My Podcast Addiction: Some Faves and New Finds

How did it take me so long to discover the world of podcasting? It's become one of my most favorite things over the past year or two. They're so convenient to listen to. During rides in the car, while I do dishes, when I take walks, etc. And I love learning new things or hearing about books, so it's like a little treat in my day to be able to listen to a podcasts. (I'm also a recent convert to audiobooks for similar reasons, but more on that at another time.)

Today I wanted to tell you about a few of my must-listen-to-every-week podcasts and then some new ones I've stumbled upon in the last few months. I've blogged a few times about podcasts I like here and here so you may recognize some of my recurring favorites. 

So, up first are the ones that I listen to every week and often listen to on the day they release.

My Favorites

What Should I Read Next with Anne Bogel

I've mentioned this one before. Anne has a reader on each episode. Readers tell her three books they love, one book they hate, and then what they would like to be different in their reading life. Anne then makes recommendations. Anne doesn't read romance so that's not what she's recommending, but otherwise, there is a wide variety of types of books recommended. This podcast has cost me SO MUCH book money because her descriptions often sell me on the book. General Focus: mysteries, suspense, literary fiction, classics, general fiction, women's fiction, non-fiction BONUS: Safe to listen to with your kids around and she has a very soothing voice. 

Get Booked by Book Riot

Similar to the one above in that it's about readers and book recommendations, but the format is a little different. Readers send in questions and the two hosts answer them with recommendations. General focus: all types of fiction including romance (yay!), non-fiction, poetry, short stories, essay collections, etc. BONUS: Special emphasis on diverse picks and feminist books. Warning: No profanity or anything but not always kid-friendly because books with heavy topics are often discussed. They do give trigger warnings, however.

All the Books! by Book Riot

This show goes through the books that are releasing that week. The hosts talk about their recommendations. Very similar in style to Get Booked but no reader questions. It's all about what's out this week and what you should read. Same warnings I gave for Get Booked apply here.

New-to-Me Podcasts I'm Loving

Sorta Awesome with Megan Tietz and friends

This one is hard to describe, but it covers a lot of ground. Below is the description from the website, but it's just a podcast that is fun and full of interesting tips. It feels like sitting down with your girlfriends over wine and discussing life.

"Sorta Awesome is a weekly podcast geared toward women who want to stay current on all things awesome, including culture, media, trending conversations and general girlfriend chat. Each episode of Sorta Awesome begins with the Awesome of the Week. Meg and her co-host share a recent discovery that makes life easier, better or more sparkly. From there, the show delves into topics that are as varied as the team itself. One week, we might confess our popular opinions. The next, we might share tips on organization. Our goal is for listeners to feel encouraged, empowered and excited to find the awesome in the everyday."

Note to Self with Manoush Zomorodi

This one is about the effects of technology in our lives presented in a super interesting way. Y'all know I've been kind of obsessed with this topic since our Device-Free Summer, so this is right up my alley. The host is the author of the new book Bored and Brilliant which I'm reading right now, but the podcasts has a wide range of technology topics.

The Lazy Genius with Kendra, The Lazy Genius

The motto of this show is this: "A Lazy Genius is a genius about the things that matter and lazy about the things that don't." So that's exactly what it is. Kendra dedicates each episode to one topic to be a lazy genius about. Simple things like hanging stuff on your walls (and why you shouldn't be scared about it) to creating mental space in your day. These are usually pretty quick and good for a short car ride.

New Ones I'm Trying Out

Recommended by Book Riot

This is a short podcast where authors recommend a favorite book to readers. Interesting stories usually accompany the recommendation because the authors tell you why that particular book meant something to them.

The Simple Show with Tsh Oxenreider

The motto of this one is saying yes to the things that matter and no to the things that don't. The two hosts pick a topic each week (cleaning, TV watching, roadtrips) and discuss what they say yes and no to within those topics. Can take on a religious lean sometimes but it's not a religious show. 

The Rewatchables

I just added this one and haven't listened to an episode yet, but I love the concept. It's all about taking older movies and discussing why they are worth a rewatch. I'm excited because they seem to have episodes about a lot of movies I love: You've Got Mail, Clueless, Scream, etc.

If you're new to podcasts, it's easy to get started. Most phones have a native podcast app. Just open the app, search for the podcasts you want, and you can download episodes for free (or subscribe if you want them to download every time a new episode is available.) The native Apple podcast app works fine, but I like the added features of the Overcast app, which is free in the app store.

That's my list for now, what podcasts do you love? Or are you new to the whole idea of podcasts?

Friday Reads: Sourdough by Robin Sloan

Delightful and effortlessly readable. That's the description I kept coming back to as I was reading today's Friday Read. As many of you know, I'm an enthusiastic subscriber to the Book of the Month club. (If you want to check it out, my referral link will get you your first month for 9.99 and a cute tote bag.) And one of the things I like best about the club is that it forces me out of my reading comfort zone. Sourdough by Robin Sloan is a book I never would've picked up and checked out on my own. A book about a slightly magical sourdough starter? What?

But I'm telling y'all, this was the perfect book for the reading slump I was in. It was so fun and quirky and just a delight to read. There was even a tiny little romance in it. I like books that make me feel good and smile, and this one definitely did. So if you find yourself in a funk or a bad mood, give it a try. Bonus: The cover on the hardback glows in the dark!

Also, be warned. It's going to make you crave bread. It made me bake, lol.

See...

So books and bread, a winning combo. I bought this author's other book while the bread was still cooling off. That's the highest compliment because my TBR is like whoa and I do not need to be adding more books. 

About the book:

Lois Clary is a software engineer at General Dexterity, a San Francisco robotics company with world-changing ambitions. She codes all day and collapses at night, her human contact limited to the two brothers who run the neighborhood hole-in-the-wall from which she orders dinner every evening. Then, disaster! Visa issues. The brothers close up shop, and fast. But they have one last delivery for Lois: their culture, the sourdough starter used to bake their bread. She must keep it alive, they tell her—feed it daily, play it music, and learn to bake with it.

Lois is no baker, but she could use a roommate, even if it is a needy colony of microorganisms. Soon, not only is she eating her own homemade bread, she’s providing loaves daily to the General Dexterity cafeteria. The company chef urges her to take her product to the farmer’s market, and a whole new world opens up.

When Lois comes before the jury that decides who sells what at Bay Area markets, she encounters a close-knit club with no appetite for new members. But then, an alternative emerges: a secret market that aims to fuse food and technology. But who are these people, exactly? 

Leavened by the same infectious intelligence that made Robin Sloan’s Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore such a sensation, while taking on even more satisfying challenges, Sourdough marks the triumphant return of a unique and beloved young writer.

Amazon | B&N | Indiebound | Book of the Month Club (where you can get the hardcover for about half the price)

What are you reading this weekend?

October Read and Watch Challenge: STRANGE

It's that time of the month again--time for a new monthly theme for the Read & Watch Challenge! This month I wanted to nod to Halloween and the change of seasons (if we ever GET a change of season here in Dallas. So. Hot. Still.) But I also didn't want to make it all about scary books and horror because not everyone reads that. So I thought the word STRANGE could cover a lot of bases. 

*If you're not familiar with the challenge, you can find out the details here. Feel free to join in anytime.

So, I have a few recommendations for you and then I'll give you some of my plans for what I'm going to read and watch this month.

What to Read:

First, I'm going to recommend (with caveats) a horror writer that I discovered last year: Grady Hendrix. So his books are like if horror movies from the 80s got mixed up with a Southpark episode. They are gory but also darkly funny and snarky. Having said that, don't read these if you don't like horror or are easily grossed out. They are still horror, even if they have that dark comic edge. But I've enjoyed both of these, and I love the quirky concepts.

I read My Best Friend's Exorcism last week and it was a page-turner. Plus, the presentation of the book itself adds to the experience. The hardcover I have looks like a high school yearbook complete with signatures and cheesy pages with dedications and school clubs and such. Also, each chapter is the name of an 80s song. I'm not sure if all the humor will land if you didn't grow up in the 80s. Like I can remember how there was this rampant fear back then that satanists were stealing kids and doing rituals in the woods near my house. It's weird to think about it now, but people legitimately were worried that kid-stealing satanists were a widespread problem. So there are nods to that time in this book. Also, there's a scene at the end where she invokes a view things during an exorcism (I won't spoil it) that made me laugh out loud and made the whole book worth it. But it is GORY. I was grossed out a number of times. So this isn't going to be for everyone.

This photo is of the hardcover that I have, but the paperback version has one that looks like a crazy VHS tape. Also, it looks like the kindle version has enhanced content.

My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix

An unholy hybrid of Beaches and The Exorcist that blends teen angst, adolescent drama, unspeakable horrors, and a mix of ’80s pop songs into a pulse-pounding supernatural thriller

The year is 1988. High school sophomores Abby and Gretchen have been best friends since fourth grade. But after an evening of skinny-dipping goes disastrously wrong, Gretchen begins to act…different. She’s moody. She’s irritable. And bizarre incidents keep happening whenever she’s nearby. Abby’s investigation leads her to some startling discoveries—and by the time their story reaches its terrifying conclusion, the fate of Abby and Gretchen will be determined by a single question: Is their friendship powerful enough to beat the devil?

---

Also, if that one appeals to you, I'll do a shout out for another by Grady Hendrix that I read a few years ago. I did a full review on this one here and have already recommended it. But in case you missed it, it's a horror story set in an IKEA-like store. Who wouldn't think that getting lost in an IKEA at night would be scary? I highly recommend the print copy of this one because it's made to look like an IKEA catalog and has drawings of different furniture that becomes increasingly sinister as the story goes on. :) 

Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix

A traditional haunted house story in a thoroughly contemporary setting, Horrorstör comes packaged in the form of a glossy mail order catalog, complete with product illustrations, a home delivery order form, and a map of Orsk’s labyrinthine showroom. It’s “a treat for fans of The Evil Dead or Zombieland, complete with affordable solutions for better living.”—Kirkus Reviews. 

Something strange is happening at the Orsk furniture superstore in Cleveland, Ohio. Every morning, employees arrive to find broken Kjerring bookshelves, shattered Glans water goblets, and smashed Liripip wardrobes. Sales are down, security cameras reveal nothing, and store managers are panicking.
 
To unravel the mystery, three employees volunteer to work a nine-hour dusk-till-dawn shift. In the dead of the night, they’ll patrol the empty showroom floor, investigate strange sights and sounds, and encounter horrors that defy the imagination.

---

If you like your strange with a little more science fiction and less horror, you might want to try Dark Matter by Black Crouch. This is a thriller with a science fiction twist. It puts the characters in a lot of strange situations, so this fits the theme perfectly. I did a full review here, but here are the details about the book:

Dark Matter by Black Crouch

A mindbending, relentlessly surprising thriller from the author of the bestselling Wayward Pines trilogy.

“Are you happy with your life?” 
 
Those are the last words Jason Dessen hears before the masked abductor knocks him unconscious. 
 
Before he awakens to find himself strapped to a gurney, surrounded by strangers in hazmat suits. 
 
Before a man Jason’s never met smiles down at him and says, “Welcome back, my friend.”  
 
In this world he’s woken up to, Jason’s life is not the one he knows. His wife is not his wife. His son was never born. And Jason is not an ordinary college physics professor, but a celebrated genius who has achieved something remarkable. Something impossible.
 
Is it this world or the other that’s the dream? And even if the home he remembers is real, how can Jason possibly make it back to the family he loves? The answers lie in a journey more wondrous and horrifying than anything he could’ve imagined—one that will force him to confront the darkest parts of himself even as he battles a terrifying, seemingly unbeatable foe.
 
Dark Matter is a brilliantly plotted tale that is at once sweeping and intimate, mind-bendingly strange and profoundly human—a relentlessly surprising science-fiction thriller about choices, paths not taken, and how far we’ll go to claim the lives we dream of.

---

What to Watch:

It

Okay, y'all, confession: the original IT was one of my favorite movies/mini-series (even though the ending always pissed me off.) I saw it high school and read the book and loved that brand of horror. So I was both excited and nervous when the new one came out because remakes are usually a big disappointment. But I got a chance to see it this week and I have to say, I was impressed. They did a really great job with it and benefitted from the technology advances since the first one. Plus, the child actors did a great job portraying the characters. I also liked that this one just focused on the half of the story that took place when they were kids (they moved it from set in the 60s to the 80s). There will be a second movie I'm guessing to cover the adult portion, but it made it feel less rushed. So if you like a scary movie that's more about psychological horror than jump scares, this is a good choice. For me, this one is all about characterization and caring about the characters, which is often rare in modern horror movies.

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What I'll Be Reading:

Sourdough by Robin Sloane

This is one of my Book of the Month picks and I love the sound of this one. Magical bread? Sign me up. :) (Also, if you're interested in checking out Book of the Month, you can get the new John Green book or the new Stephen King and Owen King book for free. My referral link will get you 3 months for 10 dollars a month, which is way cheaper than the new release hardbacks are sold anywhere else.)

About the book:

In his much-anticipated new novel, Robin Sloan does for the world of food what he did for the world of books in Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore

Lois Clary is a software engineer at General Dexterity, a San Francisco robotics company with world-changing ambitions. She codes all day and collapses at night, her human contact limited to the two brothers who run the neighborhood hole-in-the-wall from which she orders dinner every evening. Then, disaster! Visa issues. The brothers close up shop, and fast. But they have one last delivery for Lois: their culture, the sourdough starter used to bake their bread. She must keep it alive, they tell her—feed it daily, play it music, and learn to bake with it.

Lois is no baker, but she could use a roommate, even if it is a needy colony of microorganisms. Soon, not only is she eating her own homemade bread, she’s providing loaves daily to the General Dexterity cafeteria. The company chef urges her to take her product to the farmer’s market, and a whole new world opens up.

When Lois comes before the jury that decides who sells what at Bay Area markets, she encounters a close-knit club with no appetite for new members. But then, an alternative emerges: a secret market that aims to fuse food and technology. But who are these people, exactly? 

Leavened by the same infectious intelligence that made Robin Sloan’s Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore such a sensation, while taking on even more satisfying challenges, Sourdough marks the triumphant return of a unique and beloved young writer.

---

Paperbacks from Hell by Grady Hendrix

Yes, this one is the very definition of strange and it's another pick by Grady Hendrix, but I'm fascinated by the evolution of book genres and this is all about the rise of horror in the 80s and the history of it. Oddly enough, it's tied to romance (picture those gothic book covers with the woman running in her nightgown away from a big scary house.) So yes, this is a weird pick but I'm looking forward to it. Plus, it has all kinds of photographs of the creepy and weird horror covers of the past.

About the book:

Take a tour through the horror paperback novels of the 1970s and ’80s . . . if you dare. Page through dozens and dozens of amazing book covers featuring well-dressed skeletons, evil dolls, and knife-wielding killer crabs! Read shocking plot summaries that invoke devil worship, satanic children, and haunted real estate! Horror author and vintage paperback book collector Grady Hendrix offers killer commentary and witty insight on these trashy thrillers that tried so hard to be the next Exorcist or Rosemary’s Baby. It’s an affectionate, nostalgic, and unflinchingly funny celebration of the horror fiction boom of two iconic decades, complete with story summaries and artist and author profiles. You’ll find familiar authors, like V. C. Andrews and R. L. Stine, and many more who’ve faded into obscurity. Plus recommendations for which of these forgotten treasures are well worth your reading time and which should stay buried.

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This is another Book of the Month pick. The premise seems to fit the Strange theme perfectly.

The Blinds by Adam Sternbergh

From the Edgar Award-nominated author of Shovel Ready, a blistering new thriller that Dennis Lehane calls “propulsive and meaningful”

For fans of Cormac McCarthy, Jim Thompson, the Coen Brothers, and Lost

Imagine a place populated by criminals—people plucked from their lives, with their memories altered, who’ve been granted new identities and a second chance. Welcome to The Blinds, a dusty town in rural Texas populated by misfits who don’t know if they’ve perpetrated a crime or just witnessed one. What’s clear to them is that if they leave, they will end up dead.

For eight years, Sheriff Calvin Cooper has kept an uneasy peace—but after a suicide and a murder in quick succession, the town’s residents revolt. Cooper has his own secrets to protect, so when his new deputy starts digging, he needs to keep one step ahead of her—and the mysterious outsiders who threaten to tear the whole place down. The more he learns, the more the hard truth is revealed: The Blinds is no sleepy hideaway. It’s simmering with violence and deception, aching heartbreak and dark betrayals.

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What I'll Be Watching

Here's what's on my DVR or in my Netflix/Hulu queue that fit this theme: Channel Zero (season 2), The Handmaid's Tale, The Mist.

All right, those are my picks, I'd love to hear some of yours! Do you tend to seek out creepier books as Halloween gets closer or do you steer clear of them? What is the strangest read you've read lately?

Nerding Out About The Four Tendencies by Gretchen Rubin

If y'all know me at all, you know I love me a Gretchen Rubin book. Since The Happiness Project I have been a devoted fan. I've loved each one of her books and I regularly listen to her podcast. So, of course, when she released a new book this week about The Four Tendencies, I had it on pre-order and read it immediately.

If you're not familiar with Rubin's Four Tendencies, the concept was introduced in her book on habits, Better Than Before. It's basically a personality framework that divides people into four categories based on how they respond to inner and outer expectations.

The Four Types:

Upholders - Meet outer expectations (what other people expect you to do) and inner expectations (what goals you set for yourself) without much trouble. They thrive under routines and like structure. No one needs to remind them to get stuff done or hold them accountable. They'll just get it done. They can also be seen as uptight and rigid. Think Hermione in Harry Potter. (This is what I am.)

Questioners - Meet inner expectations but resist outer because they want an explanation. This is my husband. Why is that a rule? That makes no sense. I'm not doing that. So basically, they only meet outer expectations if they believe those expectations make sense to them. If not, good luck. (Since I'm a rule-follower, this can drive of us both crazy because we butt heads over this.)

Obligers - Meet outer expectations but resist inner. These are the people who will do anything for someone else, but when it comes to keeping their own goals, they struggle if they don't have some kind of outside accountability like a deadline or a buddy who is calling and checking on them. So if they have to meet a friend to run every morning, they go because they don't want to let their friend down and, therefore, can stick to the habit. But if they were going on a solo run and no one was paying attention whether they did it or not, they would struggle to keep the habit. (This type is highly represented among my friends and fellow writers. Those who are great at taking care of others but not so great at giving time/effort to themselves.)

Rebels - Resist both inner and outer expectations. "You can't make me and neither can I" is one of the mottos she lists for Rebels. Rebels don't like to be confined by any rules or expectations. Even if they want to do something, if someone tells them to, then they resist. 

That's just a brief overview and you can take a quiz on her website to find out your type, but knowing what category you fall into can be surprisingly helpful when trying to set habits and stick to them. It also can help you deal better with people around you when you know your type and also know their type. The book goes into a lot more detail and has great information about how to deal with this at work, in relationships, and with your kids. I learned a lot of new tips and am trying to figure out what my kidlet's type is (I'm thinking Questioner.)

Also, I think this book helped clarify a lot because I thought I knew my type from the first book but after reading more in depth in this one, I realized I was wrong. I thought I might be a Rebel because as soon as I agree to something, I don't want to do it anymore. But I realized that rebellion is not why I'm resisting. I'm an Upholder, so my inner expectations trump outer expectations. So I don't want to do something when/if an outer expectation impedes on an inner expectation. Like if my habit is that every Sunday I go to the grocery store but then I have to go to a last minute event on Sunday during that time, I get annoyed and don't want to go because I don't like changes in my routine. (See, I'm an uptight Hermione.) But it also explains why I was that student who never had to be told to do her homework. I just did it. My parents didn't have to lean over my shoulder for anything. Neither did bosses in the working world. I also can set goals for myself that no one else knows about and stick to them (which is good since I'm a writer and no one is watching to make sure I do my work.) So it's a good thing (gets stuff done) but also bad (not so flexible).

So knowing this can help me check myself when I'm being too rigid or uptight about something. Or if my Questioner husband explains that "no, you don't have to follow those instructions exactly because this way is more efficient", I can hear him. Self-awareness is a good thing. ; )

So if you're a personality nerd like me and want to know where you fall on the scale and how to use it to your advantage, I highly recommend The Four Tendencies (and all of Gretchen Rubin's other books.)

About the book:

In this groundbreaking analysis of personality type, bestselling author of Better Than Before and The Happiness Project Gretchen Rubin reveals the one simple question that will transform what you do at home, at work, and in life. 
 
During her multibook investigation into understanding human nature, Gretchen Rubin realized that by asking the seemingly dry question "How do I respond to expectations?" we gain explosive self-knowledge. She discovered that based on their answer, people fit into Four Tendencies: Upholders, Questioners, Obligers, and Rebels. Our Tendency shapes every aspect of our behavior, so using this framework allows us to make better decisions, meet deadlines, suffer less stress, and engage more effectively. 
More than 600,000 people have taken her online quiz, and managers, doctors, teachers, spouses, and parents already use the framework to help people make significant, lasting change.  
The Four Tendencies hold practical answers if you've ever thought...
·         People can rely on me, but I can't rely on myself.
·         How can I help someone to follow good advice?
·         People say I ask too many questions.
·         How do I work with someone who refuses to do what I ask—or who keeps telling me what to do?
With sharp insight, compelling research, and hilarious examples, The Four Tendencies will help you get happier, healthier, more productive, and more creative. It's far easier to succeed when you know what works for you.

Buy the book

So what do you think your type is?

Books I've Bought Lately & Am Excited About

Usually, each week I have at least one new book recommendation for y'all. However, for the last two weeks, we've been in the middle of house renovations. So with all the chaos, I've had a hard time concentrating on anything at all except learning how to breathe in all this dust. *coughs* No new books have been read.

However, I have bought some because what's better to distract yourself from renovations but book retail therapy? So I thought I'd share a few of those today.

Also, for any of you facing the hurricane (or still dealing with the fallout of Harvey), I'm sending you thoughts and well wishes. Stay safe, y'all.

Okay, on to the latest book haul...

My Book of the Month picks

For those of you who aren't familiar, Book of the Month club is a great service where you pay 9.99 a month and get a new release hardcover (which is way cheaper than the 20-28 dollar cost of a new release hardback.) The five selections are curated by a panel of judges and you can pick whichever you want or skip the month. I've been a member for over a year now and I love it. In fact, I almost always end up adding at least another book or two to my order. (If you want to join, my referral link will get you a free tote bag with your order.) Here are my picks from the last two months:

Other buys:

A few foodie memoirs because I can't seem to resist them lately. The first is one I've heard recommended numerous times. The second is by the author of The Kitchen Counter Cooking School which I read recently and really enjoyed.

Some nerdy non-fiction :)

FInally, some impulse buys. Some were on sale. Some I heard about on the book podcasts I listen to.

What book buying problem? *shifty eyes*

And for those who notice there aren't any romances in here, that's mainly because I got a big stack of free romances at the RWA conference so I'm well-stocked in that book department. :)

What have you bought lately? What are you looking forward to reading?