MY CURRENT READING CHECK IN | 155

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!

 

 

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• STUFF I MENTIONED (these are affiliate links - I receive compensation if you purchase through them)

The Exorcist - https://amzn.to/3hem73D

The Leftovers - https://amzn.to/3JQleeb

Courtesan - https://amzn.to/33KquR8

Catherine The Great - https://amzn.to/3Hfo4Ye

Peter The Great - https://amzn.to/3JM2goV

Burnout - https://amzn.to/3s9SBlW

The Fifth Season - https://amzn.to/3vbd1NC

We Are Not Like Them - https://amzn.to/3h9IY0h

Hello Habits - https://amzn.to/3v8qohn

 

 

 

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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.