Bookwild - Last, Current and Next Reads with Erin Ashley

Episode Date: January 24, 2026

This week, Erin Ashley is back, and we talk about our Last, Current and Next reads, as well as books we are intrigued by on our TBRs.Kate’s BooksKill Show — Daniel Swearen-BeckerWhen the Reckoning Comes — LaTanya McQueenThe Future Saints — Ashley WinsteadBlade — Wendy WalkerReader Bot — Naomi S. BaronOn Sunday She Picked Flowers — Yah-Yah ScholfieldGirl Gone Wild — Courtney KocakErin’s BooksTruly— Lionel RichieTiny Experiments — Anne-Laure Le CunffLittle One — Olivia MuenterHeart the Lover — Lily KingDeep Cuts — Holly BrickleyAn American Marriage — Tayari JonesKin — Tayari JonesSay Everything — Ione SkyeKeeper of Lost Children — Sadeqa JohnsonThe Ballad of Teena Marie — Teena Marie Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

So I am back with Aaron Ashley and I'm super excited. We always have so many things to talk about, even if it's just the DMs. So I'm psyched that you're back. Thank you for having me. I'm so excited to be back. Yeah. So you mentioned TV too. We were talking about how it's winter and at least we have books and you're like, and TV. So we might talk about some TV shows if you've watched any, but we were going to also do like our last current and next week. reads because that's always just like a fun one to talk about okay yeah well i guess i'll start my so the last one i just finished it yesterday is called kill show um and i listened to it it is by daniel swearing becker i think that's how you pronounce it but it is super it's super unique um it's written uh via like transcripts um entirely. So the whole thing is transcripts of a documentary crew who basically went back

10 years after this 16-year-old girl disappeared in this really small town in Maryland. And 10 years ago when she disappeared, this woman who was a reality TV producer wanted to follow the case in real time. So she goes back and they basically make a reality. show out of this girl being missing. And that's all you need to know because multiple absolutely wild things happen. And you don't want to know much. But I listen to it via audio. So if you listen to audiobooks at all, this is one that you want to listen to more than read, I would think. Because it has like eight narrators. And it really is like it really is just like these like two to three sentences like each from like all of these different people that were in

the town and like related to it and it is so good like I just thought I needed a bingey thriller but it also like really has some social commentary going on so I was like more impressed than I expected to be and you said it's called kill show kill show and it's Daniel and then it's S-W-E-R-E-N-Backer I don't know. I think that's swearing, but it could be sworn in. I don't know. Oh, no. I'll read that. It was very fun. Yeah. And I think like it's 240 pages and it was like right at eight hours. Like it was like seven hours and 50 minutes. So it's like when you can really get through kind of quickly too. Oh no. I'll read that next. Because I, oh. Oh, I'm supposed to go next. Next next. Well, my, wait, am I going now for my last? Yeah.

Last current. Okay. So my last book that I could really, because I feel like I read something else, but I cannot remember. Yeah. But like the one that is the most in my head is I read, I read Lionel Richie's memoir. Oh, yeah. I was so, like, I had to read it.

I don't even know why. Like I got it in every single format. I have it as a big book. And it's like, it's really big. like 600 something pages. Wow. It's hell of big. And it's like, you know how Shares book was so big, but it's like two parts?

Mm-hmm. His was, his was big, like, promise land, like this Barack Obama book, which was too big. And it's 14 hours in audiobook. So I have it in an audiobook. I have it on my Kindle and I have it as print. And I feel like when I started reading it in print, I think the size of it overwhelmed me. Yeah.

I was like, oh, let me put this aside. But then one day I was like, oh, let me just listen to it in the car. And it's so, like, I thought it was really good. It's funny. Yeah. He has like, huh? I do love a memoir that's funny too that has his funny moments. Well, it's like, I think because he's so old, well, not old.

Old is relative. But he's like older than us. Yeah. He has like, you know how like when you talk to like older people, they tell you like all these really random facts that you don't really need to know. Yes. It's funny like that. Okay. He's oversharing a little bit. But he has like funny stories. Like he was talking about when they did Rear the World, that song with all those people. And this is the funniest part to me. there's a part where they're in like Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles have to go to the restroom

or Ray Charles has to go to the restroom and Stevie Wonder was like oh I'll show you and then he was like okay and like they walked out of the room but you know neither of them can see yes it's just like little random stuff like that but it was actually really good

yes yes oh I love that I would I need to listen to that one I remember you kind of posting about it a little bit ago. Yeah. I need to get through some memoirs. Yeah, that one's good. Like, I did see some critiques of people saying they didn't like it that much or, well,

I saw it make. So, like, I saw older people who really loved it, but I think it's also because they're Lionel Richie fans. And I saw younger people who were kind of on the fence with it. But I think a lot of us, like, I didn't grow up with Lionel Richie's music. Like, I know Lionel Richie songs. Right. I think as a whole, like, as a music fan, it was.

was good because you hear all these like little random notes like he has stuff with Michael Jackson and Diana Ross and all these points. So I think that's what it made it really interesting. And also seeing like his trajectory from being with the Commodores to a solo artist to now American Idol. Like he's been living in so many decades, which I thought was fascinating to read about. Yeah. Not everyone's like notoriety has that kind of staying powder. Staying power. Staying powder. No. Maybe Beyonce will be.

Yeah, that's impressive. Mm-hmm. Man, well, I mean, I'm intrigued now. Yes, let me know your thoughts if you read it. Yeah, I know. We'll have to do a little mini book club or something. Mm-hmm. Well, I just started, because I finished Kill Show yesterday on audio.

And I just started one that actually a girl in my book club kind of kept recommending to me. She thought I would love it and definitely loving it. and it is called When the Reckoning comes by Latanya McQueen. The gist of it, I'll probably just read the one sentence that they have, a haunting novel about a black woman who returns to her hometown for a plantation wedding and the horror that ensues as she reconnects with the blood-soaked history of the land and the best friends she left behind. And it is creepy from the get-go. like very like the southern gothic vibes are like immediate um but i'm also i think i'm only like 20 into it um i think i'm through like the first the chapters are long which i'm okay with uh but it is just like it's just creepy so it's so immediately creepy and like the stories of like

it kind of goes back in time a little bit um to when she was a kid like in the time like in the town that she's returning to. And the like them as kids like sneaking onto this land that like everybody thought was haunted is just like it's very creepy. So if you're in a horror mood, this one is like if it's this intense in the first 20 percent, I can only imagine how intense it's going to get. I'll add that to my list. I know you like, you like creepy. I do. It works for me. No, I'll read that. Yeah. I feel like I did.

She said it gets pretty heavy. So there's that warning. I always want to be, you know, have people be aware of that. No, I'll check that out because I feel like one of my goals this year is I want to read more, like, more things that I don't read. Like I feel like last year I read a lot of romance, which I don't read. But I know I want to read like more horror and stuff. to this year. Yeah. I, that's what's crazy. I got so into Heated Rivalry and I have never read romance. And I'm like, am I missing out? Do I need to be reading more romance? Yeah, I started, well, I know we'll talk about TV.

I've started watching Heated Rivalry. I didn't, I haven't read the book yet. Yeah. I'm reading the sequel is like my digital book right now because there's a sequel to their relationship. I'm like, oh, you sweet little guys. But I do think I think Gare was telling me there's like a difference between like a rom-com that we think of that kind of sometimes is like some I'm not saying it's an entirely cringy genre. But he was like there's a difference between like rom-coms and like romantic dramas or kind of like dramas that just have romance in them. And I think that might be the difference for me. It's like there's still so much going on like in both of their lives outside of each other too. I think that's probably what works for me, but yeah, maybe I could use to read, try out some romances what I'm realizing. No, I could see that because I feel like the romance that I read last

year, it was like, it was like romance but other stuff. Like yeah, cuts was one of my favorites and that was like romance and music. Oh yeah. And then I read like, um, what else did I read in love? Like I did really like heart the lover, but I felt like that was like romance and grief and relationship like it wasn't just like like oh let's walk to go get popcorn and fall in love like it right that one i'm intimidated by because everyone is like sobbing when they post about it oh yeah yeah i don't have any positive reinforcement there no i feel like like maybe i'm sensitive so like i do like consume stuff and like cry and read and blah blah blah but like i think that was the book that I've read that I've cried the most. Like I was crying. And you know like when you cry and you're like,

like you're hard. Yes. I was crying like that. Oh, man. Okay. That's good to know. So I won't read it when I'm in my luny a week. No. Or I will not recover. No. It was intense. Like I think the last few pages I went to sleep after I read it and I woke up with a headache because I was crying so hard. But it was really good writing. So I... Okay. That's what I hear. Yeah, you like that it's pretty beautiful writing-wise. Okay.

And I know it's short, too, so... Yeah, that's why I thought it wasn't going to hurt me. I was like, oh, this is a short book. I was like, girl. It got you. Yeah, too much. So my current read... Okay, it's like goal-setting-e.

So it's not really like a story, but it's... Yeah. I think because everyone's trying to, like, like think of like their new year's goals and stuff like that i'm reading tiny experiments it's tiny experiments how to live freely in a goal obsessed world by anne lorri la c f s yeah yeah and it's basically like about like i'll read you the description okay well i'll read a part of it it's very long it says a transformative guide to rethinking our approach to goals, creativity, and life itself from a neuroscientist and entrepreneur and the creator of the popular Nest Labs newsletter.

And to me, it's very interesting because it's talking about like how people set goals, like linear goals and stuff like that. And technically you shouldn't really be setting linear goals because it gives you one thing to work for, but technically you should be working towards a lot of different things. Yeah. So it's really interesting. And after I think I probably have like 30 more pages live, I am rethinking the way I set my goals. That is really cool.

And I think it's probably like a really good book to read right now. I don't know if I would find it to be as in. I mean, well, I think I would find it interesting all the time. But I don't know if I would find it as interesting like in September. But in January, as you're like thinking to fuel. yourself up for what you want to do. It's actually really good. That sounds fascinating because yeah, I've actually a couple different episodes we've ended up talking about like the constant need to like improve yourself or like basically a couple other co-hosts where like I hate how like

kind of the like capitalist version of like make you feel really bad about yourself in December and then sell you solutions in January and you're like you don't just want to always. feel like you're not enough or there's not something you're like doing well enough. So it is like you want to find that balance of having goals, but like in a loving way towards yourself too. So I also wonder if that kind of helps with that. Yeah. I would say so. And I do think like being that we're October caves, I tend to start my goals in October. Like I said that as my personal new year. It's your new year, yeah. But I do have some goals.

I'm just, I think I was trying to be too structured initially. And then I'm like, this isn't too much going on. So I'm fine tuning them a little bit, but they're more like, I think they're more like James Clear. Like they're more habit-based things versus just like, oh, let me change this. It's more like, I want to go outside more. Like it's like stuff like that. I get that. I need to stretch more.

is like a big thing for me because it's like yeah I'm pretty good at fitting working out in but then it's like if I just like fit in the stretching like workout the morning stress before bed my body will feel even better but it's like one of those things you just don't always think of when you get to the end of the day mm-hmm no I probably can still that one you like there's a I used to do and now I kind of just like do my own workout so that I can like listen to music and But there's a girl who has a channel, her name's Sidney Cummings, and I did her workouts for years, which are probably why I could kind of come up with my own now based on how I'm feeling. But she also used to do, she would put out five workouts a week, like Monday through Friday. And then on Saturday, she would do a 20 minute stretch.

So she has some like really great stretches on her YouTube channel. and I'm like 20 minutes and I feel so much better. Like it's less than a show, even like a comedy or a sitcom. But she has great, she has great stretching routines for anyone who's wondering. I'll put the link in the show notes because we're talking about stretching now. Yeah, because I use like, I use the ladder app when I go to the gym, but they're like, um, like they have like warm up stretches and they have like some stretches at the end of the workout. But I've also like I have runners.

knee from like a cheerleading accident years ago. So like it comes and goes. So I've, lately I've been finding that I think maybe because it's so cold, I haven't been going outside as much, that I've been having a lot of knee pain. So I think being able to like stretch when I am still feeling fine too would be helpful. Yeah. That's wild that you're having that too because so am I in my left one. I played volleyball and I've always thought it was the same thing where like I fell, like, fell without my knee pads on and, like, hit the wood really hard. And so then my knee was, like, clicky back then. And it just got worse this week again where I was like, okay, I was thinking of the same thing.

I was like, I need to stretch because these injuries are so old. Like, why are they coming back? No, I was doing like physical therapy for a second, like virtually. Oh, yeah. And I think, though, I think it becomes worse when it's cold. And if you're having one degree weather, you're, you should. Yeah. That's probably why you're filling it more too. I know. And it was like 48 degrees, like four days ago. So I do think that swing is not helping anything.

Oh my God. That is such a big swing. It's been like so weird this winter because normally it is like January and February are brutally cold here normally. But it's been both. It like swings up and then swings down. And it's like, can you just pick one? Like I just even just pick one, even if it's cold. Well, you know that global warming doesn't exist. right you know totally that's we're just having random 50 degree days oh yes well I'm very intrigued by a tiny experiment yes oh and my next one I am so excited for this one I am such an Ashley Winstead fan but this is my first year as an Ashley

Winstead fan that I am an audiobook listener too. And so it's kind of funny because my other one had like transcripts in it as well. And I'm pretty sure that someone said that's the same thing with this one. So her book, The Future Saints comes out. We're recording on the 19th. It comes out tomorrow for us on the 20th. And it is being compared to like Daisy Jones in the 6th too. So I've been waiting because I wanted to listen to the audio and it never hit neck alley but it this says perfect for fans of daisy jones and the six a beautiful powerful and transportative new novel about a music executive desperately trying to bring a rock band back from the brink yeah i feel like it would be up your alley too and it's it's like Hannah is the group's lead

singer but her sister had just passed i think that's what it is she's in the midst of a lot of grief but then the manager of their band is like i really think that like you guys can make it big right now so it's kind of about like living in grief also like skyrocketing into fame and then i know there's a love love story angle between the executive and hannah so it's another one where a lot of people say they're crying by the end i don't know that it's like oh i'm I'm completely wrecked, like, heart the lover that I've seen. But I know it's going to be very emotional. And I am super excited because it has a full cast of audio, too.

Oh, no. Yes. I have this on my list, actually, but I didn't know when it came out. Yeah. So soon. I am like, like, if my dogs, it's the kind of thing where like if my dogs wake me up in the middle of the night and I have it because it's past midnight, I'm going to be so tempted to listen.

I'm going to be like, no, you have to sleep. No, I want to read that. Maybe that will be my net. Well, I won't steal your next. I had another next, but this will be my next next next. Yeah. I think it sounds really good. I'm excited to see because she's written thrillers and then she wrote two like romance like years ago.

And this is kind of her first like contemporary. Like there's romance in it, but it's kind of just contemporary fiction. So I'm excited to see who all kind of picks it up too. No, that sounds really good. And I saw the cover. I like that too. The cover's so cool. I love it.

I might go see her. She's going to be in Cincinnati this Friday. And that's like two hours from me. I'm like, I might just have to go. Yeah. So we'll see. Yeah. Well, if it's safe on the roads with the snow.

Yes, that would be a big deciding factor. So, my next, my current next, even though I may be moving. It's Little One by Olivia Moutener. Oh, yeah. And this is, well, I'm trying to get a fast description. Hold on. Well, it's long, but it's, well, I know it's about like someone in a cult. Or she, her first, well, says her first instinct is to ignore the strangers prying questions, whether she knew about a mysterious cult in central Florida, whether it's the same Catherine with an A who lived there for a time. Well, it's like I'm going through this.

It captures the dread of facing your deepest desires when the hunger to become your best self-threatens to drown out everything else. And it's a look at womanhood and wellness culture. It tackles the enduring how far would you go to be good. and I've been really excited to read this book. I got an early arc on Nett Galley, so I'm going to start that. I probably will start this on Friday because then I want to read the other book starting tomorrow. Yeah.

But it seems really interesting because I really like cult things. Yeah. I like to, like I find them fascinating. And it reminds me of like obviously like a cult, but it also reminds me of nine perfect strangers in a way. Like did you read that? I didn't see that. That's kind of the vibe I'm getting. And I thought that was really like weird and intriguing at the same time. So yes. I'm excited for that one too. Did you read her such a bad influence? I haven't read it, but I know so many people loved it. And it was one where like I didn't get it on NetGalley. And then I like never went back to it once it came out. I feel like I need to. I just got the audiobook for a little one too on NetGalley. So. Yeah, so that one's soon for me as well. I'm definitely excited about it. I do, it's like, it was also reminding me of one last resort by Claymont's Mish alone is like a similar thing where these two siblings are on like a vacation together at like this really nice resort kind of in like, it's like somewhere in the middle of Arizona.

But someone dies while they're there. And some of the questions around her death is like reminding them of when they grew up in a cult. So you kind of get this like backstory and then you're in the present. So it kind of remind me of that. I think I might have seen someone say like comp it to that one. And I really enjoyed that one. So then I was like, okay, I need to request this book. So I'm excited for it too.

I said one last resort. Yeah. And her name is like C-L-E-M-E-N-C-E. and then M-I-C-H-A-L-O-N. Okay. It's crazy. English is her second language, and she just writes these, like, the most beautiful prose. She's the, you might have seen the quiet tenant.

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. I always, sometimes I call it silent, like the silent patient. So I was doubting myself. But yeah, it's the quiet tenant, and that was her debut a couple years ago. Oh, cool. Now I'll add that. I feel like I'm just like writing stuff down to add to my list. I'll read that too.

That's how every time I record with people, my TBR gets like five to ten books bigger. Which is good. It's nice to have options. Well, what are some of the other books on your TBR right now? So, okay, I have so many. I feel like I just keep learning about books that I want to read. There is, what was this one called? that I just recently

there was a nonfiction one that came out oh there's a nonfiction called reader bot and I can't remember the author's last name right now but what's fascinating is it's about how like since AI is like reading so much of just like everything Naomi S. Barron

is the author but it says basically what happens to human reading when AI bots can do for us, which I think is fascinating because I am not in a blanket statement. I am not against AI in general. There are obviously cases where I'm like we could we could use to regulate this. But I do think it's going to be fascinating since so many people use it to summarize stuff. Like what does that mean for like our brains? So that's another one that comes out tomorrow,

actually. And so I'm really, I'm intrigued by that one in a nonfiction sense. What else, though? I just got, I know I just got some good ones on that galley. Because I think everyone came back for January and was like accepting all of the requests. There's one, oh, this is another one that comes out tomorrow called On Sunday, she picked flowers. And it's narrated by Angel Pene. So naturally, I'm like already excited about it. Wait, Angel Pene is which narrator again?

Juney. Oh, that's why I said I thought, okay. Yeah. So the short description for war on Sunday, she picked flowers, which has a very cool cover, is lone women meet Sorrowland, which I've actually not read those, in the surreal Southern Gothic, because I'm just a Southern Gothic girl now, I guess, debut in which a woman escapes into the uncanny woods of Southern Georgia and is forced to contend with ghosts,

hates, and most dangerous of all the truth about herself. That one's interesting. It fits my vibe that I cannot get away from. And then I actually have a book over there, but I'm finishing up a book called Blade by Wendy Walker that is kind of like it's like a sports, an ice skating thriller. where like at the very beginning, like the prologue is like someone running through the woods.

And then like you realize she's like holding the blade of an ice skate and it's covered in blood. So you know something terrible happened. And then all of a sudden you're in her present. And she's like processing these memories of when she was in like a really high demand ice skating program. And you're trying to figure out basically I think a couple murders, one or two murders. So that's another one. And I'm interviewing her. So I need to finish that one this week.

That sounds interesting. Yeah. Do you have any that you're any others you're excited about? Yes. That one sounds interesting. I would be curious to know if anything like, I mean, not. But like how inspired like the. Nancy Kerrigan and

Tanya Harding. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I grew up as an ice skater. That's what made me think about that. I think the cover is so beautiful. So I had to go grab it. But isn't that cool?

Oh, yeah, it is. It has, like, kind of, like, a blade going in the middle. I think that's what that's supposed to feel like. But, yeah, it just got a lot of, like, like, Liv Constantine and Ashley Elston. and Lane Fargo blurbed it. So, yeah, it'll be interesting. I don't know if it's going to go more the, like, girls feeling competitive route or if it will end up, like, I can't think of the coach's name now who was, like, so abusive, basically.

I feel like it's Larry something. Yeah. But that was gymnastics. That's what I'm thinking. Never mind. Never mind. But I don't know which direction it's going. I got the vibe.

Yeah. So I have a few books on my. to be read list. One of them is Ken by Deary Jones. I have that book, so I want to start reading it. I have a really long list of stuff I need to read. I feel you. I started using storygraph per your rec.

And I like how it has the who's it for. So it says, this is for readers who crave a lyrical, character-driven, literary novel that mediate on the ache of motherless bonds attention between aspiration and laws and the fierce intimacy of friendship and sisterhood in a reflective southern setting so i'm really excited to read that because i feel like i loved her other book too um yeah an american marriage yeah marriage i really liked that book so i'm excited for that um there's also this book I saw in a newsletter yesterday and it's called Say Everything and it's nonfiction. It's by someone named Ion I. I'm.

I own. I own it. Sky. Yeah. And like the description, the person who mentioned it was Becca Freeman from Bad on Paper. Mm-hmm. And she was recommended it from recommended it. Oh, that was right.

It just sounded like that. She recommended it. From, I can't think of her name right now. Chelsea from Celebrity Memoir Trash, Celebrity, like that podcast. I should know the name of it because I listen to that podcast every day. It's like Celebrity Memoir. Oh, Glamour's Trash. Oh, okay.

Nice. She recommended it because it's supposed to be like salacious. There's a lot of name dropping. It's like and they say it's for people who are drawn to reflective celebrity memories. And I'll read one even if I don't know the person if it's just about something interesting. So I have that on my list. I also have Keeper of Lost Children by Sequita Johnson. Oh, yeah.

And then she's coming to Indiana. I'm going to go see her too. Yeah. And then I have like coming soon. I have Brandy's memoir. Oh, yeah. 3.31. And I missed the net galley.

They were letting people read it early. And I missed it like by. I hate that. I know. I was like, dang. Because my dad was really like, he was like, oh, do you think it would be interesting? And I feel like it would be such an interesting book because she's had such an interesting career in life. Yeah.

And then I also have Judy Blume's book theory because I feel like that would also be really interesting. So does she have a memoir? Mm-hmm. And it comes out on March 10th. Okay. But I feel like hers would be really interesting just because like the length of her career and all the books that she wrote, like, even like forever and all that stuff. Yeah. And then I know there's a Tina.

a Marine memoir coming out at some point that I really want to read. I keep seeing it. I think I'm going to write the author of like, oh, is this book really coming out this year because I've seen a release date? I just know it's supposed to come out this year. But I would really want to read that book. Yeah. Intrigues.

Is that this little light of mine? Is that what that one's called? Hold on. Oh, no. That's a 2025. Never mind. I think it's called sold to snow. Oh, it's the ballot of Tina Marie.

Oh, okay. It's being published on 37 ink books, which is like the imprint of Simon & Schuster. Okay. I just don't know when it's coming out, but it says 2026 and I saw her daughter talking about it. Oh, okay. So it's obviously not a memoir. It's like an autobiography, but I love Tina Marie, and I feel like, that would just be really interesting, especially like when she first came out, how there was so much

like instrumentation with her music and all that. Yeah. I think it would be really fascinating. Yeah. Yeah. Music is like, there's just like, there's so many different layers to it than even like books sometimes, like you're saying with like the way instruments and like the way you arrange them can change the mood so much. Yeah. Yeah. It'd be fascinating. Have you, Or was, who was it that I was asking about that? I can't remember. If you ever listen to, do audiobooks ever, like, include some of the music when they're talking about it? Yeah. Okay. That's what I wondered. I was like, I feel like it would be cool getting to, like, hear it and then hear about it at the same time. Well, Mariah Carey's and the ballot, no, it's called the meaning of Mariah Carey, I think. Yeah, I think that's when you told me that. Okay, it was you. Okay. And she was singing. I was like, oh. Yeah. Because hers was interesting only because I feel like Mariah Carey, like I think her career has just been interesting. Because you remember when she was on like the cribs and she was on the treadmill with like the high hills? Yes.

Like I feel like she's had so many random moments. Yes. It was really interesting reading her book because I'm like I'm a fan but I'm not a lamb. Right. So like I don't know the inner workings like some of my friends. do but I was like right it was good yeah women who do that and like sing and run on a treadmill and heels I'm like we are built different I could never no because I get more power to them zero judgment but like I refuse to have my feet that uncomfortable no why I remember I will watch

something in Beyonce that's how she's able to perform yes I like I'm not trying to do that much to go walk through the grocery store like no okay No. No, no. Yeah, it's next level. And I get that it's like performance. And so clearly some people are drawn to it. But I'm like, no.

No, because I think even like thinking of 12.3.30 in my sneakers still is like, I think the thing with the treadmill is I feel like I could do it, but I get bored on it. Oh, yeah. Yeah. I feel like I could walk and listen to an audio book, maybe. But we don't have one. So I'm not walking around outside right now. No.

Yeah. Well, this sounds good. You're going to get me into more memoirs. I definitely read it like quite a few last year or two. But it is just actually I just had because I posted I posted last night about the books that, so some of the books I'm excited for in 2026. and this author responded and she was like, whoops, you forgot mine.

Could I send you an arc of mine? And it's called Girl Gone Wild by Courtney Coak. It's K-O-C-A-K. So I'm not entirely sure, but I just found out about it last night. And it says, like, the Hollywood Misadventures of a Small Town Girl, Tales of Ambition, Delusion, Drug, Sex, and Misogyny, while selling T-shirts on the Girls Gone Wild bus. So she, like, traveled on the Girls Gone Wild bus.

I know. I was like, that's not when my mind went to at first. I know. And I was like, okay. I mean, the cover is very cool, too. I was definitely drawn to the cover. But that comes out April 1st. That one's kind of far out.

But she just responded last night. I was like, yeah, sure. Oh, hardly stretching behind me. She's waking up. But I thought it sounded interesting, so I'll be reading that at some point. That will be interesting. If you need any memorand recs, I'm always here. I know.

They are always, they're always so fun. I think it, like, a lot of them ends up helping me remember that, like, so much can change in your lifetime. Yeah. Like, as an overarching theme. And so sometimes just hearing, kind of like you're saying, like, I'm sometimes just intrigued by people in general. It doesn't really matter if I'm, like, a fan of their music. or like I didn't know who this woman was either. But I feel like you get like really good perspective that you can apply to your own life with memoirs.

Yeah. Well, and I think too, like I even like like obviously I like a music one, but I even like ones that are like authors writing about their life because I think like I was just having this conversation with my mom. But like sometimes when you're in your 30s, you feel like you're old and then you also feel like you're young. but I think seeing like people's trajectory of their life, it also makes you feel like you're kind of like in the right pace in your own life. Yeah. Because you're still writing your own story. So I think it's also just like endearing and motivating and aspirational and inspirational.

Like I think it has so many different things in there, which I think is what makes them really interesting to read. Yeah. Yeah, I completely agree. It is so weird. Like we're talking about our knees. Like I feel really. really young and then I'm like I'm my knee hurts when I go down the stairs yeah and then I do feel old no sometimes my bones are cracking I feel like a cracker jack sometimes and I'm walking around

I know I know I get up in the morning and I'm like why is this happening I know my dad says oh there you go sounding like a what do you say sounding like an attic again I was like okay that's kind of funny. It is. And like a good description. Yes. That's awesome. Have you watched anything that you've loved?

Yes. Well, I watched his and hers. Yeah. On Netflix. I wouldn't say I loved it, but it was interesting. Yeah. Yep. As an adaptation, it did not feel super similar.

And so there's that, but it was like very bingey. It was bingey. It was bingey. I felt like John. Jonathan Bernthal could not keep his accent straight, though. And that, like, bugs me sometimes. Well, and I, I'll be, like, honest, I fell asleep in the first two episodes, but I felt like, when I came to episode three, then I binge the rest of it.

And I feel like, like, I was very, I knew, I mean, I didn't read the book, but I knew what happened. Like, I could tell what happened. Like, there was a scene when, well, to people who haven't watched it. There's like a scene where this woman is in the back of an ambulance truck. Mm-hmm. And I was not sure how she got into the ambulance. And I was like, oh, she's a killer. And she was a killer.

Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's the main difference if you did read the book is like it the book feels, now I read it. I think seven years ago is what I found out.

So I read it a while ago or maybe six years ago. But it is like Alice Fienie is a brief. British author and it takes place in this like moody, very like BBC kind of town. And so like the mood is a lot more subdued or like less less like vibrant and loud compared to like the TV, I almost a movie TV adaptation. So I think that's where some of the dissonance happens if you've read it already. where I like I kept waiting also like the book bounces back and forth between the past and the present pretty heavily. So that was like I was watching it with Tyler and I was like I just don't know we made it through two episodes the first night and then I was falling asleep too. But I was like I just don't know when they're going to start filling us in on this past timeline because it was like an integral part of the book.

So you do miss out on a lot of details that like I felt like. grounded it a little bit more. So it was just a confusing one. Like it's very bingey. Like it's good. But I'm with you. I'm not like shouting from the rooftops about it. No. No. Um, I feel like that's the thing I've been most recently. Like I'm still getting through the diplomat, but I'm still very far. Like I'm still in season one. I am liking it, but I feel like between like reading, sleeping, working like it's hard to do them all so it is um i'll come back to it but you know what comes back this week which i'm so excited for my favorite show shrinking comes back on the 23rd it comes back this week yeah the 20 30s this week oh yeah i didn't realize for some reason i thought it was February that it came

back so now i'm very excited yes no i put it in my planner i had my reminder i'm so excited that comes back and I love that show. Yes. Oh, it is such a perfect blend of like comedy and then every other emotion on the spectrum. Yes. No, I'm so excited. Is it one where they're just releasing it weekly? I'm assuming. I think they'll do two episodes. Well, I'm hoping. No one told me that. But at least get us started. Yes. And then every week. But that show is like, like you said, like that's my favorite show.

Like, I feel like it's funny enough because if people are so quirky, but then it's also like you leave with something too. Yes. I cry and laugh equally in that show. Like, it's just so good. Like so much about what life is actually like. Yeah. No, I'm excited. Yeah.

I'm excited for that one too. I don't know why. I thought it was February. Well, I hope that is not February. It's not. Oh, this is January 28th, though. Oh, I'm looking at it. I hope it's not that for your sake.

Well, it's probably that day. It's probably 28th. It says like season three episode one, January 28th on I'm DB. Well, it's close. This month. Sometimes. Oh, no. I was so excited.

I was like, oh, it's coming very same. I hate to be the. the messenger of that bad news. It's okay. Yeah. I, as I mentioned, I got completely into heated rivalry, so I really loved that recently. It's like, I'm just so impressed by how much it balances, like, joy and, like, self-acceptance. I'm trying not to give anything away while also being, like, a very sexy show.

that one's just like I cried a lot in that show too actually but then we watched The Beast in me sometime in December and it has Claire Daines and Matthew Reese and if I am such a homeland fan

which is Claire Daines like that's one of my favorite spy shows of all time and then Matthew Reese is really good in the Americans which is actually that's a spy that's technically a spy show too because it's this Russian couple who comes to America to like they are the kind of like sleeper agents that we were concerned about in the 80s. I guess the 80s. But they are like cutthroat.

Both of them are agents in that one like the married couple. And that is why can't I think of her name. It's the actress in the diplomat. Carrie. Yes, that's all I have. Wilson. Wilson? No. No. Russell, Russell. There we go. Yeah, so she's in the Americans with Matthew Reese. But the beast in me is just like, it's fantastic. We like burned through that one. And I think it's eight episodes. But it's like an author who's like living next to this guy who's been accused. Or in the court of public opinion, people feel like he killed his wife. And she's living next door to him. And then it becomes very cat and mouse because she's like, is he actually a bad guy? I think he's actually a bad guy. And both of their performances are spectacular.

It's very good. So that's on Netflix. What was the other? Yes, I have that to save for my list. Oh, slow horses. If you like spy shows on Apple TV, so good. And they're like six episode seasons. So the pacing is just like really, really, really good.

So we watched that in December. And then Down Cemetery Road on Apple TV is, so Slow Horses is by an author named Mick Heron. And it's like a really long series that he's been writing since like the early 2000s, I think. So each season is adapting one of his books. And then he has another series. I can't remember the Oxford something is what the series is called. But Down Cemetery Road is the first in that series. So they adapted that book too.

And it's really good. We watched like bingeed all of that in December 2. We had a lot of really good like action thrillers in December. Now I need more. I'll add those to my list because I had slow horses on my list on Apple. But I think slow horses, the last season came out during the time of the morning show. Mm-hmm. And I'm a morning show.

consor. I need to get caught up. I think I only watched two seasons and then I haven't picked it back up. I mean, it's a good show. I find Reese Witherspoon is probably like, I really like Reese Witherspoon, but I can't stand her on the morning show. Like she gets on my nerves. But this season, or like the season that just went off, there was some really interesting stuff. Like there's an episode that, like I won't tell you what happens, but it touches on like AI, which it was. It was, That's probably my favorite episode of all of the seasons. Yeah. But like I wanted to watch slow horses, but I wanted to watch Pluribus.

Have you watched that? Yes. It is so unique and it's a slow burn, but it's very, like the thought-provoking questions that ask are really fun. Okay. Mm-hmm. Okay. Maybe I'll watch it today.

Yeah. It's a hard one to like always know who to recommend it to because, like, Like it is very slow. It's one of the, this is not a second screen show. So like you cannot be scrolling and watch this show. Because there are also these long stretches where people aren't even talking. You're just like watching this like very beautiful cinematography that's telling you stuff. So it's like it's it's one of those where I'm not like, oh my gosh, everybody will love it.

Okay. But I did. So it's like if if slower pacing works for you and you kind of like thinking about identity and like collectivism versus individualism, like that's kind of a big crux of it. Then you'll enjoy it. Okay. No, I'll watch that because then I think we have like paradise is coming back. Did you watch that?

Oh, yes. Yeah, I did. So that's coming. I know. It's like scary relevant right now. The bunker and everything. Well, it will, yeah. Yeah.

I won't say anything more than that if people haven't watched it. No. And then, well, I could be wrong. I think that comes on in February. It comes on between February, March or April. Uh-huh. I'm trying to remember, too. I just love anything Sterling K. Brown is in for the most part.

February 23rd. I'll see you so soon. And then Hacks will come back at some point in 2026 for the final season. So I may rewatch all the other seasons just so I'm back. That lasts. That's another one that makes me cry and laugh. I laugh more than I cry, but it does make me cry every now and then. Yeah, I love that show.

Yeah. I love both. Like, they just, well, everyone, though. I'm trying to think of the side characters as well. But Hannah and, oh, I feel so bad. I can't think of their names. Basically, I love that show. And even the supporting, the supporting actresses.

Jean, Gene and Hannah are like fantastic, but also, uh, who are they? They just showed up. Paul W. Downs and Megan Stalter. When they showed up on that red carpet, like trolling Kylie Jenner and Timitay Salomey's orange outfit, I was cracking up. Oh, you know, it's so funny that you say that because I did not see that, but I saw a picture of them and I was like, oh, these people look familiar, but I

and figure out why, like, who they were. That's them. Yeah, and Megan Stalter is, like, known for, like, kind of, like, doing bits like that. So it was, like, very in her lane. It made me laugh a lot, though. She's just so funny. Like, even when she... Go ahead.

Oh, sorry. I was saying, did you watch too much? No. Oh. That was her show with... She was sisters with Lena Dunham. Oh, yes. This one's on...

Is it on? Netflix? Yeah. Okay, I do need to watch this one. Yeah, this one came out this year, or 2025, right? I think it did. Yes, okay. Yep, I need to watch that because I love her. That's so funny that that was then. Her timing is so good. Yeah. She cracks me up. Oh. Okay, yeah, I definitely need to watch that. I was just saying, I can't remember what his name is, but he was in girls. It was definitely friends. Oh, Andrew Rannels.

That's the boy that you're talking about. I just saw it in a trailer that was like auto playing on IMDB. Like it doesn't look like he's a main character. Oh, yes, because he's the guy from he's in a lot of stuff. In girls, it's like her boyfriend that she found out was gay. Yes. And then too much, it's her husband. Oh, okay. Nice. Oh, sorry. No, I didn't mean to tell you, no. That's okay.

Oh, yeah, and he was in a simple favor. Huh. A simple favor. It was that 2018 movie with Blake lively and Anna Kendrick. And he was on Black Monday. Did you watch that show? No. With Don Cheadle and Regina Hall and it was like they were stockbrokers. Okay. I need to watch that one. I loved with Don Cheadle. What was it? House of Lies?

Oh, yeah. Where he kind of did, he was like a spin doctor essentially, kind of like PR. That one was really good. No, and that's on, um,

that's on Netflix now. And then you know what's on Netflix that I'm going to start rewatching is how to make it in America. Did you watch that show? No. Oh my God. I love that show so much.

I need to add it to my, I use IMDB like my, like my good reads. You need to add it to watch this. Why did I not hear about this show? Okay, 2011, that's partially why. I was still living at home. Well, same, but it was like, Kid Cuddies on it. Yeah.

Victor Rass. Rask. Yes. Brian Greenberg. Like that show was. Yeah, I need to watch this. That's my favorite shows. I'm Lake Bell.

Nice. I just saw that Lake Bell, she was rumored to have. It was a rumor that she dated Chris Rock. Oh, really? Well, this was a while ago. I just saw it this morning. That's why it's fresh. That's okay.

I had never heard of that before. I was like, oh, okay. Yeah. That sounds interesting. Interesting. And it looks, it's kind of funny, right? It looks a little, yeah, comedy and dramedy. Yeah, I love it.

We need a comedy show at night, so you know, watch that one. We didn't have HBO, like, growing up. So that was the only reason. I was like, oh, this is why. That does this sound really good. I just wish more movies were coming out that I actually thought sounded good, too, is the crazy part. Like, I love going to the movie theater, but, like, I don't really care about Avatar. and I was going to go see Marty Supreme just to have an opinion on it.

And I couldn't convince my, it's two and a half hours long. And I'm just like, once I saw that like, it's not even, it's not that he's a morally gray. It's not that he's an anti-hero. Like, he's just a selfish dude. I was like, I don't know if I can do two and a half hours of that. Well, I didn't get the premise because I thought it, like, I thought, I think the way he looks in the movie. gave me a completely different vibe of what I thought the movie was about. Yeah.

And then like the promo where he was like rapping in the song and then they have all those like Marty's frame clothes. Yeah. It just. It's too much. Isn't he just a ping pong player? Yeah. Yeah.

You got really into ping pong. And from what I hear was like stealing money from like his family, his friends. And he's like, I am going to, I'm going to be great. I'm going to be great. But he's mostly just a terrible person. And I don't mind morally gray characters and I don't mind anti-heroes, but it just sounds like a selfish, selfish narcissist. And like, I was also sick in December when it was in theaters. Like, it was in theaters a little bit in January.

But I was just like, I couldn't bring myself to want to go, especially because I just like didn't feel great. I was like, I don't know how many selfish male narcissists I can handle. no and I also think the thought of watching like I think it's interesting to be a competitive ping pong player but yeah it doesn't captivate my interest no and I really like to uncut gyms which is same guy director and I don't know if he writes it um but it is it like you are anxious the whole time like it's one of the it's like one of those were like tech It's probably one of the best most anxious movies I've ever watched. But like you don't want to go into it over-stimulated because it is just like wild to the entire movie.

But it's also not two and a half hours long. And I was like, I don't know if I could do two and a half hours of like that kind of madness. I just wasn't feeling it. So we didn't go see it. I thought we might. But we didn't end up seeing it. And I feel like there's still just not many great ones in theater right now. I'm like, guys, I want to support the theater, so they stay open.

Yeah, I think it's like a little, like I wanted to go see. The last movie I wanted to see was Jane Almighty. Oh, yeah. I remember seeing something with a name of a name. We're so descriptive. What was that movie with the older lady? And, um, uh... I can't find it here.

Scarla Johansson's movie. I just can't remember. Oh, yeah. Well, she... Because the lady was also on Amy's Polar's Good Hang podcast. Oh, my gosh. I love her podcast. Me too.

You know who I saw? Oh, my God. Wait, this is just a really random antidote. So you know who I saw... Okay, I saw on... I went to the coffee shop with my dad as I was visiting my parents last week. Mm-hmm. I saw Kate McKinnon in the coffee shop.

Whoa. And it was, yeah, and it was a very random coffee shop. It was like in the middle of Smyrna where my parents live. So I was like, huh, that's interesting. And when I first walked in, I was like, hmm, this lady looks really familiar. Yeah. And then I was having a good time because I was like, I know she looks familiar. Then I started randomly talking to my dad about the Amy Poller podcast.

I don't know why. And then I was like, oh, maybe she could hear it. And then I got up. It was definitely her. And then, you know who else I saw at the airport when I was coming back? Ooh. I saw Joey Fetown. Oh, my gosh.

You're just seeing everybody. Well, and I, he was like going on like a scooter or something. Like it wasn't a scooter because you're sitting down. I don't know what it was, but it was moving really fast through the Atlanta airport. And I don't think people knew it was him, but I saw him and I was staring at him and he like waved at me because I was staring at him really, really hard. Right. And seeing Joey Fatone was always my favorite. So this was huge for you.

I know. I was like, oh, my God, Joey. Oh, my gosh. I wonder if they were, like, visiting, like, friends or family, maybe? Like, who, interesting. Well, Joey. Either of them could. Well, yeah, like, I mean, there's a lot of stuff that happens in Atlanta, like, recording and stuff.

So I was like, maybe it's something like that. But I don't know why I didn't think. I don't know why my brain didn't remember that you said Atlanta. So that makes more sits. Exactly. But yeah, because I wondered, like, you know that Justin Timberlake was touring and then the guys from NSYNC were there, but I didn't see Joey. I don't know where the concert was, but I saw J.C. and I saw Chris and I saw Lance. Mm-hmm.

That was my whole interesting note. I have not seen anyone interesting in Indiana. Well, it's just, just me, just me being here. Well, I haven't seen any in D.C. Like, yeah. I imagine when I first moved here, I would see Barack Obama. So I tried to go, like, places where they. Wow.

That is, that's where I truly get starstruck, clearly. Well, I didn't see him. But I was like, oh, my God. If I go these places, maybe I would run into him. Yeah. I mean, I never saw him. Yeah. If I saw him, though, I think I would cry.

I would, like. Yeah. That would be a lot of big feelings. Yeah. It would be my whole heart. I miss him for all kinds of reasons. I know he's, you know, he's still in the world, but I miss presidential presidents. Yeah.

I miss human, decent people. Yeah. Well, I'm like, should we end on that note? Yes. Well, remember when the next election comes to vote. Please, people. And please vote in the midterms, if at all possible, if they happen, which they should happen. But we'll see, I guess.

But, yeah, at least we have, there's lots of books, lots of TV shows, lots of movies you can go watch now that we talked about to make you feel a little bit happier. Yes.