Lit Lit

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah Andy and Dani read about WWII. Titanic framing, reading different character chapters as different books, don't pick on the girl with hot pink hair, men really are that dumb, Andy reveals a terrible secret, who else googled what the Pyrenees mountains looked like, big pay off in Paris. 

Andy and Dani talk about modern myth and folklore… kind of. Dani stans scooters, palm pilots were just fancy Etch A Sketches, it was in fact Matt Damon, go play The Wolf Among Us, Shrek is amazing, FernGully is way better than Avatar, and take to the streets to find your local folklore.

Andy and Dani talk Polish folklore. Dani brings absolute chaos, so many sex jokes, rule 34, VERY accurate descriptions of characters, fantastical but also true, changing locations for subplot, and everyone actually just has scurvy.

Andy and Dani talk about House of the Dragon… can you believe it?! Andy absolutely, without a doubt loves Renaissance Fairs, these costumes are awesome, pretty petty girls, can we trust the writers yet, how small is too small of a detail to mean something.

The Sandman by Neil Gaiman Andy and Dani talk comics with their friend, Angela. Learning how to read comics, favorite volumes, Death is a jooob, warm beer will ALWAYS be bad, which of the Endless would you be, and of course Florence Pugh vs Olivia Wilde.

Andy and Dani ask each other 1,001 or more like 10 questions. Get to the point in work messages, there is an “I” in team, a partner making more money, lucid dreaming, what color sheets are best, nocturnal professions, 3 things that are over and underrated, and piece by piece snacks.

The Arc by Tory Henwood Hoen Andy and Dani talk scientific dating services. Authors justifying weird names, personality tests vs compatibility tests, cold butter is a crime, fatal flaws in relationships, why do people kiss so loud, Andy is very against murder mystery parties, and would join The Arc?

Andy and Dani talk terrible travel tales. Dani gives expert travel advice, what makes a travel day horrible, planes in free fall, turbulence will always be scary, Las Vegas bachelor parties, hangovers on the tarmac, and backstabbing audio.

Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart Andy and Dani get really, really sad. Bring Whiskey Andy back, this book is sad, realistic shit show, fiction acting like a memoir, assuming the worst is going to happen, most devastating scene, and did we mention this book is sad? Warning: This book deals HEAVILY with alcoholism and relapse.

Andy and Dani talk about disappointments. Star Wars prequels, Andy traveled for a Star Wars card game, X-men movies, a young Magneto movie, Three Musketeers, Heroes, would you finish reading GoT if it was exactly like the last season.

The Burning God by R. F. Kuang Andy and Dani finish The Poppy Wars trilogy. Andy is actually a big fat loser, mismanagement of characters, failed predictions, getting rid of characters in dumb ways, is Rin a shitty drunk white guy, and what the hell was the point?

Andy and Dani are supposed to talk about D&D. Everyones moving out of Boston, packing SUCKS, call him bougie Andy, Dani is the new and bestest DM, decent sized D&D group, hard Mountain Dew, playing your character’s wisdom and not your own, playing as Shrek.

The Dragon Republic by R. F. Kuang Andy and Dani continue reading The Poppy War trilogy. They should never make predictions, main characters you don’t like, cursing in books, undeserved friendships, why is everyone so young and good at war, and of course Andy and Dani still make predictions. 

Andy and Dani talk about magic systems in fantasies. Dani has your identity stolen, what do wizards sound like, Magic Mike, could Gandalf just destroy all the Orcs, vague vs. defined magic systems, and what magic did you want to be real?

The Poppy Wars by R. F. Kuang Andy and Dani read a trilogy! Does Andy like YA, retaliation against standardized testing, the most important people in the world are 15-20, Andy and Dani fight, is the first book in a trilogy the worst, and predictions.

Andy and Dani talk about books they’re looking forward to. You can never leave here, does Dani even know how to read, will Andy be let all the way down, who ends up having the existential crisis, who will finish their list of books first, and should Andy start writing comic books? P.S. Sorry for the quiet sound quality we’re working on fixing it but didn’t want to leave you without your Lit Lit fi...

The Chemist by Stephenie Meyer Andy and Dani read a book steeped in science. Dani loved this book more than anything she’s ever loved, what kind of pacing is this, the movie Up, swapping gender roles, casting this book, walking in on your siblings, a subtle Guy Fieri, and thruples.

Andy and Dani finally allow themselves to talk about GoT. Andy misses you Jeff, re-reading all of these dang books, The Wire…again, is the 6th book ever coming out, did Dani just write the end of GoT, and what scenes from the show are you excited to read about.

The N'Gustro Affair by Jean-Patrick Manchette  Andy and Dani read a birthday book. It's Andy's birthday! Like today. It's his birthday. How much did Dani hate this book, reading insufferable main characters, pooping your pants, who was Henri Butron in high school, the music man, and Hi Jon! 

Andy and Dani ask the next best hypothetical questions. Dani joined a cult, Andy is always haunted by Pauly Shore, 0.4% away from being funny, Disney character powerpoint, changing college experiences, watching the Canadian Football League, and what moment in time would you visit?

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi Andy and Dani get a history lesson. Are Andy and Dani even friends, we got a contender, history told as a story and not a textbook, everyone is not ok, favorite scenes, goosebumps all the time, is there such a thing as a happy ending?

Andy and Dani ask the best hypothetical questions ever. This is pure chaos, everyone has a favorite spoon, Andy is a bottom feeder, Dani really wants to touch lava, useless mutant powers, and of course skateboarding or rollerblading?

The Memoirs of a Survivor by Doris Lessing Andy and Dani guess what “it” is. Youthz vs old people, is Andy an old person, Dani could not find this book, coming of age through another’s eyes, who is this damn narrator, and are your 30’s like your 20’s but with money?

Andy and Dani talk about how they “plan” their books out. Picking 2022 best book contenders, how long is too long for a book series, Dani’s Dad makes an interesting book choice, birthday books, divisive books, and navel gazing.

Lions of Al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay Andy and Dani get into historical-ish fantasy. Dani once again is terrible with history, the story of Franzia, favorite characters, who drinks first for GoT, how many times did Andy cry, and is this book a "Best of 2022" contender?