Judging Book Covers

Fourth Wing and Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

12 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Stephanie, Megg, and Ollie are back with Tiktok's number 1 book series last year -- Fourth Wing! We discuss the world of Romantasy through both ...

Murder and Mamon by Mia P. Manansala

20 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Stephanie, Ollie, and Megg are back to discuss one of our favorite cozy mysteries series -- A Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery book! Murder and Mamon ...

Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston and Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman

10 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Hello hello! We read two new books for this episode! Love is definitely in the air as we read two romance books: The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston...

The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris

22 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes life gets in the way, but we still read The Other Black Girl, talked about it, and released our episode before the show dropped on Hulu! Ne...

Under the Whispering Door By TJ Klune

14 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Are cozy fantasies our new thing? We definitely enjoyed this one!! Megg also ruins the mood by not reading enough books. Next Book: The Other Black Gi...

Pallbearer's Club by Paul Tremblay and Our Last Echoes by Kate Alice Marshall

03 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We are back for a double feature this month -- because we happened to all read two of the same books in the horror genre! One we loved, while the oth...

Blackmail and Bibingka by Mia P Manasala

31 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Well, we stayed on topic for one episode... This month Megg, Ollie, and Stephanie read Blackmail and Babingka by Mia P Manasala, the third book in Ti...

What Lies in the Woods by Kate Alice Marshall

01 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

After a year off with one cohost creating a production company, one cohost creating a baby, and one just....creating an interesting dating mess, Steph...

Homicide and Halo-Halo by Mia Manansala

05 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

JBC is back with cozy mysteries! We read the second book of the Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery series - Homicide and Halo-Halo! We talk about our love f...

Winters Orbit

21 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The trio of hosts read Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell! This book promised us a space opera and romance! ...Unfortunately it fell a little short of ...

People We Meet on Vacation

17 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Stephanie and Meghan welcome Ollie Brady as a permanent co-host! We start our 2022 year with a new book: People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry! W...

Seven Fallen Feathers by Tanya Talaga

02 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week Stephanie and Meghan decide to join the investigation and research of the residential schools in Canada and what they have become in the cur...

LA Son by Roy Choi

23 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Meghan and Stephanie are finally back! And this time they are discussing something they love to talk about: FOOD! We read Roy Choi's memoir and cook b...

Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray

28 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Stephanie and Meghan take a small break this episode and rather than leave listeners without an episode, friends of the podcast Tim Lowe and Ollie Bra...

Vampires Never Get Old: Tales with Fresh Bite edited by Zoraida Córdova

14 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This episode, Stephanie and Meg discuss VAMPIRES. Are they back? Are they even scary any more? Did Twilight ruin vampires for good? We dive into the ...

Small Spaces by Katherine Arden

01 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Despite our inching towards summer, Stephanie and Meghan are joined by Victoria Lucia to get in the mood for some fall spooks! For this round of our R...

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

16 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week Stephanie and Meg read Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas!  First, there are some serious content warning for this book: the main character has...

If The Dress Fits by Carla de Guzman

02 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week Meg and Stephanie are joined by Network co-host Matt Limerick to discuss If the Dress Fits by Carla de Guzman! We loved discussing this fa...

Buffy Fan Fiction

18 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week Stephanie and Meg dive into the world of fan fiction! We went with a Buffy the Vampire Slayer fanfic as it is a fandom we both know and lov...

The Diviners by Libba Bray

01 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

To celebrate our 100th episode, we are putting aside our read harder challenge in order to read a book about the 1920s and GHOST MURDERERS! We read T...

Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse

21 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Thank you for letting us take some time to deal with personal problems! We are back with an exciting fantasy book called Black Sun. We are so excited...

The Graveyard Apartment by Mariko Koike

14 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Stephanie and Meghan take a spooky turn in their reading challenges! This week we read The Graveyard Apartment by Mariko Koike! This Japanese book fa...

Eloquent Rage by Brittney Cooper

29 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Stephanie and Meghan continue to dive into Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge! This week we read a nonfiction book about anti-racism: Eloquent Rage by...

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

15 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Judging Book Covers kicks off our 2021 Reading Challenge: The Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge! Our first challenge up is a book that intimidates us,...

JBC 2020 Wrap Up

01 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The biggest duh ever: 2020 was a rough year. Stephanie and Meghan both had pretty big issues during the year, but chose instead to remember the good t...

2020 JBC Challenge: A Longterm Sequel Release

31 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

After a long delay, we have a LONG EPISODE! Stephanie and Meghan read Scott Sigler's Mount Fitzroy,  the sequel to Earthcore, which we read and lov...

2020 JBC Challenge: A December Book

06 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

For Stephanie's birthday, we decided to read an advance copy of the newly released How to Catch a Queen by Alyssa Cole! Because this podcast stans Al...

2020 JBC Challenge: Memorial by Bryan Washington

22 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week Stephanie and Meg read Memorial by Bryan Washington! This book has recently been released, so there is a bit of a spoiler warning. But don...

2020 JBC Challenge: Essays

08 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week Meghan and Stephanie read How to be Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi! This book discusses challenging your way of thinking so that you are cont...

2020 JBC Challenge: Comics!

23 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week we are joined by Case Aiken to discuss The Banks by Roaxane Gay, Ming Doyle, and Jordie Bellaire! We chat about what we like and wish we co...

JBC Challenge: DNF-ing a Book

06 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week Stephanie and Meghan set out to read a horror book by an author they like  - Nos4A2 by Joe Hill! Unfortunately, perhaps due to the enviro...

JBC 2020 Challenge: Banned Books

27 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week's episode is a little late because we wanted to drop it during Banned Book week! So happy Banned Book Week! Please go read some books that h...

JBC Challenge: Returning from Hiatus

10 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

JBC is back from hiatus and ready to read!  But FIRST: We joined a network! Thank you to Certain POV Network for inviting us to be a part of your ama...

JBC Book Challenge: A Yellow Book Cover

20 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week Stephanie and Meghan read The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl by Issa Rae! As she is close in age to us, we had fun discussing our own ...

JBC Book Challenge: A Queer Romance Book

06 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Stephanie and Meghan read This is Kind of an Epic Love Story by Kacen Callender! This book has a great realistic teenage love story,...

2020 JBC Challenge: A Book Recommended by Someone We Trust

19 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week Stephanie and Meghan are joined again by Ollie Brady to discuss R L Stine's Fear Street: The First Evil! We discuss the books of our childho...

2020 JBC Challenge: Obama's Recommendation

05 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week Stephanie and Meghan read Lot:Stories by Bryan Washington! This is a short story collection that is well done and powerfully important.  ...

2020 JBC Challenge: A Blue Cover!

22 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week Stephanie and Meghan are joined by Victoria Lucia! Victoria brought us The Magicians by Lev Grossman, the book one of her favorite shows is...

2020 JBC Challenge: A Book Given For Free

10 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week Stephanie and Meghan get all up in some heists while reading Death Prefers Blondes by Caleb Rohrig! We also spend a good portion of the ep...

2020 JBC Challenge: Veronica Mars

23 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Happy anniversary to JBC! And as always to celebrate, we invited Tim Lowe to come back and read another book with us. Tim picked the Veronica Mars no...

2020 Challenge: A Humorous Book

09 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Our favorite Ollie Brady joins us to talk about Terry Pratchett's Reaper Man! We are also in severe cabin fever isolation mode, so there is a lot of ...

2020 Challenge: A Translated Book

01 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

COVID has caused us to get a little stir crazy, so this episode is a little all over the place, even after it has been edited down. And there is no ex...

2020 JBC Challenge: Historical Event

12 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

JBC is back and has invited Dr. Sarah Ifft Decker of Media-eval Podcast back on to discuss some 14th Century court cases! Specifically, we read A Poi...

2020 JBC Challenge: A Romance Book

29 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

JBC is back and maybe forgot to post an episode this week! It's because we have been too busy SWOOOONING over Beverly Jenkins' novel Destiny Captive!...

2020 JBC Challenge: A February Release

13 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Judging Book Covers Podcast is BACK! We kicked off the 2020 JBC Challenge with The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by NK Jemisin! And it was totally a hit ...

Judging Book Covers: Top Books

24 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

To close down 2019, Stephanie and Meghan talk about their top 12 books for the year! It is a quick episode, and we promise to be back and wordy and wi...

JBC Challenge: A 1985 Bestseller

05 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Today we celebrate Stephanie's birthday! Friend of the podcast Tim Lowe presented us with a book, Contact by Carl Sagan, as a 1985 Bestseller gift! ...

JBC Challenge: Plays!

24 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Sorry this episode is so late! Medical, travel, and computer issues...it's been a messy week. BUT it's okay, as we are joined by Alex LaVelle from Pan...

JBC Challenge: True Crime

07 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week Stephanie and Meghan chat about H. H. Holmes and the World Fair! But really we talk a lot about how everyone keeps talking about how charism...

JBC Challenge: A Memoir

25 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Note: There are some The Good Place spoilers from minute 15-18.  This week Stephanie and Meghan read Yes Please by Amy Poehler! We discuss her ope...

JBC Challenge: Movie before Book?!

10 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is dedicated to Chris. Happy belated birthday!  We finally get a relaxing break and decided to read The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galax...

JBC Challenge: Banned Book Week

26 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Happy Banned Book Week! Stephanie and Meghan discuss one of the more popular banned books: Beloved by Toni Morrison. All the content warnings. And we...

An Award Winning Book

13 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week Stephanie and Meghan tackle one of Obama's favorite 2018 books: An American Marriage by Tayari Jones! This episode is also extra bonus disc...

JBC Challenge: CT Represent

30 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Stephanie and Meghan tackle a book by an author from their state: Suzanne Collins from Connecticut! Stephanie had not read Hunger Games, while Meghan...

JBC Challenge: Translated Book

16 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Several weeks ago, Stephanie and Meghan wavered between reading Rebecca and One Hundred Years of Solitude. When Facebook helped them decide to read...

JBC Challenge: The Scarlet Letter

02 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It is summer, so of course Stephanie and Meghan are continuing to do some school-ish summer reading. This week they read The Scarlet Letter, a book M...

JBC Challenge: An Unread Classic

19 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Today Stephanie and Meghan read a Gothic classic: Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier! We discuss if it is actually a romantic love story, what we thought t...

JBC Challenge: A Collection of Fairy Tales!

05 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week Stephanie and Meghan tackle Angela Carter's The Bloody Chamber! We discuss all ten stories in the collection, not just the first story!  B...

JBC Challenge: Poetry

20 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week Stephanie and Meghan try to understand some poetry, so they invite Megan Sunday of Let's Get Weirding to help them find some poetry they'll ...

JBC Challenge: Essays

08 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week Stephanie and Meghan dive into a collection of essays: The Geek Feminist Revolution by Kameron Hurley! And we do spend this episode as an e...

JBC Challenge: LGBTQ+ Romance

23 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Stephanie and Meghan are back to continue our month of love and romance! This time we read two novellas that center around queer romance: one modern a...

JBC Challenge: Romance Books

09 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

  There is a LOT going on in this episode, as the week we recorded it was definitely a big one for pop culture! So if you want to skip ahead, please ...

JBC Challenge: A Book with Purple on the Cover

24 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week Stephanie and Meghan dive into one of our more controversial authors: Dean Koontz! We grabbed a copy of Odd Thomas as it is his most highly...

JBC Challenge: A cover with Green (or well Blue) on it

11 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It is time for Tim's annual visit! We welcome him back with another weird book (we wouldn't want it any other way?) Is Wayward Pines a ghost town, stu...

JBC Book Challenge: Comics not by the big 3

29 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week Stephanie and Meghan dive into the first half of the Joe Hill's comic series Locke and Key! We discuss our relationship with comics, especi...

JBC Challenge: Revisit a Childhood Classic

14 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

  This week Stephanie and Meghan get real with talks of childhood and puberty, inspired by this week's book: Are You There God, It's Me, Margaret b...

JBC Challenge: A 1988 Bestseller

27 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

To celebrate Meghan's birthday, we read a classic from 1988: Queen of the Damned by Anne Rice! And who better to come talk books with us than James A...

JBC Challenge: A Trusted Recommendation

14 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week Stephanie and Meghan fall into a magical world in Howl's Moving Castle! They talk about the pressures of being the oldest child, add a new ...

JBC Challenge: Non Fiction

29 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Stephanie and Meghan check off number 2 on their JBC reading challenge: A non-fiction book based on a historical event! This week's episode is about ...

JBC Book Challenge: Self Help

16 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Stephanie and Meghan start the new year and new season with a book challenge! We have put together 27 books to read this year and will be using them a...

Gunslinger with Chris Hayes

31 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Meghan and Stephanie end the year discussing Stephen King with one of our favorite guests! We debate whether we are going to read the entire Dark To...

Hosts Only: Chemistry

27 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is way too late, and we will get the last one out before the new year!! We read Chemistry by Weike Wang right before the holidays. While ...

Hosts Only: Difficult Women

10 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We apologize for the delay — Meghan had a stomach bug that could not be tamed! But we have an excellent short story collection to discuss with you t...

Hosts Only Club: The Alienist

19 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode, we take a look at a book from Stephanie's TBR list! And it is a dozy of a book, coming in at 500 pages!  We discuss The Alienist by...

Hosts Only: Persepolis

06 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, Stephanie and Meghan tackle a book that's been on Meghan's TBR list since she started keeping one: Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi!...

Frankenstein

22 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Stephanie and Meghan sit down to discuss a classic horror/gothic/sci-fi novel: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley! We also are so excited it is fall, so th...

We Sold Our Souls with Chris Haynes

14 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We apologize for the week delay — NYCC was a bit too much to balance! Don't worry, we will be back next week with a new episode. As for this week, w...

I Am Legend with Ollie Brady

23 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

When you invite on old friends, it definitely takes a while to get to the book SORRY! So enjoy some Great British Bakeoff discussion, as well as some ...

Host Only! The Casual Vacancy

09 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Stephanie and Meghan tear themselves away from the US Open to read The Casual Vacancy by JK Rowling! It's banned book month, so it seems a little app...

Kanye West Owes Me $300 with Tim Stevens

27 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Stephanie and Meghan are joined this week by Tim Stevens, to discuss Jensen Karp's memoir: Kanye West Owes Me $300 and Other True Stories from a Whit...

The Hate U Give with Elle Riccardi

13 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Content warning for police brutality discussion.  This week Meghan and Stephanie invite Elle back to discuss one of the best books of 2017: The Hate...

The Portable Veblen with Liz Babish

29 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

  Stephanie and Meghan welcome back Liz Babish to discuss the satirical The Portable Veblen by Elizabeth McKenzie! We discuss how this book confirm...

A Mercy with James Anderson

15 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

This week Stephanie and Meghan are joined by James Anderson of Unabashedly Obsessed Podcast! He brought us one of the shortest yet densest book we hav...

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

18 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Life is stressful and busy, so Stephanie and Meghan take it slow and calm in this host-only episode! We read Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeye...

The Host with Elle Riccardi

03 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

 This week we are joined by A Handbook for Handbook for Mortals' newest cohost, Elle Riccardi! We discuss the now 10 years old The Host by Stephenie...

Bloodline with Olivia James

20 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In preparation for Solo, Stephanie and Meghan invite Olivia James of Super Serious Social Justice Podcast to come on and discuss Bloodline by Claudi...

Kindred with Sarah Iff Decker

06 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Kanye, thank you for setting up this week's episode so well for us!! Your [nonexistent] check is in the mail.  Content Warning: Slavery, Rape, and ev...

I Don't Know What You Know Me From with Amy Pascale

22 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

This week Stephanie and Meghan are joined by Amy Pascale of Ladies Love Paul Rudd to discuss one of America's favorite co-stars: Judy Greer! We read h...

Anniversary Episode: Earthcore with Tim Lowe

08 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Judging Book Covers Podcast has hit one year! To celebrate, we brought back Tim Lowe from the first two episodes to discuss another Scott Sigler book:...

Bonus: Pet Sematary the Movie

01 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It isn't an April Fool's trick: there are two Judging Book Cover's episodes this week! Really, we are just celebrating for weeks that it's the podcast...

Pet Sematary Part II with Chris Hayes

01 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to Part II of our Pet Sematary discussion! We talk about the second half of Stephen King's book, focusing on when Louis and Rachel lose thei...

Part I: Pet Sematary with Chris Hayes

26 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Second part of "Horror Book March!" Is that a thing? It is now! Stephanie and Meghan are joined by a special fun host, Chris Hayes! We had fun talking...

Universal Harvester with Phil Gonzales

11 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Stephanie and Meghan are joined by Phil Gonzales of Deep in Bear County, It's Del Toro Time, and Klickitcast to discuss Universal Harvester by John...

A Wrinkle in Time with Ileana Garcia

25 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

As probably every book podcast is doing, we read A Wrinkle in Time before the movie comes out! This is a book Meghan read as a kid, but Stephanie an...

The Power by Naomi Alderman

11 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Season 2 of Judging Book Covers kicks off with a host only episode! We read a book that takes on the question: "If Women ruled the world, would it be ...

Local with Ryan Lynch and Tracy Tanoff

28 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Ryan and Tracy join Meghan again to discuss the podcast's first graphic novel — Local, written by Brian Wood, illustrated by Ryan Kelly! This is a ...

Restless with Tracy Tanoff and Ryan Lynch

14 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It's a new year, and it's time for a new round of guests! This week I am joined by Tracy Tanoff and Ryan Lynch of Divisive Issues, Oops I talked Polit...

Vicious by V.E. Schwab with Emily Bennett and Ollie Brady

24 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Happy Holidays! For a holiday special, I brought back two of my favorite guests to talk about one of my favorite books! Emily Bennett and Ollie Brady ...

Mr. Darcy's Diary with Vicki Crosson and Ryan Alexander

10 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Meghan is joined again by Vicki Crosson and Ryan Alexander to discuss Mr. Darcy's Diary by Amanda Grange, a Pride and Prejudice retelling from the m...

Episode 18: Grey with Ryan Alexander and Vicki Crosson

26 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by Ryan Alexander and Vicki Crosson to discuss book 4 of the 50 Shades of Grey series: Grey by E.L. James. Spoiler: None of us ...