Bookish Banter Babes

Jess and Cali discuss how The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires touches on some heavy topics and why they loved it.Content Warnings: Gore, Child Death, Racism and Systemic Neglect, Rape,  Murder, Suicide and Suicidal Thoughts

Cali and Jess discuss yet another one of their favorite Author's books. Listen as we giggle our way through our love of Tourist Season by Brynne Weaver.Content Warnings: Woodchippers, Creative use of bird feeders, Eyeballs and also eye sockets this time, Lawn aerators, Scrapbooking and gardening but make it murdery, Stalking and voyeurism, Breaking and entering, including theft, References to physical and psychological torture, Drowning, Hamburgers, Birds that enjoy human snacks, Vehicular collisions, A plethora of weapons, including axes, knives, guns, needles, chainsaws, garrotes, and three-hole punches, Explicit language and blasphemy, Murdery use of ropes, Sexy use of ropes, Medical settings and details, including trauma response ctivities, CPR, hospitals, and long-term recover, Explicit sexual content, including BDSM, brat/brat tamer kink, impact play, rough sex, adult toys, pain play, and mild knife play, This is a story of two serial killers falling in love, so expect general murder and mayhem.

Jess and Cali share many giggles and quotes from this wild Halloween themed sentient romance. Hallowpeen by Holly WildeContent Warnings: Sexy story with spooky elements, fully consensual. Bondage, shibari, cum eating, polyamory, orgasm denial, murder, suspense, and conversations about the disappearance, and occult rituals

Cali and Jess cry, laugh and debate over the book Perfect Strangers by J.T. Geissinger.Content Warnings: Divorce (recounted), death of a child (recounted), murder, gun violence, grief and loss depicted, strong descriptions of ALS and terminal illness, sexual content, medical content, psychosis, suicidal thoughts.

Jess and Cali discuss Love & Other Killers by Brynne Weaver with wild talks about human eating chickens, eyeballs, talking ravens and so much more! Let us know if you shared some of the same thoughts!Content warnings: Chickens eating things they probably shouldn’t, References to abduction and forcible confinement, Eye balls of course, References to accidental cannibalism, Explicit language, Vague references to childhood trauma/child sexual assault not depicted, Dismembered bodies, Ill advised use of household appliances and furniture, Skin ornaments and Bone baubles, DIY sewing projects but make them murdery, Detailed descriptions of sexual acts, Weapons and gruesome murder

Cali and Jess go off the rails discussing their thoughts on Morning Glory Milking Farm.Content Warnings: sexual content, cock milking, non-human anatomy, size difference, and a lot of fluid

Jess and Cali get slightly unhinged discussing Quicksilver by Callie Hart.Content Warnings: Rape of the protagonist’s mother & sex work mentioned, Suicidal ideation,, Forced sterilization recounted, Blood, injury & gore depiction including decapitation & emesis, Murder & torture, War themes, Extreme childhood poverty recounted

Cali and Jess lose their minds over Pen Pal. Both crying over the same part to laughjng at the same moments. Give us recommendations on more books like this please! We will be reading Perfect Strangers by J.T. Geissinger soon, stay tuned!Content Warnings: Explicit language, Graphic sex/Power Play dynamics, Detailed descriptions of death and grief, Miscarriage, Domestic Violence, Mental Illness

Jess and Cali discuss what they loved about this book and our new discovery of cozy horror.Content Warnings: Alcohol consumption, Animal death, Attempted murder, Body horror (explicit), Bombs, Broken bones, Cannibalism (explicitly described), Child death (graphic), Consumption of human flesh (explicitly described), Death, Domestic abuse (physical and emotional), Vomiting, Explicit violence, Familial death, Fire, Forced impregnation (discussed periodically), Gore, Grief, Injury depiction (explicit), Killing of family members, Murder, Organs, Self-harm, Toxic family dynamics, Violence against an animal (graphic)

Cali and Jess discuss their love of Caught Up and their frustrations with people who were uncomfortable with the political and social justice topics in the book.Content Warnings: Camwork, Exhibitionism, Sex Work, Bondage, Mafia and Organized Crime, Light BDSM, Blackmail, Stalking, Coercion, Child Abuse, Religion, Domestic Abuse (remembered), Blood, Violence, Bullying (remembered), Gore (brief), Slut-shaming, Graphic Sex (including multi-partner), Alcohol, Gambling, Smoking, Breath Play, Primal Play, Fear Play, Mention of Serial Killers, Voyeurism, Cannibalism (off-page)

Join Jess and Cali while they gush over Where’s Molly and H. D. Carlton’s phenomenal writing.Content Warnings: murder, gore, graphic language, graphic sexual situations, child assault and rape (not depicted), toxic relations between the main characters, child abuse and neglect, suicidal thoughts and ideations, human trafficking, drugs, alcohol use, and animals being fed suspect shit (they are not abused)This book also includes kinks such as biting, breath play, blood play, and degradation.Human trafficking is a global epidemic. Please learn the signs of human trafficking. The more we know the better we are equipped to spot it early and get the right help. Visit humantraffickinghotline.org to learn more.

Join Cali and Jess as we discuss how much we adored this book. We wanted to read a book with LGBTQIA+ representation for Pride month. This cozy fantasy had all the sweet feelings of a coffee shop and Hallmark movie in a Renaissance Faire. With a lady orc and lady succubus who fall for each other in the cutest way.

Jess and Cali discuss their love of a Duskwalker and all the other amazing parts of this book!Content Warnings: Rough Sex, Forced Marriage, Murder, and Violence

Cali and Jess rave on this debut thriller. This episode contains spoilers for the entire book. Please purchase and read this brand new book before listening!Four women receive an anonymous note while at their husband’s golf tournament that says “I’ve had an affair with one of your husbands”. Who sent the letter… will they figure it out or die trying?Trigger Warnings: Murder, Suicide, Infidelity, Body ImageryLink to buy The Keepers of Men: https://a.co/d/3vSqcJM

Jess and Cali discuss their adventure with The Hobbit.Trigger Warnings: Violence, Death, Frightening Imagery and Characters, Themes of Fear and Survival.

Jess and Cali talk things in book culture that grind their gears.

Cali and Jess have very differing opinions on Ice Planet Barbarians.Trigger Warnings: RAPE (Depicted), ABORTION (Depicted), SEX TRAFFICKING, MURDER, VIOLENCE, KIDNAPPING, AND DRUGS. This book did not include a trigger warning list so we tried to capture it the best we could.

Cali and Jess banter on the importance of Libraries and discuss their abundance of resources for National Library week. Citations: https://dp.la/exhibitions/history-us-public-librarieshttps://www.magnetaba.com/blog/us-literacy-statistics#:~:text=Current%20Literacy%20Rates%20in%20the%20U.S.&text=As%20of%202024%2C%20the%20literacy,below%20a%205th%2Dgrade%20level.

Jess and Cali reminisce on one of their favorite childhood reads and fall in love all over again with Bunnicula. What are some of your favorite childhood reads and have you reread them as an adult?

Cali and Jess rave about how much they loved Scythe & Sparrow and the whole Ruinous Love Trilogy. Trigger/Content Warnings: References to domestic violence (not depicted), psychological/emiotonal abuse, sexual harassment, threats & intimidation, misogyny, parental neglect (not depicted), child physical abuse (not depicted), eyeballs & eyelids, staple guns and various sharp objects, drug addicted raccoon, clowns, medical trauma, injured animal (but they are ok!), explicit sex scenes

The Bookish Banter Babes discuss a book called Loving Carolina, supporting recovery in Western North Carolina after hurricane Helene. Book Link: https://a.co/d/hR2v2aeResources for those interested in supporting recovery efforts:​The Blueridge Waymakers: @blueridgewaymakers​Roar WNC: www.facebook.com/share/18f6q3pYw4/?mibextid=wwXIfr​Beloved Asheville: belovedasheville.com​On SITE Disaster Relief: OnSiteRelief.org​Precision Grading (Jake Jarvis): You can make a donation to Jarvis' efforts using Venmo account @Jake-Jarvis-13. You can also mail a check to: Precision Grading, 99 Polaris Drive, Saluda, NC 28773​Valley String Disaster Relief: valleystrongdisasterrelief.org

Jess and Cali discuss their thoughts on Unhinged. An erotic door romance. Trigger Warnings: This story contains door knob insertion, voyeur (MC to FMC), voyeur (bad guy against FMC), allusion to man-on-woman violence (off page), woman killed after luring (off page prior to story starting, non-explicit), covert breaking and entering (via master key against FMC by bad guy), secret underwear theft (against FMC by bad guy), deliberate food drugging, alcohol use, harassment via text (bad guy against FMC), allusions to an orgy with unprotected sex (non-main character, off page), gun violence (on page), shooting “death” (on page), wood putty use, sex toy use, condom use, working with police, talking with police, erotic humiliation (very light), fetishistic enjoyment of commands, lubricant use, female domination (with aftercare), male submission (aftercare is supplied).

Jess and Cali share their thoughts, theories and more about Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros.Trigger Warnings: Elements regarding war, battle, hand to hand combat, perilous situations, blood, intense violence, brutal injuries, death, poisoning, graphic language, and sexual activities.

The Bookish Banter Babes discuss their current reads and what they plan to read next.

Cali and Jess share their thoughts on Lights Out. Full list of trigger warnings for the book:Sexually explicit discussion and scenes, alcohol consumption, mention of rape (off page), domestic abuse, child abuse, medical content, blood and gore (hospital), mental health, mass shooting, stalking, invasion of privacy, home invasion, hidden cameras, hacking, theft, accidenta cannibalism, death, desecration of a body, car accident, violent death, death of parent, breath play, knife play, gun play, fear play, primal play, mask play

Meet the Bookish Banter Babes. Jess and Cali introduce themselves and explain what to expect on the podcast.Join us in reading Lights Out by Navessa Allen before our first episode. Please like, follow, and subscribe to our podcast. Follow us on Instagram @bookish_banter_babes