Episode 10: Lost in the Pages - Exploring Our Passion for Books

Welcome to The Mirror Project!

Welcome back to The Mirror Project! Today, Alexandra and Christine are diving into the enchanting world of books. From childhood favorites to current obsessions, join us as we unravel the magic of reading.

Stay Connected

Before we embark on this literary journey, make sure to hit that like, subscribe, or follow button on your preferred platform. Let's get started!

What started the obsession?

Discover what ignited our love for reading and our earliest literary adventures. From Harry Potter to childhood mysteries, we share the stories that sparked our passion for books. Plus, we weigh the pros and cons of paperbacks, digital, and audio formats.

Engage with Us on Socials

Join our community on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Let's continue these discussions together!

Current Reads & Influences

Get a glimpse into our current literary fixations and the timeless tales we revisit time and time again. We'll also unveil our TBR list and shout out our favorite book influencers who keep our reading lists overflowing. Sharing our favorite book influencers including Chelsea Cohen (@chelseareads_), Jaysen Headley (@ezeekat), Natasha Polis (@tashapolis), and Regan (@peruseproject). *We have no affiliation with these creators, just enjoy their content.

Books to Film

Delve into the world of book adaptations as we discuss the hits and misses of bringing stories from page to screen. Plus, find out which books we're dreaming of seeing on the big screen.

Closing Thoughts

After traversing the landscapes of literature, it's your turn to share your favorite reads with us!

Support Our Journey

If you're enjoying our bookish discussions, consider supporting us through our Buy Us a Coffee! Your contribution fuels our passion for this podcast

Join Us Next Time  

Before we bid adieu, don't forget to like, subscribe, or follow us on your preferred platform. Until next time, happy reading, and we'll see you in the next chapter!

Hello and welcome to the mirror project.

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We're your host, Alexandra,

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Christine: And Christine.

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Alexandra: and we are so glad

you are joining us today.

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We are discussing one of our

favorite shared interests books.

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We are both obsessed with the

worlds that are created with words

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and a sprinkle of our imagination.

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Not sure about you all, but I'm

still waiting for my letter to attend

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a magical university to arrive.

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Christine: Before we dive into today's

topic, like, subscribe, or follow us

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on your preferred listening platform.

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Go ahead, pause, and do

it now before you forget.

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Don't worry, we won't

get started without you!

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Alexandra: So let's jump into

our first segment today, which

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is what started our obsessions.

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So, Christine, what started your

obsession or your journey with reading?

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Christine: Well, so my journey with

reading kind of had a rocky start.

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I struggled in school as a kid and always

felt like, reading was something difficult

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for me, and I had trouble finding the

joy in it, but I would say once I was

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in middle school, was when I found like,

that one series that sort of changed

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the game and made reading a true joy for

me, and I just can't get enough of it.

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but how about you, Alexandra?

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How did your

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journey start?

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Alexandra: Well, before we jump into

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that, I was gonna say for those

listening you should see the smile

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on Christine's face You can just

tell like the nostalgic memory is

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coming in to paint a visual picture.

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It's just like somebody almost euphoric

of like memories of books So I share

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a similar journey to Christine.

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I believe in our Second episode is

where we talked about mantras and I

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talked about one of mine, which is

I can't go through How do I go over

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under and around and that came from?

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discovering that I had intermittent

dyslexia when I was very, very young.

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So I hated to read, things would jump

around on the page, teachers thought

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I was lying, because sometimes the

word saw was saw, and sometimes it

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was was, and it was just, you know.

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interesting reading, right?

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so my parents actually hired a math

tutor to teach me how to read and she

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worked with me for an entire summer.

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And my mom later told me the story about

how the math teacher was like are you

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sure you want me to teach her how to read?

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Like I'm a math tutor.

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I don't teach English.

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And she's like, no, you've, we've

been told how awesome you are.

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I think you can do it.

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And she did.

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She taught me how to read,

but I still hated that.

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And that was between, I would

say kindergarten and first.

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And I hated reading.

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I.

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I went up through private school

in Southern California, and the one

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school that I went to from second to

the first part of fifth grade, they

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would assign these reading lists that

I thought were very dull for children.

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Like, you know, not totally historical

memoirs, but kind of historical

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memoirs of wars from the past.

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And I'm like, what?

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Christine: Yes.

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Alexandra: I hate this.

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I already didn't like reading.

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Why would I want to read that?

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so, That was in 5th grade, and my

parents decided to pull me out of that

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school and put me into a different

school within the same private

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system, for lack of a better word.

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It was a certain type of teaching style.

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Christine: Mm mm-Hmm?

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Alexandra: And at first I'm like, I

didn't want to leave my friends, but I

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went from getting like, D's and F's in

grades to getting A's and B's because

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the school I went to taught differently

and I was really lucky that when I went

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there in fifth grade, like you, Christine,

I found a book that just changed my

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entire experience with reading and the

assigned reading list for the new school

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I went to were difficult, but not as

mind numbingly dull, or at least what

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I would consider mind numbingly dull,

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I went from below a fifth grade

reading level to up to a college grade.

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level of reading within one year.

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And that, I want to say that was

really due to finding a book series

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that ignited my passion for reading.

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And from there, I explored so much more.

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Christine: I had a very similar journey.

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Yeah.

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Alexandra: yeah.

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And even in school when I had to read

books that I didn't particularly, you

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know, care for, like, I'm gonna be

honest, in high school, Frankenstein

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wasn't my favorite, but, you know,

I, was able to enjoy the reading part

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of it, whether or not the subject

was actually interesting to me.

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So that was my journey with reading.

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so Christine, I know you mentioned

that you had a series that changed

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your life in middle school.

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So what series were you recalling?

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Christine: Well, I don't know

if it will surprise many people

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because it was very popular at

the time and still is to this day.

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But that series I was talking

about is Harry Potter.

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I picked Harry Potter up, I want to say, I

can't remember if it was 6th or 7th grade.

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But, I was gifted, my grandmother

had gifted me either the first

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book, first two or three books,

and I decided to give it a try.

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Up until that point, you

know, I watched the films.

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I very much loved the films and I had

one of the books on tape Back when

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they were on on cassettes, although

it was the third book so I don't know

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why but yeah, I had the third book

on tape, but I started reading it and

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at the time as I mentioned I was You

know, I didn't have a love of reading.

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I started reading similar to Alexandra's

journey, really struggled in school and

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had I forget what the classification

is, but a learning disability.

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And I was, I went to a small Catholic

school, so the resources weren't great.

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And I was reading below my reading

level, but once I started Harry Potter

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and I just fell in love with it.

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The, whole world and the, the journey

of following Harry and all of the

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antics he and his friends got up to.

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And over the course of two years,

read through the whole series.

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I, I must've started in seventh grade then

because I remember Reading those books and

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then like from there I just couldn't get

enough of reading and I just kept picking

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stuff up and Yeah, that's what really,

you know, lit the, lit the fire for me.

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But how about you Alexandra?

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What, what series ignited

your love of reading?

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Alexandra: So the one that in 5th grade

turned my experience with reading around

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and I would probably surprise many people

who know me today to realize that I hated

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reading because as anyone can attest

to I have a ton of books and not just

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like, you know, She's got a lot of books.

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Like, no, I have maybe a bookstores

full across all different media.

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So

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Christine: about it, but not a,

not as surprised because we have

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a similar story, but yeah, it's

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kind of funny looking back on it.

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Alexandra: but I'll meet people

and I'll tell them like what

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I'm reading and they'll be like,

wait you hated to read what?

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So in fifth grade, I And before this

episode in, you know, our planning

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of it, I really tried to find the

book that I read, and for the life

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of me, I cannot find, find it.

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I don't have it anymore, and I

couldn't find it online because I

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barely remember the title, but I feel

like it was something I was reading.

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Along the, like, the lazy hazy days

of Suzy Hayes or something like that.

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It was very rhymy, but I think

it was about a girl and she was

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the youngest in a family and I

feel like her dad was a fireman.

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But something about it really captured

my attention and I just went from there.

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And then I did read a lot of manga,

which I liked because with a dyslexic

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brain, reading differently helped.

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I think when I first tried, like,

started to learn to read, I let, I

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read right to left, not left to right.

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I'm just like, you would have done

well had you been learning like maybe

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Hebrew or something like that, but

it's not the language I was learning.

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So I don't know.

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I think the manga kind of just helped.

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Strengthened that part of my brain

that looked at things differently

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and also fostered my love of reading.

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But I got really into the genre

of young adult fiction and like

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fantasy and so another big series

that started I wouldn't say in fifth

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grade, but probably sixth or seventh.

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Maybe 8th was the House of Nights series

written by PCCast and KristenCast,

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they're mother daughter writers.

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And then from there it

kind of just expanded.

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I did kind of enter the Harry

Potter reading game a little late.

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I feel like, I'm kind of one of those

people that when something is really

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big, I will stubbornly avoid it.

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Just because I'm like, I don't

want to just follow a trend.

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And so then when it kind of

Descends a little bit out of

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popularity like popularity.

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That's when I pick it up and I'm like, oh

my gosh, this is amazing I Started reading

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things by Jane Austen and you know sci fi.

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I really do like the fiction genre You

know That was the thing that helped.

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I was like, if I'm going to read

something, I want to go into a world

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full of imagination and possibilities.

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I don't want to just necessarily

reread about life here.

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But while we're on Harry Potter,

Christine, what was your favorite book?

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Like which storyline got you obsessed?

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Christine: yeah.

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It's so funny that you say you don't,

didn't want to hop on the trend.

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I, I very much hear that because

I, I say that a lot today.

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And I, I tend to be late

to, to the, the game.

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But for me, the Harry Potter book

I loved the best, it changes.

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But I think.

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It's a tie for me between the third

and, I think the third one wins out,

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but it's a close, it's a close tie

between the third and the fourth.

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I, remember when I was reading the

series, the fourth was my favorite.

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It just was like, really fun to bring in

all these different other magical schools

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and like, see the world grow even more

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beyond Hogwarts.

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But when I look back on the series,

and I haven't reread it, I only read

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it once I do have the audiobooks

but I haven't gone back to that

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series since I was in middle school.

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And I kind of like that, it,

it lives in the, it has this

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nice nostalgic memory for me.

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And looking back on that, I think

the third one is my favorite.

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Just because it's, they're

starting to be teenagers.

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It's like, you know, I really liked the

introduction of Sirius Black, you know,

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at the end, that whole twist and sort of

learning more about Harry's personality.

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parents through these other

characters, because up until that

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point, these, these three kids are

just getting into trouble at school.

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But this is like, this, I feel like book

three was the founding, like it was the

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beginning of where the story was gonna go.

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So that, that's for me.

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But how about you?

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Do you have a favorite one?

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Alexandra: Kind of

similar to you, Christine.

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I actually, so it's.

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I'm trying to think of

how I really got into it.

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So I think one of my first more

experience experiences was with Harry

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Potter was a friend of mine at the time.

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Do you remember the scenic games?

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The ones that you would

play on the television?

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Okay.

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So she had a scenic Harry Potter

and the chamber of secrets.

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Mind you, I had never read a book,

never read a Harry Potter, never seen

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the movies, hadn't listened to them.

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And I somehow managed to.

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To beat her in that game.

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And I'm like, and she was

obsessed with Harry Potter.

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I was like, how did, how did

you not know these answers?

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And I have never seen,

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yeah, I was like, I was

like, Oh, interesting.

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So,

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Christine: must be psychic.

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Like you could just,

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Alexandra: oh, Oh, I just, I think I am.

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We could totally get

into that another day.

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But anyways, so that kind of started it.

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It wasn't a huge fan of snakes, and

that was like a big theme of that

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second one, and I was like, hmm.

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But it was really seeing the third movie

that got me into the series, Like You.

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It was kind of like the one that

really piqued my interest, but

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if I had to pick a favorite book,

it's probably the fourth one.

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I loved the detail.

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And I want to come back to this later

in the episode where we talk about the

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transition of film books to film or TV.

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Cause I have

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Christine: You have thoughts?

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Alexandra: a thought about that,

particularly the fourth one.

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So if I forget, please

help me remember Christine.

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Christine: before we jump forward,

I just, I was thinking about other

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series that, Of the time, like I said,

I, so I went through Harry Potter,

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and then I remember I read Angels and

Demons by Dan Brown, and I went to a,

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I went to a Catholic school, I

don't know how many times I've

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mentioned it at this point, but

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Alexandra: a

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Christine: anyway, we know

this about me now but I

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remember distinctly walking in,

cause like, at school, you, You

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didn't carry your backpack around.

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We just carried our books from class

to class when we were in middle school.

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Kind of weird looking

back on that right now.

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But I carried around my book

with me because if there was

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some downtime, I would read.

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And I had, I had angels and

demons on top of my books.

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And I walked into my religion class

and my religion teacher just looked at

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me Judging me so hard as you know, oh

that catholic guilt man, but yeah, she

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Alexandra: think as only a nun could,

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you

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Christine: wasn't a nun

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Alexandra: Or were they?

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Oh, they weren't nuns.

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Oh, okay, because when my mom went

to parochial school, she had, right?

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Parochial school?

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That's another version.

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Anywho, she had a nun who was like,

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Christine: Yeah, no, she she wasn't

a nun but she she was a very devout

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woman and She wasn't married like

she made the choice to just Live her

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life and focus on religion and, and that's

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Alexandra: interesting reading

choice though to bring to

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a

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Christine: I didn't think about it.

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I didn't really think about it.

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I was just like, this is really cool.

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And it, it, it kind of was like,

oh, all these like conspiracies that

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are within the, the, the religion

that I've been set, like, I've

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been practicing my whole

life up until that point.

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So I just, I just wanted to

share that funny little story,

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but then another one, also not,

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Alexandra: That was a good

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book.

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Christine: was, and I actually haven't

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read the other ones in the series.

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I've seen, because I know Da Vinci

Code came out first, even though

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I think it came out after, yeah,

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Alexandra: it's a second book.

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Mm hmm,

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Christine: out,

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yeah, after Angels and

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Alexandra: I've read both of those, but

I don't think I've read Dan Brown's.

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Was the third one Lost

Symbol or something?

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Anyways, I think I've only read those two.

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Christine: Yeah.

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Alexandra: Oh, I haven't

read that one or seen it.

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I haven't

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Christine: haven't either.

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But, and that, and, you know, actually

that, that's the book I want to bring

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up later when we talk about books

to film because I have thoughts, but

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another series that might not come

to be a surprise because I was in

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eighth grade when the Twilight movie

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Alexandra: Oh, I was

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Christine: and, girl, you know,

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I was,

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Alexandra: justice to

this segment without,

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you know, talking about

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Christine: girl, I was hardcore in it.

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I read, because also, Breaking

Dawn didn't come out until my

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freshman year of high school.

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So I remember reading the three books,

the first movie came out, Breaking

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Dawn came out, and I still have all

those books, and Breaking Dawn is

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the only one I have in hardcover.

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But,

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Alexandra: I don't think I have my copies

anymore and I had a full set in hardcover.

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I do have them digitally, but

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going to share something

slightly embarrassing.

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I was a total tween at the time.

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I think I saw the first movie five

times in theaters and it was so bad.

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Like, objectively, the movie was terrible.

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Christine: I watched, and I watched

those movies back recently because

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I got swept up in this nostalgia.

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I don't think I'll read the

books again, but I was like, I

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gotta watch these films again.

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And, oh my god.

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It's so good.

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Like, it's so bad it's good.

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Like, that's the level for me.

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Alexandra: Some of the really

cringe moments of acting though

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in the first one, I'm like, Oh,

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Christine: Yes.

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Alexandra: okay.

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I would say I would recommend if you have

time giving the series a reread through

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as an adult, very different perspective,

I feel like than when I was a teenager.

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So I was like, Hmm, okay,

maybe I have a bit more.

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interesting perspective of going into it.

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So I would recommend, and I would

almost think that would be the same with

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any like childhood favorite, kind of

going back and rereading and see what

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characters you still resonate with.

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In other words, you're like, Oh,

I hated you when I was little.

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I kind of get it now.

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Or like, Oh, you're still terrible.

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Christine: Yeah.

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And then just speaking on that

I, you know, the fifth one, the

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fifth Harry, sorry, jumping series,

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bear

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with me, but just jumping back

to Harry Potter for a second,

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the fifth Harry Potter book, I.

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Yeah, it was the fifth one.

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I hated it at the time when I read it.

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Probably because I was, like,

13, 14, like almost 15 at the

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time that I was reading it.

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And I just, like, this is awful.

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But it was probably because I was going

through what Harry's going through.

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Like, he's an angsty teen, like.

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And he's like, holy shit, I'm an orphan.

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And all of these people

around me keep dying.

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And I'm suddenly, like, I

got all this pressure on my

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shoulders being the chosen one.

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Anyway, so just to your

344

point I think maybe one day

I'll go back and try and reread

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book five of Harry Potter, but

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Alexandra: Well, I know

we've talked about it enough.

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We've talked about different formats.

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So in this first section, why don't

we dive into what are our preferred

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formats, either, you know, paper,

hardback, audio, or digital, and what

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are our pros and cons of each format?

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Christine: Well, I'm happy to, So,

I have been and always will be a

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ride or die fan of physical books.

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I love them.

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I love the smell of them.

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Like, I kind of, weirdo and I love to

just smell my book every once in a while.

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Cause it's like,

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Alexandra: Can you guys just

picture Christine in a corner

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huffing a book just like,

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Christine: oh,

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gosh, yeah, that's, that's a visual.

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Getting high on books.

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No, I just love, like, I just love

the feel in my hands, and Behind

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me, I'm, I'll paint the picture,

behind me is just a bookshelf.

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Basically floor to ceiling, full of my, my

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Alexandra: Mostly hardbacks.

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You do have some paperbacks in

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Christine: know, it's kind of funny.

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I, there, I do have, I would

say I'm probably 50 50 with

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hardbacks to paperback.

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Maybe it leans a little more one way.

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I'm not totally sure.

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Alexandra: So you haven't counted?

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Christine: I haven't in a while and

I've gotten some new books recently.

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So, yeah, I don't, I don't

know where I'm at currently.

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But I've also, like,

offloaded so many in the past.

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Like, I've shared some

with friends and donated a

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bunch.

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But Yeah, so I've always been a

ride or die fan of physical books.

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I would say in the last five How

long has we been out of college?

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Alexandra: 2016?

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Nope, 17.

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2017 we graduated.

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Christine: Yeah, 2017 we graduated.

384

So since then I started

dipping my toe into audiobooks.

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I got like an Audible account and My

enjoyment of audiobooks has only grown

386

since then because I used to have like

an hour's commute to work one way, and

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drive around a lot, I feel like I'm always

driving somewhere so I, I love to pop on

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an audiobook and have, you know, enjoyed a

lot of series, actually, that way, instead

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of doing physical reading physical books.

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And in the last couple of years, I've

read a handful of books, physical

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books, but they've mostly been audio.

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So those are my two favorite.

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How about you, Alexandra?

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Hmm.

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Alexandra: I love physical books.

396

I almost want to say I enjoy that

paperbacks are lighter than hardbacks,

397

but I like hardbacks because they like

don't splay and, you know, kind of

398

get bent corners and kind of funky.

399

And sometimes I just love the look of

sometimes the old leather bound books.

400

So there's a couple, I did not write

down their names with Instagram

401

accounts where they like re bind books.

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I'm just like, Oh,

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Christine: It's very popular right now.

404

Yeah.

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And

406

Alexandra: like, that's kind

of a skill I'd love to learn.

407

I'm not really sure what for, but

like, it would just be kind of fun

408

Christine: And then, I just have a

quick anecdote about that, because

409

back, like, I don't even know when,

but long ago, that's, when you bought

410

a book, you bought a book unbound.

411

So you bought, so you went and

you had your book bound so that

412

it fit the library that you had.

413

And I feel like that's

become a thing again.

414

People buy the paperback and

then they, you know, rip off

415

the cover and bind them again.

416

Hmm.

417

Alexandra: can't remember the

company, but we were talking

418

about Harry Potter earlier.

419

And there was a company

that you could order.

420

The full set of Harry Potter books

and and I think a couple other series,

421

but it wasn't a super expansive list

And you could say I want it in blue

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leather or brown leather, pleather,

whatever material they use and how

423

you wanted it bound And that was

before I think that revitalization

424

of like people rebinding their books.

425

So that just made me think of

that like I so You know the

426

library from Beauty and the

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Christine: Yes.

428

Oh, I do.

429

Alexandra: I want that library

I want that library with all

430

the beautifully bound books.

431

So but from my move to, from California

to New Jersey and down, I offloaded

432

so many books and some I'm very sad.

433

I let go and I'm

434

like, so I love paper hardback.

435

My one downside is that because I do

love to read so much and I read quickly,

436

I can only carry so much with me.

437

I remember I visited my

family, my dad's family in.

438

North Carolina, when I was

still living in California.

439

And I think I had an entire

duffel bag worth of books.

440

And I was like, this is.

441

ideal.

442

Most of my suitcase was

books, which I love.

443

However, kind of heavy, kind of

cumbersome, you know, so that sucks.

444

So I really got into, and once I really

started loving to read, my parents

445

could never say no to me buying a book.

446

I remember the only time I almost, when

I was like young teenager, I almost

447

overdrafted my checking account was

I was at borders trying to buy some

448

Christine: R.

449

I.

450

P.

451

Alexandra: Bye bye borders.

452

So, I love, love physical books, hardback.

453

I really, Barnes Noble though, when

they came out with their Nook, my

454

parents bought me one and I, no joke.

455

Christine: How many books you

456

got on there?

457

Alexandra: up.

458

books

459

Christine: Holy

460

Alexandra: have now on my Nook.

461

And let me see how many I have on Audible.

462

Does it give you a count?

463

Christine: Yeah, I think I'm at a hundred.

464

Where you at?

465

Alexandra: I have 123 books.

466

Unaudible.

467

And that's not to count all

the ones I have in paperback.

468

So I have a lot of books.

469

So that is the downside of paper.

470

I feel like I love, like you

said, that feel kind of crawling

471

up in a chair, reading a book.

472

But I love my digital and audio audio

libraries for when I'm on the go because I

473

can carry Clearly, nearly a thousand books

in my pocket which is great when I travel

474

because then I can flip between books and

like, if I finish one in the middle of

475

a journey, then I don't have to be like,

oh, well, I don't have something to read.

476

But the benefit of audio, I would

say over digital or paper is that

477

I can listen to it while I drive

sometimes while I work on a data

478

project, which I'm not super, you know.

479

Doesn't take up a whole lot

of mental space or long car

480

rides or going for a walk.

481

And the, the one pro and con, I would

say specifically about audio books.

482

And I don't know, Christine, if you've

had this experience that the voice

483

performer can make or break a story.

484

And there's books that I have.

485

There's digital copies of, physical copies

of, and an audio copy of because I will

486

read them different ways or listen to.

487

And then there's a series that we'll

get into later that I absolutely love.

488

And I think I bought it on

Audible the first one and the

489

voice performer was horrendous.

490

It was atrocious.

491

Literally I returned it through Audible

and I remember checking out the, the,

492

the reviews and all of them was like,

really interesting story, creative world.

493

Shit

494

reader.

495

Terrible reader.

496

And they still hired the same

person to read all of the

497

books, and I'm like, no!

498

So that's one of the things, but if you

find like good audio performers, voice

499

performers, I love listening to them

because that is really how I think I first

500

read, listened to Harry Potter, was I had

the, the books by, read by Jim Dale, and

501

that's where I started with Harry Potter.

502

Once I got into it, it was like I

listened to it, and then I went back and

503

read the books, and Such a good story.

504

But yeah, I think a voice performer

can make or break an audio experience.

505

Those are my pros and cons.

506

Cons of papers, I can't take it

everywhere, or as many as I would like.

507

Pros of digital is that I can take

so much, but it's not always the

508

same as reading a physical, and the,

I think audible is, audible reading

509

is a category of all of its own.

510

Christine recently mentioned

that she might be stopping her

511

audible account to listen through

512

Christine: Spotify.

513

You get 15 hours with Spotify.

514

Premium, I forget.

515

Yeah.

516

Alexandra: So, I don't think, I thought

about this week, I don't think that

517

would be for me because I listened

518

to 11 hours in two days and I was like,

I think, I think that would be a problem.

519

I feel like, oh, dang, three days over

and I'm already, you know, can't listen to

520

Christine: Yeah, no, I hear you I I'm

kind of in the same boat where I get

521

I go through that really quickly but

I understand what you're saying, that

522

15 hours isn't a lot in like, the

grand scheme of things, especially

523

if you're quick to go through it, but

524

Alexandra: Or like if you pop it

on when you don't really, you know,

525

Realize how long you listen to

things like if you're driving to

526

and from some place and you're like,

527

oh those 10 minute drives add

528

up

529

Christine: do.

530

And you have to be careful because

this happened to me last month where I

531

accidentally fell asleep while listening.

532

And so I had to go back and re

listen to what I missed, but that

533

meant that I lost however long

534

from my 15 hour allotment that month.

535

So I literally had an hour left of the

book and I had to wait like two weeks

536

before I could finish it because my, It

just really was a bummer, but I did finish

537

it.

538

Alexandra: You

539

Christine: I did go back and finish

that book, but it did kind of take

540

the momentum out of it because I

think like when it comes to audiobooks

541

Alexandra: cool.

542

Christine: of have to stay in

it because otherwise Physical

543

books and I get you know, I'm not

a huge electronic book reader.

544

I've done it here and there over

the years, but it's so much easier

545

to pick up and put down that

when you're doing an audio book.

546

I feel like you gotta stick with

it and just sort of, I don't know,

547

maybe I'm, I'm alone in that one.

548

But, I don't know, that's

just how I felt feel about it.

549

All right, so we've covered all of the,

our basis on the books we were obsessed

550

with and what ignited our reading journey.

551

And now why don't we talk about

our current reads or recent

552

reads that we are obsessed with.

553

Alexandra, why don't you kick us off?

554

What are your obsessions right now?

555

Alexandra: What I'm a huge re reader.

556

Like, I love to re read books that

I really enjoy and particularly if I

557

have to wait a while for, like, the

next book in a series to come out,

558

I'll go back and re read right before

it comes out so I can be caught up.

559

Christine: I find

560

That for me, I'm a better rereader

at audiobooks than physical

561

books, but that's just me.

562

Alexandra: really.

563

Um, So one of my favorite series is The

Dark in You series by Susan Seesmore.

564

She's an English writer.

565

and

566

it's,

567

Christine: her work.

568

Alexandra: book that I was talking about.

569

What?

570

Christine: with her work.

571

Alexandra: I think I turned

Christine on to the series.

572

This is the series that I

said that the Audible book was

573

just a horrendous performer.

574

It made the character

sound like Valley Girls

575

Christine: Oh yeah.

576

That's how I'm consuming

that, those books.

577

I'm not, I'm not, I'm

listening to the audio.

578

So I'm, I'm

579

deep in her, yeah.

580

Alexandra: Okay.

581

Christine: I've, I've, looked past

her voice enough to stick with it, but

582

Yeah, she's not the greatest.

583

I

584

Alexandra: Um.

585

Yeah, I was like, and I love that

series and the first 15 20 minutes

586

of that I was like, I can't do this.

587

It'll destroy my love of this book.

588

So I really like those series very

creative characters and the whole world.

589

So that, that is one of the

ones I will always go back to.

590

And I know she had recently

released the one about Larkin.

591

Hunted?

592

Christine: she's up to book

593

nine.

594

Yeah, she's got

595

Alexandra: Yeah.

596

Christine: A lot of

597

Alexandra: it is, and I'm like,

598

Christine: she's found success in

there, in that, in that world for sure.

599

Alexandra: there was another

series that I have recently come

600

back to, and that was the Mercy

Thompson series by Patricia Briggs.

601

I think I first found it when I

was in high school, but I really

602

only ever read or listened to

the first four, maybe five books.

603

And so, and I have more of the Audio

books, I think, than the digital copies.

604

So I have really this time gone past where

I had stopped and into the next ones.

605

And I really have been enjoying them.

606

They're just, I think they're

right now my current obsession.

607

And since we already have marked our show

as explicit, I feel bad and saying, I

608

also enjoy romance and smutty romance.

609

It's great.

610

Christine: great.

611

Alexandra: So

612

Christine: Do you, do you, no, I was

just going to say like, listening

613

to a smutty romance book it's like,

614

Alexandra: So,

615

um, you're like, I'm like, excuse me,

I need to, to, to go away for a minute.

616

So that was a book that I

listened to this past week.

617

The one that I listened

to that was like 11 hours.

618

I listened to it because the voice

performer is somebody who I really like.

619

I love her voice and how she

does different characters.

620

And she I was reading this one book

and I was like, I'll give it a try.

621

It's just a generic fiction romance,

like enemies to lovers kind.

622

The entire time I was like, I think

I have learned things about myself

623

that I like that I wasn't aware of.

624

But yeah, that was, that

was a really good one.

625

And I think that was

called If You Hate Me.

626

And I'm already like, When

is the next one coming out?

627

So those are my current reads, but

I'm also very much into, like, self

628

transformation, self help inner

work, so I've got a lot of that.

629

As Christine knows, I talk about the

ones that I'm reading and working

630

on and So yeah, I usually have like

three or four books running at a

631

time between different formats.

632

So right now, I'm currently reading

Mindfulness for a More Creative

633

Life for one of my MBA classes.

634

But I'm actually enjoying the content

listening to Patricia Briggs book.

635

And I'm reading, I think,

a romance about And,

636

Christine: That's one thing I didn't bring

up in the, in our last section is like,

637

in addition to Harry Potter and Twilight,

I was a big fan of pirate like stories.

638

Like, you know, love

stories and Greek mythology

639

retold, retellings.

640

I was

641

really big into that in like,

middle school, high school.

642

But

643

Alexandra: Same.

644

I love Greek mythology.

645

I'll have to tell you.

646

So I'm trying to dwindle down

my digital library a bit to

647

the books that I really like.

648

So I'm trying to force myself to read

books that I also enjoy reading, but

649

the ones that maybe I haven't read in

a long time or bought and never read.

650

And then like, if I don't like

it, I'm going to be a bit more

651

strict with myself with moving it

to the archive so I can delete it.

652

But I will tell you the title if you

want to Jump on my Nook app and read

653

it before it disappears, because it's

like, it's okay, but it's not, I don't

654

think it'll be one that I go back to

but it's, yeah, I was like, ah, I can,

655

taste, evolve, differ but yeah, so, that's

the stuff that I'm currently listening

656

to so what series do you go back to?

657

I know you said you don't often

reread, but is there one that you will

658

Christine: so,

659

Alexandra: multiple times?

660

Christine: yeah, I, You mentioned

that you found a love for Jane Austen.

661

I also, and one of my favorites

is Pride and Prejudice.

662

Love Pride and Prejudice.

663

I've read it a couple of times.

664

I probably would love to

go back and re read that.

665

And, you know, there's just certain

books, especially if you love them,

666

going back at different points

in your life and reading it, even

667

though you know the story, you're,

668

you're changing.

669

So, like, how you're enjoying

and interpreting what's being

670

what you're reading is always

going to be a little different.

671

So Pride and Prejudice is one.

672

So to your point about how like you

reread things because you're waiting

673

for the next book to come, I'm kind

of the person who is, who's like, I'll

674

just wait until the series is all out.

675

So I don't have to wait because my

memory is like, And I don't necessarily

676

want to

677

keep rereading, not because I

don't want to reread, but like,

678

there's so many books to read.

679

So I started reading years ago,

like when it was first coming out.

680

And Sarah J Maas is now like huge.

681

I started reading Throne of Glass

and I read the first two books and

682

I have, I, I've lent out a couple

of my, of my copies to my sister.

683

So I think I have.

684

One, two, I think I have five.

685

The first five, including the prequel.

686

And I read the first two books.

687

So I think I'm I reread the first one.

688

I actually

689

listened to it.

690

So I want to, you know,

finish that series out.

691

Because I did really love it.

692

And then the other series, I

did start, but didn't finish.

693

And I read it When it first came

out and now it's like blown up is a

694

court of thorns and roses Which

695

people call a catar?

696

Alexandra: yes, I think I've only

listened to the first book of

697

Akatar.

698

Akatar.

699

You know what I mean.

700

Christine: Yeah

701

Alexandra: But you've

told me about the Sarah J.

702

Maas book.

703

I feel like I listened to the

first one in that series, or

704

maybe one of her other series.

705

I think it was a Sarah J.

706

Christine: hmm.

707

I think one of our first proper

conversations back in college, like,

708

that we, I remember we met up at the

Duncan on campus and we were talking

709

about books that we loved and I was like,

710

I just read this book and I was

telling you about, about the

711

story and how she's like a female

712

assassin and she's in this,

like, tournament to be the king's

713

champion and you were like, oh

714

wow, this is sick.

715

Yeah, yeah.

716

And you were, you, you were sharing,

oh, what series did you share with me?

717

Was it Vampire Academy?

718

We were talking about

719

Alexandra: Oh, I love that series.

720

Christine: Yeah,

721

you were sharing your love of that series.

722

I don't know if you had just

read it or we were just talking

723

about books that we loved,

724

Alexandra: be.

725

gosh.

726

There's so many series that we

do love that I feel like we would

727

have a and a half hour episode

728

Christine: could have a whole

nother podcast just on books.

729

Alexandra: both.

730

Christine: Who knows, maybe one day.

731

But, yeah, so

732

those, those are ones

that I'd probably re read.

733

But my current obsession, and we've

talked about this fourth wing, I, like we

734

said, not one to, you know, get

on the hype bandwagon, but, for

735

me at least, I was, I was gifted

it for my birthday and I loved it.

736

And I got the second, the second book

and we weren't like, I, I did like it.

737

I did enjoy it because it was

further expanding the world, but

738

it wasn't like looking back on it.

739

I had to sit with it for a little

bit and sort of feel the feels.

740

Not that there was necessarily, I

think it was rushed, ultimately.

741

Like, she released the

two books in a year.

742

That's, that's a big feat to do,

especially in the fantasy genre.

743

Alexandra: yeah,

744

Christine: yeah, Fourth

Wing was, was a good one.

745

Alexandra: I think it was that.

746

Sort of accident that I got that book.

747

I think audible is doing one of

their two for one credit sales.

748

And there was another book that I

really wanted on my wishlist in it.

749

And that was one of the ones

fourth one came up as one that

750

you could do for the sale.

751

And so that's how I, I was like,

752

Christine: Yeah.

753

Alexandra: sure, let me try it.

754

And I liked the performer's voice

and how she read the characters.

755

Christine: Oh,

756

okay.

757

Yeah, that was when I physically read.

758

I didn't do the audio book, so.

759

Also, and this just because I'm,

I don't know, grumpy millennial.

760

But The fact that inside of my copy

of Fourth Wing, which I don't have

761

right now, I lent it to my sister.

762

My sister has a lot of my books right now.

763

She it had like a page,

like, praised from BookTalk.

764

And I was like,

765

Alexandra: Yes.

766

That's a

767

big thing

768

now.

769

Like, uh,

770

Like,

771

a book talk author or,

772

Christine: Yeah, and

I'm like, you know what?

773

I'm all here for book,

like, TikTok helping

774

authors, you know, expand their reach and

find new readers, but why is it in print?

775

And it, it became, it came before, like

you know how there's that page where

776

it's like reviews from other authors,

like, they give, like, a one liner?

777

It came before that, and

I was like, it Gave me the

778

Alexandra: sometimes I think Jen's

cause I think you and I both fall

779

in that weird and selenial category.

780

Like we're very tail end of

millennial, but we are not Gen Z.

781

And so yeah, I think sometimes when I

listened to Gen Z speak, I'm like, what?

782

Language, are you talking about?

783

What are you saying?

784

Christine: How am I somehow 60 years old?

785

But.

786

Alexandra: you know

what I just heard today?

787

We could say we were born in the 1900s,

which is both accurate and frightening

788

to people who are younger than us.

789

Yeah,

790

I

791

Christine: Let's.

792

Alexandra: born in a whole

other century, you know?

793

Anyways,

794

Christine: So yeah,

795

that's one of my current obsessions.

796

Maybe I'll reread it.

797

I'm not yet sure.

798

I might want to explore like

other, the audio version.

799

Maybe that's how I'll reread it, but

800

Alexandra: can I jump in with a question?

801

Did you ever get into the

historical romance type genre?

802

Oh, yeah, that was a

big thing in high school

803

Christine: Mm hmm.

804

Big historical

805

romance fan.

806

Yeah.

807

I mean, I love Jane Austen.

808

So I've listened to, The first

few Bridgerton books, like that,

809

that, cause I love the show.

810

So I've listened to the books.

811

The show is way better, but that'd be

fun to talk about in our next section.

812

But I'm currently reading and obsessed

with because I love this author

813

so much is Malibu Rising by Taylor

Jenkins Reid, who is the author

814

of the book I gifted you for Christmas.

815

the Seven has

816

Alexandra: Wives of England.

817

Christine: seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo.

818

So I've read that one by her, I've read

Daisy Jones and the Sixth by her, and

819

this is my third book I'm reading of hers.

820

And I, kid you not, I don't typically

cry when I read books, but I have

821

cried every book that I've read by her.

822

I love her writing so much, it's, I have

a little bit of a girl crush on her.

823

Like, I just love everything, and I

love how her stories I'm discovering.

824

I don't think Daisy Jones connects

in, but there's a tie in from

825

Evelyn Hugo to Malibu rising.

826

And then to this the next book she

released, which I think is Carrie

827

Soto's comeback or something like that.

828

That's another book.

829

And so there's characters that

appear in each of those three.

830

So there's like subtle tie ins,

which I think is just so nice.

831

So, and, but it's not like if you

don't read all of her books, like

832

if you just read one of her books,

like it's not like, Oh, you have

833

to go and read these other books,

834

but yeah.

835

So that's my current read and obsession,

836

Alexandra: Very cool.

837

So what books are on your TBR right

838

now?

839

Christine: God.

840

I.

841

Alexandra: I don't mean the

whole list, because, again,

842

I think that would be another

843

Christine: it's a never ending list.

844

I don't think I'll ever, there

might be books, I actually went

845

through my Goodreads and like,

took books off that I've just, face

846

facts, I'm never going to read.

847

But, a couple of them I mentioned

when we were talking about series

848

we are gonna, Reread so I want to

849

finish.

850

I want to read through Throne of Glass.

851

Akatar.

852

She's got another series.

853

I think it's called Oh, what's it called?

854

Crescent City, I think is

that is that is that series so

855

Alexandra: Yes.

856

I think I have the first book on

audible, but I haven't listened to it.

857

I think that's when I bought.

858

Christine: Yeah, so those those

are on my tbr and then I a

859

couple I think it's in February.

860

I read Children of Blood

and Bone, which was amazing.

861

I and I have the second one,

but she has a third one coming

862

out, so I want to finish those.

863

One that's been on my TBR for a long

time and I've been seeing a lot more

864

recently on social media is A Little

Life, which is a long book, but it

865

follows, if I, If I remember correctly,

it follows the story of, I think

866

it's four roommates, right after they

graduate college, and like, where their

867

lives take them for several years,

and it just follows their storyline.

868

I think, everything I've heard

about it, it sounds lovely, so

869

that is one I do want to read.

870

The Vanishing Half is another,

which is by Britt Bennett my friend

871

Tori just read it and she loved

it, so I'm very excited to read it.

872

And, you know, anything by Taylor

Jenkins Reid, I'm gonna definitely read.

873

And the last, and actually I didn't talk

about this series, but it is one that

874

I have re read and would love to read

again, is A Darker Shade of Magic by V.

875

E.

876

Schwab.

877

Love V.

878

E.

879

Schwab, but she has a new book that came

out in that world called Threads of Power.

880

So I'm gonna dive into

to that series as well.

881

Those are currently

882

at the top of my list.

883

So a lot of fantasy, some

contemporary And then who knows.

884

There's always, I also, I haven't talked

about it much but I'm a huge fan of

885

Murder Mystery and Mysteries books.

886

So, I'm kind of taking a break

from that but I, I definitely love

887

that like I love Agatha Christie.

888

Actually, the shelf behind me is

covered in Agatha Christie books.

889

So yeah.

890

That's, that's my TBR list.

891

How about you?

892

Alexandra: I'm trying to

think I've got a lot of

893

I don't know if it's like self

transformation self help books kind of.

894

Queued up more on the mindfulness

kind of spectrum things like becoming

895

supernatural by Joe Disprenza.

896

So I like a lot of that

metaphysics type things.

897

So I have quite a few like that

one E squared by Pam grout.

898

But in terms of fiction, I think I want to

get back to I'm trying to find the title.

899

It's one I listened to via audio and

I think the first one is not that one.

900

It's by Jennifer L.

901

Armantrout something from Blood and Ash.

902

I think that's the first one.

903

that was really good.

904

Obviously the Mercy Thompson

one, so finishing out that

905

series, at least to what's out.

906

There's a really good series that

I like by Shandell LaVaughn, and I

907

like the reader who reads the series.

908

I think I read the first two series.

909

It's all about witches and it's a very

cool world that she builds and it crosses

910

like Academy magic, elemental magic.

911

And then there's kind of a newer one.

912

Oh, it's narrated by Vanessa

Moy and I like her voice.

913

And there's another

one by Kelly Armstrong.

914

I actually really liked that author.

915

She wrote a couple of books in the

young adult genre that I really

916

loved, but she has a series.

917

The first one is called Cursed Luck and

I like the narrator of that one too, so

918

I'm hoping, I think she has the third book

out, so I'm hoping it's done into audio

919

soon so I can just listen to it that way.

920

But yeah, that's mostly what's on my TBR,

and then, as you know, I'm obsessed with

921

All things tarot, cards, witch related,

so I've got a long TBR on that topic.

922

So those are mine.

923

Christine: Do you ever listen to

audiobooks in that, on those topics?

924

Or do you stick to reading

physical or electronic?

925

Alexandra: do, it's one of those

ones that I actually like having both

926

an audio copy and A physical copy.

927

And I think I've told Christine

before, and I don't know if I've

928

mentioned it here on this podcast,

but I love Hay House Publishing.

929

And I somehow, I think I let my Empower

You audio app with them subscription end.

930

And I want to re up that one

because they pretty much have all

931

of the Their authors books up as

audio with the authors reading it.

932

So I love because sometimes with self

help genre and metaphysics There's like

933

images and pictures and diagrams in

the books that you don't necessarily

934

get through the audio or like you

have to go through a bunch of hoops

935

to find them So I think that's why I

love listening to it and reading it.

936

But that's, yeah, that's

my favorite thing.

937

So that's one, one, one more thing to

add to the to do list to subscribe to.

938

But I do, I think there's things

that stand out to me more when

939

I listen and then other pieces

stand out to me when I read.

940

So it's, I enjoy both of them.

941

And it's also another way to kind

of more of like not cement, but

942

like get the information in further.

943

So I like that.

944

Christine: And I have one

more that I meant to mention.

945

It's not, it's a non fiction book that

I actually saw on Instagram through the,

946

like the New York Times had posted about

it, but it really grabbed my interest.

947

The book is called All in Her

Head, The Truth and Lies Early

948

Medicine Taught Us About Women's

Bodies and Why it Matters Today by

949

Dr.

950

Elizabeth Komen.

951

I did, I have that as an audiobook.

952

I did start it, but I'm, I saw that

and, I had just talked to somebody about

953

like a similar topic and like, it just

struck a chord with me and I was like,

954

Oh my God, yes, I need to read this.

955

So it it just grabbed my attention

what I was reading the article.

956

And so I'll have to let you

guys know how I like that.

957

But I know I've been mostly

talking about non fiction,

958

er, fiction books that I love.

959

But I do enjoy non fiction

every now and again.

960

I didn't

961

even, I had mentioned that I love

documentaries, I also love a memoir.

962

Like, I listened to Prince

Harry's that one took me a while.

963

But that, that was a heavy story to read.

964

And then I did read Britney Spears

memoir at the start of the year.

965

So, yeah.

966

But, why don't we talk about any

books to grammars or booktubers

967

that you love that you want to share

968

Alexandra: Yeah.

969

And I think I totally

stumbled across these people.

970

By accident, I think it was when

I got into watching the videos

971

about the book rebindings.

972

But Chelsea Cohen her handle's at chelsea

reads underscore, which of course, as

973

per usual, will include these the links

to their accounts in the show notes.

974

So her, I love them because

it's, it's kind of funny.

975

And she'll do this whole skit with

herself where she's got this version

976

that always wears like a cream and white.

977

checked sweater or something.

978

And it's, she's like, all right, next, who

wants a book, you know, recommendation?

979

And like, she'll play different

versions, like, Hey, I want this.

980

I want a spicy romance

with this and this thing.

981

And I'm used to lovers.

982

She's like, okay, well, I've got this,

this, and this, and this, which one?

983

There's like, well, can I get more of XYZ?

984

And like, so that's kind of fun.

985

So sometimes I'll like screenshot

books that I'm like, sound interesting.

986

Plastic edit.

987

I think she does a lot of fantasy more

things, but I like it because it exposes

988

me to different I guess tropes for lack

of a better word and different things.

989

And then somebody else I kind of stumbled

across on this, Jason Hedley at EasyCat.

990

I think that's how you say that, Handel?

991

He's really funny.

992

I just, I'm thinking, this is definitely

not for children's ears, but apparently

993

there is a book that is called Door

or something, and it's about a woman

994

getting it on with a door, and when

he was doing the review of that,

995

I was, I was on the floor dying.

996

It was great.

997

But yeah.

998

But he's just so funny.

999

And he does things with like you know,

like I'm a book person and I wouldn't,

00:48:17,665 --> 00:48:20,555

you know, I can't go anywhere without

my bookshelf or something like that.

00:48:20,935 --> 00:48:22,365

And so I kind of connect with that.

00:48:22,395 --> 00:48:23,105

And it was funny.

00:48:23,195 --> 00:48:24,635

But yeah, so.

00:48:25,075 --> 00:48:28,635

I like some of the, the lighter

book things and kind of exposing

00:48:28,635 --> 00:48:32,024

me to different authors or

titles that I haven't found

00:48:32,054 --> 00:48:32,604

myself.

00:48:33,464 --> 00:48:35,964

But those are the ones that are

more on, like, the fantasy side.

00:48:35,964 --> 00:48:40,394

I don't think I've found a new one for,

like nonfiction or Other stuff because

00:48:40,394 --> 00:48:41,684

most of that I just find on my own.

00:48:42,344 --> 00:48:42,584

Yeah.

00:48:42,584 --> 00:48:43,334

What about you, Christine?

00:48:43,334 --> 00:48:45,164

Do you have anyone that you

have followed for a long time?

00:48:45,324 --> 00:48:46,744

Oh, I

00:48:46,774 --> 00:48:47,474

jump in one more time?

00:48:48,404 --> 00:48:48,744

Okay,

00:48:48,889 --> 00:48:49,639

Christine: Yeah, no worries.

00:48:49,639 --> 00:48:51,119

Mm.

00:48:51,119 --> 00:48:52,599

Mm.

00:48:53,234 --> 00:48:58,034

Alexandra: talk or bookstagram or

booktube All that but one of my co

00:48:58,034 --> 00:49:03,334

workers and good friends she has her TBR

is full of a lot of classics and other

00:49:03,334 --> 00:49:08,569

stories and I Love catching up with

her because we'll go for a walk at work

00:49:08,919 --> 00:49:12,459

just to kind of get up from our desks

and I'll be like, so what's the latest?

00:49:12,459 --> 00:49:13,499

Tell me what's going on.

00:49:13,969 --> 00:49:18,459

And recently she was telling me

about the picture of Dorian Gray by

00:49:18,479 --> 00:49:23,079

Oscar Wilde and she's done Sense and

Sensibility by, you know, Jane Austen,

00:49:23,079 --> 00:49:24,709

like all these different classics.

00:49:24,779 --> 00:49:29,359

And the way she recaps the stories,

I'm like, I totally got it.

00:49:29,359 --> 00:49:30,149

I don't need to read it.

00:49:31,114 --> 00:49:35,284

But it's funny, it's witty, it's

very much like, not in, almost like

00:49:35,284 --> 00:49:39,644

something like that Victorian, old,

historical, Romance time language.

00:49:40,084 --> 00:49:42,854

And I'm like, you need to get

an Instagram, you need to do

00:49:43,474 --> 00:49:46,344

something on YouTube, because you

have to share this with the world.

00:49:47,414 --> 00:49:51,484

And she's been rereading the Bible,

I'm like, can you tell me about

00:49:51,484 --> 00:49:54,614

what's going on in like Deuteronomy

or, you know, different books?

00:49:54,954 --> 00:49:59,804

And she's like, okay, so this is

how it went down and it's great.

00:50:00,764 --> 00:50:04,224

So while she doesn't have an account,

it's one of my favorite ways to learn

00:50:04,234 --> 00:50:04,564

about

00:50:04,654 --> 00:50:05,784

Christine: awesome.

00:50:06,184 --> 00:50:07,194

Oh, very cool.

00:50:07,392 --> 00:50:11,493

I first got on like the booktube

retreat back in college, I

00:50:11,493 --> 00:50:15,193

think, and was following a lot

of different people at the time.

00:50:15,243 --> 00:50:20,733

And they've since I still follow

them, but they've sort of grown out

00:50:20,733 --> 00:50:25,113

of, like, they still do a little

bit in that realm, but that's not

00:50:25,123 --> 00:50:26,803

strictly the content they do anymore.

00:50:26,803 --> 00:50:32,443

So the one that I really love and still

follow, her name is Natasha Polis.

00:50:32,473 --> 00:50:35,797

I think she goes, forget what her handle

is, let me look it up really quick.

00:50:36,437 --> 00:50:38,537

She's Tasha Polis on Instagram.

00:50:38,937 --> 00:50:43,487

And then, the one that I still

follow who strictly sticks to

00:50:43,497 --> 00:50:46,407

book content is Peru's Project.

00:50:46,477 --> 00:50:47,557

Her name is Regan.

00:50:48,507 --> 00:50:52,277

I have followed her for years.

00:50:52,337 --> 00:50:55,647

I don't necessarily watch her long

form content anymore, but I always

00:50:55,647 --> 00:50:58,727

like to see, like, Like, I follow

her on Goodreads, so I'd like to

00:50:58,727 --> 00:51:00,717

see what, how she reviews things.

00:51:01,047 --> 00:51:06,947

Although, recently, I've read

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo.

00:51:07,297 --> 00:51:10,637

And, we didn't even touch on

this in this episode, maybe

00:51:10,637 --> 00:51:11,717

we'll have to come back to it.

00:51:11,717 --> 00:51:15,827

But, talking about books that

we didn't end up liking, that

00:51:15,847 --> 00:51:18,287

were, like, really popular.

00:51:18,297 --> 00:51:20,097

Or, whatever the case may be.

00:51:20,286 --> 00:51:20,586

That

00:51:20,766 --> 00:51:21,096

Alexandra: Yes.

00:51:21,396 --> 00:51:23,406

Christine was here when she finished that

00:51:23,596 --> 00:51:25,476

Christine: Oh my god, it took so long.

00:51:26,706 --> 00:51:28,419

I Wasn't for me.

00:51:28,469 --> 00:51:29,539

Not my cup of tea.

00:51:29,539 --> 00:51:33,769

I had so much hope because like the

premise was really interesting and

00:51:34,069 --> 00:51:39,179

I was excited because she's the

author of Shadow and Bone and Six

00:51:39,179 --> 00:51:39,919

of Crows.

00:51:39,959 --> 00:51:43,529

Like, so she, you know, she was

very successful in the YA genre.

00:51:43,529 --> 00:51:51,359

This was her first adult fantasy novel

and in my opinion, But it, it got better.

00:51:51,439 --> 00:51:54,159

I just, it took, we'll have to get

00:51:54,384 --> 00:51:57,184

Alexandra: think when you finished

the book, I was like, how'd it go?

00:51:57,184 --> 00:52:00,044

And she's like, well, there was a twist

at the end that I kind of want to read

00:52:00,044 --> 00:52:02,634

the second one, but like, I don't know

that I really want to suffer through

00:52:02,649 --> 00:52:06,252

Christine: Yeah, I don't know, I don't

know if I'll like, But I, if it, if it

00:52:06,252 --> 00:52:12,152

pops up at like a thrift store or a book

sale, like discounted, or who knows, maybe

00:52:12,152 --> 00:52:16,872

there isn't an audio book I want to read

more than the second book in the series.

00:52:17,172 --> 00:52:22,762

But yeah, she, I bring this up because she

had rated the book like four or five stars

00:52:22,782 --> 00:52:24,662

and I was like, this is a two for me.

00:52:24,682 --> 00:52:28,242

So it was the first time I was

like, girl, what's going on?

00:52:28,752 --> 00:52:31,062

Alexandra: Yeah, I think

that's also valid, right?

00:52:31,072 --> 00:52:34,702

Like all of our opinions are based on

our own experiences and where we are.

00:52:34,702 --> 00:52:37,702

I think when we read them, I have

a really good friend who's been on

00:52:37,702 --> 00:52:40,342

the show before Traveris and she

was like, you have to read this

00:52:40,342 --> 00:52:42,202

book the women who run with wolves.

00:52:42,242 --> 00:52:48,002

And I started to read that when I

was back with the other podcasts and

00:52:48,002 --> 00:52:51,882

they wanted to do like a book club

type of like a thing around books.

00:52:51,902 --> 00:52:53,432

And that was the book they picked.

00:52:53,452 --> 00:52:57,935

And I think the people I was around

and some, Opinions and feelings that

00:52:57,935 --> 00:53:02,315

I had when I started to read that

book colored what I was seeing it.

00:53:02,410 --> 00:53:02,800

Christine: Mm.

00:53:03,455 --> 00:53:05,585

Alexandra: And so I was like,

maybe I would give that like

00:53:05,585 --> 00:53:06,575

a one star from what I read.

00:53:07,495 --> 00:53:11,355

However, maybe that's just where I was

at the time and I should go back and read

00:53:11,355 --> 00:53:11,575

it.

00:53:11,915 --> 00:53:15,065

Cause I think I've heard many people

talk highly about it, but I'm wondering

00:53:15,065 --> 00:53:17,415

if it's one of those things that

for me, it's like people talk highly

00:53:17,415 --> 00:53:19,445

about it, but do they understand it?

00:53:19,455 --> 00:53:21,735

Or maybe they understand it and

I don't understand it in a way.

00:53:22,245 --> 00:53:23,504

So anyways, it's one of those like.

00:53:24,195 --> 00:53:24,835

Is anyone right?

00:53:24,975 --> 00:53:25,470

Christine: Yeah.

00:53:25,500 --> 00:53:25,840

Well,

00:53:25,910 --> 00:53:29,395

it's like, it's like not Not everything's

gonna resonate with everybody.

00:53:29,405 --> 00:53:34,785

So like, you know, there's, and then for

me, the same, this same book, Instagram

00:53:34,786 --> 00:53:39,085

person, booktuber that I follow,

she did not like Fourth Wing at all.

00:53:39,335 --> 00:53:42,975

And she's really big and she reads

a lot of fantasy and, and all

00:53:42,975 --> 00:53:44,205

of that, but she wasn't a fan.

00:53:44,205 --> 00:53:49,665

So like, coming off of me loving Fourth

Wing and her not liking it to, to me

00:53:49,665 --> 00:53:51,575

reading Ninth House and I not liking

00:53:51,575 --> 00:53:53,935

it, I was like, What's going on?

00:53:54,295 --> 00:53:55,965

But yeah, it just goes to show you like,

00:53:56,282 --> 00:53:58,902

Alexandra: Do you ever get defensive

about books that you love and then

00:53:58,912 --> 00:54:00,022

other people like, no, I hate it.

00:54:00,902 --> 00:54:04,382

Christine: I used to, I, I

haven't necessarily Like, I

00:54:04,382 --> 00:54:06,082

was that way with Twilight.

00:54:06,982 --> 00:54:12,362

But I feel like Twilight was its own

thing, and I think some people may look

00:54:12,362 --> 00:54:15,812

back on Twilight and their time and their

obsession of it and cringe a little bit.

00:54:15,842 --> 00:54:17,162

I'm like, I laugh at it.

00:54:17,172 --> 00:54:20,382

I was like, girl, it was I was so

00:54:20,972 --> 00:54:21,152

It

00:54:21,152 --> 00:54:21,782

was

00:54:22,692 --> 00:54:27,422

And like, It was the first time

where I properly like, quote

00:54:27,422 --> 00:54:29,272

unquote, fangirled about something.

00:54:29,272 --> 00:54:34,022

, I was so emotionally invested

in just like, into a series.

00:54:34,372 --> 00:54:36,662

I've since grown to , have boundaries.

00:54:37,182 --> 00:54:41,652

When it comes to like, I'll still

like, love to, I still love to

00:54:41,652 --> 00:54:44,762

dive in and immerse myself, but

, understand like, I don't need to

00:54:44,762 --> 00:54:46,839

necessarily have this emotional,

00:54:46,839 --> 00:54:47,339

Alexandra: That's true.

00:54:47,501 --> 00:54:47,791

Christine: Deep

00:54:47,821 --> 00:54:51,181

Alexandra: think I had a similar

reaction right after I read Fourth

00:54:51,181 --> 00:54:53,741

Wing, or I say read, I listened to it.

00:54:54,301 --> 00:54:58,571

And I think I feel sometimes

more attachment to books that

00:54:58,571 --> 00:55:00,991

I've listened to from readers.

00:55:01,001 --> 00:55:03,101

I really enjoyed how

they performed the story.

00:55:03,571 --> 00:55:07,361

So to me, it's not just the story, but

it was the way in which it was performed.

00:55:07,940 --> 00:55:12,139

I wasn't a huge fan of the male voice

that they had do at the last chapter.

00:55:12,470 --> 00:55:14,410

I think I've heard him in a

couple other books and he's okay.

00:55:14,490 --> 00:55:18,140

I just, I think I got so used to

the way the, the female performer

00:55:18,150 --> 00:55:21,860

had done the voices and characters

that I really enjoyed that.

00:55:22,290 --> 00:55:25,480

So anyways, I saw this one guy

reviewing like terrible books

00:55:25,480 --> 00:55:26,530

and I hadn't read any of those.

00:55:26,580 --> 00:55:28,920

And then he put like

five as like fourth way.

00:55:28,920 --> 00:55:31,180

And I was like, kind

of like, Hey, and I was

00:55:31,200 --> 00:55:35,980

like, okay, it might be that

I just finished reading it.

00:55:36,050 --> 00:55:37,560

Probably not a good idea.

00:55:37,580 --> 00:55:42,100

And, but like, now that I have space,

I'm like, I think it's a good book.

00:55:42,700 --> 00:55:43,320

I enjoyed it.

00:55:43,340 --> 00:55:47,910

And I, and I'm trying to come to the

terms with, you know, where people

00:55:47,920 --> 00:55:51,190

think books have to be this amazing.

00:55:52,170 --> 00:55:52,750

Christine: Work of art.

00:55:52,750 --> 00:55:53,920

Mm

00:55:54,110 --> 00:55:54,790

Alexandra: Yeah.

00:55:54,920 --> 00:55:59,040

And I'm like, sometimes, no, sometimes

a book just needs to be a good read.

00:55:59,050 --> 00:56:01,940

And if you enjoy it,

fuck all who don't agree.

00:56:01,960 --> 00:56:05,410

Like, and that's what I'm trying to get to

because I'm like, I used to feel ashamed

00:56:05,420 --> 00:56:07,870

that I really liked smutty romance.

00:56:07,890 --> 00:56:10,930

And, or that's sometimes, I don't know

if you've heard it called clitorature.

00:56:11,270 --> 00:56:11,990

Christine: Oh!

00:56:12,040 --> 00:56:13,660

I have not heard it called

that, but that makes

00:56:13,890 --> 00:56:16,530

Alexandra: That was fun and I was

like, I used to be like ashamed

00:56:16,530 --> 00:56:18,120

that I liked that and I'm like, why?

00:56:18,170 --> 00:56:22,410

I'm When I read that it's because I

want to not escape from life But I want

00:56:22,410 --> 00:56:26,140

to enjoy something different than my

day to day life And so I'm like that's

00:56:26,570 --> 00:56:29,860

really all it needs to be and if that's

what it is Then it's good for me.

00:56:29,860 --> 00:56:32,410

And if somebody else doesn't like

it, then they don't like it, but

00:56:32,410 --> 00:56:35,670

they might like something I don't

like so yeah, I used to say that's

00:56:35,690 --> 00:56:38,150

getting boundaries and I'm like, Yes.

00:56:38,760 --> 00:56:39,000

Yes.

00:56:39,000 --> 00:56:39,760

That's what I need to do

00:56:40,145 --> 00:56:40,515

Christine: Yes.

00:56:41,925 --> 00:56:44,095

Alexandra: But yeah, so

that's, that's our stuff.

00:56:44,125 --> 00:56:47,425

And we'll of course put the people

that we had mentioned their handles

00:56:47,475 --> 00:56:49,915

in our show notes, if anyone wants

to go check out their content.

00:56:50,545 --> 00:56:51,045

All right.

00:56:51,265 --> 00:56:54,575

So I know we kept saying we would put

a pin in it and come back to you later.

00:56:54,605 --> 00:56:58,875

Well, guys, it is finally time

to hit the books to film section.

00:56:59,295 --> 00:57:03,525

So Christine, to kick us off, what

do you think, what are your thoughts

00:57:03,525 --> 00:57:05,595

on books becoming TV shows or films?

00:57:06,385 --> 00:57:12,255

Christine: You know, my thoughts on

this has changed a lot since I was in,

00:57:12,255 --> 00:57:14,005

like, middle school, high school to now.

00:57:14,005 --> 00:57:17,985

I don't, you know what, you know,

I'm kind of like, sure, let's

00:57:17,985 --> 00:57:19,705

see how it all comes to life.

00:57:19,725 --> 00:57:26,420

Because, look, no one, I think at the

one point I want to I'll start by saying

00:57:26,420 --> 00:57:33,700

is, I don't think it's ever going to

be perfect because everybody interprets

00:57:33,820 --> 00:57:37,910

the story they're reading differently,

they envision it differently so

00:57:38,720 --> 00:57:41,740

you can't, not everybody's

going to be happy.

00:57:41,740 --> 00:57:46,895

But I always love to see how a

director, a writer, interprets a story.

00:57:47,435 --> 00:57:53,995

another piece of work and put it and

bring it to the screen or to my TV

00:57:54,005 --> 00:57:59,479

because They're interpreting The story

just like I did when I read it So I

00:57:59,859 --> 00:58:04,509

and they have the means to turn it into a

movie or a TV show Which is I think pretty

00:58:04,509 --> 00:58:09,129

awesome and for a long time I was like I

have to read the book before I watch it.

00:58:09,589 --> 00:58:14,949

I think I've sort of You Let go of that

requirement, and I'll watch something and

00:58:14,949 --> 00:58:22,039

sometimes I'll just watch a book or a book

Adaptation of a film or a TV show and not

00:58:22,039 --> 00:58:25,091

even read it because like Maybe I enjoyed

00:58:26,011 --> 00:58:30,291

well, you know it Yeah, it didn't

capture me enough to be like oh, I

00:58:30,291 --> 00:58:34,661

should go back and see how this was

originally written or whatever but

00:58:34,772 --> 00:58:37,092

Alexandra: it's funny as you were

talking, I was already like picking