250 episodes
The Worst Bestsellers Worst Bestsellers
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Writer Kait and librarian Renata read bestselling books in an attempt to understand their appeal and, barring that, to become the Crow and Servo of the book world. New episodes every other Monday. Visit WorstBestsellers.com for our readers advisory booklists and other fun stuff.
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Episode 240 – Troublemaker
Unlike Scientology, Celebrity Memoir May is inescapable. Known Suppressive Person, librarian, and author Angie Manfredi (@MissKubelik) joined us to discuss Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology by Leah Remini. Join us as we swear oaths of fealty to the Queen of Queens!
Content warning: Verbal abuse, icky parenting, escaping a cult.
Readers advisory: Here.
Footnotes: “A Strange Chapter in ‘Wog”s Hateful History”
The Underground Bunker
“Exclusive: Shelly Miscavige and The Missing Scientologists: How The LAPD Made Scientology’s Problem Go Away” by Yashar Ali
Leah Remini’s “Roar” dance on Dancing with the Stars
“An Interview with the One and Only Michelle Visage” by Michael Podell
“Michelle Visage says Leah Remini got her into Scientology, but she quit over church’s anti-gay views” by Joey Nolfi
“Another Celeb Just Fueled Rumors of Jennifer Lopez & Leah Remini’s Feud” by Maggie Clancy
Coming up next: Open Book by Jessica Simpson. -
Episode 239 – Ice Planet Barbarians
Horny dragons were fun, but we’ve moved on. Onto another planet, actually. Lily Sparks, author of The Merciless King of Moore High, joined us to discuss Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon. Upload this episode directly to your alien translator earpiece to listen to it in any language!
Content warning: Dubious consent and mentions of sexual assault.
Readers advisory: Here.
Footnotes: “How sexy blue aliens invaded Amazon’s bestseller lists” by AJ Willingham
About the Motorcycle Clubs
Coming up next: Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology by Leah Remini. -
Episode 238 – Fourth Wing
Y’all horny for some dragons? We forged a soul bond with comedian, writer, and Scary Mommy Sarah Aswell by reading Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros together. Listen to this episode while pondering ways to legally murder your classmates!
Content warning: Here there be dragons. Also, dead parents.
Readers advisory: Here.
Footnotes: “How Rebecca Yarros Packed Dragons, Magic and Steamy Sex Into a Blockbuster Fantasy” by Alexandra Alter
“Q&A: Rebecca Yarros on Chronic Illness Representation in Fourth Wing” by Riyana Straetker
NPR Weekend Edition: “Veronica Roth’s ‘Carve The Mark’ Is A Fantasy Inspired By Chronic Pain”
Coming up next: Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon. -
Episode 237 – This Present Darkness
The devil made us read This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti. Fortunately, we were #blessed to be joined by Izzy Wasserstein, author of These Fragile Graces, This Fugitive Heart, who helped safely guide us through this Christian thriller. Listen to this episode while waiting for a cool angel to pick you up on her motorcycle.
Content warning: False accusations of sexual assault, Christian fundamentalism, murder/suicide/demon attack.
Readers advisory: Here.
Footnotes: “This Present Darkness” on Wikipedia
“The long history and slow death of a word once used to describe everyone and everything from Egypt to China as well as rugs” by Yanan Wang
“15 times The X-Files’ Dana Scully was the best character on TV” by Sarah Crocker
Coming up next: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. -
Episode 236 – Icebreaker
Ice, ice, baby! Annie Cardi, author of Red, returned to the podcast to discuss the sexy skater Booktok sensation Icebreaker by Hannah Grace. Join us as we skate back to college and dirty talk our way into the Olympics!
Content warning: Disordered eating, gaslighting, emotional abuse.
Readers advisory: Here.
Footnotes: “Who Is Hannah Grace? And Why Won’t She Show Her Face?” by Elisabeth Egan
Coming up next: This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti. -
Episode 235 – Sanctuary
Nora Roberts Month continues! Heidi and Emily from Romancing the Shelf podcast returned and took us back to the 90s with the vintage romantic thriller Sanctuary. Sadly, this book has zero plates of casual pasta but it does have at least 3.5 romantic couples and almost as many murders. Listen to this episode on one of your three computers!
Content warning: Murder, sexual assault, questionable mental health care.
Readers advisory: Here.
Footnotes: Romancing the Shelf – Sanctuary
“Nora Roberts: The woman who rewrote the rules of romantic fiction” by Carole Cadwalladr
Coming up next: Icebreaker by Hannah Grace.