This week, we’re diving into The Authenticity Project, a story about what happens when people finally start telling the truth about their lives. Cecylia is joined by two friends, Kat and Jasmine, who’ve shared a 15-year friendship that’s seen it all: growth, distance, joy, hard conversations, and the kind of support that only comes when someone has known you for that long and still shows up.

We talk about what it really means to be honest in your friendships, not the curated kind. The kind that requires trust, time, and sometimes, taking a deep breath and saying the thing anyway. We reflect on how we’ve learned to stay ourselves in our relationships, even as life and priorities shift, and what it takes to keep a friendship steady without forcing it to stay the same.

And yes, we get into The Authenticity Project itself from the way each character grapples with their hidden truth to our very divided opinions on Hazard.

If you’ve ever struggled with being real, felt grateful for a friend who saw you clearly, or just love a good book debate, this one’s for you.

Featured Guests: Kat and Jasmine

Featured Book: The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley

In this episode, Cecylia sits down with Cheyanne Neuenschwander to process potentially the most devastating read of 2025 so far??? Cheyanne brings forward themes surrounding sense of self, romantic love, humanity, morality, and connection in relation to Jacqueline Harpman's novel I Who Have Never Known Men". Together, we unravel the quiet intensity of this dystopian novel, which follows thirty-nine women and one girl trapped underground entirely cut off from history, society, and even the memory of men.Together, we dive into the loneliness and resilience at the heart of this story: what it means to form an identity in isolation, how the absence of history shapes a person, and the quiet hope that lives alongside uncertainty. It’s a conversation that’s raw, reflective, and occasionally irreverent... because sometimes you have to laugh through the existential spiral.

Episode Dedication: If you’ve ever felt like you were asking questions no one had answers to, this episode is for you.

Featured Guest: Cheyanne Neuenschwander

Featured Book: I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman

In this season three premiere, Cecylia sits down with Holly, the first guest of this season, to discuss the harder parts of becoming a mom, how to find your way back to yourself, and validate that if every moment isn't soft lullabies and organic fabric onesies it doesn't mean you're a bad mom.

In the second half of this episode, we sink our teeth into Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder. This feral, furious exploration of postpartum rage, maternal sacrifice, and identity loss exposes the wild animal that lives inside every mother. We talk postpartum rage, the metaphors we found within the novel, how shitty this lady's husband is, and how embracing the monstrous might just be the most motherly thing of all.

Episode Dedication: To any mom that has ever questioned herself, screamed into a pillow, cried in the grocery store, or stared into the mirror wondering where she went. We're in awe of your ability to remain feral, curious, and still full of magic... This one’s for you.

Guest Featured: Holly Browder

Book Featured: Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder

Episode Resources:

- Postpartum International

- 988 Suicide Hotline

- La Leche League

Calling all dragon riders! Are you ready for Onyx Storm?!

In this episode, we provided a general, overall summary of Fourth Wing and Iron Flame and chit chat about underlying themes of grief and friendship, potential theories, why Cecylia loves Jack Barlowe, the quadrant Alexandra would be in, and what is next for the Empyrean Series.

Unlike our traditional episode format, this episode is FULL of spoilers as we talk about the books in their entirety. This is the refresher to reference before jumping into Onyx Storm next week. 

Featured Books: Fourth Wing and Iron Flame

Author: Rebecca Yarros

Fear—what draws us to it, and how do we face it? In this episode, we dive into the theme of fear through the lens of Kaylie Smith's Phantasma. The first half is spoiler-free and focuses on the universal experience of fear, the importance of therapy in overcoming it, and society's enduring love affair with the horror genre. Why are we so fascinated by what scares us? Our first guest of season 2, Chrissy Stevenson, sits down and explores this with us. Chrissy is a bookish content creator, horror genre fanatic, a proud pet parent, and an audiobook narrator.

In the second half (spoiler alert!), we unravel the book’s deeper layers. From its representation of OCD and mental health, the dynamic between sisters, to the haunting power of getting laid, the discussion sparked this month covers a lot of ground. And, of course, we’ll swoon over Phantasma's phantom book boyfriend—because even in the scariest of scenes, there’s always room for a little romance.

Featured Book: Phantasma by Kaylie Smith

Featured Guest: Chrissy Stevenson

Chrissy's bookstagram and narration handles: @sugar.n.smut and @daisymorgan_narrates

Chrissy's Bookish Etsy Shop: @morallygreydesigns

This month's episode is for the giiiiiiiiiirls!

The first half of the episode remains spoiler free as we discuss the vilification of all things pink throughout the years in both media and film. We dive into the roots of this pattern, its impact on modern storytelling, and how girlhood isn't anything to dull down.

For the book portion, we visit Velaris for a special edition visit to the series' warrior party girl, The Morrigan. Using the A Court of Thorns and Roses series as a lens, we examine how Mor's character navigates a world that devalues empathy, sensuality, and emotional openness. We’ll share how characters like Mor, Elain and even Azriel reflect broader societal battles against gendered expectations.

Buckle up, babes. We're letting our feminine rage out of the vault for this one.

Theme: The vilification of hyperfeminism in media and film

Book Series Discussed: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

WARNING: This is not the swamp from your childhood memories...

This week for our plunge into the world of monster romance! In the first half, we discuss a monstrous approach to love. From the history of monster romance to why we could most definitely be convinced to smooch a Kraken, we break down why these creatures have us in a chokehold.

Then, if you've ever been on a date and thought to yourself "what a monster", we put that to the test with a round of Monster vs. Man: a game where we debate who would make the better first date—creatures of the night or mere mortals in your dating apps?

In the second half, we get down and dirty with Get In My Swamp by G.M. Fairy, a spicy Shrek retelling that's got us looking at Shrek in an entirely new light. We unpack the logistics of ogre romance, unexpected steam, and how exactly to make out with an ogre (hint: it's impossible).

This episode is not appropriate for younger audiences, our literal parents, or anyone who wants their opinions of Shrek to remain unaltered.

Book: Get In My Swamp

Author: G.M. Fairy

We're back, book babes! In this Season TWO kickoff episode of Shelf Absorbed, we’re taking a dramatic dip into the discussion around infidelity.

In the spoiler-free first half, we tackle the general dynamics of cheating—how betrayal affects relationships, the journey to forgiveness, and the quest for self-worth in all the wrong ways. We gab about what really constitutes cheating and share some tools for those coping with and recovering from these breaches of trust.

In the second half, we’ll shift our focus to The Silent Patient, examining how this theme shows up in the novel. No character is safe in this gossip sesh (lookin' at YOU, Gabriel) and be on the lookout for a petition to get a Kathy POV. We’ll yap about the characters, their choices, and the plot twist the entire internet saw coming except for... us, apparently.

We hope this episode offers some clarity and comfort, whether you're dealing with trust issues or just love a bookish gossip session.

Remember, everyone makes mistakes—both in fiction and in real life. It’s all about learning, growing, and loving yourself enough to let go of what no longer serves you.

Keep your cup full, your books close, and your cheating ex blocked, babes.

From our shelf to yours,

C & A

This week, our featured guest is Bryn Weber, who joined us to dive into all things van life. In 2017, Bryn discovered Brianna Madia's social media account, and was inspired to live minimally and on the road. In 2021, she made that dream her reality. In this episode, we discuss how into adulthood, Bryn quickly realized a "conventional lifestyle" was not for her. After building the van, she and her husband moved in and began working remotely while traveling across the country. While excited for the transition into their tiny space, Bryn also talks about the effects of being isolated from friends and family, and the new community she found along the way. 

In the second half of the episode, we jump into Nowhere for Very Long, the memoir written by Brianna Madia, the woman who inspired Bryn's van life journey. Brianna's journey is unique, and we discuss how she questioned the societal norm. Brianna's notes on mindfulness are something Bryn has held close as she's embraced the unexpected feelings of whether she is correctly living an unconventional lifestyle. We are thrilled to have Bryn join us for this episode, and hope you giggle as much as we did. 

Featured Guest: Bryn Weber 

Featured Book: Nowhere for Very Long by Brianna Madia 

Instagram: @_herbestinterest

Facebook: @HerBestInterest

Website: www.herbestinterest.com 

Bryn's Van Life: @peeling.out

Homes on Wheels Alliance: @homesonwheelsalliance

Donate Now at homesonwheelsalliance.org

Glorious Life on Wheels: @gloriouslifeon

YouTube: @gloriouslifeonwheels3621

Today, we take you to New Orleans, Louisiana for a story told in our Open Book format. 

Say hello to our second Open Book guest, Emily Madeira! Emily is a movement artist, a licensed master social worker, a dancer, and a clown. Her work and art challenge the societal norms oppressing the human body and its natural impulses to play, to touch, to move, and to feel. Emily identifies as queer and polyamorous and is passionate about building networks of community and mutual aid.

In the initial chapters of her Open Book, she shares her journey to polyamory from monogamy and the joy of decentering romantic love. She speaks to her evolving understanding of love and the beauty of the queer relationships this has brought her. This leads to a pondering on the impact of creativity, art, human connection, and the power of play. The life of Emily is a refreshing, honest reminder to give yourself permission to trust and enjoy yourself.

Featured Guest: Emily Madeira

Website: www.herbestinterest.com

Instagram: @_herbestinterest

TikTok: @Her.Best.Interest

Facebook: @HerBestInterest