Show Notes

The Lazy Girl Library podcast has made its triumphant return after a well-deserved summer break, and hosts Darbi and Mikayla had plenty to catch up on. Their hiatus wasn't so much a reading break as it was a podcasting one, with life's major milestones taking center stage. Most notably, Mikayla tied the knot and is now officially a "Mrs." - a title she's still getting used to. Her wedding featured delightful bookish elements, including a meticulously crafted bookcase seating chart made from thrifted books and encyclopedias from her grandmother, personalized with names on the spines using her Cricut. Meanwhile, Darbi was juggling multiple roles at work, including stepping in for a colleague on maternity leave while continuing to crush her own responsibilities.

The episode dives deep into book-to-screen adaptations, with the hosts expressing both excitement and trepidation about upcoming projects. They're particularly intrigued by the casting of Dakota and Elle Fanning as sisters in the adaptation of Kristin Hannah's "The Nightingale." They also discussed Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried's casting in "The Housemaid" movie adaptation, which they feel could potentially improve upon the book's writing issues in a visual format. The hosts established a clear stance: adaptations work best when they honor the source material without adding unnecessary elements or making dramatic changes. They cited "The Hunting Wives" as a disappointing adaptation that veered too far into gratuitous territory.

When discussing fantasy literature, both hosts expressed interest in Brandon Sanderson's work, selecting "Mistborn" as their next book club pick. This marks their entry into Sanderson's universe, which they've been circling but feeling somewhat intimidated by its scope. Both agreed it would be a good opportunity to explore epic fantasy as a change from their recent romantic fantasy selections. They also reflected on their reading habits during their break, with Mikayla completing Sarah J. Mass's "House of Flame and Shadow," which she rated three stars, finding it somewhat overstimulating with too many simultaneous plot threads. The hosts closed by discussing their reading goals for the remainder of the year, with Mikayla aiming for at least two books per month despite wedding-related distractions, and Darbi already well ahead of her annual reading target at 22 books out of a planned 34.

The conversation touched on several other bookish topics, including their dream literary vacation destinations (The Midnight Library was a creative choice), reading taste evolution, and the trend of celebrities publishing books. They pondered whether their reading preferences reflect their personalities - Mikayla's love for learning new things manifesting in her eclectic reading taste, and Darbi's enjoyment of adventure and happy endings showing up in her fantasy and romance selections. The episode wrapped with their "borrows and returns" segment, previewing what they're currently reading and what they've recently finished, including Penn Cole's "Heart of the Everflame" and Sarah Adams' "The Off-Limits Rule." Throughout the conversation, their genuine friendship and shared love of books shone through, making their return episode feel like catching up with old friends who happen to be as obsessed with reading as their listeners.