Arts
We’ve started (what we hope becomes) a new tradition: book superlatives! Listen in for the books that stood out to us for a range of reasons this year. We’ll end with what we’re reading this week. Books and other media mentioned in this episode: Episode 68 – Out of Our Comfort Zone Part IIIEpisode 76 – Tackling Our TBRs Part II Most TimelyAnn: When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole (buy from Bookshop)Halle: The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue (buy from Bookshop) Most DisappointingAnn: White Elephant by Trish Harnetiaux (buy from Bookshop) and Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (buy from Bookshop)– Tana French booksHalle: The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern (buy from Bookshop); Honorable Mention: The Bright Lands by John Fram (buy from Bookshop)– Friday Night Lights (TV) Favorite RereadAnn: The Likeness by Tana French (buy from Bookshop)– In the Woods by Tana French (buy from Bookshop)Halle: The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix (buy from Bookshop) Biggest SurpriseAnn: The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune (buy from Bookshop)Halle: The Idea of You by Robinne Lee (buy from Bookshop) Least FavoriteAnn: Space Opera by Cathrynne M. Valente (buy from Bookshop)– Eurovision Song Contest (TV)Halle: The Deep by Rivers Solomon (buy from Bookshop)– Drexciya (techno group)– “The Deep” (song by clipping.) Best DistractionAnn: The Heir Affair by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan (buy from Bookshop)– The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan (buy from Bookshop)Halle: Paris is Always a Good Idea by Jenn McKinlay (buy from Bookshop) and All Adults Here by Emma Straub (buy from Bookshop) The Book That Ended a Mini Reading SlumpAnn: Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan (buy from Bookshop)– A Room With a View by E.M. Forster (buy from Bookshop)Halle: Would Like to Meet by Rachel Winters (buy from Bookshop) Better Late Than NeverAnn: On What Grounds by Cleo Coyle (buy from Bookshop)Halle: The Duke Who Didn’t by Courtney Milan (buy from Bookshop) Book That Has Stayed With MeAnn: When We Were Vikings by Andrew David MacDonald (buy from Bookshop)Halle: Florence Adler Swims Forever by Rachel Beanland (buy from Bookshop) or Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid (buy from Bookshop) Book That We Didn’t Think We’d Like, But Then We Did!Ann: The Duke and I by Julia Quinn (kind of) (buy from Bookshop)– Bridgertons series by Julia Quinn– Bridgerton (TV)Halle: Fortune Favors the Dead by Stephen Spotswood (buy from Bookshop)– The Human Son by Adrian J. Walker (buy from Bookshop) Best Quality Read of the YearAnn: War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, duh (buy from Bookshop)– Jane Austen booksHalle: The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett (buy from Bookshop) Our Favorite Non-Book Media Property of the YearAnn: Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (TV) and Sarah Cooper anything– Will Ferrell filmography– Sarah Cooper on TikTok– Sarah Cooper: Everything’s Fine (TV)Halle: Normal People (TV) and Ted Lasso (TV)– Normal People by Sally Rooney (buy from Bookshop)– Major League (film)– Jason Sudeikis filmography– “An American Coach in London” (commercial)– The Great British Bake Off (TV)– folklore (Taylor Swift album)– evermore (Taylor Swift album) The Book We Recommended the Most This YearAnn: A Deadly Inside Scoop by Abby Colette (buy from Bookshop) and Unmarriageable by Soniah Kamal (buy from Bookshop)Halle: Code Name Helene by Ariel Lawhon (buy from Bookshop) and A Good Marriage by Kimberly McCreight (buy from Bookshop) and The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune (buy from Bookshop) What We’re Reading This Week: Ann: Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour (buy from Bookshop)– Nina LaCour books– John Wayne filmography– Patsy Cline discography Halle: The Eighth Detective by Alex Pavesi (buy from Bookshop)– Agatha Christie books– The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield (buy from Bookshop)– Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz (buy from Bookshop) Well-Read on FacebookWell-Read on TwitterWell-Read on BookshopWell-Read on Instagram