Besties and the Books Podcast
We’re Ashley and Liz, two real-life besties who’ve loved books since we first learned to read, so naturally, we started a podcast! We would say the rest is history but in actuality, it's just the beginning. So come join us in the next chapter of our lives as we introduce ourselves, and laugh our way through the world of books with a focus on Fantasy, Romantasy, and Dark Romance. Of course we have love for all book genres, but those are our absolute favorites!
Don't be shy, subscribe! New Podcasts every Tuesday!
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@BestiesandtheBooksPodcast
Liz
Instagram | TikTok
@TheRealLifeVeganWife
Ashley
Instagram | TikTok
@AshleyEllix
Email bestiesandthebooks@gmail.com
Don't be shy, subscribe! New Podcasts every Tuesday!
YouTube | TikTok | Instagram | Podcast Platforms
@BestiesandtheBooksPodcast
Liz
Instagram | TikTok
@TheRealLifeVeganWife
Ashley
Instagram | TikTok
@AshleyEllix
Email bestiesandthebooks@gmail.com
Episodes
85 episodes
50 Shades Freed…BUT FROM WHAT?? | Book 3 Review & Summary | Bonus Minisode
In this third episode of the Besties in the Books mini-series Fifty Shades of May, hosts Ashley and Liz dive deep into Fifty Shades Freed by E.L. James, the final installment of the original Fifty Shades of Grey
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Ep 61 MILLENNIAL NOSTALGIA | Books That Made Us “The College Years”
What iconic things from millennial “yesteryear” do you miss? We kick off this super nostalgic episode with an ode to simpler times. Let’s take a moment of collective silence for: the mall (in general), Borders Books (and more!), cheap concert t...
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Episode 61
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50 Shades DARKER?…YOU SURE ABOUT THAT?? 🤨 | Book 2 Review & Summary | Bonus Minisode
Guess What? It’s officially grey! We are in it. Oh my! It’s Fifty shades of May over here on the Besties and the Books podcast. Welcome back to our spring mini episode series all about the extremely popular yet widely discredited book s...
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47:44
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Ep 60 Sarah J Maas’ “SECRET BOOK” CATWOMAN | Unpopular Books by Popular Authors
Welcome to our newest series reading “UnPopular Books by Popular Authors”! Today we’re kicking it off with Sarah J Maas and Catwoman: Soulstealer! ***A huge thank you to The Bookish Queen for Sponsoring this episode!*****...
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Episode 60
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OUR FIRST TIME🤭… Reading 50 SHADES OF GREY! | Book 1 Review & Summary | Bonus Minisode
Guess What? It’s gonna be grey…It is grey! It’s Fifty shades of May over here on the Besties and the Books podcast. Welcome to our spring mini episode series all about the extremely popular yet widely discredited book series: F...
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1:12:15
Ep 59 "Dark Romance *ENTERS THE CHAT* w/ 50 Shades of Grey" | THE EVOLUTION OF ROMANCE BOOKS!
Today Ashley and Liz are setting the stage for our mini episode series about the infamous 50 Shades of Grey trilogy which starts this Friday and continues on for five episodes, including the original three books, a surprise bonus book, and a...
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Episode 59
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Ep 58 “Unmasking The Monsters” in This Monster of Mine | Deep Dive Book Review & Summary
Liz and Ashley are locked and loaded and ready to talk about everything This Monster of Mine by Shalini Abeysekara. Today’s episode is the spoiler-y follow up to our spoiler FREE author interview that dropped last month for Shalini’s big romant...
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Episode 58
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Ep 57 REACTING to the WORST 1 ⭐️ REVIEWS of our FAVORITE BOOKS!
Today's episode is exactly how it sounds. We read off 1⭐️ reviews of our favorite books, try to get the other person (and you guys!) to guess what it is, then reveal it with its official star rating on Goodreads. We have e...
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Episode 57
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Ep 56 MEET YOUR NEW OBSESSION! 🥵 This Monster of Mine by Shalini Abeysekara | Author Interview
Today we have a very special spoiler free* interview with romantasy writer and Library Journal’s science fiction / fantasy debut author of the month for February, Shalini Abeysekara! We chat all things This Monster of Mine to celebrate the rele...
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Episode 56
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Ranking ALL The Hunger Games BOOKS and MOVIES! | Miniseries Wrap Up
Welcome back for our sixth and final episode in Ashley & Liz’s dystopian sci fi episode bonus series: The Hunger Games! We have had the best (and most emotional 😭) time covering these heart-wrenching books at such an appropriate point in...
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Ep 55 APRIL FOOLS! 🤪 Reacting to AITA PRANK STORIES!
We’re just girls. And today we’re just girls obsessed with pranks. Stick around if you want to hear about our fave and fail prank edition… if you like hearing about AITA pranks gone wrong…if you’re someone who observes Apr...
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Episode 55
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55:26
SUNRISE ON THE REAPING … more like WEEPING! | Hunger Games Book 5 Review & Summary | Bonus Minisode
Today we’re discussing the highly anticipated brand new book in the Hunger Games world: Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins. We go back in time (yet again!) to the 50th Quarter Quell, also known as Haymitch Abernathy’s Hunger Games to ...
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1:07:11
Ep 54 “now WE are the A HOLES!” Our Bookish HOT TAKES!
We’ve responded to the internet’s bookish hot takes… we responded to YOUR hot takes… and now it’s finally time for you guys to be mad at US! Today’s episode is all about Ashley and Liz’s bookish hot takes. Maybe you’ll agree, maybe you won’t. M...
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Episode 54
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57:55
*DON’T SKIP* The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes!!! | Hunger Games Book 4 Review & Summary | Bonus Minisode
Welcome back to Ashley & Liz’s dystopian sci fi episode bonus series: The Hunger Games!Today we go back in time to discuss President Snow and his origin story. How exactly did he become a “villian” and what does his evoluti...
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1:10:00
Ep 53 Asking Each Other UNHINGED & JUICY questions + 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY Celebration!
WE’RE ONE YEAR OLD! Today we’re celebrating our one year anniversary of podcasting over at Besties and the Books and we just want to say THANK YOU to each and every one of you for being here! You’re helping us to create this amazing community, ...
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Episode 53
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58:41
SHOOKED & COOKED after reading Hunger Games MOCKING JAY! | Book 3 Review & Summary | Bonus Minisode
Welcome back to Ashley & Liz’s dystopian sci fi episode bonus series: The Hunger Games!Today we get SERIOUS as we discuss the amazingly well written, heart wrenching grand finale to the original trilogy. What parallels do w...
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Ep 52 📚 100 Books in 30 Minutes | Rapid Fire Book Reviews from the Last 6 Months
Get out that good ol’ stack of post it notes and your favorite annotating pen (or just use the “notes” app in your phone) because your TBR is about to get even longer! If that’s possible. Today Ashley and Liz are recapping...
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Episode 52
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51:41
WE CAUGHT FIRE in The Hunger Games Catching Fire | Book 2 Review & Summary | Bonus Minisode
Welcome back to Ashley & Liz’s dystopian sci fi episode bonus series: The Hunger Games!We spend ½ of this episode playing the piano (yes, you read that right) and the other ½ convincing you to read this series. If that doesn’t do it ...
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47:31
Ep 51 Our Romantasy BookCon Experience + 5 Tips and Tricks for Book Convention Newbies!
Today we’re chatting about Romantasy Bookcon, Los Angeles, 2025! This amazing convention put on by Fabled Fantasy Events was Liz and Ashley’s first, but it surely will not be our last! We talk about our overall faves and fails o...
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Episode 51
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1:25:29
We Wouldn’t Survive the HUNGER GAMES | Book 1 Review & Summary | Bonus Minisode
Welcome to Ashley & Liz’s dystopian sci fi episode bonus series: The Hunger Games!If you’ve been following along and watched our “From 1984 to Hunger Games” dystopian themes in media and literature episode then you know we’re fascin...
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Ep 50 From 1984 to Hunger Games, HOW DID WE GET HERE?! Dystopian Themes in Media and Literature
This week is. The. Week. We’re officially back in mini episode bonus mode with The Hunger Games book 1, by Suzanne Collins dropping this Friday! So today Ashley and Liz are setting us all up for success in our dystopian sci fi series with an ep...
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Episode 50
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1:07:23
Ep 49 Let’s Travel into the QUICKSILVER! | Book Review & Summary
A few episodes back we brought you an exclusive interview with the extraordinarily talented Callie Hart, author of the New York Times bestselling romantasy novel Quicksilver (linked below). It should come as no surprise that Liz and Ashley b...
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Episode 49
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59:29
Ep 48 A Truly CRINGEY Valentine's Day Read!
First there was a cringey Thanksgiving with a sack full of turkey. Then there was a cringey Christmas alien with a magic mirror, and a magic… you know what. And now, we bring to you: a very cringey Valentine’s Day featuring old timey dete...
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Episode 48
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1:09:03
Ep 47 ONYX STORM *HONEST REVIEW* cuz we NEED to talk about this!!!
Well, sh*t. 😂 Some of you are going to be screaming at your screen / headphones, upset at us that Onyx Storm just wasn’t it for us. And that’s okay! That’s what we absolutely love about reading. There’s something for everyone. And if this 3⭐️ /...
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Episode 47
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1:44:03
Ep 46 “Am I The A**HOLE for Reading Romance Books?” 🩷 AITA VALENTINES DAY EDITION!
Today is all about romance. We’re gearing up for Valentine’s Day over here at Besties & the Books Podcast and what exactly does that mean (you might be wondering)? Well, it means we’re going to be diving back into the Reddit realms to bring...
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Episode 46
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