Once Upon a Time Zone: A Bookish Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Welcome to our Pilot Episode! This episode was originally posted on Jaime's YouTube channel as our trial run.

In this episode, Freya & Jaime sit down and talk through 10 popular fantasy series to see if they are worth reading or not.

Follow us on Instagram: @onceuponatimezonepod

Watch our video podcasts on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponaTimeZonePodcast

Jaime's socials:

https://www.youtube.com/@jaimefok

Instagram: @jaimefok

Tiktok: @jaime.fok

Freya's socials:

https://www.youtube.com/@freyvalerio

Instagram: @freyv_reads

Tiktok: @freyvalerio

00:00 - intro 01:02 - current reads05:09 - let’s talk series05:52 - zodiac academy13:18 - quicksilver23:32 - divine rivals31:32 - powerless40:22 - the cosmere48:33 - the grishaverse57:53 - the cruel prince01:05:16 - the empyrean01:17:16 - sarah j maas01:30:00 - the hunger games

In this episode, Freya & Jaime sit down and take the Read Your Color quiz to learn more about our own reading styles and book preferences.

Syd BookWorrom’s video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LE2JPs5kXBQ

Read Your Color: https://www.readyourcolor.com/

Follow us on Instagram: @onceuponatimezonepod

Watch our video podcasts on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponaTimeZonePodcast

Jaime's socials:

https://www.youtube.com/@jaimefok

Instagram: @jaimefok

Tiktok: @jaime.fok

Freya's socials:

https://www.youtube.com/@freyvalerio

Instagram: @freyv_reads

Tiktok: @freyvalerio

00:00 - intro & current reads

03:04 - the read your color quiz

06:34 - taking the quiz

33:22 - going through our results

In this episode, Freya & Jaime sit down and chat about our most anticipated book releases for the rest of the year.

Books mentioned:

Three Shattered Souls - Mai Corland

Not Quite Dead Yet - Holly Jackson

Katabasis - RF Kuang

Wild Reverence - Rebecca Ross

Alchemy of Secrets - Stephanie Garber

Holly - Adalyn Grace

Mate - Ali Hazelwood

Fallen City - Adrienne Young

The Strength of the Few - James Islington

Follow us on Instagram: @onceuponatimezonepod

Watch our video podcasts on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponaTimeZonePodcast⁠

Jaime's socials:

⁠https://www.youtube.com/@jaimefok⁠

Instagram: @jaimefok

Tiktok: @jaime.fok

Freya's socials:

⁠https://www.youtube.com/@freyvalerio⁠

Instagram: @freyv_reads

Tiktok: @freyvalerio

00:00 - intro & current reads

04:45 - three shattered souls

08:26 - not quite dead yet

12:29 - katabasis

15:35 - wild reverence

19:30 - alchemy of secrets

22:42 - holly

26:10 - mate

31:24 - fallen city

33:29 - the strength of the few

In this episode, Freya & Jaime sit down and go through YOUR unpopular opinions about books.

Follow us on Instagram: @onceuponatimezonepod

Watch our video podcasts on YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponaTimeZonePodcast⁠⁠

Jaime's socials:

⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@jaimefok⁠⁠

Instagram: @jaimefok

Tiktok: @jaime.fok

Freya's socials:

⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@freyvalerio⁠⁠

Instagram: @freyv_reads

Tiktok: @freyvalerio

00:00 - intro & current reads

05:10 - I'm a fan of instalove

07:20 - smut is boring and ruins a book

10:03 - second chance romance is hard to get right

12:13 - Emily Henry is overrated

16:22 - I hate Lizzie (Boys of Tommen)

18:14 - Iron Flame was great, and gets too much hate

20:59 - cracking spines and folding corners is OK

23:39 - sprayed edges are so overdone

25:34 - romantasy is overrated

29:25 - people mostly down on romantasy because it's a genre women love

31:22 - there is no reason romance books need to be over 400 pages

34:15 - people who read only one or two genres, or only romance, need to be more diverse

36:52 - I hate colour coded bookshelves

39:16 - Silver Elite hate only started because people felt entitled to the author's identity

43:11 - Carley Fortune books have no substance

45:25 - listening to audiobooks is not reading

49:01 - big books are normally better

50:30 - every fairy/fae book is boring