Best Joan Baum Podcasts (2025)

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Book Review: Angel's Blood: Murder in the Chorus 4:39

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6d ago4:39

4:39

A renowned New York chorus is plunged into mayhem when a newly discovered composition leads to murder. It’s all in author Roberta Mantell’s debut novel, Angel’s Blood - Murder in the Chorus. WSHU’s Book Critic Joan Baum has this review.By Joan Baum

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Episode 146 - The Land of Oz by L. Frank Baum 1:34:37

9d ago1:34:37

1:34:37

The second book in the Oz series, The Land of Oz begins introducing us to its stranger inhabitants and endless opportunities for adventure. Protagonist Tip escapes his cruel captor Mombi and brings a pumpkin man and a sawhorse to life as he journeys in search of purpose. We encounter our old friends the Scarecrow and Nick Chopper, the Tin Woodman a…

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Book Review: 'Unfortunately, I was available' 4:31

20d ago4:31

4:31

Carving out a career in the entertainment industry requires a lot of grit. Early morning cast calls, long hours waiting on the set, not to mention all the wacky character roles. Author John Hart has done it all, and he’s written about it in his new book, Unfortunately, I was available. WSHU’s Culture Critic Joan Baum read it and has this review.…

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Episode 145 - Tales from Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin 2:09:11

30d ago2:09:11

2:09:11

We’re back in Earthsea and we’re BEGGING to unleash our draconic rage. Following Ursula’s instructions, we’re covering her short story collection before wrapping up the Earthsea Cycle with The Other Wind. Stories include The Finder, Darkrose and Diamond, The Bones of the Earth, On the High Marsh, and Dragonfly. This is a particularly hefty episode …

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Book Review: Letters from Frank Loesser 4:21

1M ago4:21

4:21

He composed music for plays, crafted lyrics for songs, and wrote letters — lots of letters — to his friends, family, and colleagues. His vast correspondence is now a book, The Letters of Frank Loesser. WSHU’s Culture Critic Joan Baum says the book offers readers a rare look into the life, mind, and work of one of America’s most renowned songwriters…

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Book Review: Zulus 4:54

2M ago4:54

4:54

A lone pregnant woman navigates her way through a dreary, dystopian world where most women are sterile. She’s on the run from the government, rebels, and despair. This is the plot of Zulus, a sci-fi fantasy novel written by award-winning author Percival Everett over 30 years ago.By Joan Baum

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Episode 144 - The Magicians of Caprona, by Diana Wynne Jones 1:20:51

2M ago1:20:51

1:20:51

We’re bravely continuing to cover the Chrestomanci series in whatever order we please. It’s time to revisit The Magicians of Caprona by Diana Wynne Jones! The Montanas and the Petrocchis have a generations-deep family feud, but are forced to work together when their children Tonino and Angelica go missing. Their Italian hometown of Caprona is beset…

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Book Review: Eminent Jews 4:50

2M ago4:50

4:50

A composer, a comic, an activist, and a writer. This is not the setup for a joke. These people are at the heart of author David Denby’s new collection of essays - Eminent Jews: Bernstein, Brooks, Friedan, Mailer. WSHU’s Book critic Joan Baum has this review.By Joan Baum

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Book Review: Horace: Poet on a Volcano 4:36

3M ago4:36

4:36

He was a preeminent poet, satirist, and critic from Ancient Rome. His works were once required reading in many schools. But not all of his writings were fit for the classroom. Now, a new biography, Horace: Poet on a Volcano, examines how his work reflected the times he lived in. It also highlights just how bawdy this classic poet could be. WSHU’s C…

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Episode 143 - The Changeling, by Zilpha Keatley Snyder 1:38:24

3M ago1:38:24

1:38:24

Our Zilpha Keatley Snyder hyperfixation continues with The Changeling. If you’ve been looking for a way to connect with your child self, this book is it. Ivy and Martha access magical worlds, set pork chop traps for cryptids, and attempt righteous horse theft and the rest of Rosewood Manor can’t handle it. We discuss the pain of aging out of make b…

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Book Review: Oppenheimer for kids 4:54

3M ago4:54

4:54

The book American Prometheus clocks in at 721 pages. The film version, Oppenheimer, runs for 3 hours. Both tell the fascinating history of physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer and the development of the atomic bomb. Both are also long, layered, and complex. Now, a new book, Oppenheimer and the Atomic Bomb, streamlines the story for young readers. WSHU’s…

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Episode 142 - The Never War, by D.J. MacHale 1:43:30

3M ago1:43:30

1:43:30

We’re returning to D.J. MacHale’s Pendragon series with The Never War! This ridiculous (complimentary) alternate reality historical fiction sees Bobby heading to New York City, 1937. He’s supposed to stop the Hindenburg from exploding and save the passengers aboard - OR IS HE??? We meet the wonderful Gunny, watch Spader go full Inigo Montoya and wo…

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Book Review: JAWS at 50 5:30

4M ago5:30

5:30

50 years ago this month, the film JAWS debuted in theaters. And for generations, moviegoers have been thrilled to be terrified by the fabled great white shark. But in the novel, the toothy fish is not the star of the story. Book critic Joan Baum re-read JAWS and has this review.By Joan Baum

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Episode 141 - Dragonsinger, by Anne McCaffrey 1:47:43

4M ago1:47:43

1:47:43

We’re heading back to Pern with Dragonsinger by Anne McCaffrey! Menolly has made it out of her cave, away from her abusive family, and into appreciation and education at Harper Hall. Occasional bullies and demanding teachers can’t get our girl down - she’s got her gitar, she’s flocked by fire lizards and she’s shredding the other musicians’ faces o…

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Joan Baum Book Review: Insectopolis: A Natural History 4:20

4M ago4:20

4:20

Consider the humble insect. These tiny, multi-legged creatures of infinite variety are all around us. They’re also more vital to life on Earth than we humans realize. Author Peter Kuper explores the world of insects and the scientists who study them in his new illustrated book, Insectopolis. Book critic Joan Baum has this review.…

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Episode 140 - An Ember in the Ashes, by Sabaa Tahir 1:29:40

4M ago1:29:40

1:29:40

We covered the first book of Sabaa Tahir’s buzzy Ember Quartet, and we have thoughts! Laia is from the Scholar class, an enslaved group struggling to exist under the heavy heel of the Martials. Elias has been raised to be a soulless Martial warrior, a Mask, but he longs to escape. Their lives become intertwined as they explore the Resistance, attem…

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Book Review: After The Ocean 4:33

5M ago4:33

4:33

A groom goes missing. A bride goes into hiding. Years later, the past seeps into the present and upends the lives of three women. That’s just the beginning of the new novel, After The Ocean, by WSHU’s classical music host Lauren Rico.By Joan Baum

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Book Review: Permission 4:33

5M ago4:33

4:33

Writing a memoir is not easy. Dredging up traumatic moments from your past can be painful. For some, it’s downright destructive. In her new book, Permission, Connecticut-based writer Elissa Altman shares her insights into the art of writing memoirs and how revealing a hushed-up family incident tore her family apart. WSHU’s Culture Critic Joan Baum …

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Book Review: Enough is Enuph, Eenuff, Enuf 4:34

6M ago4:34

4:34

Spelling words in English can be confusing. Many have been baffled by it. And many have tried to simplify the process. In his new book, author Gabe Henry shares a brief 500 year history of those attempts to make spelling easier. Book critic Joan Baum has this review.By Joan Baum

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Episode 139 - Dragon's Milk, by Susan Fletcher 1:36:16

6M ago1:36:16

1:36:16

In which DRAGON BABIES COVERS A BOOK ABOUT DRAGON BABIES. This gorgeous opening to the Dragon Chronicles sees Kaeldra nurturing and protecting draclings through endless peril and predatory dudes. We discuss domesticity in fantasy, our changing feelings about married ‘n’ pregnant endings, and the cruel loss that takes place in the third act and has …

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Book Review: From Ted To Tom - The illustrated envelopes of Edward Gorey 4:44

7M ago4:44

4:44

Edward Gorey was famous for his signature black and white illustrations that are often steeped in humor with a sinister twist. Gorey also drew his whimsical images on envelopes for letters he sent to a close friend. And that friend has just published a collection of their correspondence in a new book. WSHU’s Book Critic Joan Baum read it and has th…

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Book Review: Rhino's Run 4:36

7M ago4:36

4:36

Football captain, Rhino Rhinehart is in trouble. He punched a fellow student. Now Rhino is in his high school’s counseling group so he can stay on the football team. He’s surprised to find The Group a source of support. But his connection with them also lands him in the middle of a tragic school incident. How will Rhino find his way through it? Wel…

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Episode 138 - Nightbirds on Nantucket, by Joan Aiken 1:25:57

7M ago1:25:57

1:25:57

In which we take to the sea, learn more about 19-century whaling than we wanted to know and scream DIDO TWITE from the rooftops! The third book in Joan Aiken’s Wolves Chronicles makes Dido the deserving protagonist as she frees other little girls from emotional and societal expectations. We wrestle with vague memories of Nantucket as we discuss the…

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Book Review: How Sondheim Can Change Your Life 4:51

7M ago4:51

4:51

Can the work of composer Stephen Sondheim change your life? Theater critic Richard Schoch believes it can. In his new book, How Sondheim Can Change Your Life Schoch dives deep into Sondheim’s music, lyrics, and characters where he says life lessons are woven into the plays. WSHU’s Culture Critic Joan Baum read it. You can listen to her review right…

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Episode 137 - Song of the Wanderer, by Bruce Coville 1:22:39

8M ago1:22:39

1:22:39

We’re returning to Luster with book 2 of Bruce Coville’s Unicorn Chronicles! Cara gets into complex lineage tangles, prismatic prisons, and more sparkly magical talismans than our 12-year-old hearts could handle. We discuss how this series inspired Madeleine’s early writing, the lure of the hearth versus the mystery of the unknown, and why the Squi…

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Book Review: A Splendid Death 4:54

8M ago4:54

4:54

A Splendid Death, the latest thriller, by Connecticut-based author Mark Rubinstein, tells the story of two brothers from New Jersey who become entangled with government-backed mercenaries in Franco’s Spain. WSHU’s Culture Critic, Joan Baum says the novel is a nail-biter. Here’s her review.By Joan Baum

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Book Review: The Authors Guide to Murder 5:04

9M ago5:04

5:04

A rustic castle on a remote Scottish island. It’s an ideal setting for a literary conference until it all goes horribly wrong. The dramatic death of the conference organizer compels three romance writers to team up and solve a Who-Done-It. WSHU’s Culture Critic Joan Baum read The Authors Guide to Murder.…

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Book Review: The Philosophy of Translation 4:45

9M ago4:45

4:45

Reading books in translation can be a tricky venture. Does the work reflect the author’s original vision or the perspective of the translator? What’s a reader to do? Well, there’s a new book out that explores the delicate nuance of translation. WSHU’s Book critic Joan Baum has this review.By Joan Baum

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Episode 136 - Snow, by Tracy Lynn 1:32:48

9M ago1:32:48

1:32:48

Tracy Lynn’s take on Snow White is frightening, enchanting and endlessly rereadable. Jessica escapes her cruel stepmother’s alchemy-fueled attempts on her life and finds respite with human-animal outcasts in the alleys of London. But when her stepmother reappears and promises she’s changed, tragedy strikes. We discuss whether the stepmother is real…

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Episode 135 - Thick as Thieves, by Megan Whalen Turner 1:33:34

10M ago1:33:34

1:33:34

It’s time for Kamet and Costis’ Excellent Adventure! Thick as Thieves sets us up for the conclusion of the exceptional Queen’s Thief series while delivering plenty of hijinks, angst, machinations and roast caggi along the way. Kamet and Costis learn about themselves and each other as they evade slavers, the emperors guard, malicious strangers and p…

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Book Review: Buried Treasures: The Power of Political Fairy Tales 4:46

10M ago4:46

4:46

Fairy Tales! Those fanciful yarns we learned as children were fun bedtime stories. But, author and scholar Jack Zipes believes they can be so much more. In his latest work, Buried Treasures: The Power of Political Fairy Tales, Zipes shares lost stories, that he says, could transform minds and nations for the better. Book critic Joan Baum has this r…

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Book Review: Something Better 5:06

10M ago5:06

5:06

A bereaved college student, a landscaper, and a lawyer form an unexpected love triangle in the debut novel by Connecticut-based writer Diane Parrish, Something Better. WSHU’s Culture Critic Joan Baum says don’t underestimate this debut work that dives deep into love, redemption, and forgiveness.By Joan Baum

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Episode 134 - The Lost City of Faar, by D.J. MacHale 1:21:37

10M ago1:21:37

1:21:37

Hobey ho! We’re continuing D.J. MacHale’s Pendragon series with The Lost City of Faar. We travel with the steadfast Bobby to water world Cloral, where we learn about water-powered tech, gain a friend and ultimately lose a crucial ally. Grace and Madeleine discuss the wild tonal shifts, 90’s kid energy and action-packed pacing that make this series …

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Episode 133 - Greenwitch, by Susan Cooper 1:14:29

11M ago1:14:29

1:14:29

We’re celebrating Halloween with a return to the icons that started it all: Celtic witch effigies! Greenwitch continues the exquisite Dark is Rising Sequence by throwing us for a weird, wonderful loop - forget the big stakes Light vs. Dark battle, let’s narrow in on a wayward angry painter and a spring holiday in Trewissick. The Drew children and W…

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Episode 132 - Well Wished, by Franny Billingsley 1:18:34

12M ago1:18:34

1:18:34

Franny Billingsley’s debut novel Well Wished is alternately eerie and joyful, filled with natural wonder and existential dread. The residents of Bishop Mayne live under their cruel wishing well’s thrall… but why?? We discuss the realistic childhood friendship at the center of the book, shifting from friend to foe as they swap bodies (and one refuse…

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Episode 131 - Mariel of Redwall, by Brian Jacques 1:36:14

12M ago1:36:14

1:36:14

Down with Pirate King Gabool, up with prophetic bells! We’re covering Mariel of Redwall, by Brian Jacques. Although this is our third episode on a Redwall book, we still have a significant amount of puzzling to do over the relative size of things, the meaning of different creatures’ dialects, badger supremacy and the greensap milk of it all. Enter …

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Episode 130 - Bloodmarked, by Tracy Deonn 1:21:24

1y ago1:21:24

1:21:24

We’re continuing Bree’s fraught journey through the Legendborn world with Bloodmarked! Tracy Deonn’s followup to Legendborn takes Bree far from UNC and the Arthurian Order and into her ancestors’ other magical communities. There are so many hot magical boys and SO MUCH PLOT and by the end we need an aether shot at The Crossroads. We debate cambion …

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Episode 129 - Gone-Away Lake, by Elizabeth Enright 1:12:31

1y ago1:12:31

1:12:31

We’re spending the summer at Gone-Away Lake! Elizabeth Enright’s classic story of creating your own adventure is rich with wish-fulfillment fantasy. Enright brings cousins Portia, Julian and Foster to life as they tromp through swampland, evade the Gulper and befriend Min and Pin, kindly siblings living out of time. We discuss the decline of Americ…

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Episode 128 - The Lives of Christopher Chant, by Diana Wynne Jones 1:31:06

1y ago1:31:06

1:31:06

We’re continuing Diana Wynne Jones’ beloved Chestomanci series with The Lives of Christopher Chant! We follow Christopher as he journeys through the Anywheres, chafes under the controlling adults in his life, and dedicates himself to cricket and cricket alone. A romp, a revelation, the best time we’ve had in quite a while - you owe it to yourself t…

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Episode 127 - Magic's Promise, by Mercedes Lackey 1:30:39

1y ago1:30:39

1:30:39

We're returning to Valdemar with Magic’s Promise, by Mercedes Lackey! In his second book, Vanyel is 12 years older but perhaps not wiser as he struggles to move past his lover Tylendel’s tragic death. While attempting to find some rest at his family’s home (and mostly just finding homophobia), Vanyel and his companion Yfandes are pulled into a myst…

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Episode 126 - Abhorsen, by Garth Nix 1:22:41

1+ y ago1:22:41

1:22:41

We’re completing the Old Kingdom trilogy and becoming Abhorsens in our own right. We discuss Lirael’s interiority, forgive Sam for his book 2 failings, start a cult dedicated to Mogget worship, and consider how this series helped inspire the current YA fantasy horror boom. We went to the ninth gate and returned, what did you do this weekend? And re…

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Episode 125 - The Castle in the Attic, by Elizabeth Winthrop 1:15:09

1+ y ago1:15:09

1:15:09

Sir Simon has us in his thrall! The Castle in the Attic remains a pure delight, bringing out the child searching for a magical miniature castle in us both. We discuss Sir Simon’s bizarre (yet winning) quirks, the joys of soft boy William, and the key ways that fictional parents disrupt fantasy narratives. Put a mouse to roast over your tiny fire - …

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Episode 124 - Trickster's Queen, by Tamora Pierce 1:35:13

1+ y ago1:35:13

1:35:13

We finally finish a series! Trickster’s Queen brings the many threads of political intrigue loose in the Copper Isles to a satisfying (if predictable) conclusion. We discuss the coziness of a perfect fantasy regime change and how overly rosy depictions of righted systemic injustices both help and harm the readers. Perfect spy blobs, spice intoleran…

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Episode 123 - Westmark, by Lloyd Alexander 1:04:57

1+ y ago1:04:57

1:04:57

Westmark has it all - political intrigue, long cons, a dashing leader of the revolution, and two months in a garret writing other people’s letters. We discuss Lloyd Alexander’s fast-paced opening to the Westmark trilogy and why it feels like classic fantasy in spite of its lack of true fantasy elements. Join us in breaking down Theo’s soft boy prot…

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Episode 122 - Deltora Quest, by Emily Rodda 1:26:38

1+ y ago1:26:38

1:26:38

We’re covering the first two books of Emily Rodda’s Deltora Quest series, The Forests of Silence and The Lake of Tears! Deltora brings out the best in us; we rave about the impeccable art, wild pacing and grotesque monsters as we travel the kingdom searching for hidden gems. Scholastic book fairs, reading positions we’ve aged out of, fights about B…

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Episode 121 - Race to the Sun, by Rebecca Roanhorse 1:32:42

1+ y ago1:32:42

1:32:42

Welcome to Middle Grade March! This episode, we’re following siblings Nizhoni and Mac Begay as they save their dad from monstrous coal exec Mr. Charles. They discover their similarities to the Hero Twins of Navajo legend and explore their burgeoning abilities through increasingly challenging trials. Grace and Madeleine discuss preferred middle scho…

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Grace's Reading Corner - Grendel, by John Gardner 1:12:24

1+ y ago1:12:24

1:12:24

A special lil episode on the enigmatic Grendel, by John Gardner! After covering The Snow-Walker’s Son and considering ancient Nordic literary monsters, Grace was compelled to revisit this darkly comedic retelling of Beowulf from his foe’s perspective. Joining her is Ranae Hanson, author, activist, and top-notch mother-in-law. Curl up in your watery…

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Episode 120 - The Changeover, by Margaret Mahy 1:34:26

1+ y ago1:34:26

1:34:26

Celebrate Valentine’s with this fascinating, bizarre and indelible tale of love among young witches - we’re reading The Changeover, by Margaret Mahy! We meet Laura Chant and her young brother Jacko, who are living a mostly-peaceful life in the Christchurch suburbs punctuated by Laura’s “warnings,” psychic premonitions that never bode well. When an …

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Episode 119 - The Snow-Walker's Son, by Catherine Fisher 1:17:11

1+ y ago1:17:11

1:17:11

We’re getting into our frigid sailboat and exploring The Snow-Walker’s Son, by Catherine Fisher! Jessa and Thorkil are banished to a forgotten hall in the far North when their fathers attempt to overthrow the current jarl, a pretender to the throne. The false jarl happens to be married to Gudrun, a terrifying ice sorceress who previously sent her o…

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Babetreon Episode - Hogfather (2006) 1:02:50

1+ y ago1:02:50

1:02:50

We’re overwhelmed with holiday spirit and we’re releasing this Babetreon episode on the main feed! *Please note that unlike our main feed, this episode is explicit. The sibling squabbling is at an all-time high as Grace tries to force Madeleine to enjoy a Christmas film. Happy Hogswatch!By Dragon Babies