Swords and Swoons

🚨 MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! 🚨 We're BACK in Prythian, and Sarah J. Maas has officially sent us into a spiral! 🌙🔥 This week on Swords & Swoons , we're diving into A Court of Splintered Harmonies to share our first reactions, biggest questions, and absolutely unhinged theories. From shocking revelations and complicated relationships to all those sneaky SJM breadcrumbs, we'r...

We're heading to the mystical streets of New Orleans, and this time we brought a VERY special guest! 🔮✨⚔️ This week on Swords & Swoons , we're joined by debut author Kayla Hardy to gush about her novel The Quarter Queen ! We're diving into the legendary world of Marie Laveau, talking Voodoo, buried secrets, mysterious pasts, and the complicated mother-daughter relationships that prove family...

This week on Swords & Swoons , we're diving into Rebecca Yarros's Threshing Day , the newest addition to The Empyrean series! We're getting inside the minds of our favorite riders as they bond their dragons, uncovering hidden family connections, suspicious dragon histories, and SO MUCH signet foreshadowing. And because this is Rebecca Yarros, even the smallest details have us questioning EVERY...

In the FINAL episode of our reread, we're finishing Kingdom of Ash, covering Chapters 81 through the epilogue! We're talking the Battle of Orynth, the Thirteen (WE WILL NEVER RECOVER), the Lock, devastating sacrifices, long-awaited reunions, epic final showdowns, and the endings our favorite characters fought so hard to earn. Plus, we're ranking our favorite characters, romances, heartbreaking mom...

In Part Two of our reread, covering Chapters 41–80 , the war intensifies as Aelin and her allies race toward Terrasen. We’re talking Manon claiming her crown, the Flame of War, Aelin unleashing her power at Anielle, major Elorcan swoons, Lysandra fighting to hold Terrasen together, and Dorian casually infiltrating Morath like that’s a normal thing to do. Plus, armies are converging, Maeve and Eraw...

We’ve made it to Kingdom of Ash … and the emotional damage starts IMMEDIATELY. 🔥⚔️ In Part One of our reread, we’re covering the Prologue through Chapter 40 as Aelin fights to survive Maeve and Cairn, Rowan refuses to stop searching for his wife, and Fenrys officially claims a permanent place in our hearts. Meanwhile, Terrasen is fighting without its queen, Manon is trying to earn the Crochans’ t...

We survived the tandem read! ⚔️📚 In this episode, we finish Empire of Storms and Tower of Dawn —and the emotional damage is REAL. We’re diving into massive revelations about the Lock and the Valg , long-awaited romances, secret marriages, mate reveals, armies finally coming together, and Aelin’s seemingly endless supply of secret plans. And just when everything starts falling into place… Maeve sh...

⚔️ Two books. Two continents. One massive war brewing. Welcome to the tandem read! In this episode of Swords & Swoons , we officially kick off our Empire of Storms + Tower of Dawn tandem reread , covering through Chapter 32 of Empire of Storms and Chapter 35 of Tower of Dawn . Aelin is finally home—but being Queen of Terrasen isn't going quite according to plan. With no army and no shortage of...

We’ve made it to the FINAL part of our Queen of Shadows deep dive , and Sarah J. Maas is absolutely not letting us leave quietly. We’re breaking down our favorite moments, biggest reveals, character arcs, swoons, emotional damage, and everything that hits differently on a reread—before finally watching Aelin Galathynius return home to Terrasen. 🥹👑 ⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This is a full Throne of Gla...

Part Two of our Queen of Shadows reread , covering Chapters 31–60 , and this section is absolutely STACKED. Aelin is playing one dangerous game after another in Rifthold as she finally moves against Arobynn, Rowan and Aedion settle into their very aggressive version of friendship, and Lysandra drops a reveal that changes everything we thought we knew about her. Meanwhile, Morath somehow gets even...

We’re officially back in Rifthold for Part One of our Queen of Shadows reread , covering Chapters 1–30 ! Aelin has returned to Adarlan with one goal: take back everything that was stolen from her. We’re talking about that reunion, the blood oath drama with Aedion, the Gavriel reveal, the tension, the betrayals, the foreshadowing, and all the little moments that hit completely differently on a rere...

In this episode of Swords & Swoons , we're are doing a FULL SPOILER deep dive into Heir of Prophecy by Analeigh Sbrana ! We're breaking down Audra's journey from overworked innkeeper's daughter to unwilling student at a magical war academy, where she's surrounded by suspicious Priestesses, deadly trials, new friends, ancient magic—and a prophecy that might have everything to do with her. We're...

We have officially welcomed our very first author guest to the podcast! In this extra-special episode of Swords & Swoons , we're joined by author Analeigh Sbrana to talk all about her newest release, Heir of Prophecy , coming August 25th! We sit down with Analeigh to chat about the story behind Heir of Prophecy , her journey as an author, the inspiration behind her characters and world, and wh...

In this episode of Swords & Swoons , we're diving into Part 2 of Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas, and the pressure is mounting for every one of our favorite characters. Aelin's training under Rowan is anything but easy as she's forced to confront the grief, guilt, and power she's spent years trying to bury. In Rifthold, Chaol and Dorian find themselves navigating dangerous secrets while the King...

The world of Throne of Glass just got a whole lot bigger. In Part One of our Heir of Fire deep dive, we're following three storylines across three very different corners of Erilea as Sarah J. Maas begins expanding the world in ways we never saw coming. Back in Rifthold, Chaol, Dorian, and Aedion are each navigating dangerous secrets as rebellion quietly brews beneath the King's rule. In the Ferian...

Before there was Endovier. Before the Glass Castle. Before the King's Champion. There was The Assassin's Blade. In this episode, we're diving into all five novellas that shaped Celaena Sardothien long before the events of Throne of Glass . As we revisit these stories, we're sharing our favorite moments, discussing the incredible foreshadowing Sarah J. Maas planted years before it paid off, and ref...

The truth is finally revealed... and nothing in the Throne of Glass series will ever be the same. In the epic conclusion to our Crown of Midnight reread, we're breaking down the second half of the book, where grief turns into vengeance, long-buried secrets come to light, and the mystery surrounding the Glass Castle begins to unravel. We're unpacking the emotional fallout of Nehemia's death, debati...

Our journey through the Maasverse continues as we dive into Part One of Crown of Midnight , and if you thought Throne of Glass was just setting the stage, think again. In this episode, we're breaking down the opening chapters of the second book in Sarah J. Maas's iconic series, where Celaena has officially stepped into her role as the King's Champion. But behind every assignment lies another secre...

The Champion's Competition is heating up, bodies are piling up, and there is definitely something evil lurking beneath the Glass Castle. In Part 2 of our Throne of Glass reread, we're covering Chapters 28–55 and diving into the mystery, magic, and mayhem that transform this story from a competition between champions into something far darker. We discuss the escalating murders, the secrets hidden w...

Our Maasverse reread officially begins! In anticipation of the next ACOTAR release, we're heading all the way back to where it all began: Throne of Glass . I n Part One of our deep dive, we're covering Chapters 1–27 and revisiting the book that introduced us to Celaena Sardothien, the Glass Castle, and the world that would eventually become one of fantasy's most beloved series. Join us as we meet...

The drinks are poured, the opinions are flowing, and the side-eyes are fully activated. In this episode, we're putting the deep dives and chapter breakdowns aside for a good old-fashioned bookish vent session. Join us as we sip our beverages of choice and discuss the latest BookTok buzz, books that left us feeling underwhelmed, and the tropes that have us questioning everything.

We’ve reached the end of The Rites of the Starling and we have a lot to say. In this final installment of our deep dive, we’re breaking down the explosive conclusion, the reveals we didn’t see coming, and the moments that completely reshaped how we view this story. We revisit our early predictions, react to what actually happened, and dive into what this ending means moving forward. Expect strong...

This week, we’re diving into the next section of The Rites of the Starling , and everything we thought we knew is starting to shift. In this episode, we break down both timelines, following Odessa as she pushes for answers and potential solutions, while Caspia uncovers some of the biggest truths we’ve seen so far. On Odessa’s side, there’s finally a glimmer of hope in the search for a cure for Lys...

We’re back with Part Three of our Rites of the Starling deep dive, and this is where everything starts to unravel. In this episode, we break down chapters 19 through 35 — from shocking visions and major character reveals to the moments that had us completely rethinking what we know about this world. We dive into Andreas joining the journey, the increasingly intense visions surrounding his fate, an...

We’re back with Part Two of our Rites of the Starling deep dive, and things are officially getting intense . In this episode, we break down chapters 9 through 18 — and the story starts revealing just enough to send us spiraling. We dive into the evolving character dynamics, the moments that had us questioning everything, and the details that feel way too important to ignore. And yes… we’re bringin...