Montclair: Romantasy, Hold the Spice

Montclair by Anderson W. Frost | Thorns, Feathers, and Bones Saga Anderson W. Frost doesn't hold your hand, he puts you in the cart and sends you flying down the mountain. Montclair, his 300-page side-quest novella, is the whole ride: new town, new cast, and a mystery you piece together click by click. The boys keep the first 15 minutes spoiler-free with scores and verdict up front, so you can sample before committing. Then the wall drops and the theories fly: who Sabine's business partner really is, what Winifred is becoming, and a gods hierarchy the boys spend a solid ten minutes trying to map. Ryan wasn't sold on the trust at the story's core; Rich bought it completely — and admits the guy who dunks on 1,200-page books might not be a novella guy either. Rich's standing note for Frost: maybe the best new action writer in the game, and he won't write enough action. The one-star review segment died this week — they couldn't find a single one. Get on the bandwagon now. 📖 Overall: 7.5 out of 10 (Rich 7.3 / Ryan 7.7)Verdict: Buy Book: Montclair by Anderson W. Frost Series: Thorns, Feathers, and Bones Saga (novella) [00:00] — Cold open: back from the late-summer break, crushing the books [01:11] — Intro + episode framing (spoiler-free): book mail from Anderson W. Frost, what Montclair is [02:43] — Who should read this book: the romantasy on-ramp, Frost's gothic-romance experiment, and the no-spice reassurance [07:35] — Overall impressions: Frost doesn't hold your hand, and Rich's confession — he might not be a novella guy [10:34] — Scores + Verdict (spoiler-free, up front): Rich 7.3 / Ryan 7.7 — overall 7.5, Buy [11:19] — Socials plug + 🚨 spoiler warning — spoilers start [12:05] — Rich's hot take: you don't need book one first — and romance readers could even start here [15:52] — Worldbuilding & Lore: essence gods vs mythology gods, what Winifred is turning into, and the daylight debate ("maybe he's a sparker") [30:22] — Characters: the Damien–Sabine trust debate (Ryan not sold, Rich bought it), the read-it-after-book-two theory, and Rich's date-with-a-new-book problem [37:50] — Story: the Rift Massacre drop, the ceremony logic, Mortis, and the squad heading north to Hildeheim [44:48] — Rich's #1 feedback for Frost: the best new action writer who won't write enough action [46:06] — One-star reviews: none to be found [49:11] — Wrap-up TikTok: @hottakebks Instagram: @hottakebooks