In case you haven’t noticed, there’s a lot going on *gestures everywhere*, so rather than get into anything too tragic, as we’re wont to do, we’ve instead gathered some Comfort Media for Interesting Times (™)–that is, the pop culture we turn to when things are rough and we’re in need of a boost to help us make it through.

This episode, in the style of our Pop-Culture Round Ups, we trade off sharing cozy books, music, and TV shows that bolster our spirits and help us feel warm inside.

Lit "rounded up" this Episode:

• Howl’s Moving Castle (1986) by Diana Wynne Jones
• On a Sunbeam (2018) by Tillie Walden
• Eva Ibbotson’s 5 romance book set in the early 1900’s, but especially The Reluctant Heiress (1982) A Countess Below Stairs (1981)

• The Discographies of Maaya Sakamoto (Shounen Alice and Single Collection: Nikopachi (2003)) and Hikaru Utada (Bad Mode (2022) and Ultra Blue (2006)

Show Notes:

• What's Sparking Joy: Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree, Blue Box (aka Aoi no Hako) on Netflix
• Other lit discussed this episode: Spinning by Tillie Walden, My Happy Marriage, The Chronicles of Chrestomanci by Diana Wynne Jones, First Love (J-Drama)
• Correction: Tessa from The Reluctant Heiress is a staunch "republican," not "communist."

Check out SLL Live in 2025:

• April 2025 - Romance in CNY: ⁠⁠⁠https://romanceincny.com/⁠⁠⁠
• July 2025 - RomantiConn: ⁠⁠https://www.romanticonn.com/⁠⁠

On Future SLL Episodes: A Court of Thorns and Roses/A Court of Mist and Fury, Strangers Again, Let's Get Divorced, and Trope Spotlight: Forced Proximity.

Don't forget to subscribe to Sex. Love. Literature! You can find us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SexLoveLitPodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠; on Instagram , Tumblr, and BlueSky @SexLoveLitPodcast.

Our cover art is by Charcooll (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/charcooll/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). TheSLL Theme music is “Pluck It Up” by Dan Henig. What’s Sparking Joy BGM is "Candy-Coloured Sky" by Catmosphere | https://soundcloud.com/ctmsphr;Released by Paper Crane Collective; Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com; Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US

Sex. Love. Literature. is a pop culture podcast that relishes the romantic, the sexy, and the scandalous in media. Join pop culture scholars (and besties) Ayanni and Corinne as they deep dive into why the “sex-stuff” in media matters. Main episodes drop the last Friday of the month.

Sorry for the delay on this episode folks - October and November have been a lot. But, without further ado, here's Last Night at the Telegraph Club, episode two!

Joined once again by Dr. Kai Chen, we dive right into Last Night at the Telegraph Club spoilers, starting with our feelings on Kath and Lily’s relationship and the high-key stress of classroom makeouts. From there, we consider the queer space of the Telegraph Club, Lily’s complicated and not always likable bestie Shirley, and our thoughts on the admittedly fraught ending.

Show Notes:

• What's Sparking Joy: Bloom by (G)I-DLE, Crazy (feat Pink Pantheress) by LA SSERAFIM , Leon
• Other lit discussed this episode: How Sweet by NewJeans, Forever by Judy Blume, Crazy Rich Asians, Fellow Travelers, My Favorite Thing is Monsters

• Learn more about Dr. Chen's work on the UF University Writing Program website: https://writing.ufl.edu/directory/yukai-chen/
• Support your local bookstore and Malinda Lo by getting Last Night the Telegraph Club and A Scattering of Light on Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/search?keywords=malinda+lo⁠
• Code Switch - "They Don't Say Our Names Enough" - https://www.npr.org/2020/06/26/884080764/they-dont-say-our-names-enough
• The Evening Crowd at Kirmser's: A Gay Life in the 1940s - ⁠https://bookshop.org/p/books/evening-crowd-at-kirmser-s-a-gay-life-in-the-1940s-ricardo-j-brown/9374706?ean=9780816636228⁠

• The Body and Its Dangers & Other Stories - https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-body-and-its-dangers-other-stories-allen-barnett/20854353?ean=9781608642922

Check out SLL Live in 2025:

• April 2025 - Romance in CNY: ⁠⁠https://romanceincny.com/⁠⁠
• July 2025 - RomantiConn: ⁠https://www.romanticonn.com/⁠

On Future SLL Episodes: A Court of Thorns and Roses/A Court of Mist and Fury, Strangers Again, Let's Get Divorced, and Trope Spotlight: Forced Proximity.

Don't forget to subscribe to Sex. Love. Literature! You can find us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠SexLoveLitPodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠; on Instagram and on Tumblr @SexLoveLitPodcast.

Our cover art is by Charcooll (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/charcooll/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). TheSLL Theme music is “Pluck It Up” by Dan Henig. What’s Sparking Joy BGM is "Candy-Coloured Sky" by Catmosphere | https://soundcloud.com/ctmsphr;Released by Paper Crane Collective; Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com; Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US

Sex. Love. Literature. is a pop culture podcast that relishes the romantic, the sexy, and the scandalous in media. Join pop culture scholars (and besties) Ayanni and Corinne as they deep dive into why the “sex-stuff” in media matters. Main episodes drop the last Friday of the month.

In classic SLL fashion, I welcome you to another accidental two-part discussion. This time, we’re joined by Dr. Kai Chen to discuss Malinda Lo’s award-winning novel, Last Night at the Telegraph Club. This episode, we keep things spoiler free by first giving some context for the book and then our overall impressions. (Plus, we get a bonus visit from Ayanni's 20 year old family cat.)

Show Notes:

• What's Sparking Joy: Kevin can F*** Himself (on Netflix), Mayonaka Punch (on Crunchyroll), Are You The One (on Viki), and Delicious in Dungeon (on Netflix)
• Other lit discussed this episode: Goodbye My Princess, Evangelion, Ashe (by Malinda Lo), My Favorite Thing is Monsters

• Learn more about Dr. Chen's work on the UF University Writing Program website: https://writing.ufl.edu/directory/yukai-chen/
• Support your local bookstore and Malinda Lo by getting Last Night the Telegraph Club on Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/p/books/last-night-at-the-telegraph-club-malinda-lo/16520139?ean=9780525555278
• Learn more Pen America and their various initiatives: https://pen.org/

Check out SLL Live in 2025:

• April 2025 - Romance in CNY: ⁠https://romanceincny.com/⁠
• July 2025 - RomantiConn: https://www.romanticonn.com/

On Future SLL Episodes: Strangers Again, Let's Get Divorced, Trope Spotlight: Forced Proximity, and A Court of Thorns and Roses

Don't forget to subscribe to Sex. Love. Literature! You can find us at ⁠⁠⁠SexLoveLitPodcast.com⁠⁠⁠; on Instagram and on Tumblr @SexLoveLitPodcast.

Our cover art is by Charcooll (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/charcooll/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). TheSLL Theme music is “Pluck It Up” by Dan Henig. What’s Sparking Joy BGM is "Candy-Coloured Sky" by Catmosphere | https://soundcloud.com/ctmsphr;Released by Paper Crane Collective; Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com; Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US

Sex. Love. Literature. is a pop culture podcast that relishes the romantic, the sexy, and the scandalous in media. Join pop culture scholars (and besties) Ayanni and Corinne as they deep dive into why the “sex-stuff” in media matters. Main episodes drop the last Friday of the month.