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"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, richer world-building, and a masterful slow-burn romance. They give a brief 5 sentence book summary. They also share some fun personal updates, from movie nights to dog mishaps. Once in spoiler territory, they provide a detailed five-sentence plot summary and discuss their favorite tropes like found family, royal intrigue, and strong side characters, all while keeping the tone warm, relatable, and full of fangirl energy."

We interviewed Penn Cole, we took a deep dive into Spark of the Everflame, and today we’re continuing on with our Kindred’s Curse Saga series with our deep dive into book 2: Glow of the Everflame.

We discuss why this series, and the FMC Diem Bellator in particular, stray away from expected fantasy conventions by defining strength in a myriad of ways and by emphasizing the importance of embracing the power all of us have within ourselves. Emotion is not inherently weak or feminine and logic is not strong or inherently masculine. Diem consistently acknowledges that working in an either/or framework is impossible and harmful, and uniquely recognizes that the only way to truly be the leader she is destined to be is through both/and thinking, feeling, and problem solving.

We talk about the MMC Luther, and whether or not he’s a feminist, we break down our favorite and least favorite parts, tropes, and characters, share reviews, and discuss whether or not we’re looking forward to reading the sequels.

And we start out with a movie themed fave and fail and end on a high note with a smash or pass highschool teen heart throb, and influential scientist edition.

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

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

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Liz is Wearing: “Expensive…” Skull Tee from @darkanddisturbedshop | | Use Code: VEGAN10 | https://darkanddisturbedshop.com/products/expensive-tee-1?_pos=1&_sid=8bb66fbd2&_ss=r

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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 hotdogs. And boy, were there many.

Today we’re resuming our “Am I the A Hole?!” Holiday Series with our 4th of July episode. We’ve got angry neighbors, firework probs, lake vacations gone awry… but most importantly… food dilemmas. And a surprising amount about hot dogs. Which we think is shockingly appropriate.

We tried to tie this in with the book theme… but alas, America’s Independence Day AITA probs seem to have few literary tie-ins (we’d be lying if we said we were surprised by this 🤷‍♀️).

So buckle up for a spoiler free episode, guaranteed to make you laugh even during the worst of times. We’ve got millennial faves and fails from childhood summer vacays, and a multi layered smash or pass involving our favorite patriotic staples: A Texas Ranger, a deranged cook, and a good old man crop top.

"In this festive and silly Fourth of July episode of Besties in the Books, hosts Ashley and Liz deliver a hilarious, spoiler-free dive into Reddit’s "Am I the A-Hole?" threads—holiday edition. While embracing summer nostalgia, the duo reflects on millennial childhood faves and fails—from Doughboy pool whirlpools and Flintstones push-pops to slip-and-slide injuries and life before the internet. They also address the emotional weight of this year’s July 4th, reminding listeners that resistance, rest, and joy can coexist. Highlights include a ridiculous hot dog eating contest gone wrong and a neighborly fireworks debate, with the Besties blending sharp humor, cultural commentary, and a sense of community. Tune in for laughs, reflection, and summer vibes with your favorite bookish besties."

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

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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Besties and the Book Club on Fable!

https://fable.co/bestiesandthebookclub-474863489358

Liz

I

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"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 strong female leads, a compelling magic system, and light feminist themes that set it apart in the fantasy genre. The hosts share a spoiler-free review, their personal star and spice ratings, and discuss Penn Cole’s thoughtful character development, world building, and tropes like hidden identity and slow burn romance. They also highlight their exclusive spoiler-free interview with Penn Cole—linked below—along with community reactions on their Fable book club and good reads. Perfect for romantasy lovers and fantasy newcomers alike, this deep-dive episode offers layered insight, trope breakdowns, and fun personal updates, all while celebrating one of the genre’s most talked-about series."

We’re finally here to do our deep dive series on Penn Cole’s amazing debut Spark of the Everflame! Book 1 in the Kindred’s Curse Saga is a fantastic start to an epic slow burn Romantasy series, but is also an examination of the effects of colonialism, classism, racism, and sexism (among other examples of inequality) on a fictional world, and we’re here to talk about it!

We had the pleasure of interviewing Penn Cole about her thoughts on these topics, on strong female characters and the men that support them, and why these stories about unlikely heroines fighting for justice resonate so much with us. So make sure to check that episode out and then dive right into our talk about book one.

We have spoiler free reviews, our spice rating, our five sentence summary of the entire plot, and then all of our likes and dislikes. What tropes did we enjoy? Plot points? Does this book deserve all the hype? And most importantly… what are the feminist themes? And are we excited to keep going?

Stick around to find out, to hear all about our faves and fails TV / ½ Marathon edition, and a smash or pass with America’s favorite sweetheart and a hell demon.

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

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-I

____

Shop bookish apparel worn in this episode!
Ashley is Wearing: Red Starborn Fae Hoodie from @LionheartThreads | * https://go.magik.ly/ml/27ucw/ | Use Code: LIZ15 to save!
Liz is Wearing: R

YouTube | TikTok | Instagram | Podcast Platforms
@BestiesandtheBooksPodcast

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

Liz
Instagram | TikTok
@TheRealLifeVeganWife

Ashley
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@AshleyEllix