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-libraries

https://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/hR2v2ae

Resources 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.