Off the Shelves Podcast

This week, we’re talking about running in a completely insane lightning storm, international travel & pre-flight tummy troubles and we’re subbing a work story for some rapid-fire workplace questions. What’s your biggest workplace ick? What's advice you'd give yourself at 25 that she would completely ignore? And we’re still looking for your work stories, so send those in to carey@offtheshelvesp...

We’re back with another banned book, and this one landed on Utah’s banned book list earlier this year: What Girls Are Made Of by Elana K. Arnold. It’s a quick read, and both of us pretty much immediately understood why Utah schools chose to pull it from shelves. You guessed it, folks: sex. And in case you’re wondering, no, we still don’t think books should be banned. But at this point, we’ve read...

Another week, another chat. A disastrous day for one of us, Dancing with the Stars, a Hyrox biological contamination, and, because we deserve nice things, there are always cookies. No work story this week, but we still want to hear from you. Send us your hilarious, horrific, and haphazard workplace stories at carey@offtheshelvespodcast.com .  

We’ve never been more disappointed that a book was banned, or more confused about why it was banned in the first place. John Green’s Looking for Alaska was banned by Utah schools this year, and honestly, we’re not sure what got the school districts’ panties in a twist. This book was honest, smart, and incredibly tender. We both loved it, and we think everyone should pick this one up. And as a side...

We’re back with another listener work story, and this one comes with a question for us: what would you do? We’ve also got a little book-banning news, because it is a book podcast, and there might be a Halloween costume idea forming. So, let’s get into it.

Okay, okay. We know it’s been a while since we’ve done a banned book. And, yes, this one isn’t banned either. But honestly, we wouldn’t be surprised if it eventually finds its way onto somebody’s list. This week, we’re reading Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman. It came highly recommended by several trusted sources, so obviously we had to pick it up. And let’s just say... this is not the book e...

This week on Just This, we’ve got another listener work story, and let’s just say… Chad needs to do better. One of us gets hit on in a grocery store, and Arkansas is making headlines for a law that can make it a crime to provide a minor with a book deemed “harmful.” Why are we still criminalizing books?

This week, we read The Palm House by Gwendoline Riley, and man... it was a little too similar to I Who Have Never Known Men for one of us. We also have a message for the scientists out there: we need you to get to work on a new tonic that we are pretty sure could save the world. So grab a drink, settle in, and let’s talk about it.   Let's Shop Saie Lip Gloss Let's Eat Korean Beef Bowls

We’ve got another work horror story for you this week, and this one is a doozy. Our listener send-in is a hiring and onboarding bait-and-switch nightmare. Because apparently, sometimes the job you interviewed for and the job you actually get are not the same.  We want to hear your work drama, workplace disasters, or even your wins. Send them our way at carey@offtheshelvespodcast.com . We promise t...

This week we picked up a book that neither of us was particularly excited to read. Is it satire? A psychological thriller? Book club fiction? We still don't really know. What we do know is that Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke gave us plenty to talk about. So grab a strong beverage, settle in, and let's unpack this one together. Have you read this one? We'd love to hear your thoughts. Want to read...

This week we're kicking off a new series about the workplace. Because if you've ever had a job, chances are you've collected a few stories. Maybe you've had a boss who made you question reality, a coworker who belonged on a reality show, an interview that went completely sideways, or a meeting you'll never forget. This week, we each share workplace experiences that stayed with us and changed the w...

Dare I say we've become Stephen King fangirls? Up this week is another King novel, 11/22/63, a time-travel story that explores the consequences of changing the past. This book is THICK, and we loved it. Grab some snacks and extra water to get you through our review of this 800-page beast, plus a harrowing story about a hike that nearly went very wrong. Thankfully, everyone survived. Let's Shop: Mo...

This week: birthday surprises for Carey, including a new hobby! We also unpack "toxic traits," Mercury in retrograde, and whether the stars should really have a say in your next major purchase And we're putting out a call for your best workplace stories. Hiring gone wrong? Job search horror stories? Budget cuts? Mergers? A coworker who deserves their own documentary? Send us your story at carey@of...

It's Carey's birthday, and we don't mention it at all because, well, we recorded this episode before our Fourth of July getaways and her big day. Leave her a comment or send us an email wishing her the very best today! This week we read How to Rule the World: An Education in Power at Stanford University by Theo Baker, a memoir that explores wealth, power, and Silicon Valley's influence on Stanford...

This week we're covering the issues that really matter: why a thumbs-up emoji can start a fight, whether emojis have taken on entirely new personalities, and if we're all reading way too much into tiny clown faces. We also might have found our next hobby. And in a rare moment of common sense, Utah banned fireworks ahead of the Fourth of July. Considering the West is already on fire, we're calling...

We've officially been podcasting for one year, and neither of us has run out of opinions or books to read, so buckle in, because we're just getting started. This week, we're talking about Belle Burden's memoir Strangers, an intimate and thought-provoking look at marriage, betrayal, loss, self-discovery, and  privilege. This book will leaves you wondering how well you can ever truly know the people...

Jump into the chaos with us as we talk about the historic South Swell, World Cup soccer drama, the cocktails our 21-year-old selves swore were sophisticated, and more.  Grab your Diet Coke with vanilla Stoli, a rum and Coke, or whatever you're sipping this summer, and let's get into it.  

Add this book to your must-read list ASAP. The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali was brilliant. We loved this historical novel about friendship, love, revolution, and the fight for women's rights. Which feels especially relevant today, doesn't it? You know we've got the usual chatter about what's happening in our lives and the world around us. Grab a summer beverage, jump in, and let us know w...

According to a new report from PEN America, nonfiction book bans are on the rise, and nearly 4,000 books were pulled from American public school libraries during the 2024–2025 school year. We’ve also got an early product review of Mary Claire Haver’s supplements, and Carey may have found her new favorite beverage. PEN America report Cutest coloring book  

This week, we drop back into banned books with Stephen King’s Bag of Bones . To be clear, we probably never would have picked this one up if Utah hadn’t recently added it to its banned book list, so… thanks, Utah? Actually, no. Seriously. Stop banning books. Let's Shop: Gorjana Jewelry  Caffe Ibis Coffee Let's Eat: Steak and Shiitake Mushrooms Lemon Pepper Grilled Chicken  

This week, we break down the real and slightly alarming cost of “doing all the right things” for perimenopause. Sexy Jesus makes an appearance, rising travel costs test our patience, and password resets might become our final straw. Grab a coffee and your supplements and let's get in to it.

It’s our 25th book, and we’re marking the occasion with The New Perimenopause by Mary Claire Haver, MD, which feels less like a book recommendation and more like required reading for women, especially those in their 30s wondering why everything suddenly feels… chaotic. We’re also talking about the massive week in sports for the gals, Kentucky Derby, and the woman who absolutely shattered expectati...

Utah is at it again and banning two more books, Carey finally found mahi mahi after a nine-month search, and Deb accidentally bought a book because apparently Amazon now accepts “looking at it” as consent to purchase. (To be fair, this one may not have been Amazon’s fault.) Also, spoiler alert: neither of us has watched Game of Thrones. Listen in to hear us figure that out.

This week, we’re talking about Know My Name by Chanel Miller. It’s not currently classified as a banned book, but given the topics it covers, you can see how it might end up on someone’s list. This memoir is authentic, raw, and takes a hard look at sexual assault, trauma, and the legal system. It’s a must-read. We’ve also got plenty of updates for you, including things giving us the ick, broken mu...

This week on Just This we have true crime podcasts, catfishing schemes, cookies that may or may not fix everything, and voter law changes that definitely won't. Grab a cookie and let’s get into it.