169: That Permission Structure Feeling - The Secret Heart by Erin Satie [LISTENER REC]

When you call, Whoa!mance answers! A special listener recommended THE SECRET HEART by ERIN SATIE when we asked for weird books. So you KNOW we had to pick it up and lay it down.

I guess you could say we felt similarly to Adam, Earl of Bexley, when he first sees Caro Small in her ballet smalls - intrigued and horny! Caro decides to take advantage and improve her circumstances by throwing them both on the assignation-to-wedding pipeline. Sure he's her best friend's better-to-do cousin, and sure he's an entrepreneur (barf) AND secret pugilist-she can deal. But when Caro finds HERSELF kicking her feet and smiling, it all gets complicated in a new way.

What's the distinction between bad and unlikeable? How responsible are masc characters for their predilections? Is the general obsession with lady smallness eeking anybody else out?

If you have a book you'd like us to discuss, hit yr grls up via our socials or whoamancemail@gmail.com

And if you'd like to join us for a LIVE romantasy panel, go to otherworldtheatre.org.

168: This Charming Land - "In Charm's Way" by Lana Harper

Quick Q - How whimsical are the jars you store your herbs in? Doesn't matter. Either way, Isabeau and Morgan are chatting IN CHARMS WAY by LANA HARPER.

In the halcyon days of a Great Lakes region summer, Delilah's magically-caused memory loss (read: desperate circumstances) call for turning to blood magic and the help of sexy, gladiator-sandal-sporting, half-fae mercenary Catriona (read: desperate measures). But are their magical adventures mere illusion? Only two ways to find out! Reading the book or listening to this podcast.

What can mend a righteous anger? How can romantasy ground a reader for maximum, magical effect? Is a rogue succubus just a tradwife (probably)?

Want to join yr girls AND Lana Harper for a discussion of Romantasy? Get your tickets at https://www.otherworldtheatre.org/ for our panel March 23 @ 11am (feat. mimosa, ever heard of her?)

Thank GODDESS we like this book, right?

167: Looking Camp Right in the Ice - The Winter King by C.L. Wilson

Time to get cuffed - winter is upon us.

Wynter of the Craig is the King of Wintercraig, and also a Weather Mage (guess what kind of weather he controls). Thamsin, a.k.a. Storm is a princess of Summerlea, and also a Weather Mage. They end up together for political reasons, but stay together for both-being-sexy reasons. But when the winds of magical evil and state-based evil converge against them, will they be able to weather the storm???

Where is the line between romance and fantasy? Or fantasy and historicism? What is camp and does it translate to the necessarily warm feelings romance inspires? Do you know how chimneys work?

Don your furriest loin cloth, this one is chill in a NOT chill way.

Whoa!nus - A Court Of Fans And Theories

The soil of A Court of Thorns and Roses is rich, and from it bountiful fan theories bloom. At the dusk of reading the most recent installment, A Court of Silver Flames, for the podcast, and at the dawn of Cresecent City 3's release, yr erstwhile grls met to inhale the fragrance of and admire the colorful bloom from just such flowers. Moonbeams, owls, and that Ilyiad musical on TikTok all blossom in this conversation. Morgan even sprouts her own fan theory about the author.

Spoilers abound, so make sure your caught up on our ACOTAR series episodes.

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