Two Girls, One TBR

Inside a Dark Romantasy Empire with L. E. Sells

"I love spice. That's my platform." How does a powerhouse author successfully manage a massive lineup of upcoming releases while keeping the quality of world-building and character development incredibly high? You’re about to find out. In this episode, Rebecca and Chelsea sit down with dark romantasy author L.E. Sells for an exclusive deep dive into what it actually takes to build and maintain a thriving writing empire. From mapping out futuristic technology in old-world settings to the intentional strategy behind character development, L.E. Sells shares a masterclass in creative momentum. Why you need to press play right now: * The Creative Empire: An inside look at how L.E. Sells juggles multiple exciting projects and upcoming releases without losing speed. * The Tropes & The Spice: We break down the deliberate language of romance novel descriptions, writing complex female leads, and the intentional use of toxic dynamics in dark romantasy literature. * The Writer’s Blueprint: Expert insights into storyboarding, chapter drafting, and how to masterfully hide Easter eggs for your most dedicated readers. Grab your drink and get ready for an unforgettable conversation with one of the most exciting, prolific authors in the genre. Connect with our Guest: Instagram: @lesellsbooks TikTok: @L.E.Author https://theleap.co/creator/L.E.SellsBooks [https://theleap.co/creator/L.E.SellsBooks] Resources Mentioned: Book Love Designs: https://booklovedesigns.com [https://booklovedesigns.com] Spark and Quill Publishing: https://sparkandquill.com [https://sparkandquill.com]

True Enemies to Lovers, Morally Grey Monsters, & Romantasy Summer Survival ⚔️❤️

What actually makes a book true enemies to lovers? Is it real, deep-seated hatred, or is it just a mild workplace rivalry with a side of tension? In this episode, Rebecca and Heather are diving deep into the ultimate romance trope. We are breaking down the exact anatomy of a true enemies to lovers arc, screaming about our favorite morally grey characters, and giving you a massive list of spicy romantasy, dark fantasy, and dystopian recommendations to fill your summer TBR. But before we get to the spice, we have to talk about the survival guide. From summer skin care and kids' potty training challenges to surviving the grocery store with children, we are laying bare the real-life chaos of balancing a massive reading goal with summer parenting. Grab your iced coffee or your favorite potion, turn up the audio, and let's get into it. What We Pack into This Episode * Parenting in the Wild: Our best tips for grocery shopping, dining out, and surviving family outings with kids this summer. * Audiobook Lifelines: Why busy moms need audiobooks to keep their sanity intact. * The Anatomy of a Cliffhanger: Why some trilogy endings leave our jaws unhinged, featuring Dani Francis's Broken Dove. * True Enemies vs. Rivals: Breaking down why Carissa Broadbent's The Serpent and the Wings of Night and LJ Andrews' The Ever King nail the ultimate slow burn. Episode Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Chaos 02:40 Summer Skin Care and Sun Safety 05:36 Innovative Bathing Solutions 08:18 Parenting Challenges and Potty Training 11:20 Grocery Shopping with Kids 14:02 Dining Out with Children 16:58 Family Outings and Experiences 22:16 Exploring Ancient Burials and Ice Age Mysteries 23:18 Book Discussions: Broken Dove and Character Arcs 24:08 The Impact of Cliffhangers in Trilogies 25:13 Dystopian Themes in Literature 28:42 Genetic Modifications and Societal Conflicts 30:50 The Role of Gods in Fantasy Narratives 34:28 The Demand for Audiobooks Among Busy Moms 35:41 The Importance of Recaps in Book Series 37:57 Favorite Tropes: Enemies to Lovers 45:39 Exploring Enemies to Lovers Trope 47:36 Spicy Reads and Book Recommendations 49:05 The Magic of Poisoned Daughter 51:59 Dystopian Fantasies and Dark Themes 53:48 Anticipating Upcoming Releases 58:02 The Slow Burn of Romance 01:03:21 World-Building and Cosmic Conflicts 01:06:06 Rivalry and Betrayal in Fantasy 01:08:29 Morally Grey Characters and Trust Issues 01:09:37 Rivals to Lovers: A Complex Relationship 01:11:15 Character Development and Spoiled Agendas 01:13:21 The Evolution of Enemies to Lovers 01:15:23 Exploring True Enemies to Lovers 01:16:03 The Serpent and the Wings of Night 01:21:15 The Ever King: A Rivalry Unfolds 01:32:56 True Enemies to Lovers: A Must-Read * Two Girls One TBR Podcast: linktr.ee/TwoGirlsOneTBR [linktr.ee/TwoGirlsOneTBR] * Lena Kazakh's Books: https://a.co/d/04iiDXe2 [https://a.co/d/04iiDXe2] * Your Path is Sorrow by Parker A. Garner: https://a.co/d/08IocjQ0 [https://a.co/d/08IocjQ0] * Silver Elite Series by Dani Francis: https://a.co/d/08D0JmCQ [https://a.co/d/08D0JmCQ] * The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent: https://a.co/d/00oeKS3x [https://a.co/d/00oeKS3x] * Daughter of No Worlds by Carissa Broadbent: https://a.co/d/00OX3kvl [https://a.co/d/00OX3kvl] * Blood and Steel by Helen Scheuerer: https://a.co/d/0f6Fm7yD [https://a.co/d/0f6Fm7yD]

Spicy Ocean Daddy Romantasy ft. Heidi Adams 🎹🌊

🍷 Welcome Back, Book Babes! 🛡️ Grab a glass of wine and your finest emotional defense shields! Today on Two Girls, One TBR, Rebecca, Chelsea, and Heather are sitting down with the brilliant indie romantasy and dark romance author, Heidi Adams! ✨ We are spilling all the tea, from her exciting audiobook cast reveals to the "ugly truth" of navigating subjective book reviews. Plus, we spiral into a massive adaptation debate (Bridgerton and Fourth Wing, anyone? 🐉) and absolutely break the Spice-o-Meter with a deep dive into vampire lore and high-heat scenes. 🔥🩸 * 🌌 Heidi’s Universe: Exclusive tea on her upcoming projects, audiobooks, and dream character casting. * 🎬 The Adaptation Trial: Our completely unfiltered thoughts on Game of Thrones, Bridgerton deviations, and exactly what we need from the upcoming Fourth Wing series. * 📚 TBR Mountains: Honest recommendations for the Blood and Ash series, Fury Bound, and how we successfully pace ourselves through massive fantasy series. * 🎨 The Indie Culture: Why we are utterly obsessed with indie cover art, and why community support and honest reviews are the ultimate lifelines for independent creators. We are sipping on mermaid-lore-inspired cocktails tonight: The Lunar Tide and The Meridian! 🌙🌊 📸 Head over to our Instagram Highlights for the full recipes so you can drink along with us! ✨ Connect with Heidi: * 📸 Instagram: @heidi_adams_author [https://www.instagram.com/heidi_adams_author] * 🌐 Website: heidiadamsauthor.com [https://heidiadamsauthor.com/] 🎙️ Connect with Two Girls, One TBR: * ✨ All Links: linktr.ee/twogirlsonetbr [https://www.google.com/search?q=https://linktr.ee/twogirlsonetbr] 💬 This is your community-first, no-filter space for everything spicy, dark, and bookish. New episodes drop weekly! Enjoying the chaos? Don't forget to Follow the show so you never miss an episode, and leave us a rating, it helps more readers find our bookish coven! 🖤✨

Viking Romantasy & Sea Villains with LJ Andrews 🌊⚔️

🏴‍☠️ Grab your compass and a glass of rum! Today on Two Girls, One TBR, we are joined by the absolute queen of seafaring romantasy, LJ Andrews! We’re diving deep into her highly anticipated upcoming release, The Stolen Crown, the rich power of Norse mythology, and her incredible journey from indie success to traditional publishing. Whether you are obsessed with her Viking-inspired lore or her high-seas heist energy, this conversation covers the heart, the heritage, and the heat behind her stories. 🎧 In This Episode, We Discuss: * The Stolen Crown: An exclusive look at the October 6th release. * Norse Mythology: How family heritage and ancient lore shape LJ’s interconnected worlds. * Indie to Trad: The evolution of LJ’s career and expanding her reach to new readers. * World-Building Magic: LJ’s framework for building immersive, sensory-driven fantasy landscapes. * Parenting & Publishing: The real-life balancing act of being a prolific creator and a mom. ⚓️ Connect with LJ Andrews: * * Website: ljandrews.net [ljandrews.net] * * Instagram: @authorljandrews * * Facebook Group: Wicked Darlings https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1H5xF34opm/ [https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1H5xF34opm/] 🥀Connect with the Inner Circle * linktr.ee/TwoGirlsOneTBR [linktr.ee/TwoGirlsOneTBR]

Why We Root for Villains: Dark Fantasy World Building ft Parker A. Garner

The Potion: The One Where the Villain Wins. Pour a glass for this week’s Poison & Potions reveal as we toast to the characters who would burn the world down. This week, Rebecca and Heather are joined by dark fantasy author Parker A. Garner to deconstruct the art of building morally complex characters and interconnected worlds. From the hidden Easter eggs in the Entwined series to the subverted tropes in Magpie, we are digging into why the "bad guy" is often the most compelling part of the story. We also discuss why reality TV is the ultimate writer's palette cleanser and how to navigate mental health themes in fiction. What is in this episode: * Villain Development: Writing morally complex characters readers actually love. * World Building: How to craft dark fantasy landscapes and interconnected series. * The Entwined Series & Magpie: A deep dive into Parker’s books and hidden Easter eggs. * The Reset: Why reality TV is the ultimate writer's reset. * Community: Book conventions and the indie bookstore scene. * The Box Break: Heartwarming pet stories and Parker’s sweetest Velcro baby. Grab Parker’s Books: * Magpie: https://a.co/d/02DVwPOR [https://a.co/d/02DVwPOR] * Your Path is Sorrow: https://a.co/d/03RFj9cW [https://a.co/d/03RFj9cW] * Connect with Parker: parkeragarnerauthor.com | IG: @parkeragarnerauthor Join the Coven: linktr.ee/TwoGirlsOneTBR 00:00 The Potion: Drink Reveal and Villain Tropes 05:15 Introducing Parker A. Garner 12:30 Writing Morally Grey Villains 22:10 The Entwined Series: Building Interconnected Worlds 34:45 Magpie and Subverting Romance Tropes 45:00 Mental Health Themes in Dark Fantasy 55:30 Indie Bookstores and Convention Culture 01:05:00 The Box Break: Sweetest Pet Stories