Episode 54: We Free the Stars by Hafsah Faizal
Hello, wonderful Coven! This week we’re bringing you a discussion of We Free the Stars by Hafsah Faizal, the second and final (maybe?) book in the Sands of Arawiya series (Check out episode 32, where we discuss the first book, We Hunt the Flame). We had a great time reading this one, and we will read anything Hafsah writes in the future (really looking forward to her new upcoming book, Tempest of Tea). Stay magical, friends! Content warning for discussions of child abuse at 49 minutes – 51:14 regarding child abuse We still have a survey going on, and we’d really appreciate if you took it! We’ve already implemented some of your…
Episode 52: The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna
Hello, Coven! This week we’re coming at you with a discussion of The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna. We had such an amazing time reading this debut novel, and we can’t wait to see what happens with the future of the series! On to the notes! Content warning for discussions of rape, sexual assault, violence, parental death, and mentions of Harry Potter. Survey link if you want to help shape how the direction of the podcast Recommend if you like… Legendborn by Tracy Deonn (which we discussed in Episode 51) Derry Girls (Netflix) Daughters of Nri by Reni K. Amayo (we interviewed Reni in this episode) Dream Country by Ashaye Brown (we interviewed Ashaye in…
Episode 50: A Sky Beyond the Storm by Sabaa Tahir
Hello, beautiful coven! We’re back for season 4 with all new episodes, and we’re starting out strong with A Sky Beyond the Storm by Sabaa Tahir, the final book in An Ember in the Ashes series. If you want to check out the other books’ discussions you can find them here: An Ember in the Ashes, A Torch Against the Night, & A Reaper at the Gates. A quick reminder: we still have a survey going on, and it is helping to shape the future of the show! Please take it if you have a chance. You can also support the show by becoming a member on Patreon, tipping us on Ko-Fi, or purchasing…
Episode 49: A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas
It’s here! Our final episode of Season 3, in which we discuss A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas, the 3rd book in the Court of Thorns and Roses series. It’s a longer episode…#SorryNotSorry because we have so many thoughts and feelings! We’ll be back to regularly scheduled programming (aka bi-weekly podcasts about a-mah-zing books) starting June 1st, 2021. Make sure to subscribe wherever you get the show so you don’t miss out on some exciting bonus content we’ll be releasing in the meantime (hint hint, author interviews!!) Please consider taking our supporter survey. It should require only 5-10 minutes and it will help us get to know our…
Episode 48: Deathless Divide by Justina Ireland
Hello, Coven! How is your winter going? We’re excited to bring you a new episode discussing Deathless Divide by Justina Ireland and finishing up the Dread Nation series. If you need a recap of what in the first book, you can check out our episode about Dread Nation! Please consider taking our supporter survey! It should require only 5-10 minutes and it will help us get to know our audience and get your feedback about the content we create. http://bit.ly/LibraryCovenSurvey This episode features some animals trying to make themselves heard in the episode. Sorry not sorry. Now on to the notes! Racist history of gynecology from Wear Your Voice Anti-Blackness in…
Episode 47: Pet by Akwaeke Emezi
Please consider taking our supporter survey! It should require only 5-10 minutes and it will help us get to know our audience and get your feedback about the content we create. http://bit.ly/LibraryCovenSurvey Greetings, coven! In this episode we discuss Pet by Akwaeke Emezi, their debut young adult novel. It’s a pretty quick read that deals with some heavy issues in ways that are accessible to younger audiences (i.e., middle grade) as well as teen and adult readers. Pet was a finalist for the 2019 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature – after reading it, we understand why! Content warning for discussions child physical and sexual abuse. On to some (brief) notes! Kelly highly…
Episode 46: The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
Hold on to your hats, folks! This fortnight we’re reading The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin, the first book in The Broken Earth Trilogy. And no matter how many people talk about their love for this book, it was not our cup of tea! We spent a lot of time being confused, and maybe had more questions than answers in this episode. What are your thoughts on this book? Content Warning for discussions of murder, torture, child abuse, and cannibalism On to the notes, which are quite short this week! The Witcher season 1 – slight spoilers about the timeline in that show K brings up Avatar: The Last Airbender (as she is…
Episode 44: Blanca & Roja by Anna-Marie McLemore
Hello, coven! And welcome to one of the last episodes of the shit show that has been 2020! This week we’re discussing Blanca & Roja by Anna-Marie McLemore (they/them). Let’s talk about some swans! What is magical realism? We talked a bit about being Latinx and white. There have been lots of great discussions about this, and here are 2 videos that explain it better than K or I did What is White Latinx and White Passing Privilege? Can Latinos Benefit from White Privilege? K mentioned Arrested Development TV show J recommended the movie Practical Magic for people who want stories about sisters, magic, and curses Transcript below or access the…
Episode 43: The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang
Hello everyone, and most especially to Saidah, who emailed us in December 2019 asking about when we were going to record an episode about R.F. Kuang’s The Dragon Republic. Saidah, we’re only a year late, but that time is now! If y’all need to recap the first book in the series, you can check out Episode 15 of the podcast in which we discussThe Poppy War. Full disclosure: this series is not YA and Kelly uses verbal air quotes an embarrassing number of times in the episode. You’ve been warned. Enjoy! Content Warning for discussions of genocide, sexual assault, drug use and other instances of extreme violence. This isn’t the first time…
Episode 42: Wayward Witch by Zoraida Córdova
Hello, coven! This week we’re discussing Wayward Witch, the third and final (?) book in the Brooklyn Brujas series by Zoraida Córdova. You can check out our episodes about Labyrinth Lost and Bruja Born if you need a refresher about what happened in the earlier books! Which was your favorite of the series? What would be your sinmago power be? Full episode transcript below or access the transcript PDF And now, onward to the notes (of which there are very few this week)! The audiobook was narrated by Almarie Guerra “When people show you who they are” quote is from Dr. Maya Angelou The Body Keeps the Score [gif of Thor looking intense and…
Episode 40: Wicked Fox by Kat Cho
Hello, Coven! This week we’re coming at you with a discussion of Wicked Fox by Kat Cho. We really enjoyed reading some urban fantasy that took place in South Korea. What are your thoughts about this book? We’re a bit light on notes, because we actually stuck to the book more than usual! Call to action: It’s November 3, and if you haven’t already, be sure to go vote! K watched Itaewon Class to get ready to talk about this book and get more familiar with K-dramas J recommends Explained episode on K-pop Healthcare in South Korea The sequel, Viscous Spirits, is out now, and we can’t wait to read it! Transcript below or…
Episode 39: A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown
hey, magical beings! This fortnight we’re bringing you a conversation about A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown, the first in a planned duology. The second/final installment, A Psalm of Storms and Silence is due out in early 2021. Content Warning for discussions of parent death, panic attacks, and child abuse. ChildHelp Call 1-800-422-4453 for assistance Call to Action: take care of yourselves! The interactive “you feel like shit self care guide flowchart” is a good resource. here is the source K used when researching the meaning of different day names. Various fact-based news sources have documented widespread evidence that the United States’s carceral immigration system (including deportation flights) is spreading COVID-19.…
Episode 38: Bruja Born by Zoraida Córdova
Hello, coven! This is one of the last few episodes where we refer to ourselves as JK, It’s Magic. We hope you like our new name, and that you feel like you’re part of the coven. This week we’re talking about Bruja Born by Zoraida Córdova, were we get to know a lot more about Lula! If you need a recap about what happened in the last book, check out our Labyrinth Lost episode. Call to Action: This week, we’re asking that people learn more about ways they can lend a hand to those experiencing homelessness. One place you can start is The National Alliance to End Homelessness. Full Transcript Below (or…
Episode 34: Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi
Hello, magical friends! This fortnight we’re coming at you with a discussion of Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi, the second book in the Legacy of Orïsha series. If you need a recap of the story or what we talked about in the first book, check out episode 2 (so long ago!!!) about Children of Blood and Bone. First up, let me say there is a bit of a sound issue on my part (J), that I apologize for. I accidentally recorded from my webcam instead of my microphone, but hopefully, I wont let that happen again in the future! Call to action: this week we asked that you take…
Episode 33: Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Hey, magical folx! In this episode we discuss Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, which is *NOT* YA. We gotta say this at the top because its some sexist bs that women/femme adult fantasy writers get miscategorized as YA (read about how sexism impacts genre categorization). *Call to action* This fortnight, we’re urging our magical community to learn more about abolishing borders, abolishing ICE and migrant justice as well as to support organizations doing this work. Watch/listen to the final plenary from this year’s Allied Media Conference, “From Dreams to Practice: Abolition in Our Lifetimes”. The panel features a TON of rad ppl doing abolitionist work, including Miski Noor, Tawana “Honeycomb” Petty,…
Episode 30: The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline
Hey, magical folx! This fortnight we discuss The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline, a prolific author who is a member of the Georgian Bay Metis Community. Hope you enjoy and learn something(s). BLACK LIVES MATTER. Content warning for discussions of sexual violence and addiction. RAINN – Anti-sex violence assistance. Call 800-856-4619 or visit their website for assistance. Calls to Action Follow, support, and learn from Indigenous peoples now and always! In the words of Eve Tuck and K. Wayne Yang, “Decolonization is not a metaphor,” but rather requires return of stolen lands. If you have the resources to make financial contributions, here are some places to contribute: Indigenous Environmental Network‘s Mutual Aid fund…
Episode 29: Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
Hello, magical folx! This week we’re discussing Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo, the second book in the Six of Crows series. Check out our Six of Crows episode for a refresher on what happened in the last book! Side Note & Content Warning: We know we’ve been gone for a bit, and we appreciate you patience as we get back in the swing of things. We recorded this episode in November, and a lot has changed in the world since then. This could be a difficult episode to listen to if the current pandemic is taking a toll on your mental health. Obviously, we had no idea where the world would be…
Episode 28: Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova
Hello, magical listeners! We’re coming at you this week with a discussion of Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova, the first in the Brooklyn Brujas series. J & K discuss the failed system of incarceration and the implications of those systems on brown people, beautiful world building, and Latin American folklore. There may also be a few tangents along the way… And there are some spoilers for the movie Coco. There aren’t a ton of show notes this week. See you in a fortnight! Full transcript included below. Or access the pdf version. We talked a bit about diversity in YA, but here are the stats from 2018, which includes children’s…
Episode 23: The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty
Magical listeners! We’re taking a break from YA this fortnight to bring you an episode about the incredible fantasy novel The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty. The show notes happen to be long this time — why not research-it-up and check out the links to learn some stuff? About magic, fiction, history, religion, language: The author has curated a reading list of narrative sources, primary sources, and folktales about the “early Islamic world” (a very broad term) for those who are interested in learning more. Book 2 of the Daevabad trilogy, The Kingdom of Copper, came out in January 2019 (we can’t wait to read it!). The Empire of…
Episode 21: A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
Finally, the ACOMAF episode is here! J & K both adore ACOMAF, and in the spirit of that affection, we don’t shy away from dredging up the novel’s problematic aspects. Generous and loving critique is, after all, what our podcast is all about. If you need a refresher, catch up on our discussion of A Court of Thorns and Roses And now, copious show notes and links: “O I forbid you, maidens a’,That wear gowd on your hair,To come or gae by Carterhaugh,For young Tam Lin is there.” –– “The Ballad of Tam Lin” is a faerie legend from Scottish lands and it tells the story of a mortal woman…
Episode 15: The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang
This fortnight J & K are discussing The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang. We’re diverting a bit from our usual YA Fantasy books. This book is definitely for adults, and not for the faint of heart! The characters are complicated, the story is complex and violent, and there is a ton of action. Content Warning: In this episode we discuss drug use, rape, genocide, and other instances of extreme violence. ChildHelp – Child Abuse – Call 1-800-422-4453 for assistance We apologize ahead of time for any mispronounced words, names, and/or places. As is usual, we referenced quite a few things, and you can find more information below! Shamanism Drug traditions from around the world and hallucinogenic drugs The history of The War on Drugs in the US K…
Episode 14: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Listeners, the time has finally come to talk about A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, the first book in one of our favorite series. We saved the rest of the series spoilers for a special end segment that begins around 1:11:45. If you haven’t read the rest of the books and/or don’t want spoilers, be sure to skip that! You’ll notice that the show notes are short this time – surprisingly, we stayed pretty close to the source text in our discussion. Off brand, we know. Don’t fret, we’ll probably be back to our regular encyclopedic show notes antics for Ep 15. “There’s a Weird, Sexist Problem in Fantasy That We…
Episode 4: An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
Episode 4 already!?! We can’t believe it either! This week we’re talking subverting your government, assassin schools, terrible mothers, and rape culture in Sabaa Tahir’s An Ember in the Ashes. An Ember in the Ashes was fact paced, violent, and exceptionally amazing! Content Warning for discussions of rape and child death. Full transcript below or access the PDF version of the episode transcript As always, we’d love to be in discussion with you, magical folx. Post or tweet about the show using #criticallyreading. Let us know what you think of the episode, anything we missed, or anything else you want us to know by dropping a line in the comments…
