Interview with Karen Salyer McElmurray

August 12, 2020 The Squad

magic for liars.jpg — BSG #44: Four Brunettes and a Book / Magic For Liars / Interview with Karen Salyer McElmurray

Things get a little magical this week as the Book Squad discusses "Magic for Liars" by Sarah Gailey. We cover the inevitable comparisons to those *other* books set in a magical school, how this book works as a mystery novel, and how we feel about our narrator, Ivy. Then, Emily interviews Karen Salyer McElmurray, author of "Wanting Radiance." Later, we dig into a little listener feedback and catch up on what’s happening on the #BookSquadBlog. Rent "The Secret Garden" for our next #Othersode on August 24th, and read along with us for our next #Bookpisode on "We Set the Dark on Fire" by Tehlor Kay Mejia on September 7th!

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

Poetry and War in Ghost of Tsushima

August 9, 2020 Mary

Ghost of Tsushima, a new game developed by Sucker Punch Productions and produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, places players in the shoes of Jin Sakai, a 13th-century samurai hoping to liberate his island home from the clutches of the invading Mongols. The game plays much like other “map games,” inviting players to explore the island and find interesting collectibles along the way. Many aspects of the game are customizable; you can change your armor, your bow color, your weapons. You can even pet foxes that helpfully show you the way to shrines. The game is beautiful, with lush fields of pampas grass and surprisingly detailed NPCs. It’s a fun game.

But today, I’m not here to tell you how fun Ghost of Tsushima is. I’m here to talk about poetry.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia's Mexican Gothic: What Did I Just Read?

August 7, 2020 Emily

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You might remember your friends here at #BookSquadGoals reviewing one of Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s previous novels, Gods of Jade and Shadow, in a podcast episode. This book… is not that book. This one is very different.

One of the things that is so intriguing to me about Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s work is her willingness to try different genres. Gods of Jade and Shadow is a play on Mayan mythology set in Mexico during the jazz age. Earlier this year, she came out with a thriller novel called Untamed Shore. And in this, her SECOND novel of 2020, Moreno-Garcia taps into gothic horror.

But was it any good? And what does it mean for something to be Mexican gothic? And can I manage to talk about this book without spoiling anything? And what the heck did I just read?

My answers to follow. And yes, I am going to try to avoid spoilers here. Wish me luck.

“Say Hi Intrepid Heroes!”: Dimension 20 Takes Actual Play RPG Shows to the Next Dimension?!?!

August 2, 2020 Todd Osborne

If you’re like me, you love a good actual-play RPG show.

But first, a crash course: an actual-play RPG show is a podcast, Twitch stream, or otherwise recorded content of people playing a role-playing game (usually, because it is the biggest and most popular, Dungeons and dragons a.k.a. D&D). There may be some editing to keep things moving, but in general it is just a group of friends playing D&D, whether they be nerdy-ass voice actors, brothers with their dad, or a bunch of sketch and improv all-stars gathering around a lushly designed set.

The Great OCD AMA: Answering Your Questions about Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

August 1, 2020 Susan

Between a global pandemic, racial violence, and the fact that this is also an election year, it’s no surprise that many of us who experience mental illness are feeling heightened symptoms. I’ve seen more and more people being open about their experience with mental illness on social media this year, and that openness is something I think is important for others to see, whether they have also experienced it or not.

In the spirit of vulnerability, I opened up my DMs on Instagram a few weeks ago to shed some light on my own experience with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

Quarantine Got You Down? VIVARIUM Won't Help

July 29, 2020 Emily

Hello. We’re four months into the Coronavirus takeover of America. I know a lot of people in this country have decided that “we have to move on with our lives” and that “Coronavirus is here to stay.” So they’ve just been vacationing, going to bars, attending Chainsmokers concerts, and what have you. But that’s not the reality in our household right now. Some days the closest I get to an outing is sitting on my porch and staring at the parking lot. Yeah, it sucks. But this is the reality the other half of Americans who aren’t “moving on with their lives” are going through.

So to spice things up, my husband and I have been having movie nights just to give ourselves something to look forward to. This past week, we watched Vivarium, a 2019 film directed by Lorcan Finnegan, written by Garret Shanley, and starring Jesse Eisenberg and Imogen Poots.

Oh boy. Spoiler-free review to follow.

Othersode #43: Phantom of the Suburbs / Hamilton!

July 27, 2020 The Squad

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

Indian Matchmaking, Marriage, and the Isms it Ignores

July 22, 2020 Mary

It’s an open secret that I love trashy reality TV shows, especially things like the Real Housewives franchise and 90 Day Fiancé. These shows require such little brainpower, and they work well as background noise for other activities like cross stitching (my favorite) or making grocery orders. I don’t have to absorb every second of RHONY to know that Tinsley is having another meltdown. Michael and Angela will still be just as problematic if I return from the bathroom after missing their scene. So when I saw that Netflix had released a new reality show titled simply Indian Matchmaking, I knew I had to at least try it.

Cut to three hours later, when Netflix is gently asking me if I’m still watching. You know I am, Netflix. You know I am.