The Dust Jacket

Crash, by JG Ballard

This is a truly weird and disgusting book. Don't listen to this ep with kids or if you are sensitive to graphic descriptions of sex and violence. 
No spoiler tag this ep--there's not too much to spoil. 
It's also a zoom ep, so excuse the sound in places. 

First Time Caller, by BK Borison

We discuss the popular 2025 cozy romance, First Time Caller, by BK Borison, including the pitfalls of formulaic books. 
Spoilers from 34 mins

Flesh, by David Szalay

This week, we've got special guest Kate back to help us talk about the 2025 Booker Prize winner, Flesh. We'll talk about unemotional male main characters, the Booker Prize and its questionable history, and a sordid scandal about the novel itself. 
Spoilers from 24 mins

Margo's Got Money Troubles, by Rufi Thorpe

We're returning to another favorite read on the occasion of its screen adaptation. This time the hilarious and very charming Margo's Got Money Troubles, by Rufi Thorpe. 
This was one of Nico's top reads of 2024. Dacey is less enthusiastic but comes around after listening to the audiobook. 
Spoilers from 20 mins in

The Strength of the Few, by James Islington

Caleb joins Nico to talk about The Strength of the Few, the second book in James Islington's Hierarchy series. Some serious nerd shit. 
No Dacey this week :(
Spoilers from 14 mins

The Sisters Brothers, by Patrick deWitt

This week we discuss The Sisters Brothers, by Patrick deWitt, a 2011 darkly comic western, and one of the first book we read together when it first came out. It's also one of Nico's favorite books... 
Spoilers from 12 mins

My Husband, by Maud Ventura

Bailey joins us to discuss My Husband, by Maud Ventura, including why she hated it while she was reading it, but loved it afterwards. This book was the most popular novel in France when it was published in 2021, and has since become a global sensation. 
Spoilers from 32 mins

Project Hail Mary, by Andy Weir

We revisit this modern classic on the day that the movie version comes out. 
Spoilers for the book pretty much from the jump--if you haven't read this, go read it! (Preferably the audio version.) We both loved it. 
After spoilers, we talk about what this book does well, what the author does poorly, and we theorize a bit about how they're going to adapt this into a movie. 

Duffy and Son, by Damien Owens

This week, on the verge of St. Paddy's Day, we're reading an Irish book--Duffy and Son follows a 69-year-old Monaghan man who  decides to help his 39-year-old son find love. It's heartwarming and extremely Irish, especially the audiobook.
Spoilers from 28 mins

Half His Age, by Jennette McCurdy

Our friend Alayne joins us this week to talk about Half His Age, the debut novel by Jennette McCurdy, the Nickolodeon child star and author of the popular memoir I'm Glad My Mom Died. 
We all loved her memoir, so we had high hopes coming into this one. Can she deliver? 
Trigger warning for mentions of sexual assault
Spoilers from 25 mins