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Tier Ranking: Enemies to Lovers Books | S4Ep7
563 Plays2 months ago
We're back with another tier ranking! We work together to rank popular enemies to lovers books that were submitted by our listeners!
Follow us on Instagram @BringYourOwnPod
Follow Brandi @Brandos.Books
Follow Kendra @Kendra.Readz
Follow Kayla @Kaylas.Bookshelf
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Transcript
Introduction to Hosts and Podcast
00:00:08
Speaker
Well, now I have to do it too. Hey, guys. Welcome to Bring Your Own and Catch All Bookish, most of the time podcast. I'm Brandi. I'm Kendra. I'm Kayla.
Book Trope Tier Ranking Discussion
00:00:21
Speaker
And today we are back with another tier ranking where we take lots of books that have one specific trope and rank them on our own personal scale. So much fun and we'll jump in. But before we do,
00:00:37
Speaker
What are we reading? What are we drinking?
Brandy's Engagement Story
00:00:39
Speaker
Actually, I think before we jump in, um, we are recording this after a very special magical day happened. Our very own Miss Brandy Pease will no longer be a Miss soon. She will be a Misses because she got engaged to her now fiancé Tien, who was on the podcast a few seasons ago during our couples challenge game. And yeah, now she's engaged. Gonna be a wife, Brandy. How are we feeling?
00:01:09
Speaker
I'm feeling good. It's been like a very, it was literally yesterday that it happened. So less than 24 hours ago. And it's just been like a really awesome day. Like yesterday was just really perfect. And I've just been so happy. I like woke up with smiling on on my face. Like my cheeks have been hurting. Like I'm just been in such a good mood. So it's been really good. And like earlier this week, Daniel convinced me to take this day off of work so like and I was just like yeah that sounds good I haven't taken a day off before and little did I know it was because he was like it'd probably be nice for you to have a day off after all that so yeah it was a really good and we went to like my favorite place in Boulder which is like this really beautiful bike trail that has like a lookout down into the Boulder Valley and it was just so special I was crying he was crying everybody's crying my mom cried my dad cried everybody cried we cried yeah
00:02:02
Speaker
Did you have any inklings that morning? Not the day of. I knew it was probably happening like sometime this fall, um just based off of like vibes and like things I was hearing and stuff. But I didn't know it was that day. He actually lured me out of the house with some like errands. And he was like, we'll grab lunch after. like Let's look cute. And I was like, OK, sounds good. So yeah, it was just like a really and a really good day. So I'm just so excited and happy. Yeah. That's cool.
00:02:31
Speaker
If you guys want to see a couple pics, definitely go to Brandi's Instagram and you can see the pictures of her ring and of her and Daniel, so make sure you go check that out. We're so happy for you. I told Kayla, like, Brandi, I kid you not a few days ago, I was like, Brandi keeps getting her nails done. She's like, Brandi's nails are done. I think it's going to happen. Because I was like, you never get your nails done during the school year. So I was like, huh, I think it's going to happen like soon.
00:02:52
Speaker
So yeah, yeah, I started getting him done like a couple weeks ago, just like, I don't know, he like kind of dropped a hint at the end of summer that I like said something about getting my nails done. He was like, Yeah, it'd probably be a good idea, whatever, you know, so I just started getting my nails done consistently only got through two sets before it happened. But thank God, because Have you seen those tik toks? Or it's like, how many? How many sets can I get done? Yeah, like get yeah I thought about it. But I was like, Oh, God. um But yeah, I'm just like, I'm, I'm really happy. And He did a really good job. So it was a good day. yay We're so happy for you Brandy.
Current Reads and Entertainment
00:03:27
Speaker
Thank you
00:03:29
Speaker
excited What are you reading and drinking, Brandy? yeah I have an ice caramel latte and it's a little warm right now because I made it a couple of hours ago, but I'm drinking it slowly. And I am I'm currently reading Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone, which doesn't come out until March of next year. And I am currently re-listening to Ready or Not by Cara Bastone. Because I started reading. Yeah, I finished my other audio book and i I'm just loving Promise Me Sunshine so much that I was like, this makes me want to reread Ready or Not. And I was like, um I can just do that. So I did. And it's, it's been really fun. And it's so good. I'll probably finish it today or tomorrow. I'm like 60 ish percent and I'm reading it physically. So I don't know the exact, exact percentage. But yeah, I'll probably finish that today.
00:04:22
Speaker
Yeah, I can't wait to hear your thoughts on it because it's like one of my favorite books ever now. So yeah, dude, I've been like it's it's funny you mentioned this when you were talking about it you're like I was crying and then the next page I was laughing and then I was crying and like that's just like she's so good at making you feel all of those big emotions that you're supposed to feel when you're reading. So it's really good. Yeah. Yeah. What about you, Kayla?
00:04:46
Speaker
iy and I just had lunch a little bit ago, like right before we started. So I have a no Coke, but I do have a Pepsi Zero cherry in my water. I'm telling. You're telling Coke. Excuse me. I am reading still. Well, actually, I think last episode I hadn't started it yet, um but I'm reading Our Infinite Fates by Laura Steven and about 50 percent through. crew and I'm really enjoying it. It's very unique, it's a unique premise. It's basically about these two people who get reincarnated but they have to kill each other before they turn 18 and they keep getting reincarnated. I know I'm butchering the description of it but yeah it's basically about two people that get reincarnated that have to kill each other before they turn 18.
00:05:40
Speaker
So that's that's what I'm reading on us. Are they friends? They're lovers. Yeah. Oh, and they have to kill each other so that they keep getting reincarnated? No, no. Well, we don't know why they have to keep killing each other. One of them knows, but the other doesn't. The other is like, why do you keep killing? What happens if you don't? You know, what happens if you don't? Because we want to live all together. But the other one is like, I have to, I have to. So there's something going on. We don't know yet. But that's what I'm reading. I'm not currently listening to anything. But can I talk about what I'm watching?
00:06:10
Speaker
Can I see what I'm watching? Okay, I'm watching Nobody Wants This on Netflix. and Oh, whoa, whoa. but I thought you were gonna start talking about Tell Me Lies. I was like, okay, yeah, let's talk about it. I did finish Tell Me Lies, but no, I literally- You're not finished, you're caught up. Oh, I'm sorry, I'm caught up, but you know, same thing. um I started literally yesterday morning, Nobody Wants This, and I binged the first four episodes just all in one go. They're only 25 minutes, so they're not long at all. but I'm really, really loving it. If you like rom-coms...
00:06:42
Speaker
rom-coms are back, baby. Watch that show, it's so good. It like makes me all giddy and it's so funny as well. it's um It stars Adam Brody and Kristen Bell. It's so good, you guys. You should watch it. I never watched the OC or anything like that, but he- He's on Gilmore Girls, Caleb. Yeah, I did actually know that. I did actually know that, but yeah, he's he's real good looking. So you should watch it.
00:07:10
Speaker
You know who he's married to, right? Leighton Meister. I just found that out like a couple days ago, actually. Yeah. That makes me like so happy. And they're like the ah perfect example of like, if you want to keep your private life private as a Hollywood couple, you can do it. A hundred percent. Like you don't know anything about them. Yeah. And they have two kids and you've never seen their faces. I didn't know that. Yeah. And they've been together for a minute. And it's just funny because like OC was created by the same people who did Gossip Girl, but like they didn't meet each other, I think until like years after the both shows had like ended so wow crazy fate let's see i am drinking water and i think i've had some yeah some boring drinks drink options um active
00:07:55
Speaker
Yeah, womp womp. I am like rereading Promise Me Sunshine. I'm going to put it down soon. and I feel like just because like it's a new month, if I keep at it, like I won't move on. Yeah. So good. So I don't know what I'm going to do next.
00:08:13
Speaker
um I don't know. Oh, I think I'm going to do Swapped Away by Beth O'Leary because I just got that via NetGalley. So excited for that. And then I'm listening to Hemlock House by Katie Katugno, very slowly listening to it, might I say. It's like a murder mystery. The first book took place like the summer of the protagonist, the summer before his senior year. And then this book takes place his freshman year in college. Like you've kind of skipped his entire senior year, which I'm assuming a lot of shit has happened in that year that we'll find out in this book. But yeah, so far, so good. I saw that one at the bookstore yesterday.
00:08:51
Speaker
Yeah, it's such a thin book, too. Guys, I'm so excited because now that I got all my stuff out of storage, so now I can like start like putting together my library and stuff. And I'm excited. like I can have a full Shadowhunters shelf now and display shit. Yeah, that's awesome. I'm so excited to see pictures. And to be there. Yes. Amazing. Doors open.
00:09:18
Speaker
Kayla's like- Why are you threatening me with the doors open with some finger guns? That's scary. Like why do I wanna open the door to- I remember being in San Antonio, Kayla's like, she tries to treat it like I treat Kansas City. She's like, oh, it's San Antonio. It doesn't work. It doesn't work. Why doesn't it work? It doesn't have the same effect.
Humorous Commentary and Trope Opinions
00:09:33
Speaker
No, it's San Antonio, one of the greatest cities ever. Anyways. Just ask Charles Barkley. Yeah, Charles Barkley loves it. He gives it glowing reviews. He loves those big old women down here in San Antonio. And when he's here next year for the Final Four,
00:09:49
Speaker
He's going to be churrowing it up with all those big old women down on the Riverwalk. This is a bit we're talking about that the sports caster, former NBA star Charles Barkley does where he makes fun of the quote big old women down in San Antonio. If you need a good laugh, just Google or ah go on YouTube, TikTok, Charles Barkley, San Antonio.
00:10:09
Speaker
it is hilarious yes just it's astonishing to me how often he finds a way to bring it up it is so and like they do it to him too like wait like set him up this is like totally unrelated well no it is related but like not to books i saw the video of gronk being punked on screen did y'all see that that was so funny like because they were all trying like not to laugh about it yeah me keeping it a sports yeah where we football girls this year and the bangles won this weekend finally Kayla, your team has been playing like ass and still winning. You guys are cheating, you guys are cheating. The refs just love y'all so much, like damn. Nevermind, let me not, let me not, let me not, let me not, let me not. There's no excuse. Isaiah Pacheco being out now and Rice. I think y'all are fucked, unfortunately. We are still one though. Had a good run. Still one. Still early is so what you would tell me, right? and' Still early.
00:11:08
Speaker
So you keep saying about Joe, we'll see what happens. We'll see. And he won now. He warmed up now against those ice tips against the Panthers. Let's go when you tell me a win is a win is still a win. A win is still a win. A win is a win. A win is a win. Okay. A win is a win. He won. And that's all that matters.
00:11:30
Speaker
Anyway, tier ranking you guys. So we're doing enemies lovers slash nemesis nemesis to lovers for this one because we wanted to be able to rivals. Yeah, we wanted to be able to include some contemporary books and it's hard to get like a true enemies to lovers and like a contemporary book because like Is anything that serious where you have an enemy in our day to day lives these days? Maybe. But before we jump into actually ranking these books, what are your guys' thoughts on this trope slash tropes? I don't know. I don't have like big opinions on this trope, to be honest with you. like it's
00:12:12
Speaker
When people always ask me what my favorite trope is, first of all, I usually struggle with that question anyway, but enemies to lovers is never at the top of my list. like Almost never. so so yeah it's it's It's hard to like really say how I feel about it because yeah sometimes, like you were talking about, in contemporary settings, it's hard to like sell it really well because usually it's like oh they hate each other but actually he's loved her all along you know and so it's it's just like okay so that's not that's not actually enemies to lovers you know what I mean so that's that's kind of where I struggle a little bit
00:12:52
Speaker
Yeah, enemies to lovers is like I think TikTok famous like it's probably the most TikTok famous trope there is like everyone loves it. They'll give you these like very specific examples of like, oh my god knife to throw or like when the enemies like who did this to you like, you know, I just don't think I think it's better in theory than it is in practice. Most of the time, I don't rivals and nemesis work a lot better for me, but I'm trying to think if there's like a single like enemies to lovers book that I'm like, yes, and I think there has been I just can't like Think of one right now. I feel think there has to have been just looking at our list I do think that there are a couple contemporary ones that I think Do qualify as true enemies to lovers I won't say which ones cuz I want to save it but they're gonna help me think of one the Sophie like book that's on there. Oh, yes, you know, that's honestly probably what I'm that's probably what I'm thinking about then that's like true enemies to lovers and
00:13:46
Speaker
Okay, yeah. Sophie like is actually really good at that. I'll give her that. I feel like mafia is a really good setting to be able to accomplish that. And that is part of it. And like she does mafia so well, that, like, I feel like that is why that book is so good. we'll talk Sorry, we're teasing you guys. We'll talk about it more in a minute.
00:14:06
Speaker
i never seek out enemies to lovers books if it happens to be there by like an author that like i really like then like i'll give it a chance but i never go out of my way to do it. Yeah. Yeah. Brandy, do you want to go through our rankings again just to refresh people's memory or if they've never heard a tier ranking before? I would love to. So we are going to rank these on a scale that we have designed specifically for this. So the top spot, and I'm going to go down, the top spot is God tier. These are books that we absolutely adore.
00:14:43
Speaker
Number two is Lace with Drugs. That's a great book to us. Right below that, ooh, close, try again. Maybe there's one or two things that we would change about this book or this the how the trope is used specifically in this book that would move it up. We still liked that book, but it was really close to being great. Beneath that is, I was rooting for you. We were all rooting for you. Books that we wanted to like, but maybe there was just something holding us back there.
00:15:11
Speaker
Beneath that is the checking the Barnes and Noble return policy. These are books that we did not like. These are books that we would be fine if we had never read. Maybe we actually have a burning passion of hate for these. And then the very bottom one is we'll believe it when we see it. These are books that we haven't read yet. So we'll believe it when we see it.
00:15:31
Speaker
So the list of books that we have for this one, a lot of these were suggested to us by y'all.
Book Tier Ranking: Audience Suggestions
00:15:38
Speaker
We put a little link on our Instagram for you guys to submit your favorite enemies to lovers slash rivals to lovers, which is at bring your own pod in case you aren't already following us, you can hop over there.
00:15:50
Speaker
But the books that we have are Serpent and the Wings of Night, Wisteria, Heartless Hunter, You Deserve Each Other, Love Redesigned, Two Wrongs Make a Right, You With a View, A River Enchanted, The Cruel Prince, Kiss the Sky, Today, Tonight, and Tomorrow, Bride, Love Theoretically, Restore Me,
00:16:15
Speaker
Icebreaker, Heartless, Something Wilder, Book Lovers, It Happened One Summer, Brutal Prince, One Star Romance, The Spanish Love Deception, and The Hating Game. So that's 23 books total. This is probably our biggest one. Is it? Our biggest one yet. Yeah, I think so. I think the other ones we did 20 each. Maybe. Okay. This one just feels so much bigger. I don't know why.
00:16:41
Speaker
And the requirement is that two of us, or for this one, we kind of changed it. One of us here has read this book. Usually the bigger titles, we're okay with being like, okay, at least one of us has read it, like Ice Breaker. Then we can like give a solid opinion about it. And then the rest, at least two of us have read it. And then some, all three of us have read it. Yeah. Shall we spin for our first one? Yes. Let's do it. Using our wonderful Wheel of Names. Wheel of Names.
00:17:08
Speaker
dot com. yeah We're still waiting for your email. Let us know. We check every day. All right. Our first one is Heartless by Elsie Silver.
Debate on 'Heartless' by Elsie Silver
00:17:20
Speaker
This was interesting because like when it was brought up as one to include in here, I was like, wait, really? Like I was like, is it, you know, and yeah, when you think about it, I guess so.
00:17:34
Speaker
I mean, I think this contributes to the thing that we were talking about that just like it's hard to do in contemporary romance because like these two got off on a really bad foot. Does that make them enemies? Who's to say? Yeah, they're not. Are they sabotaging each other throughout the book? No, no, they just they get off on the wrong foot and then they don't get along for probably the first like 25 to 30 percent of the book. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, regardless, I would put this guy. I fucking love this book. I know.
00:18:05
Speaker
it's not y'all's fave no okay when you say not y'all's fave i love this book too i want to make that clear it's just not my favorite lc silver book that's all but i love this book it's not mine either i second favorite i feel like kendra would not uh kendra would not put it in god tier but i would you put it in lace with drugs kendra is that where you would put it i would put it like midway between lace with drugs and ukulele try again because like i'm i'm going my brain is like okay yeah it's like a fun book but like heartless and i always kind of had some beef because there's not really a yeah i don't want to um but if we're going based off of like the enemy slovers part of it all like that's not really strong you know but i also think that when we do these two rankings we go we go partly based off of the trope and how we feel about the book yeah so i'm doing partly and that's why i would do it and
00:18:57
Speaker
and I'm okay with Lace with Drugs. we can I'm okay with Lace with Drugs. Lace with Drugs, with the knowledge that I would put that book in God's ear. Maybe I reread that book. Okay,
'Wisteria' by Adeline Grace Discussion
00:19:13
Speaker
our next one. Wow, two hot button ones right off the bat. The next one's Wisteria by Adeline Grace.
00:19:18
Speaker
oh i would put that oh okay i mean if we're enemies of this one those are enemies those yeah hate yeah hitler the enemy part of it would be god tier i think the book has a whole lace with drugs uh i i i I'm, I would put it in God tier. I think actually I would be fine with either, but with the knowledge that like all of us agree that this is like a true, true enemies. Yeah. Then you got to hear for that. I'm okay with that. I think I got here with the trope in mind. Yeah. With the trope. I am like literally tomorrow is October as of the date that we're recording this. And I am already so excited. I'm going to reread all three of them.
00:20:01
Speaker
um I want to know if anything will change for you on a reread. Yeah. I'm most interested to reread Fox Club because I haven't reread that one. I've already reread Belladonna one time in that state of five star read for me. The next one is Today, today Tonight, Tomorrow, which I have not read.
'Today, Tonight, Tomorrow' Analysis
00:20:18
Speaker
Kendra and I have read this book. And again, talking about the trope, those people, oh well. It's Rivals, Lovers. It's Rivals, yes. That's what I was going to say. It's definitely more Rivals to Lovers.
00:20:31
Speaker
I would say laced with drugs. Yeah, I would say laced with drugs. Yeah, because it does fall into that, that category of like minor, minor, minor spoiler. Well, I don't know. Spoiler alert for today's night tomorrow. You find out that he never really hated her. So, or never really viewed her the way that she viewed him. And that is always like, a Oh, for me, like, I don't know. And that's a lot of the books on this list and are going to have that same problem is like one of them always felt a certain type of way.
00:21:01
Speaker
I think the reason that this one can get away with it though is because it's YA and they're in high school. That's so true. So like they're teenagers. They don't really know. They're not adults. That's also not to call them dumb. They're not dumb, but it sounds really bad. They're actually the smartest kids in their class. They actually are super smart. But yeah, because it's YA, I feel like you can get away with it a lot more than if you're an adult. Yeah.
00:21:28
Speaker
Laced with drugs it is. It's a great book. Yeah, Kimi at Kimi Books, if you're listening, we still love this book because this is like one of her favorite books ever. It's a good book. Yeah, and the second one is just as great in my opinion. Yeah. The next one actually. What's the second one called? Past, present, future. Oh, okay. Oh, I didn't realize that was a sequel. I thought she was just doing something cheeky with her titles. That's about them in college. Cute.
00:21:56
Speaker
All right. The next one is a Spanish love deception.
Opinions on 'The Spanish Love Deception'
00:22:00
Speaker
I know where I put that. Did we put, did we have this one in our fake dating one or? dead did We Okay. I'm checking my Barnes and Noble return policy. I thought that book was awful. Awful well capital A. ah I would put it in rooting for you. Where would you put it, Randy? Kayla, where would you ever put it in 2021? I would put it higher for sure. God's here maybe.
00:22:25
Speaker
No, oh my god, no. That's so dramatic. um I mean, I definitely would put it in, I was reading for you or checking the Barnes and Noble return policy. I really enjoyed the first like 30% of this book, like when they were in the office, like being dicks to each other kind of thing. Really? That's so interesting. Because people were actually like all the criticism I heard was always like too long to get to. Yeah, but it took. Right.
00:22:50
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, I agree with that. But like, I liked the banter and tension, like once they started sleeping together in Spain, like all the tension just bled away from the book. And it pissed me off then when there was a third act conflict, because I was like, what about what, like what, what is there to have a conflict about at this point?
00:23:09
Speaker
I will say that is one of the first books I got rid of when I did my very first unhaul of books who because I ran out of space when I was living in LA. I only had room for one bookshelf and I ran out of space. That was one of the like seven books I took off my shelf and took to donate. So I think that in itself kind of leans towards checking the bars of noble return policy.
00:23:33
Speaker
I don't know, Kayla, do you want to fight for it? And we were, no I was reading for you. i don't want I don't feel strongly enough to care. Okay. Down she goes. Womp womp. Sorry to all the Spanish love deception girls. Yeah. I still have mine listed on Pango. Oh, so you're selling it. by oh Oh, I'm selling it. yeah
00:23:58
Speaker
um The next one is icebreaker.
Kendra's View on 'Icebreaker'
00:24:00
Speaker
Kendra's the only one of us has read icebreaker. I would put icebreaker and I was rooting for you, we were all rooting for you. Okay, tell us why. That book is just a little too much all over the place, too long. they It's kind of like there's tension throughout the book, but they do start sleeping with each other relatively early. So then when they would run into these like road bumps, I was just like, why? like
00:24:32
Speaker
Not so you can't have problems with someone that like you're hooking up with, but it just felt like it was a lot of forced conflict and not natural conflict. Also like you guys are never going to read it, right? No. Okay. Like another spoiler warning then for Icebreaker. There's this scene when they're like already together towards the end of the book where she just like randomly drowns.
00:24:52
Speaker
I remember you telling me about that. And it adds like nothing to the story. It gets resolved and then like never brought up again. And so that's like the only thing I remember from the book, if we're being honest that and the fact that they hooked up in a new like literally like hooked up in an Uber.
00:25:08
Speaker
with all their friends sitting in the front seats. So are the only two things from the book that I recall. um But it was a lot of that. It was like, okay, so this really hot like smut scene and then this like stupid ass conflict. And it was repeat, repeat, repeat. And then you get to the end of the book and you're just like, oh, so Yeah. Do you know what my favorite thing I've learned about this series against my will was when Gracie drew the diagram of, is it Anastasia? Anastasia. Yeah, it's either Anastasia or Anastasia. It's Anastasia. Because I listened to the audiobook of Daydream. When Gracie drew that diagram of Stasi doing the splits during sex. Yeah, and that didn't make sense. so
00:25:55
Speaker
Yeah, I would put it there. A lot of people love this book. They love this series. I just i know that book could use a lot of refining. Yeah, I for some reason decided I wanted to try and I read Daydream, which I obviously know is completely out of order, but I didn't really think it was that big of a deal. I know for sure that she includes a lot less sex scenes in that one because I think there was only like three.
00:26:21
Speaker
maybe, wow if that at all. But it's yeah, I just think it, unfortunately, she's not for me. It was just a lot of, it was too long. It was just a lot of nothing in life. If you one of you reads a book and doesn't like it, there's almost a 0% chance that I'm gonna pick up that book. So I have the intention of reading Icebreaker until Kendra was like, eh. And so like, why try? try You know? Right.
00:26:50
Speaker
Not that I can't form my own thoughts, but our taste just aligns so much that I, like, if you guys are neutral about a book, like, yeah, it was fine, or like, you might like it, then of course I'll try it. But yeah there's a very low chance that one of us really dislikes one that the others liked. Yeah. Okay, for the next one. Oh, Wheel of Names froze. Wheel of Names? No.
'Restore Me' by J.L. Seegers Discussion
00:27:14
Speaker
Restore Me by J.L. Seekers.
00:27:17
Speaker
I have not read this one. I have. Kendra and I have different opinions about this book. yeah I loved this book. I didn't give it five stars, but I really, really enjoyed it.
00:27:35
Speaker
This is one of those books that was like a perfect, um what's the word I'm looking for? Like, you know, when you just like find a book, you're in like the perfect position cuddled up on your couch and you read it all in like one day. And it's not necessarily a testament to the book or not a testament to the book. It's just like, it was just like the perfect day to binge a book. Yeah. That's how I read this. And so I had all the feelings that this book had to offer very quickly.
00:28:00
Speaker
And i I really liked it. I know Kendra's biggest complaint about this book. Yeah, um I did this book on audio. And I would say the female narrator is not the best. So, you know, we'll add that to like the list.
00:28:17
Speaker
um
00:28:20
Speaker
They are enemies, but it falls into that trap of like he was never he never hated her. but like led her to believe, it was kind of, I thought it was kind of silly. I mean, I mean a little bit because like he was really hurt by her like forgetting about their, like, I don't know. I think there's, it's like- But when that happens, I have to look at him as like a man and be like, you are mad at this, this woman for like- Fair.
00:28:43
Speaker
You know what I mean? Like he felt a little entitled to her at times and that is like the part I didn't like because he could have just opened up his big fat mouth and been like, hey, we ran into each other at a party. You know, he never did that. He chose to sit back and then be angry about it. So it's like.
00:28:58
Speaker
Okay, no, my biggest thing about this book is that it's too much sex like they were fucking like all the time, 24 seven, non stop. And I feel like there was no intimacy built outside of the bedroom, which is like, been like a really big thing for me this year, like that I want to see like if sex is the only time that we're seeing them build that then I'm just like,
00:29:16
Speaker
Why are we here? You know, because yeah I always think in my head, like, what if they become incapacitated? You know, like, obviously, it's a book, like, these are fictional people, like, that's not going to happen. But like, in my head, I'm thinking about that. Like, are you going to love them if they had nothing and to? um Yeah, like physically, you had nothing with them, you know? Yeah. And the best books offer you both. So I agree. yeah i I will say that, like, something that sticks out to me when I think of Restore Me is the fact that, like, the grief journey that was happening because in this book,
00:29:47
Speaker
This is, she's a widow and her husband who has passed away was Dom, the MMC's best friend. um So they're like doing this like shared grieving process, which I think is really beautiful. I think about that nightgown scene all the time. Do you remember that where she like always sleeps in his shirt and he like tugs it over her? I don't know.
00:30:07
Speaker
i It we can put it in new clothes. Sorry again. Would you be okay with that? Yeah, I'd be okay with that. I would put it lower personally, but I think and I would I think I would put it in lace with drugs. So okay. If if that's okay compromise. Yeah. Okay. That was a civil. Okay. Up next is brutal prints by Sophie Lark.
Debating 'Brutal Prince' by Sophie Lark
00:30:32
Speaker
I got tear. Got tear.
00:30:36
Speaker
so Oh, I was gonna say lays with drugs. I mean, I really liked this book. I just like I'm not obsessed with this book, but I it's a really great book. i I think the reason why I'm pushing for it to be in God's here is that like what we were talking about earlier in the episode of like that true contemporary like enemy slovers that's at play here. Like there's never a moment where like, you know, one of them is faking it.
00:30:59
Speaker
Like they truly hate each other until they don't. And it was ah it wasn't like a rush thing. You got to see it happen in real time. Them falling for each other and like viewing each other as like actual human beings ah had feelings. um And I thought that part alone deserves to be in God's here. So. Yeah.
00:31:19
Speaker
I really read this book last summer and it held up to like, I and didn't give this book five stars either time I read it, but it held up to how fun and like the fond memories I had of it. Yeah. So it's a good start to a series too. Like probably one of the best starts to a series as I've read.
00:31:42
Speaker
I also think that this book does what people love about enemies to lovers so much really well like the hate sex and like the like reluctant starting to fall for each other and then like the over protectiveness and then like being like, Oh, why do I care so much like all of those parts are in there, but it doesn't feel but it doesn't feel extremely like tropey or like they were just shoved in there to be shoved in there. Like yeah she did such a good job. Yes. She has such a good job of like weaving this together. And she built this entire world in this book. Like, and and I don't mean that like it it takes place in Chicago. It's not like she built a city or whatever, but she she built Chicago. She built out her version of like a mafia romance so that she was able to tell
00:32:29
Speaker
ah What is it now, 11 stories within this universe that she created?
00:32:38
Speaker
Okay, fine. I'm okay with it. It's fine. i Don't get too excited. not It's a great book. It's just not God tier, but it's okay. You don't think it's a God tier? Not even on the trope.
00:32:51
Speaker
No, I think of all the contemporary books on this list, I think this one and maybe actually probably this one, to be honest, is the best example of an enemies to lovers in contemporary romance. i think I think I'm also just thinking about my own feelings about the book in general. I really, really, really like this book. It's just not a God's year book for me. That's why I was going to place it in Lays with Drugs, but I'm OK with it. I'm OK with it. OK. OK. The next one is You Deserve Each Other.
Romantic Comedy: 'You Deserve Each Other'
00:33:20
Speaker
I love this book so much. I know Brandy the first time that she told us that she had read it and thought it was just okay. I think that was before we were friends though, right? Like, I think it was really good good friends. Yeah. Yeah. and So I'm curious if you reread it, how you would feel about it again. But I do really love this book. Although like, two enemies is I think a little dramatic, even though they were actually doing stuff to each other that you would be like, oh, these people hate each other. yeah you know I don't know. I love this book so much. I think it is the perfect rom-com. I think there's like there was real hurt in their actions to justify it being what they go from like lovers to enemies, sort of, to lovers again. But like yeah like they weren't just like pulling shit on each other to pull it. like They were hurt. Yeah.
00:34:15
Speaker
Oh, I think about I think about them in the trash can all the time. Like, that's such a good scene. Yeah, that's such a good brandy. What are your thoughts? I wouldn't put it in God tier. But knowing how much you guys love this book and how much most people who read this book love this book, I am not willing to fight you to take it lower. Wow, we're being so we're so nice. I would probably put it in a close try again.
00:34:41
Speaker
um ah you know why we're being so civil is because it's 2v1 for the positive right now if it's 2v1 for the negative where like if i loved this book and both of you didn't like it i i would fight for it you know but yeah there's there's one on here that i'm i'm i might have to fight for so we'll see but yeah yeah maybe i mean i'll hear yeah okay yeah yeah that's fine i okay i do want to reread this and i i feel like you should
00:35:12
Speaker
Because you don't audio, right? We talked about this book another time. No, I did it. I eyeball read it. You should do it on audio. It's great on audio. OK. OK. Done. Settled. because Did you go in with like different were you expecting something different when you went into it? Like I read this immediately after I read Beach Read by Emily Henry. Oh, yeah. And I think I went in expecting it to be more serious than it was.
00:35:37
Speaker
um This was like really early on, getting back into reading. And at that point, I was reading like fantasy romance um and like really dramatic romances. Not that like beach read is extremely dramatic. Obviously, there's funny parts in that book. But books that like really kind of punch you in the gut. And I think I was just waiting for that, waiting for that, waiting for that. And you deserve each other. And it it leans way more rom-com than the books I was reading at that time. so That's fair. Yeah. I think if I wanted adjusted expectations.
00:36:08
Speaker
I'll never forget when I wanted to, I wanted to read this book so, so bad because I remember a lot of people that I followed on TikTok at the time had really loved it and I wanted to read it so bad, but it was sold out on Amazon. I couldn't find it anywhere. It was sold out on Amazon. It was not at my Barnes and Noble. I couldn't find it. So I like waited for what felt like months. It was probably something like several weeks. You know, it was, it probably wasn't that serious, but when it was finally in stock on Amazon,
00:36:36
Speaker
Um, I ordered it, but what shut up at my door like a week later, I was like, why is this taking so long? Where's prime? Um, was the UK cover. So I have the UK cover. I think it's boring. I think, I like it. I'll do cartoon. yeah I mean, cartoon is so ugly. Neither are great in my opinion, but I have the, yeah, I have the UK cover of you deserve each other. I don't have that. The other ones. That's the one I annotated and so yeah, it's great.
00:37:04
Speaker
Nice.
'Love Redesigned' by Lauren Asher
00:37:05
Speaker
All right. Next one is Love Redesigned by Lauren Asher. Hmm.
00:37:13
Speaker
Yeah. Why don't y'all speak first? I'm trying to decide between God, tear and laced with drugs for this one. This was one of my top books of 2023 and like I don't know. I think like the enemies part of it is is very goofy in this book, very intentionally goofy. um There's lots of like pranks and like immaturity, and that's very intentional. like It's not Lauren trying to do something and then not being able to do it. like It was very intentional based off the characters, and if you have read it, you know what we're talking about.
00:37:46
Speaker
um
00:37:49
Speaker
I think I'd be fine with either God, too, or laced with drugs. i'm I want to hear what you guys think. I would say got tier based off of the trope alone because I love that it started from like childhood. It wasn't these two people who like met as adults and started acting like this, you know, like they were just like leftover residuals from like when they were kids and they would pull these pranks and like get so mad because they're not enemies, they're rivals. So yeah they're always trying to like one up each other. So I would do it for that alone. But um yeah I would be okay with either. I'm similar to you, Brandy, but I think I lean more lace with drugs, but
00:38:23
Speaker
as as in like similar as in like I'm between the two. Yeah. um But yeah, I'm okay with either two, honestly. But if you're leaning more towards God tier, since I know it was one of your faves of last year, then then that's fine with me. I think I would and I especially like how we kind of get to see the aftermath of this rivals to lovers in this book, too.
00:38:42
Speaker
because like Kendra said, they were enemies from when they were kids. And then you get to see like, oh, but Julian had to like, you know, leave a lot of stuff behind, go back home, deal with some stuff, which I don't want to spoil. But then you see, and this isn't a spoiler because this happens right away, but then you see Dahlia, she's the one who won the rivalry. She's the one who got everything she wanted, but she's the one who's like wildly unhappy, whose life is falling apart. so like I think that's an interesting take on rivals to lovers. like you like She won, but she didn't. Yeah. It's almost like if you took Today's Night Tomorrow and they like didn't sit together after your high school and they reunited like however many years ago. That's a very loose comparison. Very loose comparison. but
00:39:23
Speaker
But yeah, both like the smartest in their class, like definitely going places, taking on the world. um i I'm cool with God. here guys nicepanic It is Hispanic characters month from September 15th through October 15th. And I think if you are someone who likes to read um to celebrate the cultural month that is it that it is, this would be a great one to read. So.
00:39:51
Speaker
Next up is Love Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood.
Discussion on 'Love Theoretically'
00:39:56
Speaker
ti I think we have to talk of like, um okay, I think the instinct for this one is God tier. But yes I do think there needs to be a conversation before we decide one way or another about the fact that this falls into the category that we talked about is like, yes they were never really rivals. They were never really enemies on Jack's part. On Jack's part, yeah. It's usually on the guy's part where it's yeah like, oh, I never actually hated you, you know? i'll just yeah
00:40:22
Speaker
Just off the bat. Yeah, he not really. but Well, actually, I think it's interesting in this one, too, because like he was very like angry with her, you know? Her lying to his brother. Yeah, so like that part plays a role in it. Elsie didn't obviously know that. So I think it's interesting that they were mad at each other for very different reasons going into it.
00:40:47
Speaker
My personal instinct is Lace With Drugs, but I know that this was Kendra's favorite book of last year. I also would say Lace With Drugs.
00:40:59
Speaker
yeah so It's holding up finger guns at us right now. It's like my goatee. Because I do it at Julian all the time. I'm like, what the fuck are you doing? Anyways, this is a God Tier book for me. I love this book. I think it's Ali Hazelwood's best book. And um Yeah.
00:41:21
Speaker
Brandy, are we both wanting to put it? We're both laced with drugs, right? Yeah. It's fine. You're fine with laced with drugs. I mean, obviously I'm not fine with it, but I'm outnumbered. So it's like, just know that for me personally,
00:41:38
Speaker
this book is a god tier book so that was me with heartless so interesting how you're acknowledging democracy i'll be curious to see it in ah and a couple books how that how that works out but all right continue all right the next one is a one star romance by laura hanken god tier It's got here on the trope and it's just a great book. Yeah. Oh, look at us all agreeing. That was so sweet. That was cute.
Praise for 'One Star Romance'
00:42:06
Speaker
If you haven't heard us talk about One Star Romance yet, this book is about a woman who writes a book. She's thrilled. It's a very, like it's not blowing up or anything, but she's so proud. She published a book.
00:42:17
Speaker
and then she looks and she sees she's she's got a one-star rating from her best friend's fiance's best friend, and they have to walk together down the aisle at their best friend's wedding. Yeah. Yeah, and it goes from there, and it's just so good. I love it. ay I love that book. I love how much of an emphasis is put on the friendships in that book and not just the romance, but the romance didn't suffer for any of that. All right, the next one landed on The Cruel Prince.
'The Cruel Prince' Applause
00:42:47
Speaker
Oh my God, God tier. At the beginning of this episode, we were like, oh, we don't love this trope. We have so more books in God tier right now than any other. True. I have a question. Do you guys consider this a bully romance?
00:43:00
Speaker
No. I mean, he does bully the fuck out of her. Yeah, I know. That's what I'm saying. So how is it not a bullet? What do you think? Because I feel like it would be cody i could on here the reason why is because Cardin and Jude are working towards the exact same goal. So I view them as more as like nemesis than he shows her bully. Right. Like bully to me means that like she's not really fighting back. You know, she's very like it's like almost the person being bullied. Yeah. It's like being me. Like the bully by Sophie Lark is a very good example of like a bully romance because like He's in a position of power over her and like abuses up against her. um Whereas like these two, like, yeah, you're just getting bullied, but like she was giving it as much as she yeah she was fighting back. Yeah. Yeah. yeah um God, to i don't I don't disagree. I was just asking a question because I know a lot of people.
00:43:50
Speaker
Honestly, you know what pisses me off? Anytime I see this book put in a romance dump. And it is a romance. There is a romance in it. And Jude and Cardin are one of my favorite couples, fictional couples ever. But I don't know. Anytime I see this even put into bully romance or enemies to them, I don't know. It just like, we're doing it right now. It dwindles it down. But yes, there's so much more going on in this book than just the romance. That has done so well.
00:44:19
Speaker
They are obviously enemy slippers, though. But yeah, so we all love this series.
Differing Views on 'Serpent and the Wings of Night'
00:44:25
Speaker
So I have a tattoo for this series is Serpent and the Wings of Night. We may have some disagreements here. I would put it in Lace with Drugs. I love this series. These other two have read it. They don't quite love it as much as me. I literally just recommended it on the pod. I know you don't.
00:44:48
Speaker
Like, come on, Kayla, I have a clue with you. I really liked this book. I would probably put it in Uclo's Try Again, but I wouldn't be mad if it went in laced with drugs. I do intend on finishing this series. I just, yeah, I don't know.
00:45:09
Speaker
I don't know, it just there were so certain parts of this book where I was very aware that I was reading a book, if that makes sense. You know, like, especially the part where she was humping him while they were almost dying in that challenge. I was like, Oh, this is a book.
00:45:26
Speaker
when they were I just and when they were in the cave and I texted you and I said not the dry humping during the when they know when they were uh when they needed the blood that yeah dude they were almost dying yeah so they needed to eat that never mind she was riding him while this is happening yeah but but then let me tell you that like it makes you horny makes you it makes you the blood makes you it's like it's like a venom that makes you aroused horny Yeah, I forgot about that. That's what happens. I love the novella after this book. I love that one. I'm fine with Lisa's drugs. OK. OK. Because those people do hate each other. They do. They're from different. Does he? I think he started that way, or at least he he didn't. I think before he met a Raya, he was like, I don't like this person. Oh, yeah, because of who she because of who she is. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:46:19
Speaker
Okay.
'A River Enchanted' Storytelling
00:46:23
Speaker
The next one is A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross, which Kendra, I don't know, has read. I have not read, yeah. This one, I think, is similar to Love Redesign in that these two... Well, there's multiple couples in this series, but obviously, I think the one that we're talking about is Jack and Adara. They were childhood enemies. I love this book. I know.
00:46:48
Speaker
who Uh, he, he moved away like ah after he became an adult and then he came back to this place where Adara is the daughter of ah ruler ah yeah the Yeah. They have a fancy name for it. I i can't remember. Is it layered? The layered, the layered, but I would put it in got here. I love this duology. I know you like it more than divide rivals, Brandy. I do, but I think I'd put it at least with drugs.
00:47:15
Speaker
Kayla, you literally said, I know you'd like it more than this. And then she told you that she did. And you're still acting shocked. No, wait. No, no, no, no. That that she wouldn't put it in God tier. I'm shocked that she wouldn't put it in God tier. Oh, I thought you were guessing. I do like it. No, no, no. I'm shocked that she wouldn't put it in God tier. Oh, I don't know. Yeah. I mean, I do love I love this book. I they're not my favorite couple of the two couples in this series, though.
00:47:44
Speaker
and sir I don't know who my favorite couple is. I love them both. um Mine's Tauran. And Sidra. Yeah. Yeah, that's it. third I mean, they're great, too. I love them, too. um Because and I even think with Jack and Adira, I like their arc in A Fire Endless more than I like it in A River Enchanted, which like they're done being enemies in A Fire Endless. Interesting.
00:48:12
Speaker
I think I think what I like so much about them and in a river enchanted is the parts where they think back to their childhood when like he talks about like the thorns and putting the thorns in her hair or something like that and like all the little like things that they would do as kids to annoy the crap out of each other I thought that was so cute but I'm okay with lace with drugs okay I'm okay with it but this is a great book you should definitely it's a great book everybody should read it It's all my friends TBR this year, but this is me like publicly saying that I don't know if I'm going to be able to complete the whole list this year. You know what? And then you can drop mine first. Drop my two first. Well, I actually do want to do the pairing really bad. OK. Drop the other one. Yeah. I still want to read them. like These are all books I'm still going to read. It's just like, am I going to read them by December 31st? Probably not. Probably not. You are supposed to read mine, though. So we had a deal.
00:49:03
Speaker
Because like you cannot drop mine actually. No, you can't. yeah We had a deal. So I watched Tell Me Lies, and that was it. Bro, I was drunk when I sent you that. And I don't see. Brandy, I'm in Tahoe, right? Yeah. we're all um With my best friends from high school, we're all getting very drunk, and we're watching Tell Me Lies as a group.
00:49:26
Speaker
And I'm like, Kayla, mind you, I've been asking her to watch it for a minute. And Kayla like, yeah, just watch it, just watch it. She just started it like last week. She needs to come down. No, not last week. I started like a month ago. And what did I say? like I said, oh, like I'll read One Dark Window. like One Dark Window is so good, Kendra. Oh, I don't doubt it. I just like, I don't know. I don't know.
00:49:52
Speaker
What did Kayla say? when When you tell me to do something a lot, I just don't want to do it. And I have not been doing it a lot. I just want to say that you brought this upon you. You brought it upon yourself. I didn't bring it up. You did that. I'll probably do. And if you're not watching tell me lies, you should, because it's like a mess you can't look away from. It's so good. The next one on our list is something wilder by Christina Lauren.
Disappointment in 'Something Wilder'
00:50:19
Speaker
ah be honest. I don't remember hardly anything about this book. So this is they had like a summer fling while she was working like on his family's ranch or something and then he like dumped her at the end of the summer and now she's going on like a treasure hunt and he's her guide or she's the guide. Are they enemies? Does he? They end on bad terms after they're like summer fling and she's the guide. That's what it is. Like she's the guide He shows up for like a bachelor party to go on this like treasure hunt and and she's their guide. This one for me was, I would put, I was rooting for you. We were all rooting for you. I went into this book with such high expectations. This was the next Christina Lauren book I read because it came out right after I read Love and Other Words. So I was like so excited for this release. I got a signed copy. I got the exclusive character art and it was just such a letdown for me.
00:51:09
Speaker
You discovered that k Christina Lauren has range. A big range. Yeah. yeah oh that's And they they write some God tier books and they write some, I was rooting for you. We were all rooting for you. Yeah. Is that okay with you, Kayla? No, that's fine. Yeah. This book, like I said, I don't remember it like hardly anything about it other than the setting because I remember i I was so excited to read it because I had just been to all those places that they like are in, in the book, like Canyonlands and things like that in Utah. And so I was like, Oh my God, this is so cool. Yeah, it was not very good.
00:51:39
Speaker
It's just very forgettable to me. Yeah. OK, the next one is Bride by Ali Hazelwood, which I think we're going to have differing opinions about.
Mixed Feelings on 'Bride' by Ali Hazelwood
00:51:48
Speaker
Yeah, I don't know. the For me, this book, when I first read it, I was like, yeah, I really liked it. There was one thing that I was like, and but honestly, the more that I've like been away from it. I don't know how I feel about it anymore. Like I'm like, I don't know, like I don't remember much and I think it's like been lower in the alley rankings for me so I don't know. What do you guys think?
00:52:14
Speaker
I had a similar experience, I think, less drastic than you. like When I finished it, I was like, this might be my new favorite Ally Hazelwood book. It's not even like the top two. I would put it in lace with drugs, though, just because the experience of reading this was so fun for me. like It felt very nostalgic with the vampires and the werewolves. And I liked the politics that were at play. And I did like the romance. um But i'm like I'm waiting for Ally to write a book where it doesn't follow this enemy syllabus trope of it he never disliked her. You know, this one's a little bit less heavy on the enemies, though, because like she's just like scared to go there and like in their like vampires and werewolves yeah enemies, but they never really had huge beef. So yeah, I think she kind of she kind of did because she thought that he might have been I was like shit talking to her. Yeah. And like connected to her best friend disappearing. So oh I forgot about that point. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:53:14
Speaker
I would put this in Uclos Try Again. um I think you're right, Brandy, the vibes of this book are really great. But like, I'm not much of a... The vibes didn't sell it for me, like all the way. Yeah. Kayla, what are your thoughts? Yeah, I'm in between both of those categories, but I think because I'm just so apathetic about it, I would probably put it in Uclos Try Again, to be honest.
00:53:41
Speaker
Okay. Which I feel like we would get a lot of pushback on because people love this book. like yeah It is a lot of people's favorite. Yeah. Yeah. I really liked this book, but like I sold my special edition of it. like I don't know. so I would put check and mate and love theoretically and probably the love hypothesis all above this one. I would. Yeah. I gave this like 3.75 and I think I've ranked all of those higher than that.
00:54:03
Speaker
I think I initially gave it four and a half. If I read it again, I'd probably lower it. I know the audio was not good for me, so like I reread on the audio and I was like, ugh. Teresa Palmer, yeah I don't mind her in most books, but she was like the worst misery ever. but Okay, ooh, close, try again. Our next one is It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey.
Impact of 'It Happened One Summer'
00:54:24
Speaker
Her best work, in my opinion. It is her best work. but um their enemies. Yeah, I don't know if they're enemies. This is another situation where it follows heartless where it's like they just got off on the wrong foot. Yeah. Okay. It is. I would say book ah by itself. Like I would put it in God's here. Like I think that's probably a book that we probably have mentioned. It is a book we have mentioned the most on the podcast. Like we are always referencing it because there's just so much to like pull from it. Um, I would never pull
00:54:56
Speaker
the rivals enemies i would never take that from that book yeah the bad foot yeah like so i don't know i think this book is one of those books that i think really I think back when it first came out, it was one of those books that I think, at least I remember when I was on book talk, really blowing up as a romance book, like it was everywhere for a long time. And I think it set a lot of precedent for a lot of other romance books moving forward, like in terms of it can be the romance genre is really big. And this, you know, books like this can blow up like that. And so
00:55:34
Speaker
I think it really paved the way for a lot of other romance authors and romance books like that. And I did really like, like I still really like this book. yeah like I think it's a great book. I think it stands up you read it still. Yeah, I definitely think it stands up. not Not a lot of romance books do, but I think this one does. But I think I'd probably put it Lace with Drugs. Yeah. probably I'd be okay with that. Just for this ranking alone, if we were doing like a different ranking, probably. Yeah. Like if we were doing Grumpy Sunshine, oh my God.
00:56:03
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, God's here. Yeah, that now that book ah for talking about me sunshine, that would be not only would it be God's here again, that's just like, like the blueprint because you're right, Kayla blueprint. Yeah, exactly. That's that's the word I'm looking for, for sure. Because after that, that was like the trend in romance was like how many grumpy sunshine but and like we saw that result, like six months later, when every book being advertised with grumpy sunshine. Right. Okay, cool. We'll put it in lace with drugs for this ranking for enemy slovers.
'You With a View' Discussion
00:56:32
Speaker
Yeah. All right. The next one is you with a view, which I have not read.
00:56:39
Speaker
Obviously I have. Kendra has, I think we'll have different opinions. Now this is definitely more rivals to lovers because they are like tennis rivals um from high school. Yeah. Yeah. it's like Is it tennis and academic?
00:56:55
Speaker
It was a little academic, but it was mostly tennis. That's mostly what they reference throughout the book. I love Jessica Joyce, as you all know. I do love this book. I wouldn't put in God Tier because I don't think it's a perfect book, but I would put it in Lace with Drugs. You know, Kayla, I'm feeling just so generous today. I would put it in Be Close, Try Again, maybe. But I'll agree with you. You can go in Lace with Drugs. I was afraid you were going to be like God Tier and I was going to have to work you down to Lace with Drugs.
00:57:25
Speaker
ah No, I really don't think it's a God. Like if I'm being honest with myself, it's not like it was a slow book in the beginning a little bit, but I do still love it. And I do think that the rivals was played up really well. um It I mean, it is ah sort of a case of he never hated her. They just they always just wanted to be better than the other, I think. Yeah. but Yeah.
00:57:49
Speaker
And it's like, I get why that has to happen. Like why he has to never hate her because like realistically we're not going to be with someone who like did actually like, unless it is like a brutal print situation where like you hated each other because of like legacy and like family stuff. But like, I'm not going to be with someone that hated me once upon a time. Like that's just like not it. Yeah.
00:58:12
Speaker
interlaced with drugs she goes. Our next one is two wrongs make a right, which I also haven't read. So another one I really liked that Kindred thought was okay. What did you call it? Okay, sure. Yeah, it was like such a mid I don't remember anything from it. Like it was such a forgettable book for me. Whoa. Whoa. um I would put well like me and Chloe Lee's just like don't get like I tried the Bergman like her she's just not for me. I would put it in close try again.
00:58:42
Speaker
I will say, well, first of all, I've also never read Berkman. I've never tried. This is the only series that I've read by her. um But I think it's interesting that this one was suggested. by a listener because I think that the second book in the series is way more enemies to lovers than this one is. Yeah, because were they enemies? This one? That one was suggested, but I didn't put it on here because I know Kendra hasn't read that one and I haven't. Fair enough. Fair enough. But this one, again, it's a similar situation. They get off on the wrong foot type of thing and then they like think that they hate each other. But then because of their siblings and other families like constant
00:59:21
Speaker
ah Matchmaking
Debate on 'Two Wrongs Make a Right'
00:59:22
Speaker
they get sick of it. and So then they decide that they're gonna fake date um But yeah, they don't really again it's the wrong foot thing I would put it in lace with drugs cuz I do really love this book The enemies is a little shaky. We're shaky on that. Mm-hmm, but I would put in lace with drugs Kendra you're feeling strongly about who close try again.
00:59:45
Speaker
I am. I think this is just like such a mid-ass book. I'm so sorry, Kaitlyn, especially if we're going to rank it off. It's not a mid-ass book. I'm sorry. That was the most condescending I'm sorry I've ever heard in my life, actually.
01:00:07
Speaker
Oh, and you're not going to apologize. Got it. Got it. I keep saying shit to y'all that I say to Julian, like, no oh, I'm sorry. Treating us like your dog. That's crazy.
01:00:19
Speaker
um
01:00:24
Speaker
I love my dog, though. I love y'all. What's next? Kendra was being really generous to play with you. So are you saying you're not being generous now with this one?
01:00:37
Speaker
Incorrect. So it can save you close by again. No. No. Listeners, I love this book. Please know that. No one's doubting that. Oh. Let me finish. I still think that you guys should read this book. Definitely think you should read this book. Don't listen to it on audio. It's not good on audio. Also, you listen to it on audio, Kendra. I did. I just want to make that clear. I know you guys like Steven Dexter, but I just don't think he was the right fit for this. I think he has a very specific type of role he should be playing. 100%. 100%. And he was not right for Jamie at all.
01:01:12
Speaker
yeah i mean fine but i hate it so i hate it next one is heartless hunter face with drugs next i would also put this in lace with drugs i also think the trope is handled well in this one this one's a true enemy slovers like they both genuinely did dislike each other if we're going based off of the trope alone i'll give it to you guys okay Kendra, yeah, Brandi and I both really, really enjoyed this book.
'Heartless Hunter' Ranking Agreement
01:01:42
Speaker
ah We thought it was so much fun. It's not a perfect book, but I didn't really care. It was so much fun. The audio was fantastic. It was like, ah had I almost had this like sensual quality to it, it was very interesting. And the enemies was great. And they really did hate each other. I feel like that's the thing, though. like I care way more about like the technical aspects of things and fantasies than you guys do.
01:02:08
Speaker
like all asked like so many questions you guys like I don't care like the vibes were there like the they were like the romance was there like but everything else for me in the background calling us stupid no no I just think like we have different priorities in fantasy books like I need I need everything to make sense eventually I need everything to make sense in a non-romantic fantasy book So when is romanticy your like? I have I have a oh much lower threshold for like I need things laid out because like I because I would consider myself a romance girl when I read books like RF Kwang or Fonda Lee like any of those books like yeah it's really important for me that I understand exactly why like things that are super politics heavy I'm like I need to know why. um Where romance is the main plot point I had i don't care as much.
01:02:58
Speaker
yeah Well, I'm curious what you say like doesn't make sense. Well, we'll talk later. Well, talk well it's more just like not not that it doesn't make sense It's just like of like the magic and like how like, you know all this other stuff that I wanted to see more of with her But then it got kind of there was not a balance a good balance for me Between like her falling for this guy and then like also her doing more with like her magic Well, not saying that there wasn't any of that happening. But like I just want it more alongside this book is still on our 2v1 list because we're going to do a part two for our 2v1s this one has not been touched yet but wait guys i'm not gonna i'm gonna be honest like i already forgot a lot of it so you guys are probably just so we're gonna win so we're just gonna but just know that i was not a big fan of this book i gave it like 3.75 i think i gave it four and a half same kayla did you like this one more than the second one because i know you read an arc of the second one already i have read the second one
01:03:55
Speaker
I think I like them equally. neither Neither is five stars, but I think that they it ended how it should have ended. Is that a duology? Our next one is The Hating Game, which I also haven't
Critique of 'The Hating Game'
01:04:11
Speaker
read that one. so Kayla, did you read this? I have read this. It was one of the very first book talk books that I read. I don't own it anymore. I sold it. So I think that should probably tell tell you maybe where I would. Yeah. um If you go on my TikTok and you scroll all the way down, you'll find a video that I did talking about how much I hated this book.
01:04:34
Speaker
So yeah, I would put it in ah checking the Barnes and Noble return policy. I don't like it. Didn't watch the movie. I watched the movie. I did. Was it good? I tried to watch the movie and I couldn't get through it. I mean, it was. The movie. It was a movie about a book that you hated, you know, like what? Yeah. ah But, you know, so so much to say, yeah, it was OK. Like it was so it was aggressively OK. OK. Maybe worse than that. Probably actually.
01:05:01
Speaker
yeah All right, check in the bars and over-return policy. That's it. That's it. I think that book is so old. Everyone's encountered every critique about it under the sun. like We don't need to go into it. All right, the next one is Kiss the Sky by Krista
Discussion of 'Kiss the Sky'
01:05:15
Speaker
and Becca Richie. This one, we like we were like, ah, initially. And we decided to put it because Connor and Rose's arc is rivals to lovers, for sure. But by the time Kiss the Sky starts, they are dating.
01:05:29
Speaker
Yeah, they've been dating since the start of the series. Yeah, um and they go on a date in the first book and then they never stop dating. Yeah, if we're talking Connor Rose alone, then yeah, God tier. And I think that's I would put that book there like, yeah, for that, like just as a represent as a representation of them.
01:05:47
Speaker
Yeah. And I think something that I love about if we're talking about the rivals lovers trope and Rose and Connor is that they never stop being rivals, even though they are lovers. And I think that is so cute and sweet. And like one of the best parts about their relationship yeah you see it all in all ways, like you see it in inside the bedroom, outside of the bedroom, like everywhere, which is good. Yeah. I mean, if you've been listening to this podcast for any length of time, you know that they are my favorite couple in the addictive series and they I love them so much. So yeah, God's here for sure for me. And i yeah, exactly what you said, Brittany, I love that they never stop staying stop being rivals, excuse me, in every possible way. And their banter, their tension never regresses at any point in the series. And that's like my favorite thing about them. So much. Our last book for today is Book Lovers by Emily Henry.
Praise for 'Book Lovers' by Emily Henry
01:06:44
Speaker
Oh.
01:06:45
Speaker
this is another interesting one where it's just like they got off on the wrong foot and then they don't like you know it's not when When I think of this book and they like list the tropes, I'm not putting enemies to lovers first. probably like it's not It might not even be on the list to be honest with you. It's dislike. Yeah. ah I do you think that's something that this one did well that the other ones didn't, is that it was like a mutual dislike at the beginning. like They both thought the other one was rude and hard to get along with initially.
01:07:16
Speaker
I want to put it in God's hair so bad. I think that's fine. I think it's a God's hair book. I think it's her best book. For sure. but i think Like some people are going to think maybe we're being inconsistent with this because there were other books that we were like, well, the trope wasn't the best in this one. I don't give a fuck. It's our ranking. It's our ranking. You make your own. You can make your own. No, Dena, copy this. Ew. If you want the link to this, we'll send it to you. You rank it and then send it back to us. Okay.
01:07:42
Speaker
Yeah, I would actually love to see that. um But yeah, no, I'm just like a i love book lovers is one of my favorite books of all time. Full stop, you know, so I don't think I'd be capable of putting it anywhere lower, like no matter if it's in a different trope. Yeah, I would. I would put it there.
Conclusion and Listener Engagement
01:08:02
Speaker
Well, was this our easiest one? I do think so.
01:08:07
Speaker
What was our last one? I know the first one we fought a lot, but what was the second one? Did we fight? The second one was fake dating. We did Friends to Lovers first and then fake dating. Did we fight a lot in the second one? I don't know. We fought a lot and fake dating was the first one and then Friends to Lovers was next, I believe, because fake dating is when we did. Funny story. And how to fake it. And how to fake it in Hollywood. The fight that will go down in history.
01:08:34
Speaker
I still think Kinder should have followed democracy, but No, you know no, that's a no, no. Didn't they both end up in a close try again? I think they did. it's actually And it was like, we were like, Brandy and Kendra were not happy with this. We were both upset. Yeah. Oh, my God. That's wild. Good job, you guys.
01:08:58
Speaker
If there is another trope or even category of books that you would like us to tier rank or even like other bookish related things you would like us to tier rank, please let us know on our Instagram at bring your own pod. We would love to hear from you.
01:09:13
Speaker
We should tier rank ah book talk discourse. All of them in the worst category ever. ah Thanks for listening, you guys. If you enjoyed our tier ranking, then we would really appreciate a five star review wherever you're listening. It would mean a lot to us, helps us out so much.
01:09:33
Speaker
So that would be incredible. And like Kendra said, hop over to our Instagram at bring your own pod and argue with us in the comments on this post. Let us know where you would have put stuff if we were wrong or if you would have agreed with Kayla about yep two wrongs make a right. Yep. I know a couple of people that will. I'm going to message them and be like, go comment on this post. I know you do.