Adding 3 Books to Our TBR: Sci-Fi & Fantasy Picks, Wild Cards & Intimidating Reads
Galaxies and Goddesses: A Sci-Fi & Fantasy BookcastShow Notes
In this special one year anniversary episode of Galaxies and Goddesses, we’re reflecting on our favorite moments from the past year of podcasting, how our reading habits have evolved, and the books that have shaped our journey. Instead of looking back at our top reads, we’re each adding three intentional picks to our TBR: a highly anticipated sci-fi or fantasy book, a wild card outside our usual genres, and an intimidating or long read we’ve been putting off.
06:49 The ‘River of Books’ & Managing a TBR 09:33 Highly Anticipated Sci-Fi or Fantasy Book 15:41 Wild Card Book Pick 21:23 An Intimidating Read 25:09 Tolkien and The Silmarillion 27:45 Looking Ahead
Books mentioned in the episode: The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr. 1984 by George Orwell Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury The Housemaid by Freida McFadden How to Art: Bringing a Fancy Subject Down to Earth by Kate Bryan The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon Moby-Dick by Herman Melville In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien
Follow along & explore more:
Our 26 to Read in 2026: https://www.instagram.com/p/DT-wnMqicdB/
TBR Mindset Post: https://www.instagram.com/p/DVNlgZfD7F8/
Independent Bookstore Day (last Saturday in April): https://www.bookweb.org/independent-bookstore-day
💫 Have a favorite sci-fi or fantasy trilogy we should read next? Let us know! We’d love your recommendations!
More from Galaxies and Goddesses: A Sci-Fi & Fantasy Bookcast
Andrea and Elizabeth return to Robin Hobb’s Farseer Trilogy to discuss Assassin’s Quest, the epic conclusion to Fitz’s journey. They explore Fitz’s search for purpose, the role of prophecy, and how his growing circle of companions helps him along the way. They also debate whether the ending feels rushed or satisfying, consider the mysteries left unanswered, and share their ratings for the final book.
What actually makes a book horror? In this spooky season episode, Andrea and Elizabeth explore where horror, fantasy, science fiction, and literary fiction start to blur together. They discuss unsettling books without traditional monsters, monsters that aren't necessarily scary, and the horror of human behavior and systemic injustice. Along the way, they discover that horror can take many forms, and perhaps the genre is harder to define than they thought.
In this episode of Galaxies and Goddesses, Andrea and Elizabeth dive into Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb, the second book in the Farseer Trilogy. They talk about Fitz's growth from a young assassin into someone with deeper relationships, stronger alliances, and a much bigger role in the politics of Buckkeep. As the enemies seem to be at every turn, who is the biggest threat and are we really seeing the whole picture?
In this episode of Galaxies and Goddesses, Andrea and Elizabeth wrap up Summer Book Bingo by sharing some of their favorite reads from the challenge. They talk about books that they couldn’t put down, the strange ways a Bingo category can change how you look at a book, and some thought provoking weird little books. A few are sci-fi, a few are fantasy, and some are just really great stories about community and character.
In this episode of Galaxies and Goddesses, Andrea and Elizabeth dive into books on their TBRs for years, or even decades. This week, they're talking about the books and authors they've read a book or two and want to keep reading, from Margaret Atwood and Brandon Sanderson to Stephen King and George R.R. Martin. They discuss intimidating series, unfinished stories, forgotten books on their shelves, and the many ways book logistics influence what they actually read next.