Welcome to Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast, and our weekly live book talk show replay! 📚

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Today we’re doing two things:

• talking about reports that Harlequin Historicals may be coming to an end, and what that means as mass market paperbacks fade out of bookstores

• building my February TBR with cozy winter reads that fit my 2026 reading goals

We’ll also chat about:

• the “Last Call for Mass Market Paperbacks” report and what’s really happening with the format

• why mass market romances, especially Harlequin Historicals, mattered to so many readers

• how these changes might affect how we buy and read books going forward

• the new releases and backlist titles on my February TBR

Join us live on Youtube Thursdays at 12pm Eastern for cozy Book Talk, bookish news.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Today's Agenda

00:13 Harlequin Historical Line Closure

01:15 Impact on Readers and Authors

04:19 Mass Market Paperbacks Distribution Issues

07:32 Discussion on Publishing Trends

13:35 February TBR: Exciting Reads

27:31 Live Book Club Announcements

29:02 Current TV Obsessions: Traitors

33:32 Turkish Drama and Queen of Flow

37:59 Real Housewives of Potomac

42:00 Upcoming Book Club Events

43:05 Wrapping Up and Farewell

Books Mentioned:

→ How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates by Shailee Thompson: https://rstyle.me/+_kNzpApr03TNIEXXokSFtw

→ Wicked Onyx by Debbie Cassidy: https://rstyle.me/+JoGcxGS2hG8HlZQA40h1MQ

→ Vanguard by Karina Halle: https://rstyle.me/+Ql5P9d8QU2bQOXHP0S74OA

→ Half City by Kate Golden: https://rstyle.me/+qAow2JgvK3MNl7YEissGcw

→ Only Friends by Lydia San Andres: https://rstyle.me/+_Kzg7kKY69vR5uEkuvGYrA

→ Savage Lands by Stacey Marie Brown: https://rstyle.me/+D8WFgEGfQI2_iyqZ9wNhng

→ Whispers of the Lake by Shanora Williams: https://rstyle.me/+EP-erKulRXkDOdDXZ_8HFA

→ Cool Machine by Colson Whitehead: https://rstyle.me/+89qmTPEqUXRS3vWiSI_jhg

→ Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune: https://rstyle.me/+PWRfcVmKhTOFynAIeuCbGw

→ The Author Weekend by Laura Zigman: https://rstyle.me/+NYFJHuQDc3tnU8B__sL6aQ

→ The Ex-Boyfriend's Favorite Recipe Funeral Committee by Saki Kawashiro: https://rstyle.me/+dHZqcDK2YCjaXI-W3io1ZQ

→ Jamaica Road by Lisa Smith: https://rstyle.me/+8GSvkY6uRZbr3Ud8okSmqg

→ Jane's Career by H. G. de Lisser: https://rstyle.me/+1svqH8xAOnuTd75CKTo-3w

LINKS:

→ Victoria's Full TBR: https://youtu.be/a04zI86Qgho

→ Francesca's Favorite Historical Romances: https://youtu.be/NfmYMR3yaIU

→ Why Mass Market Paperbacks Are Disappearing: https://youtu.be/8Vpif8hE76k

→ More February Releases I'm excited to read: https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/february-2026-book-releases/

→ All the book clubs and readalongs you can do with us: https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/romance-book-club/

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Hello everyone.

There is so much we have to cover on this first Thursday in February.

First and foremost, word on the curb is that Harlequin is closing the doors

on their historicals books that they're doing for category romance, which is

very devastating to a lot of readers.

So we're gonna get into that today.

Also, we are sharing our February tbrs, so there's lots of exciting new

books that we both have on our reading list that we can't wait to share

with you and what else is going on.

We wanna hear from you.

We're gonna share what we're watching and reading and just all the things,

but we really have to get into the news.

So first and foremost, there was an author who had shared in a group,

let me get that up on screen here.

Terry Brisbane posted about being asked by readers about all

the changes that are happening.

So I have it up on screen so y'all can see it.

I have to pull it up on my phone because listen, the eyes are not.

Doing what they used to do, but the author said, I've been asked about

the rumors about Harlequin Mills and Boone Historical line closing down.

Sadly, it's true.

Authors in the line were told yesterday, but we're in shock at

this point and are still sorting through contract questions, et cetera.

The last historicals will release in English in September, 2027,

spine date, October, 2027.

All Backlist books will continue on sale and foreign languages will continue too.

I've written then the author goes on to say, I've written for them since 2000.

And I think the book I just turned in was my 35th.

For them, it's a shame the line never got the promotion or naje

that the other lines did and that it was nearly invisible to readers.

But at least or fabulous stories will still be available.

I hope you will give us a try.

So, of course, lots of people saw this.

They were super, super upset about it.

Um, we do have a link in the videos description to a content creator whose

name is Reading Category Romance, who I also watched and saw her immediate

response and yeah, quite upset about it.

But Fran, when you heard the news that they were closing down this

particular line, you know, what was your initial gut reaction?

I think for me, the first reaction is the fact that.

Category romance as a whole.

I think it's probably selling less in general, and Harlequin does have some

other imprints and lines that are doing really well, and I've seen them focus

a lot more in marketing those lines.

And I think it's also because of just, um, the, the market in general,

they're really, I always say like, publishers are behind the curve,

but they're really trying to lean into those book trophies and like,

you know, the, the, the pretty, uh.

Edges and all this stuff.

And obviously that's not something that would work for the category romance line.

'cause like they're completely different.

The way people consume those books is completely different as well.

I don't know if necessarily, probably the readership has gone down, I imagine.

But also they do put out a lot of books in category romance generally.

So if they're not turning in a profit, it's almost like they

have these lines that you know, from a business point of view.

It's like they have to carry those lines from the profits of another line, and

that's probably where they're going with it also, I mean, there's been

so much chatter with other publishers just not renewing contracts for

historical romance authors, which I mean, that's like a whole other, uh.

Complain that I have because I feel like if anything, I actually

think we're gonna start seeing a resurgence of historical romance.

Like maybe this year might be where it starts.

But I, I do see that coming and then they're not gonna be there and you know,

it's gonna be a missed opportunity.

But also I think when it comes to these particular category romances,

as much as marketing is a factor.

Also distribution is a factor.

And I spoke last year about the fact that mass market paperbacks are going

to see a drastic, uh, distribution issue this year, starting this year

because the major distributor, I guess everything was funneling through this

one company that was distributing mass market paperbacks to stores.

So, you know, big box retailers like Walmart and Target, and

you know, those kind of stores.

And I think that for category romances that is.

Probably historically where a lot of people have purchased those

books and besides like having a subscription directly with Harlequin

and getting them in the mail, which I did, uh, back in the day.

So I think that, you know, distribution is probably also a big factor of that.

And if they're not going to have an easy way to get into.

Stores, they're probably not going to put in the work to figure out what else

they should do, and category romance would not work to publish it as a trade

paperback size for many different reasons.

Right, right.

Uh, I mean, I agree with everything you are saying.

If you are just joining us, we are sharing at the top.

We're gonna get into our February TBR, what we're watching and all the things.

But right now we're talking about the news that Harle Quinn's historical

line might be coming to an end.

I had up on screen and author who shared that, you know, they've

been receiving inquiries, Terry Brisbane from readers saying they are

hearing, you know, things out there.

Is this true?

The author made a statement essentially confirming that yes, you know, they

received emails notifying them of this.

They're currently having lots of questions themselves.

They are working through all the details themselves.

Um, and like Francesca said, we also heard the news about mass pa, mass

market paperbacks also not going to be distributed by the major distributor.

I have a little bit here, so just in case you're just joining us, um, let

me just kind of bring you all in.

There are reports that Harlequins historical line might be coming to an

end, right as mass market paperbacks are quietly disappearing from shelves.

So read a link.

Is ending distribution because they've seen sales drop more than 80% since

2004, and it feels like the end of an error for those pocket sized romances.

So.

Essentially we are here talking about what does this mean for readers?

What does this mean for collectors as well?

Because that is also another thing.

Again, we do have a link in the videos description to one reader,

um, reading category romance.

She shared her, um, she shared her takes.

Victoria, not Victoria.

Francesca has a video.

I'm talking about me.

What is this?

Francesca has a video where she talks about mass.

Market paperbacks.

I always struggle saying that mass market paperbacks disappearing, so be

sure to check out that video as well.

I also have a link in the video's description to Publishers Weekly, sharing

their numbers about why the the decision was made to remove mass market paperbacks.

Let us know if you are watching us live, but also repay crew.

We would love to hear from you as well.

Are you going to miss the historical line from Harlequin,

but also are you going to miss.

Mass market paperbacks.

I'm just gonna go on a limb and say, I think it's a big mistake.

I think it's a big mistake removing historicals right now.

I also think it's a big mistake removing mass market paperbacks.

Mm-hmm.

I know people don't like it.

You know, but there are lots of readers who do.

And you know, when I have conversation with readers, especially readers who

read a lot, this was very affordable.

And when you look back in history, this was the most

affordable form of entertainment.

There were so many people who had mass market paperbacks more than

they actually had, you know, like the big hard covers and, and, and the

big paperbacks and stuff like that.

And I hate to bring, you know, y'all are probably gonna hate me for this.

But I'm always gonna bring it back to the economy.

Okay?

The economy is not economy right now, so people not being able to get

mass market paperbacks, um, you know, right away as a cheaper entry point

to also enjoy the same entertainment.

So we can talk about all the same things is kind of troubling to me.

And the last thing I'm gonna say, I found it interesting when I moved

to America, Americans, American publishers, they give you the hard

back, then they give you the paper back, and then they give you the mass.

I am used to just pulling up in a bookstore and having access

to all three and me buying whatever I want at that point.

But again, we've seen publishing change.

But we wanna hear from you readers.

Um, let us know your thoughts as well.

And one question for you, Fran, because right now, um,

Bridgeton, you know, the mm-hmm.

The new Bridgeton is out right now.

I have a theory kind of tying this all together, and I know we will

talk TV at the end of today's life, but I felt like the publishers

had an expectation of Bridgeton.

Yeah.

Like

lifting all the boats, you know, the, the high tide raises all boats.

But it didn't raise it in the way I think they wanted and they

expected, but I'm also like, they weren't meeting the moment.

I mean, is it just me?

But

no, I, I completely agree.

I think also there's, there's a lot.

They didn't meet the moment in many different ways because one thing is

people that are watching Bridgeton, they might want that modern take

on historical romance, and I feel like that's not as available.

Like there's a little bit, but.

You know, there's not a lot for people to, to look at.

So if they, if that's what they were liking then that they didn't meet

the moment because that's not readily available enough, then, I mean, it's

getting better, but we're still not there.

But then also the people that did want the, um, historical romances.

Well, if you are consuming a lot of historical romances, I feel

like right now the, the people are in different camps, right?

There's the people that are worried about.

Money, like you said, and they need to have accessible mass market paperbacks.

All the big major publishers, even if they're still publishing

some historical romance, they've gone to trade, which I feel like,

especially for historical romance.

It's always been mass market, like historical romance.

It would have to be such a spec.

It was almost like a special edition that would get anything

other than a mass market paperback.

So it's like the one genre that that would, that's where it existed, you know?

It, it, it had to be such a massive success of the book for it to get a

hardcover and it would still be a mass market paperback release to start.

So I think historically it's a genre.

That lives in that format.

That is what people expect.

That is how people consume it.

Um, that is also how much people consume it, which going back to the

money it needs to also be affordable.

So I think there's, there's so many ways, like the big publishers try

to make a trade and they try to make the covers cute, and they think

like that's how it's going to sell.

That's.

That's why it's not selling.

It's because it's not a cute cover and it's not like the pretty

object to put on the shelf, but the genre and the readers of the genre

necessarily don't consume it that way.

And you know, money.

I, I think that that is something that they're really not thinking about.

Also, I feel like they're really going on the assumption that like,

oh, the sales are dying, which.

I have seen them do this before with Paranormal Romance.

They did this before.

They were not signing any contracts for new Paranormal

Romance authors for a decade.

And then, you know, that started doing well on indie publishing.

And so now they're like, oh, let's publish again.

No, the vampires, so they're always behind the eight ball basically,

is what I'm trying to say.

And they're never meeting the moment.

Now going back to your point on Bridgeton, though.

I think that there is always the expectation that when something does

well, um, it will pull everything else.

But in, in some ways, just as Bridgeton didn't really do that.

Even something like heated rivalry, I don't think it's doing that either.

You know people are, they probably going to try one or two different things.

Yeah.

But do I also see them losing steam and not caring to go

down the rabbit hole also?

Yes.

Yeah.

So I think that that is just a natural thing.

It's just their expectations are always.

Misplaced, you know?

Yeah.

I, I don't think that one thing doing really well necessarily

will translate into a whole genre having a resurgence, so, no,

I agree.

I agree.

But y'all have had our takes.

We wanna hear from you.

I am daring publishing.

I'm putting it out there right now.

I'm daring publishing to publish all three formats at the same time.

Yeah, just give us everything At the same time, let the market choose.

Let readers choose.

Let readers choose how they wanna consume the content, because I think

the more, the easier you make it, the more accessible you make it.

The different.

Price points that you have available.

I think it will encourage more people to read.

Mm-hmm.

And then people will be more excited because then they can afford Yes.

To be a part of the conversation at the same time.

So let us know your thoughts, um, in the comments about the harlequin of

it all, but now we're gonna get into.

The more fun and exciting bit we are gonna get into our tbrs, so we are

gonna be sharing some of the books that we have on our February tbrs and

let us know in the comments, but also the live chat if you're watching live.

But replay crew, we wanna hear from you as well.

What are you reading or hoping to read this February.

What do you have on your list?

I'm gonna start by saying I'm reading a lot of early books right now because I'm

preparing for the summer reading guide.

I know it sounds distant, y'all, but I have to be reading the books

early so I can deliver them and you know, put together a guide

of really good books for you.

So I'm really heavy in the weeds.

Shameless plug, spring reading guide is coming in March.

But the summer guide is coming around end of May.

So on my list right now, uh, not that, not the news.

Not the news.

There we go.

Colson Whitehead is on my list.

I'm really excited to read his new book.

This is a part of like a Harlem trilogy he has going on.

Has he had Harlem Shuffle, then he had this other book

and then now he has this one.

I'm excited to read just because I feel like he's very unique in his voice.

He can just show up very differently, um, for different books.

So I am very excited, um, to read Corson Whitehead.

I'm also reading Kali Fortune.

You see how all over the place?

I am.

I'm going from Colson to Carly, but hey, I have to read Carly to vet Carly.

To see if Carly is worthy to be included in a summer reading guide.

I know people look forward to Carly every year.

I actually feel like, was it her second book or something?

Yeah, yeah.

Was my favorite.

I know she had perfect Summer out last year.

It was fun.

It was a good time, but I think the other book was my favorite.

Now I'm forgetting her name, but it has a similar color to this.

Like pinkish though.

But have you noticed y'all, her covers, have they all have like similar vibes?

Anyway.

I'm excited to read Carly just because, just because I love the latest.

Abby.

Abby did an amazing job, so I wanna see if like Carly matches up.

I'm also excited to see whatever Emily does Emily Henry have a book coming out?

I don't think I have that.

Um, I don't, I haven't seen No,

no.

I

dunno.

I cant remember.

Yeah.

But anyway, we'll see what that is when that comes around.

But what do you have on your TBR?

So, um, couple of things that are on my immediate TBR.

So the first is Half City by Kate Golden.

I've been wanting to dive into this since last year when I got the arc

and it gives me vibes of Buffy.

So it's basically a demon hunter who goes into this.

Academy.

Um, so it's kind of like, um, Harry Potter type setting or

the magicians type setting.

And so she, she's a demon hunter, goes into this, and of course there's the

demon that she has to, um, fall for.

So it does give me like those five, like Buffy, you know, vampire

Hunter falls for Angel the Vampire, and plus the academy setting.

So I'm excited for it.

I think it's also kind of different from what Kate Golden has done in the past.

Um, it's more urban fantasy from what I've.

Heard, so I'm excited for that.

Another one that's also kind of dark academia as well is

Wicked Onyx by Debbie Cassidy.

This is more like a, I think like a paranormal.

Fantasy romance, I think, or maybe it's also urban fantasy, I'm not

sure, but it's also an academy, and our heroin is an onyx, so it's

kinda like a sorcerer bloodline.

And she goes into this academy to kind of find out like what happened

to her ancestors and things like that.

So of course there's curses and all kinds of stuff.

Once she gets.

There.

So both of these are like dark academia, paranormal, um, I'm assuming one is

like a fantasy world, but maybe not.

Maybe they're both urban fantasy types.

So I think they sound very good.

I. Exciting to have like a bit of like a dark academia paranormal vibe going.

So I'm in the mood for that for sure.

Yeah, that sounds exciting.

I, that even has my attention.

That sounds pretty cool.

Um, on my TBR, another, um, book that is, um, coming out, vetting again, um.

For the summer reading guide.

So these are the summer pics, and I have a whole bunch that I

talked about, um, on my channel.

So I have a dedicated video to my February TBR, which is insane,

but this one is a author weekend.

I'm excited about it because this is supposed to be like a satirical kind

of novel where a mystery author hosts like a fan weekend, but of course,

somebody shows, shows up, um, dead.

So, you know, it's like the publishing mix, female dynamics.

Fan dynamics and the author sounds insane, so I can't wait to kind

of see, you know, see about this book and see how it holds up.

So I'm actually really, really excited about that one.

Um, the other books that I'm sharing with you are on my physical CBR.

Like I said, I have this whole video, uh, with 30 books 'cause I'm

insane for my, um, February TBR.

So you can check that out.

But as it relates to physical books, I have this one book

called, um, Jane's Career.

By HG Dissa.

This is like a classic that I'm adding to my list for this month.

Um, I'm really excited.

It's a Jamaican author, um, written in like the 1910s or something,

like, that's why I'm really excited.

It's one of the early books that they said kind of shaped the canon.

Um, did I put, yeah, I do have the cover there, so I'm really excited about it.

On the back it says about this girl who leaves her family going to the city.

You know, she gets all this advice from people like in the village.

Um, but, but she's so excited to go, um, to get her independence and, um,

just daydreams of everything that's gonna be, so, yeah, it's Jane's career.

I'm really excited about this author because he has been

on my radar for a long time.

Sticking with the Jamaican theme is this other book I have called Jamaican Road.

This is on my physical TB, PTBR because I was going through, um, my, my pile

and I was like, what haven't I read?

And this came out last year.

I did read the blurb and I was really excited about it because

it's about Jamaicans in Britain.

So see, that one is about a Jamaican in Jamaica.

This is about Jamaicans in Britain.

Um, it's also set in a community I know very well, which is called Brixton.

Lots of Jamaicans live in Brixton.

And it's a story about two best friends, um, who love each

other, but they fall apart.

They find their way back to each other, but it's of course, set in this tight

knit, uh, British Jamaican community.

So south of London, 1981.

I'm really excited about it.

I always loved, you know, going down South, south London, it's, it's a time.

So, um, kind of getting the eighties setting.

Um, yeah, I'm, I'm really excited to kind of see what the author does with it.

I don't know why I didn't get around to it.

Sooner.

But you know, life happens.

Sometimes it

happens.

Yeah, for sure.

Yeah.

But I'm excited.

Yes, yes.

Um, what are you reading?

So another one that I'm excited to read is how to Kill a, A Guy

in 10 Dates by Shaylee Thompson.

So this one is a slasher romcom.

So we have a heroine who goes like, speed dating and lights go out.

Someone gets murdered and she gets basically stuck in this, uh, situation.

A little bit of a love triangle.

So I'm excited.

I feel like it sounds like so much fun.

We, we love to, we love to kill the people we do.

It just sounds really fun.

Plus, I think, uh, if you're, if you're like a fan of the.

Old school slasher horror movies.

This is like a fun take on that.

So definitely looking forward to that.

And then Vanguard, which I'm actually in the middle of reading

right now by Karina Hilly.

It's a, okay, so the author calls this a post dystopian romance.

Also can be considered a little bit of a dark romance.

But on the lighter side of Dark Romance, you can also

consider this a sci-fi romance.

So basically our heroine, um.

Is an assassin and she has like this poisonous saliva that she

can kill basically, so she can't kiss anybody because she's.

Poisonous and she has to infiltrate this group of like elite soldiers.

And once she is infiltrating this group, she realizes one of

them is immune to her saliva.

So of course it's like the one man that she can kiss, but he might be actually

one of the monsters that she's chasing.

So, you know, problems.

But it sounds, it's almost like a little bit like, um, oh God, what is that called?

X-Men.

Oh, okay.

But like, dystopian setting.

And by dystopian I mean, like, you know, stuff already happened and

we're kind of more in the, we're, it's still a corrupt society.

Mm-hmm.

Um, without everything looking like, like ruins.

Like it's still a city looking setting.

Mm-hmm.

But we've, we've gone through some stuff.

We love it.

Yeah.

So I'm excited for, for that.

And continuing then.

Okay.

Awesome.

I have a book.

Okay.

The title took me out, so I'm glad I have the cover up here to share with you.

'cause I was like, what, what, what?

What?

In the Lord's name.

This is entitled The Ex-Boyfriend's Favorite Recipe Funeral Committee

by Sy k Karo, translated from the Japanese by Yuca Mayo.

Listen.

Again, how did I not read this one?

You know, life happens sometimes.

I'm just going through the, the stacks hear me out because I haven't read

it yet, but I actually feel like I'm probably gonna read it by this weekend.

So I'll be probably sharing thoughts soon, essentially.

These people are making recipes from their exes.

So like, your exes break you and your ex, well, it's your ex. So

you and this person break up.

Mm-hmm.

You are making like their favorite meals.

I'm like, make that make sense.

Like if it was, if you are a widow, I get that you, you

know, because it's like memory.

It.

You know, an act of love.

But these people are just, yeah, I don't know.

But they all come together on the back.

It has, what ingredients do you need to cure a broken heart.

So it's a comfort read for anybody who has lost someone or whatever.

But I'm just like, if you dumped a person, 'cause it says this main

character was going to propose instead.

Well, she thought he was gonna propose, but he broke things off at this hotel.

So what does she do?

She gets drunk.

Then she tells anybody who she sees, like, listen, you know, guy broke up with me.

But then goes on that she decide, the manager decides to indulge her

by letting her go in the kitchen.

Cook up her ex's favorite dish.

I'm like, if the man is trash and he broke up with you, why would

you be cooking his favorite meal?

No.

No, ma'am.

No, no, no.

Listen, I'm gonna give the book a chance, but I am judging, so I'm like, what?

Why?

I. The brain cannot comprehend.

Mm-hmm.

If you lost someone you love, who unfortunately passed away, I get that.

I get that deeply.

But someone who you thought was supposed to propose to you

didn't, but they dumped you.

And, and I get the telling people, you're sad story.

Well, listen, I wouldn't do that, that that is not me.

However, I understand other people doing that, but cooking

the food, I don't understand that.

Mm.

No.

Mm, no.

But anyway, that's on my TBR.

Oh my God.

Insane.

Um, I also have a, well, one that's cute and one that's still like, a

little bit dystopian urban fantasy.

I went a little dark with my TBR.

I just, I just realized that, I guess that's the mood right now.

I don't know.

Um, but something not dark is only friends by Lydia San Andres.

Now this is about a screenwriter and a model.

And they team up to make regency thirst straps basically together.

Hmm.

And, you know, catch feelings as well as they're doing that.

So it sounds like fun.

I feel like that's gonna be like my Valentine's.

Um, book.

That sounds good.

Yeah.

And I'm liven up the, the darkness that you see over here and then

Savage lands by Stacy Marie Brown.

Now this is getting reissued, like republished, um, but I feel like

it's been on my TBR for many years.

Um, I think there's four or five or six books out, I'm not sure.

Yes.

Um, it's, it's a long running series and I've been wanting to read it for a while.

I've always heard that it's more like urban fantasy, but they're

marketing it as a romantic.

I know that it, they call everything romantic now 'cause they wanna sell, but,

um, not going in on that assumption, but it does have a Faye prison basically.

So it's set in Budapest after the Faye Wars and, um, our heroin is a human.

She gets thrown in this prison and there's some kind of a fake legend

that rules the prison and da da da.

And then supposedly she has something to do with this.

Um, legend and there's a kingpin in there, and so it gets dark from there.

So it's kind of like a prison setting, which I can appreciate sometimes.

So it feels more like urban fantasy slash dystopian to me.

So I don't know what they're talking about romantic, but I will report back.

They are trying to sell books because.

I'm working with some influencers on this book.

So low key.

Yes.

I think they're trying to sell books.

This is gonna be on my March TBR, so, um, yeah.

Yeah.

But it sounds, it sounds more to me, urban fantasy if I had to.

Mm-hmm.

It sounds more, um, urban fantasy for sure.

However, we also have one book in comment on or TBR.

I know it's not me and Joe, because you read Meg and Joe last month.

So if you didn't join us, go check out that video this month.

We're reading Shenora Williams.

Okay?

So this is our live book club read.

We are reading Shenora Williams together.

So get whispers of the lake, get it at your library, get

it online, get it wherever you get your books so we can read.

We are gonna be talking about this on the third, third.

The third Thursday hold, let me give you the exact date.

So that's February 19th.

19th.

We're gonna be talking about it February 19th.

Come and get our unfiltered thoughts and takes on this book.

But we also want you to mark your calendar early as well.

So in March we are reading Mimi Matthews.

Rules for Ruin.

This is book one in a new, um, series she has going on.

It's the Klin Academy.

There is a book two out now, but we are starting with book one.

So again, mark your calendars, but also, you know, reserve the book.

If you probably already have it already, now's a great excuse for you to get to it.

But this month we're reading Shenora Williams, so be sure to come and

join us so we can talk about it.

So that's it for our books on our TBR.

You let us know what books you're interested in reading, or maybe

some of the books we share today you found interesting as well.

We would love to hear from you, but we're gonna keep the things rolling.

We're gonna roll into what we are watching.

So as for what we're watching, I am just watching one thing write about now.

Traitors, traitors, traitors y are sick of me.

'cause every week I am coming and I'm telling you all the same thing.

Are there book adaptations coming out that I should be watching?

Absolutely.

Some are out now and I still haven't gotten to 'em.

But the one thing that has my attention is traitors everyone.

So these are the folks in the house.

We have been voting them out week after week.

They're also getting murdered because that's what the traitors do at night.

So they meet at the round table as a group, you know, in public, and they

vote out who they think is a traitor and whether they're a traitor or not,

or a faithful, it doesn't matter.

You have been voted out of the house and then at night the traitors

go and they murder somebody.

So it is, it has been a time, it really has been a time.

I've been really enjoying it this week.

So if y'all, if y'all are watching and y'all are behind, listen, you can be

behind because new episodes come out on a Thursday night, so it's been out a

whole week, so I'm gonna talk about it.

Last week was so dramatic.

They had like this banquet dinner.

And normally when a murder occurs, like I said, it happens at night and

you just wake up in the morning and the person who was murdered doesn't

show up for breakfast, you know?

So that's how you know.

So everyone's come in, you're like, oh, who hasn't come in yet?

But this time they had a dinner, they had a good old dinner, they

had a dinner, a lavish setup.

You know, the, the, the.

The, the people in the UK know how to do a thing.

All right.

Um, anyway, long story short, there was a murder in plain sight.

And then the p the people, the person who was murdered was dragged, like

physically dragged from the table.

You have like, the guards just like Lift.

So Jam, jam got murdered.

Jam Jam got murdered, you know, um, everybody's favorite

Puerto Rican is out the house.

Um, so yeah, yam Man's gone.

It was so dramatic.

And as he was leaving, he was yelling, Lisa mad at me.

Lisa mad at me.

Lisa's a traitor.

And yes, Lisa is a traitor.

However, it was not a kiss, which he thought like it was the kiss.

'cause people started thinking like, was it the food that we ate?

Did we touch it?

Da, da da.

And they're going down because then the host Alan comes with, um, this antidote

thing to say, oh, if you drink this.

And you were the murdered person, you will be saved.

But anyway, no.

Like I said, it was Jam Jam.

He was gone.

However, um.

The, the whole setup, it was about touching a brooch.

It's whoever she could get to touch a poisonous brooch.

It wasn't a kiss, but jam Jam is like, she kissed me as he's

being dragged out of the place.

So what do the people do?

They go vote for Lisa?

Yes.

They found out she was a traitor.

Um, but I think her traitor brother Rob really lit the fire and forced.

Her ousting.

I'm not saying she wouldn't have gotten out eventually, but you are supposed

to protect your fellow traitors.

But he threw her under the bus.

So now Candace, who is a housewife as well, 'cause Lisa's a housewife,

she's still in the house, you know, she's still a traitor.

But now she has to work with the guy who just threw Lisa under the bus.

And I know Candace, I don't think Candace is gonna abide by that.

She's gonna be like, you are on your.

Own.

Mm-hmm.

And she also did a shady thing when they were all voting, Lisa,

they were either voting Lisa or another person, I forgot her name.

Natalie.

Yeah.

Natalie.

And instead, um, she didn't vote obviously for Lisa.

'cause she's like, no, I'm holding my girl down.

But.

But she also didn't vote for Natalie, where everyone, she's

like, I can't vote for any of you.

I'm, I'm confused.

I'm I, I just put her name down and she put down Rob AKA, the traitor who threw

Lisa under the bus so shots are fired.

'cause people are now gonna think if they're smart, they're gonna think back.

Well wait.

If she voted for Rob back then.

Lisa's a traitor.

And if she gets out the house and then they find out she's a traitor, then

they might put two and two together.

Who knows?

Anyway, y'all can tell I've been having a good old time with the traders.

Everybody Don't ask me about nothing else.

This is the one thing up.

'cause I have a lot of books to read.

I have guides to prepare people.

So this is the one show.

The one show I'm truly.

Truly invested in, but I know you've been watching some things too, girl.

What?

What?

I,

I've been, I've been watching.

I haven't been reading much, actually.

Okay.

So, you know, I watched, okay.

So I wanted to watch season four of Bridgeton.

Okay.

Did not happen.

We'll try again this weekend.

Try again.

So, so what I did watch was, I think it's one season.

I can't remember.

I think it's one season of this Turkish show called Old Money, and

it's, uh, basically about this very rich society and there's a family

who are seen as like the unc and like the, the new money, let's say people.

Yeah.

So like they don't fit in and one of them in, so the, that that one family,

one of them in particular has like this.

Single focus on this other one family and, um, kind of like, you know,

taking them down in all of this.

And he falls in love with the daughter of that family.

Mm-hmm.

And, you know, things happen from there.

So there's money, drama, and there's, um, you know, backstabbing and,

um, we find out things about their.

Family background in history 'cause they're not who they seem to be to be.

Be and all of that.

It was interesting.

The acting was atrocious, horrendous.

Oh my Lord.

I did not see that coming.

I'm like, oh nice.

It sounds good.

Atrocious acting Lord.

Like when I say it was, and some of the dialogue was also.

Kind of, I couldn't stop watching it anyway.

It's like books that have bad writing, the writing is horrendous,

but you are here for the story.

I needed to know how it was going to end.

And then, you know, our heroine is just, you know, like those two

stupid to live heroines where like you really are like, girl, come on,

use your brain for a little bit.

Like, why are you jumping to conclusions?

Why are you doing this?

And that, that was, that was that.

So, I mean.

In theory, I shouldn't have been watching it, but I was there for it.

So I think my brain just needed the escape.

It

needed the

escape.

Yeah.

And then I think I got maybe three or four chapters into Queen of Flow season three.

Um, there's like 60 something episodes, so I am way early into it.

I'm really pacing myself.

You know what it is, I am frustrated because the main

character in the, the whole series

mm-hmm.

Uh, is missing.

I. We know where she is.

Like we've seen her, but she's not part of the main

past

pa, you know, action of what's going on.

It's almost like, oh, everybody's looking for her and now we're dragging

into, I don't know, I am what episode?

Like eight or 10 into it, and I feel like at this point we are repeating.

Every episode like, okay, things, different things are happening,

but we're still in the same thing.

It's like, okay, everybody's still suspicious of that and everybody still

think is this person and they still dunno where she is and they're still

trying, like, we're kind of rehashing the same plot for episode after episode.

And I'm like, okay, I'm, I'm done with that.

And I want something new to happen.

Give me some new drama.

Put somebody in jail, shoot somebody.

I dunno,

something so

new.

I need something new.

So I am, I'm a little desperate for that.

Mm-hmm.

But I still enjoy it.

I also, something else that I am not a huge.

Um, I'm not loving as much as the fact that the biggest part of this series

is the fact that there's always music.

'cause they are, um, they're all basically, pretty much every,

uh, character is some kind of a singer and so there's always music.

So they're doing a show, they're recording, you know, blah, blah, blah.

And there hasn't also been a lot of that in this one.

So I, I am ready for like, the staples to come back and like, I'm ready for like,

what I like about the show to be there.

So.

It hasn't, it hasn't gotten there right yet, so, but I'm gonna give it a chance.

Because I do like it.

Okay.

Okay.

Great Acting.

Well, not all of them, but, but better, much better acting.

Much

better than that.

Yeah, like the main character is great acting.

The Turkish whoof some rough stuff over there,

girls.

That's rough.

You know what, like as you were chatting, I just remembered, you

know the other thing I did watch though, this is what I did watch.

I did watch Real Housewives of Potomac just because Karen got out of jail.

So there's this housewife.

Who went to jail for A DUI, now we heard it was her fourth DUI.

But she came and she's like, no, let's talk about that.

And I was like, okay, what's she gonna say?

It it, she had 2D, this was her second DUI, but she had two

other alcohol related incidences.

I said, ma'am, that is semantics.

Yeah,

semantics.

But I watched it.

But someone said, this is a real Housewives of Potomac, but it should be.

And you know, online people use a hashtag.

R-R-H-O-P.

But it should be, instead of Real Housewives of Potomac, it should

be Real Housewives of Prison because we have another one.

So it's like we got one person come back home, you know?

Um, she, she's, she's back home now.

Karen is back home, but we might have Wendy going to prison.

So it's like, oh, you just got released in six months, but we're

gonna be sending somebody else off.

What is going on?

Funny.

So

what happened on Sunday, but I didn't watch it Sunday.

I watched it Monday, but the sit down post-prison happened.

Mm-hmm.

So he's talking to her.

She was in prison for six months.

She said she thought the judge was gonna give her a month or something.

She got two years to do.

And then two.

Um, I forgot the terminology that they use, but basically if

you mess up, they will throw you right back in two years at that.

Mm-hmm.

Then she has like 10 years probation and the can drive thing and the

blowing thing and all the things.

Okay.

Yes.

But she did six months.

This lady is 62 years old and she's going through jail.

I said, I know these people are a mess.

But anyway, the sit down.

You know, she, she had some accountability and some, you know, she to line,

because here's the thing, they did the sit down interview one month

after this woman came out of jail.

I felt that was too soon.

I was like, I know you want her fresh,

fresh,

it's too soon.

They filmed her leaving the prison facility and they got clips with her

briefly reuniting with her husband, her daughter, and her sister.

But then they came back for like the sit down a week later.

I said, so this is gonna be like the real housewives of prison at this point.

'cause the other one now is alleged, alleged, alleged insurance fraud.

And I'm like, what is wrong with these?

It's the same show.

In the same show.

Oh God.

The same show.

Yeah.

Dr. Wendy, her and her husband were charged with insurance fraud.

And people are like, that is some serious, serious stuff.

'cause you know, they record phone calls, you sign papers,

you allege things are missing.

And then they found out that's some stuff you didn't even have.

You return them to the store.

But you're producing these old receipts and you say things are missing,

jewelry is missing, but you are wearing it in pictures on social media.

Yeah,

listen.

Also

dumb

if you're gonna criminal.

Yeah.

Well, don't do that.

Listen me, I am scared.

Don't tell me nothing because I listen.

I will talk.

I am scared.

Don't, don't.

No, no, no.

But if you're gonna do stuff, don't do dumb stuff like that.

I mean, the last person I would mess with is an insurance company.

Mm-hmm.

You know, if somebody is desperate and they're hungry and they have a friend who

work at a supermarket or a restaurant, and I'm like, listen, I'm gonna come

pick up some food at the end of the day.

Sneak me some food that I will excuse, but lying, fraud, money, trying to

act like you have more than you have.

Listen, I can't abide by none of that.

Mm real housewives of prison.

I watched the DUI sit down, I watched the Fresh From Jail episode.

That was that.

Mm-hmm.

But anyways, you let us know what you're watching.

Let us know what you're watching in the comments, but also we want

you to mark your calendars again.

We are having book club for the month of February.

We are reading Shenora Williams.

So hopefully this is thrilling and entertaining too.

I mean, I read the blurb and I'm like, okay, this sounds exciting.

Mm-hmm.

Let's read this one together, you know, switching things up from,

uh, last month, but also add, um, rules for Ruin by Mimi Matthews.

That's what we're reading next month.

Also, just mark your calendar for our calendar.

Okay.

So we just did, or TBR, which means next week we're gonna be doing our book hall,

and then the following week is book Club Whispers of the Late Book Club.

So again.

Mark your calendars.

We wanna see you there.

We go live every Thursday, 12 noon Eastern time.

Okay?

Just put in your headphones that work.

You can listen to us.

You don't even have to, you don't have to respond.

Just come for a good time and a Kiki, and if you can, you know,

sneak a little comment in there.

You know, that works.

If you can't, don't worry about it either.

Okay?

We need you to keep your jobs, especially in this economy.

Okay, we all need to stay employed.

Let's be very clear.

But we want you to come hang out with us, um, every Thursday.

So, uh, yeah, I think that's it for today's show.

Um, but until next time, you know, subscribe to our channel

so you know when we go live.

And we are looking forward to talking to you in the next video.

Bye everyone.

Bye.