Our review of Katabasis by R.F. Kuang 📚

Even though none of us finished the book, we all made it to different chapters before deciding not to continue. There was a disconnect for us—whether it was because we had been reading dark academia books back-to-back or simply the way this story was written, we’re not quite sure.

The journey through Hell felt much longer than expected, and we found ourselves struggling to stay engaged. Maybe it just wasn’t the right book for us at this time.

We might give it another try in the future, but for now, we’re moving on to our next read.

Did you finish Katabasis? What were your thoughts? Did you love it, DNF it, or are you still reading? 📖✨

Quick note: Some parts of the background music/noise were a little louder than expected, so it may be hard to hear us at times. We recommend watching with captions (CC) turned on YouTube. Thanks for understanding! 😊

We tried a new spot, Midori, tucked inside the super cute 90’s-inspired N90’s. ✨ We had their matcha and a tiramisu drink, and both were so good! The whole place has such a fun nostalgic vibe and feels like a little hidden gem. If you love unique cafés and cozy spots, this one is definitely worth checking out. 💚

#WinnipegEats #HiddenGem #CafeHopping #MatchaLover #SupportLocal #WinnipegCafe #NinetiesVibes #Matchamadeusreadit

Our final thoughts on Hell Bent—what a wild ride. From the chaos, dark magic, and nonstop twists to the emotional whiplash of that ending, this book kept us hooked. We loved diving deeper into the mystery, the characters, and all the shocking moments. The ending left us stunned, frustrated, and desperate for answers—but of course, we’ll be reading the next book as soon as it drops! Let us know how you guys felt about the book if you also read it—are you planning to dive into the third one? What were your thoughts and feelings—we’d love to hear!

This week on Matcha Made Us Read It, we’re discussing Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo — covering Chapters 1 through “The Descent,” and the plot is already DARK 😭🕯️

We get thrown right back into the chaos with Alex Stern trying to navigate Yale’s secret societies while dealing with ghosts, danger, missing people, and secrets that somehow just keep getting worse 👀 Every chapter feels like another layer of “this cannot possibly get more messed up” … and then it DOES.

In this episode we talk about:
☕ our theories so far
🕯️ the creepy atmosphere and dark academia vibes
👻 Alex’s struggles and the pressure she’s carrying
📖 suspicious characters we don’t trust AT ALL
😭 moments that confused us, stressed us out, or made us pause and reread
🔍 all the little details Leigh Bardugo casually drops that feel important later

And can we talk about “The Descent” because ??? The tension, the buildup, the imagery… we were STRESSED.

No spoilers beyond this section please — we’re reading and spiraling one chapter at a time together 🖤

#Matchamadeusreadit #HellBent #LeighBardugo #BookPodcast #DarkAcademia #BookTok #FantasyBooks #CurrentlyReading #BookClubPodcast

Come spend some cozy time with us as we dive into the world of matcha 🍵💚

In this Matcha & Chismis, we’re trying different matcha brands, learning the basics, and figuring out our favorites along the way. It’s all about experimenting, sipping, and sharing honest thoughts.

Plus, we have a special guest—Romelyn—joining us for the chismis, laughs, and taste tests 🤍

If you’ve ever been curious about matcha or just want a chill, aesthetic watch, this one’s for you ✨

Don’t forget to check out the full video on our YouTube page!

Secrets, Grays & Shocking Twists

We’ve reached the end of Ninth House and WOW… we are NOT okay 😭

In this episode, we break down the jaw-dropping finale—unpacking all the dark magic, hidden truths, and twists that left us speechless. From Alex’s journey to everything that went down with Lethe, we’re sharing our thoughts, theories, and emotional reactions 👀

Don’t forget to check out our late-night matcha date at Café Nul—definitely the pick-me-up we needed after everything that went down with Alex, Dawes, and Darlington.

Listen to it now, and chismis with us!

Come join us as we check out a new café with the cutest aesthetic, great drinks, and the perfect cozy vibe for getting work or studying done ✨️

SPOILER ALERT!!

Episode 4 – Ninth House

We’re talking Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo — and WOW… this one is dark, confusing, and lowkey addictive

From secret societies at Yale to ghosts that won’t stay quiet, we’re unpacking our theories, fave moments, and everything that had us like “wait… what just happened??”

If you love dark academia, mystery, and a little chaos… this one’s for you

PLUS don’t forget to check out our Maro Matcha review — because after all that darkness, we needed something cozy

Watch now & chismis with us!

Are you understanding it… or are you also lost like us??