Credits

Watch Read Listen: November

Feeling grateful for these great choices.

Watch

Agatha All Along (Disney+)
Who knew that the most layered, and accurate depiction of lesbians on television right now would be from Marvel/Disney? Not me. This show is so thoughtfully made; from the costuming, set design, and of course the writing. I’m obsessed. (Ash) 
Check out our Disney+ Roku to watch. 

Black Widows (Hoopla)
This Finnish crime series features three women in abusive marriages whose husbands are killed in a “mysterious” boat explosion in the first episode. It’s full of surprises and it’s also so much fun to watch a show starring women with the male characters playing mostly secondary roles. (Janet)

I’m Alan Partridge
Steve Coogan is the King of Cringe. I’m on a personal Partrimilgrimage to enjoy every bit of the Alan Partridge content that is out there. I’m Alan Partridge is some of the best works of this character. Alan’s Wikipedia page summarizes himself best, “A parody of British television personalities, Partridge is a tactless and inept broadcaster with an inflated sense of celebrity.” A winning series, and character, for anyone who relishes the feeling of fremdschämen. (Lauren)

Laura
A classic noir from the 40s with a twist. I didn’t love it, but it was really well done and the cinematography is stellar. The film brings up interesting questions about para social relationships that are surprisingly relevant today. (Christie)

The Penguin (Max)
This series is a continuation of Colin Farrell’s character in The Batman. It’s dark (literally and metaphorically) and incredibly well acted: Colin Farrell deserves all the awards. (Amber)
Check out our Max Roku to watch.

Read

Cranberry Cove by Hailey Piper
This atmospheric horror novella combines an abandoned hotel, a crime syndicate and magic rituals gone awry. A great read for a tiny dose of terror. (Liz)

Death At Morning House by Maureen Johnson
Our main character is given a summer job as a tour guide at an old house on a private island. But it has a haunted past, and people start dying. Who is the killer and what really happened all those years ago? This was an excellent, fast paced, sapphic mystery. (Ash)

Diavola by Jennifer Thorne
Perfect for this time of year. The grown up, NYC -based youngest daughter of a dysfunctional family joins her siblings and spouses, parents, and nieces at a villa in Italy for vacation. It’s a horror story, but the main horror is the way the family interacts. It was honestly hard to read, but that means it did its job well. Short and fun, and also a nice escape to Italy! (Christie)

Hope It All Works Out by Reza Farazmand
This graphic novel collects the comics from “Poorly Drawn Lines,” a popular webcomic following Mouse, Snail, Turtle and Bird, among others. Their misguided optimism, sarcasm and tiny animal lives are very relatable. (Liz)

Know My Name: A Memoir by Chanel Miller
This is the story of Chanel Miller, a woman who was sexually assaulted while unconscious by a man known as “The Stanford Swimmer.” It’s a heavy topic, for sure, but such a worthwhile read. The author faced endless indignities in the months leading up to and including the trial against her attacker. That Chanel Miller persisted in her quest for justice makes her a hero in my mind. The author narrates the audiobook, which provides added depth to the experience, but be warned that listening to her read her own Victim Impact Statement is especially heartbreaking. (Janet)

Lone Women by Victor LaValle
I’d read good reviews of this book and was curious to read about homesteading in Montana in 1915- a topic I’d never learned about. The story went in a direction I was not expecting and I didn’t love the fantastical elements. However, the history was fascinating, especially learning about the titular lone women, including Black women, who journeyed to Montana to tame the land. (Dana)

Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All by Chanel Miller
This Young Adult book is about a girl who works in her parents’ laundromat. She leads a fairly humdrum existence until a new friend moves into the neighborhood. Together they explore New York City in an attempt to match lost laundry items with their owners. Such a great premise! While not quite a graphic novel, this book is chock-full of charming and often humorous illustrations. (Janet)

The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates
One of the most prolific writers of our time, Ta-Nehisi Coates delivers profound and insightful observations and reflections in his newest book. This is a must-read for all, especially the youth, who are the most powerful and influential changemakers of our time. (Molly)

Solitaire by Alice Oseman
After watching Heartstopper, it was time for a Alice Oseman re-reading session. This one is all about Tori and friendship and family and mysteries! It’s a dark story, but it has some fun light parts as well. Tori is my favorite Osemanverse character! (Hazel)

Somewhere Beyond The Sea by TJ Klune
AN EXCELLENT sequel to the House in the Cerulean Sea – I honestly liked it better than the first book. Laughs, empathy, and love in spades.  (Renee)

Snotgirl Volume 1: Green Hair Don’t Care by Bryan Lee O’Malley
From the creator of Scott Pilgrim comes a surreal, colorful, wild story about Lottie Person, a fashion blogger with secret allergies. Just bonkers. (Renee)

There’s Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins
Warning: this is an extreme teen slasher! Gorey, gross, surprising, and yes — there’s romance, too! Fast-paced and enjoyable if you like YA fiction in the horror genre. I especially appreciate it touching on themes of otherness and hazing. Good, not great, but worth it if you’re in the mood. (Lauren)

Listen

The Big Dig (podcast)
Pun intended, this podcast covers the long, meandering road of Boston’s Big Dig. It thoroughly discusses the politics, logistics, mishaps, and city planning vision-origins of this massive project that transformed the landscape of our capital city. As a child of the 80s and 90s, I have vivid memories of the Museum of Science’s Big Dig exhibit, and of the drippy, dark underpass that lead you to the North End neighborhood. As an adult, I love sitting on the The Rose Kennedy Greenway with a book and a sfogliatelle (Modern, not Mike’s). I enjoyed learning more from those that contributed to the project and getting a better understanding of how it came to be. A simple, straightforward listen about the complex, convoluted Big Dig. (Lauren)

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson, narrated by Katie Schorr
This story of a 19 year-old coal-miner’s daughter who rides for the Pack Horse Librarians in 1930’s Kentucky was enlightening and infuriating. It induced happy tears and sad tears. It rang true of all the kind-hearted and hard-working Librarians I know, and that’s a bunch! (Deb)

Dear Wendy by Ann Zhao, narrated Ann Zhao, Natalie Naudus, Rebecca Wang, Elaine Wang, Daisy Guevara, Tara Sands, Mx. Nicky Endres, Angel Pean
Take a historically women’s college and add two competing love advice Instagram accounts (both of whom happen to be aro ace) and all the complications that come with college, and it’s a really fun story that incorporates multiple perspectives! (Hazel)

Hopes and Fears by Keane
I kind of hate that the music that reminds me of my college years is turning 20 all of a sudden! I absolutely do not hate the music though, and Keane’s debut album has been in high rotation on my nostalgia playlist. It’s a classic. (Dana)

The Never Game by Jeffrey Deaver, narrated by Kaleo Griffith
I’ve been watching Tracker on TV (So this is a Watch as well as a Listen!) and often like to see how the book compares to the screen. I think overall it was well-done and I appreciate the different choices that the screen folks made from the book. I like Colter. I think readers of the Reacher books by Lee Child would appreciate Colter. I was a little disappointed that of all the theories that may have been the ending, the one that actually was the ending is icky and a little too close to current real-life politics. But that’s just personal preference. (Deb)

Ologies (podcast)
This podcast series has something for everyone. Creator Alie Ward interviews expert-ologists in a wide, wide range of fields. Just a sampling, but I’ve listened to: Coffeeology, Tardigradology, Suicidology, Curiology (Emojis), Misophonology, Neuroendocrinology, Ambystomology (Axolotls!), Psychedeliology, Etymology, Attention-Deficit Neuropsychology, and Disgustology! She covers an insane range of topics, and always sits down with experts in the field. She even has Smologies — family-friendly, shorter episodes! Highly recommend to anyone who is curious about EVERYTHING! (Lauren)

The Only One Left by Riley Sager, narrated by Dawn Harvey and Christine Lakin
Gothic mystery/thriller/ghost story – suitable for late fall – about a young caregiver assigned to care for the town’s notorious, untried, presumed-murderer in a creepy, coastal Maine, cliff house. I Iiked it. I thought of a few twists that didn’t turn out to be the actual twist. But in the end, some of the twists were almost so twisty I no longer believed anyone’s version of events. (Deb)

Who Could That Be at This Hour? by Lemony Snicket, narrated by Liam Aiken
Did you know there were prequels to A Series of Unfortunate Events? I didn’t! This first book follows Lemony Snicket (the character!) during his childhood as he becomes entangled in a small town’s many mysteries. I love a good prequel, and I’m having tons of fun picking up on all the references to the original series. And of course Snicket’s unique brand of dry humor is always a treat. (Rachel)

Watch Read Listen: October

Get chills with these great suggestions!

Watch

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (in theaters)
Am I late to the Beetlejuice party? Yup. Having just watched the first one, I have to say I enjoyed the character of Beetlejuice much more in the sequel. I thought it was a fun slightly spooky watch. (Ash)

Chimp Crazy (Max)
From the people who brought us Tiger King, Chimp Crazy is softer, sadder, and way more unhinged. Troubling storytelling about people who obsess over chimps and primates to the extreme, suffering SERIOUS bodily harm, bankruptcy, loss of relationships, and deft litigation from PETA. It’s a wild ride. (Lauren)
Check out our Max Roku to watch.

Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)
I recently started watching this with my roommate, and we’re already on the second season! It’s like a cozy murder mystery but it’s also hilarious! (Hazel)
Check out our Hulu Roku to watch.

The Perfect Couple (Netflix)
Based on the Elin Hilderbrand’s book (which I haven’t read), I thought this murder miniseries was great fun and there were so many red herrings that I was completely surprised by the ending. (Tessa)

The Righteous Gemstones (Max)
This Danny McBride lead comedy series about a family of televangelists has been an absolute joy. I came for Walton Goggins as Baby Billy Freeman, but I stayed for the absolute ridiculousness of it all. (Liz)

The X-Files (Hulu)
I mean, it’s a classic for a reason. Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny in their prime! (Christie)
Check out our Hulu Roku to watch.

Read

Black Bird Oracle by Deborah Harkness
I love the All Souls series, but I really didn’t love this book. I got lost trying to keep up with the plot and found it distracting from the love I feel for the rest of the series. (Kelly)

Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon
This is a story of a young girl with a severe immune disease who has not been able to leave the “bubble” of her home for most of her life. When a family moves in next door, the son befriends her and the friendship blossoms online. He shows her what life is like on the outside and she realizes life is too short to not be lived. (Kerry)

Haunted Ever After by Jen DeLuca
I loved Jen DeLuca’s Well Met series so I had to checkout her newest release. Cassie Rutherford moves to the seaside town of Boneyard Key only to discover that her house is seriously haunted. Lifetime Boneyard Key resident, coffee shop owner, and lovable grump Nick Royer quickly becomes enamored with the vivacious Cassie, but he has a few ghosts of his own. This was a fun read! (Liz)

How To Read a Book by Monica Wood
Super cute story of a young woman getting out of prison and trying to get her life back together. Great characters! (Deb)

The Life Changing Magic of Not Giving A F**k: How to Stop Spending Time You Don’t Have With People You Don’t Like Doing Things You Don’t Want to Do by Sarah Knight
Funny satire with words of wisdom. Wild laugh-out-loud examples and tips for managing your time, energy and money. Covers the gamut of Things, Work, Friends, and Family and how you can focus on what brings you joy, and firmly-yet-politely decline that which might annoy or drain you. Lots of F-bombs, but pearls of wisdom and clarifying perspective throughout. (Lauren)

Love and Other Conspiracies by Mallory Marlowe
This contemporary romance is perfect for fans of the X-Files: Imagine if Scully worked for Buzzfeed and tapped Mulder to star in a new web series. Do they find Bigfoot? Do the find love? I want to believe. (Liz)

My Darling Dreadful Thing by Johanna van Veen
This is a spooky, atmospheric gothic tale perfect for October. Someone is dead, but is the culprit our main character who has a spirit companion? Or was it someone or something else? (Ash)

Needful Things by Stephen King
Terror comes to a small New England town when a man named Leland Gaunt opens a curiosity shop on Main Street. The store has plenty of interesting items, and should one look hard enough, they’ll find the exact thing they want. But Gaunt demands a steep price for such objects, and to be his customer is to risk damnation. A modern retelling of the Faustian bargain, this is one of my favorite Stephen King books. (Greg)

Rez Ball by Byron Graves, narrated by Jesse Nobess
A Massachusetts Teen Choice Book Award 2024 contender, this story is simple, heart-felt, and chock-full of basketball. A semi-autobiographical story about Tre, a native Ojibwe living on the Red Lake Indian Reservation in Minnesota. His family is still reeling from the unexpected loss of his older athletic superstar brother, and Tre becomes determined to continue the family’s, and tribe’s, scrappy-but-superior basketball legacy. His journey is one that helps heal his own broken heart, and his larger community still grieving the loss of their rising hero. A little romance and teen drama sprinkled in amongst the lengthy, but vivid, descriptions of the game. (Lauren)

Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune
Long anticipated sequel to The House in the Cerulean Sea! Really heartwarming found family vibes. Plus some fun fantasy aspects through magical children. I LOVE both books! (Hazel)

Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes
Based on the Perseus and Medusa myth, Haynes flips the narrative to portray Medusa as an tragic figure whose life is altered by to the whims of men. Zeus is a womanizer, Poseidon is petty, and our “hero” Perseus is the true monster. This easy read makes for an enjoyable vacation book when your brain doesn’t want something dense. (Tessa)

Talking at Night by Claire Daverley
A love story of two teenagers that keep coming back to each other despite life’s tribulations and tragedies. A beautiful, heart wrenching love story. (Kerry)

The Unmothers by Leslie Anderson
Lyrical southern gothic horror. A newspaper writer is sent to a small town to figure out if a horse really did just give birth to a human baby. What she finds is a town where women have secrets, and the men will do almost anything to figure them out. (Ash)

A Well-Trained Wife by Tia Levings
This book is an emotional rollercoaster ride. Levings’s story has mostly made me angry so far, and sad (I ugly-cried in public while reading it), but also hopeful. I’m looking forward to reading about her escape and how she’s gotten to where she is today. (Dana)

The Women by Kristin Hannah
I couldn’t finish it. I know everyone else seems to love this book but I think it’s her worst one. Started strong and lost something toward the end. (Kelly)

Listen

Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Törzs, narrated by Saskia Maarleveld
A fresh take on the fantasy/magical realism genre, set in the present day. About two estranged sisters who grew up in a family dedicated to guarding a secret library of magical books. The prose is refreshing and really enjoyable to read! The narrator is amazing and has consistent, believable voices for each character that help keep you in the flow of the story. Highly recommend! (Christie)

The Likeness by Tana French, narrated by Heather O’Neill
I have officially joined the Tana French club. Her prose is gorgeous and her characters are complex and compelling, and the plot keeps me on my toes. This is her second book in the Dublin Murder Squad series. It deals with doppelgangers and identity and the question of what it really means to exist as yourself in the world, all wrapped up in a juicy mystery and told with an Irish accent. (Christie)

Pageboy by Elliot Page, narrated by the author
Heartbreaking, but enlightening and insightful. (Deb)

The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most by Dashboard Confessional
Living up my elder emo nostalgia by listening to this soundtrack of my early college days. Fun to scream/sing along with during my commutes! (Dana)

Take Me Back to Eden by Sleep Token
Alternative metal, perfect for October. (Ash)

Teke::Teke
A Japanese psych-rock surfer funk band with a ton of energy and groovy tunes! (Christie)

What An Owl Knows: The New Science of the World’s Most Enigmatic Birds by Jennifer Ackerman, narrated by the author
Fascinating owl science! (Deb)

Watch Read Listen: September

Fall into something great with these picks!

Watch

Absolutely Fabulous (Kanopy)
Absolutely Fabulous (Ab Fab) is a British cult classic starring comedy dream team Dawn French & Jennifer Saunders. Centering on two selfish, narcissistic, drugged out besties and their hijinks, it’s an absurd comedy that somehow tricks you into caring about the overall despicable leads. (Lauren)

Clipped (Hulu)
This six-part limited series revolves around an NBA owner’s racist remarks, captured on tape. Completely engaging and it doesn’t hurt that it stars Ed O’Neill, one of my favorite actors. (Janet)
Check out our Hulu Roku to watch.

Deadpool & Wolverine (Apple TV+)
Ok, I know this will reach you all a little late but if you like comic book movies at all, Deadpool & Wolverine is a breath of fresh iron-scented air. It was a blast to watch even for someone like me who began to hate Marvel movies from sheer overexposure. Be warned, they take full advantage of their
R-rating so be prepared for some explicit humor and bloody fight scenes. (Alanna)

Ryan Reynolds dancing to NSYNC’s Bye Bye Bye during the opening credits is perfection. This movie was great fun to watch, but be prepared for lots of blood, violence, and raunchy jokes (basically what you would expect from a Deadpool movie). The film ties into the MCU multiverse, so I would recommend doing your homework and watching the Disney+ series Loki (check out our Disney+ Roku to watch) prior to seeing the movie for maximum enjoyment. I laughed through the whole film. (Tessa)

From (TV series)
A town where people mysteriously end up, but can never leave. Residents must stay in at night with doors and windows locked because things lurk on the town after the sun goes down. Terribly creepy, I don’t recommend watching before bed. (Ash)

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder (Netflix)
I loved this! It is based off of a teen book series. (Seana)

Grounded (Steam, Switch, Xbox, PS4/5)
This one is a bit of a blast from the past. An excellent 80’s themed adventure right from the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids playbook. You play as a few preteens who are exploring the back yard in a whole new way. A super fun survival crafting game with a hint of Sekiro’s fighting mechanics. Do yourself a favor and give it a go, especially if you have a few friends. Note: If you’re arachnophobic, they do have a slider to make the spiders less spidery. They’re still scary. (Alanna)

Longlegs (Amazon Prime)
This movie was a bit more atmospheric thriller than horror, but the dread you felt throughout the entire film was masterful. Nicolas Cage’s performance as the unhinged Longlegs was creepy, yet just over the top enough to be delightful. (Ash)

Mothertime (Kanopy)
The director of this hour-long film wore a body camera for a year and a half and recorded the everyday activities of her and her daughter, starting when the child was a year old. Sometimes the child wore the camera too and other times the camera was propped up on a shelf in the family home. If it sounds intrusive, it is! And the film has intruded upon my own thoughts about parenthood in so many ways. One of the most thought-provoking movies I’ve seen in a long time! (Janet)

Read

Bitter Water Opera by Nicolette Polek
If you are looking for an absolute gem, here it is! If you love all that is strange, weird and wonderful, follow Gia and her journey to dancer Marta Beckett’s Amargosa Opera House in Death Valley Junction and enjoy every wild and vivid detail along the way. (Sue)

The Deep Dark by Molly Knox Ostertag
Molly Ostertag is a MASTER of YA graphic novels and her most recent work is incredible. It’s a deep, wrenching exploration of queerness, family expectations, and mental health struggles, with absolutely stunning art. Stopped me in my tracks several times while reading. (Renee)

Eight Hundred Grapes by Laura Dave
Another quick summer read! Full of vivid description and well developed characters, Laura Dave gives us a glimpse into a complex family dynamic. Set in California wine country, you can almost picture yourself there with a glass in hand, experiencing the family come to terms with secrets, change and new perspectives on life. (Catherine)

Emperor of Rome: Ruling the Ancient Roman World by Mary Beard
An interesting exploration of the similarities and differences of the Roman emperors. Great follow up to Twelve Caesars and SPQR for any fans of Roman history! (Hazel)

Ex-Wife by Ursula Parrott
Drinking, smoking, divorce, extra-marital affairs, unwanted pregnancies, and more are tucked within the pages of this engrossing novel, which was published nearly 100 years ago and was an instant bestseller. As an added bonus, I loved the 1920s sayings sprinkled throughout (“that was so 1880s of her”) and learning about the big stories from that period, none of which were familiar to me, including a 1927 submarine disaster off the coast of Cape Cod in which 39 lives were lost. (Janet)

Funny Story by Emily Henry
Predictable: YES. Entertaining: Yes. A fun, easy, summer beach read! (Catherine)

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
This family saga with a bit of a mystery set at a summer camp/small working class town was hard to put down. While a little slow, the mystery and exploration of class dynamics made for an interesting read. (Ash)

The High Desert by James Spooner
An excellent and engaging graphic memoir! I love reading nonfiction/memoir that feels narrative and educational and this excels – learning so much about the growth of punk in the US. (Renee)

Next Best Fling by Gabriella Gamez
This super cute debut novel launching Gabriella Gamez’s Librarians in Love series is a delight. YA librarian Marcela Ortiz has been in love with her best friend Ben for almost ten years. When he announces his engagement to his longtime girlfriend, Marcela and Ben’s brother enter a fake-dating agreement that becomes so much more. I finished it in a weekend and can’t wait for the next installment. (Liz)

One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware
A reality TV series gone wrong, a group of 10 couples are stranded on a remote island with no resources… and a murderer. A suspenseful page turner, Ruth Ware never disappoints! (Catherine)

Listen

Forever, or a Long, Long Time by Caela Carter, narrated by Janina Edwards
Sweet, touching, inspiring! A beautiful moving story (middle grade fiction) about two foster children who are hoping they have found their forever home. (Seana)

Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson, narrated by the author
Jenny Lawson manages to talk about serious mental health topics while also adding some humor, which makes for a great audio version of this book! (Hazel)

Nine Inch Nails (Hoopla)
I was a huge NIN fan in my teens and twenties. I’ve been rabidly re-listening to all of their albums over the past month and catching up with their newer releases. Trent Reznor’s catalog holds up. (Liz)

The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley, narrated by Clare Corbett, Dauphne Kouma, Julia Winwood, Sope Dirisu, Sofia Zervudachi, Charlie Ansin
Mystery is not my typical genre, but this one had me hooked thanks in large part to amazing voice actors. A 2023 Audie Award finalist in the “Thriller/Suspense” category. (Janet)

The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess by Chappell Roan
I, like everyone else it feels like, recently was directed towards Chappell Roan. How I’ve missed her all these years I have no idea, but she is 100% worth every ounce of hype she’s been getting. Don’t let the hyper-pop facade fool you, this album has wonderful depth both musically and lyrically. The great beats and catchy tunes makes this a great album to finish out the summer with. (Alanna)

Too Hot To Sleep by Daniel Romano (Spotify)
Daniel Romano is a musical chameleon. His newest album features wildly catchy rock & roll that sounds out-of-it’s-time despite being a 2024 release. His whole catalog is incredibly varied in style and genre, so there’s something for everyone to enjoy! (Lauren)