Banter and Bookmarks

Join Lindsey, Kelly, and Katharine for this standalone episode of Phantasma by Kaylie Smith! This is episode 1 in our 3-episode series covering some authors we will meet at Romantasy BookCon in October!

Join us for our first ever AUTHOR INTERVIEW! We are honored to have met Jess on Bookstagram and read an advanced copy of her upcoming debut, Child of Shivay. It immediately became one of our favorite books OF ALL TIME and we are so excited to be able to share it with our listeners. Listen in as we chat about what inspires Jess as an author, how she handles criticism, and get some hints about what we should look out for in our re-read.

Child of Shivay releases on October 16, 2025 and is available for pre-order now on Kindle (for only $.99 until release day!) or you can purchase the standard or special edition copies from Jess directly on smuttybuddies.com

Follow jess on Instagram @JRCathers

And as always, like, comment, and rate our podcast! It helps us reach even more feral readers, like you :)

Happy Reading!

Join Lindsey, Kelly, and Katharine as we round our our coverage of Dire Bound by Sable Sorensen with chapters 45-58.

After Meryn's mother’s funeral brings the pack together, she discovers hidden journals that hint at a long-forgotten legacy...and put Anassa on HIGH ALERT! But these buried secrets begin to surface when she finds evidence linking her mother’s drawings to the lost Sturmfrost Queens, the original rulers of Nocturna. With the Unity Trial looming, and whispers of betrayal growing louder, Meryn must navigate friendships, blood oaths, and an increasingly unstable bond with Killian (that she just cannot see deteriorating!)

The final trial turns deadly, ending in Meryn’s public beheading of King Cyril and Killian’s betrayal. Imprisoned and silenced, Meryn uncovers the full truth... she is Meryn Sturmfrost, true heir to the throne. With the ancient crown reclaimed and her destiny revealed, she races to expose a centuries-old blood curse, free imprisoned children beneath the castle (Including her sister!), and confront a new enemy: Alistair Brightbane, the Siphon who now wears Killian’s skin (super gross).

Truths unravel, her friends SHOW UP when she needs them, and she is left with some very unwanted gifts. As the story ends, Meryn must face her greatest heartbreak yet and she vows vengeance against Killian with the full force of her bloodline behind her. THE QUEEN IS BACK, Y'ALL

Join us to continue our deep dive of Dire Bound by Sable Sorensen.

In this set of chapters, Meryn survives the brutal Purge Trial and earns a new tattoo (or 2) from Stark. A heartwarming visit to her mother turns bittersweet, a royal ball ends with a public (and kind of cringey...) declaration of love, and an unexpected tragedy leads to an even more shocking promotion: Meryn and Anassa are named Alpha of the Strategos pack. As she juggles Alpha training, uncovering palace secrets, and a dangerous mission to find the missing children, Meryn is pushed to her limits. Just when she thinks she can breathe, devastating news hits—and Killian picks the worst possible moment to pop the question. COME ON!

If you like this episode, like and comment! It helps us reach more viewers and build our community :)

Check us out on social media @Banterandbookmarks

The cross-over of our dreams is here. Join us for a night of laughs, theories, unanswered questions, and predictions for Brimstone with Con and Lauren.

Thank you for listening. Please like and comment on our episodes- it helps us reach even more romantasy obsessed humans like you!

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Join Lindsey, Kelly, and Katharine as we dive into chapters 16-30 of Dire Bound by Sable Sorensen.

The episode begins after the shocking revelation that shakes Meryn’s world—Prince Killian is actually Lee, the love she thought she left behind. As she reels from this discovery, King Cyril unleashes the first deadly trial with the terrifying Diren Blaed, putting Meryn and her direwolf Anassa to the test.

But the trials aren't just physical—after killing a man in self defense, Meryn faces the weight of taking a life, and is marked permanently by a tattoo from Stark Therion (yes, there's licking involved). She’s granted a private room for her safety, but privacy is short-lived when Killian reveals a secret passage connecting their chambers.

As Meryn begins bonding more deeply with her Anassa and trains for survival, she receives what she thinks is a promising update about the Nabbers. When one is captured, her search for answers about her sister Saela leads to a brutal confrontation, and Meryn crosses another line she can’t come back from- another life taken.

We’ll break down her growing bond with Anassa, the complications of her secret relationship with Killian, and the chilling buildup to The Purge—a ruthless trial where only the strong survive. Plus, the suspicious gaze of Stark reminds us that nothing stays hidden for long...and this man HAS TO KNOW SOME THINGS.

Join us as we dissect the betrayals, brutal choices, and quiet moments of hope in Meryn’s journey. This episode is packed with secrets, steamy tension, and dire consequences. COME ESCAPE REALITY WITH US.

Join Lindsey, Kelly, and Katharine as they deep dive chapters 1 through 15 of Dire Bound by Sable Sorensen.

We start off meeting our FMC Meryn Cooper...a badass street fighter just trying to survive, support her family, and maybe punch a few people along the way for money. But when her little sister gets kidnapped by creepy child-snatching Nabbers, Meryn joins the army to try to find her and get as close to enemy territory as possible.

Only catch? The bonding trials are happening, which means recruits are competing to bond with giant, deadly direwolves.

We’ll chat about Meryn’s climb up the deadly Mount Wolfsbane, her surprise bond with the ancient wolf Anassa, and what happens when she accidentally becomes part of the elite Rawbounds. Oh, and did we mention her boyfriend Lee is actually the freaking crown prince?!

Get ready for fights, wolves, secrets,and some shocking twists we did NOT see coming. Come escape reality with us!

Lindsey, Kelly, and Katharine chat with Sarah and Natalie of Fabled Fantasy Events to discuss all things LOGISTICS for Romantasy BookCon in October, 2025. Want to know what to expect, how to sign up for panels, workshops, and signings, and what to wear? We've got you covered!

Join Lindsey, Kelly & Katharine as they chat with special guest ROMAN- Lindsey's 11 year old who HATES reading. BUT when his dad brought up an idea to podcast about a book to help his summer reading goals, he was VERY excited to try. Listen is through the end, where we have a special message for parents who may also have kiddos who struggle to get into reading. From this group of moms and some former educators, we hope it can help inspire some out-of-the-box thinking!

Join Lindsey, Kelly, and Katharine as they kick off their deep dive series on Dire Bound by Sable Sorensen. This episode focuses on world building- think characters, setting, magic system, pack dynamics, and major plot point reminders that will help bring you back into the world of Nocturna and the Bonded City of Sturmfrost.

Come escape reality with us!