Things get downright whimsical this week as the #BookSquad plays Magical Fury with special guest Todd! Join Becky, Kitty, Heather and Hook at North Bay High School as they encounter a ~strange happening~ and transform into magical girls to battle with some unsavory creatures. We'll let you decide who has the coolest magical girl powers after yo ...…

What if women all across the world were suddenly given the power of electricity? The Book Squad entertains this question and so many more as they dive into Naomi Alderman’s speculative alternate history novel “The Power.” Get ready, because we’re going to talk about race, we’re going to talk about gender, and we’re going to talk about erections ...…

Come with the #BookSquad on a not-so-luxurious European vacation to 1950s postwar Naples, Italy to discuss the HBO series My Brilliant Friend. We talk female friendship (and frenemy-ship), toxic masculinity, and the show’s (forgive us) brilliant choices in setting, design, and photography. And of course, we answer the most important question: F ...…

Finish 2018 the right way: with the story of a powerful friendship and #squadgoals. In our final episode of the year, the Squad discusses "Girls Burn Brighter" by Shobha Rao. We talk about the novel’s themes, including grief, light/dark, and hope, as well as Rao’s writing style. We get into what shapes and drives the two main characters, and of ...…

It's time for our second annual End-of-the-Year celebration here at the Book Squad Goals clubhouse. Grab a hot cuppa tea and/or a tall glass of wine and party with us as we go through our favorite things of 2018. And then... we open presents! Sorry, we didn't get you anything. This is awkward. Please don't forget to rate, review, subscribe and ...…

Come with us to the idyllic community of Shaker Heights, Ohio for our discussion of "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng. We discuss whether the novel is character- or plot-driven, which characters were most effective, why the book is set in the 1990s, and more (like which of us were bitchy teenagers). Plus, we read some listener feedback on ...…

Join the #BookSquad — er, #BookCoven — for a not-so-scary look at the new "Suspiria," directed by Luca Guadagnino. We talk about what worked and what didn't work (but mostly what didn't work) in this re-imagining of the 1977 film. Is the dancing good? Why is Tilda Swinton playing so many characters? And most importantly, what would "Suspiria" s ...…

Goodbye, Vitamin and Hello, new episode! This week the Squad discusses the plight of Ruth, a 30-year-old woman caring for her father, who has Alzheimer’s disease in Rachel Khong’s debut novel. We discuss the fickleness of human memory, the switch from cared-for to caretaker, the book’s narrative format, and the overall writing style of the nove ...…

Enter the spoooooky world of Stephen King with The Squad as we discuss the Hulu show “Castle Rock.” Together, we’ll tackle the tough questions, such as: What does it mean to be “evil”? Does this show have too many balls in the air? Is Bill Skarsgård hot or just tall? Why did Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson break up? Plus, stick around for an in ...…

It's October, which means it's time for a spoooooky bookpisode about vampires... or Ina... whatever. In this episode, the squad chats about Octavia Butler's novel "Fledgling," vampire mythology, Anne Rice, current events, politics, unicorn clubs, and much much more. Check it out, don't forget to rate, review, subscribe, and send us e-mails/pict ...…

It's finally here! This week, our long-awaited "Sharp Objects" discussion is finally ready for your ears. (Don't tell Mama.) Joined by special guest and honorary squad member Janet, we get deep into spoiler territory as we chat about the beloved HBO miniseries, currently available to stream in its entirety. Conversation topics include Missouri, ...…

Get out your magnifying glasses because it’s time for a classic detective story as we dive into Tana French’s newest novel, ‘The Trespasser.’ The #BookSquad talks about the mystery genre, the “femme fatale” character type, and subverting expectations in detective fiction. Plus, we answer the question: Just how Irish is this book? (Spoiler: Jays ...…

Souls are being sold all over the place in this #othersode as the squad discusses ‘Jennifer’s Body’ (2009) and Emily interviews Grady Hendrix, author of the forthcoming book ‘We Sold Our Souls.’ In the 2009 horror-comedy ‘Jennifer’s Body,’ the squad (with special guest Mary Kay!) talk about feminism, horror movie tropes, whether Megan Fox can a ...…

What would you do if people started disappearing for no reason? Would you join a cult? Take a vow of silence? Run around barefoot smoking weed? Act like everything was normal? This week on the podcast, the Book Squad delves into this, Spongebob Squarepants, and more as we discuss the novel “The Leftovers” by Tom Perrotta. Plus, we finally get a ...…

Hi, um, sorry to bother you, this is the #BookSquad, and we just want to talk to you about this movie we saw. Listen as we discuss Boots Riley's directorial debut, Sorry to Bother You, starring LaKeith Stanfield and Tessa Thompson. We talk about "white voice," political satire, and that VERY weird thing none of us saw coming. (Yes, there are sp ...…

Drink along with us as the #BookSquad discusses "Super Extra Grande," a short novel by Cuban sci-fi author and metal band member, Yoss. Find out what our metal band personas would be before we delve into some serious misogyny issues in this book. We talk sci-fi tropes, Spanglish, and how the heck a thing can be both giant AND a single-celled or ...…

Join the #BookSquad in the dusty, violent old west as we take on season 2 of HBO's 'Westworld' and spoil literally everything. Find out what "world" squad members want to go to, how we think season 2 compares to season 1, who are favorite characters are, and what worked and didn't work this go-round. Also, what's a robutt? We read some great li ...…

Join us for a deep dive into the case of the Golden State Killer as we discuss Michelle McNamara’s book, “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark.” Joined by special guest and true crime aficionado Stephanie, the Squad covers all of the juicy details of the GSK case, the unique approach McNamara took in blending true crime and memoir, and where our obsession ...…

The Squad returns to a galaxy far, far away to discuss Solo: A Star Wars Story in this othersode. We get into the film's production woes, the reasons behind exploring this particular character, action versus world-building, the fate of the female characters, the dumb spelling of Qi'ra, how this stacks up to recent franchise installments, and TH ...…

If the world as we know it ended today, how would you survive? What would you miss? Who would you be? The squad explores these questions and more in our discussion of Emily St. John Mandel's 2014 novel "Station Eleven." Join us and our special guest Todd (a man) as we wax philosophical, argue about which character is the best, and gush through ...…

Join the #Squad on a deep dive into the world of cyberbullying and spooky Internet things as we discuss the 2014 film 'Unfriended.' We talk about how well the movie's conceit is working, why Blaire is kind of terrible, and the scariest parts of the story (The glitch just typed!). After that, take the "Who is Your Bookish Boyfriend?" quiz with u ...…

The #BookSquad visits SoCal this week as we discuss The Mothers, Brit Bennett's stellar debut novel. We cover motherhood (duh!), guilt, grief, and the like. But have no fear, this isn't a bummer episode! In fact, it's pretty cute. The Squad is celebrating the one-year podversary of #BookSquadGoals, so you'll also get to hear us exchange "secret ...…

Put on your haptic suits and join the Book Squad in Halliday’s OASIS as we discuss the new Steven Spielberg movie, "Ready Player One." We’ve got lots of thoughts and feelings about Parzival, Aech and Art3mis in the movie, as well as in Ernest Cline’s 2011 novel on which the film was based. Plus, the squad gets into some questionable poetry by C ...…

Join the #BookSquad in Pinewood, North Carolina for a not-so-Gatsby retelling of 'The Great Gatsby' in 'No One Is Coming to Save Us' by Stephanie Powell Watts. The squad discusses characterization, pregnancy and motherhood, and the role of memory and the past in this novel. Find out which Squad members liked the book and which ones felt... diff ...…

Join the squad as we journey deep into Area X for our long-awaited discussion of ANNIHILATION! In this episode, we tackle Alex Garland’s trippy adaptation of the Jeff VanderMeer novel, and we ask all of the important questions: What is this film “about”? How does it compare to the book? Does Alex Garland think all relationships take place prima ...…

This week, the squad tackles global warming and animosity between the North and South. Are we talking about the past? Are we talking about the present? Neither! We're discussing America in the year 2073 as the country is in the middle of its second Civil War. Join us as we discuss Omar El Akkad's novel "American War," which gave us a lot of mat ...…

On a very sexy edition of #BookSquadGoals, the squad breaks down the new film "Fifty Shades Freed," the so-called "climax" of the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy. Join us as we discuss the strange plot, the use of ice cream during sex, pop sensation Rita Ora, and the utter lack of chemistry between the film's leads. We take a look at what this fra ...…

Come with us to the glamorous world of old Hollywood as we discuss Taylor Jenkins Reid's "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo." The Squad talks about the narrative framing of the novel, how race and queer sexuality are treated, juicy Hollywood gossip, and the real-life starlets on whom the beautiful and mysterious Evelyn Hugo is based. And what a ...…

2017 was a trash fire at times, but the Squad found joy amongst the garbage in books, music, movies, comedy and podcasts. We each count down our top three pop culture things from 2017 and tell you why they were seriously awesome in their own special ways. (If you were looking for recommendations, you've now got 12 things. You're welcome.) In th ...…

Special guest Mary Kay from "Everything Trying to Kill You" joins the squad to discuss Erika Swyler’s novel "The Book of Speculation." In this episode, we discuss the ins and out of circus literature (which is totally a thing), tarot readings, family curses, and much much more. Plus, we answer your burning questions about "Stranger Things" and ...…

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…four women known as the #BookSquad braved crowded theaters on opening weekend to see the new Star Wars movie: The Last Jedi. Listen as we discuss our favorite Star Wars movies, the best characters (Kylo Ren and Poe, duh), what's up with Luke Skywalker, why Leia is still a badass, how the Force works, a ...…

Dive into the gritty, acid-soaked world of Emma Cline's 'The Girls' with the Squad. Get in the Mansony mood by taking the Which Famous Serial Killer Are You? quiz with us. Then we discuss Cline's writing style and why we love our narrator, Evie, and explore Evie's complex relationships with the various female characters in the book. (Bonus: you ...…

It's time to enter the Upside Down with the Book Squad as we discuss Stranger Things 2. Play some synth music and take the Which Stranger Things Kid Are You? quiz along with us. Then we're talking character arcs, strong female characters, middle school "romance," and 80s pop culture. Don't worry; we do discuss the controversial 7th episode: "Th ...…

What is Borne? Human? Weapon? Flubber?! The Squad discusses Jeff Vandermeer’s "Borne." Join us for the great sci-fi vs. fantasy debate and hear what we think about “The New Weird.” While this book is no Southern Reach Trilogy, there’s still lots of cool stuff going on, including one very questionable twist that shocked Mary in real time. Plus, ...…

The Book Squad explores the tiny yet oh-so-rich world of "Room" by Emma Donoghue. We talk about our favorite Jack-isms, Ma's character, and how we feel about the child narration. We also answer a terrible bookclub discussion question and dive into the real (and really awful) story that inspired "Room." Plus: Emily and Mary review Happy Death Da ...…

Find out what happens when the whole Book Squad finally agrees on a book! (As Kelli says, now we know "what we can all get on board with.") This week the Squad discusses Bryn Greenwood's "All the Ugly and Wonderful Things," and questions their own morals as they root for a very problematic relationship to succeed. Listen as they dissect Wavy an ...…

Join your favorite squad of "losers" on a journey through the sewers of Derry, Maine as we discuss the 2017 film adaptation of Stephen King's "IT." How does Bill Skarsgård's Pennywise compare to Tim Curry's performance in the 1990 miniseries? Why did director Andrés Muschietti give Mike's character so little to do? How many clowns is TOO many c ...…

Can you ever truly know your spouse? The Book Squad tackles relationship conundrums and more as we discuss Lauren Groff’s novel “Fates and Furies.” There’s even a special guest appearance by Ask-A-Man favorite Joe! Plus: We weigh in on BiP/The next Bachelor, read listener feedback about movies that are better than the books, and reveal the luck ...…

The Book Squad supports Susan in the next step of her Harry Potter journey: her official sorting! Find out what house she gets and what the other Squad members are. Plus, Emily interviews Laurel Snyder, author of 'Orphan Island.' They discuss where the idea for the book came from, YA and middle-grade literature, books that make you think, and, ...…

Special guest Adam joins the squad for a discussion of M. R. Carey's "The Girl with All the Gifts." We talk zombie tropes, narrative style, and what it means to be human. We also talk about the movie, which we were led to believe would be better than it was. Plus: five-minute Bachelorette thoughts, what's on the BSG blog, and what's happening i ...…

The Book Squad finally exorcises our anger over "The Couple Next Door" by Shari Lapena, the book we love to hate, in our first ever hate-pisode. This book has everything: baby kidnapping, shoddy detective work, kinky sex games, and, of course, Zoloft. Listen as we throw shade at the mistreatment of mental illness, flat characters, non-thrilling ...…

BBQ. Child Psychology. Group Parenting. Kevin Wilson's "Perfect Little World" has just about everything, but the Squad would really like some more reality show-style trash, please. Join the Squad as we discuss the novel's characters, pacing, and of course, the significance of the almighty BBQ. Plus, the Squad tells you what we're into lately an ...…

The Book Squad dissects the blessed fruit that is Hulu’s 'The Handmaid’s Tale.' Hear our thoughts on the show’s political timeliness and its feminist wins (and shortcomings). We have lots of feelings about Serena Joy, as well as the fabulous red cloaks, and we’re weirded out that Elisabeth Moss is a Scientologist. Spoiler alert: people still re ...…

This week, the Book Squad explores a haunted IKEA-esque furniture outlet in a discussion of Grady Hendrix's 'HORRORSTÖR!' Warning: spooky sounds to follow.1:13 - Introductions - What horror movie subgenre is scariest to you?6:03 - What did we think? General thoughts and Giveaway Info! Official rules here: https://booksquad.ink/giveaway.html17:1 ...…

This week, the Book Squad lands on Planet Ego for a conversation about Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2! Plus, hear our reactions to the first two episodes of the Bachelorette.0:30 - Introductions & quiz time! Take the quiz along with us here: https://www.sweetyhigh.com/read/guardians-of-the-galaxy-vol-2-character-quiz-05051710:18 - General thoug ...…

What is FutureMouse? Are our teeth a part of our identity? And who, for the love of god, is KEVIN? Find out the answers to these questions and more in this week's episode as the squad dives into Zadie Smith's 2000 novel 'White Teeth.'0:20 - Introductions2:41 - Introduction to 'White Teeth' and first impressions17:10 - What is an epigraph? The p ...…

Join the Book Squad on a journey to provincial France for a discussion of Disney's Beauty and the Beast! On their first-ever minisode, Emily, Kelli, Mary, and Susan cover the recent live action adaptation of the story and how it compares to the 1991 classic.Introductions and announcements - 0:50Beastly - 3:29Initial reactions to 2017 adaptation ...…

Books. Pop culture. Doggos and kitties. Four cool ladies trying not to say "like" so much. Join the Book Squad for their first ever episode, a discussion of Jonathan Safran Foer's 2016 novel 'Here I Am'. Introductions - 1:39Summary of 'Here I Am' - 4:39Why did Susan choose it? - 7:25Initial reactions - 8.25Emily in the Google Doc - 22:20Existen ...…