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Welcome to Season 5, Episode 18 of That Pretentious Book Club!

This week, Spoons, Wheezy, and Gino are venturing into a world of treacherous fae, forbidden love, and a Cinderella story like you've never seen before. In Ash by Malinda Lo, we’re diving deep into a fable reimagined—a tale of grief, magic, romance, and a powerful journey of self-discovery. 

Tune in as we give this enchanting novel a thorough review, complete with the full spectrum of pinkies-up ratings, ranging from “must-read” to “meh, not so much.”

Skippers jump to 29:42

Pour yourself a cup of tea, raise a pinky, and join the club for this discussion of Ash!

Support the show

Find this episode's book and more by shopping at https://bookshop.org/shop/storysirensstudio to support the club AND local bookstores!

Visit us at storysirensstudio.com or find us on social media @thatpretentiousbookclub.

Check out sister podcast The Scripturient Society for writers and join our writing group on Facebook!


Find Space Aliens, Southerners, and Saving the World by Ash Leigh O'Rourke on Amazon.

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Welcome to Season 5 Episode 17 of That Pretentious Book Club!
 
In this episode Spoons, Wheezy, and Gino dive headfirst into the wildly popular academic folkloric fantasy, Emily Wilde's Encylopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett. Get ready for some serious fangirling over Wendell Bambleby—who somehow manages to be both a golden-haired prince AND a bad-boy dreamboat, and a main character who is nothing less than an inspiration to the hosts (and probably all women everywhere). From swooning to snarking, we can’t help but gush, laugh, and go off about this enchanting, hilarious, and occasionally curmudgeonly cast of characters. You won’t want to miss it!

Skippers jump to 21:10

Pour yourself a cup of tea (or hot chocolate), raise a pinky, and join the club for this discussion of Emily Wilde's Encylopaedia of Faeries!

P.S. Don't forget to sign up for the Spring 2025 Writing Retreat! https://storysirensstudio.com/retreats/spring2025

Support the show

Find this episode's book and more by shopping at https://bookshop.org/shop/storysirensstudio to support the club AND local bookstores!

Visit us at storysirensstudio.com or find us on social media @thatpretentiousbookclub.

Check out sister podcast The Scripturient Society for writers and join our writing group on Facebook!


Find Space Aliens, Southerners, and Saving the World by Ash Leigh O'Rourke on Amazon.

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It's that time of year again! Are you ready to throw out the time codes and embrace the nonsense?

Welcome to Season 5 Episode 16 of That Pretentious Book Club and Episode 117 of The Scripturient Society -- also known as the 4th Annual Story Sirens Studio Christmas Party!

Join the hosts for a series of bookish games, deranged laughter, and friendship as all four hosts come together for the first time ever for this holiday extravaganza. This year you can look forward to (or possibly fear), a return of Lewis's custom madlibs and a shockingly dark Christmas chain story.

Keep your teacups full, pinkies high, and we'll see you on the next pretentious page! Did we do that right?

Support the show

Find this episode's book and more by shopping at https://bookshop.org/shop/storysirensstudio to support the club AND local bookstores!

Visit us at storysirensstudio.com or find us on social media @thatpretentiousbookclub.

Check out sister podcast The Scripturient Society for writers and join our writing group on Facebook!


Find Space Aliens, Southerners, and Saving the World by Ash Leigh O'Rourke on Amazon.

Send us a text

Welcome to Season 5 Episode 15 of That Pretentious Book Club!
 
In this episode Spoons and Wheezy discuss cozy regency romance Merry Little Match by independent author Celine Rachelle. Inspired by Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (an all-time and iconic pod-favorite) but taking place during Christmas, this story is positively bursting with holiday cheer and all the enemies-to-lovers vibes an Austen girlie could wish for.

Skippers jump to 37:23

Pour yourself a cup of tea (or wassail--however that's pronounced), raise a pinky, and join the club for this discussion of Merry Little Match!

Support the show

Find this episode's book and more by shopping at https://bookshop.org/shop/storysirensstudio to support the club AND local bookstores!

Visit us at storysirensstudio.com or find us on social media @thatpretentiousbookclub.

Check out sister podcast The Scripturient Society for writers and join our writing group on Facebook!


Find Space Aliens, Southerners, and Saving the World by Ash Leigh O'Rourke on Amazon.

Send us a text

Welcome to Season 5 Episode 14 of That Pretentious Book Club!
 
In this episode Gino and Wheezy discuss the absolutely gripping thriller The Fury by Alex Michaelides. This novel takes place on a private Greek island when an ex-movie star's spontaneous vacation is derailed by a shocking murder, told in a series of five acts by an unreliable narrator who--let's face it--we would all love to be friends with (at least for a little while). This story takes the locked-door-murder-mystery trope and turns it on its head for a high stakes, fast-paced, irresistible story rife with allusions to Greek mythology and reflections on the human condition. 

Skippers jump to 28:00

Pour yourself a cup of tea (or a "perfect" martini), raise a pinky, and join the club for this discussion of The Fury!

Support the show

Find this episode's book and more by shopping at https://bookshop.org/shop/storysirensstudio to support the club AND local bookstores!

Visit us at storysirensstudio.com or find us on social media @thatpretentiousbookclub.

Check out sister podcast The Scripturient Society for writers and join our writing group on Facebook!


Find Space Aliens, Southerners, and Saving the World by Ash Leigh O'Rourke on Amazon.

Send us a text

Welcome to Season 5 Episode 13 of That Pretentious Book Club!
 
In this episode Spoons and Wheezy come to you (recorded) live from "Girl World" to discuss classic young adult novel The Outsiders, by master-of-her-craft S. E. Hinton. This coming-of-age novel has more than earned its spot in middle and high school reading curriculums, and may just be begging to take up residence on your TBR list this year. 

With what we are going to call "thought-provoking interruptions" from Wheezy's tiny dragonslayer (assuming those thoughts are about the importance of hiring babysitters), Ash and Kendall find plenty to talk, laugh, and cry about in this discussion of one of the best pieces of classic literature your high school syllabus has to offer.

Skippers jump to 19:00

Pour yourself a cup of chocolate milk, raise a pinky, and join the club for this discussion of The Outsiders!

Support the show

Find this episode's book and more by shopping at https://bookshop.org/shop/storysirensstudio to support the club AND local bookstores!

Visit us at storysirensstudio.com or find us on social media @thatpretentiousbookclub.

Check out sister podcast The Scripturient Society for writers and join our writing group on Facebook!


Find Space Aliens, Southerners, and Saving the World by Ash Leigh O'Rourke on Amazon.

Send us a text

Welcome to Season 5 Episode 12 of That Pretentious Book Club!
 
In this episode Wheezy and Gino fill their glasses and dive into the sweet, slightly nostalgic young adult fantasy Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones--the inspiration for Studio Ghibli's 2004 Japanese animated fantasy film of the same name.

From comparisons between the relative "thirst-worthiness" of Howl in the book versus the movie, to life lessons we can all learn from Sophie Hatter, the hosts had their work cut out for them fitting this episode into a remotely acceptable length of time.

Skippers jump to 23:35

Pour yourself a cup of tea, raise a pinky, and join the club for this discussion of Howl's Moving Castle!

Support the show

Find this episode's book and more by shopping at https://bookshop.org/shop/storysirensstudio to support the club AND local bookstores!

Visit us at storysirensstudio.com or find us on social media @thatpretentiousbookclub.

Check out sister podcast The Scripturient Society for writers and join our writing group on Facebook!


Find Space Aliens, Southerners, and Saving the World by Ash Leigh O'Rourke on Amazon.

Send us a text

Welcome to Season 5 Episode 11 of That Pretentious Book Club!
 
In this episode Spoons, Wheezy, and Gino team up for a (slightly out of control) discussion of YA sci-fi/fantasy Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte. Catch up with the club, sit back, relax, and listen to some very mixed opinions about this book.

Skippers jump to 12:16

Pour yourself a cup of tea, raise a pinky, and join the club for this discussion of Four Dead Queens!

Note: Pod-baby was under the weather and joined the club for this episode, so don't be surprised if you hear some...energetic...commentary from Wheezy's kiddo.

Support the show

Find this episode's book and more by shopping at https://bookshop.org/shop/storysirensstudio to support the club AND local bookstores!

Visit us at storysirensstudio.com or find us on social media @thatpretentiousbookclub.

Check out sister podcast The Scripturient Society for writers and join our writing group on Facebook!


Find Space Aliens, Southerners, and Saving the World by Ash Leigh O'Rourke on Amazon.

Send us a text

Welcome to Season 5 Episode 10 of That Pretentious Book Club!
 
In this episode Spoons and Wheezy return for a rousing (and mildly deranged) discussion about none other than the infamous tragedy Macbeth by the bard himself, William Shakespeare -- or as the club may better know him, good ol' Billy Shakes.

Join Ash and Kendall as they dive into the spooky, treacherous, and questionably... feminist...?

Skippers jump to 26:53

Pour yourself a cup of tea, raise a pinky, and join the club for this discussion of Macbeth!

Support the show

Find this episode's book and more by shopping at https://bookshop.org/shop/storysirensstudio to support the club AND local bookstores!

Visit us at storysirensstudio.com or find us on social media @thatpretentiousbookclub.

Check out sister podcast The Scripturient Society for writers and join our writing group on Facebook!


Find Space Aliens, Southerners, and Saving the World by Ash Leigh O'Rourke on Amazon.

Send us a text

Welcome to Season 5 Episode 9 of That Pretentious Book Club!
 
In this episode the club makes a spectacular return from its extended hiatus with the addition of new co-host Myrissa "Gino" Yokie! Join Ash (AKA Wheezy) and Gino as they celebrate this return with a fittingly chaotic and humorous discussion of YA fantasy Chaos and Flame by Justina Ireland and Tessa Gratton.

Skippers jump to 13:38

Pour yourself a cup of tea (or fizzy wine), raise a pinky, and join the club for this discussion of Chaos and Flame!

Support the show

Find this episode's book and more by shopping at https://bookshop.org/shop/storysirensstudio to support the club AND local bookstores!

Visit us at storysirensstudio.com or find us on social media @thatpretentiousbookclub.

Check out sister podcast The Scripturient Society for writers and join our writing group on Facebook!


Find Space Aliens, Southerners, and Saving the World by Ash Leigh O'Rourke on Amazon.