More Magic Book Club

For this month's book club, we dive into the highly acclaimed novel Circe by Madeline Miller. It's arguably one of the *best* mythology retellings and a masterclass in beautiful characters, prose, and storytelling. We had so much fun chatting about this iconic witch, and it's perfect timing with the new Odyssey movie hitting theaters. Light a candle, steep some herbs, and join us in th...

For when you'd be anywhere but reality, high fantasy books provide a perfect escape. With other worlds, beings, even types of physics, high fantasy offers ultimate escapism. In this episode, we're joined by high fantasy reader and author, A. J. Peterson, to chat about the best high fantasy novels out there. If you've been in a reading slump or just want an escape from reality, this is the episode...

This month's book is the Hugo award-winning The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin. We dive into the themes, the characters, the unique writing style and more. There's a reason this book won the award--it's complex with many elements to discuss. We could spend hours chatting about it and not touch on every topic. What are your thoughts on this book? Let us know what you think in the comment...

From gold-loving villains to soulmate level partners, dragons have filled many roles in fantasy. But they don't exist solely in the pages of a fantasy novel. Dragons have been part of human culture for centuries, across continents. In this episode, we touch on the representation of dragons throughout history, their portrayal in our favorite books, and attempt to answer the question: could drag...

In this book club episode, we discuss the light academia novel A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan. This novel raised themes of imperialism, classism, intellectualism, and feminism, which we dive into (and more!) in our discussion. And, of course, we talk about the dragons.  Let us know what you think in the comments, and as always, if you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review, and s...

One of our favorite fantasy subgenres is historical fantasy. The best books immerse you in an entirely different time period, have magic, and often leave you with a bit more knowledge than you started. It's a fun way to uncover new aspects of history to explore while also having all of the things that make fantasy so enjoyable. In this episode, we share our favorite historical fantasy novels b...

This month's book club turns cozy in 1920s Montreal with the coziest of companions--cats. In this episode, we discuss Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett, sharing our (maybe controversial) opinions on cats, the unique magic, Montreal, and more. Pour a cup of tea, snuggle up with your favorite feline, and listen in. Let us know what you think in the comments, and as alway...

While YA fantasy was popular for a period, once you’re in your thirties or older, you want characters and topics that don’t revolve around a high school or first love. Fortunately, this is where fantasy gets fun! In this episode, we share our favorite adult fantasy books—those with complex themes, with characters who have bad knees and early bedtimes, world with magic and powers that we want to es...

We enter the world of dark academia through the perspective of a teacher in this month's read! The Incandescent by Emily Tesh brings a fresh take on a magical school with themes very applicable to the world today. As always, this book club episode contains spoilers, so listen at your own risk. Let us know what you think in the comments, and as always, if you enjoyed this episode, please rate,...

For this episode, Demi sat down with author A.J. Peterson for a special LIVE recording at Wintercon in Portland, OR. We discuss why fantasy is great for providing hope and share a few of our favorite book for processing real world issues, pure escapism, and stories that helped us learn more about ourselves. If you're in need of hope, this is the episode for you! Let us know what you think in t...

This month's book brings all of the winter vibes and themes of love, belief, power, hope, and autonomy. Joined by Flavia Brunetti as a special co-host, we discuss The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden. Since it's a book club, there are MANY spoilers. Let us know what you think in the comments, and as always, if you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe. Prefer...

Fantasy may not be our world, but many books have changed how we see the world around us. In this episode, special guest Flavia Brunetti joins us to share the books that transformed how we think. If you’re craving a read that stays with you well beyond the last page, this is the episode for you! Order Flavia's book, The Web of Time here: https://www.weboftimebook.com/ Flavia's Substack, &q...

We dive into Alix Harrow's latest novel, The Everlasting . From the time travel magic to our favorite characters to the deep themes prevalent throughout the novel, we cover all of it. If you loved The Everlasting and want a lengthy discussion of the book, this is the episode for you! Let us know what you think in the comments, and as always, if you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review, an...

As part of a new series, we're diving into the fantasy books that made us (and our guests!). We cover our favorite childhood reads, the ones that made the biggest impression, and discuss which ones hold up all these years later. This episode is spoiler-free, so feel free to listen for book recs! Let us know what you think in the comments, and as always, if you enjoyed this episode, please rate...

For November's book club, we are joined by author Kell Woods to chat about the behind-the-scenes of Upon A Starlit Tide and all of spoilers we know you're dying to talk about. It's a fascinating conversation about history, magic, and humanity. At the beginning of the episode, Kell shares a few of the beautifully-designed special editions of her books. You can check them out here: Upon...

Sometimes you're in the mood for a fantasy story, but you can't find the right kind. That's where fantasy subgenres come in. In this episode, we chat about the vibe of different fantasy subgenres and share examples of each so you can find a book to satisfy your mood. What's your favorite subgenre?! Let us know what you think in the comments, and as always, if you enjoyed this episo...

To celebrate spooky season, our book club read this month is Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V. E. Schwab. In this episode, we chat about how Schwab's vampires differ from other vampires, a deep dive into each of the characters, how the themes of this novel connect to present day, and more! Let us know what you think in the comments, and as always, if you enjoyed this episode, please ra...

This episode is for anyone who wants to read a new fantasy book but doesn’t have time to commit to a full series. We cover our favorite stand alone fantasy novels, perfect for diving into a new world (or several) without committing the next few months of your reading life to the same place. If you have any stand alone fantasy books that you love, comment below and let us know! Credits: Host: Demi...

This month we are joined by author Molly O'Neill to chat about her debut novel, Greenteeth. We spend the first third of this interview without spoilers, then we shift and chat about the entire book (especially the end!) for the rest. We end with a lightning round and what's next for Molly. If you haven't read the book, we highly recommend waiting to listen to the spoiler part until you...

There are few joys greater than the turning of leaves and the excuse to stay inside for a season with a few good books. In this episode, we share a few of our favorite fantasy books to read in autumn. This episode has no spoilers, so listen without worry! If you have any fantasy books with fall vibes not on our liste, let us know! Credits: Host: Demi Utley, ⁠https://demiutley.substack.com/⁠ Co-Hos...

This episode is extra special because the More Magic co-host, Marianne Boules, wrote a children's picture book! In this episode, we discuss the story behind the book, why readers will love it, and how children's books lead to fantasy lovers. Order I Came Here for You by Marianne Boules Credits: Host: Demi Utley, ⁠https://demiutley.substack.com/⁠ Co-Host: Marianne Boules Audio Production -...

This month’s discussion is about The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by S. A. Chakraborty. In this episode, we chat about diversity in the book and in fantasy, predictions for the rest of the series, characters, and more. https://www.sachakraborty.com/ Credits: Host: Demi Utley, https://demiutley.substack.com/ Co-Host: Marianne Boules Audio Production - Gregory Mikels Additional credits for the musi...

Welcome to the More Magic Book Club, a podcast for fantasy readers dying to talk about the latest fantasy book you read. Each month, we discuss a recent fantasy novel in detail so you know you’re not the only one who hated that character or wanted to move into that fantasy world (and you also don’t have to worry about exhausting your friends who just don’t get it). This podcast is not spoiler-free...

This month we discuss Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson. We chat about hard and soft magic, Sanderson's world building, women in fantasy and more. Book: https://www.dragonsteelbooks.com/products/tress-of-the-emerald-sea-premium-hardcover Credits: Audio Production - Gregory Mikels Additional credits for the music used during the intro and outro: Remix Composition & Production -...