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?
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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.
331
:So I probably slowed down a little bit.
332
:But like you said, the text to
speech, that is extremely helpful.
333
: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
337
: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?
342
:That's awesome.
343
: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.
347
:Yeah.
348
:but Yeah,
349
:like you, I was just like, desperately,
times, I would probably just use
350
:the text to speak on my phone or
whatever, but majority of the time
351
: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.
355
:And is it, it's not called
Scribd anymore, but is it
356
:Francesca: Everand.
357
:Angela: Everand.
358
:Yeah.
359
:I use
360
:Francesca: They're also really good.
361
:I mean, for
362
:Angela: They are fantastic.
363
:Francesca: on there.
364
:Angela: Same.
365
:I don't really have
any problems with them.
366
:Francesca: I feel like I also have
certain genres that I have to listen
367
:to, like urban fantasy, for example.
368
:I really like to listen to an urban
fantasy instead of reading an e book.
369
:I don't know.
370
:Angela: I'm the same.
371
:I don't, yep.
372
:Same with like a suspense, mystery.
373
:Like I just recently read, I don't know.
374
:if you read them, but, Melinda
Leigh and Kendra Elliott.
375
:Okay.
376
:So they are like one of my favorite.
377
:Mystery thriller girlies, and
they just collabed and did.
378
:this one story together.
379
:And I just listened to it on audio, and
I just thought if I was reading this
380
: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.