FandomtasticPod

Reading Challenge 2023 Jan 11, 2023

Here we go, Fandomtastic Fam!

We're coming to talk about all things reading challenge 2023 related (aka giving epic recs!). Check them out here:

1. January: Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier; The Maid and the Orcs

2. February: Seduce Me At Sunrise by Lisa Kleypas; Kingdom of Stars and Shadows

3. March: Fumbled by Alexa Martin; Tattered by Devney Perry; A Lie For A Lie by Helen Hunting

4. April: The Fine Print by Lauren Asher; Royally Screwed by Emma Chase; Stolen By The Wolves by Lax Robinson

5. May: The Gamble by Kristen Ashley; The Lady and the Orc by Finley Fenn; It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas

6. June: Puck Drills and Quick Thrills by Eden Finley; Sustained by Emma Chase

November & December Recap Dec 12, 2022

Today we're rounding up our November and December reads, so if you need any last-minute book recs to close out the year, THIS IS YOUR EPISODE 👀

GLOW Recap with Raven Kennedy Nov 23, 2022

Thank you all so much for your patience - the GLOW discussion with author extraordinaire Raven Kennedy is finally here!

This episode does, of course, include spoilers for the Plated Prisoner series, so please keep that in mind as you're listening.

October Roundup & November Reading Challenge Nov 16, 2022

Here's an episode we had a lot of fun working on - our October and November roundups. The reading prompt for October was #WitchShit (listen for Ava's disappointing read) and for November's, it was "Read a Retelling" (listen for Steph's disappointing read). But we were also blessed with some pretty awesome books, so don't think this is JUST a rant episode!

Reading Challenge Update(s) Oct 26, 2022

We know it's been a minute, but we have been reading (albeit...not too much). But we wanted to take an episode to update you on the books we've been enjoying over the past few months!

We'll be talking about July, August, September, and our projected reads about October!

Let us know in the comments what your favorite read has been these past few months!

S4E1: Fandomtastic Five Oct 12, 2022

Welcome back to Fandomtastic, your one-stop pod for books, banter, and bumpin' uglies (if anyone has a better euphemism for s*x that starts with B, let us know).

Today we're discussing 5 of the reasons why we had to jump into an unplanned hiatus this past summer. We know, we know, this isn't exactly the steamy discussion you're used to, but we can promise it's absolutely full of chaos and shenanigans. We're really excited to be rolling out more episodes for you! Don't forget to check out our Instagram @fandomtasticpod for more updates!

Meet the Bloomsberry Jun 10, 2022

This episode is a little different, but I hope you enjoy an interview I (Ava) conducted with my friend, Britt; Britt is a force of the bookish industry!

She's a bookstagrammer (@bibliobrittish), worked social media for an independent bookstore, and currently works for Bloomsbury (aka. Sarah J Maas's publisher). In this episode, Britt takes us behind the curtain, per se, to explore the backend of the bookish industry.

Wrapping Up Wanderlust May 27, 2022

Happy Monday, patrons! We're finalizing our May reads (a few days early, yes - but hey, it's been a slow reading month) and chit-chatting about June, aka Queertastic aka Read Something Gay!

The books mentioned:

- The Chorus of Dragons series by Jenn Lyons
- The Plated Prisoner series by Raven Kennedy
- Nemesis Games and Babylon's Ashes by James SA Corey
- Him and Us by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy
- Tragic by Devney Perry
- The Off Campus series by Elle Kennedy
- House of Beating Wings by Olivia Wildenstein
- Court of the Vampire Queen by Katee Robert
- Forging Silver Into Stars by Brigid Kemmerer
- Try by Ella Frank
- Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
- Wicked Beauty by Katee Robert
- Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
- Wicked Villains by Katee Robert
- Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall
- Fresh Catch by Kate Canterbury
- Furyborn by Claire Legrand
- Star Eater by Kirsten Hall
- Sabine Valley by Katee Robert
- A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland
- The Prince's Poison Vow by Hailey Turner
- The Beautiful Monsters by Jex Lane
- Check, Please by Ngozi Ukazu
- Take A Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert
- The Camelot series by Sierra Simone

Kleytastic (A Lisa Kleypas special) May 20, 2022

Hi patrons!

This week's episode is dedicated to all things Lisa Kleypas (by which we mean, her historical romances, not her contemporaries haha). Please note this episode will contain spoilers for her Wallflowers, Hathaways, and Ravenels series!

It will also contain:

- A minor (major) rant about Devon
- Why Garrett is not giving
- A Fandomtastic trope: the reluctant DILF
- Is Sebastian from The Little Mermaid fuckable - Y/N?

And more!

Worlds of Wanderlust May 17, 2022

Today we're discussing everything WANDERLUST: books, destinations, and most importantly, food.

(Warning: this episode may cause you to feel VERY hungry)

May The Fourth Be With You May 06, 2022

Today we're posting our recap episode about all things Star Wars (as such, this episode contains spoilers for the movies, and The Mandalorian). But if you're not into Star Wars, that's okay, because this episode is novice-friendly - we play FMK, talk about the Rage that spawns in men only when women have Opinions about Star Wars, ships, Space Latinos, and more!

April Recap and May Readtastic Apr 29, 2022

Happy Friday!

We hope you've been enjoying the beginning of May! As a reminder, April's Readtastic prompt was "fake-dating" and May's is "read a book that gives you wanderlust."

Here are all the books we mention in today's episode:

Eclipse the Moon - Jessie Mihalik

The Love Hypothesis - Ali Hazelwood

The Beauty and the Baller - Ilsa Madden Mills

A Taste of Gold and Iron - Alexandra Roland

Gossamer in the Darkness - Kristen Ashley

The Player and the Pixie - LH Cosway and Penny Reid

The Expanse - James Corey

Temeraire - Naomi Novik

The Plated Prisoner series - Raven Kennedy

On Dublin Street - Samantha Young

The Adair Family series - Samantha Young

Racing the Sun - Karina Halle

Gods of Jade and Shadow - Silvia Moreno Garcia

Daughter of Smoke and Bone - Laini Taylor

Master of Djinn - P Djeli Clark

Runaway series - Devney Perry

A Discovery of Witches - Deborah Harkness

Stolen by the Wolves - Lyx Robinson

The Lady of Rooksgrave Manor - Kathryn Moon

The Bone Season - Samantha Shannon

The Object of All Our Desires...or The Bane of Our Existence? Apr 22, 2022

Today, Steph and Ava are recapping the much-anticipated second season of Netflix's Bridgerton. In this episode, we're making like Lady Whistledown and spilling the tea on everything we loved (and hated) about season two.

This episode does contain spoilers for Bridgerton Season One and Two, The Viscount Who Loved Me, and To Sir Phillip, With Love.

Double Dragon Dicks - The Dragon's Bride Recap Apr 15, 2022

Here it is! The moment we know so many of you have been waiting for...Steph and Ava are diving into THE DRAGON'S BRIDE by Katee Robert. This was Ava's first monster-fucking book, and maybe if you joined our read along, it was also your first monster-fucking book. Whether you're a veteran or a virgin in this area, we hope you enjoy all of our thoughts and feelings. Steph also mentions some book recs at the end:

The Lady of Rooksgrave Manor by Kathryn Moon
In the Company of Monsters by Kathryn Moon
Beautiful Monsters by Jex Lane

This episode does come with a content warning for the word r*pe

Author Spotlight: Ali Hazelwood Apr 08, 2022

In one of our most anticipated and completely unhinged episodes, we joined Ali Hazelwood, author of The Love Hypothesis, the STEMinist novellas, and the upcoming Love on the Brain (August 2022) to talk steam, fandom, Star Wars, and…Ice Planet Barbarians?

Want to join in on the fun with our live author events to ask your favorite writers your burning questions? Check us out at patreon.com/fandomtastic to learn more!

March Roundup & April "Fake It and Fuck (it)" Apr 01, 2022

In this episode, Steph & Ava talk about all the books they read in March (it was a...slow month, to say the least), and all that we're looking forward to reading in April. As a reminder, our March Readtastic Challenge Prompt was "Read a book with a green cover" and April's is "Read a book that incorporates the fake dating/relationship trope." We asked for recommendations and posted the suggestions in our Instagram (check out the @fandomtasticpod page and the highlights to view them), but you can also find our personal recommendations in this episode. And, as a reminder, we're currently enjoying (or, in Ava's case, enduring) our read-along of The Dragon's Bride by Katee Robert, so definitely tune in if #dragondick was on your 2022 Bingo card.

Here are all the books we mentioned in S3E1:
- The Master by Kresly Cole
- Neon Gods & Wicked Beauty by Katee Robert
- The Angels of Elysium series by Olivia Wildenstein
- Hook, Line, and Sinker & Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey
- Stuck With You & The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
- The Temeraire series by Naomi Novik
- Leviathan Wakes by James SA Corey
- In Deep by Hannah Haze
- To Bleed a Crystal Bloom by Sarah A Parker
- Taste & Ignite by Melanie Harlow
- Rhythm, Chord, and Malykhin & The Wall of Winnipeg and Me by Mariana Zapata
- Fortuna Sworn by KJ Sutton
- The Savage and the Swan by Ella Fields
- There With You by Samantha Young
- Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas
- The Hooker and the Hermit by Penny Reid and LH Cosway
- Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall
- Take A Hint, Dani Brown & The Princess Trap by Talia Hibbert
- The Deal & The Risk by Elle Kennedy
- To Love Jason Thorne by Ella Maise
- The Duchess Deal, A Week to be Wicked, & Any Duchess Will Do by Tessa Dare
- The Worst Best Man & The Wedding Crasher by Mia Sosa
- The Moonlighter by Sarina Bowen
- The Bluff by Willa Nash
- River Knight by Devney Perry
- The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

S2 Finale: House of Sky and Breath Spoiler Chat Mar 04, 2022

We're wrapping up Season Two of Fandomtastic with our spoiler chat of Sarah J Maas's House of Sky and Breath - in this episode, we discuss the ending (!), the new characters we're falling in love with, the twists on our ships, and more! We also went live on Instagram on March 2, so don't forget to check out our other chat, if you're wanting more HOSAB content!

Thank you to all of our listeners, and we'll be back in April with season three!

February Roundup & March Readtastic Prompt Feb 25, 2022

This episode dives into everything we read for February (it was not...impressive) and everything we're planning to read for March...which, at this point, fingers crossed. Godspeed to us all haha.

Books we mentioned:

Nuts by Alice Klayton
Kulti by Mariana Zapata
Rosalie Palmer Takes the Cake by Alexis Hall
Battle Royal by Lucy Parker
Under One Roof by Ali Hazelwood
Deceived by the Gargoyles by Lilian Lark
The Prince's Poison Vow by Hailey Turner
Under Locke by Mariana Zapata
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
House of Sky and Breath
Good Girl Complex by Elle Kennedy
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
The Legacy by Elle Kennedy
Barbarian Alien by Ruby Dixon
Spark by Brigid Kemmerer
The Risk by Elle Kennedy
Wicked Beauty by Katee Robert
The Master by Kresly Cole
Juniper Hill by Devney Perry
Stolen Songbird by Danielle L Jensen
Jade City by Fonda Lee
Wild and Wicked Things by Francesca May
Heir of Fire by SJM
The Dragon's Bride by Katee Robert

Throw Back Theories: Throne of Glass Feb 18, 2022

Happy HOSAB week, everyone! To avoid any form of CC spoilers, we're diving into the throw back of all throw backs: Throne of Glass. This episode dishes on all the popular theories that floated around during the TOG-era, and we'll be exploring our reactions to them, then and now, post-TOG.

Happy listening!

Author Spotlight: Danielle L Jensen Feb 11, 2022

*If you listen closely, you can hear Ava screaming in the background*

We had the opportunity to interview one of Fandomtastic's all-time favorite authors, Danielle L Jensen; ICYMI, Danielle is the author of the Bridge Kingdom series, the Dark Shores series, and the Malediction trilogy, all of which we endorse big time. In this interview, we learned all about Danielle's writing process (including the music that hypes her up for some of the badass fight scenes), a few insights about the Viking-esque book we can hopefully expect from her in the coming years, and which of her characters is the most similar to her!

We hope you enjoy this interview!

House of Sky and Theories Feb 04, 2022

Happy Friday, Fandomtastic Fam!

Due to some brain shenanigans, this episode is late; sorry about that! But there's still enough time to listen before HOSAB comes out, and that's what we're focusing on this episode! We'll talk theories about everything from:

Threesome suspicions
The...weather?
A mental "generational gap"
And more!

January Roundup Feb 04, 2022

Happy Friday, Fandomtastic fam!

This episode dives into everything we read during January - including the books selected for our reading challenge, including what we liked... and what we didn't. We'll also be chatting about the February reading challenge, so stay tuned!

Books Ava mentioned:

Everything here
Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake by Alexis Hall
Battle Royal by Lucy Parker

Books Steph mentioned:

Books by author Devney Perry (specifically Tattered and Juniper Hill)
Kiss My Cupcake by Helena Hunting
Neighbor From Hell by RL Mathewson
Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert

Couples Therapy Jan 21, 2022

This episode is wholly dedicated to talking about our OTPs (and threes...and more!). Steph and Ava dive into the delights of shipping fictional characters (and some of the non-delights). Tune in to catch our OTPS, our NO-TPs, the ones we dream about and the ones that will never be (even though we wish they were...)

Event Extravaganza Jan 14, 2022

If you've been a listener for a while, you might recall that Steph runs several bookish events and Ava...has been to a few.

Whether you're wanting to learn more about how bookish events are organized and structured, or just hoping to snag a few tips about how to make the most out of your bookish adventure, this is the episode for you! We're diving deep into bookish events, from those that are no longer around, to some that we're excited to attend this year!

Readtastic 2022 Jan 07, 2022

Although we took this episode to explain what a reading challenge is, here's the quick and dirty:

January: Read one of Steph's recommendations
February: Read a foodie book
March: Read a book with a green cover
April: Read a book with the fake dating trope
May: Read a book that gives you wanderlust
June: Read a book with a queer protagonist
July: Read one of Ava's recommendations
August: Read a book that came out more than 3 years ago
September: Read a book where sports are heavily featured
October: #Witchshit Read a book with witches
November: Read a book that is a retelling
December: Read a book that has been on your TBR for longer than a year

We're super excited to celebrate this year with Steph's recommendations, and we hope that you enjoy the prompts!

Bookish Manifestations Dec 31, 2021

Happy Friday, Fandomtastic Fam!

Today we're chatting about our bookish manifestations for 2022 - the books we want to read, the books we're going to start reading, the books we want to fall into our laps in 2022, the shows we're going to watch, the music we're going to listen to - ALL OF IT!

What are YOU looking forward to in 2022?

Author Spotlight: Jennifer L Armentrout Dec 24, 2021

Happy Friday, Fandomtastic Fam!

Today we're bringing our audio transcript of our JLA chat to you! Please keep in mind that this episode is coming to you after the release of A SHADOW IN THE EMBER, so there will be spoilers for both the Flesh and Fire series and all of the current releases within the Blood and Ash series - there are also some exciting reveals and surprises regarding THE WAR OF TWO QUEENS!

If you want to join our Patreon to access the live events with our author guests, check out Patreon.com/fandomtastic

A Year in the Life Dec 17, 2021

Today Steph and Ava are rounding up all of the books we read this year, the fictional characters we lusted over, the Marvel content we devoured, the books we didn't quite make it to, and more - this is our "year in the life" of Fandomtastic.

Author Spotlight: Lynette Noni Dec 10, 2021

Happy Friday, Fandomtastic Fam!

In October, we had the delight of hosting Lynette Noni, author of The Prison Healer trilogy (and much more!), for a Patreon-exclusive Zoom! Lynette was amazing to chat with, and we had the opportunity to ask some burning questions about her past and future works! Please note this chat does contain some spoilers for The Gilded Cage. This episode features:

Flox chat
Caldon simping
The Blood Traitor...things 👀
Hopefully a recipe!
What Lynette is currently reading & working on
And so much more!

Author Spotlight: Raven Kennedy Dec 03, 2021

Happy Friday, Fandomtastic Fam!

Anchor, our hosting site for the platform, unfortunately bungled our scheduling, so while this episode was meant to go up November 26, it...didn't. Sorry for the delay! But for those of you who were waiting, and we appreciate your patience - here is the audio transcript of our Zoom event with Raven Kennedy, author of the Plated Prisoner series! Please keep in mind there are spoilers for the three books currently available (Gild, Glint, and Gleam), but if you're caught up, listen on for exciting chat about Raven's writing process, her inspiration for the series, and a few hints about what's up her sleeve!

It's a Vishous Cycle: BDB Recap Dec 03, 2021

Thank you to everyone who joined our BDB read-along; whether this was your first time diving into the world of the Brotherhood, or your fiftieth, we hope you enjoyed the Brothers as much as we do! We're coming at you with a recap of the first six books, from Dark Lover to Lover Enshrined, and here you'll hear:

Our favorite steamy scene (for once, Steph & Ava are in total agreement)
Which of JR Ward's creatures we'd do the devil's tango with
A Daily Dose of Caldwell Trauma
How we first stumbled into the BDB world
And more!

A few notes: There is a miiiiinor spoiler about Hunt Athalar from the Crescent City series by SJM toward the end of this episode, so keep that in mind as you're listening, and, unfortunately, I [Ava] am coming off a week of being Sick, so my voice is extra scratchy and honestly a little demonic. No sexy deep voice for me, just hoarse and coughy!

Keep in mind we just kicked off our next read-along, which is centered around Danielle (L Jensen) December, and we're starting with Tarnished Empire! Keep an eye out for our recap episode and eventual author chat with Danielle, which will be available live to our patrons in January (Patreon.com/fandomtastic) and as a recording publicly in February!

Author Highlight: Shelby Mahurin Nov 19, 2021

Happy Friday, Fandomtastic Fam!

Today, we're excited to be bringing you our first audio recording of an author Zoom: this week we're featuring Shelby Mahurin, the author of the Serpent and Dove series (so this episode will include spoilers for the series)! This audio is a direct recording of our chat with Shelby, and we hope you enjoy listening to our exuberant excitement over Shelby joining us! If you enjoy this kind of content, you can expect more episodes featuring Raven Kennedy, Lynette Noni, and Jennifer L Armentrout!

And if you want the opportunity to watch us interact live with these authors, keep in mind our Patreon community!

Happy Fangsgiving! Nov 12, 2021

This episode is dedicated to one of our favorite (sexiest) creatures: vampires! In this episode, we talk about:

The OGs: Twilight and The Vampire Diaries
A book Ava loved...and Steph hated
Our favorite vamps - and the ones who didn't scratch our itches
ALEKSANDER SKARSGARD
And so much more!

A Shadow in the Ember - Recap! Nov 05, 2021

As promised, here is our recap episode of A Shadow in the Ember - this will be full of spoilers, so please keep that in mind! In this episode, you'll hear:

There ARE right answers, and they are draken
Kneektos? Nike-toss? NYTAS???
A definitive ranking of the FBAA series
"There's no such thing as a stupid dragon--" "Stupid dragons???"
And more shenanigans!

Spooktober Wrap-up Oct 29, 2021

Want to know what Steph and Ava read, watched, and listened to during spooky season? Now you know!

In this episode you'll hear book recs of the witchy and spooky variety, movie recs of the monster-fucker variety, and....our announcement for the November read-along 👀

From Blood and Ash Recap (aka Kingdom of Kieran is Fire) Oct 22, 2021

Happy Friday! Today, Steph and Ava chat about our reactions to our recent From Blood and Ash reread, as we prepare for A Shadow in the Ember and our Patreon-exclusive Zoom with JLA in November! In this episode, we discuss:

Kieran
Kieran
Kieran
The Joining (feat. Kieran)
and Kieran!

Please keep in mind this is a recap episode, so while there will be no spoilers for A Shadow in the Ember (because Ava hasn't read it yet), there will be spoilers for the From Blood and Ash books through Crown of Gilded Bones, so listen at your own discretion!

Tunnel Villain Oct 15, 2021

Happy Friday! This week we're bringing you a much-requested episode: a chat all about villains.

In this episode, Steph and Ava discuss what it takes to be a "true" villain, how we feel about redemption arcs, some of our favorite villains of all time, and, of course some book recommendations.

Please be warned there is a spoiler for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, so if you haven't seen the film but have an interest in watching, skip ahead as soon as Kylo Ren is mentioned!

All That Glitters: The Plated Prisoner Recap Oct 08, 2021

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past few months, you'll know that Steph and I [Ava] are absolutely, hands-down obsessed with Raven Kennedy's THE PLATED PRISONER series; just as a quick recap, the series currently consists of GILD, GLINT, and GLEAM, with the fourth book GLOW set to release in 2022. This past month we hosted a read along for the first three books in the series and were lucky enough to host Raven herself on a Patreon-exclusive Zoom. Now that we've concluded most of our THE PLATED PRISONER festivities (for now) we're wrapping it up with a recap of the first three books.

This episode was recorded waaaaay back in August when I [Ava] had just - literally just - finished the series for the first time, so this recap is about as raw as they get. Enjoy!

Happy Spooktober! Oct 01, 2021

Happy Friday, Happy October, and, most importantly, HAPPY SEASON TWO OF FANDOMTASTIC! 🥳🥳🥳🥳 Thank you so much for your patience during our between-seasons hiatus, we're so excited to be back! As you may know, we have so many exciting things coming your way, authors we're so hyped to meet and talk about, incoming episodes that rank among our all-time favorites, and more!

We're kicking the official start of Spooky Season off with a bang - or, if you appreciate a pun, a bump [in the night]. In this episode, Steph and I [Ava], tackle all things spooky and witchy; beginning with the one and only Manon Blackbeak and ending with embarrassing Halloween stories, the definitive truth of Spooky Season foods, and, of course, some chit-chatting about my [Ava's] grandma. Would it even be an episode without my grandma? 😛

Ship Shit Aug 27, 2021

It's hard to believe it, but...with this episode we wrap up Season One of Fandomtastic! 😱😍🥳 Thank you so much to our patrons, our listeners - your support has meant the world these past few months, and we are so, so excited to cook up some amazing content for Season 2 (we won't be gone for long, and we'll of course be releasing bonus epis during our brief hiatus for our patrons!).

We've stayed away from this topic for most of the season, but why not end our books & booze podcast with a bang? 😏 In this episode, we tackle the great Elriel vs Gwynriel debate, including what we think will sail. To be clear, that doesn't mean Steph and I [Ava] are right, nor do we intend to throw shade during this episode - these are simply our opinions. But there is a lot to discuss, and you can expect us to go over all of it in this episode, nicknamed "A Court of Boats and Hoes."

*Sadly, my [Ava's] mic picked up a little bit of feedback while I was fidgeting with my desk as we recorded, so - my bad!

Koschei Didn't Come to Play Aug 20, 2021

This was such a fun episode for us (Steph & Ava) to record, because it delves into one of our favorite subjects: villainy! Specifically, the mysterious Koschei who is mentioned briefly in A Court of Wings and Ruin but really makes his grand entrance in A Court of Silver Flames - as such, this episode will have spoilers for the ACOTAR series, so please keep that in mind as you listen!

In this episode, you'll find:

Ava geeking out over (admittedly spooky) childhood fairytales and names she can't pronounce
"My grandma could smoke all of you"
Elain's possible role in the Koschei arc
Theories upon theories upon theories

Kingdom of Ash Recap - I Gavriel My All Aug 13, 2021

We can hardly believe it, but thus marks the end of our Throne of Glass reread! We want to thank all of you for joining us on this journey, whether it was your first time or your fiftieth, and we hope you enjoyed this reread & our subsequent recap episodes! In this episode, you'll find:

Manon: Motivational Speaker, Life Coach, Killer of Men
MVP Moments
Lorcan - Cadre Member or Minimum Wage Employee?
The real villain of Throne of Glass...👀

Tower of Dawn Recap/I Can't Help Westfalling For You Aug 06, 2021

Today we're going to be discussing Tower of Dawn, the book that kind of took us all by surprise. In this episode, you can expect to hear:

Massive Sartaq fangirling
Chaol lenience (*le gasp*)
The moments that left our jaws hanging on the floor

And more!

As always, thank you for your patronage, and we hope you enjoy this week's episode! If you're feeling so inclined, drop us a comment letting us know your thoughts about ToD!

Empire of Storms Recap - Where You Elide, I Will Follow Jul 30, 2021

We have reached Empire of Storms in our Throne of Glass read along, which means that we have reached one of the most painful cliffhangers in...all of existence. In this episode, you'll find:

Just a bit more Aedion slander
A new fleet of ships (*ahem* Elorcan)
Mate musings
MAEVE SLANDER

Thank you for listening, we appreciate you, and hope you'll enjoy this week's episode!

Queen of Shadows Recap/Let's Get it ManON Jul 23, 2021

We are now on to QUEEN OF SHADOWS in our Throne of Glass reread! It's hard to believe we're already here, on this pinnacle book, but Wyrd knows we're thrilled. And we had a lot of feelings about Queen of Shadows. In this episode you'll hear

Okay...a bit more Aedion slander
#LysandraDefenseSquad
HMS R.O.W.A.E.L.I.N
The ship that never sailed...
and more!

Heir of Fire Recap - You're A Whitethorn In My Side Jul 16, 2021

Here is our HEIR OF FIRE recap episode - this is basically just a Rowan Whitethorn stan episode. But don't worry, you'll also hear us chat about:

The emotion of the Celaena-Aelin transition
Manon(!), Queen of Our Hearts
Slaedion - Aedion Slander ;)
The exact moment Steph fell in love with Rowan (and who can blame her)
Chaol discourse

And more!

Crown of Midnight Recap/Natural Chaoltastrophe Jul 09, 2021

This episode marks our (Steph and Ava's) recap of the second Throne of Glass book - Crown of Midnight! While maybe not everyone's favorite, we can't deny that this book was full of exciting twists, surprises, and new characters that have a huge impact on later books in the series - which is why we had so much fun chatting this episode! You'll hear us talk

Witch shit/Ava's grandma's idea of a "bedtime story"
Celaena's secret identity
Dorian (!!!!)
And more!
PS. To the Chaol lovers, we love you! We just may not love Chaol ;)

What in the Wyrd? - Throne of Glass Recap Jul 02, 2021

Covered in this episode: Steph & Ava dish out all of our thoughts and feelings on the book that started it all, Throne of Glass. This episode will include some shots fired at an unnamed character, fangirling over an unexpected favorite, and some serious admiration for the worldbuilding of Sarah J Maas - move over, Marvel Multiverse, this is the era of the Maas multiverse.

Thank you for joining our read along journey, and tune in next week for our Crown of Midnight recap!

The Ball is in Your Cortland (THE ASSASSIN'S BLADE Recap) Jun 25, 2021

Covered in this episode: Steph and Ava tackle the five novellas that make up The Assassin's Blade (which Sarah recommends reading before the rest of the Throne of Glass series, despite TAB releasing after the first TOG book!) We talk Sam, Celaena's trials, and foreshadowing!

You can expect:

"Shots fired and he hasn't even shown up"
Rolfe: Will he make it to the Water-Boy hall of fame?
The one villain Steph isn't interested in
We don't spoil any content for future books in the series, but of course there will be spoilers for THE ASSASSIN'S BLADE, so if you're behind on the read along, no worries - listen when you finish!

We hope you enjoy this episode and we can't wait for next week's chat about Throne of Glass! Just as a heads-up, as Steph and I [Ava] were recording, we realized we had a lot to say, even though TAB is one of the shorter books in the series. So, starting with Queen of Shadows, we'll be breaking up the books into two weeks of reading, to give anyone following along time to get through these chunky books and because Steph and I don't want you to have to slog through 2 hour episodes! Updated graphics will be posted this week, and we're so glad you're joining us for this reread!

Zaddy's Summer Solstice Day Jun 18, 2021

I [Ava] am so, so, so excited about this episode - it is quite possibly my favorite that we've ever recorded. With the Summer Solstice and Father's Day right around the corner, we talked about our favorite daddies (😏) of the ACOTAR series, which means you'll be enjoying some:

Tarquin Propoganda
Tarquin Propoganda
Tarquin Propoganda
"No but I am the High Lady of the Summer Court" (and I'll provide evidence...)

Steph chatted all about Helion and patiently listened to my absolute freakout rant about Tarquin, so for anyone who was hoping for that...you're welcome.

That's What We're TOG'ing About Jun 11, 2021

It's the moment you've all (or at least some of you, LOL) have been waiting for! The THRONE OF GLASS reread commences this month, and to make sure that we're prepared, Steph and I have decided to chat all things Throne of Glass to get into TOG gear (so yes, this episode will contain prolific and unmarked spoilers) for the series, so if you're a newbie to Throne of Glass, we recommend listening after you read the books. We'll be kicking off our reread with THE ASSASSIN'S BLADE, and our recap episode will go live on June 25th! We will be reading one book per week, but no pressure if you fall behind or can't join us this summer; just listen to the recap episodes at your leisure!

Covered in this episode:

Cover Slander
"And then I became a full on, salivating, rabid fangirl...you know how it goes"
Steph Gets Triggered™
Bullying the Blackbeak Matron

RUHNminations Jun 04, 2021

Covered in this episode: We take a bit of a deep dive into the history and lore of the Starborn Fae from CRESCENT CITY (so this episode will have unmarked HOEAB spoilers!), which of course means discussing our favorite Chosen One, Ruhn Danaan.

What you can expect from this episode:

Ava gets too attached to Arthurian lore (but what else is new)
Forked Proximity Trope (?)
Who's Under (and Over) Tharion (because we have to bring Tharion up at all times)

We hope you enjoy this episode, and stay tuned for more exciting things coming to our SJM officially-licensed shop, fandomtastic.com. If you haven't already, don't forget to subscribe or leave us a review! And remember, don't let the hard days win!

Nestassary Changes May 28, 2021

COVERED IN THIS EPI: Steph and I are brazen die-hard Nesta fans, so this episode is just us fangirling over our fave, swooning over Nessian, and adoring the Valkyrie friendship. We'll be chatting:

Wings and Embers - this is the Nessian bonus scene in ACOMAF!
When did we start to love Nesta (*cough cough* Immediately)
Dread Trove Discourse
Do keep in mind there will be MASSIVE ACOSF SPOILERS!

PS. There are some minor cameos from Ernie's squeaky toy!

Elain in the Membrane May 21, 2021

COVERED IN THIS EPI: Elain is one of the most controversial characters in the Maasverse at the moment; people seem to either love or hate her! Steph and Ava talk the ins-and-outs of the most talked-about theories regarding the middle Archeron sister, the ship wars, and, of course, a bit of Marvel.

Steph goes on a Lucien-t (tangent)
Garden of Sekrets
Elain = Zemo?
Mating Bond or Walkie Talkie?
All Aboard the Evil Elain Train?
Love in BLOOM🌺🌸💐

Please note that there are unmarked spoilers for A COURT OF SILVER FLAMES AND MARVEL'S AVENGERS: ENDGAME - listen at your discretion!

Thank you to all of our lovely patrons for your excitement over our upcoming licensed Sarah J Maas merchandise. Stay tuned for our launch in June, and in the meantime, don't forget to check out our shop or recently-updated website!

Lucien Lips Sink Ships Part Two May 14, 2021

In the follow-up episode to our Lucien Vanserra chat last week, we talk ships, the status of Lucien's powers, and what his future may hold in the upcoming books of the ACOTAR series!

Of course, this episode will include unmarked spoilers for the entirety of the ACOTAR series, so please keep that in mind as you're listening! Let us know your thoughts about Lucien in the comments, and don't forget to check out the Fandomtastic Shop - we're in the home stretch of getting some pretty exciting agreements through, which means licensed Sarah J Maas merch!

Lucien Lips Sink Ships May 07, 2021

COVERED IN THIS EPI: In the first part of this highly-anticipated episode, Steph and Ava break down one of Fandomtastic’s favorite characters: Lucien Vanserra. Although maybe not as controversial as his big, bad brother, people certainly have a LOT of feelings regarding Lucien - and so did we!

In This Episode You Can Expect:

Mating-bond musings
Which band is the most moody: Panic! At the Disco, My Chemical Romance, or the Band of Exiles?
This photo
A breakdown of Tamlin’s ‘tude

Thank you to all of our listeners - we’re so glad you’re enjoying these episodes, and don't forget to like, subscribe, or leave us a review! This is also a reminder that the fandomtastic shop is now open! And remember: Don’t let the hard days win

Sugar, Spice, and Everything Bryce Part 2 Apr 30, 2021

COVERED IN THIS EPI: Steph and I [Ava] finish up our Crescent City chat in part 2 of SUGAR, SPICE, AND EVERYTHING BRYCE. We hope you've been enjoying the Crescent City read along, and let us know in the comments if there are any topics we missed that you want us to chat about! [Side note, there may be some mini cameos from the one and only Ernie, who decided to growl throughout our recording]

In this episode you'll hear us chat about:

A lite-emo phase featuring Ava's cringey teenage angst years
Steph's flat-egg (oval) keychain Tamagotchis
Pestering "Mom" aka Sarah (she didn't agree to this phrasing LOL) about the categorization of otters; "This is a random question, but a wine debate"

SPOILER ALERT: THIS EPISODE HAS UNMARKED SPOILERS FOR THE ‘A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES’ SERIES (including ACOSF)!

Thank you to everyone for listening; we appreciate your patronage so much! And remember, don't let the hard days win!

Sugar, Spice, and Everything Bryce Part 1 Apr 23, 2021

COVERED IN THIS EPI: Steph & Ava theorize all things Crescent City, including ships, POV characters, Asteri-Theory, and more! As we wind down the Crescent City read along, we hope you've enjoyed HOUSE OF EARTH AND BLOOD, whether you're a veteran or a virgin to its intensity ;) As a side note, we did have to chop this episode into two parts, and you can expect to see Ruhn-inantions, thoughts! about the Asteri, and our sexually ambivalent ships! Stay tuned for the second part, which will air next week!

What You Can Expect:

Swamp Sharks
Biker Gangs (Motorcycle or Bicycle...you'll just have to listen to find out)
Dolphin Demons IRL
Quinlar! Supremacy!

Some ContentWarnings: There are 1000% spoilers for CRESCENT CITY; if you aren't quite caught up, I recommend saving this episode for later :) There are mild spoilers for the A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES series in this episode, and at timestamp 34:46-34:56, there is a brief mention of r*pe, so please keep that in mind if this is a trigger word for you! (The conversation is not about r*pe, it's about dolphins, but the word does come up - did y'all know that dolphins are assholes?!)

A Court of TV Adaptations Apr 16, 2021

COVERED IN THIS EPI: Steph & Ava chat about the recent announcement that A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES is going to be co-adapted for television by Sarah J Maas herself and Outlander’s Ron Moore. We should warn you in advance - there may be some high-pitched excitement. Gird your loins, we’re getting IRL High Lords.

What You Can Expect:

A quick warning: Steph & I were both enjoying "coffee jitters" so if you hear some ~funky sounds~ it's just us knocking against our respective tables
High Lady or Disney Princess?
A run-down of what we know so far
Narrative predictions (start your prayer circles - we want the Inner Circle in Season 1)

Thank you to all of our listeners - we’re so glad to be able to chat about these books with you, and hope you’re enjoying these episodes! In case you want further information about the ACOTAR TV series, we’ve compiled some articles for you here, here, and here. If you enjoy our content, don't forget to like, subscribe, leave us a review, or check out our Patreon!

The Eristocracy Apr 09, 2021

COVERED IN THIS EPI: This episode tackles the one-and-only Eris Vanserra. High Lord Beron’s eldest son, Eris became one of the most-talked about figures in the fandom post-ACOSF; so obviously we had to join in. And not just because we think he rocks the sexy kinda-villainous look - but we’d be lying if we said that wasn’t part of the appeal.

Hear us talk about:

Daddy issues (times deux)
A Mysterious Mating Bond
Cassian Spills the Tea on Autumn Court Males
Is Eris a DILF? Yes, no, maybe so?

SPOILER ALERT: THIS EPISODE HAS SPOILERS FOR ‘A COURT OF SILVER FLAMES’ AS WELL AS MINOR SPOILERS FOR THE ‘THRONE OF GLASS’ SERIES. We do not mark these moments during the actual podcast, so listen at your discretion! As always, thank you all for listening!

We Are Maastastic Apr 02, 2021

COVERED IN THIS EPI: Steph & Ava say “Heyyyyyyy,” introduce our listeners to the podcast, and do a meet-and-greet that would make a corporate HR rep proud! Welcome to Maastastic, we’re glad you’re here, and don’t forget: Don’t let the Hard Days Win.

What You Can Expect:

“Uh...what?”
How Steph Met Sarah (2015-present)
God-Tier Tropes
A PSA About Smut
“Ship Shit”
Book Recommendations Galore

Thank you to all of our listeners - we’re so excited to share this podcast with you, we’re grateful for all of your support, and we are absolutely thrilled to be talking about the important things in life: books, banter, and ~steamy scenes~

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We hope you enjoy this episode, and stay tuned for more exciting things coming to our SJM officially-licensed shop, fandomtastic.com. If you haven't already, don't forget to subscribe or leave us a review! And remember, don't let the hard days win!

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