Spoil Me

Hello again everyone! I want to share my heartfelt thanks again with Ashleigh for commissioning so much of these books, and I hate that this is the last episode before my vacation because I'm dying to know what happens!
This section is even tougher to read RE: bullying than the last one, which I didn't think was possible since the last section resulted in Sonea getting physically hurt. But no, that's not enough for Regin. He's so fucking extra that he has literally wrapped pieces of shit in candy wrappers just to make it more picturesque when he forces them down Sonea's throat, and I cannot express how fucking grateful I was that a teacher stops this from happening. I was ready to puke.
Dannyl, meanwhile, finds out that Tayend has feelings for him via Tayend's rather filterless sister, and I'm hoping that this leads the two of them together because I really enjoy the idea of them as a couple and I like Tayend, despite the fact that I'm low-key suspecting him of being a spy.
Also, it turns out that the serial killer is wearing a ring like the one Akkarin made for Lorlen, and I can't imagine what that means. Who the hell is the serial killer? I still don't think it's Akkarin, but who else could it possibly be? Regin? I don't really believe it but...maybe?
Thanks for listening, and I will see you all again soon with a new episode!

Many thanks to Ashlyn for continuing to sponsor this book, and for emailing me with some very provocative questions. I wonder how many listeners had the same thoughts and theories that Ashlyn had about the interlude? Because she shared with me what she believes it's referencing and I think that might be exactly it.
This section we get some time with Damaya, who is being a model student at the Fulcrum and because of this, becomes a target for other students who are not doing so well. We have an introduction that familiarizes us with the militaristic methods employed on these children, and the is quickly followed by someone trying to make poor Damaya's life hell by using those methods to punish her. When she finds out who it is, it's kind of heartbreaking.
Then there's everything with Syenite, who has to deal with the rude bureaucrats in Allia, and then finally deals with the harbor and finds out that there's something very different than what anyone thought going on beneath the water.
Lastly, we have a short time with Essun and Hoa and their new smelly friend, and a nice bit of trans representation that is barely commented on at all, which is a very refreshing change. I am rooting for this little band of weirdo misfits.
Thanks for listening, and I will see you soon with a new chapter!

Hello everyone, and welcome Veronica Mars, the episode in which people are stealing dogs and in which I definitely thought there was something very different going on with Logan's sister. To get right to the point, I thought that she was full of shit and trying to get money out of Logan with a big involved plot that even Logan's father was in on. Spoiler Alert! She's not lying, and her boyfriend is a piece of shit.
There's also the whole thing with Weevil, who is being really shady and tries to tell Veronica that he broke into the Kane house looking for an old engagement ring. We find out later that he is indeed full of shit, and went in there to get back an old note that she'd sent him in the barrel of a pen that Veronica recognizes as Lilly's "secret note-passing pen". So what did that note say, and why was Weevil so eager to get it back that he was willing to risk jail time?
I'm a big fan of this weird dog-stealing subplot. I need a moment to recover from the complete and total smack-down that Veronica lays on a school bully. That was a thing of beauty.
Thanks so much for listening, and thanks to Nancy for sponsoring this episode!

Many thanks to Denise for sponsoring this episode!

I like that in this section, we start to see more of Lauren sharing this religion that she's made up and there is a much more receptive attitude among her crew than I expected. It seems like it's sort of not something that they intended, but more like her constantly reading her poetry to them is starting to subconsciously sink in. I like it.
We have a few new crew members, and I'm shocked that Lauren is actually into the guy because he's SO much older than her. I guess it makes sense because of how much she admired her father, and that this man could kind of represent a comforting authority figure, but damn I was not ready for that.
Meanwhile 2 new women join them as well, and there's something about how much more desperate they seem that makes me trust them less than the dude, whom I believe the crew would be a match for. I hope it doesn't turn out that these ladies are cutthroats.
Thanks so much for listening! I will see you soon with a new episode.

This section of The Dark Lord Of Derkholm is giving me so much agita! It's hard enough knowing that everyone is working so hard and yet being undermine by a saboteur the whole time, but then we're getting whole towns of people disappearing and I don't know what to think about that.
I don't know where to start on talking about this section, to be honest. Should I begin with the fact that Shona was kicked out of school based on a policy that she knew nothing about? Should I begin with everyone who wants to talk to Derk the moment they show up at camp (which, by the way, is in the wrong place)? Should I begin with Blaze realizing that his damn tour starts in 2 days and he has no clue what he's doing?
Thank you all so much for listening, and thanks to Patricia for sponsoring this episode!

Greetings, fair listeners! Many thanks to Ashleigh for sponsoring this episode! I'm getting into the second half of the book, and I was so deeply hoping that Sonea was going to finally be free of Regin's harassment at this point. I know that's a foolish wish, and that there's no way one of the main conflicts was going to be wrapped this early, but I just hate reading it.

Because here's the thing; everything that I thought would protect Sonea has turned out to be essentially worthless because Regin can tell that Sonea won't tell Akkarin about her tormentors. I'm not totally sure why she doesn't tell him, to be honest. The only think I understand is not wanting to share anything about her life with the man who is holding her hostage, but you'd think that she'd be eager to at least eradicate one of the miseries in her life.
Meanwhile, Dannyl is continuing to explore ancient magic despite Lorlen telling him to lay off. Rothen's note doesn't seem to raise the questions in him that I would expect, and I am not sure why. Wouldn't you be suspicious about this?
Anyway, thank you all for listening, and I will see you soon with a new episode!

Many thanks to Agnes and Rachel for commissioning this episode as a Voyeur level so that everyone could watch me flip out when we got to That Part. You know the part. That one. I lost my shit.
But first, let's talk about the elephant in the room, and the fact that that elephant was one of the stars of Home Improvement until 1998. Until That Part happened, I thought the reason for commissioning a voyeur level was to watch me freak out about an adult Jonathan Taylor Thomas and listen to me talk about how weird he looked. I don't know how someone can be so attractive at one stage in their lives and so off-putting during another, but it's very distracting.
Also, Juice/Shades is in this episode as a dude that I kind of liked in a lot of ways until I find out that he put a kid in the hospital for fighting back, so maybe my judgement is a little off on this one. What can I say. I'm a sucker for shy nerds, and sometimes shy nerds are massive assholes.
Thanks for listening, everyone! See you soon with a new episode!

Man, remember how in a previous episode I wrote that titles are meaningless and power is fleeting? I get a really good illustration of that in this section. Thank you to Kyle for commissioning this and getting me through this story at a really good clip!
So Kuni goes on a picnic, and while he's gone there's a coup and he returns to find different flags flying, the gates closed and locked, and one of the men who stayed loyal to him murdered. Life comes at you fast! This kind of turns out to be a good thing, because he winds up going to see Thufi and gets paired up with Phin and Mata, whom I have been SO EXCITED for him to meet.
I'm really not sure what will happen next, and I'm not even sure what I want to have happen. It really speaks to how great an author Ken Liu is that the leader of the Xana troops is so likeable that I'm not even looking forward to seeing them get crushed. If they do.
Thanks so much to all of you for listening, and I will see you again soon for a new episode.

Shout-out to sponsor Ashleigh for commissioning this episode of The Novice! This shit is really starting to get serious and I'm starting to grow very anxious about how it is all going to shake out.
First of all, I cannot emphasize enough how freaky I find it that Akkarin can use that damn ring to read Lorlen's thoughts as well as see AND hear everything going on around him. I swear to god, that is the most disturbing shit. It's really something how different I feel about this than I do about characters that have superpowers where they can read minds. I guess it's sort of a consent thing mixed with how the people who usually have that power didn't choose it, and so are victims in their own way.
Meanwhile, poor Rothen is trying to figure out what the hell he's going to do to try and mitigate the damage to himself and Sonea by getting in touch with Dannyl. I am glad that he's thinking along the correct lines, but I'm worried that there's going to be a spy waiting to blow his cover.
This book is really interesting and I hope you all read it if you get a chance!

Hello everyone and welcome to the newest episode of Six Of Crows! I'm excited because this episode is a Wannabe level, which means that Grisha Superfan Liz Brinnehl is here with me to talk about these chapters!
The chapters have grown shorter and more intense, so this one episode covers about 5 chapters (I believe, don't quote me) and bounces around through a lot of different POVs and situations. I'm actually really enjoying watching the carefully laid plan fall apart because it really reveals what all of our character's weaknesses are.
Thank you so much to Liz for joining me in this one, and I hope you all enjoy the show!