Talking with Matt about Starfield on Xbox

Talking about Book Subscriptions with Autumn and Sara

Forever Judging Special Edition Books by their Covers

Another book show! I know, I know, it's like I don't know what else to talk about these days. But hear me out! Or better yet, hear US out.

I'm joined today by Sara, whom you may recall, joined me on a previous show back in December. We knew we wanted to chat again because there's always something to talk about with so many books to be throwing money at.

But we're also joined by someone who is well known in the bookish community. Everyone's favorite Instagram book subscription sleuth, TheAutumnBookReads is chatting with us! See kids, this is what happens when you're not afraid to shoot your shots😂! And before you ask, no, this is not a trick and she is not AI generated lol.

There was a bunch of stuff we talked about and it was a blast! Topics we went over include:

• The current state of book subs today
• The first book that made us get into this money pit of a hobby
• How many books we have in our collections (or "library" as far as Autumn goes)
• What subscription would we keep if we could only choose one

And so much more!

I'm happy and proud to be able to have a conversation with these ladies and hopefully we'll be able to do it again in the future!

We discussed a bunch of different books and subs and I tried to have everything linked below. If I missed anything, reach out and let me know and I'll update it.

Until next time!

Links and Info Discussed

• First and foremost, here are all the book subscription boxes I could remember at the time of writing this. If you're really curious, every site has a catalog/past book database where you can see the offerings they've had in the past. If you want to really dive into it and have more questions, the link to the discord is below. Every subscription is going to have a waitlist you have to sign up for, some of which could be as short as a few weeks to as long as 10+ months. So keep that in mind!
  • Fairyloot (Sara's favorite)
  • Illumicrate
  • Owlcrate (My favorite)
  • The Bookish Box
  • The Broken Binding
  • Moonlight Book Box
  • Eternal Embers
  • Eternal Embers ONYX (Autumn's favorite)
  • Mystic Box
• Fourth Wing was brought up a lot. So you can find more info on the book itself right here.
• If you want to check out all the absolute madness that happened when it first came out, along with the first run copies that were going for over $500 (you know, the one I could've bought for $15 but I cancelled it..) Then go ahead and check that out right here.
• And here is Sara's Fourth Wing collection!
• Sara mentioned a copy of Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan that she just HAD to have, despite it being in Italian, a language that she does not even SPEAK lol. If you want to check out La figlia della dea della luna and see if it's worth it, you can do so here.
• Here is Fairyloot's Daughter of the Moon Goddess that got Sara into special edition books.
• Here is Fairyloot's Caraval that got Autumn into special edition books.
• As well as Owlcrate's The Cruel Prince.
• Here's Fairyloot's Babel that got me into special editions.
• As well as Illumicrate's Babel. Oh my giddy heart.
• Here's The Broken Binding's Andy Weir collection that is the first set of books in their new sci-fi subscription. YES, I'm subscribed and the first book is on its way to me as you read this. I AM EXCITE!
• Here is Fairyloot's Fourth Wing from my own instagram.
• Moonlight Book Box - This is the subscription Autumn implores you to get on the waitlist for 👀👀
• Sara brought up Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare and how superior Illumicrate's version of the book was.Here it is.
• Sara's favorite books - The Old Kingdom Series by Garth Nix,The Empire Trilogy by Raymond E. Feist and Janny Wurts, and The Sword of Kaigen by M. L. Wang.
• Sara's favorite special edition books - Illumicrate's Sword Catcher and Fairyloot's Daughter of the Moon Goddess. Both linked to above.
• Autumn's favorite book - A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
• Autumn's favorite special edition - PR Special Edition of The Bonds that Tie, and the Mystic Edition of Monsters and Muses.
• My favorite book - Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
• My favorite special edition - Fairyloot's The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi
• Lastly! Here is the invite link for the main topic of our conversation, the Fairyboot Discord! Remember, do not be a jerk. Sara WILL cut you.
  • Fairyboot Discord invite link
• Head over to https://themanthechefthedad.com/links/where you'll find a bunch of different ways to help me out via affiliate links and referrals. Remember, all you have to do is get to Amazon via one of my links for it to register to me.
• https://designingbyknight.etsy.com-- Here is my Etsy Sticker Shop! It's leaning more towards bookish centric stickers and bookmarks, but I'm looking to focus on gaming a lot more this year.

Where to Find This Week's Guest

• You can follow Sara on Instagram @OldKingdomandBeyond
• You can follow Autumn on Instagram @TheAutumnBookReads (she's not very active though, just fyi 😆)

Contact The Talking Place

If you'd like to contact the show, say hi, all that jazz, you can do so below!

• Voicemail - 407.906.TALK
• Instagram - @ManChefDad
• Email - [email protected]

If you're looking to join me for an episode, don't be shy and get at me at the above links and we'll chat!

Talking to Myself about Solo Shows

OH LOOK, A MIDLIFE CRISIS, RIGHT ON SCHEDULE

Alright peeps! If I were crazy enough to do seasons on my podcast, I would say this is the beginning of a new one. After sitting on this feed for so long, and much hesitation and skepticism, I'm finally going to try my hand at publicly talking to myself lol.

I get into the details in this episode, but look forward to bi-weekly shows from now on. Heck, maybe even weekly if I plan it right. No music so far, maybe I'll save it for the main show with guests. But for now, here's an intro for what I'm planning.

Until next time!

Links and Info Discussed

• • As mentioned, here is the YouTube channel for that dude. It USED to be called Caffeine & Consoles? But at some point he changed it over. I get into my thoughts on the episode so whatever.
• • Head over to https://themanthechefthedad.com/links/where you'll find a bunch of different ways to help me out via affiliate links and referrals. Remember, all you have to do is get to Amazon via one of my links for it to register to me.
  • Also, I opened up an Etsy Shop! https://designingbyknight.etsy.comis it. There's nothing crazy on there yet, but hopefully I'll keep it updated with some cool stuff.

Contact The Talking Place

If you'd like to contact the show, say hi, all that jazz, you can do so below!

• Voicemail - 407.906.TALK
• Instagram - @ManChefDad
• Email - [email protected]

If you're looking to join me for an episode, don't be shy and get at me at the above links and we'll chat!

Talking about Podcasting and Gaming with Cap'n Mike

Invoking the right of parley with the Cap'n!

After so many years of listening to each other's shows, our paths have finally crossed! Cap'n Mike has been the host of a handful of popular podcasts since the Xbox 360 era. And now, after a brief 2.5ish year retirement, he's back behind the mic!

During the show we dig into how we're both old farts and have been in the podcast game for a long time. Talking about the way it has changed so much, how we have now adapted and changed compared to how we were when we started. We discuss a few gaming related topics too, in particular the Steam Deck and how it has become my savior.

For all the info on Mike and where to find him and his podcast, check out all the links below!

Until next time!

Links and Info Discussed

I don't think there were any links?! There were a few handheld gaming devices discussed but if those are things that interest you then I'm fairly certain you already know where to find them. If I listen and hear anything that stands out, I'll update the links below.

• Head over to https://themanthechefthedad.com/links/where you'll find a bunch of different ways to help me out via affiliate links and referrals. Remember, all you have to do is get to Amazon via one of my links for it to register to me.
• https://designingbyknight.etsy.com-- Here is my Etsy Sticker Shop! I'm updating it every so often, with various designs spanning books, gaming, and more. Check out my Instagram for the shop over at @designingxknight to see what I have available and what I'm working on!

Where to Find This Week's Guest

• On Second Thought with Mike & Matt
  • Here is Mike's show! The link is to its Linktree where you'll find the best ways to get in contact with the show or to subscribe. Be sure to subscribe so you can listen to the infamous Episode 5 where I'll be joining as a guest.
• Mike is also on Twitter (I am still refusing to call it X), you can follow him there @CapnMikeM

Contact The Talking Place

If you'd like to contact the show, say hi, all that jazz, you can do so below!

• Voicemail - 407.906.TALK
• Instagram - @ManChefDad
• Email - [email protected]

If you're looking to join me for an episode, don't be shy and get at me at the above links and we'll chat!

Talking about Book Subs & Discords with Sara

It's not hoarding if it's pretty books!

This is a show many months in the making! Turns out coordinating a podcast with someone in Australia is not as simple as you would think. But it finally worked out and here we are!

I wanted to talk to Sara because she runs a fairly awesome bookish community that would've been wiped from existence if she didn't raise it from the ashes. And now, it's alive and thriving and about 200 people strong.

In this episode, we're talking about monthly book subscription boxes, special edition books and how they appeal to the collectors in us, and of course, the discord that brings it all together.

Check out below for all the info we discussed! If I missed anything, reach out and let me know and I'll update it.

Until next time!

Links and Info Discussed

• Here are the links where you'll find the top 4 monthly book subscriptions we discussed. If you're really curious, every site has a catalog/past book database where you can see the offerings they've had in the past. If you want to really dive into it and have more questions, the link to the discord is below. Every subscription is going to have a waitlist you have to sign up for, some of which could be as short as a few weeks to as long as 10 months. So keep that in mind!
  • Fairyloot
  • Illumicrate
  • Owlcrate
  • The Bookish Box
• Fourth Wing was brought up a lot. So you can find more info on the book itself right here.
• If you want to check out all the absolute madness that happened when it first came out, along with the first run copies that were going for over $500 (you know, the one I could've bought for $15 but I cancelled it..) Then go ahead and check that out right here.
• Bonus: Here's a really good round up on all the special editions of Fourth Wing that are out there! (For reference, the 3 that I have are the holiday edition, Waterstones', and Fairyloot's)
• And here is Sara's Fourth Wing collection!
• Sara mentioned a copy of Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan that she just HAD to have, despite it being in Italian, a language that she does not even SPEAK. If you want to check out La figlia della dea della luna and see if it's worth it, you can do so here.
• We discussed Sword Catcher by and how superior Illumicrate's version of the book was (the version Sara has) when compared to Fairyloot's version (the one I had). If you want to see the difference, then here is Illumicrate's, and here is Fairyloot's.

Here are our Top 5 Books of the Year! After editing the show, I realized that maybe I should've gone with books that actually came out this year, as oppose to books I've read since some are a few years old. But too late now! Here they are, along with the books that we did not like!

• Sara
  • The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi (by S.A. Chakraborty)
  • Bonesmith (by Nicki Pau Preto)
  • Sword Catcher (by Cassandra Clare)
  • Divine Rivals (by Rebecca Ross)
  • Yellowface (by R.F. Kuang)
  • Silver in the Bone (by Alexandra Bracken) (did not like)
• Los
  • The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi (by S.A. Chakraborty) (freaking READ IT!)
  • A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking (by T. Kingfisher)
  • Legends & Lattes (by Travis Baldree)
  • Fourth Wing (by Rebecca Yarros)
  • The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue (by V.E. Schwab)
  • The Jasad Heir (by Sara Hashem) (did not like)
  • Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow (by Gabrielle Zevin) (did NOT like)

• Lastly! Here is the invite link for the main topic of our conversation, the Fairyboot Discord! Remember, do not be a jerk. Sara WILL cut you.
  • Fairyboot Discord invite link
• Head over to https://themanthechefthedad.com/links/where you'll find a bunch of different ways to help me out via affiliate links and referrals. Remember, all you have to do is get to Amazon via one of my links for it to register to me.
• https://designingbyknight.etsy.com-- Here is my Etsy Sticker Shop! Now updated with holiday designs, bookmarks, and magnets! It's leaning more towards book centric stuff, but I'm looking to focus on gaming a lot more next year.

Where to Find This Week's Guest

• You can follow Sara on Instagram @OldKingdomandBeyond

Contact The Talking Place

If you'd like to contact the show, say hi, all that jazz, you can do so below!

• Voicemail - 407.906.TALK
• Instagram - @ManChefDad
• Email - [email protected]

If you're looking to join me for an episode, don't be shy and get at me at the above links and we'll chat!

Talking with Matt about Starfield on Xbox

FOR ALL, INTO THE STARFIELD

The time is finally upon us! After years of development and hype, fans of Bethesda Game Studios are getting their hands on Starfield! I sit down with Matt (Ve6a5, in Future Monkey lore) and talk about the excitement and expectations we have for the game! He also gives us his impressions on his first hour of play time, discussing space combat, character creation, and more!

As of this episode, Starfield is live with early access that can be granted by purchasing an upgrade or a premium edition. You can play it on release day (September 6th) by purchasing a standard copy on Xbox or PC, or with day one access on Xbox Game Pass.

Stay tuned to future episodes where I'll invite Matt back along with other guests and maybe even some voice mails where we'll follow up with our time spent in the game after a few weeks!

Until next time!

Links and Info Discussed

• • Starfield main page
  • Starfield reviews on YouTube
  • Starfield Metacritic Scores
  • Check out the EZFM Discord (my home away from home) where we'll have a channel dedicated to Starfield.

• The following are Amazon Affiliate links that when clicked on will help me out with a percentage of the purchase! Physical edition of the upgrade comes with a steelbook and other goodies, but you can also purchase it digitally to get early access before it's official September 6th release date!
• • Starfield standard edition: Xbox | PC
  • Premium Edition Upgrade: Xbox
  • Xbox Limited Edition Wireless Headset
• • Head over to https://themanthechefthedad.com/links/where you'll find a bunch of different ways to help me out via affiliate links and referrals. Remember, all you have to do is get to Amazon via one of my links for it to register to me.
  • https://designingbyknight.etsy.com-- Here is my Etsy Sticker Shop! I managed to get it up and going in the time between posting this show and the last one. Go me! Check it out and favorite it to see updates. I'm focusing on more gaming centric designs next.

Where to Find This Week's Guest

• 3thoughtcreative.com- Is Matt's company he co-founded. Go check it out to see what he and his talented team are capable of. If you're interested in hiring them, they have a contact form on their site.

Contact The Talking Place

If you'd like to contact the show, say hi, all that jazz, you can do so below!

• Voicemail - 407.906.TALK
• Instagram - @ManChefDad
• Email - [email protected]

If you're looking to join me for an episode, don't be shy and get at me at the above links and we'll chat!