Best Marissa Trarback Podcasts (2024)

1
Which Video Games Don't Need A Sequel | Guitar Hero, Portal, Overwatch 56:38

1h ago56:38

56:38

The Heathens were kind of split on what the topic actually was but they tried it anyways. Some games have amazing endings and some games just aren't great but they both don't need a sequel. Matt didn't understand the assignment, Marissa fights Matt, and Sacco did understand the assignment. Games we talk about this week: Halo, God of War, The Witche…

1
What Video Game Genres You Just Can't Stand | Goat Simulator, Life is Strange, Gran Turismo 50:22

43m ago50:22

50:22

This one kind of got out of hand. We tried to talk about video game genres that we just can't stand/didn't like playing and it got heated! Matt stirs the pot, Marissa wants to hit Matt with the pot, and Sacco gets mad at EA. Games we talk about this week: Life is Strange, Bladurs Gate, The Legend of Zelda, Pokémon, Final Fantasy, Dragon Age, Detroi…

1
Book Nine, Part Two: Chapter 20 to the End of the Novel | Winter's Heart by Robert Jordan 3:04:35

4h ago3:04:35

3:04:35

Another book down, only five (six with the prequel) to go! From wells of magic in a magic-free town to genius plans by our main characters being executed every other chapter, Queens Marissa, Tay, and Alix dive right into this novel. Queens Marissa and Tay decide to ride out a theory until it's impossible to hold on to. Queen Alix tries to direct wi…

1
Reading Challenges: Everything We Love & Everything We Don't | Crossroads of Twilight, Yellowface, Funny Story & More 45:35

2d ago45:35

45:35

Anybody up for a challenge? Reading challenges are popular across TikTok, StoryGraph, and pretty much anywhere you find readers. Megan and Marissa give their thoughts on reading challenges – which ones they love and which ones they can't quite get into. Megan compares reading challenges to playing the Sims and Marissa changes her opinion quickly as…

1
Favourite Snacks To Munch On While Gaming | A Little to the Left, Vampyr 1:00:28

7d ago1:00:28

1:00:28

After a week off due to illness, the Heathens are back and as chaotic as ever. Sometimes when you play video games for hours on end you need something to eat and drink. This week we discuss our go to bevs and snacks while gaming. Matt helps Marissa, Marissa gets interrupted, and Sacco is unhinged. Games we talk about this week: NHL, Madden, FIFA, F…

1
Book Nine, Part One: Prologue to the end of Chapter 19 | Winter's Heart by Robert Jordan 3:37:17

12d ago3:37:17

3:37:17

In this episode, some theories are made, others are proved wrong and discussions are had. Queen Marissa has something to say about the accuracies of the weather conditions, Queen Tay wants to know the others favourite flavour of ice cream and Queen Al is just so excited to see all her very favourite characters come together in a single storyline. T…

1
Let's Talk About BookTok 2.0 W/ Alix Calfa | Sarah J. Maas, Colleen Hoover, Robert Jordan, And More 1:03:32

16d ago1:03:32

1:03:32

Alix Calfa joins us for a surprise guest episode! Marissa and Alix discuss BookTok – and, in fact, all things about books online. The readers tackle discussing good recommendations and poor ones, as well as some of the more popular BookTok books and whether they are worth the read. As always, we start the podcast with some of our more recent reads.…

1
A Re-Introduction To The Heathens 53:54

22d ago53:54

53:54

We are back!!!! Welcome back to your weekly dose of chaos featuring Matt, Marissa, and Sacco. This week we are doing a quick re-intorduction about the Heathens. A nice way to ease back in. Matt has a preferred name, Marissa wants t-shirts, and Sacco has a lot of friends. Games we talk about this week: Final Fantasy, Spider-Man, Halo, Dragon Age, Ba…

1
Book Eight, Part Two: Chapter 17 to the End of the Novel | The Path of Daggers by Robert Jordan 3:57:47

22d ago3:57:47

3:57:47

Another book down! The Queens finish Book 8, The Path of Daggers by Robert Jordan, and discover that the slog might be at least a little real. After debating the timeline, the Queens discuss everything from Elayne's judgemental POVs to exactly what fanfiction they want someone to write. Queen Alix rants over the start of her least favourite storyli…

1
Our Favourite – And Most Remarkable – Bookmarks | Bookmarks, Notation, Dog-Earring, And More 51:37

1M ago51:37

51:37

Do you use bookmarks? Marissa and Megan discuss the most remarkable bookmarks they've had over the years. From American one-dollar bills to a leather marker with a flower that seems one petal short, both readers talk about whether or not they use them, what will count as a bookmark, and whether dog-earring is ever an option. We start the podcast wi…

1
Book Eight, Part One: Prologue to the end of Chapter 16 | The Path of Daggers by Robert Jordan 3:28:27

1M ago3:28:27

3:28:27

The Queens officially begin the slog, but with the power of friendship they are sure to make it through. From screaming to get through the Gateway, to screaming not to kiss her there, the Queens have a lot to talk about despite a slow moving plot. Queen Tay pulls out her map to make a theory, Queen Al tries to figure out what Alliandre did with her…

1
A Mid-Series Recap of Books One Through Seven of The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan | Theories, Q/A's, and A Game 3:32:22

2M ago3:32:22

3:32:22

Gather round, young adventurers, for we have a story recap for you! We are officially (but not literally) halfway through the series – if we don't count the prequel. To celebrate, we're reviewing everything we've read so far in The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. From the first moments we stepped into Eamon's Field to the last moments we saw…

1
Top Tips to Getting Out of A Reading Slump | Book Clubs, Reading Challenges, DNF-ing & More 49:14

2M ago49:14

49:14

Slumps suck. Reading slumps extra suck. Every avid reader has been through one reading slump or another and, while sometimes they are inevitable, there are some ways to get through them without losing your mind. Marissa and Megan discuss their experiences with their own reading slumps, and all the top tips they have to prevent them. From reading ch…

1
Book Seven, Part Four: Chapter 34 to the End of the Novel | A Crown of Swords by Robert Jordan 4:48:29

2M ago4:48:29

4:48:29

We'd like to emphasize our trigger warnings throughout book seven. To avoid rape and sexual assault discussions, please see the timestamps at the bottom of this description. Take care of yourselves, and we thank you for listening! Book seven is finally closed! But, before The Queens can put this baby on their shelves, we've gotta discuss the good, …

1
Our Top Villains In Literature | Dracula, President Snow, Sauron & More 46:23

2M ago46:23

46:23

Everybody loves a good villain. From the most sinister non-human entities to the humans we start to empathize with, we've got all the best baddies from books we've read. We start with a classic President Snow and end with an even more classic villain who will suck your blood, and we hit every bad guy in between. We start the podcast with our most-r…

1
Book Seven, Part Three: Chapter 25 to the End of Chapter 34 | A Crown of Swords by Robert Jordan 3:07:42

2M ago3:07:42

3:07:42

We'd like to emphasize our trigger warnings throughout book seven, and particularly for this episode. Given the frequency of certain content throughout this book – rape and sexual assault, in particular – we are putting out a blanket warning for this episode. Please expect rape and sexual assault content throughout the whole podcast. The Queens hav…

1
Top And Bottom 3 Games From The Past 4 Years | Hades, Hot Wheels Unleashed, Cyberpunk 2077 1:06:30

2M ago1:06:30

1:06:30

On the eve of the Heathens taking a short break, we thought it would be a good idea to look back at the past 4 years and give a short list of recommends and do not recommends. We will continue posting podcasts starting June 26 and will continue to stream and monitor the discord in the meantime. Matt is chaotic, Marissa agrees with Matt, and Sacco h…

1
Best Scenery In Video Games | Bioshock, Tomb Raider, Cyberpunk 2077 52:18

2M ago52:18

52:18

With the advance of technology comes an advancement in what developers can build for us to explore and adventure through. The heathens look back at their favourite video games and discuss the environments and sceneries that they fell in love with. Matt interrupts everyone, Marissa stands up for herself, and Sacco has trouble speaking. Games we talk…

1
Book Seven, Part Two: Chapter 11 to the End of Chapter 24 | A Crown of Swords by Robert Jordan 3:15:39

2M ago3:15:39

3:15:39

The Queens begin the seventh book of the Wheel of Time series, A Crown of Swords. We'd like to emphasize our trigger warnings throughout book seven. Please see the trigger warnings below and keep yourself safe. Welcome back to Book 7. As Elayne falls in the Queens' eyes, we follow the crew as they braid each other's hair in the dark and negotiate a…

1
Our Favourite Autobiographies & Memoirs | Vivek Shraya, Jennette Mccurdy & More 49:05

2M ago49:05

49:05

From the rawest insight into people's lives to illuminating spotlights on important issues, biographies and memoirs can leave a long-lasting impact. In this episode, Marissa and Megan discuss their favourite memoirs and autobiographies. Marissa discusses several dancer and a few artists' memoirs, while Megan talks about reading about therapy and de…

1
The Hardest Video Game Boss Fights | Destiny, FTL, Cuphead 58:26

2M ago58:26

58:26

Sometimes the topics are straightforward, like this one and still Matt gets confused/pedantic. This week the heathens talk about the video game boss fights that gave them the most trouble. Matt tries to clarify the topic, Marissa loves a good challenge, and Sacco plays nerdy games. Games we talk about this week: God of War, Kingdom Hearts, Final Fa…

1
Book Seven, Part One: Prologue to the End of Chapter 10 | A Crown of Swords by Robert Jordan 2:48:50

3M ago2:48:50

2:48:50

The Queens begin the seventh book of the Wheel of Time series, A Crown of Swords. We'd like to emphasize our trigger warnings throughout book seven. Please see trigger warnings below. In the aftermath on Dumai Wells, our friends return to find someone upon a throne that is not theirs. Meanwhile in Salidar, Egwene receives some blackmail. In this ep…

1
Chicken Noodle Soup Of Video Games? | Minecraft, Kingdom Hearts, Jade Empire 50:57

3M ago50:57

50:57

Matt is sick and couldn't think of a topic so Sacco came to the rescue? What is your chicken noodle soup video game aka what games do you play when you're sick or feeling down? Also in a rare occasion, we talk about some news! Matt is coughy, Marissa has a different opinion, and Sacco talks about ads. Games we talk about this week: Big Brain Academ…

1
Book Six, Part Four: Chapter 45 to the End of the Novel | Lord of Chaos by Robert Jordan 4:27:58

3M ago4:27:58

4:27:58

Let the Lord of Chaos reign – finally! The Queens wrap up the sixth book in Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series, Lord of Chaos. Along this adventure, we get a little serious discussing some more sensitive topics that are coming up. Please see the trigger warnings below. We start with Perrin and Faile marching into Camelyn to meet Faile's paren…

1
Poetry 101: Top Tips for Getting Into Poetry | Lang Leav, Shakespeare, Dickinson, Plath & More 1:00:18

3M ago1:00:18

1:00:18

Welcome to Poetry 101. Marissa is a big poetry buff, and this week we're discussing all our best tips for getting into poetry. Throughout this podcast, Marissa and Megan share their experiences with poems and poetry – and give you all the reasons why you shouldn't be scared of them, no matter what your high school English teacher made you feel. Fro…

1
Favourite Feature In Video Games | Diablo, Ghost of Tsushima, Ratchet and Clank 1:01:07

3M ago1:01:07

1:01:07

After a bit of chaotic clarification on what the topic actually is the Heathens discuss what their favourite features are from the video games of their past. Matt finally segues, Marissa gets interrupted, and Sacco knows how to spell segue. Games we talk about this week: Stardew Valley, NHL, Grand Theft Auto, Burnout, FIFA, Minecraft, Baldur’s Gate…

1
Book Six, Part Three: Chapter 31 to the End of Chapter 44 | Lord of Chaos by Robert Jordan 3:23:57

3M ago3:23:57

3:23:57

Guess what adventurers? We have a new Amyrlin Seat. The Queens continue along on their journey through the sixth book in Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series, Lord of Chaos. Along this adventure, we get a little serious discussing some more sensitive topics that are coming up. Please see the trigger warnings below. We also had some technical is…

1
Most Memorable Boss Fights In Video Games | Baldur's Gate, Spider-Man (2000), Fable 1:11:19

3M ago1:11:19

1:11:19

Not every game has boss fights but if a game does have boos fights then it needs a super clever, well-planned boss fight. This week we look back at our vast history of video games and discuss our most memorable boss fights. Matt struggles with segways, Marissa is obsessed with Baldur's Gate, and Sacco feels attacked. Games we talk about this week: …

1
Book Six, Part Two: Chapter 16 to the End of Chapter 30 | Lord of Chaos by Robert Jordan 3:27:02

4M ago3:27:02

3:27:02

Let the Lord of Chaos reign... soon, we hope. The Queens continue along on their journey through the sixth book in Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series, Lord of Chaos. Along this adventure, we get a little serious discussing some more sensitive topics that are coming up. Please see the trigger warnings below. We also make a little boo-boo with …

1
Spring Gaming | Dirt Rally, Life is Strange, Sonic The Hedgehog 1:02:21

3M ago1:02:21

1:02:21

This one got surprisingly heated for a podcast about springtime. But anyway, here we are at the precipice of Spring and we are talking about the games that have that Springy vibe. Matt only draws Batman, Marissa gets heated, and Sacco feels attacked. Games we talk about this week: Monster Jam, Dirt Rally, Sonic The Hedgehog, Animal Crossing, Starde…

1
Book Six, Part One: Prologue to the End of Chapter 15 | Lord of Chaos by Robert Jordan 3:06:26

4M ago3:06:26

3:06:26

When one Wheel of Time book closes, another is opened. The Queens embark on the sixth book in Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series, Lord of Chaos, and they are here to talk about it. What is a prologue? Is dancing less work for women? Queen Marissa puts two degrees to use in order to answer our questions. Queen Tay finds out that her experience…

1
All About Apex: Legends 1:08:14

4M ago1:08:14

1:08:14

This is a game that we know quite a bit about because we play it all the time! We take a deep dive into the history and details of Apex: Legends. Matt doesn't listen, Marissa made a lot of notes, and Sacco remembered something Marissa didn't. Games we talk about this week: Apex Legends. Like our content? Find more Crowned Heathens content on Facebo…

1
Book Five, Part Four: Chapter 43 to the End of the Novel | The Fires of Heaven by Robert Jordan 4:13:02

4M ago4:13:02

4:13:02

Another book: completed! The Queens finish reading book 5, The Fires of Heaven, in Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series, and they have a lot of thoughts. The Queens battle out theories while the characters fight in too many battles to count. Be prepared to (maybe) wave goodbye to a beloved character – as well as several forsaken – and also say …

1
Best Book Recommendations We've Given Each Other | Iron Widow, Lore Olympus, Throne of Glass & More 59:24

4M ago59:24

59:24

Will we hurt each other's feelings? You'll have to listen to find out! In this episode of The Book Jar Pod, Megan and Marissa discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly of the books they've recommended to each other over the years. From some classic recommendations like Sabriel and Iron Widow to some newer ones like Emma and Throne of Glass, expect to…

1
20 Questions Video Game Edition | Borderlands, Pokémon, Stardew Valley 1:29:01

4M ago1:29:01

1:29:01

Well, this was more chaotic than we thought it would be. This week we decided to play another game and tackle 20 questions but with video games, characters and objects. Again if this was an enjoyable experience please let us know in the discord and we'll do this again! Matt came prepared, Marissa gets stumped, and Sacco asks fun questions. Games we…

1
Book Five, Part Three: Chapter 29 to End of Chapter 42 | The Fires of Heaven by Robert Jordan 3:16:38

4M ago3:16:38

3:16:38

Things are heating up – and cooling off. The Queens continue reading book 5, The Fires of Heaven, in Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series, starting with some confusion of the week's homework. From there, Queen Marissa reveals her newest mindset while confessing that she may or may not have been struggling in previous episodes. (Tell her you did…

1
What Is Your Golden Age Of Video Games | Wii Sports, Midnight Club, Animal Crossing 51:41

4M ago51:41

51:41

Many of us have grown up through various console generations each of which offered a very different gaming experience to the last. This week we take a trip down memory lane and revisit our video game golden ages. Matt has a stroke of genius, Marissa lives in the present, and Sacco wasn't in a Nintendo family. Games we talk about this week: The Lege…

1
Book Five, Part Two: Chapter 15 to End of Chapter 28 | The Fires of Heaven by Robert Jordan 3:10:04

5M ago3:10:04

3:10:04

And the books keep coming. The Queens continue reading book 5, The Fires of Heaven, in Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series, starting with a discussion on whether or not Queen Marissa is truly doing okay. (We think she's mostly fine.) Queen Tay questions whether or not we'll ever get the answer to a mystery that's been bugging her since book 3.…

1
Let's Catch Up On Our Most Recent Reads! | Silver in the Bone, The Wheel of Time, Cruel Illusions & More 1:14:29

4M ago1:14:29

1:14:29

Megan is back! And we have some book talk to catch up. Marissa and Megan go through their most recent reads – all 25 books they've read since they've last met. From Heartstopper and Fly By Night to The Fires of Heaven and The City of Brass, join your fave readers as they rate and discuss all the books they've read to start this year. We end the pod…

1
Video Game Jeopardy | Baldur's Gate, Ratchet and Clank, Portal 46:47

5M ago46:47

46:47

Welcome to the Crowned Heathens Jeopardy special. In a twist to the usual trivia podcasts that we all love so much, we decided to try a new format this week. We had a blast with this one and hope you do too! Matt struggles to segue, Marissa is our gracious host, and Sacco tries his best. Games we talk about this week: Final Fantasy, Halo, Apex Lege…

1
Book Five, Part One: Prologue to End of Chapter 14 | The Fires of Heaven by Robert Jordan 3:09:59

5M ago3:09:59

3:09:59

Book five is officially underway! The Queens start book five, The Fires of Heaven, in Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series, jumping right into the story with a trip to the Amyrlin Seat's office. Queen Tay reveals who she's been imagining Nynaeve as this entire time. Queen Marissa is tiring quickly of the misogynistic starts to the novels. And Q…

1
What Makes A Video Game DLC Good? | EA FC, The Sims, Zoo Tycoon 57:59

5M ago57:59

57:59

The Heathens are sick this week so be warned. But anyway, DLCs are crazy these days. There are a lot of different types of DLC from microtransactions to huge expansion packs. What makes a DLC worth it? Matt is a pirate, Marissa is sick, and Sacco is more sick. Games we talk about this week: FIFA, EA FC, The Sims, Zoo Tycoon, Age of Mythology, Desti…

1
Fave Female Characters in Books w/ Alix Calfa & Tay Andresen | The Poppy War, Stormlight Archive, Sabriel & The Hunger Games 50:07

5M ago50:07

50:07

Let's have some girl talk. And by girl talk, we're talking about our fave girlies in books. To top it off, Marissa is joined by both Alix Calfa and Taylor Andresen, from our sister podcast, The Queens of Fantasy. The three readers discuss an abundance of amazing female characters they've read in novels. From Sabriel and Katniss Everdeen to the lead…

1
Book Four, Part Four: Chapter 45 to End of the Novel | The Shadow Rising by Robert Jordan 3:23:22

5M ago3:23:22

3:23:22

Another book down. And only ten, no wait, eleven more to go! In this episode, the Queens finish off book four, The Shadow Rising, of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series and discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly. From the chilling moments in The White Tower to the long, laboured adventures in Eamon's Field, the Queens dive into this one head …

1
Linear or Non-Linear RPGs | Minecraft, The Witcher, Grand Theft Auto 54:58

5M ago54:58

54:58

In this episode, we spend the first half deciding what the topic actually is. Anyways, we talk about all the different types of RPGs and what we like and don't like. Matt has a type, Marissa gets annoyed, and Sacco has sugar. Games we talk about this week: Final Fantasy, Fable, Lord of the Rings: The Third Age, Dragon Age, God of War, The Last of U…

1
Book Four, Part Three: Chapter 31 to End of Chapter 44 | The Shadow Rising by Robert Jordan 2:49:38

5M ago2:49:38

2:49:38

Your Queens are back to present part three of Book Four, The Shadow Rising. Queens Tay and Marissa discuss Perrin and Faile's turbulent and almost-cute-until-its-not relationship, Aviendha's unique wingman-ing, and the most uncomfortable encounter between Elayne and Thom that involves way too much mustache grabbing. Oh, and Rand does stuff too. Pro…

1
Must Have Customization For RPG Video Games | Kingdom Hearts, The Legend of Zelda, Cyberpunk 2077 54:48

5M ago54:48

54:48

We all want to express ourselves in our unique ways, especially in video games. When you get the option to customize your character we all have things that we need to be able to change to feel satisfied with our options. This week the Heathens talk about their must-have customizations. Matt struggles, Marissa chose violence, and Sacco self-deprecat…

1
Book Four, Part Two: Chapter 16 to End of Chapter 30 | The Shadow Rising by Robert Jordan 2:54:16

6M ago2:54:16

2:54:16

Please Note: We experienced some technical difficulties with Taylor's audio this week. We apologize for the inconvenience and hope you still enjoy this episode! We're back with part two of book four – and our Queens have a lot to discuss. We've got biblical connections, rising tensions, more misogyny, and a growing plot, which, of course, means mor…

1
Let's Talk About BookTok w/ Alix Calfa! | Twilight, ACOTAR, Sarah J. Maas, Fourth Wing & More 53:11

5M ago53:11

53:11

Another week, another guest. Alix Calfa, from our sister podcast, The Queens of Fantasy podcast, joins Marissa to discuss a truly industry-changing social media platform: BookTok. Both Alix and Marissa point out the good, the bad, the ugly, and the inspirational aspects of such a whirlwind force as BookTok is. We mention fave creators, fave book re…

1
Great Video Games We Porbably Won't Play Again | The Last of Us, Cuphead, Star Wars 56:58

6M ago56:58

56:58

Lots of spoilers for the games listed below!! The Heathens have played a lot of video games and some are great adventures. But some adventures are great only once. This week Matt, Marissa, and Sacco talk about the games that they liked and would recommend but would never play again. Matt tries to segue, Marissa has some string opinions, and Sacco i…

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Marissa Trarback Podcasts

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