Did Netflix nail the Remarkably Bright Creatures adaptation? We're breaking down the May 8th release of Shelby Van Pelt's bestselling novel and giving our full book-to-screen verdict — spoilers included.

In this episode, Cassie and Emily dive into the casting choices (Sally Field as Tova = perfection, but who is Lewis Pullman as Cameron?), debate whether Marcellus the octopus got the voiceover he deserved (David Attenborough vs. Michael Urie's iconic audiobook performance — fight us), and unpack the sly changes Netflix made from the book, including the shift from estranged brother to husband and the minimized search for Cameron's father.

We also cover:

– The CGI Marcellus and whether it landed emotionally

– Why the twist hit harder in the book than on screen

– The mop-bucket finale that wrecked us both

– Why this is the perfect Mother's Day movie watch

– Our final star ratings on adaptation accuracy, emotional impact, and casting

If you loved the BookTok-famous novel, are deciding whether to stream the movie, or just want a cozy, character-driven cry — this one's for you.

🎧 Next week: Should You Read This? on Fury Bound by Sable Sorenson, the highly anticipated follow-up to Direbound.

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Okay besties… we failed our TBR.

We break down our April wrap up and May TBR, including what we actually read, what surprised us, and what completely derailed our plans. From Shield of Sparrows to The Deal and other viral BookTok books, this month had range.

We also get into:

00:00 We failed our TBR
02:00 DNF to obsessed… Shield of Sparrows pipeline
06:00 Is binge reading better than waiting for sequels?
10:30 The Deal review… fun or cringey?
15:30 Book to movie adaptations… are we doing too much?
21:00 The most divisive book of the month
26:00 May TBR… are we being realistic?
30:00 What we are actually excited to read

Then we reset for May with a more realistic TBR… or at least we are pretending it is.

If you are looking for what to read next or want honest reader reactions, this one is for you.

BOOKS MENTIONED

• Beach Read by Emily Henry
• Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry
• Rites of the Starling by Devney Perry
• The Deal by Elle Kennedy
• Into the Blue by Emma Brodie
• Dire Bound by Sable Sorenson
• Fury Bound by Sable Sorenson
• Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan
• Stormbreaker by Nisha J. Tuli
• Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune
• The Burning Side by Sarah Damoff
• Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
• Fame Sick by Lena Dunham

JOIN THE CHAT: What did you read in April? Did you stick to your TBR or spiral like us? What is on your May TBR?

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This week on Book Bits & Chill, we are joined by bestselling author Nisha J. Tuli, the brilliant mind behind the Artefacts of Ouranos series, including Trial of the Sun Queen, as well as contemporary romance and her highly anticipated YA dystopian debut, Storm Breaker.

We get into ALL of it: the iconic first line that started everything, how the Atlas misdirect was completely intentional (she knew exactly what she was doing to us), why the slow burn had to hurt that badly across four books, and how Nadir went from secondary character to the love interest we would absolutely die for. Nisha also opens up about being a Brown author in a very white genre, why Artefacts of Ouranos selling over a million copies still has not landed it on a U.S. bestseller list, and what that actually says about publishing.

AND we get into the big news. Storm Breaker, her upcoming YA dystopian romance, has already been optioned by Amazon for a TV adaptation before it even hits shelves on May 5th. Nisha walks us through the world, her discovery writing process (chaotic with zero notes), and what it was like to pivot from Ouranos to a brand new universe set 1,000 years into a storm-ravaged Manhattan.

If you love enemies-to-lovers slow burns, morally complex MMCs, diverse fantasy, and authors who tell the truth about publishing, this one is for you.

Pre-order Storm Breaker now. It releases May 5th and we are not calm about it.

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Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BookBitsAndChill