Romantasy Roundtable: Fantasy Romance Reviews

Amanda, Kim, and Rick
  • 4.2 (9)
  • Books
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to Romantasy Roundtable: A Tale of Rick and Roses! Join us for an engaging book club and read-along experience as we explore the enchanting world of romantasy, diving into captivating stories and unforgettable moments together! Hosted by Rick and his "roses," this podcast-style channel explores the most spellbinding books in the romantic fantasy genre. What You'll Find Here: Read-alongs of popular romantasy books. Thoughtful analysis of characters, plot twists, and those unforgettable spicy moments. A warm and inclusive space for book lovers to share their thoughts and join the conversation. Always lighthearted, fun, and a bit unhinged Join the Court! Become part of our growing community of romantasy enthusiasts. Share your favorite books, theories, and moments with fellow "rosebuds." New Episodes Grab a book and settle in for an adventure filled with magic and love. Don't forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode!

  1. 4d ago

    Knave and the Moon: 1-15

    Description: Welcome back, Rose Buds! After conquering Kingdom of Ash and cleansing our palettes with Heartstopper, and ACOTAR reactions, the Romantasy Roundtable is officially kicking off spooky fantasy season with Rachel Gillig's brand-new release, The Knave on the Moon (Chapters 1 through 15)! Rick, Amanda, and Kim are back in the studio diving into the first half of the epic Stonewater Kingdom duology conclusion. But before we get to our favorite one-winged stone bat, we have got to tackle the critical news: Taco Bell bringing back the Choco Taco, Kim consuming an entire birthday chocolate cake in 48 hours, Rick confusing Eleanor Roosevelt with Marie Antoinette during the Great Depression, and our brand-new official partnership with the Yearn app! Plus, Rick gives early love to an incredible ARC fantasy, The First Stone by Robert Biehn. Then, it is straight into the gothic, eerie world of Erilea meets gothic folklore as Sybil Delling and an amnesiac Rory Mandacius fight their way through King Benedict III's corrupt Five Hamlet Tournament. Grab your mild sauce, put on your fluffiest pink thrift-flower gown, and let us dive into the madness! Key Highlights & What The Squad Said: • Taco Bell & Marie Antoinette History Lessons: Rick celebrates the return of the Choco Taco (aka Churro Taco) and claims Eleanor Roosevelt said "Let them eat cake" during the Great Depression, while Kim celebrates her birthday with an entire grocery store chocolate cake. • ARC Spotlight - The First Stone: Rick and Kim gush over an early ARC of The First Stone by Robert Biehn, describing it as Mistborn meets Avatar: The Last Airbender with elemental magic, fantastic pacing, and clean YA worldbuilding edited by the editor of Red Rising. • Prologue Lore - The Cosmic Maiden Buffet: The squad breaks down the creepy mythological prologue where mortals devour an all-knowing cosmic maiden in the Fields of Broograss, forcing her into an eternal slumber of minor tunes that mirrors the looming plot. • Sybil Trapped & Benji Barlow's Forced Wedding: Sybil wakes in Castle Lurch, attempts to strangle King Benji Barlow, and ruins her silk bridal gown with rancid Oxeye sedative before tree sprites crash the sham ceremony. • Rory's Amnesia & Jason Bourne Reflexes: Rory wakes up covered in blood on the Tor with zero memories, gets tackled by Ma Bower, and learns he technically died. Rick compares Rory's instinctual combat hammer skills to Jason Bourne. • Bartholomew is the GOAT of Little Guys: The one-winged stone gargoyle returns in all his unhinged glory, complaining about wool slippers, rocking a pink thrift-flower gown, dropping iconic quotes ("What an arduous process as it is to wait"), and being the absolute goat of sidekicks. • The Five Hamlet Tournament & Eye-Eating Birks: Benji sets up a traveling tournament across the hamlets to flex his stolen stone relics, while the squad faces off against terrifying eyeball-eating Burks in the Chiming Wood. • The Living Sixth Relic: Sybil realizes the prophecies were manufactured, but she herself is the living sixth magical relic, setting her mission to enter the games, destroy every stone object, and kill the king. • The Loomstone Heist & Rory Remembers: At the Coulson Fair lists, Ma Bower shatters her jousting lance against the royal box, allowing Rory to snatch the Loomstone from Torie Basset's neck. His memories flood back: foundling origins, King Benedict I, and his undying love for Sybil. • The Melee & The Knave Unmasked: Dedric Lang beats Sybil's abdominal wound with steel-toed boots, but the mysterious Nave enters the arena with a stonemason's hammer and Sybil's silk scrap, snapping Dedric's wrist and unmasking himself as Rory! • Intimate Blood Divination: In the secret canal factory, Rory fakes amnesia in front of a drunk, paranoid Benji. Sybil grants him his champion's divination, hungrily taking spring-water-infused blood from his finger as Rory whispers their private sacred vow. • The Library Collapse & Pink Robe Rescue: An earthquake crumbles the Harried Scribe's library, Sybil smashes the inkwell relic, and as she nearly drowns in the freezing Tenner River, Bartholomew in his pink robe pulls her from the depths ("There you are, Bartholomew!"). • Disney Princess Hunger Games Debate: Rick derails the pod with a rapid-fire Disney Princess Hunger Games debate: Mulan vs Merida vs Jasmine (with Elsa disqualified for being a queen!). Closing & Call-To-Action: Are you terrified for Bartholomew's crumbling stone wing? Can Sybil reverse her calcified body? Drop your wildest theories in the comments below! Don't forget to like this video, subscribe to the channel wherever you watch or listen, and find us on Instagram, TikTok, and the Year app. Got book recommendations or want to reach out? Email us at romantasyround@gmail.com! See you next week as we finish The Knave on the Moon with Chapters 16 through the end!

  2. Aug 31

    End of Summer Recap

    Episode Title: End of Summer Reading Recap: ACOTAR, Crescent City, Kingdom of Ash & Romantasy Bingo! Description: Welcome back to the Romantasy Roundtable! Rick, Amanda, and Kim are wrapping up the summer with an End of Summer Reading Recap! We’re looking back at what we read, what we loved, what made us rage, our biggest surprises, our worst reads, and what’s coming for Romantasy Fall 2026. And yes, there is an absolutely unreasonable amount of Sarah J. Maas discussion. This summer was basically Rick’s Maasverse Summer. He reread ACOTAR, dove into Crescent City, revisited Throne of Glass and Kingdom of Ash, and finished his 21st book with Crescent City 3. Rereading ACOTAR completely changed his character rankings, with Nesta going from “I f*****g hate Nesta” to Rick’s new favorite character. Naturally, this led directly into our ACOTAR Top 10 episode. Key Topics Discussed: • Summer Reading Stats: Kim read 9 books and was aiming for 10, Amanda read 25 with two more planned before Labor Day for 27 books and nearly 13,000 pages, while Rick finished 21 books and roughly 10,500–11,000 pages. • Rick’s Maasverse Deep Dive: ACOTAR, Crescent City, Throne of Glass, Kingdom of Ash, and Heartstopper all made appearances as Rick reread with a new perspective and prepared for ACOTAR 6 and 7. His theme? “The Maasverse.” Of course it was. • Amanda’s Summer of Gold Stars: Amanda completed Ripped Bodice Summer Romance Book Bingo for the second year in a row—with a BLACKOUT! She also finished Goodreads Rewards and admits her theme was basically “I’m stressed out about reading.” • Kim Knows What She Likes: Kim’s favorite read was The Incandescent by Emily Tesh, a dark academia fantasy with queer representation, elder-millennial faculty, and enough “soup” to satisfy the Roundtable. We discuss why it felt like a love letter to educators. • Amanda’s Nostalgia Read: Amanda reread The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, a middle-school favorite, and discovered she relates to Carmen in ways she never could have known at eleven. We also discuss the real-life friendship that inspired her love of the book—and the extremely important Pants symbolism. • Best & Worst Reads: Amanda names Kingdom of Ash her favorite overall read, Rick chooses This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me, and Kim picks The Incandescent. Rick gives Throne in the Dark: Villains & Virtues three stars, Amanda chooses Ladies in Hiding, and Kim’s “worst” is Heartstopper 6—not because she disliked it, but because she wasn’t ready to say goodbye to her sons. • Favorite Characters: Rick chooses Nesta because she made him furious before completely winning him over. Kim picks the Kingdom of Ash characters she can’t stop thinking about. Amanda has a very different answer—and naturally, it involves a sexy Loch Ness monster. • The Thirteen: Nobody can stop thinking about the Thirteen after Kingdom of Ash. We revisit one of the most devastating moments in Throne of Glass and why those characters have stayed with us. • Unexpected Romances & Tropes: Amanda fell in love with Feverdream by Elsie Silver and discovered that maybe she DOES like cowboy romance… if Elsie Silver writes it. We also talk bisexual representation, the portal/Isekai trope, and books that surprised us. • Romantasy vs. Fantasy: We discuss why we love “romantasy” while also acknowledging criticism that the label can diminish excellent fantasy because its audience is predominantly female. Throne of Glass is not just romantasy. It is GOOD fantasy. • ACOTAR 6 Is Coming: We’re looking ahead to the next era of the podcast with Crescent City, Maasverse predictions, listener theories, and ACOTAR 6. The conspiracy board is officially open. Closing/Call-to-Action: What did YOU read this summer? What was your favorite book, biggest surprise, worst read, or favorite character? Did you finish a reading challenge? What are you most excited to read this fall? Drop your recommendations and hot takes in the comments! Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and follow us on Goodreads and StoryGraph. Got an ACOTAR 6 theory, Maasverse conspiracy, or book recommendation? Email us at romantyround@gmail.com! The Name of the Moon is coming, Romantasy Fall 2026 is officially here, and apparently we’re all booked.

  3. Aug 24

    ACOTAR: Top 10 Characters

    Episode Title: ACOTAR Top 10 Characters: Cassian Supremacy, Tamlin Justice & the Miniature Pegasus! Description: Welcome back to the Romantasy Roundtable! Rick, Amanda, and Kim are taking a break from chapter-by-chapter chaos to rank their Top 10 favorite characters from all five ACOTAR books! And naturally, this turns into Cassian supremacy, Rick's ongoing Tamlin apology tour, zero Elain representation, and a very serious debate about the miniature Pegasus. We revisit the characters who made us laugh, cry, rage, and rethink the entire series after rereading A Court of Thorns and Roses through A Court of Silver Flames. From Nesta's redemption arc and Cassian's boyfriend-of-the-year credentials to Lucien getting criminally underrated, Amren being an ancient badass, Azriel needing some serious "Azriel soup," and the Suriel's devastating final moments, we're putting the entire ACOTAR cast on trial. We also debate Rhysand's ranking after Silver Flames, Mor's missing backstory and undeniable ginger energy, Bryaxis just wanting a window, and why none of us could find a spot for Elain. Sorry, Elain. Key Topics Discussed: • Cassian Takes the Crown: Amanda and Kim rank Cassian #1, while Rick gives him #2. We discuss his loyalty, humor, badassery, authenticity, and why the Bat Boys desperately need his levity. • Rick's Tamlin Apology Tour: Tamlin and Rhysand are tied on Rick's list after the reread. Amanda and Kim would like the record to show that this officially makes Rick a Tamlin apologist. • Nesta's Redemption Arc: Rick ranks Nesta #1, Amanda puts her at #4, and Kim is still waiting for the Nesta train to arrive. We discuss trauma, addiction, the Valkyries, and why Nesta's story proves that people can change. • Rhysand vs. Tamlin: Has Silver Flames changed how we see the two High Lords? We revisit control, forgiveness, the pregnancy storyline, and whether either of them gets a free pass. • Azriel, the Shadow Daddy: Amanda ranks Azriel #3 while Rick and Kim place him lower. We talk about his growth, his brooding personality, and our desperate need for more Azriel backstory. • Lucien Deserves Better: Rick puts Lucien at #5 and argues that the fox-boy has spent the entire series taking everyone's crap while still showing up for everyone else. • Amren, the Ancient Badass: Why does this tiny jewel-hoarding menace rank so highly? We discuss her mystery, her tough love toward Nesta, and the backstory we desperately want. • The Suriel Still Hurts: The Suriel makes multiple lists thanks to its wisdom, sacrifice, and unforgettable final scene. Sometimes you don't realize how much you love a character until they die. • Mor Needs a Love Story: Rick ranks Mor #7 and Amanda #5. We love her resilience and cheerful energy, but we NEED more of her backstory—and Amanda still insists she should be a redhead. • The Weird Ones Win: Kim's list includes the Water Wraiths and Bryaxis, because apparently ancient creepy beings with simple emotional needs are exactly her type. Bryaxis just wants a window! • The Miniature Pegasus Debate: Amanda's #10 is a miniature Pegasus. We have questions. You have questions. Where does the tiny horse rank in YOUR Top 10? • Elain Is Missing: None of us ranked Elain. Is she secretly being saved for something huge, or is "boring" simply worse than "evil"? We discuss. Closing/Call-to-Action: Who is YOUR #1 ACOTAR character? Are you Team Cassian, Team Nesta, Team Azriel, or ready to join Rick's Tamlin apology tour? How mad are you that Rhysand and Tamlin tied? Who did we criminally underrate—and where do you rank the miniature Pegasus? Drop your Top 10 in the comments! Like and subscribe on YouTube, and follow us on Goodreads and StoryGraph. Got an ACOTAR hot take or want to defend Tamlin with Rick? Email us at romantasyround@gmail.com! Next week: we're ranking all five ACOTAR books in real time!

  4. Aug 18

    ACOTAR 6 & 7: Reveal

    Episode Title: ACOTAR 6 & 7 REACTIONS: New Covers, Koschei, Stygian Spiders & What Was Broken Will Be Remade?! Description: Sarah J. Maas really said, “Here, take TWO books,” and the Romantasy Roundtable immediately stopped its vacation plans to scream about it! Rick, Amanda, and Kim are back for an emergency ACOTAR bonus—sorry, FILLER—episode after SJM dropped the titles, covers, page counts, and blurbs for A Court of Splintered Harmony and A Court of Forgotten Melody! ACOTAR 6 is 352 pages, ACOTAR 7 is a MASSIVE 896 pages, and we are officially entering the Valkyrie Cycle with movements one, two, and three... plus a mysterious fourth book still to come?! We break down what this new era of ACOTAR might look like and why the wildly different page counts have us wondering exactly how these books are structured. Then we go FULL conspiracy board on those covers. The first gives us bones, fire, fangs, destruction, renewal, and approximately one million questions. Meanwhile, the second has Rick spiraling because if that is a STYGIAN SPIDER, everyone can get... well, you know. We also dissect Koschei the Deathless, the Night Court's “recent betrayals and revealed truths,” and the former alliances they need to resurrect. Naturally, Rick immediately decides this means TAMLIN REDEMPTION ARC, BABY. Amanda and Kim are... less convinced. And then there's the MUSIC. Splintered Harmony. Forgotten Melody. The Valkyrie Cycle. Movements. The Harp. The Dread Trove. Rick starts connecting musical language and recurring art themes throughout the Maasverse—and admits he has a bigger theory he isn't quite ready to share yet. Plus, we debate whether ACOTAR is about to go full Throne of Glass with an ensemble cast, who the romances of the Valkyrie Cycle might be, whether Rick is ever going to stop complaining about the Valkyrie plot being “too convenient,” and why apparently the money's in the smut, baby. Key Topics Discussed: • ACOTAR 6 & 7 Are Official: Our immediate reactions to the titles, covers, blurbs, and SJM casually dropping two books on us. • The INSANE Page Counts: Why 352 pages for A Court of Splintered Harmony and 896 pages for A Court of Forgotten Melody have us questioning how this story is structured. • Welcome to the Valkyrie Cycle: What do “movements” mean, why is there a mysterious fourth book, and how does A Court of Silver Flames bridge us into this new era? • Koschei the Deathless: Rick refreshes Amanda and Kim on the ancient being, his connection to the Bone Carver and the Weaver, and Vassa's curse. • Bones, Fire & Fangs: Our wildly speculative breakdown of the ACOTAR 6 cover and whether its imagery connects to destruction, renewal, or ancient beings. • THE STYGIAN SPIDER THEORY: Is the A Court of Forgotten Melody cover teasing creatures from another world?! Rick is NOT emotionally prepared. • Harmony, Melody & the Harp: We connect the musical titles and Valkyrie “movements” to the Harp, the Dread Trove, and recurring art themes across the Maasverse. • Tamlin's Redemption Arc?!: Rick hears “betrayals,” “former alliances,” and “find a way back to each other” and somehow concludes that TAMLIN IS BACK. • Who Is This Story About?: Is this a Night Court ensemble story with perspectives scattered everywhere? And most importantly... WHO ARE THE COUPLES?! • The Valkyrie Debate: Rick loves A Court of Silver Flames but still thinks becoming Valkyries happened a little too conveniently. Amanda strongly disagrees. • Gwynriel, Mor + Emerie & Redemption: We discuss ships, possible pairings, and why SJM has proven she can completely change our minds about characters. • Bonus Episode or Filler Episode?: Rick refuses to call this bonus content because apparently we're doing Dragon Ball Z comparisons now. Closing/Call-to-Action: What do YOU think the new ACOTAR covers mean? Is that a Stygian spider? Is Tamlin getting a redemption arc, or is Rick completely delusional? And WHO ARE THE COUPLES?! Drop your theories in the comments below! Don't forget to like, subscribe on YouTube, and follow us on Goodreads and StoryGraph. Got book recommendations, ACOTAR theories, or a Dragon Ball Z membership application for Rick's very lonely Venn diagram? Email us at romantasyround@gmail.com! See you next time for more completely legitimate “filler” content!

  5. Aug 12

    Heartstopper: Full Series

    Title: Heartstopper Volumes 1-6: Cozy Palette Cleansers, Wrestling Rants, & Queer Sons! Description: After 24 weeks of fantasy carnage in Throne of Glass, the Romantasy Roundtable squad needed a cozy, wholesome palette cleanser! Rick, Amanda, and Kim are back to yap about Alice Oseman’s beloved graphic novel series, Heartstopper (Volumes 1 through 6). But before diving into Nick and Charlie’s sweet romance, Rick opens the pod with a full-blown WWE SummerSlam rant thanks to an awesome email from listener Jamie Daws in Sydney! We talk Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens breaking his neck and coming back, Chad Gable winning singles gold, Rick’s Italian soccer jersey and Knicks fitted cap, and the most emotional book moments that made us sob (Atmosphere, Kingdom of Ash, and Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close!). Then we jump straight into the heartwarming, deeply real YA graphic novel world of Nick and Charlie! Key Topics & What The Squad Said: • SummerSlam & WWE Rants: Jamie Daws asks about Seth Rollins vs. Roman Reigns, leading Rick into a passionate breakdown of Kevin Owens' comeback, Chad Gable's title win, and how wrestling seasons never actually end. • The Most Emotional Book Moments: Jamie shares Robin Hobb's Realm of the Elderlings, Amanda praises Atmosphere for making her cry through 85% of the book, and Rick brings up the 13 in Kingdom of Ash. • Volume 1 - The Meet Cute & Ben Hope Sucks: Charlie Spring gets recruited to rugby by Nick Nelson, drops Ben Hope's toxic ass, and shares a magical first kiss with Nick at a party before Nick panics into the snow. Rick & Amanda agree: F**k Ben Hope! • Volume 2 - Bisexual Awakening & Rain Kisses: Nick's iconic rain kiss, coming out to his legendary mom (played by Olivia Coleman in the show!), and declaring his love to the ocean. Rick gives Volume 2 a 5-star rating for its high stakes! • Volume 3 - Paris Trip & Everyone Is Gay: The gang takes a school trip to Paris with two chill chaperones (the art teacher and history teacher hooking up!). Elle and Tao kiss, and Nick notices Charlie's eating habits while searching how to help. • Volume 4 - Mental Health & "I Love You" Run: Charlie blurts out "I Love You" while Nick is in the shower and runs away barefoot! Nick's mom reminds him that supporting Charlie doesn't mean it's his job to fix him, offering an incredible portrayal of adolescent mental health. • Volume 5 - University Fears & Intimacy Conversations: Nick visits Leeds and realizes he wants a future there, while he and Charlie navigate sex, boundaries, and what counts as intimacy beyond heteronormative norms. • Volume 6 - Head Boy, Pride Club, & Mutual Support: Charlie wins Head Boy, calls out Truham's bullying culture, and reassures a terrified Nick about his past mental health scares. Mutual strength and reciprocity at its finest! • Kit Connor & Real World Drama: The squad defends Kit Connor from toxic internet fans who bullied him out of the closet, declaring: "Let his silly golden retriever face live!" • Final Ratings & Public Smut Reading: Kim and Amanda give Heartstopper a 5/5 stars, while Rick gives it 4.5/5 stars (a little too cozy, needs more stakes!). Plus, the squad debates reading Crescent City, ACOTAR headboard scenes, and Elsie Silver smut in public. Closing & Call-To-Action: Are you team 5-stars for Heartstopper or do you agree with Rick that it needed a little more drama? Drop your hot takes and favorite emotional book moments in the comments! Don't forget to like this video, subscribe to the channel wherever you listen or watch on YouTube, and follow us on Goodreads and StoryGraph. Got book recs or want to chat wrestling with Rick? Email us at romantasyround@gmail.com! See you next time when we jump back into Crescent City and ACOTAR!

  6. Aug 3

    Kingdom of Ash: Chapters 100-End

    Episode Title: Kingdom of Ash Finale (Ch. 100-End): Saying Goodbye to All Our Friends! Description: Grab your tissues, Romantasy Roundtable family, because we have officially reached the end of Erilea! Rick, Amanda, and Kim are recapping the explosive, heart-wrenching finale of Kingdom of Ash (Chapters 100 through 121 plus the epilogue). It has been 24 weeks, 22 episodes, and 10,000 pages of pure magic, and we are emotionally ruined in the best way possible! Before diving into the war, we recap some iconic host yapping: Rick getting an Outin portable espresso machine sponsorship and trying cold foam, Samus the dog and Rick both taking Trazodone after shoulder and ACL injuries, attending NYCFC soccer games to see Malachi Jones score, and Kim and Amanda rocking matching enamel pigeon earrings from the craft fair! But then the tears start flowing—all three moments Amanda cried are right here in this section! From Darrow's unmatched face-turn and Gavriel's devastating sacrifice at the city gates, to Aelin riding the Lord of the North into battle like a glowing ghost deer, this finale delivers every single piece of epic fantasy satisfaction. Key Highlights & SEO Topic Breakdown: • Darrow's Emotional Face Turn: Grumpy old Darrow officially names sweet Evangeline his heir, recognizes Lady Lysandra of Caraverre, and gifts Aedion the Sword of Orynth in the ultimate redemption arc (Amanda's 1st cry moment!). • Aelin Rides the Lord of the North: Aelin makes the most cinematic, movie-worthy entrance in fantasy history, riding a glowing ghost stag using his antlers as handlebars to lead the golden cavalry and rucks into Orynth! Rick calls it the coolest scene ever written! ????✨ • Gavriel's Heroic Gate Sacrifice: Gavriel steps beyond the threshold to hold off 20,000 Balk monsters so Aedion can seal the city gates, giving father and son a final moment of mutual pride ("Then we shall shut them together"). RIP Lion of Terrasen! ???????? • Aelin's Masterclass in Villain Banter: Depleted of her nuclear fire magic, Aelin relies on her sharp assassin wit to monologue, distract, and plant seeds of toxic paranoia between Maeve and Erawan while buying critical evacuation time. ???? • The Death of Erawan: Yrene channels her radiant executioner magic alongside Elide plunging Damaris, while Dorian reclaims his father's true name (Dorian Havilliard) to completely incinerate the Dark Lord into leftover dust! ???? • Maeve's Brutal Execution: Fenrys impales Maeve with Goldryn, Aelin cheekily slips Elide's anti-Valg ring onto her finger to burn her from the inside out, and decapitates the Valg Queen once and for all before screaming Yrene's name to the heavens! ???? • The Curse Broken & Kingsflame Blooms: Manon finds a mystical Waste flower blooming in the blood-stained soil where the 13 sacrificed themselves, officially breaking the ancient witch curse and uniting the Crochans and Ironteeth! ???? • Lord Lorcan Lochan Reveal: The podcast gang freaks out over Lorcan taking Elide's last name, confirming the ultimate fan theory! ???? • The Grand Coronation & Blood Oath: Aedion swears his long-awaited blood oath to Aelin in front of the entire court (Amanda's 2nd cry moment!), while the Little Folk (resembling Frozen trolls) scurry in to hand Aelin her crown. ???? • Bittersweet Squad Farewells: The ultimate squad breakup in the courtyard! Yrene promises to be Aelin's doula, Dorian and Manon plan to meet in the middle of flight paths, and Aelin and Rowan watch the Kingsflame bloom across Terrasen in "A Better World" (Amanda's 3rd cry moment!). ???? Closing & Call-To-Action: Which moment made you cry the hardest? Are you team Lorcan Lochan or joining Rick's Tamlin apologist tour? Drop your hot takes in the comments! Don't forget to like this video, subscribe to the channel wherever you listen, and follow us on Goodreads and StoryGraph. Got thoughts on the Maasverse or want to defend Lucien with Rick? Email us at romantasyround@gmail.com! Join us next week for a wholesome palette cleanser episode on Heartstopper where we yap about our gay sons! Bye rugby! ????

  7. Jul 27

    Kingdom of Ash: Chapters 68-99

    Episode Title: Kingdom of Ash Ch. 68-99: The Thirteen, Multiverse Freefalls, and "And So Lorcan Did"! Description: Welcome back to the Romantasy Roundtable! Rick, Amanda, and Kim are diving straight into the jaw-dropping second half of Kingdom of Ash (Chapters 68 through 99). Grab your tissues and lock your doors because this section broke our hearts, brought down fortresses, and sent us flying across the SJM multiverse! Dorian Havilliard proves he is playing 4D chess by turning into a mouse, a crow, and a wyvern, severing Maeve's world-walking powers, and literally collapsing half of Morath on his way out. Meanwhile, Aelin and Elide leave Uncle Vernon in a sealed room with a cold tankard of ale, Aedion and Lysandra hold down the bloody siege of Orynth, and we finally get the iconic moment: "...And so Lorcan did." Then comes Chapter 89. The Thirteen execute the most heroic, heartbreaking, legendary sacrifice in fantasy history with The Yielding. Live, Manon. Live From the Nameless King stepping up in the Endovier salt mines for the ultimate Dad redemption arc, to Aelin telling the gods to shove it and opening a portal to the Hell realm before freefalling past Bryce and Hunt in Crescent City... this episode has IT ALL. Settle in as we finish Part One and prep for the final stretch of Throne of Glass! Drop your thoughts in the comments, hit that subscribe button, and let us know your favorite moments! Key Topics Discussed: Dorian’s Morath Heist & 4D Chess: Dorian sneaks into Morath, finds the final Word Key in a tragic girl's arm, gets trapped by Maeve, and then casually severs her world-walking abilities before collapsing the entire fortress and flying away as a wyvern. Absolute king behavior. Interrogating Uncle Vernon: Aelin uses a brilliant loophole oath to give Vernon a cold ale and leave him locked in a room forever. Elide gets the key, and nobody sheds a single tear for that man. The Siege of Orynth & Sea Dragon Lysandra: Aedion fights on the front lines, Lysandra shapeshifts into a badger to dig explosive trench traps and a sea dragon to crush Morath’s forces, and Aedion finally drops the sweet confession of love we’ve been waiting for. "...And So Lorcan Did": Elide and Lorcan finally get hot and heavy, giving us one of the most quoted lines in SJM history. (Amanda reveals she thought Lorcan was in Crescent City this whole time!) The Thirteen’s Sacrifice & The Yielding: Asterin and The Thirteen choose ultimate love over obedience. In a blinding flash of pure witch light, they perform The Yielding to destroy the witch towers and save Orynth. Live, Manon. Live (Kim's wall art comes to life and Rick is left completely speechless!) Burger King’s Redemption Arc: Dorian, Aelin, Rowan, and Chaol head into the Endovier salt mines to forge the Lock. Just as soul-destruction hits, the Nameless King (Daddy Dorian) steps in to pay the debt. Aelin shoves Dorian back to safety, leaving her fire magic drained down to a single drop of water and an ember. Freefalling Through the Multiverse: Aelin tells the arrogant gods where to go, opens a portal to the Hell realm inside their sky, and freefalls across worlds—passing a winged male and his mate in a starry city (hello, Bryce and Hunt!)—guided right back to Rowan's soul tether.

  8. Jul 21

    Kingdom of Ash: Chapters 35-67

    Episode Title: Kingdom of Ash Ch. 35-67: Witch Queens, Water Vaporization, and Horrible Decisions! Description: Welcome back to the Romantasy Roundtable! Rick, Amanda, and Kim are diving straight into the second half of Part One in Kingdom of Ash (Chapters 35 through 67), and honey, the trauma is heavy, the soup is boiling, and nobody in Erilea knows how to make good decisions! Aelin is finally reunited with her Shadow Daddy Rowan, but her magic is on ice—or is it? From subterranean glow-worm cave dates and Lorcan swallowing his pride for jasmine Burvas blood, to Manon absolutely annihilating witch matrons to claim her crown, this section is non-stop adrenaline. We are talking major heartmates reunions, chaotic shape-shifting educational moments (looking at you, Dorian), and Elide becoming an absolute legend on a terrifying horse named Farasha. Grab your warm strawberry crisp, settle in, and let us yap about the most epic battles, major betrayals, and whether Aedion wins the award for worst politician ever. Key Topics Discussed: • Aelin and Rowan Reunion & The Glow-worm Cave: Aelin makes her grand return, Cairn gets skinned alive (sadly off-screen for Rick!), and our favorite heartmates exchange shiny stolen wedding rings under a cavern full of sparkling cavern worms. • Maeve is a Valg Queen?!: The Cadre realizes their blood oath was sworn to an ancient demon queen, leaving everyone processing major trauma and a really bad taste in their mouth. • Manon Decapitates Yellow Legs & Claims the Crown: Manon draws a line in the snow with Wind Cleaver, slays the Yellow Legs matron, and slaps the Crown of Stars onto her own head in the ultimate girlboss move of the series. • Dorian's Shape-Shifting Adventures: Dorian tests out what it feels like to walk around with breasts, flirts with Manon in ghost form, and then pulls the ultimate ghosting maneuver after a steamy night to sneak into Morath alone. • Elide, Lorcan, and Farasha the Horse: Elide hijacks Chaol's terrifying horse to rescue a spine-injured Lorcan from a pile of corpses, leading to an emotional confession of love and toe-curling magic healing. • Aelin's Dark Phoenix Moment: Aelin proves she is the ultimate firebringer by vaporizing an entire 30-foot tidal wave into pure steam with her saved-up magic before taking a well-deserved three-day power nap. • Lysandra and Aedion Drama: We dissect the toxic plan to fake Aelin's pregnancy, Lysandra's heroic ghost leopard stand on the front lines, and why everybody in Terrasen currently sucks. • The Great Crochan Beacon Call to Arms: Red-cloaked Crochan witches dusting off ancient swords and mounting brooms across the continent like Paul Revere—easily one of SJM's finest cinematic moments. • Chaol's Baby Announcement: Chaol finds out Yrene is pregnant... directly from his terrible father over a very awkward chicken dinner. Closing/Call-to-Action: Did Lorcan win your heart back, or are you still holding a grudge? Is Dorian walking straight into his demise at Morath? Drop your hot takes in the comments below! Don't forget to like, subscribe on YouTube, and follow us on Goodreads and StoryGraph. Got book recommendations or want to defend Tamlin with Rick? Email us at romantasyroundtable@gmail.com! See you next week for chapters 68 through 99—and remember, do NOT read chapter 100 yet!

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Welcome to Romantasy Roundtable: A Tale of Rick and Roses! Join us for an engaging book club and read-along experience as we explore the enchanting world of romantasy, diving into captivating stories and unforgettable moments together! Hosted by Rick and his "roses," this podcast-style channel explores the most spellbinding books in the romantic fantasy genre. What You'll Find Here: Read-alongs of popular romantasy books. Thoughtful analysis of characters, plot twists, and those unforgettable spicy moments. A warm and inclusive space for book lovers to share their thoughts and join the conversation. Always lighthearted, fun, and a bit unhinged Join the Court! Become part of our growing community of romantasy enthusiasts. Share your favorite books, theories, and moments with fellow "rosebuds." New Episodes Grab a book and settle in for an adventure filled with magic and love. Don't forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode!

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