Book Squad Goals

Latest Episodes:

BSG #104: All Natalies Grow Up Eventually / Entitlement by Rumaan Alam Mar 18, 2025

Show notes

Join us in the depths of the NYC subway system for an accidental hatepisode! We didn’t love Entitlement by Rumaan Alam, but we had a good time talking about billionaires, flat characters, lying to get a cool apartment, and of course, the guy on the subway poking people with a hypodermic needle. Join us on April 1st for an intentional hatepisode about Scythe and Sparrow by Brynne Weaver! Then read along for our next regular Bookpisode on The Bog Wife by Kay Chronister on April 15th!
TOC
:30 – Welcome to the madness
9:30 – Book Intro
12:23 – Why is this set in 2014?
24:48 – Reviews and characterization
44:22 – The Subway Pricker!
53:00 – Ratings
1:00:00 – What’s on the blog? Lol
What’s up next?

Othersode #103: We're All Just Structures, Man / The Monkey with Samantha Allen Mar 05, 2025

Show notes

It’s safe to listen, but whatever you do, don’t wind that monkey! Join us and special guest Samantha Allen, author of Roland Rogers Isn’t Dead Yet, for a fun chat about The Monkey film, based on the short story by our man Stephen King. After discussing cursed toys of our own childhoods, we talk about the horror-comedy genre and how it relates to grief, the family relationships, performances, and our favorite deaths. Read along for our next Bookpisode on Entitlement by Rumaan Alam on March 18th. Then get ready for a special Hatepisode on Scythe and Sparrow by Brynne Weaver on April 1st! (Pure coincidence that it’s on April Fool’s Day. We’re actually very serious about being haters.) Drop us a rating and review, and if you’re feeling extra supportive, head over to our Patreon and become a patron of the pod!
TOC
:30 – Welcome, Samantha! And icebreaker
13:30 – Movie intro
15:09 – Short story v movie; genre
23:00 – Let’s talk about the gore
30:00 – Familial relationships and performancss
45:40 – Fave deaths
47:43 – Questions from the group
57:00 – Ratings
1:03:45 – Romance chat and what’s up next

BSG #103: Incidents Around the Tri-County Area / Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman Feb 19, 2025

Show notes

Who’s that talking to you through your AirPods? Is it the Book Squad, or is it Other Mommy? Join us as we discuss Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman. We talk about the novel’s POV and try to figure out what Other Mommy actually is. Plus, Mary gives us a children’s lit lesson! Go see The Monkey and tune in for our next Othersode on March 4th. Then read along with us for our next Bookpisode on March 18th about Entitlement by Rumaan Alam.
We would like to extend an extra special thanks to Benjamin Mitchell for his editorial assistance.
TOC
:30 – Welcome, everyone!
11:20 – Book intro
12:40 – Stop crediting Neil Gaiman
17:45 – POV
30:02 – Other mommy
39:20 – The end?
1:09:47 – Ratings!
1:16:56 – One of Our Kind feedback
1:22:54 – What’s up next?

Othersode #102: Clady McHendrix / The Craft with Grady Hendrix and Clay Mcleod Chapman Feb 04, 2025

Show notes

Returning guests and two of our favorite authors, Grady Hendrix and Clay McLeod Chapman, join us to talk about The Craft. We talk about our experience with the film and try to dissect what it’s really saying about witches. Then we have a spoiler-free chat with Grady and Clay about their newest books, Witchcraft for Wayward Girls and Wake Up and Open Your Eyes, respectively. Read along for our next Bookpisode on Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman on February 18th. Then go see The Monkey for our next Othersode on March 4th!
TOC
:30 – WELCOME to Clay and Grady!
9:16 – Movie intro
12:00 – Previous experience with the film
23:22 – What is this movie trying to say about witches? What’s any story trying to say about witches
1:07:00 – Interview with Clay and Grady about their new books
1:54:00 – What’s up next?
Emily’s The Craft: Legacy Blog: https://www.booksquadgoals.com/blog/10-weeks-of-spooktober-the-craft-legacy-week-10-of-10

BSG #102: I Like Diven / One of Our Kind Jan 22, 2025

Show notes

Come with us to a utopian (?) community as we discuss One of Our Kind by Nicola Yoon. We talk about the responses to the book from POC readers (our standard disclaimer: we are white ladies), the book’s ending, class and characters, and comparisons to similar stories. Tune in on February 4 for a special Othersode on The Craft, featuring guests Grady Hendrix and Clay McLeod Chapman. We’ll also talk to them about their newest books, Witchcraft for Wayward Girls and Wake Up and Open Your Eyes, respectively. Then read along for our next Bookpisode about Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman on February 18. There’s still time to enter our giveaway to win three signed books and an audiobook! Visit our Instagram and see pinned post for details!
TOC
:30–hello and welcome!
13:42–book description
15:21–what Black readers said
24:00–what’s the ending?
44:25–class
56:23– characters
1:01:16–comparisons to other similar stories
1:06:52–ratings
1:13:52–feedback!
1:23:18–what’s up next?

Othersode #101: A Group of Haters is Called a Podcast / Best of 2024 Jan 07, 2025

Show notes

Happy New Year! We’re celebrating by talking about all of our favorite things from 2024. This is the fun kind of retrospective where we just talk about the good things and leave out all the bad! Plus, you’ll get to hear from many of this year’s podcast guests about their favorite things from the past year! Tune in on 1/21 for our next Bookpisode on One of Our Kind by Nicola Yoon. After that, we’ll be covering The Craft with special guests Grady Hendrix AND Clay McLeod Chapman. We’ll also be discussing (spoiler free!) their new books, Witchcraft for Wayward Girls and Wake Up and Open Your Eyes. Look out for that episode on 2/4. Please leave us a rating and review, and while you’re at it, enter our giveaway! Check out our IG for details.
TOC
1:00– Lamar Giles’s fave thing of the year
2:30–Welcome! New things we tried in 2024
11:23–Giveaway details
12:47–Number 3s
26:00–Susie Dumond’s fave thing, Ben Mitchell’s fave thing
29:00–Number 2s
46:00– Ang Ferraguto fave things, Todd Osborne’s fave things
52:00– Honorable mentions
59:56– Samantha Allen’s fave thing, Paul Tremblay’s fave thing
1:04:00– NUMBER 1S!
1:25:50– Tirzah Price’s favorite thing, Nathan Simmons’ favorite thing
1:30:54– What’s up next?

BSG #101: Is it Cobbler or Pie? / Model Home Dec 25, 2024

Show notes

Our gift to you on this very special Christmas and Hanukkah twofer is our final episode of the year: a discussion of Rivers Solomon’s latest novel, Model Home. Join us for a truly haunting discussion about family dynamics, gender exploration, and the difference between cobbler and pie. In the new year, we’ll be releasing our annual ‘faves’ episode where we cover the things we loved most in 2024, and then on January 21st we’ll publish our first bookpisode of 2025 on Nicola Yoon’s One of Our Kind. DON’T FORGET to enter our giveaway by 2/4 — go to our instagram for instructions — and if you’ve got some cash to spare, subscribe to our Patreon for $3 a month! Thanks for being a goalie this year. We love you.
TOC
0:30 – Welcome! Giveaway info!
4:30 – Intro. Questions and the pie vs cobbler debate
11:03 – Book intro
14:00 – The twist
28:35 – Gender and body stuff
42:00 – Eudora and her impact
1:02:00 – Racism
1:09:19 – Elijah
1:16:14 – Ratings!
1:18:00 – What’s up next??

Othersode #100: Past-Peak Hugh Grant / Music & Lyrics with Samantha Allen Dec 11, 2024

Show notes

POP! goes our 200th episode! Join the Book Squad (plus Ben) and special guest Samantha Allen, author of Roland Rogers Isn’t Dead Yet, to talk about the 2007 Hugh Grant/Drew Barrymore romcom Music & Lyrics. We discuss our personal connections to the film, the romance, the music, and what might not hold up in 2024. Then we interview Samanatha about her new novel! It’s a fun Q and A you don’t want to miss!
Tune in for our next Bookpisode on 12/24 where we’ll be covering Model Home by Rivers Solomon. And then it’s time for everyone’s favorite episode: The Best of 2024 Othersode! That’ll be hitting your feeds on 1/7/25. Keep an eye on our Instagram for more official information about our 200th Episode Giveaway, and go buy Roland Rogers Isn’t Dead Yet! Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe!
TOC:
:30–welcome Ben and Samantha!!
13:40– our history with the movie
22:00– do drew Barrymore and Hugh grant have chemistry?
36:30–problematic elements and weird things
59:11– interview with Samantha Allen, author of Roland Rogers Isn’t Dead Yet
1:49:29–what’s up next?

BSG #100: Whale Tail Dystopia / Hum Nov 27, 2024

Show notes

We’re off to the sad botanical garden for our ONE HUNDREDTH (!) Bookpisode about Hum by Helen Phillips. We talk about climate change, artificial intelligence, human connection (or lack thereof) and, of course, the ultimate villain: capitalism! Then we get into some special 100th episode feedback and give a quick blog update. Our next Othersode will be about Music & Lyrics, and we’ll be joined by special guest Samantha Allen, author of Roland Rogers Isn’t Dead Yet. That’s on 12/10! And then, our holiday gift to you is our next Bookpisode on Model Home by Rivers Solomon dropping on 12/24! Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe, Goalies!
TOC
:30 – Icebreaker and happy 100th bookpisode
13:00 – Book intro
14:58 – Climate change
23:50 – Late stage capitalism and ads
40:58 – What happened at the botanical gardens
56:35 – Human connection and cosmetic procedures
1:11:15 – Epilogue
1:18:15 – Ratings
1:23:50 – Listener feedback!
1:31:50 – What’s on the pod? What’s up next?

Othersode #99: Weird Little Guy (Derogatory) / Bride and Prejudice with Tirzah Price Nov 15, 2024

Show notes

Book Squad meets Bollywood as we discuss Bride & Prejudice (2004) with special guest Tirzah Price! We talk about how this Austen adaptation works in a Bollywood setting, racism and xenophobia, surprise appearances from western actors, and (obviously) the musical numbers. Then we chat with Tirzah about her new novel (out now!), In Want of a Suspect. Don’t worry – no spoilers here! Read along for our next Bookpisode about Hum by Helen Phillips on 11/26. Then join us and special guest Samantha Allen (author of Roland Rogers Isn’t Dead Yet) to talk about Music & Lyrics on 12/10! Consider becoming a patron for just $3 a month, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a new episode!
TOC
:30–Welcome, Tirzah!
10:57–Movie Intro
11:50– Adaptations and interpreting characters
15:38– Do any parts of the story not work?
28:29– Surprise celebrity sightings
33:14–How does the movie tackle big topics like racism and xenophobia?
54:13– Interview with Tirzah!
1:28:30– What’s on the blog? What’s up next?

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