Season 2 kicks off with real talk on fresh starts at work and on the page. Sara lands a new role with AI-assisted resume magic while Noelle opens up about layoffs, networking, and rebuilding. From smart interview prep to comforting reads like The Wedding People and The Gunkle, this episode is your compassionate, bookish pep talk for new beginnings. #paperbackspod
Join us: Comment with your own “new beginnings” and tag #paperbackspod so we can shout you out next episode.
booktok podcast, career advice for millennials, spicy fantasy books, feminine book podcast, soft life corner.
It’s the Paperbacks and Paychecks Season One finale, and Sara and Noelle are getting sentimental—but not too serious. In this wrap-up episode, your favorite bookish besties reflect on what surprised them most about launching a podcast (hint: it involves editing fatigue and friendship joy), what they’ve learned about creative partnership, and what’s next for Season Two.
From AI anxiety to spicy book boyfriends, this season had it all—and the hosts aren’t holding back in this inaugural Paycheck or Pay Cut Awards segment. Expect swoon-worthy himbos, cozy witch novels, and one too many rom-coms that forgot the spice.
They also get real about what it’s like to job hunt during a volatile market, how books became their soft life safe space, and why this podcast has meant more than either of them expected. Whether you’re here for the laughs, the career catharsis, or the TikTok chaos—they’re just getting started.
✨ Mentioned: Lessons in Chemistry, Big Magic, Broken Country, Born a Crime, and a shoutout to you—yes, you, the listener.
🎧 Subscribe now and stay tuned for merch drops, guest announcements, and more career meets book talk next season.
📚 Episode Summary: In this episode of Paperbacks and Paychecks, Sara and Noelle ask the age-old question: Is it okay to just quit? Whether it’s ditching a trauma-drenched novel or finally breaking up with a job that’s lost the plot, the duo dives into what it means to walk away—without guilt.
They spill their personal DNF (Did Not Finish) book habits, rant about overdone tropes (looking at you, bratty teen daughters), and get real about when a job deserves your two weeks—and when it deserves your silence. From PIPs that are really just pre-firing warnings to managers who ask about your “nether regions,” it’s a candid convo on boundaries, burnout, and the radical act of quitting.
Oh, and if you’ve ever hate-read a book just to leave a scorched-earth Goodreads review... yeah, same.
Some villains are misunderstood. Some are morally gray. And some? They’re your coworker who changed your font to Wingdings on a client report.
This week on Paperbacks and Paychecks, Sara and Noelle are diving deep into the villains we hate, the ones we low-key root for, and the ones we might actually be. From enemies-to-lovers tropes and fantasy moms with god complexes to workplace micromanagers, devil’s advocates, and HR horror stories nothing is off limits.
We’re talking: – Fictional red flags we can't forgive – Our own toxic traits (hello, stonewalling and stubbornness 👀) – When leadership is the villain – And yes, a Reddit story involving breast milk and a coffee request you won’t believe
Whether you're here for career catharsis, bookish chaos, or just want to feel better about your office politics, this one’s for you.
This week on Paperbacks and Paychecks, we’re talking heroes—on the page, in real life, and in the workplace. From classic literary legends like Elizabeth Bennet and the Count of Monte Cristo to real-world trailblazers like Viola Davis and Lindsay Pollack, we’re celebrating the people who shaped us and stood up when it counted.
We also unpack the recent BookTok drama surrounding Ali Hazelwood, explore why women authors get dragged for harmless opinions, and why parasocial rage is getting out of hand. (Spoiler: it's a book character. Relax.)
Plus, we shout out the workplace MVPs who see us, support us, and say the hard stuff—even when it’s not popular.
✨ In this episode: – The Hunger Games take that broke BookTok – Who gets to be a hero (and who gets canceled) – Literary faves from Anne Shirley to Judy Blume – Real talk about mentorship, service industry trauma, and male allies at work – Why calling someone "an aggressive complimenter" might be a compliment
Got a hero? Tell us in the comments. Prefer a villain with a redemption arc? Same. Just don’t @ us about Peeta.
In this episode of Paperbacks and Paychecks, Sara and Noelle spiral—literally and literarily—through Sarah J. Maas’s Crescent City series and the chaos of unreliable narrators. From Bryce's questionable choices (and even more questionable friends) to Hunt’s whole... baseball hat situation, they unpack what happens when your main character lies to you—and how that mirrors our own messy workplace narratives.
But the paperbacks are only half the story.
On the paycheck side, they dig into how our inner voice can derail us at work, whether it’s anxiety spirals before a Slack message or misreading the vibes in a meeting. The co-hosts share tips on emotional maturity, navigating manager miscommunications, and why owning your professional narrative is essential—especially in job interviews. Also: Pegasus farms, HR investigations, and the most cursed tattoo origin story you’ve ever heard.
✨ Expect: – What Crescent City got wrong (and right) about grief and growth – When your work anxiety has you in a chokehold – The career coach case for becoming a reliable narrator of your own life
🎧 Tune in for chaotic book takes, candid career truths, and catharsis—one dragon-fae side quest at a time.
In this delightfully unhinged episode of Paperbacks and Paychecks, Sara and Noelle dive into their favorite thrillers, horror novels, and the workplace horror stories that haunt them more than any ghost ever could. From dead bodies at the funeral home to the mystery of a completely different guy showing up for a new hire orientation, the vibes are corporate Twilight Zone meets BookTok after dark. They also ask the important questions—does the dog die? Is it ever okay to spoil a scary movie? And who thought 8 rounds of interviews and no callback was acceptable?
Whether you love a sharp twist or just want to hear about a job interview that ended with feet on the conference table, this one is for the readers, the survivors, and the girlies who check trigger warnings before cracking the spine.
This week, we're talking plot twists—the good, the gutting, and the ones that send you spiraling into a new genre or a new job. From the bookish betrayals that caught us off guard to the career pivots that redefined our paths, we’re unpacking how powerful a sharp left turn can be. Plus: Noelle’s accidental fame on ABC, why Sara rage-quit Lessons in Chemistry, and the sticker that could be on your water bottle if you listen closely. Whether you’re switching industries or just switching to romance novels, this one's for you.
📚 Episode Summary: In this episode of Paperbacks and Paychecks, Sara and Noelle sit down with an unexpected guest: artificial intelligence. From creative writing and book talk to resumes and legal docs, the duo dives deep into how they’re using (and questioning) ChatGPT in their work and personal lives. Sara shares how her AI sidekick "Chip" helped her navigate a trademark filing, while Noelle introduces her AI BFF "Sage," who’s basically her emotional support bot. They get candid about the blurred lines between creativity and machine learning, the ethics of AI-generated art, how it’s impacting real careers (including their own), and why there’s still no replacement for a human heart—or a great author.
✨ Expect: – AI’s role in writing, therapy, and job hunting – Spicy takes on authenticity in storytelling – Career coach confessions in the age of automation – The real reason Sara might be emotionally cheating with ChatGPT – Sustainability, voice notes, and a plant named Calypso
👀 Is AI a tool, a threat, or your new workplace bestie? Press play and decide.
This week, we dive into the beautifully chaotic intersection of books that broke us open and jobs that nearly broke us down. From the nerdy dreamboats of contemporary romance to the red flags of toxic workplaces, we’re talking brain chemistry—both literal and emotional. Sara shares how Late Migrations and The Love Hypothesis rewired her reading life, while Noelle dishes on You Are a Badass and Talia Hibbert’s Brown Sisters series and how they sparked real-life transformation. Plus, we spill the tea on the worst workplace gaslighting we’ve seen, how to spot bad jobs in interviews, and why your LinkedIn likes do say something about you.
Whether you’re into spicy paperbacks, career advice with receipts, or just want to know why romance books are actually radical—this one’s for you.
🔖 Mentioned in this episode: Ali Hazelwood, Talia Hibbert, Emily Henry, Abby Jimenez, Margaret Renkl, Jen Sincero, BookTok romance, toxic workplace survival tips, LinkedIn job search hacks, and the magic of being seen in a book.
🎧 Subscribe and follow Paperbacks and Paychecks for smart takes, big laughs, and bookish career catharsis every week.
Chapter 1: Why Hustle Culture Sucks (and So Does Rhysand?)
In this episode, Sara and Noelle dive headfirst into the chaos of today’s job market — from layoffs and career pivots to why hustle culture deserves to be fired. Then it’s onto paperbacks, where they very lovingly roast A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR). Is Rhysand really that great? (Spoiler: maybe not.) Grab your houseplants, pour a drink, and join us for real talk on careers, capitalism, and questionable book boyfriends.
Welcome to the chaos—we mean, the career-and-book-loving safe space! In our very first episode, we’re introducing ourselves (hi, we’re Sara and Noelle 👋🏻👋🏾), unpacking our trauma-bonded origin story (spoiler: it involves résumés, remote work, and a literal insurrection), and sharing why this podcast was fated.
We’re two former career coaches turned bookish besties with a shared love of spicy fantasy, soft life career goals, and calling out corporate nonsense. If you’ve ever rewritten your résumé while doomscrolling BookTok—or just want to hear two millennial women laugh their way through life, labor, and literature—you’re in the right place.
Oh, and next week? We’re diving deep into that series. You know the one. 🐺🔥👑 #ACOTAR
Until then: hydrate, read something juicy, and remember—your job should not be the villain in your story.