The Change Episode

[00:00:00] Speaker A: Are you looking for more books to read? We've got you covered. Book Interrupted is now doing mini episodes called Author Spotlight where we showcase authors and let them tell us about their books and why we should read them. You can find them on our Book Interrupted channel wherever you get your podcasts. [00:00:18] Speaker B: Parental Guidance is recommended because this episode has mature topics and strong language. Here are some moments you can look forward to during this episode of Book Interrupted. [00:00:30] Speaker C: I could be ragey. I would love to be like a raging woman. Low key. That's. [00:00:35] Speaker D: And she's like, we are helping these girls. The what she tells herself as if money is more important than feeling safe. [00:00:42] Speaker E: Let's talk about our periods for like, I don't know, like five full pages and the graphic detail. [00:00:47] Speaker B: I think that the character Harriet is who I want to be when I grew up. I loved her so much. [00:00:53] Speaker D: The crone that goes around Punisher bring out justice. [00:00:56] Speaker C: I think it can really relate to what a lot of women feel. My body is high. Information is the cloud. Trying to learn something with without being disrupted. Mind, body and soul. Inspiration is with us and we're going to talk it out on Book Interrupted. [00:01:37] Speaker B: Welcome to Book Interrupted, a book club for busy people to connect and one that celebrates life's interruptions. During this book cycle. We're reading Sarah's book Pick the Change by Kirsten Miller. In a Long island oceanfront community, three different women discovered that midlife changes bring a whole new type of empowerment. Guided by voices only Nessa can hear, the trio of women discover a teenage girl's body. The police have written the victim off as a drug addicted sex worker, but the women refused to buy into that official narrative. Their investigation into the girl's murder leads to more bodies. Let's listen in to this episode's group discussion. So this is my book choice. Sarah's book choice. The Change by Kirsten Miller. There's so much to talk about this book, but I'm just going to say right off the bat, I think this might be my favorite book that we've ever done on Book Interrupted. I loved it so much. I think that the character Harriet is who I want to be when I grow up. I loved her so much. [00:02:41] Speaker D: The crone that goes around justice. [00:02:45] Speaker B: The Punisher. I love that she like knows about herbs and all that. I love every minute of this book. I couldn't put it down. I flew through it. I loved it. [00:02:54] Speaker C: Me too. I feel the exact same way. When I was reading it, I think not even a quarter of the way in and I was like this is. I already know this is gonna be my favorite book of this season. And by finishing it. Yeah, it's easily in my top five. I really liked it. I like Harriet. Right? I always want to say Henrietta for some reason. [00:03:16] Speaker B: Was it maybe I got it wrong? Am I going wrong? [00:03:19] Speaker C: No, I'm pretty sure it's Harriet. Yeah. [00:03:21] Speaker B: Okay. [00:03:21] Speaker C: Yeah. Loved the characters. I listened to it through audiobook, and the voices for it, they were really good. It kept me engaged. And I love this genre of books. So this was right up my alley. I would reread this. It was a really awesome book. So, yeah, good pick, Sarah. [00:03:41] Speaker D: Such a guilty pleasure book because, you know, you can't help but be like, they're speaking to women's frustrations throughout the whole book. Which is like, yeah, it's kind of cool. I had it in my bathroom, and I did start rereading it at some point because I was, like, done it. But I'm like, I need a book anyway. Is that too much information? Come on. [00:03:59] Speaker C: No. Everyone's got bathroom books. It's honestly not enough information. [00:04:04] Speaker D: Well, let's get into it. Oh, no. We should talk about the book instead. [00:04:08] Speaker C: Yes. [00:04:10] Speaker E: Well, I don't know if I want to say. This is one of my least favorite books I probably ever read. And I only got. [00:04:16] Speaker D: I knew you were gonna say it. [00:04:18] Speaker B: I did, too. I knew it. [00:04:19] Speaker C: Oh, no way. Why? [00:04:21] Speaker E: I only got a third of the way through because it's, like, cheesy. Oh, I could not read it. So I'm so sorry, Sarah. My. I already recorded my personal journal last night because I was like, I want to do this bum bias. But I hate. Like, it's so obvious. Like, everything about it is so, like, women are amazing and men are horrible. And let's talk about our periods for, like, I don't know, like, five full pages. And the graphic detail, like, oh, no, not my style at all. I just didn't care about the characters. I didn't find it very interesting. Like, hey, I think it's cool, but the superpower. But they were kind of so obvious. I don't know. I just really. I'm sorry, but I like, oh, it just seems so badly written. Like, it's her first novel. I feel like you could tell. Like, it felt like a children's book, but not. But, like, adding far too many. Like, oh, let's talk about every woman issue I can deal with, you know, in one little thing. Like, I feel like such a bad woman saying this and a bad feminist, but I don't want to hear about all your women issues. I really don't. [00:05:26] Speaker B: I have a question. Where did you end? Because the parts you're talking about is really just the beginning for me. They hadn't even stepped into any of their amazingness as women. They hadn't even got there yet. So I'm just wondering where you stop. Like, does Harriet see people to help them with horrible people in their lives? [00:05:46] Speaker E: Which one? Harriet? I'm at the point where. Let's just see. I started skimming it because it's like, I really don't. I tried to, like, read it. Then I actually read a synopsis, so I know what happens. Sorry. So I actually know what I was like, what's the fastest way you don't. [00:06:01] Speaker D: Want to be sorry? [00:06:01] Speaker E: I tried. Yeah. [00:06:02] Speaker D: Anyways, that's what I do. If I haven't read it, I'm like, I want to talk about it. [00:06:06] Speaker E: I don't know what happened. I started skimming because they kept adding characters, too, and I was like, I don't need any more characters. I was so confused. They had talked about some girl named Amber for a bit. [00:06:18] Speaker B: Oh, she's the one that died. [00:06:19] Speaker E: Amber died? [00:06:21] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:06:21] Speaker D: No, there's a lot of murders. [00:06:23] Speaker E: Something to do with. Yeah, I don't know. Now I can't even remember what. I just finished it. This is how much I did not retain anything of this book. [00:06:30] Speaker D: I don't know. [00:06:31] Speaker E: They're talking about the murders. They've met some people. I don't know. It's like. I don't know. I have no idea where I was at. Harriet, the one with the plants? [00:06:40] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:06:41] Speaker E: She hasn't had people. She had Plea pull over to her house to help them or something. Is that what you're saying? [00:06:45] Speaker B: Yeah. So she ends up being an earthy. I would say witch. But no one has to use that. [00:06:52] Speaker E: They use witch in the book. I know for sure. [00:06:54] Speaker B: Okay, great. So she's like an herbalist, basically. Like, she learned everything she needed to know about plants. You would know. She's in the ad agency. But what ended up happening is, like, she got pushed out. Blah, blah, blah. Her husband left her for a younger woman. And then when she walked her house, she was like, then I'm just done. You know what? I'm just going to do the things I want to do now. So that's why her garden got crazy. But it wasn't actually crazy. She learned about the plants. So, for instance, one of the parts of the book when they went to some of these super powerful rich men's houses that were actually. Spoiler alert. If anyone hasn't read the book, I'm just going to say it because spoiler alert. These powerful men that are in this gated community are the ones that are basically, they're taking young girls and raping. [00:07:36] Speaker D: Them and then paying them to disappear. [00:07:40] Speaker B: And then some of them decided they didn't want to pay them to disappear and they just murdered them. So Harriet, they get an invitation through her ex husband to go to one of these houses. She actually drops a whole bunch of seeds of this plant that attracts bees because she knew the owner of the house who also sexually assaulted her at one point in her life, was allergic to bees. So she didn't sting him, but she just made a lot of plants near him that were attracting bees. And then he got stung and ended up in the hospital. And those same plants were the ones that end up burning down the entire facility because they catch fire and things like that. Like, people would come to see her because they'd have an issue with a boss, like sexually assaulting at work, and she'd give them something and then all of a sudden that boss would have like a rash from head to toe because she gave them an herb that would punish them but for acting inappropriately to women. I just love that so much. [00:08:30] Speaker D: I just love everything about it too. [00:08:33] Speaker E: I like that you like it. [00:08:34] Speaker C: I love it too. [00:08:35] Speaker D: I think it's like not supposed to be a serious book. It's supposed to be that fun, guilty, kind of guilty pleasure summer read or whatever. It's when people read like a romance book or like it's like a romcom where it's not supposed to be serious. It's supposed to be like, oh, I know what's going to happen. [00:08:50] Speaker E: Yeah, but they like murder. People are murdered and there's. They're. They're hurting each other. I don't know. I guess, I mean, I didn't read the, the murdering part, but. [00:09:00] Speaker D: But it's kind of like reading a romance book where you're like, no, it's fantasy, but like it's supposed to feel good being like, oh, that person finally got what's coming to them or whatever. [00:09:11] Speaker C: It felt for me like a book for women who kind of feel like they can't get back at men or whoever kind of hurt them. For me, it's. I don't know if saying it's a feel good book is like the wrong thing to say. It is like a fantasy, you know, where it's like someone wrongs you and you're able to get back at them without it really leading back, you know, like, you're not actively going to stab someone, kill someone type of thing. You're just doing hurt onto them. That's the feeling it gave me. It was like a fantasy type of book where you can, I don't know, maybe even picture yourself as a vigilante type of thing. [00:09:53] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:09:53] Speaker D: It's meant to be, like, validating of people's feelings, and then we're going to do all the things that you imagined maybe you did to that person that you would never do. [00:10:01] Speaker C: Yes, totally. [00:10:02] Speaker D: Like when she kills her dad because he pushed her mom down the stairs and killed her. Sorry. All this is going to be spoilers. If you're listening to the podcast. You're going to find out what happened, but read it anyway if you. If you like that kind of stuff. But, like, the fact that she poisons her dad, you know, when she was a kid because there was no justice for her mom who was murdered. That's things that people think like, oh, that person deserves to die. But, like, people aren't gonna. Most people wouldn't go ahead and take that into their own hands if they think murder's bad already. [00:10:31] Speaker B: So it made me think about the last book, this book, because we had just read Lola, and I was reading this book, and it made me think about how we were talking about how we just wanted the end to be like the patriarchy, like, all you guys. And on top of it, I'm not going to act like the masculine version of a powerful woman. I'm going to be a feminine version of a powerful woman and kind of let all these bad guys that just get off the hook because they have money and power, not get off the hook and let nature take care of them. [00:11:01] Speaker C: I love nature at that. You know, Like, I think it can really relate to what a lot of women feel in the society that we're in. I think we all know someone like a man who gets away with things. Or even, for instance, when Harriet is talking about the ad agency, there's, like, a specific conversation she has with a guy. I think he's pitching her a commercial or something. I don't know if it was a commercial or an ad or something. He makes the women in it who are supposed to be, I think, 30 or older look like a teenager. And she combats him and he's like, well, how many awards have you won? And in her head, she says, how many? But she never got the credit for it because the males got the credit for it. I've dealt with that in the workforce, let alone, like, just outside with male friends or type of thing, you know, and it's so frustrating. So I felt really heard through this book with all the frustrations. And maybe that goes into the fantasy of it getting back at these people. [00:12:06] Speaker B: I have had the same thing. There's just so many times at work where, like, I would be making significantly less money than my male co workers doing less work than me, and then my male boss would be like, oh, you're our. Our pink unicorn. You make everything happen. Except for I don't get any credit. I didn't get any titles until I got a new boss that was like, okay, wait a minute. After he analyzed everything on the team, he's like, you do way too much work, and why don't you have a title? And I'll do my best to get your salary up. What is happening? And it's like, oh, because I'm surrounded by men. They kept on telling me, oh, I just have to wait. I just have to wait. Even though we're killing our. We're killing our numbers because I'm exceeding our sales goals when others are just meeting them. Oh, we did so amazing. Yeah, we sure did. [00:12:56] Speaker E: But that boss was also a man, right? The one that. [00:13:00] Speaker B: That's what I mean. Not all bosses are like this. [00:13:02] Speaker D: Yeah, right. [00:13:03] Speaker E: Like, this book is so, like, all. [00:13:05] Speaker D: I know what Lindsay's getting at is at the beginning, it's like, every man is evil is what it seems like. But later on, you realize that the frustrations that one of the ladies is feeling with her husband, he's not, like, bad part of it, I think, was because she's got the rage thing going on. I think maybe later on she's like, oh, maybe I should cut him some slack. He's actually a good guy. I just think about, like, the proportion. I think in the end, at least maybe two men that we thought were pretty good. And then there was one super evil woman. So I think that's. [00:13:37] Speaker B: Yeah, that's another thing. The girl. I knew it from the beginning, too. [00:13:40] Speaker D: So all the women were great, except for this one woman who was, you know, getting the. The women to the rich guys so they could be raped and stuff like that, because they would trust about men. So, again, if you're listening to the podcast, I mean, I should. Maybe I shouldn't go that far into this. [00:13:55] Speaker B: No, no, it's fine. Lots of spoilers. It's fine. [00:13:58] Speaker C: Spoilers. Yeah. [00:13:59] Speaker D: Like Lindsay said, you can see the plot coming, like, a mile away, but so. But that's what makes it kind of like a fantasy, like, guilty pleasure kind of book, I think. [00:14:09] Speaker B: What was her name again? Chloe. [00:14:11] Speaker E: No, it was like something like Chloe. I read the synopsis. So it was something like something I. [00:14:17] Speaker C: Love that Lindsay knows. And she's the one who didn't finish it, I think. [00:14:21] Speaker D: Crunchtounding. [00:14:23] Speaker B: Did you meet her? [00:14:25] Speaker E: No. [00:14:25] Speaker B: Did you read about her? [00:14:26] Speaker E: No. That's why I tried to read the. [00:14:28] Speaker D: End of the book. [00:14:28] Speaker E: And then I was like, I don't know any of these characters. I obviously didn't. So. Yeah, so tell me. [00:14:33] Speaker B: See if I can find her character. I knew as soon as she was at that party because. So I've volunteered for an organization called Canada Fights Human Trafficking. And a lot of times girls that are trafficked are trafficked because of a woman that works within the organization. And they draw them in because women and girls feel safe around other women. And then that's how they end up getting trapped in human trafficking because they're trusting the. A woman that works in the organization. And a lot of times the woman that works in the organization was trafficked herself at one point. [00:15:09] Speaker A: That's horrible. [00:15:10] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:15:10] Speaker C: I actually have a personal story kind of sort of relevant. I visited Hawaii. I think this was in 2019. It was just me and my girlfriend. We were in Honolulu. We went to their main beach. So we wanted to experience, like, the clubbing scene out in Hawaii. Right. We went to their downtown. We went to their most popular beach and whatever, and. And weren't intoxicated at this point. We were like, quite sober. We went to the beach. We're just hanging out at the beach. There was maybe like, one other couple at the beach, but they were a little further down. And in my peripheral vision, I could see people circling us. Not as close, but like they were. There were two men circling us for sure. And then a guy finally comes up to us and, you know, he's like, asking us a bunch of questions. We said that we were like, here with my cousins who were from, you know, we're trying to say we're with people, basically. And he's like, you don't want to. You don't want to come to our truck with us? We can go to a party. Yeah, yeah. So it was really awkward. And we were like, no, we're going to go meet our cousins who's just at the shop right there. And as we're walking away, a woman, like, comes out of the truck and she goes, oh, I've been having so much fun with these guys. Are you sure you don't want to come? Like, I was also here just visiting and we're like, no, it's okay. And thank God we like, we really weren't that far from this shop. Like it was maybe across the street and we go into the shop and there were so many people and it was really well lit, etc. But it was so uncomfortable. And again, to like feel and see someone circling you was really awkward. And then again for the woman to come out. And I'm sure that's worked on people, right? To have a girl come out and be like, oh, okay, well maybe since she's there I can go and have a good time. And it's. Who knows what could have. Like, maybe it was just a party. I don't think it was. I almost did feel kind of safe with her. Like I was second guessing it, to be honest. So I can absolutely see how women pull women in or children or whatever. Right? [00:17:17] Speaker B: Children, really as teenagers. They go off their teenagers. [00:17:20] Speaker C: Yep. Yeah. So and we were, we looked really young. Like I think we were 25 and we looked like 20, you know, I'm sure that good demographic that they were looking for. But it was crazy because it's in. It was so obvious, I felt, and in such a public spot. So reading some of the book, I was like, oh, wow. Like that's. That is so scary how quickly it can turn. Yeah, right. [00:17:44] Speaker B: Like the one girl was at like a thing for school, for education. Right. She was at a camp or whatever and that's how she got targeted and. [00:17:51] Speaker C: Shipped out, which is terrifying. That's insane. That is so scary. [00:17:56] Speaker B: That means another reason why I love this book so much, because I know so much about that side that I'm like, finally, like, someone's making them pay. Because honestly, human trafficking is one of the biggest markets in the world behind drugs and weapons. [00:18:12] Speaker C: And I don't know if you guys have read in the current news, but there was a human egg farm found of women who were told that if they were surrogates, you know, they would get paid properly and then they would get to come to the country and be citizens. And as soon as they got went there, their passports were taken away and they were basically just forced to be someone to get pregnant and birth these people against their will. That's the first time it's been reported in the news. Like, how many other places are there that we don't know about, you know? Yeah, yeah. So very scary topics. [00:18:52] Speaker B: So that's why a book like this makes me so Happy at the end when people are just all these. [00:18:56] Speaker C: Yeah, totally. [00:18:58] Speaker B: People that are making money off young girls. [00:19:01] Speaker C: Innocence, just exploiting women. It's. And children. It's. It's really a scary thing. [00:19:07] Speaker D: And then the talk. She's. She had the talk, like the evil lady or whatever, you know, the lady who's helping the men. Having this talk with the. With the girls being like, we've got lawyers and we've got whatever. I know. If you try to prosecute, we'll destroy your life, basically. Basically. So just take the money and try to forget about this and do something with your life. And she's like, we are helping these girls. That what she tells herself, as if money is more important than feeling safe. [00:19:33] Speaker E: Okay, well, I can understand why the revenge thing at the end if all that happened in between. I still don't want to read the book, but I. I do. I do. Fine. Good for them. That they got. [00:19:43] Speaker D: Yes, yes. The beginning of the book is. The beginning of the book has a lot of eye rolling. You're just like, oh, my gosh. And that guy's evil too. Is all the medieval. But the answ in the end is not all the men are evil. But you do, like, start getting that feeling like maybe you shouldn't trust any of them or whatever. And then I think that's what builds up where you're like, oh, we can't trust any of the men. And then I think it's supposed to make you think that way so that in the end, when it's like, also, you can't trust all women either, then it's, like, supposed to be the twist. [00:20:11] Speaker C: Just don't trust anyone. Is really the. [00:20:16] Speaker D: One. [00:20:16] Speaker C: Yeah. Women or men, don't do it. [00:20:18] Speaker D: Live in a cabin in the forest by yourself and don't see anybody. [00:20:22] Speaker B: That's my dream. [00:20:25] Speaker C: It is. It's my dream, too. I would love to do that. [00:20:28] Speaker B: I live in the forest, in the woods, surrounded by no one, and grow herbs and stuff. And then people can come visit me for natural, healthy things, not for killing people. But who knows what will happen when I become older. [00:20:39] Speaker C: My kids are grown up, allegedly. [00:20:43] Speaker E: You want your family? Don't you want your family? [00:20:46] Speaker C: You'll be grown up by then. [00:20:48] Speaker E: You want to be by yourself. [00:20:49] Speaker B: Mamadou will be with me, but he's like. It's like I'm by myself most of the time anyway. He'll be doing his thing, I'll be doing my thing. Yeah. Okay. [00:20:58] Speaker E: I think the character's name may be Claude. Is that right? [00:21:02] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:21:03] Speaker E: Or is That a guy. [00:21:03] Speaker B: Yeah. No, that's. [00:21:05] Speaker E: Yeah, that's her. [00:21:06] Speaker B: That's her. Yeah. [00:21:07] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:21:07] Speaker B: And her dad was, like, a con artist, basically. [00:21:10] Speaker D: He had this big Ponzi scheme. [00:21:12] Speaker B: Yeah. And then she lost everything, and then that guy who's kind of evil saved her. Then she found Jonathan. [00:21:19] Speaker E: Is his name Jonathan? Is that one Leonard or Leonard? [00:21:22] Speaker C: Leonard. [00:21:23] Speaker B: Leonard. Leonard. Save her. Thinking I read it such a long time ago because I read it. So, yeah, I didn't think I would because it's so big that I was like, I better start this now. And then I read it so fast that I'm like, I did my personal journal a long time ago because I'm like, I'm never going to remember this. Oh, my God. [00:21:39] Speaker E: I have carried it around. Like, I brought it to my parents. I brought it to California when I went, and I still didn't. I only still got through. I was like, I don't. You know, when you're just not into a book, like, it's hard to keep reading it, whether. Whatever it is. And so you're like, okay, fine. You'll, like, try to get through another chapter. And you're like, I don't want. I'll do something else. [00:21:57] Speaker D: So I was thinking about you when I was reading this book. I was like, I can't wait to hear what Lizzie says. Like, especially in the beginning, I was like, oh, boy. But then, like, once again, you get some momentum. You're like, okay, you know what? I like to. But, Harriet, I often think to myself, man, I really should learn more about herbs and, like, plants. Sometimes I like to think about, you know, the downfall of society. I'm like, what will help us in the future? Knowing which plants can help different ailments would be very helpful. Being able to grow these plants, that's the other thing. Like, I killed. These are the only plants I have that are alive. I put them behind me for the podcast. If you're looking at the YouTube video, beautiful. I kill plants. Like, I had these plants. My friend was like, you can't kill these plants. I have killed some of them. Like, these are. There's other ones. Other plants that are. These ones that I kill. But I would like that part, too, but also to know and then have. It wouldn't be nice to have a little greenhouse in the back with all the little things. I have this, like, dream that I think about a lot. I'm not there yet, but that's what I like. She, like, knew all the things, and she did it. She learned it in a way That I would learn it too. I'm like, okay, time to buy 50 books about herbs and do it all at once, you know? So I like that bit where she just, like, went all in. [00:23:06] Speaker C: Yeah. I feel that's so relatable. [00:23:08] Speaker D: Yeah, it's relatable. [00:23:10] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:23:10] Speaker E: I just want to know. So obviously there's three. Well, not obviously, but there's three. So one girl can see or hear or see dead people. The other one can control plants, and then the ones has super strength. [00:23:22] Speaker D: No, she. She produces heat. Her hot flashes are so intense, she can start fires. Oh, my God. [00:23:28] Speaker B: Threads so angry. [00:23:30] Speaker D: And then she can burn things with her hands. I like that too, because it's. If you. If you're reading it and you're somebody who gets, like, terrible hot flashes, I think that would be funny. Funny, but also, like, what's the word we're using where you're like, you feel validated? A little validating. We're like, yes. I feel like I could burn down the house with my hands. I like that she, like. I mean, she put that in. It's a little silly, but also, I'm sure there's people out there that feel like, yes, I feel like I can burn somebody. Or somebody touches them, they're like, oh, you're burning hot. I'm sure that happens all the time. [00:24:00] Speaker B: And also the rage, like, when you're in menopause, like, sometimes the rage is. I've literally stood in my kitchen and just screamed at the top of my lung. She's like, the kids are like, okay, we will leave the kitchen now. Like, you need to leave the kitchen. [00:24:14] Speaker D: They're like, okay, I'm not okay. I need to be alone. [00:24:20] Speaker E: Who would be the. So if Sarah would be the plant person, what would. [00:24:24] Speaker A: What. [00:24:25] Speaker E: What special. What superpower would you guys like? Ashley and Merida? [00:24:29] Speaker C: I mean, I wouldn't want to be hot. I don't want to be raging either. [00:24:33] Speaker D: I don't like it. [00:24:34] Speaker C: I could be ragey. I would love to be, like, a raging woman. Low key. That's. It's. Well, I just. I don't. I hate being hot. Like, I'm thinking of the summer. I couldn't imagine, like, going through hot flashes and I'm lighting things on fire from it. Oh, my God. So I wouldn't want to be that. But in the trio, I take one for three, the team. [00:24:59] Speaker B: I'm saying you could be that. She started a gym where people just used their rage to work out. [00:25:05] Speaker C: Yeah, right. Exactly. [00:25:08] Speaker B: As hard as this rage for something good. [00:25:10] Speaker C: Yep. Exactly. [00:25:11] Speaker E: Does that mean Meredith has to see dead people? [00:25:13] Speaker D: I can see the dead people and help them find justice. Okay, I don't want to see dead people, but I do like the problem solving, so. [00:25:21] Speaker B: And that you have a job. [00:25:22] Speaker E: You love that. [00:25:23] Speaker B: Like, your job is to find the dead girl and then tell her parents that she died. [00:25:28] Speaker D: Yeah. To be honest. And not good at finishing projects. So I'd be like, I got most of the way there. Next dead person, they just be surrounded by dead people, being like, you didn't finish. You haven't contacted my family yet. [00:25:43] Speaker C: And you'd be like, I'm on to the next. Sorry. [00:25:47] Speaker D: And I don't want to kill people, but I do want to know about herbs. [00:25:49] Speaker C: We would have to come together and talk and. And Sarah would have to teach us everything. [00:25:55] Speaker A: Okay, fine. [00:25:56] Speaker E: I'll see the dead people. Yeah. [00:26:00] Speaker B: Wonderful. So, you know, I have, like, a belief that, like, two wrongs don't make a right, blah, blah, blah. So, like, I'm kind of obviously, like, if someone gets murdered, I'm like, no, I wouldn't murder them too. Like, I don't believe in an eye for an eye. I think two wrongs don't make a right. You don't become the evil. Whatever. But I think the reason I love Harriet's character so much, other than the mushroom she gave her dad, other than that, she doesn't directly do anything. She indirectly lets. Because one of the things they say in the book is that she realizes how nature works. Something dies and something grows, and everything is like, this thing eats this thing, and that's what makes it survive, and blah, blah, blah, blah. So I think that because of this book, I don't believe two wrongs make a right. But I'm like, but if it's, like, the natural flow and you're just pushing it a little, I don't know. [00:26:56] Speaker C: That's. [00:26:56] Speaker E: That's like a half truth. [00:26:57] Speaker D: I think that's a justification. I think is what that's called. [00:27:01] Speaker E: Yeah. [00:27:02] Speaker B: But I feel like for the first time in my life, I'm like, oh. [00:27:06] Speaker C: Maybe I'm okay with this. I'm okay with this for the first time. Yeah. Nice. Yeah. [00:27:13] Speaker B: There's some real evil in the world. There's real evil world. [00:27:17] Speaker D: It's hard to feel bad when bad things happen to bad people. It's hard to feel bad about it. [00:27:21] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:27:21] Speaker D: Is what you're saying. And when good things happen to good people, you're like, great. [00:27:25] Speaker C: You know, Especially after the bad things have happened for so long to the good People, it feels like, you know, and that the bad people have gotten away with it for so long. Like, it feels like a justice almost. You know, like that issue with the police force. Like, we. A lot of times we don't get the justice we want, and then, you know, this mother nature, whether on purpose or not, comes in and kind of takes that justice. Which feels good for me anyways. [00:27:54] Speaker B: Me too. I feel like it's kind of karma. Like you're helping the karma a little bit. [00:27:58] Speaker C: Yes, yes. [00:27:59] Speaker B: I love it. I love it so much. [00:28:01] Speaker C: Yeah, I really do. [00:28:02] Speaker D: You're hilarious. [00:28:03] Speaker B: So for the first time in my life, I'm like, I wouldn't feel like I was a totally evil person, like, if I stabbed them. Yes. But making them get stung by a bee, maybe I didn't sting him. [00:28:15] Speaker E: Yeah, but you knew they were allergic to bees and you planted a plant that was right beside them that would attract a bee. You're pretty much doing the same thing as stabbing them. I don't know. In my mind, not really. [00:28:27] Speaker B: I'm not actually doing the killing. I'm outsourcing it. [00:28:31] Speaker D: Outsourcing it to the bees? [00:28:32] Speaker C: Outsourcing it to bees. You're hired a hitman. [00:28:36] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. Most of the things that Harriet did, though, were just like lessons. Like that guy getting a rash. [00:28:44] Speaker D: What about the guy she dumped in the compost heap, though? Like, she definitely murdered that guy. [00:28:49] Speaker B: Yeah, but he came to like, murder her. And he kidnapped Joe's daughter. And we're going to kill her daughter. [00:28:55] Speaker D: Oh, yeah. At some point they come in through the daughter's bedroom window, they kill the little girl or worse first and then kill. [00:29:04] Speaker C: Or worse. [00:29:04] Speaker B: Yeah, probably worse first for sure. [00:29:07] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:29:08] Speaker B: Yeah. And Joe couldn't. Like, she tried to. Did she end up saving her? Who end up saving her? I can't remember. I know she got out of the restraints herself because they melted off her. She was so angry. [00:29:21] Speaker D: So hot. Hot skin. [00:29:23] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:29:24] Speaker D: Lindsay. [00:29:25] Speaker C: I would be scared that it would melt to my skin, to be honest. Versus. [00:29:30] Speaker B: Well, she knew how to get out of it, though, because her self defense course, she actually knew how to get out of them. So she was working on that and she's like, oh, actually I don't need to do that because I'm boiling hot with my rage. [00:29:39] Speaker C: That's right. I did take a self defense course for six months once. [00:29:44] Speaker B: Nice. [00:29:45] Speaker D: You're basically. Yeah, you should try melting something. [00:29:48] Speaker C: Yeah, like. And you know what? I don't know if you guys have seen this. I think it's on Tick tock. Speaking of being so hot you can melt things. There was actually a video of a woman going through menopause. She's having a hot flash while she was I think at a football game, some type of sports game. She was outside, she took her like hood off, steam was coming from her head. So. And I just saw that a couple days ago and I was like, no way that I just seen that. So yeah, it felt. [00:30:19] Speaker B: Yeah, I saw that too. But in the book, for me the only criticism I would have. I wish that she didn't like it wasn't like she was melting pens and stuff. Like I'm okay if she's having a hot flash and I like that she uses it for energy and rage and all that kind of stuff. But yeah, if it was a little toned down about the like when she actually started the fire with her hand, I was like maybe a little much. [00:30:43] Speaker C: A little too fantasy. [00:30:44] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:30:45] Speaker D: I don't know. I think it's supposed to be a thing where like. Because it's about the change and we're talking about it's all menopause is seen as a whole, as bad and, and as a weakness and something bad. I think part of the idea was that these things that are seen as your weaknesses, not really necessarily bad if you take it outside of the male gaze. I think that's kind of the idea is like you're. [00:31:08] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:31:08] Speaker C: What. [00:31:08] Speaker D: Whatever your might seem as a weakness. Like, you know, they said, oh Harry, I know that you're struggling with whatever the man says that you've gone through some hard times and she's like, oh, you know so much about me or whatever. You've suffered some setbacks and he's seeing her. What's going on with her setbacks because she's let her hair go free and whatever. [00:31:25] Speaker B: And so I think that's part of Gardening Naked. [00:31:29] Speaker D: I think the author really wanted to have something in there. Being like these hot flashes seem like the worst thing and there's no point. But not so bad. Look at what this lady could do. It was maybe a little bit much, but also I think it, it just shows that this book's not taking itself too seriously either. Like we don't really want you to go burn down some millionaires houses. We're just, you know, fantasizing. [00:31:49] Speaker C: I did like the. Also the age demographic of them. They're. What are they supposed to be? Middle aged. Right? [00:31:56] Speaker D: Yeah, yeah, right. [00:31:58] Speaker C: And I feel like I read. I don't know if it's intentional or not. I read things where maybe early twenties, mid twenties, or. I feel like just a lot of books are about people that age, and maybe that sells the best. I don't know. But I did, like, also that they were older, too, because that was one of the issues in the book is that, like, oh, men and society saw them as older, so they weren't as desirable, but they were using their special powers and stuff to show how strong they are outside of what I guess society deems as desirable, you know? [00:32:34] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:32:34] Speaker E: I love that Ashley says older. I think it's all of our age and not your age that they are. [00:32:40] Speaker C: Sorry. [00:32:41] Speaker B: No, it's fine. [00:32:42] Speaker D: It's true. You don't have to be sorry. [00:32:43] Speaker B: It's true. [00:32:44] Speaker E: So I was like, we're all older. [00:32:47] Speaker C: Whatever. [00:32:48] Speaker D: Yeah. I think that that's the point is the book is showing the ladies in the book don't care. And, like, we don't care either. Like, look how great. I've gone so gray so fast, and I didn't even, like, see it coming. Although I think it's an iron deficiency. [00:33:01] Speaker C: Oh, really? [00:33:02] Speaker D: Because my iron's really low and it can make you. [00:33:05] Speaker B: Mine is. [00:33:06] Speaker C: I don't think you can see, but I do have one gray hair, and it will stick up. [00:33:11] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. [00:33:11] Speaker D: So the texture is completely different. [00:33:13] Speaker C: I'm coming. I'm coming. Okay. [00:33:15] Speaker D: My eyebrows are going gray. [00:33:17] Speaker B: Oh, look at my hair. This is like, I'm full gray. [00:33:23] Speaker D: Well, it looks blonde now, so. [00:33:25] Speaker C: It does. Honestly, it looks like that gray blonde that everyone tries to get at the salon. [00:33:31] Speaker D: Totally. [00:33:32] Speaker B: I'm in the sun a lot. That's it. If I was probably. If I lived in Canada still, it would just be, like, gray, mousy gray. But because I'm in the sun so much, because when you look at the underneath, it's more darker. It's dark darker. Yeah. [00:33:44] Speaker C: Have you guys. Has your hair always been kind of, like, straight, or have you noticed a change with your hair texture as it grays? [00:33:52] Speaker A: I don't know. [00:33:52] Speaker D: I feel like it's probably a little bit different, but it's hard to tell until it's like, most of my life had really long. [00:33:57] Speaker C: It happens, so. Okay. Yeah. [00:33:59] Speaker D: So I probably won't know till it's. Because, like, the end, when, as it gets longer, it'll get wavy. But, like, right now it's pretty straight. But I kind of won't know until it grows. It's taking forever to grow out, I feel like. [00:34:10] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:34:11] Speaker B: Oh, well, my hair. The texture hasn't changed, but my hair changed when I. My children. All my children have Curly hair. But my daughter, when I was pregnant with my first child, when I gave birth to her, the back of my hair, that's why I have to wave in my hair. Because the back of my hair went. Just the back of my hair went curly. Straight. It used to be dead straight, like Meredith. [00:34:31] Speaker C: Cool. [00:34:32] Speaker B: Yeah, it used to be straight. And then the back of it. My hair is all curly now because when I was pregnant from. [00:34:37] Speaker C: Being pregnant from the hormone changes. Hey. [00:34:41] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. [00:34:42] Speaker D: Epigenetic changes, too. Who knows? [00:34:44] Speaker C: Interesting. [00:34:45] Speaker B: Even, like me blow drying and trying to straighten it. Even the back just never really gets straight. It's always kind of wavy. [00:34:52] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:34:52] Speaker B: Right here. [00:34:54] Speaker E: But not the front. [00:34:55] Speaker C: Interesting. [00:34:56] Speaker B: Not the front. Just right here. [00:34:58] Speaker C: Yeah, of course. Right where you can't see it and do anything to it because my hair is so curly. So I was born with poker. Straight hair. Up until I think, like, grade one, I got a haircut. [00:35:10] Speaker B: Really? [00:35:10] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:35:11] Speaker B: Curl and curl. [00:35:12] Speaker D: That's funny. Curl. [00:35:13] Speaker C: And now it won't quit. But when I see my gray hair and like I let it grow out, it's just pin straight when it comes out. So I'm thinking, like, you're going back. [00:35:23] Speaker D: Amazing. [00:35:24] Speaker C: So I'm like, when I get my gray and white hair, am I going to have straight hair again? You know? So that's why I'm asking. [00:35:32] Speaker E: I hope so. [00:35:33] Speaker B: I just think it's a change, right? It's exciting. [00:35:35] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:35:36] Speaker C: Yeah, it is exciting. And it. I can't wait to get out of the shower and be like, my hair is gonna look good. If I get out of the shower with curly hair and I don't do something with it, it looks sick. So, yeah, I'm excited for low maintenance. So that's what I hope. Yeah. [00:35:52] Speaker E: Wait, so sick is bad now? I thought sick was good for a while. You're the young person, you're the expert here. [00:35:58] Speaker D: I love the news. [00:35:59] Speaker C: I think it depends how you use it. So, like, I guess I use that in a. In a negative way. But I think if you were just replying. Yeah, Yeah. I think if you were just replying to someone, like, you're like, I have gray hair and someone's like, that's sick. I think that means in a good way, if that makes any sense. Sorry. [00:36:18] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:36:19] Speaker C: Yes. Thank you. Thank you. [00:36:20] Speaker D: Yeah, it's funny about, like the gray hair because, like, I don't really notice that I have it until I see pictures of myself. But there's this guy that. So I go to the sauna once or twice a week at, like, the public Pool where my kids are doing their synchronized swimming. And this guy, just from more than one day is just like drilling me. Like, he just starts being like, oh. First he starts up, oh, those are your grandchildren. And I go, no, they're my children. And he's just asking questions. He's like, oh, your children. He's like, well, you must have been really old when you had them. I was like, yeah, I'm a bit of an older man. He's just going on and on. He's like, they're your children. And then he did it again, like the next week. Did he forget? Like, he just can't believe that I am the mother of like a 7 and 9 year old. It's just so funny. It's a stranger. And then I'm like, I wonder if it's the gray hair. I came home and I was like, well, I really look like a grandma. My husband's like, you don't look bad. I was like, you can't tell because you're also middle aged. Well, you can. [00:37:15] Speaker B: You're older. [00:37:15] Speaker C: Your appearance changes so slowly. [00:37:18] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:37:19] Speaker D: And you don't even realize, like, if I see somebody in their twenties now, they seem like a teenager to me because it just, that's what happens. You're like, wow, those people look, are so young. I'm like, they're not that young. Like, you know, it's funny. [00:37:32] Speaker B: So when I tried to grow my gray before, because I started getting great when I was 16 and the first time I tried to grow my gray out, I was on maternity leave and I decided I was trying to get a new job because that's another story. I worked for a very male dominated company and after maternity leave they told me that I don't have a job. And I was like, no, you can't do that. That's against the labor board. So then I had to take them to the labor board. But in between my case, I got a new job and when I went to go for the interview, I end up dyeing my hair. I knew I wouldn't get that job if I left my hair gray. I knew it. I just wouldn't get the job for sure. And then that's sad. It's just true though, like, especially because I was in business, like, I was in sales. And if you're not following the norm where honestly, women aren't supposed to age or accept aging. And I do want to make a. [00:38:27] Speaker E: Comment that I think the world's changed a bit since you because it's been how many years? Like, yeah, so, like, I work in the financial district of Toronto, so I see a lot of people working in business and sales and different things. And a lot more women are wearing their gray company comfortably or going like. Women that are more blonde will go, like, dye their hair to be fully gray so that they're like that gray blondie color. But a lot of my staff that are younger than me are just, like, just letting their grays go. So, I mean, I don't. [00:38:57] Speaker C: Yeah, that's awesome. I love that. [00:38:59] Speaker E: Yeah. So it is. The world is changing a bit of being more acceptable of women, and there's a lot more women who are in positions of power who are equal with the men. It still happens, obviously, that it's a difficult place to be for. For a woman, but it's. But it's definitely. The world is changing, at least in Toronto. Not the whole world, but Toronto world at least is changing. [00:39:24] Speaker D: So, yeah, I like how women, like, start wearing their gray because I'm like. I think it looks super classy, like, aging in a classy way. I don't know, like, when people do, I go, yeah, because what other people are doing, I'm like, great. [00:39:35] Speaker E: You know, like, it's. [00:39:36] Speaker D: It can be catching a little bit. Like, if nobody does it, then even if somebody's thinking about it, it's hard to be. It's like going on the dance floor. Some people don't mind going on the dance floor first, and some people need at least three people on the dance floor before they'll get out there, you know, and so it's nice. And the people who want to do it feel a little bit more empowered to do. And people who never want to do it. There's enough people who don't as well. [00:40:00] Speaker B: Right? [00:40:00] Speaker D: It's easy peasy. [00:40:01] Speaker C: You look at a lot of celebrities, too, and you look at some younger celebrities, and they have so much youth to them. And even, like, it's not enough for society, and they're still getting cosmetic procedures and they look older than they are, you know, and then you see older women who are trying to look younger and just over time, like, it doesn't age as beautifully. I think, in my opinion, as, like, they would have just aged, you know, like, it. That's how you're gonna look. And, like, what's wrong with that? You know, like, that's okay. And it's. It's really awesome that, you know, slowly we are changing. Because being old, like, that's not the end of. That's the goal, you know, like, people used to die at 30, we want. [00:40:49] Speaker E: Getting into the grave at an old. [00:40:52] Speaker D: Age is the goal. Like, we're living to die, but that's the future. [00:40:58] Speaker C: Like, we're trying to make it to 80 at least. So why wouldn't you look that part if you're trying to live so long, you know, and maybe because I am younger. You know, when I was younger, I was like, man, I can't wait to look older because I felt no one really took me seriously. And I'm sure that's a whole other issue too. But, yeah, like, I just, I don't understand the issue with aging. Like, it's kind of beautiful. That's the point of life, you know, It's. We're all gonna change and, like, just be happy with that. [00:41:30] Speaker B: The change, the change, the change. [00:41:35] Speaker E: That was a wonderful ending. [00:41:37] Speaker C: I love that. [00:41:38] Speaker D: Thanks, Ashley. [00:41:39] Speaker B: Yeah, perfect ending. [00:41:40] Speaker C: Oh, thanks, Mary. You brought it home. [00:41:44] Speaker B: This interruption is brought to you by our affiliate partners, Libro fm. Libro FM lets you purchase audiobooks directly from your favorite local bookstore. Book Interrupted has a special offer. Use the promotional code interruption to get two audiobooks for the price of one. And help your local bookstore while you're at it. Book Interrupted. [00:42:06] Speaker F: All right, I got a good one for you. I guarantee you 80% of these listeners are going to feel me on this one. What about the interruption? The daily interruption of having to figure out what you're having for dinner? I just don't even know anymore. I'm considering coming up with some kind of a menu where each week we just eat the same thing and then that way I can just know what we're buying, we know what we're cooking, and maybe we'll get really good at it. Actually, all of a sudden we'll have these super high level meals and it'll be great, but I don't know, how many times can you have tacos? [00:42:45] Speaker C: Jeez. [00:42:46] Speaker B: Book Interrupted its book report time. We're gonna find out from each member their final thoughts and do they recommend the book. Let's listen. Okay. The Change by Kirsten Miller. This is Sarah. This is my book pick and my personal journal or book report. I absolutely loved this book. I could not put it down. It was everything I was hoping for. It was amazing. It really was amazing. Book. How do I even begin? Let me think. So, first of all, I just want to say that Harriet, I think, is my role model in life. I know that she's the punisher in the book, but she's so such a like authentic, witchy, wild woman, you know, she knows about plants. She knows about nature. She's authentically herself. She's super feminine. Her energy, I just absolutely loved her. She's the person I want to be when I grow up. I wonder if my husband will think about that. Anyway, so I really, really, really liked that character. The seeker is. She's lovely. Her name's Nessa and she's a psychic and she sees ghosts and she helps. I thought it was just gonna be like, she sees ghosts and she's a psychic. But her whole thing is that she gets it from her. It's like a long line of people in her family. She got from her grandmother that they help girls that have been murdered. Basically, they help them find their way home to their families. They have a peaceful resting, that kind of thing. And her grandmother had someone like Harriet, like the Punisher that punishes the people who do these things to these girls. So there's a dark element there because it's about basically men taking advantage of young girls, raping them, murdering them, and thinking they can do whatever they want because they're men and they're powerful and there's no consequences. And I really love that. The consequences in this book. Not that I'm like, pro, outside the law, because I'm a very obedient person and I. You know. But I kind of agree with all of the things that they do here because we do live within a patriarchy. And a lot of time these men just get off. Even if the Pete girls lived, it ruins their lives forever if you rape them. And anyway, anyway, it doesn't matter. I like the girl that's protector because it's very perimenopause. And I'm in perimenopause right now. And how her hot flashes can, like, melt metal from a pen. Like, I just love it. And she's so strong and she's athletic. And anyway, the characters are so well developed. It's a very suspenseful story. I'm not going to give it away. But we were talking about in Lola how Ashley wanted that ending where it was like. And women take over the world, right? Like. And you get that feel in this book. It's a very satisfying ending. It's still within the patriarchy. And there's a real twist. I don't want to say twist, real twist, but there is a twist in it, and I guess the twist. So I want to see if the other people guessed the first. I guess we'll probably talk about the twist, because it'll be probably. This whole episode has already been spoilers. And I love twist. I guessed it right away because. And I'll mention this in episodes, so I won't mention it so much here, I'll just imply it. But I worked for a charity called Canada Fights Human Trafficking. And the twist in this book is very well known for professionals in that area of human trafficking. So, yeah. Another thing that Kim mentioned in Lola is that the author was trying to make Lola a strong female character, which she was, but Kim was saying how that meant she was exhibiting masculine traits and that it's actually the opposite of being a strong feminine woman or feminist. Because being strong doesn't mean you need to act like a man. And what they think within the patriarchy exhibits strength. So what I wanted to say to that comment and how some of these books with strong women, sometimes they have masculine traits or personality traits. What I want to say about that is my new hero, Harriet, doesn't have that. She is a strong woman that you should be afraid of, but she exhibits feminine strength. So that's what I want to say about that. She's brilliant. She's a true wild woman. There's so much about this book that I loved, but mostly I just want to, when I'm an old crone, to become Harriet. That's what I want. Anyway. Okay, bye. [00:47:35] Speaker C: This is Ashley's personal journal for the book the Change. And I want to start by saying this was a huge, huge hit for me. I knew already kind of going into it, just from reading the summary of the book, that I would really like it. It's totally up my alley of having a mystery element to it. And I started reading this and honestly, like, by the time I was done half of the book, I knew that this was gonna be my favorite of the season. I know that's a bold statement since we still have a few books left to read, but so far this is my favorite book of the season and easily within my, like, top three, maybe even for Book Interrupted. This was really great. I believe this was Sarah's pick and she couldn't have picked a better one. Honestly, I liked the characters, I liked the stories. I found them interesting. I loved the little supernatural witchy feel to it, especially because since this season is for women, way back when we were burned at the stake for being witchy. So this, this felt empowering to me. I. I liked it. It definitely had a feel good revenge vibe to it. And that's what I'm all about. I love reading and watching people who hurt people face the consequences and, and that's what I got from this book. So double thumbs up for me. I would absolutely recommend this book and I was a little worried just by how big it is at first, but no, I loved it start to finish, and I would absolutely recommend. And I can't wait to hear what the other girls have to say. I hope they loved it as much as me. [00:49:25] Speaker D: This is my personal journal about the change. And the book is about exactly what the title implies is about women who are going through menopause. But it's not as realistic as you think it would because all the women in the book are kind of supernatural, kind of witches, kind of not. And I think that the timing of this book is rising to the popularity of being open about menopause. Whereas before it used to be very secretive thing. And I think, like, people do talk about it a lot more and want to, because why should a woman sit and suffer and just try to hide what's going on? You know, so many people have hot flashes and they're just like, really hot and trying to hide it, but, like sweating like crazy. And I find people, like, joking around about it. And this book kind of takes it to the next level where the hot flashes can lead to burns and. And fire and whatever. So this is a good book. I mean, at first, if you get past the beginning where it just seems like every man is evil and every woman is fine, I guess at the end, not every woman is fine, then it's just. Yeah, like a fun read. And especially I think if you're going through the change, it might be fun to read the change. Would I recommend the book? Sure. [00:50:46] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:50:46] Speaker D: I. At first I did think it was a little corny, but I. In the end, I enjoyed it. It was nice to see what was going to happen. And at the same time, I think that it talks about some important things. Like one of the murdered women in this book, you know, was raised to be aware and watch out for predators, and she still became a victim. You know, that's a really very real situation that happens today. You have to be looking out. And it's unfortunate that as a woman you have to be constantly vigilant that you could be in danger just because you're a woman. It's just kind of a crazy thing. So that's kind of heavy stuff. So this book took some kind of heavy subject matter and then put a light twist on it where, you know, the female was victorious in the end against all the people who were being violent in one way or another to women. So, yeah, sure. I mean, read the book. It was fun. So good summer read. [00:51:49] Speaker A: All right. Hi, everybody. So it's the night before we're supposed to be taping, and I'm not done the book. So I'm about. I don't know, what's that? Like a third of the way through? [00:52:04] Speaker D: I. [00:52:04] Speaker A: And, oh, I feel so bad, Sarah, but I really. I just can't get into this book. I even cheated and went and read a synopsis so that I could have something to talk about. But I have done that before. Like, I do sometimes if I'm not super into a book, I'll go to the end of the book and read a little bit and then see if I want to read the middle. But I don't know, there were characters at the end that I didn't. I didn't recognize. So then I was like, oh, I'll just read the synopsis. But I just find it a little obvious. I found that she's written in the style that's very. I don't know. Okay, this is a good example. The one woman has a superpower of when she gets hot flashes, she gets really strong, and this, like, heat comes from her hands. I don't know, it just seems so obvious. And it's so woman, rah, rah. Like, women are amazing and men are not amazing. And like, I don't know, there's a whole huge chunk on one girl's period and how that's. But it was like, in graphic detail. And I just don't. I don't love bodily fluids anyways. And I don't really need to hear about someone's period in that much detail, you know? And I. I do. I do feel like a bad feminist for saying this or like a bad woman woman for not liking the woman. That's so woman centric. Like the most. You know, this is our theme this year, and it is the most women centric book. So, Sarah, like, spot on for your choice in that. I just. Okay, so the author, Kirsten Miller, is a young adult writer and this is her first adult book. And I also feel like that was pretty obvious to me. Like, it was written. I don't know, it just felt like she had all these, like, woman issues that she wanted to talk about, and so she did that. [00:53:53] Speaker C: I don't know. [00:53:54] Speaker A: I feel bad that I don't like it and I feel bad that I didn't finish it. I'm definitely not finishing it now. It's like, what, 11:15pm from the night before, so. Ain't gonna happen. Maybe I could pretend because I read the synopsis. No, not gonna happen either. I'm just gonna admit it. But yeah. So anyways, so basically didn't read the book. So I really can't recommend it fully. I mean, maybe the two thirds, the second two thirds were great and I just didn't really want. I just didn't care about the characters or about the plot or about anything. But maybe I just didn't get into it enough. So that's that. So I don't know. I can't recommend. Who knows? Who knows? Maybe it's amazing. Maybe tomorrow everyone's gonna say how amazing it is, and I will have missed out. C'est la vie. [00:54:43] Speaker B: Okay, bye. Thank you for joining us on this episode of Book Interrupted. If you'd like to see the video highlights from this episode, please go to our YouTube channel, book interrupted. You can also find our videos on www.bookinterrupted.com. [00:55:01] Speaker A: Book Interrupted wants to connect with busy people around the world. [00:55:04] Speaker E: And to be able to do that, we need sponsors. [00:55:07] Speaker A: When you become a Book Interrupted sponsor. [00:55:09] Speaker E: You'Ll have a permanent place on our sponsorship page. [00:55:12] Speaker A: And your sponsorship clipped will always remain. [00:55:15] Speaker E: On the episode or interruption you sponsored. [00:55:17] Speaker A: To find out more, go to bookinterrupted.com Sponsorship Book interrupted. [00:55:25] Speaker F: Never forget, every child matters.