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YA Book Chat

Do you enjoy reading YA books? Are you dying to talk about them and hear what others think about your favorite books? Are you outside of the YA age bracket (like myself) but still enjoy them? Then this is the podcast for you! Join me and my friends, as we discuss our favorite YA books and authors! We’ll chat spoiler-free at the start of each episode, just in case you haven’t read the book yet. Then I’ll give a warning before heading into our spoiler zone. I'll also have special episodes where I'll interview YA authors! I’ll be discussing books by Victoria Aveyard, Holly Black, Neal Shusterman, Veronica Roth, Pierce Brown, Marissa Meyer, Suzanne Collins, Veronica Roth, Stephanie Garber, Melissa de la Cruz, and many more!Have questions on your favorite books? Want to know my thoughts on them? Have a book you love that you want me to discuss? Send me an email at yabookchat@gmail.com. I’d love to hear from you!

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YA Book Chat

The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway

February 14, 2024 • Leah Stuhler • Season 4 • Episode 10

To celebrate Valentine's Day I am chatting with my good friend Victoria Koops about the swoony YA Rom Com, The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway by Ashley Schumacher.

This is such a fun book! If you enjoy Renaissance Festivals, Shakespearean things, Medieval Times, adorable singing bards (like Jaskier from The Witcher), a plus-sized protagonist, theatre, LGBTQ+ representation, and teen romance, this book is for you!

Join Victoria and me as we chat all about Renaissance festivals, theatre kids/theatre life, the swoony romance between our two main characters, grief/grieving, relating to a plus-sized protagonist, believing in fate, our dream to quit our jobs and travel to all the Renaissance festivals in the States, and so much more!

The first 30 minutes are spoiler free!

A little about The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway:

Since her mother’s death, Madeline “Gwen” Hathaway has been determined that nothing in her life will change ever again. That’s why she keeps extensive lists in journals, has had only one friend since childhood, and looks forward to the monotony of working the ren faire circuit with her father. Until she arrives at her mother’s favorite end-of-tour stop to find the faire is under new management and completely changed.

Meeting Arthur, the son of the new owners and an actual lute-playing bard, messes up Maddie’s plans even more. For some reason, he wants to be her friend - and ropes her into becoming Princess of the Faire. Now Maddie is overseeing a faire dramatically changed from what her mother loved and going on road trips vastly different from the routine she used to rely on. Worst of all, she’s kind of having fun.

Ashley Schumacher's The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway is filled with a wise old magician who sells potion bottles, gallant knights who are afraid of horses and ride camels instead, kings with a fondness for theatrics, a lazy river castle moat with inflatable crocodile floaties, and a plus-sized heroine with a wide open heart... if only she just admits it.

Check out Victoria's website
Purchase Victoria's debut novel: Who We Are in Real Life

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