This week the Squad goes to sunny Florida (NOT Australia) to discuss the Peacock series Apples Never Fall, based on the novel by Liane Moriarty. We talk about the differences between the book and the series, the family dynamics, the acting (including the tennis acting), and other Liane Moriarty adaptations we’ve seen. Then we get into some feedback on Irish Wish because we have to talk about Irish Wish at least once per episode. Read along with us for our next Bookpisode on The Centre by...

Get transported to the other side of the world with the squad (minus Mary) as we discuss The Sun Sets in Singapore, the debut novel by Kehinde Fadipe! We discuss the main characters’ struggles and story arcs, the women’s friendships, the ~drama~, and the setting. Then we get into some listener feedback and catch up with what’s on the Book Squad Blog! Steal your friend’s Peacock login info to watch Apples Never Fall for our next Othersode on 4/30. Then read along with us for our next...

You probably didn’t think we were going to cover the new Lindsay Lohan Netflix film Irish Wish…but what if we did?? Come along to the Emerald Isle with the squad and special guest Nathan Simmons, co-host of Oh! That’s a Scary Movie podcast, as we discuss the nature of wishes, what it means to “be” Irish, couture fashion, and the James Joyce of it all. Plus, enjoy a very special tangent on the screenwriter and her many, many favorite things. Read along for our next Bookpisode about The Sun...

Mirror, mirror, on the wall... oh wait, that was our last book. Join the squad on another journey into the land of fairytales and their tropes as we discuss Thornhedge, the latest novella by T. Kingfisher. Special guest Jen educates us on everything from the Aarne-Thompson-Uther Index to the many crimes of Giambattista Basile, and Susan educates us on The Frog Prince (1986). Make sure to tune in next time, when we'll be joined by Nathan Simmons of the Oh! That's a Scary Movie podcast for a...

From the hearts…the minds…the dreams…of the Book Squad…comes a special discussion of the Jennifer Lopez film? visual album? This Is Me…Now. It’s hard to describe our chat because it’s hard to describe this project. But some topics we cover include: celebrity zodiac signs, eye-roll moments, which husband is which, and the meaning of a factory. Then we head back to non-green screen land to catch up with what’s on the blog, including YA Book Club and Bachelor recaps! Read along with us for our...

Put your makeup on, fix your hair up pretty – we’re talking about Rouge by Mona Awad! Special guest Mary Kay McBrayer (author and podcast host) joins us for a deep dive into this surreal world to chat about genre, mother-daughter relationships, the toxic beauty industry, and of course, Tom Cruise himself. Next we catch up with what’s on the blog, including a post about Hazbin Hotel and new Bachelor recaps! Buckle up for our next Othersode on Jennifer Lopez’s movie-thing, This is Me…Now on...

Get in, losers; we’re listening to a podcast the whole way there! Join the Book Squad, aka the Army of Skanks, to discuss the new Mean Girls movie, which IS in fact a musical. We talk about our individual histories with Mean Girls, the music and singing, the performances, and changes that worked and didn’t from the original. Next we catch up with what’s on the blog and Kelli shames listeners (Send feedback! Leave a rating! Write a review! Become a patron!). Read along for our next Bookpisode...

Biography, but make it fiction. Join the Book Squad for a discussion of Biography of X by Catherine Lacey. We talk about the novel’s alternative-America backdrop, the depiction of the South, X’s “art, and what is up with the narrator. After that, Kelli interviews author Emily Austin (Interesting Facts About Space, Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead) about her latest novel, her writing process, the importance of queer stories, and of course, space! Plus, Emily asks Kelli some questions...

It’s the most wonderful time of year – time for our (pretty much) annual “Best of the Year” episode! Join us as we chat about our favorite pop culture from 2023. Plus, hear from some of our 2023 guests on their favorite things of the year. Read along for our next Bookpisode on Biography of X by Catherine Lacey on January 23rd, and go see Mean Girls for our next Othersode on February 6th! Send us your highlights of 2023 via DM or email at [email protected]! Thanks for being with us...

Help! We're trapped inside this podcast and we can't get out! Just kidding, that didn't happen to us. It happened to our friend. Or did it...? This week, the squad attempts to untangle the complexities of Catriona Ward's latest novel, Looking Glass Sound. We spend a good chunk of the podcast nailing down the plot, but we also find time to discuss the merits of stories within stories, watery books, and, obviously, gay stuff. If you feel like you can explain any of this better than we did,...

Special guest Jayce Chambless is back to discuss The Only One Left by Riley Sager with the Squad. We talk (complain) about the characters, try to do some Sager math, ponder the 1980s setting, and reveal what moment made us sigh with resignation. Then we review some reviews from Goodreads because we love that unhinged shit. Then we get into what’s on the blog and let ya know what’s up next on the pod! Read along for our next Bookpisode on Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward on 12/26, and drop...

The whole Squad is back together and on a hunt for CAMP of any sort in our discussion of Chuck Tingle’s Camp Damascus. Put a pink bag over your head and join us as we talk about the novel’s plot and pacing, YA vs. adult fiction, religious trauma, autism, and of course, CAMP. Then we catch up with what’s on the (still alive, we swear) Book Squad Blog. Join us for what will probably be a Hatepisode as we discuss Riley Sager’s The Only One Left with returning guest Jayce on 12/12. Then read...

This week, the Squad and special guest Ang Ferraguto (aka Kelli’s gf) discuss Sofia Coppola’s new film, Priscilla, based on the 1985 book Elvis and Me by Priscilla Presley. We talk about our own personal connections to Elvis, the Sofia Coppola aesthetic of it all, the problematic nature of Elvis and Priscilla’s relationship, and the ~discourse~ around the movie. Tangential conversation addresses Usher’s Vegas residency. Read along with us for our next Bookpisode on Camp Damascus by Chuck...

Listen, we NEVER talk about vampires on this podcast, and we’re not gonna do it today. Just kidding; yes we are. In our discussion of Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas, we also talk about romance, historical fiction, cover design, and the fact that westerns have to have a hot person for anyone on the squad to be interested. Next we get into some listener feedback and catch up with what’s on the blog (yes, we still have that!). On our next Othersode on 11/14, we’ll be talking about Sofia...

Return guest Clay McLeod Chapman (author of The Remaking, Whisper Down the Lane, and Ghost Eaters) joins the Squad to chat about the depressing 2021 horror(?) film What Josiah Saw. We dig into the film’s narrative structure, characters, and general bleakness and ask the important question: did this movie abuse us? Then we have a two-part (spoiler-free and spoilers-ok) discussion about Clay’s new novel What Kind of Mother. This conversation covers everything from Nicolas Sparks to terrifying...

So what if we stole this whole episode from some other podcast and called it our own? Is that a crime?? JK, this whole episode is our (four white ladies’) original take on Yellowface by R. F. Kuang. We talk about the protagonist’s decision-making skills, satire of the publishing industry and Twitter, cancel culture, and the author’s own publishing experiences. Then we get into some listener feedback with excellent questions and catch up with what’s on the blog. Join us and special guest Clay...

Be a podcast vampire and consume this episode about What We Do in the Shadows, featuring special guest Grace Treutel! We talk about the show’s mockumentary style, favorite character arcs, the Guillermo of it all, and even fanfiction. Next we talk to Grace about her short story chapbook, From the Humid Chambers of My Heart. Read along for our next Bookpisode about Yellowface by R.F. Kuang on 10/3. Then join us and special guest Clay McLeod Chapman, author of What Kind of Mother, for our next...

Be a podcast vampire and consume this episode about What We Do in the Shadows, featuring special guest Grace Treutel! We talk about the show’s mockumentary style, favorite character arcs, the Guillermo of it all, and even fanfiction. Next we talk to Grace about her short story chapbook, From the Humid Chambers of My Heart. Read along for our next Bookpisode about Yellowface by R.F. Kuang on 10/3. Then join us and special guest Clay McLeod Chapman, author of What Kind of Mother, for our next...

Gidday, Goalies! Join the squad on the sun-drenched Australian coast for a tale of love (?) and loss with Thirst for Salt, the debut novel by Madelaine Lucas. We discuss the writing style, the book’s central relationship, and themes of motherhood. Next we catch up with what might or might not be on the blog and share some news about our Patreon – that’s right, we have a Patreon now! Tune in on 9/19 for our next Othersode about What We Do in the Shadows with special guest Grace Treutel. Then...

HI BARBIE! It’s girls’ night, plus one Ken (special guest Nathan Simmons)! Join the squad for our discussion of the already iconic Barbie movie. We talk about the film’s brilliant marketing, Barbie’s particular brand of feminism, the excellent cast, motherhood and daughterhood, and of course, the weird conservative backlash. Read along for our next Bookpisode on Thirst for Salt by Madelaine Lucas on 9/5. Then join us and special guest Grace Treutel (author of the chapbook From the Humid...

Sorry to *bug* you, but we’ve got a new episode here! Join the Squad for a discussion of Piñata by Leopoldo Gout. We chat about the horrors of colonialism, puberty, and of course, whether the book is scary. Next we get into some listener feedback for Chain-Gang All-Stars and catch up with what’s on the ol’ Book Squad Blog, including new Bachelorette recaps. Get ready to party for our next Othersode on Barbie! We’ll be joined by fellow podcaster Nathan Simmons for that one on 8/22. Next, read...

Have you ever wondered: What if Jane Austen, but gay? Join the squad and returning guest Tirzah Price for an episode where we explore this very important question. First, we discuss Andrew Ahn’s 2022 film Fire Island, a queer retelling of Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Then, we talk with Tirzah about her new book, Manslaughter Park, the third in her YA series of Jane Austen Murder Mysteries — and the first to feature a sapphic romance. If you have comments, questions, or ideas for more gay...

In this very special post-July 4th episode (featuring some fireworks), the Squad discusses Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah’s debut novel Chain-Gang All Stars. Join in as we chat about incarceration in the United States, dystopian/futuristic methods of torture, reality tv, football, Jenna Bush Hager’s book club, and everything we hate about America. It’s a fun time. Also, there’s actually new stuff on our blog this week?!?! You don’t want to miss this. Join us next time for another FIRE episode as...

The future of the world is going to be okay because the squad has… THE POWER! In this episode, we talk about the Amazon Prime adaptation of The Power by Naomi Alderman, which we read for the podcast back in 2019. How does the TV series stack up against the book? You’ll have to listen to see if the show has the spark. Read along to get ready for our next book episode, where we’ll discuss Chain Gang All-Stars by Kana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah. For our next Othersode Tirzah Price will join us to talk...