Joy and Penn wrap up book 4 of the Twilight series "Breaking Dawn" by Stephenie Meyer. They discuss possible  celebrity vampires, the band Incubus, and of course the plot and inspirations of the book. Join us as we discuss! 

Penn and Joy are back at it again; this time discussing "Eclipse" by Stephenie Meyer.  Did you know Penn went to a book signing and met Stephenie? They discuss the plot but also the Quileute tribe, a real Native American nation, whose legends are not exactly correct in the novel. Join us to help parse it all out! 

Join Penn and Joy as they discuss their least favorite in the series: "New Moon" by Stephenie Meyer.  What makes us dislike it so--the lack of Edward, the severe depression, or the fact that it was all so unnecessary? Listen in to see if you agree or even if you disagree.  After all, it's not like we can call the Volturi on you. 

Meet Joy, our newest cohost, who joins Penn to discuss "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer. While the pair were huge fans on their first read of the book 10 years ago, a second read has opened their eyes to some red flags. Take a listen to find out what they are! 

Penn and new cohost Dr. Nikki to discuss the classic "Wuthering Heights" by Emily Bronte. Is it romance when the dasterdly Heathcliff plagues Catherine and her loved ones with revenge? Well, maybe our telling of it is a little biased...listen to see if we got it wrong. 

Katya and Penn, immigrants who also sought the American Dream, discuss the great American novel, "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald. They talk about the plot, they talk about the real life influences and they talk about which movie version was the best. Travel back with us to the Roaring Twenties!

Happy Valentine's Day! Scrapple takes a maiden voyage cohosting with Quinn as they travel back to Verona (by way of 8th grade English class). There they hear a tale of woe about poor Juliet and Romeo. The cultural reach that this play by William Shakespeare has is vast and well-recognized. Join us as we fall in love and fall into tears. 

James from the Netflix hit "Love on the Spectrum" joins Penn and Scrapple to discuss "Prince Caspian" by CS Lewis. Sure there are some tangents that go into football, Game of Thones, and (of course) Renaissance fairs but it's all in good fun! 

Join Penn and Scrapple as they roast "The Da Vinci Code" by Dan Brown. Whether it is the insanely improbable plot twists or the verbose, clunky writing style, the girls delve into what made this one so bad. 

Penn and a new cohost Aza, a hardcore Nerdfighter and John Green expert, discuss "The Fault in Our Stars." Typically controversial for people who have never read the book, it is touching, eye-opening, and even slightly hilarious.  Cancer touches so many lives and this book demonstrates the quantity of its victims.  

Penn and Scrapple reunite to discuss the last book of His Dark Materials, "The Amber Spyglass" by Phillip Pullman. While there are some tangents regarding Prince Harry, penises, and Philadelphia restaurants, the pair manage to discuss Lyra and Will and their adventures. 

Join Penn and Rusty as they analyze book II in "His Dark Materials: The Subtle Knife" by Phillip Pullman. New characters like Will Parry and Dr. Mary Malone are introduced as they interact with old favorites like Lyra, Lee Scoresby, and Serafina Pekkala.  As as aside, pardon our slight audio issues!  

In a post-Christmas haze, Scrapple and Penn reread classic short stories "The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant and "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry.  While there are similarities in these stories--couples, gifts, and a twist ending--the dynamic is very different. Listen in for some insight on gift giving, love, and some scandalous background on the authors. 

Penn and JJ travel to 1800s Prince Edward Island when they cover "Anne of Green Gables" by Lucy Maude Montgomery. They talk about their own crush on teacher, akin to Anne's crush on hers as well as the comedic scrapes that are still funny today...even a hundred and more years later! 

Penn and Katya travel through the wardrobe into Narnia to cover the classic children's story "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" by CS Lewis. The biblical parallels are off the chain, but even despite that, the book is alluring in the possibility of traveling to different worlds. 

Penn and Scrapple discuss a childhood classic "Little House in the Big Woods" by Laura Ingalls Wilder.  Who knew it would be enjoyable to find out how people lived in the 1860s,  hunting their own meat and harvesting their own grain and collecting their own maple sugar! 

Penn and Scrapple travel back to 8th grade where they first read "The Giver" by Lois Lowry in English class.  A society that prioritizes safety, politness, and precision of language sounds good in theory but the loss of passion, color, and music bring up the question if such a life is worth it. Learn about Jonas, baby Gabriel and the wise Giver as they try to revolutionize their society. 

Penn and new cohost Joysey discuss "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky. A teen classic featuring a boy Charlie as he travels through his freshman year of high school, making new friends and trying to keep them all while being a sensitive lovely soul. 

Penn is joined by her high school buddy Rusty as they reread a true adolescent classic "The Catcher in the Rye" by JD Salinger. Holden Caulfield is on the lookout for phonies and sees them everywhere. This doesn't of course, keep him from conversing with them, I swear to God. 

Happy Election Day! Today, Penn and new cohost Mijo discuss "My Brother Sam is Dead," by James Lincoln Collier & Christopher Collier. While this book takes place during the Revolutionary War, Mijo discusses his own experience as a soldier and how the theme that "war is ugly" carries through time.  

Penn and Scrapple celebrate Halloween with an ice cold "Pint of Poe."  Since it is the hangover day, Scrapple discusses a favorite poem "The Raven," while Penn discusses "The Cask of Amontillado," by the illustrious Edgar Allen Poe.  

Welcome new cohost Katya as she and Penn discuss a Scholastic book fair classic, Goosebumps by R.L. Stine! Specifically focusing on the book "The Haunted Mask," the girls talk bullying, boys, and when to go home. Bonus content in the episode: some choice Russian phrases relevant for everyday life. 

Penn and Quinn discuss a high school staple "The Crucible" by Arthur Miller. The play, while written in the shadow of McCarthyism, is still relevant today.  Does it seem like a good idea to take the accusations of teenaged girls seriously, especially if one is holding a grudge against her former employer? Well, the good people of Salem found  out too late. 

Join Penn and Scrapple as they parse a feminist staple, "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. Interestingly, the woman in the story has parallels to Britney Spears and her struggles under a conservatorship. At any rate, #freedbritney is out there loving life.