Hearts & Daggers

Summary: For the final episode before our hiatus, it is only fitting that Holly and Devin get to spend an hour gushing about one of their favorite middle grade series, Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend. Written by a queer Australian, these books bring middle grade fantasy into technicolor from black and white. With rich world building, a menagerie of friends, foes, and frights this series will make the hearts race for readers of any age. Reminder: Holly is a new mom! While she spends some time with her evolving family, we'll be taking a hiatus from the podcast through the summer and fall. As we have updates we will share them. We appreciate your patience and encourage you to review our back-log of episodes in the meantime.  Topics Discussed: Series Summary (4:37): Morrigan Crow is a young girl born on Eventide, the unluckiest day of the year. Cursed to die on her eleventh birthday, she's blamed for every misfortune in her town and her parents dismiss her - her fate is sealed. However, when the day arrives she is whisked away by the enigmatic Jupiter North, who brings her to the secretive and magical city of Nevermoor. There, Morrigan learns of the Wundrous Society, an elite organization for those with extraordinary abilities. To gain entry, Morrigan must complete four trials - even when she's not sure what her own magical “knack” is… Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow Silverborn: The Mystery of Morrigan Crow (pub date June 24, 2025) Key Themes (13:28): Rich World Building with Complex Characters: Nevermoor is a vividly crafted city, teeming with magical elements, unique customs, and a diverse cast of characters, offering readers an immersive experience. Beyond Morrigan, the series boasts a range of well-developed characters, each with their own backstories and motivations, adding depth to the narrative. Identity and Self-Worth: Morrigan's journey is a profound exploration of self-identity. Branded as cursed and unworthy, she struggles with feelings of inadequacy. Through her experiences in Nevermoor and the trials she faces, Morrigan begins to redefine her sense of self, discovering her intrinsic value beyond societal labels. Belonging and Found Family: The series emphasizes the importance of finding one's place in the world. Morrigan's relationships with characters like Jupiter North and her fellow society members highlight themes of chosen family and the comfort of belonging, contrasting her earlier experiences of isolation. Prejudice and Acceptance: Morrigan's status through the series exposes her to fear and discrimination, reflecting broader themes of prejudice. Townsend uses Morrigan and other characters and plotlines to challenge characters and readers alike to confront biases and embrace understanding and acceptance. Courage and Resilience: Facing daunting trials and societal rejection, Morrigan's resilience is a central theme. Her determination to persevere, even when the odds are stacked against her, serves as an inspiring testament to inner strength. The Nature of Power and Authority: The series delves into the complexities of power, particularly through the lens of Morrigan's abilities. It poses questions about the ethical use of power and the responsibilities that come with it. Hot On the Shelf (28:00): Holly: With a Vengeance by Riley Sager Devin: Red Rising by Pierce Brown What's Making Our Hearts Race (32:43): Holly: Andor Season 2 Devin: Friendship with Holly

Summary: Let's talk about babies, baby! Today our hosts discuss books featuring pregnant protagonists. This is especially timely given that Holly is pregnant (and upon release, perhaps Baby has already arrived!). Whether you're looking for an unexpected romance or a real look into vulnerability and perseverance, reading works centered on pregnant folks is a great avenue to go down. Note: Given the imminent arrival of Holly's baby, we will be going on a hiatus after our 90th episode, through the summer and fall. We will keep you all posted from there about what's next as Holly gets adjusted to this new phase of life—in the meantime, thanks for your patience and of course we have 90 episodes you can revisit at any time in case you miss us.  Topics Discussed: The Heart (4:28): Devin discussed Ready or Not by Cara Bastone, a novel following Eve Hatch after a one night stand leads to an unintended pregnancy. Living in Brooklyn with a dream-adjacent career, best friends, and a cozy if not exciting life, Eve now has her whole future thrown into uncertainty. Whether it's collaborating with her baby daddy or increasingly relying on her best friend's brother, Shep, Eve needs to figure out what she really wants now, beyond her child. Devin's key takeaways were: The portrayal of pregnancy and the pacing of this story by Bastone give the reader time to experience (secondhand) the trajectory of those pivotal 9 months and how Eve navigates not only her growing belly but also her growing network and expanding world. With ups and downs, excitement and fear, whether you've been pregnant before or not you should expect to empathize and better understand that experience.  While there are romantic elements to this book, it's not a very intense or dramatic part of the book. The greater emotional arc of the book is around found family for Eve and the way she explores platonic and romantic intimacy outside of sexuality. If you're looking for a slow burn, emotionally intelligent connection, this book is for you.  As the reader follows Eve from her predictable and controlled life in Brooklyn into this surprising and unexpected future, we explore how she learns to embrace the unexpected and let go of her need to control her life too much. The best laid plans almost never work out and for Eve, that might be a great thing.  The Dagger (15:48): Holly discussed Tilt by Emma Pattee, a climate fiction story following Annie, a 37-week-pregnant woman who is shopping in IKEA when a massive earthquake - modeled after the predicted Cascadia Subduction Zone event - devastates Portland, OR. Trapped momentarily amidst the chaos, she escapes the huge store only to find the city in ruins: communication lines are down, infrastructure is destroyed, and everyone is panicking. With no way to get in touch with her husband, Annie embarks on a treacherous journey across the city to reunite with him. Holly's key takeaways were: Throughout her journey, Annie grapples with her identity and the societal expectations of motherhood. She reflects on her past aspirations, including her abandoned dream of becoming a playwright, and how these unfulfilled ambitions intersect with her current role as a mother-to-be. The narrative delves into her internal conflicts, questioning traditional notions of maternal instinct and the societal pressures placed upon mothers.  The earthquake serves as a catalyst for Annie's transformation. Initially portrayed as overwhelmed and uncertain, her experiences during the disaster compel her to confront her fears and reassess her priorities. This journey mirrors the transformative process of becoming a mother, highlighting themes of growth, sacrifice, and the redefinition of self. Annie's odyssey underscores the human capacity to endure and adapt in the face of overwhelming adversity. Throughout her journey, Annie meets a spectrum of individuals—some offering aid, others posing danger—each interaction shedding light on human nature in crisis. Interspersed with her physical journey are Annie's reflections on her past: her career aspirations, the strains in her marriage, and her ambivalence about motherhood. Hot On the Shelf (32:01): Devin: We Solve Murders by Richard Osman Holly: King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby What's Making Our Hearts Race (36:01): Holly: IMO Podcast with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson Devin: Silicon Valley on HBO Max   Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com   If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: Muahaha! Cower in fear, dear listeners, as Holly and Devin discuss villains… who need a paycheck too. Whether you've worked in Corporate America or just like to imagine hell as an office building, these books will be a home run.  Topics Discussed: The Dagger (3:26): Holly discussed Sign Here by Claudia Lux, a satirical exploration of morality and corporate offices following Peyote Trip, a caseworker in the Deals Department of the fifth floor of Hell. Responsible for securing soups by making deals with humans desperate enough to sign away their afterlives, Peyote is on the cusp of a promotion. If he can sign up one more member of the Harrison family he'll get a “Complete Set” - five souls from the same lineage. Holly's key takeaways were: Hell's depiction as a monotonous office environment serves as a critique of bureaucratic inefficiencies and the dehumanizing aspects of corporate life.​ Peyote's journey reflects a deeper quest for self-understanding and the possibility of redemption, even within the confines of Hell. The novel explores the gray areas of morality, questioning the binary notions of good and evil through its characters' choices and motivations.​ The Harrison family's dynamics highlight the impact of generational secrets and the lengths individuals go to protect or escape their lineage.​  For Holly, the premise of the story was stronger than the execution. While it was entertaining throughout, the two storylines of Peyote in Helly and the Harrison Family on Earth don't come together as strongly and clearly as they could have.  The Heart (13:20): Devin discussed Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer, a BookTok-sourced Romantasy following Evie Sage, a young woman lying in the magical kingdom of Rennedawn who is in desperate need of a job. After an unfortunate firing and a spell of bad luck, she stumbles into a chance encounter with The Villain and ends up hired as his personal assistant. While yes, there are body parts swinging from the ceiling, his castle runs much like any business and Evie can handle the paperwork. Devin's key takeaways were: This novel highlights a recent publishing trend of storylines and authors becoming popular on social media sites like TikTok before they are published, then being signed by publishing companies to ride the wave of their popularity. Pros include increased diversity and a resurgence of popularity of reading in the zeitgeist, but Holly and Devin review cons like rushed editing and expected tropes as well.  Maehrer explores the idea that even villains deserve loyalty, empathy, and maybe even a decent lunch break. It's a workplace comedy... if the workplace had torture chambers. The absurdity of running an evil empire like an office is what makes the “villainous job” theme shine. Capitalism meets chaos magic. While not spicy at all, there are romantic elements to the story. The push-pull between danger and attraction for Evie and The Villain is delicious, especially when the boss could literally smite someone - but instead just broods silently when Evie talks to another guy. Hot On the Shelf (35:54): Holly: My Friends by Fredrik Backman Devin: That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Human by Kimberly Lemming What's Making Our Hearts Race (41:47): Holly: The Last of Us Season 2 on HBO Max Devin: Volunteering in her local community   Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com   If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: E Káàró, friends! Today, Holly and Devin armchair travel to Nigeria. Known for its vibrant culture, diversity, rich artistic heritage and a thriving film industry (Nollywood), this country has so much to explore. With both books set in the bustling city of Lagos, our hosts get to explore the romantic and thrilling aspects of this amazing country.  Topics Discussed: The Heart (3:00): Devin discussed The Sweetest Remedy by Jane Igharo, a novel following Hannah Bailey, successful biracial business woman living in San Francisco, who is invited to her estranged father's funeral - in Lagos, Nigeria. After a brief relationship with her white mother, she never had a connection to her father or his prestigious family, but this opportunity is too good to pass up. Uncovering half siblings, secrets, culture and even a man she never expected, Hannah must come to a new understanding of who she is and where she fits in the world. Devin's key takeaways were: Hannah's experience reflects that of many diaspora children, caught between cultures, feeling not quite “enough” of either. Her journey is tender, frustrating, funny, and deeply affirming and she works to expand her sense of self and identify where she belongs amongst her expanded family.  While you get a great sense of Lagos through the book, the setting of a Nigerian funeral, especially for someone as prominent as Hannah's father, adds an extra layer of authenticity to the story. They're multi-day affairs that are part mourning, part celebration, part family reunion, part “airing of grievances.” Through this event, the book explores Nigerian culture, familial expectations, inheritance (emotional and literal), and reconciliation. The romance is beautifully folded into Hannah's emotional journey. It's not just “hot guy in Nigeria,” Lawrence is a patient and supportive friend first who guides Hannah and helps her navigate the rough waters of her expanding identity. It's romantic, yes, but also rooted in identity and growth. The Dagger (13:50): Holly discussed Gaslight by Femi Kayode, a crime fiction story following Jeremiah Dawodu, the influential leader of a prominent megachurch in Lagos. He's publicly arrested in the middle of a service for the suspected murder of his wife. Despite his skepticism toward organized religion, Philip Taiwo, an investigative psychologist who recently returned to Nigeria from the US, is reluctantly drawn into the case by his sister. Confronting a web of secrets, resistance from the church, and the complexities of Nigerian society, Philip must cut through the noise to uncover the truth. Holly's key takeaways were: The novel examines how religious institutions wield influence and the potential for corruption within such structures.​ The pursuit of truth in a society and institution rife with secrecy and manipulation underscores the narrative, questioning the nature of justice and the power of religion and religious leaders.​ Through the lens of a psychological crime thriller, the novel illuminates both the beauty and contradictions of Nigerian society; it critiques power structures while celebrating resilience, explores how people navigate moral gray zones, and invites readers to see Nigeria in all its complexity: vibrant, chaotic, spiritual, flawed, and deeply human. Taiwo's family's experiences reflect the complexities of cultural identity and the challenges of reintegration after living abroad.​ The personal struggles within Taiwo's family parallel the broader societal issues, emphasizing the interplay between personal and communal conflicts.​ Hot On the Shelf (27:12): Devin: A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske Holly: The Devils by Joe Abercrombie What's Making Our Hearts Race (31:39): Devin: The Americas Documentary with Tom Hanks Holly: Your Friends and Neighbors on AppleTV Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: Make sure you keep the volume on this episode down so as not to disturb your neighbors! Today, Holly and Devin dive into the wonderful world of apartment buildings. They discuss how stacking people like blocks in a single building can facilitate both a lust for blood as well as good old fashioned lust. Whether you've always lived in a single family home and have only seen apartments in shows like Friends or you're listening to this from an apartment right now, our hosts have got what you need to explore this living situation!  Topics Discussed: The Dagger (5:31): Holly discussed Lock Every Door by Riley Sager, a thriller following Jules Larsen - a recently unemployed, heartbroken 25-year-old in desperate need of monday. When offered, she jumps at a high-paying job to apartment-sit at The Bartholomew, an exclusive, elite Gothic-style Manhattan apartment building. The rules of her stay are strange, but Jules shakes it off…until a fellow apartment sitter, Ingrid, disappears. Holly's key takeaways were: The Bartholomew is inspired by real-life historic buildings in NYC. Its creepy, opulent design creates a claustrophobic atmosphere that mirrors traditional haunted house stories while the brooding atmosphere, secretive residents, and eerie silence create a modern gothic mood that amplifies the creepiness of the plot. Jules is uncertain whom to trust, and her increasing paranoia drives much of the suspense, keeping readers questioning what's real and who's dangerous. The story follows her as she navigates fear, gaslighting, and manipulation - ultimately reclaiming power through courage and tenacity. With the desperate and financially strapped Jules staying in an apartment building designed for the wealthy elite, the novel explores how financial insecurity can make people vulnerable to exploitation—highlighting the stark contrast between the wealthy and the desperate. The Heart (15:26): Devin discussed Lease on Love by Falon Ballard, a romance following Sadie Green - a sharp, ambitious woman who has just thrown her finance career out the window with a single outburst. With her career thrown in a blender and her housing situation dire, she drinks away her sorrows and browses roommate listings which lands her an appointment for what she thinks is a spare bedroom. She meets Jack Thomas who offers her the entire first floor of his spacious and beautiful Brooklyn Brownstone for a fraction of what he could charge. From there, Sadie and Jack both work on rebuilding - both themselves and their lives. Devin's key takeaways were: The apartment—this big, cozy Brooklyn brownstone—is practically a third main character. It becomes a safe haven for both Sadie and Jack. It's not just a setting, but the space that allows them to let their guards down and build something real. Both Sadie and Jack are at emotional crossroads, and their relationship becomes a soft space to land. The story leans into themes of trust, grief, and rediscovering purpose—not just in love or their respective careers but in self-worth and their personhood. Beyond the romance, Lease on Love is a celebration of strong friendships and emotional community as people navigate the rough waters of their 20s. Sadie's friend group and Jack's quiet generosity show that love can be a team sport and vulnerability and collaboration pave the way to happiness. Hot On the Shelf (33:35): Devin: Just Playing House by Farah Heron Holly: Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor What's Making Our Hearts Race (37:33): Devin: A new candle warmer!  Holly: Love on the Spectrum Season 3   Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com   If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: Howdy, partner! Saddle up today and join Holly and Devin as they explore the Wild West - the region of the United States west of the Mississippi River between the 1830s and the early 1900s. Whether you're looking for love or a spooky thrill, books set in the Wild West are more violent, raw, and connected to the dangers of the wide open plains. Stark and vivid, these stories strip life down to the most basic aspects of human nature and explore what we'll do to survive.  Topics Discussed: The Heart (5:09): Devin discussed Lucky Red by Claudia Cravens, a western sapphic romance following Bridget as she travels through the Kansas prairie with her alcoholic father. After he dies from a rattlesnake bite, Bridget makes it to Dodge City and is soon recruited to work at the Buffalo Queen - the only brothel in town run by women. Bridget takes well to brothel life and forms deep friendships with her fellow “sporting women”. When Spartan Lee, a legendary female gunfighter, comes to town, though, the life she's built is threatened and Bridget must decide who and what she'll fight for. Devin's key takeaways were: This book embodied the chaos and tenuousness of this era of the Western United States. Craven imbues her writing with an anger and sharpness that matches well with the violence of the weather and people trying to survive in what had just recently been wilderness. While most of the book takes place inside the brothel, we get a picture of the society by the men who sit at the bar and spend time with the women.  While this book can definitely be called a romance, there's an undercurrent of danger and discomfort such that it was difficult to relax into and trust. The writing was impeccably done but what propelled the story was less the queer love Bridget feels and explores with women but the found family and platonic love she feels for her peers at the Buffalo Queen.  Craven explores, through Bridget, the dynamic between men in power and women whose only power could be found in whoring. There is a pride implied through the book for these women and the reader gets to see their strength and cunning in action; even in Spartan there is a claiming and staking of power by force. The men, though, claim nothing and by simply being in a room or not being in a room can determine the fates of each woman we come to care about.  The Dagger (18:01): Holly discussed Lone Women by Victor Lavalle, a historical horror book set in 1915 following Adelaide Henry, a young Black woman living in California. Having set her home ablaze with her dead parents inside, Adelaide moves to Montana with only a steamer trunk containing a dangerous secret. Once there, she claims a homestead under the promise that if she can farm the land for three years, it will be hers. Met with a harsh landscape, xenophobia and patriarchal pressures, and the burden of her past, Adelaide befriends other outcast women and hopes the horrifying truth doesn't come out. Holly's key takeaways were: The novel challenges the traditional, whitewashed narrative of the American frontier. Instead of the rugged, heroic white men often depicted in Westerns, Lone Women focuses on the marginalized figures—women, people of color, and outsiders—who also played a crucial role in shaping the West. The novel highlights the loneliness and struggles of female homesteaders, who had to survive in a harsh environment without the privileges that white male settlers had. Despite her initial isolation, Adelaide finds support in unexpected places, demonstrating the importance of chosen family in times of hardship. She bonds with Grace, a struggling single mother, and Bertie, who both offer her friendship and protection. The idea of survival is not just about enduring physical hardship—it's about finding allies and building a life on one's own terms.  The supernatural elements in Lone Women serve as metaphors for historical and societal horrors. The monster in Adelaide's trunk embodies both her own trauma and the fear of what happens when buried secrets come to light. The desolation of the Montana frontier, with its harsh winters and isolation, enhances the eerie atmosphere, making it a place where both natural and supernatural dangers lurk. Hot On the Shelf (32:37): Devin: The Pairing by Casey McQuinston Holly: The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson What's Making Our Hearts Race (36:33): Devin: Superstore show on Peacock Holly: Severance season 2 on AppleTV    Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com   If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: Hm, is that sound of screaming from the joy of a roller coaster or a stabbing? Today our hosts discuss books set in Theme Parks! Whether like Holly you're more drawn to the magic and experience of places like DisneyLand or you're like Devin chasing adrenaline on some of the fastest and most intense roller coasters on earth, there are books that can give you the thrill you're looking for.  Topics Discussed: The Dagger (6:53): Holly discussed FantasticLand by Mike Bockoven, a horror book reminiscent of an adult Lord of the Flies. After a hurricane ravages the Florida coast and isolates FantasticLand, a theme park where “Fun is Guaranteed!,” employees agree to stay behind to make sure the park isn't looted and are promised to be paid to do so. Five weeks later, rescue crews arrive to find heads on spikes, bodies lined up, and employees split into warring factions. Holly's key takeaways were: The story fills in the gaps between the hurricane and what the rescue crews discovered through various POVs; a journalist interviews various people involved after the fact. Since the story is told through multiple interviews, readers must decide which accounts to believe, as survivors may be unreliable or have their own agendas. The novel highlights how quickly social norms break down when survival is at stake. Cut off from the outside world, the employees turn to tribalism, reinforcing the idea that without structure, humans can revert to their most primal instincts.  The theme park itself provided a unique structure and setting for such an intense plot; the factions of employees were named after the rides near them such as the Pirates, the ShopGirls as they resort to violence while competing for food, medicine, and social dominance in what had been a whimsical space.  The Heart (19:48): Devin discussed Hot Dog Girl by Jennifer Dugan, a YA romance following Elouise (Lou) Parker and her group of friends at their summer jobs at Magic Castle Playland, a run-down local theme park in their town. Lou suffers her junior year summer wearing a giant hot dog suit around the park, while her love interest Nick gets to be a Diving Pirate dating Jessa, a princess. The news that the park will be shutting down at the end of the summer, Lou takes matters into her own hands to ensure that she has the summer of her dreams - from saving the park to fake-dating her best friend, Seeley, so she can ultimately win her man. Devin's key takeaways were:  Magic Castle Playland is like any local, run down park that you've ever been to and it's nostalgic in the way it is so typical. A large portion of the plot is dedicated to Lou's increasingly desperate attempts to keep the park from closing and the park itself acts as a mirror and a foil for her own immaturity and growth.   The fake dating between Lou and Seeley in order to break another couple up was a challenging part of the story, especially when it's a bi woman doing it with a lesbian to win a cis het man. There's a stereotype of bi women (and men, but mostly women): they lead people on, they're greedy, they can't make up their minds, and this book fed into that stereotype.  The “young adult” aspect of this book really shone through. Nick and Seeley were mature, kind, and measured throughout but everyone else was very in their teenage years. Getting the story from Lou's perspective was at times agonizing; a blend of being so accurate to a dumb teenager's brain and Lou's own meddling and dramatic rhetoric.  Hot On the Shelf (36:51): Holly: Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy Devin: I Think They Love You by Julian Winters What's Making Our Hearts Race (40:22): Holly: Holly's Literary Magic Substack Devin: Mythic Quest on AppleTV   Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com   If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: Grab a pint and cozy up with us to talk all things Ireland on today's episode! Whether you have Irish blood in your family like Holly or have never visited the country like Devin, the unique and salt-of-the-earth culture of this small island country has captured the hearts and imaginations of authors in every genre. With gray skies and warm, well-lit pubs creating contrast, this country is the ideal intersection between our hosts' wheelhouses.  Topics Discussed: The Heart (3:30): Devin discussed Last Call at the Local by Sarah Grunder Ruiz, a romance following free-spirited American singer-songwriter Rain Hart. Originally from Boston, some bad luck leaves her unable to perform and stranded in a small Irish town. Seeking solace at a pub called The Local, Raine insults and intrigues Jack Dunne, the pub's owner. After asking her to help bring the rundown watering hole back to life, Raine and Jack must confront their growing attraction and their opposite lifestyles. Devin's key takeaways were: The quintessential setting of an Irish pub serves to accentuate Raine's place as a stranger at first, but also the unique warmth and community found across Ireland that so many are drawn to. Jack's ownership of the pub comes with baggage, but in collaboration with the red-headed American he starts to see how The Local can transcend his trauma.  Ruiz touches on neurodivergence and mental health conditions with grace and empathy. Raine manages her ADHD as best she can while enjoying her nomadic lifestyle, and Jack balances his OCD and his business. The way their situations influence how their relationship evolves is one of the deeper and more fulfilling aspects of the story. Another hallmark of stories centered on Ireland, this book is full of deep community. The side characters are rich and heavily involved, and The Local itself increasingly becomes the center of the small town's universe.  The Dagger (11:34): Holly discussed Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent, a crime fiction story following Sally Diamond, a socially isolated woman living in rural Ireland. When she takes her father's directive of “when I die just put him out with the bins” literally, she draws unwanted attention to herself including police, a media frenzy, and the unearthing of long-buried secrets about her past. Sally must piece together horrifying truths and navigate an unknown figure from her past and how to integrate into a society that sees her as an outsider. Holly's key takeaways were: Sally's early childhood affected her development into an adult and left her emotionally detached, and the novel explores how deep-seated trauma manifests in behavior. She struggles with demonstrating emotions and understanding social cues. Her adopted father sheltered her as much as possible, so she's never had a job, a romantic relationship, or even a friend. Sally's inner thoughts are super funny and this brought lightness to a very otherwise dark book. Her perspective is in some ways beautiful and hopeful amidst the dark themes and her treatment as an outsider forces readers to consider how society perceives neurodivergence or unusual behavior. Nugent doesn't present Ireland as a stereotypical location or even sets out to convey a strong sense of literal place, but the writing feels strongly irish in its tone; dark, doesn't pull punches, but on sentence level well written and enriched with detail and humor.  Hot On the Shelf (27:29): Devin: The 7-10 Split by Karmen Lee Holly: The Dream Hotel by Laila Lailami What's Making Our Hearts Race (31:39): Devin: SNL 50: Beyond Saturday Night Holly: Rewatching the TV show Lost   Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com   If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: We'll make it quick this week, folks! Or not, since Holly and Devin can't resist waxing poetic about how awesome novellas are. Shorter than a novel, longer than a short story, these ~160 page books really pack a punch. Growing in popularity in Holly's wheelhouse lately but still more rare in Devin's, this corner of published works is sometimes overlooked but always worth digging into more deeply, especially if you enjoy watching authors use economy of words to create a world you're sucked into.  Topics Discussed: The Dagger (5:15): Holly discussed We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson, a gothic horror novella following Merricat Blackwood, an 18 year old girl who lives on her family's estate with her older sister Constance and their ailing uncle Julian. The Blackwood family used to be larger but was decimated by arsenic poisoning at a family dinner six years before the novel begins, for which Constance was accused and acquitted. Their days pass in happy isolation until cousin Charles appears, seeking to claim the Blackwood fortune. His presence threatens their secluded way of life, and Merricat feels she must act swiftly to keep them all safe from his designs. Holly's key takeaways were: The novel explores themes of societal cruelty, mob mentality, and the persecution of those who are different. Through Merricat and Constance, the reader explores human nature and society's treatment of outsiders. The story can be read as a subversive take on women's roles, with Constance as the domestic caretaker and Merricat as a defiant, untamed force. Jackson creates a chilling atmosphere of dread and paranoia, influencing modern gothic fiction and psychological thrillers we see today. She explores the lines between social ostracization and self-imposed exile, how the Blackwoods' past defines their present and how Constance and Merricat cope differently with their trauma.  As a novella, Holly was impacted the most by Jackson's effective writing in so few pages. She felt joy at every single sentence, every weird quirk of the characters, the tone that was partly childlike and partly old fashioned, every detail about their house and their shopping and the claustrophobia of it all. The Heart (16:56): Devin discussed Loathe to Love You by Ali Hazelwood, a collection of three novellas that can stand alone but also work in harmony as a collection. Mara, Sadie, and Hannah are three engineers with different specialities, living in different places, united by friendship and their hatred for men thrust into their lives. Whether you're following Mara as she fights for space living with Liam, Sadie as she grapples with rejection while trapped in an elevator with Erik, or Hannah as she struggles for survival (and control of herself) with Ian in the arctic, these novellas are delightfully feminist and steamy. Devin's key takeaways were: As with many of Hazelwood's works, these novellas are grounded first and foremost in feminism and women in STEM; the three protagonists are very different but united in their work in the sciences and the challenges they face as women in a male-dominated field. As a novella, these stories stay tight and build romantic tension by putting the protagonists in closed environments; roommates, trapped in an elevator, in a tiny research facility in frigid conditions. By limiting the scope of locations and characters, Hazelwood could more efficiently create the perfect cocktail of emotion, tension, and chemistry that makes for great Enemies to Lovers reading. A standout component of the novella collection was the men; each in their own way was misunderstood by the female protagonists and for good reason. The flip of the switch from skepticism and assumption that they're just one of those sexist, ladder-climbing men to understanding and attraction was a blast to read.  Hot On the Shelf (29:51): Devin: Likeable Badass by Alison Fragle, PhD Holly: Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson What's Making Our Hearts Race (34:52): Devin: Sex Lives of College Girls Season 3 on Max Holly: Say Nothing on Hulu   Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com   If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: Whether you're young or just young at heart, the explosion of Young Adult novels in the last decade has made an impact on the publishing industry and readers alike. Today, Holly and Devin review YA stories from their wheelhouses, showing us the breadth and depth of YA stories - they can get intense, both romantically and horrifically.  Topics Discussed: The Heart (6:23): Devin discussed I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuinston, a YA romance following Chloe Green after her rival and prom queen Shara Wheeler kisses her and then disappears from their small Alabama community. Chloe teams up with Rory Heron and Smith Parker, who Shara also kissed, to find her. Along the way, they also realize they're finding themselves. Devin's key takeaways were:  The characters embark on a journey of self-exploration, grappling with their sexuality, ambitions, and the expectations imposed by their conservative community. McQuinston highlights the complexities of discovering and embracing one's true self, especially in a setting that demands conformity. The story explores the tension between individuality and societal pressures, especially within the confines of a rigidly conservative environment. Shara's mysterious game becomes a form of rebellion, challenging the rules and norms of their community while encouraging others to question them too. Through the unlikely alliances and shared experiences of Chloe, Rory, and Smith, the book examines the power of understanding and empathy. It underscores the importance of building authentic connections, healing fractured relationships, and finding common ground with others—even those you least expect. The Dagger (16:22): Holly discussed The Grace Year by Kim Liggett, a YA dystopian horror set in the fictional Garner County, in which a patriarchal society teaches girls they have the power to lure grown men from their beds and drive women mad with jealousy. As a result, each girl is banished from the community when they turn sixteen - they must release their magic into the wild so they can return purified and ready for marriage. Tierney James dreams of a better life, but as her own grace year draws near, she realizes that she has a lot more to fear than the brutal elements outside Garner County. Holly's key takeaways were: This story was particularly well suited for a young adult audience even though it clearly can resonate with anyone of any age. Liggett takes things that teens are dealing with, especially expectations and limitations on girls and women throughout history to today, and shows them in a new light by dialing them up to this extreme, dystopian level.  The Grace Year critiques societal systems that oppress women through fear, control, and systemic violence. The story explores how women are pitted against each other under patriarchal systems and how solidarity can emerge even in dire circumstances. The concept of "magic" is used metaphorically to explore how fear and myths are wielded as tools to control and subjugate populations. Tierney's struggle to survive physically and emotionally highlights themes of resilience and self-reliance inside of the restrictive bounds of that “magic.”  Hot On the Shelf (31:52): Devin: Single Player by Tara Tai Holly: Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao What's Making Our Hearts Race (36:21): Devin: Athletic Brewing NA Beer  Holly: Conclave   Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com   If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: Welcome to a very special Love Fest to celebrate our 80th episode! Today, Devin and Holly share their top 10 Hearts and Daggers books from 2024. Holly spent the year falling in love with more literary stories from the darker wheelhouse with mic drop endings. Devin's year was highlighted by audiobooks, digging deeper into cozy romantasy as well as incredibly sexy scenes. Either way, it was a banner year for reading and we hope you had a great one too!  Topics Discussed (10:40): The Dagger: 10: Three Assassins by Kotaro Isaka 9: Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke 8: What Happened to Nina? By Dervla McTiernan 7: The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean 6: The God of the Woods by Liz Moore 5: Bad Cree by Jessica Johns 4: How Can I Help You by Laura Sims 3: The Eyes are the Best Part by Monika Kim 2: Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth 1: Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk The Heart: 10: Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura 9: The Art of Catching Feelings by Alicia Thompson 8: Do Your Worst by Rosie Danan 7: The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes by Cat Sebastian 6: Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver 5: Ready or Not by Cara Bastone 4: Bride by Ali Hazelwood 3: The Prospects by KT Hoffman 2: How You Get the Girl by Anita Kelly 1: Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan 2025 Anticipated Release (44:20): Holly: Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito Devin: Bears & Bakeries by Dylan Drakes   Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com   If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: Welcome to 2025 and a fresh start! Join our hosts today as they discuss books that feature second chances. What happens when you don't nail it the first time, but get another shot to turn things around? What if that new shot is a cloned body after you were murdered, or a co-parent looking more and more like the love of your life again? Whatever your wheelhouse, this time of year is a great opportunity to get a fresh perspective.  Topics Discussed: The Dagger (4:15): Holly discussed My Murder by Katie Williams, a sci-fi mystery thriller following Louise, the happily married mother of an adorable toddler and recent victim of a serial killer. Thanks to a pilot program created by the US Government, Lou has been cloned and “brought back to life.” The clones in the program are returned to their grieving families and the lives that have been stolen from them, the memories, feelings, and personalities of their original selves intact (for the most part). For Louise, though, there's a lingering unease and she's haunted by the gaps in her memory from the lead up to her murder. Holly's key takeaways were: This thriller blends speculative science fiction and domestic suspense, with the sci-fi coming across as very approachable and a light touch; for example, the serial killer Edward Early is meant to serve out his sentence in an induced coma as part of his rehab.  Williams explores the nature of identity and selfhood; she interrogates what makes you, you - is cloned Louise the same as the Louise who was killed? What does it mean that she no longer has a c-section scar and her toddler sometimes doesn't recognize her?  There is a very literal second chance in this story - Louise is cloned and placed back into her old life. However, is this opportunity the bright, happy solution the program intends?  The Heart (14:31): Devin discussed Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan, a romance following Yasmin and Josiah as they work to co-parent their two children, Deja and Kassim, after their painful but amicable divorce. After the tragic loss of their third unborn child and Yasmin's struggle with depression, the forever that Yasmin and Josiah saw for themselves fell apart. Now, as they both recover and begin to find joy and themselves again, will they return to each other? Devin's key takeaways were: Ryan explores second chances not just for their relationship but for themselves as individuals; Yasmen and Josiah work the entire book to really come back to themselves after the tragedy and give themselves the permission to feel joy and enjoy life again. Their self-evolution naturally leads to the exploration of their divorce and the love they still have for each other. Unlike a lot of romances, children and co-parenting play a huge role in this book; Yasmen and Josiah work constantly to meet the needs of their children and a lot of their coordination and early plot revolves around them. The family is richly described with rounded characters all around and are easy to fall in love with Josiah and Yasmen co-own a restaurant, Grits. It's so successful that they're looking to expand into a new market, and the family history and culinary connection brightens the book and adds texture that it would otherwise have missed.  Hot On the Shelf (26:07): Devin: Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rudell Holly: Old Soul by Susan Barker  What's Making Our Hearts Race (29:20): Devin: Our Little Secret with Lindsay Lohan on Netflix Holly: Flow, the animated movie    Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com   If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: Bundle up and stay inside with us for a very topical episode today; Holly and Devin sip hot coco and discuss books set in the Winter! Whether you love the cold and the snow like Devin or have moved as far away from the season as you reasonably can like Holly, books set in winter create the perfect vibe for our host's respective wheelhouses. Nothing is cozier or more ominous than this season, where being stuck inside can be perfect for smooching or for bodies being found.  Topics Discussed: The Heart (4:30): Devin discussed A Winter in New York by Josie Silver, a romance following Iris, a British woman restarting her life in New York City from London after the death of her mother and the end of an abusive relationship. At a street fair in Little Italy, Iris recognizes the characteristic door to Belotti's gelateria as a place her mother spent time with a mysterious young man. A secret gelato recipe, an uncle fallen ill, and a gorgeous and kind Belotti's heir Giovanni and Iris is in over her head. How can she reconcile her family's past while struggling so much to build her own future? Devin's key takeaways were: This story begins in the fall but spends the majority if the time deep in the New York winter; there's romanticization of the city but the coziness of Iris' tiny apartment and the back kitchen of Belotti's where she and Gio work on the recipe was enjoyable to read, if not totally accurate to what NYC is like in the winter.  Similar to other works by Silver, this story has a lot of layers to it, some of which work better than others. The guilt that Iris feels about having Gio's family recipe from her mother and the romantic implications from teenagers goes a bit far and creates a false sense of strain between Iris and Gio, who otherwise could have had a totally normal, non-dramatic romance. One of the main themes through this book is family - how we're connected, what our families teach us, what a legacy means, and what happens when you step outside that comfort zone and get hurt by strangers. Iris has just escaped an abusive relationship and the connection to her mother drives her to take sometimes unnatural steps to stay involved with Belotti's.  The Dagger (17:12): Holly discussed Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk, a literary mystery following Janina, who lives a solitary life in a rural Polish village. Quirky and eccentric, Janina is deeply connected to nature and obsessed with astrology and William Blake's poetry. Awoken in the middle of the night by her neighbor (who she calls Oddball) banging on her door, she discovers that her other neighbor, Big Foot, has died painfully. Unable to reach the Czech police, they take care of his body and things escalate after another community member is found dead. Holly's key takeaways were: The novel challenges traditional notions of morality, presenting animals as equal agents deserving of justice and respect. Janina's belief that animals can take revenge for human cruelty questions the ethics of hunting, poaching, and industrialized animal exploitation. Janina is portrayed as an eccentric outsider, dismissed by her community for her unconventional views and behavior. Janina's character challenges stereotypes about older women, portraying her as intelligent, independent, and driven. Her alienation underscores the marginalization of those who challenge societal norms and the way society dismisses women.  This book is perfectly atmospheric for winter; to give a taste of how winter is depicted from the first pages: “We left the house and were instantly engulfed by the familiar cold, wet air that reminds us every winter that the world was not created for Mankind, and for at least half the year it shows us how very hostile it is to us. The frost brutally assailed our cheeks, and clouds of white steam came streaming from our mouths.” Hot On the Shelf (32.35): Holly: All the Water in the World by Eiren Caffall Devin: Truly Madly Deeply by Alexandria Bellefleur What's Making Our Hearts Race (35:34): Devin: Our Little Secret with Lindsay Lohan on Netflix Holly: John Williams Documentary on Disney+   Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com   If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: Get ready to run into that one kid from high school in today's episode - Small Towns! Whether you're like Devin who grew up and still lives in small towns or like Holly who is a big city gal, these spaces are almost always pressure cookers. The intimacy of the community can make any character claustrophobic (especially if a serial killer is lurking) or euphoric with love; the past and the present intermingle in these places and nothing is anonymous, for better or worse.  Topics Discussed: The Dagger (5:29): Holly discussed The Whisper Man by Alex North, a psychological thriller following Tom Kennedy and his young son, Jake, after they move to the small town of Featherbank after the tragic death of Tom's wife, Rebecca. Jake, a quiet and sensitive boy, soon begins to exhibit strange behavior - including talking to imaginary friends. When Neil Spencer, a young boy in town, goes missing in a similar way to the M.O. of serial Killer Frank Cater, detectives get involved to stop the madness. Holly's key takeaways were: Characters like detective Pete and Tom are haunted by their pasts, while Jake's odd behavior reflects how trauma can manifest in children. The novel delves into the lasting effects of pain and loss. The strained relationship between Tom and Jake mirrors the generational impact of Tom's own childhood with his abusive father, exploring how parental relationships shape identity and behavior. Featherbank is portrayed as a small, seemingly idyllic town, but one that is haunted by its history with "The Whisper Man" murders. This duality of small towns—where the veneer of safety masks a deeper darkness—creates a rich tension. The town's past crimes are embedded in its collective memory, affecting the attitudes of its residents and shaping the investigation into the new abduction.  Both Tom and Jake feel isolated in their own ways, but the story emphasizes the importance of connection and understanding in overcoming fear and loneliness. The father and son also grapple with their grief over Rebecca's death; their loneliness highlights the ways people cope with loss and how relationships can be rebuilt after tragedy. The Heart (15:24): Devin discussed Book Lovers by Emily Henry, a romance following NYC literary agent Nora Stephens as she and her sister Libby take a sabbatical to the tiny town of Sunshine Falls, North Carolina. Once there, Nora runs into her arch-nemesis and brooding book editor  Charlie Lastra, who grew up in the town. Thrown together for a few weeks, the two decide to put aside their differences and work to make a well-known author's manuscript into a publishable book. But can their enmity last when they both clearly love books and this idyllic town so much? Devin's key takeaways were: The setting of Sunshine Falls is as Hallmark-y as the name would convey. The are friendly locals, quirky businesses, and a slower pace of life that contrasts directly with the New York lifestyles that Nora and Charlie are accustomed to now. The town also holds personal significance for Charlie; he grew up there. Nora is a literary agent and Charlie an editor, which not only gives them a ton in common but is grounds for their enmity. In Sunshine Falls, the Goode Books Store is a focal point, representing the literary charm of the town and serves as the backdrop for many scenes.  While it was a manuscript that made them dislike each other, it's another one that brings them together. Nora first met Charlie when pitching the blunt editor a manuscript she felt passionate about; he rebuffs her and criticizes the work. They both have their heels dug in that the other is wrong and has no taste, but as they collaborate on Dusty Fielding's latest work, they begin to bond. Hot On the Shelf (27:36): Devin: Puck & Prejudice by Lia Riley Holly: Perestroika in Paris by Jane Smiley What's Making Our Hearts Race (31:15): Devin: the final season of What We Do in the Shadows Holly: the Wicked movie   Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com   If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: From Lord of the Rings to ACOTAR, Fantasy is a genre that is as unique and multifaceted as the human imagination. Today, Holly and Devin give a sense of the range and flexibility of the genre by bringing books from their wheelhouses - how can a single genre be the coziest and creepiest? What we do know, at least, is that any fantasy story will be a great escape from reality and any great fantasy author can build us vivid worlds we've never seen before. Topics Discussed: The Heart (4:01): Devin discussed Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree, a cozy fantasy following Viv, a recently retired mercenary orc looking to start anew in the city of Thune. In her travels she discovered an unusual drink called coffee, and has a dream of opening a shop that sells it. Soon she is working alongside a succubus, a ratfolk, other orcs, wizards and all kinds of people seeking peace, pastries, and a latte. After a lifetime of danger, swords, and threats, can Viv relax enough to accept her new, slower-paced life and new friends who like her for her and not her muscles? Devin's key takeaways were: If you want an orc-themed blanket to wrap yourself in this holiday season, Legends and Lattes is it! As a fantasy lover there were moments where Devin's heart rate picked up, but any reader will immediately be soothed by Baldree's diligent plotting and ability to take his foot of the gas without making the book boring.  There is so much humanity and heart in these non-human creatures from Orcs to Succubuses to Ratfolk and everything in between; the fantastical flare to a coffee shop that serves cappuccino and pastries levels up the magical feeling of a cozy, easy read.  The soft, evolving dynamic between Viv and Tanzy (succubus barista) as Viv lets go of a life of hypervigilance and mistrust and learns to build a community and healthy, non-combat relationships is a delight for any romance fan. There is tension and flirting but no pressure and the dynamic founded in friendship and respect is all anyone can hope for in life.  The Dagger (16:27): Holly discussed The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins, an apocalyptic fantasy novel following Carolyn, one of twelve adopted children of a powerful, god-like being called Father. Each child was raised in isolation and taught by Father in his mystical library to master a specific catalog of knowledge. After decades of abuse, living in fear, and consistent punishments - Father has disappeared and the library is locked. Carolyn enacts a plan she's been building for years, one that could give her the power of Father, or destroy her. Holly's key takeaways were: The novel examines the corrupting nature of power and how it can alter one's humanity. Carolyn's pursuit of ultimate power in the Library raises questions about whether anyone can wield such control without becoming monstrous. Carolyn and her siblings have been scarred by Father's abusive upbringing, creating deep-seated trauma that influences their actions. The novel explores the long-lasting impact of trauma, especially within a family, and how abuse can shape one's path, even when seeking liberation. The Library, with its endless knowledge, symbolizes the human pursuit of understanding and control over the universe. However, this knowledge is also dangerous and overwhelming, reflecting the idea that some things may be beyond human comprehension. Hot On the Shelf (31:12): Holly: The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett Devin: The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper What's Making Our Hearts Race (34:26): Holly: YouTuber Rachel Maksy Devin: volunteering at a horse sanctuary - The Middle Way   Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com   If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: Travel back in time with us to one of history's most prolific literary periods (and, if Holly says so herself, peak fashion as well). Today our hosts discuss books set between the 1830s and 1900, a period known commonly as the Victorian period after Queen Victoria of Britain. With a strong emphasis on social morality, industrialization and elaborate ornamentation, both romance and thriller stories set in this era are vivid, chaotic, and gothically influenced.  Topics Discussed: The Dagger (3:58): Holly discussed Things in Jars by Jess Kidd, a mystery with fantastical elements following Bridie Devine, a female detective who investigates the kidnapping of Christabel Berwick. Cristabel is the secret daughter of Sir Edmund Athelstan Berwick; he is a wealthy collector of oddities and this daughter of his is rumored to have supernatural abilities–which have captured the unwanted attention of collectors trading curiosities in this age of discovery. Holly's key takeaways were: The characters are the stars of this book and bring wonderful quirky and eccentric energy. A few favorites include a charming tattooed boxer who happens to be a ghost, a newt-eating girl-maybe-mermaid, and a formidable seven-foot tall maid.  The novel's setting in Victorian London adds to its gothic tone, with vivid descriptions of the city's foggy streets, eerie riverbanks, and strange, shadowy characters who dwell in its hidden corners. It is a perfect time period for this story, given the age of discovery and fascination with the strange and macabre while still hanging onto a lot of superstition.  The writing (especially the first quarter) felt like it was trying too hard to fit every descriptive long word in, which can trip up a reader and prevent them from feeling super invested. That being said, over time that experience does improve and the end made even the unflappable Holly emotional.  The Heart (15:35): Devin discussed The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes by Cat Sebastian, a Victorian-era romance following Marian Hayes, the Duchess of Clare, after she shoots and kills her husband. Due to a spot of blackmail, she connects with highwayman and con artist Rob Brooks and after some misunderstandings, some light bondage, and a mutual agreement the duo flee across the country to build, hopefully, a new future for them both. Devin's key takeaways were:  Marian and Rob (as well as everyone else) are constrained throughout the story by the strict societal and cultural pressures mandated by the Patriarchy and the Aristocracy. Rob strives at all times to reject the privilege of his aristocratic history, and Marian seeks freedom from her abusive marriage (nailed it, killed him) and the fallout a woman can suffer when seeking liberation in the Victorian era.  Eschewing dresses and feeling most comfortable in breeches, Marian is a heroine to root for. While each character has their own journey and there's a uniting plot similar to Robin Hood, everyone is empowered in their own way and the interplay of Rob's sunshine charisma and Marian's standoffish efficiency is a blast to read.  While the tension and connection between Rob and Marian is strong from the start as the reader experiences the letters they write to each other (blackmail to banter, a new favorite trope), this is not a traditionally steamy book. Marian's trauma from her pregnancy and abusive marriage has reframed how she wants to experience intimacy, and Rob's acceptance of her situation makes modern men look pathetic compared to this Victorian king.  Hot On the Shelf (34:02): Holly: The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden Devin: Cleat Cute by Meryl Wilsner What's Making Our Hearts Race (37:10): Holly: The Great British Baking Show Devin: Trousdale   Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com   If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: While many authors dream of the day when their story will be picked up by Simon and Schuster, many more decide not to wait for their own IP or publisher. These brave, creative souls write fanfiction. One of the most popular ships in the fanfic world is that of Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger - iconic hero and villain characters from the Harry Potter franchise. Join Devin (seasoned Dramione and fanfic reader) and Holly (experiencing her first ever fanfiction for this episode) as they explore the oft-overlooked world of fanfic.  Topics Discussed: The Heart (5:31): Devin discussed Draco Malfoy and the Mortifying Ordeal of Being in Love by isthisselfcare, a friends to lovers tale set after the Harry Potter books end. Draco has a successful career as an Auror, an amicable relationship with his colleagues Ron and Harry, and a new assignment guarding his former nemesis - Hermione Granger. Hermione straddles the Muggle and Magical worlds as a medical researcher and Healer, but her most recent discovery has put her in danger and Draco Malfoy may be the only person who can keep her safe. Devin's key takeaways were:  This is one of the most common ships in the Harry Potter fanfiction universe, and for a good reason. Hermione's sassy, fiery hyper-competence combined with Draco's bad boy but soft cinnamon roll vibe is a combo that readers never get sick of. They go toe-to-toe with banter, witticisms, and are both very attractive people. The redemption arc for Draco assisted by Hermione also feels accurate to their characterizations.  A lot of this story is centered around exploring those who have power (magic, political, physical, etc.) and those who do not. Both Draco and Hermione in their respective ways are fighting for those weaker than them and the plot arcs toward an ultimate battle against a known villain we all hated but never got their comeuppance in the cannon.  If you think intelligence is hot, boy, this is the book for you. Both Draco and Hermione are at the top of their craft in different ways and find their respective talents and cleverness alluring, which makes this an absolutely fantastic read for nerds. The author clearly did a ton of in-depth research on medicine, mathematics, and magical theories to make this story feel accurate to real, modern life (with a magical twist). The Dagger (16:26): Holly discussed Regression by WritexAboutxMe  The fanfiction is a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers narrative, combining elements of suspense with intense emotional and psychological depth. It includes mature themes such as PTSD and trauma recovery, as well as moments of sexual tension between the characters.  For a fanfiction, the settings of the story were fantastic; Draco's Paris flat, Neville and Luna's cozy cottage for example. The mystery was intriguing amidst the cozier places as Draco and Hermione sought to understand how the bodies had runes carved into them, trying to get to the bottom of what they meant and who might be responsible.  If you're used to reading published works, the lack of editing and juvenile tone can be off-putting in this story. Be mindful of things like the length (600-800 pages equivalent), some sudden and explicit mentions of sex, and Harry calling our protagonist “‘Mione” nonstop.  Hot On the Shelf (36:24): Devin: Fang Fiction by Kate Stayman-London Holly: Christine Falls by Benjamin Black What's Making Our Hearts Race (39:32): Devin: Nobody Wants This on Netflix  Holly: Rings of Power Season 2 on Amazon Prime    Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com   If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: Grab a bowl of brains and hunker down for a perfect theme for spooky season - the Undead! Today Holly and Devin sink their teeth into these legendary creatures; deceased but actually alive, depicted as everything from vampires, zombies, mummies and skeletons. Whether you vibe with Brendan Frasier in the iconic 1999 film or are a huge fan of The Walking Dead, these beings have captured our imaginations for centuries for a great reason.  Topics Discussed: The Dagger (3:37): Holly discussed Dread Nation by Justina Ireland, an alternate history novel where the Civil War ended not because of political agreements or military victories, but because the dead begin to rise on the battlefield at Gettysburg, forcing both Union and Confederate forces to confront a new, common enemy: the undead. We follow Jane McKeene as she is trained in the art of combat against the undead (called Shamblers) at Miss Preston's School of Combat for Negro Girls in Baltimore. Jane becomes increasingly disillusioned with the system and matters escalate when she and her friend are sent to Summerland, a western settlement that harbors dark secrets. Holly's key takeaways were: Ireland was inspired to write this book after reading “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies”; it is unlikely that women who didn't even dress themselves would be zombie fighting machines, and would likely have relied on their ladies' maids instead. Ireland uses this speculative angle to shed light on the very real history of the United States and the implications of racism both then and now. The Shamblers are pretty classic zombies: slow-moving, rotting, and relentless in their pursuit of human flesh. They can turn others into shamblers through bites, similar to traditional zombie lore and hoards of shamblers roam the countryside. Jame is resilient, a master at surviving and must navigate the tricky path of how much one has to compromise their morals in order to survive; she is faced with illusions of safety and the crumbling facade of corruption while holding onto friendships and the trust she shares with her schoolmates.  The Heart (15:55): Devin discussed Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match by Sally Thorne, a reimagining of the Mary Shelley classic that follows Victor's younger sister who has been unlucky in love. A great scientific mind but known as being a bit odd, she's run out of suitors but strikes upon a solution as she assists her brother with his groundbreaking reanimation experiments; she'll make her own! A lucky (and gorgeous) corpse lands on her lab table and soon, Will is (re)born. But will the spark of life lead to a spark of love? Devin's key takeaways were: This novel was such a fun re-imagining of the Frankenstein story. It keeps all the same creepiness and gothic energy without the moral quandary of hating your creation and instead falling in love with it. Will is a dashing, galant, and not-too-wonky reanimated corpse that any reader will root for.  Angelika as a protagonist is the twist this story needed; Thorne explores the power and powerlessness of women in this era, especially within the scientific community through Angelika and the scrapes her crew gets into.  Whenever you're reanimating a dead body, you have to wonder if our lives are controlled by fate or by our own choices - is everything a coincidence or is it all meant to be? Throne uses a familiar tale to explore the implications of choice for characters and when love truly does conquer all, including death.  Hot On the Shelf (29:28): Holly: Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune Devin: Hot Hex Boyfriend by Carly Bloom What's Making Our Hearts Race (33:10): Holly: The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives on Hulu Devin: English Teacher on FX/Hulu   Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com   If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: Grab your ouija boards and candlesticks, folks, it's time to get messages from the other side! Today, Holly and Devin dabble in the world of Mediums! Whether you've visited a medium yourself or don't believe in ghosts, our hosts are leaning into spooky season by discussing books that feature folks who can (well, can they really, though?) commune with the beyond.  Topics Discussed: The Heart (5:01): Devin discussed Happy Medium by Sarah Adler, a spooky romance following Gretchen Acorn, a grifter who delights and consoles the grieving of DC by “channeling” their dearly departed. When her best (richest) client asks her to speak to a ghost who is making it impossible for her bridge partner to sell his farm, Gretchen reluctantly agrees. When she realizes that a) the bridge partner is NOT an old, crotchety man named Charlie Waybill but a super sexy youthful farmer and b) that the ghost is real and named Everett, Gretchen has to confront that maybe she's less of a fraud than she thought, and in much bigger trouble than she ever thought possible. Devin's key takeaways were: Our protagonist presented as a fraud is a surprise at the start but adds authenticity to the rest of the story. In DC she uses her roommate who works various service jobs and a ton of internet sleuthing about the dead person, but heading to Gilded Creek Goat Farm her facade fades away and all she's left with is a real ghost and her annoying, growing feelings for a real life man.  Gretchen, Everett and Charlie must all face the gap between who they pretend to be and who they actually are over the course of the book. While Gretchen is a straight up grifter, all three of them have falsehoods and fake parts of their lives (or afterlives) that are holding them back and keeping them from living authentically and, for the living, finding love. This bucolic setting of Gilded Creek was phenomenal. The old farm with lots of knitted sweaters and afghans, early mornings and willow trees by brooks with weekly farmer's markets was idyllic and the perfect setting for this slightly spooky, very wholehearted story. The Dagger (17:30): Holly discussed Hazardous Spirits by Anbara Salam, a psychological historical fiction novel set in 1920s Edinburgh, Scotland that follows Evelyn Hazard as she sprints to her sister's house to call a doctor for her husband, Robert. He's started acting strangely and saying he can see spirits, and Evelyn worries he is losing his mind. But is he? Tension mounts as Evelyn grapples with the social and logistical implications of the one person who might reveal what she's hiding about the death of her sister, Dolores. Holly's key takeaways were: This story draws you in from the very start; the narrative is close third person so the reader is only shown part of what is happening and is dropped into the world by following Evelyn around as she's navigating this new, scary situation.  While yes there is tension and suspense, Salam also explores beautifully the nature of grief; Robert wants to use his gift to help comfort people who have lost loved ones, which is almost everyone because of the recent world war and flu epidemic.  The characterization across the board from protagonists to side characters is fantastic; Evelyn and Robert are super interesting as well as Evelyn's mother; Salam captures the small, pathetic moments of being human that anyone can relate to while also exploring the supernatural.  Hot On the Shelf (33:23): Devin: Briefly Perfectly Human by Alua Arthur, Death Doula Holly: The Empusium by Olga Tocarczuk What's Making Our Hearts Race (38:24): Devin: The Decameron on Netflix Holly: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice   Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com   If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: Welcome to Episode 9, our final of the special Throne of Glass series, friends! Aelin, her court, and every character we've grown to love (or hate) come together for this epic finale in the heart of Terrassen. Today we explore Kingdom of Ash Part 2, the eighth (or ninth depending on your reading order) book in ToG. With a push to destroy the Wyrdkeys and save their world, Aelin, Dorian, Rowan, Yrene, Manon and other key players must come together to vanquish the united front of Maeve and Erawarn, who are supported by the full might of Morath.  We have both been reading the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas, a mutual favorite author who we celebrated in a previous LoveFest episode. We have been releasing monthly special episodes in which we debrief on each book as we go throughout the series and have finally come to the end!  We encourage you to read this series and play our 9 published episodes as you go; enjoy our reactions, speculations, and gushing as we explore this fantastical world. As a reminder, each episode has spoilers for the book being discussed and any of the books we've read previously, with this final episode spoiling the whole dang thing.  Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/shop/heartsanddaggerspod (purchases support our work) If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.  

Summary: Welcome to spooky season (nerd edition) friends! Today Holly and Devin explore a joint favorite career through grim and gleeful stories - librarians. While both our hosts fantasized about working in libraries and being able to read all the time surrounded by thousands of books, they'll settle today for a chat about when librarians can use books for good, or for evil. Listen in to hear how librarians have important roles to play in any genre and are always a worthwhile addition to a good story.  Topics Discussed: The Dagger (4:21): Holly discussed How Can I Help You by Laura Sims, a psychological suspense novel following Margot, a librarian in a small town public library. No one has any reason to suspect that Margot is in fact Jane, a nurse with a trail of premature deaths in her wake. Enter Patricia, a new reference librarian who starts working with Margot and gets curious about her past. Holly's key takeaways were: The suspense and writing of this novel stand out. Sims alternates between staggered timelines from Margot's and Patricia's points of view, with Margot's voice being especially crystal clear and unique.  Sims explores themes of obsession and addiction; Margot is obsessed with and addicted to feeling as if she's “helping others” (in a very twisted way) and we watch Patricia become obsessed with Margot who acts as her muse (in a very twisted way).  If you enjoy dark, almost so dark it's funny, character-driven suspense stories, especially involving libraries and medical malpractice, this story is for you.  The Heart (14:28): Devin discussed The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna, a novel following Mika Moon, one of the few witches in Britain, as her solitary life is upended by an invitation to tutor three young witches in the remote and mysterious Nowhere House in Norwich. Finding community she's never had, Mika must also navigate her simmering dynamic with the handsome (if standoffish) librarian of the house, Jamie. Devin's key takeaways were: Everything about this book screams “cozy” and sparkles and safety and joy. Even when a dead body is uncovered it's somehow beautiful. Magic in this book floats around like gold dust and Mika can see it around her; it's rambunctious and well-meaning but gets up to tomfoolery. The biggest struggle Mika, Jamie and the other characters in this book must confront is their own loneliness. Mandanna does an incredible job articulating this complicated emotion and how it can impact adults and children alike; it's a manifesto on the importance of human connection. Nowhere House has a special collection of very rare books and Jamie presides over this unique and beautiful section of an otherwise chaotic house. The importance of books, reading, and the physical space Jamie guards and protects plays a major role in the story.  Hot On the Shelf (35:23): Devin: The Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer Holly: Amari and the Despicable Wonders by B.B. Alston What's Making Our Hearts Race (38:31): Devin: Veep on HBO Max Holly: Pachinko season 2   Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com   If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: Welcome to Fall, friends, and dive into Spooky Season with Holly and Devin today. Our hosts are launching their favorite season of the year with our 7th LoveFest! We're diving deep into the Practical Magic series by Alice Hoffman - a four book, multi-generational saga following the Owens witches as they explore, grow, and combat a curse that keeps them all from long-time love. Hoffman's style is known for its connection to nature, the focus on women, and a bittersweet treatment of life and aging. Whether you read these books in publication or chronological order, you're in for a witchy treat!  Topics Discussed: Practical Magic (10:19):  After their parents die, Sally and Gillian are raised by their eccentric aunts, Frances (Franny) and Jet Owens, in an old house filled with the scent of herbs and magic. The aunts openly practice witchcraft, and while this fascinates the girls, it also causes them to be ostracized by the townspeople. The Owens women are notorious in their Massachusetts town for their magical abilities and are rumored to be cursed in matters of love; any man who falls in love with an Owens woman is doomed to an untimely death. The sisters have contrasting personalities: Sally is practical, responsible, and yearns for a normal life, while Gillian is wild, impulsive, and eager to escape the confines of her small-town life. The Rules of Magic (20:50): Prequel to Practical Magic, going back to tell the story of their aunts from book 1 The novel is set in the 1960s and follows the lives of three siblings: Franny, Jet, and Vincent Owens, who live in New York City. They come from a long line of witches, but their mother, Susanna Owens, forbids them from practicing magic or interacting with the supernatural. Despite their mother's strict rules, the siblings are irresistibly drawn to magic. Magic Lessons (27:45): The story begins in the 1600s in England, where Maria Owens is born under mysterious circumstances. She is abandoned as an infant in a snowy field but is found and raised by Hannah Owens, a healer and practitioner of the “Nameless Art” (magic). From Hannah, Maria learns about herbs, healing, and magic. Hannah also gives her the essential rule that will shape Maria's life: "Always love someone who will love you back." Maria is betrayed by the man who once declared his love for her, who she follows to Salem, Massachusetts. Maria's experiences with love lead her to create the infamous Owens family curse: that any man who loves an Owens woman will meet a tragic end. This curse is born out of Maria's heartbreak and becomes a central element in the Owens family's history, affecting generations to come. The Book of Magic (35:54): The novel opens with Jet Owens receiving a sign that her time is near. As she nears death, she hears the "deathwatch beetle," a sound that heralds the impending death of an Owens family member. Before she dies, Jet leaves behind a letter revealing the key to breaking the family curse that has plagued the Owens women for centuries. This novel ties together the stories of multiple generations of the Owens family, focusing on their quest to finally break the family curse and achieve a future where love does not result in tragedy. Jet's death deeply affects the family, especially Sally's daughters, Kylie and Antonia. In the wake of Jet's passing, Kylie discovers that the curse may have already started affecting her own life. She is in love, but fears for the life of her beloved. Hot On the Shelf (45:59): Holly: The Book of Witching by CJ Cooke Devin: The Art of Catching Feelings by Alicia Thompson What's Making Our Hearts Race (49:10): Holly: Playing piano again  Devin: Experiencing live music at the Dillon Amphitheater   Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com   If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: Welcome to Episode 8 of our special Throne of Glass series, friends! Aelin is being tortured and held inside an iron coffin by Maeve and her lackey, Cairn. Lysandra plays her at the front, Rowan will stop at nothing to find her, and things are looking very grim for our heroes. Today we explore Kingdom of Ash Part 1, the seventh (or eighth depending on your reading order) book in ToG. As Maeve and Erawan begin to make their final moves, the grand tapestry of friends, allies and lovers across continents must come together and find a way to overcome horrible odds and an existential evil. We have both been reading the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas, a mutual favorite author who we celebrated in a previous LoveFest episode. We will be releasing monthly special episodes in which we debrief on each book as we go throughout the series.  We encourage you to read along with us throughout the year–or at whatever point you're jumping into these episodes–and enjoy our reactions, speculations, and gushing as we explore this new fantastical world. As a reminder, each episode will have spoilers for the book being discussed and any of the books we've read previously, but we won't give spoilers beyond that point. Episodes will continue to drop each month until we finish the series. Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/shop/heartsanddaggerspod (purchases support our work) If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.  

Summary: Welcome to the final stop on our Summer Road Trip Series, friends! Today, Holly and Devin sip some tea while sheltering from the Seattle rain in Washington State. With cozy vibes that can quickly turn sinister, this state is ripe with potential for stories in either wheelhouse for our hosts. Culturally and literally this state is rooted in nature and the natural world, which can highlight the most epic loves or the darkest, chilling terrors. We're so delighted you joined us for our road trip and are excited to dive into Spooky Season with you next!  Topics Discussed: The Heart (4:08): Devin discussed Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur, a sapphic romance following Darcy Lowell and Elle Jones after a disastrous first date turns into a fake-dating relationship of convenience. Both trying to escape pressures from family, the no-nonsense actuary Darcy and the earnest astrologer Elle agree to play the part of lovers through the holiday season, but fate (and the stars?) have a different plan for them. Devin's key takeaways are: This novel takes place in Seattle and everything about it from the location descriptions to the characters themselves speak to that quirky, offbeat but sincere culture. Things are a bit slower, the rain creates a vibe, and everyone is more in-tune with their feelings in this neck of the woods.  Astrology is a major player in the entire trilogy by Bellefleur. The book has fun astrological tidbits woven throughout (what song are you based on your astrological sign, etc.) and is a huge part of Elle's career, life etc. and how Darcy ends up authentically connecting with her.  This story was one of Devin's favorite “opposites attract” and “fake dating” trope stories she's run into for the last several years. Elle and Darcy are both so authentic, their issues so valid and their situation so feasible feeling that it's impossible not to buy in.  The Dagger (16:27): Holly discussed The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean, a crime fiction story centered around Ellie Black - a 19 year-old who stumbles out of the Washington State woods and back into the world from which she disappeared when she was kidnapped two years prior. Detective Casey Calhoun works with Ellie and is determined to get to the bottom of what happened to her, but has a hard time getting straight answers. With personal investment in uncovering the truth, Calhoun must discern if it's trauma or if Ellie is hiding something. Holly's key takeaways were: The concept and tropes in this book aren't groundbreaking–disappearing girls, seasoned detective determined to solve it–but somehow Jean made the story feel fresh with fantastic execution. Jean deeply established the characters themselves, which balanced well with the story that unravels in alternating POVs and timelines. Jean examines themes like misogyny and misplaced affection; Ellie's perspective is told as though she's speaking to someone, although we're not sure who, if it's the detective or someone else. It goes back and walks the reader through what she experienced while kidnapped, which is pretty chilling. There was a decent sense of place as being in the Pacific Northwest, especially when experiencing the vastness of the woods that Ellie is held within and from which she emerges. Hot On the Shelf (31:40): Holly: The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon Devin: A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson What's Making Our Hearts Race (37:13): Holly: Frasier Devin: Getting creative with a glass blowing class!    Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com   If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: Holly would like to welcome you to her state! On this stop of their Summer Road Trip Series, Holly and Devin discuss books set in the sunny, lovely California. Whether you're basking in the glitz and glam of Hollywood in LA, sipping wine in Napa Valley or dancing in the queer energy of San Francisco, this state truly has it all. That applies to books as well - from serial killers to rich people behaving badly to epic romances, Holly and Devin feel like they'd never run out of Cali stories to enjoy.  Topics Discussed: The Dagger (4:52): Holly discussed Good Rich People by Eliza Jane Brazier, a psychological thriller following Lyla, her husband Graham and his mother Margo as they play “The Game” i.e. inviting people to live in their guesthouse under the pretense of helping them, only to secretly manipulate and destroy their lives. Enter Demi, an unhoused woman who has jumped at the chance to better her own lot in life and will absolutely not go down without a fight. Holly's key takeaways were: The sense of place wasn't a huge part of the book but the story utilized specific aspects of Los Angeles specifically in a way that felt real-to-life and effective. No other city is as well positioned to tell a story like this, contrasting great wealth against great poverty.  This book highlights a huge issue that a lot of the country is facing, and which cities like Los Angeles in particular face: the wealth gap and housing crisis. The contrast of Demi's life compared to Lyla and Graham's highlights the callousness and cruelty that can arise from extreme privilege. It questions the morality of the wealthy and the lengths they will go to maintain their status. Brazier takes on a satirical tone and creates unlikeable characters in Good Rich People; the sharp way Brazier writes in Lyla's voice, for example, expressing her disdain for the less-than-wealthy, had Holly laughing out loud because it was so gross and so spot-on. The depiction of rich people is extreme and requires some suspension of disbelief; the reader can easily question if very wealthy people are quite this overtly awful and criminal.  The Heart (19:26): Devin discussed The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center, a novel following Emma Wheeler as she gets the chance of a lifetime to collaborate on a romantic comedy film script with the world-famous and award winning Charlie Yeates. Having lived in Houston, TX her entire life caring for her disabled father after a rock climbing accent when she was young, Emma's leap to LA is in crisis right away when she realizes Charlie didn't know she was coming and does not want a collaborator. Stuck in his mansion together, can these enemies find common, rom-com ground? Devin's key takeaways were: This book had big Hollywood energy; Meryl Streep is featured as well as several fictitious stars and as Charlie takes Emma around the city we as the reader get to experience the glitz, glam, and privilege of the area. There's heavy industry talk and focus for film and screenwriting which is enjoyable to delve into.  While yes, this is a romance, our protagonists' journeys center more than anything on their careers. What does aspiration look like when you've dealt with so much trauma? How does one advocate for themselves in their career authentically? Emma and Charlie must face each other's divergent paths as well as their trajectories in order to heal and grow together.  If you're into trauma porn, this book is for you. Devin struggled a bit with just how many different threads of trauma exist for Emma and Charlie and how the book piles even more on as it goes. It was a bit of a miss here; a little less volume of trauma would have made the core trauma more emotionally gratifying.  Hot On the Shelf (38:12): Devin: Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood Holly: The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas What's Making Our Hearts Race (41:09): Devin: The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris Holly: House of the Dragon Season 2   Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com   If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: Devin would like to welcome you all to her state! On this stop of their Summer Road Trip, Holly and Devin discuss books set in the Rocky Mountain state. Even though we're all battling heat waves, both their books feature blizzards, being snowed in, and close quarters tension. In every other way, though, the plots differ drastically. Known for its outdoor culture, snow skiing, and craft beer this state has a lot to offer those seeking an adrenaline rush like our hosts! Topics Discussed: The Heart (5:21): Devin discussed The Gamble by Kristen Ashley, a second-chances romance that follows Nina Sheridan, a visitor to the mountain town of Gnaw Bone, as she finds herself stuck in a gorgeous A-frame home with the homeowner, Holden “Max” Maxwell due to a rental mixup. Escaping to Colorado to think about her future and her neglectful fiancé back in the UK, Nina was hoping for peace and quiet but Max brings anything but; can she withstand the allure of this sexy mountain man? Devin's key takeaways were: This is a quintessential Colorado book. Very strong sense of place, small town with resort energy on the sides and picturesque with the start of a blizzard and lots of good views, mountains, valleys, dive bars. Devin spent a good chunk of it wondering if it was modeled after the town she lives in specifically.   There are trigger warnings for sexual abuse and violence, physical violence and threats. This book has heavy trauma, for every single character; it classifies as trauma porn in a lot of ways. If you like watching people who have suffered and then work to support, grow, and love each other this book will work great for you.  There is a simmering tension between Max and Nina right from the start and while some of the build up is the annoying “interrupted” trope, it is a blast to read and experience. The book takes its time building everything and the side characters/town play a huge part, but the care, chemistry and overall vibes between our protagonists carry you through.  The Dagger (21:08): Holly discussed No Exit by Taylor Adams, a psychological thriller that follows college student Darby Thorne on her frantic drive home to Utah to see her dying mother. In the mountains of Colorado, a blizzard forces her to stop at a remote highway rest stop. Trying to find cell service in the parking lot, Darby discovers a little girl locked in an animal crate in the van near her car; the situation becomes increasingly dangerous from there. Holly's key takeaways were: The novel explores themes of survival as Darby must use her wits, courage, and resourcefulness to navigate the life-threatening situation and protect herself and the kidnapped girl. Adams underlines the moral choices characters make in extreme circumstances for good or evil; Darby's determination to save the girl contrasts sharply with the kidnapper's sinister motives. We aren't seeing broader life in Colorado, but the book uses the wintry elements to great effect to increase the tension and stakes in the story. The setting of the remote, snowed-in rest stop amplifies themes of isolation and vulnerability. The characters are cut off from the outside world, heightening the sense of danger and urgency. No Exit has various twists and a nail-biting pace, even some horror elements. It reminded Holly a bit of The Shining just in the way of feeling trapped and isolated in a wintry wasteland. The reader feels the intensity of trying to survive as Darby uses her wits, courage, and resourcefulness to navigate the life-threatening situation.  Hot On the Shelf (35:54): Devin: Micro Activism: How You Can Make a Difference in the World Without a Bullhorn by Omkari L. Williams Holly: The Feast by Margaret Kennedy What's Making Our Hearts Race (39:07): Devin: Bob's Burgers Holly: New rescue dog, Toki!    Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com   If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: Grab a book and a slide of deep dish pizza, it's time to visit Chicago folks! Today Holly and Devin discuss books set in the iconic city that brought us greats like The Bean and Al Capone. While neither host has a lot of experience in the midwest or in Chicago itself, they both think it's a great setting for a book - especially in Holly's darker wheelhouse. Stick around after the end credits for a spoiler-y romp through some horrifying details on her book today!  Topics Discussed: The Dagger (3:05): Holly discussed The Fourth Monkey by J.D. Barker, a crime thriller that follows Detective Sam Porter as a bus accident that killed a man quickly turns into a hunt for the not-yet-murdered final victim of the Fourth Monkey Killer. He had been crossing the street to mail a package containing a human ear when the bus struck him down, but Sam's work isn't anywhere near over. Holly's key takeaways were: This book may be the most horrifying and messed up book Holly has ever read. Dual storylines follow the content of a diary the killer had on his person when he died and the current, real-time hunt for his final victim and both are deeply disturbing. The novel explores the blurred lines between good and evil, as the 4MK sees himself as a punisher of wrongdoers rather than a mere killer. This moral ambiguity challenges readers to question what constitutes true justice and whether taking the law into one's own hands can ever be justified.  There isn't a strong sense of Chicago, with the focus resting much more on action and the characters involved. The investigation roves around the city but without too much detail on place, and the diary feels more suburban family life vibes and the tone of it is very midwest, stilted 60s tone.  The Heart (19:09): Devin discussed Love at First by Kate Clayborn, a second-chances romance following Will Sterling and Nora Clarke after Will inherits an apartment from his uncle Donny. As the leader of the HOA in a six-unit building that has barely changed in decades, a new presence (especially one who wants to convert the unit for short-term renters) is a threat to everything Nora fights for. Feuding and at loggerheads, Will and Nora can't help but notice there's an undercurrent of something else in their fights and attempts to undermine each other. Devin's key takeaways were: The sense of place isn't super strong in this book because the focal point is a single apartment building in Chicago. Will works at a hospital near the south shore and Nora is much further north. Later in the book there are more scenes set in popular Chicago, but otherwise it's really a character driven story. The tenants in the apartment building that acts as our focal point is a chosen, messy family. Both protagonists struggle with their own biological families and the trauma they got from their parents, but they also both seek found family in their community as it evolves. The primary trope in this novel is enemies to lovers, but even that element is subtle and infused with a lot of emotional intelligence on both parts. It diffuses a lot of tension in the book; Devin was never stressed out or unsure about our protagonists even though it technically followed our classic arc. Alternating between Nora and Will's perspectives, we go deep on who they are and their interior perspectives.  Hot On the Shelf (37:11): Holly: Kingdom of Copper by S.A Chakraborty Devin: A Darker Shade of Magic by VE Schwab What's Making Our Hearts Race (39:47): Holly: Presumed Innocent on Apple TV+ Devin: We Are Lady Parts on Peacock   Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com   If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: Welcome to Episode 7 of our special Throne of Glass series, friends! Leaving Aelin and her court behind this time, we follow Chaol and Nesryn as they visit a new part of the world and embark on their own adventures. Today we explore Tower of Dawn, the sixth (or seventh depending on your reading order) book in ToG. Chaol and Nesryn have traveled to Antica to achieve two goals: benefitting from their world-class healers to help Chaol walk again and secure the support of the Khagan in the war. Both become more complicated and more important and sooner than later we realize that no matter the physical distance, everything they do connects to Aelin and her struggle to overthrow the evil in Erilea.  We have both been reading the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas, a mutual favorite author who we celebrated in a previous LoveFest episode. We will be releasing monthly special episodes in which we debrief on each book as we go throughout the series.  We encourage you to read along with us throughout the year–or at whatever point you're jumping into these episodes–and enjoy our reactions, speculations, and gushing as we explore this new fantastical world. As a reminder, each episode will have spoilers for the book being discussed and any of the books we've read previously, but we won't give spoilers beyond that point. Episodes will continue to drop each month until we finish the series. Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/shop/heartsanddaggerspod (purchases support our work) If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.  

Summary: Howdy, partners! Stop number three on our road trip this summer is the Lone Star state - Texas! Join Holly and Devin as they take a romp around the second largest state in the union. It's huge, it's hot and as Holly underlines, tensions tend to run high. A melting pot of the West, the South, American and Mexican influences, Texas really does have it all. Holly and Devin share the ends of the spectrum with their books today.  Topics Discussed: The Heart (3:55): Devin discussed Pumpkin by Julie Murphy, a novel that follows Waylon Russell Brewer as his private, quiet drag aspirations are exploded into the public sphere after his audition tape for Fiercest of Them All (a drag show à la RuPaul's Drag Race) is released. As a cruel joke, he and his twin sister's girlfriend Hannah Perez are nominated as Prom Queen and King respectively. Instead of caving to the bullies, Waylon and Hannah decide to play to win. Devin's key takeaways were: This is such a gay book; it's amazing, it's flamboyant, it's loud and proud and includes so much drag. Waylon and his twin Clementine are both gay and we meet a myriad of other queer characters throughout. Whether some characters are already out or not, this book vibrates with positive energy for the queer community.  When you hear about a queer book set in Texas, you go in assuming a central tension will be community rejection of the queer character but that was not the case in this book. Waylon's parents accept him and his sister right away and there's a Prism group of fully out high school students - most people aren't repressed and even one character comes out during the book. Yes there's bullying and vitriol but the school supports LGBTQ students and the tone overall is uplifting and supportive. As a high school story, this book explores the evolving sense of self we all remember from that age. While the focus is on Waylon with a first-person narrative structure, we see every character in the book evolve who they believe they are into who they can be.  The Dagger (15:47): Holly discussed Bluebird Bluebird by Attica Locke, a literary mystery set in East Texas in 2016. We follow Darren Matthews, a Texas Ranger who has recently been suspended and is called over to Shelby County to help investigate two bodies, one of which recently washed up on the shore of a local woman's back yard. Holly's key takeaways were: Racial tensions abound in this novel. The bodies found were a Black man from Chicago and a local white woman. Darren also struggles with his own identity as a Black man and having to balance being a Texas Ranger with wanting to do right by his community, including the Black community that congregates at Geneva's.  Locke underlines the importance and value of community, particularly how the Black community in the town has had to find joy and safety where they can. How places like Geneva's serve as a haven for locals or anyone passing through. Darren's career has put strain on his relationship w his wife Lisa, so he's also navigating being recently kicked out and wanting to go back, while also not wanting to give up his purpose or turn down cases like these.  Hot On the Shelf (34:25): Devin: Lady Charlotte Always Gets Her Man by Violet Marsh Holly: Like Mother, Like Daughter by Kimberly McCreight What's Making Our Hearts Race (38:12): Devin: Riding a horse! Holly: X-Men 97   Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com   If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: Today Holly is joined by a special guest - Laura Tremaine, the host of the 10 Things To Tell You podcast and author of The Life Council: 10 Friends Every Woman Needs and Share Your Stuff, I'll Go First. Laura has been sharing her life online for over a decade. She writes about friendship, anxiety, motherhood, and marriage. Her posts and podcast episodes resonate with women looking for ways to connect more deeply with others as they transform from one era of life into another.  Laura's favorite author is Stephen King, a masterful storyteller and a mutual favorite of Holly's. She advocates for more women to read King and the value of owning that we love to be scared! Her 2024 Stephen King Summer Book Club began on June 1st; learn more about it during today's episode and hear why Laura loves to add spooky to summer.   Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod / @laura.tremaine / @10thingstotellyou Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.  

Episode 64: The Carolinas Summary: Welcome to stop two of our summer road trip around the United states - the Carolinas! Holly and Devin both have connections to these southern states (Holly's bachelorette was in Charleston, SC!) but the books they brought today made them feel even closer to the region. Whether you're curling up to read a sapphic romance or buckling up for a character-driven murder mystery, our hosts have something for you today!  Topics Discussed: The Dagger (4:04): Holly discussed Decent People by De'Shawn Charles Winslow, a historical mystery set in the segregated town of West Mills in 1976. Josephine (Jo) Wright has returned back to her small hometown to marry her childhood sweetheart, Olympus “Lymp” Seymour. When the bodies of Lym's three half-siblings are found, though, Lymp becomes the lead suspect and Jo must fight for her love and her community to uncover the truth. Holly's key takeaways were: This book explores shame in all its forms; the characters struggle with shame around their station in life, race, heritage and sexuality. It motivates certain people to hide and others to act, as Jo uncovers as she untangles the knots of relationships in her community.  As Joe begins to investigate those who might know the most about the deaths of her fiancés half-siblings, she uncovers darker secrets than she ever imagined. Winslow paints for the reader a slow story pivoting between townspeople connected to the victims; a pattern of cover-ups, racial incidents, homophobia and medical misuse.  Read this book if you enjoy character-driven mysteries, small town secrets and drama, a historical 1970s setting. North Carolina as a setting strikes a great backdrop for the themes Winslow explores.  The Heart (18:42): Devin discussed Late Bloomer by Mazey Eddings, a floral sapphic romance set in Asheville, NC. Opal Devlin, a woman dressed as an ice cream cone and used to being taken advantage of by everyone she knows, finds the opportunity to achieve her dreams when she wins the lottery and purchases a flower farm where she envisions becoming an artist. Little does she know that Pepper Smith, an angry, gorgeous farmer, is waiting for her and sees herself as the rightful owner of Thistle and Bloom Farms. Enemies to roommates to… well. Devin's key takeaways were: This book is perfect for Pride Month! Opal is enthusiastically bisexual and has had a lot of experience with myriad genders, often with a lot of negative ones with cis men (see: her crappy ex Miles who keeps trying to get some of her winnings). Pepper identifies as a lesbian but has never felt like she can trust anyone enough to open up and actually have an intimate experience.  Opal moves from Charlotte to Asheville and the sense of place is strong in this novel; The Thistle and Bloom Farm is vivid, vibrant, and a microcosm of the rich culture in North Carolina. Pepper has never known any home outside of the farm and Opal is working on a new beginning herself, all couched inside of the verdant region.  Pepper has been diagnosed as on the autism spectrum. Opal is undiagnosed but knows that she is likely on the spectrum as well as having ADHD. They have both struggled in their lives with being taken advantage of by people who were supposed to love them and their neurodivergent experience bonds them and aligns with the way they each seek to build, finally, a safe space in which to thrive.  Hot On the Shelf (35:16): Devin: Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez Holly: Middle of the Night by Riley Sager What's Making Our Hearts Race (38:59): Devin: Pride Month and being out and proudly bisexual Holly: Challengers with Zendaya  Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.  Keywords: Literature, Books, Reading, Bookish, Pop-culture, Thriller, Romance, North Carolina, South Carolina, The Carolinas, Summer Roadtrip, Decent People, De'Shawn Charles Winslow, Late Bloomer, Mazey Eddings, Just for the Summer, Abby Jimenez, Middle of the Night, Riley Sager, Pride Month, Challengers, Zendaya 

Summary: Welcome to Episode 6 of our special Throne of Glass series, friends! Aelin is on the move to build an army after being rejected from her rightful throne in Terrassen. Today we explore Empire of Storms, the fifth (or sixth depending on your reading order) book in ToG. Aelin's court has just come together and is immediately at risk for being torn asunder. With monsters threatening from sea and air, within and without their group, Aelin must decide who she is and what she's willing to sacrifice to save the world. We have both been reading the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas, a mutual favorite author who we celebrated in a previous LoveFest episode. We will be releasing monthly special episodes in which we debrief on each book as we go throughout the series.  We encourage you to read along with us throughout the year–or at whatever point you're jumping into these episodes–and enjoy our reactions, speculations, and gushing as we explore this new fantastical world. As a reminder, each episode will have spoilers for the book being discussed and any of the books we've read previously, but we won't give spoilers beyond that point. Episodes will continue to drop each month until we finish the series. Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/shop/heartsanddaggerspod (purchases support our work) If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: We're choosing the scenic route this summer as we travel around the United States book by book. Join Holly and Devin on their first stop today - Maine! Known for its lobsters, gruff people, rocky shores and gorgeous landscapes this state is the easternmost state of the 50. While the vibes skew much more toward Holly's wheelhouse, we're reminded that love can happen anywhere with Devin's book.  Topics Discussed: The Heart (4:01): Devin discussed Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes, a novel following Eveleth “Evvie” Drake as she becomes a recluse after the untimely death of her husband. Dean Tenney, former MLB pitcher whose career tanked after a case of the yips, seeks to find solace and escape by moving into Evvie's spare apartment. They agree at the start - Dean doesn't ask Evvie about her husband, and Evvie doesn't ask Dean about his baseball career. As their rocky friendship solidifies into something more, though, they risk letting everything into the light. Devin's key takeaways were: Known as a very culturally New England, isolated place, Maine can also be a safe haven once you find your people. This state as the backdrop of this romance is perfect - there is pain, grief, and isolation but there's also connection and building something sustainable out of the bedrock of the shoes of the region.  Both through the more traditional grief of losing someone and through the grief of losing the life you thought you'd live, Evvie and Dean work to recover together and the reader gets to see how people come back to themselves through the help of others. While the premise is heavy, Holmes breathes this novel full of life, joy, and romantic connection. While not the steamiest book Devin has ever read, love is at the forefront as both the most challenging and the most healing thing our protagonists can do.  The Dagger (15:29): Holly discussed Granite Harbor by Peter Nichols, a novel that opens on three teenage boys skateboarding after dark and quickly turns even darker when a boy's body is found at the historic settlement in Granite Harbor. We follow Alex, former writer and now detective in town as he investigates first one murder and then escalates as more bodies are found and the parents in town realize none of their teens are safe. Holly's key takeaways were: Both literally as well as within the history that lingers in Maine - its violence, its folklore and traditions, the need for survival in a harsh climate - all resonate throughout the book and serve to heighten the tension at every turn.  Nichols really packs a punch when it comes to gore and gruesome scenes (though it isn't overdone). There are some gross, unsettling scenes in the story and Holly shares trigger warnings for animal cruelty and gore/violence.  A lot of this book explores the anxiety of parenting teens. We see characters like Isabel, who has just started working at the Granite Harbor Living History Settlement, struggle to navigate keeping her teenage son Ethan safe while often feeling helpless. Nichols highlights the tenacity with which parents will fight for their kids even when they're almost grown themselves.  Hot On the Shelf (38:16): Holly: The Mantis by Kotaro Isaka Devin: A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles What's Making Our Hearts Race (41:10): Holly: Ripley on Netflix Devin: Anyone But You on Netflix    Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com   If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: Today Holly is joined by a special guest - Sara Hildreth, the creator behind FictionMatters - a literary Instagram account, newsletter, and book club focused on putting thought-provoking books into the hands of adventurous readers. Sara also co-hosts Novel Pairings, a podcast dedicated to making the classics readable, relevant, and fun. As a former English teacher, Sara's literary knowledge and thoughtfulness has greatly enriched the reading lives of thousands, including Holly's. Keep an eye out for Sara's Paperback Summer Reading Guide 2024 and the Novel Pairings summer readalong of Les Miserables by Victor Hugo!  Topics Discussed: Genre Fiction (2:03): For Sara, Genre Fiction signals to the reader that it will be following certain templates, patterns, and tropes. There are expectations set through the genre, which is why some genre fiction is the most disappointing for readers because of those expectations.  No genre or designation is mutually exclusive - romances and mysteries can also be literary. Sara underlines that a lot of genre designations are more about marketing the books than they are about the actual content.  Genre fiction is important; to be a good reader of literary fiction you should know a lot about genre fiction. Genre fiction is a playground for tropes and knowing and understanding them can help readers recognize when authors are doing things with those tropes.  Dark Literature (15:37): When Sara thinks of “Dark Literature,” she thinks of darker themes that explore those aspects of human nature and relationships. It can also describe the atmosphere of a book - think dark academia, for example. However, for Sara this remains loosely defined and really targets the “vibe” more than a hard definition.  Sara divides books in her mind between Light and Dark and Cold and Warm. Less of a fan of Light books, Sara does appreciate Warm and Cold books that have more or less heart and emotional depth. There can be aesthetic darkness without being psychologically bleak, and a lot of readers are drawn to subgenres like “cozy horror” that fit in different places in the quadrants.  Gothic Literature is often hallmarked by a heroine in a creepy house as she explores her own psychology. Sara extends the definition to books that play with the interior vs. exterior trust and reliability of a protagonist and macabre settings with a sprinkling of horror tropes to explore human motivation and psychology.  Classic + Modern Dark/Literary Books (24:49): Classic: Beloved by Toni Morrison The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson Frankenstein by Mary Shelly Modern: Never Let Me Go by Kazu Ishiguro Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward The Keep by Jennifer Egan Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia Hot on the Shelf (41:51):  Sara: This Strange Eventful History by Claire Messud What's Making Our Hearts Race (44:21): Sara: Top Chef on Bravo   Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com   If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: We left money by the phone for pizza, listeners! The parents are out to dinner tonight while Holly and Devin discuss books featuring babysitting. Whether you made pocket money as a teenager or lived your best life as an Au Pair in Europe, most of us have experience babysitting and certainly being babysat. Books that explore the power, social, and logistical dynamics of babysitters with their employers and children usually go one of two ways, and Holly and Devin are the resident experts for both. Grab a slice of greasy cheese and get excited to hear them break it down.  Topics Discussed: The Dagger (4:29): Holly discussed Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak, a supernatural thriller that inspires nightmares. Mallory Quinn is fighting for a new beginning after leaving rehab and lands a full time nanny position watching five year-old Teddy for the Maxwell family. Finding the stability she's always craved and bonding with Teddy, Mallory thinks she's found the solution to her future until Teddy's adorable drawings take a sinister turn; Mallory must decipher the images and save Teddy before it's too late. Holly's key takeaways were: A major theme of this thriller is second chances when all seems hopeless. Mallory's struggle with addiction not only underlines the triumph of her new beginning but throws her into self-doubt; can she trust her recollections and experiences as Teddy's drawings reveal what should be unbelievable?  The pictures add a unique and engaging twist to this story; Rekulak builds tension well by including the actual images of Teddy's drawings in the book. The reader will be turning pages seeing normal stick figures of a kid, a bunny, the sun—and then unveil something super creepy.  Mallory's relationship with the Maxwell family underlines the class and power dynamics often at play for babysitters; she moves into a well-to-do suburban setting, in drastic contrast to Mallory's upbringing and her life recently as an addict on the Philly streets.  The Heart (23:06): Devin discussed Life's Too Short by Abby Jimenez, a romance following Vanessa Price (YouTube sensation and world traveler) and her next door neighbor Adrian Copeland (a workaholic criminal defense attorney) as they are thrown together in order to care for Grace, Vanessa's half-sister's baby after the child is left on Vanessa's doorstep with no warning. As friendship blossoms into something more, both Vanessa and Adrian must acknowledge that the last thing either could just be the thing they need most. Devin's key takeaways were:  Adrian and Vanessa are on the opposite ends of the risk tolerance spectrum but for similar reasons. Trauma and fear drive them both to do what they do; for Adrian it's to do nothing at all and work nonstop. For Vanessa it's to experience as much as she can all the time, with no consistency or roots. Thrown together, the sparks fly as these polar opposites clash and connect. Vanessa already lost her mother and sister to ALS, and she has a 50% chance of getting it herself. She lives with the assumption that she won't make it past 30 years old. What do we do when we think right now is all we have? Does it make us love harder or avoid it? Jimenez interrogates this with her polar opposite protagonists. In the physical form of baby Grace, both Vanessa and Adrian must confront their relationships with responsibility. Vanessa has spent her life avoiding real responsibility, obligations and deep connections because she doesn't want to leave anyone heartbroken after her expected, untimely death. The reader examines with our protagonists the point at which love and responsibility meet.   Hot On the Shelf (40:13): Holly: The Sleepwalkers by Scarlett Thomas Devin: Outlive by Peter Attia, MD What's Making Our Hearts Race (44:06): Holly: A Gentleman in Moscow Limited Series Show Devin: Just For Us Standup Comedy Special by Alex Edelman   Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com   If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: Welcome to Episode 5 of our special Throne of Glass series, friends! Aelin is back in Rifthold and ready to break hearts, faces, and rules in order to tee up the future she and her fledgling court are fighting for. Today we explore Queen of Shadows, the fourth (or fifth depending on your reading order) book in ToG. Now that Celaena has let go of her assassin pretenses and stepped into her true identity as Aelin Galathynius, she and her team return to Adarlan to confront old and new enemies alike with an eye toward claiming her throne in Terrasen and winning the larger war. We have both been reading the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas, a mutual favorite author who we celebrated in a previous LoveFest episode. We will be releasing monthly special episodes in which we debrief on each book as we go throughout the series.  We encourage you to read along with us throughout the year–or at whatever point you're jumping into these episodes–and enjoy our reactions, speculations, and gushing as we explore this new fantastical world. As a reminder, each episode will have spoilers for the book being discussed and any of the books we've read previously, but we won't give spoilers beyond that point. Episodes will continue to drop each month until we finish the series. Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/shop/heartsanddaggerspod (purchases support our work) If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.  

Summary: From horror to Hallmark, a small town setting is ripe for intrigue for Holly and Devin this week. Join our hosts as they break down books set as far from a city as possible. Living in a town of 3,000 people, Devin feels right at home with a rural community and Holly brings the creepiness and the connections of more isolated regions via her book. Both hosts agree that rural settings turn up the heat in their respective wheelhouses, but with wildly different outcomes (you know, bonking vs. butchering).  Topics Discussed: The Heart (3:59): Devin discussed Maggie Moves On by Lucy Score, a novel following Maggie Nichols as she takes on her most audacious flip project yet in the tiny town of Kinship, Idaho. With a goal of renovating the famed Victorian mansion in less than 4 months and hitting one million subscribers on YouTube, Maggie has no time for the flirtatious and talented landscaper Silas Wright, until he shows her that maybe he and the town are the exact things she should be focused on. Devin's key takeaways were: The tiny town of Kinship is the opposite of everything Maggie has ever known and is what makes Silas who he is. Silas cannot imagine living somewhere outside of Kinship and has a big, boisterous family that he sees 2-3 times / month in a group setting. Maggie has been on her own since 21 and only lives in the same place for 3 months at a time. The setting plays a huge role in how they develop as a couple and individually.  When do we need people, when do we want people, and how often should life be done alone? Maggie and Silas are diametrically opposed at the start of the book; Silas loves being vulnerable and trusting his gut, and Maggie can't do anything without a spreadsheet. Score explores vulnerability and how we grow best through our protagonists' differing viewpoints.  With references to YouTube comments, gifs, viewership, editing, posting, etc. as well as choices for each room and a whole team of people working on the house and landscaping, this book was an HGTV lover's dream. It was fun to hear about this mansion-sized undertaking and some interior decor subplots. The Dagger (20:07): Holly discussed Bad Cree by Jessica Johns, a literary horror book following Mackenzie, a young Cree woman who has moved to Vancouver to avoid facing her sister Sabrina's untimely death. In the last few weeks she's been followed everywhere by crows and her nightmares featuring crows, a frozen lake, and her sister's body have been intensifying. Soon enough, Mackenzie and the reader reckon with the fact that something is going on after she dreams she falls through ice into the lake; Mackenzie wakes up drenched and her phone is broken - the last location of which is showing at the lake hundreds of miles away. Holly's key takeaways were: Mack has fled to Vancouver but returns home to learn to embrace her roots again and not run from pain. At home things are much more in the open: the community is small, people's actions are visible, the land itself is very visible with the plains and farmland. The area has suffered both from companies coming in to frack and extract resources from the land and then abandon the community once they took what was valuable; the community grapples with generational and recent traumas.  Grief plays a huge role throughout this story; not only is Mackenzie navigating the death of her sister Sabrina; the whole family is also still reeling from the loss of their matriarch, Kokum, several years before.  Ultimately even though there are classic horror elements, family and community play a huge role in Bad Cree. The characters are so close and play specific roles within their larger community; knowledge is passed around and sought out from the elders, there are traditions of late night card games and poker. The theme of crows throughout is a metaphor for sticking together, for mourning our dead, for watching each others' backs.  Hot On the Shelf (38:42): Holly: The Miracles of the Namiya General Store by Keigo Higashino Devin: The Prospects by KT Hoffman What's Making Our Hearts Race (42:31): Holly: Dodgers Baseball Devin: Spring Skiing   Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com   If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: Welcome to LoveFest number six, where Holly and Devin gush about the acclaimed fantasy author V.E. Schwab. Every ten episodes our hosts come together to highlight where their tastes intersect. While you may think of V.E. Schwab as being squarely in Holly's wheelhouse, this author is more similar to Neil Gaiman and infuses empathy, care, and creativity into plots so that even the most sensitive romance reader can find something to love.  Topics Discussed: Author Background (4:04): Completing her first work at the age of 19, V.E. Schwab (pronouns she/they) has since published more than twenty works for YA and adults. Publishing under the monikers Victoria Schwab and V.E. Schwab, this author is best known for fantasy series that blend with reality and creepy, ghost-filled plots. Highlights for Holly and Devin generally are her monthly newsletter and her almost poetic, haunting style.  Series (10:25): Cassidy Blake Series City of Ghosts Tunnel of Bones Bridge of Souls Shades of Magic Series A Darker Shade of Magic A Gathering of Shadows A Conjuring of Light The Fragile Threads of Power Villains Series Vicious  Vengeful Victorious (pub date TBD) Standalones (34:01): Gallant The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue  The Near Witch Hot On the Shelf (55:05): Devin: Bride by Ali Hazelwood Holly: James by Percival Everett What's Making Our Hearts Race (59:45): Devin: Season 2 of Extraordinary on Hulu Holly: Perfect Days, Japanese film    Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com   If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: Grab your brushes and palettes, friends - we're talking Visual Artists today! Join Holly and Devin as they discuss the role of art in their own lives and books in their wheelhouses. Whether you grew up drawing horses and chickens like Holly or unable to even master stick figures like Devin, a splash of color from artists (or blood) will be just what you need to get your hearts racing.  Topics Discussed: The Dagger (5:28): Holly discussed The Mill House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji, a puzzle game mystery novel set in 1985. On a long, stormy night a woman fell from the house's tower, a painting disappeared, and a man vanished under what seemed to be impossible circumstances. Soon after, the group of six left in (alive) in the home discover a body burning in the basement incinerator. After that chill opener, the novel unfolds in two threads: this disastrous night and the same night one year later when the group gathers with more questions than ever. Holly's key takeaways were: Fujinuma Kiichi, wheelchair-bound after a horrific car accident, is the son of renowned artist Fujinuma Issei and lives in Mill House with all of his father's paintings and his 20-years-younger wife who is kept isolated in the tower. The group we meet gathers annually for a viewing of the portraits, but this year goes sideways - fast.  The role of art is woven through the novel in an impactful way: the absent but looming artist father, the desire and greed the visitors feel for his work, art as a motivation for crimes and even a secret, final painting that Fujinuma Kiichi won't let anyone see. The overall structure and puzzle element to the mystery really resonated with Holly; you have to pay close attention as a reader and the plot can get a little convoluted but it all comes together in the end very effectively.  The Heart (24:14): Devin discussed Hello, Stranger by Katherine Center, a novel following Sadie Montgomery as she almost simultaneously discovers she is a finalist in a national portrait competition that would revolutionize her career prospects as an artist and that she was rendered face-blind after a surgery to remove a blood clot from her brain. Sadie must rediscover herself and the people in her life as she navigates her face-blindness and works to uncover how someone who can't see faces could paint an award-winning portrait. Devin's key takeaways were: Center loves to weave new and old trauma through her romances and this book is no exception. Sadie has to deal not only with her mother's death, her father's apathy, her step mother and sister's horrible treatment, but also the trials and struggles of navigating friendships with other priorities while she fights against her face blindness.  Post-surgery, Sadie must confront and work her way through the fact that her portraiture might be ruined. She fights hard to overcome her handicap and still render photo-realistic portraits for the competition, but is ultimately unable to do so and has to question her artistic identity and her personal identity through the process. Never has Devin ever dealt with a love triangle this fun or unusual. To only have the male protagonists described in the most vague, weird ways (their vibe, their torsos, the blob of their face and hair) was an absolute blast and the potential lover character arcs were phenomenal to follow.  Hot On the Shelf (44:17): Holly: Those Beyond the Wall by Micaiah Johnson Devin: A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L. Jensen What's Making Our Hearts Race (48:06): Holly: The Legend of Korra on Netflix Devin: A wheel throwing pottery class   Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com   If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: Welcome to Episode 4 of our special Throne of Glass series, friends! The universe we understand in this series explodes with new characters, new places, new faces, and new challenges. Today we explore Heir of Fire, the third (or fourth depending on your reading order) book in ToG. After the crushing events of Crown of Midnight, Celaena travels under the guise of an ordered assassination to Wendlyn. Once there, she is brought face-to-face with her history, her future, and who she needs to become.  We have both been reading the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas, a mutual favorite author who we celebrated in a previous LoveFest episode. We will be releasing monthly special episodes in which we debrief on each book as we go throughout the series.  We encourage you to read along with us throughout the year–or at whatever point you're jumping into these episodes–and enjoy our reactions, speculations, and gushing as we explore this new fantastical world. As a reminder, each episode will have spoilers for the book being discussed and any of the books we've read previously, but we won't give spoilers beyond that point. Episodes will continue to drop each month until we finish the series. Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/shop/heartsanddaggerspod (purchases support our work) If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: You're out of this world, listener! Join Holly and Devin today as they discuss books set in or featuring outer space. Devin has always been obsessed with space exploration and studied it in college, whereas Holly only really wants to read about this subject in her books. Whether you have a passion for astronomy or astrology, whether you dream of flying to the moon or are glad your feet are firmly planted on earth, these books have something for you!  Topics Discussed: The Heart (3:41): Devin discussed A Cosmic Kind of Love by Samantha Young, a unique romance following event planner Hallie Goodman and NASA astronaut Christopher Ortiz as they orbit each other and then collide. After discovering his video diaries from the ISS (International Space Station), Hallie develops a crush on the charismatic astronaut and starts to send her own recordings to his discontinued NASA email address. Little does she know, though, that Chris is watching them and developing a crush of his own. Devin's key takeaways were: Not only is the book full of videos where Chris describes what it's like to live on the ISS, but there's metaphorical space for better and worse laced throughout this novel. Chris works for NASA and did 5 months in space, but both he and Hallie struggle with space, taking up more of it in their lives and not letting it get in the way of their fledgling romance. Both protagonists have a lot of trauma and a lot of current struggles with their families, especially their parents. This informs how they show up in their relationship and how they react to various triggers. A lot of the book involves the repair or boundary setting of Hallie and Chris with their families.  Chris, having dated a socialite named Darcy and Hallie who is consistently wrapped up in the world through her work have to fight for their positions in society and for authenticity in their relationships. Even Hallie's dad struggles with posturing and connection when he buys a gigantic house to make his ex jealous. The Dagger (23:48): Holly discussed Station Eternity by Mur Lafferty, book one in the Midsolar Murders series and a novel following Mallory Viridian, a human living on the space station Eternity amongst various species of aliens. Having left earth after realizing that people connected to her are murdered at an alarming rate, Mallory's existence on Eternity is peaceful… until a shuttle full of humans comes to the station and the bodies begin to pile up again. Holly's key takeaways were: One of the best aspects of the book was the various aliens on board, ranging from the Gneiss who are creatures made of living rock to the Sundry, an insect species similar to wasps who have a hive mind and can only communicate with you if three or more of them gather together.  The murder mystery component of the story felt misleading - there wasn't so much the real focus of this story and didn't come together in a way that felt satisfying; there was some confusion on the core thrust of the plot and what the reader should be focused on.  Ultimately, this book had a lot of promise and intriguing world building of alien species cohabitating in a sentient space station, but the execution felt chaotic and messy. If you're looking for a sci-fi thriller with a unique twist, though, check out this series.  Hot On the Shelf (47:34): Holly: Shark Heart: A Love Story by Emily Habeck Devin: How You Get the Girl by Anita Kelly What's Making Our Hearts Race (50:52): Holly: Dune Part 2 Devin: Bread baking weekly   Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com   If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: Giddy up, friends, and join us for a ride into the wild world of horses. Holly has been a lifelong Horse Girl and Devin spent a decade taking horseback riding lessons, but neither of them have been as involved with the animals as any of the characters in their featured books today. For better or worse, a life revolving around horses can be all encompassing and high pressure; our hosts highlight the good and bad in their respective wheelhouses today.  Topics Discussed: The Dagger (6:39): Holly discussed Girls and Their Horses by Eliza Jane Brazier, a thriller perfect for anyone looking to read about rich people behaving badly. We follow two teenage sisters, Piper and Maple, and their mother, Heather. as they move to an exclusive community in the heart of Southern California. Once there, they begin riding at the Rancho Santa Fe Equestrian, where horses (and murder) are a lifestyle. Holly's key takeaways were: From the start we learn that someone is dead, and then Brazier weaves us through the lead up to the incident with alternating perspectives from Heather, her daughters, and other “Barn Moms” at the stables.  There are distinct socioeconomic themes and dynamics in this book; Heather is newly wealthy and determined to give her daughters the life she never had, but the established families in the community are suspicious and judgemental.  This book is full of characters that are flawed, hurt, downright unlikeable and their internal challenges clash against their peers as they feed their ambitions and fight for what they believe they deserve.  The Heart (21:44): Devin discussed Done and Dusted by Lyla Sage, a novel following professional barrel racer Emmy Ryder as she returns to her hometown of Meadowlark, Wyoming after an accident renders her unable to get back on her horse. Once there, she's met with more than she expected as her brother's best friend, Luke Brooks, becomes more than just an occasional thorn in her side. Devin's key takeaways were: If you're looking for some horse energy, this is the book for you. Emmy's family owns Rebel Blue Ranch which raises cattle, horses, gives riding lessons and embraces the classic western vibes. Luke and Emmy spend most of their time around horses and the deepening of their romantic dynamic is part and parcel with those interactions. The story does not hold back on the steam front; this book is almost shockingly sexy and involves dirty talk. If you're looking for a more subtle, closed door romance vibe, tread lightly with this book. If you're not, join Devin for an absolute blast. Sage has ADHD herself and worked hard to bring more authentic representation of the disorder with Emmy. Both she and Luke have traumas and experiences that inform and block their connection that they work through together to grow as people (and together).  Hot On the Shelf (45:32): Holly: The Searcher by Tana French Devin: Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver What's Making Our Hearts Race (50:00): Holly: The Night Of on HBO Devin: Mr. and Mrs. Smith on Amazon Prime    Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: Welcome to Episode 3 of our special Throne of Glass series, friends! Get excited as we dig into the prequel novellas that make us fall in love with Celaena even more (and understand why she's in dire need of therapy). Today we explore The Assassin's Blade, five short stories focused on Celaena's time as an assassin before she's sent to Endovier and the plot of Throne of Glass begins.   We have both been reading the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas, a mutual favorite author who we celebrated in a previous LoveFest episode. We will be releasing monthly special episodes in which we debrief on each book as we go throughout the series.  We encourage you to read along with us throughout the year–or at whatever point you're jumping into these episodes–and enjoy our reactions, speculations, and gushing as we explore this new fantastical world. As a reminder, each episode will have spoilers for the book being discussed and any of the books we've read previously, but we won't give spoilers beyond that point. Episodes will continue to drop each month until we finish the series. Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/shop/heartsanddaggerspod (purchases support our work) If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.  

Summary: Sometimes the best gifts come in smaller packages - join us today, friends, as Holly and Devin review short story collections in their respective wheelhouses. With a deep history of reading short fiction from their college years, Holly and Devin reflected that while less common to read in adulthood, short stories haven't lost their value or potency. Being able to impact a reader quickly enough to have a complete short story is a feat of writing prowess and the two collections they review today prove that.  Topics Discussed: The Heart (2:58): Devin discussed Love in Color by Bolu Babalola, a collection of myth retellings centered around West Africa with a sprinkling of Greek and Middle East legends thrown in. Babalola reshapes the tales of Nefertiti, Scheherazade, Psyche and others to move away from patriarchal tropes and toward a women-centered happily ever after. Devin's key takeaways were: Many of these myths end badly and usually with the death or subjugation of the female protagonist; by applying common romance tropes in the retelling they take on a more hopeful, lighter air and really underline the value of love conquering all The default characters were all BIPOC, and the book told stories that aren't well-known outside of the home cultures/countries. It was amazing to recognize stories like that of Psyche and Thisbe from Greek mythology that we were taught in school, but then also dive headfirst into new-to-you myths. Definitely worth researching the myths as you go to compare vs. Babalola's work. Told from the perspective of the woman instead of the man in all but one of the stories (Attem), the reader is left overall with a feeling of empowerment and connection. By resetting the myths in modern Manhattan, for example, we are reminded that myths aren't history but evolve with us, acting as a mirror that reflects who we are and who we want to be.  The Dagger (15:56): Holly discussed Sleep No More: Six Murderous Tales by P.D. James, a reprinted series of short stories published posthumously in 2017 from works written between 1973 and 2005. With the title a nod to Macbeth, James stories pack a punch with ordinary characters who commit dark acts. Holly's key takeaways were: Influenced by the likes of Agatha Christie, James took the popular murder mystery concept and deepened it by adding emotional, moral, and psychological layers that draw the reader in and are clear even in the short story format.  Interestingly, many of the stories in this collection are set around Christmas. If you're a reader who loves a little murder for the holidays, this collection is for you. For example, a cozy mystery author reflects on being caught up in a real-life murder as a youth when his family had guests to their home for Christmas and the person who dresses up as Santa is found dead.  Told mostly in the first person with unnamed narrators, James' builds tension with car trips gone wrong (three were in the car when they pulled over, why do only two arrive at the house?), deep family history, wolves in sheeps clothing, and the close quarters of vacations and manor homes in the UK.  Hot On the Shelf (38:21): Holly: A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab Devin: Interesting Facts about Space by Emily Austin  What's Making Our Hearts Race (42:38): Holly: Godzilla Minus One film Devin: Get On Your Knees comedy special by Jaqueline Novak on Netflix   Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com   If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: Grab that benzoyl peroxide and your Abercrombie cologne, friends, we're talking teenagers on this lovely Galentine's day! Whether you always felt like an old soul the way Holly did, or hid behind athletics and Evanescence like Devin to get through those spicy years of youth, the YA books our hosts discuss today will bring you comfort, connection, and cringe.  Topics Discussed: The Dagger (4:35): Holly discussed Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Abike-Iyimide, a YA mystery following Sade as she navigates her third year at the prestigious Alfred Nobel Academy boarding school after being homeschooled most of her life. The very first night, Sade's roommate and house sister Elizabeth disappears. Soon after, the body of a student turns up and the search for Elizabeth becomes frantic. Holly's key takeaways were: With vibes that bring “Wednesday” and “Mean Girls” together, this novel is heavily dark academia. There is a clear sense of place, and boy is that place creepy! The uneasy undercurrents fit perfectly with the plot as Sade and her best friend Baz investigate their friend's disappearance.  The student dynamics in play are not only fun to read but also amplify the sense of teenage angst through the novel. The Unholy Trinity, a group of 3 popular girls, along with Sade's best friends not only have various queer and cis-het romantic intrigues but also deep relationships and conflicts that connect to the disappearance.  At over 400 pages, this book would have likely been more impactful and effective if it were edited down a bit, especially in the middle. There were some questions floating around about the mystery we follow that required some suspension of disbelief, although once past there enjoyable nonetheless.  The Heart (21:55): Devin discussed Henry Hamlet's Heart by Rhiannon Wilde, a YA romance following the titular character as he confronts his final year at Brisbane Northolm Grammar School for Boys, the uncertainty of his future heading to Uni, and the burgeoning romantic feelings that he never saw coming. Devin's key takeaways were: Henry's struggle to understand his sexuality, his blossoming romantic love for his platonic best friend, Len, and also what he wants from his future as a high performing perfectionist at school is fantastic, authentic, and endearing. By contrast, Len's confidence in his bisexuality and his self-acceptance acts as an anchor for us and draws Henry like a moth to flame.  Figuring out your sexuality in a cis-het society is full of stress, second-guessing, and gaslighting. Wilde's gentle treatment can act as a guide for YA readers and a soothing balm for queer people like Devin who suppressed those feelings in high school and acted straight.  We root for Henry easily, but he's also not mature or polished and grapples constantly with the impacts of his choices on his future, which feels too big. His internal narrative feels true to his age and he's a bit of a mess, but is also pressured by various family members to focus on different aspects of himself as he takes the step to university.  Hot On the Shelf (36:13): Holly: Faebound by Saara El-Arifi Devin: The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles What's Making Our Hearts Race (40:24): Holly: Fleabag on Amazon Prime Devin: We're Here to Help Podcast   Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com   If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: Welcome to Episode 2 of our special Throne of Glass series, friends! Buckle up as we get in deeper with Celaena, Chaol, and Dorian as they FAFO what happens after the king's champion is crowned. Today we dive into Crown of Midnight and break down the romances, friendships, speculation and heartache that draw us deeper into SJM's first fantasy series.  We have both been reading the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas, a mutual favorite author who we celebrated in a previous LoveFest episode. We will be releasing monthly special episodes in which we debrief on each book as we go throughout the series.  We encourage you to read along with us throughout the year–or at whatever point you're jumping into these episodes–and enjoy our reactions, speculations, and gushing as we explore this new fantastical world. As a reminder, each episode will have spoilers for the book being discussed and any of the books we've read previously, but we won't give spoilers beyond that point. Episodes will continue to drop each month until we finish the series. Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/shop/heartsanddaggerspod (purchases support our work) If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.  

Summary: Brrrrrr, it's cold in here, there must be some novels in the atmosphere! (sorry). Join Holly and Devin today as they head up to the great white north and explore books set in the Arctic. Cold this biting can drive people together or even further apart, and braving the elements requires trust and risks a lot when that trust is broken. Holly and Devin both love when their protagonists battle the elements, but for very different reasons and with very different outcomes. Topics Discussed: The Heart (4:31): Devin discussed The Tourist Attraction by Sarah Morgenthaler, a romance following Zoey Caldwell for her once-in-a-lifetime vacation to the town of Moose Springs, Alaska. Once there, in collaboration with her wealthy best friend Lana and a handsome townie who hates tourists named Graham Barnett, Zoey explores the natural wonders of the region… and some much more interpersonal wonders with Graham. Devin's key takeaways were: If you're looking for a taste of arctic adventures, this book delivers pretty well. There are moose (mooses? meese?) galore, four-wheeling adventures, whale watching, you name it. That being said, Zoey runs into a lot of problems on her adventures (even zip lining doesn't go right) so the reader's enjoyment gets a bit clouded by the continuous mishaps.  The friendships and side characters in this book were amazing. Lana is a complicated and fascinating character I wish we had seen more of, and Graham's cohort of local friends are unique, rounded, and intriguing. Even Lana's wealthy friends who suck are hilarious and add good color to the story.  Graham is a bit of a complicated (read: toxically masculine) protagonist; he won't stop calling Zoey “gorgeous” as a pet name, he resorts to violence and throwing punches during any conflict, and isn't great at processing his own emotions. He also hates tourists without acknowledging that all his income and his lifestyle are thanks to their money.  The Dagger (23:17): Holly discussed A Haunting in the Arctic by C.J. Cooke, a supernatural horror novel with two timelines set on a single location - the whaling ship Ormen. In the modern-day timeline, a cohort of explorers and content creators arrive in northern Ireland to squat on the shipwrecked vessel before it is dragged out to sea and sunk by officials. The reader gets insight into 1901 events that ripple into today, though, as they follow a young woman in Scotland who is attacked and taken aboard the Orman against her will. Holly's key takeaways were:  Cooke creates a bone-chilling and creepy atmosphere with strong writing and invocation of rhymes and sailor song; the book captures the sense of isolation and madness that can plague people in arctic elements for too long. While great, Holly wishes there had been even more of this woven in.  Like many readers, when there are dual timelines Holly is usually drawn to one more than the other. Here, she found the present timeline was focused on content creation and engaging a social media audience. The other timeline that follows a woman as she awakes surrounded by a sailing crew headed deeper and deeper into the arctic held more intrigue.  This book is dark; it's all about trauma and the permanent traces that haunt us, with many violent acts committed throughout. Cooke weaves in metaphors and commentary on humanity's violation and pillaging of the environment - particularly the entitlement of men and the harms they've caused over time.  Hot On the Shelf (42:13): Holly: The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo Devin: Heartstopper Volume 5 by Alice Oseman What's Making Our Hearts Race (45:42): Holly: Poor Things, 2023 film Devin: Skiing Big Sky in Montana for the first time   Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com   If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: Let's get meta, friends! Today, Holly and Devin talk through books with podcasters as the protagonists. They use this podcast medium to dig into the value of podcasting and the way that an audio medium impacts our lives, for better and for much, much worse. Due to its growing popularity in the last decade - true crime for Holly and comedy/science for Devin - podcasts are more and more featured in books and as podcasters themselves, our hosts are all for it. They'll stop saying “podcast” so much now… Topics Discussed: The Dagger (3:20): Holly discussed None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell, a psychological thriller that follows popular podcaster Alix Summers as she crosses paths with an unassuming woman named Josie Fair. After Josie pitches herself as the subject in one of Alix's podcast episodes, the women become progressively more entwined and Alix is left to uncover the dark, terrible legacy of Josie after her sudden disappearance. Holly's key takeaways were: Jewell alternates the POV between Alix and Josie and includes excerpts from the podcast episodes they record; Holly recommends this book on audio specifically because of the mixed media elements.  From the start, Alix and Josie are foils for each other. Alix is pretty, upper middle class, successful and fulfilled in her work. Josie is frumpy, constantly described as wearing denim everything and married to a man almost 30 years her senior. Jewell weaves them together in a fascinating and terrifying way.  As the title indicates, Jewell masterfully balances perspective (via Alix, who is uncertain about who Josie is and whether to keep working with her) such that the reader even to the end cannot feel confident in who to believe and where lies the truth.  The Heart (20:22): Devin discussed Hana Khan Carries On by Uzma Jalaluddin, a “You've Got Mail” retelling that follows Hana Khan as she balances her passion for podcasting with her efforts to save her mother's halal restaurant, Three Sisters Biryani Poutine. When a competitor, Wholistic Burgers and Grill, opens on the same street, Hana is thrown into battle against the charming and gorgeous Aydin Shah. With her podcast, Ana's Brown Girl Rambles, as a solace and the dedicated listener Stanley P as a confidant, how can Hana do it all? Devin's key takeaways were: Instead of email for this Rom Com re-do, Aydin and Hana come together and are kept apart by her podcast and their DMs. Her engagement with audio allows the reader to explore what having a voice means, especially with moments of anti-muslim hate crime in the story.  Yes, this is a romance but Jalaluddin focuses on Hana as a full and complete woman outside of romantic love, and explores self-love, familial love, and community love and care through the novel - with a special emphasis on the Toronto Golden Crescent neighborhood.  With concerns over the failing restaurant run by her mother for so long, Hana has to fight to keep traditions alive but also has deep passion for audio broadcasting and the modern ways people connect to each other. Both Aydin and Hana have to wrestle with those pressures and the possible gentrification of their Muslim neighborhood in Scarborough.  Hot On the Shelf (39:09): Holly: Independent People by Halldor Laxness Devin: Text Appeal by Amber Roberts What's Making Our Hearts Race (43:08): Holly: A new season of reading in 2024 Devin: Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom   Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com   If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: To start year 3 of Hearts & Daggers with a bang, we are launching a brand-new special miniseries that is sure to delight Hearts and Daggers readers alike.  We have both been reading the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas, a mutual favorite author who we celebrated in a previous LoveFest episode. We will be releasing monthly special episodes in which we debrief on each book as we go throughout the series.  We encourage you to read along with us throughout the year–or at whatever point you're jumping into these episodes–and enjoy our reactions, speculations, and gushing as we explore this new fantastical world. In this our first episode, we will share a brief introduction to the series; the order in which we'll be reading; and then dive into discussion of the book Throne of Glass. Each episode will have spoilers for the book being discussed and any of the books we've read previously, but we won't give spoilers beyond that point. We will warn you in this episode before we get into spoilers, in case you want to listen and get a taste before diving into the series yourself. Episodes will continue to drop each month until we finish the series. Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com  Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/shop/heartsanddaggerspod (purchases support our work) If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Summary: Welcome to year three of Hearts & Daggers, friends! We are so delighted you are along on this ride with us. To get 2024 started, Holly and Devin are digging into books by debut authors. There may be nothing more impressive that someone who puts their heart and hard work on the line to publish their first book. It's not only difficult to get published in the first place, but once your book is out there are thousands if not millions of people who experience your finished work. Holly and Devin both love reading debuts, finding that the more diverse voices added to the canon the more they enjoy diving in.  Topics Discussed: The Heart (3:45): Devin discussed Lunar Love by Lauren Kung Jessen, an enemies-to-lovers centered around Olivia Huang Christenson and Bennett O'Brien as they go head-to-head in a competition to see whose Chinese zodiac matchmaking approach is best. Liv is working hard to maintain the traditions of her grandmother's matchmaking business and Bennett has launched a new dating app that recommends matches using the Chinese zodiac. Devin's key takeaways were: The crux of the romance and the plot of the novel is the push/pull between tradition and innovation. How can one maintain culture via traditional practices and where should technology and new perspectives impact those traditions?  Devin is year of the Horse and Holly is year of the Snake, but either had been exposed very much to the Chinese zodiac before Devin read this book; Kung Jessen pulls from her Chinese-American heritage to add a unique cultural and historical perspective to the novel without making it seem like a lesson at school. Lunar Love was a bit light on the romance side and not very steamy. That being said, it was built authentically through Liv and Bennett's competition. Reading how each of them watched each other on dates that they themselves orchestrated and the complicated feelings there was especially enjoyable.  The Dagger (19:22): Holly discussed Winter Counts by David Heska Wanbli Weiden, a crime thriller following Virgil Wounded Horse as he delivers vigilante justice for his Lakota Nation community when the American legal system and the trivial council fall short. When heroin makes its way onto the reservation and directly impacts Virgil's nephew, his career in vigilantism suddenly becomes personal. Holly's key takeaways were: This novel was not only an extremely solid debut, but an important fresh voice for the triller genre; it was character-driven and a slower build in terms of action, but Holly read it in a day and found it was impossible to put down.  Winter Counts explores themes of justice and the corruption that can preclude real accountability and fairness within not only the federal policing system as it interacts with the Native communities, but also the tribal councils themselves and the cascading impacts it has on the people. Through Virgil and the other characters of the book, Weiden explores not only how personal history and trauma influence perspectives and actions but also the challenges of maintaining and evolving cultural identity and traditions for the Native communities in the modern era.  Hot On the Shelf (35:26): Holly: The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim Devin: The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon What's Making Our Hearts Race (41:29): Holly: Rewatching Avatar: The Last Airbender Devin: The Old Man and the Pool by Mike Bribiglia   Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com   If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.  

Summary: Happy Holidays, folks! To start year 3 of Hearts & Daggers with a bang, we are launching a brand-new special miniseries that is sure to delight Hearts and Daggers readers alike.  We have both been reading the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas, a mutual favorite author who we celebrated in a previous LoveFest episode. We're excited to share that we will be releasing monthly special episodes in which we debrief on each book as we go throughout the series.  We encourage you to read along with us throughout the year–or at whatever point you're jumping into these episodes–and enjoy our reactions, speculations, and gushing as we explore this new fantastical world. The first episode will air in January and they'll continue to drop each month until we finish the series.   Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com   If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.