Podcast Summary: “SJM HAS SPOKEN! Our ACOTAR Book Announcement Reactions”
Podcast: I'll Read What She's Reading
Hosts: Reggie, Mikayla, and Kennedy
Date: March 6, 2026
Overview
This special emergency episode captures the electrifying reactions of Reggie, Mikayla, and Kennedy to the bombshell announcement that Sarah J. Maas (SJM) will release not one, but two new ACOTAR books within the next year. The hosts excitedly break down SJM’s recent “Call Her Daddy” interview and speculate about the future structure, content, and impact of the ACOTAR series, while reflecting on fan theories, character arcs, and what this news means for their podcast and broader community.
Main Discussion Points & Insights
1. Initial Reactions to the Double Book Announcement
- The hosts are in shock and awe at the news, noting how unexpected a double release is.
- Reggie: “I went into it with pretty low expectations… I was not expecting October, let alone January as well.” [00:36]
- Kennedy: “A double whammy. Did not see that coming.” [01:01]
- They joke about having “manifested” the announcement through earlier podcast episodes. [01:38]
2. Book Structure & Series Plan — What SJM Said
- Breakdown given by SJM (via the recent interview recap):
- Book 6 = Part 1 of the next ACOTAR story (coming October)
- Book 7 = Parts 2 and 3 (coming January)
- Book 8 = Part 4 and finale of the saga
- Kennedy clarifies: “Book six is technically part one of this next Acotar story. Book seven will be parts two and three, and book eight will be the fourth part.” [02:46]
- ACOTAR will wrap after book 8.
3. Speculation: POVs, Structure, and Theories
- The group wonders about narrative structure:
- Will there be multiple POVs? Consensus: It’s very likely, and more than just two. [03:34–03:41]
- Is Book 6 a “Tower of Dawn/Empire of Storms” situation with split timelines? Plenty of speculation, especially about Mor as a focus character.
- Kennedy: “Imagine waiting this long and the first book is Mor's POV. Come on.” [04:43]
- Reggie: “I don't know if I could have just like a Tower of Dawn kind of book that's just like Mor and her story.” [04:26]
- Azriel, Elaine, and the death of the “Bryce + Azriel” theory:
- Reggie (excited): "The best part of the interview...was the fact that she squashed the Azriel and Bryce theory." [04:48]
- Gwen (from the hosts): A known “Gwazriel” shipper, disappointed but intrigued by the direction.
4. Fan Theories, Expectations, and Reading Experience
- The hosts express wariness about deep-diving into theories:
- Kennedy: “I can't feed into any of it, because after the theories for Crescent City 3, I was really disappointed.” [07:40]
- Mikayla: "It ruined my reading experience for Crescent City because I had all these theories in my head... and none of them happened." [14:24]
- They debate whether to do theory episodes ahead of the next book(s).
5. ACOTAR’s Narrative Evolution
- Discussion on how the series moved from Feyre’s single POV to multiple character perspectives (Nesta, novella, etc.), and the likelihood of upcoming books expanding this further. [06:08–07:19]
6. Book Cover Colors & Easter Eggs
- Deliberation over future cover colors:
- Mikayla: “I think it’s going to be purple or pink because all the promo has been pink... But we already have a pink and a blue book.” [08:28–08:51]
- Debunking over-analysis: Hosts note not to get too “Taylor Swift-y” with Easter eggs. [09:12–09:20]
7. SJM’s Interview Style & Spoiler Philosophy
- The hosts appreciate how SJM left major questions unanswered for mystery’s sake:
- Kennedy: "If she would have actually answered those, do you think that would have... ruined your reading experience?" [10:03]
- “You'll find out” as a repeated, purposeful phrase by SJM. [10:34]
8. Crossover Hopes & Fears (Throne of Glass, Crescent City)
- Longing for confirmation or denial about Throne of Glass characters appearing in ACOTAR:
- Kennedy: “If she's not gonna do it, I wish she would just shut it down.” [12:16]
- A persistent hope for cameos or connections, spurred by Crescent City revelations. [12:23]
- Noting limited Crescent City discussion in the SJM interview. [13:16]
9. Personal Impact & Podcast Origins
- ACOTAR’s role in the origin story of the podcast:
- "This podcast was born because of Acotar...If we all hadn't read Acotar at the same time, this podcast wouldn't exist." [15:09–15:23]
- The hosts’ excitement about covering an ACOTAR release for the first time as a pod. [15:34]
10. Thoughts on Rereads & Keeping Up With the Story
- Rereading before new releases: Some planning to, others relying on recap content. [15:36–16:24]
- Anticipation bordering on physical—Reggie: “I actually kind of feel sick to my stomach, like in an excited way.” [14:53]
11. Silver Flames: Reappraisal & Context
- Discussion of SJM’s emotional investment in Nesta and how her life influenced Silver Flames:
- Kennedy: "Hearing the things that was going on in Sarah's life and how much she put into Nesta as a character... made me appreciate Nesta more..." [16:47]
- Mikayla admits the spice is her least favorite aspect, while Reggie highlights the emotional purpose behind “spicy” scenes. [17:14–17:41]
12. Humanizing the Characters
- Reggie appreciates SJM humanizing even the most beloved characters.
- “We expect everyone to just be so perfect... But then... when a female main character makes a mistake, we’re so quick to be like, oh yeah, she made a mistake... I appreciated the way she talked about that." [18:15–19:35]
13. Aelin and Female-Driven Fantasy
- Celebration of Aelin’s character and SJM’s intent to create an unapologetic female lead:
- Kennedy: “…She wanted to write this female character, that she didn't care if anybody liked… I think Aelin is probably one of the most liked people in all of her books.” [20:32–21:00]
- A reflection on the impact of female-driven fantasy at the time Throne of Glass was published. [22:06–23:09]
14. Behind the Scenes: SJM x Call Her Daddy
- Curiosity about how the interview with a major celebrity podcast came about:
- “As someone who has a book podcast…and has reached out to authors…Who reached out to who and how did this happen?” [24:10–24:56]
15. Page Counts, Book Length, and Speculation
- The first new ACOTAR book’s page count is surprisingly low (~352 pages), with the second reportedly huge (~900 pages), sparking greater speculation about structure and content.
- “Second book is like 900 [pages]…It’s got to have multiple point of views.” [26:10–26:16]
- Concern/interest about whether Book 6 is essentially a novella or a “Mor book.” [27:13–27:44]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- Reggie: “I was not expecting October, let alone January as well.” [00:36]
- Kennedy: “Book 6 is technically part one of this next ACOTAR story. Book 7 will be parts two and three, and book 8 will be the fourth part.” [02:46]
- Reggie: “The best part of the interview...was the fact that she squashed the Azriel and Bryce theory.” [04:48]
- Kennedy: "I can't feed into any of it, because after the theories for Crescent City 3, I was really disappointed." [07:40]
- Mikayla: “It ruined my reading experience for Crescent City because I had all these theories in my head… and none of them happened. And then I was sad.” [14:24]
- Kennedy: “This podcast was born because of Acotar. …it’s our roots.” [15:13]
- Reggie: “I actually kind of feel sick to my stomach, like in an excited way.” [14:53]
- Kennedy: “Hearing the things that was going on in Sarah’s life and how much she put into Nesta as a character... made me appreciate Nesta more...” [16:47]
- Reggie: "We expect everyone to just be so perfect... But... when a female main character makes a mistake, we’re so quick to be like, oh yeah, she made a mistake… I appreciated the way she talked about that." [18:15–19:35]
- Kennedy: "She didn't care and everybody loves her [Aelin]." [21:00]
Key Timestamps
- 00:24: Announcement that two new ACOTAR books are coming within the year
- 02:46: Hosts summarize SJM’s series plan (Books 6–8 structure)
- 04:43: POV speculation and Tower of Dawn comparisons
- 04:48: Squashing of Azriel + Bryce theory
- 07:40: Disappointment with feeding too much into fan theories post-Crescent City
- 12:16–13:16: Discussion about crossovers and hopes for Throne of Glass connections
- 15:13: ACOTAR’s centrality to the podcast’s origins
- 17:14: Silver Flames: thoughts on Nesta, spice, and emotional context
- 20:32: Aelin’s creation and female-driven fantasy discussion
- 26:05–27:44: Book lengths and what they might mean for content/structure
Tone & Style
The conversation is lively, informal, and full of excited speculation. The hosts balance reverence for SJM’s work with playful self-awareness, acknowledging the obsessive theorizing of the fandom while also expressing their personal and emotional connections to the books.
Final Thoughts
- The ACOTAR fandom and this podcast are entering a new, thrilling era with two back-to-back releases—an unprecedented moment for both readers and the show.
- The hosts are cautious but hopeful about the direction of the series and eager to share the journey with listeners, promising theory episodes (eventually!) and ongoing, enthusiastic coverage.