Books That Burn

This fortnight we’re discussing “Uglies” by Scott Westerfeld, the first book in the Uglies Quartet (shout-out to anyone who remembers when this was officially a trilogy). 

Topic 1: David - Loss of home. Begins at (1:25), CW for loss of parents, loss of home. 

Topic 2: Tally - Self Esteem. Begins at (11:26), CW for surgery, lack of self-esteem based on looks, intentionally cruel nicknames, systemic cruelty. 

Topic 3: Tally - Consent. Begins at (25:51), CW for surgery, coercion, lack of consent. 

Promo for Midwest Meltdown; Spoiler-free wrap-up and ratings: Begins at (43:55). 

--- 

If you'd like to make a monthly donation, please check us out on Patreon. 

You can check out Robin's written review of the book at Reviews That Burn. 

Find all our links on our Carrd. 

Music provided by HeartBeatArt and is used with permission. 

This fortnight we’re discussing “Virtual Vandals” by Diane Duane. This is book one of the series "Tom Clancy's Net Force Explorers". 

Topic 1: Stunted emotional growth. Begins at (1:30), CW for discussion of classism and classist perspectives. 

Topic 2: Threat of physical harm. Begins at (16:44), CW for vehicular manslaughter, threats of murder. 

Topic 3: Neurological damage. Begins at (25:32), CW for physical danger, shock, and brain damage. 

Promo for Garrett Talks to Himself; Spoiler-free wrap-up and ratings: Begins at (36:06). 

--- 

Read the transcript here.

If you'd like to make a monthly donation, please check us out on Patreon. Patrons at any level will receive the bonus Epilogue episode for this book.

You can check out Robin's written review of the book at Reviews That Burn. 

Find all our links on our Carrd. 

Music provided by HeartBeatArt and is used with permission. 

This fortnight we’re discussing “Long Way Down” by Jason Reynolds. Robin has been looking forward to this episode all year, ever since it was recommended to them by a very helpful librarian when they went home for Christmas 2019. We're pleased to report that the book was as good as they were told, and we're excited to share our discussion with you. 

Topic 1: Mom - Death of family members. Begins at (1:30), CW for self-harm, gun violence, murder, revenge killings, death of family members. 

Topic 2: Will - Premeditation of murder. Begins at (11:30), CW for ideation about death and violence. 

Topic 3: Will - Cycle of violence: Revenge edition. Begins at (22:00), CW for gun violence, revenge killing, trauma on readers. 

Promo for Infectious Groove; Spoiler-free wrap-up and ratings: Begins at (32:10). 

--- 

Read the transcript here.

If you'd like to make a monthly donation, please check us out on Patreon. Patrons at any level will receive the bonus Epilogue episode for this book.

You can check out Robin's written review of the book at Reviews That Burn. 

Find all our links on our Carrd. 

Music provided by HeartBeatArt and is used with permission. 

This fortnight we bring you our discussion of "Salamandastron", our highlight episode from the "Redwall" series by Brian Jacques. 

*Book TW for viral outbreak and quarantine, with fever. 

Topic 1: Epidemic - Dryditch Fever. Begins at (1:30), CW for plague, fear of death, child in danger, sickness, death. 

Topic 2: False accusation. Begins at (14:45), CW for child punishment, false accusation, murder, terrorizing others, threat of physical violence, weapons. 

Topic 3: Parent/child relationships. Begins at (24:30), CW for threats of murder, child abuse, verbal abuse, rage, descriptions of violence. 

Spoiler-free wrap-up and ratings: Begins at (38:45). 

--- 

Read the transcript here. 

If you'd like to make a monthly donation, please check us out on Patreon. Patrons at any level will receive the bonus Epilogue episode for this book.

You can check out Robin's written review of the book at Reviews That Burn. 

Find all our links on our Carrd. 

Music provided by HeartBeatArt and is used with permission. 

This fortnight we bring you our discussion of "Hork Bajir Chronicles", our highlight episode from the "Animorphs" series by K. A. Applegate. 

(This episode has been updated to fix a compiling error in the wrap-up.)

*Book TW for viral outbreak and quarantine. 

Topic 1: Sensory Overload. Begins at (1:30), CW for discussion of narcissism. 

Topic 2: Massacre. Begins at (20:00), CW for loss of family members, death. 

Topic 3: Betrayal. Begins at (34:30), CW for betrayal, lying, gaslighting, controlling behavior. 

Spoiler-free wrap-up and ratings: Begins at (49:15). 

--- 

Read the transcript here.

If you'd like to make a monthly donation, please check us out on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/booksthatburn). 

You can check out Robin's written review of the book at Reviews That Burn. 

Find all our links on our Carrd. 

Music provided by HeartBeatArt and is used with permission. 

This fortnight we bring you “Mockingjay”, book three of the Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. 

Topic 1: Peta - Gaslighting. Begins at (0:50), CW for descriptions of chemical gaslighting, betrayal, reality distortion. 

Topic 2: Katniss - Institutional cruelty. Begins at (15:30), CW for mention of nuclear weapons, food restriction, rebellion. 

Topic 3: Katniss - Death. Begins at (25:15), CW for mention of nuclear weapons, food restriction, rebellion. 

Spoiler-free wrap-up and ratings: Begins at (35:00). 

--- 

If you'd like to make a monthly donation, please check us out on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/booksthatburn). 

Find all our links on our Carrd. 

Music provided by HeartBeatArt and is used with permission. 

This fortnight we bring you “Catching Fire”, book two of the Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. 

Topic 1: Cinna. Begins at (0:50), CW for physical violence. 

Topic 2: Katniss - "Hollywood" PTSD. Begins at (12:55), CW for mention of decapitation, blood, descriptions of violent scenes, PTSD, flashbacks, nightmares. 

Topic 3: Katniss - Self-Sacrifice. Begins at (29:20), CW for suicide, suicidal ideation, gaslighting, mention of death, objectification, dismissal of agency. 

Spoiler-free wrap-up and ratings: Begins at (40:30). 

--- 

If you'd like to make a monthly donation, please check us out on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/booksthatburn). 

Find all our links on our Carrd. 

Music provided by HeartBeatArt and is used with permission. 

This fortnight we bring you “The Hunger Games”, book one of the Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. 

Topic 1: Katniss’s mother - Widowhood and depression. Begins at (0:50), CW for abandonment, parental death, hunger, depression, child caregiver, strained parent/child relationship. 

Topic 2: Katniss - Fake Relationship. Begins at (13:15), CW for possessiveness, toxic relationships. 

Topic 3: Katniss - Starvation, food defensiveness/insecurity. Begins at (25:30), CW for starvation, food hoarding, food defensiveness, descriptions of starvation, TW for descriptions of feelings of starvation, food defensive ideation. 

Spoiler-free wrap-up and ratings: Begins at (41:00). 

--- 

Read the transcript here. 

If you'd like to make a monthly donation, please check us out on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/booksthatburn). 

Find all our links on our Carrd. 

Music provided by HeartBeatArt and is used with permission. 

This fortnight we bring you our discussion of "Coraline", a stand-alone book by Neil Gaiman. 

Topic 1: Ghost Children. Begins at (0:50), CW for theft of self, kidnapping, theft of identity. 

Topic 2: Coraline and gaslighting. Begins at (9:15), CW for gaslighting, abuse, christian language as abuse, dismissal of self, body horror, mutilation, abandonment. 

Topic 3: Coraline and neglect. Begins at (19:43), CW for neglect, abandonment. 

Spoiler-free wrap-up and ratings: Begins at (40:55). 

--- 

Read the transcript here. 

If you'd like to make a monthly donation, please check us out on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/booksthatburn). 

Find all our links on our Carrd. 

Music provided by HeartBeatArt and is used with permission. 

This fortnight we bring you The Amber Spyglass, the conclusion of the His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman. 

Topic 1: Pantalaimon and Kirjava. Begins at (0:50), CW for abandonment, death. 

Topic 2: Lyra's kidnapping. Begins at (12:05), CW for repressed memories, kidnapping, torture, lying by omission, drugged sleep, loss of innocence. 

Topic 3: Will and death. Begins at (22:45), CW for parental death, suicide, murder, discussion of gaslighting. 

Spoiler-free wrap-up and ratings: Begins at (31:10). 

--- 

Read the transcript.

If you'd like to make a monthly donation, please check us out on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/booksthatburn). 

Find all our links on our Carrd. 

Music provided by HeartBeatArt and is used with permission.