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S3:E19 Final Credits (2025 Wrap Up)
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We’re sending off 2025 with a can’t-miss year-end finale! Join us as we face off in a game of guessing titles from the very first line, break down the stats that defined our year, and dive into our year-in-review questions. From celebrating our favorite moments and standout book adaptations to debating the episodes that didn’t quite hit the mark, welcome to Based on a Book’s 2025 Final Credits!
Hosted by Keri with co-hosts Lindsey and Crystal.
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Question of the Episode:
- What word or phrase would you use to hint at what's to come in our upcoming season (Season 4)?
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Thanks for listening to Based on a Book—see you in the next chapter!
Chapters:
(00:00) Introductions
(00:55) Guess the Book using the First Lines
(14:57) Reading and Watching Stats
(21:09) Year in Review Questions
(43:15) Question of the Episode
Recommended
Transcript
Final Credits Wrap-Up 2025
00:00:08
Speaker
based on a book. I'm Keri and this is the final credits, our 2025 wrap up, where we reflect on the titles we covered this year and wrap things up before taking a well-earned month-long break.
00:00:23
Speaker
I'm Crystal and I will always stay through the end of the credits. And I'm Lindsay, proud survivor of Pride and Prejudice Month. And I'm going to start learning to stay through the end of the credits. okay Okay.
Highlights & Challenges of the Year
00:00:40
Speaker
we are talking about the stuff we covered this year, the highs, the lows, even covering some stats for ourselves and for our listeners to get an idea of maybe something we need to cover more of or need to balance out a little bit in the future.
Surprise Game Introduction
00:00:57
Speaker
But before we get to those stats and some year in review questions I put together, you know i love to start us off with a little game.
00:01:08
Speaker
A game that Crystal and Lindsay have no idea about. Because I told them I wasn't going to tell them. And it was a surprise. So whenever we first started the season and dropping our schedules...
00:01:25
Speaker
We used to give off little hints of our schedules. Do you remember what those hints were when we used to drop off our schedules for everybody? I mean, I remember we used to do the um first line.
00:01:40
Speaker
Like we would do the first sentence of the book. We did that for a little bit. That was fun. That's what we are going to be doing today. no. say oh no o So we used to, whenever we would drop off our schedules, for we always do it in a month in advance.
00:01:57
Speaker
But we were doing, at the time, we were doing like four adaptations in a month. Sometimes five. Yeah. We were dropping those schedules off and we like to give out hints to like hint at what we were doing. And we would try to show like to hint at it like the first sentence of the book to try to get people to guess. But we were flying through these schedules fast. So we had to quit doing that around April.
00:02:24
Speaker
so we couldn't do that anymore. But today I'm going to be testing Crystal and Lindsay to see if they can guess the correct title based on the first sentence on the adaptations that we have covered past April. So they will not be, these won't be before April. Whenever we gave those hints, these will be past April.
00:02:46
Speaker
Question. Okay. Is it multiple choice? Right? It is not multiple choice. Okay. April Adventure. All right. I'm getting there.
Game Setup & Rules
00:02:58
Speaker
Okay. These we covered total of 34 adaptations. Okay. 34 titles in the entire year.
00:03:02
Speaker
these are titles 13 through 34. Okay.
00:03:05
Speaker
okay thirty four titles in the entire year and these are titles thirteen through thirty four I selected completely randomly at a random generator, select these titles, which ones I would be saying. So they could be ones that we covered just very recently, or they could be ones that we covered mid-year.
00:03:29
Speaker
okay All right. Oh, Lord. Here are some rules. If there's an obvious name in the first sentence, I will say blank.
00:03:41
Speaker
I'll give you the first sentence. Okay. If you need more, i will give you up to three sentences. All right, we'll start with the first sentence. I have a lot of confidence in both of you that you'll get these.
00:03:55
Speaker
I'm glad you do. I really do. am I supposed to keep the score? Hold on. I need a piece of paper. All right. I have a feeling that Carrie is going to get all the points this time. You got this. I know you got this.
00:04:10
Speaker
All right. Adaptations we've covered this year after April. So adventure. All right. And if it start, I started on chapter one. If it was a prologue,
00:04:24
Speaker
I kind of skipped the prologue and I went to chapter one. Okay. Oh, that's risky, but all right. Yeah. I did that because i was like, there's literally no way. There's no way that they're going to get this. Okay.
00:04:38
Speaker
That means one of these at least has a prologue. So the only one I could think of that had a prologue was the watchers, but I'm sure there were more than that.
00:04:51
Speaker
Oh no. Okay. Okay. All right, let's put Crystal and Lindsay to the test. Like I said, they had no idea this was coming whatsoever. They're like, what game are we playing today I'm not saying. It's a surprise.
00:05:07
Speaker
Had you told me, I still wouldn't have been able to like look anything up because i don't have these books. I checked most of them out from the library. i't even I was like, I don't want them to be writing a list of the titles. Nothing. Okay. Okay.
00:05:20
Speaker
All right. Just get them right off the noggin. All right. All right. my First title.
Game Play: Guess the Title
00:05:26
Speaker
First sentence. This is going to be so funny. First sentence.
00:05:31
Speaker
All right. And remember, when I say blank, that means it's like a name you're probably going to recognize. All right. I have survived day three post blank and my first day at work.
00:05:47
Speaker
Fifty Shades Darker. Yep. I only got that because it's just now. And she only made it to day five. I'm still mad about that. Yep. See, I told you guys are going to do this. You guys are going to get this.
00:06:04
Speaker
Crystal's going to get this. I have confidence in you, Lindsay. I know when it randomly selected that, I was like, I think they're going to get that one. We just covered it Got it.
00:06:17
Speaker
Cause she only survived up to day five. at level All right. Next title. There's only 10 of these. Cause I had a feeling we might be taking a little bit of time on this. ah All right. Next one.
00:06:30
Speaker
This is the first sentence. The egg-shaped timer was on the welcome mat when she came home. There's someone inside your house. Yep. I wouldn't have guessed that. Good one, Lindsay. I remember that one. Mm-hmm.
00:06:44
Speaker
I had a feeling you might know that one. You both are going to know this. This was literally the first sentence, and it was randomly selected, so I couldn't help this one. All right.
00:06:56
Speaker
Because universally, no, no. Sorry. I was like, please don't do Pride and Prejudice. was like, please don't do Pride and Prejudice. All right.
00:07:07
Speaker
Blank and her demon moved through the darkening hall, taking care to keep to one side, out of sight of the kitchen. The golden compass. Mm-hmm.
00:07:19
Speaker
I'm giving us each a point for that because it was too obvious. I was like, y'all better not say you subtle knife. I'm going to be upset. Yeah. All right. Next one. We couldn't stop talking about the killer. Hmm.
00:07:34
Speaker
Hmm. I don't know. Second sentence. All right. We couldn't stop talking about the killer. We tried to shut him out of our minds.
00:07:46
Speaker
This is prom queen. Yep. Okay. Get it, girl. Yep. This is prom queen. Alright, this is going to be a really hard one. Just letting you know this is going to be difficult.
00:08:01
Speaker
Okay. Blank stands in the kitchen thinking. Night That was the first sentence. Was it night bitch? No, that was too early in the season.
00:08:13
Speaker
Was it? Second sentence. Oh. b Blank stands in the kitchen thinking her hands are damp. They have always lived in the castle.
00:08:25
Speaker
Nope. i don't know. I'm just guessing random things. That was actually in March. So that won't be on here. That was my first guess, but that I remembered that one didn't start in the kitchen. That one like starts like overall the house.
00:08:40
Speaker
I'm just trying to think of any book we read where someone was in a kitchen. ah that This one was really unexpected. Honestly, you got one more sentence. Yeah. Third sentence.
00:08:50
Speaker
Blank stands in the kitchen thinking her hands are damp. She is trembling. Oh, that's so helpful. Thank you. This is great. Love it.
00:09:03
Speaker
I wonder if anyone can guess it that's listening. No exit? No, she was in the car when that she was driving. Dang. I'll give you the blank. I'll give you the blank name. You're going to know it but right when I give you the blank name.
00:09:18
Speaker
Mallory stands in the kitchen thinking. Bird box. Dang. right Carrie gets that one. Yeah, Carrie gets that one i was When I was writing those three sentences down, i'm like, this sucks. I almost asked for season.
00:09:35
Speaker
If it was two or three. Oh, yeah. I don't remember. That's so mixed up on how we did so much this year. can't keep track of what was when. i know. It's true.
Emotional Impact of Titles
00:09:45
Speaker
All right. I have a feeling a lot of listeners are going to know this one.
00:09:50
Speaker
When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold.
00:09:55
Speaker
My Oxford year? Nope. Second sentence. When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold. My fingers stretch out, seeking blanks warmth, but finding only the rough canvas cover of the mattress.
00:10:14
Speaker
I don't know. Third sentence. Okay. When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold. My fingers stretch out.
00:10:26
Speaker
Seeking Blank's warmth, but finding only the rough canvas cover of the mattress, she must have had bad dreams and climbed in without mother. Oh, oh, wait.
00:10:38
Speaker
Oh, wait. Is this Hunger Games? Yeah. Okay. e Wow. Good one, Lindsay. Oh, she said, wait, wait, wait. I saw it clicking. but literally I could I could picture it. I was like, wait a minute. I know this one.
00:10:56
Speaker
All right, next one. Next, the customs agent beckons the person in front of me, and I approach the big red line, absently towing the curling tape, resting my hand on the gleaming pipe railing.
00:11:09
Speaker
My Oxford year. Yeah. I know, right when you said my Oxford year, was like, nope, but that's the next one. Close. All right, this next one is the longest run-on sentence ever, because it's like a thought.
00:11:25
Speaker
And I only gave you one sentence. I'm going to do the first part of the sentence. I want to see if you can guess it.
00:11:32
Speaker
When she referred to herself as blank, she meant it as a good-natured self-deprecating joke. Night bitch. Yep. It's literally a paragraph, but it's technically one sentence.
00:11:47
Speaker
Tell me we got left. Just two more. Two, right? Yeah, okay. I'm just trying to keep, like, make sure it might my tick marks are right. All right. Next one. An old blue Ford pulled into the guarded parking lot that morning, looking like a small tired dog after a hard run.
00:12:06
Speaker
Watching you both think is so funny. You both are just like, your eyes are immediately like blank, like help. yeah I already like, as soon as you read it, i'm like, I'm going to need a second sentence.
00:12:18
Speaker
You're like, just read all three. Yep. Just read all three. No, just read the second one. Okay. An old blue Ford pulled into the guarded parking lot that morning, looking like a small tired dog after a hard run.
00:12:30
Speaker
One of the guards, an expressionless young man in a khaki uniform in Sam Brown belt, asked to see the blue plastic ID card. It's long walk. Good job. Yay.
00:12:43
Speaker
right. One more. Last one. I clasp the flask between my hands, even though the warmth from the tea has long since leached into the frozen air.
00:12:55
Speaker
My first thought is no exit. It's my first thought just because cold. Yeah. Nope. Not no exit.
00:13:06
Speaker
Second sentence. I clasp the flask between my hands, even though the warmth from the tea has long since leached into the frozen air. My muscles are clenched tight against the cold.
00:13:18
Speaker
Helpful. Yep. that who That really clued us in. This third one might help you. want the third one?
00:13:31
Speaker
I clasp the flask between my hands, even though the warmth from the tea has long since leached into the frozen air. My muscles are clenched tight against the cold. If a pack of wild dogs were to appear at this moment, the odds of scaling a tree before they attacked are not in my favor.
00:13:48
Speaker
Is it catching fire? Yes, it's catching fire. okay We couldn't have done hungry and catching fire. That's cheating. yeah It's tricky. It is tricky.
00:13:59
Speaker
That was it though, right? Yep, that's it. Good job. Lindsay with seven points, me with four, Carrie with one. Good job. I got one point. I gave Carrie or Lindsay and I each a point for a couple of them because we both guessed at the same time. You guys are great.
00:14:15
Speaker
I am was fine so surprised. But yeah, that was a lot of fun. When you said it was the one was about to be a run on sentence. I was like, oh, it's a Hitchhiker's Guide. it's like That's what I thought too.
00:14:30
Speaker
It's Hitchhiker's Guide. no that one It's like basically like a consistent like thought. yeah i mean It makes sense that it's like a run-on sentence because she's just like thinking a bunch of things at once. and Honestly, when I was reading it, i was like, that was actually really great. I love that.
00:14:45
Speaker
But yeah, that's our little game for today. i think you both did an amazing job. Way better than you expected. considering Okay, so we covered 34 titles in 2025, give or take. I mean, this is I'm thinking like adaptations where it's like directly book to screen.
00:15:04
Speaker
And like, it's not including, we covered three Fear Street movies, you know? we covered three adaptations of Pride and Prejudice. you know We covered extra short stories, Buttercup's Baby. We did two different adaptations of Percy Jackson The and the Lightning Thief. We did the movie and the show. Yep.
00:15:26
Speaker
um Same with the first of The Golden Compass. We did the show, first season, and the horrible movie. Yep. we We totally did. wait We did so much this year.
00:15:37
Speaker
Yeah. We did a ton. Just covering genres. Our biggest genre that we covered was
Genre Distribution Analysis
00:15:46
Speaker
thriller mystery. I think it's mostly we did do a mystery theme during the year. So there is our biggest genre. 25% of our titles was thriller mystery. and Next biggest, 18.8% was fantasy.
00:16:01
Speaker
Then dystopian and sci-fi, both at 12.5%.
00:16:07
Speaker
Okay. Romance and fiction, 9.4%. Horror and classic, both at 6.3%. I think we only covered two horror, two classics. Classic, Pride and Prejudice, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, I guess.
00:16:21
Speaker
So also, i think we had a good distribution of adult, middle grade, and young adult, considering we are three adults on this podcast. 66.7% our titles were adult.
00:16:34
Speaker
20% young adult, 13.3% middle grade. So I think that's like a pretty good distribution. um Average ratings for us were about 3.6 stars.
00:16:46
Speaker
Okay. Not too bad. which feels pretty normal. Lindsay rated a little bit higher than Crystal and I. By a tiny bit. I think mine was the lowest, but just by a little bit.
00:16:58
Speaker
Crystal's average ratings aligned with her favorite genre as sci-fi came on top with an average rating of 4.63 for sci-fi. was horror... lowest write a genre was horror Oh, no. 2.25 as expected. Never would have guessed. That being said, like I said, our percentage of genres, you know, we only cover two horror books, too. So there is that.
00:17:27
Speaker
Lindsay's highest rated genre was dystopian at an average of 4.25.
00:17:33
Speaker
Her lowest rated genre was the classics that we made her read at 2.75. But in an unexpected turn of events, her second lowest rated genre was horror with an average rating of 3.25.
00:17:49
Speaker
but My horror expectations are very high. Yeah. There you go. Makes sense. Makes sense. Yeah. i my Myself... ah classics was the highest rated because of my little five star pride and prejudice up in there for 4.25 but right under that was thriller mystery i had an average 4.13 rating lowest was hoarder horror with an average of 2.75 like i said we had two we had um the ruins and the monkey had two kind of not the best horror picks we'll get better maybe
00:18:25
Speaker
On average, Lindsay and I rated young adult books the highest. And Crystal rated adult and middle grade books evenly. ah But young adult books slightly lower.
00:18:39
Speaker
Which I thought that was pretty interesting. Very. i think we I think we covered like a good range of... I like the age range that we're covering. I think we have like a good decent amount.
00:18:51
Speaker
The genres I think could do a little bit of work. But we do themes, you know? Yeah. it can We like our themes. I like sticking to our themes. They're fun.
00:19:02
Speaker
They are fun. They make picking easier. yeah You sure do. Yeah, we have a lot of adaptations to cover, so we like our themes to guide us where we need to go.
00:19:14
Speaker
is there any genres that you both think that we should cover more of? Yes. Lindsay. Horror, please. Please. I'm honestly surprised that we haven't covered more romance.
00:19:30
Speaker
know. Because it's something that we all enjoy. Like, it's not my favorite favorite, but we all three enjoy a good romance. And Carrie, you are just like in the romance world. So I'm kind of shocked to hear that.
00:19:45
Speaker
I mean, I guess it's obvious when I think about it that no, we really didn't. So I wouldn't mind doing some more romance. Yeah, I think they right now romance adaptations are really like on the up and up at the moment. And there's like a lot in the works.
00:20:03
Speaker
So I think we're all just kind of waiting till these come out, you know? Also, fitting them into the themes has been kind of like an adjustment for me too. Also, like, I like a little bit of everything, but i agree.
00:20:17
Speaker
Definitely needs some more romance in here. What about you, Lindsay? What do you think? I want to stick with, obviously, the thrillers, but I really do want more horror. Mm-hmm.
00:20:29
Speaker
Yeah. I'm over here like, please, please, no. So I can destroy them with my ratings. Yeah. Destroy them with my rate. I get that though. Like I wasn't rating romance super high because you're like super particular about whenever that's your favorite genre, like you're going to be extra critical of it for sure.
00:20:53
Speaker
um So we kind of touched on this in the beginning, but we have some year in review questions. We kind of did this also in like our mid-year reading wrap-up episode, but I'm curious if any of these have changed for us.
Favorite Episodes & Surprises
00:21:06
Speaker
um And we're going to like just talk about only titles that we've covered for the year on the podcast, not like extra titles that we've covered outside of the podcast. But starting us off, what was both your favorite episode of 2025 and why did it stand out to you? I'll start with Lindsay.
00:21:23
Speaker
Yeah, you started with me last time. Did I? Yes. My favorite episode was the bonus Fear Street era and Prom Queen predictions episode. Obviously, because we all got to meet in person for the first time and we got to watch the Prom Queen movie together.
00:21:44
Speaker
So that was the preparation up to Prom Queen. The actual Prom Queen episode's not my favorite because I didn't like the movie. Yeah. Yeah. Agreed. What about you, Crystal?
00:21:55
Speaker
That is exactly what I wrote down. Yeah, me too. Same. It's just, it's like, the first of all, the Fear Street movies. So like getting to like talk them over with you guys in person and like how excited we were to watch Prom ah prom Queen together. Like, and then watching it together. it was so fun. So like the Fear Street and the Prom Queen Was really just... Those together was really my favorite, I think. of Like, the Prom Queen itself was not amazing, but getting to watch it with you two was really fun. Yeah, that was, like, the peak of my year. That was, like, so much fun. We had a blast doing that. That was great. ah Which title surprised you the most this year? I'll start with Crystal this time.
00:22:43
Speaker
Night Bitch. Night Bitch. I... I legitimately thought that was going to be the dumbest book ever. And I ended up, it I just sobbed through the whole thing. It wrecked me. It was in the best way. It was an amazing read and an amazing movie.
00:23:01
Speaker
And I really had very, very low expectations. I was shook. so I love that though. What about you, Lindsay? Absolutely.
00:23:10
Speaker
Mine was probably the Martian. Mm-hmm. Because going into that book, I was really afraid that I wasn't going to like it. Like, I knew the story, but I was afraid it was going to be too much science. And I wasn't going to understand it. And it was going to be not boring, but kind of boring.
00:23:33
Speaker
And it turns out that it's one of my favorite books. yeah I love that. i love it when we, like. Get to share the things that we love with each other. Carrie, what was yours?
00:23:47
Speaker
I said a Good Girl's Guide to Murder. That one, i don't know why, but that like took over my life. I remember i was like listening back to that episode because i was trying to grab like our ratings and stuff. I was listening back to it and I was listening to me be, I think both of you gave it a 3.5.
Disappointments & Expectations
00:24:06
Speaker
And I was like, this was a five star. And Lindsay's like, I thought I saw you read it really quickly. And I was like, yeah, I blew through this book. It's like one of my top reads of the year. And I think it surprised me so much because it was a YA mystery. And I just could never see myself like being obsessed with a YA mystery. And I think that's why it really surprised me.
00:24:27
Speaker
Which title disappointed you the most this year? I'll start with Lindsay. to to repeat myself prom queen yeah ah or surprisingly pride and prejudice and zombies wait book or movie for both of those which one prom queen movie okay pride and prejudice and zombies book okay i get that what about you crystal Fifty Shades Darker.
00:24:55
Speaker
i was just so excited to read it and had such high expectations and then just, no, did not do it for me. Yeah.
00:25:07
Speaker
Mine was The Watchers, both the book and the movie. Yeah. i honestly, actually, i didn't have like super high expectations, but I had decent expectations for it. And I thought it was gonna be a lot more entertaining than what it was. And it was probably one of my most disappointing reads and watches.
00:25:31
Speaker
Yeah. Watching The Watchers. Okay. Was disappointing. right. Most memorable. Hello. Most memorable character you've met on the podcast.
00:25:44
Speaker
Crystal, what about you? Oh, Chuck. Life of Chuck. yeah Yeah. you know I will never, never be done with that one. He lives in my head.
00:25:57
Speaker
He's in my universe. He's in my multitudes. I could cry. Oh, don't make me start. My tissues are in the other room now. What about you, Lindsay? ah I went with the grabber.
00:26:10
Speaker
oh interesting. Okay. Okay. Memorable for a much different reason than Chuck for Crystal. But yeah, that was a creepy character. Yeah.
00:26:26
Speaker
But his mask was cool. For Yeah, that was a super creepy character for sure. I said Percy Jackson because it was my very first time meeting Percy Jackson this year and reading, watching it. And I'm really excited to continue in that series. And, you know, first time being introduced to that world and that character was really exciting for me and really cool.
00:26:55
Speaker
Any new favorite author or authors you would like to read more from? What about you, Lindsay? Lindsay? I went with Andy Weir. And probably, it's not really new, but it's like a, I don't know, a reintroduction to Suzanne Collins.
00:27:17
Speaker
Yeah. Absolutely. What about you, Crystal? i am I am about to read some more Shirley Jackson. i'm after they've always lived in the castle, she's just got such a really great, that was such a haunting book.
00:27:38
Speaker
I'm really interested in reading some more on that. And I've been reading more Alice Hoffman after doing Practical Magic. So those two kind of i were not really on my radar for for reading more. And now I am. So Yeah. That book by Shirley Jackson, I think about that book so much. Sometimes I'm like, do I want to change my rating?
00:28:02
Speaker
Because I think about it so often. And that's honestly a really good one that I would want to... read more from i also said julia whalen maybe like not so much reading more from but listening to more of her stuff yeah her near uh her audiobooks because she's just an incredible narrator i just want to listen to everything that she narrates i've been listening to a lot of her like interviews and stuff i think she's a really cool person yeah i would love to read more of her stuff
00:28:35
Speaker
Do you think your reading habits changed at all throughout the year when reading for the podcast? Lindsay, what about you? Definitely. Yes. I have listened to more audio books this year than I ever have in my entire life.
00:28:51
Speaker
I have found this new love for audio books and I'm so excited. Audio books are where it's at. Absolutely. What about you, Crystal?
00:29:02
Speaker
I have, i don't know if anybody else in the world who listens to podcasts realizes how much money it costs make a podcast, um specifically when you have to read books and watch shows.
00:29:17
Speaker
So considering all the streaming services we have to have or the books we buy, I've been trying to avoid doing that. And so the habits that have changed the most for me have been,
00:29:30
Speaker
i am Like a whiz now, actually, Carrie, you kind of taught me a lot of this at finding things through other services or lower cost services.
00:29:41
Speaker
who Like I use a lot of, i think it's called Anyplay, that app where you can. um like pay a monthly fee to have user access to audio books.
00:29:53
Speaker
um Of course, Libro FM, my library app with Libby and Hoopla, and like trying to find a lot of like free streaming services, um like Pluto TV or Freebie or, you know, just anything I can do to help save some money here and there.
00:30:11
Speaker
um And because of that, I've been able to cut some of my streaming services, you know, saving a little money on one way, going another way. I might have to watch some commercials. But again, when we're watching those scary movies, that gives me a chance to catch my breath. Yeah. Yeah. You're like, it's okay to cut the tension.
00:30:28
Speaker
Right. So what about you, Carrie? I think that I've actually become a slower reader, but not in a bad way.
00:30:41
Speaker
Yeah. Like i would just blow through books, like go, go, go to the point where like, I feel like I may not be like comprehending it fully. Like you asked me right when I'm done. I'm like, I don't know what that was about. Like, it was just great. That's all I know. You know what I mean? because I'm just like flying through books for the escapism.
00:31:03
Speaker
I think I've become a slower reader because I'm overanalyzing a lot of things because I'm doing that so much for this podcast. And honestly, I'm doing that with my reading habits and also doing that when I'm watching things like I am having this, ah create are I've created this ability to have better analysis of everything, are all media around me. And it's like very interesting. And I don't realize that I'm doing it until after I do it. But yeah, I've definitely become a slower reader, but I don't think in a bad way.
00:31:42
Speaker
you know I'm the type of person that's doing you know audiobooks on two times speed, but I've started to slow down because I'm like trying to take it in and really comprehend and understand it.
00:31:53
Speaker
So I think that's really changed my reading habits because of this podcast. Which 2025 title would ah you have most likely DNF'd if it wasn't for the podcast? What about you, Crystal?
00:32:07
Speaker
I made a list. Yeah.
00:32:10
Speaker
No, honestly, like the thing is, is I don't really like to DNF a book. i'm I'm willing to if it just is so bad. I'm willing to DNF. I don't think there's any shame in doing that. um But I'm one of those that like, for the most part, I'm gonna push myself because I'm just curious enough. Even if it's really bad, I'm just curious enough, you know.
00:32:30
Speaker
But I think like I probably would have DNF'd The Watchers at some point because i I was just struggling to get myself to read it, you know. Maybe no exit. Maybe.
00:32:44
Speaker
ah i well and that's just it. like It's not that it was a bad read. It was just that there was so much going on. That was one of those that was so much anxiety for me. I kept having to put it down. And then I kept having to put it down. And so every time I would put it down, I'm the kind of person that I will either binge a book.
00:33:03
Speaker
Or it'll take me two years to finish it. You what I mean? Yeah, I feel that. So that's my other one. And same with The Ruins was one that I kept setting it down because I needed a break to catch my breath to whatever. It probably would have taken me two years to finish that one. But I don't think I would have DNF'd those because, again, I'm just not... I'm too curious to just not finish it.
00:33:26
Speaker
hu What about you, Lindsay? um I probably would have DNF'd I robot. ah
00:33:38
Speaker
That's fair. Oh no. That story in particular though is, is really rough to get through if you ask me. So I get it. Yeah. She said, I robot.
00:33:50
Speaker
Yeah, I remember that last story was a struggle to get through for sure. Even I don't like that last story. And yeah that's one of my favorites. So get it. I would have 100% DNF'd one for the bunny for sure.
00:34:06
Speaker
I would have said, see ya, okay? I would have DNF'd that book and shut off that movie, okay? I did not like that book at all. I really hated that book.
00:34:19
Speaker
But it's fine. Everything's fine.
00:34:24
Speaker
a Best ending, book or adaptation from the titles we covered this year? What about you, Lindsay?
Notable Book Endings
00:34:32
Speaker
We have always lived in the castle. Book it. Oh my gosh, that's such a good one.
00:34:38
Speaker
Yes. Yep. I love that ending so much. like Yeah. We could just talk for days on that one. We are always talking about that. yup More people like I before we covered that I genuinely had never seen anybody talking about that book or movie.
00:34:57
Speaker
Oh, actually, I've seen that book. I actually I've seen that. I've seen the book now and then. Yeah. yeah Talks really in depth about it. Like they're just like, oh, it's worth reading. But they never really tell us why.
00:35:08
Speaker
Yeah. That is one of the most haunting reads I think I have ever read. Yeah. And the audiobook is so good. love it. All right. What about you, Crystal?
00:35:19
Speaker
I have two for two different reasons. Good Girl's Guide to Murder just wrapped up so... perfectly but just imperfect enough, right? So like it's a murder mystery and everything kind of gets wrapped up, but there's just enough leftover to make you go, but wait.
00:35:42
Speaker
Yeah. And so I'm excited to to move forward in that series. um And then My Oxford Year, best ending. Mm-hmm. Absolute best ending. I know that's a hot take, but I loved it.
00:35:55
Speaker
Yeah. I actually almost put My Oxford Year. Mm-hmm. I just like a romance book that has an like and something unexpected like that. Yep.
00:36:07
Speaker
and So i almost put that. But I ended up putting The Martian. I adored that entire end of the book. I love that ending. and And the movie. Love that ending.
00:36:19
Speaker
And I also put No Exit, the book. I love that ending because that ending was crazy. It was pretty good. and Like any every time you're like, OK, this is how it ends. And then something insane would happen. And then it'd be like, OK, so now it's ending. And then something else would happen. And then you're like down the book.
00:36:38
Speaker
Is it? Yeah. but yeah I love that ending. I think that ending is crazy and so good. Most emotionally devastating book or adaptation from the titles we covered this year.
00:36:53
Speaker
All right, Crystal, you start us off. No, i'm I'm seriously, how many books? Actually, did you get this stat? How many times did Crystal cry this season? I should have. How many times we cried?
00:37:05
Speaker
Because i i was absolutely devastated by so many books. But the one that really sticks with me that makes me cry even if I think too hard about it.
00:37:18
Speaker
Well, there's two. But The Hunger Games, really. The Hunger Games, both of them, Hunger Games and Catching Fire. i can't think too hard about it or I'll cry. u hu Yeah.
00:37:29
Speaker
What about you, Lindsay? I said either The Wild Robot or My Oxford Year. Yep. Yep. I said The Wild Robot. I don't think I could ever even rewatch that movie. I'm terrified. I gave my book away. Yeah.
00:37:50
Speaker
She's like, get this the hell out of here. i have a really nice box set hardback that that's going to be our family one. But like the one that I read for the podcast, I was just like, no, i don't want to reread this anytime soon. i will die. It's.
00:38:07
Speaker
Yep. Like I literally can't even listen to like if I hear the soundtrack passing by me, I'm going to lose it. Like I can't. yeah Like I can't even see a commercial. Or like come across a video on social media without shedding a tear. Like I can't even deal with that movie or that book.
00:38:29
Speaker
Yep. Like I kind of want to like continue. And I'm like, I don't think I will ever be emotionally prepared for something like this again. Absolutely not. So most are last question, most this title changed me book or adaptation from the titles we covered this year. What about you, Crystal?
00:38:48
Speaker
Life of Chuck. okay Yep. Yeah. Lindsay? Carrie, don't hate me. Oh, now what?
00:38:59
Speaker
I said one for the money. but
00:39:05
Speaker
I'm so glad we covered that one. But it's only because I've continued the series. Okay. And I have read up to book seven so far. And I'm i'm just invested now.
00:39:18
Speaker
Yeah, you can't. You have to go. There's what, 28? I don't know, 35? Something? 87? There's so many. I don't know. went to check out the eighth one from the library and I'm like fourth in line.
00:39:32
Speaker
I said, fuck that book. And Lindsay's like, I'm invested. title changed me. I'm absolutely dead. That's hilarious. I love that you love it though, Lindsay. I do.
00:39:48
Speaker
i love that for you. Mine was my Hunger Games and Catching Fire reread. had a literal physical effect on me. It changed me so much rereading that as an adult and seeing it completely differently from reading it when I was younger.
00:40:14
Speaker
it had me shook. Yeah. It literally had me shook. And honestly, it had me shook reflecting on it as in writer-reader.
00:40:26
Speaker
putting so much story because i've said this a ton of times i think that now we make these books dystopian fantasy whatever so freaking long now yeah and suzanne collins these books are not that long and there's so much story and the storytelling is so good yep and i'm like we need more of this yep we need more of this where it's condensed and there's so much story told in this 300 some page book h and i love that i think that's so good all right
00:41:06
Speaker
That's the end of our questions for each other. have one more question. Okay. It wasn't on your list, but I thought of one earlier. Because we did was the best ending? What you was the worst ending?
00:41:20
Speaker
Oh, man. i know. We had some rough ones. Honestly, I'm going to say Warm Bodies. Because I loved that book right until the end. Yeah, that was a really, really bad ending. I don't understand how we go from a Romeo and Juliet retelling, because it's a retelling.
00:41:37
Speaker
Yeah. From a Romeo and Juliet retelling to a Disney retelling. I just, it, tone shift completely, you know? Yeah.
00:41:49
Speaker
I'm trying to think, let me think, let me think. have Has anybody read the next book in that series yet? have any of Not yet. yeah i I kind of want to, but I'm kind of afraid. I think there's a prequel.
00:42:02
Speaker
Maybe it's not a prequel. There's i think there's a 1.5 somewhere in there. Because I just loved that. I loved that book right until like that last 15 pages.
00:42:15
Speaker
Yeah. I think another one I can think of is There's Someone Inside Your House, the movie. How that ended the reveal and everything. Yeah.
00:42:27
Speaker
I hated how they like changed it. That ending really sucked. I did not like that ending at all.
00:42:37
Speaker
Another ending I did like was Gone Girl. I was going to say that. Yeah, I was too. I thought about that one. Yeah. Lindsay, can you think of one that ah ending that disappointed you? um Well, the whole thing was disappointing, but the watchers, but the ending of the movie especially was disappointing. Yeah, that was bad. Yeah.
00:42:56
Speaker
That was really bad. so Throw that whole one away. Just throw it away. That was bad. All right. Question of our whole episode. We did this as like a sneak peek for this season. And I kind of want to do this as a sneak peek for season four.
00:43:15
Speaker
i want each of us to give a little hint for the next season. Okay. For season four, just a little hint. It can be one word or it can just be like a couple words if you want.
00:43:28
Speaker
A little hint of what's to come in 2026. Lindsay, why don't you start us off? My one word. Fulfilling.
00:43:40
Speaker
Okay.
00:43:45
Speaker
Okay. My one word. Ambitious. I love it. All right. I'm actually to give more than one word because I'm going to say...
00:43:59
Speaker
to everyone in 2026, well, actually now, but for 2026, for the very first month, we need your adaptation submissions, okay?
00:44:14
Speaker
Very first month coming up, into it Don't shake your head, Crystal. I was just thinking, because I was like, is there one word submission?
00:44:25
Speaker
Because because we're we're covering Fifty Shades free. I can't. I can't. no No. Get that out of your head. We just covered Fifty Shades.
00:44:39
Speaker
No. We need your adaptation submissions, because the very first month, of our next season in 2026, we are going to be selecting the submission. Remember all the times that we've been asking for submissions from you from our listeners.
00:44:59
Speaker
For adaptations, we will actually be selecting those submissions from you as our titles for the very first theme of 2026.
00:45:10
Speaker
So please submit your ideas for adaptations that we should cover. And then we will be selecting them. Also, there is a little section on the form to leave your name so that we can shout you out if you are selected or an adaptation for us to cover next year.
00:45:31
Speaker
Please make them good. May the odds be ever in your favor. Yes. We're already doing the next Hunger Games, so don't suggest that one. yeah We have to continue in our series, so we're going to continue. Yeah, we will be doing that.
00:45:47
Speaker
Alright, that's a wrap on our last episode of 2025. Be sure to check out the link in the description for all our links to our socials and other places to listen and watch the podcast.
00:46:00
Speaker
Catch up on old episodes while we take the month off. Even though we are taking a month off, we'll still be keeping our socials updated with all kinds of fun content. So stay tuned. We'll be back in February of 2026 with so much exciting stuff we have planned. Can't wait to share it with you. Don't forget that we drop our schedule a month in advance.
00:46:22
Speaker
so that you can read and watch along with us. So keep an eye out for that schedule dropping in January. Thanks for listening. We will see you in the next season of Based on a Book.
00:46:34
Speaker
Happy holidays, everyone.