Frame And Fiction

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➡️ Next time: “The Well of Ascension” by Brandon Sanderson

Welcome back to Novels and Nightcaps — the podcast where we read, drink, and ramble (and occasionally commit to the bit a little too hard).

This week, we’re finally stepping into Prythian with A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. Joining us for this romantasy adventure is a very special guest: Gabe’s wife, Laura, who helps guide us through our first real foray into fae courts, curses, and feelings™. Yes, we dressed for the occasion. Yes, it was necessary.

We talk first impressions, genre expectations, worldbuilding, romance beats, and how ACOTAR hits (or misses) depending on what you’re looking for in fantasy. Expect thoughtful discussion, a little skepticism, a little swooning, and plenty of rambling as we figure out where romantasy fits into our reading lives.

If you want to read A Court of Thorns and Roses for yourself, be sure to use our affiliate link below — it won’t cost you anything extra, and it helps keep the drinks flowing and the microphones on.

And looking ahead to 2026, we’re kicking off the new year with Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson. Grab your copy using our affiliate link and read along with us as we dive into ash, metal, and revolutions next year.

So pour yourself something dramatic, adjust your cloak, and join us as we cross the wall into Prythian.

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Welcome back to Novels and Nightcaps — the podcast where we read, drink, and ramble (and somehow remember every book except the ones we rated highly).

This week’s episode is our big year-end roundup of everything we read in 2025 — the best of the best, the absolute stinkers, and all the beautifully mediocre books that lived quietly in the middle. Expect chaotic rankings, plenty of “Wait, did we actually like that?” moments, and some honest reflection on what we want our reading year to look like in 2026.

We cover a little bit of everything: sweeping fantasy epics, hard sci-fi, deep dives into psychology, history tomes, Stormlight highs, Red Rising debates, and yes… more Murakami than anyone should reasonably consume in 12 months. It’s rambly, it’s messy, it’s honest — the perfect way to wrap up another year of reading, drinking, and rambling.

And don’t worry: we’ve still got one last read to close out the year. Next time, we’re diving into A Court of Thorns and Roses — so grab your copy (preferably with our affiliate link!) and get ready for fae, drama, and probably some questionable decisions.

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Welcome back to Novels and Nightcaps — the podcast where we read, drink, and ramble (and still manage to mispronounce at least one character name per chapter).

This week, we’re tackling The Strength of the Few by James Islington—an ambitious sequel that literally splits our protagonist into three. Three Vis. Three worlds. Three times the identity crisis. It doesn’t always hit the mark, but it’s bold, twisty, and absolutely worth checking out for the plot gymnastics alone.

We get into what worked, what wobbled, and why juggling multiple timelines is harder than James Islington makes it look. Expect passionate rants, wild theorizing, and our usual mid-episode rating regret.

Want to read The Strength of the Few yourself? Grab it using our affiliate link below—it won’t cost you extra and helps keep our gin-and-soda budget alive.

Next time, we’re leaving the Republic behind and journeying into faerie territory with A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. Pick up your copy with our affiliate link and read along with us!

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Welcome back to Novels and Nightcaps — the podcast where we read, drink, and ramble (and sometimes forget to talk about what we said we would).

This week, we meant to dive into Matt Fraction’s new Batman run — but, true to form, we spiraled into something deeper. We’re talking about Batman as a mirror for change, the psychology of his never-ending crusade, and how comics can capture politics and the pulse of society in ways novels often can’t.

So grab your drink (preferably something dark and brooding), turn on the Bat-Signal, and join us as we overanalyze everyone’s favorite emotionally unavailable billionaire and world's best super detective.

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Hell is a campus.

Welcome back to Novels and Nightcaps — the podcast where we read, drink, and ramble (and sometimes 

Welcome back to Novels and Nightcaps — the podcast where we read, drink, and ramble (and sometimes question why we bothered opening a second bottle).

This week, we’re descending into Katabasis by R.F. Kuang — a book that promises a journey to hell but somehow forgets to make it hot. We’re talking stagnant protagonists, magic that barely shows up, and a descent so slow it feels like waiting in line for the underworld.

So grab your drink and join us as we try to find the fire in a story that left us lukewarm at best.

LINKS:

Check us out on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3QbhaJfoKMzBZmeUOfGjNg?si=3bdbd9c0cea3415e

Check us out on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/novels-and-nightcaps/id1823037122

Check us out on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbU0RTmlZjc6xsybwrLk5Hg

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Next time, we’re heading back to the Catenan Republic for round two with James Islington’s The Strength of the Few. 

The Strength of the Few: https://amzn.to/4oe9cQ7

Welcome back to Novels and Nightcaps — the podcast where we read, drink, and ramble (and, this time, rate the unrateable).

In this episode, we tackle the messy world of book ratings — the difference between subjective vibes, objective metrics, and whether ratings even mean anything at all. Should books be graded like essays or judged like cocktails: purely by taste? Tune in as we argue, overanalyze, and ultimately reveal our very own subjective and objective rankings.

So grab your drink of choice, your rating scale (if you must), and join us for another round of literary chaos and questionable logic.

Stronger together.

Welcome to another episode of Novels and Nightcaps—the podcast where we read, drink, and ramble (and constantly mispronounce at least half the character names).

This time, we’re diving into The Will of the Many by James Islington, a sweeping tale of power, privilege, and rebellion in a ruthless republic. We’re talking dark academies, deadly hierarchies, secret identities, and the kind of political scheming that pairs perfectly with a strong wine. Expect big ideas, questionable decisions, and the usual amount of rambling as we unpack what makes this book tick.

Want to read The Will of the Many for yourself? Grab your copy through our affiliate link—it won’t cost you extra, and it helps keep the cocktails flowing.

Next up: we’re following R.F. Kuang into Katabasis, a harrowing journey to hell itself. Snag your copy with our affiliate link and join us on the descent—you’re not going to want to make this trip alone.

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Lights, camera, ramble!

Welcome back to Novels and Nightcaps—the podcast where we read, drink, and ramble (and occasionally pretend we’re Hollywood execs).

This week, we’re tackling the subtle, slippery art of adapting books for the big screen. What makes a good adaptation? What ruins one? We each bring our own “recipe” for how to pull it off, and along the way we agree, disagree, and—as always—ramble far more than we should.

So grab a drink, take your seat, and tune in as we trade page-turners for popcorn and try to rewrite Hollywood’s rulebook (one cocktail at a time).

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“Human beings have a remarkable ability to accept the abnormal and make it normal.”

Welcome back to Novels and Nightcaps—the podcast where we read, drink, and ramble (and constantly change our ratings halfway through the episode).

This week, we’re closing out Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary with a full deep dive. Our good friend Hugo joins us as we spend the first fifteen minutes spoiler-free before diving headfirst into what we loved, what we questioned, and what left us wanting more. Expect plenty of space nerding, a bittersweet farewell to our favorite science teacher-turned-astronaut, and many, many toasts to Rocky—the best engineer in the galaxy.

Want to read Project Hail Mary for yourself? Snag it through our affiliate link below—it won’t cost you extra, and it helps fuel our cocktails and conversations.

And next time, we’re heading to the Catenan Republic in James Islington’s The Will of the Many. Be sure to grab your copy (yep, affiliate link below!) and read along with us.

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Get your copy of Project Hail Mary here!

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