The Bookish Hour

2024 That's a Wrap!

• Jor & Fab • Season 1 • Episode 46

Share episode

Embracing Change: Our Journey to The Bookish Hour 

And you can't forget about the books too! What happens when a podcast transforms not once, but twice within a year? We invite you to join us as we share our personal journey from "Smutty" to "Thirty Talks," and ultimately, "The Bookish Hour." This episode is a heartfelt reflection on the winding path we've taken, filled with both anxiety and exhilaration. Jor candidly discuss the nerves of stepping into the role of interviewer, while Fab opens up about the emotional decision to step back for mental health. It's been a rollercoaster of change, but through resilience and a passion for connecting with fellow book lovers, our podcast has found its true voice. 

Looking forward, we're brimming with excitement as we envision a future filled with engaging guest interviews and collaborations. We'll share the behind-the-scenes challenges of scheduling and managing a backlog, but rest assured, thrilling episodes await you.

Stay with us for laughter, growth, and a few humorous taglines that might not hit the mark, as we continue to embrace the unpredictable journey of The Bookish Hour.

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

Jordan:

welcome to the bookish hour with jor and fab.

Fabienne:

I mean he's back back again. Guess who's back is that for something? Should I know this? I think that's eminem song oh right, yeah, I'm not, I'm not really a marshall fan. Oh, I mean I, I mean I can. I can hum along if I want to, not, I don't really know every like any of his lyrics like by heart, but it doesn't matter what I do know by heart. No kidding. Um yeah, so long time yes, um wait.

Jordan:

Do we want to talk about like? Actually, I know, fuck it, we're gonna just dive into this episode you're left um, it's our. I feel like we've done this every year on smutty, granted 30 talks and book a shower. We're all in with one a year. So now we're gonna do it for this year, but like a yearly wrap-up of like podcasting and reading and all that yes, so all that jazz I feel like sorry uh but you said jazz yeah, no, I did, I did, I did, I did, I did.

Jordan:

I feel like, oh, I kind of want to talk about the podcast first. I feel like we made so many changes within this one year I don't think it can be counted on two hands. We need four hands at least well, good thing between the two of us, we got four.

Jordan:

Look at us that will be so strange if I were like no, I only actually have my all my left hand, so I don't have, I have no hand oh wait, um anyway, but I feel like we basically, and I just smutty was a thing, and we just it was too much, and so we like did a full 180 into 30 talks and then we did, then we did like a slight 90 yeah, just turning back that one dial just a little and more into books yeah, I feel like then we did like a 360 back into books, but like then you're right like a little back because we didn't fully do smutty yeah then they were sometimes smutty.

Jordan:

Yeah, we, I think we just like had like a midlife but really 30 life crisis or something. We didn't know what the fuck we were doing anymore.

Fabienne:

You know what Well put honey so eloquently too.

Jordan:

Thank you.

Fabienne:

Well said, thank you Well said.

Jordan:

And then, and then we, like you, took a step back, and then I started doing interviews.

Jordan:

Then you took two steps ahead, yeah, but granted, like there were times I was actually talking to Nick about this there were times where, like when you first told me how you wanted to take a step back and then I was like, okay, how do you feel if I did like interviews and stuff, and you were like, yes, go for it. But like I was starting to do interviews and I was like psyching myself out though like I was so scared and nervous to do it that I like there were multiple times where I'm like I don't think I should do this anymore really wait.

Fabienne:

Did I know this? I don't, I don't know. I don't think you ever like, I don't think you told me like a friend that you were actually like well, not necessarily wanting to like back out or like back, you know, back away again, but oh, yeah, I was like getting so much anxiety and I was like, oh, I can't do this, I can't do this on my own, even though like you're still.

Jordan:

Yeah, but like in my mind I was like I can't do that, like that, so I just like, but I'm so glad, like that, I didn't listen to that voice and like never listen to that tiny voice.

Fabienne:

No, so I'm actually so proud of you. Can I just say that I really am, because I was, because I mean you you say anxiety like you know that you were um anxious about like starting this sort of like side quest and make it like the main attraction of this podcast. Basically, um, I was so anxious, like telling you about me one like how I wanted to take a step back. I was remember how I was crying, like my eyes out, and I didn't even like had a word, I didn't even get, I just started crying. You were like what's happening?

Jordan:

I know I was like, so I was so scared because I was like I don't know, I don't know what's going on what is going?

Fabienne:

on what's what is happening? Well, I got, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know what's going on. What is going on? What's what is happening?

Jordan:

Well, I don't know. I don't know.

Fabienne:

Oh no, but I think I and we did talk a little about this before, but this has been like such a great choice for me like to actually actively, you know, take, like, do it.

Fabienne:

How do you say that? Um, I don't want to use the same words all over again, but like to take actually like a step back, like I was more you know, um I was. I'm just doing so much, um better now, mentally too. Like I'm looking forward to these, like recordings, and I have like more like a sim, like willpower to actually just like do it, you know, more like a willpower to actually just like do it, you know, and also just to be more engaging with you and just like the entire book human community, but also, I don't know, just bookstagram. Like I feel just more one again with who I am does that make sense? Like I am just more active and like content with what I do, how I do it and what I post and um, but also regarding the podcast, like this has been good for me and I feel like this has given you the opportunity to just basically, you know, bloom yourself too and you're doing it wonderfully. So that's what I wanted to say, that I'm actually really proud of you thank you and I'm like.

Jordan:

I'm so happy and grateful that you like were honest with me too, because I feel like there's so much there could like you could have not have been honest with me and then it could have created all this animosity between us and we wouldn't have like known and it and I wouldn't want that at all.

Jordan:

So I'm like oh no grateful that you told me and you did what you needed to do. It was best for you. And I feel like and I because, like I don't want you to leave the podcast, so it's like if, like taking a step back and in whatever way is like full, like that works for you, I like want us to do yeah, and I just, I mean, I remember this, um, I think this was way before we even made the change to like 30 talks, which was basically just one blue Monday.

Fabienne:

Um, yeah, like we hadn't like turned 30 and I remember, like what are we going to do when we're like?

Fabienne:

Remember, we were recording this one Saturday, like almost two years back now, since we're like 31. And we were talking about what, like how much longer do you think we're still going to do this? And like this, it was this one Saturday when we were recording like a few episodes back to back and we were like getting a tipsy and you know, and we didn't know where like the road was gonna. You know where the journey was gonna take us and also, like, with us turning 30 back then fairly soon, um, I was going somewhere with this, but it's just like I didn anticipate this, but I didn't anticipate like me still doing it regardless of me, just taking it a little bit easier, taking it a little bit slower, but I can not see myself not doing the podcast. A question back then, like are we still going to do this? You know way back then instead of when, but I can't see myself stopping this, maybe, just like you know, taking it more easier but then not stopping.

Jordan:

Yeah, I agree, I think too. So I am so grateful for Smutty and I'm so great because I think that like really brought us together and really got us into this like podcasting thing and I think that is very, very cool and so I will forever love Smutty. But I was almost, because of Smutty and like what we read and what we were doing for Smutty, I almost was getting resentment for the podcast because I felt like we could only do certain things.

Jordan:

And then remember, like we kind of like we had read a certain book and we were like fuck, like we don't even want to essentially be there, if that makes sense. And I think that's when we were like I don't even know how it came to be, but we were like would do you want to like switch gears for the podcast? Because I think we knew we didn't want to end the podcast, but we knew smutty needed to be ended, like yeah, and, and I almost like wish we would have maybe did it a little differently. Or I, I feel like for both of us to like, in a way, like smutty, we were building something because, like we had that conversation and then, like I think we were almost both building resentment towards smutty in a way, but then it caused us to do this like 180 of like with 30 talks, which I am happy for, but I really love the bookish hours, so I almost wish we could have spun it a little bit differently and I think I wish we knew what we were like doing or what we wanted.

Jordan:

But I think we just needed to get away from smutty so badly that we were like it was like the first best option.

Fabienne:

That was just the thing that we were going to go with.

Jordan:

Yeah exactly because I know too, like we rolled with smutty for a while afterwards because we had so much backlog, but it was like kind of around, like maybe a month or two ago, like around the fall time of last year, we knew we wanted to make this change, but we had so much backlog. We were like, okay, well, let's get through these episodes and then we'll start the new podcast. So it was almost like we were ready for this change, but we couldn't do it yet either too.

Fabienne:

I think. I think also like we basically exactly what you're saying. Like we knew that we wanted the change and we had like a vague idea of what we wanted the podcast to be like. We had a semi-vision for it, but we didn't have like the full-blown picture for it yet, so we just went with whatever looked good to us like in that moment. But I think it was also maybe just like a little stepping stone for what the bookish hour is now Like. We had to go through that 30 talks process so to say you know with who we are, um, as persons, as like people, but the bookish hour is where it's at. Bookish hour is what we want the podcast to be and the the way it's like scheduled for like of a better term now. I think it's good for now, but you know who knows what the future will bring. That is true that is true a big question mark

Jordan:

I would love if I could get like to interview sarah j maas oh my god, sorry, I just like dream big, honey, dream big, dream big, dream big. I fucking will wait. Are there do?

Fabienne:

you want to share? Are there like, aside from you know, like SJM, are there like any other authors in our circle on bookstagram that you you want to have on for an interview? Do you want to share that or is that like a secret? I, I think I could.

Jordan:

I wouldn't mind sharing it because I haven't like reached out to any of you. Want to have on for an interview. Do you want to share that, or is that like a secret? I think I could. I wouldn't mind sharing it because I haven't like reached out to any of these people.

Fabienne:

Okay, but.

Jordan:

I think I would love to in 2025. But I would love to have LJ Shen Sophie Lark.

Fabienne:

Yeah.

Jordan:

Ammo Jones, I would love. I know like I would still love to have Nicole Fiorina again I would love to do. Um KV Rose, I would love to, so. Like I feel like there's so many. Oh, karina Halle I would love to have on.

Jordan:

Yeah, there's so many people that I would for sure love to have on and I think it's like also kind of tough because where we are right now with episodes, I I'm kind of trying to create like a backlog in a way so I reach out to people, but I'm like, hey, like yeah are you open to an interview?

Jordan:

I would love to interview you now but like this episode won't go live for like a few months, so like, are you okay with that? So I think that is also kind of tough, but I don't necessarily want to rearrange the schedule to fit somebody in sooner, unless that's like what I need to do, Because I have like a certain schedule in mind that I want to do. So it's like kind of tough because, like I know someone which was really cool. Someone reached out to like the podcast Instagram to be interviewed, who like works in the bookish industry. And I'm so grateful they reached out and I interviewed them and it was amazing and I'm so excited for that episode to go live. But I interviewed them last month.

Fabienne:

Oh, my God.

Jordan:

Maybe in October I don't even know when I interviewed them, but their episodes are not coming out until January, february. But it was just because I was like I'm not, I can't fit it in before then. So I had to tell them that and it was just like like, and I was like I'm sorry that this is like the schedule and I hope you don't mind, but like that's where we're at. So I know that can be a little challenging, but I don't want to ever wait too long.

Jordan:

So then I'm like scrambling, trying to get the episode ready no, I get that so I think there's just going to be definitely some like learning curves, and then I know too, with like other things there's going to be like more learning curves.

Fabienne:

Yeah. It's going to be a hell of a lot of bends and curves, that's for sure. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

Jordan:

But I know, next year will be more me and you and more interviews.

Fabienne:

Of who? I don't know. I don't know. We have yet to see, and if you want to see, just you know, follow us on the podcast. Sorry, I thought I had a better tagline in mind, just didn't come out right.

Jordan:

I like it. Okay. So then, now that we've talked about the podcast, yes, let's it. Okay. So then, now that we've talked about the podcast, let's dive into reading. So I want to know like your favorite books?

Fabienne:

Okay, okay, I am going to get a few here. Wait, I need to create anticipation for you as well. I have two books here in my hand and I am going to pull up my Instagram because my doesn't really serve me well. But first I'm going to go semi-monthly, in the sense of like what I remember that I read each month. January, I read Martin McInnes' Inascension. It's literary fiction. That is a thick-ass book Mixed with science fiction and, girl, it will pull on your heartstrings. Oh, boy, it has no romance. It doesn't. Like we said before the change from smutty to we read more contemporary fiction, we read more like literary fiction and this is really classified as the genre literary fiction. And it is gorgeous. I won't even dive into what it is. Dive into this blindly is what you know. It's like basically my own advice. But the ending it will leave you crying, because I cried and I don't cry with fucking books. So that's really telling wait, wait.

Jordan:

So are we going monthly? When you're finished with January, let me do January, and we'll go sure the floor is yours, okay? So then January, I'm gonna say, was then earth swallowed ocean by Shiloh Sloan that that book again, that was also. That was like erotica too, but it was, and it was shifters, like wolf shifters, but I was here for that story. That book was so good, so good and not what I expected, and I think okay. So side note too, what I expected and I think okay. So side note too. I got you. I don't know if you remember, but in March I ordered two books for you but then, like, oh yeah, stuck and like all this thing, these things were happening.

Jordan:

Well, one of the books was this one and I was so sad that it never made it to you. Really, yes, I was so sad, okay yeah, but that one is like one of my faves.

Fabienne:

Damn it. Yeah, I get that Also. Wait, can I say this, because this episode comes out before the other one? No, no, I'll leave that out, never mind. Do you maybe want to continue with February, because I still need to pull up my February and I don't know?

Jordan:

Oh, well, it's funny you say that because, like I did read, I didn't. I only read five books in February, but none of them were like Only Girl, that's a lot these days. Yeah, but like none of them I really loved. Like I didn't. Oh, yeah, but like none of them I really loved. Like I didn't. I like, I have to say like one of my least favorite books of the year was definitely House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J Maas.

Fabienne:

Oh, that was such a dumpster fire.

Jordan:

It was just like such a letdown and I just and I don't know, because I was like spoiled for the second one. And that might have been. It just didn't have the magic that Sarah usually has in her books and I was just so sad. The inner circle.

Fabienne:

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think, though, that again uh, to use a term I've used before like that I think it was like more of a stepping stone or like another potential series like the twilights of the gods. Have you heard that theory that's just going to start, like another series called that maybe oh well, that might be a potential new episode.

Fabienne:

Let's continue. Okay, what I read in February, what I actually really loved, was AJ Carlton's novella like Where's Molly. Oh, I really liked that one. It was the first. I think it was one of the first darker romances dark romances I should say that I read this year and I absolutely loved it. I think it was highly original, it was funny, it was dark and gruesome, but it had that typical HD like flair to it and it reminded me because obviously it's also like tackles like a little bit of haunting Adeline. I really loved how much that like brought me back to the love for those books.

Jordan:

So that's the book that I read and loved in February. Okay, okay, I have to say I'm very I know we weren't going to talk about anticipated reads, but I'm very excited for the prequel to Haunting and Huntingeline that's releasing in january next month. I'm like very excited for that. Like I think that's gonna be so good set in like the 40s like come on, yes, please oh my god, I didn't even know this man.

Fabienne:

I'd live under a fucking rock. Patrick ain't got nothing on me.

Jordan:

No, we don't. But for March I loved Powerless by Lauren Roberts. Like I am such a Hunger Games fan and so, like a lot of people, didn't love this book because it was too much like the Hunger Games. But I love the Hunger Games so I want more of the Hunger Games, so this was Hunger. Games just with magic, and I was here for all of it.

Fabienne:

All of it, all of it, all of it, all of it.

Jordan:

All of it.

Fabienne:

March for me. That I really loved. I actually have the picture. I wasn't really too certain about the ending, but overall I really loved. I actually have to. I wasn't too. I wasn't really too certain about the ending, but overall I really enjoyed this. It was our buddy read Midnight is the Darkest Hour by Ashley Winstead.

Jordan:

I think, without spoiling it, I think that one would have been better for me if I didn't listen to it, because if I could have actually read the last sentence, yeah so okay, again no spoilers, but I'm just going to show you.

Fabienne:

Have you seen this like discourse online where they say the m is like a sign of ai. Have you seen that? A sign of what ai writing that, like when you use m dashes, like in your writing and like your captions or like whatever storytelling. Um, the long dash, yeah, that. It's like a sign that it's been run like through an ai tool thing and I'm like that associated. Do you know how often I I use that?

Fabienne:

all the time I know, but because you said this book, it's better that you didn't read it like um, you wanted to like read it because of like the last chapter, without really giving away spoilers, because yeah, yeah so that was me yeah.

Jordan:

April, oh so April for me. I read Bride by Allie Hazelwood and I liked that so much like I thought that was so good many exclamation points I couldn't get through it.

Fabienne:

Yeah, I know, sorry, but I'm so happy you loved it. Again with the shifter romance, again with the furries Kidding. Fuck, you're right.

Jordan:

I read so many shifter books this year.

Fabienne:

Jordan, what is happening? What I don't know. What do you mean? What do you mean? What do you mean, okay, okay, what do you mean? Huh, what do you mean? Okay, okay, for me, a book that I enjoyed but not really loved, but it's still like you know, because I didn't read that books this year, so I still have to, because I read in April, page two Seven tune, seven summers.

Fabienne:

I'm showing you this okay, okay I actually really enjoyed it, but I will say that it didn't need to be over 400 pages, but it was a very enjoyable read. It has, like this, just a very contemporary role with more of like, the focus on character growth, and I appreciated that she's a really um, introspective writer in a sense of how she portrays her characters, and I think I really enjoy that type of writing style okay, okay, um, I think may both of us oh shit, oh uh. Is that the uh? If we were villains?

Jordan:

yes, yes, that one was so freaking good I I almost want to buy like the new, like it must have gotten a new cover update, but I want that cover because it's stunning Really.

Fabienne:

Yes, but I don't know if your cover is different, my cover is the matte black cover with, I think, the dead bird and then it has, like black sprayed edges yeah, but I'm saying like I don't think you have the same updated cover oh sorry, I don't listen. I have these ears, but they're just like for fun. My head, I never use it I never use them.

Jordan:

I totally, totally, totally get it totally get it.

Fabienne:

Um, okay, a book that I read in june was ripe, by sarah rose edder, and again, contemporary fiction, no romance whatsoever, um, but it's like so I want to use the word modern and I'm not really sure why I would classify. Well, I guess I am sure it has like this very distinctive or like distinct writing style where there is not too many like punctuation, but like the sentence, like stream of consciousness, like it breeds, like very stream of consciousness, like um, and it is very much a portrayal of the working younger woman, like in her early 30s, and, um, it deals a lot with mental health, but in a very, very original and very um, authenticate, like um authentic way. And I really don't want to like give too much away, but it's like I think you should read it like not the general you, but you specifically, and just because I'm like I like this book, it it's like an easy read in the sense of like easily.

Fabienne:

You must read it yeah, but because also, no girl, you just, you just read it, you just read it. Okay, just do me this one solid, just one last thing this year read it fair, fair.

Jordan:

I don't have any books that I like loved in june, but one that I wasn't the biggest fan of was leather and lark. I had such high expectations for that book and it was just yeah slapstick, stupid comedy jokes for the sake of selling books.

Fabienne:

No, yeah, I'm sorry, I'm not really one burn books into. Well, actually I am one. Two books into the ground. It was just a very shitty book. Yeah, leather and lame, that was my tagline for that reveal. Remember that like, like it was yesterday.

Jordan:

I just I loved Butcher and Blacker Bird so much something was wrong in between. I think I just put or maybe we just put such high expectations on this one, and it was oh yeah but I have heard a lot of people say that they like Lights Out more than Butcher and Black Bird Lights Out by Vanessa Allen maybe, so I really do want to read that one.

Fabienne:

Wait, but that's a different author. I'm sorry, I'm missing the connection here.

Jordan:

Oh, it's a dark romantic comedy, so it's like Butcher and Blackbird, sorry.

Fabienne:

In my head.

Jordan:

I knew that. Sorry In my head. I knew that.

Fabienne:

But not in my head. I'm sorry, the dots ain't connecting here.

Jordan:

I don't get it, but that's definitely on my radar Because it's like people will say it's like a dark romantic comedy, but it's better than Butcher and Black like a dark romantic comedy, but it's better.

Fabienne:

So I'm like, all right, sign me up I feel like that's like a new genre, or at least like the genre. Yeah, it's getting like or like gained some more like traction this past year, so I feel like that's that's good to see and interesting to see like there is still like upcoming genres, if that makes sense. Okay, um, that was june or july.

Jordan:

I'm lost now.

Fabienne:

Okay, so now july so for july I have um. It's the second book in the mortal fates series by jay brie and it's called the throne of honor and blood. It's high fae, it's like high fantasy. It's a slow burn, a true, true enemies to lovers, and I feel like I should, and I can't reiterate that enough. It's a true enemies to lovers because I feel like these days enemies to lovers is taken more generally but this is like a love, and then they call it enemies lovers I know, and then all of a sudden, like it was just like a miscommunication and a thing like in a yeah, no, yeah, I get you loved it.

Fabienne:

A true jay brie fantasy romance.

Jordan:

Love it so I have two for july. I have a novel love story by ashley poston and then I have the picture of dorian gray by oscar wilde. Like I finally finished that one in july and a novel love story. It's like got magical realism in it and I love magical realism in books.

Fabienne:

So that is true, you really do. Oh, oh, I remember how much you loved um, uh, eddie LaRue, oh, my God, I love that book so much. I need to do it again. Your voice cracked. You really did love it. Oh I loved it. If I say it so angrily, you know must be true, then, For your birthday month, August, I have written down Elsie Silver's Off to the Races.

Jordan:

and we buddy read that one really, that was your faith, that was one of your faiths well that I, at least for that month oh, fair, okay, so mine would have to be.

Jordan:

I have two again, and truly madly deeply by lj shen and then phantasma by kaylee smith. I those are both like totally different books but I think Truly Madly Deeply is one of like. It's definitely up there for LJ Shen and I think that's like one of her best written books in my eyes. But like Blood to Dust will always be like one of my favorites of hers. But Phantasma, like that world, I just just I need you to give it another shot because I love that book so much okay, mother, I will you know.

Fabienne:

Maybe a new year, new me, who knows? Maybe, uh, january. First, I'm like fuck, yes, I'm into this shit, and by shit I mean more stuff. Yes, the good stuff, yes, the good stuff. Okay, um, I don't think I have anything for. Yeah, I don't. I don't think I have anything for september. Actually, do you have anything for september? I?

Jordan:

don't, I don't really remember okay, yes, yes, yes, uh, sunday morning, by julie ann. I loved that book with like my whole heart. It okay, but it's very angsty and she writes angsty books. Granted, that was my first Julie Ann book and I'm in love with it. And then I read From Air last month and I love that book, but I I words allude you.

Fabienne:

No, I get it okay. Um, one that I have for october is actually an arc and I remember that. Oh, I remember. The reason why I haven't anything like written is because, slump, and I received this arc in october and it got me out of this slump and um, it's a romance novel, like a small town, um, you know, like a bubbly girl, like grumpy, you know, man, yes, thank you. Um, yes, guy, man, boy, whatever, you know something with a third leg. Does that make sense?

Jordan:

third, leg does that make sense?

Fabienne:

penis it does okay good, just making sure, like this joke translates okay. So it's um Madison Myers and the book is rekindling the flame. It's also just like a second chance at love and it's, like you know, um friends to lovers. There is, like this, also little cutesy rivalry between them and, just like the entire book, has this very cozy autumnal setting. I hate the cover. I'm sorry to put it out there. I hate it with my entire being, but I love the book. Oh, okay, okay.

Jordan:

So fair, okay. So october, I have two again. Um, I grave matter by karina halley. Amazing, I it. I read that book so fast, another one that I stayed up late reading because it's just, it's so, it's perfect for spooky season, but also like it's just like such a good book and it will like you'll be like what the fuck am I reading? And then also the poisoner by ivy ophelia. That was so good, so freaking good, and yeah, I won't say too much about that.

Fabienne:

But now we have your birth month can we okay, before we go to my birth month, can I just maybe say that I also actually had to for October, because I completely forgot.

Jordan:

Oh sorry, didn't you? Oh okay, yeah, yeah, Give me your October. Sorry, I thought you did.

Fabienne:

No, I said my one for October, which was the Ark, but I also read the House of Doors by Tan Tuan Ang and also contemporary um fiction, but it's like more historical because it takes place in like the previous century, like um right before the first world war, and it's very it focuses like on um orientalism, so it has like a heavy um southeast asian like accents, in a sense of themes, and it's like a really bittersweet romance in like the true old literary fashion. And that's all I'm going to say about it. Great writing style, highly, highly engaging, and I could not put this down. Okay, my birth month?

Jordan:

yes, all right, you want to go first? No, you go first, you go first oh okay, so for your birth month I'm gonna do two, and I'm gonna do from air by julie ann, because I loved that one, and then I love the Syndicator, by Runix.

Fabienne:

Good for you, sorry.

Jordan:

Good for you, yeah. What is your birth month? Well, I mean, we know.

Fabienne:

It's November. I hope you know this.

Jordan:

What book for your birth month did? I mean? It's november. I hope you know this what?

Fabienne:

what book for your birth month, did you? What? Give me november, okay, I'll give you november. Um, you got me the physical copy of montage's wrath of an exile, and I love you for it, because this book is like pure genius I have to say I'm obsessed with that cover.

Jordan:

I need to read the rest of them so I can read that one, so I can have that book yes, you do.

Fabienne:

Well, technically you can read this without having read all of the other books.

Jordan:

But you know, since we you're already in too far in too deep, so but I almost like, do I need to read? Reread the first two before I get into thatcher's?

Fabienne:

do duology, and then silas's, and then and then I guess I guess, for like to understand the characters, like dynamic, no, because you can just like put one, like two and two together, like based off like the one book that you will eventually um, pick up, but I'd say for the overall red thread, um, throughout the story, like with the crime ring and like that's all I'm going to say about it, because of potential spoilers, um, please, yes, yes, I'd say. And then also, you know what do you have to lose? You know it's a good time. The books, they get better by the book. Not to say that the first book in this is bad or anything, it's just like the first book. I see, we see, like you know it's like this, yes, but you know it's fantastic and this book is no different. It's my little baby and I loved it. I loved it.

Jordan:

So, yes, okay, okay, well, I do. Looking here, it does look like at least the first two have audio edition, so like, maybe I just like listen to it, oh, as like a reread, and then I can read the Blood we Crave, which I might do, that, and then that's like supporting Monty too supporting Monty too, and we all support Monty.

Fabienne:

I don't know why I said that, because it sounded so very sarcastic. I didn't mean that, but yes, we do so like.

Jordan:

So we're not fully done with December, no, but what are the books you love so far for this month?

Fabienne:

um, I love split or swallow by lindsey staub straub whatever her name is oxford lemon. I'm just gonna go handle also another book that you got me for my birthday. Um, it's by deborah castaneda and it's called the root witch. And the fascinating thing about this book specifically or not even specifically, just like generally, because, um, it's part of her series with, um, her dark earth rising series it has, like all of these books that can be that you can read as standalones, but they all take place in the same universe. But I loved it. It's very like modern day, like actual literary writing, and I can't explain it in any other way. But it has very true characteristics of like people. Okay, so, really weird example you know, like when you're just like sitting in a chair and sometimes you, you know, pull up on like your sleeve or you would just like, you know, scratch your nose or whatever those things are actually like written out in like her book, like, for example, someone just like wait someone what, someone what just picks it up.

Fabienne:

Someone's wife, someone, what?

Jordan:

no, because it's tough recording.

Fabienne:

I'm like wait, you're not looking I know it just sounded really fucking funny. It's just like the little things, like one of the little little things that you would notice or like, do like in everyday life. It's just it's all described in this book and it doesn't really add anything to the story other than the fact that it made characters really fucking realistic and I just love it, and also it's really airy, like this could be like a potential halloween book. You know for recommendation. It's really spooky. You never know really what's happening and it's also made clear, but you're like the fuck is going on and then you just continue, continue, continue. It's a good book. It's a really good book, really enjoyed it, so thanks.

Jordan:

You're welcome.

Fabienne:

So what are your December reads Jordan Okay, so mine is also sorry.

Jordan:

Well then, I don't think it cut me off though, so you just interrupted me.

Fabienne:

I'm sorry, as I do per usual. You know what's new never gonna change, bring it around time new year same old me, unfortunately.

Jordan:

I like it. Don't change Bob. Don't change Anyways. So Split or Swallow. 2 by Lindsay Oxford. Lemon Agreed, that one is amazing, but I'm also going to add Quicksilver by Callie Hart, which was so freaking good you finished it yes, should.

Fabienne:

Should I pick it up? Yes, okay, yeah, the grunting is there, it's, it's a true, true jordan recommendation it was.

Jordan:

It's different in the way of like split or swallow, because that one I felt like you could. It's like it gets you like in the beginning. This one it's spicy, but not as spicy, but like I feel like the first half. I did pick it up to read it but almost not like oh, I don't know how to explain this very well.

Fabienne:

Welcome to my world.

Jordan:

It's great to be here, but I was liking it, but not that I like, needed to keep reading. But then the second half came and I was like holy fuck, I couldn't stop reading and I finished it and I'm like, oh my, and I need more. I need book two. This also was picked up for on Netflix, so it's going to be a movie.

Fabienne:

Are you kidding?

Jordan:

No. Oh, that's so cool, right, so that was also my other book. Okay, now, what were some of the books that you did not like for this year? So cool, right, so that was also my other book. Okay, now, what were some of the books that you did not like for this year? I know we kind of dived into them, but do you have any like?

Fabienne:

Yep, okay, I'm just gonna again get my list.

Jordan:

Started again.

Fabienne:

We don't have to go through by month, just like you can just say them uh, like I just don't know them by heart, which I think kind of like repressed all of these titles, like I've read them but I I don't remember them anymore like actively, oh god, uh, oh shit, what, what book did I? Well, leather and lark, you know, from the top of my head, um, and if I'm really gonna cut, oh what?

Jordan:

no, no, you go, no, no, you go I was gonna say at the beginning of the year I read this outcast by lexi ray and I I don't know why I picked it up, but I did, and I don't know why I finished it, but I did and I was like what the fuck could have used my time better yeah, yeah yeah, um love, redesigned by Lauren Asher oh.

Fabienne:

I did not like that one uh, no me neither, no me neither.

Jordan:

I wasn't the biggest fan of sorry the Curse of Saints by Kate Dramas, dramas. I don't even know that one, you don't need to.

Fabienne:

Okay, fair, fair. I also sort of semi-DNF'd Carissa Broadbent's Daughter of no Worlds.

Jordan:

Oh, and didn't you love the first one? I?

Fabienne:

adored the book. I loved it. I inhaled the story. But like second book man, it just like kept dragging on Fair.

Jordan:

I read Burning Ivy by Brandi Hines and I felt I couldn't DNF it because I asked for, like an arc even though it was already out. But I asked an arc so like I needed to finish it but thank. God it was already out, but I asked an arc so like I needed to finish it. But thank god it was already out. So I listened to the audio. But, holy fuck, the audio is like 16 hours long and I was like why?

Jordan:

oh, jesus it was, I was. I just I was able to like there were quite a few sex scenes, but like not too many. But I was able to at least fast forward through those um the second, like the maybe 60 percent, from like 60 to 80, it was really good yeah um, everything else kind of sucked.

Fabienne:

I also dnf'd House of Lies and Sorrow by Emily Blackwood and it's a shame because it's like a fae romance. It has aspects you know. It has, like this, the whole shadow daddy. You know whatnot.

Jordan:

Oh, quicksilver, there's a shadow, daddy. I don't like that term.

Fabienne:

No, me neither. But I do like the concept, I do but, not that term In this book. It was just too fast-paced. It was just all wrong. Okay, did not hit the buttons.

Jordan:

Did not hit no. No buttons been hit.

Fabienne:

No, okay, I also, also, also, also, also, wow. And then, all of a sudden, all my Instagram pages are just like architecture and wines. Oh, you can really see when I do this.

Jordan:

Yeah, you, you, yep.

Fabienne:

Yep, okay, okay, I yep, okay, okay, okay. You know what Fuck it I it. I'm just gonna say it the syndicator. It was a whole letdown for me I know I love that book. I love the series. Still, I love ronix. The book was just not the ending that I would have hoped that it would get it then Not.

Jordan:

Every book is not for every person.

Fabienne:

No, it is not, so yeah.

Jordan:

And that was a wrap 2024.

Fabienne:

A wrap, can you rap? Because we started with Eminem. We have to end, oh okay.

Jordan:

Oh, that was a wrap. 2024. That was a wrap. 2024, 2024. That was a wrap 2024.

Fabienne:

You know what? Oh my god.

Jordan:

Wait, see you all next.

Fabienne:

Well, you'll hear us next year.

Jordan:

See you all next year In the new year 2025,. Bitches, boop, boop, pull over that ass too fat.

Fabienne:

What the fuck, what was that? Bitches, pull over that ass too fat. Oh fuck, what was that? I gotta send you a smile, I gotta send you. I need to press stop. Thank you so much for listening.

Jordan:

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

Fabienne:

So catch you next.

Jordan:

much for listening and please don't forget to rate and review wherever you can find us. So catch you next time. Bye.