Hi guys, welcome back to all read what she's reading. I'm Michaela. I'm Kennedy. And I'm Reggie. Today we're talking about things that were over. Mostly bookish things. Of course. Of course. Because this is a book podcast. I'm sure you guys can all relate that sometime in your reading lifespan, you're over something, whether it be a genre, a trope, a certain author. Today we're talking about things we're over. Yeah. In the bookish space. Book edition. We're over it. Yeah, and we're heated. Real heated. So we have a bunch of prompts of things that we are saying that we're over. And uh I have no idea what they're gonna say. I think I might know some things that they might say, but I don't I you never know. They may they may surprise me. But let's let's jump right into it. Let's do it. Okay. First one. Starting off with a trope that we are over. Um I have I could say like probably five or six things. I'm gonna say two. My first one is miscommunication that could be solved in like just one simple conversation, like literally a sentence. Sometimes I feel like I waste my time on some books because like they're really good. And then I'm like, wait, you're telling me that you could have just talked about that like five years ago for like two seconds. Sometimes the miscommunication trope is fine, but sometimes when you find out what the miscommunication was, it's like the biggest eye roll. That's my first one. You guys say you can say one. Mates. Oh, faded mates. Faded mates. Conform where mate was used how many times? 300 and something times, yeah. I just want authors to be a little bit more creative with love and relationships. I just think it's so much more romantic to choose each other versus you're fated to be together. 100%. You know? Choosing. I don't know. Just mates. Mates in general, I would love to skip that trope. Yeah, I honestly don't think I want to read another book like that again. Yeah. Like I know that there's some books that or series that I have not finished yet, that it's like, I know I'm gonna hear about it again. Yeah. It's fine. But if I have to read another new fantasy book, yeah, that's like you're my mate. It was so popular for so long. Yeah, I can see why it was working, but it just loses the shock value. Becomes a bit repetitive. Yeah. Yeah. It's a great one. Anyways, that's that's my trope that I'm sick of. Over it. My other my other one is, and maybe you guys don't get sick of this, but I would just like to see it done differently. A poor girl in a human world finds out she's like a long-lost princess. Oh, the chosen one trope. Chosen one, and she has powers, and you know what I mean? I feel like we see that a ton. Give me a female main character. I don't care if it's someone who doesn't know that they're actually immortal or a princess or something, but give me like a confident, badass main character that knows she's hot. Because they're always like, I'm not pretty, I'm so ugly, but all these fate men are throwing themselves at me. You know what I mean? I'm like, give me a confident, mature woman that's like, oh yeah, this is awesome that I'm a chosen. It's always like, oh no, I don't want to be a princess. Who doesn't want to be a princess? Be so for real. That's a little intense, me. But I'm just saying, I want something, I just it's just starts to feel a little juvenile the more you hear it, and it's not like the story's bad because it makes for a good story. I would just like to see it done a little bit differently because I feel like I've read enough fantasy books now that I'm like, okay, I can see where this is going from sometimes the first chapter. Yeah. You know? I want to read the exact opposite. I want to read like the villain. Oh, yeah. Like the worst villain, and then they turn into they gotta write all their wrongs. Not the chosen one, the unchosen one. The unchosen one. Or like the girl is the princess, and she's, you know, and it's like a lowly stable boy that I don't I don't know. I don't know. Just something different. Let's just like rewrite the narrative a little bit. Yeah. I'm sure there's books out there like that. So if there are, please throw them at me. Kennedy, what is your over it trope? Um, I think I'm gonna go with the like insta-lust, insta connection, insta-love, where people think it's marketed as not insta love, but it truly is. You know exactly who the love interest is from page one. Yeah. I wanna I wanna guess. Yeah. I want there to be a few people I can choose from. I want there to be some emotional connection before they just bang it out. I want, you know, a little more substance instead of I just want to jump your bones immediately. I get that that happens in real life. You're attracted to someone, but I want more. Yeah. Give me some yearning. I want the yearning. Yearning. Yeah. Let's bring yearning back. That's that's gonna be my trope. I mean, I'm sure there's other micro tropes that I'm not obsessed with, but when it comes to mind. All right. That one's it. Next one is um one publishing trend you're over. Publishing trend, you're over, Edgy. Well, to go along the lines of what Kennedy was just saying, I am sick of books being advertised as a certain kind of trope when they actually are not. Please do not tell me this is a slow burn when it's not. If they're kissing on chapter 10. In the first book. In the first book. Yeah. Yeah. Please. Like, do not say slow burn. Or it's like enemies to lovers. And I'm like, no, they're like so attracted to each other. They love each other. You know what I mean? It's just like, he's being mean to you because he likes you. No. I want him to actually hate your guts. Yeah. I want him to I want your inner dialogue to be like, I want to feel like to be like, I want to strangle this person. You know what I mean? Yeah. That's to me, that's not enemies lovers. I'm sorry. If you want to try and market your book that way, that's fine. But I get disappointed when I read some books because when it's first marketed to me, it's like slow burn, enemies slowers. And then it's like, I'm not getting that after a few chapters. I'm like, okay, that's obviously. So then I'm like naturally let down. I'd rather not know what the trope is, or I'd rather you just be like, it's a fantasy, romance, I don't know. I want them to get away from marketing with tropes, period. Why can't we just market with the plot? With the synopsis. Why are we sitting here? Vibes. Not only that, but sometimes tropes completely spoil a book.
SPEAKER_02You know?
SPEAKER_00So sit there and tell me that this book is about a warrior princess who meets a stable boy, and together they are trying to find the amulet to save the world. Like, can't you market it that way instead of love it? You know? Yeah. Yeah. Instead of like enemies to lovers. Or on vibes, yeah. My book, you will love my book if you love Pirates of the Caribbean, meets Game of Thrones. There's dragons and there's ships and there's pirates. Yeah. Love, love, love. So if you guys want to hire me to like, you know, advertise your book, I'm free. We're starting marketing agency, everybody. I think they should go back to the early 2020s where they were doing like pictures and music. I'm like, this is the vibe. Run, boy, run. Yeah, let's bring that back. Or like, yeah, I I think too, it's hard because even if a publisher or a author doesn't market their book that way, someone on TikTok is trying to sell a book, like, sell you on a book that way. So that's what just gets really hard. And I know there's times we've probably said, you guys will love this book. It's a slow burn. Or you'll love this because it's great. Like, friends to lovers, maybe that spoils it for you guys. We try to be careful when we say things, but we know that sometimes you can't help but say that. I get it, but sometimes I think it's just really emphasized on tropes, and I just it can ruin a book. Yeah. Depending on the person. For sure. So how about you guys? Um, I think for me, something that I'm over in the publishing industry is book covers looking similar. And I know that publishers are pushing that. And I'm sure the authors love like the covers of their books, but they're like, no, your cover needs to look this way. You know? Mm-hmm. Yeah, I'm just kind of like over books looking the same.
SPEAKER_02I want something different.
SPEAKER_00I feel like there's usually like a crown or a dagger with some kind of ivory, like leaves, viny stuff, a person on it. I don't know, like, you know, it's just some kind of flower leave. A cartoon couple. Yeah. Yeah. I just I really there's a quite a few that I can think of that are really creative and unique covers, and I love them, and I feel like they stand out that much more because they are. Yeah, what's ironic is you would think if your book looked the same as everybody else's on a shelf, somebody wouldn't gravitate towards it and pick it up and read the back at a bookstore. Yeah. Whereas if it looks unique, that immediately catches someone's eye. There was a library, or no, there was a bookstore I was at recently. And the romance section, when I tell you every book I picked up, because I was just like trying to, you know, read the back of the books, check them out. Every single romance book on one certain bookshelf, like these two bookshelves, they were all the same, like a bright color, a poorly drawn cartoon couple on the front. Honestly, I'd be more likely to pick up sometimes, like that turns me off from the book. She wants the Fabio style romance. It's just gonna be a really smuddy, cheesy book, you know?
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00But then I look at some books like I remember when a bunch of you listeners recommended May Luna to me. I knew I wanted to read that immediately just from looking at the cover. Not even what it was about, because I was like, that's different, that's cool. I don't know. So yeah. Yeah, that's that's my qualm. Yeah. Over it. Great qualm. My qualm. I'm over the fast fashion publishing trend.
SPEAKER_02Yes, yes.
SPEAKER_00Now I'm not in publishing, so I don't understand completely how it works, but I think putting pressure on authors to quickly bring out sequels results in poor editing, just maybe, you know, things aren't completely fleshed out. And I know we've talked about this before, it's not always the author's fault when there are, you know, grammatical errors or continuity errors. That's not always the author's fault. And so I would much rather wait an appropriate amount of time with some sort of light at the end of the tunnel, you know, I don't know, like a a title, maybe like a color of a book, or like a year it's gonna be published. A call her daddy episode. Um, you know. I don't know, just anything, just some sort of date instead of fast fashion, you're pumping it out quick. Because I understand also the hype the the publishers feel when something's really popular, they need to hop on and keep it keep the momentum going so that readers still want to read. But also makes me mistrust certain publishers. There's certain publishers out there you know, after I'm not gonna name names, but there was a string of time where they were just pumping out books, and you could tell that the quality wasn't there. So yeah. Quality over quantity. Absolutely. Absolutely. All right, next topic to talk about that we're over is uh one book talk trend you're over. Hmm. I think my book talk thing I'm over is I just can't believe we're in the year 2026 and people are still like up in arms and so angry and will leave the meanest comments over your review of a book. I know that sometimes people can be really brutal and really mean, and sometimes it's not always warranted, and they take it a little too far. I feel like there's a difference between like a book review and actually reviewing the book and just kind of being a bully. But I and it's not because I see this in our comments, I see this on people's TikTok videos all the time. But it's like, you know what the the like what do they call it on TikTok? The bean theory, the bean soup theory or something. Have you guys not heard that? I don't know if that's what it's called, but like someone will get on and be like, here's my recipe for bean soup. Oh and then someone comments and they're like, I hate beans. And it's like, Why are you watching a recipe for beans soup? Why did you feel the need to comment? It's like that in books a lot, I feel like, where you can say, I really wanted to enjoy this book, but I just didn't. I and here's what I didn't like about it. And someone will comment and be like, You are so stupid for not like like I can't believe this book was a masterpiece, and they're like, be a bully about it and be mean about it. And I'm like, just move on, just keep scrolling. Yeah. I think it's great to have discussions. Like, I feel like we had a lot of really positive discussions between us as friends on the podcast when maybe we disagree on certain things on a book. Cause we get it, everybody's different.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Um, how many times do we need to say reading is subjective? It just is. I just don't understand the or like I'll even see book talk creators get on and be like, if you did not like this book, I don't know. Sometimes I can see why it's like look baity and there's they're rage baiting everyone. There's rage bait. I get that. I just think that it just and it's it's more not like I'm even that upset about it. I just am like, it's just silly to me. Cause I'm like, who cares if someone absolutely loves Fourth Wing and loves the Empyrean series and thinks it's the best thing ever written? You can disagree, and that's okay. Like, don't yuck someone else's yum. Yep. Book talk's a it's a great place to be. I just am really over the amount of comments I see on book talk that are just like straight up like the bean there. It's like I hate pirates. I'm like, okay, then you won't like this book. Yeah. You're like, yeah. And I don't know, maybe that's not like super specific enough, and maybe that's just like, or maybe it's being too specific, but no, well said. I just it's just funny to me. Well said. I'd rather just see everyone in peace and harmony being like, oh my gosh, I'm so sorry you didn't love this book. I loved it. And then move on. Yeah, move on. So you know that perfect moment where you have a good book, but nowhere to be. Yeah, that right there? That is my happy place. And lately we've been spending it wrapped up in our minky couture blankets. Whether I'm reading late into the night or just pretending to read while I'm scrolling book talk, my minky keeps me cozy through it all. The best part is they come in the most pretty colors and they make the best gift for any reader in your life, or honestly, for yourself. So if you're ready to make your reading experience even cosier, head to the link below and use our code readers r-e-a-d-e-r-s at checkout for 50% off. Because every good reader deserves the best blanket.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_00No, that was well said. Well said. I also agree with that. I concur. Um this is be being really nitpicky. Uh, people fancasting old people. Oh, that's a great one. Or fan casting the same people over and over, or the same people over and over and over again. I think um it just really bugs me when they're like a very specific age. And I get it, if you can't help but picture that person, like you can't help it. But when you're like, this is who I would fan cast, and the character is 18 years old and you're fancasting someone who's 45 and recavel, I'm like, that doesn't really add up nor make sense. I guess it's a fan cast, but just for some reason it really irks me. I think it's a pain point for you because you're a big movie buff, is all I was trying to say. Yeah, yeah. No, we want it to be realistic. Like, I understand a fan cast is like a fan cast, but some people will be like, no, like if this person is not cast as Zaydan, I'm going to die. And I'm like, that person's literally 35 years old. Yeah. And I get it. Some people do play like younger or older characters. Um, but for that's what I'm over. I'm over. Because I like I get excited to look at other people's fan casts and I'm like, what the heck? This character is 18. You're casting a younger Brad Pitt. I'm like, that will never happen. Or like they're a short character and then they're like Jacob Alordy. Yeah. Maybe it's just in the verbiage they use. Maybe instead of saying fan cast, they say, This is who I pictured. Yeah. You know? Yeah. Instead of fan cast. But that's also just nitpicky, I suppose. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I think also I think people underestimate the power of TikTok too. And I bet you casting really do actually look at what people put. And if you're not doing it good or correctly, you're gonna be like, okay. I want to say Emily Henry said in an interview, I could be wrong, but she said something about that. Like, we we heard you guys, we've I've heard you guys, I see what you guys are posting for your fan cast, so so yeah, give like a realistic answer. Cause then that that could actually happen, could actually be a thing. You know? Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. So that's sorry. That's like really freaking nitpicky, but that's what I'm over. Okay, I'm over too. I think my what I'm over on Book Talk is very similar to Reggie's. And once again, I get that it's clickbaity, but I don't love the videos that say, I don't trust your taste if you like X, Y, and Z. If you like this book or this book, or this book. Because just because someone liked one specific book doesn't mean that they wouldn't like a book that you liked. Does that make sense? Yeah. Or you don't know someone's circumstances when they read that book. And obviously, as we've said a lot of times on the podcast, your reading experience, the time in your life, I mean the time in your cycle, like what you ate that day. Like there's so much that goes into whether or not you like a book. Yeah. And so just to completely write off someone else's opinion because they liked a specific book really turns me away from their accounts. Once again, I understand the clickbaitiness, rage bait, the it gets you comments, but it just comes off in a way that's kind of mean almost. Just mean girl vibes. Yeah. Um or mean boy vibes. And obviously, you know, we've posted things where it's like books I won't read and why, or you know, you can say thing reasons why you wouldn't read a book, but once again, to completely write off someone else's book taste just because they connected with a book.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Rubs me the wrong way. So if I ever do that, cancel her. Just unfollow us. Um write me hate mail, my addresses. I'm just kidding. Well, I feel like a good example is we have some book talk friends of books that they have recommended to like their followers, and we've read them and like really liked them, and the same note they recommend a book and we read them and we do not like them. Like I don't think like everyone is different, and like you said, just because they liked or didn't like a certain book does not mean that they wouldn't like another book they recommend or say. Yeah. And also in the same breadth, just because kind of like what Richie said, just because someone enjoys Fourth Wing, but you enjoy The Way of Kings, whatever, or Lord of the Rings, or Dune, doesn't mean that you're a better reader than someone else. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Or you have better taste. Yeah. Yeah. Or just because you read classics and someone's reading smut doesn't make one reader better than the other because there's a book out there for everyone. Yeah. As long as you can read, it's a win in my book. I don't care if you're reading a comic, a label, you know, I don't know. But then I'm going to read.
unknownI read the I read the label.
SPEAKER_00The back of my serial books. I'm a reader. I read today. I read the back of my serial box. Like how this is reading. I'm gonna start counting the books I read to my kids. If that's the case, I'm sort of past my reading goal this year. Why not? I read some text messages. Oh, okay. Oh, yeah. I'm done. Okay, done. Nice one's like a reading habit. That we are over. For me, I'm gonna say I have two that come to mind. The first one I would say is a habit I'm over is like reading what's trending versus like what I actually want to read. Because sometimes I just get such FOMO. Like right now, for example, my entire TikTok is everyone reading Dagger Mouth, and you want to know what? I want to read it pretty dang bad. I'm like, oh, like everyone's selling me on this, and I want to read it. But what do I know that there's a huge cliffhanger at the end of the book? I know that. I know I could read that right now, but then here's what's gonna happen. This is the story of my life. Someone recommend everyone on book talk talks about a book. I get excited to read it, I pick it up. I love it. Either I sometimes I don't love it. But if I love it, I'm foaming at the mouth for the next book. Look up when the next book comes out. Not for two more years. What do I do? I spiral. I think about it nonstop for months. I'm like, oh, I need that other book. Then I kind of forget about it a little bit. Two years rolls around, and then what happens? I forgot everything that happened in the first book. I gotta read it again. And it's just like a never-ending cycle. Yeah. Or I have to watch a three-hour YouTube recap of what happened in the first book. Not that there's anything wrong with that, okay? I get it. Like we just said, take your time publishing your book, like writing, editing, publishing, whatever. But I fall into the trap sometimes of what's trending and what I want to read, and I have FOMO. And then I kick myself in the foot because I'm like, I probably should have just waited. Because I probably would still enjoy it just as much if I just gave it some time. And I think sometimes it will hurt my reading experience because then I'm pushing back other books that I really want to read, but maybe aren't as like they're not trending at the moment. And so I don't know. I'd rather I need to remember to read books I want to read in the sense of like what I'm needing in my life. And think of like, okay, I really want a book, like I want a pirate book. Give me you know what I mean? But then I'm like, oh, but everyone's talking about dire bound, and I really want to know what everyone's talking about, you know? So then I don't know, and then sometimes I read the book and it doesn't hit, and I'm like, why did I read that? Yeah. So that was that was great. Sorry, I feel like I went really off. Reggie feels passionate about or did you have one? Um, I mean, I had another one, which was just like sometimes forcing myself to read a book when I should just have it. Yeah. Sometimes, you know, yeah. It's a book club book or something, and I'm like, okay, if I'm not loving this, I'm gonna do it for the sake of the podcast or something. But if it's not anything in that realm, sometimes I just need to be like, you know what? Yes, I spent this much time reading this already, but if it's not serving me, I need to just put it down. Because there's so many books and so little time. I need to not waste time on books that aren't serving me.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_00Does this bring you joy? Does it bring you joy? Yeah, I need to ask myself, look in the mirror and ask yourself, does this book bring me joy? But sometimes I like books that you know emotionally destroy me. But if it's like eh, I'm not feeling it, I need to just toss it aside. Yep. Yep, yep, yep. A reading habit that I'm over specifically for me, is I have a really bad habit of falling asleep when reading a book. And it's just because I'm like really cozy and comfy, and like I got a book, and you know, sometimes just like reading, you know, brings you to sleep, and I hate that. I'm over it, I'm over that habit. But I feel like when I'm listening to a book, I'm actively like doing other things, and so like there's no room for me to fall asleep, like when I'm folding laundry, you know? That's just a habit I'm over for myself, and I need to figure out how to No, like literally saying last night I was finishing The Strength of the Few. I got snuggled up on the couch, my fireplace is on, blanket, cozy, and the night before I had done the same thing and had fallen asleep, and my husband just let me keep sleeping, and then finally he's like, We should go to bed. And I'm like, I needed to read like three chapters before I went to bed, and I couldn't. I was like so behind on reading. And so what did I do? I got up and I literally was walking around my kitchen reading for a minute. I was like, I have to keep myself awake. And then when I wanted to sit down, I put my headphones on and was blasting like a playlist to keep me awake, or I had to like listen to my book for a second while I like got up and did something because I've I've been doing the same thing. I don't know what it is. Like, I don't know, maybe I'm a tired girl. I'm also try not to drink caffeine very much. And so I think that's really affecting me. Well, and I think you can have like a really long day. Yeah. I was messaging someone about this recently because they were saying they're like, How do you ever like wind down at night to read a book? Because like I get so tired with my kids by the end of the day that like I get in bed to read and I just want to go to sleep. And I was like, you know what? That's a good point. Because I do the same thing. I think just sometimes we're so busy during the day doing who knows what. When you finally get to actually sit down and read, because I think we're all kind of on an audiobook grind. Yeah, you're like, oh, I'm this is what it feels like to feel relaxed, and then it's just like lights out. It was bad. I I was supposed to be reading. I really hard to that one. I took like a 40-minute nap and I was like, crap. I was supposed to be reading. Oopsies. Anyways, I like that one. Yeah, thank you. Um I'm gonna go with I have a really bad habit of like not being able to stop in the middle of a chapter, but I'm gonna change that. I don't think it's a bad habit to have. But it would be nice to be able to like stop in the middle of a chapter. Sometimes it's bad, especially with the strength of the few. I would like I also need to turn off on my Kindle. I need to switch it to page number or time left in the book or something else, because when I would finish a chapter and it'd be like 45 minutes left in the chapter, I'd be like, Yeah, I'm done for the day. Yeah. So I think you just need to be okay with read a little bit more. You'd probably read a little bit more. If I didn't have that, yeah. Yeah. If I would just stop in the middle. It's the O C D you just gotta like get over that a little bit. No, it's hard though. Especially for the strength of the the few, which we just finished. Because especially if you're doing like audiobook and um physically reading it, you have to stop with the chapters to like know where you're at. Yeah. No, I I get it. That's a habit. I I I want to report back on that. See if you can do it. Okay. Just gonna scratch an ish in my brain. Yeah. Our next one is uh debate in the book world that we're over. One's gonna be the mic drop. Audiobooks count as reading, thank you. Nice. That is a good one. I think um a debate I'm kind of over is like where to read um Assassin's Blade. That's what I was gonna say. Oh my gosh, yeah. I just freaking read it whenever you want. Yeah, just do it whenever you want. Okay, I love the DMs that you guys sent us asking which order to read it in. Uh sometimes I wonder, I'm like, okay, are you asking? I think we've made it very clear where we prefer. Yeah. I don't mind people asking, I just think I hate the debate of it. Like, yeah, people will be like, you're ruining your entire reading experience if you read it first or third or whatever. Yeah, that's what I was gonna say too. I don't know why that's just like I feel like that's the thing that is debated actually the most and the longest for the longest period of time. I feel like yeah, I I don't mind if people DM us and be like, where do you prefer? Or like what order do you guys think? I feel honored that you trust us to like answer that question for you guys. But I think when people are like, that's so dumb, why would you do that? Why would you do that? You know? So anyways. But I also audiobooks do count as reading 100%. I mean I'm retaining the same information, just in a different way. People get stuck on the verbiage of the way thing is said. Yeah. I think if you said my books I consumed, people get stuck on the word reading. I know the definition of reading is not listening, but if you really sit down and think about it, I also would love to, I'm sure there's some sort of study somewhere the and I am sure there's different like synapses that are firing in your brain versus reading and listening and whatever. But if you sat someone down and you said, Okay, can you summarize this book for me? And they listened to it and they read it, they would be able to relay the same exact information. Yeah. I know, like for example, if someone said, Did you have you read Project Hell Mary? What am I supposed to say? No, if I only listened to the audiobook and I didn't you know what I mean? Yeah. No, I haven't read it. I listened to it. I think that I just am like, why does it matter? Yeah. Why does it you know when you're really into a book and the last thing you want to do is stop and make food? That's been us a time or two. So we've been keeping G2G bars around because they're just an easy on-the-go snack. They're really high in protein, they're made with simple ingredients, and honestly, perfect when you need something quick but don't want to interrupt a reading pinch. I've been grabbing one right before I leave for a walk with my dogs while listening to an audiobook. It's just the easiest snack to throw in my bag. If you want to try them, you can grab them at g2gbar.com and use code readers r-e-a-d-e-r-s for a 15% off discount. Hit your protein goal and your reading goal with g2g bar. Next one is a personality trait and main character main characters that we're over. I'm so small. Yeah, I'm so ugly. I'm just so tiny and such weak. I'm so weak. And then it's like the next chapter, they're like freaking dominating in a ore. I don't know if it's just because maybe the main characters just don't have any self-confidence. And I get it. I'm insecure a lot of the time. But like But would you be insecure if you were like that if you could if you're a poor hardest man alive Would you be reading?
SPEAKER_02Would you be hey I'm good looking?
unknownLike, would you be?
SPEAKER_00Yeah. But I think no one wants to read about like a cocky character. I think it would be kind of fun, actually. I mean, think about for some of my favorite characters are very cocky. I know, but I can think of some characters that I didn't like that were maybe were a little cocky, like Bryce. Yeah. You know what I mean? I feel like a lot of people. But did you not like her because she was cocky, or did you not like her for another reason? You know what I mean? That's true. Yeah. Like I feel like Selena is a very cocky person. Yeah. I didn't like her at first because I'm not gonna lie. Oh, I loved it. I loved it! Yeah, that's a good one. I just I feel like because, like I was saying at the beginning of the episode, you kind of have a similar narrative in books. And a lot of the time it's in the first person. I feel like sometimes I'm like, I've been in this person's brain before. Like I know what you're thinking because I've seen this film before. I'm also over for males, the mean, the mean male character. You know? It's not true. Just because someone like kicks you at preschool recess, it means they have a crush on you. You know? Like I don't want to make it. They're really, really hot. Yeah. I don't want I don't want someone mean. I we've said this before. I want a funny fee male main character, please. Yeah. Give me a Reddick. A um, what's the guy in Quicksilver? What's his name? I have no idea. It's harsh this is Karrion. No. Karion. Karrion. That's right. Carrion. Give me a like kind of a more healthy hygienic version of Sevro. Like give me someone funny. Yeah, um, I feel like it's pretty common to have the male main character of a fantasy romance. Yeah, broody, morally gray. Yeah. Well, I feel like I don't mind. Yeah. If it's done well, but I'd rather have intense instead of mean. Oh yeah. Like in like uh for most fantasy worlds, they have to be intense, but I feel like you can be intense without being like straight up like punching the female main characters. Ironic that you say that. If I had a nickel for every time that happened in a fantasy book, I'd have one nickel. Two. I feel like I can think of another one. One that comes to mind. That was a joke.
SPEAKER_02Because if you know, you know, okay?
SPEAKER_00If you know, you know.
SPEAKER_02If you know, you know.
SPEAKER_00Um I'm sorry, I can't get over it. I get where you're going at though. Yeah. I get it. Yeah. Give me a golden retriever. I don't I don't know how that works in a fantasy book. Someone out there can make it happen.
SPEAKER_01Mm-hmm.
SPEAKER_00No, I agree. I don't know if I can think of anything right now besides the thing that came to my brain was more so the chosen one, but that's more like a trope. Yeah. I guess one that I'm kind of thinking of is like when the character just feels really immature even though they're like 35. Yeah. Conform. Oh, sorry. What did you say? Conform. Oh, conform. Hmm. So sorry. I had a problem. Are you? Because sometimes it's like, I don't know. Like they don't actually. Like it feels like a teenager wrote the book. There's also a difference between naive and immature. Yes. Yeah, for sure. You know. For sure, for sure. You can be naive and mature. Absolutely. You know? Alright. Last one. Last one. One thing now that will never be over. Something this is more we'll leave it on a positive bit. I can just think of a bunch of little things like for me, an actual well done enemies to lovers. Give it to me. Yeah. Actually, well done. Not saying that if it's marketed as an enemies to lovers and they are enemies to lovers. You know what I'm saying? But one where you're like, it's not like this. There's I feel like a lot of m books to me that I am thinking of that are marketed as enemies to lovers. It's more of a insta-love rivals to lovers. Insta-lust kind of a thing. Mm-hmm. Give me one where they like actually hate each other's guts and they fall in love.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. I will love that every single time. I can't tell you, I can only think of like I can't think of too many that I would say are like done super well. So can you give one wreck? I want to hear one wreck that gives enemies to lovers very well. Okay, I can think of a book, but I'm not gonna say what it is. If you know, you know. I think if you know you listen to the pod, you know. If you've read the book, you know. But I don't want to say it because it could potentially be a spoiler, and I know some people don't finish said book because they know that it's romantic and they are kind of turned off by it in the beginning. Is that okay for me to say? Yeah. I also think it depends on what kind of enemies to lovers book you read first. I also feel like I can't say this one because it could potentially be a spoiler. So I don't know. I was gonna say Avatar because like that's one of the first romantic books I read. And it's not a true enemies to lovers, but some people say that it is. Interesting. I don't know. Yeah. I don't know. I'm not gonna I feel like I can't really say. Those were the s the the stepping Yeah. Anyways, that's kind of I'm trying to think of like a true, true enemies to lovers. I mean, I truly think Fourth Wing is an enemy to lovers. Yeah. Oh they get together in the first book. Okay, but that doesn't mean they're not enemies to lovers. That's true. They are true enemies to lovers, but yeah. Yeah, but is he but he's not? He's not really though. You think he is, but he's not I mean I don't know. Yeah, but it's hard to nail pinpoint an enemies to lovers. I don't know. I genuinely like I'm really sitting here thinking, true enemies to lovers. Like true I mean, I only have one rec. I only have one rec, but I feel like I if you really want me to tell you, DM me. DM me. I still I think But also at the same time, I don't feel like the point of that story is a romance. That's what's hard. Is like you can market I think if you market it as an enemies to lovers, you miss the point of the story. Ready? You can skip ahead if you don't want to hear it. I think at this point if people don't know about it. It's alchemized. Yeah, people don't know about this book that you know It's alchemized. And here's the rule if you haven't read Alchemized and you're like, ooh, enemies to lovers, you have to read at least 50% of the book before you say, I don't know. If for the romantic element, I just do not think it is a romance book. It's not a romance book. It's no, it's not a romance book. But it doesn't mean it's not an enemy. There is romance in it, yeah. But I think people, if they do go in thinking because I guess you could say it is a fantasy romance, not a romantic fantasy. Because when you go in thinking it's a romantic fantasy, the romance is the driving force of the plot. Yeah, that is not the driving force of the plot. But is it it is? I just really I just really struggle with alchemy's, I can't lie. It's okay. It's okay. Anywho. Anyways. Why did we get so off topic? I'm sorry, I asked for an enemies to lovers rec. That was my bad. Anyways, a well done enemies to lovers. Yeah, that's good. I'm just waiting for that. I'll never be over it because there's one that I read that was really done pretty perfectly, and I just need another one. Um, the other thing I was gonna say, this is just a quick one. Emotional love confessions or monologues in the rain. Shows up at the door, it's pouring rain. I'll never get sick of that. I will actually never be sick of that. You know, when it's like, I hear a knock at my door, it's raining outside. I'm like screaming every single night. I'll take any love confession straight up any love confession. Love confession. A good one. Written by certain ones. And something I'll never get over is short chapters. Oh yeah. Short chapters. You will get over that real quick because it's short. I'm sorry. Uh no, that was good. Little knee slap or little dad joke, right? Um love confessions. I'll never be over who did this to you. I'll never be over attending wound scene. Yeah. I'll also never be over a book that just can actually make me sob my eye. Forced proximity. Whoa. Sorry. Whoa. That just came to my brain. I will never get over forced proximity. A round of applause for forced proximity, everyone. Like, and that can happen in any situation. Like, they're forced to share a room. They're forced to, you know, forced to be in a gel cell together. Love that one. Literally attached with handcuffs. Handcuffs. Anyways, forced proximity. That came to my brain. Sorry I interrupted your hand. I'm just saying a book that makes me sob uncontrollably.
SPEAKER_01Like, yeah.
SPEAKER_00I mean, do I like when books rip my heart out? Sometimes I get mad about it. But for the most part, if you can make me sob round of applause to you. Almost like an instant five-star for me. Mm-hmm. Yeah.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Any others? I mean, you guys have a lot of great ones. I'm gonna get sappy for two seconds. I will be never, I will never get over the fact that we're still doing this three years. Three years and we're still here. Stop. The fact that we you guys still listen to us, even though I know we're unhinged, I know we aren't the most prepared podcast. I know we're not the most intelligent people in the book space, but just the fact that you guys are here and you support us in whatever capacity that might be, whether it's a follow, you buy our merch, you subscribe to the Patreon, you watch on YouTube, you listen to the podcast, you DM us, whatever capacity that is. I just will never be over the fact that this is actually a thing and that people actually care about the books that we read and they want us to recommend books to them because that's a lot of time for you guys to take out of your lives to listen to read a book that we recommend to you. And no, we don't take that light, we don't take that lightly. And I just can't get over the fact that I was going back through all of our text messages for a TikTok trend and just to go back and see just the inner beginnings of this podcast. Never in ever, ever, ever would I have expected it to become what it is, and that we would still be doing this. That's freaking crazy. I know what to end with. We love you guys. Tender, you're gonna make me cry. I'm so sappy. Sappy girl. Um, this was really fun. We hope you enjoyed. Yeah. I don't really want any mean comments. I'm sorry, I got a little intense. She feels really passionate about over things. Um yeah, I hope you guys enjoyed the chaos of this episode. And um if you don't already follow us on Instagram, TikTok, it's what she's reading pod. And uh we have merch and we have a Patreon. If you have not joined our Patreon, we have lots of fun. And uh we've had some really cute girls leave some really cute. Comments about how fun the Patreon is, and I just love that. That's our ultimate goal is to make the Patreon a fun and good time. Um, anyways, we'll see you guys next week. Bye.