Once Upon a Time Zone: A Bookish Podcast

Let's talk about the books (series) that we gave up on and DNF'd... but also chat about some series we are SO excited to start!

Books Discussed:

Direbound - Sable Sorensen

The Raven Scholar - Antonia Hodgson

Legendborn - Tracy Deonn

Red Queen - Victoria Aveyard

The House in the Cerulean Sea - TJ Klune

Haunting Adeline - HD Carlton

Twisted Love - Ana Huang

Zodiac Academy - Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti

The Deal - Elle Kennedy

The Witcher - Andrej Sapkowski

The Fifth Season - NK Jemisin

The Jasad Heir - Sara Hashem

Red City - Marie Lu

This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me - Ilona Andrews

The Will of the Many - James Islington

Vicious - VE Schwab

The Fragile Threads of Power - VE Schwab

Lady of Darkness - Melissa K Roehrich

Jade City - Fonda Lee

The Poppy War - RF Kuang

Follow us on Instagram: @onceuponatimezonepod

Watch our video podcasts on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponaTimeZonePodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Jaime's socials:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@jaimefok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: @jaimefok

Tiktok: @jaime.fok

Freya's socials:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@freyvalerio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: @freyv_reads

Tiktok: @freyvalerio

(00:00) intro & current reads

(06:20) series we dnf'd

(06:53) cat and mouse

(10:00) the legendborn cycle

(14:07) twisted

(17:15) red queen

(21:43) zodiac academy

(25:47) cerulean chronicles

(29:31) off campus

(31:45) powerless

(35:37) series we want to start

(35:49) hierarchy

(36:25) villains

(39:37) the witcher

(43:05) threads of power

(46:09) the broken earth

(48:16) lady of darkness

(50:31) the scorched throne

(52:40) the green bone saga

(56:07) red city

(58:10) the poppy war

(01:00:13) maggie the undying

Let's create our ULTIMATE Fantasy stories! This episode just confirmed we should NOT be authors, but we had fun doing it anyways! 😂

The Will of the Many Bonus Chapter:

https://d1hbl61hovme3a.cloudfront.net/assets_us/interlude-confessiones-ad-mortuos.pdf?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaf2xFmz8pt_wyrplgvh8jxL2qxgze2T8JM4GhiB7U-uwIzLLUvHOhzYK4hznw_aem_eZlx6ZYwt7SnX_OsLup1ng

Books Discussed:

The Astonishing Color of After - Emily XR Pan

The Will of the Many - James Islington

Follow us on Instagram: @onceuponatimezonepod

Watch our video podcasts on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponaTimeZonePodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Jaime's socials:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@jaimefok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: @jaimefok

Tiktok: @jaime.fok

Freya's socials:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@freyvalerio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: @freyv_reads

Tiktok: @freyvalerio

(00:00) intro & current reads

(13:00) a jacks and evangeline novella!

(14:35) rf kuang's next novel (taipei story)

(16:43) our fantasy survival skills

(18:47) our subgenres

(21:21) who is writing our fantasy?

(26:08) who is the protagonist

(28:12) the magic system

(34:16) world building

(39:14) magical creatures

(43:30) our plot tropes

(48:57) romance subplots

(53:39) putting it all together... our final plots

Today, we are going to give you our book recs for ALL your very specific moods. Hope you love this one!

(We apologize for the audio quality in the last 2 minutes, we had some technical difficulties <3)

Books Discussed:

The Intruder - Freida McFadden

Alchemised - SenLinYu

Katabasis - RF Kuang

Alchemy of Secrets - Stephanie Garber

Masters of Death - Olivie Blake

Shark Heart - Emily Habeck

Immortal Consequences - IV Marie

Water Moon - Samantha Sotto Yambao

A Harvest of Hearts - Andrea Emmes

Madwoman - Chelsea Bieker

Blood Over Bright Haven - ML Wang

Firefly Lane - Kristin Hannah

Just for the Summer - Abby Jimenez

A Study in Drowning - Ava Reid

Recursion - Blake Crouch

A River Enchanted - Rebecca Ross

Magnolia Parks - Jessa Hastings

Binding 13 - Chloe Walsh

To Kill a Kingdom - Alexandra Christo

The Sirens - Emilia Hart

Tress of the Emerald Sea - Brandon Sanderson

Once Upon a Broken Heart - Stephanie Garber

A Winters Promise - Christelle Dabos

Belladonna - Adalyn Grace

Kiss of Deception - Mary E Pearson

Five Broken Blades - Mai Corland

A Song to Drown Rivers - Ann Liang

Follow us on Instagram: @onceuponatimezonepod

Watch our video podcasts on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponaTimeZonePodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Jaime's socials:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@jaimefok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: @jaimefok

Tiktok: @jaime.fok

Freya's socials:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@freyvalerio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: @freyv_reads

Tiktok: @freyvalerio

(00:00) intro & current reads

(11:19) book to screen adaptation announcements

(15:08) the animal companion is kind of a jerk

(19:06) something that feels like a liminal space

(23:01) makes you think about life, death, right and wrong, while also making you feel all the feels

(25:58) queer dark academia with a twist

(28:14) you're bundled up in a cozy cabin sipping coffee while it rains

(32:31) a girl goes insane

(36:14) summer nights when it is late and you and your friend are the only ones awake watching the stars

(39:29) literally like walking into a storm

(45:22) everyone thinks is spicy, but is actually low key

(48:25) with sirens, mermaids and pirates

(51:17) running barefoot through a castle wearing a flowy dress

(54:46) a fantasy, set in a kingdom, no magic, enemies to lovers, betrayal and arranged marriage

Let's talk about reading order for some of our FAVOURITE authors! We'll talk about our fav books from each, as well as where to start with them.

RF Kuang video: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPMmm4ikRgU/

Books Discussed:

Fake Skating - Lynn Painter

Alchemised - SenLinYu

Six of Crows: A Darker Shore (Letters from Ketterdam) - Leigh Bardugo

The Poppy War - RF Kuang

Babel - RF Kuang

Katabasis - RF Kuang

Yellowface - RF Kuang

Shadow and Bone - Leigh Bardugo

Six of Crows - Leigh Bardugo

King of Scars - Leigh Bardugo

Ninth House - Leigh Bardugo

The Familiar - Leigh Bardugo

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue - VE Schwab

A Darker Shade of Magic - VE Schwab

Vicious - VE Schwab

The Fragile Threads of Power - VE Schwab

Gallant - VE Schwab

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil - VE Schwab

City of Bones - Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Angel - Cassandra Clare

Chain of Gold - Cassandra Clare

The Bane Chronicles - Cassandra Clare

Lady Midnight - Cassandra Clare

Sword Catcher - Cassandra Clare

Beartown - Fredrik Backman

A Man Called Ove - Fredrik Backman

Anxious People - Fredrik Backman

My Friends - Fredrik Backman

Atmosphere - Taylor Jenkins Reid

Carrie Soto is Back - Taylor Jenkins Reid

After I Do - Taylor Jenkins Reid

One True Loves - Taylor Jenkins Reid

Malibu Rising - Taylor Jenkins Reid

Forever, Interrupted - Taylor Jenkins Reid

Evidence of the Affair - Taylor Jenkins Reid

Daisy Jones and the Six - Taylor Jenkins Reid

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Follow us on Instagram: @onceuponatimezonepod

Watch our video podcasts on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponaTimeZonePodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Jaime's socials:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@jaimefok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: @jaimefok

Tiktok: @jaime.fok

Freya's socials:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@freyvalerio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: @freyv_reads

Tiktok: @freyvalerio

(00:00) intro & current reads

(12:45) six of crows announcement!

(16:48) we aren't qualified to discuss brandon sanderson

(17:38) rf kuang

(22:21) leigh bardugo

(29:13) ve schwab

(36:15) cassandra clare

(45:07) fredrik backman

(50:52) taylor jenkins reid

Let's talk about some books that the world HATED (aka had very low Goodreads ratings)... but we loved.

Books Discussed:

Us Against You - Fredrik Backman

Words of Radiance - Brandon Sanderson

Alchemised - SenLinYu

The Will of the Many - James Islington

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue - VE Schwab

Project Hail Mary - Andy Weir

Silvercloak - LK Steven

The Raven Scholar - Antonia Hodgson

Yellowface - RF Kuang

Forever, Interrupted - Taylor Jenkins Reid

The Fury - Alex Michaelides

The Ministry of Time - Kaliane Bradley

A Song to Drown Rivers - Ann Liang

Ruthless Vows - Rebecca Ross

Siege and Storm - Leigh Bardugo

Masters of Death - Olivie Blake

The Striker - Ana Huang

Swordcatcher - Cassandra Clare

Follow us on Instagram: @onceuponatimezonepod

Watch our video podcasts on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponaTimeZonePodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Jaime's socials:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@jaimefok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: @jaimefok

Tiktok: @jaime.fok

Freya's socials:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@freyvalerio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: @freyv_reads

Tiktok: @freyvalerio

(00:00) intro & current reads

(07:54) our recent book purchases

(10:06) yellowface

(15:33) siege and storm

(19:30) forever, interrupted

(23:44) goodreads rant

(24:47) masters of death

(29:41) the fury

(34:31) the striker

(38:16) the ministry of time

(43:44) swordcatcher

(47:26) a song to drown rivers

(52:04) ruthless vows

Let's talk about some popular BookTok books that we just do not want to read...

Books Discussed:

The Names - Florence Knapp

The Kingdom of Copper - SA Chakraborty

Icebreaker - Hannah Grace

Flawless - Elsie Silver

Wild Card - Elsie Silver

Problematic Summer Romance - Ali Hazelwood

Mate - Ali Hazelwood

Bride - Ali Hazelwood

Not in Love - Ali Hazelwood

Deep End - Ali Hazelwood

Credence - Penelope Douglas

Binding 13 - Chloe Walsh

City of Gods and Monsters - Kayla Edwards

The Fine Print - Lauren Asher

Throttled - Lauren Asher

King of Wrath - Ana Huang

Lights Out - Navessa Allen

The Ritual - Shantel Tessier

God of Malice - Rina Kent

God of Fury - Rina Kent

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue - VE Schwab

Katabasis - RF Kuang

The Knave and the Moon - Rachel Gillig

The Knight and the Moth - Rachel Gillig

Follow us on Instagram: @onceuponatimezonepod

Watch our video podcasts on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponaTimeZonePodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Jaime's socials:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@jaimefok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: @jaimefok

Tiktok: @jaime.fok

Freya's socials:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@freyvalerio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: @freyv_reads

Tiktok: @freyvalerio

(00:00) intro & current reads

(08:15) the knave and the moon announcement!

(09:53) we are the same height

(12:46) jaime met rf kuang!

(16:43) icebreaker

(22:13) throttled

(25:32) flawless

(28:08) TSITP tangent

(29:49) credence

(32:05) problematic summer romance

(33:55) mate tangent

(36:55) wild card tangent

(37:36) king of wrath

(41:44) binding 13

(46:08) lights out

(48:45) buddy reading the invisible life of addie larue

(51:38) city of gods and monsters

(54:33) god of malice

Ever wonder about book shopping habits, book prices, bookish events & communities across the world? Today we are chatting about our reading experiences as book lovers in Australia vs Canada 💖

Books Discussed:

Mate - Ali Hazelwood

Bride - Ali Hazelwood

Golden Son - Pierce Brown

Red Rising - Pierce Brown

Follow us on Instagram: @onceuponatimezonepod

Watch our video podcasts on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponaTimeZonePodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Jaime's socials:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@jaimefok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: @jaimefok

Tiktok: @jaime.fok

Freya's socials:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@freyvalerio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: @freyv_reads

Tiktok: @freyvalerio

(00:00) intro & current reads

(07:40) where we buy books & prices of books

(16:44) book formats & special editions

(22:30) when are books released?

(28:45) seasonal book releases

(33:22) getting ARCs

(39:43) social media & being content creators

(48:30) book events & author meets

(54:00) fantasy balls

When your book bestie hasn’t read your FAVORITE BOOKS… Just trying to convince each other to read our favs! Hope you enjoy this episode 💖

People mentioned:

Emmy 🫶🏻 - https://www.youtube.com/@emmyrosam

Books Discussed:

Metal Slinger - Rachel Schneider

Immortal Consequences - IV Marie

Blood Moon - Britney S Lewis

Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen) - Chloe Walsh

The Poppy War - RF Kuang

The Raven Scholar - Antonia Hodgson

Silvercloak - LK Steven

A Song to Drown Rivers - Ann Liang

Not Quite Dead Yet - Holly Jackson

Project Hail Mary - Andy Weir

A Torch Against the Night (An Ember in the Ashes) - Sabaa Tahir

The Will of the Many - James Islington

The Fragile Threads of Power - VE Schwab

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue - VE Schwab

Follow us on Instagram: @onceuponatimezonepod

Watch our video podcasts on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponaTimeZonePodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Jaime's socials:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@jaimefok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: @jaimefok

Tiktok: @jaime.fok

Freya's socials:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@freyvalerio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: @freyv_reads

Tiktok: @freyvalerio

(00:00) intro & current reads

(09:17) binding 13

(16:48) the poppy war

(22:37) the raven scholar

(27:48) a song to drown rivers

(32:49) not quite dead yet

(36:58) project hail mary

(41:36) a torch against the night

(45:22) the will of the many

(52:06) the invisible life of addie larue & the fragile threads of power

From Ali Hazelwood, to Sarah J Maas, to Jessa Hastings, to Leigh Bardugo and more. Let's chat about some of the books one of us LOVED, and the other didn't love so much.

Books Discussed:

Rewind it Back - Liz Tomforde

The Nightingale - Kristin Hannah

Silvercloak - LK Steven

Project Hail Mary - Andy Weir

Deep End - Ali Hazelwood

Ninth House - Leigh Bardugo

Magnolia Parks - Jessa Hastings

Where the Crawdads Sing - Delia Owens

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder - Holly Jackson

Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen

The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald

A Court of Wings and Ruin - SJM

Quicksilver - Callie Hart

Follow us on Instagram: @onceuponatimezonepod

Watch our video podcasts on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponaTimeZonePodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Jaime's socials:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@jaimefok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: @jaimefok

Tiktok: @jaime.fok

Freya's socials:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@freyvalerio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: @freyv_reads

Tiktok: @freyvalerio

(00:00) intro & current reads

(07:57) our rating systems

(09:58) deep end

(15:49) ninth house

(22:18) magnolia parks

(26:56) where the crawdads sing

(33:18) the good girl's guide to murder

(37:59) pride and prejudice

(41:42) the great gatsby

(44:47) ACOWAR

(48:06) quicksilver

Let's do a book club style deep dive today. The book in question... The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. We LOVED reading about Kaladin, Shallan, Dalinar, Szeth & Hoid, and cannot WAIT to continue the Stormlight Archive series and the Cosmere in general!

As a note - the first portion of this episode is SPOILER FREE. We give a warning in the episode once we start going into spoiler territory!

Jaime's Options:

A Darker Shade of Magic

The Favourites

Shadow and Bone

Yours Truly

Caraval

When the Moon Hatched

Beartown

Mistborn

The Seven-Year Slip

Wild Love

Freya's Options:

Magnolia Parks

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Beach Read

Say You’ll Remember Me

The Prison Healer

Spark of the Everflame

A River Enchanted

Powerless

One for My Enemy

One Dark Window

Follow us on Instagram: @onceuponatimezonepod

Watch our video podcasts on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponaTimeZonePodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Jaime's socials:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@jaimefok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: @jaimefok

Tiktok: @jaime.fok

Freya's socials:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@freyvalerio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: @freyv_reads

Tiktok: @freyvalerio

(00:00) intro & current reads

(09:01) spoiler free brief synopsis

(11:18) the magic system

(14:08) brandon sanderson writes like a plain chip

(22:31) cosmere reading order

(25:03) our brandon sanderson rankings

(28:00) spoilers start!

(28:17) kaladin

(43:16) shallan

(54:44) dalinar

(01:04:59) szeth

(01:08:33) hoid