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PODCAST

Hearts & Daggers

Holly Fairall and Devin MacDonald

Welcome to Hearts & Daggers, a podcast where we chat about the books that make our hearts race—whether that means we"re swooning onto the bed or hiding under the covers. Our hosts are Devin, a New Englander living in Colorado who loves romances that amp her up and make her giggle; and Holly, a New Yorker who loves nothing more than reading something dark, creepy, and mysterious. Each week we will discuss two books—one lighter, one darker—that are united by a common theme. We will also each share

arts books

All Episodes

38:05

Ep. 90: LoveFest (Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend)

Hearts & Daggers ·

2025/06/17

Summary: For the final episode before our hiatus, it is only fitting that Holly and Devin get to spend an hour gushing about one of their favorite middle grade series, Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend. Written by a queer Australian, these books bring middle grade fantasy into technicolor from black and white. With rich world building, a menagerie of friends, foes, and frights this series will make the hearts race for readers of any age. Reminder: Holly is a new mom! While she spends some time with her

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41:41

Ep. 89: Pregnancy (Ready or Not + Tilt)

Hearts & Daggers ·

2025/06/03

Summary: Let’s talk about babies, baby! Today our hosts discuss books featuring pregnant protagonists. This is especially timely given that Holly is pregnant (and upon release, perhaps Baby has already arrived!). Whether you’re looking for an unexpected romance or a real look into vulnerability and perseverance, reading works centered on pregnant folks is a great avenue to go down. Note: Given the imminent arrival of Holly’s baby, we will be going on a hiatus after our 90th episode, through the

en

46:46

Ep. 88: Villainous Jobs (Sign Here + Assistant to the...

Hearts & Daggers ·

2025/05/20

Summary: Muahaha! Cower in fear, dear listeners, as Holly and Devin discuss villains… who need a paycheck too. Whether you’ve worked in Corporate America or just like to imagine hell as an office building, these books will be a home run. Topics Discussed: The Dagger (3:26): Holly discussed Sign Here by Claudia Lux, a satirical exploration of morality and corporate offices following Peyote Trip, a caseworker in the Deals Department of the fifth floor of Hell. Responsible for securing soups by

en

37:42

Ep. 87: Nigeria (The Sweetest Remedy + Gaslight)

Hearts & Daggers ·

2025/05/06

Summary: E Káàró, friends! Today, Holly and Devin armchair travel to Nigeria. Known for its vibrant culture, diversity, rich artistic heritage and a thriving film industry (Nollywood), this country has so much to explore. With both books set in the bustling city of Lagos, our hosts get to explore the romantic and thrilling aspects of this amazing country. Topics Discussed: The Heart (3:00): Devin discussed The Sweetest Remedy by Jane Igharo, a novel following Hannah Bailey, successful biracial

en

44:01

Ep. 86: Apartment Buildings (Lock Every Door + Lease...

Hearts & Daggers ·

2025/04/22

Summary: Make sure you keep the volume on this episode down so as not to disturb your neighbors! Today, Holly and Devin dive into the wonderful world of apartment buildings. They discuss how stacking people like blocks in a single building can facilitate both a lust for blood as well as good old fashioned lust. Whether you’ve always lived in a single family home and have only seen apartments in shows like Friends or you’re listening to this from an apartment right now, our hosts have got what you

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42:35

Ep. 85: The Wild West (Lucky Red + Lone Women)

Hearts & Daggers ·

2025/04/08

Summary: Howdy, partner! Saddle up today and join Holly and Devin as they explore the Wild West - the region of the United States west of the Mississippi River between the 1830s and the early 1900s. Whether you’re looking for love or a spooky thrill, books set in the Wild West are more violent, raw, and connected to the dangers of the wide open plains. Stark and vivid, these stories strip life down to the most basic aspects of human nature and explore what we’ll do to survive. Topics Discussed:

en

50:37

Ep. 84: Theme Parks (FantasticLand + Hot Dog Girl)

Hearts & Daggers ·

2025/03/25

Summary: Hm, is that sound of screaming from the joy of a roller coaster or a stabbing? Today our hosts discuss books set in Theme Parks! Whether like Holly you’re more drawn to the magic and experience of places like DisneyLand or you’re like Devin chasing adrenaline on some of the fastest and most intense roller coasters on earth, there are books that can give you the thrill you’re looking for. Topics Discussed: The Dagger (6:53): Holly discussed FantasticLand by Mike Bockoven, a horror book

en

37:19

Ep. 83: Ireland (Last Call at the Local + Strange...

Hearts & Daggers ·

2025/03/11

Summary: Grab a pint and cozy up with us to talk all things Ireland on today’s episode! Whether you have Irish blood in your family like Holly or have never visited the country like Devin, the unique and salt-of-the-earth culture of this small island country has captured the hearts and imaginations of authors in every genre. With gray skies and warm, well-lit pubs creating contrast, this country is the ideal intersection between our hosts’ wheelhouses. Topics Discussed: The Heart (3:30): Devin

en

39:41

Ep. 82: Novellas (We Have Always Lived in the Castle...

Hearts & Daggers ·

2025/02/25

Summary: We’ll make it quick this week, folks! Or not, since Holly and Devin can’t resist waxing poetic about how awesome novellas are. Shorter than a novel, longer than a short story, these ~160 page books really pack a punch. Growing in popularity in Holly’s wheelhouse lately but still more rare in Devin’s, this corner of published works is sometimes overlooked but always worth digging into more deeply, especially if you enjoy watching authors use economy of words to create a world you’re sucked

en

43:44

Ep. 81: Young Adult (I Kissed Shara Wheeler + The...

Hearts & Daggers ·

2025/02/11

Summary: Whether you’re young or just young at heart, the explosion of Young Adult novels in the last decade has made an impact on the publishing industry and readers alike. Today, Holly and Devin review YA stories from their wheelhouses, showing us the breadth and depth of YA stories - they can get intense, both romantically and horrifically. Topics Discussed: The Heart (6:23): Devin discussed I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuinston, a YA romance following Chloe Green after her rival and prom

en

48:26

Episode 80: LoveFest (Top Books of 2024)

Hearts & Daggers ·

2025/01/28

Summary: Welcome to a very special Love Fest to celebrate our 80th episode! Today, Devin and Holly share their top 10 Hearts and Daggers books from 2024. Holly spent the year falling in love with more literary stories from the darker wheelhouse with mic drop endings. Devin’s year was highlighted by audiobooks, digging deeper into cozy romantasy as well as incredibly sexy scenes. Either way, it was a banner year for reading and we hope you had a great one too! Topics Discussed (10:40): The Dagger:

en

35:08

Ep. 79: Second Chances (My Murder + Before I Let Go)

Hearts & Daggers ·

2025/01/14

Summary: Welcome to 2025 and a fresh start! Join our hosts today as they discuss books that feature second chances. What happens when you don’t nail it the first time, but get another shot to turn things around? What if that new shot is a cloned body after you were murdered, or a co-parent looking more and more like the love of your life again? Whatever your wheelhouse, this time of year is a great opportunity to get a fresh perspective. Topics Discussed: The Dagger (4:15): Holly discussed My

en

41:32

Ep. 78: Winter (A Winter in New York + Drive Your...

Hearts & Daggers ·

2024/12/31

Summary: Bundle up and stay inside with us for a very topical episode today; Holly and Devin sip hot coco and discuss books set in the Winter! Whether you love the cold and the snow like Devin or have moved as far away from the season as you reasonably can like Holly, books set in winter create the perfect vibe for our host’s respective wheelhouses. Nothing is cozier or more ominous than this season, where being stuck inside can be perfect for smooching or for bodies being found. Topics Discussed:

en

36:30

Ep. 77: Small Towns (The Whisper Man + Book Lovers)

Hearts & Daggers ·

2024/12/17

Summary: Get ready to run into that one kid from high school in today’s episode - Small Towns! Whether you’re like Devin who grew up and still lives in small towns or like Holly who is a big city gal, these spaces are almost always pressure cookers. The intimacy of the community can make any character claustrophobic (especially if a serial killer is lurking) or euphoric with love; the past and the present intermingle in these places and nothing is anonymous, for better or worse. Topics Discussed:

en

41:48

Ep. 76: Fantasy (Legends and Lattes + The Library at...

Hearts & Daggers ·

2024/12/03

Summary: From Lord of the Rings to ACOTAR, Fantasy is a genre that is as unique and multifaceted as the human imagination. Today, Holly and Devin give a sense of the range and flexibility of the genre by bringing books from their wheelhouses - how can a single genre be the coziest and creepiest? What we do know, at least, is that any fantasy story will be a great escape from reality and any great fantasy author can build us vivid worlds we’ve never seen before. Topics Discussed: The Heart (4:01):

en

40:38

Ep. 75: Victorian (Things in Jars + The Perfect...

Hearts & Daggers ·

2024/11/19

Summary: Travel back in time with us to one of history’s most prolific literary periods (and, if Holly says so herself, peak fashion as well). Today our hosts discuss books set between the 1830s and 1900, a period known commonly as the Victorian period after Queen Victoria of Britain. With a strong emphasis on social morality, industrialization and elaborate ornamentation, both romance and thriller stories set in this era are vivid, chaotic, and gothically influenced. Topics Discussed: The Dagger

en

44:43

Ep. 74: Dramione (Draco Malfoy and the Mortifying...

Hearts & Daggers ·

2024/11/05

Summary: While many authors dream of the day when their story will be picked up by Simon and Schuster, many more decide not to wait for their own IP or publisher. These brave, creative souls write fanfiction. One of the most popular ships in the fanfic world is that of Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger - iconic hero and villain characters from the Harry Potter franchise. Join Devin (seasoned Dramione and fanfic reader) and Holly (experiencing her first ever fanfiction for this episode) as they

en

39:33

Ep. 73: Undead (Dread Nation + Angelika Frankenstein...

Hearts & Daggers ·

2024/10/22

Summary: Grab a bowl of brains and hunker down for a perfect theme for spooky season - the Undead! Today Holly and Devin sink their teeth into these legendary creatures; deceased but actually alive, depicted as everything from vampires, zombies, mummies and skeletons. Whether you vibe with Brendan Frasier in the iconic 1999 film or are a huge fan of The Walking Dead, these beings have captured our imaginations for centuries for a great reason. Topics Discussed: The Dagger (3:37): Holly discussed

en

44:13

Ep. 72: Mediums (Happy Medium + Hazardous Spirits)

Hearts & Daggers ·

2024/10/08

Summary: Grab your ouija boards and candlesticks, folks, it’s time to get messages from the other side! Today, Holly and Devin dabble in the world of Mediums! Whether you’ve visited a medium yourself or don’t believe in ghosts, our hosts are leaning into spooky season by discussing books that feature folks who can (well, can they really, though?) commune with the beyond. Topics Discussed: The Heart (5:01): Devin discussed Happy Medium by Sarah Adler, a spooky romance following Gretchen Acorn, a

en

34:17

Throne of Glass Debrief #9: Kingdom of Ash, Part 2

Hearts & Daggers ·

2024/10/01

Summary: Welcome to Episode 9, our final of the special Throne of Glass series, friends! Aelin, her court, and every character we’ve grown to love (or hate) come together for this epic finale in the heart of Terrassen. Today we explore Kingdom of Ash Part 2, the eighth (or ninth depending on your reading order) book in ToG. With a push to destroy the Wyrdkeys and save their world, Aelin, Dorian, Rowan, Yrene, Manon and other key players must come together to vanquish the united front of Maeve and

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