A Court of Thorns and Roses Bonus Chapters by Sarah J. Maas

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:19):
Welcome to Ready to be Romanced.I'm Tori.
And I'm Megan. And today we're discussing the.
Attack guitar bonus chapters. Welcome back.
I am so excited to be talking more Akatar with you because
truly and I, I, I truly didn't think I would say this 'cause I
feel like I was so down and out on the fandom and the books last

(00:42):
time we chatted. You miss it, Akasif I'm right
back in it, like I'm back baby. Like these just these thrilled
me. These absolutely thrilled me.
I was so excited about these andI cannot believe they like
weren't included in the books proper.
Had you not read them before prepping for this episode or was

(01:05):
this a reread for you? So I had read the Azrael one
because we have been obsessed with Azrael and we haven't heard
from him yet. I actually I might have read the
Nessian one but I hadn't read the face and one which was like
whatever anyways, but it basically was like a new read

(01:28):
for me and I just have so many thoughts.
I can't wait to hear about them.I also like this.
I have I definitely had read theAzrael 1 before.
I definitely even the Nessia 1 before.
And I was also like, I probably didn't care or didn't read the
face in one because because we'll talk about it.
But where it's positioned in thestory.

(01:51):
I think if there was like a bonus face in chapter from like
a deleted scene or something that we didn't see when their
tension is high in earlier books, then I think that maybe
it would have been something like, oh, like what actually
happened? Like is there like a recent
point of view chapter from 1/4 Mist and Fury that we couldn't

(02:11):
have gotten, but we didn't. It was just like a funny little
I I it. Anyways, we'll get into it, but
I'm excited to talk about them with you.
Yeah, I'm interested to hear this from you actually.
Is like if you had to ask for a bonus chapter like what would
you have wanted to hear about 'cause I agree.
It's like I would have loved a Reese in Akamath chapter or a a

(02:34):
Tamlin in Akamath chapter. A Lucian in Akamar SF so many
people. Great, this also Harkins back to
us being like so thirsty for newperspectives and like you knew
like who's gonna say what in like their perspective.
But truly, I think top of my list would be a snow the

(03:00):
snowball fight. Like I feel like top of my list
is like they always talk about the snowball fight, but we never
get the snowball fight. And so I do really want that or
like more of the like bad boys up at the cabin alone because
I'm like, this will feed all of my fantasies.
But I also think a Lucian perspective would be really

(03:21):
interesting, especially because he has more of a like past that
we don't 100% know about. Or like I guess we do, but we
don't really know much about that time from when he was like
in love with that other commonergirl or whatever.
And, and what his what his thoughts are since thinking that

(03:42):
Elaine is his mate or like, yeah, like having the mating bun
come in with Elaine. So I think that that would be
interesting. And I feel like I'm also just so
thirsty for more as real point of view.
She's done such a good job of giving us barely nothing.
And so we're all desperate for it.
It's funny to for me to hear that you say that you were like

(04:05):
excited for that one because I never got the impression that
you're an Azrael Gurley. And so I'm just like, is this
new or is this just developing? Or are you still not and you're
just like, I just like, want a new perspective?
Yeah, I I really like all the bad boys.
Obviously, like you. It would be wild to say that if
someone didn't. But I think for him it was that

(04:27):
I think. Yeah, like we just hadn't heard.
Like this was like the Nessian chapter, which we'll talk about
was like you could truly take itor leave it.
And same with the phase end one.But like the Azure one, I knew I
was already spoiled a little bitthat I knew that it was fucking
insane with Elaine. Like it that like just, I think

(04:49):
that that chapter and his POV something we hadn't heard and
something that actually really impacts the book, whereas the
other two chapters like don't really impact the book.
So. Good point.
That's what I made me maybe likecrazy too.
That's the one I'm most excited to talk about.
But where are we going to dive in first?
Yeah, let's dive in. I thought we would go

(05:09):
chronological. So spoiler warning, we're going
to be discussing the three ACOTAR bonus chapters that were
released in special editions of the books.
Obviously, the author is Sarah JMass.
And if you haven't finished all the books, you should just come
back. I'll put time stamps in for when
we talk about, you know, if you just read Akamaf and you want to

(05:30):
hear us, but like we are going to be talking about the series
as a whole, so might want to finish those before you listen
to this episode. Wait, I have another another
secret bonus chapter I want is something from like Tarquin's
perspective or like something that like happened between them
at the summer court, like some summer Shenanoquin shenanigans.
Yes. Or like Heiress, like there's so
many people that I would want tohear from that aren't these

(05:53):
people. Yes, you just have to put that
in there. But anyways.
OK so Wings and Embers is the first one and it is from Akamaf
and it's a third person POV between Cassian and Nesta both
of them which Wings and Embers again?
It's like why did she name this one and then none of the other

(06:14):
ones. Obviously Embers alludes to
silver flame and like this is the start of the Nessie and
relationship but the wings part threw me off I guess cuz him but
I'm like wings and ruin like it just went for SGM but it is
after chapter 38 in the book. So Nessie and they've met once

(06:37):
when Feyra has to return home for the first time and she's a
Fey but I think she disguises herself as a human and she's
trying to warn them about the impending war if the wall comes
down and is asking for their help contacting the human
Queens. And so we get the second
interaction, which I really enjoyed because obviously we got

(07:00):
the seeds of Nessie in, but I think it was a lot more subtle
and this like just really puts it all out there.
Yeah, I agree. It only has more significance
and meaning. I think the reason that this
like I don't know when this bonus when what, what book was
this bonus chapter released with?
Like I know where it happens narratively, but when do we know

(07:21):
when it was released? I think it was an Akamai special
edition. OK cuz let me.
Look that up. Let me Fact Check that.
Cuz if it was, then I think it'sbrilliant bonus chapter because
I wish that I had read that whenI first read 1/4 Mist and Fury
because I would have been like, Oh my God, this.
And that's probably why we feel so intensely about the Asriel

(07:43):
chapter is that it actually has consequences for future books
and we don't have them yet. But when you read it back after
knowing everything that happens for Cassian and Nesta, it's not
really you're like, OK, it's interesting.
Same with like reading back the stuff going on with Face end
where I'm actually like, if I had read that during a chord of
missing Fury, I would have been salivating for more like what's

(08:04):
going on with Cassian and Nesta.And it would have like made the
the A chord of Wings and ruin somuch more interesting to me when
they had those interactions. Because if you weren't really
paying attention to it, you could blink and you wouldn't see
a ton between them. And then of course, a chord of
Silver Flames comes out and you're like, whoa, like all
Nestal Cassian. 100% and so she because you're so with Akka

(08:27):
math, you're so fucking obsessedwith Reese and Feyra at this
point. So I feel like I was like, yeah,
they like have some type of liketension and they like couldn't
hate each other like a little bit of like enemies to lovers,
but I like didn't even really care because you're just so

(08:47):
entrenched in the other relationships.
But I would have been fucking foaming at the mouth for this,
which is basically what happenedwith the Azrael and Elaine
chapter. So I looked it up.
It was released on May 3rd, 2016by Bloomsbury Publishing, which

(09:10):
is her Sarah J Mass's publisher and I so I guess it came out in
2016, which is when Akamaf came out.
OK, so then that is a great bonus chapter.
I wish that I had like known about it or like read it back
when I read Akamaf. So it's after, isn't it, that
Cassian is now playing like a bit of a communicator because

(09:32):
they've got stuff going on with the Queens, the mortal Queens
they need to do. And Nesta has like agreed to use
their house as like go between between the Queens and the fae
world. And so Cassian Reese sends him
to go try to find out if there'slike an update from the Queens
and if they need to like send a letter and like if Nesta will
send a letter to them. But it's so funny because he's

(09:53):
such a little like he's obviously so bothered.
He definitely was like goo goo Gaga for her when he like first
saw her because he's just like, should I go?
Should I not go? I got him nervous like.
Him flying around the house for 10 minutes and her calling him
out on it. I was like crying, but like him
being nervous because we as of right now, we have seen him as

(10:15):
like a super confident, nothing really bothers him type of guy.
I feel like I need that type of guy because I'm the opposite
like I'm so anxious. But it's just wild to see him
like so flustered by her becauseagain, at this point she is a
weak little human that he like kind of and he kind of notes
that he is going to go deliver aletter to the the human queen.

(10:39):
So he has to go to their but he has to cloak himself because,
and this is so wild because I'm like, I forgot all of this
happened humans. So like the service staff have
never seen Faye or like Illyrianwarriors or whatever.
So he has to cloak himself. He like rings the doorbell and
then Nesta's like, Oh, no one's there, goes up to her room and

(11:00):
then he appears because the service staff can't see that
these other types of species that guys exist.
I wrote this down too. I was like cloaking.
I was like, why don't we use that?
Like I remember when, remember when like someone was captured
by the king or like, I don't know, something and like Azrael

(11:23):
and Cassian. Maybe it was Lucian and Azrael
and Cassian like went to like a castle to like look for this
person and I was like, why weren't you cloaked to them?
Like I just. Think are you don't first of
all, don't try to start hitting in plot holes because you're
going to find so many and but but second of all, I do think

(11:43):
it's like to humans, like I do think that I think that they can
cloak themselves. I think if they wanted to,
humans could see them, but they just he was just being careful
obviously because he like revealed himself to Nesta.
And so I think it's more so thatthey can just like obviously
more of their features and or cloak themselves to humans.
And I don't think that I think Faye could probably like smell

(12:05):
each other, right? Or like figure it.
Out and, like, figure it out andstuff.
But yeah, he, he right. He like, follows her up into her
bedroom and, yeah, she and she closes the door and then they're
like quietly talking and he's just basically trying to ask her
if something happened and she just, like, won't give him an
answer either. She just immediately.
So it's the Nesta that we know she's like, so defensive.

(12:28):
And she doesn't like Fairey, Shedoesn't like Faye.
So she's just like, yeah. So she's so judgmental.
And so they're chatting a littlebit as he's dropping off this
letter. And she asks how Fairer's doing,
which was interesting. And he says, well, he thinks in
his head he's like, she's good, she's busy.

(12:49):
But in his head, he thinks healing, trying to outrun the
fact that she's falling in love with Reese and pointedly
ignoring the fact that he's beenin love with her for a damn long
time, that all signs point to them being mates and I'm not
stupid enough to say it to either of them.
Which also is like I'm like did they all know?
I like couldn't even remember that.
I no, I think that my problem islike comes back to us being

(13:14):
like, hey, you guys need a bunchof therapists, like fairy
therapists because these people have been friends for like 506
hundred, 7000 years. Like they always say like how
long they've been friends and stuff.
And I'm like, they don't talk toeach other.
They literally have no real conversations with each other.
I'm like, if this is your BFF recei, why?

(13:34):
No, this is your brother. Yeah, your.
Brother, sorry, your brother, why are you guys not talking?
I mean men. So maybe they're not talking
about their feelings, but I'm just like, 'cause there's also
some interesting stuff about that.
Cassian reflects on about Moore and Azriel and, and like a
little bit of like a peek behindthe curtains between everything
that's going on between them. And I'm just like, so much is

(13:54):
unsaid between all of you. None of everyone needs to take a
communications one O 1 class like.
Please, one 100%. And it's necessary.
So they're like going back and forth and Cassian wonders if
she's a virgin, which is just, which is a wild fucking thought
to have. And then he asks her about it.

(14:16):
Like it's so abrupt and like crazy.
But I guess like I always say the I feel like I've said this
on this podcast, maybe not in a guitar specifically, but maybe.
But it's like some of these things you would never fucking
say out loud. Like some of these things, these
are so crazy. Like it even happens in
contemporary things. Like you would never just ask

(14:37):
someone that. Like it's the second time he
meets her and it's just, yeah. And he's like.
Are you a virgin? But he says have you ever been
with a male Nesta and then she throws back.
Have you? And then he goes I asked for a
sweetheart, not answering the question So so I wrote you're a
snowball fantasy maybe has already come true, but he goes I

(15:01):
asked for a sweetheart, unless do you prefer females and she
like doesn't answer either my little.
Tin foil hat is yeah, it's blowing around.
But can I just say I wrote this and like, I'm really not out
here to cancel anybody for like,queer baiting.
And this is like so little. And we've already talked about
how I just felt like she kind ofjust threw more's like lesbian

(15:26):
storyline or like queer storyline or whatever.
And then we were just like, OK, great.
But I did feel a little like queer baiting.
Some people throw that word around so much.
And I don't think that it's truein all cases, but it's when it's
like hinted at that never gets resolved in like a piece of
media where it's like, and they know that they're bringing in

(15:48):
viewers or they're tapping in tolike a community that like might
want that or might need that, but never actually fully
confirming it. And there's been a couple times
that I feel like she's done withthis, with the guys being like
my brothers and like, but also like we're naked in the Birkins
together at the at at the thing.And, and there's a couple times

(16:09):
where I feel like there's illusions to, oh, have are they
hooked up with like same sex or all this stuff?
And, and it never follows through.
And then when she properly triesto do it, it's like falls flat
because I'm just like, there wasno tension that we built for
more or like we didn't really know anything.
So I'm a little bit annoyed at it, but also I'm also here for
it because I'm like, let me livein my fantasy world.

(16:31):
So I thought it was a little bitfunny that she was like, have
you? And he just laughed and I'm
like, OK. I, I totally get that because I
think the other piece is that they're making jokes about like
queer relationships and queer sexuality, but then it's like

(16:52):
one part is like, OK, so then ifthat's not like a marginalized
identity in this world, why don't we see other couple, like
other fake couples there? I there might be like one or two
and I feel like there was somebody that.
You there is like there's yeah, healing on who's always who.
I think I think he was always like, I just want to get him on

(17:14):
that threesome. Like if you ever let me like
with like Cassian Moore, him andbut OK, so let me just like ride
out this tinfoil hat fantasy because not to like jump ahead
because we can get back to Cassie and Nesta.
But when Cassian does some reflection on Moore and Azrael
and has from his perspective, wehear a little bit about it in

(17:34):
this chapter. He raises it.
He goes when I knew that Azrael saw Moore for the first time
when she like stepped foot on the Illyrian camp and Azrael saw
he's like, I knew I lost Azrael to her and he was no longer

(17:57):
belonging to me. And recent like, which I get is
like, there's also layers of like men, like men can be sad
that their friendship with somebody changes.
I'm not saying that's it, but the language was.
So I'm like, Oh, it's writing itself my fan fiction right now.
And then he says, and then he gives us a little bit of a
glimpse into because we know that Cassian took Moore's

(18:21):
virginity, which is why like shewas like, you know, unsullied or
whatever and her family did all that stuff and dumped her in the
Autumn Court, etcetera. We know that that's going to
like come full circle. But he says out of jealousy, he
decided to sleep with Moore. And they don't specify if he's
jealous about Moore because he has feelings for Moore.

(18:43):
He kind of writes it off. It's like, I will just do it.
It sounds more like he's jealousthat Azrael has feelings for her
and he's not longer with them. And so I'm just like it's
writing itself anyways. No, truly, I was confused by
that too, 'cause I was like, didyou think you lost him 'cause
Azrael will put more in front ofyou 2 in terms of like who he's

(19:05):
loyal to or like I I just didn'tget that.
So maybe we'll get more back story later, but.
I'm sure we will. I think the other thing that
I'll say about this is that likewhen they talk about like queer
sexuality in a way that is positive and then I still then
I'm like, and then if it's not amarginalized identity, cuz

(19:27):
they're talking about it in a way where it's not like an
equity deserving group, then whyhasn't more come out to them?
Like, I guess like, why would itbe a big secret and a big like,
scary thing to say if your friends would judge you?
If it's not like I like, I don'tknow.
I don't know, 'cause like in this book, there's misogyny and

(19:48):
they talk about misogyny a lot, but they don't really talk about
like race or sexuality or other like identities that are
marginalized. At most for race they discuss
lesser fae and high fae at most and they don't really say it's
like a specific like type but obviously like how I say look
more like humanoid. And 'cause they describe that

(20:10):
there are lesser Faye that look and like there have been a
couple political conversations like in the summer Court where
Tarquins like maybe has like, itsounds like more outdated and
antiquated courts are very basedoff of like who's high Faye and
who's lesser Faye. And I think that that's the
closest honestly, that they get to any type of like class or
like race type discussion. That's why I think you have a

(20:33):
good point there. I think that's why, I mean,
maybe Moore describes it to fairer briefly, just in terms of
like, she had a lot to live up to in terms of being like a
woman in her family who have to breed, like have babies for
their royal line or whatever. Like I think maybe there was
that pressure on her, even if it's not like a marginalized

(20:55):
thing. Like I think still her family
was like an old family who does things.
And I'm just like, OK, so there isn't stigma against it.
I think. I think I think it just speaks
to that. It was just kind of like thrown
in by Sarah J Maas and that it wasn't really, like necessarily
well thought out because I do think that, like, the misogyny
is a little bit more thought out.
She's thought about how it operates in like Elyrian camps

(21:17):
and how that would impact characters and like women's
wings being clipped. And that features into the story
really well. And it was just like, oh, like
Morris be in love with a woman, like for her whole life and
can't figure it out. And then it's like, is she
bisexual? Is she?
Anyways, they need to give Mooreher whole own book.
But. Yeah, I'm just curious about

(21:40):
that. We also get like, I feel like
Illyrian warriors are kind of like what we would like blue
collar military. Like I feel like there's some
also discussion about that, but and if that's like a privileged
identity or not. But anyways, let's get back into
the story at this point. She does say, well, she doesn't

(22:03):
say it out loud, but she thinks that she is a virgin.
And I was like, Oh my God. So what happened between Akamath
and Akasuf? Because so I'm like, did you, I
wonder it's like, did you start sleeping?
Because she talks about Thomas in this book because he tried to
assault her. And I was just thinking like so

(22:24):
did she hook up with humans after that or I guess between
Akamath and Akasuf? Or did she just start sleeping
around when she became a fae when she was depressed in
Akasif? That's a really good point.
I didn't think about that. But yeah, she does have an
internal monologue right about like, never having, like, lost

(22:45):
her virginity and that. Yeah, the only time ever was
like, Thomas trying to assault her.
Then she gets turned into a fae and goes into this deep
depression and then, yeah, we'relike, they're like, Nesta's a
slut at the beginning of this. She's looking.
Up with someone every night and having.
And having threesomes, yeah, it is made.

(23:06):
That's a really good plot point.Not that someone couldn't like
have that as a coping mechanism while they're dealing with,
like, trauma and figuring stuff out, but it's an.
But it's an interesting choice for Nesta when you kind of have
it on Canon that that's not something that she does or that

(23:27):
she's even like, we've heard internal thoughts.
It's not like it's a secret to us.
It's like we've heard her internal thoughts say that she's
not really like, you know, what did she say?
Yeah, she's like, she's like. Not that there hasn't been
opportunity, but I haven't like deigned any like I haven't given
anyone like the privilege of speaking with me kind of thing.

(23:48):
You'd think, and I mean maybe a same thing.
I guess we, I guess I don't really have drink.
They kind of have drinking because we know that there's
that crazy fairy wine that like people can get drunk on, but
they don't really talk about like her drinking or drugs or
anything in when she's dealing. But she doesn't gamble and she
does and she does like sleep around.
So I feel like, I mean, it's notoutlandish that that's like

(24:12):
something that she might do, butit's definitely not like lining
up with what we're set up for anestimate.
Maybe that's like her trying to say this is what the trauma did
to her. Yeah, I was just curious about
that because I was like, OK, so during the war she just like
started hooking up with people. It just seemed really
interesting to to mention that she hadn't slept with.

(24:35):
Anyone before here's what I needyour opinion on because she
thinks this and then she's like,she doesn't give him an answer
and then she does the she thinksthat somehow Kathy Ann in two
seconds, literally it's just like who, who who did this to

(24:59):
you? Who hurt you?
Because he Because for two seconds she had like a rivalry.
Yeah, that about Thomas assaulting her and she like,
maybe, I don't know, looks down or something like that.
And he's like who? Like which?
OK, so let's get back to this because so I actually do like

(25:19):
this microtrope. This is what I wanted to know
about if you like this trope of who hurt you?
I, I do like The Who hurt you, but I, I think I like it when
it's like it's a more of established relationship and
like this like The Who period was.
I kind of like it when it's morelike asking questions or

(25:39):
whatever, not the like who I'm going to like be a masculine man
that's going to like run and find this guy and hurt him or
whatever. I don't like love that, but I do
love of like the protective piece of it.
I think the other thing that's like interesting too, that's
annoying is like, so she's a virgin and virginity is a big

(26:02):
deal in whatever, you know, whatever context you want to
think about it as. But then so she looks down or
like, yeah, she has some type ofthought that passes on her face
and he realizes it. And the immediate assumption is
like that someone hurt her. I think is like fucking crazy

(26:23):
like and like this whole trope of like virgin, but like
assaulted from a guy. I guess it's like common.
Maybe that's why it you see it alot, but it just seemed it
seemed so typical, like it was just so I rolly to me.
I don't know. Yeah, that made sense.
I didn't I it all made sense. I didn't remember this

(26:43):
particular part when I reread itfor this, I was like, this is
very eye rolly and the only first of all, like you said,
yeah, what if she just looks down because she was like
ashamed? Or like yes, ashamed that she
was a virgin because she's like.A 23 or 24?
Yeah. And or like if she what about if

(27:05):
she looked down? Because she's like, there's an
upcoming war and I'm never gonnafind a guy or like a person to
like love and cherish and to have sex with like.
What if you could just like whatif she looked down because there
was a bug on the floor? Like, I just like, I just like,
was like, this is so annoying tome.

(27:27):
And yeah, like, and for him, like he gets it right the first
time. And like, 'cause like, if this
happened IRL, and I know that this is an IRL, but if someone
was like, if I looked, if someone was asking me about my
past, like history or whatever, and I look down and they're
like, who? I would be like, you're fucking
crazy. Like I was just reflecting on

(27:50):
whatever. Like, I don't know.
So. I'd be like who, what?
But here's the this is what I want to say.
This is the only redeeming factor for this.
And it's funny as I read it, I was like, this is odd.
I don't remember this and this doesn't seem like specifically
toward Nesta. Like I think even she comments

(28:10):
being like, and I certainly wouldn't talk to somebody who
like, I don't even know like whywould I tell you or something?
But then he has a thought or shepicks up and something to the
effect of like he's like, yeah, I would basically do this for
anyone. Like I I would get upset and I
would do this for anyone, which is very true to Cassian's
character because I think I'm like kind of more annoying if he

(28:33):
was like just zoned in on Nesta and like met her for one time
and then was like, I feel so selfish that this I'm going to
kill the guy that like ever tried to hurt you.
And she's just like, hey, who even are you?
But he actually kind of blinks out of this like zone in he's
obviously very attracted to her and gets pulled in by her.
And then he's kind of like, Oh, well, I do this for anybody.
And then and she has a reflection of just like kind of

(28:54):
being annoyed at like how sincere he is.
And this is kind of fun back andforth because I'm like, this is
very like Nesta to her core and like Cassie into his core.
So I liked that part. No, that's a really good point.
It like comes off, I feel like alittle paternalistic, like with
him and recent about like savingwomen and stuff like that all
the time. But like, whatever, like I can

(29:17):
move past that. And she also reflects at this
point the rage she feels againstFeyra and her little special
journey and her dad for not helping them out of poverty.
And she really feels like seen by Cassian in this moment, which
gets to obviously the best part in this chapter, which is I

(29:40):
guess the tension gets so cuz they're like standing by the
fire and she's like kind of leaning on the mantle or
whatever. And I guess the tension gets so
heated that he she like moves her like neck down.
I guess like Elaine did that in her chapter 2.
But he like greases her neck with his nose and his mouth.
Some good shit right there. No like this.

(30:02):
This is again why I was, I was so fucking hyped on these
chapters because I was like, I'malways like, I wanna see the
happily ever after for couples. And I was like, after the phase
and shit, I'm like, no, bring back the tension, bring back the
will. They won't they.
And I don't need the rest. Like seriously.
And she jumps back. She is so like overwhelmed by

(30:26):
this that she like immediately goes back to throwing remarks
and taunts at him. And he thinks this is when he
thinks the stuff about Moore. He he doesn't want to tell more
about what he's doing with Nestaat this point.
And she is again calling him names, saying how she still

(30:51):
hates Faye and he again clocks her.
He says it's easier, isn't it, to wield the words and the
coldness as armor to keep everyone from seeing where and
who you failed and how you did not care until it was too late.
Yikes. Like.
You know what I just didn't like?

(31:11):
There's two times where, like inhis mind, he calls her a bitch.
This was like. I.
This was a no for me. I just like got the ick.
I just like didn't like this. I was like, I was like, I can't
remember if he's like had these thoughts and access and I just
like didn't remember and I'm just like, why?
He did. I think he he always was like,

(31:32):
she's like a spoiled little bratkind of.
I really truly thought he believed like but.
I can deal with spoiled little brat.
I just like, do not. I just don't think I fuck with
him thinking of her as a bitch. Like I'm like, don't use that
word, Cassian. I don't know why that, of all
things, got me. No, I get that too.
Like I hate when men call women bitches because it's like just

(31:55):
it's steeped in like how women like he is being just as bitchy
to her as she is to him. Like he is saying the childish
comments right back to her. Yeah.
So I I don't like that for sure.And one -1 negative point for
Cassian, but he's good in all the rest of the stuff.

(32:17):
Yeah. And then I think, yeah, I just
like, it's a very like, like she's so magnetically like in
this moment with him where he thinks to himself, like he's
like, it took 500 years of training and strength to make
sure I didn't like, get down on my knees and beg, like, to like,
taste her, like have a touch of her, whatever, Which I'm just
like, OK, calm your role. Like, you guys have, like,

(32:38):
hormones off the fucking charts.But then she jumps back and it's
just like, is it like some very magic trick that you've done to
me? And I'm just like, I'm like, no,
you guys are just super horny for each other.
Yeah, she was like, what are youdoing to me?
Like is this some type of fame magic?
And he's like, no, it's just my like effect on women.
And it was, I thought I thought it was really funny and cute and

(33:03):
like, I would be so embarrassed.Like it's funny that these
pieces of vulnerability, like I'd just be so embarrassed to be
like, I was just so overcome. Are you like?
You put a spell out of me. But she like goes for his groin,
like tries to knee him in the groin and then obviously because
he is a Lyrid warrior, he like catches her knee and so she then

(33:26):
pretends to kiss him again. And because he is unarmed and
wants to kiss her then she's able to like knee him in the
balls. Yep, so funny.
That was good. Yeah, that was good.
He apparently I was when I was looking up some things for this
episode. Apparently he mentions it in

(33:48):
Akasif but that went over my head.
Oh yeah, me too. That's a good little throwback
though. But yeah.
And then it just basically ends.And she's just like, don't like,
literally if anybody has to comeback, it like, literally do not
let it be you. And she also clocks him being
like, I think I heard your stupid wings flapping around for
like 10 minutes. So fucking funny.

(34:09):
I that was like favorite line ofthe entire chapter.
Like, so because he was like, I'm being such a fucking baby
right now. Like I just can't.
Which I liked. I like all that stuff that he
was so thrown by her and that she calls him out.
But yeah, she's like, have fucking Azrael or more.
Deliver the letters. I don't want to see you.

(34:29):
I know a lot of tension right off the bat.
It was it as far as it goes. Good bonus chapter, I'm out of
it. Yeah, yeah, for sure.
Let's talk about the Ferah in recent bonus chapter.
This is an akasif. It's first person POV from
Ferah, and it happens after chapter 21.
Ferah is pregnant at this time and Nesta is looking for the

(34:53):
trove. And I thought this was really
fucking funny recent. And Ferah, like they're just
having a little bit of a discussion together at their
Riverside estate or whatever. And they're discussing Elaine
and how Elaine is starting to become a person again and like,
show a little bit of teeth. They're talking about how maybe

(35:15):
Nesta and Pharaoh would stifle her feelings and everyone
assumes like she's innocent and stuff like that and boring.
But they basically straight up say boring.
And Pharaoh's like, yeah, maybe I had something to do with how
she, like I can't talk basicallyat.

(35:35):
This. Point and I was like, that's
just I thought that maybe it's because they are three sisters
and I'm from a group of three sisters.
I just thought that was very interesting, the two, the two
big personalities, Feyron, Nestaand then the quiet, girly
Elaine. I think it was very funny that

(35:56):
we're all like, Elaine is the most boring person in the world.
And then Feyre is just like, youdon't think she's boring, right?
Here's the thing. I I have I have like, I don't
know if you think it. I feel like that's like a little
funny. He he that like Sarah J Maas put
in because she like knows everyone thinks she's boring.
Like, I choose to believe that because I think that's kind of
funny. That is really, really funny.

(36:18):
I really hope she's that self. Aware that she decided to put
that thing in about. But then also the foreshadowing
was like a little bit too on thenose because recent just really
laying on thick was just like, well, we just have to give it
time. Like you really, like you really
don't know how she'll bloom and how she'll blossom.
And it's like, yeah, duh. The next, if the next book is

(36:39):
not a lane point of perspective,I'll eat my shorts.
Like I feel like it's like the writing's on the wall.
And he's just like, don't you worry, There's something more to
her. And I'm just like, watch us do
the next, the next episode when the next book comes out and
we're gonna be like, we're in Elaine #1 stand.
Yeah, like we did with Nasta, like, 100%.

(37:00):
I pulled the direct quote that RE says, and this made me want
to kill myself, he said. Don't forget that gardening
often results in something pretty but involves getting
one's hands dirty along the way.Like, are you a motivational
poster? Like, it was so cheesy, but
guess what? And I've not seen this being

(37:21):
talked about online. I'm sure I'm not the first
because I never pick up on thesethings, but I think that this
could be a clue, A little Easteregg, he says.
Or she says and torn up by thorns.
And I was like thorns, like Tamlin thorns.
Everybody's so desperate for an update for Agashar that we

(37:44):
really, I do, actually thinks that everyone is delusional who
thinks that Elaine is going to like wind up with Tamlin, but I
do. One hundo. 1 hundo.
But I do love these theories, and there are a couple theories
going around that I can't wait to talk to you at the end about.
But yeah, I think like. Or does she end up in Spring
Court because she's with Lucian,her mate, and because he

(38:06):
basically maybe Tamlin? You always say this.
She hasn't killed off a main character really, except for
Papa Archeron. Maybe she kills off tampon and
Lucian is the second in command and they become the High Lady
and High Lord of. Of the spring.
That theory I could get behind. That theory I could get behind.

(38:28):
Or like Tamlin and like renouncing himself or whatever.
Yeah, but yeah, and then I feel like the rest of this chapter,
sorry, is just so boring. The best part was I'm just chit
chatting about Elaine and. They are so boring Snorri.
They have become that fucking annoying couple like and trust
me, Akumath is like again, top maybe I think I used to say top

(38:51):
five book. Maybe top three book.
I love recent favor in that book.
Holy. Like I don't think I can express
how much I love that this I was like OK next.
Like they talk about how she found out she was pregnant and
it was her at her painting studio having she was painting a

(39:11):
nightmare she had about under the mountain.
And Reese just comes sobbing andlaughing into the studio and
hugs her and just says, baby, what?
Why could she smell it on her and she like couldn't smell it
on herself? Why does it not she know?
And why is that their and why isthat their pregnancy test?

(39:34):
It's just maybe it's like the mate somehow can like sense it
beforehand. But yeah, they just like, you
know, this whole art studio and her healing is just like, guess
what? Maybe Elaine will not be the
bore, the boriest story of the three.
It's Farrah. And they have sex on the floor
of the thing. And then Farrah's like talking
to the Maja, the like the basically fairy doctor.

(39:56):
And she's just like, is it normal to feel so for sex?
And she's just like, well lots of people don't talk about that,
which is really funny cuz she's just like shut the fuck up.
She's like lots of people don't talk about that, but enjoy it
girl. Enjoy it well last.
I was like, Maja, you fucking a horn dog.

(40:18):
And I guess they like straight up don't have sex education
where they're from. We barely do.
But I was like, I feel like it'svery common for pregnant people
to be really horny. Yeah, it was funny.
It was just then they have sex also.
On the sex, but like, it's not even good because they're
talking the whole thing and they're talking about like, like

(40:42):
things that I wouldn't want to personally be talking about when
I'm having sex. Like she asks him why he's been
Moody lately because Cassian pointed it out and we all know
it's because he knows the risks of pregnancy.
He's not answering her. And he's just like, oh honey,
it's just because I'm not sleeping OK, you fucking liar,

(41:05):
liar pants on fire. And then they discuss how they
want to tell more about the pregnancy and he's just going to
drop her shield so he can she can smell her.
And it's like, OK, again, weird.But also like you're having sex.
Like don't discuss your friends.Like, I don't know, it's so
weird. And then they they have sex,

(41:26):
they finish having sex and then they talk about.
Names. Which I actually liked this
part. This is like the one redeeming
part of the chapter because it did suck to not hear about how
they landed on the name Nix because it wasn't their POV
book. And there is a cute there is
also a funny throwaway. Also, I think I'm nod to the

(41:48):
fans and all the questions they ask.
Same with like Sarah J Maas maybe putting in that line about
like Elaine being boring is Chafera teases of being like,
well, you can't choose their name because you know your
family name, which everyone we don't know what recent.
We actually don't know what likemost of the family names are
because like the only one that comes to my mind is like great
Lucian Vencera. Like we know that like that's a

(42:10):
last name, but like last names aren't like referenced a lot.
Although anyways, he cuts her off and that's like kind of a
funny trope. I don't know.
There's like a lot of charactersin media that like never if they
don't get a last name or they don't get like a first name,
like it just kind of becomes this ongoing bit that nobody

(42:31):
gets like a name. And so I do just, I think that
that was like another little funny throwaway line, 'cause
he's just like, don't, don't even talk about it.
I know. And so then we don't find out
what like Recent's last name is.He also suggests using her dad's
name, We. Don't even know.
His fucking name. Do we not know?
Him, I think as Mr. Archeron, I'm looking on the wiki and it

(42:53):
looks like that. That's true.
So that's also funny that we don't even know.
And maybe that's a hint for something which we'll talk about
in the theories chapter, but it's like it.
We don't know his full name because maybe it's like
something that connects to another character.
Anyways, or snore, that's the end of the chapter.
Yeah, they they land on Nyx and it's they know they're having a

(43:16):
boy, but this the name is for anancient night goddess.
So I said our feminist Reese. Like choosing a girl's name for
a boy. So.
Really transcends it all. OK, as the Azrael bonus chapter.
Finally, it's third person POV and it's an Akasif, a court of

(43:38):
silver flames. It's right after winter solstice
and everyone's gone to bed. They've done all their gifts and
stuff like that. Tomorrow is the snowball fight.
It is after chapter 58 and Ameren and Nesta had just
made-up and Cassian and Nesta are hooking up already.
He just had given her the Symphonia.

(44:00):
Azrael is still awake. He's the only one awake but his
shadows are telling him to sleep.
Which this was another thing like we know that he's a shadow
singer but I don't think we had known it till this point that
they like talk to him basically.Yeah, I think that's a big piece
of lore that will get uncovered at some point in this universe,

(44:23):
like big time. And there's also, like,
references to shadow work and like, fairies who have like,
powers with shadows in like another universe book that she
has. So I feel like there's like a
bigger thing kind of going on with shadow singer stuff.
But yeah, they like, whisper to him to sleep and he's like Moody

(44:45):
emo. I can't.
I can't sleep. He's emo because he's jealous of
Cassie and Reece, which is also interesting.
He's like, they're off with their ladies and I'm like by
myself, by the fucking fire. But Elaine comes down the
stairs, she can't sleep either. And she has a gift for him and
she just says cuz she's so embarrassing.
She's like, I just forgot to give this to you.

(45:07):
And it's like she just had planned to like, leave it.
In the living. Room, but he was awake and the
gift was. I love talking about what gifts
they give each other. Homemade earplugs because Nesta
and Cassian have such loud sex in the House of Wind.

(45:27):
With all of the houses that Reese owns and obviously like
lends out, why does Azrael just like not have his own apartment
is maybe what I wanna know And I'm just like, it's just really
funny. It's just it's.
So weird 'cause also it's like hey, if you can make the house
do whatever you want, it can make chocolate cake in books,

(45:51):
make the house make some earplugs or literally you can
make Shields around people shield your room from noise or
like I don't know there's just like a million other things but
that they could do. Also it's fucking weird again as
a a girly with sisters to be like here's some earplugs as I
know my sister fucks really loud.

(46:13):
My sister, my sister, and your brother, who you may or may not
have hooked up with at one point, fucks really loud.
Oh. My God I would die.
Like that's so fucking weird. It's kind of funny.
It's kind of cheeky. It's like this ongoing bit where
they're all just like, oh, boy, now it's now it's Cassian and

(46:35):
Nessa's turn for everyone to, like, roll their eyes at them
instead of, like, Feyra and Reese.
And. But yeah, I know.
And I think, yeah, she wanted togive it to him, but not in front
of everybody. And so, yeah.
And Ezreal's like, so intense. He's like, oh, and I got you a
gift too. And it's a rose necklace made of

(46:56):
gold, and it has, like, stained glass in it.
It sounds fugly. And he was like, I couldn't give
you this gift because obviously,like.
And he, like, points to upstairs.
And it's because Lucian was there.
And so he puts it on her from the front, which is so
interesting. I was just watching this summer.

(47:17):
I turn pretty and the guy in that show also gets the girl a
necklace and puts it on from thefront.
And I'm like, I always loved thelike, I think it was very like
nineties 2000s romance movies. And they put it on in the back
and then they like whatever, buthe puts it on her from the front
and he gets a boner, which is like fucking weird.

(47:41):
Like that's also weird. Like none of this, I guess
there's so much tension, but I'mlike none of this sounds like
there would be tension. It seems more romantic than
sexual. But he like fully gets a boner.
Again, weird because he's standing in front of her.
But I think he's thinking to himself also like doesn't he
think to himself like this is the first time I get to like

(48:04):
touch her neck In all my fantasies where I basically jerk
off all the time. I just think about her myself.
I've never really gotten to liketouch her whatever.
And I'm and it's really buildinglike that is what's so wild
about this bonus chapter. Maybe that's how people felt of
how wild like Cassie and Nesta was.
One was when they like read it after Akimaf and then had to
wait three books until like a quart of silver flames came out.

(48:27):
Which Sergey Mask. Please don't do that to us.
Please don't give me please don't make me wait for like 2
more books in a novella. But I feel like I'm just like,
where did this come from? And maybe that's also like I
guess now, but if I think about it, if I read that after Akamai,
the like Nessian bonus chapter, I would have been like, where
did this come from? Like where did this like crazy

(48:48):
insane tension come from? So maybe it's the same thing
where we're just like Azrael's been having these feelings and
it's like the whole sisters and and brothers thing.
And then he goes in for the kiss.
He truly does. I pulled a quote from this
because you're right. He's like, we've had brushes and
like glances, but never like unfiltered touching or whatever.

(49:11):
So he says it had never gone this far.
Oh, I'm just going to read what I just said.
It had never gone this far. Sorry.
Someone just walked by and I don't want to be saying what I'm
about to say with my window open, with someone walking by.
OK, It had never gone this far. They'd exchanged looks, the
occasional brush of their fingers, but never this, never

(49:31):
blatant, unrestricted. That's the word I was looking
for. Touching wrong.
It was so wrong he didn't care. He needed to know what the skin
of her neck tasted like, what those perfect lips tasted like,
her breasts, her sex. He needed her coming on his
tongue. That's insane.
Work as real holy shit. And then he's like, I can smell

(49:54):
her arousal, which OK, so they're really doing it.
I think like the thing that I want to say about this too is
like, and it's kind of a gripe and grumble, but it's like the
first three books were, in my opinion, so chaste.
And I kind of I think Akasaf makes sense and I feel like this

(50:18):
makes sense too, but like and I'm never going to turn down
more smut, but it's just interesting to me.
Also, I I'm always curious aboutnow books but I used to talk
about this a lot with TV and movies on ready to be Petty.
But it's like how IRL like audiences affect the product.

(50:40):
Like I feel like we talked aboutthis with Vanderpump Rules a lot
but it's like obviously she heard from the fandom.
We want more sex and sex is whatsells and she fucking kicked it
up into high gear. She.
Said OK, I got you, you said. You want, you want smart, we'll
give you smart. But it's just, it's interesting
because I'm like, would this have been more romantic or a

(51:03):
little bit more tame, this interaction if she didn't have
the feedback from people? That's a really good, that's a
really good thought. And I, and I think so, I mean, I
think, I think maybe what I'll be like a little bit
disappointed in is that like if they are a love pairing that
gets explored, I kind of wonder if it's like they have to get

(51:29):
out of their system. Like I wonder if it's part of
Elaine coming back to like who she is and she's being like,
actually, I am a little freak inthe sheets.
And we know non canonically, butlike we know that Sarah J Maas
in like a live Instagram live orsomething or an interview has
said that like as reels are freaking the sheets and then
they like actually go with who they're supposed to go with.

(51:50):
Like maybe that's like part of her story or something, which
would be interesting because they haven't had that like every
relationship so far, other than Tamlin, I guess Tamlin and
Farah. But like has been like this is
like what's going to be end game?
And I feel like otherwise, because if Elaine is truly who
is meant to be end game, I'm just like, OK, I I get that like
Nessian are like they just want to like they just want to go for

(52:13):
it. But does every single pairing
have to be that? Like I don't mind.
Like I did like the flirting of Feyre and Reese and all the
build up of it. I like that as part of it.
That's the other thing because they're about to kiss here and
I'm like, OK, that like, again to us seems kind of sudden.
I guess we'll hear more about their books.
But yeah, like, I hope that sex,you're right.

(52:36):
Like I hope it's just not another Cassian and Nesta.
Like I do hope that they have their own thing, even if sex is
at the forefront of their relationship because like,
that's fine. But like, yeah, you're right.
I do hope that there's something, I'm sure there will
be something special for them aswell.
But she reads this moment and which again, I guess she has EQ

(53:00):
because it has not seemed like that before, but she reads the
moment and she I guess indicateswith her face, yes, she wants to
kiss him. He leans down to kiss her.
And Reese is in his head being like, meet me in my office now.
And he's like, I'm so sorry. This was a mistake.
And she's like, I'm sorry. And then he's like, Oh my God,

(53:21):
she just apologized. This is horrific.
And then he just winnows away, which that that awkwardness is
what I expect more of them, morefrom them.
But he arrives. Azrael arrives at Reese's office
and Reese is like, are you out of your fucking mind?
Why are you trying to kiss Elaine?

(53:42):
And as is like, and this is whatwe've discussed and I guess
everyone discusses. Azrael asks could the cauldron
be wrong? And Reese is like, what about
more? And then he's like, well, the
Cauldron chose three sisters. Tell me how it's possible that
my two brothers are with two of those sisters, yet the third was

(54:03):
given to another, which I kind of think that it's like, maybe
he just likes her because he thinks he should like her.
I have no idea. Who knows?
I think there's a lot of that going on.
It's super weird. It's like, I'm not going to lie,
I want to try to give Azrael a little bit of grace if he is
just like this Moody e-mail boy who like can never express his

(54:23):
feelings. But I did want to be like, and
we haven't even got to it yet. But what a little fuck boy.
Like I'm like, is my vision of Azrael going to get changed
erratically? Like all the people?
Like the joke in the phantom is also that, like everyone loves
Azrael because he shuts the fuckup and doesn't say anything.
And it's like, right, because wecan like project who we want and
like our perfect reason is we don't actually know very much

(54:46):
about him. And and I'm just like, this is
so interesting. We've never had his perspective
before. We don't know a ton about his
past. We don't know like we know just
like little things. We don't really know what his
like inner monologue and like all his thoughts about all the
messiness between like Moore andCassian and stuff.
And then he's just like three sisters.

(55:06):
One of them must be mine. What like check yourself, But
also I think there's a lot of discourse or like, I don't know,
there, I feel like there's like camps of people who are like
team recent and are like fine with how he reacted.
And there's a lot of people who are just like he needs to.
It's like so out of his place tointervene and say like you

(55:29):
literally, I think he like literally orders him under
threat of like punishment and Azriel is taken aback because
he's like, you need to stay awayfrom her.
And Azriel's like in his mind he's like, he's never
experienced recent to like pull rank like that against him.
Yes, completely agree. Like, do I think that in some
aspects recent is right? Yes.

(55:52):
The other thing I have to say islike with how much Faye can
sense each other and sense matesand smell things, why did Lucian
not like wake up within 2 seconds of him like smelling
Elaine's arousal and stuff. I just find that that's a bit of
a plot hole because I feel like.Agreed.
I feel like they talk so much about like, just like knowing
that stuff. And he's like you're when it's
your mate, you're supposed to beso in tuned and like with them

(56:15):
and stuff. Lucian Reese says that Lucian
could evoke a blood blood duel if he catches Azrael trying to
hook up with his mate, which is an Autumn Court tradition that
basically is like a fight to thedeath.
So we also get this lore that maybe there are other, not like

(56:37):
faded mates, that there are other types of mates, like
chosen mates versus faded mates.Mm hmm.
I know I thought that was interesting too because I was
just like, isn't doesn't everybody just like respect the
like mating bond? But I guess not.
And we don't know enough about like different like culture and
lower of like different courts. But I'm like, OK, like it makes

(57:01):
sense that Reese is trying to like intervene politically
because he like knows what wouldhappen.
And him being like, listen, I literally know that you would
win because I was like, I don't care.
I'll beat him in two seconds or whatever.
And it's just like Reese is like, I know like, and that
would cause problems for us. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And we don't want Lucian dead. So Azrael is mad at Reese now,

(57:23):
and he leaves to go back to the House of Wind, and he decides to
fly to the training area to let out some steam.
And Gwen is there at this point,she's trying to cut the ribbon,
and they have some chitchat about winter solstice.
She asks him if he can sing because, you know, she's a
singer in the choir. And he says yes, which also I

(57:45):
was like, OK, he can sing. Like, that is crazy.
That's news to us. And then he is like, I'll let
you, you know, continue practicing your form out here.
I'm going to go to sleep. Then he goes and back.
He goes back to get his gifts from the river House, but this

(58:07):
is the next day where he goes and picks up his gifts because
he's lost the snowball fight. So this would be the next day in
the evening. And he sees Elaine's necklace
there, which is also weird that she's not like she didn't keep
it. And then he's like, OK, well, I
should go return this then. And he puts that off all day.

(58:27):
And then he's like, actually, you know what?
I'm just going to give it to Gwen.
So he goes to the library and talks to Klotho is like, can you
give this to Gwen? And she's like, yeah, for sure.
I'll say that. You stopped by and he's like,
no, tell her a friends like gaveit to you.
And I was like, well, OK, she's gonna eventually figure out who

(58:50):
gave it to her. Like, what is your game plan
here? So this then this was really
interesting. He has this thought and he
envisions Gwen opening the necklace, like seeing the
necklace. And he says in his head he could
picture it though as he ascendedthe stairs back to the house
proper, how Gwen's teal eyes might light upon seeing the

(59:11):
necklace. For whatever reason, he could
see it. But Azriel tucked away the
thought, consciously erasing theslight smile it brought to his
face, buried the image down deepwhere it glowed quietly.
That sounds like a crush to me. This is so tacky.
This is so unhinged. This is why I'm like fuck boy

(59:36):
Azrael is coming out to play. You literally bought a necklace
so specifically for a girl that you have been masturbating to or
Mudson sounds like, and like having all these feelings for
her and feeling like you should be mated with her and feeling
like maybe this is part of it. And you picked it out perfectly.

(59:56):
And you picked a rose because she likes to garden.
And then you basically have thismishap and this weird
interaction with one of your brothers who's like, you can't
be with her. And you're like, OK, I should
return it. And then you think that girl I
chatted with for a couple minutes the night before, that's
who I'll give it to. I just.
I thought it was so tacky. I thought it was like maybe a

(01:00:19):
little bit too heavy-handed. Like to me it doesn't make sense
why he gave it to Gwen. Actually.
I have no like nothing to go offof why he gave it to her other
than being like a nice friend. It's such a romantic, thoughtful
gift. That's a very weird decision to
like pivot and try to re gift tosomeone which is just tacky in

(01:00:39):
and of itself. And then but but but like I'm
just like beside myself. I think it's just really, I
think it's really heavy-handed to be like Gwen versus in vain.
Like I think that that's the thing that she was planting.
And I'm like, I feel like there's a better way to do this.
Yeah, 100%. It just seems also confusing

(01:01:02):
because I feel like in romance novels, and again, we know that
SGM doesn't follow by this, but it's like a lot of romance
novels for better for worse, arelike you find your one true
love. You're not like trying on every
fucking characters in the books,which trying on every character
in the book is more real life than romance novels.
So I don't necessarily think it's a bad thing.

(01:01:24):
It's just wild to see a character in this light.
And I just also think it's like,why didn't you just keep it in
your house? Like you're not tight for money,
you could, if you guys do end uppursuing things, you could give
it back to her. And when you buy a gift for
someone like that, you shouldn'tbe giving it to another person

(01:01:46):
regardless. So it just, it was so fucking
weird to me. Tacky, tacky, tacky.
It was not it was not it. But I am here for, I mean, I'm
broken record with this now. I love when there's like
disagreements and drama between the inner circle.
So I do love that there's like this tension brewing because I'm

(01:02:09):
just like I want something to happen that I don't expect or
something to happen that's like a little bit more like literary
like just like plot line wise that I'm just like the inner
circle, like breaking up or something like I do want
something. So it is really interesting.
This like, I think the most interesting thing about this
whole chapter was like the tension between Reese and and

(01:02:29):
Azrael for me. And just like that he's just
like, that's where that he's like never pulled rank before
and and that he's like doing this in such a specific way and
meddling in that way. And I and yeah, Reese is
obviously out to fucking lunch. Does he not realize that?
I mean, I know more hasn't come out, but it's just like he they
haven't been like he's like, what about more like?

(01:02:50):
What, they haven't hooked up in 500 years, so they're probably
not going to hook up at this point and like.
I don't think they ever hooked up.
No, I know, No, I know. But like they they haven't in
500 years. So it's like it's probably not
gonna happen for them. And it's like also the fact that
you are giving this necklace to another person when you have
lived for 500 years and you don't think in your head like,

(01:03:14):
oh, this is a dumb move. Like that also pissed me off.
Anyways, I'm here for it. I'm like ready for like messy
Azrael and like messy all this like love triangle and all this
stuff. Like I don't feel like there's
been like, has there ever been a, a real love triangle in, in
this whole series at all? No, right.

(01:03:36):
Like like obviously not in not in a like twilight, Jacob,
Bella, Edward love triangle where like people actually have
feelings like like Feira's journey is like realizing that
Tam like he basically abused heremotionally and like and other
and physically in some ways before she like fell for recent.

(01:03:58):
And I feel like it was like her just moving on from that
relationship and then getting with recent and then I and then
and then only like teasing that she like had a crush on Turquoon
or whatever. So there's not really, there's
no there has been no spicy or steamy like love triangle.
There's kind of like Azrael Morin.

(01:04:19):
Oh. Cassian, Yeah, like Cassian, but
like also just maybe just like more Azrael and whoever More is
hooking up with like, I don't know, but but More doesn't have
feelings for Azrael back. But then it sounded like she did
though when she arrived at the camp.
Like I don't know, I'm I'm confused.
I don't know, I think that there's just bits and pieces.

(01:04:40):
I'm sure it'll become more clear, but I I can't remember
100% of like what her story was when she I think she just views
him as like a friend and I thinkthat she knows that he always
thinks that he wouldn't deserve her.
So like he helds himself back and like has not even like
propositioned her or like asked her.
Like I think there was like thatwhole thing.
But anyways, it basically ends there where like with his little

(01:05:01):
his weird little crush on Gwen and I'm just like, what it now
that's a good teaser. That is a good.
I'm just like OK, now I want to know.
What's happening? I mean, at the mouth I it's like
if I read Wings and Ember and was waiting for Akasif, I would
be feral. Let's like RIP through some of
this roundtable discussion so wecan talk about some of our

(01:05:23):
Akatar 6 theories. So this is our Internet
investigation, our cursory proves of the Internet of Things
you need to know. I saw an Instagram live that SGM
did like years ago and she said she scattered crumbs all over
Akasef and the bonus chapter in relation to Azrael.

(01:05:44):
So I'm curious and she said she was curious of what theories
readers will come up with. But I was like, what other like
Akasef crumbs about Azrael did we learn?
Good question. I can't remember.
Like it all kind of blends together.
I just know that like, like there's something going on with

(01:06:06):
the shadow singer vibes. He obviously was different, like
he's an Illyrian, but he was different enough.
And I think that they Once Upon a time said that, like, shadow
singers are rare, not that he's the only one, but they're like,
a rare, like, type of fae. And that he obviously was, like,
abused by his brothers and his dad and, like, had to learn how
to fly later. And, like, so he has, like, this

(01:06:28):
troubled childhood and, like, isone of the strongest Illyrian
warriors and, like, hates Illyrians for, like, what they
are and stuff. But I feel like other than that,
other than like, yeah, the pieces that he was obviously in
love with more, we don't know much more than that.
OK, I wonder why these are unanswered questions for the

(01:06:49):
listeners. Why hasn't Elaine acknowledged
the mating bond? Yeah, I would love to know that.
Yeah, there's something, there'ssomething that there's a lot of
plot waiting, like we're just waiting to find out.
And normally I would have more faith that I'm like, no worries,
she'll answer them, it'll be fine.

(01:07:10):
But she did a really bad job with some like plot dangling and
like never really like having itfollow through with the Crescent
City series. So I'm like nervous if she'll
like properly answer all of these questions and wonder wise
that we have. But like, I need to know.
I want to know. She's like in this day and age

(01:07:31):
there is no reason for popular book series to have plot holes
because the fucking die hard fans are discussing every single
one of them or every unanswered question that we have on Reddit
and shit like that and TikTok and Instagram.
So it's like you should have someone on your team like these

(01:07:53):
big popular authors on the continuity if it if it's not you
and writing them down and then checking for continuity.
That's my gripe and my crumble. And I guess like my other
unanswered question and we'll probably hear about it in
Aquitar 6, but like still I cannot understand Azrael's game

(01:08:14):
plan. But the necklace because it's.
Like if. You give it to someone and then
pretend it's like kind of anonymous but kind of not.
She'll eventually find out and then, which again is
embarrassing to do after when you're 500 years old.
And then the other thing is likewhat is his thoughts that it's
like you gave her this necklace so then you're expecting her to

(01:08:35):
wear it? What about if she's in the same
room with Elaine and Elaine goeshey wait a second, I think
that's re gifted. Like that's so dumb.
Boys are dumb is the answer. And also I am confusion.
So yeah, still wondering that I'm I'm right there with you.

(01:08:55):
OK, our grapes and grumbles. These are NIT picky problems we
have with the book. I just thought it was wild to
put such important info in bonuschapters because they were all
released in US editions so untilpeople uploaded them online,
international readers didn't have access to them.
And I know that capitalism fuelsall of this like it fuels

(01:09:20):
collection frenzy where everyonehas to have every fucking
iteration of this and the TaylorSwift albums and stuff like
that. But I think some of the like El
real stuff I'm like it would be wild to pick up Akatar 6 and
just like it was picking up Akasif and not reading wings and
Ember if you didn't read this bonus chapter.

(01:09:45):
Yeah, I don't know. I think you're right.
I wish it wasn't a special edition.
I just wish it was like a bonus chapter at some point.
They're all published. Yeah, and all published
versions. Of the book.
I think so too because some of it is just so wild or like on
her website just do like bonus epilogue or whatever cuz I get

(01:10:07):
that because they're different PO VS it would ruin the flow of
the book if you just actually stuck these in the book.
So I'm like just stick them at the end as like bonus chapters
or? Deleted scenes.
Or whatever. Yeah, I'm with you.
And then I felt like because I read Wings and Ember after I had
finished Aqua. Remember when I think I was

(01:10:28):
saying this on the episode, it was so fucking jarring when
Cassian was like, I'll die for you.
I'll find you in another lifetime.
And like is trying to protect her from the Cauldron.
And I was like, if I had read this bonus chapter, I was like,
OK, I would like get it a littlebit more.
So I just, I think those are thethings that I was like upset
about. That makes sense, I'm just upset

(01:10:51):
about how tacky Azrael is regifting.
It's so upsetting because he like again, we have just painted
him as this like really cute, sincere guy when we like truly
don't know a lot, but like it was fucking shocking to me.
And then obviously you know thislike I really don't want Azriel

(01:11:11):
and Elaine to get together. Like I just think the brothers
and sisters thing is like fucking dumb.
They at this point, again, we don't know much about either of
them, but they don't seem like agood match.
That's why I'm kind of Team Gwenreal.
I see. I see.
If you had to choose Elaine or Gwen, who would you choose?
Or is there another option? Yes, heiress, you've asked me

(01:11:35):
this before and I'll say it again and I'll say it again.
Yeah, Yeah. No, I'm just like Team Nobody
right now. But I'm, I'm open to being
influenced as jam. Like write the book.
Let me read it. I do kind of think it's a little
bit of a red herring that like 3/4 of the bonus chapter was

(01:11:55):
based on his interaction with Elaine.
But if you actually reread it, it's like 1/3 of it is Gwen or
like 1/4 of it is Gwen. So it's like maybe she is trying
to set up this kind of like switcheroo?
And a quarter of it is Reese being too jealous that he
doesn't want Azrael to be with anyone, just like casting was
too jealous he doesn't want Azrael to be with anyone.

(01:12:17):
So there's also a 25% chance that my bad boys are end.
Game Yeah, yeah, that's actuallya legitimate theory like it's.
So funny. OK, Sequel Scoop.
This is the T on any upcoming sequels, seasons and the general
reception. Like you mentioned before, we're
anticipating two more books. It seems like, I think I read
this that we thought that there's going to be a book

(01:12:38):
coming down in 2025, but it looks like it possibly could be
bumped to 2026 and then a novella.
But we want to talk a little bitabout some of our Akutar 6
theories. It's so funny.
I was reading an Instagram post from from a very popular podcast
that covers Akutar. They wrote like these are Akutar

(01:13:00):
6 theories and I read through them and I was like I have never
heard or read half of these words.
They just went over my head likeI.
Literally was like all of the villains and the people and
what's actually gonna happen. See, I'm not that far into it.
Like I even though I've read thebooks a couple times, I like

(01:13:22):
don't remember that. I'm just thinking that the
latest theory that's been going around on my TikTok to this like
unhinged version of Pink Pony Club that is like the audio
behind it. It's just that.
Is it like Pink Pony Club then? It's like Pony Club.
Yeah, we're on the same TikTok. Like, and I've had like 3 come

(01:13:44):
up recently where this theory, it feeds into the like Elaine
Tamlin theory, which I think is unhinged.
And but it's basically that likeCassian never said I love you, I
guess to Nesta. And they're, and they're like,
oh, it's going to be heiress. And that's why Feyra painted

(01:14:07):
flames on Nesta's. Like she painted flames on
Nesta's drawer and she painted flowers on Elaine's drawer on
her like, like that little drawer that they had at their
house that she loved to do graffiti.
And so and and so that's the latest one that people are just

(01:14:28):
like, it's going to be Eris and Nesta.
Eris will be with Nesta because Eris is of the of the autumn
court and he has the flame powers and that and that Elaine
was flowers and that so she willbe with Tamlin because it's
flowers or spring Court, which is just I just think it's a bit
of a stretch because I also think that the flames are that

(01:14:50):
she had silver flames power. And I and I think that the
flowers are that like Elaine is maybe she is meant to be spring
court. Like your theory eventually with
like Lucian taking over. But I think that she likes to
garden. I don't know if it's that much
more serious than that. So maybe, but yeah.
Yeah, and like Nesta was fiery, and Farah liked hunting in the

(01:15:13):
dead of night and looking up at the stars.
Like I I kind of agree it seemedmore like personality traits and
interests versus like a prophecy.
But the dresser theory is a compelling 1.
I believe that Sarah J Mass in ainterview or a TikTok live or
whatever did say that Cassian and Nesta were end game.

(01:15:36):
But it is interesting because the dresser was so integral to
Nest and Pharaoh's story that itseems like it would be obviously
very integral to Elaine's as well.
Yeah, I agree. I think you're right.
There's something there but I don't really like.
Yeah, I don't think that that. I mean, I'm here for it.

(01:15:57):
I'm here for drama. Like honestly at this point,
kill off the main character, give me some, give me something
to work with. Tamlin, I think like no.
Kill off a real main. Character like no I know I know
but like I just feel like honestly if I had to kill one of
them, Ameren can go. Hi.
She's like a nobody character tome.

(01:16:19):
No events. But like I think that when she
wraps up this series, she wants a happily ever after that like
maybe Tamlin wouldn't be there and Elaine and Lucian are in
Spring Court. What are Gwen's powers?
It seems like she also has like additional powers.
Like like what is that? Like, I don't know.
No, she was just a priestess andand I was real.

(01:16:41):
Saved her from when that Highburn soldiers like ransacked
it when they were trying to findthe legs of the cauldron.
And so that's why she wound up because I think that she was
like assaulted S aid and then her sister died like her twin
sister died and she couldn't save her or whatever.
And so that's why she's with thepriestesses in like the library.

(01:17:05):
But maybe I don't know if there's any other powers.
Man wouldn't be surprised, but Ican't remember if there's
anything specific about her powers.
OK, explain this one to me then.The Archeron Gurlies are
descendants of Fion's queen. Who the fuck was Fion?
OK so this also I can't tell youbecause I don't like remember

(01:17:27):
off the top of my head but you don't.
I don't want to spoil anything, but like Crescent City has a ton
of lore dumps that all interest intersects with stuff.
And there's probably like the other thing that they do is they
do a lore dump a lot of the time.
Like think of Miriam and Drake Khan and like literally like
they'd be like, OK, here's 5 pages worth of just like

(01:17:49):
monologue of explaining the story.
We're not going to remember any of those pieces.
So I think that that was like a long ago original fae.
I think that like Fiona or something might have been on the
planet or whatever universe they're in.
So I so I don't want a. Crescent City character.

(01:18:10):
Yeah, see, I thought I thought so when you said that.
I know that you don't want me toread them, but I think I have to
to like fully understand acatar.I'll let you you just try
reading the first couple chapters.
Can't wait for your text messagethat you're gonna say that you
are not gonna continue on with it.
You go ahead and try Tori. OK, OK.

(01:18:36):
Like not nothing people can comefor me.
I think that those books are terrible.
Not that's it. Yeah, but close.
No good romance, no good and just you're just.
And if you think you're confusednow about some stuff that
happened in Agatar, get ready tonot know what the fuck is going
on at any given point of time inthose books.

(01:18:58):
I can't. I know the only pay off is some
of that guitar stuff. It's the only payoff.
But I know, but I feel like I need that.
OK, well, I'll find. Those 2026.
I'll find those pieces for you. I'm sure someone has a Reddit
thread with all of the pages that you would need to read, but
OK, we'll see. We'll see what I'm reading this

(01:19:19):
winter. These are ones that I like feel
like for sure happening. Koche is the final big bad of
the series and the Archeron sisters and like the inner
circle will defeat him. I think we're gonna discuss the
faded versus chosen mate theory.I think someone becomes high
king and queen, probably phase end.

(01:19:41):
And then there was like that hint about the blood duel, like
the introduction of the blood duel.
So I'm assuming we're gonna get one of those.
Maybe that's how one of the maincharacters dies and I wanna know
more about Moore's. Like what?
What does she see in the woods? What's her big, big storyline
that she has with Heiress? Knowing her secret and and

(01:20:03):
finding her but not leaving, like leaving her in the forest
or whatever. Like I wanna know about that
stuff. There's too many unanswered
things about characters that I care about to like.
Have new information come out about Elaine.
I do not care. Answer me all the things but
more. Tell me more about Azrael.
Why you gotta tell me about Elaine?
She's like a seer now. OK, cool.

(01:20:25):
She can like use some bones and tell the future.
Like isn't that scrying or whatever?
Doesn't fucking nest to do that.Let's you and me scry next time
we're together to find out what what happens in the track Guitar
6. Literally, yeah, 100%.
I could totally see maybe actually a guitar 6 not coming

(01:20:47):
out and we get 5.5. I'll take anything, I'll take
anything. I'll take anything at this
point. Yeah, me too.
And I guess she she has to have some secret power if Feyra and
Nesta also have powers that are not normal.
Yeah, exactly. OK, any final thoughts about
Aqatar 6 or the bonus chapters that we've read?

(01:21:10):
I can't believe it's like we talked about when we finished
Silver Frame. We're like, and that puts a bow
on Aqatar and it's like, we're back.
But I could cannot believe that we might actually not be back
for like 2 years. Will I still even have this
podcast? We we'll just do one special
episode to drop and and if you wanted, if you wanted, you know,

(01:21:35):
all all we can talk at guitar through Crescents via Crescent
City. So.
OK, OK, I like. That it's there's still
opportunities. I also think, and this is
probably even more likely than me reading Crescent City but you
and I go to ACOTAR Ball and likevlog our trip but.

(01:21:58):
When will, when will Universal Studios instead of Harry Potter
world create Volaris for me? Like that's, that's what I need,
that's what I need. They literally could.
That's why I'm like, you did Harry Potter.
This book is just as big. You could totally do a wizarding
world. You could totally do ATV show.

(01:22:19):
Like there's so much shit you can do with this and it's
fucking not happening and I'm pissed.
You really are in a you really are thirsty.
You really are thirsty for it toto to.
We were gripes and crumbles entire episode and now we're
like. I know I this is this, this is
the fucking theme of this podcast is me talking shit for

(01:22:40):
an hour just being like and it was the best thing I've ever
read. I think that's a good note to
leave it on. Amazing.
OK, thanks so much, Megan, for coming on.
And that's the story of the Avatar bonus chapters.
Thank you so much for listening and thank you to Megan for
joining me on today's show. I'm looking for questions.

(01:23:01):
If you want to be a part of the show, please submit a voicemail
via the links in the episode show notes.
Share your pronouns, where you're from, your name, and what
you want to ask us. You can also share your gripes
and grumbles. Would love to hear that or some
wonder wise or any comments you have on future books we're
covering. This includes The Summer I

(01:23:22):
Turned Pretty Outlander, and TheTrouble with Hating You.
We would love for some more audience participation and I
feel like it's just nice to hearmore perspectives about the
books that we're reading. One other favor to ask if you
could subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple
Podcasts or Spotify really helpsthe show find new listeners.

(01:23:43):
People do look through the reviews to see if they want to
press play or not. So it's super, super helpful.
You can also follow me at Ready to be Romance on TikTok,
Instagram and Twitter. I'm always posting new book
news, what I'm reading outside of the books I cover on the

(01:24:03):
show, as well as tons of visualsand memes and tik toks and
really really fun stuff to do with the book that I'm covering
that week. You can also see clips of us
podcasting, which I think is really fun.
ANYWAYS, last but not least, if you'd like to suggest a book for
me to cover on the show, you cando so via the links in the

(01:24:26):
episode show notes. OK, that's all for me folks.
Our next episode is The Summer ITurn Pretty.
Until then, happy reading for Ready to be Romanced, I'm Tori.
Goodbye.

All Episodes

Episode Transcript

Popular Podcasts

Stuff You Should Know

Dateline NBC

The Joe Rogan Experience

.css-15opob5{left:0;position:absolute;top:0.8rem;} All Episodes

.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}A Court of Thorns and Roses Bonus Chapters by Sarah J. Maas

Episode Transcript

Popular Podcasts

.css-r6mb8g{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:1;overflow:hidden;}Stuff You Should Know

Dateline NBC

The Joe Rogan Experience

All Episodes

A Court of Thorns and Roses Bonus Chapters by Sarah J. Maas

Stuff You Should Know