Stay ConnectedA book podcast for all things fantasy and romance. Two best friends sharing their obsession with fantasy worlds, badass women, romance and magic. Join us each week as we discuss our favorite books chapter by chapter in each episode. We are currently re-reading A Court of Silver Flames (weekly episodes) and Thirsty Thursdays on various bookish topics (bi-weekly episodes). Fair warning: we are all about cursing and spoilers!
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Copyright: © A Court of Tattoos and Rosé
Join Mads and I as we go through some of our most highly anticipated upcoming releases. I swear I double checked each date so you can trust me on these contrary to prior mix-ups! Be sure to have your wishlists handy. Pre-orders for these books would make some good holiday gifts…just saying.
Bryce unleashes one of the biggest secrets we’ve seen as readers, which is saying something given how many secrets people keep in this series. Looking at you, Danika. Her loved ones rally into the city but they are too late to stop the Asteri’s “help” from demolishing countless blocks of Crescent City. In a desperate attempt to close the remaining gates, Bryce’s pleas are answered by the most unlikeliest of people.
This week, I am joined by the lovely Danelle to deep dive into one of our favorite Spooky Season reads, Phantasma by Kaylie Smith! If you are looking for a paranormal dark romance then look no further. Think Kingdom of the Wicked X Squid Games. It is SO GOOD.
After one of the most epic villain takedowns we’ve ever read, it’s time for a break. Wait, nope. There is a literal army of demons to fight. Good thing that Bryce is one of the deadliest warriors in the city. We also get the groundwork for the big reveal that Bryce has in store for Ruhn and the rest of her loved ones. Stay tuned at the end for a rundown of the new kindles!
One word sums this episode up: TRAUMA. Bryce is fighting for her life and the lives of her friends. Meanwhile, her loved ones are watching the live stream.
With Spooky Season well underway, what better time to chat about our favorite unsettling, bone chilling and perhaps a little spicy books! The lovely Elijah, aka an expert on spooky reads, joins me this week. Let’s dive in boos!
WE ARE FINALLY BACK! Oof, I feel like I missed a lot while I was moving…including the reveal of the Onyx Storm synopsis. Fun fact: I held off reading the blurb so y’all could get my live reactions. All I can say is that I am ~terrified~…
With the cozy months upon us, what better way to start the season than with a list of COMPLETE series that are perfect for some binge reading with a nice cup of tea (or glass of wine). This week’s episode has recommendations for everyone from the lovely Elijah (@littlewickedbookbox), darling Danelle (@queerlygayoticreader) and me, Blake! Fae to Mafia to Witches to Cowboys. We got you covered. The best part is that most of these series are on KU! Happy reading!
By popular demand, this week’s Thirsty Thursday is a re-release of last week’s Patreon bonus episode…with a bit of a twist. As a refresher, Ian is reading the ACOTAR series and I convinced him to share his thoughts. He definitely gives a fresh perspective on the series. Still continuously pushing to get him to actually join in on an episode. One day…
The Summit is FINALLY here! It is….boring and in a conference center. So there’s that. Meanwhile, Bryce and Lele are searching for a loop hole to help Hunt. Their search is interrupted when Micah drops in for a surprise visit. Cue the villain monologue.
Welcome back to our Recap + Releases series! Let’s break down our favorite August reads and chat about some highly anticipated September releases. We threw in a little B&N Book haul rant for some added (pumpkin) spice.
This is the episode where everything starts to come together but also unravel. Bryce has no idea what or who to believe. It’s a hot mess.
Madi and the lovely Danelle (@queerlygayoticreader) dive into their current musical feelings, some let’s say “unique” PR boxes and, of course, underwear colors. Danelle also promises her biscuits and gravy to Madi. That sounds weird, I know. Side note: I can’t wait to listen to this one.
We are back and we are still Book Wh0res! Join us this week as we go through all of our favorite fantasy series and authors who we don’t think get enough hype in the book community. Be sure to have a pen and notebook handy. Your TBR will thank us later!
WHOOO…this was truly a wild ride for these 10 chapters. The infamous shower scene. We’ve got Hunt meeting the parents. The team FINALLY make the connection between Synth and synthetic magic. Amelie is up to her same old BS and Hunt makes her pay for it. Yet another infamous scene when Bryce finally gets her leg checked out. All to end the episode with the Living Death. OOF.
Who wants some free novellas?! The link is below. Happy reading darlings! Mads breaks down some of her favorites from that list. Plus we chat about streaks (and losing them) and some fun Olympic moments so far. We ended tonight with me in full clown mode for Reputation TV…
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https://claims.prolificworks.com/gg/77F6DMYrd1hF3SQdnBEL
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XOXO, The Cadre
Welcome to our first Recap + Releases episode! We’re breaking down some big releases from July, along with upcoming August releases that we are excited for! You’ll also hear a bit of bookish world news that you may have missed for this month.
This episode has it all. A tense meeting with the wolves. A lovely stroll through the garden paired with a demon attack. An adorable otter with a grisly message. The start of some huge secrets coming to light. Phew. It is a lot.
Join me as I interrogate Madi to figure out all her bookish preferences. I’ll admit that some of the “would you rather” questions are a bit cruel. Then again, so am I. Hehehe We are vent about the debacle that was Amazon Prime Days this year.
Welcome to our first We Are Book Wh0res episode! We are kicking it old school and diving into one of the first dark romances and RH books that we read, Den of Vipers by @katieknightauthor 🐍 This books has one of Madi’s all-time favorite book boyfriends and one of my favorite violent FMCs. Enjoy!
Side note: We recorded this earlier this week right before we heard the news that KA Knight is releasing an MM romance (!!!!!) and that Den of Vipers got picked up by a big publisher. Congratulations @katieknightauthor
Mads and I breakdown our new schedule and all the exciting things to come! Ya’ll spoke and we listened so prepare for some awesome new episodes covering anything and everything bookish! You want book recs? We got em! Need a rundown of next month’s releases? No problem! Want to hear some deep dives on your favorite series? We got you! And, of course, you want more HOEAB? Duh, we will definitely deliver!
Who is ready for some Empyrean madness?! I am joined by THREE (this is important) lovely bookworms this week as we chat about @rebeccayarros interview from last week. This inevitably devolves into pure chaos of theories and all the feels. Needless to say, this episode has spoilers for Fourth Wing and Iron Flame!
After some rather gross investigative work, Bryce and Hunt head home to scrub themselves clean. Seems Hunt can’t stop his snooping though when he makes a sparkly discovery. He is able to tear himself away from thoughts of Bryce’s left nightstand (iykyk) to introduce her to the delicious (and slightly self-destructive) Tharion.
Welcome back to Law and Order: Crescent City! Bryce and Hunt have a new top suspect but is that petty bitty really capable of that? Ehhh. Ruhn is an oblivious silly goose. Our CC detectives continue to catch some feelings for each other.
Caitlyn takes us on a tour of modern dating, run club men, and dating profiles.
Nothing like a demon attack to ruin a perfectly good bonding moment. It’s okay though because the immediate aftermath gives Bryce a chance to finally be vulnerable with someone again. I have a mini rant about Hunt’s prior love. IYKYK. Caitlyn also unveils her poolside thriller list!
Welcome to Madi’s Bookish Zagat Guide to NYC! She is giving all the details from her weekend trip to the Big Apple. Meanwhile, I’m over here trying to sell her a Peloton bike at a good discount. We also debate the merits of the two of us taking on Vegas together. Bad idea, right?
Time for a cozy little visit with Phillip. Any sympathy we may have felt for the wayward radical is gone pretty quickly as the true depth of his cruelty comes to light. The visit rattles Hunt and his belief in himself. Good thing that Bryce is there to distract him. Hunt’s mood significantly improves when Bryce puts on a show for him at the range.
Join Mads and I as we fangirl over our latest book boyfriends and girlfriends. Prepare to fall into love….or, at the very least, lust. Is it getting hot in here or is that just us?
Pardon the interruption in our normal programming. Thanks to the arrival of my beautiful niece, this week’s schedule is a bit wonky. Rather than skip this week, we decided to give everyone a sneak peek of the types of bonus episodes you get access to in all tiers of our Patreon! To that end, we are hopping back into Heir of Fire with the lovely Danelle (@queerlygayoticreader)!
Ready for a recap of HOEAB so far? With an added dash of chaos? Oh and some post-HOFAS theories? Excellent then this episode is for you!
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PSA: Reminder that our spoiler ban on HOFAS has been lifted!
Culpa Mia, Taylor Swift, Smashwords, and clearly the plan went out the window. So, enjoy!
Well Hunt’s visit with the Oracle went better than Bryce’s and Ruhn’s visits but not by much. Her words definitely stuck with Hunt though given the weird looks he can’t stop shooting Bryce’s way. The trio debates how the horn could be repaired but everyone has different theories. Bryce grapples with some dark memories during their research. 🌙 PSA: Our spoiler ban on HOFAS has been lifted! I repeat, this episode has HOFAS spoilers!
We are taking a brief detour from HOEAB this week. I’m joined by the lovely Jules (@forlitsandgiggles) and Elijah (@littlewickedbookbox) as we chat about our favorite latest releases and some upcoming books that we can’t wait for. And yes, they both remind me of a lot of releases dates that I had wrong in my head. We all knew it would happen.
Join Mads as she gets to experience me freaking out and spiraling over the impending release of TTPD and what all the easter eggs could mean!
This week starts out with calling Caitlyn out for her various shenanigans. Don’t worry, she gets me back for being extra. The laughs were needed before we dive into these chapters because Micah is in full a-hole mode after Bryce’s rejection in the elevator. Then we have to deal with the frustratingly odd Oracle. Good times.
Hunt and Bryce are on their way to the Comitium after a game of nose goes with Ruhn on who has to go see the Oracle. Bryce makes the mistake of scrolling through Hunt’s photos on his phone and we all know you have to be careful when scrolling! The pair’s timing truly couldn’t be worse when they go to leave the barracks. Good thing that Bryce is an iconic genius.
Mads and I are back! Join us as we spill all the tea from our girls’ trip to Nashville. We’re talking raunchy cowboys, bite marks in odd places and Madison’s rage at our movie choice. This week also includes an announcement for our new Book Club structure (which I came up with and Mads thought I was crazy...).
Caitlyn and I are conductors of the Hot Mess Express today. So with that warning, prepare for a history lesson with one of our favorite shadow daddies with a side of chaos. This chapter is a reminder that this book truly is a “whodunit” at its core and we are all here for the mystery. We wrap up this week with a reminder to not be a meanie.
This week I am joined by the one, the only, the amazing J.A. George (@pnwwritingwitch)! She is here to chat all things Gothic Grove and give some teasers for the next book in the series, Heavy is the Crown! We also chat about the latest debacle in the Booksta community.
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Mark your calendars and set your alarms because Heavy is the Crown drops TOMORROW!!! Jac is doing a little surprise for every Kindle preorder so be sure to submit your proof of purchase through the link in her bio.
After a very long day, Bryce welcomes her new roomie to their home. Hunt, being such a good roommate, proceeds to ask a series of very blunt questions and also gets caught creeping. Meanwhile, Syrinx begins his plan to ensure he gets double meals.
This week is a deep dive into the Divine Rivals duet (or duology, whichever you prefer) with the one and only, Ashley! This might just be one of the most chaotic episodes we’ve had in a long time. Prepare for a lot of tangents including, but not limited to, Attack on Titan, haunted diamonds, the abysmal state of my reading room, and, of course, magical typewriters. Note this episode is NOT spoiler free for the Divine Rivals duet (or duology).
Well Hunt at least has realized that he royally screwed up so that’s a good start. Too bad that he only hits this realization right when everything blows up. Literally. In the aftermath of a rough night, Bryce and Ruhn make a deal to help with their respective quests. The Autumn King isn’t thrilled with the partnership at all and decrees that Bryce needs a full time guard/babysitter. Hunt + Bryce = Roomies!
These chapters are basically just Hunt being an alphahole and digging himself into a deeper hole with Bryce. We do get to see one of Jesiba’s more unique art pieces that plays a major role later on. Oh and Bryce goes on a run down memory lane (literally and figuratively)!
Who is ready for another Blake’s Musings? This week I dive into some SJM news, both good and bad. Plus, I give an updated spoiler free review of House of Flame and Shadow. Finally, I chat about my thoughts on spoilers and navigating the timelines for spoiler embargoes.
Bryce is taking the Viper Queen’s advice to heart and struggling. Her desperation leads to Hunt and Lele’s introduction. Needless to say, Lele is OBSESSED. A few more of Hunt’s wayward assumptions get disproved. We also get a bit more background on how Bryce ended up working for the mysterious Jesiba. Ruhn’s own assignment leads him to invite Bryce (and, unknowingly, Hunt) to Luna’s temple for a mini history lesson.
Surprise, surprise, Hunt is ready to throttle Bryce again. She has once again outwitted him and now they find themselves at the Meat Market. Bryce makes a slightly questionable purchase and gives a satyr some lifelong trauma. Afterwards, we are introduced to the Viper Queen. She is the worst plain and simple. Also, please ignore the sniffles.
It’s been a minute. You ready for a good ole STS? Join Mads and I as we discuss her latest life achievement, the new ACOTAR Hulu rumors and the Super Bowl! You’ll also get to laugh at how I made myself cry this week. Let’s just say RIP Denny.
Time for a little house tour of the Frat Pack’s lovely home, complete with a beautifully painted table in the foyer. Bryce’s visit causes a mini uproar, especially when she starts asking about the Viper Queen. After butting heads with Bryce, Ruhn’s day gets even worse when he sees who is waiting for her outside. Hunt gets a reality check from Bryce and also nails a superhero landing.
Have you finished HOFAS? Still processing? Feeling a bit lost without theories to spiral about? Fear not! Danelle (@queerlygayoticreader), Jules (@forlitsandgiggles) and Elijah (@dreamsofsmut) are back with me as we give our review of the highly anticipated Crescent City novel. We go through what we loved…and what irked us. Hopefully this helps ease the post-HOFAS book slump. Stay tuned at the end for our theories on what the future of the Massverse might look like. Note that this is NOT spoiler free!
A little over 48 hours since I finished HOFAS and I am finally at a place where I can (hopefully) give a coherent mini-review. Keyword hopefully! Join me as I dive into my initial reactions and overall review for what will probably be the biggest release of the year (at least for me). This episode does contain spoilers for HOFAS so proceed with caution!
T-Minus 30 Hours! You know what that means. It is time for our HOFAS predictions episode! This week I am joined by the lovely Danelle (@queerlygayoticreader), the stunning Jules (@forlitsandgiggles) and the amazing Elijah (@dreamsofsmut). I think the one thing we can all agree on is that we are all in for a wild ride on Tuesday.
Happy Tuesday! I know it’s been almost a week since that HOFAS teaser dropped but I am still spiraling about it! So I figured what better way to cope with the agonizing wait than to share last week’s Patreon exclusive episode with all of you! Join me as I deep dive into every single word of that teaser and what it could all mean. !CRESCENT CITY SPOILERS GALORE!
This week starts out with a delightful visit with the Autumn King where we get to see him belittle our beloved Ruhn. In between the jabs, there are quite a few minor details scattered like breadcrumbs that lead us to think this guy knows WAY more than he lets on. Meanwhile, Bryce begins the fun process of baiting Hunt and its entertaining to say the least.
While Blake was away, Mads and Caitlyn decided to rage and do whatever they wanted. Blake is nervous and very scared for what chaos unfolded this week. Buckle up for a wild ride.
Prepare for the mayhem that is me (Blake) recording solo to go on a deep dive into the SJM Universe that takes some minor detours into other dives. This is hopefully the start of a fun new series of mini-episodes of pure theory chaos. Think of these episodes as a (probably scary) look into my mind. The question of the week: Who knows what and how much do they know?
So Micah, the Governor of Valbara, is just casually chilling in the gallery and blatantly ogling Bryce. We don’t blame him really but he is a psycho creep nonetheless. Anyways, apparently Bryce is the best bet to catch the demon summoning murderer on the loose? And she only has a month to do it. As an added bonus, Sandriel is coming to town with her favorite weapon, the Hammer. Hunt is less than pleased by all of this until Micah makes him an offer that is too good to be true.
We wrap up our 2023 reading and dish about our favorite reads of the year! Also, Blake learns that Mads either tunes her out often or is just slightly more insane than she thought. Just wait until you hear about our interactions today. Between one of the creepiest but funniest things we’ve ever done and then her unfounded anger a couple hours later, prepare for whiplash. You’ll also get our list of highly anticipated 2024 releases. Friendly reminder that Blake is AWFUL with dates and Mads is an alpha reader for a lot of authors. Keep that in mind for our 2024 lists.
After a rough night out dealing with a creepy vamp, Bryce’s week doesn’t get much better. Honestly, it gets way worse very quickly. We also learn a bit more about Hunt’s unfortunate situation and his doomed bargain with Micah. All in all, it is a very bad week for everyone and it’s only Tuesday…
How are we all feeling after last week’s episode? Full disclosure: we are still recovering. Bryce has yet another terrifying encounter that just gets worse later in the book. After a desperately needed time jump, information comes in left and right about life in Midgard, the Drop and the brutal politics of the world. As usual, Blake couldn’t help herself and jumped into a few deep dives. Enjoy!
The ruse was successful! Join me as I drag Caitlyn through some of the worst trauma that SJM has ever dealt to us. We’re not crying, you are! But seriously…tears were shed. Prepare for all the feels.
It is one of our favorite times of the year! Spotify Wrapped season is upon us! Mads and I are once again flabbergasted at the stats from this little chaotic podcast. Seriously, thank you for listening and supporting our chaos. We love all of you! Afterwards, we each breakdown our personal Spotify Wrapped and Mads is just super mean to me. For the record, I am proud to be a 1% fan! Concerning Hobbits is a freaking bop!
After leaving Danika with the Pack, Bryce heads to a swanky restaurant only to be ignored by her date. Reid, you are simply the worst. The power struggle and inequalities between Vanir and humans take center stage as Bryce has an avid audience during her “meal”. To make matters worse, Connor’s text messages. That’s it. Just his text messages. SOBBING. Following an epic exit, Bryce joins up with Fury for a night of fun. Oof. REMINDER: These Crescent City episodes are NOT spoiler free!
Welcome to the world of Crescent City! Danika comes into Bryce’s work smelling horrendous and gives some not so great news. Jesiba threatens to turn Danika into a lizard…yikes! We learn about the theft of an ancient horn and Bryce complains about her drunken tattoo experience. These chapters give us some more insight into the politics of Crescent City and some introducing architecture throughout the city. Finally, SJM introduces us to the lovable and loyal Pack of Devils. By the way, I still may never forgive her for the trauma this book induced to be honest. REMINDER: These Crescent City episodes are NOT spoiler free!
We told the people that we would do another Heir of Fire episode and we are women of the people! So without further ado, we are back with Aelin, Manon and the Kings of Miscommunication (aka Dorian and Chaol). Manon and the Thirteen go on their first flight with the wyverns while Rowan continues to push Aelin to shift. Dorian and Sorscha continue their ill-fated relationship. OOF! Chaol is once again kidnapped. Is it his new hobby?
The day has arrived! We are finally diving into the Crescent City series! I am literally shaking with excitement as I type this because ya’ll know I LOVE THIS SERIES SO MUCH! Before we dive into the first book, we figured it would be smart to do a little refresh/primer on Bryce’s world. So with that in mind, join me on a fun little solo deep dive!
Blake is away, so Mads just read smut. So if you want that, go ahead and listen. 😂
Mads got a chance to interview JA George (@pnwwritingwitch) about her new release, Gothic Grove. Gothic Grove is a witch/vampire romance with revenge plots, fated mates, and magic. We discuss how she got started and some advice she has for new authors!
Are you ready to dive into the infamous bonus chapters for ACOSF? Don’t worry, we aren’t alone in this! Caitlyn is here and she isn’t holding back when it comes to her feelings on these chapters. I think we can all agree that SJM chose violence when she wrote one of these chapters. You know which one we are talking about.
Well we have arrived at the end of A Court of Silver Flames. I still can’t quite believe we’ve made it this far. After the craziness of Nyx’s birth, Cassian pays a visit to Eris in the Hewn City. We get another horrible reminder of just how sick and twisted Beron truly is. Eris still refuses to discuss the events of the past with anyone but Mor. Meanwhile, Nesta is planning an extravagant mating ceremony on Rhys’s dime (which we don’t get to see…). The Archeron sisters visit their father’s grave to introduce Nyx and give Nesta the opportunity to finally come to peace with his passing. We leave Nesta with a sense of profound love and hope for the future and we can’t wait to see what happens next in this world.
Well surprise, surprise, I messed up some dates again…Anywho! Join us as we breakdown the intrigue and hype surrounding the mysterious Red Tower book listing. It was perfect timing since we FINALLY got confirmation of what exactly we all sold out across booksellers. Mads shares her latest MMM read and it sounds DELICIOUS! She also dishes about some very…interesting storytime that led to some questionable public readings. I thought I did something that everyone would be so proud of only to realize while recording that I did in fact make the same mistake I always make. Oops…
Join us for a chaotically fun recap of SJM’s interview from September 26th with Christina Lauren! She laid down some hard truths, including one that Caitlyn may never recover from. There are a few offhand comments that have us very concerned for some characters. She shared some new information and gave a few vague responses that are causing mayhem with theories. We also got some fascinating snippets into SJM’s writing process.
The patrons have spoken and we get to gush over our favorite recent 5 star reads! But wait! Of course, there is a catch because they love to mess with us. We have to read the 1 star reviews. Let’s just say that Goodreads is absolutely bonkers and basically the Wild, Wild West! Also, we couldn’t let the week go on without addressing the biggest Love Story of our generation. We are INVESTED.
After the collective trauma of Nyx’s arrival, the Valkyries have a heartfelt reunion over tea. Cassian is coming to terms with the fact that his mate is the holder of the Dread Trove and we LOVE seeing Nesta claim it as her own! Also, I am driving the delulu bus when it comes to how much power remains in Nesta’s veins. Seriously, you can’t change my mind on this. The mating ceremony planning begins after Nesta offers Cas a questionable snack.
We’ve declared that Spooky Season is upon us! Let’s kick off the best season by talking about all our favorite supernatural creatures and beings! We cover the classics, i.e. vampires, fae, shifters, etc. It wouldn’t be a true Thirsty Thursday episode if Mads and I didn’t fangirl over some lesser known supernaturals too. Hehehehehe
We’ve arrived at the scene that will forever live in infamy for Mads and I. We’ve got so many questions and a lot of grievances. One big question: is Madja truly the best healer they have? Really?!
TW: Traumatic Birth
We are approaching THAT scene. You know the one. The one that will forever irk us. Good thing we’ve got one teeny tiny chapter before we hit that point. While we are saving the bulk of our annoyance for next week’s episode, we couldn’t resist giving a little teaser today. We also get some fun STS time in to help calm ourselves down.
It’s time to hop back into Mads’ favorite book in the Throne of Glass series, Heir of Fire! First things first though. We have a mystery on our hands that is consuming Madison’s every waking thought. Anyways, back in Wendlyn, Aelin is straight up not having a good time. Her training is not going smoothly and Rowan’s methods are a bit unorthodox. Meanwhile, Chaol and Dorian are dealing with their own issues with varying outcomes. Manon and her Thirteen are introduced to the deadly (and very cute in Blake’s opinion) Wyvern!
Mads and Blake coming in hot with a big tip for villains: STOP WITH THE MONOLOGUES! In this case, Briallyn’s incessant need to hear her own voice comes in clutch for Nesta. Her annoying chatter gives Cassian time to break through the Crown’s hold. Do we like his new plan though? No, no we don’t. Briallyn runs into a classic The Hobbit situation with the sun and Nesta’s own powers. What an idiot.
Emerie and Gwyn have made it to the top, which is great. Yay. We are very happy for them, truly. HOWEVER, Nesta has not made it to the top yet. In fact, she is stuck fighting a male drunk on his own hatred. It is not a pretty scene. Nesta’s last week has been brutal and they call this part of Ramiel the Breaking for a reason. Then again, it is Nesta we are talking about and we know she doesn’t give up easily. After a dramatic entrance, we are all thrilled to see Cassian….until we aren’t.
Hi! It’s been a hot minute and we’ve missed you! Now prepare for a good ole classic Shoot the $hit with Mads and I. We chat about some of the latest news and events in the book community. Plus Mads got a VERY special delivery while we were recording. There is no way you can even guess what it was. I promise. It’s been an absolutely wild couple of weeks for us so strap in for a chaotic rundown!
Cassian and Azriel’s missteps have lead them into a bit of a pickle with a Death God and a Crone. The big issue is there a Made dagger up for grabs too. Uh oh. Meanwhile, Nesta is holding the line against Bellius and his little gang of jerks. All of her mind stilling really comes in handy for the fight.
Mads and I are back at it again with lots of theories…on every SJM character’s favorite “hobby” in the bedroom. We’re debating how into they would be and what particular “hobbies” would take up their nights (or days if they like some afternoon delight). Our lovely patrons gave us a couple bonus characters to evaluate. They got a bit creative.
The Valkyries are battling everyone and everything at the moment: the Breaking on Ramiel, bloodthirsty Illyrians, Gwyn’s own injury and the brutal cold. All around would bet that Ramiel gets like a 1.1 outta 10 on Pythian Trip Advisor at best. Meanwhile, Cassian and Az fumble their mission HARD. We can all agree that we saw that mishap coming in one way or another though, right?
The time has finally come. The cover for House of Flame and Shadow has been released and the (obnoxious) number of editions have been announced! Now sit back and relax (or spiral with us) on what every little detail could mean. As you may have guessed, I’ve been obsessing over this since Wednesday and probably will continue to do so until January 30th.
We can’t keep calm right now because the amazing @larktaylorauthor joined us this week for another Author Spotlight episode! She shares all the juicy details on her Caffeine Daydreams series, including some sneak peeks into the next book, Green Light! Rock star romances with forced proximity and a lot of pining?! Sign us up! Lark gives us the rundown on her upcoming projects and we cannot wait to get our hands on these books! For fans of The Reckless Damned series, she may have given us some sneak peeks at Patience too… We couldn’t let Lark go without having a mini deep dive into the SJM world and our mutual obsession.
The Valkyries are back together finally! Now it is a race to Ramiel and out of the Blood Rite. During the journey, Emerie shares an Illyrian tale about a battle against “ancient beings” (hmmmmmmm sounds familiar) and one warrior's brave sacrifice to save his people. Gwyn spots a convenient bridge across the ravine…and so do multiple groups of males. The three friends make it across and to the foot of Ramiel. After some heartbreaking confessions, the warriors decide to take on the mountain for their own closure. Meanwhile, Az and Cassian are still on a stakeout when Eris emerges from the Queen’s castle…unscathed? TW: SA and DV
So after my breakdown of Gwyn’s suspicious behavior and Maddie’s unsettling questions about the “big bad” in the SJM universe, we’ve been bombarded with requests for a theories episode. As always, your wish is our command! Get ready for some rapid fire, (somewhat) unhinged theories! Beware! There are spoilers for the entire SJM universe in this episode.
Are you ready for a lot? Like A LOT. We are joined by the lovely @queerlygayoticreader aka Danelle for a super stressful game of “Would You Rather”. Things get heated to say the least. We contemplate if we could survive Kids Bop on repeat, if Mads or I would sacrifice the other and who should be endgame. Beware there are some minor spoilers for the SJM universe! I also give a fun rundown of my time at The Eras Tour!
Nesta and Emerie are fighting to get to Gwyn amongst the brutal Illyrian winter. They come across a camp full of disgusting males using her nightgown as their flag. Emerie’s loser of a cousin makes an appearance and his hazy eyes give us another piece of the puzzle that is the hag queen’s plan. Now at this point in the episode, Blake goes off with some deep dives on Gwyn. This in turn leads to even more unhinged rapid fire theories at the end (very end) of the episode. As a bonus, Blake gives some predictions for what surprise songs she will get at The Eras Tour!
You asked for it and we are here to give it to you! Dive back into the Throne of Glass world with Mads and I as we breakdown the first 10 chapters of Heir of Fire. Now keep in mind, truly no one is in a great place at the beginning of this book. Celaena is drunk on a roof. Chaol is having some disturbing dreams. Dorian is struggling to understand his power. Just a lot of angst currently.
Nesta is a woman on a mission and we feel exceedingly sorry (not really) for any male who gets in her way. That is until we meet Philip. No, Nick! No, wait…Balthazar. He is a bit of a surprise to say the least. On the plus side, Nesta does track down Emerie and they get some new outfits thanks to the beasts of the mountains. Meanwhile, Cassian’s lack of focus and Az’s questionable detective skills are setting up a disaster.
Welp…Nesta, Emerie and Gwyn are in the Blood Rite….and on completely separate sides of Ramiel. What could make it worse? Oh right, someone is leaving weapons for the warriors to use against them. What could make it even worse? The rest of the Inner Circle is dealing with Briallyn’s mysterious kidnapping of Eris. What would make this all the worst of the worst? Rhys and Feyre finally confessed their death bargain to everyone. Good times all around!
Would you ever have guessed that Mads and Blake would do an entire episode just on Elain theories? To be honest, we didn’t see this one coming either. So will she go evil? Is she destined to be a High Lady? What’s going on with her seer powers? Let’s deep dive!
Spring has sprung in Prythian and the Inner Circle’s enemies have been eerily quiet. Nesta and Cassian go on a date…to see Eris. After a brief history lesson for Nesta, he proceeds to complain about being left in the dark. Once they leave the Middle, Nesta and Cassian take what should’ve been a romantic stroll along the Sidra. Things go downhill from there quickly and by “downhill” we mean that Nesta, Gwyn and Emerie find themselves in the Blood Rite.
Everyone should have the right to be themselves and all that that includes. Absolutely NO ONE should be telling you who you are supposed to be. That includes: friends, family, loved ones, internet trolls, AND THE GOVERNMENT. We are not sure when we went back into time but let’s revert. No religion, government, or person should be telling you how you should live, act, and look. That is everything this country is supposedly against, which at its foundation is FREEDOM. Young kids should have the opportunity to explore who they are, to learn what works for them, and to figure out how they want to be perceived, because that is what growing up is, right? It is shaping yourself into the adult you will become. We need to protect these individual rights. So please, VOTE. Vote for people who will enter office and PROTECT us. Speak out against people who spread hate and promote those who share love. We will not back down and be told what to do. We will fight for the rights of EVERYONE. Thank you to @victoria1494 for joining us for this important discussion!
This week we are back in the Throne of Glass world! Join us as we discuss Queen of Shadows and Madison’s unforgivable betrayal. Between all the scheming and the new characters we get to meet, it is easy to see why this one is Blake’s favorite in the series. Spoiler warning for the entire Throne of Glass series!
The Valkyries are back! Their first task? Conquer the mysteriously violent obstacle course that Cassian and Azriel set for them daily. Along the way, Cassian gets a new nickname from Blake (she regrets it immensely). Turns out the Prythian Ninja Warrior course was actually a Blood Rite qualifier. What could possibly go wrong with having them qualify for that horrible event? Later, Nesta defeats the stairs…only to head right back up them into Cassian’s arms. To be fair, we would also go up 10,000 stairs for him. We are then, along with the rest of the Starfall party attendees, witnesses to Nesta’s apology to Amren.
The patrons picked the absolute best topic for this week’s episode! Join us as we fangirl over our favorite strong and gorgeous book girlfriends! We would risk it all for each of these women…including a few toes. The question is…which toes???
Well, I (Blake) was sadly unable to make this recording…but honestly I think it was for the best cause ya’ll are in for a treat! ... So, we did ACOSF. What follows the mating bond did not please us, so we took a trip down memory lane. Enjoy, XOXO.
It’s time for the Inner Circle’s annual Winter Solstice party! Nesta’s goal for this year’s party is simple…be better than last year. That’s a low bar to clear so the odds are good. Poor Lucien endures more hits to his confidence from Elain. Meanwhile, Nesta picks up on some interesting vibes between Az and Elain. Nesta gets some fantastic gifts, including a truly adorable present from Cassian. This one doesn’t end up in the Sidra. Thank goodness! We finally get to the moment we’ve all been waiting for between Nesta and Cassian. It’s music to our ears (hehehe). Stay tuned for Mads’ take on the aftermath next week!
The patrons have voted and we are talking triggers! Keep in mind that trigger warnings are vital and should always be read! Now let’s chat about the warnings we see that make us go “add to cart”! The three of us don’t have many no-go triggers but the ones we do have may surprise you (or not). Actually the most surprising thing is Maddie’s TikTok FYP….
Yet another Winter Solstice is upon us and the Court of Nightmares is decked out for the occasion. After Feyre makes a stunning debut, the rest of the Archeron sisters are formally introduced as members of the Night Court. Rhys gives a risky (somewhat threatening?) gift to Eris. Then it is time for the main event! All eyes are on Nesta as she conquers the dance floor and steals Eris’ heart in the process. Cassian does his best to keep his cool but Nesta’s performance becomes a bit too convincing for him.
Are you curious about what our bonus Patreon episodes are like? Good news! This week we are dropping our hilariously chaotic episode with @Danelle_erica12 as a fun little sneak peek into our Patreon exclusives! Danelle came prepared with some SJM themed lists for us and the task was supposed to be simple…who would you F? Who would you marry? Who would you unalive? The task was not simple AT ALL. Definitely NSFW!
We interrupt our Spring Break to answer the ultimate question: what are our favorite Disney movies? We chat about our favorite princesses, best animal sidekicks and some truly epic soundtracks. To be clear, we are talking Disney and Pixar, including both animated AND life action (cough cough GENA cough cough). We could barely cover a portion of our Disney favorites so Star Wars and Marvel will have to wait for another day.
It’s been a month of Valkyrie training, dance lessons with Mor and lots of fun times with Cassian. Needless to say, Nesta is in absolutely amazing shape! As the Winter Solstice approaches, Gwyn gives Nesta and Emerie a gift for the ages. While in the library, Emerie has an unsettling experience. Later that night, Nesta continues her personal growth by allowing the House to light a small fire in her room. In return, the House gives her a beautiful Solstice gift.
We’re back this week to discuss some of the most underrated authors in the reading community! These authors are all truly amazing and deserve all the love from readers, bookstores and social media! Have a pen and paper ready because we are about to add quite a few authors to your TBR!
After a rather nasty trip to the Prison, Nesta, Cassian, Feyre and Rhys have a little debriefing that raises a lot of questions. We learn of the Daglan, beings who sound suspiciously familiar. Nesta learns about a few more powerful swords. Once again, at least one of those swords sounds very familiar. Basically, Blake has another field day with deep dives. Nesta also agrees to tango with Eric at the upcoming ball to secure his allegiance. Finally, Nesta faces her past and the many emotions that come with it during a trip to the cabin she once shared with her father and sisters. Luckily, Cassian is with her and helps her process it all.
Well our plans for this week’s episode got a teensy bit sidetracked. Can you guess why? Of course you can! SJM has announced the title for the next Crescent City book, confirmed the release date and even gave us the synopsis! Now it is time for the deepest of dives into what it all could mean. Let’s go!
Want to dip your toes into the world of dark romance? Don’t know where to begin your journey? Look no further! We have got you covered with a wide array of recommendations for this delicious genre. We’ve got classic enemies to lovers, mafia worlds, hurt/comfort books, fantasy picks and lots more. Whether you are looking for MF, MM or a some fun group activities, we’ve got you covered! As always though, please be sure to check the trigger and content warnings for each book.
Well the Harp royally screwed Nesta and Cassian over. It opened the doorway for Nesta but it also opened a single cell…that happened to belong to Lanthys. After some very pointed comments about Nesta and Cassian’s relationship (rolling our eyes), Nesta makes a split second decision only to realize her mistake soon after. Lanthys continues his arrogant villain monologue until Nesta reveals Ataraxia. Her Made sword finally gets him to shut up for a bit. That is until he spins a truly horrific vision of the future he wants with Nesta. GROSS.
Welcome back to our mental health series where we share our own struggles, discuss coping techniques, and above all else, provide a reminder for everyone that you are never alone. Today we’re discussing our favorite books that accurately and beautifully portray mental health issues. We also chat about the guilt that can come with taking time for yourself and, more importantly, how to tackle that feeling. Love ya’ll!
We are thirsty for the tea this week as Mads and Gena comb through 1 star reviews on some popular reads in the bookish world! From Crescent City to Sex Wizards with a little 50 Shades thrown in there, we give you the run down on cringy word counts, DNF statuses, and reviews that rival the length of the books themselves. Buckle up, y’all are in for a fun treat!
Cassian and Nesta need to work on their field trip locations. This time they are at the Prison to collect the creepy Harp. A prison that is full of deadly beings that Cassian helped put away. What could go wrong? Everything! Prepare for a HUGE deep dive session by Blake into the intricacies and connections in SJM’s multiverse. Once again we are reminded that clear and concise wording is key when dealing with sentient magical items. Basically, Nesta makes a rather large mistake when she plays the Harp.
Join us this week for a very special author spotlight episode! The fabulous @authorcarlyspade is back to talk about the upcoming release of Of Love and Forge: A Neosphere Novel, the first book in her exciting new series! As always, we have some *minor* tangents that will have you in tears laughing. If you are a fan of sci-fi fantasy, cyberpunk, romance, mythology and some high quality spice, then you need this book in your life! Carly has created an absolutely stunning new world that will have you begging for more. We guarantee it! Of Love and Forge releases February 27th. Need something to hold you over until this one releases? Then you should check out Carly’s Contemporary Mythos series! You’ve got plenty of time to binge the entire series!
The people have spoken again! This week is all about book to TV/film adaptations. We chat about the good, the bad, and the downright horrendous (i.e., the wigs in the Twilight franchise). Is the fantasy genre cursed when it comes to film adaptations? We think it may be. From Edgar Allen Poe to Holes to the infamous Shadowhunters adaptations, there is a lot to discuss. Also, need a good cry? Gena has the perfect movie for you! Our discussion wrapped up with a list of the books we would love to see on the big screen.
Nesta is back at training and her friends have a lot of questions. Luckily their questioning is cut short when Gwyn introduces a new obsession for them: a single white ribbon. Cassian and Nesta go head-to-head to see who has the best dirty talk. It’s a close race to be honest. Gwyn invites Nesta to a beautiful concert beneath the mountain. The music bewitches Nesta entirely and causes her to scry the location of the final item of the Dread Trove. It’s time for Cassian and Nesta to go on another field trip. This time Nesta will be armed with the great sword she Made.
Nesta and Cassian continue their never-ending hike in the mountains. They share some meals that have Mads losing her mind. Nesta is still dealing with the aftermath of her actions and the massive storm of emotions within herself. Cassian is left reeling when he sees the true depth of her self-loathing. It isn’t until they reach a beautifully serene lake that the leash Nesta keeps her emotions on finally snaps. These chapters are truly heartbreaking so prepare yourselves.
The people have spoken! Join us for a deep dive into Heir of Fire! Fair warning, this episode contains spoilers for the entire Throne of Glass series. We chat about the major plot points, including some that just blew our mind. We also fangirl over the many new characters that the book introduces us to. A hot, murderous witch. A delicious and broody Fae prince. Aelin’s sassy and gorgeous cousin. So many new friends! Side note: why are there ALWAYS giant spiders? Why?!
Oof…buckle up for a very bumpy ride in today’s episode as a couple secrets come to light in the WORST ways possible. Nesta finds out about her new shiny trove and the vote that took place. In her fury, she interrupts Amren and Varian playtime then proceeds to spill the beans to Feyre. Amren has even more choice words for Nesta but nothing compares to Rhys’s fury. In an effort to avoid an all out crisis, Cassian whisks Nesta off to the mountains for a bit of a time-out per se. On the plus side, Feyre finally is aware of the true dangers she faces…
Cassian and Nesta take a quick trip to the Spring Court to meet with Eris. The silent killer (i.e. pollen) comes for Cassian. The chat with Eris is tense to say the least and it gets worse once Tamlin strolls along. Nesta makes her feelings on Tamlin very clear with a single pointed finger. Nesta, Gwyn and Emerie learn more about Cassian’s history with the original Valkyries before deciding to form their own new Valkyrie unit. Dinner at the River House with the Inner Circle (minus Mor and plus Elaine) includes a telling tale from Nesta’s teenage years involving her enchanting dancing skills and love of music. NOTE: minor House of Sky and Breath spoilers between 33:00 - 37:30.
Join us for our first Thirsty Thursday episode! Our lovely Patreon community voted and….we had a tie. Of course our first episode topic vote would end in a tie! Anywho, this week we are deep diving into our shared obsession, Disney Dreamlight Valley, and also discussing our TBRs for the next couple of months. Full disclosure: a DLV discussion often leads to sentences you probably never thought you would hear. For example, “I had to cultivate coffee beans so that Stitch’s badness level stayed low.” Be ready to add to your own TBR after hearing about some of the amazing book we have lined up!
After getting a lot more information than he bargained for, Helion creates extensive wards around the Mask and ties them to Nesta’s blood. Feyre gives Cassian a tough time for his obvious jealousy but who can blame him? It is Helion after all. Later, Cassian and Nesta finally talk about their hot night together before Nesta toys with Cassian in the hottest way possible. Unfortunately for Cassian, he is called to the River House mere hours after his time with Nesta. Needless to say, Rhys, Amren and Az all notice. Remember those weapons Nesta helped forge? Well turns out they are essentially a new trove! We take a sharp left turn when Amren pushes Rhys to use this new powerful arsenal to become High King. Ummmm what?
And we are back! Cassian takes Nesta to visit with a blacksmith so she can appreciate the true artistry and skill of sword making. Nesta pours her heart and soul into a great sword after a few lessons from the surly blacksmith. A few days later Nesta’s intrusive thoughts are waging a war on her leading to a marathon boxing session with a tree trunk. While she is lost to her training, Lucien visits to observe her at Feyre’s request. He is properly scared once Cassian notices the tree trunk is burning from the inside out...with cold fire. Later, Helion visits the palace atop the Hewn City and he promptly gets trauma dumped on. On the plus side, he does arrive on an absolutely stunning pegasus.
We have quite a few updates to share with y’all! We are doing a full reconstruction of how the podcast will operate starting with today’s episode! First and foremost, we want to assure you that these changes are meant to improve the quality of what we are putting out there for you. Juggling both series at once, while achieving the high quality level we expect from ourselves and know that you deserve, has been increasingly difficult. As y’all know, we are big proponents of mental health awareness and setting healthy goals and boundaries. With all of that being said, we are making these changes with the hopes that you all get the BEST of the Cadre in 2023! New Year, New (but same chaotic) Us! We love you all and appreciate your endless love and support!
✨SJM Sundays - These will be exclusively SJM Book Episodes that you have come to know and love so dearly. We will be continuing with ACOSF and then moving on to Crescent City afterwards.
✨PUBLIC Thursday Episodes AKA “Bonus Episodes” - These bi-weekly episodes will be covering a PLETHORA of things such as: book boyfriends, video games, tv shows/movies, TOG deep dives, mental health, etc. The list could go on forever. The best part - Our Deep Diver patrons will be voting for what we cover every other week on these public episodes. This is a new benefit for patrons exclusively.
✨Patreon Exclusive Episodes - These bi-weekly episodes will mainly consist of “shoot the $hit” episodes and Wine Night Patron Episodes.
This week we start out on a field trip to the swordsmith with Cassian and Nesta…and that is as far as we got before the chaos began. Enjoy this madness. It’s our gift to you!
Welcome back to our mental health series where we share our own struggles, discuss coping techniques and, above all else, provide a reminder for everyone that you are never alone. Today we are tackling the stresses that come with the holiday season. We discuss the not so jolly feelings that come from overwhelming social calendars, difficult bosses and difficult family situations. We hope this episode resonants with each of you and provides some helpful tips for surviving the season! Love ya’ll! TW: Loss, anxiety and depression
We get a heartbreaking reminder of the hope Nehemia inspired in her people through the eyes of a young girl from Ellywe deep in the mines. Upon hearing the devastating news, a revolt begins in the mines with a swing of an ax. Chaol orders a full guard to keep Celaena in her rooms and under no circumstances are they to try to stop any escape plans. Dorian is left reeling with unanswered questions following his outburst of power and struggles with the King’s Council. Celaena comes to a gruesome conclusion and finally gets up from her chair by the fire.
Emerie and Gwyn are much more interested in Nesta’s nighttime activities than stretching. After giving Nesta a hard time (that Cassian for sure overhead), Gwyn mentions a Valkyrie technique for stilling one’s mind. Cassian and Nesta have yet another verbal sparring match before starting Nesta’s swordplay lessons. It’s in that moment that everything shifts and we see the birth of the new Valkyries. Thanks to even more priestesses joining in training, Az joins the venture as a second teacher. Finally, Gwyn attempts to guide Nesta in meditation and it is a struggle.
After the horrific ordeal in Oorid, Nesta is supposedly resting while the rest of the gang is spending quality time with the Autumn Court solider zombies. Turns out Nesta is hanging with the Mask in the “heavily warded” room…awkward. At this point we realize that Prythian needs its own Mt. Doom. That evening Cassian provides Nesta with a much needed distraction and pleasure. Too bad both of them are stubborn and won’t admit how they feel.
Sadly it turns out Archer was right. Celaena is too late. Her nighttime sprint through the city wasn’t fast enough. Her friend has been taken from her and now no one in the castle is safe from her fury. Seriously, we mean NO ONE. This lands her in a cell next to an old friend for a few days. Even upon release, Celaena is trapped in her grief and anger for days.
Nesta is in a fight for her life as the nightmarish Kelpie drags her to the bottom of the Oorid. This scene is truly one of the most unsettling in the series so prepare yourself. As she struggles against the creature's hold, Nesta search for her power leads her to the Mask. And once she puts that on, it is game over for everyone, especially her attacker. Cassian and Azriel do the only thing they can; they kneel to Death herself.
Cass, Az and Nesta take a nice little trip to Oorid in the Middle. Not really actually. To say it’s a hostile environment would be an understatement. After a random attack, Nesta is left in a tree (a giant tree at least) while Cassian reminds us why he is the General of the Night Court. Despite very clear instructions, Nesta leaves the comfort of her tree and comes face to face with a truly monstrous creature.
Nesta recalls her troubling nightmare and opens up to Emerie and Gwyn about her trauma. Meanwhile, Cassian checks in with Rhys only to find out that his High Lady and her unborn child are in serious danger. Now as you can expect, we have A LOT to say about all of this so prepare for a long rant. Cassian shares the terrible news with Nesta before distracting them both from their worries with a spicy deal. Nesta attempts scrying again in front of most of the Inner Circle. She is successful but in order to pull her back from the void, Cassian gives everyone quite the show.
Chaol’s kidnappers face the very scary consequences of their actions, aka Celaena! The group quickly realizes their mistake after a dramatic entrance and a couple dozen dagger throws. Archer reveals his true alliances and his top ally, Nehemia. Chaol gets called out for withholding information and his omissions are made worse after a grisly death.
Join us for the first episode in a new series where we are fighting back against the stigma surrounding mental health. Ya’ll know we hold nothing back with you and this series is no different. We each give our own mini mental health introduction detailing our own struggles, red flags and coping mechanisms. It’s our hope that this series (and our bookish community) provides a safe space for you to chat about your own struggles and find solace in knowing you are not alone in them. Love ya’ll! NOTE: TW for loss, anxiety, ED, depression.
After seeing the new trainees’ bravery in action, Nesta attempts scrying again. To say it goes poorly would be an understatement. Nesta’s snooping enrages the Cauldron yet again. We have a brief interlude as Mads explains the latest evolution to her Cauldron theory. Then BOOM! Nesta experiences a nightmare that leaves the House shaking and the Bat Boys trembling in fear of her true power: pure death. We round out this week’s episode by letting ya’ll get to know Baba a bit more by sharing her latest feral antics.
Join us today as we tackle THREE chapters. Crazy, right? Anywho, Nehemia and Elena have a super secret meeting ending with Nehemia making some type of sinister plan. Chaol joins the King and nobility on a hunt and learns the King plans to “question” Nehemia. Unfortunately, Chaol doesn’t make it back from that hunt. His kidnappers leave a ransom note for Calaena and now we wait for the carnage.
Nesta makes it to 3000 steps before throwing in the towel and our hamstrings are on fire just thinking about it. The Valkyrie Book Club is off to a great start with sweet Gwyn beginning her journey into some spicier books. Merrill tries to pull rank with her obscure heritage. Obviously this doesn’t fly with Nesta. Her standoff with the grumpy priestess has an unexpected bonus: 3 more trainees! And jeez louise this is a long chapter…
Nesta is having some trouble focusing on training but luckily Gwyn makes for a good buffer. After gathering some gifts (or bribes) for Emerie, Nesta sends Cassian to Windhaven again to coax Emerie to join them. Voila! Nesta and Gwyn get a new training partner! Rhys makes an appearance at the training ring much to Nesta’s annoyance. After once again baiting Nesta, Rhys earns himself a scolding by Cassian.
Chaol takes Celaena’s confession about as well as we all expected, i.e. not well. He does warm up to the idea eventually and his birthday ends on a high note for both of them. Poor Dorian is still spirally and his downward journey leads him back to Baba Yellowlegs. Poor decision all around, especially when we find out Roland followed him there. After a rather fun visit to a broom closet, Celaena has a rather nasty fight with Nehemia about the princess’s proposed rebellion.
Join us for a very special collaboration with Bookmates Pod as we discuss the absolutely breathtaking debut novel from Riley Nash - Hold Me Under. This is Mads’ all-time favorite book and for good reason! This book has it all: enemies-to-lovers, sports romance, forced proximity, fake dating…everything you want in a dark romance! As a reminder, please be sure to check the trigger warnings before you dive into this book. Note this episode is NOT spoiler free.
We’ve got first day of school vibes today as Gwyn joins Nesta and Cassian for training. She is a quick study and crushes the workout…even in her heavy robes! Nesta and Cassian take a trip to our least favorite place, Windhaven. While Nesta hangs out with her other new friend (and meets her unsavory cousin), Cassian is stuck with Eris. That encounter doesn’t go well. Nesta helps relieve Cassian’s stress until Az decides to enter his villain era.
Celaena takes a day trip to honor the memory of her parents. While out in the wilderness, we get a pretty gruesome reminder of her time in Endovier and her deadly skills. When she gets back, Chaol is there to provide comfort and chocolate cake. Meanwhile, Dorian is frantically searching the library for any hints regarding his magical lineage. We get a brief history lesson on the Fae, magical affinities and the founders of Adarlan. Celaena throws Chaol a sweet birthday party before spilling the beans on her nighttime activities.
Cassian needs a distraction at training after his spicy nighttime visit with Nesta. What better distraction than sparring with Az…while shirtless! Nesta gets a front row seat to the hottest show in all of Prythian. Meanwhile, we get utterly robbed and we will never forget it. Gwyn and Nesta discuss the Dread Trove and Nesta’s training. After an enlightening stroll down the stairs, Nesta comes up with a brilliant strategy to get the priestesses to sign-up. And it works!
After Elain speaks up to volunteer to find the Dread Trove, a big secret is revealed! The Inner Circle is expanding and we are all a bit confused. Cass and Az talk about their soon-to-be new roles. It's seriously the cutest thing ever! After that, Cass decides to repay a debt to Nesta. Lucky Nesta! Plus Gena makes her “ACOTAR Debut” as she calls it!
Chaol has an odd briefing with the King during which he is told about a mysterious threat to Nehemia but given no details. Meanwhile, Dorian is still struggling with his outburst in the hallway and tries to blow off some steam in the fighting ring. Too bad his sleazy cousin finds him. Roland is definitely up to something. Afterwards, the gang all run into each other at the traveling carnival. They meet a creepy old witch who has Celaena scampering away. After a brief meeting with Mort and a troubling nightmare, Celaena ventures outside the city to observe a somber day.
Nesta is battling her (im)mortal enemy yet again…the stairs! She gets to 1,000 this time which is pretty impressive to us. As always, Cass is waiting at the top of the steps for her but she is in no mood to spar with him. She is, however, in another mood all together if you catch our drift. Unfortunately for poor Cassian, he gets a bit too excited and we run into some major miscommunications (UGH)! Everyone is summoned to the River House where we get a lot of troubling and somewhat odd information.
Join us for our 100th ACOTAR episode! Full disclosure, we are still in awe that ya'll have stuck with us this long. We take a trip down memory lane and share your favorite moments from our past episodes. Then we jump back into ACOSF where Nesta has a brilliant idea...but will anyone sign up for it? Elain visits the House of Wind and it goes even worse than we all expected.
After a hot minute away, we are back with a COM episode where we discuss steamy eye contact, gas lighters, and dancing. The tension in the air is climbing higher. OH. And @breathlessbooks is here again for some added spice.
Get hyped everyone! This week we are joined by none other than the CE Ricci (@authorcericci)! To make it even better, Gena (@breathlessbooks) joined us for this incredible episode! We talk about CE’s upcoming releases, the steamiest scenes she has written and her unparalleled skill in naming her characters. You’re going to love this one!
We were going to talk Crown of Midnight and then we didn’t….
Nesta continues her training with Cassian and learns the importance of stretching. She also learns more about Cassian’s past which makes her realize she has been a bit cruel to him. Rhys and Cass have a very clandestine meeting with Eris in the Spring Court. Cassian faces his greatest foe yet, seasonal allergies! The House is the true MVP by supplying Nesta with an endless supply of smutty books, hot bathes and chocolate cake. Finally after a particularly heated dinner encounter, Nesta helps herself recover…repeatedly.
Y’all. The rumors are true. MARLEY VALENTINE (@MValentineAuthor) IS HERE WITH US. Cue the uncontrollable screaming. Seriously though, we could barely contain our excitement. Marley joins us with @bookmatespod for an incredible episode. We discuss writing habits, upcoming works, oh and our absolute obsession, Without You. Don’t miss out on this amazing episode!
One of our favorite new authors, Grae Bryan (@authorgraebryan) joins us. We chat her latest release, Roman, upcoming books, all things vampires, oh and TVD. @shannonjoy_bc also joins Mads in this episode, so you know you are in for a good time! Just a heads up, the wifi gods were not feeling too kind towards us for this recording. We apologize for the audio issues!
After a creepy tour of the hidden passageways, Celaena and the King’s court are serenaded by a popular singer with an ulterior motive. Unfortunately, the King is not a fan of her tale of magic and fae. Later, Celaena and Nehemia hash out a few things after Nehemia is a bit harsh about Celaena’s activities as the King’s Champion. In an effort to build trust, Celaena introduces her to Mort and the tomb. While there, the duo make some odd discoveries.
After finally taking a hint, Cassian’s training plan for Nesta undergoes a change of location. That doesn’t mean he is in the clear though. It takes a particularly beneficial bargain (in Nesta’s favor) to entice her into the training ring. Nesta’s first day is full of toe exercises, stretching and sprawling on the mat. Afterwards, Nesta heads to the library where she runs into a frantic Gwyn. After getting a book from the House, Nesta pulls a switch-a-roo on Merrill in order to save poor Gwyn from her wrath.
The Dark Romance Queen, Sophie Lark, is here with us! We talk about books that we obsess over, her upcoming works, and Business Daddy. So this is an episode that you won’t want to miss!
Welcome to pure chaos with Caitlyn, Madison and Blake! But really, buckle up for this one. Celaena recovers from a horrendous evening thanks to Chaol. Needless to say, he is not thrilled with her. She celebrates her recovery by going to the library to hunt for monsters. Her efforts lead her to yet another secret passageway. This one is filled with ancient Fae art, a creepy iron door and a very questionable "rat". Also, we debate Mads' sensual playlist.
Lexi Ryan is with us for a special Author Spotlight Episode. We discuss her book These Hollow Vows and she gives us a sneak peak at her new release These Twisted Bonds (Release Date July 19). We also discuss some of her contemporary romances, some future writing plans, and whether or not her family reads her books. You won’t want to miss this one!
Nesta and the stairs battle it out again and to no one’s surprise the stairs win. Nesta is left with some gnarly cuts and bruises but she also gets a glimpse of that power brewing under the surface. Her life doesn’t get much better from there. She fights with the House before another nasty verbal sparring match with Cassian. Feyre checks in on Cass after the battle and we get more evidence of how intense Rhys’ shield is on her. Then FINALLY Cassian gets Nesta’s hint about training!
Join us as we get a chance to chat with one of our favorite authors, @onleyjameswrites - we chat Necessary Evils, future writing ideas, and THAIDEN. It’s an episode you don’t want to miss!
Celaena’s “date” with Archer gets even more interesting when he tells her about a growing rebellion right in the city. She gets quite the shock when he insists that this new group is rallying around the lost heir of Terrasen. After a brief interlude about soap operas, we dive back into the action. Celaena attends a house party in order to get more information on this mysterious group of rebels. Let’s just say the evening doesn’t go to plan at all.
Nesta gives the ultimate Stair Master a whirl and fails miserably…in front of Cassian. Poor Azriel is subjected to the first of many awkward meals in the dining room. After a true struggle, Nesta joins Cassian again for training, i.e. sitting on a cold rock doing nothing. In an attempt to distract from her dark thoughts, Nesta enters a quaint store with a gorgeous and witty store owner, Emerie! Her day ends with some time in the library where she meets a feisty acolyte named Gwyn.
It is time to fight together.
As women who have a platform, we decided to speak out about how we are feeling. We discuss the events of today, things you need to know, and what you can do to be proactive. Women deserve the right to make decisions about their own bodies. It is not something the government needs to have a say in. This episode might not be for everyone, that is ok. But we chose to use this episode as a way to help make people aware and honestly, piece out how we are feeling. It is time to vote. Vote for the changes that we deserve.
This is a safe place. Feel free to reach out to us through the podcast account or Mads @LaceandLit - we are here for you. Whether you need a place to vent, a place to parce out how you are feeling, or if you want to know what you can do.
Vote.
XOXO, the ACOTARPodcast WOMEN.
Hollin returns. He’s terrible, truly terrible. Celaena goes on a date with Archer. We continue to drool over her closet. Chaol is clearly jealous. And oh wait, the King wants Archer dead.
Cassian begins his new role. He visits Jurian, Vassa and Lucien. And surprise, Eris is there! There is tension brewing, especially with our newly made, old, queen fae. And Beron, he’s up to no good.
Nesta stews on her mockery of Cassian and gets a bit angrier while chatting with Mor. Their discussion makes it crystal clear where they stand with each other, i.e at each other’s throats. Following the training disaster (or lack of training moment) at Windhaven, Nesta follows instructions (shocking!) to report to the library where she meets with Clotho. Let’s see if her time in the library is more productive then training was.
Cassian meets Mor at a nice little cafe to recover from his verbal battle with Nesta. His recovery is short-lived though since Mor drills him about Nesta, his new position and the loyalties of their human emissary. After that lovely chat, Cassian is subjected to a brutal breakfast with Nesta where his nutritional advice is largely ignored. His day doesn’t improve when it comes time for Nesta to start training. Mainly because she refuses…in front of EVERY SINGLE WARRIOR at the camp. Oof.
Celaena is stuck on guard duty while everyone else gets to enjoy some delicious food, including Dorian and Roland. Everyone has eyes on everyone else during this dinner. Celaena is staring at Dorian and Chaol, but mainly Chaol. Dorian is watching her. Chaol is watching Roland. It’s a mess. We have a brief interlude to discuss some classic 2000’s teen dramas. Go look up the song in our title. Seriously, go listen to it. After that, things take a darker turn as we finally see what has become of Kaltain.
After Nesta’s intervention, Cassian follows Rhys into his absolutely gorgeous study and they discuss Cassian’s work with the Illyrians. Thanks to Cassian’s success in avoid any rebellion, he gets a promotion! Yay, right? Wrong! Cassian is not thrilled with his latest task at all. Mor arrives to winnow Cassian and Nesta to the House of Wind but seems a bit upset. After Mor literally drops them off, Cassian and Nesta continue their verbal sparring all the way to Nesta’s door.
A sassy, bronze skeleton door knocker of all “people” is Celaena’s newest friend in the castle. To be honest, all three of us want our own Mort! After learning of yet another evil to conquer, Celaena grabs Chaol for some light stalking in the city. She tracks Archer down to a tea shop and proceeds to have a creepy exchange with him that makes Chaol’s blood boil. Archer’s personal questions bring up some terrible things from her past too so be prepared for those gut punches.
Welp, that could’ve gone better. We are back in the middle of Nesta’s intervention and she is taking it as well as you would expect. Amren lays out her options: (A) live at the House of Wind, train with Cassian and work in the library, or (B) live in the human world with Issac Hale. Option A it is! Also, Rhys’ odd shield over Feyre is mentioned for the first time and we all know what that means…. 🚨Spoiler warning for The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo at the 56th minute thanks to Caitlyn! 🚨
Yikes! That is our initial response to the state of Nesta’s apartment. Cassian notices this and her visitor when he goes to collect her for Feyre. After getting some heartbreaking details about Nesta’s life since the war, we head to Rhys and Feyre’s new (and gorgeous) riverfront home. The house offers a beautiful backdrop for one of the most uncomfortable interventions we have witnessed. Guess it is time for Nesta to train? That will go splendidly, right?
Celaena does some light stalking of the newest name on her kill list. She then spends some nice friendly time with Chaol in his personal rooms (ooooohhhh) and we get a little bit more background on both of them. After this, Celaena decides to go for a midnight walk. Thank god she’s pretty smart and does not end up like many victims in horror films…
Believe it or not, we are starting A Court of Silver Flames this week! It seriously blows our minds that we are here already. Join us as we discuss what is, in our opinion, the strongest prologue from SJM. Obviously, we had to do a deep dive into Mads’ Cauldron theory! After that, Mads and Blake talk about their latest reads and obsessions.
Rhys drops in on the Spring Court (or what's left of it) to check in on Tamlin. While there, Rhys doesn't hold back...at all. After that tense scene, we get to hear all about Amren's issues with her new life as High Fae. It makes for some very interesting conversations to have at the dinner table. Feyre has to hunt down Nesta in the Outlands and makes a simple deal: rent money for an appearance at Solstice. We finally learn about the Bat Boys' sacred Solstice tradition and its adorable. It's made even better by Feyre torturing Rhys in one of the cutest scenes of the series. We finally get to the other glorious scene at the cabin and Mads gives us a fantastic dramatic reading of said scene.
Celaena is feeling the pressure of keeping up her ruse as the King’s Champion. That burden doesn’t stop her from having an entire day before even eating breakfast though! Her morning routine also includes some light snarling at the women gathering to drool over Chaol’s physique. Meanwhile, Dorian is stuck with his rather creepy cousin who gives off some major bad vibes. Dorian’s day gets a little worse after a not so great conversation with Celaena. We also have another super weird tangent so be ready for that...
Join us this week for our very first author spotlight episode! We are joined by the lovely and talented @authorcarlyspade to talk about the upcoming release of Zeus, the final book in her Contemporary Mythos series. From there, our conversation took some detours (per usual) into Carly’s favorite video games (and the way they inspire her), our collective loathing for the end of True Blood and the amazing playlists that Carly creates for her writing. If you are a fan of contemporary romance, mythology and some good spice, then this series is a MUST! Carly’s unique spin on each God will have you falling head over heels in love with each one. We guarantee it! Zeus releases April 25th and will be available on Kindle Unlimited (along with the rest of the series). This gives the binge readers plenty of time to catch up!
So what do you do after a victory in war? Well if you are in the Inner Circle, you prepare for what is sure to be a memorable Winter Solstice! Rhys and Cassian spend some time in the Illyrian camps and we get A LOT of foreshadowing for ACOSF. Meanwhile, Feyre decides to go on a budget because...well we don't really know why. Velaris may as well be Whoville given the way everyone is pretty much terrified of Nesta coming to their celebration. As a special gift, Rhys and Feyre decide to give their citizens a fun show in the sky.
Crown of Midnight begins....does anyone remember what happened?
Surprise! This is not exactly what we had planned. Some of you will be wondering about ACOFAS. No worries, we will get there. But due to a bout of illness, our plans changed a bit! So Cait and Mads take a wild ride into Mad’s TBR and explore her Kindle. Yes, I was not exaggerating when I said wild. Then - we discuss the BEST news. Mad’s FAVORITE author got picked for the Patreon book club this month. Unhinged by Onley James will be April’s pick. We are talking psychopaths, possessiveness, romance, and vengeance. Is there anything better? (The answer is no).
In the tradition of Anne Rice, we are diving deep into the Twilight Saga with @looksinthelibrary! We all show our Twihard roots as we discuss the books, the movies and make some connections to the ACOTAR world. There is a brief detour into the mechanics of vampires’ love lives. You’re welcome for that.
This week we are going down the rabbit hole to discuss our top theories for House of Sky and Breath with @skyeslibrary! We break down some of the other major theories making the rounds through the fandom. We love some. We loathe some. We are perplexed by some.
We finally wrapped up ACOWAR last week so you know what time it is. It's recap time with Blake and Cait! We share our thoughts on everything from Feyre's time in the Spring Court to Nessian's development to the sheer size of ACOWAR (which we all continuously forgot). After that....well you know we were destined to go off the rails since Mads wasn't here to keep us on track!
The end of Throne of Glass (the book, not series!) is upon us! Celaena is still recovering from her brutal injuries from the duel with Cain. Her injuries include whiplash from the back and forth between Dorian and Chaol. Although, cuddles in bed with Dorian sound like a cure all to us. Meanwhile, the King and the Duke of Perrington discuss their promise rings and evil plans. Elena gives yet another vague and oddly inspiring pep talk. Finally, Celaena signs on the dotted line and is officially the King’s Champion.
We are FINALLY here, the end of ACOWAR! The Cauldron gets some new babysitters in the form of Miryam and Drakon. Feyre organizes a meeting between the High Lords and the human contingency in an effort to begin Prythian's healing. We need to take a moment here to apologize for the truly insane diversion we take for a few minutes. Prepare yourselves. After Mads' takes on a wild and scarring ride, we get back to Velaris. Then we are gifted with a truly beautiful chapter from Rhys' POV before Feyre and Rhys make the bargain to end all bargains.
The Archeron sisters go to bury their father. A familiar face comes to speak with them as they grieve. After all the sad events, Mads and Caitlyn decide its time to move on to happier topics, i.e. their recent reads!
We see the aftermath of that crazy duel and it’s not great. Dorian has a very awkward, unsettling and tense conversation with the King…so you know, a normal chat with his dad. Meanwhile, Celaena wakes up covered in bruises and full of questions for Nehemia. For once, Nehemia actually answers her questions…sort of.
Nesta finally gets her vengeance against the King of Hybern. He should’ve known it was coming from the moment she pointed her finger at him! We finally get some answers on what Amren was up to and it’s devastating to say the least. After that emotional punch to the gut, we are hit with yet another tragedy. This one lasts a whooping three pages though so we aren’t as traumatized.
Join us for a very special bonus episode where we share our reviews and initial thoughts on House of Sky and Breath with the lovely @skyeslibrary! This episode is full of spoilers (like life-altering ones) so please be sure to tune in AFTER you finish the book!
So Amren lied which doesn’t seem great. Before we can get answers, the Cauldron whisks Feyre away for a pretty gruesome side show. Nesta and Cassian do what they can to buy everyone time but yet again the King of Hybern doesn’t play by the rules. An unlikely (and we mean VERY unlikely) hero steps up with seconds to spare. Note that we had a weird technical issue this week so please excuse the minor echo. We will have this fixed asap!
Elena gives Celaena a much needed spiritual cleanse. After getting an odd temporary face tattoo, we finally get to see Celaena give Cain what he deserves! We have a brief interlude to introduce all of you to Daddy Kronk. And we’re back just in time to see Kaltain get in some serious trouble but at least she has her robe.
It’s finally here, the epic conclusion of House of Earth and Blood! This week we are discussing the last third of the book beginning with chapter 57 and including that intriguing epilogue. Once again the lovely @skyeslibrary joins in on the madness. Mads also gives a beautiful rendition of the synopsis for House of Sky and Breath.
Welcome to our first ever hybrid episode which we absolutely didn’t plan to do. So go us? Mads and Blake chat for much longer than anticipated. You’ll hear all about our weekend adventures and get some mini-rants along the way. Then we get back to the fun stuff, i.e. war. Feyre and Nesta do what they need to do to give the goods guys a chance, while Elain does nothing.
And we’re back! Join us for our second bonus episode discussing House of Earth and Blood with our amazing guest co-host, @skyeslibrary! We are discussing chapters 27-56 so SPOILER WARNING for those of you who may not be caught up in the read-along. The big questions of the week: (1) Who is endgame? (2) Why did bacon destroy all of us?
The battle has finally begun and it’s not going well at all. Even with the deadly trio wrecking absolute havoc on Hybern’s force, the good guys are barely holding on. [Insert quick interlude for a biology lesson] Nesta’s quick thinking saves Cassian from the Cauldron’s deadly power. Unfortunately, one of our favorite monsters is not as lucky. Just when all hope seems to be lost, some VERY unexpected allies arrive.
Celaena faces off with Grave and the little twerp lasts a whooping two minutes against her. To (supposedly) honor the first round winners, the King proposes a toast…and things go downhill from there. Celaena is sent on possibly the worst drug-induced trip ever. She is seeing demons, armies of the dead and…Elena?!
After Feyre does some truly impressive soul searching, it is time for battle! Well…sort of…but not quite. The search for Hybern’s army ends near the shore in the Summer Court. To say his army is LARGE would be an understatement. Good thing Feyre and Rhys both love to get tattoos because their bargains lead to the best collab we have ever seen. So the battle begins…
Join us for a very special bonus episode this week with the lovely @skyeslibrary as we tackle our very first Crescent City episode. We will be discussing chapters 1-26 of House of Earth and Blood so SPOILER WARNING! Don’t worry Blake will give her trademark and highly annoying spoiler warning. As many of you can imagine, Mads is not entirely thrilled.
Dorian does some soul searching while Celaena starts to spiral about the imminent duels. All of the endless training, brutal murders and stress has led to this…the duels! Kaltain freelances as a bartender with a fabulous robe. After a truly inspiring speech by the King, the duels commence and no one is surprised when Cain bests Renault in under 3 minutes. Next up: Celaena v. Grave. Place your bets.
The relief from Feyre’s truly awful flight from Hybern’s army is short-lived. Turns out the spell to gain control of the Cauldron requires Feyre, Nesta, Elain and Amren to touch it at the same time. Easy peasy, right? Right… What better way to prepare for battle than winnowing A LOT. Feyre adds to her excitement by confronting her beast within. The Bone Carver tags into the fray too!
Feyre and Az are pulling the ultimate Mission Impossible to sneak into Hybern’s camp to steal the Cauldron’s prize, i.e. Elain (i.e. the worst Archeron sister). After some truly cringey acting on Feyre’s behalf and some quick thinking on Jurian’s, they are able to grab Elain and yet another Children of the Blessed. The rescue is successful thanks to an unlikely furry ally and a truly rough flight. Mor FINALLY tells her truth. The King’s twisted plan is revealed and let’s just say, it is not good.
Celaena is fully recovered by her mystery demon attack within roughly 36 hours, which isn’t suspicious at all. Right? She lets Nox in on one of her many secrets to make sure he escapes Cain’s reach before it is too late. After a truly cringey game of chess with Dorian, Celaena finds herself literally counting down the minutes until sunrise. The date of the duel is set and things are about to get crazy.
After some seriously bad vibes last week, the gang gets some much needed sleep…for like an hour. Feyre, Nesta and Amren are all woken up by the Cauldron’s karaoke night which is just as creepy as it sounds. While everyone is trying to figure out why the Cauldron is auditioning for American Idol, Az “politely” reminds Nesta and Feyre that they have another sister. By the time we remember poor Elain, she is already gone chasing the idea of Graysen and humanity.
Join us as we discuss the latest events in the battle for the title of King’s Champion…psych! We actually finally decided to let Caitlyn join in on a random discussion episode! Be prepared for some convoluted tales from Mads’ latest reads, questionable opinions from Caitlyn and some (surprisingly) solid logic from Blake.
After tragedy strikes (Blake is still recovering), Feyre returns to the war camp to find a less than ideal situation. Cassian barely survived being turned into a kebab. Rhys and Az want to make him a kebab. Mor is livd with Feyre to say the least. All in all, not a great time. The vibe only gets worse when Nesta plays a perverse game of Yahtzee to locate Hybern’s massive army. We do get a super cute Varian/Amren moment to help balance things out though!
The Suriel sadly passed away in The Middle after a lifetime of enigmatic conversations and spilling the tea. The Suriel may have been one of many, but to us, the Suriel was one of a kind. It’s legacy of kindness shall live on through the High Lady’s actions in the coming battles. Rest easy you beautiful dreamer.
Condolences may be sent to Blake’s attention.
Cain doesn’t take too kindly to Celaena’s spying so naturally he sets a demon on her. After getting a good sprint workout in, Celaena makes it make to her rooms and luckily Nehemia is there to save the day. But how does she do it? The next day, Chaol and Celaena bump into the King, who just returned from a mysterious trip…with no other survivors. That’s not suspicious, right?
Feyre is on the hunt yet again for the Suriel. With Elain’s help, she is able to locate it…right near their craftiest neighbor, the Weaver. The Suriel is a wealth of knowledge wrapped in an enigma as always. Then the unthinkable happens and Blake falls into a pit of despair and anger. Ianthe is back and she is the actual worst.
It’s time for another random discussion with Mads and Blake! Actually, Blake is just postponing the inevitable. Join us as we discuss our latest reads, our bookish problems and Christmas lists!
Dorian and Celaena twirl the night away at the Yulemas Ball while Chaol watches from the sidelines. The night ends with an interesting (or awkward depending on how you read it) kiss. The next day, Kaltain and Caitlyn’s Duke take a stroll in the steamy greenhouse and plan Celaena’s demise…how romantic. After reading a truly disturbing how-to guide, Celaena takes a fun trip down to the tunnels and finds Cain casually summoning a friend.
After Jurian’s warning, the Inner Circle prepares for battle with Hybern. While waiting to winnow to the battlefield, Feyre shares a glass of wine with Mor before welcoming the dawn with Rhys. Cassian is the star of the show as his deadly skill and strategic prowess take center stage. Daddy T gives us a glimpse of his darker side…and we are here for it. Feyre and Rhys decide the aftermath of a battle really sets the mood if you know what we mean. During the absolute chaos of the next battle, Feyre realizes they need help finding Hybern’s true army and there is only one way to find it…The Suriel.
Everyone buckle in because we are in for a wild, dramatic visit with Elain’s former betrothed. What could go wrong? The simple answer is a lot. Turns out the whole “disguise Elain as a human” trick was pointless because everyone’s favorite eye accessory, aka Jurian, has spilled the beans already. Apparently Jurian has been playing double agent against Hybern. What’s his endgame? To apologize to Miryam and Drakon. How honorable, but sad, is that? Graysen gets what he deserves and the Inner Circle prepares for battle…yet again.
After Philippa delivers an Oscar-worthy performance, Celaena arrives at the Yulemas Ball…uninvited. She has a full-blown Cinderella moment when her entrance stuns the crowds into silence. Chaol beats Dorian in the race for her hand but only to scold her in a dark alcove. Honestly there are better things to do in dark alcoves during a masquerade ball but whatever. Dorian finally gets up the nerve to ask Celaena to dance and we are all envious.
This week, Feyre puts on her high lady pants and she gets yet another dope tattoo! This one comes from a new bargain with the Darling of Darkness in order to entice Bryaxis to fight in the war. All in exchange for a single window, how freaking pure is that?! The Inner Circle (plus Elain and Nesta) go to the Illyrian war camps for a quick, not so great, check-in. While there, they prep for the meeting with Grayson and his family to see if they will offer shelter for the humans in their insane fortress.
The tense atmosphere in Thesan’s gorgeous palace following the High Lords’ meeting (and some extracurricular activities) makes for a very awkward breakfast which turns truly insane when Nesta becomes violently ill. Lesson learned: listen to Nesta when she says she has a bad feeling (Han Solo style). Hybern has destroyed the Wall. The gang debates how best to help the humans when Elain decides to finally speak up…and Blake hates every word of it. Feyre enlists Amren to help see about breaking out the Darling of Darkness and we can’t wait!
As the final test approaches, Celaena wakes up on Yulemas morning to candy and a puppy. What more can a girl ask for??? After flustering TF out of the Crown Prince, Celaena realizes that her newfound friends may be in danger at the upcoming ball. Obviously, the only solution is to sneak into the Yulemas Ball in disguise. But first, her and Chaol have to sit through a brutally dull service at the castle’s temple. At least Celaena gets a shiny gift for attending!
Well we are all done with the High Lords’ meeting. So naturally Mads and Blake decided to have another random discussion episode! Join us as we talk about the problem with dishonest reviews, snorting coffee and our latest reads!
We are back with the epic conclusion to the High Lords’ meeting. Feyre does what we have all wanted to do for a while now…she puts Beron in his lowly, miserable place. Helion crashes the Inner Circle’s meeting in their suite and, in true Helion fashion, suggests a party that we would love to be invited to. He also opens up about his past with the Lady of the Autumn Court which leads Feyre to a startling truth. Do we think Prythian has 23andMe?
Celaena, the most feared assassin in all of Erilea, has to deal with every woman’s nemesis. Her two suitors have VERY different reactions to her situation, one races away like Roadrunner and the other settles in to read some erotica. After some quiet reading time, Dorian reveals some deep truths about his own actions and his hope for his future rule. The Prince and Celaena enjoy a romantic but cold walk through the gardens where Dorian notices Celaena’s eerily familiar necklace. After a terrifying bedtime surprise, Celaena takes a midnight stroll to the library only to get another unsettling surprise.
We are back in the thick of the High Lords’ meeting and things are heating up (and not in a good way). Tamlin makes an unfashionably late entrance only to make everyone uncomfortable with his pathetic quips. After some tough discussions, Rhys is able to prove his sincerity to the other High Lords. Az continues to steal all our hearts while we finally get to meet the legendary fae who created Lucien’s metal eye! Beron’s malice reaches new heights and ends with him in flames.
We finally made it to the High Lords’ meeting after what seems like five years! The gang arrives at Thesan’s palace which sounds like an ASMR dream. Tensions are high to say the least and the males are hard (or maybe that is just Mads’ wishful thinking…). Feyre’s hand becomes the main attraction. Mor reunites with an old friend who we all volunteer to campaign for as High Lady of the Winter Court. And the beast appears.
After a ghostly (and vague) wake-up call, Celaena tackles yet another test. Oh yeah…another Champion has been killed but no big deal apparently. The test proves to be the trickiest yet but Celaena receives some much needed help from an unlikely source. She also saves the life of a sassy but adorable puppy so all in all it was a good day (except for a very odd encounter with Cain). Kaltain deals with a massive headache, aka Caitlyn’s Duke. Meanwhile, Nehemia receives some tragic news.
Feyre gets to meet with our favorite cadaver loving monster to try to get a better bargain out of him…good luck with that. The High Lords continue to bicker on where to hold their meeting…which is only a few days away so no rush or anything. Finally, Thesan and the Dawn Court are tapped as the host which was the obvious choice from the beginning in our opinion. In preparation for the meeting, Feyre gets a new accessory that we would all kill for. Of course, not to be outdone, Nesta declares she is coming along too…what could go wrong?
We sound like a broken record here but once again there is a murder! Granted this time, we truly aren’t that sad when we find out who the victim is. Celaena plays the Watson to Chaol’s Sherlock…well really its vice versa. Dorian tries to get to know our lovable assassin better while Kaltain is scheming and Chaol is in a one-sided staring contest with Caitlyn’s Duke.
Okay for real this time...we start out with the aftermath of the battle in the Summer Court. Feyre and Rhys have a tense and less than promising reunion with Daddy T. But really, who came blame him for being a bit grumpy? Back at the Illyrian war camp, Rhys and Feyre give each other recaps on their own battles and then...well, let's just say that if the tent is rocking, don't come knocking!
This week we see the aftermath of the battle in the Summer Court…or do we? Sike!
Following yet another gruesome murder that no one seems that troubled by, Celaena and Nehemia admire (well more like stare) at the rather ugly clock tower for a bit. That is before the hulking oaf called Cain interrupts and makes it very clear he knows a big secret…yikes! Celaena’s quest to learn more about the Wyrdmarks leads her to a less than productive study session with Chaol. Her research leads her to a rather creepy book with a very familiar title. Dorian gets to witness the most feared assassin in Erilea have a meltdown over a game of pool.
Daddy T and the people of the Summer Court are under attack! The Inner Circle moves swiftly to come to their aid…while no one else does (rude). The Illyrian Legions remind the world of why you don’t screw with the Night Court. Meanwhile, Feyre and Mor reign terror on Hybern’s troops at the palace in order to save the faeries trapped there. Let’s just say that you truly don’t want to piss either of them off ever. The King of Hybern once again resorts to his desperate tricks and petty monologues and we are left hating him more than ever.
Hybern’s parrots are plucked by Rhys. Amren goes on the hunt throughout Velaris and we would be lying if we said it didn’t sound scary AF. We get yet another insane revelation when Az finally puts it together that Elain is a SEER! With that knowledge, the gang realizes Elain may hold the key to finding a much needed ally…too bad its Lucien who volunteers to go find her. Everyone is prepping for the High Lords’ meeting when Hybern does the unthinkable…he goes all Battleship on Daddy T and his pleasure barge! The audacity!
Well...I guess everyone learned a valuable lesson i.e. listen to Elain! The King of Hybern's parrots arrive in the library to steal away Nesta since she casually incapacitated the Cauldron. The villains' monologues reveal that the youngest mortal queen is in desperate need of botox. Feyre chooses door #3 and we are introduced to the most wholesome, terrifying monster of Prythian, the Darling of Darkness.
Finally there is no puking in these chapters! Granted there is a gruesome dinner scene…oops, we mean murder scene. On top of that, Celaena finds herself having a nice long chat with a Queen…who has been dead for 1,000 years. After some exceedingly vague warnings, Celaena does what any sane person would do…she goes to the library! Needless to say, things are starting to get even stranger in the Glass Castle and we have so many questions!
Under the extremely watchful* eye of Feyre and company, Lucien tries to determine what is “wrong” with Elain. Finally, we get some reactions. Are they good? Ehhh. But it is a reaction. Quickly followed by some more blank stares and sentences that do not make sense. (SIDE NOTE - THIS IS WHERE BLAKE MAKES THE REVELATION OF A LIFETIME). Next up, some flying lessons for Feyre where we get Miryam and Drakon’s story. Moral of the story, expect the unexpected.
Seriously though, things usually are so fun in the Court of Nightmares but this trip makes us want a refund from the travel agent. Rhys has been keeping secrets…again. Keir is going to be allowed in Velaris?! Eris is now a frenemy? We FINALLY get everyone’s favorite deadly queen’s backstory. Turns out Amren is even more of a badass than we could’ve guessed….like damn.
Celeana’s daring rescue may not be discreet but it does earn her honor of eighteenth place…if only there weren’t only 20 competitors. Even with yet another murder, everyone turns out to celebrate the holiday with a nice feast and ball…well everyone but Celeana. Rude! It’s not a complete loss though since she finds some crazy secret tunnels while pouting. Not to mention, she has two very handsome men making nighttime visits.
Today we are having some serious conversations. We are talking about Nesta and her newfound power after taking from the Cauldron. We are looking through Lucien’s mind and talking about mates. Then we head back to The Court of Nightmares and are shell shocked. And here we go…
The Bone Carver is back. Let’s get a little history lesson, make some deals, and get a glimpse into the future. The Palm Reader of Prythian. The Fortune Teller with skills that match no other. Sign up - there is a lot of availability. Some people may or may not come back…
I cannot stress this enough. Workout, trial, murder, vomit, books, suspicion, and more working out. That might just be the entire one sentence summary of Throne of Glass. Hmmmm… more data to be collected in the future. Updates to come.
Going to the library is always a good idea…even if your High Lord’s teasing makes reading impossible. Anyone else getting The Prince & Me vibes??? We also get our first hint at everyone’s favorite shadow monster while we search for answers among the books! Feyre interrupts the staring contest to end all staring contests. Then it’s time to prep for a visit another favorite (and super unsettling) monster, yay?
How many times can one vomit in a book? Celaena is going for the record. Training continues. Another champion dies. This time by choice? We may never know. Then there is some sword play. Or a lot of sword play? Or sword play is discussed a lot…? Swords are great.
Let’s plan some warfare. And ask Nesta for help? Check. And push her over the edge? Check. But not tell Elain? Check. Question our position as High Lady (again)? Discuss who might possibly want to kill us at a meeting of the High Lords? And make plans that involve Keir? Check. Check. Check.
The invasion of Amren’s apartment begins. Needless to say, she enjoys company quite a bit. Thankfully the book is safe and protected just casually laying on a side table being used as a coaster. What is a few blood stains on an ancient book? Plans are being made. Invites are going out. Let the war begin.
Train, puke. Train, puke. Read, sleep. Train, puke. I don’t know about you but I am not going anywhere near the bushes in Rifthold. They are pretty foul smelling at the moment. Most look on the verge of dying. I am pretty sure it is not the palace gardeners’ fault either. However, everyone still has their eyes intact, possibly because the Eye Eater was found in ribbons? Not sure that is a good look, that fashion statement might need to be amended. Regardless, the first challenge in upon us…
And Eris is attacking. Dude is trying to use his fire to melt some ice. We are literally shivering in our muddy boots….or not… Never fret though, Blanche and Sophia save the day or was it Cassian and Azriel? But honestly, that reunion. Tears. Back to Velaris, finally, home. And we fall to our knees but Rhys is there. Then some really prolonging banter and we get to the good stuff. Only to finish out our day by some not so high quality, literal blood relative, family time.
Well, plot twist, do not eat apples that are lying around. If we haven’t learned anything from books, it’s that. Sadly, the twins are no more. So we are now taking applications for new evil characters. Please send your resumes to assisthyberndomination@hotmail.com
No sleep, too busy reading. That sounds about right. Well, training has begun. Let’s meet our competition. Thank goodness Chaol is by our side…or not. Running til you puke in bushes. This honestly just all sounds pleasant. Actually not. Is there a scheduled nap time?
PSA: Well safe to say, this week is not the week to join the Children of the Blessed. Maybe put in your application next week? I hear potential openings will be available. Burial for previous members will be at 1:00; however, all parts are not available for the ceremony. This week is also not the week to join the Guard. However, top-ranking positions will be available shortly. Overall, do not send out applications until the new week. Ianthe will not be handling the applications due to a rocky encounter but she says that everyone should still follow her because she’s awesome. Thank You, The Spring Court Newsweek, where you can find all your tea right here.
Summer Solstice is upon us, round two. So let the light shine upon the most cunning, beautiful, fae. Make sure to flirt with the most handsome, jealous Lord and his most trusted, loyal Knight, but keep them guessing. Dance, eat, drink, and be stunning. Today is the day for mischief.
Celaena has arrived at Rifthold. She asks for a tour of the castle (sans glass portion) feigning boredom but secretly plotting. The tour ends in the library where an unlikely bookclub friendship begins to form. But not everyone is happy that the Crown Prince has brought home a woman from his most recent travels. However, people better watch what they say, or they could end up with a flower pot being chucked at their head.
Let the games begin, it is time for A Court of Wings and Ruin! After a grisly reminder of the previous war, we get to see the beginnings of Feyre's devious and absolutely brilliant plan to take apart the Spring Court from the inside. From beguiling Tamlin with a pretty painting to icing out her fury at everyone's least favorite priestess, Feyre is really giving Jurian a run for his money for the best actor in Prythian. We are introduced to the demon twins, i.e. Hybern's creepy AF niece and nephew. Feyre and the psycho twins play a game of mental footsie before heading out to inspect the Wall. Lucien gives an insight into what he had to go through after Feyre left and it is cringeworthy. Finally, Alis, being the queen that she is, lets Feyre know that she has an ally in the Spring Court.
Since we finished ACOMAF, that means we have to discuss some delicious men! Welcome to our second book boyfriends episode with our special guest Skye (@skyeslibrary)! This episode is again broken down into different sections so if you have not read a particular book, you can skip the section to avoid spoilers or you can listen to get a preview! Just listen for the Spoiler Warning Section. So who did we dish on? -Hawke/Casteel in From Blood and Ash and A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire by: 15:40-33:00 -Julian Blackthorne in The Dark Artifices by: 33:00-46:00 -Wrath in A Kingdom of the Wicked by: 46:00-1:00:00 -Henry/Alex in Red, White, and Royal Blue by: 1:00:00-1:15:30 -Josh in The Hating Game by: 1:15:30-1:27.00
No worries everyone, we found Caitlyn a Duke! He may not be the Duke of Hastings…but he comes pretty close? Or not. Meanwhile, Celaena, Dorian, and Chaol are making the trip back to Rifthold. Which is not the trip for your if you are into modern plumbing and toilet paper. Some important background information is dropped. Oh, and we worked on those pesky pronunciations this week, let’s get at it!
Yes, yes, it’s our last ACOMAF episode. Mads may be still crying...Blake and Caitlyn are already counting down to ACOSF. But today we do a recap of the book followed by the highly requested bonus chapter, featuring some fan favorite Nessian banter. We begin with ACOMAF then work our way into the bonus chapter. The bonus chapter does discuss ACOSF, but there will be a warning when that discussion begins. Next up…ACOWAR.
Hybern is living the high life. He is making plans, reigning terror, and taking names. Revenge is even sweeter with two cherries on top. Oh that’s right, Tamlin trusted both Ianthe and Hybern. Cue Hybern’s evil laugh. So now we are dealing with Feyre’s sisters. The bond is being threatened. The Inner Circle is on the brink of death and Feyre is out of options. So what is the best solution? Tamlin…? Here we go again…
Surprise! We just couldn’t wait any longer to dive into SJM’s OG series, Throne of Glass. Join us in our first bi-weekly TOG episode. From the very first sentence, the mood is set for this book and boy is it dark. We meet everyone’s favorite assassin and her sharp wit. Celaena meets the grumpy veggie, Chaol, and the gorgeous, if somewhat arrogant, Prince Dorian. He offers her a chance at true freedom…all she has to do is be his Champion, beat a bunch of scary thugs, act as Adarlan’s assassin for a few years and generally try not to cause too much mischief. Easy, right?
Today we talk about how making a plan in the span of a couple hours probably does not equate to a revenge plot that was planned for well over 50 years. Az goes down, everything goes to garbage. Jurian is back after watching Rhys do it for 50 years, yeah no grudges there. Oh lookie there, Tamlin crawls out of the gutter and brings it with him. The smell of a certain bond cannot be missed. Then Feyre’s sisters show up. Scooby-Doo, where are you?
This episode - a quick description. Feyre and the Attor have their reckoning. Plans are made to destroy the Cauldron and go to Hybern. Feyre and Rhys discuss his mother’s ring, including its importance…and some very important decisions were made. Then off to Hybern they go...and they find the Cauldron.
And we are back! And it starts on a table. Then some awkward bowing. Followed by spilling ancient secrets. Probably not smart, but we live and learn. Then Daddy T comes to the rescue. And the Attor dares to show his face again....
And we are back with Skye (@skyeslibrary) to discuss all of the theories and predictions that A Court of Silver Flames gave us! Let the wildness begin…
Join Madison, Blake and our special guest, Skye (@skyeslibrary), for a SPOILER FILLED discussion about ACOSF. Our discussion kicks off with a reminder to be kind and remember that everyone's unique interpretations are part of what makes reading beautiful. We give our honest and very different opinions on Nesta's journey, the book's themes and our long awaited return to Prythian. While this week’s episode focuses on the plot, next week’s episode will focus on our predictions and all the theories the fandom has so far!
This week’s episode, chapter 54. When Rhys shows up at the cabin, Feyre offers him a deal. Tell the entire story, tell the whole truth about their bond, and in the end she would decide whether to offer him food and accept the bond. Rhys revisits his painful past and gives Feyre all of the gory and heartbreaking details. Beginning with the war, Amarantha and Jurian. Then Amarantha’s return and the plan to destroy her. Rhys deciding to protect Velaris and the Inner Circle above everything. Journeying forward to getting glimpses of a painter’s hands. Drawings of flowers and sending images of the night sky. Rhys making deals just to see her one time after she dreams of Calanmai. Then the earth shattering realization that she struck a deal with Amarantha for another. The three trials are recapped, followed by the realization that Feyre is indeed his mate. Don’t worry, Rhys is crying, we are crying, everyone is crying during this heartbreakingly beautiful chapter.
After the Suriel drops the tea, Feyre is pissed. She leaves her “new” mate injured, in the freezing mud, and demands Mor to take her away. Mor takes Feyre to the family cabin. At last, she is alone to think. After snooping throughout the cabin, she ends up finding some paint. Finally, at long last, she paints. The. Entire. Cabin. And she comes to some pretty serious conclusions about her future.
After a close and exceedingly annoying encounter with Lucien which reminds us all of how psycho Tamlin is, Rhys and Feyre take some shelter for the night. They are stuck in a cold, dingy inn with one bed and questionable meat stew. In order to get a little warmer, Rhys lends Feyre a hand. After some blissful sleep, the pair travel back to the camp in an awkward silence. Right when Rhys is about to come clean, a flurry of poisoned arrows cuts through him. Out of options to save him, Feyre calls upon her bestie, the Suriel....who drops a bombshell on her. Rhys, the High Lord of the Night Court, is her mate...and she is furious!
PSA: We want to apologize in advance. This episode is very...The Cadre (if you know, you know). The Illyrian Mountains are cold, bitterly cold. Feyre, Rhys, Cassian, and Mor are eating mutton stew (which I’m sure Gordon Ramsey would fling across the room with a few profanities) and discussing the current camp predicament. Feyre and Rhys end up leaving and Feyre has an internal battle outside Rhys’ bedroom...shock. Training continues. And then Lucien shows up?! Needless to say, Feyre is NOT happy by his sad sap display and pitiful apologies. So Feyre gives him a show and impresses Rhys with some very beautiful wings.
Join us and fellow bookstagrammer, Skye @skyeslibrary, for our Starfall episode! Plus, we got a chance to talk ACOSF! This is a pivotal moment in Feyre’s journey, think The Notebook, “WHAT DO YOU WANT?!” Which frankly we have all been screaming for the past 450 pages. But of course, just like Allie, Feyre must continue to go through her inner struggle even after this heartbreakingly beautiful scene. So we find ourselves witnessing Rhys and Feyre fighting via petty aggressive notes. Feyre’s imprisonment by Tamlin and Rhys’ fear of rejection still keep these two apart. Starfall arrives and Feyre is wearing THE DREAM DRESS (here’s looking at you @blissfullybookishtees, because we NEED this pin, pretty please). Starfall…we have faelight, sparkling wine, a private balcony, star-spirits…a perfect time for a first kiss…or not…because we are kept waiting…much like we are still waiting to find out who the father of Rory’s baby is… ANYWHO. Starfall still inspires some beautiful moments full of love, laughter, friendship, and even some body painting by Feyre, sadly with clothes on, but we’ll take it! And then we are off to the Illyrian war camp to meet and then scare Devlon. Then training continues and sheds some valuable light…
We started off the first weekend of 2021 in The Court of Nightmares! The Inner Circle is back in Velaris and comes to the conclusion that the only way to get the other half of the book from the Mortal Queens is to show them the City of Starlight. In order to do this, they need to go to the Court of Nightmares to steal the Veritas, the Orb of Truth, from Keir. Donning the masks of Nightmares, Rhys and Feyre are given the task of being a distraction. This R-rated distraction comes with the best seat in the house, an EDM atmosphere, and touches that elicit some fire. Ending in knee-deep trouble seeming like a good place to start.
Well we have half of the book now and some nice blood rubies to go with it. Amren is busy decoding the first half of the book while drinking the blood of lamb (..and the lion feel in love with the lamb…anyone?). Rhys and Feyre are busy sending notes back and forth in what is honestly a far superior form of texting. Rhys has a nightmare and Feyre is there to soothe him and catch a glimpse of his tattoos… And then we meet the mortal queens…aka mean girls…aka you all know these girls from high school (and secretly creep to make sure their lives turn out as awful as their personality…no? Just me then…). The queens are nasty and are of no use but maybe, just maybe, the Golden Queen could be reached? Either way - war is coming, Miryam’s secret is spilled, and four of the queens need a skincare regiment.
Summer Court - Round Two! Feyre believes she has found where the book is hidden. Because who wouldn’t hide a book full of terrible power in a temple ruin that is hidden by the tide? So Feyre does some pretty terrible detective work and in order to cover up her major faux pax - she breaks into Tarquin’s mind. Honestly, would pay to get deeper insight into that…After successfully covering herself, Feyre, Rhys and Amren make a plan that rivals that of Scooby and the Gang. Thank god for water wraiths, am I right?
Is it getting hot in here or is it just us??? Just kidding, it’s because we are in the Summer Court this week! Rhys, Amren and the Night Court’s trusty bloodhound, aka Feyre, are on the hunt for the High Fae’s half of the Book of Breathings. And that heat we feel is coming from the absolutely delicious (and not vanilla) High Lord Tarquin. After an awkward and slightly snippy introduction (looking at you Cressida), everyone enjoys a night on Tarquin’s Pleasure Barge…until Feyre gets a little teensy bit jealous and Rhys finds himself in the dog house. Feyre and Tarquin put the moves on each other while browsing Amren’s dream room, aka the Summer Court jewelry trove. After both Feyre and Rhys come obscenely close to FINALLY admitting how they feel, SJM graces us with one of the best quotes of the series. To the stars who listen…
So the Inner Circle is “patiently” waiting on the Mortal Queens or The Summer Court to return their messages for a visit and need something to do in the mean time. Obviously, a date night is the answer. Date night in Velaris would not be complete without mouthwateringly delicious High Fae food that makes you come “awake” and goblets of blood, of course! (Do you know if blood icees are a thing?) Feyre finds out that Rhys sent the music to her Under the Mountain that literally saved her (hold the sobs). And then training begins. And training is brutal...but as long as there is great eye candy...worth it? At last the Summer Court responds and the Inner Circle prepares to leave - but not Cassian, because honestly, he blew up a building last time he was there....seriously?
We are still in the Mortal Realm but at least we have some action to get us through the trying times. Rhys and Feyre enjoy a nice day off by traipsing through the snow to train. Unable to concentrate, Feyre sends our beautiful High Lord to babysit Nessian while she stares at a candle for hours…until Bartok makes his grand return. It turns out Rhys was just using Feyre as bait which leads her to finally winnow…and tackle him to the ground. We FINALLY get back to Velaris. As a peace offering, Rhys shows Feyre what became of Bartok during his time with Azriel…and, to be honest, it is pretty hot. In order to quell the tension with the Spring Court, Feyre decides to make it clear she is gone for good. After writing the best letter ever, Feyre dares Rhys to take her out on the town and we CAN NOT WAIT.
We are back in the Mortal Realm....yay? While awaiting an answer from the Summer Court, Feyre and our Bat Boys go to her family’s estate to break the news of Hybern’s plans to Nesta and Elain. Predictably, Elain calls for tea and Nesta is...well Nesta. Feyre shares her story with her sisters and learns Elain is engaged to the son of a psycho Fae hunter. Meanwhile, during dinner, along with some bland human food, everyone is served a healthy dose of delicious tension between Cassian and Nesta. Can’t wait to see where this random team-up goes!
The Weaver Of The Wood - an ancient, wicked, cunning, creature…Feyre is tasked with stealing an object from her that originally belonged to Rhys. Feyre breaks into the cottage, which from far-away is a bookstagrammers’ dream but up-close is a stomach curdling nightmare. Feyre finds Rhys’ ring, but not soon enough to get away from The Weaver’s clutches. The Weaver stops singing her vile, murderous tune, in order to hunt Feyre down. Feyre escapes by throwing a brick in her face and jumping through the trees. Rhys winnows them back, Feyre vomits, and she throws the ring down on the table…everyone is shocked, honestly. And High Fae BBQ? Cool, good to know.
After one unforgettable family dinner, Feyre is put to work with a super casual trip to visit the Bone Carver. On their way, Rhys opens up a bit more about the true terrors he had to endure with Amarantha and everything he did to protect his people, including acting like the monster people expected him to be. The first attempt to chat with the Bone Carver doesn’t exactly go as planned but Amren comes in clutch with a “lucky” amulet....psych! Feyre and Rhys finally make it to the Bone Carver...whose appearance is possibly the biggest foreshadowing ever. After Feyre’s devastating confession, the Bone Carver confirms Rhys’ fears, the King of Hybern has the Cauldron...uh oh!
Every family dinner should include lots of wine and the Inner Circle. This week Feyre meets our sexy Illaryian warriors, Cassian and Azriel. If that weren’t enough excitement for one night, she meets the ancient, gorgeous and slightly unsettling Amren and gets a much needed pep talk from our goddess Mor. After a few embarrassing slip ups (cough cough “Lord Cassian” cough cough), Feyre gets a crash course in the Inner Circle’s history and comes to realize this is a family she could see herself joining.
Velaris here we come! Feyre wakes up from her Spring Court nightmare to see sweet baby Rhys watching over her. Rhys gives her the option to go “home” or stay with him. Thankfully she chooses correctly! Rhys takes her to his city -Velaris, the City of Starlight (swoon). We get our first glimpse of the Inner Circle and boy, oh boy, do they sound like a riot! While exploring the city, Rhys and Feyre get the chance to get to know each other a bit more...granted Feyre is a bit snarky at times. We end on Feyre finally admitting to Rhys and, more importantly, herself that the Spring Court and Tam were not the best for her. It seems she is opening herself up to the possibility of more and we can’t wait to see what it entails!
And Tam blew up the entire study. But Feyre’s power is coming in clutch. Rhys is trying desperately to save her from the darkness when he comes to take her back. But she feels she must return to her prison. Feyre makes one final plea to Tamlin to let her help and be useful. But what does he do? Creates a barrier to lock her into the house. Feyre falls into a panic and surrounds herself in darkness while trying to winnow away.
War is coming...or so says Rhys. He wants Feyre on his team. He wants her to read, train, and explore her powers. Unlike Tam, who frankly, just wants her as a trophy wife. When she returns, the Tithe is upon them. Feyre thinks Tam is ridiculously selfish and ends up giving her rubies to a Water Wraith. Feyre is fed up and warns Tam that he is drowning her - so the proper reaction is to explode, obviously. WARNING: Loud scream at minute 83...Blake apologizes!
We are FINALLY in the Night Court and Maas sets the dang standard for interior decorating here! Rhys’ “rescue” of Feyre doesn’t go quite to plan, unless he expected to get a near concussion from a silk slipper. While Feyre struggles to come to terms with the consequences of her runaway bride adventure, Rhys makes good on one of his promises from Under The Mountain by teaching Feyre to read. Join us as we obsess over every single adorable verbal spat these two soon to be lovers have.
It’s officially ACOMAF time!!! We got a long one this week guys, we apologize but we needed to get through these beginning chapters. Feyre is in a dark AF place mentally while “home” at the Spring Court. She and Tamlin are handling their problems very well...with sex and surface level conversations. Ianthe is the Dolores Umbridge of the series. We are introduced to some pretty boring traditions and Feyre loathes every second of wedding prep. The supposed wedding of the century starts off with some panic and then is interrupted by our favorite High Lord.
Welcome to our first ever Book Boyfriends Episode! This episode is all about the boys we love and some we hate to love! The episode is broken down into different sections so that if you have not read a particular book you can avoid spoilers. Just listen for Blake’s “Spoiler Warnings” This episode includes: - Rhys, Cassian, and Azriel, Lucien, Tam and Jurian - Hunt Athalar and Ruhn Danaan from Crescent City - Desmond Flynn from The Bargainer series - Hawke Flynn from From Blood and Ash - Cardan Greenbriar from The Cruel Prince -Rowan and Dorian (TOG boys will be briefly touched upon on but obviously saving the juicy insights for our Throne of Glass episodes) -Simon and Baz from Carry On -Will and Jem, Jace, Malec, and Julian from Shadowhunters -Thomas Cresswell from Stalking Jack the Ripper -Kallias from The Shadows Between Us We cannot wait to hear your thoughts on this one! Come share the thirst!
We. Are. Done. We are finally finished with A Court of Thorns and Roses. Feyre has one more task and then tries to hide the mind fuck. Oh and she offically becomes a High Fae. Tamlin does something manly for once and then tries to take credit for saving her. Rhys steals our hearts one more time before Mist and Fury. AND THE BOND SNAPS IN PLACE, whether we know it or not...Only to return to the Spring Court later that day.
Join us for our second to last episode for A Court of Thorns and Roses. Task 2 is finally here, poor Lucien gets thrown in the middle again and Rhys realizes Feyre can’t read (the Eye of Sex comes in handy - get it? HANDY). Feyre slowly falls into a depression and yet all she can think about is hooking up with Tamlin. Meanwhile, Rhys lets his mask slip and slowly hints about his feelings and the plans he has been working on since he was trapped Under the Mountain.
We are almost done with this book! And we are here for it! Feyre makes the deal of a lifetime even though she doesn’t know it yet...and she gets a beast tattoo out of it. Rhys makes us swoon a few times. Then Feyre is painted and dirty dances for the court a few times (thank the cauldron she blacked out on wine beforehand).
We are officially Under the Mountain and Feyre makes a questionable deal. Tamlin starts to make it clear that he doesn’t love her...he loves the pussy. Meanwhile, Feyre hunts a giant toothy worm and Rhys falls in love.
We are finally back in Prythian! Alis is the real MVP and drops some straight facts that leave Feyre shook. Bottomline: Amarantha is horny AF. We end with Feyre going Under the Mountain to be greeted by Bartok.
Join us this week for a brief review of Feyre’s return to the mortal realm. We also go on an epic rant about second book cliffhangers and the emotional damage they instill.
Join us this week as we all actually sit together to record! This episode has it all: Summer Solstice, the Court of Nightmares version of Rhys, and, FINALLY, the slow burn is over.
This week we see the aftermath of Calamari and the sexual tension is REAL. Feyre opens up to Tam in a big way and finally shows off her art. Madison has a meltdown (again) on the insane slow burn. The veil is lifted at last and Feyre finds out she has basically been on “Spring Court Big Brother”.
Ladies and gents, this is the moment you’ve waited for! It’s Calanmai time and we finally meet Rhys! And to make it even better we meet Tamlin the Sex God. Join us for a seriously steamy episode this week as we go through chapters 19-21.
Join us for a truly entertaining dinner following the lovely chat with the Suriel and deadly Naga encounter! These chapters are chalk full of some juicy background information. Granted a lot of these serious conversations are ill-timed and happen during what should be sexy time in the starlight pool...
The hills are alive with creatures in Prythian! We get to meet the water nymphs, naga and Blake’s main bitch...the Suriel! This episode also sees the beginnings of Feyre and Lucien’s reluctant friendship. Come join us for episode 5!
Join us for our fourth episode where everyone is catching feels and Feyre finally lets go of that damn oath!
Surprise! Join us as we discuss chapters 7-9 of ACOTAR. In this episode, we get to see Tamlin’s hopeless and downright awkward attempts at flattery and we judge the hell out of Feyre’s reluctance to appreciate her situation more. Plus we show some love for Alis’ sass and our favorite gossip, the Suriel!
Hello Tamlin! Join us this week as we get to see Feyre’s badass warrior instincts and we finally venture into Prythian. We also get to meet Lucien and Alis at Tamlin’s beautiful prison...we mean estate!
Join us for our first ever episode as we are introduced to badass Feyre, talk shit about Issac Hale and discuss our ever-changing feelings about Tamlin. NOTE: Our early ACOTAR episodes were recorded using an old platform. Please excuse the volume issues. These are resolved in the later ACOTAR episodes. Thank you lovelies!
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