Valentine's Day and Romantasy!

Get ready Nerds and plug in, because we're celebrating Gallentines Day with a heart-filled episode of romance and fantasy! Our conversation whirls from the sticky-sweet intricacies of romance novel tropes to the intoxicating allure of dark fantasy romances.  Plus, we're dissecting our slow-burn book of the month—patience, dear listeners, good things come to those who wait for worlds to build. Whether it's a classic enemies-to-lovers setup or an unexpected werewolf-vampire romance, rest assured we've got the hot takes and the hearty laughs to fuel your literary fire. 

 Curl up and join us for a journey through the pages of our lives and bookshelves, where laughter is abundant, and every story is an ode to the things we love most.

Transcript

Romance Book Recommendations and Discussion

Speaker 1 0:00

And she couldn't tell me anything about it, though she's like well, they didn't like each other at first. I'm like that's not narrow.

Speaker 2 0:08

That's literally every book we read.

Speaker 1 0:10

I'd like it to be more specific.

Speaker 2 0:19

Hi, I'm Chanel. Hi, I'm Stacy, hey nerds this is Ashley and this is Fiction Fanatics. All right, now this is the episode about romance. That's what I'll just say.

Speaker 1 0:40

Welcome. Welcome to our Gallantines Day episode.

Speaker 2 0:44

Yeah, welcome, welcome welcome, we're about to get out.

Speaker 1 0:49

Well, we do have one guy present today. He's half a guy, half of what you hear. He made a sound Would. I said that I'm watching helping take care of my nephew. Today, this is day one, so you guys are witnessing the beginning here. The beginning.

Speaker 2 1:10

Beginning of the end.

Speaker 1 1:11

I swear to God. I say beginning of the end. I'm already like oh, how does Stacy do this every day? That's my first thought, right?

Speaker 2 1:19

Like super mom.

Speaker 1 1:21

How do you do it, stacy? How do you do it looking that cute? Look at Stacy today with her freaking bangs and her cute shirt and her clip. I love you but I hate you. Right now. You look so cute. Well, the thing that's funny is I can remember when Toby was that little and I thought oh, this is chaos, how am I going to do anything done. And now Toby's feral and a toddler and I would give anything for him to be that little again. Really, wow, yes.

Speaker 2 1:50

But you're going to say that, and then he's going to be like seven and you're going to be like I wish he was a toddler again.

Speaker 1 1:57

I wish he was a feral toddler again.

Speaker 2 2:00

No, but that's all it always happens. And then he'll be a teenager and you'll be like I wish he was a little eight-year-old. I know All parents. I'm not a parent, but I'm like. All parents say that it was always better at the age that they conquered. Yeah.

Speaker 1 2:18

And I think it's just like then you get used to them being that age and then they change and you're like I just got used to this. Why is this happening to me? Yes, yes.

Speaker 2 2:29

You were like because then he'll be 13. And he'll be a little monster and you'll be like you were so cute when you were five Like why can't you be five again?

Speaker 1 2:37

You should have saw him. So yesterday we were at Theo's parents who were watching the halftime show with Usher, which was obviously amazing Speaking of love, I love and he was just like dancing around and listening to Usher and it was so cute. Yes.

Speaker 2 2:51

Yes, speaking of love, the biggest love story was Taylor and Travis.

Speaker 1 2:57

Dude, people are like little on-com and my love for Usher.

Speaker 2 3:00

I know.

Speaker 1 3:01

But people are already so upset about their like. If I have to see one more meme on Facebook about people like, are they going to show Taylor Swift the whole game? And I was, like you know, the first thing I did today when I woke up with look how long she was on screen, for it was like for the four hour game. They showed her for like 45 seconds.

Speaker 2 3:18

Yeah, it actually wasn't that bad, which I was happy about and not happy about, yeah, so you guys.

Speaker 1 3:26

I got in a fight on Instagram and comments with this guy Like I didn't meet what.

Speaker 2 3:31

Do you know who he is?

Speaker 1 3:33

No, I never do this. So, like Sport, something posted this post about Taylor Swift being at the Super Bowl and so I was just curious and I looked at the comments. I'm like what are these? Like guy Sam's probably negative and this one guy like very dramatically was like the some meme. That was like nobody cares and all I said I commented back to like I go, you care enough to comment, and dude, people got so mad.

Speaker 2 3:57

What did they?

Speaker 1 3:57

say this one guy. I was like nobody cares about this basic ass, like called her a bitch and stuff and I was just like man, these people are angry about somebody being at a game. It was really weird, were you like? Ok, chad, we talk about.

Speaker 2 4:14

Beyonce dropping new music. I was like wait, what Did you see?

Speaker 1 4:17

the photos of her in the country Like oh.

Speaker 2 4:23

God, those songs are so good. I listen to them immediately after and I love it. They're so freaking good. They're so good so she broke the internet.

Speaker 1 4:33

Obviously, usher was amazing Usher broke the internet and his roller skates. It was epic.

Speaker 2 4:39

Did you see the meme I got? I sang, you guys, it was like last year's Super Bowl. It's like everyone's like Rihanna's pregnant. This year's Super Bowl is Usher, I'm pregnant.

Speaker 1 4:51

Everybody's pregnant.

Speaker 2 4:53

Everybody's pregnant, All from Usher. Take it off his shirt.

Speaker 1 4:56

It was just amazing, like I was dancing to all the songs, like I was having the best time I know. Oh, my gosh when. Alicia Keys came out on that beautiful red piano.

Speaker 2 5:06

OK, wait, whose book is it this month?

Speaker 1 5:09

Mine it's At Guitar Month. Hello the love, hello.

Speaker 2 5:15

Yeah, this book that I'm not into.

Speaker 1 5:18

You're not into it Now? I mean, I'm like slow beginning.

Speaker 2 5:22

I'm not even 100 pages into it.

Speaker 1 5:24

Oh yeah, Well, that's fair.

Speaker 2 5:26

It's just slow going. I'm like she's like exploring the grounds. If you haven't read it yet, Everyone on TikTok is reading.

Speaker 1 5:34

Be more enthused when you say it, she's just exploring the grounds.

Speaker 2 5:38

Yeah, she's trying to find a way to kill them or something, and I'm just like not.

Speaker 1 5:44

I was like madam, no, I could kill it less.

Speaker 2 5:47

I'm just like OK, when are we going to get somewhere? Vera. Vera but you know she's convinced me that it will get better, and I understand, obviously. I mean I'm being harsh on it, but every single fantasy book that you read, you have to world build and it usually takes five to 10 chapters, and I'm on chapter nine, so I understand.

Speaker 1 6:16

Well, I don't want to stress you about it.

Speaker 2 6:17

It's going to take more than 10 chapters with this book.

Speaker 1 6:19

Give it a chance.

Speaker 2 6:20

Give it a chance.

Speaker 1 6:22

What did you?

Speaker 2 6:22

say Stacy.

Speaker 1 6:23

I said well, I don't want to like, bum you out, but it's going to take longer than five to 10 chapters. I feel like for you to get into it. So heads up, ok, thanks. Ok, you're welcome.

Speaker 2 6:37

You're going to. You're telling me it's going to take the whole book.

Speaker 1 6:40

I mean I like it. I like it better now, but it's definitely like. I mean it's like I said with Throne of Glass. It's like the first Throne of Glass takes forever. And then, like, looking back after you read it, you're like, oh, you know, it was so necessary, it was actually really good. Blah, blah, blah, blah, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2 6:54

When you do the reread. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I understand. So yeah, aqatar is our book of the month.

Speaker 1 7:03

We're still Ashley's gone again.

Speaker 2 7:04

Ashley, yeah and yeah. Ok, so we can start off with since we're doing romance, let's do like we did last week, where we do, or we wreck our favorite romance books that we've read and kind of just talk about you know things that we liked about them, and and then we can go and do romance books that we want to read this year. So, yeah, I love it. Let's do it All right, cool, cool. Go ahead and stay so you can start us off.

Discussion on Fantasy Romance Books

Speaker 1 7:38

So I know I've talked about this for a while but I think my favorite like romance kind of and you know I love like enemies to lovers I think the best romance thing I've read so far is I've been reading the Folk of Air series by Holly Black, the rule prints, and it's definitely a fantasy book but the relationship is like definitely like a main plot point in it. But I like it because it's not like, oh, you go into it and you're like, oh, they just like kind of dislike each other. No, like he is like fucking mean and she's terrifying. And I just started the last book and it's the end of the second book. The third book is definitely like a lot heavier and like the romance and what's going on and some of the quotes. It's just like it's a true like enemies to lovers. Some people don't like it because it's borders on like bullying, especially in the first book with them, which you'll see when you read a Chanel brand breath mints and battle scars.

Speaker 1 8:38

I was just thinking that Chanel, oh my God, is that why you think that man? You know, that's like my favorite, one of my favorite things, that's why you like it.

Speaker 2 8:45

It's enemies to lovers. Subgenre toxic.

Speaker 1 8:49

It's very toxic, it's very like. So I just can't and I know I'm behind on it because this book came out forever ago. Katie, my sister, actually read it. I know I've talked about the last few episodes. She like blew through it so quick. I'm waiting on the last book, or I've just started the last book and it's already great. But it's definitely like very toxic in the beginning and like there's looks like she's smiling as she says it's very toxic in the beginning.

Speaker 1 9:15

Like one of the quotes it's my favorite from her. It's like in the first book, so those won't ruin anything because I know Chanel wants to read it, but it's like yeah, I'm like, I'm waiting for my set. I have a yeah, well, you're going to get it, probably today, so you need to be excited when you see it. But there is a part in the first book because the main character, jude is, is mortal, like she's mortal and she lives in the fairy realm. That doesn't give anything away, but like you'll find out why.

Speaker 2 9:39

Sounds like Akita.

Speaker 1 9:41

Yeah, and there's a part where she was well, if I can't be like them, I'm going to be much worse. And it's so fucking toxic. It's not like I'm going to take the higher road, it's like, oh, they're going to be fucking assholes, I'm going to kill all of them. And it is glorious, like the quotes. So it's fantasy and romance, which is, I think, why I like it so much, yeah we talked about how, like you and I, we don't really like just romance.

Speaker 2 10:11

Romance no, there's got to be like more to it yeah another element, which is why fantasy is Romantic, is now really Romantic?

Speaker 1 10:22

It's a combination Romantic, but there's also another quote Chanel, this won't ruin anything, but in like the first book, it's like I hate you and he's like say it again. And it's like so hot, and you're like I fucking hate this too. I hate it all. I'm getting like whoo in the collar like thinking about it. Okay.

Speaker 2 10:39

That's very much like Han and Leia vibes.

Speaker 1 10:41

Mm, hmm, is this book series, say, is this the one where there's a book called cruel prince? That's the first one. Yeah, it's cruel prince, the wicked king, and then the queen of nothing, because I see it like whenever I go to Barnes and Noble it's like always on display, mm, hmm, so that's like my main one that I've been at like hyper focused on the last few months. I feel like romance books I'm looking forward to reading is, which I know Chanel already finished. I finally got bride, my pre-order from Barnes and Noble.

Speaker 2 11:13

You did.

Speaker 1 11:14

I haven't started it yet, though, because I've just been like trying to finish some stuff up, Like some book binding stuff I've been doing, and so anytime I have a free moment and like Toby's asleep and I'm like, oh, I could start reading this. I can't. And then at night I normally read on my phone before I go to bed and I have that as a book. So then I don't have a book light anymore. So I'm like so that's like the, that's like the main, like fantasy, bromance, supernatural book I'm looking forward to because I've heard I mean other than Chanel who said it's great. I've heard so many great.

Speaker 2 11:47

That's my review.

Speaker 1 11:49

That's my main wreck is bright and you tell us about it.

Speaker 2 11:53

I just I just finished it in like maybe two days, just because I was like pacing myself out.

Speaker 1 11:59

You probably could have read it in a day, dude.

Speaker 2 12:01

I know it was so freaking good it's by Ally Hazlewood and it's I had no idea what it was about. Truly, I was trying to keep myself in the dark. I mean, I knew it was about a werewolf and I knew it was a vampire and they were going to be married because it's called bride, but. But I wanted to go in blind and and I won't give any spoilers, obviously for people who haven't read it yet, or Stacy- yeah, yeah, both yeah.

Speaker 2 12:33

And, but I was telling Ashley it's even better than I thought it was going to be. I mean, obviously Ally Hazlewood is an amazing writer and it's different than what she's her normal like, just romance. I haven't read any of her other books besides. What did we read? Oh my God, love, hypothesis, love, hypothesis. Thank you, the the her.

Speaker 1 12:59

I love the love hypothesis.

Speaker 2 13:00

Yes, it was so great Her first relo, but none of her other ones really like appealed to me, like her chess one, and they all just seemed very much very similar themes like science kind of you know, and I was like you know there's just other great romance authors and books and stuff, but this, the paranormal romance was right up my.

Speaker 1 13:22

That monster Is there. It's like a monster romance right Too. That's what I'm looking forward to, because I've been really into monster romance books lately.

Speaker 2 13:28

No, it's, I mean it's, it's not like okay. So okay, I'm assuming like Akatar is like, I'm assuming bestiality. It's not bestiality, If that's what you think. Oh there's.

Speaker 1 13:40

There's just like a lot of in Akatar spoiler.

Speaker 2 13:43

And said like which I think this is kind of accurate, it's like it's what you think of, like, if you wanted, like Rene's May's love story from Twilight.

Speaker 1 13:53

I can't.

Speaker 2 13:54

Kind of, you know, because she's, she, her and Jacob I guess is, but it's not really but, yeah, that's the best way to kind of put it, because it's marriage of convenience, which this, so this vampire woman and the werewolf guy have to get married. I won't tell you why, but the way she goes about forcing them to be married is so interesting, so great. And and then I was telling Ashley, there's the subplot, another subplot behind behind that, which is so amazing, which has to do with werewolves, vampires and humans, all of these different groups, and it's amazing and I loved it and the way she wove all of their stories. It's just amazing. I hadn't, I had no idea about this subplot. All I was focused on was they have to get married and, like you know, I love werewolves, so I was upset.

Speaker 1 14:56

I know you do love were. You've always been team Jacob from the beginning.

Speaker 2 15:00

Well, and you know, remiss, Remiss, yeah, remiss, of course.

Speaker 1 15:04

I was telling Chanel I'm excited about this book because she you guys are so excited about it, so I put it on my Libby app for the audible or for like the audio version of it. It's already like and 12 weeks plus wait for it, yeah, like it's already so popular. Yeah, it's like day one, 12 weeks wait.

Speaker 2 15:22

I heard that the audio book's really good too, so that makes sense. That makes it. But yeah, so that's my first wreck. My other one that I really like is oh my God, what's? My other one Is love and other wicked things, which I've talked about before on this podcast, and it is a sapphic romance by an indie author and named Felene Harms and it is like all. It's like the perfect Halloween romance about these two girls who are like enemies to lovers and they one she's she's like fire magic and the other girl's more earth elemental magic and they obviously like become lovers and stuff. But it's just so cute and there's also kind of a like murder mystery going on in the subplot and it's just. It's such a great romance.

Speaker 1 16:30

I've wanted to read that since you read it like months ago. I feel like there's not enough time in the world for us to read the books we want to read like, because, like here I am, I'm reading a guitar book, the first one again First. I've still reading Empire Storms, the fifth, yeah, the fifth the Throne of Glass book, which is 900 pages or something crazy, 900 pages, and I'm reading the last Holly Black book. I read like three books right now and I'm just like oh my Well, none of those are any of those audiobooks.

Speaker 1 17:03

Normally I listen to one audiobook and then like read one or two, but I ended up because I had been listening to the Throne of Glass series, but then I ended up wanting to read it at night, so now I'm reading it on my phone. So now I'm like reading that on my phone.

Speaker 2 17:20

You have to do one audiobook.

Speaker 1 17:23

It is too much. Maybe I'll try to get the Holly Black and switch it to audiobook so I'm not so overwhelmed all the time.

Speaker 2 17:31

Because I'm doing, I'm doing three books, but I'm doing three books also, but one is an audio book and it totally helps to like you can switch back and forth.

Speaker 1 17:53

That's what I've been doing like an audio book, reading a book, and then sometimes like a fanfic on my phone or something seems to be the way that I balance three books at once, I guess, yeah.

Speaker 2 18:06

Okay Books that I'm looking forward to reading is I still? I have this and I haven't read it. And she's blowing up. She literally has a book. She just released a book Tia Williams is his author a love song for Ricky Wilde, and it just got a deal with, like Amazon, they're going to make it into like a movie. So I want to read that love song for Ricky Wilde, but I haven't even read her first book, which is Seven Days. In June. It was a Reese Witherspoon book club book.

Speaker 1 18:46

I guess that sounds really familiar. I've seen the cover too, yeah.

Speaker 2 18:49

Both of her books are seem amazing. They're great romances. Then another one that I want to read is by Nikki Payne. I've been talking to you guys about this. It's called Sex, lies and Sensibilities, and she does retellings of Jane Austen with like a modern spin on it, and she's already did. Pride and Protest was her first book.

Speaker 1 19:14

Oh yeah, I know about that one.

Speaker 2 19:16

Yeah, this new one is Sense and Sensibility and so it just sounds so good. It's like set in Maine, which of course I love now that I just went to Maine and the guy he is Native American and the girl's black, and it's total enemies to lovers, and I just can't wait to read it. It literally comes out this week, so I'm going to go pick it up. And then this other one, stacey, I feel like you would want to read, is called Cemetery Boys and it's kind of paranormal as well. The one guy he's trans guy and he like I don't even know what it's called he like summons a ghost and this ghost is a guy and they like go on this little journey and they fall in love and paranormal LGBTQ romance. It's got everything, heck, yeah.

Speaker 1 20:13

So yeah. So, he's like sign me up, sign me up. Paranormal and male on male, my faith, right, right, right, let's check in all your boxes. Uh huh, check in all my boxes, but that is. My goal this year, though, is to read more sapphic romances, like, legitimately, I'm trying to, like you know.

Speaker 2 20:31

Yeah, give the ladies some love.

Speaker 1 20:32

Give the ladies some love. I love ladies, oh, okay.

Speaker 2 20:38

Ashley, what romance books do you like or that you've read?

Speaker 1 20:48

I feel like I've talked about these, some of these that are my favorites right now.

Speaker 1 20:52

Her name Nameless is one of my favorite romance books that I've read, because it was just, yes, you know it's Draco and Hermione, but it's not anything too crazy, like I don't even know how to say. It's like plot wise, like there's still stuff going on, but like, definitely the center focus is a relationship which is nice, and I just like a slow burn and it's enemies to friends and friends to lovers and it gets into like soul bonding and stuff. So I love that. I highly recommend it. The audiobook is amazing and just I mean personally the smut in it is just like top tier yeah, top tier. It checks all the boxes. Yeah, like I'm obsessed with it right now and it's kind of long though I think it's, or at least long for me. It took me a while to get through it. I don't want to talk about it too much because we're doing the first book of Acre Tire this month, but I'm currently reading a Quora of Mist and Fury, the second one in the series, when I tell you that it is all consuming.

Speaker 1 22:00

Yeah, it's amazing and I won't get into details. I don't want to ruin the first book, since we're obviously getting into it. I don't. It's like my favorite book of like all time. Right now, I feel like it's amazing.

Excitement for Romance Books and Series

Speaker 1 22:11

I feel like especially when I read it. People who, when you first start reading the series, that's the book, it's like the, that's the one that like hook lines and sink you with. Like the characters, the character building is really good, you understand the world a little bit better and it's, yeah, like you need the first book and it's a great foundation, like you need all of that to really learn about the characters. But then, like I texted Stacey after, I think, reading the first five pages, I was like the first five pages of this book is already my favorite out of the first.

Speaker 1 22:38

Yeah, it's crazy, but it's obviously fantasy and romance. And then I mean I'll just throw it out here, because my favorite romance book of all time is Pride and Prejudice. I mean.

Speaker 1 22:50

I just feel like you can't do any better. They're you just can't do any better. The ultimate enemies to lovers started it all. I feel like that started it all. And then stuff I'm excited to read. I think this is kind of a romance book. I just got the Red Queen on audio book so my sister Katie doesn't kill me that I haven't read it yet, but I do think there's romance and that's more of a fantasy thing. But yeah, there's definitely a romance plot in it. Yeah, katie told me there is. And then I was trying to think oh, julie Soto's new book will be coming out soon about the cell what's the name of it? Against Stacey.

Speaker 1 23:37

I had this written down and I don't know, not another love song yeah, not another love song, but when I tell you I cannot wait for that one I'm very much looking forward to. That's probably my most excited romance book. I'm excited to read that's coming up and I thought there was one more. I like made this note and now I can't find it. I don't know if I've like deleted it or something, because there's one other.

Speaker 1 24:05

They ruin your brain. Trust me, I know It'll come to me when we're talking, but those two for sure I'm excited about. No, it's not because I saved one of your book. One of your book recommendations is what it was from your books to Graham. That was a romance book that I it might have been from a while ago that I was excited to read, that I had like saved on my never ending TBR. Well, shoot, oh, fly with me. You've talked about in the past. I never read it. By Andy Burke. Oh, that's the pilot and the nurse, right?

Speaker 2 24:54

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1 24:56

Yeah.

Speaker 2 24:58

That's a really. That's another sapphic one, yeah.

Speaker 1 25:01

Yeah, I have had that saved on my TBR for a while. I just haven't got to read it yet because there's been so much stuff that we've been reading, but that is my I've been. I need to read that. I just know that I would love it, the way that you described it and the way that you rated it and everything I just I know I would love it. So, yeah, that is happening this year at some point.

Speaker 2 25:24

Well, yeah, especially because it's a nurse. So I guess definitely relate to her. You know, and you are a nurse and you know Stacy knows the struggle, the struggle is real.

Speaker 1 25:37

I'm surprised we haven't done more kind of like medical based people characters romance, since we're all kind of in the healthcare industry. But maybe we don't want to, because we're exactly because we love it.

Speaker 2 25:52

Yeah, it's too close to home, yeah.

Speaker 1 25:55

That's fair, that's fair.

Speaker 2 25:57

But it was really nice reading that because she has another book coming out. It is a gay romance novel. It's like a spin off from that, from that book. It's the main girls, the nurse, her best friend who's gay. It's him having a romance and so I'm really excited it's coming out.

Speaker 1 26:20

I love it. I love books sorry that do that there's the main character and then a side character gets their own story. I just love that.

Speaker 2 26:32

Yeah, it's like you're invested in that world. I know so. I'm super excited that I can't wait to read it. Obviously, I really loved that book. So yeah, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1 26:45

Yeah, yeah, yeah yeah.

Speaker 2 26:49

But yeah, yeah, these are like really good recs and I can't wait to read these books and we can do like obviously we're going to have tons, of tons more romance books in our book, oh, in the future.

Speaker 1 27:04

Oh, yeah, they're coming. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2 27:07

For sure. Either that or we're obviously romantic to see, because that's what. That's what me and Stacey are into clearly.

Speaker 1 27:15

Well, that's what I'm into right now. I feel like I mean, all I want to do is read all of Sarah J Mass's books. Now I'm like what else is going on in these universes and stuff like that. Like I like fairies now. Apparently I never knew that was my thing, but I guess it is.

Speaker 2 27:31

That's the new thing. Everyone was super into dragons for a while. Now it's fairies, fairies, forever, you know right? So you said Holly Black's series. It's three books, but is there also a prequel?

Speaker 1 27:48

Yeah, so there's like and there's more like. So there's three main books, like in the set, that talk about the main story, but then there's one afterwards it's about another character I won't tell you who to ruin it. And then there's one that's from Cardam's point of view, which is the main male character in it. So there's different ones, like she expands it out, but the three that I got you for Christmas are like the main story, because I thought so.

Speaker 2 28:18

I was like I know she's written a lot of books and I just didn't know the order or what they were. But thank you for explaining that because I just was confused. I was confused on what? Because when the authors do that, obviously it's cool to like go off in different, like you know, like we were saying side characters and other points of views, but sometimes when you're like entering into that world, you don't know it, you're like it can get confusing. Yeah, who was it? Someone, I think it was someone on my bookstagram was like just starting, like throwing a glass, and they were like when do I read Assassin's Blade, like you know, and obviously there's everyone has a different opinion, dude.

Speaker 1 29:02

Everyone has a different opinion about that. Didn't Sarah J Mass release a reading like her recommended reading order though? And hers is that you read it before the third book, which makes sense. Like I haven't read it yet, I probably won't.

Speaker 2 29:17

It does make sense because I. So I read. I read the first two books and I'm like, maybe, like two or three, maybe let's say, five chapters into the third book, but I think I'm going to reread when I get back to that series. I'm going to reread the first two books and then read like, because at that point I want, at that point, after you read the second book, you need to understand her backstory.

Speaker 1 29:44

That's all, exactly, that's an you need to start over and understand her backstory and then move on to the story and move on and I can see, and I see now why people are like you shouldn't read it first, because, oh God, no.

Speaker 2 29:57

Because it makes it ruin everything.

Speaker 1 30:00

It makes no sense for the story.

Speaker 2 30:01

You can't read it first.

Speaker 1 30:03

You should? I don't think you should, it's not a prequel.

Speaker 2 30:05

It's not a prequel, it's a flashback. Yeah, it's like a real tiny like. It's like a. It's like a flashback. Essentially, I think that's the best way to get it. Yeah, even though I don't even know, I just know it's her backstory, that's all I know.

Speaker 1 30:20

Well, I know what. I just know what it is, because I spoiled it, because I wanted to know, because I didn't read it.

Speaker 2 30:24

And then, after finding out, that's like me watching any TV shows.

Speaker 1 30:26

Let me just know the ending before.

Speaker 2 30:27

Yeah.

Speaker 1 30:29

But, like, after understanding, like what that book is about, it makes so much sense that you should read it Before the third book, like it just makes sense that you should.

Speaker 2 30:38

Yeah, yeah. Which is so funny because so many like popular books to grammars, have their own way like, oh, read it here, read it here, read it first, or whatever. And then for her like literally, I think before the third Crescent City came out, she like posted that and everyone's like, okay, that's not where I was gonna so so I see this just made me think this.

Speaker 1 31:08

Speaking on this, don't judge me, don't be mad, but I read the last page of a court of misinferior. I just could. I ruined the whole book but I could wait. I was like what's happening? I can't stand you.

Speaker 2 31:22

Why would you? Why, I don't know. You're like Billy Crystal and Harry Metz.

Speaker 1 31:28

I don't want to be stressed out, I just I'm still gonna read it. I love it. I just want to know the ending already. Well, that's fine.

Speaker 2 31:35

No, don't look like that. What does that do for you? Look at that face.

Speaker 1 31:38

Look at that face she gave me. I know she's disappointed. That's disappointment.

Speaker 2 31:42

I don't understand, like, what does it do for you?

Speaker 1 31:44

because now like, it helps my anxiety Chanel.

Speaker 2 31:48

No, but for me, I literally want to be like I want to be on the edge of my seat. I want to be like reading so fast, like, like I remember, like Reading fourth wing. I would be like I want to be skipping words.

Speaker 1 32:02

That's how like we didn't hear from Chanel for like two days, when she was.

Speaker 2 32:06

Like anticipation, like what's happening was, and then, like, once you find out, like what's that? Like oh, she's a light, oh, sorry, don't ruin it.

Speaker 1 32:17

I didn't do anything.

Speaker 2 32:20

Yeah, then when you find out, then you're like, okay, let me go back and actually like, digest what's happening and yeah, like that's how I want to be. Or like, oh my God, he's a rat, it's, it's Peter's the rat.

Speaker 1 32:34

You know, it's a rat Like I remember.

Speaker 2 32:36

It's a clock, it's a clock, it's a clock, it's a clock 14 minutes, for I was 14 and I was reading, like the prisoner of Ascumann, and I was like, oh my God, like Peter. Yeah, his best friend was a rat, he was, he was what you call it scours the old. Oh my God, like that.

Speaker 1 33:01

The ultimate plot twist.

Speaker 2 33:03

It was I just I don't understand you're. You're depriving yourself of life's little joys.

Speaker 1 33:12

I have no answer or respond to that. See, I know. That's how I live my life now. I don't know what to say.

Speaker 1 33:18

I mean a lot of stuff, a lot of stuff for thrown a blast got spoiled for me, but that's just because my, my tiktok is so full of, and maybe that's not it too, my tiktok. I kind of know a lot from a guitar. Like I didn't know at the time when I was watching it. But these characters, and now that I'm reading it and I'm hearing the characters names, like yeah, I don't know the details, but like I kind of already knew where this was going, because of.

Speaker 2 33:43

Yeah, I literally am like I don't care and so I like I scroll past, like I like I said I've seen these names and stuff, like I heard, like seeing it, I heard, like seen and heard the name Tamlin, but I was like I couldn't tell you a damn thing about who that was good safety.

Speaker 2 33:59

I didn't want spoilers, I didn't want. Well, he's, I don't know if he's living up to his name, because he's the most boring ass person I've ever, oh God. But again, I you know. Yeah, all they've done is eat dinner and.

Speaker 1 34:18

But don't you love Lucian? He's my favorite.

Speaker 2 34:22

I mean they haven't done anything. Not anything?

Speaker 1 34:25

yeah, I know.

Speaker 2 34:26

They just got on a horse and they're riding around. I don't, but so I don't know, I don't know. Is he supposed to be like Lucia's mouth?

Speaker 1 34:34

we like evil, no, no no, he's just like a little fiery redhead, just it'll, it's hard. I mean you, chanel, you know because you read the first two books I'm throwing a lot. It's just going to be slow like. It's slow going like.

Speaker 2 34:50

Yes, I know, I know, I know any good fantasy has good build up, but I guess at the same time I also just read fourth wing and I felt like that jumped right into it, yeah right, like I was a page Turner and maybe I had high expectations about that, although I haven't read iron blame.

Speaker 1 35:13

Have you read? That's all my know. It's on my list for mixed things. I've heard mixed things about that and I've heard mixed things about crescents, the third crescent city book to.

Speaker 2 35:22

Yeah, so, um, yeah, I'm not eager to read either one of those. I mean, like, as far as like, I'm just slowing myself down, yeah, because we have time, we have time, we have all the time. Yeah, yeah, speaking of romantic, we love romance. We love, love, we love romance, that's the name of the episode. Yes, we love romance, or romance or romantic, yes, whatever. But yeah, all right, I don't know what else. We should talk about tropes or something, but it's just what else should we talk about?

Speaker 1 36:06

Well, I think it's pretty apparent that all three of us kind of have the same favorite trope for the most part, which is enemies to lovers and the slow burn. I just I think I send it to you guys on this meme and it was like somebody being upset and it's like when the morally gray character ends up being the villain and not the love interest and they're so mad and I was just like, yeah, I would be so mad if I was reading the book and like this morally gray character you think it's going to be the love interest and then he ends up just being a villain.

Speaker 2 36:34

Yeah.

Speaker 1 36:35

I don't.

Speaker 2 36:37

But I was like I'm kind of like that. I know I'm trying to think of a, of a book that's like that. So far have I have you read a book that's like that? Either either either clearly the villain, or their morally gray, like a shadow daddy, shadow daddy.

Book, Series, and Fantasy Trends

Speaker 1 37:06

We like a redeemable villain. Okay, wait, wait.

Speaker 2 37:13

I can't, I can't spoil it for you. I'm sorry. I do know. I do know a book.

Speaker 1 37:18

What book is it? Is it Brian?

Speaker 2 37:21

No oh my God. I was fooled, you were all fooled.

Speaker 1 37:28

Well, what does it just say it?

Speaker 2 37:30

No, I can't tell you because it's going to fool you so bad. It's a series. It's actually it's a series and you need to.

Speaker 1 37:42

Ashlyn said hi and bye. I just saw her. Sorry, the screen's being weird because it's like a background on it so it won't pick up another person. But she loves you guys. Yes.

Speaker 2 37:52

I saw her. I don't know if you heard me, Ashley, I said because I didn't think I knew a book or a series that did that where it was the morally gray character became the villain or was the villain. But I do know there is, there is a series like that and you guys haven't read it and you need to.

Speaker 1 38:20

It's on my list. What if I have a, since? You know what it tells me?

Speaker 2 38:27

this is I won't tell you because I don't want to spoil it, because you're going to be fooled.

Speaker 1 38:32

Am I reading it right now?

Speaker 2 38:34

No, but you have the books in your possession.

Speaker 1 38:38

Oh, it must be the, the show that got canceled on Netflix. It's got to be shadow and bones got to be. I was going to say I haven't read a series like that, but my favorite would if they're the villain and the love interest, and that would be Hannibal. So the TV show I definitely have to recommend. I was waiting when you were going to talk about Hannibal, stacy villain and the love interest. Oh my gosh Stacy is taking the dark turn in romance Right.

Speaker 2 39:11

No, wow, that's really interesting. Normally I was saying it's either like their clear cut villain or their morally gray. And then you're like, okay, like the love interest, but they're a little sketchy or whatever and we love that. But ooh, it's always that's that's so interesting to be like Spicy, you're morally gray and you twist on us and you become bad.

Speaker 1 39:40

You know, it's like deep in thought over there I am. I love it.

Speaker 2 39:44

I think that's why that that series is so popular. You know what I mean. Yeah, Does it.

Speaker 1 39:51

How sad were you when they canceled the show, though.

Speaker 2 39:54

I can't even describe.

Speaker 1 39:56

That's how I felt when they canceled vampire Academy. I know, ashley was so sad.

Speaker 2 40:02

Yeah, but Ashley, this was like a legit series. Hey, this is a legit series with. It was a combination of five books, like very popular books by a very popular Vampire Academy was popular and it was like five books that was you're right I mean it is young adult, but it was still very good. And I thought the show did a nice job. Yeah, this was young adult too, but but yeah, I, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1 40:37

Yeah, no comment.

Speaker 2 40:39

I don't know, I guess I don't know. I just don't know. I'm sad, I'm sad, I'm sad, I'm sad, I'm sorry, I guess. I just feel like, maybe because you're, you're series already flopped on a movie, I know.

Speaker 1 40:57

I was so mad about the movie too, because they like tried to make it a comedy or something. Yeah, they took comedy type thing instead of serious at the time. Yeah, I just didn't work what they were trying to do, yeah.

Speaker 2 41:08

You would think they would have more success with the TV show.

Speaker 1 41:12

Yeah, especially since Julie Peck wrote it did the stuff who did vampire diaries, oh wow. And Julie Peck, like I remember when it was coming out, she like said this thing in this interview how she wanted to make it more diverse and like correct a lot of the wrongs from vampire diaries. And then it gets to love disease and that sucks. And it was a really good show and it was very diverse and had a strong female lead who was amazing and I'm so bitter about it. Ashley's pissed. I am pissed.

Speaker 2 41:42

Honestly, it might just be because I mean, we were like vampires aren't in anymore. Yeah, you know what I mean, Like they're not.

Speaker 1 41:52

Not what it was, because you think when vampire diaries was out, that show it was Twilight, it was vampire diaries, it was true blood. It was like everything, oh God, true blood, mm-hmm. So Eric.

Speaker 2 42:03

Orthman yeah, so I'm like now you know it's dragons. That was the past five years, 10 years, whatever it's been dragons, and now I feel like it's it's fairies, right, like a guitar just got signed. I mean, dragons are still, obviously. You know, fourth wing just got what I think they're going to be on prime or something as inside a deal, but but I think it's shifting from dragons to to fairies.

Speaker 1 42:33

Who want the fairies? I didn't know I wanted the fairies, but apparently I want the fairies. Yeah, fairies.

Speaker 2 42:40

Dinky little fairies Now. So so it might just be literally like the landscape of fantasy is is different, not like reading wise, but I mean like viewing wise, because because we still read dragons, we still read about vampires and and werewolves and stuff, bye, that's so interesting, it's so weird. You know what I mean? You have to catch the wave of what's popular.

Speaker 1 43:11

Yeah, yeah, and I think they I feel like they kind of want the comedy like dark comedy route with it, because Twilight was serious and like Vampire Diaries was kind of serious. So I think when they were doing the Vampire Academy movie they wanted to do something with vampires, but different, and it just didn't make any sense.

Speaker 2 43:29

So yeah, that's so weird, so weird. Yeah, oh my gosh. Yeah, yeah, no, which is weird, which is funny, because, honestly, when I think of Twilight, I don't think of it as serious. I think if it is funny.

Speaker 1 43:48

Well, like I think it was supposed to be serious yeah, it was, but I think of it as funny now too.

Speaker 2 43:53

Like all of it, I was always laughing and like, oh my God, I just watched the first movie now.

Speaker 1 43:58

Speaking of, like amazing romances of all time, twilight's obviously in there, but I would just rewatch Twilight, if you like, last week. Yeah, you saw me in a picture the scene where he saves her in poor Angeles or whatever, and they're driving in the car and she's actually like he's going so fast and it's just like in the background, like a walking face, and she's like oh my gosh Stacey, my cheeseburgers.

Speaker 2 44:24

My, yeah, my favorite is when they're in the greenhouse. And then, oh my God, the teacher is like he's like green is what Good. He's like compost and they're like trying to have like the one, kids try to have the other one like drink the compost.

Speaker 1 44:43

Like compost. There's chaos.

Speaker 2 44:45

There's chaos in the background and then she's like walking, like.

Speaker 1 44:51

But it's like the most perfect, accurate, like description of teenage kids.

Speaker 2 44:54

And then, like with the, worm.

Speaker 1 44:55

He's like look Bella. No, my favorite part is still when he takes Bella to his house for dinner and they go through all this trouble and, edwards, like she already ate. I'm like, dude, why don't you just lie and let her eat the food? Why are you like, yeah, throwing her to the wolves, to your parents, like she already ate, dramatically, like awkward Well and then we'll.

Speaker 2 45:17

So I love and maybe this was you already knew this from behind the scenes is like so at the greenhouse, remember when they're done, walking through the greenhouse, and then Edward like bangs on the Rob Pattinson bangs on the bus, the bus board to get leaded. So the driver, the bus driver of that bus, yelled at him after the scene like don't bang on my bus. He was like, oh God, I'm so sorry, I'm so super dramatic.

Speaker 2 45:48

So he got yelled at after that take and then, like you said, at that scene where they they go to have Bella eat in the kitchen. You know, like Rosalie Nikki Hale is like wearing that bull, it's because she cut herself. Yeah, like fake grasping that bull. So she had wear gloves. So like why would I be a firework?

Speaker 1 46:15

And they have her in like the most great of their fucking zebra gloves, like that they put her in. I'm watching Twilight when we get off here at all. It's just the best, the best fantasy romance of all time Bella and Edward chaos, chaos.

Speaker 2 46:34

It's so good.

Speaker 1 46:38

So bad for anybody who wasn't alive during the height of Twilight. They don't know.

Speaker 2 46:44

I don't know. Oh man, the best is that an enemy's to lovers, I would they jumped right into that.

Speaker 1 46:54

Just, I think it was like a vampire to lovers.

Speaker 2 46:57

Thank you, stacey is a vampire to lovers, strangers to lovers.

Speaker 1 47:00

Strangers to lovers, strangers to lovers, strangers to lovers Strangers to strangers again.

Speaker 2 47:07

I mean, he definitely acted like he hated her like that.

Speaker 1 47:09

She smelled bad. Yeah, remember, yeah, it's a fluorescence.

Speaker 2 47:14

This I want you guys to read bride, so bad I'm going to read it I know, I know because it's just.

Speaker 1 47:19

But now I'm going to wait for the audiobook in 13 weeks, yeah.

Speaker 2 47:23

Talk to you in my five months.

Speaker 1 47:27

Oh gosh, anyway, okay, anyway, anyway, do we want to throw out anything else? We're going to wrap up with kudos. What are you guys feeling? Yeah, let's wrap it up, but happy. Oh, can I go first? Sure, I always want to go first, I, because I have three kudos. Okay, I want to do my first one, which is to you, lovely ladies, on Valentine's Day. You guys are my favorite Valentine's and I wish I was in person to celebrate with you. We could have watched Twilight. So, my favorite, I'm going to watch New Moon because that's my favorite. Yeah, it gives me so much anxiety, like I love it, just like. So I would just remember reading the book and having anxiety the whole book.

Speaker 2 48:11

Anyway, sorry.

Speaker 1 48:12

I'm sorry to you guys because I love you and I'm on a different like time thing than you guys couple hours behind, so I really appreciate us making this work today. So, really, my second kudos is for my mom, because she called me the other day and told me she started listening to the podcast from the first episode. It's like we have over a hundred episodes and she's like getting through them and she's like, you know, I don't know everything that you guys are talking about, because I haven't read these books, but you guys are so funny to listen to. It was hilarious.

Speaker 1 48:47

It was so sweet of her to like take your time out.

Speaker 2 48:51

Thank you, yeah.

Kudos and Random Stories

Speaker 1 48:54

And then I'll have to. She was like there's this book series that Chanel kept talking about that I really want to read. What is it? I was like, well, mom, I don't know if you're starting from the beginning. That was like last year, so she's supposed to be going back to telling what book series she wants to listen to, that Chanel?

Speaker 2 49:11

kept talking about.

Speaker 1 49:13

And she couldn't tell me anything about it, though she's like well, they didn't like each other at first. I'm like that's not narrow, that's literally every book we read.

Speaker 2 49:20

That's literally every book we read.

Speaker 1 49:22

It's like you're to be more specific mom. So like I just imagine her. She's a bus driver, so I just imagine her like listening to this podcast and her headphones like all day long just yelling at kids not to bang on her door. Don't bang on the bus floor.

Speaker 2 49:38

It was actually her yelling at her. It was her. Yeah, she would. She wished it at Robert Pattinson. She liked to bang on the bus door.

Speaker 1 49:46

She is so, so particular about her bus. She's always like I'm cleaning my bus out. I'm just like I'm cleaning my bus, cleaning my bus Anyway. So for her, because it's so sweet. My last kudos is for Ashlyn, because I'm staying with her, my sister-in-law staying with her for a week to hang out with her and her new baby, paxton, and it's just all the moms out there, like Stacy, you her, like Jen I don't know how you guys do this the Sims exhausting, like it's not even my baby, like Stacey. I felt so bad just setting up for this podcast, trying to like handle this baby. I was like how has Stacey been doing this for?

Speaker 2 50:26

a year.

Speaker 1 50:27

Well, look what Toby did to my head when he woke me up today. Did you see my cut? No, get real close, Stacey. Get real close. No, but you look real pale right now. Well, it's because.

Speaker 2 50:39

I don't go outside.

Speaker 1 50:41

So I guess it's kind of like a bunch of kudos and ones like particularly really for Ashlyn, because for having me here and just spending time with her, but all the moms out there that have to like do life and take care of some do life, no joke.

Speaker 2 50:55

I mean, do you do life with this person? Life is already hard and then you suck little life. I'm just this.

Speaker 1 51:04

I'm amazed, sorry to talk to you guys, sorry to take up so much time for the kudos. No, my kudos is for our friend Jenny. I'm actually meet after we had done doing this, I mean, you know, with her and her two kids and I'm taking Toby when he wakes from his nap or going to Chick-fil-A so they can play in the play area and the Lord's chicken. I love them and I love her and I'm excited to see her. But Toby's on this, he's 19 months old, so he likes grabbing people's faces right now. So I'm like like I got to watch him like a hawk man and I'm not quick right now. So I'm getting ready for that. So tell her hi, I will. I miss her.

Speaker 2 51:44

Send me photos, yes, Tell her hi, and we love her, and yeah, yeah, and also now I want Chick-fil-A. Right.

Speaker 1 51:54

I could do some nugs.

Speaker 2 51:55

I'm like in for lunch.

Speaker 1 51:57

Oh, I'm going to see Nora tonight. She's coming over tonight, so to visit Nice. We love Nora.

Speaker 2 52:04

My kudos to you. My kudos is for, I mean obviously you guys. Happy Gallantines Day.

Speaker 1 52:11

Love you. Yeah, for you guys too, for me, happy Gallantines Day, gallantines.

Speaker 2 52:15

Day. You always make my day and my week and, yes, I also wow, I also have a lot of kudos on my friend Diamond. We had well, she had, and I went to it Gallantines Day party this weekend and it was just so cute. I just decorated and cooked and everything and it was just, it was the best. I don't think I've been to a Gallantines Day party and I just I loved it. I've been to a Valentine's Day party, but just it was the gals and I love the gals.

Speaker 2 52:47

And we watched Hitch I was watching Hitch this morning.

Speaker 1 52:51

They see your face when she said Hitch, you got so excited.

Speaker 2 52:56

I haven't seen that movie in like 10, 15 years. Oh, it's so good, it's hilarious.

Speaker 1 53:01

Will Smith is so freaking funny.

Speaker 2 53:03

Yes, kevin James, and oh my gosh.

Speaker 1 53:06

There's an extra song in that too. It's very it's something. That's the one where his face like he eats something as allergic to his face, Just like looks disgusting, Like it's all blown up like a balloon. Yeah, isn't that this movie Will Smith. He eats like crab or something. Yeah, it's so funny.

Speaker 2 53:22

Anyway, sorry, oh my gosh Sorry.

Speaker 1 53:25

I was like super pumped that you're watching that Chanel.

Speaker 2 53:27

No, I just was like, oh my God, I forgot how funny this is. Also, I think it was like Ava Mendez's last movie she ever acted in that she let Ryan Gosling be the money maker.

Speaker 1 53:38

But anyway, I'd like to make money too. You know what I mean. Well, I was like it make babies with me being a mom.

Speaker 2 53:45

Yeah, she like she turned super mom and she was like you are bringing the money, Ryan. You went your face and your body and and then I asked yeah, yes, my other kudos is to my parents. I got to have dinner with them this weekend. It was really good to see them and like, oh my God, my dad is so cute. Oh my gosh.

Speaker 2 54:11

We know your dad is the cutest. He doesn't listen to this podcast. Because, okay, he like, he's like I have a present for you. He's like I have a couple of gifts for you. And I was like, dad, it's like a random, like Saturday night in February, like it's not my birthday, like why are you buying me present? Like he doesn't do this at all. He barely buys me presents at Christmas. Okay, I told the story. So I was like okay, so I'm like dropping him and my mom off after dinner because they were going to a concert downtown in the end, and he's like I have this present. I just want you to like. He's like I think you really need this. And I was like okay, and one, it was like a coupon booklet to crew car wash, to get my car wash. He's like.

Speaker 1 54:52

He's like you really need your car wash, he's got a dirty car. Chanel, that's the most dad thing I've ever heard of in my life right now.

Speaker 2 55:00

And then the other one he got me a mug with like a bunch of books on it and he's like I just saw this and it like reminded me of you.

Speaker 1 55:11

He's like, cause I know you like to drink tea and I was just like you do, like he's right, you do like to drink tea. It's the ugliest mug ever, but it's. You were like I would never buy this, but I'm going to drink out of it every day.

Speaker 2 55:25

Oh my God, I was like dying. I was like dead. You're so funny and cute, but like this is random as hell.

Speaker 1 55:35

Anyway, so I love it, it's so sweet.

Speaker 2 55:38

Yeah, that's really sweet. Yeah, those are my kudos, so yeah, pretty good.

Speaker 1 55:43

Yeah, they're pretty good. So she's like they're okay, I love it. I just love that he got you a hideous glass and every time you drink out of it. You're going to love it because it's so sweet. It's going to be more.

Speaker 2 55:55

It totally is, and like I just laugh at it, but you know what I mean Cause it's cute. Cause it's cute, yeah, like you said, it means more than if it was the most beautiful one in the world. Yeah, so yeah, yeah. End on a good note.

Speaker 1 56:12

End on love End on love yeah.

Speaker 2 56:17

Thanks everyone for listening.

Speaker 1 56:19

Okay, guys.

Speaker 2 56:20

Get us out of here. Stay safe.

Speaker 1 56:21

Yeah, and make sure you read what you like.