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Summer 2024 Reading + Life Update | S4Ep1
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Welcome to season 4 of Bring Your Own! We're kicking things off by sharing the best books we read over break and recapping all our summer activities including our time spent at Steamy Lit Con!
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Follow Brandi @Brandos.Books
Follow Kendra @Kendra.Readz
Follow Kayla @Kaylas.Bookshelf
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Transcript
Introduction and Summer Recap
00:00:06
Speaker
Hello. Long time no see. Not actually, but like. On the pod. On the pod. Yeah. For a screen like this. um Welcome to bring your own and catch all bookish most of the time podcast. I'm Brandy. I'm Kendra. I'm Kayla. And today we're going to do just like a little summer recap. We took the summer off. We are back into season four. Fresh look.
00:00:32
Speaker
Fresh vibe. Yeah. Yeah. Guys, head over to our Instagram. We did a bit of a rebrand. Let us know what you think. But only if it's nice. nice only if it's nice yeah We were like, good things come in threes. Yeah. And now we have a little more freedom to kind of do whatever the fuck we want on that page. But if you liked our old Instagram, thank you. If you thought, oh my God, this is the ugliest thing I've ever seen. Thank God they're rebranding.
00:00:57
Speaker
You and Kayla have a lot in common. guys ah The way that we were like, should we rebranding? Yes. Immediately. Oh, my gosh. That's a little bit. I was a lot nicer. I'm sure. Oh, so you're implying you could have been meaner. ah Sure, I could have been, but I thought I actually feel that way. I didn't actually feel that mean about it, though. I would never do that. I'm a nice person.
00:01:24
Speaker
If you like their content, the content is going to say fairly the same. It's just going to look a little bit yeah less structured is yeah the word I'm going to use. um We had fun with it and not to be like corny or anything, but like when we started this podcast, we were obviously really good friends, but we've only gotten closer since then. and like We've spent a lot of time together. we you know We have pictures together now is what I'm trying to get at. You can actually do that now. um yeah so Yeah, we can be like more personal like individual posts and all that stuff too. so Yeah, so we're looking forward to still it. It'll still be fun. We'll have so much fun over there. I mean, we always do. so Yeah, like we said, same vibes, new look.
Summer Drinks and Reading Habits
00:02:06
Speaker
Well, what are you reading? What are we drinking? Oh my god, it's been a long summer. I know.
00:02:13
Speaker
I'll go first. Mine's not that long. So I'll just start. I don't have a Coke Zero. I don't have a chai and I don't have a Moscato or water. So, you know, switching it up for season four, I guess I have I've tried Trader Joe's Trader Joe's sparkling mollippod lemonade. What? She whips out the banana cream, ollippot i but because I saw a yellow can and I was like, oh, my God, it's not. But I've tried their sparkling lemonades before and they have a sparkling ginger lemon.
00:02:41
Speaker
lemonade um it i don't think that i like it unfortunately i just like tried it for the first time just like literally two minutes ago and i was like that i don't know if i like that so yeah i'm not a ginger garlic i like ginger And then as far as what I'm reading, I'm only listening right now. I'm not physically reading anything, although me and my Kindle for like, I don't know, for the first like five, six months of the year, I wasn't really reading physically too much.
00:03:14
Speaker
you know we're all big audiobook girlies here but i don't know the past couple i haven't even been the past couple months it's really just been the last couple weeks me and my Kindle have been like locked in so i'm only listening uh to a book right now i'm listening re-listening actually to foxglove by Adeline Grace because in Exactly. Four days. Wisteria comes out. So probably by the time this episode comes out, I'll probably still be listening to it or I will have just finished it. I feel like you're going to finish it. and Maybe. um So I'm really excited for that. And yeah, what can I say? It's a great audio book. That's all. Why does Ken have to smile at that? Like she's you're sorry. so but i I just just smiling. OK, the the narrator is amazing.
00:04:02
Speaker
Tanner, what about you? What are you reading and drinking? I am drinking a grapefruit tequila teltzer from High Noon. I got the fiesta pack today at Cowboy Liquors.
00:04:16
Speaker
yeah And yeah, and exactly who you expect to be working behind the counter was working behind the counter um And I am reading right now sorta kind of maybe potentially eyeball reading a false start by Elsie Silver I'm like two chapters and I just have not been in like an eyeball reading mood and Every time I go to pick it up, it's right before bed and I immediately fall asleep. That's not a criticism of the book. That is like me being very tired when I decide I want to read that book. A part of me is like maybe I just like softy and eff it again, not against the book, but like come back to it when I'm just like in a mood to do it.
00:04:57
Speaker
I wish the narrators for it were better because then I would just wait for the audio. ah But then she announced two of the, um I don't hate Aaron Shedlock that much, but not blue who is it? Sebastian York. Sebastian you York. Sebastian York. Sebastian York. Sebastian York. Sebastian York. Sebastian York. Sebastian York. Sebastian York. Sebastian York. Sebastian York. Sebastian York. Sebastian York. Sebastian York. Sebastian York. Sebastian York. Sebastian York. Sebastian York. Sebastian York. Sebastian York. point for me, or like the downer for me was CJ Bloom. I think she's just like a really aggressive narrator. And I'm like, why are you like, like, it doesn't call for all that. So I'm like, Oh, I need to physically read this one. So we'll see you when I, and I might DNF it for now and then circle back later. But again, I understand. I understand. I just love that book so much. So I do hope that you really like it when you do go back to it because I love them.
00:05:43
Speaker
yeah um ah eventually whenever i do um okay and i am listening to the wedding people by i am forgetting her name i listen s s pop i don't know how to say her last name spock spock i think yeah and this was a kayla recommendation it is so good so far I'm taking my sweet time with it but every time I pick it up I just like I'm so into it I don't this is one of those books where like you should go and blind I feel like but I told Kayla like damn like I could have had a warning yeah it was just like a certain
00:06:22
Speaker
just check trigger warnings i would say before you start this book because it deals with a very heavy topic and you're just like whoa is it looking like or is it romance it's litfic it's litfic but it's so well written oh wedding people this that's one of the brown and blue cover yes it's so well written and i'm just having a good time and the narrator is really good so i downloaded that one on librofm That's how I listen to it. Thank you, Libra. Thank you, Libra. And we love you. Oh my God, you guys. We love Penguin Random House again. Thank you so much for letting me back in, you guys. More seriously, Brandy loves them again. Kayla and I have always. They never stopped loving them. I wish they would have stopped loving them a little bit in solidarity with me, but that's fine. Yeah.
00:07:10
Speaker
I'm not getting kicked out of that program. like My life depends on it. No, I love them. You know what's so funny though is like one of my friends who knew that I got kicked out, Hailey, our good friend Hailey over at Gilmore to say, um she was like, is there any chance that they listened to you like talk a little shit on the podcast? I was like, no, because Kayla and Kendra talked a little shit too. And they're still in it.
00:07:32
Speaker
Yeah. Well, we were only talking shit in solidarity with you. Yeah. yeah talking you But no, like she was asking if that was the reason because like we would joke around about like, oh, we're so scared of them and like, Oh, okay. Yeah. Oh, got you got you not like we're so scared to get kicked out. We're so wink, wink.
00:07:47
Speaker
yeah that would actually have been so funny though if that was the thing there's oh they're scared of us well yeah we're gonna make them real scared of us now kick you out guys when this episode airs we we will be kicked out like we're gonna be like no we go again I love them like I love them no we love you guys so much I don't think I ever said anything otherwise and if you find any evidence it was probably doctored I love them it was AI for sure actually and in fact Go to the Penguin Random House Audio Instagram account. I did a video for them this summer about one of the books that I will talk about later in this podcast. So I love, love Penguin Random House Audio. you lookin' bad. um Anyways, all love here. Libra, family love you. Penguin Random House Audio, we love you. Must love audio over on Instagram. Oh, yeah. Love you. Yes, yes, yes. Jenna, our girl Jenna. Anyways, Kevin, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hijack your little update.
00:08:43
Speaker
No, I mean, that's all. um I'm just in a very like i I keep trying to deny that I'm in a slump, but I think I'm like approaching it. But wedding people is really good. Like I don't want to take away. Like I will finish that book. I think this is around the time of year you had a slump last year, too. So maybe this is just like.
00:09:01
Speaker
Yeah. It's the moving. It's the moving. It's not a new fall season, the BYO, if I have not moved. So second year in a row I've moved. Yeah. Um, okay.
Summer Activities and Travels
00:09:13
Speaker
I am also, I'm fully, I can fully admit I'm in a reading slump and mine's just like, I know it's just like super busy induced. Like I've just been so, it's a new school year. So I have just been basically two days after we landed from coming home from steamy lit, I was back at work full time. And like, if If anybody's in education, you know that the first month of school is just a sprint and a marathon at the same time. um So I've just been really busy. So when I've had free time, I've wanted to like hang out with Daniel or get some extra sleep and stuff like that. So I haven't been reading as much, but I am.
00:09:50
Speaker
I do have four books going right now, um, because of my slump. Yeah. So I will, I am still physically reading When the World Tips Over by Jandy Nelson, or on my Kindle rather. And that one is like very similar, Kendra, to what you were saying about wedding people. Like that book is incredible. Every single time I pick it up, I'm loving it. Like I'm sure unless something crazy happens, because I'm like probably close to 50% through.
00:10:15
Speaker
unless something crazy happens in the back half, that's going to be a five star read for me. It's just, it's nothing to do with the book that has taken me so long to finish it. But I'm going to try and finish it before release date, which is in September. So, and then I started listening to Chain of Gold, which is in the last hours trilogy Shadowhunters universe. I had a Shadowhunters summer, we'll talk about it in a little bit, but I started that one and decided that because of my slump, like I don't want to like half like go in with that because I had and such an amazing time with dark artifices. So I decided to pause on those and I'm not even going to say softy enough because I'm going to listen to them probably. Once Wisteria comes out, I'm so excited for that that I'm sure I'm going to listen to that really fast and then I'll be in the mood to like get back into audiobooks.
00:11:02
Speaker
But I thought maybe it was like, maybe I just need something silly on the audio. So I'm started iced out by C.E. Ritchie, which is like that M.M. college hockey romance. Yeah, I know what you're talking about. Yeah, from Must Love Audio because people love the second book in that series so bad. And I like this one too. That's when I kind of realized I was like, Oh, it's not like situational slump. It's like an overall slump.
00:11:25
Speaker
and then my fourth book um which i just finished the first installment of is like i'm rereading fangirl via the graphic novels um i didn't know that they had those yeah so like ah she has a manga artist illustrating this whole book in four different volumes and it's been so fun because i just read fangirl earlier this month so being able to like immediately revisit it and like see it is incredible. I'm like giggling and kicking my feet. It's like the perfect thing to read while I'm in a slump because I'm like, I already know what's coming, but I get to see it in this like brand new way. So it's been really fun. Kendra, if I told you that Fangirl so far was my favorite book that I've read by Rainbow Row, what would you say to that? Are you 16? You annotated that book for me.
00:12:10
Speaker
I know I love it. I thought it was so sweet. I really liked it. No, I did too. It's just like, I feel like that's just like not like people that usually say that about rainbow. It's like a nostalgia thing. Like fan girls are favorite because it was like their first or like, you know, they read it when they were in like, I read it when I was in college, you know, but like I, I, I, most people's favorite is usually Simon Snow. um No, you got me started. Simon Snow. Or I've seen a lot of people now say so it answers their favorite rainbow books. So.
00:12:40
Speaker
Speaking of my mom texted me a day and said slow dance i saw that favorite book ever Not just her new favorite rainbow book. That's my mom's new favorite book you guys I immediately screenshot it and sent it to Kendra period period like no that's sorry like The pieces have taste like what can I say? Oh she's handnna do landline oh ya Yeah, so those are my four books that I'm currently reading. Who knows when I'll finish all of them, but I do feel invested in all four of them, so I will finish them. i' good
00:13:13
Speaker
Yeah. All right. With all those little reading updates, guys, just in general, like let's have a little catch up with our listeners. How was your guys' this summer? What did you guys do fun this summer? Anything stand out? So much. Yeah. Yes. We just did a game of like what was our highlight of the summer at work. And mine, I think, was steamy lit. But also, our Kansas City trip was a very close second for me.
00:13:41
Speaker
It was a lot of fun. My summers usually look really boring compared to other people's because I'm usually not traveling like a lot of people are during the summer, except for like, stimulate, obviously. But like I'm working, you know, throughout the summer. I don't, I don't have anything different to honestly, my summers don't change that much. But yeah, for me, the highlight was definitely you guys coming and stimulate for sure. Like other than that, I did nothing. Other than that, I did a whole lot of nothing. Meanwhile, you guys had like busy summers, but Yeah, it was great. Yeah, my summer was really busy. Yeah, I had a lot going on. I had my friend Haley. I said this in the season three finale episode. My friend Haley came to visit and then my friend Madison came to visit. We went to Kansas City. We did see me let my parents came. I moved back to Texas like I did so much this summer. I am tired, but it was probably the most fun I've had in the summer and a really
00:14:39
Speaker
long time yeah like since probably like pre-covid to be honest yeah i don't think i've ever had a summer like that because i i don't know i was never a big traveler before i started making friends from all different parts of the country online so same i think that was definitely my most uh exciting summer in a long time if not ever so yeah Girls, how how did you like Kansas City? I have to ask. Brandy's never been. I loved it. Brandy's never been. It was very different than I was picturing it. I don't know. You just say, ugh.
00:15:15
Speaker
I was about to say, you just say Missouri and you have something ah in your head. you know Oh, no, that's totally fair. I mean, that's fair. I i understand that. Yeah. But like I knew that, like obviously, there's a lot that goes on in Kansas City and whatever. But my favorite thing about it was how much it felt like a city, but how easy it was to get around it. That and was awesome. It definitely felt like you know two million people in the metropolitan area, but it didn't take us more than 15 minutes to really get anywhere that we were going all weekend.
00:15:43
Speaker
which I loved and we got to go to so many cute little places and like it felt almost like a smaller city but it had all the stuff in the big city so I really liked it I could live there. Some of my some of my favorite parts of like when you guys came were just like I mean we did like go out and like explore and do like fun things like you know we painted pottery and you know we went on a bookstore crawl etc so like that was fun brewery tour you know but I think some of my favorite parts is like because Love Island was airing when we were, when they were there. That was a highlight of our summer. That was definitely. Oh my God. Yeah. That was a huge highlight. Um, so god the reunion this weekend. Love it. Oh my God. Yeah. Reunion on Monday guys. We're so excited. But yeah, that, that part we like got to watch Love Island together. And I'm like trying to remember like which episodes of
00:16:30
Speaker
I feel like I can spoil this. Love Island season six USA has been out for a while. So I feel like I can spoil. I think one of the ones um where it's like Serena and Cordell will be coming closed off. I remember that. That was so fun. Like just watching some of those things together. Yeah. It was a lot of fun.
Travel Highlights: Kansas City and Steamy Lit Con
00:16:44
Speaker
So yeah, just hanging out at night.
00:16:48
Speaker
i I'll give Kansas City its tins, where tins are due. Will I forever and ever poke fun of it? Of course, like I can't not, you know, like it's Kansas City. But no, it's such a cute like little city in like um and it was just like pretty much everything Brandy said, like it feels very much like a city, but very easy to get around in. um And you know it so well. And I think that helped a lot too, because i I lived in LA for years and I feel like i I don't know, I didn't know l LA that well. I knew my part of it, but like you knew like how to get around, which I thought was like, like how you know Kansas City is how I know San Antonio. So that felt like nice to like see. Yeah. Having the dogs together was fun too. Oh my God. Speaking of the dogs. Yeah. here we are I know. I know.
00:17:34
Speaker
Kayla's dog, Kylo, sweet angel baby, but also a pervert. And look who Casper is to. Both of her dogs are freaks. And castle you are dog klo what about My dog was a sweet little and innocent. Oh, okay. I'll picture. I'll pull up the picture right now. Okay. Yeah, my dog. i've written you times But every time we would let my dog out the kennel,
00:18:01
Speaker
Kayla's dog, Kylo, would yank him back and start humping him. And at first I was like, okay, let it happen. Like, let it, like, I was thinking like, okay, what happened? They'll get it out of their system. Yeah, get it out of their system. No, every single time, like, Kylo was there ready to go. That is the whole weekend. We were like, does he do this with other dogs? And they're like, there's one other specific dog that he does this with.
00:18:27
Speaker
Yeah. So Kyle's got two boyfriends. He does. He has two boyfriends, but Julian's probably his main one because that was crazy. Um, but I do want to be clear though, that I, when he started doing it, I was like, kind of good off kind of was like, no, no, it's fine. Just let him do it. So yeah, we could have stopped it. I thought it was going to be a one and done. And then he kept doing it. And then when they roll, he's just going to do it all the time. That's fair. One day we were sitting on the couch.
00:18:54
Speaker
and we turned to look at Brandy and then Casper's just like humping the heck out of, what's like your thigh? It was my letter arm. It was my arm. It was because he was like curled up in my lap. Very cutesy, yeah very demure. And then all of a sudden, not demure but all all of a sudden he's like, I'm like, Oh, he's readjusting. Like he's just uncomfy. And then Kendra's like, Oh my God, he's humping me. Like he was getting into it. kayla like He was trying to decide who was the elf in that relationship. but And as soon as you, as soon as you pushed him off, he's like, all right, I get it now. Nevermind. Respect. Oh, no yeah. It was fun having them all together. though Wait, am I, am I dumb? Brandy, did you say what you were drinking? No. Oh my God. You realize that. And I didn't, I didn't know if we should break up the flow or anything. And I'm sorry. I mean, let's, let's say now. Okay. Um, very boring update, very boring interject. And I'm drinking some water.
00:19:50
Speaker
Oh, nevermind, cut it out.
00:19:54
Speaker
I already had two Lemon LaCroix at work today, so I was like, I don't need a third right now. That's okay. Yeah. Anyway. But yeah, that Kansas City was so fun. So, so glad that they got to got to come over and see my neck of the woods. So yeah. And then in August, we all met up for steamy lit us and our big steamy lit group shout out to all the girlies in that group it was so much fun how did you guys like steamy lit it was so fun um you know i
00:20:27
Speaker
I think we have the right idea now. We're taking a break from signings next year, unless something like insane happens. Because what I was going to say is like i that the price for the actual event was really expensive. like I understand why their fees are the way they are, but $350 was a lot of money to pay when the best part of that trip, hands down, was just hanging out with our friends.
00:20:50
Speaker
like i i mean There's a few authors that I was obviously like so psyched to meet, but the number one thing I was excited about and reflecting on it, the number one thing about that trip for me was hanging out with our friends.
00:21:07
Speaker
Yeah, I think signing wise, I still enjoyed Sweetgrass a little more. Yeah, maybe because it was just like it was one day and I liked how like the authors were positioned and like I feel like it was like a like, I don't know, obviously, seemingly had so many more authors and like um a more debt like diverse selection of authors. um But this happens at every signing, I get so sad.
00:21:32
Speaker
Cause I'll put a lot of smaller authors like next to each other and then like all the big authors will be like elsewhere. it's you i that Yeah. And like they will have like lines all day and then like you go by someone's table who maybe only has like a book or two out and like, they're just sitting there and like, I don't know. It's, it's just.
00:21:47
Speaker
Like sometimes you go up to them and then like sometimes like you you generally have like no interest I don't know. I wish that goes for all sightings. I want them to mix it so much more like I don't know like can you imagine if people who are waiting in line for Ally Hazelwood were standing yeah like close to a ah Different author who they hadn't seen before, you know, yeah instead of um what's her name Julie soa julie so Yeah, it's like People could go and see them and then you know leave dip out and then avoid a lot of smaller I think in some areas it was like health healthy mix, but I don't know in the bigger room I felt bad. I was like damn you know like Overall like I would say simulate like very fun. Like I had a lot of fun But I went in I think was like a little bit of a different expectations I'm gonna sound so stupid when I say this, but I wanted a sex toys so bad.
00:22:36
Speaker
like last year they were advertising sex toys and i'm like oh my god like the steam box sex toys so i think like that's really on me for like thinking that steamy lit because it's also called steamy lit con was more of an extension of like the box itself and like sexual empowerment and like oh my god diversity and I think it can be two things at once but I think this year they really pared down the like sexual empowerment of it all and like amped up the like inclusivity diversity like even at like the keynote stuff that we were listening to and I don't know how it was I mean I wasn't there last year but that's what me I just went in thinking it's gonna be like we're here were women who love to read like smutty books and we come in all different like shapes and sizes and
00:23:19
Speaker
you know, walks of life. But no, it yeah I mean, yeah, it was still a great time. I echo a lot. All of what Brandy and Kendra said, obviously, highlight hanging out with the girls. So like shout out to everybody that was like in our rooms. That's like s Selena, Amelia, Kimmy, Lomi, Cash. And then we also hung out a lot with Jayla, Tania, Maya,
00:23:42
Speaker
Anna, Izzy, ah so many great people. my I mean, like I said, hanging out with them was my highlight. My other highlight was seeing my girl, Jessica. That was so much fun. I loved seeing her. Jessica Joyce. Yeah, Jessica Joyce. I was drunk when I first met her. And it it was the day that we had gone to Disney. So I was like sweaty and probably gross. and you looked But it was a lot of fun. But it was a lot of fun.
00:24:10
Speaker
Yeah, they like the price Kayla and because I think Kimmy and some other people saw Jessica like further up the hallway in the like lobby of the hotel that we were in and then Kayla was like back facing away from briska and then they like she turned around. It was just like perfect timing and then like Kayla starts crying. It was just like it was it but it was like so nice Kayla like she was just like so receptive. oh She was so nice. She was so sweet. Oh my God. Yeah, she was good.
00:24:40
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. Brandy, who was your favorite author that you got to see? I mean, Tara in person. Yes. Because... That was your first time seeing her, right? That was my first time seeing her in person. Yeah. And mind you, I've been in Tara's DMs since I read Funny Feelings in 2022, like summer of 2022. So it's been a long time that she and I have been internet pals. And I can say this now that I read... Yeah.
00:25:09
Speaker
We've all gotten to read her upcoming yeah book early, which has been like such a treat. So like, I don't know, just we've built this relationship online. So being able to meet her in person, she was just so nice. and Yeah, she was great. Yeah, it was great. um Another author besides Tara, who obviously, like I said, I had a relationship with before, Christina Lauren was like, a big one for me. I bolted.
00:25:30
Speaker
to their line the minute that the doors opened like we got lucky with the line so we were pretty close like both days we got lucky with the line so we got in pretty fast and I went straight to Christina Lauren because they were like yeah I don't know my number one I've read so many of their books probably like 13 of the 30 that they've written sally then yeah ah Oh my God. And then the night before, the same night that Kayla drunkenly met Jessica Joyce, they were like Christina lauren k christina and Lauren were in the bar. And Kendra is such a good fucking wing woman, you guys. Like crazy. She is. Like we went up. She might embarrass you a little bit, but she is a good wing woman. And Kimmy like was like, let's just go say hi. So we walked over and Kendra was like, you know, like Brandi does these like crazy book journal pages. And so I like had my book journal in my bag with me and I like got to show them and
00:26:25
Speaker
um Lauren took a little video of it, which was so cool. Yeah, that was really cool. Yeah. They were super chill to just talk to. Yeah. I know who yours is, Kendra, who your highlight is. I think I know. Who you think mine was. Rachel Rooney-Kats.
00:26:40
Speaker
Yeah, that whole experience. Yeah. Yeah. So Rachel Runa Katz wrote a book called Thank You for Sharing. It came out last year. She has a new book coming out that I'm not reading the title of, but it comes out in September and it's going to be a sapphic book. So I'm super excited. She's bisexual, black, Jewish.
00:26:56
Speaker
American woman um and she's gorgeous. um So I went up to the table and I was like, so nice to meet you. Like um I had her sign my book. We took some pictures and I was like, I know you're friends with Eva Wilder, who is one of my favorite authors ever um with only two books out. That's crazy. But Eva Wilder is not on Instagram anymore. She's still writing, but I think Instagram just became like she knew that she had to like remove herself um for her own health or whatever.
00:27:22
Speaker
and And Rachel and Ava are such good friends, like besties. And Rachel allowed me to record a voice memo for Ava and I'm just like sucking her dick the entire time. I'm like, oh my God, like you don't understand. Like you're just so, sick like I i just, i I can't even like really recall what I said, but it was like just so, it was really great. And then Rachel,
00:27:41
Speaker
um like comment on my instagram like star the next day and she was like uh ava like saved her she learned how to save voice memos like just to save that one and like that was really nice but the author that i enjoyed talking to the most was actually rachel and solomon i thought she was like the shit like Because sometimes when you meet authors, like, you know that there's like a a divide of like, can i they yeah, like, you're the reader. Yeah, yeah like, um and that's not a bad thing at all. You know, like, it's not but Rachel felt so just like, grounded and down to earth and was like, so personable and was like, asking us questions, like, even if it's as simple as like, where are you from? And and it was her first signing to Yeah, it was her first signing. yeah so She had so much good art like on her table and we were talking because Rachel and Solomon's really big on sex positivity. So I was like, did you grow up with like bad sex education? And we had a whole conversation like around that and like why she's so passionate about it. And it was just so like super chill. And um she was just so nice. Everyone that I knew talked to her this weekend like had the exact same experience.
00:28:43
Speaker
Um, like her and like Kennedy Ryan, I think are just two of the most personable people you'll ever meet. I was thinking about that. Like, like when you said like that divide or whatever, it made me think of like how easy it was to talk to Kennedy Ryan. Yeah. For sure.
00:28:56
Speaker
Yeah, there there were a lot of great people there. yeah Rachel, Kennedy, those were huge huge highlights. Tara, Jessica, Christina, Lauren, Abby, Jimenez did come. It was so, so quick, but you know it's always great to see Abby. So that was super fun. Yeah, it was a great. It was a good time. It was a good Yeah, it was it was really fun. and like i would do it again. Um, if, you know, if that we went back to the beginning of the year and they're like, do you really want to spend $350 on these tickets? I'd be like, yes. Cause I had so much fun. and Like we went to Disney with our friends and like yeah went out to dinner, like cute little dinner and whatever. It was, it was really fun. We did the Apple dance like 600 times. Oh my God. you guys How did I forget this? Kayla punched me in the nose. Oh my God. I was really drunk.
00:29:42
Speaker
And I don't remember the night that it happened. oh We were over this, but there were two nights that I got really blasted at the end. It was the Disney night. It was the Disney night. Okay. I have a faint memory of just like recoiling back. And then like, I don't know, two nights later, though, that's when my nose started throbbing. And I was like, Oh my God, you guys, my nose, like, it just hurts so bad. Like, i cal I'm not even trying to be dramatic. But like, I think it was like maybe like, sorry yeah It was like maybe two days ago that I was able to like touch my nose and it not feel any type of like pain, you know? like guess It feels like a normal nose now, but you guys she fucking like punched me in the face like
00:30:17
Speaker
Whatever happened. remember doing the apple dance and Kayla smacked her on accident. it Hard. No, it she like bent down and I was bending down at the same time. My arm came up before she came up and it hit her in the nose. What is just so funny because we were all so drunk that night. yeah We were all just like, ha, ha, ha. Okay, good night. Yeah, I left went to sleep. like And then the next couple of days, she would not leave me alone about it. I'm like, I'm sorry. Because and I feel like everyone thought I was joking. I was like, no, you guys, like my nose actually like it hurts. I'm sorry for hitting you by accident in the nose. I did not mean to hit you when we were both very drunk. And I apologize. Mm hmm. I accept your apology now that my nose is healed. And but I said, guys, if I go to the hospital and it's fractured in any way, Kayla will be paying for my rhinoplasty. Yeah.
00:31:06
Speaker
I don't even want, I love my nose, but I will be getting a new one if it's fractured. You have a great nose. Thank you. It's like one of the, like not to sound like, not like other girls, but like I've always been like, what are you talking about when girls are like talking, complaining about their nose, if they're not like overtly like big in any way, you know? Like, I'm like, your nose looks like your nose fits your face, you know? But yeah.
00:31:27
Speaker
Anyway, moving on from that. It was great. We had a lot of fun. Shout out to all our besties and all the amazing authors that we met. It was such a pleasure. Shout out to our waitress at Chili's. You were a really bad waitress. Oh my God. Like probably the worst. Okay. Cause that's the thing. When we went to Chili's in Kansas city, um, to to celebrate the release of Play Along. And we had the best day. He was awesome on it. He was so sweet. Do you remember his name? Do you guys remember his name? No. No. Because I can't recall. They told us. Yeah. If you ask for something next time and I care. I want to see if it's Matt or something. I don't know. I would know him if I saw him. So that's why I kind of want you to go back to that chilies, Kayla. And we told the manager. We were like, he is amazing. And we tipped him really well, just great service. And then we get to this chilies.
00:32:19
Speaker
fucking Anaheim, California, the waitress was awful. like And not even just like rude, just like not a good at her job. Are you new? like Yeah, it was just not a good experience.
00:32:33
Speaker
Yeah, it was wild. But and we had a large party, which like I understand, you know, but it's like we've been the chilies before when we went to I sound like such a like fucking boomer complaining about like, complaining about the wait service. Yeah. But like we went there, we had a big table as well. And that waitress was also on it. So it's just like, I don't know. Yeah. And we were all we all had some Ruby and it was just not good timing. So it wasn't. But it's okay. We still had a good time altogether. Oh, yeah.
00:32:56
Speaker
Yeah. Oh yeah. And like any Chili's experience is a positive experience, but yeah, yeah, yeah. Net positive for sure. Net positive. Anyway, ladies, let's actually talk about books now since I guess this is a bookish broadcast.
Summer Reading Achievements
00:33:09
Speaker
That's crazy. Guys, how's your summer reading been? Honestly, so good. Yeah.
00:33:16
Speaker
yeah it was pretty it was pretty decent this reading year and i'm on track for this to be my best i say that every year but like every year i get better so yeah this one tracks me my best reading year in terms of numbers oh wait actually how many have you guys read so far this you guys have definitely read more than me but okay i've read 105 this year i didn't even realize that i passed my 100 mark this one ah you missed your little yay i know i've done 120 oh my god And I've done 116. Damn, you guys. Well, I went fucking crazy on audiobooks this summer because I was doing like 90% of my summer job was painting. Um, so I would just pop in my audio book and you know, I didn't have to focus on anything else besides the audio books. I was listening at 2.5 speed minimum.
00:34:05
Speaker
Um, yeah, so I would literally like start an audio book one day, finish it the next day and then start another one that same day and finish it the next day. So I was averaging like a book every day. Yeah, exactly. So it was good. I listened to 40 audio books over June and July.
00:34:25
Speaker
Guess how many physical books I read in June and July? like Zero. Zero. Yeah. Zero. I literally physically read... Oh, that's not true. Oh, no, wait. When did I read Dark Restraint? Oh, the Katie Rock book? Yeah, one Kindle book over the summer. Forty audiobooks. My summer reading, I don't know how many books I read. What are we counting from? End of May? I was counting June and July, yeah. Yeah. Like I mentioned, my summer really wasn't that different than the rest of the year, so I was just...
00:34:55
Speaker
trucking along how I normally do. I didn't read any more or really any less than what I normally do, so it's usually about like 12, 13 books a month. So nothing crazy, honestly. Most audiobooks as per usual, but nothing insane, you know? Yeah, mine was mainly audio and I just counted. Between June and July, I did 32. Nice. so Amazing. 16 a month, that's pretty good. Also averaging.
00:35:20
Speaker
I realized I lied a little bit. um I read four graphic novels over the summer as well. So those those were other physical books that I finished, just to throw it out there. So out of the many books you guys read over the summer?
00:35:37
Speaker
We're going to give our top five. Okay. So Brandy, you want to start us off with your first one? Sure. Are we doing these in order? Like five to one? No, i've no I can't. right yeah i Please don't make me. Okay. Okay. Then I'll say my first one was queen of air and darkness. ah period periodla Oh God, you guys, I like over the summer, I listened to all of the, um, what's the first series called? but Mortal Instruments. Mortal Instruments series. I listened to Tales from the Shadow Hunter Academy. I listened to Dark Artifices. um Yeah, so 10 Cassandra Clare books over the past two months. 11, because I listened to Ghosts of the Shadow Market too. um So yeah, of those ones, Queen of Air and Darkness. That's my new favorite Cassie Clare book. But honestly, guys, even the books that I didn't like with the context of the entire series,
00:36:27
Speaker
I didn't not like any of them like I like all of them and like I love every character even the characters that piss me off so bad like I love them now like I love all of them I don't know it's like crazy like I thought Kendra was drinking the Kool-Aid and if she was then I am too but like these books are so oh good they're just that good like who yeah deny and I really wish Kayla would read them ah especially because like dark artifices is so fucking good but you have to read mortal instruments in order to understand the context of everything
00:36:58
Speaker
um She's never going to do it. I've like, and and i give I blame myself, but like she's never going to do it. So I've given up. I'll take on rip. I'll take the um oh god mantle okay march the torch, whatever it's called. I do just like one. I feel like if you just did it so slowly, like if you did one book, even a month, like you guys would be here till I'm 30. That's crazy. Which I mean, i' not I'm not turning 30. It's not that long to go, but still.
00:37:27
Speaker
I mean, that's how it goes far off. Unfortunately, it's not far off. um But yeah, anyways, Queen of Air and Darkness is my first one. Okay. Amazing. Kendra, what's your first?
00:37:38
Speaker
Um, my first is a one star romance by Laura Hankin. I am obsessed with that book. I think about it all the time. So good on audio. Um, we were talking about our friends at Penguin Random House audio earlier. Um, they reached out for me to do like a recommendation video for them over the summer and I was able to choose the book that I wanted to do and I was able to do one star romance. So yeah, it just so, I love it so much. Yeah. Yeah. It's so good. I felt like the discussions that we had after that book in our group chat were so fun. It was almost like as fun as reading the book just because there's like so much to dig about in that book. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I'll just pigg you off piggyback off of that because one of mine was also one star romance. So instead of me saying the exact same thing, I'll just say that was one of my picks too. So yeah, yeah great on audio. If you read it, definitely recommend doing it on audio if you can.
00:38:30
Speaker
it's It's narrated by the author if you did not know Laura Hankin and she does a fantastic job and especially because like she has the author knows exactly what she is trying to like convey in a specific scene like when it comes to tone of voice or whatever humor you know whatever so she just does an amazing job and it's a great great book.
00:38:49
Speaker
I think of um when Natalie's being sarcastic towards Rob at the wedding all the time. And she's like, of course, Rob. What do you think? Like, it's so good. yeah And I don't think I would have gotten that like exactly without hearing her say it. So that was good. Yeah. um My next one is Landline by Rainbow Rowell. it really was like a Kendra recommended me summer like it it was and you know they were all incredible so um but yeah landline um it's like is it magical realism is that what you would yeah call it yeah so um there's it's like marriage in crisis uh but the wife has a phone where she can talk to her but now husband back when they were dating in the 80s so it's cute it's so good Kayla
00:39:42
Speaker
You should listen to it. Are you looking at me like that? Oh my god. Because I think you should listen to it. It's so good. It's a really quick listen. like It's shorter than Slow Dance. I think the audiobook is like nine hours. And it was so good. It made me feel so many big things. So love it. Sway. My next one is Play Along by Liz Tom Ford. Or Tom Fordy. We learned how to pronounce your name. Tom yes. Tom Fordy. That book was so good. Yeah, I keep going back and forth when I immediately read it i was like okay yeah like write move is still my favorite but i would argue that this is probably her best written book i love doing that with authors like what is like my favorite versus like what i think is her best work and i think this is her her best work to date especially because um again love liz in her books but she has had a
00:40:32
Speaker
She's sometimes overwrites like her books would be really long and like you'll get scenes I don't matter like just to like get dynamics and stuff across But this book was just so tight and maybe it's because I did it on audio and like the narrators were really good So they were able to keep that pacing up the entire time um But yeah, it was good. It was hot it was just like really good for summer too because like the book takes place over summer and like it was summer baseball season yeah i loved it like i want more um the narrators were zack whoever and samantha brentmore who are two of my favorite narrators but this is my first time listening to a book that they had done together and i want more from them i'm pretty sure they have done stuff together i just not books that i would be interested in reading so yeah i actually don't know i think they probably have
00:41:15
Speaker
Yeah. Maybe probably like under Jacob Morgan or something, you know? Right. Yeah. he I mean, he did it under Jacob, Jacob Morgan for play along, which I thought was interesting. Oh yeah. I want to know how that works for him. I'm like, is it like a rate thing? Like you get me cheaper with Jake? Like I don't know how it works with him. Yeah. yeah Um, also small sidebar. The fact that Samantha Brentmore and Jason Clark are doing loss of lasted by Lila Sage. I'll be sat. Yeah. I've listened to that. Kayla was playing along on your list.
00:41:43
Speaker
It was. Kendra's just going to keep saying, I feel like I know another one that she's going to say. so well it went on Why you go first? Because Playlong was one of mine as well okay well. Let's just volley it back to Kayla. Okay, perfect. Playlong, it is definitely one of my favorite contemporary romances that I've read this year. yeah Oh my God, it is so fun.
00:42:05
Speaker
Okay. Another one that I feel like is probably going to be on your guys's list is Margot's got money troubles. Yeah. yes Okay. So that's our number three. Number three. We have that one covered again. Another great, great audio book. Elle Fanning does a great job. I just still remember when Kendra told me to read it. Cause like we all got it on Libro, right?
00:42:26
Speaker
I know what you're going to say. yeah And she was like, oh my God, you have to read this book. It's narrated by one of the best actresses ever. And then she goes, Elle Fanning. And I was like, wait what? She is. She is. I love her. I mean, to be clear, I think Elle Fanning is great. Just the way that she like introed that was so funny to me because I was like, oh, OK. When I think of the like some of the greatest actresses ever, I don't think of Elle Fanning. I mean, slightly, you know?
00:42:52
Speaker
Yeah. Anyway, Marvel's Got Money Troubles was so good. It was so funny. I think it's probably one of the funniest books that I've read this year. It's so funny. It's so weird. It's so unique. Yeah. It's very unique. i Again, i didn't I went into this completely blind. I knew nothing about this going in. So you know when stuff started when the ball started rolling, I was like, oh, this is what it is. So it was super fun. Again, suggest going in blind if you if you read it. I suggest listening to it. Great all around.
00:43:22
Speaker
Yeah, that's good. Yeah, that was my number four. um So Kayla, you should do your number four because Kendra and I both have four now. OK. My number four is The Wedding People by Allison. Again, I don't know how to say it, Allison. Espach? Espach? I'm so sorry, girl. Again, another audio book from Libro FM. Thank you so much, Libro FM. This book really took me by surprise. I knew zero about it going in. The only thing that I knew about it Like just based on looking at the cover and the title was that it's gonna be about you know White people go into a wedding in Newport, Rhode Island. That's all that I knew um And there's there's like Kendra mentioned at the at the top of this episode definitely check trigger warnings for this book But it deals with a lot of you know deeper topics. There's a lot of dark humor in this book, which I personally i love and But, you know, if that's not something you're into, you might not like this book. But I do really think that this is a great book just about like in general human connection and how we long for that. So highly, highly suggest this brandy. I think you'd really like this. This is a Litfit book. So just like Margot was, technically. yeah There is a small, small tiny smidger romance in it, but it's not the main plot point. This is definitely going to be, I think, in my top 10 of this year, this book. So amazing. Check it out.
00:44:41
Speaker
She, the author does this thing when she's writing that I'm just like, up and I know other authors do this too, but she does it so well. There's so much talking in this book because you're meeting so many different characters, but it's not like dialogue. She will like cut the dialogue in the middle and then tell you the story and then pick back the dialogue up at the end of the story, which I am like obsessed with because it allows her to like get exactly to the point. It's not just people like monologuing, monologuing for 10 pages straight, which I just, I love. I feel like not everyone can do that well.
00:45:09
Speaker
I definitely want to read it. I was telling Kendra, I can't remember what book I finished, where I was like, I always say that I don't like, like, Oh, I'm not a big Litfic girlie, but then I read Litfic. And I'm like, Oh my God, this is fucking incredible. i Like, so I'm like, Oh, I am. Like, I just don't pick it up as much. I think I think i read like maybe maximum five Litfic books a year. I think I've already reached my quota, you guys. But I mean, they've all been great, honestly, like they truly are.
00:45:38
Speaker
That's the thing though, I feel like lipfic is as big as romance. I think in romance we're willing to take more risks because like guaranteed happy ending in lipfic. It's like, I only want to read like the best of the best. Cause like you're not guaranteed, like you yeah you don't know how the ending is going to leave you. And sometimes it's very unsettling, even like in wedding people, I'm like, but i know it'll be good.
00:45:59
Speaker
Yeah, that's, that's a really good point.
Exploring Literary Preferences and Recommendations
00:46:01
Speaker
Yeah. Cause two of my top breeds of the year have been Margot's got money troubles and old enough by Haley Jacobson, um, which are both like lithics. So yeah, I'll absolutely pick it up. e yeah Oh my God. Cried through that whole book. Um, so I, I, I downloaded it after I saw your review of it will definitely be reading. What's your number four, Brandy? My number five. Um, number five.
00:46:25
Speaker
Yes, because so far I've got Queen of Air and Darkness, Landline, Play Along, Margot. Yes. So my number five is Summer Romance by Annabelle Monaghan. Yeah. I read this a little bit later than you guys. I think you guys read it in like May, I think, or April, maybe. Something like that. I read it in June, I think. Oh, OK. I mean, I think I read it in May. May or April. OK. Yeah, you read it close to us. Well, you read it close to me, shall I say. OK. Yeah.
00:46:52
Speaker
I don't know why I wasn't expecting to be blown away by this book. I was like ready to just like have a nice time. Yeah. um But I don't know. Allie and Ethan are just so cute. I love messaging about like Okay, your life isn't what you thought it was going to be. Now what? Like, I love books like that. I don't know. They always just like, Oh, you'll love the wedding people, then you can actually read that. Yeah. That like always touches something in me. So, you know, Allie's like dealing with like moving back home and like complicated feelings about that. and
00:47:25
Speaker
Um, yeah, I don't know. The premise is just like so good too. I don't know. It's brother's or best friend's brother without it being fucking weird. So yes, I also like read a book just recently very similar. Well, I don't want to say very similar.
00:47:41
Speaker
It's similar in the sense that there it's a single divorce mom of two children who are older kids. They're not like toddlers. You know, I think I enjoy when I'm reading a single mother book, I i enjoy when the kids are a little bit older because, you know, they can have like autonomy. Yeah. like Autonomy and like full conversations with their mother about what's going on, you know. Yeah. So I think that that's super interesting. The book I just read is called Is She Really Going Out With Him? by Sophie Cousins. But I love books like Summer Romance, where there's also a touching on like taking risks in your life just based on where you're at as a divorced single mom of these kids you know like you have to put them first at all points in your life and you know what does that look like for your life moving forward and is it worth taking risks that might not work out later on i don't know i just think that some of those things are
00:48:29
Speaker
super interesting and Talking about like is love worth the risk, you know, it sounds cheesy But it's ah it's just it's I don't know the way that the authors I think go about it, especially Annabelle Monaghan I just think it was so beautiful and I loved it so much. Yeah, and Kayla and I read Annabelle Monaghan's Release last year that I'm not reading the name of one time that summer same time that summer summer same time next summer. I think That book was not good. but But I read her first book, Nora goes off script and I really liked it. I still need to read that. Yeah, I know. It's good. I do. I want to read that. Yeah. But it's a single divorce bomb. I think that's what she said stick to because I think that's why another is why I love that book so much because I was like, Oh, this is just so much better than what she came out with last year. So yeah.
00:49:10
Speaker
Yeah, I don't know. I just like love a sweet, sweet man. And it was just, yeah, he was sweet. I thought the way that she did like a cinnamon roll MC in that one, MMC, was done really well because, he yes, he was like a cinnamon roll, but like he was kind of like the town fuck up when he was younger. So he has like a lot of complicated feelings about being in town and if he started a relationship with her when she lives there, like what does that look like for him? And like I don't know, he has a lot of resentment towards this place that she's just brought back into her life. I don't know. I just thought it was a lot of cool things were explored. And Brandy, what were your thoughts on Georgie all along?
00:49:49
Speaker
I don't remember most of that book to be honest with you. Why did you have to bring that up? That is crazy. Because they're essentially like the same character almost, so that was just funny to me. Well, no, I think Eli was a lot more like open to other people than I was. Yeah, but I just meant like town fuck up, but now he's like a, he's a cinnamon roll. Yeah. That's just, that's the comparison I was making of like,
00:50:12
Speaker
basically by alone ah love it Anyway, Kendra, what is your five? tell me Okay, so I actually have two more picks. I'm so sorry. Can I have two of them both? You can. Okay, just because I don't want to leave it out. um First Heavy Hitter by Katie Katugno. I think this is like just really good. Like when you picture reading on the beach, no thoughts, head empty, good time, keep you invested the entire time.
00:50:34
Speaker
I would pick that up. Pop star, athlete, great. Unfortunately, the narrators for this book are not good. I haven't even listened to it yet, but I saw the lineup and I said, Oh, they did this to spite me. They said we do not want Kendra listening to this. She can only eyeball read it if she ever wants to read it.
00:50:52
Speaker
um But it's so quick. Like all of Katie's books are like easy to swallow. Like, yeah. um And then lastly, this will make Kayla really happy is the unmaking of June Farrow, c specifically my god audio. That's crazy. Yay. I know. That's insane, right? But no, that book was really well. And I think it's some of Brittany Presley as a narrator. I think it's some of her best work that I've listened to today. And she's already like probably my favorite female narrator. So hearing her with that little like country twang, like Oh my god, like her and Carissa Vacker do male voices so well to me. um Yeah, I don't know. They just, um ah it makes me like attracted to the guy that they're like voicing, which usually does not happen. um So yeah, I really liked that book. I thought it was just so unique and like smart and
00:51:42
Speaker
Like, I don't know. It was just, it was really fun. Yes. Confusing at times, but I think that just like adds to like the fun of it where you're just like, wait, what the fuck is going on? And then like you like catch up eventually. But, um, yeah, it was, it was good. Is heavy hitter out?
00:51:58
Speaker
No, it comes out next Tuesday or so, like this upcoming Tuesday. Got it. Yeah. Very quick. Like it's such a quick read, Brandy. Like I know you're not in an eyeball mood and you don't mind. I hate those narrators. Yeah. Okay. If you don't hate them, then. Oh, Kelly Dalton. Yeah, I don't hate either of them. Neither of them are my favorite, but I think I would be fine listening to that one. Okay. Yeah. Just because like, I don't know, Lacey's like a pop star. Like I don't want to and he's like, Oh, like what else?
00:52:28
Speaker
But i I really enjoyed it. i don't It's one of my favorite books, but i don't I don't expect it to be one of yours. I just like had such a fun time. like and And I was like vibing the whole time yeah reading it.
00:52:40
Speaker
so anyway I'm really glad you liked June. i That was one of my top books of last year. So yay. Yeah, it's really good. ah That was my first book by Adrienne Young. Yeah. I can't wait for her next book. I think it'll be great. What's it about?
00:52:56
Speaker
I don't know and I don't care. I'll be reading it. I love her. I love her writing. I've read two of her books. Why don't you just go back and read Fable? Maybe I mean will honestly. Yeah, oh that's her. like Yeah, the covers. No wonder I thought the making of June Farah was okay. June Farah was not YA. Yes. But if you've heard of it and you thought it was YA, please let me know. Because once I put that on Instagram, and people were like, yeah, like ah they thought too. But and the title is just a very YA.
00:53:30
Speaker
Title like name like it just it was giving that and like Adrian young like I just thought it was And then they said she was 30. I said damn. That's crazy. Oh, no, how does she like 34? It's like whoa Because even like the way that this is not a spoiler but like the way the book talks out starts out She's like her grandma just died and like she's reminiscing on high school. So I thought oh like, you know, she's probably just like graduated No, she's 34
00:53:56
Speaker
But i love I love June. I think she's a great character. I do. Maybe I am a little ageist. Have you seen that interview of re of Renee Raph? And she's like, I am ageist. What are you going to do when Brandi and I turn 30 soon? Are you going to become ageist? Soon is crazy. I know. Over a year from now. So when when you guys are, what, 33, I'll be 30. And that is when being 30 will be like fun, fresh, flirty, young. So then I'll look back. I'm like, oh my god. You guys are like, you know? like Right. No, we'll celebrate. Like, well, we'll have to throw like some parties and stuff in you. I want you guys like that's a big accomplishment. Like you kept yourself alive for 30 years. Like we're going to be on our so summer trip next year, a month before I turn 30. There you go. out the bigk We will. All right. And my last pick is one I just recently read. It's technically just the series, but I've been reading the War of Lost Hearts series by Chrissa Broadbent. First book called Daughter of No Worlds. Second one, Children of Fallen Men, which I literally finished yesterday.
00:55:01
Speaker
I wasn't expecting to like these as much as I did. I love the Crowns of Nyaxia series by Carissa. Love that one so much. The next book comes out in November. I'm so excited. I can't wait. Bramble Romance, please approve my request on NetGalley. Please, I love you so much. But ah yeah, so I don't know why. I just like didn't think that I would like this as much, but I like this as much and definitely has the potential for me to like it more. I don't know. I just think but This one is definitely not romancy the same way that Crowns of Nyaxia is. It's definitely like the romance is a subplot. But it's still like just as like heart wrenching and like tender and sweet as any other romance that I've read. And I don't know she just has this such she has this unique ability for for world building that I
00:55:51
Speaker
just admire so much. And I don't want to say too much about the story, but they're all on Kindle Unlimited. They are also all on Audible Plus if you have an Audible subscription. So I've been doing a little bit of both hybrid reading and I love it so much. I cannot wait to read the third book. And I think that this series will probably become one of my favorite fantasy series that I've read. I had no clue those were on Audible Plus. Thank you, Kayla. I didn't either until I looked him up and I was like, Oh my God, I can download it right now.
00:56:21
Speaker
love that that is our top five books of the summer so far if you've read any of those or if you do read any of those make sure to let us know because we would love to hear your thoughts on them only if they're nice though don't tell us if you hate it yeah don't tell us if you hate one of our favorite books in the summer um let us know over on instagram we're at bring your own pod over there.
Engagement and Reflections
00:56:42
Speaker
um And if you liked us chatting about our summer reads, yeah you can go ahead and rate and review this podcast. It means so much to us. I would. We have a lot of fun things coming up, you guys. So stay tuned. Stay tuned. If you have anything that you would like us to talk about, though, let us know. Oh, yes. Yeah, we'll consider it. Oh, so aggressive. Can't guarantee anything. Oh, my God, yes. We would love to know what you guys want to hear.
00:57:09
Speaker
What a good summer, you guys. What a great summer. Honestly, yeah, great it was really good. Hopefully it rolls over into the fall. Yeah. Guys, is Bratz summer over? Is it over? We keep it going. No. Now, instead of being Bratz, you have to be very demure, very mindful. they were are so People are sick of it. Oh my God, they're so sick of it. It's so funny. Like ah you bitches aren't demure. You guys are deranged. That's so funny. But no, this summer I was going to say felt like high swiming school, mean school too.
00:57:39
Speaker
Yeah. Like, yeah I don't know. theyre what What is the scene when they're like waiting for the bell to come? Summer. Summer. Summer. Summer. It actually like felt like summer. like I was at the pool a lot. like It was just like really good. A big life changer. I moved back home. like It was just... And it's good. Yeah. troy boltton would be proud of us This the first summer. I didn't feel icky by the end of it because like I don't do very well with unstructured time. So like summer break is always amazing for me for like a month. And then the second month I'm like, I just like need structure. Um, so this is the first summer that has just felt like, yeah, it was great. I could do that forever.