This week we're talking about Xochitl Gonzalez's popular 2022 debut novel Olga Dies Dreaming. It has a lot of interesting ideas and some really good writing, but ultimately these little pieces didn't add up for either of us. 

Spoilers from 23 mins

Trigger warning: non-graphic mention of SA

This week we're talking about the latest David Sedaris collection, which has good and bad moments. We discuss how he's grown bitter and boomerish, and our favorite stories from his career. 

No spoilers!

Second-time guest Sonya joins us to talk about Nothing Tastes As Good, in which an experimental weight loss drug drives a man to cannibalism. It's a wild ride, not always in a good way. 

Spoilers from 36 mins

This week, we discuss the smash hit Yesteryear--what makes it so compelling to so many people but also its significant weaknesses. 

Spoilers from 31 mins

This week we discuss the buzzy new mystery, The Ending Writes Itself. We talk about its strong start, weak ending, and why the story of how it was written might be more interesting than the novel itself. 

Spoilers from 20 mins

First-time guest Bryn joins us to discuss O Sinners!, by Nicole Cuffy, a book about a cult that we all agreed has a bunch of interesting threads, but never quite weaves them together. 

Spoilers from 45 mins

This week we discuss the latest Weird Woman novel we've read: A Good Person, by Kirsten King. If you liked Victorian Psycho, Sky Daddy, All Fours, Yellowface, etc, check this one out.

For more on Nico's beef with Dwight Garner, check out our episode on Vigil, by George Saunders. 

Warning, this episode does include non-specific mentions of sexual assault. 

Spoilers from 26 mins

This week we're talking about Cebo Campbell's speculative dystopian/utopian novel, Sky Full of Elephants. 

A mysterious event suddenly causes all of America's white people to drown themselves. Without them, Black Americans create a utopian society. 

The story follows Charlie as he tracks down his half-white daughter and gets to the bottom of what caused the event in the first place. 

Spoilers from 23 mins

This is a truly weird and disgusting book. Don't listen to this ep with kids or if you are sensitive to graphic descriptions of sex and violence. 

No spoiler tag this ep--there's not too much to spoil. 

It's also a zoom ep, so excuse the sound in places. 

We discuss the popular 2025 cozy romance, First Time Caller, by BK Borison, including the pitfalls of formulaic books. 

Spoilers from 34 mins