A Hollywood romance, a high diving board, and a weirdly important video from high school: this week we read "The Rom-Commers" by Katherine Center for a very exciting season finale, featuring special guest Emily Fidago, and the triumphant return of Sabrina! Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect for your commute. New podcas...
Jun 17, 2025•1 hr 52 min•Season 19Ep. 8
Family drama, wine caves, and Johnna crimes: This week we read "The Paris Apartment" by two-time Mean Book Club offender Lucy Foley and it was un peu ennuyeux. Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect for your commute. New podcast (almost) every Tuesday! Here’s the Season 18 reading list: 1. Fourth Wing by Yarros 2. Hillbill...
Jun 03, 2025•1 hr 11 min•Season 19Ep. 7
Heartbreaks, hate rates, and a host of husbands. This week we read "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo" by Taylor Jenkins Reid and it was... pretty good? Special shoutout to the person who recorded Johnna's version of the audiobook. This episode wouldn't have been the same without you. Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect...
May 20, 2025•1 hr 20 min•Season 19Ep. 6
Rich husbands, dead sisters, and another non-NYTimes Bestseller!? This week we read "The Last Mrs. Parrish" by Liv Constantine and, twist, it was a stinker. Big thanks to Molly our recommender who was very correct about the NYTimes Bestseller status of this book. Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect for your commute. New...
May 06, 2025•1 hr 17 min•Season 5Ep. 19
An old folks home and filled with red herrings. This week we read "Thursday Murder Club" by Richard Osman and we got mad. Big thanks to our listener Abby who recommended the book, which we found out IS a NYTimes bestseller after all. Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect for your commute. New podcast (almost) every Tuesda...
Apr 22, 2025•1 hr 28 min•Season 19Ep. 4
James Bond meets pickle ball? This week we read "Killers of a Certain Age" by Deanna Raybourn and we'd rate it a big old "Dr. No." Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect for your commute. New podcast (almost) every Tuesday! Here’s the Season 18 reading list: 1. Fourth Wing by Yarros 2. Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance 3. The Ho...
Apr 08, 2025•1 hr 32 min•Season 19Ep. 2
Maybe the best/worst book we've ever done? This week we read "Handbook for Mortals" by Lani Sarem and we will never be the same. Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect for your commute. New podcast (almost) every Tuesday! Here’s the Season 18 reading list: 1. Fourth Wing by Yarros 2. Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance 3. The Hous...
Mar 25, 2025•1 hr 46 min•Season 19Ep. 2
Murderous middle-age male meets moral mentor's mindful mantras. This week, we kick off season 19 with the alliterative "Darkly Dreaming Dexter" by Jeff Lindsay. Will Dexter turn evil? Will he ever experience human emotions? Should we have watched the TV show instead of reading his bad bad book? Tune in to the episode to find out! Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary...
Mar 11, 2025•1 hr 25 min
A book as thrilling as joining the chess club at law school: for our season finale this week we read "While Justice Sleeps" by Stacey Abrams with our editor extraordinaire Blake Opper! You can check out his album "For Money and Power" on Bandcamp or wherever you get your music! https://goldbloomtrio.bandcamp.com/album/for-money-and-power Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable ...
Jan 07, 2025•1 hr 38 min•Season 18Ep. 8
The memoir of a fictional Japanese geisha written by white guy who went to Harvard... what could go wrong? This week we read "Memoirs of a Geisha" and just in time for Christmas. Happy Holidays everyone and thank you so much for the support this year! Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect for your commute. New podcast (al...
Dec 24, 2024•1 hr 21 min•Season 18Ep. 7
Your classic who-done-it where the hypnotist is the killer and you find that out in... the prologue? Also the house is not a house it's a cabin and the cabin isn't a cabin, it's a pit with cement blocks. Special thanks to Susan from Book Squad Goals for this rec! You can check out their podcast at https://www.booksquadgoals.com or wherever you get your podcasts. Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling book...
Dec 10, 2024•1 hr 33 min•Season 18Ep. 6
This week we read "A Court of Thorns and Roses" by Sarah J Maas and sorry listeners, we loved it! (Well, most of us). Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect for your commute. New podcast (almost) every Tuesday! Here’s the Season 18 reading list: 1. Fourth Wing by Yarros 2. Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance 3. The Housemaid by Fr...
Nov 26, 2024•1 hr 42 min•Season 18Ep. 5
This week we read "Lean In" by Cheryl Sandberg and if we had to sum up this book in one sentence it would be "GO TO HARVARD!" Check out our Patreon where you can get access to ad-free episodes and check us out on all the socials @MeanBookClub. Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect for your commute. New podcast (almost) ev...
Nov 12, 2024•1 hr 40 min•Season 18Ep. 4
This week we read "The Housemaid" by Frieda McFadden so you know what that means, things are about to get toxic. In this episode we talk about gaslighting, plot twists, and the infamous "butt-eye." Check out our Patreon where you can get access to ad-free episodes and check us out on all the socials @MeanBookClub. Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun...
Oct 29, 2024•1 hr 37 min•Season 18Ep. 3
Season 18 continues with "Hillbilly Elegy" by J.D. Vance! Did we learn something about traditional American values? Not really, but we did have a blast ripping on this wet nerd's memoir. Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect for your commute. New podcast (almost) every Tuesday! Here’s the Season 18 reading list: 1. Fourth...
Oct 15, 2024•1 hr 54 min•Season 18Ep. 2
We're back with season 18 baby! This season we're covering some of our most requested books and we may or may not love each and every one of them. In this episode Sabrina, Johnna, & Sarah review "Fourth Wing" by Rebecca Yarros. Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect for your commute. New podcast (almost) every Tuesday!...
Oct 01, 2024•1 hr 52 min•Season 18Ep. 1
Hey don't forget about us! We might be popping out babies but we still read books and scream about them! Your faves Johnna & Sarah review Hillbilly Elegy (the movie) in this special bonus episode! We also announce the Season 18 book list. Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect for your commute. New podcast (almost) eve...
Sep 03, 2024•1 hr 1 min
It's our season 17 finale!!!! Huge thank you to our listener Hayden for recommending this lil hellscape to us! Hayden said: "My manager just told me that in order to start my “roadmap” to a promotion we are going to start by reading a book on leadership." INTERESTING... Will Hayden get the big promotion? Will Jocko and Leif INDEED dive even deeper into the unchartered and complex waters of a concept first introduced in Extreme Ownership to get granular into the nuances that every successful lead...
Jul 03, 2024•1 hr 23 min•Season 17Ep. 8
Our OG recommender Allesandra told us about Eleanor Oliphant so we knew we had to give it a read! The thing is.... Johnna, a host of this cast, ALSO told the other ladies about Eleanor Oliphant. Like 8 times. Actually she's been begging them to read it for years because it's one of her favorite reads! The MBC ladies are a HOUSE DIVIDED between love, and hate, and more hate this episode! Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine a...
Jun 11, 2024•1 hr 18 min•Season 17Ep. 7
Listener Lauren S. told us about The Bodyguard, and as soon as we saw the cover and learned that it was HOT on booktok... we knew what we had to do. Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect for your commute. New podcast every other Tuesday! Here’s the Season 17 reading list: Happy Place by Emily Henry Divine Rivals by Rebecc...
May 28, 2024•1 hr 38 min•Season 17Ep. 6
Fan JB told us this NYT bestseller is a “children’s book for adults," and they "cannot fathom what people are getting out of this." Uh, yes please! Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect for your commute. New podcast every other Tuesday! Here’s the Season 17 reading list: Happy Place by Emily Henry Divine Rivals by Rebecca...
May 14, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Season 17Ep. 5
Thank you Emily C for recommending NYT's best seller (and Reese's Book Club pick... and you know how we feel about Reese's Book Club...) THE PAPER PALACE! It's set in a house on a lake in the woods in Massachusettes so get ready to enjoy some TRAUMAAAAA DRAMA. Trigger warning, this one is heavy! Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. I...
Apr 30, 2024•1 hr 41 min•Season 17Ep. 4
Listener Emma C. told us to take on this NYT bestseller because “Just the Nicest Couple by Mary Kubica is about the dumbest people alive.” Perfect, let’s go girls. Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect for your commute. New podcast every other Tuesday! Here’s the Season 17 reading list: Happy Place by Emily Henry Divine R...
Apr 23, 2024•1 hr 49 min•Season 17Ep. 3
Hello Hello!!! This week we read another 2023 bestseller: Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross! It's about two young "rival journalists" ahhh yes, a classic duo, who are also magical and living through a world war amongst gods! They say things like: Oh My Gods. And oh my gods is this book... something. You'll see! Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's ...
Apr 02, 2024•1 hr 17 min•Season 17Ep. 2
We're BAAAACCCCCKKK! And this week we read NYT 2023 bestseller Happy Place by Emily Henry. A bunch of words so generic we kept forgetting what we were supposed to be reading. Thanks to Emily Fidago (listener, friend of the pod) for suggesting it, saying "this is the perfect Mean Book Club book because it is absolutely intolerable... my fury propelled me to the end of the book." That's good enough for us! Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, d...
Mar 12, 2024•1 hr 40 min•Season 17Ep. 1
BOOOOOKSSSSS!!! Announcing our Season 17 book list and promo. Season premiere March 5! Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect for your commute. New podcast (almost) every Tuesday! Here’s the Season 17 reading list: Happy Place by Emily Henry Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross Just the Nicest Couple by Mary Kubica The Paper Pala...
Feb 20, 2024•9 min
Special Bonus Episode! We uncovered the lost, original recording of our first episode: Malice by Danielle Steel. The quality isn't what you've come to expect, after 17 seasons, but the meanness is still there. There's a raw edge and anger to our younger selves. There's also more alcohol. As you await our Season 17 Book List, please enjoy the special (unedited) episode found deep within our podcast vault. Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, d...
Jan 09, 2024•1 hr 8 min
Fan Alessandra Rosso needed us to confirm whether this NYT bestseller was actually trash because the main character “could have been replaced by a potted plant and I am not sure it would have changed the story.” And it’s a short book? About BROOKLYN (where we all live/have lived)?? Consider it read. Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's catharti...
Nov 28, 2023•1 hr 25 min•Season 16Ep. 8
Thank you to our Icelandic listener Jessic Lyn Webb who told us that this NYT bestseller was “truly the most heinous misjustice to storytelling I have every had the pain of reading,” and included lots of borderline harmful takes on mental illness. And for some reason, that sold us. Heaven knows why. This one was painful. We also have special guest - comedian and cohost of The Beanball podcast Joey Price! Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who read, d...
Nov 14, 2023•1 hr 23 min•Season 16Ep. 7
TJ Klune's The House in the Cerulean Sea. An "enchanting story, masterfully told" or "a book that tries so hard to be quirky and twee it makes me want to throw it into the Atlantic Ocean." YOU DECIDE! We decide, also, on: Mean Book Club! We are four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, CollegeHumor, Impractical Jokers) who read, discuss and whine about NYT bestselling books that have questionable literary merit. It's fun. It's cathartic. It's perfect for your commute. New podcast (almost) every Tuesday! HUGE ...
Oct 24, 2023•1 hr 15 min•Season 16Ep. 6
