I Read Something Bad

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What happens when a Bible nerd, a chaplain-in-training, and a youth pastor stumble into the spicy fantasy section of the bookstore?

They launch a little rebellious podcast where spicy romantasy books meet Sunday school … sort of. It turns out that the best romantasy series can do more than make you blush - they might just help you see your life of faith more clearly too.

Join Kate Boyd, Liz Daye, and Sarah Lewan as we spill the tea on our backgrounds, defend your right to read romantasy books without hiding them under your Bible study materials, and make a surprisingly solid case for why these stories deserve a spot in your spiritual formation journey.

Through thoughtful discussion of popular spicy romantasy books, we hope to prove that faith and fantasy can not only coexist but thrive together. Whether you're secretly devouring romantasy under the covers or proudly displaying your shelf of faerie smut, this episode kicks off a whole new kind of book club.

00:00 Welcome to I Read Something Bad

00:56 Meet Your Hosts

01:31 Why We're Here

01:52 Introducing Liz Daye

02:43 Introducing Sarah Lewan

03:27 Introducing Kate Boyd

05:17 Who Should Listen?

08:03 The Power of Fiction

10:58 Engaging Culture Theologically

21:32 The Importance of Imagination

26:12 Discovering Romantasy

30:15 Rediscovering the Joy of Reading

31:27 Cultivating Self-Trust Through Books

34:49 Escapism and Its Critics

40:32 Healthy Discontent and Relationships

45:45 The Role of Spicy Content

47:55 Theological Reflections on Spicy Books

01:02:20 Looking Forward: Podcast Expectations

I Read Something Bad is where spicy fantasy novels meet spiritual formation.

We're the podcast for everyone who's ever felt like they needed to hide their steamy book covers from their small group or found themselves daydreaming about dragons in the middle of a women’s conference.

We think it’s time to take the shame out of your TBR pile, empower you to love what you love unapologetically, and talk about the issues that matter most to you by thoughtfully engaging with your favorite literature.

This is a book club for the folks who wonder what parts of the Bible are morally grey, and what our favorite fiction books can teach us about our faith.

Whether you’re here for the spicy faeries or the spiritual formation (or both — we don’t judge), this is a safe space so grab a seat.