Best Alix Calfa Podcasts (2024)

1
Our Top Villains In Literature | Dracula, President Snow, Sauron & More 46:23

4h ago46:23

46:23

Everybody loves a good villain. From the most sinister non-human entities to the humans we start to empathize with, we've got all the best baddies from books we've read. We start with a classic President Snow and end with an even more classic villain who will suck your blood, and we hit every bad guy in between. We start the podcast with our most-r…

1
Book Seven, Part Three: Chapter 25 to the End of Chapter 34 | A Crown of Swords by Robert Jordan 3:07:42

4h ago3:07:42

3:07:42

We'd like to emphasize our trigger warnings throughout book seven, and particularly for this episode. Given the frequency of certain content throughout this book – rape and sexual assault, in particular – we are putting out a blanket warning for this episode. Please expect rape and sexual assault content throughout the whole podcast. The Queens hav…

1
Book Seven, Part Two: Chapter 11 to the End of Chapter 24 | A Crown of Swords by Robert Jordan 3:15:39

1h ago3:15:39

3:15:39

The Queens begin the seventh book of the Wheel of Time series, A Crown of Swords. We'd like to emphasize our trigger warnings throughout book seven. Please see the trigger warnings below and keep yourself safe. Welcome back to Book 7. As Elayne falls in the Queens' eyes, we follow the crew as they braid each other's hair in the dark and negotiate a…

1
Our Favourite Autobiographies & Memoirs | Vivek Shraya, Jennette Mccurdy & More 49:05

4d ago49:05

49:05

From the rawest insight into people's lives to illuminating spotlights on important issues, biographies and memoirs can leave a long-lasting impact. In this episode, Marissa and Megan discuss their favourite memoirs and autobiographies. Marissa discusses several dancer and a few artists' memoirs, while Megan talks about reading about therapy and de…

1
Book Seven, Part One: Prologue to the End of Chapter 10 | A Crown of Swords by Robert Jordan 2:48:50

5d ago2:48:50

2:48:50

The Queens begin the seventh book of the Wheel of Time series, A Crown of Swords. We'd like to emphasize our trigger warnings throughout book seven. Please see trigger warnings below. In the aftermath on Dumai Wells, our friends return to find someone upon a throne that is not theirs. Meanwhile in Salidar, Egwene receives some blackmail. In this ep…

1
Book Six, Part Four: Chapter 45 to the End of the Novel | Lord of Chaos by Robert Jordan 4:27:58

24d ago4:27:58

4:27:58

Let the Lord of Chaos reign – finally! The Queens wrap up the sixth book in Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series, Lord of Chaos. Along this adventure, we get a little serious discussing some more sensitive topics that are coming up. Please see the trigger warnings below. We start with Perrin and Faile marching into Camelyn to meet Faile's paren…

1
Poetry 101: Top Tips for Getting Into Poetry | Lang Leav, Shakespeare, Dickinson, Plath & More 1:00:18

18d ago1:00:18

1:00:18

Welcome to Poetry 101. Marissa is a big poetry buff, and this week we're discussing all our best tips for getting into poetry. Throughout this podcast, Marissa and Megan share their experiences with poems and poetry – and give you all the reasons why you shouldn't be scared of them, no matter what your high school English teacher made you feel. Fro…

1
Book Six, Part Three: Chapter 31 to the End of Chapter 44 | Lord of Chaos by Robert Jordan 3:23:57

23d ago3:23:57

3:23:57

Guess what adventurers? We have a new Amyrlin Seat. The Queens continue along on their journey through the sixth book in Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series, Lord of Chaos. Along this adventure, we get a little serious discussing some more sensitive topics that are coming up. Please see the trigger warnings below. We also had some technical is…

1
Book Six, Part Two: Chapter 16 to the End of Chapter 30 | Lord of Chaos by Robert Jordan 3:27:02

1M ago3:27:02

3:27:02

Let the Lord of Chaos reign... soon, we hope. The Queens continue along on their journey through the sixth book in Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series, Lord of Chaos. Along this adventure, we get a little serious discussing some more sensitive topics that are coming up. Please see the trigger warnings below. We also make a little boo-boo with …

1
Book Six, Part One: Prologue to the End of Chapter 15 | Lord of Chaos by Robert Jordan 3:06:26

1M ago3:06:26

3:06:26

When one Wheel of Time book closes, another is opened. The Queens embark on the sixth book in Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series, Lord of Chaos, and they are here to talk about it. What is a prologue? Is dancing less work for women? Queen Marissa puts two degrees to use in order to answer our questions. Queen Tay finds out that her experience…

1
Book Five, Part Four: Chapter 43 to the End of the Novel | The Fires of Heaven by Robert Jordan 4:13:02

2M ago4:13:02

4:13:02

Another book: completed! The Queens finish reading book 5, The Fires of Heaven, in Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series, and they have a lot of thoughts. The Queens battle out theories while the characters fight in too many battles to count. Be prepared to (maybe) wave goodbye to a beloved character – as well as several forsaken – and also say …

1
Best Book Recommendations We've Given Each Other | Iron Widow, Lore Olympus, Throne of Glass & More 59:24

2M ago59:24

59:24

Will we hurt each other's feelings? You'll have to listen to find out! In this episode of The Book Jar Pod, Megan and Marissa discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly of the books they've recommended to each other over the years. From some classic recommendations like Sabriel and Iron Widow to some newer ones like Emma and Throne of Glass, expect to…

1
Book Five, Part Three: Chapter 29 to End of Chapter 42 | The Fires of Heaven by Robert Jordan 3:16:38

2M ago3:16:38

3:16:38

Things are heating up – and cooling off. The Queens continue reading book 5, The Fires of Heaven, in Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series, starting with some confusion of the week's homework. From there, Queen Marissa reveals her newest mindset while confessing that she may or may not have been struggling in previous episodes. (Tell her you did…

1
Book Five, Part Two: Chapter 15 to End of Chapter 28 | The Fires of Heaven by Robert Jordan 3:10:04

2M ago3:10:04

3:10:04

And the books keep coming. The Queens continue reading book 5, The Fires of Heaven, in Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series, starting with a discussion on whether or not Queen Marissa is truly doing okay. (We think she's mostly fine.) Queen Tay questions whether or not we'll ever get the answer to a mystery that's been bugging her since book 3.…

1
Let's Catch Up On Our Most Recent Reads! | Silver in the Bone, The Wheel of Time, Cruel Illusions & More 1:14:29

2M ago1:14:29

1:14:29

Megan is back! And we have some book talk to catch up. Marissa and Megan go through their most recent reads – all 25 books they've read since they've last met. From Heartstopper and Fly By Night to The Fires of Heaven and The City of Brass, join your fave readers as they rate and discuss all the books they've read to start this year. We end the pod…

1
Book Five, Part One: Prologue to End of Chapter 14 | The Fires of Heaven by Robert Jordan 3:09:59

2M ago3:09:59

3:09:59

Book five is officially underway! The Queens start book five, The Fires of Heaven, in Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series, jumping right into the story with a trip to the Amyrlin Seat's office. Queen Tay reveals who she's been imagining Nynaeve as this entire time. Queen Marissa is tiring quickly of the misogynistic starts to the novels. And Q…

1
Fave Female Characters in Books w/ Alix Calfa & Tay Andresen | The Poppy War, Stormlight Archive, Sabriel & The Hunger Games 50:07

3M ago50:07

50:07

Let's have some girl talk. And by girl talk, we're talking about our fave girlies in books. To top it off, Marissa is joined by both Alix Calfa and Taylor Andresen, from our sister podcast, The Queens of Fantasy. The three readers discuss an abundance of amazing female characters they've read in novels. From Sabriel and Katniss Everdeen to the lead…

1
Book Four, Part Four: Chapter 45 to End of the Novel | The Shadow Rising by Robert Jordan 3:23:22

3M ago3:23:22

3:23:22

Another book down. And only ten, no wait, eleven more to go! In this episode, the Queens finish off book four, The Shadow Rising, of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series and discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly. From the chilling moments in The White Tower to the long, laboured adventures in Eamon's Field, the Queens dive into this one head …

1
Book Four, Part Three: Chapter 31 to End of Chapter 44 | The Shadow Rising by Robert Jordan 2:49:38

3M ago2:49:38

2:49:38

Your Queens are back to present part three of Book Four, The Shadow Rising. Queens Tay and Marissa discuss Perrin and Faile's turbulent and almost-cute-until-its-not relationship, Aviendha's unique wingman-ing, and the most uncomfortable encounter between Elayne and Thom that involves way too much mustache grabbing. Oh, and Rand does stuff too. Pro…

1
Book Four, Part Two: Chapter 16 to End of Chapter 30 | The Shadow Rising by Robert Jordan 2:54:16

3M ago2:54:16

2:54:16

Please Note: We experienced some technical difficulties with Taylor's audio this week. We apologize for the inconvenience and hope you still enjoy this episode! We're back with part two of book four – and our Queens have a lot to discuss. We've got biblical connections, rising tensions, more misogyny, and a growing plot, which, of course, means mor…

1
Let's Talk About BookTok w/ Alix Calfa! | Twilight, ACOTAR, Sarah J. Maas, Fourth Wing & More 53:11

3M ago53:11

53:11

Another week, another guest. Alix Calfa, from our sister podcast, The Queens of Fantasy podcast, joins Marissa to discuss a truly industry-changing social media platform: BookTok. Both Alix and Marissa point out the good, the bad, the ugly, and the inspirational aspects of such a whirlwind force as BookTok is. We mention fave creators, fave book re…

1
Book Four, Part One: Chapter 1 to End of Chapter 15 | The Shadow Rising by Robert Jordan 2:42:26

3M ago2:42:26

2:42:26

Book four has officially started... and the Queens are not particularly impressed. From checking out ankles and bosoms to declaring women obsessed with *checks notes* cleaning, dusting, and ruining men's days, The Shadow Rising embarks to stake its claim as the most misogynistic book in The Wheel of Time series. Beyond that, Alix attempts to share …

1
Your Fave Feminist Reads w/ Taylor Andresen | Mona Eltahawy, Mikki Kendall, Xiran Jay Zhao & More 1:05:44

4M ago1:05:44

1:05:44

We have another guest on this episode of The Book Jar Pod: Taylor, from our sister podcast, The Queens of Fantasy podcast. Together, Marissa and Tay discuss a topic close to their hearts: What are some of your fave feminist reads? Taylor starts by recounting some of her most recent reads, and then the two readers dive into the topic. Let us know ho…

1
Book Three, Part Three: Chapter 44 to End of Novel | The Dragon Reborn by Robert Jordan 2:37:45

4M ago2:37:45

2:37:45

A new love story, a blacksmith working while the end of the world looms on, the Dragon reveals himself – finally – and Morraine deals with a cranky, wanky Perrin. The Queens track Egwene's sudden change of character, Mat's revelation in his lucky disposition, and Thom denies his feelings for his ex-flame. In this episode, Marissa and Tay discuss th…

1
Books & Literature Trivia Contest | Featuring Tay & Alix From the Queens of Fantasy Podcast 1:26:24

4M ago1:26:24

1:26:24

It's a crossover episode! We have two fabulous guests from our sister podcast, The Queens of Fantasy podcast, with us and we've decided to use a totally legitimate trivia contest and not-at-all-random scoring system to determine the reader who knows the most chaotic facts. Marissa, Megan, Alix, and Tay all have ten questions to ask and far too many…

1
Book Three, Part Two: Chapter 23 to End of Chapter 43 | The Dragon Reborn by Robert Jordan 2:15:36

4M ago2:15:36

2:15:36

The plot thickens as Rand goes a little mad in the next section of The Dragon Reborn. The Queens read along as the chip on Egwene's shoulder grows and listen as Mat discovers his luck – and his appetite – are both insatiable. Marissa points out some inaccuracies of removing a wax seal on a letter, Tay discusses her theories and careful notes on var…

1
Book Three, Part One: Prologue to Chapter 22 | The Dragon Reborn by Robert Jordan 2:18:49

4M ago2:18:49

2:18:49

A new year means a new Robert Jordan book. In this episode, our Queens delve into the third book of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series, The Dragon Reborn. Marissa and Tay attempt to keep up with the crew as they fight trollocs, blame Tinkers for their weapons, chase after ethereal (or real?) dogs, and enter a new city of *AHEM* interesting de…

1
2023: A Year In Review | Wrapping Up Our 2023 Best & Worst Reads 1:17:28

5M ago1:17:28

1:17:28

It's been one heck of a year! And, we feel like we need to talk about the best – and the worst – books we read this year. So, join us, as both readers recap their year. From the number of books and pages read to the genres that filled those pages, these readers are going over it all – and we're thrilled to have you come along for the ride! We begin…

1
Book Two, Part Three: Chapter 41 to End of Novel | The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan 2:19:24

5M ago2:19:24

2:19:24

It's the final battle – for book two, and our Queens are ready to fight alongside, and against, some of the Wheel of Time characters. From ranting about Rand to providing life lessons on what not to say to your friends, Tay and Marissa share their thoughts on the newest developments in this high fantasy series. Tay connects some more prophesies tog…

1
Our Favourite Unproblematic Authors | R.F. Kuang, Xiran Jay Zhao, Chloe Gong & More 1:05:21

5M ago1:05:21

1:05:21

Megan and Marissa switch up their topic to talk about some amazing authors who also seem like great human beings. From calling out racism and misogyny and talking about hard-to-talk-about topics to donating time, money, and resources to charity, these authors are some of our favourites to read and recommend – on and off the page. Inspired by some r…

1
Book Two: Chapter 21 to the End of Chapter 40 | The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan 2:18:42

5M ago2:18:42

2:18:42

Horns go missing, the Aes Sedai continue plotting in Rand's head, Mat juggles some eggs, and Dena gets introduced to a fridge. The Queens are back with part two of The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan and Marissa and Taylor have colliding theories and mutual feelings on some of the happenings in this novel. With some great attention given to heavy fores…

1
Book Two: Prologue to the End of Chapter 20 | The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan 1:57:57

6M ago1:57:57

1:57:57

We're off on another journey, and this time we're meeting beautiful women cloaked in white, talking to more wolves, and chasing after a dagger, a horn, and the chance to escape the Aes Sedai. In other words, the Queens have read the first part of The Great Hunt, and share their thoughts on the book so far. Tay points out every piece of worldbuildin…

1
Fan-Casting Popular Books (And Our Fave Novels) | Throne of Glass, Dracula, ACOTAR, Sabriel & More 1:07:32

5M ago1:07:32

1:07:32

Casting movies and TV shows is a hard task. Naturally, this means we have to try it out for ourselves. In this episode, Marissa and Megan fan-cast some popular and some of their favourite novels. Marissa personally takes a hand at casting for Dracula, Throne of Glass, and A Court of Thorns and Roses. Megan decides that Ninth House, An Absolutely Re…

1
Book One: Chapter 44 to the End of the Novel | The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan 1:45:37

6M ago1:45:37

1:45:37

One down, fourteen more to go! In this episode, the Queens finish reading The Eye of the World and share their many, many thoughts throughout the last section of the novel. Marissa begrudgingly accepts a fact she wishes wasn't true, Tay pleads for her feelings to be hurt – and hurt badly - and, once again, Alix attempts to guide the other two witho…

1
NSFW Best and Worst Sex Scenes You've Ever Read | The Crown of Gilded Bones, A Court of Thorns and Roses, Haunting Adeline & More 2:00:25

6M ago2:00:25

2:00:25

Talk dirty to me... or maybe don't. In this NSFW episode of The Book Jar Podcast, Marissa and Megan share the best and the worst sex scenes they've read in novels. From terrible anatomy to euphemisms sheathed between lines, these sex scenes will leave you with questions you don't want answered. The first portion of this podcast is safe for work, wi…

1
Book One: Chapter 21 to Chapter 43 | The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan 1:55:59

6M ago1:55:59

1:55:59

We rejoin the Queens as they follow Mat, Rand, and Perrin into taverns, across plains, and through steddings. Tay wonders if Mat will ever stop touching things, Alix ponders what it would be like to not want to talk to wolves, and Marissa fawns over a budding love story. And, of course, we encounter more characters, more enemies, and more of everyt…

1
Tropes That Belong In Trope Jail | Talking About ACOTAR, Ninth House, City of Bones & More 53:07

7M ago53:07

53:07

Content Warnings: Incest, sexual abuse, sexual assault, rape, pedophilia Straight to Trope Jail! Alright, we're talking about all the tropes that make us the most irritated. In short, the ones that make us wish we could make writing those tropes absolutely illegal. As always, we start by discussing our most recent reads and then dive straight into …

1
Book One: Prologue to Chapter 20 | The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan 1:56:49

7M ago1:56:49

1:56:49

Trollocs, Aes Sedai, prophesies, the Dark One, and so much more. In this episode, we recap the first section of The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan, summarizing the prologue through to the end of Chapter 20. Marissa and Tay highlight their fave – and least fave – sections so far, and Alix attempts to not give away any spoilers. At the end, Tay an…

1
The Wheel Of Time Series by Robert Jordan | Introducing the World & Characters 55:04

7M ago55:04

55:04

Let's get into The Wheel of Time! In this episode, Alix Sedai gives our new readers an intro into the Wheel of Time world. From an overview of the world itself to an overview of characters we can expect to find, this episode is meant for you to dip your toes into the world before you start this 14-book-plus-a-prequel series. Taylor and Marissa also…

1
What Books Took You Forever to Read? | Dracula, The Burning Gods, Emma & More 1:01:43

7M ago1:01:43

1:01:43

No matter your reading speed, some books just sit on your "currently reading" shelf for longer than others. From being a bit on the slow side to being a more challenging read, these books aren't necessarily bad (though, sometimes, they are) but they do take extra time, dedication, and perserverance to finish. We're talking about those books this we…

1
Meet Your Queens of Fantasy | An Introduction to the Podcast 1:07:00

7M ago1:07:00

1:07:00

This is the Queens of Fantasy podcast, a podcast dedicated to deeply analyzing, discussing, and reading fantasy series alongside other readers. Each season of this podcast is dedicated to a specific fantasy series and/or author. The Queens in this podcast include Marissa, Alix, and Taylor. We are your guides and companions for your adventure throug…

1
All Of Our Most Recent Reads | Megan & Marissa Play Catch Up 1:02:16

8M ago1:02:16

1:02:16

Megan returns and we're using the first podcast to catch up on all the great books both readers have read over the past few months. They end by discussing their current reads and revealing the next topic pulled from the book jar. Expect us to discuss: Angel Mage by Garth Nix A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor by Hank Green All of Us Villains by C.L. He…

1
What Is Your Favourite Fantasy Series Or Books w/ Alix & Tay | Stormlight Archives, The Wheel of Time, Percy Jackson & More 47:07

8M ago47:07

47:07

Dragons, elves, witches, warlocks, adventures with Hobbits, fae kings and queens: what's not to love about fantasy novels? While fantasy is a fun and captivating genre to read, some fantasy books hit us harder. From high fantasy worlds dreamt up by Tolkien, Sanderson, and Maas to gripping low fantasy adventures from Chloe Gong and Leigh Bardugo, th…

1
The Best Book Endings With Alix Calfa | The Awakening, Lord of the Rings & Throne of Glass 52:31

9M ago52:31

52:31

What makes a good book ending? From the nicely wrapped-up books written by Jane Austen to the frustrating, hand-wringing cliffhangers by Sarah J. Maas, Marissa and Alix, our guest star, discuss all the books that ended perfectly – at least for them. We end with an exciting announcement about our newest project! Expect us to talk about: Emma by Jane…

1
What Books Influenced You As A Reader? | Twilight, The Hunger Games, Throne of Glass & More 58:45

9M ago58:45

58:45

Alix is back with Marissa to discuss all the books that influenced them. From changing what type of main characters they looked for to reminding them of the value of a fast and fun read, Marissa and guest, Alix, are diving into a wonderful world of books that left their mark. The two readers end this episode by pulling next week's out of the jar. E…

1
What Is Your Best Literary Brag? | Talking About Fast Reading, Classics & Owning A Lot Of Books 55:53

9M ago55:53

55:53

Marissa is joined by a different reader this week, Alix Calfa. Together, Alix and Marissa discuss their biggest and greatest literary brags. From accounting the many books they've read over the years to the amazing feat of being able to read in a car, the two readers use this rare opportunity to brag it up. Expect us to discuss: Pride & Prejudice b…

1
What Genres Are You Surprised Are Popular & Which Do You Wish Would Get More Love? 58:59

10M ago58:59

58:59

Trends are often surprising. In this episode, our two readers discuss all the surprise trends they've seen recently – and some they wish would come back around. From the surge of love for historical romance novels to the desire to find a few more steampunk novels on the shelf, we're here to discuss it all. Expect us to start with a recap of Marissa…

1
What Is Your Favourite Book With A Sad Or Tragic Ending? | Romeo & Juliet, We Were Liars, No One Is Talking About This & More 1:05:26

10M ago1:05:26

1:05:26

Sometimes, a happily ever after just isn't possible. This week, Megan and Marissa discuss their fave books that end in sadness and tragedy. From Romeo & Juliet to No One Is Talking About This, get ready to hear about the saddest stories that we loved reading. Please be warned that this episode does contain spoilers. As always, we start with a discu…

1
Who Are Your Favourite Popular Young Adult (YA) Characters? | The Hunger Games, Throne of Glass, The Hate U Give & Sailor Moon 54:21

11M ago54:21

54:21

Young adult characters are some of the most memorable characters in literature. Whether inspired by real-life events or for the purpose of flying around mythical lands, YA characters can obtain their popularity for many reasons. In this episode, Marissa and Megan discuss which popular YA characters are their favourites and why. We also discuss our …

1
What Books Do You Wish Would Get An Adaptation? | The Shining, A Magic Steeped In Poison & More 56:35

12M ago56:35

56:35

The book might be better, but sometimes the movie just hits the spot. In this episode, Megan and Marissa discuss the books they'd love to see come to life on the screen. From favourites they want to see come alive to stories that had potential but didn't marvel, we dive into these books and what makes them perfect for the big screen. We also discus…

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Alix Calfa Podcasts

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