Join us for a cosy chat by the fire as we go over our favourite reads of 2024, the titles we're looking forward to picking up in 2025, and our reading goals for the year!

Content warnings: Discussions of fictional examples of suicidality, cannabilism, and violent hate crime, allusions to the Palestinian genocide, mentions of racism including the K.K.K. and ableism. COVID mention and references to long periods of illness.

Transcripts available at ⁠⁠planarprod.com/the-hidden-bookcase-transcripts⁠

✸Check out The Attic Monologues Season 3 Fundraiser!✸

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Visit our Bookshop.Org page! [⁠⁠UK LINK⁠⁠] / [⁠⁠US LINK⁠⁠]

Usually we list all of the books we mention on an episode in the shownotes, but since this was a wrap-up, we chatted about a lot more titles than usual! You can view the list in its entirety ⁠⁠here⁠,⁠ organised by the context in which we mentioned each book. 

We're going on a short hiatus- keep an eye out on our socials and feed and we'll let you know when new episodes are on the horizon!

Keep safe- please always check the content warnings of any media we mention if you need before diving in.

Music: ⁠⁠https://www.purple-planet.com 

It's Witch Winter at The Hidden Bookcase! Our second read is Hooky Volume 2 by Míriam Bonastre Tur. Let's talk twins, terrifying tropes, and trauma hair.

Transcripts available at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠planarprod.com/the-hidden-bookcase-transcripts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Content warnings: References to xenophobia, death and murder including parental death, sibling and animal death, gore, internalised homophobia, murder, possession, and falling/heights.

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Visit our Bookshop.Org page! [⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠UK LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠] / [⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠US LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠]

Other media referenced in this episode (in order mentioned):

Keep safe- please always check the content warnings of any media we mention if you need before diving in.

Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.purple-planet.com ⁠

It's Witch Winter at The Hidden Bookcase! Our second read is Her Majesty's Royal Coven by Juno Dawson. Let's talk

Transcripts available at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠planarprod.com/the-hidden-bookcase-transcripts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Content warnings: References to transphobia, homophobia, imperialism, racism, colonialism, sexism, transmisogony. Mention of J.K. Rowling.

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Visit our Bookshop.Org page! [⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠UK LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠] / [⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠US LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠]

Other media referenced in this episode (in order mentioned):

Our next read:

Keep safe- please always check the content warnings of any media we mention if you need before diving in.

Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.purple-planet.com ⁠

It's ahistorical autumn at The Hidden Bookcase! Our final read is She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan, chosen by our guest Cailean Steed. Let's talk fate, fanfiction, and... fisting?

Transcripts available at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠planarprod.com/the-hidden-bookcase-transcripts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Content warnings: References to imprisonment, child murder, genital mutilation, traumatic amputation, war, death by suffocation, homophobia and transphobia, misogony and sexism, rape, and gender dysphoria.

A big thank you to Cailean for joining us for this episode. You can find their writing and links to their socials at caileansteed.com.

❤ To find out more about The Common Press' ongoing fundraiser, click here. ❤

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Visit our Bookshop.Org page! [⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠UK LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠] / [⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠US LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠]

Other media referenced in this episode (in order mentioned):

Next episode's read:

Keep safe- please always check the content warnings of any media we mention if you need before diving in.

Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.purple-planet.com ⁠

Transcripts available here.

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⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠・:*˚:✧｡ Join our Discord for bookish chats and cosy cats!・:*˚:✧｡⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Visit our Bookshop.Org page! [⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠UK LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠] / [⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠US LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠]

Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.purple-planet.com ⁠

Join us for an interview with Jessica Mary Best on her sapphic sci-fi murder mystery, Stars, Hide Your Fires, recently released in paperback! Let's talk conlangs, comedy as catharsis, and character chemistry!

US Link

It's Ahistorical Autumn at The Hidden Bookcase! Our second read is Song of the Huntress by Lucy Holland. Let's talk asexual rep, awkward conversations with your siblings, and audiobook excellence.

Transcripts available at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠planarprod.com/the-hidden-bookcase-transcripts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Content warnings: Aphobia, cheating, death, child murder, war an colonialism.

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⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠・:*˚:✧｡ Join our Discord for bookish chats and cosy cats!・:*˚:✧｡⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Visit our Bookshop.Org page! [⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠UK LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠] / [⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠US LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠]

Other media referenced in this episode (in order mentioned):

Our next read:

Keep safe- please always check the content warnings of any media we mention if you need before diving in.

Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.purple-planet.com ⁠

In celebration of Fat Liberation Month, we're joined by writer and psychotherapist Anya Josephs to discuss fat representation in science-fiction and fantasy. Let's talk symbolic representation, systemic vs. individual experiences, and striving to tell stories that change real-world narratives.

Transcripts available at planarprod.com

Content warnings: Discussons of fatphobia, including interpersonal, internalised, structural and societal ableism. Mentions of disordered eating.

You can find Anya Josephs' work, including young adult fantasy novel, Queen of All, on her website.

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・:*˚:✧｡ Join our Discord for bookish chats and cosy

Our next read:

Keep safe- please always check the content warnings of any media we mention if you need before diving in.

It's ahistorical autumn at The Hidden Bookcase! Our first read is The Kingdoms by Natasha Pulley, a joint recommendation by Sorren and guest Kit Lovick. Let's talk timelines, tortoises, and tube stations.

Transcripts available at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠planarprod.com/the-hidden-bookcase-transcripts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Content warnings: References to war, abduction, slavery, child murder and death, sexual assault, corrective rape, colonialism and traumatic amputation.

A big thank you to Kit for joining us for this episode! You can follow him on Twitter @sharpsnooter. Click here for more information about urban fantasy horror podcast The Attic Monologues, or find science-fiction miniseries To Chart a Well-Trod Course on Twitter @welltrodpod.

⁠⁠⁠⁠・:*˚:✧｡ Check out our Patreon!・:*˚:✧｡⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠・:*˚:✧｡ Join our Discord for bookish chats and cosy cats!・:*˚:✧｡⁠⁠⁠⁠

Visit our Bookshop.Org page! [⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠UK LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠] / [⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠US LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠]

Other media referenced in this episode (in order mentioned):

Next episode, we'll be discussing fat representation in speculative fiction in celebration of Fat Liberation Month, alongside author Anya Josephs:

Keep safe- please always check the content warnings of any media we mention if you need before diving in.

Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.purple-planet.com ⁠

We're joined by writer and disability advocate Ella T. Holmes in celeberation of Disability Pride Month to discuss writing disability in the fantasy genre. Let's talk toxic perseverance, taking accountability, and just trying.

Transcripts available at planarprod.com

Content warnings: Discussons of ableism, including interpersonal, internalised, structural and societal ableism. Mentions of JK Rowling. Joking reference to a fatal car accident.

・:*˚:✧｡ Check out our Patreon!・:*˚:✧｡⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠・:*˚:✧｡ Join our Discord for bookish chats and cosy

Keep safe- please always check the content warnings of any media we mention if you need before diving in.