82: Memoir Meets Poetry "In the Dream House"
A memoir on a queer abusive relationship might not sound like a must read, but Carmen Maria Machado's "In the Dream House" takes a poetic approach to realizing she's being abused and overcoming her situation. The Busy Girls talk about this interesting take on a memoir and why it's a must read.
1hr 3m Apr 01, 2024
1hr 3m
81: Middle Eastern Meets Fantasy in "The Jasad Heir"
"The Jasad Heir" has a lot of classic fantasy tropes but takes place in a setting more akin to Egypt. It's a fresh setting and focused heavily on kingdom politics. Plus, it's a grumpy-grumpy main character mashup.
59m Mar 25, 2024
59m
80: Life Meets Art in "Open Water"
"Open Water" is a sort of lyrical narrative that talks about the Black experience. The poetry aspect can be a bit hard to get into, but the book is short. Does it make it worth the read?
57m Mar 18, 2024
57m
79: The Trouble with Celebrity Memoirs and Prince Harry's "Spare"
Celebrity memoirs are a tough one to discuss. Should every celebrity have one? Should editors be kind because they're famous? Prince Harry's "Spare" gives the Busy Girls a lot to discuss.
1hr 16m Mar 11, 2024
1hr 16m
78: An Interview with Lauren Puckett-Pope of "ELLE"
The Busy Girls are joined by Lauren Puckett-Pope, staff culture writer at ELLE, to hear about how she chooses which books to cover for the magazine and her watchlist for 2024. Books summary: https://www.busygirlspod.com/post/special-guest-elle-staff-culture-writer-lauren-puckett-pope-makes-her-book-recommendations-for-2024 Lauren's bio: https://www.elle.com/author/223910/lauren-puckett/ 2024 F...
1hr 12m Mar 04, 2024
1hr 12m
77: SJM Stans Flummoxed after "House of Flame and Shadow"
Your resident SJM stans have a lot to process after the release of Crescent City 3: "House of Flame and Shadow." Do we still love her books? Yes. Was this her finest work? Listen and find out.
1hr 25m Feb 26, 2024
1hr 25m
76: The Reading Order Debate of "Assassin's Blade"
Katelyn's sister joins the Busy Girls to talk Throne of Glass' "Assassin's Blade" and where the short story compilation should fit into the series.
1hr 4m Feb 19, 2024
1hr 4m
75: Novelty or Nonsense? A Deep Dive Into "Bunny"
In one of the most polarizing episodes yet, the Busy Girls discuss TikTok sensation "Bunny" with the help of a special guest. This is new age horror, but does it deliver what it sells?
1hr 42m Feb 12, 2024
1hr 42m
74: A Fresh Breath in Fantasy with "Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries"
If you love a whimsical tale of adventure into the realm of fae but are tired of the same cookie cutter fantasy we've been getting, Heather Fawcett brings a breath of fresh air with "Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries." Jane Austen lovers will enjoy this fantasy with a historical fiction tone and some dark academia thrown in.
1hr 8m Feb 05, 2024
1hr 8m
73: Love and War in "Ruthless Vows"
The sequel to Rebecca Ross' "Divine Rivals" picks right back up in "Ruthless Vows." The end to the YA duology has been long awaited, but mostly by adult readers. Does the wartime romance strike the right note in the end?
53m Jan 29, 2024
53m
72: Fantasy and Fanfic in "The Hurricane Wars"
The Busy Girls love a good enemies to lovers fantasy novel with a dark brooding MMC and a sassy FMC. Does "The Hurricane Wars" qualify? Or is it just some Star Wars fanfic?
1hr 3m Jan 22, 2024
1hr 3m
71: The Long-lived Popularity of "The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue"
V.E. Schwab turns what you think will be a cautionary tale into one of personal growth and resilience in this tale about making a deal with the devil. "The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue" continues to be highly reviewed, so the Busy Girls finally give it a go.
53m Jan 15, 2024
53m
70: Quickening the Pace with "Queen of Shadows"
It's Sarah J. Maas part...??? We lost track. If you're still with us, Queen of Shadows is a huge turning point in the Throne of Glass series. The books keep getting longer and the plots multiply, so there's a lot to discuss.
1hr 17m Jan 08, 2024
1hr 17m
69: Busy Girls Book Club Awards 2023
It's that time! We take a look back at the best, worst, most overhyped, prettiest, etc. books we've read all year. AND we choose a Busy Girls Book of the Year. Thank you for a great 2023 and we can't wait for 2024!
1hr 6m Jan 01, 2024
1hr 6m
68: Return to the Hunger Games with "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes"
Every millennial was caught in the throes of Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games trilogy. Now, a prequel to the series has been turned into a movie. So, if you're the kind of person who needs to read the book before seeing the movie, is it worth picking up "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes?" The Busy Girls do not agree on this one.
1hr 9m Dec 25, 2023
1hr 9m
67: Tentatively Entering the Cosmere with "Tress of the Emerald Sea"
Brandon Sanderson has millions of fans, and it feels like nearly that many books. The Busy Girls dive into his Cosmere with cozy fairytale "Tress of the Emerald Sea." Does it live up to the hype from the fandom?
1hr 10m Dec 18, 2023
1hr 10m
66: Iron Flame: Unhinged
THIS WHOLE EPISODE IS SPOILERS. Let's hear it for the TikTok girlies and their collective brain power. The Busy Girls are going to bring you BookTok like you've never seen it. Rebecca Yarros left us with too many questions at the end of Iron Flame, so time to figure it out.
59m Dec 11, 2023
59m
65: The Reign of "Iron Flame"
If you haven't read "Fourth Wing" by Rebecca Yarros, you probably live under a rock. Book two is here, and *oh boy* do the Busy Girls have a lot to discuss. Holy cliffhanger.
1hr 13m Dec 04, 2023
1hr 13m
64: Gaining Real Momentum in "Heir of Fire"
In the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas, it's the third book that really gets things going. The world gets so much bigger in "Heir of Fire" and new characters are introduced. Is this the best one in the series?
48m Nov 27, 2023
48m
63: A Little Depressed after "A Little Life"
So many trigger warnings. "A Little Life" is the Busy Girls' most anticipated episode - mostly because it's been nearly a year in the making. It's a beast of a book to tackle. So, is over 800 pages of complex trauma worth it?
1hr 22m Nov 20, 2023
1hr 22m
62: Crimes of Gods and Men in "Medusa's Sisters"
Lauren J.A. Bear's debut novel is a doozy. "Medusa's Sisters" is a unique - and graphic - retelling of the Greek myth of gorgon Medusa, told from the perspective of her two sisters. Hold on tight for this one.
56m Nov 13, 2023
56m
61: "Crown of Midnight" and The Trope That Must Not Be Named
We are back to Sarah J. Maas' Throne of Glass series with "Crown of Midnight," book two in the tale. It's pretty much a two-book set up to the rest of the series, so is it worth it to be stuck in the prologue so long?
53m Nov 06, 2023
53m
60: "Lone Women" and a Guest Expert on Black Horror
It's the Spooky Season 2023 finale! The Busy Girls are joined by Unbound & Rewound Horror Podcast host Avery Coffey to discuss themes of Black Horror in Victor LaValle's "Lone Women."
1hr 37m Oct 30, 2023
1hr 37m
59: "Bright Young Women" and the Power of a Name
Jessica Knoll's "Bright Young Women" is a fictional story based on the Ted Bundy case. While his name is never used in the story, other true pieces of information from the case are. So is Knoll really reclaiming the story of the victims? The Busy Girls are split.
1hr 17m Oct 23, 2023
1hr 17m
58: Hard to Digest Themes in "Tender is the Flesh"
Trigger warnings x1,000. This book is about the meat industry - if the only edible meat were other people. While the thematic writing of this book is genius, it WILL leave you feeling sick to the stomach. So is it worth the read? Will you need therapy? This might be the best Busy Girls discussion to date.
1hr 31m Oct 16, 2023
1hr 31m
57: The Colorful Culture of "Cemetery Boys"
Aiden Thomas lends a voice to the trans, queer, Latinx community in YA urban fantasy, "Cemetery Boys." The Busy Girls dive into the world of the brujx and talk about representation and whether YA correctly carries the message.
57m Oct 09, 2023
57m
Busy Girls Bonus: September 2023 Recap
The Busy Girls have the latest from Rebecca Yarros, Jessica Knoll, Elena Armas and Rick Riordan in this Busy Girls Bonus.
3m Oct 02, 2023
3m
56: "The Dead Romantics" Spooky Season Kickoff
Romance, comedy... death? What more could a girl want. To kick off a full October of spooky themed episodes, the Busy Girls tackle Ashley Poston's "The Dead Romantics." A ghostwriter can see ghosts and a handsome editor starts to cause her some trouble. What could go wrong?
59m Oct 02, 2023
59m
55: "Divine Rivals" Dominating YA Fantasy
Many people in a "Fourth Wing" reading slump have turned to Rebecca Ross' "Divine Rivals." This is a YA story, so there's less spice. But is it still worth it? Does it fill the void?
1hr 1m Sep 25, 2023
1hr 1m
54: "A Broken Blade" and BookTok Authors
A book dedicated to BookTok? Nothing sounds more perfect for the Busy Girls Book Club. Melissa Blair's "A Broken Blade" plays to every fantasy girl's wishes while doing so much more. It somehow wraps up tricky topics like alcoholism, persecution of indigenous people and self-harm into a fantasy novel. Trigger warning implied - it's a complicated read.
1hr 8m Sep 18, 2023
1hr 8m
53: A Haunting Tale of Secret Society in "Ninth House"
Dark Academia meets Urban Fantasy on Yale's campus in Leigh Bardugo's "Ninth House." The Busy Girls enjoy the Grishaverse, but what about this totally separate series from Bardugo?
1hr 21m Aug 28, 2023
1hr 21m
52: Dark History Meets Urban Fantasy in "Legendborn"
For a YA novel, Tracy Deonn's "Legendborn" has a lot of very mature topics. Trigger warnings: racism, rape, loss, etc. And the very brilliant main character deals with that all while becoming part of an Arthurian legend. The Busy Girls have high praise for this YA novel.
1hr Aug 21, 2023
1hr
Busy Girls Bonus: August 18, 2023
In this Busy Girls Bonus we talk latest fantasy news, publishers spoiling their own books and what book is coming soon to TV.
4m Aug 18, 2023
4m
51: One Year of Busy Girls Book Club
The Busy Girls Book Club has been around for one whole year! Thanks for listening and laughing with us as we take on social media's biggest books. Join the hosts for some fun games looking back on the year and the things we've read and said.
1hr 59m Aug 14, 2023
1hr 59m
50: Hitting Close to Home with "Happy Place"
If you're around the age of 30, then "Happy Place" by Emily Henry might be a bit of a punch to the gut. The struggles of the characters hit a little close to home. But does the emotion of the book excuse leaning heavily on rom-com tropes?
1hr 1m Aug 07, 2023
1hr 1m
49: Love, Loss and Mystery in "The Christie Affair"
Katharine's mom joins the Busy Girls for a discussion of Reese's Book Club pick "The Christie Affair" by Nina de Gramont. This book is historical fiction imagining what happened in the very real 10 days where author Agatha Christie disappeared with no explanation. It's told from her husband's mistress' perspective and tackles war, loss, PTSD and the dark side of Irish orphanages. It also includ...
1hr 26m Jul 31, 2023
1hr 26m
48: Tricky Topics in "Trial of the Sun Queen"
BookTok is doing its best to fill the SJM void. Another attempt to help fantasy readers is "Trial of the Sun Queen" by Nisha J. Tuli. It's another trial-based fantasy book with sexy fae men. However, there are some very dark undertones with some topics that need a trigger warning.
59m Jul 24, 2023
59m
47: Turning to "Throne of Glass"
In the ACOTAR void, many people are recommending turning to Sarah J. Maas' other series, "Throne of Glass." But it may be a really abrupt switch for people expecting more of the same who end up reading YA. So, the Busy Girls tackle the first book and the namesake of the series.
55m Jul 17, 2023
55m
46: "Love on the Brain" and a Return to STEM Romance
STEMinism and STEM romance was such a hit last time, so it had to make a comeback. This time with Ali Hazelwood's "Love on the Brain." The Busy Girls all agree they prefer it to "Love Hypothesis," but that comes with some caveats.
48m Jul 10, 2023
48m
45: The "Fourth Wing" Phenomenon
If you are on social media at all, even if it's not book social media, you've heard about "Fourth Wing" by Rebecca Yarros. This is the most viral book in years. So of course the Busy Girls had to read and review. You'll definitely want to jump on this one.
1hr 13m Jul 03, 2023
1hr 13m
44: Getting Weird with "Gideon the Ninth"
Space necromancers. Do we have your attention? Diving into Tamsyn Muir's "Gideon the Ninth" is confusing, but worth it? The adventures of Gideon and Harrow are crude and comical, yet written with sophisticated language. This is a weird one, but the Busy Girls are intrigued.
51m Jun 26, 2023
51m
43: The Strange Success of "The Secret History"
What causes a book written in 1992 to suddenly become a lingering BookTok sensation around 2022? "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt is quite the curiosity for that reason. This episode gets down to the answer, and provides a Busy Girl first.
56m Jun 19, 2023
56m
42: Big Bowl Energy in "Six Crimson Cranes"
The stakes are high and the food is good in "Six Crimson Cranes" by Elizabeth Lim. A princess is aided by a dragon to break a curse on her and her brothers, and while the adventure is somewhat predictable, it's incredibly wholesome. This YA fantasy read is a good discussion to listen in on, no matter your age.
1hr 1m Jun 12, 2023
1hr 1m
41: The Trouble with Duologies in "The Ashes and the Star Cursed King"
Carissa Broadbent's second Crowns of Nyaxia book had a lot to live up to after the smashing success of the first. While still a good fantasy book, the hosts pick apart what could have been improved had the books not been a duology within a series.
52m Jun 05, 2023
52m
40: Back to Crescent City with "House of Sky and Breath"
If you thought the Busy Girls were out of SJM books to review, you were wrong. The second book in the Crescent City series has one of the greatest cliffhangers of all time. Plus a whole lot of other stuff that is hard to even remember because so much happens.
58m May 29, 2023
58m
39: Playing Through the World of "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow"
What does Shakespeare have to do with video games? Are some things truly unforgivable? Is it character development or a trauma dump? These are all things the Busy Girls discuss in Gabrielle Zevin's "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow."
1hr 5m May 22, 2023
1hr 5m
38: "The Serpent and the Wings of Night" and the New Fantasy Craze
Talk about a BookTok viral sensation... Carissa Broadbent's "The Serpent and the Wings of Night" has all of the fantasy girlies in a chokehold. If you're tired of waiting on SJM to pump out another ACOTAR book, this one's for you. It's a totally unique story, but it will scratch that fantasy itch.
1hr 7m May 15, 2023
1hr 7m
37: "Carrie Soto is Back" and so is TJR
The Busy Girls are back in the world of Taylor Jenkins Reid's "Famous Four" with "Carrie Soto is Back." Can you read a book all about tennis if you don't enjoy the sport? Is it possible to overcome the pressures society places on you do to gender, age or race? Time to dive in.
59m May 08, 2023
59m
36: Between Genres with "Babel"
"Babel" by R.F. Kuang has been incredibly popular on BookTok for several months now - so of course it was time to dive in. This book is LONG and written by a very smart author. So buckle up. It's not for everyone.
1hr 9m May 01, 2023
1hr 9m
35: Diving into Crescent City with "House of Earth and Blood"
She's baaaaack! Sarah J. Maas has more than one series, so you can bet the Busy Girls will keep reviewing her writing. If you liked ACOTAR, you'll want to pick up the Crescent City series. The hosts have a lot to say about this one.
59m Apr 24, 2023
59m