We’re back with our superlatives episode – one of our favorites of the year!
Books and other media mentioned in this episode:
Women’s Prize for Fiction
Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo
The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
From the Front Porch (podcast)
Ann: Spare by Prince Harry
Halle: 
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Ann: The Cloisters by Katy Hays and Under Lock & Skeleton Key by Gigi Pandian
Halle: Happiness Falls by Angie Kim and Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld
– Miracle Creek by Angie Kim
– 
Saturday Night Live (TV)
Ann: Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
Halle: Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid and The Guncle by Steven Rowley
– 
Daisy Jones & the Six (TV)
Ann: Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree and Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See
Halle: The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen
– 
The Undermining of Twyla and Frank by Megan Bannen
Ann: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros and The Scourge Between Stars by Ness Brown
Halle: 
Mean Baby by Selma Blair
Book That Lived Up to the Hype:
Ann: How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
Halle: Happy Place by Emily Henry
Best Distraction
Ann: The Last Word by Taylor Adams
Halle: Katherine Center books
– Happiness for Beginners by Katherine Center
– 
Hello Stranger by Katherine Center
The Book That Ended a Mini Reading Slump
Ann: Homecoming by Kate Morton
Halle: 
Adelaide by Genevieve Wheeler
Ann: What Lies in the Woods by Kate Alice Marshall and Look Closer by David Ellis
Halle: 
None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell and 
Drowning by T.J. Newman
Ann: Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid and The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
Halle: 
The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline and 
My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
Book That Has Stayed With Me
Ann: The Museum of Ordinary People by Mike Gayle
Halle: 
Someday, Maybe by Onyi Nwabineli
Book That We Didn’t Think We’d Like, But Then We Did!
Ann: The Deep Sky by Yume Kitasei and Gods of the Wyrdwood by RJ Barker
– Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
Halle:
 Shark Heart by Emily Habeck
Author(s) we discovered in 2023 that we’re most excited to read more from in 2024
Ann: Nilima Rao, T. Kingfisher, Heather Fawcett
– A Disappearance in Fiji by Nilima Rao
– Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
– Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett
Halle: Sarah Adler and Jessica Joyce
– Mrs. Nash’s Ashes by Sarah Adler
– 
You, With a View by Jessica Joyce
Ann: A Death in Denmark by Amulya Malladi and Role Playing by Cathy Yardley and Better the Blood by Michael Bennett
Halle: Talking at Night by Claire Daverley and Chance of a Lifetime series by Kate Clayborn
– Normal People by Sally Rooney
Best Audiobook Experience of the Year:
Ann: Kala by Colin Walsh and Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley
– Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley
Halle: 
The Woman in Me by Britney Spears, narrated by Michelle Williams
Our Favorite Non-Book Media Property of the Year
Ann: “Planet of the Bass” by DJ Crazy Times (song)
   Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (film)
   Barbie (film)
   The Shop Around the Corner (film)
   Remember the Night (film)
   Bob’s Burgers (TV)
Halle: Lessons in Chemistry (TV)
   Daisy Jones & The Six (TV)
    The Bear (TV)
    The Great Canadian Baking Show (TV)
    First Draft (podcast)
    Sentimental Garbage (podcast)
    –The Rachel Incident by Caroline O’Donoghue
    – You’ve Got Mail (film)
    – 
Sleepless in Seattle (film)
The Book We Recommended the Most This Year
Ann:  Last to Leave the Room by Caitlin Starling and Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
Halle: 
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
What We’re Reading This Week:
- Ann: Stateless by Elizabeth Wein
 
– Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
Halle: Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas
– A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas
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