Episodes
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Katie DNF's another booktok book, Phantasma by Kalie Smith, even with giving it the good ol' college try at 21%. The main heroine was rude for no reason (strike 1), the romantic tension was nonexistent (strike 2), and it was just sorta... boring (strike 3).
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/204593914-phantasma
If you're looking for something better, try:
The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60714999-the-serpent-and-the-wings-of-night?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_7
What Monstrous Gods by Rosamund Hodge
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/173953567-what-monstrous-gods?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_9
Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15839984-cruel-beauty?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_12
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This is not an episode for a fourth wing fangirl, but it is our last one for this book, so thank you to all the readers who stuck with us through this yucky dragon journey.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61431922-fourth-wing
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Episodes manquant?
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Jordan's got TWO picks this week, one for you and one for the younger readers in your life. The first is a fairytale retelling YA pick, Enchanted by Alethea Kontis. The second, a firmly adult, hefty, more fantasy than romance deep cut: The Assassins of Tamurin by S.D. Tower (which is only available in print - gasp!)
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12180248-enchanted
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43684.The_Assassins_of_Tamurin
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As you will soon discover, we had some mishaps during the recording of part 3.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61431922-fourth-wing
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Katie does love a found family, and especially so in this week's pick Realm Breaker by Victoria Aveyard. She does warn though - this is pretty heavy in the fantasy genre with only hints at a few brewing romances on the horizon. But if you're looking for a more gender equitable high fantasy pick instead of the male lead-heavy usuals like Tolkien or Martin, this is for you!
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54513688-realm-breaker
If you're looking for something similar, try Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien or A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin.
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For you all dear readers it's a new week, for us, it's one long rant session about dragons who really should have better things to do.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61431922-fourth-wing
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Jordan's pick this week is getting steampunky with a master/assistant romance and a secret society of - you guessed it - super hot, immortal men. Sign me UP. (And hey, it's Kindle Unlimited and Jordan has read it like 8 times - what's not to love?)
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18515966-prince-of-hearts
Looking for similar vibes?
The Parasol Protectorate Series by Gail Carriger
https://www.goodreads.com/series/46888-parasol-protectorate
Anything by Olivia Atwater
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20153683.Olivia_Atwater
The movies Van Helsing (2004) or The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003)
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Jordan accuses someone of murder and Katie apparently loves golden retriever characters - and neither point is related to Katie's (thoroughly enjoyed!) pick this week, Legendborn by Tracy Deonn. A YA paranormal fantasy for younger girls who maybe think they're a little older than they actually are.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50892338-legendborn
If you're looking for something with similar vibes (that Katie also very much enjoyed!):
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo (a previous pick of the week!)
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43263680-ninth-house
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17675462-the-raven-boys
Only a Monster by Vanessa Len (also a previous pick of the week!)
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58210340-only-a-monster
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This week, Katie and Jordan trigger each other over an instagram comment that essentially questions the quality of any and all romantasy books (quite the statement on a podcast almost exclusively dedicated to good romantasy books - yikes).
Stay bothered, readers!
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In this week’s pick, something tragic almost happened - Jordan was on the verge of DNFing our newest fav book, Reign & Ruin by J. D. Evans. If you’re like Jordan (and Katie when she tried too!) and find yourself struggling, keep at it for the first 50 or so pages, and then the magic happens.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50607309-reign-ruin
If you’re looking for something similar (or are still being convinced to read it), take a look at:
The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16069030-the-winner-s-curse
Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13928.Daughter_of_the_Forest
Anything by Grace Draven
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2759153.Grace_Draven
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This week, Hari goes to boot camp with her pet leopard and battles a mysterious stranger.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/407813.The_Blue_Sword
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Katie gives likely the most lukewarm review of a book ever for An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson - "it was a book." In today's world of fast fashion publishing though, that's actually decent praise.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30969741-an-enchantment-of-ravens
If you're looking for something similar (and maybe better):
Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60717747-half-a-soul
A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/127305900-a-fragile-enchantment
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26032825-the-cruel-prince
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Kidnap me, hill king! This week we kick off The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley, a fixture in the fantasy romance genre , and perhaps some of the first-ever fan-fiction. Apparently, McKinley rage wrote this in response to an early 20th century novel called The Sheikh.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/407813.The_Blue_Sword
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-sheik-edith-maude-hull/1127775915
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Readers, we're having a bit of crisis of self. What are we reading these days? How do we define it and what is actually a good book?
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This week Katie and Jordan share traumatic stories about their first accidental forays into erotica while discussing a new issue facing the book reading community - what's the real difference between romance and erotica, and do we need to change how either are marketed?
Stay bothered, readers!
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Jordan gets back to her roots this week with a fun, quirky, and not too serious regency romance - What I Did for a Duke by Julie Anne Long. While we're still not clear on what was done to get the duke, it's likely something naughty (especially since this is an open door romance!)
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8430098-what-i-did-for-a-duke
If you're looking for something similar, try anything by Julia Quinn, Lisa Kleypas or Sherry Thomas.
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A (surprisingly coherent) dialogue on arguments of anti-intellectualism in popular reading - or alternatively, why people gotta hate on fairy smut?
Stay bothered, readers!
- Montre plus
