Faeted The Podcast

It's been a fun reading year and it's time for our Reading Wrapped for 2024. Yep we take you through our year of reading month by month for Carlie and category by category for Maj. The books we loved, didn't so much, the authors we were introduced to and the series that stole our hearts. There'll be books you have read that you can re-live with us and some that you will add to your TBR for sure. We've loved our reading adventures this year and our podcast chats even more. Thanks for being with us this year! Carlie & Maj xoxox BOOKCLUB ⁠Join us in the bookclub in January https://fable.co/club/faeted-the-book-club-with-carlie-298611075637 DOWNLOAD OUR BOOK RECOMMENDATION LIST Never wonder what to read next. ⁠Get your 5 Levels of Romantasy book list from us. ⁠These are the stories that have captured our adventure and romance loving hearts over the years. Music Credit: Intro and Outro music by⁠ ⁠Hot_Dope⁠⁠ from⁠ ⁠Pixabay⁠⁠: Winning Elevation

Happy Holidays! It's our 2nd annual gift guide for those who love books and those who love people who love books! Say that three times fast. We have you covered for every budget, the minimalist, the maximalist, the practical and the luxurious. Take notes or pass on to your friends, lover, not so secret Santa or that family member who has no clue who you are or what you love. As always we encourage our listeners to buy as much as possible from small and local business, from artisans with heart and creators who put so much energy into their products. In this episode we shout out a few of the artists and biz owners we have purchased from this year; SaltiReads - merch, stickers, books Caffeine & Curses - merch, notebooks, mugs BabyMac - teatowel display hangers Etsy - a buffet or artisans and creatives. What we are reading right now. Carlie - “One Dark Window” Rachel Gilleg Majella - “A Fate Inked in Blood” Daniella Jensen BOOKCLUB ⁠Join us in the bookclub in June for our read of "A Court of Thorns & Roses" by Sarah J Maas⁠ ⁠https://fable.co/club/faeted-the-book-club-with-carlie-298611075637⁠ DOWNLOAD OUR BOOK RECOMMENDATION LIST Never wonder what to read next.⁠ ⁠Get your 5 Levels of Romantasy book list from us. ⁠⁠These are the stories that have captured our adventure and romance loving hearts over the years. Music Credit: Intro and Outro music by⁠⁠ ⁠Hot_Dope⁠⁠⁠ from⁠⁠ ⁠Pixabay⁠⁠⁠: Winning Elevation

SPOILER ALERT *This episode speaks to some of the themes and premise's of the book but does not divulge plot or character arcs or share specific moments. Carlie recently read 'Phantasma' by Kaylie Smith and it made her ponder about how important reading is for mental wellbeing, how powerful it is to feel represented in our books and the way reading can bring together communities. This episode speaks to the mental health benefits of reading and how authors can share and understand their own mental health challenges through their stories. 'Phantasma' draws attention to the impact OCD, anxiety and depression has on an individual and tenderly and respectfully shares how one could navigate this. As always we would love to hear your thoughts and learn which books you have read that represent you well or helped you feel less alone? Carlie & Majella BOOKCLUB Our bookclub is reading 'When The Moon Hatched' by Sarah A Parker in November  and you can JOIN US HERE ⁠https://fable.co/club/faeted-the-book-club-with-carlie-298611075637⁠ DOWNLOAD OUR BOOK RECOMMENDATION LIST Never wonder what to read next.⁠ ⁠Get your 5 Levels of Romantasy book list from us. ⁠⁠These are the stories that have captured our adventure and romance loving hearts over the years. Music Credit: Intro and Outro music by⁠⁠ ⁠Hot_Dope⁠⁠⁠ from⁠⁠ ⁠Pixabay⁠⁠⁠: Winning Elevation

**Spoiler Alert ** Please dont listen to this episode unless you have read this book, its full of spoilers. In this episode, Carlie and Majella dive deep into the much-hyped book 'Quicksilver' by Callie Hart. They discuss their emotional responses to the book, the quality of writing, and the immersive world-building that made them feel as if they were part of the story. The conversation also touches on their reading experiences, the distractions they faced, and the connections they formed with the characters. They reflect on the hype surrounding the book from BookTok and how it lived up to their expectations, as well as their rankings of book boyfriends. Our bookclub is reading When The Moon Hatched by Sarah Parker in November and you can JOIN US HERE https://fable.co/club/faeted-the-book-club-with-carlie-298611075637 What we are reading right now. Carlie - “Phantasma” Kaylie Smith Majella - “When the Moon Hatched” Sarah Parker BOOKCLUB ⁠Join us in the bookclub in June for our read of "A Court of Thorns & Roses" by Sarah J Maas⁠ DOWNLOAD OUR BOOK RECOMMENDATION LIST Never wonder what to read next. ⁠Get your 5 Levels of Romantasy book list from us. ⁠These are the stories that have captured our adventure and romance loving hearts over the years. Music Credit:Intro and Outro music by⁠ ⁠Hot_Dope⁠⁠ from⁠ ⁠Pixabay⁠⁠: Winning Elevation

In this episode we riff on our TBR lists and the books we would both like to read up to the end of the year. You might like to add some of them to your list or join us in our bookclub on Fable to read alongside us for the next few months. Our TBR's are constantly changing so take it all with a grain of salt with us :) We kinda can't believe that we have been creating this podcast and growing our community for almost a year. It has been such a ride and we have read some incredible books this year so let's keep that run going friends. BOOKCLUB ⁠Join us in the bookclub in November and read along with us. https://fable.co/club/faeted-the-book-club-with-carlie-298611075637 What we are reading right now. Carlie & Majella - “Phantasma” Kaylie Smith DOWNLOAD OUR BOOK RECOMMENDATION LIST Never wonder what to read next. ⁠Get your 5 Levels of Romantasy book list from us. ⁠These are the stories that have captured our adventure and romance loving hearts over the years. Music Credit: Intro and Outro music by⁠ ⁠Hot_Dope⁠⁠ from⁠ ⁠Pixabay⁠⁠: Winning Elevation

Spoiler Alert**** This episode is full of spoilers for Blood & Steel. In this episode we dive deep into Book 1 of the Legends of Thezmarr series 'Blood & Steel' and share how much we feel like this series should be more widely read and loved. Blood and Steel has everything you want in a Romantacy series without feeling forced, trite or repetitive. The characters are more mature and developed than most series and we just fell in love with Thea and Wilder from the first pages. We loved the parallels with modern day struggles for women and how we can shake up systems that exclude us. A top read series for us here at Faeted HQ. Takeaways Character dynamics greatly influence the story's progression. Friendship and family themes are central to character development. Creative processes can be chaotic and require focus. 'Blood and Steel' offers a unique take on fantasy tropes. Character development is essential for engaging storytelling. Prophecies add depth and intrigue to the narrative. World-building should balance detail with pacing. Reader expectations vary widely, impacting their experience. BOOKCLUB ⁠Join us in the bookclub in October for our read of "A Court of Silver Flames" by Sarah J Maas⁠ DOWNLOAD OUR BOOK RECOMMENDATION LIST Never wonder what to read next. ⁠Get your 5 Levels of Romantasy book list from us. ⁠These are the stories that have captured our adventure and romance loving hearts over the years. Music Credit: Intro and Outro music by⁠ ⁠Hot_Dope⁠⁠ from⁠ ⁠Pixabay⁠⁠: Winning Elevation

In this episode Carlie and Majella discuss the Legends of Thezmarr series by talented Aussie author Helen Scheuerer. We talk about the relatable and fierce main character, Thea Zoltaire, and the well-developed romance between Thea and the warrior Warsword Wilder Hawthorne who went to the top of our book husbands list. This series had a strong female empowerment theme throughout and a balanced plot that combines action, romance, and magic. We adored the found family aspect and the well-rounded side characters as well as the tropes we all cheer for liked forced proximity and one-bed although these did not feel forced or overly predictable. Overall, we highly recommend the series and hope more people discover and enjoy it. DOWNLOAD OUR BOOK REC LIST Music Credit: Music by Hot_Dope from Pixabay: Winning Elevation

In this solo episode, Majella reviews author Nikki St. Crowe. Nikki's books can be divisive due to their darker and more explicit content. Majella enjoys the escapism and easy readability of the books, but acknowledges that they may not be for everyone. She highlights the strong and bratty female main characters and the broody and possessive male love interests.While the books may not be the most sophisticated or well-written, they are enjoyable and provide a form of escapism. If you have read any of Nikki' books we would love to hear what you thought no matter where you fall on the review spectrum. JOIN OUR BOOKCLUB ON FABLE This month we are continuing our read of the ACOTAR series and are on A Court of Wings & Ruin if you would like to join us. fable.co/club/faeted-the-book-club-with-carlie-298611075637?club_type=free Thanks for listening, Maj & Carlie

Spoiler Alert ** This is the second part of our deep dive review and is FULL OF SPOILERS. We continue our looong review of ACOTAR cause we can't shut up about it. We also read this in our bookclub on Fable in June and frothed alongside all of our Faeted Friends. We are having so much fun revisiting the series that got us back into reading for enjoyment. ACOTAR is a solid first book in the series, filled with intrigue, intense trials, and complex relationships. Feyre's journey as a mortal in a world of powerful fae is captivating, and the book explores themes of love, sacrifice, and the fragility of life. The character of Rhysand adds depth and mystery, while Tamlin's actions leave readers questioning his true intentions. The book ends with a thrilling climax and sets the stage for further exploration in the series. Chapters 00:00 Parallel to 'Beauty and the Beast' 05:43 Exploring Dark and Light 06:42 The Intense Trials and Feyre's Resilience 10:23 The Complexity of Rhysand's Character 15:25 Feyre's Mortality and Perspective on Life 23:18 The Passionate Fandom Surrounding the Series

SPOILER ALERT *Spoilers galore in this review episode. In this episode, we review the book 'A Court of Thorns and Roses' by Sarah J. Maas. The main characters, the plot, and the world-building in this book are exceptional and that it is why it is so beloved and read by millions. This book has themes of love, loyalty, and sacrifice somewhat similar to Beauty and The Beast with dark and light elements in a magical fantasy world. We will always have a special place for this book as it got us both back into reading fiction. Sound Bites 00:00 Emotional Depth and Attachment to Characters 16:26 Chapter 2: Complex Relationships 17:41 Chapter 3: Love and Sacrifice 24:34 Chapter 4: Trials and Challenges 29:18 Chapter 5: Parallel to 'Beauty and the Beast' BOOKCLUB Our bookclub is reading A Court of Mist & Fury by S.J Mass in July  and you can JOIN US HERE https://fable.co/club/faeted-the-book-club-with-carlie-298611075637 What we are reading right now. Carlie - “Blood and Steel” Helen Scheuerer Majella - “Blood & Steel” Helen Scheuerer DOWNLOAD OUR BOOK RECOMMENDATION LIST Never wonder what to read next. ⁠Get your 5 Levels of Romantasy book list from us. ⁠These are the stories that have captured our adventure and romance loving hearts over the years. Music Credit: Intro and Outro music by⁠ ⁠Hot_Dope⁠⁠ from⁠ ⁠Pixabay⁠⁠: Winning Elevation

In this conversation, we discuss the first book in the A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) series by Sarah J. Maas. This series is astronomically popular for it's impact on readers as a compelling and easily digestible book with stunning writing and world-building. With an intriguing female main character, a magical journey, a complex love story, a mix of violence, emotion, and plot twists it really keeps readers hooked. This series has a very special place in our hearts so we are passionate about inviting others to read it. BOOKCLUB Our bookclub is reading A Court of Mist & Fury by S.J Mass in July  and you can JOIN US HERE https://fable.co/club/faeted-the-book-club-with-carlie-298611075637 DOWNLOAD OUR BOOK RECOMMENDATION LIST Never wonder what to read next. ⁠Get your 5 Levels of Romantasy book list from us. ⁠These are the stories that have captured our adventure and romance loving hearts over the years. Chapters 00:00 INTRO 01:45 The Well-Loved and Iconic Romantacy Series ACOTAR 04:49 Compelling and Magical Reading Experience 06:58 A Mix of Fantasy, Romance, and Action 08:29 Emotional Depth and Attachment to Characters 12:46 OUTRO Music Credit: Intro and Outro music by⁠ ⁠Hot_Dope⁠⁠ from⁠ ⁠Pixabay⁠⁠: Winning Elevation

Carlie and Majella discuss the importance of making time for reading and the benefits it brings. They share their personal experiences and reasons for prioritizing reading in their busy lives. They highlight the escapism, relaxation, learning, and inspiration that reading provides. They also emphasize the role of imagination and the magic of books in expanding one's perspective and bringing an extra dimension to life. They encourage listeners to find ways to incorporate reading into their daily routines and join their book club for more book recommendations and discussions. Chapters 01:19 Why Making Time for Reading is a Conscious Choice 07:56 Bringing Magic and an Extra Dimension to Life Through Reading 13:50 Prioritizing Reading and Experimenting with Incorporating it into Daily Routines

Spoilers *No spoilers in this episode We have pulled together all the Romantasy new releases for June so you don't have to wonder what to read next! We have also also had some amazing growth in our book club so THANKYOU to everyone who has joined and shared. Ok this month we have new releases by authors such as Nisha J. Tulli, Helen Scheurer, LJ Andrews and Rebecca Zanetti. We share a brief description of each book and tropes they contain as well as books that are similar so you can think about whether they would be up your alley. Let us know if you read any of the suggestions in this months releases. Sound bites. 00:00 Updates from the Faeted The Bookclub 04:35 Introducing the June Releases in the Romantacy Genre 08:21 Leather & Lark 09:48 Fate of the Sun King 13:04 Shadow of Storms 15:28 Queen of Serpents and Shadows 17:38 One Cursed Rose 19:43 The Mist Thief BOOKCLUB ⁠Join us in the bookclub in June for our read of "A Court of Thorns & Roses" by Sarah J Maas⁠ DOWNLOAD OUR BOOK RECOMMENDATION LIST Never wonder what to read next. ⁠Get your 5 Levels of Romantasy book list from us. ⁠These are the stories that have captured our adventure and romance loving hearts over the years. Music Credit: Intro and Outro music by⁠ ⁠Hot_Dope⁠⁠ from⁠ ⁠Pixabay⁠⁠: Winning Elevation

SPOILER WARNING* This is a review episode. Listen up until the 7 min mark if you want to know the premise of the story but NO FURTHER if you plan on reading it. In this week's episode we share our reviews of the book 'Ledge' by Aussie author and hilarious TikTok sensation Stacey McEwen. We discuss our personal experiences and opinions of the book, highlighting the unique premise of a community living on a ledge and the brutal conditions they face. We both had different reading experiences here and yet both picked up book 2, Chasm straight away and kept on reading! We share our thoughts on the characters, plot, and world-building, the intriguing concept of the book, the trauma and growth of the main character, the representation of diverse characters, and the slow-burn romance. We chat about the pacing of the story and the potential for future books in this series, and others, from this debut author. Overall, we do recommend the book and read it in April in our bookclub! BOOKCLUB ⁠Join us in the bookclub in June for our read of "A Court of Thorns & Roses" by Sarah J Maas⁠ DOWNLOAD OUR BOOK RECOMMENDATION LIST Never wonder what to read next. ⁠Get your 5 Levels of Romantasy book list from us. ⁠These are the stories that have captured our adventure and romance loving hearts over the years. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Setting the Stage 00:47 Introduction and Overview of 'Ledge' 03:59 Overview of the Story and Author 07:53 Discussion of the Plot and Characters 18:53 Appreciation for the Emotional Connection 20:28 Desire for Deeper World-Building and Character Development 21:44 Recognition of Beautiful Writing Moments 22:10 Conclusion and Anticipation for Future Books 25:47 The Potential of the Author and the Concept of the Story 29:17 Differing Opinions on the Love Story 34:42 The Middle Section and the Cliffhanger Ending 37:31 Recommendation and Excitement for the Next Installment Music Credit: Intro and Outro music by⁠ ⁠Hot_Dope⁠⁠ from⁠ ⁠Pixabay⁠⁠: Winning Elevation

In this solo episode, Majella discusses the Blood and Ash series by Jennifer L. Armentrout. This series has received mixed reviews, with some people loving it and others hating it. Majella personally enjoyed the series and recommends it to readers who enjoy romantic books with strong characters and engaging plots. With dual timelines, the presence of primals and gods, and the inclusion of mental health issues in the story it has over 600,000 ratings on Goodreads and 50% of those are 5 stars. Majella found the series enjoyable and encourages readers to give it a try. BOOKCLUB Join us in the bookclub in June for our read of "A Court of Thorns & Roses" by Sarah J Maas DOWNLOAD OUR BOOK RECOMMENDATION LIST Never wonder what to read next. Get your 5 Levels of Romantasy book list from us. These are the stories that have captured our adventure and romance loving hearts over the years. Music Credit: Intro and Outro music by⁠ ⁠Hot_Dope⁠⁠ from⁠ ⁠Pixabay⁠⁠: Winning Elevation

SPOILER ALERT *No Spoilers in this review episode. In this conversation, Carlie and Majella discuss the importance of sharing their reading journeys and the impact it has on others. They talk about the hesitation and judgment they sometimes feel when sharing their love for romance and fantasy books. They also explore the empowering and aspirational aspects of these genres, as well as the sense of community and connection they provide. The conversation highlights the need to celebrate and support women's passions and interests, regardless of societal expectations. FAETED THE BOOKCLUB Our bookclub is reading One Dark Window by Rachel Gilleg  in May  and you can JOIN US HERE https://fable.co/club/faeted-the-book-club-with-carlie-298611075637 What we are reading right now. Carlie - “One Dark Window” Rachel Gilleg Majella - “A Fate Inked in Blood” Daniella Jensen LINKS ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on TikTok⁠⁠⁠ We do other things than read fantasy romance novels (surprise!) so check out our other content if you so wish..... ⁠⁠⁠See what else Carlie is up to.⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠See what else is Majella is up to.⁠⁠⁠ Music Credit: Intro and Outro music by⁠ ⁠Hot_Dope⁠⁠ from⁠ ⁠Pixabay⁠⁠: Winning Elevation

**Spoiler Alert** This is a review episode. Do not listen if you want to read Empire of Storms. We continue our review of Empire of Storms from the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas. This is part 2 so please listen to episode #33 first! Key chats - Manon and Dorian's relationship - THE beach scene IYKYK - SJM's talent and stunning writing - The Manon fandom - The horrific ending Gosh we loved this book SO MUCH!! And we want to hear from you about what you felt throughout your read. Feel free to message us on our platforms anytime. Our bookclub is reading Ledge by Stacey McEwen in April and you can JOIN US HERE https://fable.co/club/faeted-the-book-club-with-carlie-298611075637 What we are reading right now. Carlie - “One Dark Window” Rachel Gilleg Majella - "A Fate Inked in Blood" by Daniella L. Jensen LINKS ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on TikTok⁠⁠⁠ We do other things than read fantasy romance novels (surprise!) so check out our other content if you so wish..... ⁠⁠⁠See what else Carlie is up to.⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠See what else is Majella is up to.⁠⁠⁠ Music Credit: Intro and Outro music by⁠ ⁠Hot_Dope⁠⁠ from⁠ ⁠Pixabay⁠⁠: Winning Elevation

SPOILER ALERT - This is a book review so only listen if you have read Empire of Storms by S.J Maas. Empire of Storms is a gripping and emotional instalment in the Throne of Glass series. In this episode we share our favourite scenes and characters from this book. It was a struggle to keep this to only 2 parts as this book is sweeping and heartbreaking, inspiring and rousing. We could not be more enamoured with this series and this book is just phenomenal. We have split our conversation into two parts for ease of listening. Part 2 coming soon. KEY MOMENTS Empire of Storms is primarily a romance set during the buildup to a war. The relationship between Lorcan and Elide is a key storyline that develops throughout the book. The battle in Skulls Bay is a standout moment, showcasing the bravery and loyalty of the characters. The scene with Manon and Asterin's sacrifice is emotional and highlights the theme of loyalty. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Overview 09:13 Lorcan and Elide's Storyline 23:53 Aelin and Rowan 31:52 Saving Asterin HOW TO DO THE TANDEM READ - https://static1.squarespace.com/static/6112908a65261430ce25ff1f/t/642c3fa5938af155e55d4e91/1680621501133/EMPIRE+OF+STORMS_+TOWER+OF+DAWN+TANDEM+READ+GUIDE+%28Updated%29.pdf Our bookclub is reading One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig in May and you can JOIN US HERE https://fable.co/club/faeted-the-book-club-with-carlie-298611075637 What we are reading right now. Carlie - “One Dark Window" Rachel Gileg Majella - "A Fate Inked in Blood" Danielle L. Jensen LINKS ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on TikTok⁠⁠⁠ We do other things than read fantasy romance novels (surprise!) so check out our other content if you so wish..... ⁠⁠⁠See what else Carlie is up to.⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠See what else is Majella is up to.⁠⁠⁠ Music Credit: Intro and Outro music by⁠ ⁠Hot_Dope⁠⁠ from⁠ ⁠Pixabay⁠⁠: Winning Elevation

In this conversation, Majella and Carlie discuss the topic of obsessive reading and how it can impact various aspects of life. They explore the signs of unhealthy reading habits and offer strategies to find balance. The conversation touches on the physiological effects of reading, the need for alone time, and the potential for reading to become an avoidance tactic. Overall, they encourage listeners to reflect on their own reading experiences and find a healthy balance. Takeaways Self-awareness is key in identifying unhealthy reading habits and finding balance. Reading can have physiological effects on the body, and it's important to be mindful of these effects. Different individuals have different reading habits and preferences, and what works for one person may not work for another. Consider the impact of reading on relationships, work, and other responsibilities. Engage in trial and error to determine what reading habits work best for you. Seek feedback from others to gain insight into the impact of your reading habits on your life. Understanding Individual Reading Preferences Finding Balance: Navigating Obsessive Reading Sound Bites 00:00 Introduction and Compulsive Reading 05:16 The Importance of Balance and Sacrificing Healthy Habits 12:01 Reading as an Alone Time Activity 21:30 Trial and Error in Finding Reading Balance 28:41 Addiction and the Need for Feedback Our bookclub is reading Ledge by Stacey McEwen in April and you can JOIN US HERE https://fable.co/club/faeted-the-book-club-with-carlie-298611075637 What we are reading right now. Carlie - “Chasm” Stacey McEwan Majella - The Guild Hunter Series by Nalini Singh LINKS ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on TikTok⁠⁠⁠ We do other things than read fantasy romance novels (surprise!) so check out our other content if you so wish..... ⁠⁠⁠See what else Carlie is up to.⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠See what else is Majella is up to.⁠⁠⁠

In this conversation, Carlie and Majella discuss their changing expectations and critical views of romantasy books as they read more. They explore whether their judgement of books is due to becoming more experienced readers or if it's a result of the books themselves. Majella shares her current read, The Guild Hunter series, which she initially didn't expect to enjoy based on the covers but ended up loving. They discuss the idea of becoming more discerning readers and how their personal experiences and emotions can influence their enjoyment of a book. They also touch on the importance of being open-minded, trying different genres, and not being afraid to put down a book that isn't resonating with them. The conversation highlights the individuality of reading experiences and the importance of embracing personal reading journeys. 00:00 Changing Expectations and Critical Views 19:13 Theories and Speculation about A Court of Silver Flames 26:48 Introduction and Recap 33:17 The Influence of Personal Experiences on Reading 41:10 The Importance of Putting Down Unenjoyable Books 57:24 Conclusion

SPOILER ALERT *No spoilers in this episode, just a lot of hype for an underrated series. So Majella has devoured a 16 book series and NEEDED to talk about it as Carlie has no hope of even getting close to it for quite a while. The Guild Hunter series by Nalini Singh has been out for over 14 years now and we are wondering why it is not bigger on Booktok than it is!! We hope to change that. It’s got romance - of course! Archangels fighting each other, intrigue, betrayal, the love we all yearn for, mystery and development of powers, political intrigue and so much more in a rich plot filled with life and detail. She writes a spicy scene like no other - hot!!! Majella has already called it as her series of 2023 so listen in to get a taste of what it’s about to see if you want to add it to your TBR. If you loved ACOTAR you will adore these books, great to read while you wait for ACOTAR book 6. SJM herself has said it is her favorite romantic fantasy series. BLURB: Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux knows she’s the best—but she doesn’t know if she’s good enough for this job. Hired by the dangerously beautiful Archangel Raphael, a being so lethal that no mortal wants his attention, only one thing is clear—failure is not an option…even if the task is impossible. Because this time, it’s not a wayward vamp she has to track. It’s an archangel gone bad. The job will put Elena in the midst of a killing spree like no other…and pull her to the razor’s edge of passion. Even if the hunt doesn’t destroy her, succumbing to Raphael’s seductive touch just may. For when archangels play, mortals break… Our bookclub is reading 'Ledge' by Stacey McEwen in April and you can JOIN US HERE https://fable.co/club/faeted-the-book-club-with-carlie-298611075637 What we are reading right now. Carlie - “Ledge” Stacey McEwan Majella - The Guild Hunter Series by Nalini Singh LINKS ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on TikTok⁠⁠⁠ We do other things than read fantasy romance novels (surprise!) so check out our other content if you so wish..... ⁠⁠⁠See what else Carlie is up to.⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠See what else is Majella is up to.⁠⁠⁠ Music Credit: Intro and Outro music by⁠ ⁠Hot_Dope⁠⁠ from⁠ ⁠Pixabay⁠⁠: Winning Elevation

Majella and Carlie introduce themselves and share more about their lives and passions. Majella lives on the sunny coast in Queensland and loves reading in rainy weather. She is a writer, content creator, poet, and podcaster. Carlie lives in a small town in Victoria and is a Mum, social worker, and business owner. They discuss their goals for the podcast, including hosting reading retreats and a book club. They also express their desire to interview authors, voice actors, and other professionals in the book industry. Takeaways Majella and Carlie have different roles in the podcast, with Majella focusing on creating beautiful experiences and products for readers, while Carlie takes on the strategic planning and community-building aspects. Both Majella and Carlie have supportive partners who understand their love for reading, although their partners may not share the same level of passion for books. The hosts have goals to bring on guests from various parts of the book world, such as voice actors and behind-the-scenes professionals, to provide unique perspectives and insights. They invite listeners to join their book club and engage with them on social media to connect and share their love for books. Sound Bites 01:18 Getting to Know Majella and Carlie 11:28 Partners and Support 30:16 Personal Reading Goals

***SPOILER ALERTS - This episode is full of spoilers for Queen of Shadows from the Throne of Glass series. We kinda got swept up in talking about our current reads for a while at the start of this episode so if you are keen to hear us riff on that dive right on in - we promise that's interesting too! If you just want the down low on Queen of Shadows jump to the 13min mark. By jingoes we both loved the ride of this book. The 4th book in the Throne of Glass series is all about wrath and revenge, full of scheming and plotting and weaving of storylines. We are introduced to new characters and different POV's converge in stunning, shocking and epic scenes. We see Aelin's love story progress, the reunification with family and friendships beginning to forge. It might juse be one of our favourites in this series... but then we say that about all of SJM's books don't we. If you have read Queen of Shadows and want some people to talk to about it please dive into our DM's on Insta and share away. We love having conversations with our listeners. Our bookclub has just launched and you can JOIN US HERE https://fable.co/club/faeted-the-book-club-with-carlie-298611075637 What we are reading right now. Carlie - “Heat of the Everflame” Penn Cole Majella - “Autumns Traitor”  Seven Realms Trilogy Hannah Parker LINKS ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on TikTok⁠⁠⁠ We do other things than read fantasy romance novels (surprise!) so check out our other content if you so wish..... ⁠⁠⁠See what else Carlie is up to.⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠See what else is Majella is up to.⁠⁠⁠ Music Credit: Intro and Outro music by⁠ ⁠Hot_Dope⁠⁠ from⁠ ⁠Pixabay⁠⁠: Winning Elevation

***SPOILER ALERTS - There may be some small character trait spoilers in this episode for Throne of Glass and The Fourth Wing. Majella posed a question to our book club members this week “Do all our FMC’s need to be angry?” in the Romantasy genre. It certainly is the main theme. And also do they all need to be 20yrs old!? It created some discussion so we brought it onto the podcast to share with you all. What do you think? Would you read a novel with a 40 year old peri-menopausal ire filled FMC?  Perhaps there is a sub-genre emerging here. A fun chat for a light-hearted listen this week. Our bookclub has just launched and you can JOIN US HERE ⁠https://fable.co/club/faeted-the-book-club-with-carlie-298611075637⁠ What we are reading right now. Carlie - “Spark of the Everflame” Penn Cole Majella - “Autumns Tithe” Hannah Parker LINKS ⁠⁠⁠⁠Watch the video episode on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠ We do other things than read fantasy romance novels (surprise!) so check out our other content if you so wish..... ⁠⁠⁠⁠See what else Carlie is up to.⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠See what else is Majella is up to.⁠⁠⁠⁠ Music Credit:Intro and Outro music by⁠⁠ ⁠Hot_Dope⁠⁠⁠ from⁠⁠ ⁠Pixabay⁠⁠⁠: Winning Elevation

***SPOILER ALERTS - No spoilers in this episode. An informal chat and sneak peek at what we talk about in our voice messages each week. We were chatting this week about Majella’s dream reading space and it made Carlie think about what her’s would be. We then discuss whether we snack or not when reading. Titillating conversation really! We would love to hear where you love to read and whether you are a reader who snacks or not. We are very curious about these things! Our bookclub has just launched and you can JOIN US HERE https://fable.co/club/faeted-the-book-club-with-carlie-298611075637 What we are reading right now. Carlie - “Kingdom of Ash” Sarah J Maas Majella - “A Relic of Magic & Gold” H.M Hodgson LINKS ⁠⁠⁠Watch the video episode on YouTube⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on TikTok⁠⁠⁠ We do other things than read fantasy romance novels (surprise!) so check out our other content if you so wish..... ⁠⁠⁠See what else Carlie is up to.⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠See what else is Majella is up to.⁠⁠⁠ Music Credit: Intro and Outro music by⁠ ⁠Hot_Dope⁠⁠ from⁠ ⁠Pixabay⁠⁠: Winning Elevation

***SPOILER ALERTS - All spoilers for the The Serpent and the Wings of Night We apologise for the audio glitches in this episode and the sudden ending! It’s still a great episode and discussion of a book we both loved so please bare with us as we sort out our tech challenges. The Crowns of Nyaxia series begins with "The Serpent and The Wings of Night” and is a 6 book unfinished series in total. This novel is the first and is set in the House of Night where the adopted human daughter of the Nightborn vampire king, Oraya, carved her place in a world designed to kill her. Her only chance to become something more than prey is entering the Kejari: a legendary tournament held by the goddess of death herself. But winning won’t be easy amongst the most vicious warriors from all three vampire houses. To survive, Oraya is forced to make an alliance with a mysterious rival. Everything about Raihn is dangerous. He is a ruthless vampire, an efficient killer, an enemy to her father’s crown… and her greatest competition. Yet, what terrifies Oraya most of all is that she finds herself oddly drawn to him. Slow burn, conflicted hearts, complex family dynamics, FMC hunted, hot vampire warrior, spicy scenes, death and trials. It has it all and we wish it was more hyped than it is. This book was a top read for both of us so we encourage you to pick it up and give it up a go. FIND CARISSA BROADBENT HERE https://carissabroadbentbooks.com/the-serpent-and-the-wings-of-night/ Our bookclub has just launched and you can JOIN US HERE https://fable.co/club/faeted-the-book-club-with-carlie-298611075637 What we are reading right now. Carlie - “Kingdom of Ash” Sarah J Maas Majella - “A Relic of Magic & Gold” H.M Hodgson LINKS ⁠⁠⁠Watch the video episode on YouTube⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on TikTok⁠⁠⁠ We do other things than read fantasy romance novels (surprise!) so check out our other content if you so wish..... ⁠⁠⁠See what else Carlie is up to.⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠See what else is Majella is up to.⁠⁠⁠ Music Credit:Intro and Outro music by⁠ ⁠Hot_Dope⁠⁠ from⁠ ⁠Pixabay⁠⁠: Winning Elevation

***SPOILER ALERTS - No spoilers in this episode Maj attended the Blussh Romance Festival in Brisbane this week with one of our favorite authors Stacey McEwan from “Ledge” and “Chasm” and soon to be “Valley” speaking at the event. In this episode we talk about why we want to start our bookclub now, small and intimate and open to anybody who enjoys Romantasy or who wants to reignite their reading fire. We share some of our experiences of bookclubs and why we have decided on a virtual club for our book community. We will be on the Fable app under Faeted The Bookclub and anyone can join in the conversations. There is ZERO pressure to keep up or to read all the chosen books but we are here to ride with you as you journey through some amazing worlds.  Our bookclub begins in March and you can JOIN US HERE https://fable.co/club/faeted-the-book-club-with-carlie-298611075637 What we are reading right now. Carlie - “Kingdom of Ash” Sarah J Maas Majella - re-read “Kingdom of Ash” and “A Relic of Magic & Gold” H.M Hodgson LINKS ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on TikTok⁠⁠⁠

***SPOILER ALERTS - This episode has major spoilers for the Throne of Glass series Heir Of Fire is Book 4 in the Throne of Glass series by our Queen Sarah J.Maas and we dive into our favorite scenes, the moments that stole our breath, the scenes that held answers for us and the many, many new characters and story arcs that left us begging for more. This book really sets up many plot lines that are important for the future of this epic adventure. We won’t share too much more here so we don’t spoil it for our listeners but please have a listen if you have read this book! What we are reading right now. Carlie - About to begin “Kingdom of Ash” Sarah J Maas Listening to “Carrie Soto is Back” Taylor Jenkins Reid Majella - re-read “Kingdom of Ash” and “The Mother of Death and Dawn” Carissa Broadbent LINKS ⁠⁠⁠Watch the video episode on YouTube⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on TikTok⁠⁠⁠ We do other things than read fantasy romance novels (surprise!) so check out our other content if you so wish..... ⁠⁠⁠See what else Carlie is up to.⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠See what else is Majella is up to.⁠⁠⁠ Music Credit: Intro and Outro music by⁠ ⁠Hot_Dope⁠⁠ from⁠ ⁠Pixabay⁠⁠: Winning Elevation

***SPOILER ALERTS - This episode has no spoilers With the recent release of Crescent City #3 we were bombarded with deep theories and wild predictions about how SJM would wrap up this series. It made us curious about the different types of readers we have in our community, those who avoid and have no desire to dive into theories and those who map it all out, know all the clues and piece things together for enjoyment. Does knowing all the theories ruin the enjoyment of the book? Do our expectations of the book based on theories we hear set us up for disappointment? Majella sometimes gets some theory fatigue and Carlie avoids all together but we want to know how you engage with these theory videos, blogs and conversations. What we are reading right now. Carlie - Tandem read of “Tower of Dawn” and “Empire of Storms”  Listening to “The Things We Leave Unfinished” Rebecca Yarros Majella - “House of Shadow and Flame” (Crescent City #3) - Sarah J Mass “Children of the Fallen Gods” Carissa Broadbent LINKS ⁠⁠⁠Watch the video episode on YouTube⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on TikTok⁠⁠⁠ We do other things than read fantasy romance novels (surprise!) so check out our other content if you so wish..... ⁠⁠⁠See what else Carlie is up to.⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠See what else is Majella is up to.⁠⁠⁠ Music Credit: Intro and Outro music by⁠ ⁠Hot_Dope⁠⁠ from⁠ ⁠Pixabay⁠⁠: Winning Elevation

***SPOILER ALERTS - This episode has no spoilers. Majella’s gorgeous partner spends some time on Reddit and introduced her to some interesting threads about romance and smut books. Some men are seriously concerned about their partners reading habits and others are leaning in…. hard to the book boyfriend role. We basically hit record and read through it together. Haven’t laughed this much in a while. Join us for a bit of fun and a good laugh. If you love this episode we might do a Part 2! What we are reading right now. Carlie - Tandem reading Tower of Dawn & Empire of Storms - Sarah J Maas  Carrie Soto is Back - Taylor Jenkins Reid Majella - House of Flame and Shadow - Sarah J Mass LINKS ⁠⁠⁠Watch the video episode on YouTube⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on TikTok⁠⁠⁠ We do other things than read fantasy romance novels (surprise!) so check out our other content if you so wish..... ⁠⁠⁠See what else Carlie is up to.⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠See what else is Majella is up to.⁠⁠⁠ Music Credit: Intro and Outro music by⁠ ⁠Hot_Dope⁠⁠ from⁠ ⁠Pixabay⁠⁠: Winning Elevation

***SPOILER ALERTS - This episode has no spoilers. There has been quite the drama this week on Booktok after an author declared, in her opinion, that those who review books at 3 stars are a**holes and, well.... we of course want to discuss it. We thought it raised some really interesting things to consider about about the impact that poor reviews have on author’s sales and income as well as their mental wellbeing. Are reviews for readers or authors? Do we even read reviews and have them influence our reading choices? Is it just a space for hurt people to dump their vitriol? In our opinion reviews are so subjective that we feel uncomfortable even sharing them online and we do not star rate on our platforms for that reason. After looking at this from many angles we have returned to the question of ‘who do reviews/ratings even help?” Should we keep our reviews for our discussions with friends or in our bookclubs? We also share some hilarious 1 star reviews we found on Goodreads for a giggle. What we are reading right now. Carlie - Tandem reading Tower of Dawn & Empire of Storms - Sarah J Maas  Happy Place- Emily Henry Majella - House of Flame and Shadow - Sarah J Mass LINKS ⁠⁠⁠Watch the video episode on YouTube⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on TikTok⁠⁠⁠ We do other things than read fantasy romance novels (surprise!) so check out our other content if you so wish..... ⁠⁠⁠See what else Carlie is up to.⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠See what else is Majella is up to.⁠⁠⁠ Music Credit: Intro and Outro music by⁠ ⁠Hot_Dope⁠⁠ from⁠ ⁠Pixabay⁠⁠: Winning Elevation

***SPOILER ALERTS - This episode is full of spoilers for Powerless by Lauren Roberts Powerless is the debut novel from Lauren Roberts. She wrote it when she was 16, indie published at 20, was picked up by a publishing house and had a NYT bestseller by 21yrs old. Impressive hey? She is also huge on Tiktok and has built a solid following on the platform. We read Powerless over the summer and we enjoyed it as a young adult fiction. Yes it’s full of popular tropes like enemies to lovers and underdog protagonist takes part in trials to survive so you need to go into it knowing that you are going to have a light, enjoyable, quick read. It also has some HOT prince brothers who are very enjoyable to read and a slow burn that kept us turning the pages. We recommend following this up and coming author, there is some real potential here. What we are reading right now. Carlie - Tandem reading Tower of Dawn & Empire of Storms - Sarah J Maas  Fanfic of Rhys’s POV for ACOTAR - You can read it here https://archiveofourown.org/works/9832124/chapters/22074863#workskin Majella - Daughter of the blood - Ann Bishop LINKS ⁠⁠⁠Watch the video episode on YouTube⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on TikTok⁠⁠⁠ We do other things than read fantasy romance novels (surprise!) so check out our other content if you so wish..... ⁠⁠⁠See what else Carlie is up to.⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠See what else is Majella is up to.⁠⁠⁠ Music Credit: Intro and Outro music by⁠ ⁠Hot_Dope⁠⁠ from⁠ ⁠Pixabay⁠⁠: Winning Elevation

***SPOILER ALERTS -  We’re not sure if there are true spoilers in this episode but we speak about the books we read on holidays and mention plot points and moments in the books.  Coming back after the Christmas holidays, we share what we actually read from our TBR list (hint - it wasn’t what we expected). Carlie shares her thoughts on her equal favourites and Majella admits she went rogue from her list and added an entire new series on to her TBR list (which is 12 books). Carlie is doing a tandem read (meaning she is reading two books at the same time in the same series and flipping between chapters. This is so she can stay in a chronological order with the plot points across two books based in two different parts of the realm). Plus we briefly touch on what is coming up for the podcast in 2024 and what books lie ahead for us. We would love to hear what you read on your holidays and what you loved (or didn’t finish).  What we are reading right now. Carlie - Tandem read of Tower of Dawn and Empire of Storms by Sarah J Maas Majella - the Anne Bishop series Daughter of the Blood (12 books in total) LINKS ⁠⁠⁠Watch the video episode on YouTube⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on TikTok⁠⁠⁠ We do other things than read fantasy romance novels (surprise!) so check out our other content if you so wish..... ⁠⁠⁠See what else Carlie is up to.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠See what else is Majella is up to.⁠⁠⁠ Music Credit: Intro and Outro music by⁠ ⁠Hot_Dope⁠⁠ from⁠ ⁠Pixabay⁠⁠: Winning Elevation

***SPOILER ALERTS - This episode is full of spoilers from Crown of Midnight If you have read Crown of Midnight and want to nod along to your book-besties sharing their experience of it then this is the episode for you. Our favorite scenes, the love stories, the reclamation of her identity and her true power and influence in the world and of course how bad-ass a warrior she is. We loved the world-building in this book, setting up the future story-line and we share some of our thoughts about what is to come for our protagonist Aelin Ashryver Galathynius. We would love to hear what you thought and felt about this book. Favourite Line: “Why are you crying?” "Because” she whispered, her voice shaking “You remind me of what the world ought to be, what it can be.” Aelin - "Crown of Midnight" What we are reading right now. Carlie - Heir of Fire - Sarah J Maas Majella - Divine Rivals - Rebecca Ross LINKS ⁠⁠⁠Watch the video episode on YouTube⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on TikTok⁠⁠⁠ We do other things than read fantasy romance novels (surprise!) so check out our other content if you so wish..... ⁠⁠⁠See what else Carlie is up to.⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠See what else is Majella is up to.⁠⁠⁠ Music Credit: Intro and Outro music by⁠ ⁠Hot_Dope⁠⁠ from⁠ ⁠Pixabay⁠⁠: Winning Elevation

***SPOILER ALERTS - This episode has no spoilers so listen freely.  A light-hearted chat between book besties excited about a fresh year of reading. Majella and Carlie walk through their ambitious summer holiday reading lists. Carlie has a couple of weeks vacation with her family so reading by the pool and long morning lay-ins with coffee and a book sound perfect to her. Majella has creative time and is finishing her own poetry book but her reading list is long - and diverse!  Summer Holiday Reading list Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows - Rebecca Ross One Dark Window and Two Twisted Crowns - Rachel Gilleg Barbara - Barbara Streisand Book Lovers - Emily Henry Queen of Shadows and Empire of Storms - Sarah J Maas Chasm and Ledge - Stacey McEwan Powerless - Lauren Roberts Who I Am - Mel C Love & Pain (Silverchair) - Ben Gillies and Chris Joannou What we are reading right now. Carlie - Queen of Shadows - Sarah J Maas Majella - Divine Rivals - Rebecca Ross LINKS ⁠⁠⁠Watch the video episode on YouTube⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on TikTok⁠⁠⁠ We do other things than read fantasy romance novels (surprise!) so check out our other content if you so wish..... ⁠⁠⁠See what else Carlie is up to.⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠See what else is Majella is up to.⁠⁠⁠ Music Credit: Intro and Outro music by⁠ ⁠Hot_Dope⁠⁠ from⁠ ⁠Pixabay⁠⁠: Winning Elevation

***SPOILER ALERTS - This is episode has no spoilers so listen freely.  Where do we sit on the literary standard scale? How much do we care about grammatically correct writing when the plot is great? When can we no longer read because the writing is so terrible? We chat randomly about what we need in our books to stay inspired to stick with it. We are not literary snobs over here at fae.ted but there are some things we need to stay interested and we discuss it all in this episode. Hot Topics We Discuss What is the balance point for reading time? What is the pleasure point for each person with their reading?  Being mindful of how judgmental we can be of others reading habits or number of books read. Reading is such a subjective experience We have different intentions for different books/series/tropes. When we can no longer read because the writing is so terrible. What we are reading right now. Carlie - He’s Not My Type - Meghan Quinn Majella - The Winter King - C.L Wilson LINKS ⁠⁠⁠Watch the video episode on YouTube⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on TikTok⁠⁠⁠ We do other things than read fantasy romance novels (surprise!) so check out our other content if you so wish..... ⁠⁠⁠See what else Carlie is up to.⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠See what else is Majella is up to.⁠⁠⁠ Music Credit: Intro and Outro music by⁠ ⁠Hot_Dope⁠⁠ from⁠ ⁠Pixabay⁠⁠: Winning Elevation

***SPOILER ALERTS - This is a deep dive into Iron Flame - Part 2 so we are spoiling the whole thing. Listen AFTER you have read the book We are back to dive into Part 2 of Iron Flame which we both devoured fast and fervently. This book is a top pick of ours for 2023. We share our fav scenes like ‘the shower scene’ and ‘the throne scene’ and how we like our men feral/primal and possessive in our books. Only 12+ months to wait for part 3. Hot Topics We Discuss The wild and heart-in-throat moments of Part 2 of this book. The reward of the spicy scene of page 338… finally How we like our men feral/primal The introduction of the bad bitch ‘other woman’ Catriona The discovery of Xadens second signet How reading theories can take away our reading enjoyment. THE THRONE SCENE That ending!!!! What we are reading right now. Carlie - Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass series) - Sarah J Maas Majella - The Winter King - C.L Wilson (don’t judge the cover!) SECRET LINE “I want the woman I fell for. It kills me every time I have to keep my hands off you. Every night I lie awake next to you, both blessed and damned with the memory of how hot, how wet, how fucking perfect you feel when I'm losing myself in you.” Xaden Riorson LINKS ⁠⁠⁠Watch the video episode on YouTube⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on TikTok⁠⁠⁠ We do other things than read fantasy romance novels (surprise!) so check out our other content if you so wish..... ⁠⁠⁠See what else Carlie is up to.⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠See what else is Majella is up to.⁠⁠⁠ Music Credit: Intro and Outro music by⁠ ⁠Hot_Dope⁠⁠ from⁠ ⁠Pixabay⁠⁠: Winning Elevation

**BONUS EPISODE** dropping like it's hot to help you give (or get) the best book themed gifts this year. All budgets, all types of readers, all sorts of ideas for you to wow your friend/family/lover (or to send to your family members so you can receive something wonderful yourself). Hope it helps! Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Book Collector's Editions 03:03 Gift Vouchers and Kindle 05:03 Bookstore Experience and Audio Books 08:05 Merchandise and Book Totes 10:07 Bookshelves and Bookends 13:17 Book Snacking Hamper and Comfort Items 16:38 Reading Accessories and Therapy Session 18:48 Asking for Book Recommendations LINKS ⁠⁠⁠Watch the video episode on YouTube⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on TikTok⁠⁠⁠ We do other things than read fantasy romance novels (surprise!) so check out our other content if you so wish..... ⁠⁠⁠See what else Carlie is up to.⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠See what else is Majella is up to.⁠⁠⁠ Music Credit: Intro and Outro music by⁠ ⁠Hot_Dope⁠⁠ from⁠ ⁠Pixabay⁠⁠: Winning Elevation

***SPOILER ALERTS - This is a deep dive into Iron Flame - Part 1 so we are spoiling the whole thing. Listen AFTER you have read the book We have been chomping at the bit to share our Iron Flame thoughts, feelings, opinions and theories. We recap all of Part 1 and talk in depth about the moral dilemmas that our main characters Violet and Xaden experience after The Fourth Wing played out. We share our fav scenes and some hot quotes too. We both LOVED this book and found it engaging, compelling and hot. Only 12+ months to wait for book 3. Hot Topics We Discuss Plot lines and new characters being introduced in part 1 Staying present with a story over critiquing the writing Why are there no blonde main characters in this genre? Moral dilemmas of our antagonist and protagonist Our favorite scenes and quotes. THE SHOWER SCENE Xadens solid commitment to the revolution, his mission and his woman. What we are reading right now. Carlie - Hopeless - Elsie Silver & Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass series) - Sarah J Maas Majella - The Crowns of Nyaxia Series “The Serpent and The Wings of Night” and “The Ashes and the Star Cursed King”  - Carissa Broadbent SECRET LINE “I love you. I'm in love with you. I have been since the night the snow fell on your hair and you kissed me for the first time. I'm grateful my life is tied to yours because it means I won't have to face a day without you in it. My heart only beats as long as yours does and when you die I'll meet Malik at your side. It's a damn good thing that you love me too because you're stuck with me in this life and every other that could possibly follow.” Xaden - Iron Flame LINKS ⁠⁠⁠Watch the video episode on YouTube⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on TikTok⁠⁠⁠ We do other things than read fantasy romance novels (surprise!) so check out our other content if you so wish..... ⁠⁠⁠See what else Carlie is up to.⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠See what else is Majella is up to.⁠⁠⁠ Music Credit: Intro and Outro music by⁠ ⁠Hot_Dope⁠⁠ from⁠ ⁠Pixabay⁠⁠: Winning Elevation

***SPOILER ALERTS - No spoilers in this episode. Listen in as we share our read lists from 2023. It was a great year of reading where we both rediscovered our love of fiction novels and found out how much we love smut, dark romance and fantasy worlds. Listen along for some new authors to discover and books to add to your end of year reading lists. We would love to hear what your favorite reads of the year have been too! Let us know on our Instagram or Tik Tok pages. Carlie’s reads of 2023 “The Seven Skins of Esther Wilding” Holly Ringland “Love letter to Whiskey” Kandi Steiner “A Court of Frost and Starlight” Sarah J Maas “Silver Flames” Sarah J Maas “Puck me Secretley” Odette Stone “Friends, Lovers and the Big, Terrible Thing.” Matthew Perry “I’m Glad My Mum Died.” Jeanette McCurdy “Daisy Jones & The Six.” “Restore Me” & “Revive Me” J L Seggar The Vancouver Agitators series - Meghan Quinn “Vacation Wars” Meghan Quinn “It Happened One Summer.” Tessa Bailey “Fix her Up” Tessa Bailey Nyaxia Series - Carissa Broadbent “The Fourth Wing” Rebecca Yarros Throne of Glass series - Sarah J Maas “Iron Flame” Rebecca Yarros Majella’s 2023 reads “A Light in the Flame” Jennifer L Armentrout “A Fire in the Flesh” Jennifer L Armentrout “The Crown of Gilded Bones” Jennifer L Armentrout “The War of Two Queens” Jennifer L Armentrout “A Soul of Ash and Blood” Jennifer L Armentrout Ruthless Demon King Series - Nikki St Crow  The Hot Vampire Next Door Series - Nikki St Crow The Vicious Lost Boys Series - Nikki St Crow ACOTAR series - Sarah J Maas Throne of Glass Series - Sarah J Maas “The Fourth Wing.” Rebecca Yarros “Iron Flame” Rebecca Yarros “The Last Storm” & “The Last Draig” J.D Linton “Powerless” Lauren Roberts What we are reading right now. Carlie - Iron Flame - Rebecca Yarros Majella - Powerless - Lauren Roberts SECRET LINE “His body is a symphony when he moves, a dark and dangerous symphony and I want to sink into the music of it. “Stay by my side tonight, and if you are a good girl I might treat you like a bad one after.”  Guess who said this line and which book? LINKS ⁠⁠⁠Watch the video episode on YouTube⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on TikTok⁠⁠⁠ We do other things than read fantasy romance novels (surprise!) so check out our other content if you so wish..... ⁠⁠⁠See what else Carlie is up to.⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠See what else is Majella is up to.⁠⁠⁠ Music Credit: Intro and Outro music by⁠ ⁠Hot_Dope⁠⁠ from⁠ ⁠Pixabay⁠⁠: Winning Elevation

***SPOILER ALERTS - Major spoilers in this episode so do not listen if you have not read The Fourth Wing - Rebecca Yarros Welcome to the second part of our ‘The Fourth Wing’ debrief. We just couldn’t contain all the great elements of this fantasy romance novel into one episode so we are back to share our thoughts and feelings about it! We also share what we are reading right now and thank you for being with us on this our 10th episode. We would love to read your reviews and be in conversation with you on our Instagram page, TikTok account or on any of the platforms you listen on. We can’t wait to bring you more hot and heavy fantasy romance debriefs. Hot topics we discuss The Fourth Wing Quiz SaltiReads a small handmade Australian business making great The Fourth Wing kindle stickers. https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/SaltiReads?ref=l2-about-shopname The fantasy of these 20 yr old characters having experience in bed, looking as they do, having emotional intelligence makes us laugh. The importance of respecting others reading journeys and not spoiling it. The final third of the story - the outpost attack, the revolution and the cliffhanger moment right at the end. Signets, relics and other cool fantasy details Xaden Riorson - in great detail, spicy scenes and wicked lines. What we are reading right now. Carlie - Iron Flame - Rebecca Yarros Majella - Powerless - Lauren Roberts SECRET LINE “You still love me. It's possible." Gods, do I ache to kiss her, to remind her exactly what we are together, but I won't, not until she asks. "I'm not afraid of hard work, especially not when I know just how sweet the rewards are. I would rather loose this entire war than live without you, and if that means I have to prove myself over and over, then I'll do it. You gave me your heart, and I'm keeping it." She already owns mine, even if she doesn't realize it.” Xaden Riorson - The Fourth Wing LINKS ⁠⁠Watch the video episode on YouTube⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on TikTok⁠⁠ We do other things than read fantasy romance novels (surprise!) so check out our other content if you so wish..... ⁠⁠See what else Carlie is up to.⁠⁠ ⁠⁠See what else is Majella is up to.⁠⁠ Music Credit: Intro and Outro music by ⁠Hot_Dope⁠ from ⁠Pixabay⁠: Winning Elevation

***SPOILER ALERTS - Major spoilers in this episode so do not listen if you have not read The Fourth Wing - Rebecca Yarros SHOW NOTES The first book in the Empyrean series from Rebecca J Maas is The Fourth Wing. This book takes no time in drawing the reader into the world of Basgiath War College in Navarre. We follow the experience of Violet Sorrengail as she fights, literally, to become a dragon rider in the Riders Quadrant against all odds, many people trying to assassinate her and her own body being physically fragile and breakable. She is smart though, and tenacious and hugely compassionate and it’s difficult not to fall in love with her. Add in a HOT wingleader who she is most definitely not meant to fall for, some magi cal, powerful dragons, well written slow burn and spicy scenes and a compelling action story and you have yourselves one of our top picks of the year! Hot topics we discuss - The virality of The Fourth Wing and it bringing many readers to this genre - The story outline and the main plotlines of the first three quarters of the book. - The main characters, family lines and friendships formed. - How the dragons bond to their riders. What we are reading right now. Carlie - Iron Flame - Rebecca Yarros Majella - The Last Draig - J.D Linton SECRET LINE “Even temples can be rebuilt, but books cannot be re-written” Guess who said this and from what book? LINKS ⁠⁠Watch the video episode on YouTube⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on TikTok⁠⁠ We do other things than read fantasy romance novels (surprise!) so check out our other content if you so wish..... ⁠⁠See what else Carlie is up to.⁠⁠ ⁠⁠See what else is Majella is up to.⁠⁠ Music Credit: Intro and Outro music by ⁠Hot_Dope⁠ from ⁠Pixabay⁠: Winning Elevation

***SPOILER ALERTS - Major spoilers in this episode so do not listen if you have not read Throne of Glass. SHOW NOTES The first book in the Throne of Glass series from Sarah J Maas creates our the world that we are about to become obsessed with over the next 8 books. We discuss the plot points and how we are introduced to our character cast. The moral dilemmas for our protagonist Celeana Sardothien and the budding love triangle with Chaol Westfall and Prince Dorain Havilliard. As always SJM creates the foundations for some strong friendships and the fantasy elements of magic are introduced. This novel is an appetite wetter and stage setter for the following books. We loved it and can’t wait to share the rest of the series with you. Hot topics we discuss - Plot lines and character introductions, setting the scene for future books - This book feels very young adult, minimal spice. - The love triangle developing between Caleana, Chaol and Dorian - The protagonists moral dilemma and courageous character to complete and win the King’s champion role. What we are reading right now. Carlie - Malibu Rising - Taylor Jenkins Reid and Crown of Midnight - Sarah J Maas Majella - The Last Storm - J.D Linton SECRET LINE “His breath was warm on her neck as he bent his head, resting his cheek against her hair. Her heart beat so quickly, and yet she felt utterly calm—as if she could have stayed there forever and not minded, stayed there forever and let the world fall apart around them. She pictured his fingers, pushing against that line of chalk, reaching for her despite the barrier between them.” Guess who said this and from what book? LINKS ⁠⁠Watch the video episode on YouTube⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on TikTok⁠⁠ We do other things than read fantasy romance novels (surprise!) so check out our other content if you so wish..... ⁠⁠See what else Carlie is up to.⁠⁠ ⁠⁠See what else is Majella is up to.⁠⁠ Music Credit: Intro and Outro music by ⁠Hot_Dope⁠ from ⁠Pixabay⁠: Winning Elevation

***SPOILER ALERTS - Minimal spoilers in this episode SHOW NOTES Anyone who is as obsessed with reading has a TBR list, it might be in your head, written in your phone notes or saved in your Goodreads but rest assured you are probably haunted by how many books there are in the world and how little time there is to read them. In this episode we share our TBR habits and how we feel about reading FOMO, overwhelm and comparisonitis. Hot topics we discuss - Where we keep our TBR and if it brings us calm or overwhelm. - The FOMO and fear of spoilers we feel when on booktok - Wanting to read fast to be in on the hype wave. - The importance of keeping your reading enjoyable - How we choose our next reads and how we protect our reading time. What we are reading right now. Carlie - back into Crown of Midnight - Throne of Glass - Sarah J Maas Majella - re-reading parts of Blood & Ash by Jennifer L Armentrout and Throne of Glass Sarah J Maas. SECRET LINE “I give you my body. I give you my blood. I give you my soul. I give you my heart. From this night until the end of nights. From daybreak until our days are broken. Your soul is my soul. Your heart is my heart. Your pain is my pain. I bind myself to you.” I wanted it to all be a lie. But it was not a lie.” Can you guess who and what book? LINKS ⁠⁠Watch the video episode on YouTube⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on TikTok⁠⁠ We do other things than read fantasy romance novels (surprise!) so check out our other content if you so wish..... ⁠⁠See what else Carlie is up to.⁠⁠ ⁠⁠See what else is Majella is up to.⁠⁠ Music Credit: Intro and Outro music by ⁠Hot_Dope⁠ from ⁠Pixabay⁠: Winning Elevation

***SPOILER ALERTS - Big spoiler warning here. We are debriefing the entire book so come back to this episode after you've read it. SHOW NOTES Hot topics we discuss - How we are both in a state of mourning in this episode and unsure what to read next - The impressive size and girth of magical ‘wands’ and how well they are wielded. - Whether authors have answers to any of our questions about any of these things or not - How the wings work, where they go when they sleep, how they sit, do they moult and have wing dandruff….. Yep. - The wonderful combinations of scents that these characters are assigned and which ones we love the sound/smell of. What we are reading right now. Carlie - back into Crown of Midnight - Throne of Glass - Sarah J Maas Majella - nothing as she is in mourning after Iron Flame SECRET LINE Books we mention in this episode The Fourth Wing and Iron Flame - Rebecca Yarros Assassins Blade Novella - Sarah J Maas ACOTAR Series - Sarah J Maas LINKS ⁠⁠Watch the video episode on YouTube⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on TikTok⁠⁠ Music Credit: Intro and Outro music by ⁠Hot_Dope⁠ from ⁠Pixabay⁠: Winning Elevation

***SPOILER ALERTS - Minimal spoilers in this episode SHOW NOTES Welcome to a sneak peek into our weird and wonderful brains and our ever flowing messenger chat space. We have many curious questions to ask our favourite authors but until we are popular enough to actually interview them we will make do with creating episodes where we share them with you, our listeners, and discuss further.  Who knows, maybe one day this will be stumbled upon and launch us into ‘someones’ email inbox. We can only dream. Until then enjoy our musings on how big, impressive and enjoyable our fae favourite wands are, our confusion around feather moulting and a very, very thorough discussion about the aromas of fantasy characters. Yep, we warned you we think of all the things as we immerse ourselves in these wonderful worlds. Hot topics we discuss - How we are both in a state of mourning in this episode and unsure what to read next - The impressive size and girth of magical ‘wands’ and how well they are wielded. - Whether authors have answers to any of our questions about any of these things or not - How the wings work, where they go when they sleep, how they sit, do they moult and have wing dandruff….. Yep. - The wonderful combinations of scents that these characters are assigned and which ones we love the sound/smell of. What we are reading right now. Carlie - back into Crown of Midnight - Throne of Glass - Sarah J Maas Majella - nothing as she is in mourning after Iron Flame SECRET LINE “I cannot survive without reading.”  Guess who said it and which book and let us know. Books we mention in this episode The Fourth Wing and Iron Flame - Rebecca Yarros Assassins Blade Novella - Sarah J Maas ACOTAR Series - Sarah J Maas LINKS ⁠⁠Watch the video episode on YouTube⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on TikTok⁠⁠ We do other things than read fantasy romance novels (surprise!) so check out our other content if you so wish..... ⁠⁠See what else Carlie is up to.⁠⁠ ⁠⁠See what else is Majella is up to.⁠⁠ Intro and Outro music by Hot_Dope from Pixabay: Winning Elevation

***SPOILER ALERTS - Minimal spoilers in this episode We apologise for the audio quality in this episode as we are on our training wheels and this episode just didn’t want to play well with us. Thank you for your understanding, things improve from here! SHOW NOTES In this episode we wanted to share how we read and discuss how reading can be wonderful and also maybe an addiction that impacts our lives in a detrimental way. We hope it helps you settle into how you love to enjoy your reading time no matter what that looks like. We are all different, with our own life circumstances and as long as you are reading we are cheering you on. Hot topics we discuss - Can we read too much? - FOMO and comparison-itis in the reading world. - How Carlie enjoys delayed gratification and has to read in small blocks of time or at night around her family and work life. - How Majella devours books in large blocks of time as she knows she will re-read them over and over. Delayed gratification is a novel idea for her. - Reading as escapism and when this is not healthy - The physiological response we get from reading this genre. - Our reading habits and routines right now - How our reading habits can impact on socialising, relationships, sleep, work life. - Reading is an accessible hobby for Carlie right now. What we are reading right now. Carlie - The Assassin’s Blade Novella - Throne of Glass Sarah J Maas Majella - Iron Flame Rebecca Yarros SECRET LINE “I love you. There is no limit to what I can give to you. No time I need. Even when this world is a forgotten whisper of dust between the stars, I will love you.”  Guess who said it and which book and let us know. Books we mention in this episode The Fourth Wing and Iron Flame - Rebecca Yarros Assassins Blade Novella - Sarah J Maas LINKS ⁠⁠Watch the video episode on YouTube⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on TikTok⁠⁠ We do other things than read fantasy romance novels (surprise!) so check out our other content if you so wish..... ⁠⁠See what else Carlie is up to.⁠⁠ ⁠⁠See what else is Majella is up to.⁠⁠ Music credit: Intro and Outro music by ⁠Hot_Dope⁠ from ⁠Pixabay⁠: Winning Elevation

Firstly we apologise for the crazy audio in this episode. We certainly have our training wheels on here and we understand how hard it is to listen to crappy sound but alas here we are. The episode was too good to re-record. Thanks for your understanding. In this episode we discuss the genre of fantasy romance and the stories that fit in this space + - the talent of authors to balance the required fantasy elements and the plot beats for an epic love story. - popular tropes you find in fantasy romance including ours. - the required conquering of hardship and the happy ever after that we crave. * **SPOILER ALERTS - We share some main character spoilers in this episode for ACOTAR and The Fourth Wing! SECRET LINE "I would rather lose this entire war than live without you and if that means I have to prove myself over and over then I will do it. you gave me your heart and I'm keeping it." Books we mention in this episode The Fourth Wing The ACOTAR series Outlander LINKS ⁠⁠Watch the video episode on YouTube⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on TikTok⁠⁠ We do other things than read fantasy romance novels (surprise!) so check out our other content if you so wish..... ⁠⁠See what else Carlie is up to.⁠⁠ ⁠⁠See what else is Majella is up to.⁠⁠ Music credit: Intro and Outro music by ⁠Hot_Dope⁠ from ⁠Pixabay⁠: Winning Elevation

* **SPOILER ALERTS - We share some minor character spoilers in this episode but nothing majorly important. In this episode we share our love and obsession for Sarah J Maas' ACOTAR series including how we discovered it, devoured it and continue to discuss it months later. We were both surprised that we would love it so much so if you felt the same this will resonate. We share the phenomenal success that Sarah J Maas is currently experiencing and how this series has taken the book world by storm. Majella also smashes the popular choice of Henry Cavill portraying Rhysand in any movie/tv adaptation :) Enjoy our chat about why we think people are obsessed with this series and what we are seeing with our friends and in the online world. SECRET LINE "To the stars who listen and the dreams that are answered." Have a guess who said it and in which ACOTAR book in our poll or comments. Books we mention in this episode: A Court of Thorns and Roses A Court of Mist and Fury A Court of Wings and Ruin A Court of Frost and Starlight Silver Flames LINKS ⁠⁠Watch the video episode on YouTube⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Follow and interact with us on TikTok⁠⁠ We do other things than read fantasy romance novels (surprise!) so check out our other content if you so wish..... ⁠⁠See what else Carlie is up to.⁠⁠ ⁠⁠See what else is Majella is up to.⁠⁠ Music credit: Intro and Outro music by ⁠Hot_Dope⁠ from ⁠Pixabay⁠: Winning Elevation

* **SPOILER ALERTS - We share some minor character spoilers in this episode but nothing majorly important. WELCOME to our new podcast. We are SO excited to be sharing with you our thoughts, feelings, reactions, ponderings and yearnings about the books we are reading, in particular fantasy romance. We are currently obsessed with this genre. We are losing sleep, choosing to read over socialising, avoiding housework and are potentially having emotional affairs with characters that do not exist! Fun!! Please let us know if you are as obsessed as us, we want to hear from you each and every episode. Lets converse like we are sitting in our lounge area with these books in our laps! SHOW NOTES - How we came into the fantasy romance genre in our 40's. - What we are seeing online and amongst our friends as this genre is stumbled upon. - The power of a collective community to create hype and to share the experience - Comparing it to the obsession with "Harry Potter", "Twilight" and it being the adult sequels. - The importance of the female main character (FMC) being strong, independent and fierce. - Does fantasy romance allow us to completely escape our real lives? - What a great fantasy romance story needs to capture our hearts and minds. - How big some of these authors are becoming and how it gives the 'nerdy book-lovers' a time to shine. SECRET LINE "I was his and he was mine and we were the beginning, the middle and the end. We were a song that had been sung from the very first ember of light in the world." Books we mention in this episode Harry Potter The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe Twilight The Fourth Wing Game of Thrones Outlander A Court of Thorns and Roses series Watch the video episode on YouTube Follow and interact with us on Instagram Follow and interact with us on TikTok We do other things than read fantasy romance novels (surprise!) so check out our other content if you so wish..... See what else Carlie is up to. See what else is Majella is up to. Music Credit: Intro and Outro music by Hot_Dope from Pixabay: Winning Elevation