THE ADHD BOOK CLUB PODCAST
A book club podcast by two ADHD people looking for a little accountability (and an excuse to talk). Join us!
EPISODE LIST
1. The Troop by Nick Cutter: Stephen King says, “The Troop scared the hell out of me, and I couldn’t put it down. This is old-school horror at its best.” Ashley says, “Grueeeesomeee.” Korey says, “Wait, what was that kid’s name?” Come for the insatiably disgusting tapeworms, stay for the deranged children. Trigger warning: profanity, body horror, gore, turtle torture, etc. You can’t say we didn’t warn you.
2. It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover: The second episode of The ADHD Book Club Podcast is here and we're diving into a romance! In this episode, we're discussing It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover. USA Today called it, “a glorious and touching read, a forever keeper. The kind of book that gets handed down.” Ashley says, "Every romance is out to hurt me!" Korey says, "Look, it turns into a love triangle between her and this neurosurgeon dipshit that she met at the top of a building, and her homeless ex-boyfriend. The end." But, is it really that simple? Tune in to find out!
3. I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid: Episode 3 is here, and we’re thinking of ending things... kidding! In this episode, we discuss the psychological thriller, I’m Thinking of Ending Things, by Iain Reid. Library Journal says this novel “packs a big psychological punch with a twisty story line and an ending that will leave readers breathless.” Ashley says, “I think it was a really fun read. It was easy. It’s short. You’re confused. You’re engaged. And then, yeah, that ending. That, like, moment really just… oof. Killed it.” Korey says, “I think the production on the audiobook is very cool, and I think it really sells the ending. Almost as well as we did.” We both say, “IT’S A VIBE.” Tune in to find out if we actually sell the ending as well as the audiobook!
4. Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson: In our fourth episode, we discuss Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson! Taffy Brodesser-Akner said, “Good Lord, I can’t believe how good this book is.” Korey says, “The book is charmingly pleasant, and we have very little to say about it.” Ashley says, “It was, yeah, charmingly pleasant!” Tune in to our shortest episode yet as we discuss all things fire children!
5. Stardust by Neil Gaimon: Join us as we discuss Stardust by Neil Gaiman for episode 5 of The ADHD Book Club Podcast! The Chicago Tribune called it, “A twisting, wondrous tale full of magic that only Neil Gaiman could have written. Korey says, “It’s a nice fairy tale about a boy that goes to retrieve a falling star for a boring-ass girl.” Ashley says, “I really loved the weird, murderous brothers.” Tune into our most off-topic episode so far!
6. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin: We’re discussing Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin in episode 6 of The ADHD Book Club Podcast! Maureen Corrigan of NPR’s Fresh Air called it, “a big beautifully written novel…that succeeds in being both serious art and immersive entertainment.” Ashley says, “I wonder if I would have liked it more if you didn’t tell me how much you hated it along the way?” Korey says, “Hate might be strong, but not super strong.” Find out how strong, exactly, by tuning in now!
7. Verity by Colleen Hoover: Episode 7 is here and we’re discussing Verity by Colleen Hoover! The Washington Post said, “Verity delivers the grand slam of thriller twists—the holy grail of 'what the…?!' moments… It lit up my brain." Korey says, “It’s basically like Fight Club for wine moms.” Ashley says, “This book was fucking wild.” How wild? Tune in now to find out!
8. The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay: Episode 8 is here, and we’re discussing The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay. Stephen King says it’s “a tremendous book―thought-provoking and terrifying, with tension that winds up like a chain. The Cabin at the End of the World is Tremblay’s personal best. It’s that good.” Korey says, “Yeah, it’s a thought experiment. It is meant to prompt you to think about the things that are happening in the book, and what that might be like, and how that makes you feel. Like, yes, that's what stories are.” Ashley says, “Literally.” You may also know the film adaptation by M. Night Shyamalan, Knock at the Cabin. Join the discussion on both by tuning in now!
9. The Quiet Boy by Ben H. Winters: We read The Quiet Boy by Ben H. Winters for episode 9 of The ADHD Book Club Podcast! The New York Times Book Review says, “Winters is such a fine writer that by the time he asks you to suspend your disbelief, you’ll follow him anywhere.” Ashley says, “That was good. Also vague and weird, but just weird enough, you know?” Korey says, “Things get weird. But also kind of more and less weird than you might think at the same time?” Find out how weird by tuning in now!
10. Stolen Focus by Johann Hari: In episode 10, we officially take on our first non-fiction book, Stolen Focus by Johann Hari. Oprah Winfrey called it, “A beautifully researched and argued exploration of the breakdown of humankind's ability to pay attention.” Korey says, “We did it! We read a non-fiction book!” Ashely says, “Wait, which one is non-fiction again?” Tune in to our newest episode now!
11: Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder: We take on Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder, our first listener recommendation, in episode 11 of The ADHD Book Club Podcast. Sarah Stiefvater says, “... fantastic ... Wildly (literally) imaginative plot aside, Yoder’s debut exposes her as a tremendous writer. She seamlessly blends dark comedy with astute observations on the state of modern motherhood and feminism in general that will make the reader feel both seen and enraged.” Ashley says, “There’s something very animal. Meaty stuff.” Korey says, “This is extremely my shit.” Tune in now to hear all about Nightbitch and more!
12: We’re discussing Dark Matter by Blake Crouch in episode 12 of The ADHD Book Club Podcast. Tom Shippey of The Wall Street Journal says, “'Alternate worlds' and 'the corridors of time' are established sci-fi motifs, but Mr. Crouch has invested them with scientific plausibility, and more unusually, with emotional depth. His book is a meditation on personality and identity. It draws on questions and anxieties we all wrestle with in the dark hours.” Ashley says, “Yeah, it's sci-fi about a man that’s woken up in a weird place.” Korey says, “I already know that I really like this book, and a guy who wakes up in a strange place is as good an explanation as any.” Tune in to hear all about Dark Matter!
13: We take on classic literature in episode 13 of The ADHD Book Club Podcast with Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen! Austen called this brilliant work "her own darling child" and its vivacious heroine, Elizabeth Bennet, "as delightful a creature as ever appeared in print." Ashley says, “There are so many characters with nicknames, or same names, and it’s confusing. Everyone’s kind of related, but not, but are… who knows.” Korey says, “Look, I like this book, with or without zombies.” Tune in now!
14: Episode 14 is here and we’ve got our very first guest! Comedian Rachelle Cochran joins us in discussing Summer Sisters by Judy Blume. The New York Times Book Review called it, “Compulsively readable… [Blume’s] powers are prodigious.” Rachelle called it, “Sad, slow, and not gay enough.” Ashley says, “It’s like a mist. Like those videos about how I like my mimosas, and it’s an essence of orange juice, which is how I like my mimosas… thats like Summer Sisters. Just a whiff of gay.” Korey says, “I feel like there was, like, a very brief mention of them rubbing their power together.” Tune in to now!
15: We’re diving into #AlienAbductionAugust with The Andreasson Affair by Raymond E. Fowler! Whitley Strieber (the author of Communion, our next book) said, “Something extraordinary happened to Betty Andreasson. Maybe she encountered non-human visitors or maybe something even more strange. Whatever the origin of her experience, her immensely powerful story awed me. Its rich and provocative imagery will remain with me forever.” Korey says, “Look, Alien Abduction August is here to stay, every year. Don’t forget about it! And, also, please invite us to your experiencer conference.” Ashley says, “However, I do not want to have an experience. I do not need a close encounter of any kind.” Korey says, “I’m into it.” Tune in to our latest episode now!
SHORTS! 2: It’s our very second short story mini-episode! Alien Abduction August keeps rolling along with Ted Chiang’s “Story of Your Life.” You might know this as the short story that Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival is based on. Or maybe you don’t! What does it mean to learn and think in a completely alien language? Tune in now to find out!
16: Alien Abduction August continues with Communion by Whitley Strieber. The Nation said, “If Whitley Strieber isn’t fibbing… then it must be accounted the most important book of the year. Of the decade. Of the century.” Ashley says, “It’s not the circle of life… It’s the triangle of life. That’s all you gotta know.” Korey says, “It’s Aliens. That’s the only thing I know for sure, is that it’s Aliens. Please invite me to your Experiencer conference. I believe all of your experiences and I would never, ever, ever, ever, ever insinuate that they’re not real. I think they’re real.” Tune in to learn all about Whitley’s encounter and more!
17: This episode of The ADHD Book Club Podcast officially marks the end of #AlienAbductionAugust as we discuss Earthlings by Sayaka Murata. Terry Hong of Booklist says it is, “...societally defiant, shockingly disconnected, disturbingly satisfying fiction ... Murata again confronts and devastates so-called 'normal,' 'proper' behavior to create an unflinching exposé of society.” Korey says, “This book was messed up.” Ashley says, “It was!” Korey says, “Yikes on bikes.” Tune in to listen to our latest episode wherever you get your podcasts!
18: We’ve got another special guest on our latest episode of The ADHD Book Club Podcast! In episode 18, The Last Skeptik (Corin Douieb) joins us to discuss White Teeth by Zadie Smith. The New York Times Book Review said, “[White Teeth] is, like the London it portrays, a restless hybrid of voices, tones, and textures…with a raucous energy and confidence.” Corin said, “It’s about intergenerational trauma distributed through diasporic communities, mostly inspired by the long-reaching claws of British colonialism.” Ashley and Korey defer to Corin because his episode quote was too good. Tune in now!
19: Spooky Season is here, and we’re kicking things off with Chuck Tingle’s brand-new horror novel, Camp Damascus! Bestselling author T. Kingfisher called it, “A joyful, furious romp through dark places. Tingle proves he's as good at fear as he is at love.” Ashley says, “It’s spooky and it’s spooky season.” Korey says, “I was kind of shocked how good it was considering I have always just admired Chuck Tingle from afar as the weirdo that writes things like, ‘Space Raptor Butt Invasion.’” Tune in to our newest episode now!
20: Episode 20 is out now, and we’re discussing My Heart Is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones. Ellen Morton from the Washington Post said, “Jones’s My Heart Is a Chainsaw is such an accomplishment; it makes me want to watch all the horror. This novel is a paean to slasher films, a devotional about an acolyte written by an obsessive. And it’s a lot of fun.” Ashley said, “Jade is a slasher-obsessed teenage girl whose dream in life is to experience a slasher film.” Korey said, “You read it! You read it, and you tell us what happened!” Tune in to the chaos wherever you get your podcasts!
21: Celebrate Halloween with a book that just barely touches on it, Hallowe’en Party by Agatha Christie! Mark Aldridge describes it as "a highly memorable and intriguing novel that makes a lasting impression on the reader." Korey says, “Agatha Christie is really going for it with the little kid murders.” Ashley says, “Yeah it’s a kid murder book.” Tune in now!