Episode 301: Troubling a Star

Troubling a Star

This week, join Alli and her guest for an exciting voyage to Antarctica… and also for a conversation about Troubling a Star by Madeleine L’Engle. The fifth installment in L’Engle’s beloved Austin Family Chronicles series, the book was published in 1994 and explores subjects of espionage, nuclear waste dumping, drug trafficking, and more. Join the fun as we try to unpack all of it—and don’t be turned off if you’re not familiar with the story. Alli and Elise both read Troubling a Star, and they’re still not sure how much they know about it.

Elise Hu is a journalist, podcaster, and entrepreneur. Host of TED Talks Daily and co-host of Forever 35, Elise also recently published Flawless: Lessons in Looks and Culture from the K-Beauty Capital. Follow her on Instagram @elisewho.

CHECK OUT ELISE’S BOOK HERE!

CHECK OUT OUR PREVIOUS MADELEINE L’ENGLE EPISODES:
Episode 15: A Wrinkle in Time
Episode 184: A Ring of Endless Light

CHECK OUT ELISE’S BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:

What Looks Like Bravery: An Epic Journey Through Loss to Love by Laurel Braitman

Toward Eternity by Anton Hur

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi

Thick: And Other Essays by Tressie McMillan Cottom

MORE READING:

“Troubling a Star, by Madeleine L’Engle” (Pickle Me This, 2019)

“Troubling a Star by Madeleine L’Engle” (Fill Your Bookshelf, 2020)

“Troubling a Star” (Kirkus, 1994)

“Book Review: Troubling a Star by Madeleine L’Engle (1994)” (Read-at-Home Mom, 2014)

“The Creepy Authoritarianism of Madeleine L’Engle” (The Paris Review, 2019)

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Episode 300: THREE HUNDRED! | A Retrospective

THREE HUNDRED! | A Retrospective

Join Alli as she marks the big 3-0-0 with a rare (and unscripted!) solo show. She reflects on why she struggled to plan this special episode, what she’s been thinking about as this milestone approaches, the journey she’s taken with SSR since 2018, and the behind-the-scenes struggles she rarely shares. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! Cheers to 300 episodes!

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Episode 299: The Princess Bride

The Princess Bride

As you wish(ed), listeners, it’s time to unpack all things The Princess Bride. Alli and her guest focus on the 1973 novel by William Goldman but bring in lots of context from the cult classic movie, as well. Adventures, unreasonable beauty standards, metanarratives, beloved characters, and iconic lines abound!

Georgia Clark  is an award-winning, six-times published novelist and performer. She’s the author of Island Time, It Had to Be You, The Regulars, The Bucket List, and others. Her latest novel, Most Wonderful, is now out and ready to claim its spot on your holiday season TBR. Georgia is the host and founder of the popular storytelling night, Generation Women, performing monthly at New York’s iconic Joe’s Pub. She teaches the Romance Workshop, mentors Writers Groups and Storyteller Groups, hosts Writers’ Retreats, and creates the monthly author newsletter, Heartbeat. Follow Georgia on Instagram @georgialouclark.

CHECK OUT GEORGIA’S BOOKS:

Island Time

It Had to Be You

The Regulars

The Bucket List

Most Wonderful

CHECK OUT GEORGIA’S BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:

All Fours by Miranda July

Whoever You Are, Honey by Olivia Gatwood

The Prospects by Kt Hoffman

Fang Fiction by Kate Stayman-London

MORE READING:

“Book Review: The Princess Bride by William Goldman” (Lara’s Wanderings, 2020)

“The Princess Bride: We love the book and the film” (Fantasy Literature)

“The Princess Bride at 50” (Quillette, 2023)

“Book Review — The Princess Bride by William Goldman” (Muse With Me, 2018)

“The Princess Bride: The ‘Good Parts’” (Out of the Box, 2017)

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**Please note that the Bookshop.org links above are affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through these links. Please do not feel inclined to purchase unless you are excited to add these books to your TBR list!**

Episode 298: Tiger Eyes

Tiger Eyes

Almost seven years into SSR, we’ve covered almost all of Judy Blume’s kid lit masterpieces. On Episode 298, Alli and her guest dive into a Blume novel that feels like something of an outlier: Tiger Eyes, which was published in 1981. In it, Judy takes a darker tone, exploring matters of violence, loss, hypocrisy, and mental health. Tune in to learn more about how Tiger Eyes stands apart from the rest of Blume’s beloved backlist and what makes it special.

TW: infertility, gun violence, substance abuse, anxiety, depression

Courtney Preiss is the author of Welcome Home, Caroline Kline. Follow her on Instagram @cocogolightly.

CHECK OUT COURTNEY’S BOOK HERE!

CHECK OUT COURTNEY’S BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:

The Wedding People by Alison Espach

So Thirsty by Rachel Harrison

MORE READING:

“Life in Books: Tiger Eyes” (Much Madness is Divinest Sense, 2010)

“Judy Blume Hits The Big Screen With Tiger Eyes Adaptation” (NPR, 2013)

“Tiger Eyes: Judy Blume’s book and its film adaptation” (American Indians in Children’s Literature, 2012)

“Willa Holland Tells Us All About Starring in the Judy Blume Flick Tiger Eyes” (Teen Vogue, 2013)

“Judy Blume on the Tiger Eyes Film, What She’s Reading, and Why Moms Can’t Get Their Daughters to Read Her Books” (Vanity Fair, 2013)

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Episode 297: Looking for Alaska

Looking for Alaska

At long last, it's John Green time! Episode 297 unpacks Looking for Alaska, the YA superstar's award-winning debut novel. Conversations range from manic pixie dream girls and the male gaze to addiction and the problematic language that made Alli and her guest cringe in 2024.

TW: suicide, addiction, parental loss

Alissa DeRogatis is the author of Call It What You Want. Subscribe to her Substack newsletter Probably Oversharing and follow her on Instagram @alissaderogatis.

CHECK OUT ALISSA’S BOOK HERE!

CHECK OUT ALISSA’S BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:

Old Enough by Haley Jakobson

It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini

OTHER BOOK SHOUTOUTS:

Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld

Magnolia Parks by Jessa Hastings

MORE READING:

“Looking for Alaska” (Kirkus, 2005)

“Book Nook: Looking for Alaska” (Shorewood Ripples, 2022)

“Book Review: Looking for Alaska by John Green” (Of Whiskey and Words)

“Book Review: Looking for Alaska by John Green” (A Paper Arrow, 2019)

“Looking for Alaska by John Green — review” (The Guardian, 2013)

“Looking for Alaska” (School Library Journal, 2005)

“Book Review for Teens: John Green Looking for Alaska” (Your Teen, 2014)

“Book Review: Looking for Alaska” (Sara du Jour, 2014)

“How Hulu’s Looking for Alaska Updates John Green’s Book for a New Generation” (Time, 2019)

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Episode 296: Ramona the Brave

Ramona the Brave

You already know that Ramona Quimby is curious, precocious, hilarious, and bold... but now she gets to be brave, too. On Episode 296, Alli and her guest take a close look at the third book in Beverly Cleary's beloved Ramona series, Ramona the Brave. There's classroom enemies, feminism, craft projects, scary new bedrooms, and big moments of self-esteem. What more could you want?

Jessie Rosen is a writer, producer, educator, and speaker. Her novel The Heirloom is available wherever books are sold. Follow Jessie on Instagram @jessierosenwriter.

CHECK OUT OUR PREVIOUS RAMONA EPISODES:
Episode 18: Beezus and Ramona (with Penny Luksic)
Episode 253: Ramona the Pest (with Kara Alloway)

CHECK OUT JESSIE’S BOOK HERE!

CHECK OUT JESSIE’S BOOK RECOMMENDATION:

There’s Nothing Wrong With Her by Kate Weinberg

MORE READING:

“Beverly Cleary Made It OK To Be A Ramona In A World Of Susans” (BuzzFeed News, 2021)

“How Ramona Quimby Helps Kids Make Sense of This Unstable World” (Literary Hub, 2019)

“Ramona the Brave” (Kirkus, 1975)

“Book Review: Ramona the Brave” (A Journey of Words, 2023)

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Episode 295: WTF #4 | WTF Is My Sign... And What Does It Mean?

WTF #4 | WTF Is My Sign… And What Does It Mean?

Abby and Alli welcome their first-ever guest to the WriTing Friends series for a conversation about the publishing process, astrology, and everything in between.

Carinn Jade is the co-host of Pop Fiction Women and the author of The Astrology House. Follow her on Instagram @carinnjade.

CHECK OUT CARINN’S BOOK HERE!

CARINN’S BOOK SHOUTOUTS:

The Night We Lost Him by Laura Dave

Like Mother, Like Daughter by Kimberly McCreight

Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty

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**Please note that the Bookshop.org links above are affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through these links. Please do not feel inclined to purchase unless you are excited to add these books to your TBR list!**

Episode 294: Someone Like You

Someone Like You

Longtime listeners know that Sarah Dessen books always, always bring the spice and juicy discussion to the podcast. This episode is no exception as Alli and her guest dish about 1998's Someone Like You. The book tackles a lot of issues—and we try to do the same on today's show. Topics include bad boyfriends, intense friendships, losing your virginity, teen pregnancy, and tension between kids and parents.

Aurora Palit's debut novel Sunshine and Spice is now available wherever books are sold. Follow her on Instagram @aurorapalit.

CHECK OUT OUR PREVIOUS SARAH DESSEN EPISODES:
Episode 110: This Lullaby (with Sarah Coquillat)
Episode 145: Keeping the Moon (with Lily Herman)
Episode 194: The Truth About Forever (with Martha Waters)
Episode 200: Just Listen (with Leah Johnson)

CHECK OUT AURORA’S DEBUT NOVEL HERE!

CHECK OUT AURORA’S BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:

They Called Us Exceptional: And Other Lies That Raised Us by Prachi Gupta

Birding With Benefits by Sarah T. Dubb

Isabel and The Rogue by Liana De La Rosa

But What Will People Say? by Sahaj Kaur Kohli

MORE READING:

“Review: Someone Like You” (Ashleigh Online, 2018)

“Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen” (Book Journey)

“Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen” (Stephany Writes)

“Rereading: Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen” (Eustea Reads, 2021)

“Someone Like You | (Re-Read) Review” (Girl in the Pages, 2017)

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**Please note that the Bookshop.org links above are affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through these links. Please do not feel inclined to purchase unless you are excited to add these books to your TBR list!**

Episode 293: The Wanderer

The Wanderer

Jump aboard Episode 293 for a transatlantic voyage on the gorgeous writing of kid lit GOAT, Sharon Creech. This week, it's all about her 2000 Newbery Honor winner, The Wanderer, and the big thinking it inspires. Alli and her guest dive into discussions of trauma, accidental feminism, real-world fantasy, diary-style writing, and so much more.

Charlee Dyroff is the author of Loneliness & Company. Follow her on Instagram @charleedyroff.

CHECK OUT OUR PREVIOUS SHARON CREECH EPISODES:
Episode 52: Walk Two Moons (with Katharine Scrivener)
Episode 141: Chasing Redbird (with Sarah Hogle)
Episode 247: Bloomability (with Kaitlyn Hill)

CHECK OUT CHARLEE’S DEBUT NOVEL HERE!

CHECK OUT CHARLEE’S BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:

Disappearing Earth by Julia Phillips

Weyward by Emilia Hart

All Fours by Miranda July

MORE READING:

“The Wanderer Summary” (LitCharts)

“The Wanderer” (Publishers Weekly, 2000)

“The Wanderer” (Stone Soup, 2016)

“Review: The Wanderer by Sharon Creech #iLoveMG” (The Logonauts, 2022)

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**Please note that the Bookshop.org links above are affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through these links. Please do not feel inclined to purchase unless you are excited to add these books to your TBR list!**

Episode 292: Mary Anne Saves the Day (Baby-Sitters Club #4)

Mary Anne Saves the Day (Baby-Sitters Club #4)

Join Alli and her guest for a trip to one of our favorite settings: Stonybrook, Connecticut—home of the Baby-Sitters Club. This time, the discussion focuses on the fourth book in Ann M. Martin's beloved series, Mary Anne Saves the Day, which is a critical text in the BSC cinematic universe. Tune in to Episode 292 to hear us talk about Mary Anne's day-saving efforts, as well as conflict resolution, crisis situations before cell phones, the big Dawn intro, messages about bodies and beauty, found family, and (as always) so much more.

Afoma Eme-Umesi is a writer, voracious reader, and the founder of Reading Middle Grade, a website dedicated to sharing books for middle grade readers. Afoma loves contemporary realistic fiction and will never say no to a graphic novel. Follow her on Instagram @whatafomareads, check out Reading Middle Grade's Patreon, and sign up for her newsletter.

CHECK OUT AFOMA’S BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

It’s Elementary by Elise Bryant

Bright by Brigit Young

The Color of a Lie by Kim Johnson

MORE READING:

“Mary Anne Saves the Day” (The Baby Sitters Club Wiki)

“BSC Book Club Discussion #4 Mary Anne Saves the Day” (Reddit, 2024)

“Mary Anne Saves the Day” (Goodreads)

“Rereading My Childhood — The Baby-Sitters Club #4: Mary Anne Saves the Day” (Mind Full of Marbles)

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**Please note that the Bookshop.org links above are affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through these links. Please do not feel inclined to purchase unless you are excited to add these books to your TBR list!**

Episode 291: Mockingjay

Mockingjay

At long last, we tackle the final book in the original Hunger Games trilogy: Mockingjay. This is a heavy book, so there's lots to get into in this episode: cycles of violence, the consequences of war, what it means to be a symbol, PTSD, and plenty of moral ambiguity. And it wouldn't be a Hunger Games episode (of course) without a Team Gale vs. Team Peeta debate—and this one gets especially spicy!

TW: suicide, PTSD, trauma

E.B. Asher is the pen name for the writing trio of Bridget Morrissey, Emily Wibberley, and Austin Siegemund-Broka, all of whom have written many books under their own names. This Will Be Fun is their debut novel under the E.B. Asher pseudonym. Follow their work on Instagram @eb_asher.

CHECK OUT OUR OTHER HUNGER GAMES EPISODES:
Episode 134: The Hunger Games (with Old Millennials Pod)
Episode 236: Catching Fire (with Heather McGhee)

CHECK OUT BRIDGET, EMILY, AND AUSTIN’S PREVIOUS SSR APPEARANCES:
Episode 226: The Trumpet of the Swan
Episode 250: Hope Was Here

CHECK OUT BRIDGET, EMILY, AND AUSTIN’S BOOKS:

This Will Be Fun by E.B. Asher

The Roughest Draft by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka

Do I Know You? by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka

The Breakup Tour by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka

That Summer Feeling by Bridget Morrissey

A Thousand Miles by Bridget Morrissey

Love Scenes by Bridget Morrissey

CHECK OUT BRIDGET, EMILY, AND AUSTIN’S BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:

The Villain Edit by Laurie DeVore

The Emperor and the Endless Palace by Justinian Huang

MORE READING:

“Mockingjay: The brilliance of the book and how the movies almost ruined it” (Entertainment Weekly, 2015)

“Mockingjay tops all national bestseller lists with sales of more than 450,000 copies in its first week of publication” (Scholastic, 2010)

“How to teach Mockingjay” (Prestwick House)

“Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins” (The Guardian, 2015)

“Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (Hunger Games: Book 3)” (Fantasy Book Review)

“Why Mockingjay, the messiest and most ambitious Hunger Games book, needed to get out of Katniss Everdeen’s head” (Vox, 2015)

“Book review: Mockingjay” (Los Angeles Times, 2010)

“Why The Hunger Games: Mockingjay is a better book than Catching Fire” (Gizmodo, 2013)

“Mockingjay” (Kirkus, 2010)

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Episode 290: WTF #3 | (Main) Character Energy

WTF #3: (Main) Character Energy

Welcome back to SSR: WriTing Friends! This time around, Alli and Abby are digging a little deeper into one of their favorite elements of the writing process: creating characters. They discuss what inspires their characters, how they create nuanced fictional people, and what it's like to find compassion for antagonists. They also consider the challenges that come with being more drawn to characters than plot and how much their characters resemble themselves.

Follow Abby on Instagram @shmab and @abookwolfe.

BOOK SHOUTOUTS:

Colton Gentry’s Third Act by Jeff Zentner

Such a Bad Influence by Olivia Muenter

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins

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Episode 289: Alone in the Crowd (Sweet Valley High #28)

Alone in the Crowd (Sweet Valley High #28)

It’s been too long since we paid a visit to Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield in good old Sweet Valley, California. Let’s fix that! Episode 289 covers the twenty-eighth installment in Francine Pascal’s beloved series, Alone in the Crowd, a book that explores insecurity, songwriting, the complicated nature of mother/daughter relationships, and rocking chair fundraisers. Alli and her guest find much to clown on here and it’s a truly excellent time.

TW: suicide

One of Alli’s all-time favorite authors is on the pod today! Claire Lombardo is the New York Times bestselling author of The Most Fun We Ever Had—a Reese’s Book Club pick—and Same As It Ever Was. She’s taught at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and works part-time as a bookseller at Prairie Lights. Follow her on Instagram @claire_lombardo.

CHECK OUT CLAIRE’S BOOKS:

The Most Fun We Ever Had

Same As It Ever Was

CHECK OUT CLAIRE’S BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:

James by Percival Everett

Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout

MORE READING:

“SVH #28: Alone in the Crowd” (Sixteen and Perfect Forever)

“Sweet Valley High #28: Alone in the Crowd” (Sweet Valley Online, 2023)

“Lynne Henry” (Sweet Valley High Wiki)

“#28: Alone in the Crowd (or Emo Times at Sweet Valley High)” (Perfect Size Six, 2016)

“Book Review of Sweet Valley High (#21-25) + SVH Super Edition (#02, #04) by Francine Pascal” (Forever Young Adult, 2010)

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BONUS EPISODE: All About Judy Blume!

All About Judy Blume!

This special bonus episode features Rachelle Bergstein, author of the new book The Genius of Judy. In it, Alli and Rachelle cover all things related to SSR queen JUDY BLUME! They chat about Judy's journey to publication, the process of researching her career, their favorite (and maybe least favorite) Judy books, the Blume legacy, feminism, book bans, and more.

Rachelle Bergstein is also the author of Women from the Ankle Down and Brilliance and Fire. Follow her on Instagram @rachellewb.

CHECK OUT RACHELLE’S BOOKS:

The Genius of Judy

Brilliance and Fire

Women from the Ankle Down

CHECK OUT RACHELLE’S BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

What About Men? by Caitlin Moran

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**Please note that the Bookshop.org links above are affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through these links. Please do not feel inclined to purchase unless you are excited to add these books to your TBR list!**

Episode 288: The New Girl (Fear Street #1)

The New Girl (Fear Street)

This week, SSR gets a jump on Halloween festivities with a long overdue trip to R.L. Stine’s Fear Street. Specifically, Episode 288 is all about the first title in the series, The New Girl, in which a lovesick teenager falls for a villain disguised as a manic pixie dream girl. The book takes us into conversations about the horror genre as a whole, stranger danger, friend zoning, missing adults, men’s gymnastics, teen hormones, and more.

TW: potential abuse, dead animals

Claire Kann is the author of several novels—most recently, Looking for Love in All the Haunted Places. She’s an award-winning online storyteller whose favorite stories are the kind about everyday life with just a touch of supernatural in the details. Follow her on Instagram @kannclaire.

CHECK OUT CLAIRE’S BOOKS:

Looking for Love in All the Haunted Places

The Romantic Agenda

Let’s Talk About Love

If It Makes You Happy

The Marvelous

CHECK OUT CLAIRE’S BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming

MORE READING:

“The New Girl” (The Stine Library)

“A Revisit to Fear Street: The New Girl” (The Library Ladies, 2017)

“Fear Street: The New Girl” (Publishers Weekly, 1989)

“7 R.L. Stine Books Fear Street 4 Could Adapt” (Screen Rant, 2023)

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**Please note that the Bookshop.org links above are affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through these links. Please do not feel inclined to purchase unless you are excited to add these books to your TBR list!**

Episode 287: Fearless

Fearless

Colleen McKeegan returns this week to celebrate another book hitting the shelves and to unpack another one of her favorite summer reads from childhood. This time, it's Fearless by Francine Pascal (RIP!)—the first title in a series of the same name that explores the nature of fear, social anxiety, vigilantism, and (of course) the dramas of teenage romance. Alli and Colleen also chat about power dynamics, New York fantasies, Sweet Valley similarities and differences, and more.

Colleen McKeegan is the author of Rip Tide and The Wild One. Follow her on Instagram (@clmckeegan).

CHECK OUT COLLEEN’S BOOKS:

Rip Tide

The Wild One

CHECK OUT COLLEEN’S BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:

Real Americans by Rachel Khong

Such a Bad Influence by Olivia Muenter

Lo Fi by Liz Riggs

The Astrology House by Carinn Jade

Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe

The Coin by Yasmin Zaher

Grown Women by Sarai Johnson

MORE READING:

“Fear the Teenage Ninja” (Readers Lane)

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**Please note that the Bookshop.org links above are affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through these links. Please do not feel inclined to purchase unless you are excited to add these books to your TBR list!**

Episode 286: WTF #2 | Sisterhood of the Traveling Pantsing or Plotting

WTF #2: Sisterhood of the Traveling Pantsing or Plotting

On the second installment of our SSR: WriTing Friends series, Alli and Abby focus on the writing process: plotting, pantsing, and everything in between. They talk about their own approaches to writing fiction, how those approaches might continue to evolve over time, how we learn from characters, the importance of maintaining forward motion in our work, killing our darlings, and more. Abby also shares a milestone moment in her writing journey.

Follow Abby on Instagram @shmab and @abookwolfe.

BOOK SHOUTOUTS:

Play the Fool: A Mystery by Lina Chern

Friends in Napa by Sheila Yasmin Marikar

The Goddess Effect by Sheila Yasmin Marikar

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**Please note that the Bookshop.org links above are affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through these links. Please do not feel inclined to purchase unless you are excited to add these books to your TBR list!**

Episode 285: How to Eat Fried Worms

How to Eat Fried Worms

Let's talk about How to Eat Fried Worms! Thomas Rockwell's 1973 book has never been out-of-print, which is a pretty big deal. On Episode 285, Alli and her guest discuss this little morsel of a novel that really is as simple as its title. They talk about gendered book marketing, how the book might be different in 2024, banned books, betting in childhood, and the expectation for morality lessons in kid lit.

Morgan Matson is a New York Times bestselling author of books for teen and tween readers. Her latest releases are The Ballad of Darcy and Russell and The Firefly Summer in paperback. Follow her on Instagram (@morgamat).

CHECK OUT MORGAN’S LATEST RELEASES:

The Ballad of Darcy and Russell

The Firefly Summer

CHECK OUT MORGAN’S BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:

Ferris by Kate DiCamillo

Where Are You Going, Baby Lincoln? by Kate DiCamillo

Funny Story by Emily Henry

The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center

Good Material by Dolly Alderton

Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson

Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson

MORE READING:

“Book Review: How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell (1973)” (Read-at-Home Mom, 2013)

“How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell Turns 50 This Year. Does It Hold Up?” (Book Riot, 2023)

“Why is the book How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell banned?” (Quora)

“How to Eat Fried Worms” (Kirkus, 1973)

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**Please note that the Bookshop.org links above are affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through these links. Please do not feel inclined to purchase unless you are excited to add these books to your TBR list!**

Episode 284: Uglies

Uglies

By popular demand, we are finally covering Scott Westerfeld's Uglies! Alli and her guests talk about the book's unique place in the broader dystopian genre, consider its lack of diversity, and analyze the many messages it sends about everything from body image and aging to beauty standards and friendship.

This week's guests are Neha and Shruti, the co-hosts of The Novel Tea podcast. They bonded over their love of books in middle school, became best friends, and have been reading together ever since. They started their podcast to diversify and deepen their reading lives and to expand what we all think of as "classics." Listen to Novel Tea wherever you find your favorite pods and follow the show on Instagram (@thenoveltea.pod).

Listen to The Novel Tea on Apple Podcasts HERE
Listen to The Novel Tea on Spotify HERE
Subscribe to The Novel Tea newsletter HERE

CHECK OUT NEHA AND SHRUTI’S BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:

Three Daughters of Eve by Elif Shafak

Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton

MORE READING:

“Uglies” (Publishers Weekly, 2005)

“Uglies” (Kirkus, 2005)

“Uglies by Scott Westerfeld: Paradise vs. Freedom” (Lisa’s Odd Thoughts)

“Uglies - Scott Westerfeld” (Riley Reads YA, 2019)

“The Uglies Trilogy and its messy legacy” (Crow Defeats Books, 2023)

“The Match That Lit the Barrels: UGLIES, 15 Years Later” (Book Riot, 2020)

“Uglies: See what we know about Joey King’s Netflix movie” (Economic Times, 2024)

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Support SSR on Patreon!

**Please note that the Bookshop.org links above are affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through these links. Please do not feel inclined to purchase unless you are excited to add these books to your TBR list!**

Episode 283: Franny and Zooey

Franny and Zooey

This week, SSR takes it all the way back to 1961 for a discussion about a classic: J.D. Salinger’s Franny and Zooey. Alli and her guest talk about the book’s publishing history and deep dive into its content: insufferable men, existential dread, the nature of wisdom, quarter-life crises, and emotional states best shared via AIM away message.

TW: suicide, depression

Sheila is the author of the novels The Goddess Effect and Friends in Napa, which Mindy Kaling called “smart and wildly entertaining… like drinking a glass of wine with an endlessly witty, scandalous friend.” Her work has appeared in many publications, including Vogue, The New Yorker, and The New York Times. Sheila lives in Los Angeles with her husband and you can follow her on Instagram @sheilaym.

CHECK OUT SHEILA’S BOOKS:
The Goddess Effect
Friends in Napa

CHECK OUT SHEILA’S BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:

Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan

Wives Like Us by Plum Sykes

MORE READING:

“J.D. Salinger’s Franny and Zooey: A Review and Analysis” (The Cougar Chronicle)

“A rumination on disillusionment: J.D. Salinger’s Franny and Zooey” (The Stanford Daily, 2020)

“Is J.D. Salinger’s Franny and Zooey posturing or profound?” (The Guardian, 2016)

“Franny and Zooey Book Review: The Paradox of Reason” (Collegium Institute)

Follow SSR on social media!

Instagram // Facebook // Twitter

Support SSR on Patreon!

**Please note that the Bookshop.org links above are affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through these links. Please do not feel inclined to purchase unless you are excited to add these books to your TBR list!**