Booked & Busy w/ Olivia Ponton

Surprise!! 🎀 We couldn't fully conclude season one of Booked & Busy without taking it back to our very first guest, the one and only Alex Aster! I sat down with Alex at Spotify Studios to chat all things Starside, her most recent book that she'd been writing in secret for years. From the world of Starside vs. Stormside, magical swords, the 'beast tree,' and female rage - to the romantasy genres booming success, audiobooks as an immersive portal into new stories and even the one's we already love... this is a bonus episode you do not want to miss! Special thanks to Spotify for hosting us at their studio, and if you're an audiobook reader - be sure to check out their 'Page Match' feature! This may be the OFFICIAL last episode of season one... but I have a feeling there's an update in store for you all very very soon ;)xoxo,Olivia Listen to the Starside Audiobook on Spotify Now: https://open.spotify.com/show/3heMK5Z9F20k9r0j2EoZjH?si=a1bec28f19924c6f❤︎ Join The Conversation→ Patreon (it's free!): https://www.patreon.com/cw/OliviaPonton→ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olivia.ponton→ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iamoliviaponton→ Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/add/olivia_ponton12Timestamps:00:00-00:06 - Intro00:06-00:53 - Writing adult romantasy for the first time00:53-01:41 - What does Alex want people to get out of 'Starside?'01:41-02:25 - Escapism, and why fantasy and romantasy are having a moment right now02:25-03:10 - Books as medicine + swapping scrolling for reading03:10-04:08 - What inspired the world of 'Starside' + the talking the sword magic system04:08-05:28 - How the audiobook format amplifies the reading experience05:28-07:20 - Reaching a new audience through this adult genre + the audiobooks07:20-07:48 - How reading transforms us + builds community07:48-08:11 - If 'Starside' had a playlist, what songs would be on it?08:11-08:35 - Alex describes 'Starside' in three words08:35-09:40 - Sword tattoos, dagger sisters, and the 'beast tree'09:40-09:51 - Outro✎ This Episode Is For You If You Like...→ Genres / Topics: romantasy, fantasy, author interviews, world-building, maps and magic systems→ Themes: female rage and resilience, rising from the ashes, enemies-to-lovers, → Books & Authors Mentioned: Starside by Alex Aster, Lightark series, Summer in the City, Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros, King of Greed by Ana Huang★ If You're Searching For:→ Alex Aster Starside book review and discussion→ Alex Aster interview→ author interview 2026→ Lightark series→ enemies to lovers fantasy books 2026→ female rage in fantasy books→ best romantasy books 2026→ how to get back into reading#booktube #romantasy #bookrecommendations #fantasybook #bookish #booktok

Rebecca Serle is officially Booked & Busy 📖🌊Okay so I need to set the scene. I started reading 'In Five Years' on a 6-hour bus ride to the Kelly Slater Surf Ranch surrounded by surfers who absolutely did not care about the emotional spiral I was having. I finished it on the way back... was not okay. Stared at the wall for a minimum of 30 minutes after the last page and had so many questions. A few weeks later I somehow ended up sitting across from the author herself, and that's why I love this podcast!!We get into EVERYTHING. The full breakdown of In Five Years (spoilers included so be sure to pay attention to the timestamps), the psychic prophecy that actually inspired the entire book and turned out to be true, why Rebecca wrote that ending, and a peek into her brand new book 'Once and Again.' We also talk about motherhood, growing apart from friends, why happy marriages don't make interesting novels, and sooo much more!!!Grab a drink and snack and let's get into it 🎀xoxo,Olivia❤︎ Join The Conversation→ Patreon (it's free!): https://www.patreon.com/cw/OliviaPonton→ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olivia.ponton→ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iamoliviaponton→ Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/add/olivia_ponton12

Emma Brooks is officially Booked & Busy 🎀📖Today's episode is maybe my favorite so far because I'm joined by my actual best friend in the whole word... THE Emma Brooks. And tbh, this episode feels like the one that started it all, because in a way she's lowkey the reason this podcast even exists!!We talk about how we both fell in love with reading (hint...it starts with a 500-page book and a questionable Koreatown apartment in Los Angeles), our full reading journeys from the Crave series by Tracy Wolf, Colleen Hoover, and Taylor Jenkins Reid to the ACOTAR series and what we've been reading most recentlyyy. We also dive into our favorite tropes, self-care reading routines, audiobooks and the books that made us book a session with our therapists post-breakdown (and like so so much more omg)Grab a beverage and a snack, get cozy, and let's get Booked & Busy ;)xoxo,Olivia✎ This Episode Is For You If You Like...→ Genres: romance, romantasy, contemporary romance, fantasy, dystopian fantasy→ Tropes / Vibes: enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, plot twists, booktok/booktube recs, hidden gem book recs, YA nostalgia→ Books Mentioned: Crave Series, ACOTAR (Court of Thorns and Roses, Court of Mist and Fury), Throne of Glass, Fourth Wing, The Alchemist, Normal People, Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Malibu Rising, Daisy Jones and the Six, Guild, The Butcher and the Blackbird, Book Lovers, If He Had Been With Me, A Thousand Boy Kisses, Quicksilver, Confirm, Every Summer After (and probably so many more i missed girl idk lol)❤︎ Join The Conversation→ Patreon (it's free!): https://www.patreon.com/cw/OliviaPonton→ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olivia.ponton→ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iamoliviaponton→ Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/add/olivia_ponton12

Happy (belated) Valentine's Day angels 🎀🪽On today's episode of Booked & Busy we'll be focusing on 'The Deal' by Elle Kennedy... the perfect fake-dating hockey romance for Valentine's Day!! It's sweet, it's surprisingly deep and emotional, it's... a little cringe tbh. Honestly what else could we ask for?!?!Instead of doing a heavy synopsis, we'll be mostly chatting about my thoughts and opinions on the characters, their relationship, and why they do the things that they do.A quick TW for this one: 'The Deal' covers topics like assault and domestic abuse / family trauma, but we touch on it only briefly, so feel free to check the timestamps so you can skip through if needed. Love you always xoxo,Olivia❤︎ Join The Conversation→ Patreon (it's free!): https://www.patreon.com/cw/OliviaPonton→ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olivia.ponton→ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iamoliviaponton→ Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/add/olivia_ponton12

Hi angels!!Welcome back to another episode of Booked & Busy! This week we're not just breaking down one book... we're diving into the ENTIRE 'Twisted' series by our absolute queen, Ana Huang!!The 'Twisted' series is not just one continuous storyline, but four different emotional fantasies (whether you're into obsessive devotion, enemies-to-lovers, or royal romances), which makes these books perfect for all different types of readers! So for this episode we'll dive into why the 'Twisted' series dominates BookTok, which book you'll probably connect with most based on your favorite romance tropes, and so so much more!This series was highly requested in our Patreon community, so if you want to weigh in on future books/series to deep dive, be sure to join the conversation! 💓💓xoxo,Olivia Ponton❤︎ Join The Conversation→ Patreon (it's free!): https://www.patreon.com/cw/OliviaPonton→ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olivia.ponton→ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iamoliviaponton→ Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/add/olivia_ponton12

A house that feels to quiet. A wife who feels too perfect. A job that feels...off.Today on Booked & Busy, we're deep diving The Housemaid by Freida McFadden, a psychological thriller novel that burrows under your skin and refuses to let go. This is a story about power, control, survival and the terrifying intimacy of domestic spaces. From unreliable narrators and emotional manipulation to locked doors, gaslighting, and performance perfection... this book had me questioning everything.We're breaking this episode into three parts:The Book (themes, characters, symbolism)The Movie (adaptation choices, performances, and visual tension)The Reality Check - where we compare the ending, unpack what changed, and decide which version I preferred. Grab a drink, lock your doors, and step inside the Winchester house with me!⚠️ Spoiler warning for The Housemaid book and film.xoxo,Olivia Ponton❤︎ Join The Conversation→ Patreon (it's free!): https://www.patreon.com/cw/OliviaPonton→ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olivia.ponton→ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iamoliviaponton→ Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/add/olivia_ponton12

The Bachelor reimagined through a dystopian, royal lens.Today on Booked & Busy, I’m diving into The Selection by Kiera Cass — a world of castes, palace politics, rebellions, and a love triangle that unravels slowly and beautifully.We follow America Singer as she navigates duty, desire, and the weight of choosing between what’s familiar and what could change her life entirely. I’m unpacking the characters, the social hierarchy, the rebellion threads woven into the background, and the scenes that feel almost cinematic.If you’ve ever wondered how this story would translate on screen… I have thoughts.Pour a cup of tea and settle in — this episode is for anyone who loves romance with a layer of world-building and social commentary.Spoiler warning for anyone who hasn’t finished the series yet.❤︎ Join The Conversation→ Patreon (it's free!): https://www.patreon.com/cw/OliviaPonton→ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olivia.ponton→ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iamoliviaponton→ Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/add/olivia_ponton12