We’re taking a trip back in time this episode to do a deep dive on the classic fairy tale retelling, Ever After: A Cinderella Story. We consider what makes something a Cinderella story and how Ever After maps onto those criteria; our reactions to the main romance; and the tour de force performance that is Angelica Huston as the Baroness Rodmilla de Ghent.

What's Sparking Joy this episode: The Residence on Netflix, Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim, and "The Hills of Tanchico" from The Wheel of Time season 3.

CW: Brief mention of the potential of SA from (1:14:58-1:15:10)

Show Notes:

• Take the SLL Audience Survey! Closes April 30th, 2025: ⁠⁠https://forms.gle/AJhFuMDzjSZeTE1f8⁠⁠

• Support us on Ko-Fi: ⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/sexlovelitpodcast⁠
• Linda Holmes's "A Girl, A Show, A Prince": https://www.npr.org/2015/03/13/392358854/a-girl-a-shoe-a-prince-the-endlessly-evolving-cinderella

• "The Hills of Tanchico" Clip: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIANPQJSAet/?igsh=MWhoczk0aHl4ZW92Zw==
• Listen to our Joy Sparked: SLL Song Recs playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/50MNBI1kYKdJgxh8CzEJF1?si=d9df62854c684557

Other lit mentioned this episode: The Little Mermaid, Cinderelle, Spiceworld, Prince of Persia, The Great

Check out SLL Live in 2025:

• April 2025 - Romance in CNY: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://romanceincny.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• July 2025 - RomantiConn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.romanticonn.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

On Future SLL Episodes: Dying for Sex (on Hulu), Trope Spotlight: Forced Proximity.

Don't forget to subscribe to Sex. Love. Literature! You can find us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SexLoveLitPodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠; on Instagram , Tumblr, and BlueSky @SexLoveLitPodcast. Support us on Ko-fi: ⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/sexlovelitpodcast⁠⁠⁠

Our cover art is by Charcooll (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/charcooll/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). The SLL Theme music is “Pluck It Up” by Dan Henig. What’s Sparking Joy BGM is "Candy-Coloured Sky" by Catmosphere | https://soundcloud.com/ctmsphr;Released by Paper Crane Collective; Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com; Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US.

Sex. Love. Literature. is a pop culture podcast that relishes the romantic, the sexy, and the scandalous in media. Join pop culture scholars (and besties) Ayanni and Corinne as they deep dive into why the “sex-stuff” in media matters. Main episodes drop the last Friday of the month.

Joined once again by our younger siblings, Erin and Akinde, we dive right into Sarah J Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses and A Court of Mist and Fury spoilers in part two of our discussion.

To kick things off, we start with our complicated feelings on main character Feyre. We also ask the hard hitting questions, like: are these sex scenes sexy? Why is there so much growling? And what would actually happen if the wings of the Illyrians were really that sensitive?

As a heads up for people who adore these books: we’re not here to kill your vibe! Still, while we do appreciate a lot of what Maas is doing, as well as her wider influence on pop culture, we do have some bones to pick. Also, we drop a few spoilers for some of the later books, so if you care about spoilers for books 3, 4 or 5, please be forewarned!

Sorry for the delay on this one, folks! January was a month...but we left a treat for you at the end of this episode to make up for it.

Show Notes:

• What's Sparking Joy (music edition): "Guess" by Charli XCX featuring Billie Eilish; Sable by Bon Iver; Keeping Company by Bill Laurance and Michael League; Rosie by Rosé; "Symptom of Life" by Willow; "Otokonoke" by Creepy Nuts. Listen to these (and other) songs that have sparked joy on our Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/50MNBI1kYKdJgxh8CzEJF1?si=TA6c98XGQ2acsAC83BVfPA

• Other lit discussed this episode: Twilight & Fourth Wing

• The first ACOTAR episode: https://www.sexlovelitpodcast.com/e52-sarah-j-maas-romantasy-and-introducing-acotar-part-1-spoiler-free-theyre-fairies-and-the/
• Correction: our yearly pop culture roundup will be recorded and posted in February, based on feedback from listeners.

Check out SLL Live in 2025:

• April 2025 - Romance in CNY: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://romanceincny.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• July 2025 - RomantiConn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.romanticonn.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠

On Future SLL Episodes: What's Sparking Joy: 2024 Pop Culture Roundup, Strangers Again, Let's Get Divorced, and Trope Spotlight: Forced Proximity.

Don't forget to subscribe to Sex. Love. Literature! You can find us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SexLoveLitPodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠; on Instagram , Tumblr, and BlueSky @SexLoveLitPodcast.

Our cover art is by Charcooll (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/charcooll/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). TheSLL Theme music is “Pluck It Up” by Dan Henig. What’s Sparking Joy BGM is "Candy-Coloured Sky" by Catmosphere | https://soundcloud.com/ctmsphr;Released by Paper Crane Collective; Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com; Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US. ACOTAR synopsis background music is "Nice Surprise" from Purple Planet Music (www.purple-planet.com).

Sex. Love. Literature. is a pop culture podcast that relishes the romantic, the sexy, and the scandalous in media. Join pop culture scholars (and besties) Ayanni and Corinne as they deep dive into why the “sex-stuff” in media matters. Main episodes drop the last Friday of the month.

You’ve asked, you've waited, and now, we’re finally delivering! Welcome to our two-part deep dive on the international best selling Romantasy novels A Court of Thorns and Roses and a Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas.

In this first, spoiler free episode, we touch on our initial reactions to the series, and think a bit about what romantasy is and why it’s so appealing to so many readers.

Plus, we’re joined by some very special guests for these two episodes: our younger siblings! They may claim to have been manipulated into coming on the show, but we’re glad to have them both on for this discussion 💛

Show Notes:

• What's Sparking Joy: Silo (on Apple TV+) , Blue Lock (on Crunchyroll), Puzzmo, When the Phone Rings (on Netflix)
• Other lit discussed this episode: Fourth Wing
• Listen to Corinne and Ayanni as guests on the Tea and Soju podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-romance-of-tiger-and-rose-review-with-corinne-and-ayanni/id1640521377?i=1000679145440
• The first Last Night at the Telegraph Club episode, featuring Stripe: https://www.sexlovelitpodcast.com/e49-last-night-at-the-telegraph-club-episode-1-of-2-spoiler-free-easter-eggs-of-historical-nugg/
• The excellent romantasy article we kept referencing: "Romantasy All Along!" by Tansy Rayner Roberts, published in Uncanny Magazine: https://www.uncannymagazine.com/article/romantasy-all-along/

Check out SLL Live in 2025:

• April 2025 - Romance in CNY: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://romanceincny.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠
• July 2025 - RomantiConn: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.romanticonn.com/⁠⁠⁠

On Future SLL Episodes: Strangers Again, Let's Get Divorced, and Trope Spotlight: Forced Proximity.

Don't forget to subscribe to Sex. Love. Literature! You can find us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SexLoveLitPodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠; on Instagram , Tumblr, and BlueSky @SexLoveLitPodcast.

Our cover art is by Charcooll (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/charcooll/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). TheSLL Theme music is “Pluck It Up” by Dan Henig. What’s Sparking Joy BGM is "Candy-Coloured Sky" by Catmosphere | https://soundcloud.com/ctmsphr;Released by Paper Crane Collective; Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com; Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US

Sex. Love. Literature. is a pop culture podcast that relishes the romantic, the sexy, and the scandalous in media. Join pop culture scholars (and besties) Ayanni and Corinne as they deep dive into why the “sex-stuff” in media matters. Main episodes drop the last Friday of the month.

In case you haven’t noticed, there’s a lot going on *gestures everywhere*, so rather than get into anything too tragic, as we’re wont to do, we’ve instead gathered some Comfort Media for Interesting Times (™)–that is, the pop culture we turn to when things are rough and we’re in need of a boost to help us make it through.

This episode, in the style of our Pop-Culture Round Ups, we trade off sharing cozy books, music, and TV shows that bolster our spirits and help us feel warm inside.

Lit "rounded up" this Episode:

• Howl’s Moving Castle (1986) by Diana Wynne Jones
• On a Sunbeam (2018) by Tillie Walden
• Eva Ibbotson’s 5 romance book set in the early 1900’s, but especially The Reluctant Heiress (1982) A Countess Below Stairs (1981)

• The Discographies of Maaya Sakamoto (Shounen Alice and Single Collection: Nikopachi (2003)) and Hikaru Utada (Bad Mode (2022) and Ultra Blue (2006)

Show Notes:

• What's Sparking Joy: Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree, Blue Box (aka Aoi no Hako) on Netflix
• Other lit discussed this episode: Spinning by Tillie Walden, My Happy Marriage, The Chronicles of Chrestomanci by Diana Wynne Jones, First Love (J-Drama)
• Correction: Tessa from The Reluctant Heiress is a staunch "republican," not "communist."

Check out SLL Live in 2025:

• April 2025 - Romance in CNY: ⁠⁠⁠https://romanceincny.com/⁠⁠⁠
• July 2025 - RomantiConn: ⁠⁠https://www.romanticonn.com/⁠⁠

On Future SLL Episodes: A Court of Thorns and Roses/A Court of Mist and Fury, Strangers Again, Let's Get Divorced, and Trope Spotlight: Forced Proximity.

Don't forget to subscribe to Sex. Love. Literature! You can find us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SexLoveLitPodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠; on Instagram , Tumblr, and BlueSky @SexLoveLitPodcast.

Our cover art is by Charcooll (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/charcooll/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). TheSLL Theme music is “Pluck It Up” by Dan Henig. What’s Sparking Joy BGM is "Candy-Coloured Sky" by Catmosphere | https://soundcloud.com/ctmsphr;Released by Paper Crane Collective; Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com; Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US

Sex. Love. Literature. is a pop culture podcast that relishes the romantic, the sexy, and the scandalous in media. Join pop culture scholars (and besties) Ayanni and Corinne as they deep dive into why the “sex-stuff” in media matters. Main episodes drop the last Friday of the month.

Sorry for the delay on this episode folks - October and November have been a lot. But, without further ado, here's Last Night at the Telegraph Club, episode two!

Joined once again by Dr. Kai Chen, we dive right into Last Night at the Telegraph Club spoilers, starting with our feelings on Kath and Lily’s relationship and the high-key stress of classroom makeouts. From there, we consider the queer space of the Telegraph Club, Lily’s complicated and not always likable bestie Shirley, and our thoughts on the admittedly fraught ending.

Show Notes:

• What's Sparking Joy: Bloom by (G)I-DLE, Crazy (feat Pink Pantheress) by LA SSERAFIM , You and I by Leon
• Other lit discussed this episode: How Sweet by NewJeans, Forever by Judy Blume, Crazy Rich Asians, Fellow Travelers, My Favorite Thing is Monsters

• Learn more about Dr. Chen's work on the UF University Writing Program website: https://writing.ufl.edu/directory/yukai-chen/
• Support your local bookstore and Malinda Lo by getting Last Night the Telegraph Club and A Scattering of Light on Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/search?keywords=malinda+lo⁠
• Code Switch - "They Don't Say Our Names Enough" - https://www.npr.org/2020/06/26/884080764/they-dont-say-our-names-enough
• The Evening Crowd at Kirmser's: A Gay Life in the 1940s - ⁠https://bookshop.org/p/books/evening-crowd-at-kirmser-s-a-gay-life-in-the-1940s-ricardo-j-brown/9374706?ean=9780816636228⁠

• The Body and Its Dangers & Other Stories - https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-body-and-its-dangers-other-stories-allen-barnett/20854353?ean=9781608642922

Check out SLL Live in 2025:

• April 2025 - Romance in CNY: ⁠⁠https://romanceincny.com/⁠⁠
• July 2025 - RomantiConn: ⁠https://www.romanticonn.com/⁠

On Future SLL Episodes: A Court of Thorns and Roses/A Court of Mist and Fury, Strangers Again, Let's Get Divorced, and Trope Spotlight: Forced Proximity.

Don't forget to subscribe to Sex. Love. Literature! You can find us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠SexLoveLitPodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠; on Instagram and on Tumblr @SexLoveLitPodcast.

Our cover art is by Charcooll (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/charcooll/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). TheSLL Theme music is “Pluck It Up” by Dan Henig. What’s Sparking Joy BGM is "Candy-Coloured Sky" by Catmosphere | https://soundcloud.com/ctmsphr;Released by Paper Crane Collective; Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com; Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US

Sex. Love. Literature. is a pop culture podcast that relishes the romantic, the sexy, and the scandalous in media. Join pop culture scholars (and besties) Ayanni and Corinne as they deep dive into why the “sex-stuff” in media matters. Main episodes drop the last Friday of the month.

In classic SLL fashion, I welcome you to another accidental two-part discussion. This time, we’re joined by Dr. Kai Chen to discuss Malinda Lo’s award-winning novel, Last Night at the Telegraph Club. This episode, we keep things spoiler free by first giving some context for the book and then our overall impressions. (Plus, we get a bonus visit from Ayanni's 20 year old family cat.)

Show Notes:

• What's Sparking Joy: Kevin can F*** Himself (on Netflix), Mayonaka Punch (on Crunchyroll), Are You The One (on Viki), and Delicious in Dungeon (on Netflix)
• Other lit discussed this episode: Goodbye My Princess, Evangelion, Ashe (by Malinda Lo), My Favorite Thing is Monsters

• Learn more about Dr. Chen's work on the UF University Writing Program website: https://writing.ufl.edu/directory/yukai-chen/
• Support your local bookstore and Malinda Lo by getting Last Night the Telegraph Club on Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/p/books/last-night-at-the-telegraph-club-malinda-lo/16520139?ean=9780525555278
• Learn more Pen America and their various initiatives: https://pen.org/

Check out SLL Live in 2025:

• April 2025 - Romance in CNY: ⁠https://romanceincny.com/⁠
• July 2025 - RomantiConn: https://www.romanticonn.com/

On Future SLL Episodes: Strangers Again, Let's Get Divorced, Trope Spotlight: Forced Proximity, and A Court of Thorns and Roses

Don't forget to subscribe to Sex. Love. Literature! You can find us at ⁠⁠⁠SexLoveLitPodcast.com⁠⁠⁠; on Instagram and on Tumblr @SexLoveLitPodcast.

Our cover art is by Charcooll (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/charcooll/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). TheSLL Theme music is “Pluck It Up” by Dan Henig. What’s Sparking Joy BGM is "Candy-Coloured Sky" by Catmosphere | https://soundcloud.com/ctmsphr;Released by Paper Crane Collective; Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com; Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US

Sex. Love. Literature. is a pop culture podcast that relishes the romantic, the sexy, and the scandalous in media. Join pop culture scholars (and besties) Ayanni and Corinne as they deep dive into why the “sex-stuff” in media matters. Main episodes drop the last Friday of the month.