Shows / Busy Girls Book Club
Busy Girls Book Club
Three busy young professionals who love to read tackle today's most popular books and let you know how to fit them into your busy schedule.
Episodes
- Busy Girls Book Club
134: Chinese Myth in "Daughter of the Moon Goddess"
The Busy Girls Book Club loves a good retelling/reimagining of a classic myth. Daughter of the Moon Goddess is based in a Chinese myth about the woman on the…
- Busy Girls Book Club
133: Is "Say You'll Remember Me" a Memorable Romance?
We are diving into popular booktok author Abby Jimenez for the first time with "Say You'll Remember Me." It deals with love and loss and tough family and…
- Busy Girls Book Club
132: The SJM Finale: "Kingdom of Ash"
We have finally come to the end of our Sarah J. Mass journey. "Kingdom of Ash" finishes off the Throne of Glass series and is over 900 pages of pure epic…
- Busy Girls Book Club
131: Has Ali Hazelwood Gone off the "Deep End"?
Yes, we're doing it. If you've seen the cover or read the disclaimer at the front, you know what we're getting into with Ali Hazelwood's "Deep End." And you…
- Busy Girls Book Club
130: "I'm Thinking of Ending Things" Open to Interpretation
It's been a while since we did some thriller/horror, so this listener request was a fun one. Short and sweet, "I'm Thinking of Ending Things" takes readers on…
- Busy Girls Book Club
129: We Are "The Anxious Generation"
Oh dear. This book may be about us. Dive into a non-fiction pick with us as we discuss The Anxious Generation as people who are living it. Video…
- Busy Girls Book Club
128: Something to Say in "Sunrise on the Reaping"
Suzanne Collins is so back. Haymitch's games bring us back to the world of Hunger Games, and boy is it a doozy. Can we still find love in the YA dystopian we…
- Busy Girls Book Club
127: Questions About "Quicksilver"
Quicksilver is the definition of a TikTok trending book. Is it more of the same Romantasy? Do we care? Video: https://youtu.be/ArP8LVQCrAY
- Busy Girls Book Club
126: Main Character Meh in "Glow of the Everflame"
We are back with another Kindred's Curse book because we all organically continued the series. That should tell you something. Video…
- Busy Girls Book Club
125: Persia, Poetry and Politics in "Martyr!"
"Martyr!" is an interesting collision of poetry and political identity that produces a unique narrative that also encompasses addiction and grief. What makes a…
- Busy Girls Book Club
124: Anticipating Outer Space on the Silver Screen with "Project Hail Mary"
Andy Weir is having a second outer space book adapted for film, and this time it's "Project Hail Mary." This story may have one of the best sidekick characters…
- Busy Girls Book Club
123: "Year of Wonders" and the Black Plague
Geraldine Brooks is an award winner for a reason, and we grabbed her historical fiction, "Year of Wonders." Based off of a true story of a plague village in…
- Busy Girls Book Club
122: Politics and Pure Fantasy Fun in "Spark of the Everflame"
Penn Cole's "Spark of the Everflame" is the first in the Kindred's Curse series. While the discussion only covers the first book, it seems all of the hosts…
- Busy Girls Book Club
121: Onyx Storm: Unhinged
Anyone else thankful BookTok was unbanned before Onyx Storm came out? The fan theories out there are WILD. In this episode of entirely spoilers, we talk about…
- Busy Girls Book Club
120: "Onyx Storm:" The Monster TikTok Made
Book three of The Empyrean series is long awaited, but maybe we could have waited longer? The bar is set so very high for this BookTok darling. Can it ever…
- Busy Girls Book Club
119: A Not So Short "Intermezzo"
Sally Rooney apparently doesn't use quotation marks or complete sentences, but really likes long paragraphs and run-on sentences. Is it art to write about loss…
- Busy Girls Book Club
118: Patriarchy and Class Conflict in “The God of the Woods”
Is it a mystery, or is it a commentary on class struggles and the power of men? Liz Moore's "The God of the Woods" was an unexpected read. Beautiful setting…
- Busy Girls Book Club
117: TikTok Made Us Do It: "Ice Planet Barbarians"
See trending books and review them... promise delivered. "Ice Planet Barbarians" somehow has enough of a cult following to have over 20 books in the bizarre…
- Busy Girls Book Club
116: The Biggest Busy Girls Debate Yet? Discussing "When the Moon Hatched"
If you think we've argued over a book before, wrong. Now THIS is a true debate. Two romantasy lovers vs. a lit fic queen on the topic of "When the Moon…
- Busy Girls Book Club
115: Busy Girls Book Club Awards 2024
We take a look back at the best books of the year both on and off the podcast and talk through some superlative awards. Plus, find out the Busy Girls Book of…
- Busy Girls Book Club
114: "My Year of Rest and Relaxation" is not Relaxing
What if you could take enough pills to sleep an entire year of your life away? It's a question no one asked but "My Year of Rest and Relaxation" tries to…
- Busy Girls Book Club
113: FanFic-esque Romance in "Red, White & Royal Blue"
Casey McQuiston is a leader in queer romance, even landing "Red, White & Royal Blue" on the big screen. Does the quality of the romance balance out the…
- Busy Girls Book Club
112: The Refreshingly Mysterious World of "The Fifth Season"
Sci-fi and fantasy meet in "The Fifth Season" in the best way possible. Does this book have a plot? Not really. But the Busy Girls couldn't put it down. Listen…
- Busy Girls Book Club
111: "Chain-Gang All-Stars" and the U.S. Carceral System
"Chain-Gang All-Stars" puts together a bunch of "what ifs?" and turns them into a nightmare near-future dystopian scenario where prisoners fight to the death…
- Busy Girls Book Club
110: "The Games Gods Play" With Social Media Trends
Abigail Owens' "The Games Gods Play" has taken BookTok by storm, but is it just more of the same in romantasy? Or does it bring something new to the table?…
- Busy Girls Book Club
109: Award Winning "James"
Percival Everett's retelling of Huckleberry Finn is raking in the awards this season, so it's the perfect time to discuss "James." The Busy Girls are joined by…
- Busy Girls Book Club
108: Voices of Vietnam in "The Women"
We've been burned by Kristin Hannah before, but this one might change our minds. While it's certainly a long read, it provides tools to ask questions we never…
- Busy Girls Book Club
107: Millennial Romance in "Seven Days in June"
The Busy Girls Book Club hosts tackle Tia William's millennial-coded romance, "Seven Days in June." Serious themes - like addiction and disability…
- Busy Girls Book Club
106: "What The River Knows" About YA Historical Magical Realism
Young adult-historical-magical realism-romance, or whatever you want to call it, sums up Isabel Ibañez's "What The River Knows." But should it actually be YA…
- Busy Girls Book Club
105: Serial Killers and Spice in "Butcher and Blackbird"
Who knew a rom com about serial killers with trigger warnings for accidental cannibalism would have the Busy Girls blushing! Is it enough to get a 5 star out…
- Busy Girls Book Club
104: A Not So Spooky "The Spellshop"
While it may be spooky season, "The Spellshop" ends up fitting more in the cozy category. But that's why the Busy Girls tackle the viral books.
- Busy Girls Book Club
103: More Paranormal Historical Fiction? A Look at "Vampires of El Norte"
What do you get when you combine Rome and Juliet, vampires, and the Mexican independence movements of the 1800s? Vampires of El Norte dives into this niche…
- Busy Girls Book Club
102: A Muddled Murder Mystery in "The Maid"
"The Maid" is billed as a murder mystery, but the bigger mystery is really the main character. Molly Gray lacks normal social cues and understanding, which…
- Busy Girls Book Club
Busy Girls Bonus: October 2024 News
The Busy Girls are back and we want to make sure you're up to date on some of the book world's biggest news from the last few weeks.
- Busy Girls Book Club
101: Two Years of Busy Girls Book Club
It's our two year anniversary! Two years and 101 episodes and we couldn't be more grateful to our listeners! Thanks for joining us on this little hobby turned…
- Busy Girls Book Club
100: Busy Girls "Book Lovers" Celebrate 100 Episodes
It's our 100th episode! Thanks to our listeners for sticking with us so long! Today we tackle some fun discussion on the New York Times' 100 Best Books of the…
- Busy Girls Book Club
99: Niche History in "The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store"
James McBride's "The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store" takes a look at the intersection of marginalized communities in 1930s American. It's a long ride, and one of…
- Busy Girls Book Club
98: Ready to Face "The Future"?
Naomi Alderman is a pro at imaging horrific future worlds, but what if this prediction of what's to come is a little closer to home in "The Future"? This…
- Busy Girls Book Club
97: Rewind, Repeat in "Tower of Dawn"
Many people credit "Tower of Dawn" as their least favorite book in the Throne of Glass series. It does totally re-cover the entire time period of the previous…
- Busy Girls Book Club
96: One Dark Fairytale in "One Dark Window"
"One Dark Window" would do the Brothers Grimm proud. It's a gateway fantasy book that could appeal to anyone with an extremely unique magic system and a…
- Busy Girls Book Club
95: Emily Henry's "Funny Story" and the Summer Rom Com
Everyone wants a good beach read or vacation romance for the summer months, and Emily Henry reigns supreme lately. Does her latest summer story live up to the…
- Busy Girls Book Club
94: Heartache and "The Song of Achilles"
It's another Madeline Miller episode. Though, "The Song of Achilles" is much more melancholy than "Circe." It's a love story - but most people already know how…
- Busy Girls Book Club
93: Satire and Tropes Abound in "Assistant to the Villain"
If you love the quirky side of BookTok, you'll probably love "Assistant to the Villain." It's a cozy fantasy that sort of makes fun of all the usual fantasy…
- Busy Girls Book Club
92: A Pulitzer-level Look at Appalachia in "Demon Copperhead"
Barbara Kingsolver's "Demon Copperhead" is a beast of a book. It took the Busy Girls ages to read, but they all agree it's worth it. The look at the opioid…
- Busy Girls Book Club
91: The Modern Fantasy Formula in "A Fate Inked in Blood"
The book social media world has been very excited to get their hands on a fantasy about norse mythology with "A Fate Inked in Blood." The question is: Did it…
- Busy Girls Book Club
90: An Interview with "More Than Life" Author Bethanie Finger
Bethanie Finger is the author of a new YA historical fantasy triology. The Busy Girls got to chat with her about book one, "More Than Life." It's a great…
- Busy Girls Book Club
89: Is "The Will of the Many" Worth your Will to Read?
The Will of the Many by James Islington is a beast of a book. BUT, it's rife with world building, complex political systems, unique magic systems and dark…
- Busy Girls Book Club
88: Two Authors and a Story of Love Across Time
Two authors, two characters, and a novella with no rules about space or time... who wouldn't be curious? "This Is How You Lose the Time War" takes readers on a…
- Busy Girls Book Club
87: Kuang's Departure from Fantasty in "Yellowface"
The Busy Girls covered "Babel" by R.F. Kuang and had mixed feelings, but her new book "Yellowface" is the extreme opposite kind of book. Does that mean it's a…
- Busy Girls Book Club
86: Here Comes "Bride"
Fans of Ali Hazelwood's normal STEM romances will knot expect what's coming in her newest release. (Misspelling intentional.) The Busy Girls are unsurprisingly…
- Busy Girls Book Club
85: Plotlines Converge in "Empire of Storms"
Throne of Glass continues with "Empire of Storms." It's a long one and a lot happens, but readers are rewarded as various plots start to tie together for a…
- Busy Girls Book Club
84: A Memoir About Dead Bodies Could Change the World with "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes"
"Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: And Other Lessons from the Crematory" by Caitlin Doughty is not your average memoir. It mixes life, death, gallows humor and world…
- Busy Girls Book Club
83: Something Completely New in Fantasy in "Immortal Longings"
Trial to the death? Body jumping magic system? Setting as a character? Morally grey leads? "Immortal Longings" by Chloe Gong is something totally new and fresh…
- Busy Girls Book Club
82: Memoir Meets Poetry "In the Dream House"
A memoir on a queer abusive relationship might not sound like a must read, but Carmen Maria Machado's "In the Dream House" takes a poetic approach to realizing…
- Busy Girls Book Club
81: Middle Eastern Meets Fantasy in "The Jasad Heir"
"The Jasad Heir" has a lot of classic fantasy tropes but takes place in a setting more akin to Egypt. It's a fresh setting and focused heavily on kingdom…
- Busy Girls Book Club
80: Life Meets Art in "Open Water"
"Open Water" is a sort of lyrical narrative that talks about the Black experience. The poetry aspect can be a bit hard to get into, but the book is short. Does…
- Busy Girls Book Club
79: The Trouble with Celebrity Memoirs and Prince Harry's "Spare"
Celebrity memoirs are a tough one to discuss. Should every celebrity have one? Should editors be kind because they're famous? Prince Harry's "Spare" gives the…
- Busy Girls Book Club
78: An Interview with Lauren Puckett-Pope of "ELLE"
The Busy Girls are joined by Lauren Puckett-Pope, staff culture writer at ELLE, to hear about how she chooses which books to cover for the magazine and her…
- Busy Girls Book Club
77: SJM Stans Flummoxed after "House of Flame and Shadow"
Your resident SJM stans have a lot to process after the release of Crescent City 3: "House of Flame and Shadow." Do we still love her books? Yes. Was this her…
- Busy Girls Book Club
76: The Reading Order Debate of "Assassin's Blade"
Katelyn's sister joins the Busy Girls to talk Throne of Glass' "Assassin's Blade" and where the short story compilation should fit into the series.