Best Peculiar Book Club Podcasts (2025)

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The conversation is simmering with Julie and Julia (Peculiar Movie Club) 1:06:01

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5h ago1:06:01

1:06:01

Welcome to the Peculiar Movie Club, a bonus podcast linked to our main show the Peculiar Book Club through common themes in media. This week, in honor of the book Holy Food, we are reviewing the cooking comedy Julie and Julia. Join Davey Berris and Darren Cross as they take a deep dive into this dual story of chefs. We'll discuss the themes of find…

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The Death Cure | “The Boys Are Fighting” (Sneak Peek) 5:04

7d ago5:04

5:04

“Seventy-three chapters don’t write themselves!" We’re officially wrapping up the Maze Runner trilogy with James Dashner’s The Death Cure. Colin’s back, and I think you all know what to expect at this point. Kellie, Daphne, and Colin discuss the unrelenting bleakness of the series, the very plausible theory that Thomas has a traumatic brain injury …

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Dorothy Must Die | "Wicked For Emo Girls" 1:18:38

14d ago1:18:38

1:18:38

"The spirit of the Maze is always with us." With the release of Wicked: For Good upon us, we thought it was the perfect time for us to read Danielle Paige's 2014 dystopian reimagining of The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy Must Die! This book builds on existing IP from both L Frank Baum's books and the 1939 movie, but with enough dystopian, fantasy, and Epic…

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We're Cooking up Something GOOD with Christina Ward (just in time for the holidays) 1:03:39

20d ago1:03:39

1:03:39

Featured : CHRISTINA WARD, Holy Food: How Cults, Communes, and Religious Movements Influenced What We Eat — An American HistoryDoes God have a recipe? I know who to ask! Independent food historian Christina Ward’s highly anticipated Holy Food explores the influence of mainstream (and fringe) religious beliefs on modern American food culture. It's t…

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Beautiful Creatures Part 2 | "Everybody Hates Lena" 1:18:31

28d ago1:18:31

1:18:31

"Let me talk to them in a language they understand: gossip." There's a bad moon rising...or maybe sixteen of them? Kellie and Daphne are back with special guest Bailey to discuss the second half of Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl's Beautiful Creatures! More hit songs and bad accents from the audiobook are revealed, we posit our many unanswered quest…

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MERCH DROP Special Announcement! 1:20

30d ago1:20

1:20

We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming with a very special announcement: we're releasing Rereading the Revolution merchandise! 100% of the proceeds will benefit the ACLU of Texas. Our T-shirts, long sleeve tees, sweatshirts, and hoodies are here just in time for the holiday season, but act fast because they're only available until Novembe…

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We're feeling free to express ourselves with Andy Kirshner and SEX RADICAL 26:37

1M ago26:37

26:37

New laws limit access to abortion and threaten doctors with prison. Religious zealots and opportunistic politicians team up to ban books about sex and to “protect” children from their “corrupting” influence. Sound familiar? Welcome to America in the late 19th-century under the Comstock Act, a federal law that prohibited the distribution of informat…

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We're howling about a An American Werewolf in London...Happy Halloween!!! (Peculiar Movie Club) 55:03

1M ago55:03

55:03

Welcome to the Peculiar Movie Club, a bonus podcast linked to our main show the Peculiar Book Club through common themes in media. This week, in honor of having some Halloween fun, we are reviewing the horror comedy An American Werewolf in London. Join Davey Berris and Darren Cross as they take a deep dive into the themes of transformation, anger a…

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We are fighting back with A Vigilante (Peculiar Movie Club) 1:01:36

1M ago1:01:36

1:01:36

Welcome to the Peculiar Movie Club, a bonus podcast linked to our main show the Peculiar Book Club through common themes in media. This week, in honor of the book The League of Lady Poisoners, we are reviewing the revenge drama A Vigilante. Join Davey Berris and Darren Cross as they take a deep dive into the themes of Domestic Violence being bad, m…

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Solve a New Mystery with Brandy Schillace and THE DEAD COME TO STAY 1:03:02

1M ago1:03:02

1:03:02

Featured : BRANDY SCHILLACE, The Dead Come to StayBrandy’s back with a sequel! Jo Jones can't catch a break. She'd hoped that trading her city life for the cozy, peaceful hills of North Yorkshire to inherit a crumbling family estate would finally be her chance for a "fresh start" and a new future. Instead, she's been thrust further into the past th…

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Beautiful Creatures Part 1 | "Trip Down Memory Lane" 1:24:19

1M ago1:24:19

1:24:19

"Immediately, she’s giving off the vibe of someone who might know some spells." I hope you missed our singing! For Halloween this year, we're reading Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl's Beautiful Creatures (2009). We're joined by the hilarious Bailey for part one of a double episode on the book. Kellie, Daphne, and Bailey talk about this book's unusua…

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We're bringing the big guns with Nicholas Wright and Warhead 28:18

2M ago28:18

28:18

From Dr Nicholas Wright, leading neuroscientist and adviser to the Pentagon, discover the new science behind warfare.Why did France lose to the Nazis, despite its defenders having more tanks, troops, and guns? How did we bring peace to Germany after World War Two? How do you know if you can trust an ally? How can we make clearer decisions under pre…

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Vampire Academy Movie | "These Vampires DON’T Sparkle" (Sneak Peek) 5:49

2M ago5:49

5:49

UNLOCK THE FULL EPISODE BY SUBSCRIBING TO OUR PATREON AT PATREON.COM/REREADINGTHEREVOLUTION "The Bear took this blueprint and ran with it." Clearly our patrons wanted more vampire content for Halloween, because our bonus episode this month is on the 2014 Vampire Academy movie! We discuss the movie's tonal confusion, the cast of (mostly) YA heavy-hi…

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Twilight Movie | "5 Stars: This Will Change Your Life" 1:09:53

2M ago1:09:53

1:09:53

"That face card has never declined once in his life.” As promised, Catherine Hardwicke's stunning 2009 adaptation of Twilight is on our screens this week. We're joined by longtime friend and Twilight superfan Sam, and the hater police are in for a treat because it's our least critical episode of all time (and if we're being realistic, probably for …

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The Summer I Turned Pretty Finale & Announcement (Special Episode!) 41:34

2M ago41:34

41:34

Surprise! We recorded another special episode, this time on our thoughts about The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3. Kellie and Daphne discuss where we landed opinions-wise on the characters, picking teams, the grand Parisian finale, and that big movie announcement. Follow us on social media @rereadingtherevolution for updates and behind-the-scenes …

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If you bring the cookies we'll bring the Milk (Peculiar Movie Club, Plus a short review of Wag the Dog) 1:07:02

2M ago1:07:02

1:07:02

Welcome to the Peculiar Movie Club, a bonus podcast linked to our main show the Peculiar Book Club through common themes in media. This week, in honor of Brandy's book The Intermediaries, we are reviewing the biopic Milk. Join Davey Berris and Darren Cross as they take a deep dive into this moving but tragic film. We'll discuss the themes of fighti…

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Don't Get Irritated! Theresa MacPhail Reveals that Allergies are Nothing to Sneeze at 1:04:54

2M ago1:04:54

1:04:54

Featured : THERESA MACPHAIL, Allergic: Our Irritated Bodies in a Changing WorldAllergies are a PROBLEM. Hay fever. Peanut allergies. Eczema. Most of us have an allergy to something, but what causes them and why do they seem to be getting worse? And why do some allergies kill? Meet medical anthropologist Theresa MacPhail; she is, herself, an allergy…

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Twilight | "Vampire Money" 1:26:56

2M ago1:26:56

1:26:56

"He has been the entire male loneliness epidemic on his own." It's hoa hoa season! To celebrate, we are finally beginning one of our most anxiously-awaited series, Twilight by Stephenie Meyer (2005). We're joined by OG Twihard Hannah Lisa Lohr for a deep dive into the real and fictional worlds of Forks, transcending the good/bad spectrum, the book'…

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Unravel Me | "Tortured Souls" (Sneak Peek) 6:00

3M ago6:00

6:00

UNLOCK THE FULL EPISODE BY SUBSCRIBING TO OUR PATREON AT PATREON.COM/REREADINGTHEREVOLUTION "Let us read good books!" We just covered Shatter Me on the main feed, and our patrons wanted to keep the good times rolling with the first of Tahereh Mafi's many, many sequels, Unravel Me (2013). In this episode, we discuss the series' insane chronology, Ju…

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It's the time of the season for Al Ridenour and A Season of Madness 26:14

3M ago26:14

26:14

Al Ridenour, creator and host of the popular podcast Bone and Sickle and author of The Krampus and the Old, Dark Christmas extends his study of Winter folk celebrations to the Spring, exploring the Old-World Carnival in A Season of Madness.Sumptuously illustrated with over one hundred historical and modern images, Ridenour ushers readers into cultu…

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MARY ROACH is Un-Replaceable! 1:08:41

3M ago1:08:41

1:08:41

Boy, do I have news for you! On September 11, Mary Roach has agreed to join us to talk about her brand new release: Replaceable You! It’s a fabulous book absolutely enthralling – I am presently reviewing it for the Wall Street Journal! I can’t wait for you to see the fascinating things she has uncovered in the world of replacement parts. Free show!…

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We're acquiring knew knowledge with Angus Fletcher and Primal Intelligence 36:43

3M ago36:43

36:43

Tap into your hidden intelligence and transform your lifeHow are some people so much smarter than the rest of us? Where do visionary creatives and savvy decision-makers like Vincent van Gogh, Steve Jobs, Abraham Lincoln, Maya Angelou, Nikola Tesla, Marie Curie, Albert Einstein, Wayne Gretzky, Warren Buffett, and William Shakespeare get their extrao…

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Looking for Alaska | "My #1 Opp" 1:15:06

3M ago1:15:06

1:15:06

"This is not an anti-smoking book." We asked our Patrons which John Green book we should take on next, and the consensus was in resounding favor of Looking for Alaska (2005). Kellie and Daphne revisit the novel for the first time in over a decade, mourn the loss of the Hulu adaptation, quote the endlessly-reblogged lines, and reflect on how it's al…

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Put on your Sunday best for John Fugelsang and Separation of Church and Hate 29:45

3M ago29:45

29:45

For more than two centuries the United States constitution has given Americans the right to live in a society where church and state exist independently and without conflict. So why is Christianity suddenly being co-opted by far-right groups, politicians, friends, and family members to justify oppressive and unequal policies? And how do we fight ba…

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You're in the big LEAGUE with Lisa Perrin's LADY POISONERS 1:02:17

3M ago1:02:17

1:02:17

Featured : LISA PERRIN, The League of Lady Poisoners: Illustrated True Stories of Dangerous WomenDescribed as a feast for the senses, this sumptuously illustrated book will introduce you to some of the most infamous women throughout world history, united by their shared taste for poison. Welcome to the League of Lady Poisoners. Lisa Perrin will joi…

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The Giver | "Give Me Some Pain!" 53:33

3M ago53:33

53:33

"Is it magic? I guess!" Stay with us here--it's back to school season, so we're revisiting a true children's and young adult classic: Lois Lowry's The Giver (1993). This book may have been required reading in middle school, but it's more interesting than you might remember. In this episode, we discuss how Jonas' story echoes through the 2000s and 2…

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You'll wonder what we're on when we talk to Sam Kelly and Human History on Drugs 28:39

3M ago28:39

28:39

A lively, hilarious, and entirely truthful look at the druggie side of history’s most famous figures, including Shakespeare, George Washington, the Beatles, and more Did you know that Alexander the Great was a sloppy drunk and William Shakespeare was a stoner? Or how about the fact that Steve Jobs believed taking LSD helped him create the Apple com…

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What Have We Got in our POCKETSES? Find out with Hannah Carlson! 1:03:01

3M ago1:03:01

1:03:01

Featured : HANNAH CARLSON, Pockets: An Intimate History of How We Keep Things Close Okay, million dollar question: Who gets pockets, and why? It is definitely peculiar and frankly, I have a lot of questions. Why do men’s clothes have so many pockets and women’s so few? And why are the pockets on women’s clothes often too small to fit phones, if the…

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If I Stay Movie | “Mother to a Lot of These B*tches” (Sneak Peek) 5:40

3M ago5:40

5:40

UNLOCK THE FULL EPISODE BY SUBSCRIBING TO OUR PATREON AT PATREON.COM/REREADINGTHEREVOLUTION “Jamie Blackley was pregnant with Tom Blyth in this movie.” Our patrons voted for us to watch If I Stay (2014) this month! We’re joined by special guest Madison to discuss her deep personal history with the film, as well as changes from the book, production …

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Maximum Ride | "Brilliant, Evil Business Model" 1:10:31

4M ago1:10:31

1:10:31

"Is James Patterson the GOAT?" Our Patrons have been begging for it for ages, and it finally won our latest poll. We're taking on the original book in James Patterson's first middle grade/young adult series, Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment (2005). Kellie and Daphne are joined by special guest and one-time Maximum Ride superfan, Megan, to take on…

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We're using our outer voice to tell you about Elizabeth Greenwood and Everyday Intuition 29:52

4M ago29:52

29:52

A captivating and insightful deep dive into the world of human intuition, exploring the power of this elusive phenomenon and how it can be harnessed to better know and trust ourselves.We rely on our intuition, even though we don’t fully understand what it is, how it works, or if we can even trust it. In this fresh, mind-opening book, Elizabeth Gree…

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The Summer I Turned Pretty | "Stand Up, Belly!" 1:02:12

4M ago1:02:12

1:02:12

"A love triangle like this only happens once in a...New Moon." We’re continuing our summer of beachy novels turned hit Amazon Prime teen shows with the motherlode: Jenny Han’s The Summer I Turned Pretty (2009). Kellie and Daphne discuss the classic story of a girl in love with two brothers, including our thoughts on the show, predictions about the …

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It's the perfect Match with Aisha Saed and The Matchmaker (Peculiar Mystery Club) 19:55

4M ago19:55

19:55

A society matchmaker realizes she’s in danger when her clients' weddings are sabotaged in increasingly disturbing ways—an utterly original mystery from New York Times bestselling author Aisha Saeed.Nura Khan is a third-generation matchmaker in Atlanta and business has never been better. Her exclusive clientele benefits from her impeccable track rec…

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We'll bring you some relief with Tom Zeller and The Headache 30:34

4M ago30:34

30:34

"Required reading for anyone with a head."—Mary Roach, New York Times bestselling author of Stiff and Fuzz"Absorbing, incisive. . . Zeller captures the profound human and scientific costs of medicine's neglect of these common conditions that affect millions of people—especially women—and points the way toward a more hopeful future."—Maya Dusenbery,…

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The One | “Kind of Gaggy” (Sneak Peek) 6:25

4M ago6:25

6:25

UNLOCK THE FULL EPISODE BY SUBSCRIBING TO OUR PATREON AT PATREON.COM/REREADINGTHEREVOLUTION “This is one of the funniest books I’ve ever read.” For this month’s Patron-voted sequel episode, we’re wrapping up the original Selection trilogy with Kiera Cass’ The One (2014). We had completely unexpected reactions to this wonderfully wild book, making t…

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Shatter Me | "Sometimes She Cooks" 1:13:52

5M ago1:13:52

1:13:52

"Why does he shoot the meat?" You've been asking since the very beginning, and the day is finally here! We're joined by special guest and unabashed Shatter Me fan AllieReads to cover Tahereh Mafi's 2011 hit novel. We talk about the fandom's undying love for Aaron Warner, share some intimate fully-clothed shower moments, and come out in favor of lea…

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We promise we've scripted nothing with Matthew Goldman and The Murder Show 25:26

5M ago25:26

25:26

The Murder Show is a pulse-racing novel about secrets, old friends, and how the past never leaves us by New York Times bestselling and Emmy Award winning author Matt Goldman!Showrunner Ethan Harris had a hit with The Murder Show, a television crime drama that features a private detective who solves cases the police can’t. But after his pitch for th…

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We have a sense you'll like this conversation with Sam Kean and Dinner with King Tut 25:47

5M ago25:47

25:47

From “one of America’s smartest and most charming writers” (NPR), an archaeological romp through the entire history of humankind—and through all five senses—from tropical Polynesian islands to forbidding arctic ice floes, and everywhere in between.Whether it’s the mighty pyramids of Egypt or the majestic temples of Mexico, we have a good idea of wh…

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We're Fighting Disinformation with Annalee Newitz and STORIES ARE WEAPONS 1:04:57

5M ago1:04:57

1:04:57

Featured : ANNALEE NEWITZ, Stories are Weapons: Psychological Warfare and the American MindJoining us for a second time, Annalee Newitz, best-selling author of Four Lost Cities, returns with a critical look at NOW—and the way Stories have become WEAPONS. How have disinformation, propaganda, and violent threats—the essential tool kit for psychologic…

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We Were Liars Season One | "The Fourth of You Lie" 1:23:27

5M ago1:23:27

1:23:27

"This is cartoon villain-level behavior." We're headed back to Beechwood! In this episode, we're discussing the new Amazon Prime adaptation of E. Lockhart's 2014 novel, We Were Liars, and we have a lot to say about it. Kellie reports exclusive behind-the-scenes details from the show's panels at ATX TV Festival featuring Julie Plec, Carina Adly Mack…

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You'll really dig our conversation with Elle Cosimano and Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave 23:56

5M ago23:56

23:56

From New York Times bestseller and Edgar-Award nominee Elle Cosimano, comes Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave—the hugely anticipated next installment in the fan-favorite Finlay Donovan series.Finlay Donovan may have skeletons in her closet . . . but at least there's not a body in her backyard. Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://brandyschillace.com/p…

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Fight for Science and Transgender Rights with Brandy Schillace! 1:18:34

5M ago1:18:34

1:18:34

Featured : BRANDY SCHILLACE, The Intermediaries: A Weimar StoryIt’s me! Bringing you the fascinating history of a daring team of sexologists who built the first trans clinic in the shadow of the Third Reich. Set in interwar Germany, The Intermediaries tells the forgotten story of The Institute for Sexual Science, the world’s first center for homose…

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You're in the club with Christopher Yates and The Rabbit Club (Peculiar Mystery Club) 25:20

5M ago25:20

25:20

The author of Black Chalk, "the smart summer thriller you've been waiting for" (NPR), returns with a mesmerizing new novel about a dangerous secret society at Oxford University, and the first-year Literature student whose life begins to unravel in its shadow.When Ali McCain, an eighteen-year-old from Los Angeles, is accepted at Oxford, it’s a chanc…

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Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda | "Sponsored by Oreo" 1:13:59

6M ago1:13:59

1:13:59

“The tilt a whirl…the most romantic ride at the carnival.” Happy Pride! We’re celebrating by reading one of the most popular coming-out stories not only of the 2010s, but maybe ever? It’s Becky Albertalli’s 2015 debut novel, Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda. If that title’s not ringing any bells for you, this is the book that would go on to become…

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The summit is in sight with Sherpa (Peculiar Movie Club) 1:08:03

6M ago1:08:03

1:08:03

Welcome to the Peculiar Movie Club, a bonus podcast linked to our main show the Peculiar Book Club through common themes in media. This week, in honor of the book Tap Dancing on Everest, we are reviewing our first documentary Sherpa. Join Davey Berris and Darren Cross as they take a deep dive into this real life tragedy. We'll discuss the themes of…

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The 5th Wave Movie | "Two Hours of Nothing" (Sneak Peek) 5:21

6M ago5:21

5:21

UNLOCK THE FULL EPISODE BY SUBSCRIBING TO OUR PATREON AT PATREON.COM/REREADINGTHEREVOLUTION "Colin army rise up!" Our bonus episode this month as voted by our Patreon subscribers is The 5th Wave movie (2016)! We're rejoined by the book episode's special guest, our friend Colin, to get into the minutiae of acting choices, suggest improvements for fu…

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We're shuffling the deck with Krisit Belcamino and Queen of Spades (Peculiar Mystery Club) 21:45

6M ago21:45

21:45

From the dark underbelly of Sicily's Mafia to the heart-pounding streets of America, Eva Santella's tale is one of betrayal, vengeance, and an unquenchable thirst for justice.Once a fearless Mafia boss, Eva's world shattered when rival Sicilian families betrayed her. With a bounty on her head, she fled to America, seeking refuge in shadows and anon…

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We Were Liars | "The Tumblr of It All" 1:13:35

6M ago1:13:35

1:13:35

"Actually, while you’re here, I’m gonna make you think.” In honor of the upcoming Amazon Prime adaptation, we read E. Lockhart's summer mystery thriller, We Were Liars (2014)! We can’t say much about the plot, so instead I’ll share that some of my rejected title ideas included “Real Eyes Realize Real Lies” and “My Own Private Island.” If anyone ask…

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Sunrise on the Reaping Movie News (Special Episode!) 59:25

6M ago59:25

59:25

I don't even have a quote for this one. We're just really excited. This was supposed to be a Patreon-exclusive mini bonus, but there's already so much news surrounding the Sunrise on the Reaping movie that we had to make it a full-length episode--and they haven't even started filming yet. We're covering the cast in depth, as well as what we know ab…

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It's Time to Get Your Dancing Shoes (and Climbing Gear?) with Mimi Zieman 1:03:39

7M ago1:03:39

1:03:39

Featured : MIMI ZIEMAN, Tap Dancing on EverestWe humans are a risky bunch. It seems part of our make-up, or at least the make up of one small expedition of four climbers. Their mission: attempt a new route on the East Face of Mt. Everest, considered the most remote and dangerous side of the mountain, summitted only once before. That’s not all, thou…