Shit We've Read

It’s our last book of Season Two as we read the appropriately titled The Last Adventure of Constance Verity by A. Lee Martinez, a humorous urban fantasy about the world’s greatest adventurer and her quest to become ordinary. Listen in as Jason makes the shocking revelation that he doesn’t like reading, Laura confirms she is an android, and the book’s metaphysics prove too much for Bella’s mind.

Thanks for listening and for all your support this season. To keep up with any updates and announcements we make during our break, be sure to follow us @ShitWeveRead on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. See you again with new episodes starting in May!

Connect with SWR: Instagram | Twitter | TikTok | Facebook | Website 
Request transcripts on our website: shitweveread.com/contact

Shit We've Read is hosted by Laura Benson, Jason Rico, and Bella Romero, with music by Joshua Chilton and editing by Jason Rico. This podcast is part of the BYLO Network. Visit BYLONetwork.com for more great geeky podcasts.

Alien Forest by FSM Team
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Creative Commons / Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

We have another incredible author interview for you! We were fortunate enough to have debut author Jenna Voris join us to chat about her upcoming young adult space opera Made of Stars, described by her as “inspired by the story of Bonnie and Clyde, but set in space.” Listen as Voris tells us about the inspirations for her novel, how her experience getting Made of Stars published has changed her writing process, she reveals some of her favorite book tropes, and shares how she was personally victimized by Taylor Swift’s 2019 album, Lover.

Made of Stars is out March 28, 2023!

Be sure to check out Jenna's character playlists on Spotify!
Ava | Shane | Cyrus | Cornelia

Guest:
Jenna Voris writes books about ambitious girls and galaxy-traversing adventures. She was born and raised in Indiana—where she learned to love roundabouts and the art of college basketball—and now calls Washington D.C. home. When she’s not writing, she can be found perfecting her road trip playlists and desperately trying to keep her houseplants alive. Made of Stars is her debut.

Follow her online @JennaVoris and at jennamvoris.com.

Connect with SWR: Instagram | Twitter | TikTok | Facebook | Website Request transcripts on our website: shitweveread.com/contact

Shit We've Read is hosted by Laura Benson, Jason Rico, and Bella Romero, with music by Joshua Chilton and editing by Jason Rico. This podcast is part of the BYLO Network. Visit BYLONetwork.com for more great geeky podcasts.

Space Ambience by Alexander Nakarada | https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Creative Commons / Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

We’re celebrating Black History Month with a discussion of Dawn by Octavia E. Butler, one of the most renowned voices in Black science fiction. “Hopeful and thought-provoking, this post-apocalyptic narrative deftly explores gender and race through the eyes of characters struggling to adapt [...] in a world devastated by nuclear war.” Listen in as Bella explains why they don’t like 80s science fiction, Laura admits she felt weird during the alien sex scenes, and we talk about how this book was both ahead of its time for its concepts of gender yet still problematic for its depiction of dubious consent.

Other books we mention in this episode:

Rubicon by J.S Dewes
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60784443-rubicon

World Running Down by Al Hess
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62900625-world-running-down

Season of the Dragon by Natalie Wright
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/95586977-season-of-the-dragon

Connect with SWR: Instagram | Twitter | TikTok | Facebook | Website
Request transcripts on our website: shitweveread.com/contact

Shit We've Read is hosted by Laura Benson, Jason Rico, and Bella Romero, with music by Joshua Chilton and editing by Jason Rico. This podcast is part of the BYLO Network. Visit BYLONetwork.com for more great geeky podcasts.

Voice Of An Angel One by Alexander Nakarada | https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

It’s Valentine’s Day—a day for sex, love, and romance—which means it’s the perfect day for another After Dark discussion. In this episode, we chat about Bella’s book choice, Lord of Eternal Night, a paranormal romance by Ben Alderson. Listen in as Bella explains how they had choice paralysis when choosing this book, we question the physical aspects of one of the sex scenes, and Jason stands up for the baker’s son (IYKYK.) Plus, find out what opinion Emma shared that left Bella and Jason absolutely speechless.

CONTENT WARNING: This episode features a discussion of an adult-themed book and is intended for mature audiences only.

Connect with SWR: Instagram | Twitter | TikTok | Facebook | Website
Request transcripts on our website: shitweveread.com/contact

Shit We've Read After Dark is hosted by Laura Benson, Jason Rico, Bella Romero, and EmmaSkies, with an introduction by Jessilee Windhaus and editing by Jason Rico. This podcast is part of the BYLO Network. Visit BYLONetwork.com for more great geeky podcasts.

Dark Hollows by Alexander Nakarada | https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Happy New Year! It’s the first episode of 2023 and guest co-host Megan Wilson returns to join Jason and Bella for a discussion of The Shadow in the Glass, a “terrifying new spin on Cinderella” by JJA Harwood. Listen in as we debate if it’s accurate to call this story a retelling of Cinderella, Megan shows us where to find hope within this book, and Bella asks a question that makes Jason rethink his entire understanding of this story.

Guest Host:
Megan (sher/her) is a vegan foodie, animal welfare non-profit founder (coming soon!), and lover of all things Disney, dinosaurs, and D&D podcasts. Find her cuddled up with her dogs and a glass of wine watching a spooky movie or re-visiting comfort shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Gravity Falls.

Connect with SWR: Instagram | Twitter | TikTok | Facebook | Website
Request transcripts on our website: shitweveread.com/contact

Shit We've Read is hosted by Laura Benson, Jason Rico, and Bella Romero, with music by Joshua Chilton and editing by Jason Rico. This podcast is part of the BYLO Network. Visit BYLONetwork.com for more great geeky podcasts.

Voice Of An Angel One by Alexander Nakarada | https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Join us as we close out 2022 and welcome new guest host Amy K. with a discussion of Xiran Jay Zhao's debut novel, Iron Widow; a feminist sci-fi story inspired by the rise of Wu Zetian, the only female emperor in Chinese history. Listen in as we question why the two top shelves on Goodreads for this book are 'fantasy' and 'young adult', we discuss whether or not the book’s commentary on gender roles within a patriarchal society was successful, and in true geek fashion, Jason compares elements of this story to both Power Rangers and DC Comics' Green Lantern Corps. We hope you enjoy the episode and see you in 2023!

Guest Host:
Amy (she/her) is a full-time humanitarian worker and cat parent with overflowing collections of succulents on her porch and books on her Libby app. A self-described "book vacuum", Amy will (and does) read anything, but most enjoys romance, mystery, and reflective non-fiction. In addition to reading books, Amy enjoys exploring new places, hiking and rock climbing, and smashing the kyriarchy.

Connect with SWR: Instagram | Twitter | TikTok | Facebook | Website
Request transcripts on our website: shitweveread.com/contact

Shit We've Read is hosted by Laura Benson, Jason Rico, and Bella Romero, with music by Joshua Chilton and editing by Jason Rico. This podcast is part of the BYLO Network. Visit BYLONetwork.com for more great geeky podcasts.

Ablation Suite by Hayden Folker | https://soundcloud.com/hayden-folker
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US

It’s Emma’s book choice and with it comes her first official hosting duties! All four SWR After Dark hosts come together for a discussion of Her Soul to Take by Harley Laroux, book one of the Souls Trilogy. It’s a book Emma has previously read and she asked the rest of us to read it too, so listen in as we decide whether we agree with Emma’s opinion, we debate the balance of plot vs. sex scenes, and we consider whether a demon dick is enough to classify this book as a “monster romance”.

CONTENT WARNING: This episode features a discussion of an adult-themed book and is intended for mature audiences only.

Connect with SWR: Instagram | Twitter | TikTok | Facebook | Website
Request transcripts on our website: shitweveread.com/contact

Shit We've Read After Dark is hosted by Laura Benson, Jason Rico, Bella Romero, and EmmaSkies, with an introduction by Jessilee Windhaus and editing by Jason Rico. This podcast is part of the BYLO Network. Visit BYLONetwork.com for more great geeky podcasts.

Dark Hollows by Alexander Nakarada | https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

This month we are joined by returning guest host Jessilee Windhaus for a discussion of Blood Like Magic by Liselle Sambury; “an urban fantasy debut following a teen witch who is given a horrifying task: sacrificing her first love to save her family’s magic. The problem is, she’s never been in love—she’ll have to find the perfect guy before she can kill him.” Listen in as we compare this book to the Disney animated film Encanto, we praise the author’s blending of young adult fantasy and science fiction, and Jessilee reveals why she’s dusting off her pun skills.

Guest Host:
Jessilee (she/her) is a proud Sacramento native and 20-year theatre and improv veteran who has trained with the Upright Citizen’s Brigade, The Groundlings, and toured with the world-renowned Missoula Children’s Theatre. She is cofounder of the local performing arts nonprofit Empire Arts Collective, as well as the founder of That Plus Chips, a live sketch and improv comedy ensemble. You can find Empire Arts Collective on Facebook and follow them on Twitter & Instagram @empireartsco, and follow Jessilee on TikTok @jessileeinthehaus.

Connect with SWR: Instagram | Twitter | TikTok | Facebook | Website
Request transcripts on our website: shitweveread.com/contact

Shit We've Read is hosted by Laura Benson, Jason Rico, and Bella Romero, with music by Joshua Chilton and editing by Jason Rico. This podcast is part of the BYLO Network. Visit BYLONetwork.com for more great geeky podcasts.

City Life by Artificial.Music | https://soundcloud.com/artificial-music
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US

October is for vampires and spooky books, so this month we are joined by returning guest host Z LaFrance as well as first-time guest host Megan Wilson for a discussion about In Every Generation by Kendare Blake; “the first in an all-new series [continuing] the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer featuring the next generation of Scoobies and Slayers who must defeat a powerful new evil.” Listen in as Z explains how queerness and the Buffyverse are one and the same, we call out the disrespect of a major Buffy character being given an off-screen death, and Bella forgets how to close out the episode.

Guest Hosts:

Z LaFrance (they/them) is a graphic designer, illustrator, sewist, shapeshifter, and cat lover. Their preferred type of book includes broody vampires, a queer love story, haunted Victorian mansions, and the “enemies to lovers” trope. When they aren't reading, you will most likely find them in front of a computer screen, on the couch watching a horror movie, or asleep in their coffin.

Megan Wilson (she/her) is a vegan foodie, animal welfare non-profit founder (coming soon!), and lover of all things Disney, dinosaurs, and D&D podcasts. Find her cuddled up with her dogs and a glass of wine watching a spooky movie or re-visiting comfort shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Gravity Falls.

Connect with SWR: Instagram | Twitter | TikTok | Facebook | Website

Request transcripts on our website: shitweveread.com/contact

Shit We've Read is hosted by Laura Benson, Jason Rico, and Bella Romero, with music by Joshua Chilton and editing by Jason Rico. This podcast is part of the BYLO Network. Visit BYLONetwork.com for more great geeky podcasts.

Witch By The Sea by Darren-Curtis | https://soundcloud.com/desperate-measurez

Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com

Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US

It’s a discussion of gigantic proportions as we’re joined once again by Sir Aaron Carter, host and co-creator of the Before You Log Off podcast, to talk about The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi; “a thrilling, fast-paced adventure set on an alternate Earth [about an] ‘animal rights organization’ that is way more than it appears.” Listen in as we debate whether or not we’d try the book’s “poopfruit”, Laura and Jason scold Aaron for having never watched the first Pacific Rim film, and we get fired up over how Amazon mishandled their promotion of the TV adaptation of Paper Girls.

Guest Host:
Sir Aaron Carter (he/him) is host and co-creator of the Before You Log Off podcast and founder of the BYLO Network. You can follow him and his podcast on Twitch at twitch.tv/beforeyoulogoff and Twitter @beforeyoulogoff. Listen to Before You Log Off and Aaron’s other great BYLO Network podcasts, like Uncanny and BYLO Watch, wherever you get your podcasts.

Connect with SWR: Instagram | Twitter | TikTok | Facebook | Website
Request transcripts on our website: shitweveread.com/contact

Shit We've Read is hosted by Laura Benson, Jason Rico, and Bella Romero, with music by Joshua Chilton and editing by Jason Rico. This podcast is part of the BYLO Network. Visit BYLONetwork.com for more great geeky podcasts.

Artemis by Scott Buckley | https://soundcloud.com/scottbuckley
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/