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April 2026 Celebrity Book Club Picks · The Read Carpet Report

• Jackie : Welcome to the Red Carpet Report, your backstage pass for celebrity book clubs, book adaptations, and new book releases. I'm Jackie. And I'm Pearson. And we're your hosts. Today is the eighth. Kirsten Baritz: Welcome to the Red Carpet Report, your backstage pass for celebrity book clubs, book adaptations, and new book releases. I'm Jackie. And I'm Kirsten. And we're your hosts. Today is the April pick party. We're back from spring break and we are ready to talk about these celebrity book club picks and former celebrity book club authors who have new books coming out this month, which there's not a lot of them this month. So that's an interesting option. Jackie : Club Pit and former Celebrity Book Club authors who have new books coming out this month, which there's not a lot of them this No, but for the record, we've read all of them. I know. We have read every single Celebrity Book Club Pick this month, except for Oprah, who hasn't announced yet. Right. But before we get into it. Kirsten Baritz: read all of them. I know we have read every single celebrity book club pick this month except for Oprah who hasn't announced yet. Right. But before we get into it we gotta do the red carpet rundown. All right sounds good. Jackie : All right, sounds good. So you go first. Kirsten Baritz: I am really excited about one. It's The Miniature Wife, which is apparently an adaptation based on a book. Really? And it is starring Elizabeth Banks. Elizabeth Banks. ⁓ she's so funny. I love her. ⁓ And Matthew McFadden. Faden. From and Prejudice and Succession. OK. Mr. Darcy is on screen. And it's basically ⁓ Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. it's coming out on Peacock. ⁓ Jackie : am really excited about this one. It's the miniature wife, which is apparently an adaptation based on a book. Really? And it is starring Elizabeth Banks. ⁓ she's so funny. I love her. Okay. Okay. ⁓ I saw that! That's an adaptation? Kirsten Baritz: Yes, it's an adaptation of a short story. And I am like dying to see this because first of all, it looks hilarious. They're both really, really funny actors and it looks appropriate for my kids to watch. It keeps showing up as a commercial during High Potential, which is like we need to talk about the season finale because it's the best TV show on the planet. ⁓ And and it keeps coming up with my son's like, I kind of want to watch that. I'm with me too. I didn't know that that was an adaptation. I've seen the again commercials because Jackie : I didn't know that that was an adaptation. I've seen the, again, commercials because we love High Potential. It looks really good. So I'm excited about that one. Kirsten Baritz: We love high potential. It looks really good. Doesn't it? I'm excited. Essentially a husband is like working on shrinking technology and the wife accidentally gets shrunk and he hasn't figured it yet how to like bring things right back to real life and without things exploding. So she's living in like a dollhouse and it looks hysterical. ⁓ I'm really excited about that one. It comes out by the time this episode airs tonight. ⁓ The one that I have been looking for. Jackie : in like a dollhouse. It looks hysterical. Oh, fun. The one that I have been looking forward to probably for a year is Marco's Got Money Troubles. You loved this book. I love this book. It's going to be so good. It's starring Elle Fanning and Michelle Pfeiffer. And Nick Offerman. It's so fantastic. It's such a well- Kirsten Baritz: to probably for a year is Marco's Got Money Troubles. You loved this book. I this book. It's going to be so good. It's starring Elle Fanning and Michelle Pfeiffer. And Nick Offerman. so fantastic. It's such a ⁓ well done book Jackie : done book and these actors are going to be phenomenal. It's going to be so good. Kirsten Baritz: These actors are gonna be phenomenal. It's gonna be so good. So it comes out on April 15th, but can you tell us what the premise of the book is? Because it looks great, but it's kind of wacky and out there. It is really wacky and out there. it is a woman. ⁓ She's a young woman and she gets pregnant from her professor and basically decides just to go against everybody's Jackie : It looks great, but it's kind of wacky and out there. It is really wacky and out there. it is a woman. She's a young woman and she gets pregnant from her professor and basically decides just to go against everybody's recommendations and she's going to have this baby. But then she has the baby. She doesn't know how she's going to have enough money to raise the baby, so she decides that she's going to start an OnlyFans page. And... This is such a, like, a certain age, like, this couldn't have been written before a certain date. No, right, exactly. And she ends up moving in with her father, who's a pro wrestler, who decides that he's going to help her with the page, not what the content is, but how to make it, like, marketable, because... Kirsten Baritz: recommendations and she's gonna have this baby. But then she has the baby, she doesn't know how she's gonna have enough money to raise the baby, so she decides that she's gonna start an OnlyFans page. And... This is such like a, like of a certain age, like this couldn't have been written before a certain time. No, I, right, exactly. And she ends up... Jackie : wrestling is all a show. So he's basically teaching her how to like make everything into a show so that she can make money on OnlyFans. Kirsten Baritz: who's a pro wrestler who decides that he's going to help her with the page, not what the content is, but how to make it marketable because wrestling is all a show. So he's basically teaching her how to make everything into a show so that she can make money on OnlyFans. This sounds like such a corny, weird book. And yet I know that it was one of your favorite books, The Art Came Out. Jackie : Yup. Yeah, I love books that are completely unique and wacky. And this one so fit the bill, it should not work, but it did. And it's not rude and inappropriate and overly sexual. Like it's a real story about how this woman is going to find enough money to raise her child. Kirsten Baritz: The other big thing that actually is coming out today, because it's Wednesday when we're recording, but it's basically the same, same day, is the testaments. Oh yeah. I cannot. Jackie : ⁓ Kirsten Baritz: will not ever read The Handmaiden's Tale. I will not ever watch the show. It is way too close, quite frankly, to our lives right now. And so I'm not into it. But you read one of them. Well, I read The Handmaiden's Tale, and I've seen the first season. It's on Hulu, right? Yeah. I've seen the first season. Very, very well done. So for anyone who liked it, I would strongly recommend. Jackie : to close quite frankly to our lives right now. And so I'm not into it, but you read one of them. Well, I read The Handmaid's Tale and I've seen the first season. It's on Hulu, right? I've seen the first season. Very, very well done. So for anyone who liked it, I would strongly recommend The Testaments. I feel like sometimes people want to watch it because it feels like a train wreck. Like you're just Can't stop yourself from watching it, but I won't be watching it. Kirsten Baritz: the testaments. feel like sometimes people want to watch it because it feels like a train wreck. Like you just can't stop yourself from watching it, I won't be watching it. I can't. I can't do it. So, but I know that that it's like big book news. So we're throwing it out there, but do not report back to us because we're not ever going to give you opinion on it. ⁓ But as we move into the book club picks for the month, Jackie : Do not record that. Kirsten Baritz: the main segment, we're gonna talk about the pick party. One of them already has an adaptation in the works. So like it kind of is all just blending together here, which is really crazy. Jackie : Yes. I'm actually surprised that this one already has an adaptation in the works because, spoiler, it is not Reese. So a lot of times Reese, you know, she has the production company, so she finds something, she loves the book, and there's an adaptation already. It is not the Reese pick that has an adaptation. That's right. It's the GMA pick. Yes. And you've read both GMAs. I have. Start with GMA. Okay. Kirsten Baritz: It is not Reese. So a lot of times Reese, you know, she has the production company, so she finds something, she loves the book and there's an adaptation already. It is not the Reese pick that has an adaptation. That's right. It's the GMA pick. And you've read both GMAs. So let's start with GMA and let's start with the one that was chosen that we were like refreshing, refreshing, hoping to get the New York Times bestseller list today because I have a feeling this one's hitting. Jackie : Yes. I think so. Yes, three year. It remind me who it's by. Thank you. I knew it was three names and Claire was one of them. So this is so like relevant for now, which I can see why they made it into an adaptation and it's going to be starring Anne Hathaway. So we love it. Kirsten Baritz: The NYT probably pretty high up there. Yes. Yesteryear. Yesteryear. Remind me who it's by. Carol Claire Burke. Thank you. I knew it was three names and Claire was one of them. This is so relevant for now, which I can see why they made it into an adaptation and it's gonna be starring in Hathaway. So we love it. Got us, ⁓ it is a woman who ⁓ is one these, ⁓ she's an influencer, but she's the- The word is tradwife. ⁓ Jackie : it is about a woman who ⁓ is one these, ⁓ she's an influencer, but she's ⁓ the... word is traveling. Thank you. ⁓ But so many times. Kirsten Baritz: We've talked about this book over spring break numerous times, so I feel like I could give the description without reading it and you're clearly word finding. this is Ballerina Farm in real life. Jackie : Yes, you could. But she's not even like tradwife. She is like tradwife extreme, like literally like moving on to a farm, like a full farm. Yes, except I don't know if ballerina farm is better at doing stuff than she is because they're a hot mess. But she has millions and millions of followers. She has six children. She has shown her life to be perfect and wonderful and brilliant. She's a God-fearing woman who believes that the woman's place is in the home and it is the man's job to like go out and make the money, which is obviously ironic since she's the one that's making all the money for the family. And she wakes up one morning and she's been transported back to like the 1800s. Kirsten Baritz: go out and make the money, which is obviously ironic since she's the one that's making all the money for the family. And she wakes up one morning and she's been transported back to like the 1800s. just think it's like hilarious to picture these influencers ⁓ in that time, like immediate no, you can't like, it doesn't translate. ⁓ Jackie : I just think it's hilarious to picture me. She's pissed off that her dress is in drab colors, that it's uncomfortable. Like, her kids are her kids, but they're not her kids. They're like different kids who are seriously pissed off with her because she literally can't do anything. Right? So she's like, baking the bread, I know how to bake bread. She can't bake the bread. Like she legitimately can't do anything. They're kind of humoring her. But like you wonder if in the past there's like some mental illness. We don't know what's going on. She doesn't know how, like she thinks it's a practical joke that like they're playing on her. She thinks that she is on an elaborate set. And then we go from there. I mean, are some content warnings, I think, because she's going back in time. There's like some abuse, know, stuff like that, because it really, Kirsten Baritz: past, there's like some mental illness, we don't know what's going on. She doesn't know how like she thinks it's a practical joke that they're playing on her. She thinks that she is on an elaborate set. And then we go from there. So I mean, were some content warnings, I think because she's going back in time. There's like some abuse. Yeah, no stuff like that. Because it really she was transported like she's Jackie : She was transported like she's a pilgrim. So a crazy ride. Kirsten Baritz: things were done differently back then. it's a crazy It's funny that this like rise first of all, I Joe Piazza, ⁓ we talk about this without talking about her book, ⁓ which everyone is lying to you and it's about influencers that go missing. And then even like Allie who was on last episode talking about Christian influencers, like influencers are the new celebrity. Jackie : Yes. ⁓ Kirsten Baritz: They are the center of these sorts of stories, but it just goes to show like, it's so fake. And then when you go and you see the reality of like, everyone thinks that like they want to be a trad wife. And then you're like, go back and actually live it. Trust me, you want electricity. Jackie : Yeah. ⁓ you want electricity. can we a shower and where's the hot water and why is it cold and like, where's my cashmere sweaters I could see this. Kirsten Baritz: I could see this adapting really well, actually. Like I think this would be, could be like a very fun adaptation or it could be really dark, but I feel like with the right actress, Anne Hathaway, this could be kind of wonderful. I think it's gonna be fantastic. I can't wait to read this one. This is like very high on my to read list. it. The other GMA pick. ⁓ You've also read, it's a backlist book. It is. Jackie : would be could be like a very fun adaptation or it be really dark but I feel like with the right actress and I know I I think it's gonna be fantastic yeah yeah you're gonna love it oh it is legend-born yes thank Kirsten Baritz: Tracy DeLeon. Yes, thank you. It's the first in a trilogy, I believe, ⁓ ⁓ loved it. It's like Dark Academia. ⁓ ⁓ ⁓ of King Arthur. loved it, I'm just surprised that they chose so backless, but happy that they chose the first one. Jackie : The first in a trilogy, I believe, and I loved it. It's like Dark Academia. It is a retelling of King Arthur. loved it. But I'm just surprised that they chose something so backless, but happy that they chose the first one, as opposed to just randomly choosing like the second in a series or something. Which they've done in the past. Right. For the series. Right. Kirsten Baritz: as opposed to just randomly choosing like the second in a series or something. Which they've done in the past, the fourth of the series. Right. Once again, GMA, YA is going to be a fantasy. I would like them to like diversify a little bit. Give me a thriller. Give me a romance. Like I don't want to ruin your book club, but like your bookmark pick, I'm sorry. Yes. Your bookmark pick would have been a great one and it's YA and it's like a little bit different. Jackie : Yes, yes. Yes, yes. Kirsten Baritz: That's neither here nor there. They did choose a good book. They did choose a good book. just it feels like more of the same. Can we talk about the read with Jenna Pick? Yes, you read it. I did. very short read. It's Upward by Woody Brown. it was a really unique premise. And didn't afterwards what I'm going to tell you. ⁓ So ⁓ if you are a book club member you Happiness Falls, think you're really going to like this one. It is in a Jackie : Yes, you read it. Kirsten Baritz: about an adult daycare center called Upward Bound. And it's for severely autistic, non-speaking adults, ⁓ 18 plus. And ⁓ it's like care facility during day. ⁓ And they get bused in and in this facility. ⁓ And our main protagonist is primarily narrator. Jackie : adults, 18 plus, and it's like a care facility during the day. ⁓ And they get bused in and they're in this facility. ⁓ And our main protagonist is the narrator, but it's almost love actually, ⁓ in that in between his and by the way, his voice, I highly recommend the audiobook, is TR-90, ⁓ George. Kirsten Baritz: but it's almost love actually in that in between his narration and by the way, his voice, I highly recommend the audio book is TR Knight, George from Grey's Anatomy. ⁓ he slays. So we have ⁓ Danny, think is his name is the main protagonist and he is non-speaking. He has a board where he can communicate like with his mom. Jackie : Oh, I love him so much. So we have Danny, I think is his name is the main protagonist and he is non speaking. He has a board where he can communicate like with his mom and right he's in college classes, but because his dad died, he's now in his mom has to like earn enough money. He now has to go to the state care center and he's like acclimated to the center and having gone through college. Okay, very smart. And Kirsten Baritz: And right, and he's been in college classes, but because his dad died, he's now in and his mom has to like earn enough money. He now has to go to the state care center and he's like acclimated to the center and having gone through college. OK, it's very smart. And he's the narrator. So our narrator is a non speaking individual. Yes. And in between you get different chapters, full cast audio, different chapters from different people from the community, either. Jackie : He's the narrator. So our narrator is a non-speaking individual. Yes. ⁓ I love that. between, you get different chapters, full cast audio, different chapters from different people from the community, either care workers or the director or a summer aide or they visit Target employees. Or there's like a Target employee who's inspired by the trip that wants to go into this field of OTPT. Kirsten Baritz: care workers or the director or a summer aide or they visit Target once a week. And so there's like a Target employee who's inspired by their trip that wants to go into this field of OTPT. And I didn't realize until after I was done and I went to watch the interview that it is written by a non speaking. No way. I could get like teary listening to his interview. ⁓ my God. I was blown away. First of all, was very short and I was like, God, I wish this was longer. And then I saw the interview and I was like tears in my eyes, like, are you kidding me? This is such a feat. It was so well written. Jackie : And I didn't realize until after I was done and I went to watch the interview that it was written by a non-speaking. No way! I could get like teary listening to his interview. Oh my god! First of all, it's very short and I was like, god, I wish this was longer. No ⁓ way. Kirsten Baritz: blown away and there's this one part at the end that I do not like, I was like crying, crying over something that happened. Because it sort of relates a little bit to like treatment in the world and how people, think thing because ⁓ people non-speaking or because their verbal cues or their physical cues are different than ours than a neuro-typical ⁓ person they're stupid or they're ⁓ unable understand ⁓ and not the case and it's. Jackie : ⁓ I love this. Right. Oh wow. So moving and so wonderful and such an incredible story Kirsten Baritz: So moving and so wonderful and such an incredible story. just phenomenal. Jackie : ⁓ phenomenal. So the last one is the Reese Pick and you read that one also. Kirsten Baritz: And it was Into the Blue, Emmy Brody. And the crazy thing about this ⁓ that it's actually from ⁓ Bush Hager's imprint, Thousand Voices. ⁓ And it's the first book in her imprint that was chosen for a Celebrity Book Club pick, but it was chosen by Reese. ⁓ that's so funny. Isn't that funny? ⁓ Jackie : ⁓ that's so funny. Kirsten Baritz: love when they partner together. I just think that's like ⁓ book people loving book people, supporting women. I I love that. I can't really tell you too much about this book because I don't want to spoil it. Okay, give us a very brief what It's long. ⁓ It's a romance. ⁓ Okay. a But it's more than a romance and I can't fully divulge why. Jackie : I know, I love that. ⁓ I can't really tell you too much about this book because I don't want to spoil it. Okay, give us a very brief what's it about. It's a romance. Okay. ⁓ a romance. But it's way more than a romance and I can't fully divulge why. Okay. There are some. Kirsten Baritz: There are some illnesses in it, like chronic alcoholism. There's some other things that are happening. It's decades long. Essentially, AJ and Noah meet during the summer. They both work at the same video store. Noah is basically like a Barrymore. Like he's a long line of Hollywood scion, like whatever. And he's in town helping with his mom with something and helping his and living with his like great aunt end up becoming partners together, like scene partners and like kind of acting together and putting on a little show ⁓ during their like summer romance. And then he kind of goes, sir. ⁓ And then go to present day Hollywood ⁓ and she's to be on the same show that he's the star of. ⁓ And she desperately wants to be a writer. And he's like this like world famous actor who's like Oscar award winning Jackie : They end up becoming partners together, like scene partners and like kind of acting together and putting on a little show during their like summer romance and then you kind of go surf. And then we go to Present Day Hollywood and she's cast to be on the same show that he's She like desperately wants to be a writer and he's like like world famous actor who's like Oscar award winning Kirsten Baritz: on again off again. ⁓ It gets spicy but not for like a while back into it ⁓ like Yeah, ⁓ yeah, yeah, yeah there was it's not at all during the younger years But it gets spicy when they get older. It's like comic-con II There's like the show is like an intergalactic space like think of like Star Trek ⁓ I wasn't sure I was gonna like it, but I did end up really liking it I gave a five stars. It was one of my most recent five star Jackie : How spicy is it? Okay. Okay. So just be careful if you're listening to it and there's kids around. Okay. Okay. Kirsten Baritz: I mean, both that and Upward Bound, five stars. And you loved yesteryear. I mean, like April, solid. ⁓ Jackie : Some very solid, solid picks. ⁓ But she's Oprah. So she's doing Oprah. Okay, we all know that Oprah is doing Oprah. And like, she's gonna pick it whenever ⁓ she like it. Kirsten Baritz: We don't know Oprah. We know she's announced that she is going to announce something in April, but we don't know when. She's Oprah. She's doing her thing. is doing Oprah and like, she's gonna pick it whenever she feels like it. She is, and we kind of love her for it. Kind of hate her for it, but we kind of love her for it. We respect it. We know what, this is who she is now. The thing that we can always expect with Oprah is that just when you think she's on a pattern, she's gonna say, Jackie : know what the that we can always expect with Oprah is that just when you think she's on a pattern she's gonna say absolutely not and and go in a completely opposite direction so Oprah you take us on that trip we will come with you Kirsten Baritz: The crazy thing is she has been heavily promoting another book recently, which is Strangers by Bell Burden, which is, by the way, going to be adapted with Gwyneth Paltrow. Which I don't understand. Jackie : Yes! Yes! with Gwen Paltrow. Which I don't understand why that wasn't her book. Like I've seen multiple interviews, but that was already published. It was already published earlier this year. Kirsten Baritz: interviews, but that was already published. It was already published earlier this year. It's a memoir about a woman's divorce, a very wealthy woman who was like blindsided by this divorce during COVID. And it was fantastic. I read it in like a minute. But I guess, my guess is she read it after it was published because what happened was it was published and sort of like, I think the elites of the elites, because they were part of like New York High Society, all read this book. It's like gossip. Right. And because of the echelon that it hit, Jackie : because what happened was it was published and sort of like I think the elites of the elites, because they were part of like New York High Society, all read this book as like gossip. And because of the echelon that it hit, it then quickly went into the celebrity stratosphere. And so I think she must have read it afterwards. And so she was like too late to like. Right, right. But she certainly was going to be doing like interviews with her. I don't know why not. Kirsten Baritz: it then quickly went into the celebrity stratosphere. And so I think she must've read it afterwards. And so she was like too late to like claim it as hers, but she certainly was gonna, so she's doing like interviews with her. I don't know why not. I know. Because she's claimed. Jackie : She could, because she's claimed so many backlist stuff before. Right? So why not? she's going to crush it. I haven't seen Gwyneth Paltrow in a while. Where has she been? Kirsten Baritz: It's true. So why not? But it was like Massive Bidding Wars, Gwyneth Paltrow's playing it, which she's gonna crush. She's gonna crush it. ⁓ I know, but she will slay this part. I don't know. ⁓ Building Goop. I don't know. I don't know where she's been. Smell like certain parts. OK, moving on. We're getting sidetracked. Jackie : making candles. I haven't been able to get over that yet. Okay. we also talk about a lot of the former celebrity book club authors that have books coming out and there were not a ton. And actually we were a little bit surprised because we had on our list a few books that we were convinced were celebrity book club authors and they're not. So... Kirsten Baritz: Usually we also talk about a lot of the former celebrity book club authors that have books coming out and there were not a ton. And actually we were a little bit surprised because we had on our list a few books that we weren't convinced were celebrity book club authors and they're not. So I could have sworn Marie Semple where to go Bernadette was. No. And she has a new book coming out, Go Gentle. Right. Jackie : No, and she has a new book coming out, Go Gentle, which I read. It is fantastic. I loved it. I was positive that Where'd You Go Bernadette was a choice. Kirsten Baritz: I read it is fantastic. I loved it. I was positive that where she go Bernadette was a choice. I thought Sally Hepworth was the Reese pick for the other woman and that was written by Sandy Jones. Okay. So I totally screwed that one up, but her new book, Mad Mabel, also great. Lianne Mariardi, I thought was like Reese for some reason, obviously because Reese is in the show, Nine Perfect Strangers or whatever. Jackie : Okay. Yes. Right. Mm-hmm. Yeah, no. Yeah. Kirsten Baritz: She's not, she's got a new book out. So we had a whole list and then we were like, ⁓ wait, that's not, that's not actually, that's not, that's not. we, it's a very small list. It's a very small list. Who's the first one? Jackie : That's not. No, it's a very small list. Who's the first one? have, Jessica George. Yes. ⁓ Love by Book. She was the Jenna pick for Mamet. Yes. Talk about. Kirsten Baritz: Jessica George. Yes, loved by the book. She was Jenna pick for Mamet, which talk about books about grief that are just phenomenal. I loved that book. ⁓ And this one ⁓ loved it This is a, about friendship ⁓ and essentially a woman who has three best friends. They all are going off on different parts of their life. And she's like kind of left alone. Like she doesn't have a partner. She's not moving anywhere. She's feeling really lonely and she like wants to make a new friend. And there's another woman who is more of a loner, more of an introvert, really just cared about her family. she, something comes out at the very beginning and she's sort of like ostracized from her family. And so the two strike up like a true friendship, like a true deep. I am there for you like a sister friendship and there's obviously some drama, but it was lovely to see this adult friendship unfold and how they connected and how their stories intertwined and just, it was great. She's such a good writer. Jackie : the next one is American Fantasy Emma Straub. ⁓ And she was the Read with Jenna pick all adults here. Kirsten Baritz: the next one is American by Emma Straub ⁓ and she was the read with Jenna pick for all adults here, ⁓ right? And this I've also read. And it is about a, it's a cruise ship, okay, with like boy banders. We talked about this in our Remember Looking Beyond a couple of weeks ago. Imagine like in Sinker, ⁓ the Backstreet Boys on a boat with 3000 screaming fans. And- fans aren't all kids, right? No, it's like us. Like it's midlife millennial, like 40 year old women going to like see their childhood pop star love. Jackie : And it is about a it's a cruise ship. Oh, yeah. Yes. But the fans aren't all kids, Adults, Right. Kirsten Baritz: And it's like what happens on the cruise on the like four week, or I'm sorry, four week, four week, four day, four day trip. And it's told by different, you know, it's another one of these like rotating ⁓ narrators. And one of them is one of the boy band members. And it's just like, it's funny. It's like revisiting old dreams and, you know. Jackie : That's a long cruise. Kirsten Baritz: like what's a dried up boy band are doing nowadays, you know, I just, don't know. It was like a trip. It was fun. It was silly. It's a great beach read. Yeah. was going to say it sounds like a perfect beach read. Jackie : That sounds like a... Yeah, I was gonna say it sounds like a perfect beach read. Kirsten Baritz: I think there's another one that's about like a trip possibly on a cruise, which is Girls Trip by Ali Condi. And she was the Reese pick for the Unwedding. Yes. And I haven't read this one. It is about three girls, or I guess women, and they meet in their online book club and they decide that they all need to get away. Jackie : which is a trip by Ali Condi. And she was the repick for the Unwetting. Yes. And I haven't read this one. It is about three girls, or I guess women, and they meet in their online book club and they decide that they all need to get away and they decide they're going to have a trip. And so they meet in a national park and then one of them goes missing. I bet this be a good one. I love that it's like a thriller about women that met in a book club. Okay, the last one that we have is My Dear You by Rachel Kong, and she wrote The Real Americans. Kirsten Baritz: Okay, the last one that we have is My Dear You by Rachel Kong. And she wrote The Real Americans. Which I think was a Jenna pick. And that one was about immigration and it was great. This new one is a short story collection, apparently, like maybe some speculative fiction. I first read her book, Goodbye, Vitamin. ⁓ she wrote Goodbye, Vitamin? She wrote Goodbye, Vitamin. And I thought that was, it's a small, like one sitting read. Jackie : ⁓ she wrote goodbye vitamin? ⁓ no way. Yeah. Kirsten Baritz: but it's about Alzheimer's and like caring for an Alzheimer's patient. And it's funny and it's sad and like ⁓ of all the books of hers, like that one is still like, goodbye vitamin. I'm sorry, it was phenomenal. So. I did not realize that that was the same. I know. I it was a, I think it's different publishers. The first one, goodbye vitamin was somebody else and now she's the next two are different. And the reason I say that is because of the covers. know that sounds. No, you're right. Jackie : I did not realize that that was the same author. And the reason I say that is because of the covers. know that sounds, I know that sounds ridiculous, but Good Vi Vitamin was this like bright, vibrant cover and the Real Americans was all these like, of patterns, but it wasn't bright. It was like green and red. So. Kirsten Baritz: Ridiculous, but Good Vi Vitamin was this like bright, vibrant cover and the Real Americans was all these like... It was like intricate, almost like stained glassy type of patterns, but it wasn't bright. was like green. this new one looks like a dead hand holding a rose. But I think they're all very different. Like I think she's a shape shifting kind of author. That's really cool. Yeah. So I'm looking forward to listening to this one just because I've liked her other books so far. Jackie : That's really cool. That's really cool. because we missed last week, this week we both ⁓ have bookmark. ⁓ Kirsten Baritz: because we missed last week, this week we both ⁓ have a bookmark. Yeah, we're just gonna like casually talk about our two favorite books that we read on spring break. ⁓ good. You go first. Mine is a backlist and it's ridiculous and I loved I read it in one sitting, okay? Fantastic. ⁓ Jackie : Yeah, good. go first. Fantastic. Kirsten Baritz: It's called The Fine Print by Lauren Asher. ⁓ And ⁓ it ⁓ ⁓ billionaire romance. I like these kinds books when I'm on an airplane. It keeps me distracted. ⁓ And it's about a It's the first in a series, too, which I'm so excited about. ⁓ Sorry, I'm very excited. Where ⁓ this set brothers has inherited, essentially, Disney World. ⁓ Jackie : airplane it keeps me distracted. It's about like a billion, it's the first in the series too which I'm like so excited about. Kirsten Baritz: like the Walt Disney Company conglomerate, whatever. And each of them in the will from their grandpa, AKA Walt Disney, has to do something in order to get their share of the company. And so he has to go back and like run Disney World. And do like some major renovation. And so the love interest is a worker who write, submit something and like wants to be a creative. And it turns out was working with his grandpa. Jackie : this set of brothers has inherited essentially Disney World, like the Walt Disney Company conglomerate, whatever. Each of them in the will from their grandpa, AKA Walt Disney, has to do something in order to get their share of the company. And so he has to go back and run Disney World. And do some major renovation. And so the love interest is a worker. Kirsten Baritz: and she's fiery and spicy and just, he like, know, cold-hearted, whatever, but he has a soft spot for her and I just loved it, crushed it. It was great. In and out one day, nobody could talk to me, it was just really fun. Jackie : In and out one day and nobody could talk to me. It was just really fun. was in and out one day. Kirsten Baritz: I left myself open. fun to highlight a backlist, but it was a backlist book. And I'm assuming this is a very spicy one. Very spicy, very. And like, it's one of those where like, you know, at some point you're like, ⁓ all right, let's move on to the next. Yeah, but that was my my favorite. OK, ⁓ so the one that you were talking about the beginning, that's mine is the escape game. Right. And it is Marissa Mayer and Tamara Moss. Jackie : Okay. And I'm assuming this is a very spicy one. You can skip some pages, got it. Okay, so the one that you were talking about at the beginning, that's mine, is the escape game. And it is Marissa Mayer and Tamara Moss. And I really wish this had been chosen. It was adorable. It was fantastic. It is a YA murder mystery. And I love the premise. So there was a TV show. that is called the escape game and they gather contestants, they do different escape games, they're together in teams and the teams are gradually eliminated until you have two teams competing for the fastest time to escape. ⁓ But the season beforehand, somebody had died in the filming of the show and now they're coming back with season five, but they decide they're going to bring back the sister. Kirsten Baritz: ⁓ but the season beforehand, somebody had died in the filming of the show and now they're coming back with season five, but they decide they're going to bring back the sister of the person who was murdered, who is also a suspect in the murder. They've never found the murder. She was never charged, but everyone thinks that she is the murderer and they bring her back. Jackie : of the person who was murdered, who is also a suspect in the murder. They've never found the murder, she was never charged, but everyone thinks that she is the murderer and they bring her back for the show. now it becomes a mystery of trying to figure out who killed her sister, whether it was her and all the teams working together, but then they talk about. all of the different escape rooms and it's so well done and the characters are quirky and the type exactly the type of people that you figure would obsess over escape rooms. So like these weird quirky like brilliant kids and it was really fantastic. Kirsten Baritz: quirky, like brilliant kids. And it was, it was really fantastic. that's another one. It's like different. It's not, you know, why wasn't this chosen? I don't know. Well, that's a shame. And I love Morris. She's another one that like, she flits around to all different kinds of genres. This would actually be an amazing adaptation. Jackie : Yeah, I don't know. I don't know. This? This would actually be an amazing adaptation. next week we are going to do a dive into Jenna. We love So we want to know what is your favorite with Jenna pick? Kirsten Baritz: As always, thank you for listening. We're looking forward to seeing you next week. Like, follow and subscribe if you are able to. Jackie : reading.