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
102 episodes
"What if ANNE was one of us?” Anne of the Island and Windy Poplars | Book 3 & 4 Reviews & Summary | Bonus Minisode 2
Today we continue on with our newest miniseries covering the Anne of Green Gables 8-book collection by L.M. Montgomery. We’re diving into classic literature like we’ve never done before to give you the 411 on beloved “children’s” books that ...
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Ep 75 Behind the Mic w/ Book Club After Dark 🌙📚 | Bookish Pet Peeves, Origin Story, + more!
In this spoiler-free collab episode, we sit down with the brilliant duo behind Book Club After Dark and bring you a whole lot of fun (and some serious tea 😏) on our very first podcast collaboration episode with Danni and Michelle over at the...
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Episode 75
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WORTH READING Anne of Green Gables & Avonlea as Adults? Book 1 & 2 Reviews & Summary | Bonus Minisode 1
Today we start covering the Anne of Green Gables 8-book series by L.M. Montgomery. We’re diving into classic literature like we’ve never done before to give you the 411 on beloved “children’s” books that we KNOW are
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Ep 74 Coming of Age, Girlhood, & Green Gables: What is a Bildungsroman and Why Female Stories Matter
According to Miriam Webster, the Bildungsroman is a novel about the moral and psychological growth of a main character. Today, we’re kicking off our Anne of Green Gables bonus episode series with an introduction to the genre, a basic examina...
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Episode 74
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Ep 73 Answering YOUR UNHINGED Would You Rather & Bookish Smash or Pass Questions! (Reddit + Fan Submissions!)
What time is it? Unhinged would you rather time!! Get to know Liz and Ashley, your wonderfully open-bookish podcast hosts through a series of would you rathers, generally off the rails asks, and smash or passes that don’t hold back. Oh! And ...
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Episode 73
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Ep 72 Mid Year Book FREAKOUT!! 85+ Book Reviews and Ratings thru Mid Year 2025
It’s our mid-year one sentence spoiler free book review episode! How is it the middle of 2025? We have no idea how we got here but we know we only did it through a healthy amount of disassociation and yapping… courtesy of books.
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Episode 72
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Ep 71 HEAT of the EVERFLAME Review, Summary, and Deep Dive | Kindred’s Curse Saga Book 3
We interviewed Penn Cole, we took a deep dive into Spark and Glow of the Everflame, and today we’re continuing on with our deep dive into book 3: Heat of the Everflame. With the first fifteen minutes being spoiler free, and including our basic ...
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Episode 71
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Ep 70 “National Treasure + Uncharted FOR ADULTS??” Among the Cursed Gods by T J Lundin | AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Today we’re bringing you a spoiler free (with possibly a teaser or two we’ll warn you about 😉) author interview episode with none other than indie published romantasy, contemporary romance author T.J. Lundin! We’re looking forward to celebra...
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Episode 70
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Ep 69 GLOW of the EVERFLAME Review, Summary, and Deep Dive | Kindred’s Curse Saga Book 2
"In this episode of Besties and the Books, Liz and Ashley dive deep into Glow of the Everflame, book two in Penn Cole’s Kindred’s Curse Saga. They start off with their spoiler-free reviews, giving the book high praise for character growth, rich...
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Episode 69
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Ep 68 AITA Hotdog Edition! Just kidding (but not really) it’s the 4th of July!
What is the good old US of A at its core? Well, we decided to take that magical school bus trip to the center of America and what did we find? Not molten lava, The Statue of Liberty, or even bald eagles like you might suspect. We found hotdo...
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Episode 68
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Ep 67 Spark of the Everflame Review, Summary, and Deep Dive | Kindred’s Curse Saga Book 1
"In this episode of Besties in the Books, hosts Liz and Ashley dive into Spark of the Everflame by Penn Cole, the first book in the Kindred Curse Saga. As a fresh romantasy read from a New York Times bestselling debut author, this novel blends ...
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Episode 67
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Ep 66 Wild by Cheryl Strayed: Grief, Finding Yourself, and Journeying as a Female | Books That Made Us College Follow Up
Today’s episode is officially our second non fiction / memoir that we’re reviewing on the podcast and a follow up to our “books that made us” series covering our college years. Ashley and Liz both presented five of the books that helped shap...
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Episode 66
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Ep 65 Talking STRONG Female Characters and Kindred’s Curse With Penn Cole! | Author Interview
In this episode we’re chatting with none other than THE Penn Cole! Bestselling fantasy romance author of her debut series The Kindred’s Curse Saga, also known as Spark, Glow, and Heat of the Everflame, with Burn of the Everflame on the way! Tod...
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Episode 65
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Ep 64 Silver Elite…CONTROVERSIES, CONSPIRACIES, & BRUTALLY HONEST REVIEWS!
Well… Ashley and Liz put a hold on their neverending TBR pile and rearranged the entire podcast schedule to yap with y’all about this book. Silver Elite by “New York Times bestselling author” Dani Francis (🤔) has taken the book world by stor...
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Episode 64
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Ep 63 Page ➡️ PLATE! A Feast of Thorns and Roses "ACOTAR Cookbook" Author Interview w/ Chelsea Cole!
"Ashley and Liz interview Chelsea Cole, food blogger and author of A Feast of Thorns and Roses: The Unofficial Cookbook of A Court of Thorns and Roses. Chelsea shares the inspiration behind her ACOTAR-themed cookbook, ...
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Episode 63
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Ranking & Wrap Up FIFTY SHADES OF GREY Trilogy + Parody! | Bonus Minisode
Today is the epic conclusion of our Fifty Shades of Grey miniseries fondly titled "Fifty Shades of May" series, and boyyy are we excited. Come on this first time journey with us as we do the ultimate book and movie ranking / showdown of the ...
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Ep 62 WORTH READING?? Mark Hoppus' Fahrenheit 182: "A Millennial Punk Rock Memoir Book Review"
"In this episode of the Besties and the Books podcast, Liz and Ashley excitedly kick off their first nonfiction memoir feature by diving into Fahrenheit 182 by Mark Hoppus of Blink-182. Longtime fans of the band and deeply connected to the ...
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Episode 62
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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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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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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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