Somewhere Beyond the Sea - We Weren't Prepared

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

Sunrise on the Reaping - Best Hunger Games Book?

Episode 173 - Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins After more than a decade of encouragement, recommendations, and relentless badgering from Danielle, Sam is finally caught up on the entire Hunger Games book series. Mission accomplished. Now comes the next challenge: convincing her to watch the movies. But first, we have to answer a much bigger question: Is Sunrise on the Reaping the best Hunger Games book? Danielle says no. Sam is prepared to make her case. We discuss: • Sam's first-time reaction to the newest Hunger Games novel • Whether it belongs at the top of the series ranking • The themes that make the book resonate so strongly • How it changes the way we view the rest of the series • Sam's increasingly controversial Hunger Games reading order: Book 1 → Sunrise on the Reaping → Book 2 → The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes → Book 3 Whether you agree or disagree, this episode is packed with Hunger Games discussion, rankings, and probably a few hot takes. New episodes every Monday at 8 AM EST ✨ Next week: The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis ⏱️ Time Stamps 00:00 Intro 00:51 Background 08:09 Age Level & Content Warning 8:33 Judge a Book by Its Cover 10:12 Discussion 58:13 General Thoughts 01:04:50 One Question for the Author 01:06:05 Rating 01:06:58 Poetry in the Book 01:08:26 Favorite of the Series 01:10:10 Reading Order 01:12:28 Outro 📖 Follow the Author - Suzanne Collins Website: https://www.suzannecollinsbooks.com/ [https://www.suzannecollinsbooks.com/] 🔗 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