Episodios
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Author and pal Mary Kay McBrayer joins us to talk all things Madame Queen, AKA Stephanie St. Claire, mysterious criminal mastermind and numbers genius. Before we jump into discussing Mary Kayâs latest book, Madame Queen: The Life and Crimes of Harlemâs Underground Racketeer, Stephanie St. Clair, we discuss Hulu's Good American Family, another tale of crime, scams, and a case of a misrepresented age. We dig into the story of Natalia Grace, the way this series compares to the documentary and real-life details of the case, and our general affection for Mark Duplass. If you love true crime, organized crime, or really, any old kind of crime, this is an episode you wonât want to miss.
On June 10, come on back for a discussion of The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami, and on June 24 Susie Dumond will be here to discuss The Wedding Banquet â and more importantly, her new book, Bed and Breakup!
TOC
:30 â Welcome, Mary Kay McBrayer! And icebreaker
9:25 â Show intro
11:06 â Shifting perspectives
19:42 â Acting and casting
36:05 â Thoughts on the real case
42:15 â Interview with Mary Kay!
1:13:07 â Feedback
1:16:26 â Whatâs up next?
The Greatest True Crime Story Ever Told: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-greatest-true-crime-stories-ever-told/id1718699612
Madame Queen: https://www.amazon.com/Madame-Queen-Underground-Racketeer-Stephanie/dp/0778310655 -
None will be sparedâŠwhen we talk about When the Wolf Comes Home by Nat Cassidy! Join the Book Squad for a chat about this wild ride of a novelâwe talk about the action and pacing, horror subgenres, the characters, mom/dad stuff, and goodness vs. badness. Then we finally read some really old feedback from husband of the pod, Ben (sorry about that, Ben). Tune in on May 27 as special guest Mary Kay McBrayer (author of Madame Queen) drops by to talk about her new book and Good American Family (Hulu). Then read along with us for our next Bookpisode about The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami on June 10. Donât forget to check out our Patreon and leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts while youâre at it!
TOC:
30â Welcome!
10:47âBook intro
12:30âPacing
18:30â Whatâs actually happening?
24:49â Theme of Nat Cassidyâs âtrilogyâ
30:40âThe Afterward
40:05âCharacters
49:00â The power of improv
51:39â Letâs talk about the dad
1:02:00â Was there any other ending that couldâve happened?
1:14:19âRatings
1:19:25âFeedback
1:22:23âwhatâs up next? -
¿Faltan episodios?
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Weâre briefly leaving our luxury villas to talk about season three of The White Lotus! Join us as we chat about the cast, the seasonâs setting, the characters we loved and hated, and what we can learn about the characters based on their book choices. Then we have a long overdue conversation with Todd Osborne about his debut poetry collection, Gatherer. Youâll even be treated to a few readings of his poems in this section of the episode!
Look for our next Bookpisode on May 13th where weâll be discussing When the Wolf Comes Home, the new novel by Nat Cassidy. Then join us and special guest Mary Kay McBrayer (author of Madame Queen: The Life and Crimes of Harlemâs Underground Racketeer, Stephanie St. Clair) to talk about Good American Family (Hulu) on May 27.
P.S. Our lil podcast just turned 8 years old! If youâd like to get us a birthday gift, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and consider supporting us on Patreon for just $3/month!
TOC::
30â Welcome, Todd!
10:24âWhat is White Lotus?
13:09âCast talk
15:00âSetting
30:00â Characters
54:14â Whatâs up with the storyline with Rick?
1:05:38â What characters are reading
1:12:46âInterviewing Todd about Gatherer!
1:57:30â Whatâs up next?
Links -
âOne Artâ by Elizabeth Bishop- https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47536/one-art
âDo Not Go Gently Into That Good Nightâ by Dylan Thomas- https://poets.org/poem/do-not-go-gentle-good-night
âMorning Ritualsâ by Todd Osborne- https://www.hobartpulp.com/web_features/morning-rituals
Gatherer, available at Belle Point Press- https://bellepointpress.com/products/gatherer -
Get ready to listen to us say âpeatâ about a hundred times because weâre discussing The Bog Wife by Kay Chronister. We talk about the Haddesley sibling dynamics, the infamous Bog Wife herself, the bog as a character, and of course, generational trauma. Join us and special guest Todd Osborne (husband of the pod) on April 29 for a special one-year celebration of his poetry collection, Gatherer, and a chat about The White Lotus season three. Then read along with us for our next Bookpisode about When the Wolf Comes Home by Nat Cassidy on May 13. Feeling extra supportive this week? Head over to our Patreon and consider supporting us for just $3/month! Donât forget to leave us a rating and review on Apple podcasts, and weâll read it on the pod!
TOC
0:30 â Get on our Patreon, and icebreaker
12:14 â Book intro
16:20 â Siblings and their relationship dynamics
33:33 â Who is the bog wife?
44:00 â The bog is a character
52:00 â How did they stay isolated?
56:20 â Generational trauma and the patriarchy
1:03:20 â Ratings
1:06:18 â Whatâs on the blog? Whatâs up next?
Links: https://electricliterature.com/in-kay-chronisters-novel-a-father-is-sacrificed-for-a-bog-wife-who-never-arrives/ -
Itâs appropriate this book involves a circus because we about to clown on it. Join the squad for a Hatepisode about Brynn Weaverâs Scythe & Sparrow, the third installment in the Ruinous Love Trilogy. After Mary gives us an overview of the other two books, we get a special review of Butcher & Blackbird by Emilyâs dad, Charlie. Then we talk about the cringeworthy âtrigger warningsâ and then spend a lot of time dissecting the âspice,â which is not as transgressive as it thinks it is. After we barely survive this discussion, we get into some listener feedback. Read along for our next Bookpisode about The Bog Wife by Kay Chronister on April 15th. Then join us April 29th for an Othersode about season 3 of The White Lotus, plus a conversation with Todd about his poetry collection, Gatherer.
Have you read any of the Ruinous Love Trilogy? We need to hear from you. Email us at [email protected] or DM us on social media! Also, are you a patron yet? Support us on Patreon for only $3 a month and get a monthly newsletter of pet photos!
TOC
1:11 â Icebreaker question
13:15âCharlie's review
35:30âThe spice!
45:28âDialogue during sex scenes
47:00âThe audiobook--man doing man voice
47:27âCringy sex scene reading
50:12âAsk a Man
55:51âMarriage: why?
58:00âThe epilogue
1:03â1 star reviews
1:09âFeedback -
Join us in the depths of the NYC subway system for an accidental hatepisode! We didnât love Entitlement by Rumaan Alam, but we had a good time talking about billionaires, flat characters, lying to get a cool apartment, and of course, the guy on the subway poking people with a hypodermic needle. Join us on April 1st for an intentional hatepisode about Scythe and Sparrow by Brynne Weaver! Then read along for our next regular Bookpisode on The Bog Wife by Kay Chronister on April 15th!
TOC
:30 â Welcome to the madness
9:30 â Book Intro
12:23 â Why is this set in 2014?
24:48 â Reviews and characterization
44:22 â The Subway Pricker!
53:00 â Ratings
1:00:00 â Whatâs on the blog? Lol
Whatâs up next? -
Itâs safe to listen, but whatever you do, donât wind that monkey! Join us and special guest Samantha Allen, author of Roland Rogers Isnât Dead Yet, for a fun chat about The Monkey film, based on the short story by our man Stephen King. After discussing cursed toys of our own childhoods, we talk about the horror-comedy genre and how it relates to grief, the family relationships, performances, and our favorite deaths. Read along for our next Bookpisode on Entitlement by Rumaan Alam on March 18th. Then get ready for a special Hatepisode on Scythe and Sparrow by Brynne Weaver on April 1st! (Pure coincidence that itâs on April Foolâs Day. Weâre actually very serious about being haters.) Drop us a rating and review, and if youâre feeling extra supportive, head over to our Patreon and become a patron of the pod!
TOC
:30 â Welcome, Samantha! And icebreaker
13:30 â Movie intro
15:09 â Short story v movie; genre
23:00 â Letâs talk about the gore
30:00 â Familial relationships and performancss
45:40 â Fave deaths
47:43 â Questions from the group
57:00 â Ratings
1:03:45 â Romance chat and whatâs up next -
Whoâs that talking to you through your AirPods? Is it the Book Squad, or is it Other Mommy? Join us as we discuss Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman. We talk about the novelâs POV and try to figure out what Other Mommy actually is. Plus, Mary gives us a childrenâs lit lesson! Go see The Monkey and tune in for our next Othersode on March 4th. Then read along with us for our next Bookpisode on March 18th about Entitlement by Rumaan Alam.
We would like to extend an extra special thanks to Benjamin Mitchell for his editorial assistance.
TOC
:30 â Welcome, everyone!
11:20 â Book intro
12:40 â Stop crediting Neil Gaiman
17:45 â POV
30:02 â Other mommy
39:20 â The end?
1:09:47 â Ratings!
1:16:56 â One of Our Kind feedback
1:22:54 â Whatâs up next? -
Returning guests and two of our favorite authors, Grady Hendrix and Clay McLeod Chapman, join us to talk about The Craft. We talk about our experience with the film and try to dissect what itâs really saying about witches. Then we have a spoiler-free chat with Grady and Clay about their newest books, Witchcraft for Wayward Girls and Wake Up and Open Your Eyes, respectively. Read along for our next Bookpisode on Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman on February 18th. Then go see The Monkey for our next Othersode on March 4th!
TOC
:30 â WELCOME to Clay and Grady!
9:16 â Movie intro
12:00 â Previous experience with the film
23:22 â What is this movie trying to say about witches? Whatâs any story trying to say about witches
1:07:00 â Interview with Clay and Grady about their new books
1:54:00 â Whatâs up next?
Emilyâs The Craft: Legacy Blog: https://www.booksquadgoals.com/blog/10-weeks-of-spooktober-the-craft-legacy-week-10-of-10 -
Come with us to a utopian (?) community as we discuss One of Our Kind by Nicola Yoon. We talk about the responses to the book from POC readers (our standard disclaimer: we are white ladies), the bookâs ending, class and characters, and comparisons to similar stories. Tune in on February 4 for a special Othersode on The Craft, featuring guests Grady Hendrix and Clay McLeod Chapman. Weâll also talk to them about their newest books, Witchcraft for Wayward Girls and Wake Up and Open Your Eyes, respectively. Then read along for our next Bookpisode about Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman on February 18. Thereâs still time to enter our giveaway to win three signed books and an audiobook! Visit our Instagram and see pinned post for details!
TOC
:30âhello and welcome!
13:42âbook description
15:21âwhat Black readers said
24:00âwhatâs the ending?
44:25âclass
56:23â characters
1:01:16âcomparisons to other similar stories
1:06:52âratings
1:13:52âfeedback!
1:23:18âwhatâs up next? -
Happy New Year! Weâre celebrating by talking about all of our favorite things from 2024. This is the fun kind of retrospective where we just talk about the good things and leave out all the bad! Plus, youâll get to hear from many of this yearâs podcast guests about their favorite things from the past year! Tune in on 1/21 for our next Bookpisode on One of Our Kind by Nicola Yoon. After that, weâll be covering The Craft with special guests Grady Hendrix AND Clay McLeod Chapman. Weâll also be discussing (spoiler free!) their new books, Witchcraft for Wayward Girls and Wake Up and Open Your Eyes. Look out for that episode on 2/4. Please leave us a rating and review, and while youâre at it, enter our giveaway! Check out our IG for details.
TOC
1:00â Lamar Gilesâs fave thing of the year
2:30âWelcome! New things we tried in 2024
11:23âGiveaway details
12:47âNumber 3s
26:00âSusie Dumondâs fave thing, Ben Mitchellâs fave thing
29:00âNumber 2s
46:00â Ang Ferraguto fave things, Todd Osborneâs fave things
52:00â Honorable mentions
59:56â Samantha Allenâs fave thing, Paul Tremblayâs fave thing
1:04:00â NUMBER 1S!
1:25:50â Tirzah Priceâs favorite thing, Nathan Simmonsâ favorite thing
1:30:54â Whatâs up next? -
Our gift to you on this very special Christmas and Hanukkah twofer is our final episode of the year: a discussion of Rivers Solomonâs latest novel, Model Home. Join us for a truly haunting discussion about family dynamics, gender exploration, and the difference between cobbler and pie. In the new year, weâll be releasing our annual âfavesâ episode where we cover the things we loved most in 2024, and then on January 21st weâll publish our first bookpisode of 2025 on Nicola Yoonâs One of Our Kind. DONâT FORGET to enter our giveaway by 2/4 â go to our instagram for instructions â and if youâve got some cash to spare, subscribe to our Patreon for $3 a month! Thanks for being a goalie this year. We love you.
TOC
0:30 â Welcome! Giveaway info!
4:30 â Intro. Questions and the pie vs cobbler debate
11:03 â Book intro
14:00 â The twist
28:35 â Gender and body stuff
42:00 â Eudora and her impact
1:02:00 â Racism
1:09:19 â Elijah
1:16:14 â Ratings!
1:18:00 â Whatâs up next?? -
POP! goes our 200th episode! Join the Book Squad (plus Ben) and special guest Samantha Allen, author of Roland Rogers Isnât Dead Yet, to talk about the 2007 Hugh Grant/Drew Barrymore romcom Music & Lyrics. We discuss our personal connections to the film, the romance, the music, and what might not hold up in 2024. Then we interview Samanatha about her new novel! Itâs a fun Q and A you donât want to miss!
Tune in for our next Bookpisode on 12/24 where weâll be covering Model Home by Rivers Solomon. And then itâs time for everyoneâs favorite episode: The Best of 2024 Othersode! Thatâll be hitting your feeds on 1/7/25. Keep an eye on our Instagram for more official information about our 200th Episode Giveaway, and go buy Roland Rogers Isnât Dead Yet! Donât forget to rate, review, and subscribe!
TOC:
:30âwelcome Ben and Samantha!!
13:40â our history with the movie
22:00â do drew Barrymore and Hugh grant have chemistry?
36:30âproblematic elements and weird things
59:11â interview with Samantha Allen, author of Roland Rogers Isnât Dead Yet
1:49:29âwhatâs up next? -
Weâre off to the sad botanical garden for our ONE HUNDREDTH (!) Bookpisode about Hum by Helen Phillips. We talk about climate change, artificial intelligence, human connection (or lack thereof) and, of course, the ultimate villain: capitalism! Then we get into some special 100th episode feedback and give a quick blog update. Our next Othersode will be about Music & Lyrics, and weâll be joined by special guest Samantha Allen, author of Roland Rogers Isnât Dead Yet. Thatâs on 12/10! And then, our holiday gift to you is our next Bookpisode on Model Home by Rivers Solomon dropping on 12/24! Donât forget to rate, review, and subscribe, Goalies!
TOC
:30 â Icebreaker and happy 100th bookpisode
13:00 â Book intro
14:58 â Climate change
23:50 â Late stage capitalism and ads
40:58 â What happened at the botanical gardens
56:35 â Human connection and cosmetic procedures
1:11:15 â Epilogue
1:18:15 â Ratings
1:23:50 â Listener feedback!
1:31:50 â Whatâs on the pod? Whatâs up next? -
Book Squad meets Bollywood as we discuss Bride & Prejudice (2004) with special guest Tirzah Price! We talk about how this Austen adaptation works in a Bollywood setting, racism and xenophobia, surprise appearances from western actors, and (obviously) the musical numbers. Then we chat with Tirzah about her new novel (out now!), In Want of a Suspect. Donât worry â no spoilers here! Read along for our next Bookpisode about Hum by Helen Phillips on 11/26. Then join us and special guest Samantha Allen (author of Roland Rogers Isnât Dead Yet) to talk about Music & Lyrics on 12/10! Consider becoming a patron for just $3 a month, and donât forget to subscribe so you never miss a new episode!
TOC
:30âWelcome, Tirzah!
10:57âMovie Intro
11:50â Adaptations and interpreting characters
15:38â Do any parts of the story not work?
28:29â Surprise celebrity sightings
33:14âHow does the movie tackle big topics like racism and xenophobia?
54:13â Interview with Tirzah!
1:28:30â Whatâs on the blog? Whatâs up next? -
If you start with the basic knowledge that Spanish Inquisition = Bad, youâll be just fine. This week the Book Squad discusses Leigh Bardugoâs The Familiar. We talk about the historical piece of this historical fantasy, question where the vampires are, play âhot or not,â and dig into the romance. Then we read some great listener feedback (Alexâs Version) and catch up with whatâs on the blog. Tune in for our next Othersode about Bride and Prejudice with special guest Tirzah Price (author of In Want of a Suspect) on 11/12. Then read along for our next Bookpisode on Hum by Helen Phillips on 11/26.
TOC
:30 â Welcome!
7:25 â Book intro
10:00 â Disclaimers, the historical fantasy of it all
18:53 â Where are the vampires?
34:16 â Did anything surprise you?
49:00 â How was the romance? The ending?
52:05 â Ratings
54:50 â Listener feedback: Alex edition!
1:09:53 â Whatâs on the blog? Whatâs up next? -
Goodbye, Eyeball Fall; hello, Cannibal-tober!(?) Weâll workshop it. Special guest J.H. Markert (aka James Markert) joins the Squad to revisit 1991âs The Silence of the Lambs and talk about his latest novel, Sleep Tight! We talk about why Hannibal is so iconic (âthe late, great Hannibal Lecter,â anyone?), the interplay between trauma and horror, getting inside the mind of a killer, and LGBTQ+ representation in the early 90s. Next we pepper James with questions about his new novel, Sleep Tight (a September Book of the Month pick!), in a spoiler-free interview. Speaking of scary things, Spooktober is back on the Book Squad Blog! Go check that out for more spooky season content. Join us on October 29th for Maryâs triumphant return to discuss even MORE spooky content â The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo. Then go watch Bride & Prejudice for our next Othersode featuring Tirzah Price, author of In Want of a Suspect, on November 12th!
TOC:
:30 â Welcome, James!
14:35 â What makes this story so appealing?
25:45 â How do trauma and mental illness inform the story?
32:10 â Why are we all so obsessed with serial killers?
39:50 â Transness and LGBTQIA+ issues in Silence of the Lambs
53:03 â Interview with James Markert!
1:36:17 â Whatâs on the blog? Whatâs up next?
Links: https://screenrant.com/silence-of-the-lambs-buffalo-bill-lgbtq-controversy/ -
If you could eat any body part, what would it be? Join Emily, Kelli, and Susan as they discuss the delicious body horror of The Eyes are the Best Part by Monika Kim. Between the gross out horror scenes, this novel discusses misogyny, sexuality, and what happens when, well, youâre just kind of a jerk. Join us next time as special guest James Markert joins us to discuss Silence of the Lambs and his new book Sleep Tight. Then, Mary returns with a discussion of Leigh Bardugoâs historical vampire novel, The Familiar!
TOC
:30â Icebreaker!
10:52â Goodreads description
15:44âWhy is the book about eating eyeballs?
22:00âMen suck, but in various ways
40:15âHow Ji-Won is kinda not a good person
48:57âUnpacking the ending
1:02:35â Ratings
1:07:40â Whatâs on the blog? Whatâs up next? -
Whatever you do, donât go to sleep while listening to this episodeâŠbecause weâre talking about A Nightmare on Elm Street with special guest Lamar Giles, author of the new novel Ruin Road! We talk about the icon himself Freddy Krueger, horror tropes, potential alternate endings, and how this movie stacks up to other slasher franchises. Then we have a fun and spoiler-free conversation with Lamar about Ruin Road, which is out TODAY! Tune in on October 1 for part two of Eyeball Fall when we discuss The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim. Then join us for another classic horror movie chat when we cover The Silence of the Lambs with special guest J.H. Markert, author of the new horror novel Sleep Tight on 10/15!
TOC:
30â Welcome Lamar!! Evil Genie Wishes
12:20â Happy 40 years Nightmare on Elm Street!
14:48âFreddy Kruger as a villain
20:49âHorror tropes
34:37âSupernatural horror
40:53âthe end of the movie
58:23â final thoughts
1:06:19â talking with Lamar Giles about RUIN ROAD!
1:41:20âwhatâs on the blog, whatâs up next?
YA Book Club about The Getaway by Lamar Giles: https://www.booksquadgoals.com/blog/ya-book-club-the-getaway-by-lamar-giles
YA Book Club about Not So Pure and Simple by Lamar Giles: https://www.booksquadgoals.com/blog/ya-book-club-not-so-pure-and-simple-by-lamar-giles -
Pack your bags â weâre off to Europe for a second-chance romance! This week the Book Squad is talking about The Pairing by Casey McQuiston. We discuss romance tropes, ~sexy stuff~, gender dynamics, and food and wine writing. Join us and special guest Lamar Giles, author of Ruin Road, for our next Othersode about Nightmare on Elm Street on September 17th. Then read along for our next Bookpisode about The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monica Kim on October 1st. Donât forget to leave us a rating and review!
TOC
:30 â Welcome, pastry talk!
6:30 â Book intro
8:55 â Romance tropes and Kit and Theo as characters
33:50 â Letâs talk about sex, baby
44:02 â Gender and romance
56:55 â Travel
1:05:42 â Ratings
1:12:14 â Whatâs on the blog? Whatâs up next?
Links:
https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/casey-mcquiston-the-pairing-queer-love-self-discovery-1235067954/ - Mostrar más
