Books Between Friends Podcast

In this third installment of our Throne of Glass mini-series, we’re taking on the ultimate question: Who would win in a fight?

We’ve created a full bracket of TOG characters and are debating our way through each matchup to crown a champion. To keep things interesting, we’ve removed two of the most overpowered contenders—Aelin and Rowan—and added a few rules along the way.

From surprising upsets to heated debates, this episode is packed with strong opinions, character analysis, and plenty of chaos as we determine who comes out on top.

Who do you think should win? And where did we get it completely wrong?

What if everything in Throne of Glass had gone differently?

In this second episode of our special series, we dive into the ultimate “What If” scenarios across the entire series—from alternate character choices to major plot twists that could have changed everything.

We explore:

This episode is part of our Throne of Glass mini-series, where we’re exploring new episode formats beyond our usual deep dives—including Hot Takes, What Ifs, Brackets, and Tier Rankings.

🎙️ Whether you’ve finished the series or are just here for the chaos, this episode is packed with fun theories and bold ideas.

📚 Series: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

We’re doing something a little different in this episode.

To celebrate one of our favorite fantasy series, Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas, we’re kicking off a special mini-series where we explore some fun discussion formats outside of our usual deep dive episodes.

This first episode is all about hot takes.

From controversial character opinions to bold book rankings and a few thoughts that might make the fandom gasp, we’re sharing some of our spiciest opinions about the entire Throne of Glass series.

This mini-series is also a chance for us to experiment with some new styles of bookish content that we plan to feature more often on our YouTube channel in the future. For this Throne of Glass run, though, we’re sharing the episodes here on the podcast as well so everyone can join the fun.

⚠️ Spoiler Warning:

• Our most controversial Throne of Glass opinions

Whether you agree with us or think we’ve completely lost our minds, we’d love to hear your thoughts.

What’s your biggest Throne of Glass hot take?

If you enjoy the episode, don’t forget to follow Books Between Friends and share the podcast with another fantasy reader.

In this finale episode of our The Well of Ascension deep dive, we tackle the moment that changes everything.

Vin finally reaches the Well… but the choice she makes may have unleashed something far worse than the empire she fought to overthrow.

Join us as we break down the final chapters and epilogue of Brandon Sanderson’s The Well of Ascension. We talk about the shocking reveal behind the prophecy, the emotional fallout for Sazed, and the terrifying implications of what Vin released into the world.

In this episode we discuss:

The truth behind the Hero of Ages prophecy

Sazed’s heartbreaking loss of faith

Vin’s final decision at the Well

What this means for the future of the Final Empire

Plus our final 3-2-1 segment, reviews for the book, predictions for The Hero of Ages, and whether this ending makes us excited—or terrified—for what comes next.

⚠️ Full spoilers for The Well of Ascension

In this episode of Books Between Friends, we cover Chapters 37–48 of The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson — and Luthadel is officially cracking.

Siege becomes survival. Politics give way to desperation. And the fragile systems holding the city together begin to splinter under pressure.

In this section, we unpack:

Elend facing the cost of leadership

Vin’s increasing isolation and the weight of power

The deepening mystery surrounding the Well

This is the turning point where ideals collide with reality—and where the consequences of earlier decisions start coming due.

As always, we break it down with our 3-2-1, character moments, and this week’s Big Question.

⚠️ Spoiler warning: This episode contains spoilers through Chapter 48 of The Well of Ascension.

In this episode of Books Between Friends, we dive into Chapters 25–36 of The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson.

Elend is trying to lead without the authority he once had. Vin is questioning where she fits in a kingdom that feels increasingly fragile. And as alliances shift and armies wait just outside Luthadel’s walls, the question becomes clear: what does it actually mean to be king?

We unpack:

Elend’s struggle with leadership and legitimacy

Vin’s growing independence—and isolation

Sazed’s continued search for truth

The rising tension between idealism and survival

Revolution was the easy part. Governing? Not so much.

Stick around for our 3-2-1 and this week’s Big Question.

⚠️ Spoiler warning: This episode contains spoilers through Chapter 36 of The Well of Ascension.

Revolution was the easy part. Governing is another story.

In this episode, we continue our deep dive into The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson, covering chapters 13–24.

Luthadel may be free from the Lord Ruler, but the real battle has just begun. As political tensions rise and outside armies threaten the city, Elend must decide whether his ideals can survive in a world that demands compromise. Meanwhile, Vin finds herself increasingly isolated, questioning who she can trust—and whether she truly belongs in the world she helped create.

In this episode, we discuss:

The escalating political instability in Luthadel

Elend’s struggle between idealism and survival

Vin’s growing paranoia

The complicated and unsettling presence of Zane

Join us as we unpack the tension, the character shifts, and the mounting pressure in chapters 13–24.

The Lord Ruler is dead… so why does everything feel more fragile than ever?

In this first episode of our The Well of Ascension deep dive, we’re breaking down chapters 1–12 and asking the big question: what does it actually take to rebuild an empire after it collapses?

We talk through:

Elend’s impossible task of ruling Luthadel without becoming what he overthrew

Vin grappling with power, paranoia, and her uneasy bond with OreSeur

Sazed’s quiet but deeply unsettling journey alongside Marsh

And the early warning signs that maybe—just maybe—the Final Empire didn’t fall as cleanly as we thought

We also introduce our State of the Empire recap, share first impressions, and kick off our 3-2-1 format:

Welcome back to Scadrial, book friends. Things are already getting tense.

In the final episode of our Red Queen series, Books Between Friends wraps up our discussion of Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard, covering Chapters 22 through the end, where long-held assumptions unravel and the truth finally comes into focus.

As secrets are revealed and loyalties are tested, it becomes clear that much of what Mare—and the reader—believed was carefully constructed. The questions of trust, power, and manipulation that have been building throughout the book collide in an ending that forces us to reassess nearly everything that came before.

In this episode, we discuss the major reveals, the emotional fallout of betrayal, and how the ending reframes the story as a whole—leaving us with more questions, stronger opinions, and an urgent need to continue the series.

⚠️ This episode contains full spoilers for Red Queen.

In Part 3 of our Red Queen series, Books Between Friends tackles Chapters 15–21, where uncertainty takes center stage and trust feels like a dangerous gamble.

As Mare settles further into life among the Silvers, the question isn’t just how to survive—but who, if anyone, is safe to believe. With shifting loyalties, carefully chosen words, and motivations that feel increasingly unclear, these chapters introduce a growing sense of paranoia that hangs over every interaction.

In this episode, we unpack the theme of trust, discuss which characters feel genuine versus strategic, and explore why suspicion may be Mare’s most necessary survival skill yet. Even the most “obvious” threats feel complicated, leaving us wondering if the real danger is still hiding in plain sight.

This episode contains spoilers through Chapter 21 only.