What makes a book dark academia instead of simply a campus novel? And where do experimental, postmodern, and speculative literary fiction fit into all of this?

In this episode of Judging By The Cover, I’m breaking down four literary genres and categories that constantly overlap: dark academia, campus novels, experimental and postmodern fiction, and speculative literary fiction. We’re talking about what defines each one, what these books are actually exploring, where the lines get blurry, and where to start if you want to read more.

Books discussed include The Secret History, Babel, The Will of the Many, Real Life, House of Leaves, Slaughterhouse-Five, Never Let Me Go, Station Eleven, Piranesi, and more.

🎧 New bookish episodes every Tuesday at 12 PM ET.

What happens when you take an idyllic destination, add complicated people, and make everything go horribly wrong?

USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Thorne joins Judging By The Cover to talk about her newest horror novel, Newbourne Park, publishing September 29.

We head inside the opulent English country estate at the center of the novel and talk about the inspiration behind Newbourne Park, creating horror in beautiful places, wealth and class, the seduction of power, and why Martha was the perfect protagonist for this story.

We also look back at Diavola and talk dysfunctional families, haunted vacation destinations, Jennifer's signature blend of horror and dark humor, her transition from YA to adult horror, building dread on the page, and the places she might ruin for us next.

Plus: Jennifer faces a rapid-fire round involving haunted villas, isolated estates, favorite horror tropes, and whether she'd actually survive one of her own books.

This conversation is spoiler-free, so you can listen before picking up Newbourne Park on September 29.

📚 Newbourne by Jennifer Thorne, September 29, 2026

🎙️ Judging By The Cover, Hosted by Brittany Barry

00:00 Intro

01:51 Welcome to Newbourne Park

04:20 Creating the Perfect English Country Estate

10:02 Why Martha Was the Right Protagonist

12:26 Wealth, Class & the Seduction of Power

14:46 Who Is Really the Monster?

16:30 Balancing Horror & Dark Humor

17:49 Why Dysfunctional Families Make Great Horror

19:19 Writing Strong Female Protagonists

21:24 Becoming a Horror Author

24:36 What's Next for Jennifer Thorne?

26:29 Rapid Fire with Jennifer Thorne

29:16 Outro

Want to get into fantasy but have absolutely no idea where to start?

Fantasy can feel intimidating, especially when your first recommendation is an 800-page epic with twelve POVs, three maps, six kingdoms, and a magic system you need a flowchart to understand.

So instead of giving you one generic list of “must-read fantasy books,” I’m matching beginner-friendly fantasy recommendations to the books you ALREADY love.

❤️ Romance reader? Try Divine Rivals or Fourth Wing.
☕ Cozy reader? Legends & Lattes.
🔎 Mystery reader? The Tainted Cup.
📚 Literary fiction reader? Piranesi.
🏹 Miss the YA dystopian era? Red Queen or Defy the Night.
🌲 Gothic reader? One Dark Window.

We’re also getting into historical fantasy, heists, deadly trials, Arthurian legends, fairy-tale retellings, and a few fantasy books I absolutely LOVE but would never hand to a complete beginner.

Books discussed include Fourth Wing, Divine Rivals, Heartless Hunter, Legends & Lattes, Swordheart, The Tainted Cup, Piranesi, Red Queen, Defy the Night, Clockwork Angel, The Prison Healer, Six of Crows, One Dark Window, Legendborn, and Heartless.

Plus: The Sword of Kaigen, Babel, The Will of the Many, and Red Rising, and why I think you should save them for later.

Already love fantasy? What ONE book would you give to someone completely new to the genre?

New to fantasy? Tell me what you normally read, and I’ll tell you where I think you should start.

New episodes of Judging By The Cover every week.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Fantasy Books for Beginners

01:17 - What Makes Fantasy Beginner-Friendly?

02:23 - Romance Readers

04:52 - Cozy Readers

06:27 - Mystery & Thriller Readers

07:34 = Literary Fiction Readers

08:43 - YA Dystopian Readers

10:15 - Historical Fiction Readers

11:03 - Trials & Competitions

11:48 - Heists & Found Family

12:43 - Gothic Fiction

13:44 - Arthurian Fantasy & Secret Societies

14:36 - Fairy-Tale Retellings

15:25 - Where I Would NOT Start

17:51 - Rapid-Fire Recommendations

18:50 - Final Advice

Sister wives, secrets, and a house that may be hiding something sinister. 👀

Debut author Linda Hamilton joins me to talk about The Fourth Wife, her new historical gothic horror novel set in 1879 Utah Territory.

We dive into the real-life inspiration behind the novel, Linda’s own polygamous ancestors, the Mormon folklore woven into the story, and how she created a tale filled with sister wives, forbidden desires, dark family secrets, and a seriously unsettling haunted house.

If you love feminist gothic horror, historical fiction, complicated women, and books like The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas, add The Fourth Wife to your TBR—it’s available now!

📚 BOOK: The Fourth Wife by Linda Hamilton
🎙️ AUTHOR: Linda Hamilton
🖤 GENRE: Historical Gothic Horror

Follow Judging By The Cover for more author interviews, book recommendations, genre deep dives, and conversations about the stories behind the books.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS00:00 - Intro00:48 - Author Journey02:02 - Novel Inspiration06:02 - Why Gothic Horror08:24 - Setting as a Character10:17 - Supernatural vs Psychological Horror11:30 - Hardest Part to Write14:30 - Hazel’s Identity18:40 - The Sister Wives21:23 - Mormonism, Abuse, & the Patriarchy28:00 - Lightning Round29:40 - Writing Style30:18 - Book 2 News34:21 - Pushback from Mormon Community

I read 67 books between June and August…and these are the 12 I can't stop thinking about. ☀️📚

We're counting down my absolute best books of summer 2026 across horror, thrillers, science fiction, historical fantasy, romance, literary fiction, magical realism, and more.

This summer gave me RANGE: psychic experiments in the 1960s, futuristic F1 racing, unicorns, serial killers, demons in space, messy domestic thrillers, incredible full-cast audiobooks, and one horror novel with a spicy scene so disturbing it actually made me lose my appetite. 🫣

📚 BOOKS DISCUSSED:

00:52 — Brighter Than Before by Courtney Walsh | Women’s Fiction/Romance
02:14 — Not That Kind of Proposal by Victoria Lavine | Contemporary Romance
03:42 — Keep Them Close by David Ellis | Domestic Thriller
04:43 — The Unknown by Riley Sager | Thriller/Horror
06:02 — Heart of Glass by Jennifer Hillier | Psychological Thriller
07:46 — The Women in White by Sarah Pekkanen | Psychological/Historical Fiction
09:22 — The Unicorn Hunter by Katherine Arden | Historical Fantasy
10:55 — The Infinite State by Richard Swan | Dystopian Science Fiction
12:41 — The Demon Star by Jess Aragon | Sci-Fi Horror
14:15 — Good People | Literary Fiction/Mystery
16:06 — Habits of the Sea by Shea Ernshaw | Magical Realism
17:44 — Headlights by C.J. Leede | Horror/Crime Thriller

From the audiobook that somehow made me LOVE an open ending to the historical fantasy that destroyed my sleep schedule and the horror novel that completely blindsided me, these are the books that earned their spots at the very top of 67 summer reads.

Plus, I'm interviewing C.J. Leede in October! If you've read Headlights and have a spoiler-free question you'd love me to ask, send it my way.

🎧 What was the BEST book you read this summer?

Think you don’t like sci-fi? You might just not have found YOUR sci-fi yet. 🚀

In this deep dive, we’re breaking down what science fiction actually is, and why the genre is so much bigger than spaceships, aliens, and complicated science.

I’m talking about the two authors who first made me fall in love with sci-fi as a young reader, Robert A. Heinlein and Ray Bradbury, and how their very different approaches helped shape the genre.

Then we’re diving into four sci-fi subgenres:

🌍 Post-apocalyptic sci-fi and how it differs from dystopian fiction
⏳ Time travel sci-fi and what separates it from portal fantasy
🚀 Space opera and its epic, galaxy-spanning stories
🧭 Exploration and expedition sci-fi and our obsession with the unknown

And if science fiction has always intimidated you, stick around because we’re ending with my gateway recommendations based on what you ALREADY love to read. Romance reader? Thriller reader? Fantasy, horror, literary fiction, or cozy reader? There’s a sci-fi book for you.

📚 BOOKS MENTIONED:

The Road by Cormac McCarthy
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
One Day in December by Josie Silver
Recursion by Blake Crouch
Red Rising by Pierce Brown
Dune by Frank Herbert
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer
This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone
The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
Ghost Station by S.A. Barnes
A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

💬 What genre do you normally read? Tell me, and I’ll match you with a sci-fi book to try next.

New bookish deep dives every week. 📚

CHAPTERS
00:00 - Intro00:34 - What is Sci-Fi?02:04 - Robert Heinlein 04:00 - Ray Bradbury06:29 - Post-Apocalyptic Sci-Fi06:53 - Post Apocalyptic vs. Dystopian07:52 - Post-Apocalyptic Book Recs08:39 - Time Travel Sci-Fi10:14 - Time Travel vs. Portal Fantasy11:07 - Travel Travel Book Recs11:53 - Space Opera Sci-Fi13:09 - Space Opera Book Recs14:35 - Exploration / Expedition Sci-Fi15:55 - Exploration / Expedition Book Recs17:07 - Romance Sci-Fi Book Recs17:39 - Fantasy Sci-Fi Book Recs18:13 - Thriller Sci-Fi Book Recs18:49 - Literary Fiction Sci-Fi Book Recs19:16 - Horror Sci-Fi Book Recs19:41 - Cozy Sci-Fi Book Recs20:07 - Outro

Want to read Berserk but have no idea where to start? This episode is for you.

Berserk by Kentaro Miura is one of the most beloved (and intimidating) dark fantasy manga ever created. It’s also one of my favorite stories, period.

In this spoiler-free Berserk 101 guide, I’m breaking down everything a brand-new reader needs to know before picking up Volume 1: what Berserk actually is, why people are so obsessed with it, Guts, Griffith and Casca, Kentaro Miura’s unbelievable artwork, the Golden Age arc, and the content warnings you genuinely need to know before deciding whether this series is for you.

We’ll also get into Berserk’s massive influence on dark fantasy and why readers who love The Poppy War, The First Law, Between Two Fires, and Red Rising might find a lot to love here—even if you’ve never picked up a manga in your life.

And yes, we need to answer the most important question:

Is Berserk actually worth reading?

⚠️ This episode discusses Berserk’s content warnings, including sexual violence, abuse, graphic violence, gore, body horror, and childhood trauma. Major plot spoilers are avoided.

New episodes/video deep dives every Tuesday at 9 PM ET.

Find me on Instagram and TikTok: @judgingby_thecover

00:00 - Intro

00:45 - What Is Berserk?

04:43 - Why Is Everyone Obsessed With Berserk?

05:15 - Meet Guts, Griffith & Casca

08:03 - Is Berserk Nonstop Depressing?

08:59 - Kentaro Miura’s Incredible Artwork

10:06 - Books to Read If You’ll Love Berserk

12:15 - Berserk’s Dark Fantasy Legacy

13:03 - The Golden Age Arc — Spoiler Free

16:57 - Berserk Content Warnings

20:06 - Is Berserk Just Suffering?

20:50 - Should You Read Berserk?

21:31 - Outro

What happens when we stop treating the women of mythology as symbols, villains, mothers, or objects of desire, and start asking who they actually were?

In this episode of Judging By The Cover, I’m joined by Lauren J.A. Bear, author of Medusa’s Sisters, Mother of Rome, and the upcoming Aphrodite in Pieces.

Lauren and I dive into the women behind some of mythology’s most famous stories, starting with Rhea Silvia (the mother of Romulus and Remus) and the way Mother of Rome gives a voice to a woman who has so often been reduced to her role in someone else’s legend.

Then we turn to Aphrodite.

I was lucky enough to read an ARC of Aphrodite in Pieces, and this book genuinely made me reconsider how I’ve viewed (and judged) Aphrodite. We talk about internalized misogyny, the ways women are taught to turn on one another, what love actually means, and why self-love is such an important part of Aphrodite’s story.

We also get into the politics of art and storytelling, motherhood, magical realism, Lauren’s evolution from Medusa’s Sisters to Mother of Rome to Aphrodite in Pieces… and, yes, why Aphrodite is basically Sabrina Carpenter.

📚 BOOKS MENTIONED

Medusa’s Sisters by Lauren J.A. Bear
Mother of Rome by Lauren J.A. Bear
Aphrodite in Pieces by Lauren J.A. Bear

💬 QUESTION OF THE EPISODE

Which woman from mythology do you think has been the most misunderstood?

If you enjoyed this conversation, follow Judging By The Cover so you don't miss future episodes. I'm sitting down with a different author every month to talk about their books, their writing, and the stories behind the stories.

And if you loved the episode, rating the show, leaving a review, or sharing it with another reader helps more book lovers find the podcast.

00:00 - Intro00:38 - Lauren Bear’s writing journey01:55 - From Medusa to Mother of Rome03:55 - Rhea Silvia & re-centering women in myth10:36 - Why Aphrodite?11:32 - “Aphrodite is basically Sabrina Carpenter” 12:18 - Love, identity, & self-perception14:00 - Women's internal misogyny16:44 - Choosing the book title21:57 - Rapid fire questions22:54 - Audience Q&A

Apparently, I’m currently in the middle of 92 books across dozens of series. Ninety. Two. 🫠

So naturally, this has become a three-part series.

In Part 1, we’re starting with the books that are mostly NOT MY FAULT: the fantasy, sci-fi, romantasy, dystopian, horror, and mystery series where I’m caught up and waiting for the next book to actually exist.

But there are also a few cases where the next book is already published (or literally sitting in my house), and I just haven’t read it yet. We’ll address those crimes individually.

I’m talking through what each series is about, where I currently am, what I rated the books I’ve already read, whether I think the series is worth starting, and how excited I actually am to continue.

Series include Crowns of Nyaxia, Hierarchy, Heavenbreaker, Arcana Academy, The New Alchemists, Queen of Faces, Moss’d in Space, Dark Inheritance, Strangeloom, The Invoker Trilogy, Castle Knoll Murder Mysteries, and MANY more.

There are five-star fantasy series, criminally underrated books, sentient moss, murderous microbes, vampire brothers, tarot magic, dystopian rebellions, historical murders, dark romantasy, giant space war machines…and an alarming number of sequels I desperately need.

And somehow, this is only Part 1.

Tell me: Which series should I prioritize, and what unreleased sequel are you currently dying to read?

📚 SERIES MENTIONED + GENRES00:00 - Intro01:05 - Beautiful and Beastly — Fantasy Romance02:25 - Divided Fates — Dystopian Romance03:43 - Immortal Desires — Fantasy Romance04:53 - Queen of Faces — Epic Fantasy06:11 - Stockingham & Pike Mysteries — Historical Mystery07:18 - Empire of Blood — Dark Fantasy Romance08:16 - The New Alchemists — Urban Fantasy09:28 - Seasons of Carnage — Dark Romance10:15 - Daggermouth — Fantasy10:45 - Moss’d in Space — Cozy Science Fiction11:43 - Eden — Post-Apocalyptic Horror12:34 - Shrouded Queen — Fantasy Romance 13:25 - The Verran Isles — Fantasy14:06 - Burning Empire — Dystopian Science Fiction15:04 - Castle Knoll Murder Mysteries — Historical Mystery 15:56 - Cursed Covenant — Fantasy Romance16:42 - Burn the Sea — Historical Fantasy17:22 - Ice Plague Wars — Techno-Thriller 18:07 - Dark Inheritance — Dark Fantasy19:03 - Prince of Sin — Fantasy Romance19:33 - Strangeloom Trilogy — Dystopian Science Fiction / Cyberpunk20:36 - Last Legacy — Epic Fantasy21:37 - Alchemy of Secrets — Contemporary Fantasy22:15 - Crowns of Nyaxia — Dark Fantasy Romance 23:04 - Arcana Academy — Fantasy Romance 23:55 - Artisan Trilogy — Fantasy Romance24:39 - Invoker Trilogy — Epic Fantasy25:30 - Wicked Games — Dark Fantasy Romance26:12 - Shattered Lands — Epic Fantasy27:08 - The Eating Woods — Dark Fantasy Romance27:53 - Heavenbreaker — Dystopian Science Fiction 28:54 - Hierarchy — Epic Fantasy

What happens when people raised inside an authoritarian empire are suddenly given the opportunity to build something better?

Brittany sits down with Richard Swan, author of The Infinite State and the Empire of the Wolf trilogy, for a deep dive into his new political science fiction series, the Decurion Saga.

They talk about building a believable fascist empire, why ordinary people become comfortable inside authoritarian systems, propaganda and belonging, and what it would actually take to build a democracy from scratch.

Richard also gets into his background as a lawyer and how it shapes his fascination with institutions and power, why The Infinite State needed multiple POVs, Cyprian and political enforcement, the psychological consequences of violence, and why escaping an empire doesn’t mean escaping what it did to you.

Plus: what’s next for the Decurion Saga, Richard’s upcoming fantasy and sci-fi projects, where new readers should start with his books, and the stories that made him want to become a writer.

📚 Featured Book: The Infinite State by Richard Swan
🚀 Genre: Political Science Fiction / Space Opera / Dystopian Science Fiction

If you love political sci-fi, morally complicated characters, dystopian fiction, 1984, or speculative fiction that gives you huge ideas to wrestle with, this conversation is for you.

Follow Judging By The Cover for more author interviews, genre deep dives, and conversations about the books we can’t stop thinking about.

📚 IN THIS CONVERSATION:00:00 – Intro02:30 – Richard Swan & The Infinite State06:20 – From Lawyer to Fantasy & Sci-Fi Author09:30 – The Idea That Became The Infinite State15:10 – Why the Story Needed Multiple POVs19:54 – Why Ordinary People Accept Authoritarianism27:00 – Building a Democracy From Scratch34:30 – Cyprian, Policing & Political Enforcement38:50 – The Psychological Cost of Violence43:57 – What’s Next for the Decurion Saga?46:51 – Richard Swan’s Upcoming Books48:52 – Where Should New Richard Swan Readers Start?49:56 – Which Character Would Richard Have Dinner With?51:40 – The Books That Made Richard Want to Write