The day has arrived: Renata read her very first Goosebump novel. Courtney Summers, Best Bestselling author of books like The Project and the upcoming I’m The Girl, joined us to discuss Night of the Living Dummy by R. L. Stine. Please rate this episode 10/10 Splats in the Apple Podcasts store.

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes:

Episode #54 – R. L. Stine

Episode #152 – Mallory and the Trouble With Twins

Episode #177 – Baby-Sitters Beware

Slappy the Dummy on Goosebumps Fan Wiki

‘A small corner of the internet is obsessed with ‘Long Furbies’ and the creations are both disturbing and hilarious” by Julie Gerstein

Pangur & Grim

Coming up next: The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin.

As the earth makes another journey around the sun (allegedly), we return to Flashback Summer. Writer Annie Cardi (@AnnieCardi) returned to the show to discuss A Ring of Endless Light by Madeleine L’Engle, a formative read for many 90s children who aspired to be psychic marine biologists. Listen on your way to the beach, and make sure to share it with any dolphins who might want to listen in!

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: “The World” by Henry Vaughn

Depresh Mode #61 – Maggie Smith

“Good Bones” by Maggie Smith

“Try to Praise the Mutilated World” by Adam Zagajewski

Mariah Carey Can Speak Dolphin

Coming up next: Goosebumps #7: Night of the Living Dummy by R.L. Stine.

Sure, we at Worst Bestsellers have read several self-help books over the years, but you may be asking: what about the men? Oh, you weren’t asking? Well, Dave Hollis (ex-husband of Rachel) is concerned, and he wrote Get Out Of Your Own Way to help men understand that they have problems too. And we made that Margaret Willison‘s problem, as she returned to discuss this book with us. Turn your volume up to bless up!

Our friends at Porter Square Books hosted us for this virtual live show! If you watched it on Crowdcast: thank you so much for joining us! This is just the audio from that event for those of you who prefer not to see our faces. (The video is still archived and you can watch it here if you’d like. You can also watch the archived video of our previous virtual live show at PSB discussing Didn’t See That Coming by Rachel Hollis here.)

Readers advisory: Here (via Porter Square Books).

Footnotes: Ally, Ally, Ally, or Ali Slides

Episode 170 – Didn’t See That Coming

Episode 144 – Girl, Wash Your Face

Appointment Television

Coming up next: A Ring of Endless Light by Madeleine L’Engle.

We asked a djinn to bring us a book that could be adapted into a video game, a Netflix series, and a podcast episode, and we got The Witcher: The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski. We were joined by Arielle to discuss this book that, to our great surprise, was actually pretty good–and best of all, didn’t even have a fantasy map in it. Hire a bard to perform this episode for you in your local tavern!

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: “What Was Geralt’s Last Wish in The Witcher?” by Sadie Gennis.

Coming up next: Get Out Of Your Own Way by Dave Hollis.

Every once in awhile it’s nice to read something that’s so bad it truly reminds us why we do what we do. We were joined by Rachel Andelman (of Union Comedy, Improv Boston, 2MB Studios, and Smiling Women Comix) to discuss The Maze Runner by James Dashner. Listen to this episode on your next long, pointless run!

Content warning: It turns out that James Dashner was dropped by his agent and publisher following accusations of sexual harassment in 2018 and we didn’t find that out until we checked his wiki page at the very end of recording, so sorry for not mentioning that earlier in the episode!

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: “Dylan O’Brien Is Ready to Talk About That Accident” by Kyle Buchanan

I Don’t Even Own a Television #119 – The Maze Runner

The Maze Runner IMDB Trivia

Coming up next: The Witcher: The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski.

What’s new, pussycat? We were joined by Meredith Goldstein, the Boston Globe’s Love Letters columnist and podcaster (and author of Things That Grow), to discuss Catwoman: Soulstealer by Sarah J. Maas. It’s a book about DC’s horniest character written by one of the horniest YA authors of our time, so why was this book so focused on serious medical conditions? Listen to this episode while you prepare for your next gala.

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: “Ranking 10 Batman actors from best to worst” by Meredith Goldstein

Coming up next: The Maze Runner by James Dashner.

Announcement: On Thursday, April 14th at 8PM Eastern, we’ll be doing a virtual live show presented by Porter Square Books! Our very special guest Margaret H. Willison will join us to discuss Get Out Of Your Own Way by Dave Hollis (aka the man whose divorce was washed by Rachel Hollis). The event is free and will be recorded and archived if you can’t make it on the 14th.

Register here!

The Worst Best Friends have reconvened at the high school carnival! Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, the kissing booth is closed, but returning guests Anna and Alene (aka the Bellwether Friends) still joined us to discuss The Kissing Booth by Beth Reekles. We discussed Wattpad, why the movie is better than the book, and what our own summer dance prom masquerades were like. If you ask nicely, maybe the barista will play this episode over the sound system at the sit-down Starbucks.

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: Episode #79 – Dark Archer

“The Kissing Booth: How a Newport teen author inspired Netflix”

“‘Kissing Booth 2’: Meet Beth Reekles, the young author behind the popular Netflix rom-coms” by Carly Mallenbaum

“Netflix Releases Some More Fuzzy Viewing Data: Congrats, ‘The Kissing Booth’!” by Rick Porter

One Direction – What Makes You Beautiful

Plain White Ts – I Really Want You

Coming up next: Catwoman: Soulstealer by Sarah J. Maas.

Kait and Renata were left unattended and their love tanks were running pretty low, so they turned to The Five Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts by Gary Chapman. This one has been kicking around since 1992, and you know what? Some parts of it were not that bad. Unfortunately, there are also…other parts of it. Listen to this one on your way to your next softball game or funeral!

Readers advisory: Here.

Candy pairing: Kait says M&Ms, Renata says Skittles (with green apple flavor).

Footnotes: What’s Your Love Language Quiz?

“The Creator Of The 5 Love Languages Is A Homophobe And This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things” by Kristen Mae

“There’s No Escaping the Five Love Languages” by Katie Heaney

The Gottman Institute on Same-Sex Couples

“Tucker Carlson complains new M&M’s mascots are ‘less sexy'” by Grayson Quay

This American Life Episode #291 – Reunited (And It Feels So Good)

Coming up next: The Kissing Booth by Beth Reekles.

Nora Roberts Month continues with a gracious Southern-style housecall from Heidi and Emily, the cohosts of the Nora Roberts podcast Romancing the Shelf. For this podcast crossover event, we discussed Nora’s 1991 thriller Carnal Innocence. It’s the story of a serial killer in a small Southern town and aspects of it have not aged well. Listen now to find out how to sign up for a true crime LARP!

Content warning: This book and our discussion of it includes sexual assault, murder, child abuse, racism, and hate crimes.

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: Romancing the Shelf: Carnal Innocence

Romancing the Shelf on Instagram

Worst Bestsellers Episode #169 – Divine Evil

Coming up next: The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman.