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It’s the most wonderful time… of the year? Happy Holidays from us to you! We hope you’re surviving the chaos, insanity, and general family drama. So in true Besties & the Books fashion, we’re here to bring you some distraction and laughs to help carry you through the madness, and to remind you that you’re not alone… because “It’s Christmas and we’re all in misery!” (As the famous Clark Griswold would say.)

In our last episode of the year, we’ve got everything from stripper discrimination, college-level microwave mac and cheese Christmas dinner, and DIY gift complaints… to the classics like absentee fathers, unconventional food choices… and headwear requests?

Come with us on this journey to determine who the holiday a holes really are. Plus, we start with a fave and fail Christmas treat edition, give some holiday book recommendations, and end on a high note with a classical unhinged smash or pass.

Don't be shy, subscribe! New Podcasts every Tuesday!! (And sometimes Friday!…)

• Shop our Merch line | * https://besties-and-the-books-shop.fourthwall.com

Check out these author interviews? ⬇️

Need more Halloween reads in your life? Find out if “Halloweentown for adults” with Gilmore Girls vibes might be for you with our Haven Ever After Hazel Mack Interview! https://youtu.be/-kDxchCTysw?si=KpEbcsCHAniU-JTS

Penn Cole talks with us about Strong Female Characters, Feminist Themes, and her debut bestselling Spark of the Everflame Series! https://youtu.be/7ukNImyoObw?si=7C3Y9kOUMN4hfcKb

We interviewed Callie Hart all about her NYT Bestseller Quicksilver! Watch it here! https://youtu.be/CED5s7qDBdQ?si=8xtIRO1IzX6Rsld4

Check the official Follow Up Author Interview with Lindsay Straube of the Split or Swallow Universe all about Between Two Kings! https://youtu.be/OW1cxXTVcTc?si=oOxVIzbIheET_bNE

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Shop Bookish Merch we are wearing:

Ashley is wearing: A Velaris T-shirt from @TheBeanWorkshop (use our affiliate code “BOOKBESTIES10”) | * https://www.thebeanworkshop.store/BOOKBESTIES10

Liz is wearing : “The Season” Crewneck by @darkanddisturbedshop (use our affiliate code “VEGAN10”) | https://darkanddisturbedshop.com/products/the-season-crewneck

We are both wearing a 2 PACK of ridiculous Santa hats from @ Amazon | * https://amzn.to/3MR6jan

Any link with an * is an affiliate link through the service Magic Links and is eligible for a commission to us with no extra cost to you. Thank you for helping support our podcast!

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Liz
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Ashley
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Today we FINISH our coverage of the entire Wicked universe and close our bonus “Are Books Political” series! And is Wicked Worth Reading?

Wicked: For Good has officially been out for three weeks, and we are ready to yap about it with all of you. Which is better? The movies? The book series? Or the Broadway musical? We rank everything in the universe, give you our number one overall pick, and talk about all of the movie moments we thought were faves, and the ones that were fails.

We discuss the completely different ending the books take and how that choice truly changed the tone of the entire story, if we have unanswered questions or “hot takes,” and if we think there’s more to come.

If you’ve stuck around this long, enjoy a special treat at the end of the episode where we spill the beans on our next bonus series coming in February of 2026! We’ll give you two hints… Margo Robbie and Jacob Elordi may have inspired our choices. 😉

Don't be shy, subscribe! New Podcasts every Tuesday!! (And sometimes Friday!…)

Shop our Merch line | https://besties-and-the-books-shop.fourthwall.com

Check out these author interviews? ⬇️

Penn Cole talks with us about Strong Female Characters, Feminist Themes, and her debut bestselling Spark of the Everflame Series! https://youtu.be/7ukNImyoObw?si=7C3Y9kOUMN4hfcKb

We interviewed Callie Hart all about her NYT Bestseller Quicksilver! Watch it here! https://youtu.be/CED5s7qDBdQ?si=8xtIRO1IzX6Rsld4

Check the official Author Interview with Lindsay Straube of Split or Swallow! Now a Barnes & Noble & Amazon best seller titled: Kiss of the Basilisk! https://youtu.be/fknhocSNIKM

Need more ACOTAR in your life? Cook your way through Velaris with the help of Chelsea Cole and her cookbook A Feast of Thorns & Roses. Check out our author interview here! https://youtu.be/fjzmqd-x3OA?si=kNJ4D9cxvUjhp-Ik

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Shop bookish apparel worn in this episode!

Ashley is wearing: a Besties and the Books Zip Hoodie from our Crowtember Merch line! | * https://besties-and-the-books-shop.fourthwall.com/products/zip-hoodie-grey-besties-anti-social-crow

Liz is wearing: An Elphaba inspired “spicy cardigan” by Free People. | * https://go.magik.ly/ml/3duko/

+ a Besties and the Books Exclusive Beanie (DM us to be added to drop list)

Any link with an * is an affiliate link through the service Magic Links and is eligible for a commission to us with no extra cost to you. Thank you for helping support our podcast!

Support the show

YouTube | TikTok | Instagram | Podcast Platforms
@BestiesandtheBooksPodcast

Besties and the Book Club on Fable!
https://fable.co/bestiesandthebookclub-474863489358

Liz
Instagram | TikTok
@TheRealLifeVeganWife

Ashley
Instagram | TikTok
@AshleyEllix

Send us a text

Listen…Brimstone is here. Are we obsessed with the Fae & Alchemy series by Callie Hart? GUILTY. AS. CHARGED. Not to give anything away (including our spoiler free star and spice ratings) but we think it’s safe to say that there’s nothing better than Kingfisher in our eyes and ears, Onyx the perfect animal sidekick companion, and a one horse scene starring none other than Carrion… our favorite scoundrel.

Take a deep dive into book two: Brimstone as we follow up our Quicksilver episode, and our interview with Callie Hart! We discuss how this book performed as a “middle book” in a series, if there are plot holes, unanswered questions, or theories we need to know more about as we anxiously anticipate book three! Was it chaotic like some middle books can be? Or do we feel satisfied with the ending it left us on?

We have all of our favorite and least favorite parts, characters, tropes, quotes, and we even dive into the audiobook narration, our faves and fails of the week, and a very important smash or pass (for the official record).

Don't be shy, subscribe! New Podcasts every Tuesday!! (And sometimes Friday!…)

• Shop our Merch line | * https://besties-and-the-books-shop.fourthwall.com

Check out these author interviews? ⬇️

Need more Halloween reads in your life? Find out if “Halloweentown for adults” with Gilmore Girls vibes might be for you with our Haven Ever After Hazel Mack Interview! https://youtu.be/-kDxchCTysw?si=KpEbcsCHAniU-JTS

Penn Cole talks with us about Strong Female Characters, Feminist Themes, and her debut bestselling Spark of the Everflame Series! https://youtu.be/7ukNImyoObw?si=7C3Y9kOUMN4hfcKb

We interviewed Callie Hart all about her NYT Bestseller Quicksilver! Watch it here! https://youtu.be/CED5s7qDBdQ?si=8xtIRO1IzX6Rsld4

Check the official Follow Up Author Interview with Lindsay Straube of the Split or Swallow Universe all about Between Two Kings! https://youtu.be/OW1cxXTVcTc?si=oOxVIzbIheET_bNE

____

Shop Bookish Merch we are wearing:

Ashley is wearing: our Besties and the Books Zip Hoodie | * https://besties-and-the-books-shop.fourthwall.com/products/zip-hoodie-grey-besties-anti-social-crow

Liz is wearing : A “Light It Up” Crescent City T-shirt from @TheBeanWorkShop | * https://www.thebeanworkshop.store/BOOKBESTIES10

And use our affiliate code “BOOKBESTIES10” for a discount!

+ an exclusive Besties and the Books Beanie DM us to be added to release list

Any link with an * is an affiliate link through the service Magic Links and is eligible for a commission

Support the show

YouTube | TikTok | Instagram | Podcast Platforms
@BestiesandtheBooksPodcast

Besties and the Book Club on Fable!
https://fable.co/bestiesandthebookclub-474863489358

Liz
Instagram | TikTok
@TheRealLifeVeganWife

Ashley
Instagram | TikTok
@AshleyEllix