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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 entire trilogy! We give our overall star and spice ratings of the Fifty Shades of Grey book trilogy by E. L. James, the movie trilogy, and even include our thoughts on the Fifty Shades parody book: Fifty Shames of Earl Grey.

What did we love? (Veiny arms and grey sweatpants. 🤷‍♀️🫠) What did we not love? (Almost everything else? 🥴😂) Ultimately, after doing all this research in the name of romance genre science, was it worth it? Was it problematic? Did it help or hurt its cause? Stick around to find out why we’re filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and insisting Christian Bale go back in time to FIX THIS!

Lastly, we announce what delightful coming of age series we’ll be covering over the summer. Here’s a hint: “I wish I were rich, and I could spend the whole summer at a hotel, eating ice cream and chicken salad.” See you there!

Join our Virtual Book Club & Buddy Read on Fable! | https://fable.co/club/50-shades-of-grey-pod-read-with-bestiesandthebookclub-487898954653

Don't be shy, subscribe! New Podcasts every Tuesday… and sometimes Friday!

Check out these author interviews? ⬇️

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

Watch our Author Interview with Indie Dark Romance Author Ember Nicole here |https://youtu.be/tHV9rXSTBpY?si=OwxdMVfPmtFkcYu6

Looking for your next murder mystery Romantasy? Preview This Monster of Mine with our interview with debut author Shalini Abeysekara! | https://youtu.be/dMoOSLW1vTE?si=n6z3RXxSutNXN2o

Shop bookish apparel worn in this episode!

Ashley is wearing: Crescent City “Bryce” Tee from @CaffeineAndCurses | * https://caffeineandcurses.com/collections/sarah-j-maas-merch

Liz is wearing “Reading ‘Cause Fu*k This Sh*t” Tee by @darkanddisturbedshop | Use Code: VEGAN10 to save! | https://darkanddisturbedshop.com/products/praise-me-tee?_pos=2&_sid=81592a902&_ss=r

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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"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 early 2000s pop-punk scene, they reflect on how the book transported them back to their youth, sharing nostalgic stories, personal connections, and even a shared ex-boyfriend who dedicated the same Blink-182 song to both of them. They praise the memoir’s conversational, chronological format, Mark’s engaging narration in the audiobook, and the emotional resonance of the band’s journey—especially their performance of “One More Time.” Both hosts award rate the book highly and recommend it to fans of Blink-182, memoir lovers, or anyone who grew up during the TRL-era of pop culture. With lots of laughs, punk rock vibes, and heartfelt moments, this episode sets the tone for their new nonfiction series."

Hey Besties! We DO actually read non fiction and we’re here to cover our very first memoir with none other than Mark Hoppus’s brand new book Fahrenheit-182! And O-M-G, did it deliver.

If you’ve been following us for any amount of time then you know we grew up (and continue to be) pop punk girlies obsessed with that late 90’s / early 2000’s vibe. We’re here for the nostalgia and Fahrenheit-182 chronicled every best part of our experience growing up in that SoCal skate scene a la desert tumbleweeds… only an hour away from where Mark grew up! Talk about relatable.

We discuss whether Mark had enough to say to write an entire book about his life, if it made us like him more (or less?), if it felt genuine, and how it helped us reflect on our own time on this earth. Did we learn new Blink lore? Was it written well? Do we wish he told us more? We had a blast with this one and we hope you join us on the rollercoaster back in time to when concert tickets were thirty bucks and middle school boyfriends dedicated Blink songs to us.

And of course we bring you a Blink fave and fail and smash or pass… because we know you’d ask anyway. 😉

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

Check out these author interviews? ⬇️

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

____

Shop bookish apparel worn in this episode!

Ashley is Wearing: “When We Were Young” tee from the 2023 festival | https://www.whenwewereyoungfestival.com

Liz is wearing: Blink 182 tee from Hot Topic | * https://go.magik.ly/ml/2cfni/

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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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 trilogy. They explore how the controversial dark romance series influenced pop culture, the rise of dark romance in mainstream fiction, and why Freedmight not mean what you think it does. The episode teases what's next in the series, including a parody read of Fifty Shades of Earl Grey by Andrew Shaffer and a full wrap-up comparing the books to the films. Join the Besties for unfiltered reactions, spicy cover art commentary, and plenty of laughs—plus behind-the-scenes chaos from their Fable book club chats. Perfect for fans of romance, satire, and pop culture deep-dives.

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 series: Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James. We’re officially concluding the original trilogy with book three, Fifty Shades Freed. Freed from what exactly, you might ask? And to that, we say… we have no idea.

Start from the beginning??
WATCH OUR 50 SHADES OF GREY PLAYLIST HERE | https://youtu.be/vykksEF9PJw?si=phSGimqOBOXXgfJa

We think that whether you find these books problematic or not, credit must be given where credit is due. The fact that these books have been stigmatized, criticized, and repeatedly knocked down is indicative (we think) of a larger societal problem: misogyny. Because as a society, it seems we just can’t stand it when women are successful… or when they enjoy something. Whether it’s objectively “good” or “profitable” or not.

And don’t miss next week’s final mini episode in this series where we give our final thoughts, cover the parody book Fifty Shames of Earl Grey by Fanny Merkin, and discuss the movies!

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

Shop bookish apparel worn in this episode!
Ashley is wearing: “The Suriel” Tee from Amazon | * https://amzn.to/4h2v5im
Liz is wearing “Obey Me” Tee by @darkanddisturbedshop | Use Code: VEGAN10 to save! | https://darkanddisturbedshop.com/products/praise-me-tee?_pos=2&_sid=81592a902&_ss=r

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!

YouTube | TikTok | Instagram | Podcast Platforms
@BestiesandtheBooksPodcast

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

Liz
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Ashley
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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 tickets (like $50!??), and makeup when it was creative (what a time to be alive!). Our faves and fails of the week are all about those things that we miss as we amp up to share our favorite reads from the early to mid 2000’s.

Ashley and Liz present their top five college-age reads that influenced them during this pivotal time, and helped shape them into the readers (and people!) they are today. We bring memoirs, sci-fi reads, some horror and even some feminist theory to the table, put all ten titles in our trusty BATB Beanie and pick one to reread with all of you! Which one will it be?! We can’t wait to share it with you!

And, don’t worry! We’ve got a great smash or pass taking us back to the college days with a smorgasbord of silver foxes, and a man who exploded porta potties for a legit living.

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

Check out these author interviews? ⬇️

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

Looking for your next murder mystery Romantasy? Preview This Monster of Mine with our interview with debut author Shalini Abeysekara! | https://youtu.be/dMoOSLW1vTE?si=n6z3RXxSutNXN2oa

____

Shop bookish apparel worn in this episode!
Ashley is Wearing: Fourth Wing Dragon T Shirt “Fly or D!e” from @caffeineandcurses | https://caffeineandcurses.com
Liz is wearing: (Vanna White style) our exclusive Bestie and the Books Beanie! DM us to be added to preorder list! | https://www.instagram.com/bestiesandthebookspodcast?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

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!

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

Send us a text

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 series: Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James. We’re officially into book two and things are not exactly going as planned…

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 produce this canon of works mostly written by women, for women, with women’s stories, pleasure, and lived experiences at the center. We examine what influence romance books have had on literature and the publishing world as a whole, and then specifically discuss what impact Fifty Shades had on the genre! It just happens to be a BIG bonus that Ashley and Liz have never read it before. So this is all new information to us.

We think that whether you find these books problematic or not, credit must be given where credit is due. The fact that these books have been stigmatized, criticized, and repeatedly knocked down is indicative (we think) of a larger societal problem: misogyny. Because as a society, it seems we just can’t stand it when women are successful… or when they enjoy something. Whether it’s objectively “good” or “profitable” or not.

Episode 2 covers book 2: Fifty Shades Darker by E. L. James. The first five-ish minutes are spoiler free with our one sentence rapid star and spice ratings. Then we jam pack this mini episode with an entire plot summary in five sentences (with a special classical surprise!), discuss what our faves and fail characters and plot points are, our feelings, notable quotes, red flags, problematic elements, and end with a fun piece of Fifty Shades trivia.

Don't be shy, subscribe! New Podcasts every Tuesday… and sometimes Friday!

Check out these author interviews? ⬇️

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

Looking for your next murder mystery Romantasy? Preview This Monster of Mine with our interview with debut author Shalini Abeysekara! | https://youtu.be/dMoOSLW1vTE?si=n6z3RXxSutNXN2o

Shop bookish apparel worn in this episode!
Ashley is wearing: “The Right Way Isn’t The Only Way” Fourth Wing Sweater from @TheBeanWorkshop (use our affiliate code “BOOKBESTIES10”) | * https://www.thebeanworkshop.store/BOOKBESTIES1
Liz is wearing “Praise Me” Tee by @darkanddisturbedshop | Use Code: VEGAN10 to save! | https://darkanddisturbedshop.com/products/praise-me-tee?_pos=2&_sid=81592a902&_ss=r

Any link with an * is an affiliate link through the service Magic Links and is e

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@BestiesandtheBooksPodcast

Besties and the Book Club on Fable!
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Liz
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Ashley
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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 more? Or will you now be picking up this book to read it yourself after hearing our reviews?
We can’t believe booktok and bookstagram forgot to mention this semi secret book by SJM! In this episode we give you our spoiler free reviews and explain why we think this DC Comics collab was a bit of a flop.

First we’ll set the scene, explaining what type of book Catwoman is, what type of series it’s a part of, how the book is rated on Goodreads, and how it stacks up in comparison to SJM’s other notoriously successful works. Then we’ll get into the deep dive, our 5 sentence book summary, our personal thoughts, some outside reviews, and ultimately if it’s worth reading, and if we’ll continue the series. You might be surprised at what we found. 😉

We plan on throwing Suzanne Collins (Hunger Games Genius) and Rebecca Yarros (Romance Author Turned Fourth Wing Sensation) into the mix. But please throw any other suggestions into a comment or our DMs.

And just as it should be, we’ve got a fav and fail allergy / vampire season? edition and an appropriately DC Comics themed character smash or pass and marry, f, 💀. So stick around for that!

Don't be shy, subscribe! New Podcasts every Tuesday!! (And sometimes Friday!…)
Check out these author interviews? ⬇️

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

Looking for your next murder mystery Romantasy? Preview This Monster of Mine with our interview with debut author Shalini Abeysekara! | https://youtu.be/dMoOSLW1vTE?si=n6z3RXxSutNXN2oa

____

What we are wearing?
*This episode is sponsored by The Bookish Queen*
Ashley and Liz are both wearing bookish tees sent complementary in PR by the Bookish Queen for this sponsored episode! Shop bookish apparel worn in this episode! ⬇️⬇️⬇️
save 15% at https://bookishqueen.com/discount/BESTIEBOOKS15 with code: "BESTIEBOOKS15" for 15% off your entire purchase!
And follow her @bookishqueenshop on Instagram!

Any link with an * is used to designated a sponsorship or to signify 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!

YouTube | TikTok | Instagram | Podcast Platforms
@BestiesandtheBooksPodcast

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

Liz
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@TheRealLifeVeganWife

Ashley
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@AshleyEllix

Send us a text

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 produce this canon of works mostly written by women, for women, with women’s stories, pleasure, and lived experiences at the center. We examine what influence romance books have had on literature and the publishing world as a whole, and then specifically discuss what impact Fifty Shades had on the genre! It just happens to be a BIG bonus that Ashley and Liz have never read it before. So this is all new information to us.

We think that whether you find these books problematic or not, credit must be given where credit is due. The fact that these books have been stigmatized, criticized, and repeatedly knocked down is indicative (we think) of a larger societal problem: misogyny. Because as a society, it seems we just can’t stand it when women are successful… or when they enjoy something. Whether it’s objectively “good” or “profitable” or not.

Episode 1 covers book 1: Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James. The first five-ish minutes are spoiler free with our one sentence rapid star and spice ratings. Then we jam pack this mini episode with an entire plot summary in five sentences (with a special classical surprise!), discuss what our faves and fail characters and plot points are, our feelings, notable quotes, red flags, problematic elements, and end with a fun piece of Fifty Shades trivia.

Join our Virtual Book Club & Buddy Read on Fable! | https://fable.co/club/50-shades-of-grey-pod-read-with-bestiesandthebookclub-487898954653

Don't be shy, subscribe! New Podcasts every Tuesday… and sometimes Friday!

Check out these author interviews? ⬇️

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

Looking for your next murder mystery Romantasy? Preview This Monster of Mine with our interview with debut author Shalini Abeysekara! | https://youtu.be/dMoOSLW1vTE?si=n6z3RXxSutNXN2o

Shop bookish apparel worn in this episode!

Ashley is wearing: “I’m a Book Dragon” Clash of Tides tee from the Author Alivia Maar @livesbookshelf (Gifted in PR.)

Liz is wearing “Good Girls Read Smut” Crew by *Shop Closed* and “Praise Me” Tee by @darkanddisturbedshop | Use Code: VEGAN10 to save! | https://darkanddisturbedshop.com/products/praise-me-tee?_pos=2&_sid=a2aa935cf&_ss=r

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!

YouTube | TikTok | Instagram | Podcast Platforms
@BestiesandtheBooksPodcast

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

Liz
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@TheRealLifeVeganWife

Ashley
Instagram | TikTok
@AshleyEllix

Send us a text

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 examine it through a certain lens - what exactly did this series do for the genre as a whole? And who paved the way to make Fifty Shades of Grey a mainstream romance sensation?

We take you wayyyyy back to the “first” romance novel, explore the OG pioneers of the genre, explain what defines a book as “romance” in the first place, and delve into how the content and themes have changed over time, influencing literature of ALL genres. We discuss the different evolutions and iterations of these books primarily written by women, for women, and how despite the success, popularity, and numbers to back it up… the romance genre is repeatedly labeled as “less than literature” or reduced to “chick lit.” We want to (NEED TO) talk about why.

And don’t worry, even though it’s a little heavy, we still have a faves and fails and smash or pass, romance edition!

Check out this author interview! | Callie Hart NYT Bestseller Author of Quicksilver! | https://youtu.be/CED5s7qDBdQ?si=8xtIRO1IzX6Rsld4

Shop bookish apparel worn in this episode!

Ashley is Wearing: ACOTAR Valkyrie Tee from @thebeanworkshop | Use code: BOOKBESTIES10 to save! | * https://thebeanworkshop.store/products/to-the-stars-who-listen-and-the-dreams-are-answered-tee-shirt?_pos=9&_sid=823f6afe6&_ss=r

Liz is wearing: “If You Want to Save Animals, Stop Eating Them” Baby Tee from @dont.eat.the.homies | https://donteatthehomies.com/products/save-animals-tee

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!

_____

Articles / Resources:

• Writing 101: What Is a Romance Novel? Masterclass.com
• These Authors are Putting the Dark in Dark Romance wusf.org for NPR
• A Brief History of the Romance Novel by Amanda Pagan nypl.org
• Evolution of the Romance Novel by Cristin Harber cristinharber.com
• Pamela and the Early Origins of the Romance Novel smu.edu
• The Dark Romance of Ann Radcliffe by V.H. Leslie fiction thisishorror.co.uk
• How Jane Austen’s Resolve Sculpted Literary History by Evan Swensen medium.com
• Gothic Novel Masterpieces: Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights by Yehuda M.S. medium.com
• The History of the Wonderful Romantasy Genre by Danielle Tomlinson bookstr.com
• The Evolution of Dark Romance:

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