More Magic Book Club

This month we went cozy with Travis Baldree's iconic Legends & Lattes. From the video game-inspired world to intriguing characters to a surprising amount of tension, this book surprised us at every turn. Brew a pot of your favorite warm beverage and pull up a chair to join us for this discussion. Pastries required. 00:00 Introduction 04:54 World & Magic System 12:45 Character Analysis...

What if Dracula is still alive? What lengths would a famous actor go to for long-term fame? These are a few questions Elizabeth Kostova addresses in her books. From her best-selling debut, The Historian to its standalone sequel, Mystery Play , she crafts suspenseful worlds that force us to question mortality, art, and familial relationships. In this special *no spoilers* episode, Elizabeth joins u...

This month’s book introduces us to the life of the queen of all witches, the goddess Hekate. Written in verse, this novel provides a unique reading experience certain to twist your heart. A.J. Peterson joins as co-host to chat about the magic (Greek mythology!), favorite characters, and some of the truly grotesque punishments Greek gods create. Light a candle, grab your familiar, and join us for t...

In this episode we try to define what exactly is "weird" Sci-Fi or Fantasy? Co-host A.J. Peterson joins along with Rain Sullivan (@writeasrainsullivan on IG), a self-described author of weird SFF. Grab your most unusual mug, sink into a cozy chair, and join us for this informative episode! Books mentioned in this episode: The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers: https://bo...

This month we chat about the Hugo award-winning novel, The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett. A fantasy-murder mystery mashup, we get tastes of multiple genres that left us eager to see where this world goes. Grab your sleuthing tools and join us for a discussion *with spoilers* of this creative book! The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett: https://bookshop.org/a/120999/9781984820716 Let us...

Some stories stay with us for 3,000 years. In this special episode, mythology retelling author, Lauren J.A. Bear joins to chat about why we love mythology, the importance of it today, and even the implications for art of all types. It's a fun episode where we share a few book recs and really dive into this subgenre and it's legacy. Books mentioned in this episode: Daughters of Bronze by A....

In this extra special book club episode, we chat with author Helene Wecker about her book, The Golem and the Jinni. From historical immersion in 1899 New York to the complexity of a magic system built on belief to characters trapped both physically and mentally, this story has much to discuss. Helene shares many behind-the-scenes aspects of the book and larger trilogy along with amusing anecdotes....

Who doesn't love a book with gods and goddesses? These immortal, powerful being create perfect drama and stories that leave us appreciating our humanity. From Greek mythology retellings to invented mythologies in secondary worlds, there's a book with gods for everyone. In this special episode, authors A.J. Peterson and Rebecca Brodkey join to chat about their love of gods and offer recomme...

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...