138 episodes

Long time partners, Rachel and Matt, bring their unique blend of wit and weirdness to the worlds of sci-fi, horror, and fantasy. From quirky movie reviews to lively book discussions, they keep you entertained and informed with their mature humor and infectious enthusiasm. Join them as they chase their little nerd hearts through the genres they love.

Strange and Beautiful Book Club Strange and Beautiful Network

    • Fiction

Long time partners, Rachel and Matt, bring their unique blend of wit and weirdness to the worlds of sci-fi, horror, and fantasy. From quirky movie reviews to lively book discussions, they keep you entertained and informed with their mature humor and infectious enthusiasm. Join them as they chase their little nerd hearts through the genres they love.

    Spoiler Free Review and Interview! - "Curse of King Midas" by Colleen M. Story

    Spoiler Free Review and Interview! - "Curse of King Midas" by Colleen M. Story

    Preorder the book here (Amazon Link, no we aren't affiliates we just liked the book) Preorder the ebook here (Non-Amazon Link)
    A quick spoiler free review of "The Curse of King Midas" and then our chat with Colleen HERSELF about this book and a little bit about writing and writing advice in general.
    From Colleen's website:
    THE CURSE OF KING MIDAS IS REAL.In the ancient kingdom of Phrygia, tribal boy Karem Savas thirsts for revenge against King Sargon II, the man who killed his mother and kidnapped his sister. A deal with the dark goddess of the underworld propels him to a powerful position of leadership with a mighty army and thousands of loyal subjects. Crowned as King Midas, he rules from the prosperous capital city of Gordium, where the future shines bright for his two royal children, Prince Anchurus and Princess Zoe.But Midas is unable to shake his traumatic past. As his deal with the dark goddess turns sour, he seeks help from another, never realizing it will be his undoing. Burdened with a cursed power and floundering against the savvy King Sargon II, Midas must right his wrongs and save his children before it is too late.
    Packed with myth, magic, and vengeance, this captivating tale of King Midas begins the new mythological fantasy series from Colleen M. Story.
    Find Colleen M. Story's website here: https://colleenmstory.com/story/
    Want to find out more about Colleen M. Story? Check out her blog here: https://colleenmstory.com/story/blog/
    Check out Colleen's Writing and Wellness website here: https://writingandwellness.com/


    Riverside.fm is a video/audio recording platform built for podcasters. Check them out today for uncompressed audio and video recording, unlimited transcription services, AI Social Media clips, teleprompter and on screen scripts, and a bunch of other cool stuff too. Make long distance podcasting 100x easier. (Don't work harder, work smarter)
    There's more from the Strange and Beautiful Network!
    Listen to Rachel, Kate, and Hannah discuss spicy books, serious books, and everything in between (but mostly spicy!). It's like sitting down with girl friends to chat about hot book boyfriends but in podcast format! Listen now at Feast, Sheath, Shatter: A Book Chat Podcast
    Love Movies, TV Shows and Books in the Fantasy, Scifi, and Horror genre and want to hear more? Check us out at The Strange and Beautiful Book Club where Rachel and her husband Matt discuss all things genre-related.
    Longing for a simpler time in the police procedural genre AND love Vampires? Matt and Rachel also review the classic television show Forever Knight on their podcast, Come in 81 Kilo.
    Not getting enough sweaty 90s sexcapades from your television and movie content? Listen to Meg and Rachel discuss the finer points of Geraint Wyn Davies' career over at Ger Can Get It!
    You can also:Join us on Instagram here: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/strangeandbeautifulnetwork/⁠⁠⁠Join us on Patreon here: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/strangeandbeautifulnetworkFind us on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz9ENwKdHrm57Qmu8L4WXwQ


    ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

    • 38 min
    Movie - "Plant of the Apes (1968)"

    Movie - "Plant of the Apes (1968)"

     Matt and Rachel discuss the movie adaptation of Pierre Boulle's classic novel. What did they get right? What didn't they? Do we think this is a rare case of the movie being better than the book? Listen and find out!

    Riverside.fm is a video/audio recording platform built for podcasters. Check them out today for uncompressed audio and video recording, unlimited transcription services, AI Social Media clips, teleprompter and on screen scripts, and a bunch of other cool stuff too. Make long distance podcasting 100x easier. (Don't work harder, work smarter)
    There's more from the Strange and Beautiful Network!
    Listen to Rachel, Kate, and Hannah discuss spicy books, serious books, and everything in between (but mostly spicy!). It's like sitting down with girl friends to chat about hot book boyfriends but in podcast format! Listen now at Feast, Sheath, Shatter: A Book Chat Podcast
    Love Movies, TV Shows and Books in the Fantasy, Scifi, and Horror genre and want to hear more? Check us out at The Strange and Beautiful Book Club where Rachel and her husband Matt discuss all things genre-related.
    Longing for a simpler time in the police procedural genre AND love Vampires? Matt and Rachel also review the classic television show Forever Knight on their podcast, Come in 81 Kilo.
    Not getting enough sweaty 90s sexcapades from your television and movie content? Listen to Meg and Rachel discuss the finer points of Geraint Wyn Davies' career over at Ger Can Get It!
    You can also:Join us on Instagram here: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/strangeandbeautifulnetwork/⁠⁠⁠Join us on Patreon here: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/strangeandbeautifulnetworkFind us on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz9ENwKdHrm57Qmu8L4WXwQ


    ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

    • 44 min
    Book - "Planet of the Apes" by Pierre Boulle

    Book - "Planet of the Apes" by Pierre Boulle

    On this month's Book episode:
    "Planet of the Apes" by Pierre Boulle is a science fiction novel that tells the story of a group of astronauts who land on a distant planet where intelligent apes are the dominant species and humans are primitive and mute. The protagonist, Ulysse Mérou, along with two other astronauts, find themselves captured by the apes and treated as experimental subjects.
    As Ulysse navigates this strange society, he forms bonds with some of the apes, including the sympathetic chimpanzee scientist, Zira, and her fiancé, Cornelius. Through his experiences, Ulysse learns about the societal hierarchy of the apes and their disdain for humans.
    Stay tuned for our discussion of the movie adaptation! (The first one, not you know... all the other ones. Yet.)


    Riverside.fm is a video/audio recording platform built for podcasters. Check them out today for uncompressed audio and video recording, unlimited transcription services, AI Social Media clips, teleprompter and on screen scripts, and a bunch of other cool stuff too. Make long distance podcasting 100x easier. (Don't work harder, work smarter)
    There's more from the Strange and Beautiful Network!
    Listen to Rachel, Kate, and Hannah discuss spicy books, serious books, and everything in between (but mostly spicy!). It's like sitting down with girl friends to chat about hot book boyfriends but in podcast format! Listen now at Feast, Sheath, Shatter: A Book Chat Podcast
    Love Movies, TV Shows and Books in the Fantasy, Scifi, and Horror genre and want to hear more? Check us out at The Strange and Beautiful Book Club where Rachel and her husband Matt discuss all things genre-related.
    Longing for a simpler time in the police procedural genre AND love Vampires? Matt and Rachel also review the classic television show Forever Knight on their podcast, Come in 81 Kilo.
    Not getting enough sweaty 90s sexcapades from your television and movie content? Listen to Meg and Rachel discuss the finer points of Geraint Wyn Davies' career over at Ger Can Get It!
    You can also:Join us on Instagram here: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/strangeandbeautifulnetwork/⁠⁠⁠Join us on Patreon here: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/strangeandbeautifulnetworkFind us on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz9ENwKdHrm57Qmu8L4WXwQ


    ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

    • 1 hr 11 min
    Monthly Book Club - "Godkiller" by Hanah Kaner

    Monthly Book Club - "Godkiller" by Hanah Kaner

    Matt and Rachel discuss the short(ish) but awesome fantasy epic, "Godkiller" by Hanah Kaner. Refreshing change from 900 page mega-epics that are half filler with a novel that packs 900 pages of story into a third the size. With ten times as much representation as any other book we've read. 
    Get it, read it. You'll love it. 

    Riverside.fm is a video/audio recording platform built for podcasters. Check them out today for uncompressed audio and video recording, unlimited transcription services, AI Social Media clips, teleprompter and on screen scripts, and a bunch of other cool stuff too. Make long distance podcasting 100x easier. (Don't work harder, work smarter)
    There's more from the Strange and Beautiful Network!
    Listen to Rachel, Kate, and Hannah discuss spicy books, serious books, and everything in between (but mostly spicy!). It's like sitting down with girl friends to chat about hot book boyfriends but in podcast format! Listen now at Feast, Sheath, Shatter: A Book Chat Podcast
    Love Movies, TV Shows and Books in the Fantasy, Scifi, and Horror genre and want to hear more? Check us out at The Strange and Beautiful Book Club where Rachel and her husband Matt discuss all things genre-related.
    Longing for a simpler time in the police procedural genre AND love Vampires? Matt and Rachel also review the classic television show Forever Knight on their podcast, Come in 81 Kilo.
    Not getting enough sweaty 90s sexcapades from your television and movie content? Listen to Meg and Rachel discuss the finer points of Geraint Wyn Davies' career over at Ger Can Get It!
    You can also:Join us on Instagram here: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/strangeandbeautifulnetwork/⁠⁠⁠Join us on Patreon here: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/strangeandbeautifulnetworkFind us on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz9ENwKdHrm57Qmu8L4WXwQ


    ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

    • 1 hr 15 min
    "Anguish (1987)" - There's mommy issues and then there's MOMMY ISSUES

    "Anguish (1987)" - There's mommy issues and then there's MOMMY ISSUES

    "Anguish" is a 1987 horror film directed by Bigas Luna. The movie revolves around a mentally unstable mother, who hypnotizes her son John to commit murder and harvest eyes for her collection. The mother is portrayed as a controlling and manipulative figure, and John becomes increasingly disturbed as he struggles with his mother's influence. The film explores themes of psychological manipulation, the blurred lines between reality and illusion, and the consequences of unchecked obsession. As the story unfolds, viewers are drawn into a surreal and unsettling narrative that challenges perceptions of sanity and morality.

    Riverside.fm is a video/audio recording platform built for podcasters. Check them out today for uncompressed audio and video recording, unlimited transcription services, AI Social Media clips, teleprompter and on screen scripts, and a bunch of other cool stuff too. Make long distance podcasting 100x easier. (Don't work harder, work smarter)
    There's more from the Strange and Beautiful Network!
    Listen to Rachel, Kate, and Hannah discuss spicy books, serious books, and everything in between (but mostly spicy!). It's like sitting down with girl friends to chat about hot book boyfriends but in podcast format! Listen now at Feast, Sheath, Shatter: A Book Chat Podcast
    Love Movies, TV Shows and Books in the Fantasy, Scifi, and Horror genre and want to hear more? Check us out at The Strange and Beautiful Book Club where Rachel and her husband Matt discuss all things genre-related.
    Longing for a simpler time in the police procedural genre AND love Vampires? Matt and Rachel also review the classic television show Forever Knight on their podcast, Come in 81 Kilo.
    Not getting enough sweaty 90s sexcapades from your television and movie content? Listen to Meg and Rachel discuss the finer points of Geraint Wyn Davies' career over at Ger Can Get It!
    You can also:Join us on Instagram here: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/strangeandbeautifulnetwork/⁠⁠⁠Join us on Patreon here: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/strangeandbeautifulnetworkFind us on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz9ENwKdHrm57Qmu8L4WXwQ


    ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

    • 48 min
    Spoiler Free Book Review - "The Day Tripper (2024)" - Character growth done to perfection

    Spoiler Free Book Review - "The Day Tripper (2024)" - Character growth done to perfection

    I absolutely adored this book. I thought the concept was interesting, the execution was flawless, and the journey that Alex goes on was heart-breaking, inspiring, and believable. The conceit of time-travel is not new but the way that James Goodhand shapes it in this novel made it feel seamlessly fresh and integral to the story rather than a plot device to make an otherwise boring world intriguing. The main character, Alex, is living his life out of order and must unpack each day to put together scattered pieces of what has happened to him in the time between and how can he get back the future he'd hoped to have.
    This novel would appeal to fans of fantasy, science fiction, or even real life fiction because, at it's core, it's a story about a man who was moving through life blind to the consequences of his choices until he is forced to confront them through chance and bizarre circumstance. What he does afterwards is where all the heart in this story lies and it will make you cry, scream, and cheer for Alex. Sometimes in the same chapter. 
    I had no idea from page to page what I was going to find and it was an absolute delight to live in mystery just like the main character and to watch him assemble the pieces of himself and create something better. 
    Read this book. Right now.  

    Riverside.fm is a video/audio recording platform built for podcasters. Check them out today for uncompressed audio and video recording, unlimited transcription services, AI Social Media clips, teleprompter and on screen scripts, and a bunch of other cool stuff too. Make long distance podcasting 100x easier. (Don't work harder, work smarter)
    There's more from the Strange and Beautiful Network!
    Listen to Rachel, Kate, and Hannah discuss spicy books, serious books, and everything in between (but mostly spicy!). It's like sitting down with girl friends to chat about hot book boyfriends but in podcast format! Listen now at Feast, Sheath, Shatter: A Book Chat Podcast
    Love Movies, TV Shows and Books in the Fantasy, Scifi, and Horror genre and want to hear more? Check us out at The Strange and Beautiful Book Club where Rachel and her husband Matt discuss all things genre-related.
    Longing for a simpler time in the police procedural genre AND love Vampires? Matt and Rachel also review the classic television show Forever Knight on their podcast, Come in 81 Kilo.
    Not getting enough sweaty 90s sexcapades from your television and movie content? Listen to Meg and Rachel discuss the finer points of Geraint Wyn Davies' career over at Ger Can Get It!
    You can also:Join us on Instagram here: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/strangeandbeautifulnetwork/⁠⁠⁠Join us on Patreon here: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/strangeandbeautifulnetworkFind us on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz9ENwKdHrm57Qmu8L4WXwQ


    ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

    • 39 min

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