Bookwild - It's So Gay And I Love It with Gare and Steph

Episode Date: June 15, 2025

This week, Gare, Steph and I share some of our favorite LGBTQIA+ books for Pride Month! Also, don't forget you can #ReadQueerAllYear!Books We Talked AboutHarriet Tubman Live in ConcertWinging it With YouWe Are Never Meeting in Real LifeGlitter in the DarkGame ChangerOne Killer ProblemThis Violent HeartJust By Looking At HimHouse of HungerThe Snow GardenThe HoneysExtrasThese Violent DelightsHidden ScarsProvidenceThe ShardsYoung MungoThe Three Lives of Cate KayChain Gang All StarsMad HoneyNo Road Home 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 

I don't have an icebreaker. I just have something I want to bring to the attention of you ladies and the audience to be like, what is your personal opinion of this? Because I'm invested. I have went down a rabbit hole, have the kids say, and I'm not a rabbit hole kind of guy. I'm a surface level. Unless it's true crime. It is true crime related. And it's freaking me the fuck out.

And it's maybe me. Well, just tell us. Okay. So I don't want our opinion on. I'm not going to say his name because if this is. fake. I don't want to give him more publicity. But there is a man on TikTok who has like explored the dark web before with like websites where you can like prank people. I guess there's like one where you can send like animal shit to somebody. Creative. So he's explored the dark web

before. But apparently he found this website and it's called the shoe man. The shoe man. The shoe man. And it's all of these shoes on this website, but like it says a name and an age under each shoe. And he thinks that they're like murder victim shoes. Like it's very weird. Like it'll throw like a pair of boots that has like obviously blood on them and it'll say like Michael 23. And then it'll show like a pair of like women's shoes and it'll say like Jane like 32 or something.

thing. Oh, this isn't like just like a boot icon. They're all different pictures of different boots. They're all different pictures of different shoes. And he like, shoes, sorry. He ordered a pair of the shoes and sent like $150 on them. And they were obviously very covered in blood. And they came with this like weird VHS tape. And like he got that is it luminal spray that like says if something's like blood or not and it like came back positive. And people. who were watching his videos were commenting saying like this guy's name that these boots are related these boots look like boots that are in missing pictures for this guy who's like gone missing and like they like posted like pictures of these boots that this guy was wearing in like these like wanted ads and stuff oh um so he thinks that like this is like a website like ran by somebody who either has access to like evidence lockers or like people that have like killed people are like selling these on this website.

Holy show. But then other people are saying that it's like a hoax and like something to promote like WWE or something. I don't know how it's like I don't know how it's like related but like it's too hard out their habitable. I'm like this is really freaky. But I'm also like I understand that like you shouldn't be exploring the dark web and like he shouldn't have been there.

But like if this is true, like, he should call the police. Yeah. And I don't. And I don't. He's like testing it and like testing it with like luminal and like showing what was on the videotape, which is just like a weird like it almost looks like the ring. Like you know how like the red the ring had like all those like weird images. And I'm just like I understand you shouldn't like be on the dark web.

But like if you found this like you should bring it to the FBI. because like it's kind of like if you were like drunk driving and you saw like a man kidnap a woman like are you going to call the police and say like I know I was drunk driving and I shouldn't have been but like there's a bigger crime here you know what I mean so also if he's posting this stuff publicly we all know that he was on the dark web so the police you already know to begin with so I'm like why is he not if this is real why is he not calling the poties well even if he doesn't know what case it could be from if he's like, hey, I ordered these shoes and they have blood on them. Like, this is where they're from. Maybe they would do something. Yeah. I don't know. Or they could, I mean, he obviously doesn't have a DNA lab.

You know what you? So I could run the DNA on the boots or whatever or at least I don't know, look into it. But that's really crazy. I've only heard of that. Like, I've heard somewhere where like people sold used shoes. It was almost like only fans. Like people were turned on by used shoes. Whoa.

And like made money off it. This is that is not. was not where I thought this was going. I had like for jollies. There are people men and women I've seen on TikTok who like sell their use colloiling and make a buttload of money on it. I know.

I'm not against it. Every now and then I'm like, well, I'm going to get my shit together and just sell my underwear. I'm going to yuck someone else is yum. No way. And they get paid extra like if you like, I'll pay you $200 if you send me a pair of your underwear. But I'll pay you $400 if you send me a pair of underwear that you wore to the gym. Yeah. And I'm like, fuck.

Wouldn't be me, but I'd love to capitalize. Wouldn't be me, but like more power to you. If you make a buck and you feel satisfied, I'm not going to yuck your yum. No. I also like a clothing hoarder. I don't like to get rid of my clothes. for that for the price i probably would and it'd be like i'll buy that shit in bulk and just go yes i think i would

i would do make a fake account and just roll god isn't it a crazy way as you can make money these days if you just like are willing to do stuff like i would hope you wouldn't have to show your face anywhere yeah i don't think so or like use a p o box and just yeah yeah maybe not Maybe it's harder than I'm imagining.

I don't know. Every now and then I literally am like, okay, I'm actually going to do some research and see how to make this profitable. And then I read a book instead. So I guess we need a thriller writer to write about a woman who does this. Kate's going to like pop into the podcast one day with like super cool sunglasses and like a fucking studio. Like a feather boa. And she's going to be like, I'm in a big. Bisa and I'm going to be like, girl found feet finder.

Yeah. Exactly. Are you reading this in school? Yeah. It's like, oh, you guys are in your living room and your bedroom? Borg. I have my own villain a Biza that I come to just for the podcast. My dogs have butlers.

Oh my gosh. They would love that. So would Murphy. Oh, my God. If I would probably get more dye. True. I would use some of my earnings to pay. like a dog nanny.

Yes. Play with my dogs. I love to be a dog nanny. I just like the lazy part. I'll just pay for you. We can all just live together and Gare can take care of the dogs. I've had those like moments where

like I genuinely like overall like my job. Yeah. But like I've had those moments where I'm like if I won the lottery or like I got like rich somehow, I think I would still do it. I think I would still work my job. And like today was one of those days where yeah. Like I think I still would. That specifically.

Like your specific one, not just like you would work on something. You would still work that job. I would still work this job. And you just gave us an icebreaker. And then like, she reminds me of something. Keep going though. And then I like, because I really like my boss. And like that's a hard thing for me to find.

Yeah. That's true. You know what I mean? And especially like, like I work with like recruiting companies. So like men in recruiting companies can be fucking assholes. But like I love my boss. And I like a lot of the people that I work with. And I was like, oh, I think I would still do it.

And, like, today was one of those days where I was like, fuck no. If a $100 bill blew my way right now, I'd quit. If I found a quarter on the sidewalk right now, I'd be like, I'm rich now. Oh. Actually, that same exact question came up. So I, AJ and I use this app called Paired. And it asks, like, every day, it asks a different question. And, like, probably a week or two ago, it was.

like if you won the lottery, would you work or not? And I said, I would like to continue to make money, but only if it's like part time and like totally on my own terms. Yeah. Like I think I would still want to make money in some way. AJ's like, no. So I think that is a really interesting question. I would not work. None of my clients listen to this. I wouldn't work with anyone that I work with anymore. And I would just put out so much content so that I finally could make that more profitable but I'd be done with anything related to listings and realtors. Do you think, so like you wouldn't work with like other clients, but do you think that you would try to expand the business of like creating, like, would you only do want to do content for

yourself or would you want to do content for like other authors still? Yeah, myself and authors. Like grow what I do, what grow what I do have, which with like. If any of you guys need social media content, go to bookwifcollective.com. Because that's what I would do. I would still 100% work for she reads. Like my other job now, I'm like, I don't know, some days are like really like rough. And I like have always had that mentality that I would still continue to work. But like after like today and some other days where I'm like, maybe not.

But like I think I know I 100% would still work as she reads. Oh, totally. Like the assignments that they gave me. for July, like, my boss was like, this is your time to shine. Like, you were going to fucking crush this. And I like, I had like so much fun writing them. And now I just have to take like pictures for them. But I'm just like, oh my God, that was so much fun. That's cool. So I would still. Yeah. It would be a lot easier to write a book too. So it's like I would find things to do. I just wouldn't do what actually makes most of my money right now. I would just do it with better people because I could like build the business without needing it to be

profitable immediately. We would, one thing we can all agree on is that we would never have to stress about Nat Galley ever. I probably would. I stay for all my episodes. I'd be like, I have to read ahead. I like, I will say I'm like pretty lucky that my job is pretty flexible. Like I should not, I shouldn't have to stress about neck galley.

Oh, God. That's just like a neurotic personality problem. I think my biggest stressor with NetGalley, I think, is that I'm like a mood reader. So, like, I have like a physical arc. I'm like, oh, like, you know, like I don't have to read it by the pub day. I can read it like a couple weeks after whatever, like skip around. But with like net galley, they're kind of like, no. No.

No, you got a deadline on this kid. Your past self chose this and now you're going to admit. Yeah. You were in a mood where you didn't want to quit your job if you want a lot of money. And now you are paying three precautions. Yeah. Amazing. It happened. Amazing. Steph, I just realized your shirt is on brand. Was Wilson, baby. Oh, I love.

I like it. Right, everybody. I have little, little ghosts. And they're reading and playing with cats and doing stuff because it's Friday with 13th. Oh, I love. Every single one of these ghosts is queer. Every single one. Every single one. Those are all M.M. Prison romances in their hand. We've only imprisoned romance to death. The Easter eggs and the last book in that series, I was like, oh my God, because there's like so many things that like aren't really answered, but like you're just like, oh, like sometimes that's how life is. And there was like one thing and like she put it in the notes at the end of the book and I was like just stared at a wall for 20 minutes straight.

Damn. I was like, holy mother of God. So are there more options in the series coming out? There's supposed to be two more. I just don't know when they're coming. Wow. Not soon enough. I know. I know. And like all of her books are like humongous. Suffer about hysteria. Mm-hmm. Haba, haba.

Oh, yeah, I last night started listening to King of Ashes because Steph convinced me. I'm so proud of you. Yeah. Okay, but that guy's amazing. Yeah, his voice is fantastic. Like, I need. need him to be the narrator in my head so that like, you know, like just life's more interesting. He has a

wonderful voice. And this book is dark as fuck. Gare, have you read it? I have not read it yet. I didn't think you had yet. I didn't want a copy of that. I didn't either. It just came out Tuesday, right? Just came out Tuesday. Yeah. So I'll probably pick it up

this weekend when I go to Canada because it's in paperback. Oh, nice. I didn't try getting it off. I only got it off net galley via audio. I didn't get it via. Like, there's certain audio publishers that are like really kind to me and others that are like immediate, just immediate mouse. Oh, thanks, Macmillan Audio for that. Yes. Oh, it's really good. I've heard it's really dark. It's very, very, very dark. I just got to a part where I was texting stuff and I was like, wow, I just hit this part. And I'm like, oh, if we're here at 30 percent, what's that?

going to be happening 80%. Yeah, yeah. He's definitely like the person that like no character is really safe in his books. No, it does not seem so. And he just kills the Southern Gothic vibe.

And like every person I know on like Bookstagram and in real life that reads loves his books. and some of them are like the, like, women you would not think would like that. Like, he draws in everyone and it's amazing to me. Yeah.

Because I'm like, oh, I did not think that you would like that book, so and so. Like, that seems a little, like, really dark for you. And they're like, I'm kind of one of those readers, though, that, like, if you pitch me, like, an action-y type thriller, I'm not going to really want to read it. But if you're like essay Cosby wrote it, then I'm like, all right. I saw that's what your review said, Steph. You're basically like, I don't think any of these elements I would read. Except for essay Cosby.

If that was this first, I still haven't read. So that narrator reads every single one of his books. I haven't read, like I read a razor blade tears and after I haven't read before yet. Blacktop wasteland or darkest prayer. I'd read Blacktop Wasteland, but now I need to listen to all the other ones. Blacktop Wasteland is incredible. Mm-hmm. I heard it's really good.

I think... I really like that one. I think I might listen to Razor Blade Tears next, but we'll see. Have you ever... Did you read Razor Blade Tears? Mm-mm. Oh, yeah, yeah. I haven't.

Oh, my God, you are in for a freaking thought fest. Well, you know, yeah, maybe it's, maybe it's time. And that's no spoiler, it's in the synopsis. Oh, totally. That it's like, that it's a little. It's very sad subject matter. Yeah. I want to reread it via audio because I really, at this time, I think all the sinners bleed is my favorite of his.

But I kind of want to reread the razor blade tears. I know a lot of them. That's their favorite. That's my favorite. I'm staring at my copy right now. That would actually fit for our subject. It would. Don't you worry.

I kind of, that's why I was like, did you already read it? Because I was like, is this a segue? It still works as one. Yeah. For anyone who doesn't know, Razor Blade tears is about two fathers of two gay men who are murdered. And it is a hate crime, right? Yes.

Or are they just murder? Okay. Oh, there we go. to hate crime. This is a drive-by prior to our actual. Oh, nice. So Steph would make me going to bring it up, and if you're walking, she's holding it up. So that's what we meant by all of that. If everyone's like, what do they mean? If you're an author, chances are high that you just want to spend your time writing and maybe reading, not thinking about social media, what to create, and what to post. And the good news is, I have a solution for you. With just three hours of in-person filming,

you can receive 90 days or three months' worth of social media content. The content is a mixture of videos, photos, edited reels, and when you receive the content, you also receive a PDF that's a content calendar that links to all of the content tells you exactly when to post it and gives you an option for captions. And if you've ever felt like you're tired of just talking about your book all the time, we will help you come up with ideas that are general content for your book,

page that's not just all about your books. If you are tired of thinking about your social media presence and just want to get back to writing, check out the link in the description. So yeah, but yeah, we were going to talk about books for Pride Month, actually for all of the months, but we're going to talk about them for now, too. Hashtag read queer all year. Yeah, that's a good. We're all year, guys. Come on. Can we convince you. I mean, we'll give you enough books that you can definitely re-queer all year. Hell yeah. Yeah.

So how many are we doing, actually? That's a great question. I feel like we could do four or five, four. Because I have some drive-bys. I don't really know how many we're actually talking about. Yeah. I feel like our beginning part wasn't as long this time, so we might be able to get through a decent amount of them.

Okay. I guess we'll just see. Let me see. What's low? Oh, if Gare survives. Like a chest rattle for, like, days. and I'm just like, my anger.

Either kill me or get out of my chest. How to death rattle. Man. It's like death becomes her. It's like, your wife is dead. She's in the morgue and he's like, oh, she's going to be pissed.

Well, speaking of audiobooks and queer all year, this was the first fiction book I listened to that worked for me on audio. And it's Harriet Tubman Live in concert by Bob the Drag Queen, and it is such a cool concept, too. In an age of miracles where our greatest heroes from history have magically, unexplainably returned to shake us out of our confusion and hate, Harriet Tubman is back and she has a lot to say.

Harriet Tubman and four of the enslaved persons she led to freedom want to tell their story in a unique way by following in the footsteps of Lynn Manuel Miranda's Hamilton. Harriet wants to put on a show about her life, and she needs a songwriter. to help her. She calls upon Darnell Williams, a once successful hip-hop producer who is topping the charts before being added by arrival at the BET Awards.

Darnell has no idea what to expect when he steps into the studio with Harriet, only that they have one week's right a Broadway caliber musical he can take on the road. Over the course of their time together, they not only mount a show that will take the country by storm, but confront the horrors of both

their past and learn to find a way to a better future. And I have to say Bob the drag queen narrates this one as well. And I feel like that is part of what just like makes it work. I bet. He cracks me up. And I've, well, she, he, she depending on if he's in Dragon Rat. Basically, I've watched his content for so long that it was like, oh, it's like having Bob the Drag Queen tell me a story.

And it was really good. I'm going to be the odd being out. never ever be able to have the attention span for an audio book. Yeah. See, I listened to this one. When I was like editing pictures, so it's like I was having to sit there no matter, like, I was having to sit there anyway. And then while I was driving to Chicago to see Ashley Winstead. So it was like, it's situations where like I have, I couldn't do something else. And it kind of. You have to kind of focus. Yeah. Yeah. I'm in chapter 3 of a book right now

and I like had to just stop it And I'm like well if I do it mostly when I'm driving Like next week I drive a lot That'll be good but like yeah sometimes it's like wait I don't even know what just happened for the past 15 minutes Yeah And sometimes that does happen

You're like oh okay Maybe this isn't an audiobook activity Yeah I have seen only a few like comedy clips of Bob the drag queen. I'm very curious to examine if anyone

knows who Caleb Heron is, I think he's one of the funniest comedy podcasters right now. Bob the Drag Queen was so funny on Caleb Heron's podcast, so true. I think he's also been on Drew Afuallo's. I don't know if that's how I pronounce her name. I just know her as Drew.

The comment section. So I think he was on hers too, but he's very funny um what i don't know who the girl is but i saw a clip on tic-tok of bob the dry queen talking about a elementary bully that he had oh that might have been drew and she has the long hair and she like laughs a lot like she's got like a very like distinct laugh might be her um but he was telling her that he had a high school bully and And the bully had something on their forehead. And, like, he just finally had enough with the bully and just kind of gave it right back to the bully.

And it turns out the thing on the bully's forehead was a brain tumor. And the bully died. Oh, my God. And then it was, like, crickets. And then they were both, like, cackling. I mean, it is sunny. Like, he was like, I just, like, finally lost it. I stuck up for myself.

I was like, that thing on your forehead and da-da-da-da-da-da. And then it was a brain tumor. I was like, this could go a couple ways. You know what? I was like, it's not a person's a bully. I mean, I could see them being like, whatever. Right? It was not an enemies to lovers romance.

Let's just say that. It's amazing. Well, my first one is one that I haven't read yet, but it's on my TBR, and it is Winging It With You by Chip Ponds. You know him from Bookstagram. He's Books Over Bros. You and I rewritten his debut novel is one of my favorite books in the entire world. And the plot twist in the end of it was like Chef's Kiss. Like there's a huge twist that I like did not see coming. I'm very excited for this one. It's romance, not thriller, right? But it's just like still had a twist.

Yeah. It's romance. It's like romance, like drama. You know what I mean? Like, it's not fancy romance. I think this one is going to be more traditional. But can we just focus on that man's bicep and his hairy forearm? I like that.

O-M-G-Zy. Dude, all of chips posts with it are so fun too. I love. I'm obsessed. I'm obsessed. Yeah. I cannot wait to read this. I'm reading it this weekend.

Oh, that'll be fun. So pumped. Asher Bennett thought his relationship was just fine until he's unceremoniously dumped in the Boston airport ahead of the worldwide travel competition reality show, The Epic Trek. Still determined to find a new partner, Asher seats himself at TGI Fridays,

and luckily right in front of him is a smooth-talking airline pilot ready for takeoff. Theo Fernandez has been. grounded, he's the only pilot that has never taken a vacation and that a deck has been passed down. Prioritize work-life balance or say goodbye to your wings. What better way than teaming up with the handsome guy at his favorite terminal eatery for nationally televised reality show. As Theo and Asher buckle up to fake date for the cameras, they start to wonder if their on-screen chemistry hints at something bigger. Do they have the courage to leave behind their baggage and wing it together

for another chance at love? Gotta go. Seriously, though. I'm so excited. That sounds so fun. He just seemed like, I've never even talked to him in the DMs either, but he just seems like such a nice guy. He is the sweetest human being in the entire world. Like, I just absolutely adore him.

I love that. I absolutely adore. He was just looked at his account and I was very impressed. Yeah. Because I, like, well, I found his account before he started writing. And I was like, I just want you to give me photography. lessons because I always have these really cool ideas on my head and they just like never like come out right on the camera and I just you know think that you take the best pictures ever and

then he's he writes this like incredible book and now he's on his second one and this one's like traditionally published and I just so happy for him just the cats behind I love. What's amazing love? I don't have any segue for that, but I'll say opposite. You haven't read this yet. This one I read like so long ago when I just got back into reading. It's essays and her name is Samantha Irby and it's called We're Never Meeting in Real Life. And I just like love this cat.

Oh my God. I love that conversation. I know. And I remember like laying in bed and just like cackling and AJ's like, are you okay? So with heartfelt candor and her usual side-splitting bite, inamidable humorist, essayist, and blogger at bitches got to eat.com. That's her user near her handle on Instagram is bitches got to eat. Samantha Irby captures powerful emotional truths while chronicling the disaster that has been her life,

an ill-fated pilgrimage and romantic vacation to Nashville to scatter her estranged father's ashes, awkward sexual encounters, a bachelorette application gone awry, and more. Sometimes you just have to laugh even when your life is a dumpster fire. Matt is the attitude we all should have. Yeah, like, I think she has four books. I think this was her second one, and they're all like a really bright color with some kind of animal on the front.

Oh my gosh. And she just is like talks about like life with her wife and like life in college. and she has, like, IBS and just is, like, really open about, like, tummy trouble. And I just laughs apart. That's amazing. Yeah. And she narrates all her own books, so I just was, like, I've learned that I should probably listen to them. But, yeah, that was one of my first, probably queer books I've read.

I love that. I love that. I'm going to add that to my audio book list. I feel like I'm going to, like, get to the end of the year. and like have read so many more books than I did last year. You will. It'll go as I finally can listen to some this way. Well, Grandpa Gere, I'll just be still pushing paper.

I need more than both of us every year. I think you're just fine. In my current book, I've been reading for a week, and I'm at 60% and Gareth's like, five. I made it to 30% in the book I started on Sunday, and I love the book. Like, I love it. And I'm at 30% now. For everyone we're recording on a Friday.

So that's why I'm saying that. I read nine bucks in June so far. God, Dan, on my 30. It's like, you're in, that's insane. You don't need audio. You're fine. Yeah, you're doing just fine. Yeah.

With those little ohos. Keep telling Spanish. eyes oh you're like bitch you just call me a hoe I don't know

if you said I don't know if you said you're doing just fine little how or if ohos was ghost in Spanish if you were like

you and your little band of queer ghosts of doing this fine your little gang over there yeah no no

it was just being silly. I wanted to interrupt this episode really quickly. I have a goal of monetizing Book Wild, but I would love to do it without having to have ads in the podcast. And one way that I can do that is through my Patreon community. For those who don't know, Patreon is a community platform that allows creators to share what they're creating behind a paywall. And so that means exclusive content or early releases. The Book Wild Patreon has two tiers. The first tier is the bookish tier. And at that tier, you get all of the episodes out a day early. And you get access to our private community chat where we can talk about anything book related or TV shows or movies.

The second tier is the Book Wild tier. And it includes everything from the first tier, but also Book Wild's Backlist Book Club. So this year, I've been wanting to also still read more backlist, even though I read plenty of arcs. And Book Wilde's backlist book club felt like the perfect way to do that. We meet on Sundays. We are international right now. So Sundays are the best way to do it. And we meet on Zoom and we all pick a book and we talk about it. And then we talk about everything else we read during the month. And then we pick another book for the next month. So it's been so much fun so far. And we'd love to have you join the book club. So if you'd like to support the Book Wild podcast, you can go to the Patreon link in the show notes,

and you can sign up for whichever tier interests you. And if you're looking for a free way to support the show, if you can like and review it on whichever platform you listen to, that helps so much. Well, my next one, I did not listen via audiobook, but I didn't review the author so you can listen to us talk if you want to. But Glitter in the Dark by Olesea Leuzna, which came out earlier this year. And this is one of those like rare historical fiction ones that was like truly so much of a mystery thriller that I loved it. And it's noir as well.

Ambitious advice columnist Jenny Dugan knows she's capable of more than solving other people's beauty problems. But her boss at PhotoPlay Magazine thinks she's only fit for fluff pieces. When she witnesses a kidnapping of a famous singer at Harlem's Hotest Speak Easy, nobody takes her seriously. But Jenny knows what she saw and what she saw haunts her. guilt-ridden over her failure to stop the kidnappers and hard-pressed for cash to finally move out of her uptight showgirl's sister's apartment. Jenny resolves to chase down the truth that will clear her conscience and maybe win her promotion in the process.

When private detective Jack Crawford starts interfering with her case, Jenny ropes him into a reluctant partnership but soon finds herself drawn to the kind heart she glimpses beneath his brooding exterior. Equally as alluring is Gloria Grosurring. Gardner, the star dancer of the Ziegfield Follies, who treats her, who treats life like one unending party. Yet as Ginny delves deeper into the criminal underworld, the sinister plot she uncovered seems to lead right back to the theater. Then a brutal murder strikes someone

close to her, and Ginny realizes the stakes are higher than she ever imagined. This glamorous world has a deadly edge, and Ginny must shatter her every illusion to catch the shadowy killer before they strike again. This one was wild and like she had so many in my interview with her, so many cool facts about Prohibition era in New York because since she was like a teenager, she's been obsessed with it. So this book was like kind of a culmination of like all of that and how she loves mysteries and thrillers. But like I kept forgetting that I was even in the past sometimes just because it felt it just felt so,

I don't know, like good sounds weird, but you know what I mean. Yeah. I was thinking that when you were reading the synopsis is that like it does not like if you wouldn't have told me that it was in the 20s I would have been like this could also be current. I agree. She was in Montreal. I remember you saying that. And hearing her speak was like so like out of body experience. Like somebody that young for their first event ever and like the way that she like like it was just.

just like there's so much like passion in her like talking about why she chose the 1920s and like what inspired the story and like it was just incredible yeah she's one of those people where like if they like something so much that like you start to care about it yeah um i also told her that you said hi oh that's good yeah i was like i just wanted to let you know like i sometimes do a podcast with kate and i just wanted to let you know she said hi and she was like oh my god that's so sweet And I was like, she would have been really proud of you if she could have been here today. Yes. And that Hallie, for anyone who loves random facts, but Hallie Sutton and Lane Fargo were her pitch wars mentors.

Yes. So also if you love those too. Yeah. You probably love this. Yeah. Fruit. Incredible. I also like love how like looking at the cover of her book, you can tell that it's 1920s.

Like it's just like, so. It is so cool. It's a gas. Yes. Yes. I love it. I agree. Look at a skull. Okay.

My first one, second one. My first second one. My first second one. I kind of went in like a little direction here with like if you enjoy some of these like heterosexual if you enjoy some of these heterosexual stories then you'll enjoy some of these queer ones

so being that hockey romance is like so big everywhere like within like queer stories and non-queer stories my first one for a hockey romance that I want to recommend is Game Changer by Rachel Reed um so this is my little itty-bitty baby paper

back. Oh, it's been cute. That is not the favor I was expecting. They just released them all with like your more traditional looking romance covers. So this is the new one. And it's where you're right? Yes. Yes. So this is the new one. I have all six of them. And they are either currently filming or just wrapped up filming, turning this one into a TV series, which is really exciting.

Because this is the first time that I've had like an MM story. that is going to be a series. So I'm very excited to dive in and read them. But everybody, when I got into MM romance, was telling me to read this series. And when I got into hockey romance, they were like, why have you not picked this up yet? So guess what I'm going to be reading next? So Game Changer by Rachel Reed, in her ads. New York Admiral's Captain Scott Hunter takes his pregame rituals very seriously.

When a particular smoothie precedes Scott's breaking his on-ice slump, he's desperate to recreate the magic and to get to know the sexy, funny guy behind the counter. Kip Grady knew there was more to Scott's frequent visits than blended fruit, but he never let himself imagine being invited back to Scott's penthouse. Or kiss the reckless abandon and more. What goes on between them is hot, incredible, and frequent, but also only on Scott's terms and always behind closed apartment doors. Scott needs Kip in his life, but with the playoff season approaching, his spotlight on him is suddenly brighter than ever. He can't afford to do anything that might derail his career or public's image of what a hockey captain should be. Kip is ready to go all in with Scott, but how much longer will he have to remain a secret? Wow.

Haba, hubba. Did you ever date a hockey player? Did I ever date a hockey player? Yes. No. You never know? If I, if I, if I ever dated a hockey player, we would have a separate podcast just of our sexual proclivities. Because it is like literally like, I would like to date Jacob Bellorty, obviously.

Yeah. Frank Ocean. And then like any hockey player in the world. I think hockey players are the sexiest athletes when it comes to men. And do you think it's because they're kind of violent or do you think it's, what do you think it is? Me personally or like. Yes, we personally. They're definitely rough, which is like good for me, but also like it would be hard to hate crime me with my hockey player boyfriend around.

Right. So I like, I like protectiveness. Yes, that's what I was kind of going for here. Um, they travel a lot. So you have your free time. So I've had my free time to read. I'm, I'm with you so far. Um, hockey butts are a thing.

That's what I was going to ask. Like, is it the physique that goes with hockey? Yeah. I don't want like some skin, like, I love his music, but like, I do not want to date somebody that has the same body type as Troy Savant. Oh, yeah. I want some tall beefcake who's like, biceps are like an anaconda. And, yeah.

They just like, it's not like a dainty sport. Like he's like getting like the shit out of him and I'm like and then he's beating the shit out of other people and I'm just like yeah. I remember there was part of where that came from is I remember there's like a Bones episode where her boss Cam takes her to a hockey like like a pickup game like not in HL like firefighters or something. Probably firefighters doing it the other sexualized subgroup. but she cam literally is like I just love this they're so violent it makes me feel so safe

so that was like part of what made me think of it that's what was like is it because they're violent and then bones bones is like well from a sociological perspective you're right yeah it's so hot they're all like so like I just think hockey players are so good looking and like don't get me wrong like I know like other athletes like work hard and like can have like accents and stuff like that. Yeah, whatever. But like, I don't know. Sometimes when I watch football, it's like, people like slam into each other.

And then they like get up and they're like he he he and they like tap each other on the shoulder or like sometimes like somebody like trips and like rolls their ankle and like gets carried off. And I'm like it's kind of like embarrassing. But like it's like NBA. Yeah. In hockey like people like lose teeth and get like concussions and they just like get back up and like. beat the shit out of the guy that like slam them into the boards and then they keep going. Right. I'm just like, I did not go to any like sporting activities in school, but like you bet your ass I went to hockey games.

And it's an easy sport to follow. Like if you were not like a sports enthusiast and somebody's like, oh, do you want to go to like a football game? No, I don't because I have a hundred questions in the first 10 minutes. And then, like, I dated a guy who had me watch the Super Bowl with him. We broke up a month later because I was, like, asking. So, and he was like, can you just save your questions for after? And I'm like, no, because you're making me fucking watch this. And I don't know what the hell's going on.

And, like, he was like, save your questions for after. And that just fits me off. Oh, my gosh. You, like, slip all ruined my relationship. I was like, what do you mean to save my questions for after? Like, you were not on fairium. so but if you take me to a hockey game like I know that that little puck is trying to get there and they're going to beat the shit out of each other for about 20 minutes before somebody scores you did it slammed into the boards I can follow what's going on you know what I mean other sports there's like flags and they call things and there's like basketball when they have to like shoot at a certain point I'm like I don't fucking have time for all of these rules okay hockey there are no rules there's the puck and hop men beating the shit out of each other and they do their little exercise and they do their little exercise and They do their little exercises with their butt in the air when they're doing our streptus right before the game.

Find me up. God, that's how I feel. I do not think it's easy to follow. Not that I've watched more than like maybe a documentary about it, but I've lately been really into the thickness of rugby men. Oh, yeah. But there's really not much around here to watch to even be able to learn it. But like, I'm thick. My TikTok has been so many rugby, like,

accidental nudity slips. Oh yeah. Or like rugby players doing like homoish things. Like when they're trying to like They like grow each other's. Yeah. They like they grab each other by the shorts and they're like,

their like hand is like up their ass basically and they're like catch the ball and like. And no one thinks the thing about it. No. Cause rugby players. Did you ever watch Bring It On where like the one guy like they do like their little cheer thing and he has the cheer leader in the air and he has the cheerleader in the air. he's like given her a little tickle. And like they're like he he and he's like yeah, it's easy for me to like be a cheerleader

because like I get to do that to like my hot chick friends or whatever. But like that's what rugby players are. It's like literally like they just like literally have like a finger up each other's ass all the time or they're like grabbing each other's junk and they're little shorts. And then they're like no homo. Please. You are out of your mind. Cher.

You are out of your mind. I'm obsessed. I love that. This is the best Pride episode ever. It is. Kate, asking me, like, what it is about hockey players and all? I mean, but you're not. Yeah, like that genre for, yeah, whatever direction you're going, like, is hugely popular right now.

Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. I even bought a Rone. I've ever read a book related to a sport now that I think about it. I am a... Very Soto, the favorite. Carrie Soto.

Carrie Soto, yeah. We write the favorites. It's just, I'm so not traditional. It's not football or basketball or hockey. Right. There is like a Y-Choose. It's called Pucking Around by Emily Raff. That's a perfect Y-chews.

And it's like a woman in three hockey players. But I think some of the men get together too. because it's always on the list of like LGBTQ plus sports romances. Nice. And I know that with three hockey players in the house, like Homegirl does not have time to have a queer relationship of her own.

No. She's probably itchy for one though with three dudes around. Seriously. What a brave woman. She's been like, dang. Wouldn't be Steph and I, clearly. Enough is enough. would be you.

It could be you for sure. Definitely wouldn't me. I would be like, choo-choo. But as long as they out, although I will say, if they're traveling a lot, that does help.

Yeah. I think that's what it is too. Like I obviously love like a strong, like tall, tough, badass man. So that's why like athletes like I am attracted to, but also like them traveling so much. Like I know that I'm a psycho enough that like you would not cheat on me because if you did,

I would find out. And I know that I'm crazy enough to find out. And like you would be punished profusely. Mm-hmm. The emotional terrorism that they would get for cheating on me would be like not worth it. And also like they would just be traveling and stuff and I would have my alone time. Right. And then they can come home and like I could tell them about what books I read and they can take me out for pizza.

It's really out of life. That's the life. Yeah. Yeah. So if there's any hockey players listening. Hit us up at Gera. I have not even close to a segue to that. This is the opposite of that.

Mine is a, um, Y.A. So I went to this, sorry. I went to this, um, Madison has like an adult book fair, which is like, Pretty cute. I do them. And one of the stores, the bookseller had this, like, post it. And it said something like snarky female character doesn't give a shit and likes cats or something. And I'm like, I'm into it.

Let's go. Same. It's like you, when you embrace that you're about to read a YA, then it's like good. If I was not looking for it, it probably wouldn't have hit. But when Gianna Gigi Ritchie lands in detention again, she doesn't expect the glorified study hall to be her alibi. But when she and her friends receive a mysterious email directing them to her favorite teacher, Mr. Ford's room, they find him lying in a pool of blood. But calling the math teacher's death an accident doesn't add up. And Gigi adds all the what?

What? When you said pool of blood, he and I both like, why A? I know. And Gigi needs all the help she can get to find the truth. Luckily, you guys are just going to die. Luckily, she's friends with her high school's mystery club. So her best friend Sean and longtime crush Mari, Gigi sets out to solve a murder. But it turns out murderers are extremely unwilling to be caught.

And the deeper Gigi gets in this mystery, the more dangerous things become. Between fending off a murderer, continual flare-ups of her IBS and her arch-numpting. making it out of junior year is going to be one killer problem. It's like it's cool because she's, I think she's a lesbian. I don't think she's bisexual. Her mom is non-binary. So it's like there's like everything,

the writer I think, the author is non-binary too. So it just like in a, it was a different read for me, but in a really good way. What was the title? Sorry, one killer problem by Justine.

Pussela. Cichella W-N-N-N-N-S. Okay. The tagline in the front is Be Gay, Self-Crime. Oh, I love that. So, yeah. It's just like,

it says it's good, a darkly funny and thoroughly queer mystery with the touch of camp for fans of Kara Thomas, Kit Frick, by the way of only murderers in the building, or only murders in the building. It's kind of that vibe. Oh, that's cool.

So I just was like, I embraced it for all that it was because it was just like very fun. Yeah. I was looking for like a dark thriller that was not going to be it. But I left it for what it was. Oh, the post that said main character gives zero Fs. And I was like, that's what I need sometimes. I love those kind of textures. That's your segue.

Yes. That's your segue. segue way. Like, I will read any hockey romance with two dudes in it and yours is like any snarky character who gives zero fox is like a media yes for you. Yeah. Pretty much.

Love that. Well, my character is not too snarky in this next one. But I had to talk about it. It's this violent heart by Heller, Heller Heather Levy. Oh, yeah, not

Heller. Devin Mace thought she was done with a small conservative town she once called home. She fled when she was 18 after her best friend's summer took her own life, leaving Summer's twin brother Keaton lost in his grief. But when tragedy strikes again, Devin has nowhere to turn back to the place. Nowhere to turn but back to the place that first broke her heart. Being back in Arcana means struggling with old guilt that shrouds her bisexuality and her feelings for Keaton. There's so much she's still hiding from him and so much of their shared past that's now surfacing. It's not long before Devin has reason to believe Summer's tragic death wasn't suicide after all.

Summer had secrets too, and she wasn't the only one who didn't want them exposed. As Devin and Keaton pieced together the memory of what happened that faithful summer, they must reckon with their own truths before they can move forward, but one person will do whatever it takes to stop them. this one's like so emotional it's like a lot more it has like very like vulnerable

moments compared to like hurt for me the first one or Heather's first one but it's also very hot and she's torn between two twins while she's in high school

it's just fantastic that is such a fucking good pick oh it's so good I like how words I hurt Hello, she's so humble. Hold on. It's just like, I'm going to let it rip with a, I'm not a bisexual romance thriller.

Right. Yeah. Get it. I will piggyback off that, though, and say that, like, even though this one is, like, not as much of a thriller as hurt for me. It's for me. The pacing is incredible with that one. I agree.

Like, she could. Kept ending the chapters with these little like cliffhangers, almost like she was like daring you to like put your bookmark in. And I. And I was like, I'm not, girl, I'm not going to let you down. And I read that one in one day. Wow. That was such a good book. It's so good.

One of my favorites of the year, 100%. I'm still looking to see if my library. You too. Yeah. I would send you. I will send you a copy stuff. Yeah, I think I have a copy too. I don't know.

That's like one of those books that like you don't let somebody download on their Kindle, you're like, I will gift this for you because like it deserves to be in your hands. Yeah. Yeah. Speaking of. Ooh. I imagine that when I read this book, it was how Steph felt with Margot has money troubles. Ooh.

Because this was such a fun reading experience. I was like laughing. it was steamy. There was like drama. It was like heartwarming. And it's called Just By Looking at Him by Ryan O'Connell. It's one of my favorite books in the entire world. Whoa.

I love this one so much. And it's just like incredible. And I can't see anything about it. Have you seen the other cover option? I have the other cover. Is it like the painting one? Yeah, or there's a little nudie man on the beach. Yeah.

I love it. That's the hardback cover. Okay. Yeah. And then this is like the new paperback one. Mm. And there's this little speedo guy just. Hey, yeah.

Oh, yeah. I have seen this one. Okay. Yeah. It is so good. This covers, like, I love them both, but this covers a little bit more fitting for like the vibe you're going to get with the book. Oh. Or they'll give you one.

The other one makes you think literary. Yeah. Yes. And I was a little nervous with. that when I first got it, but then I was like, oh my God, this is amazing. Yeah. Elliot is a 35-year-old gay man with cerebral palsy, seems to be living it up as a successful TV writer, spending his days writing aggressively average scripts and his nights drinking

bottles of natural wine with his perfect supportive boyfriend Gus. But beneath this Instagram filter of a life, Elliot chased at the notion that he should feel grateful for his success despite his disability. When he meets River, a high-end sex worker, Elliot jumps at the chance to inject some excitement into his routine. But as their dynamic veers from empowering to obsessive, Elliot falls down a rabbit hole of sex, drinking, and addiction. As he searches for acceptance in an overwhelmingly ablest world, Elliot finds that his

desperate escapism is slowly eroding his self-esteem and destroying his life. man. Yeah. It is so good. It says that it's an decisive commentary on modern gay life and an insightful portrayal of a person with disabilities, a heart-centered laugh-out loud exploration of the messy layers of the self. So it's really good. Very good. And he also was in the reboot of queer as folk. Even though it was only one season, but it was really good if anybody has to watch it. And Juliette Lewis is in it.

Love her. From yellow jackets. Yeah. Oh, yeah. So. I love how one of his other books is called I'm Special and other lies we tell ourselves. Yeah. He has a TV show called Special.

Oh, really? On Netflix. And it's like, they're like short, like little, like, I think they're like 20, 25 minute episodes. Oh. I notice my library has that on too. He's. He's really good. I think that you would really like that.

I think you would both actually really like it. I haven't done a thriller yet. Oh, I didn't realize. Well, we did a drive-by of Razor Blade tears. True. I was, like, trying to look through my shelves, and I felt like most of mine weren't thrillers this time in a wild. Yeah.

And weird and unfortunate, honestly. Oh, girl, if you need queer thrills, I know. I got you. Well, I know. I was going to say, I'm like, why I think that Gare has a lot. You know what's frustrating to me sometimes just a little side note is like,

I feel like with NetGalley and Instagram, you are just so magnetized to like repeat authors and like repeat almost like demographics. And like I think that it's probably just like the algorithm and our same friends and like the community that you follow. I'm like, man, I want to like get some wrecks and see some things on NetGalley that like spice it up. I feel like I'm not marketed stuff that is like diverse enough for what I want.

Mm-hmm. You know? My hot take with that too is that like as much as we all love Bath House by PJ Vernon, like if the Tal Bauer duology like the murder between us and the grade between us if they like were promoted by a traditional publisher I think they would have had like

the same success as that so that's why like it's your point yeah that's why like it's like sometimes like finding those like indie authors or the books that like people don't like talk about that much on like social media can be really fun because like that was an experience for me that I was like wow like these like just like blew me away with like how good they were.

How did they land on your radar? Um, how did they land on my radar? I'm trying to see. Well, because of hockey romance. So Tal Bauer has a hockey. He like does like every genre basically. He has like CIA like White House romantic thrillers.

but he actually has gravity and the rest of the story are a hockey romance duology and there was a book talker that I followed that reads gravity probably like four or five times a year and like it's like her favorite book in the entire world and so I wanted to read it and then I got the rest of the story

and then I saw that he did the murder between us and the grade between us and I had to get those and he has like another I think it's a cowboy romantic suspense. But he's got like a pretty like, yeah, he's got like a pretty like extensive like catalog for like anything you're looking for. But yeah.

If I've ever read a cowboy book. I haven't and I think it's because I just am not one that usually goes for like Cowboys Western. Yeah. If let's say essay Cosby wrote it, I probably would read it. Yeah. True. I read six cowboy romances last year. Wow. It was like a series by a woman named Emmy Sanders. And they were like all these like cowboy romances. But then they segue into another series about the men that work in a porn studio. Amazing. So cowboys and porn stars. Fuck yeah. That's amazing. Yeah. I was like, what a range.

What a range? Wow, once again, my next one has nothing to do with that. It's more like urban taking place in Philadelphia. So the next one I have is called Sky Falling by Mia McKenzie. And I think I just stumbled upon this looking for like kind of funny dramas. Let's see. 26 and broke. Sky didn't think twice before selling her eggs and happily pocketing the cash.

Now approaching 40, Sky moves through life entirely and unrepentantly on her own terms, living out of a suitcase and avoiding all manner of serious relationships. Her personal life might be a mess, and no one would be surprised if she died alone in a hotel room, but at least she's free to do as she pleases. But then a 12-year-old girl shows up during one of Sky's brief visits to her hometown of Philadelphia and tells Sky that she's her egg. Sky's life is thrown into sharp relief and she decides that it might be time to actually try to have a meaningful relationship with another human being. Spoiler alert, it's not easy.

Things get even more complicated when Sky realizes that the woman she tried and failed to pick up the other day is the girl's aunt and now it's awkward. While and all the while her brother is trying to get in touch, her problematic mother is being bewilderingly kind and the West Philly pool halls and hoagie shops of her youth have been. replaced by hipster cafes. Told in a freshly voice, this novel is a relentlessly clever, deeply moving portrait of a woman in the relationships she thought she could live without. So totally unique premise. And yeah, written like very snarky almost. I mean, better grammar, but like you're in her head kind of like writes how someone would speak. And it's pretty gay.

I love that. And it's pretty gay. And I love that. That's the subtitle for this episode. Pretty gay and I love that. That's pretty gay and you know, Steph, I got to say, though, like, going back to what we were just talking about, like, I feel like, whenever we do an episode, you put so many books on my radar that, like, I have never. I have. Hey.

Like, I know. It's, it's amazing. Like, I was just, like, perusing the library. And I don't know if I saw this one on the shelf. But I've been like just, I can think I've been like trying to do that. But like you never know what you, like there's sometimes I've noticed if I just like, oh, this cover looks good. I always like go sometimes like take pictures of like book covers and come home. And not that I'm like a review snob, but sometimes I'm like maybe there's a reason that that one's not checked out.

You know what I mean? Like you see you got like a 3.1, you know. I'm just kind of like, I'm sure it might be great for some people, but I don't always know if I'm willing to take a swing, which maybe sucks. But like, there's been some winners, which is good. Yeah, you always put a lot of... I agree. I feel like she, like, goes out into the physical book world more than us and sees other stuff. I try to, like, I go to, like, my bookstore that I go to in Canada, and I try so hard to, like, branch out.

but like, I'm like, oh, I've heard of that. Oh, that has this many reviews on like NetGalley or whatever. Or like, oh, this one I DNF and I'm like, I feel like because it's such a small store, like there's so many just like popular books. But like, yeah, if we're handing out compliments, I will say that you are the one that I think always puts books on my radar that like I've never even heard of before. That always sound very interesting to me and like multi-genre.

Thanks. And Kate. is the wine that pushes me to read outside of just typical thrillers because I have no idea what the fuck genre she's going to pick up next. No. I have a constant surprise this year. I have a hot take moment. Lately, some of the thrillers I've been reading, not all. I don't know if it's me or books.

I'm like, they're like doing the most. And they're almost like too much. And I don't know if it's like my current interest level or it's like I felt like those one or two twists would have been good. But there were like three more twists. And I just have been a little like, mm. And I'm like, so I don't know if it's me or just the books I've happened to pick up. Well, Gare and I had that feeling with a thriller as well. We were like, why did we need this many twists at the end?

Yeah, like we don't need to do the most. Yeah. I don't know. Well, I'm going to say this will be my last one just based off of time. Okay. But I read this one last year and loved it. And I love Alexis Henderson in general. But House of Hunger, Marian Shaw has been raised in the slums where want and deprivation is all she knows. Despite longing to leave the city and its misery, she has no real hope of escape until the day she spots a peculiar. listing in the newspaper seeking a blood made.

Though she knows little about the far north where wealthy nobles live in luxury and drink the blood of those in their service, Marion applies for the position. In a matter of days, she finds herself the newest blood made at the notorious house of hunger. There, Marion is swept into a world of dark debauchery. Is it debauchery or debauchery? Debuttery. I feel like I've heard both ways. Pain.

And at the center of it all is her. Countess Lisa Vett, who presides over this hedonistic court, is loved and feared in equal measure. She takes a special interest in Marion. Lisa Vett is magnetic and Marion is eager to please her new mistress. But when her fellow blood maids begin to go missing in the night, Marion is thrust into a vicious game of cat and mouse. She will need to learn the rules of her new home and fast, or its halls will soon become her great. So this one has like horror elements.

It's like, I don't know if it's considered, is it considered fantasy? Yeah. It says fantasy. Obviously there are vampires going on. I love. Gothic, sapphic, uh, horror thriller. It has a lot of things going for it. Yeah.

Sure does. That sounds really good. Mm-hmm. I love her books. I follow that up. Which one are you going to? Pick. I'm going to do a thriller. Oh, good. I think we do need some thriller. I have yapped everybody's ears off about A Density of Souls by Christopher Rice, so go read it. Consider that a drive-by. But if you love dark academia and sexy, sexy men doing bad, bad things, you should read The Snow Garden by Christopher Rice.

Ooh. I am dying to reread this. She a thick one. She has a thick one. She has thick. A shocking death exposes dangerous forces of seduction, obsession, and vengeance lurking beneath the idyllic surface of a prestigious New England University. It's more than just the late November weather that has cast a chill over the campus of Atherton University. When the wife of a respected professor, Eric Eberman, is killed in a tragic accident, his secret student lover, Randall Stone, fears the professor tried to avert career suicide by committing homicide. Or do the dead woman's haunting last words point to an even more damning crime? Fearing the truth, Randall digs into his lover's hidden history, but what he finds draws him and everyone he cares for into a dark dance of sexual manipulation, twisted retribution,

and murderous rage where nothing is as it seems. And no one will escape from it unscathed if they escape at all. Ooh. Wow. Fucking bang. I remember you talking about this one. when we started the podcast like years ago. I need to read it.

It's been on my to read shelf. I need to read it again. I'm like setting aside things that like I have to, I have to read. And like I want to reread this one. And I need to read that hockey romance. And I need to read the mind fuck series now, Seth. Yeah, you do. Oh, yeah.

I heard they might be bringing it to the screen. They are a fun post that. Oh, they are. Yeah. It better do a good job is all. Yeah. No side eye there. What's her last?

Okay. So this one that I'm talking about, you know how we've had that conversation about, like, sometimes horror goes over our head? Yeah. So, like, this one kind of went over my head. But I know, like, so many people love it. And I think it might have been that I did listen on audio and the production was, like, really good. It had, like, background noise. but I think it was just like not a book for me to do that. However, it covers them.

I keep like changing what I think. What I really go through emotion. I know. So it's called The Honey's by Ryan LaSala and a lot of honey. I will love it. I'm sure that I would love it too. I just like if it's a little like, woo-hoo. This is also Y.A.

It's like a summer camp book, which I know a lot of people love summer camp settings. Yeah, I like that. Oh, let's see. Mars has always been the lesser twin, the shadow to his sister, his sister Caroline's radiance. But when Caroline dies under horrific circumstances, Mars is propelled to learn all he can

about his once inseparable sister who'd grown tragically distant. Mars's gender fluidity means he's often excluded from the traditions and expectations of his politically connected family. This includes attendance to the prestigious Aspen Conservancy Summer Academy, where his sister poured so much of her time. But with his

grief still fresh, he insists on attending in her place. What Mars finds is a bucolic fairy tale not meant for him. Folksy charm and sun-drenched festivities, camouflage old-fashioned gender roles, and a toxic preparatory rigor. Mars seeks out his sister's old friends, a group of girls dubbed the honeys, named for the beehives they maintain behind their cabin. They are beautiful. and terrifying, and Mars is certain they're connected to Caroline's death. But the longer he stays at Aspen, the more the sweet mountain breezes give way

to hints of decay. Mars' memories begin to falter, bleached beneath the relentless summer sun. Something is hunting him in broad daylight, toying with his mind. If Mars can't find it soon, it will eat him alive. So I think that, like...

I know. You said that was Y.A. I think it's been like two years since I read it. But like I think it's like the summer camp teen summer camp setting is like why it's YA. But I feel like the thing that I think was hard was so he's like the way his memories began to falter was like really hard on audio. And I think that's why it was hard for me was like when it's like mind stuff like that. It's almost easier I think for me to read it physically. So I think that was my issue.

So if anyone is an audio listener, but you know that if it's really twisty and a little more like psychological is hard to listen to, you may want to pick the physical copy up. But yeah, it's like these like queen bees. I wish we were called so good. We could. Book honeies. Moving forward. Book honeys. That sounds really good.

I'm going to have to have that. I love that cover too. And like if you get the, I had the hardcover and it, like, when you opened it, the everything was gorgeous about like that. What are those called the inner pages? Yeah, what are those called? Yeah, I forget. I just saw someone say the word. Whatever.

The first page. It's really pretty. Yeah. Very beautiful. And very like, I think unsettling summer camp feel. Right. Love it. Give everyone, like, quite the array of genres to pick from.

Yeah. Can I do some drive-bys? Five-way, Bill-Less? I agree. Hitchcock. Secret history. The violent, like, is what it's called. Yeah.

Yeah. Yep. Yeah. Hidden Scars by Andy Jackson is a very dark hockey romance that deals with trauma. And the twist in this one is insane. Um, if you like dark academia and like a femme fatale story, but you want it between two men. Providence by Craig Wilsey. What a cover.

Yeah. Student teacher, dark, twisty, very sexy. Yeah. The Shards by Brett Easton Ellis. I know you were going to talk about that one. Serial killer. I know I was like, Garrett, stop it. But then I just had to do a drive-by with him.

Cereal killer, boys, 80s, sexy. sexy And then my last one is Young Mungo by Douglas Stewart. I got this in Montreal. I heard it's like very traumatizing. Sounds good. And beautifully written, page turning

and Oprah blurbed it. Really? Whoa. Be gay, be lovely. Enjoy your life. I love that. I have some drive Bifies one is the three lives of Kate K. Oh my God, that's such a good

pick. How did we forget that one? Well, I didn't talk about it because just it being a Reese pick, I figured maybe more people had heard about it, but FYI, it does have. I love the author is Kate Faggin and her wife's name is Catherine. Like, I love that. I also had Chene Gang All-Stars, the main characters in this book

are a couple of women. And then also Mad Honey by Jody Pico, who is an incredible activist. And then her co-author is Jennifer Finney Bowlin, who is a member of the LGBTQ-plus community. Very good. This on audio. So if you watch the most recent White Lotus, Harry Coon reads this on audio. Her voice is so, so. Oh, I love her.

Yeah. Yeah. So that one, if you get the opportunity, is really good on audio. And watch Overcompensating on Prime. Yeah. Because. The people are telling me they love it, too. It is.

So that one show you recommended Kate with the teacher. That was teacher? Yeah, that one's good. Oh, my God, that's so good. Yes, yes, yes, yes. Watch that. I think that you. My little blurb is

DeCardment Q on Netflix is a very good it almost feels it is kind of like noir but it's also like a disgraced not disgrace an agent who's a part of like

a really traumatic shooting is kind of like he's because he's having to recover and prove that he's psychologically sound enough to come back to work. He kind of gets relegated to the basement and they're like you can work on any cold case that you want and so it's uh to make it to distill it down into like a trope it's very much like the misfits come together in the basement no one no one respects them enough and then they totally unravel this really really twisted

cold case and it's very good on Netflix I saw that preview but it wasn't coming out for like two months at the time so glad you reminded you know I came out we're recording this on the 13th is Echo Valley, which is like it's getting, it's a thriller movie on Apple TV with Julianne Moore and Sydney Sweeney. And it literally just teared today. Yeah. So I might watch that tonight. So it's getting good reviews. Sometimes like there's a joke that Apple makes really good TV shows and really bad movies. So I never get that excited. But the reviews are actually looking good. So I need to watch that. Also my my little drive by would be no road home by John Fram, which is like goth. kind of locked room family thriller drama with a gay dad and his son and ghosts and watch the movie Femm because Kate and I both think watch the movie fifth

Oh yeah and also the movie Sebastian It's about a guy in his 20s who writes for a magazine and he moonlights as a sex worker to do research for his debut novel It's really good And now I'll shut up. The gay is out of voice. These other things to say.