The Fake Ass Book Club

Fake Ass Book Club welcomes Jennifer Magley for a conversation about Tayari Jones’ Kin. The group digs into family, identity, abandonment, ambition, and the things we spend our lives chasing. Jennifer’s own experiences with persistence, reinvention, and her 365-day Stooge Quest add another layer to the discussion, creating some connections between the book and the pursuit of our own goals. And while the conversation doesn't go quite where Moni and Kat expected, that's part of what makes this episode of Fake Ass Book Club so much fun. Sometimes the best book conversations aren't about agreeing on the story, but leaning into why it made us feel the way we did. The Book Club is Fake, but the Talk is REAL! Cheers🥂

*Please be advised this episode is intended for adult audiences and contains adult language and content. We are expressing opinions on the show for entertainment purposes only.

Dedication: To our patrons as always!! We love you and thanks!
Moni: To kinship where ever you may find it!
Kat: To the educators out there doing the hard work, thank you!
About the Author: https://www.tayarijones.com
About the Book: Author: Tayari Jones/Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf / Penguin Random House/Publication date: February 24, 2026 Genre: Literary fiction / historical fiction/ Pages: 368 Audiobook: 13 hours, 11 minutes (it was stated incorrectly by Moni as 11 hours on the show)

About the Guest: Jennifer Magley the self proclaimed "middle-aged, Midwest, melanated mom from the middle of nowhere,”( We were stage 95 of 100 in her 100 stage challenge/part 2 of. her 365-day Stooge Quest)
https://www.magleyjennifer.com
https://www.instagram.com/jennifermagley
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifermagley

**Stranger than Fiction: 💜*Email us at [email protected] with your book suggestions and "Stranger Than Fiction" stories; we would love to share them on the show!! Please reach out and let us know how we are doing!! You can find us online by clicking here 👉🏾 https://linktr.ee/Fabpod Please subscribe to www.patreon.com/thefabpodcast.com to enjoy bonus content and weigh in on upcoming topics. Don't forget to follow, rate, review, and SHARE our podcast! Thank you! 

This week on Fake A$$ Book Club, the conversation centers on DeAndra Davis’s All the Noise at Once, a YA novel about Aiden, a Black autistic teenager whose life is upended when his older brother is arrested after a confrontation with police. The book explores race, autism, policing, brotherhood, identity, and Aiden’s journey toward finding his own voice. The episode digs into the story, its characters, and the bigger questions it raises about how Black boys are seen, protected, and treated.
*Please be advised this episode is intended for adult audiences and contains adult language and content. We are expressing opinions on the show for entertainment purposes only.

Dedication: To our patrons as always!! We love you and THANK YOU!
Moni: To my August baddies, Love you!
Kat: To cousin Amber for speaking up about the the Buc-ee's situation in Beavercreek Ohio, and Jon Oliver for reading Buc-ee's too! https://www.cincinnati.com/john-oliver-buc-ees-beavercreek-lawsuit-buc-off/91253297007/
About the Author:https://www.deandradavis.com/
About the Book: 384 pages, HardcoverPublished April 15, 2025 by Atheneum Books for Young ReadersAudio book :Narrated by Andre’ Santana 9hours 50 mins
 
**Stranger than Fiction: 💜*Email us at [email protected] with your book suggestions and "Stranger Than Fiction" stories; we would love to share them on the show!! Please reach out and let us know how we are doing!! You can find us online by clicking here 👉🏾 https://linktr.ee/Fabpod Please subscribe to www.patreon.com/thefabpodcast.com to enjoy bonus content and weigh in on upcoming topics. Don't forget to follow, rate, review, and SHARE our podcast! Thank you!

No book, no problem! With one host out of town visiting family, the F.A.B. Podcast switched things up this week and went live on YouTube for a fun, catch up episode. The hosts spent the hour chatting with friends, welcoming new viewers into the chat, and seeing where the conversation took them. The discussion naturally bounced between current events, pop culture, and personal reflections. They talked about Kat's lively debates on Threads, revisited the Juneteenth episode of Atlanta, reflected on who we choose to take advice from, explored the idea of rest and joy as reparations, and shared thoughts on everything from the week's headlines to self-care. They also announced the next two books coming up on the podcast. Episodes like this are a reminder why the name is the Fake A$$ Book Club. Its not just about books, it is about making space for connection, conversation, and  community! Cheers!
*Please be advised this episode is intended for adult audiences and contains adult language and content. We are expressing opinions on the show for entertainment purposes only. 

Dedication: To our patrons as always!! We love and apprecitate you!
Moni: To my cousin Essie!! Hang in there, I love you!
Kat: To Ms. Rachel for standing on business!

**Stranger than Fiction: 💜*Email us at [email protected] with your book suggestions and "Stranger Than Fiction" stories; we would love to share them on the show!! Please reach out and let us know how we are doing!! You can find us online by clicking here 👉🏾 https://linktr.ee/Fabpod Please subscribe to www.patreon.com/thefabpodcast.com to enjoy bonus content and weigh in on upcoming topics. Don't forget to follow, rate, review, and SHARE our podcast! Thank you!

This week the FAB ladies review Doubt by John Patrick Shanley. It's 1964, St. Nicholas in the Bronx.
A charismatic priest, Father Flynn, is trying to upend the school's strict customs, which have long been fiercely guarded by Sister Aloysius Beauvier, the iron-gloved Principal who believes in the power of fear-based discipline. The winds of political change are sweeping through the community, and indeed, the school has just accepted its first black student, Donald Miller. But when Sister James, a hopeful innocent, shares with Sister Aloysius her guilt-inducing suspicion that Father Flynn is paying too much personal attention to Donald, Sister Aloysius sets off on a personal crusade to unearth the truth and to expunge Flynn from the school. Now, without proof besides her moral certainty, Sister Aloysius locks into a battle of wills with Father Flynn which threatens to tear apart the community with irrevocable consequences. Listen in as the ladies discuss and review this powerful and thought provoking film. Cheers! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doubt_(2008_film)—Miramax Films
*Please be advised this episode is intended for adult audiences and contains adult language and content. We are expressing opinions on the show for entertainment purposes only. 

Dedication: To our patrons, thank you, thank you, thank you!! 🙏
Moni: To my cousin Essie happy bday, and to all my family in Detroit, love you!💕
Kat:  To the discovery of gut bacteria linked to MS. https://share.google/MSGutBacteriaLink
and to bookish shade posted on Threads!@https://www.instagram.com/everydayisjuneteenth

Notes:
About the movie:
Director and Writer: John Patrick Shanley (adapted from his own Pulitzer Prize-winning play).John Patrick Shanley Producers: Scott Rudin and Mark Roybal. Cinematography: Roger Deakins.
Music Composer: Howard Shore. Key Cast: Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, and Viola Davis. [1, 2, 3, 4]
The 2008 drama film Doubt was directed by John Patrick Shanley, produced by Scott Rudin and Mark Roybal, and grossed $51.7 million worldwide on a $20 million budget. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0918927/plotsummary/
Plot Summary: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0918927/plotsummary/
Diarrhea parasite:https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2026/07/29/cyclosporiasis-diarrhea-cases-45-states-cdc/91089603007/
Viola Davis and Meryl Streep Scene;https://youtu.be/ViolaDavisScene

**Stranger than Fiction: 💜*Email us at [email protected] with your book suggestions and "Stranger Than Fiction" stories; we would love to share them on the show!! Please reach out and let us know how we are doing!! You can find us online by clicking here 👉🏾 https://linktr.ee/Fabpod Please subscribe to www.patreon.com/thefabpodcast.com to enjoy bonus content and weigh in on upcoming topics. Don't forget to follow, rate, review, and SHARE our podcast! Thank you!

This week the ladies took their conversation on the road for a special episode recorded from an unexpected location... a library tucked away on the Atlantis property in the Bahamas!✨With hopes to connect with locals and record interviews, the trip took a different direction as they instead embraced the moment, explored the resort, enjoyed the food, experienced the service, all while reflecting on their time on the island. Along the way, they discuss their impressions of Atlantis, the highlights and surprises of the trip, and the cultural history surrounding the Bahamas. With the country recently celebrating 53 years of independence 🇧🇸, the conversation turned toward the lasting impact of British colonial influence (and the complexity of that history), and how those influences continue to shape the identity of the Bahamas. This episode is part travel review and part cultural reflection. Join the F.A.B. Podcast for a laid-back conversation filled with laughter, observations, and moments from paradise. Cheers!🥂

*Please be advised this episode is intended for adult audiences and contains adult language and content. We are expressing opinions on the show for entertainment purposes only. Dedication: To our patrons as always!! We love you!To our Aunt Janis (and Uncle Mike). She planned the trip for 40 ppl and coordinated dinners, events, transportation etc.. She deserves a special thanks and shout out to her company, Titan travel agency and her iconic silver afro🙌🏽. Shout out to Jazz city radio. To all the beautiful Bahimian people making our time there so wonderful!**Stranger than Fiction:

💜*Email us at [email protected] with your book suggestions and "Stranger Than Fiction" stories; we would love to share them on the show!! Please reach out and let us know how we are doing!! You can find us online by clicking here 👉🏾 https://linktr.ee/Fabpod Please subscribe to www.patreon.com/thefabpodcast.com to enjoy bonus content and weigh in on upcoming topics. Don't forget to follow, rate, review, and SHARE our podcast! Thank you!

The F.A.B. crew is taking a well deserved vacation, but they couldn't leave their listeners without something to enjoy! This week, they're opening the vault and sharing a Patreon episode. If you've ever wondered what goes on behind the paywall, here's your chance to get a taste. Expect the same hilarious conversations, unfiltered opinions, unexpected tangents, and authentic chemistry that have made the Fake A$$ Book Club a favorite among listeners.The ladies appreciate your continued support while they recharge and can't wait to return with brand new episodes. Until then, sit back, press play, and enjoy this special bonus release. Cheers! 🥂#FakeAssBookClub #BonusEpisode #Patreon #PodcastCommunity #BlackPodcasters
*Please be advised this episode is intended for adult audiences and contains adult language and content. We are expressing opinions on the show for entertainment purposes only. Dedication: To our patrons as always!! We love you!

**Stranger than Fiction: 💜*Email us at [email protected] with your book suggestions and "Stranger Than Fiction" stories; we would love to share them on the show!! Please reach out and let us know how we are doing!! You can find us online by clicking here 👉🏾 https://linktr.ee/Fabpod Please subscribe to www.patreon.com/thefabpodcast.com to enjoy bonus content and weigh in on upcoming topics. Don't forget to follow, rate, review, and SHARE our podcast! Thank you!

The BET Awards always give people something to talk about, and this year was no exception. In this episode, the F.A.B. crew shares their thoughts on the biggest moments from the show. One host watched the show, and the other pieced together the night's highlights through clips, social media, and post show conversations. From Druski's debut as host, to standout performances and longwinded acceptance speeches, the ladies break down what worked, what missed the mark, and which performances stole the spotlight. Along the way, they share their signature laughs, hot takes, and unfiltered commentary that listeners have come to expect.Whether you watched the entire awards show or just caught the highlights, this episode is the perfect recap. Tap in and join the conversaton. Cheers!🥂

*Please be advised this episode is intended for adult audiences and contains adult language and content. We are expressing opinions on the show for entertainment purposes only. 

Dedication: To our patrons as always!! We love you!
Moni: Shout out to @Pytericaa for makng me laugh everytime with her dancing Roblox charaters!
 https://youtube.com/shorts/RobloxDance
Kat: The book I'm reading https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wee_Free_Men
To the MAGA girlies rained out in D.C. that had to find shelter in the African American Museum 
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/-maga-supporters-are-forced-to-take-shelter-in-the-one-place-nobody-expected and to the Native Americans who roasted MAGA  online for having thier celebration on stolen land. https://blog.nativehope.org/six-grandfathers-before-it-was-known-as-mount-rushmore

**Stranger than Fiction: 💜*Email us at [email protected] with your book suggestions and "Stranger Than Fiction" stories; we would love to share them on the show!! Please reach out and let us know how we are doing!! You can find us online by clicking here 👉🏾 https://linktr.ee/Fabpod Please subscribe to www.patreon.com/thefabpodcast.com to enjoy bonus content and weigh in on upcoming topics. Don't forget to follow, rate, review, and SHARE our podcast! Thank you! 

This week, Moni and Kat recap one of the most delightfully unexpected weekends they've had in a while after attending the 5th Annual Meat Cake Invitational. This a one of a kind Indianapolis event was created by comedians, chefs, and food lovers Dyke Michaels and Zach Roan, also hosted by Thaddaeus McKee. The event celebrates culinary creativity by challenging participants to craft outrageous "cakes" made entirely of meat, blending food, comedy, and community into a truly unforgettable experience. As vendors, the Fake Ass Book Club hosts had the opportunity to introduce new listeners to the podcast, reconnect with familiar faces, make new friends, and even vote for the People's Choice winner. The experience sparked plenty of hilarious stories and, as longtime listeners have come to expect, sent the conversation down several entertaining tangents. The episode also kicks off with Moni surprising Kat with a completely unexpected gift. What was it? Maybe its a real cake! You'll have to listen to find out! Some episodes are carefully planned but this one simply goes where the conversation takes it, and that's exactly what makes it so much fun. Cheers! #FakeAssBookClub #MeatCakeInvitational #IndianapolisEvents #PodcastLife #FoodCulture

*Please be advised this episode is intended for adult audiences and contains adult language and content. We are expressing opinions on the show for entertainment purposes only.

Dedication: To our patrons as always!! We love you!
Moni: To the family and friends of One-year-old Kohen Wiley who was  murdered by police in Mississippi.  https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/kohen-wiley-senatobia-mississippi-funeral-police-shooting-rcna351609https://abcnews.com/US/officer-involved-shooting-walmart-killed-1-year-boy/story?id=133965022
Kat: To the Meat Queen and winner of the 5th annual Meat Cake Invitational Elyse Beggs and to People’s Choice winner Ieasha Ennis!! The ladies rule...and boys drool😂😜

Meat Cake Invitational Event
https://do317.com/events/2026/6/28/the-meat-cake-invitational-tickets
https://www.meatcakeinvitational.com
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/5th-annual-meat-cake-invitational-tickets-1988315179225

Meaat Cake Chefs:
Eylse Beggs :Winner 
Craig Baker
Steven Amore
Ieasha Ennis People's Choice Winner
Michael Gomez
Pete Schmutte
Justin Runyon 

*Stranger than Fiction: 💜*Email us at [email protected] with your book suggestions and "Stranger Than Fiction" stories; we would love to share them on the show!! Please reach out and let us know how we are doing!! You can find us online by clicking here 👉🏾 https://linktr.ee/Fabpod Please subscribe to www.patreon.com/thefabpodcast.com to enjoy bonus content and weigh in on upcoming topics. Don't forget to follow, rate, review, and SHARE our podcast! Thank you!

In this episode of Fake Ass Book Club, Moni and Kat finally tackle The Coldest Winter Ever by Sister Souljah, the iconic urban fiction novel first published in 1999 by Simon & Schuster. Confession time: urban fiction is not typically their preferred genre, which is one reason it took so long for them to pick up this book. After years of hearing readers praise the book as a modern classic, they decided it was finally time to see for themselves why this story has captured the hearts and minds of millions. Following the rise and fall of Winter Santiaga, the daughter of a wealthy Brooklyn drug kingpin, the novel explores money, power, survival, family, and the consequences of the choices we make. Two decades after its release, the book continues to spark conversation and inspire debate among readers. Were Moni and Kat won over by Winter's story? Did this classic live up to the hype?  The Coldest Winter Ever is often credited with helping bring urban fiction into the mainstream and remains one of the most influential Black fiction novels of the last 25+ years. Tune in as they share their honest thoughts on a book they never planned to read, but ultimately couldn't ignore. Cheers!

🚨This review contains SPOILERS!🚨Please be advised this episode is intended for adult audiences and contains adult language and content. We are expressing opinions on the show for entertainment purposes only. 
Dedication: To our patrons as always, thank you!

Moni: To Sista Soilder, Juneteenth, Black excellence & beauty and all the things!!
Kat: To the Mascogos from Mexico, descendants of Gullah Geechie/Black Seminoles https://thegrio.com/dia-de-los-negros-explainer-juneteenth-mexico-black-seminoles/ who escaped enslavement in the United States and have commemorated June 19 for over 100 years. To the Iranian World Cup footballers and their pink backpack to rememebr the school girls bombed in Gaza.  
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/image-iranian-world-cup-footballer-
CORRECTION: The image of the Irianian soccer team was false; we included the article with the correction. 
About the author: https://www.sistersouljah.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sister_Souljah
About the Book:https://www.goodreads.com/book/The_Coldest_Winter_Ever

*Stranger than Fiction: 💜*Email us at [email protected] with your book suggestions and "Stranger Than Fiction" stories; we would love to share them on the show!! Please reach out and let us know how we are doing!! You can find us online by clicking here 👉🏾 https://linktr.ee/Fabpod Please subscribe to www.patreon.com/thefabpodcast.com to enjoy bonus content and weigh in on upcoming topics. Don't forget to follow, rate, review, and SHARE our podcast! Thank you!

This week on Fake Ass Book Club, Moni and Kat are stepping into the role of judge and jury...for fun, of course! Before diving into Reddit's most dramatic dilemmas, the hosts kick off the episode with a conversation about honorary degrees. What purpose do they serve? Who should receive them? And does fame alone make someone worthy of the honor? Then it's time for one of the podcast's most requested and fan-favorite formats: AITA (Am I The A**hole?) stories from Reddit! Listeners know these episodes always deliver plenty of laughs, spirited debates, and unforgettable takes, and this installment is no exception. From family feuds to relationship drama, they break down each scenario, share their opinions, and decide who deserves sympathy, and who deserves the side-eye. Whether you're a longtime AITA fan or tuning in for the first time, get ready to play along, pick a side, and see if your verdict matches theirs. This episode proves once again why AITA episodes are some of the most anticipated conversations in the F.A.B. universe. Cheers!🥂
*Please be advised this episode is intended for adult audiences and contains adult language and content. We are expressing opinions on the show for entertainment purposes only.

Dedication: To our patrons as always!! We love you!
Moni: To the summer time, June holidays, June baddies, my baby mommas, and loves of my life. (Gemini season)🥰🙌🏽💕💜
Kat: To Floyd Norman Disney's first black animator. https://d23.com/walt-disney-legend/floyd-norman/
Robin Thede "Hertep" Charater: https://www.facebook.com/share/RobinThedeHerTep
Indy Radio Segment mentioned on the show:
The Legendary 1990s WZPL "Double Trap" Radio Segment

• The Setup: A wife suspects her husband of cheating and sets up a fake "War of the Roses" flower delivery trap on Indianapolis’s 99.5 WZPL.
• The Husband's Joke: The husband realizes it is a radio prank. To mess with his wife, he fakes being guilty by ordering the roses for his secretary with a scandalous note.
• The Backfire: Believing the fake affair is real, the wife loses her temper live on the air and screams out her own genuine confession: she has been sleeping with his brother.
• The Fallout: The husband tries to explain he was just joking, but he accidentally tricked his wife into exposing a massive family secret on live drive-time radio....🫠🤯

**Stranger than Fiction: 💜*Email us at [email protected] with your book suggestions and "Stranger Than Fiction" stories; we would love to share them on the show!! Please reach out and let us know how we are doing!! You can find us online by clicking here 👉🏾 https://linktr.ee/Fabpod Please subscribe to www.patreon.com/thefabpodcast.com to enjoy bonus content and weigh in on upcoming topics. Don't forget to follow, rate, review, and SHARE our podcast! Thank you!