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A book convention can feel like the best day of your reading life or an expensive lesson you don’t want to repeat. We’re breaking down what we’ve learned from attending multiple romance book conventions and fantasy romance events, including what we wish we’d known before we ever stepped onto a crowded con floor with empty tote bags and big dreams.

We talk through how to research a con realistically (without getting fooled by stock-photo vibes), how ticket pricing and “ticketed authors” change the whole experience, and why buying early can be smarter than waiting for a perfect lineup. We also get into the practical travel stuff that makes or breaks your weekend: picking the right hotel, checking restaurant hours, planning for weather, and deciding whether staying onsite is worth the cost.

Then we go full tactical with book convention prep. We cover Baventi preorders for special editions, packing essentials like water, snacks, chargers, and a luggage scale for flying, plus our strong feelings about book carts and why swivel wheels matter. On the floor, we share etiquette and accessibility reminders, how to protect your social battery, and simple signing tricks like using Post-it notes for names and inscriptions. If buying every book isn’t in the budget, we also shout out creative alternatives for collecting signatures that still feel meaningful.

If you’re planning your first book con (or trying to level up your next one), hit play, take notes, and share this with a con buddy. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us on Instagram or TikTok @OfSwordsandSoulmates: what’s your number one must-have for a book convention?

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You ever pick up a fantasy romance because the premise is so simple it feels dangerous? A woman draws an old sword in pure desperation and a man appears, sworn to protect her because the blade says so. That’s Sword Heart by T. Kingfisher, and we go deep on why this setup is funny, tense, surprisingly tender, and way more thoughtful than it looks at first glance.

We start with bookish news and then shift into a real talk moment about AI allegations in publishing: why “AI detector” tools are unreliable, how accusations can snowball without proof, and why these situations can disproportionately impact authors of color. From there, we jump into our full Sword Heart review, including pacing, side-quest energy, and the moment the romance tension finally snaps. Not all of us agree on how the third act lands, which makes the discussion even better if you care about structure in fantasy romance.

Then we get into the stuff Kingfisher fans love: the Temple of the White Rat and its practical, justice-forward vibe, the deadpan side characters, gnolls with perfect comedic timing, and the way one cursed detail can sit in the corner like a tiny horror story. We also answer the questions you’re already asking: is it a kissing book, and does Sword Heart count as sentient object romance? We pull out definitions, argue the gray areas, and absolutely do not stay on the rails.

If you like fantasy romance podcasts, T. Kingfisher worldbuilding, and the kind of reader debate that ends with more questions than answers, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a friend who loves weird romance discourse, and leave us a review so more readers can find us.

Links from the News Segment and Show:

• New JR Ward book coming out April 2027
  • Throne of Frost and Flame, book 2 of the Kingdoms of the Compass series
  • See Episode 56 about the first book
  • Instagram Link
• Opal Reyne announced a new series January 2027
  • “In this new spicy series human women find themselves falling for dangerously tempting masked monsters in a city where humans and monsters are never supposed to mix…"
  • Instagram Link
• Cover reveal for Emily Wilde’s History of Dark Faerie
  • First one releases 01/19/27
  • Instagram Link
• AI allegations disproportionately affecting POC authors
  • Recently - H.M Wolfe (Daggermouth), Mia Ballard (Shy Girl), and Jerry Falade
  • Instagram Link

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A book convention can look like simple shopping from the outside, but once you’re on the floor it’s really a live map of what readers want right now. We’re back from Villains and Vixens 2026 in Orlando, Florida, and we’re breaking down what surprised us most: the heavy lean toward dark romance across categories, the pockets of monster romance and sentient object romance we practically stumbled into, and the way the event’s layout made discovery feel effortless instead of chaotic.

We talk logistics that matter if you’re planning your own trip to a romance book convention, especially an 18+ event. Think wide aisles that can handle book carts, fast registration, volunteers who ask about ADA accommodations without you prompting, and the confusing side of communication when updates live across Facebook, apps, and last-minute posts. We also unpack the schedule, the long lunch break, and why a two-day badge can save you from FOMO when some authors aren’t there both days.

You’ll also hear quick chats and spotlights from the con floor with creators like DJ Russo, B. Northwick, JD Netto, Kara Reynolds, KR Fryett, Lauren Sinatra, Jessica Lee, Jenny Hickman, and Kelsey Lee, plus our real-world buying lessons: limited stock goes fast, and the last stretch of the day can turn into surprise markdowns. If you like dark romance, fantasy romance, gothic horror, folklore horror, or monster romance, this recap is packed with leads for your TBR.

Subscribe for more fantasy and sci-fi with romance, share this with your favorite con buddy, and leave a review so more readers can find us. What’s the one genre alley you’d beeline for first?

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If you’ve ever finished a romantasy and realized you remember the sex scenes way more clearly than the plot, we’re right there with you. We’re Mari, Kelly, Ashley, and JP, and we’re back with a high-heat, high-chaos conversation about Architecti by Ruby Roe, a spicy sapphic fantasy romance set against contracts, demon favor, secret cults, and the threat of celestial war.

Before we dive into the book review, we hit the fantasy and sci-fi romance news that’s on our radar: John Wiswell’s The Dragon Has Some Complaints (a dragon rider story from the dragon’s POV), The Seven and the Swift cover reveal that closes out Daphne Perry’s Shield of Sparrows trilogy, and Sarah Beth Durst’s next book, Magical Cheese Emporium release. We also talk adaptations and hype, from the upcoming Hunger Games film centered on Haymitch to why prequels are tough to pull off when you already know who survives and how you still create real stakes. And yes, we unpack the murky Children of Blood and Bone movie situation and the questions it raises for readers.

Then it’s time for Architecti. The premise is delicious: Mercedes “Midnight” is a reaper in debt with one year left before hell collects, Lucy Corvine is the devil’s daughter locked into a contract she never agreed to, and their bargain could either free them or damn them. We talk about what we loved (more sapphic romantasy that isn’t just cozy, a surprisingly perfect ghost cat side character) and what didn’t work for us (plot gaps, confusing worldbuilding, time jumps that skip major scenes, and a romance arc that struggles to keep up with the spice). We close with our signature question: is this a kissing book?

Subscribe for more fantasy romance reviews, share this with your favorite romantasy reader, and if you enjoyed the conversation, please leave a rating and review so more listeners can find us.

Links from the News Segment and Show:

• New John Wiswell book out - The Dragon Has Some Complaints
  • A dragon rider book from the viewpoint of the dragon
  • Instagram Link
• Cover reveal for Seven and the Swift
  • Final book in the Shield of Sparrows trilogy by Devney Perry
  • Releasing March 09, 2027
  • Instagram Link

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Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, we’re heading back to 1986 for a rewatch of Labyrinth, the musical fantasy cult classic directed by Jim Henson and starring Jennifer Connelly and David Bowie. The movie didn’t dominate the box office at release, but its practical effects, puppetry, and fully textured worldbuilding helped it grow into the kind of comfort-watch that people return to for decades. We’re not all coming in with the same nostalgia, either, which makes the conversation way more fun.

Before we dive into goblins, we share quick fandom news: Villains and Vixens updates (including ticket timing, panels, merch, and those looming pre-order deadlines), plus a little ranty moment about matching editions and the newest Avatar hardcover box set announcement. Then we get into why Labyrinth still holds up, what feels dated, and what hits harder as an adult, especially the themes of consequences, forgiveness, and choosing who you want to be.

We also nerd out over behind-the-scenes details and filmmaking craft: the crystal ball juggling illusion, the amount of coordination required to puppeteer characters like Hoggle and Ludo, and why practical effects can age better than early CGI. And, because we’re us, we ask the big question: is Labyrinth a kissing movie, or are we just projecting fairy-tale vibes onto the Goblin King? We wrap with Labyrinth-inspired book recommendations across cozy fantasy, romantasy, and darker adult reads.

If you enjoyed the episode, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend who still quotes “You have no power over me” on a regular basis. What’s your take, kissing book or absolutely not?

Links from the News Segment and Show:

• Villains and Vixens updates
  • 2027 Dallas tickets go on sale 08/07/26 at 6pm CDT
    • Instagram Post
  • DJ Russo will be at Villains and Vixens 2026 now!
    • Instagram Post
• ACOTAR hardcovers boxes rereleasing to match the colored paperbacks
  • Instagram Post
• Jim Henson Collection in Atlanta
  • Center for Puppetry Arts website

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A queer quest, a derpy horse, a rolling pin raised like a sword, and one truly important question: is it gay to kiss your BFF while you’re wildly unqualified for monster hunting? We’re Mari, Kelly, Ashley, and Jonathan, and we pick up a stack of bookish headlines before diving into our Pride Month read, Bromantasy by Marie Roche, a cozy fantasy romantasy that had us laughing for real.

We talk about why representation in romance fiction matters, starting with Ruby Dixon sharing the personal story behind a heroine with scoliosis in her upcoming Villain Origin Story. From there we hit more new release buzz, con chatter around Monsterotica BookCon and Villains and Vixens, and the Hot Girls Read trademark fiasco that lit up bookish social media. It’s book community, fandom culture, and the business side of “booktok made me buy it,” all in one place.

Then we get to the main event: Bromantasy’s slapstick humor, self-aware tropes (yes, there was only one bed), and the surprisingly tender emotional core under Juniper and Mo’s chaos. We also cannot overstate how good the audiobook narrator is, and we end with our classic debate on whether this counts as a true kissing book.

Subscribe, share this with your favorite romantasy reader, and if you enjoy the show, leave a review so more people can find us.

Links from the News Segment and Show:

• Ruby Dixon’s upcoming book, Villain Origin Story
  • Instagram Link
  • Ruby Dixon posted about the heroine in the book having scoliosis and her own experience with it
  • Instagram Link
  • Coming out 02/02/27
• Raven Kennedy has a new duology, Played by the Piper, coming out
  • Based on the Pied Piper story
  • Instagram Link
• Heather Fawcett’s The encyclopedia of Faeries books 4 & 5
  • Instagram Link
• Monsterotica BookCon 2027 exhibitor applications are open through 07/22
  • Instagram Link
• Hot Girls trademark fiasco
  • Instagram Link
• Villains and Vixens panels announced
  • Instagram Link

Follow us:
Instagram - @ofswordsandsoulmates

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A romance book convention where people line up for tattoos before they line up for book signings sets a very specific tone, and Monster Erotica BookCon fully commits. We’re back from Baltimore with a field report from the Hyatt Regency Inner Harbor: how the con is structured, what the vibe feels like on the floor, and why this event has a reputation for being high energy without losing basic kindness and respect.

We’re joined by guest author CD Rachels to talk about what brought him to writing male male romance, especially the push to create queer romance as an Asian queer man who dates men. We dig into how he moved from contemporary romance into monster romance, why some series lean cozy and rom-com, and how he thinks about writing self contained happily ever afters that still connect inside a larger world. If you’ve been looking for new MM romance authors or softer monster rom-com reads that still hit emotional beats, you’ll get plenty of direction here.

Then we get into the real Monster Erotica BookCon experience: trinket trading like a mini renaissance fair, a Discord community that functions like mutual aid, monster romance trivia that turns strangers into teammates, and karaoke that somehow feels like the perfect finale. We also talk about what makes this con feel like a safe space for so many readers, including explicit consent culture like the lanyard system and the way people still ask before touching, even when the answer seems obvious.

If you love monster romance, indie romance authors, queer romance, or you’re curious about what a modern romance book con is actually like, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a weekend away, and leave us a review with the most unhinged con activity you’d try first.

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The Hurricane Wars sets expectations fast, and we had one immediate question: where are the hurricanes? We bring our full reading group energy to Thea Guanzon’s viral fantasy romance, digging into what worked, what dragged, and why a book can be beautifully written while still leaving you feeling like you hit pause halfway through the story.

Before we get to the main review, we run through bookish news we can’t stop thinking about: upcoming romance releases, cozy sci fi we’re excited to read, and the surprise announcement that sent us spiraling into Baldur’s Gate curiosity. We also unpack a New York Times conversation about massive fantasy age gaps and why so many readers find it appealing when the love interest “knows how to adult.”

Then we get into The Hurricane Wars review: the Raylo fanfiction roots, the dense worldbuilding, the light magic versus shadow magic setup, and the kind of true enemies-to-lovers tension that’s rare when a story commits to making the characters actual enemies. We debate pacing, trope overload, and the uncomfortable edge where “redemption romance” can start to resemble a colonizer love story if the narrative doesn’t do the moral work. We also talk about whether the audiobook format makes the poetic prose easier to sink into, and who we’d still recommend this to even if it wasn’t a slam dunk for everyone at our table.

If you’ve read it, we want your take: did the slow build pay off, or did you bounce? Subscribe for more romance book reviews, share this with your favorite romantasy reader, and leave a rating or review so more listeners can find us.

Links from the News Segment and Show:

• Sara Raasch’s Royals and Romance book 3 has been announced: Joyfully Ever After releases March 2027
  • Instagram Link
• Becky Chambers new novel As You Wake, Break the Shell releases October 2026
  • Sapphic sci fi love story
  • Facebook Link
• T Kingfisher has written a Baldur’s Gate novel called Astarion
  • Releases late Sept. 2026
  • Instagram Link
• New York Times article about the allure of multi hundred-year-old age gap
  • “A 481-Year Age Difference? For Some Readers, That's Hot.
  • Instagram Link
  • NY Times Link

Follow us:
Instagram - @ofswordsandsoulmates

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Fable BookClub - https://fable.co/club/of-swords-and-soulmates-with-mari-391738504099