Our Book Recs, Kindle vs Physical Book Debate + Our Least Faves!

In this week's episode Katie + Lauryn talk about booktok, personal reading goals + recap their 2022 books they loved, hated and 2023 book goals!

Transcript

0:14

Hello, Kari, baby. Hi, friends. We are almost to the end of the year. I know. It's so crazy. How do you feel? Um, I feel pretty good. Honestly. I don't feel particularly like over the moon excited or super sad or anything. I'm just like, I feel like you know what? You're like ready for it though. Yeah. Mm-hmm. I feel so excited. Yeah. I mean, I, I am excited. I'm just not like, oh my gosh. Yeah. I can't wait for the new year. I'm like, I will be crying. I think it's gonna be Jan one in 2023 at night. Probably. Probably. You'll see me sub. It's been a good year for you in a transformational way, I think. Oh, yeah. I think so too. Mm-hmm. I was, you know, let me just start off with a little life update. I decided well, okay. Today I was like, you know what? There is so much to be grateful for. Mm-hmm. like, I was like, I'm spending time with more fam like family and friends, more than I ever have. I would probably never s like, I don't know, there's so many restaurants I've tried now that are like, they are becoming some of my favorite, like the one we go to a lot. So yeah, there's a ton of restaurants that I love now. Yeah. And you're making me giggle. Um, what else was I gonna say? Just, there's been a lot recently where I'm like, wow, there are so many things that I probably would not be doing. Like, I felt like I could never fully get. 100% with my health. Mm-hmm. because I feel like it's so hard when you have a partner. Yeah. And maybe your partner's not a hundred percent on their health. You know what I mean? And so now you talking about my relationship we're like the worst for each other in that way because we're both just like, well, he's like, I mean, I'm happy. You're happy. Like, why change? What do you mean why change? Yeah. I think that's be Well, that's beautiful though. Yeah. I, it's hard though when like, that's my career. Right? That's true. And I kind of have to have this, like, I don't have to, but that's a really big part of my life. Mm-hmm. and like my identity, you know? Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. So that's something I feel like I can really get with, get right with. That's true. This year's true. So, yeah. That's what I have to say. Do you have any life updates? No. I like, I think I like Spicy Mars a lot. Oh, they are? That's. I wanna get drunk off them. So Katie like, has she You're typically a beer girl. I've notoriously hated margaritas my entire life, but she, she was on this spicy marg, um, kick, kick in. Lo and behold, they're delicious. And that the one that you tried wasn't even like a true spicy wine and I thought I was good. Yeah. I need to take you to one of a restaurant that I found the best spicy mark. Really? We've gotta go. Yes. Ugh. Yeah, absolutely. We need to go on a tour to find, to find the, to best spicy Mar in the city. Yeah, I would love to. Yeah. Um, okay, so a couple weeks ago I did a fun little poll on our Instagram. Yeah. You guys, like, you guys really popped off this interesting idea of what you think. I'm like you can continue with the polls, but we'll, we'll talk through them. But it says, which one of us do you think is most likely to be late? Lauren is 46%. Katie is 54. I have to agree with that. Yeah. I have good intentions every time. Yeah. And I'm notoriously late. Yeah. I feel like, um, if I'm late, it's just, I don't know. I try to be on time. I know. I feel like, honestly, it just differs. I been late before, but, Yeah. I'm not a late person. Yeah. It says, which one of us is most likely to save a cat or dog and keep them, and 15% said Lauren, and 85% said, definitely. You literally, before this podcast even, uh, started, I was like, look at this dog, Lauren. Yeah. She was like, literally about to go get this dog that was left downtown. Yep. Yeah. Now this one is the interesting one. Friend, you'll, you'll have some opinions about this. Okay. Which one of us was most likely to get into a fistfight? 77%. You? 23%. Me, honestly. Thank you guys for say 23% saying me. Yeah. Because those are probably the one Well, for thinking those are probably the people that are correct. I think I would am more like likely to get, here's the thing, I'm more likely to pop off and say some shit. Yeah. And somebody get mad at me. Yeah. Especially a man. I think like a dude. Mm-hmm. I'm more likely. Fight them. Mm-hmm. I also box and she literally boxes like she actually spar. So I actually might, well I want to Spar, had a spar or whatever. Yeah. Mm-hmm. So I want to actually get into a fight with me. I don't know anything. My nails are too long, honey, I don't be fighting. No. What? Well, I think people just, I think that's your persona. Yeah. It is. But that's, but it's not, that's not me. Because like even in our pictures, you're the one not smiling. I'm the one smiling. Mm-hmm. you know? Yeah. Um, this one said, oh, hold on. This one said purchase something from an Instagram or TikTok ad and 43% said you and 57% said me. But that should be switched. Yeah. It should be switched. Should I feel like the numbers are pretty like accurate, except that my numbers should be, you should be the 57. Am I? Yes. Because I think I can get Yeah. Swindled into buying something, but. That's my dna. That a hundred percent you ask my mama cuz we're the same I get that from her. Um, this one said, forget to text back 67% you 33% me. And I'd say that's probably correct. As I'm getting older, that's getting worse. And I actually, you text me back though, pretty much every time I believe I'm a good, I am a good like texter by comparison to some of the other people in my life. I will not name names, but Yeah. Like the older I'm getting, the more I'm like, wow, I genuinely forgot. Now I get it. But I mean, the people I talk most often to mm-hmm. especially, I'm going to remember, um, I text back everybody in about two seconds. Yeah. I will. So say though I've gotten worse too with some people. I'm like, okay. I just forget. And then it's been like a week and I'm like, I, I can't respond now. Yeah. You know, it's like, mm. So I will say that I, I'm bad if it's somebody I text. pretty constantly like you. I'm not gonna forget. Yeah. It's someone I don't text a lot. Yeah. I'm like, oops, sorry. Exactly. It's been a week. Especially if you text me during work. Yeah. Like, I'm notorious for doing to you because that's when my brain is like, yeah. Going and then I'll be like, okay, wait, I have a second. Let me like read what, what is she saying? Okay. It's cool. Yeah. This one said read more books in 2023. 38% said you and 62% said me. Which I think is backwards. Yeah. I think you'll read more than me. Absolutely. I think you are a faster reader than me. Mm-hmm. Yeah. To be honest. And I think that you can, you're someone who can sit down and finish a book in like a day or two. Mm-hmm. I can't do that. Yeah. Cause you more, you're more um, I read'em like chunks. Hyper in that sense where like you're, you like to move around a lot more than me. Yes. And if I have the time, I'm going to fly through a book. I mean, I finished, I wanna be more like that this year though. How many? This before I finished this year. But we'll get into that. Yeah. We will get that. Cause we haven't, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Um. I think that was it. Yeah. That was all of our questions, which, I mean, that kind of leads into what we wanna talk about today, which is Yeah, book, book talk. Not really book talk, just not wanna talk itself, but books, we wanna talk about books. Books, because that's something that's really big for both of us. Just Yeah. In our lives. And so we thought in such different ways. Like, I don't think, we don't, we don't, we don't read the same kind. We don't read the same kind and we don't utilize reading in the same way. It's a different tool for both of us, I feel like. What? Like you think yours is more fun and mine is more like learning or minus more of an escape sort of thing. Like it's very, just when I'm in my head, I like to get into another book, which is why I don't read the sort of books that you like to read. Well, do you know what though? What the last book I read Al um, the last book I read was kind of an escape for me. Mm-hmm. And I was like, wait, this is so fun. Yeah. Like, I've gotta get back into reading fun books. Mm-hmm. because, and that's how it has always been like my entire life. All the books that I like ever since I started reading. Mm-hmm. That's literally why I do it. Like when I start reading, it's like that first couple of pages will be words in my head, and then like after that, if I have a fully formed picture in my brain, I'm like, ugh. Okay. That is a quick question. Are you somebody who forms pictures in your brains? I don't. I don't at all. I don't have a picture in my brain. I do. So like sometimes I do if I'm like, oh, like, okay, say a movie, a book gets turned into a movie. Mm-hmm. I'll be like, oh, I, I feel like I pictured that person looking differently. But I, and like sometimes if it's super, um, like say for instance where the Crawdads sing mm-hmm. I feel like I got a very good picture in my head at that point. Descriptive, yes. If it's a very descriptive book, if it's more like romance or something that's not as descriptive mm-hmm. I don't really have pictures in my head. Mm-hmm. like it's not a movie playing for me, like in some people's heads. Mm-hmm. is that it for you? Yeah. It's a movie, which I think is part of why I'm able to speed through things. Cuz if I'm like, oh, I think I like this. Mm-hmm. and if the author does a great job at being descriptive. Yeah. And it not being just lengthy and dragging, whatever, but it's really painting this picture. Mm. I am absolutely visualizing that and I'm like, wow. Like, okay. So how many books did you read in 2022? Um, I believe I read right under 50 or, see, you've read more than Me this year. My goal was 50 did not happen, so I lowered it. Goal was a hundred and I was pissed that I didn't even touch it. Well, you'll get to your goal next year and I'll get to mine. Yeah. I moved my goal to 38. Mm-hmm. I'm at 37 right now. Oh. Out of 38. So I've got like five books I'm trying to read right now. Yeah. I cannot bring myself to adjust my goal. I was like, no, I'm gonna, eventually, I, I know I get there, but I was gonna lower it to 75 and then I was like, okay, let's be real. There's no way. And I'm not into, um, what are they called? Novellas novel. The smaller, like the smaller books. Oh yeah. Um, I don't really care for them. Mm-hmm. So, and that's really how a lot of people get to their goals. Oh, that makes sense actually. Yeah. Cause when they realize when they're behind, cuz you know, good Reads will tell you when you're behind. Yeah. Um, and that stresses me out, stresses me out. And then people will read these books that are barely a hundred pages or write out a hundred pages. You can knock that out and like, gosh, less than a day. Also, if anyone wants to be friends with us on Good Reads, let us know. Yeah. I'll post about it on Instagram. Yeah. cuz we'd love to be friends. I love good reads. That'd be cool. Have some more people on there. I know. I think that'd be really fun. Yeah. One of my goals for next year is to actually write reviews for books. I think that would be really fun. Like, you've been so good about that. Yeah. I used to, I used to read your reviews and be like, wow. Yeah. Like, you're so like descriptive and good. Yeah. Yeah. I, I do, like to do reviews, if I don't do a review. then. That's a bad side. Yeah. I probably wasn't really feeling it, but I kind of fell off of that just because like with switching jobs and stuff mm-hmm. and like not being in a place, a good place mentally. Yeah. Um, I guess I would say like kind of around the middle of the year, like I fell off of that. But I'm definitely a review writer. I love that. I love to rate and I love to read reviews. Think about my experience. Cause I get really sad after a good book. Oh, I do too. It puts me in a rut for days. Yes. So bad. So would you say your goal for 2023 is a hundred books? Are you That's, I've been thinking, I've been thinking about this because I really, really wanna reach. Mm-hmm. my goal. I think you could easily hit 75. I think I could too. I literally had, because think about how much you didn't read my goal that I actually got to. I had that in March, I think. Well, and think about, yeah, think about how much you did not read. I know like over the summer and stuff. Like I legit like had one book I was trying to read and I'm like, if I finished this, that's a goal. it's gonna be between 75 and 100, I think. I don't think I can do lower than 75. Like I want to read. Yeah, like crazy. So I know. Me too. I think that my goal will be 50. Oh yeah, it was 25 the first year I got into reading, which was I guess 2020. Mm-hmm. And then last year it was 50, or maybe I started really reading in 2019. I don't remember, but yeah. Um, I think it was 2020, but it's 50 this year and I know I'm gonna hit it. Yeah, you'll probably hit it. I was, I was, I was on track until September, man. And then it just fell off. Yes. I mean, I didn't read for literally on my Good Reads, I didn't finish a book from September until last week. Gosh. Yeah. I didn't finish a single book. And I've been reading, like I have so many books that I've started. Yeah. But when you read Self-Help mm-hmm. and like personal development. Mm-hmm. just takes you so much longer because you really have to like, you should really have to break it down into like, bites, size chunks, or you're not gonna get anything from it. Yeah. Like if you fly through it, you're not really, I feel like taking it away. And also it's so much just like mental work. Yeah. And looking within yourself and reflecting and things like that. The introspective, yeah. This is a good little, like, not segue, but to talk about what we do like to read. So the difference is that I like romance. I like, uh, fiction, I like fantasy. Mm-hmm. Um, I don't, I don't mind a good historical fiction sometimes. Okay. I'm into it. If it's fake, I'm reading it. That's what I, she loves the drama, honey. And I'll, I'll maybe read like one. thriller, mystery, something. Okay. Yeah. We do have different opinions. Yeah. Because I love thrillers. I'm about to get into a couple thrillers, I think. Mm-hmm. to start off my year. And there's a couple out there that seems so good. So I didn't really like thrillers until this year. Oh, really? And then I got into'em and I feel like you, you just fly through'em. Yeah. Like, they're so good. True page turner's. Yes. And so I probably read, out of my 38, I probably read eight to 10 thrillers. Oh, so quite a few. Yeah. Um, so there's a few that I'm really, really itching to read back in the day. I used to be into that. Really? Yeah. Whenever I was, uh, in high school. Mm-hmm. But here's the thing, between you and me, like I don't read, I don't read fantasy. Like besides Harry Potter. You don't read fantasy at all? Not one. You could not, you literally name one fantasy book. Haven't read it. Haven't read it. I've only read Harry Potter books that are fantasy. I'm not a big Did you read like, uh, I, I read like Twilight, the Hunger Games, stuff like that. Yeah. And like Hunger Games. But is that fantasy? I think so. Is that more thriller atop dystopian, like, yeah, I do like dystopian. That stuff is good. But when it, yeah, when I think of fantasy, I think of like berries and like monsters and werewolves and um, like the, it's a lot of world guitar series. Lot of building. Building. Yeah. A lot of world building. And that's what I heard. I heard the first book of that series is like all world building. I don't wanna read it. Well that's what, that's a lot of people's issue with fantasy is, especially cuz now I know. Yeah. You don't see pictures. No. Which I'm like, that's so bad. I don't know. I hate that. For you, it's weird because like half of me thinks I do and then the other, because like, I don't know, half of me thinks I do see pictures and the other half I'm like, uh, you could not tell me. Like, so if you think of a word, like you will see that word. No. Do you? If I want to. No. My brain, if I'm thinking green apple, I can see the word green apple, but I can also see the picture green apple and I will literally just see a green apple. I think for me, I don't wanna think when I read, besides personal development, so But how are you taking it in and like enjoying something that's not a self like development or like, I don't know, whatever, but what? Yeah, I don't know. Maybe I do and I just don't think I do. You know what I mean? Well then reading's doing its job. I guess if you're like just, I don't know. That's so crazy to me cuz that's the biggest part about it to me. I'm like, I love this and I'm seeing it like it's happening. Like if you see like a forest and like a girl frolicking around, are you picturing that in your head? Yeah, I'm literally picturing like right now, like. Like, I can see that in my head right now. The ground that is like, it's got like some leaves, some twigs, dirt. Okay. And this girl just, I mean, you said forest girl, just like running through the forest. Yeah. And a girl like literally just running barefoot. I can see that in my head now, but when I'm reading tall trees, I also do feel like, I feel like I could finish a book in a day if I allowed myself. Mm-hmm. and I feel like because I read kind of fast. Mm-hmm. maybe not, I don't know. Average maybe. I feel like I don't take the time to picture things. Well, how many pages do you think you could read in a day? Do you know? Mm. I mean, it depends on how much time I allow myself. Yeah. I can read on a, and this is very different depending on what's going on in my day. Yeah. Like on a regular day where I have to go to work and stuff, I can probably finish 20, not 25, 50 pages, 50 probably just between like. Because I try to wake up in the morning and read. You read every day? Some. Yeah. At least a little bit. Yeah. I try to as well. It's something mm-hmm. like sometimes when I go while without reading, I like, don't feel right. No, same. Um, so that's why I think you're gonna hit your 75 goal at least. Yeah. Because especially cuz I'm just really like ready for it and I kind of have some books like that. I'm like, okay, we're finish, I'm finishing this. Yeah. I have books. Can't wait. I think that January 1st or like around there will kind of pop off for me because mm-hmm. because I'll have, I'll finish like five different books at a time. Like I've, I have so many that are like a quarter at least finished, but closer to 50%. And I love series for the, for this reason. See I'm not a series girl. I've never once series, uh, besides Hunger Games and Twilight, I've never read a and Harry Potter. I don't read series. A lot of people don't like them. A lot of people love a standalone. I don't want to be me. I don't, cause I'm like, I wanna face, I want more. Yeah. Universe that this person has created. I know. Cuz then you have to find a new book. Yeah. And find a new book is hard. Yeah. Okay. So speaking of that, okay, what was your favorite book of 2022? So after we had our little talk about Magnolia Parks. Mm-hmm. that is 100% your favorite up there. I really, I really do think so, because I have two. So if you have two, you can have, you haven't red Magnolia Parks yet. I think that you'll enjoy it. Maybe. I don't know. Ooh, you don't think I'll love it? I don't know. It's kind of hard. Is it fantasy? No. No, it's romance, but it's like almost reminded me of a gossip girl in a sense. That is what Kenzie Elizabeth just said. It's definitely giving a gossip girl. 100%. Did you dare say that? No, because she literally just said it's a mix of gossip Girl. And um, one other show, like, uh, 9 0 2 10 or something, uh, it was like two completely different shows like. Mesh into one. I don't remember what other show she said, but, well, just between the Gossip Girl element and like just the drama. I haven't read. See, I love Gossip Girl Romance. Oh, the drama is so good. Like they're just these, these high society like people I'll need to read it. Yeah. Teenagers and like the authors descriptions of everything. Right. Like even the fashion. Mm-hmm. in it. I was like, oh, this is up my alley. The author like will give a description of like, oh, she was wearing. a Chanel season, whatever, dress super descriptive, and you can literally look it up and see what she's talking about. Oh, that's pretty cool. And I'm like, this is so dope. Like, I love that part of it. And I just, and I love fashion and like, stuff like that. So that element of it was really cool. And again, like I love the drama element of it. And so I finished the first book. I'm on the second book right now. Um, so definitely excited about that, but I think you actually will really like it. Okay. I do. And that's your favorite? I would say that's my favorite. And also, um, let me think. I don't have my phone in front of me right now, but if I, I'll keep thinking about the other one cause I know there's more. Okay. Mine are actually two thrillers. Two thrillers. I know. The golden couple was really good. Mm-hmm. honestly, big shock at the end. Mm-hmm. Or Little Secrets. Actually, I have three favorite books. He, he, one is a romance. I really liked book lovers. Really? You read book Lovers, didn't you? You really, you liked book lovers that much? Really? I don't know. I thought it was, it was pretty cute. I mean like, if you thought it was that good, like I think it's though, I think also, let me be honest for you. This year I didn't read anything like mind shattering. Do you know what I mean? Like, this year for me was good in terms of books. I think I got out there a lot with like thrillers and that kind of stuff. Yeah. Um, but I don't know if it was like a mind shattering book year for me. Um mm-hmm. I have a lot of books that I'm like, that is really a really good book. Mm-hmm. like, um, like for me, I really, really enjoyed, well, that's the thing. I think in 20. I read a lot of really good books. Like I read The Nightingale by Kristen Hannah. Mm-hmm. and I read a ton of Kristen Hannah books. Mm-hmm. And that to me like, have you heard of Kristen Hannah? Have you read her books? I know what The Nightingale is. Okay. I don't think I've heard of any other books from that. You would love The Nightingale? Cause you talked about historical fiction. Ooh. So for me, like the grade alone made me cry. Mm-hmm. honestly, cry Buckets. The Nightingale made me cry. Like So you went through like, I went through like amazing books. Yeah. In 2020. And then I feel like 20, um, 21 was just kind of like, okay, these books are go, or 2022. Sorry, I, I read amazing books in 2021 and 2022. I was like, okay, these books are good. But like nothing I read was. earth shattering. Do you know what I mean? Wait. So I'll say that's making me, that made me think. That's why I'm glad you Uhhuh talked about your books cuz at the very beginning of the year, that Mafia Romance series I told you about. Yeah. The Brutal Birthright series. Oh my gosh, it's so good. It had so much drama. And I like reading those kind of books because I like suspense as well as romance. Like if you can give me like all the let's about the drama, literally if you can give me suspense romance. Mm-hmm. like all that. I'm going to eat it up. Yeah. Big time. Yeah. And I read that at the beginning of the year, like literally between January. It could have been a little bit later than that. Cause I wonder, did she have another book come out this year? Because there's like two different series technically like tied into one. Um, but yeah, that series. But do you feel like this year was like earth shattering to you in books? Or have you had a year that was like better than others? Oh yeah. As far as like Earth shattering the cabin, that one book that. is all my good reads or whatever. Mm-hmm. gosh, that book tore me up. Yeah. I cried like a baby. I wish I could from that book I could see, um, what my 2021. Oh wait, I think I can mm-hmm. Um, because yeah, I just read a lot of books in 2021 that were, I feel like way better. Like, that was my Colleen Hoover phase. Mm-hmm. So I read a lot of like Ugly Love Verity, the Seven Hus husbands of Evelyn Hugo, my, that year. Oh gosh. That was, was that the year for me? You'll have to look at mine too while you're 2021 was, that was the year, um, that I read that I read a lot of Sally Thorn and Emily Henry. But yeah, that's the year I read like Firefly Lane by Kristen Hannah, the Nightingale. Um, the grade alone, like, I just kind of went on a, like, that's the year I read where the Crawdads sing. So it was a lot of like those kinds of books for me where I was like, wait, I would say these are so good. So I can't remember when I read the song of Achilles. but I think that was 2021 because gosh, that book, I bought it because of you, but I haven't read it yet. God, I love that book so much. It's still, it's on my bookshelf right back there. I haven't read it yet. So good. I love that book. A lot of people, it's fantasy. Yeah. They like it. Um, yeah. But it's like, um, it's got, uh, what Greek mythology incorporated into it. Yes. Just getting through like, like we were talking about with, the descriptions. Yeah. And like the world building that comes with a fantasy book. I totally understand. It's part of why I don't read it all the time. It takes a lot of brain power. Yeah. And so in the very beginning of the Song of Achilles, there was a lot of like people's names. I was like, I don't know how to pronounce this. And I'm like, I need to know how to pronounce this. So I'm sitting here like reading a couple sentences and then I'm on my phone. Yeah. You'll get to like a dark hole of research. Yeah. And so then I'm like, okay, now I can continue. And then after a certain amount of pages, I was pretty much set and I just flew through it. It was a beautiful book. I thought the writing was so amazing. Amazing. I need to read it. Um, I love the story. It was heartbreaking, really? But it was so good. I loved it. Yeah. So what was your least favorite book then of 2022? 100%. Things we never got over really, by least score. Are we gonna fight over this? Probably. Wait. Really? Mm-hmm. Okay. I won't, I think that got maybe a four out of five from me. Or maybe a three point. If I could give it a 3.5, I think I would definitely not my least favorite Fred A four. So, but how is it your least favorite then? Um, because I didn't realize what I was getting myself into. Oh. I kind of liked it. And she has a second one. I kind of wanna read it. Um, I, I'm not going to, um, why do you hate it? Why is it your least favorite? And I got a four. Hmm. Yeah. I'm a generous. Yeah, I am too. I'm never going to, I give threes though sometimes. I'm never going to give anything less than a three. I just feel like that is so mean. I know, I do too. Because these and good reads to be brutal. I don't know how, oh my gosh. Like on good reads, some of you guys are, but yikes. They put so much effort. Okay. Really quick segue. One of my, um, Instagram friends mm-hmm. is making a fantasy book called The Shattered Lands. Oh. And I think you would like that. I would absolutely read it. It comes out in March. I was gonna tell you about it cuz I think you'd like it. any other least favorite books? I didn't even read it. I didn't, I don't think I even wrote a review on it. Did. But you finished it? Yeah, I finished it. I think it was pretty long. I do remember it kind of dragging it to be honest. I would also say that my favorite. So I, I kind of like got into a little bit of like a hockey romance, like, okay, are we going back to your favorite books? My least. Oh, still Unleash? Yeah. And I didn't like this one book, basically because part of why I didn't like the, um, tis the season for revenge book because I have a issue with the revenge plot. Yeah. And like the person continuing to, I guess, engage with like the, the male past people, like, like lead character or whatever. Oh yeah. And like you're literally plotting like revenge. Yeah. And it's not fair to, and you're involving somebody else for some reason. Yeah. That's like a hard no for me. You know how like some people are like, oh, in romance books, like, what can you, will you not like read? Yeah. Some people are like, cheating or like mm-hmm. whatever. Um, which I feel like I've, I don't think I've read any. like romance where there is cheating involved. So I'm like, I have, I think, or if it is, it's like literally the person that they're cheating on is horrible. Yeah. Yeah. So I'm like, literally don't care. But for me, the revenge plot, unless it's just like, yeah, like something like mafia where it's like these people are all terrible. Um, yeah, I don't like it. And it was this one book I read and it was like, I don't know. I didn't like it. So funny that you said to the season for revenge because that talking about this book. Okay, listen, that book and window shopping, did you ever No. Read window shopping. I don't really like holiday. You don't like holiday? So those are my two least favorite books. And it's funny that they're both holiday themed, but when I think, you know what, I think it is too? What? Both of those books had a ton of smut in it. Oh really? And smut just kind of makes me uncomfortable. It does make you uncomfortable. Like I literally had to skip past pages of tis this season for a binge. I am all over the place. But I will say another one of my favorite books is The Simple Wild. Oh, okay. I need to read that. I think that, I think you'll really like that. Is that the one, the pilot? Yes. Okay. I, that's on my list to read like soon. And that's a series too. Okay. So the whole series is good. I haven't got through the whole thing. I'm on the second book and Okay. It's good so far, but love the first one. Okay. A book you have an unpopular opinion about or just like any kind of unpopular opinion? I would say I'm like a Colleen. I'm not a Colleen Hoover hater. I don't like, this is so funny cuz Mine is about Colleen Hoover too. Oh really? Yes. We did not discuss this before. I'm not a Colleen Hoover hater. Uhhuh So, because she has a lot of fans. Mm-hmm. I know we're a small podcast right now, but who knows? Like Yeah. Um, I personally don't think she's necessarily spectacular. Okay. Whatsoever. Um, I've. Read some of her books. Uhhuh a couple years ago. Yeah. Um, slammed is my favorite book by her. It's a older one. Okay. Um, but like, now that, book talk is a thing and like books really just pop off, pop off sometimes. Yeah. Um, I, she's just a good place to start maybe with romance. Yeah. And I, and like you were saying, which I didn't really realize this, but I read a lot of independent authors or smaller authors, like I don't, some of my books, it's like they are, there's only like 400 reviews. Yeah. Like, like who is this person? Yeah. And so, I don't know. I, I stay away from a lot of her books. Yeah. Um, just because books that, get a lot of attention. I have a hard time starting cause my, expectation is really high. Yeah. you don't want it to be ruined. Yeah. And people that are like, oh, she's smutty. Like whatever. No, she's not. No, she's not compared to two season Candy for revenge. Uh, she's, yeah. Maybe a four outta 10 on the scale. Yeah. So my opinion about her, I actually really like her book cause I'm gonna be honest. Mm-hmm. But everyone is obsessed with Verity. And while I loved Verity mm-hmm. not my favorite from her. My favorite is Ugly Love. Mm-hmm. I will say though that, yeah, I think she is amazing, but I do think she's hyped up a lot. So 100%. I will say that too. That's kind of my unpopular opinion and my favorite book by her is like, everyone's least favorite apparently. Like, nobody likes ugly Love. That's crazy. But for some reason I just. Loved it so much. Wow. I think I read it this time last year actually, like right around the time I got my, my gallbladder surgery. So. Well, it's definitely your favorite. You still, I mean, clearly Slammed is my favorite by her. I literally read that book like I still have it, but I was in high school when I read it. Really? There's a book I read by her this year that I actually almost did not finish a book it. I'm gonna look it up. Really? Oh, I have reminders of him. Oh, that's such a good book. So good. That one is really, really good. I love a single parent That one was really good. I read, maybe it was last year. Oh no, all your perfects. And so my least here book was All Your Perfects by Colleen Hoover. I just did not love it. Psa, it is about infertility and honestly, well, not honestly, obviously like that. If you struggle with that, that is something that's so heartbreaking. Mm-hmm. Um, and my heart goes out to everyone who struggles with that. But for me, the main character was just so whiny. Like, I guess maybe that to me, I felt like the plot didn't come. as if it was gonna only talk about infertility. Mm-hmm. and I feel like that's all the book was, was infertility. Oh. And so it was just, it was hard to relate cuz obviously I've never struggled with that. Yeah. Um, but also it just seemed like she would get pissed at her husband for never getting pregnant. And it was like that, like, you guys should be a team and not fighting against each other. Yeah. So that's kind of why, I don't know, I just did not love it. The ending was just kind of like, okay. Yeah. No, I, so, I mean, that's invalid. I don't like whiny, like No. Mm-hmm. And when the plot is one thing and then the book is something else, that's also strange to me. You know? Exactly. Um. Exactly. Exactly. Let me see here. Okay. Favorite book that you've ever read? So not even just this last year, but that you have ever read. do you have one? I do. Okay. Go ahead and talk about it, because I'm gonna think about that. Mine's The Great Alone by Kristen Hannah. When I tell you, I mean friend, you have to read it. It's about this family and mm-hmm. they move to Alaska. It kind of gives where the crawdads sing vibe. Mm-hmm. I think honestly, Kristen Hannah might be my favorite writer. She is someone who should be talked about, like Colleen Hoover has talked about. Mm-hmm. because she is so, I mean, she talks about so many different topics and she's just an incredible writer. Actually, I would love to get into more of her stuff this year. Mm-hmm. um, Nightingale's really, really good. But for some reason the Great Alone just like tugged my heart. Like it really touched you. It touched me. And like, I mean, that is one book that I sat and thought about for. weeks after reading it, like legitimate weeks. I thought about it. So I will say that that was probably my favorite book of all time just because of the impact it had on me. Mm-hmm. Um, but I don't know. There are some other, probably, you know, I'm reading a book by David Goggins right now. Mm-hmm. called Never Finished. And I really, really like it so far. I'm only about 30% of the way, so obviously it's not like one of my all-time favorites. I haven't finished it yet, but I will say that this, that book is, it's really inspiring so far. Hmm. So it might be one of my favorites for the end of the year. If I finish it before then, I can't say I don't have one that is like my all time favorite, but I mm-hmm. can say when I was younger, the Hunger Games really like, had a big impact on me. Yeah. so at that point in my life, I would say that was my favorite as I've gotten older. So I would say as far as my favorite romance mm-hmm. the Wall of Winnipeg and Me by Mariana's. I've heard that one. I've never read it. You should read it. Is it, isn't it an older book? I think so. She, okay. So the thing about that book is that it's a slow burn and it's crazy to me that I love that book so much. Yeah. Because I'm not a big slow burn gal, to be honest. I love, I think it's just, I think it's just so well written and I think Okay. So that book, um, it's just the character development. Mm-hmm. their relationship. Like I loved it. Um, wait for it by the same author. Very good. I just like really like heartfelt. He was really like descriptive. Um, it's a very heartfelt single like parent sort of thing. It was just really good. The Song of Achilles also literally one of the best books I've ever like read. I love that book so much. Wait, really? Yes. Yes. And that's fantasy. Okay. Um, like I need to read that. I would say, I don't know, did I talk about the cabin already? Yeah. Yeah. The cabin was just really sad. Um, that was really sweet. There's so many books. Like, that's so hard. I know to say like, what is your favorite book of all time? I know. It really is so hard. It's so hard. There's so many more books out there that I haven't even read yet. But yeah, I was about to say, I think Song Achilles you got from TikTok and um, the Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo too. But that one I feel like deserved the hype. That book got maybe a four out of five for me. Oh God. I thought was so good thought it was so, so good. It's very drama and like glitz and glam though. I love it. Yeah. And I loved it because the main character, like she wasn't a good person. No, I love that. And I'm like, this is very different than what I did. Like it, I liked The Twist as well. Gosh. Yeah. It's such, it's just a really good book. It's got a lot going on. It does. And I don't know what I thought it was gonna be, but that was not it. That that truly was not it. No. Um, as far as books that you're really excited for in 2023, and I'm not, I don't have any specific books. like that are coming out in 2023. Uhhuh But I forgot that Kristen Hannah has a new one called the Four Wins. It came out in 2021. Mm-hmm. And so I'd like to read that cause it's about the Great Depression. I heard. It's really sad though. So you almost have to be like ready for sadness when you read a Kristen Hannah book. Yeah. So I just haven't been there yet. Um, but The Mountain Is You is a personal development book I really wanna read. And then another one I'm really excited to read is called, um, let Me Find It When You're Ready. This is How You Heal by Brianna. We, I think is how you say your name. Mm-hmm. She came out with that one book that's 101 essays that will change the way you think. Oh. Um, and that's been like a really big book apparently. So I'd like to read that. And then I really, really, I think my next book that I read is The Perfect Marriage. That's a thriller. And I heard. Really good things. And it's on Kindle Unlimited. I would read that. Oh, it's in, it's on Kindle Unlimited Uhhuh and it has 4.04 stars. Anything that has a four or above on Good Reads I know is a good book. Jesus, that's a good book. Because Good reads is brutal. Good reads is brutal. I did see, like this author that I follow literally said like, she doesn't even get on Good Reads cuz it will get heard down about her content and stuff. Have you heard of the Stillhouse Lake series? Mm-hmm. You might like it, you might not. What is it? It's a thriller. Um, but it is about how, and this is off the plot, so I'm not, I haven't read'em yet, but, um, it says, when a car accident reveals her husband's secret life as a serial killer, she must remake herself. And now with her ex in prison, she's found a, a refuge in a new home on remote Stillhouse Lake. And so she's just like very scared, I guess, that he, you know, is gonna come back. Oh, because a body turns up in the lake and threatening let her start. Whoa. And then there's a second one and she's got over, she has four point 12 and 4.26 for both her books. I'm good to read. So I have heard really good things about'em. Um, this one's pretty much like the second one is like how to save her and her kids from her ex-husband. That's out. But um, I would like to read something like that. I don't have a ton of romance that I'd like to read. Like it's just not your theme. I do wanna read. Well, it used to be though. That's the weird thing. Mm-hmm. I guess I kind of have a mix now. Yeah. Um, I love Beth O'Leary books. Mm-hmm. and, um, Emily Henry. And there's one more, Sally, I forgot her last name, but, um, Sally. No. Oh. Forgot about to say, I was like, I hated normal people. No, I don't wanna read that, honestly. Um, I hated it so much. Have you heard Pack Up the Moon? That's a, that's a book talk. I have heard of it. I wanna read it. I also heard it's terribly sad, so if anyone has any, and I do wanna read the Simple Wild, but if anyone has any good book rugs Yeah, I would like to read it because I am reading Mary X Miss right now. Mm-hmm. and it only has 2000 ratings, but it has 4.02 on Good Reads. It's pretty cute so far. So that's probably what I'll end the year reading, but So that's pretty much what you're like anticipated reads are. Yeah. Sorry that was kind of a lot. No, you have like, I feel like you have more than me as far as like Anticip just because I don't have a lot that are like coming out in 2023. I just have books that have been on my list for so long. I'm like, I have to read this. I don't have, necessarily. any that are coming out? I don't think, um, at least not right now, but I do have anticipated reads. Okay. Okay. So, I'm definitely looking forward to finishing the Magnolia Park series or getting caught up. Yeah. Because Jess Hastings did just come out with the fourth book, Uhhuh. So I am like ready to kind of catch back up on that. cuz right now I'm on Daisy Hates the second book in that series. so I'm really excited about that. And then, uh, legend Born, is a young adult fantasy book. It's actually a series. Uh, the second book I think came out this year. but I'm really excited about that. I started it, but I wasn't in my fantasy mood. Yeah. Um, so I quit reading it and now I'm going to, I think I'm gonna go into the new year, finishing the first book. Okay. And then I'll finish the second one. How do you find all these books? Because you, and I find, I feel like, like you said, you have so many books that you Yeah. Are by independent artists. Um, oh, Sally Thorn, sorry, was the girl I was talking about earlier. Um, so how do you find these people? like I said the other day when we kind of started talking about it mm-hmm. I just over the years would read books and be like, I love this book so much. Like, is this author on social media? Yeah. Found that. And then just from being on social media and like following people that also read mm-hmm. I don't know, just kinda, or if like, um, I read something. I'm definitely one of those people that goes to, like, other people that love this book also read like this. So I kind of look at it suggested, um, Books and stuff like that. Um, really quick, Emily Henry is coming out with another book. Really? 2023. Is she? It's called Happy Place. I like to read her books. I my least favorite one I think is, um, beach Read. I don't really care for it. Yeah. I love thought book Lovers was really cute. I liked, uh, beach. Read Over People. We meet on vacation. That's funny. I'm the other way around. No, I thought people we meet on vacation wasn't very good, to be honest. A lot of people think it's boring. I thought it was boring. I loved it. I thought it was great. No. Oh my gosh. My one of my good reads says, because you enjoyed tis the season. Perfect. I'm giving you, there it goes. Book racks. No. Gosh, I hate you. Oh, I do wanna read it. It starts with us by calling Hoover this upcoming year too. Um, okay. So I, I bought it so I have to read it. I did read it Ends with us. I thought it was great. Um, but I also saw too many videos. I think about it starts with us. Mm. Which is part of my problem. Like when I see this stuff in, they're like, yeah, they're not spoiling it, but they're just gonna talk about their feelings on it. I'm like, oh yeah. But I also kinda lost the hype around the second book because there was so much time between me reading the first one and the second one. I was like, I agree with that. Um, so that kind of tells you how much I actually like, cared for it. I would say another one of my favorite books I just thought about, this is the Love Kill series by what's her name? Because she hasn't released any more books than that series, but I can definitely tell you her name is Brianna Jean, I think. Okay. Small, like independent? I think so. Um, but like, I literally love her and her books. I think they cover like hard topics and stuff and it's romance, love, um, but it's just a really good story. Love and the character, love of development is a very, very good. This is getting me into the reading mood. Oh girl. I can't wait. Yeah, me too. Um, I can't wait for this kind of Christmas break because that is what I want to do. Like a goal of mine is to finish. Mm-hmm. some of these books I have. Yeah. And honestly read more like fun books I think too. Um, because I don't know if we're the same or different on this, but I am more of a Kindle reader. Okay. And then if I love a book, I will buy it. Okay. That was my final question was Kindle or physical books. I will go buy physical books like crazy. Um, me too. And especially books I've already read. But will I actually, I'm not above that. Read them. I don't know. I'm a. So this is the funny story. I will read them. I will. It's just that takes me longer. I get through these, I don't know what it is, but these Kindle book I have full lie. No, it's something about the Kindle. It makes me read faster. So funny story, I had a Kindle last year and I was like, I don't ever use this thing. Mm-hmm. So I gave it to my sister-in-law. Mm-hmm. And she loves it. She reads it every night, every single night she's reading. And then I was like, this past year I was like, you know what? Or maybe it was two years ago, I gave it to her. And this past year I was like, you know what? I think I want a Kindle again. And so I bought myself a Kindle and I feel like I fly through books when I read my Kindle. And I think that's why too, I haven't been reading as much is because a lot of books before I bought my Kindle were physical books. And so, They're just so much harder for me to, cuz I like to read at night too, so you have to turn on a lamp or like, whatever it may be. Oh yeah. See I and I wanna like lay on my side while I read. Yeah. And so it's just so easy and convenient. Mm-hmm. Yeah. I love it. I stand, I love it. And so like Magnolia Parks is a good example. Mm-hmm of like a book I read on my Kindle but that I absolutely am purchasing. Yeah. Like I like that books can have different covers too. I think that's really cute. Exactly. Like, cuz if you look at my Good reads, a lot of the books that are on there, you're like, God, these covers are so cringe. But yeah, they're the actual, like if I were to go actually spy the, if I actually to physically like buy the paperback, it doesn't look like that. No, none. Um, some of them I wouldn't even buy just cuz I don't think it's that good. But like a lot of the ones that, like I talked about that do have like those cringey covers, like a shirtless dude and he's like, God so vomit. So that's not really the real cover. Not a lot of them. A lot of them are just like, oh, oh, they have that then they just, I mean that, I think it's cheaper honestly for a lot of the authors that I That makes sense. Follow. Um, I think it's cheaper and then like, eventually they'll, like the brutal birthright series for example, like all those covers were like, kind of like the cringey covers quote unquote, and then like now they, like you can buy ones that don't look like that maybe. Yeah, maybe it's like a starter cover and, and then they get it. Like, I genuinely do think it's cheaper for those, probably those covers probably. Um, but like those, like I would never buy that as a physical like copy. I just couldn't do it. Cuz if I were, if I were in a store, if we were to go to the bookstore right now, like first off, bad idea, Terrible idea. Cause we've spend way too much money and um, yeah, too many books. I gotta read books, but I'm a sucker, like for a pretty cover. Yeah, me too. Like there's this book I bought, it's called The Alchemist. Haven't you've heard of that? Haven't read it yet, but I literally bought it because it's a beautiful cover and, but I've also heard good things about it though. Cause when I was checking out, um, the lady was just like, you have a great mix of books here. And I was like, that's amazing. Thanks. Appreciate it. Cause I tried to buy something other than romance and Yeah. I think too with physical books, I'm a big highlighter and so I'll sit and like highlight and that's my favorite thing. I know. I love that. I will go back through and do that with books that I love. Yeah. I think personal development, I'd rather read physical because I highlight I think fun books. Like any kind of fiction I'd rather read in my Kindle. Mm-hmm. because I can fly through those I feel like. Yeah. But physical books, I think I'd rather be able to highlight stuff. So do you read more. School books I did. But now that I'm getting back into Kindle, I think I'll read more Kindle in 2023. Yeah, because I think I'm kind of getting back into like my fun book era because there was, I mean like a three month period where I was like, I like literally reading a fun book sounds absolutely miserable right now. Like reading a romance or reading like a thriller sounds literally miserable. You couldn't get through it. But then even though TISA Season for Revenge was not a great book, in my eyes, it was a fast read and I think that I have to give it credit because it got me into the spirit of reading more fun books. That's really interesting that it didn't just totally break your spirit what to like for reading? Cuz like it just wasn't, neither one of us were filling it. I didn't finish it. Yeah, you did. Took'em for the team. I took him for the team. I literally texted Lauren after he finished and I was like, listen, you would've hated it because I drew the line in the same, I was like, I'm not finishing it. Yeah, I'm done. How far did you even get? I thought about 28%. Yeah, right after that first smudge. But I also have a rule for myself, like, oh really? Yeah. If I'm not liking a book, I don't finish it, because that is what will put me in a reading slump so fast. So I do not force myself to finish books at all anymore. And you know, I do, when I implemented that rule, when, when I read Normal People by Sally Rooney, when I tell you, that book pissed me off so bad. What's that book even about? About these two people? And they just have a weird relationship in the writing. I didn't like It isn't, doesn't it not have any quotation marks? Has none. Oh no, I can't read that book. No, it has none. So you even know when they're talking, or No? I mean you do just because there's still the like, and then he said, oh yeah, and then whatever. But their whole relationship was weird. And it was one of those books where like, in my mind I just kind of made up an ending. It just kind of like, like stopped. I turned the page, there was nothing. And I was like, Okay. I'm like pissed. Oh, there was no ending. Not necessarily in the way it ended. So hate books that are No, it's like they talked about like, okay, like I'm gonna do this. And then she was like, okay, like whatever. And it, it follows them from, I think when they were at some point of them in high school until right after they got outta college or like, oh, okay. Ish. Um. I, it, it was not a book for me. And I have another Sally Rooney book. So many people love that book, so I know, and I just, there's an, yeah, she has another book. I don't remember what the title is, but if a book does not have a clear ending, don't give it to me. I've read that in 2021 and I'm still just like edited. Yeah. But after that, because I knew at some point in the book before I got to the end, I was like, I don't, some people have, are you gonna like this 25% rule or like a 50%? They're gonna give it it's time. I will give it it's time. Mm-hmm. I will, but I think I make myself finished. The thing about me though is, which makes me just very indecisive in the worst way. My first thoughts are usually like, correct. Yeah. I start reading and I'm like, I don't like her. I don't like this. That's literally how you were at Test ver you were like, I hate the main character. When we got to that, the, the, um, The smut? Yes. The, the first scene. Um, already it was like after that too, already. I already wasn't filling her anyways. And then I was just like, I'm not invested in her. He, I think is gonna steal the show and I need to be fully invested into both of these people in order to read this smut scene. Well, I don't know. I wouldn't say he stole the show, to be honest. you weren't filling him as much as No, because if anyone hasn't read it and wants to read it, skip over this part. But what pissed me off so much was the anticipation of buildup. And then he literally was just like, oh, it's fine. Like, you lied to me this whole time. You're not gonna make her work for it at all. Okay. Yeah. He literally leaves the building and she goes down and she's like, why didn't you have your coat? And he was like, I was never actually gonna leave. I just took to get some fresh air. So that was the supposed thought. But like I told you the other day when we were talking about it, like it was one of those things where the smut and then like his possessiveness and the smut and stuff just like didn't, to me it felt very out of place. The smut did for the book. Yeah. I was like, I feel like this is supposed to be like a cozy book or something. The No, the possessiveness, like you said, it felt odd. It felt, but like, it's giving ick, it's not like, it's not giving q or sexy. It's giving ick, it's giving red flag. Yeah. I, I, a hundred percent. Because he was like, no, you're mine. Eh, that's given. But it was just like bad advice. So out of place for the book. But yeah, it's fine. I don. Plan on finishing it. Um, I'm proud of you. Anyway, do you have any final. Recommendations or any final book? Thoughts? We just wanted to do this. I don't know. I'd just love to read Yeah, we honestly, we were gonna kind of do like a post holidays episode, but I feel like we kind of wrapped it all up in our last episode. Yeah. And we've been talking about books the past couple of days anyways. Yeah, and it was just kind of, it was a good timing. It was, I feel like I'm finally getting back into it. So we'll probably talk more about books honestly, on here. Cause we. I feel like we'll give updates, like probably kinda like our life updates, updates, especially one that we like really loved. Yeah. And also I feel like we can give updates every like, so often about where we're at in our goals. Mm-hmm. Oh, that's true. That would be fun. Yeah, that would be good. I'm excited for 2023. I think that's gonna be such a good year. Next episode is gonna be all about like our intentions and our goals. Mm-hmm. um, and just what we're excited for. Mm-hmm. So that'll be a really, really fun episode. Yep. It sure will be. But I hope you all have a very merry Christmas, a happy holidays, whatever you celebrate. Yep. Um, and we will talk to you next week. Bye. Cry babies. Bye carers.