The Well of Ascension - Second for Better or Worse

Secrets of My Hollywood Life - Forgot the Entire First Book

Episode 178 - Secrets of My Hollywood Life by Jen Calonita Can a book be nostalgic if you barely remember reading it? Sam first read Secrets of My Hollywood Life back in middle school and remembers loving the series. Here's the strange part: she can still recall events from later books, but she'd completely forgotten the plot of the very first one, including the fact that the main character spends the book trying to attend a normal high school. So how does a childhood favorite hold up when you remember the series but not the beginning? Sam and Danielle discuss: -Revisiting a YA favorite nearly 20 years later -Why Book 1 felt almost like a brand-new read -The celebrity-meets-normal-life premise -Which parts still work today and which feel very much like the mid-2000's -Whether this series deserves a modern reread There's something fascinating about rediscovering a story you thought you knew. This episode is part nostalgia trip, part first-time reaction, and all kinds of fun. New episodes every Monday at 8 AM EST ✨ Next week: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros ⏱️ Time Stamps 00:00 Intro 01:46 Background 09:15 Age Level & Content Warning 13:00 Judge a Book by Its Cover 14:26 Discussion 43:37 General Thoughts 46:12 One Question for the Author 49:16 Rating 50:35 Read Again? 51:29 Outro 📖 Follow the Author: Website: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.jencalonitaonline.com/⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.jencalonitaonline.com/] Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/jencalonitabooks⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/jencalonitabooks] Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/jencalonita/⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/jencalonita/] Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/JenCalonita⁠⁠⁠ [https://twitter.com/JenCalonita] TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@jencalonitaofficial [https://www.tiktok.com/@jencalonitaofficial] ⁠⁠⁠🔗 Connect with Us on Socials Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575460276754 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575460276754] Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/lunar_skulk/ [https://www.instagram.com/lunar_skulk/] TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/lunar_skulk⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/lunar_skulk] 🎧 Listen Wherever You Get Podcasts

Disney After Dark - Does Anyone Remember this Series?

Episode 177 - Disney After Dark by Ridley Pearson This might be the most unhinged premise we've ever covered. Thanks to Keira's special interest in the Disney Parks, we discovered the Kingdom Keepers series and after reading the first book, we have just one question: Who approved this? Every night, five middle schoolers are teleported into Walt Disney World Resort while they sleep. Their mission? Save the parks from the Disney villains, solve a mystery connected to Walt Disney himself, and keep the Magic Kingdom from falling into chaos. Is it completely ridiculous? Absolutely. Is it giving serious Disney Channel Original Movie energy? Without question. Are we immediately committing to the rest of the series? Also yes. In this episode, Sam and Keira discuss: -Why this premise somehow works despite being completely bonkers -Keira's Disney Parks knowledge and how it changes the reading experience -The campy adventure vibes -Whether this deserves its cult following -Why we're absolutely continuing the series Sometimes the weirdest books become the most fun to talk about. New episodes every Monday at 8 AM EST ✨ Next week: Secrets of My Hollywood Life by Jen Calonita ⏱️ Time Stamps 00:00 Intro 01:01 About the Author 03:53 Background 06:29 Age Level & Content Warning 08:01 Judge a Book by Its Cover 46:27 General Thoughts 47:46 One Question for the Author 52:29 Rating 53:42 Read Again? 54:41 Outro 📖 Follow the Author - Ridley Pearson Website: https://ridleypearson.com/ [https://ridleypearson.com/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thekingdomkeepers [https://www.facebook.com/thekingdomkeepers] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ridleypearson [https://www.instagram.com/ridleypearson] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ridleyp [https://www.youtube.com/ridleyp] Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ridleypearson/ [https://www.pinterest.com/ridleypearson/] 🔗 Connect with Us on Socials Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575460276754 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575460276754] Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/lunar_skulk/ [https://www.instagram.com/lunar_skulk/] TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/lunar_skulk [https://www.tiktok.com/lunar_skulk] ⁠⁠⁠⁠🎧 Listen Wherever You Get Podcasts

The Well of Ascension - Second for Better or Worse

Episode 176 - The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson Is being a "middle book" an excuse... or a flaw? Sam and James continue their journey through the Mistborn trilogy with The Well of Ascension, and while they agree on one thing (that this is very much a second book in a trilogy) they couldn't disagree more on whether that's a compliment. For Sam, "middle book syndrome" means one thing: filler until the finale. For James, it's exactly what a sequel should do: build anticipation and make you desperate to read the final book. In this episode, we discuss: -Whether The Well of Ascension suffers from middle-book syndrome -The political intrigue, character development, and expanding world of The Final Empire -What makes a great second book in a trilogy -Whether this installment stands on its own or exists primarily to set up the finale -And whether we'll settle the debate or simply agree to disagree. If you've ever argued about whether a sequel is "all setup" or "necessary development," this episode is for you. New episodes every Monday at 8 AM EST ✨ Next week: Disney After Dark by Ridley Pearson ⏱️ Time Stamps 00:00 Intro 00:51 Background 05:11 Age Level & Content Warning 06:07 Judge a Book by Its Cover 07:49 Discussion 01:00:07 General Thoughts 01:01:24 One Question for the Author 01:05:56 Read Again? 01:07:21 Favorite of the Series so Far 01:09:32 Death of the Author? 01:11:24 Outro 📚 Follow the Author: Website: https://www.brandonsanderson.com/ [https://www.brandonsanderson.com/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrandSanderson/ [https://www.facebook.com/BrandSanderson/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandsanderson/ [https://www.instagram.com/brandsanderson/] Twitter: https://x.com/BrandSanderson [https://x.com/BrandSanderson] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authorbrandonsanderson [https://www.tiktok.com/@authorbrandonsanderson] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BrandSanderson [https://www.youtube.com/@BrandSanderson] 🔗 Connect with Us on Socials Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575460276754 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575460276754] Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/lunar_skulk/ [https://www.instagram.com/lunar_skulk/] TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/lunar_skulk [https://www.tiktok.com/lunar_skulk] ⁠⁠⁠⁠🎧 Listen Wherever You Get Podcasts

Somewhere Beyond the Sea - We Weren't Prepared

Episode 175 - Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune We thought we knew what we were getting into. After loving The House in the Cerulean Sea for its cozy, heartwarming vibe and hopeful message, Sam and Hannah went into Somewhere Beyond the Sea expecting something similar. We were not prepared. This sequel keeps the compassion and humanity of the first book, but the conversations become much heavier. What starts as a return to a beloved world quickly turns into a discussion about prejudice, fear, belonging, and the weight of trying to create a better future. We talk about: -Why the tone feels so different from the first book -The themes that hit much harder than expected -Whether the sequel succeeds because of that shift -And why this might be a book that deserves a content warning conversation before recommending it We'd still gift Cerulean Sea to almost anyone. Somewhere Beyond the Sea? We'd gift it with a long conversation attached. New episodes every Monday at 8 AM EST ✨ Next week: The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson ⏱️ Time Stamps 00:00 Intro 01:02 Background 02:54 Age Level & Content Warning 04:38 Discussion 01:02:01 One Question for the Author 01:07:01 Rating 01:07:51 Read Again? 01:08:52 Favorite of the Series 01:13:07 Outro 📚 Follow the Author: Website: ⁠https://www.tjklunebooks.com/⁠ [https://www.tjklunebooks.com/⁠] Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/tjklunebooks/ [https://www.instagram.com/tjklunebooks/] ⁠⁠Twitter: ⁠https://twitter.com/tjklune⁠ [https://twitter.com/tjklune⁠] 🔗 Connect with Us on Socials Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575460276754 [⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575460276754] Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/lunar_skulk/ [https://www.instagram.com/lunar_skulk/] TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/lunar_skulk⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/lunar_skulk⁠⁠⁠⁠] 🎧 Listen Wherever You Get Podcasts

The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis - Tim's Favorite Narnia Book?

Episode 174 - The Silver Chair by C. S. Lewis For years, The Silver Chair was Tim's favorite Narnia book. But was it actually the book or was it his dad's absolutely legendary voice for Puddleglum doing all the work? Sam and Tim revisit one of the most beloved entries in the Narnia series and ask a dangerous question: does childhood nostalgia hold up under adult scrutiny? We discuss: • Why The Silver Chair became Tim's favorite as a kid • The unforgettable Puddleglum voice that defined the story for him • How the book reads differently as an adult • Whether the themes and characters still work • If nostalgia enhanced the experience or completely carried it And, of course, we spend plenty of time talking about one of Narnia's most unique and memorable characters. New episodes every Monday at 8 AM EST ✨ Next week: The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson ⏱️ Time Stamps 00:00 Intro 00:54 Background 02:06 Age Level & Content Warning 02:56 Judge a Book by Its Cover 04:30 Discussion 44:54 General Thoughts 47:00 One Question for the Author 49:14 Rating 50:52 Read Again? 51:13 Favorite of the Series so Far 52:51 Outro 🔗 Connect with Us on Socials Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575460276754 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575460276754] Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/lunar_skulk/ [https://www.instagram.com/lunar_skulk/] TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/lunar_skulk⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/lunar_skulk⁠⁠⁠⁠] 🎧 Listen Wherever You Get Podcasts