Bookwild - Some of Our Favorite Books We Read in 2024 with Gare Billings and Steph Lauer

Episode Date: December 13, 2024

This week, Gare and Steph and I share SOME of our favorite books we read in 2024! I have to add that we all had plenty of others we loved, and it was hard to just pick a few for this episode.Books We Talked AboutWe Used to Live HereReturn to MidnightMargo’s Got Money TroublesAn Academy for LiarsThe Lake of Lost GirlsLula Dean’s Little Library of Banned BooksThe Last PartyRabbit HoleListen for the LieMadwomanOnly If You’re LuckyDon’t Forget the GirlNo Road HomeHow We Named the StarsThe Golden Cage 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 

So I'm back with Gare and Steph this week. We're recording right after Thanksgiving, just for context. For anyone who's listening, it feels like that was important because it won't come out for a couple, like two weeks. Anyway, so yeah, we are going to talk about some of our favorites that we read in 2024. And we also have icebreakers, multiple. So. So you're icebreaker. my my icebreaker i was thinking about it earlier this week is what bookish hill will you die on so something

really strong stance on yeah you can go last okay you pop you pop this off kate i want to hear yours so mine is that for some reason i hate when the twist is like oh it was her partner or her boyfriend, her whatever. And I can't tell you why, but I hate it. I don't like it. I don't like it. If I would have thought of that, I, yeah, that I agree with you. The thing with that, too, is I feel like whenever it is the partner or the boyfriend or whatever,

I feel like they sell him so hard on being this great guy. Yeah. And then you're like, Hmm. Okay. I see this coming a mile away. Yeah. I'm like, please don't let it be him. Like I'll sit in my head. I'll be just be like, please don't let it be him. And I'm like, you know what? This person's life is so traumatic. Give her something. Yeah, exactly. Just give her something positive. If everything else sucks, give her one good thing. Exactly. You're going to take it from me so you can say there was a twist. Yeah. Yeah. Good one. That's a good one. Mm-hmm. Thanks. Mine, I've been very passionate about for a long time. And, like, if this is in your book and you're an author, I am very sorry, but it's probably best I don't read it. But, like, if you write a book about the husband disappearing, I know that 90% of the time it was because he was doing something shady and, like, business dealings.

And I'm not going to be surprised by the twist. and I will die on the hill that like I will be disappointed by the ending of that book because it's been done so much like every time the husband goes missing it's like he was doing this shady and it's either like he went missing because somebody took him like because they were like fuck you I'm going to take you out of the knees or he went missing

because he made himself disappear so he could like not get murdered and then he comes back and and he's like, I'm alive and I want to take you with me and save us. And this is what I did. And I didn't mean to do it. But I knew it was a bad idea. But I was trying to make us more money so we could own that dream home. And now I fucked everything up all because you love me.

And I'm like- Dude, a guy just faked his own death in Wisconsin. Actually, I think there's two guys that disappeared. One of them, I'm pretty sure. I have not looked into it. But they're very recent. One, I think, faked it. One I think is now in like Europe with a new woman.

Like just get divorced. Like I don't know. Just get divorced. I'm sorry. Like what? Sorry you didn't sign a pre-up and you have to give half your money away. Like this is too much. Right.

Like just. The only thing that would sell me on that, and this is like a twist I would love to see in a book, is when somebody fakes their disappearance and you go through the whole book thinking that they're like dead or something happened. But then the spouse finds out that they fake. to their disappearance and they're like since the rest of the world thinks you're dead i'm gonna pop you off yes that's a good for her solid revenge yes yes yeah like the wife finding out and being like you know what actually asshole everybody thinks you're dead you did this to me i was just trying to live a relaxing life in my 30s and you fucked everything up because you're an emotional baby and now

I'm going to have you swim with the fishes. That's what I'm going to read. Yep. I'm here for that. It's always interesting in like real life cases. I mean, like, if the spouse actually, like, kind of gives shit that they're gone. Like, are you even sad or are you just kind of like, yeah, bye, peace. Thanks for taking care of this for me.

Yeah. Oh, man. Especially when they find out they were doing something like shady and, like, shitty. Yes. yeah oh you guys i'm struggling to find um a bookish hill to dion if i can't think of any like eye rolling moments besides i totally agree with um i don't like it when the boyfriend does it to or the partner or whatever but i will say on a bookish behavior note yeah that fits I do not like just like rante negative book review posts, especially if you're going to,

like, please don't take authors. That should be like an automatic note. Like if you don't like a book, that's fine. But maybe like who would like it? Sometimes I just like immediately scroll past when someone's just like, I can't believe people like this book. Did I read the same book as other people? Like other people like it, what are you doing? I don't know. So I know there are people that probably find that entertaining and that's fine. But I also am like, but I'm sure other people would like it. So tell me a few things they're good about it. I don't know.

Yeah. And be like, it wasn't for me, but. Right. It just seems like some people like drama. Well, yes. Yeah. So that's a personal. I like that one.

Personal thing that I'm like. And you can relate that into real life because if somebody's all about drama and that's what they like in their real life, you should probably steer clear of them too. Probably. They're probably not the sharpest tool in the shed. I know sometimes I'll go on and I'll be like, so are there like, what are our tastes? Like, do we review some books like the same number of stars? And then if they like, like, don't like books that I really like, I'm just like, I don't know. Like, we don't even have the same taste anyways. Right. Yeah. I also kind of like, I low key like when people embarrass themselves when they do something,

where they're like, this book is problematic because of like X, Y and Z, and it's offensive against BIPAC readers. And then, like, people who are actual BIPAC readers are like, actually, this isn't offensive. Yeah. You know what you? Like, you're just trying to do it. Yeah. Yeah. Or when, like, somebody's like, this is like, like, home. Yeah. Like, this is homophobic. And then, like, people are like, actually, like, I'm, I'm gay or I'm bi or whatever. And I don't think it's offensive. That's, like, my favorite thing. once and I was like, is it? I usually pick up on that a little and I didn't notice that at all about that book. Yeah. I had somebody do that to me with like virtue signaling with book reviews.

Yeah. I had somebody do that to me when I like read a book that like reference like indigenous culture and it was like a scene in the book where the daughter was like, how do you say this? And the mother was like it sounds like da, da, da, da, like whatever she was like saying like, say it was like matchbook four or whatever and they're like that's offensive you're making fun of their language. I can't believe you would give this book a positive review and I was like actually like I am indigenous and that's literally like hundreds of conversations we've had about like this is how you say like certain words and like mohawk or this is how you say someone's name is like they kind of like break it down for you like that so that like you can remember it. Right. Yeah. Isn't that just like so

tell me like are you indigenous and they're like no I just thought it was a thing. offensive to indigenous people and I was like, oh, then maybe you shouldn't shut the fuck up and let the indigenous people speak for themselves. Yeah. It's like a good idea. We have some bookish hills to die on. My God, you know, a relaxing Friday after Thanksgiving and I feel like my feathers are all ruffled right now. I'm going to do it. Here for it. That's what we're here for. I love being recorded. Mm-hmm.

Are there any tropes and books that, like, you are just like, if I read this and, like, the plot, I'm not doing it. Oh. I'm not a big locked room mystery girl. It's just that. I'm struggling with those, too. Yeah. Yeah, I think that's hard for me. And then when I was, I think I felt kind of burnt out on like police procedurals for a while,

but I also don't always love like vigilante, like, sleuthing either. So I'm like, can I maybe that's, I don't know. So I'm like, maybe I need to think about that for a little bit before I answer it. But for now, I think I'm just like not a huge lockdown person. Well, sometimes it's more entertaining as like, not that any of us are normal. But like sometimes it's like more entertaining to be a normal person reading a about a normal character that's like going through something like that. Yeah.

Instead of being like, well, this police detective has gone through all this training or like, you know, this is what these people are doing in this situation. And like, I don't relate to that because I'm not a police officer or detective. Yeah. And I think it's sometimes easy for then some books to just seem very similar. Unless that particular character has a lot of like unique personality traits. they can feel similar. I don't know.

Yeah. What about you guys? Well, your answer made me realize, I don't know if I've read a locked room. No, that's not, well, no. What I just read wasn't. So I'm like, have I been avoiding it too? I'm just like, oh, did I not notice that?

Basically, I can't remember the last one that I read that was like that. Um, okay, for me, I'm trying to think. I know that it has to exist. I know there are things where I'm like, oh, nope. But it's typically when like I get a recommendation that's just like, I don't know if this is too like genre specific. But when some people are like, it's a quirky mystery. I'm like, probably not for me. Probably not my vibe. Like sometimes sometimes. Sometimes. I'm trying to think, have I ever read any thriller that had comedy in it? Not really, like, snarky. Yeah. But, like, when it's just like, I, basically, I got one of these pitch recently, and I was like, I know this is still, like, a mystery, but, like, the, like, quirky sisters who like being outdoors, like, I'm like, I think I'm looking.

Kind of cozyish. Yeah, it's a little cozy. It reminds me of, like, that, I don't know what her name is, but there's, like, the girl with like black curly hair on TikTok who like does skits where she's like when you're the quirky girl in like a rom-com and she like does it and makes them so cringe that you're like oh my god this is spot she's so good um i'm really feeling rough with unreliable narrators and how they're presented because i felt like it was obviously like drugs or alcohol alcohol. Yeah. And then like it was like amnesia for like a hot second. Like somebody like wakes up and

they're like, I don't remember how this like happened. And I was like, okay, like now like this is so present that I'm like if it's an unreliable narrator like you need to come with like some very creative way of making them an unreliable narrator. I just have realized I don't know if I want to be told that at Yeah, you don't want to know typically. Just use, just skip that. Yeah. And then if they happen to be unreliable, like more surprise. I don't know.

Right. I know. I don't always want to know either. But yeah, it can be really hard with like the, the, um, ebbs and flows of like themes that we've seen. There were a lot of memory ones for a while or like not like, like you said, like they don't remember it because they're always. drinking.

Yeah. Yeah. I felt like Rachel Hawkins. No. Hawkins. Not Rachel Hawkins. Paula Hawkins. Paula Hawkins. She did it good because like she explained why Rachel was an alcoholic. Yes. How bad her alcoholism was. And like that made sense to me because like you were like, oh, she was like blacked out drunk because that's

like normal for her. But I felt like a lot of people after that were like, here's a normal person who doesn't have a drinking problem that just got blackout drunk randomly and something shitty happened. Yeah. And it's like that's not as believable to me because like even when you're like drunk and something like fucking horrible happens like it's kind of like sobering. I would think so. Yeah.

Or like something crazy happens. Like I had a buzz a few weeks ago and I was just like living my best life and then a fight broke out of like 10 people at the bar. And all of a sudden I was like, my buzz is. completely gone. Like, this is, if this turns into a brawl, like, let me get my little jacket and get the hell out of here. But like, that was like, very like, so like, if I was like black out drunk and somebody got murdered, I'm pretty sure, like, I would be like, okay. That was a gunshot. Right. Right. I'm awake. Yeah. Seriously. Like, I feel like it was my college years, probably more

believable. But like, yeah. Or if it's like something like, like, like when you're drunk and like, it's like, something led to like an accident and like the accident sobers you up but like you don't remember what was like said or like what necessarily like that's more believable but I felt like I don't know oh I could see that yeah yeah just thinking of yeah yeah yeah well do we want to get into our favorites or so now that everybody knows what we hate so let's get into what we love you know what we're picky about. I've been, I was thinking to myself the last few weeks. I've just been like, man, am I really negative lately?

But then I'm just thinking, you want to know what? I sometimes just have to own it. As I say, like, I hate reading me. I just feel like I, like, am getting, like, pickier with, like, what I want to, like, spend my time with. Oh, yeah. Yes. Yep. And that's in life in general.

That's what I figured. Especially reading, though. yeah definitely reading i want to like in 2025 i want to like actually like read less so i can take more time to like enjoy a book that i like instead of trying to like pressure myself to finish it in two days or whatever so like i want to be like are you reading this year or like what are you i'm at like 77 you're like over 200 last year right i don't know what i did last year let me see last year i think you read over 214.

214. Wow. This year, I'm at 134 and my goal is 150. Oh, so you did read less because you wanted to read less this year too. Yeah. Yeah. I just felt like, I think two books for me. Yeah, that's a lot of books.

Yeah. I was trying to do three a week. But then I was like, kind of like what you said about how like there were TV shows or movies and stuff. And I was like prioritizing reading or like. one of my friends might be like, oh, like, do you want to go out to dinner tonight? And I'd be like, no, I want to finish this book. And it's like, why? Yeah.

You know, like the book will be there when I get back. And then I just kind of felt like I was like forcing myself to be like, I'll read this book Saturday. I'll read this book Sunday. And then I'll read this book like Monday, Tuesday and 30. And I don't want to be like that strict with it. Yeah. You know, like I just kind of want to like pick up something. And if it takes me a week to read it, then it takes me a week to read it.

Yeah. Yeah. that takes some like self-talk to get to change your habits or allow yourself to change your habits and not feel like you should be doing something specific well and like the more that like the three of us do these episodes too it's like you guys put things on my radar that like when you say I think you'll really like this like you know my taste so like I have two arcs in December and that's fine with me because like you guys putting things on my radar that's like backlist or things that like I wouldn't have known otherwise like that I can read that instead of having it sit in my like Amazon cart

forever right and kicking myself in the ass for not prioritizing it like sooner I know dude I want to read so many of the ones that you and Vanessa recommended that's like speaking of like there was just especially because I just read a horror that I was obsessed with and so so many of the ones you guys brought up felt like horror thrillers. And I was like, I think I'm in a mood. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. I feel you. It's nice to be able to switch it up. Or like me diving into Lucinda Berry's backlist. Yeah. Has been so much fun and like wanting to do the same with like Frieda McFadden. Mm-hmm. You know, like that's fun. And like, yeah, I, I know that I have to finish Lucinda Berry tonight because I want to read. We used to live here. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. I want to read that because of like you, your reaction. I love that you loved it because I was like, I wasn't sure if it would be a little too abstract for me because that was like some of the vibes I was getting. So I'm interested to hear you talk about it later. Yeah. Have you read it? Mm-mm. Okay. Okay.

I couldn't tell from what you were saying. That's one of the things with horror that I sometimes struggle with is if it's like almost above my head, like almost over my head sometimes. Yeah. It probably would almost like metaphors or like abstract. Like sometimes I'm like, I don't know if I'm understanding it. Don't think it's the book for you then. Okay. Because like most people, like it's even the people who are messaging me are like,

but I didn't understand this. And then I say something. They're like, oh my God, that was happening. So like I've had like multiple conversations where people like I couldn't keep up with how Olivia, Olivia Day Wallace just comment. did. And she was like, she said she and Chelsea were talking about, talking about the book to talk about on their podcast. And Olivia was like, I don't understand what I read though. I don't know how to talk about it. So like it's a common theme that like it is one of those high minded. The thing is there's

something that happens in it, but it's not in the synopsis and you don't want to know it going in. So there's like something I could kind of tell you and maybe I'll tell you offline if you like want to know. Yeah. But you want to go into it super blind. And so the thing that makes it have these reviews of being hard to understand, you don't want to know what it is. Yeah. So that was my abstract explanation of an abstract book. No, I get that.

And I think that for me, if I read it, I would want you to tell me those things. Yeah. Yeah. I'll tell you. Okay. Yeah. And I want to go in blind. Yeah. Gair can probably go blind. I'm like, no, help me. Maybe you like, maybe you like pick it up though. Like when you have time to read like 30 or 50 pages and really like try to process like what you read and like not, you know what I mean? Try to like binge it. Yeah.

I was like, must know everything like with my page turn or just like flying through it. I love that. But yeah. Well, I guess I could briefly talk about this book. Is it part of your list? It's one of my favorites. Yeah. Okay.

I figured it would be naturally a really good segue. Because I'm even, I was even, I was shocked how much, I was not expecting to love it this much, but I'd had three or four people tell me that I should. And I was like, okay, I've got to. So here's the synopsis. Here's what you can know. As a young queer couple who flips. houses, Charlie and Eve can't believe the killer deal they've just gotten on an old house

in a picturesque neighborhood. As they're working in the house one day, there's a knock on the door. A man stands there with his family claiming to have lived there years before and asking if it would be all right if he showed his kids around. People pleaser to a fault, Eve lets him in. As soon as the strangers enter their home, uncanny and inexplicable and inexplicable things start happening, including the family's youngest child going missing in a ghostly presence materializing in the basement even more weird the family can't seem to take the hint that their visit should be over and when charlie suddenly vanishes eve slowly loses her grip on reality something is terribly wrong with the house and with the visiting family or is eve just imagining things so that's what you can know about it

basically um you have like 20 pages of like why did you let them in and then you're like oh my god what is happening right now and then it just like ratchets up from there basically and does have two really really really scary scenes that like lots of reviewers mention even um so it has some like it has some creepy stuff in it too but the other cool little bit that you can

know without spoiling anything is that this started as a serialized um story on a subreddit called no sleep and it's all just people writing like short stories in the horror genre um and so literally it just he was like what became the book is basically um the serialized story that like won an award from that subreddit of 18 million people. he was the most popular one in 2021 I think so much so that he immediately got a three book deal to just put this one into one book and Netflix bought it before the book had been written so he got a three book deal and Netflix option like bought the rights and Blake lively set to star in it so it's like this crazy cool backstory too that's amazing

Yeah. Yeah. Damn. Mm-hmm. The good news is if you do read it and you're like, man, I do want to finish it, but I don't understand it, you can look through two hours of chapters of me going through different things. I know. I love when you're like when you find your like, newest love. Yes.

Yeah. So there's that. I'm obsessed with the whole universe of this book. I can't talk about the major parts. So I'm going to be like annoying you blowing up your phone with like every thought. Yeah. I like talking about this book. So that's exciting.

Mm-hmm. I love it. Yeah. Go ahead, gear. Well, speaking of newest obsessions. Ooh. I think we all know where I'm going with this. I don't.

I don't. You don't? No. Well, I think it could go a few different ways, so I'm not sure. Um, return to midnight by Emma Doos is like, sticking with me through life. It is my favorite book of the year. Like, I already posted yesterday, like,

because come January, it'll be like eight years of me being on bookstagram. So I posted like my favorite book of like 2017 to like present. And like I knew that like nothing is going to like make me like feel the way I thought when I read this book. But like returning to the night by Amaduz is my favorite. And it's on the anniversary of a savage mass murder, a survivor returns to the scene of the crime and all its buried secrets in a twisty novel of suspense. Nearly 10 years ago, five Ohio University students were murdered in an off-campus Victorian home. The media dubbed it the Midnight House Massacre. Ever since survivor novelist Margo Davis has wanted to forget it and never utter the killer's name.

until she's compelled to write her side of the story. To do that, she's returned to the midnight house. It'll be a chance for Margot to reconnect with the other survivors, heal the trauma, and dispel the ugly conspiracy theories of obsessed true crime fanatics. When the news of Margo's book gets out, she receives a threatening note that demands that she stop lying or else. It chills Margot's blood because she hasn't been telling the whole truth. As the threats continue, each more sinister than the last, a journalist comes to Margot

with new suspicions on that brutal October night. Now, to save her own life, Margo must reveal her well-guarded secrets, one that for good reason she's been too terrified to share. Damn. So good. It's so good. I know. That synopsis is so good.

I just, like, love, like, it takes place around Halloween. It's, like, small college town, so it's, like, dark academia. there's like fucking some of the most toxic like friendships amongst these ballerinas that like I was like and there's like really creepy scenes like I had nightmares for about three or four days after I read this so tense like I felt like my blood pressure was up yeah near the end especially I just couldn't sleep and I think like one like a home invasion is like that's my biggest fear. But also like there are a few scenes where like

characters will believe that there's like somebody outside watching them or they think they see somebody outside watching them. And like that is also like a very, very terrifying thing to me to be at alone at night at home and like look out my window and see like a face. No. Yeah. No. that's like one of my recurring nightmares like since i was a kid is that someone is standing in the room

and like i'll even be kind of awake and sleep talking and convinced that there's someone just like staring at me while i'm sleeping yeah yeah one of my biggest fears would be to be like sleeping and to like roll over and just see somebody standing over me like sleep paralysis too Tyler was gone for like six days, like almost a full week, a few weeks ago. And I got so used to him not being home that the first night he was home when I turned over and like saw his face, I like freaked out. I was so used to it being Harley and I was like, who is this man? Gosh. Yeah, no, that would fucking scare the shit out of me.

I'm glad I sleep alone. You know the, um, movie where they were okay this one this one I can't remember but I think it live Tyler's in it where they have like the mask it almost looks like a bag of the strangers yeah like that when they're standing in the yard or like the movie um us I think it's called oh my gosh that was terrifying I was like okay yep that's it those people just standing watching like other family just standing out in the backyard creepy I I watched a movie. I don't remember what it was called,

but like, somebody was, like, sleeping in bed and they were, like, too hot, so they, like, threw their comforter off the end of their bed, and somebody, like, stood up, like, the comforter landed on them, and, like, that's how they realized somebody was, like, in their room. And I was, like, absolutely not. Oh,

that's terrible. No. No. What was it? Meg Gardner into the black nowhere. It's the one that's, like, loosely based on Ted Bundy. but it like literally starts off with like a woman like walking around her house at night like because she hears her baby crying and like seeing like a man just like standing there and I was like no

like it's like one thing to like hear something and then being like oh my god there's somebody in the house but it's like another thing to like have zero suspicion and then just like see somebody like yes in the shadows okay you know what's interesting you just talked about Ted Bundy then I just learned from Kate's clip which I don't know why I didn't think about it while I was reading it that returned to midnight is based on that and then gear bright young women your book of last year was also based on that yeah yeah i was like damn yeah some connections here for the gear favorites yeah yeah yeah bleak bitchy bill fucking bitchy actually it's probably gonna be bitchy and bleak now i'm not level up the bitchy i am in my i'm in my i'm in my villain era and it is going to get

It's very interesting. I just realized three of my favorites have horror in them. And I'm like, I'm a horror girl? Like I am just specific with my horror. I think psychological horror probably is kind of what I enjoy most. But like three of my picks have horror. I don't, I feel like my theme is always just like sadder serial killers. And I just need to like lean into that.

Yes. But now I'm nervous that I'm not smart enough to read. We used to live here. I know. I'm glad we have that recorded. That's kind of funny. The fact that both of you said before I talked about it, the books that are like too over your head,

I was like, oh no. And then you said fatal intrusion was too much. And I was like, oh, no. Well, I felt like fatal intrusion. I'm like maybe I would just wanted something that I could like binge. Yeah. But I'm just like dying that I'm like, I don't feel like I'm smart enough to read.

We used to live here. And you're like, I know. Like you're like, I think you might be a little. I know back to him after. You might be a little too dumb to read it too. And I was like, Oh wait.

So I'm not the only one that feels that way. No, I told her. I was like, I don't know if I'm smart enough to read this book. And she's like, I know. I think of what to say that I said. I know. Like, not like, no, you're smart, but it just might not be your vibe or like, no, just like, Kate was like, yeah. Actually, not that you mentioned it, Garrett, you might be a little too dumb for this one.

You guys heard of The Honeys by Ryan LaSala? No. It might be white, but it's a really cool cover, but it's about like a summer camp and it's people love it. And I was like, I don't know what's happening. all this shit's happening and I have I don't get it and people are like I love it and I'm like but what happened I will go and look at like other reviews cover is beautiful though yeah that's how I felt what was the one called like the jackal oh the end of it so weird I actually want to reread it because I really I like loved it but I didn't understand the ending I was like everybody was like loving it and I like read like 100 pages

and I was like, I cannot get into this. And I'm, like, feeling really weird about my taste in books. Oh, yeah. I was like, this is what happened. Like, I remember being so into it. And then the last, like, 10% I'm like, I don't know. I don't know what happened. Well, so the reason I ended up saying, I know,

was, like, coincidentally, both of you guys talked about not liking books that are, like, too over your head and abstract. So you guys had both said it and I was like, oh, that's why I was like, I'll tell you off air if you want to know. And you're like, I want to go in blind. And I'm like, okay. Maybe I'll just like give this one. I'll take my own advice that I gave stuff and just like read like 50 pages and like try to process and take notes. And then you can ask me any questions. Yeah.

Yeah. I had to do that with some books, but I didn't really realize what was happening because at first I was like, am I not like. am I not liking it, but that's like all I could absorb it once. Yeah. I don't know. That makes sense. All right. I think I'm ready.

Thanks for the break. It's okay. All you miss is Kate calling me dumb. I just kidding. I can't even think he had a good response. It would have been better is if you just find out. Right. Yeah.

Y'all are too dumb. I don't know what to say, so I'm just going to pretend like I lost power. This one's going to work for you, Gere. Well, now I need you guys read it just so we can confer. Yeah. And I'll text Gere and be like, do you know what's happening? You guys are going to be texting each other. Like, what the fuck?

Did Kate? I love. How is Kate so smart? Oh, my God. Okay. Well, let's see. One that I feel... Like something really smart.

I was actually looking. I was like, I think most of mine probably figure out. Well, no one will be surprised about this one. I think I've talked about it like three times in here. One of my favorites, I actually listened to this one was Margot's Got Money Troubles. This one, I... I didn't really know what to expect going in, and it was really, really good on audio. If you like Elle Fanning, she reads it, and I think she's going to be in the show.

Also, once I read the synopsis, or are we reading the synopsis? Yeah. Okay. The dad is going to be Nick Offerman, and I'm obsessed. Wait, what? I sounded so weird what did you say I don't know if I can't do it

I can do it you were like are we reading the synopsis and I'm like yeah and Kate's like yeah very much like yeah you can do it I was like are Tom and Jerry here

she sounded very much like a voiceover for a cartoon I had no idea I'm sorry I interrupted so I didn't even hear it. Oh my gosh. Okay, go on. Um, so, oh, I was just saying that the dad is going to be Nick Offerman, who I'm obsessed with, so I can't wait for this to be like a real show. Um, so as the child of a Hooters waitress and an ex-pro wrestler, Margot Millett's always known she'd have to make it on her own. So she enrolls at a local junior college, even though she can't imagine how she'll ever make a living.

She's still figuring things out and never planned to have an affair with her English professor. And while their affair is brief, it isn't brief enough to keep her from getting pregnant. Despite everyone's advice, she decides to keep the baby, mostly out of naivete, and a yearning for something bigger. Now at 20, Margot is alone with an infant, unemployed, and on the verge of eviction. She needs a cash infusion fast. When her estranged father, Jinks, shows up at her doorstep and asks to move in with her, she agrees in exchange for help with child care. Then Margo begins to form a plan. She'll start an only fans as an experiment. She soon finds herself adapting some of jinx advice from the world of wrestling,

like how to craft a compelling character and make your audience fall in love with you. Before she knows it, she's turned into a runaway success. Could this be the answer to all of Margot's problems, or does internet fame come with too high of a price? Oh my God, you guys. What are you doing? We've not been able to keep it together. I am so glad

You being like Oh my God you guys I was like trying to avoid Kate like the plague I was like intently staring at every other direction and I'm just so glad that for everybody that watches this episode on YouTube but you were not reading a book about

like a school shooting or like something like really rough because Kate and I like dying laughing in the background I'm just like what voice came out of me. I wish I would have heard it. Maybe she'll be back sometime.

This is what happens when I don't sleep. I'm just glad it was a quirky book. Yeah, it was just me too. I'm glad it wasn't something too happy that we're like dying. Yeah, like 19 minutes by Jody Pico. Sorry. Right. Oh my gosh.

What a, what a TikTok. social media. Oh my God, right? She just keeps bumping them out now too. All of a sudden, when all her stuff started getting like brought up, she was like, okay, here we go.

Fine. Yep. Yeah. Yeah. Want to know what? There's one book by her I really want to read. Mm-hmm. And they can't think of what, I know, I've been wanting to read more of her.

I've only read Mad Honey of hers. There's one. I don't, I'm trying to think of what it's called. But I know it's like, basically the first chapter is like a woman. I think her son accuses like a priest of molesting him. And like the beginning is the woman going into the church and like shooting the priest. Oh shit.

And like I really, really, really want to read it. I do. You know what? She really does. I feel like she's known for like sadder stories. Yeah. Yeah. She like picks a hot, like I don't want to say hot topic.

I mean, kind of minimizes it. Something timely. Yeah. But like she picks something that's like relevant and she goes for it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I love her. She's pretty awesome.

I'm like, get louder. Just be as loud as possible. I love that like her hair's like wet and like 60% of them. She's like, I don't give a fuck. I have to send you guys the video that Lucinda Berry did too where she was like. Yeah. She did a really good one where she was like, let's talk about why, like, my books are political.

Mm-hmm. And she just, like, went off and, like, a very, like, I don't want to say condescending, but, like, a very, like, a very, like, fact of the matter. Like, this is why you're wrong, and I'm not having an argument about it. I was like, ugh. Yeah. She also... They're both awesome on TikTok.

Well, my, like, rose of the week is that, like, I tagged Lucinda. Barry in a story last night because I'm reading one of her books. And I was like, she was like, I hope you're ready. And I was like, I feel like you get me. And she was like soulmates with two little black hearts. And I was like Lucinda Berry calling me a soulmate is like. That's so cute. Like I can die tonight and I'll die happy.

It's like the thing you didn't know you needed. Yeah. Yeah. Also don't die tonight. Yeah. So. That would be my perfect. I feel that sometimes.

I was like, what does he mean? Well, my next one, I have no segue. Except that I'm apparently a fan of horror because a lot of them have horror. But an Academy for Liars is one that I just could not put down when I was reading it. So much got a hand gesture. So Lennon Carter's life is falling apart. Then she gets a mysterious phone call inviting her to take the entrance exam for Drayton College, a school of magic hidden in a secret pocket of Savannah.

Linden has been chosen because like everyone else at the school, she has the innate gift of persuasion, the ability to wield her will like a weapon, using it to control others and in rare cases matter itself. After passing the test, Lennon begins to learn how to master her devastating and unsettling power. But despite persuasion's heavy toll on her body and mind, she is wholly captivated by her studies, by Drayton's lush moss-draped campus, and by her brilliant classmates.

But even more captivating is her charismatic advisor, Dante, who both intimidates and enthralls her. As Lennon continues in her studies, her control grows, and she starts to uncover more about the secret world. she hasn't entered into, including the disquieting history of Drayton College and the way her mentor's tragic and violent past intertwines with it. She's increasingly disturbed by what she learns, for it seems the ultimate test is to embrace absolute power without succumbing to corruption, and it's a test that she's terrified she's going to fail. This was like dark academia, horror, thriller, psychological, dark magic. It is vibey.

Your new ninth house. It seems like Wednesday plus where the sleeping girls lie or something, which is the person that wrote eight trades. I see where you're saying. Yeah. I don't know. Or like something. I don't know.

There's a lot of cool comps it seems like for that. Yeah. Or potentially. I don't know. Yeah. Yeah, 9th house is the closest I've read. It was similar. this one kind of has

like more magic but like it's not yeah like there's a little more focus on like magic versus like it's kind of like demons and stuff in those I don't know there's a difference but that's definitely my closest comp and then I've said to some people

like it is a little bit like Harry Potter but like R rated um like the gist of going to a school yeah let's go yeah that cover's good too quit it's this bitch right I know I was so scared

my eyes are so blurry I know that I like kind of need to change my contacts but like laughing so hard that I was like hysterically crying oh you can feel you know I just can't see I just can't see No big deal. Blind, bleak, bitchy billing. Yes.

Well, I think my brand for this episode is dark academia, toxic relationships, and murdered college students. So it's getting pretty started. One of my other favorites is the Lake of Lost Girls by Catherine Green. Oh, yeah. I'm so pumped because I was looking forward to this one for so long and could not get a copy of it. that like I was nervous that because I was looking forward to it for months it wasn't going to like deliver as much for me but it did and it was darker than I expected and it was really sad and it is really sad um so um it's 1998 and female students are going missing at southern state

university in north carolina but freshman jessica fadley once a bright and responsible student is going through her own struggles. Just as her life seems to be careening dangerously out of control, she suddenly disappears. 24 years later, Jessica's sister Lindsay is desperately searching for answers and uses the momentum of a new chart-topping true crime podcast, 10 seconds to vanish, that focuses on the cold cases to guide her own investigation. Soon interest reaches fever pitch when the bodies of long-missing women begin turning up at a local lake, which leave Lindsay down a disturbing road of discovery.

In the present one sister seeks to untangle a complicated web of lies. In the past, the other descends even deeper into a darkness that will lead to her ultimate fate. It is so good. Fucking good. I couldn't put it down. So weird. I know. I couldn't either.

That was kind of how I chose a decent amount of mine. I was like the ones that I couldn't put down. I was like kind of what I thought of for this. Yeah. Or mine, I guess my like other things. theme is like ones that like delivered even like I had high expectations for but like they exceeded it to me yeah yeah yeah like something that I was like I think I'm gonna love this and then I'm like no I really really really love this yeah yeah um speaking of our part of our

conversation before about like relevance um one that I picked was Lula Dean's little library of band books. And so this is by Kirsten Miller who wrote the change. It is very different than the change. But you can, I just love it because like I can tell that she writes books when she's pissed about something. And like I am just like so into that. Yes. And also this one is incredible on audio, but I think it would be good no matter what. Lula Dean is on a mission. The resident busy body of Troy, Georgia is hellbent on removing. pornography and propaganda from the town's libraries. Even her lifelong nemesis, schoolborn president, school board president, and former cheerleading captain, Beverly Underwood can't seem to stop her.

To prove she has nothing against good, wholesome literature, Lula builds her own little lending library in her front yard for her neighbors to enjoy, filled with classics like The Southern Bell's Guide to Etiquette, 101 cakes to Bake for your family, and the Art of the Deal, Lula Lula's library is an instant success, or so she thinks. What Lula doesn't know is that a local troublemaker has secretly restocked the little library with banned books cleverly disguised in the jackets of Lula's wholesome reads. Literary classics, gay romance, black history, Judy Blume novels, books of witchy spells, all just waiting to be discovered.

As the townsfolk borrow books from Lula's band book library, they find their lives transformed in hilarious, profound, and unforeseen ways. But when the truth about the library comes out, the showdown that's been brewing between Beverly and Lula will royal the whole town and change it forever. There's a lot of characters, but it's just like people throughout the town and how they were having an issue

and somehow discovering a book that wasn't really the book they were picking, like, helped them in some way. that is such a cool premise it's really good and it's relevant i didn't even know she had a new book out either yeah i think that some people thought it was a little preachy but i was like i honestly think that she showed that like there's like a compassion piece of it and like an empathy aspect of it it yeah it's so i don't know i loved it yeah fucking loved the change. Yes.

Oh, yeah. I love the change. I love, love that book. That was so good. Yeah, I think it has, um, similar, I guess, like I said before, like Kirsten's mad and she wants to talk about it. Yeah. And I'm here for it.

And I'm ready to read her next one. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And you get like fully immersed. Yes. Mm-hmm. like in the town and the characters and everything.

And I think on a personal level, there are things within that book that were felt like on purpose stereotyped. But then also like being a small town in the South, it's like it's not all like that. Right. You know, there's like all kinds of people in that small town. And so I think sometimes I know I'm a little judgy.

So I'm like, it was helpful. Yeah. well mine is dark as fuck okay let's go oh this was another one though that I could not put down once I started it and it's the last party by A.R. Tori just could not put this down but it is so dark um yeah Perla Waltz lives with her husband Grant and their precious daughter, Sophie, in a gated Pasadena community, affluent, sociable, and accomplished. Perla plays the role of loving wife and mother to perfection. It seems an ideal life, if not for a decades-old crime,

that has become Perla's dark and consuming secret obsession. 23 years ago, Leewood Folkrum confessed to murdering two young girls during a birthday party. Though he's been condemned to a life sentence, his crime is not forgotten. Not by Perla nor by an inquisitive doctoral student interviewing Folkrum for dissertation. He's getting the killer to open up about his motives, his confession, and the truth of what really happened on that horrible night. As the past and the present intertwine, the deceptions behind the infamous murder begin to surface, but who's deceiving who now and why? And as an ingeniously twisted plan is set in motion, who will be the next to die? Can't really say much more.

It's so good, but there are so many spoilers. Yeah. I love that one, too. I'm very much looking forward to reading more by her. Yeah. I want to read more of hers too. Me too. They're so fast.

They're so good. They're always, like, so much more darker than, like, what you think they're going to be, too. Yeah. That's the one. I don't even know if I ordered it. Maybe I should. A Fatal Affair? Is that the one that came out last summer?

I think so, the Hollywood one, is... I didn't read that one yet, and I really really really want to. I think that's like one of the only ones I don't have. Yeah, I only read the Deanna Madden and then the Good Lie. I think those are the only other ones I've read by her. It's the Good Lie, the one about the serial killer that, like, teenage boys. That was pretty light. That was light.

That was light. Not too bad. well speaking of darkest buck to no one's surprise whatsoever one of my favorites of the year was rabbit hole by Kate Brody dark a. I forgot that was this year AF I know I read it in January

yeah it was January I like hysterically cried and actually like through the book and was just like that was hard. But 10 years ago, Fyodor, Teddy,

Engstrom's older sister, Angie, went missing. Her case remains unsolved. Now Teddy's father, Mark has killed himself. Unbeknownst to Mark's family, he'd been active in a Reddit community fixated on Angie, and Teddy can't help but fall down the same rabbit hole. Teddy's investigation

quickly gets her in hot water with her gun nut boyfriend. I don't know what a gun nut means, but I think they're really into shorthand as he really likes guns and he's... Yeah. Yeah.

So she gets in hot water with him, her long-lost half-brother and her colleagues at the prestigious high school where she teaches English. Further complicating matters is Teddy's growing obsession with Mickey, a charming amateur sleuth who is eerily keen on helping her solve the case.

A biting critique on the internet's voyeurism, rabbit hole is an outrageous and heart-trending character study of a mind-twint. by grief and a page turning mystery as addictive as a late night Reddit binge. And fuck yeah. That was, it was like bleak. It was like, it was just so sad.

Yeah, yeah. It was really sad. The only thing that I think I've read sadder than that is the last winter of Danny Lansing. Oh, boy. Yeah. And I mean that. You scared me of that book.

yeah but like rabbit hole i don't know it just like stuck with me and there were like oh yeah there was like something toward the end that kind of um wasn't like necessarily explained but kind of like alluded to and like hinted at and i had like messaged kate brodie and i was like i love the way that you fucking wrote that and she was like a lot of people didn't pick up on the things that like you picked up on with this book so now I'm going to keep that in mind for when we used to live here. You picked up some things before that not a lot of other people did.

Take that confidence. Don't take my level. Maybe you're not that dumb. You're like, I noticed things. I'm like, I do notice some things. It's been so long since I read that. I just, like, looked at my review quick. I know.

I was like, I remember. just like not being able to put it down but yeah that it was so bleak. Kate, did you finish it? You did? It killed me, but yeah. I remember there was like one that I was like, I remember there was like one book that I like read and I was like this is so bleak but it's so good. And I remember you like texting me and you were like, I can't do this.

I think I had to pick it up a different week. Oh, okay. did have to stop it at one point. I didn't know if it was, yeah, yeah. Well, I don't blame you. Yeah, I was like, this isn't the week for this. And I was right. The last winter of Danny Lansing is very, like, character-driven and kind of, like,

bleak, but it doesn't get, like, super, super, super depressing and sad until, like, the very end. So, yeah. Or one, yeah. I am writing the struggle bus of, like, actually picking these five books because there's been some really good ones this year. I know. I have a huge list. I do too. Um, like 15. Yeah, I initially didn't really have that many thrillers, but then like listening to you guys, I was like, what was one that I like couldn't put down? And I might overlap with you on some of them, but I remember just cruising through, listen for the lie. Yes. By Amy Tintara.

And I remember, I don't know if we read this at the same time, Kate, but it was like, did. The most perfectly snarky main character and her grandmother are just the best. Yeah. And then I'll read the, oh, a nice short synopsis. Lucy and Savvy were the golden girls of their small Texas town. Pretty smart and enviable. Lucy married a dream guy with a big ring and an even bigger new home. Savvy was the social butterfly loved by all. And if you believe the rumors, especially popular with the men in town. But after Lucy has found wandering the streets covered by her best friend, Savvy's blood, everyone thinks she is a murderer. It's been years since that horrible night, a night Lucy can't remember anything about. And she has since moved to L.A. and started a new life.

But now the phenomenally huge hit True Crime Podcast, listen for The Lie, and its two good-looking host, Ben Owens, have decided to investigate Savvy's murder for the show's second season. Lucy is forced to return to the place she vowed never to set foot in again to solve her friend's murder even if she is the one who did it the truth is out there if we just listen touching on what we talked

about earlier with like the memory trope she she just so people know has like an injury and that's why she cannot remember yeah this is so fast-paced short chapters I love a good friendship story. Yes. So I was just into it. Yeah. I'd love that one. I really like that one too.

I'm really excited because you guys have brought up some that were like on my list that I wanted to include. And so I'm like, cool, someone else included it. I can talk about another one. Yeah. I know. I have like a random like I don't know if I'm going to do like for the end of the year like when I post like on Instagram. I'm like, is it going to be 10 or is it going to be like nine? I don't know. Like, what's it going to be? But like, I try to like stick with like five tonight. But like now I'm like, you guys are like bringing up other ones that I'm like.

I know. No, that really did stick with me. Right. Well, that's why we're all picking some, I guess. Mm-hmm. But yeah, I feel like I'm going to end up doing like 24 of 2024 because I think I did 23 last year. Yeah. So I probably did.

Last year I did quarterly like my four and a half stuff. Yeah. And then I did like one big list of because I don't, I'll be honest, I don't rate that many books five stars. So then at the end I just put like my five star reads. Yeah. But it was still a lot. Like it was a lot of posts. I don't know. There's a lot of good books. I was definitely a lot pickier this year with what I gave like five stars to and what like stayed four. Yeah. I need some kind of like emotional response to get it for me. Yeah. I gave way more five stars this year and I'm like, that's just how I'm feeling, you know? I love it. Like, give it. If you loved it, give it. Yeah. I feel like you, though, were pickier with what you picked up, though.

Yeah, definitely. Like, you were definitely like, this needs to be special to be, like, on Mama's Kindle and, like, it worked for you. It did work for me. Totally. Or, like, you DNFed it if you weren't into it. Yeah. I do do that. for sure.

Well, another one of my five stars is Mad Woman by Chelsea. Hell yeah. I'm glad you talked about it so I can move it over. All right. This is so fun. Yeah. So I've talked about it plenty, but this one's also a timely, technically. The world is not made for mothers, yet mothers made the world.

Clove has gone to extremes to keep her past a secret, thanks to her lies. she's landed the life of her dreams, complete with a safe husband and two adoring children who will never know the terror that was the routine of her own childhood. If her buried anxiety threatens to breach the surface, clove, if that is really her name, focuses on finding the right supplement, the right gratitude meditation. But when she receives a letter from a women's prison in California, her past comes screeching into her present, entangling her in a dangerous game with memory and the people she thought she had outrun. As we race between her precarious present day life in Portland, Oregon and her

childhood in a Waikiki high rise with her mother and father, Clove is forced to finally unravel the defining day of her life. How did she survive that day and what will it take to end the cycle of violence? Will the truth undo her or could it ultimately state for her? So good. There's just like so much going on. The writing. Like, it just sucked me in. Me too. Yeah. And it is more literary, but then, like, also, you actually get some surprises at the end still, which is kind of cool. That feel thrillery. Nobody warned me about those, ladies. I think that, like, who is it? Ashley Audrains said it was, like, emotional suspense. And I was like, I thought like that was good because there was, like, some unknowns, but I wouldn't call it like a thriller.

I mean, or like, you're right. Maybe, but yeah, it's hard to label it really. It is. But yeah. That was so good. Oh, it's so good.

And she's so cool. Her writing is so powerful. Yeah. Yeah. Because I was finishing Godshot her book before. Like just the way she, the way she observes things is gorgeous. and you're like, wow, you're right.

I actually took a really cool picture of the book for my review because it's like one of the books that I'm like, I can't cast this. Because if I like don't pick like the ultimate perfect person for like each character, like I'm going to fuck this up. Sure. You know? Yeah.

Oh, so good. Yeah, the cover is so cool too. I love it. Oh, yeah. Yeah. She's very cool. Your episode with her was so good, too. Like, just listening to her, you're like, oh, my God.

Yeah, I love talking with her. She's really, like, her writing kind of reminds me of Jessica Null a little bit, too. Yeah. So I really like that. That was a fun surprise for me to pick that up, you know? I know. Yeah. Yay.

But speaking of ladies that we love. Mm-mm. one of my favorites this year that I loved a lot was only if you're lucky by Stacey Willingham. It's definitely not as much of a thriller as her other two books, but I really loved the toxic friendship vibes in it

and like the setting was like super atmospheric and it kind of reminded me of like Corolla lovering and Jessica Nol more than like it did her other two books but I just absolutely love this one um excuse me lucy sharp is larger than life magnetic addictive bold and dangerous especially for margot who meets Lucy at the end of their freshman year at a liberal arts college in south carolina margot is the shy one the careful one always the sidekick and never the center of attention When Lucy singles her out at the end of the year, Margo, at the end of the year, a year Margo spent studying and playing it safe and asked her to room together,

something in Margo can't say no, something daring or starved or maybe even envious. So Margo finds herself living in an off-campus house with three other girls. Lucy, the ringleader, Sloan the sarcastic one, and Nicole, the nice one. The three of them opposites, but also deeply intertwined. it's a year that Margo finds finally coming out of the shell she's been in since the end of high school when her best friend Eliza died three weeks after graduation Margo and Lucy have become the closest of friends but by the middle of their sophomore year one of the fraternity brothers from the house next door has been brutally murdered and Lucy Sharp is missing without a trace when you when you talked about that book as a comp for or when we did the Tommy Lies episode I just thought that was such a good it made me like I liked the book but like that made me think about it just in a totally different way of it's like of it being about

this friendship you know more than like mystery aspect really when you have like a group of very different women in a situation like that like where they're living together in college it will always spark something in me that I'm like I'm just going to go into this blindly and I don't care and like throughout that book I was like I kept forgetting that like one of the fraternity brothers was going to be murdered and that like Lucy was going to go missing

because I had the same reaction to it that I had when I read Tell Me Lies and I think the thing that's like I don't say like similar in the sense of like these are like just the same but like it's kind of like there's a little bit of like some twists and reveals in the end of the book

Tell Me Lies that I wasn't expecting and like that's kind of how I felt when I read this one like I was like oh my god like what's going to erupt because there's so much going on between all of the characters and then I was like oh yeah that's right like a frat boy is going to get murdered and like oh right like there's some mystery regarding her like best friend from high school's death and I was like this is chef's kiss chef's kiss yeah I actually like go back and forth with it I liked like if this one is my favorite of hers or if a flicker in the dark is my favorite. Oh, yeah.

And it's very, like, hard for me to, like, it changes day by day because I think about them both very often. I love that. Also, is Margo the book name of the year? We've talked to be books with Margo. Yeah. I noticed the same thing. Mm-hmm.

Interesting. Margo is hot in the thriller. Well, just in the fiction world. Yeah. Yeah. I wonder how many other Margotes there were in, like, books that, like, we didn't pick. I know. I know.

I've noticed that every once in a while I'll have the same name, like, two books in a row or something. That's interesting. Well, speaking, that helped me pick one of my next ones, actually, Garrett. Speaking of college friendships, I know I've talked about this one a few times, but don't forget the girl by Rebecca McCanna was definitely one of my favorites this year. and I actually recently did a Zoom with the author and like I am dying for her next book. I don't know what I even about, but I want it. Okay, so 12 years ago, 18-year-old University of Iowa freshman Abby Hartman disappeared. Now, John Allen Blue, the serial killer suspected of murder, is about to be executed.

Abby's best friends, Bree and Chelsea, watch as Abby's memory is unearthed and overshadowed by Blue and his flashier crime. times. The friends estranged in the wake of Abby's disappearance and suffering from years of unvoiced resentments must unite when a high-profile podcast dedicates its next season to blues murders. Tense and introspective, don't forget the girl is an astonishing debut thriller that minds the complexities of friendship and the secrets between us that we may take to the grave. I think the drama of the friends and the two timelines kind of gives like tell me lies also in certain ways. even though there's more of a like, I guess a death component, but I guess there isn't Tell Me Lies too.

But I don't know. Like if you're into that type of stuff, this might be for you as well. I think like, Tell Me Lies, bright young women and notes on an execution, like, toss them in a blender. And like, that's what you're going to end up with because it was like, like, her writing is so dense and so like magnetic. Yeah. Just like the conflict of the friends and then there's like a like a potential romance and like I thought that the balance of like plot and character driven was really nice. The way she wrote how like messed up the three friends lives were like in present day was like so sad to read. It wasn't like, oh, I keep thinking about my dead friend. it was like this is how like this one thing that happened has like fucked up every aspect of my life

as an adult and like I'm never going to be fully happy. Yes. And like the serial killer portion of well we're pretty sure that this is one of his victims, but she's never really claimed as one of the main ones. But it's just I don't know. It's got this like nuance to it. that's just so fascinating. I, that's like a trope that I like love in thrillers or like any sort of fiction is like the

I'm looking back at this crime and I don't know if this guy is responsible for this murder. Like that always just like sells it to me because I feel like I'm not disappointed when he is but I'm also not disappointed when he's not. You know, like I'm always like okay well like this is the way she wrote the reveal at the end of that book as to like what really happened to the friend was. so fucking sad. I know. I want to reread it. I do too.

I'm going to be sad. But why I am is bitchy. And sad. I want to be bitchy and sad. All right. Last round. Whoa. Yeah.

On to the next one. Here's my other horror. No Road Home by John Fram. It's just always going to stick out to me. I didn't realize this was horror. So something he even likes to say is like he doesn't like right it like set out to write horror And it's like 15% horror mostly thriller kind of is like the vibe for this one For years single father Toby Tucker has done his best to keep his sensitive young son Luca

safe from the bigotry of the world but when Toby marries alicea wright The granddaughter of a famed televangelist known for his grandiose old Testament preaching. He can't imagine the world of religion, wealth, and hate that he and Luca are about to enter. A trip to the Wright family's compound in Sunscorched, Texas soon turns hellish, when Toby realizes that Alyssa and the rest of her brood might have some very strange plans for Toby and his son. The situation only grows worse when a freak storm cuts off the roads and the family patriarch is found murdered, stabbed through the heart on the roof of the family's mansion. Suspicion immediately turns to Toby, but when his son starts describing a spectral figure in a black suit lurking around the house with unfinished business in mind, Toby realizes this family has more than murder to be afraid of.

And as the rights close in on Luca, no one is prepared for the links Toby will go in the fight to clear his name and protect his son. So this is kind of another one where like there's a lot of information you're taking in at the beginning. And then it's like such a cool payoff at the end is like one thing I noticed about this one. Because it's like you really are like unraveling a couple, a couple threads the whole time, basically. And then they're just like, you know, kind of ghosts. I like that. Yeah. Do you ever see like those videos on TikTok where like people are like, oh my God, look, my ceiling's leaking and it's like drop.

drop, drop, drop. And then, like, all of a sudden, the ceiling collapses and, like, water just emerges in that room. That's what reading that book felt like to me. Yes. Like, you were, like, sinister, sinister, sinister. We're building. We're building.

And then, like, very curious. And then, like, when the end of the book comes, it's, like, all hell breaks loose. Like, literally. The end of Magnolia when the frogs are falling from the sky and, like, everybody's just falling apart emotionally. Yeah. Yeah.

another a good comp a good comp for that a density of souls by christopher rice oh i've got to read it sets up the scene so well and it's very like harrowing but like the end of that book reminded me of john fram's be not like anything similar other than the fact of like one thing happens and then like all hell breaks loose and like you do not know like what the hell's going on but it's just like bam bam bam bam bam bam bam bam, like after another. And it's like, so emotional. I've got to read that one.

Oh my God. I will read it with you. Okay. I will read it with you. Like, I don't care. You need to put it up for the book club, maybe, since it's a backless book club. It is fucking rough. And he is like one of those people that like,

well, like, you'll be like reading a scene and you think it's going to like end normally. And then like he kind of like wallops you with something in like the last sentence and then it like changes to something else. Ooh. Yep. Damn. Yeah. He and John Fram should write a book together.

Sounds like it. Because John Fram is kind of like the Burning Girl and density of souls combined. If that makes sense. Oh, okay. Which one is the Burning Girl? It's the, I remember. It's the Christopher Rice one where the girl. they inject her with something and she has like like she's like really powerful and she like helps

like the government hunt down serial killers. Oh, okay. I remember you talking about. Bone music. Is that one of the books? Bone music was the one that I read. Yeah. Yeah. I read that series and loved it. Yeah. Yeah. That's I think it's called the Burning Girl series. I don't think so. The Burning Girls is by CJ Tudor. Oh, I think that's separate because that's who I was thinking of too. I think it's It's a, because I remember thinking of the Burning Girls by CJ Tudor. Oh, yeah, he does call it the Burning Girl series. Oh, you're right. I'm glad I didn't.

Damn, so many Burning Girl things. I know. I could not have been, like, oh, I'm Christopher Rice's Stan and then be like, I know. I'm glad I. Yeah, I thought you were referencing a book or a standalone. Yeah, I loved that series. A density of souls is really good, but it's not like.

super super, super sad. It's just like, oh, that was sad. Well, actually, I don't know. I'm thinking about it now. I mean, it's probably pretty sad. It's pretty sad, yeah. Relatively. Yeah.

Yeah. And if it's like a decent amount of sad for gear for anyone else, it's probably like, it's probably sad. I actually think that that was the book that made me a fan of weak. stories. Oh, yeah. Because there's one thing that happened in it, and I remember reading it at like 14 years old, and I was like, that was so sad and powerful, but I like absolutely loved it. Nice.

And then now look at me. 20-something years later, and much has changed from that night. But speaking of sad and depressing. Yes. Go on. How we name the stars by Andres and Puerto Rico. my god i all right i'll just read this also like daniel dela luna arrives as a scholarship student at an elite east coast university he bears the weight of his family's hopes and dreams and the burden of sharing his late

uncle's name daniel flounders at first but then sam his roommate changes everything as their relationship evolves from brotherly banter to something more intimate Daniel soon finds himself in love with a man who helps him see himself in a new light. Just as their relationship takes flight, Daniel's pulled away, first by Sam's hesitation and then by a brutal turn of events that changes Daniel's life forever. As he grapples with profound loss, Daniel finds himself in his family's ancestral home in Mexico for the summer. Finding joy in this setting, even as he struggles to come to terms with what's happened, and faces a host of new, how does this person he is connected with, this place his family, comes from. Okay, that doesn't have sense.

Every now and then synopsies are messed up on good reads. Oh, yeah, yeah. He's finding joy in the setting even as he struggles to come to terms with what's happened and faces a host of new, period. How does this person he is connected with his family comes from, how is his own story connected to his late uncles, and how might he reconcile the many parts of himself as he learns to move? forward.

Damn. So just to put this in perspective, tear-wise, like tears, not like tears. I was dealing, I was having a moment a couple weeks ago. I remember you texting me. Oh, sorry. Go ahead. Oh, yeah. Not this time.

No, no. So I was having a moment a couple weeks ago where I was like feeling sorry for myself. And I was like, how do I get myself out of this rut in this situation? and then I was like, well, it could be worse. And I thought of this book and like immediately started crying. And I was like, well, you know, sometimes you just have to go through things to be who you were meant to be. And yeah, I remember texting you too. Yeah, I remember because I like got out of a movie and I was like, oh no, yeah, got destroyed by a book.

Oh. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. I remember, I want to say it was like very, very close to when I read Rabbit Hole. I think it was. Yeah. Like, same year. I think it was like, I think they were like maybe back to back.

I don't know if I would have done that to myself. Hooh. They were similar, like close together. Um, but I remember like my mom was with me and she was like playing on her iPad and I like finished it and I just like. leaned forward and like put my head in my hands and just started like sobbing uncontrollably and she was like what happened like she thought like somebody like texted me like so-and-so died or like this like you lost your job or like you have 30 minutes to live and I was just like sobbing and I like it was like embarrassing to

the point that I could not stop sobbing to like tell her it's just the book so I was just like pointing at the book just like hysterically crying yeah yeah Oh, God, I just want to work to wreck me like that. And it was like one... It was like, I wanted to read it. Like, it wasn't a thriller. It's not a thriller. But like, I wanted to read it because I was complaining so much about there not

being like a lot of like queer stories. And so when it was like pitch to me, I was like, I'm going to read this. And like, I'm going to not be a brat and be like, oh, it's not a thriller. I'm not reading it. So, like, I read it because I was, like, practice what you preach. If somebody gives you a queer story, read it. And then, like, I ended up reading it. And, like, it was one of my favorite books that I've ever read.

And there was, like, a plot reveal. Like, I was sad reading it, but there was a plot reveal halfway through that made it even more heartbreaking for me. I love when you don't anticipate reading something or it's, like, not on your radar. and then all of a sudden you just love it. Like, for example, I had no idea what Mad Woman was until Kate was like sending me a few of her like highlights, right? And then I'm like, maybe I want to request that. And then it's like on my list too, you know? So it's cool when those books kind of you stumble upon them.

Yeah. Yeah. It was definitely like, well, this isn't a thriller, but like I'm going to, I'm just going to like start it and like dip my toes in it and see if I like like it. And I ended up, like, reading it in one day. And it was like... That's what the line women of Tehran was like for me. Yeah. Or I was like, I definitely connect with parts of this story.

And it's not a thriller. And then I ended up really enjoying it. Yeah, it was... Yeah. That sounds good. That's how I felt... I almost talked about today, like, the wedding people, which was a really big hit.

And I don't think I would have gotten it, except for, like, I wanted a different book of the month book. that was like an add-on. And so I had to pick one of the top five. Oh, yeah. And so, and then I was like, well, I guess I'll just read it. And I'm like, oh, I loved it. That's cool.

Yeah. So I'm like, oh, there was one this time. I skipped it this month. And I'm like, there's one that maybe could have been good. Maybe I'll get it later. Speaking of being emotional, I did cry in this book. And it's also I saw blurbed by Karen Slaughter. So I thought of you here.

It is the Golden Cage by, Camille and Herc. I don't feel like I could go through today without a female revenge story. Yeah. Right. So Faye has loved Jack since they were students at business school. Jack, the perpetual golden boy, grew up wealthy, unlike Faye, who has worked hard to bury a dark past. When Jack needs help launching a new company, Faye leaves school to support him, waitressing by day and working as a strategist by night.

With their investments soaring, Faye and Jack have a baby, and Faye finds herself at home caring for their daughter, wealthier than she ever imagined, but more and more removed from the excitement of the business world. And none of the perks of the wealth make up for the fact that Jack has begun to treat her coldly, undermining her intelligence and forgetting all she sacrificed for his success. When Faye discovers that he's having an affair, the polished facade of their life cracks wide open. Faye is alone, emotionally shattered and financially devastated, but hell hath no fury like a woman with a violent past based on bent on vengeance. Oh, yes, okay. Jack is about to get exactly what he deserves and so much more. In this splashy, electrifying story of sex betrayal and secrets, a woman's revenge is a brutal but beautiful thing. I think that's one of my favorite sentences of all time.

I know. Wow. That was such a good book. Oh, man. And then, like, they didn't... I bought it when you loved it so much, but I haven't read it yet. Then one of the things I'm surprised actually wasn't in the synopsis was, like, Faye's best friend. Like, there's a really good friend story, but...

I don't know if it's really, like, mysterious necessarily or, like, thrillery, but it was... But just, like, the... She is so smart. And she is responsible for so much of his success. and he's just kind of like doesn't give her credit for it. And then you just like watch her long plan. And it's so perfect. Yeah.

And I love it a lot. It definitely reminds me some like madwoman vibes too. Yeah. Like the way that it's like plotted out and told. Mm-hmm. That was such a good one. Yeah. I just, I think in its relevant.

Two, I mean, I'm always, like, that's always my favorite kind of story, but especially as of late, I'm just like, yeah, girl. Yes. Get it. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. I know you guys are very good at, like, building a TVR that would make Amazing Amy proud. Yes. Oh, speaking of, someone just wrote a review for, I think, an upcoming book that's going to,

to be pretty popular. And I think the review was just like gone, girl, but in this setting. And I'm like, why would, are you saying vibes or are you saying like plot? Because like that kind of stuff, like another hill I will die on is like do not give comps that would spoil something. So I'm like, what do you mean? Like vibes. Yeah.

Kind of like, because that I'm, I get. But if you're going to say like almost like someone faking their disappearance. Yes. And so I'm just like, or are you is like unreliable narrator, which we talked about earlier. I'm like, that can be a spoiler sometimes. So I just was like annoyed by that review. Yeah. There's a thriller that I want to read that like has like the Hollywood trope and setting in it.

And like somebody was like, this is the perfect book for like thriller fans. But it includes the Me Too movement. And I was like, that wasn't part of the synopsis. Oh. You know what I mean? Like just because it's an actress in Hollywood and like now I'm going to be like, now I kind of know like what one of the reveals or like the whole plot twist could have been. Mm-hmm.

Yeah. Man. Shitty reviewers. Yeah. Watch what you write on Goodreads. Be smart. Put those spoilers tag if you just have to talk about spoilers. Yeah.

I know. I think that is also one of my favorite of your hills. I will like do not comp something that's a spoiler. Right. I have that happening recently because I wanted to be like, ooh, it's really like this movie. And then I was like, nope, that gives it away. That happened to me with,

there was a comp in the blurb of the book of that really popular Stephen Kavanaugh one this year. Oh, kill for you. Oh, the kill for me. And I will not say it, but it's in the blurb. And I was like, so you know, like, you know there's a twist that's similar. And I just was like, I don't know if I probably would have loved that book more had I not anticipated that. I know, because it comps two books.

Yeah. And it's like, stop it. I know.