The Worst Bestsellers

On occasion, listeners have suggested Uglies by Scott Westerfeld as a Flashback Summer title, but since we’re all Crumblies here, we were full adults when this contemporary classic YA dystopian novel was released.  Our book club hostess/cult leader Grace joined us to discuss this book that some of us think deserves Best Bestseller status. Listen to this episode while waiting for your SpagBol to cook!

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: “Laverne Cox Talks Pretty Privilege And ‘UGLIES’ Role” by Janeé Bolden

Coming up next: The Merriest Misters by Timothy Janovsky.

Our Beloved Patrons voted for us to read Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. We invited a woman in STEM, returning guest Sarah, to join us for this episode. Pour yourself a travel cup of C8H10N4O2 and listen to this episode while walking your dog (who is so well-behaved they don’t need a leash, of course).

Content warnings: Sexual assault.

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: “Lessons in Chemistry Leaves Six-Thirty Fans in the Doghouse” by Erin Qualey

“What Rosalind Franklin truly contributed to the discovery of DNA’s structure” by Matthew Cobb and Nathaniel Comfort

Coming up next: Uglies by Scott Westerfeld.

Hold onto your tampons: we read Carrie by Stephen King. Our friend Nicole returned to the podcast to read this classic horror novel that’s even bloodier than Gerald’s Game. Listen to this episode while honing your telekinetic powers!

Content warnings: Religious extremism, child abuse, death of children

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: Episode 41 – Gerald’s Game

 “And Eve Was Weak” from Carrie: The Musical

Coming up next: Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus.

It’s spooky season, and what could be scarier than heterosexual werewolf knotting erotica? The fact that we both might have…liked it? Eek! We read Bride by Ali Hazelwood and we still aren’t sure exactly how we felt about it. Listen to this episode while you give blood.

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: Episode 201 – The Love Hypothesis

How Omegaverse Came to Dominate Fanfiction, and Why That Might Not Be Such a Bad Thing by Yvonne Gonzales

Coming up next: Carrie by Stephen King.

Thanks to Porter Square Books for hosting our 250th Anniversary live show! And thanks to everyone who turned out in person or for the livestream! If you missed it, or just want to relive it without all that pesky visual input, here’s the audio-only version of that episode. Meredith Goldstein (the Boston Globe’s Love Letters columnist, author of books including Things That Grow, and Horny Faeries enthusiast) joined us to discuss House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas. Fortunately (for Renata’s parents, who were in attendance) or unfortunately (for readers), this book wasn’t as horny as some of SJM’s other works. Still, we had much to discuss. Perhaps most notably: does Sarah J. Maas think dogs should be allowed to vote?

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: Watch the livestream video replay on Crowdcast!

Sarah J. Maas name pronunciation

I Think Dogs Should Vote Animatic

Coming up next: Bride by Ali Hazelwood.

We’ve come so far from our first episode, and yet we’re still talking about teen vampires with Carrie. Unfortunately, we’re still out of Stephenie Meyer content so we had to read Crush by Tracy Wolff. If the cliffhanger ending of Crave left you wondering how Grace was going to turn back into a human after getting stuck as a gargoyle…well, this won’t help. Thanks for keeping us running for almost 250 episodes!

Readers advisory: Here.

Announcement: RSVP for our live show at Porter Square Books Boston on Tuesday, September 17th at 6pm!

Footnotes: Redditors on Crave

“The Tinder-Box” by Hans Christian Andersen

Coming up next: House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas.

Hot Evelyn Summer comes to a bewildering conclusion with The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton. We were joined by writer and standup comedian Laura Merli (@passiveabrasive) to discuss this time loop locked room mystery. Fun fact: the American publisher added a 1/2 death to make this title less similar to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Listen to this episode after watching Laura’s new standup special, Belly Slappin’ Fun, on YouTube!

Readers advisory: Here.

Announcement: RSVP for our live show at Porter Square Books Boston on Tuesday, September 17th at 6pm!

Footnotes: LAPL Interview with Stuart Turton.

Coming up next: Crush by Tracy Wolff.

Don’t cry because Flashback Summer is over; smile because Hot Evelyn Summer is beginning! Returning bisexual icon Margaret H. Willison (1/3 of Two Bossy Dames, don’t check the math) joined us to discuss The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. We had a great time unpacking Evelyn’s wardrobe (which is much more substantial than her frame narrative). If you listen to this episode, you’ll come closer to being able to distinguish Evelyn Hugo from Evelyn Hardcastle.

Readers advisory: Here.

Announcement: RSVP for our live show at Porter Square Books Boston on Tuesday, September 17th at 6pm!

Footnotes: “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo Movie: All About the Highly Anticipated Adaptation” by Rebecca Aizin

Coming up next: The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Harcastle by Stuart Turton.

Hold on to your sock wine, because we’re ending this year’s Flashback Summer with a real rager! We were joined by Courtney Summers, author of I’m The Girl and other rad books, to discuss Stacey and the Bad Girls (Baby-Sitters Club #87) by Ann M. Martin. Listen to this episode on your way to the big U4Me concert!

Readers advisory: Here.

Announcement: RSVP for our live show at Porter Square Books Boston on Tuesday, September 17th at 6pm!

Footnotes: Stacey and the Bad Girls on the BSC Fan Wiki

Peter Lerangis on Wikipedia

Coming up next: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

By popular demand, we took Flashback Summer to the land of Tortall. Rebecca Kim Wells, author of Briar Girls and other great queer fantasy books, joined us to discuss Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce. Put on your purple contact lenses and listen to this episode while you study the blade.

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: Tamora Pierce name pronunciation

Tamora Pierce’s statement on J.K. Rowling

Coming up next: Stacey and the Bad Girls (Baby-Sitters Club #87) by Ann M. Martin.