Useless Doctors Book Club

In this episode, we watch the show The Other Black Girl which is based off the book The Other Black Girl which we read back in Season 1 Episode 8. The book/show follow Nella Rogers who works at Wagner Books as an editorial assistant. She is excited when Hazel joins Wagner Books also as an editorial assistant since Hazel would be the second black employee Wagner Books has, other than Nella herself....

For our second-to-last episode of season 5, we decided to pick another spooky season book: We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson. We read Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House two years ago, all the way back in season 1. And as a bonus, we also discussed The Lottery, a short story by Jackson that both Sarah and Pooja read in school. Did Shirley Jackson finally win us ove...

Welcome back to our listeners! In this week's episode, we discuss 'The Great Believers' by Rebecca Makkai. The story follows a young gay man named Yale living in 1980s Chicago during the height of the AIDs epidemic. This book is very different from the previous Rebecca Makkai book read on this podcast, 'I Have Some Questions For You', which was a mystery thriller that was well-...

In today's episode, we read the book The Connellys of County Down by Tracey Lange. The book follows Tara as she navigates life after being released from prison. She lives with her siblings again and is trying her best to find a job and integrate back into society. The book even features an unexpected romance. Will the romance satisfy the romances grinches? Listen to find out!

For this episode, we read another cozy, fun mystery by Jesse Q. Sutanto: Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers. This book follows Vera, an elderly woman running a "world-famous" tea shop when one day, she finds a man dead in her shop. She uses her amazing ability to cook lots of delicious food to investigate suspects and makes some cute friendships along the way. Note: do NOT...

In this week's episode, we revisit an author whom we've had a mixed record with, the one and only Colleen Hoover! This book, titled 'Too Late', originally began as a story on Wattpad and follows a young woman named Sloan who is in an abusive relationship with her drug dealer boyfriend, Asa. Little does she know a young DEA agent, Carter, is working undercover in an attempt to take...

In this episode, we read the book Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood. The book follows Elsie Hannaway as she struggles to make ends meet as an adjunct professor. She interviews for a tenure-track position at MIT and comes face-to-face with her arch-nemesis on the hiring committee. How does Elsie navigate this predicament and how does this Ali Hazelwood book compare to previous we've read? Li...

In this week's episode, we read another Jodi Picoult book, which she co-wrote with Jennifer Finney Boylan, called Mad Honey. This book follows the perspectives of a young woman, Lily, and her boyfriend's mother, Olivia, before and after Lily's death. This book has suspense for Harshini and Pooja and romance for Sarah, but was it good enough to get a Triple Crown? Listen to find out!

Welcome back to our listeners! This week we read a historical, mythological, fantasy novel about a young woman who embarks on an adventure with the Mayan god of death during the Jazz Age in Mexico. During our discussion, we talk about how we'd love to see this as a movie and what really does 'sexy' mean? Also, it's always a plus when Sarah and Pooja argue. Listen in to hear whether...

In today's episode, we read the book Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune. The book follows Fern Brookbanks as she grapples with the decision to either sell her family resort or manage it, something she vowed never to do. Along the way, she also meets a long lost lover. Throughout the podcast, we discuss whether 10 years is too long for a grudge and the best plot for the next dating show. Lis...

For this week's episode, Harshini chose yet another Alice Feeney thriller: His & Hers. This book follows two different perspectives (a news reporter and a detective) after a local woman's murder. We provide some content warnings in the beginning and then share our thoughts about the twists and turns this book took. Listen to find out how this book compares to the other Alice Feeney thr...

Welcome back everyone! For this week’s episode, we revisit an author who we love, Katy Birchall! We read her latest novel, “The Last Word”, a romcom featuring two coworkers who seemingly hate each other, but do they really?  Listen in to hear us discuss problematic tropes regarding female protagonists in romcoms and question whether we’d move countries for our partners. Also bonus (!), Pooja absol...

In today's episode, we read the science fiction novel, Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. The book follows Ryland Grace, a teacher-turned-astronaut, who needs to save humanity before the sun dims too much and Earth freezes over. During this episode, we talk about the most wholesome friendship we've read so far, what we would do if we ever met an alien, and the most efficient way to get things...

For the second episode of our Second Chance Romance (?) season, Harshini picked After She Wrote Him by Sulari Gentill. This book follows two different characters writing about each other, and the reader has to figure out who really is the author and who is the character. It's a little confusing but definitely an interesting idea. If for nothing else, listen to hear some truly great quotes by S...

Whoa whoa whoa, did someone say Season 5??? Your fav doctor trio is back for another season full of fun reads and shenanigans! In our season 5 premiere we revisit an author who loves a good summer scandal, May Cobb, when we read The Hunting Wives. Listen in to hear Sarah's unfiltered thoughts on small towns, Harshini's distaste for virtually every character in this book, and Pooja slowly q...

In today's episode, we read the book Malice by Keigo Higashino. This book is part of the Detective Kaga series and it follows the murder of a bestselling novelist, Kunihiko Hidaka, who was killed late one night while working on one of his books. We've read another one of the Detective Kaga books back in Season 1 so we were able to compare how this book lives up to the last one. This episod...

It's the second to last episode of season 4 (can you believe it)!! For this episode, we read The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams. It follows an older man, Mukesh, and a teenager, Aleisha, as they bond over some good books. Harshini chose this book because it was on both her and Pooja's reading lists (haha) and we needed some cute content. Little spoiler: if you wanna hear us rant/argue, t...

Welcome back to our listeners! In this episode, we talk about an intriguing mystery novel, I Have Some Questions For You by Rebecca Makkai, which is about a podcast host looking into a crime that took place at her old high school. Along the way, we discuss rich kid problems, how Harshini missed a MAJOR plot point, and annoying main protagonists. Based on this summary do you have some questions for...

In today's episode we read "The Silent Patient" by Alex Michaelides which describes a patient accused for unaliving her husband. The patient hasn't said a word since the incident and a psychotherapist must figure out how to get through to her to find out what happened that fateful night. Will "The Silent Patient" fair similar reviews as our last Alex Michaelides' bo...

Do you also want cake now? We're back for another fun episode discussing Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson! In this book, we follow the story of a woman who passed away and left a recipe for a black cake and a video detailing some family history and secrets for her two children. We not only discuss cake but also the things we loved and didn't like about this book as there was certainly a l...

In this week's episode, we finally, finally, FINALLY, get to read a book about a toxic friendship. So Happy For You by Celia Laskey tells the story of two childhood friends, Robin and Ellie, and the insane shenanigans that go down when Ellie asks Robin to be her maid of honor at her upcoming wedding. Listen in to hear Pooja rant about pretentious PhD students, Sarah and Harshini's in-depth...

In this episode, we decided to change things up a bit and read our first nonfiction book! We read The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo which gives tips on the best ways to live clutter-free. The book describes being intentional with what you own and getting rid of anything that doesn't bring you joy. Throughout this podcast we discuss Harshini's confessionals, the best plac...

We're baaack with a new book, The Last One by Alexandra Oliva. Harshini chose this book after seeing a recommendation for it because it's based on a Survivor-style reality show (real ones know that's her jam)!! The book follows a woman on this survival challenge show as she works through her larger life problems and current survival problems. We've read other books about shows in t...

Welcome back to our listeners! In this week's episode, we talk about a book Pooja chose called "Sign Here" by Claudia Lux. Our main protagonist is a guy named Pey who works in Hell (literal Hell) and the shenanigans that arise on the job. Listen in to hear Sarah furiously rant about a specific sub-plot featured in this book, our discussion regarding just how bad Jägermeister really tastes, and Poo...

In this episode, we read It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover. This book is the sequel to It Ends with Us which we read back in Season 1 Episode 6. The sequel follows Lily navigating her complex relationships with her abusive ex-husband and adoring childhood lover all while taking care of her daughter. Throughout the episode we discuss sibling relationships, Pooja and Harshini's ideal man, and how...