Bookwild - Books to Read if You Love White Lotus

Episode Date: March 21, 2025

This week, Gare and I share books we think will cure your White Lotus hangover after the season finale!Books We Talked AboutBorn for ThisIt Could Be AnyoneRunning ColdWe Were Never HereThe Hollywood AssistantShe Started ItThe WhispersThe Vacationers 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 

It's like we're having an affair. I'm like, he's gone. He's gone. Take your pants off. It's smart. Well, that's a good cold open. As you guys know, the last time we recorded, Bruce brought the recording to an abrupt ending. So we were talking about Bruce. Bruce finally left the room. And I was like, he's gone. Let's get started. Let's get this show on the road. That was when we were supposed to have like four or five picks and we did four right.

Yeah. Yeah. Yep. He was like, I think you guys are good. Yeah. He's like, no, actually four is better than five because I need my mom. Yeah. But go ahead.

Well, I was weird. I inhaled something. You started watching English teacher since we last talked. I finished it. You finished it? I watched it in two days. It's easy. Because it's 8 or 10. I can't remember.

I think it was 8. Yeah. I think it's 8. I love it so much. It is so fun. I loved it. It was so much fun. There's some decision. Some things I, so here's my thing with like a TV show or a book or anything media related is like, yeah. I'm never the person that wants things to go the way they're appearing to. Do you know what I mean? Like when there's like a meet you and then like some

but there's like a little bit of drama and then they end up together, whatever. This was one of those shows that I was watching that I was like, oh, I feel like the show is going in this direction and I want it to go in this direction and then like it wouldn't and I was like pissed about it. And I was like, yeah, am I becoming even more basic than I was before I started the show? It's like, what is happening? Or the characters just work for you. Except for one that I loathe.

We disagree on one. I mean, I don't like love, love him, but I don't loathe him like you know. I love him. I love him. For anyone who doesn't know, it's a sitcom on Hulu that as the title kind of hints toward is about an English teacher at, is it high school or middle school? It's a high school. High school. Yeah, high school.

And then Abbott is elementary. So all of a sudden I was like, wait, which show is this? Middle. but it's a lot it's also raunchier than abbott elementary i was not necessarily combing it to that but he um brian jordan alvarez is the star and the creator and writer of the show and it is so good they like kind of tackle like the gen z gen alpha like the new way that that generation is starting to feel but they don't like they kind of show all stuff of a lot of views, but they're not like punching down towards anyone.

Right. It's just so funny. And the character development is very fun too. The first couple of episodes, I was like, oh, my God, this is so, like, cute and, like, close some and, like, funny. And then, like, it did start to get, like, a little raunchy with, like, the jokes and stuff. And I was like, oh, wow. Yeah.

Which obviously I'm not going to. It's like a, it's not, like, I don't think it's R. No, it's not an R-rated. But it'd be, like, a PG-13 version of. yeah someone of what abbott elementary does actually too it's just like wholesome and like funny and then like all of a sudden somebody says something and you're like did they just talk about that on the show you know what you mean or like something like that but yes um yeah it was really funny i really i'm really looking forward to the second season i know me too and i'm 35 episodes deep

into pop culture jeopardy oh my gosh how many are there do you know i have no idea i just hope that it never ends. I just hope that like every time I finish an episode, there's like always the next one. Seriously. Is it like, um, is it going to be an ongoing thing, do you think? I hope so. I'm just so. I didn't know Colin Yost hosted it. Yeah. And he's so funny. He is funny and hot. He is hot. Oh, 40 episodes. Oh my God. I'm almost caught up. I don't want to But it has been going since December of 2024. So maybe this is going to be a longstanding thing. I know, but I just started watching in a few weeks ago.

I know. I'm like Garrett. Oh, no, you're right. Episode 40 is the final game. The last episode with the winner taking home 300 grand. I can use 300 grand. Me too. Here's the thing, though.

This is what makes me feel like super cool. The first round of jeopardy, I never do well in. Double jeopardy. I'm like a fucking whiz kid. Ooh, that's pretty cool. And I'm like, oh my God. That's awesome. That's awesome.

So that's what I've been. I need to start watching it at night. Oh my God. I just kind of read until I fall asleep right now, which isn't getting me very far in my books. Like you, Tyler and I making up a team would be sick. I know. Dude, that's what I was going to ask too. Is it like Family Feud?

Are there teams? Yeah, there's teams of three. Oh my God. We would be so good at it. Actually, I'm not to be rude to Tyler, but you, me, and Hallie, Hallie has like some untouchable pop culture knowledge. True. She knows it all and Tyler would understand.

True. That's also a very good point. Yeah. That would be so much. fine. I think he just said he understands from the other room. I tried to get you, Tyler. Some of the, some of them like wear matching outfits too. Oh my gosh. That would be so fun. We need to do it. I know. And they, you come up with a I'm going to look into it. There's like one team that was like, it's two men and a woman.

And they're like, like, like Colin was like, you know, it's like, how do you all know each other? And he was like, she was my first girlfriend. And he's my current. boyfriend. Oh my God. That's like that Tick-Tock sound that's like, I want a boyfriend and I want my boyfriend to have a boyfriend. Yeah, I was like, oh my God, what a cool dynamic. That's fascinating. I would be like, he is her husband and she is my first girlfriend. Everyone's like, what? Like, don't judge. Don't judge us. You be my main. with it. You'd be my mate, Kate.

Can we go on a date, Kate? Oh, boy. It would be great, Kate. My name does rhyme with a lot of stuff. I know. So does yours. Gare and air. Air had gear.

Gare. Rare. Rare. Rare. Pair. Layer gear. Scare. I'm like, are you doubting me, motherfucker?

I'm just thinking of like things that like people have like referenced like I used to have like the pompadour hair that was like up to here and so like they would call me like big hair gear. That's a good bit. Should bring that back. I don't think I actually kind of didn't end up with nicknames though, really. Have I told you, do you know that I was Katie for the first eight years of my life? or 10, no, eight. And then I turned to my parents and I was like, I don't like it. I'm Kate.

And they were like, the way they would tell the story was they were like, we'll see if she even holds on to it. And they were like, if you want to be Kate, you're going to have to tell your teacher and all your friends and you're going to have to tell everyone. And so I thought I wouldn't. And I did it. I was like, old Katie can't come to the phone right now. She's dead. She's dead. Oh my God. That is too funny.

I know. That was one of the pop culture Jeopardy questions that reminded me of. It was like this pop singer started off Christian and then changed her name and went to pop. And had like five number one singles on one album. Oh, who is that? Why can't I think of who that is? Oh. See, I was thinking even further back.

There's someone else that I. Charlotte Church. this is like someone like 90s like I remember I'm just going to Google it so that we maybe know 90s female church so for anyone who doesn't know while Kate's Googling Katie Perry started off Katie Hudson and she did Christian music and it did not do well and then she decided that she didn't want to be confused with Kate Hudson

which was her first mistake because if that were a goal in life that would be mine to be confused with Kate Hudson yeah and then she decided to be Katie Perry and kissed a girl and she liked it and that's the story. She liked it. Yeah. I remember like learning that in like high school people were like she used to be Catholic or something like that. And I was like, oh my God. Can you believe?

So I was thinking way, way back, Amy Grant is someone that the Christians just loved. They called her the queen of Christian pop. And then it was a little bit, everyone was like, or a lot of people at the time were like, turning their nose up when she went a little more mainstream. Naturally. Naturally. So I don't know why I'm remembering her from so fucking long ago, but I am. Oh, my God, Amy Grant.

I don't heard that all the time. she's very like she gives shenaya twain yeah but she's not shenaya twain nobody's shenay twain i used to love that whose bed of your boots been under song yeah did you watch it was a couple years ago maybe the shenaya documentary on netflix it was really good i did not it's really good i'm like all about like murder documentaries oh my god i get it i i Jeff, it's your eye. As I like Twitch out. Like murder documentaries.

Murder and pop culture. Comedy game. Yeah. I can be swayed by a celebrity doc. Not all of them, but like the Martha Stewart one. Oh my God. It was so good. That's like my friend Cindy will never turn down like a World War II documentary. Oh my gosh.

My sister. I can't stop reading them. And then she gets sad. And she's like, but I love them. And I was like, Gare likes really bleak books too. I remember reading like the shards on like Christmas Eve. What was it?

Oh, no. I was sick the first time I read like, we used to live here. And I was like saying to you. I was like, but at least I have this book to dive into. And you were like, you're like, I'm sick. And you're like, I'll just read this really complicated book.

yeah well because like whenever i'm sick my head feels like a balloon right so like i could read like no shade to her i love her but like i could read a freedom macfadden book when i'm sick and be like wait what was that like i'm confused like you know what to mean like nothing makes sense up here so you're just like i'm gonna like go down the rabbit hole of we used to live here while i'm like high on day quill yes i'm like oh okay i'm like it's great it keeps my brain engaged guys i'm like i'm sick and i like don't want to like create like create like a full sentence and like I just watch like Dawson's Creek reruns. That's a good one. That's a, I want to rewatch the righteous Jimstones because I've only seen the first season and the new season's airing. But I know that's nowhere near your territory. So that's where the conversation will begin and end. I was like, I don't think I've heard it all. I don't even know. Danny McBride, I think he's even kind of the creator of it.

but it's who else Adam I can't think of the dude's name from workaholics divine they're all in a basically a really southern televangelist family and it is like a dark comedy like there's death and humor um huge satire of church so you know I'm just teaheeheeing my way through it fucking up. Yep. Hi. I need to get back to it.

I want to rewatch Olive Nip Talk. Oh yeah. You were mentioning that. Because there's so many. I got like all of the seasons on Apple TV for like 35 bucks. That's not bad. Which is like $5 a season, I think. Yeah, that's impressive. And I was like, oh my God. And I like, I'm obsessed with Christian Troy.

he's my favorite it's just like so toxic and homoerotic from like start to finish i'm like this is this was made for me and there's a terrifying serial killer in it there is yeah uh-huh it really is made for you i know ryan murphy yeah of course of course right um do you have an icebreaker i do i do um I think we were texting about this like last week, but it just got me thinking. And I was like, it seems like it was just yesterday that we were, you know, recording like the first 2025 episode and talking about like our goals and intentions for like reading in 2025. And I want to know as of right now, is there one of your goals and intentions that you stuck with? And is there one that you failed with?

I don't know if I've failed any of them yet. So you're like, well, fuck you. Yeah, I'm like, okay. I mean, so my goals are like to read more backlist and to feel okay saying no to podcast guests. And I have officially said my first few couple knows in my emails where I'm like, I'm booked and I'm trying to write right now. So I got I've done that and then kind of like I'm reading backlist because I made book wilds backlist book club shameless plug here. So I've been reading at least one every month, but I think I've read multiple backlist each month. I don't know.

But our April book is Blacktop Wasteland for anyone who is wondering. So good. Yeah. I'm so excited. I can't believe I haven't read it. So I'm excited for that. I can't remember if, did I have any other goals? I think those were it, but they were easy to stick to. I thought mine were two.

I did a really good job of reading more on my Kindle. Oh, yeah. But like as of like not overwhelming myself with arcs, fail. Reading more backlist, fail. I'm buying more backlist. Like my Kindle's like full. There's like paying go packages, Amazon packages. Like I have backlist galore.

But like I just, I don't know. I don't know what happened with arcs. That's like the meme that's like book buying and book reading are two completely separate hobbies. Yes. Yes. And I also like I feel like in January I was like, I'm going to read more backlist because 2025 doesn't seem very promising. Like it didn't seem like there was like a ton of things.

that were coming out that I was like excited for. And then in the last two months, I think that in the last two months I've probably gotten 50 arcs between like Kindle and physical copies. Yeah. Damn. So I'm like weird.

Like everyone's like, oh my God, what are you doing in June? Not sleeping and reading 24-7? I know. I've got to stop requesting stuff on NetGalley unless it's like August and beyond. I know. I got approved for one today and it was July. I was like, well, thank God. I think I just got an August one. Oh, I think it's a meet at the Downing is August. Yes, I have a copy of that. I can't wait through that. So it's so good.

So I just got that one. I have three in August. So I'm more. Oh, so do I. I have high season, one dark night and forget me not. Lord, I have a lot in May, June. Yeah, I just started cutting in June. That's okay. On June Hendricks.

Oh, my gosh. Yeah. There are a lot of exciting books coming out this year. Yes. Yes. But you know what else is coming out right now? Is the White Lotus, Season 3. I know.

I have to say. We're not going to talk about it. You're not watching season three yet. Right. Um, my, my mom and I watched White Lotus together because she had never seen it. So she was in Florida for the last week and a half. She just came home last night around 10 o'clock. So I'm starting season three like probably tonight.

Nice. That'll be awesome. So I'm very excited. Oh, that'll be so fun. I heard it's super gay, super funny, and Parker Posey is a riot. All true. And I'm like, true on all accounts. Boy, boy does they get gay.

I mean, they all are, though. There's so many dicks in this show. Yeah. Wow. Yeah, I can't wait to talk to you about those details, but we won't be spoiling anything. We were just going to do an episode with some book wrecks if you're loving White Lotus and you want to read something similar. So I'm excited. These episodes do well.

We kind of do them every year. And there's also, I have a TikTok that every year we did it for season one, every year that it comes back, it like gets more views when it's airing. So it's so cool. That's fun. I'm, now I'm like nervous that one of my picks is one that I've already done. That's okay. We've definitely done that plenty of times on that. the podcast in general. We did it for season two. I've only had one other one.

I love like when you put like the movies that we discuss and it's like freaky, happy death day rather searching and Megan is missing. I'm like those were definitely, I had a nightmare the other night about Megan is missing. So if anybody wants something that'll mess you up for years and years. And I haven't watched that movie in 12 years. Yeah. And I'm still having nightmares about it. Because I saw a TikTok about it. And it was like, here's the true crime. Here's like the true case that Megan is missing is based on. Yeah.

And I like started thinking about it and thinking about it. And then I was like, I had a nightmare that night. Yeah. But White Lotus will not give you nightmares. It will just make you want to go on vacation and be a little horny. Mm-hmm. Definitely. And just watch your back while you're there.

Yeah. I mean multiple things. Do you want her first? No, I think you should kick it off. Ladies first. Okay. So this one reminds me of White Lotus in the sense that it's wacky family dynamics with wealthy people. It's a lot of double use.

It's called Born for This by Caitlin Devlin. Wait. Here we go. Carmichael was a global movie star living in a glamorous world of red carpets, money awards, and a high-profile wedding to director Greg Foster. So why does she become a total recluse when they divorced? But even with her industry connections, she's still stuck on the outside waiting for her big break. So when Harley hears, there may be a biopic in the works about her aunt.

She jumps at the chance. After all, everyone has always told her she looks exactly like Rachel. So who better to play the part? To her surprise, Rachel welcomes Harley into her life and agrees to talk for the first time about her marriage and the mysteries surrounding it. But the movie industry is a world of ruthless ambition, underhanded favors, and twisted promises. After a lifetime of acting, can Harley trust that Rachel is telling her the truth. Because family ties don't mean the same to everyone and fame always comes at its own cost. Dun, dun, done.

That sounds so good. I'm adding to my TVR. Wild family dynamics. So wild. So if you kind of like the, oh, she also, the author,

like, talked about all the Nepo baby research she did for this book as well. It's a big part of the book. And I feel like that energy is very white lotus too. Like sometimes like, sometimes you dislike the character for certain reasons. And then you're like,

oh, Things can still suck in their life. Now, some of the characters, like, fuck them. But the Nepo baby vibes felt like it fit white lotus vibes. It's really good. I mean, Steph and I have talked about how we hate any book getting a comp to Evelyn Hugo. But here's the fucking deal. This one's like a modern version in the sense that like retelling.

an actress's story and like her multiple relationships so like it's like evelyn hugo but like it's not evelyn hugo either like don't lose your mind i compared the favorites to evelyn hugo i did too oh okay all right just to make sure yeah yeah i like i feel like some like people like they're really searching for a comp sometimes. Yeah. And I get that. Yeah. Yeah.

Caitlin Devlin. My first pick is... She was the first podcast, Geth, that made me feel old. Because she's like 23. Yep. Anyway. So I feel all of the time as I'm approaching 40. Yeah.

Very quickly. You don't look like you are. Thank you. I hope that I never ever do. I hope that one day somebody is like, oh my God, you must be 40 soon. And I'm like, actually, I turned 67 yesterday. Exactly. That's what I hope happened.

Wash your face before you go to bed, kids. It will. Yeah, and moisturized. Literally just moisturized. Yeah. Yeah. I don't believe in toner. I don't think it does anything.

My favorite are the superfood by Youth to the People. and the Tacha cream by a Tasha. Yeah. If you want. I'm working with Olae over here. Oillet. Oil of O'Le. Okay.

If you like toxic friendships in a destination, then one of my wrecks is it could be anyone by Jamie Lynn Hendrix. I, like, first book to pop in my head. Like, you have all of these toxic friends, all holding secrets. The

the way the pacing is with the book reminds me of White Lotus because it's like things start off like very small and then they get big, big and then like by the end of the book, it's like the big finale. So yeah. To anyone on their flight out of New York,

they appear to be five best friends excited for a destination wedding in Miami. No one would guess that each one of them has a reason to want the groom dead. Trevor Vaughn, the groom in question. Wood is bride to be by first becoming close with her friends, which is to say that he learned all of the five's darkest, most dangerous secrets, and blackmail them into convincing Fiona to say I do. The friends were forced to convince a doubting

Fiona to go through with the wedding no matter what, and now the charade is set to continue all the way to the altar. Trevor has his own reasons for wanting to marry into Fiona's family, and he'll stop at nothing to make his plan a reality. When he dies of an apparent allergic reaction at the wedding, surrounded by such close enemies, the possibility of murder isn't far behind. And for the authorities investigating the case, anyone present could be a suspect. It's so good. It's one of my favorite ensemble cast books I've ever read. Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm. I just love all of her books, but like I remember this one was like one of those situations where I was like, I'm going to read 100 pages today and then like, you know, continue on or whatever. I just wanted to like dip my toe in it and then like I binge it in like one sitting. Yeah. And I was like how does she freaking do it? Because like I get a book and it feels like a normal book. It feels like a 300 page normal book.

And then the next thing you know it's like it's done. And there's like your mind's blown and she's just. She's so good with like pacing and tone. Yeah. Snarky dialogue. And keeping a bunch of characters in complicated relationships. Mm-hmm. it's her forte yeah she's a little baby genius she is um i could actually say the same about my next

pick she is also really good at lots of ensemble casts um this would be winter white lotus people like to kind of make jokes about how they want to see people skiing or something one uh one season um so running cold by Susan Walter would be that. Julie Adler's perfect facade is shattered by grief when her husband commits suicide. His death reveals that their luxurious California life was a house of cards, and his secret business dealings have left Julie penniless. As she strikes out on her own, Julie feels drawn to her old stomping grounds in Banff. Every time I say that word, I feel like I say it wrong, and I'm not. I feel like I'm saying, like badass motherfucker. Yeah, yes.

A charming and isolated ski down where she once trained for the Olympics. She finds work as a housekeeper at a luxury resort, but just as she starts to piece together a new life, an eccentric guest turns up dead. And Julie, the last person seen in her hotel room, is the prime

suspect. The evidence is stacked against her, but even in the encroaching blizzard, Julie knows her way around these mountains. She just needs to evade the police long enough to find the truth behind the murder and before the real killer finds her first. I'm just going to do that after every one of the two. That was a really fun read. It's so fun. Her books, in it ending Jamie Lynn Hendrix, her books just fly by. She's so good. Yeah, I had a lot of fun with that one. I had a lot of fun

making a poster for that one. Oh, yeah. She's really really good. and she's really cool. She is. I love her. I've had a dry throat for two weeks. So I've had like a dry cough. Yeah. I'm sorry if I like chug water every five seconds.

I keep chugging water. It's just dry. Yeah. Everything's dry. I actually kind of am starting to sound like how I used to sound when I would be like, oh, I went out last night. Yes. I have one that.

that reminds me of Ethan and Cam female version Nice Only two of them on vacation Murder Boom Am I trying to guess

No I'm just giving Lilu Okay When you stared at me I was like Did am I supposed to do Which is kind of funny Because when I was like saying it Like you

Like I could see like the wheels turning And I was like Does she want me to wait until she guesses it? That's hilarious. We were never here by Andrea Barts. Emily is having the time of her life. She's in the mountains of Chile with her best friend, Kristen, on their annual reunion trip, and the women feel closer than ever.

But on the last night of the trip, Emily enters their hotel suite to find blood and broken glass on the floor. Kristen says the cute backpacker she'd been flirting with attacked her, and she had no choice. but to kill him in self-defense. Even more shocking, the scene is horrifyingly similar to last year's trip when another backpacker wound up dead. Emily can't believe it's happening again. Can lightning really strike twice? Back home in Wisconsin, Emily struggles to bury her trauma,

diving headfirst into a new relationship and throwing herself into work. When Kristen shows up for a surprise visit, Emily is forced to confront their violent past. The more Kristen tries to keep Emily close, the more Emily questions her friend's motives. As Emily feels the walls closing in on their cover-up, she must reckon with the truth about her closest friend. Can she outrun the secret she shares with Kristen, or will they destroy her relationship, her freedom, and even her life? I still need to read that one.

Because I know how much you love it and I've never like, yeah. Oh, my goodness. Oh, my goodness. You will absolutely, absolutely love. toxic friendship and the best part for you is like it says in the synopsis not a spoiler but like when you're sick of being like oh it's hot here and they just killed somebody and they're like sweating from like getting rid of a body you get to go back to wisconsin yeah so you're not even going to be hot very long i'm not even going to be fake hot fictionally hot no no you're going to be like oh

back to the chilly air and i can just like watch the shit hit the fan i had so much fun with this one I'm obsessed, obsessed, obsessed, obsessed. Yeah, I definitely need to read it. I've loved all of her books. I know why to. Yeah. I didn't read her release last year, but like I need to because it sounds very like 90s thriller to me. And I just got an arc of the last fairy out. So I'm excited for her new one too.

What was the one? Last year was the other side of the road? No, that's the. this year. 24. What is that? Maybe that's a short story because isn't... I think so.

Oh, no, maybe that was what it was. It's like a pool. I think it's about like a thruple or something. Oh. I'm looking at... Oh, this is a short story. Okay. I was looking at the wrong thing.

Oh, so you're talking about the spare room, the 2023 one. Mm-hmm. Yeah. I think it's COVID-thruple vibes. Excited. I know. I'm intrigued. I love a sexy thriller. Yeah, I need to want to read this one. The clothes will be good for me. I think you would like the herd by her too. That's what you've mentioned before too. I think I need to read some of her books.

Yeah, she's really good. And I'm going to meet her in May. She's going to be in Montreal. That is so cool. I'm like, how do I bring her entire catalog for her to sign? I know. You're like, this is my care. Or you like that you actually check a bag and the checked bag's full of books. I'm like, oh my god. Wait, no, you're driving. I'm driving. Yeah. Thank God. Thank God. I am driving. I was going to, I was thinking about taking the train, but then I was like, I just like don't like to rely on somebody else to travel if I can do it myself. Totally get that. You know, like if I wake up and I want to leave at like 7.30 in the morning, I can check out and leave at 7.30 in the morning. If I want to like peruse until 10 o'clock them.

So whatever. But I was like, thank God I'm not because I would have two suitcases and one of of them would be full of books and people would probably think that i was like carrying a dead body yeah yeah i get that um my next one because i feel like this one deals with crazy wealthy marriages but also some like class class warfare shit um the hollywood assistant by may cobb our girl oh yes it like it's yeah it just works for it um cassidy foster is heartbroken stuck in life and getting a too obsessed with plants. Then when a well-connected friend becomes sick of Cassidy's moping and gets her a gig with famous Hollywood couple Marisol and Nate Sterling, Cassidy jumps at the chance to move to sunny L.A. The Sterlings are warm and welcoming, a perfect couple. All Cassidy has to be, has to do is be

available a few hours a week for errands. In return, she has access to luxury, designer clothes, a sparkling pool, great pay. When Nate takes interest in her, asking her to read scripts he's written. Cassidy thinks this could be the key to kick-starting her writing dreams. As their business relationship grows, so does their attraction. Nate is sexy, talented, and Cassidy can't believe her look. Clearly, Marisol doesn't know what she has. Maybe that's why the two are always fighting when they think Cassidy isn't around. But Cassidy learns she was hired for a different purpose. The Sterlings aren't a perfect couple. Marisol isn't. the perfect wife and when one of them is found dead Cassidy becomes the perfect suspect.

Actually, really has a lot in common with White Lutus. You're going to love editing this one because as soon as you started to read the synopsis, I was like, because I'm so jealous that you thought of that one and I didn't. That's my favorite makeup book. I think, yeah, me too. I'm obsessed. with that book i think about it so often it is just oh my god it's so good and you're so right you're so right it's so it's so freaking perfect for white lotus yeah like as you were like

reading the synopsis again i was like yeah especially the whole like you know someone's dead where you don't know who did it like there really are a lot of the same elements yeah oh my god so good oh Mike White please produce this as a movie right right

right so good oh my God yes and let me cast it yes because we've got a casting director

ready for you yeah and you can like literally pay me with like Taco Bell and just let me hang out on set to the set yeah just let me hang out on set

and like watch things I'll keep my mouth shut I promise. That's what I've always said. Like, I'm obviously very fascinated by fame and famous people. I have no desire to be like famous, famous. I just want to be adjacent so that I could like be around stuff in the background. Like a writer. That would get me adjacent enough, but people don't like rush me at the supermarket because I'm not about that life. No, I want, I want Cassidy's job. So like, if you're like can you read the script and tell me what you think um if your whole day consists of like cleaning out somebody's closet running their errands and stuff like that like i am such a like to do

list like type a kind of person when it comes to that that like i would be like your errands are done they are perfect everything is found on your shopping list your closet is immaculate color coordinated or whoever you want it and like everything's taken care of and i peeled you in orange yes i remember you saying that that you, when you got to her getting to organize the closet, you're like, I want to organize a closet. And mine is a fucking disaster right now. But like, I know that when I do it, it's going to be so good. I do it once a year, like, rate when like, like, usually around Memorial Day weekend.

Nice. So I'm just waiting because, like, I'm very type A. So if I do it any sooner than that, I'll freak out. But, yes. Do that. Yes. Mike White needs to make that. Yeah, he does.

As soon as possible. Please. And my next one, I need Mike White to make as well because we've got like, like, Lord of the Flies meets and then there were none about toxic friendships, all-female cast, destination. She started it by Sean Gilbert. I'm obsessed with this book. it's like the minute you said like white lotus i was like i have to include this one it is so much fun and i like absolutely loved it um so yeah lord of the flies meets and then there were none but with

instagram and too much preseco the party of a lifetime is nothing like what they expected annabel esther tanya and chloe are best friends or were as children despite drifting apart in adulthood shared secrets have kept them bonded for better or worse, even as their childhood dreams haven't quite turned out as they had hoped. One day they receive a wholly unexpected, but not entirely unwelcome invitation from another old friend. Pappy Greer has invited them all to her extravagant bachelorette party, a first-class plane ticket to three days of white sand cocktails and relaxation on a lux private island in the Bahamas. None of them have spoken to Poppy in years, but Poppy's Instagram pick shows that the girl they used to consider the weakest link

in the group has definitely made good and made money. Curiosity gets the better of them. Besides, who can turn down in all posh expenses paid vacation on a Caribbean island? The first-class flight and the island's accommodations are just as opulent as expected, even if the scenics island proves more remote than they'd anticipated. Quite remote, in fact, with no cell phone service and no other guess. The women quickly discover they've underestimated Poppy and each other. As their darkest secrets are revealed, the tropical adventure morphs

into a terrifying nightmare. That was a very long synopsis. I think our other ones were like shorter. Yeah. I was like, uh, uh, uh, but yeah, that is such a fun book. Toxic friendship. It's just chef's guess.

I somehow have not read this one yet either. So. You haven't? No. I think you will have so much fun with this one. Yeah. This is funny. So when you were talking about the Andrea Bart's one too, I'm like, oh yeah. These were both ones where I'm like, how have I not read them? So this has been good to remind me. Yeah. Yeah. Toxic female friendships, snarky, bitchy characters. Like, you have so much fun with this. Mm-hmm. I was like, you killed me first. That's why I loved it. Wild. This is even bitchier.

yeah yeah this is excited yeah i definitely want to read it i'm going to add those to the like we kind of have an ongoing list on what to what we could read for book club so i'm going to add those yeah they're fun they're very options and they're good for summer right or spring well i think this one takes place in the summer um this one is this one is like ensemble cast and like families clashing. And it's the whispers by Ashley Audraine. And it is also a long synopsis. The leverleys sit by the hospital bed of their young son who is in a coma

after falling from his bedroom window in the middle of the night. His mother, Whitney, will not speak to anyone. Back home, their friends and neighbors are left in shock, each confronting their own role in the events that led up to what happened that terrible night. The warm altruistic parks who are the loverly's best friends, the young, ambitious goldsmiths who are struggling to start a family of their own, and the quiet elderly Portuguese couple who care for their adult son with a developmental disability and who passed long days on the front porch watching their neighbors go about their busy lives. The story spends out over the course of one week in the alternating voices of the women in each family as they are forced to face secrets within the wall. of their own homes and the uncomfortable truce that connect them all to one another. Set against the heart-wrenching drama of what will happen to Xavier, who hangs between life and death or a life

changed forever, the whispers is a novel about what happens when we put our needs ahead of our children's, exploring the quiet sacrifices of motherhood, the intuitions that we silence, the complexities of our closest friendships, and the danger of envy. This is a number of novel about the reverberations of life's most difficult decisions. Okay, so normally once I get to that part, I will just like skip those, but it was all in one paragraph. I was already committed. So you guys got everything. But it's another one too where it's like, it's not even a slow buildup, but it's like domestic suspense. And then it like just keeps escalating lots of reveals. That ending was freaking nuts.

That ending, nope, I won't say that because it might spoil it for some people. Here's what I will say. I tried to convince you to read this book a couple of weeks ago, maybe a month ago. If you like the ending to The Whispers, you have to read The Widow by Fiona Barton. Oh, yeah. And yeah, you have been saying that for years, too. It's so good.

I need to read it. Oh my God, I just love, I love Fiona Barney. Me and my 30 net galleys. I'll try to fit it in. I'm like, oh, here, why don't you just like add these to your, you want to brag about backlist? Yeah. You want to brag about backlist?

Let's see now. Take that. Yeah. I have a hidden gem. I don't even know if I've ever talked to you about this book. That's always exciting. So this is not necessarily a thriller. It's fast-paced, fan.

family drama. But the vacationers by Emma Straub. I read this before I even started Bookstagram and I like absolutely loved it. It is so good. It reminds me of White Lotus because of like the pacing and like the family drama aspect and like how things kind of like start to bubble over like toward the end. But for the posts, a two week trip to the island of Majorca with their extended family and friends as a celebration. Frannie and Jim are observing their 35th wedding anniversary and their daughter Sylvia has graduated from high school. The sunlit island, its mountains and beaches, its tapas and tennis courts also promises and escape from the tension simmering at home in Manhattan. But all does not go according to plan.

Over the course of the vacation, secrets come to light, old and new humiliations are experienced, childhood rivalries resurface and ancient wounds are exacerbated. Wow. So, yeah. Yeah, that sounds perfect. Tight knit, drama. The cover is like so summary vibes. Very summary.

I had so much fun reading this one. Hot take. How do you feel about cartoon cover or cartoon? What do we call? that when it's a Illustrated? Illustrated, thank you. Illustrated covers for thrillers.

Not that it's fair that I judge a book by its cover. And this one isn't a thriller, so it's not coming from this one. It's kind of, at least what I'm looking at is a kind of cartoon one, but illustrated one because that's the vibe for this book. Sometimes when I see it with thrillers, I'm like, let me dust off this puppy

I feel like I have a reference I have I have my little favorite oh yeah nice um I do not mind them with a drama and a romance I agree with thrillers it makes me this is not meant to be condescending in the least bit

so I do apologize because somebody's going to prove me wrong right but with thrillers, it almost gives cozy vibes. I know. That's what it makes me feel. So that's what I'm like, I don't know if this is going to work for me. I know. I feel the same way. I have to either have somebody, it has to be something like really, like, don't get me

wrong. If there's like an illustrated cover or something and it's like, this is a dark story about a serial killer like that da da da da or like toxic female friendships. Like I'm going to read them. But like other than that. sometimes I'm like, even with romance, like, I think I have another example here. Let me see. Okay, so this is illustrated that they're not faceless, but like the tragedy of Felix and Jake, like, I heard that this is like a tear jerker and like has very dark elements. Wow.

Have very dark elements. And it's like about. For everyone just listening, it's like a red cover with like pink hearts and white text. like sexy man one and tag it up men sexy me too but you weren't necessarily think this is like no I've heard that this is like

emotionally like devastating damn so sometimes I'm like I don't know I know I'm always torn on them but they do immediately make me think like oh G rated yeah it makes me think of something

that like I would recommend to somebody who doesn't like the kind of books that I like. Like somebody who's like, I don't want any sex in them. I don't want any like violence. I don't want like anything like dark. I want a happy ending. Yes.

That's like that's what I would recommend. Yeah. I'm here for it. They always remind me of Emily Henry anyway. Mm-hmm. Me too. Like I think that was like the first like one that I like saw that was like super, super popular. So like now they always just like the most mainstream thing that I see over.

over and over again. So it's probably why I always think of her. Yeah. Yeah. It's kind of like how like the grocery store, like romance books you used to get, like always had like a man standing on like a big rock with like the ocean behind him and like the long hair and the billowy shirt. His hair as long as mine. Yeah. And it's just like blowing behind him. And his like peasant top is open. Chest hair blowing in the breeze. You still see those actually. Yeah. Yeah. Not my kind of box. Same. Same. Mine are all shirtless hockey players.

Mine are all thrillers. Yeah.