Read the Book First

It's our first Christmas special! Isaac and Jenessa sat down to discuss Chris Van Allsburg's award-winning picture book, The Polar Express . Jenessa also convinced Isaac to watch the 2004 adaptation starring Tom Hanks. Is the Polar Express a Christmas classic or just creepy?  We hope you and your family have a safe, peaceful holiday season. See you in 2025! Send us Fan Mail Support the s...

Amanda joins Jenessa in analyzing what makes Wicked different from other movie musicals. In this episode, we break apart Act One of the Wicked stage production and compare it to the 2024 film adaptation. Wicked Broadway Stage Production - 00:01.55 Wicked Part One 2024 film - 01:03.00 Send us Fan Mail Support the show All episodes can be played at readthebookfirst.buzzsprout.com Join our Patreon at...

Amanda joins us in analyzing Wicked: the Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire. This novel has been turned into a hit Broadway play and recently a movie-musical (both will be discussed in an episode next week).  What did Maguire add to the rich world of Baum's Oz? How does Elphaba develop from a misunderstood girl to a wicked witch? Who truly decides your fate? con...

Sam joins us to discuss L. Frank Baum's children's classic, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz , and the 1939 film adaptation, The Wizard of Oz . Did Baum write the seminal American folktale? Is The Wizard of Oz the best movie in American cinema? Listen to the episode to find out! The Wonderful Wizard of Oz book discussion - 0:02.00 The Wizard of Oz film discussion - 0:42.50 final thoughts on bo...

Marissa and Jenessa discuss the first season of the critically acclaimed HBO show, True Blood . What made this show so successful? Why is it so much better than the book?  content warnings: descriptions of blood, vampirism, drug addiction, alcoholism, assault, SA, and similar topics Send us Fan Mail Support the show All episodes can be played at readthebookfirst.buzzsprout.com Join our Patreon at...

Marissa is back to help us figure out why we hated reading Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris, yet we couldn't put the book down! Join us as we review the book that inspired the HBO series, True Blood . content warning: descriptions of blood, abuse, SA, and racism.  Send us Fan Mail Support the show All episodes can be played at readthebookfirst.buzzsprout.com Join our Patreon at patreon.com...

Stephanie returns to help us figure out why people still love the 2008 film, Twilight . What about Twilight draws people to it year after year? If you've enjoyed the podcast, please consider answering five questions on this google form . It'll help us create the best listening experience and help us decide the future of the podcast. Send us Fan Mail Support the show All episodes can be p...

Vampire month continues with a deep dive into Twilight by Stephanie Meyer . Why were teenagers so obsessed with Twilight ? Does Twilight live up to our nostalgia? Listen to find out! If you've enjoyed the podcast, please consider answering five questions on this google form . It'll help us create the best listening experience and help us decide the future of the podcast. Send us Fan Mail...

Welcome to the Dracula Film Festival ! Amanda and I watched four Dracula adaptations to determine which one will reign supreme! content warnings: descriptions of blood, vampirism, assault, SA, suicide, and other abuse associated with Dracula Nosferatui (1933) - 00:02.55 Horrors of Dracula (1958) - 00:23.07 Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) - 00:48.43 Renfield (2023) - 01:21.59 Dracula (1931) - 01:...

It's officially autumn so grab a copy of Dracula by Bram Stoker and get into the spooky mood! In this episode, Amanda and I figure out what makes this gothic novel so beloved. How has Dracula become ubiquitous with the modern idea of vampires? content warning: descriptions of blood, death, assault, and other vampire-related themes Send us Fan Mail Support the show All episodes can be played a...

Chandler returns to help us figure out just where the Uglies movie went wrong. How bad is this adaptation? Or is it a good adaptation? If you've enjoyed the podcast, please consider answering five questions on this google form . It'll help us create the best listening experience and help us decide the future of the podcast. Send us Fan Mail Support the show All episodes can be played at...

Our first episode of Season 3 follows the adventure of Scott Westerfeld's YA dystopia, Uglies . In this world, when you turn 16 you get an operation to become "pretty". Tally has wanted to be a "pretty" her whole life, but when she befriends  the rebellious Shay, Tally discovers her society may not be all it seems. Listen along as Chandler and Jenessa figure out how farfet...

Read the Book First is back with Season 3! We are so excited for this season of the podcast! The first episode of Season 3 releases on September 9th! If you've enjoyed the podcast, please consider answering five questions on this google form . It'll help us create the best listening experience as well as help us decide the future of the podcast. Remember to follow us on Instagram @readth...

It's our Season 2 finale!! Charlotte joins me as we diiive in (heh, get it?) and explore the middle-grade chapter book, Aquamarine by Alice Hoffman, and the 2006 teen movie adaptation, Aquamarine . Thank you to everyone who listened to the last two seasons of episodes. We appreciate it from the bottom of my heart! Season 3 is currently in production so make sure you follow our Instagram to ke...

Beau returns to help us figure out what exactly went wrong with the 2006 film adaptation, Eragon . Is it truly the "worst movie adaptation"? Are people too harsh? Send us Fan Mail Support the show All episodes can be played at readthebookfirst.buzzsprout.com Join our Patreon at patreon.com/ReadtheBookFirst Don't forget to subscribe, rate us 5 stars, and follow us on Instagram @readt...

My younger brother, Beau, joins me to discuss Eragon by Christopher Poalini. We revisit our family's nostalgic favorite road trip audiobook. Is it just Start Wars with dragson? Is there more to it? Listen to find out! Send us Fan Mail Support the show All episodes can be played at readthebookfirst.buzzsprout.com Join our Patreon at patreon.com/ReadtheBookFirst Don't forget to subscribe,...

Amanda returns to round out our trilogy of Cats episodes. We watched (suffered) the 2019 film adaptation of Cats . How bad is it really? Is any of it "good"?  Send us Fan Mail Support the show All episodes can be played at readthebookfirst.buzzsprout.com Join our Patreon at patreon.com/ReadtheBookFirst Don't forget to subscribe, rate us 5 stars, and follow us on Instagram @readthebo...

It's time for the Jellicle Ball! Amanda helps us dive into the musical world of Cats ! Join us as we replay the chaos that is the 1998 Broadway recording of Cats .  Send us Fan Mail Support the show All episodes can be played at readthebookfirst.buzzsprout.com Join our Patreon at patreon.com/ReadtheBookFirst Don't forget to subscribe, rate us 5 stars, and follow us on Instagram @readtheb...

Did you know that the most produced musical, Cats , is based on a collection of poetry by T. S. Eliot? We didn't until Amanda convinced us to read Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats . Join us as we break down each ridiculous poem to find the good and the bad (there's a lot of bad). Jenessa mentions a New York Times article in the episode. You can read that here . As we stated in th...

Where are all the Polin (Penelope + Colin) scenes we were promised? Why are there so many plotlines? What went right in Season 3 Part 2 of Bridgerton and what when wrong? Jenn has returned to help us break down the drama! Jenn and Jenessa discuss the spicy scenes of Bridgerton Season 3, so please be aware as you listen. Check out Jenn on Instagram, @lit.with.jenn ! Send us Fan Mail Support the sho...

Jenn returns to help Jenessa analyze Bridgerton Season 3, Part 1. They discuss Colin's flirting failures, Penelope's brilliance, Pitbull's musical genius, and why everyone is rewatching the carriage scene. Jenn and Jenessa discuss the spicy scenes of Bridgerton Season 3, so please be aware as you listen. Check out Jenn on Instagram, @lit.with.jenn ! TikTok-ers Jenessa mentions in th...

It's Polin (Penelope + Colin) season! In preparation for season 3 of Netflix's Bridgerton, Jenn joins Jenessa in discussing Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn. Is Colin a bad boyfriend? Who is Lady Whistledown? How is Netflix going to adapt this book? Check out today's guest, Jenn, on her Instagram ! Send us Fan Mail Support the show All episodes can be played at readthebookfir...

Lace up your hiking boots and join us as we traverse Reese Witherspoon's film adaptation of the bestselling memoir, Wild by Cheryl Strayed. Is the movie actually about Cheryl's hike through the Pacific Crest Trail or is it about her journey through something else? Check out Delaney's zodiac tour company, Out to Sea Expeditions . Send us Fan Mail Support the show All episodes can be...

What an adventure! Delaney joins Jenessa in analyzing the hike and emotional journey of Wild: from Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed. Check out Delaney's Alaskan zodiac boat tour company on their Instagram or at  https://www.outtoseaexpeditions.com/   Send us Fan Mail Support the show All episodes can be played at readthebookfirst.buzzsprout.com Join our Patreon at pa...

Sam returns to help me review the 2012 coming-of-age film, The Perks of Being a Wallflower . How "tumblr" is this movie? Do we really expect alt teenagers in the 90s not to know a David Bowie song? These questions and more are answered in this episode! Please listen to the content warnings at the beginning of the episode or look up content warnings for The Perks of Being a Wallflower bef...