Off the Shelves Podcast

It’s 2026 and we’re back with our first JT episode of the year. We’re easing into January with some new year goals, more TV talk, a fun story from Carey’s past, and a little post-holiday blues chat. Just the kind of catch up we needed.

Did you miss us? We’re back. Kicking off the new year with Donna Tartt’s The Secret History, a deliciously unsettling, backwards murder mystery where you already know who did it… just not why, or whether they’ll actually get away with it. As always, we’ve got you covered with dinner ideas, a post-holiday catch-up, and a very long detour into television. Is Off the Shelves becoming a streaming seri...

Happy holidays, friends! For our final episode of the year we went big, like beast-level banned-book big, George Orwell's 1984. Tune in for some truly shocking commentary. Don’t worry, we’ll be back in the new year with fresh books, new recipes, and all the usual chatter you never asked for but keep coming back for. From ours to yours: Happy Holidays and best wishes for a safe, healthy New Year.  ...

Episode 6 is here and we're in a post holiday glow. We talk food, shopping fails, debate if it's a jacket or coat, and Carey wonders how we're even friends. Want the answer? You'll have to listen. 

Oh hey, it’s Tuesday and Thanksgiving week which means holiday season is officially ON. We’re talking dogs and old age, a dramatic spider encounter, and yes—there’s a book. Who picked it? Unclear. Deb swears it was her because Fredrik Backman is one of her forever favs. On deck: My Friends—a gorgeous story of art, friendship, loss, and connection. Grab a hot drink, flip on the twinkle lights, and...

Episode 5 of our mini-series: the one where we basically eat our way through New York (but wish we'd had more time). Plus, one of us has a certified fangirl moment and one of us has to walk double-time to keep up.  Press play, we saved you a seat.

The book picked Deb this week — The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner (and no, it’s not banned). What started as a casual read turned into a full-on spiral about justice, humanity, and why Kushner might just be a genius. In between, we’re catching up on life — from our upcoming New York trip (Carey’s got a Louie V situation brewing) to coffee obsessions and emotional detours we didn’t see coming. It’s a...

This week on Just This, we’re leveraging synergies (kidding) while laughing about corporate buzzwords — and breaking down Skims’ latest “bush” moment. Did it move the needle or just end up in the feedback loop?

Oh boy, do we have a book for you this week. It’s not banned — but maybe it should be, because this one is taking up way too much space in our brains. We read I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman, and let’s just say it left us… confused, frustrated, and mildly unhinged. Stick around for updates on the great bathroom remodel race, a saga of customer service woes, a man with a tail, and...

Mini episode 3 - it's hectic over here. Deb's closet needs a huge refresh maybe even a stylist calling Jenn G! AND Carey's got some big news. Enjoy.

Buckle up, because we crack ourselves up in this one. This week we’re talking about Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid — not a banned book (and it definitely shouldn’t be). It’s fast, fun, insightful, and full of wonder. Of course, it wouldn’t be an Off the Shelves episode without a dose of real life: sprinkler disasters, a little work talk, and a very belated celebration of our 10th episode… plus...

Welcome to episode two of Just This. No books on the table this time but you know we always have a lot to say! Enjoy.  

It's time to dig in to another banned book — but plot twist: this one isn’t a dystopian novel. This week we’re diving into Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, the powerful story of a girl who endures a traumatic summer, finds herself shunned by her peers, and turns inward to cope. And you know we’ll be catching you up on the latest in our sourdough adventures, Debbie’s new “Home Safety Tips” series, a...

Hey hey! We’re shaking things up today and kicking off a brand-new mini-episode series. These short catch-up and vent sessions will drop every other week — no books on the table this time, just real life, business chatter, a little venting, and our best attempts at solving the world’s problems. Grab your favorite bevvy, have a listen, and let us know what you think!

We’re back with another banned book — and it’s a big one. Chances are you first met this classic in high school or college: Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451. Published in 1953, this isn’t just a story about banning books — it’s about burning them. All of them. We dive into Bradbury’s fire-hot cautionary tale and explore themes about censorship. And because it wouldn’t be an Off the Shelves episode wi...

This week, we’re switching things up with a very different kind of book—one Carey picked entirely by its cover (and because BookTok wouldn’t shut up about it). We’re talking about John Green’s Everything Is Tuberculosis. Green educates the reader about a disease that still kills over a million people each year, despite there being a cure since the 1950s. Through the story of Henry, a young man who...

This week, we’re stepping away from banned books and diving into a story that’s been sitting on Deb’s shelf for a longtime—a gift from Carey that finally got its moment. We’re talking about Barbara Kingsolver’s Demon Copperhead, her modern retelling of Dickens’ classic David Copperfield. This unforgettable novel follows Damon—aka Demon—a boy born into poverty who faces the harsh realities of foste...

This week on Off the Shelves, we get into the wild, frustrating, and hot conversation around menopause. Where’s the healthcare? Where’s the support? Why is it still so hard to get help in 2025? We read The New Menopause by Dr. Mary Claire Haver—OBGYN, badass, and a woman on a mission to create the resources she and her patients never had. As two women entering this next chapter of life, this book...

This week, we read Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams—a memoir that chronicles her years working for Mark Zuckerberg from 2011 to 2017. It’s an inside look at the disconnect between Facebook’s public image and what was really happening behind the scenes. There’s a lot we want to say in this episode—so we’ll let the conversation speak for itself. Grab a beverage (maybe a strong one), because th...

This week, we’re diving into Chelsea Handler’s newest book, I'll Have What She's Having—an unfiltered, hilarious, and surprisingly heartfelt look at her journey to becoming the woman she wants to be. It's about self-discovery, sisterhood, and showing up for the people you love. One thing’s for sure: we both want to be Chelsea when we grow up. Tune in as we chat about this gem of a book—and also en...

This week, we read Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler—a powerful, thought-provoking novel and the first in her Earthseed series. It’s our second banned book selection, and we were surprised to learn it’s been restricted in some prisons and schools due to its “controversial” themes, including race, politics, religion, and violence. We also loved and talk about this NPR interview where Butler...

In this episode, we talk about Miranda July’s award-winning, “wild, sexy, shocking” autofictional novel, All Fours. While this book isn’t banned, it’s been getting a lot of attention—and we had to find out why. We loved its unhinged glory. All Fours explores relationships, marriage, midlife, identity, motherhood, and a surprising theme: menopause. Listen in as we also dive into current fashion tre...

It’s our first full episode, and we’re so excited! Today, Carey and Deb discuss Oryx and Crake, Margaret Atwood’s 2003 dystopian novel that has been banned at the state level in public schools. But why? That’s what we set out to find. Grab a coffee—or your favorite beverage—and listen in! We’ll also dive into Carey’s obsession with pre-ordering books. How much has she spent? And will we read the s...

Off the Shelves is a new podcast with Carey Van Wagoner & Debbie Farka where we invite you in to our conversations about books, kids, careers, life, and anything that's on our minds. In each episode, we will explore a recent read, catch up on daily events of life, share favorite things and tackle the age old dilemma of what's for dinner. We promise you'll laugh and learn with us. Pour yourself...