BOOK CLUB – Quicksilver by Callie Hart

Summary

Podcast Summary: "BOOK CLUB – Quicksilver by Callie Hart"

We're Your Girls, hosted by Good Mess Media, delves into a vibrant discussion of Callie Hart's Quicksilver in their special book club episode released on April 25, 2025. This detailed recap not only explores the intricate plot and complex characters but also offers the hosts' candid opinions, casting musings, and humorous side conversations that make the episode both informative and entertaining.

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1. Introduction and Book Overview

The episode kicks off with Hosts A and B warmly welcoming their listeners back and introducing Quicksilver as the focal point of their book club discussion. They acknowledge that some listeners might not have finished reading the lengthy novel, reassuring them that the recap remains enjoyable even without having read the book.

Notable Quote:

• A [00:09]: "Welcome to this week's special episode of Warrior Girls."
• B [00:22]: "Book club is fun."

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2. Plot Summary and Character Breakdown

The hosts provide a comprehensive overview of Quicksilver, highlighting the journey of Fish King and a desert peasant who becomes his slave in a snowy forge. Fish King, depicted as a leprechaun-like figure, is known for making oaths with everyone he meets, adding a layer of quirky humor to the narrative.

Notable Quote:

• A [01:03]: "Quicksilver is the story of a man named Fish King with a desert peasant who takes her into the snowlands, out of the desert, makes her a slave in a forge."
• B [02:12]: "He makes deals with everybody."

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3. Casting Choices and Character Imaginations

A significant portion of the discussion revolves around imagining potential actors for the book's characters. Host A enthusiastically casts Henry Cavill as Fish King, likening his versatility to playing multiple roles, while Host B humorously suggests Michael B. Jordan's influence.

Notable Quote:

• A [02:29]: "Who did you cast as Kingfisher? On the count of three. Henry Cavill."
• B [02:53]: "He also happened to play three other people."

The conversation extends to other characters like Serris and Carrion, with the hosts debating between actresses like Liv Tyler and Phoebe Tonkin, infusing the discussion with light-hearted banter and pop culture references.

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4. World-Building and Fantasy Elements

Hosts A and B delve into the book's rich world-building, appreciating the diverse fantasy elements such as vampires, centaurs, and fire sprites. They commend the author's creativity but also express mild frustrations with the abundance of made-up names and the initial glossary, which they initially found overwhelming.

Notable Quote:

• A [04:55]: "There are a lot of made-up words in this one. If the book has to have a glossary in the beginning, you've already lost me."

Despite these challenges, both hosts acknowledge the strength of the universe Hart has crafted, agreeing that the foundational world-building sets the stage effectively for future installments.

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5. Romantic Dynamics and Relationship Development

A central theme of their discussion is the romance between Fish King and Serris. The hosts analyze the "enemies to lovers" trope employed in the book, critiquing its execution while acknowledging its role in deepening character relationships. They appreciate the gradual buildup of intimacy and the tender moments that deviate from purely sexual interactions.

Notable Quote:

• A [13:09]: "I like this book because the sex scenes were like, yeah, there's sex which is great. But at the same time, I didn't feel that they were egregious."
• B [14:34]: "And that's my favorite trope. So I'm really hard on it when it comes up in a book and I'm like, this could have been done better."

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6. Critical Observations and Humor

The hosts offer candid critiques of certain plot points and character developments. They humorously dissect the portrayal of weapons, character names, and impractical scenarios within the fantasy realm. Their light-hearted disagreements and playful remarks add a relatable and entertaining layer to the analysis.

Notable Quote:

• A [20:50]: "And take all these bitches out of here?"
• B [22:45]: "This is genius. Go ahead."

They also express amusement over specific descriptions, such as Fish King's perpetually wet hair and the unrealistic frequency of conjured outfits, blending their criticisms with laughter.

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7. Sex Scenes and Writing Style

A significant part of their conversation focuses on the book's explicit sex scenes. While appreciating the passionate moments, the hosts critique the lack of descriptive clarity and the abruptness with which intimacy unfolds. They highlight specific passages that, in their view, disrupt the flow and immersion of the narrative.

Notable Quote:

• B [45:06]: "I was like, why are you talking to her?"
• A [47:21]: "He conjured all of her outfits, everything. I mean, literally."

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8. Final Impressions and Ratings

Both hosts provide their overall impressions of Quicksilver, with Host B rating the book a solid seven out of ten. They appreciate the romantic elements and character vulnerabilities but express a desire for a more balanced integration of world-building and romance. Host A indicates a willingness to continue with future installments, hoping for improved relationship development.

Notable Quote:

• B [42:31]: "I would rate it a solid. I think I give it a seven because I am more romance driven."
• A [43:37]: "We would read this one. I'll read the second one."

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9. Future Plans and Announcements

Towards the episode's conclusion, the hosts announce a temporary hiatus from their weekly Friday episodes due to their personal commitments and busy schedules during the summer. They encourage listeners to stay connected through their YouTube comments, Instagram, and other social media platforms, inviting book recommendations for future book club selections.

Notable Quote:

• A [54:02]: "We're gonna have to take a hiatus from weekly Friday episodes."
• B [55:14]: "We did have an episode planned for next Friday."

They reassure their audience that Warrior Girls remains active and that they plan to return with more engaging content, including another book club, once their schedules permit.

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Conclusion

This book club episode of We're Your Girls offers an in-depth and entertaining analysis of Quicksilver by Callie Hart. Through a blend of insightful critique, humorous exchanges, and genuine enthusiasm for the fantasy romance genre, Hosts A and B provide listeners with a comprehensive understanding of the novel's strengths and areas for improvement. Their passion for storytelling and candid conversations make this recap a delightful listen for both fans of the book and those new to it.

Connect with We're Your Girls:

• YouTube and Podcast Platforms
• Instagram: @waryourgirlspod
• Hashtags: #Sisterhood #FridayVibes

Transcript

[A]

Cause we're your girls hey.

[B]

Cause I like, I do.

[A]

Welcome to this week's special episode of Warrior Girls.

[B]

Hi, guys. We missed you.

[A]

We missed you. And we're recapping Quicksilver, our book club book.

[B]

And confidentially, I'm finishing it right now.

[A]

She's, like, on the last few pages, but I'm sure there are some listeners who didn't quite finish, so it's no shame. It's okay. Book club is fun.

[B]

She was a doozy.

[A]

It was a long book.

[B]

And that was my bad. That was my bad because I didn't look at the page count before we checked.

[A]

You didn't look at the page count?

[B]

I didn't check that.

[A]

But for those of you like me, that did finish. I finished last night. Overachiever. Or for those that maybe tuned in and didn't read the book, we're gonna get into all of it, so. And you can still listen if you didn't read the book. Cause I think you're still gonna enjoy this little recap. Especially if you personally like romance, fantasy, Romantasy.

[B]

Romantasy. Okay, that's it.

[A]

So Quicksilver is the story of a man named Fish King with a desert peasant who takes her into the snowlands, out of the desert, makes her a slave in a forge.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

He says, make me this magical thing. She's like, well, what do you want me to make? He goes, I don't really know, but.

[B]

I'm gonna give you every material you may need and let you keep a fox. We have to get into the fox. Why did I laugh?

[A]

And she's like, I don't want to. And he's like, you have to. And he's like a leprechaun. So he makes deals with everybody. He makes deals with everybody.

[B]

Everybody.

[A]

This man's life, that's important to remember. That's really important to remember, because throughout the book, it unfolds, but he makes oaths with everyone at all times. He would make an oath with his bodega man. Be like, so you're telling me I could get this bacon, egg, and cheese on the lolo?

[B]

If I come back and bring my.

[A]

Friend tomorrow, let me cut my hand and make a blood oath with you, cow. Dun, dun, dun, dun. What have I done? This guy makes oaths with everybody, and it makes me laugh. We have so many things to. We have so many things to cover. Let's start.

[B]

I'm gonna say, where do we even start? Let's start.

[A]

My favorite part to start, whenever we recap a book, my first question to you, always. And we're gonna say it at the same time.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Who did you cast as the main character? Fish. King. Kingfish. Kingfisher. Kingfisher. Who did you cast as Kingfisher? On the count of three.

[B]

One, two, three.

[A]

Henry Cavill. Hey, hey, hey, hey, friend. He also happened to play three other people.

[B]

Cause he played Lorath for me, too. And Renfus.

[A]

It's Henry Cavill in different ways.

[B]

Different haircuts and mustaches and goatees.

[A]

One of the greatest acting achievements of his career.

[B]

Henry, if this ever crosses your path, congratulations on the wife and baby. By the way, we love you. I don't know what else to say.

[A]

It's giving Michael B. Jordan.

[B]

You are the prototype.

[A]

It's giving Michael B. Jordan playing two people and sinners.

[B]

Is that what the plot is for? Sin? Yeah.

[A]

He's a twin.

[B]

I didn't know that.

[A]

Anyway, so in this one, I'm reading it, halfway through the moment, it described him as broad with dark hair.

[B]

Dark hair that was always wet. I imagine that he had a Jheri curl. So he had a bottle of Jheri curl activator on him.

[A]

What?

[B]

Cause it said his hair was always dripping. I was like, why was that a detail that was included?

[A]

Oh, my God, you're right.

[B]

And then it stopped saying that, like, midway through the book. Suddenly, he's dry all the time.

[A]

Like, he'd always been coming out of the shower, something, and it was, like, dripping onto the books and stuff.

[B]

Was that a plot hole that we missed or that I missed somewhere in there?

[A]

No, you're making a great point right now. Why?

[B]

He had a drink. Dry off. That's as much as I can do.

[A]

Dry off. You're a king. My God, we have so many things to cover. I mean, we have so many. But the good news is we have time. We have time.

[B]

Let me tighten my hat. Strap in.

[A]

All right. Okay. So the fish king always wed.

[B]

Played by Henry.

[A]

Played by Henry. We never get to the bottom of. I thought there was going to be some reason why he was called Kingfisher. Like, I thought it was going to come out, like. And also, dad loved to fish. Mom was royalty. I don't know.

[B]

Merman.

[A]

So never, never gets tied up. For me, that's just his name.

[B]

Maybe. Is there a book two?

[A]

It's gonna come out, so maybe that.

[B]

Gets cleared up in book two. But you also have to tell me how the book ends. I was on the last five pages, so I don't know. Was there? Oh, once they meet. Okay. We'll get there.

[A]

We'll get there. We're gonna get to the end in a second. I've also highlighted some of my favorite.

[B]

Oh, same. Oh.

[A]

In our casting.

[B]

We'll finish the casting.

[A]

So, Henry Cavill for sure.

[B]

Who did you cast as Serris?

[A]

She was hard. She changed from. In my mind, she. Serris changed many times for me.

[B]

And do you pronounce her name? Serris? Yeah, I said Serris too.

[A]

Okay. Yeah.

[B]

Serris.

[A]

Yeah, Serris. There was a lot of things, though. Why was the king for me? Black Lamb. I don't know what King Black.

[B]

Oh, Belacon. I know I'm saying it wrong.

[A]

He sound like King Megatron. Why were the. Okay, this is another thing about fantasy. I both love and hate the world building. Cause I love the world building. But there are some things where it's like. You know what's fun about a fantasy is you can make anything named anything you want.

[B]

It's true.

[A]

And you're choosing the craziest names.

[B]

There are a lot of made up words in this one. If the book. This is a rule of thumb for me. If the book has to have a glossary in the beginning. You've already lost me. Yeah, we open with a glossary on this one. But we kept through.

[A]

I mean, we kept through, but it's like, my God. And then King. King Bok Bok said to. You know what I mean?

[B]

How is it.

[A]

Actually, there is a vampire named Leududoquist. Do you remember him?

[B]

No.

[A]

A random vampire.

[B]

Which one's Leududoquist?

[A]

He's Malcolm's son or brother or something. Girl.

[B]

Tavares. I was going to. Tadarius. No, wait, no, that's not Tadarius.

[A]

He's on the other side of the river. Yes. And he's like. And you can tell he's not a bad guy. He's like, sorry, my hands are died. Guys. The vampires are.

[B]

That would be you on the other side of the river. It's like echoing your voice.

[A]

Sorry, guys.

[B]

Sorry.

[A]

My hands are tied here. Vampires are all getting ready to go across. You keep drowning them.

[B]

Just send the girl over and I'll head home. That's literally you.

[A]

He just wants the Alchemist and the Kingfish, okay?

[B]

They're like, who?

[A]

Who? Okay, let me just. Let me just. I can't cast my voice like you can. Aw, damn. You know what? I'm gonna head home and I'm gonna call you from the house. I'm gonna send y'all a fax.

[B]

I'm sorry. I'M joking.

[A]

The vampires are loud. They're all behind him.

[B]

His eyes falling out, maggots coming out of his side.

[A]

Hold on.

[B]

Will y'all quiet down just a second? Cause I'm trying to hear what he gotta say. Because we can go home sooner if y'all just hush.

[A]

We're brokering a deal. Do you want to go in the brink?

[B]

He's like, I'm. This is everything that I'm living for in this moment. We have to keep going.

[A]

Okay, so another thing. I highlighted one of the name. I highlighted some of the words that pissed me off the most.

[B]

This is genius. Go ahead.

[A]

The ball Quit. Hitter. Clan.

[B]

Which one is that girl? I called that the ball quitter.

[A]

We proved centuries ago that we had nothing to do with the curse that afflicted your kind. The Balquika clan was one of the five families charged by your king, dead king Dionys, your king, with finding a cure for the fake curse. Dian. Dianthus.

[B]

Dianthus.

[A]

Dianthus.

[B]

Dianethis Boom. A member of the Supremes.

[A]

I'm loving the villain dialogue in this. It was just classic corny. I highlighted one of my favorites.

[B]

Please.

[A]

Also, why did I imagine as the king Balulu? I imagined him as the Green Goblin from Spider Man.

[B]

Oh, with the high cheekbones.

[A]

Oh.

[B]

William Dafoe.

[A]

Dafoe.

[B]

I was sitting in Stefili a couple weeks back. He walked right across the street. Child right in front of me, passing me by. I said.

[A]

It'S the Goblin.

[B]

No one saw him. I freaked out.

[A]

I love Mr.

[B]

I think he lives in the West Village. People see him all the time.

[A]

I looked him up, so I imagined his voice like this.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Also, sometimes my mind is really annoying, so I like, imagine people's voices and I start giggling. Cause I'm like, that's not what he sounds like.

[B]

That's not it.

[A]

Get him out of my sight, general.

[B]

That'S not what Bellicon sounds like.

[A]

Get him out of my sight, general before my benevolent nature takes his leave. I was like, yes.

[B]

That's crazy.

[A]

You know one thing about this guy? He's a puss.

[B]

Bellicon. I knew he'd come back in some capacity.

[A]

Wait.

[B]

We have to finish casting first.

[A]

We're all over the place before we get to plot.

[B]

Finish casting.

[A]

I'm so sorry, audience. I'm so sorry.

[B]

We're back.

[A]

I promise we're going to be better at.

[B]

We're just very excited to. To be honest, we have not talked about the book since we've started reading it. So this is our first Time having a Kiki about it as well. We're very excited.

[A]

Yes. And we pro. Maybe we should have organized our notes. But we wanted our reactions to each other to be real and organic. To be organic. So we didn't talk about this at all.

[B]

This is a thrill right now.

[A]

You have no idea.

[B]

Okay, so Sarah's for me, Liv Tyler. For. From what you call it, that's just younger, hot. Liv Tyler from Lord of the Rings. Yes. She's on the COVID of the Rake this month. You know, I had to buy it.

[A]

And, girl, let me tell you something else.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Every time. Every time we were in these magical places. Hold on.

[B]

You got it.

[A]

There are multiple times that we were at their palace. I imagine a little bit like Rivendale.

[B]

Yes. Kahil.

[A]

Yeah, Rivendale.

[B]

Rivendale is good shit, my boy. Very.

[A]

Liv Tyler is such a classic. Beaut for this.

[B]

God, I love her.

[A]

Oh, wow.

[B]

She's ageless. Truly. She looks fabulous. Not that aging is bad. We love a woman aging. But she looks like she's not.

[A]

My favorite thing ever that we sent each other back and forth is when Liv Tyler and Steven Tyler were on the Find your Root show. And she goes, dad, Look. You're like 2% black. And he goes, I knew it. You're laughing, Louise. And Liv goes, you've always said. And there's no content, nothing.

[B]

I'm like, how many times has Steven Tyler said this? That she brought this to him in excitement?

[A]

She's like, dad, you're never gonna believe it.

[B]

I knew it. I knew it. She was so happy. Girl, that clip sends me everything.

[A]

She's nodding, going, oh, my God, you must be so happy right now.

[B]

He's like, what did he say? Something about the fact that he's a drummer. He's like, I knew that had to come from somewhere.

[A]

He says it, but he's also. It's very. I mean, he's basically saying that he thinks black people are the coolest people alive.

[B]

Not a lie, Steven Tyler. Not a lie.

[A]

Absolutely.

[B]

So, yeah, Serris. Liv Tyler, I think we're. Are you aligned? Who did you have?

[A]

No. I mean, I wish. I'm actually more in agreement with your casting. Whenever we read a book, I feel like we're casting agents.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

For me, this is. I don't feel like this is my best work, but it's. Who kept working in my mind, I imagined for Seras. Phoebe Tonkin, but when she was in the Vampire Diaries.

[B]

That is very good. Very, very good. Cause I love to hate her face in The Vampire Diaries. I loved her at the same time.

[A]

And I was like, so beautiful. She was perfect with these bright green.

[B]

Eyes, like the perfect big smile. Her round face.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And dark hair.

[B]

That's a great.

[A]

The only thing is, like, when she was in the Vampire Diaries, her. Phoebe, don't be mad at me. Cause I think you'd agree her American act, they should have just let her be an Australian. They should have, because the amount of time she'd be like, Klaus.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You know. Oh, sorry. We have an Australian producer.

[B]

Trace, like.

[A]

I forget. I forget.

[B]

But you're right. You're right.

[A]

I love you, baby Tonkin. Sometimes Australians try to be Americans. Crack me up. There's no way we can make it. They're like. It's the Australian accents fighting to come through. But anyways, Phoebe Tonkin has one of my favorite faces in Hollywood. There are many. I have many favorite faces.

[B]

Anne Hathaway being one of them.

[A]

Shut up. My list.

[B]

I know.

[A]

Shut up.

[B]

I know.

[A]

Shut it up.

[B]

I know.

[A]

Because then I can't continue the show.

[B]

Yep. Where do you go from there?

[A]

So I imagine Sarah says, phoebe Tonkin, Vampire Diaries version.

[B]

That's great.

[A]

Just beautiful, light eyes and. But also she. I feel like she pulls off that super sassy.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Irreverent. I could imagine her, like, gutting a man.

[B]

You're right.

[A]

And that was the only reason why. My only edit with Liv Tyler. She's so delicate.

[B]

She's not aggressive.

[A]

And I can imagine she needed to be somebody who. You could also imagine scaling a wall, sitting at the top and being, like, chopping some hay.

[B]

Fuck you.

[A]

I don't care if you go to the gallows, bitch.

[B]

I knew it was coming.

[A]

I gotta feed me and mine. My bills are paid as we're jumping off the side.

[B]

That'd be crazy if this chair just collapsed out of me with try.

[A]

Okay, you're right.

[B]

You're right. I would say I went back and forth with her, too. No one was quite right. But a couple people could fit the bill. For sure.

[A]

Yeah. No one was quite right. I agree.

[B]

For sure.

[A]

Also, it would be so confusing the way that she was described as so petite that when Kingfisher was sitting, she could walk up to him and he would.

[B]

And she'd disappear behind him.

[A]

Yeah. Or he'd be sitting and she would lay his head. One of my favorite scenes actually, in the book that was very tender where they were sitting. It was really well done. I. I like this book because the sex scenes were like. Yeah, there's sex which is great. But at the same time, I didn't feel that they were egregious. And I did feel that time was taken to build the relationship later on. And they gave us some tender moments that weren't sexual, which I appreciate in our relationship.

[B]

Oh, I highlighted mine.

[A]

Oh, really?

[B]

Oh, I'll bring it. Should I bring it up now?

[A]

But I will. The only thing I will say that I didn't like is like, the instant you're my slave.

[B]

Oh, I didn't.

[A]

But I bet you want my dick, huh? And she'd be like, no, no, I don't want your dick.

[B]

He's like, I can sm.

[A]

You do. Like I was the number.

[B]

I will say, too, I didn't like the insta hate.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Because he. We'll get to it. But I'll just say this. He rescued you. Why did you hate him on instant? I could understand him being annoying and you thinking he's an. But the hate. The jump to hate was just extreme. But also. And then it didn't make sense to.

[A]

Me, the bickering back and forth. I'm like, you guys.

[B]

It was very immature. Until it wasn't. We'll get there.

[A]

Yeah. So I get where they were trying to do the enemies to lover thing. It was a little clumsy.

[B]

I agree.

[A]

In my opinion.

[B]

And that's my favorite trope. So I'm really hard on it when it comes up in a book and I'm like, this could have been done better.

[A]

You know, I would prefer enemies to lover over instant love.

[B]

Agreed.

[A]

Agreed.

[B]

1,000%.

[A]

So that was great.

[B]

Who do you cast as Karion? Yes.

[A]

Why was he my favorite one? I loved him.

[B]

I highlighted so many of his quotes.

[A]

When he was like, this blade's about to be Simon based. I was gonna say the person I identified with most in this book was Carrion.

[B]

I thought of you the entire time.

[A]

I was like, maybe I should just cast myself as a. Carrion's a girl.

[B]

I kid you not. I had the thought. I was like, carrion could be a girl. And if it was, it'd be Taryn.

[A]

I was dying the moment you slept through a battle. And they were like, where have you been?

[B]

And he was like, in the woods on the mountain.

[A]

And he had a plant. And he was like, I'm bringing this plant back with me. I'm leaving here for something.

[B]

He was very well placed. And in the beginning, I was confused because he disappeared for half the book. He was only there for that first scene in the beginning with her brother in the. In the Colla, I think it was called. And I knew he'd come back in some capacity, but I'm slow on the uptake, so I did not see how that was gonna happen. I did not anticipate his ass coming back through the portal through the Prett sober.

[A]

Not at all.

[B]

But I laughed my ass off when he did. I think I took a note.

[A]

His boot fell off and he was getting dragged towards stop. And I'd forget he was there because he was unconscious for three chapters. And he'd be like. And then I notice bouncing against the side of the horse.

[B]

I was laughing so hard. Him bringing. Him coming back through the portal, being the wrong person reminded me of the Hangover. You ever seen the Hangover?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And is it Mr. Chu or Mr. Chow in the desert? They were supposed to bring back their friend.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[B]

And it was Mike Epps in the damn trunk. That's what it reminds me.

[A]

I forgot about that. I don't remember that movie. Right.

[B]

I wish I could explain the scene better, but it was basically.

[A]

They're just like, that's not him.

[B]

Yes. They open the trunk and it's like, there goes your friend. And it's a black man. And they're like, it's not. Not him. It's Mike Epps.

[A]

That's so funny.

[B]

That reminds me.

[A]

Well, like, Tiffany and I. You and I have talked about this a lot. Most women. Many women. Many people always cast them. They can't help but cast themselves as the main heroine.

[B]

I usually do.

[A]

Yeah. Which I never do. I always like to cast myself as any funny sidekick I make it. Than me. Because that's way more fun. But unfortunately, they often die.

[B]

They do. Did he make it? He came back.

[A]

He did, but he almost died.

[B]

Multiple times.

[A]

He was like. So we got through our casting of our main characters. Carrion. You asked me who I made. Carrion.

[B]

Yeah. And we both said, you. Yep.

[A]

But who? I think he would. If I was a casting agent and this was a movie, he was described as having auburn, reddish hair. I kind of skip over that in casting. If it gets to. It doesn't seem important to the character. But him being. Having comedic timing and being, like, handsome, like, all played a role in this. At first, he was that guy. Hold on.

[B]

Wait. Describe him and see if we can guess.

[A]

He was in. He was in the newest Top Gun and he had mustache and he. Not gun power. Miles Teller. He was Miles Teller for me at first.

[B]

That's a good one.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Very good. Yeah. Very good.

[A]

Or Sam Clafin. He played Finnick ojare in the Hunger.

[B]

Games and he was in me before you.

[A]

But I think Sam might be too handsome for a character that. Yeah, I think although he's described as a ladies man and good looking. One of the hottest men in Zilveren.

[B]

Yeah. Zil Zil.

[A]

Zoolander. Back in Zoolander. The hometown Zoolander up in that zoo. The Z6. What's the code? The area code for that area? The 819. The 819-05-5930. Yeah. So overly. When I'm casting in my mind, it can't just be looks because they're so subjective. Someone you might find sexy is not sexy to someone else. I always think the personality traits are more important than their looks because you.

[B]

Can get to love visually a character that you like emotionally.

[A]

Totally. Think about how many men in Hollywood, if they didn't have the personalities that they had, would be half as attractive as they are.

[B]

I won't name any names.

[A]

No need to. No need name any names. But a funny man. There's nothing hotter than a funny man. That makes me laugh.

[B]

That's accurate.

[A]

So anyhow, Miles Teller, I feel like ultimately fit the bill because he is. Has a really great natural physical comedy to him.

[B]

I would say two is a date. Which one? Dave Franco. No, James.

[A]

James Franco.

[B]

He was mine. He was yours. If I kept a male, I would have said like a young James Franco.

[A]

That's really good because he's comedic.

[B]

But you win.

[A]

You win. You won that one.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You have a better casting than me on that one.

[B]

So if we're looking at our board here, we've got Henry.

[A]

Henry. We've got Henry in a wig playing.

[B]

Henry with a soul patch.

[A]

Henry Cavill in classic.

[B]

Correct. Just Henry across the board. Phoebe Tompkin. I'd say she takes the cake on that one.

[A]

You think so?

[B]

Even though I visually live Tyler all the way. But you're right, I've never seen one. What is live played in that? We've seen her, like, fighting and really I would want live Tyler. But you're right. Phoebe Tompkin. We've seen her do the spicy saucy.

[A]

Yeah, like fudge you like. This character says fuck so much. I can imagine profanity. Also, there would be at times when it wasn't necessary. This is my like. He'd be like, I have no fucking idea where the fuck we're going to fudgeing go.

[B]

And I'm like, very colloquial.

[A]

I know.

[B]

Which kind of threw me off because I'm like, I Wasn't expecting them to talk in, like, high Fae talk or to speak as if they were in a different realm. But I was thrown off by how 20, 20, 25 it was. The banter and.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

The use of language. It was very modern.

[A]

Well, for a place in which, you know, they don't have cell phones, it's always surprising when they use so many casual colloquialisms. They use it like, you know, slang. And the word. Yeah, yeah. It's always a little bit off the idiot.

[B]

Like, the use of idiot shocked me. I don't know why idiot was so, like, jarring for me every time I read it.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Like a fake call someone an idiot.

[A]

Yeah. I don't know. I feel like that was funny. Why. Why did this not keep occurring to me? Now, fantasy fans, don't get mad at me because you're probably gonna say, taryn, that ruins the whole point. Like, don't really. I just kept imagining when I started getting really frustrated during the battle scenes, I'm like, just conjure a gun. Can't you just Magically make an AK47.

[B]

And take all these bitches out of here?

[A]

Like, everyone ready your swords. I come from the top of the mountain. Gun guh. Gunk, gunk, gun, gunk. My gap. Shooting it in the air.

[B]

It's like Boys in the Hood style. Ooh.

[A]

Prepare to die.

[B]

That's valid. That's very valid.

[A]

No, it's not valid. This is not in that realm. They don't exist. But I'm like, it's interesting that the only weapons we have were swords or swords. And then also one thing that never gets described is they're at the war camp and every time the vampires come, boom, boom.

[B]

I was like, why boom?

[A]

So many times I imagine these big old. Because. And also they were like, these big creatures were doing it. I'm going to assume she just meant large Fae.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But in my mind, they were all abominable snowmen that were stuck forever with giant sledgehammers slaving away. Boom, boom, boom.

[B]

Like the chain gang it was given. That reminds me of. What is it? Game of Thrones. Have you seen Game of Thrones? And they're like, attacking the wall. And these big giant creatures are attacking. Have you seen Game of Thrones, Trace? That's what I'm imagining. It wasn't comedic. It was just very large creatures attacking a wall.

[A]

A walking a wall. Yeah. And it made sense, though. The ice would refreeze over and then they had to break it again for the vampires to come Although wouldn't you spell the water so it just wouldn't freeze over?

[B]

I have many a thought.

[A]

If the only thing protecting you from the undead army is water, let's go be on an island.

[B]

Let's move. Let's pick up the camp and move it somewhere else. I don't know why that didn't occur to them. Cause I thought it.

[A]

You and me in the war room.

[B]

How about our best suggestions?

[A]

We pick up the camp and move it somewhere else. Shut up, mortal. Human. They can tell you guys want to die.

[B]

Oh, if we're going to talk about the names. I highlighted the entire. Where he was explaining to her where what's his name? Kingfisher was explaining to Sarris the reason behind the nickname Osha or whatever the fuck is it. Osha.

[A]

Osha the most.

[B]

Oh, my God. I'm sitting on the couch reading, next to one of my friends, weeping. Really? I don't know why. I have to pull up.

[A]

Pull it up. Read it.

[B]

Have to pull it up. Made me cry. I think I was waiting so long for the romance bits to come in that when they finally did, it was like a well of emotion. Yeah.

[A]

I feel like.

[B]

Because there was a lot of world building.

[A]

There was. Which I appreciated. I wanna, for the record, say I like the world building. And ultimately I think that she built a very strong universe. I believe it. I understand it. Just because there are parts of it that make me, like, wrinkle my nose. I still think it was done well.

[B]

My question for book two is how much of the world building will continue on since so much of this was foundational, Will book two now be a continuation of the world building? Like, will it constantly be this? 70% of the book is talking about the world and then 30% is the romance. Or how will that ship. Cause I personally like romance. If I had to say, I want the percentage to be a little higher.

[A]

Much higher.

[B]

Yeah. I need a little more. Was I rereading the steamy scenes? Yeah. Did I reread this one? Yeah. Okay.

[A]

No wonder. It would take you a long time to finish, girl.

[B]

Trudging along. I was like, I need more to get me through. Basically, I won't read the whole paragraph. But he says in O'Shelith, if you read it, you know, it means most sacred in the old Fae language. And in the book, he nicknamed her that when they first met. And we thought that that was him like, basically infantilizing her and calling her something that was weak. Weak and easy to die and whatever. Because she's human. It turns out he knew that they were fated the entire time. And he called her by this nickname because it was the most. That creature, butterfly, is the most sacred thing in all the land. And people would die for ages to go and protect this butterfly's, like, very small and minute existence for however long it existed. I weeped.

[A]

That was beautiful.

[B]

Oh, my God. That was the best part of the book. To me, literally, that was the best section of the book. I would have to say. I loved making him human in that moment. Then I understood the love. Cause I didn't understand the hate so much, but that helped me understand the love.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Which then got me through the rest of the book, if I'm being honest.

[A]

Yeah. I thought it was great. I thought the complexity of. I'm always down for a complicated hero and a complicated heroine. Always. Because I think it makes their stories deeper and more interesting.

[B]

Agreed.

[A]

You can't make everybody too complicated. Cause then I started to be like, man, I don't care about this side character. I don't care about Mr. Jones. We left Elroy to die, girl.

[B]

They never went back.

[A]

I'm sitting in the forge like this.

[B]

Madison Zilveren has been pillaged in Elroy.

[A]

Everybody. They literally were like. And now Hayden has a good job, and he lives in a new neighborhood.

[B]

What's up with Elroy?

[A]

Why is he still in the hood?

[B]

And why was his name Elroy? All of these FA Ass names, and you chose Elroy. His name might as well have been Luther at that point to me.

[A]

Damn, I ain't got no help. Messed up my forge. Got guards in here every day blowing my shit up. My two friends left.

[B]

Everybody gone.

[A]

Everybody.

[B]

Prostitute wife out here, too. She wasn't the wife. That whole part really was crazy, mia. Cause y'all know what we're talking about.

[A]

Cause y'all know what we're talking about.

[B]

I don't even know if we need to explain it. It was just too much.

[A]

It was really sad. But also, she had never alluded to that. No, it kind of came out, usually. And the reason I'm saying that is most time when you have a romance novel or Romantasy, which we read a lot of, you're getting bits and pieces and flashbacks leading up to the big confession of her backstory. So that was really surprising that we didn't get any of that. I don't mind it. I get it. She's a soldier. She's lived a hard life. So it's all things that she's really packed away.

[B]

I get it. But I feel like we weren't set up for it to be that much of a storyline. And then they breezed past it and it was just like never mentioned again. I'm like, that's vulnerable as well.

[A]

Going back. Speaking of breezed past.

[B]

Uh huh.

[A]

The first part of her getting taken captive is being like, I have to get back to Hayden and Elroy. And then when they were like, oh, good news, Hayden's cool. She was like, oof, thank God.

[B]

Great.

[A]

All right, well, I'm gonna start this realistic romance.

[B]

Literally. Oh. Cause now. What happened to Hayden?

[A]

Hayden's got a good job, I guess. He's got a good job. He works in a new town now.

[B]

Well, he's an alchemist. Does he have some kind of something?

[A]

I found his character so annoying.

[B]

Oh my God. The first like, shut up. I was like, you, this is your fault. This is your damn fault.

[A]

This is the annoying little kid. Like the kid sibling's fault. Cause why would I be like, by the way, Hayden, I'm my best friend, just so you know, this is all your fault.

[B]

You did this. Okay. Cause all he had to do was stand outside with the damn bag in his hand. He did not have to go nowhere. And for whatever reason, he's brandishing the gauntlet around him.

[A]

Well, because she figured out he went to the market to try to sell it and. Cause she. That's why she knew where to go find him. Just like a man.

[B]

Now why would you do that, just like a man?

[A]

Because she had a plan. She knew what she was gonna do. And a man stepped in and was like, I know better. Let this be a lesson to you.

[B]

They don't know better.

[A]

You rely. You try to look out for a man, you're gonna end up in a snowtown, in a slave camp, in a forge, making relics you don't know how to make. Blowing things up you don't know how to make. You got a sexy warden.

[B]

Can we talk about the fox, please?

[A]

I was like, okay, I'll rock with it.

[B]

Did you imagine our fox? Trace will have to superimpose.

[A]

Okay, wait.

[B]

We'll have to superimpose an image of our fox.

[A]

We have to be really clear about this inside joke. Tiffany, they need the full background on our fox.

[B]

They need the background.

[A]

We're gonna put a picture on screen.

[B]

I'll set the scene. Sicily, 1942. I'm kidding. It was last year, last July, at Taryn's wedding. What's the name of the island I got married on?

[A]

San Juan island in the Pacific Northwest.

[B]

We were on San Juan island in the Pacific Northwest. Honestly, one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. And I'll say it, till kingdom come.

[A]

I'm so happy.

[B]

We're all on our way to the ceremony. Taryn's already there. But me and the gaggle of gays and the girls, we're on our way. We look out of the corner of our eye as we're driving on a golf cart. Do your golf cart sound. That's us. We're driving along. Mack looks out the corner of his eye. One of our buddies. The mangiest looking fox we have ever. We didn't even know it was a fox at first. We didn't know what the fuck it was. Mangy looking creature sitting like this on the side of the road. It looked like he had a bob.

[A]

He looked like he was sitting at a damn bus stop just waiting for.

[B]

His time to come. We all collapsed, almost fell out the cart. We made the guy back up so that we can go take a picture of the thing.

[A]

You are so funny.

[B]

We're all laughing. We get to the ceremony, we forget about the fox. Max sends the picture around to the group the day after the wedding. We're all captured.

[A]

Look at this fox. I immediately copied it and turned it into a sticker.

[B]

And now a year later, this fox is a large part of every text exchange we have.

[A]

Seeing the photo, we're gonna put it right here. Bow, tell me that this is not the look of utter defeat or confusion. I use it anytime. Basically, it's when you're like, oh, damn. Like, oh, damn.

[B]

He's very down to the bottom.

[A]

Like when you're asked out, the little fox comes into the chat. If Tiffany sends me the fox and just the fox, I have to call.

[B]

We know some shit, pops.

[A]

Something just happened.

[B]

Okay? So that's who I imagine. The entire time, I could not stop laughing. I laughed my way through this book. And I wonder how the fox will come back. Cause they don't mention him at the end of the book, did they? You know, I didn't get to the last five pages. Let me think about that. Did he make it through?

[A]

Well, you missed an important. So, Tiffany, you missed an important part of the last five pages. I'm gonna tell you right now. Tell me. All right. So she's getting carried into a dark shadow portal, half dead.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

I got to this part because Malcolm, who I imagined as Malfoy's dad.

[B]

Malfoy. Malfoy's dad.

[A]

Malfoy's dad in Harry Potter. Blonde, long, straight hair, looking evil.

[B]

That's a good one.

[A]

So she's going through a dark shadow portal. The whole world's collapsing. Cause she was successful. She just, you know, got her intestines ripped down in the process, as one does. And she's gonna go through the portal.

[B]

Tavares.

[A]

Tavares, he bit her. He bit her because he was like, I'll change into a vampire. That way she won't die.

[B]

Did I miss that? Tavares.

[A]

Bitter. Tavares was like, I can change her, but you have to decide right now. Change her or let her die. And then, oh, Fish King was like.

[B]

Do it, do it. Because she was gonna die anyway. She was gonna die.

[A]

Yeah, yeah.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

So you bites her. She's like, oh, full on. Bella, in Twilight, I will wrap you in my arms.

[B]

And that changes the scene.

[A]

Please. Can you imagine? Bella, let me shine. Better say, I will wrap you in my arms. Your inner.

[B]

That's crazy.

[A]

I swear to God, if you guys listen, that changes the scene. Haven't seen Twilight. Then you might as well get off, because. I'm sorry. This episode makes no sense, but you know what I'm saying.

[B]

I know exactly. The camera's all shifting and shit.

[A]

Hold on, let me do it.

[B]

Really fucked up.

[A]

Death is easy, but life. Life is hard. She's in the hospital.

[B]

But when that came out, that was everything. It was believable. It was deep, so stop. But you're not lying.

[A]

Bella, you gotta go with your mom. And why did Barbara Pattinson have a Bostonian accent? Bella, you gotta go with your mom to Jacksonville, so I can't hurt you anymore. I know. Somebody watch the scene back. Like Jay Z watch the scene back. Tell me Robert Pattinson did not. I mean, I know he's an amazing actor.

[B]

He is.

[A]

But we could tell this is one of his first big roles.

[B]

He was getting his feet under him.

[A]

His feet under him. He got some hips on him.

[B]

He got some hips on him.

[A]

And he. I swear to God, he was like. I've heard an American accent in Boyz N the Hood before. You gotta go to Jacksonville to be with your mom for a while so I can hurt you anymore.

[B]

It was Jay Z, literally. I've never noticed that. But you're so right.

[A]

And at one point during Twilight. I'm sorry, we're going on about Twilight right now. And then in Twilight, there's another line that Robert Pattinson says, we can all tell. I've watched Twilight women too many times. Don't get me on vampires. He goes, remember, Her. And she's like, what if your parents don't like me? And he goes, so you're worried. You're worried that a group of vampires aren't gonna like you? Watch the movie back and tell me it's not true.

[B]

Okay, I will watch it.

[A]

So, anyways, that's crazy. She has her Bella moment pierced. She's bitten. She's biting. She's biting. She's bited, bitch.

[B]

She's bited. Okay, she's bited.

[A]

She's biting.

[B]

He got her.

[A]

He got. He's carrying her. And then the quicksilver calls from the abyss. From the abyss. And they're like, hey, are you okay?

[B]

We just calling in our favor real fast. I know you got a lot going on right now, girl, but. Hey, sis. I know you got a lot going on right now, but. Hey, girly. We just want to check on that thing that we talked about.

[A]

Just want to come in, check in. It was so good for that favor.

[B]

The way that the book describes it, it says they yanked her back. I'm. Why did they yank her?

[A]

And she flies through the sky.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And she literally said that her limbs were. It reminded me of a Courage. The cowardly dog. So she flies through the sky, gets pulled back into a pool of quicksilver.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

Wakes up, she's in heaven.

[B]

Yep. And the three goddesses are chittering around her. And they ask her about sex.

[A]

They're like, what's it like to have sex with Kingfisher?

[B]

Because that confused me. I was like, who are these girls?

[A]

They're the two twin suns in her sky.

[B]

Bill and Minthe.

[A]

Good job. See, I couldn't remember their names.

[B]

I think I got it wrong.

[A]

I think. Well, Ban and Minty.

[B]

Araminta. And where is Araminta from?

[A]

Peach and Pen.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

She goes to heaven. She's with the gods. I've got to say, I can't imagine how this author pitched this to her publisher. Because it worked in the book. It worked. But everything I'm describing right now, if.

[B]

You have not read this book.

[A]

Sounds insane.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So she talks to the God of chaos.

[B]

Yep. Zerath.

[A]

And he's like. So, just so you know, you see this tree right here? This tree of life? See that one rotted branch? That's you.

[B]

That's y'all. It's like.

[A]

Anyway, so she's like, damn. And he was like, damn. No, I tried.

[B]

She's like, damn.

[A]

Damn, damn. And he goes, listen, I put the reason that you live in a barren desert and you're poor and you like, you know, you're in horrible poverty and, you know, you drink sewer water. You drink ration. Sewer water is actually because you were supposed to be like, your destiny was to actually grow up and be a FA Here. Yeah, yeah. But I was like, let me try to move her over here. So I put you over in this timeline thinking that you would never meet Kingfisher because it like, the fates changed their mind. It's giving the adjustment bureau with Matt Damon. Oh, you haven't seen it. Watch it. Okay. Fedoras. A lot of fedoras. That was an interesting choice. And this was a little unclear to me. He basically is saying in every scenario that you guys end up together, the tree and the branch dies. The whole universe, billions of people die.

[B]

Oh, Jesus.

[A]

But something's changed. And now it's unknown. So it could either be the best that you guys are together, or it could be for the worst. And if you want to go back and return and be the and come as some, you're going to return as something that's never existed. Half Fae, half vampire. He goes, but if you do this, you can choose and you can be with your mate, but you're on your own. The gods are no longer going to, like, help you or have your back.

[B]

Well, she ain't really like him helping her, having her back in the beginning.

[A]

I was like, I grew up in.

[B]

Y'All really left me out here to die. I know of dysentery.

[A]

Meanwhile, Elroy in the forge.

[B]

Damn.

[A]

So anyway, she of course chooses to be with her man.

[B]

Oh, look at God.

[A]

And look at God in the chaos.

[B]

I missed the whole end of the book. I'm helping host the book club and did not finish it.

[A]

Oh, God, you guys, I'm sorry this is such a chaotic book club.

[B]

Sorry. I really tried. I was reading this until the moment we did a great job.

[A]

You understood all the important stuff.

[B]

Okay?

[A]

So she comes back, she wakes up Breaking down part two, okay?

[B]

She's like, michael Bay.

[A]

That was good.

[B]

It's like a Transformer movie directed by Michael Bay.

[A]

He literally. She wakes up, okay? And she's just like, oh, my God, I'm a Fae vampire. And Kingfisher comes in. He's like, hey, how y'all doing?

[B]

How y'all doing?

[A]

How y'all doing? And then they talk in the last page of the book. He's like, let's just figure everything out day by day, babe. And she's like, I agree. Let's figure things out day by day. And he goes, and you know, the Day after that, it's gonna get complicated. And she goes, this is verbatim. And she goes, what do you mean, the day after that? He opens the blinds and all the vampires and the undead are outside with torches. And he goes. He goes, because you killed Malcolm, their.

[B]

King, you're now in green.

[A]

And they're out there. They're out there. Stop. Shanovia. The lend I call my own. She's like, I don't want to be your queen, Daniel. She's like, I don't want to be your queen. Leave me alone. Leave me alone. Leave me alone. I don't want to be your queen. No, it's too late. You're a queen, Janelle. Anyway.

[B]

Oh, my God.

[A]

That's literally what happened.

[B]

And then it's done. Boom, boom.

[A]

End of the book is, she's their queen now and she doesn't wanna be. I would take that and run with it. I'd be like, all right, I'm your queen, I guess.

[B]

Cause now she gotta save em.

[A]

You, what's your name? Bill. I don't like that name. Your name's Lazarus. Now come here, Lazarus. You follow me around with the clipboard.

[B]

Stop falling out.

[A]

I hope we get a lovable undead character, Lazarus.

[B]

I do. That's like in Hotel Transylvania. All the bellhops and zombies and all their limbs fall off every time they try to pick up a bag. It's very cute.

[A]

I will say she had a really good. This author had a lot of fun creating all these fantasy characters in this book, which I enjoyed. I don't. I think other people miss the boat when they make everyone fairies. Everyone. Svey. She had goat people. She had centaurs. She had satyrs.

[B]

Yeah, girl. The sprites. The little fire sprites had me on the floor.

[A]

They were cute. They were funny.

[B]

Very cute.

[A]

I had a hard time imagining them.

[B]

I could picture him. Have you. I've had like six Disney references this episode. Have you ever seen Elemental, the Disney animated movie?

[A]

No.

[B]

So we'll look at it later. Little fire people. They have like fire coming out and they look like little coal rocks.

[A]

Oh, I'm thinking of. In Spirited, not Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, there was a little fire guy, but they were described as having. Looking like coal.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So that's a better. I have to look that up.

[B]

We'll pull it up.

[A]

I did imagine his voice is Billy Crystal Ball, though.

[B]

That's very cute.

[A]

Just like in Howl's Moving Cast.

[B]

Yeah. Anyway, okay.

[A]

So she's queen of the vampires. She got her man and she's a Fae vampire creature now.

[B]

And Carrion lived, but is now revealed to be son of House of Diantheus.

[A]

Or whatever the fuck. Yeah. Turns out this whole time he was a fairy man in disguise.

[B]

I figured he'd have some crazy plot twists. I didn't know.

[A]

But how are you gonna tell me he's lived in this small desert town, his for a. And nobody's recognized. He's not aging fair. You're gonna tell me that she's like, oh, I grew up with Carrion, but what do you mean? So you never saw him as a child? He didn't age. He's just stayed a teenager forever. It makes no sense.

[B]

It doesn't. I'm excited to see how that one develops. I high key was hoping there'd be some kind of love triangle.

[A]

I don't think that we're out of the woods yet.

[B]

Yo.

[A]

He's made clear that he has feelings for her and she doesn't want him like that.

[B]

It's very much giving that Sarah J. Maas book.

[A]

Yeah, not only that.

[B]

No, not Sarah J. Maas. Jennifer Armentrout. The one that we all read together. And I stopped reading Girl.

[A]

That is true.

[B]

Yep. And there was a weird little threesome scenario.

[A]

Yeah, that is true. I feel like in this one, because frankly, what else was Carrion's impetus to continue helping her and following her around, like, I guess they're best friends or whatever. But he continued, like to go above and beyond and like have her back.

[B]

Well, maybe he was like a plant by the fates and so his destiny is just eternally tied to her, I guess.

[A]

And we talk about fate a lot in this book, so that's.

[B]

That's.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I'm curious how this will come back.

[A]

Overall, did you like this book? What would you rate it?

[B]

I've been going back and forth. I would rate it a solid. I think I give it a seven because I am more romance driven. I think the world building was a little much for me, which I anticipated going into this. I read a lot of reviews and everyone said you either love the world building or it's gonna really be annoying that you have to wait to 75% for most of the action. I teeter towards the side that it was. I don't find it annoying. It just wasn't. It wasn't balanced in a way that I would have enjoyed. Okay, so I would give it a seven. The romance bits I did love. I loved the sex scenes. I loved the moments of vulnerability for. Why can't I remember his name. Kingfisher. I loved his moments of vulnerability. The dialogue was interesting, but when I got used to it, it was easy to listen to or read. Yeah. Yeah. Would I continue on? Yes.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

I would read number two. If it ended up being six books, I would tap on.

[A]

One thing about Tiffany is if she didn't love the first, she will not read the rest.

[B]

I'm moving on, baby. I'm moving on.

[A]

But I would read this one. I'll read them out of feeling like I have to commit. But you're not like that.

[B]

No.

[A]

You're a do not finisher. If you're not into it all the way.

[B]

We joke about this all the time because my mom is like Taryn in that way. Like, y'all start and you have to finish. It's like you're compelled to finish unless it's really bad. Not even then will my mother back out. Really?

[A]

Go, Lanita.

[B]

That woman will stick it through books, tv, everything.

[A]

Come on, Lanita.

[B]

Baffles me. I can't do that. I won't do it. But this one, I will continue. I will keep reading. I'm excited.

[A]

I'll read the second one. As long as I think it will. And I think it will get better. I think so, because I agree with you. I didn't consider the fact that a lot of world building is finished.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And so we can. So where do we go so we can explore? We can. I'm hoping that she expands more on the relationship stuff that is fun to read and. Okay. We didn't talk about the sex scenes.

[B]

What did you think? The first. They were very.

[A]

Whoa.

[B]

I've highlighted some pictures. Get your hands off her neck. I was like, why are you talking to her?

[A]

She's like. And then he was. He was like, take this, bitch. She was like, he's choking me. I mean, now. All right.

[B]

But I'll get behind a little choke or two.

[A]

We don't kink shame.

[B]

Not at all. Not around here.

[A]

He's biting her choker.

[B]

Okay. But we love a vampire romance, so the biting always gets me. Okay.

[A]

It's true.

[B]

Put on a cassette tape from just.

[A]

I will wrap you in my arm. You know. How you liking the ring, girl? I'm into it.

[B]

I'm into it. But I think I highlighted.

[A]

I'm so sorry. Everyone listening. Who hasn't seen Twilight is like, why is Taryn moaning this every 15 minutes?

[B]

Okay, my notes make me laugh. Quote, I would have gasped when he tore my underwear to one side and plunged his fingers into the Molten, wet heat of my core. But his hand closed around my windpipe, stealing my abil.

[A]

Wait.

[B]

Stealing my ability to breathe. Like some dark haired foreboding falling angel, Kingfisher purred as he plunged his fingers up inside of me. My comment to that was law and period. This was in the first sex scene. I was like, that got crazy quick.

[A]

I don't mean to only criticize. Cause I don't want to criticize. Because I did like the book to be fair.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But I mean, okay, there was a couple times like that one. Can you pull that up again?

[B]

Oh, child.

[A]

There were multiple times that the way it was written didn't follow for me. So I was like, wait, where are they standing?

[B]

Correct.

[A]

What are they doing? Correct.

[B]

How did they get here?

[A]

So in this specific thing, read the part about the windpipe.

[B]

I would have gasped when he tore my underwear to one side and plunged his fingers into the wet and molten heat. Wait. Molten, wet heat of my core. But his hand closed around my windpipe.

[A]

Pause. She should have said, but his other hand, I imagine he drove his hand up through her body and then closed off her windpipe.

[B]

You're right. There were some interesting details.

[A]

There were some things that I think I'm used to to help me set the scene so I know what's going on.

[B]

That's fair.

[A]

Like all of a sudden, he's plunging his fingers in. Right. And he's going nuts on her little po.

[B]

I've never heard you say poo on her little poof. You look like you didn't want to say it. Going nuts on her little poose.

[A]

That was crazy.

[B]

Sorry. Keep going.

[A]

I can't do it now.

[B]

Keep going. My bad.

[A]

So he's going nuts on a little pose and. But it's like, in detail. It's like two pages of him touching her booze. Yeah. And then all of a sudden, he rips her pants off. And I'm like, they were on this. He's like, has he been stretching out your leathers? Like your pants are stretched out.

[B]

They're stretchy.

[A]

Those pants are stretched out. I mean, just some things that one couldn't do with pants on.

[B]

Wait, there's this one. You're right. I found an example. There was no time to brace myself at this point. They've been fucking for three pages. There was no time to brace myself. It would have been smart to get rid of my boots and then take off my pants. But that wasn't possible when you were dealing with the most impatient male in all of Evalia. They've been. He's been fingering her for four pages.

[A]

Boots and leather pants.

[B]

Boots and leather still on.

[A]

I know it smells like nickels. I know it smells like nickels in there. That's gross.

[B]

Trace.

[A]

You can laugh out loud. It's okay.

[B]

That was crazy. Not nickels.

[A]

I know it does. No, it does. Y'all need to get some glade plug ins. Please, Lord. Y'all need to light a candle. Glade plug ins.

[B]

He said it smell like nickel.

[A]

That's nasty.

[B]

And you know it. Cause she didn't like to shower.

[A]

No. And she's been working in a damn forge all day. And most of the sudden she was like, maybe I should bathe. And he was like, wash all that forge off you. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. When your poofs and your poo. You got leather pants, boots on your poops. Oh, my God.

[B]

You know it smelled bad.

[A]

And he's. Yeah. Also, the amount of times this man just conjured. He conjured all of her outfits, everything. I mean, literally.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

At one point I was like, so you don't have a drawer, a go bag? You have nothing? This man, every time, he's like, oh, I almost forgot. Bing, bibbidi bopidi boo. She's like, in clothes.

[B]

I'm dressed. Yeah. That was interesting.

[A]

What is this phenomenon in romance books? This is gonna be a long episode. I hope you guys love it. What is this phenomenon in romance books that the lead character always doesn't like dresses? She always is like, I'm not into dresses. I just want to wear a tunic. And fighting legs.

[B]

Correct.

[A]

And this is in almost every fantasy book I have read.

[B]

Because they're all fighters, though.

[A]

A court of horns and horses.

[B]

Yep. A court of jackals.

[A]

A court of jackal and bones. A court of thorn and roses. Yeah.

[B]

What you call it? The Sarah J. Mac or Jennifer army trot one. What is that? I can't remember.

[A]

Throne of Glass.

[B]

Song of something.

[A]

Yes. We have so many.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Of like. I have so many examples. In fact, almost none of them were they. Like, I wanted to wear a dress. Like, I love wearing my fighting leathers.

[B]

And pants because that would go against the archetype of her being a kick ass bitch who, you know, kicks ass and doesn't take any names.

[A]

Not to be a little annoying here.

[B]

Oh, my God, please.

[A]

But like, what? It's starting. It almost feels. No, let me not say it. I don't want to say it. Cause I don't think it's true. This archetype is starting to feel like I think I'm a kick ass gal. I think I'm pretty flick coup.

[B]

I think. Yeah, you get things done.

[A]

I got a wet puss. And I like wearing dresses. In fact, I'm always excited when the main character is like, she goes to court and has to wear one of these big, beautiful spun gowns. I get it. They like to fight and they want to be able to like pull a sword out at any moment. I get it. But sometimes it almost feels like this archetype that we're building on in Romantasy. It's not just this one writer, it's many.

[B]

It's across the genre.

[A]

It makes it sound like to enjoy beautiful gowns.

[B]

Beautiful gowns, beautiful gowns.

[A]

To enjoy beautiful gowns and to enjoy that femininity is in turn. You're basically. You're not strong.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You're weak. You're.

[B]

You're not lying.

[A]

And I love the idea. Wouldn't it be cool if there was a character who like embraced. Yeah, like, I got to. I'm wearing blush and these gowns and I'm super ultra.

[B]

And she's feminine and soft.

[A]

And you better watch out because I can rip your throat out.

[B]

That is very.

[A]

Tear you to ribbons, as they like to say.

[B]

Tear you to smithery.

[A]

I don't know. I don't want this to sound like a pick me take or me saying that they're being pick me now. I think it's. I just think it's like, I don't know. Sometimes I'm like, man, what's so wrong with the gowns?

[B]

Come into the gate. I think that archetype had its. Its relevancy and I think it was important when Romantasy was building as a genre. Now we're just questioning it because the genre is established and we're like, all right, well, why. Why does that happen? Have to be the only way of things at this point. I wonder if that will change.

[A]

And oftentimes there is a character that's hyper, feminine and sexy. She's often a supporting character.

[B]

Correct. A best friend.

[A]

A best friend.

[B]

She needs to be saved or she dies.

[A]

They're always. It's always the like stuff, the soft, delicate, sweet one that is used as Everlane in this specific scenario. Everlane is ended up, is a liability and he's used as bait.

[B]

It's true.

[A]

You're gonna tell me she's over a Thousand years old?

[B]

1300 years to be exact.

[A]

And she doesn't know little taekwondo?

[B]

Nope.

[A]

Nope. No karate.

[B]

Karate.

[A]

No. Karate. No. Immediately on a Leash. Cross the lake. I'm sorry. Yeah, they got me.

[B]

What'd you say?

[A]

Boom. Sorry, boss. You want us to stop doing moves?

[B]

You coming in with the clock?

[A]

Cow, cow, cow. Get him. Step aside. I've got a bazooka. Kunk.

[B]

We've rewritten the entire scene. Kunk.

[A]

I'm blowing them in his face. Fuck. Faris. I don't want a sword. I gotta make me an enchanted bazooka.

[B]

I'm blowing him in the space.

[A]

Got him.

[B]

Oh, my God, my eyelashes.

[A]

You guys go that way. I'm holding off this side.

[B]

One man. Bazooka taking everybody out.

[A]

It's the middle.

[B]

Oh, shit.

[A]

It's the middle of an insane battle scene. People are getting mauled or frenzied. She looks to the top of the mountain and I'm surrounded. You're on one knee.

[B]

I can't stop laughing.

[A]

It's in slow motion. Cause I'm down. Say, whoa, Bitters. Hey. I will wrap you in my arms. I need a napkin.

[B]

I'm crying.

[A]

I dropped the bazooka. Now. God damn it.

[B]

Oh, my God. It's too much.

[A]

Well, shit. I'm undone.

[B]

My lash gonna come off.

[A]

All right. This has been great.

[B]

This is wonderful.

[A]

I missed you.

[B]

I missed you, girl.

[A]

Even though I just saw you.

[B]

And we will continue to see each other after this.

[A]

So couple things.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

One, we do have an announcement. What? We do. We don't have an episode planned for next Friday. Okay.

[B]

Because.

[A]

Because going into the summer, she and I have both gotten busy. Tiffany and I each have our respective businesses and we create our own content. And she's. Tiffany's also a very successful publicist. So we both have things going on and going into the summer in these next few months that are gonna be really busy. We just can't do a video every week for a Friday drop. So we're gonna have to take a hiatus from weekly Friday episodes.

[B]

But we're not going anywhere.

[A]

We're not going anywhere. Warrior Girls is still a thing. We're still gonna make episodes. I think we should do another book club.

[B]

I think so.

[A]

Which we will do. But I'm gonna give you guys a chance. Submit a book for book club, and we will read a book that you recommend.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Keep it in the parameters, divas. I don't wanna read a sad book. I don't wanna read anything about, like, a real. Like. You have to read this. It's the true story of a.

[B]

Uh, no. So where the Crawdads Sing. Not on the list. They ain't Sing it For me, they ain't singing today.

[A]

Where the crawdads are quiet. I want love scenes that smell like nickels. Okay. Continue interacting with us if you don't already follow us. I think the best place to interact with us other than the YouTube comments, the parameters are done because we read. There we go.

[B]

My fingers were still out.

[A]

We read all of our YouTube comments. Thank you. I love reading those and I read all of them, so thank you. The best next best place is also our Instagram and our Instagram DMs @waryourgirlspod.

[B]

And we also love reading reviews on itunes. And Spotify. Spotify.

[A]

Leave us one, please. And you can watch. Watch those channels because we will announce, you know, any events that we may or may not do. We'll. We'll announce our next book for book club and we will be putting up more episodes there and we'll give you an advance notice of when the next episode's gonna come up. Are we cool with that? Is that cool?

[B]

I think that's it for church announcements. Can we start calling it that every day? Church announcement.

[A]

Church announcement.

[B]

They do in church before the sermon starts in the Oregon's plane. Just know this week somebody baby was taking money out the offering basket. We know it was you, Darrell. So power goes skip his row. There will be fish fry outside every Friday after service. If you can make it out, that's fine. Sister Shirley is really putting in work frying this fish for y'all. So she don't want to go home with no leftovers. And lastly, first lady will be hosting Women's Circle after this. If you can make it, that'd be great. Leave your babies in the sanctuary. It'll be a quick meet.

[A]

That's great.

[B]

That's accurate. That's really true.

[A]

All right. God, Tiffany, I love you more than I love you.

[B]

This is great.

[A]

And we love you guys so much. I promise we're not going anywhere. I'm not going to be like, thank you. I mean, obviously we love you all so much. But I don't want it. I don't want it to sound like we're.

[B]

This is not goodbye.

[A]

Yeah, this is not goodbye. We're just. We just aren't going to able to do an episode every Friday for the next month or two because it's summer break. It's summer break and things are getting really busy.

[B]

It's hot girl season. We know y'all are outside too. You don't have the time, and that's okay.

[A]

Yeah. Anyway, I don't have a drink to.

[B]

Toast on our way out. But, Tiffy. I know.

[A]

Hold mine.

[B]

No, you need.

[A]

We hold it together.

[B]

Clink with your. Oh, yeah, I see. I was gonna say we're just gonna.

[A]

Hold you like this.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

So, Rush. We love you.

[B]

Bye, guys. Oh, and remember, we're your girls.

[A]

Cause we're your girls. Hey.

[B]

Cause I like how you do.

[A]

We're youe Girls is hosted and executive produced by Taryn Delaney Smith and Tiffany Sinker, management by Social media. Produced by Good Mess Media. Follow us on all platforms at Warrior GirlSpod.