We’re closing out Season Five with the gothic sapphic romance HOUSE OF RAYNE [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781496756831] by Harley Laroux! Join us as we find out if it’s a worthy After Dark finale, compare it to Laroux’s Her Soul to Take, which we previously read on the show, and watch Jason discover the power of the mute button.

CONTENT WARNING: This episode features discussions of an adult-themed book, contains explicit language, and is intended for mature audiences only. Listener discretion is advised.

 

Buy the Book!
Bookshop.org [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781496756831] | Libro.fm [https://tidd.ly/4rP4WYj]

 

Other books mentioned in this episode:

 * Heated Rivalry [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781335534637] by Rachel Reid
 * Her Soul to Take [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781496752895] by Harley Laroux
 * Savage Blooms [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9780316575898] by S.T. Gibson
 * Desperate Measures [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781464227998] by Katee Robert
 * To Bargain With Mortals [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781964721682] by R.A. Basu
 * The Archaeology of Falling Worlds [https://skiesreads.binderybooks.com/item/VWypisKxP6k6akuzfshV/] by Megan Chee

 

Support SWR!
PayPal [http://paypal.me/shitweveread] | Venmo [https://www.venmo.com/u/shitweveread] | SWR Merch [https://shit-weve-read.creator-spring.com]

We're also an affiliate on Bookshop.org and Libro.fm! Order books and ebooks through our link HERE [https://bookshop.org/shop/shitweveread] and audiobooks HERE [https://libro.fm/referral?rf_code=lfm846610] and a small commission will go towards the podcast.

Create your podcast [https://zencastr.com/?via=swrpod] today! #madeonzencastr [https://zencastr.com/?via=swrpod]

Thank you for your support!

 

Connect with SWR!
Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/shitweveread] | TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@shitweveread] | Discord [https://discord.gg/2kCeEBXkkP] | Website
[http://shitweveread.com/]Request transcripts on our website: shitweveread.com/contact [http://shitweveread.com/contact]

 

Credits:
Shit We've Read After Dark is hosted by Laura Benson, Jason Rico, Bella Romero, and EmmaSkies, with an introduction by Jessilee Windhaus and editing by Jason Rico.

Dark Hollows by Alexander Nakarada (CreatorChords) | https://creatorchords.comhttps://creatorchords.comhttps://creatorchords.comCreative Commons / Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/




                    After Dark: House of Rayne
                

Hey, friends! You may have noticed there was no new episode this month. That's because sometimes life gets in the way and, unfortunately, that's exactly what happened this month. As you may have already suspected, we're sorry to announce that we had to cancel February's planned discussion of DEATH OF THE AUTHOR by Nnedi Okorafor. At this time, we're unsure whether we'll reschedule it, but we will be back next month with our planned After Dark episode for the Season 5 finale.

Thanks so much for your understanding and we'll see you next month!

Support SWR!
PayPal [http://paypal.me/shitweveread] | Venmo [https://www.venmo.com/u/shitweveread] | SWR Merch [https://shit-weve-read.creator-spring.com]

We're also an affiliate on Bookshop.org and Libro.fm! Order books and ebooks through our link HERE [https://bookshop.org/shop/shitweveread] and audiobooks HERE [https://libro.fm/referral?rf_code=lfm846610] and a small commission will go towards the podcast.

Create your podcast [https://zencastr.com/?via=swrpod] today! #madeonzencastr [https://zencastr.com/?via=swrpod]

Thank you for your support!

 

Connect with SWR!
Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/shitweveread] | TikTok [https://www.twitter.com/shitweveread] | Discord [https://discord.gg/2kCeEBXkkP] | Website [http://shitweveread.com/]

Request transcripts on our website: shitweveread.com/contact [http://shitweveread.com/contact]

 

Credits:
Shit We've Read is hosted by Laura Benson and Jason Rico, with music by Joshua Chilton and editing by Jason Rico.


                    February 2026 Update
                

We’re kicking off 2026 with a tale of "mind games, kink, and ancient enchantment," because we read SAVAGE BLOOMS by S.T. Gibson! Join us as we spiral into yet another Heated Rivalry tangent, compare the novel to one of its inspirations (Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë), and debate whether it lives up to the other Gibson books we’ve covered. Plus, find out which After Dark pick Laura chose that has Emma absolutely hyped.

CONTENT WARNING: This episode features discussions of an adult-themed book, contains explicit language, and is intended for mature audiences only. Listener discretion is advised.

 

Buy the Book!
Bookshop.org [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9780316575898] | Libro.fm [https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=25361&awinaffid=1907832&ued=https%3A%2F%2Flibro.fm%2Faudiobooks%2F9781668648766]

 

Other books mentioned in this episode:

 * Heated Rivalry [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781335534637] by Rachel Reid
 * The Long Game [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781335534644] by Rachel Reid
 * Naughty or Ice [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781963657029] by Sylvia Pierce
 * Pucking Around [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781496758798] by Emily Rath
 * A Dowry of Blood [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9780316501071] by S.T. Gibson
 * Evocation [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781915202680] by S.T. Gibson
 * An Education in Malice [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9780316501866] by S.T. Gibson
 * Wuthering Heights [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781454952961] by Emily Brontë
 * The Cruel Prince [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781690388388] by Holly Black
 * A Study in Drowning [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9780063211506] by Ava Reid
 * The Dragon's Bride [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781951329471] by Katee Robert
 * To Bargain With Mortals [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781964721682] by R.A. Basu
 * The Archaeology of Falling Worlds [https://skiesreads.binderybooks.com/item/VWypisKxP6k6akuzfshV/] by Megan Chee

 

Support SWR!
PayPal [http://paypal.me/shitweveread] | Venmo [https://www.venmo.com/u/shitweveread] | SWR Merch [https://shit-weve-read.creator-spring.com]

We're also an affiliate on Bookshop.org and Libro.fm! Order books and ebooks through our link HERE [https://bookshop.org/shop/shitweveread] and audiobooks HERE [https://libro.fm/referral?rf_code=lfm846610] and a small commission will go towards the podcast.

Create your podcast [https://zencastr.com/?via=swrpod] today! #madeonzencastr [https://zencastr.com/?via=swrpod]

Thank you for your support!

 

Connect with SWR!
Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/shitweveread] | TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@shitweveread] | Discord [https://discord.gg/2kCeEBXkkP] | Website
[http://shitweveread.com/]Request transcripts on our website: shitweveread.com/contact [http://shitweveread.com/contact]

 

Credits:
Shit We've Read After Dark is hosted by Laura Benson, Jason Rico, Bella Romero, and EmmaSkies, with an introduction by Jessilee Windhaus and e


                    After Dark: Savage Blooms
                

It's the final episode of 2025, and we're wrapping things up with our 3rd annual Secret Santa book exchange! Join Bella, Emma, Jason, and Laura for our coziest, messiest holiday tradition as we exchange books, hot takes, and answer the following questions: Did the right books go to the right recipients this year? Which one of us didn’t finish their book, and what went wrong? Which host picked their Secret Santa book during an active criminal investigation? And which current Emma obsession led us on a ten-minute tangent?

Thank you so much for listening and supporting us this year. We’re endlessly grateful for you. Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and we’ll see you in 2026!

 

Buy the Books!

 * Jason’s Book: Amazon.com [https://a.co/d/6uE3ryt] | Libro.fm [https://tidd.ly/4p9f6BI]
 * Laura’s Book: Bookshop.org [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9780593983751] | Libro.fm [https://tidd.ly/496jQCi]
 * Bella’s Book: Bookshop.org [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781250866097] | Libro.fm [https://tidd.ly/44GFhIM]
 * Emma’s Book: Bookshop.org [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9780804137171] | Libro.fm [https://tidd.ly/3Y7vAQ3]

 

Other media mentioned in this episode:

 * Percy Jackson and the Olympians [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781368051477] by Rick Riordan
 * Foundryside [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9780525573845] by Robert Jackson Bennett
 * The Tainted Cup [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781984820709] by Robert Jackson Bennett
 * And Then There Were None [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9780062073471] by Agatha Christie
 * Warehouse 13 [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1132290/]
 * The SCP Foundation [https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com]
 * The City We Became [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9780316509848] by NK Jemisin
 * The Magnus Archives [https://rustyquill.com/show/the-magnus-archives/] Podcast
 * Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14364480]
 * Heated Rivalry [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781335534637] by Rachel Reid

 

Support SWR!
PayPal [http://paypal.me/shitweveread] | Venmo [https://www.venmo.com/u/shitweveread] | SWR Merch [https://shit-weve-read.creator-spring.com]

We're also an affiliate on Bookshop.org and Libro.fm! Order books and ebooks through our link HERE [https://bookshop.org/shop/shitweveread] and audiobooks HERE [https://libro.fm/referral?rf_code=lfm846610] and a small commission will go towards the podcast.

Create your podcast [https://zencastr.com/?via=swrpod] today! #madeonzencastr [https://zencastr.com/?via=swrpod]

Thank you for your support!

 

Connect with SWR!
Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/shitweveread] | TikTok [https://www.twitter.com/shitweveread] | Discord [https://discord.gg/2kCeEBXkkP] | Website [http://shitweveread.com/]

Request transcripts on our website: shitweveread.com/contact [http://shitweveread.com/contact]

 

Credits:
Shi


                    The 2025 SWR Holiday Special
                

In this special author interview, Bella and Jason sit down with the effortlessly charming R.A. Basu to talk about her debut novel, TO BARGAIN WITH MORTALS [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/223327389-to-bargain-with-mortals]—“a stunning reflection on politics and purpose, blood and allegiance—and what we do with the histories we inherit.”

Join us as R.A. spills the chai on the chaotic journey her book took to publication, including the incredible lengths publisher Emma Skies went to acquire it. She also shares how her original inspiration began with Jimin from the K-pop sensation BTS, and how she drew upon her own South Asian identity to infuse the story with cultural depth. Plus, R.A. shocks with a (in hindsight, fairly obvious) revelation about the TV series House, M.D.

You can grab your copy of TO BARGAIN WITH MORTALS [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781964721682] now wherever books are sold!

 

Buy the Book!
Bookshop.org [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781964721682] | Libro.fm [https://tidd.ly/4hRpLz4]


 

Other books mentioned R.A. in this episode:

 * Burn the Sea [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781967967063]by Mona Tewari
 * Murder by Memory [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781250342249] by Olivia Waite
 * Jade City [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9780316580397] by Fonda Lee

 

Guest:
R. A. Basu is an Indian Canadian author from Ontario who works in digital development by day and binge reads novels by night. When she’s not writing, she can be found playing on the Nintendo Switch, fighting for her life in a Pilates class, or looking for the best matcha in her city. She is represented by Allegra Martschenko [https://www.ladderbird.com/allegra-martschenko] at BookEnds Literary Agency.

You can find her on Instagram @rabasuwrites [https://www.instagram.com/rabasuwrites]

 

Support SWR!
PayPal [http://paypal.me/shitweveread] | Venmo [https://www.venmo.com/u/shitweveread] | SWR Merch [https://shit-weve-read.creator-spring.com]

We're also an affiliate on Bookshop.org and Libro.fm! Order books and ebooks through our link HERE [https://bookshop.org/shop/shitweveread] and audiobooks


                    Author Interview: R.A. Basu
                

You voted, and we listened! Your choice for our Halloween After Dark pick is SING ME TO SLEEP [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59443193-sing-me-to-sleep] by R.M. Virtues—a dreamy tale of a sleep demon who falls for the woman he was meant to haunt. ⁣

This episode has everything: tipsy hosts, personal encounters with sleep paralysis (we’ll let you guess if any demons were involved), and a passionate discussion about the need for editing in self-publishing. Plus, a moment so tense that Emma and Jason almost come to blows.

Remember, listeners, you brought this upon yourselves! Happy Halloween!

 

CONTENT WARNING: This episode features discussions of an adult-themed book, contains explicit language, and is intended for mature audiences only. Listener discretion is advised.

 

Buy the Book!
Amazon.com [https://www.amazon.com/Sing-Me-Sleep-Sacrilegious-Events/dp/1736745441/] (unfortunately, the only place to purchase)

 

Other books mentioned in this episode:

 * Drag Me Up [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781736745410] by R.M. Virtues
 * Desperate Measures [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781464227998] by Katee Robert
 * Lord of Eternal Night [https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=25361&awinaffid=1907832&clickref=Website1&ued=https%3A%2F%2Flibro.fm%2Faudiobooks%2F9781666199789-lord-of-eternal-night] by Ben Alderson
 * Angels Before Man [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9798987043530] by Rafael Nicolás
 * Savage Blooms [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9780316575898] by S.T. Gibson
 * A Dowry of Blood [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9780316501071] by S.T. Gibson
 * Evocation [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781915202680] by S.T. Gibson
 * An Education in Malice [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9780316501866] by S.T. Gibson
 * Wuthering Heights [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781454952961] by Emily Brontë


                    After Dark: Sing Me to Sleep
                

We’re celebrating spooky season with THE LIBRARY AT HELLEBORE [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781250877819] by Cassandra Khaw—a fantasy horror about a group of magical students who seek refuge in the school’s library when the faculty go on a ravenous rampage.

Listen as Laura and Emma try to keep track of the many characters and their unique abilities, discuss the idea of monstrosity—specifically how women are made monstrous by monstrous men—and… Jason is there, too! Plus, Emma wonders whether this book is truly part of the dark academia genre.

Happy Halloween!

 

Buy the Book!
Bookshop.org [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781250877819] | Libro.fm [https://tidd.ly/43hSGWQ]


 

Other books mentioned in this episode:

 * The Devils [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781250880055] by Joe Abercrombie
 * The Blade Itself [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9780316387316] by Joe Abercrombie
 * Katabasis [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9780063446243] by RF Kuang
 * The Milky Way: An Autobiography of Our Galaxy [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781538754153] by Moiya McTier
 * Nothing But Blackened Teeth [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781250879516] by Cassandra Khaw
 * The Salt Grows Heavy [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9780593496763] by Cassandra Khaw
 * Critical Role: Bells Hells - What Doesn't Break [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9780593496763] by Cassandra Khaw
 * The Poppy War [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9780063413573] by RF Kuang
 * A Study in Drowning [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9780063211506] by Ava Reid
 * A Theory of Dreaming [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9780063421677] by Ava Reid
 * To Bargain With Mortals [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781964721682] by R.A. Basu
 * Sing Me to Sleep [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59443193-sing-me-to-sleep] by R.M. Virtues

 

Support SWR!
PayPal [http://paypal.me/shitweveread] | Venmo [https://www.venmo.com/u/shitweveread] | SWR Merch [https://shit-weve-read.creator-spring.com]


                    40: The Library at Hellebore
                

Spooky season is officially here! In this episode, we’re celebrating both our favorite time of the year and Hispanic Heritage Month with A CRUEL THIRST [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9780593643372] by Angela Montoya—a YA fantasy full of vampires, forbidden romance, and Mexican folklore.

Join us as we explore how the book draws on Latin American culture to make vampires feel fresh, why this tale about bloodsucking monsters gives off cozy vibes, and what we think of the “Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Zorro” comparison. Plus, find out how A Series of Unfortunate Events helped Bella with the Spanish vocabulary in this book!

 

Buy the Book!
Bookshop.org [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9780593643372] | Libro.fm [https://tidd.ly/46uoryh]


 

Other books mentioned in this episode:

 * The Final Six [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9780062658944] by Alexandra Monir
 * The Life Below [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9780062658975] by Alexandra Monir
 * Little Thieves [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781250853530] by Margaret Owen
 * Holy Terrors [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781250831170] by Margaret Owen
 * Blood Moon [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9798986021126] by Jillian Graves
 * Titan: A Gargoyle Daddy Dom Romance [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9798986021119] by Jillian Graves
 * A Series of Unfortunate Events [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9780064407663] by Lemony Snicket
 * Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781250320520] by V.E. Schwab
 * The Milky Way: An Autobiography of Our Galaxy [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781538754153] by Moiya McTier
 * To Bargain With Mortals [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781964721682] by R.A. Basu

 

Support SWR!
PayPal [http://paypal.me/shitweveread] | Venmo [https://www.venmo.com/u/shitweveread] | SWR Merch [https://shit-weve-read.creator-spring.com]

We're also an affiliate on Bookshop.org and Libro.fm! Or


                    39: A Cruel Thirst
                

In this episode of After Dark, Bella is back and bringing the chaos with her pick, BULL MOON RISING [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781668074947] by Ruby Dixon. Join us as we explore this steamy romantasy set “in a world of magical artifacts and fantastical beings, [where] a woman determined to save her family joins forces with an unlikely partner.”

Along the way, Bella reveals which co-hosts are the most (and least) fabulous, Jason makes a connection to The Mummy (1999), and Emma explains how the book suffers from what she calls the Fourth Wing Phenomenon.Listen now to discover why this book left the hosts so divided!

CONTENT WARNING: This episode features discussions of an adult-themed book, contains explicit language, and is intended for mature audiences only. Listener discretion is advised.

 

Buy the Book!
Bookshop.org [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9780593817025] | Libro.fm [https://tidd.ly/47PCBe5]

 

Other books mentioned in this episode:

 * Ice Planet Barbarians [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9780593546024] by Ruby Dixon
 * Deep End [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9780593641057] by Ali Hazelwood
 * Butcher & Blackbird [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781638931737] by Brynne Weaver
 * Leather & Lark [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781638931799] by Brynne Weaver
 * Fourth Wing [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781649379290] by Rebecca Yarros
 * Lord of Eternal Night [https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=25361&awinaffid=1907832&clickref=Website1&ued=https%3A%2F%2Flibro.fm%2Faudiobooks%2F9781666199789-lord-of-eternal-night] by Ben Alderson
 * The Sting of Victory [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781952349096] by S.D. Simper
 * Railed by the Krampus [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9781250890436] by Dalia Davies
 * A Cruel Thirst [https://bookshop.org/a/98402/9780593643372] by Angela Montoya


                    After Dark: Bull Moon Rising
                

Hey there, listeners!

We need your help. We have been working hard to make Shit We’ve Read as entertaining and enjoyable as we can, but we want to make it better for you! So, we created a quick listener survey [https://form.jotform.com/shitweveread/listener-survey] and would love to hear your thoughts.

As a thank you, if you complete our survey by Sunday, August 31st, 2025, you’ll have the chance to be entered into a book sweepstakes!

Thank you so much for listening to the show, and we look forward to seeing your responses!

 

Take our Listener Survey and enter our Book Sweepstakes! [https://form.jotform.com/shitweveread/listener-survey]

 

Support SWR!
PayPal [http://paypal.me/shitweveread] | Venmo [https://www.venmo.com/u/shitweveread] | SWR Merch [https://shit-weve-read.creator-spring.com]

We're also an affiliate on Bookshop.org and Libro.fm! Order books and ebooks through our link HERE [https://bookshop.org/shop/shitweveread] and audiobooks HERE [https://libro.fm/referral?rf_code=lfm846610] and a small commission will go towards the podcast.

Create your podcast [https://zencastr.com/?via=swrpod] today! #madeonzencastr [https://zencastr.com/?via=swrpod]

Thank you for your support!

 

Connect with SWR!
Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/shitweveread] | TikTok [https://www.twitter.com/shitweveread] | Discord [https://discord.gg/2kCeEBXkkP] | Website [http://shitweveread.com/]

Request transcripts on our website: shitweveread.com/contact [http://shitweveread.com/contact]

 

Credits:
Shit We've Read is hosted by Laura Benson and Jason Rico, with music by Joshua Chilton and editing by Jason Rico.


                    Update: Listener Survey & Book Sweepstakes
                

Shit We’ve Read is a sci-fi & fantasy book podcast hosted by geeky friends Laura Benson, Jason Rico, and Bella Romero. Each month, we get together to discuss a new-to-us book or graphic novel, sometimes giving it a spicy, adult twist with our After Dark episodes featuring co-host Emma Skies. Along the way, we’re joined by occasional guest hosts and noteworthy authors for insightful interviews, along with other fun surprises.

So, join us on our latest book journey and tell us - what shit have you been reading?

To find out more, please visit shitweveread.com

Rico

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