This week, we’re back with Emma Brodie, whose second novel, Into The Blue, is April’s Reese’s Book Club Pick - and Emma and Danielle are going down aaaaall the rabbit holes. From what makes a good fandom, to how improv comedy is, in fact, inherently sexy, to the BTS secrets of filming reality TV, their convo is just as lush as Emma’s decade-spanning, sci-fi tinged, “will they, won’t they” romance.

BOOKS MENTIONED:

Into the Blue by Emma Brodie

Songs in Ursa Major by Emma Brodie

Hitmakers by Derrick Thompson

The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

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This week, Danielle is chatting with Veronica Roth, who’s fresh off a major announcement: Divergent. Is. Back. The original trilogy has sold over 35 million copies since it debuted 15 years ago. Veronica has been publishing countless novels and short stories ever since, but now she’s ready to revisit the Divergent universe — with a new twist. “The Sixth Faction” is an alternate universe retelling that dares to ask: what if Tris never left Abnegation, and joined Dauntless? Danielle and Veronica talk about hot tubs, dystopian fiction, and learning to love your own work in all its imperfections. And don’t worry — Tris and Four will still have a meet-cute.

Books Mentioned:

Divergent by Veronica Roth

The Sixth Faction by Veronica Roth

Four: A Divergent Collection by Veronica Roth

1984 by George Orwell

Allegiant by Veronica Roth

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This week, Danielle is joined by Alex Aster, the prolific, Romantasy Queen of Booktok. Coming out of 2025, in which she published four novels, Alex is back with Starside, her first foray into adult fiction – and, later this year, Barbie: Dreamscape, a YA retelling of the beloved Mattel doll. Alex and Danielle talk perseverance in publishing, the power of storytelling, and which romantasy tropes give Alex the ick (spoiler: hardly any of them do).

BOOKS MENTIONED:

A Guide to Literary Agents by Robert Lee Brewer

Lightlark Series by Alex Aster

Starside by Alex Aster

Curse of the Night Witch by Alex Aster

Curse of the Forgotten City by Alex Aster

Summer in the City by Alex Aster

Barbie Dreamscape by Alex Aster

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