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
A VERY SPECIAL BONUS EPISODE: We read Murder on Sex Island by Jo Firestone, suggested to us by friend of the pod and talented comedian Jo Firestone! It’s not YET a bestseller, but we jumped at the chance to cross-examine the author and dig down deep on why they made the weird choices they made. Fake teeth? A blonde wig? Is Sex Island just Love Island??? We had to know more. This book comes out TODAY (October 17) and you can buy it here: https://a.co/d/i7unYOs - Jo self-published so YES you can l...
Oct 17, 2023•2 hr 20 min
THE sex manual of 1969 (yeah baby) is also one of the all time best selling books EVER in America. Yeah, if you were breathing in 1969, odds are: YOU READ THIS BOOK. But is it a radical, liberal education on "fun sex" or a truly disturbing attack on women, aging, and homosexuality that you cannot even FIND in libraries today? We have award-winning podcast host and best-selling author DAN SAVAGE (instagram.com/dansavage/?hl=en) on the cast to help us find out. Spoiler: We find out VERY quickly. K...
Oct 10, 2023•1 hr 18 min•Season 16Ep. 5
Again listener Ashleigh C convinced us to read a Patterson book because Dolly Parton co-wrote it as “it’s very loosely autobiographical.” So we took on 17-week NYT bestseller by Dolly Parton and James Patterson. There’s a companion country album? Yes please. We also have special guest - comedian, showrunner and fellow Pennsylvanian Leo Allen, the man behind such classic shows as Nathan For You, Review with Forrest MacNeil, Jon Benjamin Has a Van and yes, even Saturday Night Live. Plus: he’s a HU...
Sep 26, 2023•1 hr 44 min•Season 16Ep. 4
Thanks to Ashleigh C who rudely predicted that Clara and Sarah would really like Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld, a NYT bestseller for April 2023. But yes Ashleigh, Sarah was mad it wasn’t horny the whole time. We also have special guest - comedian and actress Caroline Cotter, who has appeared on late night shows from Conan to Late Night with Seth Meyers. So we knew she would love to whine about this on. Mean Book Club is four ladies (UCB, BuzzFeed, College Humor, Impractical Jokers) who re...
Sep 12, 2023•1 hr 33 min•Season 16Ep. 3
A blue-skinned woman? A rural Appalachian library? A murderous mule? All this and more when the MBC ladies tackle the NYTs bestseller "The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek." Hee-haw, we reckon! 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 16 reading list: Red...
Aug 29, 2023•1 hr 24 min•Season 16Ep. 2
With Red, White & Royal Blue coming out on Amazon Prime, you know we had to read the NYT bestseller that started it all! A gay prince and son of a president? Yes please…. But wait… oh god… oh 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 16 reading li...
Aug 15, 2023•1 hr 57 min•Season 16Ep. 1
BOOOOOKSSSSS!!! Announcing our Season 16 book list and promo. Season premiere August 8! 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 16 reading list: Red White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson Ro...
Jul 25, 2023•6 min
Mean Booker Mike E. Recommended this NYT bestseller because “its got suicide and incest and hostages!” So we said yes to reading Hotel New Hampshire by John Irving - but were pissed about the 20-hour audiobook! 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 15 re...
Jul 04, 2023•1 hr 26 min•Season 15Ep. 8
Mean Booker Jenny D recommended this NYT bestseller. Jenny said: "So i havent personally read. This is a book that gets alot of hype like all of hers.” Then she proceeded to lavish us with compliments so how could WE NOT DO THIS BOOK? We’re joined by Maggie Bowyer and Savannah Crews, hosts of the Baked & Bookish podcast. 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 meri...
Jun 20, 2023•1 hr 50 min•Season 15Ep. 7
MBCer Suzanne told us to use our scientific method on Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus, a book which as of now has spent 38 weeks on the NYTs bestseller list. It looked like a romcom, it smelled like a romcom, and, dear listeners, spoiler alert, it WAS NOT a romcom! We are joined by photographer and occasional bad book reader Beckie Hawkins (@woodfieldphotography on Insta) who luckliy keeps us on track and provides the only valuable insights this entire episode. Mean Book Club is four ladie...
Jun 06, 2023•1 hr 37 min•Season 15Ep. 6
Mean Booker @unredactedani told us to read this Reese Witherspoon pick because she “can’t recommend the book to anyone IRL for reasons that will become obvious if you consider it for your podcast.” Ohhhhh, mysterious. We had to know more. 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 T...
May 24, 2023•1 hr 46 min•Season 15Ep. 5
