Bookwild - Books That...Kept Us Up, Everyone Should Read, Got Us Into a New Genre, Made Us Cry, And We Can't Stop Thinking About

Episode Date: September 1, 2023

This week, we answer a Bookstagram challenge from @duttonbooks What was the last book that...Made you stay up all nightYou think everyone should readInspired you to get into a new genreMade you cry for hoursYou Couldn't stop thinking aboutFollow us on Instagram:Gare @gareindeedreadsKate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouchBooks We Talked AboutI’m Not Done With You YetThe Flash GirlsThe Murder Between UsThe PushKismetThe Seven Husbands of Evelyn HugoHimDaisy Jones and The SixFollow the RiverThe TrapDysfunctional 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 

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 are you reading? What am I reading? I am reading.

I'm not done with you yet. Oh, that's right. Yes. Yeah. You're going to really like that. Wow. Just wow. It is up my alley in all kinds of ways.

Yes. Yeah. You're going to like that. It's definitely like there's very good like female characters in it. Mm-hmm. Like they're very well written. I'm minorly concerned by how much I love and feel like I relate to sociopath characters and books. But, you know, we're not going to look at that too hard.

I think there's always like a situation in everybody's life unless you're like completely a Disney character. Yeah. That will make you relate to. Like, how many people related to Amy and Gone Girl? Yeah. You know? It is like just like, in touch with like the shadow side of yourself that like has those thoughts.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. There's there's a little bit in there. Oh, it's so fun. Everybody. It's so fun. It might coincidentally be one that keeps me up all night. Well, speaking of that, speaking of that, welcome to today's topic, motherfuckers. Welcome, everybody. So I found this on Instagram. You had already liked it. So I knew that you were going to be into it. But basically I sent Kate a screenshot.

Dutton Books put up something on their Instagram that was like, tell us the last book that dot, dot, dot, dot and gives you five options. So we were like, hey, this would be fun to do. So shout out to Dutton for giving you. us the idea. And it says, I love their caption, book hangovers are temporary. Our want-to-read list is forever. If that is not the truth, I don't know what it is.

Yeah, yeah. So first up on the list is tell us the book that made you stay up all night. Ladies first. Oh, go. Well, the most recent one was one that we keep kind of talking about the Flash Girls by J.M. Cannon. And it was one of those where, like, Tyler was gone. And it was just noisy enough in our house that, like, some of the descriptions of the crime scenes were just freaking me out. So that's probably part of why it kept me awake because, like, otherwise, I typically struggled to ever stay up past 1030.

this one though I think it scared me a little bit enough to keep me awake but it's basically about a girl who well she's a woman-ish now a young woman why am I struggling with that um who her friend went missing um and she believes she was the third one to go missing after having her photograph taken like a flash photo um When she was walking home one night and then within a week or two, three of these girls disappeared that way. And that's really all you need to know. Oh, there's also a hurricane on its way.

It takes place in Charleston, South Carolina. So there's also a hurricane happening that, like, might wash away all of the evidence that she's starting to find. So lots of tension. That was a really good book. That was a really fun read. Yeah. I love that one. And she liked it a lot.

The creepy scenes, like kind of being parallel to this big storm hitting was like on point. So. Yeah. I loved it. Yeah. Yeah. Well, speaking of serial killers, naturally. Nice.

I do have a theme. Mine are all male male romances because I am in that era. But the murder between us by Tal Bauer. oh my God. Oh my God. So it's just so good. It's so good. There's an FBI agent named Noah Downing who has like always kind of question his sexuality and finds himself at a conference in Vegas. And he's like, you know, what happens in Vegas? Stay in Zimbabagos. Or so he thinks. So he basically ends up having his first sexual encounter with a man. But then the very next morning, he is called back to Iowa with the FBI because a serial killer that he was hunting that went dormant six years ago has resurfaced. And as if things couldn't get worse, when he goes to the task force meeting, the FBI profiler is none other than the man that he slept with in Vegas. So they have to kind of like deal with their intense chemistry

as well as like join forces in trying to hunt down the co-ed killer. The co-ed killer. So good. It's so good. The thing that I love about this is it's like not just like, oh, they're going to like bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang. And then like, oh, there's a serial killer. Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang.

So I really like that like this is definitely like a police procedural and a thriller. So it's like action packed. Yeah. Yeah. And there is a sequel. So there's two of them. The second one's called The Great Between Us. But I like that it is a police procedural and more like a thriller that you would expect.

But it just has two men in love instead of like the FBI profiler being like a woman and the FBI agent being a man and, you know, like all. that stuff. So it is more heavy on the thriller police procedural aspect, but like you're still rooting for their relationship. I love that. You've sold me again. I love them. I love them so much. Cole and Noah. Cole and Noah. Your new faves. Yeah. And if that doesn't sell people like enough, I read this and the sequel and then I immediately went to Amazon and I ordered five more Talbauer books. Yes, you're a full fan now. I'm like about ready to get to that tattoo. One day you will get a tattoo of something.

Oh my God. I just like have no idea. I feel like it'd be bad luck if I got a bookish tattoo because like what if like you get like a book tattoo of like an author that you love and then they do something super problematic. Yeah. That's a good point. Not that any of the author is book related, but not author related.

Yeah. Yeah. Like, it would just have to be, like, a book, a book with, like, your face on one cover and my face on one cover. Because, like, we use for life. Yes. I think that one would be okay. That one would be safe. Yeah.

Yeah. So, so, yeah. I highly recommend my recommendation for that and yours because they were both, like, so fucking bingeworthy. Yes. But our next pick is. tell us the last book that you think everyone should read. So mine is the push. Oh, my God. So mine is the push by Ashley Audrain. I just, oh my gosh, I loved it so much. It's pretty much about a woman who she isn't a new mom and has a daughter. But as the daughter ages,

There's some stuff that she starts doing where she's kind of like, I don't know if my daughter's okay. She seems kind of dangerous at times is what it starts to escalate into. And her husband doesn't believe her the whole time. And then they have another kid, a baby boy. And her experience is like the exact opposite. And she loves him so much and feels so connected to him. And she's like, it solidifies her belief that something is wrong with her other child.

And things just keep escalating and escalating and escalating. And it has very much the vibes of like gaslighting the, or is it called gaslight is what the movie was called? Like the story that literally created the term, it has a lot of those vibes where it's like someone is not wanting to believe something. And your main character is like, but we need to do. something about it. Yeah. Yeah. And it's just very, can you hear him?

Like, barely. Okay. I'll just keep talking then. Not enough to drown you out. Okay, good. It was so immersive and you're like so nervous with the main character, Blythe, like the entire time. And I just like, it was so hard to put it down ever.

Yeah. It's like a literary thriller version of like the Omen. Yeah. So like. No. The omen. I know, you're right. I was getting crossed.

Yes. Yeah. But also the orphan. I know. I was like, wait a second. I was like, any horror thriller that you love with like a somewhat evil child or seeming evil child.

Like this is up your alley. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I love that book.

I love that book. She's an amazing storyteller. I love it so much. She's so good. It was one where I got a copy of the Whispers and because I interviewed her. So I read that one first. And then I was like, wow, I really enjoyed that. And then I read The Push and I think I like it more.

I think it's technically my favorite of the two. Yeah. Yeah. I would agree. I would agree with that 100%. 100%. Yeah. It was so good.

And the ending is just jawed dropping. It's amazing. amazing. It's so good. Well, my next pick is not about dropping jaws, but dropping drones. That's the best segue you've done ever. I think everyone should read. I have my certain tropes in romance or stuff. Like, I love like academia or dark academia. So Kissment

by Ashley James is like, I, I wish everybody would read this book, the gold foil. I mean, like, come on. That's beautiful. Beautiful. And there's also not safe for work, artwork inside here. Oh, yeah, this is that one. Yeah, she sent some postcards.

So props to my girl, Ashley James. But Pismet is basically about a guy who has a sexual relationship with his college professor. and they start to develop feelings for one another, and then the professor just, like, ghost him, like, out of nowhere. And five years later, like, the guy is moving for a teaching position at a college and shows up, and the dean is none other than his old professor that had ghosted him. So it's kind of like lovers to enemies to lovers. And there's, like, a very, like,

emotional backstory with one of them and just like seeing their relationship like develop basically twice like second chance romance yeah it's so good and it's so like character driven i love that oh my god it's just the best you do your other trope is like the have sex with who you think is a stranger and then they're important in your life trope girl That's just my life. That's just my life at this point. Yeah. I think my trope with male male romance is

fuck anybody because you never know what kind of role of the lead in your life. Well, yeah, that's definitely. Any and everyone, yeah. Oh, my God. Just bang everyone. Oh, my God. I love it.

I know. So what was the last book you read that inspired you to get into a new genre? Well, yeah, I know. What is Kate going to say? Who are you going to talk about? So it's like, the thing is, you guys are going to know if you've listened. But I just haven't gone out this far. Like, I haven't gone outside of my genres other than this.

for the most part. So Evelyn Hugo, well, the seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo, was the first like not thriller or suspenseful at all fiction that I read. Yeah. And obviously it turned out very well for me. So it definitely

opened me up to a different genre. And I do think it kind of like all of her books collectively then also just kind of reminded me that like, or not reminded me, showed me that, like, I love a females being bad bitches and places they weren't supposed to be storyline. So it got me into all kinds of specific genres. But for anyone who doesn't know what Evelyn Hugo is about, there is a writer, a journalist who is, basically she's working and gets a call that this mega famous movie star from like the beginnings of Hollywood, the 50s, 60s, wants

her to do a retrospective on her. And she's like, I don't know why she wants me, but she goes and basically listens to her story of like what her life was actually like being that mega famous, like what the public thought versus what was actually happening. And, That's all you really need to know. That's what you need to know. But Evelyn's a fucking badass. Badass. The characters are just so real.

And it was the first book I cried really hard in it as well. I don't really cry in thrillers. I've had, like, I'll get to every now and then. Something might be touching enough that my eyes water. But I don't cry the way I cried in Taylor Jenkins read. the only ones that do that. Yep. The endings are typically a lot to handle. Yeah. Yeah, I can see that with her. I thought the same thing. The thing I love about Evelyn Hugo is how even though it's not a thriller, the pacing reads like a thriller. Yeah. And there are some like twists and turns and

and reveals in the story that like I'm like, damn, girl, like. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. There's There's one huge reveal at the end. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. There was a lot happening. That does feel like a thriller. Yes.

Yep. Uh-huh. That's so good. Yeah. I mean, in the sense that she was like up against odds, you know, that I think that's some of why the pacing is similar. Because like thrillers have so much tension and like, you're typically like fighting against a certain force.

And I think that's probably another reason it feels that way. That's a good point. fighting for her life to be the way she wanted it to be. So good. Yeah. So good. Well, since I'm on my mail, male romance journey of all types, when we talked about murder, pop professors,

let's talk about hockey. What? Definitely need some hockey. This is the first male, male romance book that I read that I was like, okay, this is like going to be all I want to read for the rest of my life. like so good. It's called him by Serena Bowen and L. Kennedy.

It takes place about an hour and a half from my house in Lake Placid, New York. So I like just could get like such a vibe from it and like they just like really captivated like upstate New York summer and amazing.

But it is about a hockey player named Jamie and Jamie and his best friend on their last night of attending hockey summer camp. Something happened that they thought was just drunk in foolishness. And then they parted ways and didn't speak to each other ever again. And they were best friends. So then they are reunited at the same camp as like, what would you call it?

Like coaches, basically, like for the kids attending. So they're reunited and like, they're kind of like, why the fuck did you like ghost me? Like, we were besties. and the other guy's like, you know why. And then there's just like, there's stuck. Like, so it's like force proximity. Yeah. I just love it.

And there is a sequel called Us. Aw. I love the one word. Oh, me too. Just pronouns. I am also a sucker, like a huge sucker for the cartoonish characters that don't have a face. I don't know what it is about them not having a face. But.

Interesting. It's more mysterious. And I just, it really, really fucking reels me in. Maybe it's also because then it doesn't influence how you would cast it in your head. You can imagine it as anyone. Yeah. Or like, like, I also, like, feel like sometimes you, like, meet a character. And this is just, like, all genres, but, like, sometimes you meet a character.

And, like, they just, like, only give you a feel for their personality. Like, they're not like, oh, this guy's, like, brown hair, six, two. Yeah. But yeah, I agree. Like this little guy, like you can tell he's got some scruff. He's got his tattoos, biceps. He's tall. He's perfect and beautiful and I love him.

Yes. He has biceps. Yes. Yeah. Those biceps. Oh, my God. Let me tell you what. That tattoo gets a workout.

Let's just put it in the other way. So, yes. But now I'm very curious for this next one because our fourth topic is the book that made you cry for hours. And I'm very curious because I thought your choice was going to be Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins. Like if you would have told me to bet money on it, I would have bet money on it and just lost my ass here on national television. well um you're not totally far off if it helps because daisy johnson the six was kind of like you go see that was i was like both of those could probably be interchangeable but then i was like oh i read evelyn first so it's going to be the one that like introduced me to a new genre

I cried in all every single one of her books except Malibu Rising. I don't think I cried in that one. But Carrie Soto, Daisy Jones in the Six and Evelyn Hugo, like big tears at the end of all of those books. And Daisy Jones in the Six is about, coincidentally, a band named The Six and an artist named Daisy Jones back in the 60s. and kind of the 70s, um, the, basically the rock scene at that point.

And she meets their band and she and the lead singer like, have great musical chemistry and their band starts to get more successful. Um, but you're basically, the fun part is that you're hearing the story as told through a documentary. So we're decades into the future and the people are talking about their time, like, in the band together and how the rise and fall of it, basically. And it's one of the cool narrative devices is that she points out how everyone's perspective can be vastly different. So it's like even their perspectives of certain things don't always line up in their individual memories.

but it's loosely based off, it's inspired by Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nex, obviously, as like Daisy Jones. And it's just amazing. It's fantastic. It's about overcoming your demons. It's about, like, found family and, like, unique love. And it made me cry a lot. At the end. I've never cried during a book. And the TV series was so good. I've heard it too. I love Riley Keough. I wept through like the whole

the finale episode was amazing. I think it's the best book adaptation I've ever seen. Oh my God. Definitely the best one. Up there with like where the crada had it's saying. Well, that was really good. I didn't read the book, but it was a fantastic movie. Yeah.

It was very true to the book. Because my mom took my book and she never gave it back. me. I know. Evil. Evil. Evil. Evil. But you'll never know where the Grotad is saying now. I know. I can't say anything because thanks to my mom. Who was very helpful with Murphy. I was able to read in one day, the 450 page Odyssey, Follow the River by C.E. Ritchie is book one of two. And I've never cried during a book,

but if I were to cry, this would have been the book that made me. There were like a lot of parts where I was like, that fucking hit. That hurts when it hit. Like, it's really good. So, me,

it's basically about two college football players. one of which has like, he's like new to campus. The other one is openly bisexual and like give zero fucks, but like they keep bumping heads like hardcore. And like the coach is like you are two strongest players. You need to get your shit together. So in a total twist of events, the coach happens to have a cabin in the middle of nowhere in Vale, Colorado. and he's like, you boys are going to the cabin and you're going to work your shit out.

You guys are going to be the only two people there stuck together for five weeks. And I just. And I mean, I was like, ooh, this is getting good. Like, I love like college settings in male male romances as much as I do thrillers. And then like having like forced proxies. and like enemies to lovers and the backstory to the character rain fucked me up. Like I was like reading it like immediately got the feeling where like there was all the saliva in my mouth and I was like am I going to throw up because I'm like very upset right now.

Ooh. I didn't cry. I think my tear ducts might be like a little broken. Like I didn't cry but like it just went to your mouth. If I was a crier, my tongue works, but not my eyes. But like, if I was a crier or anything, then this is what would have made me. And I think it would make an amazing series. It was so good.

A lot of trigger warnings. I love finding a book that is so good that I want to devour it in one day like that. Yes, yeah. And I actually read the sequel a day. But my only thing is, here's what I really respect about her is, um, there's like something in the beginning of this book that basically like in her own words is like there are a lot of trigger warnings with this book and the sequel. So like if you have any message me or anyone who's read this book to find out what they are and see if this might not be what like is a good fit for you. I love, like, first of all, like, being like, okay, like, DM me. Like, you bought my book, like, my DMs are open. I love that because my thing with trigger warnings, I feel like, is I think sometimes they spoil the plot. I know.

Yeah. So I agree. I love that she had that in the very beginning of the book. I know. I think it's, I think it's something like, if you know, you're not concerned. about any trigger warning, it's like you don't really want to read the trigger warnings. Yeah. Obviously, if you're concerned about it, I totally understand it.

But I like her approach with that. Yeah. And she kind of has like, well, I mean, obviously there's a sequel. Like, it's already out and whatnot. But she has like a note from the author and the end of it. That's really cool where it's like, I know you're probably feeling a lot right now, but the story's not over. And like she like alludes to like how the book ends.

And like she's like, I would love to apologize to you, but I'm not a liar. Or like I wanted you to like crave more with these characters. She's just amazing. And she's super sweet. My first interaction with her was me DMing her. Like I fucking love this book with all of my heart, all capitals. And she's like, well, hello to you too, Gere. And she's like, I'm really glad you're enjoying it.

And like she's just super, super sweet. Oh, I love that. So yes, I am obsessed with, like, this is going to be my personality for the next lifetime. For a while. Yeah. Very long time. That's me with the traitor that I just read, that it is the second Emma make piece. My whole personality will be spy for about a month or two.

And I'm going to be trying to find as many male-male romances that are still thrillers. Yes. So. Because we also finished Jack Ryan. So I really am just, I'm in a spy era. I'm in my spy era. Yeah. You're in your male male romance era.

Romance thriller. I, well, I texted you. I was like, do I just start a second Instagram or do I just like kind of keep both on? Because I feel like a lot of people are like, oh, like we love your thriller recommendations. And like right now, like you're not going to see anything thriller from me for a little while. You're a little bit booked up. Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry. But, you know, the last one is funny because I feel like it's fitting for all four books that we've already talked about.

I know. But the last thing is they want us to tell us about the last book you read that you couldn't stop thinking about. This is the one I'm most excited for to hear for you. if you hadn't told me that yours were all male male romance i would want i would have wondered if we might have had the same one because mine is the trap by katherine ryan howard like so often i've thought of how impressive like literally impressive that's what like comes to mind i'm like holy shit she pulled out off in a story like that is what the ending left me feeling like and so there've been multiple times where I'm like, God damn, what a story. So that's why it's been stuck in my head.

The ending will blow your mind. Oh, my God. That's so good. I feel pretty confident in saying that. But it is about a girl whose sister went missing a year. Yeah, a year ago. And she's like the third woman. It's in Ireland. She's the third woman to have disappeared in the last three years. And basically she wants to find out what happened to her sister is what she's trying to do. And then there's also a character who kind of like is a desk job worker in the missing person's unit. So we also kind of follow her starting to unravel what happened. but it is like you're in so many different

point of views really and the way you like learn information the pacing is really really great and then the ending is just like blows your mind the ending featured something that I don't like in thrillers and I was like

I'm so like I wish we didn't go this route and then she completely like did a YouTube and I was like, this is the only way you could have told this story to make my jaw drop as much as you can. Exactly. I had the same progression of feelings. Yes.

When you started talking about it, I was just like this, like dreamily looking at you. Like that, like that meme of Patrick from SpongeBob. Where is that like the heart? But like, I was just like, oh my God, yeah, yeah. There was a lot. Like, I actually am glad that I picked the book that I picked for. for this because it did, like, this one kind of hits all five for me, except for I didn't cry. But like with mine, like, I'm glad that I went the route that I went because if I would have

went a thriller route, it would have been extremely hard for me to choose between like the Shards by Brett Easton Ellis, yeah, the new Jessica Knoll, the trap by Catherine Ryan Howard, and the new Ashley Winsett. Yeah. So, like, that would have been really rough. But I went my mail mail route. And it was actually dysfunctional by Isabella Lacerro. And oh, my ever-loving God, I still think about these characters.

I actually have, she sent me the novella. There's a novella after it. But I just, like, want so much more of them. And I think about them so much that I, haven't read it yet because I'm like I know that if I don't read it there's still more that I can learn about my boys

my boys. Keeping the hope alive. Yeah. Because Ezra and Caspian are amazing and this was my first male male dark romance. Yeah. So it's like very toxic.

It was kind of the beginning of your new era. Oh yeah. very toxic, very twisted, thriller, just amazing. It's basically about a man named Ezra who hasn't felt the warm spurt of blood beneath his fingers or the incredible feeling of pushing a knife deep into someone's flesh in a long time. But if you think he's dangerous, Ezra is actually stalking a man who is stalking women. And Ezra believes that this man, whose name is Caspian, is a serial killer. And what better way to, like, know if someone's a serial killer than if you're a serial killer yourself.

So it's like in the mountains, like blizzard, fucking snowstorm killers everywhere, like man, man, action, like just... Not hot outside. It's not hot outside, but it is hot. inside these covers, if you know what I mean. And I think, I don't know. Oh, my God. It was just so freaking good. Like, I could not put it down.

I still think about them. I still think about, like, all of the, everything in this story was just, like, perfect for this audience of me. Like, yeah. Very, very good. Dysfunctional is Vela Lacerro. Love her. Love her. Love her. Love her. She's my girl. So. That's the best when you find something that really has just everything you love in the story.

Yeah. Yeah. I also love when I find a new author like that. And you and I are very similar in the sense of like when we find an author that we like, like, we will make like a list of their like backlist that we want to read. And like that's kind of what I'm doing with. every author that I talked about tonight is like looking at what books I want to read by them and like figuring out like how I can like find more stories like this but yeah right it is definitely definitely very exciting to find something like this that just hits all those sweet spots for you no no pen intended yeah that's how I feel with My, with MMA piece, who I mentioned earlier, I know I could read like 15 of those. Whoa. That's pretty. South River University. It's the author of dysfunctional. It's her omnibus. So it's like the four books and one. But it's campus setting. But it's humongous. And I just like my prize possession.

Oh my gosh. That is so cool. Yeah. Yeah. I'm collecting. I'm going to need to need to. There aren't tons of series that I read. I fly through these so much that they don't feel like series. Right, right. And I will say with Mail, male, male romance, they are very good at having, like, the, like, one page, like, chapter breaks. You know what I mean?

Where it's like, there's one blank page. So maybe that's what I fly through them so quickly, too. Yeah, maybe it is. I could be it. short chapters and all the boys are home. You probably just love them. That's also part of it. I just love them. Yeah. But maybe the chapter pages. I just love them. I can't put them down. Yeah.

Oh, yeah. That's good though. Who knows what? Meal, male romances I'll be frantically texting you about next. For real. I know. I don't know what I'm going to read next. I haven't really thought about it yet. I haven't picked out. Well, to see what mood I'm in when I actually finish what I'm reading. I think I know what you might end up, but I want to see if I'm right. I will tell you then.