The Spicy Librarian Podcast

We did it. Our very first Spicy Librarian subscription book box is here - and in this episode, we’re talking about ALL of it.

We’re taking you behind the scenes of what went into creating this box, what we wanted it to represent, what’s inside, and why we chose _*What We Need *_ by Lizzie Stanley as our very first pick. This project means so much to us, and we wanted to properly share the thought, care and intention behind it.

We also know there has been conversation around the box not being what some people expected. We’re addressing that openly, honestly and directly - because transparency matters to us, and so does our community. From the beginning, this box was designed to be a curated reading experience centred around exclusive content, community and discovering incredible romance stories, and we stand proudly by that vision.

This episode is for everyone who received a box, everyone considering joining us in future, and everyone who wants to understand more about what we’re building with The Spicy Librarian. We see you, we appreciate you, and we’re so excited for what comes next.

 

Books mentioned- 

The Stopover- TL Swan

Nocticadia by Keri Lake

The Long Game- Rachel Reid

The Auction - Sadie Kincaid

Starside- Alex Aster

What We Need- Lizzie Stanley

Perfect for fans of: Spicy Librarian podcast, book boxes, subscription boxes, Lizzie Stanley, What We Need, Wishbone Tattoos series, dark romance, BookTok, spicy books, book community, book unboxing, indie romance

Subscribe, leave us a review — and if you got a box, we want to hear from you.

Your favourite chaotic besties are back, and we have a LOT to talk about.

This episode is pure unfiltered Spicy Librarian- no books to review, no guests to impress, just us sitting down for a proper catch-up with the people who make this whole thing worth doing. That's you, by the way. We see you.

We're getting into all the exciting things we have cooking behind the scenes and trust us, the pipeline is looking very spicy right now. We've also got shop and events updates, because things are moving and you are going to want to know about it.

And then there's the Maasquerade Ball. Our masquerade event for the ACOTAR 6 release in October- we are talking details, we are talking chaos, we are talking the event that SJM herself would approve of. Probably. We'd like to think so.

We've also been completely overwhelmed by the gorgeous comments and messages we've had over the past few months and we needed to take a minute to respond to them properly- because you lot are genuinely the best community on the internet and we mean that with our whole hearts.

This is the episode where we just talk. And honestly? You are welcome. 

Perfect for fans of: Spicy Librarian podcast, ACOTAR, Sarah J Maas, ACOTAR 6, BookTok, dark romance community, romantasy, book events, spicy books, book podcast

Subscribe, leave us a review and if you've sent us a lovely message recently, this one's for you.

This or that: bookish edition. We are settling scores today and we're serious about it. This is the most fun episode, and with your help, a segment we feel will be sticking around. 

This episode we are playing the ultimate bookish this or that game, and the opinions were STRONG. Standalone or 5-part series? Rather meet your favourite author or character? and a bonus f*ck, marry, kill. We went through the choices, we argued, we disagreed, and at one point things got genuinely heated, and we are not sorry.

Whether you have been in the book community for years or you just finished your first spicy read- you are going to have thoughts on these picks. Get in the comments and tell us where you stand because we want the discourse.

This is the most fun episode we have ever recorded and that is saying something.

Perfect for fans of: BookTok, book games, this or that, dark romance, romantasy, contemporary romance, spicy books, book discourse, spicy podcast

Books discussed in this episode: Poison Daughter by Sheila Masterson, Three Nights in Stockholm by Elizabeth Hardy, Collateral Damage by Shassii, Twisted Pawn by LJ Shen, Between the Pines by Amber Palmer, The Wings That Bind by Briar Boleyn, Rites of the Starling by Briar Boleyn, A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, Magnolia Parks: Into the Dark by Jess Hastings, Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty, Kiss of the Basilisk & Between Two Kings by Lindsay Straube

Summer is coming and so is our reading list- but no, they aren't all beach reads. 

Think less chilled rosé on a sun lounger, more completely feral about fictional men and refusing to put books down until 3 am. We know summer makes people think of light and breezy reads- but this is the Spicy Librarian, so this is less of a Summer TBR and more a list of books we are really freaking excited to read this summer. From dark to dystopian, from romantasy to the genuinely bizarre- this is what we'll have our heads buried in for the next few months.

Some fan favourites are back with second instalments we have been desperately waiting for, some stand alones have absolutely taken the world by storm, and somehow Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke ended up on the list and we are not explaining ourselves. We're diving into Dire Bound and Fury Bound by Sable Sorensen, losing our minds over Seek the Traitor's Son by Veronica Roth, and absolutely spiralling over Sour Fruit by Ahana Virdi- and that is just the beginning.

If your TBR is already suffering, we are so sorry. We are not sorry.

Perfect for fans of: BookTok, spicy books, book recommendations, spicy podcast

Books discussed: Magnolia Parks by Jess Hastings

Broken Bonds by J Bree

Shark Heart by Emily Habeck

Nightshade & Daybreak by Autumn Woods

Blood Orange by Harriet Tyce

Dire Bound & Fury Bound by Sable Sorensen

Honeysuckle by Bar Fridman-Tell

Half City by Kate Golden

Conform by Ariel Sullivan

Of Flames and Fallacies by Courtney Whims

When the Moon Hatched & Ballad of the Fallen Dragon by Sarah A. Parker

Ruinous Creatures by Jessi Cole Jackson

Seek the Traitor's Son by Veronica Roth

Sour Fruit by Ahana Virdi

In Her Own League by Liz Tomforde

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke

You know that pain you feel when someone trashes your God Tier reads?

Yeah. That's this episode.

This week on Spicy Librarian we are facing it head-on- reading out the one-star reviews of our absolute five-star books and defending them to the community. Some of these reviewers had valid points. Some clearly had no idea what they were picking up. And some have a LOT of big feelings about books we would die for.

As do we.

We're going to bat for Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid, A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas, Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton, Feathers So Vicious by Liv Zander, A Ship of Bones and Teeth by Karina Halle, The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig, and Kiss of the Basilisk by Lindsay Straube — and we are not backing down without a fight.

Is the criticism fair? Sometimes.

Is it going to change how we feel about these books? Absolutely not.

Come argue with us.

Perfect for fans of: book discourse, one star reviews, Haunting Adeline, H.D. Carlton, A Court of Silver Flames, ACOTAR, Sarah J. Maas, Heated Rivalry, Rachel Reid, Feathers So Vicious, Liv Zander, A Ship of Bones and Teeth, Karina Halle, Kiss of the Basilisk, Lindsay Straube, Rachel Gillig, dark romance, romantasy, MM romance, spicy books, BookTok, book podcast

Heated Rivalry- Rachel Reid

A Court of Silver Flames- S.J. Mass

Haunting Adeline- H. D Carlton

Feather so Vicious- Liv Zander

A Ship of Bones and Teeth- Karina Halle

Night and the Moth- Rachel Gilling

Kiss of the Basilisk- Lindsay Straube

Blood Wing Academy- Briar Boleyn

Poison Daughter- Shelia Masterson

Collateral Damage- Stassi

Shield of Sparrows / Rights of the Starling- Devney Perry

I Got Abducted By Aliens, And Now I’m In A Rom-Com- Kimberly Lemming

Wrath of an Exile- Monty Jay

The Hollow Boys- Monty Jay

The Wytchling Chronicles

Basted- Abby Hunter