PODCAST · arts
In Bed With Books
by Melissa
A bookish podcast for bookish babes. Hosted by Melissa, a former academic and long-time lover of fantasy, romance, and literature. Join me every Monday for new episodes! Where to find the pod >> Instagram: https://instagram.com/inbedwithbookspod YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InBedWithBooksPod Email: [email protected]
Episodes
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Playing with Form in Horror Literature | Interview with Author Jonathan Edward Durham
Join me and author Jonathan Edward Durham for a conversation about his novel Winterset Hollow. Rereleased on October 6, Winterset Hollow follows Eamon and his friends on a pilgrimage to the home of their favorite author. Their trip takes a dark turn when they discover that not only are the…
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Fighting Fate and Learning to Love in Witch Daughter | Interview with Author Tanaz Bhathena
Join me and author Tanaz Bhathena to talk about her recent adult fantasy, Witch Daughter. A modern retelling of part of Ferdowsi’s epic, The Shahnameh, this book follows the princess Tahmineh and her relationship to fate. First, as she runs towards it and her marriage to Rostam, a famed warrior…
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Liminal Spaces and Influencer Culture in "Night of Madness" | Interview with Author Ryan Douglass
Join me and author Ryan Douglass to talk about his latest release, Night of Madness. When Jack Stanley, famed horror movie maker announces a competition with a $100k prize at the end, Mara knows that could be her ticket out of poverty. But once she makes it to the show, she fears that $100k may…
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Death, Love, and Doing the Work | Interview with Poet Isabelle Correa
Join me and poet Isabelle Correa to talk about her recent release, “Portrait of a Person Who Pushes Love Away in Fear of Losing It.” The collection explores intergenerational trauma, religious myth, and pop culture in an intimate, cinematic interior life. Throughout the collection, Correa looks…
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Hidden Themes in Cozy Fantasy | The Hocus Pocus Handbook by Ann Aguirre
Join me and author Ann Aguirre to talk about her latest book, The Hocus Pocus Handbook. The book follows Thea, a human member of the Winter Court. After being replaced with a changeling as a baby, Thea has grown accustomed to the ways of faerie - their customs and rules, and the ways she can bend...
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Interview with Bethan Croome: Outlawed Magic and Femme Power in Reign
Bethan Croome joined me to chat about her debut novel, Reign. Reign follows Niamh as anti-magic laws force her out of the home she’s always known and into a war for the throne. Croome’s debut romantic fantasy novel features forbidden magic, deep yearning, and cinematic battle scenes. Croome and I...
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Writer vs Reader: The Role of Interactivity in Fiction Storytelling with Michael Pons
This week I’m joined by my friend Dr Michael Pons. He recently received his PhD in English Literature, and I was lucky enough to sit in on his dissertation defense. The question Dr Pons set to answering was “What is interactivity in storytelling?” focusing on video games. Michael and I dive into…
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Epic Cosmologies and the Revolutionary Power of Love: Interview with Author Lauren Kate
In this week’s episode, I’m joined by author Lauren Kate to discuss her latest release, White Lights. Falling back into a world of angels, romance, and millennia-old feuds, Kate brings us back into the world of Fallen, after Luce and Daniel’s happily ever after to see the effects their choice had...
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Fate & Freewill in Why Choose Romance: Interview with author Kait Ballenger
In this week’s episode, I’m joined by author Kait Ballenger, once again, as she rounds out the Original Sinner trilogy with Beautiful Redeemer. Charlotte and Lucifer have come a long way since their fake engagement in book one - now they have to contend with the apocalypse, timeless battles…
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Finding Love, Family, and Self Across Fantasy Battlelines: Interview with Meghan Le Fay
In this episode, I’m joined by author Meghan Le Fay to talk about her debut, Wings of Life, first in the Dragonbound Chronicles. Wings of Life follows Serae as she’s thrust into the land of her country’s greatest enemy, Rihtlond. As the betrothed of the dane’s son, Serae gathers intel on the Riht...
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My Top Ten Favorite Books from In Bed with Books!
In this bonus episode, I’m celebrating 100 episodes of In Bed with Books! There have been 68 books featured on the podcast, 55 if we don’t include books written by authors I've interviewed. There are so many books I loved (and just as many that I’d be happy never to think about again!), so to...
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A New Take on Historical Romance: Interview with Author Eloisa James
In this week’s episode, I’m joined by author Eloisa James to talk about her new release, The Last Lady B. Set in an isolated abbey, far north in Scotland, Evie finds herself thrust into the makings of a Gothic novel. What starts out as the hope of seeing a ghost, turns into the revelation that…
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Seeking Ferality and Writing with Spiritual Support | Interview with Poet Maria Giesbrecht
In this week’s episode, I’m joined by poet Maria Giesbrecht to talk about her debut collection, A Little Feral. The collection was written after leaving a conservative Mennonite upbringing, and her poems explore themes of faith, family, and personal resurrection. Maria and I started the...
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Heiress of Nowhere: Historical Gothic Romance Book Review
In this week’s episode, I’m talking about my latest read: Heiress of Nowhere by Stacey Lee. This book was offered as an ARC by the publisher. Heiress of Nowhere is the latest release from author Stacey Lee. This book follows Lucy, an orphan and heiress to her benefactor’s vast estate, racing to...
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Petty Revenge or Justice Served? Interview with Sally Kilpatrick, author of "Little Miss Petty"
In this episode of In Bed with Books, I’m joined by Sally Kilpatrick, author of Little Miss Petty! It was fantastic getting to speak with her about the inspiration for the book, the generations of characters, and the romance between the book’s main character, Stella Stark, and her mysterious new...
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Interview with Author Jayne Ann Krentz: Powerful Women and Romantic-Suspense in "The Shop on Hidden Lane"
This week, I was joined by author Jayne Ann Krentz to talk about her recent release, The Shop on Hidden Lane. You might know her as Jayne Castle, if you’re familiar with her futuristic/paranormal romantic-suspense or Amanda Quick, if you know her historical romantic-suspense. The Shop on Hidden...
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Inside "Songs of Ash and Dawn": Author Gabrielle Wanek on Grief, Isolation, and How the Real World Shapes Fiction
This week, I sat down with author Gabrielle Wanek to talk about her latest release, Songs of Ash and Dawn. Wanek explores themes of isolation and grief as her main character, Aidan, navigates the grief of losing her grandmother in the face of an evil hunting down magic users like her. Gabrielle…
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Let’s Talk "Babel": Power, Language, and Resistance in Dark Academia
In this episode of In Bed With Books, I’m joined by my friend Michelle Craft for a chat about our recent buddy read, Babel by R.F. Kuang. We start the conversation with a close reading of the full title, Babel, or The Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translator’s Revolution,...
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Inside "Original Sinner": Author Kait Ballenger on Lucifer, Dark Romance & Fantasy Worldbuilding
This week on In Bed With Books, I’m joined by author Kait Ballenger to talk about her dark and sexy paranormal romance, Original Sinner. The book follows Charlotte, a budding PR agent for a luxury company in NYC, who finds herself thrust into the middle of her boss’ sibling rivalry. Except that…
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Inside "Honeymoon Stage" | Author Margaux Eliot on Reality TV, Feminism & the Psychology of Fame
For this week’s episode, I got to sit down with author Margaux Eliot to talk about her nostalgic but dark debut novel, Honeymoon Stage. Set against the early years of celebreality TV in the aughts, Honeymoon Stage is part romance, part chaos, and all sharp commentary on the way we consume women…
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The Ethics of Fandom: What “Alchemised” Reveals About Publishing in 2025
This week’s episode is part two of my chat with Kristin, and we’re continuing our chat on Harry Potter but from a slightly different angle. In the second half of our conversation, we’re (at times unseriously) looking at one of the biggest and most complicated conversations in the book world right...
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Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland: A Spoiler-Filled Book Review
In this week’s episode, I’m reviewing a recent read, Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland, the second book in the Broken Blades Trilogy. After the fallout of Aeri’s betrayal in book one, Four Ruined Realms takes things to an whole new level. I unpack how Corland’s writing has evolved, the deeper...
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Wuthering Heights, Harry Potter, and the Cost of Nostalgia: A Conversation on Fandom
In this episode, we take on one of the biggest discussions in the book world right now: the controversy around Alchemised, the book igniting conversations about people’s (lack of) support for Harry Potter and its related fanfiction in 2025. Kristin is back on the podcast! Our conversation starts...
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Banned Books Week 2025: Censorship, Empathy & the Power of Fiction
We’re back for Season 9, and we’re kicking things off with something a little different: a full-on chat about Banned Books Week 2025. The theme this year is “Censorship Is So 1984.” Which, honestly… yeah, that tracks. I’m joined once again by my friend, and academic, Michael Pons, who’s currently...
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Interview with the Author: Noel Stark
Join me and author Noel Stark for episode 86 of the podcast, where we talk about her debut novel, Love, Camera, Action, a workplace romance set on a modern television set between Cali, the director, and Jory, the director of photography. We discuss the enemies-to-lovers arc that the leads follow,...
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Lore of the Wilds Book Review: A Debut Fantasy Romance Novel
In episode 85, I’m giving a review of Analeigh Sbrana’s, “Lore of the Wilds,” a romantasy novel set in a world where generations ago, Lore Alemeyu’s ancestors fell into a magical world ruled by fae. Now, Lore’s village is held prisoner by the reigning kingdom, subject to the cruelty of the…
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Interview with the Author: Jade Presley
In episode 84, I was joined by author Jade Presley to talk about her new book, The Never List! It was a joy to have Jade on to talk about her writing process, how she found the why-choose genre, and how a healthy dose of delusion can be great on the road to publication. The Never List follows...
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My 2025 Reading Goals
In this episode, I’m talking about my reading goals for 2025! As a devotee of SMART goals for many years, my reading goals are really more intentions than milestones I’m looking to achieve. This year, I’m really trying to find the joy in reading again, without the pressure that super defined…
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Demon's Bluff: A Contemporary Fantasy Book Review
In episode 82, I’m giving a review of the latest book from The Hollows series by Kim Harrison, “Demon’s Bluff,” an urban fantasy novel set in an alternate world where magic and modern sensibilities coexist. As always, I was so excited to talk about this book and this series, since I’ve been such…
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Interview with the Author: J.K. Kennedy
In this episode of In Bed With Books, I sit down with J.K. Kennedy, author of Clumsy Beauty, a beautifully illustrated collection of bite-sized poems filled with warmth, wit, and a dash of irreverence. Clumsy Beauty is a celebration of life’s imperfections, offering inspiration for embracing our...
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What the River Knows by Isabel Ibanez: A Historical Fantasy Romance Review
In episode 80 of In Bed With Books, I dive into What the River Knows by Isabel Ibanez, a captivating historical fantasy romance. Join me as I explore Inez’s thrilling adventure to uncover the truth behind her parents' deaths and the mysterious gifts they left behind, including the dreamy but...
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Interview with the Author: Lyndsay Rush
Join me and author Lyndsay Rush in conversation about her new book, A Bit Much. Her book is a collection of poems that explore all of the big feelings that we experience as women today - from love and rage, to impassioned or doubtful. Rush’s poems are a confident look at how life could feel if we...
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Bookish Chat with Kristin, Part 4
Join me and my long-time friend, Kristin, for the final part of our bookish chat! We start off with some pretty strong opinions on Pride and Prejudice, before moving onto a conversation about audiobooks. We are pro-audiobook, of course, but whether we actually know what's going on in the books is…
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Between the Covers: Spring 2024
Join me for episode 77 of In Bed With Books, where I’ll be reviewing the books I’ve read over the past Spring! Please be warned, there are spoilers ahead. If you want more reviews from me, you can find me on Goodreads or Storygraph! Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/86407489-melissa...
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Bookish Chat with Kristin, Part 3
And we’re back! This time with another (longer) installment of my earlier conversation with Kristin. This time around, we’re getting a little more critical of books we’ve read - some recent and some not so recent. We talked about our terrible tolerance for horror, gave some book recommendations,...
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Interview with the Author: Mai Corland
In this episode of In Bed With Books, I’m joined by author Mai Corland to talk about her upcoming book release, Five Broken Blades, transitioning from Children’s lit to adult fantasy, and the craft behind creating the world in her book. Please note: This is a spoiler free discussion, as the book...
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Bookish Chat with Kristin, Part 2
Join me and my long-time friend Kristin for the second part of our chat! We grabbed some cheese and wine, and caught up on our TBR's. We're talking about why I haven't read Fourth Wing yet (while Kristin continues to try and convince me), the issue with series that go on for too long, and some of...
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In Defense of Play: A Bookish Chat, with Michael Pons
Join my friend Michael and me for a conversation about the necessity of fantasy, fiction, and the simple act of play, whether that's through fantasy and romance books or tabletop games, like D&D. This conversation started in response to his recent academic paper where Michael defends play, and...
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Between the Covers: Recent Book Reviews
In episode 72, I'm reviewing some of my recent reads over the last few months! If you want to read more fleshed out versions of these reviews, then find me on Goodreads or Storygraph! Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/86407489-melissa Storygraph:...
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Bookish Chat with Kristin
Join me and my long-time friend Kristin in my living room for a bookish chat! We grabbed some cheese and wine, and caught up on what we're currently reading. We talked about Kristin's (not-so) scathing GoodReads reviews, her love of Emily Henry, and whether she actually knows who Jessica Biel is....
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Interview with the Author: Aurora Ascher
Join me for another episode of In Bed With Books! Today we're chatting with the author of Sanctuary of the Shadow, Aurora Ascher. We talk about different inspirations for the book, her writing rituals, the women-led reimagining of the publishing process, and a little hint about the sequel. (shh!)...
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Conspiracy Theories: Blood & Ash Edition pt. 2
In episode 69, we're looking at the second half of the FBAA/ALITF saga for any theories or guesses to get our hopes up for the next book, A Soul of Ash and Blood. Armed with our insatiable curiosity and sharp analytical skills (re: occasionally being right), we retraced our steps through each of...
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Conspiracy Theories: Blood & Ash Edition pt. 1
In episode 68, we're taking a retrospective journey through our From Blood and Ash episodes in anticipation of next month's new release! Armed with our insatiable curiosity and sharp analytical skills (re: occasionally being right), we retraced our steps through each of the FBAA and AFITF…
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If Beale Street Could Talk
In episode 67, we're talking about James Baldwin's If Beale Street Could Talk, a novel that explores the love story between Tish and Fonny, two young African Americans living in 1970s New York City. Between Fonny's wrongful imprisonment and Tish's preparation for their child, it seems as though...
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Currently Reading
In episode 66, we're chatting about the books we're currently reading and what we think about them so far. Like most of our conversations, we got a little side-tracked, so listen for more Maas theories, personal stories (like, very personal), and occasional book talk. Got something to say? Feel...
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In Bed With: Sex
In episode 65, we're talking about s-e-x, baby. It's time to get deep with the smut. Whether you're seeking thrills or some x-rated high fantasy, this episode has the dirty talk. 🎧 From the first signs of enemies to lovers to the soulmate revelation, we're talking about when the sex is good for...
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Kingdom of the Feared
In episode 64, we're talking about the finale to Kerri Maniscalco's Kingdom of the Wicked trilogy. Kingdom of the Feared is the fantastic ending to Emilia's story, her journey back to herself. After months of mourning Vittoria's death, and then discovering Vittoria was not actually dead and also...
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In Bed With: Revenge
In episode 63 of our podcast, we're delving into the theme of revenge, exploring its long history in storytelling. Join us as we examine revenge as a compelling plot device, discussing its intricacies and its appeal with examples across books, TV, and movies. We touch on the distinction between...
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Eclipse
In episode 62 of our podcast, we're talking about Eclipse, the third installment in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Saga. We're following Bella as she tries to balance her love for Edward with her kind-of-love for Jacob? It's a very confusing love triangle for everyone involved, ourselves included.…
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Season Finale: The Hottest & the Messiest Characters of Season 5
In episode 61, we're going down the list of season 5 characters deciding who to marry, f*ck, or kill. After several conversations deep, we quickly realize that Nektas holds the daddy of the season award. We make some shrewd judgements ranking the characters by most hot and most messy (sorry…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
A bookish podcast for bookish babes.
Hosted by Melissa, a former academic and long-time lover of fantasy, romance, and literature.
Join me every Monday for new episodes!
Where to find the pod >>
Instagram: https://instagram.com/inbedwithbookspod
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InBedWithBooksPod
Email: [email protected]
HOSTED BY
Melissa
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does In Bed With Books have?
In Bed With Books currently has 114 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is In Bed With Books about?
A bookish podcast for bookish babes. Hosted by Melissa, a former academic and long-time lover of fantasy, romance, and literature. Join me every Monday for new episodes! Where to find the pod >> Instagram: https://instagram.com/inbedwithbookspod YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InBedWithBooksPod...
How often does In Bed With Books release new episodes?
In Bed With Books publishes regularly with 114 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to In Bed With Books?
You can listen to In Bed With Books on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts In Bed With Books?
In Bed With Books is created and hosted by Melissa.
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