Episode 46: End of Summer Reading Slump

Hello, hi, and welcome to Medium Lady Reads this is episode 46 - “End of Summer Reading Slump.”

Erin and Jillian are so glad you’re here with them once again! As always, they’ve got a fresh batch of book recommendations they’re excited to share.

Whether you’re squeezing out the last moments of summer or excited to update your TBR for fall, Jillian and Erin hope at least one of these titles finds its way onto your library holds list. So grab your favorite drink, get cozy, and let’s talk books. Erin and Jillian are always hoping you might just find your next favorite book!

In This Episode:

• Erin and Jillian check-in on how they’re reading and life is going. 
• Mentioned in this episode: Mississauga Public Library
• Jillian and Erin share their latest 6 book reviews. 
• Mentioned in this episode: Amy Poehler’s Podcast Good Hang
• Time for Hot Takes! Erin and Jillian dive into the drama around Ali Hazelwood. Listen in to learn more about it!
• Mentioned in this Episode: Elizabeth Gilbert halts publishing of book
• What books do Erin and Jillian have on hold at the library this week? Tune in to find out!

Books Mentioned in This Episode:

• Winging It With You by Chip Pons
• ShopGirls by Jessica Anya Blau
• Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman
• A Love Story by Annabel Monaghan
• A Witch’s Guide to Burning by Aminder Dhaliwal 
• Yes Please by Amy Poehler
• Happy Land by Dolen Perkins-Valdez 
• Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson
• Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson
• Sounds Like Love by Ashley Poston
• Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang
• Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood
• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
• Bride by Ali Hazelwood
• Playground by Richard Powers
• After Taste by Daria Lavelle  
• All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker
• The Breakaway by Jennifer Weiner

Transcript

MLR 46 End of Summer Reading Slump
[MUSIC PLAYING] Hello, hi, and welcome to Medium Lady Reads. This is episode 46, airing the week of September 2nd. And I'm so glad you're here. We've got six new book recommendations lined up for you today, stories to spark your imagination, and keep you company as the season starts to shift. Hi, everyone. I'm Jillian, an Instagram content strategist for Bookish People, a mom of two, based in Buffalo, New York. And I'm Erin, a mom of three, a hospital administrator in Ontario, Canada, and the host and founder of the Medium Lady Community and Medium Lady Talks podcast. Together, we're thrilled to bring you another episode of Medium Lady Reads, a podcast about reading a self-care, a passionate love for the public library, and all of our thoughts and opinions on book culture, having its moment. Hi, everyone, and welcome back to Medium Lady Reads. We're so glad you're here with us. This is episode 46, landing the week of November. No, I'm jumping ahead. September 2nd. And as always, we've got a fresh batch of book recommendations that we're excited to share with you. Whether you're squeezing out the last moments of summer or excited to update your TBR with fall, we hope at least one of these titles finds its way into your library holds list. So grab your favorite drink, get cozy, and let's talk about what we've been reading lately. We're always hoping you might just find your next favorite book. Hi, Erin. It's good to see you. How's your reading going? Hi, Jillian. It's great to see you. My life is going good. Reading is going really, really well. I'm just at the tail end of my summer reading stretch. And last year, I read an insane number of books. And this year, I'm just like, I'm not going to hit that same number. I think last August, I read 20 books in the month. And this month, I'm set to hit my average. On average, I read about 12 to 13 books a month. And that's probably what I'll hit. But I'm really loving my summer reading. I'm squeezing every single drop out of the summer itself. Our baseball season, believe it or not, is beginning to wind down for two of my three kids. And I had a great weekend away with my girlfriends. We actually did much more reading than we had last year when we had our weekend girl getaway. It was so relaxing. And I honestly, I highly recommend traveling with adult women. It's just so easy, so breezy. And then as a family, we're going back to the cottage tomorrow for another stretch. And I'm going to bring a delusional amount of books with me to just power through and enjoy every last drop of summer reading. I do have another really fun update, which is that when I create book content on Instagram, I often tag the Mississauga Public Library. But they've never really reshared or commented on my stuff until recently. I don't know if that's because they had, like, change in their social marketing division or what. But the Mississauga Library recently followed me. And Jillian can attest that I immediately screenshot the follow. I sent it to the Buddy Reads group. And I was like, it's happening. The library. The library has noticed me. And I just freaked out. But it was so sweet because I heard from Rob, who is, I think, the manager of their social media and marketing program of programming at the library. And Rob sent me a really sweet bookish care package to just, I guess, acknowledge and say thanks for the content. And thanks for the library shout outs. But it's been really, really fun calling the library my bestie and taking them in things. And they're kind of responding back and forth. So that's been really fun. And when I went into my local branch to pick up this care package, I had to, like, awkwardly say, like, I'm the girl who has-- like, I was like, how do I introduce myself? This is weird. So I just went up and I said, oh, I'm here. My name's Erin. I'm here to pick up something from Rob. And the librarian was like, you're her. You're the girl who makes the videos. And I was like, oh, my god. You're famous. Well, listen, if I'm famous with librarians, it's like the people I most want to have like me in the deepest way. And it was so sweet. She was so sweet. And she turned to this other librarian. There was a commotion. So the other librarian came. And she said, she's the one who made the videos. And the other librarian was more stoic and reserved. And she said, I haven't seen them. Always need someone to burst that bubble. I'm not on the apps. I don't. I'm so good. It was such a perfect balance of what anybody who's kind of-- kind of like you're always worried. You're a little bit cringed. But it's like, those people keep you real. It was so great. So great. So that's making me very happy in my bookish life. Current reads, I'll tell you very quickly, I just finished atmosphere this morning. And I've started. The river has roots by Amaral Motar. This is a short fantasy novella. It's only 133 pages about two sisters who can never be separated even through death. So Jillian, that was enough for me. How's your reading going? Well, reading is going, I suppose. I have to be honest. I'm in a bit of a reading slump. I-- nothing seems exciting. I'm picking up my phone more than I'm picking up my books. And it just stinks. I hate it. What I really need is a book to bring me back to reading. A really good book to bring me back to reading. And I just don't know what that book is. I need something because I'm just-- I'm reading. I'll be honest. I'm reading. But it's not been a lot. And it's not been super enjoyable. Like I miss my fast-paced reading. And it's just not happening. But hopefully something will bring me back. Hopefully I find the book of the year, maybe. But the next book is always around the corner. Yeah. That's true. As far as life is concerned, we're winding down the summer here. We've started school shopping and scheduling haircuts. And those sorts of things that you need to do before the start of the school year. Don't worry, though. We're still soaking up the heat in the sun while it's here. We're just preparing for school because, yeah, we're looking forward to the start of the school year here. Some people more than others. Yes, that's true. As we're currently reading, I'm reading "Winging It With You" by Chip Ponds. I shared a little brief synopsis on this in the last episode. But in case you haven't listened yet, here's another brief synopsis. When Asher is dumped at the airport just before the reality travel show, he recruits charming vacation shy pilot Theo to be his last minute replacement and fake boyfriend. As the cameras roll and sparks fly, their staged romance begins to feel surprisingly real. But to win more than just the competition, they'll have to unpack their baggage and take a chance on the real thing. And it's good, but it's just, I just can't, I don't know. I'm hoping it's not good enough to pick up. Yeah, yeah, kind of stinks. I really miss my fast-reading pace. Mm. You need a really good thriller. You need to go back to Murder Spring. You need a murder. I don't know. So, no. No? I skipped Murder Spring this year because I have so much anxiety. You never know what the book is going to include. Yeah, that's true. What's going to be triggering, so I skipped it. So it could be why. I've been reading a lot of romance, and maybe I just need a break from romance, but I don't know what the book is to bring me a break from romance. Did you get shop girls? I ended up missing it. Oh, OK. I never got to the library to pick it up. Try again with shop girls. Shop girls is not romance. It's a little margo has money problems. Gotcha. A J-cent, maybe even with slightly lower stakes. OK. Really sweet. All right. Maybe I will re-request it. And short, very short. You don't need me to diagnose or solve this for you, but-- No, but I'm always looking for book recommendations because, especially, I know that you read a lot of deep books. So sometimes that's just what I need. I need one of those books that really rips my heart out. No, I don't think shop girls will rip your heart out. Shop girls is watching a great TV show. OK. A great fun TV show. Like, never have I ever or to all the boys I've loved. Like, it's like, oh, I'm not even really like selling it properly because I'm not prepared to review it. But it's just like watching pretty in pink or something. OK. That sounds good. Really sweet. That sounds great. If anybody has recommendations for Jillian, what she should read or what you think she should try to pivot out of maybe Dungeon Crowler Carl. We'll help you. Trust me, I'm waiting for it from the library. I did have a listener recommend or offer to lend it to me. But I'm terrible at borrowing books because I don't always return them. No. And once you have it in your hands, you're like, I can read that whenever. Yeah. So I'm waiting from the library where I will actually give myself a deadline. Oh, but wait, although this isn't in the script, but you have your reading we can coming up? I do. This coming weekend. Friday. OK. So I don't even know when I'm bringing with me. Like, usually I have ideas on like what books I'm taking, but I don't even have ideas on what to take. And I don't have very many books out of the library, which for me is really weird. Usually I have anywhere between 15 and 20. And I right now, I think I have maybe four or five. So I don't know. I don't know when I'm bringing-- Maybe like bring nothing and just go to Barnes and Nobles and buy one book and be like, well, I don't have anything else. I have to read this. No, that sounds terrible. Don't do that. No, because my whole goal of going to the hotel is to just stay put in the hotel. OK. So I don't want to have to like go jaunt around. I get it. OK. All right. Well, you know what? You'll bring your adventures to the next episode, regardless of what happens. Yes. And I have plenty of books. I have plenty of books to bring. Even if they're not library books, I have books in my own. I just need to make some choices. Well, maybe by the end of the episode, we'll have you feeling really pumped about what you want to pick next. Probably. I always feel really pumped after our episodes. I always love them so much. Me too. All right. Well, since we love our episodes so much, and since we love you, our listeners, let's jump into what you're all really here for, which is our reviews for today. So Jillian, tell us about the books you have for today's episode. What are we in for? This week, I'm excited to bring a new summer romance, a nonfiction memoir by one of my favorite comedians, and a romance is some magical realism involved. And what about you, Aaron? What are you reviewing today? Yeah, today. I'm bringing a bit of a mixed bag. You know me. A captivating graphic novel about burnout and healing, an intergenerational novel about daughters and mothers. And finally, my favorite fantasy of 2025, I'm going to call it. But Jillian, you have today's first book. So what do you have for us? The first book I'm bringing to the show is a love story by Annabelle Moynihan. I gave this book four stars because why I did really like it some boredom set in towards the end. Here's the synopsis for you. Rules for a love story. There are none. It's all a lie. Jane Jackson knows the true love is a lie. Laughter is the only truth. You can't fake a belly laugh. Jane should know, she spent her adolescence as poor Janie Jake, the barbecue sauce in her braces punchline on America's fifth favorite sitcom. Now she's a creative executive at Clearwater Studios, and she's living by a new mantra. Fake it till you make it. Except she might have faked it too far. Desperate to get her first project Greenland and riled up by pompous cinematographer and one time crushed Dan Finn again, she opened her mouth in a big fat fib fell out. She claimed that Jack Quinlan, hottest pop star of the moment, has promised to write an original song for their soundtrack. Jack may have been her first kiss and greatest source of shame, but she hasn't spoken to him in 20 years. Now Jane must turn to the man she'd ever want to owe, Dan Finn again, because Jack is now playing a festival in Dan's hometown on Long Island, and Dan has an in. A week and close quarters with Dan while facing down her past as Jane's idea of hell, but Dan just might surprise her while covering up her lie can they find something true? So while this book was good, like I mentioned, boredom did set in with the miscommunication trope that showed up and I really, really can't stand that trope. It just, it gets me so mad and clearly bored. However, the female main character Jane turned it around. She spoke with her mom over the trauma she experienced with the letter she found from her dad, and then staged an event to get Dan, the main male character to notice her, and spilled her heart out. When she was talking and sharing her feelings, it got exciting again. So it won my heart again. This is my first time reading Animal Moynihan, but it will not be my last. I may even spend some time with her back list. If you like romances with enemies to lovers, this book is for you. That's my review of a love story by Animal Moynihan. Hmm. I think it's like an added benefit of your summer of romance novels is that you've kind of shared a couple of authors that I haven't read. Probably some authors that are maybe like a couple of bestsellers behind the big, big, big romance author names. Mm-hmm. I like this. I think this sounds, you know. I mean, I get what you're saying about being kind of like bored by the miscommunication trope. I think that's probably even worse than like being infuriated by it is like finding yourself bored and you're like, okay, when are we going to move past this part of the plot? Because then you're going to lose your reader really, really quickly. Yeah. And the turned around, it turned into a great story. So I definitely recommend it. But you're right. It does, I have found and identified a few new authors that I haven't come across up until this summer. So my little jaunt into romance has kind of helped me a little bit to find some new authors. Mm-hmm. I love that. All right, Erin, you're up next, which your first review? My first review for today's show is, "Which is Guide to Burning by Aminder Daliwal." This graphic novel was my pick for the July prompt in the Fold Reading Challenge, which was to read a graphic novel by an author from a marginalized community. And honestly, this is why I love doing the Fold Challenge so much because their prompts always push me towards books that I might not have discovered otherwise. And sometimes I land on a gem like this. So in this graphic novel, we meet our main character, Singe, who wakes up injured, burned as a witch by her community, though she survives thanks to the rain. She's lost her memories, so we don't yet know why she was targeted. Singe is found by which doctor Yuveda and her companion, Bufo Wunder, who is, yes, a cursed frog, and yes, it's as great as it sounds. Yuveda has guided many witches through recovery, but Singe has to be willing to give herself over to healing and rest because burnout is no joke. And then together, they set off on a journey to restore her memories and ultimately her sense of self. This book truly felt like it was handed to me by Book Magic. Reading it during my own summer of real rest, I just couldn't get over how perfectly the themes of recovery and sustainable healing aligned with all of the stuff I've been talking about on our sister podcast, Medium Lady Talks, and all of the content that I've been making on Instagram this summer. The story is compelling and layered with thoughtful lessons about survival, resilience, and the courage that it takes to rest. And of course, it's a graphic novel. So Dali Walls artwork makes the journey vibrant and alive in the way pros alone just can't capture. If you're new to graphic novels or you've been sort of like, I don't know if that's for me, I'll tell you this one is very accessible and not overly complex in structure. It's not very comical feeling. And there's a lot of text that is in normal font size. But if you're already a graphic novel fan, Jillian, I know you love graphic novels. Or if you're kind of invested in your own burnout recovery and you want to break from all of the wellness lit that's out there, I think this is an absolute must-to-add to your TBR. I did borrow it on Libby and I highly recommend checking your library for it. But this is one I'll be hunting for a print copy to hopefully add to my shelves. This is five star book from me. I really loved it. It's A Witch's Guide to Burning by Aminder Daliwal. - Wow, thinking of buying it. That is a huge, huge props for the book from you. - Yeah, I just kind of want to like feel it in my hands 'cause I read this on my iPad and it's just a really like beautiful tactile story. And graphic novels sometimes translate really, really well on an iPad, but sometimes you just kind of like want to hold the art in your hands. - Yeah, for sure. It sounds really good. I think I'm gonna have to look for it because just the way you've described it doesn't even make it sound like a graphic novel. It sounds more like a novel. - Mm-hmm, it felt more like a novel. - Excellent. - All right, my friend, you are next to tell us all about your second review. The next book I'm bringing to the show is Yes, Please by Amy Polar. I am a huge Amy Polar fan so there was no question that I would love her book. Plus I loved it twice. I read the book back in 2016 and then listened to it again in 2025. I gave the book five stars both times. Here's a synopsis. In her first book, one of our most beloved funny folk delivers a smart, pointed, and ultimately inspirational read. Fold the comedic skill that makes us all love Amy. Yes, Please is rich and varied collection of stories, lists, poetry, plastic surgery, high coup to be specific, photographs, mantras, and advice with chapters like, "Treat your career like a bad boyfriend," "Playing Girl versus the Demon," and the robots will kill us all. Yes, Please will make you think as much as it will make you laugh. Honest, personal, real, and righteous. Yes, Please is full of words to live by. Amy in the book, or I should say, and it is the book, obviously, but in the audio version of the book, Amy has a whole slew of different readers, different people read and excerpts from the audio version. And it was a true joy to listen to. Like Seth Meyers has a whole chapter in there and it's just, it's so fun. I like to say I'm Amy's BFF. So listening and learning more about her background was fun and enjoyable. If you're a fan of memoirs that are mostly upbeat and fun, this is definitely one you want to listen to. That's my review of Yes, Please by Amy Polar. Ooh, I read this a really long time ago too, but I definitely read the print copy. And the idea of an audio really is appealing. I can totally see why you would reread this. Other podcast listeners may have dabbled with Amy's new podcast called Good Hang, which I would ten out of ten recommend. Yes, same. It's an excellent podcast. She's done an amazing job with it. She's a very talented interviewer. Podcasting is a great medium for her, I think. And so I can also imagine where an audiobook would also be a really, really great way to just consume her brilliance. Yeah, it's a great, great book. And I, because I read it in 2016 initially, I didn't remember anything about it. Perfect. So it was the best to just reread it, the audio version, and you know, kind of sink into it. I, it was like a whole brand new book to me. What made you decide to reread it? Because I was looking, well, number one, I love her. And I'm always looking for more ways to get more content from her. And so I was looking for a memoir. I had a credit from Audible. And I was like, you know what? Amy Polar's book, which I have a copy of on my shelves, I was like, I am gonna listen to this. I am gonna listen and see if it's any different. And it was, it was, I mean, the book is the same, but the people she has reading and join her, it makes it all different. Mm-hmm. Yeah, that seems to be kind of one of her superpowers is really like bringing people in to make the work better, to like create, she likes to create in collaboration. That's really cool. Yeah, that was great. All right, Erin, your next. Tell us about your second book. Okay, the next book I wanna talk about is Happy Land by Dolan Perkins-Valdes. This book, I think, has been making the rounds on book socials at first, probably because of the beautiful cover of a stunning black woman in a flower crown. It's a very aesthetically appealing cover. But if we come for the covers, Jillian, we stay for the writing. And Perkins-Valdes is a writer, I really admire. She's known for bringing little known history to life in such compelling ways. And a lot of people adored her earlier book called Take My Hand, which I think was released maybe in 2021 or 2022. I gave Happy Land a solid four stars. I really enjoyed the intergenerational storytelling. And I especially loved the atmosphere for the audiobook, which was created thanks to dual narrators. It was such a strong part of the reading experience for me. So the story of the Happy Land opens with Nikki. She's been summoned to visit her grandmother, Momarita, in the deep country of North Carolina. Their relationship is a little bit strained, but Nikki is hoping to finally understand what's behind the wedge between Momarita and Nikki's mom. And then the book cuts back over 100 years to Nikki's great, great, great grandmother who lived within a kingdom of black-freed people on that very same land. And the story of how Louella, Nikki's great, great, great, grandmother, how Louella became queen within that kingdom. And so the novel starts to unfold going back and forth between these two storylines, Nikki's and Louella's. And what makes it really shine is that I would say both women are a little bit messy. They're very real, sometimes they're annoyed, sometimes they make the wrong choice, sometimes they're a little withholding, but that just makes them feel more alive within the story. Now I can admit, with like a dual point of view like that back and forth, there can be moments in the middle where I personally felt more drawn to one storyline than the other. I was just a little more invested in one plot because they're separated by over 100 years. I think it's always a risk with a dual point of view novel. But by the end, I was totally hooked on both storytellers. And I would say Happy Land is a powerful layered story of family, inheritance, and dreams that get passed down through the generations. Especially if you're an audiobook listener and you're looking for your next audiobook, I definitely recommend Happy Land. I felt like the audiobook is definitely the way to go with this one bringing the story atmosphere right to life. That's my review of Happy Land by Dolan Perkins Valdez. - Sounds so good. It reminds me a little bit of Black Cake, I think it's the book I'm thinking of. Have you read that one? - I still haven't read any Charmaine Wilkerson. No, Black Cake, and then you read her other book. - Yes. - The one that came out this year and I can't think of the name of it. I'm sorry about that. - Good dirt. - Yes, good dirt. Good dirt is very different than this, but Black Cake has the family through the generations. And it's good. It's a very good book. I enjoyed it, but this one sounds excellent too. - Happy Land is a real part of Black history in America. It was a true community of Black-freed people who bought land and tried to declare themselves an autonomous community outside of the government of America. And it's really, really interesting. I think Dolan Perkins Valdez is very good at taking little known parts of Black American history and amplifying them in the context of storytelling. - I'll have to check it out. - Mm-hmm. Okay, it's our final round of books, Jillian, what's your last book for the show today? - All right, the final book I'm bringing to the show is Sounds Like Love by Ashley Poston. I gave this book three and a half stars. I wanted to love this book. I really did. I absolutely loved and devoured seven-year slip, but this one didn't hold the same power that that one did for me. About halfway through, I was very bored. And if I didn't already have about 50% invested, I probably would have DNFed it. But someone else may love it, so here's the synopsis for you. Joni Clark is living the dream. She's one of the most coveted songwriters in LA, and she can seem to write. There's an emptiness inside her and nothing seems to fill it. When she returns to her hometown of Vienna Shores, North Carolina, she hopes that the sand, the surf, and the concerts at the Rev. Rev. Revellery, her family's music venue will spark her inspiration. But when she gets there, nothing is how she left it. Her best friend is avoiding her. Her mother's memories are fading fast, and the Rev. Re is closing. How can she think about writing her next song when everything is changing without her? Until she hears it, a melody in her head, a lyricless and half-formed and an alluring and addictive voice to go with it, belonging apparently to a rhyme musician with hangups of his own. Surely he's a figment of her own and overworked imagination. But then the very real man attached to the voice shows up in Vienna Shores. He's aggravating and gruff on the outside, nothing like the sweet funny voice in Joni's head. And he has a plan. They'll finish the song, haunting them both, break their connection, and hope they didn't risk their hearts in the process. Because that song is stuck in their heads, maybe it's there for a reason. So for me, the reason this book ended up with three and a half stars and not lower is because it really did end up picking up and I ended up enjoying it quite a bit. It wraps up nicely. Let's just say that. Another annoying thing for me is that the female main character doesn't clearly communicate how she's feeling in parts of this book. She even admits to not communicating well and yet she still doesn't. I wasn't lying when I said I don't like the miscommunication trope. I really don't. I just, as we're all adults here and we're reading adult books, let's communicate clearly. Amen. Overall, not the best, but certainly not the worst. That's my review of Sounds Like Love by Ashley Poston. (laughing) 3.5, but not lower, but almost lower. She saved it at the end. She did. You know what actually is really funny 'cause in your last episode, you reviewed problematic summer romance by Ellie Hazelwood. And you said that she saved it at the end. Yes. And I just finished that on my girls' weekend and I would 100% agree. I gave that four stars and I was like, this is gonna be a three at best. And then the end was great. Yeah. It's so good. It's so good. So listen, yeah, the ending is really important. It is. If books didn't have endings though, I mean, we wouldn't read them. Although that's not true because you love books that have those hanging on. I love an open-ended book. Yes, yes. But I will say, well, I don't wanna get too far down the garden path, but atmosphere I just finished this morning. I think everyone loves that book because of the ending. Yes. Well, yes, and I think-- Listen, there's, yes, yes. There's a lot of really, really great things about that book, but I think if it hadn't ended like that, I don't know. I don't wanna. Yeah. You don't wanna give it away. I see what you're saying. Yeah, we can talk about off-key off-mic. Shh. List hair, this isn't-- It's not for your ear. Your mouth's-- Oh, wait, you already have headphones. [LAUGHS] OK, well, back-- we're back from our side quest. I've got the last review. Yes, let's hear it. OK. So my last review, I'm gonna make a bold statement, will be what's likely to be awarded the Medium Lady Favorite Fantasy for 2025 so far. Blood Over Bright Haven by ML Wong. If you follow Fantasy Book Influencers, you've probably already seen this one pop up again and again. For me, it wasn't until Brit and her books did one of her legendary rants that I bumped it at my TBR. And part of that is because Brit and her books, she's not a fantasy content creator, but she went off unlike the audacity of ML Wong to write such a good book, and that she was basically furious that the book was over, and she couldn't return to the book anymore because ML Wong had done something really intensely wonderful with the book, and I thought, that is a really cool point of view. So I bumped it at my TBR, and I had been feeling a little fantasy fatigue. I was kind of like, I might need a fantasy-- the same way you were sort of saying, maybe I need a romance break. I was sort of feeling like, I need a fantasy break. But I'm so glad I ignored that instinct, because this book is something very, very special. Here's the setup. Imagine the thing you love most-- magic, spell work, the math, and engineering of turning magical energy into power. Imagine that thing is something reserved only for men. And as a woman, you have to work twice as hard, perform to perfection, only to watch more mediocre men surpass you. Does it sound familiar? And that's exactly what drives our heroine, Sionna. She's determined to defy gender norms and test as the only woman ever to achieve the level of archmage with a shot at becoming the first woman admitted into the high magic street. But, of course, it's not just about her talent. The deeper Sionna digs, the more she uncovers centuries of manipulation and oppression built into the very foundation of the magical system. And I'll stop there, because this is a book you want to go into as blind as possible. I will only tell you this. There is a twist at about 40% that made me gasp so loudly. My nine-year-old son came into the room. And yes, then he made me explain him the whole plot, because he wanted to know what it was all about. And then he even doubled back later to be like, did you finish that really cool book? And can you tell me what happened in the end? He was invested in my second hand when you're telling of this story. The durable. So here's what makes this book so incredible. It gives you exactly what the story demands. No fluff, no drag, just razor sharp world building, and propulsive pacing across 430 pages. I've never seen a standalone fantasy deliver this much depth and nuance so efficiently. The parallels to our own cultural and political systems are very clear, but they're never heavy-handed. And I never felt like I had to do heavy lifting as a reader to make those comparisons. Thankfully, my fantasy fatigue is cured, but now I have a new problem because nothing else is going to live up to this book anytime soon. If you call yourself a fantasy reader, you must add blood over bright haven to your list. That's my review. I must get my hands on this book, because I've seen several people talk about it. Say five stars. Now hearing your review, I need it. I need to read it. The only downside is is that you've already read it, and just bring it back. Maybe you'll hate it. No, I don't know. I doubt I'd hate it. I mean, you tend to be a pretty good judge when it comes to fantasy, especially. So I have to admit-- I just couldn't believe it was standalone. It was like-- It definitely is. There's no chance of the author or me. No, it's over at the end. It's over. I mean, I guess if you really wanted her to, but it doesn't end on a cliffhanger. It's like everything is wrapped up. I have to add that one to my TBR. I think you should. It would be a very good fall book. It has-- people have called it Dark Academia. I would call it almost steampunk Dark Academia. Like it's got a little bit more mechanics and engineering and trains and machines built into it. But it's like from the jump you know where you're at, and the magic is complex. But I don't know how she does it so efficiently. She's like, here's how the magic works. And you're like, OK, I get it. I get it. I can picture it. I can imagine it. I'm ready. Let's go. Let's go. And it's like a rip-roaring ride from there. You're going to read it. So that's great. Yeah. I'm going to request it from my library ASAP. OK, perfect. Perfect. So we'll pivot into hot takes. Last week, we briefly touched on some Ellie Hazelwood drama without actually explaining it. Sorry about that. We were like, we haven't scripted this. So look it up. But we thought it would only be fair. If we dove into that for today's hot take. So Ellie Hazelwood is one of our faves. And if you're a longtime listener of Medium Lady Reads, you know, Jillian and I, we both really love Ellie Hazelwood. She is a prolific romance writer. She's written some of Jillian and I's favorite romance novels like The Love Hypothesis or Love Theoretically or Bride, which was an unhinged cozy Christmas read recommendation from friend of the show, Stephanie Cunningham. So many more of Ellie's books have been reviewed on many episodes of Medium Lady Reads. And just last week, Jillian reviewed problematic summer romance. Ellie is also very funny. And her books are pretty funny. But in person, she's equally very funny. While on the panel earlier this year, the Ellie Times Festival of Books, Ellie made a joke, but one that she stood by while debating the Hunger Games series. Readers of that series know that often there are two factions, Team Pida or Team Gale. And I think most people are on Pida's side. Yeah, I mean, I think many of us were on Pida's side, but Ellie is not. And she's shared on this panel that she's firmly team Gale because in her words, she jokingly said, in very good humor, I'll add, that Pida is useless. And I quote, "What happens next is so stupid." Ellie became the target of a huge amount of online harassment. And so did the authors that she was promoting or trying to bring awareness about using her platform. It was so bad, Ellie deactivated her socials. So here's the hot take. Has book talk become toxic? Online fandoms are they going too far? Should authors have to be careful of these fandoms? And does this kind of thing make authors think twice about what they write, what they say, or the stories that they create? I think it's very dangerous, Jillian, what do you think? Yeah, I think, in a way, book talk has become toxic. I think the fact that people attacked Ellie for something that was a joke. And even if she wasn't joking around and she was saying this very seriously in a very serious conversation, there's no reason to attack somebody for something like that. So yeah, I think, in this case at least, I think book talk did become a bit toxic. And I feel bad for Ellie, he's a lot. Like, why do we have to be so right or die for our fandom that we're willing to mistreat a real person on behalf of a fictional character? Yeah. Like, PETA is not real. So like, get a grip. Get a grip that you're going to like, violently harass someone. And then also harass the people that they are trying to promote and uplift because Ellie is known for being in her story saying, have you read this author? Have you read this author? Have you heard of this person? She knows she has a huge following. She knows she's a mega author superstar. And she tries to use her platform for good. In what universe? Like, are people, have they lost their minds? - They clearly have. - They could go after a real person for an opinion, even if you think her opinion is wrong, that just makes for what we do here on the show. A good conversation about books. I think PETA's useless. You don't, let's talk about it. That's fun. That's what makes books fun. But the minute you take it personally, that I have an opinion that doesn't match with yours, about, about, and it's not even about like, world events or human rights. This is about a fictional character in a book written 25 years ago. Like, get a grip. What is going on? - Yep. - And it was a lot of people. It was a lot of people. - It was everywhere. It was, I found out about it in someone's stories on Instagram, but it was on threads. I'm sure it was on Facebook and on, and acts and everything. I just am not really on those platforms. So it was everywhere. - I just like, I have never loved a thing so much that I would be willing to tear down another human being on behalf of. - And I don't think-- - Of what? Like, I love Mickey Mouse so much. Like the little mermaid, like what? What? - It's one thing to, I don't know, it's just, it's one thing to have an opinion and it's another to attack someone over that opinion. - Totally, totally. - It's okay to feel differently. - Yes. - And it's okay to keep that to yourself. And if you wanna banter back and forth with somebody about it, make it friendly. Make it like-- - You're respectful. - Yeah, like you're on the debate team. You're just having a good time. You don't need to attack somebody. We're so invested in being right that somebody having another opinion on us is like deeply threatening to our sense of self. It's like, well if Ali Hazel would think, "Pita's useless, what does that say about me?" Literally nothing. It says literally nothing about you. You just like different things and that's cool. - Yep. - It's like, not that big of a deal. - No. - I still can't get the get over this. It does scare me for the authors who are watching what's happened to Ali and are thinking, "Oh, I won't make that joke or oh, I won't write that storyline or oh, I won't include that conflict or oh, I won't be provocative." Or oh, I won't tell stories that are outside of what people are comfortable with. That's all like incredibly divisive and toxic and it means that we're going to be doing less of what we love in books. - Yeah, it's gonna hold people back. - I think it's very dangerous, but I don't know what to do about it other than use the platform that we have to talk about how. - Ridiculous it is. - It's not necessary and ridiculous it is, yeah. - Okay. - Great. - That gets me like, that gets me like, we had talked a while ago and I should, I wish we had like a good glossary or an index of the podcast 'cause we did at one time talk about Elizabeth Gilbert wrote a book about people in Russia and she pulled it from publishing and that was in part because people had pre-reviewed it on good reads and giving it like one star. So I can't remember, but it's like very, - Yeah, it's the same time I think. - It's a very funny, funny world we live in, the power people have. - It's funny you bring that up because I was literally just thinking about that last night about that book and just wondering how whether she'll ever bring it out. - Mm-hmm, I know. - It's probably amazing. - Yeah, I mean, I'm sure she works really hard on it and she cared a lot about the story which I bet shows up in the work itself, but I digress and if you don't know what that is, you're gonna have to look it up or find it. (laughing) Or find the old episode which we can, I can't even tell you what episode that is. - I don't know either, it was early on. - I do love our hot takes, Jillian, I love just like, I know a lot of the time we agree, so maybe that's not very like representative of debate, but. - That's still a hot take. - Yeah, it is. Okay, thanks everyone. And if you have any hot takes or if you wanna engage with us in what we think about the Allie Hazelwood. - The Allie Hazelwood drama controversy, you can always connect with us on Instagram at Medium Lady Reads, all one word. And Jillian and I would be happy to welcome you into the hot takes conversation. - Absolutely. Okay, we're gonna wrap up with the holds list. Aaron and I are very passionate about the library and because we both, we're both avid readers, we both have very active holds lists. And we feel like that's something we don't hear a lot about on book podcasts, book talk, or IG. So we know it's something we can offer the bookish community. Plus we'll be sharing what's up next to let the listener know what we'll be reaching for on our TBR. Aaron, what's on your holds list? - Okay, so right now waiting for me at the library, I have Playground by Richard Powers. This was recommended on a recent episode of Currently Reading. And this is a story that weaves our wonder of the ocean alongside technology advancements and AI. There's four distinct characters that eventually come together into a single plot. The host of Currently Reading, Katie Cobb, really raved about this one. And sometimes our tastes are a bit of a match. So I'm looking forward to this. I think it's probably gonna fall in my like weird books that I love category. Next up, I'll be reading After Taste by Daria Lavalle. Jillian, you might like this one. It's about a chef who makes meals that help people reunite with their deceased loved ones. It is listed as Fantasy Romance and people have made comparisons to Under the Westbring Door. - Ooh. - Uh-huh. I'm very curious to dig into this one. Okay, Jillian, what are you waiting for from the library? And when do you have coming up on your TBR? - All right, so waiting for me, I have all the colors of the dark by Chris Whitaker. I need to pick that up by 822. So maybe that'll come with me on the book weekend. By 822, August 22nd. - Yeah. - Oh, you said 822 and I thought 822 PM and I was like such a precise time to pick it up. (laughs) And I checked the time when I was like, I hope she has enough time. Oh, it's only 222, okay, it's six hours. - Oh my goodness, there. - It's fine, I need another coffee. - Oh my goodness. - So the only book that I'm waiting for is all the colors of the dark, but I'm still hanging on there waiting for Dungeon Crawler Carl. The thing is because it's an older book, there's not the seven day wait on it. - Oh. - So people can keep it for 22 days or technically longer if there's not anybody waiting, though there are seven of us waiting. - Yeah, yeah, right, right. - So waiting for that, and a bunch of other ones too. I did just say I'd blood over Bright Haven and I was expecting that to have a major hold list, but there's none. It's sweet. It just coming right to me when it's ready. - Perfect. - And then as for what's up next, I'm gonna read The Breakway by Jennifer Weiner. This book is from her back list from 2023, but I've never read it and I never read it then, so I'm gonna read it now. Here's a little synopsis for you. Abby Stern seems to have it all. A fiance, a close circle of friends, and her passion for cycling. But Doubt's linger beneath the surface when she agrees to lead a two week bike trip, she's thrown off course by the unexpected appearance of Sebastian, her unforgettable one night stand in her critical mother. Over 700 miles, Abby must confront old wounds, family baggage, and her own heart to discover what happiness really looks like. So this does sound like another romance, and I know that I said I was gonna be dumb with romance, so I reserve the right to choose, what was it, all the colors of the dark? Over this one, the snors, so don't, don't come at me if I'm-- - Like me would. (laughing) You lied. - This is a good one. I've read a couple Jennifer Weiner, this one I remember, it has its romance-ish. - That's good. - There's plot, I would say the plot is not driven by a romantic plot line. - Okay, that's good. - Yeah, the female main character, that main character Abby is great, really, really well written. I really like this one. - Maybe I won't skip it then. Maybe I will read it and enjoy it, 'cause I need a book that's not a romance, but that is easy reading. - That would be the breakaway for sure. - Okay, so that-- - But all the colors of the dark is easy reading, but tough subject matter. - Yeah. - And really short chapters, which you might also hit the sweet spot too. - I do love short chapters. - Cool. - All right, well everybody, you're gonna have to come back to your episode 47 to see what Jillian actually ended up doing. (laughing) But that wraps up episode 46 of Medium Lady Reads. We've had a lot of fun today. Medium Lady Reads is a spin off of the Medium Lady Talks podcast and Instagram community. On Instagram, you can find me, erin@medium.lady, and you can find Jillian @jillianfindinghappy for more of our current reads and other shenanigans. And of course, you can follow the podcast itself on Instagram @mediumladyreads. - If you like this episode, please share it with another bookish friend. It really helps us continue to grow the show to reach more readers. Thank you for listening. I'm your host Jillian. - And I'm your other host, erin. Until next time, we hope that your holds arrive quickly. - And your next book finds you right when you need it most. We'll talk to you soon. Bye. - Bye. (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music)