Plans Are Booked

Molly Galler (00:01)
Welcome to Plans Are Booked, a podcast for every reader. I'm Molly Geller.

Stephanie (00:06)
I'm Stephanie Blackburn.

Kaitlin (00:09)
And I'm Caitlin Madison. Welcome to chapter 38 of Plans Are Booked. Thanks for listening and being with us. We hope you are enjoying the sizzling summer. It is quite hot in Massachusetts. We are sitting in Stephanie's house with the air conditioning on. yeah, it's like, are we on, like our second or third heat wave? And we're recording today's July

Molly Galler (00:19)
It's quite hot in Massachusetts.

Stephanie (00:29)
but it's still 82 in here.

Kaitlin (00:39)
Second or third heat wave that we're on, very unusual, very humid, swampy weather for Massachusetts. I don't want to say, I don't want to get political on the podcast, but global warming is real. Vote for somebody who actually believes in science. That's all I'm going to say about that.

What's everybody been doing?

Stephanie (01:00)
Dog sitting for my neighbor Skylar. My sister and I have been sharing the responsibilities because it's really nice to get away from each other every once in while, especially when it's this hot. And I visited Caitlin yesterday at her dental office and got to get some licks and sniffs from Winnie the little wiener dog. That's really about it since we lost that down together.

Molly Galler (01:26)
I am now hosting my parents for the summer. If you are a new listener, my parents live in Miami, Florida. And since I got the beach house and hull, they have been escaping in the summertime. Ironically, it's kind of the same temperature here that it is there right now, which I think didn't make them feel too much relief when they arrived. But my dad is an amazing cook. So I am very much looking forward to.

the Chef Dad meals. And today, while I was trapped on Zoom, they went to the beach. So I'm looking forward to getting to join them next week when I start my freedom life. If you didn't listen to last week's episode, I quit my job. I'm starting a new chapter. And that chapter is going to include a lot less Zoom for August, which I'm really looking forward to.

Kaitlin (02:21)
I hope a lot more day drinking than I'm invited to, honestly. I'm free Thursdays and Fridays. I've mentioned this once. I've mentioned it a million times. I think that we really are going to, and also I don't know what we're supposed to call it anymore when it stays warm in September and October, because I think Indian summer is not PC, but whatever, lingering summer we'll call it. I feel like we're going to have a really good lingering summer leading up to your big birthday.

Stephanie (02:25)
Thank you.

Molly Galler (02:30)
Very into that idea very into it

Stephanie (02:34)
And also, I don't know what we're supposed to it, but it stays warm in September and October, think Indian summer is obviously. But whatever, summer we'll call it. I feel like we're going to have a really good, lingering summer, you know, to your big birthday.

Kaitlin (02:50)
Don't you think? just, I have, I just have this feeling and I was talking to somebody at the office today. I talked to a lot of people about the weather because they like come in and they're like, you know, bundled up or sweating or, know, nobody comes in like calm cool and collected to the dental office for whatever reason. We are on the third floor. So maybe that's part of it, but everybody comes in and like, usually I haven't been outside in a while when they come in. And so it's like, how is it out there? Like what's going on? Like how are you feeling? Blah, blah, blah.

Stephanie (02:54)
I was talking to some of you in the office today. I talk to a lot of people about the letter because they come in and then I'm know, I'm doing that. When she comes in, like, from 4 and 5 to the next block, that's probably the reason we are in the third floor. So maybe that's part of it. But everyone comes in and usually I think about Saturday night.

Molly Galler (03:00)
And they're know, huddling up or sweating. You know, nobody comes in like, home from work, like, into the dental office for whatever reason. We are on the third floor, so maybe that's part of it. But everybody comes in, and like, usually I haven't been outside in a while when they come in, and so it's like, how is it out there? Like, what's going on? How are you feeling? What are you up to?

Kaitlin (03:22)
No one can believe how hot it is. Like there are people, like we have one patient who's in her 80s, she's a retired Latin teacher and she's never had air conditioning in her entire life and she might break down and get it because she's like, I thought about it last summer and now this summer is really sending me over the edge because it doesn't get cool at night anymore. And I was like, you know what, you're right.

Molly Galler (03:22)
No one can believe how long it is. Like there are people, like we have one patient who's in her 80s, she's a retired law teacher, and she's never had air conditioning in her entire life, and she might break down and get it because she's like, I thought about it last summer and now this summer it's really telling me I'm gonna go bed because it doesn't get cooler at night anymore. And I was like, you know what, you're right. And she was like, I'm gonna have to do it. I really don't, because she was also raised by a mentalist.

Kaitlin (03:47)
And she was like, I think I'm going to have to do it. I really don't, cause she's like also an environmentalist. She's like, I really have never wanted to do this. And I think that she's like, I can't sleep. Like this isn't good for my health. And I was like, no, it definitely isn't. So where people are breaking it's happening. I know everybody's like, this is when serial killers like go on sprees and like heat of passion moments and whatever. And you know, podcasts abound, it's

Stephanie (03:52)
She's like, didn't have any thought to do this. I think that she's like, I can explain. Like, it's different point of health. And I was like, no, it definitely isn't. So people are breathing it. It's happening. I know it. It's like, this place here, the floor is like, really free. It's like heat of passion, warmth, and whatever.

Molly Galler (03:53)
I really never wanted to do this. She's like, I can't sleep. This is my health. And I was like, no, it definitely isn't. people are great. It's happening. I know everybody's like, this a serial killer. He's like, go on screens and eat a passion moment and whatever and podcasts around. it's like, mean, we're not old people. And if I lived it, I could never have had UC and their vote. It might go down.

Stephanie (04:12)
you know, podcasts and all, but it's like, I mean, you know, most people in TechWork don't even know how to see it, but they're culture. Like, it's like a country town. So I think that actually one of the systems, I'm going to go on to speak on iPad Thunder. I'm very excited about them, all these other technologies, and I hope we can get to them.

Kaitlin (04:15)
I mean, we got old people in New England that like have never had AC and like they're broken. Like it might go down. so other than the heat, what else has been, I'm going to know a con this week at Fenway, which I'm very, I'm very excited about and Molly's cousins are going to, so I'm hopefully going to meet up with them. Supposedly the temperature is going to start to drop on Thursday. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And so, I'm hoping that I won't melt.

Molly Galler (04:22)
yeah.

Stephanie (04:34)
Supposedly, the time that people started dropping things, saying thank thank you, thank thank you, so I'm hoping that I've helped, but I think I'm gonna skip the opener, because I'm checking these stuff. Sorry, who is opener? Not what I've seen before. So, the way that, if you go to a lot of

Kaitlin (04:45)
but I think I'm gonna maybe skip the opener because I've checked all the set lists. Mount Joy, I've seen them before. So the way that if you go to a lot of concerts like I do, I always check the set lists not because I wanna know every song that's being played, but because I wanna know like when does the opener come, when are the doors, when does the opener typically come out, when does the main act usually come out so that I can plan accordingly.

Molly Galler (04:49)
because I checked all the settings. Not July, I've seen them before. So the way that...

If you go to a lot of projects like I do, I always check the set lists, not because I want to know every song I sing, but because I want to know when does the opener come out, when are the doors, when does the opener typically come out, when does the main act usually come out, so that I can plan recording. Particularly with a place like Fenway or Gillette, where everything is super expensive inside the stadium, I would like to have a couple drinks with friends and wait it out before I go in.

Stephanie (05:00)
Please check the set lists not because I want to know what your song is being played, but because I want to know when. it When is it closed? When does the open have to be

so that I can plan for recording. Particularly the place like Fenway or the Ludd where everything is super expensive inside this stadium. I would have probably gotten a couple drinks with friends and waited out before I go in.

Kaitlin (05:14)
particularly with a place like Fenway or Gillette where everything is super expensive inside the stadium. I would much rather have a couple drinks with friends and wait it out before I go in. And I've seen Mount Joy before, so I'm kind of like, meh about that. Noah apparently doesn't go on until like nine or nine fifteen, and then he plays until eleven. So I'm like, I could wait until the sun goes down and then go to my seats. Now, do the other people I'm going with feel the same way? Probably not.

Stephanie (05:25)
and I've seen out there like four or so on the internet about that. No one here is on like 9 to 9 .15 and that plays until 11. So like I can wait until the sun goes down and then it proceeds. Now, do the other people on the internet feel the same way? Probably not, but you know, think minds might change in a moment. You know what I mean? Like it could be that it's super hot and 60 % of fans know it and they don't want to be that happy to wait a little bit.

Molly Galler (05:25)
and I've seen Mount Joy before so I'm kind of like mad about that. Noah apparently doesn't go on until like 9 or 9 15 and then he plays until 11. So I'm like I can wait until the sun comes down and then go to my seats. Now do the other people on the way feel the same way? They probably do not, but you know I think kind of mine's great thing to do at the It's been super hot.

Kaitlin (05:44)
But you know, think it'll, mines might change in the moment. You know what I mean? Like it could be that it's super hot at six or 7 p .m. and they're like, you know what, I'm gonna actually wait a little bit. So I'm looking forward to that. I'm gonna go look at some more houses, ones in Waltham that I'm kind of excited about. It's a little more expensive than what I'd like to spend, but.

Stephanie (06:07)
then it's not one that I've spent because I've been sticking to your price range.

Kaitlin (06:10)
Yeah, no, this one's a little above but it already has air conditioning and nothing needs to be gutted. Like literally zero things. So I'm like, okay, well, it's like 40 grand above what I wanted to spend, but that's 40 grand that I probably would have dumped into it within a year or two anyway. trying to branch out. I'm trying to like, my landlord told me that she's selling our house in April. So I'm like trying to pound the pavement a little

Molly Galler (06:10)
Yeah, now this one's a little above but it already has air conditioning and nothing needs to be done. It's like literally zero things. So I'm like, okay, well, it's like 40 ,000 that I wanted to spend but that's 40 ,000 I probably wouldn't have dumped into it within a year or two anyway, so.

And my mom's knees started to let off. So now I'm okay, try to cut off, get serious about houses again. You know, I feel like I'm more serious than I was when younger.

Kaitlin (06:39)
You know, it is what it is. And my mom's surgery went well. So now I'm like, okay, check that off, get serious about houses again. You know, I can only handle one serious thing at a time basically, or I try to when possible.

Molly Galler (06:52)
Before we get into our book for today, I was listening to a podcast while I was walking scout this morning and I wanted to share with you guys this thing that I heard. Emily Henry, author of many beloved books like Beach Read and Happy Place and People You Meet on Vacation was on Kate Kennedy's podcast, Be There in Five. If you missed our episode about Kate's book, it's called One in a Millennial. You can go back and listen to it. So she and Emily were talking and Kate was asking what it's like as some of her books are being adapted for the screen. And she said,

Stephanie (07:02)
Thank you.

So she and he was asking us like, as we certainly adapted for this period, and she said,

Molly Galler (07:21)
all of the different production companies she's working with are handling things in different ways. Some have really small teams, some have bigger teams. So she said she isn't doing the writing on all of them. So in the ones where she is more just in like a consultative role, she said, I think of myself as representing the voice of the reader. She said, I'm not trying to question whether they're sticking to my

Stephanie (07:26)
So she said she isn't doing the right thing on all of them. So I think she was kind of saying like a consultant general. She said, I think of myself as representing a voice of that being. She said, I'm not trying to question or stick to my story of the community or the cast of the movie.

Kaitlin (07:26)
She said...

I think of myself as representing the voice of the reader. She said, I'm not trying to question whether I'm sticking to my story or that casting in the other idea. She said, my biggest concern is if we had and left one of books or wasn't any of these changes or sent me a computer review. And I think that's so interesting that she hears more of a reader reaction than the like,

Molly Galler (07:51)
story arc perfectly or they're casting in the way that I would have. She said my biggest concern is if you read and loved one of my books. Will one of these changes upset you and infuriate you? And I thought that was so interesting that she cares more about the reader reaction than the like mimicking of her original book. And I just wondered if you guys feel like that's like the right author role in the adaptation or if you would think of it differently if it was your own.

Stephanie (07:59)
I'm so interested in what she cares about her career and passion than what you know of her original book. just think that's fantastic.

Molly Galler (08:21)
manuscript being adapted.

Stephanie (08:23)
Well, I think if you are coming at it with the readers in mind, then you are sort of sticking pretty close to the source material because that's what they're having emotions and feelings towards, know, the way two characters interact or like a piece of dialogue that like melted your frosty heart or whatever it is. So I feel like if you're going in that way,

Kaitlin (08:23)
Well, I think if you are coming at it with the reader's mind, then you are sort of sticking pretty close to the source material because that's what they're having emotions and feelings towards, you know, the way to the characters interact with a piece of dialogue that like melted your frosted heart or whatever it is. So I feel like if you're going in that way, I mean, I don't have no problem looking at

Molly Galler (08:29)
and are sort of sticking pretty close to the source material because that's what they are more having emotions and feelings towards, you know, the way two characters interact, a piece of dialogue that like melted your frosty heart or whatever it is. So I feel like if you're going in that way, I mean, I don't have a problem looking at it that way. I mean, readers fall in love

Stephanie (08:49)
I mean, I would have no problem looking at it that way. I mean, because readers fall in love with whatever the charisma or the genuine whatever of a certain character, as long as that's being maintained, then I wouldn't mind if like, you know, major arcs changed a bit or whatever, you know? I think it's more about,

Kaitlin (08:51)
that way. mean, because readers fall in love with whatever is a kind of charisma or dejection, whatever sort of character, as long as that's being maintained, then I would find it like, know, nature.

Molly Galler (09:16)
Like, for example, I was thinking about the summer I turned pretty and how they added this whole like, cotillion piece that just like was not in the books. And Jenny herself had like total creative control over that. And it was interesting that even for her own work, she was like, okay, for the screen, I'm going to put this other sort of

Kaitlin (09:16)
Like, for example, I in was in college. And yeah.

Stephanie (09:18)
Watch me eat my words.

Kaitlin (09:27)
She was just like the most accomplished in the books. And Jen was totally, totally creative and full of it. And it interesting. Even though she work, she was like, okay, I'm just trying to put this other sort of surface of that thing to the next. And she was like, okay, I'm gonna that. And I was like, okay, I'm gonna do that. Which she still said, I don't think we did that.

Molly Galler (09:43)
circumstance into the mix and change things up a little bit. And I thought to myself, if that were like, Emily Henry reacting to them saying, okay, we're going to add in this like other plot element, would she still say, I don't think the reader would like that? Or would she say, Yeah, okay, I could see that. I don't know. It's just interesting to think about, like, if, if that would be your yes or no way that you advise them.

Kaitlin (09:57)
which is that you're a fan of the left. I don't know, it's just interesting to think about like this, and they allowed you to do it, and that's the way that you advise

I kind of agree with what she said. But there are so okay, the thing about Jenny Han, because I at this point feel like I'm a little bit of a Jenny Han obsessive slash fangirl. And so when she adapted The Summer I Turned Pretty, it became a TV show, not a movie, which she had adapted some of her books into movies before. So I think she had to be

Stephanie (10:16)
So, okay, the thing about GiniCon is

And so, once you adapted to something like the pretty and became a TV show, which truth adapted some our books into movies before? So I think she had to be

Kaitlin (10:38)
The first book, a lot of it is just like Belly pining after Conrad and flashbacks to when she's a little kid. And so she had to stretch it in ways to be like, what do they do to fill their whole summer? Because we can't just watch Belly sitting on the beach, like wishing Conrad was her boyfriend. Everybody will be bored to tears. And so I think that I would be, if it was my book being adapted, I would

Stephanie (10:38)
The first book, a lot of it is just like, Belly trying to a con man and flashbacks to what she was like a And so she had to stretch the in -pades to be like, one of the cutest moments of the summer because we can't just watch Belly sitting on the beach like, wishing on her happy boyfriend. Everybody would be bored to tears. And so I think, I think that I would be, if I would be adapted, I would be...

Kaitlin (11:07)
I would have less of a tight grip on the conceptual aspects of the story and a tighter grip on the actual casting and characters because that's your vision. That's how you, know, and like, I'm sure stuff feels this way too, but like the book that I've been ignoring writing for a while now, like that's the characters in that are like,

Stephanie (11:09)
I would have less of a tight grip on the conceptual aspects of the story and a tighter grip on the actual casting of characters because that's your vision, that's how you know what you're doing.

I'm sure it's not just this way too, but all these things are important for while now. The characters in that are like mish -mashes of like three or four different students that I've taught. It's like, you know, this kid, like these characters, this kid are attached to this student I have eight years ago, but then also they look like this kid that I have six years ago. And I think a lot of the characters probably do that, whether or not it's intentional.

Kaitlin (11:35)
mishmashes of like three or four different students that I like taught over the it's like, you know, this kid like these characteristics of this kid are attached to this student I had eight years ago, but then also they look like this kid that I had six years ago, you know what I mean? Like, and I think a lot of authors probably do that, like whether or not it's intentional. And so in your head, when you're writing it, you're like, I know who this person is, I know how they're supposed to

I know what they're supposed to look like and I think that I would have a much harder time. But if there's fanfare and you're on the internet and people have drawn up and done their dream casting and whatever, maybe I'd be a little influenced by that. I'm not really sure. It's kind of hard to say. But I would like to think that authors

Molly Galler (12:10)
But if, you know, they have the internet and people would like to a couple of dozen people, that's a good idea. I don't if it's a term, I don't know what say. But I would like to think that...

Stephanie (12:10)
If, you know, since there is not enough internet people like draw up to others, you can ask me.

Kaitlin (12:28)
autonomy over things, but based on so many of the adaptations we've seen, I feel like that's probably not actually true.

Steph, intro the

Stephanie (12:39)
Okay, I was Instagram influenced. I feel like I am saying this every other episode a video popped up of Geneva Rose and she was doing like a stealthy drive -by autographing and Target Where like her husband videoed her like trying not to get caught signing her books in the aisle and then you know It was like cutesy and I saw the cover of the

Molly Galler (12:55)
where

Stephanie (13:04)
and hadn't noticed it before and then promptly went out and bought it in hardcover, which seems to be a thing that I am now doing when I said I never buy hardcovers. So the book is called Home is Where the Bodies Are. I want to preface that the cover is very flashy. is a, well, this cover is a VHS tape that the plastic parts are cracked and there's blood and it's very flashy. And if you actually

Molly Galler (13:15)
So the book is called, it's worth a thought. I thought to present this, that cover is very flashy. is a book, this cover, if they have the details, is that the plastic parts don't crack. It's very flashy. And if you actually take the book jacket off and look at that inside the cover, is even flashier.

Stephanie (13:33)
take the book jacket off and look at that inside cover. It is even flashier with like an old school TV that's all static. had you not seen

Kaitlin (13:44)
No, I hadn't even looked. Whoa, that's like stranger things creepy actually I like that

Stephanie (13:47)
Yeah. So the thing I want to preface is like, if you, if, well, when I saw this on the shelf, I thought it was going to be like a very flashy type book. And instead it has to me like a very darker,

Kaitlin (13:57)
flat.

Molly Galler (14:07)
Yes

Stephanie (14:07)
simpler feel. I don't quite know how to describe it. feel like the cover, the cover is beautiful, it's correct. Yes. Yeah. So it's, I think it set me up differently than I was expecting. But the reason that I passed this book on to the girls, knowing that Molly is not really a murderino and may not enjoy that sort of story is that yes, there

Kaitlin (14:11)
It doesn't give small town vibes and this book takes place in a very small town of like 400 people.

Stephanie (14:33)
murder that happens and is uncovered, but I think it's more about a broken family who the three adult siblings have come back together in their childhood home because the mother has just passed. And so it had feelings of other books that we've read and liked where it's, you know, broken, kind of dirty characters who have so many flaws and all together

Molly Galler (14:48)
And so it had feelings from other parts of the reflect, like towards, you know, kind of dirty characters who have so many flaws and altogether they're not going along. They have also been grieving at the fact that while they are grieving as much, like they'll have to have a little bit more siblings as children.

Kaitlin (14:48)
And so, in how I feel about other stories, like where it's, you know, broke -hearted, kind of dirty characters who have so many fathers, and all together, they're not getting along well, and they're also really bad for them. Add to this the fact that while they are really trying to, like, remember who they were, so many these children, they're...

Stephanie (15:03)
they're not getting along wonderfully and they're also grieving but then add to this the fact that while they are grieving and trying to like remember who they were as siblings as children, they're packing up their mother's belongings and discover an old VHS tape where their mother is just casually as our mothers definitely did.

Kaitlin (15:21)
where it was just casual people as my mother's death pointed. You know, from videos of the moon and you know, on it all over again. And then to the father rubbing out glue that's covered in blood saying there's body paint to like fix this thing. I think, yes, there is work in the flash, but this is more of a...

Stephanie (15:28)
you know taking videos of the moon at night and you know commenting on an owl and whatever and then pan to the father running out of the woods covered in blood saying there's a body and we need to like fix this thing. I think yes there is murder and that is flashy but this is more about kind of I mean it goes back to another book that I can't even remember that we talked about recently but

Molly Galler (15:39)
their thought and fix this one. I think, yes, there is, but this is more about kind of

Stephanie (15:56)
discovering your parents are not the people that as a child you thought they were, which I am so intrigued with. Maybe that's what it was that hooked me, but also none of the characters are likable. They are all deeply, deeply flawed. And I think I'm coming around to that more.

Kaitlin (16:13)
You didn't find Nicole likable? Yeah. Yes.

Molly Galler (16:16)
Wait, is that a drug habit?

Stephanie (16:18)
Wait, the drug addict one?

Molly Galler (16:23)
They're both looking at me to like be the tiebreaker.

Stephanie (16:25)
No!

Molly Galler (16:29)
I couldn't find her likable because of how much she like unsettled her sister and her parents.

Kaitlin (16:37)
Her sister is a B word.

Molly Galler (16:40)
I know, but she's partially that way because she was so messed up.

Kaitlin (16:43)
I feel like we're not giving the people enough information. This is a you can't go home again story, right?

Somebody dies, the three siblings end up together. One of them, the brother, Michael, goes to California for seven years, hasn't been home, comes home for the funeral. Beth is the one that's stuck around, works in a factory in this 400 person town in Wisconsin and is like her parents' caretaker. And then Nicole is the other sister and she has always like aspired to be a writer and

Stephanie (17:16)
She's been excommunicated basically because of addiction.

Kaitlin (17:18)
She's been excommunicated because she's like stolen from everyone to like feed her heroin addiction. I found her the most likable of the three, which maybe isn't saying that much, but she is at least honest with everyone and isn't like, she definitely hides the least. A lot of the time. Like brutally honest, I mean, she's brutal. And she also is the most dedicated to figuring out what happened.

Stephanie (17:26)
was

Is it honest?

Is she honest though?

Kaitlin (17:48)
And I found that endearing. She makes some moves. Out of all of them, I think she's probably the one I liked the most. This book was interesting. I am a murderer now. Like, I love murder podcasts and mysteries. And one of my best friends, Ellie, who listens to this podcast is always like, do another mystery. I want more mysteries. And so this is dedicated to her.

Stephanie (18:01)
and the streets and she might want to like, I can't spell it, this five thousand dollars, like, do another history, I want more the streets, and so, just step, step it up. I really enjoyed the show because of the fans.

Kaitlin (18:12)
I really enjoyed this book because of the family dynamics and the family drama. And I think that's how we got Molly to read it as well, because Steph is right. It's not just the murdery aspect. It's also the small town aspect. It's the coming home after a long time away. It's everybody knowing your business. It's your parents aren't who you thought they were. It's figuring out buried secrets and all of that jazz. But it's like, I felt like it was fresh.

Stephanie (18:20)
It's the murder aspect, it's also the small town aspect. It's the coming home after a long time, it's business, it's your parents first week talking about it, it's figuring out their secrets and all of that jazz. But it's like, I feel like it was fresh. And also it's a point to give up, so you get different characters, chapters, which I also enjoy.

Molly Galler (18:33)
figuring out buried secrets and all of that stuff. like, I felt like I was in a crash. I felt like also, so we get.

Kaitlin (18:40)
I felt like, and also it's a point of view book. So like you get different characters narrating different chapters, which I also enjoy. and I think I'm the only one out of the three of us that figured out the whodunit. Okay. Yeah. So I did, I did, I had it narrowed down to two people and then I, yeah, I figured it

Stephanie (18:55)
and I think that was a good to figure out those genres. I had a couple of two people and then I...

Molly Galler (18:56)
Correct, I did not.

Yeah.

Kaitlin (19:09)
Yeah, I feel like I'm batting like 250 on figuring books out recently. I, one in four, you know, like I'm, and sometimes it's because I'm not paying enough attention or sometimes it's because I'm not invested enough, but like I was reading this on the train back and forth to New York City and it was like, I'd had my full attention and I really like went for it. Before I let Molly weigh in, I did want to mention

I had not heard of this author before, but then when I looked her up on Goodreads, she wrote The Perfect Marriage, which some of you may know this cover. I added it on my Goodreads. That one is about... I'm just wiping sweat off the back of my legs. Don't worry. That one is about... It Feels Good Wifey. It's about a husband...

Stephanie (19:47)
And that I have enough to agree that one is about, just wiping sweat off of my -

Molly Galler (19:51)
And so, it's a husband and wife who has a mistress and the mistress ends up murdered. And so, his life is best over with that I guess. And it's all about like if she's dead, I put him at the right place.

Stephanie (19:56)
Now, it feels good like it's about a husband and a wife and he has a mistress and the mistress ends up being a mother and so his wife is like his...

Kaitlin (20:03)
and a wife and he has a mistress and the mistress ends up being murdered. And so his wife is like his best hope of like getting out of it, I guess. And it's all about like, does she stand up for him? And like, what do you do? And my guess is she does her own investigation of some sort. So I'm probably going to get that book at some point and has like a bajillion ratings on Goodreads. And

Molly Galler (20:18)
Yeah, think if

Kaitlin (20:31)
Yeah, I just I really like even though I figured it out that did not take anything away from it because these siblings have such a bizarro dynamic

Molly Galler (20:44)
you are like me and you don't usually go for the murder mystery genre. I would say this did feel much more family drama to me than anything else. It's as much about their relationships to each other and to their parents and to their neighbors as it is about figuring out what the heck happened on that tape. I also think I tend to be turned off by books that

overly describe the violence or overly describe the gruesome nature of something that happened. This, you get the sense for how bad it was, but I didn't have any of those like nauseous feelings that I've had with some of the other books that we've read. I also, I've mentioned this before that I like books that are kind of about like the seedy underbelly of suburbia. And though this is not like a richy rich town.

It is this idea that like everyone has been bought into certain stories about how things happened and we are learning as we move through the book. That's not actually how things went down. And I'm always fascinated by that, like the lies that people tell each other in order to keep the peace. And I did not see the ending coming at all. I never do of the three of us. I'm always the one who's like, my God, like what? But it did keep me hooked because I honestly had no idea if it was going to have a resolution.

Stephanie (21:38)
to certain stories about how things happen. We are reading as we look through the book. That's not actually how things went down. There's this bastion of the lies that people tell each other in order to do the least. And I didn't want to see that completely

don't know if you guys want to. But it did keep me pushed because I obviously had no idea if it was the right presentation and what it did, it was not the right way. And there's also.

Molly Galler (22:03)
And when it did, it was not the one that I predicted. And there's also an epilogue in this book that I wasn't expecting at all. For those who read romance, there's always an epilogue. It's part of the flow of how romance books go. But I wasn't expecting that here. And it was just such a fun treat that they flashed ahead to what was going on with some of the characters. And you didn't just have to end it on the shit moment.

Kaitlin (22:20)
But it's not that bad. can it from the tree, but this one actually had to go to the cell of the carotid, and you can accept it from the tree, and it's a change. It looks the same as having done with the like, half of the shoulder on the corner. It's very much a step in the eighties. Like, I feel the closeness and the food and the smells of home at the time, I think...

Stephanie (22:30)
I also think having grown up with the like 50 pound over the shoulder video recorder, it very much set me in the 80s. Like I could feel the clothes and the food and the smells of home at that time. And I

I appreciated the mom's flashbacks because of that. It just really rooted me in that town. have never, have I been to, I mean, I probably have been to Wisconsin, but I can't picture Wisconsin in my mind, and yet I could see this town perfectly and the people in it perfectly in that time period. So I really, I appreciated

Kaitlin (23:02)
Bye.

see this now perfectly, perfectly in the documentary.

were moments of it that gave me and Molly definitely didn't watch this I don't think but there were moments of it in terms of the sibling dynamic that reminded me of haunting of Hill House. just tortured, tortured older siblings. You didn't watch it right, mom? Yeah.

Stephanie (23:19)
of

my gosh, yes. Yeah. Tortured, yes.

Molly Galler (23:25)
I didn't.

Stephanie (23:33)
No, that would scare you out of your pants.

Molly Galler (23:37)
That's a visual for everyone.

Kaitlin (23:38)
Yeah, yeah, it's yeah, it's it's not for the faint of heart. Brad couldn't do it. Yeah, so it's stunning. I've watched it more than once, actually. And I'm not like a big horror person. But the sibling, if you like haunting of Hill House and you like like sibling dynamics of people who are trying to like deal with trauma as adults, this is a read for you. And you'll whip through it. It's

Stephanie (23:39)
Like cartoony style, you know?

But it's beautiful.

This is really clear deal. I think it's not long, it's not critical even if you want it all to happen. Even though as I've expressed the characters have a lot of unlikable qualities, you still want them to have closure even if you don't like them. You're still like, these people deserve to close this chapter. They didn't deserve to have to open it and how they came to close it and what is that with them?

Kaitlin (24:05)
It's not long. It's not hard to read. You want to know what happened. Even though, as Steph expressed, the characters have a lot of unlikable qualities, you still want them to have closure, even if you don't like them. You're still like, these people deserve to close this chapter. They didn't deserve to have to open it, and now they do deserve to close it. What does that look like?

And just the actual home, like being in that home together while they're trying to deal with the aftermath of this discovery is really intriguing.

Stephanie (24:34)
And just the actual hope, like deep and then I hold together while trying to deal with this aftermath, this discovery, it's really intriguing.

Molly Galler (24:47)
I also feel like she, the author really captured the feeling of sometimes as adults when you come to your childhood home, it's like every family member sort of like reverts to the dynamic that they had when they were young. And in this case, these are three very adult people that are trying to figure out what's going on. And you could just tell it was like they came back into the house and they like shape shifted back into the dynamics that they had as kids.

and all that emotional baggage just like saddled right on up. And that is super relatable. I think anybody who has like lived on their own or lived away from family and then visits or spends a long period of time back with their nuclear family or back in their childhood place, that just happens. It's like a truth of life. And I think that's part of what makes the story

I don't know, enjoyable. just like, feels very real that this is how the siblings would treat each other and this is how they would talk about the parents and that they would have such crystal clear memories of certain things that happened when they were young. And obviously having one of the siblings have a drug problem just adds like a whole other layer to everything. And I think I've read so many stories about people who struggle with addiction. I find that sort of like way of coping with things.

very interesting and how people come to choose that as the way that they deal with things. So I felt like Nicole, the sister who has the drug problem, has one of the most interesting perspectives because she knows she's caused a lot of pain, but she also wants to help make this right. And not to say that she's an unreliable narrator, but she's unreliable to her siblings.

So no matter what she says or what she claims her intentions are, they really can't believe her because she has not been able to be solid really at all in her adult life. And I felt like that element sort of kept everybody uncomfortable in a way that made you be like, God, what is going to happen to these three?

Kaitlin (26:53)
I want to edit what I said before. It's not just Haunting of Hill House. It's like a combo of Dope Sick and Haunting of Hill House. It has the small town heroin issue of Dope Sick, but then it has like the haunted house, the older siblings trying to like get along and deal with trauma. Like it's a mix of those two things, I think.

Stephanie (27:14)
There isn't, just so we should let the listeners know, there isn't a haunted house in this one.

Kaitlin (27:20)
No, well, maybe yes, the house is not a good luck charm. I'll say that.

Stephanie (27:22)
Maybe haunted by memories and people that have passed.

I just want to thank you guys for reading another murder book that I suggested.

Molly Galler (27:34)
I really enjoyed it, truthfully.

Kaitlin (27:35)
Keep them coming Steph. I love you know that I love them

Stephanie (27:39)
I but I try to be a little bit more thoughtful with gore, you know, because I know Molly probably will read something that I suggest, but...

Kaitlin (27:47)
That's what the listeners want. The listeners want more mysteries. Speaking of listeners, is this a good segue into the email we received?

Molly Galler (27:51)
Yes, so those who listen regularly, you know that the end of every episode I encourage you to please write to us to share thoughts, reactions, ideas for future episodes. We got the most lovely email from a fellow Wheaton College graduate, my friend Emily, class of 2006. I'm just going to read this beautiful email that she sent to us. Subject line. Chapter 35, Core Memory Unlocked. Dear

PAB team, plans are booked. I'm not done with chapter 35 yet, but your catch -up chat unlocked a core memory that I had to share. Our junior year, I was studying abroad, my cohort was about 15 people. After a long time apart while we worked on independent study projects, we returned to our classroom to reconnect for the last month of our semester. Two of the students had been staying together and came back and presented me with a book they found. They told me the story of the travelers they met, maybe from the Peace Corps.

and they were swapping books. In the book swap was a copy of Mitch Albums, The Five People You Meet in Heaven, and he immediately thought of me. What's more, the book had been signed by everyone who had read that copy as it made its way around the world. I was incredibly moved by their gesture and their thoughts of me. I hung onto the book for another couple of years and added my signature. I took it with me on a trip to visit my brother while he served in the Peace Corps, and I left it with him. I have no idea where this book is in the world, but I hope it's still traveling around meeting new people.

Thanks for that trip down memory lane. Keep up the real life romance that comes from reading love E.

Stephanie (29:21)
I love that.

Kaitlin (29:24)
One, I want to do that. Two, I think I know what book I would do it with because it's a book I've bought like five or six times and given to people and it has just like not made its way back to me. And so I keep buying new copies of it. Three, I am going on an international trip at the end of this year and I could just leave a book somewhere and that would be kind of fun. Four, I want more email from people. I want people to email, tell us what you're reading.

Stephanie (29:47)
or

Kaitlin (29:53)
give us suggestions, tell us that you did or didn't like the... I mean, honestly, we're just throwing this into the universe and we don't get a lot of feedback. People are nice to us and say, like, I listened this week and that's the gist of what I get anyway.

Stephanie (30:11)
I would love to know what people are doing while they're listening to us. So you could always write in and say, you know, just a quick line of what you were up to while you were listening. Driving cross country.

Kaitlin (30:18)
Yes, tell us you were painting your toenails or, you know, you listen in the car. Yeah, driving. Yeah, whatever it is. We want to know what it is. and part of it is just to like, I don't even know who really listens to us. It's not like we, I mean, I have friends that, for example, Ellie again, she just finished All My Rage today and she had saved that episode to listen to our.

Molly Galler (30:21)
you know

Stephanie (30:41)
finished all my page today. She had saved that episode to listen to take on it after she read it. And she she's reading my copy. And so I know she listens and tests it and tests me and like make her reference to something that said. And I'm like, I'm thinking about how she notes that. You know what I It's like, we're either either to ahead of when things are.

Kaitlin (30:46)
to our take on it after she read it. And she's reading my copy. And so I know she listens and Tessa will text me and make a reference to something we said. And I have to think about how she knows that. And then I'm like, it was on the podcast. You know what I mean? we're always a week or two ahead of when things are being published into the universe. so there's a few near and dear that

Stephanie (31:07)
being published into the universe. like, mean, there's the fear that you're pretty consistently, like, on the list and are the nods to things that you've said. like, I mean, you have no clue.

Kaitlin (31:12)
pretty consistently like tell me that they've listened or make nods to things that we've said. like other than that, I really have no clue who's listening or giving us our plays or whatever. And I also would love to know like, did we talk about a book and then you got one out and got it because that's really cool too that we like influenced you to read a book. So yeah, that's just my little plug that I would like more emails because that was really lovely to

Stephanie (31:21)
Should we get into what we're reading?

Kaitlin (31:42)
Thank you, Emily. Emily, thank you, Emily.

Molly Galler (31:48)
Let's do it.

Stephanie (31:50)
Okay. Caitlin gave this to me over the weekend. Did you give this to me over the weekend? Sure. Okay. Not important. It is Yellowface by R .F. Kwong. I apologize if I'm mispronouncing that. I think I've had the... Actually, I probably have had it longer. I think I've been sitting... I said this to Caitlin yesterday. I've been having trouble getting through it because it makes me so uncomfortable, but I know that is the point.

And that is why I'm continuing to read it. It's just making me cringe every single page. But that is the point of it. So she's doing a fantastic job. I'm not going to get into it too much because I assume that we probably will do a discussion on it. But I do want to say that I Googled her, obviously. She wrote this book when she was 28. She wrote her first book when she was 19. And it was published when she was 22, which just makes me feel

Like what was I even? I mean, I was writing then, but like obviously I wasn't published. It just makes me feel.

Molly Galler (32:53)
the way I'm holding myself back from singing Taylor Swift 22 right now.

Kaitlin (32:57)
I was copying answers from the back of my Spanish book into my homework when I was 19. and doing other recreational activities that will not be discussed on this podcast.

Stephanie (33:14)
Anyways, we'll talk about it in an episode because it's fantastic book.

Kaitlin (33:14)
Okay.

Yeah, it's a book about stolen writing and how cringy that can be when you pretend somebody else's stuff is yours. I ripped through that book. I can't believe you're still not done, honestly. It's because you're cringing every step of way.

Stephanie (33:32)
It is it just it is making me so uncomfortable she she she does everything wrong

Kaitlin (33:39)
But that was like my drive that was my drive I was like this girl's gonna get hers and like I was like my whole thing reading

Stephanie (33:44)
Well, I wanted her to get hers at the beginning and when that didn't happen, and obviously it wasn't going to happen right off the bat, like we have to build up so that she has stuff to fall off of. But now I'm just at the point where I'm just like, just cut her down, just like get it over with. she keep, every single thing she does is a misstep.

Molly Galler (33:59)
But now I'm just gonna cut her down and go for it. Just to keep every single thing that's missed out on the And the racism and the uproar between the foreign countries and the scatterfabricism. Anyways, we'll talk about it.

Stephanie (34:09)
And the racism of it all makes me even more uncomfortable than the plagiarism. Anyways, we'll talk about it in episode.

Kaitlin (34:13)
you

Molly Galler (34:18)
I mentioned to the gals that this was a book club book for my PR agencies book club and the timing didn't line up for me to read it to join the discussion. So I'm looking forward to us discussing it since it wasn't able to be part of that. So I'm the third and final reader of this one, but we will get to it in the coming weeks. I am reading a book called Under Your Spell by Laura Wood. This is an arc that I got on independent bookstore day when we had our day of fun. And I completely forgot because it was a few weeks ago that we got this.

that not only is the author British, but it's set in England and everybody in the story is British. And it just like transported me into another universe in a delightful way with all of their like, you know, phrases and particular British way of saying things. so this is a story about a woman who is the daughter of a rock star. He's like very old now and at the end of his career. And she has two sisters and one of them.

Kaitlin (35:08)
He's like really good at it. And at the end of the story, and she has two sisters and one of them, also a person who's a famous trainer. And it's the person who's like the recent one that had this two -to -seven meeting to finish it up. So they find out from the very first page that he had a few from the out there, and she looks this way and just like looks up and she looks at house and the other. And it turns

Molly Galler (35:16)
also works in the music industry and is looking for someone to basically babysit one of her artists who just like needs to finish an album. So they wind up on the very first page at a funeral for their uncle. And she meets this guy and just like hooks up with him in a bedroom at the house of the funeral. And it turns out a few days later when her sister is like venting about how she can't get anybody to like babysit this rock star.

that she, Clementine, starts to entertain the idea of taking this on as a job. And he walks in so they can meet each other, and it's the guy from the funeral. This is on page four.

Stephanie (35:54)
Also, Clementine seems to be name that is popping up more and more in books.

Molly Galler (35:58)
Yes.

Kaitlin (35:59)
This is giving McDreamy vibes, don't you think?

Molly Galler (36:02)
Totally, yes, totally. So I am, oh gosh, I just started this in bed last night. I'm on page 76. I'm loving it. And also I just need to read the dedication says, for the six books a week, just one more page, trope loving, library card owning, smutty audio book and public listening, happily ever after chasing dreamers. This is a love letter.

Stephanie (36:02)
Yes, totally.

Did she write that directly to us?

Molly Galler (36:32)
I mean, but also I just have to say I said this to the gals right before we started recording that this because this is a advanced reader edition. It's not the final version of the book. There are placeholders at the end for the acknowledgments and the about the author. There isn't any text in there. I literally was like, I am going to have to drive to Belmont books and read the acknowledgments in the back of this book. I will not rest until I know.

Kaitlin (36:33)
Does it have a publishing date?

Stephanie (36:47)
That's killing you, isn't it?

Yeah, I was just gonna ask that.

Molly Galler (36:58)
Oh, it's already out. June 25th, 2024.

Kaitlin (37:02)
okay, so then we can definitely look it up for you.

Molly Galler (37:04)
I mean, I have to know. I won't be able to calm down until I the acknowledgement. So if you are into accidental falling into romance with a rock star, I think the rest of it's going to be great. And I feel grateful to have unwrapped this many weeks ago and to actually be so into

Stephanie (37:04)
Yeah.

Kaitlin (37:26)
just unstuck myself again. That's time too for everybody Cuban truck. Yup, it's everywhere. Okay, so I'm reading two books right now. And there's a reason for that. I'm not reading anything you guys told me to read next, for being honest. So one of them is Lyn Painter, duh. It's called Betting on You. And it's like a T so far I'm like 50 pages in so far. No, maybe more than

Stephanie (37:26)
Sweat happens, okay? Overachiever.

Kaitlin (37:57)
sorry, 75. It's like a teenage when Harry met Sally. There's a very dweeby girl character. She's dweeby, okay. Physically, she's beautiful. Personality wise, she's an uptight dweeb. And there's a boy that she meets on an airplane flying from Alaska to somewhere in the Midwest. And they're both

Stephanie (37:57)
Sorry, 75. It's like a teenage, one -year -old Sally. There's a very neat, strong character. She's beautiful. Personality wise, she's an up -to -date woman. And there's a boy she meets on the airplane flying from Alaska to somewhere in the Midwest.

Kaitlin (38:23)
kids of divorce. And so they're both leaving their dad's houses in Alaska and he reads her like a book. He's like, this is going to be my distraction for the next 10 hours. I'm going to push every button this girl has and just irritate her. three years go by and they bump into each other again. And then another year goes by and they bump into each other again. And then they end up working at the same place as their summer job. And he has this thing where he's like, guys and girls can't be friends.

Just like when Harry met Sally, he's like, guys and girls can't be friends. It's not a thing, blah, blah, blah. And she's like, that's ridiculous. You're ridiculous. And so that's kind of where I left off and like, obviously they're going to fall for each other. But the banter is really good because he, cause she's very smart, but very uptight and he's very smart and charming. And also like really gets a kick out of getting her worked

Stephanie (39:19)
I'm sorry, I think you mean the banter is so good because Lyn Painter is so good at banter.

Kaitlin (39:23)
Well, also, yes. And I just have to say, at the beginning of the book, she gives a shout out to Nora Ephron, who wrote When Harry Met Sally. And by page five, there was already a reference to Karma being a cat from the Taylor Swift song. so like Lynne Painter is just like, she continues to be a gift. So that's Betting on You by Lynne Painter. I'm reading a second book right now because I started the Lynne Painter book yesterday and then Amazon.

Molly Galler (39:32)
And I think there are already events surrounding baby cat from the time she was born. And so I know that the baby is just, she continues to be a guest. So that's my book. I'm reading a second book right now. And I started reading the book yesterday. And it's on delivering my book on the other babies begin the Olympic time.

Kaitlin (39:50)
delivered my book of Let the Games Begin, which is the Olympic romance that we had been talking about. And now I'm like 40 pages into that. Both, it's another point of view book, so different characters narrate. One of them is Zeke, and he is going to be, Molly made a face because her nephew's name is Zeke. His parents are from Zimbabwe, but he grew up in Great Britain. And he

running track. He's like a sprinter for the UK or Great Britain Olympic track team. And he's about to go to the Athens Olympics in 2024. The other girl Olivia also has parents from Zimbabwe. And she's a university student and she's just landed an internship to be some kind of journalist type thing at the Olympics. Both of them have families that are like

Stephanie (40:32)
The other model, Olivia, also has parents who is a biopic and she's a university student and she's just married with a day to manage them to be some kind of journalist type thing at the Olympics. Both of them have families that are like counted on them essentially. Like both of them have parents who like sacrifice a lot to end up working in the UK and they all kind of like have their life all educated but like have to be translated all

Kaitlin (40:48)
counting on them, essentially. Like both of them have parents who like sacrificed a lot to immigrate to the UK. And they all kind of like have meat. They're like all educated, but like that didn't translate well when they moved. And so they all have jobs that are like kind of beneath them. And so there's a lot of pressure on both of these people. And it's like alluded to even on the back of the book that there's like a romance that blossoms between them at the Olympics. And so.

Molly Galler (41:12)
There's like a whole mix that lost its way to happy one mix. And so so far, it's like they haven't met each other yet, you see the background and the families from the farm. You get the impression like you have to get rid of type type and there's a very fair way to do it. And so.

Kaitlin (41:19)
So far, it's like they haven't met each other yet, but you see the background of their families, like from page one, like you get the impression like they have very tight knit families and they really care about each other. And so that just like built like worlds for me before even getting to the Olympics. And so now I'm like already invested in both of them, like having success, but they also both seem like pressure cookers that are about to blow.

So that might be the conflict for them getting together or succeeding at the Olympics.

Molly Galler (41:55)
I can't wait to read both of those books.

Also, just as you were talking about the Olympics, I know that's a fictional 2024 Olympics, but we're getting so close to the real Olympics and on the night that we are recording this tomorrow, the Simone Biles documentary drops on Netflix and I am like counting down. Oh yes.

Stephanie (42:13)
I didn't realize that was tomorrow. I'm probably wrong. Is it one part two parts? I'm not sure if it's like the other, because we've been at it one time, and I'm not sure if it's a multiple episodes.

Kaitlin (42:13)
I didn't realize that was tomorrow. I'm probably gonna want, is it one part, two parts?

Molly Galler (42:19)
I actually don't know. Good question.

Kaitlin (42:21)
Okay. don't, I'm not sure if it's like the federal one is like a 90 minute one go. And I wasn't sure if Simone's was like multiple episodes.

Molly Galler (42:30)
I'm not sure about whatever it is, whether it's one or eight hours, I won't be watching the entire thing. If you guys want to follow along with everything we're reading and loving, we're also sharing all kinds of bookworm events that are happening all over New England. Give us a follow on Instagram at plansarebooked. You can also write to us to share anything that you want us to know at plansarebooked at gmail .com.

Kaitlin (42:54)
And until next time, our plans are booked.