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), and survive a literal Red Wedding ending where everyone vomits black blood. Plus, we debate whether Lights Out is a rom-com or a "dom-com," Rick declares his hatred for "Balls" (the dancing kind), and Amanda gives a masterclass on Vancouver soccer.

Key Topics Discussed:

Magneto Era: Saeris splits Solace into twin swords, decapitates guards, and proves she is the Captain now. Fischer just stands back and admires the violence.

The Soup is Real: No more dreams. We get the Fisher Reunion (described as a "gymnastics trial") and the infamous "Three Minutes" scene against a mirror while Tal waits outside.

The Pansexual King: Carrion delivers the iconic "The thing about leaning" speech, confirming he likes the wine, not the label. We stan.

Foley is John Cena: The depressed vampire wolf cleans up nice! He enters the Even Light Ball like a WWE surprise entrant to be the 6th petitioner.

The Red Wedding: Just when we thought Tal was serving looks, he serves poison to the entire court (and himself). The "Scion of No One" moment left us screaming.

Archer Watch: We almost lost our favorite Fire Sprite/Dobby, and Rick was ready to riot. He is alive, one inch taller, and dancing.

Closing: Join us for the emotional damage, the soccer tangents, and the realization that Hayden is an entitled brat. Chapters 40–End are next—finish the book, bring your tissues, and prepare for the ACOTAR Christmas Special!

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 real.

Fisher Throws Carrion Out a Window: Buddy-cop energy at its finest — including “Did something hit me?” / “Yeah, I punched you.”

Library Boom-Pow: Saeris casually detonates a 20-foot hole in a wall and gets banned after dark like a magical middle-schooler.

Dream Soup Supreme: Shirtless, panicked Fisher; mate-bond chaos; Onyx cameos; bite-healing; emotional dump fest. The people were FED.

Foley the Vampire Sad Boy: Former wolf, current recluse, future reluctant mentor. Also unfortunately named after a catheter.

Carrion Swift, Pansexual King: “I prefer my women and my men prettier than you.” The people’s prince has spoken.

Cleansing Day Massacre: Fisher goes full righteous fury at reproductive oppression — shadow knives for everyone.

The Secret Forge Vault: 1,223 stairs, dangerous quicksilver storage, and Elroy hitting Fischer with a fire iron. Art.

Plus: Hanksgiving, tote-bag economics, Jets slander, Rick’s moral alignment chart (Tal: good/bad/good/bad), and RIP to the brave little paper bird.

Next up: Chapters 26–39 — stop at Chapter 40. Let the chaos continue.

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 the terrifying new "Super Feeders" that drain magic, the "Elroy" publishing error that gaslit the entire podcast, and the start of the ultimate Buddy Comedy: Kingfisher and Carrion Swift going on a road trip. Expect deep dives into shadow wing symbolism, justice for Onyx (the fox who crossed the Andes!), and Sage the ChatGPT’s unhinged prophecies about "children of shadow and soup."

Key Topics Discussed:

The Hall of Tears Coronation: Saeris claims her throne by biting Kingfisher in front of the Lords of Midnight, accidentally turning the blood rite into a euphoric aphrodisiac scene. Oops.

Good Soup Alert (Chapter 7): We analyze the spicy reunion where Fisher confesses he wants to marry her (but can't because he has no true name) and unleashes his shadow wings in the bedroom.

The Super Feeders: A new horror has arrived across the river—magic-draining zombies connected to a rotting tree. Callie Hart loves to traumatize Danya, and we discuss why.

The Buddy Comedy: The gang splits up! Saeris stays to forge, while Kingfisher and Carrion (carrying the entire comedic weight of the series) head to the Silver City.

Rick vs. The Truth: We investigate the allegations that Rick has already finished the book despite claiming he stopped at Chapter 12. (Spoiler: He’s definitely lying).

Join us for the rot, the romance, and the rumors. Chapters 13–25 are next—bring your relics and your holiday rom-coms because things are getting dark!

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. We also unpack the ballad of Ajun gate, the truth about the coin toss, and why Rick is officially the president of the Carrion Swift Fan Club. Expect unhinged theories, Sage the ChatGPT’s dramatic predictions, and a lot of feelings about a sword named Simon.

Key Topics Discussed:

The Seven Gods of Soup: We dissect that line in Chapter 37. It’s the spiciest scene yet, complete with mating bond realizations, shadow-gate booty calls, and Fisher finally admitting his feelings (sort of).

Carrion's Era: Rick’s favorite character gets an emotional support plant, a quicksilver sword named Simon that loves dirty jokes, and proves he’s the ultimate ride-or-die by poisoning Malcolm.

The Coin Toss & The Triad: We finally learn Fisher's secret shame regarding Gillith, reveal the connection between Malcolm, Belikon, and Madra, and watch Saeris pull a fast one with a demon’s throat coin.

Hybrid Queen: The cliffhanger to end them all! Saeris dies (again), meets Zaerith the God of Chaos, and wakes up as a new hybrid species and the rightful Vampire Queen of the wrong side of the river.

Join us as we try to recover from that cliffhanger. Next up: We’re diving straight into Brimstone (Chapters 1–12)—bring your umbrellas because the forecast calls for more angst and probably more soup.

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 unhinged. Waffles, Bookstagram, and unsolicited mic techniques abound.

• Bill the Horse & Ada the Hellbitch: Peak Romantasy animal-branding; Barbie logistics immediately derail the plot.

• Shadow Gates & Red Flags: Fischer yeets Saeris through magical portals using the blood oath—no one likes it.

• Relic Factory Hell: Fifteen thousand silver rings hit the table; Saeris realizes she accidentally signed up for eternal magical overtime.

• Sprites, Swords & Soup: Archer the fire sprite judges them lovingly; Nimro the sword gets sentience; someone always vomits.

• Carrion Swift Reunion Tour: Moss hand jobs from water sprites, cake vs. “quiche,” chaos-goblin advice in the forge, and the ongoing campaign to make “Swifty” merch canon.

• Dinner Table Hostility: Beauty-and-the-Beast vibes, forbidden seating charts, and recurring “why are you sitting THERE?” drama.

• Vampire Daddy Arrives: Malcolm strolls in like a runway villain and implies Fischer’s a traitor and chaos ensues.

• The Shadow Sex Scene: Reality breaks. Tattoos migrate. A bird ends up on a boob. Onyx gets snack privileges.

• Cottagecore Interlude: Ballard village, stew, dryads, nymphs, and Wendy the Jewish-fa-grandma interrogating their relationship.

Plus: Moss hand jobs, kingfisher ornithology with Mark’s Memo™, mating-bond theories, Carrion being everyone’s guy, and a whole ethics seminar about fae choking.

Next up: Chapters 29–End — finish Quicksilver ASAP because Brimstone is almost out and Rick is vibrating.

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 about vampire sex under trees than she ever asked for.

• The New Hotness Era:

The pod is chasing Brimstone’s release, mimosas are flowing, and the Night & the Moth episode view counts go head-to-head with Enchantra. Democracy wins, but chaos reigns.

• Saris “Book Girly” Fain:

We meet our desert thief heroine, who immediately breaks into a fantasy REI store for a golden gauntlet she absolutely should not steal. She melts metal, scales walls, stabs guardians, and survives being shish-kabobbed by the queen’s hit squad. Elite behavior.

• Queen Madra, Immortal Menace:

She’s beautiful, she’s unhinged, and she casually threatens genocide five minutes into meeting Saris. The vibes are “evil fae dictator meets Renaissance Faire bridezilla.”

• Death Himself Arrives:

A sword is pulled from a floor. A quicksilver pool erupts. A shirtless, furious, metallic shadow creature rises like a romance-novel Dwayne Johnson. The pod unanimously agrees: Death is hot.

• Welcome to Yvelia:

Saris wakes up in a winter wonderland full of beautiful fae, political trauma, an oracle who is definitely faking visions for fun, and a librarian who is essentially Jewish Grandpa Fae.

• Kingfisher, Our Grumpy Shadow Daddy:

He’s 1,733 years old, bitter, blood-stained, and allergic to shirts. He calls Saris a butterfly that dies in one day, which is both rude and scientifically confusing. The name Kingfisher remains universally hated.

• Sexual Tension Level: Hard Cheese:

The infamous “Swallow” moment arrives. Saris nearly dies on cheese because she’s too flustered to function. Everlane barges in demanding to know why the room smells like a brothel. The pod screams.

• The Fox Named Onyx:

He latches onto Saris. Kingfisher threatens to make him a hat. Rick takes offense. Amanda calls him a “hell b****.” Honestly perfect.

• The Kiss That Was Way Too Soon:

Saris straddles Kingfisher in the forge in a moment that is equal parts trauma response, quicksilver magic, and poor judgment. Kim reminds everyone that danger-f***ing is not healthy behavior.

• The Blood Oath Disaster:

Saris tries to flee through the Silver Sea, but Kingfisher catches her, tackles her, and drops the bomb that she stole his fakerelic. He bargains for her cooperation, nearly dies retrieving her “brother,” and shows up with… Kherion Swift, Rick’s problematic fave and smuggler-boy Lando/Han Solo hybrid.

• The Fine Print:

Saris accidentally vows to help Kingfisher “in any way he asks,” which is how she ends up on a horse in the snow with a fox, an unconscious smuggler, and a fae man who thinks threats count as flirting.

Recurring Themes:

• Shadow Daddy Energy Level: Very High
• Teeth-Baring Moments: Too Many
• Trauma Responses Mistaken for Romance: Ongoing
• Kherion Swift Hype: Rick Only
• Pronunciation Guide Rage: Amanda Only
• Snow vs Desert Worldbuilding: Actually Excellent
• American Girl Doll Silver Eye Discourse: Surprisingly Important

Predictions (Amanda-Only Zone):

Saris is definitely an alchemist, maybe part fae, definitely part chaos. Kingfisher is obviously the love interest unless this book tries to do a Tamlin Switcheroo. Kherion will cause trouble. Hayden’s identity is questionable. And something very wrong is going on with those quicksilver pathways.

What Else We’re Reading:

Rick just finished Mistborn (“objectively good, not fun”).

Amanda is emotionally destroyed by Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Atmosphere.

Kim is finishing Crest City after a Quaker-travel-induced reading drought.

CTA:

Tell us your thoughts on Chapters 1–14. Are you Team Shadow Daddy, Team Smuggler Boy, or Team Fox? Email romantasyroundtablegmail.com, drop a comment on BookTok, or send us your favorite cursed fae nicknames.

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:

• Poppy Must Perish: Violet, Feyre, and Poppy face judgment, and Poppy does not make it out of this round alive.
• One Bed, One Chair, One Horse: Kim negotiates her favorite soup scenes while also refusing to harm a single fictional pony.
• Dragon Rider vs. Devil Prince: Rick builds his dream afterlife: lifelong dragon-riding, occasional devil-prince situationship.
• Hawkthrone, Kingfisher, Rowington: The panel debates which cursed YA name sounds the most like a lacrosse-playing finance bro.
• Heartmates, Honeydew, The Joining: The holy trinity of invented romance words goes under the knife (sorry, honeydew).
• Traitor Boys & Baby Predators: Jack Barlow, Benji, and Alastair get their own hate-f**k vs. yeet-off-a-cliff segment.
• Violence, Feyre Darling, Trouble, Angel, Killer: What if every nickname screams “red flag” in a different font?
• Quote Chaos Finale: “My house, my chair, my woman,” “the f**k-aware,” and “you’re really a violent little thing, aren’t you?” battle for top soup line.

Plus: Wine vs. cappuccino vs. tiny Trader Joe’s OJ, Henry VIII wife lore, “Jewish werewolf lumberjack” as a type, and Tristan’s brief refusal to participate in our nonsense.

Next up: Back to our regular readalong—check the next episode title for which book and chapters we’re diving into next.

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 manipulative Aunt Irene, and learns her mom was in a supernatural MLM. The vibes are Waco with a side of therapy.

• Love, Duty, and Pancakes: Cohen’s tragic celibacy vow finally crumbles, proving that even alphas can’t fight destiny—or the call of breakfast foods.

• The Heat Saga: Three full chapters of… soup. There’s fruit, water breaks, werewolf anatomy lessons, and one line so horrifying it scarred the entire pod (“This is where my come goes”).

• Puppy Power Finale: Serena turns into a tiny wolf, takes a bullet for Cohen, and lives to bark about it. True love bites—literally.

• Post-Battle Banter: Misery and Serena’s hospital reunion includes frog therapy, toenail trimming, and the line “you’ve been deaunted.” Friendship goals achieved.

• Happily Ever After (and Bitten): The celibacy covenant gets yeeted, Cohen gets bitten first (finally), and the pod celebrates a satisfying if soup-soaked ending.

Mary’s Missives!

The team revives their favorite chaos segment as colleague Mary reviews Mate—a book she’s never read. Topics include hybrid identity, Jewish–Sicilian solidarity, and why “I remain tragically unf***ed” might be the most relatable line of the year.

Final Ratings:

• Stars: 4

• Soups: 3.5

(For comparison: Bride got 3.5 stars and 4 soups. Growth? Maybe.)

CTA: Tell us—did Mate make you howl or just overheat? Email romantygmail.com, drop a comment on BookTok, or bring us your theories about Jewish werewolves and the cult of hydration.