Tag Archives: podcast

by | April 13, 2020 · 12:01 pm

Episode 146 – American Royals

American Royals by Katharine McGee

Katharine McGee’s novel American Royals dares to ask: what if the United States had a royal family? And what if the modern-day American royal children were a little bit horny? The Bellwether Friends, Anna and Alene, joined us to discuss this book’s baffling structure, insufficient world-building, and potential Wawa sponsorship.

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: Bellwether Friends #113 – ABBAsode

Royal Romance: 13 Stories Of Everyday People Who Fall In Love With Royalty by Ann Foster

Red Fox James on Wikipedia

Candy Pairing:  Alene says Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (from Wawa), Anna says a Disney Princess Candy Fan, Kait says old timey penny candy, Renata says a caramel apple.

Coming up next: The Fast and the Furriest by Sofie Ryan.

 

* 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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by | March 30, 2020 · 12:01 pm

Episode 145 – Machines Like Me

Machines Like Me by Ian McEwan

We’ve been reading too much frivolous lady fiction around here, so we had to make time to read a Serious Book by an Important White Man. Our guest Amy used her human skills of persuasion to get us to read Machines Like Me by Ian McEwan, Finally, someone has dared to ask the questions: what if robots could have emotions and also working penises and also what if the UK had lost the Falklands War?

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: “Archana and Chandni” by Iona Datt Sharma

“Ian McEwan: ‘Who’s Going to Write the Algorithm for the Little White Lie?'” by Tim Adams

“In McEwan’s Latest, The ‘Machine’ Is Too Much Like You” by Heller McCalpin

Candy Pairing:  Amy says Fry’s Turkish Delight, Kait says a potato battery, Renata says Mystery Airheads.

Coming up next: American Royals by Katharine McGee.

 

* 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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by | March 16, 2020 · 12:01 pm

Episode 144 – Girl, Wash Your Face

Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis

Hey girl, guess what? Your life could be way better than it is right now if you just believed in yourself and also married a high-up Disney executive! Definitely mostly the first thing though. We were joined by Margaret H. Willison (1/2 of Two Bossy Dames, 1/3 of Appointment Television, and one of Pop Culture Happy Hour‘s 4th chairs) to discuss Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis, a Christian self-help book that misleadingly contained no skin care advice whatsoever.

Readers advisory: Here.

Transcript: Here.

Footnotes: Rachel Hollis on Jen Hatmaker

Rosie Perez on Bullseye

Girl, Wash Your Face on By the Book

Candy Pairing:  Kait says an Oreo while crying, Margaret says leftover Christmas candy, Renata says a cheese plate.

Coming up next: Machines Like Me by Ian McEwan.

 

* 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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by | March 2, 2020 · 12:01 pm

Episode 143 – Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper

Episode 143 – Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper by Patricia Cornwell

 

We invited Rebecca Mahoney, co-writer of The Bridge podcast and author of the upcoming YA novel The Valley and the Flood, to be a guest on our new podcast, My Least Favorite Murder. We read novelist Patricia Cornwell’s ambitiously-titled true crime book Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper–Case Closed. Listen now to hear more than you ever wanted to know about a famous painter’s penis!

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: A new Ripper mystery: Why Patricia Cornwell won’t stop hunting him by Mary Wakefield

“Whitechapel mural will celebrate the lives of Jack the Ripper’s victims” by Alison Flood

“Historian speaks of ‘constant trolling’ over Jack the Ripper book” by Mark Brown

Sawbones #151 – The Royal Fistula Fad

Sawbones #245 – Medical Illustration

Bear Brook podcast

The Fall Line podcast

In the Dark podcast

Candy Pairing:  Kait says gruel, Rebecca says bachelorette party penis pops, Renata says ginger chews.

Coming up next: Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis.

* 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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by | February 17, 2020 · 12:01 pm

Episode 142 – Scythe

Scythe by Neal Shusterman

 

As a belated Valentine to ourselves, we invited our friend Angie Manfredi (@MissKubelik), editor of The Other F-Word, back on the show to read a Best Bestseller. We read Scythe by Neal Shusterman, a twisty YA utopia-ish where death is optional and the cloud is your friend. This episode does contain full spoilers for a book that we sincerely recommend reading, so maybe hold off on listening if you’ve been meaning to read Scythe? Or listen to the episode now–in the age of mortality, life is short.

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes:

Angie sent me this clip from an interview with Neal Shusterman before we recorded but the actual article seems to have disappeared from the internet???

Four Questions for Neal Shusterman

Candy Pairing: Angie says whatever candy you like best, Kait says a box of chocolates with one poisoned one, Renata says Dippin Dots.

Coming up next: Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper–Case Closed by Patricia Cornwell.

 

* 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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by | February 3, 2020 · 12:01 pm

Episode 141 – Midnight Bayou

Midnight Bayou by Nora Roberts

 

To ease ourselves back into reading garbage after our winter break, we had returning guest Christine join us for another book by Our Lady Nora Roberts. This time around, we read Midnight Bayou, a Louisiana love story for the ages between a man and home renovations. You’re going to have to turn your volume way up if you want to listen to this episode over all that Mardi Gras ruckus!

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: “Welcome to Noraville, the Small Maryland Town Rebuilt by Nora Roberts” by Esther Wang

Smart Bitches, Trashy Books – Renovation Romances

Candy Pairing:  Christine says rum candy, Kait says a French 75, Renata says beignets.

Coming up next: Scythe by Neal Shusterman.

 

* 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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by | January 6, 2020 · 12:00 pm

Episode 139 – Bests & Worsts of 2019 (Part 1, Children’s & YA)

Tune in to our Bests & Worsts of 2019 episodes to hear us discuss these titles and read excerpts from our favorites! Please note:

  • We counted things that we read in 2019, regardless of publication year.
  • We didn’t count anything that we read specifically for this podcast, so our worst books are aside from those.
  • For that reason, we picked top 5 favorites and only 1 least favorite–we have this whole podcast to talk about bad books, so for these episodes we’re choosing to focus on the positive!
  • Some of our “worsts” are really just “least best.” Listen to the podcast to hear more detail!

Continue reading →

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by | November 18, 2019 · 12:01 pm

Episode 137 – The Mister


The Mister by E. L. James

 

We knew we would need a lot of help to get through the frequently-requested book The Mister by E. L. James, so we tagged in Kitty and Piggy, the financial mavens behind the website and now podcast Bitches Get Riches! We’d already suffered through both Fifty Shades of Grey and also Grey, so we thought we knew what we were in for. But The Mister took us to unexpected places, such as inside a pair of big pink granny panties, and also Albania. Don’t miss DJ Maxim’s Club remix of this episode!

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: Fanfiction 101

Second Chance Book Club: The Mister (is secretly Poldark?)

The Evolution of E. L. James by Alexandra Alter

E.L. James’ New Book The Mister Has A Connection To Fifty Shades Of Grey

Mary Bichner

Candy Pairing:  Kait says despair, Kitty says anything vanilla flavored, Renata says Activia yogurt.

Coming up next: Queer Venting About Instinct by James Patterson.

 

* 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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by | November 4, 2019 · 12:01 pm

Episode 136 – The Initiation (The Secret Circle)

It must be the season of the witch, since we read The Initiation, the first book in L. J. Smith’s Secret Circle series. The new school year in New Salem marks the start of some beautiful friendships whose homoerotic subtext is only barely concealed beneath a thin layer of herbs. Plus also, some valuable lessons about urban planning!

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: Forever Young Adult: Recap of The Secret Circle Pilot

Candy Pairing:  Kait says a caramel apple, Katie says saltwater taffy, Renata says feverfew.

Coming up next: The Mister by E. L. James.

 

* 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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by | October 21, 2019 · 12:01 pm

Episode 135 – Dark Angel

Dark Angel by V. C. Andrews

 

We revisited the world of V. C. Andrews and read Dark Angel, the second book in the Casteel family saga with V. C. Andrews apologist Arielle. It’s a grim story of a girl who escapes her impoverished hometown but can’t get away from the fact that men are trash everywhere. Keep your wits about you if you listen to this episode in a hedge maze!

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: Episode 108 – My Sweet Audrina

Episode 17 – Flowers in the Attic

Guest Post: Flowers In the Attic (The Appeal Thereof)

The True Story of How V.C. Andrews’ Casteel Family Saga Came to Be by Amanda Garrity

Comedy Bang! Bang! – This Is Your Boy Troy

Candy Pairing:  Arielle says blackstrap molasses, Kait says circus peanuts, Renata says spiked punch.

Coming up next: The Initiation (Secret Circle series) by L. J. Smith.

 

* 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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