
GET YER HOOVES UP These fae baes are goin to a PARTY and we are ALL INVITED! Everybody's fulla spirits and lookin to KISS but some people have made stupid boundaries about how far their kissing goes (cough Brunt cough)!!! We'[ve got your mirthroot..... we've got your first light accessories.... and you KNOW we got a surprise portal! BUT IS IT TO HEL? STAY TUNED Please read up until Chapter 6 for next week!!! These Deep Dives are based on novels by Sarah J Maas. Intro music by Ryan Connor. Cover art by Jeff Nitzberg. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts to listen to ad-free new episodes.
Loading summary
Advertiser 1
USAA knows dynamic duos can save the day like superheroes and sidekicks or auto and home insurance. With usaa, you can bundle your auto and home and save up to 10%. Tap the banner to learn more and get a'@usaa.com bundle restrictions apply with McValue. At McDonald's, you don't just get deals on the drinks, you get deals on McDonald's drinks. So when you're breaking a sweat, embrace the chill without breaking the bank. And when your crew is running on empty, keep your wallet full while refreshing.
Natalie Jean
The get more than you expect on your favorite medium drinks like frozen Fantablue, Raspberry iced Coffee or lemonade.
Jackie Zabrowski
Now at just $2.29. Price and participation may vary.
Natalie Jean
Cannot be combined with any other offer.
Jackie Zabrowski
But up.
Natalie Jean
We'Re excited to announce that we're going to Prythian and Valbara and Basgaeth.
Jackie Zabrowski
If you're nasty and you can too.
Natalie Jean
Join us in spring of 2026 at the Dreamers and Readers Festival, a three day event chock full of choose your own adventures, Mult Fae balls, fashion shows, photo shoots, hoteez Everybody.
Jackie Zabrowski
At least 15 different events at the otherworldly Gaylord Texan Resort that you can customize to make the perfect trip fit your Fantasy Dreams.
Natalie Jean
Visit fantastiquecollection.com and use our code Faybayes at checkout to receive $10 off of any of these events.
Jackie Zabrowski
Dreamers and readers night one and two.
Natalie Jean
Mythical Creatures, Mess School Masquerade, Fantastic Starfall Ball and the Farewell Faye Bash.
Jackie Zabrowski
Not only that, but if you use our code fayebays at checkout for those events, you will receive an exclusive swag bag from the weekend.
Natalie Jean
I'll do anything for a swag bag, Natalie.
Jackie Zabrowski
Give it to me.
Natalie Jean
Yes, that's right. Use our code Faybase F A E B A e s@fantastiquecollection.com to get your $10 off of any of these events.
Jackie Zabrowski
Dreamers and readers Baby, I cannot wait for this.
Natalie Jean
Gimme, gimme.
Jackie Zabrowski
Give me that swag.
Natalie Jean
Welcome to Crescent City with your hosts Natalie Jean and Jackie Zabrowski.
Jackie Zabrowski
I was worried that you were going to be ruined and then it would be sort of awkward because like the entire scene is obviously very. It's a notable scene.
Natalie Jean
People remember the scene obviously to the point that we both dressed as the same character and didn't know we were gonna dress the same. I thought that you were gonna be like, who the hell are you? How do you. And this is. And also I need everyone to know if you're Watching Natalie and I both separately. She came in, I had the green wig on, but I didn't have my dearcessories on. And I was like, you're never gonna guess who I am. But she came in like this, and I was like, interesting. I feel like I know who you are. But also, weirdly enough, the character in it does not wear a green wig.
Jackie Zabrowski
No.
Natalie Jean
But we both showed up wearing a green fuck me wig. And I think that, like, I didn't know that this was my fuck me wig until I was gonna dress as this character. It does make sense. Cause this is my Greta Gremlin wig, so.
Jackie Zabrowski
Right. And you do when it.
Natalie Jean
You.
Jackie Zabrowski
You get her Greta energy.
Natalie Jean
Yeah.
Jackie Zabrowski
What are you gonna do?
Natalie Jean
You better watch out, though, because she is grebsy.
Jackie Zabrowski
Yeah. And we are not as the deer shifters. We are fawns. We are not grabby. It is very consensual.
Natalie Jean
Yes. We only like consensus, but we definitely should up to fuck.
Jackie Zabrowski
Yes. We are party sluts.
Natalie Jean
Yeah.
Jackie Zabrowski
And that is okay.
Natalie Jean
I know. I'm a positive because my shirt says soup.
Jackie Zabrowski
Says soup. It says soup on it and rhinestones. And when I came in, sometimes we like to play the guessing game of who we're dressed up as. And I stared at her shirt for a good couple minutes, saying, soup. Who likes soup? Who is like a soup?
Natalie Jean
What Soup?
Jackie Zabrowski
And then you said that it's not. Why is it.
Natalie Jean
It's nothing to do with it, but I do want to be slurped up like a soup.
Jackie Zabrowski
Oh, so it's sort of like getting the suggestion out to the room.
Natalie Jean
Yeah. I'm sorry, Natalie. I was too busy being seduct active over here.
Jackie Zabrowski
So your clam chowder is ready to go.
Natalie Jean
It's steaming hot, and, ooh, you better not put any cheese in it, because that's against the rules.
Jackie Zabrowski
It's New England clam chowder. Not man, not Manhattan. That means because Manhattan's period.
Natalie Jean
Yeah. You gotta get your oyster crackers out for this one. You gotta suck up a bunch of chum. Wow. Yep.
Jackie Zabrowski
All right, well.
Natalie Jean
And I won't be sexy for the rest of this episode. That was it. I got it out. Even though we are both DILFs. And you are welcome, I'm assuming, dear. Yes, dear. I like to fuck. And I'm sorry. Well, dear or fawn.
Jackie Zabrowski
We're fawns, technically.
Natalie Jean
Yeah. Filfs. Oh, actually, I love that even more.
Jackie Zabrowski
Filfs.
Natalie Jean
Yeah. Cause we're a little filthy.
Jackie Zabrowski
We're filthy.
Natalie Jean
Yeah.
Jackie Zabrowski
See, that's this rhinestone shirt that you should have on.
Natalie Jean
Yes. Filthy. And then you'd have to extend. Explain the jump to every single, like, people. Like, I get soup, but filthy. And I'm like. It's like when you say, like, let's get nashty. You know when you go to Nashville. Right. It's just like that with the dollar sign.
Jackie Zabrowski
Yep.
Natalie Jean
Filthy. Yep. Better watch out.
Jackie Zabrowski
Filthy. I actually think that is more. That's more explore. Explanatory.
Natalie Jean
Yes.
Jackie Zabrowski
Than the. Just the word soup and rhinestones I think is more confusing.
Natalie Jean
And I do want to thank whatever stranger that reached out and sent me this shirt.
Jackie Zabrowski
It's pretty great.
Natalie Jean
And I believe it's because I used to say, you gotta be super time.
Jackie Zabrowski
Yeah.
Natalie Jean
You remember? Oh, I remember you. You know where soup lives in my spirit.
Jackie Zabrowski
Oh, yeah.
Natalie Jean
And that's all up in it, girl.
Jackie Zabrowski
I'm a soup girl, too. We have a lot of the same weird foods.
Natalie Jean
Yeah.
Jackie Zabrowski
Baby corn.
Natalie Jean
Oh. Oh, man. We can't be like all, like two of the most sexual beings while also talking about baby corn. We're gonna absorb and everybody.
Jackie Zabrowski
Two.
Natalie Jean
Yeah.
Jackie Zabrowski
And I'll go barely legal corn.
Natalie Jean
And. Because that's me eating the kernels. Because that's how I seduced him. It was me going, I'd like to get the little bit.
Jackie Zabrowski
Until you seduced Rune.
Natalie Jean
Yeah.
Jackie Zabrowski
I prefer very much that we're both this character and one of us is not Ruhn. I do think that that's better.
Natalie Jean
Yeah, it is. And I'm very happy you didn't show up as Ruhn. Because while we would have gotten many jokes, I think it's so much more fun to just be party bitches together. And now I'm actually. I wish we had buzz balls.
Jackie Zabrowski
Yeah. We should go to the bar.
Natalie Jean
Yeah. I really feel like it's like it's going to be, I think like noon when we get out of here. And I think that's the time to start drinking because we filthy. And we're going to try to explain this to someone in the middle of.
Jackie Zabrowski
A weekday who's sitting at a bar in the middle of the week. Yeah. We're going to make some new friends.
Natalie Jean
We're going to be like that song Piano Man.
Jackie Zabrowski
No, I was thinking of all I'm going to do. Let's have some fun.
Natalie Jean
Okay. Yeah. I got a feeling I'm not the only filth. And thank you, Natalie.
Jackie Zabrowski
No, you're not.
Natalie Jean
If I was alone in this, I'd feel lost. And here we are. But I guess. Does this mean we're competing now? Lift each other up.
Jackie Zabrowski
Lift each other up. There's so many Fae boys out there.
Natalie Jean
Because this is the thing. Like especially that night, you know.
Jackie Zabrowski
Can you imagine how handsome the Fey men would be at this party?
Natalie Jean
Oh cha. We all have a bunch of mirth root. Yeah. And we're not even smoked. We're not even mirth rooted up right now. What are we doing here?
Jackie Zabrowski
Nathan, yourself.
Natalie Jean
Oh my God. Okay. Okay. This little over here.
Jackie Zabrowski
No, I just have my. Just have my flavortown Waterloo.
Natalie Jean
Yeah. My coffee was disappointing.
Jackie Zabrowski
A little bit.
Natalie Jean
It's a little disappointing.
Jackie Zabrowski
A little bit. You know. It's not disappointing.
Natalie Jean
This chapter.
Jackie Zabrowski
This chapter.
Natalie Jean
Whoa.
Jackie Zabrowski
Last we left. We have been reintroduced to Bryson Hunt. They were at the belay.
Natalie Jean
Yeah.
Jackie Zabrowski
They were horny flirting but with her parents. So have to restrain. Very sexy. Also there. Even if the parents weren't there, they would have been a restraint because they are waiting.
Natalie Jean
They're in an opera box. Please.
Jackie Zabrowski
They're in an opera box. I mean that seems like that'd be kind of a sexy place to.
Natalie Jean
Oh my God.
Jackie Zabrowski
Because you're like alone.
Natalie Jean
Oh my God. Like the acotar scene under the dinner table but in the opera box.
Jackie Zabrowski
Yes. But they didn't. They have left the ballet. Now we're in this chapter two. I believe it's two. So we're back with them the same night. They have both changed out of their ballet attire and are now in breezy summer clothes because Ruhn is having a raucous house party.
Natalie Jean
Hell yeah. Mirth Brute is rockin.
Jackie Zabrowski
Bryce is thinking about how she is relieved to have dropped her parents off at their hotel beforehand. As chapter two, by the way. Thank you. Chapter two. As Ember was barraging her with questions. We're seeing the party through Bryce's eyes in this chapter as they arrive. And it sounds like a pretty stereotypical frat party, but with fantasy creatures who are 100 years old.
Natalie Jean
Hell yes. Get me there. Because that's.
Jackie Zabrowski
Sign me up.
Natalie Jean
Right? It's like, I don't want to go to a frat party. I don't want to go to an actual frat party. But if you're. We're talking like a magic frat party where everybody's older. Yes. Yes. Yeah. And everybody's like in there like possibly hundreds.
Jackie Zabrowski
Fuck yeah. Yeah.
Natalie Jean
Hell yeah.
Jackie Zabrowski
I wish I would choose that over a real frat world. Real world frat party. Any. Any day of the week.
Natalie Jean
Yeah. Because those are genuinely horrifying.
Jackie Zabrowski
Awful.
Natalie Jean
I think I've only been to three or four in my life and definitely three or four too. Many.
Jackie Zabrowski
Yeah, No, I. I agree. Same.
Natalie Jean
Oh, my God. Surprise. We're not frat girls.
Jackie Zabrowski
No.
Natalie Jean
Are we not. Are we not Greek life? Do we not scream Greek life? Although we know a lot of people that did Greek life, and I think specifically in the sororities that did a lot of. And I'm not saying that I'm not disparaging all Greek life, but if you went to Florida State, which is very well known for how horrendous its Greek life is, you got a lot of judgments.
Jackie Zabrowski
Neither of my colleges had frats or sororities. But I would have also never tried for it anyway.
Natalie Jean
Yeah.
Jackie Zabrowski
Cause I'm a little bit different.
Natalie Jean
Yeah. We're not like the other girls. We're deer shifters.
Jackie Zabrowski
We're deer shifters. And they would have never got it. Okay.
Natalie Jean
You don't know what we think about. It's grass. No. I imagine she eats other things as well because she.
Jackie Zabrowski
Berries.
Natalie Jean
Yeah. Right. Leaves.
Jackie Zabrowski
Well, I know. I know that Juniper the fawn is vegetarian.
Natalie Jean
Makes sense.
Jackie Zabrowski
So I think they all.
Natalie Jean
I'm sorry. I keep saying deer. We're fawns. We're fawn shifters. We're not deer shifters. I just. I get it in my brain, all right? And I see the world in. In black deer, white deer. It's very difficult.
Jackie Zabrowski
Technically, we're not shifters at all.
Natalie Jean
But we're part. She's got hooves.
Jackie Zabrowski
Yes.
Natalie Jean
My ears fell off, I guess. Oh, my God. Is that what happens? Did you just curse me?
Jackie Zabrowski
Maybe you are a shifter.
Natalie Jean
You better curse my ass. Fucking curse your ass.
Jackie Zabrowski
Mm, I won't.
Natalie Jean
Candace Cameron Bure portal your ass. She thinks of the television as a portal. She thinks you can't watch scary movies because demons are gonna come through the portal.
Jackie Zabrowski
Well, I just saw her encouraging Russell Brand on his Instagram so she can go fuck.
Natalie Jean
I think, you know, not enough people are encouraging him. Yeah, a perspective we didn't know we needed.
Jackie Zabrowski
She can go fuck off into the sun. Yeah, I'm sure she's listening.
Natalie Jean
Yeah, you know, she is you. Yeah, I'm sure. Candace Cameron Bure is really into reading fantasy fuck books.
Jackie Zabrowski
Yeah. Really? About, you know, women's pleasure.
Natalie Jean
No, she's damning us from wherever, you know, hellscape she lives upon. She's damning us currently.
Jackie Zabrowski
Boo to the Camerons.
Natalie Jean
And it makes us stronger.
Jackie Zabrowski
Yeah, thank you. I enjoy it, but they're okay. So they're at this party. It's like the best case scenario fry party. And to be honest, there is nothing to me better than a late summer house party. With, like, people you actually really like and know. And there's like a warm breeze in the air that night.
Natalie Jean
Especially literally, since I'm going to be going to a party hosted by my brother and sister in law this weekend. And I will say it's also like going to. There's something about going to a brother's big party too, where you're just like, yes, yes. It's like my space, but it is not safe. It's perfect.
Jackie Zabrowski
Yeah. There's no real threats other than the.
Natalie Jean
Huge birds, but, oh, my God. And it's like if you guys could just put them in a cage or, you know, like, give them something like. Like barb them to put them to sleep.
Jackie Zabrowski
It's their house we're just living in.
Natalie Jean
I know. It's very Jurassic.
Jackie Zabrowski
Bryce is feeling self conscious because Ruhn told her it would be a small get together, which it is not.
Natalie Jean
Big party.
Jackie Zabrowski
Big old party. She and Hunt are getting gawked at, which we've kind of addressed in the opening of the book, that she is being seen and perceived now as the savior because she technically did save everybody, but she doesn't want it. No, she didn't ask for any of this. She just wants to be a normal girl. She can't be.
Natalie Jean
Meanwhile, we're over here like, bitch, please.
Jackie Zabrowski
Make me less normal.
Natalie Jean
Yeah, please help me out.
Jackie Zabrowski
But she's looking forward to seeing Fury and Juniper, who have also made it out to the party. She's having a hard time concentrating with Hunt's muscles on display in his black tank top.
Natalie Jean
I understand. I do. Cartoonishly like a wolf every time Jeff, like, even if he's changing, if he takes off his shirt, I'm just like. It makes my ears fall off. That's how excited I get. My ears fall off.
Jackie Zabrowski
That's gotta be sexy.
Natalie Jean
Yeah. And am I gonna keep putting the ears back on? Yes, you have to. No matter how many times. Because that's. That's dedication.
Jackie Zabrowski
You would look ridiculous without that.
Natalie Jean
With just hooves.
Jackie Zabrowski
Just hooves.
Natalie Jean
I don't think so. Just hooves. Just not to do a Mac.
Jackie Zabrowski
Just hooves and a soup shirt. Shoot shirt. So.
Natalie Jean
Oh. That's what I would say as I opened up my legs.
Jackie Zabrowski
Soup. Stop. Yeah. There is nothing sexier than connecting your genitals to the smell of soup.
Natalie Jean
I say get spoon deep in me. You got so.
Jackie Zabrowski
It's getting grosser.
Natalie Jean
I'm sorry. It's Soup. It's not my fault.
Jackie Zabrowski
It's Soup's fault. It is Soup's fault.
Natalie Jean
At least it's the summer so you know, you're not gonna go home and like eat a bunch of soup, you know, and think of me. Think of me. Think of when you eat the soup at night.
Jackie Zabrowski
Okay. Thank you for also putting Phantom of the Opera in there.
Natalie Jean
You're welcome.
Jackie Zabrowski
I do eat soup in the summer because I am a soup bitch.
Natalie Jean
Oh my God.
Jackie Zabrowski
And so I'm gonna. Not today.
Natalie Jean
You are not like the other girl.
Jackie Zabrowski
I'm so. She is trying not to drool over watching Hunt and his black tank top. And I say hachi machi to that. There is no way they're making it to the solstice as they had previously discussed that they were going to wait until the winter solstice to copulate. And that's not going to happen. I don't believe them.
Natalie Jean
No. Because her tongue is cartoonishly on the floor. You know, flip flop, flip flop.
Jackie Zabrowski
Which fair I would be. As they make their way towards where Rune and his boys are playing beer pong, someone plunks some first light necklaces around their necks.
Natalie Jean
Oh my God. We're partying. Oh my. And Natalie did think about the first light necklaces. And I appreciate you. Thank you for looking out.
Jackie Zabrowski
Of course.
Natalie Jean
I don't even know how I put it on with my hooves. But you know, I'm pretty adept with them.
Jackie Zabrowski
I'm pretty sure you would figure it out after you had them. I also don't know if they have hand hooves, but I like that yours does.
Natalie Jean
I feel like you got. I mean you gotta give a little. Give a little hooves. Uh oh. It's a singing episode. Sorry. Once I pop, y' all know the fun can't stop.
Jackie Zabrowski
Give a little hoof of my glove to you.
Natalie Jean
Aww. Yeah.
Jackie Zabrowski
They appear before the Fae. So they walk in, they greet Ruhn and Ruhn is busy being all hot with a cigarette between his lips. I'm a Rune girl. You know that, bro.
Natalie Jean
Oh fuck. Never mind. I haven't given you a Christmas or your birthday presents yet.
Jackie Zabrowski
My birthday presents?
Natalie Jean
Yeah. They're in the car. They've been in the car for six weeks. I have you and Henry's birthday presents. But I will. I guess I just gave something away that it has something to. There is something in there that has something to do with Rune Dennis of the Ball Bar and Fay. So.
Jackie Zabrowski
Whoa.
Natalie Jean
I want to go out and get it, but I'm not gonna stop the episode.
Jackie Zabrowski
Is it melted in your car? Whatever it is? Because it is the summer and my birthday was a few months ago.
Natalie Jean
It is not melted in the car. Did One of the things already get destroyed because I wasn't thinking about that. Yes. But I really kept thinking I was gonna see you or Henry. And here's the thing. We live two minutes away from each other. We all work together. I've seen them plenty of times. And yet where do the presents? In fact, Jeff opened up my and he's like, these are still in here.
Jackie Zabrowski
I was like, well listen, I love a surprise present. I have a. I have two presents for your mother that have been sitting in my house since Christmas time and.
Natalie Jean
But then it just extends it and isn't that wonderful? I don't understand that people surprise gifts. It's surprise. I love a delayed birthday gift. It's great.
Jackie Zabrowski
I honestly do. I think that's awesome.
Natalie Jean
Cha. You can. Let's celebrate my birthday right now. Who cares?
Jackie Zabrowski
Oh fuck. I don't have. I don't have anything.
Natalie Jean
Give me presents. I am upset.
Jackie Zabrowski
I didn't know. Look, if you've got prescriptions, the Walmart app is your place to manage them.
Natalie Jean
Transfer your scripts, refill them and have them deliver delivered straight to you.
Jackie Zabrowski
Migraines, managed allergies, alleviated dermatology, derma delivered ding dong. Is that your pizza?
Natalie Jean
Nope.
Jackie Zabrowski
Walmart pharmacy delivery with a refill.
Natalie Jean
Switch to Walmart and manage your prescriptions in the app. The Walmart you thought you knew is now new delivery. Not available for all prescriptions. Exclusions apply.
Advertiser 1
Does it ever feel like you're a marketing professional just speaking into the void? Well, with LinkedIn ads, you can know you're reaching the right decision makers. You can even target buyers by job title, industry company seniority skills. Wait, did I say job title yet? Get started today and see how you can avoid the void and reach the right buyers with LinkedIn ads. We'll even give you a $100 credit on your next campaign. Get started at LinkedIn.com results terms and conditions apply.
Jackie Zabrowski
So they get some first light necklaces. They go greet Ruhn, he's being hot as hell. And as she is greeting Ruhn and the boys, she's with Hun. And she kind of means to like kind of grab Han's hand because she's feeling overwhelmed and she accidentally grazes his wing. Which is as awkward as if you run your hands over someone's balls accidentally. So which we're always doing it is.
Natalie Jean
It'S just like get your balls away from my hands then yeah, maybe make.
Jackie Zabrowski
Your balls not being equidistant to my hands.
Natalie Jean
And I am victim blaming. Yep.
Jackie Zabrowski
No, don't. Please don't do that.
Natalie Jean
No, I don't agree with it.
Jackie Zabrowski
So he. So, you know, obviously they're both like. Because they're acting like little teenagers, and.
Natalie Jean
Oh, my God, imagine if they touch the inside of my ear.
Jackie Zabrowski
Is that.
Natalie Jean
I feel like that would be a lot, you know, I mean, in the same way that. That, you know, I've been in a relationship for a long time, and I don't think Jeff's ever touched the inside of my ear before. And I. I prefer it that way.
Jackie Zabrowski
Yeah. I don't. But I would kind of be like, stop.
Natalie Jean
Yeah, please don't.
Jackie Zabrowski
Maybe some. Some people probably like it.
Natalie Jean
Yeah. I mean, I imagine there. There's something out there for everybody.
Jackie Zabrowski
Oh, yeah. Some hole will fit, fit, fit ya Some hole will thrill you.
Natalie Jean
Christopher Columbus having sex with manatees. Yeah.
Jackie Zabrowski
Oh, no, not again.
Natalie Jean
Sorry. It's really. It's making its way through everything that I do right now. So I do apologize about that.
Jackie Zabrowski
Is there a document or historical account? Like, what is this? Are we just shading him?
Natalie Jean
Because, I mean, definitely shade the fuck out of him, which is why I do continue saying it, but word on the street is that they thought they were seeing manatee mermaids. Mermaids. And so they thought from afar that the manatees were mermaids. And while that makes a lot of sense, the Internet has taken it and has said that they were all having sex with the manatees because they were thinking that they were mermaids. And I do. I don't wish that upon the manatees at all, but Christopher Columbus. And so I guess, you know, I wish that the manatee could, like, eat them like cabbage. Like, I wish that, like. But that's. They're so gentle. They're gent. They're. They're seals. They're gentle seals. I love manatees. This is why I bring.
Jackie Zabrowski
Oh, I love a manatee.
Natalie Jean
I love.
Jackie Zabrowski
Don't look like women. But they did think that they were half human, you know, curvy.
Natalie Jean
You know what I'm saying?
Jackie Zabrowski
Okay.
Natalie Jean
Yeah, man. Yeah, man. Yep. I get it. I don't want to have sex with manatees.
Jackie Zabrowski
My ears don't want to break the illusion.
Natalie Jean
I get. I think it's just that. What head did they make these ears for?
Jackie Zabrowski
Probably a child's, I guess.
Natalie Jean
But my head is extra big with all the wig on.
Jackie Zabrowski
I think it's because it's too expanded.
Natalie Jean
That's why it's sliding. I hate the fit of things.
Jackie Zabrowski
I know. Me too. So she and Hunt have this, like, kind of little bit blush moment, and then she tells him she's going to go meet Hunt in June and Fury after she goes speaks to her brother. So she kind of like, like shoes Hunt away. She goes and greets Flynn, Declan and Roon and we meet Declan's new man, a leopard shifter named Mark with a C. Like, I guess French. Yeah.
Natalie Jean
Anthony Mac Milk. Milk. Yeah. Yeah. Please say his name properly. Thank you.
Jackie Zabrowski
He sounds like a total honk. Obviously.
Natalie Jean
Like, of course he is.
Jackie Zabrowski
Like, Declan wouldn't be with like the hottest John ever. Bryce is already acquainted with Mark and they seem to like each other. She recounts the ballet Tarun and we learned that June Slade and that Bryce had been brought to tears when June got a standing ovation for her performance. She feels confident that June is going to be making principal this season.
Natalie Jean
Go for.
Jackie Zabrowski
She's currently a soloist, which is the level below principal.
Natalie Jean
And what is.
Jackie Zabrowski
So, like the soloist is a really coveted part, but like, principal is the one who gets the first run at like, the lead parts in all the ballets.
Natalie Jean
So you could be a principal outside of the actual show. Like that. That just means you are a principal dancer. Okay.
Jackie Zabrowski
Yeah, yeah. You're just considered the principal in the company.
Natalie Jean
Oh, cool, cool, cool. Okay. So it's not of the show.
Jackie Zabrowski
No.
Natalie Jean
Thank you for distinguishing that. I. I was curious.
Jackie Zabrowski
I'll talk about ballet all day. Yeah. So. So sometimes people don't ever get out of soloists or even the core is like the. The main bulk of the. The corps de ballet is like the background dancers almost. But even getting into like an American ballet theater or something as a corps de ballet, you may never get out of the corps de ballet. Not. You don't. Everyone doesn't make it to soloist or principal, so to say.
Natalie Jean
Not good enough.
Jackie Zabrowski
I mean, you have to be better than like the entire world to even get into ABT or New York City Ballet or one of those. But you might not be what they want for the next level up. So even if you make it. So if you make it to the corps de ballet and abt, you're doing better than every dancer in the world. Kind of.
Natalie Jean
But still, you're. You're always striving for more.
Jackie Zabrowski
Oh, yeah. Never good enough.
Natalie Jean
Never good enough. Oh, don't worry. No. Why would we be easy on ourselves?
Jackie Zabrowski
No, no, no. Especially, I mean, ballet.
Natalie Jean
Yeah.
Jackie Zabrowski
Encourage you to. To be perfectionist and. And never be good enough.
Natalie Jean
Yeah. Like, that's the thing. I. I think they. They ask. It seems they require more than perfection, which seems very stressful.
Jackie Zabrowski
It's fun. I do think that there's many benefits to it. Ballet. I love dance more than anything in the world. But, yeah, obviously there's some problems with it.
Natalie Jean
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But I'm happy that you have worked your way through the trauma that you had to endure.
Jackie Zabrowski
It sucks just because, like, any high performance art or athletic thing, it will come with these sort of thing. Like, if you try to strive for a high level, it's. It's gonna kind of.
Natalie Jean
You.
Jackie Zabrowski
It's hard. It's hard to, like, do that healthfully, but also it is healthy at the same time. I don't know. It's a lot. There's, like, a lot of. There's a lot of nuance to it, obviously.
Natalie Jean
But anyway, we're at a party. Yeah, I'm sorry. I'm busy getting eaten out right now.
Jackie Zabrowski
Now, these fawns are not. Blah, blah, blah.
Natalie Jean
Attention. No, we don't give a. We don't give a. That price is there. We don't give it. Like, we don't. Although at this point, I think. Yeah, we're clocked in. We're looking.
Jackie Zabrowski
Oh, we're on the prowl.
Natalie Jean
We're on a hunt.
Jackie Zabrowski
Oh, yeah.
Natalie Jean
Which is interesting because we fall and you think that we don't do that, but, yeah, we go after a rabbit every once in a while or we're.
Jackie Zabrowski
Wanting to be hunted. Yeah, I guess so. Bryce talks with the. Bryce talks with the Faeboys. And notes during the conversation, that Rune has become close with Ember again, which seems like it would be a significance to Ruhn. So they're kind of healing all of their family wounds in this beginning of the book. And. And it's kind of at this nice, peaceful moment. Obviously, since it's a book, the second one, we're not gonna be in this realm for very long. But we have this opening section of the book where they're kind of almost being, like, normal. They're kind of reacquainting themselves with, like, family and romance and all this stuff.
Natalie Jean
It's kind of like when the Real Housewives are at the end of the summer, like, when Brony. Because at the end of the summer, they always start the seasons where they finish out, like, the last. Like, it's usually like Labor Day where they're all in the Hamptons and they, like, finish out their time in the summer and kind of, like, wrap up the summer. And then they get into the drama of going back to the city. And so it's like, just like that.
Jackie Zabrowski
So we're, like, in the Hamptons in The summer. I mean, this is the end of the summer, too.
Natalie Jean
So get thee to the Hamptons then.
Jackie Zabrowski
Get thee to the Hamptons. I will never be there.
Natalie Jean
I hated going to the Hamptons.
Jackie Zabrowski
When did you go to the Hamptons?
Natalie Jean
Because I used to have. When I was a nanny, I used to have to go with them in the summers to watch the kids, and so I'd be trapped in the fucking Hamptons.
Jackie Zabrowski
I didn't know you went to the Hamptons with your nanny jobs.
Natalie Jean
Yeah.
Jackie Zabrowski
Wow.
Natalie Jean
I did.
Jackie Zabrowski
I've never been. I doubt I ever will.
Natalie Jean
Yeah, when you're trapped in, like. Like, kept in a cage because you're owned for months, it's awesome. And surprise, they don't pay you very much. But anyway.
Jackie Zabrowski
Oh, God, that sucks.
Natalie Jean
Why aren't I a nanny anymore?
Jackie Zabrowski
So after joking with them, she heads back to the living room, where Hunt is already chatting with Fury and Juniper.
Natalie Jean
Hunt stood before them, wings held at a casual angle, as he talked with her friends. He looked up as Bryce entered the living room, and she could have sworn his black eyes lit. She reigned in her joy at the sight as she plopped onto the cushions beside Juniper, cuddling close. She nuzzled June's shoulder.
Jackie Zabrowski
So she's getting the butterflies looking at her man that she's not gonna touch.
Natalie Jean
For whatever reason, because she made a boundary over it.
Jackie Zabrowski
I know, and I get it. I do. She heaps praise upon Juniper for her impeccable performance that night. Fury cuddles with June as they all talk, and Bryce feels really happy for them, but is also fantasizing about that being her and Hunt. And she's kind of questioning why she made these choices. But I think maybe she also feels silly for maybe reneging on this big proclamation she made to him after this. Like, you know, I want to wait. And then suddenly she's like, actually, nevermind.
Natalie Jean
Yeah, but what if we just fucked instead of. Also, it does go to show how much closer she and Juniper have gotten in this interim, too, with, like, the nuzzling in this moment. And just every time I read stuff like this, I'm like, can you imagine if I came up next to you and started nuzzling on your shoulder? And we're very good friends. We're family. I can't imagine nuzzling on your show. Like, I thought about doing it even, just, like, to be funny. And I was like, not because you're yucky. I just can't imagine putting my face on your body skin.
Jackie Zabrowski
I had those kind of girl friendships when I was in my 20s. I don't know if you did.
Natalie Jean
I never did.
Jackie Zabrowski
Oh, yeah, I had those for sure. I mean, we were like little. We were party sluts.
Natalie Jean
Yeah. This is from like a pile of puppies then, right? Cause then it's just like.
Jackie Zabrowski
Yeah. And you're hooking up and doing whatever.
Natalie Jean
Yeah. And wearing soup shirts. Did you usually wear shirts that said soup on them to.
Jackie Zabrowski
I did have almost this exact shirt, but it said trash on it.
Advertiser 1
It.
Natalie Jean
Ah, See that. See, this is the thing. I also used to have a cursive necklace that said filthy on it. You know, it's like, that's that. Or I. But also I just. Now I need to get one that says filthy. But I won't. Then. Then you'd really have to explain. People, like, say filthy. And like, no, it doesn't say it's filthy, but it was.
Jackie Zabrowski
This shirt is making me think of that tank top because it was a black tank top with glitter writing that just said trash on it.
Natalie Jean
That's great.
Jackie Zabrowski
And that was something I wore all the time.
Natalie Jean
Yeah. You know, I'm glad that you take better care of yourself now, Natalie.
Jackie Zabrowski
Now, mine's shirt says treasure.
Natalie Jean
Oh, my. Natalie. I put my hoops together for you.
Jackie Zabrowski
So they. Yeah, they're. She's. She's kind of just like. We're all recounting how June was crushing it in the ballet, and Bryce is feeling a little regretful about what she said, but she's also just like, well, we'll get there. We'll get there. We're working through some. We're getting to know each other. And honestly, they are. They were going through, like 16 different traumas when they were meeting. And so I get the idea of let's pull back and just try to be normal and get to know each other. Because it seems like they're both kind of thinking this is going to be a long haul situation. So I think that's really romantic. Again, can't relate. Never done that. But I think it's a beautiful idea.
Natalie Jean
To wait to try, you know, try it out. Just get, you know. And also, even in a way to, like, create anticipation, even in a relationship, you can be like, what if we're not allowed to have intercourse? Never for 30 days. Oh, I couldn't. But, like, I imagine if you, like, wanted to try something like that, sure, it would be fun. And also, like, then you ramp it up and then it's all, you know, it's all the edging and everything. And that is, I think, a fun choice that you can do at any time. If you both agree and are down.
Jackie Zabrowski
That's true. Yeah. You can do consensual even with your partner.
Natalie Jean
Yeah, that's what I mean. Like do like a consensual thing of like. Okay, well, we'll only go so far for this amount of time.
Jackie Zabrowski
Picture Henry's face. If I say we're not gonna have sex for 30 days, it's gonna be hot.
Natalie Jean
Can you imagine? Just a little mutt or maybe. Yeah, just say it to your partner just to like, see what they would say. Just to like have a fun. I'm like, what would you say to do?
Jackie Zabrowski
It's like that's it in a way that it's like this is gonna be so erotic and fun, so sexy.
Natalie Jean
But.
Jackie Zabrowski
And they'd be like, oh yeah. Oh man, that sounds awesome.
Natalie Jean
But if you were like leading up to like an anniversary vacation or like something that like a weekend or something like that, that it's like. And then you go like, I'm sorry, Fawn. Wild hog wild. But no, you go found wild on him. And that sounds like a lot of fun.
Jackie Zabrowski
Maybe if we do that, we'll do that for like our 10 year anniversary or something.
Natalie Jean
Yeah, but then just go like 36 hours. If you can make it. You know, it's like, if you can do 36 hours, then it's like, well then that's like a. You know, it's like a mini THC break.
Jackie Zabrowski
Yeah, for sure. So Hunt offers to get Bryce and himself drink drinks. And so he like wanders off to go to the bar. And then Fury and June immediately begin their gossip corner with Bryce asking how it's going being non physical because they can see she's obviously thirsting for him in front of them.
Natalie Jean
Yeah, they're like vibrating for each other.
Jackie Zabrowski
And so the two of them are kind of like jokingly being like, how's that going for you? And she glares at them as they can clearly tell she's dying. Fury continues to tease her. And Bryce. Bryce foolishly kicks her with her sandaled foot, only to yelp with pain. Because Fury at the party is dressed in full leather and steel toed boots. Because she's a mercenary.
Natalie Jean
No, forever.
Jackie Zabrowski
The mercenary can't take her out. You can take the mercenary out of the danger zone. Can't take the danger zone out of this.
Natalie Jean
Hell no. We talking about a the danger zone, man.
Jackie Zabrowski
I would watch the tape of Fury and Juniper. Holy moly.
Natalie Jean
Maybe. Would I please just give me just a section of it, please.
Jackie Zabrowski
Oh, that dominating fury. But she's still gentle. Like, she loves Juniper, so she's never, like, cruel, but, like, very in charge.
Natalie Jean
Yes. But then it's also. It's like all the mystery and the intrigue around her, too. And it's just. It would be difficult to be in a partnership with Fury. But, man, give me just a night.
Jackie Zabrowski
Oh, yeah. I don't think I. I don't think Fury would be a good partner for me.
Natalie Jean
But I need to know too much. In the same way that I always thought that I could be a mob wife. Like, I know I couldn't because I want to know everything. Like, I. I can't. I can't be like, oh, oh, he's just gone for days. I don't know.
Jackie Zabrowski
Right. It's like the romanticization of it is much more fun than the actual experience is probably kind of off.
Natalie Jean
Exactly. It's like, bitch, you can just wear tight leopard print dresses if you want. You know, you can go get long nails and wear a red lip and wear a white dress like you can.
Jackie Zabrowski
Without the oppression and like, the covering up of them of, like, the murderers and everything.
Natalie Jean
It's like, you don't have to do any of that.
Jackie Zabrowski
You don't have to do it.
Natalie Jean
But the money, Natalie. But think of the money.
Jackie Zabrowski
I mean, you're.
Natalie Jean
I don't know how it gets paid for. I don't know. I don't know. I just know I have a roof over my head.
Jackie Zabrowski
I don't know. I'm just a girl. I'm a lady. I'm just take care of the house and I don't.
Natalie Jean
I don't know. I don't know.
Jackie Zabrowski
No, you don't need to do that. You're doing fine. You don't need that.
Natalie Jean
Oh, just always a Jackie, never a Camilla. Carmella. Oh, how did I say Camilla?
Jackie Zabrowski
I feel like Jackie's not that off of a mob wife name, right?
Natalie Jean
No. Oh, yeah, no, Jackie, definitely. Very easily. And I think I'm thinking Camilla because, like, reading the goddamn Spare Prince Harry memoir, it's like a Camilla in the brain.
Jackie Zabrowski
Oh, I do want to read that one. Is it any good? Oh, that's a silence.
Natalie Jean
No, it is. Well, interesting. It's 17 hours long. And like Jeff said, he's like, Jackie Dune was like the first. Dune was like 20 hours long. So he's got a lot to say. There's a lot to say. Wow.
Jackie Zabrowski
I actually thought it would have been the opposite. It would have been like an hour long.
Natalie Jean
No, I listened to six and a half hours, and that was still him. Just Getting to graduating high school.
Jackie Zabrowski
Oh, okay.
Natalie Jean
Well, there's a lot.
Jackie Zabrowski
That's a lot to contemplate.
Natalie Jean
Yep.
Advertiser 1
Spectrum business keeps real businesses like Rise Bakery connected. As a business owner, my Spectrum services help simplify my day.
Natalie Jean
Everything we do is easier knowing that.
Advertiser 1
We'Ve got a reliable connection and it.
Natalie Jean
Helps our business just run really smoothly. Even though our techniques are very ancient, we rely just as heavily on technology.
Advertiser 1
Spectrum allows my business to go from.
Natalie Jean
Survival surviving to thriving.
Advertiser 1
Keep your business running smoothly with Spectrum Internet starting at $40 a month. Restrictions apply. Services not available in all areas. Next level pet people will do anything for their dogs. That means treating them with next level protection from parasites with Nexguard + a Foxalonir moxidectin and parental chewable tablets. Nexguard + chews provide one and done monthly protection against fleas, ticks, heartworm disease, roundworms and hookworms, all in a tasty beef flavored shoe. Used with caution in dogs with a history of seizures or neurologic disorders. Dogs should be tested for existing heartworm infection prior to starting a preventive. Ask your vet about nexguard Plus Chews.
Jackie Zabrowski
Fury says she needs to be able to defend her girlfriend, which is why she is wearing those out that fit with the steel toes. And Bryce watches June beam as Fury kind of publicly claims her. Which is very cute.
Natalie Jean
Yeah, I gotta take care of me.
Jackie Zabrowski
She wonders what. She and Hunt are very stereotypical, but you know, the idea, it's more she's.
Natalie Jean
At a party, she's staring at him from across the way.
Jackie Zabrowski
And it's not like she's like doing the like, cheese ball. Like, are you gonna come at me? Like, she's just saying, okay, this is the umbra mortis. Do I call him my boyfriend? That feels weird. But I don't want to call him my man friend or my male friend.
Natalie Jean
Yeah. But also, like, you can't say partner yet. So it's like.
Jackie Zabrowski
Right.
Natalie Jean
Really? Even though you guys are together, obviously.
Jackie Zabrowski
So, like, she doesn't know what to say about him. And maybe that's okay. You don't need to label everything. That's all I'm saying.
Natalie Jean
A situationship can just be a situationship.
Jackie Zabrowski
But theirs is a very serious, long term kind. They just don't know what. What they would.
Natalie Jean
What it is. It's an intense situation.
Jackie Zabrowski
Yeah. It's not even like they don't want to commit. It's like they feel so feelingly towards each other.
Natalie Jean
Well. And also their whole. The bedrock of the foundation of their world was just rocked so also coming back from that and picking up the pieces and knowing that essentially the archangels are like, and you better not fuck up again. And we all know that's just begging them to fuck up again. So I feel like while this has such a community part of it of, like, oh, everybody's coming back together. We're all starting back. It's like, like. But you're starting at a deficit from, like, where they were at the top of the first book. So everything is tense. Like, everything. The whole, like, everybody just got rocked. So it's still like it's a party, but still in the back. I mean, kind of similar to everything that's happening right now, where it's like, no matter what you do, everything in the back of your mind is kind of steeped with how horrific our reality is. Yeah. You know, so I feel like there's still that air of it.
Jackie Zabrowski
Oh, absolutely. And actually, they will talk about. In a second, they have this conversation. But just as they're kind of making fun of her about her and Hunt, Hunt returns. So they have to kind of end their gossip sesh. And he hands Bryce her drink, and she feels the electricity of being near him. They all raise their glasses and cheers. Juniper's triumphant premiere as the Don Salle.
Natalie Jean
And she gotta ride the lightning. Get out. Come on.
Jackie Zabrowski
We cut over to Hunt's POV at the same time, and he is barely containing his boner. His emotional boner, I should say. He's not creepily at full mast in the middle of the party.
Natalie Jean
You sure about it?
Jackie Zabrowski
Yeah, I feel like that would be really weird.
Natalie Jean
No, I feel like he has ultimate control over himself, which is also very hot.
Jackie Zabrowski
But the restraint is hard at the moment because he is thirsty.
Natalie Jean
Throwback.
Jackie Zabrowski
But as we cut to this pov, he's. Yes, he is thirsting over her, and he is trying to control his thoughts, but is thinking about the sight of her in the ball gown earlier and now is trying to not gawk at her legs. She catches him gazing at her and doesn't seem to mind it, but he knows the deal, and he understands why she's asked him to wait.
Natalie Jean
Let's take things slow. She'd requested. I feel like we tumbled into all of this and now that things are getting back to normal, I want to do this right with you. Get to know you in real time, not while we're running around the city trying to solve murders.
Jackie Zabrowski
So that's him kind of thinking about her.
Natalie Jean
What she had told him, because nothing is. Because they have no stability yet. And it is hard to be vulnerable and to really, truly open up and be vulnerable when you don't have that stability right at that moment.
Jackie Zabrowski
Yeah. And he respects her. He's not mad or irritated by this, but it doesn't mean that he isn't.
Natalie Jean
Practically rabid, which, honestly, I think is sexy. I feel like there's a level of this where if he was like, sex pessy. Or like, oh, no, you don't want to fuck me. Oh, like, come on. You imagine how, like, I feel like there could be that reaction. But I like that he's. Because of course he's perfect. Perfect. That it's just that, like, just the right amount of, like. Because you want. Because you also don't want the opposite of, like, be like, whatever.
Jackie Zabrowski
That's fine.
Natalie Jean
All right. Yeah, I guess I'll you whenever. Because that sucks. That's not. That's not what you want to hear either. So I feel like he just. Oh, he toes the loin.
Jackie Zabrowski
He's. He's constantly holding himself back, so thinking about those days when they both nearly died, however, sobers his thoughts. And he acknowledges that her halting their physical relationship is probably also related to her being deeply affected by survivor's guilt and the toxic need to take the blame for all of the deaths she couldn't stop that day.
Natalie Jean
So think of this big, thick man thinking about all these things.
Jackie Zabrowski
Oh.
Natalie Jean
Thinking about her perspective. Oh. Putting himself in her shoes.
Jackie Zabrowski
He's got a thick brain and a thick thigh.
Natalie Jean
Oh, God, I love Hunt.
Jackie Zabrowski
Bryce leaves Fury in June and pads over to Hun, asking him if going to parties makes him feel gross. When he asks what she means, she discusses feeling this. This guilt and almost like, resentment about being at this fun party and seeing these people have almost, like, seemingly a carefree time when there is so much darkness and suffering in the world. And obviously I didn't save any lives, but I get the idea of, like, being immersed in these, like, really dark news stories all the time, especially my other show. And, like, the guilt for feeling sorry for yourself and then being like, I shouldn't feel bad for myself having to do this because they're living through it. Right. And also, should we be smiling ever? There's so many, like, horrible things and just seeing the news every day as a normal. As any person. As any person just watching what's going on.
Natalie Jean
It's so difficult to not compare your current situation and just be like, how could I ever complain about anything? But it's also the comparison of difficulties that will, you know, rob you of so much processing and growth, because anything that matters to you that is big for you is still a large challenge, no matter what other people are dealing with. And that is. There's so much guilt. Like, I'm also speaking. You know, I talk about this with MJ a lot about, like, the idea that. I appreciate that MJ as a parent, never says, like. Like, your struggles are nowhere near as hard as mine because you don't have any kids. And that is not what I get from them at all.
Jackie Zabrowski
But oftentimes, I can never even imagine MJ saying that.
Natalie Jean
No. But oftentimes people do. You know, it's like that kind of thing of, like, you'd never get. And he's like, you're right. We have different lives. But we does. That doesn't mean that one person's life is way less difficult. For sure, it does mean that it's way less difficult, but it doesn't mean that you're not allowed to complain about it or feel.
Jackie Zabrowski
Or feel stressed or feel sad or. And the opposite of that, too, is what I think Hunt brings into this conversation, which I sometimes struggle with, which is. He says it doesn't bother him to see people laughing and smiling and not thinking about the world's ills at the party. He says, I prefer to see people enjoying their lives. And you can't assume that because they're here, it means they don't care for all. You know, a lot of them lost family and friends this spring, suffering. Sometimes people need stuff like this to feel alive again, to feel a kind of release. And I do tend to agree with that.
Natalie Jean
Yes.
Jackie Zabrowski
Because the. The guilt of, like, feeling safe or feeling comfortable in my life or feeling, like, happy at a party sometimes feel like you. There's a level of guilt in that sometimes of being like, I made it out of my worst situation and then seeing other people in those positions. But he's right.
Natalie Jean
Like, everybody experiences grief and trauma in very different ways, too. It depends on what you need or what you're going through. It, like, also doesn't mean just because you go to a party that that means you don't give a fuck about anything that happened either. You're like, he's right. Sometimes you need a release.
Jackie Zabrowski
And. Yeah, and I don't know if it comes from a. Maybe I'm in a privileged place, but if people aren't able to find the smiles and the laughs and be foolish despite. Despite everything going on, what's the point of anything?
Natalie Jean
But also, I also understand when you're in the Place where you're like, how could you, you know, when you have gone through something of like, how can everyone do that? And that's okay too.
Jackie Zabrowski
That's okay too. Yes. But I do encourage everybody to replenish themselves. It makes you stronger for the next fight, the next day.
Natalie Jean
Yes.
Jackie Zabrowski
As comforting as Hunt has intended that statement to be to her, he is immediately hung up on his use of the word release because his mind is in the gutter. So he's being very like, like, like loving and considerate. But then he's just immediately thinking about come. Cuz he's still throbbing.
Natalie Jean
He's still throbbing, dude.
Jackie Zabrowski
He thinks about Bryce's nightstand. Bryce's thoughts are elsewhere. And he tries to grind his feelings to a halt. She's like going through this emotional, like, roller coaster and he's like thinking about her vibrators.
Natalie Jean
Cuz, you know, sometimes, man, especially in those intrusive thoughts when you're just like. But you can't stop your brain from jumping to places sometimes.
Jackie Zabrowski
Vibes. Of course not. And he's comforting her still. Not just because he wants to get in them shorts, but also because he cares deeply for her. One could even say obsessed with her.
Natalie Jean
Oh, my God.
Jackie Zabrowski
Oh, my God. And when he's honest with himself, he's still. He is still personally reeling from all of this drastic change and the new freedoms that he's been given. Though obviously he's grateful for them and very happy he's going through the. These many, many emotions. It's very overwhelming. I assume if you suddenly become free from servitude, that is a huge change.
Natalie Jean
And especially when your servitude is just being used as a lap dog to murder at will. Like that's, you know, I think it provides a lot of anxiety for him.
Jackie Zabrowski
I imagine maybe a little bit. And so he is kind of adjusting to Bryce and him becoming somewhat of a normies to an extent. He hasn't forgotten the words of the asteri about taking it easy. Maybe, you know, they should go to a Margaritaville cruise or something. Maybe he becomes a parrot head.
Natalie Jean
You know, I don't need a Hawaiian shirt on like a big thick boy. But it would be so cute. It would be cute to watch Hunt Athelar trying to relax on an island. Yeah, like just trying to see him, like him coming with like a fruity drink and he's standing there like, yeah. With the wings just like shooting out of. It's like, yeah, I guess I'm having a hell of a time.
Jackie Zabrowski
We need to figure out Who Midgard's Jimmy Buffett is.
Natalie Jean
Oh, man. Yes. Maybe Jimmy Buffett is just Jimmy Buffett, but he is a parrot shifter. Maybe that's what he is. And so he comes in with the parrot head, and everyone's like. But then he can't sing when he's like that. Then he's got to shift back so that he can do the sing.
Jackie Zabrowski
Oh, my God, that's so cute.
Natalie Jean
I love this for him. And. Well, I guess I'm gonna have to dig him up and pitch it.
Jackie Zabrowski
Oh, no, he's dead. Maybe when you die, you go to Midgarden. He's there right now.
Natalie Jean
Oh. And then Jimmy Buffett and I will be in heaven, and we'll go eat cheeseburgers in paradise.
Jackie Zabrowski
No, there's no cheeseburgers there. Why?
Natalie Jean
Natalie, you're fun.
Jackie Zabrowski
You can't have it, but I love.
Natalie Jean
To eat, my friend.
Jackie Zabrowski
Cows are the gods there.
Natalie Jean
Damn it. All right, fine. I won't be milking God for fun.
Jackie Zabrowski
So with Hunt, as he's having these thoughts, is happy with the idea of the Asteri telling them to, like, be normal and lay low. He's not opposed to that whatsoever. He would just like to be near Bryce. But he is still doing work for the 33rd at Isaiah's request. They need the all hands on deck situation. The Asteria are deciding what Lunar Lunathean's fate will be now, as they needed to replace the archangel. And so a lot of the angels in the 33rd and the ox are kind of taking up a lot of the slack for the government.
Natalie Jean
And so imagine them complaining in the coffee room, like, oh, and then somebody's gonna come kill the archangel. Didn't even think that could happen. And now I gotta work overtime.
Jackie Zabrowski
But, you know, it's fun to have something to complain about at work.
Natalie Jean
You know, I was. I happened upon some influencer on TikTok that was talking about how, like, you should never, ever compl. Because all that begets is bringing, like, difficult energy to you. You should never complain. Always keep it inside. And I was like, I don't know if I agree with that.
Jackie Zabrowski
Has that person ever had a job?
Natalie Jean
Yeah, I was just like, I don't. What do you mean? Complaining helps? I feel like it's a little valve, and you release the pressure. I'm like a. Shh, shh. I'm a slow cooker. And put me. Put a pot roast in me. You know what I mean?
Jackie Zabrowski
You're allowed to complain. It's okay.
Natalie Jean
Yeah, I just immediately. Immediately, like, was like, whoever this is, I just put not interested. It was like never anything like that ever again. Thank you.
Jackie Zabrowski
Different if you are only complaining.
Natalie Jean
Sure, yes. And then I understand that. But you should be allowed to complain.
Jackie Zabrowski
You gotta let it out a little bit. So he is still working for the 33rd, but he is doing it of free will this time. And in fact, as he's pondering all this, he receives a text from Isaiah Bright. Grace notices Hunt's brow furrow as he's looking at his phone and comes over, asks what's wrong. He informs her that the new archangels have been chosen for both Valbara and Pangera. Hunt is looking at this news kind of suspicious. He doesn't think that these two choices are bad. In fact, a little too not bad. There's something sus about it. Something special with them.
Natalie Jean
You can't. I mean, we don't. We know. We don't drop. Awesome.
Jackie Zabrowski
So a male named Ephraim is headed for Panjera. And for let that. So that's Sandriel's spot. And for Linathian is a female named Celestina. Celestina has only overseen a very small territory on another continent. And she doesn't even have a triari because of how small her little area is.
Natalie Jean
Oh my God. She doesn't even have a triari.
Jackie Zabrowski
No. Which is saying that why whatever she was seeing over probably doesn't have a lot of stake or conflict. And so she's sort of more of a figurehead, like a symbolic leader. And okay, why are they putting her in front in. In place of this massive constant like this. This island with like cities and stuff on it. Fury and June are also overhearing this conversation. And Fury adds that, well, yeah, maybe you're suspicious, but. But if it helps, like, she hasn't heard anything bad about. Or insidious or insidious about Celestina, for what it's worth. But.
Natalie Jean
Yeah, but even then, I feel like every, you know, with a regular person. I know we can't. I can only speak for human beings that I feel like usually, you know, you want to know a little bit more. And when you don't know more, it's like it doesn't mean that they're all the way nice if you don't know them well enough.
Advertiser 1
Sure.
Jackie Zabrowski
For sure. I was.
Natalie Jean
You could say something bad about me. I think you can say something bad about anybody.
Jackie Zabrowski
Well, sure. I mean, I would never say something about.
Natalie Jean
She's a fallen shifter. Look at her. She's got hooves on her hands like you can say that to me. I can take it. I'm not gonna cry.
Jackie Zabrowski
Oh, no, no, Jackie. I didn't say it.
Natalie Jean
Why did you say it, Natalie?
Jackie Zabrowski
Why I didn't say it. You said it.
Natalie Jean
Got hooves on my feet, too.
Jackie Zabrowski
Oh, God, she's got hoops everywhere.
Natalie Jean
Yeah, it's. It's a little bit of a problem.
Jackie Zabrowski
A little bit of problemo.
Natalie Jean
So take off my shirt. And it's just like hooves for breasts. And you'll be like, I didn't. No, I'm not against it. I just. I just didn't expect it.
Jackie Zabrowski
That's body horror right there. So. Yeah. So fury maybe. I think maybe the thing that fury adds to it is that she probably has intel on everybody and so she has not her heard any secrets so far about her. But Hunt is suspicious that some angel that is so seemingly nice would be tasked with Falbara. Could that be your trauma emerging, Hunt? Maybe.
Natalie Jean
Or the hundreds of years where they proved that that is true. You know what I mean? Yeah.
Jackie Zabrowski
Bryce attempts to comfort him, suggesting that maybe it's simply a lucky circumstance that it was she who was available. Girl June seems inclined to agree with that line of thinking. But Hunt can't let go of suspicion right now. And honestly, that's fair there to be suspicious. Some PTSD is. No. Yes, be suspicious.
Natalie Jean
Oh, yeah, be suspicious.
Jackie Zabrowski
Some PTSD is rearing its ugly head. And Bryce seems to notice. She moves slightly away with Hunt and takes his hand, reminds him that he is free. He doesn't have to do anything Celestina might ask of him, which is what his thoughts are going towards. This is this new factor. I don't know what to is going to be for my life and he's having that. I've been forced into work for hundreds of years and he's not right now. But like, you can't. The mind doesn't always allow you to understand that.
Natalie Jean
Especially when a huge change happens. Like a. I mean, any change, it's difficult to get used to. Even if it's a positive change, it's always going to be difficult. So, like, yeah, how do you learn how to trust again? Especially because, like, it's not like he got a new job. He's just not like a slave assassin. Right. He is now just choosing to work with them. So it's not like, oh, his life is completely different. How do you not think about that every day when you go into work? About how they sawed off your wings in the lobby of your job?
Jackie Zabrowski
I do feel as though if it was the real world. The healthy advice would be to not work there anymore.
Natalie Jean
Move away. But I tell them to go somewhere else for a little bit.
Jackie Zabrowski
Hunt must help and must be there and be strong.
Natalie Jean
Also what makes me love him.
Jackie Zabrowski
Yeah. But she. So Bryce is reminding him, just help. Like kind of almost helping him, like breathe and be like, you don't have to do anything. She might ask. You can always quit. You can quit your job now. And that he is using his will to help the 33rd. He knows she's right, but it's still very obviously tense. She tries to lighten his mood by calling herself the super powerful and special magic starborn princess who will protect him.
Natalie Jean
It's very, very sweet, Bryce, and it's a very cute moment. But he's also like, you know, I know you're at a party, so this really isn't the time to like have a tete. A tete that really gets intense. Tense. But a teta tense.
Jackie Zabrowski
Tet tense.
Natalie Jean
Stretch. I'm sorry I said it. But yeah, I do also part of it where it's like her just being like, babe, I'm like a princess. So like, let's just get drunk.
Jackie Zabrowski
Yeah.
Natalie Jean
How about we, you know. Yeah.
Jackie Zabrowski
And she also means it like she. She is Bryce. So she says, I'll fight for you. And he's like, yeah, thank you. I appreciate it. So it does shake him out of his. His worried thoughts a little. He marvels at Bryce in his thoughts, reflecting on how Bryce has begun getting magic lessons from Ruhn Weekly, which he is immensely thankful for, since it will offer her protection in this sort of hostile world. Her power is now massive thanks to that gate supplying her with everyone's power sweat. Which again, to me reminds me it's very similar to how Feyre was imbued with power. If you are an Acotar reader her. So now she has all of these different powers inside of her. Hunt wonders how deep her power truly goes with the horn added into the mix because again tattooed on her back. But he knows she's not going to get a chance to really experiment with any that anytime soon since the Asteri is paying close attention and they don't want any trouble. So she has not actually examined how deep her powers go since everything happened.
Natalie Jean
Everything.
Jackie Zabrowski
They rejoin the convo with Fury and June. And Fury and Hunt do agree, it is a strange, strange choice to make to have Celestina come for the. Because Vaalbar is very sought after. And so the world's on the brink of war. Why you bring this lady in. And maybe there is some, like, ulterior motives with it.
Natalie Jean
Also. I would feel so good that fury. Also agreed. I'd be like, thank. See? Thank you. Okay. Fury fucking agrees with me. Please, Bryce, can we.
Jackie Zabrowski
Yeah. Hunt studies Fury in this moment, wondering who the hell she really is.
Natalie Jean
Well, we've got a couple of theories.
Jackie Zabrowski
She has human ears, but he knows if she's a veneer. For sure. He doesn't know what house she's from, but guesses. Flame and shadow. She's a very mysterious figure. Regardless, as the four of them discuss Hunt having to meet with Celestina tomorrow, Bryce tells him to maybe try going in with an open mind.
Natalie Jean
Right.
Jackie Zabrowski
And maybe take his attitude from quote, scary to approachable, which lightens his mood again.
Natalie Jean
Exactly. But also, it's like, have your guard up, but don't go in. Because going in defensive is not gonna help anything.
Jackie Zabrowski
No.
Natalie Jean
Rune Dannon knew three things with absolute certainty. One, he had smoked so much mirth root that he couldn't feel his face, which was a damn shame because there was a female currently sitting on it. Number two, he had downed an obscene amount of whiskey because he had no idea what the female's name was or how they'd gotten to his bedroom or how he'd wound up with his tongue between her legs. Supes up. And number three, he really fucking loved his life. At least right now.
Jackie Zabrowski
Roon.
Natalie Jean
Hooves up, would you? Hooves up.
Jackie Zabrowski
Hooves up.
Natalie Jean
Hooves up. Except not your hand hooves, but your feet. Hooves up.
Jackie Zabrowski
Oh, they're gonna say you're breast hooves.
Natalie Jean
But also breast hooves. Yeah, whatever hooves you got. Raise them up.
Jackie Zabrowski
Yep. So we're. That is the start of chapter three. And it seems like ruhn.
Natalie Jean
No wonder. I just want to say that that little bit obviously is why Natalie and I both separately chose to be the fallen shifters. And. But also we just happen to just be slutty bitches as kind of fun.
Jackie Zabrowski
It just comes so naturally.
Natalie Jean
Oops.
Jackie Zabrowski
So, yeah, this is a fan favorite entrance to a chapter. It is how we have the runes, first POV of the book. He is engaging in oral sex.
Natalie Jean
Yeah, you engage.
Jackie Zabrowski
And he is having a fun time.
Natalie Jean
Slurp.
Jackie Zabrowski
You know, makes you love him more because he is providing the pleasure and.
Natalie Jean
He is enjoying and that he's not even thinking about what he's going to get. It's literally just like, I don't know. Oh, she is. But she's sitting on my face and I'm eating the her. That's great.
Jackie Zabrowski
So he is in his thoughts at the beginning of this chapter, and he is currently entertaining this sexy fawn who had propositioned him at downstairs in the party room, as we are want to do. Yeah. So it's made clear in the writing that she was the one who asked him, and he said, yoink. And they went up to his bedroom. I freaking love this is how we're greeted with Ruhn in this book.
Natalie Jean
Yeah, it really. It. It made me. Not when I didn't have as much of a crush on him in the first book because of Hunt, and I was just like, I only had eyes for Hunt. That scene, you know, made me perk up.
Jackie Zabrowski
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So.
Natalie Jean
And also, I can be in love with more than one. Okay.
Jackie Zabrowski
You can be in love with as many characters as you want.
Natalie Jean
Thank you.
Jackie Zabrowski
That's your freedoms.
Natalie Jean
Thank you.
Jackie Zabrowski
We get a graphic description of this interaction, and I know we're behind a new dudes gravelly with erotica. I mean, it's. That's my fault. We still need to do the final erotica scene from House of Earth and Blood, but I feel like this scene will also need to have its own dude scrappling with erotica.
Natalie Jean
Yeah.
Jackie Zabrowski
So during his tryst, he wonders if he should be doing this as an engaged male. I don't know, you know, but it's like.
Natalie Jean
I think it depends. I feel like if you had chosen the engagement, it would be one thing. I think then I would definitely judge him. But it makes me not judge him because he's being forced to marry someone he doesn't want to, so. And also, it's not cheating.
Jackie Zabrowski
His betrothed has shown no interest.
Natalie Jean
Yeah, she doesn't give a shit, so why should he?
Jackie Zabrowski
But anyway, as he's engaging in this activity, she climaxes and she screams out merciful Cthulhu. Which I really would like to add to my repertoire, I guess.
Natalie Jean
But it's like. Yeah, it's like trying to add in taglines of. Of come. You know, I. I think it's difficult.
Jackie Zabrowski
I mean, it doesn't have to be during an orgasm. Just like, I want to add it into my merciful Kthona. Yeah, I'd like to throw it in there.
Natalie Jean
Okay. I like this.
Jackie Zabrowski
He begins to proposition her with the idea of sex after she climaxes. He's, like, very satisfied with himself and feels like he's, like, enjoying watching her kind of, like, be overwhelmed. And then he's like, he's got a raging boner because he didn't get his end. And so he's considering the idea he's going to Ask her if she would like to then engage in sex.
Natalie Jean
Oh, you want to have sex with me?
Jackie Zabrowski
And he's about to bust. But then suddenly, Tristan storms through his bedroom door.
Natalie Jean
But busting makes him feel good.
Jackie Zabrowski
The fawn shrieks in surprise. You call that a shriek?
Natalie Jean
Yeah, that's my shriek of surprise.
Jackie Zabrowski
I think it would be, like, oh, yeah.
Natalie Jean
I mean, it's definitely more like that. But I guess I just, you know, that's. That was my seductive way of shrieking.
Jackie Zabrowski
Ah, you want to be seductive when you're scared, that's for sure.
Natalie Jean
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Jackie Zabrowski
So Tristan barely seems to notice the fawn. He's not ogling her. He's got some news for Ruhn, or at least a command. He tells Ruhn to get downstairs with his sword now, and Ruhn knows him well enough not to ask any questions. Questions. The fawn peaces out. And Ruhn, in his days, he's obviously all stoned, still regrets not speaking with her more. But he follows Tristan down the stairs.
Natalie Jean
Bitch. You don't even know my name. But, like, I'm kind of fine with that.
Jackie Zabrowski
Yeah, it's fine.
Natalie Jean
Don't mind. You're just. Don't worry. I ain't upset. No, I got what I gave her.
Jackie Zabrowski
He didn't. But, like, he's not mad about it.
Natalie Jean
He's not mad about it. Which also, again, makes me, like, fall even more in love with him. And that is sad. That, like, that makes me. That just, like. Oh. And that he's not, like, he's like you. Because there's just. Ew. Ew.
Jackie Zabrowski
Nothing.
Natalie Jean
Gives me the ick, faster ew of, like, any kind of that. None. Have. None of it.
Jackie Zabrowski
N. So he's following Tristan down the stairs. Something's obviously wrong, but he can't notice anything as they're first walking. There's parties still raging on, and it feels just, like, ordinary at first. But as he continues down the stairs, his fady senses pick up a buzz in the air. His fady senses that means he feels some sort of, like, foreign magic in the air. Declan, who is the tech whiz, if you'll recall.
Natalie Jean
Oh, yeah.
Jackie Zabrowski
Has a sensor detection system set up all around the perimeter of the house, and it's ringing all the alarm bells right now, which is why Tristan ran and grabbed. Run. Almost like there's some kind of weird manifestation of, like, a storm circling the house, which. Great. Can we just have a party one time?
Natalie Jean
Right? And also, just in all of this, it is still very funny me not to bring it up. Again, almost every single character in the book is in. Are in these chapters. And we both chose to dress as the.
Jackie Zabrowski
Well, who was having the best time at the party.
Natalie Jean
You're right. We are definitely the ones. We're like, the only ones that are having the perfect time.
Jackie Zabrowski
They all have to deal with battles and stuff.
Natalie Jean
Yeah.
Jackie Zabrowski
So Ruhn is still high in fighting the giggles as he stumbles down the stairs. But his body kind of jumps into sobriety when he remembers his sister is there.
Natalie Jean
Yeah, that's. That's a pretty sobering effect.
Jackie Zabrowski
Yeah. And this could be a danger situation related to her. He starts to pick up his pace down the staircase. From where he's positioned on. On the stairs, you have a straight view of the front double doors, which are open into the night. And then suddenly the view to the outside becomes a void. And in his addled state, he's brought back to the portals the night of the demons.
Natalie Jean
Oh, my God.
Jackie Zabrowski
It's hell back. Oh, no.
Natalie Jean
Yeah, maybe she read this book and forgot and she was just like, that's why she thinks that televisions are portals for demons.
Jackie Zabrowski
Can you imagine? You're having a party and a portal opens in. Candace Cameron Burr shows up.
Natalie Jean
Oh, my God. Shove her back in. Send her back wherever she came from.
Jackie Zabrowski
Backed with you. The rest of the party seems to also notice the darkness. And the room goes silent. Someone turns the music off. There is something dark at the front door. Run. Sees Hunt and Bryce appear. Hunt discreetly holding a gun at his side. Bryce Price now wearing Hunt's hat as they were doing some sort of flirtathon.
Natalie Jean
But this also, this part, I remember when I first read it. It makes me think of, like, the quiet and when the. The sky goes green and everything stops making noise right before a tornado comes through. And I feel like that's kind of what they're experiencing, but in a magic sense. But then, of course, Wolverine. I was like, oh, my God, do they have weather phenomenons? But, like, they must.
Jackie Zabrowski
Oh, it's the weather girl.
Natalie Jean
Weather girl. I got a little lost and thinking about the weather of Lunath and being like, she never brings up the weather. I haven't heard about, like, any hurricanes.
Jackie Zabrowski
I think we should have a. An LPN weather show like that. You report the weather.
Natalie Jean
Please, please.
Jackie Zabrowski
You were almost a meteorologist.
Natalie Jean
Want to be meteorologist?
Jackie Zabrowski
Yeah. So I think you're right. It does feel like that in the air. And they can feel it coming in the air tonight.
Natalie Jean
Oh, no. Yes. And I was coming on the Face tonight.
Jackie Zabrowski
I know, right? Brun Thinks gratefully that he allows Hunt to carry at his party and no one else. Fury seems to be gone. She's nowhere to be seen in this moment. But that doesn't mean she's not already on the case, of course. I mean, she obviously is. We just don't know where she was.
Natalie Jean
Yeah, we don't know what she's doing, but obviously she's doing something to try and. And help this situation.
Jackie Zabrowski
And probably to protect Juniper. A nice tableau is formed when Ruhn jumps down and lands next to Bryce and Hunt. And then Flynn and Dex step in from the sides and they all line up in their hero poses because that's probably pretty hot.
Natalie Jean
Uh, yeah. A figure stalked from the darkness in the doorway. Straight out of hell. And in that moment, Ruhn knew three more things. One, he wasn't looking at a portal to hell after all. Shadows swirled there. Instead, familiar whispering shadow shadows. Number two, it wasn't just the glow stick coiled around Bryce's arm that was shining. The star shaped scar beneath her T shirt blazed with iridescent light. Number three. Number three. As a familiar golden haired fey male strode from those shadows and into the foyer, Ruhn knew his night was about to take a turn. Turn for the worse.
Jackie Zabrowski
Oh, no.
Natalie Jean
And I. And just think of what you saw last week coming through the door. And again, like a Candace Cameron beret, think of how you would want to shove it back. Whatever. Whatever you think you are, get out of here.
Jackie Zabrowski
I thought you were super cute.
Natalie Jean
Everybody was puking last week and you know it was true.
Jackie Zabrowski
And they haven't even seen it.
Natalie Jean
Oh no, at this point, they've seen it.
Jackie Zabrowski
Yeah, they've seen it.
Natalie Jean
Oh, you've seen it. Go check it out. And if you haven't, YouTube.com/@lpnromantasy come check out our YouTube videos.
Jackie Zabrowski
We're doing a very soft launch of our YouTube channel, but thank you guys already for subscribing. Yes, we've got past the thousand person mark.
Natalie Jean
Thank you so much. And we're looking to soar to new heights. So again, if you could go to YouTube.com pnromantasy and give us us a sub. It is free. And we want you to know when we're dropping new vids because we are now dropping all of the acotars and we're dropping the first book of the.
Jackie Zabrowski
Crescent City, but some of our live streams too, I think.
Natalie Jean
Yeah, it's the game, the Thorn of glass. Live streams as well are up there. So now we have our own channel within the world of the network and a little bit separate. So go follow it to get all of your fantasy needs.
Jackie Zabrowski
Yeah. So obviously we only got through chapter three, but we're not gonna be doing by chapter for the rest of the season because we will be in a retirement home.
Natalie Jean
Yeah. Yeah, we won't. Yeah, we'll be doing book three in like in our 80s.
Jackie Zabrowski
Yeah. So. But we. There's so much exposition and stuff we.
Natalie Jean
Have to, in chapter four specific that we're going to be getting to.
Jackie Zabrowski
And also just in these first couple chapters, we have to rehash everything that's just happened. We have to remind people of characters. We have to kind of, you know, reiterate all the things we just did from the first book.
Natalie Jean
So we know y' all are along for the ride and we always appreciate you.
Jackie Zabrowski
So, yeah, we're gonna just start chapter four next week.
Natalie Jean
Hell yeah.
Jackie Zabrowski
Yeah. Please find us on YouTube. And also if you listen, if you want to give us a review, I know this is a thing everybody says, but it actually really does help us quite a bit. If you want to give us a review, like, give us the stars on whatever app you listen to, please. Really helps us.
Natalie Jean
We really, really appreciate your time and thanks guys, for joining two littleish fawns on this day. And I hope.
Jackie Zabrowski
But we like it.
Natalie Jean
Yeah, we do like it. And I hope everybody gets to hear the name. Please read up until chapter six for next week.
Advertiser 1
Real businesses like Malibu Apothecary rely on Spectrum to keep them connected.
Natalie Jean
We're a fragrance company, but we also.
Jackie Zabrowski
Have a lot of technology that we use. Spectrum is really the backbone of any.
Natalie Jean
Of the business we do here. Having a reliable, fast Internet service that can fit my budget is really great.
Jackie Zabrowski
I traded nine to five for five to nine. It's a lot of work, but I love it.
Advertiser 1
Spectrum Business Internet starts at $40 a month when bundled. Learn more@spectrum.com Business restrictions apply. Service is not available in all areas. When's the last time you changed your air filter? Filtreat Brand is here to remind you that it's important to change it regularly to help keep your H Vac system running smoothly and efficiently. Multiple factors can impact the life of your AC air filter, like pets, cooking and poor outdoor air quality. Filtreat MPR 1900 air filters can help capture these unwanted microparticles, including bacteria and viruses circulating in your home's air. Change your filter today with Filtreat Brand.
Hosts: Natalie Jean & Jackie Zebrowski
Release Date: June 24, 2025
At the [02:22] mark, Natalie Jean and Jackie Zebrowski warmly welcome listeners to the "Crescent City" series of LPN Deep Dives. They set the stage for an engaging discussion about Sarah J. Maas's popular adult science fiction novel series, "Crescent City," blending insightful analysis with their characteristic humor and camaraderie.
Setting the Scene: Jackie begins by recalling a memorable scene where both hosts inadvertently dressed as the same character, leading to amusing moments and highlighting their deep connection to the story. Natalie shares a funny anecdote about her wig mishap, emphasizing their shared enthusiasm for the series.
Character Dynamics:
Bryce and Hunt:
Natalie discusses Bryce's internal conflict as she navigates her newfound status as a savior, a role thrust upon her that she never sought. Jackie adds, “[...] she doesn't want it. No, she didn't ask for any of this. She just wants to be a normal girl. She can't be.”
Summer House Party:
The hosts delve into the depiction of a summer house party in chapter two, filled with fantasy creatures celebrating amidst underlying tensions. Natalie expresses her longing for such a magical gathering, contrasting it with the grim reality of real-world frat parties.
Themes Explored:
Survivor's Guilt:
Bryce grapples with survivor's guilt, feeling conflicted about enjoying the party while being aware of broader suffering. Jackie notes, “Bryce explains feeling this guilt and almost like resentment about being at this fun party...”
Reconnecting with Friends:
Natalie and Jackie highlight the importance of Bryce reconnecting with friends like Fury and Juniper, showcasing the strengthening of friendships and romantic tensions.
Notable Quotes:
Ruhn's Struggle: The discussion shifts to Hunt’s perspective, revealing his internal battle with newfound freedom and lingering PTSD from his past servitude. Natalie passionately describes Hunt’s turmoil: “He can't stop the intrusive thoughts...”
Celestina's Appointment: Hunt and Bryce receive news of the new archangels choosing Celestina for Valbara, raising suspicions about her suitability for the role. Jackie points out the peculiar choice: “A female named Celestina... she doesn't even have a triari because of how small her little area is.”
Interpersonal Relationships:
Bryce and Hunt's Relationship:
The hosts explore the delicate dynamics of Bryce and Hunt's relationship, emphasizing Bryce's desire to take things slow and Hunt's respectful restraint. Natalie remarks, “She wants to get to know you in real time, not while solving murders.”
Fury's Loyalty:
Fury's protective nature is highlighted as she prepares to defend her girlfriend, showcasing her strength and commitment.
Character Development:
Themes Explored:
Trust and Vulnerability:
The challenges of building trust after traumatic experiences are discussed, with Natalie emphasizing, “How do you learn how to trust again?”
Balancing Personal Desires with Responsibilities:
Hunt's struggle to balance his feelings for Bryce with his obligations to the 33rd adds complexity to his character.
Notable Quotes:
Character Complexity:
The hosts appreciate Maas's ability to create multi-dimensional characters who grapple with personal demons while navigating complex social dynamics.
World-Building:
Emphasis is placed on the rich, immersive world of Crescent City, where fantasy elements blend seamlessly with modern settings, creating a unique backdrop for the narrative.
Emotional Depth:
Discussions highlight the emotional journeys of characters like Bryce and Hunt, exploring themes of guilt, longing, and the quest for normalcy amidst chaos.
Humor and Relatability:
Natalie and Jackie infuse their analysis with humor, making the deep dives not only informative but also entertaining and relatable to listeners.
Notable Quotes:
As the episode progresses towards its end, Natalie and Jackie reflect on the intense developments in the early chapters of "Crescent City." They commend the book's ability to intertwine personal growth with broader conflict, keeping readers engaged and emotionally invested.
Final Highlights:
Embracing Change:
The hosts discuss how characters adapt to their changing roles and the impact of these transformations on their relationships and self-perception.
Anticipation for Future Episodes:
Natalie and Jackie tease upcoming discussions on subsequent chapters, encouraging listeners to continue their journey with them through the series.
Notable Quotes:
Call to Action: Natalie and Jackie invite listeners to stay connected through their YouTube channel youtube.com/@lpnromantasy and encourage reviews to support the podcast.
Rich Character Development:
"Crescent City" offers deep dives into character motivations and relationships, providing a nuanced reading experience.
Engaging Hosts:
Natalie Jean and Jackie Zebrowski excel in blending humor with insightful analysis, making their podcast a must-listen for fans of the series.
Thematic Depth:
The podcast explores significant themes such as survivor's guilt, trust, and the balance between personal desires and responsibilities, adding layers to the listeners' understanding of the book.
**Enjoyed this summary? Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ for an ad-free experience and stay tuned for more deep dives into "Crescent City" with LPN!