“‘I love you,' he whispered, and kissed my brow. 'Thorns and all.'.”This season starts with one of the biggest titles in the Romantasy genre: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. Christy warms to it but Carly remains cold.What do women want? What do women need? C&C discuss what characters are looking for and what a reader wants from her books. Two important moments in A Court of Thorns and Roses revolve around what Feyre, the main character, is and isn’t willing to say. She hesitates about telling Tamlin she loves him and dire consequences follow. In the end, however, she saves herself, her lover, and the realm when she solves a riddle with love and speaks it out loud.Romance themes C&C spend some time with are enemies to lovers and magical males. Fantasy themes include reluctant heroines, good versus evil, and the quest to save the world (or at least your corner of it). They also talk about Mr. Darcy, probably more than they should, if we’re being really honest with you, dear listener. (Pride & Prejudice next season, anyone?!?)Fate and Favor, the sixth and newest book of the A Court of Thorns and Roses series is coming out October 27th, 2026 so there’s definitely more if you like what you hear. We think you could probably get caught up by then if the story captures you like Amarantha captures Feyre.Next up for the Book Club Podcast is Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik, followed by The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. You can get your copies of all the books using our affiliate links at our bookshop.org page. When you buy from us, you send pennies our way and support your favorite indie book store at no additional cost to you. (Christy just made her first order supporting The Secret Nook: Coffee & Books in Conway, Arkansas. It just feels good, people).You can also subscribe to our email newsletter on Substack and you can join the conversation with other listeners about each episode by leaving comments; or you can support the podcast by tipping us through venmo at @bookclubpod.We hope you enjoy the opening question and all the ones that come after.This podcast was made by humans.If you want more Book Club Podcasts, here’s a few to try:A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle with Carly and ChristySuncatcher: Seven Days in the Sky by Alia Gee with Carly and CarolineThe Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson with Carly and Caroline

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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