In our final episode of Season 1, we're talking about In the Veins of the Drowning by Kalie Cassidy — a siren song of gods, transformation, and saltwater magic that left us enchanted… and a little lost.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The recency of the gods and how faith shapes this world
• Magic systems that are intriguing but lack clarity
• The sensory pull of the sea
• Blood bonds and shifting loyalties
• And why we left with more questions than answers — and what that says about the world itself

If you love mythic fantasy, oceanic worlds, and stories that haunt more than they explain, this one’s for you.

✨ Worlds Within — for readers who don’t just love books… they live in them.

Follow us wherever you get your podcasts, and if you loved this episode, leave a review — it helps new listeners find our worlds!

For sensory guides and more bookish content, follow us on Instagram and TikTok @worlds.within.pod on both

Hosted by Alyssa Curtis & Ash Christine. Theme song by Magiksolo. Recording studio provided by Garden Groove

Until next time, keep wandering - we'll see you in the next world!

This week, we discuss The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent — a blood-soaked romantasy where gods pull the strings, vampires rule, and survival is an art form.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The gods’ role in shaping magic, fate, and devotion
• Traditional vampire tropes — and how Broadbent makes them feel new
• Power, politics, and the cruelty of the Kejari
• Oraya as our human entry point into a world that’s both sacred and savage
• Our love for Mische (sunshine in this dark world!)
• The sensory world of blood — scent, taste, and consequence

If you love divine meddling, deadly trials, and slow-burn tension that draws blood, this episode will sink its teeth in.

✨ Worlds Within — for readers who don’t just love books… they live in them.

Follow us wherever you get your podcasts, and if you loved this episode, leave a review — it helps new listeners find our worlds!

For sensory guides and more bookish content, follow us on Instagram and TikTok @worlds.within.pod on both

Hosted by Alyssa Curtis & Ash Christine. Theme song by Magiksolo. Recording studio provided by Garden Groove

Until next time, keep wandering - we'll see you in the next world!

Join us for this week's episode on A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas — a romantasy classic where sensory descriptions bloom like roses in moonlight (and sometimes….just...keep...blooming)

In this episode, we discuss:

• Fae lore and courts, power, and the tangled magic of Prythian
• How Feyre’s human lens shapes (and complicates) our immersion
• When lush sensory detail works… and when it drags
• Why we’re not quite buying the romance (sorry, Tamlin)
• Portal moments like starlight ponds and red marble throne rooms

If you love messy magic systems, gorgeous settings, and a little bit of hot take energy, this episode is for you.

✨ Worlds Within — for readers who don’t just love books… they live in them.

Follow us wherever you get your podcasts, and if you loved this episode, leave a review — it helps new listeners find our worlds!

For sensory guides and more bookish content, follow us on Instagram and TikTok @worlds.within.pod on both

Hosted by Alyssa Curtis & Ash Christine. Theme song by Magiksolo. Recording studio provided by Garden Groove

Until next time, keep wandering - we'll see you in the next world!

Join us for Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher. This dark fairytale doesn’t ease you in; it drops you straight into the quest, where magic hums quietly, power lives in women’s hands, and the world feels both familiar and strange.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How fairytale logic shapes the world
• An in media res start and being dropped into Marra's quest
• The power of women — godmothers, dust-wives, queens, and sisters
• World-building that relies on what’s known rather than what’s explained
• Portal moments that make the story come alive: bone dogs, goblin markets, and...dancing teeth?

If you love atmospheric fantasy, folklore retellings, or immersive fairytales with a sharp edge, this episode will feel like stepping into the mist.

Follow us wherever you get your podcasts, and if you loved this episode, leave a review — it helps new listeners find our worlds!

For sensory guides and more bookish content, follow us on Instagram and TikTok @worlds.within.pod on both

Hosted by Alyssa Curtis & Ash Christine. Theme song by Magiksolo. Recording studio provided by Garden Groove

Until next time, keep wandering - we'll see you in the next world!

Welcome to Worlds Within, the podcast where story becomes space. In our debut episode, we dive deep into the darkly seductive world of Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning—a cornerstone of urban fantasy and early romantasy. We explore how Moning uses sensory storytelling, mythic Fae lore, and the streets of Dublin to create a world that feels both tangible and dangerous.

Join us as we unpack:

• How the city itself becomes a character in the story
• Mac's transformation and grief as a lens for world immersion
• The hidden rules of the Fae world—what’s seen, what’s glamoured, and what’s real
• “Portal moments” where the story feels most alive

If you love ACOTAR, The Serpent and the Wings of Night, or any story that blurs the line between the real and the magical, this episode is for you.

✨ Subscribe to Worlds Within — for readers who don’t just love books…they live in them

Follow us wherever you get your podcasts, and if you loved this episode, leave a review — it helps new listeners find our worlds!

For sensory guides and more bookish content, follow us on Instagram and TikTok @worlds.within.pod on both

Hosted by Alyssa Curtis & Ash Christine. Recording studio provided by Garden Groove

Until next time, keep wandering - we'll see you in the next world!