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A book review podcast where we discuss how authors treat and traumatize their characters. Part of the Certain Point of View network.
Episodes
Monday Apr 04, 2022
Monday Apr 04, 2022
This fortnight we’re discussing “Jade City” by Fonda Lee, the first book in the Green Bone Saga.
- TITLE: Jade City
- AUTHOR: Fonda Lee
- PUBLISHER: Orbit
- YEAR: 2017
- LENGTH: 560 pages
- AGE: Adult
- GENRE: Fantasy, War
- RECOMMENDED: Highly
Book TW for cursing, grief, sexual content (explicit), sexual abuse (brief mention), torture (brief mention), sexism, drug use, drug abuse, mental illness, self harm, body horror, massacre, excrement (brief), vomit, blood, violence (graphic), gun violence, torture, animal death (brief), major character death, death.
Topic 1: Sexual Abuse. Begins at (1:30), CW for sexual abuse (not described).
Topic 2: Parental death. Begins at (15:00), CW for addiction, parental death, death.
Topic 3: Addiction. Begins at (22:30), CW for addiction, gun violence, death.
Promo for CPOV SMC; Spoiler-free wrap-up and ratings: Begins at (32:50).
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If you'd like to make a monthly donation, please check us out on Patreon.
To make a one-time donation please support us on Ko-Fi.
For fortnightly news and updates, as well as links to recent written reviews, subscribe to our newsletter.
You can check out Robin's written review of the book at Reviews That Burn.
Find all our links on our Carrd.
Music provided by HeartBeatArt and is used with permission.
Members of the Certain Point of View network of podcasts.
Monday Mar 21, 2022
Monday Mar 21, 2022
This fortnight we’re discussing “Firebreak” by Nicole Kornher-Stace. If you enjoyed this you should check out “Archivist Wasp” and “Latchkey” (in that order), since they’re part of the same universe.
- TITLE: Firebreak
- AUTHOR: Nicole Kornher-Stace
- PUBLISHER: Gallery / Saga Press (Imprint of Simon & Schuster)
- YEAR: 2021
- LENGTH: 416 pages
- AGE: Adult
- GENRE: Science Fiction, Dystopian
- RECOMMENDED: Highly
Book TW for rationing, confinement, cursing, alcohol, excrement (brief), blood, gore, fire/fire injury (graphic), medical content (graphic), medical trauma (graphic), gun violence (graphic), violence (graphic), child abuse (backstory), police brutality (graphic), torture (graphic), parental death (backstory), child death, major character death, death.
Topic 1: B - Kidnapping. Begins at (1:30), CW for kidnapping, death.
Topic 2: Mal - Dehydration. Begins at (9:55), CW for death, dehydration.
Topic 3: 22 - Medical Experimentation. Begins at (20:25), CW for medical trauma, violence, child abuse, child death, death.
Promo for Men of Steel; Spoiler-free wrap-up and ratings: Begins at (30:14).
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If you'd like to make a monthly donation, please check us out on Patreon.
To make a one-time donation please support us on Ko-Fi.
For fortnightly news and updates, as well as links to recent written reviews, subscribe to our newsletter.
You can check out Robin's written review of the book at Reviews That Burn.
Find all our links on our Carrd.
Music provided by HeartBeatArt and is used with permission.
Members of the Certain Point of View network of podcasts.
Monday Mar 07, 2022
Monday Mar 07, 2022
This fortnight we’re discussing “Batman: Nightwalker” by Marie Lu. This is part of the DC Icons series, where each book is written by a different author.
We discussed this Batman novel as part of #DarkKnightFortnight from Certain POV. You can find all the Certain POV shows which participated on this page.
- TITLE: Batman: Nightwalker
- AUTHOR: Marie Lu
- PUBLISHER: Random House Books for Young Readers
- YEAR: 2018
- LENGTH: 288 pages
- AGE: Young Adult
- GENRE: Fantasy
- RECOMMENDED: Yes
Book TW for blood (graphic), fire (backstory), domestic abuse (not depicted), violence (graphic), gun violence (graphic), sexual content (not depicted), sexual harassment, car accident (graphic), parental death (not depicted), suicide (not depicted), murder, death.
Topic 1: Richard - Emotional Abuse. Begins at (1:30), CW for emotional abuse, death of parent.
Topic 2: Cameron - Medical Trauma. Begins at (13:46), CW for medical trauma, murder, death.
Topic 3: Bruce and Madeleine - Death of Parent. Begins at (25:06), CW for violence, murder, death of parent, death.
Promo for CPOV - RobCast; Spoiler-free wrap-up and ratings: Begins at (36:09).
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If you'd like to make a monthly donation, please check us out on Patreon.
To make a one-time donation please support us on Ko-Fi.
For fortnightly news and updates, as well as links to recent written reviews, subscribe to our newsletter.
You can check out Robin's written review of the book at Reviews That Burn.
Find all our links on our Carrd.
Music provided by HeartBeatArt and is used with permission.
Members of the Certain Point of View network of podcasts.
Monday Feb 21, 2022
Monday Feb 21, 2022
This fortnight we’re discussing “Cemetery Boys” by Aiden Thomas. Yadriel gets a bit more than he was expecting when he summons the wrong ghost.
- TITLE: Cemetery Boys
- AUTHOR: Aiden Thomas
- PUBLISHER: Swoon Reads
- YEAR: 2020
- LENGTH: 344 pages
- AGE: Young Adult
- GENRE: Fantasy, Romance
- RECOMMENDED: Highly
Book TW for cursing, ableist language (brief), grief, racism (brief), transphobia, misgendering, deadnaming, alcohol (brief), blood, self harm (brief, religious ritual), domestic abuse (backstory), child abuse (backstory), gore (brief), violence (graphic), medical content, parental death (backstory), murder, major character death (graphic), death (graphic).
Topic 1: Child Abuse. Begins at (1:35), CW for child abuse, physical abuse, fire/fire injury (burns).
Topic 2: Transphobia. Begins at (11:00), CW for sexism, misogyny, transphobia, deadnaming, misgendering
Topic 3: Murder. Begins at (21:30), CW for murder, blood, death.
Promo for Farragut Forward IndieGoGo; Spoiler-free wrap-up and ratings: Begins at (32:00).
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If you'd like to make a monthly donation, please check us out on Patreon.
To make a one-time donation please support us on Ko-Fi.
For fortnightly news and updates, as well as links to recent written reviews, subscribe to our newsletter.
You can check out Robin's written review of the book at Reviews That Burn.
Find all our links on our Carrd.
Music provided by HeartBeatArt and is used with permission.
Members of the Certain Point of View network of podcasts.
Monday Feb 07, 2022
Monday Feb 07, 2022
This fortnight we’re discussing “River of Teeth” by Sarah Gailey. If this sounds interesting then we recommend reading it in the omnibus collection “American Hippo” which includes this novella, its sequel (“Taste of Marrow”), plus some short stories in this setting.
- TITLE: River of Teeth
- AUTHOR: Sarah Gailey
- PUBLISHER: Tor/Forge Books
- YEAR: 2017
- LENGTH: 192 pages
- AGE: Adult
- GENRE: Fantasy, Alternate History
- RECOMMENDED: Highly
Book TW for racism (minor), fatphobia, transphobia (minor), pregnancy, drug use (smoking), alcohol, fire/fire injury, blood (graphic), gore, violence (graphic), medical content, animal death, child death, murder, major character death, death (graphic).
Topic 1: Child Death. Begins at (1:30), CW for child death, animal death.
Topic 2: Betrayal. Begins at (14:32), CW for death.
Topic 3: Mutilation. Begins at (25:36), CW for mutilation, addiction, child death, death.
Promo for CPOV Circle of Friendship; Spoiler-free wrap-up and ratings: Begins at (36:22).
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If you'd like to make a monthly donation, please check us out on Patreon.
To make a one-time donation please support us on Ko-Fi.
For fortnightly news and updates, as well as links to recent written reviews, subscribe to our newsletter.
You can check out Robin's written review of RIVER OF TEETH at Reviews That Burn. They also reviewed AMERICAN HIPPO.
Find all our links on our Carrd.
Music provided by HeartBeatArt and is used with permission.
Members of the Certain Point of View network of podcasts.
Monday Jan 24, 2022
Monday Jan 24, 2022
This fortnight we’re discussing “Assassin's Apprentice” by Robin Hobb. This is the first book in "The Farseer Trilogy" which is itself part of the "Realm of the Elderlings", a connected set of several trilogies.
- TITLE: Assassin's Apprentice
- AUTHOR: Robin Hobb
- PUBLISHER: Voyager
- YEAR: 1995
- LENGTH: 460 pages
- AGE: Adult
- GENRE: Fantasy
- RECOMMENDED: Highly
Book TW for cursing, pregnancy, ableism, sexism, misogyny, bullying (graphic), physical abuse (graphic), emotional abuse (graphic), alcohol, alcoholism, excrement, drug use, miscarriage (backstory), rape (not depicted), child abuse, blood (graphic), violence (graphic), medical content (graphic), animal death, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempt, child death, death.
Topic 1: Patience - Betrayal. Begins at (1:35), CW for infidelity, betrayal, parental death, death.
Topic 2: Burrich - Child Abuse. Begins at (11:20), CW for abuse, animal death.
Topic 3: Galen - Emotional Abuse. Begins at (22:15), CW for suicidal thoughts, suicide attempt.
Promo for Screen Snark; Spoiler-free wrap-up and ratings: Begins at (30:15).
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This episode briefly discusses fictional depictions of suicide. If you're in the United States the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. For those of our audience outside of the United States, you may be able to find the suicide hotline number or other appropriate emergency services for your country in this directory provided by OpenCounseling.
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If you'd like to make a monthly donation, please check us out on Patreon.
To make a one-time donation please support us on Ko-Fi.
For fortnightly news and updates, as well as links to recent written reviews, subscribe to our newsletter.
You can check out Robin's written review of the book at Reviews That Burn.
Find all our links on our Carrd.
Music provided by HeartBeatArt and is used with permission.
Members of the Certain Point of View network of podcasts.
Monday Jan 10, 2022
Monday Jan 10, 2022
This fortnight we’re discussing “IRON WIDOW” by Xiran Jay Zhao. This is book one of a planned series.
Wu Zetian wants to assassinate her sister's murderer, but finds herself in a string of mech battles working alongside Li Shimin, the strongest pilot in Huaxia. Told in Third Person with Single POV.
- TITLE: Iron Widow
- AUTHOR: Xiran Jay Zhao
- PUBLISHER: Penguin Teen
- YEAR: 2021
- LENGTH: 400 pages
- AGE: Young Adult
- GENRE: Science Fiction
- RECOMMENDED: Highly
Book TW for grief, misogyny (graphic), sexual content, alcohol, alcoholism (graphic), medical content, injury description, pregnancy (backstory), blood (graphic), vomit, suicidal thoughts, domestic abuse, child abuse, violence (graphic), torture (graphic), murder (graphic), parental death (backstory), major character death (graphic), death (graphic).
Topic 1: Forced Alcoholism. Begins at (1:35), CW for alcoholism, torture, death.
Topic 2: Death Machine. Begins at (10:00), CW for sexism, misogyny, death.
Topic 3: Invasion. Begins at (21:15), CW for death.
Promo for RMC vs CG; Spoiler-free wrap-up and ratings: Begins at (31:25).
---
If you'd like to make a monthly donation, please check us out on Patreon.
To make a one-time donation please support us on Ko-Fi.
For fortnightly news and updates, as well as links to recent written reviews, subscribe to our newsletter.
You can check out Robin's written review of the book at Reviews That Burn.
Find all our links on our Carrd.
Music provided by HeartBeatArt and is used with permission.
Members of the Certain Point of View network of podcasts.
Friday Jan 07, 2022
Friday Jan 07, 2022
Please enjoy the spoiler-free portion of our interview with author Seanan McGuire discussing several of her books, "Into The Drowning Deep", "Dusk or Dark or Dawn or Day", "Middlegame", the Toby Daye series, and the Incryptid series. Other works mentioned include Newsflesh (series), Ghost Roads (series), "Rolling in the Deep", and Parasitology (series). Timestamps are marked for the interview questions. This interview was recorded several months prior to the 2021 Hugo Awards.
Become a Patron at any level to receive the spoiler-filled second half of the interview.
- Intro (0:00)
- Can you talk a little about the way trauma works in your writing? (0:20)
- Has a traumatic event in your books ever changed your perception of a character? (3:00)
- What parts of your identities do you notice making appearances in your writing more than you intended? What parts of your identities do you notice seeping into your work unintentionally? (6:20)
- What is your approach to incorporating visible queerness in your work? (10:05)
- How does setting influence queerness in your stories? (12:40)
- What is your approach to incorporating visible characters of color in your work? (16:25)
- Do you tend to write disabilities based on a specific set of references or do you tend to write cultures that hide disabilities and all that they entail? (22:00)
- When building your characters’ identities, what aspects did you intentionally include? (25:00)
- Do you consider your character’s physical description when writing how other characters treat them? (26:20)
--- Wrap-Up and Outro: Included in Part 1 and Part 2 ---
- What is your favorite non-traumatic thing in any of your books? (29:57)
- Do you have a favorite book written by someone else, and if so what makes it your favorite? (31:46)
- Do you have any queer authors and/or authors of color whose work you’d like to shoutout? (32:49)
- Where can our audience find you? (36:15)
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Check out Seanan's website for more about her writing. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
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At each link you can find Robin's written reviews of Seanan's work under her own name, her writings as Mira Grant, and as A. Deborah Baker.
Music provided by HeartBeatArt and is used with permission.
Monday Dec 27, 2021
Monday Dec 27, 2021
This fortnight we’re discussing “Wayward Witch” by Zoraida Córdova. Heather joins us once again to wrap up the excellent Brooklyn Brujas trilogy.
- TITLE: Wayward Witch
- AUTHOR: Zoraida Córdova
- PUBLISHER: Sourcebooks Fire
- YEAR: 2020
- LENGTH: 239 pages
- AGE: Young Adult
- GENRE: Fantasy
- RECOMMENDED: Highly
Book TW for kidnapping, confinement, emotional abuse, animal death (not depicted), excrement (brief), vomit, blood, gore, body horror, violence, major character death, death.
Topic 1: Nadira - Deadly Journey. Begins at (0:55), CW for death.
Topic 2: Rose - Memory Loss. Begins at (13:30), CW for memory loss, abandonment.
Topic 3: Rose - Abandonment. Begins at (27:05), CW for memory loss, abandonment, parental death, death.
Promo for CPOV Reignite; Spoiler-free wrap-up and ratings: Begins at (41:00).
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If you'd like to make a monthly donation, please check us out on Patreon.
To make a one-time donation please support us on Ko-Fi.
For fortnightly news and updates, as well as links to recent written reviews, subscribe to our newsletter.
You can check out Robin's written review of the book at Reviews That Burn.
Find all our links on our Carrd.
Music provided by HeartBeatArt and is used with permission.
Members of the Certain Point of View network of podcasts.
Monday Dec 13, 2021
Monday Dec 13, 2021
This fortnight we’re discussing “Bruja Born” by Zoraida Córdova, the second book in the Brooklyn Brujas trilogy. Heather joins us again on this episode!
TITLE: Bruja Born
AUTHOR: Zoraida Córdova
PUBLISHER: Sourcebooks Fire
YEAR: 2018 LENGTH: 352 pages
AGE: Young Adult
GENRE: Fantasy
RECOMMENDED: Highly
Book TW for ableist language, vomit (graphic), fire, blood (graphic), gore (graphic), violence (graphic), pregnancy (not depicted), medical content, medical trauma (graphic), cannibalism, child death, death.
Topic 1: Casimuertos - Cannibalism. Begins at (0:50), CW for Cannibalism, undead, self-aware zombies
Topic 2: Lula - Survivor’s Guilt. Begins at (9:30), CW for death, bus crash.
Topic 3: Lula - Life Drain. Begins at (22:45), CW for mention of gore, death.
Promo for Fun and Games (CPOV); Spoiler-free wrap-up and ratings: Begins at (35:57).
---
If you'd like to make a monthly donation, please check us out on Patreon.
To make a one-time donation please support us on Ko-Fi.
For fortnightly news and updates, as well as links to recent written reviews, subscribe to our newsletter.
You can check out Robin's written review of the book at Reviews That Burn.
Find all our links on our Carrd.
Music provided by HeartBeatArt and is used with permission.
Members of the Certain Point of View network of podcasts.