Tag Archives: Flashback Summer

by renata | June 30, 2025 · 12:01 pm

Episode 268 – The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

Don’t Panic! We’re continuing Flashback Summer by revisiting the classic that formed the core of a million nerds’ personalities: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. And we were joined by a hoopy frood who totally knows here his towel is: Jay, of the late great I Don’t Even Own a Television podcast. So long and thanks for all the pods!

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: Towel Day

Coming up next: Search for Senna (Everworld #1) by K. A. Applegate.

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by renata | June 16, 2025 · 12:01 pm

Episode 267 – Hatchet

We’re getting back to nature with this Flashback Summer episode. Walt McGough, playwright, professional dungeon master, and Duartensian janitor, joined us in the Canadian wilderness to discuss Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. Make sure to download a copy of this episode for your emergency Go Bag!

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: Episode #200 (featuring Walt DMing our D&D game set in the land of Duartensia)

Coming up next: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams.

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by renata | June 2, 2025 · 12:01 pm

Episode 266 – X-Men: Phalanx Covenant

We’re kicking off this year’s Flashback Summer with a trip back to the early 90s, when Kait and her brother Brendan were reading the big X-Men X-Over event: Phalanx Covenant. If you were wondering if Wolverine is in this one: oh yeah, bub! Make sure to check your device for techno-organic viruses before listening!

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: During the episode recording we mentioned that comics writer Peter David had been in poor health recently and had a GoFundMe to help with medical bills. Sadly, since the time of the recording, Peter David has passed away. The GoFundMe is still active to help his widow with medical debt. (God bless America…)

Legendary Comic Book Creator Peter David Dies at 68

Phalanx Covenant Comic Reading Order

“Phalanx” on Merriam-Webster

Coming up next: Hatchet by Gary Paulsen.

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by renata | July 29, 2024 · 12:01 pm

Episode 246 – Stacey and the Bad Girls

Hold on to your sock wine, because we’re ending this year’s Flashback Summer with a real rager! We were joined by Courtney Summers, author of I’m The Girl and other rad books, to discuss Stacey and the Bad Girls (Baby-Sitters Club #87) by Ann M. Martin. Listen to this episode on your way to the big U4Me concert!

Readers advisory: Here.

Announcement: RSVP for our live show at Porter Square Books Boston on Tuesday, September 17th at 6pm!

Footnotes: Stacey and the Bad Girls on the BSC Fan Wiki

Peter Lerangis on Wikipedia

Coming up next: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

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Tagged as ann m. martin, baby-sitters club, Flashback Summer, podcast, Stacey and the Bad Girls

by renata | July 15, 2024 · 12:01 pm

Episode 245 – Alanna: The First Adventure

Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce

By popular demand, we took Flashback Summer to the land of Tortall. Rebecca Kim Wells, author of Briar Girls and other great queer fantasy books, joined us to discuss Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce. Put on your purple contact lenses and listen to this episode while you study the blade.

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: Tamora Pierce name pronunciation

Tamora Pierce’s statement on J.K. Rowling

Coming up next: Stacey and the Bad Girls (Baby-Sitters Club #87) by Ann M. Martin.

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by renata | July 1, 2024 · 12:01 pm

Episode 244 – Stonewords

Stonewords by Pam Conrad

We were digging through some boxes in our totally not-haunted attic and found Stonewords by Pam Conrad. It seemed like a chill Flashback Summer vibe, so we had our friend KL join us to discuss it. Be careful not to play this episode around your secret ghost friend–they might get jealous!

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: Pam Conrad’s obituary.

Coming up next: Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce.

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by renata | · 12:00 pm

Readers Advisory: Episode 244 – Stonewords

Here’s what we suggest instead of/in addition to reading Stonewords by Pam Conrad. Listen to the podcast to hear us talk about some of these titles in more depth!

Continue reading →

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Tagged as Betty Ren Wright, Bruce Coville, Claribel Ortega, Flashback Summer, Mary Downing Hahn, Pam Conrad, readalikes, readers advisory, Stonewords, Vivan Vande Velde

by renata | June 17, 2024 · 12:01 pm

Episode 243 – No Coins Please

No Coins, Please by Gordon Korman

Flashback summer, eh? Ann Foster of Vulgar History joined us to read No Coins, Please, an early work by the venerable Canadian author Gordon Korman. Listen to this episode while driving cross-country with a van full of chaotic tweens!

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: About Gordon Korman

Coming up next: Stonewords by Pam Conrad.

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by renata | August 14, 2023 · 12:01 pm

Episode 224 – Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging

Breaking Flashback Summer News: in the title of the book Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison, “Angus” refers to the cat! Renata was almost as excited about this fact as she was about convincing JJ, aka S. Jae-Jones, author of Guardians of Dawn: Zhara to return as a guest for this episode! Listen to this episode while shaving your eyebrows (or while you are homebound, waiting for your eyebrows to regrow).

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: Time 100 Best YA Books Of All Time: Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging

Coming up next: Nancy Drew and the Secret at Solaire by Carolyn Keene.

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Tagged as Angus Thongs and Full Frontal-Snogging, Confessions of Georgia Nicholson, Flashback Summer, Louise Rennison, podcast

by renata | July 31, 2023 · 12:01 pm

Episode 223 – Anastasia Krupnik

For this Flashback Summer episode, the Bellwether Friends Anna & Alene joined Renata to discuss Anastasia Krupnik by Lois Lowry. Sadly, Kait had to miss this one because she was busy shopping for her new poetry outfit, which would make Anastasia green with envy. Listen to this episode while you update the list of “loves” and “hates” in your notebook!

Kait’s Poetry Outfit: