27):
What were your initial thoughts, Mike?
Speaker 2 (18:30):
Well, I'd say the book met my expectations going
into it.
But my expectations were thatit was going to be mid I knew
you had those expectations goinginto it.
I've talked about this many atimes.
I am a person that judges abook by its cover, and I avoid
any romance or any kind of bookthat has like the cartoon people
(18:53):
covers.
Um, I'm sure there are a lot ofgreat ones out there that I'm
missing out on.
This one has yet to prove mewrong, though.
Um it the author I felt likejust had like a lot of ideas and
and like had a hard timeconnecting them all, which made
the story kind of fall flat forme.
I can totally agree with that,yeah uh, and it was somehow like
(19:15):
extremely rushed but alsopainstakingly slow at the same
time I can also really agreewith that I like, I really
enjoyed the concept of it.
I just wish that it was morelike fine-tuned and like had
more of a clear direction.
I feel, yeah, what about you?
Speaker 1 (19:31):
I feel pretty similarly to you.
It was just an average romancebook, but I think I liked it,
probably a little more than youdid.
I definitely didn't love it,but I think I was able to go
into it with kind of like a I'mturning my brain off type of
book, um.
So it's not like I wasexpecting to feel like deep
(19:51):
emotions, um, but there weredefinitely places like concepts
that didn't need to be in thisbook or themes that just were
too exaggerated for my liking.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
Um, it's just like too much and that shouldn't
really get to like dive into anyof the specifics that you would
have wanted but it wasn't likethat.
Speaker 1 (20:17):
No, I don't think it was bad, because we have read
some books on here that Ifinished this one and that says
a lot what was your favoritepart?
Speaker 2 (20:28):
um, I really enjoyed hallie in this book, which
surprised me because normallylike the female main character
fmc so annoying, absolutelyespecially, and I always prefer
like the males pov to thefemales point of view.
Um, but in this bookspecifically it was reversed for
me.
I really enjoyed hallie, Ifound her really relatable and I
enjoyed the writing more forher and from her perspective
(20:50):
than I did for julian.
Um, and I especially loved thebeginning like third of the book
, when we're really exploringher crush for julian before like
really diving deeper into thatkind of relationship, because it
gave me very like nostalgic,like high school vibes like,
like setting up the town tooyeah, I don't know, it was just
like it was really cutesy andlike kind of made me feel like
(21:10):
girly, giggly kind of.
Yeah, I liked that part.
What about you?
Speaker 1 (21:15):
um, I definitely liked hallie as a character and
her personality.
I feel the same way as you.
The setting and the small townfeel made me feel good.
I am from like a small town andthere really is just like
something different about it,yeah, and so just reading about
that was like cute and I justfelt like, oh, like the lady who
(21:39):
owned the winery.
I just like felt for her and Iwas like I want to be her friend
, I will go there.
Like why aren't more peoplegoing?
It was cute.
And then I also really likedNatalie for some reason,
julian's sister.
I feel like she was the mostnormal and real.
We didn't hear her innermonologue, but she just felt
(22:05):
kind of like what?
Like you know what is happeninghere.
Speaker 2 (22:09):
The voice of reason, kind of yes, yes.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
So I really liked her a lot.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
Yeah, she was cool too.
What about a least favoritepart?
What didn't you like?
Speaker 1 (22:18):
school too.
What about a least favoritepart?
What didn't you like, um, Ithink, the fact that their
relationship felt more like lustthan actual feelings.
For me, so, it was very muchlike julian didn't remember her
yet was in love with her yep,totally, um, so it just felt
more like lust and infatuationthan actually like what was
(22:38):
happening, because the feelingsand like actual discussions they
were having was with a secretadmirer, which was her.
He was connecting, like on thatlevel, but then, like when they
were in person, it wasn't likethat.
Yeah, and then one of my notesis what you kind of already said
is that the writing felt rushedand slow at the same time.
So, just the pacing of it wasstrange to me.
Speaker 2 (23:01):
Very.
What about you?
What are your thoughts?
So I started writing out mythoughts and I realized I was
being specific, but I think myleast favorite part was just
Julian.
Yeah, to be honest, it was verylike instant love vibe from his
POV.
Oh my gosh like instant lovevibe from his pov oh my gosh.
So instant love like and I?
That is a trope I run from.
(23:22):
I can't stand an instant lovebecause it's like, like, if you
think about it in real life, aninstant love is creepy, I wish I
could say the same, but like,oh, having experienced that, I'm
like I get it, so I can't evensay it's unrealistic, but it is
unrealistic at the same time.
Speaker 1 (23:37):
I don't know, but I'm talking about like you can have
an instant, like let merephrase like like I went on one
date with a guy in college andlater that day he was texting me
, was like I feel like I cantell you anything.
You remind me of the sun andI'm like too much too fast.
Like that to me, I'm like no,like that's, that's too much.
(23:58):
Like I'm not that cool youdon't know me that well like
what I feel like no opposite.
No, that's good.
You're totally valid.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
There's someone out there for that guy like you know
you are absolutely, totallyvalid and I have all those
feelings up until I met Josh.
And then Josh just kind of like, changed my perspective on that
and our relationship.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
So you guys were instant like when did you know
you were going to marry him?
Speaker 2 (24:20):
First date.
I have the text to prove what.
Speaker 1 (24:24):
Okay, that's crazy.
Speaker 2 (24:25):
So that's what I'm saying it's like as much as like
I like with every fiber of mybeing.
I believe and understandtotally wholeheartedly what
you're saying and like I hatereading it.
I also feel like a hypocritesaying that because I can't say
it's unrealistic, because it wasrealistic for me.
So if I take myself out of thatsituation though like I 100%,
completely agree and I can'tread about it, it did feel very
(24:46):
like unrealistic.
Speaker 1 (24:47):
It was just weird, and it was the lust part of it.
It wasn't just instant love,but instant lust.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
And like this all of a sudden.
I didn't like the way that theauthor portrayed him wanting to
make hallie happy, because itwas like an instant, like I have
to see her smile.
She has to be happy all thetime and there's a way to do it.
That's like more romantic andless creepy and less creepy.
But the way that it was writtenwas very it kind of like took
away the depth of hallie andbeing hallie being such a good
character in this book for me.
I think that it kind of fromtook away the depth of Hallie
and being Hallie being such agood character in this book for
me.
I think that it kind of fromJulian's perspective, it made
(25:23):
her seem very flat, yeah, orlike he was viewing her very
flat, which wasn't fair.
I was like kind of like Halliedeserves better than to be just
like happy all the time, likeshe has, you know, depth to her
um.
So I didn't like that um, and Ijust felt like there was like a
better way to like write it, um.
And I also did not understand,nor like the big gesture at the
(25:47):
end that he did like the bigromantic gesture to like, yeah,
make her feel better whereeverybody's wearing all the
crazy necklaces, because that'swhat hallie does and he's like
plant these flowers anywhere inthe vineyard that you want.
I'm'm like no, that's weird, Idon't like that.
That came out of nowhere, itdoesn't even make sense.
Yeah, like no.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
And also like you have things to talk about.
Like you guys haven't talked intwo weeks.
It was bizarre.
Like you're just going topretend like you guys aren't in
an awkward like haven't talked.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
Well, and your big romantic gesture was to bring
half the town.
Speaker 1 (26:20):
So your big romantic gesture no way and you could
bring like the important peoplefrom the town but like her guy
friend that like likes her wasso strange, bizarre Didn't like
it.
Speaker 2 (26:33):
So, all to say, I don't think I cared for Julian
all that much.
Speaker 1 (26:38):
That's funny um julian and hallie have wildly
different personalitiesstructured versus chaotic.
Which one do you relate more?
Speaker 2 (26:47):
oh well, I didn't like julian, but I am julian I
think you're a toned downversion.
I don't think you are as crazyas julian I definitely like as
much as I could relate to somethings with Hallie, like I think
I've related more to Hallie andhow she was feeling versus like
who she is and her chaoticpersonality.
Yeah, I definitely related moreto Julian in that aspect and
(27:11):
his need for structure to helplike control the chaos of his
mind.
I'm very much that type ofperson.
Yes, so shocker to everybody,that would be me.
What about you?
Speaker 1 (27:22):
I guess another shocker.
I definitely lean more chaoticand I have thought this before
and big knock on wood right now.
But I always say I am not aprime suspect for serial killers
because I'm never doing thesame thing, like I don't have a
routine, like I could go run ona route on a trail and never run
(27:45):
it again.
Or if I do do something likethat I like to go do again.
It is not like weekly or daily,because that just can't things
come up like it's just not gonnahappen for daily, because that
just can't things come up Likeit's just not going to happen
for me.
So that makes me feel good andsafer in life because I'm like I
don't even know what'shappening next.
(28:05):
So it would be hard for otherpeople to track me.
Speaker 2 (28:08):
That is good.
Speaker 1 (28:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
I can't, I'm the opposite.
Yeah, you could find me on thesame thing, same place for lunch
, same order, same time no,every day different orders for
me too.
Speaker 1 (28:20):
So, like chick-fil-a, I get something different
almost every time from there.
Just yeah, I've had a lot ofthe menu it depends on the
restaurant.
Speaker 2 (28:26):
Like I am like when I go to starbucks, I get
something.
It's completely dependent on mymood, versus like if I'm going
to my typical lunch spot forwork, I get the exact same thing
every single time yeah, I getfor me.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
If it's like a sit-down restaurant, I'm
normally getting like the samething.
Like chewy's, like I'm gonnaget the same soft tacos every
time.
But like chipotle, like I'llchange up the rice, I'll change
up the meat, like I won't addsome of the toppings.
Sometimes I'll do all thetoppings interesting.
Yeah, so that one's more like amood thing yeah, depends, I
(28:57):
think, for me, but most of thetime same place, same time I,
the only time that I'm like Ireally like structure is when
I'm doing something for someoneelse so that I can have
expectations.
That way I can like meet andexceed them, um, and obviously
like in work, like having thatstructure.
(29:18):
But then the chaotic side of meneeds like the autonomy of like
, okay, like now let me get itdone, like the way that I like
can do it.
Um, I think is how I relate tostructure, and then also I used
to not be as well, but I'vereally been using google
calendar and our girl shel she'sa structured girl, that's our
(29:39):
friend, she's crazy on GoogleCalendar in a good way.
But I've been starting to dipmy toes into Google Calendar and
just putting dates out there sothat I because I often am a
double booker, because I'm like,yeah, no, I'm not doing
anything, I'm like, oh, I'mdoing something, and so that has
been helping me too.
That's good To be a little lesschaotic in life.
Yeah, I am definitely not onshelby's level um she's like
(30:02):
color-coded and when we say, thewhole month is booked up, like
every day is every day she hasit like hour by hour and I can't
I do day by day.
Speaker 2 (30:12):
I do say like I will.
I have, I love google calendar,but I use it very like
rudimentary.
I do have it kind ofcolor-coded, so like if I have,
like I have friends' birthdaysas like a certain color, and
then I have like my things acertain color, josh's things a
certain color and things we'redoing together a certain color.
But I don't use it as like adaily planner.
(30:32):
If that makes sense it's more oflike a check-in, so I don't
double book and like I can seethe bigger picture of like
what's going on in a month.
So when people are asking tohang out I can know like, oh,
I'm actually going to be gonethat weekend or I already have
something or I'm free, like thatkind of thing.
Speaker 1 (30:46):
Yeah, no, I'm not using it every day, but it's
more just like the days.
Yeah, and Justin's and mine areconnected, and so sometimes I
think it pulls it from like yourGmail too, like when you get
like an appointment notification, and that's really nice because
Justin's not putting anythingin there yet I'll know, like,
when things are happening,because he's going to tell me
like the day before and I'm like, no, I know already.
(31:08):
I saw it on the calendar, sothat's good.
Anxiety plays a big role inJulian's character arc.
How did you feel about the waythat tessa bailey handled his
mental health journey?
Again, I thought it was kind ofmid.
Speaker 2 (31:22):
I appreciated the effort.
I think that she thought sheslayed this and I appreciate the
way that she tried to tackle itand I think that she was almost
there.
She could have handled itbetter, um, but I don't think
that she was trying to be like Iknow.
I know that this book and likethe few goodreads things that I
(31:43):
saw like got a lot of hate andhow she handled it, and I don't
think that it was that horrible,because I think I think the key
word is that I knew, notice theeffort, yeah, I feel like,
instead of just being likethrowing it in there, throw in
there, um, uh, but like,especially like the way she
wrote about julian's likeanxiety attacks and how you
(32:05):
don't have to deal with themalone.
I can appreciate, but themessaging just fell flat because
it came across more like, um,you know, we can do anything
with, you know, like the powerof like the people that love us,
and like anxiety just like goesaway at that point which is not
not the case, yeah, so that'swhere it kind of like yeah, for
(32:26):
me what about?
Speaker 1 (32:27):
you um, well, I couldn't really like relate to
it, so it was just hard toalmost like judge it because it
just felt for me like tooextreme.
And again, I don't know ifthat's because I've been like
lucky to not have like aterrible amount of anxiety or
(32:47):
like panic.
I don't know if I've ever had apanic attack like a bat, like
I've definitely panicked beforeand I definitely haven't like
have had anxiety, but I don'tthink I've ever had like attacks
of it right um.
So it was just kind of hard torelate to the character um, but
I do think it was just like yousaid, there was effort there.
(33:11):
It could have been done better.
Speaker 2 (33:13):
Yeah, because I think , like for me with like the
panic attacks like it wasn't himtalking about it, because I do
think that they can.
Like the panic attacks like itwasn't him talking about it,
because I do think that theycan't be serious the way that he
was talking but then all of asudden to have like the grand
reveal at the end of it, beinglike he only has panic attacks
when the people he loves are indanger, like that part made it
so unserious from like what itactually could have been serious
(33:34):
.
I think that's where peoplehave a hard time and that, yeah,
that that was the problem I hadwith it.
Speaker 1 (33:38):
I think and because if it was something so extreme,
as like locking yourself in yourroom for two weeks, like to
then say it's because of thosepeople, exactly, that's, yeah,
that's when it feels like kindof disingenuous, hurtful for
them the people, because I, Ihave plenty of friends and
family members who definitelystruggle with anxiety, and so it
(34:01):
can.
It can be serious for sure, butI don't know, it's hard because
it's like a fictional book, soit's like she doesn't have to
like.
This isn't a mental health book, um, but if you're gonna make
that one of the big topics, it'sgotta be kind of realistic yeah
, no, I.
Speaker 2 (34:17):
I agree she probably should have done a little bit
more research on how to bettertackle that, but I do appreciate
at least her talking about ittotally instead of like I don't
know, skimming over it or justkind of like half fasting it in
a way.
Yeah, yeah, um.
But switching over to hallie,she struggles with feeling
directionalist in this book.
(34:37):
Um, do you think her characterarc had a satisfying resolution?
Speaker 1 (34:42):
Okay, I totally related to Hallie a lot more.
I fun fact in like ninth grade,what was it?
It wasn't Reddit, but it wassome sort of like Discord place
to like put questions and stuff.
And in ninth grade I wrote onthere and I was like I'm 14, I
don't know my purpose and Idon't know what I'm supposed to
(35:04):
do and everyone knows what theywant to do for a job and I have
no idea what I want to do for ajob.
And then all these like 30 yearold women are like what, which?
I'm almost a 30 year old woman,so saying that was really weird
but at the time, all these likemillennials and, um, older
people were like it doesn't youdon't need to know right now,
but so I can definitely relateto like the directionless, like
(35:26):
not knowing what I'm supposed todo or what's best, um, so again
, they're kind of like oppositespectrums, like I feel like
tessa bailey like handled hers alot better absolutely um, and
it was like satisfactory.
I was satisfied with how she didit, but I do think it like tied
(35:47):
up pretty quick.
I feel like the ending again itwas like long but rushed at the
same time.
So, and also it just felt likethere were a lot of like mini
conflicts or themes, and so it'slike Hallie was tied to her
grandmother and had this weirdthing with her mom, but she's
(36:08):
also tied to the store owner,but that's because of the
grandma.
And then she's tied to thelibrary, but that's because of
the grandma, but somehow thegrandma's not coming through
with all of this.
It's all the other things thatare feeling like the heaviness.
And then she's the secretadmirer letters weighing on her
and it just was like, well, yeah, you're going in so many
directions.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
She has a chaotic life, but then she's trying to
find structure.
But she can't do that withouther grandma.
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (36:33):
So I don't know.
Speaker 2 (36:40):
It was like good, but I get that.
I had the same thoughts.
Um, yeah, I totally related tohow, in her direction, I was
feeling.
I feel like we talked aboutthis all the time too.
We joke about like we were notmeant to be corporate girlies,
we were meant to be stay-at-homemoms, I meant to be a trophy
wife, like absolutely, there'syeah, no, I'm gonna be a trophy
wife, um, but I think like, onthe serious note of that, I
think it plays into.
It's such a trend for peoplelike Girlboss and like having
that direction of like if it'snot what you're doing for work,
(37:04):
then it's like a side hustle oreven like a passion project of
some sorts that I just can'trelate to.
I don't have that which can thenleave you feeling like stranded
in the middle of the ocean?
Yeah, and like what am I doing,which can then leave you
feeling like stranded in themiddle of the ocean?
Yeah, um, and like what am Idoing?
Speaker 1 (37:19):
which even like this podcast for sure passion project
, we did one episode this eventhen it's like I don't, I can't
do it it's very, yeah, it's like.
Speaker 2 (37:30):
It's like I'm missing .
It's not even like the passion,it's the drive I feel like that
I'm missing.
I'm missing that, like theexternal drive, that or the
internal.
I'm missing that, like theexternal drive or the internal
drive that people feel and likethe self-motivation to like want
to do these things.
I just don't have that, or atleast I haven't found something
that makes me feel that way.
So I totally related to Halliein that way and I was really
(37:52):
satisfied with her ending, moreso than Julian's or them
combined, because I feel like itwas more realistic.
it was, uh, she didn't fixeverything, but she was on the
path of like moving on, likeyeah, like trying, and like, um,
like discovery, like she didn'tfinish the library garden but
she at least attempted to liketry to sketch out a plan and
(38:15):
then allowed herself the likegrace to change things or
whatever, and it was like but Ididn't like, though, how she
like had started theconversations with the librarian
and then like kind of went awolfor a little bit it's like if
you did.
Speaker 1 (38:28):
If you said you were committing to do this, then like
you should do it you got to doit.
Speaker 2 (38:31):
Yeah, that was my only thing there that I was like
that's true, like that I wasstarting to skim towards the end
, so I probably just didn't pickup on that part.
That's okay.
Um, yeah, I don't know, I I was.
I was pretty satisfied withyeah, I really did holly for the
win.
Go holly.
Back to julian, though.
Um, julian's structuredpersonality leads to some swoon
(38:54):
worthy moments.
Uh, do you find discipline androutine attractive in a love
interest or do you prefer morespontaneity?
Where were the swoon-worthymoments?
Do you find discipline androutine attractive in a love
interest or do you prefer morespontaneity?
Speaker 1 (39:02):
Where were the swoon-worthy moments?
I'm just kidding.
Speaker 2 (39:06):
Honestly, I think, for me at least was seeing him
when he was taking charge withthe kids at the winery.
He was like all right, we'regoing to get this all taken care
of.
Or when he just took charge allof a sudden're like thank you,
that's okay.
Speaker 1 (39:20):
That's kind of what my thought was is.
It's not necessarily likediscipline and routine, but it's
like the confidence and likethe decision making, because I'm
so like indecisive andchaotically brained.
It's nice when I don't have todecide something because it's
going to take me so long tofigure it out Like I don't know.
(39:41):
So I think the confidence andthen I do like a routine when it
includes me in it.
I get that when I'm involved inthe routine, but then the
spontaneity.
Like I also like adventure, butalso it can be a pre-planned
(40:01):
adventure.
Speaker 2 (40:02):
So I don't know, I think I'm easily satisfied it's
the effort yeah, literally I getthat, um, you know, I'm kind of
somewhere in between.
Um, uh, when I was younger Idefinitely would have preferred
like the discipline, routine thepart of it and like the
confidence kind of like you said, I guess, if really more in
that way, because I'm more likea Julian, so I already have the
(40:24):
structure.
That's kind of what I leanedtowards and like building it
with me or, like you said, likeopposite, it's not necessarily
the chaos in the brain.
Speaker 1 (40:32):
It's like the.
I have so many things that I'mtaking care of, so it's nice to
have somebody just take that offmy plate, but I am a particular
person so sometimes I havecontrol issues okay yes, I say
that and it's like thespontaneity, but I think I like
pre-planned spontaneity becauseit's like what are you doing?
Speaker 2 (40:48):
like I don't know if I want to do this, like but I
will say, ever since meetingjosh, he's much more spontaneous
and I we struggled a little bitin the beginning because you'd
throw me off all the time.
We like what do you mean?
We're dropping everything youwant to go to like disney right
now, like I have what.
I wasn't prepared, I didn'tplan, like it kind of would
throw me off.
But I think that's somethingthat I've grown a lot as a
person with, kind of like julian, yeah, to like accept a little
(41:12):
bit more that I'm not so set inmy routines, because it is good
to break out of that and nothave the same thing for lunch at
the same time every single dayand to like break that up a
little bit.
Speaker 1 (41:22):
Come over to my house for lunch, yeah.
Speaker 2 (41:25):
So he kind of helps with that and like finding ways
to be spontaneous withoutthrowing off my entire system
and throwing me into chaos aswell.
So it's kind of the balancebetween the two.
Speaker 1 (41:44):
Yeah, I like that.
That.
I think that's good.
Um, if you could send asecretly yours style love letter
to any fictional character.
Speaker 2 (41:49):
Who would it be?
Um rysan from amen.
Uh, that's the such a basicanswer but, he will forever be
rysan to me.
Uh, I'm sorry.
I know that I technically ampronouncing it wrong, but I
cannot bring myself to say reeseor reese, and it just makes me
think of reese's pieces.
And then a reese witherspoonthrows off the vibes for me, so
he is rising to me.
(42:10):
Um, and that man made me feelthings that no other fictional
man has ever made me feel beforesay it again for the people in
the back, if I were obsessedwith him.
He would be mine.
I would definitely write himsecret admirer letters.
Yeah, what about you?
Speaker 1 (42:26):
Well, yeah, I would definitely write him secret
admirer letters.
But in an effort to bedifferent, zayden Ryerson and
I'm not signing it secretly,yours, I am signing my name in
big, bold letters so he knowswho to find.
I love that.
I love that.
Please know, I'm saying thisbefore reading Onyx Storm, so
who knows how I'll feelafterwards.
Speaker 2 (42:47):
But yes, that's a good one.
I like that one All right.
So kind of wrapping this up alittle bit, would you read
another book by this author?
Speaker 1 (42:58):
So, even though I didn't love this book, I'm
actually listening on audiobookto the.
This is not like a duology, butthere's a spinoff.
This one is about Julian'ssister.
Speaker 2 (43:12):
I was waiting until later to suggest that, when you
said that you really liked her.
I think the second one's aboutthat, yeah so I'm listening to
it now.
Speaker 1 (43:20):
I'm still not like loving it.
I feel Like I liked a sistermore in the first book than now,
but I just was too lazy to lookfor like another romance author
, because I'm really big intoromance audiobooks.
But if you've listened to thepodcast for a while, you know
that my girls are Emily Henryand Abby Jimenez.
(43:41):
But I've finished those alreadyand the reason why I wanted to
read this book this month andwhy I picked it out as my
birthday month pick is because Iread somewhere that Tessa
Bailey was supposed to besimilar to Emily Henry and Abby
Haviness.
She is not, which that's okay.
But I'm just feeling a littlelazy and trying to do a search
again of another romance author.
(44:01):
So if you have recommendations,please leave them in a review
in the chat, dm us.
Please tell me.
I want to know.
Speaker 2 (44:09):
Looking for good ones .
Speaker 1 (44:10):
Yeah, but so long-winded.
Yes, I would read another onebecause I am Nice.
What about you?
Speaker 2 (44:16):
Never say never, but probably not.
I just these types of romances.
I don't want to say that I'mnot a fan of them, I'm just very
particular about them, and thisone was just not it for me.
So the only way I feel like Iwould is if she writes one that
becomes viral.
Everybody's obsessed.
(44:36):
You tell me it's phenomenal.
I have to try it.
Then I'll probably give itanother shot, but for now my
bias against cartoon coverromance is stance.
Speaker 1 (44:46):
I get that, I think for me I can definitely turn my
brain off to this and it's justlike nice to have noise in the
background sometimes.
So that's why, like audiobook,I think it's kind of working.
Speaker 2 (44:57):
But I definitely can appreciate because, like the
dreamland series, which I knowyou didn't like, yeah at least
not audio.
Speaker 1 (45:05):
Maybe I need to read that one, but I hated the audio.
I hate's a strong word.
I didn't hate, I just did notget on with the audio mail for
that.
It was so like, gravelly, like,like I can't even make my voice
.
Do the voice like?
Speaker 2 (45:25):
cringe.
Yeah, I can't do any audio, soI can't even I'll relate with
you there.
But at least I read the booksand those are very much just
like turn your brain off alphamale.
Speaker 1 (45:34):
Yeah, but also there's way to do that.
Speaker 2 (45:37):
That's like nice and I love them and recent are alpha
males, they just do better I'myeah so I'm not.
I'm not against romance books,but there's, I just have
standards, yeah this one didn'tmeet it, so um.
But what about your finalthoughts and star ratings?
Speaker 1 (45:55):
three stars um, for me it was too much smut, not
enough banter um, which, again,smut.
It's not that smut's bad, butthis just like.
It felt like there was morelust and more smut than story,
than story, and the story thatwe did have was like, paced,
weird.
So I feel like setting great,like put like the character
(46:20):
potential, great writing, not asgreat, you know yeah, I get
that yeah just kind of average,but I did.
I did like it.
Like I wasn't like, oh, I haveto finish this book.
I was like, oh, what's gonnahappen, you know?
Um, yeah, just kind of averagefor me.
Three, what about you?
Speaker 2 (46:37):
I did two stars for me just because it really wasn't
my cup of tea, but I didn'thate it, like.
I did find parts of it that Ienjoyed and I think it had a lot
more potential.
The elements were there that Iliked.
It was just too all over theplace to really nail it down and
so therefore it lost me toomuch going on.
(46:57):
Not enough direction, plus theinstant love was like a hard
pass, hard, hard pass.
Speaker 1 (47:02):
So two stars for me even though you are instant love
.
Speaker 2 (47:06):
I know the irony of it all right.
Oh, I'm such a hypocrite, no,no no, I'm the same way.
Speaker 1 (47:13):
We can both be hypocrites together.
Okay, but that was our FebruaryBook Talk book.
Speaker 2 (47:21):
Now on to our next book club book, which I'm very
excited for.
It's going to be the Women byKristen Hanna.
Speaker 1 (47:29):
Kristen Hanna.
Kristen Hanna, our girl Loveher.
I can't wait to ball.
Speaker 2 (47:35):
Hit me in my heart, stab me with a knife and twist
it.
Speaker 1 (47:39):
Kristen, I'm ready One of our friends, madison.
She told me that someonerecommended the Nightingale and
she was like, but I don't wantto cry and I was like you do.
She was like I don't think Ican read something without
romance and I was like there is.
I was like please read it.
But so, just to give you guys asneak peek, this is the summary
(48:01):
or the book description, thankyou, just to give you guys the
book description.
Here is the Women by KristenHanna.
Women can be heroes.
When 20-year-old nursingstudent Francis Frankie McGrath
hears these words, it is arevelation.
Raised in the sun-drenched,idyllic world of Southern
(48:21):
California and sheltered by herconservative parents, she has
always prided herself on doingthe right thing.
Sheltered by her conservativeparents, she has always prided
herself on doing the right thing.
But in 1965, the world ischanging and she suddenly dares
to imagine a different futurefor herself.
When her brother ships out toserve in Vietnam, she joins the
Army Nurse Corps and follows hispath.
(48:42):
As green and inexperienced asthe men sent to Vietnam to fight
, frankie is overwhelmed by thechaos and destruction of war.
Each day is a gamble of lifeand death, hope and betrayal.
Friendships run deep and can beshattered in an instant.
In war she meets and becomesone of the lucky, the brave, the
(49:03):
broken and the lost.
But war is just the beginning.
For Frankie and her veteranfriends, the real battle lies in
coming home to a changed anddivided America, to angry
protesters and to a country thatwants to forget Vietnam.
The Women is the story of onewoman gone to war, but it shines
(49:24):
a light on all women who putthemselves in harm's way and
whose sacrifice and commitmentto their country has too often
been forgotten.
A novel about deep friendshipsand bold patriotism, the Women
is a richly drawn story with amemorable heroine whose idealism
and courage under fire willcome to define an era.
Speaker 2 (49:45):
I already know this is going to hit me so hard in my
feels so hard I'm so ready isgoing to hit me so hard in my
feels so hard, I'm so ready, butI'm also scared.
Yeah, if you want to hear ourearly thoughts and opinions on
this book, join us on Fable atLazy Girl Library.
Come connect with us.
We'd love to get to know you,to talk with you about this book
(50:10):
early and react with us in livetime.
Yeah, let's connect, let's doit.
Um, if you don't join us onfable, you will have to wait for
our next book talk at the endof march yes, and keep up with
us for on lazy girl libraryinstagram and at
lazygirllibrarycom.
yes we really just want toconnect with all of you.
Um, seeing earlier, like, allof the engagement that we've
(50:30):
been getting as far as listensare concerned is crazy, and so
it's really cool to see that wehave so many international
listeners and we just reallywould love to get to know you
all and talk with you, and but Iunderstand, if you don't want
to, that's fine, because I'm asilent listener for a lot of
things too, but we appreciateyou being here.
Speaker 1 (50:49):
Nonetheless, we're so thankful for you and before we
wrap up all of our thanks andgratitude, we can't leave
without doing our borrows andreturns.
So let me know, michaela.
Speaker 2 (50:59):
All right.
Speaker 1 (51:00):
What are you returning?
Speaker 2 (51:02):
I feel weird starting this time.
Normally I'm always like Darbystars, actually, yeah that this
is different.
Speaker 1 (51:07):
This is bizarre.
Start us off all right.
Speaker 2 (51:09):
Um, I don't have anything really up.
I did finish car of all bystephanie garber.
That was a four star for me.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book.
I really appreciated the freshtake on a fantasy, um and I
don't know, it was just like itwas different and it was really
good.
It definitely like it had someof the ya shine through, I think
(51:29):
, towards the end.
I think the last part of itkind of got real rushed for me
and where I'm like there's somany plot twists I don't even
know where they'll look.
But it was definitely reallyintriguing and I'm really
excited to finish the series.
We'll see how far I get beforethe wedding, because that will
(51:50):
kind of hinder my reading alittle bit here my free time,
but I'm gonna try and um, yeah,so that was my only return and
I'm so glad you liked it thanksand thanks for the
recommendation.
Oh my gosh, you're welcome forborrows it's just the women.
By kristen hannah.
I'm ready to be hurt.
I'm ready to be hurt what areyou doing there?
Speaker 1 (52:07):
um, well, for my returns it's just just Secretly
Yours by Tessa Bailey.
So just finish that one Forborrows.
I'm reading I didn't write itdown, I'm reading, unfortunately
, yours by Tessa Bailey.
And then also I'm still workingthrough Red Rising by Pierce
Brown.
So I like started it at the endof January and then I like like
(52:27):
took a break to read the bookclub book because I just I
wasn't necessarily like in asci-fi headspace, but we're back
in it and it took me a secondto get into the world building
of Red Rising.
But now that we're here it'spretty good and it's it's
interesting.
I'm liking it.
So yeah, I'm.
I think I'm a little over 60%of the way through.
(52:50):
So I'm hoping to finish thatone soon, maybe by the end of
February.
I have a couple more days, butthose are my borrows.
Speaker 2 (52:56):
Nice, yeah, that one's on my list.
I've heard really good things.
I'm glad that it startedpicking up for you.
Speaker 1 (53:01):
Yeah, I had some mixed reviews, like I saw a lot
of people really liked it, butthen I had some people that were
very much like not fans.
So I'm feeling like in themiddle.
I don't know.
We'll see, I still have more togo, but that was this month's
(53:21):
book talk.
Like we said just a coupleseconds ago, we're so grateful
for you for listening, um,whether you silently listen,
whether you leave us messages orreviews, we're thankful for you
and just glad that you likehearing us talk, because I like
yapping I love yapping with you,darby, yay all right.
Well, we'll see you guys nexttime.
Bye, bye.
Well, dear listeners, we findourselves at the end of another
(53:48):
episode and remember, the LazyGirl Library is not just a
podcast.
It's a community.
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 Library.
Make sure to check out ourwebsite, lazygirllibrarycom your
(54:08):
one-stop shop for all thingsLazy Girl.
Before we go, we want to take amoment to thank all of our
wonderful listeners, whetheryou're listening from your cozy
bed, on your way to work oranywhere in between.
Thank you for making us a partof your day and for being a part
of our Lazy Girl family.
So keep those pages turning,keep those imaginations
flourishing and remember thebest stories are yet to be
(54:32):
discovered.
Until next time, stay lazy andhappy reading.
Popular Podcasts
Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club
Welcome to Bookmarked by Reese’s Book Club — the podcast where great stories, bold women, and irresistible conversations collide! Hosted by award-winning journalist Danielle Robay, each week new episodes balance thoughtful literary insight with the fervor of buzzy book trends, pop culture and more. Bookmarked brings together celebrities, tastemakers, influencers and authors from Reese's Book Club and beyond to share stories that transcend the page. Pull up a chair. You’re not just listening — you’re part of the conversation.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com