The Worst Bestsellers

Flashback Summer is over, but we still ended up back in 1855…or did we? By popular request, we read Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke. We were joined by S. Jae-Jones, author of the Guardians of Dawn series (including the latest in the series, Suhwa.) Listen to this episode while you churn your butter. (It’s an extra long ep so you might have time to make a fresh loaf of bread, too!)

Content warning: This book and our discussion of it contains sexual assault.

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: Diabolical Lies podcast

“Ballerina Farm is Happy With Her Choices” by Stephanie McNeal

“Here’s what you don’t see about Ballerina Farm’s tradwife life – and it’s depressing af” by Laura Butler

“Anne Hathaway makes first comment about Yesteryear adaptation after author addresses book’s backlash” by Shelby Stivale

Fundie Fridays

Episode #214 – Corinne

Coming up next: Verity by Colleen Hoover.

The Venn diagram between Flashback Summer and Sad Girl Summer is overlapping! We read Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson. For our discussion we were joined by a very cool sad girl, Theresa Okokon (@Ohh.Jeezzz), the author of Who I Always Was and cohost of Stories from the Stage. By the way, if you haven’t gotten around to reading this one before–it is actually good and we are actually spoiling the heck out of it. You’ve been warned. (And if you have read it: then you know you should have a box of tissues handy for this episode.)

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: Katherine Paterson’s Bridge to Terabithia Newbery Medal Acceptance speech

“Katie Ledecky ‘breaks’ Olympic male gold medalist in practice” by Nick Zaccardi

Coming up next: Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke.

Can you believe that in all our years of podcasting, we’ve never done the very first Baby-Sitters Club book? Well, now we’re flashing all the way back to 1986, when Kristy Thomas first got the gang together. We were joined by Jess & Rach of Book Trivia Podcast to discuss Kristy’s Great Idea (Baby-Sitters Club #1) by Ann M. Martin. Listen to this episode on your next endless drive through Connecticut.

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: Book Trivia Podcast episode on Kristy’s Great Idea

Episode 53 – The Baby-sitters Club

Episode 152 – Mallory and the Trouble With Twins

Episode 174 – Baby-sitters’ Summer Vacation!

Episode 175 – Claudia and Mean Janine

Episode 176 – Karen’s Plane Trip

Episode 177 – Baby-Sitters Beware

Episode 246 – Stacey and the Bad Girls

Coming up next: Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson.

Are you melting in the summer heat wave? Well, why don’t you join us for a Flashback Summer trip back to the winter of 1864? Bundle up in your best furs, because we read Changes for Kirsten by Janet Beeler Shaw. We were joined by Mary Mahoney (@MimiMahoney), co-author of Dolls of Our Lives: Why We Can’t Quit American Girl, former co-host of the Dolls of our Lives podcast, and current host of the Landline podcast. Whatever you do, do not let a baby raccoon into your house while listening to this episode.

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: Episode #76 – American Girl

Childhood Nostalgia: A Collection of Pleasant Company and American Girl Catalogues

Minnesota Historical Society MNopedia

Coming up next: Kristy’s Great Idea (Baby-Sitters Club #1) by Ann M. Martin.

Flashback Summer is getting mildly spooky! We read The Celery Stalks at Midnight by James Howe with Sara Farizan, author of several books of varying spookiness levels including the upcoming The Last Resort: Ghost Light. While listening to your episode, please keep an eye on your pets to make sure they don’t get into any chocolate!

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: Episode #126 – Bunnicula

Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine on Chocolate Toxicity

James Howe on Wikipedia

Mark Davis and James Howe wedding announcement

Coming up next: Changes for Kirsten by Janet Beeler Shaw.