Book Squad Goals

Start a toxic friendship with us while we discuss Lauren Acampora’s novel The Paper Wasp. We talk about the book’s unreliable narrator, the stalker-esque relationship between the main characters, the culty subplot,and that wild ride of an ending. Next we get into some listener feedback for Docile and catch up with what’s on the #BookSquadBlog as we close out 2020. Join us for our first #othersode of the new year about Wonder Woman 1984 on January 11, and read along for our next #bookpisode on Luster by Raven Leilani on January 25. Email or DM us feedback on The Paper Wasp, your favorite things of 2020, or anything else your heart desires! Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe!

Table of Contents
1:15 - Intro Question: If you could be any celebrity’s personal assistant, who would it be and why
5:42 - Goodreads Summary
8:45 - Narration Style
15:07 - Unreliable Narration
24:05 - Abby and Elise’s relationship
29:14 - Who is this filmmaker
35:45 - Putting in the work
42:21 - Weird culty stuff: what does it add?
48:27 - The end
59:10 - What is the point of this book?
1:01:10 - Ratings
1:05:15 - Docile Feedback
1:07:00- What’s on the blog? What’s up next?

It’s the MOST wonderful time of the year! (Which isn’t saying much because, you know, this year was 2020.) It’s time for our annual Best of the Year episode. Join us for some much-needed happy talk as we talk about our favorite pop culture things of the year, from books to TV shows to podcasts to music. Some of this year’s podcast guests “stop by” to share their faves as well! Then it’s time for “Secret” Santa gifts! The Squad exchanges Christmas/Hanukkah gifts (prepare for delightful squeals!). Next, we get into some listener feedback for "Lovecraft Country" and check in on the #BookSquadBlog, which is full of great TV recaps and Emily’s 12 Days of Christmas Movies series. Our next #Bookpisode will be our final episode of the year! We’re covering "The Paper Wasp" by Lauren Acampora on 12/28. Then we’ll kick off 2021 with an #Othersode on "Wonder Woman 1984" on 1/11! Please send us YOUR favorite things of 2020 by emailing [email protected] or sending us a DM on social media! We can’t wait to hear from you!

TOC
0:30 – Favorite personal thing of 2020
12:00 – Pop culture faves of the year part 1 (with special guest Leah Rachel Von Essen)
30:25 – Pick 2! (With Todd Osborne)
47:07 – Pick 3 (with Said Medina)
1:07:50 – Prezzies
1:28:08 – Feedback on Lovecraft Country (follow spacelionz on instagram!)
1:36:24 – What’s on the blog? What’s up next?

The Squad goes to dystopian Maryland this week for our discussion of Docile by K.M. Szpara. We talk about slavery, race, capitalism, fanfic and slavefic, and queer relationships. Then we get into some listener feedback for Survivor Song and catch up with what’s on the #BookSquadBlog, including Emily’s 12 Days of Christmas Movies series and television recaps! Join us on December 14th as we pick our favorite pop culture things of 2020 and exchange Christmas/Hanukkah gifts with each other! Then read along with us for our last #Bookpisode of the year on The Paper Wasp by Lauren Acampora on December 28th!

TOC
:30–what’s your favorite holiday food?
7:23–book intro and goodreads summary
13:13–plot clarifications and issues with slavefic (Stitch’s Media Fix) (Angelica Jade Bastien for Vulture)
27:20–how do we feel about a book that is refusing to engage with race, yet all about race?
39:08–sexuality and consent
53:15–something the book does well
1:02:36: final thoughts and ratings
1:11:55-listener feedback!
1:15:51–what’s on the blog? What’s up next?

Links:
https://www.vulture.com/2017/08/why-dont-dystopias-know-how-to-talk-about-race.html
https://stitchmediamix.com/2020/03/06/dealing-with-what-docile-doesnt/

Join the Squad on a sci-fi/fantasy/horror adventure as we discuss the HBO series "Lovecraft Country." We talk about HP Lovecraft and race, how the show plays with genre, the unique structure of the series, and our favorite characters. Next, we dig into some listener feedback on "The Haunting of Bly Manor" and catch up with what’s on the #BookSquadBlog, including Bachelorette recaps and a holiday movie series! Read along with us for our next bookpisode on "Docile" by K. M. Szpara (November 30th), and join us for our fourth annual Best of the Year #othersode on December 14th (LOL good luck to us coming up with great things from 2020).

TOC
0:30 – Intros and horror questions!
4:38 – Spoiler warning and show introduction
8:54 – Lovecraft and race
16:30 – Playing with genre
24:26– Structure: magic, feature episodes, and Christina’s nonsense
49:09 – Christina and Ruby
59:11 – Other characters
1:28:44 – Listener feedback!
1:33:40 – What’s up next? What’s on the blog?

Vulture recaps by Steffan Triplett: https://www.vulture.com/article/lovecraft-country-series-premiere-recap-episode-1-sundown.html
AV Club Recaps by Joelle Monique: https://www.avclub.com/c/tv-review/lovecraft-country/season-1
On Marilyn Manson: https://metalinjection.net/metal-crimes/video-of-evan-rachel-wood-detailing-alleged-abusive-relationship-with-marilyn-manson-in-senate-testimony-resurfaces

Escape the real pandemic with a fictional outbreak as we discuss Survivor Song by Paul Tremblay! We talk about how the novel’s events relate to current events, how the main characters are used to tell the story, and whether or not this is a zombie narrative. Next, we get into some listener feedback on The Vanishing Half and catch up with what’s on the #BookSquadBlog, including Bachelorette recaps and Emily’s Spooktober series. For our next #Othersode on 11/16, we’re covering Lovecraft Country, so catch up on HBO! And read along for our next #Bookpisode on Docile by Kevin Szpara (11/30). Send feedback to [email protected], and don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe!

TOC
0:30–welcome and intro question
12:46–book intro
16:04–what does it mean that this is a song?
22:34–current events and Survivor Song
37:38–what about the actual story? The format? Characters?
56:49–is this a zombie story?
1:08:56–ratings
1:17:37–listener feedback (and breakfast discussion)
1:33:25–what’s on the blog? What’s up next?

Grab your cake batter and badly-made tea because the Book Squad is discussing "The Haunting of Bly Manor." We talk about all of the Henry James literary connections, the (sometimes hidden) ghosts, grief and memory, and of course, love stories. Then we get into some listener feedback about "I’m Thinking of Ending Things" and catch up with what’s on the #BookSquadBlog, including a new featured bookstore, a spooky series, and Bachelorette recaps! Read along for our next #Bookpisode on "Survivor Song" by Paul Tremblay on November 2, and watch "Lovecraft Country" (HBO) for our next #Othersode on November 16.

0:30 – Introductions and icebreaker
8:30 – Show introduction
12:58 – Inspiration for the show
21:13 – Secret ghosts
24:20 – Who are these ghosts?
36:50 – Time, frame narratives
41:36 – Grief and trauma
56:40 – Love stories
1:11:47 – Ratings
1:21:55 – Listener feedback
1:33:00 – What’s on the blog? What’s up next?

Henry James stories: https://screenrant.com/haunting-bly-manor-every-henry-james-ghost-story/
Hidden ghosts: https://www.elle.com/culture/movies-tv/a34318015/haunting-of-bly-manor-book-based-on/

Join the #BookSquad for a chat about Brit Bennett’s newest novel, "The Vanishing Half." We discuss memory and time, identity and choice, and performance, as well as our favorite stories about twins. Next, we read some listener feedback on "Magic for Liars" and "We Set the Dark on Fire" and catch up with what’s on the #BookSquadBlog, including a spooky movie series and book and TV reviews. Watch "The Haunting of Bly Manor" on Netflix for our next #Othersode on October 19, and read along for our next #Bookpisode on Paul Tremblay’s "Survivor Song" on November 2. Send your feedback to [email protected]!

TOC
:30 – Icebreaker q and intros!
9:20 – Book intro
11:06 – Time, memory, structure
17:30 – Identity struggles and crises
32:25 – Let’s talk about race
48:10 – Moralizing and where the characters end up
62:30 – Ratings!
1:07:37 – Feedback
1:15:23 – What’s on the blog? What’s up next?

Link to Mean Book Club's "Couple Next Door" Episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-couple-next-door-by-shari-lapena/id1434373989?i=1000491312268

Emily on Hugos There Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hugos-there-podcast-45-american-gods-by-neil-gaiman/id1214652745?i=1000493230070

Pack up the car for a super weird road trip and our discussion of "I'm Thinking of Ending Things," the new Charlie Kaufman film based on the novel by Iain Reid. We talk about how the movie differs from the book, the acting (shout out to Toni Collette), and what the heck is actually going on here. Next, we get a delayed take on "The Secret Garden" and catch up on what's on the #BookSquadBlog, including two spooky series and YA Book Club! Read along with us for our next #Bookpisode on "The Vanishing Half" by Brit Bennett (October 5th), and watch "The Haunting of Bly Manor" on Netflix for our next #Othersode (October 19th). Send us your thoughts/questions/answers about "I'm Thinking of Ending Things" or any other topic we've covered to [email protected]!

:30 — Hellooooo! Introductions
15:40 — Summary and intro
19:00 — Is the movie a faithful adaptation of the book?
29:40 — So what actually happens?? How does it fit into Kaufman’s other work?
48:30 — Who is the woman? Authorship in the movie
57:40 — How was pop culture integrated into the film?
1:08:50 — Acting!
1:20:40 — Secret Garden thoughts
1:25:00 — What’s on the blog? What’s up next?

Links to help you think about the movie:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ruSWSb5TuE&ab_channel=spookyastronauts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvIiNmyLeUY&ab_channel=ImpressionBlend

Throw on your resistance gear and join the squad as we rise up against The System with a discussion of Tehlor Kay Mejia’s “We Set the Dark on Fire.” We talk about the book’s real life parallels to the broken immigration system in our country, how the novel handles the patriarchy of it all, and of course, most importantly, the ROMANCE PLOT. After our ratings, we get into what’s on the blog, and then prep you for our upcoming episodes. We’re covering Netflix’s “I’m Thinking of Ending Things” for our next othersode (9/21), and for our next bookpisode (10/5), we’re reading “The Vanishing Half” by Brit Bennett. Please follow us on social media @booksquadgoals, check out our latest blog posts at booksquadgoals.com/blog, and send any and all feedback you have to [email protected]!

TOC
0:30 – Hello! Introductions and intro question
11:40 – Book introduction
14:00 – The roles that women must fill in this society
25:15 – What’s this book saying about class divides, religious divides, and immigration?
34:09 – Politics and Protests
39:33 – ROMANCE
46:30 – Who would you cast?
48:50 – Ratings
58:50 – What’s on the blog? What’s up next?

Get out of your big ornate bed and join us in "The Secret Garden" as we discuss the new 2020 adaptation of the classic children’s novel! We discuss the key changes in this adaptation, including the setting and the narrative arc of the children’s parents. We also answer the very important question: Is Colin Firth a daddy? Next, Emily interviews Adrienne Brodeur, author of the memoir "Wild Game: My Mother, Her Lover, and Me." Then, we dig into a bit of "Hamilton" feedback and chat about what’s on the #BookSquadBlog. Read along with us for our next #bookpisode on "We Set the Dark on Fire" by Tehlor Kay Mejia (September 7), and watch the film adaptation of "I’m Thinking of Ending Things" for our next #othersode (September 21)! Join our discussions and send any feedback to [email protected].

TOC:

0:30 — What would your secret garden be like?
6:20 — Intro to the movie
9:45 — What do we gain from changing the time period/setting?
14:40 — Why do we have to redeem the parents?
29:30 — Is the garden magic?
33:20 — Why was there a dog, though?
36:00 — Where is Dickon?
38:55 — Is Colin Firth a daddy? And...how do we feel about school in this movie?
44:15 — Interview with Adrienne Brodeur!
1:07:22 — "Hamilton" Feedback
1:09:25 — What’s on the blog? What’s up next?