Been a while since we've read some poetry and been a while since we've read something spooky, so why not both? This month we checked out Robin Gow's 2023 book 'Dear Mothman: A Novel in Verse'. Conversation begins around 41:48. Of course, before we do that, we check in on some stuff we've been playing, watching, and thinking about.

Playing

• Tales of the Shire (Steam)
• Is This Seat Taken? (Switch)
• Death Stranding 2: On the Beach (PS5)

Watching

• Weapons (in theaters)
• KPop Demon Hunters (Netflix)
• Project Runway (Hulu/Disney+)

Thinking About

• Community sketchbooks
• Nintendo Indie Showcase (Undusted, Herdling, Winter Burrow, Tiny Bookshop)

Find us on BlueSky or Instagram: @NovelGamingPod

Send us an e-mail: [email protected]

Logo by: Katie!

Theme song: "Bit Bossa" by Azureflux

Do you love farming, getting to know characters, and clearing trash? Then you should play Coral Island! We did and we're talking about it! Conversation about this farming sim game starts around 33:50. Before then we talk about what we've been reading, watching, and thinking about lately.

Reading:

• ‘Frog and Toad’ by Arnold Lobel
• New 52 Era Green Lantern Comics (DC Comics)
• ‘Officer Clemmons’ by Dr. Francois Clemmons

Watching:

• Outlander (Starz)
• RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 16 (MTV)
• King of Drag (Revry) ⁠Click here to watch!⁠
• A Crown of Candy (Dropout)

Thinking About:

• Tales of the Shire (2025 Video Game)
• Go See Art!

Find us on BlueSky or Instagram: @NovelGamingPod

Send us an e-mail: [email protected]

Logo by: Katie!

Theme song: "Bit Bossa" by Azureflux

Our first nonfiction book! We read the 2024 book 'Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future of Blizzard Entertainment' by Jason Schreier. Conversation starts around 43:50. Before then, we talk about the things we've been playing and watching... but mostly we talk a looooooot about the Ultimatum: Queer Love Season 2.

Playing

• The Star Named Eos (PS5)
• Coral Island (Steam)

Watching

• Superman (2025 Movie)
• Ultimatum Queer Love Season 2 (Netflix)

Find us on BlueSky or Instagram: @NovelGamingPod

Send us an e-mail: [email protected]

Logo by: Katie!

Theme song: "Bit Bossa" by Azureflux

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to date your dining room table? What about your coffee maker? Surely you've thought about dating your bed, right? Well, we played the game where you no longer have to wonder: Date Everything! But before we talk all about dating the objects in our home, we check in on some stuff we've been reading, watching, and thinking about lately.

Reading:

• Packing for Mars by Mary Roach
• Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist by Liz Pelly

Watching:

• The Ultimatum: Queer Love, Season 2 (Netflix)
• Are You the One?, Season 8 (Paramount+)
• Dimension 20: Mentopolis (Dropout)
• Ironheart (Disney+)

Thinking About:

• Curating music recommendations for each other and supporting music artists directly

Find us on BlueSky or Instagram: @NovelGamingPod

Send us an e-mail: [email protected]

Logo by: Katie!

Theme song: "Bit Bossa" by Azureflux

We didn't read a book this month! Instead we read a whole lot of comics. For Pride Month, we decided to read the Marvel's Voices Pride anthology series from 2021 through 2024, which means dozens of stories about several dozens of characters! It's a lot to keep track of, but we highlight our favorites. And as always, before that, we check in on some stuff we've been playing, watching, and thinking about.

Playing:

• Ori and the Blind Forest
• Fortnite Chapter 6, Season 3: Super

Watching:

• North of North (Netflix)
• Materialists (in theaters)
• Dimension 20: Cloudward, Ho! (Dropout)

Thinking about:

• Why does PlayStation have so fewer streaming applications than other consoles?!

Find us on BlueSky or Instagram: @NovelGamingPod

Send us an e-mail: [email protected]

Logo by: Katie!

Theme song: "Bit Bossa" by Azureflux

We played Dream Daddy, a 2017 dad dating game! ⁠You can click here to read the Kotaku article mentioned in our discussion.⁠ Before we discuss this sweet and punny visual novel (convo starts at 29:00) , we check in on what we're reading, watching, and thinking about lately.

Reading

• ​'Morphenomenal' by Joshua Moore
• ​'The Backyard Bird Chronicles' by Amy Tan
• 'Go-Man: Champion of Earth' by Hamish Steele

Watching

• ​Survivor (CBS)
• Scavengers Reign (Max)

Thinking About

• ​Playstation State of Play June 2025

Find us on BlueSky or Instagram: @NovelGamingPod

Send us an e-mail: [email protected]

Logo by: Katie!

Theme song: "Bit Bossa" by Azureflux

We've got a vision coming in about this episode! *~We're going to talk about 'The Teller of Small Fortunes' by Julie Leong~* Before we discuss the 2024 book (convo starts at 22:10) , we check in on what we're playing, watching, and thinking about lately.

Playing

• ​The Witness (PS5)
• ​Moonstone Island (Steam)

Watching

• ​RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 10 (Paramount+)
• ​Survival of the Thickest (Netflix)

Thinking About

• ​King of Drag (Revry)

Find us on BlueSky or Instagram: @NovelGamingPod

Send us an e-mail: [email protected]

Logo by: Katie!

Theme song: "Bit Bossa" by Azureflux

This episode we played Sayonara Wild Hearts, a stylish 2019 rhythm action game featuring motorcycles, magical girl transformations, robot wolves, and of course, incredible music. But before we get into that, we check in on some stuff we've been reading, watching, and thinking about.

Reading

• To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose

• Most Ardently by Gabe Cole Novoa

Watching

• Little Tiny Egg (YouTube)

• Revenge of the Sith theatrical re-release

• Sinners (in theaters—go see it!)

• Lazarus (Adult Swim/Max)

Thinking About

• Post-Direct Switch updates

• Shaboozey

Find us on BlueSky or Instagram: @NovelGamingPod

Send us an e-mail: [email protected]

Logo by: Katie!

Theme song: "Bit Bossa" by Azureflux

We are very excited to discuss 'Sunrise on the Reaping' by Suzanne Collins, the fifth book in the Hunger Games series, taking place 24 years before the events of the original Hunger Games novel, and the original trilogy’s second prequel. (Discussion begins at 15:20, spoilers begin at 24:13.) But before we run off to face the dangers of the Second Quarter Quell, we explore the cornucopia of things we’ve been playing, watching, and thinking about lately.

Playing:

• Final Fantasy VIII: Remastered (PS4)
• Rayman Legends (PS4)
• Pokemon SoulSilver (DS)

Watching:

• The Residence (Netflix)
• The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes

Thinking about:

• ...the Hunger Games series all week long.

Find us on BlueSky or Instagram: @NovelGamingPod

Send us an e-mail: [email protected]

Logo by: Katie!

Theme song: "Bit Bossa" by Azureflux

The Nintendo Switch 2 is on the way so we thought it was only right to celebrate its predecessor - the Nintendo Switch! We talk the launch, features, games and memories of the beloved console. Conversation starts around 41:50. Before then we check in on what we've been reading, watching, and thinking about lately (including a lot of talk about the Nintendo Switch 2).

Reading:

• 'Sunrise on the Reaping' by Suzanne Collins

• Harriet Tubman Live in Concert

Watching:

• Severance Season 2 (Apple TV+)

• Last Meals (Mythical Kitchen)

Thinking About:

•  Human Curation

• Nintendo Switch 2

Find us on BlueSky or Instagram: @NovelGamingPod

Send us an e-mail: [email protected]

Logo by: Katie!

Theme song: "Bit Bossa" by Azureflux