Control Your Shelf

Hot topic book episode! We're cracking open 'Sunrise on the Reaping', Suzanne Collins' highly anticipated return to Panem! This prequel promises political intrigue, emotional damage, and a fresh lens on a familiar dystopia. Join us as we break down the plot, get upset at name choices, and chit chat general hungerverse lore. It's part book chat, part therapy session, and 100% tribute-approved. Bring snacks. Trust no one. And may the podcast be ever in your favor.

Grab your carpet coats, because we take a closer look at 'Rot & Ruin', the first book in Jonathan Maberry's post-apocalyptic series set years after a zombie outbreak. We discuss the novel's major themes, characters, and much more! Whether you've read the book or are just curious about it, this episode offers a thoughtful introduction to the story and its larger questions. But be sure to tread carefully. We wouldn't want to have to quiet you...

We've got a special returning guest(Christian!) who's diving deep into the world of smut for the very first time. Join us as we get his hilarious and shocked reactions to 'Pounded By Produce', by our fav gal GM Fairy. We discuss the book as tastefully as we can, and keep NSFW words in code, so no need to fear! There's plenty of laughter, maybe a bit of blushing, and definitely some heavy breathing. Whether you're a seasoned smut reader or a curious newbie, this episode is bound to make you giggle, cringe, and maybe even add this book to your cart! Tune in for the ultimate first-time experience—it's definitely one to remember.

Time till floor collapse: 56 minutes... Just kidding!! Come crawl into the world of 'Dungeon Crawler Carl', a thrilling and humorous LitRPG novel that blends adventure, humor, and a dash of gaming culture. Join us as we explore the journey of an average guy who finds himself trapped in a dystopian game world filled with deadly monsters, quirky allies, and high-stakes challenges. We discuss the unique elements of the LitRPG genre, the insane plot details that keep readers hooked, and lots of Princess Donut fangirl-ing. Whether you're a fan of video games, epic fantasy, or just looking for a fun read, be sure to tune in for spoiler-filled discussions. It's a wild one. This author gets the three of us absolutely gagged and gooped.

We're starting 2025 by sharing our reading hopefuls for this year! What books are we excited to dive into? How do we plan on challenging ourselves to read more (or differently) in the new year? Plus, we're taking a trip down memory lane, reflecting on our absolute favorite reads of 2024. Tune in for some reading inspiration, and a sneak peek at the literary adventures that await us in 2025!✨ Don't forget to like, subscribe, and comment with your reading goals and favorite books from 2024! We'd love to hear from you.

Join us in commemorating 2024 with a Book Awards Ceremony, featuring the ever so wonderful Cari Can Read! Find out which books get the good, the bad, and the oddly specific awards from your fav book besties in a year filled with quite the array of stories to add to your TBRs(or to avoid). Be sure to let us know in the comments what some of YOUR awards would be from your own 2024 reading list! & Happy Holidays from us, to you!

Get cozy and take a series of quirky book-related Buzzfeed quizzes with us! From discovering which novel matches our personalities to wild would-you-rathers, we're taking on the literary world one imaginary library trip at a time. Whether you're a bookworm or just here for the fun, this episode is sure to bring plenty of laughs and shocking results. Tune in and play along with us!

It's finally Carlos' pick!!!! In this episode, we embark on an enchanting journey through Brandon Sanderson's groundbreaking novel, Mistborn. Join us as we unravel the intricate magic system of Allomancy, delve into the complex characters, and explore the themes of power, rebellion, and sacrifice that permeate the story. We'll discuss Vin's transformation from a street urchin to a key player in the fight against oppression, and analyze the unique world-building that sets Mistborn apart in the fantasy genre. Whether you're a longtime fan or new to the series, prepare for insightful discussions, fun theories, and a few surprises along the way! **First 10 mintues is spoiler free**

We have another installment of your favorite book besties swapping 5 star reads! This time around we've got Lauren's pick, which is 'The Road of Bones', by Demi Winters! This is a multiple POV story with a solid found family vibe, and even includes some norse mythology. This novel is not a standalone, but the first book in what will be a five book series. We are calling it 'epic fantasy LITE'. Tune in whether you've read it or not, because we love when you all jump into the conversation. Carlos' 5 star pick is announced at the end for you to read along before our next episode drops!

Your favorite book besties are swapping 5 star reads! In this episode, Rose starts us off with her pick of, The Last Housewife, a mystery/thriller with cult, podcast, and duel timeline aspects. This entire episode is breaking down the plot, characters, and insanity with lots of spoilers on the main twists, so read before you watch if that's something you want to be surprised about. Let us know your hot takes on this book, and whether or not you agree with our ratings!

Grab a chair and join the good vibes with NYT Bestseller, Sasha Peyton Smith, as we chitchat about what books define our varying tastes in novels! Here you will find tons of great recs to add to your never-ending TBRs, silly banter, as well as some minor spoilers for a few books, but you'll be warned before anything is said in case you need to fast forward! To support Sasha, head over to whatever bookstore you support, and grab a copy of 'The Witch Haven' and 'The Witch Hunt'! You can also preorder 'The Rose Bargain' NOW!

We decided to bring the game of 'Smash or Pass' into the bookish world by judging quite a few tropes. What's a book trope you ask? In short, it's a plot structure/theme/storyline/character trait/motif/plot device that is commonly used in storytelling. We go through our favorites, and which to throw in the bin!

Come get comfy with us as we chitchat about the bananas magic system and in-depth plot of 'Blood Over Bright Haven', by M.L. Wang. This episode has **tons** of spoilers, as we truly explain the entire book and give our little ratings at the end, so be mindful of that if this is something you want to read beforehand! This is Carlos' pick, so if you find yourself agreeing with him often, or sharing the same TBR, then you'll definitely want in on this. We also announce what our next book will be, and there may even be an extra little something to that as well, which we're very excited about! We hope you enjoy this emotional journey. Let us know if you like complicated magic systems and religion in books!!!

**This video is a plot breakdown, so beware of spoilers** Have a cozy little seat while the three of us attempt to go through the events of 'The Ones We're Meant To Find', by Joan He. This is a Young Adult sci-fi novel that has one cold/disconnected MC who wants to solve the disappearance of her sister, and another MC who is kind and carefree and trying to escape a deserted island to find her sister. Yes, we needed a 'confused counter', and yes we ARE open to further explanations of this book.

***trigger warnings***

Control Your Shelf is back with our first episode of the new year as we begin SEASON 2 of the pod. Each of us wraps up 2023 with our top 5 favorite books that we'd read last year, and give some insight on personal reading goals, plus 5 books that we for sure want to read in 2024(both already out and new releases). We also give you guys a little sneak peak into what you can expect from us in this new season of the show, as well as opening up the floor to what you guys want to see(both in content and guests, so feel free to storm the comments)! As for preparation for the next episode, we spin the wheel to decide who gets to pick the first book to discuss this year, revealing it to ensure you guys can read along with us before that episode drops! We hope everyone has a happy & safe 2024, and are manifesting that you will read many 5 star books.

Since the gate was left open, come discover the typewritten secrets at Hope's End with us, alongside our very special guest from the wonderfully hilarious 'It Can't Be That Bad' Podcast, Christian! Breaking down this insane plot and going deeper into the twists doesn't happen straight away, so feel free to enjoy spoiler-free content for the first 10-ish minutes. Don't forget to bring your briefcase, but most importantly, be sure to watch out for the cliff...

***Trigger Warnings*** cannibalism, unconsensual sex, necrophilia, drug abuse, talks of aborted fetuses, in-depth descriptions of extremely graphic content, suicide Content note: this episode was recorded on 08/07/2023 We are joined by the wonderful Hailey Hughes  to chit chat about the extreme horror novel that has been quite the trend on BookTok as of late. Dead Inside is not for the faint of heart, and although we speak about the events in this book fairly delicately, your mental health is important to us. Don't tune into this episode if any of the above triggers may be too much for you to handle, friends.

The story that took BookTok by storm(lightning included, obviously). Was it worth the hype? Would your three favorite booksellers recommend Fourth Wing to fellow readers? Journey to Basgiath War College with us as we dragon-nose dive into one of the hottest books of the year. If you don't want spoilers, then don't enter Threshing just yet, because this episode is FULL of spoilers and hot takes.

*First 10 minutes are spoiler free* Climb aboard the Coordinated Endeavor for our launch into space as we review ‘The Darkness Outside Us', by Eliot Schrefer. Two boys are alone in space with evidence indicating that strangers have been aboard. A brooding shipmate has barricaded himself away. What could go wrong? Journey to Titan with us for an unpacking of twist after twist, philosophical plot points, and sexually frustrated main characters.

You're gonna want to winnow into this inner circle meeting, trust us. ***The entirety of this episode is spoilers galore for the ACOTAR series, as well as a little sprinkle of the Crescent City books*** Don't care about spoilers, or have read just enough to follow along? (Insert Rhys purr here.) Come and enjoy the usual servings of piping hot tea and mayhem! We cover controversies, plot holes, favorite characters, and read some Goodreads reviews. It's a good time, so kill that wolf and shimmy through that wall to Prythian with us!

You all submitted your favorite 'book boyfriends', and boy did we listen. For this episode, we've rounded up the top 40 characters to compete fan art to fan art in a bracket-style tournament. But beware... Things will get heated and feelings will be hurt (both ours and probably yours at some point). From heartthrobs to vampires to scholars to bat boys—who will end up on top?

***First 10 minutes are spoiler free, then chaos ensues*** Come join the bound and the broken as we journey through Epheria in our review for 'Of Blood and Fire', by Ryan Cahill. Is this indie, epic fantasy that's been scouring it's way across the web worth the read? Did we name our own Dragon eggs? Absolutely. So, don't fight The Fade! Grab a snack and some mead to enjoy our shocking reveals, remembering those no longer with us, and necessary bias checks.  Friendly reminder to support indie Authors! :)

Breaking down some of the best and worst parts of Zodiac Academy was truly an emotional rollercoaster. Heads and stomachs hurt, voices were raised, and plots had holes. If you're cool with spoilers, or just want to see what all of the buzz is about without having to take the trip to Solaria yourself, then dive right into this episode with no fear of The Reckoning! Books 1-3 are mostly talked about, but there are spoilers for a couple of books after the third one as well, so listen/watch at your own risk!

First rule of book club. You don't talk about book club. Just kidding! Get your honky-tonks and washi tape ready, because we're headed to Gavin and Thea's for some miscommunication and stolen apples! A secret romance book club made up of Nashville's top alpha men aim to coach Gavin using 'Courting The Countess', a steamy Regency that's sure to fix his marriage. But can Thea be won back after all that 'faking it' drama? Will her sister Liv ever mind her own business? Come sit in on discussing Rose's pick for spoilers and hot takes!

Join in on the chaos of figuring out whether this mind-bending horror novel is really just the author's tragic memoir, breaking down the moments of crazy Faye just being Faye(black vomit and all), and trying to shed some light on the meaning behind every bit of creepiness that is, Stolen Tongues. After winning an award through the 'No Sleep' Reddit community, Felix Blackwell became an Amazon Bestseller after a successful kickstarter to physically publish his book. Beware of all the spoilers!