The Bookish Hour

Reading Ruts & Spicy Spooky Stories

• Jor & Fab • Season 1 • Episode 35

Share episode

Feeling stuck in a reading slump? We’ve all been there. In this episode on The Bookish Hour Fab and Jor unpack the emotional toll that comes with these frustrating phases and offer practical strategies to reignite that bookish spark. 

Craving some spooky book recommendations? We’ve got you covered with eerie tales from Keri Lake and Karina Halle, not to mention a deep dive into a gothic novella, "The Bright of the Haunted Manor." Plus, we touch on the drama and excitement of promoting dark romance books and even indulge in a playful comparison involving a necromancer and Danny Phantom. 

Whether you’re battling a reading slump, juggling creative endeavors, or just in the mood for some hauntingly good stories, this episode promises literary excitement and heartfelt conversations.

Cover Art by: Fabienne and Jordan
Contact email: thebookishhourpod@gmail.com
Intro/Outro music: Season Two: Ramaramaray by Aiyo via Epidemic Sound Season One: Sweet Psycho via TikTok’s Offical Sound Studio on Capcut
Follow Us:
Podcast: @thebookishhourpod
Fabienne: @oxonheart
Jordan: @sipsoffiction

Jor:

welcome to the bookish hour with jor

Fab:

Hello hi, I love that you're back in your bedroom to be fair, I've never left when we started recording, but I think I have seen every corner, every little nook of this room ever since we started this thing but I thought last week you were in the like dining room.

Jor:

Oh, wow, I was yes, sorry believe you forgot that good times, good times hey, it's been a while.

Fab:

It feels it has, it has.

Jor:

But it also has it's been a minute.

Fab:

Oh my god, I feel like I have so much stuff to tell you oh my god, good, tell me all of it like good week stuff. Yes yes, okay now, obviously for like the weekly episodes that we have been doing, like there's there's a change coming, like a change already has been, you know, like set in motion, um, regarding that. But I feel like I've been talking so much about this anesthesia course, like with the needles and numbing all the patients I passed yeah, I mean, we knew you were going to of course, secretly I did too, because, I'm not gonna lie, the test was really pretty damn easy.

Fab:

I mean, you did have to study but it's not, but it was easy.

Fab:

It was also really easy, yeah, but yeah. So that's like a good thing. That's happened to me Also. I feel like, oh my God, I don't even know where to start. I have found and I'm going to say this lightly, I feel like I have slightly found my rhythm again with reading, and it's all because of rereading, though I just like like find my jam again in that sense. Um, I've been starting rereading brunix's dark verse and I've been rereading, uh, kv rose's unseated books.

Jor:

Oh, oh, I want to reread those. So badly, so badly.

Fab:

I know, I know. So you know it's not like new, new books. I am still like reading that one same old ordinary monsters, which you said that you thought the cover was terrifying, which I actually agree with, um, but that's still going, really, really just a little yeah, oh, the cover, cover being terrifying just a little bit, just a little.

Fab:

It's actually pretty fucking terrifying. I'm not gonna, it's I, I, I concur, um, but yeah, I mean I already finished, um, uh the uh, wow, sorry the reaper, and um, no, sorry predator, wow the predator. And I also already finished these monstrous ties and I'm now starting the reaper and I am gonna and I'm already like halfway through pray for scars.

Jor:

Oh my gosh yes, I'm so excited for you yes, I'm devouring these books. I need to. I need to reread the dark verse series too, like I need to, like get on that, but I just you do, I just need to finish this like arc and then I can dive in oh, my god, yes, wow, I really should have written all of these things now.

Fab:

Also, talking about arcs, um, I forgot that I signed up for one like way, way, way, way back um, and I was like during my lunch break at work today, I was scrolling through my email and I I saw that I missed an email, um from this one author who said um here's your reminder to uh, review this in this book by x and x date. And I'm like wait, I got accepted. I completely forgot. So I am. I'm probably gonna have to start reading this one arc that I did receive.

Jor:

Um but I'm also back into arcs.

Fab:

Now can you say what arc it is? Yes, yes, wait, let me, I'm like so, I'm so curious. Wait, it's, oh God, medicine Myers. And it's an arc for her upcoming release, rekindling the Flame. And I'm going to just list all these tropes for you, because when I saw these tropes on um threads I found her, uh, through threats, actually not even like instagram, but the tropes are small town, second chance, first love hookup, okay, outdoor and public space, spice, oh, family drama, fall vibes, banter, sarcasm, city girl goes back to the mountains. And if that doesn't scream Hallmark romance movies, I don't know what does.

Fab:

Yeah, but I saw this. I remember coming across this one book and like she was asking for art readers. I'm like you know, this actually sounds what I'm looking for, just a light and easy breezy type of romance just to get me into reading again. Yes, and of course, the irony is that, just like fucked up books, like you know, mafia romance, runics and just cult romances like KB Rose's books are doing the trick for me. But, yeah, so I have an arc waiting for me just to balance it out. Um, I still feel like I have so much shit to tell you, but I just want to take it slow and not just like overwhelm you with my past few weeks. Um, yeah, but things have been really really good, good, um, bottom line.

Jor:

That's awesome. That is awesome.

Fab:

So do you want to share something that's new and exciting? Yes, yeah.

Jor:

Well, okay, so mine is going to be like technically, it came out last week the little intro of, like what's going to happen on the other two episodes a month. Um, I, on friday, did my first author interview. That's gonna, that's gonna go literally live next. So when you listen to this, it's gonna go live the week after and I'm so excited. I'm also slightly terrified and I give you so many kudos because editing is fucking hard, like not okay, it's not hard. That that's that's not the right word, it's just time consuming assuming.

Jor:

Like I, I sat down, so I think maybe the interview is like an hour and 15, possibly around there. Yeah, it's a it's a long one, but it took me like three hours of editing. But I, I I did take a lot of time editing like certain things. You know how, like you talk, um, while the other person's talking, so I edited out those things. I edit out like long gaps. I, there are certain things too that I needed to edit out anyways, um, but it just took me way longer than I thought it was going to and I was like not prepared. So I was like it was like 10 o'clock at night and I was like am I almost done am I gonna get to bed soon?

Fab:

is it tomorrow yet?

Jor:

right, right, but like I am very excited for like these other two weeks.

Fab:

So then we're not going by monthly episodes, like it will still be weekly and I still stick to the schedule technically, and I say we very lightly, I mean you still stick to the schedule. I'll just like jump in one of no kidding, like twice and twice yes I think it's perfect.

Fab:

I think it's so perfect and also, like we discussed this um off record um as well, like I think it's also just to like to find your groove again, and not just like me or Jordan, like specifically, but just like in a general sense, like you don't have to feel like it's gonna, you know, like it's a must every single week, and I'm not necessarily saying that it was for me, but I just also, like with the reading slump, like I was just in a slump, like personally, you know, and now that everything's just going well, I'm just like finding that groove again.

Jor:

I'm just like you know, we'll just see what happens, like you know, like in the near future, maybe it changes, maybe it doesn't, maybe it changes, um, which I'm still aiming for and that's true too, because I feel like it's also so tough because, going back to like we started Smutty, like we've been podcasting for like three years at this point Like it's been a long ass time, yeah, but with Smutty we were like headfirst into these dark romance books and it was perfect.

Jor:

Plus, like everything was shut down, so it was so easy for us to meet every week and to get all this reading. We were reading for the podcast, we were reading arcs, we were personally reading all at the same time, but it was easier. Then, I think, when we got sick of smutty it was just too much of the same thing that we were like we need the 180, which created the new podcast, but I think we still were talking about books and that's like its own thing, but I think it was just it wasn't broad enough, no, and so I think we kind of got stuck in this rut that started and then, when we switched, I don't think we fully realized what we needed at the time. Yeah, personally, so like I think this is going to be like really good.

Fab:

I hope no, no, I mean, yes, I hope to, but I feel like it is going to be really good, just like end of I, just like it's also like the energy that you put into it. You know it's like the energy that comes back eventually. So, yes, yes, this is true.

Jor:

I guess, like the one thing I kind of fear that I was actually talking to Nick and my mom about is because, like you know, when people know this podcast, like they know the book of shower, they know us, so they know it's like fob and jaw. So my one fear is people are going to say no because you're not in it, Like it would be me interviewing them. So I guess, but I can't, I can't fault anybody if they don't, if they don't want me to interview them. So like I totally understand, but I guess that's like kind of like, but I think that's just like bringing in like personal insecurities of like I'm not good enough bringing in like personal insecurities of like I'm not good enough, but that's like the one, no fear I have.

Jor:

Yeah, okay, I get that because it's like it's not you know what I mean, but like that's in its own thing it's a whole other can of worms that we don't want to open.

Fab:

Yeah, yeah, gotcha, you talk to your mom about me, girl I'll be glad.

Jor:

Yes, oh, my god, yes, she actually listens. Well, funny story, because I was telling her about like everything like with this, and then she was like, well, I actually listened to the smutty book podcast and she's like guys, your audio is horrible. And I was like, yes, mom, I know. And she's like I couldn't even listen to it all the way and I was like it's okay, but I mean this one's a lot better, a lot better.

Fab:

And especially now with your editing skills. So many kudos to you girl.

Jor:

No, so many kudos to you, because I'm like.

Fab:

You'll get the hang of it too. Like, eventually you start seeing the bar, like the sound bar, and then you just like you just know where to look. Like that are pauses, you can just like clip those out. You just eventually you'll actually get the hang of it, like to to make it go quicker in the sense of, like your editing that's true and I know too, like some of it.

Jor:

like there were certain things that the author requested me to like remove from the audio, which totally fine, but I think that too, like took time because it's like I was listening to it all the way through to make sure I hit those points. To take out Nice.

Fab:

Yeah, yeah.

Jor:

Yeah, and then I like towards the end Did you stick. Oh, I'm so sorry you go, oh, no, no, like towards the end. Oh, I'm so sorry you go, okay, towards the end, because you know how discord records us separately, so you need to like make sure you hit it at the same point if you're deleting like gaps of like audio, like yes, long pauses and stuff you have to do both of them.

Jor:

So towards the end I kind of got messed up on myself. So I'm like dragging the audio to fit like after, but at least that was the end. So then it wasn't too bad for me to like fix, but I was like, oh my god, I'm like dragging it like I don't even know if this fits. Hopefully the author doesn't listen to this episode.

Fab:

Can you imagine like like them giving an answer to like a completely different question of yours and you're like oh I, I slipped the bar way too far or like too way, like too much in the back what I could do? Um, I mean, I take it that you kind of already have figured it out by now in that sense. But if you still have like questions, we can just like do this obviously like off episode and then just like I'll just like call you just like facetime and then just like have you show like what it looks on, either garage band or like get caught or whatever, and then whenever I clip or like edit something out how I do it simultaneously for like the other track of audio. So just that you have like an actual visual of how to do that more handier, more convenient.

Jor:

I might take you up on that, because mine was. I was doing it separately and and I know too, like I did, that I no, I'm not gonna say that, but I was figuring out too, like with GarageBand, that I was able to save like a template for like intro, outro, and then I was able out to, like with GarageBand, that I was able to save like a template for like intro, outro, and then I was able to put like her interview in and then edit that and then like save it.

Jor:

But then I kept GarageBand up for days because I was like, well, what if I need to edit this again? So then yeah, but I finally closed down GarageBand today and I was like, but only because Discord wouldn't open, with GarageBand open.

Fab:

So, oh yeah, it's too many, like big programs running all at the same time. Yeah yeah, oh well it is what it is.

Jor:

But I'm super excited for this, like new possible journey.

Fab:

Yeah, me too. Actually, the thing is like I already noticed, like right afterward I'm like I'm gonna see short tonight, like I actually I'm not saying that I didn't like had that reaction like before before, but it just like was so much stronger now and I'm like oh yeah, see this, this was, this was a good change, good call for me.

Jor:

Yeah, yes, yes, I think it was like a uh, because it kind of became a lot once. A week was a lot, and so I think having it go down to like every other week it's almost like there's more stuff and there's like it's just like less pressure, and I think that's like nice, because I was very excited to see you today and I was like oh, it's on the recording thing and I'm like, or it's on the calendar to record. I don't know, I don't know what I'm saying, but I don't know what you're saying.

Fab:

I'm still picking up what you're putting down.

Jor:

I still get you Good, good, good. I was thinking because you were in a big reading slump. I think this episode would be really good to talk about, like reading slumps, and you dive deeper into your reading slump that you hit for like months.

Fab:

Oh, oh God, girl, it was. If I just say that it was not fun, that doesn't even like touch the actual weight of the state of me being in a reading slump. It was horrible. I felt like so adrift and I know that sounds incredibly dramatic with you know like what, everything going on in the world. But I was like reading was my safe space and it still is, and I still bought books. I still purchase books, like I have like new books bought, like during my lunch break too, and I also realized and acknowledged that those are two separate things the buying books and then actually like actually reading and enjoying them.

Fab:

But I just felt like I was just floating like in my evenings, like I was just like doom scrolling the entire time, like watching TV but not actually watching, you know, like just staring at the screen and then just like wasting my time.

Fab:

Almost it felt like and like we said before, like we started this thing with like reading and consuming like literature and books, like so, so much, and it's such like a very chaotic pace, almost Like I felt that was the state like my default state, like that should be my default state, and then after a while, you know like you start growing with work, you start doing more personal like stuff in like your personal life is what I'm trying to say and then reading just takes like a backseat, like just you know, like it's being put on the back burner, and then that became the new default state and I feel like every time that I tried to regain that if that makes sense I'm like I was like I just can't read a single letter.

Fab:

I was just I was reading but I wasn't really registering what I was reading and it was just horrible. And, like I said before, like I still technically am in a slump. But the rereading does help because I know what's coming, I know that I enjoy those books, I know they won't disappoint and I think that's a huge help to like get me out of this um slump. Should we count how many times I can say slump during the set?

Jor:

honestly, that would be kind of fun, but I wasn't. You hear that you're like, um, yeah, no, because I and, but I think that's like it's been happening to a people. A lot of people I feel like recently, like with, like, whether it's like what's happening in the world or like their personal lives are getting busier. Sometimes it's like reading. We're like. I feel like too. When everything was shut down, it was like we were consuming so many books that you would have would read a couple like books that like weren't your fancy or like you weren't like the biggest fan of, but it's okay because you were reading so much that it was like whatever, I read this like two-star book, but I feel like now I've been noticing myself like even like dnfing books, like crazy just because like.

Jor:

I'm not into it, but like I feel like I, if I'm not really into a book, I notice I could be in like a slump, in the sense of like I just can't get myself to like pick it up for whatever reason. Yeah, and I think that is how like. But then I like also read some like good books, like I don't know. Like I wouldn't say I'm in a slump or anything. Right now I'm reading like a book I don't really want to read, but but you have to because yeah, yeah yeah, that fucking sucks.

Fab:

Yeah, so that that's like but but you do tend to like dnF books quicker now, as you would like back in the day, because I remember you like plowing through like a story, because you just feel like you had to read it, which I like applaud you for. But now I'm also like hey, say you know like I need my piece If I put it down, but then also again slump, so you know you can't, it's there's really no positive end to that.

Fab:

Yeah, um, yeah can I just quickly? Really this is going to be so chaotic, by the way, I'm so sorry. Can I quickly note on something that, um, I remarked in pray for scars by kv rose yes, give it to me technically this is a spoiler, but it's a spoiler without context, so it doesn't I don't think it, then it count right, then it doesn't really count. If you plan on reading, hold on.

Jor:

If you plan on, if you plan on reading Unsainted, then maybe don't listen to this All right For the next 30 seconds.

Fab:

Remember how there is this. I don't even like remember his name. Actually. I think Severin right In Lightgrim Death Okay, remember his name. Actually, I think severin right in like rim death.

Fab:

Okay, um, who turns out is a long lost half brother of like sid and maverick, and remember how I actually don't remember sorry, oh, okay, well, I'm talking, but I'm like now then um, but there is this instance in Allegra and Death where I, where Sid is, like he looks like an angel, I think, and in Pray for Scars ironically rereading it now it all comes full circle because Maverick calls her angel too, like Sid. But Sid remembers something in Pray for Scars scars like something that's happened to her with reverend wilson. Um, if you remember him and if not just like enjoy the story, that's not making any sense for you, um, but she's like, I remember this angel and I have to remember him. I'm like, I think, just talking about severin in pray for scars interesting, doesn't make an appearance until like four books later. And we know that kb rose is not like you know, um, what you call it, uh, um, a panther or like a plotter.

Jor:

She's not a huge plotter, no, but she probably has like, a general idea, because remember how she was saying that she was going to make this like a nine book series and like the other characters were going to have full books. I think maybe that is true. A plot of this series gets wrapped up at the end of, uh, cameron and jeremiah story. So I think she, so I think it's going to be like like grim death too, then order of rain, and I think it's supposed to be wrapped up at the end of order of rain, and then either the other characters are going to get novellas or something else, but I think it's standalone novellas Okay.

Jor:

Yeah, but I think she decided that the story just couldn't continue after that. So I feel, like she has like a general idea of what she wanted.

Fab:

Okay okay, fair, that's true. I actually did know that about a 12 book initially, but yeah, anyways, I was reading that. I'm like, oh my god, that's so interesting. That's just so cool epiphany. But turns out she is actually a half plotter. So is it? Um? But yeah, I, oh god, just rereading her books. Man, good gracious, it's so good, fair, I really for my reading slumps, sorry, yeah, sorry no, I love, I love it.

Jor:

no, I'm saying, I'm saying like I really need to dive into the dark first series. It's like my goal. Maybe I'll just like start that too and I'll just read, like both um on, like this, like both of them, because I feel like the next time we meet we gotta discuss the darkverse and the Sinicator before its release. So I feel like I need to Wait. I thought it was 28th. I'm looking it up Because I need to confirm, confirm, which I am so flippin' excited for it.

Fab:

I was just about to say like elevator music.

Jor:

Hey, hey, hey. October 29th. You were right. Score Well, but I'm like I't keeping it though Score you weren't keeping it. Oh, oh, got it, got it, got it, got it. But yeah, I need to jump on rereading this because I gotta have like a fresh. It has to be in my mind all fresh and shit before.

Fab:

All fresh and shit yeah.

Jor:

Where oh?

Fab:

No, no, no you go.

Jor:

Okay, I told somebody that I would be gothicana with them, which I really I did. I do really want to reread this month. I really do, I do, do, I do, but I was just like. I'm so sorry, but I have to reread the dark verse series first. I am so sorry yeah, like I do want to reread gothicana, but I'm like I I got, I gotta, I gotta. Read the dark verse first like homework.

Jor:

Yeah, like because I I'm fingers crossed that we get an arc. I think you will get an arc of the syndicator.

Fab:

Honey, I have no idea. I've been so on Instagram lately, apart from the book slump, the things that I've been posting. People come to my page and I'm like, okay, she reads books, but it's not like a bookstagram. I don't.

Jor:

I don't know, I'm not gonna assume, I'm just getting it well, I'm praying, I do, but I'm also like trying to be realistic, of like, I wasn't a part of the team yet and I never got an arc for anything. So I'm like, jordan, it's possible that you won't get this arc. And I'm like, okay, jordan, talking to myself in the third person, it's possible I don't get the arc.

Fab:

It helps it really does put things into perspective. You know, it's actually really great.

Jor:

It's a great coping mechanism if it is, it is which, then I feel like we could dive into I'm I'm leading charge of this episode. Uh, I love it.

Fab:

I'm following we could do a follower anyways oh my god, wait, stop.

Jor:

Okay, the fact that you just said that. So I recorded something to post tomorrow of my September wrap up on Instagram and the beginning of the intro is I've been seeing people post reading like wrap ups, like from the month prior, and I want to do because I'm 1000% a follower, I am not a leader, I will follow until the day I die, and so it's just funny that you said that.

Fab:

See, we're still twin flames, honey.

Jor:

We really are. We really are. But I was thinking unless you have anything else to say about reading slumps. I was like we could dive into like spooky wrecks, if you have any on the top of your head, because I know I do.

Jor:

Honey, honey, I actually did homework, Like I wrote it down interesting, because I thought we were gonna do um luna in a little, oh, in a witch's hat and a little witch's hat, um no, I thought we decided we were gonna do reading slumps. Yeah, but like the schedule, it's on the schedule, it's on the schedule.

Fab:

It says like spooky regs, and then it said slash. And then it said reading slumps question mark. So I was like you know, I'm just gonna be prepared for either. So what do you? I came prepared.

Jor:

I love it. I love it okay, go, oh, okay um, so what do you?

Fab:

I came prepared, I love it, I love it. Okay, go, oh, okay Okay.

Fab:

What I do when I do research for like these types of episode, you know, like the recommendations, like the book titles, I actually go always just like to amazon, let's not kid I love it, and then I type in either spooky reads, halloween romance, um, paranormal, you know all the things that are just like october re in that sense, and I have quite a few, and I feel like a few are gonna overlap with maybe the ones that you also wanted to mention.

Jor:

Well, I feel like, before you dive into those, we should dive into the ones that we've read and loved. Okay, and then you dive into them.

Fab:

Since you're leading, do you want to lead this too?

Jor:

Well, do you want to go first? I mean, I'm gonna say gothicana, duh duh.

Fab:

Well, at least you got that out of your system.

Jor:

No I have okay yeah yes, I want to go.

Fab:

I think carrie lake truly belongs in this list, like she has quite a few spooky airy. You know the questionable reality types of books. First and foremost, master of Salt and Bones. Spooky it's scary, it's completely atmospheric, it's haunting there are ghost and ghastly elements.

Fab:

Yes, yes, yes, yes, and also is a true dark romance. I think I think it's also like marketed as a dark romance, but it has like all these elements that just like tick off the boxes that you're like, oh man, if spooky halloween read, read Master of Salt and Bones, um, I love that book. In that same vein, because I did say like practically all of her books, um, yes, the Isle of Sin and Shadow. Can't recommend that one enough to you know, like, um, I think I want to say New spooky, like cults and like religion and like dark and scary swamps, and then, I don't know, like a haunting past, it's all very freakish. Her newest release that I still have yet to read, which I also said that I would read but I did not, because you know, I am still me, anathema, anithema, anathema, I don't know. Oh my God, still me, anathema, anathema, anathema, I don't know. Oh my God, you got it girl.

Jor:

I went and bought it and it's a thick boy. It is a thick boy. I didn't know that. And this is, and I don't know if you saw on her Instagram, but it's part one of a duology, so there's going to be a part two at some point. So I I don't, I have yet to start this, Not going to lie, but I want to.

Fab:

That's an impressive book. What's that word again? That also starts with an I, where you're like impressed but also like scared intimidated, intimidated yes, yeah, well, at least that one yes. Um, uh, I also got Karina Howell, oh yes.

Jor:

Yes, she has so many vampire ones. I feel like blood orange and then black rose, and then she also has black sunshine, and then that Rose, and then she also has Black Sunshine and then that book afterwards, and then I haven't read it, but Hollow and Legend, which I want to read. Oh my god, wait, we need to talk about she has Grave Matter, graves, matter no Grave Matter.

Jor:

That title like not too long ago. I'm literally so excited. He pairs it with Gothacana and like it's similar to Gothacana and something else that I don't remember, but it's like psychological horror and I'm so freaking excited. I think she said it was going to be a live release on October 23rd and I actually can't wait to get my hands on it.

Jor:

Like I think that's going to be Right in time it's giving me I haven't read it clearly, but it's giving me a mix of Runix and KV Rose for some reason, like oh, psychological horror, right. So I'm so excited, so excited. She said it's less spicy than her usual spiciness, that's why I think we're right.

Jor:

We are looking for tension anticipation yes the will, they won't they so I like want to get my hands on it so badly I guess in that same vein then also kb roses, the monster of hotel number seven oh, I was gonna say uh, these monstrous ties too, which is what I thought you were gonna say no, it's actually not even like on my list.

Fab:

I mean, yes, of course, it's like great for spooky reads, it's great for like the halloween darkish, you know, like themed books it literally the first book takes place on halloween night it does, it does. You are correct. Um you, yeah, you are most welcome. No, the reason why I went with the Monster Hotel No.7 is because it reminds you of KV Rose's psychological horror element to it. I'm like, oh, that just screams the Monster Hotel no 7 to me.

Jor:

Yes, okay, agreed.

Fab:

That's also like a first of a duet. So can we really recommend? Yeah, we can, because we also, just like said, carrier lakes anathema. Yes, we can. Okay, it's an incomplete duet um will be completed at some point definitely um the one hollow heathens thank you.

Jor:

Hollow heathens amazing, but I do have to say I've seen a lot of people include bone island, no, which thank you. I do have to say, if you're, if you want, if you haven't read hollow heathens, this is the perfect one to read for fall. It is like witchy ghosty set in fall. But bone island nicole describes it best, being like they're in perpetual winter. So I recommend you save that for january. Don't read it in the fall, expecting it to be fall vibes, because it will not be fall. Yeah, think of yourself as in a snow globe and it's snowing. So January.

Fab:

That's a nice picture you're painting, yeah.

Jor:

Thank you, thank you. Yeah, but Hollow Heathens, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

Fab:

Oh, my God, how I want to reread that book too. I feel like to circle like quick circling back to like the reading slump to. I feel like to circle like quick circling back to like the reading slump to really get myself out bitch. It's just to reread the books that I know that I, with my entire being where I made these books my entire personality for at least three weeks straight.

Jor:

Yeah, which is why I think I'm so excited to reread, like the Darkverse series, because I feel like I also feel like I read. We read those really weird because we were going to read it for the podcast, which the first two we did, but then we read the other ones by ourselves and I feel like I read.

Fab:

Oh, so sorry, I have to get it out of my system because I thought it was funny, I think, or I think it's funny, I mean I got an arc for the Annihilator, but I was back then, I was in South Africa, I was on like on holiday, like on vacation, and I remember you have like this OK, I'm going off on a tangent, I'm, I do, I'm back here.

Fab:

Get used to like the chaotic storytelling. Um, in south africa you have what they call and I forgot the word but it's where they like block your electricity, like where they block power. So for say, for example, like town a has like hours of electricity to save the power in town and then they like switch it up. So you will have these moments where you can't like boil water in a kettle, you can't like put on a light, and I remember that my phone was about to die and I was like we were back in the hotel and we were and and we were like in this um, electricity sort of like blockade, so I couldn't. I was reading but my phone died and I was in the mid of the arc of the annihilator and I couldn't read for like five hours and we were just sitting in the hotel oh my goodness, I was desperate.

Fab:

Yeah, I would be, too see, it happened that I remember the word like very randomly during this episode. I'm warning you already in advance but yeah, I would too but I cut you off, like I always do. I generally am sorry, no, I cut you off too, I cut you off, like I always do.

Jor:

I generally am sorry no, I cut you off too. Let you off too, I don't even know what I was saying we don't finish each other sentences.

Fab:

We cut each other sentences off.

Jor:

It's what we do for true, I love it, it is it oh. Phantasma by Kaylee Smith Perfect for right now.

Jor:

Yes, it's so good, Highly recommend it. Oh my goodness, wait, I need to. So I'm going to talk about this for one second. So I did my Happy Friday, the 13th in September, happy Friday, the 13th in September, and I listed off like spooky romance books or like dark romance books that would be great to read like right now. So, of course, I listed Phantasma because I had just finished it. Well, not just I finished it like before, but I included it in this like post someone and I tagged all these authors. So so I tagged Kaylee, I tagged basically every author that I put in this post.

Jor:

Somebody commented on the post I'm going to see if I can actually bring it up because I was like, not that it was like that bad, but it definitely wasn't great. And I was kind of like, don't you see that the authors are tagged in this? Like, I feel like maybe you shouldn't have said that, but they didn't care negatively about the book. Um, kind of, oh, that's just, this person goes. Idk who Kaylee Smith has to be paying the big bucks for her book to be showing up everywhere. And I was like, and I go. I made a comment back saying you're probably seeing it everywhere because the book is so good I mean I'm obsessed with it, and I speak and then Right, right, yes. And then this person comments back and goes. No doubt, however, just suspicious, with a ton of book influencers are promoting in such close proximity of time. No shame in the game. It's, it's a TBR, but I'm like, do you not realize that the book had just come out?

Jor:

It was a book of the month the book had just come out it was a book of the month are like like no wonder people are fucking promoting it is because it literally just released and so people are reading it. And it was a book of the month choice, so like, of course that's everywhere for that one time where you actually just see this public.

Fab:

I like this person you were. I love you for how kind and, of course, the high road, because you always should like online, because whatever you put online just stays online. You don't want to be like a bully, but I'm just waiting for that one moment like can't you just fucking see that the people like that, the officers, are tagged. I just want to see you break one time so badly in that sense I.

Jor:

But the thing is is I wanted to, but then nick was like don't do it, just take the high road, just say it's like really good, because, like the, because I was like, should I delete the?

Jor:

comment. I know I was like should I delete the comment because I don't want the author to see it, and he's like no, you don't want to like think, you don't want your followers to think you're censoring them. Just like take the high road, be nice, and then like see what happens. But I want to be like you, you fucking idiot. I'm like it just came out like no shit, people are promoting it.

Fab:

I'm like I mean you're thinking that, but then you're writing uh yeah, because it's just really good, that's why you see it popping up. Yeah, but then, fuck you just read more duality of men, right, yeah, balance um so phantasma, I still can't, I still can't grasp, I mean, I still have to read it. But can you tell me a little bit more about like, the comparison with, like, denny fenton?

Jor:

okay, so basically so it the the book takes place that she's a necromancer and her mom dies in the beginning, like kind of very tragically. She like dies and they don't like know what's going on, and then it's just her and her sister. Now, since her mom died, she has to take on all these like powers, to keep like the family line with these powers and like stay in the house and all this stuff. So there's that um, and then there's this like traveling. I want it's not circus. It's not a circus, but it's like a traveling house that people can enter and if you win, you you're granted a wish, like it could be anything you want, but you're granted it. But it's a deadly game. So you're like it's you either win or you die, but you can drop out at any time too. So it's a lot of people like drop out within like the first couple days, but every night is like something and that's why it's like kind of um, kind of related to Dante Inferno's like levels of hell and stuff.

Jor:

But basically this main girl of Delia goes in because her sister goes in and it's something to do with the house.

Jor:

Like the mom took out money on the house, so the sister goes in and you don't know why, but clearly it's to help get money for the house. So like the one wish is you're assuming the sister to be like I want to pay off the debt of the house, and so then when Ophelia goes in she can't find her sister because it's like breaking broken up into segments. So she's like with this group of people that she like doesn't know, um, but it's almost like a haunted house. So there's horrors of going on besides the seven levels of hell, but I think there's like I don't whatever. So and then, as she's like going through these horrors of the house, she meets this phantom and that's where the Danny phantom comes along. So he helps her through the competition while also like protecting her, and then clearly there's some like spiciness going on because he's like the love interest duh yeah, does he have like white hair and green eyes too, like actually denny phantom.

Fab:

God, was I in love with that fucking cartoon character.

Jor:

same same, same same? No, I don't think so.

Fab:

I want to say dark hair, but I think I just expect every male main character to have dark hair.

Jor:

You can have some blonde hair. No, no, that's basically the premise of the of, like the first few chapters, but it's so good and it's a standalone so you could read it. I do wish there was more, but technically the next book is like another character that was in this book gets their own book.

Fab:

So I'm excited for that Interesting.

Fab:

Yes, I shall continue the list I love it um, okay, so one that we well, I say we, but it's mostly me, but I'm actually fairly sure that you haven't read it either, have never heard the title before. Um, it's called the orphanage by the lake and it's from Daniel G Miller. It's a psychological thriller with a dark twist. Now, technically all thrillers have a twist, but the reason why I wrote this down is because on the cover it's just really freaking eerie and also because it just popped up when I searched for spooky romance reads. I'm like that sounds interesting because it says them, it says like romantic. Does it have romantic element? Romance?

Fab:

oh, um also I thought, you know, because predominantly we do still talk about romance books, whether they are smutty, yes or no. But I thought maybe just like have a regular fiction book, just to just you know, like categorize it as such, um, and just have it thrown in there. So a psychological thriller with a twist, um, also sophie lark's Grimstone.

Jor:

Oh, oh yes, and then her new one, monarch, is going to be releasing the 8th, I think. And to be completely honest, I like Grimstone but I like Monarch more than I like Grimstone. Is Monarch more gothic? Even no. So Grimstone is the town of like where it takes place. It's also the name of the first book, so monarch takes place in grimstone. It's just different characters, it's tech I don't want to like give anything away because you wouldn't know this but it's um, you like meet one of the characters in book one and then they have their own story. But like, monarch was so good, like that was a five-star read for me. Loved it. Okay, maybe 4.5 later, maybe 4.5, I think, the ending could have no I don't.

Jor:

No, I don't round that up, uh, only because five stars is like the coveted five stars, 4.5, because I think the ending could have been fleshed out more, like I almost feel like it ended too quickly, especially for the pacing of, like the beginning of the book. But still an amazing story.

Fab:

Amazing, amazing, amazing um, shit, what else? Oh, oh, and I actually want you to look up this book because I love the cover, like I was immediately hooked by it noir moon, and it's part of a duology or a series called poor macabre um, written by elliot rose, but it's a prologue novella and I found that interesting because a novella to me indicates indirectly that it always takes place before the main setting, like the main story, or just right after, but mostly before the main story happens. But then this says prologue novella. I'm like is that a tautology? Is that double? What is the story called? No, no, the book is called noir moon, like black moon, but noir.

Jor:

Oh, french. Okay, now I see it sorry I couldn't find it.

Fab:

No, no, it's okay, but I I really I thought the cover was beautiful, but like a dark-ish beautiful.

Jor:

Oh, I think I know why, because Vengeful Gods and Vengeful Gods released in March, so it sounds like maybe this was written. This one came out last month, so I have a feeling it's essentially a prologue novella. She wrote it like that because the first book already came out, so she's iterating like hey, okay, this story comes.

Fab:

Vengeful god okay, um, I also have oh, my god, I didn't write this down, but I have a book here and oh, this is like actually an old book recommendation, like, I got this book like two, three years ago for christmas. Jay gave it to me, but it was part of this anthology, sort of like series, but just all separate public, not like one um, omnibus, um, but it was, um, it was about slenderman. You know, slenderman the one creepy floating long as? Oh, now I actually want to go grab it. Can I go grab real quick? Slenderman the one creepy floating long-ass? Oh, now I actually want to go grab it. Can I go grab it real quick? Yeah, okay, you fix the elevator music oh, yeah, okay, okay.

Jor:

BRB. Well, I have another Bob's not here, but I have another book, which would be Hemlock, by Kirsten, maybe Moglen, which is like a romantic suspense but ghosty. It's a ghosty romantic suspense, perfect for right now spooky season, and I guess I thought that would take longer than it no no, oh, she's back. She's back, everybody. I timed it.

Fab:

Well, you did. You did, by the way. Okay, I got it. Thank you. Um, it's, uh, this, it's actually more of a collection as opposed to a separately published anthology. It's from the twisted legend collection and it's called under the cover of darkness, um, by emma luna and, um, it's about a psychiatrist. She sees people that are not there, or maybe, um, but look at it, oh, that that's terrifying, I know.

Jor:

Have you read it?

Fab:

Not yet.

Jor:

It's been just collecting dust on the shelves. But this one I think I actually Bookmark oh, so you didn't start it Page 40. And then I stopped.

Fab:

Fair, I think I know what this one is um heavily trigger warning for people that I haven't read it I haven't.

Jor:

I haven't read it, so I can't give you my thoughts on it, but I'll tell you more after we finish this episode good call, good call.

Fab:

At least you're the sharp one today. I have a few others.

Jor:

If you also maybe have a few others, oh no, give me yours. Give them to me.

Fab:

Okay, I also have an unexpected Halloween by TO Smith. It's a dark Halloween romance. I have no clue what it is about, but I saw the cover and you know how important I find covers and like I need to write this now. Great cover. Really intrigued me. The Haunting of Bryn Wilder by Wendy Webb, which is also a thriller Not necessarily a romance, but I think there are but it has a really dark and atmospheric twist to it. Oh, we love that. No Place to Hide by Harper Ashley.

Jor:

Which honestly is pretty good for a spicy novella. Yeah, like takes place in like a creepy uh circus, uh like carnival. Very short, so like perfect for people if you just like you finish it in a night um I enjoyed it. I think I read it last.

Fab:

Uh, last christ and the very next day. Did you see that clip of Sabrina Carpenter where you see there's like this, her legs upwards. Oh, I'm sorry, did you expect anybody else? But then you hear like the Christmas music and then I don't know, like Lady Santaanta was a really funny clip, did you? No? No, I wonder what corner of the internet I find myself in nowadays yeah, I've like never seen that, but now I probably will, because you said something, said it, and once you said it, it's in your phone, right?

Jor:

that's how that's how it works yep, um, okay.

Fab:

Last one that I wrote down is the bright of the haunted manor. I sephira, sephira. I don't know, but this person must be really cool, because she only has one name, like S*** and Beyoncé and Cyndéa.

Jor:

So it's a gothic, dark romance novella.

Fab:

Ooh, we love gothic Really do we really do, and that's it, at least for me, ta-da. That's it, folks. That's all she wrote. Thank you so much. For me, ta-da, that's it, folks.

Jor:

That's all she wrote.

Fab:

Thank you so much for listening.

Jor:

And please don't forget to rate and review wherever you can find us.

Fab:

So catch you next time Bye.