Back to Lit Class: Recent Episodes
BTLC
Three long time friends revisit former literature class titles, timeless reads, and everything in between.
We're breaking down Freida McFadden's dark and twisty best-selling thriller, The Housemaid, in this month's book chat. Join Farren, Rachel, and Victoria as we break down -- Was anyone justified in what they did? What would you do if you were in Nina's shoes? Which attic consequence would you choose?
Listen to the pod? Follow us on Instagram and TikTok! We'd love to get to know you better! :)
Next mont's book: Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson
We're talking about all of our 2000s playground favorites - Red Rover, monkey bar injuries, and chasing boys this week as well as what we're reading and watching.
Join the chat by following us on Instagram and TikTok. See you there!
February's Book Chat (February 29th): The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
In today's book chat we discuss Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. One of Farren's favorite books and one that Victoria has never read!
Listen to the pod? Follow us on Instagram and TikTok! We'd love to get to know you better! :)
Our first group chat episode! We hope this episode feels like a group chat with your best friends. We catch up and share what we're reading, watching, and listening to lately.
We're back and ready for our year-in-review! We chat about our favorites, least favorites, and 2024 goals. A Back to Lit Class favorite - Farren's (noisy) husband makes a few guest appearances. We also discuss eating in the car, hot socks, and nickel plated cookware. Enjoy!
“The world was made up of people putting one foot in front of the other; and a life might appear ordinary simply because the person living it had been doing so for a long time.”
It's Rachel's birthday pick! Listen in as Victoria is emotionally wrecked by sweet Harold, Farren is distracted by herself on the video chat, and Rachel tries to keep everyone on track.
Join us on Instagram and TikTok!
In this episode we chat about what's on our summer TBR lists, books that give us summer vibes, and our summer travel plans as well as a summer word association game from Victoria. Honorable mentions include Prickly Bushes (TM) as home security, Farren's latest cheap haircut. Cut for time -- the hour we spent setting up our new mics (so professional) just to realize one of ours wasn't actually plugged in. You're welcome. Happy summer everyone!
Follow us on Instagram and TikTok @backtolitclass
THIS EPISODE CONTAINS SPOILERS
It's Farren's birthday month and she's in charge of our read! She chose The Lies of Locke Lamoraby Scott Lynch. We talk about what we liked (and maybe didn't like) about the book, a nail biting pop quiz, and what we're loving.
Time-Stamps
0:30 - Welcome and Catching Up
7:10 - Announcements
8:00 - Book Summary and Fun Facts
11:25 - Book Discussion
25:54 - Pop Quiz!
30:04 - What We’re Loving
35:58 - Next Month’s Read
37:09 - Bloopers
Next Month's Read:
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
Follow us on Instagram and TikTok!
In this episode, Farren breaks down what the heck an "Anthropocene" even is, our favorite chapters from The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green, why Pokemon Monopoly is the best Monopoly, and most importantly - if Victoria should or should not get bangs. We're so glad you're here!
Relevant Links:
"What is my new book about?" John Green describing The Anthropocene Reviewed
What We're Loving:
Rachel: "Ben" by Macklemore (No Bad Days and Sorry - top two songs)
Next Month's Read:
Join us in reading The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch for Farren's birthday month!
Follow us on Instagram!
In this episode we discuss The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket, the detentions we got in high school, dress code fines, and of course, what we're loving this month.
Links:
Peanut Butter Cup Flavored Peanuts
Ella Ola Baby Face Cream for Eczema
Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
Next month's read: The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green
Follow us on Instagram and TikTok for more book fun!
In this bonus Valentine's Day episode, we talk about our favorite "romantic comedy"/romance/"romantasy"/books about love. We also rate our preferred spice level in a book, plan a date for our husbands to (probably not) use, and Victoria quizzes Farren and Rachel on famous romance genre topics.
Favorite Books About Love
Rachel: To Sir, With Love by Lauren Layne
Victoria: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, Rootbound and The Co-Op by Tarah Dewitt, Beach Read by Emily Henry, and B.K. Borison's Lovelight Series
Farren: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen and All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood
Also Mentioned
Sarah Dessen's Books
Hank and John Green on How I Built This
Next Month's Episode:
February 28th: The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket
- Next month's book: The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events) by Lemony Snicket/Daniel Handler
- Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube
- SNL's "The Lost Ending to Of Mice and Men"
- How to (safely) make pancakes with breastmilk for your friends
- Kid History "Healthy Food"
Show Notes:
2022 Favorites:
- Farren: The Harry Potter series
- Victoria: A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Mass (ACOTAR = A Court of Thorns and Roses for all you non-fantasy people)
- Rachel: The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles and This is the Story of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett
2022 Least Favorites:
- Farren: A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire by Jennifer L. Armentrout (DNF) and Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
- Victoria: Off to Be the Wizard by Scott Meyer (DNF) and Small Town Big Magic by Hazel Beck
- Rachel: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig and Commonwealth by Ann Patchett (DNF). Also, It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover
Most Excited to Read in 2023:
- Farren: Red Rising by Pierce Brown, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, Dracula by Bram Stoker
- Rachel: Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid, Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
- Victoria: The Priory of an Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon, Daughter of No Worlds by Carissa Broadbent, and Beyond the Wand by Tom Felton
Connect with us on Instagram and Substack
"If only, if only, the woodpecker sighs." This month we're revisiting Holes by Louis Sacher.
Links
Holes by Louis Sacher
Is Stanley Yelnat's name a palindrome?
Next Month's Read
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Connect with Us
backtolitclass.substack.com
Join us as we revisit a true Lit Class classic — To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. This episode’s show notes can be found at https://open.substack.com/pub/backtolitclass?r=fmk8&utm_medium=ios
Three long time friends revisit former literature class titles, timeless reads, and everything in between.