The Nerdy Psychologist Book Club

The Nerdy Psychologist Book Club

The Nerdy Psychologist Book Club — the podcast where we dive into fantasy and dystopian novels to explore the psychology behind the magic, the mayhem, and the mind games.

  1. They Both Die At The End: Part 1-Talking About Death

    2d ago

    They Both Die At The End: Part 1-Talking About Death

    Our June book of the month starts off with a bang as we parse apart the book, "They Both Die At The End" by Adam Silvera. We start off real strong-much to Deanna's annoyance, talking about death and the importance of talking about death for our collective mental health.   The spoiler is right in the name there so you already know the ending, but the cool thing about this book is that, that is not really the message. Spoiler alert for that and for our conversation- we think the real message is that while we all will die one day; we think it is important to talk about how we can get to living and not let the fear of death overcome our ability to live a full life. Come along and listen-it’s a hoot.   *This is our last book of Season 1!* We will be taking a break for July and starting back up with Season 2 in August.  Subscribe to us on all of the platforms and follow us on the socials so you can stay connected for next season!  ...........  Get your books while supporting the podcast and local bookstores! Both season 1 and season 2 are up!!  Physical & E-books: https://bookshop.org/shop/thenerdypsychologistbookclub  Audiobooks: https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=25361&awinaffid=2879789&platform=dl&ued=https%3A%2F%2Flibro.fm%2F    ...........  The Nerdy Psychologist Book Club is produced by Brandi Hawk, Ph.D. and Deanna Boys, M.A.  Photography-Lighting-Audio Mixer: Matthew Kadi  Bartender/Mixologist: Lee Klemens  Original Music-Editing: Deanna Boys, M.A.  Want to be a guest on The Nerdy Psychologist Book Club? Or want us to be a guest on yours? Send Brandi Hawk a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/thenerdypsychologistbookclub

    55 min
  2. So Let Them Burn: Pt 4-"The gods are liars"

    May 27

    So Let Them Burn: Pt 4-"The gods are liars"

    We finish our discussion of So Let Them Burn by talking about the psychology of leadership and specifically talk about this with how the gods treat Faron in the book. Faron is powered up with god-like strength and is on speed dial with the gods, but they definitely do not trust her as far as they can throw her (and they try!).    Throughout the book, the gods withhold important life altering information, give her half-truth answers to her questions and then when things start falling into place that maybe there is more to the story for Faron, they demand that she kill her sister (be a team player Faron)! Sound a little like your boss? Well, maybe not the killing your sister part, but kinda right? Come along with us as we have a good venting session about the book, the leaders that have let us down in the past...AND how we can be better leaders than these lying gods.  ...........  Get your books while supporting the podcast and local bookstores!  Physical & E-books: https://bookshop.org/shop/thenerdypsychologistbookclub  Audiobooks: https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=25361&awinaffid=2879789&platform=dl&ued=https%3A%2F%2Flibro.fm%2F    ...........  The Nerdy Psychologist Book Club is produced by Brandi Hawk, Ph.D. and Deanna Boys, M.A.  Photography-Lighting-Audio Mixer: Matthew Kadi  Bartender/Mixologist: Lee Klemens  Original Music-Editing: Deanna Boys, M.A.  Want to be a guest on The Nerdy Psychologist Book Club? Or want us to be a guest on yours? Send Brandi Hawk a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/thenerdypsychologistbookclub

    50 min

  3. May 19

    So Let Let Them Burn: Pt 3-"If you go, I go" -The Reeve Episode

    In this episode, we continue our conversation on So Let Them Burn, focusing on the character Reeve and his role as a supportive friend to both Elara, but more specifically to Faron.   Reeve’s strength lies in his quiet presence. He consistently “shows up” for others, especially Faron and doesn't try to fix her or tell her she is being too much, or leaves her alone. Instead, he meets her where she is emotionally, allowing her to feel anger, pain, and confusion without judgment.   We talk a little bit about colonization, Deanna brings up Star Trek again and we talk about the crumbs of "spice" we were given with the one kiss scene between Faron and Reeve! We drink our themed cocktail-"The Ally" and have fun chatting about how Reeve is such a good model for how to show up for our friends and family members when they have been through something scary or traumatic.   ...........  Get your books while supporting the podcast and local bookstores!  Physical & E-books: https://bookshop.org/shop/thenerdypsychologistbookclub  Audiobooks: https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=25361&awinaffid=2879789&platform=dl&ued=https%3A%2F%2Flibro.fm%2F    ...........  The Nerdy Psychologist Book Club is produced by Brandi Hawk, Ph.D. and Deanna Boys, M.A.  Photography-Lighting-Audio Mixer: Matthew Kadi  Original Animation-Foley-Bartender/Mixologist: Lee Klemens  Original Music-Editing: Deanna Boys, M.A.  Follow us on the socials!   YouTube  Instagram  Facebook  Want to be a guest on The Nerdy Psychologist Book Club? Or want us to be a guest on yours? Send Brandi Hawk a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/thenerdypsychologistbookclub

    41 min

  4. May 12

    Episode 14: So Let Them Burn Pt 2: People Pleasing

    Episode 14: So Let Them Burn Pt. 2: People Pleasing   In this episode of the Nerdy Psychologist Book Club, we welcome back our friend and colleague, licensed marriage and family therapist Shayla Allen for a continuation of So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole; this time, focusing on the character Elara and the psychology of people pleasing. We explore Elara’s role as the dependable older sister living in the shadow of her divinely chosen sibling, Faron, and how her self-sacrificing nature reflects classic people-pleasing patterns: overcommitment, fear of disappointing others, and postponing her own needs in the hopes of approval and stability.   Well...we used her as a starting point to talk about our own people pleasing tendencies. So, actually, we are now the recovering people pleasers book club. All people pleasers welcome; no worries if not, whatever works best for you!  Join us as we unpack our own issues a tiny bit, drink our fun drink, "The People Pleaser" and find out what happens when people stop being polite and start being real....with themselves. (You know we had to get that real world reference in there!).  ...........  The Nerdy Psychologist Book Club is produced by Brandi Hawk, Ph.D. and Deanna Boys, M.A.  Special Guest: Shayla Allen, LMFT  Photography-Lighting-Audio Mixer: Matthew Kadi  Original Animation-Foley-Bartender/Mixologist: Lee Klemens  Original Music-Editing: Deanna Boys, M.A.  Follow us on the socials!   YouTube  Instagram  Facebook  Want to be a guest on The Nerdy Psychologist Book Club? Or want us to be a guest on yours? Send Brandi Hawk a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/thenerdypsychologistbookclub

    48 min

  5. May 5

    Episode 13: So Let Them Burn Pt 1: Egocentrism

    In this episode of The Nerdy Psychologist Book Club, we are joined by our friend and colleague Shayla Allen LMFT to start our conversation about So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole. So Let Them Burn is a fun fantasy novel with dragons, magic, and teenagers going to war imbued with god like power-it is a pretty cool story.   We pick apart the main character, Faron, who has a direct line to the gods, can channel their power but also starts making risky and dangerous choices. With Faron as our representative of the book, we talk about a very big part of adolescent development: Egocentrism.  We explain about two big parts of egocentrism: the “imaginary audience,” and the “personal fable.”    We talk about our own risky teen behaviors, the current impact of social media, parenting dynamics, and the challenge of forming identity during adolescence. We also explore deeper themes of truth, shame, and accountability, questioning what it means to “live in your truth” when you’ve been shaped by conflicting narratives.  Come along with us while we sip our themed cocktail, "The Expert Liar" and chat with us about the psychology of growing up, making mistakes, and learning who you are. Oh! And Deanna did finish the book in time-just barely though!  ...........  The Nerdy Psychologist Book Club is produced by Brandi Hawk, Ph.D. and Deanna Boys, M.A.  Photography-Lighting-Audio Mixer: Matthew Kadi  Original Animation-Foley-Bartender/Mixologist: Lee Klemens  Original Music-Editing: Deanna Boys, M.A.  Follow us on the socials!   YouTube  Instagram  Facebook  Want to be a guest on The Nerdy Psychologist Book Club? Or want us to be a guest on yours? Send Brandi Hawk a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/thenerdypsychologistbookclub

    53 min

  6. Apr 28

    Episode 12: How can a parent do that? In Fable for the End of the World

    In our final installment on Fable for the End of the World, the Nerdy Psychologist Book Club explores one of the story’s most frustrating characters: Inesa’s mother. In Fable for the End of the World, Inesa's mother, Janina is the one that racks up so much debt that she puts her own daughter into the Gauntlet to be hunted down by the Angel assassins. Brandi and Deanna talk about some of the reasons why a parent would do such a thing to their child. Deanna gets stuck on The Betrayal of it all (our themed cocktail!) and Brandi uses her clinical expertise to try to get Deanna to empathize with Janina –just a tiny bit.   We talk about the whys (society, personal history and mental illnesses) that contribute to making a villain like Janina. And we touch on why it is important to get to know more about why villains do what they do but we can and should hold both empathy and accountability at the same time (dialectical thinking!)  PS-next month we are reading "So Let Them Burn" by Kamilah Cole! We are excited to get that going in May. (PPS-Find out whether Deanna was able to finish the book in time for filming! Come join us next time!)  *Explicit language warning-we do cuss a little ;) * ...........  The Nerdy Psychologist Book Club is produced by Brandi Hawk, Ph.D. and Deanna Boys, M.A.  Photography-Lighting-Audio Mixer: Matthew Kadi  Original Animation-Foley-Bartender/Mixologist: Lee Klemens  Original Music-Editing: Deanna Boys, M.A.  Follow us on the socials!   YouTube  Instagram  Facebook  Want to be a guest on The Nerdy Psychologist Book Club? Or want us to be a guest on yours? Send Brandi Hawk a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/thenerdypsychologistbookclub

    49 min

  7. Apr 21

    Episode 11: Sexism in Fable for the End of the World

    In this episode of The Nerdy Psychologist Book Club, Brandi and Deanna jump back into the dystopian world of Fable for the End of the World. We set out to tackle sexism in the drowned world of Inesa and Melinoë and this part of the dystopian world is not far from our real world.   From benevolent sexism that sounds nice but reinforces inequality, to hostile sexism and outright misogyny, we chat about how these dynamics show up in the book, and obvi in real life. Through the book we explore how power, control, and gender roles shape behavior, relationships, and gender-based violence.  We also talk about things like paternalism, gender roles, and heterosexual desire and also about some pretty sad real life things.   It would not be a Nerdy Psych Book Club if we did not have our themed cocktail: Don’t Let the Bastards Get You Down, and this one really sneaks up on ya-recipe in Lee's Cocktail Corner in the Patreon. And as always, full video on YouTube.   Sexism is everywhere and we don't have an easy answer on how to fix it, but we both think it is important to name it and call it out when you see it-even to your friends!! Because sometimes the best way to understand the world (and survive it) is to name what’s broken and talk about it together.   ...........  The Nerdy Psychologist Book Club is produced by Brandi Hawk, Ph.D. and Deanna Boys, M.A.  Photography-Lighting-Audio Mixer: Matthew Kadi  Original Animation-Foley-Bartender/Mixologist: Lee Klemens  Original Music-Editing: Deanna Boys, M.A.  Follow us on the socials!   YouTube  Instagram  Facebook  Want to be a guest on The Nerdy Psychologist Book Club? Or want us to be a guest on yours? Send Brandi Hawk a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/thenerdypsychologistbookclub

    43 min

  8. Apr 14

    Episode 10: Dealing with Traumatic Memories in the book Fable for the End of the World

    *Heavy content warning*-while we are talking about a dystopian fiction novel and fictional characters, some of the concepts we discuss are real-life and can be pretty heavy to listen to. Feel free to come back to this one when you feel ready.   In this episode of The Nerdy Psychologist Book Club, Brandi and Deanna dive further into the haunting world of Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid, unpacking the psychological toll of trauma through the lens of one of its most complex characters: Melinoë, the “angel” assassin. We explore how Melinoë copes with the unbearable reality of her role in the brutal Gauntlet: a deadly spectacle where children are hunted to pay off inherited debts. (Brandi says sorry to Deanna for making her read another book where children are k*lled)   "Fable" brings up the concepts of “wiping,” and “echoing," and we talk about how these mirror the different ways people attempt to manage traumatic memories. Melinoë’s forced memory erasure sounds a lot like real-life avoidance strategies like substance use, overworking, and emotional numbing. We also get in our feelings again when we talk about the portrayal of “echoing” and why this is *not* exposure therapy!  We also talk about how and why true healing requires safety, skill-building, and connection with others. As Melinoë begins to recover fragments of her past and share them with Inesa, we see the transformative power of empathy and trust. Shame begins to loosen its grip, and something unexpected emerges: the ability to feel again.  We've got our themed mocktail (“The Memory Wipe”), Deanna almost gives a Star Trek reference but stops herself, Brandi describes her actual perfect ending for the next book, and we really really really want you to know it is important to talk to a safe person about your trauma and that "wiping" (blocking things out) really doesn't work for long; something seems to keep those memories coming back.     ...........  The Nerdy Psychologist Book Club is produced by Brandi Hawk, Ph.D. and Deanna Boys, M.A.  Photography-Lighting-Audio Mixer: Matthew Kadi  Original Animation-Foley-Bartender/Mixologist: Lee Klemens  Original Music-Editing: Deanna Boys, M.A.  Follow us on the socials!   YouTube  Instagram  Facebook  Want to be a guest on The Nerdy Psychologist Book Club? Or want us to be a guest on yours? Send Brandi Hawk a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/thenerdypsychologistbookclub

    48 min
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About

The Nerdy Psychologist Book Club — the podcast where we dive into fantasy and dystopian novels to explore the psychology behind the magic, the mayhem, and the mind games.

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  • Creator
    The Nerdy Psychologist Book Club
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    19
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    The Nerdy Psychologist Book Club

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