This week is all about the spooky ancestral homes as we talk about And Don’t Look Back by Rebecca Barrow and All the Dead Lie Down by Kyrie McCauley, two young adult novels about family homes and the dark secrets they hide. Topics include what constitutes a haunted house (does there have to be a literal ghost?), twisty mysteries, and the inherent q…

This week, we’re taking a trip to 1950s Italy as we discuss Patricia Highsmith’s classic thriller The Talented Mr. Ripley and its acclaimed 1999 adaptation directed by Anthony Minghella. Topics of discussion include the novel’s iconic con artist protagonist, the twisty plot, homoerotic subtext, and how Minghella put his own spin on the themes and c…

We’re back this week to talk about the latest Hunger Games movie, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Topics include our relationship with the famous dystopian franchise, how the movie compares to the book, why we find prequels and villain protagonists compelling, and a detour through Enlightenment philosophy. Other Media Mentioned: Hannibal (2013-…

Happy belated New Year! We return fashionably late with a behemoth of an episode to discuss each of our top 10 books of 2023, a few extra superlatives (scariest book, anyone?), and some reading goals for 2024. Tune in for fantasy fiction, gothic literature, romance novels, unexpected favorites, and only a little bit of human sacrifice. (Also, Lulu …

Our podcast is back, and we’re in our hater era! In this episode, we tackle the infamously divisive 2023 film Saltburn, a psychological thriller directed by Emerald Fennell and starring Barry Keoghan as Oliver Quick, an Oxford scholarship student invited to his wealthy friend’s summer estate, Saltburn, for a summer that takes a dark turn. (Spoiler …

We’re back for our first episode of the summer! In this one, we take a trip to post-Rome Britain to explore our fascination with a time period that is more myth than history. Going full history nerd, we take a look at three books set in Britain after the withdrawal of Roman imperial powers: Dark Earth by Rebecca Stott, Here Lies Arthur by Philip Re…

This week, we’ve got a guest on our podcast as author M.K. Lobb drops by to answer our questions about her young adult fantasy novel Seven Faceless Saints. Tune in to hear us discuss the real historical inspiration behind her fantasy world, the joys of writing angsty romance, and the importance of angry female characters. Media mentioned These Viol…

In this episode, we take a deep dive into the character of John Constantine, DC’s infamous dirtbag warlock. Beginning with his iconic Hellblazer comic and going on to discuss his many movie and TV appearances, we tackle some of his most iconic storylines, how various adaptations do or don’t work, and why we find one British magician’s poor life cho…

This week’s episode is a blast to the past as we delve into a new genre for this podcast: historical romance novels. Focusing on five novels–A Caribbean Heiress in Paris by Adriana Herrera, The Siren of Sussex by Mimi Matthews, The Queer Principles of Kit Webb by Cat Sebastian, The Duke Who Didn’t by Courtney Milan, and The Lady’s Guide to Celestia…

This episode, we’re taking a turn into the classics by reviewing two retellings of Emily Brontë’s gothic novel Wuthering Heights: Black Spring by Alison Croggon and What Souls Are Made Of by Tasha Suri. We indulge our inner English majors by getting very excited about cycles of tragedy, ghosts, and doomed romance while also discussing how the novel…

Segueing into Spooky Season, this week we’re bringing a seasonally-appropriate episode on witchy books! Focusing on The Scapegracers by H.A. Clarke and Payback’s a Witch by Lana Harper, we discuss the different takes on witches in both novels, their representation of magic-wielding lesbian and bisexual women, and how supernatural elements are used …

The start of fall may be nearing, but we’re here to prolong summer with an episode on the movie Fire Island! A modern gay adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, it follows a group of friends on their annual summer vacation. Topics include how the movie updates the novel’s social commentary and class dynamics, what makes the iconic Elizabe…

It’s summer, and that means sunny weather, visits to the beach…and murder? This week’s episode is on two seaside mysteries, Bad Things Happen Here by Rebecca Barrow and I Killed Zoe Spanos by Kit Frick. Topics include mental health representation, balancing nuanced characters with twisty plots, and how the setting enhances both books. (Note: we do …

We’re back! This week, we’re discussing A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske and and Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho, two novels that reimagine English history with a magical twist. Topics include wizard bureaucracy, ambitious women, and the way that both novels intertwine fantasy and history. Other media mentioned: A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross…

This week, we’re discussing the recent Netflix show Arcane! An animated blend of science fiction, fantasy, and crime drama, it’s also an adaptation of the video game League of Legends–something we know pretty much nothing about. However, we both still adored it. Topics include the show’s careful construction of inevitable tragedies, the complex cas…

This week, we take a trip back to 1987 to discuss the horror-comedy movie The Lost Boys. Following a pair of brothers who move to a sunny California town plagued by vampires, the film includes a tangled love triangle, some inventive methods of murder, and a lot of 80s fashion. Topics of discussion include possible gay subtext, the deep-seated appea…

Step one: rob the rich. Step two: break a curse. Step three: interrogate your deep-seated childhood trauma. Who could this to-do list belong to? Why, none other than the protagonist of Little Thieves by Margaret Owen! This week, we dive into a delightful young adult fantasy retelling of the fairytale The Goose Girl following a teenage thief whose f…

Happy Black History Month! This week, we’re discussing two historical fantasy novels by Black authors: A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark and The Conductors by Nicole Glover. Join us as we take a trip to nineteenth-century Philadelphia and twentieth-century Cairo and discuss compelling murder mystery plots, well-developed alternate histories featu…

What’s more terrifying than a supervillain? A superhero, of course! In our twentieth (!) episode, we’re taking a look at the dark side of superheroes through the novels Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots and The Refrigerator Monologues by Catherynne M. Valente. Topics include descents into villainy, misogyny in comic books, and whether the Joker pays …

This week, we’re diving into the King Arthur mythos! We discuss the book Legendborn by Tracy Deonn, an urban fantasy book that stars Bree Mathews, a Black teenage girl who discovers a secret society of demon-hunters descended from the Knights of the Round Table. Topics include our love of the fierce and complicated main character, Tracy Deonn’s sca…

It’s time to dive into all things undead! In this episode, we’re discussing two fantasy books about necromancers: Sabriel by Garth Nix and The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco. Is raising the dead an inherently evil kind of magic? What does it mean to have power over life and death? Plus: cat demons, descents into villainy, and the importance of a good, o…

What do vampires, wizards, and baked goods have in common? They’re all featured in this week’s episode, of course! Today we’re discussing A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher and Sunshine by Robin McKinley, two fantasy novels starring heroines who call the kitchen home. Some topics covered include the integration of magic and bakin…

This week, Pie and Lulu leave the realm of fantasy and science fiction for new territory. Turning our attention to two young adult coming-of-age stories, we discuss Perfect on Paper by Sophie Gonzales and Jack of Hearts (and Other Parts) by L.C. Rosen, two contemporary novels where the protagonist runs an advice column–yet is a bit of a disaster in…

This week, Pie and Lulu cross into an entirely new territory: the Batman mythos! We discuss the iconic DC Comics storyline Under the Red Hood and its animated movie adaptation, both about Jason Todd, a former Robin turned antagonist. Topics include our (lack of) prior knowledge about Batman comics, a haphazard rundown of the history of the Robin si…

This week, Pie and Lulu discuss the 2021 Marvel and DC Pride anthologies, which feature a variety of short comics about LGBT+ superheroes. Topics include the appearances of some of our favorite queer superheroes (hint: there’s a lot of X-Men), new and interesting characters we discovered thanks to these anthologies, and the state of LGBT+ represent…

This week, we’re discussing the Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells. Focusing on the first of four science fiction novellas about a grumpy artificial intelligence and the humans it reluctantly comes to care about, we discuss the novellas' portrayal of free will, dehumanization under capitalism, and the importance of escapist media, all while marvelin…

This week, Pie and Lulu discuss Nghi Vo’s novel The Chosen and the Beautiful, a history fantasy retelling of The Great Gatsby starring Jordan Baker. Topics include the way Vo integrates magic into the classic novel, Jordan’s adaptational identity as a bisexual Vietnamese woman, and an overabundance of enthusiasm for the idea of demonic bargains. Co…

This week, Pie and Lulu travel to gang-ruled 1920s Shanghai to discuss These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong, a historical fantasy retelling of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Topics include the novel’s dramatic romance, the atmospheric historical setting, and how Gong puts her own spin on the classic tale of love and rivalry. Other media mentioned:…

This week, Pie and Lulu explore their most literary and intellectual pastime during the pandemic: reading a lot of X-Men comics. Covering comics from the eighties to the present day, topics include favorite characters, underrated comic runs, and thoughts on the unusual current status quo of the X-Men. Oh, and also cosmic tragedies, coming out stori…

This week, it’s all about gothic vibes! Pie and Lulu take a look at two gothic-inspired novels: Down Comes the Night by Allison Saft and Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. We discuss the spooky atmospheres and isolated manor settings that both of the books share, as well as our love for the female protagonists. Also, why are we both afraid of …

This week, Pie and Lulu take a dive into two very different takes on vampires: the 2014 comedy-mockumentary What We Do in the Shadows and S.T. Gibson’s gothic novella A Dowry of Blood. We discuss comedic versus traditional interpretations of vampires, immortal roommate drama, and how human the heart of vampire stories can really be. Other media men…

This week, Pie and Lulu dive into two fantasy novels featuring dead gods: Deeplight by Frances Hardinge and Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor. We discuss world-building, portrayals of fantasy religions, and how these books use the concept of dead divinities to explore the power of belief and storytelling. Other Media Mentioned: Daughter of Smoke …

In a somewhat chaotic sixth episode, Pie and Lulu revisit their superhero comic nerd roots by rereading Young Avengers. A teenage superhero team originally created in 2005 by Allan Heinburg and Jim Cheung, members of the Young Avengers have gone on to become popular throughout the Marvel universe, starring in team books, solo stories, and epic comi…

In this week's episode, Pie and Lulu exclaim their love for the fantasy novel The Unspoken Name by A.K. Larkwood. Topics include how the novel melds science fiction and fantasy, its laugh-out-loud humor, our love of stories about the multiverse, the casual inclusion of gay and lesbian characters, and an over usage of the phrase "dubious wizard fath…

In this week's episode, Lulu and Pie take a dive into two mythology-infused superhero comics: Angela: Queen of Hel by Marguerite Bennett and Midnighter and Apollo by Steve Orlando. Topics include the way these two comics retell the classic myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, LGBTQ+ representation, demons made of ramen, and monopoly-playing supervillains.…

In this week's episode, Pie and Lulu dive into three adaptations of Twelfth Night, Shakespeare's classic comedy: the National Theatre's 2017 production, the Public Works musical, and the web series Twelfth Grade (Or Whatever). Topics include how these adaptations explore the play's themes of gender and sexual fluidity, gay pirates, and why it's pro…

In anticipation of the upcoming Netflix adaptation, Pie and Lulu reread Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo and evaluate how it has held up over the years. We discuss the book’s romance, world-building, exploration of the Chosen One archetype, hopes and hesitations regarding the TV show, and our undying love for Genya Safin. Content warnings: emotiona…

In the first episode of Never the Twins Shall Meet, Pie and Lulu introduce themselves and discuss the depictions of selkies–seal shapeshifters from Celtic folklore–in Franny Billingsley's novel The Folk Keeper and the film Song of the Sea. Content warnings for this episode include discussions of forced marriage and loss of a parent.…