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! YouTube | TikTok | Instagram | Podcast Platforms @BestiesandtheBooksPodcast Liz Instag...
Ep 60 Sarah J Maas’ “SECRET BOOK” CATWOMAN | Unpopular Books by Popular Authors
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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!***
**Check out the ultimate bookish shop and use discount code “BESTIEBOOKS15” to save 15% on your order @ https://bookishqueen.com/discount/BESTIEBOOKS15 Follow and get Inspo from them on Instagram @bookishqueenshop**
Have you already read this somewhat “secret” book by Sarah J. Maas and just want to hear m...
OUR FIRST TIME🤭… Reading 50 SHADES OF GREY! | Book 1 Review & Summary | Bonus Minisode
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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: Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James.
If you’ve been following along and watched our “Dark Romance Enters the Chat” episode then you know, we trace romance novels wayyy back to their origin so we can discuss what societal conditions helped to pro...
Ep 59 "Dark Romance *ENTERS THE CHAT* w/ 50 Shades of Grey" | THE EVOLUTION OF ROMANCE BOOKS!
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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 wrap up episode covering the movies and all of our final thoughts!
But today, buckle up for a spoiler free episode all about… ROMANCE NOVELS! The genre that changed the game for publishers… for readers… for writers… and for women. We've never read this series and want to examin...
Ep 58 “Unmasking The Monsters” in This Monster of Mine | Deep Dive Book Review & Summary
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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 romantasy debut!
Watch our Author Interview with Shalini Abeysekara here | https://youtu.be/dMoOSLW1vTE?si=5iTgTD7AOw5robs5
We discuss the reasons this book is so unique, and unlike any other romantasy we’ve read… because it’s a full-blown murder mystery with an Ancient Rome inspired s...
Ep 57 REACTING to the WORST 1 ⭐️ REVIEWS of our FAVORITE BOOKS!
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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 everything from SJM and The Empyrean to lesser known books involving vampires, shadow daddies, and robots. Dark romance, fantasy, romantasy, and a little bit of magical realism make this episode a well rounded one. Do you agree or disagree with the assessment? Sometimes what we love about a boo...
Ep 56 MEET YOUR NEW OBSESSION! 🥵 This Monster of Mine by Shalini Abeysekara | Author Interview
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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 release of her very first published book!
(*Author interviews will always be spoiler free so everyone can enjoy them and determine whether or not to add these books to our never-ending TBR. So, proceed with absolutely NO caution!*)
Pick up your paperback copy or kindle download of This Monster of Mi...
Ranking ALL The Hunger Games BOOKS and MOVIES! | Miniseries Wrap Up
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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 our history.
We covered the origin of dystopias of all kinds, where the idea and genre came from, and why it’s so important in literature and popular culture. We discussed how books, and the act of reading itself, are inherently political. And then we took deep dives into the...
Ep 55 APRIL FOOLS! 🤪 Reacting to AITA PRANK STORIES!
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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 April Fool’s Day, or if you’re someone who simply wants to call out A Holes for their participation in something that obviously WAS NOT FUNNY! (Or maybe it was?🤷♀️😏)
Today is all about Liz and Ashley responding to “Am I the A Hole” prank edition thr...
SUNRISE ON THE REAPING … more like WEEPING! | Hunger Games Book 5 Review & Summary | Bonus Minisode
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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 answer all the questions we still have. How exactly did he become a victor and the gruff but lovable mentor we all grew to love in the original trilogy? What happened to Haymitch?!
This book is full of so many amazing “easter eggs” and tie-ins to the o...
Ep 54 “now WE are the A HOLES!” Our Bookish HOT TAKES!
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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. Maybe you’ll nod your head, maybe you’ll scream at us. But either way, we’re here with OPINIONS.
We cover everything from overdone sprayed edges to unnecessary celebrity memoirs; from what’s considered a book spoiler to hockey romance in general. Was Fo...
*DON’T SKIP* The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes!!! | Hunger Games Book 4 Review & Summary | Bonus Minisode
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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 evolution into a tyrannical dictator say about the society that created him? How did Panem and the games themselves evolve into the world we know?
This book is full of so many amazing “easter eggs” and tie-ins to the original trilogy. We’re ready to pick thos...
Ep 53 Asking Each Other UNHINGED & JUICY questions + 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY Celebration!
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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, and we couldn't be more grateful to watch it grow. 🖤
Check out the Thank You *GIVEAWAY* on our Instagram! | https://www.instagram.com/bestiesandthebookspodcast?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
So in celebration we’ve decided to go into a blin...
SHOOKED & COOKED after reading Hunger Games MOCKING JAY! | Book 3 Review & Summary | Bonus Minisode
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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 we see reflected in real life? Are the dystopian themes regarding media control, rebellion, war, government control, environmental degradation and resource allocation applicable to today’s world? Come with us as we open these topics of discussion through a Katniss Everdeen lens.
If you’ve been following along...
Ep 52 📚 100 Books in 30 Minutes | Rapid Fire Book Reviews from the Last 6 Months
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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 ALL of their reads from the last ½ of 2024 to give you the good, the bad, and the ugly. The books that changed our lives, the books that were overhyped, underhyped, the rereads, the weird as hell, and maybe even some we wished we hadn’t read at all...
WE CAUGHT FIRE in The Hunger Games Catching Fire | Book 2 Review & Summary | Bonus Minisode
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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 for you… we don’t know what else you could want!
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 fascinated with everything about this genre and needed to delve into this discussio...
Ep 51 Our Romantasy BookCon Experience + 5 Tips and Tricks for Book Convention Newbies!
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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 of Bookcon (our faves being mostly the amazing community) and consequently, what our top five tips for attending your first book convention are plus 5 rookie mistakes to avoid. In short: get there early, map out a plan and get to know the layout, bring snacks and come prepared to trade treas...
We Wouldn’t Survive the HUNGER GAMES | Book 1 Review & Summary | Bonus Minisode
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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 fascinated with everything about this genre and needed to delve into this discussion! It just happens to be a BIG bonus that Ashley had never read it before. Watch here | https://youtu.be/Ns4E87T36KQ?si=P0wXBSgyvRkNAABd
The debate currently on the book talk table is whether or not boo...
Ep 50 From 1984 to Hunger Games, HOW DID WE GET HERE?! Dystopian Themes in Media and Literature
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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 episode about the history of dystopias! Not surprisingly, there is a lot of ground to cover, so we do our best to take a whole lot of information and condense it down for you to put all of these stories we love so much into context.
Fi...
Ep 49 Let’s Travel into the QUICKSILVER! | Book Review & Summary
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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 both loved this book, rating it a solid five stars! So today, we’re breaking it down for you.
What did we love about this book? Were there any things we disliked? We go over our favorite tropes, characters and plot points. And also chat all about the spice, the twi...
Ep 48 A Truly CRINGEY Valentine's Day Read!
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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 detective vampires and a sweet stalker with Dexter-like tendencies.
Today Ashley and Liz give our two cents on two holiday themed novellas we may not have picked up if it weren’t for our love of this series: Valentine’s Day With A Vampire by Tabitha Lovelace and Littl...
Ep 47 ONYX STORM *HONEST REVIEW* cuz we NEED to talk about this!!!
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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⭐️ / 2🌶️ romantasy jumble is your thing… we will listen and not judge. Promise! We just hope you can do the same for us.
Today is all about breaking down this plot line. That ending? The 10,000 unnecessary characters? Ashley and Liz cannot help it… we may have ranted for an hour a...
Ep 46 “Am I The A**HOLE for Reading Romance Books?” 🩷 AITA VALENTINES DAY EDITION!
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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 you romance book and V-Day themed Am I the A Hole questions!
Should you buy your ex-girlfriend red roses for Valentine’s Day if you’re in a new relationship? Are you the a-hole for expecting more than a personalized pen as a gift on this roman...
Ep 45 Callie Hart Quicksilver Tell All! | Author Interview
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We’ve been keeping a BIG secret from you… our book besties… and today is finally the day we get to reveal it! We interviewed Callie Hart!! *Insert happy screaming here.* We are SO excited to share this SPOILER FREE author interview with you, so stick around if you’re interested in listening to us chat with the one and only Callie Hart, author of the New York Times bestselling romantasy book: Quicksilver!
This amazing book is officially available on Paperback and Kindle now, with hardback copies dropping in Augus...
Ep 44 A Court of Silver Flames and STRONG OPINIONS! aka ACOSF...ASO
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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 [that] mountain.”
But seriously… today is the day Ashley and Liz go over the final (for now) book in the ACOTAR series: A Court of Silver Flames by Miss Sarah J. Maas. We discuss why this book is so polarizing, how we feel about the...
Ep 43 These Books Ripped Our Hearts Out! Break For Me, Survive For Me, LIVE FOR ME Summary and review!!!!
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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.
We discuss the major differences between the first two books and book three, Live For Me, the newest release in this dark romance rollercoaster of a series. We talk about what makes this storyline so unique, why it ripped our hearts and souls out, and the expert character development we just cannot get eno...
Ep 42 AITA Christmas Special! + Holiday Smash or Pass and ULTIMATE XMAS Q & A
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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 other a series of Christmas related questions like what our best and worst gifts have been, our family traditions, favorite music, and what we like to eat and watch.
Next, we bring the DRAMA with AITA Reddit threads dedicated to Christmas family issues with things l...
Ep 41 It’s Time to Talk Broken Bounty with Ember Nicole! | Live For Me Author Interview
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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 emotional rollercoaster which is the bounty hunter romance she created.
*Author interviews will always be spoiler free so everyone can enjoy them and determine whether or not we want to add these books to our never-ending TBR. So, proceed with absolutely NO caution!*
Pick up your paperback copy or...
Ep 40 we NEED to talk about WICKED & our 2025 Bookish Goals!
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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 chat about Wicked in all of its glory! The movie, the play, and the books… and how they tie into our goals for the podcast in 2025! We discuss if bookish goals are useful and positive. Then move on to our individual and joint goals moving forward, including everything from books read, to revie...
Ep 39 A VERY (unhinged) & CRINGY CHRISTMAS READ! 💚 ❤️
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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 monster romance by Layla Fae that (not unlike Full Sack) has unforeseen twists, turns, tentacles, and surprises around every corner!
Then we dive into a dark romance Christmas treasure, Hunted in Holly by Leann Belle. Think: primal play and dubious consent with hot Santa Claus and a badass FMC with Elsa powers...
Ep 38 🦃 1st Annual Thanksgiving Special! AITA, Smash or Pass, and more!
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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 of Thanksgiving related questions like what our favorite memory is, our Thanksgiving family traditions, and what we like to eat and watch.
Next, we bring the DRAMA with AITA Reddit threads dedicated to Thanksgiving family issues with things like ex-girlfriends stealing your seat at t...
we READ AND WATCHED the entire Twilight Saga for the First Time…was it worth it? | Bonus Minisode Wrap Up!
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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 girls, ready to talk to you all about our innermost thoughts in regards to this fandom.
We rate the book series as a whole, and then we choose which movie was our most loved and most hated, and which book we...
Ep 37 Let’s Play WOULD YOU RATHER! (Bookish edition)
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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 almost eight months! And you guys wanted more.
So here we are, playing “would you rather” for an entire episode. Would we rather live in Velaris or Terrasen? Would we rather only read hockey romance or watch Harry Potter movies forever? Choose between Aragorn and Rhysand, p...
Breaking Dawn was…anticlimactic? | Twilight Saga Book 4 | Bonus Minisode
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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 when CLEARLY Jacob is trash? And how do we feel about all of that buildup leading us to THAT particular ending? We’ve got unanswered questions.
Episode 4 covers book 4: Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer. The first five-ish minutes are spoiler free with our on...
Ep 36 A VERY CRINGY THANKSGIVING READ!! 🤪 🦃 😆
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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 research for you and now we’re presenting the evidence. It’s just science.
We read Full Sack by Layla Fae and Three Times the Fun by Blythe Reid. We’ve got a little bit of Thanksgiving magic involving a turkey, a MMC named Racoon, and expanding… sacks. And a hol...
Eclipse…and the Forced Love Triangle | Twilight Saga Book 3 | Bonus Minisode
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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 and Charlie can go kick rocks.
Episode 3 covers book 3: Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer. The first five-ish minutes are spoiler free with our one sentence rapid star reviews. Then we jam pack this mini episode with an entire plot summary in five sentences, what our faves and fail...
Ep 35 Reacting to Bookish HOT TAKES from the dregs of Reddit & Threads!
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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 enjoyment, we get into our hot takes.
We’ve got some from Reddit, we’ve got some from Threads… and we need to know. Do you agree or disagree? Should you count a book as “read” toward your goal if you DNFed it? Can s...
New Moon…Where You Been Loca? | Twilight Saga Book 2 | Bonus Minisode
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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 with our one sentence rapid star reviews. Then we jam pack this mini episode with an entire plot summary in five sentences, what our faves and fail characters and plot points are, our feelings, notable quotes, and end with a fun piece of Twilight Saga trivia.
Will Bella survive th...
Ep 34 🎃 1st Annual Halloween Special! AITA, Smash or Pass, and Nostalgic Favorites
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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 of all your favorite treats, but made it Halloween themed… and we did it in silly wigs. Just because we can!
We answer a series of spooky questions like what our fave scary book, movie, Halloween treat, and costumes have been over the years so we can all get to kno...
Reading TWILIGHT for the First Time! | Twilight Saga Book 1 | Bonus Minisode
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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 fandom! Just for the inside jokes alone…
As late high school and early college age gals, we missed the boat in exchange for studying, partying, and working, so we’re reading these FOR THE FIRST TIME as mid 30’s fantasy obsessed book podcasters. And we’re takin’ you...
Ep 33 Why VAMPIRES? Vampires in Literature, Pop Culture, and Digital Media
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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 the ages… as a way to set the scene for our TWILIGHT Mini Episode Series launching THIS FRIDAY!
Where did the idea of vampires come from? Depending on the geographical location and culture, it varies. Could it be as simple as a way for humans to rationalize horrible things like plague and the unf...
