Latest / Fated / Upcoming Romance Book Releases and Taylor Swift Songs to Books
Transcript
- Tay: Welcome to the podcast where your next favorite story is already written in the stars. April: We're your new book besties April Tay: and Tay here to get your book cravings started and satisfied. Why? April: because around here it's Fated Tay: So grab your current read, maybe a cozy drink and hide your TBR list because today we're talking about some anticipated releases of 2026 and some book recs based on Taylor Swift's songs. April: Gonna be a good year, 2026. There's so many good books coming out this year. Tay: so many things and I'm sure probably for our romance readers or something in the back of your mind that you're all thinking of, we will get there. First we're gonna start off with just like some normal contemporary fantasy or fantasy some mixed in and then we'll move on to the hot topic of the day but upcoming in May, May 5th to be exact, we have The Heart You Kept by T.L. It sounds and looks good. I'm a T.L. Swan girly. I love all her books. to me she can do no wrong. Actually, she's coming on tour here in the United States because she's from Australia. And I'm actually missing it. I'm so bummed because I love her book so, much. But The Heart You Kept, the blurb on it that's anticipated, says three years after a secret weekend in the Swiss Alps, Laura Sorensen thought she completely had moved on from a mysterious man who had turned her world upside down. That wasn't until Edward Prescott. and this our main leading man who is a billionaire of the world's largest casino, is a definition of untouchable, he's dark, commanding force. Elora prefers a serene, simple life surrounded by antiques and vintage fashion. She doesn't belong in the world yet. She's never stopped wanting him though. And so then secrets are kind of tying them together. So I love a good billionaire romance. It sounds really good, but I also love like a second chance where they have like a one night, you know, kind of fling and then suddenly they're crossing paths again, so. April: Mm-hmm. Sounds like she's gonna hit it out of the park again. Tay: Yeah, I have no doubt. It's going to be one those reads that I probably read overnight. I like her reads too, because they're easy reads. And I can kind of do them in between the heavy ones. Also, May is just a busy month in general for books. We have three book releases on May 12 that we're going to talk about. I'll give you two. One of them's a follow-up. April: Yeah. Right. Pallet cleanser. Tay: ⁓ It's actually a sequel to a New York Times best-selling dystopian romance, Silver Elite. It is Broken Dove by Dani Francis. So looking forward to that. The blurb on this says lines will be crossed, loyalties will be tested, and the fight for the continent is only just beginning as Ren Darlington finds herself caught in the middle of two wars, one for the fate of her home and the other one for the fate of her heart. So good. I love a blurb like that. April: Okay, so I know and it's so good to see dystopian coming back like I'm going back to like 2020 12 like it is Yeah Tay: I need all the divergent vibes. I want that world gone decay, really fight for our love kind of thing. That, just to me, is the epitome of what I thought of dystopian romance. then now it's authors are kind of touching back into it. And so I'm excited. I'm excited to see what that looks like ⁓ in the upcoming year. Because there's a couple other good ones. ⁓ I can't think of them off the top of my head, but I have seen a few. I'm like. April: Mm-hmm. Yes. Mm-hmm. Yes. There's a dystopian rise again. We're going back. It's coming back. Tay: ⁓ think, what is it? ⁓ my gosh, I'm trying to think of it. It's like ⁓ a bird in a cage or wild bird in a cage, something like that. And I've heard really, really good things. So that one is another one I know that's coming, or just came out and it's like dystopian vibes. April: ⁓ okay. Awesome. Yeah, that makes me excited. Hunger Games. Tay: And I know, right? Okay. The next and final read that I'm gonna talk about that I'm anticipating is also the May the 12th release. This one is called Love Beyond a Reasonable Doubt. And I hadn't heard of this one before I started researching for today, book coming releases, but it sounds super good. So I'm gonna go ahead and read the blur, but two lawyers find themselves in the same office after a steamy vacation fling in the beaches of Goa. And the FMC, she's a proud workaholic, she's gunning for a promotion at a law firm, yada yada. But then you have her male counterpart, the male character who hasn't stopped thinking about this brown eyed beauty that he had had this fling with in Goa. And so I'm just really excited for something that's, guess, one sweet romance like that, but then it kind of touches on like. workplace office kind of rivalry and that's kind of what it's sounding like. ⁓ But yeah, they find themselves backing in the same law firm and they have to kind of go head to head. April: Ooh, that's giving me some of those office romance vibes are so good. So good. Tay: Yeah, and I really like that they're incorporating like a Desi love kind of flair and it's nice to see like every different types of characters represented in books. So always love that because then I get to learn something too about that culture. April: Mm-hmm. for sure. Exactly, which is also really interesting. think it keeps you interested in a book way longer, at least for me, when it's about something that I may not necessarily be as familiar with. Tay: When I can think back and forth and I can kind of go like, don't know that, like what do they do that ceremony for it or what do they do? It just like makes me even more curious. April: Right. So pretty too. Okay. So I put on here, These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean. Now I want to preface this by saying I have been a huge Sarah MacLean fan for a long time. I've met her at a couple of book signings. She used to primarily write historical romances like the paperbacks, trade markets. Okay. I'm sure a lot of people would recognize her. ⁓ But she's kind of going away from ⁓ that a little bit and she's going to be writing a book that sounds like it's going to lean a little bit more into like family vibes. And it doesn't seem to be historical to me at all. It says Alice Storm is left with an inheritance game after her father passes away and she's given one week on their family's private island to complete the game tasks. ⁓ So it sounds like there's maybe gonna be a romance with her father second in command. So don't know if we're gonna have some age gapping there. I don't really know what's happening here, but it sounds really good. And the book cover is beautiful and it's giving me all the summer vibes. May 12th, that big day with all those big releases, like we are ready to head into summer with all these summer reads. Tay: ⁓ that's awesome. That sounds super good. You know me, I live an age gap. now I'm like, I'm going to be looking for that later, adding to cart. April: Yes, I know. I'm like, how big? I don't know, but it just, I'm second in command. Hey, okay. Then I have on May 19th, this is one I bet a lot of people are really excited for is Fever Dream by Elsie Silver. I will admit I have only read a couple of her books, ⁓ but this is going to be a small town, of course. forbidden rivals to lovers, Western themed romance. It sounds like there's a bit of a reality dating show going on. I think that the male main character is some sort of like a bull rider and I'm like, okay, bachelor. Like we were denied a bachelorette season, okay? So this is going to fill hopefully that hole for us, those who are ready for some watch parties. We're gonna have fever dream to read instead. Tay: Yeah, I was looking for some drama, some things, so I bet Elsie brings the drama. really do. I also bet that ⁓ if it's, you know, feeling that reality dating show vibe, like, and it's just gonna be like, to me, I it's gonna be really hot. April: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Perfect summer read, perfect summer read. Then, okay, a book we're both excited about, well, I am definitely excited about is Moon Cursed by Holly Renee, which I honestly haven't seen too much about this book released yet. It sounds like it's going to be enemies to lovers, which snaps for that, we're down for that. But then I was like forced marriage, awesome, maybe stolen bride, who knows, sounds great. But then I saw Sea Witch and... or Sea Witch and cursed Sea King. And I was like, what is this? Is this a merman romance? Are we getting it? Tay: you don't know. Like that's another, I feel like Dystopian really a lot of books coming out. Sea Witch, like Merman, kind of things haven't really been like, I mean, they're probably out there, but they're not getting as much attention probably as they should. I just delved into my first like pirate romance with the Everking. You told me about that one and I was hooked. was like, this is, I didn't know I needed to see stuff, but now I do because all I'm picturing is Orlando bloom and like all the. April: Yeah. So good. Right. Pirates of the Caribbean. Yes. Yeah. And so I'm like, it's making a comeback. And it makes me think of like the monster romances that have been really popular in some circles. And then I'm like, okay, are we getting like a mix of this? What's she bringing? I'm ready for it. Sold. November 3rd. I'll be there. Tay: Yeah, yeah, so I have space on my shelf for you, Holly. I will dedicate an entire row of books that you write, for sure. April: Yes. I know those tropes sound so good. I am intrigued. But so speaking of book release news, the SJM call her daddy podcast episode. At guitar six, October 27th. Tay: you Woo! That was something. and at guitar seven, January 12th of 2027 and we don't know the third, I just, okay, backing up as far as like April: Yeah. Tay: We're like dying. As a person who loves these fantasy reads and really too, she helped kind of spark that like really love into fantasy. As Jam, I can give her all the credit. So sorry for people that aren't a fan. I apologize. But the people that are fans, you can stay and keep on listening. ⁓ But the moment our friend group saw this, it was like, stop all things. Like we must watch this. What is happening? Because one, we have all been dying to hear Azriel story. April: Yes. Tay: think that is the hope of this book is that we are hearing his side like at least giving him the love and credit that this shadow Danny deserves but she does a release and she says it's not just you know I kept writing and writing writing I went to my publisher and they said our binding can only hold so much let's turn it into a three part one book three part one book April: That's amazing. Tay: But three books of one, it's just incredible. I have a feeling I'm going to be like just like, but I want to know how did you feel directly when you heard that we're not getting just one, we're getting three. April: Wow. Honestly, I was like, I need to schedule some therapy time in between these books because I know, okay, I still carry with me some trauma from Kingdom of Ash, okay? And the ending of Empire Storms, all of those books from Throne of Glass. So like, I do not trust SJM and I wonder if, I mean, I know she's gonna hurt me. I just don't know how bad she's gonna hurt me yet and I'm scared. Tay: Yeah, because honestly up until now we've like I mean Throne of Glass she was like leaving no rock unturned she was like I am gonna destroy you and I have you know I have no cares about that in Actar everything like the bad guys have been vanquished like the good people are getting what they like yeah granted there's like some obstacles but really we haven't had any like major deaths or anything and I'm just like I feel I feel it I feel like it's coming April: scared. Tay: Like I just know she's gonna wreck me and I'm not looking forward to it, but I also will pay all the money for her to wreck me. and based on the way she was kind of describing, you know, her book and this book experience is, you know, kind of filled me with the feeling that maybe it hasn't been the easiest road and that could be either one, her writing just in general and like firstly, and how she's feeling, but I'm feeling some like vibes with the publisher that there might be like some. April: I know. Something going on. Tay: tension going on with that. did you feel about that? April: Yeah, I mean, she's been with them for a long time, but at the same time, I know that it seems like lot of changes have happened. whatever it is, I hope that ⁓ she feels happy at the end of it. And we're excited that she's creating again. Tay: Yeah, no, I'm kind of glad that she's like, you know, ⁓ the book binding doesn't hold it. ⁓ Guess what? We're going to turn this into, which only makes me think that when this book gets released, the very first part of this book, it's going to leave us on a cliffhanger. It's going to leave us on a cliffhanger to cliffhanger. And from October until January, we are going to be like, just like on the edge of our seat. Like, I need therapy. I need wine. I need all the things. April: This is what we're gonna do. Yeah. Tay: to make it through until I get to that point and then go, and then she's going to do it again because the third book. So I'm like, I will sit in emotional damage from October to whenever the third book comes out. April: forever. the deal is, is social media is so great, but it ruins everything. So like, I'm gonna have to read those books on October 27. Like I better finish it on release day. Gonna have to take the day off of work gonna have to read a million hours in a row just to be able to finish this giant book probably. Yeah. Tay: Yeah. I think it's going to be a reading sabbatical. We're going to say, hey, let's have a weekend. And that is the weekend I am dedicating to sitting my butt down and finishing this book. Because you're right, social media will ruin it. I don't want to be ruined. want to know. Like, I want to feel it and experience it myself, just the way I did when I read Throne of Glass. Because there were things in that book, you know, I know, that when it happened, I'm just like, ⁓ like, April: Yes. Mm-hmm. Yes. Mm-hmm. Tay: In her books, I will audibly gasp, like, can I believe? Just, just, I really do. And honestly, she's the only person I think on this planet could ever entice me to want finger tattoos after that interview. They looked so good. And then I'm like, I know they wear off. I know she has to redo them. I know all the things, but like, I just could not stop staring at her hands while she's talking. I'm like, ⁓ how cute that looks. I'm like, meanwhile, it would look like I was about to take someone out. April: Yeah, she's so good at getting feeling out of you. So good. so good. They're so pretty. I know. Tay: or go to prison. I would not pull them off as well if she does. April: right? I also felt like it was a bit of a crime that throne a glass wasn't as mentioned as much and Rowan my love for him. Tay: I know, I was wondering that, but I'm just gonna like, I think the focus was they wanted to keep on the book and that's fine and fair and dandy, but to our readers, me and April will implore you, please, please, please, please, please read Throne of Glass, read Throne of Glass. Granted, it is not a smut-based book in any regard, but it is so one, well-written, but two, even the faded vaccines are so good. Like, I still got... April: The hype. Yes. So good. They are. Tay: and I still all the things and Rowan and like all these main characters in this book are just so so good like they're just so worth reading so I am for you to at least read that maybe before October I don't know if you can get through all the books then is there's how many there's eight or seven April: So worth reading. It is. There's so many. There's so many books. It is a long series and in full transparency. feel like Akatar is really good at picking up and drawing the reader in immediately. Whereas Throne of Glass, let's be honest, she was really young. was her first book. even though it's a pretty solid first book, in my opinion, it's still a first book that takes a little bit of time to get into. So keep going. Tay: And with how her mind works, I didn't know how she connected that down the road I'm going to do this. That still baffles me. I can't even think of my meal tomorrow, what I'm eating for lunch. Much less go, you know what? Book. Book one, book two, book three. Book three is going to circle back around. Then you're going to be like, ⁓ I understand what's happening here. I don't know how her brain does it, but she does an amazing job and clops to her. April: to this whole other universe. Yeah. Tay: ⁓ And I don't know where anybody's doing their pre-orders from. I pre-ordered mine, I think from Target, because they're doing some kind of special with it. I'm assuming it's probably poster artwork. I don't know what it is, but I need it. I also kind of want to wait to hear a little more on the epilogues, and that will kind of give me more options on what books I want to order from where else, because I'm going to get multiple copies. I know it's going to happen. April: I know they know how to get it out of you all of the money with here's five copies of this book, but they all have a different little thing in them. And of course, it's like huge fans and you know, her publisher does know she has a massive fan base ⁓ that you're they're going to get the money out of you, which to me, I, know, at first it was really fun when it first started with her series, just having a couple of copies of you know, a court of wings and rune. And then it was like, here's, here's five copies of Empire of Storms and Tower of Dawn. And then it was like, whoa. But hopefully, hopefully they draw it back a little bit for those of us, but who knows. Tay: Yeah, or open it up for other publishers to kind of have their whack at it. Like I would love some special editions from somewhere else. Like you recently introduced me to Lilac Library and they have some beautiful, like if they, I mean, I have a feeling if they released an SJM book, like I would be bored. I would say to my child, I'm so sorry, your college tuition is no longer existing because you're invested in these books. April: Right? Hey. Beautiful books. Such a company. Yes. I'm collecting all of the beautiful books. That's true. I know those books though, Akatar 6 and Akatar 7 in October and January are going to scare me. But what scares me even more though is that she didn't give a release date for the third part of the book. So I'm kind of nervous there about when we'll be getting that. Tay: And when I press, you can use that, but like, not until. April: I know, like normally I would be, I'm such a person who if I'm reading a book and for example, fourth wing, okay, we can bring up fourth wing here. ⁓ We just had the release of Onyx Storm, but then there's no like solid release date for the next book. I don't even think there's a title for book four yet. And I am someone who will hold off reading. I have not read Onyx Storm because I want to wait. until book four is out so that I can read them back to back to try to avoid cliffhangers because you know that's what they do. They write cliffhangers so good to draw you in and get you interested. But then I am so bad at coming back to things. ⁓ So that scares me. Tay: No, it's a valid reasoning. My theory is that she's going to not even, I feel like there's such a big gap. This is just my brain, and I'm just hoping. And sometimes she lets me down in that regard. But I am hoping that maybe book part one and part two, and as part two is coming up, it's like, or maybe even the release day of part two, she's like, guess what? Book three comes out in like two weeks. That would be my drop, ⁓ my god. like calf scramble to get our books and what we need and all of that like to me mindset like like don't keep them waiting on the last one you've kept them waiting the couple months for that but then just like do a release so I'm kind of yeah she could she definitely could and that's her April: She could pull a Taylor Swift. she could with Tortured Poets department where she dropped the extra songs the very next time. Tay: I'm theorizing that that's the hope because I just know I'm gonna have FOMO. I'm gonna have to read it. I won't be able to put it off. I don't know how I applaud you for not reading Onyx Storm yet because one, I was there. I was like, I don't wanna be spoiled. And that you haven't been spoiled is great. I hope your algorithm keeps algorithming and not. If you're hearing me, please. April: Mm-hmm. Keep me away from all onyx storm spoilers, please. Scroll past. Yeah. Scroll right on past. Do not collect $100. Yeah. Tay: stand in my way. No, no, Zayden, daddy, love you. Bye bye. I will read you the next book. April: That's my plan. But I can't do that with Akatar. I just know it shows up on my phone no matter what. And I know people will just be blasting it. And I want to be in on the hype because being in on the hype is going to be so much fun. So I'm excited for that. It'll be a good time in October and January for sure. Tay: Looking forward to it. All right. topic. Yep. April: Yes. But I know on the theme of Taylor Swift dropping an ⁓ extra part of her album the very next night, I was thinking of books, and I know you were too, books based on Taylor Swift songs. So good. Tay: Yeah, no, there's there's some really good ones I am I saved a few of my own touch back on mine Not that they kill the vibe, but you know they they have their have me and my feelings ⁓ I'll equate it. It's raining here for our listeners You know when I was thinking of my books like it just I was in a different mind space So ask me again in a month and my answers could be different, but you know we're gonna we're gonna start it off with April and giving April: Yes. Tay: based on Taylor Swift songs. April: The weather just puts you in your feels. You just wanna curl up and read a book, but maybe not a happy one. Hey, that's okay. ⁓ So I was thinking of the song, The Alchemy. So this came on the other day and I was still reading this book. So fate, hello, thank you. ⁓ It's The Alchemy, okay. So specifically the part where it's like call the amateurs and cut them from the team, ditch the clowns, get the crown. I thought specifically of the book that I was reading is The Wrong Quarterback by C.R. Jane. And it is incredible anyways that I was reading a sports romance because out of us, I am the one least likely to pick up a sports romance, but it's springtime. Tay: I'm shocked because you don't read the sports room. April: I know, I don't normally, but I picked this up because I just saw like a snippet of her new release book that had just come out, The Wrong, I think it's called The Wrong Call, but I picked this book up. It's about Parker and Casey are our leads in this book. And Parker is this star quarterback on this college team. And she's the quiet, nerdy pianist, Kay, which makes me think immediately of football, which we all know. what the alchemy is really about, who it's really about. But it also deals with topics of loss of a family member, but then it gets dark. So this is a bit of a darker romance. There's stalking vibes, like he literally locks her in a basement when she tries to leave him. for all of my... Tay: You're saying my books for dark. You're talking about stocking. ⁓ April: I know for all of my red flag people, hello, there is a ton of them here. Please practice self-care before, during, and after reading a book. There are trigger warnings. She listed them in it and I agreed with all of them, but it is, yes, it was a really good book though. I was so impressed because I, A, I never pick up sports romances like hardly ever. Tay: You're seeing words, people. April: And B, it's a new to me author and I was hooked. I've read two of her books now because I was like, this is actually really addicting. There's some really funny characters in there. I mean, it's such a good book, but perfect song for the alchemy because it has to do with football. And it just gave me football vibes. So. Tay: to quote the guy that that's based on, you know the one. April: ⁓ Exactly. Okay. ⁓ the second song, which is one of my personal favorites by her is I Did Something Bad. Specifically the part, okay, where it says they say I did something bad, then why does it feel so good? So the book that immediately comes to my mind that I feel like people should be shouting from the rooftops about is Tay: vocal system. Give me another one. Give me another Taylor Swift song. April: Terror at the Gates by Scarlett Sinclair. Okay, so not only does this book have like a badass, like feminine positivity dedication on it, we also have the main characters, Zarif and Lilith. And I'll be 100 % honest, I didn't know a lot of like Lilith's backstories traditionally. So this is kind of like a retelling with that. It has tons of like awesome feminine rage in it. in a good, healthy way and frenemies to lovers. It's an urban romantic set in a patriarchal world. So the world is kind of run by men and women. Their place is to have babies. That's it. That's their place is to shut up and be seen, which is where the feminine rage comes in. And it is so good because she kind of takes back her power in it. And it's beautiful to read. And plus there's a little bit of a mafia vibe for my readers out there who really like mafia people. But it's so good. Tay: It's. I'm, she's been one of my top readers. I love Scarlett Sinclair, or writers, sorry, not readers. But she, you actually met her for me at a book conference once and sent me a video with her and I just about died. I hadn't met her yet at that point. Got to meet her the next go round when I went to one, but it was just one surreal experience. was like, oh my gosh, my friend went and saw her and that's her. Super kind. So we talked about this in the last episode. I will buy anything from a nice author, so keep being kind. and also keep spreading good energy for writers because right now I am in a writing funk myself. am currently writing a book. have moments where I can literally only get out a sentence and she praises that in like videos talking about like how her writing's going. She's like one day I can slam it out like and write so many chapters and then another day I maybe write a sentence or I spend all day editing a paragraph like vibes queen love her so much. April: Yes. Tay: And this book just sounds so good. It's definitely on my TBR list. I have a miles long TBR list, but it's definitely one that's closer to the top than others because of how good it sounds. April: for sure. It is a delicious book and I cannot wait for book two to release later on this year. I am very ready for it. ⁓ Tay: And I like how quick her turnaround is. Thank you for not making me wait two and a half years, three years. I love you for that. Thank you. April: Bye. Thank you. Thank you for me who, yeah, I have commitment issues and I appreciate very much that you are putting books out as quickly as you are. Yes. But okay, so all of my books today that I've been relating to Taylor Swift songs, ⁓ like I said before, definitely check trigger warnings before reading a book, especially if you're sensitive to certain things, especially with darker romances that tend to carry them. Tay: Yeah. Yes. Thank you. You're a beast. April: My next recommendation for a song based on Taylor Swift is Don't Blame Me. Specifically, Don't Blame Me Love Made Me Crazy. it doesn't, you ain't doing it right. And that is Handsome Devil by L.J. Shen, who is my queen. I love her. She is so nice and has written so many books out there. I feel like she has a book for everybody. She's written them all. And this came out a while ago now, but It's kind of like the first kind of foray I've seen her go into a little bit darker vibes than she normally does. We've got Tate Blackthorn. He is the male main character in Gia Bennett. he, it's forced proximity, enemies to lovers. It's kind of mafia-ish with a contract marriage to save her mom. She calls her mom because she's British. But in this book, he essentially forces Gia to ⁓ get with him to marry him in order to help out with her mom who is very sick. And it is dark. He is an asshole. Like I'm gonna put it to you straight. He is an asshole. Tay: LJ Shen is the queen of writing assholes. She is so good at it. So good at it. April: She is so good. Yes, she's good at it. when she asks him, she works for him. So it's almost also a little bit of that employee-employer relationship there. But she works for him and she goes into him and she asks him, hey, can you help me get my mom into this program? Yada, yada, yada. And he totally blows her off for the longest time and is such a jerk to her. But obviously, Gia, she is feisty. She gives it right back and it's such a great book. So I had to think, love is crazy. This book, love is crazy in it for sure. Tay: Very nice. ⁓ I will say, I told her, but when I saw this on her book list, I have read this and I have DNF'd it. Not for the regards of it's not a great book. I just, the violence for me is so heavy in the beginning. I wanna give it another round because I do love her book so, much. Like I have Vicious, I have all these other great books from her on my shelf. So I'm like, she is my queen. I am gonna read this again. I'm gonna buck up and get through the gore. April: It does. Tay: and really enjoy this read because I know it's super good. Her endings are always stellar. She really gives it. But yeah, at the beginning I'm like, ⁓ my gosh, she's such an asshole. But then I'm like, that's her writing game. It starts off dark. April: It starts off dark, yeah. And that's like a part of it is too, ⁓ when they're writing something that you're not sure if you're gonna enjoy, that's okay to DNF a book, it's totally fine. But I will say for my friends who are red flag girlies, dark romance girlies, you like him. Yeah, yeah. Tay: try that. Read it. She said it's 10 out of 10. Read it. It's so good. Rainy Alhantica. So good. Okay, my first one is light. Nice and light. Is Wishlist by Taylor Swift. So the lyric that I'm thinking of is I just want to have a couple kids got the whole block looking like you. April: It's so good. All right, what are yours? So sweet. Tay: I know, and then this is in essence that book. So the last time we had this, I talked about The Stopover by T.L. Swan. There is a spinoff series. The first book of that series is called The Bonus. And The Bonus covers the rival group. So the Miles ⁓ family and brothers in the book that The Stopover is, they have a newspaper, magazine business, ⁓ and they are like, their biggest competitors called the Fiarra family and like you just hate him. You're like Gabriel Ferrara is the biggest jerk. Like I don't like him, whatever. Well then T.L. Swan was like, I'm going to write a book about him. And so that's what the bonus is. And he is one, you start off the book hating him, especially if you read the other books. If not, maybe you're kind of like less like you're like, oh, he's just like hot and mean. But the other one, you're not like, no, he's mean. April: Of course. Tay: can't believe she's trying to make him a romance. No, that's the way I was. I was like, I cannot believe he's getting his own book. I don't like him. ⁓ my god. And then chapter one, I'm like, ⁓ no, I like him. I like him so much. ⁓ yes. ⁓ no. All the red flags that April was just talking about. I need them. I need them now. ⁓ It is super, super good. 10 out of 10, I recommend. I can't really give too much because there's a lot of like, it would give away the story. April: It's actually really hot. Tay: So I'm just gonna kind of cut it off there, but very, very good. I do recommend the Stopover series first with the Miles High Brothers or Miles High series and then jumping into this one. But if you wanted to just jump out the gate and just hear about Ferrara, go ahead and read the bonus. The next song I'm talking about, so now we're gonna get a little darker and a little deeper, ⁓ it's This Is Me Trying, Taylor Swift. The lyric, ⁓ and specifically to... April: That's my favorite song by her. Tay: the Long Pond Studio Sessions version, just to be extra specific here. ⁓ But the lyric is, just wanted you to know that this is me trying. They told me all my cages were mental. And the book I'm thinking of is Alchemized by Sin-Lim Yu. If for anybody that's just listening, you can't see me right now, if you're on YouTube, you can, but I am wearing my Return to the Manor shirt. This book. tore me to pieces and then some. Helena Moreno is a prisoner of war and a prisoner of her own mind. Once again, this is one of those books if I delve too much into it, you'll kind of like know and even more so there's a lot of, I would say drama built behind this book. People can be, to me, overly dramatic. This was drawn originally from a fan fiction on a archive or our own. I can't even say it out loud. That tongue twister. ⁓ but, and it was originally a Hermione Draco fan fiction. This book though is so good. I, I, in my brain, I was thinking, how is she going to turn this to where one, it doesn't relate to the HP world or how is she not going to like, you know, related to, ⁓ handmaids? Like, cause it kind of tied in both in the, she completely rewrote it, went through and kind of created its own thing. It's now on like necromancy. and like it's just so good. Like I can't describe how good it is and also too it is a very thick book. I couldn't even get it today but it is like that big. ⁓ But it tore me apart. I made April pre-order for me a special edition of it again so I can have that one on my shelf as well but let me tell you it is so so good. ⁓ I... April: giant chunker. Tay: read it when of course when it was on Archive of Our Own and so it to me is completely two separate books. The same feelings that we're drawing from the book where she wrecked me, she also wrecked me in this one. She's just really a really outstanding writer so that is my recommendation on that one. Now the next song I'm going to recommend, I'm going to recommend the song and then I'm going to give some trigger warnings. So the song that I'm thinking of is Bigger Than the Whole Sky. April: ⁓ Tay: by Taylor Swift. The lyrics are, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye. You were bigger than the whole sky. You were more than just a short time. I've got a lot to find about. I've got a lot to live without. I'm never going to meet what could have been what would have been. First off, first off, just the lyrics, like the lyrics alone of that song, tear me apart, tear me into a million pieces. This next book that I'm associating with that, April: Yes. Tay: heavily trigger warnings on one self-harmed but also suicide of a loved one. So I just want to preface that before I recommend the book. Yes, practice self-care, practice self-love, ⁓ but definitely a heavy read. But the book is Only Rivals by Charity Farrell. I have recommended this book so many times to people, especially too if they can handle it ⁓ and they haven't really faced the trigger part of it. But this book... April: practice self care. Tay: faces with our FMC who loses her fiance. And his family and the way they deal with is they're like, why didn't you see the signs? Why didn't you know? All these things. Meanwhile, she's just like, as a person who's lost someone, just feeling completely lost within herself because she's like, I should have seen the signs. Yeah, I do feel like I'm an awful person. You should hate me. And she lost, and this was someone that she had loved in high school, had his whole family. ⁓ And it just awful, like, you know, and they both, I will say have both sides where they kind of treat each other, they're awful. And she takes a lot more than she should from them. ⁓ But, you know, she just lets them berate her and everything. And one night where she ⁓ gets drunk at this bar that she normally does, she goes home and ⁓ they haven't like heard from her. Well, the... best friend who hates her guts, who was best friends of her fiance, ⁓ is honestly one of the cruelest ones to her of some of the stuff he says. And then he goes into the house after she's been drinking, leads her just to make sure that she was fine and everything, and he finds her asleep in the laundry room. And he's like, why are you asleep in the laundry room? Why wouldn't you sleep upstairs? And she's like, that's where it happened. I can't sleep in there. April: Hmm. Tay: And like, I don't even want to be in this house, but like, this is the only place I can be in here. And in that moment, you feel your male main character grow conscious. Like, you feel him all of a sudden, like, in her shoes and go, ⁓ my god, she lost someone too. She lost someone that was important. She lost every, you know. And from that moment, he's like, you know, starts from a point of a friend. He's like, like, April: Right. Tay: He would not want me to treat you this way. One also, I don't want you, I don't want this to happen to you. Like I don't, because you know, I think feeling isolated and all these other things, he could see where maybe she could go down the same path that his best friend did. So he was like, no, I'm not gonna let that happen. So they build a friendship and then eventually fall in love. It's such a good read. It's such a good read. But it is so, so, so, so heavy. ⁓ But I definitely, ⁓ April: Aww. Tay: Somewhere down the road, was like, when we do this podcast, I was like, I am gonna recommend this to somebody because two, I think it's just a good reminder to tell your loved ones that you love them, but also two, you just never know what's going on with someone and you can think all the things of how they're feeling and how they're recovering, but you may never know. And that was exactly kind of like, they just assumed that she was fine and dandy and it was like, no, she's not fine and dandy. Y'all have been treating her horrible and she's been eating herself up about it. ⁓ April: Mm-hmm. Tay: and she needs help too. ⁓ And so it's such a book. And Charity Farrell is such a good writer. Like, I don't know why her books are not on shelves and that drives me insane. I actually found her on TikTok and she does like sharing of her books where it's like, she'll, and she has fun reads like too, that's one of the most heavy reads that she has, but she has these other books where she'll do like the text messages. It's like, meet me outside, da da da. April: Hmm. Tay: You're my professor, you're my big brother. I'm like, oh my god, girl, chill. But she does such good books in terms of spiciness, in terms of writing. But they're all on KU, so you can download them if you have Kindle Unlimited. And read them, and they're good, nice, and easy reads. But I do love her book so, much. And she hasn't been picked up by a big publisher yet. And that drives me insane, because she deserves to be on all the shelves. I want to see her on Barnes and Noble. I want to see all the things for her. Also too, I want to meet her and she never does book tours. So Charity Farrell, if you're listening to this, you got a big fan out here girl. And I want to either one A meet you or I want to buy your books from a big bookstore. Like I have that dream for you. April: criminally underhyped. Tay: It is. She is criminally underhyped. Criminally. Like, I don't understand it. And I never hear hype about her. Like, I am just so upset for you. Like, if you're listening, I'm so upset for you. I want all those things. So if there's a publisher out there, Penguin Random House, Avon Books, whoever, listen to me. I want that for her. I want success. April: Yeah. Right? And you know what, sometimes though those heavier reads are the ones that stick with you the longest or like some people can really connect with that. So I love that. Tay: Yeah, it's a really good book. I highly recommend and there is a long list, I'm sure, of Taylor Swift songs that we could think of things and it could go on forever. We had to limit ourselves to three ⁓ each, but definitely Taylor Swift has brought us a strong love. Feel what you feel about her, but I love a successful woman. I even love one that can help put our feelings onto paper and sometimes a song can just like transport you into another place. April: ⁓ my gosh. Tay: for me that's what her music does and it brought us together as friends. actually went to her era's tour and got to see her in concert and it was a life changing experience. So magical. I've never seen three hours of someone just like in back breaking high heels and just like slaying it. April: For sure. So owning it, it was incredible for sure. I am so impressed and also impressed that she has such an ability to write songs with so many different kind of emotions, different stories to tell. that's great because then we can relate them to these incredible books. So I know. All right besties, that's it for today's episode. Tay: Okay. Make sure to follow, download, and share our podcast socials with other Book Besties. We would love to hear your favorite Taylor Swift songs and the books they remind you of. Please leave a comment on your favorite platform letting us know. April: Join us next week where we will talk about navigating. Let me redo that. Join us next week where we will talk about navigating book conventions, which ones we've been to, and we'll give you all some advice on how to prepare because book convention season is here. Tay: It is here and remember. April: We're glad you're here because... Tay: It's faded. April: Yay! Okay, so we have to do our faces though. Okay. Hold on, Kevin, I gotta get a snapshot of our face. Okay, you can't see him, but he is creeping in the office doors right now. Let me take a picture with my phone, because it's honestly terrifying. Okay. I know. Hold on. I almost said that in a second. Okay. We have to look cute for a second. are we going to be just... Tay: Here's your soccer romance. Or should we be like, no, just kidding. April: you Tay: Okay. April: BEE make a thumbnail for us after and then that's going to be what cheers us up from this melancholy rain. Okay, I got it. I think so. think we could find something in there. Okay, I'm going to stop it. Tay: Yeah, that's going to be good. I think.