Bookwild - Books We Read & Loved in April

Episode Date: April 27, 2023

This week, we share books we read and loved in April.Follow us on Instagram:Gare @gareindeedreadsKate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouchBooks We Talked AboutBad MotherThe Fourth MonkeySing Her DownThese WomenThe Grim SleeperThe Last WordNo ExitHairpin BridgeThe New OneMidnights Like ThisStay AwakeProphetClass ActThe Boyfriend CandidateMovies and TV Shows We Talked AboutHeartstopperThe GuiltyAmbulance 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. You know what I really want to watch is Heart Stopper. Which one is that? It's like the British gay romance with the two teens. Oh, okay. I haven't heard of it. It's based on, I believe, a graphic novel. Oh, okay.

Looks really good. Nice. That's exciting. I can't remember what I have next to watch. I either want gritty, bleak thrillers or steamy queer romances, and there's no in between. Like, I have been a psycho with it lately. But in a good way, in a fun way. Yeah.

Yeah. How are you? I'm pretty good. I slept well last night. That doesn't always happen. Mm-hmm. And it wasn't like an insane amount of work. Did you have any work insanity?

This has been, honestly, last week was a struggle, mental health and work-wise. This week, I feel like I am a new bitch. That's what we like to hear. I feel like I am a new, a whole new person. Whatever challenges have been coming my way, personal, professional, book-wise, I am just taking head-on, and this week has been like, and nine out of ten, mental health-wise. Oh, we're both just on it this week. Driving.

Yeah. You know, we might have jinxed ourselves because we were like, we're fall in winter girlies, and we're going to, like, you know, have the best fall in winter ever. And it wasn't that great, to be honest. And now that springs here, I'm like, maybe we're spring and summer people. Or you are. I mean, I didn't realize I was until like two weeks ago. Yeah, it's new for you.

When the weather was like nice and I was like, wait, I kind of like this. But I don't know. I mean, maybe we're just, maybe 2023 is going to be amazing for us for the rest of the year because 2024 is going to be worth that. Yes. I do agree with that. 2024 is going to be where it's at. Yeah.

That's a cool show. Yeah. Your hair looks fucking. I mean, I can't stop staring at it. I am kind of shocked by it right now because I didn't even get to shower today. And when I like pulled up the camera, I was like,

it doesn't normally hold up that well, but it did today. So I'll be completely honest with you. I shower this morning. And which I do every morning. I don't know what I have to announce that. That's good. But I'm like a morning shower person and I'm not going to lie to you.

I just felt kind of like there was like something like some sort of like film on my skin. Do you know what I mean? Like I just like didn't feel great. So I took a shower like 15 minutes ago. And when you like popped up, I was like, oh, she showered right before we started to record too. Because you just look fantastic. No, this is dry shampoo and a straightener. I'm happy about it

because I had other stuff to do than shower and try my hair again. I'm going to give a shout out moment. If I can remember the name of a fucking company. Okay. I think this is that. Keels, Calendula, face cleanser.

is amazing. The smell is fantastic, but that's what I washed my face with 15 minutes ago. I did not put on moisturizer. Whoa. Like this is what my skin looks like just washing it. That's amazing. Yeah. My skin normally gets dry. So after I wash it, so I might need to get some of that. It's very like, it feels like liquid soap. Like it's kind of like an oil almost. But when you like lather it and everything, it gets foamy. Hmm. So. The serum infused water cream?

I think that's the moisturizer. This is the cleanser. It's like a foam cleanser. Okay. I'll find it. Sounds nice. It is the Calendula Deep Cleansing Foming Face Wash.

That's what it looks like. Oh, nice. Yeah, I do see that. And 25% off. Ooh. We're just like here to save you guys money. Basically. That looks nice. Yeah.

I am all about like reading everything I can read right now, watching whatever the fuck I want, watching everything I can, and like also like hyping up my skincare routine. Like yes. Doing more mass, doing more for me. I am living my best life right now. I almost take you a picture of one of my new,

um, nighttime face lotions because, the packaging is so cute and it's like super calming and it's called happy face. So I almost said that to you last night, but I'll send it to you tonight. Yeah. I love it. We are in 24-7 communication, which I love. We're moisturized people. Yeah. I just, I crack up at checking any form of social media or my phone and being like,

Kate and I are texting like literally five minutes before we record the podcast. sending each other memes on Instagram, sending each other TikToks on TikTok, texting again, and there's like so many conversations going on, and it just like, I'm obsessed. A big part of being friends with me is receiving a lot of TikToks. A big part of being friends with me is giving me a lot of attention, and you are crushing that game. Oh my gosh, I was like cleaning the kitchen a little bit manically, like, an hour ago. And Tyler was like, what are you looking for? I was like, I need the spray cleaner. And he was like, why did you like pay attention to what I'm saying? And I was like, okay,

I'll sit down. He was like, no, I need to find it because you're going to be distracted. And I need Bruce Wayne level of attention right now. That's a good way to describe it. Yeah, makes sense. I also love how you will have four or five different conversations with me. Like our DMs on Instagram or like books and like this and that and like names and like Zodiac and then like our TikToks are like funny things about like celebrities and then like our text messages like are confidential or confidentially yeah you've seen like the TikTok trend where it's like will you show me the text messages between you and your bestie and they're like fuck no fuck no no they are insane. There's gossip and shit talking. There's like my stories. There's general like anytime I see like

someone slaying, I just send it to you and I'm like the energy. Right. Yeah. We have that. Miley Cyrus songs, TV shows. Yes. Um, funny stories about you and Tyler. Yeah. Definitely that too. Because I love, I just love tired stories. We do talk about food. Oh, yeah. Drinks. Yes. Drinks.

Any type of like, yeah. Oh my God. I did not text you the other night. I am so sorry. I drink the orange poppy. Oh, did you like it? It was so good. It is good.

So my mom and I were shopping. My mom and I were shopping at Target and we got the four pack of the rest. Barry Rose that we love. But at Target, they sell them, they sell single cans as well. Yep. So I was like, do you want to try anything? And she's like, you buy Seltzer's and all of these drinks to like have at night like a maniac.

Yeah. With the four pack that you got because you also bought Seltors at Trader Joe's and like, you've been kind of like a psycho with them. And I'm like, I can find it. So I sneak two of the orange soap. us in the shopping cart, right? She doesn't notice. She's like, whatever.

We are like just high on life and we're in Target. Yeah. Oh, yeah. So we get home and then like, I think it was like Saturday night. We were watching a movie and I was like, do you want like something fizzy? And she's like, oh, sure. And I grabbed them and I'm like, I bought these behind your back. But I think that if we drink them, you'll forgive me.

You'll forgive me. And she, like, took one sip and was like, I wish you would have gotten for. It's that good. So good. I love a good. What are they really considered a probiotic soda? Prebiotic soda. Sorry, prebiotic.

I don't know. I didn't know that prebiotics were a thing. I knew probiotics were. Uh-huh. So I'm very like prebiotics. Both. They have pre and pro. Okay.

And poppy must just be prebiotic. Maybe it's just pre. Yeah. Okay. I know Alley Pops both. I just didn't know that prebiotics were a thing. Yeah. They are in berries very often. So like, I just know this from when I was really sick.

I was going to say, of course, you fucking know this. Yeah. Strawberries and raspberries have a lot of prebiotics in them. Okay. That's kind of the extent of what I know, though. Their name suggests that they help. before probiotics, but I could be wrong. Crazy.

Yeah. But they're yummy. Everybody got to drink them. Yeah. Yeah. And if you're a woman, drink them the week. You're PMSing and you won't feel like a whale. If you quit drinking alcohol, have one at night and you'll feel like you're having the best

cocktail of your life with no hangover. Yes. That's a good example, too. I also notice that when I drink them, I don't feel like I need to snack at night or I don't want to. Yes. Because the carbonation and the fact that it's just like, it feels like a little treat. You know what I mean?

Mm-hmm. I agree. That's how I feel about them. Mm-hmm. I'm like, oh, it's sweet, but it's healthy. And then you're, yeah, I'm sensitive of carbonation, so then I'm full. Yeah. Mm-hmm.

That's our. That's our-pril. That's our drink update for everyone. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm.

Speaking of April. That's what I was going to say. I just think about some of the conversations that you and I have together one-on-one. Yeah. And how we're like, oh, my God, I read this book. I loved it. I loved it. And then we have, like, different topics that we do.

And some of the books that, like, we read throughout the month, I feel like they get lost in the shuffle. Yeah. Or it's like you might have read a really good spy thriller or something that was like science fiction or something that like, you know, doesn't fit in with our topics. Or I might read something that's like dark and gritty and bleak and it might not fit in with like, here are the thrillers that are going to make you feel like you're having the best week of your life. Yeah. So I thought it would just be like really fun to be like, hey, like what are some books that you read this month that like you. loved and want to talk about and want to tell the world to just be on the lookout for or, you know, that way it can be backlist.

It can be any genre. It can be something that hasn't necessarily come out yet that maybe we didn't talk about was like a spring release we were looking forward to or maybe something that worked for you that you weren't expecting to work for you. And now you can talk about it. So. Might be a little preview. Might be.

Yeah. Might be a little preview. So what have you been reading? Okay. So I read a book in April. And it is called, I read one, I have one book to discuss. That's the end of the podcast. Yeah, have a good night.

I read Bad Mother by Mia Sheridan. Oh, yeah. And I fucking love this book. But I also read it. And I was like, her name, sounds so familiar. I think I've read something by her before. Couldn't figure it out. She wrote Archer's voice. Oh yeah. Why do I remember that title? Because it's trending all over TikTok. It's like a romance that like everybody is obsessed with. Yep. It has like the blue and white cover.

Yes. I recognize the cover. Yeah. So this one's like a romantic suspense. And I was like Bad mother or Archer's voices? Bad mother. Okay. So I was like, I'm going to give this a shot. But now I want to read some of her romance books because I liked the suspense and the romance in it. Ooh, I love that. Yeah. So Bad Mother by Mia Sheridan is about a woman whose name is Sienna. She's nearly fired from the NYPD.

But the last thing she expects is a second chance in the one place she vowed to never return to. She can't afford to turn down this job offer, even if, a painful, familiar past, and a broken engagement hardly make Reno Nevada home sweet home. It's even less sweet by Sienna's first case, which is a serial killer with a curious fixation on her. Along with his victims, the killer leaves perplexing clues and chilling journal entries addressed to Sienna detailing the murders he claims his mother committed. The case continues to get more personal when her ex-fiancee is called out by the killer as well. Whoever's behind the diabolical murders, Sienna, can only be sure of. of one thing. It is someone close to home.

That sounds so fun. It is so good. The thing about this, there's a book by, God, I want to say it's the fourth monkey by J.D. Barker. It's a lot darker, but it has journal entries from this child growing up. And the journal entries in Bad Mother about this serial killer and what his life was like growing up and the crimes that he committed leading up to this case, I was like, this is so good. I could not tell if I wanted to read more of the present timeline or the journal entries, but I was just thriving, reading this one. I could not put it down.

It was so good. That sounds really good. And it's Kindle Unlimited. And the romance in it? It was there. Oh, he was there. He was there. He was there. And Sienna Walker is such a good female protagonist.

I loved her. Oh my gosh. Now I want to read it. Love. This is what happens every night or every time we record. I know. I know. I get high.

I get really excited about books all over again. Like drug high. I just get high on the conversation. and then I'm like, I'm like, there's so many good things to read. Yeah, it's overwhelming right now. My list that I have on my phone of stuff I want to read, I'm like, only shit. Yeah, me too.

Yeah. But, I mean, could be worse. Yeah. What about you? I don't have a segue. No? Just go with it, but. Well, you know what?

If you got fixated on her, actually, I do. So the one that I'm reading right now, I haven't completely finished it, but I'm so close. I'm at like 80%, so I feel confident talking about how much I love it. And it comes out May 23rd from Ivy Pachota, and it's seeing her down. I am, it is so like atmospheric and like enveloping. Like it feels like the stuff is happening to me. but it is about someone a woman Florida bomb who goes to jail in her ex cellmate I don't even know how I should pronounce her full name Dios Mary Sandoval but she goes by Dios. So we have Florida and Dios and Dios gets fixated on Florida. So she gets super obsessed with her.

She knows the truth about Florida's crimes and understands, at least in her mind, the truth that Florence, that's Florida's real name, hides even from herself that she wasn't a victim of circumstance and unlucky bystander, misled by a bad man. Dios knows that darkness lives in women to despite the world's refusal to see it. And she's determined to open Florida's eyes and unleash her true self. So there is, they both unexpectedly get released. And Dio's basically stays fixated on her and kind of chases her across the country. And the whole time you're like, what did Florida do or not do? And like she kind of feels like she's an unreliable narrator. Like she's definitely not telling you everything.

Right. And it's just so mysterious and suspic. And I like can't even tell how she's going to end it. It's great. Yeah. I love Ivy Pichota. Yeah. You technically introduced me to her.

I just hadn't read one yet. You're going to love these women. I know. I love that cover. Yes. Well, you know the thing that I love about these women is, I think when you read books that are based in California, you're like, oh my God, California. the land of like sun and beautiful everything and she takes like the grittiness of California and just excels at being like you think of California as this amazing place but like anywhere else there's

good and bad areas you know yep um so she does the same thing in this one a lot of it takes place in Los Angeles but like Skid Row Los Angeles yeah yeah so there's I can't I can't can't see it. I don't know if I still have it. There's a case from the 90s in California called The Grim Sleeper. And that's the case that this book is loosely based on. It was a serial killer in southern Los Angeles, I think. But yeah, I read the, I read a book called The Grim Sleeper, which was a nonfiction book before I read these women. And it was a very good. companion to read together. That's a good idea.

But yeah, I'm so glad you're loving that one. I'm just like staring at my copy of it right now. Like, yes. Yeah. I was so excited when I got an email about it. I was like, I'll try it out. She's such a good fucking storyteller. It's insane.

Very good. She has one called, I think, Visitation Street that I haven't read yet. And that takes place, I believe, in New York City. But that sounds really good as well. Oh, yeah. That looks cool. It does look like New York City on the cover. I think it is.

I think it's like Brooklyn or something. There's something called Wonder Valley. Mm. 2017. She's an amazing author. Yeah. I have to agree. I can't wait for you to read these women.

I actually want to read it with you. No. Okay. We'll do it. Mm-hmm. I'll tell you. We'll decide. I think you swear.

Yes. I'm so glad. that you're reading it and enjoying it though, but Oh, yeah. So good. I can't wait to finish it. And she's someone that's always going to deliver. Yeah, it was compared to no country for old men and killing Eve

for anyone who's a fan of either of those. It also sounds like a very, like, gritty version of, like, single white female. Yeah. That would fit, too. Mm-hmm. Yeah. I like the, I love, like,

a trope of one woman becoming obsessed with another woman without there being necessarily a man involved? Yep. Like Ingrid goes west. Yes. Yeah. I love that movie. And it is they're marketing it as a gritty feminist Western thriller. So it is not about the men. Fuck the men. Fuck the men. It is all about the women. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. He's a woman, he might say. Oh, good one. I know. Well, well,

speaking of authors who always constantly deliver. Yes. My man, Taylor Adams. Oh, yeah. The last word is one of my favorite thrillers of not only this month, but like the year.

Whoa. Like I immediately, it is so cinematic. it is so creepy. This has to be a movie, you guys. This has to be a movie or a miniseries. I'm fine with that too because it's so good. And there's so much to it, but it is so fucking good.

So good. The last word by Taylor Adams actually came out today. Yeah. It is about a woman who hosts a negative book review. She's living in a remote location. and begins to wonder if the author is very dangerous. She, her name's Emma Carpenter. She lives in isolation with her golden retriever, Laca.

I don't care. The dog survives just to let everybody know. So don't worry about that. And I feel totally confident spoiling that because Taylor Adams posted a picture on his Instagram of his dog. that was like, this is the dog that Lake is based off from. And yes, the dog survives. So he, like, put it out there on Instagram.

And I was like, all my gosh. Good for him. But she's house sitting at an old beachfront home in rainy Washington. The vibes. It's perfect. Yeah. Her only human contact is her enigmatic old neighbor, Deke. And the owner, Jules, via text.

One day she reads, A Poorly Written. gruesome horror novel by author H. G. Kane and post a one-star review that drags her into an online argument with none other than the author himself. Soon after disturbing incidents start to occur at night, Emma can't think that this is a coincidence. It was strange enough for the author to bicker with her online about a lousy review, but she believes that he is also stalking her. That sounds cinematic. So good. It is so, so, so. so good. You said it was like scaring the shit out of you too, right?

It scared the shit out of me. It scared the shit out of me. In a sense of like creepy things happening and the pacing is just so like going from like, ooh, this is kind of creepy or like, oh, I wonder if that's going to be explained to being like high adrenaline, heart palpitation. Like, holy shit. There is one part in the book that happened. and I literally was like, I'm going to get my dinner now.

Like, I need to put this down and process what I just read. Oh, my God. Because it was so, it was such a unique detail that didn't have to be in the story, but it being in the story, I was like, that is so fucking disturbing. Wow. I got to get out of here. I got to get out of here. I, like, had to drive in the sun to go get.

like carbs and like listen to myly cyrus and just be like this is not going to happen to you this is not going to happen to you yes you're going to be fine you're going to be fine um so good so so so so good oh my goodness now i loved his first two bucks loved his first two bucks loved his first two bucks this is my favorite out of the three oh wow he has five he is five So I feel like no exit is the one that really put him on the map and made him very popular. And then Hairpin Bridge was the one that was like his second one after that. And then there's the last word. So the last word is my favorite out of the three.

But now that I know that. I haven't read any of his books. That's crazy. It'll be a week that you're slow at work. a week that you I could picture you reading all three of them and loving because they're thrillers but they're very action-packed

yeah I do love that there's a lot of action in them yeah impossible to put down I'm just gonna drink a bunch of caffeine after this I'm just kidding but it would be amazing

you won't regret it out you wouldn't regret out I know I know you'll love him I think I will yeah I think you will. I don't have a segue way though. We don't need fucking segways.

We're talking about shit that we love. Mm-hmm. Yeah. I think I was reading this one when you were reading the last word. And I kind of briefly mentioned it a couple weeks ago, but the new one by Evie Green, I devoured and loved. And it also was when it's 400 pages, it is a little bit longer. And it did turn into something where like it was taking me more days to read it than I thought just because of what was happening. And I still was just like thinking about it all the time when I wasn't reading it. The gist of it is this couple, Tamsin and Ed have kind of just like not had good luck their whole life. They've been struggling to like barely make it on his salary or not even his salary, his like hourly blue collar job.

And Tansan will just do odd jobs to try and bring in what she can. So basically, like, a large part of the beginning of the story is establishing, like, actually, how bleak their lives are. And then their daughter, Scarlett, starts acting out. And, like, they've never had any trouble with her. and she starts just like sneaking out and drinking and just like really extreme rebellious behavior. And then she is involved in a car accident and she's comatose. And so when their insurance is about to run out, they're approached by someone who tells them about a program that's like been made legal in Switzerland where they can assemble basically. a clone robot hybrid of their daughter. And it will be just like their daughter is there. And so they're

basically faced with the fact that if they say no, she's getting pulled off of the machines. And if they say yes, they're going to have their daughter in their life again. And they'll take care of her like actual self, even though she's comatose. So they have no option. They go to Switzerland. And then it's like kind of everything you would expect in a not everything you'd expect, but it's like that whole sci-fi thing of like, what's going to go wrong is like the feeling throughout the rest of the book. And things do start going wrong. And then it's also. Yes. It's also so many twists too. There are so many twists at the end of it. But also brings up a lot of questions about like what makes us human. in the same questions that like Westworld asks this book asks so it was right up my alley and I can't believe you just rattled off that plot without reading the synopsis I just I know I was like I just remember everything about this book so cool I loved it a lot

so good and I think it is the author's first um first or am I wrong no she wrote one other she has a pen name so she writes like romances and then also just like started writing sci-fi like this it's so good and it kind of talks about class warfare in the sense that like they had to do it because there was no way for them to get health insurance very thought-provoking i love it and they yeah that one's out. It came out March 28th, so you can all read it now. I guess I didn't read it in April then, but that's okay. It's like just down on me. You could have. It's all a blur. I read it before it was published, so I don't think so. Yeah. Whatever. Whatever. It was so meant to be bent. Yeah. It's our podcast. Yeah, we can do whatever we want.

You can't we can. I keep hearing dog footsteps, but they never come in. Like, books, books, books, mom. I know. I don't have a segue for that because... Yeah. Same reason I didn't have. I will say,

Midnights like this. Midnights like this by Max Walker. It is, I don't want to say it's a sequel, but it's the second book in the book club boys. books. So it's love and monsters was the first one. And this one's a completely different. The romantic suspense in this and these amazing. There's going to be a third one. They're perfect. They are perfect. When I tell you how much I love these books, I finish this and I immediately went and ordered four books in another series that he's previously written.

that Stonewall one Stonewall investigations But yeah that's what popped up for me It was the regular one because there's Stonewall Stonewall Miami and Stonewall Blue Creek That is so cool And And there's a little mention of Stonewall in this one

So I was like I don't have to do that But yeah I'm obsessed with this book I know the cover's like really cute But it is the first one dealt with a stalker This one gives me white low Notice, Knives Out vibes. The best vibes, basically. Best vibes ever.

Two men on a path of mystery and love. Eric Ruiz thought that he would never see Colton Cooper again because things ended on a horrible note in the past. And they bump into each other at a local coffee shop. And basically, Colton needs help because his mother was killed. and a burglary gone wrong, and he's convinced that there's more to the story. So he asks Eric, who is a private investigator, to go with him to this villa in Italy, to be around his entire family and pretend to be his boyfriend so he can investigate the mom's death.

I love it. I love it. Villa in Italy. Sex. Suspense murder Oh my God, the knives out vibes I just Oh my God

I am so excited for book three And hopefully many more I will literally Sell my soul and my body And organs for Max Walker To never stop writing these books He has so many books I know

And I'm getting all of them I'm getting all of them Because I just found out today I don't know if this is like public news But there's an author that I love who wrote a frat boy queer romance series, and I found out that there's not going to be any others. There's not going to be there. Oh, that's the worst. I know.

So she has other series that she writes that I really enjoy. But I just love a frat boy kind of by me. I get it. We all do. But Max Walker, let me tell you why. He turns up the heat and the murder and this and I just fucking love every minute of it. It sounds like such a good combination. You would love them.

The like gay pop culture references, like you would be like you would get 100% like in your sleep. It's Kim Unlimited. Yeah. Yeah. They're amazing. They're fucking amazing. knows. Who knows what I'll read next after time?

Who knows? Who knows? Right? But yeah, I just like, I read this one. And like, let's be honest, I love Max Walker, but like this one, like a villa, a murder mystery involving like a large family. I was like, I don't know if I'm going to be into this one as much as I was the first one. Just because I love stalker story so much. Yeah, you do.

And when I was like reading it, like, I was like, oh, my God. I'm on page like 150 already. Like where's the time? I just could not put it now. That's the best feeling. I loved it so much. Oh my gosh. I had an icebreaker and I just thought of it.

Oh my God. Let's do it now. So on TikTok I've been seeing maybe on book talk specifically people talking about like, does your mind like translate a movie of the book that you're reading or like, Do you always feel like you're just like reading literal words? Does that make sense? I feel like I'm not explaining it perfectly. But like some people apparently don't really like translate an image into their head.

No. I envision everything. Yeah, me too. I think that's probably why I do. I don't want to like two way own horn. I feel like that's why I get a lot of positive feedback with my casting choices. is because of that. That's a really good point.

And that's a really good point. But no, I visualize everything. And I think that's why I have a really hard time and I'm very picky with adaptations. Because like if I'm reading a certain, like the, what's the Megan Golden book where like the woman like wakes up in the back of a taxi and like doesn't remember anything. Is that the escape room? No. What the hell's the name of it? Stay awake.

Oh, yes. I forgot she wakes. I loved that one. I forgot she wakes up. I loved it too. But like I had this like very clear vision that you were like looking at the taxi from like this angle seeing her sleeping in the back seat. Seeing the like street lights as the taxi drove and like in my mind it was Lucy Hale like sleepy. Like that is what I like immediately envisioned. So yes, I picture a movie in my mind the entire time. If I. If I. couldn't do that or if I didn't do that, I don't think that I would read as much. Like it as much. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, props to people who still read and enjoy, I just think for me, that's one part of my twisted little noggin that I will forever cherish. Same. Adjacent question. Do you have an inner monologue? Because another thing I've been seeing on TikTok is some people don't just have like thoughts running through their head as their processing life. Like, do I, can I, like, hear the words in my mind and my own voice?

No, that's a good question, because I guess I don't feel like I hear my voice. I feel like I just have thoughts. But, like, I kind of have, like, an ongoing babble about what's going on. I don't know. I can't even figure out my own question. When I read a book, I, like, picture it. but like when I like read it like we'll just oh separate from books I just mean like going about your life um I don't know how my words that's amazing I mean I figured out I didn't know how to ask the

question so I guess I have an inner monologue yeah yeah because if I'm by myself I talk to myself out loud yeah I the longer Tyler's gone the more I start talking out loud but I also like Yeah, I have like an inner monologue, I guess. Yeah, from the comments I was reading, like some people really are like, like, you're just thinking all day and I'm like, yeah, kind of. Oh, yeah, yeah, 100%. I think that's why I have a hard time sleeping at night. It's because sometimes my mind doesn't want to shut down.

Yeah, because mine is like, I take enough. I take my pills at night. And so one of them are just my antidepressant, it feels like taking Benadryl. So, like, I don't actually have trouble in most cases, but that's what it's like for Tyler is like he's just thinking about everything. It's really hard for me to sleep that way. So Sunday night, I couldn't fall asleep just because. As I'm like yawning. Sunday night, I couldn't fall asleep.

And I took my two sugar bear sleep gummies at like 1 a.m. and woke up at 7.30. So, like, last night, I was like, oh, my God, I am so tired. I was, like, scrolling through TikTok, and I was like, okay, if you're tired, go to bed now. Yeah. Don't, like, be like, oh, I'll go to bed around 11, 11.30 because that's what I usually do. So I, like, went to bed. Yeah.

And was, like, tossing and turning because my mind was still, like, thinking about things and, like, books and, like, food. Of course. I was so annoyed with myself today. I made a cassidia for lunch and I just like put cheese in it because I was trying to make it really quick. And I was like this motherfucker would have been so good with black beans and corn. That's what I had a, I've been making Chipotle bowls, but just like with a lot of black beans and not like chicken. That's what I had for dinner just a little bit ago. I didn't eat dinner yet.

I know. You brave it out. I'm going to eat after. I feel like I ate. like lunch late and my coffee. Coffee just decreases my appetite to like an alarming rate at this point. But I wish it was alarming. It doesn't completely decrease mine. But I do notice like dampens my appetite. Well, yeah, it decreases my appetite. And then I don't get hungry until like six or seven o'clock at night. Until you're super hungry. Yeah. And then I'm just eating everything. I do get that. That is the problem.

I try to, yeah, I mean, this is a whole other subject, but I try to make sure I do eat before I ever have caffeine because apparently that's like terrible for your hormones. So I just make sure I have eaten before I have caffeine most times. And it keeps me from getting anxious. What's your go-to breakfast food? So it's either like oatmeal with like almond butter or like technically. go to would also be a bacon egg and cheese croissant. I love nothing more

than like a piece of toast with like butter on it. Oh, I do love that. Especially good bread. Yeah. Oh my God. I love bougie bread. I mean, I love all kinds of bread. It's like pizza. Like whether it's cheap or not, it's good. But bougie bread is so good.

Just like toasted with Irish butter. I like I can't believe it's not butter. Yeah. I love it. I haven't had that since I was a kid. I buy like stick butter when I'm like making things like habauchy noodles and like cookies and things like that. But on my toast, just like bougie bread or not.

Oh my God. But now I want bougie bread because I love like. Well and butter and honey together are so good too. Like oh yeah, you don't like honey? I don't like honey that much at all. all. I don't know why. I believe it. It's sweet and you're not super into the sweet stuff.

I will tell you what I fuck with, though, is lightly toasting your tote. I don't know what's funny. It's that you were going to say toast or that it sounds like you meant toast. Lightly buttering your toast and then like a nice solid layer of peanut butter on top. Yeah. I'm sure that's amazing. Oh, my fucking God. I would eat peanut butter off a sidewalk.

I kid you not like anything goes. I feel like when I'm craving peanut butter, eating it is like the exact same experience is when you really need water. Like you're like, Oh my God. That is so good. I thought you were going to go on a sexual route. But yeah,

that makes sense. That makes a Zee thought that too. Yeah. I get it. Eating peanut butter when you cook. crave it is the equivalent of wanting to have sex, having sex, and having it be good. All right. That works, too.

Because I just don't like when you're like, oh, I want to have sex. And then you like, get like, well, I mean, for you, it's different because you're in a relationship with your husband. Yeah. But, you know, it's just kind of like the single life is like, oh, you know, now's a good time. and then opportunity comes and you're like, I could have stayed at home and watched a movie and stowed. That was not very good. That would be disappointing, venturing out into the world.

Well, you hear when it is, so. You hear when it's good, too, but I mean, when it's, like, disappointing, you're like, you should go to Taco Bell because you need something to treat yourself. I'm like, Trigo, sell. Prego, self. I mean, at least Taco Bell is cheap and solves, everything.

Almost everything. I just don't get disappointed in Taco Bell. The only thing that disappoints me in Taco Bell is if they put meat in something that I don't put meat in. Or the only thing that happened recently was I got like a few items and everything was like so good. But then when I went to have my like chips and cheese, all of the chips were like broken. Like really small and I had to like use my hand like a claw and like grab.

like a clump of them and dunk in the other than that it was fantastic because taco ball i feel rarely disappoints same thing with chipotle oh yeah chipotle is amazing our i had chapolet friday i love it it's so good um our taco bell just can't stay staffed and so it's not taco bell it's disappointing it's our location like there are times where we are like did you care at all about like spreading the ingredients like it's just like all the cheese is at the bottom or something or like all of the beans are at the bottom like just whatever and you're just like okay you don't care or like it's just like already falling apart by the time they've given it to us so but like when it's good it's so good and the one like in our next town over is always good but for some

reason where we live it struggles i was running errands in canada like sometime in the fall. And I was like, I had coffee so I didn't eat breakfast. And I'm like running errands. And I'm like, oh my God, I didn't have breakfast. And it's like fairly after lunchtime. So like I need to eat something. And I went to Taco Bell and got a cheese cassidia.

When I tell you that cheese cassidia at Taco Bell in Canada was the best cassidia I have ever had in my entire life. Not just Taco Bell, but any cassidia that I've ever had in my life. Oh, oh my God. Yeah, those are one of those moments where you're like, why don't they taste like this every time? Yeah. And I'm like super curious now if I should like go to that location every time I go grocery shopping or run errands to see because it was like piping hot, but like when I pulled it, there was like a cheese pole. Like a cheese pole. Like a cheese. pull that deserve to be in a commercial. I love a cheese pole.

And that like jalapeno sauce that they put in their cheese casidias, I would like that off the sidewalk too. It has a kick. It does have a kick. But I'm a psycho. Like I get spicy potato tacos and I put the hot sauce packets on them. Yeah. I'm like one hot sauce packet per bite kind of guy.

Wow. Yeah, you're past me. Like a cheesy gordita crunch, I go through like five or six hot sauce packets. I'm not like a wimp about it, but I also am. Like with the spicy potato ones, I definitely have to make sure I have a drink. And my nose starts running intensely. Oh, yeah, yeah. Which is kind of nice.

Sometimes I will get something with that sauce on it because like my sinuses are blocked or something. Yeah, no. I will like... Nerd problems. Hot sauce galore on it. Like, I want when I go to take... You would survive hot ones then. You know, I'm like questioning that.

I don't know what... I guess he could give me like cauliflower, like Buffalo cauliflower. Yeah, he's done it for people that were vegan before. I don't know. I can't remember what he did. See, I don't eat meat. I don't like the texture of meat. So like even if it were like the morning star or whatever, like the vegetarian chicken

I would be like, no, thank you. You can give me like buffalo cauliflower. I think someone did have cauliflower, basically. Oh my God. I would fuck that up. Yeah. That would be awesome. Like, you're just like, don't even break a sweat.

Like, not even concerned. Like, just. I would have my sweat mustache on, like, number two. It would be a mess. I'm watching. Sometimes, like, my parents will watch, like, the food network. And you know how they have. have like the thing where like the like guy fieti or somebody goes to like some restaurant and they're

like doing the food challenge where like if you eat this like 18 pound calzone you get like a t-shirt yeah there was one i can't remember what it was but my parents were like i could never do that and it was like he was eating like sushi rolls but like the peppers in the sushi rolls kept getting hotter and hotter and hotter and hotter. And I was like, usually when I see people like enter hot dog eating contest or some shit like that, like a food contest, I'm like, it makes me want to throw up. But like, I was watching that. And I was like, that's not a concern to me whatsoever. Like, I think I could handle that. Sushi is a little bit like smaller too than like cramming hot dogs, cramming hot dogs in your mouth. Maybe you would enjoy that though now that I say it out loud.

I mean, yeah, I guess I'm like, well, I guess a hot dog eating contest is don't do that. Just depends on their names. Oh, yes. There have been 12 celebrities who needed vegan or cauliflower on hot ones. Really? Billy Elish is number one. I thought it was Billy Elish. That's mainly why I kept Googling this.

I was like, why do I feel like I have this memory of Billy Eilish? I think one of mine is Drew Barrymore. I think that's the one I remember. Is she on the list? This says, so Billy Elish, Natalie Portman, Ricky Jervais,

Alexa Chung, Jeff Goldblum, Weird Al. Cancel. Cancel. Alexa. Cancel. Alexis's like,

you want to hear some weird owl? Here you go. And it's because the one before was named, Alexa. That's hilarious. Yeah. But Vanessa Hudgens, Paul Rudd, Russell Brand, Macy Williams, Kristen Bell, you're in good company, Abby Jacobson, Alana Glazer, Thomas Midditch, Stivo, Anderson, Anderson, Pack, Lily Singh, Pete Holmes. I love Pete Holmes. And that is the complete list. It's actually 19 celebrities. Wow.

Yeah. That's amazing. Yeah. Yeah, I guess I could try it. Hallflower representation. Now I just have to get famous so people give a shit when I'm on it. I know. Well, you need to marry your famous husband to me that we are talking about.

He was on it. Jacobs. Yeah. Jacob Allardy. Or not him. Or Jacob Allerty. Jay. Jalen Hall was on it as well.

So either Jake. Yes. He's in a movie that just came. out about war, some kind of war. We'll see. I'll wait till the next one. Yeah. I haven't even seen a trailer. So like there's a chance. I might like it, but I don't even know yet. There's a movie that he was in that came out on Netflix this year or last year, or he's a 911 operator. Oh, good. I love that. I can't think of the title, but oh my God. And also the movie ambulance that he's in. I love that too.

That one was like such, it was so Michael Bay. Yeah. Like it was such a Michael Bay film, but it was good. But it was also not a movie that I would ever usually watch. I was shocked that you liked it. I know. I love it. I watched it twice. I could, we watched it so recently because you and I talked about it. Yeah, so good.

The guilty is what. The guilty. It is so good. That twist at the end. Okay, do you have the guilty pulled up on IMDB? I did. I can do it again. Because I'm pretty sure your girl Riley Keough, aka Daisy Jones, was the female voice in the movie. You're correct. And I didn't even know. Oh, now I am going to have to watch it again. You're like doing magic. I cannot. I do not have the brains to ever get through a political thriller, but random movie trivia, I will. always have in the back of my mind. That's amazing. Yeah. Oh, I love her. I love her too. So good.

Speaking of military thrillers, um, I, the book that I just finished, well, the one I didn't just finish it, but you know what I'm saying? The last book I finished, I'll stop qualifying the statement. was called profit and it actually doesn't come out until August actually, but I had it on NetGalley, and I was in a sci-fi mood. And I've had this one for a little while, but I just keep being like, oh, it's in August. And so I like pick something sooner. But I just really was feeling that vibe. And I felt like sometimes I go and look at the reviews to see the specific vibe of a book and then sometimes you get sold on the review where you're like okay yeah that's what i feel like reading so that's what happened you guys can know all of it um but it ended up being

so cool um and some of what like even sold me on it was that like the reviews were talking about how it's like a science fiction fantasy military thriller and then there's also like a minor, it's not a minor romance. It's just not the main plot, but the two main characters. There's like also romance technically. So it has all of these genres in it. And it's high concept. So the concept that I was sold on with my magic hands, they're just all over tonight. I don't know. It's how much you love a book. I know. It does. It. really does. But the literal first part of the synopsis is your happiest memory is their deadliest weapon. And so the gist of it is this diner appears, this American diner appears in the middle

of a field in the UK, just in Britain. Just like diner food so bad, though. I know. Yeah. And it keeps referencing like it definitely it's a book that like uh includes like eating food descriptions so like I was always wanting fries so you're worn everybody's warned so like make sure you have fries in your freezer you're reading this one but it's so this diner just appears and um the kind of main character it's really two main characters but um soonil I think that's how you pronounce it, Rao, is kind of is called in to look at it. And the reason he's called in is because he knows how to tell if a thing or statement is fake or not true. And it's not like he can completely tell if people are lying, but he can tell if the statements they're saying hold

truth no matter what. And so they're like, this is something strange. and it just appeared in the middle of this. And he's, go ahead. Question. Yeah. Front row. When he, like, goes in to investigate this, like, mysterious diner, are there, like, people inside working and, like, people eating, or is it just an empty

diner? It's just an empty diner. Oh, my God. And when he goes in, there's an even more interesting detail is, like, it doesn't makes sense. So there are things like missing. Like there's like nothing in the kitchen. It's like a room, but there's nothing in it. But like everything out front is. And this isn't a spoiler you find out pretty quickly. But it's because there's a substance called profit that is like once it's ingested into people's bodies, they like create their happiest memory. And then they get really

obsessed with it and like can't let it go and then if they get torn away from it they die um and so the reason you don't see anything in the kitchen is because that guy only has the memory of the front of the diner he was never in the kitchen yeah so it's like you it's like playing on like how our memories are incomplete kind of or like maybe they're not always right but also like how would the military aspect is how would the government manipulate some of something like that. And so then that's what you're unraveling. And Rao is like, um, not a like government man. Like he's not trained in fighting. Like he just knows if things are true or not. So agent, um, Adam Rubenstein is based, they're working together as partners to solve it. And Rubenstein

has to protect him because he's super trained in the like, what is that? like martial arts, not even just martial arts. He's like trained in defense strategies. There we go. Combat. That's what my God. Who would have thought? I know.

I'm like, what do I mean? So he's like, he's, yeah, he's protecting him because he's combat trained. And they kind of fall in love. Not a spoiler. It's hinted at pretty early on. How's the steam? Is there sex? There's not any, really.

It's mostly about the plot. That's why I was saying like there is romance, but it's all emotional. There's like nothing until the very end. And it's not like the driver of the story. Like the driver is that they're trying to figure this thing out. And there's some creepy sci-fi elements. Let's hook up in this diner and then get some food after. I know.

Instead, it's just like a really sweet. like two people like coming together is what it really that's all the romances there's nothing steamy you're like not everyone so poor like you care i'm just saying don't expect it from this book you're like well they're actually talking about their feelings and developing a relationship they're not fucking on the counter of a diner they're not even talking about their feelings is the funny part too like they're oh i could deal battling them but it's it's like i would say it's like 5% of the plot. Like, you know they care about each other,

but like, they're just solving, they're solving a sci-fi mystery. Involving a diner with no kitchen. Yeah. That piss me off. And then all kinds of things show up. Like, there are toys everywhere,

like dolls that come to life. It would be so cinematic. I think it would be such a good movie. Okay. I'm sold. And it's by two authors. Helen. Donald and Sin Blashe, B-L-A-C-H-E with an accent.

Okay. I'll check it out in August. And it's long. And I'll be like, why are they not? Huck it up, yeah. It's like 500 pages. Nothing compared to the romance as I read. Yeah, it is.

Yeah, like romance was the last thing I said for a reason. All right, then I got an icebreaker for you. Ooh, nice. So, we're just peppering them in today. Yeah, fuck it. Just conversation. If Tyler texted you right now and it's like, I'm on my way home from the diner, what is your like go-to diner order? Bacon cheeseburger with barbecue sauce and probably French fries unless like they had sweet potato fries.

I love sweet potato fries. So that's not your order. Grilled cheese. Like grilled cheese at a diner is like the best. Yeah. Side of fries and an order of mozzarella sticks or onion rings. Oh my gosh. Yeah. Mozilla sticks. He and I both love mozzarella sticks. And I have been wanting, I have been wanting like huge pretzel lately. Are you fucking kidding me?

No, I'm not. For like, two. weeks. Tyler's like, you need to go have one. Okay, so there's a restaurant in Canada in Cornwall. It's called Schnitzels. And the last time my friend Nicole and I went there, we got like the woodfire pizzas, but we had the pretzels, like the soft, like the big pretzels. And it comes with like a spicy cheese and like two other sauces. But I was literally texting her like two nights ago how badly I was craving like a giant pretzel with like beer cheese. one so badly lately. Like all week I was thinking about it last week. I love beer cheese.

Typically, ours comes with like beer cheese and then like spicy mustard. Yeah. Oh yeah. So I don't think I've ever had really good beer cheese. There's like one restaurant that I've had beer cheese at locally. I'm not going to say what restaurant it is because it was awful. And I was like, this can't be what beer cheese tastes like in like the world. Yeah. But yeah. The other thing is I think it means something different in some states. Like sometimes it means more like a spread, a spready cheese, like maybe a higher between cream cheese and like cheddar. And then in other places it's like kind of like casso. Yes. But with beer in it.

We have a brewery that like moved like totally renovated like a huge school gym. I think it's just the gym. I don't know. It's like one of those where like, I don't know. I'll send you a picture. I'll throw a picture up here for everybody. So they also brew all of their beer. So their beer cheese is amazing.

It's so good. I've made it once before too. And like really yummy. So good. I'm crazy. You know that diner I sent you that is local to me and it looks like the like 50s diner. Yes. So they have grilled cheese sandwiches on Texas toast and they have really good Putin. That was what my head went too. Yeah. That's what I've been craving and I really need to go there like ASAP because I haven't had it. They're open for the season and I haven't had it yet. And I'm like dying for like a Putin and like a grilled cheese sandwich with tomato.

That all sounds so good. And I like smother my girl cheese sandwiches in Chalula. Yeah. Of course. of course. And I also love to dip my Putin and ketchup. Mm. Just why not? Why not keep adding stuff, you know? I'm such a condiment, like, person.

Oh, me too. It makes it. This is what makes it. I have another question for you. And I, it's, I really can't find it. What was it? Oh, my God. I don't know.

It was something about food. I could talk about food. Naturally. I can talk about it all day. Do you have any more books or? Yes, I have one more. Is it my turn? Is it?

I only have one more, too. I just talked about profit. Oh, okay. Well, I'm going to talk about a romance that I read that I loved. It was a little hot topic on Instagram because people don't do their fucking research. But I read an age gap romance, which is, literally a gap in age between one person and another. People, yeah.

30 and 50 age gap romance. Yeah. Sarah Paulson, who's in her 40s and Holland Taylor, who is 80, age gap romance. Yeah. Like, that's an age gap romance. So anyway, I read this one. There are no minors involved. Amazon does not publish books where minors are involved in anything like that.

that, but it is a 19-year-old high school student who is on the cusp of graduation and his best friend's father, who is also the football coach at high school. He's married, but his marriage is on the rocks. So it's not like a homewrecking situation. But it's just this like his marriage is on the rocks. It's his best. It's at the end of the marriage. Yeah. Basically, I don't even know if this is like true. But like when I was reading it, I was like, I think there's something in there where like he's thinking to himself, once my daughter graduates high school, I'm going to ask for divorce. That's common. And it's kind of implied if it's not mentioned, but like that's just like the vibe I remember.

But basically this guy's, this teenager's home situation is like super shitty. And his best friend is like, come stay at my place. Like, my parents won't care. And man, it's called Class Act by Gianni Holmes. And it is described as a male-male romance between a teacher and a repeat student in a senior year of high school. So it says repeat for a reason. He's 19.

Yes. And so it contains a huge age gap and cheating as the teacher slash coach is married. And that's all I'll say. But it is such a good. You loved that one. I loved it so much. I read 80% of it in like two days. And then it took me a week to read the last 20% because I was like, this is so good.

That's what I remember you said. And it wasn't just sex. Like if it was like sex, I'd be like, okay, this is like pretty good. Like whatever. But like it's an actual really good love story. Because it's like 500 pages. right? Yeah.

Yeah. There has to be some story happening. Yeah. Yeah. There's definitely plot. But it's dual perspective and it was really, really cute and heartfelt. And also like pacing wise was really good to see how the relationship developed between both of their perspectives. Mm-hmm.

So I just loved it so much. if I've ever read a book like that. Like I know they exist. I don't know if I've ever read it where it's from both in a romance where that's like a big part of the plot. A lot of the romances I read are dual perspective. That's fascinating. I love them. Matt Walker's dual perspective. That's what I was wondering. Yeah. Yeah. So you got me sold on the Knives out vibes. Oh my God. You have to read the first one first, though. Yeah, I will.

Because you'll just love it. And you'll want to be part of that book club. Like, it would just be you and a bunch of, like, gay men and women, and you would just be in your element. Love that. So, yep. So that's what I read in April that I loved. Two romantic suspense, a thriller, and a romance. My last one is a rom-com.

So finally. Oh, I know what it is. I know. I read The Boyfriend Candidate by Ashley Winstead. It was so cute. And also just had some, like, fun plot points. So the main character, Alexis Stone, is also Lee Stone's sister from Fool Me Once. So that's kind of fun.

We get to see, like, some of those same characters. that were all part of the same friend group. But Alexis is a really shy school librarian. So very different than bold Lee Stone. And she went through like a rough breakup and thinks like, you know what? Like I'm going to like go have a one night stand. Like I can be that girl. Has like every intention of doing that.

that basically ends up in the tabloids because the guy she almost hooked up with is a political candidate at the moment. And so she's in the tabloids immediately and he asks her, so we have the fake dating trope. He asks her to pretend like they've been dating so that he can protect his reputation in the tabloids. And so there's like these cool plots of like the things that matter to her. as like a librarian matter to him. So like it makes you all happy about the book community too. And cute little shy librarians.

But like he's like a foul-mouthed guy with a British accent from Texas. I love that. So he's like could not, they couldn't be more different. And then the way they come together at the end is so sweet. And it's like no steam and then like steam. all through the end. I love like a

I don't even know if you would call it like pacing, but like I love like a little bit like angst. Yeah, there's definitely angst. There's a lot of angst from both of them. There's a little angst in the romance I'm reading right now and I'm like, but I can't say anything because I'm only like five or ten percent into it so I don't want to like jinx it and then like be like I fucking only like I know. I get that feeling. Yeah. Yeah. There's sometimes where I'm like, I'm not talking to anyone about the fact that I'm reading this book yet. That's how I felt about a few that I d-n-f this weekend.

I was like, I'm gonna tell her. I had a couple last week. Yep. Which sucked because like I would, I wasn't even having tons of time to read. And so then I would start one and I'd be like, I don't even care about this. Yep.

So I was so happy when I loved seeing her down. Me too. It was such a relief. I was like, yes. I love it because I'm like, okay, if Kate loves it, I'm going to love it. But also, I was like really pumped that like you were experiencing Ivy Pichota and like everything she has to offer. So I was like, yeah, double win. It's going to be a year of Ivy for me. Mm-hmm.

It's going to be a good time for reading.