In this episode, Sam and Kai talk about Onyx Storm, the third book in the Empyrean Series by Rebecca Yarros. Is Xaden having an Edward from Twilight moment? Is Aaric the hottest character? Who is Xaden’s new Venin bro? Listen along as we dive into our favorite Onyx Storm lore. This episode clearly contains spoilers, so do what you will with that.

In this episode, Sam and Kai talk about the enemies-to-lovers pipeline, a theory that they made up about how authors use physical characteristics to show readers who is going to be the love interest in a book. There will be a part 2 to this theory in Season 2. This episode contains spoilers about the love interests in the following books: A Court of Thorns and Roses, Divine Rivals, Throne of Glass, Fourth Wing, and Manacled. It also discusses Suzanne Collins’ A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.

In this episode, Sam and Kai talk all about the Folk of the Air series. From the Cruel Prince to a bonus mini-book, the team chats about the unique characters that make up the world and the things they weren’t fans of. This episode contains spoilers for the series.

In this episode of The Bookyard Pod, Sam and Kai discuss Ali Hazelwood’s Bride. Then, they go over a new theory of theirs called the smut-to-plot ratio. They talk about different comfort levels when it comes to sex in books and how the smut-to-plot ratio can help you figure out if a book will be your cup of tea. This episode includes spoilers for Bride and also discusses sex. If you are uncomfortable with either, feel free to skip this episode!

In this episode of The Bookyard Pod, Sam and Kai discuss I Who Have Never Known Men, a dystopian novel that they read in 2024. Sam and Kai both consider this book a must-read. They discuss the premise of the book and theorize about the ambiguous ending. This episode does contain in-depth spoilers about I Who Have Never Known Men and its ending. This book does not include romance or spice, so if you avoid those topics, this is a safe episode.

In this episode of The Bookyard Pod, Sam and Kai finally deep dive into a duology. They present The Shepherd King Duology as one of their favorite reads of 2024, they discuss the providence cards that make the magic system so interesting, and finally, they figure out what the difference is between girls who like Elm and girls who like Ravyn. This episode contains limited spoilers for both One Dark Window and Two Twisted Crowns.

In this episode of The Bookyard Pod, Sam and Kai play Pitch-a-book. They each present the premise, tropes, and vibes of a book that they have read (in secret) recently and then ask if the other would read it. If you are looking for two new reads, listen along! This episode contains a few spoilers from two mystery books that are revealed at the end.

In this episode of The Bookyard Pod, Sam and Kai present a very scientific theory that they made up about how a well-written male main character can mean the end of a crappy relationship. Kai will take you along with her as she recounts the true story of her breakup, which all started while she was reading Fourth Wing. This episode does not contain in-depth spoilers but male main characters from several series are mentioned, and the plot of Fourth Wing is discussed.

In this episode of The Bookyard Pod, Sam and Kai take you on a journey through their reading origin stories. They discuss how they started reading, what they like to read in their free time, and how they met and began a podcast. This episode does not include in-depth spoilers. However, several books such as Harry Potter, Throne of Glass, etc. are referenced.