by | October 26, 2026 · 12:01 pm

Episode 300 – Twilight

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

 

In honor of our 300th episode, we decided to go back to where it all began: Forks, Washington! We re-read Twilight by Stephenie Meyer with our special guest, THE Meredith Goldstein of the Boston Globe Love Letters column and podcast. Thanks so much to Meredith, everyone who turned out for the live event, everyone who’s been listening to this podcast over the past 300 episodes, and of course to Stephenie Meyer.

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: Watch the video replay of our live event at Porter Square Books!

Episode 181 – The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner

Episode 158 – Midnight Sun

Episode 82 – Breaking Dawn

Episode 58 – Eclipse

Episode 40 – Twilight Life and Death

Episode 31 – New Moon

Episode 01 – Twilight

Coming up next: Patreon Choice: Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman.

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by | · 12:00 pm

Readers Advisory: Episode 300 – Twilight

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

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by | October 12, 2026 · 12:01 pm

Episode 299 – Alchemised

Alchemised by SenLinYu.

 

Did you ever wish you could read something that was kinda like Harry Potter, but with way more graphic torture and sexual assault? No? Well, apparently a whole lot of people did want that, because Alchemised by SenLinYu is a huge bestseller. We discussed it with our long-suffering friend Nicole. Before you listen to this episode, please give us $1. I think you’ll all agree that we earned it.

Content warning: Discussion of Harry Potter (and its transphobic author); also sexual assault, death, torture, pretty much any grimdark type of content warning you could imagine, this book probably has.

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: “Alchemised: how Harry Potter fanfic went mainstream” by Chas Newkey-Burden

“What Is ‘Manacled’? Everything to Know About the Viral Fan Fiction By ‘Alchemised’ Author SenLinYu” by Maddie Ellis

Manacled & Alchemised Direct Character List on Reddit

Original Manacled Fanfiction link on Internet Archive

SenLinYu on Tumblr

Daniel Radcliffe Responds to J.K. Rowling’s Tweets on Gender Identity

Coming up next: Twilight by Stephenie Meyer.

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by | · 12:00 pm

Readers Advisory: Episode 299 – Alchemised

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

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by | September 28, 2026 · 12:01 pm

Episode 298 – Court

Court by Tracy Wolff

Somehow, we’ve been podcasting for 12 years? And Stephenie Meyer rudely did not release any new books this year, so we were forced to read Court by Tracy Wolff, book 4 in her deeply derivative (but not legally plagiarized) Crave series. Our OG guest Carrie joined us to navigate this boring escape room. Thank you all so much for listening to us for (up to) twelve years! Please listen to this episode while manifesting new output from Stephenie Meyer.

Announcement: Please join us on Friday, October 9th at 6:30pm for our special 300th episode live show! We’ll be discussing Twilight with Meredith Goldstein. It will be free to attend at Porter Square Books and also livestreamed for those who can’t make it in person.

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: Courtney Milan’s BlueSky thread on Tracy Wolff’s court case

The newest update on the plagiarism case

“After 6,000 Romantasy Pages, Judge Hands Crave Plaintiff the Bill” by Aaron Moss

Crave timeline on Reddit

Episode 227 – Crave

Episode 249 – Crush

Episode 274 – Covet

Coming up next: Alchemised by SenLinYu.

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by | · 12:00 pm

Readers Advisory: Episode 298 – Court

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

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by | September 14, 2026 · 12:01 pm

Episode 297 – Verity

Verity by Colleen Hoover

 

Lock up your children and manuscripts: we read Verity by Colleen Hoover. We were joined by Renata’s cherished friend Jake to discuss this BookTok sensation. Listen to this episode while you sand the teeth marks out of your headboard.

Announcement: Please join us on Friday, October 9th at 6:30pm for our special 300th episode live show! We’ll be discussing Twilight with Meredith Goldstein. It will be free to attend at Porter Square Books and also livestreamed for those who can’t make it in person.

Content warning: This book and our discussion of it contains the death of children.

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: Episode 213 – It Ends With Us

Overdue Episode 607 – Slammed

Verity movie trailer

“Steak ‘n Shake’s new chief MAHA officer: We’re going ‘back to the glory days of fast food’” by Sophie Brams

Grammarphobia on Realtors

Coming up next: Court by Tracy Wolff.

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by | · 12:00 pm

Readers Advisory: Episode 297 – Verity

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

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by | August 24, 2026 · 12:01 pm

Episode 296 – Yesteryear

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke

Flashback Summer is over, but we still ended up back in 1855…or did we? By popular request, we read Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke. We were joined by S. Jae-Jones, author of the Guardians of Dawn series (including the latest in the series, Suhwa.) Listen to this episode while you churn your butter. (It’s an extra long ep so you might have time to make a fresh loaf of bread, too!)

Content warning: This book and our discussion of it contains sexual assault.

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: Diabolical Lies podcast

“Ballerina Farm is Happy With Her Choices” by Stephanie McNeal

“Here’s what you don’t see about Ballerina Farm’s tradwife life – and it’s depressing af” by Laura Butler

“Anne Hathaway makes first comment about Yesteryear adaptation after author addresses book’s backlash” by Shelby Stivale

Fundie Fridays

Episode #214 – Corinne

Coming up next: Verity by Colleen Hoover.

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by | · 12:00 pm

Readers Advisory: Episode 296 – Yesteryear

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

Continue reading →

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