Read the Book First
At Read the Book First, we love watching book adaptations come alive on screen! Whether a movie, tv show or a YouTube mini-series, there's something magical about seeing someone's interpretation of a book come to life! We do however believe that you should always try to read the book first.
Each week we'll read a book and discuss it together. Then we'll watch one or two of the book's adaptations and consider the good, bad, and entertaining choices made throughout the adaptations.
Episodes
78 episodes
We Watched New Moon (with Stephanie)
Stephanie returns to join us as we watch and review New Moon.Make sure to check out our Patreon in order to find out how I "stumped Stephanie with a truck" in the guess th...
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Season 4
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Episode 22
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1:17:39
We Review New Moon by Stephanie Meyer (with Stephanie)
Stephanie returns to help us continue reading and reviewing the Twilight Saga, with this discussion of New Moon by Stephanie Meyer. Make sure you check out last year's episode discussing Twilight!blog post ment...
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Season 4
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Episode 21
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1:15:43
We Watched the 1975 and 2004 Adaptations of The Stepford Wives (with Marissa)
Join Marissa and Jenessa as they discuss and compare the 1975 and 2004 adaptations of The Stepford Wives. Which movie is the more accurate adaptation? Check out the Patreon exclusive episode where Marissa and Jenessa p...
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Season 4
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Episode 20
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1:26:22
We Review The Stepford Wives by Ira Levin (with Marissa)
Marissa joins us to discuss the 1972 sci-fi, horror novella, The Stepford Wives.Is this a satire? Is this still relevant over 50 years later? Listen to find out!content warnings: brain washing, lack of consent,...
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Season 4
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Episode 19
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56:19
We Watched Sense and Sensibility (1995) (with Spencer from @septemberance)
Spencer returns to help Jenessa analyze the 1995 film adaptation, Sense and Sensibility. Is this the best Austen adaptation? Is Emma Thompson the greatest actress of all time?You can follow Spencer on her bookstagram...
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Season 4
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Episode 18
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1:12:50
We Review Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen (with Spencer from @septemberance)
It's time to dive into the podcast's first Jane Austen novel! Jenessa and Spencer discuss what is "sense" and "sensibility", the f-boy-ness of a certain love interest, and whether or not this book is a love story.
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Season 4
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Episode 17
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1:50:44
We Watched Bridge to Terabithia (2007) (with Amanda)
Amanda and Jenessa watch the 2007 film adaptation, Bridge to Terabithia.Make sure to check out our Patreon to watch more Jenessa and Amanda shenanigans.
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Season 4
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Episode 16
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56:11
We Review Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson (with Amanda)
Amanda joins us to reread the heartbreaking children's classic, Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson. Read and cry along as we discuss childhood lonely, friendship, and grief.Content Warnings: neglect, abuse, grief, d...
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Season 4
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Episode 15
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41:01
We Watched Much Ado About Nothing (1993) (with Neha from @thenoveltea.pod)
Neha returns to discuss the 1993 film adaptation, Much Ado About Nothing. Neha and Jenessa also discuss Anyone But You (2023) and Jenessa briefly recaps Much Ado About Nothing (2012).Follow
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Season 4
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Episode 14
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1:11:27
We Review Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare (with Neha from @thenoveltea.pod)
This week we read our second Shakespeare play for the podcast, Much Ado About Nothing! Neha, from
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Season 4
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Episode 13
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1:03:32
We Watched Murderbot Season 1 (with Marissa)
Marissa joins us to discuss Apple TV's Murderbot, Season 1, starring Alexander Skarsgård! Join our Patreon to listen to the exclusive mini-episode where Marissa and I...
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Season 4
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Episode 12
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37:31
We Review All Systems Red by Martha Wells (with Marissa)
Marissa joins us as we discuss the award winning novella, All Systems Red by Martha Wells. We discuss space capitalism, why Jenessa doesn't typically enjoy sci-fi, and what determines sentience.
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Season 4
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Episode 11
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44:12
We Watched Matilda (1996) and Matilda the Musical (2022) (with Amanda)
Amanda helps us analyze Matilda (1996) and Matilda the Musical (2022). We discuss the original stage production and how adapting a book into a movie then a stage production and then a movie musical changes a story....
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Season 4
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Episode 10
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1:42:20
We Review Matilda by Roald Dahl (with Amanda)
Amanda returns to revisit a childhood classic, Matilda by Roald Dahl.We discuss Matilda's powers, our favorite Roald Dahl books, and whether or not Ms. Honey is a good teacher.
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Season 4
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Episode 9
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57:11
We Watched Five Feet Apart (with Ashley from @ifitwasabook)
Ashley of If It Was a Book joins Jenessa to discuss the teenage star-cross lovers movie, Five Feet Apart.Follow Ashley and If it Was a Book! Jenessa was a guest on Ashley's podcas...
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Season 4
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Episode 8
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58:30
We Review Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott (with Ashley from @ifitwasabook)
Join Ashley, from If It Was a Book, and Jenessa as they discuss Five Feet Apart by Rachel Lippincott, Mikki Daughtry, and Tobias Iaconis.This book was written at the same time as the film's screenplay, so did the book actually c...
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Season 4
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Episode 7
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40:07
We Watched How Stella Got Her Groove Back (with Alyssa from @stories.and.spoilers.podcast)
Alyssa and Jenessa discuss the 90s classic starring Angela Bassett and Taye Diggs, How Stella Got Her Groove Back.Follow Alyssa and her podcast, Stories and Spoilers!
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Season 4
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Episode 6
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1:21:18
We Review How Stella Got Her Groove Back by Terry McMillan (with Alyssa from @stories.and.spoilers.podcast)
Alyssa returns to help us dive into the tropical romance, How Stella Got Her Groove Back by Terry McMillan. We discuss the age gap featured and what is the "groove" Stella was looking to get back.Follow Alyssa and he...
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Season 4
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Episode 5
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1:10:01
We Watched Mickey 17 (with Marissa)
Marissa joins us to discuss the 2025 sci-fi film, Mickey 17, directed by Bong Joon Ho and starring Robert Pattinson.We discuss how cute the creepers were, the accent work done by Pattinson, and the fact that there was too m...
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Season 4
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Episode 4
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48:36
We Read Mickey 7 by Edward Ashton (with Marissa)
Marissa joins us to discuss Mickey 7 by Edward Ashton.We discuss the Ship of Theseus, the pros and cons of space travel, and how much we enjoyed the "creepers".Make sure to check out our
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Season 4
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Episode 3
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1:26:10
We Watched Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (with Delaney)
Delaney joins us to dive into the 2016 film directed by Tim Burton, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. This film is known to be controversial to the book fans. Listen to find out our opinions!Delaney and I ...
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Season 4
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Episode 2
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1:36:56
We Started a Patreon!
We started a Patreon! Patreon.com/ReadtheBookFirst"Why did you start a Patreon?" you may be asking. Well, it's a one woman show over here. Just me, myself, and I. In order t...
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2:19
We Read Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (with Delaney)
Welcome to Season 4 of Read the Book First! We are so excited for this season's episodes!Delaney returns to help us dive into Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. We talked about birds, ti...
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Season 4
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Episode 1
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1:30:36
We Watched the Wild Robot (with Amanda)
It's our Season 3 finale! Join Amanda and Jenessa as they discuss the Oscar nominated film, The Wild Robot.Season 4 is in the works and will begin later this Spring. Thank you to every one who listened to Season 3. I love t...
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Season 3
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Episode 21
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1:13:37
We Review The Wild Robot by Peter Brown (with Amanda)
It's our last book episode of Season 3!Amanda joins us to discuss The Wild Robot by Peter Brown. This chapter book was one of my favorite books I read in 2024. It's joyful, heartwarming, and challenging. Listen along to hea...
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Season 3
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Episode 20
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55:29