Episodes

  • 48. A Merry Little Ex-Mas
    Dec 28 2025

    This month, James and Melissa take a detour into movies discussing A Merry Little Ex-Mas through themes of gender roles, want vs need, and green worlds.

    Join us next month for Goodreads Choice YA Fiction Winner (and somehow our first hockey romance book), Fake Skating by Lynn Painter.

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    38 mins
  • 47. Remain
    Dec 14 2025

    Melissa and James discuss Remain by Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan through themes of money, power, and connection.

    Join us next month for our first movie episode, special for the holidays: A Merry Little Ex-Mas, available on Netflix.

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    38 mins
  • 46. Katabasis
    Nov 16 2025

    Melissa and James discuss R. F. Kuang’s Katabasis through themes of power, motivation, and the hell that is academia.

    Join us next month for Remain by Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan.

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    53 mins
  • 45. Atmosphere
    Oct 3 2025

    James and Melissa discuss Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Atmosphere through themes of radical acceptance, community versus individuality, and love.

    Join us next month for Katabasis by R.F. Kuang.

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    45 mins
  • 44. Sunrise on the Reaping (Hunger Games #0.5)
    Aug 24 2025

    Melissa and James discuss Suzanne Collins’ latest Hunger Games prequel, Sunrise on the Reaping, through themes of integrity, the role of government, and human nature.

    Join us next month for Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

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    45 mins
  • 43. Great Big Beautiful Life
    Jul 1 2025

    Melissa and James discuss Emily Henry’s Great Big Beautiful Life through themes of truth, process, and relationships.

    Join us next month for Sunrise on the Reaping, the new Hunger Games prequel by Suzanne Collins.

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    44 mins
  • 42. Colored Television
    May 18 2025

    James and Melissa discuss Danzy Senna’s Colored Television through themes of categorization, integrity, and a brief detour into American Girl Doll lore.

    Join us next month for Great Big Beautiful Life, our annual return to Emily Henry.

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    43 mins
  • 41. The Pairing
    Apr 4 2025

    Melissa and James discuss Casey McQuiston’s The Pairing through themes of self-discovery, relationships, and cross-cultural encounters. Spiciness warning for the book itself!

    Join us next month for Colored Television by Danzy Senna.

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    42 mins