Send us a text

Ever wondered how book bans impact the genres we love, particularly romance and romantasy? This week on "Of Swords and Soulmates," we begin with a light-hearted mix-up about Jonathan's podcast persona, JP. Then, we're thrilled to share the latest buzz from the romanticist book world, spotlighting Katie Roberts' stunning opus collection for her "Deal with the Demon" series and Jennifer Armantrout's special edition collaboration for her "Blood and Ash" series. We also dive into the recent book bans in Utah. Hear our take on how these bans affect beloved authors like Sarah J. Maas, Judy Blume, and Margaret Atwood, and the broader implications this has on genres predominantly enjoyed by women.

As we segue into our main topic, get ready for an intriguing discussion on Carissa Broadbent's "Six Scorched Roses," a romanticist story you won't want to miss.
we discuss this fascinating novella that combines elements of Beauty and the Beast with a unique vampire twist. We delve into themes of classism, neurodivergence, and the blend of magic and science within the story. Our hosts debate the novella's brevity and its impact on the depth of the fantasy elements, with a lively rating discussion to boot. Don't miss our next episode, where we'll review "Assistant to the Villain" by Hannah Nicole Mayer!

Links from the News Segment and Show:

• Katee Robert’s A Deal With a Demon series is getting the Opus treatment at FaeCrate
  • Priced at $160 per set (plus shipping), ships Dec 2024-Jan 2025.
  • FaeCrate Exclusve (Link)
• Jennifer Armentrout special edition books
  • Special Arcane Society editions of the Blood and Ash series.
  • Signed and unsigned options, Cost is $195 (plus tax and shipping).
  • Date - TBA
• The title of the Moonfall series by Sarah A. Parker announced
  • The Ballad of Falling Dragons (Amazon link)
  • Releases 10/07/25, or you can get a signed version on 07/2025 from Waterstones
• Lucy Undying: A Dracula Novel by Kiersten White
  • What if Lucy didn’t die but instead finds herself, finds love, and has the chance for some revenge on Dracula?
  • Releases 09/10/24
  • Amazon Affiliate Link
• Banned Books List in Utah includes Sarah J. Maas
  • Guardian Article
  • Banned Book Week is Sept. 22-28, 2024
• Dragoncon
  • Largest multi-genre convention (anime, art, fantasy, literature, sci-fi, and more)
  • https://www.dragoncon.org
  • Thursday Aug 29th - Monday Sep 2nd in Atlanta, GA
• Romantasy Book Convention (Orlando 2024)
  • https://www.fabledfantasyevents.com/
• This episode's book is Six Scorched Roses by Carissa Broadbent
  • Goodreads

Follow us:
Instagram - @ofswordsandsoulmates

Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/ofswordsandsoulmates