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PODCAST

Lit Witches: A Fantasy Book Podcast

Penguin Books Australia

Lit Witches opens the portal to fantasy for readers, writers and all things in between. Join our book club chats at The Roundtable and delve into all of your favourite genres from epic fantasy to romantasy, with a rotating cast of special guests. We’ll introduce you to the Chosen Ones, with author interviews from around the globe who will lift the veil on their latest spellbinding novels. New video and audio episodes every Tuesday, with book recommendations, tips on writing fantasy fiction, trope

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All Episodes

00:41:56

Dragons, magic and deep nerd stuff: Ryan Cahill on...

Lit Witches: A Fantasy Book Podcast ·

2026/05/18

On today's Chosen One episode we speak to internationally bestselling author Ryan Cahill about Of Blood and Fire, the first book in his high fantasy series 'The Bound and the Broken'. We chat about how he created an epic fantasy world spanning multiple cultures and a unique language (spoiler: it involves a cartography obsession and a professional linguist), and we uncover the real reason why readers are eternally drawn to dragons. We also discuss the changing landscape of the fantasy genre and why

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00:33:39

Soul-sucking reapers or death prisons? Fantasy queen...

Lit Witches: A Fantasy Book Podcast ·

2026/05/11

On today's Roundtable episode we discuss Shadow Reaper, the new book by Lynette Noni that Rebecca Yarros called the 'must-read YA fantasy' of the year. In this spoiler-free chat, we delve into our first impressions of Shadow Reaper – the intriguing magic system, our favourite characters, and what we thought of this new fantasy world. We debate whether Shadow Reaper is darker than The Prison Healer series, and we discuss how young adult fantasy can work well as a safe space for exploring heavy

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00:30:59

Gladiator meets The Vampire Diaries: Author Stacia...

Lit Witches: A Fantasy Book Podcast ·

2026/05/04

On today's Chosen One episode we speak to bestselling author Stacia Stark about We Who Will Die, an Ancient Rome–inspired romantasy filled with vampires, humans, magical creatures and more. We bond over our love of character art and our favourite tropes (forced proximity! only one bed!), and we uncover the unexpected parallels between writing fights and spicy scenes. We also discuss the book's themes of grief and the parentification of eldest daughters, and how a hyperfixation on gladiators came in

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00:44:33

Is this the perfect romantasy sequel? Unpacking...

Lit Witches: A Fantasy Book Podcast ·

2026/04/27

On today's Roundtable episode we discuss Rites of the Starling by Devney Perry, the thrilling second installment in the bestselling romantasy series 'Shield of Sparrows', which delivers plot twists, romance and epic worldbuilding in spades. Join us for a deep dive into what makes a perfect fantasy sequel, how to avoid the dreaded second book slump and why writing a satisfying series is truly an art form. We also chat about our favourite fantasy sequels, the best character redemption arcs of all time

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00:43:26

Yearning, angst and a Mr Darcy hand flex - Author...

Lit Witches: A Fantasy Book Podcast ·

2026/04/20

On today's Chosen One episode we speak to debut author Braidee Otto about Songbird of the Sorrows, the first in a brand-new romantasy trilogy that ticks all the boxes – assassins, secret princesses, heists, second chance romance, forbidden love, and, of course, dark and broody men. We discuss the Greek-inspired world, why we love trials as a fantasy plot device and how romantasy is the next in a long line of undermined genres thanks to its predominantly female readership. We also delve into the

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00:42:10

Power dynamics, enemies to lovers, and . . . The Lion...

Lit Witches: A Fantasy Book Podcast ·

2026/04/13

In this Roundtable book club episode, we discuss C.S. Pacat’s groundbreaking fantasy trilogy, Captive Prince, and the importance of mitigating harm when portraying queer characters. We delve into why it’s the ultimate enemies-to-lovers story, full of slow burn, intense pining and complex power dynamics in a rich queer-normative fantasy world. We also trace our fan-fiction reading roots (shoutout to Wattpad and LiveJournal) and our favourite fantasy book-to-screen adaptions.Spoiler Alert! We discuss

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00:42:52

The Roman Empire is back: Author James Islington on...

Lit Witches: A Fantasy Book Podcast ·

2026/04/06

On today's Chosen One episode we speak to bestselling author James Islington about The Will of the Many and The Strength of the Few, the first two books in his epic high fantasy Hierarchy series. We discuss the Roman-inspired fantasy world, the long-held tradition of writing very long fantasy books, and the rise and potential impact of AI for writers. We also find out which fantasy book turned James into a reader and why we all need to add it to our TBR. Lit Witches is hosted by Adelaide Jensen and

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00:41:02

Wolves or men with wings? 'Dire Bound' by Sable...

Lit Witches: A Fantasy Book Podcast ·

2026/03/30

On today's Roundtable book club episode, we chat about Sable Sorensen's addictive fantasy novel Dire Bound, and how the explosion of the romantasy genre has - in our opinion, anyway - been fuelled by our favourite young adult fantasy books and tropes of the 2010s. We also reveal our OG book boyfriends, why wolves are the new dragons when it comes to bonded creatures, whether love triangles are making a comeback, and we chart the Three Waves of Romantasy (trademark pending). Spoiler Alert! We discuss

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00:36:17

THE CHOSEN ONE: 'It's Beauty and the Beast, with...

Lit Witches: A Fantasy Book Podcast ·

2026/03/23

On today's Chosen One author interview, we talk to Lily Crozier about her debut romantasy novel, Vow of Eternal Night. We discuss the appeal of monstrous men and the morally grey love interest for female readers, and we uncover how the real history of vampires, Dracula and Howl's Moving Castle inspired the book. We also delve into Lily's career in books and her journey from BookToker to author. Lit Witches is hosted by Adelaide Jensen, and this episode's guest is Lily Crozier

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00:47:42

THE ROUNDTABLE: 'It's not just dragons and castles' -...

Lit Witches: A Fantasy Book Podcast ·

2026/03/16

On today's Roundtable book club episode, we talk all things dark academia and well-crafted magic systems in M.L. Wang's standalone fantasy Blood Over Bright Haven. Join us to hear hot takes on how all fantasy is political and reflects real-world issues, why school settings work so well in the fantasy and dark academia genres, and also how we've never fully moved on from the formative fantasy books we read as teenagers (Vampire Academy, Hush Hush and more). Spoiler Alert! We discuss major spoilers

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00:50:38

THE ROUNDTABLE: 'Alchemised' by SenLinYu, and how a...

Lit Witches: A Fantasy Book Podcast ·

2026/03/09

On today's Roundtable book club episode, we discuss the internationally bestselling fantasy debut Alchemised by SenLinYu, and how gothic fantasy is the perfect vehicle for exploring dark themes in nuanced way. We also discuss our favourite fantasy tropes (enemies to lovers, the chosen one and bonded creatures) and we debate whether morally grey characters can ever be fully redeemed. Spoiler Alert! We discuss the ending of Alchemised in our After Dark section, from timecode 38.00 - 49.00.Lit

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00:49:27

THE CHOSEN ONE: Author Bronte-Marie Wesson on her...

Lit Witches: A Fantasy Book Podcast ·

2026/03/09

On today's Chosen One author interview, we talk to fantasy author and content creator Bronte-Marie Wesson about her traditional publishing debut, The Ascension of Souls - the first book in a new high fantasy series that she describes as her 'dark, queer Zelda book'. Join us as we discuss what shaped Bronte-Marie's love of fantasy, why Tywin Lannister is her favourite fantasy character and how she created an immersive fantasy world inspired by her Irish, anti-colonial heritage. This

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00:01:08

Introducing: Lit Witches, The Podcast for Fantasy...

Lit Witches: A Fantasy Book Podcast ·

2026/03/02

Join the Lit Witches as they open the portal to fantasy for readers, writers and all things in between. Hosted by Adelaide Jensen, take a seat at The Roundtable and delve into all of your favourite fantasy genres, with a rotating cast of special guests who share an undying passion for all things fantasy. And meet the Chosen Ones, fantasy authors from around the globe who will lift the veil on their latest spellbinding novels. Video and audio episodes out every Tuesday. Powered by Penguin.

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