Just Bean Bookish

This week I talk about some books I feel like I should have read by this point in my life. As someone with an English degree, I feel a certain kind of pressure to know certain authors, or have read certain books, but the fact of the matter is the list is way too long to be actually achievable so... best of luck to you!

Spilling the beans on Lisa Jewell's None of This is True. I have heard a lot of things about this book, so I was excited to finally give it a read. Listen to hear my thoughts on the true crime, mystery, thriller type book.

I am back for the year! This episode, I talk about my Goodreads year in books and talk about what my reading year looks like moving forward, as well as reflecting on my reading goal for 2023 to set my reading goal for 2024!

I talk about my least favorite reads from the year... there is still a little but of time to add to this list, but hopefully I won't have much more to add, so I figured I'd send this episode out now. I also talk a little about my Spotify Wrapped for Podcasters.

This week I talk about some cozy Christmas vibey books! I was looking for something that would feel like one of my favorite Christmas songs. Take a listen to see how I fared...

Discussing the mystery/true crime book written by Ashley Flowers, the host of the Crime Junkie podcast.

I succumbed to the social pressure and read these books. Fantasy is typically not what I reach for, but it is fun to dive into a new world every now and then! I share my thoughts on the series so far, and some thoughts specific to Fourth Wing .

I talk about the thriller The Girl on the Train . This was a spur of the moment read for me, and though I had heard of the book before I just read it for the first time. Listen to hear what I have to say!

This week I talk about the Percy Jackson books! I give my thoughts on the most recent release, The Chalice of the Gods , and how I feel about the new TV series coming out.

How do you feel about spoilers? I share my thoughts on spoilers and why I like to avoid them, even though sometimes I just can't resist a quick Google!

I recently finished this mystery, The Appeal by Janice Hallett. I share my thoughts on the genre, the intricacies of the book, and if I would recommend it!

Today I share some resources that you can use to get access to books, tools for reading, recommendations for what to read next, and how to understand what you are reading a little better.

I reread my analysis of the poem "On Turning Ten" by Billy Collins and the short story "A Hunger Artist" by Franz Kafka.

I talk about another one of my FAVORITE reads from 2023 so far. This book was seriously so good. I dive in and let you know what I liked about it, and don't worry, I let you know before there are spoilers so you can still enjoy the book!

I posted a TikTok the other week that went a little viral... apparently abridged books are controversial. I share my thoughts on abridged books and why they exist! Let me know what you think!

Non-fiction gets a bad rap, but I think it is a great way to learn about more perspectives and see the world from someone else's point of view, whether that is an educational book, an autobiography, or a self-help book. Take a listen to see what else I have to say! I also talk a little bit about John Mark Comer's The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry , which I definitely recommend!

I discuss my recent completion, Riley Sager's The House Across the Lake . While it was not my favorite mystery novel I have written, I can see why people might enjoy it.

This book quickly became one of my favorites. It is a beautiful mystery that really keeps you guessing, and it does such a wonderful job of tying up any loose ends in the story. I share my thoughts on why you should read Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty.

As an English major in college, I wrote a lot of papers. This is the first episode where I revisit some of the papers I wrote for classes, starting with some film analysis from both The Young Victoria and War Horse . I read my papers and discuss the themes I found in these movies.

I discuss Adrienne Brodeur's new release, Little Monsters . I thought this was a very interesting book that was very strong thematically and did a great job of telling the story of family drama and the intricacies that lie within a complicated family dynamic.

This week I talk about how I feel about audiobooks and why they can be a great option for reading. Sometimes you just want a story while still being able to do some other things, and audiobooks really help bring a story to life while relieving some of the pressure put on you to bring the world to life. I also share my thoughts on The Mortal Instruments series after revisiting it for the first time...

This week I met my reading goal for the year! I set a goal for 30 books this year, and I was able to meet that, so I decided to increase my goal. If you are looking for advice on how to set a reading goal or maybe looking for some tips on how to meet the goal you have already set, I share some of the things that helped me achieve my goal.

Autobiographies are not something I typically reach for, but recently I finished two! I have been waiting to read I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy for a while now, as I have heard a lot about it, but I also read Lauren Graham's autobiography, Talking as Fast as I Can . In this episode, I talk about my thoughts on each of these books and the genre in general.

Has anyone ever recommended a book to you that you thought was trash? Everyone has their own opinion on what makes a good book. We talk about how the definition of a good book is so fluid, though there are elements that make books technically good, there is no solid definition of what makes a good book. We also read some reviews that demonstrate the differences in opinion on what books are good.

How do you feel about marking books? In this episode, I discuss annotating books and how it can be the key to understanding the stories we read on a deeper level. I also outline some helpful ideas on how to annotate if it is something you want to try out.