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Evolution of a Romance Reader with Ang from PNR Book Lovers
Episode 10527th July 2024 • Reading Under the Covers: A Romance Novel Podcast • Under the Covers Book Blog
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In this episode of the Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast, we are chatting with Ang from PNR Book Lover Reviews, one of our long-time friends in the book community, to discuss the evolution of a romance reader through the years. What are the things we used to like that we don't anymore, and vice-versa. Be sure to chat with us about your own experiences as a romance reader throughout the years. Which ones can you relate to or would add?

Follow Ang at: https://www.instagram.com/pnrbookloverreviews

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Transcripts

Speaker:

Welcome

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Francesca: to the Reading Under the

Covers podcast, a romance novel podcast.

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I'm Francesca from Under the

Covers Book Blog, and I have a

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very special guest with me today.

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I have Angela from PNR Book Lover Reviews.

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Thank you for coming, Angela.

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Angela: You're welcome.

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Thank you for

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having

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Francesca: I've known Angela for a

really long time, but I want you guys

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to get to know her a little bit before I

dive into our reading through the ages.

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Cause that's what we're here to.

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dive into how our reading has changed

and what we used to read and talk

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about, because like I said, we've known

each other for a really long time.

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So what we were reading then, what

we're reading now, how it's changed and

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what's influenced it, the evolution, I

guess, if you will, of a romance reader.

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Angela: Yeah.

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So, wow.

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A little bit myself.

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I have four kids.

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I live in Australia.

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I created PNR Book Lovers just

as like, you know, something fun

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to talk about, like what I had been

reading at the time, a long time ago.

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I love making new friends and I

love that the book community, gave

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us access to what it is now.

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Us knowing each other for so long,

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Francesca: Yeah.

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Angela: and that's all because

of our love for books that

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started such a long time ago.

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But yeah, no, I'm just a mom, a married

mom of four I live with a lot of dogs

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and yeah, that's really about it.

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Francesca: what are your go to genres?

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Obviously PNR book lovers.

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So there

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is paranormal.

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Angela: So I'm still looking

for that paranormal read, slim

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pickings because I'm really fussy.

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, but I also love a good romance

suspense, I'm pretty sure,

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like mystery romance suspense.

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I also really, I started dabbling

in just like cozy mysteries as well,

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but that, but cozy mysteries with a

dash of romance, because everything

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has to come back to that romance.

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I don't know,

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I just love it.

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And obviously urban fantasy.

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I love a good urban fantasy.

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And, Yeah, as long as it has, like, some

sort of ROMANCE in it, I'm quite happy.

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Francesca: That's pretty

much my gauge as well.

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I remember when we both

started, we started out

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as bloggers back in

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the heyday of book blogging.

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And I remember that.

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Some of the stuff that I used to read a

lot back then was pretty much strictly

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paranormal romance or urban fantasy.

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I would say heavier on the urban

fantasy than the paranormal romance.

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I don't know if it's the

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same for you.

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Angela: So back in our heyday, it was, I

was very much paranormal romance and then

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as you guys, I felt like when you guys

were coming out of your urban fantasy

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phase, I was going into urban fantasy.

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So it was really good because I could

recommend you guys all the paranormal

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reads and then you guys could be like,

hey, well you're into urban fantasy now.

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Like you should check out this

and it just went from there.

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I don't really read a lot of

contemporary to be honest.

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I have all intentions too, though.

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I'll buy the book and I'll go,

yes, I'm going to read this,

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but it never actually happens.

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I always go and find something else

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Francesca: Do you think that it

changed some of what you were reading?

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Because Paranormal went through the

phase of really not selling and not

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really releasing a lot of new stuff,

when I guess the trend of Paranormal had

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gone down, which was very sad for me.

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Angela: It was really hard to

find something to read when it was

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slowing down, but then we were so

lucky that, there was bigger series.

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Like Lynsay Sands, her vampire series

is so big now, but then, they would only

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have been like 15 books out or whatever.

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So I was able to like, find like

bigger series to kind of like just

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binge through, When it did die down,

I did definitely look elsewhere, like

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maybe I should try the urban fantasy

because that was, that went through a

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thing too, you know, that was a rise.

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It was so much urban fantasy.

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Then they both kind of

died out, didn't they?

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And then contemporary became a thing.

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Francesca: What's your favorite thing

about reading a paranormal creature?

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Like, what is it about the paranormal that

it's just so much better the contemporary?

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Angela: Oh, that's such a good question.

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I think it's such a great escape, right?

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We've watched these shows on TV as well,

and it's just the world created around

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it, and you can get so immersed in it,

and it's just I don't know, amazing.

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And then, I don't know, If this is right,

but like with the contemporary, there's

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so much drama with a contemporary book,

that push and pull and I just love the

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paranormal world and like just the, The

weirdness of it all, I guess, because

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like, again, contemporary books this

had, and still have so much drama and

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I'm not really here for all the drama.

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I'm here for like, Oh,

you're my fated mate.

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Amazing.

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Let's hook up.

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And usually there's a mystery

around, There'll be something in

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that paranormal romance I don't know.

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It's hard to explain.

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Francesca: Yeah.

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I think for me is also similar to that.

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It's because and I get stuck

reading a lot of contemporary and

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it's not that I don't enjoy it.

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I definitely do enjoy some of it,

but I am a mood reader and also

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like I end up picking up things

just because like in the moment.

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It's like, Oh

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yeah, let's read that.

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And if I were to plan it out a little

bit more, I would probably make

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more of an effort to seek out more

paranormal stuff, even nowadays.

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But, whereas before, I would just, like,

find a series and just binge through that

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whole series and, like,

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finish it.

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And I don't do

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Angela: Yeah.

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Francesca: that anymore.

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Angela: You don't?

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I still binge a series.

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But again, just like you, I'm a big

mood reader, but my mood is always

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in that fantasy, urban fantasy,

paranormal, and that my mood can

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occasionally go to contemporary, but

then when I get there, my mood shifts,

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and I'll be halfway through the book,

and I'll be like, oh man, I don't,

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I don't actually want to finish this

book, but I have noticed recently.

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Back in the day, I used to dabble

in historical fiction, I'll find

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myself reading, well I am actually

reading now two things, but one of

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them is a historical romance, and

I actually prefer that more than

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a today's contemporary fiction.

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Romance.

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Francesca: Yeah.

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I, I, I'm the same way.

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If I had to pick between a historical

romance and a contemporary,

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I do enjoy a historical more.

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Angela: I get really picky with

paranormal because that's where it all

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started 20 years ago, you know, right?

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So now I'm like, I have a list of things

that I want in a book and if they don't

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meet those means, I'm like, no, I'm

not reading you and I'll DNF a book.

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Francesca: I think that also comes

with paranormals having a resurgence

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right now, I feel slightly, but

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I think it's a little bit different.

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It's obviously we're not getting

the same type of paranormal or

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the same type of fantasy romance

that we were getting before.

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so there.

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A little bit different and I don't

know if I am necessarily like the

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target audience for all of them.

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However, what I am enjoying

is like the authors that can

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mix a little bit of stuff.

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So like maybe a historical fantasy

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or you know things like that like

makes it a little bit different

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and then I'm like all here for it.

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Angela: yeah, so I'm not here, this is

just again my, like, preference, so,

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I mean, back in the, back years ago,

you would catch me reading Why Choose,

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do you remember the vampire series by

Anita Blake, but it was the other one.

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Oh

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my

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Francesca: Laurell K..

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Hamilton.

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And

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Angela: Yes, so I was a bit, now if

you girls out there want an amazing

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why choose author, Check her out

because she was the OG, she, she

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was, oh well I think she was an OG.

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So I read her, the, the

Fae series and, and,

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anyway, but now today I can't

find myself picking up a why

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choose or a reverse harem.

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I just don't, that doesn't, and I've

noticed like in the paranormal, genre

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at the moment, that is a huge thing.

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And so I get stuck at the checkout

on Amazon or Kobo, wherever I am.

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And I'm at the end and I'm like, is

this going to be a reverse harem?

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And so I scroll through like reviews

and I scroll through to the end

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and I'll have, it'll literally

tell me what it's going to be.

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And I'm like, Oh, dang it.

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And I'll have to be like,

I'm not going to get you.

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Francesca: That's something that

changed that you used to read

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and now you don't read too much.

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What about things that you, when

you kind of said, I will never

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read or it's just not for me.

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And now you're like eating it all up.

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Angela: I honestly thought years

ago, it was like, it's not for me.

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It's not for me.

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But now, in the last probably eight

years, I love historical romance.

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I just really enjoy them.

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I love the era.

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I love , the way that

the man courts the lady.

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I just it's so romantic.

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I just love it, but when I was in

my 20s, I thought that was the worst

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thing that you could ever read.

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I was like, historical romance?

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Ew, like, why?

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Now, I'm like, this is amazing, let

me gobble it up, where's my next fix?

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That's one big thing I've noticed

in my reading, um, evolution.

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Um, Also, the suspense romance, or

suspense, or like mystery suspense,

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you would never, but then now I'm

thinking about it and talking about

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it, that, that aspect was always in a

paranormal romance, and now as I'm older

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now, I can see why I'm gravitating to

those kind of books, because it just

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doesn't have the paranormal aspect to

it, but it still gives me like that,

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mystery, whodunit, like thriller vibe.

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with obviously, a bunch of romance in it.

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Francesca: So actually historical romance,

much like you, I started reading it

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before eight years, but I always had, like

in my early twenties, I was always saying

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the same thing, it is just not for me.

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I don't know.

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I should not be reading that.

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I should not be enjoying it.

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And then I think my first one

might've been Lisa Kleypas and it

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was just so good that I was like,

I, what am I doing with myself?

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Why did I think that this

was not going to be for me?

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, it was just a matter of trying that

first one, but That's probably something.

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Maybe before the, was it before we

started the blog or right around when we

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started the blog, somewhere around there

is where I started the historicals, but

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so I used to give Suzanne so much grief

about reading all her alien romances

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Angela: Yeah.

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Francesca: I am over here reading

all the weird creatures right now.

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Angela: I love it.

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I'm like, welcome.

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Welcome to the weird part

of the book community.

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It's like, thank gosh you're here now.

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Cause now we can all be like,

no, you need to read this.

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You need to try this one.

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Francesca: I'm sure I

have a lot to get through,

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Angela: I'm so excited because like,

I love a weird alien book, but that's

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also paranormal, but just with an alien,

not a, like, not a shifter, not a wolf.

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Francesca: I think for me it had to

be with picking the right one and

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maybe the ones that I had read before

were just not the right authors,

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Angela: too much cheese.

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Francesca: Yeah, I don't know.

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I mean, I did try Ruby Dixon

and for me it was not it.

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But I did end up reading a couple

other things that Suzanne made

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me read and they were all right.

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So I think Anna Hackett I might

have read and I enjoyed it.

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So like it was a slow progression.

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Angela: that's a good way to do it.

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Francesca: I think I just

needed to be eased into it.

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And literally have a kraken , on

my audio book TBR for this week.

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Angela: I love it.

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Yeah, I mean, I literally

am about to finish.

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Captive of the Horde King by Zoe

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Draven.

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It's really good.

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I'm here for it.

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And you know what I like about this?

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There's a series that we can

just pick up the next one now.

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Like you can just go into it like that.

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Francesca: There's perks to coming

into a trend or a subgenre or a

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niche late because there's so much

that we can read and also there's so

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many people that have already vetted

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Angela: well, exactly.

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Like we have a friend, like you said, like

Suzanne, she's weeded out all the trash.

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So then she can just lead you

to the right ones that you will

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Francesca: Yeah.

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Angela: It sounds so mean,

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Francesca: aliens were a

big change for me.

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Also, like you said

before, cozy mysteries.

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That was another genre

that I was always like,

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no,

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Angela: yep, I found, in the cozy

mystery, I guess, world, there's, a

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tiny slice of it for paranormal romance

or, like, urban fantasy, and I am

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gobbling them up, like, Nancy Warren.

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I'm obsessed.

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I've read all her cozy mystery books and

there's this slice of life, or like a

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dash of romance in it that still makes

that romance reader in me really happy.

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But these cozy mysteries

are just so easy to read.

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Like,

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so, so easy.

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No drama.

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It's just so easy.

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It's just a nice little mystery that you

have to solve, and usually half the time

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I've solved it before the book has ended,

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and I, I like that.

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So sometimes I'm like, oh my

gosh, I didn't see that happening.

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Oh

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Francesca: I think we've read so much of

like the original paranormal and urban

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fantasy or even thrillers and we're

like now you can't throw a twist at me.

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I'll figure that out, but it's fine.

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I don't need to like be stressed

out about it all the time.

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Angela: I'm happy just reading something

so fluffy and having a good time with it.

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Francesca: Yeah.

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So I've learned to

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appreciate a good cozy mystery where

You know, that was not the case before.

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No.

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Angela: Like, I could not imagine us

reading A Cozy Mystery 20 years ago.

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I'd just be like, what,

what are you doing?

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Because we were so invested in

everything paranormal or urban

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fantasy or whatever it was at the

time and saying that, I've been.

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I did go through a contemporary

phase, but it was like, cowboy

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contemporary, I went through that phase.

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but that didn't last for very long,

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Francesca: yeah.

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That seems to be big right now

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Angela: oh really?

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Yeah.

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I probably won't go back,

I've done my time with that.

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Francesca: There is a cowboy paranormal.

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Angela: Oh,

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Francesca: I did not read it, but

it is sitting somewhere on my TBR.

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Angela: Wow,

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Francesca: they're shifters.

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The first book is Cowboy Wolf

Trouble by Kait Ballinger.

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Angela: you have to send me that link.

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Wow, I'm here for it.

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They have them in audio?

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Francesca: maybe, I don't know.

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Angela: Oh, I'll have

to check that out later.

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Because that's literally what

I do now, just audiobooks.

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This is easy.

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Francesca: Yeah, actually, so that's

kind of something else that I would

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say has changed over the years.

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I mean, I've always been pretty big on

audiobooks I remember my first real,

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audiobook series that I dived into

was Twilight when that was coming out.

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So,

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Angela: Oh my gosh, yes.

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it's been a while.

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Yeah, I remember listening to them.

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You used to get the CDs from the

library and come home and listen

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to them and I used to do that.

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I remember listening to

Harry Potter of all things.

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So I think that's where it started.

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And then on my reading journey.

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It was always there, there was dabble in

it and then I think at least more than

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10 years ago, it was at the forefront,

I just preferred to listen to it or

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if I could get my phone to speak to

me, I would do it that way as well.

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It was just because I had four kids, so

I was like still trying to find time.

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I had a lot of washing to do and even

now, like with my work, I can crochet

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because I have a small business, so I can

do what I need to do with my hands and

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still do what I love is reading a bit.

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Francesca: Yeah, I think audio books

are so convenient and a lot of times

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like so underrated and attacked.

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There's always an attack going on about

audio books, but they are so helpful.

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I went through a couple of years

that that's literally all I read.

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Was audio books.

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And then, once we started the blog,

we started getting arcs and those were

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coming in usually as eBooks and I was

kind of forced to read the eBooks.

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So I probably slowed down a little bit.

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But like you said, the text to

speech, that is extremely helpful.

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So I still use that all the time.

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Even I would say probably 90

percent of the eBooks that

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I read, it's text to speech

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Angela: I think because on our iPhones

it allows that, um, I know on some

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Kindles you can have text to speech.

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I got a Kindle Oasis

recently and I can't do it.

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but someone told me if I was in

America and had an American account,

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that feature is actually on my Kindle.

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And I was like, are you kidding me?

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That's awesome.

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Like, I would love that.

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No, you'll have, if you have it, you have

to go and have a look and see if it works

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Francesca: report

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Angela: on your, yeah, report back.

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Yeah.

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but Yeah,

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like you, I was just like, desperately,

times, I would probably just use

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the text to speak on my phone or

whatever, but majority of the time

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now, I'm just used audio, I'll buy

it or I'll, Get it from the library.

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Libby app is.

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a dream.

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Libby is amazing.

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And is it, it's not called

Scribd anymore, but is it

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Francesca: Everand.

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Angela: Everand.

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Yeah.

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I use

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Francesca: They're also really good.

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I mean, for

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Angela: They are fantastic.

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Francesca: on there.

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Angela: Same.

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I don't really have

any problems with them.

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Francesca: I feel like I also have

certain genres that I have to listen

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to, like urban fantasy, for example.

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I really like to listen to an urban

fantasy instead of reading an e book.

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I don't know.

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Angela: I'm the same.

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I don't, yep.

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Same with like a suspense, mystery.

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Like I just recently read, I don't know.

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if you read them, but, Melinda

Leigh and Kendra Elliott.

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Okay.

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So they are like one of my favorite.

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Mystery thriller girlies, and

they just collabed and did.

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this one story together.

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And I just listened to it on audio, and

I just thought if I was reading this

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on my Kindle, it wouldn't have hit as

much as it did on the, with the audio.

381

:

So definitely there are different

definitely genres that I prefer.

382

:

Francesca: I would say with anything

contemporary and especially with erotic

383

:

romance, I really don't like doing audio.

384

:

Angela: Yeah, you got to be careful

where you're, because I've been caught

385

:

reading like something and I've gone

to push play and my headsets haven't

386

:

connected and it's been like thrusting

and I'm like, who's around me?

387

:

Who's around me?

388

:

Who heard that?

389

:

And then it's like, oh, I don't care.

390

:

Like, yep, I'm reading that.

391

:

Like, I literally just don't

392

:

Francesca: Yeah.

393

:

Yeah.

394

:

Well, actually that is something else

to like discuss in the sense of our

395

:

evolution as romance readers with age

also comes that I don't care vibe.

396

:

You know, I kind of always had that a

little bit, but there was still some

397

:

reservation, whether it was a cover

in public or any of these things.

398

:

And now I really just don't care.

399

:

Angela: I don't care.

400

:

Now I don't care.

401

:

Yeah.

402

:

you're right.

403

:

Because when Kindle's first came

out, you still, there was that topic.

404

:

Do you remember this on Goodreads?

405

:

There was like a topic of , I've got to

hide, , there's a folder on my Kindle and

406

:

it has all my trashy romance novels in it.

407

:

And I would always be

like, why are we hiding it?

408

:

Like, why, why are we hiding that?

409

:

But there's still, there

was still like that.

410

:

Yeah.

411

:

Oh, I've got to hide this,

these books or whatever in.

412

:

Now I just couldn't

care less, to be honest.

413

:

I'm like, whatever.

414

:

Like, if you come into the house

and you see all my bookshelves,

415

:

or at the time, all the covers.

416

:

Like you can tell, oh she's a

romance reader, I just don't care.

417

:

But in the beginning I guess I probably

did, but though in the saying that, like

418

:

you know, I wasn't gonna walk around with

Wolf Tails, do you remember that series?

419

:

With that, that, I had to walk

out of the library with that

420

:

book and I'm like, Oh my god.

421

:

So like,

422

:

Francesca: Ha ha ha

423

:

Angela: people like googling Wolf

Tails, Yeah, look that one up.

424

:

But those covers, I was

like, oh how embarrassing.

425

:

Now I wouldn't care.

426

:

I actually found a copy just to have

on my bookshelf of Wolf Tails for that

427

:

reason because I was like, that was a

stage in my life where I was looking for

428

:

something like that to read all the time.

429

:

But Yeah.

430

:

so book, book, my books

have become trophies.

431

:

That's pretty much what it is.

432

:

Francesca: I feel like some of it is,

some of it is age and some of it, I

433

:

don't know, it could just be that because

we've been in the book community for a

434

:

long time and we've kind of seen all the

discussions happen over and over and over.

435

:

Like I know that right now, the trend of

the discreet covers is very popular again.

436

:

So

437

:

there's a lot of.

438

:

Special editions of discrete covers, which

it reminds me, after Fifty Shades, how all

439

:

the erotic romances were being recovered

with like a fruit or a watch or, objects.

440

:

Angela: Was it Sylvia Day?

441

:

She used to have like really sexy

covers and then all of a sudden

442

:

they turned to like just a white

cover with like an object on

443

:

it.

444

:

I do remember that.

445

:

I do.

446

:

Maya Banks, Yes.

447

:

Yes.

448

:

, yeah, so there is a big reinsurgent

of that at the moment, isn't there?

449

:

I'm so bad, , with new releases too.

450

:

though.

451

:

, I'll see them at the shops

and I'll go, Oh, Yeah.

452

:

that's cute, but I don't, I just, I'm not

gravitated to a lot of the cartoon covers.

453

:

Well, I am and I am not.

454

:

Yeah, I'm picky.

455

:

Francesca: yeah, I, miss the old covers.

456

:

I see the appeal for some of the

cartoon covers or I guess we

457

:

should say illustrated covers.

458

:

Angela: Oh,

459

:

Francesca: I like seeing

what we had before.

460

:

1 thing that I do like now versus

before is they would make a choice

461

:

either or and now you have options

for both only because they'll have

462

:

a very sexy 1 and then they'll have.

463

:

You're, more discreet or whatever.

464

:

Angela: I do miss like the old Step Backs.

465

:

Francesca: Mm, yes.

466

:

Angela: I used to love them.

467

:

And now they're too far in between.

468

:

Even if you went to a secondhand

bookshop, it's so hard to find

469

:

those kind of copies to have.

470

:

Francesca: Yeah.

471

:

Angela: Find it funny though, because

we are big audio book readers, that

472

:

audio book cover is completely different

to the e book or the paperback.

473

:

So sometimes the audio book

cover is not very appealing.

474

:

I don't know what else to say.

475

:

Sometimes I'm like, is that

actually what I'm reading?

476

:

What?

477

:

They spent all that money on

like these beautiful ebooks and I

478

:

got this for an audiobook cover?

479

:

I like having matching things like

on my ebook and then you know on my

480

:

phone or wherever I'm listening to.

481

:

Francesca: Stuff apparently is out

the window with some of publishing

482

:

Angela: Oh

483

:

Francesca: it's matching

covers, matching size, or,

484

:

Angela: yeah.

485

:

Oh matching size.

486

:

I used to have such a big issue

with I needed to, all my books to

487

:

like line up in series but then when

I discovered Nora Roberts and J.

488

:

D.

489

:

Robb I, I, that went out the window

490

:

because I just started collecting

them and I was like, you can't have

491

:

Matching Matchy with that series.

492

:

Like I'm looking at mine now and

it's like small, medium, large,

493

:

like, it went out the window.

494

:

I don't care.

495

:

And I also don't care though.

496

:

I'm not, I don't care anymore.

497

:

Francesca: Yeah, I think also something

else that changed for me is the caring

498

:

about the physical books themselves,

where I used to really care to have

499

:

all this stuff, and now I really

don't, you know, I am happier just

500

:

having all my stuff electronically, I

have my Kindle, I have my audiobooks.

501

:

And I almost like don't want the baggage.

502

:

I mean, I still have thousands of books.

503

:

They're all in storage at the

moment and I don't know that

504

:

I need to take them back out.

505

:

Angela: Yeah.

506

:

Well, that's it.

507

:

Like I too had a library of books it

easily would have been like 5, 000 books.

508

:

And then I sacrificed, I was

like, I wanted a new sofa.

509

:

And my library was my lounge room.

510

:

And I said to my husband, Matt, I was

like, okay, well, I'm willing to pack.

511

:

a bunch away, so I did pack them

all away and I don't miss them

512

:

like, cause I have a Kindle for a

reason and I also have audio books.

513

:

At the end of the day, , if I'm missing

them, then yes, I'll probably go and

514

:

get them out, but I'm not missing them.

515

:

I don't miss dusting them.

516

:

But , beginning of when we started, we

thought we had to have all the books to be

517

:

in the book community, or Bookstagrammer,

or whatever it is that you wish.

518

:

And now, you don't have to,

you, you don't have to have a

519

:

thousand books , to be a reader.

520

:

You can read in any way that

you want and still be a reader.

521

:

You could read one book a

month and still be a reader.

522

:

Like it doesn't matter.

523

:

I've learned that over the time Of you

know, starting a blog 20 years ago to now,

524

:

like I thought I had to read everything.

525

:

I had to read everything

that was given to me.

526

:

Everything that I was asked off, I

thought I had to do everything that

527

:

the, my followers wanted me to read.

528

:

I thought I had to do all that and

now I just don't, I'm, I just, I

529

:

read what I want to read and it's

just, it makes it a lot more easier.

530

:

Francesca: yeah,

531

:

The pressure is gone for sure.

532

:

I also feel the same way.

533

:

I think also the community, I don't think

that's just an us thing, which is good.

534

:

I think the community itself

has also grown, when we started

535

:

was a baby community, like we

started when Bookstagram started.

536

:

, I remember we had started a Facebook

page when Facebook had started pretty

537

:

Angela: Exactly.

538

:

yeah.

539

:

because , we came from Amazon

forums, remember, or Yahoo,

540

:

and then we went to Goodreads.

541

:

And then that Goodreads was

the, when Goodreads was at its

542

:

best, they were the best days.

543

:

Yeah, people won't understand how amazing

544

:

Goodreads was.

545

:

Francesca: no, whoever did

not experience it and they're

546

:

only getting Goodreads today

547

:

Angela: yeah, it's sad.

548

:

Goodreads was like the place to meet

your friends that you have today.

549

:

I mean, that's how I met you and Suzanne

and all my bookish friends online.

550

:

That's where I met them.

551

:

So you go from Goodreads to

Facebook to Instagram, and

552

:

that's where it stopped for me.

553

:

I was like, okay, I can't take any more

on, like, I just, my brain wouldn't, my

554

:

brain wouldn't even know what to do with

TikTok, to be honest, it'd be like, what?

555

:

Keep to myself.

556

:

No, because like my opinions

are like pretty rough sometimes.

557

:

I'm like, no, that was trash.

558

:

And I don't want to upset anybody,

, but sometimes I do forget, that

559

:

could be somebody's favourite book.

560

:

And I'm like, that's trash.

561

:

I'm sorry.

562

:

Francesca: I've been known to be

quite honest about something being

563

:

Angela: Yeah, I think we're just blunt.

564

:

I love a trashy book, you know, but then

there's some that I've just, um, no, I

565

:

just don't finish and that, oh, that's

also something that I never used to do.

566

:

As we've evolved, I would

always have to finish the book.

567

:

Now, in the last, I would say, definitely

in the last 10 years, I DNF books.

568

:

I DNF books.

569

:

I give them, I used to

give them 25 to 30 percent.

570

:

So, like, what would that be,

like, four, five chapters, maybe?

571

:

Now, if you cannot hook me in the first,

, chapter, I close it and just put it

572

:

aside and I just don't return to it.

573

:

That's something I never used to do.

574

:

I would just, I would still knuckle

down and try and finish this.

575

:

book, but now I've learned,

hey, it's okay to dnf.

576

:

It's okay not to finish that book,

, because you've got a thousand more

577

:

to try and read before you die.

578

:

Francesca: So true.

579

:

So true.

580

:

I used to have that same,

same problem for me.

581

:

I always had to finish it like, and

I have the same problem with like TV

582

:

shows and movies and like I would

start the season of a TV show and I had

583

:

to finish it even if it was horrible.

584

:

And I don't know if that's just

coming with age or just the general,

585

:

I don't care feeling, but I just.

586

:

I just don't, and sometimes I'll

go back to it and sometimes I don't.

587

:

Angela: true.

588

:

I feel like maybe it's our age.

589

:

I would care so long ago, like in

20, 20 years ago I would have cared,

590

:

but now I'm more of a, I'm more

like, no, I don't care anymore.

591

:

Life's too short to worry about

that, just move on to the next thing.

592

:

Francesca: Yeah.

593

:

Yeah.

594

:

You should be

595

:

Angela: Put it down, go

596

:

Francesca: that's enjoyable.

597

:

You know?

598

:

Angela: Well, 100%, imagine, I got

burnt out reading so much that I didn't

599

:

enjoy, and I stopped blogging altogether,

that's why I don't have a blog anymore,

600

:

because I got so burnt out, and I just

was like, I'm done, I didn't enjoy doing

601

:

it, I just took that out of my life

and now I just, I do it all for myself

602

:

now, like I read purely because I want

to read, not because of other reasons.

603

:

You know?

604

:

now I love that I have a little, it's

a tiny little blog , on my, socials,

605

:

I look at it as a visual diary, and

I just update it to what I'm doing,

606

:

what I'm reading, consuming, whatever.

607

:

And then if somebody else stumbles

upon that, and they go, oh wow, she

608

:

really likes that, I like what she

likes, and then they can go forth.

609

:

I like that the pressure isn't there

anymore from blogging because like,

610

:

I still love reviewing books hands

down, but like with the pressure of

611

:

having a blogging, I, I hands down to

you and all the OGs that still have

612

:

a blog, I just couldn't do it anymore

because you have to upload to so many

613

:

places now that, I was already out.

614

:

I was like,

615

:

Francesca: one of the things that has

changed though when it comes to blogging

616

:

or being in the book community and

at least my interaction with it has

617

:

been the pressure again of having to

review all the new releases and now

618

:

I've given myself permission to do a

lot more mood reading whereas before

619

:

I felt like this has to be reviewed

and this has to be done and So now

620

:

Angela: I remember,

621

:

Francesca: don't,

622

:

Angela: I remember you with your

little list and you'd be like,

623

:

I have to read all these books.

624

:

And I'd be like, dude, when

do you read for yourself?

625

:

Like, when do you get to, and now, I

mean, that's what I've noticed in your

626

:

change, like, you know, and I think that's

amazing because it's so nice to see you

627

:

happy and like mood reading as well.

628

:

So good, because you're choosing what

you want to read, not, you know, what

629

:

you've been given and then you're

like, oh man, I have to read this book.

630

:

That pressure is gone.

631

:

I love not having that pressure anymore.

632

:

You know, for someone that's starting

out now, , that pressure would still

633

:

be there for them because they're

probably still thinking, They would

634

:

have that, you know, they think they

have to read all those new releases.

635

:

Not realizing you don't have to read

those new releases to have a voice.

636

:

You could read a book that came

out 20 years ago, write a review,

637

:

review on it, and still be okay.

638

:

Francesca: The great thing with

books is that they're evergreen.

639

:

You can pick up any book at any time

and it's still relevant because you

640

:

can still enjoy it and you can still

tell somebody about it and then they

641

:

can pick it up and they can enjoy it

642

:

Angela: Oh, 100% that I totally agree.

643

:

That's what I like that I still read,

like, I'm reading Lindsay Sands Highlander

644

:

series from a hundred years ago.

645

:

And I know everybody that I talk to

about it now, they're like, Ange, we

646

:

told you to read that like 20 years ago.

647

:

I'm like, Yeah.

648

:

I know, but like 20 years ago, I was so

immersed in paranormal romance and urban

649

:

fantasy that I didn't really come out to

breathe and like gobble up other things.

650

:

And now.

651

:

I am.

652

:

I'm like, Oh wow, I

really like this series.

653

:

And I'm now like, I love it.

654

:

And I'm reading it and

having a good time with it.

655

:

And that's why I like looking back at

like older books and reading them now.

656

:

And, maybe somebody has to see

that on Instagram and be like,

657

:

Oh, I'll have to check that out.

658

:

Francesca: I think that that's also

important to bring those books to the

659

:

attention of readers because it's

going to be naturally harder to

660

:

find those kind of books because

not everybody's talking about them.

661

:

The new releases are always out

662

:

Angela: It's so saturated with

663

:

Francesca: Yeah.

664

:

But at the same time, with new

releases, I do like to look at the

665

:

weird kind of hidden gem kind of stuff.

666

:

I used to read, this is

something that also changed.

667

:

I used to always want to read, The

new big popular things like I actually

668

:

wanted to, and now I am more willing

to pick up even if it's a new release,

669

:

like the one nobody's heard of, like

I'll try to find like through so

670

:

what came out this week and be like,

Oh, well, that sounds interesting.

671

:

You know what, if there's a choice between

me reading the super popular by the super

672

:

popular author, or Or like this other one

that sounds really interesting and quirky

673

:

and maybe fun that nobody's heard of.

674

:

That's the one I'm going to try.

675

:

Angela: That's so true because

when we first started we

676

:

were reading the hype things.

677

:

We were reading Gena and we're reading

Nalini and we're reading all The

678

:

popular series at that time,, in our

book community and so now, I'm like

679

:

you, I'll go, you know what, I'm not

going to pick up, what's hot right now.

680

:

I'll wait until that hype has died

down, then I might look at it.

681

:

Or I find myself always gravitating

to older stuff still, like it's so

682

:

weird, like if someone asked me

the other day, what are you reading?

683

:

And I'd be like, you don't want to

know, because it's like something

684

:

that you have not heard of, and

you would not see on the, in the

685

:

bookstore anymore because it's so old.

686

:

I love that I can find like

old stories in audio book form.

687

:

I think it's so much fun.

688

:

And you forget that the narrators

back then, like who they were and

689

:

you're like, oh my God, I haven't

heard that person's voice is forever.

690

:

It's really nice to, it's

not know what's that word?

691

:

Sorry.

692

:

Um, Nostalgic.

693

:

Yeah.

694

:

It's.

695

:

Like we were talking before, the J.

696

:

D.

697

:

Robb series, like Susan Erickson, to

hear her voice every time is So good.

698

:

The journey has been strange

but it's also been good.

699

:

because I've learnt who I am and like

what I like now to where, you know,

700

:

years ago I knew what I liked but

I didn't know how to go about it.

701

:

Francesca: I think that's

a good way of putting it.

702

:

It's a matter of, you experiment

and then you find where you're

703

:

comfortable with and what you like

and, , sometimes that changes,

704

:

so I wanted to ask you about , the

trends, but obviously we've

705

:

already touched on releases.

706

:

But what about trends?

707

:

Paranormal is back.

708

:

Fantasy is definitely back.

709

:

Have you seen yourself

gravitate to like romantasy or?

710

:

Not

711

:

Angela: word that we all

love hate, romantasy.

712

:

I think that's, I think

that's just the first,

713

:

Francesca: Not a fan of the word.

714

:

I, I'm

715

:

Angela: I don't, not.

716

:

a fan of the word because, it's

so hard to put my words together.

717

:

Anything could be romantasy these days

and to me it's almost like you know when

718

:

someone tells me that's the spiciest

book I've ever read and then I pick

719

:

it up and I go into it thinking it's

gonna be like the holy grail of spicy

720

:

books and it could be so tame and I'm

like, well my spice and your spice are

721

:

completely So, romantasy is the ssame

because it could have a tiny little bit

722

:

of like fantasy in it And a whole hell

a lot of contemporary you're like, wow.

723

:

Okay, so that that's romantasy?

724

:

Francesca: Yeah.

725

:

Angela: I think if the trends were

really like popping off 10 years ago,

726

:

maybe 15 years ago, I probably would

have followed a lot of them, but now

727

:

I'm like too stuck on my own ways.

728

:

I'm like, no, , I do sometimes

have a case of FOMO though.

729

:

I'll go, Oh, am I

missing out on something?

730

:

Should I go pick that up?

731

:

Francesca: Not really.

732

:

For me, I definitely stay away from

all the big names in the trends.

733

:

Like, I really haven't read Sarah J.

734

:

Maas or the Rebecca Yarros that

is really popping off right now or

735

:

Angela: you didn't read Fourth Wing.

736

:

Francesca: No.

737

:

Angela: See, and me knowing you, right?

738

:

You would enjoy Fourth Wing for what

it is, but you wouldn't, you don't,

739

:

you wouldn't like the hype that.

740

:

is around it.

741

:

It's the book at the moment, Right.

742

:

So I let the hype guy down,

then I, I read it and I was like,

743

:

yep, it was really good, but

744

:

Francesca: I do have the audio.

745

:

Angela: I recommend the audio.

746

:

But I haven't picked up the second one

747

:

Francesca: Yeah.

748

:

Angela: Because it's a trend

that I just, or it's just Um,

749

:

that I'm just not here for.

750

:

Like, another one that.

751

:

I haven't picked up, but I do have the

audio for, is it Butcher and Blackbird?

752

:

Francesca: It was fun.

753

:

It was

754

:

Angela: See, that seems fun.

755

:

Francesca: fun.

756

:

Angela: Yeah, so I have that.

757

:

So I guess there are some little,

trends that I go, oh, but it's, I,

758

:

I think though, with the butcher in

Blackbird for me, I had a case of FOMO.

759

:

I was like, I'm going to miss out.

760

:

So I'll go, I would have brought

It so I find myself and I'll

761

:

go, Oh, what are you doing girl?

762

:

Francesca: When we have that FOMO, because

we're so used to different things, like

763

:

with Butcher and Blackbird, I enjoyed it.

764

:

I liked the book.

765

:

I gave it four stars and it's

just not what I was expecting,

766

:

Angela: Yeah, do you find that when

you rate a book is completely different

767

:

to when we used to write books like

in the beginning, you know, like

768

:

20 years ago, it is for us, right?

769

:

We would get, I was probably handing

out all the five stars because I would

770

:

just wanted to make people happy.

771

:

Right?

772

:

Francesca: yes.

773

:

Angela: I feel like that we can say that

because we've been doing this for so long.

774

:

So we didn't want to make anyone upset.

775

:

So you do the five.

776

:

As I've gotten older, and we've

been here for a long time,

777

:

now I'm just brutally honest.

778

:

I'm like, no, that was a two star.

779

:

Or nope, I didn't finish that.

780

:

I very rarely hand out five stars

now, it's always just a four.

781

:

Francesca: Same.

782

:

I think I've gotten really good

at, at, uh, What we said before,

783

:

knowing myself, and I'm good

at picking what I want to read.

784

:

So the three stars and under are very

few, there's always still once in a

785

:

while a three, but for the most part,

for sure, a two is rare I'm pretty good

786

:

at avoiding things that I know I'm

not going to like or that I feel I'm

787

:

going to, they're going to be mediocre.

788

:

So at least there's that.

789

:

And that maybe by doing that, I

avoid some things that maybe I would

790

:

really enjoy, but I'm fine with that.

791

:

And like the four stars

is candy right now.

792

:

When I really like something

it's getting a four star.

793

:

A five star has to be so amazing.

794

:

That being said, I've had

three five stars this year.

795

:

I don't think I had any last, well,

definitely not last year or the year

796

:

before, cause I wasn't reading too much.

797

:

But the last time that I had a real

reading year, I probably had none.

798

:

So there were at least three this year.

799

:

Angela: That's amazing.

800

:

Three is good.

801

:

I always thought like a three

and under was terrible, right?

802

:

But now as I've gotten older, giving

a book of three stars is still

803

:

good Like that's still amazing.

804

:

Right.

805

:

It just means that we have changed,

it hasn't hit out like what we like.

806

:

So I hand out a lot of

three stars these days.

807

:

I'm like you, I try not to pick up a book.

808

:

that's going to be a two stars

because I don't want to go on

809

:

somewhere and be like two stars.

810

:

I usually just, these days

just put a stop sign on it.

811

:

Like I just didn't do it.

812

:

The last time I read hands down, I'm

trying to think like that five star

813

:

that like just blew my socks off.

814

:

I think I actually could have

been like a contemporary.

815

:

The one that made me the cry the most

and had it affected me the most and

816

:

the one that I always always tell

somebody to go and read because it was

817

:

so good with Amy Harmon's Making Faces.

818

:

It's contemporary, but it's not.

819

:

Oh my gosh, still to this day,

I recommend it to everybody.

820

:

Like, just go read it.

821

:

It's amazing.

822

:

You will thank me later, but also

probably yell at me later too.

823

:

But it is so, so good.

824

:

That to me, that there, that level of five

stars hasn't come Um, fourth wing for me,

825

:

I guess I probably gave it a five star

and I enjoyed it because it's dragons.

826

:

We don't get dragons often.

827

:

And as A paranormal reader, like to have

that is so special because we don't like

828

:

the last time I enjoyed A good dragon

story would have been like Donna Grant

829

:

and she's the OG of dragon stories.

830

:

And I wish people knew that too.

831

:

Like, I wish people would do that.

832

:

Give her more light because

she is an OG of dragon stories,

833

:

especially like in romance ones.

834

:

Francesca: And G.A.

835

:

Aiken, which is Shelley Laurenston.

836

:

Angela: I know she, she's one of my

favorite authors, like hands down.

837

:

I said that to you before, I was

like, I'm still very loyal to her.

838

:

I read everything she writes.

839

:

I buy every, I just, I love her.

840

:

I love her Dragon series too.

841

:

I just, hands down OG amazing.

842

:

I haven't given out like that

epic five star yet in a long time.

843

:

I have, I wish, I wish I could,

844

:

Francesca: I feel like it's very

similar to what you were saying.

845

:

When I started, especially when I started

getting into more romance, cause I was

846

:

always more of an urban fantasy reader.

847

:

I would just be handing out

those five stars like crazy

848

:

cause I was like, Oh, wow.

849

:

Angela: yes!

850

:

You get a five

851

:

Francesca: Kind of happens to

all the, uh, all the readers.

852

:

They go through their phase.

853

:

However, they're coming into reading,

they go through their phase where

854

:

it's all new and fresh and exciting.

855

:

So there's lots of five stars and it

856

:

Angela: I went, I

857

:

Francesca: down from

858

:

Angela: know, uh, in the beginning, I

never used to, like I, it was always

859

:

paranormal and then I went to urban

fantasy, but my urban fantasy era did

860

:

it with short lived because I read

what I wanted and then I went, you

861

:

know, gravitated back to paranormal.

862

:

Now today I, I.

863

:

for urban fantasy with romance.

864

:

And I have found some

gems and I love them.

865

:

But one series I went back to and I,

and it's going to be like really end.

866

:

I picked up Stacia Cain.

867

:

Francesca: Oh God.

868

:

I

869

:

love that series.

870

:

It's just torture because

there's no resolution.

871

:

Angela: I wish I knew that, but, and that

was, I did that last year, and by the

872

:

last book, I was like, damn, like, wow,

873

:

Francesca: We need to start a petition.

874

:

That series needs to be finished.

875

:

Angela: But she's gone, like the

author doesn't write anymore,

876

:

she's,

877

:

just vanished, she ghosted, she's gone.

878

:

Yeah.

879

:

she's gone, it's done.

880

:

So

881

:

we have an

882

:

Francesca: so sad.

883

:

Angela: series, it

884

:

Francesca: We gotta track her down,

885

:

Angela: If you've read that, It's

um, what's the series called again?

886

:

Down, Side, Ghost.

887

:

Yeah.

888

:

When you get to that last book and

you're like, that's how it ends.

889

:

It's like a happy for now,

but like, you're like, what?

890

:

That's it?

891

:

There's no more.

892

:

But I listened to them in audio

and wow, I was like, they're really

893

:

good, but I 99 percent of the

time, , and listening to audio books.

894

:

Francesca: Those are good.

895

:

I mean, the hero of

that series is so good.

896

:

Angela: I know I know and he

Without a fault, just takes it back

897

:

every single time she's an idiot.

898

:

I have no, I was like,

because , you generally go into

899

:

that series not liking that main

900

:

character.

901

:

You, she's awful.

902

:

By the end of it, you're

like, uh, okay, I like you.

903

:

But is it, but Trevor, you're like, what?

904

:

They need to more, right.

905

:

People need to, uh, write

more heroes like him.

906

:

He was so good.

907

:

Francesca: It was so good.

908

:

It's

909

:

not, it's not, very often

that you see a hero like that.

910

:

That's for

911

:

Angela: No, no, no.

912

:

I haven't picked up but

I don't know if you have.

913

:

Jeaniene Frost, did you do

the, in his point of view?

914

:

Francesca: I read his point of view.

915

:

I enjoyed his point of view.

916

:

And then I did not finish yet there

was another book that she put out and

917

:

I think it's in the universe or maybe

they're somewhere else or something.

918

:

I think that came out last year.

919

:

Angela: I listened to, I

went back and listened to all

920

:

of Jeaniene Frost in audio.

921

:

I couldn't not, I had to

like, that was very good.

922

:

Doesn't interest me enough to

read his cause I'm like, am I just

923

:

going to listen to the same story

again, but cause I already know it.

924

:

Like, so

925

:

Francesca: Right.

926

:

Well, I, I still recommend that you

do, only because I feel like we got to

927

:

see some parts of, like, you're still,

obviously you know how the scene is

928

:

going or where it's going with it, but

because at that time, especially Kat was

929

:

so different that there were things that

she may not even be picking up on that.

930

:

He was there or looking or whatever

details that he did, and it was kind

931

:

of nice to be in his head, , like

it really did feel like a complement

932

:

Angela: Okay.

933

:

I definitely want to try it, it's

been there, but do I want to?

934

:

Because that, like, opens that whole,

because that's, an amazing series.

935

:

I don't know if I want it to be ruined

by, like something that I might not enjoy.

936

:

Yeah,

937

:

Francesca: necessary.

938

:

So if you want to leave it like

close with a nice bow, then You

939

:

Angela: because that's

such a great series.

940

:

And that's urban fantasy, isn't

it Like, that comes under that

941

:

category.

942

:

Yeah, yeah.

943

:

So, in the end, like, they're

more romance y, aren't they?

944

:

Francesca: I would say she was the first.

945

:

Urban fantasy series that really

went for more romance, even

946

:

though you're not necessarily

like couples, you know, whatever.

947

:

But she definitely had more

scenes and more explicit scenes.

948

:

Angela: Yep.

949

:

Francesca: yeah,

950

:

Angela: She really pushed

the limit she really did.

951

:

And then Ilona Andrews with the

Kate Daniels series, I think they

952

:

pushed the envelope as well, because

even though they're urban fantasy,

953

:

they're very heavy romance y.

954

:

Francesca: Yeah.

955

:

Angela: I mean, even with her, there

are other stuff now, like with the,

956

:

Francesca: Hidden legacy

for, for, sure is very

957

:

Angela: That paranormal is very

you'll probably fall under that

958

:

lovely word that we don't like using.

959

:

Um, romantasy.

960

:

Yeah.

961

:

Francesca: still calling it urban fantasy.

962

:

It's

963

:

Angela: me too.

964

:

Cause it is a romantic.

965

:

Francesca: I would say

romantic urban fantasy,

966

:

Angela: 100%.

967

:

I like that.

968

:

Francesca: because the thing is

that for me, when you're saying

969

:

just straight, like you say the

word fantasy without the urban part,

970

:

you're talking about a made up world.

971

:

So if they're still like out in

these streets, it needs to be urban

972

:

fantasy or paranormal romance.

973

:

Angela: And sometimes when I hear

the word fantasy, I think like

974

:

token, you know, I think Lord of

the Rings my mind goes elsewhere.

975

:

It goes back to like when we first

started reading, I used to read a lot of

976

:

strange things like the breed series by

977

:

Francesca: Oh my God.

978

:

Did you read the last one?

979

:

Angela: Yes.

980

:

But you are not gonna like what I said.

981

:

It's like halfway through.

982

:

I'm really upset because the

romance isn't there anymore.

983

:

It's like she, like when you first

start that series, cause it's so

984

:

near and dear to a lot of us, but

in the beginning it was very like,

985

:

whoa, that was some spice, right?

986

:

Right.

987

:

I felt a lot.

988

:

And then, so, you know, the first four,

five books, it was very like, whoa.

989

:

And then plots became a

thing in this series.

990

:

And then the romance it wasn't the

forefront of this, of the show, I guess.

991

:

Right.

992

:

And then when I got to the new

one, I was like, Oh, wait, what?

993

:

Like, this is completely

different to what I was expecting.

994

:

So that's something that I don't

read like those kinds of books

995

:

anymore, but I also miss it.

996

:

Those kind of books, if that makes sense.

997

:

I don't, because it's hard to

find, something like that.

998

:

Spice with plot, that's what I'm missing.

999

:

And I can't find anything that,

I am intrigued enough to pick up.

:

00:47:44,270 --> 00:47:46,505

I feel like I read safe.

:

00:47:46,765 --> 00:47:47,825

I read safe.

:

00:47:48,035 --> 00:47:48,395

If that

:

00:47:48,395 --> 00:47:48,955

makes sense.

:

00:47:48,955 --> 00:47:52,575

Always make sure I'm gonna,

I'm gonna like the book.

:

00:47:53,275 --> 00:47:57,510

My mood really drives my reading

and Years ago, it never used to be.

:

00:47:57,530 --> 00:48:00,830

Something shifted a long time

ago and then my mood started

:

00:48:00,840 --> 00:48:03,390

driving like what I was reading.

:

00:48:03,390 --> 00:48:07,730

But then also like my mood was also

helping what I was, , requesting

:

00:48:07,730 --> 00:48:13,070

as ARCs as well, which is dangerous

because my mood at a time was , I

:

00:48:13,070 --> 00:48:15,650

want to read all these, dark books.

:

00:48:16,110 --> 00:48:19,460

But then when I got them, when

I got accepted to read them, my

:

00:48:19,460 --> 00:48:23,360

mood had changed and I didn't

want to read those moody books.

:

00:48:23,440 --> 00:48:25,070

I'm such an empath too.

:

00:48:25,070 --> 00:48:28,990

So like, when I go into that dark

world, I came out like a Debbie downer.

:

00:48:28,990 --> 00:48:32,200

I was like, wow, these

really took a toll on me.

:

00:48:32,240 --> 00:48:34,350

So you gotta be careful.

:

00:48:34,400 --> 00:48:38,300

Now I know like my boundaries, what

I can and cannot do, that's

:

00:48:38,320 --> 00:48:39,550

what has really changed.

:

00:48:39,560 --> 00:48:42,980

So I think from the beginning to

now, like that's my evolution.

:

00:48:43,250 --> 00:48:44,490

I know my boundaries.

:

00:48:44,715 --> 00:48:48,135

Francesca: That's important because

then that means that you're actually

:

00:48:48,135 --> 00:48:53,005

enjoying reading it's less about

an obligation or a pressure.

:

00:48:53,245 --> 00:48:55,345

It is just about the enjoyment of reading.

:

00:48:55,345 --> 00:48:55,935

Angela: oh Yeah.

:

00:48:56,065 --> 00:49:01,865

that and when that shift happens,

it makes it enjoyable again.

:

00:49:02,105 --> 00:49:06,975

There was a few years there where it

wasn't enjoyable and I had to step

:

00:49:06,975 --> 00:49:08,885

back and go, what isn't enjoyable?

:

00:49:08,895 --> 00:49:11,085

What's making me not enjoy this anymore?

:

00:49:11,375 --> 00:49:13,395

And it was literally what you said.

:

00:49:13,595 --> 00:49:15,395

I had to make changes.

:

00:49:15,395 --> 00:49:19,585

And dropping the blog was like one

of the first steps to make me happy.

:

00:49:19,860 --> 00:49:22,510

Just because I don't have a blog, it

doesn't mean that I'm not a reader.

:

00:49:22,800 --> 00:49:26,200

And that was like a funny

mindset that we had years ago.

:

00:49:26,260 --> 00:49:30,320

When we all opened blogs you're an actual

reader when you have a blog, you know,

:

00:49:30,530 --> 00:49:34,270

quite happy just putting my

thoughts on Goodreads still.

:

00:49:34,280 --> 00:49:37,230

Francesca: So I guess to close

it out, let's talk authors.

:

00:49:37,230 --> 00:49:43,170

What are some authors that you

used to love and you still read

:

00:49:43,190 --> 00:49:47,750

and still enjoy what are some that

you stopped reading along the way?

:

00:49:47,750 --> 00:49:48,140

Angela: Okay.

:

00:49:48,790 --> 00:49:50,300

Well, stopped reading.

:

00:49:50,500 --> 00:49:51,530

I can say.

:

00:49:51,530 --> 00:49:54,880

I don't know if it's because she

just stopped writing, but Lorelei

:

00:49:55,100 --> 00:49:57,430

james, I don't read her anymore.

:

00:49:57,730 --> 00:50:03,020

But it's not because like I didn't want

to, it's just that her Cowboy series is

:

00:50:03,020 --> 00:50:05,710

like one of my favorite hand down series.

:

00:50:06,000 --> 00:50:09,420

But she doesn't write anymore,

so I can't read her anymore.

:

00:50:09,440 --> 00:50:11,680

So that's one author and Laurel K.

:

00:50:11,680 --> 00:50:15,200

Hamilton, as we were talking about

before, I do not read her anymore.

:

00:50:15,460 --> 00:50:18,430

And I don't think I would

enjoy her books anymore.

:

00:50:18,650 --> 00:50:22,000

Charlaine Harris, don't

even get me started.

:

00:50:22,400 --> 00:50:25,967

So I don't read her anymore, which

is sad because, That's where I

:

00:50:25,967 --> 00:50:27,747

started reading a long time ago.

:

00:50:28,067 --> 00:50:30,877

Sookie Stackhouse series was amazing.

:

00:50:30,927 --> 00:50:34,887

There are so many contemporary romance

authors that I don't read anymore.

:

00:50:35,127 --> 00:50:39,827

That's just because either they've just

dropped off or, your tastes change but

:

00:50:39,947 --> 00:50:45,687

my near and dear like loyal, like I still

read Nalini, try to always read her.

:

00:50:46,137 --> 00:50:48,157

I don't read Sherilyn Kenyon anymore.

:

00:50:48,527 --> 00:50:53,817

That's huge because like she was like

one of my OGs and then now I don't,

:

00:50:54,647 --> 00:50:55,437

just don't.

:

00:50:56,057 --> 00:50:56,377

Yeah.

:

00:50:56,442 --> 00:50:57,652

Francesca: I think that's happened to me.

:

00:50:57,652 --> 00:51:02,582

A lot of my OGs, like you said before,

Charlaine Harris, there was a period in

:

00:51:02,582 --> 00:51:05,112

my early twenties where I stopped reading.

:

00:51:05,432 --> 00:51:09,872

And the one that brought me back

to reading was Charlaine Harris.

:

00:51:09,922 --> 00:51:13,952

I love the Sookie Stackhouse

series up to a certain point.

:

00:51:14,432 --> 00:51:16,462

And right now, like I

:

00:51:17,072 --> 00:51:19,832

I just have no desire to

pick up any of her books.

:

00:51:20,052 --> 00:51:26,272

However, I did watch her Midnight Texas

and it kind of made me, like, tempted

:

00:51:26,272 --> 00:51:28,502

to read the books, but I'm like, no,

:

00:51:28,657 --> 00:51:28,797

Angela: is,

:

00:51:29,287 --> 00:51:29,807

that's the

:

00:51:29,947 --> 00:51:30,607

scary

:

00:51:30,792 --> 00:51:31,702

Francesca: I enjoyed it.

:

00:51:32,647 --> 00:51:35,677

Angela: Yep, that's the scary

thing about, like, books to movies.

:

00:51:35,677 --> 00:51:37,017

We should talk about that one day.

:

00:51:37,257 --> 00:51:40,137

Because, I'll go, Oh, I haven't read

that series, but I have read that author.

:

00:51:40,157 --> 00:51:41,207

I'll watch the show.

:

00:51:41,277 --> 00:51:43,657

and then I'll be like, Ooh,

I'm tempted to pick you up.

:

00:51:43,657 --> 00:51:44,327

But then I go, No.

:

00:51:44,842 --> 00:51:45,182

Francesca: Yeah.

:

00:51:45,502 --> 00:51:47,512

Angela: Like you just said, Don't do it.

:

00:51:48,242 --> 00:51:52,212

Authors that I used to read then and

still now is like Shelly Laurenston.

:

00:51:52,232 --> 00:51:54,272

I love her, still read her.

:

00:51:54,482 --> 00:51:59,642

Gena sometimes, Kresley Cole,

I try to, but I fell really

:

00:51:59,642 --> 00:52:00,842

far behind in her series.

:

00:52:00,862 --> 00:52:05,022

So it's almost like really hard to

catch up because I'm so far behind.

:

00:52:05,322 --> 00:52:09,272

And Karen Marie Moning, I've read

all her fever series, but I started

:

00:52:09,272 --> 00:52:10,892

the Highlander series years ago.

:

00:52:11,432 --> 00:52:14,012

So I'm still catching up with them.

:

00:52:14,032 --> 00:52:17,892

So from years ago to now,

which is kind of cool.

:

00:52:18,142 --> 00:52:24,212

Tessa Dare I just only read in

the last six years and I didn't

:

00:52:24,352 --> 00:52:29,642

realize how much I loved her

writing and I really enjoyed them.

:

00:52:29,642 --> 00:52:35,522

Another person that I do reread and

I know you don't, but I still reread

:

00:52:36,102 --> 00:52:40,692

Mary Calmes, I still reread some of

my favorite books of hers like Acrobat.

:

00:52:40,732 --> 00:52:41,982

I always reread.

:

00:52:41,982 --> 00:52:43,192

Ilona Andrews,

:

00:52:43,522 --> 00:52:44,762

back in the day, I still

:

00:52:44,762 --> 00:52:45,432

read her now.

:

00:52:45,432 --> 00:52:47,868

Patricia Briggs, patty,

I still read hands down.

:

00:52:47,868 --> 00:52:51,368

I just read her new one and

it was flipping amazing.

:

00:52:51,608 --> 00:52:53,388

Like if you haven't read that, do it.

:

00:52:53,388 --> 00:52:56,518

It's so good to be immersed

back in that world.

:

00:52:56,558 --> 00:52:58,128

I was like, Oh you're back.

:

00:52:58,218 --> 00:52:59,688

I was like, so happy.

:

00:53:00,088 --> 00:53:00,288

Yeah.

:

00:53:00,288 --> 00:53:01,208

but that's about it.

:

00:53:01,218 --> 00:53:03,338

Like from when we all started,

:

00:53:03,538 --> 00:53:03,998

Francesca: Yeah.

:

00:53:04,098 --> 00:53:04,878

From the originals.

:

00:53:04,908 --> 00:53:05,548

Angela: when you think about It

:

00:53:06,118 --> 00:53:11,208

yeah, And it's the ones that I

have continued to read are the

:

00:53:11,208 --> 00:53:14,478

ones that I'm assuming now, I

obviously love them because they've

:

00:53:14,478 --> 00:53:16,228

come, from 20 years to now.

:

00:53:16,508 --> 00:53:17,838

So those are the ones

I'll probably, still read.

:

00:53:17,998 --> 00:53:19,568

still read in 20 years time.

:

00:53:19,618 --> 00:53:21,268

So I'm late to it.

:

00:53:21,428 --> 00:53:24,188

I discovered Nora Roberts and J.

:

00:53:24,188 --> 00:53:24,348

D.

:

00:53:24,348 --> 00:53:28,368

Robb, not like today or anything, but I

discovered her, we'll say five years ago.

:

00:53:28,368 --> 00:53:33,888

And so I have inhaled all the Nora

Roberts stuff and I'm still in 30

:

00:53:33,888 --> 00:53:38,418

years I'll still read her because she's

hands down amazing and same with J.

:

00:53:38,418 --> 00:53:38,568

D.

:

00:53:38,568 --> 00:53:42,428

Robb like someone would go to me what's

your favorite book and I'll tell you j.

:

00:53:42,428 --> 00:53:42,588

D.

:

00:53:42,588 --> 00:53:42,878

Robb

:

00:53:43,388 --> 00:53:44,718

Yes, completely agree.

:

00:53:44,718 --> 00:53:44,918

J.

:

00:53:44,918 --> 00:53:45,078

D.

:

00:53:45,078 --> 00:53:46,948

Robb is just amazing.

:

00:53:47,308 --> 00:53:51,088

And I think that a lot of the ones that

you've talked about here are some of

:

00:53:51,108 --> 00:53:53,358

the same ones that I have on my list.

:

00:53:53,718 --> 00:53:58,718

So I wanted to thank you for coming

on today and talking about our

:

00:53:58,758 --> 00:54:01,618

evolution on this reading journey.

:

00:54:01,618 --> 00:54:05,888

And I hope that you guys got a bit

more of an idea of the reading journey

:

00:54:05,888 --> 00:54:09,758

that you can go through if you've

gone through something similar as us.

:

00:54:09,788 --> 00:54:13,158

I would love for you to share

with us, share in the comments.

:

00:54:13,158 --> 00:54:16,568

You can contact either one of us and

just tell us if you have the same

:

00:54:16,568 --> 00:54:19,758

feelings about some of the things we

talked about or you've read some of

:

00:54:19,788 --> 00:54:21,948

the same books and you also love them.

:

00:54:21,948 --> 00:54:26,598

You can find Ang at PNR book

Lover Reviews on Instagram

:

00:54:26,598 --> 00:54:30,168

and as always, you can find us on

the blog at under the covers book

:

00:54:30,168 --> 00:54:36,078

blog.com, and on social media at

UTC book blog on Instagram, TikTok X

:

00:54:36,078 --> 00:54:40,128

and Pinterest, and under the covers

book blog on Facebook and YouTube.

:

00:54:40,128 --> 00:54:43,368

Thank you so much for spending

some time with us today and we'll

:

00:54:43,368 --> 00:54:44,778

see you again in the next one.

:

00:54:45,108 --> 00:54:45,588

Bye.

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