Off Book: Elyse on Fantasy— Politics, Dragons & The Books That Made Her a Reader

genredpodcast
Nov 13, 2025
3 min read

This week on Off Book, Katy flips the mic to co-host Elyse for a deep dive into her forever favorite: fantasy.

From childhood obsessions (Tamora Pierce forever) to adult hot takes (“fantasy is politics with dragons”), Elyse walks through where to start, what to read next if you’re fully converted, and why she’ll always have room in her TBR for fake dating and marriage of convenience.

We also detour into high-heat subgenres, romance as a gateway back to fantasy, and an extremely educational Omegaverse primer.

“If ACOTAR doesn’t work for you, fantasy might just not be your genre—and that’s okay. There’s a book and a genre for everyone.”

What we cover:

How Elyse became a reader (and the family lore): Oma the librarian/book-mender, childhood series that imprinted, and why fantasy stuck.
Defining the favorite: Why fantasy (not specifically romantasy) is her home base—and what it gives readers beyond escapism.
Where to start (by reader type): Teen & new-to-fantasy picks vs. adult “gateway” options that deliver big tropes and momentum.
For the fully converted: Older high-fantasy by women authors Elyse wants more people to read, plus modern “new classics.”
Misconceptions: “It’s not real, so what’s the point?” → why the genre’s distance lets it hit closer to the bone.
Tropes she’ll always say yes to: Fake dating / marriage of convenience—the ruse, the slow burn, the payoff.
When she ‘cheats’ on fantasy: Why contemporary romance became her lighter-lift staple (hello, smart-girl heroines).
The Omegaverse sidebar: What it is (no shifters!), why it’s werewolf-adjacent, and how it exploded from niche to everywhere.

📚All recommendations & mentions:

Childhood & formative fantasy

Tamora Pierce — The Song of the Lioness, The Immortals, Protector of the Small.
Why it matters: perfect on-ramp for young readers; girls with agency, training arcs, and accessible worldbuilding.

Gateway fantasy for adults / “try this first”

Sarah J. Maas — A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR). If this doesn’t click, fantasy might not be your genre—and that’s okay!

YA/Teen starts

J.K. Rowling — Harry Potter (series)
Suzanne Collins — The Hunger Games (series)
James Dashner — The Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials
Note: Elyse bailed halfway—too scary for her; your mileage may vary!

For the “I’ve read it all” crowd (deep cuts / women writing classic high fantasy)

Melanie Rawn — Exiles (unfinished; the long-rumored third book “Captal’s Tower” never released). Elyse’s imprint series; enemies-to-lovers + marriage of convenience combo that “made me who I am.”
Anne Bishop — The Black Jewels (dark, matriarchal world; fascinating echoes with some modern romantasy dynamics).
Brandon Sanderson (as a “new classic” comparator).

Why fantasy matters (her thesis picks)

J.R.R. Tolkien — The Lord of the Rings
George R.R. Martin — A Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones)

Romance as a lighter-lift “cheat” (and bridge back to fantasy)

Penny Reid — Knitting in the City (aka the “smart-girl” contemporary romance gateway).
Katee Robert — myth-inspired, high-heat romances (e.g., Hades/Persephone retellings).
Bodyguard romance micro-trope: ex-SEAL/security-firm series galore (Elyse’s candy reads).

Omegaverse (primer + touchpoints)

Ali Hazelwood — Bride (used in convo as a shared “alpha/omega” reference point; not an Omegaverse title but adjacent vibes).
Omegaverse basics: Human-only world with alpha / beta / omega designations (no shifters), pack/found-family dynamics, and many why-choose setups.

Why this episode:

If you’ve ever wondered what fantasy offers besides escape, Elyse makes the case: it’s a mirror tilted just enough to tell the truth. Also, come for the Tamora Pierce nostalgia; stay for the heartfelt plea to a certain author to leak a certain long-awaited manuscript.