Adult Book Club

This episode features Wild Seed by Octavia E. Butler. Spoilers are between the 50 – 1:55 minute marks. We discuss at length the differences and similarities between Anyanwu and Doro as entities and in the settlements they create. We also touch on their different powers and gush about Isaac during spoilers. We end with our usual segments and another surprise book reveal. Enjoy!

This episode features Neuromancer by William Gibson. Spoilers are between the 37 – 1:17 minute marks. Throughout the show we discuss our confusion with this novel and try to answer each other’s questions to get a clearer picture. We talk about the issues we had with setting, visualization and characters and then finish with our usual segments. Enjoy!

This episode features Legendborn by Tracy Deonn. Spoilers are between the 52 and 1:47 minute marks. We spend a lot of time talking about our main character Bree and her journey as well as how well this book was written and the multiple topics it touched and gave perspective on throughout the story. We then finish with our usual segments and have another surprise book for the next show. Enjoy!

This episode features Book of Night by Holly Black. Spoilers are between the 37 – 1:17 minute marks. We discuss what we liked about the characters, setting and magic of this world as well as how we would treat our quickened shadows. During spoilers we talk about some questions and issues this left us with and then finish with our usual segments, including our second surprise book reveal. Enjoy!

This episode features Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree. Spoilers are between the 46 – 1:20 minute marks. We discuss our love for all the characters and this world they live in as well as how this book delivered perfectly on its promise of low stakes and high fantasy. We also touch on what kind of shops our DnD characters would open if they gave up adventuring and finish with our usual segmen...

This episode features The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon. This is a huge book so spoilers are long between the 56 - 2:14 minute marks. We spend a lot of time discussing which characters we loved and who we could’ve done without as well as the immense world building that went into this standalone novel. We tell you which of the six virtues of Virtudom would be our patron if we lived...

This episode features The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel. Spoilers are between the 45 – 1:30 minute marks. We discuss the characters and the web that she writes them in, as well as the unusual but pleasing set up to the book. We reminisce about Y2K and discuss how this story compares to the real-life events that inspired it during spoilers. We finish with our usual segments and prepare you f...

This episode features The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean. Spoilers are between the 58 – 1:40 minute marks. We discuss how we liked the original idea of Book Eaters and Mind Eaters, but wished there was more emphasis on them and their abilities throughout the story. We also discuss what we think different books we’ve read would taste like and finish with our usual segments. Russ also discusses his upcom...

This episode features California by Edan Lepucki. Spoilers are between the 58 – 1:50 marks. In this we discuss our alternating protagonists, how much we loved the post-apocalyptic setting of this story, another failure to communicate and how we think we’d do trying to survive in this world. We finish with our usual segments and manage to keep it under 3 hours. Enjoy!

This episode features A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman. Spoilers are between the 1:08 – 2:33 minute marks. We do apologize for our failed attempts at pronunciation of names and would like to warn you to get your tissues ready as this episode gets emotional while talking about Ove and all he has done. We end with our usual segments and discuss a little change for how books will be selected for t...

This episode features Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. Spoilers are between the 1:10 – 2:11 minute marks. We discuss the characters, realism and use of games both in the book and our lives as well as the importance of communication. During spoilers we gush about one section in particular and then end with Taja debuting a new segment called What We Got Wrong. Enjoy!

This episode features A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik. Spoilers are between the 49 – 1:29 minute marks. We discuss our strong female lead as well as the incredibly original setting in this story. We also touch on some of the pieces that felt cookie cutter and what really made it stand out for us. We briefly discuss ways we would collect and store mana and then end with our usual segments. Enjoy!

This episode features Half Sick of Shadows by Laura Sebastian. Spoilers are between the 51 – 1:37 minute marks. We had a lot of issues with this book and spend time discussing what we didn’t like about the characters, the set up of the book and Elaine’s use of her oracle abilities. We also discuss who’s power we would like to have and then finish with our usual segments. Enjoy!

This episode features the Classic Novel of South Africa, The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay. We both loved this book so we spend a lot of time gushing about our protagonist Peekay and the incredible people he meets along his journey to adulthood. We encourage you to stay throughout spoilers which are between the 1:17 and 2:27 minute marks. We also discuss some of our unconventional friendships si...

This episode features The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward. Spoilers are between the 51 – 1:35 minute marks. We discuss the characters and curveballs thrown in this book, as well as how we felt it used perspective differently than other books we’ve read. We hit on all kinds of spoilers and then end with our usual segments and random recommendation. Enjoy!

This episode features The Paragon Hotel by Lyndsay Faye. Spoilers are between 1:01-1:32 minute marks. We discuss at length the issues that we had with this book when it came to its writing style and language as well as our inability to connect with any of the characters. We also touch on different “Nobody” roles we have in our lives and then finish with our usual segments. Enjoy!

This episode features book one of The Wheel of Time series, Eye of the World by Robert Jordan; skip ahead to minute 15 to jump right to the book discussion. It’s a bigger book than we normally tackle so spoilers are longer than usual. They run from the 1:03 – 2:10 minute marks. We discuss the characters, events, lore and world building of this book as well as give some of our predictions for what...

This episode features Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel. Spoilers are between the 56 – 1:39 minute marks. We discuss the layout of the book, the characters and the believability of Mandel’s version of time travel. We also discuss whether or not we believe we are living in a simulation and our feelings towards that. We finish with our usual segments where we learn about Taja’s podcast add...

This episode features Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Spoilers are between the 39 – 1:24 minute marks. We have our usual discussion on characters as well as setting and what it would take to get us to stay in High Place for a few weeks. We also go deeper into the book and explore some of our own ideas into the motivations of certain characters and have no idea how far off we probably are!...

On this episode we feature Upgrade, the newest book from Blake Crouch. Spoilers are between the 59 – 1:40 minute marks. We discuss the characters, the not to distant and unfortunate future setting as well as getting into what kind of upgrades or downgrades we would make to our genes. We do have a long opening where we catch up on our travels, so if you are here for the book only; skip ahead to the...

This episode features West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge. Spoilers are between the 47 – 1:29 minute marks. We discuss the characters, their connection with animals and what it was like surviving in 1938. We also have our second pod within a pod during segments and finish up with current selection and a random recommendation. Enjoy!

This episode features Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby. Spoilers are between the 33 and 1:19 minute marks. We discuss how the author used this novel to highlight both prejudice and ignorance when it comes to people’s sexuality and race. We also get into how well it was written and the realism that shown through the characters. We end with our grading and usual segments. Enjoy!

This episode we discuss Hunter by Mercedes Lackey. Spoilers are between the 1:08 – 1:52 minute marks. We do get critical on this book for its too perfect protagonist and discuss how this setting was very exciting for us and we wished the author dug deeper into the background story of this world. We also talk about times we were nervous about trying new things or experiences and end a little bit ti...

On this episode we cover The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. We decided to forgo the spoiler’s section in this episode because while this book brings a new perspective to the story, we feel most already know the legend of Achilles and separating spoilers was unnecessary. We discuss how Miller wrote the romance and love between Patroclus and Achilles as well as how she came to the decision to...

This episode features The Match by Harlan Coben. Spoilers are between the 1:05 and 1:52 minute marks. We discuss how well Coben develops relationships between characters, how he pulls characters from other books and about the growth we see, especially from Wilde, throughout the book. We talk about whether or not we’ve ever used a DNA match site as well as our experiences with reality TV. We finish...