Fiction Fanatics
Three friends discuss their favorite books and fanfiction. New episodes every Tuesday!
Fiction Fanatics
Happy Pride, Nerds!
What if your favorite quirky vampire from "What We Do in the Shadows" could join us in celebrating Pride? We kick off our latest episode with a laugh-filled tribute to Laszlo and his hilariously iconic co-stars. The excitement doesn't stop there—Suzanne Collins' upcoming "Hunger Games" prequel has us buzzing! We're thrilled to speculate on casting choices for Haymitch's quarter quell adventure and revisit our love for Haymitch, Effie, and Gale.
Are you ready for some heart-pounding romance recommendations? We dive into C.S. Pacat's intricate and riveting "The Captive Prince" trilogy, where a prince's betrayal leads to an unforgettable slow-burn romance. For those who love a good audiobook, "Legends and Lattes" by Travis Baldree offers exceptional narration and storytelling. Switching gears, we explore dark academia with captivating novels and fanfics, including a Marauders-era tale that mixes historical accuracy with wizarding world drama.
Our literary journey continues as we discuss the representation of LGBTQ characters in books, spotlighting the significant impact of "The Song of Achilles." We share our favorite Marauders moments and humorous Harry Potter fan encounters. Wrapping up, we celebrate our new YouTube page launch, share laughs over "Friends" trivia, and express heartfelt gratitude for the support of friends and family. This episode is packed with enthusiasm, laughter, and a treasure trove of book recommendations!
***Produced by Jen Hardin***
I'm ready. Well, she better be ready, because we're going. I just want to say in the words of since it's our pride episode and the famous words of Laszlo, from what we do in the shadows, we need to be gay. Gay is in, gay is hot. I want some gay Gay. It's going to be.
Speaker 2:Hi, I'm Chanel. Hi I'm chanel. Hi I'm stacy. Hey, nerds, this is ashley and this is fiction fanatics.
Speaker 1:Laszlo is my favorite character from what we do in the shadows.
Speaker 2:I don't know. They're all so funny and I they're all so funny, I can't pick like they all have moments, you know you know what I love?
Speaker 1:I love Nadia and her doll I know her doll you know what you're right like. I love all of them for different reasons, because um what's the? What's the energy vampire's name.
Speaker 2:Colin Robinson. Man. See Colin Robinson, like yeah, they all have their moments. Because I feel like you don't really like Colin at first, but then when he becomes a baby.
Speaker 1:Baby, when he dates that one woman who, who like, thrives on opposite energy of like the chaotic drama energy oh, I haven't got to that part yet I don't know if you've gotten here.
Speaker 1:It's not really a spoiler, but stacy can back me up. The best part of that show show, the best scene is when laszlo is a lawyer and he's like may I approach the bench or may I approach the bitch? Yeah, and she goes. What did you say? He's like may I approach the bench? What did you think I said? What did you hear? Could you imagine having the balls to say that to somebody? It'd be amazing.
Speaker 2:I mean that's him. He could do that.
Speaker 1:They say what are you doing? What are you doing? What are you doing? I'm just really thriving on the gay energy of this episode, so I'm pumped. It's going to be amazing. Yeah, you love some gays, don't you Stace? Well, you know I'm obsessed with the gays and I'm really into gay vampires this season. That's where I am in this season, and we've had amazing news today about the hunger games, which we should I know, should we just talk about that? Please, can we please?
Speaker 2:I've been dying to talk about it yes, um, I like literally did not believe it when I saw it. Um, my friend on bookstagram posted it. It was like before anyone else had posted. It was like early this morning and, um, she lives overseas and I was like, is this real? Like, what are you? What are you talking about? Like, and but she had like an article that she sent me and she was like, yeah, this is this book that she's releasing next march, like less than a year from now and then they are like in the process of making into, um, a movie. Like they're getting the movie rights, which that came like a few hours later. Like you know, you sent that to me, ashley, or to us, right?
Speaker 1:when ashley sent that to me, I thought she was wrong. I was like no, ashley, it's not a movie, they announced a book. And she was like no bitch listen to me. I was like that just that had just come out well because when chanel, when you told, when you were telling me about it, or texted me, stacy had the same reaction. She's like that's not real. I was like, stacy, it's from the official hunger games account and yeah, the book thing.
Speaker 2:I was like, no, I think this is real I know, but I still didn't really believe it because, like I said, it was like I don't know, I just didn't see it. Didn't see, it seems not real. So I was, I was messaging her and I'm like real or not real? And then I was like I didn't realize that. I said that I was like oh, so she just started laughing. She's like no, this is real. And, like I said, then she sent me like this official, like news article and um, so it was just, it was funny. And she was like yeah, and.
Speaker 2:And then, like I said, then like actual, like you know, barnes and Noble picked it up and like Waterstones, and they all were like retweeting it and like posting it on their social media and stuff like that. I was like damn, this is like legit. Like Susanna Collins, like obviously posted about it and stuff. And so I'm super excited because it's Haymitch's story, which is like the quarter quell in his games and he's like you know, he's like besides Gail, I mean, you know I love Katniss and Peeta, but he's like my favorite character.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you love Haymitch. I love him so much and I like him. And effie, I love and um and then gail. You know they're, they're my favorites. I like all the people that everyone hates I mean people don't hate them, they just might not be their favorite yeah, because they're just like hard to love characters, right like he's an alcoholic that you know it's not like in the spotlight. You know what I mean.
Speaker 1:So it's so funny because when, stacy or chanel, when you sent me that that the hunger game is going to be a book, I had sent it to cole because he's our friend and he loves the hunger games too. And then, um, he put, damn, she's creating a whole universe. And he was like I wonder if it'll become another movie as well. And then, like five minutes later I saw that it was going to be a movie.
Speaker 2:It's crazy, yeah yeah, I know, because then I started thinking, like I was already like fan casting. Like I said, I was texting my friend or messaging my friend and I was like, well, who's gonna play him? Who's gonna play mazely, which is Madge's aunt, who had the original like pin mockingjay pin that you know gets passed down to Madge, who then gives it to Katniss, right, like and um. The two of them are Reeves, maisley and um and Haymitch, and so it's like they're going to be the two like stars of this movie and I was like who would they cast as her and who are they going to cast as Hamish? And I don't know. So it's just going to be.
Speaker 1:I can't wait. I can't wait for the book.
Speaker 2:But also they're going to have to cast Katniss's dad and mom, because her mom was best friends with Maisley, so that'll be interesting who they cast. And then, like I said, um, her dad right, who we like haven't seen, we just have like heard about. You know, um like or read about in the books and stuff. So, because that's their like, that's that generation. You know what I mean. So, yeah, it's gonna be great. It's like this is like the marauders era, you know what I mean.
Speaker 2:Like doing the, the parents generation right, like, yeah, from katniss and pita and gail and I'm here, for it I thought it's now it's really smart for her to to like do that because she has, you know, kind of like cole said, it's like this whole universe, and for her to like capitalize on it. We want to read and and and see these stories and, um, yeah, like I mean, we don't really like jk rowling anymore, but we would still read those books I mean, I hate to say it, but yeah, if she, if she would freaking write the marauders I would read in a heartbeat, right, yeah?
Speaker 1:I don't know why that hasn't been done. There's such a fan base for it, right?
Speaker 2:Right, even like a Snape book. Yeah, you know what I mean. Like his. Oh, I would read a Snape book so quick I would faint. I'm not kidding, I would faint Something about it, you know. So, yeah, it would. It's I like that she's doing that and diving into people's stories, right, we've already gotten choreo story, so we're excited.
Speaker 1:It's gonna be amazing. It was great news today, great news very excited, very excited.
Speaker 2:So good way to start off the podcast. Heck, yeah, some book news and of course, we are all going to see the movie. Yeah, but it's not for a couple years so we got some time.
Speaker 1:I'll be able to find a babysitter by then. It's all good. Well, I would hope so, stacy.
Speaker 2:Yeah, ashley's like it's not gonna be me because I'm gonna be there yes, um, but what well, actually do you want to announce again stacy, our book of the month?
Speaker 1:yes, so our book of the month is um, butcher and blackbird. It's gonna be epic. It's a dark romance and it's by brian weaver. Did I say her first name, right? Chanel bren? Is that what you said, bren? Yeah, yeah, bren weaver. Um, and actually the sequel to the book just dropped like two days ago. Um, it'll be off when you guys listen, obviously, because we drop our episodes on tuesday. We're not recording on tuesday, but it's leather and lark and I've heard amazing things.
Speaker 1:I haven't started it yet, but I've heard amazing things already from people who've read it. So, yeah, check it out everyone. I mean, this book is really good so far. I'm a little more than halfway through it and I'm a fan. It's really grown on me. Like at first I was like I I kind of told stacy earlier I think you were on the phone too, chanel um, I, I feel like I didn't get the tone at first and I'm like, oh, this is really campy, but with like some scary stuff in it. So like, now that I get it, I'm really enjoying it. So it's good. It's good, all right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's gonna be amazing, yeah if we get into the episode, yeah, yeah, let's get into our pride episode.
Speaker 1:This is our pride episode. I have actually started a new trilogy. I have finished the first book and it is a queer romance book. I don't know if you guys have heard of it, but it's by cs uh picat and it's called the captain prince, captain, prince lord, it's called the captive prince. I was gonna say I I thought that's what you meant I was like, or maybe that is a new series.
Speaker 2:I've heard of that okay, yeah, yeah, I've seen it around, but I've never read it yeah, it's excellent.
Speaker 1:So it's about um. It's a male and male romance and basically it starts out it's about a prince of one kingdom is taken over by his half brother and so he gets sold. Check, this is kind of dark too, so make sure people check trigger warnings when they read it. But I was about it. Obviously he gets sold into slavery, um to a, to a different kingdom. That is kind of like their rivals, and the prince of that kingdom takes interest. He doesn't know that he is a prince from the other kingdom. At first he thinks it's just like another slave, slave from that from that kingdom. And it's a slow burn and it's excellent, like the first. It's very well written. It's great. I've really enjoyed the first book. I can't wait to read, as it goes, the next two it's a trilogy.
Speaker 2:Okay, yeah, so it's all out already.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's all out okay, yeah. Yeah, I like trilogies, I like I think three is a good number for I mean clearly I'll read a lot of books, but I just think three books are perfect yeah, that sounds good.
Speaker 2:This has it been revealed yet that he's a prince?
Speaker 1:yeah, they find out in the first one, okay, I was like that's probably a shock spoiler alert spoiler right, it's like it's probably a shock. I know but it's great. It's like the one prince who is sold into slavery is like more of like the warrior, he's like big and tough. And then the other prince is kind of like, you know the rich aristocrat, like blonde and not super tan. You know what I mean, like living the luxury inside of his, his estate, you know his estate yeah, it sounds good.
Speaker 2:Okay, I'll have to, especially since you wrecked it like um. It's always nice to get rex like from people who, like you, know you trust that I've read stuff. It's not just like on social media like you would.
Speaker 1:You would really like it, chanel, because the plot is really good. Right, you know me, I don't mind if the plot isn't that great with some romance books and stuff, but the plot is definitely like really really good in this one and I know you like a slow burn too.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:You know, I've realized the more books and stuff that we read and talk about it. I'm more of a character driven reader than like a plot driven reader, because I was talking to our friend Ashley about this and she is a plot driven reader whereas I'm the opposite. So it's like we like a lot of the same books, but I love a lot of books that she doesn't, because it's more character driven than plot driven. Yeah, just interesting.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think it depends for me, like I need good plot because I think for my romance I need good plot, like fantasy, I need both. But if it's all like I think we've talked about this, if it's just like straight smut and it just gets right to it, like I need a sexual tension, tension, slow burn, kind of good plot and then smut, you know what I mean.
Speaker 2:She needs the foreplay and I do the romance books okay you can't just like um, I didn't know this was a trope but like insta love, like I can't do, where they just like right away instant love. Like no plot. No, you know, it's like the opposite obviously. Like a slow burn, like I can't do that. I have to have good plot.
Speaker 2:Like let it build, slow burn, um, no matter if the characters are good or not, and that's for romance, but for fantasy I need good plot, but also like in-depth characters too. So I think I think it's like a good balance. I think, yeah, so, yeah, so yeah. I think I realized that obviously with like like Akatar, like I felt like Pharah wasn't a good character at all, but obviously it's like building up, like she had to set the plot first and then like get into her character later. So I was like well, and then I felt like the plot was too slow.
Speaker 1:I was like this ain't giving me nothing yeah, I really got into her after the first book is when I really started liking her as a character. I mean, I didn't like dislike her in the first one, I just didn't. I was kind of like meh about it, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:That's how I felt too. A good LGBTQ book that I read recently is Legends and Lattes.
Speaker 1:I bought that book. Oh, yeah, yeah. I just haven't read it yet, but I have it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, just haven't read it yet, but I have it. Yeah, it's such a um. I listened to the audiobook because the author, um trevor, or travis baldtree, is like before, before writing this series, he was like an audiobook narrator. So I was like, well then, like, and he narrates his own, he narrates these books. So I was like, well, of course he's going to be really good at reading, so let me read, like it audio books out and he is amazing. Like he does all these little voices for each of the characters and like he's so cute his accents and like these. It's amazing. So, if you have a chance to listen to the audio book of legends and lattes, it's amazing because obviously he reads his own book, um, anyway. So, yeah, it's a really cute book. Have you read it, stacy?
Speaker 1:I actually got it for me. I haven't read it yet um but I really want to. I love the cover art for the book, yes, but I feel like on this podcast, we're in our audiobook era, so I'll probably add it to like my libby app, yeah I was like do do it for libby, because it's it's like everyone said it has like cozy vibes and it totally is.
Speaker 2:It's fantasy, but it's like cozy vibes where it's this, um, I believe she's an orc, um viv, and she, um, she like is her profession is to like go around and like fight and defend as like a warrior, and she, she's like done with that.
Speaker 2:She's basically tired of being this big like monster and so she like retires and decides to set up a coffee shop and no one in this like remote village knows what coffee is. So she has to like like she has all the savings and stuff and so she like, literally by hand, like with the help of, like she makes friends and stuff with these other little like monsters and stuff, she builds her own coffee shop. She like buys like a cappuccino machine and she like sets up this business for herself and along the way she like hires a baker and then hires, like you know, front of house help or whatever. And then, um, she meets you know this other like, um, uh, like succubus girl, and they like that's the love, the queer love story, and um, and it's just like super cute, because then there's there's a like bad stuff that happens or whatever to like take down the coffee shop or whatever.
Speaker 1:So it's really cute is there a sequel to that or another book that he did?
Speaker 2:it's a prequel or is it prequel shops and bone dust?
Speaker 1:okay, that's what I thought, because I was in barnes and noble not too long ago and I saw that and I was like, oh, I couldn't remember if it was a sequel or if it was just another book, but it looked like it was in that universe so, yes, yeah, because I thought it was a sequel, because I want to listen to it.
Speaker 2:I have it, um, I have it on whole, like I requested it. So I haven't listened to it yet, but, um, but someone told me it's the prequel. So it's like Viv, the main girl, and like her life being like this warrior, and I think it's. I think it's how she comes up with the idea to start the coffee shop. Oh, cool. So yeah, yeah, but yeah, it's a really cute book. So if you want a cute book, Speaking of cute, there's toby.
Speaker 1:He's joining the podcast, or you wanted to just step in and say hi really quick. Um, hi, toby. He's been listening to, uh, queer books since he was in womb with me, so yeah, I was like since when in womb chanel in womb, so a couple years now, um, so I am not currently reading any books.
Speaker 1:I feel like that bonds for like our pride um episode. But I was like thinking of past books that I've read that are my favorite, um, and so like I wanted to bring up two of them. I might've mentioned them in the past. One of one of them is the seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo, which hopefully that's not like a spoiler for anybody who hasn't read the book, because I didn't know that going into reading the book and it was just so amazing to be I didn't know anything about that book before I read it, and typically I look up spoilers for things because I hate being surprised, and it was. I thought it was such a great book and it was such a great surprise that I didn't see coming. The book is amazing. Um, I think it's supposed to be a movie, but I think they that's been like announced for a while and I don't think anything. Yeah, but it's. But you're right, someone bought the rights. We're just waiting. Well, I think maybe it was Netflix, I don't remember, but I think that was. That was a Reese Witherspoon book club too. It's been a pretty popular book. But when does it take place, stacey? Is it the 50s, the 40s and 50s? I believe it definitely gives like Marilyn Monroe vibes. Yeah, she's a Hollywood star. It's been married seven times.
Speaker 1:It's about talked about in the podcast called the black dagger brother brotherhood series by jr ward, and it's a vampire series. It's super long. It's amazing. It's really smutty, but I think it's like the fifth book. Maybe it's called love or mine, um, but it's two male characters that are in love with each other that are these like vampire warriors? It is the hottest thing I've ever read. It's two male characters that are in love with each other that are these like vampire warriors? It is the hottest thing I've ever read. It's amazing. Highly recommend it, 10 out of 10. It's probably top three favorite book from that series.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, and I just remember when that book had to come out in the 2010s, right, ashley? Probably, or like late to or even earlier than that, or I mean early 2010, sorry, not late, early 2010s and so I've read like queer fan fiction, but I just feel like at the time, queer romance wasn't where it is now, obviously, so just getting that kind of content when we did, and it's so good, so well done. The, the, the spice in it is excellent. Like she knows what she's talking about when she writes it. Um, it's really good. So it's an older series, but it's definitely worth um checking out for sure. She's still releasing books for that series, though, mm-hmm. So they're like 23 books deep, mm-hmm holy cow.
Speaker 1:Yeah, he said gay vampires yeah, that's what stacy's into right now. I love gay vampires always, but right now so I got really close to the mic when I said that because I'm so pumped. But other I gotta throw in my other rec other than gay vampires. I love gay cannibals on top of it so it we go.
Speaker 1:It wouldn't be a great Pride episode unless I talked about my favorite queer fan fiction, which is obviously a Hannibal and Will Graham fan fiction and it's called A Great and Gruesome Height and it is beautiful, chef's choice, probably one of my favorite fan fics of all time, but it's. I know you guys haven't watched Hannibal Some people don't know, but it ended in the third season and they had plans for a fourth season. It didn't get picked up. Whatever it should have. It ends on a cliffhanger. It basically picks up from the end of the third season and continues on as it should be. And their murder husbands. It's excellent. What do you mean? Murder husbands?
Speaker 2:their murder husbands, they murder people together and they probably like well, wait, have you guys stacy, did you finish? Never mind, I'm not gonna spoil this book, tell me spoil no.
Speaker 1:Butcher and blackbird, oh no, I haven't finished it yet.
Speaker 2:Don't spoil it, because I haven't looked at anything I know, I know I'm just um.
Speaker 1:Like I said, I usually look things up and I haven't looked anything up for this book because I'm just like I'm going to go into it blind.
Speaker 2:Well, it sounds really good.
Speaker 1:Okay, spectrum Warnings is dark AF If people haven't gotten the vibe yet. I was like okay.
Speaker 2:Well, it is cannibals. I was going to say you literally said it was cannibals.
Speaker 1:No, that sounds very like PG Stacey yeah.
Speaker 2:I don't think anything she talks about is PG. So I have another book recommendation, but I guess, since you're doing fanfic, I have a fanfic as well.
Speaker 2:Yeah, fanfic as well, but yeah, um, this is um where sleeping girls lie, um, by um, ferrita abike ayadime that is the author, and it's a book I just read two months ago and it is about this main girl and, um, she like it's set in england and she starts this boarding school. She's like been homeschooled her whole life and, um, and she's like queer lesbian I don't know exactly how she identifies but um, but basically she goes to this boarding school. That's like kind of dark academia settings like eerie, and I want to say it's like the second night in her you know school, um, her new roommate that she just met disappears. So now the whole school is like on lockdown and like freaking out and of course, because she's a new girl, everyone thinks that she like she killed her, had something to do with it and stuff.
Speaker 2:So, but she likes this new girl and this new girl's best friend, who he's gay as well. So the two of them, the new girl and the best friend who's gay they team up to try to find out where this roommate went, roommate went, and while they are teaming up, they uncover like a whole bunch of secrets about the school, like really dark, almost trigger warning secrets, um, about, like, what's been going on on campus with um, specifically boys doing things to girls. I'll say that. And yeah, so, like I said, they're trying to figure out what's happening to this roommate and along the way, she has a little romance. So you know, romance and murder go together so well.
Speaker 1:Pb&j baby, pb&j yeah.
Speaker 2:Anyway, but it's really good. Pb&j, baby PB&J, yeah, anyway, but it's really good and I think you guys should read it because I think you would like it. Like I said, it's like dark academia, murder, thriller, vibes. So yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:That is saved on my TBR, because you've talked about that book before and it just sounds like something I would love. Yeah, yeah. That's the book you got, ashley, when we were over.
Speaker 2:Oh, yeah, the signed one, the signed one, yeah, yeah, because I think she would like it too. So so, yeah, um. The other, like I said, fanfic that I want to talk about is this is a um, we talked about this on our sapphic episode um, this fanfic that stacy recommended to me I think we talked about it on it, um, and so I've been reading it and I actually, like, I love it. It's like literally one of my favorite fanfics ever and I've been trying to like slow myself down from reading it. It's 52 chapters but, um, like I said, I'm I'm only on the 34th chapter, but it's so freaking good.
Speaker 2:It's um, marlene and thorcus, and do you know what I'm talking about? Stacy, it's called the hand that feeds. The hand that feeds. It's um, they're like enemies to lovers and it's obviously a marauders era fic and it focuses on the two of them, but it also, um, uh, like looks at like James and Remus, and then there's a side pairing of um, sirius and Remus, like they get together during this fic and um, it's actually really cute because, um, sirius comes out like like they're fooling around and um, and then Sirius comes out to like the whole group and like because it's like during the 70s and like you know, being gay is was like not really accepted and yeah and the same with the girls like they have to like come out to each other and to their friends and everything.
Speaker 2:And it's really such a good fan. Like this author, you can tell, did a lot of research for the time period, like in the 70s, because Marlene is in this fic Irish and I mean you guys watch Dairy Girls, like all of the you know riots and you know like with the IRA and that whole like war battle going on in Ireland. Like she literally there's like a copy and paste of like news clippings that she puts in this fanfic, this fanfic, and like how marlene's kind of dealing it with um, like her family, like going through it and then like because she's um, um half-blood, so she like has to deal with her muggle family dealing with that, and then she goes back into like the wizarding world and then they're going through like a war with you can't win, yeah, so she's like caught between these two worlds and um, so it's, it's like such a good fic and then, like I said, her and dorcas are like trying to hide the relationship.
Speaker 1:Anyway, it's, it's so freaking good, okay, anyway I know you love those characters because you talk about them a lot and I haven't read because the only marauders that I've read is um the dead of time and they're not. They're not in the dead of time, but it makes me want to read a marauder so I can meet these characters because, yeah, they are very popular characters in fan fiction.
Speaker 2:It seems like yeah, it's cool because, um, when you read like a marauders fit cause I had before I'd only read like dead a time or other marauders fix where they weren't really in it. But I'm starting to read more like even just like one shots with them in it. But there's always background of the actual marauders Like, even if it's focused on Marlene and Dorcas or Mary McDonald, who's another girl that's like in their circle, it always has. Like Remus is like their best friend, or James is like it's. Even though you're like, oh, I'm reading about the girls, the guys are in it too, like it's, you still get like a dose of like my boy Remus, my boy Remus, so it's, it's really cool versus, um, if you only read like just about the boys, sometimes the girls aren't really in it. You know, yeah, um, so, yeah, I could send you some some fix I gotta jump all to me yeah send them all to me.
Speaker 1:if we're talking about some um queer marauders love, I have one of the best ones I've read, which I think you both would like. It's called Choices by Messer Moon and it's a I've heard of this before Jegulus fig. It will rip your soul out of your body.
Speaker 2:Oh yes, I see You've talked about this before.
Speaker 1:Yeah, Sorry, go on. No, no, no, sorry, go on, no, no, it's. It's that good. It's incredible. Um, it's a regulus and james fanfic and there is some lupin and serious like sprinkled in there. It is everything is it long? Yes, it's. You know, in my head I'm always like if I was like typesetting it to make a book, when people typeset it to bind it, it's's usually three books long. It's really long.
Speaker 2:Oh damn.
Speaker 1:Yeah, okay, well, I guess let me get in the mindset for that. I got to finish some of these other series first before I start adding something else onto it.
Speaker 2:I know, see, that's why I'm like I don't know if I'm, because my thing is I got to read. I have to read all the young dudes like I would.
Speaker 1:I know first stacy classic stacy gave me those books they're. I'm looking at them right now. They're in my special bookshelf and, um, I need to emotionally get ready for those books too, because I know people love them and my heart's gonna be ripped out. So that. I think that's like one of the most popular marauders fanfics of yeah, it's like the manacled of the marauders, but right, right dark.
Speaker 2:Yes, so that's my goal before the end of the year is to read that um, because then by the time I'm like after I read it, then I can get my my moony sweatshirt. That's like I can only wear that after I read that.
Speaker 1:So chanel remus is your favorite marauder right stacy. Who's yours? Probably serious? Okay, mine's james. I was just curious if we all had different ones, and we do just. Yes, ashley's definitely a james yeah gryffindor man. I mean. I guess serious is gryffindor too, but he's got a slither and heart, so don't matter, they're all gryffindor man.
Speaker 2:I mean, I guess sirius is gryffindor too, but he's got a slytherin heart, so don't matter, they're all gryffindors.
Speaker 1:Yeah, idiot yeah, but like they got wings, like james is a gryffindor with a gryffindor wing, remus is a gryffindor with a ravenclaw wing, and then I would say sirius is, you know, a slytherin wing, and peter was sorted in the wrong house. We don about him. He's just like winging all these people like it's the Enneagram. I love the Enneagram. You know I love it.
Speaker 2:There was at work. There's this guy, he was like a student or whatever and and he had like a Harry Potter hat on and so I was like, ok, what's like favorite book, since you're wearing this hat. And he was like the goblet of fire and I was like, okay, cool, that's like a solid, solid book, you know whatever. And then I feel like that's kind of like general, but you know I wasn't gonna shame him. Well, then he asked me and I was like prisoner of Azkaban. He's like oh, that's so late. Everyone says that's such a generic. And I was like I was like what, like I feel like no one said. He's like, oh, that's so late. Everyone says that that's such a generic. And I was like I was like what, like I feel like no one said he's like, yeah, everyone, everyone always says Prisoner of Azkaban, like that's their like go-to one. And I'm like who are you talking to?
Speaker 1:No, one's Sorry, god what? That's why you just need to always be mean to people right off the bat. I know why are you trying to be nice, especially to this man.
Speaker 2:Come on, I know it's weird that he said that, because I had asked the doctor that question and guess what? He said Goblet of fire. I had asked the spine rep his favorite book, goblet of Fire. So all three guys said Goblet of Fire. And yet mine was Prisoner of Azkaban. And he goes. Everyone says prisoner of azkaban. I'm like, okay, who's the one?
Speaker 1:that's a freaking noob I'm like, look, she knows.
Speaker 2:In the middle of surgery, asking all these people who they're, what their favorite harry potter book yeah, I know we're all, we're all nerds in that room anyway, but um, and then he was like we started talking about houses and then he was like what's your, what's your house? And the one guy was like he was hufflepuff. And he was like what's your, what's your house? And the one guy was like he was Hufflepuff and he seemed like Hufflepuff. And then that guy that said it was giving me a hard time, he was Ravenclaw and I was like okay, cool, like that's decent. And then he asked me and I was like I was like oh, I'm a Gryffindor. And he was like yeah, of course, of course you're a Gryffindor, like you just want to be just like Harry Potter. And I'm like what the heck? I was like I purposely tried to take the test and be in Hufflepuff. I was like I didn't want to be in Gryffindor, but I took that test like five times and it kept putting me back in.
Speaker 1:You're a Gryffindor through and through. I know I was like I was trying to skew my answers.
Speaker 2:I was like he was just judging me so much, this damn Ravenclaw dude. Anyway, I go. I was heated that day anyway.
Speaker 1:So I love when Chanel gets heated because it never happens. Sorry, say it to her. I was going to be like I don't need you to mansplain Harry Potter to me, bro.
Speaker 2:I got a podcast. I got a podcast.
Speaker 1:Oh, I meant to tell you guys um josh brown, who was on the episode like a couple episodes ago. He's already on the second book of harry potter, I know, wait, wait, wait.
Speaker 2:Is he listening to it?
Speaker 1:reading it, listening to it. We're gonna have to get him back on to hear what he thinks about this. Wow, he's just like getting through. He's's probably already done with the Chamber of Secrets, honestly, because Wow, I did not think he was going to Wow. I think he downloaded it in his car when he left your house, Chanel.
Speaker 2:Like I think that's when he started listening.
Speaker 1:Did you guys shame him into it? I was going to say not inspired.
Speaker 2:He was guilted.
Speaker 1:Guilted into it.
Speaker 2:That's so freaking hilarious, I love it. Like you said, we have to have him back so we can get his opinion on it. But yeah, you guys have any other recs Any other?
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:Yeah, go ahead.
Speaker 1:Yes, if we are talking about pride, we have to talk about one of the best written queer love stories, which is madeline miller's song of achilles.
Speaker 2:we have to oh, I didn't know that was gay it's well.
Speaker 1:First of all, she is incredible and it's about achilles and patroclus and it's beautiful and also it'll rip your soul out.
Speaker 2:So everyone talks about that book, like all that's like talk about hype.
Speaker 1:There's like your life before you read song of achilles and your life after you read song, and this is why I haven't read it yet. There's too much pressure. It's beautiful, I know I need to read it. I mean I know I say it about a lot of books, because I do mean it like a lot of books get me really hyped up and like a lot of passion. But it's like one of those books I relate it to. When you finish a book at like three in the morning and you cry or you just can't talk about it. And I remember when I first read that book and it was like late at night and I'm just like crying and you just think about it for days and it's yeah, when you think about a book like after the fact, and you're just like and there's just something about madeline miller's writing that is so beautiful and compelling.
Speaker 1:It's almost like reading poetry her retellings of greek mythology or everything you know what. That's a great way to say it, because that's how cersei, when I read that, felt to me like stacy really hyped that book up and I was like there's no way it's going to be that good and I felt like I was reading poetry when I was reading that book it was so amazing. Yeah, chanel, have you read Cersei yet?
Speaker 2:Mm-mm.
Speaker 1:That's a book. You have to do the audiobook for that one.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I have to do the audiobook.
Speaker 1:Okay, yeah, I've listened to it twice a year. I do. That book makes me wish that this is not terrible, that the Game of Thrones they would have used a different name than Cersei in Game of Thrones, because the Cersei that's in the book, cersei, is so amazing. Yeah, such a great character. I was like this would be a great too bad. This name isn't common now, but it never will be, because everybody would think of Game of Thrones. So, yeah, yeah, such a great character.
Speaker 1:I was like this would be a great too bad, this name isn't common now, but it never will be, because everybody would think of game of thrones so well, before I named ivy ivy, I told ashley that I also like the name cersei, because I looked the book so much and I brought it up to just like a few random people and I was so sick of the game of thrones references by like telling three people I was like well, that's never gonna happen because yeah, but uh, talk about complex female character.
Speaker 2:It's great yeah, I'll add both of them to my list definitely.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you, you both would love. I know I hype it so much, but yeah, song of achilles, especially for like pride and stuff, is it's just great because it also brings in like the historical elements of um, of the greek mythology and how people always say they were like best friends and stuff. And then I've gone down the rabbit hole listening to people's tiktoks and like people write papers over this about how they in history and historical texts and stuff they just gloss over that they were lovers and they try to make them friends just because being any kind of um queer representation like obviously way back then was not and really cool. But then you think about like greek history anyway and their sexuality was way more fluid than right, just yeah, we go on and on about it, but it's great, yeah definitely um.
Speaker 2:I have another book that I really liked especially. I would recommend the audio book um. It's called the land of milk and honey and it's um a dystopian where, like all I think I've talked to you about this before, recommended it it's like all of the um, like the earth's, there's like a smog over the earth and all the crops and animals are like dead, basically, and so it's following around this um chef. You don't even know her name, um, because from her point of view, and so she's like lost her passion for cooking and she gets invited I can't remember how to like go up into the Greek, the Italian mountains, I don't know what, the Alps, I don't know, whatever it's called.
Speaker 2:I don't know geology and to work for this, really like this million billionaire I'm thinking of, like Elon Musk, who's built this like bunker up there to survive this like apocalypse and of course, up in this in these mountains he has like a mansion and like some farm animals and crops that have like survived like over the smog and him and his daughter are like working, survived like over the smog and him and his daughter are like working. She's a scientist to like um, generate new crops and animals and stuff that can survive, like I said, past this apocalypse. And so she cooks for him, this millionaire, and they bring in like meteorologists and other scientists and stuff to fly in and talk with them and like come up with scientific stuff. And so she finds her passion for cooking and her and the daughter have like an affair or whatever, like you know, but kind of, like you said, like the writing of the author see, pam Zhang is just amazing, like the way she describes like the food and like the cooking, like all of these dishes that she's like conjuring up and like, like I said, she's off the character is like learning her passion for cooking, but then also like this relationship with this daughter and scientist who is very clinical about everything, like she's like, well, let's just, you know, kill this sheep.
Speaker 2:Let's just you know, this chef is like, well, we're running out of animals. Like we like we need to be precious with our material. We need to, like you know, I don't like it's like life is ending. We need to, like you know, think about how lucky we are to have all this. And you know, I don't know, it's just the way she just writes it. It's almost like poetry, like the prose is just so amazing and it also just makes you think about, like God, this could totally happen.
Speaker 2:Well, yeah, and if you don't have money or connections. Yeah, yeah, terrible. So anyway, it's really good.
Speaker 1:Put it on my list too I think I've heard of that actually, or I've seen it somewhere. I've seen the book cover. I can see the book cover in my head for it like waves so yeah, it's a really good book.
Speaker 2:I didn't know it was like lgbtq. I thought it was just like kind of a dystopian and all of a sudden she was having an affair with this lady. It's like, oh okay, because that's happening.
Speaker 1:But yeah, it's really good so, yeah, I'm proud of us. We're hitting some really good racks. I feel like we're gonna hit it all like fan fiction books, audio books we are, we are. And then I can't not mention my favorite book I knew you know I was waiting for you to bring up this book I had to do it, I.
Speaker 2:I just love it because literally every single relationship is just lesbians. It's just all lesbians.
Speaker 1:You know, I told Katie, our sister and your friend, about it because she loves Game of Thrones, and she listened to all. And we were at Barnes Noble like last week or something and I found that book series that you're talking about. I was like Katie, you have to read this. Chanel says it's Game of Thrones, but better because there's so much representation in it.
Speaker 2:So what's it called again? Uh, a day of fallen night, yeah, and that's the prequel, and then um priority of the orange tree is the actual main book book yeah, I need more time in my life to read.
Speaker 1:I have the same editions you have and I've been meaning to read them, but it's just like.
Speaker 2:No, I know and they're like 800 page.
Speaker 2:They are so thick girl, it's so big but I like my books like I, like my women thick, I do but literally I'm like they follow three main women characters and all of them are in relationships with women. Oh, I lied. One she doesn't really have a relationship, like she gets pregnant by a guy but they don't really have like it's like a one-night stand that happens spoiler alert but um, we'll have it. But all the rest of it they're all lesbians. I was thinking to myself they can't all be lesbians, but they're all lesbians they're all lesbians, but where are the lesbians?
Speaker 1:where are they?
Speaker 2:and I mean there's other, like there's other people in the series, but we don't care about them yeah, but, like I said, the main people are lesbians and it's just so funny because I'm just like, oh my gosh, like damn, I don't know why it's so funny. But, like I said, it was like good representation. There's also like some gay characters too, um, which I thought was actually really cool. Um, one of the main guys, he, um, he is adopted into a like a gay couple. They take him in and like raise him up and he's like the John Snow, like I really liked him of the series, like this northern warrior guy and you like root for him and everything. Like he becomes like a squire, whatever, and knight and stuff. So there's good gay representation. But, like you said, it's like game of thrones and um, and, yeah, just like a really cool fantasy with dragons and volcanoes and um, knights and stuff like that. So, yeah, if you want all of our favorite things yeah, read it because I love it.
Speaker 2:And I need to read the next book because apparently, it's even better than this. So, yeah, yeah that's all my recommendations love it, I got all I got.
Speaker 1:That's all I got. It's all I got. Well, we got some pretty good ones. I've I've written them all down, so I will be making a cohesive list so everyone who has listened will be able to find it on our socials. Yay, I was gonna list one, but I don't want to ruin it so I won't. But there's one in that um akatar universe that's amazing. That we'll cover when we actually if and when we cover the third book.
Speaker 1:So yeah, yeah, yeah, okay, good well, should we announce the thing that ashley's been working on for us, speaking of new socials? Oh yeah, go ahead. Um, so we have. We've talked around the past, but we are. We've finally done it. We have a youtube page that is live. Um, last week's episode is up and going on it.
Speaker 1:And this episode will drop the same time that this one does so on Tuesdays, um so yeah. So if you want to, if you like the audio and you want to like see us on zoom, check us out there too, cause right now it's just our zoom videos, but we are in the process of figuring out how to do it if we report record in person, so that'll also happen at some point, but right now it's our zoom episodes, so yeah, If you want to see us at home it'll be linked on our Instagram and then you can just look up fiction fanatics pod and that'll find it too on YouTube.
Speaker 1:So check us out. We're even funnier when you can see our faces. Trust me, I know I'm like I have to start looking better now when we're doing this, because last week's was kind of rough. So, like today, I was like let me at least look like a person today, not me. This is what this is what it is. It be what it be. It be what it be.
Speaker 2:But it be what it be. But yeah, our social media is at fiction fanatics pod and then, like you said, on youtube.
Speaker 1:It's the same fiction fanatics. Okay, you guys want to hit up some kudos? I'll go first if we're ready, as long as you don't steal mine. Well, um, obviously I love you guys. Uh, specifically, it was really nice ashley came over today to help me with my sanity. We're in the process of I don't know if I told you that, chanel we're listing our house and we're going to try to move even though we have a newborn. You are they just, they just want the drama, chanel, the drama, the drama. But ashley brought me coffee today and held the baby and we actually got to talk to ch, to Chanel, on speakerphone, so it's like all three of you were there in person with me. So just shout out to people who keep my sanity, because why not just add to the chaos?
Speaker 2:You're like, we're here with chaos, let's go here.
Speaker 1:Crank it up to 11.
Speaker 2:On a 10.0 scale, stacy your buddy. Well, okay. Um, I got a serious note though. Um, if you like, need any help seriously. Um, please like, reach out, like even you know if it's just coffee or you know, yeah, yeah, call chanel, not me.
Speaker 1:chan's closer to me, so she would definitely bring me coffee Shut up.
Speaker 2:Yeah, she would, Ashley shut up.
Speaker 1:That's what I mean.
Speaker 2:They're best friends, when you think of hitting the Ashley button call.
Speaker 1:Chanel. Call Chanel instead, I will. Seriously yeah, friends like these.
Speaker 2:It's not even a friend, it's a sister, a sister.
Speaker 1:Yeah, go ahead. Well, speaking of sister, uh, my kudos this week is for my favorite lesbian, which which would be, uh mean, stacy's younger sister, katie. She's our favorite lesbian yeah, she is our favorite she was actually on our pride episode last year, I think it was, it wasn't, it wasn't.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it was just like a big episode episode, but it was still fun um, but she's literally one of my favorite people. She's just amazing human and she is amazing.
Speaker 1:Hi, katie, you're my best friend now. Chanel, I will, I will scream wait wait, hold up cc.
Speaker 2:Did you hear about this when we were in London? And no, this was in like Scotlanders, I think it was Scotlanders. And all of a sudden Katie and I were just like hanging out and bonding and then Katie said did she say it to you? She was like, yeah, like I'm having a good time with Chanel. Me and Chanel are like becoming best friends. I swear to God that next day Ashley was like she was so mad. She was like I was upset. She's like are you like now closer to Katie now? Like are you closer with best friends with Katie now? I'm like dude, we hung out for one night.
Speaker 1:Stop hopping around on the Reynolds sisters, okay. Versus me, and then it was Stacey, and now it's Katie, and I'm not being left in the dust here we hung out for like one day, one night.
Speaker 2:Like you did something else, I hung out with Katie and her friend Casey for one night and we just got like closer. We just like she was like don't take my friend away from me, Don't ask they already had some weird inside joke or something that was happening? Immediately, like immediately part of one.
Speaker 1:It was so bad, it was so funny and I'm laughing now, but I'm really not happy about it. So, no, that's it. That's my kudos. I'm not kudos, kudos, kudosing you guys today because I'm mad. Whatever actually, you guys are okay, I don't blame you I'd kudos kat you guys today, because I'm mad at both of you. Whatever actually you guys are, okay, I don't blame you.
Speaker 2:I'd kudos katie over me because it's not even a big deal. Like you know that I'm best friends with you.
Speaker 1:Like I would never just switch you out, like for one day sure you say that now you say that now I'd switch you guys out for katie both of us. You're now both of you two for one you're so crazy.
Speaker 2:I love you. This is why I would never get rid of you, because I love getting you mad like this. Um, so my kudos is you guys, because I love you and you make me laugh so much both of you guys, because we're stupid, you are and um, okay, my other kudos is for my aunt kelly. It was her birthday a couple days ago and I got to go to trivia with her and it's hannah's mom hannah.
Speaker 2:Okay hi, hannah so hannah and I and um, my uncle and Hannah's husband, we all went to Friends Trivia and we came in second place.
Speaker 1:What was your name? What was your team name?
Speaker 2:So their last name is 4, like F-O-H-R. So we were the four heads.
Speaker 1:I cannot with you. I thought it was going to be Friends themed.
Speaker 2:Everyone else's was we should have done that, but we did the Friends we. We were gonna do the four skins, but then they told us that we had a ppg 13.
Speaker 1:I mean it was four skin like rated r it is so.
Speaker 2:That's why we were like we gotta tone this down. So we did forehead and then everyone else had like friends themed and we were like, oh, maybe we should we should have done that.
Speaker 1:And then you almost went yeah, came in second place.
Speaker 2:We were literally like last and then guess what? So we got. I want to cause this is what I want to ask you guys is if you can answer the questions that got us back in the game and got us to win. Okay, so the one. The first question was the friends apartment numbers. They started as two numbers and then they switched. I want to say, like season two or something, they switched numbers. Can you tell me the numbers they started as and the numbers they switched to? Do you know this?
Speaker 1:I absolutely cannot. Is one of them six no.
Speaker 2:Seven. No, they started as four and five. This is Monica and Rachel's and Joey and Chandler's. They started, but then, I guess after season one or in the middle of season one, the writers realized they're on the second floor because they're stairs, so they changed them to 19 and 20 oh so how did you know that?
Speaker 1:yeah, how did you know that?
Speaker 2:I read, read like there's, like you know, friends trivia like what numbers did they change them to? I read that you cheated, so you're cheated. No, that was years ago. I read that. Oh yeah, yeah, I read that. But um, so we got that to get us back in the game.
Speaker 1:And then the sorry, my children are screaming we can't hear it.
Speaker 2:Um then, the final question to get us to second place was um, like. The bonus question was what are the six items that were in monica and rachel's grocery bag in the embryos episode? Do you know what I'm talking?
Speaker 1:about yeah where they.
Speaker 2:They did the the questions. Do you know what I'm talking about? To swap their apartments when they did the bet.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but I can't think of what it is.
Speaker 2:I know, it's really hard.
Speaker 1:What was it?
Speaker 2:I have no idea. Half-eaten bag of cookies, uh-huh Apples, uh-huh Scotch tape, yogurt and tortilla chips.
Speaker 1:That is one of the best episodes the way oh yeah, it's great when they when they lose the apartment? Transponder? I was just thinking that.
Speaker 2:Transponsters, that's not even a word that, and that was one of the questions too is what? What do they think chandler's job is? One was the question, was it was a transponder. So yeah, we had to say that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but um, look toby's like, get off the podcast.
Speaker 2:I'm ready to hang out with my mom, you guys would have lost that, friends.
Speaker 1:Trivia I know, and the thing is, I've seen that whole show a couple times. It's just been a couple years, like it sounds like it's time for a rewatch yeah seriously sounds like um, okay, all right.
Speaker 2:Well, I love you guys and yay, this has been such a good episode lead us out.
Speaker 1:Stace, okay, guys. Toby, you lead us out, toby lead us out say we hope everyone has a great week and make sure you read what you like. Bye, bye, great week and make sure you read what you like, bye, bye.
