What Did We Just Read?!

14 - The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune (PART 2)

It's the exciting conclusion to The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune. The second half of this book delivered and then some on it's themes of family, identity, and doing the right thing even if it isn't the easy thing. Justin and Maya loved this book and had such a blast reading it that you might want to make sure your ears are protected.

What Did We Just Suggest?!

Justin: Check out Pokemon Unite! It's like League of Legends but Pokemon and less toxic.

Maya: Try out some Zebra Mildliners. They're like highlighters but pastels!

13 - The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune (PART 1)

It's our first two-parter! This week we fell into TJ Klune's beautiful world building in The House in the Cerulean Sea. This magical novel is about love, bias, and discovering an unlikely family when you least expect it.

If you want to read along with us and shout your own opinions at your listening device of choice, you still have time before we upload part two next week.

What Did We Just Suggest?!

Maya - Highly recommend watching the new show Reservation Dogs, a hilarious coming of age comedy by Taika Waititi about four Indigenous teens in Oklahoma hustling to make a better life for themselves. And best of all, it's #OwnVoices and all the writers and creators are indigenous! 

Justin - You should also watch The Last Kingdom. It's about Saxons and Vikings discovering your past might not be what you thought it was. It's got a few seasons already for all your binging needs.

12 - Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert

This is a fun one! This week, we gleefully devoured Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert and couldn't get enough! This hilarious rom-com ticked all of our boxes. It was incredibly funny, wonderfully steamy, and it made Justin tear up a little bit because he is a big, old softy. This book was just a pure delight.

What Did We Just Suggest?!

Maya: Drink water. It's good for you. Set your goal higher than you need it so you still end up drinking more water than you expected.

Justin: "There is more to life than increasing its speed" - Gandhi. Don't rush through life. Enjoy your indeterminate amount of time.

11 - Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami

Welcome back to our humble podcast! This week we dove into Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami, a nostalgic coming-of-age story about grief, guilt, and memory. This novel was dense, intense, but just like our last Murakami read, so beautifully written. 

Join us as we talk about plane travel and friends who seem complex and nuanced but are really just jerks.

Trigger Warning: This book deals with themes of suicide and sexual assault.

What Did We Just Suggest?!

Maya: Lemon Bliss Skinny Dipped Almonds. They're delicious yogurt-covered almonds with a super good sour lemon kick. Maya is obsessed with them.

Justin: Get a good night's sleep. Sleep is important for your health! Have a consistent sleep routine. Your body will thank you!

10 - Have We Met by Camille Baker

Episode 10! This week we read Have We Met? by Camille Baker, a delightful romantic comedy about a mysterious app and suspicious second chances. We loved that this book was rich with representation from POC to LGBTQ to Deaf. It was a very affirming and very fun read!

Come along for the ride as we chatter hockey and spend too long trying to figure out Romancelandia phrases.

What Did We Just Suggest?!

Justin: Take note of the things you love and take time to do something wholly for yourself and enjoy it.

Maya: The jalapeno cheddar bites at Burger King are addictive and delicious.

9 - The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson

We are on a roll with great reads! This week we read, The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson, a twisty thriller that broke our brains so well we couldn't put it down. There's deception, sex, and muuuurder, all the hallmarks of a great mystery. This book is going in the hall of favorites for sure!

Trigger Warning: This book briefly touches on themes of sexual assault and grown adults being creepy with children.

What Did We Just Suggest?!

Justin: The Case Study of Vanitas is a great anime! It's only got a couple episodes out, but they've both been really good. Give it a watch.

Maya: I am your dad now, go get your oil changed. Also, reset your trip mileage every time you get gas so you can keep track of your car's mileage.

8 - Getaway Girl by Tessa Bailey

The great romance slump is finally over! It was an absolute delight to read Getaway Girl by Tessa Bailey. This romantic comedy romp delivered on all fronts. We laughed, we swooned, and we blushed very hard. This book is totally up there as a favorite read.

By the way, we have a Facebook page now! You can search for "What Did We Just Read?" if you'd like to give us a like or a follow.

What Did We Just Suggest?!

Justin - Loki is great! It gives some great MCU set up and has a little bit of romance.

Maya - Try to take a social media hiatus or be your own parent and use parental controls to limit your social media usage. Stop the scroll!

7 - After Dark by Haruki Murakami

Welcome back (or welcome), listener! This week, we read After Dark by Haruki Murakami, a gripping novel we still can't quite explain. It was a beautifully written book about a group of individuals experiencing a completely normal, not weird at all, totally cool night.

Join us as we discuss not being able to read clocks, lying about movie plots, and perfectly normal sibling interactions.

We also have a new segment! What Did We Just Suggest?

Maya: Read Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston. It's one of the best romance novels she's read in a long while and she's still thinking about it.

Justin: Take a quick second and breathe. Get out of your head for a minute and breathe.

6 - The Checklist by Addie Woolridge

Welcome back! This week on What Did We Just Read?! Maya and Justin talked about The Checklist by Addie Woolridge, a comedic novel about a Type-A lady trying not to lose her mind as her personal and professional lives descend into chaos.

Hot topics this week: jerk bosses, inattentive boyfriends, dubstep, and olives, trying to find our outro groove.

We hope you enjoy the episode! 

5 - Remote Control by Nnedi Okorafor

Hey y'all! This week on What Did We Just Read?! we dived into Remote Control by Nnedi Okorafor. This book was a fantastic Africanfuturistic novel set in Ghana about a little girl who inspires fear, female empowerment, and community.

We had such a fun time talking about holistic remedies thought up by children, Maya's kindle refusing to sync, and ROBOCOPS (not how you're thinking).

No trigger warnings this week, just vibes.