Spread Your Wingspan

Bonus: Bridgerton Part 2

Summary:In this bonus pod, Jennie and Sara discuss the second half of Bridgerton’s Season 3. They address the criticisms and controversies surrounding the show, including racist reactions and resistance to changes from the books. They also express their support for the show's diversity and the collaboration between Julia Quinn and Shonda Rhimes. The conversation covers various storylines, including Francesca's queer storyline, Benedict's bisexuality, Penelope and Colin's romance, and their hope for a queer storyline for Eloise. 
Chapters:00:00 - Addressing Criticisms and Controversies09:07 - Exploring Francesca and Benedict's Potential Queer Storylines15:27 - The Satisfying Resolution of the Whistledown Reveal16:21 - The Romance Between Penelope and Colin

Glossary Part 2

Summary
In this episode, Sara and Jennie continue to create their glossary. They explore the term 'romantasy' and touch on taboos and subgenres in romance novels.They explore the appeal of these themes and the cultural roots behind them. The concept of dark romance and its subjective nature is touched upon, with some vampire discussion much to Sara’s delight. They also touch on topics that divide the Bookstagram and BookTok audiences and problematic fave characters versus book boyfriends.
 
Chapters
00:00 - Introduction 02:24 - Exploring Romantasy09:09 - Vampires and Blood Play10:28 - The Subjectivity of Dark Romance23:17 - Understanding Personal Boundaries23:47 - Exploring Taboos and Subgenres in Romance Novels25:41 - The Allure of Monster Smut and Jennie Learns About Knotting28:05 - Controversial Tropes 40:38 - Book Boyfriends: The Characters We Love

Glossary Part 1

Summary
In this conversation, Jennie and Sara create their glossary of terms exploring different kinks and their appeal. They talk about the evolution of societal attitudes towards sexual preferences and relationships and how books can help explore and understand different kinks. They delve into specifics like: praise kink, shaming kink, reverse harem, throuples, daddy kink, BDSM, and age gaps while discussing their dynamics and appeal. They share the story behind the name of their podcast, Spread Your Wingspan, and how it represents expanding horizons and exploring new books.
 
Chapters
00:00 - Intro 00:23 - Purpose of the Glossary05:03 - The Evolution of Societal Attitudes towards Sexual Preferences09:44-  Exploring Reverse Harems13:26 - Throuples: An Alternative to Traditional Monogamy15:30 - Daddy Kink: Taboo and Power Dynamics25:50 - Defining BDSM and its Categories34:46 - The Story Behind Spread Your Wingspan

Bridgerton

SummaryIn this conversation, Jennie and Sara discuss the TV show Bridgerton, focusing on the first half of Season 3. They talk about their initial impressions of the show, the characters, and the plot. They also discuss the decision to split Season 3 into two parts and the pacing and anticipation for the second half. The conversation covers various themes and tropes in the show, such as teacher-student dynamics, secrecy, lies, true selves, friends to lovers, and confidence. They also touch on the representation of different body types and the importance of self-worth in relationships. They discuss how the show has improved on the books by modernizing the story, incorporating modern songs, and enhancing the romance. 
Chapters00:00 - Introduction and Topic Overview03:10 - Impressions of Bridgerton Season 309:03 - Themes and Tropes in Bridgerton14:39 - Speculation on the Love Story23:41 - Representation and Empowerment26:25 - Journey of Self-Worth in Love Stories28:13 - Blending Storylines and Characters35:27 - Diversity and Visual Appeal45:07 - Problematic Elements: Consent and Trust51:45 - A Violation of Trust: Penelope and Colin's Storyline53:32 - Potential Explosive Plot Developments
Spoilers:The Netflix show Bridgerton: Seasons 1, 2, & the first half of 3 and their corresponding Julia Quinn book plots.
Content warning:Discussion of a non-consensual insemination scene

Sinner: Priest Series #2

Spoilers:Priest: A Love Story and Sinner by Sierra Simone
 
Content Warnings:Age gap, older man and younger womanExplores a murky first sexual encounter in terms of consentCancer and deathSuicideTaboo of a sexual relationship with a postulant/almost nun
 
SummaryIn this episode of the Spread Your Wingspan Podcast, Jennie and Sara discuss the novel Sinner by Sierra Simone. They explore themes of power and sex in relationships, control versus faith, and the exploration of sexuality in a safe and thoughtful way. They highlight the character development of Sean and his shift from a materialistic life to a life of service. They also discuss the importance of consent and the exploration of sexual experiences in the story. The conversation touches on the topics of trauma, power dynamics, and the portrayal of sexual assault in the book. Overall, they emphasize the balance between the steamy romance and the deeper themes explored in the series.
 
Chapters00:00 - 'Sinner' by Sierra Simone05:53 - Themes of Control, Faith, and Love in the Narrative07:42 - The Emotional Impact of the Story08:42 - Exploring Explicit and Raw Scenes in the Novel17:52 - Thoughtfulness in Sexual Encounters21:29 - The Experience of Falling in Love26:47 - Exploring Sexual Themes in Literature: Portrayal and Impact31:26 - The Dynamics of Power and Control in Sexual Relationships35:08 - Consent, Communication, and Understanding in Sexual Experiences43:01 - Navigating Trauma and Sensitive Topics in Literature50:14 - Insights into Sexual Desire, Intimacy, and the Human Experience54:24 - Outro

Priest: A Love Story

Summary
In this episode of the Spread Your Wingspan podcast, Sara and Jennie discuss the book 'Priest' by Sierra Simone. They explore themes of love, BDSM, feminism, and the intersection of religion and sexuality. The book follows the story of Father Tyler Bell, a priest with a history of trauma and a calling to heal his town, and Poppy Danforth, a wealthy and intelligent woman seeking religion. The hosts praise the book for its profound insights, beautiful language, and the way it challenges traditional notions of sin and love. They also discuss the taboo nature of the book and its impact on their own perspectives.
 
Spoilers
Priest: A Love Story & Sinner by Sierra Simone
 
Content Warnings
Discussion of child sexual assault in a church settingDiscussion of suicideConsensual sexual situations involving a priestScene where a sexual act is initiated while one partner is asleepBDSM
 
Chapters
00:00 - Introduction 
01:44 - Spoiler and Trigger Warnings
03:35 - The Extensive Catalog of Sierra Simone
04:59 - Overview of the Plot
07:24 - Themes of Love, BDSM, and Feminism
10:03 - Personal Thoughts and Reactions
11:01 - Profound Insights and Transcendent Experiences
16:30 - The Tension of 'We Shouldn't Be Doing This'
27:14 - The Steamy Sex Scenes and Taboos Explored
38:27 - Favorite Scenes and Recommendations
46:20 - Outro

Bonus: Book Rankings

Summary
In this conversation, the hosts discuss their classification system for ranking books. They establish a rating scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest. They also introduce a spice level rating system, ranging from a green bell pepper to a Carolina Reaper, to indicate the level of explicit content in books. The hosts share their personal rankings for certain books and discuss the nuances of their preferences. 
 
Chapters
00:00 - Creating a Ranking System
01:49 - Classifying a '1'
02:58 - Accessing Critical Perspective
04:41 - A '10' Ranking is Reserved for…
09:23 - Ranking our Middle of the Road '5'
11:05 - What's Below a '5'?
15:06 - Ranking Spice Levels with Peppers

Fourth Wing and Iron Flame

Spoiler Alerts
Fourth Wing & Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead
 
Summary
In this conversation, Sarah and Jennie discuss their experience reading the first two books in the Empyrean series: The Fourth Wing and Iron Flame. They talk about their initial impressions, their enjoyment and engagement with the books, and the role of death in the story. The conversation touches on the relationships between characters, missed details during reading, and comparisons to the Vampire Academy series. They delve into the love story and political events in the books and also speculate on the potential story arc for the next three planned books in the series. 
 
Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
01:00 - Discovering the Empyrean Series
03:26 - Changing Perspectives and Giving the Book a Chance
04:21 - Finishing Fourth Wing and Iron Flame
05:46 - Enjoyment and Engagement with the Books
07:10 - Rereading and Comfort Reads
08:06 - Maturity and Angst in the Series
09:04 - Characters and Relationships
10:27 - The Experience of Rereading
11:23 - The Role of Death in the Story
12:19 - The Military Setting and Anti-Government Theme
15:28 - The Appeal of Magical School Settings
18:16 - The Impact of Character Deaths
20:27 - Missed Details and Rereading Experiences
22:48 - Story Arc Comparisons to Vampire Academy Series
26:00 - The Love Story and Political Events
26:56 - Predictions for the Empyrean Series
29:25 - The Identity of Andarna
30:18 - Xaden's Power and Violet's Connection to Dragons
31:45 - Revelations and Emotional Moments
32:39 - Violet's Physical Fragility and Disability Representation
34:04 - Theories and Speculations
36:00 - The Power of Young Girls and Andarna's Character
37:28 - Mother-Daughter Dynamics and Self-Perception
38:22 - Sex Scenes and Chemistry between Characters
41:13 - Violet's Background and Second Signet
42:04 - Enjoyment of the Series and Speculations
45:26 - Theories on Violet's Second Signet
47:29 - Expectations for the Future Books
49:31 - Adaptation of the Series by Amazon Studios
50:47 - Next Podcast is 'Priest' by Sierra Simone

House of Flame and Shadow

Spoiler Alerts
Full episode discussing House of Flame & Shadow by Sarah J MaasSome discussion of Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas
 
Summary
In this conversation, the hosts discuss their disappointment with Sarah J. Maas' book, House of Flame and Shadow, and express concerns about the decline in her writing quality. They explore the pressure on authors to write quickly and the potential impact on the storytelling. The hosts also discuss the challenges and potential successes of book adaptations, citing examples from other series. They conclude by expressing their hope for improvement in Maas' future books and adaptations.
 
Chapters
00:00 - Introduction and Background
05:38 - Decline in SJM Writing Quality
07:08 - Pressure to Write Quickly
09:20 - Lack of Consequences and Preciousness of Characters
10:39 - Too Many Characters
13:25 - Adaptations of SJM's Works
23:25 - Positive Examples of Adaptations
28:09 - Anticipation for Future Adaptations
31:32 - Final Thoughts

Introduction to Spread Your Wingspan

Episode Summary
In this episode, Sara and Jennie introduce themselves and explain the thesis and intentions for the Spread Your Wings Fan Podcast. We discuss our love of reading and how it has brought us together as friends. We explore the joy and insights that can be found in romance novels and the importance of discussing the romance genre. Also, we touch on the significance of content warnings and the freedom and explorartion that reading provides. The episode concludes with a preview of future episodes and book discussions.
 
Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction and Background
00:54 - Purpose of the Podcast
03:08 - Exploring Romance Novels
04:02 - Reading Habits and Fan Fiction
04:32 - Discovering a Shared Love for Books
05:25 - Connecting Through Books
06:20 - The Joy of Reading and Sharing
07:12  - Unfiltered Conversations and Enthusiasm
08:07 - The Power of Reading and the Romance Genre
09:06 - The Female Community and Derision
09:32 - Finding Joy and Insights in Romance Novels
10:25 - Exploring Desires and Boundaries
11:22 - The Appeal of Romance Novels
12:14 - The Importance of Content Warnings
13:10 - Respecting Readers and Their Experiences
14:05 - Personal Histories as Readers
14:37 - Different Reading Tastes and Preferences
20:44 - Introduction to the Game Plan
34:33 - Future Episodes and Book Discussions
39:18 - Conclusion