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2024 Summer Reading Plans, Goals and Recommendations! | S3Ep15
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This week we share our summer reading plans and goals as well as the books we think ecerything should be reading this season!
Follow us on instagram @BringYourOwnPod
Follow Brandi @Brandos.Books
Follow Kendra @Kendra.Readz
Follow Kayla @Kaylas.Bookshelf
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Transcript
Introduction & Summer Plans
00:00:07
Speaker
Hello. Welcome to Bring Your Own and Catch All Bookish. This is a time podcast. I'm Brandi. I'm Kendra. And today we're going to talk a little bit about what lies ahead for us for summer as far as reading and some non-bookish things as well. But before we get started, what are we reading? What are we drinking? I'll go. Okay.
00:00:31
Speaker
I have an iced caramel latte. Delicious. I am currently listening to City of Ashes, which is the second book in the Mortal Instruments series. period ah Yeah, the way that Kendra was talking about not this series, but the one that comes right after it. I was like, I want to read that. And initially Kendra was like, yeah, I just go straight there. Like, I'll catch you up on the lore. But then she was like, you no, you got to read all seven. I knew she was like, I knew she was lying. I was like, oh was no way. But no way is is that when Brandy does gets a dark artifice and she'll be like, oh, yeah, there's just like, no way. Like, brandnon you've already encountered things that like are that have kind of matters.
Unconventional Meals & Reading Habits
00:01:12
Speaker
Yeah.
00:01:13
Speaker
Yeah, that it was like when I posted that I was reading that a ton of Shadowhunters girlies were in my DMs being like, no, it's like such a good idea. Like I'm glad that she told you to read these. So I'm having a good time. And like I was telling Kayla and Kendra before we hit the record button, I am just like but blazing through audio books right now because my job that I'm doing over the summer, it just allows me to listen to them. I'm not kidding you guys, like six to seven hours a day. Like I'm just listening to audio books. So it's been really fun. I'm enjoying it. And then I am physically reading Love Unwritten by Lauren Asher. um So I just have barely been able to crack the surface on that one. I'm excited to like dig in more today.
00:01:55
Speaker
so Yeah. Brandy, I feel like your ice caramel latte is becoming like my Coke Zero. Like, that's your thing. You know, back when we were recording at all times of the day, I would have been in La Croix a lot more. But now that we've been consistently doing mornings, I am addicted to caffeine, unfortunately, if I don't have a caffeine in the morning, I get a headache at like two. Yeah, I feel that. Well, yeah, for me, I already have my chai latte this morning. So I don't have another one. um And I don't have a Coke Zero. Last time Kendra got on my case for having one at 11.45, which was basically noon.
00:02:36
Speaker
um it looked so hard when haley posted yeah like five minutes in and kas getting just seriously i used say that My best friend came to Kayla's off defense and she messaged me it was like what you drink I think it was like ollie pops before noon and or something like that and I was like, all right All right, yeah. Thank you for defending coming to my defense, girlies. I appreciate you. So I just have water today. Nothing exciting. It's 11 a.m., so it is a little bit too early for Coke. Give it 30 more minutes and I'll have a Coke, but um anyway. Okay, listen, it just reminds me of when I worked at In-N-Out and people, we opened up at like 10 o'clock, people coming into In-N-Out at 10 o'clock, getting a double, double, and a double. No, that couldn't be me. That's not me.
00:03:20
Speaker
That's not me. I have to choose to believe that those people started working at like 4am. Yeah. And that's like your lunch time. and king i well no I will say well when I worked at I so I worked at Hy-Vee which is a like local grocery store in the Midwest and a couple of times like for a month I had to work at the gas station which was right across the street and they open at like four and so like yeah people like that have the night shift obviously would come in and they would get you know like sodas at like 4 a.m. and I'm like oh my god I can't physically imagine but like
00:03:53
Speaker
For some people, that's how it is. In and out, I don't know, but... Like that's a little crazy, right? Like a burger at 11 o'clock in the morning? Right, right. Sorry, that sounds kind of shame-y. If you like burgers at 11 o'clock in the morning, go for it. Selena gets her Taco Bell at like 6 o'clock in the morning. But Selena works night shift. Yeah, she's a night shift, girly-delivering baby. So, you know... If you don't work the night shift and you wake up in the morning, never mind. Anyway. uh what was I saying oh yeah what am I reading I am in between books right now um I just finished Love Unwritten period um and I
00:04:34
Speaker
Yeah, I don't really have any anything on my radar. I think I might start Isabel and the Rogue by Liana de la Rosa. I read her the first book in that series, Anna Maria and the Fox, last year and I enjoyed it, but I wasn't obsessed with it. However, I was really excited for the second book, like the setup that she had for that, so I i might try that. um and then physically i'm not currently reading anything but i feel like i might want to physically reread a book that i had read on audio first and then like annotate it like a favorite of mine so because i haven't done that in a while and i'm might you don't have a specific book in mind you're just like that just sounds fun i think i've got i've kind of gotten the itch to reread the unmaking of june fairer just because so many people have been recently yeah oh you like started a wave
00:05:24
Speaker
yeah I get on Instagram every day and it's like at Kayla. yeah I read it so long ago. It was one of my favorites last year and I have the physical, but I, yeah, like our friends, Destiny, Joe, et cetera, have been reading and loving it. So I'm like, oh I should reread that. So maybe that one, but also I'm just not remembering and we'll talk about this more, but there's several books that come out on Tuesday that I want to listen to on audio.
Audiobooks & Series Goals
00:05:51
Speaker
So maybe I'll save my audio for that. Yeah, dude. But you're in black for her. Yeah, yeah. Oh, mark yeah. Yeah, I should have saved my credit. I'll have to. She's already preordered. Ready to go. So, yeah. Kenner, what about you? um I am drinking two drinks, water yeah and a Lonnie new orange kiss. Such a cute little can. um And then I am. What am I doing? I.
00:06:17
Speaker
started collide by bal cobbra this morning on PRH audio. Thank you so much. PRH audio. Love you so much. Um, so I'm doing, it's like hockey romance. I think I just, sorry. I think I just want it more. It's fine. Okay. I caught that out of our last episode. I got kicked out of the PRH audio program. You guys, I don't know what happens. Sorry, Kendra. Keep going. I don't think you got kicked out. I think you're just having a good issue that they're not. Yeah, they have been ghosting me via email. So I just finally deleted the app because it was like hurting my feelings to see it sitting on my home page. I'm so sorry to interrupt. It's OK. So yeah, I'm reading Collide by Mel Capra on audio. I just started it this morning and then physically. Yeah, I don't know what I'm going to do. I might do a love song for Ricky Wilde finally, because I've been pushing back my hold on on Libby for like months.
00:07:08
Speaker
And I finally accepted it today because I was like, I got nothing else. So um I might do that. And then we'll see. Well, and you just met Tia Williams. I did just meet Tia Williams and she is stunning in person. It's actually like crazy. She's like six feet tall. Like she's like so beautiful. It's wild. Yeah. Shall we dive in? Talk a little bit summery business stuff. Yeah. Do you guys have any bookish goals or plans for the summer? Like, Brandy, I know you're probably going to like zoom through 20 audio books a month.
00:07:48
Speaker
probably something like that. Yeah, I've been doing about a book a day. Like what's been happening is that I'll be like, I'll start one ah in like the middle of the day and then I'll finish it the next morning and then start one, finish it the next morning. That's what my first week at this new job was looking like. um So I'm enjoying that. I haven't paid for an audio book in even without being part of the Penguin Random House program anymore for like all of May. I haven't paid for an audiobook since like March or something like that, um which feels nice. So I think that's my goal, is to keep not paying for audiobooks as much as possible. Does that include paying for your Audible subscription or do you just mean like paying outright, like separately yeah from that? Yeah, separately, yeah. I'm still like, I still have my Audible subscription and like I have like two credits banked still too, just because like I have just been hoopla and lippy and like been, you know, lucky enough to get some just straight from authors and stuff like that. So it's been,
00:08:45
Speaker
It's been nice. I've been tracking that this year, like where I'm listening to all my audio books. It's been really fun to look at. So I think my goal is to just continue to not buy extra audible credits. Amazing. I'm excited for you. I just hope you like zoom straight through Mortal Instruments and then we can get to Dark Artifices and then we can start chatting, bro. Yeah. So
Summer Reading Recommendations
00:09:08
Speaker
good. um I'm like really excited. I'm having fun like even though I'm not reading the books that's the thing and like I'm in this space right now where like I don't need to be obsessed with every book that I'm listening to or reading and that it's felt really good because this is how I used to read like I didn't need to be obsessed with every book and then I just read so many good books back to back to back at the beginning of this year that I was like why am I not doing this all the time but I'm just in a headspace right now where I'm like you know if I'm having a good time
00:09:34
Speaker
then I don't need to be a five star movie. Yeah, exactly. And that's like the definition of the first book of the moral instruments. Like, I think I read it like three and a half stars. It was way better. You made it higher than me. ah diving so how do you Yeah, Yeah. What about you? Um, I don't know. I just want to like, honestly, just vibe, have a great time. I accomplished my big reading goal of the year, which was to get through all the shadow hunters. And so now I'm like, well, what the hell do I do now? So, um, we're just gonna ride the wave, see what happens. Um, it's been like six months of you just like always reading or like getting ready to read shadow hunters. It it does feel weird that you're like, you're done done.
00:10:19
Speaker
Yeah. And like my dumb ass, I was like, Oh my God. Wicked powers comes out next year. No, I was wrong. Wicked powers comes out in 2026. I want to kill myself. Oh, yikes. Yeah. But they're okay. So like technically there are more things in the universe that I can do, but i'm i've I've done the requirements sort of, um, adam how's that friend's TBR going for you? It's going great. Honestly. How many yeah, how many total do you have left are like how many total did you have beginning of the year? And how many have you done? okay Because we're getting close to halfway To the like halfway. I have ten. I have have ten on the list and calen i still one more that we can add Yeah, and I'm Gonna give us cut off by the end of the month I have to give you guys a cut off because like I don't want it to be November and you guys are like oh
00:11:08
Speaker
I just I've been waiting for something to smack. I know. Yeah, I'm trying to think. I don't know what my next one's going to be. So so you have 10 plus two. You have 12. Sure. yeah um And I've done one to I've taken I've done three picks, but it included four books because Cassius Pick was a duet. So I did. And yeah, I have plenty of time prison healer by Monica, who recommended it to me. she's annotating it for me. So I can't, i you know, yeah. Yeah. I'm like, that's like so freaking nice. Um, so I'm going to wait. And then like one dark window, bro. Libby is just, it's just on hold. Oh my God. Okay. Wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong. like How many times have you pushed it back? ah couple of in l A in oh my Oh my God. Oh my one dark window.
00:12:01
Speaker
ahivy hold is ready
00:12:05
Speaker
shits she tells me every time she pushes it except for that last time in l la you didn't tell me because you knew what i was say but i don't always push did you have travis yeah you on three four Yeah, and Kayla like I don't want to read another fantasy when I'm reading Shadowhunters. It's just unfair to the other fantasies like sorry Um, but yeah, so I have plenty of time to get through this friend's TBR. Literally we, like we have six months left in the year. Um, I'm chilling. This, this will be accomplished in no time. Um, I have until December 31st, literally at 11 59 PM. So, huh, it'll get done. Um, but yeah, I don't really have like a lot of, like, I just want to read good books, have a good time vibe. Yeah. I want more fun, little silly romances, like,
00:12:52
Speaker
what i just did with campus diaries by elle kennedy that shit was just like no thoughts head and well a little thought but almost completely head empty d yeah yeah i also don't really have any plans my summer reading pretty much looks the same as the rest of the year for me honestly just because i don't have like any extra time, usually I just it's just the same thing for me. So while i I plan to continue my I think I've been reading like 10 to 13 books a month. These two have been zooming, especially last month. Kind of read like like a bazillion books, I think. I read that mean quite literally the number 20 last month as well. Yeah, I read. Actually, last month was pretty good for me. I think I read 14.
00:13:42
Speaker
That's pretty decent. But I, eat yeah, boots but I usually read between 10 and 10 and 12, maybe something like that. So, uh, that's going to be the same for me. No, nothing different. Unfortunately, I don't think I will be reading the shadow hunters series much to Kendra's dismay. I just know, I just know, number one, I just, See, even Casper's like, bro, like, Casper's like, I've read them and I think you'd love them and appreciate them from what they are. Okay. Anyway, for me personally, I don't want to read like 13 more books. That's just me personally. I just don't feel like it. And I just know that I'm not going to like, love it as much as Kindred did. And then that will disappoint her. And so I don't want to do that. So that's just for me.
00:14:38
Speaker
But other than that, I don't know. There's some things I'm looking forward to, but nothing's super specific in terms of like plans or goals. So what about books that you would recommend for somebody who's like going on a summer reading journey, whether they're like new to reading or maybe are a seasoned reader. Like if they want if somebody wants a good summer read, what books come to mind for you guys? I'm so glad you asked that question. um I made a list. I'm just going to read off of it. Okay, so I listened to a book on audio like in May, called Every Time You Hear That Song. It's YA. There's a sapphic storyline in it. And it's so just like a good time. Like truly Netflix get on the phone. It's by Gina Voris called Gina Voris is people and make this a movie. It's so much fun. It's like seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo. But if it was if Dolly Parton was Evelyn Hugo, and was just a lesbian,
00:15:38
Speaker
And then it's it's about a girl who, in current day, that person dies and leaves a time capsule. And she is offering $3 million dollars post her dying for anyone to find the time capsule. So you get like her past story and you get the current story of this girl trying to find the time capsule. And she goes on this cute little road trip with her coworker. And it's just a great time. And it wasn't bad on audio. um So, boom. I love that. It was super easy to get through. And then Campus Diaries by Elle Kennedy. Listen, I know we were all off of off campus when the legacy came out. I didn't even read the legacy because everyone said it was asked. Campus Diaries, The Gram Effect, and The Dixon Rule. I can't deny that was a good time. Like, such a good time. I do like The Gram Effect a little bit more than The Dixon Rule, but both were over four stars. Like, so good. And The Smut?
00:16:31
Speaker
It was good. Kendra told me about one scene that in the Dixon role that literally had my jaw on the floor. I went up. And I read that on a plane. And when I posted that on my story, everyone who had read it swiped up and they were like, was it this scene? I was like, bro, yes. Like, it's known. Oh, my God. um So, yeah, if you just want something fun, like, and I read those physically and I got through them and they're like 500, almost 500 pages each. Got through them like butter. ah Meet the Benedetto's by Katie Catagno. Easy, easy summary. Like, her books are so short straight to the point you know you're gonna get you have a great time um Love and Written by Lauren Asher I think everyone's gonna be reading that this summer but I think that's a really good summer read especially because there's like a summer vacation in the book so I think that like the vibes are there Josh and Hazel by Christina Lauren I want to reread this so bad but when I read this for the first time I thought it was so cute I think it's one of the most underrated romances and I think more people should read it um and then thank you for sharing by Rachel Runya Katz
00:17:30
Speaker
Don't do the audio. Audio's awful. Like, please don't. It's the male narrator. He does um just so bad. Read it physically. Such a good, easy time. um Queer FMC, so, so cute. And she has a new book coming out later that's gonna be sapphic. and then obviously shadow hunters if you want the commitment if you're like i got time this summer come talk to me i will tell you how to read it because i would change how i read it personally but come talk to me you'll have such a good time you'll get through it so easy especially if you're an audio girlie she has the best narrators why is every actor from the cw narrating one of these books you'll have a great time good rax kendra that's my list i'm gonna add josh and hazel to my list i feel like i'm just gonna like run through their backlist it's like i love that book so much it was so cute
00:18:15
Speaker
especially the last 20% of that book, I'm like, aw. Kayla, have you read that? No, I have not. Oh my god. I know. You should read it. I'm going to go to my Libby right now. Kayla, what about you? Do you have a list? Yeah, I do. I just remembered one that I just wanted to add real quick. So I'm writing it down. OK. The first one that I read and really enjoyed on audio was called Summer Romance by Annabelle Monahan. i had read what was the one same time same time next summer next summer yeah and i like thought it was oh have you written oracles off griff no but i really want to because i know people love that one but yeah same time next summer i didn't think it was ass but i didn't think it was that
00:19:03
Speaker
It had good narrators too, which was like maybe even more yeah like these great narrators and shitty story Yeah, the narrator for some romance is great too, but it's a single mom romance, but she is a little bit like older She's got three kids. She's I think late 30s or early 40s. I want to say i think she's like 39 or something like that, but she's going through divorce and I don't want to say too much about it just said because I don't want to give away too much, but it was a great time. It was unexpectedly quite emotional to me. It's a very short read, too. I think it's like just over eight hours on audio. So you could probably get through it really, really quickly. But it. It really surprised me. So I was age gap. No, but he is younger.
00:19:53
Speaker
I like it's not it's like only like a couple of years. It's like a handful of years or something like that. Nor goes off script was the first arc I ever got from that galley that I actually like really liked that I didn't have to like force myself to finish. um And I want you should add that one to your list. I liked this one because I really like Yeah, I think oh I think I'll like that one too. Maybe Annabelle is just really good at writing single moms. Yeah, that's why I like started like raising my eyebrow. Yeah, because she's also a single mom. She has two kids, and she's like in her late 30s. And yeah I've seen like a couple people read this book, and and um most people have really enjoyed it. Even though like I'm not a mom, obviously, that there's a huge portion of this book that's, I mean, obviously, she's a single mom, and she's going through divorce. She's got two kids, et cetera. There's a huge portion of this book that's about that, and I don't know.
00:20:43
Speaker
Even though I'm not a mom, it like really was touched me. It was hitting. It was hitting, yeah. ah If you want a lot of pain and a very emotional story, I think you might like Seven Summers by PageTune, which I just read. This book was not quite what I expected. I also listened to this one and it was super great on audio if you want to listen to all the accents. It was amazing.
00:21:15
Speaker
I don't, again, I don't want to say too much. I will say a trope that's in this book. If you don't want to listen then, or like you don't want to know anything about it, then don't listen. But it is sort of a love triangle in this book. And the whole book, it's past present. I was really switching who I wanted her to be with at the end. But by like a certain point, you, you kind of figure it out. And you think she makes the right choice. But I don't know, it's just, It was very angsty, very emotional, highly recommend, but if you read this, make sure you look up Triggers. Grief is a huge, huge portion of this book and it's, like I said, it's very emotional. I was tearing up a little bit. I also loved Truly Madly Deeply by Alexandria Belaflor, I think is how you say her name. ah Both of these characters are queer characters and it's
00:22:10
Speaker
It's just like a fun time. There were, I wanted a tiny bit more from this book. It felt like a couple of things were slightly underdeveloped, but I still had an amazing time regardless. The Ex-Fows by Jessica Joyce, my girl. i jessica Jessica Joyce has no fans. I am dead. I love that woman so much. And I love both of her books so much. But I do think that The Ex-Bows is truly the standout from her. So I highly recommend that one comes out mid July. It comes out the same day that Business Casual and Another Love Song come out. So like July 16 is like a holy grail date, I think for a lot of romance readers.
00:22:48
Speaker
And lastly, This Summer Will Be Different by Carly Fortune. I really enjoyed that book so much. If you want like the perfect summery vibes, this one definitely, definitely has it. It really made me want to go visit Prince Edward Island in Canada, which I had never been on my radar, but now i'm like I never even heard of it before I read that book. You never heard of it? That's crazy. But um yeah, that book was, it was really hot. It's definitely her hottest of her books. It's like a friends with benefits type situation. ah And it was a great time. Really loved it. Loved the summer vibes. So those are all the ones that I would. Do you like that more than every summer after? It's really hard to say because like,
00:23:34
Speaker
Yeah. There's a couple of sticking points with me in every summer after, but like it was so angsty and emotional and I loved it. And I know that this summer will be different. Didn't necessarily have the quite quack, quite the same punch that every summer after did, but I personally still found it to be emotional enough. Like it had enough emotional depth for me to really appreciate it. So I don't know. Didn't you DNF that one? no i read it i gave it like 3.75 i i went in wanting mess because that is what that girl like she thrives on it oh my god her first she looks so messy this one was just like oh
00:24:13
Speaker
I know I don't need every single book to be yeah like that. And so and also the I know that there's there's a common theme among Carly Fortune books, at least in the first two books that she wrote that people were sick of. Me too. No, she should have kept it up. Me too. And she did not keep it up. Yes. And she didn't. She finally switched gears like I was sick of it. So like I was like, girl, I think it's a good personality. Get a new person anyway. So I didn't. I was like, oh, it's going to be like this forbidden. Like I just was expecting the angst to be way higher given the the like description of the book. But it wasn't. So if I think if you go in knowing that it's a lot lighter, then you'll be fun. I think that there was I think that there was some angst towards the end. But I mean, that's just happened. Yeah, it's not hitting the other two, though.
00:25:07
Speaker
I recently got access to librarian ALCs on Libro FM because of my job and they have like a bunch more audiobooks that the influencer ALCs don't have. The Carly Fortune book was on there last month so I downloaded it so hopefully be listening to it. It's great on audio too. And I just looked in Summer Romance by Annabelle Monahan's on there for June so I downloaded it. Also not in love. suck it, pick one of us audio, I don't need you. Um, her Carly fortune is narrator. She's the same one. Really good. Okay. She's good to know. Cause I haven't read her any of her other stuff. Uh, I know. I know. I know. I know. I haven't read any Carly fortune. No. Wow. That's crazy. Yeah. I like really solid. Don't meet, don't read me me at the lake.
00:25:56
Speaker
I didn't like that book. I liked, I liked Mimi. The second half of that book is so strong. The first half, it's a little boring, but the second half I ah really enjoyed. Yeah. I don't know why I'm so scared. I'm like, I'm scared of those books. I don't know. Yeah, I definitely, I i think I'm going to start with the newest ones as a habit and then I'll probably get the bug and then I'll go back and read the other ones. Okay. I mean, like, yeah yeah, I mean, yeah. Yeah. We'll see. Okay, it'll be curious to see where you're where you'll land with her. Yes. um For mine, I have a few.
Summer Book Vibes & Releases
00:26:33
Speaker
um The first one that I thought of immediately and I just think of this book anytime I think of summer is that summer feeling. Yeah,
00:26:41
Speaker
but good yeah read that last summer and it was just like the best time like it is a cute. It is a queer awakening book um sapphic romance and it's about this woman who just had an engagement break off so she goes to this like adult summer camp and thinks she's meeting her soulmate because she had like Yeah. Premonition, yeah. Yeah, premonition, like whatever. So she thinks she's like meeting her soulmate and she's like actively trying to pursue him, but then ends up falling for his sister, which is not a spoiler, it's on the back of the book. um But it's just like really great. The adult summer camp setting it just made for like such fun summer vibes. I just, yeah, that was just the best. um And I think that book, anytime I think of summer,
00:27:35
Speaker
So that one definitely I think should be on people's lists. For a smutty good time this past month, I listened to the whole wild season series by Christina Lauren, just like head empty, just mindless audiobooks. but they're also very hot like even some of the ones where the plot lines weren't hitting for me because there's five books in that series if you count the novella it's like a short story it's not even at a novella so there's four main books in the series and then like two short stories i didn't read the last short story and i'm not really interested in reading it but even when the storylines weren't hitting for me the it was a wild so yeah my favorite one is the first one which i think is a little unpopular opinion i don't know something about
00:28:21
Speaker
that audiobook was just so well done because they got a narrator who could speak French. So anytime that he was speaking French and like in a French accent or whatever like, yeah, she was doing great. um So that was very fun. I also have been thinking a lot about J.I.D. Nelson recently, because I'm about to start her new book that is coming out in August, I believe it is coming out. too um And it just makes me think about I'll Give You The Sun. I just love that book so much. I think it's great summer vibes, even though it expands multiple seasons.
00:28:56
Speaker
just like a very beautifully done YA like I feel like everything I love about the YA genre is in that book like it's very emotional and captures like the feelings that you have at that age it's like it's about a set of twins and set two different timelines in their lives um so anytime you're in the girl twins POV, they're 16 and anytime you're in the boys POV, they're 13. And it just like I think captures the feelings of those ages so well. I just love that book. I've been wanting to reread it. So that one.
00:29:30
Speaker
definitely it would be on my list. um I also mentioned this a couple minutes ago when Kendra was talking but I recently finished the Simon Snow trilogy and I don't know if like that one's necessarily giving like summer vibes but I just had the best fucking time with that series. I did it all on audio and it was really well done. I did it on Libby and just like my tummy hurts when I think about them. I love them so much like those are my kids so It's Pride Month, you have to do it. Yeah, exactly. It does give summer vibes because they're gay. Yeah. Queer. But yeah, had the best time. Again, I i like i just feel like summer's for YA for me because I just have had a great, great time reading some YA books during the summertime. If I had to build like a YA cannon, I think I'd give you this, I might be firmly on that list. her Like, yeah, that's a really, that's like a standout from that genre.
00:30:25
Speaker
Yeah, i I remember just being so blown away when I read it for the first time and just like all the simple ways that she like does so much more with so little, you know, there's so many massive themes explored in that book very like overtly, but also like subtly as well. So yeah, I love it. I have it. I have it. Penguin Teen graciously sent it to me because in preparation for when the world tips over coming out. um So they sent me, the sky is everywhere. Yeah, that's that one's pretty solid too. There's a movie on Apple TV.
00:31:02
Speaker
that I remember you talking about it right before the movie came out. What summer releases are we all excited for? it I know we already mentioned Love Unwritten, which comes out very soon. Yes. I'm ah really excited to see the announcement about the Business Casual audiobook, because I physically read that book back in January, and it was so good. I loved physically reading it. like I had just like a great time. That was a five-star read for me, and my only five-star read from that series. But I would love to be able to re-listen to it. But historically, her audiobooks have been
00:31:38
Speaker
garbage. No, that face makes me nervous. What? No, I just because I just checked on audible because I had been looking also like I was looking on audible to like see if they were announced because other books but that are coming out also on July 16, like the ex vows and on the lip song both have their narrators listed. This one is Benjamin Walker, who I don't know. Neither. I know and Pippa Jane. now No, no.
00:32:08
Speaker
Somebody get her an audio book early on her fucking team. No, but she did all the other, she did all the other fucking books in that series. Oh my God.
00:32:21
Speaker
um so sorry brandita that's fine it's fine a gun a gun just went off I'll never be able to read that would be audio um um headphone headphone warning for 30 seconds ago Sorry, oh my god, that is so upsetting. Okay, if you're an audiobook girlie, do not listen to that one. Unless you've listened to the other ones in that series and been fine with that narrator. I thought she was okay. I thought she was okay. I think that the guy, especially in mixed signals was way worse. I only fizz- I listened to
00:33:00
Speaker
into the in the weeds oh and then as like an audio ALC from NetGalley like two years ago and then decided I would no longer be. listening to those books. Oh, that is such a, I'm sorry. It's okay. Anyways, um, that was the pro release. I'm so excited. Um, I am excited for the release of leather and lark, the audio book specifically, although I have been getting a little nervous, you guys, because they wrote a song because she's like an artist. So there's going to be st singing in it. So I'm scared.
00:33:36
Speaker
Oh no. but I mean, by the time this episode comes out, Leather and Lark will be out. So hopefully maybe we've already all read it and we'll see our thoughts. But yeah, yeah. So very soon, like in two days. Yeah. So excited. Yeah. But yeah, so I'm like a little nervous for the singing part of it just because I get the ache really bad from the audio books. But they she seems to be really excited about it. So we'll see. I'm really excited for play along. Liz Tung Ford comes out July. Oh, yeah. Oh, my God. I don't know why I thought that book came out in like November. I know the summer. Yeah. Comes out next month, right? Yes. Yeah. Wow. So very excited for that one. Obviously, we already mentioned Love Unwritten, Leather and Lark. I also read the first book and the novella or like the prequel in the
00:34:32
Speaker
What is it called? The new Sierra Simone series that she started last year. Oh, Honeycutt. What is it called? Salt Kiss. Salt Kiss is the first book and then Honeycutt is the next book, but I can't remember. Is it like The Lioness? Yeah, it's called Lioness. It was such a different book, but like I can't deny that I had a good time, so I will be continuing the series. So I am kind of excited for it. I don't know. I'm just like the way that the book ended. I'm very curious to see where it's going to go. um but i'm I'm excited for that one. And then at the end of summer, although this is technically, I think it counts as a fall book.
00:35:15
Speaker
I mean it really does, it's the fall vibes, the spookier vibes, not even that spooky to be honest, but Wisteria comes out in August, the end of summer, which I am so excited for. I am so excited. I am so excited for that, but I could like pee myself thinking about it, I'm so excited. Um, and then this doesn't come out in the summer. It came out many, many moons ago, but I will be reading it because a lot of people have told me specifically Brandy, the Ravenel series. Um, when I read a Lisa Kleypas book, so many people in my DMS, including the Tara DeWitt came into my DMS and was like, you have to read the Ravenel series. I was like, okay. So we'll be doing that as well.
00:35:57
Speaker
Yay, oh my god, I'm actually so excited recently. I reread two books um last month from Lisa Clapas and they're both Ravenels. Kenna, do you have anything specific? um Yes, my favorite book of the year comes out. My favorite book of the year comes out in July, July 26th. How can I forget? Oh my God. Slow Dance for Rainbow Row. I think the book is amazing. I'm so sad. We were going to meet her in l LA and then they rescheduled her tour date and I can't go anymore. I'm actually obsessed about that.
00:36:30
Speaker
It's okay, like you win some, you lose some. So that book is coming out. I think everyone should read it, it's so good. And then Katie Kitagno's news release called Heavy Hitter comes out in August and it's like her spin on the like Travis Kelsey Taylor Swift fiasco. um Because like when that happened, everyone was like, all right, like, we want to see it, we want to see it. Yeah. And she said it was like the, she said it was the quickest book she's ever sold. and like written like she pitched it sold it and then how to write it and then I saw her Instagram like maybe a few weeks ago and she was like yeah I thought writing that was gonna make me like a mega swifty but it didn't and I was like okay I'm trusting this book now yeah yeah I'm excited like I just love she just does mess so well and I'm just expecting that to be like a messy good time I applied for the arc on netgalley and those bitches have not responded yet it's been like over a month let's go hurry up I don't know what is taking so long
00:37:27
Speaker
So yeah, those are really like the only two. I feel like I've read every other summer release that I've wanted it to, like not another love song, did it. What else is coming out? The but behalf of the books you guys mentioned, like I either don't care, sorry that sounded mean. um I just like, I just, I don't know, like what else is coming out? this I did the X-Riles already, like that's it it. It feels like a much slower, I feel like it was the same thing last year, it was like a slower summer. Like I usually have like one or two that I'm looking forward to, but like other than that, Other than like releases, though, is there anything like that you want to read this summer, like some things that have already come out? I don't know. Like I said, I did my big I did my big one this year. So I oh, I'm going to I told Kayla I would do friendship study in June because it's pride month. Brandi, don't look at me. Yeah, there's Kayla. Kayla loved it. Brandi didn't like it. I see more people like you gave it a three point five, Brandi. That's not you like any book. I enjoyed reading it.
00:38:27
Speaker
I didn't love it. OK. A 3.5. Yeah, I don't think that's you liking a book at all. I gave City of Bones three and a half. Elle's left and right. That's different. City of Bones is ah is a so foundation. That's a one off book that you get. Sorry. um So yeah, I don't know. um You know, I still haven't done like Prisoners Throne by Holly Black. I want to do. I wanna do sword capture by Cassandra Clare too, just cause it's her first adult fantasy. And like, I've heard that she really expands upon some themes that she's starting to explore in shadow hunters. um So I would love to see where she takes that. I don't know. I don't know. I mean, like I have my friend TBR like Caleb's pointed out at the beginning. So we'll see what books get checked off. But yeah, I don't know. Yeah.
00:39:19
Speaker
Kayla, is there a specific book you would have liked me to have said? No, I'm just asking. Okay. so Guys, I keep, they're going to roll their eyes as soon as I say
Personal Summer Plans & Events
00:39:29
Speaker
this. I know what you're going to say already. but Well, like the last two books that Brandy read because I asked her to were else big. so three and a half stars is an L. I messaged you and told you all the things I liked about it. And then you said, can you explain why you messaged me and you sent me one little small thing. And then the things you did it like five paragraphs, five messages. I said, Oh, it's fine.
00:40:00
Speaker
but I'm sorry, that made me laugh. It seems like a me thing because like I've i had a bunch of people swipe up on my story and be like, what'd you think? What'd you think? and i was like wasn't for me yeah i've seen more people like that book i think you're the first person i've seen who like didn't vibe with it so we'll see where i land yeah i i would i bet you'll like i would guess that you would like it i don't know yeah i don't know i'm not gonna do it on audio either i didn't mind the audio i heard that guy's voice and i said immediately no
00:40:30
Speaker
I'm adding to my list if you want to smut a good time, read The Friendship Study. Anyway. Yeah, this, mine, that. If it was just a smut, five stars.
00:40:42
Speaker
Anyway, um so those are a lot of books that we're all looking forward to reading either that are coming out or have already come out. What other things guys just doesn't even have to be bookish related. What else are you guys looking forward to this summer? What life things do we have coming up? Mine is like, this is slightly bookish um because my best friend surprised me with tickets to like go to the release party for Out on a Lim, which is my favorite book of last year, yeah, in Chicago. So that's actually like I leave tomorrow at as of this recording to go to Chicago to see my best friend for the first time since Thanksgiving last year.
00:41:23
Speaker
and Christmas last year, whatever, and go to that. So I'm looking forward to that. And then um also going to see Kayla Anne. Yay! I'm so excited. i'm I have been like planning things for us to go do and see and eat. And Brandi's never had Kansas City barbecue. i've never been figure out I know, never been period. So I need to figure out where we should take Brandy. Because Kidder's been, twice now. Both for concerts, but yeah, both for concerts, not just to like come chill, visit. So, yeah.
00:42:04
Speaker
i If I was just coming for the concerts, I would have stayed for the concert and left. I came to hang out with you, girlie. I know, that's what I said. I said, that's why you're you're coming this time just to hang out. So I'm excited. yeah So, yeah, very excited for that. Yeah, those are like my two big things until the last thing we're going to talk about, um which is an event we're all going to, which is bookish. But like other than that, I'm just like looking forward to having my first full summer in Colorado because last year I moved in July. So I'm i'm excited. like Dale got a pass for the state parks.
00:42:37
Speaker
Um, so yeah, we're going to try and bop around and my summer job is really flexible. Like I basically get to set my own hours. So I'm just looking forward to making a little extra money and being able to explore the beautiful state. You're going to be outside. Yes. That's the hope. I'm like, I want to, it's been very good for my mental health recently to like be outside as much as possible. So I want to keep doing that. Kendra. You got a lot of stuff. My summer is packed. Where should we begin? In two weeks, one of my first internet friends, her name is Haley. ah Haley's coming to visit me. We became friends through Book Talk.
00:43:21
Speaker
I need to find the video that she first commented on. um I think it's probably like a From Blood Nash video. i'm I don't know, that is not important. But we became friends in 2021 and then we um became friends on Snapchat and we have like, let me tell you guys how long our snap streak is um and then we like buddy read throne of glass together and like a lot of books together that summer we've been snapping each other for 1064 days so that's a long time yeah and i'm just like so excited to meet her we're gonna hang out like explore um eat
00:43:55
Speaker
binge TV like just get to talk she's barely in the country ever she travels a lot like to Europe just like she just lives her best life so I'm so excited that she's like finally here this summer to finally get to meet and then maybe like two-ish weeks after she leaves my best friend Madison's coming into town which I'm like ecstatic for. Yeah, that'll be fun. We're going to like go to a baseball game. We're going to explore. We're going to just like hang out. Like I feel like you killer. Like I keep adding stuff to the list and she's like, we only have so many days. And I'm like, I don't care. Um, so that'll be, that'll be fun. And then literally she leaves and then we're going to, Brittany and I are going to go drive to Kansas city. It's such a fun drive. You'll have so much fun. Kansas. Yeah.
00:44:42
Speaker
That's literally the entire drive. It's just driving across one state. I'm going to say one of the Dark Artifices' books, so we can just pop out during the drive. Literally. and Would you actually? Hell yeah. I love those books so much. Like it's literally taking everything I mean, not to just re-listen to Lady Midnight. That book was so good. exciting The most exciting thing on the drive is the windmills. That's it. Like the solar power windmills, like those or like actual like. No. Yeah. The solar power is a huge, sorry. I don't know. It's Kansas. Y'all don't got nothing out there. So I could see be like little Norway. right No. Yeah. Like the Netherlands or something. No, no. It's just the solar power. Huge, gigantic ones. There's like fields of them all over the place. Um, so yeah, we're going to go drive, hang out with miss Kayla and in Kansas city. And then we get back from that and I,
00:45:29
Speaker
and Moving once again this summer. I'm moving to Texas back home. My dad is retiring finally from his job and um I just miss my parents and like San Antonio as a whole I just love Texas so much. I'm like, yeah let's just go back So I'll be moving my parents are gonna come get myself like mid-july and then we're gonna go to see me lit all of us and then after steamy lit I'll like have to take care of a few more things up here and and then I'm gonna drive on down to Texas. So come August, I'll be a Texas girl. Y'all, my Texas girlies hit me up. I'll be back, especially if you live in the San Antonio, South Texas region. We can hang out, meet up. um And then amongst all that, like it's gonna be pool, pool, pool, pool. I went to the pool yesterday. I'm going to the pool when we're done recording. I got these new swimsuits from Aerie. They're so fucking cute. It might not be too late. and then like Go check out the Aerie swimsuit sale. Kayla said that she checked and the prices went up a little bit.
00:46:22
Speaker
But, I mean, when I say went up, they went up from like $12 to $18. Oh, okay. Then yeah, definitely. Because the tops alone are usually like 40. Right. So, um, they're so cute. And like, I've like, they fit my body. So what I'm like, Oh my God, Ari, like you really did your big one. Um, and what else? Yeah. Like being outside with Julian, I took him to the farmer's market yesterday. He did so good. You guys. Um, I was a little nervous for him, but when are you going to go on your Colorado hike? Kayla wants me to go on a hike so bad.
00:46:57
Speaker
i he on that is I gave her one that is dog friendly. It's right outside Estes. So you don't have to go into the park because I was like, Oh, like I would want to do that with mike my friend, Haiti, like take her like to the park or it's take her somewhere. But Kayla sent me a three mile hike. I said, Bitch, we're black. We're not going to go on a three mile hike. Like three ah maybe is a mile. Yes. But like that's not a hike. That's a walk. Okay, but like Kayla you have to understand Haley lives in Virginia Elevation below sea level so like her trying to do Okay Shannon Doha National Park Kendra Kayla Kayla Kayla a hill in Virginia versus a hill in Colorado or the elevation gained so much You're gonna die you're going to die so I'll find some new one
00:47:45
Speaker
Okay, I'll find some shit that we can do. I will be outside. i'll go on I go on hikes all the time in this great state. um And by hikes, I mean I walk the paths and the trails around my... as a meeper girly you're being a little judgmental right now sorry i'm sorry okay you said hike so let's just go back to chautauqua kendra that was super nice yeah and i'm gonna and i'm gonna bring julian and he and i need to just bring water for him and i go and yeah worry about him doing really well at the farm bro he did so he did so good yeah he's just like terrified like every dog that comes out to him he like jumps um he gets so scared but like they had a lot of dog vendors because i guess i went like on a day where it was like
00:48:26
Speaker
it was a farmer's market plus like an event so the event had a lot of vendors and there are a lot of like dog friendly people there and they would like give him treats and they're like oh like if he does give me people giving him treats and like he's a good boy I was like yeah I know he's the best um so yeah honestly it's just a pool summer like oh I love being at the pool you guys it's so so so nice Yeah, and then yeah moving back home. So Love that. I live in Kansas City. Obviously as everybody knows I don't there's no hikes here So whenever Jared and I go a place we always go on a hike. I love hiking. I love hiking to a view I want to make that
00:49:01
Speaker
clear. I don't like to hike just to exert myself. I want there to be a reward. So that's why I love it and I wanted to share it with you since you live in the beautiful state of Colorado. Yeah and I want to move to the beautiful state of Texas and there are so many hikes there too. And by hike I mean walking around my neighborhood. All right, it's very really when you guys come to texas you'll be like i've been to texas and think we havent You haven't you haven't been to my texas? What do you mean? My dad is from san. Antonio. No, no. Yeah, but you said he lived in like bear in um Like no, no, no, he didn't he didn't live in bernie. No, I have no idea where he ended up growing up. Anyway You should ask that question. You should know your history
00:49:48
Speaker
I don't have a lot going on this summer. um Like I said at the beginning, i summer's not that different for me. Jared and I typically don't go on like a lot of vacations in the summer for us because it's usually we just don't like the crowds and it's hot so we don't like to do a whole lot to be honest. I obviously the girls come into Kansas City, so I'm planning for that. i'm I'm like you with Madison. Like I'm adding a bunch of things to the list and I'm like, there's no way we're going to get all this done, but we'll try. try andest Yeah. our damnest um So I'm really looking forward to that. But yeah, I literally have like.
00:50:25
Speaker
Nothing. I got a whole lot of nothing. Stimulate, we're all going to at the end of July slash beginning of August, which we're all so excited for. Yeah. But yeah, quite literally it's going to be quiet for me. So, but stimulus. We got aren't you coming to call girls going. Oh, my God. Well, I'm going after stimulus. Yes, I am coming to Colorado for a concert just for like a day. Brandy may come with me, which will be so fun. So who are you going to go see? Oh, listen to me.
00:51:01
Speaker
I can't. I'm going to go see 21 Pilots because it's nostalgic for me and their new album slaps. Like what can I say? It's really good. It's a great album. And I've seen them every tour cycle that they've gone on since 2015. So I have to go. Like I'm so sorry, it's tradition. So, and they are one of the best live acts I've ever seen. Like I, who am I? Didn't I? They're really good. but My coworkers were going feral for those tickets like trying to get them like they were on their computers at lunch like you're not the only one. yeah Thank you, Brandi. How old are your coworkers? Whoa, ageist much? No, I'm just trying to like mark one of them is 26 and one of them was 45, so.
00:51:45
Speaker
oh forty five wow yeah My coworker who's 45 is an avid concert goer. She puts aside like a portion of her paycheck every single time. She just like, she goes to concerts like every week. Like she's going to see Billie Eilish. She's going to see Hozier. She would love to see Billie. Yeah. And she's going to like small, she goes to see smaller acts too. Like she, that's like her thing. That's like what she spends her money on. and But she was really excited about 21 pilots and she like does it with her daughter. Her daughter's 18 and they like go to all these concerts together. It's very cute. Yeah.
00:52:16
Speaker
I love that. Hozier's coming to here. I know he's going to Colorado as well. I would love to go see him, but his tickets were crazy expensive. I paid a dumb amount of money to go see him at Red Rocks. And that was like, yeah, I will cherish that forever, but I will never pay that much money to see him again. and Not that he wasn't worth it. He definitely was. I just like don't have unlimited funds, you know, so yeah, but. But yeah, like I mentioned, Steamylit, we're
Anticipation for Events & Wrap-Up
00:52:42
Speaker
all going. Who are we all most excited to see, you guys? I think for me, just with the people, I'm really excited to meet Tara. Yes. But I think for people who I've had like- Doesn't have to be an author. Yeah. Yeah. I'm excited to meet Tara and get my book signed and stuff. But for people who I have had zero contact with who are just in the author sphere, Christina Lauren. I want to get my love and other words signed so bad. Yeah.
00:53:08
Speaker
Uh, yeah, Tara for me, Jessica Joyce, obviously. I forgot she's going. yeah I will be outside table with you. Oh my God. You're going to be annoying. This is your biggest fan. Jessica, she literally threatened me. Well, i hope my hope is that you won't have to do that because. I mean, I read the you with the view arc, so hopefully she will maybe like, be like, Oh my God, Kayla. And she already signed my book. I bought a pre-ordered personalized copy of X vows. So. Yeah, I'm excited to meet her. Allie Hazelwood's going, but I'm not even going to try to get in that line, probably, because I feel like it's going to be insane. Kennedy Ryan. I didn't get to see Tia when these girls went to LA, had a great time. I would love to see Tia Williams. She's not going to be their baby. Oh, that's right. She changed. I forgot. She canceled.
00:53:59
Speaker
yeah but Yeah, I'm excited obviously to see all of our friends. Yeah, with a lot of the same people that we did at book bonanza so it'll be so much fun. That's I think what I'm most excited for and like i we've reached this place with book signings that like we've met so many authors that we read like religiously that this is, I feel like so little stress about stimulus. Like there's nobody that I'm like, Oh, I'm going to be really sad if I don't get to see them, which it's a big price, big ticket price for me to feel that way, but I'm mostly excited to like see our friends who we did book bonanza with last year. Cause that I'm so happy that group chat is like alive and kicking like daily. like I love it.
00:54:43
Speaker
yeah kindner do you have anything but um see me like Yeah, I'm like blanking on like every author that I want to see. um Oh, isn't like Kate Goldbeck or Julie Soto going to be there? Like one of those yes both of those girls are going to be there. Yeah, I would love to be especially Kate Goldbeck. I think she's a wonderful writer. Yeah, I don't know. I'm chilling vibes excited for Disney. I'm excited to hang out with everyone. That's it. I feel like see me. That's going to be like my last little like, well, that's not true, but it's going to be for a few months. My last will like break. And then I go home and then I'm going to go to Tahoe in October.
00:55:21
Speaker
Those are like all my vacations Love you too girlies. So in in in summation Brandy and Kendra will be outside all summer. I will be Kelly you can be outside too. You talk about Kansas. Oh my god, too hot You're like, there's so much to do in Kansas City. There's so much to do there is so much to do then go do it I will do it. Okay inside as in like i will be inside a building doing something like go into a nice restaurant get some color like it'll be what color i'll burn you want me to be red no i mean you already are the author well anyway yeah go be outside go have fun like go to the pool like
00:56:01
Speaker
Well, we hope you guys have a great summer. We have one more episode for the season coming your way, and we're really excited about it. We hope you will be too. um So we'll see you next week for that. And then we're taking a little break for summer. We have all these cool plants. We have to do them.