We picked a “festive” thriller and plunge into a snowbound replica town where traps, cameras, and polite gatekeepers turn survival into a rigged game. We track the clues, debate the ethics, and wrestle with a final twist that flips victim and predator. • star ratings split and initial expectations • setup of Eddie’s abduction and the vintage town • forming the group and spotting surveillance • church shelter, booby-trapped “comforts,” and Tank’s death • perimeter search, bear attack, and ris...
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We picked a “festive” thriller and plunge into a snowbound replica town where traps, cameras, and polite gatekeepers turn survival into a rigged game. We track the clues, debate the ethics, and wrestle with a final twist that flips victim and predator. • star ratings split and initial expectations • setup of Eddie’s abduction and the vintage town • forming the group and spotting surveillance • church shelter, booby-trapped “comforts,” and Tank’s death • perimeter search, bear attack, and ris...
We picked a “festive” thriller and plunge into a snowbound replica town where traps, cameras, and polite gatekeepers turn survival into a rigged game. We track the clues, debate the ethics, and wrestle with a final twist that flips victim and predator. • star ratings split and initial expectations • setup of Eddie’s abduction and the vintage town • forming the group and spotting surveillance • church shelter, booby-trapped “comforts,” and Tank’s death • perimeter search, bear attack, and ris...
We sit down with Jessica Everly to explore Roses in Rome, a tender, emotionally intelligent romance where grief, forgiveness, and agency shape a love story rooted in place. Rome becomes a mirror for healing as Joey and Sienna choose each other without cheap drama or shortcuts. • choosing Rome as a living catalyst for Sienna’s healing • why Joey is a steady, emotionally present hero • alternative endings cut in development • crafting Father Fiore as a true spiritual guide • Giuseppe as the ro...
A single bouquet sets off a chain of goosebumps. We dive into Roses in Rome by Jessica Everly, a clean romance that starts with coffee drops in a Chicago law office and ends with a hard-won happily ever after braided through grief, family lore, and the art of choosing each other again. We follow Sienna—shell-shocked by a career setback and a devastating miscarriage—as she flies to Rome with her mom, stumbles into a priest who sketches between Mass and metaphors, and slowly reclaims her voice ...
We talk with author Heather Coley about The Gilded Butterfly Effect, tracing how glamour, power, and campus mental health collide through the entwined voices of Stella and Penny. The conversation moves from craft to consequence, ending on the sharp note of a fate that feels earned and haunting. • debut novel context and linked short stories • crafting Stella’s voice and rapid interiority • dual protagonists merging by design • psychiatry, self-medication, and system failures • writing drug s...
A glittering sorority house. A basement ritual. Two girls trying to survive the performance. We dive into Heather Cawley’s Gilded Butterfly Effect with clear eyes and a full breakdown of why this debut hits like a bruise: parties that feel like auditions, therapy that feels like a pharmacy, and friendships that flare hot in a world built to look away. We start with Stella, the curated “it” girl who micromanages pills and persona, and Penny, the outsider who wants to be seen so badly she mist...
Two readers share summer standouts—Grave Matter and the polarizing, unforgettable Still Beating—then build a desert island library that mixes epic fantasy, nostalgia, and pure fun. We weigh comfort against challenge and admit that sometimes the best survival tool is a giant series. • mini-series intro and summer theme • Grave Matter as standout emotional read • Still Beating dark romance premise and ethical tension • island rules: no phones, no limits, long stay • Zodiac Academy for length an...
What would you sacrifice to bring back someone you've lost? How far would you go to preserve a love that defies death itself? These are the questions at the heart of Corina Halley's mesmerizing psychological thriller, "Grave Matter." When Sydney arrives at the remote Madrona Foundation on Vancouver Island, she's eager to participate in groundbreaking scientific research that could revolutionize treatments for neurological conditions like the Alzheimer's that took her grandmother. The isolati...
What's more criminal in the book world – dog-earing pages or cracking spines? Would you abandon all fantasy books forever if it meant never having to read another detective novel? These are the tough questions we're tackling in our latest Book Bites episode! We're playing a bookish version of "Would You Rather" that reveals surprising insights about our reading habits and preferences. From debating whether we'd rather read only books with ugly covers (but amazing writing) or gorgeous edition...
We explore Hannah Bonman-Young's romance novel "Out of the Woods," a story about high school sweethearts Sarah and Caleb who attend a wilderness couples retreat to save their 16-year marriage after a fundraiser disaster reveals deeper relationship issues. • Sarah experiences an identity crisis after feeling like Caleb always swoops in to fix her problems • The "Reignite" couples retreat forces them to confront communication issues through hiking and exercises • Sarah struggles with wanting i...
We take our mini podcast episode into the woods for three friendship exercises that celebrate our long-standing connection while tying into our full-length "Out of the Woods" episode. • Book character descriptions of each other, revealing how we see one another's essence • Creating paper airplanes with meaningful memories and wishes written inside • Blind trust exercise involving rock stacking with one person blindfolded • Reminiscing about our "ugly and proud days" that predated the modern ...
We dive into our fan casting choices for Nick Cutter's skin-crawling horror novel, imagining which actors would bring these disturbing characters to life on screen. The book's phenomenal writing made our skin crawl in the best possible way, earning a strong 4.5/5 rating despite—or perhaps because of—how deeply uncomfortable it made us feel. • Fan casting pairs book characters with actors who could play them in a hypothetical film adaptation • David Harbour (Stranger Things) and Paul Bettany ...
Susie and Kylee dive deep into Nick Cutter's disturbing horror novel "The Troop," a visceral tale about a Boy Scout troop stranded on an island with a mysterious, ravenous stranger harboring a deadly parasitic infection. • Immediate trigger warnings for horror elements, animal abuse, and graphic body horror • Discussion of the five Boy Scouts and their distinct personalities—Kent the bully, Ephraim the troubled kid, Max the regular guy, Newt the smart one, and Shelly the sociopath • Explorat...
Summer reading season brings endless possibilities for literary escape, whether you're lounging poolside or retreating to a cabin in the woods. Our latest roundup of recommendations spans across genres, proving that summer reads can be whatever your heart desires. Support the show Editing done by Connor Luther @clfilms.co Music by @thundercatlouis Merch Here
Buckle up for our most brutally honest episode yet as we tackle "In the Dark I See You" by Malika Narayanan—a thriller that had us cranking our audiobook speed to maximum just to reach the finish line. What starts as a seemingly intriguing premise—a blind woman named Audrey discovers her neighbor Sarah's dead body—quickly devolves into a labyrinth of confusing timelines, meaningless cliffhangers, and plot threads that lead absolutely nowhere. We break down why this particular thriller left u...
Ever found yourself debating whether listening to an audiobook "counts" as reading? You're not alone. Our latest Book Bites episode dives deep into the fascinating divide between audiobooks and physical reading, revealing how our brains process information in surprisingly different ways. Susie and Kylee sit on opposite ends of the reading spectrum – one connects more deeply through audiobooks, while the other needs the physical page to truly absorb a story. This fundamental difference leads ...
We dive into "More Than Life" by Bethany Finger, a YA historical fantasy that follows Lady Cordelia Kimball as she loses everything after her father's death and discovers a hidden world of magic, curses, and her own mysterious origins. • Cordelia (Delia) must adapt to life as a common worker at an inn after losing her status as a lady • Jazz, a mysterious man with a magical ability that makes him forgettable, is secretly on a mission connected to Delia • Their growing relationship is complic...
What makes us turn the page or toss the book? That's the question driving our latest Book Bites mini-episode, where we're pulling back the curtain on the literary devices that either captivate or frustrate us as readers. Kylee and Susie serve up a deliciously honest conversation about romance novel tropes, revealing their reading preferences with unfiltered enthusiasm. For every "second chance romance" that has us swooning (though we'd never give those second chances in real life), there's a...
What happens when your darkest fantasy becomes reality? For trauma nurse Allie, scrolling through her favorite masked man's social media account is the perfect escape after grueling hospital shifts. His mysterious videos are the highlight of her week - until the day she discovers he's broken into her apartment and left his mask on her bed. Most people would call the police. Allie calls it intriguing. Behind the mask is Josh, a skilled hacker carrying the crushing weight of being the infamou...
The haunting stories behind Portland, Oregon's most supernatural locations reveal tragic histories and ongoing paranormal activity that continues to affect visitors and staff today. • The White Eagle bar harbors three ghosts from a tragic love story that ended in three lives lost • Staff at the White Eagle confirm experiencing perfume scents, mysterious objects, and shadowy figures that match historical accounts • The lake at Laurelhurst Park is haunted by the spirit of a woman who drowned i...
We explore our guiltiest reading pleasures and confess the books we love but hide from others in a judgment-free zone – well, almost judgment-free. • Romance books featuring significant age gaps, including the infamous 104-year-old vampire and 17-year-old human love story • Serial killer romances like "The Mindfuck" where anniversary gifts include people who've done bad things • Controversial step-family romances such as Penelope Douglas's "Credence" • Books featuring stalking behavior...
We picked a “festive” thriller and plunge into a snowbound replica town where traps, cameras, and polite gatekeepers turn survival into a rigged game. We track the clues, debate the ethics, and wrestle with a final twist that flips victim and predator. • star ratings split and initial expectations • setup of Eddie’s abduction and the vintage town • forming the group and spotting surveillance • church shelter, booby-trapped “comforts,” and Tank’s death • perimeter search, bear attack, and ris...
