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In this episode of Dragons and Spaceships, Brandi dives into The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon, a powerful historical mystery that asks hard questions about truth, justice, and whose voices are allowed to matter.

Set in 1789 Maine, the novel follows Martha Ballard, a midwife whose meticulous diary places her at the center of a murder investigation when a man is found frozen in the river. As Martha uncovers darker truths about power, violence, and credibility, the story reveals how often truth is treated as disruption and how courage, especially in women, is rarely rewarded in its own time.

This conversation explores how justice evolves, or fails to, and how history is shaped not only by those in power, but by women who documented, remembered, and refused to look away.

Episode Highlights

• How The Frozen River reframes justice through the lens of historical silence and gendered power
• The cost of telling the truth when it threatens social order and reputation
• Why courage is often punished rather than rewarded, especially for women
• Martha Ballard as both witness and disruptor in a world built to dismiss her
• The question of whether justice has truly changed or simply adopted new language
• Why historical fiction can illuminate modern conversations about belief and accountability

If this episode resonated with you, consider sharing it with someone who loves historical fiction that asks hard questions and does not flinch from the answers.

Until next time, keep reading, keep dreaming, and may your TBR pile never stop growing.

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In this episode of Dragons and Spaceships, Brandi explores The Wedding People, a quietly devastating and deeply compassionate novel about grief, invisibility, and the unexpected ways connection can keep us alive.

Set against the backdrop of luxury weddings, oceanfront mansions, and carefully curated celebrations, the story follows Phoebe, a woman unraveling in plain sight. While everything around her looks beautiful and complete, Phoebe is struggling to stay afloat emotionally. This episode unpacks how the novel challenges our expectations of happiness, success, and emotional composure during life’s most public moments.

Rather than offering easy resolutions, The Wedding People asks gentler questions about survival, presence, and what it means to truly see and be seen. Sometimes staying alive is not about hope for the future, but about one conversation, one kindness, or one reason to stay for breakfast, then lunch, then one more day.

🌟 Episode Highlights

• How The Wedding People portrays quiet grief and emotional invisibility in celebratory spaces
• The contrast between luxury and internal emptiness, and why beauty does not heal pain
• Weddings and milestones as environments where people are expected to perform happiness
• Survival framed through small moments of connection rather than dramatic turning points
• Why being witnessed can matter more than being fixed
• The permission we rarely give ourselves to fall apart when life does not follow the plan
• How imperfect connection can still be life saving

🐉 Dragon’s Roar

This week’s Dragon’s Roar spotlights a bold new adaptation of Wuthering Heights, directed by Emerald Fennell.

Starring Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff and Margot Robbie as Catherine Earnshaw, with original music by Charli XCX, this reimagining leans fully into obsession, class tension, and emotional extremity. The film arrives in theaters on February 13 and promises a modern, feral take on one of literature’s most destructive love stories.

If this conversation spoke to you, consider sharing it with someone who might need the reminder that they are not alone, even when they feel out of place. Stories like The Wedding People remind us that survival often begins quietly, and compassion does not need answers to matter.

Thanks for spending time with Dragons and Spaceships.

Until next time, keep reading, keep dreaming, and may your TBR pile never stop growing.

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In this episode of Dragons and Spaceships, Brandi explores The Widow, a slow burning psychological mystery that lingers long after the final page. Rather than relying on shock twists or flashy reveals, this novel builds unease through silence, omission, and the devastating consequences of choosing not to see the truth.

At the center of the story is Jean Taylor, a character who is difficult to love but impossible to forget. As Brandi unpacks the moral complexity of Jean’s choices, she asks the big questions this book leaves behind. How responsible are we for the things we ignore? Where is the line between manipulation and self preservation? And when does silence become unforgivable?

This episode is a spoiler free deep dive into themes of marriage, complicity, and moral ambiguity, and why The Widow feels less like a thriller and more like a psychological reckoning.

In this week’s Dragon’s Roar, Brandi also shares exciting crossover news for book and TV fans. Tell Me Lies is getting an official companion podcast ahead of season three. Hosted by Stacey Schroeder, the podcast will feature cast members, creator Megan Oppenheimer, and behind the scenes creatives as they unpack the emotional chaos episode by episode.

If you love thoughtful psychological fiction, morally complex characters, and stories that spark serious book club debate, this episode is for you.

Subscribe, share this episode, and send us your thoughts. This one is absolutely a book club discussion waiting to happen.

Until next time, keep reading, stay curious, and may your TBR pile never stop growing.