UNspoiled! Book Club!

Cackle, featuring OVERDUE! Nov 07, 2023

Hey friends! The UNspoiled! Book Club feed is mostly dead except for the very special time of year when Overdue has me on as a guest! Join us as we talk about Cackle by Rachel Harrison, and let me know what you think if you've read the book!

Vampire Diaries, Book 1 with Overdue! Oct 27, 2022

Greetings my ghouls and goblins, it's time for the spooky seasonal read with the boys from Overdue! Their delightful podcast (about the books that you've been meaning to read) invites me on in or around Spooktober to talk about a book they've been thinking of covering, and I was delighted to get to read an installment from yet another goofy teen vampire series.
Was the book good? No. Was it fun? Also no. Well, a little, in parts.
But was recording fun?
You bet your spooky ass it was.
Thanks for listening, and I will see you next year!

Eragon (with Overdue!) Oct 07, 2021

Hey everyone! I'm here with a surprise bit of book coverage with my favorite pair of boy reviewers, Craig and Andrew from Overdue! You can check out their show here! https://overduepodcast.com/
This episode, we talk about the YA novel Eragon, in which the plot is so derivative that we use the wrong names by accident several times. Craig is much more on board than Andrew and I were, but I am fairly certain I was the most cranky out of everyone. And I think that should be celebrated.
If you'd like to join our Discord and get in on some of the convo, check it out here! Non-patrons welcome! https://discord.gg/rEF2KfZxfV

James And The Giant Peach (with Overdue!) Oct 22, 2019

Hey there, you gorgeous creatures! I'm here with the final episode of UNspoiled! Book Club, and I'm delighted to be wrapping things up with the wonderful gents from Overdue, Craig and Andrew. If you'd like to listen to more of them (and you should, they're great) you can find them at www.overduepodcast.com
This episode we're talking about James And The Giant Peach, by Roald Dahl, and man I forgot how fucking bananas this book is. I don't know why I didn't remember almost anything, but the Cloud Men and the landing in Manhattan were nowhere in my mind, and there was only the barest flicker of recognition at the literal ticker-tape parade at the end. All I remembered were the aunts, and they deserve it.
Thank you all so much for listening, and for supporting the show. I can't wait to see you all on the Spoil Me! feed, if you're looking to scratch that Book Club itch!

Imajica Sep 20, 2019

Thanks so much to Candace for agreeing to cover this absolutely bananas book with me. I cannot emphasize enough how unlike anything I've read this book is in terms of its scope and tone. While there are certain things it has in common with His Dark Materials, it's far more adult, dark, and feminist.
I hope you enjoy the coverage, and I will see you in late October with James And The Giant Peach!

The Wind In The Willows Aug 24, 2019

Hey there, lovely people! RoShawn was super sick but bravely met with me for this episode anyway, and I'm so glad. I loved this book, and I can't believe that I hadn't read it already considering all of the boxes it ticked in my "favorite things" column: talking animals, Edwardian clothing, english countryside, cozy homes, funny low-stakes hijinks. It's got it all!
This is a book I see myself going back to time and again, and I was really glad that RoShawn liked it too.
Don't miss me and Candace on August 31st at 2PM CST, when we will be covering Imajica!

Watership Down Aug 19, 2019

I just want to warn you all that about 5 minutes from the end of this episode, tragedy strikes and RoShawn's internet goes down. She wound up being without internet for almost three hours, and thankfull got it back just in time to record UNsober with me that evening.
This book was a rough one. I can see the appeal, and the way RoShawn talks about her connections with some of the folktales before discovering this books totally makes sense for how it connected with her as a kid. But for me, I was just not into it. I tried. Lord knows, I tried. But it made for a good discussion anyhow.
Thank you all so much for listening, and I will see you again soon with a new episode!

The Poisonwood Bible Aug 04, 2019

Thank you so much to Bitches for joining me on this episode, and bearing with me while I work out some very tough personal shit that came up as a result of this book hitting on some really familiar and uncomfortable themes.
If you haven't read this book, you're doing yourself a disservice. It's not just about personal experiences of characters whom we get to know and care about (in most cases, anyway), but also about the role that the United States played in bringing down a nation of black people and keeping them down throughout their attempts to take back control. It's really important information, conveyed in a way that feels much less preachy than you'd ever expect.
I just loved this book. It's famous for a reason. It's gorgeously written. I just can't recommend it enough. READ IT.

A Wrinkle In Time Jun 29, 2019

Hey there lovelies! Miles and I are here to talk about Childhood favorite A Wrinkle In Time, a book we had both loved but not revisited for at least a decade. How did it hold up?
In truth, it held up GREAT.
There's shockingly few problematic elements for a book written when this was and under the particular scrutiny that our generation is prone to use when examining works of fiction. The story is even more chilling for us as adults coming at this work from the lens of capitalism instead of communism, and Miles and I both were moved by it in totally new ways upon this reread.
Thank you so much for listening, and I will see you all again next month with The Poisonwood Bible!

Quick Announcement! Jun 11, 2019

White Oleander May 18, 2019

Sooooooo funny story about this one. I got the audiobook AND the kindle version, but relied on the audiobook because I had a packed week and it was easier to listen while I took care of chores and housework. UNFORTUNATELY, it turns out that the version I listened to was abridged, and this fact was not included in the title nor was there even a full-length version available at all to alert me of the danger.
So. I apologize. That's two book club episodes now where I've dropped the ball and I'm smarting a little from it. I really did like what I heard of this book, and I'm deeply sad that they robbed me of a full experience. I wish I knew why!
Thank you to Jaime for commissioning this one, and I will see you all in a couple of weeks with Where The Red Fern Grows!

The Borrowers May 04, 2019

Hey folks! So, unfortunately I had a bit of a hiccup with the person who was supposed to guest-host this episode. They had a personal emergency and forgot to let me know they wouldn't be available, so I was sitting in front on my camera with Crowdcast turned on when I found out. I decided to go on and record by my lonesome, and I think it still went pretty well.
This book was a little less whimsical than I expected, because there were actually pretty hardcore stakes; if the little boy didn't stop the cook or help the Clocks escape, they would all die. All of them! And what's surprising is that we don't actually get any confirmation that they're okay at the end. We don't SEE them escape, we just have to take the word of the woman who is telling the story. Not only that, but the cook doesn't get any comeuppance for being pretty much terrible! As a kid I think that would have bothered me a lot, but frankly as an adult I was like, "Well that's how it goes."
Anyway, I liked this book and it was kind of weird and I'm low-key interested in reading the sequels. Thanks to everyone who hung out with me at the Crowdcast, and make sure to pick up the book for next month's Childhood Favorite, Where The Red Fern Grows!

The Time Traveler's Wife Apr 27, 2019

Hey all you lovely people! I am finally here with the episode for this month's Book Club, and Jaime is going to talk about it with me! The Time Traveler's Wife falls under the heading of "books I had heard of a million times but had no interest in" and I'm happy to say that I enjoyed it despite my crotchetiness.
Niffenegger comes up with a really wild idea for this book: what if time travel wasn't something you needed equipment to complete, but also something that you couldn't control? Henry is a dude afflicted with a really weird condition that causes him to unexpectedly time-travel at random moments, and wherever he ends up he's naked and completely vulnerable. Claire is his wife, and the book is structured in such a way that we first see them together when Henry first meets her, even though by the time he meets her, Claire has already known him for some time.
Yeah, it's complicated.
Thank you all so much for listening, and I hope you enjoy the show!

Little Women Apr 09, 2019

Many thanks to Jaime for joining me for this episode of UNspoiled! Book Club: Childhood Favorites! I'm personally excited about revisiting this book, and I was able to zero in on a really good audiobook version which I was going to link to, but now Audible says isn't available. :( It was Kate Reading, in case it comes back!
This book wasn't an easy one for Jaime who usually doesn't warm to period novels very well, but she found some things really resonated with her. We both found it sort of sad and fascinating how much this book seemed to fly in the face of everything Louisa May Alcott believed, but she was able to write it with such sincerity that you'd never know it.
Then there are parts of the story that are problematic by today's standards, and we deal with them while acknowledging that there were probably things that Alcott just didn't have the vocabulary for at the time. How interesting it would have been for her to explore the modern era!
Thank you all so much for listening, and I will see you in a few weeks with a new episode!

Crazy Rich Asians Mar 26, 2019

Hey everyone! Candace joined me for this episode, and this time around I actually did watch the film that came out based on the book before recording, so there's going to be some references to that in this episode. Forgive me!
I have to confess that while Candace and I talk about a lot of different issues we had with this book, I still had a great time listening to the audiobook. If you have the inclination, I highly recommend it. I don't know if I would have had the same reaction to the story if I had been reading it, because there's something about it being narrated by someone who speaks the language and who can do the accents correctly that adds an extra dimension of ease to absorbing the material without getting mentally hung up on how to pronounce things.
This book was fun, but there were certain things that felt really contrived because the author wanted huge dramatic moments. Nick is really one of the most frustrating characters ever. You want to like him and give him the benefit of the doubt, but you also can't help but think he must be a complete fool if he doesn't see some of this shit coming. And does Rachel want to marry someone that foolish?
Anyway, I would be really interested to hear what you thought of this book! Let me know!

Little House In The Big Woods Mar 12, 2019

Hey everyone! It's time for the next Childhood Favorite, this month hosted by Gena Radcliffe fof Kill BY Kill Podcast!
Gena, like me, loved these books as a child, and unlike me, went on to become a fan of the TV show as well. I only saw a few minutes of one ep and decided it was not for me, and you won't believe what Gena tells me happens in the final episode (unless you've seen it in which case, whaaaaaat were they thinking???).
I was a little worried about this reread, but it turns out that a lot of the more objectionable stuff is in her later book, Little House On The Prairie. In fact, this book is much more like Farmer Boy than it is like the other Little House books, because it's so much more focused on the how-tos of self-sufficiency. No wonder I like this one so much, it's practically a DIY book.
Thanks a ton to all of you for listening, and to Gena for guesting! See you next month with Crazy Rich Asians and Little Women!

Children Of Blood And Bone Feb 25, 2019

Hey everyone! Candace and I are here to discuss Children Of Blood And Bone, an epic fantasy novel that centers a black woman and is in a country populated by black people. It's really unusual and really emotional and I highly recommend it.
The story follows Zelie, a young woman born of meji parents with magical ability, who all lost their abilities for unknown reasons and have had to live as slaves and scapegoats in the country of Orisha. Amari, a princess belonging to the non-magical race of people, realizes her father is a monster and flees the city with one of his most important weapons, and their paths collide.
I really hope that you all check this book out and I will see you in a couple weeks with Crazy Rich Asians!

Childhood Favorites- The Enchanted Castle Feb 05, 2019

Hello, my good people! It's time for one of my personal childhood faves, The Enchanted Castle by Edith Nesbit! Candace wasn't as enraptured with it as I was, but that's okay. I suppose eventually I may forgive her.
When I think about British children's literature, this is what I think of. And informal third-person with occasional breaks in the 4th wall (so to speak) where the author addresses the reader directly, coupled with a small group of kids and some wacky adventures involving different levels of magical interference. The Enchanted Castle is actually one of Nesbit's less popular novels, but it's my #1 favorite and I will always put it in my top 5 favorites list.
Thanks a ton to all of you for listening, and if you'd like to get the book you can do so here! https://amzn.to/2t4y4Qn

Sharp Objects Jan 28, 2019

RoShawn and I have a LOT to say about this disturbing, gripping, haunting book. We both really felt spoken to by the focus of the story on mother-daughter relationships, and the slow build of mystery and upsetting details is really really effective. This is a marked departure from the pulpy, humorous sort of story the Flynn wrote with Gone Girl; Sharp Objects is like a nightmare that you can't make yourself look away from.
Thank you so much to everyone who recommended this book, and I will see you next week with The Enchanted Castle!

Bridge To Terabithia Dec 22, 2018

Alright folks. We didn't like this book.
There, I said it.
I just wanted to warn you in case you are very attached to this book and have a lot of loving nostalgia around it, because I figure that even something if I know is problematic but I loved it as a child, I wouldn't particularly want to listen to it get shredded to bits by folks who just discovered it. But that's pretty much what Rachel and I do, so be forewarned.
Between the misogyny, fatphobia, manic-pixie-dreamgirl troping, fridging, and generally treating all the female characters pretty terribly, there just wasn't a whole lot left to like in this book, at least for me. Also, there's that weird milk scene. *shudders*
Many of you will remember Rachel from her guest spot on Charlotte's Web a few months back, and if you're interested in finding more of her you can check out her Quantum Leap podcast called Beckett To The Future by going here! https://www.beckettfuturepod.com/

The Last Wish Dec 17, 2018

It's the final episode of the main UNspoiled! Book Club list for 2018, and in this episode RoShawn and I discuss Andrezej Sapkowski's The Last Wish, the first book in The Witcher series.
RoShawn and I liked the mythology and stories in this book, but we had a big problem with the structure and the way the whole thing was presented. We both listened to the audiobook, which was probably part of the problem, but frankly I'm not totally convinced this would have worked that much better for me if I had sat down and read it.
When we were able to follow along, we were surprised and interested to see that there are a lot of callouts and homages to some really classic fairy tales, which I don't think either of us were expecting. I really liked the concept of Witchers, who are basically for-hire monster-hunters with really intense training and even some biological alterations to make them more adept fighters.
As much as I liked the universe, though, I don't think this first book was a good introduction to it and I'm left somewhat frustrated. What do you all think of this book?

Childhood Favorites: The Phantom Tollbooth Dec 10, 2018

Many thanks to Erin Ayers from Over The Tabletop (which you can find out about here :
https://overthetabletoppodcast.libsyn.com/) for joining me on this episode of Childhood Favorites!
The Phantom Tollbooth was a book that so many people wanted to join me for, and I can really see why. It's a very unusual book that seems to combine elements of the over-the-top style of Roald Dahl and Dr. Seuss with some pretty intense elements that I would assign to a more Neil Gaiman type mind.
I'm so sorry I'm releasing this recording so late, but between my trip to LA being the day after we recorded, and then being sick when I got home...well, things go away from me. I hope you enjoy the show, and I will see you all soon with The Last Wish.

The Martian Nov 13, 2018

Listeners, Jaime and I are coming at you with an episode on Andy Weir's The Martian, a book which decided that people really wanted to know every last detail about potato farming on Mars. And you know what? That book was RIGHT.
Seriously, long-time fans know that I'm super interested in the boring minutiae that goes into fictional worlds and projects, and The Martian delivers on that pedantic crap in spades and I AM HERE FOR IT. It's rather gratifying to know that this book appealed to so many people, because it means that I'm not alone in my nerdiness.
Also, this was just a really interesting, tense story that managed to have high stakes while also managing to be lighthearted, which is pretty tough. So if you're interested in reading it, you can pick it up here! https://amzn.to/2ROUO1q
And thanks for listening!

Childhood Favorites: Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret Nov 05, 2018

Hey there, you wonderful people! I'm here with Carey Anne Farrell, the author of the just-released Forward March, and co-host of the podcast You Can Go Your Own YA. Check out her book here! https://amzn.to/2SLfYyD You can find the site for her podcast here goyourownya.com and she even has a music site here! https://careyfarrell.bandcamp.com/
This was a particularly fun one to read because while I have read it several times as a child, I haven't revisited it in a long time, and so much has changed about my perception of things like religion and puberty that it was totally new this time around. I liked comparing my experience to Carey's, too, because she grew up very concerned about getting her period and getting boobs, while I didn't care about that but had a ton of pressure on me regarding religion.
I hope that you all enjoy the episode, and I will see you next time with The Phantom Tollbooth!

Dead Until Dark Oct 18, 2018

First of all, if you all are interested in checking out this book (and if you're looking for something fun, sexy, and fluffy, you should), here is the link to buy it! It's super cheap as a Kindle book but if you can do the audiobook I recommend it. https://amzn.to/2CKxMoJ
Dead Until Dark is the first book in the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris, and there's a reason why it got made into a smash hit series by HBO. The heroine is sharp and funny and yet flawed, the men are hot and supernatural and involved in shady shit, and the plot is compelling, quick-paced, and feels very much like it's taking place in our world. This means that all the ugly consequences of human emotions, bigotry, and conflicting loyalties play out in the same messy way they really would, and I appreciate that.
Krista was convinced I wasn't going to like this book, but I enjoyed it so much that as of today I'm about to start the fourth audiobook in the series, using up all my audible credits, and it's been a lot of fun. I think that I dismissed these books because of how outlandish the HBO show became but I'm glad that this one was upvoted by the Patrons so that I got to experience it for myself.
Thanks to Krista for cohosting this one, and thanks to all of you for listening!

Childhood Favorites- Redwall Sep 19, 2018

This episode I have a very special guest who has been a fan of UNspoiled! from the early days of the show's inception, and who went on to host her own show! Please welcome Amanda Campbell, host of CasterQuest! You can find out more about her show here! http://casterquest.com/
This episode we talk about one of those old faves that you look back on and can't really believe is a children's book. I had totally forgotten how violent this book is, and while I'm not saying I regret reading it or that my parents shouldn't have let me, it really makes me think about how differently we as adults process violence and grief than we did as children.
This book is a lot of fun, with some glaring flaws that both Amanda and I are more than willing to let it get away with due to how much damn fun it is. Riddles and quests, battles and betrayal...it doesn't get much better than this when it comes to children's lit.
Hope you enjoy listening, and hope you can join us for the UNspoiled! October Book Club, covering Dead Until Dark!
You can buy Redwall here: https://amzn.to/2OEiWSU
And buy Dead Until Dark here: https://amzn.to/2xfnhFC

The Dead Zone Sep 08, 2018

I'm revisiting Mr. Stephen King yet again this month, and covering The Dead Zone with Alan Kingsley, my trusty sidekick from Hannibal, Justified, and True Detective.
This is one of those cases in which I really enjoyed the book, but I just feel there was a little too much of it. The middle section where Johnny is in his coma is drawn out quite a lot, and while it succeeds in getting the point across of how difficult waiting is, and how uncertain and bleak everything seemed, I think we as the reader had gotten the point long before it was actually over.
However, that being said, I think the story here is really compelling and that there are some really well-drawn characters and moments that tugged at my ole heartstrings a lot. I wouldn't say that this book was horror, exactly, more like suspense/thriller, but there are definitely a few moments that we tiptoe over into horror territory.
I'm very interested to hear from anyone who read this what they thought about it! If you haven't read it yet and you're interested, please pick up a copy here! https://amzn.to/2NOvyXl
My book for the main Book Club next month is Dead Until Dark, which you can grab here: https://amzn.to/2wJ1JAT
PS- I WAS MISTAKEN about the September Childhood Favorite! It isn't Are You There, God, it's actually going to be Redwall which I'm pretty excited about. Find it here! https://amzn.to/2Q5Z2BE

Book Club- Johnny Tremain Sep 01, 2018

I'm delighted to be recording with Craig and Andrew from Overdue Podcast again! This was a lot of fun to do because Johnny Tremain was a book with a lot of issues in it that were strangely relevant to today's political landscape, and while I think the Overdue boys tend to shy away from getting too political sometimes, I SURE DON'T! Eventually Andrew joins me on my soapbox and it's pretty great.
But there's way more to talk about here than just politics. There's an overall message about Johnny's pride and hubris that I relate to way more than it probably good or healthy, and we talk about the impact of tying your worth to your work and what happens to your worth if you're not able to continue that work anymore.
Also of course there's the way that Esther Forbes handles the revolution itself and the characters' roles in it, which she does with surprising nuance and subtlety at times. Other times, like Johnny's pride, not so much.
Thanks so much to Overdue for joining me, and thank you all for listening!
If you want to grab a copy of Johnny Tremain, you can get it here: https://amzn.to/2NiHTD1
If you'd like to grab The Dead Zone in preparation for next month's book club, get it here: https://amzn.to/2wq4kPo

Book Club- Neverwhere Aug 09, 2018

Hello, me hearties! Make yourself a nice cup of tea and mind the gap, because Miles and I are here to talk to you about Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman.
Art Credit: https://www.deviantart.com/algesiras/art/Neverwhere-Characters-373759105
I'm so glad that this book was fun to read, because after not liking a couple books in a row, I was a little worried when I saw that Neil Gaiman was the next author on the list. Not to say that I don't like his writing, but overall I haven't been quite as impressed with him as many other readers seem to be, and I was worried that I might get a lukewarm rehashing of some other mythology in this book. I'm happy to say that is not the case.
Neverwhere is super imaginative and strange and a little sad, and I love everyday things in the real world being given fantastical hidden aspects. I also thought that the handling of a secret world was handled really well, as it didn't portray the people who have "fallen through the cracks" as the lucky citizens of some gorgeous underground kingdom. Nope, these folks live with constant danger, various levels of filth, and the knowledge that they will go unseen, perhaps forever.
This was a really interesting book and it was a lot of fun to talk about. If you're interested in buying it to read, check it out here: https://amzn.to/2AT5F6D
Next month's books are Johnny Tremain and The Dead Zone, which you can buy here!
Johnny Tremain: https://amzn.to/2OVawXV
The Dead Zone: https://amzn.to/2OV9lrK
Thanks a million for listening, and I will see you in 2 weeks!

CHILDHOOD FAVORITES: Charlotte's Web Jul 30, 2018

Hey there, lovely listeners! Welcome to the first installment in the Childhood Favorites sub-feed of the Book Club!
I'm super excited to be doing my first show with guest Rachel Rosing, who is one of the hilarious co-hosts of Beckett To The Future: A Quantum Leap Podcast. You can find out more about her show here! https://www.beckettfuturepod.com/
This was such a good book, you guys. There is some annoying stuff that we really noticed reading it as grown women, don't get me wrong. Charlotte and Fern and Fern's mom and Mrs. Zuckerman are the ones actually handling their shit while the men just sweep in and get all the credit. HOWEVER. It's still a really well-written and emotional story that is shockingly bittersweet and I'm frankly still sad about it.
Thanks so much to you all for listening, and I will see you in two weeks with Neverwhere, which you can pick up here to read along. https://amzn.to/2LJ1q1T
You can pick up Charlotte's Web here, if you haven't already got a copy: https://amzn.to/2LJr5qZ
And you can get the August Childhood Favorite, Johnny Tremain, here! https://amzn.to/2v35noH

Book Club- Eleanor & Park Jul 11, 2018

Well this was the most lively Book Club episode in a while!
Eleanor & Park was a book that I fully expected to dislike, based on the tone of some reactions I got when I said I would be covering it, and on some random commentary here and there on social media. However (and maybe it's just because I was coming off a couple of books I really didn't like very much) I actually enjoyed this book!
Candace, my cohost, did not.
The episode actually turned out to be really interesting because Candace and I started off from such different places and gradually began to uncover where our perspectives were coming from and why we saw certain things the way that we did. In particular our discussion of domestic violence and the role it plays in this book evolved over the course of the episode and I think we both saw that there we were bringing some of our own baggage to the table on that, with vastly different results.
I would definitely be interested in hearing what you all thought of the book (if you read it) because I'm aware that there are further arguments to be made about some of the points that Candace brings up.
Thanks so much for listening, and I will see you in 2 weeks with Charlotte's Web!

The Atrocity Archives Jun 04, 2018

Alright, Patrons, please tell me what I ever did to you? Because this is 2 books in a row now that I didn't really like at all, and the blame lies squarely with YOU, my "friends"!
Okay that's not entirely fair, because I didn't hate The Atrocity Archives the way that I hated most of A Dirty Job, but I'm not a huge fan. It's not something that I would pick up again, or recommend, and Krista (who generously agreed to cohost again after the disaster last month) liked it even less than I did.
Really when you step back and look at the whole thing, I had a lot of the same problems with this book as I did with A Dirty Job (minus the racial stereotyping). It was a hugely creative idea with a ton of potential, and took place in a world I found really entertaining and compelling. But sadly, this writer couldn't get out of his own way when it came to things like referencing super-nerdy inside jokes (specifically IT jokes) and going way too in-depth about the tech. Maybe the knowledge he brought to the book was meant to be impressive, but nowadays it's not only out-of-date but feels really superfluous to a population that can simultaneously be pretty adept at working with computers while knowing nothing about how they actually work.
I really loved the concept of a bunch of Nazis that literally ran away through a portal to another planet and hid there, then got jumped by their own monster. Huge fan of this idea. But really, they get lured there because he has to rescue his kind-of girlfriend? Who is one of only three (okay technically four) women in the entire book? Ugh. I GUESS.
Anyway, I would be interested to hear what you all thought of this book, so hit me up and let me know!

RIP to 'A Dirty Job' May 08, 2018

Hey everyone. Bad news is, we lost the episode due to some miscommunications on my part. On the plus side, I really didn't like this book and I feel no urge to make time to re-record it. So here's a short blurb on why I feel the way I do, and I will see you all next month with The Atrocity Archives by Charles Stross, which you can buy here! https://amzn.to/2IpUSmU

The Book Thief Apr 20, 2018

I'm here with the next installment of the UNspoiled! Book Club, and this time it's Jaime Smith joining me to talk about The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak. This is a book from a unique perspective, to say the least, and it's understandable why it's grown as acclaimed as it has.
However, I have to be honest. I didn't love this book. Don't get me wrong, it's a really captivating idea and overall I found the plot to be interesting, as well as the peeks at how ordinary Germans who weren't in danger of camps lived during the Second World War. All of that was compelling and frankly lined up with America in 2018 in ways that I found to be unnerving.
But the prose was simply not my cup of tea, and I found it really distracting. The term Jaime used was "purple prose" and I think that comes the closest to describing it. There are times when using words in unusual and unexpected ways can work for an author, and bring special attention to a certain moment, but in this book the wild phrasing and pulpy descriptions happened every other sentence. I would spend more time thinking about the previous sentence and whether that really worked than I would spend paying attention to the story.
But like I said, I didn't hate this book. It simply didn't wow me the way I had expected from the way in which people talked about it. I would be very interested to hear what you thought of it!
If you haven't read it yet, you can find it here: https://amzn.to/2qFzbVX
And if you're ready to move onto the May book, A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore, you can find that book here! https://amzn.to/2qFDC2h

Jurassic Park Mar 08, 2018

My main takeaway after reading this book was a sense of surprise at how much of the book was virtually unchanged for the movie, and how much that worked on-screen, while being impressed at the detail of story aspects that wouldn't have been interesting on-screen at all. Basically, if you asked me whether the book or the movie was better, I wouldn't be able to answer because I feel that they were each perfectly suited to the medium in which the story was being told. For the movie, you can gloss over the logistics and the science and the backstory on all the characters, and just focus on the adventure and the danger of the dinosaurs, and that resulted in a classic film that holds up unbelievably well to this day. However, the logistics and science and backstory are really compelling to me (NERD ALERT!) and I deeply enjoyed reading about them.
Overall I was just really surprised at how much I enjoyed this, even though there are sections of the plot that Money and I realized didn't make much sense upon closer inspection. Or else there were plot threads that were entirely dropped. But that's okay, no book is perfect.
I hope you all enjoy listening, and if you haven't read this book and you'd like to, you can get it here: http://amzn.to/2FgdEss
For next month's The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, you can go here! http://amzn.to/2oRVDJE
Thanks again everyone, and have a great weekend!

Why I'm No Longer Talking To White People About Race Feb 10, 2018

In which RoShawn and I discuss white fragility and the realities of racism.

The Wee Free Men Jan 26, 2018

My apologies for the lateness on this post! I had some sound issues and then my site got hacked, so I had it posted to Patreon but forget to schedule it for release on iTunes! I hope you can forgive me. And I hope you enjoy the show!

Howl's Moving Castle Dec 17, 2017

In which Candace and Natasha discuss this delightful bit of fantasy wrapped in a ribbon of interesting ladies and overdramatic men.

The Haunting Of Hill House Nov 15, 2017

A classic haunted house story, this one got a divided opinion from hosts Natasha and Money!

Bag Of Bones (w/Overdue!) Oct 17, 2017

In which the gentlemen from Overdue join me in reading a spooky Steven King novel!

Rebecca Sep 11, 2017

In this book, I think I would rather deal with an actual ghost than Mrs. Danvers.
Haven't read the book yet? Get it here! http://amzn.to/2wD8gfl
Or get next month's book, 'Bag Of Bones' by Stephen King, here! http://amzn.to/2ezIX5v

The Girl With All The Gifts Aug 14, 2017

The world as we know it is gone, and one little girl must overcome her bloodlust to remake it.

Night Circus Jul 17, 2017

In this book, a fabulously detailed, beautifully crafted universe seems to be welcoming Natasha like an old friend.

Dune Jun 21, 2017

In which Natasha and Liz discuss the classic SciFi novel, and Liz loves it with all her heart and Natasha tries desperately to understand.

The Kite Runner May 22, 2017

Krista and I discuss this beautiful and tragic novel and the way it stomped all over our hearts.

Ready Player One Apr 15, 2017

Yay! Something fun!

Winter's Bone Mar 12, 2017

In which Alan and I discuss the surprisingly feminist and wonderfully focused novel, which I simply loved.

Blindness Feb 25, 2017

In which Chris and Natasha really didn't enjoy this book at all.

Gone Girl Jan 23, 2017

Jaime and I discuss a book that made me question everything I know about myself.

Holidays On Ice Dec 20, 2016

In which neither Natasha nor Crys enjoyed this book.

RSS Feed Announcement Nov 19, 2016

IT Nov 10, 2016

The longest and weirdest book yet! It's SPOOKTACULAR!

American Gods Oct 01, 2016

In which Crys (aka B*tches) and I discuss the American Iliad.

Cloud Atlas Sep 14, 2016

Natasha is unsure how she feels about this sprawling, inconsistent book, but she appreciates the overall message a great deal.

Snow Crash Aug 12, 2016

In which a man with katanas and a girl with a poon-gun take on a mega-church's attempt to brainwash the masses.

Good Omens Jul 07, 2016

Miles and I discuss the seminal work by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, in which the Antichrist is entirely ordinary.

Fevre Dream Jun 09, 2016

In which GRRM plucks at his heart strings of his readers...right before ripping them out.

World War Z: Part 2 May 16, 2016

World War Z: Part 1 May 16, 2016

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