Tackling Our Goodreads Graveyard

Jul 22, 2025

The hosts dive into their 'Goodreads graveyard,' where dusty TBR books await attention. They share the challenge of managing unread books and the joy of rediscovering cherished titles. Eco-friendly gift ideas spark laughter, alongside a nostalgic look at paranormal shows that stir up ghostly tales. Personal encounters with hauntings add a spooky twist, while discussions on identity in literature reveal profound connections to characters. They also explore the impact of AI in storytelling, all while supporting a vibrant podcast community.

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ANECDOTE

Hosts’ Personal Ghost Experiences

Tina and Hannah shared ghost stories from their homes, including seeing friendly spirits.
They discussed mixed beliefs about ghosts, agreeing on some unexplainable phenomena.

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ADVICE

Welcome Opinions in Fiction

Authors can and should express opinions through their books.
Don't dismiss political themes in romance as mere propaganda; they add depth and perspective.

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ADVICE

Organize TBR Lists Strategically

Keep separate TBR systems for different reading purposes.
Use Goodreads as a public catch-all and StoryGraph for a curated, serious TBR.

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Rediscovering Reading and Eco-Friendly Gifts

01:56 • 5min

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Exploring Eco-Friendly Candles and Nostalgic Paranormal Adventures

07:20 • 3min

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Exploring Belief: Ghosts and the Power of Perception

10:28 • 2min

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Exploring Ghostly Encounters and Uncovering Family Secrets

12:12 • 3min

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Curating the Perfect TBR

15:22 • 21min

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Exploring Human Complexity Through Imagination and Crime

36:06 • 5min

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Navigating Identity Through Literature

40:40 • 20min

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Exploring Secrets and AI in 'Culpability'

Se-Ah Jang's 'A Twist of Fate' is about Jae Young, who flees her abusive past and assumes a new identity. On a train, she meets a mother who disappears, leaving her baby behind. Jae Young takes the baby to his father's family and is mistaken for their daughter-in-law, so she decides to embrace this new life. The women share ghosts in their past, and she will do anything to not go back to her old life. It's a thriller that encompasses themes of identity theft and abuse.

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Culpability

Bruce Holsinger

Bruce Holsinger's 'Culpability' explores a world shaped by AI through a car accident involving an autonomous minivan. The accident reveals secrets among family members, implicating them in the tragedy. It delves into themes of technology and artificial intelligence and guilt. The novel is a thrilling exploration into challenging and provocative non-human forces. The characters involved in the accident include Cassidy Shaw, Charlie and Noah, and Alice and Izzy with their mother Lorelai.

The summer that melted everything

Tiffany McDaniel

Set in the summer of 1984, Tiffany McDaniel's 'The Summer That Melted Everything' follows Fielding Bliss in Breathed, Ohio, when his father invites the devil to town. A tattered, bruised 13-year-old boy named Sal shows up, and strange things start happening. Sal is a scapegoat amid a heat wave. The book uncovers racism and addresses homophobia. It explores community and collective psychosis with the depths of humanity in a beautiful and heartbreaking manner. A cult-like mentality is revealed in the novel.

The Firekeeper's Daughter

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Angeline Boulley

Angeline Boulley's 'The Firekeeper's Daughter' tells the story of Daunis Fontaine, a biracial, unenrolled tribal member caught between two worlds. She meets Jamie, and things start looking up, but after she witnesses a violent murder, the story takes a turn. The characters are beautifully written with fully fleshed out lives and experiences. The story balances challenging content with respect and highlights themes of family and community. Though technically young adult, the story has closed door sexual content and explores drugs.

Big Fan

831 Stories

Alexandra Romanoff

Alexandra Romanoff's 'Big Fan' follows Maya, whose political career is revived when Charlie, a former boy band heartthrob, enlists her help for his comeback. Maya, a political strategist, must balance her career ambitions with an unexpected romance. The novel explores themes of feminism and redemption through a fresh and unique narrative. Amidst the romance, the characters navigate the intersection of politics and celebrity culture. This book is published by 831 Stories, which is known for its contemporary romance imprint.

We Don't Talk about Carol

Kristen L. Berry

In Kristen L. Berry's 'We Don't Talk About Carol', Sydney, a dedicated journalist, unearths a decades-old family secret connected to a string of missing girls. While cleaning out her grandmother's home, Sydney finds a photo from the 60s resembling herself, revealing her Aunt Carol, one of the missing black girls. The story explores family, community secrets, and motherhood, as Sydney investigates Carol's disappearance, reigniting her love for investigative journalism. The author acknowledges the sobering statistics of disproportionate numbers of Black people reported missing in America every year, adding depth to the narrative.

The Enchanted Life

Dr Sharon Blackie

#3176

• Mentioned in 8 episodes

Upstream

The Quest to Solve Problems Before They Happen

Dan Heath

Upstream explores the psychological forces that push us into a cycle of response rather than prevention. Dan Heath introduces the concept of 'problem blindness' and highlights successes of thinkers who have overcome these obstacles by switching to an upstream mindset. Examples include an online travel website reducing customer service calls, a school district cutting dropout rates, a European nation reducing teenage substance abuse, and an EMS system improving response times. The book delivers practical solutions for preventing problems rather than reacting to them.

Send us a text

In Episode 211 of Book Talk, Etc., Tina and Hannah talk about their Goodreads Graveyard, aka, the books they've added to their TBR lists that have gotten a little dusty sitting on the ephemeral shelves of the internet.

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Loving Lately

Foton Candle Beads (T)

Foton Candle IG

Ghost Adventures (Seasons 1-3) (H)

Latest Read

We Don’t Talk About Carol | Kristen L. Berry (T)

Big Fan | Alexandra Romanoff (H)

831 Stories IG

Goodreads Graveyard

The Enchanted | Renee Denfeld (T)

The Firekeepers Daughter | Angeline Boulley (H)

The Summer That Melted Everything | Tiffany McDaniel (T)

Jobis89 IG

Upstream | Mary Oliver (H)

Shelf Addition

Culpability | Bruce Holsinger (T)

Twist of Fate | Se-Ah Jang (T)

If you prefer other shopping options, you can find today’s books on Bookshop.org or Blackwell's. Purchasing through these links supports us with a small commission, at no extra cost to you.

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