It's episode 223 and time for us to discuss our favourite reads (and other things) from 2025! We talk vampires, monster romance, cultural studies, linguistics & language, and more. Plus: Guess how many of our favourite reads are actually from 2025 (it's more than zero!).
You can download the podcast directly, find it on Libsyn, or get it through Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcast delivery system.
In this episode
Anna Ferri | Meghan Whyte | Matthew Murray 🦇 | Jam Edwards
Genres (and "genres") we covered in 2025:
Fiction Episode 207 - Monster Romance
Episode 2010 - Romantasy
Episode 214 - Non-Traditional Storytelling
Episode 216 - Rural Noir/Grit Lit
Episode 219 - Vampires
Episode 221 - Epic & High Fantasy
Episode 222 - Books from the 1980s
Non-fiction Episode 206 - Cultural Studies
Episode 209 - Design
Episode 212 - Linguistics & Language
Other Episode 213 - Found Books
Episode 218 - Book Club Books
Favourite Fiction
For the podcast Anna Of Monsters and Mainframes (2025) by Barbara Truelove (Episode 219 - Vampire Fiction)
Jam Strange Love (2019) by Ann Aguirre (Episode 207 - Monster Romance)
Matthew Hunger's Bite (2025) by Taylor Robin (Episode 219 - Vampire Fiction)
Meghan Assassin's Apprentice (1995) by Robin Hobbs (Episode 221 - Epic & High Fantasy)
Not for the podcast Jam Delicious in Dungeon (2017-2024) by Ryoko Kui
Matthew Revolutions: Mars (2024-2025) by Mike Duncan
Meghan Between Two Fires (2012) by Christopher Buehlman
Anna Mercy Thompson series (2006-2024) by Patricia Briggs Moon Called (2006)
Favourite Non-Fiction
For the podcast Matthew Babel: Around the World in Twenty Languages (2018) by Gaston Dorren (Episode 212 - Language & Linguistics)
Meghan Clever Girl : Jurassic Park (2024) by Hannah McGregor (Episode 206 - Cultural Studies)
Anna Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business (1985) by Neil Postman (Episode 206 - Cultural Studies)
Jam In Other Words (2015) by Jhumpa Lahiri (Episode 212 - Language & Linguistics)
Not for the podcast Meghan A Natural History of Empty Lots: Field Notes from Urban Edgelands, Back Alleys, and Other Wild Places (2024) by Christopher Brown
Anna Survival of the Richest: Escape Fantasies of the Tech Billionaires (2022) by Douglas Rushkoff
Jam Twenty Questions (2023) by Mac Barnett
Matthew Islands of Abandonment: Life in the Post-Human Landscape (2021) by Cal Flyn
Other Favourite Things of 2025
Anna Bear and Breakfast
Nongshim Shin Ramyun Stir Fry Gourmet Spicy Noodles With Cheese
New York City
FunkyFrogBait
Jam Getting into drag (and writing a friend-newsletter about it)
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
"Touch Fabric" project (Glurp)
Matthew Akira, vol. 6 by Katsuhiro Otomo
Akira Club by Katsuhiro Otomo
Type Help
Dungeon Chill The Mysterious Serial Experiments Lain PS1 Game
The Tim Traveller The First Ever WORLD Tram Driver Championships
Grand Sumo Highlights Blue Whirlwind: A Ukrainian sumo wrestler
Meghan Anciients (prog metal)
Comforting (atmospheric metal)
Long pool
Runners-Up
Jam Fawns' Blood by Hal Schrieve (Episode 219 - Vampires)
Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo (Episode 218 - Book Club Books)
Multiple Choice by Alejandro Zambra, translated by Megan McDowell (Episode 214 - Non-Traditional Storytelling)
Two Point Museum (Jam has clocked 150+ hours)
Wikipedia (consider making a donation!)
Anna Guards! Guards! By Terry Prachett
Notorious Sorcerer by Davinia Evans
Wooing the Witch Queen by Stephanie Burgis
Floating Hotel by Grace Curtis
Matthew 25 tracks from 2025
Books Inheritance (Episode 214 - Non-Traditional Storytelling)
Data Feminism by Catherine D'Ignazio and Lauren F. Klein
The Utopia of Rules: On Technology, Stupidity, and the Secret Joys of Bureaucracy by David Graeber (Episode 206 - Cultural Studies)
Comics Akane-Banashi (vols. 4-6) by Yuki Suenaga and Takamasa Moue
The Apothecary Diaries (vols. 2-4) by Itsuki Nanao and Nekokurage
Beetle & the Chimera Carnival by Aliza Layne
Blue Period (vols. 13-14) by Tsubasa Yamaguchi
Brain Damage by Shintarō Kago
Deprog by Tina Horn and Lisa Sterle
Dial H for Hero, vol. 1: Enter the Heroverse & Dial H for Hero, vol. 2: New Heroes of Metropolis by Sam Humphries and Joe Quinones
Fool Night (vols. 2-4) by Kasumi Yasuda
GACHIAKUTA (vol. 1) by Kei Urana
Home Office Romance by Kintetsu Yamada
Houses of the Unholy by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips
Mermaid Saga (vols. 1-2) by Rumiko Takahashi
Vampirella: Dark Powers by Dan Abnett and Paul Davidson / Red Sonja: The Superpowers Collection by Dan Abnett and Jonathan Lau
The Wrong Earth (vol. 1) by Tom Peyer and Jamal Igle
Meghan French À l'ombre du moulin : une enfance à Gatineau 1934-1948 by Bernard Lacroix
Deep café : Une jeunesse avec la poésie de Léonard Cohen by Malcolm Reid
Non-fiction The Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist by Liz Pelly
A Physical Education: How I Escaped Diet Culture and Gained the Power of Lifting by Casey Johnston
2 Trans 2 Furious: An Extremely Serious Journal of Transgender Street Racing Studies edited by Niko Stratis and Tuck Woodstock
From Ants to Zombies: Six Decades of Horror Video Games by Bitmap Books
Fiction Horror/Dark Fantasy Sunshine by Robin McKinley
Don't let the Forest In by CG Drews
The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher
A House with Good Bones by T. Kingfisher
Agents of Dreamland (Tinfoil Dossier #1) by Caitlín R. Kiernan
Fantasy Circe by Madeline Miller
To Clutch a Razor (Curse Bearer #2) by Veronica Roth
The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo
Scifi Martin Hench (series) Cory Doctorow
Paradox (series) by Rachel Bach
Romantasy / Romance One Dark Window (The Shepard King Duology) by Rachel Gillig
A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske
Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell
Translation Set My Heart on Fire by Izumi Suzuki, translated by Helen O'Horan
Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico, translated by Sophie Hughes
Articles, links, and other media
NYPL's Top Ten Comics and Graphic Novels of 2025 (Posted October 3rd!!!!)
Never Satisfied by Taylor Robin
List of avant-pop artists
Mangasplaining Episode 1: Akira Vol 1
25 Non-Fiction Politics Books by BIPOC Authors:
Every month Book Club for Masochists: A Readers' Advisory Podcast chooses a genre at random and we read and discuss books from that genre. We also put together book lists for each episode/genre that feature works by BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, & People of Colour) authors. All of the lists can be found here.
The Border Crossed Us: The Case for Opening the US-Mexico Border by Justin Akers Chacón
Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good by adrienne maree brown
The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Log Off: Why Posting and Politics (Almost) Never Mix by Katherine Alejandra Cross
Iran in Revolt: Revolutionary Aspirations in a Post-Democratic World by Hamid Dabashi
Are Prisons Obsolete? by Angela Y. Davis
One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad
Perfect Victims and the Politics of Appeal by Mohammed El-Kurd
Some People Need Killing: A Memoir of Murder in My Country by Patricia Evangelista
From a Native Daughter: Colonialism and Sovereignty in Hawai'i by Haunani-Kay Trask
We Are Each Other's Liberation: Black and Asian Feminist Solidarities edited by Rachel Kuo, Jaimee A. Swift, and TD Tso
The Antifa Comic Book: 100 Years of Fascism and Antifa Movements by Gord Hill
Feminism is for Everybody: Passionate Politics by bell hooks
21 Things You Need to Know About Indigenous Self-Government: A Conversation About Dismantling the Indian Act by Bob Joseph
We Do This 'Til We Free Us: Abolitionist Organizing and Transforming Justice by Mariame Kaba
Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela
Defectors: The Rise of the Latino Far Right and What It Means for America by Paola Ramos
The Red Deal: Indigenous Action to Save Our Earth by The Red Nation
My Seditious Heart by Arundhati Roy
As We Have Always Done: Indigenous Freedom Through Radical Resistance by Leanne Betasamosake Simpson
Elite Capture: How the Powerful Took Over Identity Politics (And Everything Else) by Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò
How We Get Free: Black Feminism and the Combahee River Collective edited by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor
Border and Rule: Global Migration, Capitalism, and the Rise of Racist Nationalism by Harsha Walia
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent by Isabel Wilkerson
"Indian" in the Cabinet: Speaking Truth to Power by Jody Wilson-Raybourd
Give us feedback!
Fill out the form to ask for a recommendation or suggest a genre or title for us to read!
Check out our Tumblr, join our Discord Server, or send us an email!
Join us again on Tuesday, January 6th when we'll be beginning our year of "listener suggested genres" with History!
Then on Tuesday, February 3rd we'll be discussing Queer Romance!