Terrible Book Club

Scribando tackles a rare author Patron's Choice this week which we tend not to do that often, since most authors and publicists just fire off an email to any podcast with the word "book" in it and want to be a guest on the show. However, our Patron Jeff seemed to get what was going on here. When asked if he understood the show, he replied: "Honestly, after I had listened to a handful of random episodes both recently and a couple years ago, I think my book might just be on brand for your brand...the book is like an onion with layers and at its core it might be either sweet or stinky depending on your mood that day. I have attached one of the songs from the upcoming album I am going to release soon...after giving it consideration let me know if you want to tackle it." Well, Jeff, it's an honest try - and you did join the Patreon, so technically within the bounds of patron requests! In addition to our usual barnyard language, today's episode includes discussion of addictions of all kinds. TBC is an AI-free produ

Sometimes you go to a pool party. Sometimes, that pool party also has a car with a trunk full of books. This was one of those books.  Resources & References: The Vampire Myth and Christianity by Dorothy Ivey Addictive Religion: Midnight Mass, Dracula, and the Prosperity Gospel by Alyssa Johnson Important Show Update: This episode was mostly edited, but did not go through our final editing process because, most unfortunately, Scribando's laptop was lost in Canada yesterday. If any of you live in or near Montreal, we wouldn't mind some help retrieving it (seriously)! The show may need to take on a different character for a few episodes while we get our bearings to deal with this major loss of material. We were about to wrap up recording for the entire year in early June, so we may be faced with re-recording episodes or pivoting entirely for now and re-recording them later. In the meantime, we greatly appreciate your patience and sacrifices to Terriblo to remedy this.

This is the continuation of Episode 240. If you haven't listened to that, please go back and do so because otherwise this isn't going to make a ton of sense. If you've ever wanted TBC to be a sleepy podcast to help you drift off into dreamland, you're in luck this episode and the next! Scribando worked really hard on this one but it is really just him retelling history, both real and imagined. Our Patron Miles submitted this as his Patron's Choice this season saying, "This book was originally published online via the website Alternatehistory.com and then was later given an actual published release. Much like a lot of stories on that site, it's broken up into various segments detailing how things have changed leading up to a certain point. I suppose the best way to summarize this book is "What if Mussolini was Stalin?" Because he's very much still a dictator in this universe but he ends up becoming a US ally here and then rules for quite a while...I'll also say that this book contains a personal pet peeve of m

If you've ever wanted TBC to be a sleepy podcast to help you drift off into dreamland, you're in luck this episode and the next! Scribando worked really hard on this one but it is really just him retelling history, both real and imagined. Our Patron Miles submitted this as his Patron's Choice this season saying, "This book was originally published online via the website Alternatehistory.com and then was later given an actual published release. Much like a lot of stories on that site, it's broken up into various segments detailing how things have changed leading up to a certain point. I suppose the best way to summarize this book is "What if Mussolini was Stalin?" Because he's very much still a dictator in this universe but he ends up becoming a US ally here and then rules for quite a while...I'll also say that this book contains a personal pet peeve of mine when it comes to alternate history, namely that the point of divergence, the moment where things truly become different, basically boils down to a moment

We're back, we're sober, and another Boston book has appeared on our digital doorstep! Now That You Have Seen Me was submitted to the show by the author herself sometime over the last two years. Every once in a while it's fun to experience Boston-based fiction and it's been a little bit since we've dealt with an unreliable narrator, so we thought we'd take this for a spin this season. In addition to our usual barnyard language, today's episode includes discussion or mention of drug use, severe mental illness, sex, and just a dash of racism and a pinch of some phobias we gotta' talk about a little bit. TBC is an AI-free production. Audio by Oselka Sound.

At last, we give you the final episode in our alcohol-fueled quadrilogy. Our wonderful Patron Beastwiththeleast mailed us this book of their own free will. Thoroughly in debt to them and their glorious book packages, we selected this one for review this year especially for our dear Beast. As we are far from being biblical scholars ourselves, we're desperately trying to summon Dan McClellan for an assist here to provide a fact check for our own sanity. In addition to our usual barnyard language, today's episode includes discussion and consumption of alcohol (your hosts are intoxicated after sampling cocktails from the book we reviewed two episodes ago in your timeline, but have yet to record in ours) along with a whole lot of Christianity. TBC is an AI-free production. Audio by Oselka Sound.

It's another alcohol-infused episode of TBC. Our long-time Ko-Fi Patron KiwiThing requested this book for 2026, so we were obliged to enter TRELLAND - the mishapen world that bubbled forth from a crucible of literary confusion, where popular video game franchises were melted down with Euopean fairytales and random writing exercises! In addition to our usual barnyard language, today's episode includes discussion and consumption of alcohol (your hosts are intoxicated after sampling cocktails from the book we reviewed last episode in your timeline, but have yet to record in ours). TBC is an AI-free production. Audio by Oselka Sound.

You've heard of feminism, right? ... you wanna' drink it? You may recall us saying that we were a bit tipsy in the first episode of this season and would be for a whole four episodes in service to a later terrible book. Today, you meet that book. In addition to our usual barnyard language, today's episode includes discussion and consumption of alcohol (your hosts are fairly intoxicated after sampling several cocktails from the book). Be forewarned that there's a big ol' vulnerable bummer section where we discuss the death of our family member from 1:54 - 12:49 before the episode properly beings at 12:50. Bookbarella's Amaretto Surprise For the mocktail version, simply omit the Disaronno For a stronger drink, add 1 part of an orange liqueur (e.g. Grand Marnier) 1 part Disaronno 1 part freshly juiced orange (mandarin, clementine, - whatever you have) 1 part freshly juiced lemon 10 pomegranate arils (or however many your heart desires) 1/2 part pomegranate juice 6 oz. Polar seltzer flavor of choice (Cranberry L

It wouldn't be a new season of TBC without a Victorian visit from the Antiques Freaks! Dig your Carnacki Bingo cards out of storage and enjoy a live reading of The Story of the Beetle Hunter by Arthur Conan Doyle, all set to the impeccable scoring and sound design talents of Oselka Sound. If you'd rather hear a properly acted, serious version of this story, please check out the Gothic Tales audio book narrated by Gary Furlong. In addition to our usual barnyard language, this episode includes irreverant and sexual humor and some bad Victorian ideas and opinions.

Scribando and Bookbarella return! We're a little tipsy for the first four episodes of the season in service to a future TBC episode, so this one is perhaps not our greatest season opener. We try and fail to do a little scientific thinking around particle and quantum physics and sing a fake song for your amusement, though, so there's that. Special Thanks to: Ken from Antiques Freaks for narrating our cold open for this season Lightwitch/Courtney Brooke Hall for our new photos Greylord's Hoard for our new logo and graphic design Links & References: The Multiverse is real. Just not in the way you think it is. | Sean Carroll You can find many episodes about particle physics and other quantum topics we mentioned on Daniel & Kelly's Extraordinary Universe podcast: What is a particle? Time travel fiction Unraveling misleading popular science How to make sense of quantum entanglement Focus playing Hocus Pocus on NBC in 1973 (introduced by Gladys Knight!) In addition to our usual barnyar

Thank you to our Patron One In A Thousand who requested this week's book! They wrote in to us earlier this year, saying: "...At some point in your lives, you've probably experienced media that you felt was ALMOST really good, but for whatever reason it just wasn't, and media that was almost really good can be just as frustrating as outright bad media because you can see that it just needed a little bit of fixing. That's how I felt about The Third Force. It's a tie-in novel to an obscure Japanese multimedia franchise from the 90's called Gadget...Marc Laidlaw was given a lot of creative freedom to write his own interpretation of the story, including more worldbuilding and character development, to mixed results...Laidlaw has confirmed that several characters and plot points from this book went on to inspire elements of the Half-Life series, which he became the lead writer for a couple years after writing this...In a way, The Third Force is almost like a rough first draft for ideas that Laidlaw would execute in

It's winter up here in the northern hemisphere, so why not explore a fluffy memoir that flirts with self-help specifically for the season? Get a nice blanket and a stuffed creature, a hot beverage, maybe light a candle or incense or perhaps even a fire, and snuggle in. Take care of yourselves out there - make that doctor, dentist, therapist, etc. appt you've been avoiding! In addition to our usual barnyard language, today's episode includes discussion or mention of injury, surgery, mental health struggles, and alternative treatments for health and wellness. References & Resources: National Institute of Health - Help for Mental Illnesses 988 Suicide & Crisis Hotline: Chat Online for Free

Terry has been dead for a few years now, but it's clear that he controls Chris from beyond the grave with a Rada'Han because Chris begged Paris to read yet another Sword of Truth novel this year. The suffering is turned up to 11 as we're both crushed beneath a block of fantasy plot swiss cheese. Even though it's more holes than cheese-plot, it still hurts because the holes have spikes, in Goodkind fashion. In addition to our usual barnyard language, today's episode includes discussion or mention of abuse, sexual assault/coercion, sex worker murder, slavery, and pandemics. Other episodes in this series: Blood of the Fold (Sword of Truth #3) by Terry Goodkind (2020) Stone of Tears (Sword of Truth #2) by Terry Goodkind (2017) Wizard's First Rule (Sword of Truth #1) by Terry Goodkind (2015) Our commentary on the first season of the ABC adaptation of these books, the Legend of the Seeker, is is available on our Patreon

The time has come. It was inevitable; at last, we submitted to the will of Terriblo, listeners, and fate to bring down the evil monarch and find our destined mate - I mean, bring you our review of A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, popularly known by its acronym of ACOTAR. To ease us through this experience, I've brought my emotional support Emily who herself is an avid reader who has suffered through not only this first book, but most of the series that follows. In addition to our usual barnyard language, today's episode includes discussion or mention of hunting, kidnapping, murder, disfigurement, sex/sexual slavery, shapeshifting, & torture.

Happy Halloween! This episode was supposed to air on 11/4, but we figured you'd all appreciate hearing this one a week early in the spirit of the season. The next episode will air on schedule on 11/18, so make sure you check out some older spooky season TBC episodes while you wait: The Hog from Carnacki, the Ghost Finder by William Hope Hodgson *Special Guests D & Ken from Antiques Freaks* Drag Queen Dino Fighters by MP Johnson *Patron's Choice* Man, F*ck This House by Brian Asman *Patron's Choice* E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial in His Adventure on Earth by William Kotzwinkle *Special Guest Mary Parker* The Haunted Vagina by Carl Mellick III In the House in the Dark of the Woods by Laird Hunt *Patron's Choice* This week it was Chris's turn to head over to r/horrorlit to pick through more of the sub's worst horror books from 2024. He was lured to The Paleontologist simply based on the thought that ghost dinosaurs seemed an especially funny concept.  In addition to our usual barnyard language, today's e

For this year’s Spooky Season, we headed over to reddit to see what r/horrorlit thought were the worst horror books they read in 2024. It seemed that Eric LaRocca’s novella Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke was widely hated by the sub, but since the Antiques Freaks already reviewed that back in October 2023, Paris chose to instead read two short stories packaged together as Other Misfortunes with Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke in the edition she had. Other Misfortunes: The Enchantment You'll Find It's Like That All Over In addition to our usual barnyard language, today’s episode includes discussion or mention of angels, demons, infidelity, death and the afterlife, marital stress, miscarriage, pet death, suicide, and gambling. References & Resources: Antiques Freaks, Episode 245: Antique Apple Peeler Pricing - Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke Esoterica YouTube Channel  

Today's book was suggested to us by a fan on Instagram who said, “Your schedule is probably still full but I have the book to end all terrible books. [Redacted] wrote this about her love (obsession) for Jason Mamoa and it is a mess; it’s absolutely terrible." This extremely personal book of poetry rotates around the axis of Jason Momoa and takes us to many strange, sad places. In addition to our usual barnyard language, today’s episode includes discussion or mention of intense parasocial relationships, cancer/terminal illness, and big 'ol age gap relationships. References & Resources: Jason Momoa's Mananalu Water If you're interested in learning more about greenwashing and corporate responsiblity being reflected back onto the individual, check out these episodes (or the entire 1st and 3rd seasons) of the podcast Drilled: Drilled S1, Ep5 | Aggressive Think Tanks, Shouty Pundits, and a New Religious Argument Drilled S3, Ep8 | Meet The Harrisons Terrible Book Club, Episode 35 (2018) - Woman Worship by De

This week, Paris discusses her experience reading the sample issue of a magazine called After Dinner Conversation from the non-profit philosophy and ethics short fiction publisher of the same name. They DM’ed us on Twitter saying they wanted us to try their free sample issue, so we actually took them up on this offer because we’ve never reviewed a magazine before. It's a year of firsts on TBC! Stories featured in the sample issue: Abrama’s End Game by David Shultz The Lives and Times of David Hackman by Patrick Hueller Pappou’s Garden by Fotis Banis The Zombie in the Bathroom by Maura Morgan Junk by Taylor Lawritson We are Here by Harley Carnell Pandora’s Dreams by Peter Beaumont References & Resources: Subscribe to After Dinner Conversation for $1/3 Months After Dinner Conversation Ethics Survey After Dinner Conversation

Our patron rootbeercutie recommended I Am Not Starfire and since we had somehow not done a graphic novel in the 10 years of this podcast, Chris stepped up to tackle this Teen Titans spinoff. Today's episode features a whole lot of superhero tropes and parent/child strife; even good art and a lesbian protagonist who gets a happy ending couldn't save this one, though.

We haven’t done any self-help lately, so Paris braved Oprah's Book Club list to pull the recently published Secrets of Adulthood straight from its maw. Though it attempted to take her, she fought her way out to bring you this episode about the science of happiness and the pop cultural grift which swirls around it. References & Resources: Dr. Robert Waldinger: What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness The Good Life by Robert Waldinger, MD & Marc Shulz, PhD Dr. Laurie's Happiness Lab Podcast The Science of Well-Being: Dr. Laurie's Yale course, free for adults and a teen version Martin Seligman's Authentic Happiness The Wiser Model University of New Hampshire - Positive Psychology The You You Are by Ricken Hale, PhD Content Warnings: In addition to our usual barnyard language, today’s episode includes discussion or mention of capitalism and eating the rich.