The Worst Bestsellers

Nov 18 2024 264 ep. 86 mins 5k

The Worst Bestsellers Podcast artwork

Writer Kait and librarian Renata read bestselling books in an attempt to understand their appeal and, barring that, to become the Crow and Servo of the book world. New episodes every other Monday. Visit WorstBestsellers.com for our readers advisory booklists and other fun stuff.

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Episode 254 – Uglies

Nov 18 2024 82 mins

On occasion, listeners have suggested Uglies by Scott Westerfeld as a Flashback Summer title, but since we’re all Crumblies here, we were full adults when this contemporary classic YA dystopian novel was released. Our book club hostess/cult leader Grace joined us to discuss this book that some of us think deserves Best Bestseller status. Listen to this episode while w

Episode 253 – Lessons in Chemistry

Nov 04 2024 93 mins

Our Beloved Patrons voted for us to read Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. We invited a woman in STEM, returning guest Sarah, to join us for this episode. Pour yourself a travel cup of C8H10N4O2 and listen to this episode while walking your dog (who is so well-behaved they don’t need a leash, of course). Content warnings: Sexual assault. Readers advisory: Here. F

Episode 252 – Carrie

Oct 21 2024 97 mins

Hold onto your tampons: we read Carrie by Stephen King. Our friend Nicole returned to the podcast to read this classic horror novel that’s even bloodier than Gerald’s Game. Listen to this episode while honing your telekinetic powers! Content warnings: Religious extremism, child abuse, death of children Readers advisory: Here. Footnotes: Episode 41 – Gerald

Episode 251 – Bride

Oct 07 2024 73 mins

It’s spooky season, and what could be scarier than heterosexual werewolf knotting erotica? The fact that we both might have…liked it? Eek! We read Bride by Ali Hazelwood and we still aren’t sure exactly how we felt about it. Listen to this episode while you give blood. Readers advisory: Here. Footnotes: Episode 201 – The Love Hypothesis How Omegaverse Came

Episode 250 – House of Earth and Blood

Sep 26 2024 93 mins

Thanks to Porter Square Books for hosting our 250th Anniversary live show! And thanks to everyone who turned out in person or for the livestream! If you missed it, or just want to relive it without all that pesky visual input, here’s the audio-only version of that episode. Meredith Goldstein (the Boston Globe’s Love Letters columnist, author of books including Things T

Episode 249 – Crush

Sep 09 2024 95 mins

We’ve come so far from our first episode, and yet we’re still talking about teen vampires with Carrie. Unfortunately, we’re still out of Stephenie Meyer content so we had to read Crush by Tracy Wolff. If the cliffhanger ending of Crave left you wondering how Grace was going to turn back into a human after getting stuck as a gargoyle…well, this won

Episode 248 – The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

Aug 26 2024 75 mins

Hot Evelyn Summer comes to a bewildering conclusion with The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton. We were joined by writer and standup comedian Laura Merli (@passiveabrasive) to discuss this time loop locked room mystery. Fun fact: the American publisher added a 1/2 death to make this title less similar to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Listen to this epi

Episode 247 – The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Aug 12 2024 104 mins

Don’t cry because Flashback Summer is over; smile because Hot Evelyn Summer is beginning! Returning bisexual icon Margaret H. Willison (1/3 of Two Bossy Dames, don’t check the math) joined us to discuss The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. We had a great time unpacking Evelyn’s wardrobe (which is much more substantial than her frame narrative

Episode 246 – Stacey and the Bad Girls

Jul 29 2024 73 mins

Hold on to your sock wine, because we’re ending this year’s Flashback Summer with a real rager! We were joined by Courtney Summers, author of I’m The Girl and other rad books, to discuss Stacey and the Bad Girls (Baby-Sitters Club #87) by Ann M. Martin. Listen to this episode on your way to the big U4Me concert! Readers advisory: Here. Announcement: RSVP f

Episode 245 – Alanna: The First Adventure

Jul 15 2024 103 mins

By popular demand, we took Flashback Summer to the land of Tortall. Rebecca Kim Wells, author of Briar Girls and other great queer fantasy books, joined us to discuss Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce. Put on your purple contact lenses and listen to this episode while you study the blade. Readers advisory: Here. Footnotes: Tamora Pierce name pronunciation Tamora Pierce&