Escape with Me Bookclub

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes - 10 Years Later...

20 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Episode 166 - The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne CollinsSam finally reads The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes for the first time and immedia...

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader - Book vs Movie

13 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Episode 165 - The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C. S. LewisBook vs MovieSam and Tim return to Narnia for The Voyage of the Dawn Treader and this turne...

The Stranger, The Andalite's Gift, The Alien - Massive Wins Against the Yeerks

06 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Episode 164 - The Stranger, The Andalite's Gift, & The Alien by K. A. ApplegateWe’re back in the Animorphs universe and this time we’re co...

A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking - Children's First Hero Deconstruction

30 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Episode 163 - A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking by T. KingfisherThis was the co-star pairing Sam had been waiting for. Kaitlyn reads A Wizard’...

Mockingjay - I'm Sorry, They Had to Die

23 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Episode 162 - Mockingjay by Suzanne CollinsSam has officially finished the trilogy… and Mockingjay absolutely wrecked her, just like it does to ever...

The Guest List - New Meaning to Cold Feet

16 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Episode 161 - The Guest List by Lucy FoleyTo celebrate Hannah’s recent wedding, we decided to read a wedding-themed book… and Sam chose The Guest ...

The Cat Who Played Post Office - The 1980's Were Dark

09 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Episode 160 - The Cat Who Played Post Office by Lilian Jackson Braun(The Cat Who… Series, Book 6)We’re six books into The Cat Who… series, and t...

Tangled Up in You - Hallmark Meets True Crime

23 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Episode 158 - Tangled Up in You by Christina Lauren(Disney’s Meant to Be Series, Book 4 | Month of Love Finale)We’re closing out our Month of Love...

Love Hina vol. 1-3 - Manga Returns

16 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Episode 157 - Love Hina (Volumes 1-3)Manga Discussion | Month of Love #3For our third installment of Month of Love, Sam is joined by James to revisit ...

The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels - So... Flying Houses

09 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Episode 156 - The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India HoltonFebruary is our Month of Love, and this pick was a complete accident, but a delig...

The Love of My After Life - Merritt is the Villain

02 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Episode 155 - The Love of My Afterlife by Kirsty GreenwoodThis book broke our rating system. Fully. Completely.Sam and Danielle talk about The Love of...

Truth of the Divine - Worse Than the Miscommunication Trope

02 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Episode 159 - Truth of the Divine by Lindsay Ellis(Noumena Series, Book 2)After loving the first book in the Noumena series, we went into Truth of the...

A Twisted Tale Anthology - Short Stories, Shorter Expectations

26 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Episode 154 - A Twisted Tale Anthology, edited by Elizabeth LimAnthologies are always a gamble and this one was no exception. Sam and Kaitlyn dig into...

The Seven Dials Mystery - The Book That Inspired the Netflix Adaptation

19 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Episode 153 - The Seven Dials Mystery by Agatha Christie(The Book That Inspired the Netflix Adaptation)With a new Netflix adaptation on the horizon, S...

Kiss the Girl - Does the Series Finally Get It?

12 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Episode 152 - Kiss the Girl by Zoraida Córdova(Meant to Be Series, Book 3)After two books of almost getting there, the Meant to Be series finally del...

Prince Caspian - Book vs Movie

05 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Episode 151 - Prince Caspian by C.S. LewisBook vs MovieIt’s time for a classic book vs movie showdown. Sam and Tim revisit Prince Caspian and while ...

Fate Be Changed - Did We Read the Same Book?

22 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Episode 150 - Fate Be Changed by Farrah RochonDid We Read the Same Book?This week, Sam and Kaitlyn are genuinely confused — and not in a fun mystery...

Catching Fire - First Time Reader vs Long Time Fan

15 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Episode 149 - Catching Fire by Suzanne CollinsFirst-Time Reader vs. Long-Time FanIt’s time to return to Panem and this time, Sam and Danielle are co...

Death in the Clouds - Locked-Room Classic

08 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Hannah finally gets a break from Hastings… because he’s not in this one. And honestly? Any book without Hastings starts at a 4-star baseline.Episo...

The Cat Who Played Brahms - Everything Has Changed

01 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

🎧 Episode Title: The Cat Who Played Brahms by Lilian Jackson Braun✨ Episode Summary:This week on Escape With Me Bookclub, we’re heading to Moos...

By the Book - Once Upon a Letdown

24 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

📚 Once Upon a Letdown | The Retelling That Forgot the StoryWe’re diving into By the Book by Jasmine Guillory, a supposed Beauty and the Beast ret...

Mistborn - Ending God with the Power of Friendship

17 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes all it takes to overthrow a god is a little teamwork, a lot of trauma, and the right metals to burn. 💥In this week’s episode, the Escap...

Ella Enchanted - Is the Movie Better?

10 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Once upon a time, a fairy “blessed” a baby with obedience… and it went about as well as you’d expect. This week, we’re diving into Ella Ench...

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - Book vs Movie

03 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Step through the wardrobe with us as we revisit C.S. Lewis’s timeless classic The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe and its magical (and occasionally...

Undead Girl Gang - Zombie Squad Goals

27 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When teen witch Mila brings her best friend (and two of their school’s mean girls) back from the dead, chaos ensues. Between hexes, high school, and...

The House in the Cerulean Sea - Found Family Magic

20 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

✨ Found Family Magic ✨Why Everyone Loves The House in the Cerulean Sea 💙This week on Escape with Me Bookclub, we dive into TJ Klune’s whimsic...

The Ghost Bride - Does the Title Fit?

13 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Does the Title Fit? | The Ghost Bride by Yangsze ChooThe Proposal That Changed EverythingWhat would you do if you were asked to marry… a ghost? 👻...

Sally's Lament - The Twisted Tale that Broke Us

06 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

🎃 "The Twisted Tale that Broke Us." That’s not just a catchy title, it’s the truth.This week we’re diving into Sally’s Lament by ...

If the Shoe Fits - Cinderella Meets Bachelor?!

29 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

✨ Episode 138: If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy ✨What happens when Cinderella meets The Bachelor? Julie Murphy’s If the Shoe Fits (the first boo...

The Hunger Games - First Time Read

22 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome back to Escape With Me Bookclub! 🎙️ This week, we’re diving into The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins but here’s the twist: it’s the...

Three Act Tragedy - The Poirot Book without Poirot

15 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What happens when you pick up a Poirot novel… only for Poirot to sit on the sidelines? 🤔 In Three Act Tragedy (also published as Murder in Three ...

The Tale Of Despereaux - Book/Movie Comparison

08 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

"Courage, Compassion, Soup" – Comparing The Tale of Despereaux Book & Movie 🐭🍲Join Sam & Tim as we dive into Kate DiCamillo’...

Murder by Cheesecake - Courageous or Cashgrab?

01 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

🧁💀 Murder by Cheesecake: A Golden Girls Cozy Mystery | Escape With Me Bookclub Ep. 134Murder, mayhem, and Miami? This week, we’re heading back...

Suddenly Super - Incredibles is UK Now?

25 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

🎙️ Incredibles is UK now? | Suddenly Super by Jen CalonitaWelcome back to Escape With Me Bookclub! This week, we're diving into Suddenly Supe...

Sense & Sensibility - Willoughby is Worse than Wickham

18 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen | Full Discussion & ReactionJoin us as we dive into Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility—a timeless classi...

The Savior's Champion - The Bachelorette Meets The Hunger Games

11 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to our latest episode, where we dive headfirst into the deadly Tournament of Champions in The Savior’s Champion by Jenna Moreci!This fantasy...

Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man) - Queen of Chaos

04 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man) by Jesse Q. Sutanto | Cozy Mystery ReviewWelcome back to the show! This week, we’re digging into the...

Animorphs #4-6 - Dolphins, Brain Slugs, Exisential Crisises

28 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

📚 Animorphs Deep Dive: Books 4–6 | The Message, The Predator, The CaptureThe saga continues! This week, we’re diving into the next trio of Anim...

I'm Afraid You've Got Dragons - Anti-Fantasy Fantasy Deconstruction

21 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

📚 Anti-Fantasy Fantasy Deconstruction | “I’m Afraid You’ve Got Dragons” by Peter S. BeagleWhat happens when dragons aren’t monsters to be...

Set in Stone - The Twisted Tale You Didn't Know Existed

14 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

🌀✨ The Twisted Tale You Didn’t Know Existed? That’s right! In this week’s episode, we’re diving into Set in Stone by Mari Mancusi, the Di...

The Clique Book vs Movie - A 2004 Time Capsule

07 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

💄✨ Mean girls, designer labels, and middle school drama. We’re diving into The Clique by Lisi Harrison and its 2008 movie adaptation!In this ep...

Inheritance & Reign - American Royals From Beginning to End

30 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

👑 American Royals Deep Dive: Inheritance & Reign 📚🎧We’re wrapping up the American Royals saga with a double episode covering Inheritanc...

Dragon Teeth - Is Science Worth Dying For?

23 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What happens when the author of Jurassic Park dives into the real-life Bone Wars of the American West? Dragon Teeth is part historical fiction, part a...

Basil of Baker Street vs The Great Mouse Detective

17 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

🔍✨ Book vs. Movie: Basil of Baker Street vs. The Great Mouse Detective 🐭🎬In this episode, we’re diving deep into the world of tiny detect...

Axiom's End - The Leaks are True

09 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It's 2007 and Cora thinks her whole life is falling apart... anyway, the aliens have invaded! Becoming the only translator for this alien race, sh...

When You Wish Upon a Star - Does Every Villain Need to be Redeemed?

02 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

While we've had the chance to learn of Pinocchio, it's time to get a chance to learn about the woman who made it all happen: The Blue Fairy. W...

Wires & Nerves Graphic Novels - Got What It Takes to Lead the Pack?

26 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After the Lunar Chronicle series of books came out, the author announced two more but this time as graphic novels. Taking place after Winter but befor...

Lord Edgware Dies - The Role of a Death Time

19 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Lord Edgware Dies is the ninth installment of Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot series. This time Poirot finds himself surrounded by actors both pr...

Revenge of the Witch - The Last Apprentice

12 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Being a seventh son of a seventh son has given Tom a unique opportunity: a chance to become apprentice to the County's spook. But is Tom cut out t...

The Book That Inspired The Rescuers

05 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Another beloved children's movie that was inspired by a popular children's series. Originally published in the 1950's, The Rescuers is a s...

Animorph Books 1-3 - Children Are Our Only Hope

28 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Jake and his friends were walking home from the mom when their lives and the fate of the planet change forever. Meeting a dying alien, they are given ...

Almost There - The Contract is Running Out

21 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The thirteenth installment of the Twisted Tales series, Almost There is Tiana's turn. Having made a deal with the Shadow Man at the end of the eve...

The Grace Year - Ready for Your Red Year?

14 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Called the "YA The Handmaid's Tale", The Grace Year is a look at feminist issues such as autonomy, sisterhood, motherhood and truth. But...

Rivals - New Friends, New Problems

07 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The League of Kings has arrived, and Beatrice has to deal with international politics. Daphne and Nine forge an unforeseeable bond to take down a mutu...

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIHM - Book that Inspired the Classic Children's Movie

31 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

One of the beloved children's movie (The Secrets of NIHM) was inspired by the book of this episode. So which is better? And what changes had to be...

Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers - Everyone Needs a Vera

24 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Life is pretty ordinary for the empty-nest/widow Vera Wong... Until one day a dead body is found in her shop. After seeing the police at work, Vera de...

Bookshops & Bonedust - How to Deal with a Prequel

17 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After the smash success of his first book, Legends & Lattes, it surprised some fans when the next book of the series was announced as a prequel. L...

What Once Was Mine - Moon Magic 101

10 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Queen is sick while pregnant and there's only one way to save her... expect there's apparently two. Drinking the moon flower instead of th...

Stars Above - Strong or Skippable?

03 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The next entry in this series is a collection of short stories, mostly prequels for the characters, one new story and an epilogue story. But is this a...

The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties - Even Julia Child is Mafia

24 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After hearing about it for two books, Meddie, Ma, Nathan and the Aunties are heading to Jakarta for the New Year. But little do they know as the land ...

Redwall - Legend of Mice

17 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Hidden in the forests of Redwall is an abbey that is known for its peaceful ways. Suddenly a great evil spreads across the land thanks to Cluney the S...

Majesty - The First Queen of America

10 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After the death of her father, Beatrice must step up to become the first Queen of America. With her upcoming wedding overshadowing her administration,...

The Name of the Rose - But What Does it Mean?

03 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A war gearing up between an Emperor and a Pope. A monastery steeped secrecy and death. A monk with a great reputation but little results. Who is murde...

Go the Distance - I Won't Say I'm in Love

27 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We have reach the 11th installment of the Twisted Tales series and this time we look at a reimagining of Hercules. Meg now gets her own chance to beco...

Youngbloods - How Not to End a Series

20 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Four books later, eight if you count the Uglies series, we reach the end of a series. Tally Youngblood has once more shown up to be the leader for our...

The Last Unicorn - There's a Book!

13 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Growing up watching the movie over and over, it wasn't until adulthood that we learned that the classic movie was based on a movie. Having managed...

Life and Death - What Are We Doing Here?

06 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After there was the Twilight empire, Stephanie Meyer returned to her world, asking the question "But what if Bella was a boy?" Continuing in...

Peril at End House - Can You Solve a Murder Before It Happens?

30 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Poirot vacating in the beautiful beachside of Cornwall. Once again attempting to retire, Poirot finds a mystery the intrigues him. Lively Nick has had...

The Valley-Westside War - War Never Changes

16 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The final Crosstime Traffic book is here, but how does Turtledove choose to end the series? Is the post-apocalypse really the best setting to end thin...

Mirror's Edge - They All Fall Down

02 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Frey is back on home ground, but she quickly realizes that she might know the city she grew up in as well as she thought she did. After navigating the...

Watership Down - The Bunny Epic

18 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There are many great stories, and anyone attempting to list them could not skip this nod to the classic epics and fairytales of earlier days. But how ...

The Cat Who Saw Red - 18 Years Later the Cat Returns

04 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The original Cat Who trilogy was published in the 1960's, and then no more books came until 1986. Where did the author go? We'll never know, b...

Daisy Darker - What if You Had 8 Hours to Live?

21 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Agatha Christie has inspired many writers, Alice Feeney being one. How does her book compare to it's inspiration "And Then There Were None&qu...

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau - Extending the Conversation

07 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Over a 100 years after The Island of Doctor Moreau is published, Silvia Moreno-Garcia has extended the conversation. Now including the female perspect...

The Fury - Running Out of Tricks?

23 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The third book by the "modern day Agatha Christie" is here! A haunted island, an angry goddess, a famed actress suddenly retiring at the hei...

Shatter City - How to Lose a City in 10 Days

09 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The second book is here, and everything is going down: the city of Paz, "father's" schemes, and Frey's relationship with Rafi. As th...

Black Coffee - Agatha Christie the Playwright?

26 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We take a break from our regularly scheduled Poirot books to bring you the Poirot Play! Part of the cannon story, how does the Queen of Mystery do at ...

Cast in Firelight - What's Your Color?

12 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A magic system revolving around color, how does the world change? Who is celebrate? Who is repressed? And what does it mean to be worthy to rule? With...

The Gladiator - What If Russia Won the Cold War?

29 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The 5th book in the Cross Time Traffic series pivots from previous topics tackled with a look at what might happen if communism became the dominate ec...

Unbirthday - Ten Books in and How is the Series Going?

15 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

10 books into the Disney's Twisted Tales series and the 6th Liz Braswell book, we have finally seen the author reach the potential we knew she had...

Imposters - The Book of Bad Plans

01 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The world of Uglies is back in this new spin-off series that takes place decades after the original events. Coming back a decade later, can the author...

The Mystery of the Blue Train - Having a Nice Time

17 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We return to France with the departure of the Blue Train. The height of luxury, the train regularly transports the famous and wealthy. Unfortunately, ...

A Dream so Dark is a Dream or a Nightmare?

03 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We're back for a second dose of Wonderland! Alice finds herself in the middle of an evil plot to bring back the evil Queen when suddenly she is se...

The Disunited State of America - What if the States Were Countries?

20 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We enter another alternative, where the Constitution was never ratified and the states now act on their own. Has this allowed them to be stronger, as ...

So This Is Love - The Best Author in the Series

06 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's Cinderella's turn up at the plate, and it is also the return of series favorite Elizabeth Lim. Is this book as good as her first? ... Oka...

The Book of Life - Disjointed Telling

22 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We have reached the final book of the All Souls Trilogy and it is... inconsistent to say the least. We're bringing out the Best Dropped Subplot Aw...

Fairest - Read Lunar Chronicles in Order

08 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Set before the events of Cinder, this 0.5 book is the villainous backstory of the Evil Queen: Levana. Explore how and why Levana has ended up how she ...

A Blade So Black - A Step into Modern Wonderland

25 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Alice once again falls down the rabbit hole to Wonderland, but this time to fight the creatures called "Nightmares" from destroying her worl...

Legends & Lattes - What Even is Cozy Fantasy?

11 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The self-proclaimed "High Fantasy with Low Stakes", Legends and Lattes have proven the commercial viability of the Cozy Fantasy. But what do...

Straight On Till Morning - The Adventure of Dropped Subplots

26 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Now it's time to step into the world of another Disney classic: Neverland. Liz returns to tell this story and after dealing with Conceal, Don'...

Is America Ready for the "American Royals"?

12 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In a world where Washington became King, the modern day looks... very similar to the current one. But that doesn't mean being royalty, or royalty-...

Winter - 97 Chapters Later

29 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's finally here: the ending of the main series Lunar Chronicles. But are four books, especially one that's 823 pages, enough to tell the sto...

Days of Blood & Starlight - How Have They Survived This Long?

15 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The lovers have become enemies again and we get our first real look at the Angel side of the world building. The leaders in charge are going to lead t...

In High Places - The Horrors of Timeline Travel

01 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It all began as any other mission. On her way to return home and begin the rest of her life, Annette is ready to start her freshman year at Ohio State...

Conceal, Don't Feel - The Movie But Worse

18 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Frozen, the beloved movie and one of the highest grossing films of all time, gets its turn in the Twisted Tales light. Instead of knowing each other, ...

Cress - Not Your Grandma's Rapunzel

04 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Things are heating up and Cinder is unsure how to proceed... good thing Luna's ONLY hacker has decided to switch sides. But when they go to rescue...

The Big Four - Agatha Christie Tackles Action

20 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

After four successful Poirot mystery books and a string of others, Agatha Christie changed the formula with the fifth Poirot book. Instead of focusing...

Curious Notions - What if Germany Won WWI?

06 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In another world, Germany won WWI and through a long chain of events now occupies America. Paul Gomez and his father are on assignment from our world ...

Daughter of Smoke & Bone - Angel vs Chimera

23 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There's a world that humans don't know about, and that world needs... teeth. Karu knows about this need, but not why. After being cut off from...

Scarlet - The Sci-Fi Grim

09 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As Cinder swiftly becomes the world's most wanted criminal, Scarlet is desperately searching for her grandmother who went missing two weeks ago. T...