Latest / Friday Night Readers: Gilmore Girls Inspired Book Club / 🍂15 Iconic Fall Books So Good They’re Approved by the Gilmore Girls

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🍂15 Iconic Fall Books So Good They’re Approved by the Gilmore Girls · Friday Night Readers: Gilmore Girls Inspired Book Club

0:05
SPEAKER_01: I am recording on the first full day of fall and it sure feels like it here in Philadelphia.
0:12
SPEAKER_01: I just closed the window because I'm still in that mode where I'm trying
0:16
SPEAKER_01: to wear shorts, but I am raising with the window open.
0:18
SPEAKER_01: So yes, I do smell fall right now.
0:21
SPEAKER_01: I know Lorelai sells snow, but I am smelling fall in the air.
0:24
SPEAKER_01: So what better day to talk about fall books from Gilmore Girls.
0:28
SPEAKER_01: Of course,
0:29
SPEAKER_01: we know the Gilmore Girls are highly seasonal and they did according
0:33
SPEAKER_01: to Lauren Graham, AKA Lorelai, Victoria and Gilmore.
0:37
SPEAKER_01: Take the season of fall hostage.
0:39
SPEAKER_01: This is what she said at the 2025 Emmy Awards where they celebrated
0:43
SPEAKER_01: the 25th anniversary of Gilmore Girls.
0:46
SPEAKER_01: And as you may recall, even Richard defines himself as an autumn.
0:50
SPEAKER_01: This was from Rory's birthday party and I too am an autumn and I mean that very seriously.
0:55
SPEAKER_01: I have done the color testing to see what colors look fast on me and I am a dark autumn.
1:01
SPEAKER_01: And what that translates to is what I think of as November Thanksgiving.
1:06
SPEAKER_01: Anyway, I think we can all agree that Stars Hollow never looks better than
1:10
SPEAKER_01: when it has haystacks and pumpkins and multicolored leaves
1:14
SPEAKER_01: with our friends walking around with a cup of coffee talking about books.
1:18
SPEAKER_01: Yes, the Gilmore Girls reading list That we read
1:21
SPEAKER_01: for our regular reading challenge is filled with lots of iconic seasonal reading.
1:26
SPEAKER_01: These are some of the most popular and beloved fall books,
1:29
SPEAKER_01: not just in my opinion, but of all time.
1:32
SPEAKER_01: We'll talk about some eerie classics and some spooky thrillers.
1:35
SPEAKER_01: And I would love to see you pick one that resonates most with you this season
1:39
SPEAKER_01: and read it while you burn your fall candles.
1:42
SPEAKER_01: I currently am burning my Honeycrisp Apple from Trader Joe's.
1:45
SPEAKER_01: This is actually my absolute favorite fall candle and I usually go through two
1:48
SPEAKER_01: or three a fall season and this is my second one right now.
1:52
SPEAKER_01: And of course, pair these books with the fall episodes of Gilmore Girls.
1:56
SPEAKER_01: I do have a list of all of those and I will link it in the show notes for you.
2:00
SPEAKER_01: Currently, I am on the Nick and Norris to the Nancy episode.
2:03
SPEAKER_01: This is Jess's first episode, and it is actually one of my favorite fall episodes.
2:07
SPEAKER_01: I love that scene at the end where they are in the Tale of Stars holo at night,
2:11
SPEAKER_01: and it has all the twiggy lights, and you can see the fall decor in the moonlight.
2:16
SPEAKER_01: And this is the first time that they really spar about books.
2:19
SPEAKER_01: Jess gives Howl back to Rory, which he, quote, borrowed from her.
2:24
SPEAKER_01: And she calls him Dodger, which is from Oliver Twist.
2:26
SPEAKER_01: Anyway, let's get into the fall Gilmore Bros reading list.
2:31
SPEAKER_00: But first, I want to get into a deal from one of my affiliate partners.
2:35
SPEAKER_00: It is Audible.
2:36
SPEAKER_00: And right now, fall 2026, they are running an Audible deal for Prime members.
2:42
SPEAKER_00: So if you are a Prime member,
2:44
SPEAKER_00: you may qualify for 99 cents Thank you so much for joining us today.
3:01
SPEAKER_00: If you don't want to auto renew at $8.99 a month after those four months, you can cancel it.
3:06
SPEAKER_00: I actually just did this myself on a trial that I did over the summer.
3:09
SPEAKER_00: So it's basically like getting four audiobooks for $4.
3:13
SPEAKER_00: The offer ends on October 7th, 2026.
3:16
SPEAKER_00: I love these deals, and here is why.
3:18
SPEAKER_00: They have many audiobooks that you can't get anywhere else, including Audible exclusives.
3:21
SPEAKER_00: Some of these we will talk about later in this episode,
3:23
SPEAKER_00: including their Harry Potter books, which are narrated by a full cast.
3:40
SPEAKER_00: And I also like reading their classics for our Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge
3:43
SPEAKER_00: because they have exclusives that are narrated by famous actors.
3:47
SPEAKER_00: I've talked about these many times and I just find that when someone who is trained
3:51
SPEAKER_00: in acting narrates a classic, it just makes it easier and more immersive.
3:56
SPEAKER_00: So go ahead and test that link in the show notes and see whether the 99 cents
4:01
SPEAKER_00: a month for four months deal applies to your account.
4:04
SPEAKER_00: Now let's get back to the books that were referenced in Gilmore Girls.
4:08
SPEAKER_01: First, we have Carrie by Stephen King.
4:10
SPEAKER_01: This is probably the number one book on my fall TBR list.
4:23
SPEAKER_01: I'm determined to read it this fall because there is
4:26
SPEAKER_01: an Amazon Prime Video Adaptation series which is coming out on October 7,
4:30
SPEAKER_01: 2026, transporting this story to the modern era.
4:33
SPEAKER_01: And what that brings to it is social media.
4:36
SPEAKER_01: So I am determined to both read it and watch it.
4:39
SPEAKER_01: I'm not sure if I'm going to watch the original movie with Sissy Stasek.
4:43
SPEAKER_01: We'll see how the book and the adaptation go first.
4:45
SPEAKER_01: But what is Carrie about?
4:47
SPEAKER_01: It is Stephen King's first book.
4:49
SPEAKER_01: What an absolute banger for a debut novel.
4:52
SPEAKER_01: And it takes us back to school where the The first period is horror.
4:55
SPEAKER_01: It is about this unpopular high school student.
4:58
SPEAKER_01: Her name is Carrie,
4:59
SPEAKER_01: obviously,
5:00
SPEAKER_01: and she's struggling with her mother's religious fanaticism while at
5:03
SPEAKER_01: the same time hiding a big secret.
5:06
SPEAKER_01: She can move things with her mind.
5:08
SPEAKER_01: Another family tension here.
5:10
SPEAKER_01: Her supernatural power can be both empowering to her and dangerous.
5:14
SPEAKER_01: He starts feeling normal when she receives an act of kindness,
5:17
SPEAKER_01: but then a very cool prey turns her powers into this weapon
5:21
SPEAKER_01: of absolutely horrific destruction.
5:24
SPEAKER_01: As the suspense builds, the town is left forever changed.
5:27
SPEAKER_01: This almost feels like And I know I'm talking about literary fiction and not horror,
5:31
SPEAKER_01: but the description reminds me of Little Fires Everywhere,
5:35
SPEAKER_01: where you have all of these tensions in a community and it just keeps building
5:38
SPEAKER_01: and building and building.
5:40
SPEAKER_01: And then there's this catastrophic fire and nothing is ever the same again.
5:43
SPEAKER_01: I really want to get to this one this year, so maybe I will do a buddy read and rewatch.
5:48
SPEAKER_01: We can host that on Substack where I host the podcast and all my blog posts
5:52
SPEAKER_01: and emails.
5:53
SPEAKER_01: We have a chat thread there for paid subscribers.
5:56
SPEAKER_01: You can head over there and upgrade if you'd like.
5:59
SPEAKER_01: It comes with all kinds of extra benefits like the Gilmore Girls book list with
6:03
SPEAKER_01: the episodes listed after them.
6:05
SPEAKER_01: So if you like how I share the episodes that go along with the books in the podcast,
6:09
SPEAKER_01: you will get all of them for every book once you become a paid subscriber.
6:12
SPEAKER_01: And then I do these monthly recaps that are just for paid subscribers.
6:15
SPEAKER_01: And then I try to add other exclusive content for paid subscribers in most of my content.
6:20
SPEAKER_01: Things like hot takes, books I didn't like, books that didn't make the cut.
6:24
SPEAKER_01: Kind of like spilling the tea for the people who choose to upgrade to become paid subscribers.
6:29
SPEAKER_01: Anyway, now let's talk about where this book is on Gilmore Girls.
6:33
SPEAKER_01: And again, we're talking about Carrie.
6:35
SPEAKER_01: It's a really smart reference in one of my favorite episodes
6:38
SPEAKER_01: and arguably This is currently one of the most iconic episodes of Gilmore Girls.
6:42
SPEAKER_01: It is Season 1, Episode 13, Contra Interruptus.
6:46
SPEAKER_01: And this is when Paris,
6:47
SPEAKER_01: Madeline, and Louise first come to the Gilmore's house and start to be nice to Rory.
6:52
SPEAKER_01: And then she goes into the kitchen and has the conversation with Lorelai.
6:56
SPEAKER_01: And she refers to the famous scene,
6:57
SPEAKER_01: Frog Carrie, in which the classmates da pig's blood on Carrie at prom.
7:02
SPEAKER_01: It is a very grim way to refer to these frenemies.
7:05
SPEAKER_01: Next on the list is The Crucible by Arthur Miller.
7:08
SPEAKER_01: I did read this one and I gave it three stars,
7:11
SPEAKER_01: but I will say in researching it again for this episode,
7:14
SPEAKER_01: I really liked a lot more about the plot and the themes that gave me
7:18
SPEAKER_01: a lot more appreciation for it.
7:20
SPEAKER_01: So it is a classic play about the Salem witch trials and Miller himself said
7:24
SPEAKER_01: that it depicts one of the strangest and
7:27
SPEAKER_00: most awful chapters in human history.
7:29
SPEAKER_01: I think strange and awful is a very interesting way to refer to history.
7:33
SPEAKER_01: I think a lot of things happen,
7:35
SPEAKER_01: both in current events and as we look back on them over time,
7:38
SPEAKER_01: that we can think of in this way.
7:40
SPEAKER_01: A lot of things that happen in the world really do feel strange.
7:43
SPEAKER_01: And you can think, how is this happening?
7:45
SPEAKER_01: And at the same time, it can be something awful.
7:48
SPEAKER_01: Hundreds of years have passed, but a lot of it's still raised true.
7:51
SPEAKER_01: That said,
7:51
SPEAKER_01: I love how Miller connected to this story in a way that he personally can dive deep
7:56
SPEAKER_01: into it.
7:56
SPEAKER_01: I think that is what it comes down to with what artists choose to express.
8:00
SPEAKER_01: It's like what connects most with you personally that you can take and
8:03
SPEAKER_01: then transform into something that is a piece of art that makes a statement.
8:07
SPEAKER_01: So this is also a parable and being a play, it is a short book you can read in just one weekend.
8:13
SPEAKER_01: So I love that.
8:14
SPEAKER_01: Maybe even over a rainy or blustery day with some tea and maybe some ambiance in
8:19
SPEAKER_01: the background.
8:20
SPEAKER_01: I've been watching this Luke Steiner ambiance on YouTube where it just shows
8:24
SPEAKER_01: a picture of Luke Steiner.
8:25
SPEAKER_01: And then it plays this cozy fall instrumental music in the background,
8:29
SPEAKER_01: which is It's absolutely perfect for reading.
8:31
SPEAKER_01: Anyway, The Crucible is about how violence sanctioned by society can cause so much harm.
8:36
SPEAKER_01: Again, does this all feel familiar today?
8:38
SPEAKER_01: So what happens is a young woman accuses another woman of being a witch,
8:43
SPEAKER_01: and she has her motivations And then hysteria ensues, insisting that she be tried.
8:49
SPEAKER_01: This is really only the beginning.
8:51
SPEAKER_01: Actions do have consequences,
8:53
SPEAKER_01: and there are twists and turns that becomes quite uncontrollable and haunting,
8:57
SPEAKER_01: almost like one of the wildest and craziest episodes of Dateline.
9:01
SPEAKER_01: Sometimes I compare Shakespeare tragedies to Dateline
9:04
SPEAKER_01: because they just take this underlying motivation,
9:06
SPEAKER_01: let it propel action, and then let this ball spiral as it rolls downhill.
9:11
SPEAKER_00: An absolute Shane reaction of crazy events.
9:14
SPEAKER_01: So what I also found interesting about The Crucible is that Arthur Miller wrote it
9:17
SPEAKER_01: in 1953,
9:19
SPEAKER_01: and it was inspired not just by the Salem witch trials,
9:21
SPEAKER_01: but also by anti-communist hysteria that Senator Joseph McCarthy sanctioned.
9:26
SPEAKER_01: This was called McCarthyism,
9:27
SPEAKER_01: and it is also the basis of my current read,
9:30
SPEAKER_01: which is Alice Fuffman of Practical Magic's new title, The Witches of Cambridge.
9:34
SPEAKER_01: It's all coming full circle for me right now.
9:36
SPEAKER_01: So this would also make a great book paragraph review too.
9:39
SPEAKER_01: What Miller said about this was
9:41
SPEAKER_01: that political opposition can be given this inhumane overlay,
9:45
SPEAKER_01: and then it justifies abandoning all civilized behavior.
9:48
SPEAKER_01: It's almost like that broken window theory where all it takes This one broken window
9:53
SPEAKER_01: to cause so many others to throw rocks at it.
9:55
SPEAKER_01: He also notes that once a political party feels that they have a moral right,
9:59
SPEAKER_01: they can look at opposition to it with quote, diabolical malevolence.
10:03
SPEAKER_01: In the United States,
10:04
SPEAKER_01: which is highly polarized right now, we of course see this on a daily basis.
10:08
SPEAKER_01: So interesting that with parables, we often don't learn the lessons.
10:13
SPEAKER_01: They ring so true today.
10:14
SPEAKER_01: I mentioned the current state of politics and even when you look
10:17
SPEAKER_01: at things like true crime on TikTok where everyone has an opinion and everyone has
10:21
SPEAKER_01: a theory,
10:22
SPEAKER_01: it shows the lengths that people go for their own benefit without concern
10:26
SPEAKER_01: for others.
10:27
SPEAKER_01: Such a timely read.
10:30
SPEAKER_01: So I paired
10:36
SPEAKER_01: this one with the 1996 Winona Ryder movie adaptation,
10:40
SPEAKER_01: and that definitely helps me put the play into context and understand
10:43
SPEAKER_01: and enjoy it much more.
10:45
SPEAKER_01: If you head to the show notes,
10:46
SPEAKER_01: you will also find a post that I wrote recently about a cozy witch themed night inn
10:51
SPEAKER_01: where you can find things to eat, drink,
10:53
SPEAKER_01: listen to,
10:54
SPEAKER_01: decorate with, and even wear to really up the ante on these witch vibes this fall.
10:59
SPEAKER_01: Now, where is this on Gilmar Gross?
11:01
SPEAKER_01: It is in another great fall episode, season one, episode seven, Kiss and Tell.
11:06
SPEAKER_01: I love this one because this is when Rory and Lane are dressed as pilgrims at
11:10
SPEAKER_01: the Harvest Festival and they're talking about Rory's first kiss with Dean.
11:14
SPEAKER_01: And meanwhile,
11:14
SPEAKER_01: Loreline is inside Luke Steiner where she tells Luke he would look great dressed
11:19
SPEAKER_01: as one of the characters from The Crucible.
11:21
SPEAKER_01: How's that for a pickup line?
11:23
SPEAKER_01: Next is a book I talk about often and it is Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.
11:26
SPEAKER_01: This is a five-star read,
11:28
SPEAKER_01: one of my favorite classics of all time and definitely one of my favorite fall reads
11:32
SPEAKER_01: that I would recommend to anyone.
11:34
SPEAKER_01: And I always say this,
11:35
SPEAKER_01: I don't want you to be scared by the science or the fact that it's an older classic.
11:39
SPEAKER_01: The prose is really beautiful and it is quite easy to read.
11:42
SPEAKER_01: While I think most people know the plot, I will just give you a quick refresher.
11:46
SPEAKER_01: It is about a young scientist who creates life in a man called Frankenstein.
11:50
SPEAKER_01: And he must face the tragic consequences of his ambition.
11:53
SPEAKER_01: This is about how science can get out of control.
11:56
SPEAKER_01: It can actually become unstoppable and have consequences
11:59
SPEAKER_01: beyond anything you could have imagined.
12:01
SPEAKER_01: Again, this is another theme that holds true today.
12:04
SPEAKER_01: Of course, We're all talking a lot about AI.
12:07
SPEAKER_01: So the theme of creating without ethical considerations, AI currently has unchecked power.
12:13
SPEAKER_01: So this book may give you chills.
12:15
SPEAKER_01: It did give me chills as someone who lost most of my income to AI and follows
12:19
SPEAKER_01: the news audit, which can be downright terrifying.
12:21
SPEAKER_01: I do want to note that I personally read the illustrated and interacted Minolima edition.
12:27
SPEAKER_01: I talk about these a lot as well.
12:28
SPEAKER_01: They are the full text,
12:29
SPEAKER_01: but they do have graphics and interactive elements like maps that you can pull out
12:33
SPEAKER_01: and look at.
12:34
SPEAKER_01: This was all to make my reading experience more engaging and
12:37
SPEAKER_01: that I occasionally also followed along with an audiobook.
12:40
SPEAKER_01: I love to do this when I am concerned about my focus.
12:43
SPEAKER_01: For me,
12:43
SPEAKER_01: listening while looking at the text is that multitasking I need to keep my mind
12:47
SPEAKER_01: from getting distracted.
12:49
SPEAKER_01: I think this book is absolutely Perfect for a cold, dark fall night.
12:54
SPEAKER_01: And I will also say that the recent Netflix adaptation was quite good.
12:57
SPEAKER_01: Okay, where do we find this one on Gilmore Girls?
13:00
SPEAKER_01: In Season 2, Episode 16, Jeff calls Dean Frankenstein.
13:05
SPEAKER_01: To my knowledge, Dean.
13:06
SPEAKER_01: Dean in real life is around 6'4 or 6'5 and Jess is around 5'9 or 5'10.
13:10
SPEAKER_01: And then in season 3 episode 16 Rory refers to bolt on the neck like you would find
13:16
SPEAKER_01: on the character of Frankenstein.
13:18
SPEAKER_01: Next let's talk about Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
13:21
SPEAKER_01: I did give this one five stars as well.
13:23
SPEAKER_01: I would say that this is my second favorite Harry Potter book after Harry Potter and
13:27
SPEAKER_01: the Sorcerer's Stone, the first one.
13:29
SPEAKER_01: To me, this is the book that really changed the series.
13:32
SPEAKER_01: It's where I see them as going from kids to young adults.
13:36
SPEAKER_01: And in the event that you want to read something that is iconic but newer,
13:40
SPEAKER_01: this one is actually the most modern book on this list.
13:43
SPEAKER_01: It's all about Harry's fourth year at Hogwarts, and it begins at the Quidditch World Cup.
13:47
SPEAKER_01: Then, it's shipped to the Triwizard Tournament,
13:50
SPEAKER_01: and this is where students from multiple wizarding schools compete.
13:53
SPEAKER_01: As you may know, Harry is chosen to compete on behalf of Hogwarts.
13:57
SPEAKER_01: As part of the competition,
13:58
SPEAKER_01: Harry is transported to a graveyard,
14:00
SPEAKER_01: and this is where Voldemort's supporters convene.
14:03
SPEAKER_01: There, he learned a very devastating truth and a spite for his life.
14:06
SPEAKER_01: These do become very violent and dark in this book.
14:09
SPEAKER_01: I would recommend it more for teenagers and children.
14:12
SPEAKER_01: We really do see the battle of good versus evil come to the forefront in this one.
14:17
SPEAKER_01: And not all endings are happy.
14:19
SPEAKER_01: It does take a tragic turn.
14:21
SPEAKER_01: This one is a bit of a sneaky reference on Gilmore Girls.
14:25
SPEAKER_01: That said, it's still one of my favorite Harry Potter books.
14:28
SPEAKER_01: It has a lot of complexity,
14:29
SPEAKER_01: as well as a lot of the things that the series really is known for, like Quidditch.
14:33
SPEAKER_01: It's a bit of a sneaky reference on Gilmore Girls, and I love providing these for you.
14:37
SPEAKER_01: In Season 1,
14:38
SPEAKER_01: Episode 2,
14:39
SPEAKER_01: so just the second episode,
14:40
SPEAKER_01: which was the Lorelai's first aid shelter,
14:42
SPEAKER_01: Miss Patty refers to The newest book in the Harry Potter series.
14:46
SPEAKER_01: So if you go back and look at when the series originally aired,
14:50
SPEAKER_01: this would be the book that she was talking about.
14:52
SPEAKER_01: While we're talking about Harry Potter,
14:54
SPEAKER_01: let's move to Harry Potter and a Sorcerer's Stone, another five-star book.
14:59
SPEAKER_01: I consider this to be a book that shaped me even though I did not read it until I was an adult.
15:03
SPEAKER_01: It was one of those things that when I was younger,
15:06
SPEAKER_01: I didn't think I liked fantasy, so I just ignored how popular it was.
15:10
SPEAKER_01: As an adult,
15:10
SPEAKER_01: I learned that I was wrong and fell head over heels like 70 millions upon millions
15:15
SPEAKER_01: of others.
15:16
SPEAKER_01: So here the reader is introduced to 11-year-old forefin Harry as he is whisked away
15:21
SPEAKER_01: to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
15:24
SPEAKER_01: Of course, this first year is the most childlike.
15:27
SPEAKER_01: There's a bit of fun and a bit of fighting from playing Quidditch to battling Voldemort.
15:31
SPEAKER_01: Whether you've already read this one or not,
15:33
SPEAKER_01: I still recommend checking out the Minelima edition of this one.
15:36
SPEAKER_01: Again, it is full text, but it is illustrated and interactive.
15:39
SPEAKER_01: And then I also want to note that Audible has new exclusive full cast productions
15:44
SPEAKER_01: of these books, which are perfect for family listening.
15:47
SPEAKER_01: As you may already know,
15:48
SPEAKER_01: the movie adaptations are absolute perfection,
15:51
SPEAKER_01: but I'm thinking I'm going to rewatch either this one or Goblet
15:54
SPEAKER_01: of Fire this fall myself.
15:55
SPEAKER_01: They are my two favorites,
15:57
SPEAKER_01: and you should also know that HBO is working on a new series adaptation.
16:01
SPEAKER_01: I believe there is a documentary on HBO right now that goes behind the scenes of it.
16:06
SPEAKER_01: I'm hesitant to watch because I do think the originals are perfection,
16:09
SPEAKER_01: but I'm sure I will We'll eventually give in.
16:11
SPEAKER_01: Two more quick things to note about Harry Potter.
16:13
SPEAKER_01: Last week, I talked about going to Universal Studios to Harry Potter World.
16:18
SPEAKER_01: We thought it was an excellent, truly immersive experience.
16:21
SPEAKER_01: My personal favorite was Hagrid's Ride.
16:23
SPEAKER_01: It's a roller coaster, but it's unlike any roller coaster you've ever been on before.
16:27
SPEAKER_01: There's no highs and lows.
16:28
SPEAKER_01: It's all about how it moves.
16:30
SPEAKER_01: And that is not to give you any spoilers because it will really shock you.
16:33
SPEAKER_01: And it is incredibly fast at the same time.
16:36
SPEAKER_01: And then the last thing I want to note,
16:38
SPEAKER_01: which I forgot to note the last time I talked about Harry Potter,
16:41
SPEAKER_01: is that I went to this Harry Potter exhibit here in Philadelphia,
16:44
SPEAKER_01: which I know is a traveling exhibit.
16:46
SPEAKER_01: So it may be near you at some point,
16:48
SPEAKER_01: but it has all these artifacts and clothes and things like that from the movies.
16:52
SPEAKER_01: And then it also has some immersive experiences where you can go
16:55
SPEAKER_01: through these cool themed rooms and do certain activities that feel like magic.
17:00
SPEAKER_01: They recreate the Great Hall.
17:02
SPEAKER_01: If that one is near you,
17:03
SPEAKER_01: it's a really cheap way to get that Harry Potter world experience without
17:07
SPEAKER_01: the trouble possible going to Universal Studios.
17:10
SPEAKER_01: Okay, so where is this one on Gilmore Girls?
17:13
SPEAKER_01: In Season 3, Episode 3, Application Anxiety, Carol Springsteen mentions Harry Potter.
17:18
SPEAKER_01: And then,
17:18
SPEAKER_01: of course,
17:19
SPEAKER_01: in Season 3,
17:19
SPEAKER_01: Episode 19, Kegnax,
17:21
SPEAKER_01: Brian wants to name Have Arian the Harry Potter,
17:24
SPEAKER_01: so that would have been fun, wouldn't it?
17:26
SPEAKER_01: Later in Season 6, Episode 3, The Ungraduate, Gil refers to the adaptation.
17:31
SPEAKER_01: And then in Season 6,
17:32
SPEAKER_01: Episode 20,
17:33
SPEAKER_01: Super Cult Furry People, Anna says that April's friends call Luke Hagrid.
17:38
SPEAKER_01: I'm not sure if that's an insult or a compliment, but that's Anna for you.
17:41
SPEAKER_01: Okay, moving along.
17:42
SPEAKER_01: Macbeth by William Shakespeare.
17:44
SPEAKER_01: This is another one that we talk about frequently around here.
17:47
SPEAKER_01: And another five-star read for me.
17:49
SPEAKER_01: This particular Shakespearean tragedy is very seasonal because it features three witches.
17:54
SPEAKER_01: It gives us the lines double,
17:55
SPEAKER_01: double toil and trouble in Something Wicked This Way Comes,
17:59
SPEAKER_01: which I love about Shakespeare, how we still say these things today.
18:02
SPEAKER_01: So anyway, the three witches predict that he will become king.
18:05
SPEAKER_01: And then Macbeth and his wife decide, well, we're just going to speed things up a bit.
18:10
SPEAKER_01: So one royal martyr quickly snowballs into more.
18:13
SPEAKER_01: And the consequence of this is hallucinations, paranoia, and a kingdom that is ruled by fear.
18:19
SPEAKER_01: It's feeling a lot like the crucible description, isn't it?
18:22
SPEAKER_01: Macbeth is then left to outrun the consequences of his ambition.
18:26
SPEAKER_01: This is my second favorite Shakespearean tragedy after Hamlet.
18:30
SPEAKER_01: What really drew me in on this one is Lady Macbeth.
18:32
SPEAKER_01: To me, she is the star of her show.
18:34
SPEAKER_01: She's this very darkly ambitious woman.
18:37
SPEAKER_01: And both she and the witches,
18:39
SPEAKER_01: who of course give us that seasonal spookiness, truly drive Macbeth's story.
18:44
SPEAKER_01: And as with all Shakespeare, it is a wild one.
18:46
SPEAKER_01: When I think of leading Macbeth, I actually think of Paris.
18:49
SPEAKER_01: I truly don't mean that as an insult.
18:51
SPEAKER_01: I just think that we see Paris as a woman who is first and foremost motivated by ambition.
18:57
SPEAKER_01: The consequences of her actions are not as dark.
18:59
SPEAKER_01: As she does learn to channel her softer side throughout the series,
19:03
SPEAKER_01: the same cannot be said of Lady MacFath.
19:05
SPEAKER_01: I think it would be really interesting if someone wrote,
19:09
SPEAKER_01: and again,
19:09
SPEAKER_01: this is not an insult,
19:11
SPEAKER_01: a horror story that took Paris' story in the direction of Lady MacFath.
19:15
SPEAKER_01: Almost like what would happen if this was not a cozy comfort show?
19:19
SPEAKER_01: Where would Paris' character go?
19:21
SPEAKER_01: Luckily for all of us Gilmore Girls fans though,
19:23
SPEAKER_01: we have learned to love and appreciate Paris and wish her well.
19:27
SPEAKER_01: Now, if you are struggling to read Shakespeare, I always recommend the No Fear editions.
19:31
SPEAKER_01: Again, I know I say this a lot,
19:33
SPEAKER_01: but the original text is on the left side of the page and then
19:35
SPEAKER_01: a modern translation is on the right.
19:37
SPEAKER_01: So it makes it super easy to pick up.
19:40
SPEAKER_01: And I will also note, do not stress yourself We are not supposed to understand it.
19:45
SPEAKER_01: The language was different hundreds of years ago.
19:47
SPEAKER_01: Heck, it is different today.
19:49
SPEAKER_01: There are things that my 11 year old Lisa say that I do not understand.
19:52
SPEAKER_01: With Shakespeare, I just accept that it will be a challenge.
19:55
SPEAKER_01: Try to find ways to make it easy for myself.
19:57
SPEAKER_01: And then I can appreciate the experience because it always is worth it to me.
20:01
SPEAKER_01: Speaking of making it easy,
20:03
SPEAKER_01: the 2022 movie adaptation which stars Denzel Washington
20:06
SPEAKER_01: and Frances McDormand I thought was very good and it definitely helped me understand
20:10
SPEAKER_01: the plot and the themes so much better.
20:13
SPEAKER_01: This is one we see several times in Gilmore Girls.
20:16
SPEAKER_01: This is another one from Season 1,
20:17
SPEAKER_01: Episode 13,
20:18
SPEAKER_01: Contra Interruptus,
20:19
SPEAKER_01: when Rory and Lane are talking about the group of girls from Chilton.
20:23
SPEAKER_01: They say both double-double toil and trouble and something wicked this way comes.
20:28
SPEAKER_01: In Season 2, Episode 9, Runaway Bittleboy, this is the famous Romeo and Juliet episode.
20:33
SPEAKER_01: It is discussed at Chilton.
20:34
SPEAKER_01: And back again to that Spraysteen episode, Season 3, Episode 3, Application Anxiety.
20:39
SPEAKER_01: Here, Darren Springsteen says one fell swoop.
20:42
SPEAKER_01: This is another famous line that we take from Shakespeare and still use to this day.
20:46
SPEAKER_01: Season three, episode 12, Lorelai out of water.
20:49
SPEAKER_01: Lorelai refers to the wishes.
20:50
SPEAKER_01: This is such a Lorelai reference.
20:53
SPEAKER_01: Lorelai is smarter than A lot of people give her credit for.
20:56
SPEAKER_01: So she totally knows about like that.
20:58
SPEAKER_01: But because she refers to the witches, she's doing so in a way that is so much more Lorelai.
21:02
SPEAKER_01: Then in season four, episode 18, tick, tick, tick, boom, Richard refers to it.
21:07
SPEAKER_01: So we've got all the Gilmores liking us on.
21:10
SPEAKER_01: Then, in A Year in the Life Winter, it is at Richard's funeral.
21:13
SPEAKER_01: Last but not least,
21:14
SPEAKER_01: in the very final episode of Gilmore Rules ever,
21:17
SPEAKER_01: A Year in the Life Fall,
21:18
SPEAKER_01: The Light and Death Parade quotes it the same way Worry initially did.
21:22
SPEAKER_01: By the pricking of my thumbs,
21:24
SPEAKER_01: something wicked This book is about as iconic as it gets
21:28
SPEAKER_01: for Gilmore Girls references.
21:30
SPEAKER_01: Okay, let's talk about another iconic book,
21:32
SPEAKER_01: Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, another five-star read for me.
21:36
SPEAKER_01: It famously began, Last Night I Dreamt I Went to Manderley Again.
21:39
SPEAKER_01: And this is an atmospheric thriller about a woman who the reader never meets.
21:43
SPEAKER_01: Yes, she is Rebecca, and she did die before the story begins, so that is not a spoiler.
21:48
SPEAKER_01: And this mystery transports us to a grand English estate.
21:52
SPEAKER_01: Here, a wealthy widower named Max has just married a lower class servant.
21:57
SPEAKER_01: But this isn't your average fault.
21:59
SPEAKER_01: They're not going pumpkin picking or dressing for sweater weather.
22:02
SPEAKER_01: Again, this is an atmospheric novel.
22:04
SPEAKER_01: So here, in this very, one-day environment, the ghost of Rebecca lingers.
22:09
SPEAKER_01: If the novel is supernatural, it's more in a way like she's always somehow present.
22:14
SPEAKER_01: For example, the staff is always talking about her.
22:17
SPEAKER_01: And this is actually my favorite part about this novel
22:19
SPEAKER_01: because I feel like there is someone in each of our lives who we've never met,
22:23
SPEAKER_01: but we just constantly hear about.
22:25
SPEAKER_01: Whether it's someone who had our position at work before us or someone's ex.
22:29
SPEAKER_01: But it's one of those states where it's always like, oh, well, that's not how Rebecca did it.
22:33
SPEAKER_01: Or Rebecca always said this.
22:35
SPEAKER_01: And you're just kind of like, who is this person?
22:38
SPEAKER_01: You feel like you know them when you really don't.
22:40
SPEAKER_01: And you also wonder, what was it about them that they remained so present for everyone else?
22:45
SPEAKER_01: Anyway, as it turns out, there is so much more to the truth behind Rebecca's tragic death.
22:50
SPEAKER_01: The last 100 pages in particular will leave you wanting more, more More.
22:55
SPEAKER_01: What can I say?
22:56
SPEAKER_01: This is one of the most popular and best loved thrillers of all time.
23:00
SPEAKER_01: So if you are someone who loves a modern thriller, take me back to the classics this year.
23:05
SPEAKER_01: It's not hard.
23:06
SPEAKER_01: It reads just as quickly as your favorite modern thrillers and it works.
23:10
SPEAKER_01: It really packs a punch that lasts.
23:12
SPEAKER_01: There is a Netflix adaptation of this one.
23:14
SPEAKER_01: The reviews were mixed.
23:15
SPEAKER_01: I personally enjoy it.
23:17
SPEAKER_01: You will have to get over the sap that R.B.
23:18
SPEAKER_01: Hammer is in it, though.
23:20
SPEAKER_01: He's become quite the controversial person since then.
23:23
SPEAKER_01: I'm Gilmar Ross, season one, episode two.
23:25
SPEAKER_01: Episode 11, Max nicknames Rory Rebecca.
23:28
SPEAKER_01: And just to make it clear how we know that this is a book reference,
23:31
SPEAKER_01: the widow of Rebecca, his name was Max as well.
23:34
SPEAKER_01: Another fan favorite, The Secret History by Donna Tartt and another five-star read for me.
23:39
SPEAKER_01: This is what I would call a modern classic.
23:41
SPEAKER_01: It's one of 10 Magazine's 100 best mystery and thriller books of all time.
23:45
SPEAKER_01: It is also a Read with Jenna book club pick and one of her favorite books of all time.
23:50
SPEAKER_01: Personally,
23:50
SPEAKER_01: her celebrity book club is my favorite and I definitely think she is the one
23:54
SPEAKER_01: who reads the most like Rory.
23:56
SPEAKER_01: This book absolutely defines dark academia.
23:59
SPEAKER_01: When you think of dark academia,
24:01
SPEAKER_01: when you think of old colleges,
24:03
SPEAKER_01: New England,
24:04
SPEAKER_01: crunchy multicolored leaves, that preppy collegiate style, this has got all of that.
24:09
SPEAKER_01: Like a lot of dark academia, it starts with an outcast.
24:12
SPEAKER_01: He is from California and he is desperate to fail.
24:14
SPEAKER_01: So anyway,
24:32
SPEAKER_01: He becomes friends with his fellow Greek classmates and they are obsessed with the classics.
24:36
SPEAKER_01: This obsession goes rogue and has deadly consequences.
24:40
SPEAKER_01: This is where things really go off the wall.
24:42
SPEAKER_01: The crew completely spirals as they try to process the gravity of their actions.
24:47
SPEAKER_01: And it's all building momentum until you get to the end.
24:50
SPEAKER_01: And let me tell you, this ending is probably the most successful ending I have ever read.
24:55
SPEAKER_01: It takes you second by second with the characters and includes some of
24:59
SPEAKER_01: the best dialogue I have ever read.
25:02
SPEAKER_01: My heart was absolutely pounding.
25:04
SPEAKER_01: At the same time, it is literary fiction, so it's incredibly well written.
25:08
SPEAKER_01: I absolutely dream of an adaptation of this novel.
25:12
SPEAKER_01: And on Gilmore Girls, it's a reference I am absolutely thrilled to provide to you.
25:16
SPEAKER_01: It is in season five, episode 14.
25:18
SPEAKER_01: When Rory is talking a little bit on the phone,
25:20
SPEAKER_01: you can see the spine on her shelf in the background.
25:24
SPEAKER_01: I couldn't be more thrilled that after years Upsearching Gilmore Girls
25:28
SPEAKER_01: for book references that no one else has found, I was able to identify this one.
25:32
SPEAKER_01: I have always thought The Secret History was the number one book that should be
25:36
SPEAKER_01: on Gilmore Girls,
25:37
SPEAKER_01: but because it's just a spine and it is in the background,
25:40
SPEAKER_01: I really did have to rely on myself.
25:41
SPEAKER_01: I have my knowledge over time about books in general to identify it.
25:45
SPEAKER_01: I really think that this is the value that I bring to this space.
25:49
SPEAKER_01: Again, if you want more like this,
25:51
SPEAKER_01: you can upgrade to become a paid subscriber on Substack and you'll immediately get
25:55
SPEAKER_01: a 15 page checklist.
25:57
SPEAKER_01: I'm going to show you what I'm going to show you.
25:59
SPEAKER_01: I'm going to show you what I'm going to show you.
26:11
SPEAKER_01: The most iconic books of all time.
26:14
SPEAKER_01: To me, it is all about being a well-read reader and this is the challenge that does it for me.
26:19
SPEAKER_01: Another place that you can get information like this is I recently released
26:23
SPEAKER_01: a unofficial guide to the books on Gilmore's as a paperback book.
26:26
SPEAKER_01: I go episode by episode,
26:28
SPEAKER_01: giving you a summary of the episode,
26:30
SPEAKER_01: what season it set in,
26:31
SPEAKER_01: the books that are referenced exactly where they're referenced.
26:34
SPEAKER_01: I'm actually looking at my book right now to give you these book references,
26:37
SPEAKER_01: and then some extras.
26:38
SPEAKER_01: So for example,
26:39
SPEAKER_01: if a character watches a movie that was actually an adaptation of the book,
26:42
SPEAKER_01: that's where I would put it in those extra sections.
26:45
SPEAKER_01: And then I also have a reading journal in there for you.
26:47
SPEAKER_01: So you can do things like color pages for the books you read and make lists, review books.
26:53
SPEAKER_01: This is all to make the experience more fun,
26:55
SPEAKER_01: more engaging,
26:56
SPEAKER_01: more analog,
26:57
SPEAKER_01: off of our phones,
26:58
SPEAKER_01: fully immersed in something Okay,
27:00
SPEAKER_01: now let's talk about a book that we don't talk about often here.
27:15
SPEAKER_01: This is one that I gave three stars.
27:23
SPEAKER_01: At the same time,
27:24
SPEAKER_01: just like The Crucible as I'm reviewing it again to prepare for this episode,
27:27
SPEAKER_01: I found a lot more appreciation for it.
27:30
SPEAKER_01: This book falls into the genre of dark fantasy.
27:32
SPEAKER_01: It's not my personal favorite genre,
27:35
SPEAKER_01: but I love the themes that it brings with it and how it tells the story
27:38
SPEAKER_01: through this Halloween night carnival, which is so seasonal.
27:41
SPEAKER_01: As this carnival comes to town, two young boys become obsessed with it.
27:45
SPEAKER_01: What's interesting about the carnival is that it is run by a man named Mr.
27:49
SPEAKER_01: Dark.
27:50
SPEAKER_01: So it's very clear that he's not a good guy.
27:53
SPEAKER_01: What he does is he uses people's desires against them.
27:56
SPEAKER_01: So for example,
27:58
SPEAKER_01: One of the boys' father is obsessed with youth and unhappy about the fact
28:01
SPEAKER_01: that he's aging.
28:02
SPEAKER_01: So throughout the tale,
28:03
SPEAKER_01: he becomes vulnerable to what the credible offers him and has to either succumb
28:07
SPEAKER_01: to it or face the sphere of growing old.
28:10
SPEAKER_01: Meanwhile, the two young boys, Will and Jin, they We are also growing older.
28:14
SPEAKER_01: They're coming of age.
28:15
SPEAKER_01: And they both approach this change in different ways.
28:18
SPEAKER_01: Will is very thoughtful and cautious.
28:20
SPEAKER_01: Meanwhile, Jim is impulsive.
28:22
SPEAKER_01: Of course, this can have different consequences.
28:25
SPEAKER_01: What it's about is how we handle temptation.
28:27
SPEAKER_01: Which was definitely such a big part of coming of age.
28:30
SPEAKER_01: Fun fact about it,
28:31
SPEAKER_01: which you may have already realized,
28:33
SPEAKER_01: the title is from the famous line from McFath with the cracking of my thumb,
28:37
SPEAKER_01: something wicked this way comes.
28:38
SPEAKER_01: This line is so iconic that even Taylor Swift referenced it in her Life of a Showgirl album.
28:44
SPEAKER_01: I love tracking those Taylor Swift literary references.
28:46
SPEAKER_01: She's a queen.
28:47
SPEAKER_01: And there is an older, I think 1980s live action Disney adaptation of this one.
28:52
SPEAKER_01: It definitely has lots of fall vibes for Family Night,
28:55
SPEAKER_01: but personally, I would recommend watching it with older kids.
28:59
SPEAKER_01: I think your kids can feel a little bit scared by it.
29:02
SPEAKER_01: This isn't happy fun Halloween.
29:04
SPEAKER_01: This is dark Halloween with a message.
29:06
SPEAKER_01: And of course,
29:06
SPEAKER_01: it is in Gilmore Girls season one,
29:08
SPEAKER_01: episode 13,
29:09
SPEAKER_01: Concert Interruptus, where Rory says that line, something wicked thisly comes.
29:13
SPEAKER_01: And then again in a year and a length fall when the life and death fade says it.
29:17
SPEAKER_01: The last book on the list that is actually from Gilmore Girls that is very seasonal
29:22
SPEAKER_01: for fall is a book I've never talked about here.
29:24
SPEAKER_01: It is The Witches of the Eastwood by John Pike.
29:27
SPEAKER_01: So I have not yet read it,
29:28
SPEAKER_01: but let me tell you,
29:29
SPEAKER_01: I am feeling totally influenced to do so,
29:32
SPEAKER_01: especially after I watched the movie trailer, which is definitely on my list now.
29:36
SPEAKER_01: It stars Cher, Michelle Pfeiffer, Susan Sarandon, and Jack Nicholson.
29:41
SPEAKER_01: It came out in 1989.
29:43
SPEAKER_01: And when I watched the trailer,
29:44
SPEAKER_01: I got the vibes of that Death Becomes Her movie,
29:46
SPEAKER_01: which I watched last fall and really enjoyed.
29:49
SPEAKER_01: So I am definitely going to watch it.
29:50
SPEAKER_01: I'm hoping to read it, but I'm not sure I will get to it this year.
29:53
SPEAKER_01: What is it about?
29:54
SPEAKER_01: Well, let's put it this way.
29:56
SPEAKER_01: The New York Times Book Review called it a comedy of the blackest sort.
29:59
SPEAKER_01: To me, this feels perfect for Gilmart Ross fans in fall.
30:03
SPEAKER_01: It is also set in New England, so there is that as well.
30:06
SPEAKER_01: And it follows three newly single female friends,
30:09
SPEAKER_01: Alexandra, Jane, and even a woman named Sookie.
30:12
SPEAKER_01: How about that?
30:13
SPEAKER_01: So they discover that they They have supernatural abilities,
30:16
SPEAKER_01: but their lives take a bit of an unconventional turn from there.
30:19
SPEAKER_01: This all happens when a very charismatic man, Daryl Van Horn, arrives into town.
30:24
SPEAKER_01: It's often said that there are only a few stories that can be told,
30:28
SPEAKER_01: and one of them is about a stranger coming Well,
30:30
SPEAKER_01: in this one, what happens is he begins relationships with all three women.
30:34
SPEAKER_01: I expect this one to be an absolute doozy.
30:37
SPEAKER_01: What's it all about?
30:38
SPEAKER_01: Well, it does explore things like sexuality and social expectations,
30:42
SPEAKER_01: female independence and power, and all of these feel very Gilmore Girls as well.
30:47
SPEAKER_01: I did hear that the book is much darker than the adaptation.
30:50
SPEAKER_01: The adaptation looks fun to me.
30:52
SPEAKER_01: So you should know about that before you get into either of them.
30:55
SPEAKER_01: Without having consumed either of them,
30:57
SPEAKER_01: the vibe that I get is that the novel is more of a satire,
31:00
SPEAKER_01: whereas the movie may be more perky and magical.
31:03
SPEAKER_01: This is a Gilmore Girls reference that I can almost see in my head.
31:07
SPEAKER_01: It's an episode I watch frequently, season four, episode 11.
31:10
SPEAKER_01: So those are 10 seasonal books on Gilmore Frills that are super iconic for your fall reading.
31:25
SPEAKER_01: They do have some short and easy ones in there,
31:27
SPEAKER_01: like Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone,
31:29
SPEAKER_01: which is a children's book,
31:30
SPEAKER_01: or The Crucible, which is a play you can read in a weekend.
31:33
SPEAKER_01: But if you want something even shorter and sweeter,
31:36
SPEAKER_01: what I would recommend is that you try some Edgar Allan Poe.
31:40
SPEAKER_01: This is what the Post Society did.
31:41
SPEAKER_01: And it's also super seasonal.
31:43
SPEAKER_01: Some of the titles on the list are The Cask of Amontillado, The Raven and the Telltale Heart.
31:48
SPEAKER_01: The Raven is a poem you can read in just a few minutes.
31:51
SPEAKER_01: The Cask of Amontillado,
31:52
SPEAKER_01: I believe is also a poem and the Telltale
31:55
SPEAKER_01: The final part is this super creepy short story that I am convinced
31:58
SPEAKER_01: that everyone is required to read at some point in their lifetime.
32:01
SPEAKER_01: So you have not been required to do so yet.
32:04
SPEAKER_01: Take this as your sign to do so.
32:05
SPEAKER_01: Now, before we go,
32:06
SPEAKER_01: I want to up the ante this fall, and that is because it is Our season is Gilmars.
32:11
SPEAKER_01: We don't just want seasonal books from Gilmore Girls.
32:14
SPEAKER_01: We want books that feel like Gilmore Girls.
32:16
SPEAKER_01: I talked about my favorites recently when I interviewed the author, Christy Woodson Harvey.
32:21
SPEAKER_01: And the way I did it was I tried to sell her on a one sentence So
32:25
SPEAKER_01: that is what I'm going to do here as well.
32:28
SPEAKER_01: First is The City Baker's Die to Country Living.
32:31
SPEAKER_01: This is by Louise Miller and a pastry chef takes a job at a Vermont inn
32:35
SPEAKER_01: where she falls for a local and experiences a harvest dinner and
32:38
SPEAKER_01: an apple pie contest.
32:40
SPEAKER_01: This is one that would work perfect for the cities.
32:42
SPEAKER_01: Next up, The Honeycrisp Orchard Inn by Valerie Bowman.
32:45
SPEAKER_01: A woman returns to her family's inn on a Long Island apple orchard
32:48
SPEAKER_01: where she's tasked with planning a harvest festival with a forger owner's son.
32:52
SPEAKER_01: Now, if I remember right, this one has a lot of Actual Gilmore Girls references.
32:57
SPEAKER_01: And by the way,
32:58
SPEAKER_01: Valerie Bowman,
32:58
SPEAKER_01: I did just see her comment on my most recent post on Instagram
33:02
SPEAKER_01: where I shared something like my 10 favorite still images that are about Paul
33:06
SPEAKER_01: and Gilmore Girls.
33:07
SPEAKER_01: So I think she's one of us.
33:09
SPEAKER_01: Next up, If It Makes You Happy by Julie Olivia.
33:12
SPEAKER_01: Here is my one sentence teaser.
33:14
SPEAKER_01: Set in the 1990s,
33:15
SPEAKER_01: a divorcee temporarily running her mother's Vermont bed and breakfast meets
33:19
SPEAKER_01: a charming single dad neighbor who is a beloved baker in a small town golden boy.
33:23
SPEAKER_01: I don't know that you totally get it from this sentence alone,
33:27
SPEAKER_01: but for me,
33:28
SPEAKER_01: the 1990s setting really brought me back to the time of Gilmore Girls in this one.
33:33
SPEAKER_01: Now, The Pocket Spice Cafe by Lori Gilmore.
33:35
SPEAKER_01: This is the first in the Spicy Dream Harbor series,
33:38
SPEAKER_01: and a woman takes over her aunt's cafe in a town.
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SPEAKER_01: This town is filled with town meetings and nosy neighbors.
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SPEAKER_01: Sound familiar?
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SPEAKER_01: Including Logan, a grumpy farmer who is reminiscent of Luke.
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SPEAKER_01: And he begins to help her in both the cafe and the bedroom.
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SPEAKER_01: So yes, this is a very spicy one.
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SPEAKER_01: It's also a very popular one.
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SPEAKER_01: It's one of those books that you will see on every Target bookshelf.
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SPEAKER_01: My fifth and final pick for books that feel like Gilmore Girls is Something
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SPEAKER_01: About September by Julia McKay.
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SPEAKER_01: Here, a woman named Rebecca McIntosh inherits her grandmother's diner and returns
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SPEAKER_01: to her hometown of Bramley Hollow with just 30 September days to renovate it,
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SPEAKER_01: only to find that the contract This was my pick for 2026,
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SPEAKER_01: and I thought it really balanced in a unique way both the presenting and reminiscing
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SPEAKER_01: about the past and what it was like to be in high school,
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SPEAKER_01: which is also very Gilmore Girls.
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SPEAKER_01: If you want even more,
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SPEAKER_01: head to the show notes and the vlog post that accompanies this podcast episode.
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SPEAKER_01: I have linked my full reviews for these five picks.
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SPEAKER_01: I've also linked Christy Woodson Harvey's five picks for books that feel like Gilmore Girls.
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SPEAKER_01: And she's not just an author, she is a super fan of Gilmore Girls Like Us.
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SPEAKER_01: She did also interview Kelly Bishop and Meet Laurie Graham.
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SPEAKER_01: You can hear all about that in her episode.
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SPEAKER_01: And I have also linked my picks for 35 books releasing in fall 2026
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SPEAKER_01: that you will want on your radar.
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SPEAKER_01: So all in all, we have a very comprehensive list of fall reading for you.
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SPEAKER_01: I hope you'll find at least one to turn the And
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SPEAKER_01: really find a way to be grounded
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SPEAKER_01: and present in this season.
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SPEAKER_01: We are Gilmars, we are Anons, and it is our time.
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SPEAKER_01: So breathe in deep, folks.
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SPEAKER_01: It does smell like fall, as Taylor Doocy said, and see you next time.