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Join our hosts for a roundtable discussion of the instant #1 NYT bestseller FIREKEEPER'S DAUGHTER by Angeline Boulley, a smash-hit OwnVoices YA thriller about a Native teen going undercover to root out corruption in her community. Spoilers ahead!  Content Warning for FIREKEEPER'S DAUGHTER: anti-Native racism, misogyny, sexual assault, emotional and physical abuse, murder and death, grief, kid...

Join our hosts for a chat on some of our favorite monstrous women and bloodthirsty girls in young adult literature. Topics include: The difference between villains and anti-heroes; why Sharpay Evans was the real victim of the High School Musical franchise; and the intersections between "likeability," grey morality, and gender. 

Join our hosts for a roundtable (pun intended) discussion of Tracy Deonn's LEGENDBORN, a new YA fantasy retelling of the King Arthur myth that takes place in modern-day North Carolina. Topics include: our favorite moments, subverting Arthurian legend, ship wars, and that killer ending. SPOILERS AHEAD! 

Join our hosts as they discuss coming-of-age themes in young adult contemporary books, including topics like the "sex checklist," alternatives to college, and the ever-growing New Adult genre. Content Warning: brief discussions of sex, teen drug use, and sexual assault. 

Whether it's two characters falling in love or fighting on opposites sides of a war, we absolutely love stories told from dual POVs. But what makes them so great? Join our hosts to find out as they chat about some of their favorite dual narratives in YA and children's lit. 

Love is in the air! Okay, maybe that's a bit too much, but with Valentine's Day on the horizon, join our hosts as they discuss their favorite (and least favorite) romance tropes in YA lit. From the controversial love triangle to the angst-filled enemies-to-lovers, there's plenty of swoonworthy goodness to enjoy.  CW: Discussions of bullying and emotional abuse 

Hello listeners, and welcome to the season two premiere of the Pine Reads Podcast! Join our hosts Wendy, Jackie, and Hannah as they chat about their most anticipated kidlit reads of 2021. From epic YA fantasy to swoon-worthy romances, there are plenty of fantastic titles we can't wait to dive into this year. 

Join us as we look back at Season 1 and the year of 2020. We discuss our favorite YA books of the year, our favorite episodes, upcoming books we're excited for, what we'd like to see more of in YA literature, and a sneak peek of Season 2. Thank you for joining us this season, and we can't wait to see you again in early 2021! Episode Cast: Jon Kresal, Wendy Waltrip, Hannah Miller

In this episode, we talk about Kacen Callender's latest YA contemporary novel, FELIX EVER AFTER. Topics include: the complexity of identity, why we love complicated queer teens, the recurring theme of love, the reality of art school, and more. Join us for a fun chat about this fantastic book! Content Warnings for the Book: Strong language, transphobia, a character’s dead name and photos from befor...

In this episode, we discuss ELATSOE written by Darcie Little Badger and illustrated by Rovina Cai, as well as RACE TO THE SUN by Rebecca Roanhorse. Topics include: our thoughts about the books, how both stories operate within the speculative fiction genre, how indigenous cultures influence these books, and more. Join us for a great discussion! Content Warnings for the Books: Kidnapping, mentioned...

In this episode, we talk about Aiden Thomas's recently-released, best-selling novel CEMETERY BOYS. The discussion centers on our thoughts about the book, our favorite parts, the amazing representation in the book, and more. Join us for a great time while you prepare for Halloween! Content Warnings for the Book: Misgendering, strong language, transphobia, some blood and gore, some violence Episode...

In this episode, we each read a different YA mystery novel to investigate the truth of YA mysteries. Topics include: the structure of the mystery novel and how the perspective was important, if the Big Reveal was satisfying and if we saw it coming, how the teenage protagonist(s) dealt with adult subject matter and trauma as opposed to an older protagonist, and our thoughts about the books in gener...

In this episode, we discuss Adib Khorram's sequel DARIUS THE GREAT DESERVES BETTER. Topics include: thoughts about the sequel in general and how it relates to the first book, a discussion about high school sports culture, thoughts about the changing family relationships and dynamics in the sequel, and predictions for a possible third book. Join us for a fantastic discussion! Trigger Warnings for t...

In this episode, we discuss Adib Khorram's novel, DARIUS THE GREAT IS NOT OKAY. Topics include: thoughts about the book, our favorite moments, how culture-blending is presented, how mental health is treated in America vs. Iran, predictions for the sequel, and more. Join us for a fantastic discussion! Trigger Warnings for the Book: Depression, anxiety, bullying, Islamophobia, fat/body/food-shaming,...

In this episode, we discuss intersectionality in YA literature by examining how it's depicted in several specific books. We look at the portrayal of characters, the complexities of writing outside of the scope of one's identities, how the characters' identifies affect their roles in the book, what effect reading about the intersection of multiple identities had on us, and more. Books discussed inc...

In this episode, we discuss THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS AND SNAKES, Suzanne Collins' recently released prequel to THE HUNGER GAMES. Topics include: our general thoughts of the book, how it compares to the original series, the differences between Coriolanus and Katniss as protagonists, movie predictions, and more. Join us as we return to Panem! Trigger Warnings: Violence, murder, references to war...

For this episode, we each read a different sci-fi or fantasy book with BIPOC protagonists and an LGBTQ+ romance, and in the episode, we discuss these books together. The novels talked about are: ACE OF SHADES by Amanda Foody, GIRLS OF PAPER AND FIRE by Natasha Ngan, A SONG BELOW WATER by Bethany C. Morrow, and WE SET THE DARK ON FIRE by Tehlor Kay Mejia. Join us for a great discussion about divers...

Welcome to the Pine Reads Podcast! In this episode, we introduce ourselves and talk about...drumroll...books! Topics include: our positions at Pine Reads Review, our favorite books, what we like about young adult literature, why the young adult genre is important for people of all ages, and more. Join us for a fun, book-filled time! Episode Cast: Jon Kresal and Wendy Waltrip

In this episode, we discuss how mental health is represented in young adult literature. Several books that feature protagonists with various mental illnesses are talked about, including TURTLES ALL THE WAY DOWN by John Green, STARRY EYES by Jenn Bennett, BY YOUR SIDE by Kasie West, and MARBLES by Ellen Forney. We also talk about the experience of reading a book with a protagonist who sha...

Hello listeners, welcome to the Pine Reads Podcast! Stay tuned for new episodes coming soon. In the mean time, follow us on social media and visit our official website: bit.ly/2ImUbMJ .