Mar 28, 2022
SHOWNOTES
I know a bunch of you
are readers - today I'm giving you a bunch of books that I'm either
reading or want to read!
• DISCLAIMER
Colorful words may be
used. don't be alarmed.
• NEWSLETTER
• Etsy Shop is
open!
• FIND ME ON ALL THE
THINGS
• STUFF I MENTIONED
(these are affiliate links - I receive compensation if you purchase
through them)
TRANSCRIPTION
We're talking books
today, my friends we're talking books, I'm Cindy Guentert-Baldo.
Welcome to the uncurated life podcast, where we talk about life on
and off of the internet. And today my husband is walking around
upstairs too. You might be picking up a bunch of that noise and
there's nothing I can do about it, but we're going to drown it out
with talk of books.
One of my favorite
things to talk about, I might do this more often if you guys like
it, but I'm going to give you three books in three different
categories. Those categories are. Three books. I read recently that
I enjoyed and want to tell you about three books. I'm in the middle
of that. I am enjoying and am hoping that I will continue to enjoy,
but books I'm starting and then three books that I want to read
that on my TBR list and I'm going to be attacking next.
So hopefully somewhere
in these nine books, you'll find something that's interesting to
you. So let's start first at the books that I've already read
recently. They're all fiction. One of them is historical fiction.
Uh, these were all first time reads. I believe I may have read one
of them years and years ago, but I don't remember.
So those three books
we'll start with the one. I think I may have read a long time ago,
but I don't think I have. And that is the Exorcist by William Peter
Blatty. You I'm sure you've heard of the movie. Uh, the book was
written before the. The book is excellent. The movie is an
excellent adaptation of the book.
If you enjoyed enjoy,
it might not be the right word. If you, if the movie was something
you were into, you may be into the book. The movie is a very
straightforward adaptation of the book. I would suggest that
there's like a little bit more color or flavor to the book than
there is in the movie, as there is with any book adaptation.
But if you're not. If
you weren't into the movie or whatever, or if the movie was too
much for you while the book is not super graphic, it is intense. So
there is that, but I enjoyed it. I actually have the SQL Legion,
which I know he wrote after the movie came out. And is what the
third movie was based on what that one scary fucking scene that's
like fucking terrifying if you know, you know, I haven't read that
one yet though, but I have it.
I'm pretty sure I've
read that one before though. I think I remember getting it from a
garage sale years and years when I was a kid, but I don't remember
it very well. Anyway, that's neither here nor there. So yes, the
first book is the Exorcist. The second book on my list that I read
recently and really enjoyed was the leftovers by Tom Parata.
This is the book that
the TV show was based on. I have not seen the show. I've only
watched the pilot episode, but have not really made time to sit and
watch through the show. But I had heard the show was interesting
and I had heard that the book was good. I am a fan of dystopian
fiction. I am. Of end times fiction, uh, all those sorts of
things.
I thought it could be
really interesting. And it was, it was a very interesting book,
kind of a quiet book, kind of, uh, um, contemplate of almost, but a
good book, not high adventure at all. If you're looking for like an
adventurous dystopian style book, this is not the book for you, but
if you're, if you enjoyed what was one that I recommended in my
newsletter recently, uh, never let me go the book about the
donor.
If you enjoyed that
book, you may really love the leftovers. It has that same kind of
mundane in a world, surrounded by what the fuck kind of situation.
Really liked it. And then the third book I read recently is another
one I've talked about on live streams and that is court isn't by
Diane Hagar. It's a historical fiction book that is about Deanna ,
who was the main mistress of Henri.
The second, I believe
it was on rave. Second of France. He was married to Catherine and
they had a whole bunch of kids, but the end of TA was his teres on
teacher. On teacher. I believe that's how you, I don't speak
French, like the main, the official mistress. Right. And she was
his alleged true love and was like one of the main political power
movers in the kingdom where I see his wife was kind of pushed to
the side, Catherine Domenici, wands Ryan's up taking a lot more
power into her own when her husband dies in her kids become a
king.
That's not what the
book is about. The book is mainly about, uh, the relationship
between DeAnn, Henri and Catherine. And it was a very, very fun
read. I would suggest that if you like reading historical fiction,
especially historical fiction, along the lines of say Philip
Gregory, where there is some liberties taken with the history,
there's recognizable history, but there's also plenty of liberties,
especially when it comes to adding in sexy times, you will probably
enjoy this.
So those are the three
that I have read recently that I enjoyed the three books. I am
either reading or just cracking into, I have not gotten very far in
any of these yet, but I am starting them. So I just thought I would
let you know, two of them are books that apparently are the first
two in a series of four about the Romanoffs.
So, uh, Hear me out
here. So I started watching, I watched the great, right. I watched
both seasons of it, which I am fully aware that it is historical
fiction in the sense that it has, like, it's a little Iqua of
historical fiction, right? Like if fruit sneezes in the general
direction of a fruit flavored sparkling water, then the great
history sneezed in the general direction of the show.
And they even, they
mention it like in the title of the show, it's like an occasionally
true story or whatever. But like most historical fiction, at least
for me, what winds up happening is I, I see enjoyable historical
fiction. And when I'm done with it, I immediately want to find out
what really happened.
So when I was done
watching the great, I decided to look up some biographies to find
one on Catherine. The great, and I discovered that this, uh,
reporter named Robert J uh, Robert K. Massey had written a book
about Catherine, the great, and he had written a book about Peter,
the great who shows up sort of in.
In the gray. And I was
like, Ooh. So I got both of them. And I started reading them. The
reason I went with his books is because I had already read two of
his books, which were both about the Romanoffs. They were about
Nicholas and Alexander. One's called Nicholas and Alexandra. And
the other one is called the Romanovs the final chapter or something
like that.
It's about like the
last year of their lives. And I had read both of those and I had
enjoyed them both as books, but also his writing style. It's very
important to me. If I'm going to read a biography that I enjoy the
writers, the authors writing style. Otherwise, I can't get through
it. I need biographies to read at least somewhat like a
novel.
They could be very
much full of facts, but they need the writing style needs to be an
enjoyable one for me to read. And I liked his books. And so I was
fine picking up those two, but then I realized when I pick them up
that they're technically those two books and the two I've already
read are a series of four book series about the most famous
Romanov.
So Catherine, the
great Peter, the great and Nicholas and Alexandra and their kids.
So I was like, oh cool. I'm just reading it backwards order.
Anyway. So both of these books, one of them is called Catherine,
the great portrait of a woman and the other is called Peter the
great his life and the world. Um, and I will mention these are all
linked.
All the books I'm
talking about are linked in the show notes, other Amazon affiliate
links. So using those links will support this podcast. I appreciate
that, but if you don't want to, uh, if you don't want to use those
links, you can just Google the books and find them. Anyway, just
started both of them.
I'm barely into them,
but I did really like the other books. If you're into biographies
and you're into historical biographies, these may be books for you
to give you some context as to other biographies that I've read and
really enjoyed the writing style. In case you have read biographies
and like to know kind of where I gravitate.
I really like Antonia
Frazier's writing her book on Marie Antoinette is probably one of
my favorite biography books of all time. And then, uh, Jeff Gwynne
has written some fantastic biographies. The ones I've read of his
are, um, his book on Charles Manson, his book on Bonnie and Clyde,
which is just fucking outstanding.
And his book on Jones.
Uh, great, you know, super cheerful reading materials, Cindy.
Anyway, that just gives you an idea of some of the biography sort
of writing styles that I tend to gravitate towards. So those are
books I'm working on. I will report back on how good they are, but
in general, They are something that I'm excited about.
The final book I'm
working on was actually sent to me by the authors, but it was
already on my radar. It was going to be a book club book last year
before I had to basically shut the book club down until I could
figure out what I wanted to do with it, especially with the move.
And that is called burnout.
The secret to
unlocking the stress cycle by Amelia and Emily. Nagorski their
sisters. Uh, they S Emilia center. And I am just about to get into
it, but one of the reasons I've been looking forward to reading it
is because I have been burned out so badly and I'm, I'm sitting on
the edge of burnout right now.
And what I would like
to do is get to a point where I can recognize the signs earlier so
that I can avoid it a lot more efficient. Not just for the sake of
being productive, but for the sake of my own mental health. So I'm
starting that book. I have heard wonderful things about it. It has
been recommended to me so many times by so many people who I think
see the signs of burnout in me.
I actually have it.
They sent it to me and I'd actually bought it last year too. I
found it on my Kindle. So I've got two versions of it and I'm going
to be digging into it. It might be the book I take on the airplane
with me to go wild. Um, you guys are. Few weeks later, but I'm
recording early. So there is that, but I had, I have just cracked
into it.
And again, there's
there all three books or books I just started, but I am very
excited to dig into all of them. And I think what's going to happen
is the burnout book will be a travel book. And the two books about
the greats will be my bedside books to read before bed. Anyway,
moving forward from those three books that are on my TBR list, I
actually own two of them and need to buy the other.
But I will be starting
those ones right away. Two of them are fiction. One of them is
non-fiction and the August we'll start with a nonfiction book,
which is one that caught my eye while I was at of all fucking
places, an Amazon store. I was there at the mall there for
something else, and I saw it and I got sucked into it and I bought
it.
And that is called
hello habits, a minimalist guide to a better life by . Now I have
no interest in being a minimalist. I love my stuff. I love my stuff
and I'm happy with my stuff, but I am interested in habits and how
we build them. And I have read atomic habits. It's a great book.
But I'm curious to read other books on building habits.
And this one seems
like an interesting one and I'll be the real, the cover just was
fancy looking. And I was like, okay. So I have that sitting on my
kitchen counter. That's the non-fiction book that I am excited to
start reading, but I have a lot of other nonfiction books I bought
because I was excited to start reading them.
And then I didn't. So
we'll see how that goes. So I'll check back in with you. The two
books that are fiction are both books. I am very excited about. The
first one is the one I do not own yet. And that is the fifth season
by NK. Jemisin many of you in my audience, my patrons, whoever who
are fed to see readers have recommended NK Jemisin to me, like
hardcore recommended her to me.
She's a woman of
color. She's black, I believe. And she has written. Uh, apparently
some outstanding fantasy. I love fantasy. One of my bucket list
items this year is to read a new fantasy series new to me because
I'm a reader. And so often I will gravitate towards rereading
something like the wheel of time that I have already read a million
times before, but I wanted to start with her.
It was either her
brand in Sanderson. And I wanted to start with her mainly because
Brandon Sanderson much like Robert Jordan is, is a girthy writer.
He was. Like doorstop books. And I would like something a little
less, uh, massive to start with. And her, her BR I think it's the
broken earth trilogy, which is what the fifth season is the first
book.
It's a trilogy, it's
three books. So it's an easily digestible series for someone like
me who tends to blow through books. I have high hopes for. Um, I
don't have a lot of information about it yet, but I'm excited I'm
gonna order it. And I will probably start that one as soon. Maybe
that will be my reward to myself for when I finished one of the
biographies of the great one of the greats, or I might just pick it
up because currently those three books that I've got on deck, none
of them are fiction.
So I might just pick
that one up the other, or I might start with the other fiction book
on my list, which is we are not like them by Christine pride and Jo
Piazza. Now I found out about this book, which is a story about. A
white woman and a black woman who are friends and then there's like
a police shooting and how they grapple with it.
It's supposed to be a
really good fiction standalone book. I heard about it because Jo
Piazza, the white co-author, the other author, Katherine Christine
pride is black. Uh, Joe Piazza is the host of the under the
influence podcast, which I've talked about on the show before. Um,
and so I had heard about it that way.
So. It just sounds
like a good book. And I might start with that one because since
it's not a series, it's a one-off. I can usually blow through one
of those very quickly, either way. All three of those books are
books I'm super interested in and what I might wind up doing. Well
may wind up happening is I may take like the Catherine the great
book and work on that.
Set the Peter the
great book aside and grab a fiction book and stick it in there.
Because what I find is if I overdo it on biographies and
nonfiction, my joy of reading plummets, it's like a fucking
erection that just like go sad. When you think about, you know,
something heinous. Taxes or something. I don't know.
My penis goes pew.
When I read too much nonfiction and, and biographies now
non-fiction tends to be the, the most, not the biographies aren't
non-fiction but I like self-help versus biography basically is what
I'm talking about here. And even that I was going to spend some
time with this podcast talking about genres and trying to avoid,
and self-help was going to be like the number one.
But then I realized I
bought that habits book and that self-help. So maybe I didn't
actually think about that too clearly, but what I have found is for
me, if all I try to do is read books that I'm reading for like a
quote productive reason, or a learning reason, my joy of reading
disappears. I do like reading books like that, but they need to
be.
Balanced with fiction
books that I'm just reading because I love reading. There has to be
some level of that when it comes to reading. And so that's, that's
maybe the lesson I'm leaving you with today's to recognize what
kind of a reader you are. Are you somebody who can read more than
one book at once?
I tend to be somebody
who gets made fun of by my family because I leave books open on the
couch to the page I'm on. And they'll be like four different books
that I'm going with at any given time, because that's just the way
that I read. But it's very important to me that I read books that
are. There's a mixture of them.
Now, if I go all
fiction, like I did in January reading those books, we already
talked about that's different. I'm fine reading all fiction all the
time. But I do like to bring in nonfiction books and biographies
and other books like that because I do enjoy reading those, but
they are not the books I gravitate towards when I'm really just
reading for pleasure and reading for relaxation.
My first. Instinct is
to go to fiction. And while I can relax reading these other things,
I do like to, to spread it out. I will also add I'm not somebody
who takes notes in the books that I read. I do, if they're
non-fiction and I feel like I need to, but a lot of the times I
just read it. That's just my style.
That's just the way I
tend to do things. I have wanted to be like a book journaler. I
have that I'm always fully booked planner. I looked at recently
where I'm like, yeah, fuck. Yeah, I'm going to fill this out.
Probably not though. So I just wanted to bring that up though. Give
you an idea of what I've been reading, what I'm planning to read
and how I'm sort of approaching my reading right now.
I'm not trying to like
schedule time to read. That's never worked for me. I just need to
have my book. Available by Kindle needs to be charged. My books
need to be out where I can find them so I can pick them up when I
feel the moment, especially if I'm trying to aim towards grabbing
my phone and opening up candy crush.
Instead, again, listen
to the boredom podcast. If you'd like to, or the one other one that
came out recently about hobbies, talking a lot about that shit
lately. And it's true. Like if I have the books available, I will
write. So that's what I'm going to work on. I'd love to hear from
you anything you've enjoyed reading recently, something that you
have on your TBR list.
Let me know, tag me in
your stories on Instagram at @llamaletters so that I can see what
you're reading. I'm curious. Maybe I'll add some books to my list.
I love books. If you love books, let me know. This is not a book
podcast, but there will be books talked about here, just like. In
the meantime, don't forget to thank my patrons.
They sponsored these
episodes. They're awesome.
www.patreon.com/cindyguentertbaldo.
And you will find out more. And until next time, my friends, I hope
you find a good book to read. I hope you enjoy it and I'll see you
next time. Peace out.