It’s–hey, calm down, no, put down your pitchforks, we’re not calling Judy Blume a “worst” bestseller! Absolutely not, just, please, let me finish this intro–it’s Flashback Summer! The time when we chill out and revisit childhood favorites, even when they are iconic classics that absolutely do not match the name of our podcast. We were joined by writer and comedian Sarah Aswell (@seaswell),  also known as the Scary Mommy behind Scary Mommy Book Club, to discuss Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret by the one and only Judy Blume. Listen to this episode while increasing your bust!

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: “Judy Blume Shares How It Felt To Finally Watch ‘Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret’” by Sarah Aswell

“God to Margaret: Always with wings!” by Rebecca Traister

“Judy Blume Blasted An Article Linking Her To J.K. Rowling’s Anti-Trans Views As ‘Bullshit'” by David Mack

Judy Blume embraces renewed interest in her work from her Florida book store

Coming up next:  Help! I’m Trapped in my Teacher’s Body by Todd Strasser.

Hey, we’ll be honest: we kind of phoned this one in. On a landline. You screened it? On your answering machine? Haha, a topical reference. See, we read Without You: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and The Musical Rent by Anthony Rapp. He was in Rent! Listen to this episode while waiting in line for rush tickets for Rent. Or, honestly, don’t listen to this episode if you don’t care about Rent the musical. You’ve been warned!

Content warning: Sexual assault, death of a parent.

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: This American Life: Hoaxing Yourself

‘Without You’ Review: Anthony Rapp’s Seasons of Love, and Loss by Elisabeth Vincentelli

“Actor Anthony Rapp: Kevin Spacey Made A Sexual Advance Toward Me When I Was 14” by Adam Vary

Rentheads FAQ

Josh’s Website

Coming up next: Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume.

Pamela Anderson: model, actress, activist…poet. Dame Karen Corday (of Two Bossy Dames and elsewhere on the internet!) joined us to read Love, Pamela, which…we kinda loved. Join us as we revisit the 90s with increased feminist rage!

Content warning: Child abuse/child sexual abuse, domestic violence, sexual assault.

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: “What to Read, Watch, and Listen to After the Pam & Tommy Finale” by Sophie Brookover and Karen Corday

Pamela Anderson Blue Zone Girl ad

Pamela Anderson’s Playboy Covers Through the Years

Coming up next: Without You by Anthony Rapp.

As Americans, it’s our right to not pay attention to the British royal family. However, we’re waiving that right in order to read Spare by Prince Harry. We were thrilled to be joined by Dame Sophie of Two Bossy Dames–even more thrilled than Harry was to meet Will Arnett at a party at Courtney Cox’s house. Listen to this episode on your way to throw more tea into Boston Harbor.

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: Prince Harry Holds Spike the Echidna

The Victorian Society in America

“Royal Bodies” by Hilary Mantel

BrainyQuote.com

Jimenez’s “Wolverine” Savages the Poaching Trade

Coming up next: Love, Pamela by Pamela Anderson.

Divorced, beheaded, subjected to an extremely long and boring work of historical fiction. Ann Foster from Vulgar History joined us to discuss The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory. We were glad for Ann’s expertise, because now we now that it’s historically inaccurate in addition to being super boring. Listen to this episode on your way to your next gay witchcraft circle!

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: Brimping.

Gable hoods.

Coming up next: Spare by Prince Harry.

Did you read Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus and think, “This could really use more victim blaming?” If so: have we got a book for you! Kristen and Jolenta from How To Be Fine (and By the Book) joined us to discuss Beauty Fades, Dumb Is Forever: The Making of a Happy Woman by Judge Judy Sheindlin. Listen to this episode on your way to pick up your husband’s dry cleaning!

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: By The Book: Beauty Fades, Dumb Is Forever

Judge Judy To Megyn Kelly: ‘I’m Not A Feminist’ 

Coming up next: The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory.

We got tired of waiting for Stephenie Meyer’s latest book, so we checked out a book that some book bloggers are saying Stephenie Meyer wrote. Corinne is written by Rebecca Morrow, whose author bio simply states, “Rebecca Morrow is a pseudonym for a New York Times bestselling author.” We had our friend Margaret H. Willison (of Two Bossy Dames, among other projects) join us to investigate Morrow’s identity: is she Stephenie Meyer? Or perhaps an even more dazzling author? Listen to this episode to find out!

Content warning: Religious trauma.

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: Reddit post: “Pretty sure Stephanie Meyer is wrote a new novel that’s slightly anti-religious under another name to avoid getting in trouble with the Mormon church.”

“Who Really Wrote Corinne by Rebecca Morrow?”

“Elin Hilderbrand to retire from writing beach reads in 2024”

Village Inn

Cream Cheese Mints

Coming up next: Beauty Fades, Dumb Is Forever by Judge Judith Sheindlin.

Dear Ellen, our friend Vanessa from the podcast Hot and Bothered flew in from Plethora, Maine to discuss Colleen Hoover’s It Ends With Us. Millions of BookTokkers can’t be wrong…can they? Listen to this episode in Boston, where everything is better.

Content warning: Domestic abuse, child abuse, sexual assault, death of a child.

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: “Bestselling writer Colleen Hoover apologizes for planned coloring book based on domestic violence novel” by Issy Ronald.

Hot and Bothered: It Ends With Us

Coming up next: Corinne by Rebecca Morrow.

Although we had to check out of the real life Inn BoonsBoro, we were able to return there through the power of fiction. We read the second book in the Inn BoonsBoro trilogy, The Last Boyfriend by Nora Roberts, with our returning guest and Nora Roberts expert Christine.

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: Inn BoonsBoro

Coming up next: It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover.

Thanks to our wonderful Patreon Patrons, we recently traveled to Nora Roberts’ bed and breakfast in Maryland, Inn BoonsBoro, along with our Resident Nora Roberts Expert, Christine, and Resident Robe Expert, Nicole! Please enjoy this bonus episode where the four of us talk about our luxurious weekend stay, debate the content of a dolphin massage, and fail to accurately describe the size of a pretzel.

Footnotes: Romancing The Shelf: Our Trip to BoonsBoro!

Inn BoonsBoro

Gifts Inn BoonsBoro

Ghost-scented lotion!

Bespoke tea blends!

Dan’s Restaurant and Taproom

Renata’s Instagram Post

Big Pretzel:

Coming up next: The Last Boyfriend by Nora Roberts.