The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling - Book Talk

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Immerse yourself in the charming chaos of Graves Glen with our Halloween-themed witchy rom-com review. Picture a world filled with magical ley lines, rekindled romance, and a cozy town reminiscent of your favorite TV shows. We explore the book's heartwarming narrative, the delightful family dynamics, and that familiar small-town charm. Yet, we also ponder the unresolved threads and the ways the story could have ventured deeper into its magical roots. As we discuss character dynamics and plot twists, our conversation meanders through the unexpected, all with a sprinkle of enchantment and nostalgia. Come along as we blend literature, life, and a dash of whimsy in this bewitching episode of The Lazy Girl Library Podcast.

SPOILER WARNING! 
Start:      8:48
End:     45:10

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:10):
Welcome to the Lazy Girl Library, the podcast, where
reading is a pleasure andcaptivating adventures happen
from the comfort of your couch.
I'm your host, darby, and I'mMikayla, and if you've ever
spent more time rearranging yourbookshelf than your priorities,
then you, my friend, are in theright place.
Hello Darby, hey Mikayla,welcome to episode 12.

(00:36):
So excited to do our x-hex booktalk.

Speaker 2 (00:40):
This is a good one and it was perfect for spooky
season.

Speaker 1 (00:44):
I agree.

Speaker 2 (00:45):
Really me a good mindset.

Speaker 1 (00:46):
Yeah, it put me in the mood.

Speaker 2 (00:48):
But before we get into it, how are you, how are
you doing?

Speaker 1 (00:50):
I'm doing well.
Do you want to tell ourlisteners about our new kind of
segment?
I guess, yeah, intro segmentwe're going to do right now.

Speaker 2 (01:00):
So instead of your high and low of the week, we're
going to call it our five star,one star moment of the week,
kind of keeping it within thebook theme I love it.

Speaker 1 (01:10):
She is so smart.
Everyone, oh, stop.

Speaker 2 (01:13):
What.

Speaker 1 (01:13):
I would do for like a tour of your brain, like I feel
like it's very organized inthere.

Speaker 2 (01:21):
I feel like there's a lot of people running around,
but I feel like it's organized.
I feel like I would get lost inmy own brain if left to
navigate it, being completelyhonest, it's like a never-ending
labyrinth.
But I digress.
So what were your five-starone-stars of the week?

Speaker 1 (01:32):
Okay, my one-star hasn't happened yet, but it's
gonna happen tomorrow night whenI'm not at the Sabrina
Carpenter concert.
I know she's gonna be so close,but so far away.
I know she's going to be soclose, but so far away, yeah,
but that's okay, we do.

Speaker 2 (01:47):
We stand Sabrina here , we do, and we've stand her for
a long time you have, you'vebeen by her.

Speaker 1 (01:54):
Thanks, yeah, I was that 19-year-old watching Girl
Meets World when I should nothave been Worth it.
I've loved her Anyway.
So I'm going to gonna be sadabout that but grateful for
everyone that gets to experienceher, because I have watched her
in concert and she was greatand she seems so much better now
than when I saw her.
So, um, my five star.

(02:14):
Um, honestly, I.
We got groceries and I feellike I've been eating pretty
well, which just just feels likea lame five-star.

Speaker 2 (02:23):
No, it takes so much effort to do that.

Speaker 1 (02:25):
Yeah, and just the fact like I turned down
Chick-fil-A today because Ibrought lunch.
But I was in the car withsomeone that was like hey, I got
to stop by Chick-fil-A like forlunch and she ordered and she
was like do you want anything?
I was like no, and then sheactually ordered a second time
within the drive through becauseshe was like I forgot something
.
so I had two opportunities toeat out and I didn't proud of
you um so hopefully I don't getfood on the way home from here,

(02:49):
but I think that's been a fivestar.
I've just been like intentionalabout eating and stuff, not
that I'm like trying to eatanything specific, but I just
haven't been eating out, yeah,which helps save money and stuff
, you know absolutely yeah, howabout you.

Speaker 2 (03:03):
Um, one star, I wouldn't say it's like a general
one star for me where I've justbeen super stressed.
I feel like my calendar hasbeen blocked solid this month
where I've just had somethingevery weekend.
Throughout the weeks I'mconstantly going and for someone

(03:23):
whose social battery drainsquicker than others, it's been a
lot.
Yeah, so I'm definitely likeneeding a recharge weekend.
That's kind of been my one starfor the month.
But my five star I did get thecheck a big thing off my wedding
to-do list we booked thecaterer.
Yes, yes, we have food.

(03:44):
It's the one that I wanted,super excited about it and it's
a big relief.

Speaker 1 (03:47):
Like it's done, I don't have to deal with that
anymore have you or are yougoing to do a tasting we are
going to do a tasting.

Speaker 2 (03:55):
Haven't gotten that far yet I really liked doing
that, yeah, I'm excited, buthe's gonna eat, yeah, exactly
set the menu and the catererwe're working with is like super
flexible and like making ittailored to like what we want,
so I'm super excited about that,but that was like a huge like
weight off my shoulders, yeahthat that was done.

Speaker 1 (04:15):
So yeah, big five-star moment for me.
I'm so proud of you, thank you.
I really think, like whenyou're planning a wedding, even
if, like you're on top of it andplanning it, half of at least
half of your brain just feelsstressed all the time, because
you're like, well, could I bedoing more?
Like is there something I'mmissing?
Like yada, yada, yada, and it'sjust like every day, like at

(04:36):
some point throughout the dayyou're thinking about it
absolutely well.

Speaker 2 (04:38):
I feel like as soon as, like I check one thing off,
like three more things pop upthat I think that need to be
done or taken care of or I'mbehind on.
I got to send out like save thedates, which has been like a
huge ordeal.
That shouldn't have been justtrying, like you think, that's
so easy to check off, and I havethe save the date cards ready,
but then it's like collectingall the addresses and making

(04:59):
sure you have all those toactually send them out, because
that would make logical sense.
But it's something that justfor some reason didn't cross my
brain having to get stamps Idon't own stamps and now having
to go buy stamps.

Speaker 1 (05:13):
That's kind of yeah, but that's another like thing
you don't think of.
So and I don't know about you,but I felt like when I was
engaged it was like the onlytopic or like the first topic
that someone would ask me about,not like how's your day going,
but it's like oh, how's weddingplanning?
And it's like I don't want totalk about it.

Speaker 2 (05:28):
I'm working on it.
Yeah, yep, it's not even that Imind talking about it yeah, but
it like makes me feel like.
I'm behind because it remindsyou of all those things that you
still have to do, exactly eventhough I've, like, accomplished
a lot of like.
When they ever somebody asks meabout it, I'm like oh well, I
still have to do this and thisand this, and I'm running so
behind and I gotta get all thisset up also I felt like awkward

(05:48):
too with like some people,mainly like co-workers, because
I wasn't sure who I was gonnainvite.

Speaker 1 (05:53):
But I was like I don't know.
I just like felt bad sometimestalking about like the wedding,
knowing that like someone wasn'tgonna get to experience it.
I don't know if that's weird,but I was like it's fine, like.
But I was like it's fine, likeit's going fine, I'm not going
to miss my like?

Speaker 2 (06:05):
I don't know, that's how I felt talking to my boss
when my boss asked me about itBecause I'm like I'm not
inviting my boss but at the sametime, like it's not an unusual
thing to invite your boss so,and I don't know how much she
would like want to be invited,so I try to just like
generically talk about it andchange the subject real quick.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, because yeah,it's a weird.

Speaker 1 (06:27):
And like you know, like they're not thinking about
that, but for some reason you'relike Self-conscious about it,
yeah, but anyway, big thingchecked off the list.

Speaker 2 (06:38):
That did help a little bit with the one star
situation, but yeah, so we'removing along slowly but surely A
little train that could Yaysituation, but yeah, so we're
moving along slowly but surely alittle train that could yay
chugga chugga.
But uh, I am excited though forthis five star moment talking
about our book for the month.

Speaker 1 (06:54):
Yes, so the book that we've read this month was the x
?
Hex by aaron sterling, so we'llkind of just go into our the
book description, which is nineyears ago, vivian Jones nursed
her broken heart like any youngwitch would Vodka, weepy music,

(07:15):
bubble baths and a curse on thehorrible boyfriend Sure.
Vivian knows she shouldn't useher magic this way, but with
only an orchid hayride scentedcandle on hand she isn't worried
.
It will cause him anything morethan a bad hair day or two.
That is until Reese Penhallow,descendant of the town's
ancestors, breaker of hearts andannoyingly just as gorgeous as

(07:38):
he always was, returns to GravesGlen, georgia.
What should be a quick trip torecharge the town's ley lines
and make an appearance at theannual fall festival turns
disastrously wrong, with onecalamity after another striking
Reese.
Vivi realizes her silly littleex-hex may not have been so
harmless after all.
Suddenly, graves Glen is underattack from murderous wind-up

(08:02):
toys, a pissed-off ghost and atalking cat with some
interesting things to say.
Vivian and Reese have to ignoretheir off-the-charts chemistry
to work together to save thetown and find a way to break the
breakup curse before it's toolate.

Speaker 2 (08:22):
So we're just going to kind of go through our
thoughts on the book, answersome book guest questions about
the book and give our finalratings.
You all know the drill ifyou've been around here for a
while.

Speaker 1 (08:32):
Yes, so, starting off , we're going to do a little
reading recap.
So, just to preface, this is ahigh-level summary, so it's not
everything covered and we reallyencourage reading the book if
you haven't.
But if you just want you knowSpark know, spark notes version,
that's what you're gonna get.

Speaker 2 (08:47):
That way you can kind of follow along warning book
spoilers ahead.

Speaker 1 (08:51):
Please head to the description and show notes to
find where to skip to.

Speaker 2 (08:55):
You have been warned so our story starts with vivian,
also referred to as vivi Jones,in Graves Glen, which is a
small kind of witchy town inGeorgia.
She was heartbroken after asummer fling with Reese
Penhallow, which ends badly,reese had to go back to Wales,
where he's from, because he'spart of this ancient, powerful

(09:18):
witch family and they kind ofstarted and founded the town of
graves glenn, um, but it wasrevealed that he was engaged or
like thought of more as anarranged marriage kind of
situation.
So vivi, who was hurt and angry, decides to curse him as like a

(09:42):
kind of joke just to make herfeel better.
Um, she had a bit too much todrink.
Her cousin gwen was there, kindof like egging her on, trying
to make her feel better.
So they lit some candles andlike made some silly you know
chants and about you know thethings that they would curse him
, like a bad hair day and thingslike that.

Speaker 1 (10:01):
Um, all pretty light-hearted or so they thought
and then flash forward nineyears and vivi's mostly
forgotten about the whole thing.
She's a witch but she lives apretty normal life, teaching at
the local college, um, andavoiding all things, reese.
But then, surprise, reesereturns to graves, glenn, um,

(10:22):
his family is responsible forcharging the ley lines, which
are these powerful magicalcurrents that keep the town
running smoothly.
So Reese, totally unaware ofthe curse, rolls into town to do
his family duty.
But as soon as he gets there,weird stuff starts happening.

Speaker 2 (10:41):
So his car spins out of control, he gets dive-bombed
by bats and all the town's magicfeels really off kilter to him.
He also then randomly bumpsinto Vivi and obviously sparks
fly, both literally andfiguratively.
At first there's like tensionbetween them because they never
really dealt with their breakupwhen it happened nine years ago.

(11:04):
But as they spend more timetogether they kind of realize
something more serious is goingon.
So the curse that Vivi cast allthose years ago ended up being
real, and so now it's causingall kinds of like magical chaos
throughout the town and they'retrying to figure out what the
heck's going on so the townstarts getting haunted by

(11:27):
inanimate objects, like an evilhaunted toy and ghosts, and
reese's magic keeps him outfunctioning, which puts him and
the town at risk.

Speaker 1 (11:37):
Vivian, vivian and reese are forced to work
together to figure out how tobreak this curse, and of course,
this leads to them spending alot of time together and old
feelings resurface.
They still have like anundeniable chemistry, but
they're both weary, especiallyVivi, who doesn't want to get
hurt again.
And as they try to reverse thecurse, they learn that it's not

(12:01):
just about undoing a simple hex,but there's deeper layers of
magic at play, and so they haveto deal with the town's ley
lines, reese's family's historyand some ancient magical forces.

Speaker 2 (12:14):
So, along the way, vivi starts realizing that maybe
she never got over Reese and hein turn starts realizing how
much he messed up by leavingVivi all of those years ago.
Stakes get way higher when theydiscover that if they don't fix
the ley lines and the curse onReese, graves Glen itself could
be destroyed and Reese could die.

(12:35):
There's a climactic scene wherethey confront the curse head on
with a mix of like magicrituals and family lore.
Um, in the end they manage tosave the town and fix the ley
lines and lift the curse, allthanks to vivi and her aunt and
her cousin gwen.

(12:56):
And, of course, by the end,vivian reese not only saved the
town, but they also finally gettheir second chance at love.
Uh, there's a lot of winty,witty, banter, magical mishaps
and some really sweet momentsbetween them as they figure out
that maybe they're meant to beafter all.
Um, so it's a fun, witchyrom-com with some spooky vibes

(13:19):
and a lot of heart.

Speaker 1 (13:20):
The end yay.
So what were your initialthoughts, michaela, on the book?

Speaker 2 (13:26):
I really loved this book.
I it really met like all myexpectations from like what I
was expecting going into it,which is always a problem for me
.
So but it wasn't this time.
Um gave me all the likeHalloween town hallmarky vibes
that I was looking for.
Was it a groundbreaking novel?
No, but I still really enjoyedit for what it was.

Speaker 1 (13:48):
You took the words right out of my mouth.
I literally like wrote downHalloween Town meets Hallmark
Yay, it just like put me in likea good mood, like I really felt
like I was watching like aHalloween movie.
But in my mind, yeah, it waslike good vibes.

Speaker 2 (14:05):
It made you feel really cozy.

Speaker 1 (14:06):
Yeah, it made you feel cozy and it just made you
feel like it was like a comfortmovie, but like a comfort book,
yeah, like.
So I just, yeah, I felt reallycozy while reading it it's
almost like nostalgic vibes yes,yes, yeah so I don't yeah, I
don't know like what is about it.

Speaker 2 (14:23):
Maybe it's just like the, the Halloween vibes itself.
But yeah it just kind of gaveyou that like nostalgic feeling
that the holidays kind of bring,but Halloween more so than
Christmas, yeah, and it feltmore.

Speaker 1 (14:32):
It felt very like Gilmore Girls dynamic between
the like the family Vivi'sfamily, not Reese's family, and
that's very like fall-coded aswell to me.
Very Stars Hollow this familyum, and that's very like fall
coded as well to me.
So I just, yeah, I really likedit.
Yes, I agree, did you have afavorite part?
So, um, kind of definitely likethe dynamic between, like the

(14:54):
aunt cousin and vivi and gwen.
Like I've really liked themagain because I think it
reminded me of, like, gilmoregirls and just like halloween
town and just like comfort andnostalgia, just like the way
they were talking with eachother.
And then I really liked thesetting because, again, like I
just can't explain it, but justlike the feelings like it gave

(15:16):
me was just comfort and fall, um, and I think she did like a
really good job of describingthe town and like making you
feel like you were in thatsetting.

Speaker 2 (15:27):
I completely agree.
That was.
My favorite part of the bookwas the setting, because, yeah,
she really did a great jobdescribing it so you could
easily picture it and you reallyfelt like you were transported
there while you were reading.
And, yeah, it just gave you allthose like cozy fall vibes I
don't know how to describe itcompared to like other books,
but it really felt immersive andlike I really could picture it

(15:50):
vividly.
I think Gilmore Girls is afantastic comparison that's
another one to add in the mix.
But yeah, the setting was achef's kiss, so good.
What about least favorite?
A little bit more on the storyside, I didn't like the
offhanded mentions of vivi's momor reese's brothers, with the
plot point going absolutelynowhere yeah like I feel like I

(16:12):
kept getting brought up, that Ithought that they were gonna be
like more into the story thanthey were.
Not that it wasn't a loose end,because I will give the author
credit I don't think she hadvery many, if any, like loose
threads by the end of the bookin my opinion, like I felt
pretty content with how all theplot points went, including this

(16:33):
part, but it's like it wasalmost brought up and mentioned
multiple times but going nowherelike it wasn't like relevant,
especially like for vivi's mom.
I thought it would go somewherelike connect back to like vivi
being a really powerful witch orsomething like that, but it
kind of didn't.
It was more like just ancientfamily ancestor than the mom

(16:53):
specifically kind of thing, yeah, so I didn't like that part of
it.
What about you?

Speaker 1 (17:01):
Well, I agree with that and also I think a loose
thread is Reese's engagementarranged marriage.

Speaker 2 (17:09):
Do they ever?

Speaker 1 (17:10):
talk about that, no, and that feels like kind of a
big deal, because that's thereason they broke up.

Speaker 2 (17:15):
Oh my gosh, you're so right, like what I think, my
brain just decided to skip overthat part entirely.

Speaker 1 (17:20):
No, I actually I didn't even write that down, but
as we were reading the likereading recap and like we read
over that part, I was like, wait, whatever that was definitely
such a prominent part in theirstory, the reason that they
broke up and it was neverbrought up again ever, and so
that kind of goes into.
My least favorite part is thatthings felt like rushed or like
resolved almost resolved, almosttoo quickly, or not resolved at

(17:43):
all, like the engagement thingor arranged marriage.
So, like some examples,retrieving the ghost candle felt
so easy like that shouldn'thave been that easy.
And then same thing with likereese convincing that his
ancestor to like not kill him,or the town, yeah, when like the
other girl or whoever wastelling them like no, it's about

(18:05):
to go down, like she's pissed,and reese is like I deserve it,
and she's like well, you knowwhat my ancestor says, you don't
, so I guess it's fine, likeyeah, what I don't know they
were just some.

Speaker 2 (18:17):
We were definitely on , like disney channel, original
movie time.

Speaker 1 (18:19):
Yes, yes, we were and granted, like I knew that going
into it, so that's why, like itdidn't affect it too much, but
if I'm talking about at leastfavorite part, like I would have
liked more details like I wouldhave liked maybe a little bit
less hallmark and a little morehalloween town, a little less
surface, a little more like wellthought out and explained yeah,

(18:41):
not that it was wrong, but youjust needed it more.
Like completed but yeah, I Ithink I would have had a little
more like, um, pull towards thebook, yeah, if things had some
more details.
Um, because, like, I likedreading this book but I wasn't
like jumping at every second toread it, and I think maybe

(19:02):
because it was kind of surfacelevel yeah is why.

Speaker 2 (19:05):
I guess, so great yeah, no, no, totally valid.

Speaker 1 (19:08):
Yeah, the engagement thing, I didn't even think of
that you were like I don't thinkthere's any loose threads, and
I was like, wait till I speak mybrain was just like happy and
content with what I knew wasbecause you know that they're
gonna end up together in the end, before you even start the book
, where it's like my brain justaccepted that.
It's like yeah, well, also, Ithink there is a second book in
this series.

(19:28):
I don't know if it has to dowith these two characters, but
like, maybe it gets brought upthere and like maybe that's why
some things were a little morelike, maybe elusive um, I don't
know.

Speaker 2 (19:40):
Yeah, good point.
Um, speaking of vivi and reese,though, in their relationship,
how did you feel about them?
Did you like their banterTension feel authentic?

Speaker 1 (20:05):
life standards, like there's a lot of you know, book
couples and relationships that'slike okay, well, this is like I
love reading it, but it's notrealistic.
And they felt like very real tome, like I agree, like I
someone could have told me likethis was happening with their
friends and I would have beenlike, yeah, especially, um, like
I, like the way that they bothwere thinking about like this is
gonna end, like they literallyjust live in different places,

(20:26):
like they've already tried it.
It didn't work out, like youknow, it's gonna end.
And so they both had thatmindset.
But at the same time, likethey're both human and they both
were like, okay, well, like weobviously have some sexual
chemistry and they're like I'mgonna explore it, but then you
don't like think too much aboutit because you're like I'm just,
I'm just doing it.
They're like they're here rightnow and it's like, okay, yeah,
that's so real life, like I'mnot gonna think about the future

(20:47):
, like I'm thinking about rightnow, but I know, like this isn't
gonna work out right, you know.

Speaker 2 (20:52):
But they never were like kind of like oh, this is
forever, like yeah, but then,completely ignoring the factor,
that it was like a blissfulignorance of like I know this is
coming, but I'm just enjoyingit in the moment.
Yes, which?

Speaker 1 (21:04):
made it more realistic.
Yes, I agree, so I I did liketheir relationship a lot.

Speaker 2 (21:09):
Yes, I would agree too.
Um, I definitely believed it.
Uh, maybe it's been too longsince I've like read a romance
like this, but I thought thattheir banter was like so good.
Um, and I couldn't help likekicking my feet and like
giggling while I was readingthis book.
It just gave me all of thoselike kind of vibes while I was
reading was it like I wasn'tlike super drawn to Reese as

(21:33):
like you?

Speaker 1 (21:34):
know?
I mean, I think his name likethrows everything off absolutely
you can't compare to Reese's.
Also, like in the SJM universe,I say Rice and Rice Sand and so
I almost like intentionallysaid Reese in this one to like
separate them.

Speaker 2 (21:51):
Me too, yes, so I wasn't like completely drawn to
him like other like mailmancharacters in other books, but
it's not like I didn't like him.
I didn't like him.
The one thing, now that I'mtalking about it, that I kind of
want to go into my leastfavorite part of this book,
actually, that I just realizedwas all of the British slang

(22:14):
that the author would throw infor Rhys when he was saying or
British sayings, I don't know.
For me when I was reading it itjust felt Like what sayings I
can't remember off the top of myhead, but it like she would
literally she would write thingsin like a certain way.
Um, that I felt like wasstraight out of like love island
kind of thing, or like duringcertain sayings like, for

(22:36):
example, I'm not saying this isa direct quote from the book, uh
, but like mugged off or like uh, things like that I didn't even
like notice that.

Speaker 1 (22:44):
The only thing I didn't like was the like duh,
like yeah, that was weird that Iwas like, okay, just add the
date.
Call him dad, like I'm soconfused but maybe that's.
I have no idea if that's awhales thing like in real life,
but I was like this seems weird.

Speaker 2 (22:57):
It was almost like a.
I kind of wish it wasn'taccurate, if that makes sense.
Like I know, like what she wassaying was accurate.
To like keep within the frameof him being from wales and like
how they speak and everythinglike that throwing it in every
once in a while.
To like keep you in thatcharacter's mindset, which I
totally appreciate from aliterary standpoint.
But for me, specifically withthis book, I'm like I don't care

(23:19):
about it being accurate, it wasjust really throwing me off.

Speaker 1 (23:21):
I really didn't notice it at all, besides the da
that's so funny.

Speaker 2 (23:25):
Yeah, I'm gonna have to go back and look at them
because I it's been too longsince I've read it.

Speaker 1 (23:28):
I can't pull it out was this a whale, the whole like
carrie.
Carrie dot carriette oh hernickname yeah yeah, okay.
Yeah, I didn't know what thatmeant, but I didn't look it up
so I just same.
I mean, I just accepted it yeah, I was like I don't know what
this means, but yeah, okay, Ididn't notice that one so just
things like that that would justkind of like, almost like, take
me out of the moment a littlebit maybe if she would have like

(23:50):
explained it within it, like hecalls me this because of this,
like then it would have beenbetter at least for the nickname
yes

Speaker 2 (23:58):
but there are other things where it's like I don't
know, it's just a dialect thing.
Yeah, it just kind of took meout of it.
Well, good thing you didn'taudiobook this.
What if, actually, I don't know, it's just a dialect thing.

Speaker 1 (24:04):
Yeah, that just kind of took me out of it.
Well, good thing you didn'taudiobook this.
No, actually I don't know.
But what if the audiobook islike?

Speaker 2 (24:08):
I feel like I don't know if that would have helped
or hindered.
Yeah, I don't know.
It just kind of took me out ofit a little bit, but I did enjoy
their banter though, and theirromance.
It was good, that was good.
Full circling back to thequestion yes, I love it.
Were there any reveals or plotpoints you didn't see coming, or
anything that you weresurprised by?

Speaker 1 (24:30):
So there was a lot that like I did see coming,
because it's such like aneasygoing, shallow book.
I don't mean shallow to be likethat, but just like a
lighthearted book.
So one thing that was likeblaringly obvious was that

(24:51):
Amanda was not part of the witchcollege.
That one, I was like girl, whatare we doing?
Stupid college.
That one I was like girl, whatare we doing?
Stupid?
Um, I guess one thing that Ididn't really expect was for
reese to potentially die um, andI think I actually would have
liked it better if it, insteadof him dying, it would have been

(25:12):
that he would potentially losehis magic as a whole, because it
felt too like drastic for itbeing like a surface level book,
that almost the stakes werelike too high, that it like
didn't seem like like I wasn'tactually fearful that he was
gonna die, because it was likeobviously, but him losing his
magic, like that would have beendifferent, or all the pen

(25:34):
hallows losing their magic,because then, like the dad and
the obviously the dad would belike we can't like right, we're
the people you know, we'reinvested in it.
yeah yeah um, so I think that Iwould have liked better but.
I didn't see it coming that hecould potentially die.
Yeah, but then when it wasintroduced I was like, but he's
not yeah, no, I get that.

Speaker 2 (25:54):
Um.
Yeah, it was for me.
Yeah, it was a very predictablebook.
Um, sticking with the penthouse, though I kind of knew that
they'd have something done tothem or they would have had done
something in the past that likeknocked him off the pedestal in
the present for like being thefounders, like obviously there's
something like sketchy going onthere, um, but the one thing

(26:16):
that I kind of didn't see comingand I have back and forth
feelings on um, was I expectedthere to be more of like a
villain, like a true likevillain, that like came and
heard like vivi pretending thehex and like gave the extra
power to actually hex them, kindof like.
I mean I was thinking too muchhalloween town, where it's like

(26:37):
this evil guy that's trying totake over, and that they would
have had the defeat kind ofthing, or woman um, yeah, it
almost would have made moresense if it was like grifford
grifford, grifford penhalla,like if he was the spirit
instead of like right or like,or even if it was vivi's
ancestor, but or like.
It almost made more sense if itwas the, it ended up being

(27:00):
Vivi's ancestor who gave her theextra power.
But I think for me it wouldhave made more sense if she
wasn't Vivi's ancestor.
She was just the girl that waswronged by the Penhalos that
then came back with fullvengeance kind of thing to
destroy the town town, becauseshe was like a woman scorned.
I feel like that would havemade a little bit more, or

(27:22):
that's what I was expecting.
I don't want to say it wouldhave made more sense.
Um, that's what I was expectingat least but.
I wasn't necessarily mad thatthere was no villain because I
feel like it did fit the likedecom vibe of it, hallmark vibe
of it, very surface level,because I think I start my thing
that this book is starting toodeep for like what it's supposed
to be kind of thing.
Um, so I also expected vivi tocome for like more powerful

(27:45):
magic and for the end not to bejust like her ancestors, with
gwen and her aunt, like expectedto be more, like her mom was
secretly like more powerful orsomething like leaning into that
kind of thing.
Um, but again, not necessarilybad things that they weren't.

Speaker 1 (28:00):
It was just kind of like where my brain naturally
went, but it was a little toodeep for the surface level book
it could have been cool if, likewhen her aunt and gwen were
help, like holding her hands, if, like, um the ancestor came and
held their hand and then hermom held her hand and that was
like all of them, like holdinghands I feel like I've seen that

(28:21):
in like a movie, I don'tremember halloween town stupid,
mikaela.

Speaker 2 (28:26):
Yes, it's been so long since I've actually seen
the movie, but they're so good,but, yes, I agree.
Yeah, something like that, umwas of what I was expecting, but
it didn't end up happening.
But, not bad, but justexpectations kind of different.
Yeah, unpredictable.

Speaker 1 (28:44):
Yeah, but it's cool, though, seeing what this author
wrote.
And then, if we were authors,what would we have added or not
added?

Speaker 2 (28:52):
Right, very neat, yeah, because it wasn't bad and
it was actually reallyfascinating for me to see how
she did it in such a like easysurface breezy kind of way, so
still appreciated it nonetheless.
Yeah, but some fun questions.
I'm excited.
So if you had a chance to casta harmless, playful hex like

(29:12):
Vivi's, what would you cast iton?
Would you hex traffic lights toalways turn green?
Or maybe hex a friend's TV toonly play their least favorite
show?
What are we doing?

Speaker 1 (29:23):
Okay, this was hard for me to think, or like hard
for me to figure out, but myfirst thought because I'm always
thinking about food was I wouldhex for my food to never go bad
, because I for sure do not eatmy produce fast enough and I am.
It sucks.
I'm constantly throwing outfood and I'm like, oh my gosh, I
am the worst person in theworld, like no that happens to

(29:45):
me all the time too.
Yeah, I'm like I always buystrawberries, I eat like zero
strawberries and I'm likethere's mold on my strawberries.
So even like I've gone to thestore and I've bought just one
banana, because if I get getlike the bunch, like if I get
more than three, we are done forLike I which sounds silly
because it's like it's justthree bananas, eat it like one a

(30:06):
day, but for some reason like Idon't know.

Speaker 2 (30:09):
For me it's like out of sight, out of mind If it's in
my fridge or in that drawer asmuch as my intention is to eat
it.
I forget about it until one day.
I'm like I'm craving cherries.
Go in, they're moldy.

Speaker 1 (30:18):
I have thrown out, I've really, when I go to the
grocery store, I've gotten a lotmore intentional about like
okay, what am I buying this for?
Like, I can't just like buysomething to like, maybe snack
on it?
No, like, it doesn't work likethat.
Like unless it's going in ameal, or like I'm like this is
the only snack in our house now,so I'm gonna eat it.

Speaker 2 (30:39):
It's just like yeah, it's too hard for me.
That's good, though, thatyou're being more in control
about it.

Speaker 1 (30:42):
Trying to proud of you but so yeah, hexing my food
was probably my first thought.
And then also, I'd want tosomehow make work easier,
whether that's like no one cansay no to me when I'm asking for
a silent auction donation, orthat I can just like I don't
know.
Something to make things easier, like I can submit certain

(31:03):
Excel sheets like right away,instead of having to type
everything out or like.
I can just automatically make aprocess smoother Right To quit,
like, so I don't have to spendas much time doing something so
smart, thank you.
What about?

Speaker 2 (31:17):
you like, so I don't have to spend as much time doing
something so smart.
Thank you.
What about you?
Um?
Uh well, first, if I had accessto magic, I would definitely
become the most lazy person inthe world.
That's so funny listening tothem talk about like stirring
their tea, like without havingto like touch it, or reheating
things, or like being able tolike sweep stuff up without
touching the broom.
I'm like I would never leave mycouch, like I would just sit
and wait all day.

Speaker 1 (31:36):
Well, magic did everything for me also this is
not me like calling mikaela lazyright now, but she does have
her kindle right now attached tothe couch and she has a remote,
so she doesn't have to swipe itwhen I tell you already, on her
way, there I am, I've enteredmy hobbit fall hibernation, like
I always enter hobbithibernation around this time of

(31:57):
year like more so than any othertype.

Speaker 2 (32:00):
But I did recently get a kindle.
It's been amazing.
I'm loving it so far.
And then for my birthday ourfriend sarah got me the like
gooseneck, like holder for it.
And then I got a little remote.
When I tell you it is the best,worst thing that ever happened
to me.
Best because it makes me likeso cozy and it's so easy.
I can like eat while I'mreading the kindle.

(32:22):
Oh, my gosh, I didn't eventhink about food.
It's, it's phenomenal, darby.
I sit there with a bowl ofpopcorn just eating lazily and I
can flip through the books withmy little remote, never having
to touch it or anything likethat.
Oh, chef's gifts, amazing.
But it's also the worst thingto have me because I never like
leave the couch.
Now like I just sit and I'mlike snuggled up, like reading
my book and like going throughon the little remote and

(32:43):
everything which has helped meread a lot, but I'm not getting
out of the house like I shouldbe I love it I think that's so
great um.

Speaker 1 (32:53):
I did put the new colored kindle on my christmas
list, so we'll see what happenedI hope you get it.

Speaker 2 (32:58):
It's.
I'd be curious to see what itlooks like in color.

Speaker 1 (33:02):
Um, I will say I had thought that I would notice it
more yeah, I honestly like, evenif they got me a different
kindle not the colored one, I Iwould be fine.
But I just feel like, oh no,you should, you should
absolutely get like.

Speaker 2 (33:14):
I'm always like one of those if you're getting
something new, get the latestmodel, because it'll last you
longer.
So by all means.
But I was like I always thoughtI wanted something colored, but
then I got the paper white andI really don't notice the black
and white as much.

Speaker 1 (33:28):
Well, because when you highlight things, that's not
in color, right?
No, it's not, yeah.

Speaker 2 (33:30):
Yeah.
So I think in this colored onesyou can do different color
highlighting, which I don't knowif you can do.
Nope, you can't.
Yeah, so that's huge um well,fingers crossed that you get
that.
But yeah, anyway, I've been solazy just as is.
Could you imagine with like anendless well of magic to help me
get everything?
I wouldn't.
I just it would be the worstthing possible for me but the

(33:52):
best thing at the same time.
So but for long story short, myone hex I would cast would be
that my clothes would never getdirty or smelly, so I never had
to do laundry again.

Speaker 1 (34:05):
That's better than food that is so good.

Speaker 2 (34:09):
I never like.
I always did my laundry, likegrowing up, I don't know why
until I, like, started living bymyself.
All of a sudden it became likethe worst possible thing for me
to do and keep up with.
I hate it.
If I could never do it again,it would be a glorious day.

Speaker 1 (34:25):
Why has someone not gone on Shark Tank to make a
folding putting away machine?

Speaker 2 (34:30):
I know right, Like one of the little like, I want a
droid to just do my laundry forme.

Speaker 1 (34:33):
That's the only time I want a droid.
I'm so scared of technology, AIand all the robots, but if
they're doing my laundry, bringthem on.
Sign me up.

Speaker 2 (34:41):
Yeah, yeah.
So that would definitely be myone hex, and that would save me
so much time.
That is so smart.
That's so smart, you win,thanks, okay.
So another fun question If youwere a witch in graves, glenn,
what kind of magical businesswould you run?
Like a potion shop fortunetelling booth something else?

(35:03):
My only stipulation is nobookshops.

Speaker 1 (35:06):
I love this question.
This is such a unique question,so mine is going to be the
witch's wardrobe, ooh yeah.
So it would be like a funclothing store with anything
that you can imagine.
What would be really neat isthat I would be able to use my
magic to simply make my paperideas physical.
Love that, because we all havesuch grand ideas in our head and

(35:32):
I'm sure every one of us hasbeen like I can be a fashion
designer and you make a doodle,but you're like I have no idea
how to even get started withthat, so it'd be cool to be able
to just like, like here it isor like I don't know.
We could even have like like ahair station too, where you
could like do hair colors orgems and perfect hair day every

(35:53):
time.
Oh, I love that yeah, but Ithink it'd be really fun to do
just like witchy skirts.
They did a really good job, Ithink, in the book of talking
about outfits.

Speaker 2 (36:03):
Especially Gwen's outfits.
Yes, I could see so vividly.

Speaker 1 (36:05):
Yes, it felt very like boho, like witch fall.
So I'm just like picturing thestory's close, like in here,
Like we're going to have thecute combat boots we're going to
have like flowy, like bohoskirts Absolutely.
We're going to have cute witchhats.

Speaker 2 (36:23):
I love it.
And for context, in case youdidn't read the book, vivi's
aunt and cousin Quinn own thislittle like witch shop in Graves
Glen where they sell likewitchy items like crystals and
things like that.

Speaker 1 (36:38):
Tarot cards.
Tarot cards.

Speaker 2 (36:39):
Yeah, all the fun stuff.
So that's what inspired thisquestion, so I love that.
That's a fantastic idea.
What would your store be?
I would want to run a cafe,something like the Witch's Brew
Coffee Shop or something likethat, but my idea picture this
with me close my eyes, bring itto life.
I would want to subtly use magicto create recipes and drinks

(37:04):
for, like food that are uniqueand delicious, that you can only
find in my cafe, something likeyou never see like elsewhere,
but it's like amazing.
But I went to add like specialspells to them to help out my
regulars of something just likea little taste of magic for the
ordinary people that theywouldn't be able to like
recognize.
So, for example, like if astudent was studying all week

(37:26):
for an exam that they had at mycoffee shop, like the day of
their exam, I could add like alittle good luck charm to their
coffee to help them take theirexam or like if, um, this guy is
going to be proposing to hisgirlfriend later, I'd add a
little bit of like courage spellto his sandwich oh my gosh, I
love that.
Or like things like that to like, you know, like make you feel

(37:48):
good, boost your karma, yeah,but then it like also makes
everybody love your shop andkind of like adds a little bit
of magic for people who don'thave magic that's.

Speaker 1 (37:58):
I didn't even think about the muggles.
So yeah, that would be my idea.
Wait, that's so fun.
Oh, that's so good.
I really love that so much.
I'm trying to think how couldthe witch's wardrobe incorporate
that?
I don't know maybe just likeconfidence.
Yeah, I was just gonna saymaybe, just like making people
like feel really good, yes, oror, oh my gosh, okay, okay, this

(38:20):
is, every girl will relate.
There's no size, just the pantsfit.
A dream, oh my gosh.
A dream.
You don't have to have so manydifferent sizes and jeans.
The pants are just going toalways fit you know that should
be like everything.

Speaker 2 (38:35):
All the clothes are just like miraculously fit you
perfectly to your body.
Yeah, I love the idea Cool,cool, cool.
If only this could be real.

Speaker 1 (38:43):
Seriously Okay.
So just like Gwen had SirPercival the cat, what kind of
animal would you want as yourmagical sidekick that could talk
?

Speaker 2 (38:55):
So this was kind of an interesting one for me when I
was thinking about it, becauseI'm a dog person through and
through.
I love dogs, I absolutely adoredogs.
I'm a dog person.
I'm not that big of a catperson, but I think I'd want a
cat.
Yeah, just because they're likemore sassy and determined, I
feel like like talking to a cat.

(39:16):
If I like wanted them to helpme with something, they would be
like on a mission to do it,they wouldn't get sidetracked
like I feel like a dog wouldwith being like, oh my gosh,
this person like I just think ofdoug from up and, like you know
, squirrel or like I love you,come love me kind of thing I
feel like the cat would be likeno, leave me alone, I'm doing
this thing, yeah, um, and itwouldn't be like scared too,
because I was thinking like, oh,maybe a bunny, but I feel like

(39:37):
a bunny would be like scared oflike certain things and get off
track, whereas a cat's just kindof like there and like
shredding and stuff kind ofthing.
Plus, I feel like a cat wouldbe like so silent around like
town and that people are so likesneaky that it would be so fun
to gossip with later.

Speaker 1 (39:54):
Yes, Like about what's going on.

Speaker 2 (39:56):
So as much as I love my dogs, I think I'd want a cat.

Speaker 1 (40:00):
Yeah, what about you?
I'm kind of on the same page.
Like a black cat just feelsvery spooky and I've always like
, loved, like little black cats.
But I've always grown up withsomeone who is allergic to a cat
, whether it be my mom andsister, now Justin's allergic.
So unfortunately, cats are justnot destined to be together.
So, like if I could choose,like maybe a black cat or like

(40:21):
an orange cat I think are thosetabby cats.
I think so.
I have no cat knowledge, butyeah, I'm not a cat expert.
Like, maybe one of those wouldbe really fun.
But if I were to try and thinka little more outside the box
which isn't even that outside,but my parents have a miniature
Maltese and she's just like thiscute little preppy white dog.

Speaker 2 (40:41):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (40:41):
But she's not like a gross white dog, because I know
these listeners are thinkingshe's a ratchet.
No, no, no Because everyonealways thinks that when I talk
about our little white dog,she's a cute little tickle.
Her eyes are clean.
She doesn't have any of thegunk in there.
Anyway, she just feels verymuch like Prissy, but not in
like, not like a Paris Hiltonpurse dog, but just in like a.

Speaker 2 (41:04):
Have you seen Secret Life of Pets.
A long time ago, Okay so kindof like the white dog in that
movie.

Speaker 1 (41:11):
Maybe she's like cute , I'll trust you.
She's very determined.
Yes, yeah, like very determined.
So I feel like she would justkind of like she would her own
thing, like she'd get stuff doneand she'd support you.
So if you're like I'm doingthis spell, she'd be like do a
girlfriend.
Yes, you know, I can see it.
So a miniature multi,specifically my parents dog

(41:32):
gucci.
We love gucci, yes, we do.
We I gave um, so my dog's nameis bogey, and then we have gucci
and my sister and I weretalking about like their
Halloween names.
So Gucci right now is our Guccighost and Bogey's our Bogey bat
.

Speaker 2 (41:49):
Oh, that's cute.
I love that so spooky Adorbs.
So we clearly like the book.
But would you read another bookby this author?

Speaker 1 (41:59):
Yeah, I definitely would.
I think it's a great book afterreading like a heavy book.

Speaker 2 (42:07):
Yeah, palette cleanser.

Speaker 1 (42:08):
Yes, yes, a really good palette cleanser because
it's just super light, but stilla good time, like I felt, like
I really enjoyed the world andthe setting and I didn't have to
think too much.
I think the next one, myaudiobook because it's so light,
it feels like a not like Iwouldn't have to pay too much
attention to it, right?

(42:28):
So I think it would be a goodaudiobook if I did another one.

Speaker 2 (42:32):
What about you?
Yeah, I would.
I liked the writing of it,again, very similar to the
palate cleansing kind of book,for sure, if there, I don the
writing of it.
Um, again, very similar thepalate cleansing kind of book,
for sure.
Um, if there, I don't know howmuch I'd read another book in
this series.
I guess it'd depend on, like,what it's about, because I feel
like this one was just kind oflike perfect for me.
I'm not necessarily looking formore from it, um, but like they

(42:53):
said, I think it would justdepend on, like, what it's about
.

Speaker 1 (42:56):
Yeah, like if it was about his brothers, I wouldn't
want to, yeah, like if it wasabout his brothers I wouldn't
want to read it.
But if it was about, like Gwen,maybe I'd read it Right.

Speaker 2 (43:02):
Same, but for the author, if she has other books,
then like yes, absolutely, Ithink it'd be perfect and I
really enjoyed the writing.

Speaker 1 (43:09):
So I would.
That's good, all right.
What is your final thoughts andstar rating?
So, maybe I so.
Maybe I was too generous withthis, but I did give it a five
star.

Speaker 2 (43:21):
I was surprised when I saw that I was like five stars
, goodness, okay.
Well, hear me out.
So I like to rate my booksbased on, like the genre in
which I'm reading them and solike.
Obviously I have like my settype of what each star means to
me, but it's all relative tolike the book that I'm reading.
So, for like a rom-com book,this was like a five-star
rom-com for me, if that makessense.
But like my five-star rom-combook, this was like a five-star
rom-com book for me, if thatmakes sense.
But like my five-star rom-comis very different expectations

(43:46):
than like my fantasy books orlike even historical fiction,
exactly, exactly, like.
They're not the same criteriathat I'm looking for, depending
on all these things.
So, for a rom-com book, this isa five-star read for me.
It met all my expectations.
I wasn't left feeling annoyed.
It covered like 95 of the plotpoints it brought to light, um,

(44:06):
and it made sense and it left mefeeling like really giddy and
just like happy after the fact.
So, overall, great.
For spooky season five star forme.
What about?

Speaker 1 (44:15):
you, so mine was like a three and a half stars, which
is a good rating for me.
I'm pretty like my five starsare like untouchable.

Speaker 2 (44:21):
That's totally fair.

Speaker 1 (44:23):
My four stars are really great books.
Three stars good books.
So I gave it three and a halfstars.
I really liked it and I lovedthe setting and the feeling I
got like while I was reading itand feeling like just being in
Florida, like I crave so bad,like oh my gosh.

(44:43):
So I think just like pretendingthat I was in fall, um, just
really felt good.

Speaker 2 (44:48):
So I literally have fake fall leaves all over my
apartment because I missed youjust send me the Amazon link, I
will.
I miss the changes.

Speaker 1 (44:56):
These I totally get you yeah um, but again, kind of
like I said I, things weren'tnecessarily like super thought
through.
We had a couple loose ends,yeah.
So yeah it just it was good.
Not great.
Yeah, totally fair me.

Speaker 2 (45:10):
Well, that was spooky season.
I think that's a perfect bookfor spooky season.
I think so too.
Yeah, it really set the moodand I think that was just like
overall, like we haven't donelike a little romance, like that
in a while.
Or like themed one, yeah, so Ithink that was a good one.
It was a good book too.
I'm happy that we didn't getlike a worst best man.
But moving on to our next bookclub book.

(45:36):
It's Tomorrow and Tomorrow andTomorrow by Gabrierielle zevin.
Do you want to read us our bookdescription?

Speaker 1 (45:44):
of course, okay.
So our book description forthis book is in this
exhilarating novel, two friends,often in love but never lovers,
come together as creativepartners in the world of video
game design, where successbrings them fame, joy, tragedy,
duplicity and, ultimately, akind of immortality.

(46:06):
On a bitter cold day in theDecember of his junior year at
Harvard, sam Masser exits asubway car and sees, amid the
hordes of people waiting on theplatform, sadie Green.
He calls her name.
For a moment she pretends shehasn't heard him, but then she
turns and a game begins, alegendary collaboration that

(46:27):
will launch them to stardom.
These friends, intimate sincechildhood, borrow money, beg
favors and before evengraduating college, they have
created their first blockbuster,ichigo.
Overnight, the world is theirs,not even 25 years old, sam and
Sadie are brilliant, successfuland rich, but these qualities

(46:49):
won't protect them from theirown creative ambitions or the
betrayals of their hearts.
Spanning 30 years, fromCambridge, massachusetts, to
Venice Beach, california, andlands in between and far beyond,
gabrielle Zevin's Tomorrow andTomorrow and Tomorrow is a
dazzling and intricatelyimagined novel that examines the

(47:10):
multifarious nature of identity, disability, failure, the
redemptive possibilities in play, above all our need to connect,
to be loved and to love.
Yes, it is a love story, but itis not one you have read before
.

Speaker 2 (47:27):
I'm really excited about this all of my friends on
goodreads, like have rated it sohigh that I've read it I've
heard nothing but good things,both on goodreads, on tiktok, a
podcast that I listen to for,like pop culture things rated
super highly, um.
So we're kind of coming to itlate to the game, but better
late than never.
I think it'll be a reallyinteresting read and we're kind

(47:49):
of jumping back into the sci-fiof it all yeah.

Speaker 1 (47:52):
So I'm like so intrigued by like I don't, I
don't have any expectationsgoing into it, like I'm just, I
don't really, I don't reallyknow me too, because it's
something like.

Speaker 2 (48:01):
I don't think, at least for me.
I don't know about you thatI've never read before.

Speaker 1 (48:06):
Yeah, um it's the only thing that it's like
reminding me of and I could betotally off here because I
haven't read it but just fromthe back of the book I'm
thinking of like free guy orwhatever.
Yeah, that's the only thing I'mthinking of.
Great movie, but um, I thinkit'll be good and hopefully a
lot of you may have already readit, so it'll be cool to be able
to hear your thoughts yeah,yeah.

Speaker 2 (48:28):
So it'll be a good one, excited to get into that.
Um, so that will be ournovember book and it will be our
last book for 2024 that's'sright.

Speaker 1 (48:38):
We figured the end of the year is kind of crazy, at
least for us.
So guess what?
We're not giving you a booktalk.

Speaker 2 (48:45):
We will have a December episode, but it just
won't be a December book club,book talk.
We'll start back up aftertomorrow and tomorrow in 2025
with a brand new book.

Speaker 1 (48:55):
Yes, so stick with us for our last one of the year,
which sounds for our last one ofthe year, which sounds crazy.
Last one of the year it came sofast?

Speaker 2 (49:04):
no.
But speaking of books andkeeping on that trend, what are
your borrows and returns?

Speaker 1 (49:10):
okay.
So I've definitely slowed downbecause I was like on a bullet
train, like reading um, so myreturns obviously the x-hex and
then fate of the sun king, um,by nisha tully.
Uh, I've been reading theseries kind of for a while now.
This one was like a three stars.
I was so like not evendisappointed.
It was so weird.

(49:30):
It was a good book but itwasn't great.
Like unsatisfied, yeah, butlike I was partially satisfied.
I don't know.
It just completed series, so Ithink the final book comes out
in november.
Okay, um, and I'm like too farin so I'm probably gonna finish
it.
Maybe I don't know.
It's just like I wish.

(49:51):
I wish it was better, like theediting concept yeah, it's a
really great concept and thestory's well.
Like I like characters, butit's almost like I just wish
like certain storylines in thisone should have happened in the
second book and like we didn'tget any POVs of like these two
characters in the second bookthat were like main characters

(50:11):
in the third but like we shouldhave gotten some story like in
the second.
Like I don't know, it justfeels kind of like off, like
it's like something's missing,so it's a little disappointed,
but it's okay, I'm glad I'm donewith it.
Yeah, and then for borrows, I'mnot reading anything right now.
Crazy wild um, besides the oneself-help book that's like we're

(50:33):
not gonna finish by the end ofthe year, but whatever um.
But I think I might start thesecond book in the carvel series
, so legendary, by stephaniegarber.
I really liked the first one,so I might jump into that.
There's this other fall one orfall book that I was thinking
about reading and I don't knowif you'll be surprised, but it's

(50:56):
I'm pretty sure it's like afake romance but like
billionaire.

Speaker 2 (50:59):
Like he's a billionaire.

Speaker 1 (51:00):
And for anyone that remembers, I said that I didn't
like billionaire romances Giveit another shot.
This one sounds fun.
It's Can't Help Falling in Loveby Sophie Sullivan, and I think
this one just came out.
Yeah, it came out September2024.
But I might get that onebecause I'm still like in the

(51:20):
fall vibe, yeah, and thedescription seems really cute,
so might give it another try.
Maybe third time's the charm onbillionaire romances.
So I'm trying to decide betweenthose two.
So maybe I might put up a pollon our Instagram and you can
help me pick which book I shouldread first.
The Carvel one, or the FallingMoon one.
I love it.
Yes, what about you?
I know what you're reading.

Speaker 2 (51:42):
I was going to say.
I feel like Darby knows this,so I have been on a Harry Potter
binge.

Speaker 1 (51:49):
Grinding.

Speaker 2 (51:50):
I have been grinding through it.
I feel like where you sloweddown, I picked up all of a
sudden.
That's it.
I'm so happy for you.
Thank you, it's been reallynice.
I haven't read this likeferociously since I read Throne
of Glass, so it's kind of nice.
I wasn't expecting to love itas much as I am, so shout out
Sarah for forcing me to readthis.
But I have finished three outof the seven books.

(52:13):
Crazy, I know, kind of wild.
So real quick, I'll go throughthe returns.
I read the Sorcerer's Stone,which was a four star, chamber
of Secrets four star, andPrisoner of Azkaban, which I
gave a 4.75 star, which, if youknow me, I don't do points very
often, but this one I feltnecessary to do.

(52:35):
It was my favorite of the threeand it was like almost perfect.

Speaker 1 (52:42):
There's just like one part, which I mean, if you're
even thinking about there's onepart, then it's not five stars
exactly but so it's like that.

Speaker 2 (52:47):
One part was like almost, almost, but there's just
the one part that I just it waslike where, like the kid part
of it kind of shone through alittle bit.
Um where spoiler.
But at the same time this bookhas been out forever and the
movies have been out forever, sonot really spoiler.
Um, at the end of prisoner ofazkaban, when um harry finds out
that, uh, sirius black is hisgodfather and he finds out that

(53:11):
he didn't actually, he finds outthat he didn't actually murder
his parents, all of a suddensirius is like oh, by the way,
harry, I'm your godfather andtechnically your legal guardian,
if you wanted to live with me,even though you just found out
that I wasn't like the murder ofyour parents, like not but half
hour ago.
And harry's like oh, my gosh,yeah, I totally want to do that.
And I was like wait a second,what like that came too quick.

Speaker 1 (53:34):
I know that kind of feels like the you're a wizard,
harry, and he's like okay, goingto school now.

Speaker 2 (53:38):
Yeah, kind of.
But I feel like for theseverity of it it was like a
wait a second what it took me alittle back a little.
That's funny.
So it's my only quip about whyit couldn't have been a
five-star book for me the wayyou're loving it.

Speaker 1 (53:51):
I'm like maybe I should start it I highly
recommend it.

Speaker 2 (53:54):
Honestly shocked, because I know people a lot.
A lot of people read it in likefifth grade, like elementary
school so my expectations werelow for it to start off, not
that it wouldn't be good, butjust more like kiddie, and it's
not to say that it's high level,but it doesn't read like an
elementary school book by anymeans and, at least in my
opinion, I'm really enjoying,like the writing, the world

(54:15):
building.
It's very immersive.
Um, the story flows really well.
Obviously I I watched themovies, but the only one I truly
remember a lot of was the firstbook, which seemed to follow
the movies pretty well from whatI can remember.
Um, the rest of the movies Iremember like main plot points,
but I don't remember specifics.
So it's really immersive andit's allowed me, because I know

(54:36):
what's coming and like theoutcome of it all, to really
like shut my brain off and justenjoy, because I'm not making
predictions like I normally do.

Speaker 1 (54:44):
Maybe I'll audiobook these too, yes.

Speaker 2 (54:46):
Highly recommend.
So yeah, I've been reallyenjoying that.
I've read the three.
I'm on the fourth, almosthalfway through the fourth now.
Goblet of Fire.
I just can't stop, you're inHarry Potter world.

Speaker 1 (55:03):
I am we're going to have to go to Universal after
this.

Speaker 2 (55:05):
I'm so down.
Yeah, call the bandwagonbecause, I'm hopping on
Absolutely obsessed.
Let's go Harry Potter.
And for anybody who wants toknow, I am a Gryffindor.
I did take the test.

Speaker 1 (55:16):
I'm a Ravenclaw.
I took the test.
Some people get on me becausethey think I'm a Hufflepuff.
I would love to be a Hufflepuff, but Pottermore said I'm a
Ravenclaw.
So I'm sticking with the liketrue test, you know.

Speaker 2 (55:23):
Honestly.
I see it, though.
Thank you, I feel like a lot ofpeople at least.

Speaker 1 (55:27):
Just because I'm a nice person and friendly like
goodness.
No, because it's, and I mightnot be textbook smart, but it's
not based on your personality.

Speaker 2 (55:36):
It's based on your values and like what you value,
and for you it would be likeknowledge and I feel like for
you, like another aspect of itis that you always love to know
about people too.

Speaker 1 (55:48):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (55:48):
You're constantly asking people questions and like
learning about people, which Ithink feeds into that as well.
Thank you.

Speaker 1 (55:56):
So I see it, my friend Eddie he we talked about
this time and he was like yoursocial intellect, and he was
really building me up because Iwas having a personality crisis
on my pod or more.
So I was like I just don'tthink it fits me.
And he was telling me like well, yeah, because in social
settings, no, it totally does.
I was like you're right, eddie,because in social settings.

Speaker 2 (56:18):
No, it totally does.
I was like you're right, Eddie.
I agree, Eddie I agree.

Speaker 1 (56:23):
I agree for yours too .

Speaker 2 (56:24):
Like, for sure, it's one that I'm coming to accept,
because it wasn't not that it'sa bad thing, like, obviously, I
feel like we all have like ourown expectations.

Speaker 1 (56:32):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (56:32):
I always thought that I would be a Hufflepuff or
maybe a Ravenclaw.
So when I got like Gryffindorthat was nowhere on my radar I
was like, oh, okay.

Speaker 1 (56:42):
But I think I told you this before you are so like
like courageous with like yourvalues and like with your
friends and like sticking up foryour friends and stuff.
Thank you, yeah.

Speaker 2 (56:55):
Well, let us know your Hogwarts houses.
I would love to know.
I am now getting deep in thelore of it all.
Um, I am going to be lookingforward to discussing this.
Yes, you should.
Uh, I would love to discusswith anybody who's read them all
, because I have thoughts.
What's new for me?
Um, but, yeah, check this out.
People are like I read this.
17 years ago.

(57:15):
I did text, uh, our friendMadison with like a rant that I
had, which I guess I'll just gointo it anyway.
Ron Weasley If Ron Weasley hasno haters, I'm dead.
I don't understand how this manis so popular with people.
He is so whiny, he whines abouteverything and, like me, I

(57:36):
think he's pretty whiny in themovies too.
Yeah, I don't know.
Like I kind of remember it fromthe movies, but, like reading
in the book, I'm like this mandoes nothing but complain about
everything.
Yeah, and I'm like what iswrong with you?
Like I'm just not a fan.
Not a fan.
There's a lot I can go into,but I won't.
But if you want to rant with meor tell me all the reasons why
I'm Ron and help, like bringRon's value back up in my mind,

(57:59):
reach out to us.
Lazy Girl Library on Instagramor LazyGirlLibrarycom on our
website.
Yes, would love to hear fromyou.

Speaker 1 (58:07):
Let us know.
That is it for this month'sbook club episode.
Be sure to vote for mepersonally on what book I should
read next at Lazy Girl Libraryon our Instagram.
Thank you so much for joiningus.
Be sure to leave us yourthoughts on this month's book,
either on our Instagram, on ourwebsite, on the Spotify or, if

(58:27):
you're listening on Spotify,that's where I list my podcasts,
but on the podcast platformyou're listening to, we're on a
lot of them, yeah, so we'd loveto hear your opinions and we
will see you next time.
Happy Halloween.
Happy Halloween.

Speaker 2 (58:40):
Happy Halloween.
Bye, guys, bye.

Speaker 1 (58:47):
Well, dear listeners, we find ourselves at the end of
another episode.
And remember, the Lazy GirlLibrary 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,

(59:10):
your one-stop shop for allthings Lazy 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

(59:30):
flourishing and remember thebest stories are yet to be
discovered.
Until next time, stay lazy andhappy reading.