Here’s what we suggest instead of/in addition to reading Stranger than Fanfiction by Chris Colfer. Listen to the podcast to hear us talk about some of these titles in more depth!
Author Archives: renata
Episode 110 – Red Rising
Did you ever read a science fiction book and think, “I wish I knew more about these characters’ bathroom usage?” If so, Red Rising by Pierce Brown is the book for you! Children’s librarian Anna (@opinionsbyanna) joined us for this miserable slog through a Martian Hunger Games with no carbs and no bathroom breaks. Listen now to find out into which Hogwarts House each Martian House would be sorted!
Content warning: This book and our discussion of it contains sexual assault, war, and general unpleasantness.
Readers advisory: Here.
Footnotes: Red Rising Wiki – Caste Pyramid
My Brother, My Brother and Me: Cool Pee Book
The West Wing – CJ Does The Jackal
Candy Pairing: Anna says Atomic warheads, Kait says generic beef jerky, Renata says vomit flavored Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans.
Coming up next: Stranger Than Fanfiction by Chris Colfer.
* Worst Bestsellers is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
(But no pressure, we’re also happy if you get these items from your local library or independent bookstore.)
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Readers Advisory: Episode 110 – Red Rising
Here’s what we suggest instead of/in addition to reading Red Rising by Pierce Brown. Listen to the podcast to hear us talk about some of these titles in more depth!
Filed under Readers Advisory
Episode 109 – Five Night’s At Freddy’s: The Silver Eyes
Happy Halloween! We faced the scariest thing imaginable for a bad books podcast: a video game tie-in novel that turned out to be actually like, really good? We know: we were shocked too. Almost as shocked as the teen protagonists of Five Nights at Freddy’s: The Silver Eyes by Kira Breed-Wrisley and Scott Cawthon were to discover all the horrors awaiting them at Freddy Fazbear’s Funtime Pizza. Rebecca Mahoney of The Bridge podcast joined us for one night of terror. Do not listen to this podcast on your overnight security guard shift: you need to keep your senses alert!
Content warning: This book and our discussion of it contains the death of a child, suicide, and some very scary animatronics.
Readers advisory: Here.
Footnotes: Five Nights at Freddy’s on Steam
Five Nights at Freddy’s on Wikipedia
Five Nights at Freddy’s on GameFAQs
PlayPals – Five Nights at Freddy’s
Game Grumps – Five Nights at Freddy’s
Markiplier – Five Nights at Freddy’s
Polygon (feat Griffin and Justin McElroy) – Five Nights at Freddy’s 2
Polygon (feat Griffin and Justin McElroy) – Five Nights at Freddy’s 3
Candy Pairing: Kait says fruit flavored Tootsie rolls, Rebecca says Pop Rocks, Renata says birthday cake.
Coming up next: Red Rising by Pierce Brown.
* Worst Bestsellers is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
(But no pressure, we’re also happy if you get these items from your local library or independent bookstore.)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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Filed under Podcasts
Readers Advisory: Episode 109 – Five Nights at Freddy’s: The Silver Eyes
Here’s what we suggest instead of/in addition to reading Five Nights at Freddy’s: The Silver Eyes by Kira Breed-Wrisley and Scott Cawthon. Listen to the podcast to hear us talk about some of these titles in more depth!
Filed under Readers Advisory
Episode 108 – My Sweet Audrina
Out of the attic and into the rocking chair, we were joined by Sophie of Two Bossy Dames to read My Sweet Audrina by V. C. Andrews. We were grudgingly impressed by how effectively Andrews gaslit us, the readers, because by the end of this book we had no idea which end was up anymore. Play this episode at your next tea party/seance!
Content warning: This book and our discussion of it contains sexual assault, physical & emotional abuse of a child, ableism, gaslighting, miscarriage, and pretty much any other upsetting topic you could imagine.
Readers advisory: Here.
Footnotes: Episode #17 – Flowers in the Attic
Prisms and Bon-Bons: (Re)Reading V.C. Andrews’ My Sweet Audrina by Leila Roy
A Review of the Worst Book in History by Erin Callahan
Flowers in the Attic (The Appeal Thereof) by Sigrid Ellis
Girl Catches Boyfriend Gaslighting Her Then Tricks Him Into Watching The Movie “Gaslight”
Candy Pairing: Kait says a bowl full of marbles mistaken for jelly beans, Renata says two-year-old birthday cake, Sophie says prismatic rock candy.
Coming up next: Five Nights at Freddy’s: The Silver Eyes by Kira Breed-Wrisley and Scott Cawthon.
* Worst Bestsellers is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
(But no pressure, we’re also happy if you get these items from your local library or independent bookstore.)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
Filed under Podcasts
Readers Advisory: Episode 108 – My Sweet Audrina
Here’s what we suggest instead of/in addition to reading My Sweet Audrina by V. C. Andrews. Listen to the podcast to hear us talk about some of these titles in more depth!
Filed under Readers Advisory
Episode 107 – 4th Anniversary Twilight Spectacular
It’s our 4th anniversary! Traditionally, we’ve read a new book from the Twilight saga each year to celebrate our anniversary. But last year, we finished the saga, so this year we decided to create our own Twilight adventure. Danielle (of Hello World Tarot) ran a Twilight-themed D&D (5th edition) adventure for Kait, Renata, and Amy (of WTF Is America?). Listen now to hear what happens when a dwarf, a half-elf, and a dark elf walk into a Steaks & Cakes in Forks, Washington and roll for initiative. Please accept 20 points of gratitude for listening to us for all these years!
Footnotes: Renata’s Wolverine character sheet
Episode 40 – Twilight: Life & Death
Worst Bestsellers Drinking Game
Coming up next: My Sweet Audrina by V. C. Andrews.
* Worst Bestsellers is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
(But no pressure, we’re also happy if you get these items from your local library or independent bookstore.)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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Episode 106 – Hope Never Dies
We teamed up with Anna and Alene from Bellwether Friends, our BFP (best friend podcast), to read about our nation’s greatest BFFs, Joe Biden and Barack Obama. Unfortunately for us, Andrew Shaffer’s political RPF mystery Hope Never Dies turned out to be light on the friendship and heavy-handed on the opioid crisis. Listen to this episode on your next Amtrak trip!
Readers advisory: Here.
Footnotes: Watching President Obama Make a Bracelet for Joe Biden Gave Us Friendship Goals
18 Times Barack Obama And Joe Biden Were #FriendshipGoals
Obama and Biden are the ultimate crime-fighting team in ‘Hope Never Dies’
Stop, You’re Killing Me: List of Real People Mysteries
Candy Pairing: Alene says a melted Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, Anna says a Waffle House pecan waffle, Kait says White House M&Ms, Renata says almond milk.
Coming up next: 4th Anniversary Spectacular!
* Worst Bestsellers is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
(But no pressure, we’re also happy if you get these items from your local library or independent bookstore.)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
Filed under Podcasts
Readers Advisory: Episode 106 – Hope Never Dies
Here’s what we suggest instead of/in addition to reading Hope Never Dies by Andrew Shaffer. Listen to the podcast to hear us talk about some of these titles in more depth!
Filed under Readers Advisory





