Spread Your Wingspan

About Spread Your Wingspan

Created by Sara Vander Zwaag & Jennie Lindsay We are two friends that immediately bonded over our secret smut addictions. Tune in as we chat about all things literary involving Romantasy, Fantasy, and straight up Romance. We compare notes on the Bookstagram fan favorites, the obscure series with new-to-us kinks, and everything in between. Do we always have the same opinion? No! Do we love to dissect tropes, fantasize over gorgeous fae, and giggle when we imagine their wingspans? Yes! If you are like us (highly anxious older daughters with ADHD and escapist tendencies) then this is the podcast for you. Pssst... It’s always the quiet ones. ;) Follow us on Instagram @spreadyourwingspan Visit our website: spreadyourwingspan.com Email us your questions and hot takes: hello@spreadyourwingspan.com Hosted on Podbean. See podbean.com/privacy for more information.

Publisher

Sara & Jennie

Category

arts

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

16 May 2024

Latest episode

27 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

42 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   27 Oct 2026

   Crescent City #3 Lore Recap: House of Flame & Shadow

   Summary Jennie and Sara return to House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas, the third Crescent City book, for one last recap before A Court of Splintered Harmony arrives. They sort through the lore that matters for Prythian, from the Asteri and the Dread Trove to the questions they hope the next ACOTAR book finally answers. Along the way they dig into Nesta's growth, why the book's exposition was such a slog, and the Throne of Glass crossover theories fans are chasing. Spoilers Full spoilers for House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas, including the ending. Content Warnings Threat of torture, imprisonment, and violence. Chapters 0:00 – Show Intro 0:24 – Our Last Recap Before A Court of Splintered Harmony 3:26 – The Tunnel We Blocked Out & Crescent City Letdowns 7:35 – Content Warnings for House of Flame and Shadow 8:05 – Lore Recap: Bryce, the Asteri & the Dread Trove 12:12 – Questions for A Court of Splintered Harmony 13:04 – Retcons & Pants-Writing 14:19 – Lore Dumps & Joyless Prythian 17:01 – What a True Crossover Could Have Been 18:37 – Pitting Protagonists Against Each Other 19:34 – Nesta, the Mask & the Starsword 20:31 – Nesta's Arc & Backsliding 22:33 – Starsword, Truth Teller & Avallen 23:24 – Nesta's Tattoo & Starborn Bloodlines 24:17 – The Valkyrie Cycle & the Made Swords 28:02 – The Bryce-riel Ship Wars 28:58 – Nesta's Silver Flames 30:19 – Exposition Overload 33:32 – A Rushed Rewrite & No Slice of Life 35:28 – Building on Air: Interconnected Worlds 36:26 – Expectations for Books 6 and 7 38:07 – Rebecca Yarros's 800,000-Word Year 40:16 – Throne of Glass Crossover Theories 44:35 – What's Next: A Court of Splintered Harmony 46:01 – Jennie's Orange Dragon: The Dragonkind Quiz 48:43 – Spice Rating & Lore Rating 49:02 – Show Outro Mentioned in This Episode House of Flame and Shadow — Sarah J. Maas Crescent City series — Sarah J. Maas A Court of Thorns and Roses — Sarah J. Maas A Court of Silver Flames — Sarah J. Maas A Court of Splintered Harmony — Sarah J. Maas Throne of Glass series — Sarah J. Maas Kingdom of Ash — Sarah J. Maas Kushiel's Dart — Jacqueline Carey Fourth Wing — Rebecca Yarros Threshing Day — Rebecca Yarros Fantasy Fangirls Podcast Dragonkind (the dragon-bonding quiz) FAQ Does Episode 42 of Spread Your Wingspan cover House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas, the Crescent City book that crosses over with A Court of Thorns and Roses? Yes, Episode 42 of Spread Your Wingspan is Jennie and Sara's lore recap of House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas, the third Crescent City book and the one that crosses over with the ACOTAR world of Prythian. It focuses on the lore that matters for A Court of Splintered Harmony, rather than a full discussion of the book. For that, check out Episode 2 of Spread Your Wingspan. What is House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas about? House of Flame and Shadow is the third book in Sarah J. Maas's Crescent City series. It follows Bryce Quinlan as the story crosses into Prythian, bringing her face to face with Nesta, Azriel, and the Inner Circle, and with the Asteri and the Dread Trove. We dig into the lore in Episode 42 of Spread Your Wingspan. Do I need to read House of Flame and Shadow before A Court of Splintered Harmony? Jennie and Sara hope this recap saves you the read, and they expect Sarah J. Maas to include some recap-style exposition in the next ACOTAR book. If you want to know what matters for Prythian before A Court of Splintered Harmony, hear their full lore breakdown in Episode 42 of Spread Your Wingspan. —---- Got a question or a book/author you want us to check out? Email us at hello@spreadyourwingspan.com Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spreadyourwingspan Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@spreadyourwingspan Get 1 month of the Yearn app free! Your first month of romantasy starts here: https://www.yearn.media/spreadyourwingspan

2. 

   26 Oct 2026

   Interview with Jennifer Michelle Herrera

   Summary Sara and Jennie sit down with Jennifer Michelle Herrera, author of Siren Says, for an author conversation as warm as it is wide-ranging. Jennifer shares how Pennsylvania slate and the Welsh settlers who quarried it sparked her romantasy, why she filled the story with plants and tactile detail, and what drew her to the myth of Mis and the power of female rage. The three talk Delilah as a "shadow mommy," Cherry and the case for unlikable women, intergenerational trauma and atonement, and the audiobook narration that carried the Welsh pronunciations. Jennifer also opens up about her writing process, her path from philosophy grad student to literary agent to author, and the books she wants everyone to read next. Spoilers Full spoilers for Siren Says by Jennifer Michelle Herrera, including the ending.Author Bio Jennifer is the author of Siren Says & The Hunter. She studied philosophy in graduate school before moving to New York City, where she became a literary agent. She has gone on to represent New York Times bestsellers, IndieBound bestsellers, and winners of multiple awards. She now lives in Philadelphia with her husband, children, and cats. Jennifer’s website Jennifer’s Instagram Content Warnings Self-harm, domestic abuse from a parent, violence and gore, and a coercive sexual encounter that is accidental. Chapters 0:00 – Show Intro 0:23 – Meet Jennifer Michelle Herrera 3:11 – What Inspired Siren Says: Slate & Welsh Settlers 6:10 – Pennsylvania Rocks & Local History 8:37 – A Tactile Book & Re-Enchanting the World 9:51 – Ancestral Enchantment & Reclaiming Heritage 11:16 – Welsh Pronunciations & the Ceffyl Dŵr 12:05 – Sorcha Groundsell's Audiobook Narration 15:32 – Favorite Scene to Write: Flowers in Bloom 18:58 – Power, Morality & The Good Place 21:30 – Delilah the Shadow Mommy 24:41 – Favorite Character: Delilah & the Crone 29:11 – Female Rage & the Myth of Mis 33:21 – Fantasy as Permission to Feel 35:32 – Motherhood, Advocacy & Accessing Rage 37:19 – Intergenerational Trauma & Atonement 41:01 – Will There Be a Sequel? 42:06 – Cherry & Unlikable Women 46:03 – Writing Process, Research & The Light Eaters 49:05 – Intuition & the Subconscious on the Page 51:36 – The Hero's Journey vs. Women's Cycles 52:36 – Oral History, Mother Tongue & Women's Knowledge 54:26 – Celtic Storytellers & Passing Down Stories 55:55 – Llyfr Cyfrin: The Welsh Book of Secrets 57:04 – Book Recommendations: Wild Reverence & Emma M. Lion 1:00:23 – From Philosopher to Literary Agent to Author 1:03:12 – Where to Find Jennifer 1:05:01 – Favorite Welsh Spirit: The Ceffyl Dŵr 1:06:18 – Thank You & Guerrilla Marketing Plans 1:07:17 – Show Outro Mentioned in This Episode Siren Says — Jennifer Michelle Herrera Fourth Wing — Rebecca Yarros Threshing Day — Rebecca Yarros Mother Tongue: The Surprising History of Women's Words — Jenni Nuttall The Light Eaters — Zoë Schlanger Wild Reverence — Rebecca Ross The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion — Emma M. Lion Welsh Witchcraft — Mahra Starling "Sun to Me" — Zach Bryan (the song behind the flower-garden scene) Sorcha Groundsell — narrator of the Siren Says audiobook Jennifer Michelle Herrera's website: jenniferherrerabooks.com FAQ Does Episode 41 of Spread Your Wingspan feature an interview with Jennifer Michelle Herrera, author of Siren Says? Yes, Episode 41 of Spread Your Wingspan is Sara and Jennie's author interview with Jennifer Michelle Herrera, the author of the Welsh-inspired romantasy Siren Says. It is the companion to Episode 40 of Spread Your Wingspan, where they recap and discuss the book. In this conversation Jennifer talks about her inspiration, her writing process, female rage, and what she is reading next. What is Siren Says by Jennifer Michelle Herrera about? Siren Says follows Raven Wynn, a young woman whose magic was bound as a teenager and who travels to Pennsylvania to find her mysterious aunt and a way t

3. 

   26 Oct 2026

   Siren Says by Jennifer Michelle Herrera

   Summary Jennie and Sara give their opinions of Siren Says by Jennifer Michelle Herrera — a lush, Welsh-rooted romantasy about a young woman whose magic has been bound for years, the family secrets waiting for her in Pennsylvania, and the women who shape her path. From a plant-based magic system and a dark fairy tale ending to a softer, more everyday kind of romantasy hero, the hosts dig into female rage, intergenerational trauma and atonement, reclaiming ancestral culture instead of borrowing someone else's, and why female friendship is the beating heart of the story. They also talk pacing, tactile prose, and the hopeful question: when do we get the Delilah, Cherry, and Idris spin-offs? Spoilers Full spoilers for Siren Says by Jennifer Michelle Herrera, including the ending. Content Warnings Self-harm, domestic abuse from a parent, violence and gore, and a coercive sexual encounter that is accidental. Chapters 0:00 – Show Intro 0:24 – Today's Book: Siren Says 1:50 – Content Warnings for Siren Says 2:44 – Recap Begins: Welsh Pronunciations & Raven's Bound Magic 5:01 – Recap Continues: Cynefin, Cherry & Training 6:20 – Recap Wrap-Up: The Family Quarry & Nos Calan Mai 7:56 – Themes & Reactions: Intergenerational Atonement 9:55 – Appropriation vs. Reconnecting With Ancestral Roots 11:47 – Passing Down Stories, Setting & a Grim Fairy Tale 14:59 – The Violence of Women 16:24 – Bound Magic: Power Isn't the Problem 18:32 – Morally Gray Women 20:22 – The Grimoire as a Framing Device 21:40 – That Dark Fairy Tale Ending 22:52 – Welsh Pronunciations: Audiobook vs. Print 24:00 – Wanting More: Pacing & the Final Act 27:31 – A Tactile Book 28:42 – Idris, "Ravenous" & a Softer Hero 30:56 – The Quartet: Raven, Cherry, Idris & Delilah 32:19 – Female Friendship Over Rivalry 33:42 – Shadow Mommies 34:39 – Why You Should Read It 36:29 – Magic Types, Seers & Fransys 37:54 – Intergenerational Trauma, Atonement & Fantasy as Allegory 39:15 – Spice Rating, the Club Scene & Overall Score 41:50 – Female Friendship, Rereading & Why We Do This Podcast 43:42 – Show Outro Mentioned in This Episode Siren Says — Jennifer Michelle Herrera Outlander — Diana Gabaldon Fourth Wing — Rebecca Yarros Sorcha Groundsell — narrator of the Siren Says audiobook FAQ Does Episode 40 of Spread Your Wingspan cover Siren Says by Jennifer Michelle Herrera, the Welsh-inspired witch fantasy? Yes, Episode 40 of Spread Your Wingspan is a full recap and discussion of Siren Says by Jennifer Michelle Herrera, a fantasy rooted in Welsh mythology about a young witch whose magic has been bound. Jennie and Sara walk through the story, the themes, and what they loved and wanted more of. What is Siren Says by Jennifer Michelle Herrera about? Siren Says follows Raven Wynn, a young woman whose magic was bound as a teenager and who travels to Pennsylvania to find her mysterious aunt and a way to deal with her power. Along the way she finds family secrets, ancient Welsh magic, and new friendships. We cover the full recap in Episode 40 of Spread Your Wingspan. Should you read or listen to Siren Says? Jennie and Sara recommend the audiobook, narrated by Sorcha Groundsell, if you're the kind of reader who needs to know how a word sounds before moving on, since the Welsh names and magic terms can slow down a print read. Hear their full take in Episode 40 of Spread Your Wingspan. Is Siren Says spicy? Not very — Jennie and Sara give it one pepper out of five, noting the love scene is sweet but short and not graphic. Full spice talk is in Episode 40 of Spread Your Wingspan. —--- Got a question or a book/author you want us to check out? Email us at hello@spreadyourwingspan.com Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spreadyourwingspan Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@spreadyourwingspan Get 1 month of the Yearn app free! Your first month of romantasy starts here: https://www.yearn.media/spreadyourwingspan

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

5 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 27 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

40

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

32

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.