Daniel, Heidi, and Colin discuss In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware: a thriller with a gorgeous glass house setting, a nonlinear structure that promises more than it delivers, and a twist we all saw coming. We dig into the failed horror elements, the disability representation problems, what the unreliable narrator needed to actually work, and why the setting deserved a better book around it.

Reading along with us? Next episode: The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

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Daniel, Heidi, and Colin put out a special Book-to-Screen episode on Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir: a hard sci-fi novel with heart, humor, and the best bromance between a human and a rock crab in all of fiction. We talk about what makes the book work (the flashback structure, Stratt as an ethical nightmare, every Chekhov's gun that fires), then dig into the Lord and Miller film adaptation: what it nailed, what it softened, and what got lost in translation.

Email us at contact@wordswordswordspod.com Join the conversation in our Discord! https://discord.gg/d34D3ppFUh Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/wordswordswordspod Tiktok too! https://www.tiktok.com/@wordswordswordspo

Daniel, Heidi, and Colin discuss Gunmetal Gods by Zamil Akhtar: a Middle Eastern inspired epic fantasy with dueling POVs, brutal politics, and cosmic horror creeping in at the edges. We unpack the setting, character complexity, pacing highs and lows, and an ending that sparked debate about payoff and theme.

Reading along with us? Next episode: In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware

Email us at contact@wordswordswordspod.com Join the conversation in our Discord! https://discord.gg/d34D3ppFUh Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/wordswordswordspod Tiktok too! https://www.tiktok.com/@wordswordswordspo

Hosts Daniel, Heidi, and Colin dive into Naomi Novik’s A Deadly Education: we unpack El’s razor-sharp narration, the Scholomance as a brutally clever setting, and the book’s mix of dark academia, survival horror, and reluctant teamwork. We talk mana economics, enclaves and class politics, El and Orion’s complicated dynamic, the shadow of prophecy, and the monster designs that make this school feel like it has teeth. Plus, we dig into that cliffhanger ending and what it sets up for what comes next.

Reading along with us? Next episode: Gunmetal Gods by Zamil Akhtar

Email us at contact@wordswordswordspod.com Join the conversation in our Discord! https://discord.gg/d34D3ppFUh Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/wordswordswordspod Tiktok too! https://www.tiktok.com/@wordswordswordspo

Daniel, Colin, and Heidi set reading challenges for themselves for the upcoming year, and decide what the punishment will be if the goal is not met.

Hosts Daniel, Heidi, and Colin discuss Stephen King’s The Running Man (as Richard Bachman): we unpack its breakneck chase plot, nasty reality TV satire, and the way its media machine feels uncomfortably familiar. We dig into pollution and class collapse, propaganda as entertainment, the book’s disability and eugenics undertones in a pre-ADA world, and that feral ending that dares you to ask who the story is really for.

Reading along with us? Next episode: A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik (Book 1 of the Scholomance trilogy)

Email us at contact@wordswordswordspod.com Join the conversation in our Discord! https://discord.gg/d34D3ppFUh Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/wordswordswordspod Tiktok too! https://www.tiktok.com/@wordswordswordspo

Email us at contact@wordswordswordspod.com Join the conversation in our Discord! https://discord.gg/d34D3ppFUh Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/wordswordswordspod Tiktok too! https://www.tiktok.com/@wordswordswordspo

A lively podcast discussion of Terry Pratchett's Hogfather: the hosts unpack the book's humor, memorable characters (Death and Susan), and satirical take on holiday consumerism and belief. They explore the tooth-fairy twist, the novel's darker moments, and moments that feel uncannily prescient about technology and society, while sharing personal holiday favorites and whether the book works as a seasonal read.

Reading along with us? Next episode: The Running Man by Stephen King (Richard Bachman)

Email us at contact@wordswordswordspod.com Join the conversation in our Discord! https://discord.gg/d34D3ppFUh Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/wordswordswordspod Tiktok too! https://www.tiktok.com/@wordswordswordspo

Hosts Daniel, Heidi, and Colin discuss V.E. Schwab's The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, exploring themes of freedom, legacy, art as influence, and the emotional impact of the novel's characters—Addie, Henry, and the enigmatic Luke.

The episode covers character reactions, moral ambiguity of contracts with supernatural forces, debates about feminism and agency, and the bittersweet, defiant ending that prompts varied interpretations. They also share personal reactions, favorite scenes, and book recommendations for similar reads.

Reading along with us? Next episode: Hogfather (Discworld) by Terry Pratchett