Where I Left Off

Bookish Pet Peeves with Megan's Bookish Life

• Kristen Bahls • Season 3 • Episode 3

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Thanks to Megan from Megan's Bookish Life for joining me to talk about Bookish Pet Peeves. As you can tell by our laughter, we had a great time chatting about life and books. 

More from Megan:

Books Mentioned in this episode:

For links to the books discussed in this episode, click the link here to take you to the Google Doc to view the list. 

For episode feedback, future reading and author recommendations, you can text the podcast by clicking the "Send us a message button" above. 

For more, follow along on Instagram @whereileftoffpod.

Welcome

SPEAKER_00

Welcome back. I'm Kristen Balls, and you're listening to Where I Left Off, a Bookish Podcast. And today I'm joined by Megan from the podcast Megan's Bookish Life, and we are going to be talking about our bookish pet peeves. And if you didn't know, this is actually our second time on a podcast together. I was on Megan's podcast to talk about my book, A Flair for Trouble. And I'm also going to link that episode down in the show notes so you can listen to it because I know that after you listen to this one, you're just going to want more of us. So you're going to need to go and listen to that one too. So we'll be linked. And you're in for a treat because we are about to have some fun. So thank you, Megan, for coming on today.

SPEAKER_01

Thank you for having me. And I know that's like the most cliche thing to say ever, but I'm going to say it. I am pumped. Thank you, Kristen. I am also pumped.

SPEAKER_00

And we know each other pretty well at this point. So I feel like the chaos level is gonna be really fun.

SPEAKER_01

Um, I have to say I got a new Keurig machine and now it makes iced coffee. And I had I had a lot today. So we're excited about that.

SPEAKER_00

So, Megan, do you always make your own coffee from home?

SPEAKER_01

I do not. I always say I don't discriminate with coffee. I'll drink it black, I will drink it with cream and sugar. Although recently my tummy says no to like milk. So I have to do like almond milk or whatever. Skim milk from Dunkin' is fine. Um, but I will do like syrups or whatever. I'll drink it home, I'll drink it black. Then at work, I'll drink it black because I don't have cream or anything fun there. Um, but as long as it's coffee and it's not hazelnut, I don't actually like chocolate coffee either, but I'll drink it.

SPEAKER_00

Interesting. I am actually not a coffee drinker, but that all sounds very fancy.

SPEAKER_01

You know what? I for me, I'm just like, give me some beans and I'll drink it.

SPEAKER_02

That's the best answer I think I've ever heard.

SPEAKER_01

You got beans? Give it to me, I'll have it.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. Delish. Oh man. Okay. Anyway. Anyway, anywho.

Currently Reading + Watching

SPEAKER_00

What? What are you current? Okay. Ooh. I'm back. I'm back, you know? It's so what are you currently reading right now and watching? I I wanted to get a little bit of both from you.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, so I did a big sigh there because I'm only reading, I usually read like six, six books at once. I swear to God. Like I'm so glad I'm not the only one. Yeah. I am not a one at a time reader. And I say that not because I'm trying to get through the books, but because I get bored easily, which sounds terrible because I like the book I'm reading, but I have to like break it up a little bit. Um, but right now I'm only reading two, which is I'm like, am I okay? So I'm reading right now two of them. So I'm getting, I have a like a arc of Sand Sequins and Silicone by Pia Mia, which I like her a lot. Uh the issue, not the I don't know why I say the issue, it's a book. It's already been released. So I think it's being re-released with like a new cover or something. And she's like a singer from she had the one hit wonder 2016 called Do It Again. She also has other songs I didn't realize I liked. And I was like, girl, give me a book. I'm reading that. That's heading. And then I'm also I know, right? I'm also listening to um I always say I'm not an audiobook girly, and here I am. So I'm listening to a audiobook called The Tides of Time by Sarah M. Eden. So I had Sarah on the podcast, on my podcast, and it's a historical romance, and I'm like, I'm not really like a I mean, I'm not against historical romance. I just haven't read a lot of them. So I'm like, I'm gonna read this. Someone bought it for me for Christmas, and now what I do for audiobooks is I try to listen to what's on my physical shelf. So if it's on my physical shelf, I'm listening to it and I'm gonna get it off. Although the thing is I do enjoy the books that I listen to sometimes and I keep them on the shelf. But there's a thing with historical romance and audiobooks. Lady is French. The the narrator. Well no, wait. The character. The character's French or something. So I have to be like locked in to know what she's saying, because you can't have subtitles on an audiobook because that's uh called a book. Um but every time she has a French accent, I go, What did she say? Is she saying something in English or French? So um right now, I'll like I say I'll I'll wrap it up with that one. Um Pia Mia Arc Audiobook French lady, the tides of time.

SPEAKER_00

Uh what speed are you listening to that French audiobook on?

SPEAKER_01

Kristen, let me tell you, girlfriend. So I am a 2.0 speeder. I and I retain. Mm-hmm. If you have to retain it, why not?

SPEAKER_00

I do the same thing. Exactly.

SPEAKER_01

The French one, I think I'm at like 1.66, I think, because the other people are English, which is fine, but they're like older English, like 1800s English. And I'm like, I really, really don't know what's happening. Like, I I get the gist, but if I'm like cleaning my room, I have to have it, or whatever I'm doing, have to have it slower. So I'm like, is it French English, or am I just am I confused what's happening? So 160 seconds for this one.

SPEAKER_00

It's totally an accent thing. I was just listening to like I was reading the book, and then I had to return it at the library for book club, and so then I had to listen to the audiobook for like the back maybe fourth of it, and he had a very strong Irish accent, and I also had to put it way down to like 1.5, and I was like, wow, I think this is kind of killing me, but also I cannot understand what he's saying, and that one was literary fiction, so trying to listen listen to Irish literary fiction at two times speed, I was like, that's just not happening. I need to retain like something. So yeah, I know I had to put it down to like one and a half to understand what he was saying, also.

SPEAKER_01

Did you ever read Normal People by Sally Rooney? No, I didn't, or I haven't yet. Um, I think I tried, this is years ago. I tried starting to read it like a couple pages in. I'm like, I don't like this. But for some reason, I put the audiobook on and I was immersed. Immersed is not a word. It's immersed, but I was immersed.

SPEAKER_00

That's amazing.

SPEAKER_01

Um, but I think she was Irish, and like I understood what she was saying because her accent was more clear to me. So I'm thinking if I was around more French people with a very French accent, I would understand the book I'm reading more. Because I'm like, it's the accents, it's they're either really hard for me or I can totally I can totally do it.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. Accents are just hard, and you don't think about it until you're like in the book and you're like, oh, oh wow, that that's different. Huh.

SPEAKER_02

Interesting.

SPEAKER_00

Oh, wait.

SPEAKER_02

I'm gonna say what I'm watching.

SPEAKER_01

What are you watching? Mm-hmm. Yeah, so what am I watching? Okay, so I usually don't do TV series because I'll start like an episode and I'd be like, oh, I love this, and then I'll get back to it, and I don't know why. Like The Summer I Turn Pretty, season one, I think I I binged it. And then the last like two episodes, I was like, I have to go to the bathroom really bad. So I went to the bathroom, and I came back and I was like, uh, not gonna finish it. Who does that? I do, apparently. So I get bored easily of TV shows. Um, I'm like, girl, why would you not finish this? This is I'm terrible. Anyway, I've been recently watching movies to add to my letterboxed like reviews. So um, I usually am watching movies as like a wind-down thing. So I'll do like cartoon family animation things because I'll watch them after work usually. And I get home at like 8 30 p.m. at work. Smark. I'll watch a movie. It's usually terrible because it's family animation. Um, some are really good. Like Hoodwinked, absolutely what a blast. Barnyard, 10 out of 10. I haven't seen Hoodwinked. Haven't seen that either. You haven't seen Barnyard? Okay, I'll add it to my list. I'll add it to my list. Please. It's like one of those, like two made in 2006, they were trying to be really like CGI friendly, and they kind of like didn't do well. But it was the beginning of CGI kind of, and oh I'm screaming. But um, I did watch last night. I watched Mega Mind. I man, I just didn't love it. And I'm also 32 years old, so is it my audience? Probably not. Um, but I'm just watching random, like animated movies, and I kind of love it. Like, I know people want to even be like, I'm watching something really sophisticated. Like, no, I'm watching Mega Mind.

SPEAKER_00

I mean, it's your wind-down routine. You watch what you want to watch, you know? Uh judge you for that.

SPEAKER_01

Exactly. Um, can I can I ask you, did you watch Heated Rivalry at all?

SPEAKER_00

No, I have not yet. Well, because I okay, so with any adaptation ever, if I am going to read the book, I have to read the book before. I cannot watch it. Otherwise, I just all desire to read the book is going to go out the window. Like I know myself. So I need to read the books before I watch the series. Same with like people on vacation people we meet on vacations coming out soon. Haven't read that. Have to read it before I watch the movie. Otherwise, I'm never gonna go back and read the book. I just I can't. It's like it feels too groundhog day, even if they're not totally the same. If I've seen the movie and then I read the book, I simply must read the book and then watch the movie. So no, I have not gotten to heated rivalry yet, but it is on my list. Like many things are on my list.

SPEAKER_01

I I that's one TV show I did binge the other day. Um, and I'm proud of myself that I didn't go to the bathroom and say, oh, no, never mind. Um, so I did binge that. So I'm like, yeah, TV show, good talk for Megan. People we meet on vacation, real quick, gotta put that in there. That I love Emily Henry. And I pretend we're friends by calling her M Hen. I'm like, oh my god, M. Hen, how are you? Um, M Hen, I loved Beach Read, loved it. My second favorite was People We Meet on Vacation with her books. And people think that I am wacko for that. So I'm excited for this movie because I enjoyed the book. So I'm excited for that. But you need to read the book because you must be.

SPEAKER_00

I want to change everyone's minds. Yes.

SPEAKER_01

Amen.

SPEAKER_00

I do plan on doing that. Um, I have actually okay, you're gonna, since you love Emily Henry, you are not gonna like this answer. So I'm sorry, Megan. I'm just trying to like raise your blood pressure today, I guess. Okay. So I loved Funny Story. That is the only one that I've fully read by her. I started Happy Place and I tried to get into it like five different times, and I made it about 50 pages before I DNF'd it. But that was before I really read Second Chance Romance. So I'm kind of thinking that if I went back, I might like it. Then whenever Big Beautiful Life came out, I checked it out from the library and I DNF'd that five pages in. I knew that it was not for me. So I have only finished Funny Story, but I do have people we meet on vacation, beach read and book lovers that I do plan to go back and read. But for me, she's kind of hit or miss. And maybe I just read the two misses and that's what I'm basing it off of. I don't know. But I loved Funny Story enough that I am totally willing to go back and uh read some of the others and give them a chance.

Adaptations To Watch Or Avoid

SPEAKER_01

I love how you said that because I have me, I'm a fake fan. I have yet to read both of those. Uh I have Happy Plays and it was the Big Beautiful Life. That one, I have that. Have I read it? No. Um, but my thing is I I think four of the I my my ranking is Beach Read, People We Meet on Vacation, um, of what I read. Um, Book Lovers. I love that book. And then Funny Story. I thought Funny Story was, hmm. That's what I thought of that. Hmm. So I did not love funny story. Maybe I'm wondering funny story so you only read that book. Like I'm wondering, you have to be tread. I don't care if it's made into a movie or not, you have to read Beatreed. Now that I say that, I'm I bet I'm gonna read again.

SPEAKER_00

I know I you need it. I've had so many friends tell me that I have to read Bee Treed. So it was already ahead, but now that people we meet on vacation is gonna be a movie, I think I'm gonna read that one first and then read Beatread like after.

SPEAKER_01

There, I I was like, when I first read Bee Treat, I was like, why would you name the name the male main character? His name is like Augustus, like Gus. And I go, ugh, take that away, Gus. But then I read sorry to everyone who's named Gus out there right now. Um, I was not thrilled. And then I read it and I go, oh, Gus? Gus, do you hear me? Gus. Gus.

SPEAKER_00

I thought it was like, yeah, I'm okay with it now. Yeah. So you actually want a book boyfriend named Gus now. Got it.

SPEAKER_01

Don't put that out in the world. Maybe. Yeah, you know what? Maybe. Yeah. We'll never never say never like Justin Bieber.

SPEAKER_00

Let's not manifest that. Let's not manifest that.

SPEAKER_01

No. You can keep your guess.

SPEAKER_00

Only in Emily Henry books. Only in Emily Henry books.

SPEAKER_01

True. And not in Funny Story. Gosh dang it.

SPEAKER_00

I'm I'm like, I'm gonna need you to read Funny Story again.

SPEAKER_01

You're making me do a reread of a book. I was like, ugh, gross. You know what? What if I did I'm gonna do an Emily Henry reread of Beach Read and Funny Story, the top and bottom. And if I change my mind, I'm not gonna tell you. I'm gonna lie.

unknown

Okay.

SPEAKER_01

I can live with that deal.

unknown

Okay.

SPEAKER_00

I think that's how it should go. Um random. But before we move on to another subject, I did want to give you a random um watch recommendation if you have not already seen it, which you may have, Megan. I don't know. Um, have you seen the TV show Psych?

SPEAKER_01

No, but my roommate in college used to love that show. There's like some kind of movie they never came out with, right? Something like that. But she was obsessed with that show. Are you saying I should watch this? I'm going to need you to add it to your list. Where's my pen? Okay, we're gonna write psych. Yes. Um, and then not a major next to it because I'm in college. So I don't be confused. Psych show. Got it. What wait, what, what streaming streaming is it on? I thought it was um, I think it's on Peacock, right? Oh, don't say peacock. I don't have Peacock.

SPEAKER_00

Ah well, um they might have like the DVDs at your library.

SPEAKER_01

You know what? I just got a revamped DVD player for Christmas.

SPEAKER_00

So I will look into that. Yeah. I I think they should have them. Like literally, my library has every season on DVD. Ask me how I know, Megan. Ask me how I know. Which season are you re-watching right now? Um, I'm actually re-watching Gilmore Girls. Or no, I'm not re-watching Gilmore Girls. Let me sorry, let me start over. So I am watching Gilmore Girls all the way through for the first time. I am really just throwing out, like I'm saying things about Emily Henry books. Now I'm about to talk about Gilmore Girls. I am really not trying to have the um most controversial opinions ever, but apparently uh that's that's my price of today. So I previously have tried to watch Gilmore Girls several times and have never gotten into it. Uh for me, they just talk too fast and it stressed me out. But I have started since listening to audiobooks and since listening to audiobooks at like one and a half to two times speed. I was like, you know what? Maybe I should give this a try again when my next round of friends was like, you simply must watch this. So I said, okay, I'll give it a shot. And now I'm actually liking it and I'm on season six. So I don't know what changed in me, but I like it now, and I previously could never, ever, ever get into it.

2026 Releases On Our Radar

SPEAKER_01

So I was trying to keep my face very um blank. I I do not love Gilmore Girls. I never got into it. I totally understand your point of view. Not not I I just don't care. Um, and I wish I did, but I love that you trained your brain to watch Gilmore Girls. So maybe I've never tried that hard for Gilmore Girls. Good for you.

SPEAKER_00

I really didn't think that I would, but when like the 50th person said you've just gotta watch it, I was like, fine, I want to know. And then all these books, you know, they kept saying, like, it's Gilmore Girls inspired, it's Gilmore Girls inspired. I'm like, I don't know what that means. Like, I have no idea. So I said, okay, I'm giving it one more shot, like one more shot, and then we're just calling it, and it somehow stuck. But psych is way, okay, I won't say way better because it depends on they're two totally different things, but psych has a little bit of romance, it has a little bit of mystery and a lot of humor. So it kind of marries a bunch of things. So you always have a plot that's moving, you have stuff that's going on, but you have cases being solved at the end of every episode. So it's kind of like the perfect thing. Because basically, so I'm gonna give you just a very short rundown of this. I'm not, I'm not. But Sean Spencer, his dad's a cop, a retired detective, and at that same uh police force, the LAPD, he is too lazy to go and go through the police academy. And so he decides that he his inn is going to be pretending to be a psychic. I didn't even know that. Like I had no that that was a whole that's the bad oh. Yeah. So he solves crimes as a pretend psychic because he decided one day that he wanted to make money as a contractor, but he couldn't call himself the detective or a cop because he didn't want to go through the police academy.

SPEAKER_01

The sort of contractor is a con man. I love that.

SPEAKER_00

Okay.

SPEAKER_01

Wait, yeah, you kind of talked me into that. Yes. Dang it, you did it. You know what? My rewatch that I watch, rewatch all the time, and nobody at my work understands this because they've never seen it, is arrested development. God, that is such a good show. I haven't seen it.

SPEAKER_00

I'm writing it down.

SPEAKER_01

It is okay, so it's like from like 2003, and the last season is stupid. Like it's like a the money kind of thing. But whenever I do arrested development jokes, everyone's like, I've never seen it. I'm like, well, then don't talk to me. Like, if you can't understand, then I'm just kidding. But my boss always goes, Yeah, I've never seen it. And I'm like, it's just so funny. So freaking funny. So that's mine. You mine's arrested development to you, yours is psyched to me. Okay, cool. Deal. I like this.

SPEAKER_00

Thank you. I will DM you whenever I start it. Okay, deal. We show.

unknown

Okay.

SPEAKER_00

Moving on to actual books. I mean, you know, whatever. We could talk about whatever we want. It's it's our show. Okay. So as far as books go, what releases are you looking forward to this year coming out in 2026?

SPEAKER_01

I want to put out there in the world that actually that's a terrifying opening statement for me as soon as I'm going to go.

SPEAKER_00

I'm a little bit scared, but it's fine.

SPEAKER_01

You never know what I'm gonna say. That that makes me uncomfortable. So I'm actually gonna say this. I don't really try to word this right. New releases don't usually catch my like, I'm never waiting for a release, I feel like. Um there are some books where I'm like, oh, I like this book from this author. I'm excited to see what she. Like or they you know release next, but never like 2026 each month. Here's what I'm excited for. So I had to kind of look up some releases in 2026. Um, because I'm not one of the people, but I have three.

SPEAKER_00

So one is three.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, exactly. I can't make a graphic out of three, but you know, I'll say instead. I just read Good Spirits by BK Borison. I love the unique part of the book. Great book. Great book. Yes, yes. I get five out of five stars, and that's strange for me. So congrats, BK. Um loves it. Okay, okay, so we can agree on that one. Got it. Took us finally, like finally, you know what I mean? Um we are being bonded by BK Borison. So I I also don't really do a ton of series. I can read them. I just get bored, even though I know this is gonna be interconnected standalone kind of thing. But I'm very excited for the next one, which is Grim Tidings. And I think that comes out like September or October, one of those. Um and I read the synopsis, it's about like a Reaper or a Grim Reaper, whatever. So we'll see how that goes. That one, that one I am putting on my I don't really pre-order books because I don't wait for them a lot, but I would put that on my pre-order if I ever had one, um, an account for pre-orders. So that one. We have Grumpy Ever After by Tegan Hunter. So Tegan does a lot of like um hockey romances and this is a controversial podcast, but I'm not gonna I'm not gonna say what I think about hockey. Um it's fine, how about that? Uh what?

SPEAKER_00

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. As someone who's done like three hockey romance episodes, excuse me. Okay, um you you can have your own opinion. I can all calm down.

SPEAKER_01

Just keep going. I okay, you know what? Actually, speaking of hockey, I read two books that I liked of hockey, and one was Tekin Hunter's. I loved, what was it? The um, not blind pass, what was it? Um, Body Check. I did enjoy that one. Um, I enjoyed that one. But anyway, Teken Hunter is doing some um, what's it called? Dub, standalones. Like with a traditional published company, and her next standalone is grumbling ever after, and it comes out February, maybe. And I I'm a standalone girly. Give me those one one timers, you know? Um, so I'm excited for that. And then I'm trying to think, oh, the next one, the last one, the one that's already been released but is being re-released. So uh I've never read Took and Play by Allie Hazelwood. It was a novella that was like released, I think, on ebook only. And now she's doing it into paperback, and I'm going to be very excited for that one. I Allie Hazelwood is my favorite author. I have to say that out loud. Wait, have you read it? No, I have not. So I it might be still It's really good.

SPEAKER_00

It's really good. You've read it? I listened to it, yeah. Um I got an arc of it. Or an ALC.

SPEAKER_01

I think it was audiobook only, right? Or was it e-book only?

SPEAKER_00

Mm-hmm. Yes, yes. It was audiobook only, and it was way, way back when it first came out, like last year or whatever, um, I got an ALC on NetGelly. So yes, it was really good.

SPEAKER_01

That's why I didn't read it paper. But I want a paperback. I I do too. I I love sometimes a good audiobook, but for some reason I cannot listen to spice in my ears. I can read it with my eyes, but the ear part, some for some reason. So that's why I didn't uh listen to it because it was spicy, I think, probably, because Allie Hazelwood. But I'm gonna read it and I'm excited for it.

SPEAKER_00

Wait, okay, what's your favorite Allie Hazelwood book? Love theoretically. Okay, I can get on board with that. Mine's Love Hypothesis, but I can definitely get on board with Love Here. Love Theoretically. Gosh, I can't talk. Is yes.

SPEAKER_01

So Love Hypothesis is the one with um Lily Reinhardt. It's gonna star in, right? The Yes.

SPEAKER_00

Yes. That's with Adam and Olive, like the one that started it all. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

I can't do that on the mic, but I'm gonna hyperventilate. I'm so sorry for that. Yes. In like the behind the scene like TikTok videos, I go, ugh, give me more.

SPEAKER_00

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

The chemistry.

SPEAKER_00

I'm nervous. I don't know. You nervous? I'm nervous for this adaptation. I don't know. I just like the book so much.

SPEAKER_01

I do have to say, I changed my story graph bio. This is a point recently, and I put on the story graph bio, I put I sometimes like the movie over the book. So sometimes I do. I do like adapt uh adaptations more than the book, but I can't really beat how Ellie Hayes would her her writing, so true.

SPEAKER_00

I was gonna say that that's I think why I'm nervous for it. Wait till they get to a movie of um Love Theoretically Megan and then and then we'll see. You might be nervous at that point.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, you're right. I don't know. Whatever. It's I'm out of it. Yeah, I'm I'm I'm tipped out. No way.

SPEAKER_00

Lately, I just feel like a lot of them have been messed up. So I don't know. Yeah, I know. I don't know what to think.

SPEAKER_02

I don't know what to think. It's fine.

SPEAKER_00

Um, as far as books I'm looking forward to, I have a list. I have, you know, I have a lot, but I just kind of threw out a couple like high point ones. Um I used to pre-order. I haven't pre-ordered in a while. I need to start pre-ordering again because I know that it helps the authors. My thing is though, they don't necessarily release the tours before I know if I'm pre-ordering. So what I used to do is I would pre-order and then they would come in my city on tour, and then I would go see them and I would have two copies of the book. So that makes so much sense. You know, didn't feel worth it. So I need to start pre-ordering again, and hopefully they'll release that so I can figure it out. But I'm excited for In Your Dreams by Sarah Adams, and I get to see Sarah Adams in January. Uh, definitely, probably by the time this recording drops, I'm assuming I will have already met her. Yeah. I'm Oh, that's exciting. Wait, yeah. Yes. She is doing an event with Alexa Martin, who I also love. Um, and they're both super talented, and they're also like best friends, and it's so fun to listen to them chat together because they're like, you're awesome. No, you're awesome, and it's just great. Um so and it's the last book in the Rome, Kentucky series, and I didn't get an arc of it on purpose because I wanted to enjoy this and like take it slow. And I'm really sad that the uh Rome Kentucky series is coming to an end because Practice Makes Perfect. Book two is like one of my favorite, probably books of all time. I don't know. I just really, really love the book. So we'll see. There's that one, and then um Leah Bruner and Katie Bailey. So they write closed door hockey. Uh so you could listen to theirs, Megan, because you're not listening to school. I could, but they came out, yeah, it really worked out perfect. So their first book is rookie season, and they decided to write it together. Um, and it was amazing. And book two and book three are coming out this year. So they are, I don't know how they're publishing two books in a year. Well, they're both publishing like three books in a year, but that's besides the point. But anyway, I am very excited for that one. Yeah, I don't know what kind of schedule they're on. Then Fake Out Makeout by Mary Kate Williams. Uh, it is like a spy romance, so I'm looking forward to this one. I've heard her talk about it a lot, and I am really looking forward to it. I'm reading one of her books right now, and it's super good, so I love her writing stuff. What are you reading right now from MK?

SPEAKER_01

I because she she was my I read two books from her last year, and it was like on my top story graph things. Yeah. I am reading The Infinite Infinite right now.

SPEAKER_00

I read that. I was gonna, I almost just shouted a spoiler. Like there was this one plot twist, and I went, wait, what? So now I'm dying to know what's going on.

SPEAKER_01

I read that and I did the oh, was the vampire one with the Yes, I read the vampire one too. Yep. So the same, the same reading wrap-up was yours, but this year. Yeah. Okay, yes, keep going. I'm so sorry. I like her books.

SPEAKER_00

Yes. So she and Fake Out Makeout is Tradpub. So that one's coming out. Yeah. So I'm definitely paying attention to that one. And then, okay, uh, two more. I'm sorry. I just got a lot. Um Peyton Corinne. So she technically, this is a series. It's a hockey series. Book one was on steady. This is the best hockey series I think I've ever read, might I add. And it's not super like it's hockey, but it's not super hockey. So I don't know. I think you might, might could. Um, it's pretty angsty. And basically, book one's unsteady, book two's unloved, book three is unbound, which technically comes out this year, but I've already read an arc of it. And so I'm hoping that book four, this is Torin's book, for anyone that knows, is coming out for ARC this year, I think. Because she's like going through edits on it right now. So I'm not necessarily looking forward to book three. I'm looking forward to book four, and I'm hoping I can get an arc of it this year. But it's not technically her release of 2026. That is confusing, but it's, you know, I guess. She's writing so far. Yeah, she's writing so far ahead. Um, and then last up is The Shippers by Catherine Center. Catherine Center is an angel. I love all of her books. Um I have all but one signed because I've met her like three times, and she is so incredibly nice. She lives kind of roughly in the area, so she does a lot of stops around. So I catch her every time she has a release. But the shippers, it's friends to lovers, which is my favorite. And they're all like lovers. I love friends to lovers.

SPEAKER_01

Me too. People look at me weird. I go, I know I'm sorry that people like I'm sorry that my friend loves me as a friend, and then because my lover, that's the best part.

SPEAKER_00

And there's no awkward, like, so what are you like? So how are you? Because they you know them, they know you at the core of you.

SPEAKER_01

I don't, I I'm sensitive. I don't want someone to hate me first and then go, oh, she's kind of hot at the end. You know what I mean? I need someone to love me because I have a very, very big heart. I'm so sorry, keep going.

SPEAKER_00

I agree with you 100%. I'm so glad I found someone else who loves friends to lovers, especially childhood friends to lovers. I think that's so sweet. And it makes sense of why they're like, I don't want to ruin our relationship because, you know, we've been friends since, you know, we were born or whatever. Like that, that is my favorite. I think it makes the most sense.

SPEAKER_01

I've it's the thing that the people, like the childhood lovers or the childhood friends, they go, they grow up and they go, I thought of you, you know, because I remember you like this stuff. And I'm like, yeah, let's make out. Like 100%. Like that's me. Sorry.

SPEAKER_00

Oh my gosh. Anyway. Oh man, I am not, I'm gonna have a hard time picking which sound fun I want to use because you've said some great stuff today, Mick.

SPEAKER_01

Oh God, and that can you imagine me with another cup of coffee? Oh, anyway.

unknown

Nope.

SPEAKER_01

I'm glad you're where you are. Exactly. Um, The Shippers, by the way, Catherine Center. I read my first Catherine Center book in 2025. And it was Which one did you read? Things We Save in a Fire. The fire one, the firefighter.

SPEAKER_00

That's one of my favorites.

SPEAKER_01

Okay. So I did an audiobook, and at first I was like, and the box a Boston accent happened, and I go, uh. But then I started listening and I go, oh. So um different tones of the uh there went up and down. But I gave it five out of five stars. I enjoyed it. It was it was a fun listen, it was a fun read. Um obviously it there was nothing too heavy, but it does go a little bit, you know, kind of sad a little bit, no spoilers. Um, I knew it was gonna be H E A, but Katherine Sender kind of hooked me.

SPEAKER_00

Catherine Senner is like a powerhouse. I love her books. You need to check out uh The Bodyguard and the ROM commerce. Those are probably my other two favorites.

SPEAKER_01

I bodyguard, so I have it like next to me over here. I actually was gonna annotate it and then like give it away because my annotations are hilarious. I use like a little printer and print out memes for my thoughts instead of like writing them. But um, I got to page like five and I liked it so far. And um there's like a there's a line on like page in the beginning says like I'm not a mall cop or whatever. And all I remember was I printed out a picture of Paul Blart and put not her. Um, so I enjoy I enjoy the book so far. I don't know anything about it. I don't remember why I put a picture of Paul Blart on page five, but I should go back to that and read it. So I I will take your word for it if that's good.

SPEAKER_00

Like it's one of my favorite books. The Paul Blart thing, I think that's the best thing ever. It's basically because she's like a protection agent, and because she's small and stuff, like they they don't believe that you know she could actually like protect um a mark, and that that's why she's like, I'm not a mall cop, I'm not this, I'm not that, like, and yeah.

SPEAKER_01

So that's why you put Paul Blart. That's why you put Paul Blart. It was a while ago since I read that, but I was like, I need to get back to that. Okay, I'll take your word for it. I'll I'll read it. You do.

SPEAKER_00

Okay. Now getting into what we actually came here to talk about today. Wow. Just, you know what? I think we had a fun detour personally. I'm good with it.

SPEAKER_01

Me too.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, so the way this is gonna work is we're gonna like rapid fire our pet peeves and we can just go back and forth. And of course, we can comment on each other's pet peeves because I'm sure that we're gonna have something to say, as is the uh theme of this episode. We always have something to say. Megan, I will let you go first as the guest. What is your bookish pet peeve?

SPEAKER_01

Okay, so I I have my little notes, but I'm not gonna do them in order because I'm gonna do them in order of heat, I get really heated and then to less heated. So my first heated one is um when a book doesn't hook me at the beginning. And when I say beginning, I'm gonna say first 30 pages, maybe. But people keep saying, read it, keep reading it, it gets better. I want to love the whole book, okay? Not the last 30%. If it does not hook me, why am I reading this? You make okay, why am I reading? I'm so this is I'm screaming in my mic. Okay, I understand that like the book gets really good by like 57%. No, it should be good the whole book. If it's only good at the end, cut out the beginning. So I my bookish pet peeve is when I have to read the end of the book to like the whole book. And do I always like the whole book? I don't.

SPEAKER_00

So if you don't get hooked in the beginning of the book, like is that automatically taking you down a star or like two stars? Well, I'm a DNFer girl. I said, bye.

SPEAKER_01

I said, I said, what is this? See you later. But then that that's why people people know I DNF. So they say, like, don't DNF keep reading, and I'm like, uh And then like I'm trying to think of a book. I can't think of an example of a book where I kept reading and I was like, wow, amazing, the last two percent. Like I never thought of that. Like, I if I if if you don't write a good story in the beginning, take me out of your roster. I don't want to read it.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, I'm about because we're just saying controversial things, apparently. I just really wanted to hit this point home. I can give you a great example of where it kept reading and got good eventually. Oh man, no one's gonna listen to my podcast after this. Okay, so uh Acatar, first book, didn't get good until like 70%.

SPEAKER_01

I it was so boring. Disagree. I disagree, and I hate fantasy. I I thought, oh, my thing is I gotta stop, I gotta rapid fire then. I don't love fantasy. I thought the first Acatar book should have been a standalone. Sorry, bye. And then she kept going. I go, oh, why? Um, it should have been one and done. I enjoyed the whole book. Five out of five stars, will not keep reading. Like, I I thought the whole thing was nice. I liked the whole thing. But I get what you mean because the end was kind of more action-packed.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, it was like, yeah, until we got to that point, I just there was so much world building. And I think that's also like my tolerant, because I don't read fantasy that much, my tolerance for world building is very low. So if the first book is mainly world building, I'm I'm not gonna like it. I did like book two and book three in that series. I think book two is my favorite, but you know, it we picked up the pace a little bit, but it was just book one. I I was dragging through it until about like 70%. And then I went, oh, this is why people like it. That sounds horrible. It's and you know what? It's all a matter of opinion, and I don't read fantasy that much. So that's always gonna cloud my opinion when I'm reading a fantasy book. I don't love a lot of world building because I'm just not used to that. I'm used to contemporary romance where they're like bantering from page one.

SPEAKER_01

And they're from like countries that are real. So I'm like, yeah, I know where Germany is. I don't know where flawful is in your fantasy world. You know what I mean? Like I don't I just I named the country flawful, whatever. And I'm not looking at the map. I'm not looking at the map to figure it out. Get out, get your map out of my book. No, people love maps. I I always forget they're there.

SPEAKER_00

That's how little fantasy I read.

SPEAKER_01

I forget there's a map sometimes.

SPEAKER_00

I'm not gonna reference the map. I'm directionally challenged already. Like, I'm not gonna-that's not gonna help me. I'm like, I don't know. North South, I don't care. I don't care.

SPEAKER_01

Thank you for the compass, take it out. Yeah. Yeah, don't care.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, go do yours. I have something to say about one of them. Keep going, no. Okay. So uh my bookish pet peeve is hear me out. Large age gaps. So I'm not saying any age gap. If an age gap is anywhere from like five to 10 years, like fine. I can understand how, you know, you like never know how you meet that person, you come across them, and then you guys connect. Like, totally understand anywhere from like zero to ten years as an age gap. Makes sense to me. My problem is when they're extremely large age gaps of like 15 years plus, and I just read an age gap plan and I didn't love it because also, in addition to it being the age gap, which is not my favorite, um, of that magnitude, it seems like 90% of the time it's a teacher and a student or a professor and a student. And I hate that. And also, I mean, obviously I'm a former teacher, so that is just disgusting to me. So gross. I can't, I cannot. But I'm like, why? That power dynamic, like I just don't believe it. If the age gap is 15 years plus, I don't believe it. They might be happy in their little romance novel bubble right now, but I just have to think that as soon as they really get out in the real world, like it's just not gonna work. And I'm not saying there aren't exceptions. There are totally exceptions in real life, but in my book, I don't want it. I don't want to read a 15-year age gap. 10 and under is totally fine. Anything else, pass. Hard pass.

SPEAKER_01

I absolutely love that you got heated about this. This is what I bring out of you. I bring out clearly. I bring out the fire of age gaps. Um, I actually, I agree. I don't sometimes I have to think of myself like this is a fictional book, but sometimes I'm like, eh, no, thanks. Um, the 15 plus age cap. I, there's a there's a romance author. Who does that a lot? And I don't know if it's her writing or if it's something where I'm like, tone it down. Like I it's the age gap. She always writes age gap. And I'm like, I just I can't vibe with it. And it's not like a cute age gap. A lot of it, too, and age gaps I see are one person was like 20, and this other person was like six. And then they grew up and she's 18 now, and the other person is a lot older still. I'm like, but you knew her when she was six, and I just it's gross.

SPEAKER_00

Agreed. Yeah, I agree. I don't love that. There's like almost always a power imbalance. Like every once in a while, there will be a 15-year age gap. There won't be a power imbalance. It seems like they actually realize that they're not constantly talking about how young or old they are, but that's not the case in most of them. Correct.

SPEAKER_01

Like in my real life, I work a front desk and like behind me in like the same building as a workout area. And there was like a 23-year-old man that I was like, smash. I didn't, but I was like smash, and I'm 32. So obviously that's also fictional. But it's not something where I'm like, it wasn't a big enough age gap where I was like, ew, kind of gross. But it also, if you're under 18, I don't care if you're 17, that state of consent in your state, stop it. Nope. Take it somewhere else. I know, don't take it anywhere. Stop it.

SPEAKER_00

Exactly. Exactly. Megan, what is your next bookish puppy?

SPEAKER_01

Okay, I know this is a really old discourse, and people like usually think that my opinion's not correct, but like they agree. Um, stickers on covers. So the ones that you can't remove are getting more and more popular. And like when Target does like the 20% off sticker, I can remove that. Like I can remove that easily. Now, what they're doing is like stickers that sometimes I'm like, oh, let me look. Like, what what an award did it win to get a sticker? And it's something like was on the list sticker. I'm like, what? Why would you put this as non, like they're the dumbest stickers now? Or they'll do like an award that I've never heard of, and like I I Google it and I'm like, I still don't know this, but you then congrats on winning. Don't put a sticker on the book. And I don't know if they're considered stickers since they're permanent, but they just give off I don't like I don't know how to phrase this. I don't like them. Like I I'm not a I don't have a big room to like display things, but if I did, I'm not gonna display your book because it has an ugly circle on it.

SPEAKER_00

Well, it's like that illustrator was paid money to be an artist, and they literally gave you a work of art, and then you're gonna stick a sticker on their work of art. It ruins the entire thing. That was a good good opinion. Amen. Thanks. Uh the amount of hours I've also lost to trying to like scrape off the stickers that are removable is just obscene. Uh okay.

SPEAKER_01

Okay. We we are in agrees. Yeah. For once we finally shook hands. Like, yeah, here we go.

SPEAKER_00

I was gonna say, I don't know.

SPEAKER_01

I think we're kind of 50-50. You know what? Some some are I think these are a lot more hits than misses. I'm gonna tell you that together wise, yeah. True. I agree. Okay, what's your next one? Because I am curious.

SPEAKER_00

So my next one is um when it's a series and the names are too similar in the series, and they don't, and especially kind of building off of that when they don't have a series indicator on the spine, and I have to constantly Google what the series order is because I can't keep it straight in my brain because they all sound the same. Elsie Silver, Chestnut Springs, Powerless, Heartless. I I feel like I'm even gonna read them and I don't know. I don't know the order. I don't think I'm ever gonna know the order. I literally go like the pink one, the orange one, the green one. Like, I can't keep them straight because they're all something less. Or even her other one. I was in Barnes and Oval and I was trying to get Wild card, the newest one, the purple one. And literally, the bookseller asked me what I was looking for because I didn't see it. And I said, Wild. And then I realized that my brain it just left my brain. I didn't know which one. I couldn't figure it out. And I was like, it's the purple one, the one that just came out. I was like, they all have wild in front. She literally had to look it up on the computer. I was like, Wild side, nope, wild eyes, nope, wild card. That one. Like it was that bad. So that that is my that is my pet peeve.

SPEAKER_01

I was thinking what you meant at first was like someone's named Ashley in the book and her sister's name's Ashton. Um also that too. That that can be. But you are 100% correct. Well, opinion-wise. I agree because the Elsie Silver is real good at confusing me because I'm like, is heartless or reckless or flawless? Oh, yes. I'm I you need I am dumb. Dumb it down for me.

SPEAKER_00

You need to make them sound different. I know. I'm like, I think if the whole purpose is that they're just trying to make it sound like it's in a series, which I totally understand that. But yeah, when they're that close, my brain is going to confuse them every single time. Every single time.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, that is another agree. That's another hit for us. I um yeah, stretch out your name's-I I get it. It's cute, adorable. But I just it confuses me.

SPEAKER_00

I agree. And I love Elsie Silver, so this is not a dis against her, it's just I can never remember her books, so that's why she came to mine first. You're like, I love her. Never remember her books. Yeah, I can literally never remember the titles. It's bad.

unknown

Okay.

SPEAKER_00

Five out of five. Don't know. Don't know the name. Yeah. Never gonna know the name. Just start describing it. That that would be great. Um okay, Megan, what is your next bookish pet peeve? Let's see if we agree.

SPEAKER_01

Mine is, and I haven't heard people talk about this, and I need to know. Um, too many characters in a book. So when that happens, it's mostly an author putting a ton of characters, even side characters, so they can get their own book in the future. Um, interconnected standalones are huge. I get it. Yes. But if you like, I've talked to a lot of authors who are like, they're like, oh yeah, the fourth book coming out, um, she was mentioned, you know, and the second book, you know, she went to the bathroom in that one page, and now she's her own book. You know what I mean? That's so true. You know what I mean? Like, and then I'm like, okay, great, who was that? And so then I feel like I missed the character, and I totally did. But when there's even when there's mentioned, like, you know, Samantha and Ashley, who's Ashley? Why do I keep her up? Samantha and Ashley went to my birthday party and then never talked about Samantha Ashley again. I'm like, why were they mentioned? Why, why would you confuse me like that? But then obviously, 16 books down the line, guess who pops up? Samantha and Ashley in a relationship. Um, but but I mean, like, there's just so many characters sometimes. I like when there's, especially when there's found family, and I do like a good like family dynamic. If there's like 16 brothers and sisters, I love that for the characters. I don't love that for my brain.

SPEAKER_00

And nine times out of ten, if there are 16 siblings, they all their names all start with the same letter. Yes, bees, Braden, Brandon with a Y.

SPEAKER_01

You know what I mean? Like they're all they're all like that. Yes.

SPEAKER_00

I I yeah, good point. I I can agree. I can agree with that for sure. Um, and oh, kind of a twist on it, especially whenever there are a lot of characters and like a mystery thriller just to throw you off. Like they mean absolutely nothing to the story, but they're just trying to add another suspect to throw you off, even though they don't matter at all. Have you been thrown off by those random characters, though? Um, not recently. I think I've been able to catch it better. But I think that's only because it's like if they're if they're in the background, but then they kind of disappear, then they're most likely going to be the killer. But if they keep popping up and they're like annoyingly popping up, then they're probably they're probably just in there to be a red herring.

SPEAKER_01

This this is my um I do like a good thriller. And I do have to say that this is reminding me of like Scooby-Doo, though. Like sometimes you're like, old man Jenkins, he was in the first scene only. So I get it. I get that. I love I love opinions. I love this. I love Scooby-Doo. I love that you brought that up as an example. Says the cozy mystery writer, old man Jenkins.

SPEAKER_00

I'm sorry, okay, keep going. I know seriously. Um, anyway, um, yes, I completely agree. So we agree again. We agree again. We're we're on a streak. Let's see. Okay. My next one is um book jackets. I kind of hate book jackets. So it's like they're pretty, but now I take them off. But I'm either going to bend them a little bit if I keep them on while reading, and then I'm gonna fight with the jacket the entire time, or I'm gonna take them off and no one's gonna be able to see what book I'm reading, and I'm gonna forget where I put the book jacket. So then whenever I finish reading, I don't know where the book jacket is and I lost it. And now I'm like, why, why, why did I buy a hardcover book? But I do like paperbacks better, so I think that's where that's coming from.

SPEAKER_01

I was excited to hear your opinion on this because I do the exact same thing as you, but I never thought about it. So, like, whenever there's a book jacket, I right away take it off. I put it somewhere, whatever. I've recently done something where I have a lot more hardcovers than I I realized when I cleaned my room. I was like, where do these come from? Um, but what I do recently is I'll put the paper or the book jacket in my book sleeve with the cut the hardcover. And I usually like keep track of it that way, but then it gets kind of smushy because I'm like, oh, I'm bringing it everywhere in my big tote bag, but I can't really take a picture of it like for aesthetic purposes or whatever without the book jacket because it's just like a yellow book. You know what that is. So now that you're saying book jackets, agreed. Yeah. We're getting we're getting we're getting uh real close to the number of agreements here. Yeah, 100% agree. Take away the book jackets, get out of here, take your jacket off.

SPEAKER_00

I am 100% blanking on what it's called, but you can get an option that is not a dust jacket whenever you publish a book and it is the cover on the hardcover, it's like basically stamped on there. So you don't have a dust jacket. And I'm blanking on what the name for it is because I have not been on Ingram Spark on the back end uh for a while. But there is an option to not do a book jacket, just throwing that out there. It is totally possible.

SPEAKER_01

There is uh a version of that I own of um Indigo Ridge from Devney Perry. I have not read it. Sorry guys, I will read it one day. Um I got signed, whatever. It's a hardcover, but it's the funkiest looking book in a great way. It has no book jacket, no dust jacket, nothing. The picture is just bridged on the hardcover. It's not even like yellow, it's like the whole picture. And I'm like, I kind of talking about.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, that's exactly what I'm talking about. I'm gonna have to look up what it's called because I am just so blanking, but it's like an option. It's an option whenever you're well, if you're self-publishing. I mean, obviously your publisher's making that decision if you're Tradpub, but if you're self-publishing, when you go into the back end of Ingram and you decide how you want your book and you're setting all the print specifications, you can set it to that. And I will remember as soon as we stop recording, obviously.

SPEAKER_01

But I do like that one. I have one of those books, and I'm like, yeah, this is cute.

SPEAKER_00

I like the idea. Okay, what what is your next one?

SPEAKER_01

Let's see if we can keep this going. Okay, um, this is this is my my last one, my fourth one, but if you know me, preference that if you know me, I am very picky with books, movies, TV series. Um, it's not because like they're terribly made, whatever, it's because I just don't vibe with them. I can't help it. You can't be mad at me about that. So mine is when people get mad at other readers because they don't like the book they loved. So my thing is I get it. This is your favorite book of all time. Um, if you're like I don't want to be like if you're diminishing like my thoughts because the book kind of I thought the book was terrible or it kind of sucked, I'm not gonna say that to you, but like if if if you hear my opinion, I don't did not like the book, I thought everything was terrible, one out of five stars, and you love the book, why would you go into my DMs and say I'm a terrible person? Like I've got that so many times. Like it's a book for one thing, but also I didn't tag anybody, I didn't tag you. Like, I'm sorry that I like it's it's because it's someone's favorite book that they people think that they have the right to say I'm wrong, which is fine. Do your thing. Like, I I could be wrong. You love the book, but don't don't be mean to me about it. Don't so again, I'm sensitive. I didn't like the book. So that's not my biggest pet peeve is um my favorite book might not be your favorite book, and I'm okay with that. So that's just stop there. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

And I think at that point for me, I'm just more like, we don't have the same book taste. Like, if you really didn't like a couple books that are my all-time favorite books, then I just know that like whenever I listen to your recommendations, like we don't have the same book taste, which is fine because everyone has different book tastes, that's the point. But also, uh, then like literally I will follow people that have the exact opposite book taste of me because I know that if they liked a book, then I am not going to like it. And so I will do like reverse psychology there. So I think that like everyone's allowed to have their own book taste. Who cares? I might be a little bit shocked. I might gasp a little bit if you, you know, said that you didn't like funny story. I mean, you know, I was a little bit shocked, but it's okay. Like, hey, I haven't read the other Emily Henry books. Maybe I maybe they're better. I don't know. I literally haven't read them. I will see. So snow's put off the bat, you know?

SPEAKER_01

I appreciate when I hear other people their thoughts about the the same book. I'm not gonna be like, you hated the book, you're a bad person. Like, I I love hearing that you didn't like something. Yeah, I know, right? But I love hearing different opinions. That's why I like a good book club. Because I'm like, why did you like it? Why didn't you like it? Tell me everything. I just like hearing people talk about their thoughts. But um, like for me, hockey, ugh, you hockey, woo. So, see, worst offense!

SPEAKER_00

I didn't tag you that I hate a hockey. Exactly. I didn't have a heart attack on the podcast. It's fun. Yeah, it's fine. We're free here. Yeah. That's okay. It's just not your sport. Yeah. It's just not your sport. Amen. You're allowed to not like hockey. I don't know how you find sports romance right now because there's so much hockey everywhere you turn, but hopefully it will the tides will turn for you, so eventually you'll be able to find more sports romance again.

SPEAKER_01

I was trying to do like a hockey, like um, like a pun, like uh the Zamboni will struggle around for you one day, but that didn't work out. So keep going. Sorry. The joke failed.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, my last um bookish pet peeve. I'm still trying not to laugh again. I'm still trying not to laugh. My last bookish pet peeve is people that think that audiobooks don't count as reading. Um, I mean, I know that like a lot of readers can agree that this is just ridiculous. But again, as long as I retain the information, who cares how I listen to it? I have a day job when I am at work. If I am doing a task that I can focus on an audiobook, I will listen to the audiobook. That does not mean that I didn't read the book. Honestly, it's the weirdest thing, but depending on what I'm doing, sometimes when I'm creating certain things, um, having an audiobook helps me focus way better than like music or a podcast or anything else. So I have listened to many an audiobook. And also half the time I will listen to parts and then pick up the physical copy and have both going. And like while I'm at work, I'll be listening. And then whenever I get off work, I'll um open the physical book. And I will say, in Akatar's favor, the chapters are short and the audiobook chapters and the paperback chapters match up perfectly. So I was able to do this for all of the books and just literally switch back and forth. So that that was a huge bonus point in its corner because half the time when you try to do that, the um audiobook chapters don't match up to the physical book chapters, and so then you're like constantly trying to fast forward and rewind and figure out kind of like where your place was. But uh gotta love those short chapters for that. It makes it a lot easier. But anyway, audiobooks are reading. Anything is reading. As long as you have a book in some form, way, whatever that is, whatever format, media, Kindle, whatever, like you're reading. Who cares? Stop, stop policing it.

SPEAKER_01

I think it's I think it's wild that people still bring that up. Like not you, but they they bring that up that it's not reading. Like it's 2026. Like, I don't know why you need to be reminded more. Like I don't uh I don't agree with the person saying, anybody saying it's not reading, because I'm sorry that you had the physical capability to sit and read a book all the time. But people like we have a day job, or we're going to school, or we're driving somewhere, and we love books. I'm gonna listen to the audiobook. That sounds like that sounded a really bad tone. It's a weird gross tone. But I'm gonna listen to the audiobook. Like, I I don't sometimes I I gotta tell myself, Megan, stop trying to understand. Because I don't understand that one. And I don't get it. Why would author make audiobooks out of their books if he's not reading?

SPEAKER_00

And um yes, and audiobooks are so expensive to produce. So if they took the time to produce that and narrators are so talented, heck yeah, that counts as reading. Stop it. Just stop it. Good for you. You get a point. Stop it. Stop it. Audiobooks are reading. I I don't know. That's my take. But they are reading. Um oh, once so last year, okay, so 2024 to 2025, I read like 136 books or whatever. Hal like probably, I don't know, probably 60% of those were audiobooks. That's how I got through so many per month was audiobooks. And whenever someone would ask me how much I read this year, and I would say that, then like half the people whenever they're like, How do you do that? And I was like, Well, I listen to audiobooks and ebooks and you know, read ebooks and read physical books, and they were like, Oh, well, that's because it's audiobooks and it doesn't count. And that just like made me so infuriated. And this year I've only read 70 books, but that's because I published a book. So, you know what? And I haven't listened to as many audiobooks. And looky there, I haven't read as many books. Shocker.

SPEAKER_01

I'm shook. Um I cannot believe people would say that in this day and age. Yes. Well, okay, so audiobooks do go faster for me because I can put up the speed, obviously. That's why I I get through them faster than normal people. I love a good 2.0. Speed enough for me. I'm I know the plot. I'm retaining everything. Why this is the last one you're getting me hated. Kristen. Do I have to? Your fault. It's fine. Actually, no, it's their fault. Audiobooks are reading. True. Point blank.

SPEAKER_00

I'm gonna get that like on a shirt. Audiobooks are reading. Point blank. Point blank. There you go.

SPEAKER_01

Period, poo. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Okay. Um one last random thing today before we close out. I forgot to tell you the story of the empty bookcase, and I probably sound echoey like this whole time because my bookcase is completely empty. And I forgot to fill you in. So you were just staring at this the whole time, Megan, and had no idea what I'm talking about. I was looking at your beautiful face. I don't know what you're talking about, but okay, keep going. So all this is normally filled with books behind me. And um for Christmas, my dad was like, What do you want for Christmas? And I said, I want to add molding to my bookshelf because I thought it would look nice. And you know, like that's this little, these little pieces, like right here. Oh, yeah. Okay. That's all the molding. So anyway, um, we made like three different trips to Lowe's, cut it, painted it, got it ready, got it up there. Come to find out, when they originally painted the bookcase, they painted it with the wrong kind of paint. So now it needs an entire, like, fresh coat of paint. So we did that. This is coat one. It needs two coats. So I'm still waiting. And now it sounds echoey and it's sad. It's just sad. One of my coworkers, like, we um I turned off, you know, we normally have like the backgrounds on Zoom and stuff like that or WebEx. And I turned it off and I showed them the bookshelves, and they were like, that's the saddest thing I've ever seen. Because they were just so empty.

SPEAKER_01

It's one of those like um people back in like the 90s, they would say, Oh, it's sad, let me play the world's smallest violin. But it is this is actually real, it does look really desolate. Like I have to say that. It does like nicely. Okay, but the thing is, you're painting two coats, okay. Two coats. But what was the what was the paint before?

SPEAKER_00

Was it still white? It was always white, but um, because they used the wrong paint, it was actually kind of cracking a little bit. Oh. And so then, yeah, like it looked like it was cracking, but it was really the paint cracking. It wasn't the actual shelf. Um, and so then we painted it with the right paint, but it it looks just a little bit streaky in like a couple areas. So that's why it ends up needing two coats, even though it was white before and it's gonna be white still.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, so we're not doing like the middle school thing, like crackle paint nail polish on the bookcase. We are just gonna be playing.

SPEAKER_00

Look exactly like crackle paint nail polish. Thank you. That is exactly what it looked like. I thought my whole bookcase was like done for, and then my dad was like, You're fine, it's the paint. Because I really thought that it was like the bookcase was deteriorating. 2006 right now is popping off on your bookcase.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

That's that's literally what it looks like. Thank you. I have not thought of that in years. Yeah, well, unfortunately I have.

SPEAKER_01

Um but but I am I'm wishing a speedy recovery for your paint job so your books can go back into their home. They need to.

SPEAKER_00

You'll you'll just have to wait. I'll have to take a picture of it when it's all done so you can see it. What what you would have would have seen in the background on a normal podcast day.

SPEAKER_01

This this is me, this is me being super honest. Didn't even realize. Um Good. Uh yeah. I just like I mean, I wasn't like, oh, what's my hi-o girlfriend? Um, but I now you pointed out, I go, oh yeah, that's quite sad. It is.

SPEAKER_00

It's really sad. I was like, have you realized that I waited till the end to say that? Um, so I'm really glad that you didn't notice because otherwise you're probably just like, what on earth? So that worked. Um is there anything that you would like to tell the listeners, Megan, before we depart for this episode?

SPEAKER_01

Um, I love this podcast. Oh, wait, how about how about I do the cliche? Thanks for having me on. Thank you so much. Um listen to podcasts, love books, um, A Flair for Trouble is my favorite book ever. Thank you so much for having me on.

SPEAKER_00

Thank you, Megan. That's it for today. Thanks for listening to Where I Left Off, a bookish podcast. You can follow Megan on Instagram and you can listen to Megan's Bookish Life, which will all be linked in the show notes.