Busy Girls Book Club

Dark Academia meets Urban Fantasy on Yale's campus in Leigh Bardugo's "Ninth House." The Busy Girls enjoy the Grishaverse, but what about this totally separate series from Bardugo?

For a YA novel, Tracy Deonn's "Legendborn" has a lot of very mature topics. Trigger warnings: racism, rape, loss, etc. And the very brilliant main character deals with that all while becoming part of an Arthurian legend. The Busy Girls have high praise for this YA novel.

In this Busy Girls Bonus we talk latest fantasy news, publishers spoiling their own books and what book is coming soon to TV.

The Busy Girls Book Club has been around for one whole year! Thanks for listening and laughing with us as we take on social media's biggest books. Join the hosts for some fun games looking back on the year and the things we've read and said.

If you're around the age of 30, then "Happy Place" by Emily Henry might be a bit of a punch to the gut. The struggles of the characters hit a little close to home. But does the emotion of the book excuse leaning heavily on rom-com tropes?

Katharine's mom joins the Busy Girls for a discussion of Reese's Book Club pick "The Christie Affair" by Nina de Gramont. This book is historical fiction imagining what happened in the very real 10 days where author Agatha Christie disappeared with no explanation. It's told from her husband's mistress' perspective and tackles war, loss, PTSD and the dark side of Irish orphanages. It also includes a solid Christie-esque mystery.

BookTok is doing its best to fill the SJM void. Another attempt to help fantasy readers is "Trial of the Sun Queen" by Nisha J. Tuli. It's another trial-based fantasy book with sexy fae men. However, there are some very dark undertones with some topics that need a trigger warning.

In the ACOTAR void, many people are recommending turning to Sarah J. Maas' other series, "Throne of Glass." But it may be a really abrupt switch for people expecting more of the same who end up reading YA. So, the Busy Girls tackle the first book and the namesake of the series.

STEMinism and STEM romance was such a hit last time, so it had to make a comeback. This time with Ali Hazelwood's "Love on the Brain." The Busy Girls all agree they prefer it to "Love Hypothesis," but that comes with some caveats.

If you are on social media at all, even if it's not book social media, you've heard about "Fourth Wing" by Rebecca Yarros. This is the most viral book in years. So of course the Busy Girls had to read and review. You'll definitely want to jump on this one.