Bookwild - Books That Blew Our Minds

Episode Date: January 17, 2023

This week, we get into books that blew our minds!Follow us on Instagram:Gare @gareindeedreadsKate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouchBooks We Talked AboutThe HousemaidThe SandmanStalkerThe Silent PatientThe Woman InsideWe Were LiarsThe ShardsBehind Her EyesIn My Dreams I Hold a KnifeOther Stuff We Talked AboutBookshelf Tees BookmarksKindle Page Turner Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian 

Hey guys, welcome to the Killing the Tea podcast. This is Gare and Kate. And we are going to be discussing all things chills, thrills and kills. Kate and I are going to be talking about our favorite books, TV shows and movies that are in the thriller or crime fiction genre, as well as some reading habits and other items related to how we met on Bookstagram that will fit in with this podcast. So, Thank you so much for joining us, and we hope that you have fun and get totally terrified. What have you read recently? Anything good? I read The House Made by Frieda McFadden. And everybody was like, you need to read this. Like, you'll love it. It's so good. And I was like, okay, like, I'll finally read it. And zero regrets.

It was so addictive. It was like a good lifetime movie. I just absolutely loved it. That's awesome. I read it yesterday. Because yesterday kind of sucked too. Oh, yeah. Yep.

Did you still have yesterday off? I did. So I wasn't expecting it to be a shitty day, but like there was a food truck I wanted to check out. And they said they were open like 12 to 6. And I went at like a little after one. And there was nobody in line. So I was like, score. Like, we got there before the crowd.

Mm-hmm. And we're standing there outside in the cold and 10, 15 minutes, whatever. And the woman, like, comes up and she's like, hey, I'm just going to let you know, like, we're out of basically everything. Okay. And I was like, okay, cool. Like, when we walked up, you could have taken the two seconds to be like, just to let you know, like, we're basically sold out of everything. instead of like letting me stand here, freezing my fucking ass off for 10 minutes, and northern New York, basically in Canada.

Oh my gosh. So that was a little annoying. So I got home and I read the housemaid and I absolutely loved it. Yeah, bump it up on my list. Yeah, I think you'll really enjoy it. It's just like bingeworthy and like fun. Like it's not anything that's like too deep or serious, but it's just. very entertaining.

No, no bloody. Well, I've been reading bloody. I finally started the Sandman. Well, I have finished it since. But I read that last week, and then I already started Stalker. And something kind of cool was a few podcast episodes ago. You told me to read it in December. And I did it.

But like, it just happened. happened because I needed, I'd had like two or three books that I didn't love in a row. And I was like, I need to read a book that I know I will love. And so I knew that would be one. But I also still started it when you told me to. So I think it was somewhere in my subconscious. But a great winter read. If you like gory stuff or if you're okay with it. Yeah. It's definitely, if you don't like that, Like, it's not for you. Like, it is very, very bloody and descriptive. But I love it.

Your trigger warnings. Yeah. You have turned me into a Lars Kepler fan, and a Juno Lena fan, more importantly. Juna, Juna, Juna. I love him. I love him. I'm so excited. I think the next one comes out in, like, July.

That's going to be exciting. I am going to be. Oh, thank God. I know. that'll be really good. Yeah. There's a lot of me out in 2023 that I'm excited for. Yeah, me too.

I'm trying to think of what else like Brett. Well, the other book that I was going to say for 20203 is something that I'm going to be discussing as part of our theme tonight, so I'll just wait to get to that. But I am terribly excited because a couple of days ago, you text message me and said, you had the best icebreaker,

and you were like, patting yourself on the back. I was having a moment where I was like, how did I never think of this one? So, are you ready to have your ice broken? Oh my God, I can't wait for you to break my ice. I've just been so excited for, well, I always look forward to Tuesdays, but I've just been so excited for this icebreaker since you texted me the other day that I was like, oh my God, like, trying to think of like what it is, what it could be, what my answer is going

to be. Yes. I'm ready. I know. Now I feel like I built it up and I'm nervous, but I think you'll, I think you'll still like it anyway, though. No, I'm, I can't wait. You've never disappointed me. So we know that you read physical books. You would say it's more off, like, Kindle's very rare, right? Um, yeah, Kindle's rare. So it is, it is always physical books more often. So what do you use as a bookmark? I love this. And is it multiple things? I have multiple bookmarks. Bookshelf teas on Instagram.

She makes, her name's Lauren. She makes the best, like, t-shirts with, like, bookish sayings on them and everything. And when you order from her, like, you get, like, a complimentary bookmark. But she also sells bookmarks, too. And so I always order bookmarks from her. which are very like random like whatever I see on her website but I also have one that I ordered myself it's like a longer one and it is um like a dark gray leather and my name is in Boston it oh that's pretty cool that's like my go-to bookmark yeah I love that

Yeah, I was wondering because like, I don't have bookmarks, but the answer I have prepared was something that if you use a Kindle, one of the things that you need in your life is the remote page turner because you can actually put something and I'll link it in the notes. You can actually put something, you put it like on the side of the Kindle and then you have this tiny little remote. And so you can just sit back and read and just press the remote to change. the pages. So it's not a bookmark, but it is a Kindle accessory that's valuable. I saw that and I was obsessed with your setup the other day because I have a pop socket on the back of mine, which has game changer for me. Game changer. I feel like I read faster on my Kindle, but the times that I use my Kindle is if I get a proof for something on NetGalley instead of getting a physical copy of it. If I'm being a brat and kind of having like a manic moment, I'm like, I need to read this book right now. And I don't have a physical copy and I don't want to wait to order it because my closest bookstores in Canada. I will get it on my Kindle.

Yeah. Or some of my romance. Some of my like steamy, smutty romance are like Kindle Unlimited. or like a dollar or two on the Kindle. And the way that I fly through those, I would have to have a new house for for all of just like the gay smart books that I read. You can just have like a little shack just for all your smart.

Love shack, literally. Yeah. Like flying through them. But yeah, that is what I use for a bookmark. I can't dog your paid. I wish I could be one of those people that like you could tell that like a book is really well loved, you know, like with the spine cracked and like, but I just can't do it. I can't imagine you doing that. No.

I couldn't imagine you folded pages over either. I have done it occasionally if I'm in a pickle. The way that my mind works is just ridiculous sometimes. So like I will be like, oh, I need to do like A, B and C, but then like randomly I'll be like. like, where's my bookmark? Where's my bookmark? And it's in like a different room. So like I'll dog you the page.

But then like after I'm like pressing it down trying to. Putting a dumbbell on top of it. Yeah. Just like apologizing to the author. Oh my gosh. That's good. I like that. I know.

And you know what the thing is too is like I have this like imagination of you having like just the single bookshelf of all of the physical books that you like absolutely love. Yeah, that's what I'm slowly working on accumulating. And I have a secret. You're so mysterious. I know. I have a separate wish list on Amazon for books that I want you to own. Oh, that's so cute.

So, like, when things come up where I have like an idea for like a little care package. Aw. But it has to be like perfect. And I'm OCD about things. So. That's okay. I just can't wait to like put everything together the way that it looks in my mind. Yeah.

We do have our saves. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. And there's one coming. There's one book that I have in mind that I think is going to be one of your faves that I know you haven't read yet. Ooh. So, because I was listening to us today when I went to get subway after work, I had a rose and a thorn moment. And I was like cracking up in the parking lot thinking of you because like nobody else would like love this story but you.

I told you like a few episodes ago that the thing that pisses me off about my subways, I never have cash. Oh, yeah. They only take card and like there's no thing to tip on the card machine. And I always feel like an asshole. And today was the day that I put my card in and they finally have the option to tip on your card. Good. And I was like, oh my God, I feel so great. I'm so happy that they finally did that.

So I grabbed my sub and I was like, I can't wait to tell Kate this. And as I'm walking to my car in this dark parking lot, there's a white serial killer van backing up next to my car. Oh my gosh. And I was like, no, now I'm going to get murdered. Like I was so happy that you can tip on your car now at subway and now I'm going to get like slaughtered in the parking lot. Yeah, because I just saw a TikTok of like a. security camera footage that was like women should be really safe in Michigan

right now and it showed like a car backed up next to this woman's car when she went to get in like two men got out and like tried to like kidnap her. Wow. But home girl kicked their asses. Good for her. Like she was like bam bam bam and they were like scurrying away like trying to get back in the car

and this like guy came to like help her and she like just like took off running in the opposite direction and I was like good for you. But I'm not probably as tough or as smart as she is. So I was like watching this serial killer van back up next to my car and I was like, no. I would definitely have been nervous. It's just I know how my Tuesday is going. So like it would

just make sense that I had the kind of day that I had and then get murdered in a parking lot. Speaking of things we love, speaking of torture and torment and all of the things that make a good book, a good book. I was scrolling through and I saw the silent patient and I was like, hey, did you love this? Are you with the people that hate it? And we both love it.

And then you had a great idea to talk about some books. We came up with this idea together. It was, yeah, it was joint. I don't know how we haven't talked about the silent patient. I know.

Because that's one of my favorite reading experiences that I've ever had. I remember reading that during the week. Here's the thing, too. Anything that takes place outside of the United States in a book, or I guess Canada, but I don't, other than a couple of people, I don't get to read much from Canadian authors. But anything that takes place outside of the U.S.,

I have to take more time with, because it's a country that I'm not familiar with. Right. So I remember that when I was like psychological thriller. I think it takes place in like London. Like I need to be like take my time with it, not rush through it on a weekend. I was so pissed at myself because of the fact that like I need to go to bed so I can wake up in the morning. And like I don't want to use my bookmark for this book.

Like I want to read this cover to cover. in one setting. The imagery, the cinematic like elements of that story, the characters, I just love that book with all of my heart. I do too. I love it a lot. I had the same experience where

like I was so mad that I had to work because I think I started it at night. And so like I probably read it for like four hours one night. And then I was like, well, I'm falling asleep. I'll just finish it tomorrow. And then I had work. But every chance I got, like, if a video was uploading, I was reading. If I was drying my hair, I was reading.

I remember I still worked in the office at the time because, like, that was like one of those moments where whenever I left my house, I took that book with me. Yes. Like, it didn't matter if I was, like, sitting in a drive-thru waiting for coffee or if, you know, I got like a lunch break and I just read like somewhere wherever I could. I just remember bringing that book with me everywhere and like I could not shut up about it. Yeah. It's so good.

I love it. I love that book. And a big part of the book is that it blows your minds. Yes. Pretty massively at the end. So then we were thinking about what other books have we read that have just blown our minds. Mm-hmm. to pieces.

That's the thing. With that reading experience, my biggest takeaway was when I read it, I was looking for all of these clues. I was searching. I was trying to come up with all of these theories because you really get immersed in the story. You're not just like looking to find out what the twists is in the end and then like move on to something else.

Yeah. And I was doing so much detective work inside of my brain when I was reading it that by the time the end came and I got to the twist, I was like, son of a bitch. Like, he completely distracted me. Yes. This entire book by purposely putting things in that you think you should be paying attention to just to like wallop you with something in the end that you didn't see coming. So amazing. Like, so good. I was obsessed with that book. I was. I was obsessed with that book. am. I am obsessed with that book as well. I don't see a lot of people who are releasing stories that use the same technique that he used for the twist in that.

You don't see that. Plot device or whatever. Gone Girl on the train, they did like, you know, they kind of built different ways to have like your unreliable narrator. Mm-hmm. But I haven't seen anything that he's, that anyone's done that messes with you like he has with that one. I know. I was trying to think of if I'd even seen a TV show that did it.

I haven't. It's a very unique one. Yeah. I guess. I can't think. I can't think of anything else. Even if you could guess part of it, you would not guess. all of it.

I don't think. And if someone does, you're a fucking boss. Yeah. If you guess the ending to this book, you should probably reevaluate some decisions in your life and just be like a full-on detective. Yes. Like, you will solve cases quicker

than most of the pros out there. Mm-hmm. But yeah, there's definitely been there's been some different books for different reasons that have really messed with my head and either like terrified me or like did something that made them such an enjoyable experience because of the basically manipulation that the author like toyed with me so because of the silent patient like we just kind of had this idea to like name all of the books that have really

messed with us. Yeah. I can't wait to hear what you have to say. How many do you have? Well, I'm glad you asked. I have a list of five, and then I have what I would call four honorable mentions. So I have nine.

I have eight. Okay, so we're right. I bet some of maybe a couple will match. We'll see. Probably. Probably. That was kind of my thing was, you know, to be honest, we kind of tease me. I make fun of myself and you make fun of me for this for like how many times I talk about like the woman inside by EG. Scott.

But there are times where like a book will be. applicable to like whatever topic, but like it's always like for like a different reason. Yeah. You know? It is. I've run into that as well. Because I run into that a lot when I work for She Reads. Yeah, I bet.

Like they're like dark academia, who done it? Like, dual timeline, unreliable narrator. And I'm like, Ashley Winston, Ashley Winstead, Ashley Winston, Ashley Winston, like, you know what I mean? So it's like hard too when you're, you know, it's kind of like what we do. Like it's hard when you and I are like what books mess with your head. And it's hard not to mention something that we've already like. Yes. Talked about a lot.

That's what. Yeah. So my honorable mentions are all ones that we've definitely read like the synopsis for and like everything. So they're my ones where I'll be like also these four at the end. Yeah. Yeah. I probably have like honorable mentions and I have I've probably I would say discussed most of most of mine in some capacity or another. I'm just going to say it right now.

The woman inside is one of mine. I figured. Yeah. It does mess with your mind. There's no way I could talk about books that don't mentally manipulate you without mentioning. that one. I agree. Because it's one of those things that kind of took the whole his and her perspective in a relationship.

And when you're reading her perspective, things do not add up to what you're reading with him. And you don't know who to believe. You don't know who's lying. But like the fact of the matter is, it's just like communication and the lack thereof between people can be extremely dangerous. And I think another reason that book messed with my head so badly is because it's not something that you read and you get to a big twist at the end.

It's what I call like the Hansel and Gretel effect where all of the reveals are like breadcumps throughout the book instead of just being like, I don't know what's going on for 300 pages and then being like, oh, okay. like this is like okay what does this mean and then they kind of tell you and then something else happens and like the reveals are very like stacked like little breadcrumbs yeah that's a really good way to describe it because yeah you're not going to be like shocked well it might be but it's not a twist shock it's not it's not one of those I was still shocked in the end with like a couple of things I took it back.

But there were enough reveals that I knew it wasn't going to be a cheap thrill at the end, if that makes sense. It wasn't going to be like, this husband disappeared and then like, oh, it's aliens. And I didn't know that there was like an alien aspect. Or it's like, oh, like this husband disappeared and he's this like, horrid. horrible businessman. And, like, it's really like, oh, no, he, like, fell off his bike and just went unconscious for a couple of days in a ditch. Yeah. Like, it was leading up to something that was really huge.

Very fitting to the story and its themes. Yeah. So, just knock that one off my list. Yeah. Because the woman inside by EG. Scott, I'm, listen, I'm the fan boy. I can't help it. That's okay. I can't help that.

There is everything in my life can be related to why I love the woman inside by Eiji Scott. I get it. I really, you get it. I just, I can't help myself. I, yeah. Think about that book. It's way more than.

Very good. I love the cast. It's very difficult to put down. Because, yeah, things are changing all the time. I love the cast of that book. Yeah. Love them. One day.

Hopefully someone will make a movie or a TV show, one of the two. I think TV show would make the most sense because you could bounce between them. I would have to say a TV show would make the most sense. But I would be that annoying fan. If they did it, I'd be like, this cast needs to be perfect.

The director needs to be like, David Fincher. You know, it has to be like on HBO Max because like, you need some steam and on cable. Hell no, hell no, it'd be a half hour. Yeah, it would. It'd be a half hour movie on cable. Like, no way. People would be like, what happened?

We need like sex violence and foul language, like all of the trifect of what makes a good TV show. Yes, that. So. So. I guess I kicked it off with the woman inside. I don't know. I don't know what happened. You got us off to the races.

It was literally like the first one I picked. I was like, easy. Easy, easy, easy. I was scrolling and I saw it and I was like, here we get that one. Oh, God, I know. I know. But something interesting, I know.

noticed when I was looking at them. So I brought up the silent patient just because, like, there are some people who read it and I just really don't think it's a good book. It's kind of a controversial one in the review section, at least. But as I was starting to pick other mind-blowing books, I started to notice that I had two others that I also know have really controversial feelings about them. So I kind of did a little bit of a theme. without intending to. And the first or my next one, no, it's not my next one. It's my first one.

So my first, yeah, that's true. These are our babies. We share them. They're one together. Yes, these are our books. Because whatever I read that you have it, I'm going to be like, you need to read it. I know. So my first pick was, We Were Liars by E. Lockhart.

The synopsis says, a beautiful and distinguished family, a private island, a brilliant damaged girl, a passionate political boy, a group of four friends, the liars whose friendship turns destructive, a revolution, an accident, a secret. Lies upon lies, true love, the truth. We Are Liars is a modern sophisticated suspense novel from New York Times bestselling author E. Lockhart. So that doesn't tell you tons about it, but I will say that one of the reasons some people don't like it is it's kind of written and like, it's kind of written lyrically. So it's like it looks more like the structure of a poem sometimes when you're reading it. And I didn't know if I would love that either,

but it's not a poem. And so eventually you just feel like you're just reading a book. So for anyone who like sees that part of it and is like, I don't want to read a poem, you're not really reading a poem. There's just a style choice and you won't notice once you're reading. Got it. It's basically about four, yeah, four friends or I think they're related. At least one of the kids is related to someone who like owns the island and that's why they're there. But I thought they were all family. But this says a group of four friends. So they must not all be family. Um, they are. spending the summer on an island together and there just is some shady stuff going on between

them and so the main character whose name I don't remember and don't see in the synopsis the main character she's just like trying to figure out what's actually going on with the friend group and like why it's such a mess and then the ending is kind of like flips everything on his face. That's what I've heard. I've heard that like people are like I, so the general consensus that I've seen is like everybody's like when you read this book, you're going to be like, okay, this is good or okay. But then when you get to the end, you're going to be like, that was a fucking masterpiece. Yeah. It's fantastic. I really enjoyed it. Did you read the sequel? I haven't read the sequel yet. I saw that and I was like, man, that has been on my TV

are for a very long time. Well, now you're hooked on June Alina, so. I know. It's going to be a bit. It's going to be a bit, yeah. Stockers 570 pages, and then I have the shards. It's going to take some time. I think I want to read the shards with you. Okay. I'm down. And then we can read, then we can weed. Then we can read, we were liars. Yeah. I have to, um, I feel like I remember being short. You know, 240 pages. Oh, yeah. It's Y-A as well, correct? Yeah. That's a problem. Yeah, that's a problem as to why I think I haven't picked up the book yet, because I feel like whenever I go, I'm never usually in the Y-A section. That's a good point. I'm just in, like, fiction or thriller. And if it was there, I probably would have scooped it up already. Yeah, it is a thriller.

It is like a young adult thriller. Yeah. Yeah. I've heard fantastic things. So I'm very excited for this. It's really good. I loved it a lot. And I love something that told you. I want to tell you a book that reminds me of it. And if I tell you the book, though, I just realized it'll ruin it. So I'm not going to tell you. Is it a YA book? No. Oh, then okay. It's when we have both read. Oh, so I'll tell you after we read it. Okay. Okay. And then you'll be like, oh, yeah, I know why you couldn't tell me. I'll make room for it. Um, yeah. Man, that might be next. then. I've been like being a little selfish. I could start reading it at night when I go to sleep since I shouldn't read Stalker.

God, I don't blame you. Maybe I'll get out on my Kindle. Oh yeah. That would work too. Because I just DNFed a book before we started recording tonight. So that would be fun. Yeah, you should. I'm just going to do it. Well, speaking of things that everybody should read, one book that completely fucked with my head is The Shards by Brett Easton Ellis.

It is a 600-page Odyssey of just fantastic writing, it's cinematic. He can just tell a story that transport you, into such a, like, unique place visually. I just love the imagery and the story. I love this book so much. This is how much I love this book. The reason I was curious about it is because it's Brett Easton Ellis's first book in 13 years. And it is about a boy.

Well, he's a teenager. He's like 17, I think. whose name is Brett. And his friend group in Los Angeles in 1981, they kind of, their lives start to change because there's this, like, new guy at their school who's like a senior and he's very mysterious and he doesn't open up a lot. And at the same time that their friend group is kind of changing with the arrival of this new student, Brett kind of. of becomes obsessed with this case of a serial killer in Los Angeles who he thinks could possibly be taunting him and targeting his friend group. Obviously, a serial killer storyline in the 80s in Los Angeles, I'm like, this is a no-brainer for me. The coming of age aspect of this story

and the dynamic between all of the friends had me so invested in this story that whenever the serial killer was brought up. I was like, oh shit, that's right. There's a serial killer in this book. Oh, that's a really good, like, tidbit to know. Yeah. Like, I was just so invested in the story, and I just, like, loved everything about it and, like, the imagery and all of the different things that were going on, that it is the perfect blend of coming of age, literary fiction and thriller, because the pacing gets, like, more intense. Obviously, like, you're going to get answers to things. things, but I just loved the way this story was told, and I loved the cast, and I loved Brat as a character, that there were a lot of times I forgot that there was a serial killer in this story. That's impressive.

And, like, that's kind of what drew me to it in the first place, but, like, I finished this book. So it is, like, really character-driven. It's very character-driven. That's cool. But it's also... it's kind of like a, yeah, I would say like coming of age would be the best way to describe it. It would kind of be like you and I growing up in the times of like the Boston Strangler.

Oh, yeah. You know, like we would obviously as like people who are very curious with true crime would be like, that's freaking crazy. But then like some of our friends would be like, it doesn't affect me. Right. you know but it is just a book that completely messed with my head because I could not stop thinking I still haven't stopped thinking about it I've been reading books that I'm like that was okay that was good all right DNF like I just haven't found anything that like this is how how I feel when I read this book is how I can imagine people felt when the secret history by Donna

heart came out. Yeah, I bet so. And they found their favorite book. Yeah, ever. Ever. A lot of people's favorites. Yeah. And it's just... It's how I felt after reading Evelyn Hugo. And then I read two books that would have been disappointing even if I hadn't read Evelyn Hugo, but it made them worse. Yeah, yeah. That's how I feel about the Shards is like, if I, if I, stop y'iard if I never find another book ever again that makes me feel this way

I will be fine knowing that the shards is like the book that made me feel this way wow that's a big of the last like the last quarter of the book is just balls to the wall crazy that's all I can like think of to explain it it's just for goodness

there's every trigger warning known to man in this book, though. I mean, there's violence, there's a lot of sex, there's a lot of, like, just inappropriate things. There is the aftermath of animal violence. So, it's the only thing I'm bracing myself for. That's usually a trigger warning for me. Yeah. I was so invested in the story that I was like, well, that is awful. Yeah. But then compared to what some of the characters go through, you're like, maybe I would have rather been the animal. Cool. So pre-order your copy because the Shards comes out January 17th.

My other book that also is very controversial, which is not what I was intending, but what just happened, is behind her eyes by Sarah Pinborough. I think you didn't love it, right? I did love it. You did? I read it in love it. Yeah. Okay, cool. Yes.

I couldn't tell from your face. I was like, wait, did he hate it? No, I really, really like that. Which if you did, it be okay. So it's one of those endings. Again, it's the ending that makes people love it or hate it. But in general, the book is about Louise, who's a single mom, and she's a secretary. And when she goes out one night, she meets this really great guy at a bar.

and they like kiss after they meet each other. So then she goes to her new job on like that next Monday. And the guy that she met with is her new boss, David. And he's married is the other thing that she then finds out. But like they have all this chemistry. So she's like, what is happening? And he's still a little obsessed with her and kind of like watching what she does all the time. so then she bumps into um adele sorry lost what i was saying bumps into adele who's new to town and in need of a friend

but she's married to david um so she wants to be friends with this guy's wife she also wants to sleep with the guy so basically on the outside david and adele look like picture perfect. Like all their friends kind of think that. But also when like people aren't around, it seems like David's really controlling of Adele and she can't figure out why Adel is scared of him. So she's just trying to figure out what's going on in their relationship while she's also really into David, the husband. And she just keeps finding out more and more interesting things about what's actually going on in that house. And then there's a big twist at the end

that you either love or hate. It's a big one. There's also some amenable violence in this one. Sometimes I just don't. You know what? Let's be honest. I don't care when people die in a book. When animals do, it usually bothers me more. but there are some books that are so crazy.

Yeah. I recommended the kind worth killing to a friend. And I was like, I love this book. You're going to love it. It's so good. It's one of my favorites. And she texted me and was like super pissed off because she was like, a cat dies in this book. And I was like, it does.

And I was like, did you read the rest of the book? Like, who cares about the fucking cat? It's a cat. It's a cat. But she loves cats. cats. I know. I get it. I get it. And there's sometimes when I know I'm just, I think we talked about that on a couple episodes ago. Like, if I'm in a certain mood, if I'm in a soft, cute, cuttly Kate mood, I'm not going to read Nordic noir because I'm not in the right headspace. But when I

am in the right headspace, I'm like, yeah, there's some bad shit happens. Yeah. It's easy to skip over then. I think if it's like a dog, or a cat or something that's like very prominent and like they're trying to do something to show this animal's personality. That's when it like bothers me more. But if it's just like, oh, I let the dog out. And then I let the dog in. I heard the dog bark. And there's like, you're not giving the animal any personality. I'm like, okay. We're kind of new. You know. It's like being the wife of a detective. Like if you're an animal and a thriller, you're about as safe as being the wife of a detective. That's amazing.

You're so right. Let's just be honest. Like, sorry, Gwyneth Peltro, but we all saw it coming. There would be another funny t-shirt. Animals aren't safe. Yeah. So, behind her eyes, it's great, in my opinion. I loved it.

And it got made into a TV series on Netflix that was really, really great as well. I haven't watched the series yet. It's really great. There's, like, very few places where it deviates too much. Yeah, I really, really did enjoy that book. And I liked the twist ending. So I sign on with that one, too. I wonder if this is one of yours.

In my dreams, I hold a knife. That was in my honorable mention. So yes. Okay. Okay. So we all know, I'm sure by now that Kate and I are huge fans of Ashley Winstead. If you don't know, in my dreams I hold a knife, it is about a group of friends who returns to their college for their 10-year reunion. and they're all still plagued by the mysterious murder of one of their friends. So you have like a dual timeline. They're kind of like suspicious of each other. One of them I think was arrested for the murder and then found to be innocent.

There's that question of maybe he really did do it and he just got away with it. And so there's also, you know, the reunion of his. very toxic group of friends that you can't stop reading about. And there's also somebody else out there who is kind of like playing a little bit of a, I know you did last summer role, who really just wants to know the truth. And this book messed with my head so much because when I was reading it, I was like, I don't care what the ending to this book is because I'm just so invested in all of these characters. And I love this plot so much that even if it's something really dumb,

I'm not going to care. I'm still going to love this book no matter what. Right. And then I got to the ending. And it, the ending to that book was something that disturbed me so much that I still, to this day, think about how much I would be,

like in a mental hospital if I were one of these characters. I know. It is one of the most disturbing things. Not in it, well, I mean, it is a little violent when you find out what happens to the friend who was murdered. But psychologically, that book messed me up for, we're going on about two years now since I've read it. I know. And I still to this day We'll just be like

I can't imagine That being my life So Yeah And my dreams I hold the knife Go read it people But no one's surprise whatsoever Right

I hope someone is like You know what I'm finally gonna read it And they just get to experience it New and fresh All over In a way that we can't I feel the same way. And I hope that person also hasn't read the woman inside.

Yes. If it's the same person, like, can you imagine how happy they're going to be? And then they're like, hey, I'll just give behind her eyes a shot too. Mm-hmm. Oh my God. Trifecta. Literally read them all.