Best Terrible Book Club Podcasts (2024)

1
Second, Ambitions (Book #2 of Last Intentions) by SJ Saunders Patron's Choice - Episode 201 1:26:12

11d ago1:26:12

1:26:12

Julius the Nice Dragon offered us a true Patron's Choice: Return to The Dunks or choose a new path. We still had plenty of iced coffees to trade, so we made the only choice we could as Bostonians. We rarely recommend prerequisites for episodes, but we think you should check out our review of the first book in this series before listening to today's…

1
Sellout October - Pumpkinhead (1988): “We love you Spooky Season!” 1:09:32

5d ago1:09:32

1:09:32

It's the most wonderfully terrifying time of the year! Join the boys as they kick off Spooky Season with the 1988 supernatural horror film Pumpkinhead directed by special effects wizard Stan Winston. The conversation ranges from farm cabins, the Pumpkinhead yogurt connection, cool kills, and Dan’s love for little old witch ladies. Grab a blanket, d…

1
Episode 21 - The Story Sits in Your Bones with Sam Luchsinger 59:37

5d ago59:37

59:37

On this episode, Sam Luchsinger, an eclectic reader and artist, talks about their love of picking up whatever strikes their interest, beautiful book covers, and the joy of reading children’s books into adulthood. They also discuss their love of graphic novels and some tips on how to get into the format that might feel a little overwhelming. Books m…

1
081: Le Podcaste des Vampires 1:15:50

9d ago1:15:50

1:15:50

In this episode, MJ, Sean, and Chadd look the Vampyre, the most bougie of all monsters. Other topics include Interview with the Vampire, Pamplicestousness, and the werewolf apocalypse. And NaNoWriMo, yeah. https://linktr.ee/onriting Oh look, a noble discord link, just for you, dear listener.By On Riting staff

1
Tanya's Island (1980): Finding Terrible Delights 1:12:46

12d ago1:12:46

1:12:46

The story so far: Long after being trapped in an underground abandoned blockbuster movie hole run by a Mole Man, the boys embark on new adventures. With Eric "indisposed," Dan and Greg follow their new friend Handy into the previously unknown sections of their underground home, and they end up in the podcast studio of Bill and Scott, better known a…

1
Episode 20 - Based in Reality with Jordan Cross 49:05

12d ago49:05

49:05

On this episode, Jordan Cross, a resource librarian for a large interior design firm, discusses her love of audiobooks, books that are based on something true, and how memoirs about hard topics are important and meaningful. She also brings a topic to the show that I hadn’t thought to ask about! The big list of books from NPR - best of the year sinc…

1
The Convent (2000): Getting handy 1:01:08

19d ago1:01:08

1:01:08

The story so far: Long after being trapped in an underground abandoned blockbuster movie hole, the boys are in the middle of renovating their recently-destroyed adults-only section of the film selection when a small, adorable friend returns for a visit. The boys deep dive into the 2000's horror-comedy-demon-nun-zombie-thing The Convent! What is it …

1
Episode 19 - I Can't Put it Down with Kathy Donofrio 56:58

19d ago56:58

56:58

On this episode, Kathy Donofrio, an artist from the Chicagoland area, discusses how she came to enjoy reading later in life. She provides some amazing, fun book recommendations, including an impressive laundry list of favorite authors. Also, I finally get to hear the Pope Book story that my mom has been telling me about! Books mentioned in this epi…

1
080: National Ukelele Apology Month (NaUkApMo) 1:15:51

23d ago1:15:51

1:15:51

In this episode, Chadd, Sean, and MJ go through the NaNoWriMo drama, specifically the rancid apology letters and the company's defense of AI plagiarism. Other topics include The AI Mummy, the Imaginary Disability Community, and the inimitable oeuvre of Chuck Tingle. https://linktr.ee/onriting Link! Didn't include it first time, but now it's here!…

1
Fourth Wing Storytime & Terriblo's Choice Awards - Episode 200 Livestream Spectacular 3:09:34

25d ago3:09:34

3:09:34

Chris read Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yaros on his own and retold the plot to Paris on this very special Twitch livestream to celebrate 200 episodes of Terrible Book Club. Afterwards, we bestow honors on the last 100 books over 11 categories in the 2nd edition of Terriblo's Choice Awards. Watch the video version of this episode for free on our Patreon!…

1
The Hand (1981): Fingers of Fear 1:09:02

26d ago1:09:02

1:09:02

The story so far: The boys are gassed and relocated back to the underground movie hole. They decide to take on a renovation project and uncover a not so fresh mystery. This week the boys view The Hand a 1981 American psychological horror film written and directed by Oliver Stone. They discuss boat cucks, stump bumps, old young men, and invent a new…

1
Episode 18 - I'm a Terrible Reader with Stacy Jeziorowski 55:16

26d ago55:16

55:16

On this episode, Stacy Jeziorowski, who is not a terrible reader, discusses her resurgence as a reader after grad school and how thrillers that have kept her on the edge of her seat motivate her to read more. We also discuss our shared favorite, which we both collect, and how amazing the library is as a resource for our lives. The AI generated holi…

1
Beyond Dream's Door (1989): Doors to nowhere are now here 1:03:30

1M ago1:03:30

1:03:30

The story so far: After being trapped in an underground movie hole for months, the boys tried burrowing through the cave walls only to find themselves trapped in an underground sex dungeon. The boys enter a world of dreams after unlocking some dungeon doors and are drawn to discussing the low-budget 1989 film Beyond Dream's Door. While floating aro…

1
Episode 17 - Book Clubs will Save the World with Allison Yates and Fernanda Wetzel 1:05:36

1M ago1:05:36

1:05:36

On this episode, Allison Yates and Fernanda Wetzel come on to talk about their organization, Read and Run Chicago, a book and run club that features specific books with coordinated runs in Chicago. They describe how accessible their organization is, open to anyone who might be interested in participating, and we get to talk about some incredible bo…

1
079: Hustling Samurai 1:08:31

1M ago1:08:31

1:08:31

In this episode, MJ, Chadd, and Sean, see examples of bad writing all around them, it's in the WALLS. Other topics include the NYPD, the most interesting man in WW2, and MJ subtweeting (subcasting?) about her nemesis. https://linktr.ee/onriting C'mon, join the discord, you know you want to!By On Riting staff

1
Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree Patron's Choice - Episode 199 1:01:17

1M ago1:01:17

1:01:17

We finally got around to checking out this 2023 BookTok phenomenon thanks to our Patron Austin, who described Legends & Lattes as, "a cozy and wholesome story about overcoming your past and settling down to...side with the mob threatening to burn down your establishment.” Despite the nerdy theme, the focus today is more on the cozy than the fantast…

1
The Skeleton Key (2005): Creole beignets 1:05:24

1M ago1:05:24

1:05:24

The story so far: After being trapped in an underground movie hole for months, the boys tried burrowing through the cave walls only to find themselves trapped in an underground sex dungeon. Also Dan tried to summon a demon so he got tied up. The boys wander through the locked doors of an old southern home in The Skeleton Key and are SHOCKED at a la…

1
Episode 16 - Library Superuser with Emily McClanathan 58:46

1M ago58:46

58:46

On this episode, Emily McClanathan, a Chicago Public Library superuser, discusses her love of character-driven stories and excellent prose. She also talks about how reading has helped her become a better writer, as she writes both book reviews and theater reviews in Chicago. We get into some shared loves and Emily gets to share a hot take about a b…

1
Brain Damage: Tied down and tripped out 1:18:20

2M ago1:18:20

1:18:20

The story so far: After months of being trapped in an underground VHS rental store, the boys have tunneled to a new underground room. They immediately made themselves comfortable, taking in more films, and discovering hidden magical mysteries. Dan misbehaves and must take a break so Greg and Eric decide to watch a movie. This week’s selection is th…

1
Episode 15 - Percival Everett Fan Club with Ben Ustick 1:00:02

2M ago1:00:02

1:00:02

On this episode, Ben Ustick, the taproom manager at Off Color Mousetrap and I discuss some of our shared favorite books, the excellence of contemporary fiction, and his goal to read Percival Everett’s entire oeuvre this year. Get ready to be shocked yourself when you hear the book that shocked Ben. If you want to visit us at Off Color Book Club, ch…

1
078: 1812 Overture 1:07:47

2M ago1:07:47

1:07:47

In this episode, MJ, Sean, and Chadd look at canon and canonicity as concepts in writing, and how your writing SHOULD NOT think about canon. Other topics include angry MIT fanmail, Spider-man, and James Baldwin. https://linktr.ee/onriting Contribute to the war on Mice here!By On Riting staff

1
Less Terrible Book Club 2024 - Episode 198 2:13:48

2M ago2:13:48

2:13:48

This time, we read stuff NOT for TBC, listened to music, watched TV and movies, and played video games! After a failed guest episode, we had to fill the schedule so we decided to do another recap of the non-TBC books, music, and video games we've enjoyed so far this year like we did at the end of last year. If this is your first time listening to t…

1
The Dead Next Door: Lazy day underground 1:05:35

2M ago1:05:35

1:05:35

The story so far: After months of being trapped in an underground VHS rental store, the boys have found a new underground room to make their home for a bit, despite it's abnormal furnishings. Eric is off on a supply trip, so Greg and Dan (having lied to get out of errands) decide to research satanic cults some more and watch the zombie/cult film Th…

1
Episode 14 - Information is Meant to be Shared with Mawuli Grant Agbefe 43:02

2M ago43:02

43:02

On this episode, Mawuli Grant Agbefe and I discuss his love for fascinating non-fiction, including one of my absolute favorite books ever that he recommended to me in January! We also discuss our shared love of being readers in Chicago, based on the gorgeous places to read and the incredible resource the Chicago Public Library is. Books mentioned i…

1
Black Candles: Scrunchin' in a dungeon 58:25

2M ago58:25

58:25

The story so far: After months of being trapped in an underground VHS rental store, the boys have decided to try tunneling their way out. Following an eerie cry, they break through a wall to find out what's happening... This week, the boys break through into a very peculiar (and potentially fun) satanic dungeon. But we'd never be without movies, so…

1
Episode 13 - Book Hunting with Tanima Kazi 1:00:21

2M ago1:00:21

1:00:21

On this episode, Tanima Kazi, a writer (get her novel here!) who loves language, shares her love of romance novels, favorite parts of her favorite books, and how her day job helps her build ideas for her own writing. She describes how books speak to her and even shares excerpts from her favorite books. Books mentioned in this episode: What Betsy’s …

1
077: Starting Over From Folklore: A System LitRPG Progression Fantasy Story 1:11:30

2M ago1:11:30

1:11:30

In this episode, Sean regales Chadd and Marjorie with the saga of Xianxia, with its roots in folklore to its current dominance of the amazon fantasy bestsellers. Other topics include Chinese Traditional Medicine, Chadd's dating history, and Dragon Ball Z. https://linktr.ee/onriting has everything you need! Except the sources! Chen, Nancy N. Breathi…

1
Cultural Passport: Book 1 by Shivangi Sharma - Episode 197 1:45:03

2M ago1:45:03

1:45:03

A fateful tweet last summer by the author themselves brought this book into our terrible orbit. At first glance, it looked like a short read by someone with expertise in the field they were writing about, so we figured why not? We've never done a travel book on the show! Little did we know: our passports were about to be stamped for a journey on a …

1
Haunting Fear: Let's not get buried alive 59:07

2M ago59:07

59:07

The story so far: After months of being trapped in an underground VHS rental store, the boys have decided to try tunneling their way out. Today, while digging, they begin hearing eerie cries coming through the stone... This week, the boys give their backs a break from all that digging and settle into 1990's Fred Olen Ray-directed, Edgar Allen Poe c…

1
Episode 12 - Establishing Empathy with Mike Finucane 1:09:52

2M ago1:09:52

1:09:52

On this episode, Mike Finucane, a campus minister at a high-school in St. Louis, and I discuss how books can help develop empathy. He also gives a great tip from his dad about how to tackle a large non-fiction text. We also confirm that collecting books shouldn’t be considered a bad habit if you love it. We talk about a lot of really intense books …

1
The Last Broadcast (1998): Movie Hole Confessional 1:02:33

3M ago1:02:33

1:02:33

In an attempt to show what's been going on underground and potentially expose Moleman to the world, Greg starts filming a documentary. Despite watching The Last Broadcast as an example of what he's looking to do, the boys can't really grasp how to properly film a "confessional." Leave us a 30 second voicemail and if we like it we’ll play it on the …

1
Episode 11 - A Series of Series with Rachel Kilthorne 51:17

3M ago51:17

51:17

On this episode, Rachel Kilthorne, a self-processed nerd’s nerd, discusses her love of both fantasy novels and going deep on a subject in non-fiction. She names many series and discusses how she determines when to re-read or when to let go of a series. I also get to go on a soapbox rant about reading diversely, especially in genre fiction. Books me…

1
076: 10 The People 20 Goto 10 1:06:23

3M ago1:06:23

1:06:23

In this episode, MJ brings the Substack, Sean brings the Reddit Cinematic Universe, and Chadd brings the Lightning Round. Other topics include Achilles, the musical response to Danny, and the return of the Character Sheet Fallacy. https://linktr.ee/onriting Is the link. Look, we strongly believe in Brady, but this was a mythic prosecutorial failure…

1
Home Grown Worries by Alex Donahue - Episode 196 1:13:09

3M ago1:13:09

1:13:09

This week we discuss Home Grown Worries by Alex Donahue. We reviewed Alex’s other book, Leon & Chris, back in Episode 114 in 2022; he’s hoping that this is an improvement on that one as this is its spiritual successor. In turn, this episode is our spiritual successor to Episode 114. Once again, Donahue's book has great art for kids and it seems lik…

1
The Laughing Dead (1989): Digging Deeper 1:10:11

3M ago1:10:11

1:10:11

This episode Dan and Eric discover that Greg has been digging a secret tunnel. Greg agrees to take a break and the boys settle in to watch 1989’s baffling horror film The Laughing Dead. They chat about flat earthers, foul mouthed children, and they fact that no one really knows what is happening in this film - at all. Join them as they try to put t…

1
Episode 10 - Weird Does Not Translate to Screen with Rachel Rolland 47:45

3M ago47:45

47:45

On this episode, Rachel Rolland, a hobby-enthusiast, discusses her love for weird books, including two authors with a decently large backlist that I’ve never heard of. We discuss how a book about accounting can help investigate the way we see the world, how some books just shouldn’t be adapted to screen, and her love for the bookstores where she wo…

1
Twister: The Suck Zone 1:12:00

3M ago1:12:00

1:12:00

The story so far: best friends Greg, Eric and Dan have been trapped in a magical underground movie hole decorated like an 80s blockbuster video and controlled by a mole man for months with no end in sight. To escape the monotony of their lives and take a break from movies, they venture into the adjoining dried-up well for some games... Buckle your …

1
Episode 9 - I'm Already Traveling Somewhere with Monika Janas 54:41

3M ago54:41

54:41

On this episode, Monika and I discuss her love of fantasy, she mentions so many series, some longer than others, and we share the joy of staff picks in an indie bookstore. We also talk about the magic of airplane reading and how amazing Libby can be. If you are interested in the Reddit thread Monika mentions, you can find that here. Books mentioned…

1
Mazes And Monsters by Rona Jaffe Patrons Choice - Episode 195 1:29:24

3M ago1:29:24

1:29:24

You may not think you know Mazes & Monsters by Rona Jaffe, but you certainly know its 1982 movie adaptation starring Tom Hanks in his first leading role (which you can watch along with us on our Patreon). We wondered if anyone would ever request this book and that day has finally come thanks to our patron Lucek. Thanks for all of your support, Luce…

1
Peacock King, Godzilla Minus One: ManWitch vs Kung Fu Mister 1:09:56

3M ago1:09:56

1:09:56

The story so far: the boys have been trapped in a magical underground movie hole decorated like an 80s blockbuster video and controlled by a mole man for months with no end in sight. Greg attempts to figure out how to better himself through movie inspiration! It's martial arts against magic as the boys watch Peacock King (1988) to determine which i…

1
Episode 8 - Poetry that Blows the Door off your Brain with Anna Deem 45:52

3M ago45:52

45:52

In this episode, Anna Deem, a high school English teacher in Chicago, and I discuss how seasons of life change our reading habits, her love of poetry, and our definitive shared overrated book. We also discuss the influence of the Beat generation on her writing and end with some excellent recommendations for books she enjoys with her 4-year-old daug…

1
075: Dance Dance Dance 1:03:14

3M ago1:03:14

1:03:14

In this CROSSOVER EPISODE, Final Fantasy, Writing, and Dance combine! Expert Witness MJ presents her case with the assistance of court recorder Sean and Judge Chadd. Other topics include the dream ballet, the history of Modern Dance, and the legend of Bob Fosse. https://linktr.ee/onritingThe Link! This one tells the truth! https://linktr.ee/shoebil…

1
Chatterbox!, The First Omen: Harmonies Below the Belt 1:27:50

3M ago1:27:50

1:27:50

The story so far: The boys have been trapped in the magical underground VHS rental store for months and it's beginning to take a psychological toll. To pass the time, the boys choose to watch the quirky 70’s sexploitation cult classic "Chatterbox," a movie about a woman with a talking vagina. They also dive into the 2024 supernatural horror film “T…

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