Infinite TBR

Smack and Gabi kicked off their new year with their 2nd annual reading retreat, during which we escape town to curl up next to a cozy fire in a fancy lodge and read books all weekend.  Gabi burned through a lot of short romantic cuties and started a science fiction duology with incredible worldbuilding despite one major flaw.  Smack partook of a smattering of genres, including a mind-blowing historical fantasy novel that takes place in Medici Florence, an installment in an urban fantasy series with weather magic, and a somewhat outdated historical romance.  We polish things off by admiring the questionable dimensions of the lodge and a disturbingly large resident spider, prompting an honorable mention of a terrifying horror rec from Smack for the next spooky season. Books discussed this episode include: Secrets and Scrabble series by Josh Lanyon Cautionary Tails series by Lana Kole Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves (Edge Worlds #1) by Meg Long Lent by Jo Walton Weather Warden series by Rachel Caine The Spymaster’s Lady (Spymasters #1) by Joanna Bourne From Below by Darcy Coates

In part three of their 3rd Annual Mysterious Galaxy Summer Bingo Showdown Throwdown, things get particularly contentious as Smack and Gabi have five final chances to claim the 2023 title for best books read during the summer.  One match-up in particular between a delightful queer-platonic horror novel and a differently delightful cozy middle-grade fantasy has us literally throwing hands (in rock-paper-scissors).  Other highlights include a queer historical murder mystery, yet more genderbending main characters, another hacienda book (this one with flowers), and an excellently crafted fairytale retelling (that Smack plugs on Gabi’s behalf).  Find out who wins as our Throwdown trilogy concludes! The titles showdowned throwdowned in this episode include: The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea (The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea #1) by Maggie Tokuda-Hall vs. Lavender House (Andy Mills #1) by Lev AC Rosen A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger vs. The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw Trailer Park Trickster (Adam Binder #2) by David R. Slayton vs. Tell Me I’m Worthless by Alison Rumfitt Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron vs. The Enchanted Hacienda by J.C. Cervantes The Secret Skin by Wendy N. Wagner vs. Where Ivy Dares to Grow by Marielle Thompson

In part two of three of their 3rd Annual Mysterious Galaxy Summer Bingo Showdown Throwdown, Smack and Gabi settle in with some wine to continue playing two games.  One is the typical showdown throwdown which we all know and love.  The other is Rock, Paper, Scissors for what should be an impartial tie-breaker but which is somehow…not.  This month’s match-up features hard horror limits (mushrooms!), sci-fi portal fantasy time shenanigan takes on Arthurian legend, sassy magical cats, voyeuristic houses, and a fun, definitely 100% accurate history sidebar with Smack about Elizabethan England.  Come back in January for part three to see who wins! The titles showdowned throwdowned in this episode include: Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson vs. The Broken Girls by Simone St. James Hexwood by Diana Wynne Jones vs. Hunting Kat by Piper J. Drake The Cat Who Saved Books by Sōsuke Natsukawa, translated by Louise Heal Kawai v. An Impractical Guide to Satyr Charming by Cynthia Diamond The Great Troll War (The Last Dragonslayer #4) by Jasper Fforde v. A Crown of Ivy and Glass (The Middlemast Trilogy #1) by Claire Legrand Unmasked by the Marquess (Regency Imposters #1) v. Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton

Smack and Gabi face off in their 3rd Annual Mysterious Galaxy Summer Bingo Showdown Throwdown (etc., etc.)!!  Smack is the defending champion in this contest to find out who had the more enjoyable summer bingo experience.  So far this year, Gabi, the underdog, is helped along by Rock, Paper, Scissors tie-breakers, at which she is inexplicably talented.  P.S. Readers interested in Alexandra Vasti’s Halifax Hellions series can only get free access to them until the end of November 2023 so sign-up for her newsletter here ASAP! In this part one of (probably) two, the books showdowned throwdowned in this episode include: White Trash Warlock (Adam Binder #1) by David R. Slayton v. Night Watch (Soul Reader #1) by Annie Anderson Aru Shah and the Song of Death (Pandava #2) by Roshani Chokshi v. The Curse of Saints (The Curse of Saints #1) by Kate Dramis Deadbeat Druid (Adam Binder #3) by David R. Slayton v. She Is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran Night Wherever We Go by Tracey Rose Peyton v. The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simone St. James Gutter Mage by J.S. Kelley v. The Surviving Sky (Rages #1) by Kritika S. Rao Big Cat, Little Cat by Elisha Cooper v. The Big Book of Modern Fantasy edited by Ann and Jeff Vandermeer Winterkeep by Kristin Cashore v. The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas The Maleficent Seven by Cameron Johnston v. Feed Them Silence by Lee Mandelo Fierce Fairytales: Poems and Stories to Stir Your Soul by Nikita Gill v. The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters by Priya Parker Flowerheart by Catherine Bakewell v. In Which Margo Halifax Earns Her Shocking Reputation (Halifax Hellions #1) by Alexandra Vasti

Smack and Gabi pre-game our third annual Mysterious Galaxy Summer Bingo Throwdown Showdown by going over some noteworthy (for better or for worse) recent reads that will not appear during Throwdown Showdown.  These include a surprisingly consumable nonfiction read, a fun sci-fi romp, different flavors of murder mysteries, and two very excellent graphic novels.  In the background, we also had some creative fun playing with toy figurines and carefully separating the pages of books with painted edges courtesy of Smack, so check out our Instagram to fully appreciate the shenanigans we get up to off-camera! Books discussed this episode include: Over My Dead Body: Unearthing the Hidden History of America’s Cemeteries by Greg Melville Perdition (Dred Chronicles #1) by Ann Aguirre Of Manners and Murder (Dear Miss Hermione #1) by Anastasia Hastings Secrets and Scrabble series by Josh Lanyon Lady Darby Mysteries by Anna Lee Huber Seasparrow (Graceling #5) by Kristin Cashore The Infinity Particle by Wendy Xu A Broken Blade (The Halfling Saga #1) by Melissa Blair

Smack and Gabi cover a lot of ground, briefly recapping the (long-past) Book Crawl and highlighting recent reads.  Smack has mostly been indulging in romantic paranormal novels (mostly) set in the interwar period and has started quite a variety of books ranging from non-fiction writing research to the truly bizarre.  Gabi has been delighting in an excellent adventure romp with very fun character dynamics and great anxiety and grey-ace rep.  We also discuss a good middle-grade series that’s also sometimes jarringly sad, some great graphic novels, and a series we’ve both read that’s perfect for pandemics and vacations! Book discussed in this episode include: Silence for the Dead by Simone St. James The Other Side of Midnight by Simone St. James An Inquiry Into Love and Death by Simone St. James The Broken Girls by Simone St. James Graceling Realm series by Kristin Cashore Bladesmith series by Tricia Levenseller The Witch Boy series by Molly Ostertag The Great Troll War (The Last Dragonslayer, #4) by Jasper Fforde The Lazy Girl’s Guide to Magic series by Helen Harper Let the Mountains Be My Grave by Francesca Tacchi American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang A Crown of Ivy and Glass by Claire Legrand Maeve Fly by C.J. Leede

Smack and Gabi are celebrating ITBR's 2nd Anni-birthday by inviting you (our precious listeners) to email (itbrshelf@gmail.com) or follow & DM us on Instagram (@infinitetbrpodcast) with your favorite book of this year OR the name of a book that we recommended that you enjoyed.  Lucky participants will be chosen to win an Infinite TBR Podcast acrylic pin until we run out!  We spent our Anni-birthday attending the local North Park Book Fair and spend this episode regaling our listeners with our many accidental acquisitions. Book hauled in this episode include: A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson Lavender House (Andy Mills #1) by Lev AC Rosen The Enchanted Hacienda by J.C. Cervantes Act Your Age, Eve Brown (The Brown Sisters #3) by Talia Hibbert The Dead Duke, His Secret Wife, and the Missing Corpse: An Extraordinary Edwardian Case of Deception and Intrigue by Piu Marie Eatwell The Color of Always edited by Brent Fisher and Michele Abounader Vengeance Becomes Her by Alexis C. Maness An Impractical Guide to Satyr Charming by Cynthia Diamond Siren’s Song by Cynthia Diamond Don’t Touch (The Seven Families #2) by Lucy Laroux Kin Selection (A Shifter’s Claim #1) by L.B. Gilbert Woodborn (Song of Gods #1) by Heather Nix The Eighth Key by Laura Weyr The Gods Awoke by Marie Vibbert Tell Me I’m Worthless by Alison Rumfitt Night Wherever We Go by Tracey Rose Peyton The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz The Cat Who Saved Books by Sōsuke Natsukawa, translated by Louise Heal Kawai A Broken Blade (The Halfling Saga #1) by Melissa Blair Sword Dance (Sword Dance #1) by A.J. Demas A Pirate’s Life for Tea (Tomes & Tea Cozy Fantasies #2) by Rebecca Thorne How Not to Date a Demon by Lana Kole The Reanimator’s Heart (The Reanimator Mysteries #1) by Kara Jorgensen How to Write Erotica by Rachel Kramer Bussel 20 Master Plots: And Hose to Build Them by Ronald B. Tobias The High Mountain Court by A.K. Mulford

Smack and Gabi interview debut author Christina Marie (C.M.) Alongi about her ongoing and upcoming works. Blackwing, her fantasy novella series that starts with To Kill a Necromancer, is about a paladin and a necromancer becoming reluctant BFFs to save a world inspired by ancient Greek and Roman mythology and has four volumes out as of the release of this episode. Her debut sci-fi novel Citadel, due to be released June 20th, is about a nonverbal autistic woman who finds herself at the center of a conflict between humans and "demons" (telepathic, telekinetic wolves with wings) on an alien planet. We discuss favorite characters, favorite scenes, killing characters, inspirations, future plans, and we finish off by asking Chris about all the ways she approaches her own infinite TBR. You can find C.M. Alongi at: Her Website TikTok Instagram YouTube

Smack and Gabi go over their best (and not so best) recent reads, most of which will be coming or going from the Smack Shelf (a shelf in Gabi’s apartment that contains all the loans from Smack).  The incomers are all surprisingly good YA reads while the outgoing books include three powerhouses - a perfect fairy-tale-esque novella, an incredible Malaysian-American ghost story, and a sci-fi novel with maybe the best multiverse worldbuilding we’ve ever seen.  Other fun recent reads cover a paladin and necromancer begrudgingly becoming friends, a cat astronaut desperately trying to eat pizza, a Holmes-ian mystery with plenty of pining, and a Navy captain (who is definitely not a pirate) trying to deal with sea dragons (and pirates). Book discussed in this episode include: Blade of Secrets (Bladesmith #1) & Master of Iron (Bladesmith #2) by Tricia Levenseller The Corpse Queen by Heather Herrman Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves (Edge Worlds #1) by Meg Long A Touch of Darkness (Hades x Persephone #1) by Scarlett St. Clair Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning by Cathy Park Hong Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher Black Water Sister by Zen Cho The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman To Kill a Necromancer (Blackwing #1) & Hetgarib’s Curse (Blackwing #2) by C.M. Alongi The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza (The First Cat in Space #1) by Mac Barnett and Shawn Harris (Illustrator) Death by Silver (Julian Lynes and Ned Mathey #1) by Melissa Scott and Amy Griswold The Bright and Breaking Sea (Captain Kit Brightling #1) by Chloe Neill

A few months ago Smack went on an insane 626-page journey with the Absolute Book by Elizabeth Knox and then dragged Gabi along for the wild ride. This episode starts with an older recording of Smack's spoiler-free summary to entice Gabi, followed by our fuller exploration of the nitty-gritties that made the Absolute Book so absolutely bonkers. The best part was the saltwater crocodile.

Smack and Gabi reconvene after Gabi’s (second) bout of COVID and Smack’s adventure dog-sitting in Oregon, during which she got lost in Powell’s (which, we establish, is what the entire state of Oregon is for) and drove in the snow for the first time, but mostly got to curl up with the pups, enjoy the green gloom of the Pacific Northwest, and read. We discuss our hoard of recent acquisitions, including the ongoing presents from our past selves, courtesy of Barnes & Noble’s problematic preorder sales. We have a lot to look forward to: witches, spooky woods, real-life plagues, zombies, 18th century broad-shouldered secret agents, xianxia-inspired adventures, reluctant un-retirees, friends-to-enemies-to-lovers, pirates, and more!

In this bonus episode, Smack goes on her own "Green Creek rant" (i.e., full of spoilers!) about the Elder Races series of paranormal romances by Thea Harrison.  Despite occasional appealing features that kept her reading through four novels and four novellas she finally found the fortitude to DNF, but not before accumulating a host of thoughts and frustrations to share with the masses.  May she be an inspiration to us all.

Smack and Gabi discuss their reading highlights since the summer, which included spooky Halloween reads and a couple of very excellent duologies.  Some reads will be spun off into their own future bonus episodes, including a set of paranormal romances that were Smack’s “Green Creek” and a brick that is impossible to describe in brief.  Gabi explains blorbos and poor little meow-meows, we sulk about novella marketing decisions, Smack breaks down the HarperCollins strike, and we tie everything off with a completely understandable meltdown about Our Flag Means Death, which is not a book but is nonetheless an excellent but tragically incomplete piece of media. Books discussed in this episode include: Squad by Maggie Tokuda-Hall Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match by Sally Thorne Wolves of No World duology (Lobizona and Cazadora) by Romina Garber Great Cities duology (The City We Become and The World We Make) by N.K. Jemisin The Necessity of Stars by E. Catherine Tobler

The "fight" continues!  In the third and final part of our second annual showdown, we (finally) find out who had the better reading experience during Mysterious Galaxy's 2022 summer bingo.  Smack was ahead at the halfway mark at the end of Part Two, but the only way to know who ultimately won is to listen!  We also found out that Mysterious Galaxy has fifty (FIFTY) book prompts for a 2023 challenge in honor of their 30th birthday so we may be doing this...a lot. The books competing in this last segment are: Spell on Wheels, Vol. 2: Just to Get to You (Spell on Wheels #Vol. 2) by Kate Leth, Megan Levens (Illustrations), Marissa Louise (Illustrations) v. Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened by Allie Brosh This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson v.  An Elderly Lady Must Not Be Crossed (Elderly Lady #2) by Helene Tursten, Marlaine Delargy (Translator) Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki v. Heartstopper: Volume Two (Heartstopper #2) by Alice Oseman Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal (Ms. Marvel by G. Willow Wilson #1) by G. Willow Wilson, Adrian Alphona (Artist), Ian Herring (Colorist) v. Not Your Average Hot Guy (Not Your Average Hot Guy #1) by Gwenda Bond Sabotaged (Sundance #3) by C.P. Rider v. The Date from Hell by Gwenda Bond The Incubus Job (Mission: Magic #1) by Diana Pharaoh Francis v. Killer Dreams by Iris Johansen The Problem with Promises (Mystwalker #3) by Leigh Evans v. Servant Mage by Kate Elliott On Fire by Nancy Holder: A Teen Wolf Novel v. An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good (Äldre dam #1) by Helene Tursten, Marlaine Delargy (Translator) Burn (Dark in You #1) by Suzanne Wright v. Blackfish City by Sam J. Miller Among Thieves (Thieves #1) by M.J. Kuhn v. The Rose and the Beast: Fairy Tales Retold by Francesca Lia Block Malice (Malice Duology #1) by Heather Walter v. Heartstopper: Volume One (Heartstopper #1) by Alice Oseman Mr. Wrong Number (Mr. Wrong Number #1) by Lynn Painter v. Second Time Around by Mary Higgins Clark

The stakes are high!!  In part two of a yet-to-be-determined number of parts, Smack and Gabi are at it again, going toe-to-toe to see who had the better reading experience during this year's Mysterious Galaxy Summer Bingo.  By the end of this episode there are some tough calls and a surprising number of ties, but one of us has pulled ahead at the halfway mark (you'll have to listen to find out who!).  Will our friendship survive another twelve PvP fights??  Only time will tell... The books competing in this segment are: Get Your Book Selling Wide: Get the Basics of Publishing in Print, Ebook, Audiobook, Translations, Apps, and More (Book Sales Supercharged #1) by Monica Leonelle v. A Psalm for the Wild-Built (Monk & Robot, #1) by Becky Chambers The Rose and the Beast: Fairy Tales Retold by Francesca Lia Block v. Jade City (Green Bone Saga #1) by Fonda Lee A Safe Girl to Love by Casey Plett v. A Spindle Splintered (Fractured Fables, #1) by Alix E. Harrow Starfang: Rise of the Clan by Joyce Chng v. Recognize Fascism edited by Crystal M. Huff Let the Mountains Be My Grave by Francesa Tacchi v. Never Home Alone: From Microbes to Millipedes, Camel Crickets, and Honeybees, the Natural History of Where We Live by Rob Dunn Summoned (Sundance, #2) by C.P. Rider v. If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy

Who’s gonna win??  It’s time for ITBR’s 2nd Annual Mysterious Galaxy Summer Bingo…thing!  Smack and Gabi go head-to-head to find out who had a better reading experience during our favorite bookstore’s summer bingo event by selecting titles at random and defending our own books until a champion for each pair (or a tie) is declared.  The one with the most champions at the end of…three or four??...episodes will win a steak prepared by the loser!!  Or they might, if either of us liked steak.  The books pitted against each other in this first episode are: Spell on Wheels Vol 1 by Kate Leth, Megan Levens (Illustrator), Marissa Louise (Colorist) v. Hardly Haunted by Jessie Sima Help! My Launch Plan Sucks (Help! I'm an Author Book 3) by Mal Cooper, Jill Cooper v. The Widow of Rose House by Diana Biller Uncommon Charm by Emily Bergslien, Kat Weaver v. The Last Dragonslayer (The Last Dragonslayer #1) by Jasper Fforde Recognize Fascism edited by Crystal M. Huff v. Handbook for a Post-Roe America by Robin Marty Scales and Sensibility (Regency Dragons, #1) by Stephanie Burgis v. Basic Japanese Through Comics Part 1: Compilation of the First 24 Basic Japanese Columns from Mangajin Magazine by Mangajin Magazine, Ashizawa Kazuko (Illustrator) Earp & Chandra (Sundance #2.5) by C.P. Rider v. Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex by Angela Chen

Smack and Gabi continue their discussion from the previous episode swapping opinions about recent reads, a surprising number of which we had in common.  Smack soaks in the nostalgia of a formative book of tactile fairy tale retellings that took her on a profound journey of self-discovery.  Gabi delights in a cozy speculative historical haunted house mystery/romance about a scandalous widow and a sweet family of mad scientists.  We talk about our individual challenges and approaches to reading on planes and stress out about (or are pleasantly surprised by) contemporary romances.  Along the way we learn the difference between blackmail and extortion, celebrate delightful surprise glow-in-the-dark covers (with whales!), and covet cat-sized pet dragons (who wouldn't?). Main books discussed include: The Rose and the Beast: Fairy Tales Retold by Francesca Lia Block Spell on Wheels by Kate Leth, Megan Levens (Illustrator), Marissa Louise (Colorist) The Widow of Rose House by Diana Biller Night Shine by Tessa Gratton If the Shoe Fits (Meant to Be #1) by Julie Murphy Among Thieves by M.J. Kuhn Scales and Sensibility (Regency Dragons #1) by Stephanie Burgis

Smack and Gabi announce the winner of their Annibirthday drawing and touch base on our Mysterious Galaxy Summer Bingo progress, for which Gabi has been tricked into reading a trilogy of three chonkers.  We then catch up on some recent reads we’ve had in common.  Gabi rage-quit a trilogy over a dead beloved character and Smack is still soaking in a book of incredible writing with a bizarre world of violin prodigies, deals with the devil, and refugees from another galaxy who sell donuts.  We compare notes on frustrating worldbuilding and how to nip fascism in the bud, and conclude by yet again trying to remember what year it is.  At least we’re consistent. Main books discussed include: The Green Bone Saga by Fonda Lee Serpent & Dove series by Shelby Mahurin Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki Recognize Fascism: A Science Fiction and Fantasy Anthology edited by Crystal M. Huff

Smack and Gabi are celebrating ITBR's Anni-birthday by inviting you (our precious listeners) to email (itbrshelf@gmail.com) or follow & tweet @infinitetbr with your favorite book of this year OR the name of a book that we recommended that you enjoyed.  One lucky participant will be chosen to receive a $20 gift card to the independent bookstore of their choice.  We went on to answer selections (requested by our #1 fan) from the Mid-Year Book Freak Out tag, complete with copious tangents and unrepentant cheating when it came to answering prompts.  Winners include: Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher The League of Gentlewomen Witches by India Holton Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki Summoned by C.P. Rider Gifting Fire by Alina Boyden Misrule by Heather Walter A Strange and Stubborn Endurance by Foz Meadows The Whispering Dark by Kelly Andrew Naomi Teitelbaum Ends the World by Samara Shanker A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland

In this bonus episode, Smack and Gabi discuss genre stigma.  We review general trends and discuss our personal experiences encountering it in the wild as readers, writers, and academics.  We also discuss strategies for overcoming stigma in ourselves (an ongoing process) and how best to encourage others to do so (the power of friendship!).