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Book Rankings: First and Favorite & Under, Over, and Perfectly Rated | S3Ep10
562 Plays2 years ago
Join us as we take turns revealing our first and favorite books of authors our listeners submitted! We then share books that we think are underrated, overrated, and perfectly rated!
Follow us on instagram @BringYourOwnPod
Follow Brandi @Brandos.Books
Follow Kendra @Kendra.Readz
Follow Kayla @Kaylas.Bookshelf
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Transcript
Introduction & Episode Plan
00:00:08
Speaker
Bring your own and catch all bookish most of the time. Podcast, I'm Brandi. I'm Kendra. I'm Kayla. And today we're going to play a couple of like ranking games. They're not really games, but more so like have kind of like a discussion about where our hearts lie with a lot of books and authors.
Soda Preferences Chat
00:00:29
Speaker
And so before we do that, what are we reading? What are we drinking? I'll go. Okay.
00:00:35
Speaker
I have a delicious Dr. Pepper Zero. You're cheating? That's crazy. Cheating on Coke Zero. Dr. Pepper Zero is good too. I love Dr. Pepper and if you've never had Dr. Pepper Zero, I personally think that it's really close. Brandy, I know you love Dr. Pepper.
00:00:54
Speaker
Dr. Pepper Garo. That's the only soda I drink. Let me try Dr. Goodwin. It's the Ollie Pop version. I haven't because I've tried a couple of Ollie Pops and not been super impressed. Okay. I think they're so good. I'm not a big soda drinker. Y'all be drinking soda like crazy. I'm not. I literally only ever drink soda when I go out to eat. That is the only time I drink soda.
Current Reads & Drinks
00:01:15
Speaker
I feel like y'all talk about soda all the time. I'm not like this. Kayla does. Whoa. Y'all couldn't say it. I don't have a favorite soda to y'all.
00:01:24
Speaker
Yeah. I literally just said the only soda I drink is Dr. Pepper. Yeah. That's what I'm saying. Like you guys are like, I don't know. Yeah. I feel you. I do love, I do love a soda. Like, what can I say? Like my drink of choice. I don't really like alcohol or anything like that much. Like I'll drink alcohol, but I don't really like drink beer or anything. I'll drink a Coke over that. But I have been trying to drink like Ollie pop or poppy.
00:01:52
Speaker
And a lot of people have been telling me like what's good because I tried one and it was disgusting. The orange one? No, the root beer. I tried to root beer and ollie pop. Nasty. But the orange poppy, I tried an orange poppy and that was good. Everybody keeps telling me the flavors that I need to try. Ollie pop is just like better to me. Like as a brand, it's just in like quality like product. Like it's just better. You need to try like banana cream is the best ollie pop flavor to me.
00:02:19
Speaker
It's so weird for a drink. It tastes so good though. And then tropical punch is really good. And then the ginger lemon is good. You just need to try more flavors. I think my issue is that I keep going for the classic soda flavors. People say that their favorites are the ones that aren't actual soda flavors. I've tried the cherry cola one, the cola one, the root beer one, and the cream soda.
00:02:46
Speaker
really see the only one that people have told me like that are as a classic soda flavor that they actually liked from ollie pop and they thought wasn't horrible was cream soda everything else they're like stay away from but anyway so that's what i'm drinking and then what i'm currently reading uh i'm not currently listening to anything at the moment because i just finished
00:03:06
Speaker
book by Annabelle Monahan, her newest book Summer Romance. Thank you Penguin Random House Audio. It was honestly really good. Like I didn't love her last book that she put out. But this newest one, honestly, I would recommend it. It was really sweet. I really liked it. Have you read Nora goes off script? I haven't read that one. But I know you love that book.
00:03:29
Speaker
I really enjoyed it. Yeah, it's probably on pengo name house. So I'll have to check that. But some romance is really good, really cute comes out in June.
First vs Favorite Game Introduction
00:03:38
Speaker
And then physically, I am reading an arc of past present future by Rachel and Solomon, which is the follow up to today, tonight, tomorrow, her YA romance book. So that's currently what I read.
00:03:50
Speaker
Nice. I'm loyal, so I'm drinking a lemon liqueur. And I am listening to Life's Too Short by Abby Jimenez. Because after last week's episode, I reread yours truly. And then I have just been thinking about Life's Too Short. So rereading Life's Too Short. Yeah. So are you going to reread Party of the World then? Maybe.
00:04:17
Speaker
That's crazy. That's a no. Maybe. I don't know. We'll have to see if I'm still in the kick of it. Yeah, I mean, probably that seems on track because I reread just for the summer this month as well. So I might as well reread all of them. Might as well.
First vs Favorite: Authors Discussion Part 1
00:04:33
Speaker
Yeah, I am also physically reading The Deal by Elle Kennedy. Honestly, I love that for you. It's fun. I just feel like I missed out on something by not reading it in 2020. Where are you at? Or have you gotten far? I think I'm probably between 10% and 15% in. He just showed up at the diner to beg her to tutor him. I'm just excited for you to read Dean's book.
00:04:59
Speaker
I was like, that's the reason I started this is because like this past weekend, we were with some bookish buddies. They were all telling me cause they had all read it. They're like, oh, Dean, do the register is so hot. And I was like, that's crazy. Can I just go straight to that one? And they all said, I need to at least read the first one so I can see his growth. I agree.
00:05:18
Speaker
That's just a good man. I love him so much. I miss him. Kayla, I think that's one of the first TikToks you ever commented on my page. It was about something Elle Kennedy, the deal, Elle campus related. Yeah, I know the video. I can picture it though. Did you make that video before people would meet on vacation videos?
00:05:44
Speaker
I don't recall because Oh, maybe not. Because yeah, I I didn't buddy read that until after people. Because yeah, Jamie and I but and I read that entire series on my phone. I did too. I did too. I read that entire series. Oh, that's crazy. I'm drinking water.
00:06:02
Speaker
Yeah, I've, I drink so much this weekend I'm so dehydrated. So I've just been trying to like pump water like back into my bloodstream. I am probably reading the same books I was reading last week on last episode.
00:06:18
Speaker
City of Glass by Cassandra Clare, which is actually getting really good. I listened to a scene today and I was like, damn, like y'all are getting messy. And then I'm physically eyeball reading Will There Won't They? So I'll probably finish like tonight or tomorrow. But I just love that book so, so, so much. Like my heart, like I can feel it in my chest. They're so cute. Yeah.
00:06:45
Speaker
Okay, we are gonna start off our episode by playing some first versus favorite. This was a trend a while ago on the apps where people would ask like, okay, give me an author and I'll tell you the first book I read by them, but then I'll also tell you my favorite book I've read by them. So we asked y'all to share some authors with us and we got a lot.
00:07:12
Speaker
There were definitely some trends. But yeah, so we're kind of just going to run through the list and talk about our first book by these authors and our favorites. Yeah. Okay, so we are going to put all of the names that you guys suggested on a spinny wheel. We'll spin it. We won't know what's coming up. And then we'll talk about our first versus favorite.
00:07:36
Speaker
I feel like the spinny wheel needs to sponsor us. Literally, wheelofnames.com. Hit us up. We're ready. Okay. All right. Here comes our first one. Oh, our first one landed on Lauren Asher. Oh.
00:07:53
Speaker
My first book by Lauren was throttled. I read that. When did I read it? Oh my gosh. How old was your first? Yes. I didn't know that. Probably my first. Summer 2022, maybe spring 2021. 2021. It was definitely 2021. 2021? Yeah. Oh, yeah. Was that your spicy girl summer? Okay. Then yes, it was summer 2021. And then my favorite by her.
00:08:24
Speaker
is redeemed still. Maybe that's basic, but it's the truth. Like, what can I say? What can I say? And maybe that will love unwritten will top it. It's very possible. My first was the fine print. And my favorite is definitely a love redesigned.
00:08:41
Speaker
My first was also the fine print shout out at my underscore reads underscore spice for the recommendation. Was that like three years ago? Two years ago? Yeah, that's crazy. Um, yeah. And then my favorite is love unwritten. She's taken it. I'm excited. We're so excited. I think about them all the time. Our next one is Maisie Eddings.
00:09:08
Speaker
Oh, my first Maisie Eddings book was Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake, and my favorite Maisie Eddings book is Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake, so. Yeah, none of us read, I don't think, none of us read the series in order, right? Yeah, mine was the same, mine was Lizzie. And I think my favorite is, oh, Lizzie is so good though, but I think my
First vs Favorite: Authors Discussion Part 2
00:09:33
Speaker
favorite is the plus one.
00:09:35
Speaker
You're like getting flustered. I know. I'm sorry, Lizzie. I love you. I love you and Rake so much. My first was also Lizzie Blake's best mistake. My favorite though is Tilly and Technicolor, which is her YA book. Deep cut. Exactly.
00:09:52
Speaker
I very closely followed by the plus one. I love both of those books so much, but I just was in such a fugue state reading Tilly. Nice. Okay, next one is Tessa Bailey. I'm trying to remember even how many books I've even read by Tessa. You know what I realized? Not as many as I thought. I thought I had read a ton of her backlist and I really have only read four.
00:10:17
Speaker
I have only read two. Yeah. I've read five now, actually, since I just finished. What have you read?
00:10:24
Speaker
I read It Happened One Summer, Hook, Line, and Sinker, and then the first two books in the Tools of Engagement series. Oh, no, that's so huge. I read that series. And then Fangirl Down. I forgot I read that series. I forget that's her a lot. I'll think about those books, and I can't. The part of the book cover that has the author on it is just blank. That's so true. Yeah, I have read Five by her. That's crazy. Also, her cover style has changed so much. It has. Yeah.
00:10:50
Speaker
My first was it happened one summer and my favorite is it happened one summer. But Hook, Land and Singer was the first arc that I ever got approved for and I thought it was like the coolest thing ever. That's a good one to get approved for for your first time. Oh my god, I think that was my first digital arc that I got to. Oh really? Yeah.
00:11:07
Speaker
And then I made that video about, I was like, Oh, like I want to go, they're going to make me go on Tinder and like start swiping right on men who have fish. And I got three days. I remember that. You guys made me so bad. I was laughing. I was like, damn, okay. It's a joke. My first Tessa Bailey book, Tessa Bailey book, um, same as Caleb. Um, it happened one summer. My favorite is it happened one summer. Cause yeah, I've only read that in hook line and sinker.
00:11:30
Speaker
yeah uh same my first was it happened one summer my favorite is it happened one summer like i'm i've been itching to reread reread that one too because i just finished that was a time that was a good time it was it was like a like it was very fun it was like i feel like the first like really like goofy book that was also like crazy spicy that i read i think so too because like all like the really spicy books i had read previously were like
00:11:53
Speaker
really dramatic romances or like dark romances, you know, so. You guys only told me to read that book. It was Taz. She was like begging me. She's like, I think you'll really like it. No way. Yeah. She was like, I like she's very picky with romances. So she was like, I really enjoyed this. And I read it on vacation in Mexico. Yeah. I was reading fan girl down. I was texting Lomi and she was saying, like, remember in it happened on summer when he said that spoiling her makes his dick hard. That's my lives. I was like, it really did. Okay.
00:12:23
Speaker
Next one is Becca Mac. My first Becca Mac book was Consider Me, which I don't, I don't even know how like I read that book. I think I was just like bored and on KU. I think I'd seen it like on Instagram. Um, and then I just like, Oh, you mean you don't know how you like discovered it or like how you. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I don't know how. Sorry. No. Yeah. No, I read it. I read it on KU. I read it on my Kindle. Um, but like, I don't remember like,
00:12:49
Speaker
The urge is like, why? But my favorite book of hers is Play With Me. I haven't read the third book yet, but I need to because I'm very excited for the fourth one. Yeah, exact same. Same. Yeah. We all read those very close together because Kenner told us to. Yep. Listen, Play With Me, she was on drugs. That book is so good. She was writing. She really was. OK, next one is Ooh, right on the cusp. Allie Hazelwood.
00:13:19
Speaker
This is a fun one. My first book by Allie was The Love Hypothesis. We've talked about this on a previous episode on our trope, fake dating, tier ranking books, how we got this book in a book of the month box, me and Brandy did. And that was my first one by her. And I think my favorite, it changes honestly, like between love theoretically and check and mate, but I'm gonna say love theoretically today.
00:13:44
Speaker
I have read her whole backlist, including her novellas. Oh, yeah. The first one I read was The Love Hypothesis, though. Mine, I also think is love theoretically, like having sat with bride and check and mate for a while. I do think my order would go love theoretically, then check and mate and then bride if I had to put them up against each other. Yeah, but when bride came out, you were like all about it.
00:14:14
Speaker
Amazing. I mean, it is. I love that book. I gave that book 4.5 stars the first time I read it. I reread it and also gave it 4.5 stars. Like I like that book a lot. I just think like having sat with them all for a couple months now, like, I think Love Thioretically is the best one. Yeah. You guys already know mine. So it's like, yeah, Love Thioretically is his first one.
00:14:36
Speaker
I thought the book was just like cute. OK, like, you know, fun read. And then I read Love Theoretically. Oh, my God. That's my favorite book of last year. I reread it, too. Like I just like that was so fun to watch you read that because like I knew you were going to like it. I did not think it was going to be like your top year. I just connected with Elsie so much as a character. And like, I just love everything Ali was talking about in that. All of Ali's conversations around sex, I think, are so good, like even and not in love.
00:15:02
Speaker
which I didn't enjoy the book as much. But the
First Reads & Favorites: In-Depth Discussion
00:15:06
Speaker
conversations that they had about sex, I thought were incredible. So. Kayla, have you read Not In Love Yet? Not yet. All right. Berkeley doesn't like you. I think you'll feel the same way that we did.
00:15:18
Speaker
It's it seems like that's kind of the consensus so far with a lot of people though. So yeah, they liked it, but it's not their favorite. You know, it's it's her spot. It's her smuttee is yet to date. Like it's so easy. Yeah, it's a really hot day. OK, the next one is Hannah Bonham Young. My first was next of kin and my favorite is a lamb. Shocking the crowd gasped.
00:15:47
Speaker
did I can't remember did I read out on a limb first I think that's what I was trying to debate like if I I don't remember what I read first it was either next to you or on a limb I think it was out on a limb if I had read next of kin yes oh wait did I say next to you yeah I meant next of kin sorry okay so yeah next of kin was my favorite I read that I mean not my favorite next of kin was my first I read that in May of 2023 and then I read out on the limb
00:16:12
Speaker
And next to you in July, but my favorite is, um, maybe mine was, maybe mine was the same. Okay. I'm going to say it 90% sure. Next to you was my first Hannah book. Oh my God. I keep missing them. I'm so sorry. Next of kit was my first Hannah bottom young book and out on a limb is my favorite. Okay. Next one is Emily Henry.
00:16:41
Speaker
We got this one a lot. Well, yeah, we did. And if if you've listened to our Emily Henry episode, then you probably already know the answers to this. But my first was people we meet on vacation. And my favorite is book lovers. Love the book so much. Same. So good. My first was also people. My favorite is book lovers.
00:17:02
Speaker
My first is B-Trade. My favorite, forever favorite, I don't think she'll top it, is B-Trade. That's just a good clip. I will use this opportunity to say that I read A Million June's last month for the first time. That book is so fucking good, you guys. If you haven't read- I want her to do more like that's so bad. Yeah, I think she should do some women's fiction, or even YA again. I just want her to write magic again. I think she is really good at magical realism and creating a whole new world.
00:17:32
Speaker
I don't know. I want her to break out of her box a little bit.
00:17:35
Speaker
I just feel like, I think I feel about book lovers, how you feel about Beatry. Like I just like don't know if there will be anything else like that book for me. I told you guys, I think her like, if we're putting it objectively, I know that word, but I think book lovers is objectively her best written book. It's like, I think there's just such a balance to that book that Beatry doesn't have in terms of like comedy and like the more sad stuff, but book lovers does that really, really well.
00:18:04
Speaker
Yeah. Okay. Our next one is Kennedy Ryan. My first Kennedy Ryan book was long shot and I hated it. And then my favorite Kennedy Ryan book, um, is the Kingmakers duet. But I also really liked before I like, I need to read her the one that just came out a few months ago. Which, which book in the Kingmakers duet is your favorite? I don't know. I feel like got to pick one. Probably the first one. I don't know. I think I feel the same.
00:18:35
Speaker
But like, yeah, if I really think about it, it's probably the first one. Yeah. Yeah. My first one was Hookshot. I skipped the first two in that series and I read Hookshot. I really enjoyed it. My favorite of hers is also the Kingmakers do it. The first one, the Kingmaker. Yeah. That book is like so fucking good. That audio book, especially so fucking good. Yes. My first Kennedy Ryan book was before I let go.
00:19:02
Speaker
You didn't read the Grip series before that? No, I read the Grip series after. I read the Grip series in the fall of last year. And I read before I let go at the beginning of last year. I've read the Grip series, Kingmaker's Duet, before I let go. And I feel like I read something else by her, but I can't recall. And my favorite, I really like the last book in the Grip series still.
00:19:30
Speaker
But I think my favorite, oh no, I really love still. Okay, I'm gonna say Kingmaker too though. My book is like just, like it was addicting. It was like a TV show. It's almost like scandal. It's almost like you should watch scandal, Kayla. Okay, next one is Tara DeWitt. My first book by Tara DeWitt was the co-op. And my favorite book,
00:19:59
Speaker
I really like her newest book that's not out yet. It comes out in May so very very soon. I really like Savor It. Do I like it more than funny feelings? I don't know. I will say the audiobook for Savor It may bump it up though because she's got two powerhouses, Vanessa Edwin and Zachary Weber. So when that audiobook comes out
00:20:23
Speaker
using that credit so fast. But I'm gonna say Sabret. I'm gonna do it. Yeah. My first one was funny feelings. And I do think that funny feelings is still my favorite with Sabret being very closely second. I have like never related to a book character as much as I have related to Sage in Sabret. I think she is just like,
00:20:51
Speaker
Yeah, I don't know. I just great character. Yeah, I was like shook at like specifically like her insecurities about her own life and herself. I was like, oh, Tara wrote this for me. She wrote this for me. So that was like really special to read about. But I think like overall, like I just I adore funny feelings. I reread that book twice and I still loved it both times, which is always a good sign for me if I love a book just as much on the reread. So I'm going to say funny feelings.
00:21:19
Speaker
My first was the co-op. The old version.
00:21:24
Speaker
So maybe I'll spin the block on the new version when it comes out. And then my favorite is Funny Feelings, because I've never, I haven't read anything else by her. But I'm excited for Savorite, like you guys talking about her. Will you listen to it, you think? Yeah, I think I'll just listen to it. Because I think that works best for me and Miss Tara, girl. Yeah, I was gonna say like, I think like, especially with this one with like the narrator she has too, and like what you've said previously about like, you liked Funny Feelings' audiobook a lot. I'm excited for you to listen to see what you think about this one.
00:21:53
Speaker
Next one is, oh my God, Abby Jimenez. We're not just doing a whole episode. So, um, if you'd like to hear our Abby Jimenez feelings, go back to next week's episode on our Abby Jimenez deep dive. Um, yeah, I love a plug within a plug. Yeah, exactly. So my first Abby book was part of your world. Um, my favorite is just for the summer.
00:22:23
Speaker
Very, very, very, very closely followed by yours truly. My first book was Part of Your World and my favorite is Part of Your World. My first was The Friend Zone but I DNF'd it and then again hear about it all on last week's episode and then my favorite is Part of Your World.
00:22:43
Speaker
Yeah. Okay. Next one is Chris and Becca Richie, ABR, Evil Twins. I mean, I think everybody's first is usually addicted or? Addicted to you.
00:22:59
Speaker
Yeah, addicted to you. Thank you. I had like a momentary like relapse forgetting what the first book is called. Again, we have a whole oh my god, it's like one of our first episodes. It's like our first episode. Yeah, we spent two and a half hours like two episodes in a row talking about these books. I, I would recommend you go back and listen to it. But also like listening back to old episodes in season one is
00:23:23
Speaker
so hard sometimes because like we didn't really know what we were doing and like we had no we didn't have mics and so the sound is super bad but if you were having fun it was fun like it was a good time but if you listen to that at all then you know that my favorite and my forever favorite will always be fuel a fire that the
00:23:44
Speaker
is incredible this is okay because i think i in my mind i always tie addicted after all and show the fire but i have to go to space i would like like i like i love them like i do something like i like i love them so much um
00:24:01
Speaker
But I think if I'm going like, just based off of like the writing alone, I think feel the fire would take it. I think that's like their best written book. Like, I think it's just so well done. Like there are just like sentences in that book. And I'm like, why can't y'all just be consistent and do that every single time? So yeah, that I would
00:24:20
Speaker
Yeah, that's crazy. I would not have suspected that. My favorite, again, we talked about this like in those episodes, but I almost like can't even say some kind of perfect because it just like feels like different, like different, like it's in a different category in
More Firsts & Favorites with Personal Stories
00:24:38
Speaker
my head. So I will say addicted after all, I'm a little girly to my core, but I will say I rated three, if we're counting some kind of perfect, I rated four books in that series, five stars.
00:24:48
Speaker
So like four out of 10. So like, I love a lot of books in that series. But I will use this opportunity also to say like, I read Dishonesty Yours by Kirsten Becker-Ritchie, and I fucking loved that book. I don't think everybody's gonna love it as much as I did. I didn't rate it five stars, but I had so much fun reading that book. And they just dropped some incredible fan art for it recently. It was, it looks really good. Yeah, that fan art was good. Yeah. Also, Hot House Fire is a good book.
00:25:15
Speaker
Haasar is a great book. I will give them credit where credit is due. That is a great book. Crazies. It's a fun book. I'm going to give it to you. It's a fun book. And sometimes that's all a book needs to be. It's just a fun roller coaster ride with some great smut and some other great scenes. I really like Haasar as a book. That's probably the most fun I've had. Feel the Fire is one of those books where if I start thinking about it too much then I'll start to cry. Let's move on.
00:25:45
Speaker
Cause that's not a fun look, that's like a spoke. Yeah, that's, oh God, when I think about Mexico in a Dix-after all, oh my God, okay, anyways. The next one is Elsie Silver. Again, I feel like people know this if you listen to us at all, but my first was flawless, my favorite is reckless. Same. Same. Yeah.
00:26:10
Speaker
We're so consistent with that. That's crazy. The only thing I think, that's probably the only one. Is it the only one that we'll all agree on maybe? No, that's not true. Because Becca Mack. Well, we all just said the same thing about Ella Hazelwood. Olivia Reddickley is all our favorite of hers. And Tana Monomia. He did. Oh my God. You're sorry. Never mind.
00:26:28
Speaker
Wow, we get along. That looks crazy. We do sometimes. Sometimes we really are beefing on this podcast. I know. It's crazy when we agree. The next one, which we got quite a few requests for, were Colleen Hoover. Yeah, this was super interesting. Holy shit, I actually don't know my first Colleen Hoover.
00:26:49
Speaker
so I can tell you mine was it ends with us because I read it in like the you know tick book talk 2020 beginning you know like it's everywhere yeah that's my first one I think my favorite is probably Verity though
00:27:04
Speaker
I know people love to kind of shit on Colleen but like I can't fault her for getting me back into reading like I really can't. My first was it ends with us but I think my favorite is all your perfects. Hold on I have to look it up. What your first one was?
00:27:23
Speaker
Yeah, I don't I don't know. What do you think? What do you think it was? Like, I'm thinking it was it. I'm thinking it's it. It was it ends with us. But it could also be maybe someday. Oh, maybe someday. Oh, my God. I hated that book.
00:27:37
Speaker
I am one of the few people that thought it was actually pretty good. Just because there's like a scene at the end when they're having sex and like he can like hear her like in his own way. I thought that was just so cute. You're like the cheating tropes and read that book. Yeah. Why? Do not let your partner stop you from being with your soulmate. And he did it. Just break up with her. Just break up with her. Okay. Okay. But in his defense, like homegirl was in a rough spot. Um,
00:28:04
Speaker
No, I can't find it. So I don't know. I'm just gonna say it was it ends with us. My favorite. Okay, this is hard because Can I guess? Can I guess? Yes. Is it heart bones? I know you like that. I think it might be heart bones. I really love reminders of him though. Like I would tie those two I think in my brain. Like I just think they're really good. I also was like really up with the baby goes off the bridge. Yes.
00:28:31
Speaker
sorry i'm sorry i shouldn't laugh at them this is just the way you said it what's the book where the baby goes off the bridge is that not what the baby does the one with the big balls line yeah okay but like in context that line makes a lot of sense and that's what pisses me off is that people look at that line out of context they're kids who just had a kid like they're kids who just had a kid um but that book like
00:28:58
Speaker
that book angst wise was like that was that that type of angst that i really like like he was really putting that girl through the ringer in that book he was like he was like so emotionally unavailable but like so into her at the same time oh so good yeah so yeah but yeah either heart bones or reminders of him yeah i think that book was also probably like one of the first friends with benefits books that i've like yeah like i think that might have been one of mine too bro when he fucked her on that table
00:29:27
Speaker
I liked it. Also, I think Zachary Webber does a lot of her audiobooks, so you might want to check his EP. Yeah, his mom's like friends with her, right? He's like part of the reason that like, or she is part of the reason that like he got his start in all this. So thank you calling Hoover for Zachary Webber, like truly. Yeah, because I know he does maybe someday. Our next one is Jessa Hastings. I can tell you my least favorite Jessa Hastings book. Never.
00:29:53
Speaker
Well, all of our firsts were Magnolia Parks, obviously, we were together. Yeah. That was like truly like, we were in a haze. It was like six days of just binging and texting and binging and texting. And we read Into the Dark the exact same way too, a day and a half, two days. That was crazy.
00:30:14
Speaker
we had to like schedule we had to like plan our schedules around it like we decided like two weeks in advance that we were going to read it started on this date so we knew we were going to have to set aside time that's exactly what happened too like we have to read it the same way now we have to read daisy hates three weeks away yeah what's your guys favorite i think we know this too i think mine is still the great undoing like i just don't feel like i could like i don't think i'd be telling the truth if i said a book that didn't have christian and daisies pov in it
00:30:42
Speaker
And of those two, it's the great I'm doing, so. Yeah. Mine's the same. Great I'm doing so good. Yeah. But it's just one of those things where like that book, it wouldn't be as good without. Yeah. Without one that came before it. So it's like a long way home. I don't know. Yeah. But no, I would take this book or with the series. Yeah. OK. Next one is Cassandra Clare. Kendra's going to have a lot more to say about this one than the wheel. She's like, oh my God, one person. I put that in. Thank you. Thank you. It was like Kendra on our account.
00:31:15
Speaker
My first one was Clockwork Angel and my favorite is Clockwork Princess. Same exact thing for me. Okay, so mine's a little complicated.
00:31:27
Speaker
My first one was Clockwork Angel. And then like out of that series, my favorite one is Clockwork Princess. But I also read Last Hour's trilogy and Chain of Gold and Chain of Iron, specifically Chain of Iron, holy shit, like she's a really good writer. So like, I don't know, I would say tie between, no, no, Clockwork Princess would take it, but like my favorite couple doesn't even come from
00:31:52
Speaker
in front of devices my favorite couples James and Cordelia from last hours like they're just so achingly like he loves that girl so bad you guys like that's his daisy oh my god and now I'm reading I'm reading Mortal Instruments so I can't wait to see which couple will be my favorite from that one sorry which one is your favorite book overall I would say I would say like Clockwork Princess overall but but
00:32:15
Speaker
I recognize that my favorite part of that entire book is the epilogue. It's the epilogue. It's the epilogue. But yeah, that's why I think Chain of Iron, that's my highest rated book of hers though. Oh, that and Clockwork Princess. I rated both of them 4.75 stars. Can I ask why you haven't rated any of them five stars?
00:32:36
Speaker
Cause there's always been things that I like got annoyed at in the books. Yeah, especially in Clockwork Princess, I was so annoyed at the Lightwoods plot in that of like, are they going to turn against them? Like, are they not? And I just thought it was like a lot of push and pull. Um, but I loved everything else in that book. Like, but that was like the one big thing that annoyed me. Okay. Next one, Gianna Darling. My first Gianna Darling book was when heroes fall.
00:33:05
Speaker
Oh. And then, yeah. And I never read One Villain's Rise, and I need to. I should. Oh, I didn't know that you read that. Yeah, just the first one. And then my favorite is Gagama. My first was Welcome to the Dark Side. I did skip the first book at the recommendation of Brady and Kendra. And my favorite is Gagama. Sorry, Selena. Sorry, Selena. Sorry, Selena. Don't listen. Yeah, my favorite was, what's it called?
00:33:30
Speaker
Lessons in Corruption. That is my first and my favorite is Good Gone Bad. Okay, we got four more.
Overrated & Underrated Books Discussion
00:33:41
Speaker
Why are you laughing, Brandy? I'm scared. Because I feel like I know which one, because the spinny wheel likes to fuck with us, so I feel like I know which one's going to save for last. This one is Sophie Lark. Oh. Yeah, that's a fun one. My first Sophie Lark book was Brutal Prince.
00:33:58
Speaker
I think my favorite is like, this is a crazy unpopular opinion. I think my favorite might be The Spy. Like, I loved that book. I had so much fun reading that book. Oh, God, I don't know. She has so many good ones. Come back to me. Yeah, my favorite is, I mean, my first is Brutal Prince. My favorite is The Bully. I just think the bully is like, yes. I knew you were gonna say that. I really liked The Bully, but okay.
00:34:26
Speaker
So my first was, was it? Yeah, it was also Brutal Prince. My favorite. That's tough because you know what? I actually really love, I don't know if this is unpopular or not, but I actually really loved Savage Lover. Oh, I love Savage Lover. I don't think that's unpopular at all. I think Neo is very popular. I love her. Yeah. But I also really love the Rebel Miles. Yeah.
00:34:58
Speaker
Yeah, I think I'm gonna change my answer to heavy crowd though for my favorite Oh heavy crown is a good one. I really like What is his name? Oh my god, it's a Dante Dante and
00:35:15
Speaker
oh yes uh Simone not Simone like angst wise it was just so well done like i just love like a like i don't think i've read a lot of secret babies like books but that is a great secret like just like the angst and the tension between them and like he was just so down bad over that girl and like the setup for him too like four books and you're like what is this dude's problem it's her he misses her
00:35:40
Speaker
The love of his life. The part where he talks about how you could never get away from her because she was like an international supermodel and she was all of her billboards all the time and he just had to never have the chance to get over her. And he was like in that, he was in the apartment that they were doing construction on and he like looked out the window and like her face was just like there. Holy fuck. Sophie Lark. Sophie Lark. She was writing. So good. Talia Hibbert.
00:36:04
Speaker
My first Talia Haber book was Get a Life, Chloe Brown. My favorite Talia Haber book is her YA one, probably. No, no. I really like that one, but I don't know. I don't know. Is it in contest with Dani? I think so. I think I like certain elements of all her books. Yeah. And so it's like, that's what makes them rank
Underrated & Perfectly Rated Authors
00:36:29
Speaker
really, really, really closely together.
00:36:31
Speaker
But I think I will give it to her YA1, which is highly suspicious and unfairly cute, especially on audio. The audiobook is fantastic and they're so funny. Like, I think that's like her funniest book. I thought it was amazing. What about you, Kayla? Well, I've read one Talia Hebert book. Please don't hate me. And it's The Room at Risk. Which one? Which I really liked. You went with the Brown sisters?
00:36:54
Speaker
We went over this in the last, uh, the tier ranking. My first one was Get a Life, Chloe Brown. My favorite is Damaged Goods, which is from her Ravenswood series. It's the novella between books one and two.
00:37:10
Speaker
I love them so much. I made it my top 10 books of last year. This wheel is so fucking funny, you guys. I know what it's going to finish on. Yeah, because the next one is Christina Lauren. And it's going to be Abel Wilder last. Yeah.
00:37:26
Speaker
Even though we just had a whole argument about this, so we don't need to rehash it. And that was the real spalt, too. And we won't have to, because I'm going to sing some praises when we get to Eva Wilder. I'm going to give her her flowers where they are due. Bro, that's my bitch. She started writing for me. For me, specifically.
00:37:45
Speaker
Yeah, for exactly. But first, Christina Lauren. Sorry, Christina Lauren. Oh my God, what was my first Christina Lauren book? My first. Oh, I know what it is. Was Love and Other Words. And I've talked about this on the podcast previously. And this was literally the first book I wrote for comfort books. Like Love and Other Words was the reason I started my books to gram account because I am not over exaggerating. I read that book six times in as many weeks when I first read that book. I could not stop rereading it.
00:38:13
Speaker
Yeah, that's my favorite. Mine was the unhoneymooners, actually. I feel like that's a lot of people's first, yeah. It was my first as well. April of 2021, but my favorite, hmm, it's between Love and Other Words and the Soulmate Equation.
00:38:31
Speaker
I think mine is definitely love in other words. But I really like the swimming equation. And I also really like Josh and Hazel's guide to not dating. I think that book is kind of underrated of theirs. But just like a good, like sweet book. And I relate to the main character in that book so much. She was so good. Have you read that one, Kayla? Have you read it, Brandi? No. I think you guys would like it. Like it's just like a, it's a sweet, sweet book.
00:39:01
Speaker
I think if I were to reread Love in other words, it would be a favorite, but for now, Soulmate Equation is probably my favorite. Yeah. I would never argue with anybody saying that that one's their favorite because that one is so fucking good. I'm excited for their new book, Paradise Problem, the fan art book. I pre-ordered for that reverse dust jacket. I was like, that is how you do a pre-order campaign. Really?
00:39:22
Speaker
Is the art the reverse dust jacket? Yes. I did not know that. Take care of it. Yeah. Uh-huh. Take care of it. Yeah. And you can get it at Barnes, though. That's the Barnes exclusive edition, too. Yeah. I pre-ordered it from Barnes. Mm-hmm. And it's it was like not. Yeah. Like I was a giddy. They posted that. And I was like, this is literally this is how you do it. This is how you do it. Exactly. Yeah. And yeah, the Barnes and Target Edition both have reversible dust jackets and each their own exclusive content. But the Barnes content, the Barnes one seems to have better.
00:39:52
Speaker
bonus content than the target one probably won't have to preorder like you think i can get it in stores they have probably probably yeah i i doubt people are gonna be flocking there for the christina lauren you know yeah yeah i just i'm like so lazy like i don't go to barns unless i'm like already in also the city like i just think the barns in boulder is kind of shitty
00:40:12
Speaker
Yeah, it's like, it feels, we were, we were so spoiled with like our local Barnes being the Americana Barnes and Noble. That's three stories and stunning. And like, yeah, I got really used to that. Yeah.
00:40:26
Speaker
Yeah. And okay. So the Wheel of Names did save Ava Wilder for last, which is so funny because if you were listening to our tier ranking episode, it saved, uh, How to Fake it in Hollywood as the last book when we were doing that. Well, based on that conversation, you probably know what Brandy and I are going to say. Yeah. Our first one was How to Fake it in Hollywood. Yeah. My favorite, Will there won't they? That book is great. Love that book. And that's all.
00:41:00
Speaker
Yeah, my first was how to pick it in Hollywood my favorite honestly guys I think it's a tie between the two because I've said this before I think they took me Capital T. O. M. E. to me I think they both accomplished what she set out to accomplish very very well and I both rated them five stars and I both had like just the best
00:41:19
Speaker
reading experiences with them. And Ava Walter, if you are listening, Ava Walter, please, please save us. Please, Ava Walter. Like, I miss you so much. I'm so excited for her next book. I think she's like really talented. She should keep going. I'm really excited for her next book, too. I think that, well, there won't they prove to me that it's not her as a writer. That didn't work for me. It was just that specific book. So I'm excited to read her other stuff. And I will continue to read her other stuff until it feels like that's not the case.
00:41:48
Speaker
All right, so that was first versus favorite, which was, as we kind of mentioned at the beginning, a TikTok and kind of an Instagram trend.
Episode Conclusion & Listener Engagement
00:41:58
Speaker
We're also going to do another one to kind of finish this episode out. It's mostly one that you see on TikTok where people talk about an overrated book, an underrated book, and what they think is an appropriately rated book or author. We can do either.
00:42:13
Speaker
So we're gonna start with that. Okay, that's fine. I try to do that for both. There's only one that I can come up with for each, but let's start with overrated. This one I actually kind of had trouble with. We also had, in our unpopular opinions episode, talked about
00:42:33
Speaker
whether or not overrated is like, if you think that's even like a thing. Yeah. And so yeah, how are you basing this off of? Yeah, me personally, I'm basing this off of a book that most people really, really loved, but I don't know. Yeah, that's what I did, too. That's how I'm doing that. I did specifically a book I read because of all the hype surrounding it. That did not work for me. OK, who wants to go first? I'll go first. Can I do both my book and my author or? Yeah, go for it.
00:43:03
Speaker
Okay so a book that I think is overrated is done and dusted by Lila Sage. I went into thinking it was going to be like just a spectacular sparkling debut. It wasn't a bad book by any means. I just think it was very obviously like okay like this is your first book like let's keep going. So I think that's a book that's overrated. Same with Loki the second book as well.
00:43:28
Speaker
And then an author that I think is overrated is Ashley Herring Blake, who is the author of the Delilah Greene. No, that's not the name of the series, but she wrote like Delilah Greene Doesn't Care, Ashley Parker Doesn't Fell, and Iris Kelly Doesn't Date.
00:43:43
Speaker
I feel like so many people just love those books especially the first one like people were like oh my god Delilah Green is like amazing like I just think Ashley Herring is like not that good of a writer to me um I think I just think she she just needs to like flush out her stories a little more I think she's like oh my god this would be such a good idea and she's not very good at like the follow through and she does too much um telling and not enough showing and that especially pissed me off in
00:44:13
Speaker
Asher Parker doesn't fail. There are so many good moments that we just heard about. Like in retrospect, I don't know if that's the right word, but like they're recalling a moment. Yeah, they would just like recall these moments. I'm like, why weren't we like in that scene with them? Like that would have been so vital to like see. So yeah, that's those are my overrated.
00:44:32
Speaker
I kind of agree with done and dusted, but I am really excited for the third book. I just think that Lila has a lot of potential with the stuff that she, with this foundation that she has. So I think that I'm just like really anxious to see that delivered. My overrated,
00:44:53
Speaker
It's not that I even necessarily see this like all over the place. I really don't. It's just a book slash series that a lot of people when they read it, they love it. And that is the Like Us series. We have talked about that series before a little bit and why we don't like it, but most people seem to really love those books.
00:45:15
Speaker
And I don't really get why, especially the first, like I do love the Jane and Thatcher books. I'll say that, but like almost everything else, like we didn't finish the series. We didn't enjoy it. Like that's like mafia and Pharaoh specifically, or just specifically, like that's like the thing that I'm around. Like that's Charles Kings. Yeah, that's crazy. Yeah, exactly. And then author. Now I, I have only read one book by this author.
00:45:42
Speaker
And I liked the book at the time, but I have never had the urge to go back and read more from the series Lucy score. I know a lot of people love that series. Yeah. Yeah. And I, one of my least favorite books I've ever read is by Lucy score.
00:46:00
Speaker
Oh really? When I read Things We Never Got Over It, I had a good time. But I never cared to continue the series. And why did she? I didn't even realize how many books she had. Yeah, because they went so much. They went and republished so many. Yeah, they republished so many. So every time I go on Target and Walmart, she's running everywhere. Yeah, she really is.
00:46:23
Speaker
My overrated book was Powerless by Lauren Roberts, which I read this year because of the hype surrounding it, specifically because I had two separate mutuals who I almost always share book opinions with.
00:46:41
Speaker
rate at five stars. So I was shocked that I didn't like it. Like genuinely, like I went in with the absolute best of intentions. Like I wanted to love that book. And it just, to me felt like she like hat, like went on TikTok, looked up hashtag romanticy and started just pulling.
00:47:02
Speaker
things from viral videos. Yeah, that book is not for me. I will not be continuing the series. Wish her the best. She's found a lot of success and I love that for her. I feel like you're going to see that the second book is just so amazing and you're going to go back. I can feel it in my bones. Kendra, I forced myself to read those last
00:47:23
Speaker
20 pages like i did not give a single fuck even though like the like it was crazy how bad i wanted that book to be over i should lower the rating honestly um well my overrated author this one is like was hard for me because i have read so many books by this author and i will continue to read books by this author but i think katie robert is really
00:47:46
Speaker
Oh, 100%. I'm surprised I didn't think it for myself. Oh my God. Yeah. It's crazy because every time I finish a Dark Olympus book, I'm like, that was very good. Can't wait for the next one. I'm going to finish that series. And she's so good at writing Spice. Some of my favorite Spice seeds I've ever read have come from her books. But I just like, I always go in expecting too much with her and I'm always let down.
00:48:15
Speaker
I think also, I think she's just a very smart author in terms of how she navigates her presence online. I think that aids a lot to it because she was one of the, at least to me, one of the first dark romance authors on TikTok that would really talk about Spice and what went into it. And like, oh my God, what if I wrote this? And so that got her a lot of engagement. And then when, what's that first book called? That came out in the Dark Olympus series? Oh, Neon Gods.
00:48:45
Speaker
Yeah, Neon Gods, bro, she has a really good publicist behind her because that book was in like Entertainment Weekly, like, and then like now they're like, it's picked up like sources doing that series, Berkeley's doing her other series right now, like, she's like booked it busy. And again, like she has great character art, she has like,
00:49:04
Speaker
Yeah, like really great like representation for a lot of like, disabled characters, fat characters, like, so like, she's doing a lot of really great things. I just think I always go into those books expecting the feeling I had when I read that was the third book Wicked Beauty.
00:49:20
Speaker
That was a good book. That book was so fucking good. I rated that book like 4.25 stars. Like I had the best time reading that book. That book is so fucking hot. But I have not, I think that was my first book by her and then I went back and read Myoung Gods and I just haven't gotten that feeling with any of her other work. So I think also she writes a lot. Like I think if I talk about someone who like should take a break, it's her because it's like her plots are like, I'm like, what are we doing?
00:49:45
Speaker
and she's really big into writing poly romances which or like thrupples and you know more than two people and i love reading it like i think she does the spice really really well but i'm like if you're gonna have more characters then you need a longer book because i do not feel emotionally invested in all four of these characters in 250 pages you know what i mean like if you're gonna give me four characters i think that's a fair thing to say
00:50:09
Speaker
Yeah, then I want four characters worth of, you know, investment. So that's another thing for me too. All right. Next is our underrated books and or authors.
00:50:24
Speaker
I have an author, I mean, it also ties to the books, because it's only one series, but I picked Sarah Grundur Ruiz. I picked Sarah Grundur Ruiz. I thought you would, I thought that's it. I will say that her latest book Last Call at the Local has gotten a lot more buzz than her previous two books did. So I'm happy for her. Like I remember a story she had posted when it was just like maybe a week or so after Last Call at the Local had come out and she said that
00:50:52
Speaker
last call was I can't remember what printing it was on maybe it was her second or third and she said it was like out more sold yeah like yeah I had already outsold her first two books which is crazy so I'm happy I am really happy for her and that respect but the first two books I really enjoyed too um yeah love lists love lists and fancy ships and then
00:51:15
Speaker
luck and last resorts. Um, they were both really good. The first one is like a mix of women's fiction romance. The second one is more strictly romance, I think. Yeah. I really enjoyed those books and they're great on audio too. There was a moment when I was reading that second book where I was so gagged, I called Kendra in the car and I was like, yeah, yeah. Yep.
00:51:32
Speaker
Yeah, I think she's like really talented and like her books like they're I don't think they'll be like, oh my god, like, well, maybe last got the local can be a little life changing with the representation, but like they're just such solid reads. Like I have no complaints really reading those books. And I was like, wow, like that was just like a fun time. And they're really good on audio. But Berkeley, please, if you're listening, put some money behind her. Like I think that is why she's not as big like they just do not market her books.
00:51:58
Speaker
Yeah, and like we know why they only give their money to like their big heavy hitters But I'm like you have like someone who's like really well and I think her first two books could redo like a get a cover redo and especially Loveless and fancy ships like I Would redo that cover. I don't think
00:52:14
Speaker
having joe's face like that up close and personal yeah works what's so interesting is the third book is connected to the other two but it's not that one takes place mostly in ireland and the first two books the i think the concept is so fun because they're on a ship that is so cool and so fun like i want to read about that yeah and like i've read so many books with chefs but like i've never read about a chef on a boat like yeah that was such a fun like
00:52:39
Speaker
She's not a full-time author either. She's like a college professor. Yeah. So like, yeah, Berkeley help her out. Yeah. She haven't seen one person read last called the logo and didn't love it. Yeah.
00:52:50
Speaker
And she was like, exploring grief in the first book, but I feel like grief sometimes I think it is being a little played out in romance right now. It's like, a lot of people rely on it. But I get it, you're sad. No, I'm like, okay, like, someone died. But what I love what she did is that she explored it in kids. Like that was where the grief was coming from was like, through the kids that Joe was watching. So like, it wasn't I mean, Joe was affected because it was
00:53:12
Speaker
This isn't a spoiler, but like her nephew had passed away and she's like watching her nieces So it's like their brother who died and so like you get to see that through them, which I I don't know I thought was like so smartly done. Yeah I think Carissa Becker also just says like such an amazing job like narrating it and I she like posts about the books on her Instagram So I feel like she herself like really enjoys them cuz she doesn't post about every project. Yeah, wait Kendra who is your or who what was your book that was underrated? I
00:53:39
Speaker
My book is a wake-up call by Beth O'Leary. Yeah. Yeah, I almost put her in my author spot as well But I realized that like that I think in America she's underrated but then I realized that like literally almost all of her books have been picked up in England to like be like they're all options but I think one of them has a TV show
00:53:57
Speaker
Yeah um an actual teeny show flat show I think the wake-up call is just like such an amazing book and again Berkeley like where was the money behind it like that should have been in like every right like that should be in everyone's face during the holidays it's such a great book and like so fun and like very cinematic not in that like oh my god like it was so pretty like she's just very good at like setting a scene and you can just picture everything and she does it in very little words
00:54:22
Speaker
which I think is like really like that like not everyone can do that um she doesn't have a lot of excess fat in her books which I think yeah she's just killer so I think the wake up call is a very underrated book thank you Kayla because you're the first one that read that and said it was good and it's very good on audio yeah yeah
00:54:38
Speaker
The audiobook production of her books is so well done. Even though The Flat Chair wasn't my favorite book, the production was so good. And same thing with The No Show. Whenever there's calls or texts, they change the sound. I love it so much. Love it. Yeah. And you know what's so crazy is when I first started reading, I would have never noticed that shit. But I've listened to so many audiobooks now that little things like that really stand out and set books apart. Yeah. So, Kayla, yours was that series.
00:55:08
Speaker
and Sarah, like the book-end author. Okay, cool. My underrated book and my author, they're both fantasy, but my underrated book is The Elements of Cadence duology, which is Rebecca Ross's adult, I don't know if her other series that I haven't read is adult or YA, but it's like, okay, so then her only adult fantasy that's out and it's
00:55:32
Speaker
I just think some of my favorite books I read up last year like made my honorable mentions and like there I just think they're so well done especially for fantasy lovers like heavy on the fantasy like the romance is still there but like heavy on the fantasy so if you're a fantasy girl and you like do like romance to like I do think that those books are for you and it does something so unique which I haven't really seen and a lot of other books where it focuses on two couples in both books
00:55:56
Speaker
like both books follow two different couples like there are four main characters in book one and there are four main characters in book two and i loved that so there's four povs too yes so and that was so fun to read and like i just think like the juxtapositions are between the books too like once you've read them both and you can like kind of compare where the characters are at in book one versus book two like that was really fun um yeah i i really enjoyed those books thank you again kayla and
00:56:23
Speaker
My underrated author is Fonda Lee, who is the author of the Greenbone Saga, as well as Untethered Sky. And I just think like she is, you know what we talk about? We've been talking about craft so often lately. And I just think like she is so good at what she does. Like the telling of the story, like the linking back, things that happened in book one that seemed like a tiny little minor detail have massive implications.
00:56:51
Speaker
literally a thousand pages later, you know what I mean? So like it's, I just think that series as a whole is pretty well loved, but I think like people don't talk about her writing enough in my opinion. And that one isn't, those aren't romance. Those aren't romanticy at all. Like those are just fantasy books. So maybe I'm just like not on the part of TikTok that's talking about those very much. But personally I would love it for my friends who love fantasy books would read them. So are you talking to me?
00:57:17
Speaker
Yeah, that's felt very direct. I should, I really should honestly. I want you to, but it's also like one of those things where it's like, it is like a heavy undertaking. But I read those so slowly, like, and I took breaks between those books. But yeah.
00:57:34
Speaker
All right, and our last category is books that we think, books and authors, that we think are rated just right, whether that's bad or good, I guess you can pick. I picked mostly good. I picked good too. Okay, I think an obvious one.
00:57:50
Speaker
is Abby Jimenez especially with the recent books that she's had and we just talked about her so I won't say too much there but another author that I picked that Brandy has just talked about is Rebecca Ross. I love that woman with her whole heart. I mean her obviously her really big her breakout was last year with my favorite book of last year and got to meet her early this year and she was so sweet and kind and also like
00:58:18
Speaker
I just think her writing is like it's one of those ones where I feel like I can pick it from a lineup and it's just so like it's poetic but it just feels very like whimsical uh and lyrical and I love that about her and I think that all the praise that she gets is deserved so I love her yeah
00:58:42
Speaker
for a book i think a book that i think is perfectly rated is honey and spice by i think like even if it's not like your favorite book like everyone's gonna be like oh my god it was so funny like i just think it's like it's just like it's just i think perfectly it's a i don't know just perfect book not a perfect book but like it's a perfectly rated book and then for authors okay i did three why did them based off of like different like levels can i can i guess one yes lauren no oh
00:59:12
Speaker
Well, I think she's appropriately related. So there you go. Oh, I think, I think Lauren is appropriately rated too, but she's just not on this list. Okay. So the first is Julie Soto. I feel Julie Soto is like perfectly rated as like someone who's like up and coming. Like I think everyone I've seen talk about her books. I haven't seen someone like hate her books, but everyone's just like, Oh, like I want to read her. I want to keep reading her. Yeah. Like I want to see like what she's doing next. Yeah. Excited to watch her grow. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
00:59:38
Speaker
I think Sierra Simone is also perfectly rated as an established author who has a loyal fan base. She knows how to cheat her backlist. There's enough in her backlist that's the same, but she knows how to keep it interesting. She has a lot of books and a lot of different things, but the heart of all her stories are the same. And her smut, that's what is always going to
01:00:02
Speaker
Yeah, even if you don't like like priests for whatever reason which like a lot of people have ballot reasons for like not enjoying that They're always like but it was hot And then I also think Maisie Eddings is perfectly rated as in like She's very hit or miss for people and I think that's like a like I think like I
01:00:23
Speaker
At least for me, I've never seen someone say she's my favorite author and I've never seen someone say like, she's the worst. She's horrible. Yeah. Yeah. I think usually people have like one book of hers that they really enjoy. And at least that's okay. Yeah. So those are my three.
01:00:38
Speaker
Love that. My perfectly rated book is I went like the very furthest end of like this book was everywhere. It was in everybody's hands. It is like a book. When you think of book talk, you think of the song Achilles. And I think that book is so beautiful. I loved that book. I was so engrossed in that book. That is the book that made me start physically reading again because I was doing strictly audio books.
01:01:04
Speaker
but I was so into that audiobook that I was laying on my couch staring at the ceiling just because I wanted to read it so badly and I didn't have anything else to do like my dishes are done my house is clean like all that stuff you know what I mean so I was just laying on the couch staring at the ceiling and so that's why I was like I need to like go buy this book to finish it physically. I enjoyed that book I made me cry um I thought it was beautiful and I think like
01:01:28
Speaker
I think it's exactly how loved it should be, you know, with a caveat of like, people say book talk book, I'm like, okay, yeah, fair, whatever. And yeah, another person I think is appropriately rated as Allie Hazelwood. For the kind of the same reason that you are saying about Maisie Eddings is like there are people that love her.
01:01:46
Speaker
There are people that hate her. There are people that have gone on a really big roller coaster with her books. There are people who hate one book and love another. And I feel like that feels so appropriate to me, because for me, there is a book that I did not love on the brain. I really did not enjoy that book. But I have loved other books of hers. I will continue to read her books. And I just read Not in Love. And I liked it, didn't love it. I'm going to read her next book after that too. I just think she's appropriately rated.
01:02:14
Speaker
Guys, this was so fun. It was really fun. Yeah, I love like, I love doing this stuff. I'm just so lazy on Instagram where I'm like, I have to go screenshot the cover. Yeah, it's a lot of work sometimes. If you enjoyed us talking about all these bugs, let us know. You can rate the podcast wherever you're listening.
01:02:35
Speaker
You can also hop over to our Instagram, which is at bring your own pod on Instagram. Tell us in the comments, who are your underrated, overrated, purposefully rated, first favorites, all of that. Let us know.