What can you do when you feel disconnected from your family, and your culture? Darius is a ‘fractional Persian’, and speaks better Klingon than Farsi. And his first trip to Iran is about to change his life. In this episode, we chat about Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorram. We discuss whatContinue reading “S02E07. Darius The Great Is Not Okay”
Category Archives: Podcast show notes
S02E06. You Should See Me in a Crown
Would you run for prom king/queen? There is nothing Liz Lightly would like less, but she’s willing to do whatever it takes to win a scholarship, even if it means facing her fear of the spotlight. With special guests, Hallie and Allie from the Read It, Next podcast, we chat about anxiety representation, cute romance,Continue reading “S02E06. You Should See Me in a Crown”
S02E05. Picture Us in the Light
How much do you really know about your parents? In Picture Us in the Light, Danny Cheng grapples with the mysteries of his family’s past, a tragedy in his friendship group, as well as the possibilities in his future. Along with our guest, Wendy Chen, we discuss the portrayal of grief following a suicide, intergenerationalContinue reading “S02E05. Picture Us in the Light”
S02E04. A Duke By Default
Portia Hobbs, ‘perpetual hot mess’, meets Tavish McKenzie, gruff Scottish swordsman. Sparks fly, and self-discoveries abound. We discuss the book’s portrayal of ADHD and how this experience can impact on a person’s self-beliefs. We also chat about positive female friendships, difficult family dynamics, and (of course) the central romance. Mental health issues covered: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity DisorderContinue reading “S02E04. A Duke By Default”
S02E03 – Cry Blue Murder
How can you stay safe when there’s a serial killer on the loose? Can you be best friends with someone you met online? Cry Blue Murder tells the story of two teenagers who exchange emails after shocking murders devastate a community. We don’t have all the answers, but we can talk about the anxiety andContinue reading “S02E03 – Cry Blue Murder”
S02E02 – It’s Been a Pleasure, Noni Blake
What would life look like if you only focused the things that bring you pleasure? Noni Blake is about to find out. This episode, we are joined by Shelby from the Chub Rub Book Club podcast to discuss body image, anxiety, and the joys of prioritising yourself. We love the sex positivity and portrayal ofContinue reading “S02E02 – It’s Been a Pleasure, Noni Blake”
S02E01 – Thirteen Reasons Why
Welcome to Season 2 of Novel Feelings! We’re kicking things off with Thirteen Reasons Why, a book associated with a lot of controversy. We talk about the book’s portrayal of suicide and why it makes us uncomfortable. Discussion topics also include bullying, sexism, and the lack of mental health support in the story. As anContinue reading “S02E01 – Thirteen Reasons Why”
Novel Tropes #3: Bad Therapy
This episode of Novel Tropes focuses on a trope we’re passionate about – passionately against, that is. From the mind reading therapist to therapist-client affairs, from the funny to the damaging, we discuss why these tropes are problematic. Warning: rants ahead! Mental health issues covered: discussions around therapy, therapy modalities, therapist-client affairs, stereotypes about therapistsContinue reading “Novel Tropes #3: Bad Therapy”
Novel Tropes #2: Violence and Mental Health Issues
Our second entry in Novel Tropes, our mini-series, focuses on the ‘people with mental health issues are violent’ trope. Elise puts on her researcher hat and discuss the stats about this relationship in real life. We also chat with Anna Ross, a PhD candidate whose research focuses on reducing stigma towards severe mental illness throughContinue reading “Novel Tropes #2: Violence and Mental Health Issues”
Novel Tropes #1: Commitment Issues (ft. Bridgerton Rants!)
Introducing our new mini-series: Novel Tropes is all about taking a closer look at tropes involving mental health issues in fiction. This episode, we discuss a trope often found in romance storylines: commitment issues. Can attachment theory shine light on the complexity of these issues? Also, we have some thoughts about a recent and veryContinue reading “Novel Tropes #1: Commitment Issues (ft. Bridgerton Rants!)”
Novel Feelings 