Episode Title: End of Summer Reading Recap: ACOTAR, Crescent City, Kingdom of Ash & Romantasy Bingo!

Description: Welcome back to the Romantasy Roundtable! Rick, Amanda, and Kim are wrapping up the summer with an End of Summer Reading Recap! We’re looking back at what we read, what we loved, what made us rage, our biggest surprises, our worst reads, and what’s coming for Romantasy Fall 2026. And yes, there is an absolutely unreasonable amount of Sarah J. Maas discussion.

This summer was basically Rick’s Maasverse Summer. He reread ACOTAR, dove into Crescent City, revisited Throne of Glass and Kingdom of Ash, and finished his 21st book with Crescent City 3. Rereading ACOTAR completely changed his character rankings, with Nesta going from “I fucking hate Nesta” to Rick’s new favorite character. Naturally, this led directly into our ACOTAR Top 10 episode.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Summer Reading Stats: Kim read 9 books and was aiming for 10, Amanda read 25 with two more planned before Labor Day for 27 books and nearly 13,000 pages, while Rick finished 21 books and roughly 10,500–11,000 pages.

• Rick’s Maasverse Deep Dive: ACOTAR, Crescent City, Throne of Glass, Kingdom of Ash, and Heartstopper all made appearances as Rick reread with a new perspective and prepared for ACOTAR 6 and 7. His theme? “The Maasverse.” Of course it was.

• Amanda’s Summer of Gold Stars: Amanda completed Ripped Bodice Summer Romance Book Bingo for the second year in a row—with a BLACKOUT! She also finished Goodreads Rewards and admits her theme was basically “I’m stressed out about reading.”

• Kim Knows What She Likes: Kim’s favorite read was The Incandescent by Emily Tesh, a dark academia fantasy with queer representation, elder-millennial faculty, and enough “soup” to satisfy the Roundtable. We discuss why it felt like a love letter to educators.

• Amanda’s Nostalgia Read: Amanda reread The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, a middle-school favorite, and discovered she relates to Carmen in ways she never could have known at eleven. We also discuss the real-life friendship that inspired her love of the book—and the extremely important Pants symbolism.

• Best & Worst Reads: Amanda names Kingdom of Ash her favorite overall read, Rick chooses This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me, and Kim picks The Incandescent. Rick gives Throne in the Dark: Villains & Virtues three stars, Amanda chooses Ladies in Hiding, and Kim’s “worst” is Heartstopper 6—not because she disliked it, but because she wasn’t ready to say goodbye to her sons.

• Favorite Characters: Rick chooses Nesta because she made him furious before completely winning him over. Kim picks the Kingdom of Ash characters she can’t stop thinking about. Amanda has a very different answer—and naturally, it involves a sexy Loch Ness monster.

• The Thirteen: Nobody can stop thinking about the Thirteen after Kingdom of Ash. We revisit one of the most devastating moments in Throne of Glass and why those characters have stayed with us.

• Unexpected Romances & Tropes: Amanda fell in love with Feverdream by Elsie Silver and discovered that maybe she DOES like cowboy romance… if Elsie Silver writes it. We also talk bisexual representation, the portal/Isekai trope, and books that surprised us.

• Romantasy vs. Fantasy: We discuss why we love “romantasy” while also acknowledging criticism that the label can diminish excellent fantasy because its audience is predominantly female. Throne of Glass is not just romantasy. It is GOOD fantasy.

• ACOTAR 6 Is Coming: We’re looking ahead to the next era of the podcast with Crescent City, Maasverse predictions, listener theories, and ACOTAR 6. The conspiracy board is officially open.

Closing/Call-to-Action: What did YOU read this summer? What was your favorite book, biggest surprise, worst read, or favorite character? Did you finish a reading challenge? What are you most excited to read this fall? Drop your recommendations and hot takes in the comments! Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and follow us on Goodreads and StoryGraph. Got an ACOTAR 6 theory, Maasverse conspiracy, or book recommendation? Email us at romantyround@gmail.com! The Name of the Moon is coming, Romantasy Fall 2026 is officially here, and apparently we’re all booked.

Episode Title: ACOTAR Top 10 Characters: Cassian Supremacy, Tamlin Justice & the Miniature Pegasus!

Description: Welcome back to the Romantasy Roundtable! Rick, Amanda, and Kim are taking a break from chapter-by-chapter chaos to rank their Top 10 favorite characters from all five ACOTAR books! And naturally, this turns into Cassian supremacy, Rick's ongoing Tamlin apology tour, zero Elain representation, and a very serious debate about the miniature Pegasus. We revisit the characters who made us laugh, cry, rage, and rethink the entire series after rereading A Court of Thorns and Roses through A Court of Silver Flames.

From Nesta's redemption arc and Cassian's boyfriend-of-the-year credentials to Lucien getting criminally underrated, Amren being an ancient badass, Azriel needing some serious "Azriel soup," and the Suriel's devastating final moments, we're putting the entire ACOTAR cast on trial. We also debate Rhysand's ranking after Silver Flames, Mor's missing backstory and undeniable ginger energy, Bryaxis just wanting a window, and why none of us could find a spot for Elain. Sorry, Elain.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Cassian Takes the Crown: Amanda and Kim rank Cassian #1, while Rick gives him #2. We discuss his loyalty, humor, badassery, authenticity, and why the Bat Boys desperately need his levity.

• Rick's Tamlin Apology Tour: Tamlin and Rhysand are tied on Rick's list after the reread. Amanda and Kim would like the record to show that this officially makes Rick a Tamlin apologist.

• Nesta's Redemption Arc: Rick ranks Nesta #1, Amanda puts her at #4, and Kim is still waiting for the Nesta train to arrive. We discuss trauma, addiction, the Valkyries, and why Nesta's story proves that people can change.

• Rhysand vs. Tamlin: Has Silver Flames changed how we see the two High Lords? We revisit control, forgiveness, the pregnancy storyline, and whether either of them gets a free pass.

• Azriel, the Shadow Daddy: Amanda ranks Azriel #3 while Rick and Kim place him lower. We talk about his growth, his brooding personality, and our desperate need for more Azriel backstory.

• Lucien Deserves Better: Rick puts Lucien at #5 and argues that the fox-boy has spent the entire series taking everyone's crap while still showing up for everyone else.

• Amren, the Ancient Badass: Why does this tiny jewel-hoarding menace rank so highly? We discuss her mystery, her tough love toward Nesta, and the backstory we desperately want.

• The Suriel Still Hurts: The Suriel makes multiple lists thanks to its wisdom, sacrifice, and unforgettable final scene. Sometimes you don't realize how much you love a character until they die.

• Mor Needs a Love Story: Rick ranks Mor #7 and Amanda #5. We love her resilience and cheerful energy, but we NEED more of her backstory—and Amanda still insists she should be a redhead.

• The Weird Ones Win: Kim's list includes the Water Wraiths and Bryaxis, because apparently ancient creepy beings with simple emotional needs are exactly her type. Bryaxis just wants a window!

• The Miniature Pegasus Debate: Amanda's #10 is a miniature Pegasus. We have questions. You have questions. Where does the tiny horse rank in YOUR Top 10?

• Elain Is Missing: None of us ranked Elain. Is she secretly being saved for something huge, or is "boring" simply worse than "evil"? We discuss.

Closing/Call-to-Action: Who is YOUR #1 ACOTAR character? Are you Team Cassian, Team Nesta, Team Azriel, or ready to join Rick's Tamlin apology tour? How mad are you that Rhysand and Tamlin tied? Who did we criminally underrate—and where do you rank the miniature Pegasus? Drop your Top 10 in the comments! Like and subscribe on YouTube, and follow us on Goodreads and StoryGraph. Got an ACOTAR hot take or want to defend Tamlin with Rick? Email us at romantasyround@gmail.com! Next week: we're ranking all five ACOTAR books in real time!