We’re talking about The Appeal by Janice Hallett in this week’s episode. We lament the fact that our favorite character died and that several people who need therapy haven’t yet received it. We go over our theories about how much some of the characters actually knew about what was going on (do you think we’re off-base?). We also discuss the inclusion of a secret code (don’t they always elevate a novel?) and if one of the characters is being haunted. Leave a comment to let us know what you thought of the book! 

Source:

https://study.com/learn/lesson/all-my-sons-arthur-miller-summary-characters.html

Join us as we review The Fury, Alex Michaelides’s third and most recent book. We comment on the top-notch acting skills of several characters. We mention how prolonged isolation causes issues (another reason we have to interact with other people, sigh) and how it’s never great when someone’s first reaction is to turn to physical violence. As in the last episode, we again note the recurring characters and the references to Greek tragedy and mythology (were you also a fan?) Give your opinion on the book in a comment below!

Join us as we discuss The Maidens, Alex Michaelides’s second book. We touch on the characters from The Silent Patient who make a guest appearance in The Maidens. We recommend side-eyeing students who worship their professors and people who display an unhealthy interest in someone when they have access to where they live (not that any kind of unhealthy interest is ideal). We also mention our appreciation for the numerous references to Tennyson’s life and work. Let us know what you thought of The Maidens!

Source:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bonekickers/history/arthur.shtml

In this week’s episode, we’re diving into The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides. We give a brief biography of Alex Michaelides before talking about how people can only change if they want to (therapists can’t make their clients change; they can only help them do so). We question if it’s ever okay to have a personal relationship with your therapist. We also mention how exhausting it is to be around people who thrive on drama (we all have one of those in our lives),

Sources:

https://www.alexmichaelides.com/about 

https://www.alexmichaelides.com/campaigns/view-email/wZC6xz0U-pnFrPKr42UX0vf9FbM2x7o0P3vSUafYDb3C98lcbhgCZb-NLW_ezVGyEW8xWQ9NwjP6Q3k-iPdxovMvOwQs4Xp7jVvpBMTPLL2eCy9cfW3Sr9pqQFCLtnNE0P3RKVYGA612kuKlZsRSblsvEbnbvYzLVfFlIQ==?ss_source=sscampaigns&ss_campaign_id=63e2ac3b204cc94fb9a576b9&ss_email_id=63f5f5c136905132d8c483ce&ss_campaign_name=An+Update+from+Alex+Michaelides&ss_campaign_sent_date=2023-02-22T11%3A00%3A39Z 

https://celadonbooks.com/novel-inspiration-alex-michaelides-author-of-the-silent-patient-on-writing-the-perfect-thriller/

We’re talking about Look Closer by David Ellis in this week’s episode. We discuss our love for fictional vengeance (this probably doesn’t say anything good about us) and the stereotype that only men can have sex and remain emotionally unattached. We touch on the fact that no amount of money can cancel out someone’s trauma and that more  schools need to have comprehensive preventative steps in place to stop bullying before it happens. We also quickly mention actus reus (it’s interesting, we promise) and engaging in weird mental habits to reduce anxiety. Give your opinion on the book in a comment below!

Sources:

https://psychcentral.com/health/what-do-therapists-have-to-report#reporting-to-police 

https://opencasebook.org/casebooks/9294-criminal-law/sections/2.1-the-actus-reus-requirement/#:~:text=Actus%20reus%2C%20or%20the%20act,punished%20for%20our%20thoughts%20alone. 

Join us as we review Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon. We mention our admiration for female characters of color in positions of authority and for people living with chronic conditions. We note the tendency to admire a man who is tough in his professional life while calling a woman who acts the same way a bitch (WTF?) and that continuing to commit crimes to cover up the first one isn’t a solid plan. We also talk about our hatred of the feminine wiles trope (do you have an issue with it, too?). Let us know what you thought of Mother-Daughter Murder Night!

Join us as we discuss The Silent Woman by Minka Kent. We talk about the interesting work of biographers, how we’re all curious to learn more about other people’s lives (why else do we have the desire to look in someone’s medicine cabinet?), and how refreshing it is for a female character not to be jealous of their partner’s ex. We note that therapy is a good investment (we’ve all got issues) and the desire to marry for money is legit. We also touch on narcissism being partly related to genetics. Leave a comment to let us know what you think of the book!

In this week’s episode, we’re diving into Blood Sugar by Sascha Rothchild. We talk about relating to the serial killer protagonist (she really is likable; we promise) and the enormous difficulties that come with living with a chronic condition. We mention the characters we wish the protagonist had killed (let’s not pretend we’re not rooting for the deaths of characters we don’t like), that there is no one right way to grieve, and how it’s always a plus when books represent characters of color or those who belong to the LGBTQ+ community. Give your opinion on the book in a comment below!

We’re talking about Before We Were Innocent by Ella Berman in this week’s episode. We discuss how the media vilifies teenage girls who make mistakes but often gives boys a free pass (WTF with “Boys will be boys?”). We touch on the fact that very few people would want to go back to being teenagers (we’re giving those that say high school was the best time of their lives the side-eye). We also briefly go into how narcissists need to control those around them and our interpretations of what happened to one of the main characters. Let us know what you thought of Before We Were Innocent!

Join us as we review On a Quiet Street by Seraphina Nova Glass. We talk about people who cheat wanting to get caught and how no one is a villain in their own mind (even though they’re the monster in everyone else’s story). We tackle the believability of quick turnarounds and rushed reveals. We also discuss how children often know the state of their parent’s relationship and how teenagers in real life and in books can be hard to like (weren’t we all self-absorbed at that age?). Leave a comment to let us know what you think of the book!