The Worst Bestsellers

  Did you ever wish you could read something that was kinda like Harry Potter, but with way more graphic torture and sexual assault? No? Well, apparently a whole lot of people did want that, because Alchemised by SenLinYu is a huge bestseller. We discussed it with our long-suffering friend Nicole. Before you listen to this episode, please give us $1. I think you’ll all agree that we earned it. Content warning: Discussion of Harry Potter (and its transphobic author); also sexual assault, death, torture, pretty much any grimdark type of content warning you could imagine, this book probably has. Readers advisory: Here. Footnotes: “Alchemised: how Harry Potter fanfic went mainstream” by Chas Newkey-Burden “What Is ‘Manacled’? Everything to Know About the Viral Fan Fiction By ‘Alchemised’ Author SenLinYu” by Maddie Ellis Manacled & Alchemised Direct Character List on Reddit Original Manacled Fanfiction link on Internet Archive SenLinYu on Tumblr Daniel Radcliffe Responds to J.K. Rowling’s Tweets on Gender Identity Coming up next: Twilight by Stephenie Meyer.

  Lock up your children and manuscripts: we read Verity by Colleen Hoover. We were joined by Renata’s cherished friend Jake to discuss this BookTok sensation. Listen to this episode while you sand the teeth marks out of your headboard. Announcement: Please join us on Friday, October 9th at 6:30pm for our special 300th episode live show! We’ll be discussing Twilight with Meredith Goldstein. It will be free to attend at Porter Square Books and also livestreamed for those who can’t make it in person. Content warning: This book and our discussion of it contains the death of children. Readers advisory: Here. Footnotes: Episode 213 – It Ends With Us Overdue Episode 607 – Slammed Verity movie trailer “Steak ‘n Shake’s new chief MAHA officer: We’re going ‘back to the glory days of fast food’” by Sophie Brams Grammarphobia on Realtors Coming up next: Court by Tracy Wolff.

Get in losers, we’re going All The Way to the River. We read Elizabeth Gilbert’s latest book with guest Jack Lawler of Work.Retire.Die, The Daily Friday, and The Daily Friday podcast. If you’ve heard anything about this book, you’re probably wondering: did this lady try to kill her wife or what? Well, you’ll have to listen to the episode to find out! Readers advisory: Here. Footnotes: Episode 209 – Eat Pray Love “Elizabeth Gilbert opens up about sex, drugs and codependency in a new memoir” by Tonya Mosely “My Once-in-a-Million-Years Love Story” by Elizabeth Gilbert “Elizabeth Gilbert’s Latest Epiphanies” by Jia Tolentino Gavel of Justice sound Coming up next: The Company of Vengeful Crows by Lana Pecherczyk.

  Are you guys looking for an absolutely addictive psychological thriller with a jaw-dropping twist? Well, great news: we read The Housemaid by Freida McFadden. Even greater news: we were joined by Rax King, author of Tacky and Sloppy, and cohost of the Low Culture Boil podcast! Listen to this episode while you clean your house–or better yet, while someone else cleans your house. Readers advisory: Here. Footnotes: The Housemaid movie trailer Coming up next: The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown.

Are you perhaps looking for a perfectly pleasant podcast? Well, unfortunately, we read Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay. We were joined by artist, poet, and Kait’s roommate KL (they/them) to unpack all of Dexter’s astonishingly awkward alliteration. Listen to this episode while arranging your Barbie crime scene dioramas. Readers advisory: Here. Footnotes: “Surprise, Motherfucka” Vine Jeff Lindsay AMA on Reddit Dark Passenger Origins Skip Hollandsworth for Texas Monthly How Sociopaths Actually Act by Patric Gagne Coming up next: Mate by Ali Hazelwood.