The Library Coven
41 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 4 years ago - ★★★★★ - 13 ratingsA bi-weekly podcast in which two bookish besties, Jessie and Kelly, read YA fantasy through a critical lens
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Episodes
Umbrella Academy – Bonus Episode!
September 29, 2020 05:00 - 51 minutes - 44.6 MBWe’re coming at you with a super special bonus episode discussing all things about the first two seasons of Umbrella Academy! If you enjoy this episode, let us know, and let us know about any other bonus episode things you’d like to see in the future!! As always, we’d love […]
Episode 37: A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer
September 22, 2020 17:05 - 46 minutes - 32.4 MBGreetings to all you magical beings out there! This fortnight, we’re discussing A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer. We immensely enjoyed Kemmerer’s spin on the whole Beauty and the Beast tradition, and we found Harper to be one of the most relatable and badass protagonists! There’s so much […]
Episode 36: Crier’s War by Nina Varela
September 08, 2020 00:00 - 59 minutes - 49.5 MBHello, magical folx! This fortnight we’re discussing Crier’s War by Nina Varela! This book is fantasy adjacent, and leans a bit more toward science fiction, but we have lots of world building and robot things to talk about! Call to action: This week we’re educating ourselves on how the various technologies we […]
Bonus! 2 year Episode
August 31, 2020 00:00 - 21 minutes - 17.9 MBHello, magical friends! We’ve got a bonus episode for you! We recently celebrated 2 years of the podcast! We are so excited to have been in communication with you for the last two years! The time has really flown by. We just wanted to take this time to thank you […]
Episode 35: Queen of Nothing by Holly Black
August 25, 2020 17:27 - 53 minutes - 37.6 MBhello, everyone! We’re excited to bring you this episode about The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black, the final installment of the Folk of the Air series (after The Cruel Prince and The Wicked King– which we discuss in episode 8 and episode 16, respectively). In the novel, we finally get to find out what happens […]
Episode 34: Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi
August 11, 2020 00:00 - 1 hour - 61 MBHello, magical friends! This fortnight we’re coming at you with a discussion of Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi, the second book in the Legacy of Orïsha series. If you need a recap of the story or what we talked about in the first book, check out episode 2 (so […]
Episode 33: Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
July 29, 2020 00:39 - 49 minutes - 33.4 MBHey, magical folx! In this episode we discuss Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, which is *NOT* YA. We gotta say this at the top because its some sexist bs that women/femme adult fantasy writers get miscategorized as YA (read about how sexism impacts genre categorization). *Call to action* This fortnight, […]
Episode 32: We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal
July 14, 2020 12:00 - 59 minutes - 40.7 MBHello, magical ppl! In this episode we dive into We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal, which J & K both enjoyed immensely. Join us for a conversation about how much we <3 enemies-to-lovers ships, badass protags like Zafira and Kifah, Faizal’s impressive world-building, and much more. Content Warning for discussions […]
Episode 31: A Dream So Dark by L.L. McKinney
June 30, 2020 00:00 - 54 minutes - 54.1 MBHello, magical folx! This week we’re discussing A Dream so Dark by L.L. McKinney, the second book in the Nightmare-verse series! In this episode we’re making predictions about the future books in the series, talking about “urban” fantasy, and coming at you with some major Star Wars: Rise of the Skywalker […]
Episode 30: The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline
June 17, 2020 02:48 - 58 minutes - 41.5 MBHey, magical folx! This fortnight we discuss The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline, a prolific author who is a member of the Georgian Bay Metis Community. Hope you enjoy and learn something(s). BLACK LIVES MATTER. Content warning for discussions of sexual violence and addiction. RAINN – Anti-sex violence assistance. Call 800-856-4619 or visit […]
Episode 29: Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
June 02, 2020 00:00 - 1 hour - 96.8 MBHello, magical folx! This week we’re discussing Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo, the second book in the Six of Crows series. Check out our Six of Crows episode for a refresher on what happened in the last book! Side Note & Content Warning: We know we’ve been gone for a bit, and […]
2019: Year in Review
December 31, 2019 12:00 - 43 minutes - 37.7 MBHappy New Year! With 2020 upon us, we wanted to take a look back at 2019. In this very special episode, we’re looking back at some of our favorite books, TV shows, movies, and other things from 2019, and talking about what we’re looking forward to in 2020. We’d love […]
Episode 28: Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova
December 23, 2019 22:51 - 1 hour - 68.7 MBHello, magical listeners! We’re coming at you this week with a discussion of Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova, the first in the Brooklyn Brujas series. J & K discuss the failed system of incarceration and the implications of those systems on brown people, beautiful world building, and Latin American folklore. […]
Episode 27: KINGDOM OF SOULS by Rena Barron
December 03, 2019 15:49 - 1 hour - 49.1 MBOh hello again, magical listeners! J had the pleasure of reading an ARC of Rena Barron’s Kingdom of Souls, and we’re finally bringing you our conversation about this expansive, thrilling novel. It has one of the the most complex magical systems of anything we’ve read for the podcast so far. […]
Episode 27: Kingdom of Souls by Rena Barron
December 03, 2019 15:49 - 1 hour - 49.1 MBOh hello again, magical listeners! J had the pleasure of reading an ARC of Rena Barron’s Kingdom of Souls, and we’re finally bringing you our conversation about this expansive, thrilling novel. It has one of the the most complex magical systems of anything we’ve read for the podcast so far. […]
Episode 26: The Infinite Noise by Lauren Shippen
November 05, 2019 07:14 - 47 minutes - 42 MBHello, magical listeners, and welcome back! We are starting season 2 by reading The Infinite Noise by Lauren Shippen. We’re talking science fiction, mental health, and sexist school norms in this fortnight’s episode. *We received this book as an ARC form the author* We want to give a content warning […]
Episode 25 House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig (slash an entire year of the show!!)
August 07, 2019 18:37 - 1 hour - 69.2 MBHave you ever imagined what Downton Abbey would be like if it took place in the Iron Islands and was actually a supernatural murder mystery inspired by a Brothers Grimm story?? Well, House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig is all that and much more! Tune in for […]
Episode 24: Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim
July 16, 2019 02:23 - 1 hour - 93 MBHello, dear listeners! This fortnight we’re reading Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim, a new retelling of Mulan. We found some pretty problematic areas in the book, but found the story quite captivating overall. As a note, we did receive this book as an ARC, but our feelings and reactions […]
Episode 23: The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty
July 04, 2019 03:45 - 1 hour - 73.8 MBMagical listeners! We’re taking a break from YA this fortnight to bring you an episode about the incredible fantasy novel The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty. The show notes happen to be long this time — why not Ravenclaw-it-up and check out the links to learn some stuff? About […]
Episode 22: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
June 18, 2019 00:00 - 1 hour - 71.2 MBThis fortnight we’re discussing Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. The first book in the Six of Crows duology and the fourth book in the Grishaverse series. We discussed a wide range of topics including slavery, sex work, and stereotypes of different cultures. Content warning: In this episode we discuss […]
Episode 21: A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
June 05, 2019 23:31 - 1 hour - 77.3 MBFinally, the ACOMAF episode is here! J & K both adore ACOMAF, and in the spirit of that affection, we don’t shy away from dredging up the novel’s problematic aspects. Generous and loving critique is, after all, what our podcast is all about. If you need a refresher, catch up […]
Episode 20: Interview with Kelly
May 20, 2019 14:06 - 25 minutes - 23.5 MBHey listeners, welcome to the second (and final) installment of our interview mini-sodes! In this episode, Kelly fields questions from Jessie about a plethora of extremely important topics including superpowers, fur babies, astrology, and books (#obvi). Like Jessie did for the last episode, I (Kelly) am updating the show notes […]
Episode 19: Interview with Jessie
May 05, 2019 23:30 - 25 minutes - 23.7 MBHey, everyone! We’ve decided to do something different and interview each other for the next two episodes so you can get to know us better! In this first interview, Kelly is interviewing Jessie. Is there anything you were surprised to learn? Jessie is writing the show notes to include anything […]
Episode 18: Dread Nation by Justina Ireland
April 21, 2019 23:30 - 1 hour - 87.2 MBThis fortnight we’re discussing Dread Nation by Justina Ireland, one of the most intersectional books we’ve read yet! We talked about the intersectionality of race, class, gender, and colonialism. We chatted about shipping, impostor syndrome, and many many other things. We adored this book, and we can’t wait to see […]
Episode 17: Descendant of the Crane by Joan He
April 08, 2019 00:00 - 1 hour - 81.2 MBThis week we’re discussing Descendant of the Crane by Joan He. We received this book for free from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review (which we promise to always provide). We discussed monarchies, constitutions, colorism, and magic this week, as well as many other topics. Below are links to […]
Episode 16: The Wicked King by Holly Black
March 26, 2019 04:34 - 1 hour - 45.7 MBHappy Spring, listeners! In Episode 16 we discuss The Wicked King by Holly Black, the much-awaited sequel to The Cruel Prince. Content warning: emotional and physical child abuse. ChildHelp – Child Abuse Assistance – Call 1-800-422-4453 if you or someone you know is the victim of child abuse Below you […]
Episode 15: The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang
March 11, 2019 01:35 - 1 hour - 69.7 MBThis fortnight J & K are discussing The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang. We’re diverting a bit from our usual YA Fantasy books. This book is definitely for adults, and not for the faint of heart! The characters are complicated, the story is complex and violent, and there is a ton of […]
Episode 14: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
February 25, 2019 07:00 - 1 hour - 62 MBListeners, the time has finally come to talk about A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, the first book in one of our favorite series. We saved the rest of the series spoilers for a special end segment that begins around 1:11:45. If you haven’t read the rest of the books and/or […]
Episode 13: A Blade So Black by L.L. McKinney
February 11, 2019 01:30 - 1 hour - 65.7 MBThis fortnight we’re discussing A Blade So Black by L.L. McKinney, and there were a ton of Alice in Wonderland puns from K, as this is a modern retelling of the story. Don’t expect to get any hints about this story because you read the original. This is a whole […]
Episode 12: A Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
January 28, 2019 07:32 - 58 minutes - 51.4 MBHello esteemed listeners! We adored A Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee*!! What a delightful romp of a book*. Below you’ll find plenty of links and resources to complement our discussion. **We want to recognize that Mackenzi Lee has been pretty problematic as a person and author, and […]
Episode 11: Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan
January 14, 2019 00:30 - 1 hour - 77.2 MBHappy New Year, Listeners! We are excited to read and discuss new (and old) book with this year. Any suggestions for books you’d like to read with us? This fortnight we’re discussing Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan . J & K have some mixed feeling about this book. We loved […]
Episode 10 (!): A Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir
December 31, 2018 20:04 - 59 minutes - 49.8 MBListeners, we made it to Episode 10! A Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir made J & K fear for the fate of our favorite characters and ships in upcoming 4th book of the Ember in the Ashes Series. At one point we discuss the possible importance of the Nightbringer’s true name and […]
Episode 9: Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo
December 17, 2018 03:40 - 1 hour - 66.4 MBIn episode 9 we are discussing Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo For the first time, J & K have quite different feeling about the ships in this book, but we are both very excited about the upcoming King of Scars, which will be released on 29 January 2019. Content Warning: In this […]
Episode 8: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
December 03, 2018 20:36 - 1 hour - 64.6 MBJ & K thoroughly enjoyed the dark and twisty world of The Cruel Prince by Holly Black. Episode 8 features not one but TWO of K’s now infamous research rabbit holes. #RavenclawFTW. Content Warning: physical, mental, and emotional abuse If you or someone you know has been the victim of child abuse, please […]
Episode 7: A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir
November 18, 2018 23:32 - 1 hour - 61.3 MBReading A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir led to discussions of the prison system, mythology, and accountability. We loved how exciting a prison break can be. And this book had surprises around every corner, which had K reading the book immediately after finishing the first. Question: Are Avitas and Elias […]
Episode 6: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
November 05, 2018 04:28 - 1 hour - 90.4 MBIn episode 6 J & K are discussing City of Bones by Cassandra Clare which K is reading for the first time! As always, we found many things interesting, because apparently that’s what we do. Content warning: In this episode we discuss child abuse. If you or someone you know needs help, […]
Episode 5: Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
October 23, 2018 17:48 - 1 hour - 57.9 MBJ & K talk about book 2 of the Grisha Trilogy, Siege and Storm, by Leigh Bardugo. We forget Fyodor’s name and find many things “interesting” (should we find new descriptors? probably). Content warning: discussion of sexual assault If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact RAINN Call 800-856-4619 […]
Episode 4: An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
October 07, 2018 22:00 - 1 hour - 61.8 MBEpisode 4 already!?! We can’t believe it either! This week we’re talking subverting your government, assassin schools, terrible mothers, and rape culture in Sabaa Tahir’s An Ember in the Ashes. An Ember in the Ashes was fact paced, violent, and exceptionally amazing! As always, we’d love to be in discussion […]
Episode 3: Ship It by Britta Lundin
September 25, 2018 04:21 - 1 hour - 63.8 MBHello, listeners! Episode 3 is our first fantasy-adjacent mini-sode (that didn’t actually turn out so “mini”) in which we discuss Ship It by Britta Lundin. This conversation got pretty meta since we dove headlong into discussions of fandom, capitalism’s co-opting of diverse voices, and shipping (#obvi). We laughed, we cried, and we definitely […]
Episode 2: Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
September 10, 2018 06:00 - 1 hour - 79.4 MBWe loved Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi so very much. This book is powerful and poignant and we couldn’t recommend it more. Hope you enjoy! Content Warning: in this episode, we discuss a lot of really difficult topics including racialized violence, torture, and abuse. If you or […]
Episode 1 (!!!) Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
August 26, 2018 21:29 - 1 hour - 77.9 MBHey, listeners! We are so excited to share our first ever episode with you, where we discuss Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo. We scrapped the original idea of an hour-long podcast because our conversation just kept going, and well, we do what we want. After banishing official podcat Lainey […]