Episodes
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One sunny afternoon on a leisurely stroll home from the gym Callan had an idea- Smash? Or Pass? It stuck with her and this episode was born.
Get to know Callan and Rachel as they discuss their favourite genres, tropes, characters, and bookish things- and play along!
Tangents include how scared we are of space, One Bed is never as exciting as we want it to be, and how Rachel just doesn't get the whole wings thing.
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We are nothing if not Emily Henry girlies.
Join Callan and Rachel as they discuss their favourite romance author's newest romance, the future of rom com movies, our love for Miles Nowak, and how weird it is to want a milkshake two minutes after you told your friend to try on her wedding dress??
Follow us on Instagram @paperbackbesties and let us know your thoughts!
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Missing episodes?
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Callan and Rachel have finished The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo! ...and have lots of unanswered questions. Join along as they realise this beautifully written historical fantasy is probably not the best book for them, and look ahead to reading fantasy with less trials and politics.
Rachel's Rating: 3 Stars
Callan's Rating: 3.5 Stars
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Callan and Rachel are BACK. Join them as they discuss the first half of The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo! As big fans of Leigh, they are so excited to dive into this new standalone that came out in April. Or at least, they try to.
Come along as these two besties who haven't seen each other in three weeks discuss their latest buddy read, life, travel, and the Spanish Inquisition, with, as always, a healthy smattering of Ninth House tangents.
Follow @paperbackbesties on Instagram and TikTok and let us know your thoughts!
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Join Callan and Rachel as they try to remember what they read in school, discuss old and modern classics, and relive some quality high school trauma.
What is the difference between Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights? Did Callan read any of her required reading? Why was their high school curriculum so strange?
Grab your SparkNotes and No Fear Shakespeare- we dove deep into our cringy Facebook history for this one.
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Join Callan and Rachel as they discuss the upcoming season of Bridgerton (Netflix)! Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn is Colin and Penelope's book and the 4th book in the series. Is Colin going to be this much of butthead in the show? Who is this new suitor they are teasing? Tune in to hear their thoughts and excitement for the upcoming season!
Rachel's Rating: 4 Stars
Callan's Rating: 4 Stars
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Callan and Rachel are still in their Bridgerton era and diving into Benedict's book - An Offer from a Gentleman by Julia Quinn! Listen in as they discuss their favorite parts of the book and theories on the future of the Netflix Bridgerton series.
Rachel's Rating: 5 Stars
Callan's Rating: 5 Stars
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CALLAN AND RACHEL ARE IN THEIR BRIDGERTON ERA. Grab your tea set, needlework and gowns besties! Cover up those ankles and be sure to have a chaperone while out with the ton! We are heading to Regency era England with our favorite family created by Julia... and starting with the Viscount Who Loved Me because we can!
We are so ready for Season 3 of Bridgerton to release on Netflix and are counting down the days until then!
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Join Callan and Rachel as they wrap up the Shepard King Duology with their final discussion about Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig. Were ANY of their theories correct? (spoiler alert: hard no) But did they love it? (spoiler alert: hard yes.)
Rachel's Rating: 5 Stars
Callan's Rating: 5 Stars
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Join Callan and Rachel as they read the first half of Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig! This is the sequel and final installment in the One Dark Window duology. So much is happening thus far, so tune in for their thoughts and theories on how this series will be wrapped up! Also, there may or may not be Fourth Wing and Ninth House tangents ;)
Follow us on Instagram @paperback.besties and let us know your thoughts!
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Join Rachel and Callan as they finish up One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig! Were their theories from Part 1 correct? How did they react to that rollercoaster ride of an ending? Will they read the sequel?
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Join Callan and Rachel as they dive into One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig! They find out how important buddy reads are in this episode, discuss theories, and still are struggling to get over their Powerless PTSD. Listen along out and hear why they go from feeling so-so about this book in the beginning, to really excited about it by the end!
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Let's play some book games, besties! Join Callan and Rachel for their first ever VIDEO PODCAST. In this episode they challenge each other in Guess Who (Book version and Harry Potter Character version) and in a Blind Date with a Book!
(Book List: Harry Potter; Twilight; Kingdom of the Wicked; Powerless; Invisible Life of Addie LaRue; Starling House; Fourth Wing; Darker Shade Series; Beach Read; Book Lovers; Ice Breaker; ACOTAR; Fable; Deadly Education; Ninth House; Serpent and Dove; Crescent City; Divine Rivals; Ten Thousand Doors of January)
(HP Character List: Harry; Ron; Hermione; Hagrid; Dumbledore; Voldemort; Bellatrix; Snape; Sirius Black; Remus Lupin; Draco; Luna; Neville; Trelawney; McGonagall; Lucius Malfoy; Cedric; That kid Nigel who’s only in the movies and is supposed to be Dennis Creevey; Ginny; Narcissa Malfoy; Umbridge; Percy; Oliver Wood)
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Rachel and Callan have FINALLY completed the Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyer. Re-reading this teen sensation while in their 30s was not as fun as they thought it would be, and they are happy to be done with it. Join them as they break down the second half of Breaking Dawn - Bella is finally a vampire! And a mom! The Cullen siblings barely ever interact with each other... in fact, Jasper and Rosalie never speak! Does the entire series just boil down to one conversation? Is it possible to have a happily ever after if you are immortal? Find out with the Paperback Besties!
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Just like the movies, Rachel and Callan have split Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer into two different parts. Join them for the second to last episode featuring the Twilight Saga, which they never plan on reading again!
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Join Callan and Rachel in their longest episode yet... as they become slightly more unhinged the longer it goes on! They may have went into this journey thinking it was going to be light and fun, but they are finding that rereading the Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyer as two women in their 30s is making them question everything they thought they knew at 17.
(Just kidding, we're actually having a ton of fun with this. Please join us as we get irrationally annoyed at a fictional character for over a hour and a half)
In Eclipse, Bella tries to figure out if she's Team Edward or Team Jacob, complains about marriage the entire time, and makes zero decisions.
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In this episode Callan and Rachel discuss New Moon by Stephanie Meyer, the second installment in the Twilight Saga! It's been 15 years since they read this book, and they barely remember the movie at all... so take a walk down memory lane and read this for essentially the first time! Is Charlie father of the year? Does Jessica have every right to be mad at Bella? We we all this insufferable at 18?
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Hey besties! Grab your Hot Topic merchandise, your flip phones and Muse CDs... because we're taking a trip back to our adolescent years! In this episode, Callan and Rachel are discussing Twilight by Stephanie Meyer. It's been 15 years since they've read this book, so tune in and reminisce the beloved young adult vampire series with them. Are Bella and Edward actually in love? In Bella's mom the issue? And stop picking on Jessica!
The next three episodes will be New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn.
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Spoilers Ahead!
Rachel and Callan have finished Powerless by Lauren Roberts. In this episode they confirm that this book is just not for them. If you loved this book and are not into critiques or different opinions, this episode is not for you.
Rachel's Rating: 2 Stars
Callan's Rating: 2 Stars
Find us on Instagram @paperbackbesties and TikTok @paperback.besties
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Callan and Rachel discuss one of their most anticipated reads of 2024! Today's episode is Powerless by Lauren Roberts. It's been all over BookTok and Bookstagram, and came highly recommended... but in this episode they find out that this might not be the book for them.
Find us on Instagram @paperbackbesties and TikTok @paperback.besties
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