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
59 episodes
Ep 44 A Court of Silver Flames and STRONG OPINIONS! aka ACOSF...ASO
Today is the day we all do our best to take it…seriously. All the girthy 784 pages of this big boy must be discussed. And as the longest of the bunch (according to some) all we can do is grab onto that headboard and just like Nesta, “climb [tha...
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Episode 44
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1:08:14
Ep 43 These Books Ripped Our Hearts Out! Break For Me, Survive For Me, LIVE FOR ME Summary and review!!!!
Liz and Ashley are back from their holiday hibernation, ready to talk about everything Broken Bounty Series by Ember Nicole. Today’s episode is the spoiler-y follow up to our spoiler FREE author interview that dropped in December. W...
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Episode 43
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1:10:02
Ep 42 AITA Christmas Special! + Holiday Smash or Pass and ULTIMATE XMAS Q & A
Merry Christmas Book Besties! Today Liz and Ashley are here to discuss all things even remotely related to this glorious holiday… and we do it in special light up Christmas Tree hats. You’re welcome. First, we’ll ask each ...
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Episode 42
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1:44:05
Ep 41 It’s Time to Talk Broken Bounty with Ember Nicole! | Live For Me Author Interview
Today we have a very special interview* with dark romance indie author and the queen of heartbreaking cliffhangers herself, Ember Nicole. We chat all things Broken Bounty series to celebrate the release of Live For Me, book three in this em...
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Episode 41
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55:44
Ep 40 we NEED to talk about WICKED & our 2025 Bookish Goals!
We’re nearing the end of 2024. So naturally, Liz and Ashley are reflecting on the important things in life. Our goals, our hopes, our dreams… and of course, the most important thing of 2024: WICKED, Part 1 (and Jonathan Bailey).Let’s cha...
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Episode 40
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1:41:25
Ep 39 A VERY (unhinged) & CRINGY CHRISTMAS READ! 💚 ❤️
It’s officially Christmas season over here on the BATB Pod and Ashley and Liz are kicking off December with two “cringy” Christmas novellas that double as unhinged! This go-around we dive into Mr. Jingle, a Christmas-themed paranormal m...
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Episode 39
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1:13:43
Ep 38 🦃 1st Annual Thanksgiving Special! AITA, Smash or Pass, and more!
Happy Thanksgiving Book Besties! Today Liz and Ashley are here to discuss all things even remotely related to Turkey Day, in all its glory… and we do it in special hats. You’re welcome. First, we’ll ask each other a series...
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Episode 38
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1:18:45
we READ AND WATCHED the entire Twilight Saga for the First Time…was it worth it? | Bonus Minisode Wrap Up!
It’s truly the end of an era. Our Twilight virgin era. We read all the books for the very first time, and rewatched all the movies since our original jump scare years ago, and now we’re here. We’re Ashley and Liz, new Twilight fans and just ...
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58:42
Ep 37 Let’s Play WOULD YOU RATHER! (Bookish edition)
Every Friday is “Bestie Card Friday” with Ashley and Liz over on the good old Instagram. We pick some cards, we answer an unhinged “would you rather” question, and you guys vote on what YOU would rather do. We’ve been doing that for almo...
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Episode 37
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48:06
Breaking Dawn was…anticlimactic? | Twilight Saga Book 4 | Bonus Minisode
Here we are! Ashley and Liz discuss the epic book conclusion of the Twilight Saga. We seriously need to sort some things out with y’all. Like: why is imprinting a thing? It’s so disturbing. How is there a team Edward vs. team Jacob rivalry w...
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43:14
Ep 36 A VERY CRINGY THANKSGIVING READ!! 🤪 🦃 😆
Have you ever wondered what smutty Thanksgiving themed novella books are out there on Kindle Unlimited? Are you wondering what holiday themed kinkz this very specific genre may unlock for you? Well, wonder no more. Ashley and Liz did the...
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Episode 36
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58:42
Eclipse…and the Forced Love Triangle | Twilight Saga Book 3 | Bonus Minisode
Today Ashley and Liz are discussing the problematic and rage-inducing “love triangle?!” that is the bulk of the content in Eclipse. Find out why we think imprinting and kissing women against their will is wrong to do! And why we think Jacob ...
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40:06
Ep 35 Reacting to Bookish HOT TAKES from the dregs of Reddit & Threads!
Ashley and Liz just got back from the When We Were Young fest and boy do we have some good faves and fails of the week, including Gerard Way’s sexy hair swoop heard ‘round the world. After we hash THAT out for all of our collective enjoy...
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Episode 35
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1:15:00
New Moon…Where You Been Loca? | Twilight Saga Book 2 | Bonus Minisode
Welcome back to Ashley & Liz’s vibey, angsty, fall-girl mini episode bonus series all about our FIRST TIME reading Twilight.Episode 2 covers book 2: New Moon by Stephenie Meyer. The first five-ish minutes are spoiler free w...
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52:32
Ep 34 🎃 1st Annual Halloween Special! AITA, Smash or Pass, and Nostalgic Favorites
Happy Halloween Book Besties! Today’s episode is all about one of our favorite holidays, and everything Liz and Ashley love about the spooky fall season! We decided to put together the perfect taster episode o...
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Episode 34
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1:28:51
Reading TWILIGHT for the First Time! | Twilight Saga Book 1 | Bonus Minisode
Welcome to Ashley & Liz’s spooky mini episode bonus series: Twilight! If you’ve been following along and watched our “Why Vampires” episode then you know we’re fascinated with the lore and needed to be a part of this f...
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49:20
Ep 33 Why VAMPIRES? Vampires in Literature, Pop Culture, and Digital Media
Today on the Besties & the Books Podcast Ashley and Liz discuss some of our favorite monsters: Vampires, and attempt to understand why these undead, blood sucking creatures have dominated spooky lore, art, and literature throughout t...
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Episode 33
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1:00:23
Ep 32 Is A Court of Frost and Starlight ACTUALLY Important to Read? | BOOK 4 ACOTAR SERIES
Today on the pod, Ashley and Liz discuss A Court of Frost and Starlight, book four in the ACOTAR series by Sarah J. Maas, and a “sweet little Christmas special” of a novella to some. Is this book skipable? Is it full of Easter eggs and setu...
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Episode 32
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1:02:57
Ep 31 Totally Very Important UNHINGED QUESTIONS Answered!
Today on the podcast, we’re having a silly, good time. We asked you guys for unhinged book questions, and boy did you deliver. Ashley and Liz sit down and answer all of the things that you guys want to know, but let’s be honest, most of the...
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Episode 31
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48:27
we READ all the Harry Potter Books for the first time and THE FANDOM IS PISSED | Bonus Minisode
Today we’re here for the FINAL installment of our Harry Potter Mini Episode series. We laughed (sorta), we cried (not really), and some of you guys in the fandom came for us in the comments! Truly, it was a roller coaster over the last couple o...
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54:26
Ep 30 ACO-WHAT?! A Court of Wings and Ruin was wild! | BOOK 3 ACOTAR SERIES
Here we are, on episode 3 of our ACOTAR reread series with A Court of Wings and Ruin, by the Romantasy queen, Sarah J. Maas. And this go around, we’re doing things a little differently! Instead of doing a plot...
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Episode 30
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1:09:56
Deathly Hallows? More like deathly HOLLOW! | Harry Potter Book 7 | Bonus Minisode
It’s week 7… and the epic? … book conclusion of our Harry Potter mini episode series over here on Besties & the Books Podcast has officially happened… So let's discuss The Deathly Hallows.This series is over 3,500 pages of kid wizard...
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41:29
Ep 29 We Read HOCKEY ROMANCE Books So You Don’t Have To!
So… we did it… for science. During one of our unpopular opinion episodes, you guys asked: “Why does hockey romance exist?” And because neither of us had read one, we did our best to answer, but knew we had to soldier on...
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Episode 29
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1:15:03
Felt Nothing…Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince | Book 6 | Bonus Minisode
It’s week 6 over here in our Besties & the Books Harry Potter Mini Episode Marathon! Today we’re discussing the second to last book! The finale eve, if you will. And truly… we felt nothing. So we need to know. Is it just us and ...
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38:15
Ep 28 Going Deep into Split or Swallow by Lindsay Straube
Did you hear?! A couple of weeks ago we did our very first author interview with Lindsay Straube | @oxfordlemon and talked to her all about her new Amazon bestselling debut love triangle romance book, Split or Swallow. ...
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Episode 28
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1:13:24