This is tell Me What to Read, a podcast from the booksellers at book Toopia, where every week I chat to some enthusiastic readers about the books they love and why you might love them too. I'm Ben Hunter and I'm recording this on unseated woe Wood Country. We pay respects to Elvis past and present, and extend that respect to any First Nations people listening with us today. On today's show, we're going to be racing through our new May book of the Month. It's a terrific, terrific novel, and we're going to be diving into some new fantasy slash fantasy romance fiction. And to do all of that, I have a couple of brilliant people in the room with me, Stephanie Gregor and Crystal Campbell. How are you both good? How are you?

This is tell Me What to Read, a podcast from the booksellers at book Toopia, where every week I chat to some enthusiastic readers about the books they love and why you might love them too. I'm Ben Hunter and I'm recording this on unseated woe Wood Country. We pay respects to Elvis past and present, and extend that respect to any First Nations people listening with us today. On today's show, we're going to be racing through our new May book of the Month. It's a terrific, terrific novel, and we're going to be diving into some new fantasy slash fantasy romance fiction. And to do all of that, I have a couple of brilliant people in the room with me, Stephanie Gregor and Crystal Campbell. How are you both good? How are you?

Ben?

Ben?

I'm feeling excited. I'm feeling good.

I'm feeling excited. I'm feeling good.

Me too, super pumped fresh.

Me too, super pumped fresh.

Off watching Eurovision and I'm just jazzed of so much. So many genres just smashed together in one event of musical chaos.

Off watching Eurovision and I'm just jazzed of so much. So many genres just smashed together in one event of musical chaos.

And that's exactly what we're going to do on the podcast today, but with books.

And that's exactly what we're going to do on the podcast today, but with books.

Well said, eurobook Vision Vision, I did see a TikTok of someone doing like the filming of the Eurovision and it was like from the other side, so rather than like the cool filming you wouldee, is the actual video of the cameraman. I'm like behind the see this guy talented. Like the moves he did with that camera.

Well said, eurobook Vision Vision, I did see a TikTok of someone doing like the filming of the Eurovision and it was like from the other side, so rather than like the cool filming you wouldee, is the actual video of the cameraman. I'm like behind the see this guy talented. Like the moves he did with that camera.

It was there was a lot of production that goes into a very short and very frazzling extravagance. Anyway, I could talk about Eurovision all us, I'm not going to. I want to talk about may book in the month. It is Safe Haven by Shanku Chandran and this book is gorgeous and special and I think you should read it. Let me take you into why so. Uh. Shanku Chandren broke out very significantly. She is an author and a human rights lawy, a very busy woman. But she broke out with a book called Chai Time at the Simon Gardens and that was the Miles Franklin winner last year. And that is a big book that takes a very It takes a lot of big themes around migration, displacement and war and crams it into a really beautiful and human and domestic kind of setting. And Safe Haven comes kind of Hot Off on the heels of the success of that book. Safe Haven is a mystery and a romance and like a bit of a political thriller, and it is set on a offshore detention centers. That's my elevator pitch for it. It has two perspectives that are very This one is like a really rapid fire thrilling read, whereas Chai Time was more of a slow burn. So this is a much more accessible novel, which I as a bookseller, I'm really excited about because I just feel like I can just get into people's hands. It's got a gorgeous cover and yes, this book it follows two women, Fena and Lucky. So Fena is a former asylum seeker who is helping the asylums community in Australia when she gets rounded up by the immigration cops and taken to this place. And Lucky is an investigator who is looking into a suspicious death of a security guard on this island. A lot's going to happen and it's really hard to go even further into it without it. It's an awesome book. You should read it. Have I sold you?

It was there was a lot of production that goes into a very short and very frazzling extravagance. Anyway, I could talk about Eurovision all us, I'm not going to. I want to talk about may book in the month. It is Safe Haven by Shanku Chandran and this book is gorgeous and special and I think you should read it. Let me take you into why so. Uh. Shanku Chandren broke out very significantly. She is an author and a human rights lawy, a very busy woman. But she broke out with a book called Chai Time at the Simon Gardens and that was the Miles Franklin winner last year. And that is a big book that takes a very It takes a lot of big themes around migration, displacement and war and crams it into a really beautiful and human and domestic kind of setting. And Safe Haven comes kind of Hot Off on the heels of the success of that book. Safe Haven is a mystery and a romance and like a bit of a political thriller, and it is set on a offshore detention centers. That's my elevator pitch for it. It has two perspectives that are very This one is like a really rapid fire thrilling read, whereas Chai Time was more of a slow burn. So this is a much more accessible novel, which I as a bookseller, I'm really excited about because I just feel like I can just get into people's hands. It's got a gorgeous cover and yes, this book it follows two women, Fena and Lucky. So Fena is a former asylum seeker who is helping the asylums community in Australia when she gets rounded up by the immigration cops and taken to this place. And Lucky is an investigator who is looking into a suspicious death of a security guard on this island. A lot's going to happen and it's really hard to go even further into it without it. It's an awesome book. You should read it. Have I sold you?

I have it on my list already. I literally I literally was talking to someone the other day about books that are like jumping up my priority list, and this one did after you talked about it in office, Ben, Like, as soon as you sold it the first time to us at the office, it jumped straight up my list. And what sold me was the fact that it has a more thriller element to it than her previous title, because I feel like, again it is going to be more palatable for me as a thriller reader. So yeah, I'm very excited. It's definitely jumped up my list thanks to Ben selling it to us.

I have it on my list already. I literally I literally was talking to someone the other day about books that are like jumping up my priority list, and this one did after you talked about it in office, Ben, Like, as soon as you sold it the first time to us at the office, it jumped straight up my list. And what sold me was the fact that it has a more thriller element to it than her previous title, because I feel like, again it is going to be more palatable for me as a thriller reader. So yeah, I'm very excited. It's definitely jumped up my list thanks to Ben selling it to us.

I've got one Dick, No, I would definitely read it as well. Yeah, I've wanted to reach High Time at Cinnamon Gardens for ages as well. Have you read that one, Ben, Yes.

I've got one Dick, No, I would definitely read it as well. Yeah, I've wanted to reach High Time at Cinnamon Gardens for ages as well. Have you read that one, Ben, Yes.

I have. Yeah, she's a really clever writer. And getting to speak to her when she signed some copies there are limited signed copies of safe Haven on the book to w website at the my when she signed, she was really interesting to speak to. She is a very yeah, just frank, down to earth, and she comes from a legal background, so she's she will grill you, I love you. But she's just so open and conversational and so so smart. I just yeah, I'm a fan, as you can tell, which is good. Yeah.

I have. Yeah, she's a really clever writer. And getting to speak to her when she signed some copies there are limited signed copies of safe Haven on the book to w website at the my when she signed, she was really interesting to speak to. She is a very yeah, just frank, down to earth, and she comes from a legal background, so she's she will grill you, I love you. But she's just so open and conversational and so so smart. I just yeah, I'm a fan, as you can tell, which is good. Yeah.

You literally haven't stopped smiling since she said, let me tell you about this book.

You literally haven't stopped smiling since she said, let me tell you about this book.

All right, So I'm here to get educated now on new entrance into the very combative world of fantasy publishing. There are some new ones that are getting very, very highly hyped, and they are hitting into this ven diagram of fannessy and romance, which Iron Flame and Fourth Wing have sort of drastically exploded in the past twelve months. Tell me about these new books. What have you guys been reading.

All right, So I'm here to get educated now on new entrance into the very combative world of fantasy publishing. There are some new ones that are getting very, very highly hyped, and they are hitting into this ven diagram of fannessy and romance, which Iron Flame and Fourth Wing have sort of drastically exploded in the past twelve months. Tell me about these new books. What have you guys been reading.

Hmm, well, okay, I'll go first. I've been reading the amazing When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A. Parker. So for a background, Sarah A. Parker is an Ossie romanticy author, and she's just skyrocketed over the past a couple months or so with her debut book, When the Moon Hatched, and it's doing incredibly well and it's beautiful, it's fun. The world building is fantastic. It's very much in that like Fourth Wing Iron Flame world of classic romanticy with like elves and fairies and things like that. I got so yes, dragons and yeah, really leaning into that Sarah J Mass stuff too with like there's elves and fairies in this one and all sorts of magical realms and basically our main character Rave Rave. I don't know how to pronounce it because I read it and I read it as Raeves. I'm just gonna say Reeve. Sorry, Sarah, it correct me if I'm wrong. She's like, this is sass for this like rebel group. So she goes around just like you know, kicking butts and taking names, and then she gets kidnapped by a different group and she's being held prisoner and she meets this like fallen dragon writer guy. So that's the kind of premise of it, without you know, spoiling anything. But the cool thing about this one is the world building is just on part it's beautiful. It's like, I guess a lot of the time when you do read a romanticy, you kind of go into it thinking it's just going to be full on romance with like none of the fantasy, Like maybe it's like an elf, but yeah, it's like, oh, this girl has magical powers but we don't know why, or like just a random magical character. No, this is actually the opposite. So the whole kind of first part of the book is really building up this fantasy world, and it's building up the main character and like magic and elves and all of the realm staff and beautiful maps and things and what's really cool. As well as that, Sarah puts like letters and images and stuff throughout the book, so you get like a lot of visual representations of different things. Yeah, so it's got this really rich world. And then against that backdrop is the actual romance. Yeah.

Hmm, well, okay, I'll go first. I've been reading the amazing When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A. Parker. So for a background, Sarah A. Parker is an Ossie romanticy author, and she's just skyrocketed over the past a couple months or so with her debut book, When the Moon Hatched, and it's doing incredibly well and it's beautiful, it's fun. The world building is fantastic. It's very much in that like Fourth Wing Iron Flame world of classic romanticy with like elves and fairies and things like that. I got so yes, dragons and yeah, really leaning into that Sarah J Mass stuff too with like there's elves and fairies in this one and all sorts of magical realms and basically our main character Rave Rave. I don't know how to pronounce it because I read it and I read it as Raeves. I'm just gonna say Reeve. Sorry, Sarah, it correct me if I'm wrong. She's like, this is sass for this like rebel group. So she goes around just like you know, kicking butts and taking names, and then she gets kidnapped by a different group and she's being held prisoner and she meets this like fallen dragon writer guy. So that's the kind of premise of it, without you know, spoiling anything. But the cool thing about this one is the world building is just on part it's beautiful. It's like, I guess a lot of the time when you do read a romanticy, you kind of go into it thinking it's just going to be full on romance with like none of the fantasy, Like maybe it's like an elf, but yeah, it's like, oh, this girl has magical powers but we don't know why, or like just a random magical character. No, this is actually the opposite. So the whole kind of first part of the book is really building up this fantasy world, and it's building up the main character and like magic and elves and all of the realm staff and beautiful maps and things and what's really cool. As well as that, Sarah puts like letters and images and stuff throughout the book, so you get like a lot of visual representations of different things. Yeah, so it's got this really rich world. And then against that backdrop is the actual romance. Yeah.

I think it's more fantasy than romance, is what you would say if you were going to genrealize it.

I think it's more fantasy than romance, is what you would say if you were going to genrealize it.

Definitely a mixture of both, So don't worry, romance fans.

Definitely a mixture of both, So don't worry, romance fans.

I'm still love Oh You've like I was already interested in this, but you guys, every single time we come on this podcast just make me want to walk straight out the door and pick up the book. You guys have been talking about instantly, and this is no different.

I'm still love Oh You've like I was already interested in this, but you guys, every single time we come on this podcast just make me want to walk straight out the door and pick up the book. You guys have been talking about instantly, and this is no different.

Yes. Oh, and we do have the deluxe hardcover that will be coming at the end of this year, so you can always pre order that if you want a fancy foiled edge version.

Yes. Oh, and we do have the deluxe hardcover that will be coming at the end of this year, so you can always pre order that if you want a fancy foiled edge version.

And I'm excited to see that in person. Me too, because we had a signing for the paperback edition. Those signed copies sold that very quickly, so quick. But the paperback by itself was just really beautiful, like so much foil and gold and embossed detail and illustration. The book has illustration at the top of every chapter. It's really really well done.

And I'm excited to see that in person. Me too, because we had a signing for the paperback edition. Those signed copies sold that very quickly, so quick. But the paperback by itself was just really beautiful, like so much foil and gold and embossed detail and illustration. The book has illustration at the top of every chapter. It's really really well done.

Yeah, it's beautiful.

Yeah, it's beautiful.

It is.

It is.

Yeah.

Yeah.

The paperback squads and I'm decited.

The paperback squads and I'm decited.

The other thing that interests me about this book and Sarah Parker as a Aussie author, is she was she was huge as an independent publishing deal. So thousands of people were just raving about the book on Goodreads, yes, and then suddenly a million dollar deal with major publisher and kind of ripped the rug out of it and gone, don't tell this cheap online anymore. We're going to do this as our own thing.

The other thing that interests me about this book and Sarah Parker as a Aussie author, is she was she was huge as an independent publishing deal. So thousands of people were just raving about the book on Goodreads, yes, and then suddenly a million dollar deal with major publisher and kind of ripped the rug out of it and gone, don't tell this cheap online anymore. We're going to do this as our own thing.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah. And it's it's really interesting too with that, right, because I think a lot of people now are saying like everything is the next Fourth Wing or everything's the next Iron Flame, just just gets thrown around so much, which you can understand why because it's done so well. But I actually think When the Moon Hatched is a pretty worthy comparison to those to those kind of blockbuster romanticies that we had last year, so yeah, really excited.

Yeah. And it's it's really interesting too with that, right, because I think a lot of people now are saying like everything is the next Fourth Wing or everything's the next Iron Flame, just just gets thrown around so much, which you can understand why because it's done so well. But I actually think When the Moon Hatched is a pretty worthy comparison to those to those kind of blockbuster romanticies that we had last year, so yeah, really excited.

The other one that's really taking off at the moment, Crystal is five Broken Blades. Is that the correct title?

The other one that's really taking off at the moment, Crystal is five Broken Blades. Is that the correct title?

Yeah?

Yeah?

By my call in, I keep seeing this cover just popping up on my screen, going bestseller best'll.

By my call in, I keep seeing this cover just popping up on my screen, going bestseller best'll.

Yeah, I ended up picking up this one instead of When the Moon Hatch because I kind of had both of them staring me dead in the face. And this one is very much five people that are all liars, thieves, criminals. I guess it's probably the gist, and they've all received a random letter to say, we need you to come and help us kill the king. The king is one of those treacherous terrible kings. Under his rule, everything's kind of gone wrong, but he's a god king and apparently he's unkillable. But these five people now need to kind of like learn to trust one another when they're pretty much untrustable or untrusting because of the fact that they are last thieves, horrible people and they need to get together and find a way to kill this god the king that can't die, and only one of them will like succeed in killing and getting the thing that they need, and if they kill and are successful, they get like a big money reward and a lot of the mari in a situation where it'll either free a sister who's in slavery or it'll free something like they need the thing. So it's really cool and it jumps through multiple povs, but it's not confusing, like you can tell the characters apart really well.

Yeah, I ended up picking up this one instead of When the Moon Hatch because I kind of had both of them staring me dead in the face. And this one is very much five people that are all liars, thieves, criminals. I guess it's probably the gist, and they've all received a random letter to say, we need you to come and help us kill the king. The king is one of those treacherous terrible kings. Under his rule, everything's kind of gone wrong, but he's a god king and apparently he's unkillable. But these five people now need to kind of like learn to trust one another when they're pretty much untrustable or untrusting because of the fact that they are last thieves, horrible people and they need to get together and find a way to kill this god the king that can't die, and only one of them will like succeed in killing and getting the thing that they need, and if they kill and are successful, they get like a big money reward and a lot of the mari in a situation where it'll either free a sister who's in slavery or it'll free something like they need the thing. So it's really cool and it jumps through multiple povs, but it's not confusing, like you can tell the characters apart really well.

And the world is really good.

And the world is really good.

I was just about to say it sounds so much like like a Dungeons and Dragons inspired kind of a yeah, I.

I was just about to say it sounds so much like like a Dungeons and Dragons inspired kind of a yeah, I.

Could see how that would probably happen, but it's just it's really cool because you'll be like they're short chapters too, so you'll kind of like be thrust into this scenario of this one person and then it's like boom back to another scenario, and then I get to the point where it just kind of all joins together and their world's coming intertwine and more things come to the surface, and it was just really, really well done. I had a really fun time with it. It was one of those things that I just gobbled up. It was like, from start to finish, I could not stop thinking about what's going to happen next, And I was not disappointed by the ending.

Could see how that would probably happen, but it's just it's really cool because you'll be like they're short chapters too, so you'll kind of like be thrust into this scenario of this one person and then it's like boom back to another scenario, and then I get to the point where it just kind of all joins together and their world's coming intertwine and more things come to the surface, and it was just really, really well done. I had a really fun time with it. It was one of those things that I just gobbled up. It was like, from start to finish, I could not stop thinking about what's going to happen next, And I was not disappointed by the ending.

All good to hear, and is it the first of many or is it?

All good to hear, and is it the first of many or is it?

I honestly think it is a part of a series. I don't know if it's going to be more than a duology, but it's definitely the first in a series, so we'll see. I don't I wasn't left like on this huge, huge, huge cliffhanger, but like, I definitely want to know more in the in this world. Yeah, and the cover is obviously stunning, so oh.

I honestly think it is a part of a series. I don't know if it's going to be more than a duology, but it's definitely the first in a series, so we'll see. I don't I wasn't left like on this huge, huge, huge cliffhanger, but like, I definitely want to know more in the in this world. Yeah, and the cover is obviously stunning, so oh.

Yeah, I love it. Actually, the covers of When the Moon Hatched and Five Broken Blades side by side would be epic on a bookshelf. Oh yeah, the red and the blue, like we've got it all covered here.

Yeah, I love it. Actually, the covers of When the Moon Hatched and Five Broken Blades side by side would be epic on a bookshelf. Oh yeah, the red and the blue, like we've got it all covered here.

And the other cover I keep saying is the one that had what I thought was jellyfish on it, the jellyfish jellyfish that's actually a flower.

And the other cover I keep saying is the one that had what I thought was jellyfish on it, the jellyfish jellyfish that's actually a flower.

We have the fantastic North Wind book, which is also a new romantic book based on the Hades and Persephone kind of retelling, and that one's I think we do have limited signed copies of that at the moment too. Really really love that one as well. Yeah, super different from When the Moon Hatch Super different from Five Broken Blades, except that I think all three of them are quite like what would you say, Like Five Broken Blades has like a rich fantasy world too, like, yeah, it's so cool. I think the three of them, I mean, with the North Wind and When the Moon Hatched one hundred percent really rich, beautiful worlds, and then the romance is kind of like against that, so you get a lot more of this high fantasy kind of storytelling.

We have the fantastic North Wind book, which is also a new romantic book based on the Hades and Persephone kind of retelling, and that one's I think we do have limited signed copies of that at the moment too. Really really love that one as well. Yeah, super different from When the Moon Hatch Super different from Five Broken Blades, except that I think all three of them are quite like what would you say, Like Five Broken Blades has like a rich fantasy world too, like, yeah, it's so cool. I think the three of them, I mean, with the North Wind and When the Moon Hatched one hundred percent really rich, beautiful worlds, and then the romance is kind of like against that, so you get a lot more of this high fantasy kind of storytelling.

I definitely recall more of like the character building and the like crazy brutal scenes more than the romance. Out of five Broken blaits like it's there for those that need it, but it doesn't like overtake from the cool plot and like the character driven story.

I definitely recall more of like the character building and the like crazy brutal scenes more than the romance. Out of five Broken blaits like it's there for those that need it, but it doesn't like overtake from the cool plot and like the character driven story.

Is five Broken Blades, I'm guessing there's violence.

Is five Broken Blades, I'm guessing there's violence.

Oh yeah, like oh yeah, it's.

Oh yeah, like oh yeah, it's.

The same for When the Moon Hatched, Like there's a lot of a lot more darkness to it that I kind of originally thought, I think.

The same for When the Moon Hatched, Like there's a lot of a lot more darkness to it that I kind of originally thought, I think.

When I yeah, definitely.

When I yeah, definitely.

Yeah, but exciting and yeah, so The north Wind Sorry is Alexandria Warwick's book, another one that was popular online before it was picked up for publishing. Interesting deal and this one's beautiful. It's just yeah, beauty and the Beast vibes like haties and persephone retelling. It's about a girl, Wren of Edgewood, and her little sister is going to be taken by this thing called the north Wind and she's like, don't take my sister, take me instead, and he does.

Yeah, but exciting and yeah, so The north Wind Sorry is Alexandria Warwick's book, another one that was popular online before it was picked up for publishing. Interesting deal and this one's beautiful. It's just yeah, beauty and the Beast vibes like haties and persephone retelling. It's about a girl, Wren of Edgewood, and her little sister is going to be taken by this thing called the north Wind and she's like, don't take my sister, take me instead, and he does.

Oh yeah.

Oh yeah.

And the cover has little like blue flowers on it, which, yeah, Ben thought they were jellyfish. If you look at the cover, I can I can see how Ben thought that, because they kind of do have jellyfish.

And the cover has little like blue flowers on it, which, yeah, Ben thought they were jellyfish. If you look at the cover, I can I can see how Ben thought that, because they kind of do have jellyfish.

You know what. I actually think they look like mushrooms from here, because I'm looking at it from like a bit of a distance away, I can see him.

You know what. I actually think they look like mushrooms from here, because I'm looking at it from like a bit of a distance away, I can see him.

Mushrooms got everything. Yeah, mushrooms jellyfish? They are actually flowers. So you're all wrong.

Mushrooms got everything. Yeah, mushrooms jellyfish? They are actually flowers. So you're all wrong.

But you guess anything else, you're wrong.

But you guess anything else, you're wrong.

And Ben, you get The north Wind today. You can also get When the Moon Hatched and then you can get another book. And it's part of our book Binge promission.

And Ben, you get The north Wind today. You can also get When the Moon Hatched and then you can get another book. And it's part of our book Binge promission.

Oh well, well sold, like that was your job. I love book Binch comes around every year and it's a it's a buy more, say more extravaganza deal. And yeah, if you like to read lots, you can save lots. It's a good it's a good thing. So check out book bench. If you're in the in the market for some more books, I always let's move. We are such good sales. Let's talk about what we're reading next. What what do you have on the bed side table right now or or are you aspiring to kind of read this weekend? Oh?

Oh well, well sold, like that was your job. I love book Binch comes around every year and it's a it's a buy more, say more extravaganza deal. And yeah, if you like to read lots, you can save lots. It's a good it's a good thing. So check out book bench. If you're in the in the market for some more books, I always let's move. We are such good sales. Let's talk about what we're reading next. What what do you have on the bed side table right now or or are you aspiring to kind of read this weekend? Oh?

I am halfway through Heartless, which is booked two in the Chestnut Spring series by Elsie Silver. I read Flawless last month, and by read, I mean literally sat down and gobbled it up in one day. It was amazing. It made me cry, which you don't expect from a romance munty book.

I am halfway through Heartless, which is booked two in the Chestnut Spring series by Elsie Silver. I read Flawless last month, and by read, I mean literally sat down and gobbled it up in one day. It was amazing. It made me cry, which you don't expect from a romance munty book.

But Silver, I hear it's hot, hot, hot.

But Silver, I hear it's hot, hot, hot.

Oh, it is very, very hot and amazing. But it's also got characters that you just care so much about and they're emotional, and he did at the end of book one the most romantic thing I ever read in a romance book in my life, and he has put every man that I know to shame, like, Oh, anyways, you have to read it if you want to find out what I'm talking about. But I'm currently in Heartless, which is book two, and obviously the whole test Nut Spring series follows like a different man for each story, so you can kind of read them separately, you don't have to read them one after the other. But this one follows. Daddy Kid is as well.

Oh, it is very, very hot and amazing. But it's also got characters that you just care so much about and they're emotional, and he did at the end of book one the most romantic thing I ever read in a romance book in my life, and he has put every man that I know to shame, like, Oh, anyways, you have to read it if you want to find out what I'm talking about. But I'm currently in Heartless, which is book two, and obviously the whole test Nut Spring series follows like a different man for each story, so you can kind of read them separately, you don't have to read them one after the other. But this one follows. Daddy Kid is as well.

We're talking about this the other day at lunch.

We're talking about this the other day at lunch.

He is a man who is on a ranch and he works a lot and requires someone to come and help look after his small son, and obviously he ends up hiring a nanny, and then the rest in shoes. You guys that have read romans know exactly what I'm talking about.

He is a man who is on a ranch and he works a lot and requires someone to come and help look after his small son, and obviously he ends up hiring a nanny, and then the rest in shoes. You guys that have read romans know exactly what I'm talking about.

But yeah, we know whether this was going when you said he has a ranch.

But yeah, we know whether this was going when you said he has a ranch.

So it is a cowboy romance. But Elsie Silver has the ability to not just write corny romance, Like there's depth to her stories. There's always a little bit of like reperence, representation of something, some issue, something that's going on with her characters that is really relatable and obviously you want to be in a relationship with every man. She writes like she's just really good at writing book boyfriends, really boyfriends.

So it is a cowboy romance. But Elsie Silver has the ability to not just write corny romance, Like there's depth to her stories. There's always a little bit of like reperence, representation of something, some issue, something that's going on with her characters that is really relatable and obviously you want to be in a relationship with every man. She writes like she's just really good at writing book boyfriends, really boyfriends.

And so she's got a few series, right, So this is Chestnut Springs, and then there's Wild Love as well.

And so she's got a few series, right, So this is Chestnut Springs, and then there's Wild Love as well.

Yes, yes, which I will be jumping into next because I'm doing the Chestnut Springs as like a read along. So we do like one a month, and because I finish it too soon, I'm like, I need to jump over. So I'm going to be jumping over to her other one when I finish this one, probably tonight, because I'm already fifty percent through.

Yes, yes, which I will be jumping into next because I'm doing the Chestnut Springs as like a read along. So we do like one a month, and because I finish it too soon, I'm like, I need to jump over. So I'm going to be jumping over to her other one when I finish this one, probably tonight, because I'm already fifty percent through.

Amazing so like easy, like fun to read like but still kind of meaningful. Okay, I'll have to adding to TBR right now.

Amazing so like easy, like fun to read like but still kind of meaningful. Okay, I'll have to adding to TBR right now.

Yeah, So that's what I'm in the middle of. I obviously I have it like a couple others on the go because that's just how I roll. But that's the one that like jumps to mine, that's on my bedside table at the moment.

Yeah, So that's what I'm in the middle of. I obviously I have it like a couple others on the go because that's just how I roll. But that's the one that like jumps to mine, that's on my bedside table at the moment.

Yeah, I'm excited. What about you, Steph. I'm currently reading and Patch. It's Tom Lake great, so good, awesome, I'm loving it, beautiful, just a lot. Yeah, I'm reading a couple of other books at the moment too. I've just picked up one called Diary of a Void, which is a Japanese translated book. Looks awesome, haven't started it yet, haven't even opened it, but it's about a salary person working full time, just coming to terms with live, laugh, loving life. Oh, literary translated fiction. Just yeah, I love.

Yeah, I'm excited. What about you, Steph. I'm currently reading and Patch. It's Tom Lake great, so good, awesome, I'm loving it, beautiful, just a lot. Yeah, I'm reading a couple of other books at the moment too. I've just picked up one called Diary of a Void, which is a Japanese translated book. Looks awesome, haven't started it yet, haven't even opened it, but it's about a salary person working full time, just coming to terms with live, laugh, loving life. Oh, literary translated fiction. Just yeah, I love.

Her every time we come from this point together. You're reading like literary, beautiful fiction, and I'm just like, I'm just reading the romance still.

Her every time we come from this point together. You're reading like literary, beautiful fiction, and I'm just like, I'm just reading the romance still.

I just I just went on a tangent about the north wind. Come on, Okay, that's.

I just I just went on a tangent about the north wind. Come on, Okay, that's.

That's fair, that's true. I'm so glad you're reading some like. It's such a special book and patches coming to Australia for she is, she's well, well loved and right. So she's one of the best authors at work today. Yes, I've been on a bit of a thriller vibe.

That's fair, that's true. I'm so glad you're reading some like. It's such a special book and patches coming to Australia for she is, she's well, well loved and right. So she's one of the best authors at work today. Yes, I've been on a bit of a thriller vibe.

Oh my ears are tweaking.

Oh my ears are tweaking.

Yes, I've read some things that I can't really talk about yet, some things that are coming up in months to come. But the thing I'm going to read next is the new Anna Downs book. Anna Downs is an Aussie author and she writes really sharp thrillers and this could be her best one yet. It just looks so good. Is called Red River Road and it happens on the coast of Western Australia, and it follows a woman who is in a van in the bloody at back following the trail of her missing sister and a chain of social media posts that have gone cold, and trying to find out where her sister who was doing I think the whole van life thing what happened to her? And it looks really dark and really exciting and has the most beautiful, beautiful setting. And the thing I love about Downs, apart from being a terrific author, is she does she's like a method actor, so she doesn't kill people.

Yes, I've read some things that I can't really talk about yet, some things that are coming up in months to come. But the thing I'm going to read next is the new Anna Downs book. Anna Downs is an Aussie author and she writes really sharp thrillers and this could be her best one yet. It just looks so good. Is called Red River Road and it happens on the coast of Western Australia, and it follows a woman who is in a van in the bloody at back following the trail of her missing sister and a chain of social media posts that have gone cold, and trying to find out where her sister who was doing I think the whole van life thing what happened to her? And it looks really dark and really exciting and has the most beautiful, beautiful setting. And the thing I love about Downs, apart from being a terrific author, is she does she's like a method actor, so she doesn't kill people.

She traveled around w a in the van.

She traveled around w a in the van.

I think she did a bit of that. Yeah.

I think she did a bit of that. Yeah.

Wow.

Wow.

And her first novel is about an a pair in the South of France, and she was an a pair in the south of France.

And her first novel is about an a pair in the South of France, and she was an a pair in the south of France.

Is that the safe place you're talking about?

Is that the safe place you're talking about?

Yes?

Yes?

I read that. That was really good.

I read that. That was really good.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Did she do that before she wrote the book or for writing the book? Like during the process.

Did she do that before she wrote the book or for writing the book? Like during the process.

I think she travel I mean, you know, it's nice to go into the Western Australian out back copy.

I think she travel I mean, you know, it's nice to go into the Western Australian out back copy.

That is true. I'm like that.

That is true. I'm like that.

Yeah, yeah, but yeah, I just want to follow that van down winding roads with an ominous feeling that someone's following you. I think that's a scree pitch speak. Thank you for enlightening me into the world of fantasy, romance and so much more. We will be back next time with more brilliant books. If you want to get the lowdown on any of the books we've discussed today, jump into the show notes. They'll be links to book Toby Away can buy them and give the podcast a follow, or recommend it, or do whatever you need to do. But until next time, happy reading,

Yeah, yeah, but yeah, I just want to follow that van down winding roads with an ominous feeling that someone's following you. I think that's a scree pitch speak. Thank you for enlightening me into the world of fantasy, romance and so much more. We will be back next time with more brilliant books. If you want to get the lowdown on any of the books we've discussed today, jump into the show notes. They'll be links to book Toby Away can buy them and give the podcast a follow, or recommend it, or do whatever you need to do. But until next time, happy reading,