Where can I listen to this podcast?

This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.

Does this podcast accept guests?

No, this podcast does not typically feature guests.

Hot Take Books

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by Hot Take Books by Rich and Ryan

5.0(3 reviews)

44 episodes

Updated Daily

Accepts GuestsHas Sponsors

Podcast Authority

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PoorBased on show quality, social media presence, reviews, charts, and more

Quality19

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YouTube0

Engagement32

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Podcast Overview

🔥 We read Hot Books and give you Hotter Takes. 🔥 Welcome to the show where two friends—Rich and Ryan—dive into the best (and occasionally worst) of sci-fi and fantasy, one book at a time. Every title gets two episodes: a spoiler-free FastTake for the curious and a spoiler-filled deep dive for the chaos lovers. We skip the plot overviews and go straight for the good stuff: World Building & Lore, Characters, and Story—served with unfiltered opinions, spicy takes, and way too much banter. If you like book talk, laughs, passion, and the occasional nerdy meltdown, you're in the right place

Language

🇺🇲

Publishing Since

6/28/2025

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🇺🇸 Charts #3

Outreach generated

Apple 142

Spotify 827

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Podcast Authority

Beta

PoorBased on show quality, social media presence, reviews, charts, and more

Quality19

Social0

YouTube0

Engagement32

Learn more

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excellent

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Every 5 days

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3.0/5

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Recent Episodes

May 24, 2026

Coldwind: Do Not Bend. Do Not Break.

Cold Wind by Andrew Givler is out — and Hot Take Books has thoughts. A lot of them.In this episode, Rich and Ryan dive deep into book two of the Ironbound series, just days after its release. Castor is back, the stakes are higher, and the world has gotten a whole lot bigger. The guys break down what makes Cold Wind one of their highest-rated books to date — and why this series still isn't getting the attention it deserves.The spoiler-free section covers everything you need to know to decide if this is the series for you: the revenge-fantasy genre comp (think Red Rising meets Rage of Dragons), the magic system that might just be Rich's favorite ever, and why if you loved Ironbound, you need to keep going.Then the spoiler warning drops, and nothing is safe. Rich and Ryan dig into the expanding lore of core and congruency, the political backstabbing of the empire, Castor's evolving identity as the symbols wage war in his head, and the characters they couldn't get enough of — and the ones they wanted a lot more of. They also get into what this book means for the series as a whole, and why books three and four might be capable of a score they can barely bring themselves to say out loud.If you haven't read Ironbound yet, start there — we've got you covered with our full episode on book one. And if you're already a fan of the series, buckle up. This one's going to be a lot of fun.Hot Take Books drops every two weeks. Follow us on TikTok and Instagram @HotTakeBooks.

May 20, 2026

Riff Sesh: Cold Wind - Book 2 Ironbound (Spoiler Free)

Cold Wind by Andrew Givler | Ironbound, Book 2 | Fantasy | FastTakePicture this: you're on the treadmill, just walking, minding your business — then chapter 10 cranks the speed and suddenly the whole gym is watching. That's Cold Wind. Rich is at 50% and already comparing Andrew Givler to Sanderson. Ryan's finished, loaded with theories, and currently on trial for sending cover art that — and we quote — "you can infer things from." It's been a week. Book 2 of Ironbound dropped today and the boys recorded this the moment they could: no notes, no outline, vibes only, and court-ordered spoiler restrictions for at least one of them. The magic system from Book 1? Kiddie pool. Cold Wind expands drastically on those fundamentals and the main character is giving full Darrow vibes. No scores yet — Rich hasn't even finished — but Ryan is already throwing out some BIG numbers. Full SpoilerTake drops Sunday. Read the book first. 📖Episode Type: FastTake (Riff Session) Book: Cold Wind by Andrew Givler Series: Ironbound, Book 2 <ul><li>[00:00] — Cold open: Ryan on trial for spoiler tendencies</li><li>[02:07] — Intro + episode framing (day-of-release riff session, no spoilers)</li><li>[02:53] — Who should read this book</li><li>[09:09] — Magic system expansion + main character catching Darrow vibes</li><li>[13:05] — How firm is the magic system?</li><li>[18:36] — Hype, theories, and excitement for the full SpoilerTake</li><li>[19:29] — Wrap-up</li></ul>TikTok: @hottakebks Instagram: @hottakebooks

May 10, 2026

Ironbound: Oaths, Iron, & Vengeance

Rich and Ryan are back with a book that might just scratch that Red Rising itch — Andrew Givler's Ironbound. Set in a Roman-inspired world where mythical metals bind warriors to elemental symbols, this progression fantasy follows Castor, a young man whose world gets ripped apart before he ever gets a chance to fight for it.The guys break down why this book is really three stories in one — a coming-of-age tale, a training montage, and a full-blown war story— and whether that structure works in its favor or costs it in the end. Expect a deep dive on the hard vs. soft magic system debate, character development that is top tier, and a disagreement about whether the ending sticks the landing.Plus: three 1-star reviews that range from head-scratching to genuinely unhinged, a bold sequel announcement, and the ring light saga that delayed the episode by five minutes.HTB Score: 8.3 — BUY 🛒Spoiler-free for the first 15 minutes. Spoilers begin after the warning.

44 total episodes available

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Frequently asked questions

Have a different question and can't find the answer you're looking for? Reach out to our support team by sending us an email and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.

What is Hot Take Books?: 🔥 We read Hot Books and give you Hotter Takes. 🔥

Welcome to the show where two friends—Rich and Ryan—dive into the best (and occasionally worst) of sci-fi and fantasy, one book at a time. Every title gets two episodes: a spoiler-free FastTake for the curious and a spoiler-filled deep dive for the chaos lovers.

We skip the plot overviews and go straight for the good stuff: World Building & Lore, Characters, and Story—served with unfiltered opinions, spicy takes, and way too much banter. If you like book talk, laughs, passion, and the occasional nerdy meltdown, you're in the right place
How often does this podcast release new episodes?: This podcast updates daily.
Where can I listen to this podcast?: This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
Does this podcast accept guests?: No, this podcast does not typically feature guests.

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