Princess Treatment, Period Tracking & ACOTAR 6

Summary

House of Maher: Episode Summary – "Princess Treatment, Period Tracking & ACOTAR 6" (Released July 22, 2025)

In this vibrant and engaging episode of House of Maher, hosted by Wave Originals' Ilona Maher, Olivia Maher, and Adrianna “Dre Baby” Maher, the Maher sisters delve into a range of topics from period tracking and self-care to the latest buzz in the literary world with ACOTAR 6. The conversation is rich with personal anecdotes, insightful discussions, and light-hearted humor, making it a captivating listen for both longtime fans and newcomers alike.

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1. Embracing Self-Awareness Through Technology (00:00 – 06:00)

The episode kicks off with a discussion on wearable technology and health tracking devices. Ilona shares her perspective on using devices to monitor physical strain and recovery during training, stressing the balance between technology and personal intuition.

Ilona Maher (00:48): “A lot of my teammates wear those devices that tell them about themselves. I don't mind it. I would try it out for sure.”

Adriana raises concerns about the potential anxiety these devices can induce, while Olivia reflects on the constant connectivity they bring, sometimes detracting from personal interactions.

Adriana Maher (03:16): “Maybe you disconnect a bit from what really matters. So we like to come together here, see what's going on in the world and see how we can best ground ourselves and touch some grass.”

2. Navigating Period Tracking and Athletic Performance (06:00 – 11:44)

Transitioning to period tracking, the sisters discuss the benefits and challenges of monitoring menstrual cycles, especially for athletes. Ilona highlights how tracking can inform training decisions without letting it hinder performance.

Ilona Maher (07:35): “I just can’t use it as a reason to stop me from doing, like, the things I want to do, like the heavy lifting.”

Adriana shares her fluctuating experiences with period tracking, emphasizing the importance of self-care over data obsession.

Adriana Maher (08:25): “Sometimes I'll still wear it if I go on a long walk because I do want to track my miles. But I just stopped caring over time.”

3. Exploring the "Princess Treatment" in Modern Relationships (11:44 – 20:59)

A lively segment unfolds as the sisters dissect the concept of "Princess Treatment" in contemporary dating. They critique the romanticized expectations versus practical realities, advocating for mutual respect and autonomy in relationships.

Adriana Maher (16:12): “To me, princess treatment sounds like nice, like, your partner opens the door for you. But now, the women online are making it seem like they want to be treated like a child. That’s what's been happening.”

Ilona adds her perspective on maintaining individuality within the framework of being treated with care and respect.

Ilona Maher (18:01): “I will sometimes want to feel like a little princess, but I will be ordering for myself and the whole table at a restaurant.”

4. Tea Time: The Hamptons Share House Experience (22:44 – 33:33)

Adriana introduces the “Tea Time” segment, where she recounts her recent stay at a Hamptons share house. Olivia shares her experiences of being the "guest of the week," managing expectations versus reality, and the dynamics of social interactions in such settings.

Olivia Maher (23:58): “They were like, this is gonna be the chillest weekend ever. And I was like, okay, what the heck? This is not what I was promised.”

Ilona narrates her rigorous training regimen for the Rugby World Cup, providing listeners with an inside look into the life of an elite athlete.

Ilona Maher (31:27): “We wake up around like 7am, go to breakfast, warm up. Then we do a field session in a gym… It feels like you're running through a foot of water.”

5. Book Nook: Reviewing Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout (40:34 – 49:35)

In the “Book Nook” segment, the sisters discuss Blood and Ash series, offering critiques and praising its engaging storyline and character development. They share their ratings for each book, candidly expressing which installments resonated with them and which fell short.

Ilona Maher (46:14): “First book, 4.3. Second book, 3.4. Third book, 0.5.”

Adriana touches on the broader impact of anticipated releases like ACOTAR 6, speculating on its direction and fan expectations.

Adriana Maher (46:44): “Sarah J. Maas has been dropping hints about a sixth ACOTAR book and people are all over this.”

6. Authenticity and Personal Growth (39:42 – 40:34)

As the episode nears its end, the sisters reflect on what inspires their authenticity. They emphasize the influence of their environment and the importance of staying true to oneself amidst external pressures.

Adriana Maher (40:01): “I'm made up of all the women I've ever met. I've taken little bits that I think are cool from every person I've ever met and just put them into who I am.”

Ilona Maher (40:23): “Your art is real and beautiful, but we will have some takes you might not appreciate.”

7. Sponsor Messages and Final Thoughts (21:00 – 49:35)

Throughout the episode, sponsorship messages seamlessly integrate into the conversation, with the sisters endorsing Propel Fitness Water and TJ Maxx, highlighting how these brands align with their active and authentic lifestyles.

Ilona Maher (21:12): “I'm training for the rugby world cup, so, you know, I'm taking hydration very, very seriously…”

In their closing remarks, the sisters encourage listeners to subscribe, follow their social media channels, and engage with the content for more behind-the-scenes insights.

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Key Takeaways:

• Self-Awareness vs. Technology: Balancing the benefits of health-tracking devices with the need for personal intuition and mental well-being.

• Empowerment Through Period Tracking: Utilizing period tracking as a tool for self-awareness without letting it dictate one’s athletic performance or self-worth.

• Modern Relationship Dynamics: Reevaluating traditional notions of “Princess Treatment” to foster relationships based on mutual respect and individuality.

• Life as an Elite Athlete: Gaining insights into the rigorous training and lifestyle of an Olympic rugby player preparing for the World Cup.

• Literary Critique: Offering honest reviews of the Blood and Ash series, providing valuable perspectives for fellow readers.

• Authenticity: Emphasizing the importance of staying true to oneself, influenced by relationships and personal growth.

This episode of House of Maher masterfully blends personal stories with broader societal discussions, all while maintaining an authentic and relatable tone. Whether you’re an athlete, a book lover, or navigating modern relationships, there’s something in this episode for everyone. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube and follow House of Maher on social media for more engaging content every Tuesday.

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Notable Quotes:

• Adriana Maher (03:16): “Maybe you disconnect a bit from what really matters.”

• Ilona Maher (07:35): “I just can’t use it as a reason to stop me from doing, like, the things I want to do.”

• Adriana Maher (16:12): “To me, princess treatment sounds like nice, like, your partner opens the door for you.”

• Ilona Maher (21:12): “I'm training for the rugby world cup, so, you know, I'm taking hydration very, very seriously.”

• Olivia Maher (23:58): “This is not what I was promised.”

• Ilona Maher (31:27): “It feels like you're running through a foot of water.”

• Adriana Maher (46:14): “First book, 4.3. Second book, 3.4. Third book, 0.5.”

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Connect with House of Maher:

• YouTube: House of Maher
• Podcast Platforms: Available wherever you get your podcasts
• Social Media: Follow @HouseofMar for clips and behind-the-scenes content

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Note: All timestamps correspond to the provided transcript and may vary slightly based on the actual podcast audio.

Transcript

[Alona Mar]

With the Venmo debit card, you can Venmo everything. Your favorite band's merch. You can Venmo this or their next show. You can Venmo that. Visit Venmo Me Debit to learn more. The Venmo MasterCard is issued by the Bancorp bank in a pursuant to license by MasterCard International Inc. The card may be used everywhere. MasterCard is accepted. Venmo purchase restrictions apply.

[Ilona Mar]

I have the spirit of a 21 year old boy in me.

[Olivia Mar]

Ilona, you slept on an air mattress for three months when you first moved to your place in San Diego.

[Ilona Mar]

I didn't even get a side table until probably half a year later. I was just throwing on the floor. Olivia can tell you, like when you.

[Adriana]

Picture like a bachelor pa, like a man's home where it's just like a bare living room with a TV plugged in and like an Adirondack chair. That's how Alona would live.

[Ilona Mar]

Welcome to House of Mar? A Wave original presented by TJ Maxx. We have a few house rules.

[Adriana]

Girls are magic.

[Olivia Mar]

Reading is hot and so are you.

[Ilona Mar]

Make sure to subscribe to our YouTube so you can see our beautiful faces in person. But we have lovely voices as well, so do your thing. I am the middle sister, Alona Mar.

[Adriana]

And I am the eldest daughter, Olivia Mar.

[Olivia Mar]

And I'm the really youthful youngest.

[Ilona Mar]

Wow. Okay, you're 26. You're closer to 30, aren't you?

[Olivia Mar]

Oh, at least I'm not 30.

[Ilona Mar]

Okay, good one. That was funny.

[Olivia Mar]

That was easy.

[Ilona Mar]

That's a layup.

[Adriana]

And if I cried, I'm just kidding. I love aging. It's a privilege. I love being here at 30. I think you guys, jokes come from a place of jealousy.

[Alona Mar]

Maybe.

[Ilona Mar]

I have heard that in your 30s, you know yourself more and you just feel better. How about that? Live.

[Adriana]

I do feel, I think I say it's like I settled deeper into myself, but there was definitely something about that turn into 30 where I was like, oh, I give way less. You know what I mean? I just, I feel like myself if I'm cringe, if I'm embarrassing, who really cares? I'm 30. And the whole, the whole narrative is don't people start stop caring about you the older you get? Well, I'm going to use that to my full advantage.

[Ilona Mar]

Like I. I feel like 30 is like. It's not like what 30 used to be, though. 30 is like almost 22.

[Adriana]

Yeah, I feel like years.

[Ilona Mar]

Yeah, Covid years.

[Adriana]

Yes. I'm young, I'm sprightly. I'm. I'm hot.

[Olivia Mar]

You're like 25.

[Adriana]

My. My knees don't ever hurt. It's great.

[Ilona Mar]

I feel 24. Personally, I think that's like, Covid took that from me. I think I'm 24.

[Adriana]

Why 24?

[Ilona Mar]

24 just was. Seemed like a good time. I'm not sure. It just feels right for me that I am 24. I am 28. Gonna be 20 12th. So get your story posts ready. Get your.

[Adriana]

Make edits of her.

[Ilona Mar]

Make edits of me ready. Yes. Going to be a big.

[Olivia Mar]

Give them some. Like, a little pose for an edit.

[Adriana]

Yeah. Oh, edit farm. It Edit farming, everyone. Edit farm.

[Olivia Mar]

It's me. I'm clipping these.

[Ilona Mar]

Okay, that should be enough.

[Olivia Mar]

Perfect.

[Adriana]

That's enough. That's enough all the way around.

[Ilona Mar]

Coming up on today's episode of House of Mar, we are talking period tracking, princess treatment and being a Hamptons hottie.

[Adriana]

Ladies, should we touch some grass this morning?

[Ilona Mar]

I've been touching a lot of grass, but I can touch some more with you.

[Adriana]

Thank you. Let's touch it metaphysically, metaphorically, in this way. Let's see.

[Ilona Mar]

Touch grass.

[Adriana]

Everyone is just, you know, you take life a little too seriously. Maybe you disconnect a bit from what really matters. So we like to come together here, see what's going on in the world and see how we can best ground ourselves and touch some grass. Wearable device, obsessions and health tracking and, you know, workout tracking. All of that. All good stuff. But do we. Are we learning too much about ourselves? What do you think?

[Ilona Mar]

A lot of my teammates wear those devices that tell them about themselves. I don't mind it. I would try it out for sure. I just don't need a device to tell me I'm, like, working too hard. You know what I'm saying? Because they can. These devices, they tell you everything. They tell you, like, how much you've strained that day, how hard you've worked.

[Adriana]

They'll tell you you're working too hard. That's a thing.

[Ilona Mar]

Well, if your strain is very high, yes.

[Olivia Mar]

Like, you're not having enough rest.

[Ilona Mar]

I don't actually fully know. I just know that's it. It'll tell you. Like, you, you know, you got this much recovery in or something like that. So I think it actually can be good in many ways because it, like, prompts you to, oh, I want to get more rest, or I want to recover better. So it's good. I just always am more of a. I can't commit to things, really, or I can't add anything new into my routine. Very much so. A stickler on what I do. So I just use a good old stopwatch. And then if I'm tired, I'm like, man, I'm tired. And then if I feel like, well rested, I'm like, probably got well rested there.

[Olivia Mar]

Exactly.

[Adriana]

That's her health tracker.

[Olivia Mar]

This isn't a wearable device, but I don't even like log runs. I used to have, like, fitness apps for, like, you know, like, your mileage, how fast you went. And I'm like, I don't need to know that anymore. I'm not going on runs a lot, but when I do, don't need to see that. But I was interested in getting a wearable, like, a new wearable device. And my friend told me I am not allowed.

[Ilona Mar]

Why?

[Olivia Mar]

Because I would look at the stats too much and I'd be like, what does this mean? Am I okay? Like, with already how I am about my body? It'd be too much, like, anxiety.

[Ilona Mar]

Right. I will say I have a friend who. He recently just got an Apple watch. And, like, he's. He was like, oh, you know, I just got this. It's like, it's really cool, like, because it is for working out and tracks all that. But the problem is now, like, now he's not checking his phone. He's always has this on him. So whenever he gets a ping, he can just, like, look at his. His watch. And so he's like, we're having conversations. It's like, oh, his watch pings. He just knows. So I think, like, we have so many ways that can pull our focus. And. And I mean, even my phone pulls my focus. I can't. If it's right on me, if it's even near me, I have to check it. But if it's on your wrist making a little vibration every time, I mean, shit. I, like, they're constantly watching. So, like, I feel like I'm. I'm talking to a person, but then they're, you know, looking down at their watch, which it seems like it's just right, but it's not. It's actually a phone on your wrist.

[Olivia Mar]

You're never disconnected. Yeah.

[Adriana]

You're, like, tethered to the, like, everything that's going on. Always. When they first gained popularity when I was in school and everyone started getting them and they were the hot new thing and they would track your sleep, that was like, the wildest thing, but everyone was like, it's so cool. You can make sure you're sleeping well and it Knows when you're asleep and when you're not. Look at my graph. And one of my, like, most lovely stoner friends was like, you're telling me they can. They know exactly when you're asleep in the night and they can come into your house? I was like, you're actually onto something. Like, you've got.

[Ilona Mar]

That's something. Sounds like something dad would say, though, too.

[Adriana]

Exactly. Which is why I did.

[Olivia Mar]

I did perk up there.

[Adriana]

And, like, I've. I've. I've had wearable tech in that way, and I definitely enjoy it, like, at the start. But then I do say, like, I stopped caring about the stats and stuff. Sometimes I'll still wear it if I go on a long walk, because I do want to track my miles. But I. Yeah, I think I just stopped caring over time. But I do think we know too much about ourselves. You know what I mean?

[Ilona Mar]

Do you guys do period tracking?

[Olivia Mar]

I do, and I love it. Whenever I have a symptom, I'm like, tattling. I love to tattle myself. I'm like, cramps. Done.

[Adriana]

Oh, female hysteria. There it is.

[Olivia Mar]

Mood swings.

[Ilona Mar]

Which one do you use? Wasn't there, like, a thing to, like, delete your. Your period tracking app?

[Olivia Mar]

I think it was Delete Flow, because they weren't encrypting data. Right. And they were potentially selling it. And I. I'm gonna be honest. I just use the one built into my phone, so I use that one too.

[Ilona Mar]

Okay.

[Olivia Mar]

I don't know if it's known for, like, encryption, but I'm also, like, if someone wants my period data.

[Adriana]

Sure.

[Olivia Mar]

Hey, I don't know what you're gonna do with that. Maybe something good, actually. Maybe it's for a research study.

[Adriana]

My problem is I'm throwing mine for a loop. Mine doesn't ever know what's happening. I will say with. With birth control, it's neither here nor there if I'm gonna get my period that month. So I might log a symptom or two. But currently, I haven't actually, like, I mean, tmi, but bled in a long time. And so my app is like, hey, you might get your period in the next five weeks. Like, it's like. It's giving me these nonsensical updates where I'm like, thank you. I'm so sorry, baby. You're trying so hard. Just keep doing what you're doing. Sorry about that.

[Ilona Mar]

It is nice. It is nice. I think track and to know. And even for athletes, they're. They're saying, like, how much More data. There is about, like, periods and what type of. What time of the month you're on and what that can lead to. I think period tracking is great, especially as an athlete, because there are, like, know a lot of studies about, you know, when you're in your luteal phase, you should do this and that. I am also, though, a believer in, like, I'm not going to change up how I work out depending on what my period phase is, because rugby doesn't stop. It's not going to be like, oh, well, you have your period, don't play in this game. So I. I think tracking is just good to, like, be better aware and like, no, okay, maybe you need a little bit more rest here or, oh, you're feeling really good, you're ovulating. Like, go out there, lift some heavy weights. I think it is good. But I also don't use it as a reason to stop me from doing, like, the things I want to do, like the heavy lifting or because I think there's, like, somewhere like, in follicular phase, you should be doing, you know, low cardio or whatever it is. But, you know, the sports weights for no one, really. I'm not gonna. I'll be on my period in many. I was on my period for many a tournament, many a game.

[Adriana]

But that's crazy you say that because to me, I'm like, oh, it's not really affecting me. It's.

[Ilona Mar]

I.

[Adriana]

It's fine. Like, I don't. Sure. Apparently every week is different in a woman's body because of what's changing hormonally. And I more so noticed that than when I started doing weekly Pilates. Like, I would go once a week on, like, every Tuesday, once a week, where I would feel so strong. One week I'm like, God, I'm getting so good at this. Look at me. Look at my dedication paying off. And then the next week would be wherever I am in my cycle, what follicular. Whatever the bad one is, essentially. And I would feel so weak. I would be like, last week I felt like a God. I was on top of it. I was so strong. This week I'm like, oh, my gosh. And I'm like, oh, it's my period. I'm like, week to week, I can tell where I am based on, like, my strength levels or my perseverance.

[Olivia Mar]

And.

[Adriana]

And that really did. I was like, oh, there's. There's actually science to that. That's crazy.

[Ilona Mar]

Which I think is so great because, like, as women, you know, it's like, we have. We just go so up and down so much. So it's like also knowing it gives you an understanding of, why do I feel this way? Why am I hating my body right now? I think we should take that more into consideration. Like, oh, man. Really not feeling this well. I. Then I'm like, okay, just pause. See how you feel next week. Like, it's. It's not like men, where we kind of like, men are like, you know, can be one phase. I mean, we are up, we are down, we are all over the place. And I think it is good to know that, like, oh, I'm ovulating. I'm feeling good. Be aware that maybe, you know, next week or in two weeks, I'm not going to feel as good.

[Adriana]

It's always changing. And if you're feeling bad, that's all right. You're going to circle back around. You're going to feel good again, too. Don't worry. But always take care of yourself in the meantime. Like, don't ever stop that.

[Ilona Mar]

It's funny because we've been having our periods for years and years and years, and I still get absolutely shocked when it comes.

[Olivia Mar]

No, what's up? What's. What's up with that? Because I'm like, I'll be so, like, just down and I'm like, talking to one of you guys. And Olivia loves. Hit me with this being like, when's your period starting? That's so dad of me.

[Adriana]

That's so dad of me. Well, if you find yourself fixating a little too hard on the data or tracking or, you know, I don't think we need to know as much stuff about ourselves. So let's touch a bit of grass, do what feels good, do it feels right, and just live your best life.

[Olivia Mar]

For our next touch, grass. This has been circulating the Internet, a little communication back and forth on a dating app.

[Adriana]

So they'd obviously been talking about setting a date. Right. We're on a dating app here. Meeting in person. They're gonna do it. How does 7:30 sound?

[Olivia Mar]

Perfect.

[Adriana]

I'll meet you there today at 7:21pm Hello. I will probably be about five minutes late.

[Olivia Mar]

Oh, no. You needed to confirm this morning. I thought it wasn't happening. So I'm not there. We will have to reschedule.

[Adriana]

Let's view that there, huh? I understand confirming, but the person you're setting the date with literally said, perfect, I'll meet you there. To me, that's a. That's a confirmation this is happening. I would be at the Restaurant. I do not need to follow up with a confirmation that morning. So to me, this person needs to touch grass.

[Ilona Mar]

Who cares?

[Adriana]

You don't need to follow. Confirm that. The, like, if this was the 90s and you set up meeting on the phone, you hang up and you just had to freaking be there. There was no, like, cross your fingers. Cross your fingers, right? There was no calling again that morning being like, we still on for 7:30 tonight even though it's in our calendars. That seems crazy to me. But then again, I haven't been as actively in the dating scene yet, so I don't know, maybe this is normal now.

[Ilona Mar]

I wonder. I want to know, like, who was this? Two. Two girls, Two boys, boy, and a girl who's who right now?

[Olivia Mar]

You know, if I were to make a guess, I would think that the person who said, oh, you need to confirm is the girl. Because I do know some girls like that.

[Ilona Mar]

Oh, really?

[Olivia Mar]

Who are just like, no. Like, obviously they don't have, like, a true interest in me. And it's so, like, kind of if he wanted to, he would mentality almost.

[Adriana]

To a fault, though.

[Ilona Mar]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Adriana]

You literally confirmed. You were like, great, I'll meet you there. I don't think we need to text confirm all. We don't need to always be in constant communication. We set a date. Let's go meet in person.

[Ilona Mar]

I wonder when, like, they first planned that. Because if it was like the day before, was it three days before? Because if it was like a week before, I mean, now, because we do text so much, I think a confirmation would have been good. But also, you know, you can confirm as well. So I think if this. If. If you set it up like, a while ago, I think confirmation is good. Like, can't wait to see tonight. And I think girls do want that. Girls, like, you're saying Adriana, they want there to, like, know, okay, he still likes me. He's still on. Because people could be so flighty nowadays. So I do see that if this was. If they'd set it up a while ago and he hadn't confirmed or she hadn't confirmed, I'd be like, oh, well, it's not happening. But also, you got to take the reins. But we are also the person that you are. Like, we're. We're a thing. Like, if I say, oh, let's do this at this time on this day where I'm doing that. And so if you're not there, you know, we're more of like, I don't know this. Okay. We've set this plan. It's in my calendar. I'm going to do this.

[Adriana]

It's happening like I said it. Why would I not follow through on that? But I do hear you how far out that initial date setting was. I could see that.

[Olivia Mar]

I'm always like, if you were concerned about, you know, like, is it actually going to happen? Are we going to see each other? You can always reach out. Hey, put your money where your mouth is.

[Adriana]

Interesting phone. Phone works both ways. Mentality. Interesting. In this case, I'm gonna say that the person having said, yes, I'll meet you there at the time that the person I was reading for, you know, said, I think that that person needs to touch grass. Because then they also didn't reach out to confirm, but that's me.

[Ilona Mar]

Then there's another part to this text.

[Adriana]

So there's a second part to it. This person, that's the person that didn't follow up, quote unquote, says, I'll just be honest. The whole situation just seems like a sign to me. And I do apologize about not confirming plans with you. It's unfortunate the situation happened for me.

[Olivia Mar]

You should be so excited the morning of our date. You can't wait to reach out to me and let me know you're looking forward to it. But that's the bare minimum and how I view it on what I deserve to find what I'm looking for. Touch grass. Is that princess treatment?

[Adriana]

Yeah.

[Olivia Mar]

Is she wanting princess treatment?

[Ilona Mar]

I hear yes.

[Adriana]

Is this Princess Collarbone?

[Ilona Mar]

You should be so excited the morning of our date. You can't wait to reach out to me. I mean, chill. The amount of dates people have to go on to find somebody. You can't be excited for every date you go on. It's also like you meeting somebody and having to put yourself out there again. It's also like, okay, here we go. So interesting.

[Olivia Mar]

Also, if you've never even met in person, like, maybe I'm not like jumping at the biting at a bit to meet up with a stranger. You need to be so excited with.

[Adriana]

The way the dating landscape is today. Like, there's going to be several duds. They're not all going to be these people that meet your quote, unquote, bare minimum. I don't know, just be a good human.

[Ilona Mar]

What does princess treatment mean to you guys?

[Adriana]

This was a big topic online, right? Princess treatment. Women are defining it as being able to live this soft lifestyle, this kind of softer, quieter. Their man is a provider who takes care of them. Kind of, you know, vibe. But it's almost gone, like, so far where women are literally forfeiting their rights to have personalities and lives and, like, an opinion. And they just sit quietly and demurely, you know, and they're so demure, and it makes them think that they're more worthy because they aren't brash and loud and full of life and personality the way these other women are. They're taken care of, and they're tiny and demure. So I don't think princess treatment is anymore. What it like, the term princess treatment to me sounds like, nice. Like, oh, my. Like, your partner opens the door for you. Your partner likes to do this for you. Princess treatment. That kind of thing. Whereas now the. The. The. The women online that are kind of sharing their princess treatment lives are making. They're like, I never talk to hostesses. I never order my food for myself. Are you a child? Are you a baby?

[Ilona Mar]

Right, Right.

[Adriana]

What is wrong with you? That's actually weird. And it's. People are like, ew. You're being like you're putting your kink on the Internet. Like, why are you, like, displaying your dominant submissive relationship on here? Keep that to yourself and in your home. That's what's been happening.

[Olivia Mar]

Personally, I could not do that. I was. This weekend, I was in a house full of people, and I was like, do you guys need me get the grill started. I can. I can organize this entire thing right now. Princess treatment. Don't know her. Don't want to know her.

[Adriana]

Actually, if you guys were looking for grill master treatment, I'm here.

[Ilona Mar]

And this isn't to say there are, like, some things that I sometimes want to. Felt like a little princess lady. Open the door for me. Walk on the roadside, buy me flowers. But I will be ordering for myself and the whole table at a restaurant.

[Olivia Mar]

I think the line is, don't walk over me. You know?

[Ilona Mar]

Okay, interesting.

[Adriana]

Don't walk over me. Lay the jacket over the puddle for me to step on. That's princess treatment.

[Ilona Mar]

Did you just make that up? No.

[Adriana]

That's, like, the romantic thing to do.

[Olivia Mar]

So your shoes don't get wet.

[Adriana]

So your shoes don't get wet. A man would lay his jacket over a puddle so that you could step on that and not the puddle.

[Olivia Mar]

You guys.

[Ilona Mar]

You guys aren't. Apparently aren't dating.

[Adriana]

You guys aren't getting princess treatment the way I'm getting princess treatment.

[Olivia Mar]

If that ever happens, if that ever happens to any of you in real life, I need to know immediately.

[Adriana]

I'll FaceTime you as I'm stepping on the jacket over the puddle.

[Olivia Mar]

You're zooming in. Look what just happened. Hey, hold that for a second. I gotta call my sisters.

[Ilona Mar]

That sounds crazy, but okay.

[Adriana]

I love it. No, I think where princess treatment has gone, you gotta touch some grass. That's not right. Be you. Speak your mind, order for yourself, and let your partner love you. Oh, Ilona has a. Has a point for us.

[Ilona Mar]

You know how I like to just think about things in other ways.

[Olivia Mar]

Okay.

[Ilona Mar]

If there some men who do like to really just. Not that they're meant for me, but who are very more of the masculine dominant type, you know, who want a woman who's kind of submissive and stuff, I mean, if that's your thing, you get your princess treatment. Get your man to do all that for you, if that's what you want. I couldn't. I can't. Shut up. I have to have a say in everything, and I have to have a hand in everything. But if you want to just have a life where you don't do a thing and are just kind of treated like I. Hey, that's what some men want. They're not going to want us on. Nobody on this call, but I think you're on this podcast.

[Adriana]

If men want that, though, they need to be able to back that up. If they want to be a provider, be a provider. Pay, do the things, fix the things, be the provider. If you want your woman to do nothing, that's expensive. You know what I mean? So treat her than how you want to, actually. How you're, you know, practice what you preach, I guess, in that case. But yeah, those. Those men are not for us. I got something to say, and I got something to do about it, and I will do it better than anybody around me.

[Ilona Mar]

Yeah.

[Olivia Mar]

Boom.

[Ilona Mar]

I am so excited to share that Propel Fitness Water is sponsoring this week's episode. I'm at training camp. It is so hot, and hydration is so important, and I'm so happy to have Propel Fitness Water by my side.

[Olivia Mar]

I'm not at rugby training camp, but New York did just have a heat wave, and Propel was my best friend. With Gatorade, electrolytes, zero sugar, and vitamins, Propel Fitness Water hydrates better than water.

[Ilona Mar]

I'm training for the rugby world cup, so, you know, I'm taking hydration very, very seriously. I'm hydrating and rehydra before, during, and after my workouts, and Propel has a range of exciting flavors to choose from. Kiwi, strawberry, and watermelon are some of my favorite flavors, but honestly, I'm drinking them all.

[Adriana]

Propel Fitness water tastes so good and hydrates better than water. It helps you get the most out of your workout so you can get back to your best self. I know I'm always grabbing a peach repel before heading out to a Pilates class or my summer walks around the park. And who doesn't love a little Bev on their summer walks? It's essential.

[Olivia Mar]

I've been meaning to go on a little Sunset City stroll myself and maybe I'll sip on a watermelon. Propel.

[Adriana]

I'm happy to inspire. Or should I say propel?

[Ilona Mar]

You grab a Propel fitness water wherever you shop to help you get the most out of your next workout. What propels you?

[Adriana]

Ladies, let's go into some tea time, which is today sponsored by Propel.

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[Adriana]

Today in tea time. Adriana, you literally just got off of a bus from the Hamptons where you are in a Hamptons share house. Can you please tell us about this? What's going on in your life? This is so interesting to me.

[Olivia Mar]

Well, I first want to preface, I took a 5:30am bus. I got dropped off on the side of the road by an Uber and he said, that's the bench they wait at. It's like 5am and I'm like, oh, just me outside, slightly drizzling.

[Adriana]

I looked at her location on, you know, you know, on like the location services, and she is at the very end of Long Island. I was like, I don't even know. There's still people out there, but keep going.

[Olivia Mar]

But it was a really fun experience. My friends have done this share house for years and years, and I, I only met them in the past year and I got like, they're like, oh, do you want to come? Like, pick a weekend? And I. It was described to me as feral, that it would be feral. And I will say it was a little feral. But apparently they're like, this is actually like the calmest weekend we've ever had here. And I was kind of like, okay, what the helly? This is not what I was promised.

[Adriana]

They probably sensed all that grill master energy in you. You were there to keep.

[Olivia Mar]

That's why I was told that apparently each weekend they do like guest of the week. And I was guest of the week because not only did I start up the grill and we were all eating dinner on the table and they go, I don't think I've ever had a full meal here before. I was like, what are they eating? It's so like, it's just like snacks and like little bites here and there. I think like, I got the sauce, the sausages, the hot dogs. I put corn in the cob. I had a girl, it was her idea actually. She was making Greek salad. So well rounded out. And then of course we then went to the bars and just drank throughout the night. So there was some rowdiness. It was a whole new world. The bed situation is first come, first serve, which that's frightening. Nightmare, nightmare, nightmare. However, they do have like an upstairs and that's women only. And so like that's great of like you can put air mattress. There's a mattress up there, but so it's like there's a few beds here and there, but there's also like 10 air mattresses. So if you are come back late, you're blowing up an air mattress.

[Ilona Mar]

Hey, John, it. Text us. I just slept so well on an air mattress. Was it maybe the litany of drinks? Who knows? Felt like a five star hotel.

[Olivia Mar]

That was like right when I woke up too. I was like, I was like, oh, that was. I was out like a light actually. And I was sharing the air mattress with my friend.

[Adriana]

What? I can't. With an air mattress. I can't. I can't believe that for you.

[Olivia Mar]

I just. Well, because I'm a back sleeper too, so it's like I'm not like wiggling. I think once you like get in it, it's great. Alona, you slept on an air mattress for three months when you first moved to your place in San Diego.

[Ilona Mar]

I'm. I love an air mattress. I am actually. I have the spirit of a 21 year old boy in me. I moved to my house, my apartment, and I just like am not a home decorator or anything. I slept on an air mattress for three months, I think until I got, until I got a bed frame and a mattress. And then I didn't even get a side table until probably half a year later. I was just throwing on the floor. Olivia can tell you like when you.

[Adriana]

Picture like a bachelor pad, like a man's home where it's just like a bare living room with a TV plugged in and, like, an Adirondack chair. That's how Alona would live. Truly.

[Ilona Mar]

That's how I would live.

[Adriana]

Air mattress in the corner. But then when she does commit to it, like, you did end up getting yourself beautiful furniture. And, like, it took a while.

[Ilona Mar]

The only reason I got that is because I just found a set somewhere, and I had people come and set it up for me, right? Like, I can't. I'm. I'm not one who can go out and, like, Facebook Marketplace. So when I get my own place, I'm gonna have to have somebody like. Like, do all of the designing for me, because if. If not, it won't look good.

[Adriana]

You are Harry Potter on the Hogwarts Express. The first. First year, you said, we'll take the lot. You saw one set of that worked, and you're like, we'll take the lot. Throw it in there so you don't.

[Olivia Mar]

Have to make any more decisions.

[Ilona Mar]

True. Adriana, what was the drink of choice?

[Olivia Mar]

Everybody was drinking Surfsides, which is like a kind of like a twee. It's just iced tea and vodka.

[Ilona Mar]

Did you say twee? Yeah.

[Olivia Mar]

Twisted tea.

[Ilona Mar]

Oh, is that what it's called?

[Adriana]

A twee?

[Olivia Mar]

That's.

[Ilona Mar]

I thought your lisp came out or something. Little tweet. I was like, what the heck is a twee?

[Olivia Mar]

Weirdo. How are you?

[Adriana]

We have not talked about her speech impediment on this podcast yet. Alona. How are you gonna out her like that? That's crazy.

[Olivia Mar]

Well, that's for another time.

[Adriana]

That's actually a whole other time. I was on the phone with her yesterday while she was there, and I'm talking all this, and she goes, what. What is that? What's in it? A Miami Vice was like, oh, she's having a weekend. Good for her.

[Olivia Mar]

It was really fun. So it was like, two big nights. Friday night, we went to this place that had, like, a live cover band, and the COVID band was crazy good. Like, I was. But actually, what happened this weekend cover, logically, can never happen again.

[Ilona Mar]

Tell me more. How much was it?

[Adriana]

$60 for a bar.

[Olivia Mar]

It's like a ticket to go see the band. That's what I was telling myself.

[Ilona Mar]

Live music.

[Adriana]

And you're like. You've. You're like. You've paid a fraction of that for an actual concert in New York City, so.

[Olivia Mar]

But it was actually worth the 60 bucks. It was really great. And then that was just a hoot. We were there for a While I was like, we got up, like, front row. I was like, barricade at the COVID band.

[Adriana]

Now I have a question, Dre.

[Olivia Mar]

Hit me.

[Adriana]

When I picture these Hamptons houses that are being rented for weeks at a time, to me, it's New York City's hottest. It's the hottest people.

[Ilona Mar]

Right?

[Adriana]

It's Gossip Girl. That's what's happening out there for you, being the guest of honor of the weekend. How many people were you making out with? How many people wanted to be with you? Were you the woman of the weekend? Like, how did that work? To me, that's how these Hampton houses were.

[Ilona Mar]

What was.

[Olivia Mar]

I went into this, and I was like, this is gonna be a crazy weekend. And then they're like, this is gonna be the chillest weekend ever. It's so girl focused. Everyone's also in a couple. And I was like. I was told. I.

[Ilona Mar]

Hey.

[Olivia Mar]

I was told this was gonna be like, the villa.

[Ilona Mar]

No.

[Olivia Mar]

Right? And then we're at the bars, and we're like, all right, we're gonna make out with someone. We are looking over everyone's heads. Actually. It is the shortest and also youngest crowd. It was like 21 year olds. And I was like, oh. And so we kind of gave up on that one, and we decided to focus on ourselves.

[Ilona Mar]

Good.

[Adriana]

Would you do it again?

[Olivia Mar]

I. Oh, I would go back. I don't think I could do it as often as some of these people do, because, first of all, it is a lot of money. And I will say that's a lot of work for your liver. Like, you are drinking. Obviously, you can abstain. But I'm like, that's kind of like the culture is like, you're going. You're there to go out almost, and then you're there to be at, like, a pool during the day. And so I would definitely go back next year. I think I should have done it for the fourth.

[Adriana]

That's what you should plan for next week, next year. That's what you should plan for next year.

[Ilona Mar]

What outfits did you pack? Were you looking fly?

[Olivia Mar]

I was.

[Ilona Mar]

I was.

[Olivia Mar]

I was actually looking really good. I also went to TJ Maxx, and I got an extreme push up bra.

[Adriana]

Thank you, TJ Maxx.

[Olivia Mar]

I was like, why'd we have to call it extreme?

[Ilona Mar]

Hey.

[Adriana]

Hey.

[Olivia Mar]

This actually seems just normal to me. No.

[Adriana]

Right?

[Olivia Mar]

So that was because I had this one, like, low neck thing, and I was like, we gotta. We gotta do something. And so I just, like, I had this. Some nice dresses, some nice skirts. Like, you're dressing A little. Nice. And then I also got some other items I didn't get to wear, but I will wear them in DC Perfect for those games.

[Ilona Mar]

TJ Maxx hooked you up. That's awesome.

[Adriana]

Love that. Speaking of Alona's games. My queen. Okay, let's kick it over to you. You are at rugby camp. That's why you're seeing this beautiful dorm room vibe behind her.

[Ilona Mar]

Yeah.

[Adriana]

How you living?

[Ilona Mar]

I am out in the middle of nowhere. It's so hot. I mean, aggressively hot. I think when we practice, it'll get up to 96, and humidity will be at 100. And there's these little gnats that fly everywhere around you. And then we practice for, like, two hours a day. Like, what we do, like, one in the morning, units in the morning, then we go to the gym, and then our practice in the afternoon at the heat of the day is about two hours long. It's like when you're out there running. We just did a scrimmage. When you're out there running, it feels like you're, like, running through a foot of water. Like you're in a fog. It's just so miserable.

[Adriana]

Like, you're swimming through the air.

[Ilona Mar]

Basically, you're swimming through there. It's like, you know in a dream when you try to get somewhere and you can't get anywhere fast.

[Olivia Mar]

Hey, is this safe for your bodies?

[Ilona Mar]

No, no, no. It's at a college campus, Right? So we're eating in the cafeteria. I mean, they have mostly fried foods. I've eaten fries like, probably seven times. They have these, like, chicken nuggets that everybody's eating. They have. They had onion rings the other day. I've been eating burgers.

[Olivia Mar]

Are you eating any greens?

[Ilona Mar]

I eat a little salad. Yeah, I do. I try to, but it's just, like. It's tough. It's tough food out here because this campus also isn't really. Like, there's not a lot happening during the summertime. Like, you know, some campuses are really open and live in the summer. There's summer classes. There's a lot of students. There's all sorts of sports. Not this campus.

[Adriana]

Do they. Are they aware that there's elite athletes preparing for the world stage of their event out there? Like, that they should be providing healthier options is that they do.

[Ilona Mar]

I mean, they have chicken breasts, and they have, like. Like salad bar and whatnot and a sandwich line. It has been tough to eat. I also, as you know, like, I'm somebody who. I love to go out to eat, so. And that's the way I kind of like get my, my own time in, you know, is like going out to get coffee, going out to get food by myself. So here, like there's not even Ubers to go anywhere. So we're just stuck here.

[Adriana]

You're truly in the middle of nowhere.

[Ilona Mar]

Truly in the middle of nowhere. I think.

[Olivia Mar]

Taxi Cab Company.

[Ilona Mar]

The town has about 2, 000 people. I just looked up the. It was like 2, 1900, 2000 people. So it is, it's, it's a village. Yeah. So we wake up around like 7am, go to breakfast, warm up. Then we do a field session in a gym. Then we have like a meeting and a little lunch. We have a tiny little break. Then we have our main session which is like the two hour long one. And it's so hot. We have to like go underneath the tent and like chill for a little bit in between water breaks and then go back out. What's been nice though is for our living situation, we live in these like cottages. There's like 10 of us in this cottage, but we all have our own room. But we in a little like common areas. You've been watching like movies together, just hanging out. That's been really good. And having your own space is also really nice. Just like laying on your bed, just kind of being able to tune out and you know, do your thing.

[Adriana]

Is there air conditioning? Because my university, we did not have air conditioning. You could put a box fan in the window, but what's going on there?

[Ilona Mar]

There is AC actually. Yeah, Huzzah. That's. Yeah, it's. It was going really high, but I think it's gotten a little lower in my room. It's gotten a little hot at night. That's fine. I'm okay. My fan is so loud, I can't keep it on. It's. It's been good though. I mean, it's been tough because it is just like so hot. But I also like have to remember I'm not the only one who's feeling this hot. I'm not the only one who's struggling. Like it's sometimes can feel that way when you're on the field. Like, fuck, why am I so unfit? I must be so much more unfit than everybody else. And then I just try to like, look around. I'm like, no, if I feel this way, I am fit. Everybody's feeling this way. So we're all going through it and we all are like, you know, it's tough right now. We're also going through selections For World cup to make that team, to see if we're going to be on because this is the extended squad and then it's to see if we're going to make that, you know, more selective team. So I think 40 girls are here and then like 32 go to World.

[Adriana]

Cup and 40 people. That is so different from like your seven's life, your seven setup, right? Like, that's so few girls. You are connected to those girls. Whereas 40 is a, that's a. That's a whole production.

[Ilona Mar]

15S is different. Fifteens is definitely like sevens. You kind of are with, you know, you know, everybody. You talk to everybody at some time. Whereas, I'm sorry, seven. Yeah, sevens, you know, everybody. You talk to everybody at the same time. 15s is like you kind of find your. Not your click, but you definitely find who you vibe with and you spend a lot of time with them. I'm. I try to meet a lot of people and hang out with them, but there's so many people around. And you also, like, want those people that you find that are really, like, chill and, you know, feel like you can be comfortable around. So I have Nicole here, who's my roommate. I've been. I really love Georgie and Charlie, who you'll see in my Tick Tock videos. We get along so well. They make me laugh, so it makes like. Feels like I can just kind of breathe, you know, when I'm around them because it is such a stressful time and you know, you're. These girls are fighting for a spot to make the World cup. So it's, it's a very tense environment because that's the, the girl that I'm fighting against in a way for my spot. The opposing 13 is who I'm trying to beat so that I can get that jersey. But at the end of the day, we're also teammates, so. And with our sports, a contact sport, right. So it's not like who's going to be faster. It's, it's, it is about that, but it's also who's gonna hit harder. And so when we go up against each other, it's not going to be who can get to the ball for. It's going to be who can. Can I take her to the ground as fast as I can? And she's gonna. I, I had to stiff arm my opposing 13 in the face because I was like, you know, it's you and me between for that spot. So I'm. I have to stop you. And I just. You feel this demon come out of you. So it's, it's been tough and it's definitely trying to figure out how to interact with your teammates as well.

[Olivia Mar]

I didn't even think about that.

[Adriana]

I also just want to put in for anybody maybe that's newer to the show and listening or just maybe is popping in. I want you to know Alona right now is training for the Rugby World cup, which is rugby 15s. What she played in the Olympics is Rugby Sevens. And it's a different form of the game. Both are still rugby. The rugby purists will tell you that rugby 15s is, you know, whatever the real form. So in 15s you're 15 people versus 15 people for 80 minutes. Yeah.

[Ilona Mar]

40 minute halves.

[Adriana]

Yeah, for 40 minute halves on a field. Right. And sevens is that same size field, 7 people versus 7 people for only 14 minutes the entire game. So alone I has switched forms here and that's why there is so many people at this camp. But I mean, it sounds like you're navigating it pretty well.

[Ilona Mar]

It's definitely better than it than it has been.

[Olivia Mar]

Yeah.

[Adriana]

Cool.

[Ilona Mar]

But it is still stressful. I'm just excited for the World Cup. I really want to make the squad. The squad will be announced soon. I want to make the squad and I want to go to England and I want to get to experience World Cup.

[Olivia Mar]

That's going to be your third World cup if we're including Sevens. Right.

[Ilona Mar]

So it's tough. I mean Sevens World Cups are not this, this is to. For rugby people. This is the pinnacle of rugby for like soccer people. Even for soccer as well. The World Cups are the pinnacles. For some sports. Olympics are the pinnacles. Right. Like track and field Olympics are the pinnacles. What can I think of? There's other ones where that spinnacle for like soccer, rugby. Our World Cups are our pinnacle event and it's every four years. So this is going to be, you know, it's nothing like a seventh World Cup. This is the big, big thing.

[Adriana]

Well, we are rooting for you, my darling. You keep doing. You keep making us proud. Make yourself proud though first. Okay.

[Ilona Mar]

I'm trying make you and future you proud. I'm trying.

[Olivia Mar]

Olivia and I will be wearing our matching Alona shirts and cheering you on.

[Ilona Mar]

Perfect. It's a different vibe than sevens. You guys will see, but you guys are gonna love it.

[Olivia Mar]

Personally, I'm a Rugby Sevens truther. It's short. It's really fast. Like people actually running, not like how short the game is. It's great for my attention span. Sometimes when I'm watching 15s, I'm like.

[Ilona Mar]

Get up and run.

[Olivia Mar]

But it's just like, down they go down there. And I'm just like, someone make a sprint, please.

[Ilona Mar]

But you will watch and love. You will watch and love.

[Adriana]

So you're not going to hear a typical AD here. Instead, TJ Maxx is supporting this episode so we can show up exactly as who we are.

[Ilona Mar]

Yeah.

[Olivia Mar]

This is not your typical sponsorship moment. No breaks, no scripts, just space to be ourselves. Thank you to TJ Maxx.

[Adriana]

What should we talk about?

[Olivia Mar]

What inspires your authenticity?

[Ilona Mar]

I think it's, like, the people that I'm around, my teammates, you guys, Mom. Like, I think that gives me the space to be so authentic because I make these amazing people love me. The world will love me.

[Adriana]

I'm made up of all the women I've ever met. I've taken little bits that I think are cool from every person I've ever met and just, you know, put them into who I am.

[Olivia Mar]

I see so much of myself and you guys and you. You and me, that I think you're. You're my authenticity. Sometimes I look at you guys, I'm like, you are so you.

[Ilona Mar]

Thank you so much.

[Adriana]

Beautiful.

[Ilona Mar]

That's just what happens when a brand kind of lets you, you know, talk to yourself, answer your own questions. I think it comes out authentically. So thank you, TJ Maxx, for letting us just talk. We love you.

[Adriana]

Okay. Welcome to our book nook, where we like to discuss what we're currently reading. And today we wanted to do something we've all read. So today's book that we wanted to discuss is from Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout. Ladies.

[Ilona Mar]

And I just want. Jenny, Jennifer, if you're listening to this, to know we might have some takes that you don't. Won't like, but we'll get to that. So, Jennifer, sorry.

[Adriana]

Your art is real and beautiful.

[Ilona Mar]

Your art is real and beautiful. But we will have some takes you might not appreciate.

[Olivia Mar]

Okay.

[Ilona Mar]

First from Blood and Ash. So I was recommended this book by.

[Adriana]

Adriana, and I was recommended this book by the two of them.

[Olivia Mar]

And I remember, I read this book and I was like, now that's literature. This is good. I was fully entertained. And Lona, you were the same way. And then Olivia read it, and she was like. Like, this is the book that you guys were talking about. That. That's the one. And I was like, what are you talking about? And then, you know when someone starts making understandable critiques and you're like, oh. Oh, no. Okay. Yeah, I'll move my stars down. No, I'm hearing that.

[Ilona Mar]

What were the critiques? What did she say? The first book, I think, is great first book.

[Adriana]

I did, like. I don't remember what my specific critiques were when I was reading it, but I do, because you guys loved it. Like, you loved it, loved it, loved it. And I was like, yeah, this is, like, a good story. This is a good book. It's fun. Our girl Poppy. Our boy, Casteel.

[Ilona Mar]

Hawk Flynn.

[Adriana]

The character from Tangled.

[Ilona Mar]

No, that's his name of the book is Hawk Flynn. So let me just give you the premise of this book.

[Adriana]

Yeah, Give us. Give the people that come on.

[Ilona Mar]

Our main character, our female main character is. She's known as the Maiden, and she can't be touched, and she wears a veil, but she has to have guards on her at all times because there's a lot of turmoil and there's bad zombie thing characters. But she also happens to be a badass because one of her guards has trained her secretly for years. One of her guards dies. They have to bring in this hot one, Hawk Flynn, to protect her. And they get real close. They get real close. So it's a little bit of forbidden romance there.

[Adriana]

Bodyguard romance.

[Ilona Mar]

That's a big bodyguard. Yep, exactly. Actually, I gotta go download one of those now. That sounds good. She's fighting this force, and she thinks that she's a maiden for a good cause, but she's not. And she's finding out all these lies, and then she finds out that he also has been lying to her. Blah, blah, blah. I don't want to give too much away because I want these people to read the first book. First book's great.

[Adriana]

First book, specifically.

[Ilona Mar]

Awesome. Sexy. So much is happening. There's little teasers here and there. Not really slow burn, but still a lot going on. Second book, Kingdom of Flesh and Fire. Adriana, Thoughts?

[Olivia Mar]

I remember that one. I still. Because the world started to, like, expand even more. That I also was entertained by that one. Yes. But I was kind of, you know, after Olivia was like, hey, I was going in there and being a little bit more scholarly. Scholarly, yes. You know, I was, like, really taking in what I was reading. But again, like, I still was entertained, but I was starting to see some of the wheels come off with this.

[Ilona Mar]

One, because I'm reading it again right now. The dialogue just not good because, like, she's constantly, like. She's almost lying and pretending to not like something, even though we all. Everybody knows that she does. And so it just doesn't. You don't really relate to her. I'm like, why is she saying it like that? Like, just. It's just a weird dynamic. It's. But it's still pretty good. Honestly. I. I don't mind that one. There's still a lot of sauce. It's still kind of cool. Character and world building in my brain.

[Adriana]

That book started to get to fall into the later books of fourth Wing for me. Like, where the wheels are kind of coming off. Our main heroine is being a bit obnoxious and it's almost to just like fill pages with useless, like thoughts and dialogue.

[Olivia Mar]

Hit me dry, heavy on that. It feels like so much filler and a lot of almost like fan work where they're like, oh, they like it when they say this. So it's the same things over and over.

[Ilona Mar]

Yes.

[Olivia Mar]

And I was getting so tired of it. I'm like, this is. Feels cheesy.

[Adriana]

Yeah.

[Olivia Mar]

And like that. It wasn't edited properly.

[Ilona Mar]

Yeah. And then when you get to the third book, this is where. Jenny. I'm sorry, Jennifer. I think I got maybe a chapter into that book and I was like, this is a. A fever dream. What is happening here? It was so confusing. Maybe three Jackson.

[Adriana]

It was not good. I remember being so excited for it. I pre ordered it and it arrived and it arrived. I don't know if it was like Rush printed or something. The fonts were all messed up. Everything was bad. It was like the cheapest thing ever. I was like, maybe that's on me for buying that. But then I was finding like, grammatical errors. Like, I was like, did she just kind of like. I was like, was this edited? Was this. What happened here? Why is there no clear story? It's a fever dream like you said. I couldn't finish it. I couldn't put it down fast enough actually. And I feel bad because the first one was so lovely.

[Ilona Mar]

But definitely for our listeners and watchers, read the first two.

[Adriana]

Are you guys seeing. When it comes to third books not being as great, Are you seeing some of this discourse online now about how acotar, they're teasing a sixth book? Sarah J. Maas has been dropping hints about a sixth ACOTAR book and people are.

[Olivia Mar]

She totally dropped the hint.

[Adriana]

Oh, did she?

[Olivia Mar]

With that video?

[Adriana]

Is that what it was?

[Olivia Mar]

Oh, my God. She finished her first draft of ACOTAR 6. Which my first reaction is, what's it gonna be about? Aren't we kind of. Haven't we wrapped that world? No, it dropped when we. I was in the Hamptons, and I'm with a bunch of readers, and we all, like, stopped, screamed, and, like, zoomed in on the video.

[Adriana]

That's awesome.

[Ilona Mar]

That's my thing. Are they gonna. Is. Is she a mastermind? We need to get Sarah J. Maas on here. Sarah. Sarah. Can we call you that?

[Adriana]

Sarah, can you come on, please?

[Ilona Mar]

At night? How do you sleep at night? You have probably 20 worlds up here, Guys. Also, I'm. I'm thinking with all my time I have, I should start writing my werewolf book. What do you think?

[Adriana]

Putting pen to paper.

[Olivia Mar]

Can I consult on this one?

[Ilona Mar]

Yes. I don't even know how to start it because I have my first scene. Of course.

[Olivia Mar]

Of course.

[Ilona Mar]

Involves a bar.

[Adriana]

Of course.

[Ilona Mar]

Small town bar.

[Olivia Mar]

Hey, question for the people. Are they both werewolves or is there one werewolf?

[Ilona Mar]

Here's the deal. He's a werewolf, she's not a werewolf. There will be a time when maybe she gets turned into a werewolf, but not by him. By another werewolf.

[Olivia Mar]

Yeah. No, and that's messy. That is messy. Yeah.

[Adriana]

As Adriana could tell you in werewolf politics, that's messy. That's not right. She will not shy away from telling you. That's not right. That's not purist.

[Olivia Mar]

And I'll tell you what. Alone, it's probably going to be a little scary because who knows if she's going to survive the bite. That's.

[Ilona Mar]

Well, that's okay, Johnna. No, we can talk workshop this. The thing is, that's why her first werewolf man, who's not going to want to change her because he's like, no, I can't risk you dying. But the bad werewolf man. Bad. He takes the chance. The bad one. Okay, but why? Here's this. Don't take my idea.

[Adriana]

No, don't take. She's copywriting it right now. Or whatever you have to do. Right now.

[Ilona Mar]

Right now.

[Adriana]

Time of time of this on my trackable, wearable tech. I love it from Blood and Ash. Hell of a story. Hell of a fantasy. You got some awesome tropes in there. She's a bad bitch. Bodyguard romance.

[Olivia Mar]

Only one horse.

[Ilona Mar]

Only one horse.

[Adriana]

Only one horse. So, like, do recommend. It is a really good time. But if you fell off of the whole fourth wing vibe, maybe a bit of Crescent City, just be ready for that. You know, you're gonna not go all the way through.

[Ilona Mar]

First book, 4.3.

[Olivia Mar]

Oh, wow.

[Ilona Mar]

Second book, 3.4. Wow.

[Olivia Mar]

Third book.

[Ilona Mar]

Oh, 0.5.

[Adriana]

Did not finish. I would agree with those ratings.

[Olivia Mar]

DNF'd. Yeah, Mona, that was good.

[Ilona Mar]

Thank you.

[Olivia Mar]

Thank you so much for coming over to the House of Mar a Wave original sponsored by TJ Maxx.

[Ilona Mar]

Be sure to watch and subscribe on YouTube and listen wherever you get your podcast. Podcast.

[Adriana]

Plus follow the show on social media at HouseofMar for clips and behind the scenes content.