Spoiler-filled deep dive into Brimstone by Callie Hart! In this two-part episode, Shelby and Jess break down characters, relationships, major twists, and everything that makes the second book in the Fae and Alchemy series such a whirlwind read.

We compare Brimstone to book one, discuss whether it suffers from — or conquers — “second book syndrome,” and unpack the emotional highs, pacing shifts, and moments that had us completely spiraling. If you’re looking for a detailed Brimstone review, character analysis, and book-club style discussion, this episode is for you.

Expect honest reactions, theory talk, and all the bookish chaos you’d expect from a deep spoiler discussion.

Full spoilers for Brimstone ahead.

Follow Miss Willa’s Book Club:

Instagram: @MissWillasBookClubPod

TikTok: @MissWillasBookClubPod

Spotify: Miss Willa’s Book Club

In this episode of Miss Willa’s Book Club, we’re joined by Sydney Ivey — former teacher turned founder of Denver’s romance-only bookstore, The Spicy Librarian. Sydney shares how burnout, books, and a deep love of romance led her to build a space where women can read boldly, embrace desire, and leave shame at the door. We talk about breaking the stigma around romance novels, the rise of romantasy, what it’s really like running a bookstore in today’s world, and how Sydney has created a community that celebrates stories, spice, and self-expression, along with the challenges of entrepreneurship, handling criticism online, and protecting your love of reading when it becomes your job.

Follow along with us:

Instagram: @misswillasbookclub

TikTok: @misswillasbookclub

Spotify & Apple Podcasts: Miss Willa’s Book Club

This episode is all about my bookish ins and outs for 2026 — the things I’m fully leaning into and the things I’m officially done with. Expect hot takes. We’re talking DNFing without guilt, ditching rating inflation, saying no to hype-driven reading, re-reading comfort series, mood-reading whatever I want, and letting go of the pressure to love every popular book on the internet. Reading should be fun again, and I’m not holding back.

Come hang out with us on social media for more book chats and episode updates — we’re on TikTok and Instagram @MissWillasBookClubPod. If you enjoyed this episode, leaving a rating or sharing it with a bookish friend helps more than you know.

Grab your TBR, grab a spicy opinion, and let’s get into it.