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.

Welcome to our second episode on the Chinese Drama Lost You Forever, part 2! We jump right into Tushan Jing and Xiao Yao’s relationship as the ostensible OTP of the show. From there, we consider just how sad our snake demon man Xiang Liu made us in his determination to push Xiao Yao away, as well as A’Nian’s surprisingly poignant maturation arc.

Lit Discussed this Episode: "Spring Snow" by 10 Centimeters, "Love Heart Cheat Code" by Hiatus Kaiyote, "Nightfalling" by John Park, Lovely Runner, Love Between Fairy and Devil

(Plus, check out our new Spotify playlist that rounds up songs we love and that have sparked joy: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/50MNBI1kYKdJgxh8CzEJF1?si=SjvEqPF_RdS7Y5-AXDH5zg&pi=u-5IZPrM2xRc-N)

Show Notes:

You can listen to all the previous Lost You Forever episodes on your favorite podcast platforms:

• ​Season 2, Part 1: https://www.sexlovelitpodcast.com/e47-lost-you-forever-season-2-episode-1-of-2-a-lot-of-sad-weddings-in-this-one/
• ​Season 1, Part 1 (no spoilers): https://www.sexlovelitpodcast.com/e35-lost-you-forever-season-1-mini-series-part-1-spoiler-free/
• ​Season 1, Part 2: https://www.sexlovelitpodcast.com/e36-lost-you-forever-season-1-mini-series-part-2-spoiler-filled/
• ​Season 1, Part 3: https://www.sexlovelitpodcast.com/e37-lost-you-forever-season-1-mini-series-part-3-spoiler-filled/

Come see us LIVE at Romance in CNY: https://romanceincny.com/

Planning for RomantiConn 2025 is already underway! ⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/351611412074474/⁠⁠⁠

On Future SLL Episodes: Strangers Again, Let's Get Divorced, Last Night at the Telegraph Club, 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 Threads @SexLoveLit; 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.

Your girls had a lot of feelings and a lot to say about the most recent installment of the Chinese drama Lost You Forever. So welcome to part one of our deep dive that starts with our overall reactions to the show. Then, we go into Cang Xuan and Xiao Yao’s complicated relationship, and especially how some of the changes in adaptation from the novel affect how it all ties together at the end.

Lit Discussed this Episode: Mayonaka Punch, The Earl Who Isn't, Love Like the Galaxy, Snowfall, Little Women (2019), Goodbye My Princess

Show Notes:

Come see us LIVE at Romance in CNY: https://romanceincny.com/

Planning for RomantiConn 2025 is already underway! ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/351611412074474/⁠⁠

You can listen to all the previous Lost You Forever episodes on your favorite podcast platforms:

• Part 1 (no spoilers): https://www.sexlovelitpodcast.com/e35-lost-you-forever-season-1-mini-series-part-1-spoiler-free/
• Part 2: https://www.sexlovelitpodcast.com/e36-lost-you-forever-season-1-mini-series-part-2-spoiler-filled/
• Part 3: https://www.sexlovelitpodcast.com/e37-lost-you-forever-season-1-mini-series-part-3-spoiler-filled/

On Future SLL Episodes: Strangers Again, Let's Get Divorced, Last Night at the Telegraph Club, 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 Threads @SexLoveLit; and on Tumblr @SexLoveLitPodcast

Our cover art is by Charcooll (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/charcooll/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). The SLL 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.

Due to circumstances entirely within our control, we interrupt your regularly scheduled SLL programming for a special summer edition of our What’s Sparking Joy: Pop Culture Round Up. In addition to checking in about what we’ve been watching, reading, and listening to so far this year, we each share three pieces of media that continue to live rent free in our heads.

Lit Discussed this Episode: Lost You Forever Season 2 (no spoilers), Challengers, There's a Door in this Darkness, A Sign of Affection, The Princess Royal, The Bear, and The Midnight Romance in Hagwon Content Warning: Familial de*th is mentioned twice in this episode, at (26:12) and again at (48:40)

Show Notes:

Come visit Ayanni at the SLL table during RomantiConn this July! The vendors room is free to visit: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.eventbrite.com/e/romanticonn-2024-a-romance-author-signing-event-tickets-786820470207⁠⁠⁠ ; https://www.facebook.com/groups/351611412074474/

Other Lit Mentioned this Episode:

• Love Between Fairy and Devil; Crash Landing on You; My Dearest; Red, White and Royal Blue; The Legend of Shen Li; Wedding Impossible; Captivating the King; Bitterblue; Silent; Romance is a Bonus Book; One Spring Night; Something in the Rain; Crash Course in Romance

On Future SLL Episodes: Strangers Again, Let's Get Divorced, Last Night at the Telegraph Club, 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 Threads @SexLoveLit; and on Tumblr @SexLoveLitPodcast

Our cover art is by Charcooll (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/charcooll/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). The SLL 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.

Welcome to our second episode on Bridgerton, season three! Picking up where we left off, we jump right into close reading Polin’s main sex scenes. From there, we think about what made us adore the side plots through discussion of Benedict, Francesca, and Violet’s storylines this season.

Note: there are Bridgerton book spoilers from (37:36 - 38:14) and again from (39:27 - 39:47).

Make sure to listen to part one of our season three discussion- E44 Bridgerton, Season 3: "I need some f*replay, okay?!" (Episode 1 of 2): https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sexlovelit/episodes/E44-Bridgerton--Season-3-I-need-some-freplay--okay---Episode-1-of-2-e2ldc1t/a-abd482b

Show Notes:

Come visit Ayanni at the SLL table during RomantiConn this July: ⁠⁠https://www.eventbrite.com/e/romanticonn-2024-a-romance-author-signing-event-tickets-786820470207⁠⁠

Hear Corinne repping for SLL over on the VoxPopCast: ⁠https://voxpopcast.com/wp/2024/06/24/e324-unpacking-bridgerton-season-3-penelope-queerness-and-fandom-reactions/⁠

Other Lit Mentioned this episode:

• What's Sparking Joy: "Black Dog" by Taylor Swift, "Do 2 Me" by Kaytranada feat Anderson .Paak and SiR

On Future SLL Episodes: Strangers Again, Let's Get Divorced, Last Night at the Telegraph Club, and A Court of Thorns and Roses

Don't forget to subscribe to Sex. Love. Literature! You can find us on Instagram and Threads @SexLoveLit, and on Tumblr @SexLoveLitPodcast

Our cover art is by Charcooll (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/charcooll/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). The SLL 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.

Members of the ton rejoice! Both halves of Bridgerton, season three have finally dropped. We had so many thoughts about this latest installment of the regency romance series that–just like Netflix–we split our conversation in two.

In this first episode, we consider the season as a whole, break down Pen and Colin’s long awaited transition from friends to lovers, and start to craft "Bridgerton, Season Three: the Corinne and Ayanni Cut."

The second part of our conversation drops on Saturday, June 29th.

Show Notes:

Come visit Ayanni at the SLL table during RomantiConn this July: ⁠https://www.eventbrite.com/e/romanticonn-2024-a-romance-author-signing-event-tickets-786820470207⁠

Hear Corinne repping for SLL over on the VoxPopCast: https://voxpopcast.com/wp/2024/06/24/e324-unpacking-bridgerton-season-3-penelope-queerness-and-fandom-reactions/

Other Lit Mentioned this episode:

• What's Sparking Joy: Last Night at the Telegraph Club and Meet Yourself (Chinese Drama)
• Because This is My First Life, My Liberation Notes, Pop Culture Happy Hour

On Future SLL Episodes: Strangers Again, Let's Get Divorced, Last Night at the Telegraph Club, and A Court of Thorns and Roses

Don't forget to subscribe to Sex. Love. Literature! You can find us on Instagram and Threads @SexLoveLit, and on Tumblr @SexLoveLitPodcast

Our cover art is by Charcooll (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/charcooll/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). The SLL 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.