From Pretty Book Photos To Real Reading Again with Fabienne

I’m joined by my longtime co-host and twin flame Fabienne, once known online as The Page Pilgrim, for a real talk about Bookstagram burnout, creator pressure, and what happens when reading stops feeling like a hobby and starts feeling like homework. We trace the arc from cozy COVID-era book photos and passionate reviews to the grind of posting, chasing engagement, and trying to keep up with endless new releases.

We also get into what comes after the exit. Fabienne shares how rereads helped her fall back in love with books, why fantasy comfort reads can restart your momentum, and how exploring different genres (from thrillers to classic literature) can bring back genuine curiosity. 

If you’ve ever felt like the algorithm was reading over your shoulder, this one will hit. Subscribe for more conversations about books, reading habits, and creative life, and if this resonates, share the episode and leave a review so more readers can find us.

Cover Art by: moi

Intro/Outro Music: positive vibes by nanaacom on Capcut

Contact Email: spillthesmutpodcast@gmail.com

Podcast IG: @spillthesmutpodcast TT: @spillthesmutpodcast

Jordan IG: @sipsoffiction TT: @sipsoffiction

Transcript

Bobby Anne Returns And Life Updates

Jordan 0:00

First up, this girl truly needs no introduction. But if I had to give her one, if you've been around for a while, you probably know her once as The Page Pilgrim. While she stepped back from the bookstagram scene, you can still follow her along for her life updates and running content. She's my twin flame, an all-around incredible human, and I love her. For this episode, I am bringing back my co-host. Please welcome to the podcast, Fabienne.

Fabienne 0:28

Oh my goodness, girl, you hyped me up too much, really. This pedestal is way too high.

Jordan 0:35

No, it is never too high. Uh thank you. I like I I for a while I knew part of your intro. Y Because I've been wanting you back for so long. Honestly, I started the podcast and I wanted you back. But I was like, you gotta give it time. You gotta give it time.

Fabienne 0:54

And that's we kind of like talked about it in the beginning, too, you know, like when you tried to set it up in like way back already, like when you started.

Jordan 1:02

I know, like I'm pretty sure I'm pretty sure I talked to you about it like back around this time. Yeah. Like kind of in this month, right? Kind of.

Fabienne 1:13

So so it's been a year, huh?

Jordan 1:16

Damn. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. I am Daniel. Becca from white fans.

Fabienne 1:25

Oh my goodness. Thank you though for coming on so early or wanting to come on early.

Jordan 1:29

Oh my god. But yes. No, thank you for just like coming on.

Fabienne 1:35

Like I said, always, but before, you know, like it's been, I don't know. I guess like the time, the time difference is it kind of like caught up to me after a little while. And you know, when we started the podcast, it was a long time.

Jordan 1:51

Yeah. I think sometimes people don't realize because we like we decided to change podcasts and stuff, that we started back in 2021. It was like I know fall 2021. So we were like podcasting for a while.

Fabienne 2:05

Yeah. And it went good, like it went well too. Like the episodes were good, the intentions were good, like the setup was not too good. Mediocre. Even below mediocre, mediocre doesn't even come close, really.

Jordan 2:19

But like a lot of a lot of downloads for that first one. So, like, oh yeah. I mean, you know, a win is a win.

Fabienne 2:27

A win is a win. A win is a win. A win is a win. But goodness, yes. Oh, too. I know. Okay, so wait, this is your show. This is your party. So I'm obviously going to let you take the like let you take the wheel, if that's even how you say it. You're my Jesus right now. I'll just like sit like a passenger princess next to you.

Jordan 2:53

Well, um, I love being a passenger person. Let me just state that. Okay, but anyways. Yes. I do, I do like to start off with every episode of what has been the highlight of your week so far. So let's start with what has been the highlight of your week so far.

Fabienne 3:11

Um oh god. I I've been honestly, when we planned this to like to do the podcast today, I knew this was coming because it's been like your thing ever since you started this as well. Um, and I tried to think of things like, oh, what is interesting enough to mention on a podcast? And I have three things for you. Um, one is work related. So I wasn't really sure if that was interesting since you hate my work with you know the entirety of your being. So I figured I'm just gonna let that one slide. The second one being that I ran um a 15k uh run again in a long time this week. And it's been a while because I had like an injury, I had like a sprained ankle, I had my knee, you know, it's like it's a bad knee, it's been acting up again. Um so I guess that's a good thing. Um, so yeah, and the third thing, I guess I skipped all cool things millennials do, and I just went straight into like my Grammy hobbies, and I've picked up gardening and I got new plans. So there's been a few things that are good this week. Um, but I'd say the 15k is like yeah, I don't know.

Jordan 4:20

I think those that that is really cool because that yeah, 15k. How many how many miles is 15? Because I know 10 is six.

Fabienne 4:29

I want to say because they're on fun thing, I want to say 815.

Jordan 4:38

9.32 miles. Damn, Daniel, you're almost at um half a marathon. Do you plan on going half a marathon?

Fabienne 4:48

I have in the past, um, but maybe maybe just for probably is because I'm just petty enough to do it, you know, just to like show off to myself.

Jordan 4:59

Oh, a hundred percent. A hundred percent you yeah, no, do it. I feel like, and then you can get one of those stickers for your car, even though Europe doesn't really have stickers on their car, but you can have a sticker that says 13.1.

Fabienne 5:12

And then people probably do not understand it because we have kilometers here instead of miles. That is a very good point. Although I couldn't just get the 13.1, regardless, and then people will be like, Oh, what does that mean? And then you know, get people thinking, you know, because I feel like that's the thing that people don't really do anymore often. People don't think these days, they don't think nobody thinks anymore. Gosh, they don't use that engine in their head, damn it. No, yeah, the brain, the brain in between their skull and skull, it ain't brain, anyways. Wait, I want to return to question. What's what's been good like for you this week? What's been happening? Spill the D.

Jordan 5:53

Oh my gosh, it's it's so it's so funny because no one ever asked me that, so I never think of a response. How rude. Because it's like it's also because it at one point I used to be like, oh, and then my highlight of the week, but then I was like, this is weird. So I just stopped like answering it. So I um I went on, I'll do like I I had a work trip um that I just got back from, and that was like super fun and exciting. And I'm just I'll leave it at that.

Fabienne 6:22

Can you share you can't share where you were, like in the like generally? I was in DC.

Jordan 6:31

Oh, fancy. Yeah. I'll tell you more about it later. No, no, no. Oh, but no, but other people sorry, sorry, you can't know.

Fabienne 6:43

It sucks to be other people then, I guess. But not me.

Jordan 6:47

Who do we have here? We have Nero who's trying to drink my water, and I'm like, sir, this is my water.

Fabienne 6:59

Well, I mean better better the water than the coffee, of course.

Jordan 7:04

That is true. I do so I can say it here because we'll likely this episode probably air by the time, but um we're getting another cat.

Fabienne 7:14

Sorry, mom, no grandbaby, so we do have fur babies for you.

Jordan 7:19

Exactly. But I so Nick found this one and was like, we need her. And I was like, okay, fair. Oh, so that could be a highlight, even though I'm not getting her until like later. Um, but the news I exactly but basically basically there's Nick and then two boycats, and then it's me and Aura. So like me and Aura are outnumbered. So we need another female in the mix. So then it will be me and two female cats, and then him, like Nick and two male cats. So it's like perfect.

Fabienne 7:54

This is my water, the perfect balance, at least up to scales in that sense.

Jordan 7:58

Yeah, yeah. Exactly. So I'm like so excited, and I can't wait to get her. Okay, that was cute. He like really it is. I he must know it's like you because he never does this with anybody else.

Fabienne 8:14

See, I told you you can smell through like this camera, this this connection.

Jordan 8:18

Oh, exactly. Exactly.

Fabienne 8:20

That's familiarity and whatnot. Sure. Sure, sure, sure, sure, sure.

Jordan 8:25

Okay, so I do kind of and this is we're going way back. We're going back, we're going back to 2021, girl, or 2020. I don't know actually. Like, what made you start your bookstagram and start posting about books online? Right? Like, okay.

How Bookstagram Started During Covid

Jordan 8:45

What was the read? Like, I don't even know if I know this answer.

Fabienne 8:48

Um, I think once I start talking, one, I can't stop, and two, you'll probably remember. Um, I think it was well, to be fair, like during COVID, because it all started with, you know, like when COVID happened as well. I feel like a majority of the book community started their accounts during COVID as well. Um but I was also still studying, and I studied um English literature, and I had a friend in my class who was a big, big fantasy reader. And she read like Equitar, and I feel like Alexandra Brecken, if I say that even right. Like she had a few books, Wayfinder, perhaps. I'm not really sure. Um, and she just started talking about these books, and because of like our studies, we had to read, of course, so much as well. But I felt like, okay, I feel like I'm only reading for for work, like for school, and not like for fun anymore. So she kind of like pushed me in the direction of reading more like we would as, you know, when you were a teen, like when you were reading like the Hunger Games and like Harry Potter and like all that stuff, Divergent and whatnot. And so I started slowly, I slowly started, sorry, reading more like leisurely, leisurely, like for fun. Um, and I don't know, all these books, they were just, I I guess like the simplest explanation, like the books, the covers, they were most of the time really just pretty. And because I always was already like scrapbooking when I was younger and like just, you know, like Tumblr was a big thing for me, like the platform with all the pictures and Pinterest. I thought, okay, well, I do have an old Instagram account somewhere I could just like, you know, breathe new life into that, and then maybe just like let people know that instead of what food I'm eating, what book I'm reading. Um, and uh my classmate, like this friend of mine, um Romy, um, I don't really speak to her anymore, but that's like beside the point. Um, she also started a book account, but on Tumblr. And then I basically we just got to talking. Like she had like a different platform. I said I was doing it on Instagram, and then she started doing it on Instagram. Um, and I guess it just like snowballed from there. Um and I don't know, I was just like, I got so like focused, like hyper focused, um, into reading um that I was just like purchasing all these books. Like Amazon wasn't even a big thing back then. Like here in the Netherlands, we had like our own um Dutch website that sold books, still does. And every other day there would just like books would just come in because I was working from home anyways, and Judon, you know, like he was working uh a different job back then and he was just out. So all these books would just come in, and I was like, I have to take pictures of all of those books, all of those books need to be, you know, like need to be photographed to document this. Honestly, yes. I didn't even read every single one, I was just like, oh, but this could be just like the next best thing, and then you know, my and there my TBR all of a sudden started, and I don't know, it just yeah, yeah. Uh basically from there, because I had this friend in like in um in uni, and she got me back into reading, and I guess, like I said, just a big snowball effect. Um, but yeah, and then just like snapping pictures left and right, uploading them too. Um and it's funny because sorry.

Jordan 12:10

Oh well, no, no, no. I just wanted to say too, because like your reviews on Instagram were amazing too. Like I just loved what you had to say about the book. So it's like the pictures and the books and the aesthetic and the reviews, like everything. Sorry, now what were you gonna say?

Fabienne 12:28

No, no, no, no, it's fine. It's was no, because I still have like the same account, but like you said, like I was first the Paige Pilgrim, then I had like Ox and Heart, and now I'm just like, you know, just my name basically. Um, but I are I never deleted a photo. I always I've archived them because I found like a thing on Instagram week and just like this this mass editor type tool um built within Instagram, and you can just like archive X many photos within just one go, like within one click. Um, but sometimes I just like go back just for like nostalgia regions, uh reasons. So I see like my very first posts with like the Instagram, like with um, sorry, with like the bookstagram um posts, and it's just like my bedding, like my white sheets, the cover of the book, and I'm basically opening opening them like with my hand, or like you know, they're already open, or it's like a map inside of the book that I took a picture of. But they all feel very nostalgic. And sometimes sometimes because this at this point it's already like so like it's not just I don't know, it's just like old, and because it brings back this nostalgia. This is like a I guess a key word for this episode for me, nostalgia. Um, I sometimes feel like maybe I should just start another Instagram and start slowly posting about books again, anyways, but then just like how I did it in the very, very beginning. Just no, no pressure, just like all shits and giggles, no, you know, because I understand, I understand a need to grow because it's kind of, you know, I've been there. Um, and it's also what basically it's been my town full for my book Instagram too, because it got it took the the fun out of it, you know. Um but I feel like what if I just like start doing it and even so like under a different name, like no face posts, you know, like like an like a known that people don't really know that it's me, which makes it sound like I'm very famous, which I'm not, but you know what I'm getting at, right? That that there's like no pressure behind it. Um exactly, and then just back to their reviews and then just upload whenever.

Jordan 14:30

Well, because so I kind of like I wanted to ask, because like, are you still reading? Because I know like you kind of left like you left the bookstagram scene. Um well, like would you I feel like it was kind of like in 2024 you're like really not feeling it, but I know you were kind of still pushing it and like your Instagram was changing, and then I think in 2025 you really kind of were like, No, I think I'm out.

Fabienne 15:01

Um, I don't yeah, yeah. No, no, no, that's not asked the question. Like, yes, you did. Yes, you started with it, like uh like the good interviewer that you are. Yeah, yeah. Um, and also as the good interviewee, I also have an immediate answer because yes, I do, ma'am. Um, as a matter of fact, uh right after Christmas last year, so 2025, I started watching the Lord of the Rings trilogy again because it's basically an annual thing that we do, like during Christmas, and like Boxing Day, because we have two Christmas days here. Um, we always have like the fantasy marathon, like a film fantasy marathon. And I was like, oh, you know what? This reminds me of um uh throne of glass. Maybe I should just like pick it up. And then I did. So it kind of snowballed from there. And I told you, I think I want to say I texted you a while back, and but at this point, I don't even know what a while is anymore. It could have been like two weeks ago, could have been like three months back. I don't know. But I told you that I was reading, I feel like the fourth book in the series, or maybe the fifth. Um I started reading Throne of Glass, uh, back to back. I've read um uh Aquator again. I feel like the re-reads basically got me back into it because I've read, but I'm doing like yeah, but I've been reading so many different genres now too. So like uh it's always fiction, it's never non-fiction because I can't do non-fiction. I don't know how people stand non-fiction because they are just a different God bless them, God speed, but still, how godspeed. Um, but I've been reading uh, you know, like those, I almost want to say they're not oh god, how do you say Harlequin books?

Jordan 16:43

Like at the supermarket, like at oh like oh my gosh, like the bodice rippers, like the like historical, like the mass market.

Fabienne 16:50

I got I got on like from here, and they're they're just like I don't even have the I don't even have the vocab to describe how bad they are, but they are just so like a guilty pleasure type read.

Jordan 17:04

But but I've heard now, not this would be like the 80s and 90s ones, but I've heard someone saying that the stories are actually so good, they're like a guilty pleasure, but the writing and the story arc and all of that is actually so on par. And like sometimes they really are, yeah, and because like compared to like romances now that can maybe not be that honestly, yes.

Fabienne 17:31

I feel like ah, also because there is obviously like it's completely targeted for a different demography, demography, demographic, demographic, thank you, demographic, you're welcome. Hey, it's been a while since I spoke this much English, like in just one go, okay. I know oh my gosh, I know. You're doing great though.

Jordan 17:55

You're doing great, pleading.

Fabienne 17:56

Thank you, thank you. See me relapse just back in Dutch, just like whenever I lose it, you know. Um, but no, but sometimes these stories are actually pretty darn good. But I think I think like the um the bar is that they got picked up by the publisher, and most of the books that I used to read from Amazon, they're like self-published, so they haven't like really gone through a certain mill, if you know what I uh what I mean. Um, so there is like a standard to that type of book, as opposed to just like your regular rom-com that gets published, like indie published through um Amazon. I'm not here diminishing any stories whatsoever. Certain stories, sure, but not all stories. Um but you know, that they're not just all good. Sometimes they really are, and they just have to still get picked up by a publisher. But yeah, so I'm reading like all different genres. I'm real uh reading thrillers, I am getting back into Dan Brown, you know, like the Da Vinci Go type books. Um I even got Jay into reading now too, which is fun. So we've been having like um uh sort of like nightly routine, other than the usual, no kidding. Um you can leave that in that's fine. Well I love it. It's spilled a smut, right? So it it really is. So like spill it, girl. Um, so we've been into reading, yeah. So basically, but that's so cute. Long answer, short, yes, some reading.

Jordan 19:21

So you are still reading? That okay, because like I wasn't sure because and I kind of want to talk about too, like what made the final call, not not final call. I know you were kind of distancing yourself, but like what made you want to leave the bookstagram scene? Because like I know now you're saying you're reading, but I wasn't sure if you were still like reading then, or if it was like keeping up with the demand of how much you had to read, or was it like what made the final call to kind of

Burnout And Leaving Bookstagram

Jordan 19:52

like leave the bookstagram scene?

Fabienne 19:55

I think it's that's a great question, but I think it's a little bit harder to actually answer because I can't pinpoint it at just like one moment really. Um, it's just a culmination of many, many like things that just happened and like many factors. Um, but I think the things that you've just mentioned are just like really those factors. Um, like the the pressure of just like, oh, I have to upload stuff because otherwise people don't engage with like the content that I upload. Um, oh, I used to upload like so many reviews, like you just mentioned before. Like, oh, people are expecting that. And even though me, maybe even people weren't even expecting that anymore, because you know, I've been slowly over the past back then, like a year and a half, um, already, you know, slowly um digressing, I want to say, with like the uploads and like the reviews of people were expecting less, but it was still like this little voice in the back of my head saying, Oh, you have to upload because of reviews and you know, numbers and the yada yada yada. Um, but I guess also the pressure of all the books that were coming out. And I think um, like you were just so like enthusiastic about like, oh, if you read this book, I'm like, oh yeah, no, I have heard about it, but I haven't read. Oh, you really have to. And that's just like how you how enthusiastic you are as a person, which I love, but I just couldn't, I couldn't catch up. Like I felt like I was just too slow for how fast the book community is, if that sort of makes sense. And at that point, basically like a run. That's not my end, like my um um analogy right now. Because during a run, when you're like, oh, I have to, I'm gonna run this 10K, right? I'm gonna run uh run just like I don't know, six miles, whatever. And you're like two miles and you're like, oh fuck this is not how it's going to go. Are you going to push yourself and you're gonna try another day, or are you just gonna fuck this, fuck it? I don't know. It was just like a very struggle at that point, and I guess just I don't know, I just gave up, I guess, is just the better word for it, which sounds really silly. But yeah.

Jordan 21:53

No, it it's it it makes sense because like I know too, like I feel like also when we joined Bookstagram. It was a different scene. So like then it started changing a lot too. So it's like, I feel like, and to be honest, like I think a lot of people that joined Bookstagram when we joined at were kind of leaving around the time or had already left what the time where you were like, I think this is not for me anymore. So it was kind of like, but then there were also new players joining. And it was like this weird, like I know I felt really weird too, in the sense of like, I didn't know if I like fit in the space anymore because of like these the people that we used to talk to all the time, I don't talk to anymore because they're not there. And then the new people coming in, and they're coming in with like either like in my mind, I was thinking like better content. So I was like, really, should I even be here anymore? So it was like, and then you were leaving. So I was like, fuck, like what am I doing? Like, do I do I belong? And so, but like, I also like definitely like you felt the pressure of Bookstagram and the posting. And I it really took this year. I had like multiple chats with Olivia about like branding and like um this like one person um she told me to follow. And she Olivia really helped me because I didn't want to necessarily leave. I I just didn't know how to like adapt. And honestly, like I I switched to posting only three times a week. So I post Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and then that Friday could be Friday or Saturday, but usually it's Friday because I don't want to post on the weekends, and I think that changed the name of the game for me. Just going because it's like, remember when we would post like every single day, and then it got to the point where we were posting like twice a day.

Fabienne 23:54

Yeah, yeah, like crazy, yeah. Yeah, you will guess really empty real quick.

Jordan 24:05

Right? And like, and you're right, like I couldn't, I was wasn't able to keep up. Like these books, and then I felt like I wasn't even really reading them, it was just to like finish them at that point, and then I was like that.

Fabienne 24:22

Because that was the same for me, yeah.

Jordan 24:24

And and I'm like, why why am I just trying to like finish this book? Like it's not even telling right, and then I'm like, why did I even read it then? Like if I'm not even like yeah experiencing it or like being in it, or but uh and then okay, so then I also have to ask do you like miss it? Like when you have like since you have left it, do you miss being in the bookstagram scene?

Fabienne 24:58

Sometimes yes, very much so, but then especially like the beginning, like the beginning when it was just like you know, like I said, it and I feel like for some accounts that I still follow, it's also still like I have to get like the right shot of this specific book that's very popular right now because otherwise I won't have like the numbers to show for it. Um, which again, if that's how you want to roll, sure you do you. Um, but I uh would love to go back to when I would first upload a review. Um, and I'm talking not necessarily the genre, but just like the the time period for frame of reference, then a vipers way way back then, you know. I I would love to go back to that type uh to that bookstagram era and then just like take a nice picture of your book, type in what you loved into caption about it, and then just like hit upload and just won't come back until like a day later and see what's happened. Um, yes, I do still miss it, but I think the need to use Instagram as more of a personal digital diary at this point is greater than me missing Bookstagram. I feel like I get that.

Jordan 26:19

I um no, I totally feel that because I also feel too like I miss that era too. Like I miss the era of that like fall of 2021 where I had just joined and we were talking about starting a podcast. We were reading like Gothicana, Hollow Heathens, like and also like even too like personally, I was living in Providence, nothing bad had happened at that point. Like I was living, like it was like height, like height of COVID, but it was like a great time in the world of like bookstagram for me and like my personal life that I was

Missing Old Bookstagram Nostalgia

Jordan 26:58

just like I would love to be able to go back to that time specifically, yeah. So it's like I feel that, but we can't do that, so here we are. So uh but like and I know too, you were reading a lot of dark romance. So do you not really read dark romance anymore?

Fabienne 27:20

No, but also because I don't really and I don't really know any authors at this point that really you know publish dark, um, dark romance. I mean, other than just like Kay, you know, like Gabriel Roses that um because Eliza, she's just uploading snippets, and I think most of she's just like active on her Patreon. Um Nicole Fiorina sometimes sometimes like pops up from like whatever grave she's been in for the past 500 years. Um Runex has taken over like 500 years, it's been a long time, you know. So um yeah, no, not really. And otherwise, if like if people do publish it, I feel like it's just pulp because I do have a standard, apparently, when it comes to dark romance. Who knew with that genre?

Jordan 28:05

But no, it's fair, it's fair because like I I have like read a couple like arcs and stuff, and uh but I almost because it's like I felt obligated because I said yes, but like I kind of I'm with you. Like, I think I just have like my tried and true, like I know what I'm gonna get with certain authors, and I think I will stick with them, but I I'm not really diving into the new world of like dark romance, and I I'm okay with it, but I also know too, like my life got pretty dark that I'm like because I know there was I think that like also hurt my bookstagram, but like I needed to do it, but I made that switch because it's like we were both posting a ton of dark romance, and then we were both like fuck this, like we're out.

Fabienne 28:50

Do we still have do we still have like a non-disclosure about that book? What kind of like started this downfall? I want to talk about it so badly, but I can't for the risk of you know, like slander. Yeah, I know what not.

Jordan 29:04

I the thing is, is like I feel like we could talk about the book without saying the book.

Fabienne 29:10

Because like more game.

Jordan 29:13

Right. Well, because like a like more came out in the series, and I actually am super excited for the next one.

Fabienne 29:19

Like, I think I'm gonna skip yes, I'm gonna skip everything but happened in between, but like the the newest release, or like the new upcoming the new one already is out? It's out okay, yes.

Jordan 29:30

But it's like because that's I feel like that could be a true, it's more like a do-in, but I feel like it's gonna be good. That one, yeah. Like I think that one's gonna be so good. So, like, no, you can't say anything. There's still a non-disclosure.

Fabienne 29:44

Shit. Shit. When does this NDA just like end to like within the next 10 years?

Jordan 29:49

Hopefully. Well, well, the I I did ask the author. Like, I want well, I didn't ask, I want to ask the author if they will come on. So, like, I I cannot have us say anything, you know? But also because like I want to read the next in the series, so it's like I no, yeah, but I I do understand that was like I think that was the which I almost so this kind of like and maybe it's a good thing that happened, but I also sometimes wish we didn't read the book because then the downfall wouldn't have happened, yeah. But then I'm also like maybe it needed, and who knows? Maybe it was just like maybe it was that book, but maybe it really wasn't, and it was just like us reaching our downfall, and that was the tipping point. Like it could have been any book, is what I'm saying. Like, right? Like, I think any book that was on that level would have been the tipping point. It just happened to be that one, yeah.

Fabienne 30:49

Like I said, culmination of many things, you know. Oh, remember also? Sorry, I don't know why I'm just saying this now, also like why why it pops up, but remember when we used to read like two books for the podcast? Like within a week. Oh my gosh.

Jordan 31:02

But like if you think about it, because remember it was um, I don't know if you remember, but it was Vibe by Liza James, and then it was um the third book in the Unsainted series by KV Rose. Or like the yeah, I think it was the third book because it was Matt Maverick's story, I believe. Yeah, but I remember I remember it was like an unsainted and it was Liza James, and then we would record episodes back to back, like part one of this, which honestly I give us props for that because now I can't mix genres like that.

Fabienne 31:36

No, me neither.

Jordan 31:37

Like how how did we do that?

Fabienne 31:39

I have no idea. It was uh no, no, that's fine. You to you. Um, I don't know. I guess uh I feel like the um no, I actually do know how because you know we were young, we had the time, we had the podcast, it was new. Um, I don't know, like because of novelty, you know, and we had like the space and we were figuring out the podcast, and this was just basically our motivation. So I guess that's the how.

Jordan 32:07

That's true. But like I'm thinking, how did we keep well, Liza James's vibe is way different than KV Rose's Unsainted series. So, like, there is that aspect. But I and you're right, because I think too, like, especially in the beginning, like remember, we had so many. We were like, we're gonna save this for the podcast, we're gonna save this for the podcast, we're gonna save this for the podcast. There were so many saving and so many doing.

Fabienne 32:30

Yeah, had to store them cakes really here, you know, had some more terabytes and whatnot.

Jordan 32:38

I like honestly, I can't like I think it's so cool that we did that, and we honestly, too, we did it for so long. Like, I'm proud of it.

Fabienne 32:50

Oh, did you mean like the two books per episode?

Jordan 32:52

Because that we did do oh no, podcasting in general, like we just did it for so long, which is like so cool. Four and a half years, like I I know look at us go bam, yeah, uh-huh, uh-huh.

Fabienne 33:11

Also, can I just say I really love your hair by the way? I'm sorry. I had I had it looks really good in you.

Jordan 33:19

I like I love it so much. Who knew I was supposed to be a brunette in my life?

Fabienne 33:25

I well, I mean, I guess maybe you did still at one point because you you're there, no, but you're very like darkish blonde, you know, almost like a brunette anyway. Right?

Jordan 33:35

I know, but who like I was trying to go blonder and it just like never looked good. And then I do the brunette, and it's like, oh, this this is where it's supposed to be.

Fabienne 33:44

Same same hairdresser at the same salon, yeah. Yeah, and I was like, Well, that's good because they know your hair, but they know your hair type like the best too, so that's good.

Jordan 33:55

Exactly. So it's just kind of like one of those. I'm like, yeah, okay. Anyways, really good. Yes, please continue. Yes, so are you reading anything now?

Fabienne 34:10

I am reading Soul Searcher by Lila Sage. Soul Searching? Soul Searcher. I don't know.

Jordan 34:16

Oh, how are how are you liking that? That's that was on my TBR for like the fall, and then I never got to it.

Fabienne 34:22

I honestly I've never read anything of hers before.

What They Read Now

Fabienne 34:26

So this is like my introduction to her writing style. Um, I can see why people love it. Um, I love the premise of the story, like the how I guess original it is. Um do you know anything about it? Because I don't really necessarily want to spoil it in any way what uh whatsoever for you. Oh, spoil it, spoil it. Oh, okay. So it's about this um photographer who moves back to her childhood town, which is just like in the bumfuck of nowhere, really. And then she finds this guy who also moves to there because of a bad breakup. Um, he is an upholsterer, if I say that correctly. Like he refurbishes this a little bit of refurbishes furniture, gives them new life. Um, and she can see ghosts. Um but there is like this thing. Is he a what? A ghost? Oh no, no, no, no, no. I thought you said ghost. I'm like, is this a reference that I'm not getting? No, no, no, he's not a ghost, he's not a ghost. But uh I I okay, wait. So ah, I'm trying to sorry, I made you lose your train of thought. It's fine, it's fine. I lose it all the time. No, no, it's fine, I'll lose it all the time. Choo choo. Um, but but I think, and I mean this with the with the utmost respect, I think the writing style is very simplistic and it's very really well, it's more often than not, not it doesn't add to the plot. And I, even though I'm more I'm more of a fan of like a character growth, like I love um uh more of like a you know, like a character story as opposed than to as opposed to the whole plot itself, if that makes sense. Like plot driven or character. I like books, that's the word. I'm looking, I'm looking for books that are character driven. This is not it. This is just like, oh, I have like a recipe here. Um we have a guy, we have a female, you know, like a very heterosexual dynamic, which is fine. Um, there is this overarching plot, which is like I said, it's very I think it's very um um um original. So that's why I like it. But I feel like the way it's like all woven together, like how they act with another, like um the MMC and the FMC is like it's very simplistic, and then a lot of simple things like domestic things happen. Like they're I can't even honestly, I feel like I'm just like bashing the book now. It's it's no, oh my god, no, one to tan, it's like it's a definite six.

Jordan 37:11

Well, you definitely should not read her cowboy series then, because I read Don and Dusted, and it was like I wanted to read it to like know why everybody was talking about it, but I do a hundred percent agree with your analysis of like soul surging for Don and Dusted. Great analysis, Bob. Great analysis. Thank you. No, but like it is there was something that this guy did, like the main character in Dun and Dusted, and he would whatever he said, he just said it over and over and over again. That I was like, dude, I get it. Like, please shut the fuck up. But I really wanted to know about this like whiskey spitting scene, like he like takes a sip of whiskey and then he tells her to like open her mouth and he like spits it in her mouth, which granted I it the scene did live up to what I hoped it would be, but like to have to go through all of the book to get to that scene, I was like, well, it's not worth it necessarily.

Fabienne 38:14

I no, how were we through that just for one minimal scene?

Jordan 38:19

One scene, but it like, and so I but here's the thing.

Fabienne 38:24

So then I bought the rest of the books, or up to a certain point, and I think I also I I know Fab, I know I have a problem, but I have actually actually this is an AAA meeting without her books, so I'm very glad that you're here. Please gather around.

Jordan 38:45

What if people just start popping up behind you like we're having an intervention for Jordan? Oh my god, yeah, intervention.

unknown 38:54

Sorry.

Jordan 38:56

I like, but kid you not, I like but like I think this is see, this is also the problem with Bookstagram that like I believe what everybody else is saying. So like either I think something's wrong with me, or I'm just like, I did like I I I read it, it was fine. I posted about it, I said I loved it, but I'm like, what the fuck was I doing? Like, and now you're talking about it, and I'm like, wait, actually, I pretty I agree with you because I haven't read the rest of the books, I haven't picked up any of but I bought them at the bookstore. I think I did stop at a certain point because I was like, bitch, you're not reading them, like you can't buy anymore.

Fabienne 39:36

Moment of the middle of Target or Barts and Noble.

Jordan 39:43

I like I don't think I'll like ever read them.

Fabienne 39:46

Oh, you know what the shitty part is though? We're like mag, we're like magpies, right? We we're like crows, we like shiny things, we like if the things is good, and we talked about this before. If a book cover is good, we're like, okay, yes, we are judging a book by its fucking cover. And these books, they look actually pretty darn good from like the outset with the cover.

Jordan 40:04

Her covers are on point, yeah.

Fabienne 40:07

And they're like they have like this 80s look. If you go back to like what we talked about before, like the Harlequin, you know, like the the little romance books and super like in supermarkets and whatnot, they have this type of feel to that when it comes to the covers, but then they're um um drawn, illustrated. They have this very fintage feel to it, which I really like, but then you open the mind and you start reading, and you're like, oops. No cool. Oh boy. So so it's so soul searching, soul searcher. I don't know what what was it? Soul searching, the book? I don't know the title. Oh, I think of that, but I don't know. Okay, so like I said, I think I'm gonna read it. You know, I've actually been flying through it. I'm having on my I have it on my Kindle. I still have my Kindle, your Kindle, my Kindle, our Kindle. Do we still have the pop socket? I do still have the pop socket. I do, I do, I do, yes. The Smuddy Book Podcast, y'all. Um but I probably think it's still I know that you sent it to me. Sorry, I'm going off track right now, but I um but I think even though you like disconnected your whole account from it, I think sometimes a book still comes up that you download. Because sometimes it just like reorganizes the library. I'm like, I never downloaded this book. What is this? Oh, 2% in did I read it? No, I did not. And then it's like a I don't know, like random round call. So sometimes I have it, but sometimes I don't. But I'm not sure how that works because of the kidnapped that you have, that I don't have here, because of EU restrictions. So it's weird.

Jordan 41:42

So I wonder, I might like when this is over, I might ask you to go into your settings because what if it has to do with because if a random like I'm not buying books, like it's K U, but I wonder because that Kindle is used for a lot of arcs I was getting, and sometimes some people would send me arcs without me asking for it. So I wonder if people are still sending arcs to that Kindle and if that's what you're getting. That would be fun. Right.

Fabienne 42:21

But we're gonna check after it could be.

Jordan 42:24

Yeah, but it also could be something because I'm trying to think, like, I'm not really buying books, it's K U, but I know you don't have KU. So like what else could it be? But I know there but right, but there was a hot second, like I randomly will see books pop up on my account from like people sending like arcs, but I think it's just because like a they like kept my email and I kept theirs that it just shows up. But I don't know, it might not be like it could just off yep, we're gonna we're gonna do some digging.

Fabienne 43:03

Um wait, what were we talking about? Oh, right. So I'm reading her book, Lila Sage. Um, and I think afterwards I am going to read. Oh, I also read like um The Scientist of Hot Murin by Kimmy Rose. So see, dark romance.

Jordan 43:18

Oh, I wanna read that dark dark girl.

Fabienne 43:21

That's romance, suspense, whatever.

Dark Romance Then And Now

Jordan 43:24

I would say that oh, like romantic suspense.

Fabienne 43:27

Yeah, it's not even it's not like dark romance in it, but like her unsainted dark romance sense.

Jordan 43:33

Got oh, gotcha, gotcha. Uh was a good book.

Fabienne 43:37

It was very I know.

Jordan 43:38

I can't wait to read it. I want to like reread the first one and then read that one so badly. Yeah. And knowing that you liked it, I'm like, yes.

Fabienne 43:47

But I would advise reading the first book. Um, even though I think in a general sense, you pretty much know like how it ended, but just like to have the same, you know, like I guess the atmosphere, you know, coming back to you like when you read it. I feel Like it's important to read the first book, also because you have read it before, you'll fly through it, and then you have like, Oh, I'm really into this story right now, and it takes off pretty much immediately where it left off.

Jordan 44:11

So yes, okay, okay, and also, like, I don't think I realized how many books KV has like published since we've like left. I know, I know. I feel like I I went to because like her the second book in the hotel number seven came out, and then I was like, Oh, wait a minute, and then I was like, wait a minute, like she has like quite a few now, and I'm like, Yeah, I gotta catch back up.

Fabienne 44:40

Wait, two minutes actually, because yeah, there's been a list. Um hold your horses, KV.

Jordan 44:46

I'm coming, I'm coming.

Fabienne 44:49

No, I think um Lesser Wolves Betray Me Once, um, another book that I don't remember the title of Break You, yes, thank you.

Jordan 44:59

Uh right, yeah, and then and now the ketchup, really. I yeah, and then I think she even brought up C and V. No pressure. Really? No pressure. What?

Fabienne 45:16

No, about C and V, like the Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Jordan 45:21

Um, but I don't know if that's like yes, which I am excited for that. But I'm also like, I'm also excited for any time she'll like give us more Unsainted series because that's like my tried and I love that series with my whole heart. So like that's my favorite of hers, and in general. So when we get more of that, I'm gonna be so excited, so excited. But no pressure, KV, just like whenever you're ready.

Fabienne 45:47

No, fuck that. Yes pressure. Been waiting since 2024.

Jordan 45:52

Fuck that, yes, pressure. Before that, no, I feel like before that. Oh, wait, actually, I forgot because I still think that Jeremiah was the last book, the Boy of Ruin, but I we did get the No, no, no, like Grim Death, like Grim Death Part one, that was 20 2023.

Fabienne 46:11

Wait, was it 2023 or 2024? Like Grim Death.

Jordan 46:15

I think it was 2023. I want to pretty sure that on the podcast.

Fabienne 46:20

Let me look it up. Like Grim Death Part one.

Jordan 46:31

You're getting us live, folks.

Fabienne 46:33

Well, not live, but uh my dude, it says here 2022, but that can't be right, can it?

Jordan 46:40

No, it can be because we did we definitely did that on the uh podcast.

Fabienne 46:45

Holy shit, this is a good one.

Jordan 46:46

I think we broke it up into th no, I think we broke it up into or we were gonna do it on the podcast, but decided not to be.

Fabienne 46:53

I don't know if I oh, right, because it's like unfinished.

Jordan 46:58

Yeah, I think so we might not have. Um I'm not sure. Uh I'm not sure. But so I kind of want to like go back to like your bookstagram stuff. I know, like, I also like went way off topic, but going back, I had a question that I forgot. But oh, so when because you left like the bookstagram scene, did you were you still reading at that time, but you wanted to take the pressure off, or did you just decide to like stop reading and you're like, you know what, I'm gonna just like focus on life, and only recently came back to when like you started reading like Throne of Glass and A Court of Thorns and Roses. I'm just curious if like you needed to totally distance yourself from everything that involves like Bookstagram and reading, or how like you handled that stuff.

Fabienne 48:01

Stuff. Um, it was a mix, really, because I was I didn't want to lose this sound so dramatic, but I didn't want to lose give me I didn't want to lose like all books. Like I felt like that was just such a huge part still of who I was as a person because I was the reader of like our friends group. Oh Fab, you have like podcasts, yeah? Well, not for long anymore, apparently. And then it was like, oh, but do you still like post about it? Like how many fall? You know, so there were like all these questions. So I was still like the book person in our friends group here. And it feels so incredibly silly talking about that right now, but I wanted to still uphold that in a way. Um, so I tried to read as much as I could, but I feel like remember how like with films, like with movies, sometimes there is like um a year that goes by and like like not even one good movie came out this year, you know, and then like in like the next few uh months, you have like five films that are incredibly like incredible that came out. I feel like during that specific time, I was like, but all of the books that I try to read at this moment, they're just not good. Um, and also because I was struggling already so much like with the pressure of the posting, with the upload, and with the content, it just kind of added to it. So in my how I feuded, not only um didn't uh wait, how do I say that? Like, not only were the books not good enough that came out, I was like, um, this is not like you know, like cap like this is not capture me, this is not cap captivating enough for me, but I still wanted to read, so like the pressure that I gave it kind of like added to it. So it was again, it was um a majority of things, really. Um but I tried to read as much as I could, but I DNF'd a shitload of books.

Jordan 49:51

Um really, and this was like uh like after you left the bookstrogram scene, you were like DNFing books, really.

Fabienne 50:00

Yeah, I still like purchase books, um, I still like like physical books, ebooks, and everything. Um, but sometimes everyone's like, oh yeah, this is just like I don't know. I've read fanfiction that was better that was better than this shit, really.

Jordan 50:13

Um I feel like maybe not having the Bookstagram made it easier because I struggle with nothing. Definitely uh see that's like that's kind of nice.

Fabienne 50:27

But then I also sorry, no, you go, yep, yep.

Jordan 50:30

No, no, you go, no, no, no, you go, you go, no, no.

Fabienne 50:33

No, okay.

Jordan 50:34

Well, this okay, fair. I but I have to know do you still have that bookshelf with all your books, or did you get rid of that?

Fabienne 50:44

It's still upstairs, honey. It's not going anywhere so I've okay.

Jordan 50:48

I wasn't sure because like I'm seeing a different background here that I'm like, oh my god, did she get rid of the bookshelf?

Fabienne 50:54

No, this this is

Getting Rid Of Old Books

Fabienne 50:55

just the bedroom because upstairs it's way too hot right now because the sun is like shining all the way through and it's it's too hot.

Jordan 51:02

Gotcha.

Fabienne 51:03

Yeah, no, I still have like the four bookcases filled to the brim. But I am thinking of maybe getting rid of some books that I'm really not fibing with. Um just for good I need to do that more space to get the books that are exactly.

Jordan 51:22

There's so many books that like I know I'm never gonna read. So like why am I still holding on to these? Like, let's get rid of them, let's donate them, sell them, whatever.

Fabienne 51:31

Yeah, but it's funny though, because I when we um uh when we moved here like last year, um obviously I had to like move all of those books as well uh as well, but I had also like an entire moving box of books that I was like, yeah, I'm I'm not gonna put these up, like I have to like donate them or whatever. And we have a library right here in the at the square, like where um uh I do my food shops. So I was like, hey, do is there like uh I don't know, like a requirement or like regulations of how like how to donate them? Can I just like give you this box, or do you only accept certain titles? And she was like, What type of genres? And so I was like, romance, dark romance, have you ever heard of it? It's like, yeah, we don't accept that here. We don't accept that. We only have like good fiction. Literally, what she said almost forbade. I'm like, okay, so what do I do with it? She's like, you can just give them to Goodwill. I'm like, oh okay. So I get I got to Goodwill, or like our version of Goodwill. And they were like, what type of books are they? Dark romance, um, like romance with smut. Yeah, so we don't really accept that here. So I had to like put them like at like the general waste because they weren't accepted anywhere. So there's apparently a standard for I know, I know, ridiculous, but also it was kind of funny in a way, you know, like oh because I thought there were no not too they were not too good for me to keep, if that makes sense, and and now you're like over here, like but like also you would think like I mean it is kind of funny, but it's also like it sucks though because it's like it could have found its person, like somebody would have liked it.

Jordan 53:16

So it sucks that you didn't have a spot that you could put it for someone else to find it. Yeah, so that's kind of frustrating.

Fabienne 53:24

I probably should have waited until King's Day, though. Remember Kings Day when you were here in 2024, and then we went to the park and people sold their stuff.

Jordan 53:31

I should have done that and just said free. Yeah, you just take them. The thing is no, please take take five more. Please, you you take one, you take five.

Fabienne 53:44

Actually, yes, it's a great day.

Jordan 53:45

Sorry, not sorry. We um recently signed up for the the why for like a gym membership, and they have like it's like do you know the premise of a why, like a YMCA? Yeah, yeah. Well, yeah, no, I don't. And like okay, okay, so it's basically like a community center,

Gym Community And Book Swaps

Jordan 54:06

and they have like a gym, and then they have a pool, they have tennis and pickleball rackets, they have like an actual gym for like shooting basketball, they have classes, so it's like all it's a community thing. So it's like um in certain towns they'll have a why right? They'll have a YMCA. And I've been wanting to get back to the gym. I know I did you know that uh like you remember me telling you, like, I've been wanting to try to get back into like a gym, like an actual gym to like lift weights and stuff. Yes, ma'am. I just like I I really didn't want to sign up for Planet Fitness or like any of the ones around here. And I was like, I really don't want to do that. I was doing Pilates for a little bit, which I do still want to do that continuously, but like it's also expensive, so it's just like I pick and choose when I I do that. But yeah, sure. I was like, I at my book club, like my local book club, I was like talking about like wanting to join the gym. You're still you still have the book club? Well, this one is like a local one of like these girls I found. Um it's actually like one of my like like oldest friends, her like stepsister, and then we found another girl. This was like through the beach read in bubbly, so there's only like four of us, but I know this too. And here's a crowd, right? I know. And um she like one of the when I was telling these girls about it, one girl who like actually lives in my neighborhood down the street. She was like, join the why. And I was like, the why? She's like, Yeah, I have like a family membership. It's like me, my husband, and my kid, and we go to the why. And I was like, Okay, so I made Nick. I was like, uh, this was like not this weekend, but the weekend before. I was like, let's go tour the why. Like, let's go see what they have to offer and like pricing and stuff. And they're showing us everything. And I'm like, I think this might be it. Like, I think this is what we need to join join. And don't get me wrong, it's like $110 a month, so it is kind of expensive, but I think it's wait for person or for the Chiu Hyu for the both of us, that's not even that expensive, right? And for everything you get, because like it's also right on the water, so there's a little beach area too. It is the beach is open to the public though, and they do host um like camps during the summer, so it's not really available, but it's still like there. So if if camp's not there, you can go and like lay out. And then there's like a park for kids. There's like a little like um, I think there's like a barn so you can rent out a space. But the why, like in itself, like I honestly love the pickleball and the tennis uh courts because it like it's becoming summer. So I'm like, if we need something to do, but we want to go be active, like let's go do that.

Fabienne 56:53

Like, are you good at tennis? I never not at all.

Jordan 56:58

No, those golf which is like go everywhere. I did I did do tennis like in high school for like I did a little bit of everything because mostly my friends were like, I want to join the tennis team, and I'm like, Okay, like I'll do it with you. I didn't make the tennis team, but like we were practicing, like I also didn't make it. The thing is too, is like you have to like everybody makes the tennis team, but if you just show up to one of well, if you don't show up to one of the like practices before you make the team, you're automatically not on the team. But what I don't even know what it was, but like I honestly could not do it, like for whatever reason. But my friend that wanted to join the tennis team couldn't do it either, so we both didn't make the team. So I was like, what was the point of that? Like, she's like, I don't know, but like just try we could say we did it, right? But I was like, and it like worked out because like I really didn't want to be on the team, like I didn't want to play tennis. Like, who wants to play tennis? But now I'm over here, like, let's go play tennis.

Fabienne 58:02

I guess I guess it's also because you're getting older, not to sound too dramatic, but I feel like you one, you give less of a shit, and two, you're just like in for anything, really, at this point. And three, you just want to work out because you feel your joints otherwise.

Jordan 58:15

Exactly. Like, I kind of just want to be healthy, like, I want it to be more of a lifestyle, not me like going to the gym. Like, I want it to be like we're just like having a better lifestyle, which I want to take swimming, but I'm pretty sure I'll like drown. Like, I want to like swim, like, because there's like drown, honey. Well, well, I think I think it will be like the doggy paddle to me drowning. So, like, but but like people are doing like full-blown, like I don't even know the different like swimming things, but anyway, just whole roundabout reason. Like, is that what they're the butterfly? Oh, that's that one is hard, that's the only one.

Fabienne 59:00

No, chess crawl. Yeah, I I have no idea what that is crawl. That's like the normal this one.

Jordan 59:06

The doggy paddle. Oh, no, not the current yes, sure.

Fabienne 59:11

Yeah, the doggy paddle. That's that's a chess crawl. That's the one I need to do. It's an Olympic sport, it's an Olympic sport of this one. You should sign up. Maybe that you can.

Jordan 59:20

I should. Yeah, then I drown. Anyways, but the whole roundabout reason reason is like I outside of the Y, there's a free little library. So I've been like, every time we go, I bring a couple books that I know I'm not gonna try to sell and put them in the free little library. But because the Y is so highly traffic, like track it, like there's so much traffic going there, yeah, that I brought my brought my books, and by the time I brought my books, went to the Y to work out. By the time I came out, my books were gone. Really? Right, right, and I got a book. It was um, I've been wanting well, we'll see if I read it, but I've been wanting it. It has been on my TBR, but iced out by like, is it C E Richie? C E ri ri Richie? Like I doubt, I think it's like an MM hockey romance. That was there when we went to go look at the why, and I took it. I literally put it in my bag. I was like, yep, thank you. I know I'll be bringing books here, so I'm taking this one.

Fabienne 1:00:20

Switch it, but like we're just swapping at this point, really.

Jordan 1:00:23

Bait and switch, yeah. No, so like I think that's so cool, and I I love I joined the why for the free little library. But not too loud, don't say that too loud. Too loud, too loud. But I thought that, like, I don't know, like I thought it was just like an even extra thing. So yeah, I feel like there was also a point to this story more than the free little library, but I don't really remember. Oh, but like you can put anything there where apparently you had to bring your books to the waist, which kind of sucks, right? That was the point. Yeah, bro.

Fabienne 1:00:54

I also forgot.

Jordan 1:00:55

That was the point because it's like I you can bring like I that iced out is definitely like a dark MM hockey smuddy romance, and how can hockey honestly?

Fabienne 1:01:05

How can a sports romance be dark? You know, I'm just very fascinated by that type of marketing.

Jordan 1:01:12

Oh, maybe it's not dark. I just thought it was. Maybe it's not.

Fabienne 1:01:20

I mean, to be fair, again, circling back to KB Rose, I think because her Betray Me Once is also a hockey, like and it's an Andrew. I don't even I don't even know, I don't even know like the abbreviations anymore at this point, like the initialisms. Is it is it MMFC? Like it's m MMF, that's the one MMF. Um, but there's also dark. Oh really? Hockey romance, and I'm like, how is it dark? Because there's like a love triangle or there's like multiple people. I don't know how that works. Like, how is this how is this dark? But um how are you dark?

Jordan 1:01:52

I don't know. I don't know beats me, but yeah, well, uh, that kind of like stinks that you had to do that with your books, but hopefully it will find its new home in the incinerator.

Fabienne 1:02:08

Well, or maybe just the people who like run to garbage uh scene.

Jordan 1:02:12

Maybe they have like if uh you know like they're like, ooh, ooh, I'm gonna take this one, I'm gonna take this one.

Fabienne 1:02:21

But yeah. Don't really see the happening. But yes. Um, but um, like I said, I do have the the bookcase still upstairs, but I am, and this is like a like a like a long-term type project, but I do want to replace the bookshelves because you know they're like the old dark Billy bookcases from IKEA, which are perfectly fine. But back in the apartment, everything was a little bit darker, right? And I'm as you can see with this backdrop, I have more like beige, neutral, Scandinavian type colours in my home now. So I want to maybe replace them at one point just for like light or like light teak. The white one, yeah, or or the white one, but also just like actual wood bookcases, just like the you know, like the wood book. Not the IKEA, yeah, not IKEA cheap quality.

Jordan 1:03:12

Yeah, because I uh this was like after you had left like the bookstagram scene, but like I re- I so I'm living at home, and I know we talked about that on the podcast at one point. Moved back home, and basically my mom's not really here anymore, and so it's we I've been able to slowly make the house like our place in a way that I redid her whole living room. And if my mom ever listens to this episode, I'm so sorry. But mom, you're a hoarder, you are a hoarder, and I am saying it now. So I went through and I threw out so much stuff, and which I did put things that I thought were important in like the office, which is another room, which she hates that I did that. But I'm also like, you would be mad if I threw all this out, so like I have to put it somewhere. Make a concession series. Yes, exactly, and no one goes in the office, but like if people were to come over, the living room looks nice now because it's a lot more open, there's not so much stuff. But when I reorganized, I was able to buy bookshelves, and like I put a ton of of my books on the bookshelves, but it's looks so much nicer. You should, but they but they are the Billy like IKEA shelving, which I think. Yeah, but they are fine. They are honestly, they are fine as they are. It's just sometimes they are they don't just the nicest, yeah. They're just but they do they do a job. Like, I'm not gonna buy like super nice bookshelves to put in my mom's house when I don't want to be here forever. Like, hopefully, we leave, but I can leave these Billy bookshelves for her so like she can use them and put knick-knacks or yeah, other books here. So it's like I is your mom a reader?

Fabienne 1:04:55

Do you know? Because I know that your sister is sort of like a reader.

Jordan 1:04:59

Yeah, my sister's a reader. My mom is, but like not as much as like me and my sister. So she wouldn't she definitely would not need all those bookshelves, but I could see her using it like for other things, like putting knickknacks and stuff. So I can't see her like getting rid of them, but I can she definitely won't fill it with books like I have it.

Fabienne 1:05:19

Unless you'll fill it up at one point.

Jordan 1:05:22

That's good, but also and yeah, and to go back to you for a second, I it makes me really happy that you still have your bookshelf and that you are still reading. Because I for a second wasn't sure if you just like weren't reading anymore.

Fabienne 1:05:34

It's it's it's uh valid concern to have from across the pond, but I do still read. I also read um, you know, if I just have to like go through what what I read this past year, um, or like this last half past year. I can't do maths. Um, I

New Genres And Comfort Rereads

Fabienne 1:05:51

read um oh god, what's her name? She also did uh the Shadow and Bone series. Leigh Lee. Lee uh I think so, yes. Um I didn't read the Shadow and Bone series, but I did read her uh like her Ninth House um uh series because I read Ninth House way like way back when it came out, forgot basically everything about it. Didn't really capture me that much at that point when it came out. Like I read it, but I basically just went through the emotions of just like reading but not really saving or like reading, reading what was like on the page. And then I did a reread and I was like, God, this shit is good. Like it's it's not smuddy in any sense, but there are very mature themes. Um, so it's like not even young adult. I'd say it's just like an adult novel, really. Um, but it's really, really good. I read the second novel, and I think the third one is coming out this September, I want to say, which also gave me like a spur of motivation to read it. Um but like I said, I've been reading a lot. Um, I have read also like read some classics. I read Frankenstein again, um uh which I know as you should. Which I know. Um, also because the movie came out, of course, not too long ago. Oh, yeah. So I was really like in that dark um um uh gothic type um uh vibe. I was like, oh, I have to read like stuff like this. So I read Frankenstein too. Um and yeah, no, I a lot of thrillers, like I said, as well. Um but yeah, I've been reading a few rom coms that have popped up on Instagram, which I can't really remember the names of, but they were just they were just good, they were just like fun. I mean, wouldn't they weren't like remarkable by my standards, but they were good, they were fun. Um but yeah, no, no, I'm definitely reading. And like I said, I'm reading Lila's H right now, and I'm planning on reading that one book that we shall not discuss because of for the sake of the author, I want to read that one too, because the premise seems pretty darn promising.

Jordan 1:07:54

Right, right. I like I'm excited for that, and I want to read that one too at some point. I don't know when, but hopefully soon. But I do want to ask you two questions before we end this episode. One the first one is what book, now that like you've kind of like left the bookstagram scene, but you're still reading, what book do you recommend to anyone and everyone?

Fabienne 1:08:20

Oh Jesus. Okay, um based on the fact

One Book Recommendation And Why

Fabienne 1:08:26

that it could literally be anybody that I'm recommending this book to, um, I will probably take into account who they are as a person. So I wouldn't do a very specific niche, so I wouldn't recommend my go-to recommendation, which is Gothicana. Um, because that's I don't know, I feel like that's for a specific type person. Um I know, I would I still recommend it to anyone and everyone. Word and guy, I'm like running your horizons, maybe. Um, no, I would always go um Timeline by Michael Crichton or um uh Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island, which is a classic, but it's like it was my kid's favorite. My dad read it to me, so it has like emotional value. Um, and also I think it's good to read a book of the olden days. Um, just I don't know, I guess. Olden days. No, but it's like a really good story. It's like a pirate story, of course. I mean, Eston title pretty much gives it away. Um, but I would say Michael Crichton, um uh timeline. It's the guy who wrote uh guy who wrote Jurassic Park 2. So, you know, that kind of gives people like the motivation to actually pick it up. Um, so yes, sorry, sorry, Michael Crichton, timeline.

Jordan 1:09:44

I like it. I like it. Okay, the end. No, no, no. Um, and then the last question I have for you is what is one future goal you would like to achieve? And it could be in anything. Anything.

Fabienne 1:09:57

Oh, that's such that's a very admirable uh thing to think of. Um

Future Goals And Podcast Growth

Fabienne 1:10:08

I probably should have told you that question ahead of time. I'm sorry. Uh yeah, she should. Yes, you should. Um honestly, this is probably going to sound kiss-assy, kiss ass-ish. Um, but maybe do this more often again with you. Hopefully. Yes.

Jordan 1:10:24

Oh my god.

Fabienne 1:10:26

And it doesn't have to be, of course, like next week, but I mean, just like once in a while, you know, just like if you don't have like any, I want to say customers. Sorry, as if you were running like a red light district. Um, but if you don't have like any people like coming on, you're like, oh, maybe, maybe Fabison, just you know, like give me a call and we can make it happen.

Jordan 1:10:44

Uh yes. Oh my god, actually that makes me so happy because I have something I want to run by you, but I'll run but run it by you after this we like disconnect.

Fabienne 1:10:53

Okay.

Jordan 1:10:54

Well, as in like what what is wait, you know what I mean?

Fabienne 1:10:56

Yeah, no, I do know. Wait, can I return that last question to you? Like, what is let's say sh let's say short term. Like, what is the goal for you? Because I'm curious now, Joe.

Jordan 1:11:07

Well, like in like podcasting or in no like anything, anything, anything as well. Ooh, okay. Well, I think I'll maybe look at it as podcasting because I would like to I think like so. I ended up, I don't know if you like realized, but I moved the podcasting to every other week because I was every week, as much as I wanted to keep up with that, it was really difficult with trying to get people on because it's different when it was like me and you because it was so easy to either we would if we knew we couldn't, we would do a couple ahead of time. We were always like a month or two ahead. So like if we had to cancel, we could cancel. And it was just so much easier. We had a set time, but like now trying to coordinate with people, I had to um, it was just too much pressure with me, and then like work and bookstagram that I was like, I have to go to every other week. And honestly, really the kicker was like I was chatting with a few people, and the episodes were not good, and I was like, I can't put this out there. Like the the shit and it was like right, and it wasn't even like the quality of the episode, it was well, it was the quality, but it was also just like the episode itself. I was like, this isn't good, like I didn't know what I was doing, they didn't know what they were doing, and I was like, I can't put this out there. So it was like even Nick was saying, like, you need to have quality over quantity. So I think it's better if you just don't even even if you had to skip a few weeks, but the episode that does come out, the people that are following you know it's going to be a good episode. So I was like, okay, well, I do want to try to be on a schedule. So I'm I'm now switching to like every other week, but I would love to get to the point where I can get this podcast back to every week and honestly to make money from it. Like I think those are like two goals that I would like to achieve with this podcast. Now, is it achievable because it's super niche? I don't know. But like right now, it's like fun and going every other week really helped. And so it's like really I only need to try to come up with two episodes like every month, really, and sometimes three. Yeah. But I do want to try to get ahead again where I'm like maybe like two months ahead, because I have had some episodes to like reschedule because people had like they couldn't meet that day. So I was like a month ahead because people, of course, want the episode to come out so soon, but coming out so soon, and then people canceling on me, it's like, okay, well, I can't, I need to be like at least two months ahead. So if you cancel, I'm not like scrambling. So there's like I kind of want to like maybe get two months ahead, like make money, like those sort of things. So I think those are like goals for me, but like, thank you for asking.

Fabienne 1:14:15

No, of course. And I'm curious, I don't just like return to question just for the sake of returning, I'm just genuinely curious, also because I haven't spoken to you in a little bit. Um, but I think that's like I said, I think I think they should be achievable. I mean, if you just like do it long enough, you you kind of like learn all, you know, like the the shticks of like this game, really, you know, like all the rules and you know how to apply them eventually. And I think if you really, you know, put your money where your mouth is and you really want it. I mean, that's just how things grow eventually. I mean, it doesn't goes for us both, really, because we do have, I guess, similar person, um, like personality traits in that sense. Like when we want something and we're really enthusiastic about it, we pretty much want to have it done by yesterday, you know? Like we want to have it like go like immediately. Like, if we're not good at it immediately, we're just like, uh it's not working for us. But we we have to try and trust the progress, even though it's slow as shit, just trusted. And also, I think trust in yourself. And I feel like that's a very important thing for you right now as well, with growing, because I think you can do it.

Jordan 1:15:22

I I think I think so too. And I have like some ideas of like what I'm thinking too. I won't say it here. Sorry, people say zip it, zip it. No, yeah, but like I'm gonna tell you after, but I could I like I have some ideas of like what I want to try to do, and hopefully that's something that can happen. But yeah, um, but yeah, I the world is our oyster, Fob. The world is our oyster. It is. Well, thank you so much for coming on the podcast and chatting with me. I don't know if you want to like plug yourself because I I don't even know what your Instagram handle is now.

Fabienne 1:16:03

No, it's fine. Let just people let the people who have already found me just like stay there to people who want to find me, do

Wrap Up And Where To Find Her

Fabienne 1:16:10

your best. No, it's fine. Good luck. And like they already gave it away, is basically no, but honestly, yes. No, it's really just my name at this point. Svob.martin's. It's fine. You know, fuck it. No, I don't want to fuck myself. No, no, crutch that. No, it's scratching. It's okay.

Jordan 1:16:27

Scratching.

Fabienne 1:16:27

Adios, amigos.

Jordan 1:16:29

Oh, wait, what did I used to say? Catch you on the flip side, motherfucker.

unknown 1:16:33

Motherfucker.