This week we're recapping The Will of the Many by James Islington. This was a fast paced, adventure fantasy andthe first novel in James' Hierarchy series. This was Veronica's pick and we're so excited for a part 2 episode featuring a surprise guest!

Ratings:

5/5 Veronica

3/5 Emma

Welcome to Fated Friends! We're two moms who love chatting about books, millenial motherhood, friendship and neighborhood gossip after bedtime.

Find us on Youtube, IG @fatedfriends or email us at [email protected]

LinksThe Will of the Many by James Islington

https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-will-of-the-many-james-islington/af73e6372152f868?ean=9781982141189&next=t

Recap and deep dive into Antonia Hodgson's incredible fantasy (with a little romance!), The Raven Scholar.

An amazing female lead character, deeply interesting court politics, and a competition for power - this book kept us up late. After finishing Crescent City by Sarah J Maas, this was a perfect follow up for a book hangover.

00:43 Taking a chance on an epic fantasy after stacking our shelves with romantasy

01:20 A fantasically original female lead and all the applause for a truly represented cast of characters

11:49 That cliffhanger

16:15 Breaking down the different animal houses and why Veronica is a foxy raven

30:11 When the main evil character is so scary, you have to text your friend

36:07 Theories on pink pink (who was the best)

48:20 btw audiobooks are super embarrassing

56:30 Boston marathon final prep and our epic event plans - Laurie Berkner concerts and wild, wild, Wild Kratts for the 5 and under crowd

Welcome to Fated Friends! We're two moms who love chatting about books, millenial motherhood, friendship and neighborhood gossip after bedtime.

Find us on Youtube, IG @fatedfriend or email us at [email protected]

References

The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson

https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-raven-scholar-antonia-hodgson/cc53efb6d12e8269?ean=9780316577229&next=t

This Kingdom will not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews

https://bookshop.org/p/books/this-kingdom-will-not-kill-me-ilona-andrews/f544c8f1dba95f55?ean=9781250377265&next=t

Will of the Many by James Islington

https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-will-of-the-many-james-islington/af73e6372152f868?ean=9781982141189&next=t

Laurie Berkner Band

https://laurieberkner.com/

Wild Kratts

https://www.wildkratts.com/

Recapping House of Flame and Shadow, 3rd in the Crescent City series Sarah J Maas (just in time for a v quick summer before ACOTAR 6 and 7!)

Spoilers, of course <3

Welcome to Fated Friends! We're two moms who love chatting about books, millenial motherhood, friendship and neighborhood gossip after bedtime.

Find us on Youtube, IG @fatedfriend or email us at [email protected]

References

House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J Maas

https://bookshop.org/p/books/house-of-flame-and-shadow-sarah-j-maas/a939497a20928a50

Emma finished:

Quicksilver by Callie Hart

https://bookshop.org/p/books/quicksilver-callie-hart/f0a4747e5f6b2904?ean=9781538774199&next=t

BookTalk for BookTok with Jac and Amy Quicksilver episode

https://open.spotify.com/episode/7b9WP1yYbqJylS8PytMn1r

Up Next:

The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson

https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-raven-scholar-antonia-hodgson/cc53efb6d12e8269

Welcome to the Fated Friends Podcast! This is a catch up episode before we recap the last Crescent City Book: House of Flame and Shadow.

A gentle notice that that this episode contains discussions around pregnancy loss and miscarriage. We share this gently with love and hope.

00:32 Our 2026 words of the year

01:13 Boston Marathon training

11:12 Somatics for Healing the Female Nervous System

14:28 Expansion and an update from Veronica

28:23 Sarah J Maas Interview on Call Her Daddy!

32:00 Eating my words on pregnancy in ACOSF smh

34:23 Ellen Pompeo being absolutely it for all moms everywhere

We'll be back next week with our recap of House of Flame and Shadow! Email us [email protected] and find us on IG @fatedfriends and TikTok @fatedfriends

Recapping Crescent City #2, House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J Maas. Of course we loved it and have some theories about whats coming up in the Crescent City universe! This episode contains spoilers for books #1 and #2 in Crescent City, but not #3 if you're reading along right now.

We'll be back next time with House of Flame and Shadow

Welcome to Fated Friends! We're two moms who love chatting about books, millenial motherhood, friendship and neighborhood gossip after bedtime.

Find us on Youtube, IG @fatedfriend or email us at [email protected]

References

House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J Maas

https://bookshop.org/p/books/house-of-sky-and-breath-sarah-j-maas/fa797d8eca631d4f?ean=9781639731756&next=t

Literary Agent podcast

https://www.theshitaboutwriting.com/

Feeling Thorny podcast

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/feeling-thorny-a-maas-verse-podcast/id1723720061

Interview with SJM about ACOFAShttps://emiesnook.wordpress.com/2017/05/12/meeting-sarah-j-maas-again/

Welcome to the Fated Friends Podcast! This is a catch up episode while we're in between books in the Crescent City series

00:18 Allergy mom life update

03:19 A perfect 5th birthday party

06:12 Acadia half marathon recap + Sam's recs 

14:22 The case for still having a life even though we're parents 

22:44 Couples therapy advice

24:20 Medication and therapy

29:08 Wedding recap; how it all worked out with many small children, micro-ish, stick season in Vermont, incorporating halloween, sleep over family estate vibes 

38:46 Halloween festivities and living 100 lives in October,  

Welcome to the Fated Friends Podcast! We're two millenial moms who love romantasy and chatting about books, motherhood and neighborhood gossip after bedtime.

This week we read House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J Maas, book one in the Crescent City series. We dive into the prolific friendship between Bryce and Danika and ask the deep questions, like is Hunt too perfect?

We're on insta @fatedfriends or email us at [email protected]

01:00 Lunathian, an infinitely better Marvel universe?

07:01 Bryce, a modern Aelin

09:15 The Drop, the time is now!

11:56 Bryce and Danika's friendship - suspicious or no?

18:33 The Line Ends with You, Ruhn

20:42 Prythian sneaking in

24:52 The Umbra Mortis

34:00 Theories on what's coming up (broad)

Next week we're posting a catch up before coming back with CC2 <3

A recap of When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A Parker, a romantasy we both read and loved last summer. In this episode we deep dive into our theories for her upcoming sequel, A Battle of Fallen Dragons, discuss what made this romantasy truly stand out, and discuss some of the critique about this one (and why we absolutely disagree!)

For anyone who is also patiently waiting to find out what happens to Raeve and Kahn, we're here to chat!

00:33 How we found WTMH after ACOTAR and Fourth Wing

05:33 Why is this book so polarizing when its actually amazing

6:17 The back cover copy vs what we actually read

13:33 True love and coming back from the dead - is this a trope?

17:45 Dark Romantasy

19:49 Elements and the Gods

24:30 A critique we do not agree with, but open to discussion

26:15 Bombshell ending and theories

35:38 What could be coming up in The Ballad of Fallen Dragons

38:30 What we're reading now

Welcome to Fated Friends! We're two moms who love chatting about books, millenial motherhood, friendship and neighborhood gossip after bedtime.

Find us on Youtube, IG @fatedfriend or email us at [email protected]

Happy Autumn Equinox! We're back for season 3 in a catch up episode going over everything that happened over the summer with little kids, camp, nanny drama, back to school, and entering into the craziness of fall.

Welcome to Fated Friends, a podcast for millenial moms who want to talk about books, motherhood, friendship, and neighborhood gossip.

00:15 Welcome back - Season 3!

01:20 Our one major hang this summer

06:38 The inimitable Sam and actual nights out

12:17 Exploring a "make me move" scenario and why it was ultimately not fated

22:50 Wedding planning a kid-centric fall event in 3 months

Find us on instagram @fatedfriends or email us at [email protected] <3

Welcome to the Fated Friends Podcast, an after bedtime discussion on all things millenial mom life, neighborhood gossip, romantasy, and friendship. In this summer solstice episode, we're checking in at the mid-year point on our 2025 intentions and words for the year. We deep dive post partum style when we're chasing littles but still want to feel like ourselves!

00:00 Welcome to Fated Friends Podcast

00:38 Mid-Year Check-In and Fashion Challenges

01:12 The beach omg

10:37 Pre-baby style

15:45 Day-to-Night office life

21:11 Nostalgia for our old clothes (crop tops)

28:53 Words for the Year

40:02 Currently reading

Links

One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig

https://bookshop.org/p/books/one-dark-window-rachel-gillig/18533508

A Dawn of Onyx by Kate Golden

https://bookshop.org/p/books/a-dawn-of-onyx-kate-golden/20100223?ean=9780593641903

Out of Embers and Shadow by Shelby Oval

https://www.amazon.com/Out-Embers-Shadows-Book-Shadowfire/dp/B0D29F1Q99

find us on instagram @fatedfriends or say hi! email us at [email protected] <3