Once Upon a Hot Take
A book review podcast that covers the books you love (and love to hate). Join us for a hot take every other week, where we cover fantasy, romantasy, romance, historical fiction, thrillers, and everything in between.
Episodes
Guest host Kelsey joins Leah in their discussion on Honey and Heat by Aurora Palit, a contemporary workplace enemies-to-lovers romance featuring Cynthia Kumar and Rohit Patel. The story explores themes of family, identity, and empowerment. It was the Loom & Lore book club pick for the month of July, so Leah and Kelsey share out some of the topics discussed at book club.
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Once Upon a Hot Take podcast is 1 year old! Come celebrate with Leah and Jordan as they reminisce about their favorite (and least favorite) moments of podcasting for a whole year. Also, if Exactly Right Media is looking, we are available to be added to your lineup 😉
This is the episode in which Leah's husband Paul guest hosts and cashes in his lost bet. The internet voted and determined the married couple would cover Butcher and Blackbird by Brynne Weaver.
The husband and wife duo discuss all the usual segments of the pod: character cocktails, FMK, highs/lows, but with the added twist of married couple banter.
Tune in to hear Paul's hot takes on this dark romance.
Bet you didn't know folding towels could be a hot take debate! In this episode, Leah and guest host Laura react to Quicksilver by Callie Hart. They kick things off with sisterly banter and then jump into a great idea for a book maturity rating system.
The sisters unpack all your beloved (and hated) characters, including Saeris, Kingfisher, Carrion, and Onyx, while debating the book’s world-building, spice level, cover des...
Come hang out with Leah as she chats with Kate and April, the creators behind Lumnia Literary Tours, the women-only tour group for bookish travelers. Find out what inspires the upcoming tours, how long it takes to plan a tour, who should come on one of these amazing adventures, and speculate what "cone chicken" is in France. 🤔
It is time! Leah and Jordan finallllllly discuss Sarah J Maas's A Court of Thorns and Roses. And it did not disappoint. Both Leah and Jordan had very different opinions on a re-read and were even able to change each other's minds on some aspects. This episode ONLY focuses on book 1, so those of you who haven't finished the series are safe to listen to this episode!
Once Upon a Hot Take teams up with fellow book lovers Claire and Yana of My Best Friend's Book Club to bring you allllllll of the hot takes on the iconic Twilight movie.
Well, we had so much fun with the first one, we decided to do it again! Leah is joined by 4 more indie authors to talk about their tips and tricks of the trade, promote their books, and get the hottest of takes on anything and everything that goes into the book-writing, editing, and publishing process.
Take a listen to find your next read, learn some tricks of the trade, or simply enjoy as some of these wonderful humans ...
This episode covers Daniel G. Miller's The Red Letter: part thriller, part murder mystery. Leah and Jordan share their stellar picks for a screen adaptation, discuss Hazel's insane Red Bull obsession, and laugh over some cold takes. Dive into this adventure with this bookish dynamic duo!
We are SOOO excited to share our very first indie author-themed episode! Leah interviewed 5 amazing indie authors who shared all their wisdom and hot takes on the writing process, why they chose self-publishing vs. traditional publishing, their collective hate for editing 😆, and –of course– many, many laughs.
We hope you find some new books to add to the TBR or gain some inspiration to finally start writing th...
This episode covers the book Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell. Leah and Jordan also add their hot takes regarding the movie. Notable topics include the etymology of the phrase "eat crow," an excellent nickname for one of the worst characters, a heated argument in the FMK segment, and a true appreciate for capital "L" literature.
In this episode, we explore Andy Weir's Project Hail Mary, discussing the differences between the book and movie, character development, scientific accuracy, and the emotional impact of the story. Join us for a deep dive into sci-fi storytelling and filmmaking insights. We share hot takes, favorite moments, and insights into the science and characters that make this story a must-listen for sci-fi fans and newcomers alike. This epis...
In this special episode, Leah and Jordan interview Samantha, the host of the Benevolent Ball, who shares insights about planning the upcoming fantasy ball, the Fractured Heavens Masquerade. She discusses the charitable aspect of the ball and the pre-ball market, offering a glimpse into the immersive world of fantasy balls. We get a behind-the-scenes look at planning and organizing a fantasy-themed event. Samantha shares insights ...
Delta County by J.L. Hyde follows the story of Heather, who moves back to her idyllic small town in the UP, only to find out it's not as quaint and unassuming as she remembers. Leah and Jordan share their hot takes on e-readers, drinking culture, college housing, and much more! If you like Colleen Hoover and Freida McFadden, Delta County is right up your alley.
Takeaways
- E-readers vs. Physical Books
- Character Analysis:...
Tune in to Leah and Jordan's coverage of Throne of Glass. They butcher some name pronunciations, share their best/worst parts of the book, debate the merits of love triangles, pick some excellent actor choices, and share some theories about the rest of the series.
Join Jordan and Leah as they unpack the grand adventure in the debut novel by indie author Brian Maes! This fantasy story is book 1 in a series currently under way. Leah and Jordan discuss all the fantasy tropes they love about this book, from magic to immortals, element control to alternate dimensions.
They also have a special author interview for the second half of the episode! Brian gives his hot takes on the writing process, di...
To celebrate Valentine's Day, Leah and Jordan are coving the romance novel Book Lovers by Emily Henry. Tune in to hear all of their hot takes (and differing opinions!) on the book and the romance genre in general. From character analysis to actor portrayals to character cocktails, they are covering it all for this romance novel full of witty banter!
Leah and Jordan dive into the life of author Ally Shaw in her debut memoir Chasing Tigers in the Dark: Life Lessons of a Fierce Survivor. Ally brings her positive energy onto the page as she tells her stories of the multiple traumas that have plagued her life and how she has processed this trauma and has learned life lessons along the way in the hopes of helping others in similar situations. Her strength, bravery, intentionality, C...
Leah and Jordan discuss their favorites and least favorites from their reads in 2025! Best and worst characters, favorite worlds, most unhinged plot twists, FMK, hot takes on Onyx Storm, and much more! Stay tuned to the very end for bloopers on the Goodreads 2025 Year in Books discovery.
Tune in to listen to Leah and Jordan discuss all things "In A Holidaze" by Christina Lauren. This charming holiday read is sure to give you all the warm feelings that come with this time of year all wrapped up in a nice rom-com bow. They cover character analysis on Maelyn , Andrew, Theo and Benny. They talk about favorite childhood games and sledding. This episode is full of charm and laughs! Happy Holidays to all!
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