Read the Book First

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...

Join my friend Sam and me as we discuss the YA coming-of-age class, Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. We had a blast rereading this book!  Should Perks of Being a Wallflower be required reading? Please listen to the content warnings at the beginning of the episode or look up content warnings for Perks of Being a Wallflower before listening. If you or someone you know is struggling wi...

Isaac and Jenessa break down Studio Ghibli's Howl's Moving Castle and discuss how it's different (better?) than the book it's based on. Listen to find out which scene made Jenessa cry.  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,...

Let's dive into the magical world of the 1986 middle-grade classic, Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones. Join Jenessa and Isaac as they discuss the drama that follows our girl, Sophie. Is she dealing with eldest child gifted-kid burnout?  Send us Fan Mail Support the show All episodes can be played at readthebookfirst.buzzsprout.com Join our Patreon at patreon.com/ReadtheBookFirst...

IT'S THE SEASON ONE FINALE! Amanda returns to close up the Percy Jackson Spectacular Month to help me dive into the first two episodes of the Disney+ series adaptation of Percy Jackson and the Olympians .  Thank you all for a wonderful first season of Read the Book First. I truly appreciate each and every one of you. We will  return  for season two in late February of 2024, so keep an eye out...

The Percy Jackson Spectacular Month continues with a double adaptation episode! Amanda and I discuss the highs and low lows of the 2010 film adaptation, Percy Jackson and the Olympians: the Lightning Thief. We also talk about The Lightning Thief: a Percy Jackson Musical! Join us, fellow campers!  Send us Fan Mail Support the show All episodes can be played at readthebookfirst.buzzsprout.com Join o...

Join Amanda and me as we embark on the Percy Jackson Spectacular Month ! All of December we will be reading, watching, and listening to all things Percy Jackson! This first episode is a deep dive into the middle-grade novel that started it all, Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief .  Send us Fan Mail Support the show All episodes can be played at readthebookfirst.buzzsprout.com Join our Patreon a...

Join Marissa and me as we dive into the nostalgic time capsule film that is  the Princess Diaries . 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 @readthebookfirstpodcast - Happy reading! Business inquiries only - readthebook...

We're back with an exciting episode! Marissa has returned to help us dive into Meg Cabot's infamous, The Princess Diaries .  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 @readthebookfirstpodcast - Happy reading! Bu...

Join the car chase of a journey that are these two very different Disney adaptations,  Escape to Witch Mountain  (1975) and  Race to Witch Mountain  (2009). 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 @readthebookfirstpodca...

Amanda returns to help break down Escape to Witch Mountain by Alexander Key. This novel truly took us on a journey! 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 @readthebookfirstpodcast - Happy reading! Business inquiries on...

It's officially October so let's get spooky! Join Chandler and me as we discuss the 1998 cult classic, Practical Magic .  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 @readthebookfirstpodcast - Happy reading! Busin...

It's the start of Autumn which means it's essentially Halloween! To usher in the Spooky Season, my dear friend Chandler joined me in reading Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman. Go ahead and get yourself a warm cup of tea and listen along! Send us Fan Mail Support the show All episodes can be played at readthebookfirst.buzzsprout.com Join our Patreon at patreon.com/ReadtheBookFirst Don&apos...

We have not just one special guest, but TWO! Isaac and Charlotte join me as we adventure through the 2005 film adaptation of  The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy .  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 @readthe...