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BSG #107: Reading: Do You? With Jenna / The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami

June 10, 2025 The Squad

BSG #107: Reading: Do You? With Jenna / The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami

It’s time to read with (?) Jenna again! Join us for a discussion of The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami. We talk about surveillance, the unfortunate parallels to our present moment, the novel’s structure, the characters, and of course, Jenna Bush Hagar and her book club antics. Then we dig into some listener feedback and chat about what’s up next! Watch The Wedding Banquet and tune in on June 24th for our next Othersode featuring Susie Dumond, author of Bed and Breakup! Then read along with us for our next Bookpisode on Megan Abbott’s new novel, El Dorado Drive, on July 8th! Check out our Patreon and consider supporting your fav indie pod for just $3 a month!

Click through for summary, table of contents, and show notes!

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In 9-Podcast Tags Books, Literature, Podcasts
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Othersode #106: Good American Duplass / Good American Family with Mary Kay McBrayer

May 30, 2025 The Squad

Othersode #106: Good American Duplass / Good American Family with Mary Kay McBrayer

Author and pal Mary Kay McBrayer joins us to talk all things Madame Queen, AKA Stephanie St. Claire, mysterious criminal mastermind and numbers genius. Before we jump into discussing Mary Kay’s latest book, Madame Queen: The Life and Crimes of Harlem’s Underground Racketeer, Stephanie St. Clair, we discuss Hulu's Good American Family, another tale of crime, scams, and a case of a misrepresented age. We dig into the story of Natalia Grace, the way this series compares to the documentary and real-life details of the case, and our general affection for Mark Duplass. If you love true crime, organized crime, or really, any old kind of crime, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

On June 10, come on back for a discussion of The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami, and on June 24 Susie Dumond will be here to discuss The Wedding Banquet – and more importantly, her new book, Bed and Breakup!

Click through for summary, table of contents, and show notes!

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In 9-Podcast Tags Podcasts, Television, True crime, Interviews, Books
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BSG #106: Don't Trust the Government / When the Wolf Comes Home

May 13, 2025 The Squad

BSG #106: Don't Trust the Government / When the Wolf Comes Home

None will be spared…when we talk about When the Wolf Comes Home by Nat Cassidy! Join the Book Squad for a chat about this wild ride of a novel—we talk about the action and pacing, horror subgenres, the characters, mom/dad stuff, and goodness vs. badness. Then we finally read some really old feedback from husband of the pod, Ben (sorry about that, Ben). Tune in on May 27 as special guest Mary Kay McBrayer (author of Madame Queen) drops by to talk about her new book and Good American Family (Hulu). Then read along with us for our next Bookpisode about The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami on June 10. Don’t forget to check out our Patreon and leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts while you’re at it!

Click through for summary, table of contents, and show notes!

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In 9-Podcast Tags Books, Literature, Podcasts, Horror
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BSG #105: For Peat's Sake / The Bog Wife by Kay Chronister

April 15, 2025 The Squad

BSG #105: For Peat's Sake / The Bog Wife by Kay Chronister

Get ready to listen to us say “peat” about a hundred times because we’re discussing The Bog Wife by Kay Chronister. We talk about the Haddesley sibling dynamics, the infamous Bog Wife herself, the bog as a character, and of course, generational trauma. Join us and special guest Todd Osborne (husband of the pod) on April 29 for a special one-year celebration of his poetry collection, Gatherer, and a chat about The White Lotus season three. Then read along with us for our next Bookpisode about When the Wolf Comes Home by Nat Cassidy on May 13. Feeling extra supportive this week? Head over to our Patreon and consider supporting us for just $3/month! Don’t forget to leave us a rating and review on Apple podcasts, and we’ll read it on the pod!

Click through for summary, table of contents, and show notes!

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In 8-Podcast Tags Books, Literature, Podcasts
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Othersode #104: Cooch to the Wind / A Scythe & Sparrow Hatepisode

April 3, 2025 The Squad

Othersode #104: Cooch to the Wind / A Scythe & Sparrow Hatepisode

It’s appropriate this book involves a circus because we about to clown on it. Join the squad for a Hatepisode about Brynn Weaver’s Scythe & Sparrow, the third installment in the Ruinous Love Trilogy. After Mary gives us an overview of the other two books, we get a special review of Butcher & Blackbird by Emily’s dad, Charlie. Then we talk about the cringeworthy “trigger warnings” and then spend a lot of time dissecting the “spice,” which is not as transgressive as it thinks it is. After we barely survive this discussion, we get into some listener feedback. Read along for our next Bookpisode about The Bog Wife by Kay Chronister on April 15th. Then join us April 29th for an Othersode about season 3 of The White Lotus, plus a conversation with Todd about his poetry collection, Gatherer. 

Have you read any of the Ruinous Love Trilogy? We need to hear from you. Email us at thesquad@booksquadgoals.com or DM us on social media! Also, are you a patron yet? Support us on Patreon for only $3 a month and get a monthly newsletter of pet photos!

Click through for summary, table of contents, and show notes!

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In 8-Podcast Tags Podcasts, Books, Romance
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BSG #104: All Natalies Grow Up Eventually / Entitlement by Rumaan Alam

March 18, 2025 The Squad

BSG #104: All Natalies Grow Up Eventually / Entitlement by Rumaan Alam

Join us in the depths of the NYC subway system for an accidental hatepisode! We didn’t love Entitlement by Rumaan Alam, but we had a good time talking about billionaires, flat characters, lying to get a cool apartment, and of course, the guy on the subway poking people with a hypodermic needle. Join us on April 1st for an intentional hatepisode about Scythe and Sparrow by Brynne Weaver! Then read along for our next regular Bookpisode on The Bog Wife by Kay Chronister on April 15th!

Click through for summary, table of contents, and show notes!

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In 8-Podcast Tags Books, Literature, Podcasts
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Othersode #103: We're All Just Structures, Man / The Monkey with Samantha Allen

March 5, 2025 The Squad

Othersode #103: We're All Just Structures, Man / The Monkey with Samantha Allen

It’s safe to listen, but whatever you do, don’t wind that monkey! Join us and special guest Samantha Allen, author of Roland Rogers Isn’t Dead Yet, for a fun chat about The Monkey film, based on the short story by our man Stephen King. After discussing cursed toys of our own childhoods, we talk about the horror-comedy genre and how it relates to grief, the family relationships, performances, and our favorite deaths. Read along for our next Bookpisode on Entitlement by Rumaan Alam on March 18th. Then get ready for a special Hatepisode on Scythe and Sparrow by Brynne Weaver on April 1st! (Pure coincidence that it’s on April Fool’s Day. We’re actually very serious about being haters.) Drop us a rating and review, and if you’re feeling extra supportive, head over to our Patreon and become a patron of the pod!

Click through for summary, table of contents, and show notes!

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In 8-Podcast Tags Podcasts, Movies, Books, Horror
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BSG #103: Incidents Around the Tri-County Area / Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman

February 25, 2025 The Squad

BSG #103: Incidents Around the Tri-County Area / Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman

Who’s that talking to you through your AirPods? Is it the Book Squad, or is it Other Mommy? Join us as we discuss Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman. We talk about the novel’s POV and try to figure out what Other Mommy actually is. Plus, Mary gives us a children’s lit lesson! Go see The Monkey and tune in for our next Othersode on March 4th. Then read along with us for our next Bookpisode on March 18th about Entitlement by Rumaan Alam.

We would like to extend an extra special thanks to Benjamin Mitchell for his editorial assistance.

Click through for summary, table of contents, and show notes!

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In 8-Podcast Tags Books, Literature, Podcasts, Horror
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Othersode #102: Clady McHendrix / The Craft with Grady Hendrix and Clay Mcleod Chapman

February 4, 2025 The Squad

Othersode #102: Clady McHendrix / The Craft with Grady Hendrix and Clay Mcleod Chapman

Returning guests and two of our favorite authors, Grady Hendrix and Clay McLeod Chapman, join us to talk about The Craft. We talk about our experience with the film and try to dissect what it’s really saying about witches. Then we have a spoiler-free chat with Grady and Clay about their newest books, Witchcraft for Wayward Girls and Wake Up and Open Your Eyes, respectively. Read along for our next Bookpisode on Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman on February 18th. Then go see The Monkey for our next Othersode on March 4th!

Click through for summary, table of contents, and show notes!

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In 8-Podcast Tags Podcasts, Movies, Books, Interviews, Horror
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BSG #102: I Like Diven / One of Our Kind

February 4, 2025 The Squad

BSG #102: I Like Diven / One of Our Kind

Come with us to a utopian (?) community as we discuss One of Our Kind by Nicola Yoon. We talk about the responses to the book from POC readers (our standard disclaimer: we are white ladies), the book’s ending, class and characters, and comparisons to similar stories. Tune in on February 4 for a special Othersode on The Craft, featuring guests Grady Hendrix and Clay McLeod Chapman. We’ll also talk to them about their newest books, Witchcraft for Wayward Girls and Wake Up and Open Your Eyes, respectively. Then read along for our next Bookpisode about Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman on February 18. There’s still time to enter our giveaway to win three signed books and an audiobook! Visit our Instagram and see pinned post for details!

Click through for summary, table of contents, and show notes!

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In 8-Podcast Tags Books, Literature, Podcasts
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Happy Wedding Day to Mary and Todd! We love you both and can’t wait to watch you tie the knot today! @thefavoritenpc @tadasborne #MaryToddLincoln
On next Monday’s #othersode, we’re taking a deep dive into the history of racism in our country. Read along with us (or listen for free on Spotify!) for our discussion of Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi. Episode drops 6/29! ?
We’re dedicating our next #Othersode to talking about a very important subject. Read along with us for Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi. Episode drops 6/29! 📸: @onegirlreading
Happy Juneteenth! Help lift up Black voices and support Black-owned businesses this week by buying books by Black authors from Black-owned bookstores! (These shops all have online ordering!)📚 Want to share some other Black-owned bookstores? Tell us
Hey, Goalies! Murray and the Squad would like to encourage you to buy books by Black authors this week! Pictured are some of Murray’s top picks (courtesy of @avidbookshop!), but we’d love to hear more of your favorite books by Black autho
Happy New Episode Day! Check out our discussion of Mostly Dead Things by Kristen Arnett — plus a special interview with Erica Boyce, author of Lost at Sea! Available wherever you get your podcasts!

made with love by emily, kelli, mary, and susan. <3 thanks to Katelyn Elaine Photography for our group photos.

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