FANTASY+GIRL
A podcast about geeking while female.
2023 in Books, Happy New Year, Etc.
Em and EJ get their act together long enough to rehash the best stories they consumed in books and screen over the past year. Stay tuned for a deep dive into Bunny, Saltburn, Poor Things, among others, and a BIG ANNOUNCEMENT from Em about what to look forward to in 2024.
Summer Reading Assignments: EJ's Report on Bunny
As we wrap up the summer, E. J. and Emma have completed their summer reading and are ready to report back. Emma assigned E. J. to read Bunny by Mona Awad, a speculative/horror cult favorite with shocking twists and a lot of takes. Bunny, we have a lot to talk about. Egregious spoilers ahead.
Summer Reading The Series
FANTASY+GIRL is going back to school with a series dedicated to the nostalgia of summer reading assignments! For the series, Emma C. Wells and EJ Wenstrom will be challenging each other with SFF books to read, and then come back to discuss.
Summer Reading Series: Emma’s Assignment for EJ
FANTASY+GIRL Podcast is back with a new series celebrating summer reading! Emma and EJ are choosing a book for the other to read. The duo will then lead a deep dive into the chosen stories on the podcast! Which book did Emma choose for EJ? Listen to find out and read along!
Summer Reading Series: EJ’s Assignment for Emma
FANTASY+GIRL Podcast is going back to school with a series dedicated to the nostalgia of summer reading assignments! For the series, Emma C. Wells and E. J. Wenstrom will be challenging each other with SFF books to read, and then come back to discuss. Here, E. J. reveals what she's challenging Emma to read first , and why.
Stuff We (Mostly) Liked in 2022
Ignore the year of silence, let's pretend we're structured normal podcasters and get right into the good stuff--which was a lot in 2022! Em and EJ reminisce on the moment in horror, Em's foray through the microtrend of female cannibals, TV's SFF wins and losses, the overwhelming beast of franchise TV, and more.
NOTE: FANTASY+GIRL stands with the HarperCollins union.
In Which We Rise from the Dead
We're back, and just in time for a Halloween episode! Tag along (and bring your best axe and/or brain-bashing bat) as we take a deep meandering dive into our favorite zombies.
When Our Powers Combine ... Girl Gangs of SFF
What's even better than a strong female protagonist? An entire gang of them. In this episode, Emma and EJ share their favorite all-female crews from across speculative fiction, comiserate on what makes them great, debate what earns the label, and pick their own fantasy girl gangs.
Hate Web: A Valentine’s Day Special
Star-Crossed-Lovers abound! Last year’s Valentine’s Day episode (featuring our favorite couples in SFF) continues to be our most downloaded episode of all time. This year Em and EJ list their favorite star-crossed-lovers. From comics, books, and movies—from well-known to more obscure—this episode centers romances that the universe attempted to tear apart. Who is their number one? Listen and find out.
The Year Hell Froze Over
* This episode was recording in the days following the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. *
2020. It's over, and good riddance. But one silver lining to a tumultuous, bizarro year? There were some damn good books, shows and movies. Em and EJ discuss their highlights, what they're looking forward to most in 2021, and the importance of story amid a deeply divided world.
NanoGatorsGiving: A Very Speculative Thanksgiving Episode
We’re in the home stretch of 2020, ya’ll. Em and EJ embrace the spirit of Thanksgiving with a look at their favorite themed speculative fiction and pop culture (or the next closest thing). They also share about their NaNoWriMo goals and experiences. Also some alligators, just for fun.
Not Your Scream Queen #5: A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night
In this final episode of our female-driven horror miniseries, Em and EJ take a stroll through Bad City and weigh the pros and cons of befriending a vampire.
Not Your Scream Queen #4: The Babadook
Em and EJ talk about the monstrosity of grief, the dark side of motherhood, and what frightens us most with guest host Erica Waters, author of Ghost Wood Song.
Not Your Scream Queen #3: Ma
Em and EJ explore more female-driven horror with Ma, starring Octavia Spencer in a wildly unhinged and out-of-character role. Claustrophobic small towns, dumb teenagers and a few seriously inappropriate laughs ahead.
Not Your Scream Queen #2: He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not
Continuing Em and EJ's exploration of female-driven horror, we dive into the French film He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not, which offers two sides to the same twisted love story.
Not Your Scream Queen #1: Jennifer's Body
Em and EJ are leaning into our cravings for the dark and the weird with a series focused on female-driven horror! Each episode focuses on a different film featuring female writers, directors, characters and themes. We're kicking off the series with the 2008 cult classic Jennifer's Body, and we all owe Megan Fox an apology.
My Favorite Apocalypse #4: The Apocalypse Goes Goth
Em and EJ acknowledge the important Black Lives Matter movement that took hold during the gap between recording episodes, the impacts of systemic racism in publishing, and the value of reading diversely. Then, in this concluding episode of the series, we set out to determine our favorite apocalypse, only to be distracted by our deepening pandemic obsession with gothic and horror themes. We've out-caveated ourselves in this one.
My Favorite Apocalpyse #3: And We're All Out of Bubble Gum
*Recorded in April* Em and E.J. take a detour from the typical, bleak, oh-no-the-world's-ending typical apocalypse sob stories and face off for the title of wackiest doomsday. Get ready for snarky aliens, distant planets, and naturally, the '80s.
My Favorite Apocalypse #2: Radioactive Carrots
*Recorded in April* The pursuit for the best apocalypse of them all continues. Em and E.J. take a twisting road through their favorite apocalpyses...apocalypti...apocali? Also, a brief consideration of what qualifies as an apocalypse anyway.
My Favorite Apocalypse #1: Don't Eat the Soylent Green
*Recorded in April* In a world...where no one can leave their home unmasked...Em and EJ face off in a challenge to find the very best apocalypse of them all. It gets weird.
Hearts & Spaceships: A Very SFF Valentine's Day
Love through space and time! For Valentine's Day, Em and EJ talk their favorite science fiction and fantasy couples, and what makes them so special, including the final word in Vampire Bill vs. Eric, a deep dive into the nuances of Black Mirror, and a Game of Thrones fan fiction dream couple.
Reading Goals & Related Anxieties
What's your 2020 vision for reading? Reading anxiety is real! EJ and Em talk about their plans to tackle their reading goals (or lack thereof) in 2020. And what's with all these carefully cultivated reading lists anyway? Are they helpful? Annoying? Both? Probably.
The Decade's Greatest Characters, Ranked (or Not) - New Decade Kickoff Series
The past decade has brought a slew of new and important conversations to the surface, and with it, we've seen female and nonbinary characters unlike any we've encountered before. Em and EJ call out some of the highlights.
Back to the Future with 2020 TBRs - New Decade Kickoff Series
2020 is here and its going to bring more great new books, movies and shows than you could ever consume. Em and EJ chat about the titles they're most excited for and totally ruin their TBR lists with all the new adds.
New Year, Same Old Unicorns - New Decade Kickoff Series
2019 in review! Em and EJ look back at their years, call out their fave SFF things and a few they could maybe have done without (looking at you, Joker). Also some light dabbling in how our experience of time has changed over the 2010s. The reading list for this one is MASSIVE so have a pen ready and let's go. (Or join the Unicorn Army on Patreon for lists and links for this and every episode.)