In Episode 14 of A Court of Cortisol and Chaos, we take a thoughtful look at the conversation surrounding Alchemised- a recently published book with origins in fanfiction. We discuss whether we plan on reading it, whether we read Manacled, what this means for fan creators, and how J.K. Rowling’s harmful transphobic views continue to affect both fandom spaces and the publishing world.

This episode explores:

• The connection and distinctions between Alchemised and Manacled

• The ethics of transformative works in fandom

• How J.K. Rowling’s rhetoric has reshaped the conversation around fanfiction

• Whether or not we plan to read Alchemised

We approach this discussion with care, compassion, and a commitment to standing with the LGBTQIA+ community.

Disclaimer:

While we’re discussing fan works inspired by the Harry Potter universe, we do not support J.K. Rowling or her transphobic views.

If you’re a trans or nonbinary listener—or someone looking to learn and support—we’ve included resources in the description from organizations doing vital work for the LGBTQIA+ community worldwide:

🌈 United States

• The Trevor Project — Crisis intervention & suicide prevention for LGBTQIA+ youth

https://www.thetrevorproject.org• Trans Lifeline — Peer support hotline run by and for trans people

https://translifeline.org

🇨🇦 Canada

• Trans Lifeline Canada — Support line available to trans people in Canada

https://translifeline.org/clarifying-misinformation-about-our-hotline-number/• Egale Canada — Promoting LGBTQIA+ inclusion and rights

https://egale.ca

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

• Mermaids UK — Support for transgender and gender-diverse youth & families

https://mermaidsuk.org.uk• Stonewall — Campaigning for LGBTQIA+ equality across the UK

https://www.stonewall.org.uk

🇸🇪 Sweden

• RFSL — The Swedish Federation for LGBTQIA+ Rights

https://www.rfsl.se/en/• Transammans — Organization supporting trans people and their families

https://transammans.se

Thank you for joining us for this important conversation. However you choose to engage with these works, we encourage compassion, awareness, and active support for the trans community.

Trans rights are human rights. Always. 🌈

— Adrianna, Amy, Dominique & Lindsay

✨ Join our Fable Book Club — Read & Yap with ACOCAC

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Who would you cast as your favorite MMCs? In Episode 13 of A Court of Cortisol and Chaos, we're spiraling about celebrity crushes, dream casting fantasy book boyfriends, and giving you a fresh batch of our spiciest bookish hot takes.Tell us in the comments:• Who’s your #1 fantasy MMC?• Which celebrity would you cast to play them?✨ Join our Fable Book Club — Read & Yap with ACOCAC

Read along with our monthly book picks and join the discussion: https://fable.co/club/read-yap-with-acocac-with-acourtofcortisolchaospodcast-514859046979

📌 Follow us & find everything in one placehttps://linktr.ee/acourtofcortisolandchaos

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In Episode 12 of A Court of Cortisol and Chaos, we’re catching up on all things bookish before diving back into the Maasverse.

We’re sharing what we’ve been reading lately, the books currently taking over our TBRs, and what we’re excited to pick up next. Then we’re spiraling into Crescent City and talking about some of our favorite moments, the scenes that still live rent-free in our heads, and the questions we desperately need answers to.

We also chat about:

- Our latest reads and what we’re currently loving

- What’s coming up next on our TBRs

- Our favorite Crescent City scene

- The Crescent City plot points we still need explainedWhether you’re here for book recommendations, Maasverse theories, or just want to spiral with us, this episode has a little bit of everything.

Tell us in the comments:

What’s your favorite Crescent City scene?

What unanswered question do you need answered in the Maasverse?

✨ Join our Fable Book Club — Read & Yap with ACOCAC

Read along with our monthly book picks and join the discussion:

https://fable.co/club/read-yap-with-acocac-with-acourtofcortisolchaospodcast-514859046979

📌 Follow us & find everything in one place

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Thanks for spiraling with us—now get back to your TBR!

It’s game time! In Episode 11 of A Court of Cortisol and Chaos, we’re playing a “what if” game- imagining what our favorite characters would be like in real life. From what jobs they’d have, to what playlists they’d blast, to where they’d call home, we’re spiraling into hilarious (and surprisingly accurate) headcanons.Tell us in the comments:• What real-life job would you give your favorite SJM character?• Who has the most unhinged music taste?✨ Join our Fable Book Club — Read & Yap with ACOCAC

Read along with our monthly book picks and join the discussion: https://fable.co/club/read-yap-with-acocac-with-acourtofcortisolchaospodcast-514859046979

📌 Follow us & find everything in one place

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🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts

📩 Contact us: [email protected]

Thanks for spiraling with us—now get back to your TBR!

We’re back with another episode of A Court of Cortisol and Chaos, and this time we’re mixing book games with a deeper fandom discussion.

In Episode 10, we’re starting things off with a “Yes/No/Maybe” game featuring some of our recent reads (and yes, there are definitely some opinions that might be a little controversial). Then we’re diving into a conversation about neurodivergence and disability representation in fantasy.

We talk about characters like Dain, Sawyer, and Andarna, the ways their experiences are represented throughout the series, and how these storylines connect with our own experiences as readers.

We also chat about:

- Our latest reads and our “Yes/No/Maybe” picks

- Dain’s potential neurodivergent traits and how they impact his character

- Sawyer’s accommodations and disability representation

- Andarna’s unique challenges and what they add to the story

- Why thoughtful representation in fantasy matters

Tell us in the comments:

Which book would get an instant “Yes” from you?

Which fantasy character do you think deserves more love for their representation?

✨ Join our Fable Book Club — Read & Yap with ACOCAC

Read along with our monthly book picks and join the discussion: https://fable.co/club/read-yap-with-acocac-with-acourtofcortisolchaospodcast-514859046979

📌 Follow us & find everything in one place

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TikTok & Instagram: @ACourtofCortisolandChaos

🎥 Watch the full video on YouTube, Spotify, and Facebook

🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts

📩 Contact us: [email protected]

Thanks for spiraling with us—now get back to your TBR!

We’re keeping things a little more casual this week with a bookish catch-up episode of A Court of Cortisol and Chaos.

In this episode, we’re talking about what we’ve been reading lately, the books that completely pulled us in, the ones that didn’t quite live up to the hype, and the opinions we may or may not get judged for.

We chat about our recent reads, share our favorites (and not-so-favorites), and dive into some of the bookish takes we’ve been waiting to talk about.

We also chat about:

- What we’ve been reading recently

- The books that surprised us

- The books that missed the mark

Tell us in the comments:

What’s a book you loved that everyone needs to read?

What’s a popular book you just couldn’t get into?✨ Join our Fable Book Club — Read & Yap with ACOCAC

Read along with our monthly book picks and join the discussion: https://fable.co/club/read-yap-with-acocac-with-acourtofcortisolchaospodcast-514859046979

📌 Follow us & find everything in one place:

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🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts

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Thanks for spiraling with us—now get back to your TBR!

We’re diving back into Fourth Wing! In this episode of A Court of Cortisol and Chaos, we’re starting things off with a chaotic round of “This or That” before getting into one of the biggest discussions around the series: Violet Sorrengail.

We talk about Violet’s journey, the way her disability is represented throughout the story, her growth as a heroine, and why she has become such a standout character for so many readers.

We also chat about:

- Our Fourth Wing “This or That” picks

- Violet’s strengths, struggles, and evolution throughout the series

- Disability representation in the Empyrean series

- Why Violet’s story has connected with so many fans

Whether you’re here for the dragons, the characters, or the fandom debates, we’re breaking down another piece of the Empyrean series.

Tell us in the comments:

What’s your go-to Fourth Wing “This or That” choice?

How do you feel about Violet’s representation in the series?

✨ Join our Fable Book Club — Read & Yap with ACOCAC

Read along with our monthly book picks and join the discussion: https://fable.co/club/read-yap-with-acocac-with-acourtofcortisolchaospodcast-514859046979

📌 Follow us & find everything in one place:

https://linktr.ee/acourtofcortisolandchaos

TikTok & Instagram: @ACourtofCortisolandChaos

🎥 Watch the full video on YouTube, Spotify, and Facebook

🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts

📩 Contact us: [email protected]

Thanks for spiraling with us—now get back to your TBR!

Creators mentioned:

@The.Page.Sage

@EmmaHalbrook

@AntoinetteCeaLopes

Dain gets a lot of criticism in the Fourth Wing fandom, but in this episode of A Court of Cortisol and Chaos, we’re taking a closer look at his character and asking: does he really deserve all the hate?

We talk through Dain’s choices throughout the series, the moments that made readers frustrated, and the parts of his story that show there might be more going on beneath the surface. From his struggles with fear and loyalty to the choices he makes when everything starts changing, we’re diving into why we think he’s a more complicated character than he’s often given credit for.

We also chat about:

- Why Dain’s biggest mistakes aren’t the entire story

- The pressure and expectations that shape his decisions

- His role in the rebellion and how his perspective changes

- Why we ended up having more appreciation for his character

Whether you love Dain, hate Dain, or are somewhere in the middle, we’re breaking down one of the most debated characters in the Empyrean series.

Tell us in the comments:

How did you feel about Dain at the beginning of the series compared to the end of Onyx Storm?

Do you think Dain deserves more understanding from the fandom?

✨ Join our Fable Book Club — Read & Yap with ACOCAC

Read along with our monthly book picks and join the discussion: https://fable.co/club/read-yap-with-acocac-with-acourtofcortisolchaospodcast-514859046979

📌 Follow us & find everything in one placehttps://linktr.ee/acourtofcortisolandchaosTikTok & Instagram: @ACourtofCortisolandChaos

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🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts

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Thanks for spiraling with us—now get back to your TBR!

We’re finally talking about Fourth Wing! In this episode of A Court of Cortisol and Chaos, we’re sharing how we found Rebecca Yarros’ Empyrean series, our first thoughts on the characters, and the scenes we’re already hoping to see brought to life in the TV adaptation.We talk about what pulled us into the series, the characters who immediately caught our attention, and why this dragon-filled world has taken over so many readers’ lives.We also chat about:- How we were introduced to Fourth Wing and our first impressions of the series- The scenes we need to see in the TV adaptation- The characters we’re already invested in (and probably have some opinions about)Whether you’re a Fourth Wing veteran or just getting started, we’re excited to finally bring this series into the podcast.Tell us in the comments:Who’s your favorite Fourth Wing character?What scene needs to make it into the adaptation?

✨ Join our Fable Book Club — Read & Yap with ACOCAC

Read along with our monthly book picks and join the discussion: https://fable.co/club/read-yap-with-acocac-with-acourtofcortisolchaospodcast-514859046979

📌 Follow us & find everything in one place

https://linktr.ee/acourtofcortisolandchaos

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🎥 Watch the full video on YouTube, Spotify, and Facebook

🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts

📩 Contact us: [email protected]

Thanks for spiraling with us—now get back to your TBR!

This week on A Court of Cortisol and Chaos, we’re putting our villain knowledge to the test with a chaotic game of “Name That Villain” - where we hear a dark quote and try to guess who said it (spoiler: it gets messy).

Then, we dive into a full character breakdown of Amarantha from ACOTAR- what made her so terrifying, how she compares to other fantasy villains, and whether she’s as one-dimensional as people think.

Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, fantasy villains, and unfiltered BookTok chaos.

Thanks for spiraling with us- now get back to your TBR.