Mean Book Club

TJ Klune's The House in the Cerulean Sea. An "enchanting story, masterfully told" or "a book that tries so hard to be quirky and twee it makes me want to throw it into the Atlantic Ocean." YOU DECIDE! We decide, also, on: Mean Book Club! We are four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, CollegeHumor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit...

A VERY SPECIAL BONUS EPISODE: We read Murder on Sex Island by Jo Firestone, suggested to us by friend of the pod and talented comedian Jo Firestone! It’s not YET a bestseller, but we jumped at the chance to cross-examine the author and dig down deep on why they made the weird choices they made. Fake teeth? A blonde wig? Is Sex Island just Love Island??? We had to know more. This book comes out TOD...

THE sex manual of 1969 (yeah baby) is also one of the all time best selling books EVER in America. Yeah, if you were breathing in 1969, odds are: YOU READ THIS BOOK. But is it a radical, liberal education on "fun sex" or a truly disturbing attack on women, aging, and homosexuality that you cannot even FIND in libraries today? We have award-winning podcast host and best-selling author DAN SAVAGE (i...

Again listener Ashleigh C convinced us to read a Patterson book because Dolly Parton co-wrote it as “it’s very loosely autobiographical.” So we took on 17-week NYT bestseller by Dolly Parton and James Patterson. There’s a companion country album? Yes please. We also have special guest - comedian, showrunner and fellow Pennsylvanian Leo Allen, the man behind such classic shows as Nathan For You, Re...

Thanks to Ashleigh C who rudely predicted that Clara and Sarah would really like Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld, a NYT bestseller for April 2023. But yes Ashleigh, Sarah was mad it wasn’t horny the whole time. We also have special guest - comedian and actress Caroline Cotter, who has appeared on late night shows from Conan to Late Night with Seth Meyers. So we knew she would love to whine ab...

A blue-skinned woman? A rural Appalachian library? A murderous mule? All this and more when the MBC ladies tackle the NYTs bestseller "The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek." Hee-haw, we reckon! Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's...

With Red, White & Royal Blue coming out on Amazon Prime, you know we had to read the NYT bestseller that started it all! A gay prince and son of a president? Yes please…. But wait… oh god… oh no… Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic...

BOOOOOKSSSSS!!! Announcing our Season 16 book list and promo. Season premiere August 8! Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect for your commute. New podcast (almost) every Tuesday! Here’s the Season 16 reading list: Red Whit...

Mean Booker Mike E. Recommended this NYT bestseller because “its got suicide and incest and hostages!” So we said yes to reading Hotel New Hampshire by John Irving - but were pissed about the 20-hour audiobook! Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It'...

Mean Booker Jenny D recommended this NYT bestseller. Jenny said: "So i havent personally read. This is a book that gets alot of hype like all of hers.” Then she proceeded to lavish us with compliments so how could WE NOT DO THIS BOOK? We’re joined by Maggie Bowyer and Savannah Crews, hosts of the Baked & Bookish podcast. Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical...

MBCer Suzanne told us to use our scientific method on Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus, a book which as of now has spent 38 weeks on the NYTs bestseller list. It looked like a romcom, it smelled like a romcom, and, dear listeners, spoiler alert, it WAS NOT a romcom! We are joined by photographer and occasional bad book reader Beckie Hawkins (@woodfieldphotography on Insta) who luckliy keeps u...

Mean Booker @unredactedani told us to read this Reese Witherspoon pick because she “can’t recommend the book to anyone IRL for reasons that will become obvious if you consider it for your podcast.” Ohhhhh, mysterious. We had to know more. Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable l...

Mean Booker Michelle B told us to read the NYT bestseller because “the premise sounds enticing… this totally goes off the rails and was a complete disappointment.” Wrong Place Wrong Time (a misleading title), spent 5 weeks on the bestseller list and was a Reese Witherspoon club pick in 2022. It's got time travel, a murderous nerd son, and mom guilt. So if it sucks, how did it get so popular?? We d...

This NYT bestseller was recommended by MBC fan Kathi who simply stated it’s “a rather bad one.” But once we saw An Absolutely Remarkable thing was written by the brother of John Green (The Fault In Our Stars) - we were intrigued. Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary m...

This NYT bestseller was recommended by TWO fans: Barbie Steele and Gillian Tobin. They told us The Silent Patient was a snooze and was written by a failed screenwriter. How could we resist? We are joined by author Jason Yamas (Tweakerworld) who assured us that although this book wasn’t literature, it was certainly “literary.” Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical...

Hello MBCers!! We are thrilled to be back for season 15!!! This week we read Divergent by Veronica Roth! It's a dystopian YA novel set in the WINDY CITY, but not the Windy City that you know and love. A different one. A worse one. And! We! Hated it! If you're tuning in for the first time, Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine a...

BOOOOOKSSSSS!!! Announcing our Season 15 book list and promo. Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect for your commute. New podcast (almost) every Tuesday! Here’s the Season 15 reading list: Divergent by Veronica Roth The Sil...

You can thank MBC fan “Dan” for this rec: “I think it’s awful and ham-fisted, the most unsubtle and condescendingly written book ever.” You want us to take down a classic? We love a challenge! Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's...

Fan @Thor_Reviews_Beer on instagram asked us to “read and rip World War Z” by Max Brooks - a NYT bestseller. He said please and thank you so we decided to oblige. After all, aren’t zombies totally in right now?! Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It...

You can thank our special guest Zach Noe Towers (@ zachnoetowers ) of the Good Morning, Sodomites! podcast for this rec. It’s one of those books on everybody famous’s top ten list.. but has anybody actually read it? Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun...

Hey, book'os! We are back! This week we accidentally read Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro. "Accidentally," you say? What? How? Allow us to explain... on ze cast. Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect for your commute. N...

You can thank MBC fan Dave O. for this rec: “It is everything you hate about White Suburban Women's Book Club literature, from a ‘modern day’ storyline to melodramatic dialogue to heavy-handed symbolism.” Plus, it’s been a NYT bestseller for more than 110 weeks and has sold more than 3 million copies? Uh, count us in! Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers)...

You can thank MBC fan Alessandra Rosso for this rec: “I read this book a year ago and still talk about how bad it is… And the men… feel like giant Ken dolls for the women to transport, pose and pretend to interact with.” Plus, it’s a NYT bestseller set in NYC during 9/11? Uh, count us in! Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine a...

A murder book with recipes? CHECK PLEASE! We read Cherry Cheesecake Murder by Joanne Fluke - and it somehow was a NYT bestseller! How? Why? We had to find out! Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect for your commute. New pod...

Co-hos, welcome! Today we break down the ultimate MBC book pick - so bad it’s… good? We read Verity by Colleen Hoover!!! Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect for your commute. New podcast (almost) every Tuesday! Here’s the...