Proof that all books are not published equally, this week we're reading a Dramione fanfic that is perhaps the best story we've read all year. The romantic tension, the beautiful quirky writing, the Austen-esque plot is all free to download at Archive of Our Own.https://archiveofourown.org/works/21496525?view_full_work=trueFor those of you with a Kindle, you can download a PDF copy of this work and send it to your Amazon account. Just search for "send to Kindle."

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-phantasmaIf you're looking for something better, try:The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbenthttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60714999-the-serpent-and-the-wings-of-night?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_7What Monstrous Gods by Rosamund Hodgehttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/173953567-what-monstrous-gods?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_9Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodgehttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15839984-cruel-beauty?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_12

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

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-enchantedhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43684.The_Assassins_of_Tamurin

As you will soon discover, we had some mishaps during the recording of part 3. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61431922-fourth-wing

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-breakerIf 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.

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

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-heartsLooking for similar vibes?The Parasol Protectorate Series by Gail Carrigerhttps://www.goodreads.com/series/46888-parasol-protectorateAnything by Olivia Atwaterhttps://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20153683.Olivia_AtwaterThe movies Van Helsing (2004) or The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003)

It's been a long time in the making but we finally finished it. Fourth Wing is here for better or worse, readers. If you loved this one, you might be better off just skipping the next few episodes.https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61431922-fourth-wing

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-legendbornIf 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-houseThe Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvaterhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17675462-the-raven-boysOnly a Monster by Vanessa Len (also a previous pick of the week!)https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58210340-only-a-monster

Who needs spice when you can have a sash scene. Hari recruits a militia, takes down an entire demon army, and somehow, no one dies: not the cat, the horse, or Mathin. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/407813.The_Blue_Sword

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!

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-ruinIf you’re looking for something similar (or are still being convinced to read it), take a look at:The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoskihttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16069030-the-winner-s-curseDaughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillierhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13928.Daughter_of_the_ForestAnything by Grace Dravenhttps://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2759153.Grace_Draven

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

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-ravensIf you're looking for something similar (and maybe better):Half a Soul by Olivia Atwaterhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60717747-half-a-soulA Fragile Enchantment by Allison Safthttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/127305900-a-fragile-enchantmentThe Cruel Prince by Holly Blackhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26032825-the-cruel-prince

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_Swordhttps://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-sheik-edith-maude-hull/1127775915

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?

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!

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-dukeIf you're looking for something similar, try anything by Julia Quinn, Lisa Kleypas or Sherry Thomas.

Beware readers, this episode is way past R rated, but Deli Dan carried us through. Join us next week when we go back to some serious fantasy with Robin McKinley's "The Blue Sword."https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/199928276-the-love-of-my-afterlife

A (surprisingly coherent) dialogue on arguments of anti-intellectualism in popular reading - or alternatively, why people gotta hate on fairy smut? Stay bothered, readers!

An easy, breezy Kindle Unlimited book is Katie’s pick this week - The Heir and the Spare by Kate Stradling. As Katie explains, “it’s a book,” so don’t get too excited (though to be fair, it was finished and had a surprisingly interesting twist at the end!)https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57022919-the-heir-and-the-spareIf you're looking for something with similar vibes:Thorn by Intisar Khananihttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51265989-thornBitterblue by Kristin Cashorehttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12680907-bitterblueWarprize by Elizabeth Vaughanhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/78070.Warprize

The drinks are kicking in for part 2 - much needed for the scene we endure with Delphie's overexposure in athletic wear. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/199928276-the-love-of-my-afterlife

In this week’s episode, Saint Jordan comes to teach us the good word - romance books have to have happy endings! (Or do they? Ooooooh the intrigue! The controversy!)Stay bothered, readers!

Get your pumpkins out, readers, it's spooky season! And starting us off right, Jordan's pick this week is a new one for us both: contemporary horror romance. Despite the suggestive title, The Contortionist by Kathryn Ann Kingsley is all the right kinds of scary - and a 5 star read for Jordan!https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54995584-the-contortionistFor similar vibes (but maybe less spooky):Ninth House by Leigh Bardugohttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43263680-ninth-houseThe Cruel Prince by Holly Blackhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26032825-the-cruel-prince

It's a Good Morning America Book Club pick so not exactly our usual choice of books. Go into this story like you would a Hallmark movie and you'll have an enjoyable but mindless time. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/199928276-the-love-of-my-afterlife

NO FLOATIES! NO POOL NOODLE! Jordan recounts her recent foray into the world of spicy fanfiction - and this Victorian noble woman is TRAUMATIZED. *cue Katie's maniacal laughter*Stay bothered, readers!

Katie undertakes the 2am drunk Taco Bell run that is Danielle Lori's mafia romance, The Sweetest Oblivion (somewhere off in the distance, Jordan scoffs at this title for the 37th time). Was it good? Eh. Was it edible? Also eh. Has Katie read it twice already? ... she pleads the fifth. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39083635-the-sweetest-oblivion

We're finally closing out The Winner's trilogy. To be honest readers, we skimmed this last book so we're wrapping the whole thing up in one episode - or half an episode - we spend the majority of the second half discussing fanfic ideas, the golden age of romantasy, and The Aragorn Upgrade.https://www.goodreads.com/series/119513-the-winner-s-trilogy

This week, it’s Katie’s turn to be bothered - and this time it’s about some guy whose voice sounds like dripping honey (what does that even mean!)Stay bothered, readers!

"It's basically two quirky weird people with baggage realizing their baggage works together, and that they make each other... like whole?" This week Jordan has us all crying in the club with her Netflix K-Drama, Mad For Each Other. Two weirdos falling in love? What more could you want?

The trauma continues in book two of Marie Rutkoski's phenomenal Winner's trilogy. We're only doing two episodes for this book, and one final episode for book three. The end is near readers!https://www.goodreads.com/series/119513-the-winner-s-trilogy

In this week's brain dump, we talk about Utah's recent book ban that included our girl Sarah Maas' entire repertoire. Lip service to protecting children from the dangers of explicit sexual content or an actually effective limit on access? And for older, middle and high school readers, are these books better to read than viewing other explicit content on the internet? Stay bothered, readers!

He's hot so therefore he *must* live - the alternate title of Katie's pick of the week, What Monstrous Gods by Rosamund Hodge (the same author as one of our pod books, Cruel Beauty!) Also, Katie kept saying Charlie Clearwater - it's Charlie Bowater. Charlie Clearwater is a weird combination of two Twilight characters, lol.https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/173953567-what-monstrous-godsAnd if you're looking for something similar, try:The Shadow and Bone Trilogy by Leigh Bardugohttps://www.goodreads.com/series/69714-the-shadow-and-bone-trilogyThe Familiar by Leigh Bardugohttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/133286777-the-familiarHall of Smoke by H.M. Longhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53759101-hall-of-smoke

The trauma continues in book two of Marie Rutkoski's phenomenal Winner's trilogy. We're only doing two episodes for this book, and one final episode for book three. The end is near readers!https://www.goodreads.com/series/119513-the-winner-s-trilogy

ACOTAR is your hot friend in low-rise jeans and a belly chain and The Winner's Curse is your effortlessly chic cousin who went to NYU and could pass as a Gossip Girl extra. We think both of these books are firmly in the romantasy genre but some (apparently on Reddit) disagree. What does fantasy mean to you?Stay bothered, readers!

If you're looking for a soul cleanser after last week's pick left you feeling bloody, slutty and pathetic, Jordan's pick this week is all sunshine and butterflies in Song of the Six Realms by Judy Lin. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/172979755-song-of-the-six-realmsFor similar vibes, try:Thorn by Intisar Khananihttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51265989-thornDaughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tanhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57789637-daughter-of-the-moon-goddessThe Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Ohhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56978100-the-girl-who-fell-beneath-the-sea

We are so excited to talk about this trilogy and we're going to talk a lot. The Winner's Curse came out in 2014, a year before ACOTAR, and it does not get the attention it deserves (especially when compared to books in the same genre).https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16069030-the-winner-s-curse

Yes, you did read that right. Katie explored the terrifying wilds of fanfic land to bring you the mafia romance of your dreams (and the best part is it's free!), Bloody, Slutty and Pathetic by WhatMurdah. Word to the wise - it's a bit spicier and toxic than most our picks.https://archiveofourown.org/works/52884502

We are so excited to talk about this trilogy and we're going to talk a lot. The Winner's Curse came out in 2014, a year before ACOTAR, and it does not get the attention it deserves (especially when compared to books in the same genre).https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16069030-the-winner-s-curse

What does Naomi Novik have to do with *checks notes* Blippi? Jordan's pick this week is A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik, otherwise known as "a fucked up Hogwarts run by Slytherins." Nice.https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50548197-a-deadly-educationFor something similar, try:The Folk of the Air series by Holly Blackhttps://www.goodreads.com/series/159680-the-folk-of-the-air

We are so excited to talk about this trilogy and we're going to talk a lot. The Winner's Curse came out in 2014, a year before ACOTAR, and it does not get the attention it deserves (especially when compared to books in the same genre).https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16069030-the-winner-s-curse

This week's pick is a little teaser of what's to come, i.e. full length episodes! Katie talks about The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski (with a surprisingly coherent retelling of the plot) and Jordan re-remembers how bangin' it was - chaos ensues. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16069030-the-winner-s-curseIf you liked The Winner's Curse and are looking for something similar, try:The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle Jensenhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53921926-the-bridge-kingdomRed Queen by Victoria Aveyardhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22328546-red-queenRed Rising by Pierce Brownhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15839976-red-rising

We were going to do the three parts but we got lost somewhere around kidnaping number five and so we're wrapping up the Trouble with Kings this week. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2878252-the-trouble-with-kingsOur next book has got us all worked up though. If you haven't read it yet, do not pass go, do not collect more TBRs, and go live in kindle jail until you finish this series.https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16069030-the-winner-s-curse?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_18

Jordan's pick this week is a Kindle Unlimited sleeper - our favorite kinds of books! Think a splash of the Undying King (Grace Draven), with a hint of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue (Victoria Schwab), all mixed in with the Age of Adeline and you have Peaches & Honey by R. Raeta!https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/198908916-peaches-honeyFor same same, but different:The Undying King by Grace Dravenhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30753120-the-undying-kingThe Invisible Life of Addie LaRuehttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50623864-the-invisible-life-of-addie-larue

Are you a Mel or a Flian? This book was a bit troubling for us, in large part due to it's lackluster take on the same Crown/Court Duel plot points. Still better than The Fourth Wing though...Also, gentlemen: there are only two types of mustaches and you can't win with either. Our hero sure doesn't.https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2878252-the-trouble-with-kingspsst....Fil-ee-en is not how you say her name. Bloopers at the end!

In this week's pick (and our first one back in the studio!), Katie hates on Julia Quinn's When He Was Wicked, otherwise known as Francesca's story and proceeds to talk about it for approximately .5 seconds of this 9 minute episode. Read literally anything else, and you'll be much happier.https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/110396.When_He_Was_Wicked

Something about an aunt, a sparkly fish, and a pirate ship?https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/133286777-the-familiar