Once Upon a Time Zone: A Bookish Podcast

Let's talk about books being adapted to screen, whether to TV series or movie!

Books Discussed:
Midnight on the Celestial - Julia Alexandra
A Reaper at the Gates - Sabaa Tahir
Jade City - Fonda Lee
Jade War - Fonda Lee
The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkein
One Dark Window - Rachel Gillig
Akarnae - Lynette Noni
The Favorites - Layne Fargo
Project Hail Mary - Andy Weir
The Nightingale - Kristin Hannah
Fourth Wing - Rebecca Yarros
People We Meet on Vacation - Emily Henry
Verity - Colleen Hoover
Anxious People - Fredrik Backman
The Bodyguard - Katherine Center
The Wedding People - Alison Espach

Follow us on Instagram: @onceuponatimezonepod
Watch our video podcasts on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponaTimeZonePodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Jaime's socials:
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@jaimefok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Instagram: @jaimefok
Tiktok: @jaime.fok

Freya's socials:
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@freyvalerio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Instagram: @freyv_reads
Tiktok: @freyvalerio

(00:00) intro & current reads
(13:04) book to screen adaptations
(13:12) the lord of the rings
(20:03) animated movies
(22:06) the nightingale
(25:18) anxious people
(29:08) verity
(32:10) the bodyguard
(37:21) project hail mary
(40:59) the wedding people
(43:21) books we want to be adapted

Are these popular booktok books overhyped... or actually worth it? Let's find out!

Books Discussed:
The Love Hypothesis - Ali Hazelwood
The Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller
Shatter Me - Tahereh Mafi
Normal People - Sally Rooney
People We Meet on Vacation - Emily Henry
The God of the Woods - Liz Moore
The Inheritance Games - Jennifer Lynn Barnes
The Secret History - Donna Tartt
The Perfect Son - Freida McFadden
House of Flame and Shadow - Sarah J Maas
Iron Gold - Pierce Brown

Follow us on Instagram: @onceuponatimezonepod
Watch our video podcasts on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponaTimeZonePodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Jaime's socials:
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@jaimefok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Instagram: @jaimefok
Tiktok: @jaime.fok

Freya's socials:
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@freyvalerio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Instagram: @freyv_reads
Tiktok: @freyvalerio

(00:00) intro & current reads
(08:52) taylor swift's audiobook
(11:48) the love hypothesis
(16:33) the song of achilles
(21:34) shatter me
(25:50) normal people
(31:16) olympics sidebar
(33:26) people we meet on vacation
(40:59) the god of the woods
(46:29) the inheritance games
(51:13) the secret history

Let's wrap up our December reading month & talk about our 2026 reading goals!

Books Discussed:
The Strength of the Few - James Islington
House of Flame and Shadow - Sarah J Maas
A Day of Fallen Night - Samantha Shannon
The Fellowship of the Ring (Lord of the Rings) - JRR Tolkein
The Bright Years - Sarah Damoff
Iron Gold - Pierce Brown
The Stormlight Archive - Brandon Sanderson
Oathbringer - Brandon Sanderson
A Sea of Unspoken Things - Adrienne Young
The Unmaking of June Farrow - Adrienne Young
A Sky Beyond the Storm - Sabaa Tahir
Broken Country - Clare Leslie Hall
Fallen City - Adrienne Young
The Ex-Wives Club - Sally Hepworth
The Poet Empress - Shen Tao
The Elsewhere Express - Samantha Shannon Yambao
People We Meet on Vacation - Emily Henry
The Housemaid - Frieda McFadden

Follow us on Instagram: @onceuponatimezonepod
Watch our video podcasts on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponaTimeZonePodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Jaime's socials:
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@jaimefok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Instagram: @jaimefok
Tiktok: @jaime.fok

Freya's socials:
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@freyvalerio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Instagram: @freyv_reads
Tiktok: @freyvalerio

(00:00) intro & current reads
(12:36) december recap
(30:06) 2026 reading goals
(53:47) january news

2025 wrapped! Let's talk about the best and worst books we read this year, going month to month. THANK YOU for listening this year, and can't wait for more episodes to come in 2026!

Books Discussed:
The Strength of the Few - James Islington
Oathbringer - Brandon Sanderson
Red Rising - Pierce Brown
The Favourites - Layne Fargo
Love in the Time of Serial Killers - Alicia Thompson
Blood Over Bright Haven - ML Wang
Pumpkin Spice Cafe - Laurie Gilmore
Sunrise on the Reaping - Suzanne Collins
Deep End - Ali Hazelwood
Wild Reverence - Rebecca Ross
Immortal Dark - Tigest Girma
Us Against You - Fredrik Backman
Firefly Lane - Kristin Hannah
Atmosphere - Taylor Jenkins Reid
The Summer We Ran - Audrey Ingram
Jade War - Fonda Lee
We'll Always Have Summer - Jenny Han
Jade Legacy - Fonda Lee
Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales - Heather Fawcett
Project Hail Mary - Andy Weir
Metal Slinger - Rachel Schneider
Words of Radiance - Brandon Sanderson
Mate - Ali Hazelwood
Red City - Marie Lu
The Poet Empress - Shen Tao
Morning Star - Pierce Brown
Heartstopper - Alice Oseman
Hero of Ages - Brandon Sanderson
His and Hers - Alice Feeney
The Blood Traitor - Lynette Noni
All I Ever Wanted Was to be Hot - Lucinda Price
Reckless - Lauren Roberts
Holding the Reins - Paisley Hope
A Familiar Stranger - AR Torre
A Torch Against the Night - Sabaa Tahir
Save Me - Mona Kasten
The Raven Scholar - Antonia Hodgson
Our Infinite Fates - Laura Steven
The Way of Kings - Brandon Sanderson
Wild Side - Elsie Silver
Kingdom of Copper - SA Chakraborty
Regretting You - Colleen Hoover
The Will of the Many - James Islington
People Watching - Hannah Bonam Young
The Defender - Ana Huang
The Cursed Melodies - Connie Glynn

Follow us on Instagram: @onceuponatimezonepod
Watch our video podcasts on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponaTimeZonePodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Jaime's socials:
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@jaimefok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Instagram: @jaimefok
Tiktok: @jaime.fok

Freya's socials:
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@freyvalerio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Instagram: @freyv_reads
Tiktok: @freyvalerio

(00:00) intro & current reads
(15:22) year in review
(27:42) january
(36:28) february
(45:35) march
(48:16) april
(52:55) may
(56:55) june
(01:00:58) july
(01:07:53) august
(01:12:29) september
(01:15:02) october
(01:20:01) november
(01:23:48) final thoughts & happy holidays!

Let's go over the Goodreads Choice Awards nominees and winners of 2025! Why is the romantasy category so confusing...?

Books Discussed:
Just Friends - Haley Pham
Of Flame and Fury - Mikayla Bridge
The Princess Knight - Cait Jacobs
The Ballad of Falling Dragons - Sarah A Parker
When the Moon Hatched - Sarah A Parker

Follow us on Instagram: @onceuponatimezonepod
Watch our video podcasts on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponaTimeZonePodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Jaime's socials:
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@jaimefok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Instagram: @jaimefok
Tiktok: @jaime.fok

Freya's socials:
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@freyvalerio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Instagram: @freyv_reads
Tiktok: @freyvalerio

(00:00) intro & current reads
(09:27) wicked: for good debrief
(16:12) the ballad of falling dragons announcement
(19:15) fiction
(27:18) historical fiction
(31:04) mystery thriller
(34:40) romance
(39:20) romantasy
(47:14) fantasy
(54:29) sci-fi
(56:18) horror
(57:35) debut
(58:51) audiobooks
(59:12) YA fantasy
(01:03:27) YA fiction
(01:05:08) nonfiction
(01:09:17) final thoughts