Category Archives: Podcasts

Podcast audio files

by | May 6, 2024 · 12:01 pm

Episode 240 – Troublemaker

Troublemaker by Leah Remini

 

Unlike Scientology, Celebrity Memoir May is inescapable. Known Suppressive Person, librarian, and author Angie Manfredi (@MissKubelik) joined us to discuss Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology by Leah Remini. Join us as we swear oaths of fealty to the Queen of Queens!

Content warning: Verbal abuse, icky parenting, escaping a cult.

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: “A Strange Chapter in ‘Wog”s Hateful History”

The Underground Bunker

“Exclusive: Shelly Miscavige and The Missing Scientologists: How The LAPD Made Scientology’s Problem Go Away” by Yashar Ali

Leah Remini’s “Roar” dance on Dancing with the Stars

“An Interview with the One and Only Michelle Visage” by Michael Podell

“Michelle Visage says Leah Remini got her into Scientology, but she quit over church’s anti-gay views” by Joey Nolfi

“Another Celeb Just Fueled Rumors of Jennifer Lopez & Leah Remini’s Feud” by Maggie Clancy

Coming up next: Open Book by Jessica Simpson.

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by | April 22, 2024 · 12:01 pm

Episode 239 – Ice Planet Barbarians

Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon

 

Horny dragons were fun, but we’ve moved on. Onto another planet, actually. Lily Sparks, author of The Merciless King of Moore High, joined us to discuss Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon. Upload this episode directly to your alien translator earpiece to listen to it in any language!

Content warning: Dubious consent and mentions of sexual assault.

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: “How sexy blue aliens invaded Amazon’s bestseller lists” by AJ Willingham

About the Motorcycle Clubs

Coming up next: Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology by Leah Remini.

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by | April 8, 2024 · 12:01 pm

Episode 238 – Fourth Wing


Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Y’all horny for some dragons? We forged a soul bond with comedian, writer, and Scary Mommy Sarah Aswell by reading Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros together. Listen to this episode while pondering ways to legally murder your classmates!

Content warning: Here there be dragons. Also, dead parents.

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: “How Rebecca Yarros Packed Dragons, Magic and Steamy Sex Into a Blockbuster Fantasy” by Alexandra Alter

“Q&A: Rebecca Yarros on Chronic Illness Representation in Fourth Wing” by Riyana Straetker

NPR Weekend Edition: “Veronica Roth’s ‘Carve The Mark’ Is A Fantasy Inspired By Chronic Pain”

Coming up next: Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon.

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by | March 25, 2024 · 12:01 pm

Episode 237 – This Present Darkness

This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti

 

The devil made us read This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti. Fortunately, we were #blessed to be joined by Izzy Wasserstein, author of These Fragile Graces, This Fugitive Heart, who helped safely guide us through this Christian thriller. Listen to this episode while waiting for a cool angel to pick you up on her motorcycle.

Content warning: False accusations of sexual assault, Christian fundamentalism, murder/suicide/demon attack.

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: “This Present Darkness” on Wikipedia

“The long history and slow death of a word once used to describe everyone and everything from Egypt to China as well as rugs” by Yanan Wang

“15 times The X-Files’ Dana Scully was the best character on TV” by Sarah Crocker

Coming up next: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros.

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by | March 13, 2024 · 12:18 pm

Episode 236 – Icebreaker

Icebreaker by Hannah Grace

Ice, ice, baby! Annie Cardi, author of Red, returned to the podcast to discuss the sexy skater Booktok sensation Icebreaker by Hannah Grace. Join us as we skate back to college and dirty talk our way into the Olympics!

Content warning: Disordered eating, gaslighting, emotional abuse.

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: “Who Is Hannah Grace? And Why Won’t She Show Her Face?” by Elisabeth Egan

Coming up next: This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti.

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by | February 26, 2024 · 12:01 pm

Episode 235 – Sanctuary

Sanctuary by Nora Roberts

 

Nora Roberts Month continues! Heidi and Emily from Romancing the Shelf podcast returned and took us back to the 90s with the vintage romantic thriller Sanctuary. Sadly, this book has zero plates of casual pasta but it does have at least 3.5 romantic couples and almost as many murders. Listen to this episode on one of your three computers!

Content warning: Murder, sexual assault, questionable mental health care.

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: Romancing the Shelf – Sanctuary

“Nora Roberts: The woman who rewrote the rules of romantic fiction” by Carole Cadwalladr

Coming up next: Icebreaker by Hannah Grace.

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by | February 12, 2024 · 12:01 pm

Episode 234 – Nightwork

Nightwork by Nora Roberts

Our Lady Nora Roberts has written a book about a handsome criminal who admires good architecture and casual pasta? We’re so back. Our friend and Nora Roberts expert Christine has returned to discuss Nightwork with us. Listen to this episode while working on your night cheese!

Content warning: Cancer, death of a parent.

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: “A Visual Guide to 35 Popular Pasta Shapes — Plus the Best Sauce to Serve with Each” by Rochelle Bilow

Coming up next: Sanctuary by Nora Roberts.

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by | December 18, 2023 · 12:00 pm

Episode 233 – Bests of 2023

Once again, we’ve managed to sneak in a few good books this year! Here are our favorite books we read in 2023 (regardless of publication year. Long live backlist titles!)

Footnotes: Boston Globe’s Best Books of 2023 (featuring Renata’s picks for middle grade and YA!)

Coming up next: A January hiatus. Happy New Year! We’ll see you in February!

 

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by | December 4, 2023 · 12:01 pm

Episode 232 – The Woman In Me

The Woman in Me by Britney Spears

We finished our adventures with the Time Traveler’s Wife but decided to linger in the 2000s for awhile longer. Friend of the Show (and the Internet’s Best Friend) Margaret H. Willison joined us to discuss Britney Spears’s memoir The Woman In Me. Listen to this episode instead of listening to the music of Justin Timberlake!

Content warning: This book contains abuse, abortion, disordered eating, and all the other stuff you’d assume.

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: “Miss American Dream” by Taffy Brodesser-Akner.

“Craig Ferguson’s Monologue Defending Britney Spears From 2007 Resurfaces Amid #FreeBritney Movement” by Alexandra Del Rosario

“Mariah Carey Calls Mention in Britney Spears’ ‘The Woman in Me’ ‘Super Sweet’: ‘I Love Her'” by Ilana Kaplan

“Michelle Williams impersonates Justin Timberlake while narrating hilarious part of Britney Spears’ memoir” by Shania Russell

Mystery Show Case #2: Britney

“Britney Spears’s Conservatorship Is a Disability Rights Issue That Deserves More Attention” by Haley Moss

Coming up next: Bests of 2023.

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by | November 20, 2023 · 12:01 pm

Episode 231 – The Time Traveler’s Wife

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

We held our annual Patreon Choice poll and our Beloved Patrons chose to send us back in time to 2003 with The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. Since the book is prominently set in Chicago, we were #blessed to be joined by prominent Chicagoan Ashley to unpack the Jeremy Bearimy of it all. Please do not listen to this episode while having sex with your future wife for the first time.

Content warning: Sketchy time travel age/consent issues, death of a partner, miscarriages.

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: “Popular Titles are Vanishing from HBO Max After Merger” by Eric Deggans.

Audrey Niffenegger’s Chicago

The Time Traveler’s Wife: Reception

Audrey Niffenegger Tweet about The Other Husband

Legends of Tomorrow – Swan Thong

Coming up next: The Woman in Me by Britney Spears.

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