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 -

Stand-Alone 2: Coraline - Neil Gaiman

2 Jan 13th, 2020 55m 42s

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),

Anatomy of Sequels - A Reviewer's Perspective

24 days ago 19m 40s

Sometime in the first year of my review blog, I developed a checklist which I use when reviewing sequels. It helps me qualitatively describe how they are composed, and how they interact with the surrounding books in their respective series. Mor

Why ”Immortal Longings” Isn’t Like ”The Hunger Games”

Mar 4th, 2024 10m 11s

Greetings! Welcome to Books That Burn. I'm Robin, welcome to another book essay about something that was too big of a thought to fit into a normal review, specifically: Why Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong is not like The Hunger Games. Please fe

Queerness and Monstrosity in ”Night Shine” and ”Moon Dark Smile” by Tessa Gratton

Feb 5th, 2024 15m 19s

Greetings! Welcome to Books That Burn. I'm Robin, and this is the first essay I've specifically written for the podcast, to be made available first to Patrons, then to the main feed and on Reviews That Burn. Please feel free to send us suggesti

Bonus

Sleep No More, The Innocent Sleep, and the Death of Personality

Jan 22nd, 2024 22m 42s

*This essay contains moderate spoilers for the first sixteen October Daye books, major spoilers for SLEEP NO MORE and THE INNOCENT SLEEP, and minor spoilers for Babylon 5 (S3 E4 "Passing Through Gethsemane").Link to the original essay.INTRO (

Bonus

Additional Reflections on ”Feed Them Silence” by Lee Mandelo

Dec 18th, 2023 13m 35s

To tide you over between regular episodes, Robin reads their blog post from April 2023.-----This is a follow-up to my review of "Feed Them Silence" by Lee Mandelo, involving some thoughts that are too personal to make sense in the review as t

Bonus

Reflections on ”Singularity” by William Sleator

Nov 20th, 2023 5m 9s

To tide you over between regular episodes, Robin reads their blog post from July 2022 with thoughts on the book "Singularity". You can find the original post here. The spoiler-free book review is here.

Bonus

Ensemble Heist Stories in Fiction

Oct 16th, 2023 8m 22s

Please enjoy Robin reading their blog post with some thoughts on ensemble heist stories in fiction. If you'd prefer to read it instead, you can find it here. Refer below for books of the types discussed.-----Unplanned:THE ART OF SAVING THE W

Stand-Alone 29: The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo

Aug 28th, 2023 50m 14s

This episode we’re discussing “The Ghost Bride” by Yangsze Choo, where a young woman is engaged to marry a ghost, and it turns out he's more of a meddler than she expected from the dead.PUBLISHER: HarperAudioYEAR: 2013LENGTH: 368 pages

Highlight 29: “War Girls” by Tochi Onyebuchi

Aug 14th, 2023 1h 4m

This episode we’re discussing “War Girls” by Tochi Onyebuchi, a story of two sisters whose lives are ravaged by war.Topic 1: Dehumanization. Begins at (1:35), CW for ableism, colorism, colonization, child abuse, medical content, body horror, w

Stand-Alone 28, Part 2: Battle Royale by Koushun Takami

Jul 31st, 2023 1h 8m

This episode we’re discussing BATTLE ROYALE by Koushun Takami. This is the second of two episodes, this one deals with two characters who were damaged in different ways before the story begins.PUBLISHER: Simon & SchusterYEAR: 1999LENGT

Stand-Alone 28, Part 1: Battle Royale by Koushun Takami

Jul 10th, 2023 1h 1m

This episode we’re discussing BATTLE ROYALE by Koushun Takami. This is a two-part episode, in this first part we’re discussing students dealing with isolation and loss of control in the context of a deadly game.(Part Two will release on July 3

Highlight 28: A Strange and Stubborn Endurance by Foz Meadows

Jun 5th, 2023 51m 46s

This episode we’re discussing “A Strange and Stubborn Endurance” by Foz Meadows. We originally recorded this under the impression that it's a stand-alone book, but the sequel (All The Hidden Paths) has been announced for late 2023.PUBLISHER:

Highlight 27: Ptolemy’s Gate by Jonathan Stroud

May 1st, 2023 1h 26m

This episode we’re discussing “Ptolemy’s Gate” by Jonathan Stroud. Really, we end up in a thematic discussion of how the main trilogy develops concepts of colonization, classism, and torture across its entire run.PUBLISHER: Listening Library

Stand-Alone 27: Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Apr 17th, 2023 55m 50s

This month we’re discussing “Mexican Gothic” by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.PUBLISHER: Del ReyYEAR: 2020LENGTH: 320 pagesAGE: AdultGENRE: Fantasy, Historical, HorrorRECOMMENDED: HighlyTopic 1: Torture. Begins at (1:35), CW for tort

Highlight 26: The Grace of Kings” by Ken Liu

Apr 3rd, 2023 1h

This month we’re discussing “The Grace of Kings” by Ken Liu, the first book of the Dandelion Dynasty.PUBLISHER: Saga PressYEAR: 2015LENGTH: 640 pagesAGE: AdultGENRE: FantasyRECOMMENDED: HighlyTopic 1: Intimidation/Murder. Be

Stand-Alone 26: Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots

Mar 6th, 2023 1h

This episode we’re discussing “Hench” by Natalie Zina Walschots. It's a story of using spreadsheets to show that the destructive "heroes" are the real villains.PUBLISHER: William MorrowYEAR: 2020LENGTH: 416 pagesAGE: AdultGENRE: Fantasy, S

Highlight 25: A Blade So Black by L.L. McKinney

Jan 30th, 2023 49m 36s

This month we’re discussing “A Blade So Black” by L.L. McKinney, the first book in the NightmareVerse trilogy, retelling Alice in Wonderland with a Bi Black girl from Atlanta, Georgia.PUBLISHER: ImprintYEAR: 2018LENGTH: 384 pagesAGE:

Stand-Alone 25: The Storyteller’s Daughter by Cameron Dokey

Dec 26th, 2022 1h

This fortnight we’re discussing “The Storyteller’s Daughter” by Cameron Dokey, a retelling of the Arabian Nights.PUBLISHER: Simon PulseYEAR: 1997LENGTH: 221 pagesAGE: Young AdultGENRE: FantasyRECOMMENDED: YesTopic 1: Power Imbalance. Be

Highlight 24: Queen of the Conquered by Kacen Callender

Dec 12th, 2022 1h 6m

This fortnight we’re discussing “Queen of the Conquered” by Kacen Callender, the first book in the Islands of Blood and Storm duology.PUBLISHER: OrbitYEAR: 2019LENGTH: 400 pages AGE: AdultGENRE: Fantasy, MysteryRECOMMENDED: HighlyTopi

Stand-Alone 24: Portrait of a Thief by Grace D. Li

Nov 28th, 2022 1h 26m

This fortnight we’re discussing “Portrait of a Thief” by Grace D. Li, a thriller where five young Chinese Americans are hired to steal back Chinese art from Western museums.PUBLISHER: Tiny Reparations BooksYEAR: 2022LENGTH: 320 pagesAGE: Ad

Highlight 23: Sassinak by Elizabeth Moon and Anne McCaffrey

Nov 14th, 2022 1h 22m

This fortnight we’re discussing “Sassinak” by Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Moon. This covers several decades of the protagonists life as she's enslaved by planet pirates and then spends several decades getting the skills for stopping them.TIT

Stand-Alone 23: Radiance by Catherynne M. Valente

Oct 31st, 2022 1h 2m

This fortnight we’re discussing “Radiance” by Catherynne M. Valente. Set in an alternate version of the 1920's where the planets are as lush as as early sci-fi thought they'd be, and the moon makes a surprisingly good film set as long as you do

Stand-Alone 22: Fledgling by Octavia Butler

Oct 17th, 2022 49m 13s

This fortnight we’re discussing the vampire novel, “Fledgling”, by Octavia Butler.TITLE: FledglingAUTHOR: Octavia E. ButlerPUBLISHER: Grand Central PublishingYEAR: 2005LENGTH: 310 pagesAGE: AdultGENRE: Fantasy, Science Ficti