Season 1:
Here There Are Monsters
by Amelinda Bérubé
This is where it all began! Season 1 of A Pod of Sass and Sarcasm focuses on the book Here There Are Monsters by Amelinda Bérubé. We loved the spooky vibes and the poetic writing throughout this story.
From Goodreads: The Blair Witch Project meets Imaginary Girls in this story of codependent sisterhood, the struggle to claim one’s own space, and the power of secrets
Sixteen-year-old Skye is done playing the knight in shining armor for her insufferable younger sister, Deirdre. Moving across the country seems like the perfect chance to start over.
In their isolated new neighborhood, Skye manages to fit in, but Deirdre withdraws from everyone, becoming fixated on the swampy woods behind their house and building monstrous sculptures out of sticks and bones.
Then Deirdre disappears.
And when something awful comes scratching at Skye's window in the middle of the night, claiming she's the only one who can save Deirdre, Skye knows she will stop at nothing to bring her sister home.
Episode 1: Only Light and Fluffy Monsters Here
Hey book girlies and gamer guys! We are starting this journey with what was supposed to be a light and fluffy book to take our minds off of the stresses of life and the "unfavorable" writing of our previous book experiences; but when we tell you that we utterly missed the mark on light and fluffy, we mean it! We delve into the first few chapters of Amelinda Berube's Here There Are Monsters, a story about a girl who goes missing and her family starts unravelling at the seams. Did she run away? Was she kidnapped? Did she fall through a portal into another realm? No matter what happened to her, it doesn't look good.
Episode 2: Teenagers are the Scariest Monsters of All
We're continuing the story of Here There Are Monsters by Amelinda Berube, and discovering that all is not exactly what it at first seemed. Who are the real monsters? And what are they capable of? Why is Skye so angry? Are there dark, magical forces at play, or just humans being deranged? And most importantly, will Sara ever learn how to read? We explore these questions and more in this week's episode.
Episode 3: Anywhere But Here (Traffic)
Your favorite book girlie and gamer guy dig in even deeper into the story of Here There Are Monsters by Amelinda Berube. Things get spooky and kind of weird. It seems like Skye never wants to be home, we're left wondering why. Is there something better somewhere else? Or is something much worse at home and we just don't know about it? In general, we're really starting to not trust Skye as a narrator, and as an older sister she currently gets 0/5 stars.
Episode 4: If you say Pspsps to a Demon Do You Get to Take It Home as Your Pet?
Hey book girlies and gamer guys! We're getting further into Here There Are Monsters by Amelinda Berube, and consider us spooked! This book has us shooketh. We are bespookified. Mom, please come pick us up, we're scared. Skye spends some time with William, chatting and shooting things, as people do, and then Skye has a very terrifying experience getting lost in the woods. How many times do we have to remind you that fresh air is for dead people (#Morbid)?!
Episode 5: We're Not Panicking You're Panicking!
Let's just say that Amelinda Berube's Here There Are Monsters is giving us all of the spoopy feels! From strange encounters in the woods, to eerie sibling interactions, to creepy crows being creepy, we are reeling on the edges of our seats! We don't know much, but we definitely know that Deidre is weirder than weird, and we certainly know that Skye scares us.
Episode 6: Deibrah the Daemon Needs a Hero
Get ready to be spooked like you've never been spooked before, because this goes crazy! It's absolutely terrifying. Amelinda Berube is a horror queen, and we are bowing to her fantastical writing in Here There Are Monsters.
Episode 7: I Bet You Weren't Expecting THAT!
Things take a wild and serious turn in Here There Are Monsters by Amelinda Berube. Spooky bone demons in the woods, daunting tasks and trials, and horrible secrets all come up to the surface. And with every secret revealed, we have more and more questions.
Episode 8: More Bargains With The Woods Sounds Like A Great Idea (Not)
Things are getting stressful as more and more of Skye's world begins to unravel in Here There Are Monsters by Amelinda Berube. How many people with be involved with helping her clean up her mess? Can she trust anyone? Does she even have friends? Is Skye the monster, or is Deidre? Or William?
Episode 9: Raccoons, and Porcupines, and Rabbits, Oh My!
A few things we learned this week: you don't threaten an attempted murderer, you don't mess with the woods, and you definitely, definitely, definitely don't want to lose your breakfast over a dead porcupine. In this week's episode, we explore the question of who is the racoon, who is the porcupine, and who is the rabbit, because we already know who the monster is (hint: it's Skye!)
Episode 10: Playing with the Big Boys Now
Whoa is we! We are whoa-ing all over the place with the unexpected twists and turns of Here There Are Monsters by Amelinda Berube. We really don't want this book to end, but we're gearing up for a crazy finale! What will happen next? Who else will get hurt? Is Deidre even alive anymore? We are on the edge of our seat with anticipation!!!
Episode 11: The Beginning of the End
Hey book girlies and gamer guys! We are almost done with Here There Are Monsters by Amelinda Berube, and we have some FEELINGS! What lies beyond the creepy dirt tunnel? What are our heroes willing to do to save Deidre? Can Deidre even be saved? And what comes next?
Episode 12: The Post-Reading Emptiness
Sara has finally completed Here There Are Monsters by Amelinda Berube, and we are in for a wild rollercoaster ride of emotions. We're probably going to be thinking about this book for months and years to come. Join us for the season 1 finale and catch us again January 4th, 2025 for all new episodes!