Romantasy Roundtable: Fantasy Romance Reviews

Episode Title: Queen of Shadows – Chapters 1–27 (The Rescue, the Reunion, and the Ruins of Aelin's Patience)

Description:

The Romantasy Roundtable is back, and Amanda is reporting live through the fog of a 17-hour flight and a 10-day trip to South Africa with 27 teenagers! The crew is breaking down the chaotic first third of Queen of Shadows, and we’re officially in the "everyone is playing 10D chess" era. We discuss Aelin’s return to Rift Hold, her tense game of cat-and-mouse with the toxic king of assassins, Arobynn Hamel, and her surprisingly bitter r...

Episode Title: Heir of Fire – Chapters 45–End (The Rebirth of a Queen and the End of Our Hearts)

Description:

The Romantasy Roundtable has reached the absolute fever dream that is the end of Heir of Fire, and we are collectively unwell. Amanda, Kim, and Rick break down the literal and figurative fire of these final chapters. We’ve got Aelin Ashryver Galathynius finally taking her own hand in the darkness, Rowan Whitethorn pledging an eternal blood oath, and Dorian Havilliard entering his Villain Origin Story after the most traumatic decapitation in Glass Castle...

Episode Title: Heir of Fire – Chapters 24–44 (The Spider Silk Heist and the Refrigerator’s Reality Check)

Description:

The Romantasy Roundtable is officially viral! While Rick celebrates 68k views on TikTok, Amanda and Kim are busy processing the absolute emotional wreckage of Heir of Fire chapters 24–44. We’re headed back to the Glass Castle to watch Dorian overhear some life-altering secrets in Elena's Tomb (hello, villain origin story?), while Chaol and Aedion play a dangerous game of "who can hide the most Wyrdkey intel."

Over in Wendlyn, Rowan and Selena...

Episode Title: Heir of Fire – Chapters 1–23 (The Hawk, the Witch, and the Scrappy Wyvern!)

Description: The Romantasy Roundtable is back and things are getting frosty—literally. Amanda, Kim, and Rick dive into the first third of Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas, where our favorite assassin is currently rotting away in Wendlyn on a diet of oniony flatbread and pure depression. We meet the ultimate "grumpy refrigerator," Rowan Whitethorn, and finally get introduced to the bloodthirsty Manon Blackbeak. Back in Adarlan, Chaol is panicking over the arrival of the "General of the North," Aedion...

Episode Title: Crown of Midnight Chapters 30 to End (The Head-Dropping, Portal-Hopping, Aelin-Revealing Grand Finale!)

Description:

The Romanty Roundtable is officially losing its collective mind. Amanda, Kim, and Rick have reached the explosive conclusion of Crown of Midnight, and let’s just say Sarah J. Maas didn't just break the glass—she shattered the whole damn castle. From the devastating fallout of Nehemia’s death to the most iconic head-on-a-desk moment in literary history, the crew breaks down the Feral Assassin arc in all its bloody glory. We’re talking Dorian’s divine power-up m...

Special ARC Review – The Snow Queen's Heir (Shark Repellent, Snowstorms & DNF Debates)

The Romantasy Roundtable is braving a historic, two-foot Northeast blizzard (we blame you, Queen Lumi) to bring you a very special bonus episode! We are incredibly honored to review our first-ever ARC (Advanced Reader Copy): The Snow Queen's Heir by Keilah Jude. The crew discusses Noel and Lumi's quest for a magical, resurrection-granting necklace, the transition into the Naturei realm, and the inevitable deadly trials.

But the table is divided! Amanda explains why she handed out a DN...

Description: The Romantasy Roundtable is back and diving into the second book of the Throne of Glass series: Crown of Midnight! Rick, Amanda, and Kim unpack the first 29 chapters, where Celaena Sardothien is officially acting as the King's Champion, or at least, she’s pretending to.

We discuss Celaena’s secret plot to fake the deaths of her targets, the return of her old flame Archer Finn, and her desperate attempt to keep her friends safe from the King’s wrath. Meanwhile, Chaol (yes, Amanda is still pronouncing it "Kay-Oal") is struggling with his feelin...

Episode Title: Throne of Glass – Chapters 27–End (Demon Worms, Wookie Holidays & The Hard Kosher Salami)

Description: The Romantasy Roundtable has expanded! Rick, Amanda, and Kim are joined by a very special guest: Julia (CEO and Founder of Brainwell), to help us survive the chaos of the final chapters of Throne of Glass.

We break down Celaena’s hallucinogenic duel with Cain, the justice for Kaltain (who is officially a tragic figure), and the Dorian vs. Chaol debate that is tearing the group apart. But honestly? This episode is 40% plot and 60...

Episode Title: Throne of Glass – Chapters 1–26 (Chaol vs. Kale, The Glass Castle & Total Dog Book Energy)

Description: The Romantasy Roundtable is down a rose (sending healing vibes to Bartholomew the Cat!), but Rick and Amanda are forging ahead into the salt mines of Endovier. We are officially kicking off Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas! Amanda—fresh off the trauma of The Assassin’s Blade—is ready to meet Celaena Sardothien, the charming Prince Dorian, and the Captain of the Guard whose name we absolutely cannot pronounce: Chaol Westfall.

We break...

Episode Title: The Assassin’s Blade – Part 2 (Sewer Romances, Toxic Assassin Daddies & RIP, you deserved better)

Description: The Romantasy Roundtable is back to finish the prequel, and we are emotionally compromised. Amanda, Kim, and Rick tackle the final two novellas of The Assassin’s Blade: The Assassin and the Underworld and The Assassin and the Empire. We witness the rise and tragic fall of a dear friend, discuss why Arobynn Hamel is the ultimate gaslighting "Assassin Daddy," and question Celaena Sardothien’s decision-making skills.

But before the heartbreak, we have imp...

Episode Title: The Assassin’s Blade – Novellas 1-3 (Sam Cortland, Skull’s Bay & an inner hip)

Description: The Romantasy Roundtable officially enters the Throne of Glass era! We are kicking off our journey into the Maasverse not with the first book, but with the prequel: The Assassin’s Blade by Sarah J. Maas. Amanda (the newbie), Kim (the veteran), and Rick (the obsessed) break down the first three novellas: The Assassin and the Pirate Lord, The Assassin and the Healer, and The Assassin and the Desert.

We discuss Celaena Sardothi...

Episode Title: A Court of Silver Flames – Full Book Breakdown (Soup, Stairs & The Trifecta of Chachkis!)

Description: The Romanty Roundtable is back for 2026, and we have officially achieved the Concussion Trifecta! Amanda, Kim, and Rick are diving headfirst into the House of Wind to tackle the behemoth that is A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas. We’re breaking down Nesta Archeron’s journey from self-destructive "woman about town" to Valkyrie warrior, dissecting the pregnancy trope that absolutely divided the table, and obsessing over Cassian, the ultimate German Shepherd boyfriend. Expect debates on whe...

Episode Title: A Court of Frost and Starlight – Full Book Review (The Hallmark Holiday Special!)

Description: The Romantasy Roundtable is back to unwrap the gift that is A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas! Amanda, Kim, and Rick sit down to roast—we mean review—the bridge novella that sits between the main trilogy and the Nesta-verse. It’s the Winter Solstice in Velaris, which means less war and more shopping, decorating, and primal urges. The crew breaks down the "low stakes, high vibes" energy, Rhysand's questionable gift-giving budget, and why Nesta is...

Episode Title: The First Annual Soupy Awards + Ultimate Tier Ranking (Drunk Edition!)

Description: The Romantasy Roundtable crew is signing off for the year, and we are absolutely feral. Rick, Amanda, and Kim are fueled by "Fairy Wine" (Hugos) and aggressive chip-eating ASMR to bring you our massive Year-End Review. We aren't just giving out stars; we’ve invented a chaotic new Tier List ranging from "My House, My Chair, My Woman" (S-Tier) to "Should Have Been a DNF" (F-Tier).

Expect unhinged debates about lesbians in space, a re-evaluation of ev...

Episode Title: Brimstone – Chapters 40–End (The "Onyx Lives" Meltdown Edition)

Description: The Romantasy Roundtable has survived the emotional apocalypse of Brimstone by Callie Hart! Amanda, Kim, and Rick are emotionally compromised but ready to break down the explosive finale (Chapters 40–52). We dive into the chaos of Saeris becoming a world-breaking resurrectionist, the long-awaited reveal of Kingfisher’s True Name (goodbye, bird metaphors!), and Rick’s sudden, bagel-fueled embrace of his Jewish heritage.

Expect screaming about Onyx the Quicksilver Fox, debates on whether Arisian the Dragon is actually just a big puppy...

Episode Title: Brimstone – Chapters 26–39 (Red Wedding Vibes & The Three-Minute Soup)

Description: The Romantasy Roundtable returns with a "Tale of Rick and Roses" (where the girls are apparently just hair clips?). Amanda, Kim, and Rick break down Chapters 26–39 of Brimstone, and frankly, we are not okay. We go from Saeris going full Magneto with twin god swords to Tal interrupting his own orgy to deliver plot points. We finally confirm that Carrion Swift is the undisputed Pansexual King, realize the Stargazer birds were the book the whole time (Rick loves when a bird is a book...

Episode Title: Brimstone – Chapters 13–25

Description: Buckle up, besties — Brimstone drops the brakes in this middle section, and Amanda, Kim, and Rick are simply feral about it. Ambushes, demon scorpions named Josh (yes, really), dream-soup shenanigans, a vampire-wolf named Foley (sorry, still not scary), and an eldritch spaghetti monster who maybe wants a favor and maybe wants your soul…? The Romantasy Roundtable chews through chaos, court politics, and enough editing errors to power a drinking game.

Highlights include:

A Million %$#@ Scorpions Named Josh: The most un-intimidating demon name in history; the nightmare fuel itself is very...

Episode Title: Brimstone – Chapters 1–12 (Accidental Dosing & The Buddy Comedy Era)

Description: The Romantasy Roundtable has officially entered the Brimstone era! Amanda, Kim, and Rick (who is absolutely lying about how much of the book he’s read) dive headfirst into the first 12 chapters of Callie Hart’s sequel to Quicksilver. The crew breaks down Saeris’s transition into her Vampire Queen villain era—complete with a feral coronation, a lethal sheer dress, and an accidental venom-dosing incident that leaves Kingfisher high as a kite and slicing lords in half.

We dissect t...

Episode Title: Quicksilver – Chapters 29–End (The "Good Soup" Finale)

Description: The Romantasy Roundtable reaches the feral conclusion of Quicksilver by Callie Hart! Amanda, Kim, and Rick break down chapters 29 through the end, where the good soup is plentiful, the Shadow Daddy angst is at an all-time high, and Carrion Swift officially steals the show (and a potted plant).

The crew debates whether Kingfisher beats the Tamlin allegations during the war camp separation, screams about the iconic "seven gods" line, and processes Saeris’s chaotic transformation into a hybrid vampire queen...

Episode Title: Quicksilver – Chapters 15–28

Description: In Part 2 of Quicksilver, Amanda, Kim, and Rick descend gleefully into the chaos: shadow gates, tavern brawls, dinner-table politics, feral makeouts, 50,000 vampires, ancient swords that explode like confetti, and one fox familiar who is so over everyone’s emotional trauma. The trio debates coercion, consent, Beauty-and-the-Beast tropes, mating-bond tattoos, and why Fischer keeps running away like he’s late for a different book. Also: Carrion Swift continues to be the bisexual menace of our hearts.

Highlights include:

 • Area Codes, Bros: The pod opens unhinged and remains unh...

Episode Title: Quicksilver — Chapters 1–14

Description: The Roundtable dives headfirst into the desert dust, frostbitten fae courts, molten magic, and very questionable “danger kissing” as we begin Quicksilver by Callie Hart. Amanda enters blind, Rick and Kim enter feral, and by chapter fourteen we have foxes, shadow smoke, blood oaths, and enough teeth-baring to make SJM file a copyright claim.

Highlights include:

• The Willow Tree Incident, Part II:

Amanda retells how her engagement photos turned into an impromptu From Blood and Ash soup-scene confession. The photographer now knows more ab...

Episode Title: Mate, Murder, Minestrone – Game Night Special

Description: Recording-marathon brain has fully set in, so Amanda, Kim, and Rick take a break from plot to play Mate, Murder, Minestrone—their extremely on-brand, soupified take on f**k, marry, kill. From Poppy slander and dragon riders to cursed fantasy names and the eternal menace of “honeydew,” the Romanty Roundtable turns every trope, quote, and side character into chaotic relationship choices. Nothing is safe, not even the soup.

Highlights include:

Episode Title: Mate – Chapters 27–End

Description: The Mate finale delivers chaos, cults, and enough soup to feed the entire Northwest Pack. Rick, Amanda, and Kim close out Ali Hazelwood’s werewolf fever dream with deep literary insight (and deeper regret) as they unpack the Jewish werewolf conspiracy, inflatable anatomy, and one of the wildest epilogues in Romantasy history.

Highlights include:

 • Bagels & Bar Mitzvahs: Rick celebrates Jewish werewolves with a New Jersey bagel and avocado, sparking the immortal question—are were-butterflies next?

 • Cult Family Reunion: Serena gets kidnapped, meets her manipulati...

Episode Title: Mate – Chapters 13–26

Description: The Romanty Roundtable returns to the Pacific Northwest for part two of Ali Hazelwood’s Mate, where cults form, vows break, and everyone’s constantly shirtless. Amanda, Kim, and Rick tackle the middle stretch of the book—half domestic fluff, half hormonal apocalypse—as Cohen’s celibacy pact collides with Serena’s fast-approaching heat. Between werewolf theology, “good girl” debates, and the debut of The Howler App™, the trio agrees: there’s still no plot, but they’re having an amazing time.

Highlights include:

Episode Title: Mate – Chapters 1–12 (Werewolf Bar Mitzvah Edition!) ???? Description: The Romanty Roundtableis back and absolutely unhinged, diving into the Omegaverse with Mate by Ali Hazelwood, the companion novel to Bride! Amanda, Kim, and Rick break down the first 12 chapters, introducing the hunted Human-Were hybrid Serena Paris and the formidable Alpha Koen Alexander. The crew discusses Serena's mysterious hybrid illness, the undeniable mate bond vs. Koen's infamous Celibacy Covenant, and the confusing science of werewolf biology. Expect an accidental giveaway announcement, debates on why Millennials love email, and a deep dive into the canonical Judaism of the Northwest Pack.

Key...

Episode Title: A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire – Chapters 36–End (Finale!)

Description: The Romanty Roundtable has survived the third-quarter slump and is finally done with A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire! Amanda, Kim, and Rick close the book on Poppy and Casteel's chaotic journey, covering the final, explosive chapters (36 through 45). They discuss the long-awaited wedding, a sudden battle, a heartbreaking betrayal, and a shocking divine power-up in the final minutes. The crew gives their definitive final ratings, debates the concept of "soul eating," and celebrates the fact that the two best parts of the book were, unfortunately, the...

Episode Title: A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire – Chapters 24–35

Description: The Romantasy Roundtable returns, barely surviving the third-quarter slump of Jennifer L. Armentrout’s A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire. Amanda, Kim, and Rick tackle bacon jokes from 2013, the world’s slowest “joining” talk, soup in the soup, and an alarming number of thumb references. Somewhere between hot springs foreplay and military strategy, our trio wonders if anything in this book actually happens—or if we’re all just second-screening it at this point.

Highlights include:

The Joining Threesome That Wasn’t: Poppy, Castile, and Kiera...

Episode Title: A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire – Chapters 13–23

Description: The Romanty Roundtable continues the chaos with Jennifer L. Armentrout’s A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire, covering chapters 13–23. Amanda, Kim, and Rick unpack Atlantean lore dumps, blood-soaked battles, pantry makeouts, and a very questionable use of the word “honeydew.” From cave cats and silver hawks to Dead Bones cannibals and heartmate drama, this section of the book gives us everything from messy soup scenes to Hot Topic-level life mottos.

Key Topics Discussed:

Library Laps & Lightning Teases – Poppy learns about empath warriors while being forcibly...

Description: The Romanty Roundtable is BACK with Jennifer L. Armentrout’s A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire, and Poppy wastes no time reminding us why she’s the queen of chaotic inner monologues. Amanda, Kim, and Rick dive into the opening 12 chapters, covering bloody banquets, lore dumps, tree bears, and lap-sitting that nobody actually asked for. Expect unhinged notes, vampire math equations, and the revelation that Castile’s full name is somehow worse than we imagined.

Key Topics Discussed:

???? Episode Title: Enchantra – Chapters 36–End

???? Description: The Romanty Roundtable closes out Kaylie Smith’s Enchantra with a finale full of bargains, betrayals, memory wipes, and one very stubborn fox. Amanda, Kim, and Rick unpack the final chapters as Genevieve and Rowan descend into hell, face Knox’s manipulations, and fight through the last deadly round of the Hunt. Expect shadow soup, soul lock drama, and an ending that had us equal parts swooning and side-eyeing.

???? Key Topics Discussed:

Episode Title: Enchantra – Chapters 17–35

Description: The Romanty Roundtable dives back into Kaylie Smith’s Enchantra, covering chapters 17–35—aka the absolute chaos portion of the book. Amanda, Kim, and Rick wade through deadly hunts, shadow soup, fox games, piranha attacks, and family rituals that make Thanksgiving dinner look tame. Expect labyrinth chills, Umbra adoration, and some of the spiciest shadow play we’ve read yet.

Key Topics Discussed:

Episode Title: Enchantra – Chapters 1–17

Description: We’re back with a brand-new series! The Romantasy Roundtable crew embarks on a new gothic romantasy journey with the highly anticipated sequel to Fantasma, Enchantra by Kylie Smith. Amanda, Kim, and Rick discuss the book's first 17 chapters, following Ophelia's sister, Genevieve Grim, as she enters a whole new world of paranormal chaos. From a mysterious new love interest and a deadly scavenger hunt to ancient curses and a whole lot of questions about who is who, the crew breaks down the introduction to the Enchantra world and Genevieve’s new role in the h...

Episode Title: The Knight and the Moth – Chapters 15–End

Description: The Romanty Roundtable returns to the haunted moors of Traum for the final stretch of The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig—and what a wild ride it is. Amanda, Kim, and Rick dissect the closing chapters of this gothic romantasy, from sprite showdowns and knightly confessions to shocking betrayals and a gargoyle reveal that had us all yelling. Expect boss-battle energy, found-family feels, and exactly one can of soup (complimentary).

Key Topics Discussed:

Episode Title: The Knight and the Moth – Chapters 1–14

Description: The Romanty Roundtable embarks on a brand-new gothic romantasy journey with The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig. Amanda, Kim, and Rick unpack the first 14 chapters of this moody, magical tale set in the haunted moors of Traum. From cathedral drownings and cryptic prophecies to knife-to-throat banter and suspiciously hot knights, the crew dissects the eerie worldbuilding, ominous omens, and slow-burn tension between our divine dreamer and the heretical knight who doesn’t believe a word she says. Expect moth metaphors, theological debates, and just enough book boy thirst...

Episode Title: Phantasma – Chapters 35–End

Description: The Devil’s Manor saga comes to a blood-soaked, betrayal-packed close—and the Romanty Roundtable is here to scream about it. Amanda, Kim, and Rick finish Phantasma by Kaylie Smith with a finale episode full of spicy phantom angst, crown conspiracies, and emotionally devastating sister drama. As Ophelia faces the final trials, confronts her dark past, and makes her last soup-laced choices, the crew dives into the book’s big reveals, lore dumps, and unhinged epilogues. Did it stick the landing? Were we emotionally okay afterward? No and also no. But we had fun...

Episode Title: Phantasma – Chapters 18–34

Description: Things heat up—and bleed—on the latest episode of Romanty Roundtable. Amanda, Kim, and Rick dive into chapters 18 through 34 of Phantasma by Kaylie Smith, tackling phantom thirst traps, demon drama, and the existential horrors of the gluttony level (whatever that was). With blood rain, teleportation sex, and soul-deep OCD metaphors, the gang breaks down Oilia’s increasingly high-stakes trials inside Devil’s Manor and her spiraling bond with our favorite ghostly himbo, Blackwell. Plus: soup theories, devil politics, Sims achievements, and a bourbon-fueled educational tangent you didn’t know you needed.

Key Topics Di...

Episode Title: Phantasma – Chapters 1–17

Description: The Romanty Roundtable trio kicks off Fantasma by Kaylie Smith with their signature blend of literary insight and chaotic charm. In this episode, Amanda, Kim, and Rick unpack the first 17 chapters of this gothic romantasy adventure set in a haunted New Orleans. From phantom flirtations and necromantic rituals to soup dreams and ghost cats, the team breaks down the eerie vibes, complex magic system, and early trials of the Devil’s Manor competition—all while making wildly accurate predictions, literary deep dives, and a surprising number of Danny Phantom references.

Episode Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses – Rapid Fire Recap

Description: The Romanty Roundtable kicks off their SJM journey with a chaotic, unfiltered rapid-fire recap of A Court of Thorns and Roses. We’re diving headfirst into the book that started it all—spring court, sexy fae, and Tamlin slander included. From rants about riddle logic to a heated debate about Rhys’s early behavior, Rick, Amanda, and Kim pull no punches as they tear through plot points, throw shade, and confess unpopular opinions. It’s feral, it’s unhinged, it’s ACOTAR—Romanty style.

Key Topics Discuss...

Episode Title: Bride – Chapters 21–End

Description: The Romanty Roundtable sinks its fangs into the final chapters of Bride by Ali Hazelwood—complete with blood bag cocktails, Cheez-It ASMR, and a full breakdown of werewolf anatomy (you’ve been warned). As the book wraps up its steamy werewolf-vampire politics, the crew reflects on everything from consent and hybrid identity to disappointing twists and anatomically confusing soup. With equal parts chaos and critique, Rick, Amanda, and Kim bring laughs, hot takes, and heartfelt reviews in this finale.

Key Topics Discussed:

Consent in the Soup — The group appreciat...

Episode Title: Bride – Chapters 11–20

Description: The Romanty Roundtable continues their journey through Bride by Ali Hazelwood, covering chapters 11–20 with spirited discussion, deepening character insights, and steamy werewolf-vampire dynamics. From big Jewish weddings to bouncy castle party planning, the team brings humor and heart as they dive into evolving relationships, complex world-building, and juicy plot twists—including a surprise poisoning! The soup (read: sexual tension) is definitely simmering.

Key Topics Discussed: