Bookwild - Our Auto-Buy Authors

Episode Date: May 11, 2023

This week, we talk about our favorite auto-buy authors.Follow us on Instagram:Gare @gareindeedreadsKate @thegirlwiththecookonthecouchAuthors We Talked AboutJessica KnollYasmin AngoeKarin SlaughterRob HartMax WalkerRachel Howzell HallHannah MorisseyTaylor Jenkins ReidJaime Lynn HendricksAva GlassCatherine Ryan HowardAmina AkhtarAlice FeeneyBrian FreemanLisa JewellSimone St. JamesRuth WareJT EllisonColleen HooverMeg GardinerRiley SagerMegan MirandaMegan GoldinCharlie DonleaPeter SwansonAlex FinlayAlex MicheladesAshley JamesCaroline Kepnes Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian 

Hey guys, welcome to the Killing the Tea podcast. This is Gare and Kate. And we are going to be discussing all things, chills, thrills, and kills. Kate and I are going to be talking about our favorite books, TV shows and movies that are in the thriller or crime fiction genre, as well as some reading habits and other items related to how we met on Bookstagram that will fit in with this podcast. So, Thank you so much for joining us, and we hope that you have fun and get totally terrified. You look gorgeous. Thank you. You look glistening. I do. Yeah. It looked like Taylor Swift on her pop walk in New York.

Oh, my God. When she just had like just the best highlight on her cheekbones. I just washed my face like two hours ago. And that's it. last night when I took my bath, I did a hair mask and a face mask and a magnesium bath. So I wanted to do a face mask. Yeah, it was great. It's just going to happen the whole freaking time.

Oh, well. I'm going to say I have my window open because it's been warmer here. Oh, yeah. Trying to get comfortable. And so if you hear tractors or loud trucks. you will probably hear dogs at some point so good good let's just be hot fucking messes

today we're just going to be my little rosy cheek hot mess oh I gotta put my phone on your plane mode oh yeah go for it or I'm going to try turning

to stop and on one more time oh I'm frozen in my heat yours one more time I need to to be no that's one last time it turned back on oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god where'd you get your harvard shirt h and m fuck me okay they have a bunch and they had a really big sale so i also have a beach boy's shirt now because it was hot pink

never listen to them probably. Oh no. On purpose. I, the only reason I ask, I'm a little annoyed right now. I'm into, I'm into like mesh shorts. Because they have them at

Abercrombie and they're like the five inch inseam so I don't look like a child and like adult shorts because I have very short legs. So I picked on a couple. Yeah. I picked up. a couple of pair and I was like,

I really like these. And they sent me a birthday coupon and I'm like, okay, I'm going to use this, but it's like you have to spend $75 and I don't, I'm not there yet. So I'm looking for like a cheap t-shirt. And I think I might have to just have to get a bandline. I have some like really good like under $20. I like that.

I also got a Yale one because I'm a ninth house girly. Oh, yeah. I lived in Massachusetts for like a hot second, so I feel like I should have a Harvard one. Yeah. Well, just to relive the memories of... Have a purple one. I know. Do you imagine next week we're both like, eh?

We're the exact same. Exactly same. Like, oh, we have matching shirts. Because we love it. Did you finish your book before we started recording? Which one? The boyfriend candidate. I did.

I thought it was super cute. It was just so cute That's how I felt about it It's very sweet Very sweet very cute I was a little intimidated Because for me A romcom or a romance book

That's over 300 pages I'm just like Do we need to do that But it just went by so quickly And I was like yeah she did She did need to have She did need to have every word in there Yeah

I agree I loved it but I am 85% into dysfunctional by Isabelle Lacerro Mm-hmm It's probably the darkest book I've ever read Oh wow

That's saying something Yeah, yeah Like Because it involves a relationship And it's, I don't know It's just some of the dialogue I'm like, oh my God, I just, I don't know I think I might force you to read this one.

I'm not going to lie. It sounds like I might have to. I just want to. If I have you, Rita, I'm just going to fly there and like live with you for a week. Yeah. And be like, what just made your jaw drop? What part are you at now? Where are you at now?

Just read it aloud to me. Tyler's like, what the fuck are you talking about in there? Yeah. Like, it's book stuff. Like, I will buy us Taco Bell and Chipotle every night. Well, I started reading Love and Monsters. And I was five pages in and there had already been like three dicks referenced and a crunch rap supreme. And I was like, of course you love this book.

This is perfect. Dix and Taco Pal In like five pages I was like it's like your whole personality in a book Oh my god The funny thing is too I've never even had a Crunchrab Supreme

Yeah I figured you probably hadn't But I'm all about a Taco Ball reference All about Taco Bell. There were other things mentioned But the Crunchab was the first one And I like highlighted it because I was just already laughing.

I was like, it all makes sense now. I'm only like 10% in. I haven't read it all today, but I was loving the beginning. So I'm excited to read more. I have a story. It is my icebreaker, basically. Oh, nice. So I bought dinner for my,

my family and I a week ago. Mm-hmm. Two weeks ago. And I went to Pizza Hut. Mm. And tip included, I spent $70. Oh my gosh. On two pizzas and an order of cheesy breadsticks.

Oh. And the tip. Right. Still, though. I know. And this past weekend, I got the same exact order. at Domino's for $30. Yeah. What's up with Pizza Hut?

I don't understand why they're charging $25 for a pizza. Yeah, that doesn't make any sense to me. So now I'm anti-Pisa Hut. I'm like, fuck you guys. You're ridiculous. Your pizza's not that good. No. So my question for you as the icebreaker is, what? is your go-to like pizza place. Whether it's local

and you want to shout out a local place or it's like a franchise because for me it's Domino's. Like I just think that Domino's always like hits the spot and gets it right. So Amore Pizzeria is our is my local answer. And they have like the really thin.

Like it's very like New York kind of pizza. Okay. And the crust is just so thin and amazing and just the toppings the toppings are so good this is the new sign for pizza this is me and Amore

this is now a Taylor Slip podcast so there's the best and we always get pepperoni with a ricotta oh okay hardly just growled at me surprised me Oh my God. I heard it.

Yeah. I heard the little growl. But then chain-wise, Papa Johns lately is our chain. Papa John's is good. They have a stuffed crust now, which used to be something only pizza had. So. I do like Papa Johns. My thing with Papa Johns is that I get burnt out on it quickly.

Like if I have it, I'm like good for like a month. That's interesting. But Domino's. Yeah. Domino's is just so good. Yeah. We don't have one super close to us, but we have... Mine's in Canada.

Yeah. You're like, mine's in the other country, so... At the border, I'm just like, I'm going to get pizza. Leave me alone. Yeah, we only have it when we go over to Tyler's parents, because there's one near them. Otherwise, it's like we have so many other options near us. Yeah.

But it's good every time we have it. So good. Yeah. Yeah, I'm just an auto buy Domino's kind of guy. She's like, I can't even come up with something better. Speaking of auto buy. I love things that I auto buy. Yeah, like clothes and skincare and dominoes and books.

Yeah, and books especially. And books. Yeah. So I think tonight we should talk about some auto buy authors that were always just like, I'll buy anything you write. Yeah. And before we fight over her, Ashley Winstead is our number one. She just always the number one. Always.

Always and always. Just whatever the subject is, just pretend like we're including Ashley Winstead in it because. Yeah. One of her books will fit. Yeah. Pretty much any of our subjects. Yeah. So she's on the board

in a league of her own. I'll just talk about everybody else. A true goddess. A true goddess. Well. Do you have first? Well, actually, I was going to save this for last,

but if you're listening right now, And you're like, oh, auto buy authors. I think I could probably guess them. I'm going to skip this episode. Don't. Yeah. Because there's a special announcement at the end of tonight's episode.

Wow. Probably just shock you with at least one author. So. Yeah. Or, I mean, who doesn't want to hear us talk about authors that we love and admire? Right. Exactly. So, Jessica Nol. Nothing else needs to be said, really.

Jessica Nulls, I mean, well, listen, I love Jessica Nol, but every book of hers is very timely as to what's going on in the world. obviously the world knows that Lucky's Girl Alive was based on her experience with gang rape and you know she kind of drew from what had happened to her and other things in the story and I just find it so interesting that when she wrote it

it was kind of at the peak of when the Me Too movement started you know things were coming out about people and Hollywood and some of the things that women have gone through. And then her second book, following a group of women who you find out are just really shitty people, was kind of at the peak of reality TV becoming more and more popular. And like whatever crazy idea these people had, there was a reality show about it, you know? And now with her third book coming out,

this fall, it's seemingly connected to Ted Bundy at a time when everybody is obsessed with true crime. And I don't know if she does this purposely or if that's just how her mind works. Because to me, Jessica Knoll is the Taylor Swift of the literary world. Like, there's so many nuggets in her books that you pick up on if you read them more. I think her mind is like a labyrinth of just like beautiful, gritty, terrifying things. But the way that she writes is just so captivating to me. So I was not going to discuss her tonight because I feel like everybody like knows that like one day I'm going to have a Jessica Null tattoo.

And she's always going to be my like number one girly. But how could I not talk about. auto buy authors without including my queen. Yeah. You have to. Yeah. I think everyone,

I bet most people who listen to this are people who enjoy her too. I need to know more about all of her books. I mean, if they don't. Like, stop listening. If you don't, I don't think that we're meant to be.

We're not the podcast for you. That would be my unhinged moment. Like, you know how like there's like things that happen? Um, like when Britney Spears tried to hit the paparazzi guy with the umbrella. Oh, yeah. That would be my cancellation moment, right? As if like I posted something on Instagram or somebody slid in my DMs and they were like, I just don't think Jessica Null's it.

Or like, I'm not a fan of Jessica Null and I just like fucking lost my shit and they like screenshot it and shared it to the world. would be my like, who the fuck do you think you are going? Yeah, that would be like my moment where they're like, Gretchen Wieners has snapped. Oh my gosh. And I'd be like, I'm fucking right. You did. Oh, my gosh. I don't know why I'm yawning at the end of a laugh, but it happened, you know. It happens. It happens. So yeah, Don't come for Jessica Null is the moral of this story, not around gear. She's just a legend.

She is. I love her. Okay. Well, I'll do one that I like talk about all the time, too, that people might have guessed. Maybe. Yasmin On Go, my Nina Knight spy thriller series author, and actually just, earlier this week. Her third one, it ends

with Knight, was added to NetGalley and now I have access to it and it comes out in September. She is just like one of my favorite action writers and like obviously in a

subgenre that's like pretty dominated by men. Two of my autobiles are women who write badass by novels. So, I just love her. I think she's so cool. She's just so fun to interview both times.

And I really, really love her character, Nina Knight. Now, I know that you love her, but what is her personality like? She is like, she's definitely like, I think she's pretty

detail oriented and organized. But like when I interviewed her the first time, she's, she was explaining how she like acts out the scenes in her office when she's writing them and was like cracking herself up talking about it. So I think she's like really serious, but she was also, or like able to be really organized, but she was like really funny too to talk with. I love that. Yeah. I really, she was so fun. There's something about, there's something about people that write stories about like the horrors of the

world and write these like really like terrifying or like disturbing crime fiction books. And then they're like the funniest people. Like, okay. My next one, if she were not an author, I think would be a comedian. Oh, wow. Miss Karen Slaughter. Oh, yeah. She probably, she could.

I think she is so funny. and I spoke with her and she has like this like kind of like silly dry sense of humor. But like she's not afraid to like do dancing things on Instagram and like just be like like I saw like one thing where she did this interview or like a Zoom with like a bunch of other authors. And when they dialed in she had these like huge purple sunglasses on and I just like died laughing. I think she is so fucking funny. I love her. I love her. And like, the thing is, too, is that her books are very disturbing.

They are extremely disturbing. Like, there's just, there's either something like psychologically disturbing, physically disturbing, something in her book that will just really, like, shock you. And then she's just like the sweetest and funniest woman. I know. And she looks like she's just like a little, literally, literally a little woman. like a pint-sized little badass. Yeah.

Like if I met her, I would probably like swaddle her in a blanket and be like, Karen, tell me like the scariest thing that you've ever written. What's next for us, Karen? Yeah. Because your boy's in for the long haul. And if you haven't read Karen Slaughter, boy, are you in for a backlog of a TBR? That was one of my favorite. people to start. What, what, because you have something about this, right? I do. It was a while ago. So you might want to retell people. I would start with either pretty girls or the good daughter,

because they're standalones. Um, and if you like them, I'd probably read both of them, to be honest with you. Um, and if you like them, then you go right into Grant County. and then you read Grant County before you read Will Trent. And then once you wrap up those I would do Girl Forgotten

and pieces of her pieces of her is very actiony espionage there's like a lot of like things going on that I'm not necessarily into but I can respect the story for what it was do you know what I mean? So I love those.

Let me look here. False witness is very good. Very, very, very good. And Coptown is the one I would end with because it takes place in like the 70s. And it's about like female police officers and what they deal like dealt with back then. I'm sure they still deal with today. Yeah. But it just has this like different feel.

that I can't really put my finger on, but it just feels like very different from all of her others, but it's still very good. Yeah. That makes sense. And if you want your heartbroken, there is a no...

I always do. There's a novella that's a companion to pretty girls called blonde hair blue eyes. Oh, really? I didn't even know that. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

It's not a spoiler, so you can read it after pretty girls, but it's, with pretty girls, there's, you know, the main cases that these two sisters, their older sister had went missing like 20 years prior. And this novella is Julia's last day or so before she's taken. And it's just heartbreaking. Yeah, I bet it is. Because you know the whole time. Because she's only mentioned in pretty girls. You know what I mean? Like, it's kind of like, they talk about memories and things like that. But in this one, it's like, it's kind of like more from her perspective. Like, you're following her around.

And it was just like, you know. Way more personal. Yeah. Yeah. But so good. So. Oh, my gosh. We got it at some point.

That's my Karen Slaughter story for everybody. Oh, everyone. Mm-hmm. She's badass. I had her, like, way down on my. because I figured I figured you would have her as well but it was like my way back up, backup, backup.

I'd have backups on backups for this one. I know. I'm like obsessed with my list. Yeah. That's good. You did to be obsessed with the auto buy authors. It's just like I feel like they're like in my list there's like a little bit of something for everyone kind of thing.

Yeah. It's like very ensemble cast of authors. I did try to focus on that too because my next one is a sci-fi author. Ooh. And Rob Hart, who wrote, he wrote The Paradox Hotel. He wrote something called The Warehouse, which is kind of like a snarky take on Amazon. Oh, really? Oh, yeah.

I love that. It was one that, like, I made sure when I shared. his links like I did not use an Amazon like that's so funny because I like yeah some people you know feel that way and I understand why they feel that way so yeah

but I read the paradox with hell first and loves that one that's the one that's kind of like time travel and detective and solving a murder that technically hasn't happened in the present with like a lot of kind of mysticism,

or not religious spirituality is what I'm trying to say in it. And an exploration of grief. So he's one of my faves because of the fact that more and more I like to be a person who's like, that was thought provoking and I loved it. So he does that with sci-fi and he will just be a favorite for a long time.

He has a new one that just got announced about, like, one of the world's most deadly assassins. So something really action-y and I cannot wait. I'm just, like, always obsessed with how much you love action. I do. Especially considering... My life. Well, we have a special announcement today. We do. Do we have another one?

Yeah. Like the most special is special. All right. I'm going to announce it. Here we go. Kate, Kate, was the lucky winner of the water bottle today for being a grocery store member plus in online orders, pickup orders. frequent orderers of Meyer pickup. Not only does Homegirl stay introverted at heart, but she also won a water bottle because she's like, I don't have time for the energy to walk through the fucking grocery store and do with this shit myself. I want to deal with people. I want to stay introverted. I don't want to like, excuse me, sorry, bump into you. I don't want to like make eye contact with people picking up through. No. Yeah. I'll pick it up in the.

the parking lot. Mama's busy. Yep. I don't have time for that. It released, it does save a lot of time for me because then I get hot and then I had to walk slowly. I don't like Walmart. Like I fucking hate Walmart. Yeah, and Myers basically a Walmart that's local. Yeah. And I just don't mind like cool grocery stores like Farm Boy in Canada is kind of like a Trader Joe's. So I like, but like I love like Trader Joe's. Yep. Yeah. And Trader Joe's is better.

I have to agree with you there. Yeah. But yeah, I'm proud owner of a tumbler that says Meyer pick up on it. It even came with like a real straw, like a plastic one. Mm-hmm. I was so happy for you and I was like,

there's nothing like winning something for being your true introvert itself. I know. I tell you that I then had to sign a waiver because they wanted to also take a picture of me like in the pickup lane. And so then the guy leans over near my, he's like, we're just going to take a selfie. Basically takes it from this angle.

Like you're like, I saw it on his phone. I'm like, I have three chins in that picture, but you gave me a water bottle. So I guess it's okay. That is amazing. You took him from the worst angle. And he wasn't a small boy either. So we just both looked round.

It's kind of like my like coffee. addiction and how like that one time around Valentine's Day I went and got an ice coffee on my way home from a doctor's appointment and the guy gave me a rose. Oh yeah, I forgot about

that. It was probably like the last rose and he was like I just need to give this to somebody and then like my gay ass cable log like can I got eye coppa even though it's like he's like, weary. And he was like, here's your rose. Did you ever get into a bachelor?

Okay. Did you? No. You didn't? No. Okay. I did one. I just know there's like the rose ceremonies. I did one season because there was a, um, there was a girl on it.

Her name was Corinne Olympios. And the only reason I got into it is because a lot of my friends were like texting me and they were like, if you were a woman, this was who you would be. Oh, that's hilarious. She was just like snarky fucking psycho. And, like, she had, like, a nanny, even though she was, like, in her late 20s. I want a nanny. And she was, like, I love cheesy pasta and, like, would make, like, pasta with, like, literally, like, cheese and butter and called it cheesy pasta, which is what I do. And it says cheesy pasta.

She loved naps. Like, I think she napped during one of the ceremonies because she had been given, like, a rose that was, like, your... safe. So like even when we go into the row ceremony, like you know that you're safe and she napped through the whole thing, like never went down to it. That's amazing. My friend Hannah always tells me there was like one line where one of the girls did or said something to her and she was like, well, I found out today that cats have nine lives and bitches have two. I love that so much. And my friend Hannah was like, my friend Hannah was like, my friend Hannah was like, oh my God, that sounds like you.

It does sound like you. It was like the only season I watched, but I like died. So you were like on the Bachelor in spirit. Yeah, in spirit and personality. I did not win. She didn't know. Poor friend, but. That's typically not the girl who's going to win the Bachelor.

Well, she was like, I guess like really popular. So they had her on like Bachelor in Paradise. and there was like a big scandal because there was like a rumor that she had been sexually like assaulted. Oh my God. And by like another contestant. And then like you found out basically that she like was on anti-anxiety medicine and like drank too much champagne on an empty stomach with her medicine and like didn't remember like some of the things she was like doing. Oh, so they had this like investigation and she like came out and was like, like there was no like assault but like obviously

doesn't look good on either one of our parts. Right. So. I know. I guess there's a lot of drama with alcohol people. Would you say? Nope. This is a lot of drama and like the Bachelor, Bachelor.

Yeah. I wish I could get into it. That was the only season I watched. Yeah. It's just a lot. It's a very, very big commitment. Because it's on three, two or three nights a week.

Yeah, and they're like two hours long. I'm like, I don't have time. I was like, I used to love Big Brother, like love, obsess over Big Brother. That's another one. And I don't, just don't have the time anymore. Because if I'm going to watch, I want to know most of what's actually happening. And that means I need to also be like reading up on it every day. And I think for three years.

in a row now. I just haven't even been that into it. One of my friends tried to get me to do it and I watch like two of my authors to be reading. Yeah. All of them. Mm-hmm. Is it my turn or your turn? Your turn. Oh. I said Rob Hart. Lovely.

Well, speaking of a little romance, I'm just going to go with my boy, Max Walker. Like I, Max Walker, like I, Max Walker. is they're made for me. Oh yeah. They're like cozy mysteries without being too violent but not corny like cozy mysteries.

The steam is on point and I always just find myself picking it up and reading it in one sitting. Yeah, I could see how that because I read like, I think because they're shorter too. Like it felt like I read 10% really quickly.

And then I just haven't read again, but it went by so fast. And like, nothing against it because they're still entertaining, but there's other people that write male, male romances. And I feel like it's just always the same two characters with, like, different names. Oh, yeah. And with his, I'm like, yeah, with his, I'm like, oh, my God, like, all of these characters, like, they have really big personnel. You know what I mean?

Like it's not just like You just froze with me? I did. Well, I literally froze you in your tracks. I was noticing that too, though. Because I, this is also the first romance I've ever read with two perspectives where you switch between them. I've only ever read it from one side.

And I felt like the guys were so. distinct already and I was like barely into the book. A lot of male male romances have that dual perspective and I love it. Yeah. Yeah. It's my first so we'll see how I feel at the end. Oh my God. I just can't wait. I just can't wait. I know. I'm hoping I can stay awake long enough to read a bunch tonight. You're going to be like, oh my God, that was the craziest blowjob ever. And then you're going to be like, oh my God, that's so creepy. What just happened to it? And chapter 16 or whatever.

I know. I got to the point where something was delivered at their house. And it is definitely not anything I've ever read before. Mm-hmm. Try not to spoil it for everyone else. I was like, oh my God, I want this to be on TV. I know. It would be really good on TV.

Yeah, it would. Yeah. Yeah, I would. How many? How many books does he have? Just like so many. because you have like most of your TBR is Max Walker now, right? Yeah, he has, okay, there's Max Walker.

Stonewall Investigations. Yes. And I think there's four in this. And then there's Stonewall Investigation Blue Creek and Stonewall Investigation, Miami. And then there's another trilogy that I'm not too familiar with. And then there's the book club boys books, which is the one you started. Yeah. I do love their book club.

Oh my gosh. Reading. What was it? Reading under the rainbow? Yes. It was so cute as a book club name. I know. Do you watch the reading rainbow growing up ever?

I think I did a little bit. I was, okay, I was like the complete opposite of you. Oh, yeah. So then no, you didn't. So when you were watching things that were like age appropriate, I was like sneaking behind my parents back and watching like sleeping with the enemy. Like 90s thrillers. I had like a 902 and oh lunchbox because I would like make my babysitter let me watch 902 and oh. And she was like, this is for like teenagers and you're like six.

And I'm like, I don't know fuck. Turn on 902 and oh. That is Tyler and I have the same dynamic. And now I need to just remember it with you is that you guys are the same where anything that I'm going to be like, hey, did you do this? You're going to be like, no. I watched a lot of nerdy, sanitized purity culture stuff. So reading Rainbow is high up there on that list. So I was cracking up when I saw that was the name of their book club.

I think I was watching like the sopranos with his dad when he was like six years old. Like they were, he wasn't even. Oh my God. Yeah. It was just like, who care? my parents were like were like you're just going to watch the War of the Roses

over and over and over again and I was like seven yeah I was just like it's my favorite movie in the entire world and the homeless it did not lie but I think the only thing that was like age appropriate

that really stuck with me was Scooby-Doo and like are you afraid of the dark and like goosebumps Yeah. But then I escalated. Because spirits, we weren't, I didn't get to celebrate Halloween because that was a double holiday.

We didn't watch Scooby-Doo because there were spirits. We weren't allowed to watch Harry, read Harry Potter because wizards. Yeah. Okay, I will say this is why every little nugget out there needs a sassy gay uncle, because I would have said to your family, there's no fucking spirits in Scooby-Doo. It's people acting like spirits. Like, you always take the mask off,

and it's someone who's just a real-life asshole. I know. I know. Spongebob Square Pants was considered too vulgar for us. SpongeBob. I would have literally, I'm just so proud of the person you are, because I would have got an ounce of freedom,

and literally probably became a porn star. I know. We never know how it would have turned out if the timing hadn't happened that I met Tyler when I met Tyler. How's this for us? Also, Tyler would be fine if I decided to pick up being a porn star.

So, I mean, the odds are totally gone. Yeah, he is. I do joke around with, well, I don't, I haven't lately. But I have joked around with him about how my summer wardrobe is like basically like a slutty camp counselor because I just like love like khaki shorts and like a band tea of like a band that I've never listened to. And I'm like

and then I just run around my boat shoes and I like slut it up and like run around and do things. And I'm like I'm just like a like Friday the 13 victim basically. You are. You won't let me live in a cottage but that's what you're running around doing. True. True. Very true. Very true. But I feel like there's something about a resilient gay that like has survived grinder hookups that he thought was going to kill him. That's a good point. Possibly still could. Never know. There is a truck that drives up. Oh my God, I know. I'm like, do I know that little bastard? waking me up.

Yeah. Yeah. Max Walker. Well, my next one is Miss Rachel Housel Hall. A true angel. I love her. I haven't read. I have read her more recent ones since 2020. You read some of her other ones, right? Did you say they're kind of fantasy?

I have not. I've read Was it? You have other friends? You read books? You have other friends you talk about books with? I read these toxic things

and the one after that. And now she's gone, but that was kind of a P.I. one with action. I did read that and I liked it. Oh, nice. I loved that one. I really loved that one. I wish it was

a series. I thought it was going to be too. I really thought it was going to be. I felt like it was going to be. Maybe she just had so many other ideas. But all of a sudden now I'm seeing how many other books she has. I'm like, can I call her an auto buy if I haven't read all of them? But I've read three of them.

Yeah. So, and now she's gone as really, really fun dual timeline. Yes. I'm a thriller. These toxic things is a. creepy, creepy, is that a... Is it a spoiler to say it's a serial killer, a thriller?

No. Okay, I thought that was in a synopsis. I couldn't remember all of a thing. It says something about her, like, a dormant serial killer. Yes, yes. Yeah. Okay, so yeah, it's a serial killer thriller,

and that doesn't spoil it. That's the one where the guy tried to break in my house when I was reading it. Exactly. So I was like, oh, yeah, cherry. So chilly. And then the opposite of chili, there's we lie here, which is like a really suspenseful family kind of thriller. I don't know.

This cover is kind of chilly. And it is so, well, the part that didn't feel chilly to me was like the atmosphere is how it's humid and hot and suffocating. And she has asthma. So the whole time I was like, oh, my. God. That is so funny. I totally agree. Yeah.

I totally agree. She just has really like cool female leads and thrillers. I feel like, like when I say like chili, I feel like it's almost that thing of like her books give me the feeling of being like hot. Like I'm sweating. But something scares me so much that I have goosebumps. Ooh, or like when your sweat turns cold, basically. Yeah. Yeah.

Good one. Yeah. That's a terrifying feeling. I know. I know. And that's what her books make me feel, because I just feel very uneasy and scared when I read them. I know.

We lie here especially. It just, like, felt like. Yeah. It constantly felt like something was about to go really, really wrong. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Oh, she's a good. one. You look so mischievous right now. I'm frozen. You were looking like that before I could see like your eyes moving a little and I was like, oh my God. I just kidding. Can you hear Harley drinking her water?

She's being so loud. That's what I was thinking about. No. Oh, that's good. Speaking of somebody who's chilly and atmospheric and an autobi. And I've only read two of her books. but her third one comes out on Halloween and I'm just dying for it.

Hannah Morrissey. Oh, yes. I almost had her on my list. I love her so, so, so much. They're like, God, it almost feels like Nordic Noir, but like in like, I think it's Wisconsin. I was going to say Maine, so I'm wrong. Or one of us is wrong. Okay. I, it's Black Harbor.

Yep. It's the fictional town that her books are set in. But I feel like it's like cold, wintery, rainy, like chill you to the bone. How many times am I going to say chill tonight on the house? Chill you to the bone just creepy. Yeah. So the atmosphere is amazing, but they're actually like, it is. I thought it was Wisconsin or Michigan.

You're so much better at that. than me. I couldn't point it out to you on a fucking map, but like, memory-wise, I'm like, ooh, this feels like a Wisconsin kind of place. And I'm like, Harbor, Maine. Give us chili and give us cheese. Two of my favorite things. But they just, she's like very like atmospheric, but they're also good at like being like a thriller that isn't like super hard crime fiction in the sense of like police procedural, but like kind of gives you enough information that you might not have already known about a police procedural before you read it. Yeah.

And the second book is just so creepy. And the third one that comes out this Halloween, it sounds like it's going to be her most terrifying one yet. Oh my gosh. And is the third one, because the first two are separate characters. Is the third one, third character? So you can read them as standalones, but they all take place in Black Harbor. So it depends.

I just think that her first one, Hello Transcriber, is so creepy, so creepy. But it's also like really interesting because like I did not know that like, what do they call it? let me look here. I didn't know that there was a job out there that people like transcribe like police reports. Yeah. So I was like, oh my God, that is so cool.

And then the widow maker is just there's so many layers to that. But the third one is called When I'm Dead. And let's see here. Appropriately ominous. Yeah.

It's about a medical examiner who investigates the death of her daughter's best friend and then finds that her own daughter has gone missing without a trace. So, yeah, I'm going to say it's another Black Harbor book.

I would just read them in order because... Yeah, I agree. I didn't know if there were any repeat characters in the third one. Probably not. I haven't read the third one yet. Well, there might be some, yeah. But I know that there's a repeat character from the first one in The Widowmaker,

from Hello Transcriber to the One. So, yeah. But I think once you read her, like, it will just be impossible to read one of them without wanting to read the other and to pre-order her third one. Yeah. When does it come out? Did you say October 31st? Oh, no, you said October.

Yeah. Halloween. Hannah Morrissey. Fuck yeah. I can't believe I forgot that already. It's okay. I've been fucking crushing the game, the work game this week. Oh, yeah.

And it's only Tuesday. Oh, my God, it is. I feel so much later, Tuesday. I know. There were multiple times I thought today was Thursday. And I was like, where is that coming from? Don't know. Like, multiple times I was like, damn it, I needed to put the trash out.

And I was like, no, I didn't. It's Tuesday. Oh, my God. I've had moments like that. Yeah. I've had moments like that. I actually had my alarm went off Saturday morning and I was like, oh, I don't want to work today. And then I was like, oh, wait, I don't have to work today. And I like, got up and like when got my coffee? But then my alarm went off Monday and I thought it was Sunday. Oh. And I was like, no, I can't believe I have to go back. That's terrible. I know. That was. I know. That was. That one really hurt. That one really hurt. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. When you think that you can get like an hour more sleep. Yeah. Yeah. Well, my next one, I also debated if I should even talk about this because this is like my Jessica Noel. Everyone's going to expect me to say it. But my non-thriller genre author is Taylor Jenkins read.

Of course. that was funny but she is another one where like I haven't read the ones that are outside of her big oh that is a big smile she's in oh my gosh

this is brutal okay I have read her big four though I have not read her kind of like are they romance I think they're just romance the ones before

or general fiction, whatever that's called. I haven't read those. I think they're like a lot of romance. Like one true loves. That one sounds really good. That's like a love triangle. Uh-huh. I saw somebody posts about it today talking about how much she sobbed reading it and I was like yeah, that's how I feel like I'd be. Yeah. That would stress me out when it's like true love feelings. Like when it's like a love triangle before a relationship has started, it's just kind of like, I am obsessed with love triangles. Yeah, you are. You stress me out, which is so strange in general.

Well, you know what, it's not. It's not. I know why this stress me out. Go on. Taylor Jenkins Reed is yours. You go on. Oh, my God. You're right.

Yeah, Taylor Jenkins. Oh, Taylor Jenkins Reed. I'm obsessed with. her, like if I was trying to sum it up the fastest about what I love about all of them, is that she makes flawed female protagonists. And sometimes they seem more flawed than they are because that's how the media treats women. And then you just kind of like learn more about the character. And you're like, oh, that's why she did that.

So I love that. And she kind of, the big four, she's easy. even talked about were all books about mega fame and the different ways different characters would deal with mega fame. So that has been a theme in my life this year because I got re-obsessed with Taylor Swift and I'm just kind of fascinated by people who are like larger than life. And I think it's because they're so different from me. I'm not saying I'm small. I'm just saying I like my quiet life. I mean, yeah. I also, I feel like the reason you love her so much is that you love character-driven stories, but you also like will always root for somebody who's writing

a badass female character. Yeah, I agree with that. And like, color me crazy, but I also am like, you don't want a stereotypical, like, credible character. I don't typically. It gets boring. And I mean, from what I've read, a lot of her, like, a lot of her characters aren't stereotypically likable. Like, Evelyn Hugo was a huge bitch, but a bad bitch. And Carrie Soto, very much a bitch. Daisy Jones had some problems.

You read Malibu and Hugo, Evelyn, right? Yeah. That's what I thought. Nina was a badge. Yeah. That's true. Yeah. And actually, I just finished, which I'm going to do some post about it this week, too.

But I just finished what Taylor Jenkins read recommended last week. Did you hear about Kitty Carr? And if you're an Evelyn Hugo fan, you 1,000% will like, will love that book. but then it also like very much is its own book too so like it still tackles kind of like being a not always like female but it has a whole other issue that it tackles as well that I won't get into

yeah man it was a beautiful story and it was like 450 pages and I read it in a couple days because I loved it so much she's got like a knack for dialogue too I agree that's what's really fascinating about Daisy Jones is it's written like a

transcript of a documentary oh okay and at first I can't believe it but at first I didn't know if I was going to be able to get through it it was the second one I read and I remember texting you and being like I don't know if I can get into this style and then once I was

into it. I was into it. No hold them back. Yeah. But that's a main complaint. A lot of people, that's a big complaint about that book. Hmm. I didn't know that because I haven't read that one yet. But then there's a reveal that happens that makes it an extremely brilliant choice that she did it that way. That's all I'll say. Ooh. She is good at having like a twist,

even though it's not a thriller. I agree. Yeah. Yeah. She's... Very much happens in Daisy. You know who I think is good at Twists? Who? Our girl, Jamiland Hendrix. She's a master of a twist.

I will never not purchase something that she's written. Right. I think that she freaks me out with how quickly she can make me read a book and like absorb information.

Mm-hmm. Because it's just like once I start something, I can't put it down. And I feel like all three of her books are so incredibly different than one another that she just has this like roll-a-dex at home that she's like, what I'm going to write about this? Spin it. Pick up topic. Like I feel like she could do anything, but her writing is so like sharp and snarky and like, just like

I feel like whatever character you're reading has like is like bearing their teeth yes especially in her one that comes out this month yeah I didn't do it

I felt like there's so much teeth bearing in that one oh my God that one was so intense yes another one where the dialogue was really really really good too yeah yeah

that one the dialogue had to be her best so far and she absolutely nailed it. Alexa just lost internet so it was talking to me. Mom, help. I was like, you can just wait. Stop it. It's not the end of the world. Clearly, I have internet.

Yeah. That's too funny. But yeah, I loved. I loved. I didn't do it. It was so good. So good. So, so, so good.

I want to reread finding Tessa. Because I felt like when I read it, it was like a fever dream because I wasn't used to her storytelling at the time. And when I read it, I was just like, oh my God, it was just so like everything just like blurred by me. And I was just left like staring on a wall for like an hour. Like, what just happened? What the hell just happened? Who is this woman? Where did she come from?

I love her. I remember Ashley posted. Ashley Winstead, who we already mentioned once. So I went for the first name basis. She posted about finding Tessa and that was how I found out about Jamie Lynn Hendricks. Yeah, I love her. I know and she's just pumping them out. I know.

I always, I just can't believe people that can write a book a year. I know. I think actually I was in one of her like writing workshops. and someone asked how she manages her time. And she was like, I think that's a great question. But I just want you guys to know that I am not a mom. I don't have another job. I don't have kids that are like out of the house.

I just have my husband. So I wake up. And however long it takes me to write, it was like 1,500 or 1,500 words. I just hit that. And then when I'm done, I like, go play tennis with my girls. So she was even just like,

She was like, hey, by the way, like, I just do it. And she was really cute, though, because she was like, I have some friends who, like, manage all of it. And I don't know how you do that because it's not what I have to do. But I thought it was a really cool answer. That is awesome. I, like, love this idea of her just, like, waking up, writing, going to her tennis club, coming back, hanging out with her husband, like, just living in life in Florida now. I would love to. Yeah.

if I were a writer. But I feel like my, I feel like I always have to constantly be doing like something productive. Mm-hmm. So I feel like if I wrote like 12 to 1,500 words, I'd be like, let me get to 2000 today. Right. Or, you know what I mean? You're probably the same way. Yeah, I was. I have not written in a while, but I was. Definitely was. I'm going to give back to it. It's just your work ethic, though. Yes. It's all being spent on actual work now. Work has been, yeah, work's been crazy for you. So that makes sense. You know, it's not like, you're just, yeah. Yeah, there is, I'm really glad that I read and listened to Big Magic by,

wow, I can't believe I can't think of her name. Oh my God. I was really glad that I read this. book. I was just telling someone this story this morning. Elizabeth Gilbert. And I was going to say the author seems on the tip of my tongue too. It kind of just like about creativity and like feeling safe in it, what

inspiration is like, et cetera, et cetera. But she talks about like she never asked her writing to pay for her life. She figured out how to pay for her life. So she could enjoy writing for writing's sake. And thankfully that's been helpful this year because I've been like, no, I just have to focus on the part that funds my life. And then if I get it efficient

enough, then there will be more time to write. So it's a really good book. If you are trying to do anything creative. I'm not going to remember her name there for a second. I'm just going to try to be creative. sometimes it just really comes out. I know, but sometimes it's like, oh my God, I want to be creative all day. And then other times I'm like, I have zero creativity today. I don't want to speak. I know.

That is the hard part. I just keep my chin and my nose is itchy and it keeps freezing on it. You just look like a mafia man, like threatening me. Yeah, it looks cooler than like allergies. Oh, I know. I know. I feel like there's like a little man in my brain who's like stabbing the back of this eyeball

with like an ice pick. So I was having that the last two days and I'm finally not having it as just driving nuts. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I have one more. I'm frozen.

There we go. One more or do I have two more? How many have we done? How many do you have left? Three. Okay. Well, I have plenty. So I'll still just intro this next one because I had so many backups.

Well, I technically, I have one more person that I know I could talk about. And then I have honorable mentions that are no surprise to anyone. Right. Same. You know what I mean? Like I don't have to dive into more on my honorable mentions because I talk about them enough. But like I feel like I could not discuss auto by authors without being like, these are also people included. But you should already know that.

So go ahead. I guess I have one left. Well, my last one before my honorable mention is Ava Glass, because I had to have two, oh my gosh, because I had to have two spy thriller authors this round because that's just the mood I'm in this year. But she has a spy series. I just got her second one on NetGalley too. And I'm so. excited called the I'm like Jazzy is about a book That's amazing I don't know how I'm going to get through this one

so she has a spy thriller series The first book's called Alias Emma and that's apparently what the whole series is going to called because it says it's alias Emma number one. But Emma Makepeace is a British spy. And the first book is the one, this is when people probably heard me talk about at this point. But she has to basically take an asset all the way across London overnight without being in front of any cameras because the CCTV has been compromised. And she gets really close. Yeah, the asset. is like a man that is

her age. But like the rules are flipped. So it's like he doesn't know anything about like spy or like defending himself. Spying. He doesn't know anything about spy. So the rules are like he's like me. Oh my God, am I an asset? I couldn't defend myself either. But she's a badass, and they kind of develop feelings for each other by the end of it. Of course.

But we're left on a cliffhanger and don't know what will come of it. So what you're saying is basically he's been kidnapped and taken on a vacation and they fall in love on their journey. Pretty much. Yeah. Oh, my God. Jacob O'Lauri. I'll leave my front door unlocked. That would be the perfect way for me to fall in love.

You're like, I am an asset. I need transported. Me and you together on vacation. I am your asset. Yeah. Do with that way. But I also feel like that would be a true testament to how much somebody loved me as if they traveled with me. Because it's just a nightmare.

I'm the person that's like 10 minutes into the trip Like when we get to the next rest stop I have to pee Yep I hate I hate not being able to drink water on a road trip Oh my gosh, look at him It's just chilling with his stomach in the air

No I just like I'm like can we get snacks I have to pee I'm thirsty. I need to shower as soon as I arrive to where we're going. Oh, yeah. And probably take a nap. Like, my nap schedule does not change on vacation.

Well, why would it? If anything, I know. Like, some people just, like, arrive and go. Like, no, I want to take a shower. I want a nap. Mm-hmm. Test and see how much. I don't know why I'm pretending, like, I have travel routines.

I don't like that much, but I just need to do what I have to do. But speaking of places we could travel, if we were in Ireland, we would be obsessed with Catherine Ryan Howard even more. She was one I had on mine. Really? I just can't stop thinking about how good. the Nothing Man is, which is like loosely based on the Golden State Killer. I can't stop thinking about how much I want to read The Trap.

Yes. How much I loved The Liars Girl. I've loved all of her books. I've loved all of her books. And I like became a fan when her first book came out. Wow. I don't know what, I can't remember the name of it. it, but it's the one on a cruise ship.

Okay. And, oh my God. The signal, distress signals. Okay. Yes. And it takes place on a cruise ship, which normally I'm not a big fan of. Like, I usually do not like books that take place on a cruise ship. But when I read that one and it took place on a cruise ship and I loved it, I was like,

oh my God, who is this woman? Give me everything that she's ever written. And I have devour. all of her books and like they are always a four or five star for me. Wow. And I just love her. I know. I really

loved everything I read from her. I need to read The Nothing Man and I need to read distress signals. Those are the only ones you haven't read. I don't think I read Rewind though either. 2019. Looks kind of like an orange cover. I don't feel like I've ever

heard about it. Yeah. That one's really good. Well, I need to read a bunch of them. I need to just have a Catherine Ryan Howard kick. Yeah, you do. After your Max Locker one. And the 20 net galleys I have for the summer. I think she has, I think her seventh book is what's coming out. The trap, I think is her seventh. You're right.

Yeah. yeah, I'll have to do like a Catherine Ryan Howard thing. I don't know if I have my copy of distress signals anymore. It's like a... But I just counted six arts. Right? Oh my gosh. There is my Catherine Ryan Howard section.

I love that. But yeah, I love her. I think she's incredible. And then obviously, I don't have to say anything more, but if we continue this conversation over Taco Bell, I would also be including EG Scott and Jennifer Hillier. Yes. And I also, other than Catherine Ryan Howard, was another one I had there.

Amina Oktar, of course, my favorite kismet. And I had Stacey Willingham as well. Oh, yeah, I'll agree with that. last time. So I added her as the, she was one of my backups, depending on how many we had in common. She's a good one. Yeah. I love her. Alice Feeney, that was another backup I had. Alice Feeney. Yeah. That's a good one. Ryan Freeman. I haven't read all of his, but I read a lot of them. But he's somebody, when I think of like auto biauthor, I think of like somebody that I would be like excited. Yeah. To read their next one. Like if I didn't get a copy of it,

I'd buy it. Yeah. Yeah. I agree. That's auto buy. Lisa Jewel. Lisa Jewel was when I kind of, I was like, we've talked about her. Simone St. James. I still need to. I don't think I've read any of her still. Chevy Stevens, I love you. Oh, yeah. Robin Harding. I love you. Yep.

We're just like rapid firing. Just rapid fire. Jess Lowry. Yes. And Ruth Ware. Ruth Ware. J.T. Ellison. Yes. Pauline Hoover for me.

I know. I didn't need to try one of hers. Meg Gardner. I haven't read hers yet. They're, they're, they're amazing. It's a trilogy. but each one is based on like a very popular true crime like Ted Bundy the Golden State Killer the Zodiac yeah I know you have yeah well okay it's on here that needs to be on there further up it needs to be on there I'm pointing at your Kindle

Riley Sager yes Megan Miranda I always end up reading hers. I want to read her newest one. I haven't read it yet either, but I bought it because it was had it. It was like on sale one day. I want to get it in paperback, so I'd have to grab it in Canada. Yeah, I have it on my Kindle. Megan Golden. Yet she was one of my backups. Corolla lovering. Oh, yeah. Oh, excuse me. That one snuck up on you. Oh, my God. Charlie Donnelly Peter Swanson

Alex Finley since we're on our men Alex Michaelides Oh yeah Does he have one coming out that we know about I don't know He posted something that he has like new author photos I think or something

And I was like I don't know I'm like yeah tell me more Janelle Brown Yes Oh my gosh That's still one of my favorite Oh and May Cobb

Oh obvi Yeah Yeah Carolyn Kepness Yes I'm like having to look around this mic stand I would say Le Bardugo

But I am not reading all of her series But she's close to an auto buy for me Mm-hmm I got to say Ashley James for me. She writes male male romances, but I think that her stories are so

amazing. She's author a kissment. Yes, you're a kissment. My kissment. I think that's all. Okay, I've only read one of his books because I haven't read a second one yet, but Josh Molling.

Yes. I want to read, and there he kept her so bad now. I almost started it. Instead of Max Walker. He sent me a picture this weekend of him and his partner drinking beer, and they were, like, cracking up at our podcast. Oh, my gosh. They watched it or listen together.

I love that. With a beer and, like, books. I love that. Cozy cuteness. Okay, so, yeah. Now the fun part. The fun part is now that we just rattled off all those names, is that next week, one of the authors that we mentioned is going to be joining us on the podcast

as our first guest. Hopefully not our last. But our first author guest will be next week. And it was somebody that we mentioned today. Yep. We said their name. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Even though we just rattled off. Yeah. Yeah, you better come back next week because it's going to be a fucking party.