Bet you didn't know folding towels could be a hot take debate! In this episode, Leah and guest host Laura react to Quicksilver by Callie Hart. They kick things off with sisterly banter and then jump into a great idea for a book maturity rating system.

The sisters unpack all your beloved (and hated) characters, including Saeris, Kingfisher, Carrion, and Onyx, while debating the book’s world-building, spice level, cover design, and whether the vampire rules make sense. If you love romantasy, morally gray heroes, chaotic magic systems, and highly opinionated book talk, this episode is for you.

Come hang out with Leah as she chats with Kate and April, the creators behind Lumnia Literary Tours, the women-only tour group for bookish travelers. Find out what inspires the upcoming tours, how long it takes to plan a tour, who should come on one of these amazing adventures, and speculate what "cone chicken" is in France. 🤔

It is time! Leah and Jordan finallllllly discuss Sarah J Maas's A Court of Thorns and Roses. And it did not disappoint. Both Leah and Jordan had very different opinions on a re-read and were even able to change each other's minds on some aspects. This episode ONLY focuses on book 1, so those of you who haven't finished the series are safe to listen to this episode!

Once Upon a Hot Take teams up with fellow book lovers Claire and Yana of My Best Friend's Book Club to bring you allllllll of the hot takes on the iconic Twilight movie.

Well, we had so much fun with the first one, we decided to do it again! Leah is joined by 4 more indie authors to talk about their tips and tricks of the trade, promote their books, and get the hottest of takes on anything and everything that goes into the book-writing, editing, and publishing process.  

Take a listen to find your next read, learn some tricks of the trade, or simply enjoy as some of these wonderful humans share their story.  ♥️

Contact info for today’s authors:

Jess Jefferies: The Unlucky in Love Series: Thirteen-Year Crush, Bumping into You, Marry Me Tomorrow,  (coming this Fall) Out of Time.

Instagram: @jessjefferieswrites

Facebook: Jessjefferieswrites 

TikTok: @jessjefferieswrites

Website: www.jessjefferieswrites.com

Lisa Marie Stephenson’s: Resilient (Book One of the Blood Reckoning Series), Glass Lake (short stories) 

Instagram: authorlmstephenson

Facebook: AuthorLMStephenson

Substack: authorlisamariestephenson

YouTube: AuthorLisaMarie

Website: www.authorlisamarie.com 

Julia Lovely: The Sapphire Sailor’s Tale

Instagram: @authorjulialovely

Facebook: Author Julia Lovely

Website: https://julialovely.com

Stephanie Olson:  Still Chosen: Another Unwanted Adventure

Instagram: stephaniewritesstuff 

Website: www.stephaniegolson.com 

This episode covers Daniel G. Miller's The Red Letter: part thriller, part murder mystery. Leah and Jordan share their stellar picks for a screen adaptation, discuss Hazel's insane Red Bull obsession, and laugh over some cold takes. Dive into this adventure with this bookish dynamic duo!

We are SOOO excited to share our very first indie author-themed episode! Leah interviewed 5 amazing indie authors who shared all their wisdom and hot takes on the writing process, why they chose self-publishing vs. traditional publishing, their collective hate for editing 😆, and –of course– many, many laughs. 

We hope you find some new books to add to the TBR or gain some inspiration to finally start writing that book that you’ve had in your mind for so long.

Contact info for today’s authors:

Nikai’s book: The Sarana Series, To Kill the Chosen One

Instagram: nikaij

Tiktok: nikaibooks

Website: Nikaibooks.com

Tory Steel’s books:  The Enchanted Luna, Breaking Tradition 

Instagram: TorySteel_

Facebook: Tory Steel 

Website: www.torysteel.com

James Voorhees’ books: The Ambassador Chronicles (prequel short stories), The Dragon Constellation (Book 1 of trilogy) , The Nine CIrcles (Book 2 of trilogy)

Website: jamesvoorhees.com

IG/Tiktok: jamesvoorheesauthor  

Facebook: James Voorhees

Gaby Knight’s books:All in Your Head, Mike in the Middle

Instagram: gabyknightauthor

Claudia Pilon’s books: Under the Rotor - Between Signal and Heartbeat, Under the Rotor - Until the Signal Fades

Instagram: writtenbyclaudia

Tiktok: writtenbyclaudia0

Facebook: writtenbyclaudia0

Newsletter: claudiapilonauthor.substack.com

This episode covers the book Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell. Leah and Jordan also add their hot takes regarding the movie. Notable topics include the etymology of the phrase "eat crow," an excellent nickname for one of the worst characters, a heated argument in the FMK segment, and a true appreciate for capital "L" literature.

In this episode, we explore Andy Weir's Project Hail Mary, discussing the differences between the book and movie, character development, scientific accuracy, and the emotional impact of the story. Join us for a deep dive into sci-fi storytelling and filmmaking insights. We share hot takes, favorite moments, and insights into the science and characters that make this story a must-listen for sci-fi fans and newcomers alike. This episode includes a special guest segment where the husbands get some airtime, sharing their hot takes. Spoilers: some of their takes are HOT.

Keywords:

Project Hail Mary, Andy Weir, sci-fi, movie adaptation, character analysis, scientific accuracy, space adventure, Rocky the alien, storytelling, film review The Martian, Andy Weir, sci-fi, book vs movie, character analysis, science in fiction, storytelling, space exploration, book review, movie review, bookish hot takes

In this special episode, Leah and Jordan interview Samantha, the host of the Benevolent Ball, who shares insights about planning the upcoming fantasy ball, the Fractured Heavens Masquerade. She discusses the charitable aspect of the ball and the pre-ball market, offering a glimpse into the immersive world of fantasy balls. We get a behind-the-scenes look at planning and organizing a fantasy-themed event. Samantha shares insights into costume attire, who should attend, and what to do if you've never been to a fantasy ball before.

Benevolent Ball website to find more info about the ball and buy tickets.

Benevolent Ball Instagram