Paperback Confessions

Dirty Skittles and G-Rex and Nacho
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Paperback Confessions is your spicy, unfiltered escape into romance, fantasy, smut, book boyfriends, morally gray characters, chaotic theories, and the books that make us blush, spiral, swoon, and scream into the group chat. Think book club with your smartest messy friend, equal parts deep analysis, emotional damage, hot takes, and “I know he’s a red flag, but hear me out.”Each episode dives into the world, characters, themes, romance, spice, unpopular opinions, and the final verdict of the book being reviewed. In Deep Dive, we break down the world-building, magic systems, politics, character dynamics, foreshadowing, theories, and emotional wreckage. In Just the Tip, we get into the chemistry, tension, spice, slow burns, favorite scenes, and the moments that had us clutching our pearls or throwing the book across the room. In Listen Linda, we unleash the hot takes, defend villains, call out plot holes, and say the things polite book clubs only whisper. Then we wrap with the Final Verdi...

Episodes

  1. 6d ago

    A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, The Huntress Stabs Tamlin, Dies, and Comes Back Fae, Pt 4

    Spoiler Warning Heads up, confessors: this is a SPOILER-HEAVY episode. We’re wrapping up our deep dive into A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, and Feyre’s final challenge, Under the Mountain, somehow involves murder, resurrection, seven High Fae, one very suspicious Rhysand moment, and Tamlin finally locating his balls approximately seven seconds too late. If you haven’t read A Court of Thorns and Roses, turn back now because we are absolutely not holding shit back.   The Book Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series: Book 1 of the A Court of Thorns and Roses series Author: Sarah J. Maas Spice / Heat: Mostly tension, vanilla romance, and an entire podcast panel demanding significantly more payoff Tropes: Deadly trials, sacrifice, resurrection, magical bargains, morally gray fae, mysterious bonds, trauma connections, transformation, forbidden attraction, and one human woman continuing to do everyone else’s damn job   The Confession Welcome back to the feral little sister of Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads. We have officially reached the final chapter of our A Court of Thorns and Roses deep dive, and Feyre’s third challenge is exactly as horrifying as promised. Three hooded figures. Three lives. And underneath the final hood? Tamlin. Feyre has to decide whether she can kill the man she came Under the Mountain to save. But she remembers something important: Tamlin’s heart is made of stone. So she stabs him. And it works. Unfortunately, Amaretto has one last loophole up her evil little sleeve and decides that while Feyre technically fulfilled the bargain, she never promised when everyone would be released. Then she proceeds to absolutely destroy Feyre. And while Tamlin is apparently still tying his f*****g shoes, Rhysand is the one repeatedly throwing himself at Amaretto, trying to protect Feyre, even though he knows he cannot win. Feyre dies. Tamlin finally gets up, kills Amaretto, and the seven High Fae give Feyre pieces of themselves to bring her back. Except she doesn’t come back human. Feyre is now High Fae. And just when we think Sarah J. Maas might let everybody go home and process the approximately 47 years of therapy they now require, Feyre follows a mysterious tug to Rhysand. They say goodbye. He looks at her. Something shocks the absolute shit out of him. And then he disappears. Excuse us?   Just the Tip This week, Just the Tip has very little to do with actual spice because apparently Sarah J. Maas has decided we must earn that later. Instead, we’re talking about survival, identity, trauma, and what happens when someone goes through something so massive that they cannot possibly return to the person they were before it happened. Feyre entered the human world. She leaves the High Fae. But the physical transformation is only part of it. She survived psychological torture, made impossible choices, killed to save others, died, and came back carrying pieces of seven powerful beings inside her. The question going forward isn’t whether Feyre has changed. It’s whether the relationships and life she fought so hard to return to still fit the person she has become.   What We Get Into Feyre facing the horrifying third and final trial Tamlin being revealed underneath the final hood Feyre remembering his heart of stone Amaretto finding one final loophole in the bargain Rhysand repeatedly trying to protect Feyre Tamlin finally killing Amaretto Feyre dying and being resurrected as High Fae The seven High Fae giving Feyre pieces of their power Feyre following that mysterious tug back to Rhysand Rhysand’s massive unexplained “oh shit” moment G-Rex predicting trouble ahead for Feyre and Tamlin The official ACOTAR Red Flag Report Our final spice ratings and book reviews   Favorite Chaos Moments G-Rex: “I’m a fae, but you know, I’m not dead.” G-Rex: “Rhysand, he is 12 out of 10 flags because he’s a walking HR violation and, like, suspiciously compelling.” Dirty Skittles: “He was tying his shoes or whatever the f**k he was doing.” Dirty Skittles: “It’s just sweet vanilla lovemaking with a narcissistic liar. F**k Tamlin.” Nacho: “You are teasing, Skittles. You are teasing and you need to stop. We do not edge Gretchen.” Nacho: “I’m not even putting a rating on this one because as far as I’m concerned, there’s no rating to be put on this.”   Our First Impressions G-Rex finishes A Court of Thorns and Roses with 4 out of 5 stars. The beginning dragged for her, but once Feyre went Under the Mountain, she was locked in. Watching Feyre’s intelligence and survival instincts take over completely changed her experience of the book. She also connects deeply with Feyre’s butch-leaning provider energy while simultaneously watching the story through the eyes of an older lesbian and mental health advocate—which means she spent a significant portion of this book wondering why a traumatized 19-year-old was sacrificing herself while several extremely powerful, emotionally constipated fae men made questionable decisions around her. Dirty Skittles finishes the book deeply invested in where Feyre’s story is going, increasingly suspicious of everything happening between Feyre and Rhysand, and completely over Tamlin’s inability to communicate or act when it matters most. Nacho refuses to give the spice a respectable rating because, in their world, reciprocal payoff matters. They are, however, completely here for Feyre’s evolution and extremely entertained by watching G-Rex unknowingly make predictions about what might happen next. And then there’s the official G-Rex Red Flag Report: Tamlin: 7/10 red flags — protective, secretive, controlling, and increasingly irritating Rhysand: 12/10 red flags — walking HR violation and suspiciously compelling Lucien: 4/10 red flags — mostly sarcasm, trauma, and questionable friendship choices Feyre: 6/10 red flags — will absolutely run directly toward danger after being specifically told not to Basically, everyone needs therapy.   Subscribe, Rate & Review Subscribe so you never miss an episode of Paperback Confessions, and rate and review us wherever you listen. Every review helps more confessors find our messy little book club. Visit www.paperbackconfessions.com for episodes, bookish chaos, morally questionable fictional people, and everything else we probably should not be saying into microphones.   Coming Up Next We survived A Court of Thorns and Roses. Barely. But Feyre is no longer human, Tamlin is still sitting comfortably atop G-Rex’s red-flag leaderboard, Rhysand just had one hell of a mysterious reaction to Feyre, and there is still that tiny little matter of one week every month in the Night Court. Next up, we’re diving into A Court of Mist and Fury. G-Rex thinks Feyre and Tamlin’s relationship is about to get worse. She thinks Feyre and Rhysand have more in common than either of them realizes. And somehow, despite having no idea what is actually coming, she has already called Rhysand “suspiciously compelling.” This should go well. The huntress survived Under the Mountain. Now we get to find out who the hell she becomes afterward.   #PaperbackConfessions #ACOTAR #ACourtOfThornsAndRoses #SarahJMaas #FeyreArcheron #Tamlin #Rhysand #Lucien #Amarantha #UnderTheMountain #NightCourt #HighFae #FaeRomance #FantasyRomance #Romantasy #SpicyBooks #BookTok #Bookstagram #BookPodcast #RomancePodcast #MorallyGray   Where to Find Us Website: https://www.paperbackconfessions.com Instagram: @paperback_confessions Paperback Confessions is the feral sister podcast to the award-winning Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads, where we normalize conversations about mental health through honest stories, laughter, and real connection. Discover more at: https://goesoninourheads.net

  2. Aug 19

    A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, The Huntress Goes Full G.I. Jane and Makes a Dangerous Bargain, Pt 3

    Spoiler Warning Heads up, confessors: this is a SPOILER-HEAVY episode. We’re going Under the Mountain for Part 3 of our deep dive into A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, and the slow burn has officially been replaced by deadly trials, psychological torture, fairy wine, dangerous bargains, and Feyre going full G.I. Jane. If you haven’t read A Court of Thorns and Roses, turn back now because we are absolutely not holding shit back.   The Book Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series: Book 1 of the A Court of Thorns and Roses series Author: Sarah J. Maas Spice / Heat: More tension than payoff, with fairy wine, body paint, questionable touching, and one very charged Tamlin encounter Tropes: Deadly trials, morally gray fae, forced bargains, forbidden attraction, survival games, secret assistance, psychological torture, and one human woman doing everyone else’s damn job   The Confession Welcome back to the feral little sister of Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads. Feyre heads Under the Mountain after Alis gives her some very simple advice: don’t drink the fairy wine, don’t make deals unless your life depends on it, and don’t trust anyone. Naturally, Feyre eventually breaks most of those rules. She finally meets Amarantha, forever known here as Amaretto, learns just how bad things really are, and discovers that saving Tamlin means surviving three deadly trials or solving a riddle she absolutely cannot figure out. The first trial finally gives us the Feyre we’ve been waiting for. She stops trying to overpower the threat, starts thinking like the huntress she is, and uses her environment to survive a giant murderous worm. Then Rhysand enters the equation in a much bigger way. When Feyre is badly injured and facing death, he offers to heal her in exchange for one week every month in the Night Court. She makes the bargain. And suddenly this whole story starts feeling very different.   Just the Tip This week, Just the Tip is less about spice and more about survival. Feyre’s trials show how resilience can look messy, uncomfortable, and deeply personal. The first forces her to adapt physically, while the second targets the thing she is most ashamed of: her inability to read. That second trial hits hard because Amarantha isn’t attacking Feyre’s body, she is attacking her sense of worth. And Feyre keeps going anyway.   What We Get Into Alis finally revealing the truth about the curse Feyre going Under the Mountain Meeting Amaretto and learning Clare Beddor’s fate The first trial and Feyre going full huntress mode Lucien risking himself to help her Rhysand’s bargain and the Night Court tattoo The second trial weaponizing Feyre’s inability to read Tamlin continuing to do almost nothing Fairy wine, body paint, and Rhysand’s questionable motives The psychological setup for the final challenge   Favorite Chaos Moments G-Rex: “It was a f****d-up, R-rated Disney movie.” G-Rex: “She was a tiny gnome butch. Kind of like me. I’m more of a flutch though.” Dirty Skittles: “Beauty and the Beast if the Beast, Tamlin, was Gaston.” Dirty Skittles: “As it turns out, she rubs shit all over herself.” Nacho: “So what, Lucien’s Lumière?” Nacho: “Where the f**k were you, beefcake? Get the f**k outta my face. I was dying.”   Our First Impressions G-Rex is fully Team Feyre at this point. This is the version of her she has been waiting for, strategic, stubborn, resourceful, and willing to adapt when brute strength is not enough. Dirty Skittles loves seeing Feyre reclaim the huntress she was at the beginning of the book, but her opinion of Tamlin keeps getting worse. Nacho is finally getting the payoff they wanted after a very long setup and is paying close attention to every bit of Rhysand foreshadowing. We all agree on one thing: Feyre may have gone Under the Mountain to save Tamlin, but the woman surviving these trials is becoming someone very different.   Subscribe, Rate & Review Subscribe so you never miss an episode of Paperback Confessions, and rate and review us wherever you listen. Every review helps more confessors find our messy little book club. Visit www.paperbackconfessions.com for episodes, bookish chaos, morally questionable fictional people, and everything else we probably should not be saying into microphones.   Coming Up Next The final challenge is here, and Amaretto is done testing Feyre’s strength. Now she’s testing her humanity. Three hooded figures. Three lives. And when the final hood comes off, Feyre has to decide what she is truly willing to sacrifice. This episode proves one thing: the huntress is officially back.   #PaperbackConfessions #ACOTAR #ACourtOfThornsAndRoses #SarahJMaas #FeyreArcheron #Tamlin #Rhysand #Lucien #Amarantha #UnderTheMountain #NightCourt #FaeRomance #FantasyRomance #Romantasy #SpicyBooks #BookTok #Bookstagram #BookPodcast #RomancePodcast #MorallyGray Where to Find Us Website: https://www.paperbackconfessions.com Instagram: @paperback_confessions Paperback Confessions is the feral sister podcast to the award-winning Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads, where we normalize conversations about mental health through honest stories, laughter, and real connection. Discover more at: https://goesoninourheads.net

  3. Aug 12

    A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, The Butch Huntress Gets Bit, Bewitched, and Betrayed, Pt 2

    Spoiler Warning Heads up, confessors: this is a SPOILER-HEAVY episode. We're back in Prythian for Part 2 of our deep dive into A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, and we're getting into the Spring Court, Calanmai, a very memorable neck bite, and the moment G-Rex officially declared "f**k Tamlin" too. If you haven't read A Court of Thorns and Roses, go finish crossing that wall before you press play, because we are not holding back.   The Book Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series: Book 1 of the A Court of Thorns and Roses series Author: Sarah J. Maas Spice / Heat: Slow burn that finally catches fire — Calanmai, a possessive neck bite, and one very vanilla "I love you" that goes unanswered Tropes: Beauty and the Beast retelling, captor turned "protector," morally gray high lord, forbidden fire festival, the other man appears, glamoured secrets, love confessions nobody's ready for, and a heart of stone trying (and failing) to love somebody   The Confession Welcome back to the feral little sister of Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads. In Part 2, Feyre starts settling into Tamlin's estate — if you can call being glamoured, kept behind gates, and lied to about who else lives there "settling in." We meet Lucien (RIP to a real one; he catches every stray in this book), fall down the Tamlin-and-Lucien-are-definitely-a-couple rabbit hole, and unpack the fire festival Calanmai, where Feyre disobeys a very clear warning, meets a devastatingly hot stranger named Rhysand, and ends the night with Tamlin's teeth in her neck. We also dig into Tamlin's tragic backstory, Lucien's tragic backstory, Feyre's suriel-delivered prophecy to "stay with the High Lord," and the introduction of Amarantha — sorry, Amaretto — the reason this whole curse exists in the first place. By the end, Tamlin sends Feyre home for her own "safety," she finds out her family's been living off his money the whole time, and Nesta — never glamoured, never fooled — cracks something open in Feyre that sends her right back across the wall. Tamlin is officially past probation. He is in handcuffs. Keywords: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, ACOTAR, ACOTAR spoilers, Feyre Archeron, Tamlin, Rhysand, Lucien, Nesta Archeron, Prythian, Spring Court, Calanmai, fantasy romance podcast, fae romance, romantasy, Beauty and the Beast retelling, spicy book podcast, BookTok fantasy, Paperback Confessions   The Pour This one basically pairs itself: an amaretto sour, because we cannot say Amarantha's name correctly and we're not going to start now. G-Rex is bringing the amaretto, Nacho's supplying the felt for the Amaretto doll craft project we did not plan to start mid-episode. For a Calanmai-coded cocktail, go with something fire-toned — a spiced rum and blood orange situation with a cinnamon-stick garnish. Nonalcoholic confessors can stick with a spiced cider or a virgin amaretto sour (yes, that's a thing, look it up).   Just the Tip In Just the Tip, we get into whether Tamlin ever actually loved Feyre, or just loved what she could do for him. Dirty Skittles' theory: he has a heart of stone and was never capable of loving her — just the idea of her, and the curse she could break. Nacho pushes back a little, arguing Tamlin isn't intentionally controlling at first — he's doing what he thinks protection looks like, and it curdles the more Feyre pushes back. G-Rex lands somewhere in the middle: fighter, not a lover, kind of a narcissist, but she gets why some readers — depending on how they were raised — might actually vibe with the "provider" thing he's selling. On our Halos to Handcuffs scale, Tamlin is fully in handcuffs now. He glamours her, hides an entire population of people from her, locks her in during Calanmai "for her safety," and then sends her away the second she becomes inconvenient. He also tells her he loves her while actively trying to get rid of her. Sir. Ma'am. Whoever you are. This is not it.   What We Get Into Lucien, the mask, and the curse Tamlin can't explain The great "are Tamlin and Lucien secretly together" theory Alis, the actual MVP of the Spring Court Fairies "can't lie" — a claim we do not trust The generational debate on whether Tamlin's whole vibe is romantic or a red flag Calanmai, the fire festival nobody explained properly Meeting Rhysand: "There you are. I've been looking for you." The neck bite heard 'round Prythian Lucien's Autumn Court backstory and his tragic scar Tamlin's brutal family and his "trying not to be like them" arc The suriel prophecy: stay with the High Lord The first (very vanilla) sex scene and the audiobook narrator's "Sarah, Sarah" problem The heads on spikes and the reveal that Rhysand put them there Rhysand crashing dinner, glamour or no glamour Introducing Amarantha, forever known as Amaretto Tamlin sending Feyre home "for her safety" (sure, Jan) Feyre coming home to a family living off Tamlin's money Nesta was never glamoured — and she went looking for Feyre The conversation with Nesta that finally cracks Feyre open   Favorite Chaos Moments Nacho: "I have enough felt to get this done." Dirty Skittles: "That is my favorite line I've ever heard you say." G-Rex: "Can we give him a bottle of amaretto dressed up like Emma— Amarantha?" Nacho: "May she be ever known, forever known as Amaretto." Dirty Skittles: "F**k this guy anyways." (on Tamlin, repeatedly, and we mean it every time) Dirty Skittles: "He's like, f**k that guy, I got money now." G-Rex: "I got money around. I'm gonna go f*****g spend it like it's the last thing on earth. I don't f*****g care." Nacho: "We're so rich, we know we have three times what we had before." Nacho: "That would've sucked. Thank you, Sarah J. Maas." Dirty Skittles: "This is the part where I got hooked into the book — when I realized she's going back. That's when it got good."   Our First Impressions G-Rex sees Tamlin exactly for what he is — a fighter, not a lover, and more than a little narcissistic — while admitting that if she'd been raised differently, the "let me provide for you and lock the gate behind you" energy might have landed differently. It doesn't for her. Dirty Skittles came in hating Tamlin and leaves hating him more, convinced he's never once thought about what Feyre needs, only what he needs from her. Lucien, on the other hand, gets nothing but love — loyal to a fault, catching strays for a friend who doesn't deserve him. Nacho holds a little more grace for early-Tamlin, arguing he's not trying to be controlling on purpose — he just doesn't know how to stop once Feyre stops fitting the shape he needs her to be. That grace runs out fast once Calanmai happens. We agree on this much: Tamlin sent her away not to protect her, but to protect himself and the fantasy he built her into. And Nesta — messy, guarded, never glamoured Nesta — might be the one who actually gets through to Feyre.   Subscribe, Rate & Review Subscribe so you never miss an episode of Paperback Confessions, and rate and review us wherever you listen. Every review helps more confessors discover our messy little book club. Visit www.paperbackconfessions.com for episodes, bookish chaos, questionable fictional men, and everything else we probably should not be saying into microphones.   Coming Up Next In Part 3, Feyre goes back across the wall — and straight Under the Mountain. We're getting into Amarantha's trials, Rhysand's real game, the true cost of loving someone with a heart of stone, and whether Feyre saves Tamlin or finally starts saving herself. The masks are coming off. The curse is running out of time. And we are just getting started. Yes, bitch. #PaperbackConfessions #ACOTAR #ACourtOfThornsAndRoses #SarahJMaas #FeyreArcheron #Tamlin #Rhysand #Lucien #NestaArcheron #ElainArcheron #Prythian #SpringCourt #Calanmai #FaeRomance #FantasyRomance #Romantasy #BeautyAndTheBeast #SpicyBooks #BookTok #Bookstagram #FantasyBooks #BookPodcast #RomancePodcast #FuckTamlin #HeartOfStone #Amaretto   Where to Find Us Website: https://www.paperbackconfessions.com Instagram: @paperback_confessions Paperback Confessions is the feral sister podcast to the award-winning Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads, where we normalize conversations about mental health through honest stories, laughter, and real connection. Discover more at: https://goesoninourheads.net

  4. Aug 5

    A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, The Butch Huntress Gets Fae-Napped, Pt 1

    Spoiler Warning Heads up, confessors: this is a SPOILER-HEAVY episode. We are beginning our three-part deep dive into A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, and we are discussing everything—including Feyre’s dysfunctional family, Tamlin’s suspicious version of the treaty, and G-Rex’s painfully slow journey to Chapter 35. If you have not read A Court of Thorns and Roses, save this episode and come back after you have crossed the wall and developed at least one emotionally complicated opinion about a fictional faerie.   The Book Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series: Book 1 of the A Court of Thorns and Roses series Author: Sarah J. Maas Spice / Heat: A very slow burn with plenty of world-building and very little relief for an impatient G-Rex Tropes: Beauty and the Beast retelling, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, magical bargain, cursed High Lord, human and fae romance, family obligation, and suspiciously attractive captors   The Confession Welcome back to the feral little sister of Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads. In Part 1, we meet Feyre—a starving huntress carrying an entire family that seems perfectly comfortable letting her do all the work. After killing a suspiciously large wolf, Feyre is confronted by Tamlin and forced to choose between death or living in the faerie realm. Because apparently “come with me or die” qualifies as a choice in Prythian. We unpack Feyre’s parentification, her deeply frustrating family, Tamlin’s questionable treaty, and G-Rex’s immediate conclusion that Feyre has serious butch badass energy. Keywords: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, ACOTAR, ACOTAR spoilers, Feyre Archeron, Tamlin, Nesta Archeron, Elain Archeron, Prythian, fantasy romance podcast, fae romance, romantasy, Beauty and the Beast retelling, spicy book podcast, BookTok fantasy, Paperback Confessions   The Pour Pair this episode with a glittery Night Court cocktail made with lavender, butterfly pea tea, vodka, lemon, and tonic water. Nacho recommends a Patron margarita made by Lisa the Lesbian, while G-Rex suggests an espresso martini—because she probably should have consumed several while trying to stay awake until Chapter 35. Nonalcoholic confessors can cross the wall with lavender lemonade, sparkling water, butterfly pea flower tea, or coffee strong enough to survive several hundred pages of world-building. Just the Tip In Just the Tip, we ask whether Feyre’s removal from the human realm is imprisonment, freedom, or one deeply f****d-up combination of both. Dirty Skittles believes Tamlin may have manipulated the ancient treaty to force Feyre into his lands and help break his curse. Nacho sees Feyre’s departure as the final way she can directly protect a family that has always expected her to sacrifice herself for them. For G-Rex, leaving home may give Feyre her first opportunity to stop parenting everyone else and begin living for herself. On our Halos to Handcuffs scale, Tamlin is already drifting dangerously close to handcuffs. He threatens Feyre, glamours her family, refuses to answer her questions, knocks her unconscious, and carries her across the wall. Sir, this is not romance yet. This is a magical abduction with nice landscaping.   What We Get Into Feyre’s butch badass energy Her deeply dysfunctional family Parentification and emotional neglect The wolf, the ash arrow, and the ancient treaty Why Dirty Skittles thinks Tamlin lied Feyre choosing captivity over death Tamlin glamouring her family Literary edging until Chapter 35 Night Court cocktails and espresso martinis Our first of many “F**k Tamlin” moments   Favorite Chaos Moments G-Rex: “She’s like super butch with a little streak of feminism blended into her.” Dirty Skittles: “Butch badass.” G-Rex: “You don’t see Barbie doing that. It’s more of a G.I. Jane move.” G-Rex: “It took me six months to read this book. Six.” Dirty Skittles: “This book was one giant edge.” G-Rex: “I’m old and impatient.” Nacho: “You started it. Now you’re gonna finish it.” G-Rex: “I have my smutty parents. My smut mamas.” G-Rex: “Does Elain get any better, or is she still this f*****g garden fairy?” Dirty Skittles: “F**k Tamlin. I’m sorry, I just had to get that out of the way.” Nacho: “Let’s take away more choice.”   Our First Impressions G-Rex sees Feyre as a butch lesbian survivalist trapped inside a fantasy romance. She respects Feyre’s strength but remains deeply unimpressed that the story took six months and approximately 35 chapters to get moving. Dirty Skittles appreciates the world-building but becomes suspicious of Tamlin almost immediately, especially after examining his extremely convenient interpretation of the treaty. Nacho values the character development and recognizes that Feyre’s family has become so dependent on her strength that they no longer consider what their dependence is costing her. We agree that Feyre has been parentified, emotionally neglected, and forced into a role that should never have belonged to her. We also agree that her family needs to get off its collective ass. Feyre has crossed the wall. Tamlin is already on probation. And G-Rex is still waiting for the f*****g spice.   Subscribe, Rate & Review Subscribe so you never miss an episode of Paperback Confessions, and rate and review us wherever you listen. Every review helps more confessors discover our messy little book club. Visit www.paperbackconfessions.com for episodes, bookish chaos, questionable fictional men, and everything else we probably should not be saying into microphones.   Coming Up Next In Part 2, Feyre wakes up in Prythian and begins navigating life inside Tamlin’s estate. We are getting into the Spring Court, Lucien’s attitude, Tamlin’s terrible communication skills, growing attraction, magical danger, and whether an elaborate mansion can distract us from the fact that Feyre was brought there against her will. The masks are staying on. The red flags are multiplying. And we have officially entered the fairy smut. Yes, bitch.   #PaperbackConfessions #ACOTAR #ACourtOfThornsAndRoses #SarahJMaas #FeyreArcheron #Tamlin #NestaArcheron #ElainArcheron #Prythian #SpringCourt #FaeRomance #FantasyRomance #Romantasy #BeautyAndTheBeast #SpicyBooks #BookTok #Bookstagram #FantasyBooks #BookPodcast #RomancePodcast #ButchBadass #LiteraryEdging #FuckTamlin Where to Find Us Website: https://www.paperbackconfessions.com Instagram: @paperback_confessions Paperback Confessions is the feral sister podcast to the award-winning Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads, where we normalize conversations about mental health through honest stories, laughter, and real connection. Discover more at: https://goesoninourheads.net

  5. Jul 29

    The Finish Line by Kate Stewart, The Frenchman Gets Outplayed, Pt 2

    Heads up, confessors, this is a SPOILER-HEAVY episode. We are crossing The Finish Line by Kate Stewart, the final book in the Ravenhood Trilogy, and we are discussing everything—including the secrets, the showdown, the emotional damage, and the ending. If you have not read Flock, Exodus, and The Finish Line, save this episode and come back after Kate Stewart has emotionally run you over with a French luxury vehicle.   The Book Title: The Finish Line Series: Book 3 of the Ravenhood Trilogy Author: Kate Stewart Spice / Heat: Emotional, intimate, redemption-heavy, and driven more by agency than acrobatics Tropes: Second-chance romance, redemption, trauma recovery, found family, secret society, morally gray men, protective heroine, forced proximity, and love after betrayal   The Confession Welcome back to the feral little sister of Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads. In Part 2 of The Finish Line, Tobias’s dangerous past in France finally catches up with him—but Cecilia proves she has been several steps ahead of the Frenchman the entire time. While Tobias keeps secrets and tries to control the danger alone, Cecilia investigates the threat, calls in Ravenhood resources, and builds her own plan to protect them both. We unpack Cecilia’s massive mic-drop moment, Tobias’s redemption, his surprising connection to the President, the lasting grief surrounding Dominic, and whether Tobias truly earned his way back into Cecilia’s life. Underneath the mobsters, guns, French secrets, and federal backup, this episode is about agency, accountability, vulnerability, trauma, and learning that love does not mean facing everything alone. Keywords: The Finish Line by Kate Stewart, Ravenhood Trilogy, The Finish Line spoilers, Tobias King, Cecilia Horner, Dominic King, Sean Roberts, second-chance romance, dark romance podcast, spicy book podcast, BookTok romance, morally gray romance, Paperback Confessions   The Pour Pair this episode with gin and tonic, expensive French wine, bourbon, herbal tea, or enough Smartwater to recover from whatever the hell Nacho was drinking. Bonus points for anything flavored with juniper berries—because apparently Cecilia has been walking around smelling like Tobias’s favorite addiction this entire time.   Just the Tip In Just the Tip, we ask whether Tobias genuinely earned Cecilia back—or whether Kate Stewart simply made us emotionally vulnerable enough to forgive him. Dirty Skittles believes Tobias earned his redemption by stepping completely outside his comfort zone and creating the ordinary, meaningful memories Cecilia had always wanted. Nacho loves watching Tobias become vulnerable but makes it clear that fantasy forgiveness and real-life forgiveness are two very different things. For G-Rex, the hottest part of the entire book is Cecilia refusing to give Tobias access to her without accountability. On our Halos to Handcuffs scale, this book lands closer to a halo. The romance is intimate and emotional, but the real heat comes from Cecilia claiming her agency and Tobias finally learning that love does not mean control.   What We Get Into Tobias’s dangerous past in France Antoine, Mr. Handsome, and the threat closing in Cecilia’s secret investigation and Ravenhood backup plan Tobias’s surprising connection to the President Fireflies, federal agents, and the final confrontation Tobias’s trauma, insecurity, and need for control Whether he truly earned Cecilia back Why boundaries, vulnerability, and accountability are hot Dominic’s sacrifice and lasting emotional damage The trilogy’s ending, final ratings, and closure Our next read: A Court of Thorns and Roses   Favorite Chaos Moments Nacho: “Cleaning out that plumbing. Sorry. I’m so sorry.” G-Rex: “This is why I love this.” Dirty Skittles: “For someone who’s never really been a fan of it, I was like, I’d give it a shot with Tobias.” Nacho: “I need to think with my dick. Follow my penis.” G-Rex: “No more f*****g gin for you, ever.” Dirty Skittles: “She follows the tip.” G-Rex: “You don’t get access to me without accountability.” Dirty Skittles: “This episode is sponsored by gin.”   Our Final Rating G-Rex gives The Finish Line a five out of five for emotional damage. Her final spice rating is four out of five, not because of the explicit scenes, but because Cecilia finally brings agency, strength, and accountability into the relationship. Dirty Skittles places the book closer to the halo side of the scale. It is sweet, sexy, and focused more on enduring love than lakeside threesomes. Nacho gives the spice a PG to PG-13 rating but appreciates the emotional roller coaster, Tobias’s vulnerability, and Cecilia’s refusal to remain the powerless 19-year-old she once was. We agree that Dominic sacrificed the most throughout the trilogy—his happiness, his future, his relationship, and ultimately his life. The ending gives us weddings, family, healing, and enough happiness to begin closing the emotional wounds Kate Stewart spent three books violently opening. Love wins. We are still mourning Dom. And G-Rex will not be accepting questions at this time.   Subscribe, Rate & Review Subscribe so you never miss an episode of Paperback Confessions, and rate and review us wherever you listen. Every review helps more confessors find our messy little book club. Visit www.paperbackconfessions.com for episodes, bookish chaos, questionable fictional men, and everything else we probably should not be saying into microphones.   Coming Up Next We survived the Ravenhood Trilogy, which means it is time to abandon emotionally damaged Frenchmen and make some terrible decisions with faeries. Next season, we are diving all the way into Sarah J. Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses series. Prepare yourselves for fae politics, magical trauma, shadow daddies, Tamlin-related rage, and G-Rex examining the entire series through the eyes of an older lesbian mental health advocate who is already suspicious of everyone. We are getting deep into the fairy smut. Yes, bitch. #PaperbackConfessions #TheFinishLine #KateStewart #Ravenhood #RavenhoodTrilogy #TobiasKing #CeciliaHorner #DominicKing #SeanRoberts #TheFrenchman #DarkRomance #SecondChanceRomance #SpicyBooks #BookTok #Bookstagram #RomanceBooks #BookPodcast #RomancePodcast #MorallyGrayMen #EmotionalDamage #ACOTAR   Where to Find Us Website: https://www.paperbackconfessions.com Instagram: @paperback_confessions Paperback Confessions is the feral sister podcast to the award-winning Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads, where we normalize conversations about mental health through honest stories, laughter, and real connection. Discover more at: https://goesoninourheads.net

  6. Jul 22

    The Finish Line by Kate Stewart, The Frenchman Gets Domesticated, Pt 1

    SPOILER WARNING Heads up, confessors, this is a SPOILER-HEAVY episode. We are diving into The Finish Line by Kate Stewart, the final book in the Ravenhood Trilogy. If you have not read Flock and Exodus, save this episode and come back after Kate Stewart has emotionally wrecked you, too.   The Book Title: The Finish Line Series: Book 3 of the Ravenhood Trilogy Author: Kate Stewart Spice / Heat: Slow-burning, emotional, boundary-heavy, and worth waiting 27 chapters for Tropes: Second-chance romance, enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, redemption, trauma recovery, found family, secret society, and morally gray men   The Confession Welcome back to the feral little sister of Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads. The Finish Line was too chaotic for one episode, so we are breaking the Ravenhood finale into two parts. In Part 1, Cecilia is older, stronger, and no longer willing to let Tobias control the relationship. She still loves him, but she makes it clear that wanting him does not mean surrendering herself. Tobias trades his expensive suits for Wrangler jeans, starts bussing tables at Cecilia’s diner, asks strangers for relationship advice, attempts to cook, and slowly learns how to love her without taking over her life. We also unpack Sean’s continued protection of Cecilia, Tobias and Dominic’s childhood, Cecilia’s mother secretly helping the boys, and the grief that still connects everyone to Dom. Underneath the sex and Frenchman chaos, this episode is about boundaries, accountability, PTSD, self-worth, and choosing someone without losing yourself. Keywords: The Finish Line by Kate Stewart, Ravenhood Trilogy, The Finish Line spoilers, Tobias King, Cecilia Horner, Dominic King, Sean Roberts, second-chance romance, dark romance podcast, spicy book podcast, BookTok romance, morally gray romance, Paperback Confessions   The Pour Pair this episode with expensive French wine, bourbon, or something strong enough to survive Tobias King destroying a kitchen.   Just the Tip In Just the Tip, we ask whether Cecilia and Tobias’s emotional reunion is hotter than the infamous lakeside threesome. After 27 chapters of tension, boundaries, and emotional buildup, Cecilia finally gives Tobias the green light on her terms. For G-Rex, the sex started long before Chapter 27. It started the moment Cecilia set her boundaries and made Tobias respect them. On our Halos to Handcuffs scale, the handcuffs are finally being used with communication, consent, and a little emotional maturity.   What We Get Into Cecilia becoming a grown-ass woman Tobias attempting to become domesticated Wrangler jeans versus expensive French suits Why boundaries are hot Cecilia withholding sex Sean quietly protecting Cecilia Tobias asking Sean for relationship advice Cecilia’s mother helping Tobias and Dominic as children Tobias getting drunk and destroying the kitchen The Thorn Birds emotional breakdown Waiting 27 chapters for the sex scene Why the reunion is more emotional than explicit “Don’t mistake my desire for surrender” The secrets Tobias is still keeping   Favorite Chaos Moments Dirty Skittles: “Welcome back to Paperback Confessions, bitch.” G-Rex: “The sex for me didn’t start in Chapter 27. It started when she began setting boundaries.” Nacho: “Don’t mistake my desire for surrender.” G-Rex: “We need that on a T-shirt.”   Our Rating So Far Dirty Skittles considers the Chapter 27 reunion one of the hottest scenes in the trilogy because of the emotional buildup behind it. Nacho loves seeing Cecilia establish boundaries and make Tobias prove that he deserves a place in her life. G-Rex connects deeply with Cecilia, realizing that she deserves kindness, respect, and love without sacrificing herself. So far, The Finish Line is giving us redemption, emotional maturity, devastating backstory, and domesticated Frenchman chaos. But Tobias is still keeping secrets. Of course he f*****g is.   Subscribe, Rate & Review Subscribe so you never miss an episode of Paperback Confessions, and rate and review us wherever you listen. Every review helps more confessors find our messy little book club. Visit www.paperbackconfessions.com for episodes, bookish chaos, and everything else we probably should not be saying into microphones.   Coming Up Next In Part 2, Tobias’s remaining secrets begin crawling out of the shadows. Will Cecilia’s boundaries survive another betrayal? Will Tobias finally tell the whole truth? And can this trilogy cross the finish line without emotionally running us over? Probably f*****g not.   #PaperbackConfessions #TheFinishLine #KateStewart #Ravenhood #RavenhoodTrilogy #TobiasKing #CeciliaHorner #DominicKing #SeanRoberts #TheFrenchman #DarkRomance #SecondChanceRomance #SpicyBooks #BookTok #Bookstagram #RomanceBooks #BookPodcast #RomancePodcast #MorallyGrayMen #EmotionalDamage   Where to Find Us Website: https://www.paperbackconfessions.com Instagram: @paperback_confessions Paperback Confessions is the feral sister podcast to the award-winning Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads, where we normalize conversations about mental health through honest stories, laughter, and real connection. Discover more at: https://goesoninourheads.net

  7. Jul 15

    Exodus by Kate Stewart, Soldier Up, Buttercup, Pt 2

    SPOILER WARNING Heads up, confessors, this is a SPOILER-HEAVY episode. We are finishing Exodus by Kate Stewart, Book 2 of the Ravenhood Trilogy, and nothing is safe. If you have not read Flock or Exodus, save this episode and come back after Kate Stewart has emotionally destroyed you, too.   The Book Title: Exodus Series: Book 2 of the Ravenhood Trilogy Author: Kate Stewart Spice / Heat: Angry, possessive, emotional, and occasionally in need of a safe word Tropes: Secret society, forbidden romance, possessive hero, revenge, betrayal, grief, second chances, morally gray men, and trauma recovery   The Confession Welcome back to the feral little sister of Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads. In Part 2, Cecilia is officially done with everyone’s shit. Tires are slashed, a garage is burning, bags are packed, and she is finally fighting back. Then Dominic walks through the door holding a gun, and the entire story changes. We unpack Dominic’s devastating sacrifice, Cecilia fleeing Triple Falls covered in blood, and the six years she spends trying—and failing—to move on. When she returns, Cecilia is older, stronger, wealthier, and no longer willing to quietly accept Tobias King’s secretive b******t. She forces him to face her, claims her place in the company, and begins taking back the power everyone stripped away. We also dig into Sean moving on, Tobias losing control, the truth about Dominic’s parents, Cecilia’s mother’s role in the tragedy, and Tobias building his revenge around the wrong person. Under all the sex, grief, violence, and chaos, this episode is about trauma, unfinished love, consent, power, forgiveness, and the difference between moving forward and actually healing. Keywords: Exodus by Kate Stewart, Ravenhood Trilogy, Exodus spoilers, Tobias King, Dominic King, Cecilia Horner, Sean Roberts, dark romance podcast, spicy book podcast, BookTok romance, morally gray romance, secret society romance, Paperback Confessions   The Pour Pair this episode with bourbon, whiskey, dark red wine, or something French and dangerously smooth. You may want to keep the bottle nearby because Dominic’s final scene still hurts.   Just the Tip In Just the Tip, we ask whether Exodus is truly spicy or whether the emotional trauma simply makes everything feel hotter. Cecilia and Tobias bring angry sex, possessiveness, power struggles, and chemistry that refuses to die. Tobias also brings several moments that had us questioning consent, boundaries, and why nobody in Triple Falls has heard of healthy communication. On our Halos to Handcuffs scale, the handcuffs are present—but somebody needs to find the key, establish a safe word, and call a therapist.   What We Get Into Cecilia goes full Carrie Underwood on the Ravenhood’s tires Dominic sacrifices himself to save Cecilia His heartbreaking final moments Cecilia, escaping Triple Falls, covered in blood The six-year time jump and her almost-marriage to Colin The connection between the Flock prologue and Exodus Sean is marrying Tessa and starting a family Cecilia is returning stronger and demanding her power back Tobias is secretly trying to buy Roman’s company Why can't Tobias control the grown-up Cecilia Colin versus Tobias Which host would each choose The truth about Dominic’s parents Cecilia’s mother is allowing Roman to carry the blame Angry sex and questionable consent Sean is restoring Dominic’s Camaro The raven necklace mystery Why this book needs a safe word and group therapy   Favorite Chaos Moments Dirty Skittles: “Soldier up, buttercup. Get the f**k out of here.” Nacho: “The heart or the clitoris?” G-Rex: “I need some more of that Frenchman dick.” Nacho: “He maintains dick energy.” G-Rex: “The book needs a safe word more than they needed group therapy.”   Our Rating We highly recommend Exodus, but you absolutely need to read Flock first. G-Rex gives the spice 17 Hail Marys and four Our Fathers, plus a recommendation that Tobias check himself into sex therapy. Nacho keeps the spice at PG-13, but gives Kate Stewart goddess-level credit for creating an emotional roller coaster filled with unforgettable characters. Dirty Skittles also finds the spice surprisingly mild because the grief and emotional destruction overpower nearly everything else. Collectively, we agree that Exodus is darker, heavier, and more emotionally brutal than Flock. We loved it. We hated parts of it. We wanted to throw it across the room. And naturally, we kept reading.   Subscribe, Rate & Review Subscribe so you never miss an episode of Paperback Confessions, and rate and review us wherever you listen. Every review helps more confessors find our messy little book club. Visit www.paperbackconfessions.com for episodes, bookish chaos, and everything else we probably should not be saying into microphones.   Coming Up Next We have officially survived Exodus. Barely. Next, we are heading into The Finish Line, the final book in the Ravenhood Trilogy. Who reaches the finish line? Who finishes first? And will Kate Stewart give us one peaceful moment? Probably f*****g not.   #PaperbackConfessions #Exodus #Ravenhood #KateStewart #DarkRomance #SpicyBooks #BookTok #Bookstagram #RomanceBooks #TobiasKing #DominicKing #TheFrenchman #RavenhoodTrilogy #BookPodcast #RomancePodcast #MorallyGrayMen #EmotionalDamage   Where to Find Us Website: https://www.paperbackconfessions.com Instagram: @paperback_confessions Paperback Confessions is the feral sister podcast to the award-winning Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads, where we normalize conversations about mental health through honest stories, laughter, and real connection. Discover more at: https://goesoninourheads.net

  8. Jul 8

    Exodus by Kate Stewart, The Frenchman Enters the Chat, Pt 1

    SPOILER WARNING Heads up, confessors, this is a SPOILER-HEAVY episode. We are deep into Exodus by Kate Stewart, Book 2 of the Ravenhood Trilogy, and we are not holding shit back. If you have not read Flock or Exodus and want to go in blind, save this episode and come back when you are emotionally prepared. The Book Title: Exodus Series: Book 2 of the Ravenhood Trilogy Author: Kate Stewart Spice / Heat: Hot, angry, possessive, and emotionally complicated Tropes: Secret society, enemies-to-lovers energy, forbidden romance, possessive hero, age gap tension, betrayal, revenge plot, morally gray men, emotional damage, and one very exhausted Cecilia   The Confession Welcome back to the feral little sister of Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads. In Part 1 of our Exodus discussion, Dirty Skittles, Nacho, and G-Rex return to Triple Falls, where the secrets are bigger, the stakes are messier, and Tobias King officially enters the chat. If Flock was the temptation, Exodus is the consequence. We talk about Cecilia’s heartbreak after Sean and Dominic disappear, Tobias showing up with full mafia suit energy, and why this man is somehow scary, sexy, possessive, and a walking red flag all at once. This episode gets into the angry sex, the questionable consent moments, the garden scene, Sean and Dominic’s audacity, Cecilia finally standing up for herself, the Ravenhood tattoos, and the theories that made us question who is really pulling the strings. Under all the spice and chaos, we also dig into abandonment, loneliness, betrayal, self-worth, manipulation, possessiveness, and what happens when someone is expected to wait forever with no answers. Exodus Part 1 is messy, spicy, emotionally brutal, and full of men who need therapy, honesty, and maybe a group timeout. Keywords: Exodus by Kate Stewart, Ravenhood Trilogy, Kate Stewart Exodus, Exodus spoilers, Ravenhood spoilers, Tobias King, The Frenchman, The Wolf, Cecilia Horner, Sean and Dominic, dark romance podcast, spicy book podcast, romance book podcast, BookTok romance, morally gray romance, secret society romance, Paperback Confessions   The Pour This episode pairs well with something dark, strong, and a little dangerous. Think whiskey, bourbon, red wine, or whatever drink helps you survive Tobias walking into the story like he owns the whole damn room.   Just the Tip In our spicy segment, Just the Tip, we get into the rage-filled, emotionally messy, and very complicated chemistry between Cecilia and Tobias. This is not soft romance. This is angry sex, power plays, possessive energy, and a whole lot of “that was hot, but should we be concerned?” On our Halos to Handcuffs spice scale, this one is definitely leaning toward handcuffs, but not without a serious conversation about consent, control, and red flags that only work in the book world.   What We Get Into Tobias King, the Frenchman, and his full mafia energy Cecilia’s heartbreak after Sean and Dominic disappear Why does waiting almost a year change how we see Cecilia’s choices Tobias is forcing his way into Cecilia’s life Angry sex, possessiveness, and questionable consent Sean and Dominic are coming back with way too much audacity The garden scene and Cecilia finally standing up for herself The raven necklace, the tattoos, and who may be behind them Dirty Skittles’ French doors theory Why Exodus feels heavier, darker, and more emotionally brutal than Flock   Favorite Chaos Moments Dirty Skittles: “If Flock was the temptation, Exodus is the consequence.” Nacho: “No, go read the book and then listen to the other one.” G-Rex: “He’s kind of a scary m**********r.” Nacho: “Such a dick.” G-Rex: “Just be f*****g honest. Like, it’s so f*****g shady.” Dirty Skittles: “F*****y is afoot.”   Our Rating We do not fully land on ratings in Part 1, because Exodus is still actively emotionally assaulting us. But this much is clear: Book 2 is darker, hotter, messier, and way more emotionally damaging than we were prepared for. Kate Stewart knew exactly what she was doing, and once again, we walked right into the trap.   Subscribe, Rate & Review If you had as much fun spiraling with us as we did, please subscribe so you never miss an episode. Then rate and review us wherever you listen. Every review helps more confessors find their way to our messy little book club, and honestly, it makes our whole damn week.   Coming Up Next We are not done with Exodus. Part 2 is coming, and based on where this conversation is headed, the emotional damage is only getting worse.   #PaperbackConfessions #Exodus #Ravenhood #KateStewart #DarkRomance #SpicyBooks #BookTok #Bookstagram #RomanceBooks #TobiasKing #TheFrenchman #TheWolf #RavenhoodTrilogy #SmutMasters #BookPodcast #RomancePodcast #SpicyReads #BookClub #ReadToEscape #BookishPodcast #MorallyGrayMen #SecretSocietyRomance Where to Find Us Website: https://www.paperbackconfessions.com Instagram: @paperback_confessions Paperback Confessions is the feral sister podcast to the award-winning Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads, where we normalize conversations about mental health through honest stories, laughter, and real connection. Discover more at: https://goesoninourheads.net

  9. Jul 1

    Flock by Kate Stewart, Our First Confession, Pt 2

    SPOILER WARNING Heads up, confessors — this is a SPOILER-HEAVY episode. We are deep into Flock by Kate Stewart, and Part 2 does not hold back. If you have not read the book and want to go in blind, save this episode and come back when you are emotionally prepared. Otherwise, pour a drink, settle in, and turn the page with us.   The Book Title: Flock Series: Book 1 of the Ravenhood Trilogy Author: Kate Stewart Spice / Heat: PG-13 by smut master standards, but Chapter 25 is absolutely doing the most Tropes: Why-choose / multiple love interests, forbidden romance, enemies-to-lovers energy, secret society, small-town secrets, emotional damage, slow burn, age-gap tension, and one very complicated first-person narrator   The Confession Welcome back to the feral little sister of Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads. In Part 2 of our very first Paperback Confessions episode, Dirty Skittles, Nacho, and G-Rex return to finish unpacking Flock by Kate Stewart, and let’s just say… things get messy fast. This episode is full of theories, chaos, questionable logistics, and emotional damage. We talk about the infamous lake scene, the floaty-versus-dock debate, and why Chapter 25 had us rereading, rewinding, and wondering how three people made that scene work when Leo could not even fit on the Titanic door. We also dig into Cecilia’s relationships with Sean and Dominic, the sunny-days-and-rainy-days dynamic, the Ravenhood secrets, and the moment everything starts to feel much bigger than a spicy summer romance. There is the garage scene that made us furious, the reveal that Cecilia may have been “the secret” all along, and that cliffhanger with the Frenchman that made us want to throw a Kindle across the room. Under all the spice and ridiculousness, we also get into the deeper stuff: loneliness, self-worth, manipulation, chosen family, red flags, consent, power, and what happens when a young woman with very little support gets pulled into a world she does not fully understand. Part 2 is chaotic, funny, spicy, emotional, and honestly a little rude — just like the ending of Flock. Keywords: Flock by Kate Stewart, Ravenhood Trilogy, Kate Stewart Flock, Flock book discussion, Flock spoilers, Ravenhood spoilers, dark romance podcast, spicy book podcast, romance book podcast, why-choose romance, Sean and Dominic, Cecilia Flock, Ravenhood theories, Exodus Kate Stewart, BookTok romance, spicy books, smutty book club, spoiler-heavy book podcast, Paperback Confessions   The Pour This episode pairs well with whiskey, something smoky, or whatever drink helps you survive Chapter 25 and that ending. Last week, we poured a Dominic-inspired Smoky Old-Fashioned, and honestly, that still feels right. Dark, complicated, intense, and probably a little dangerous.   Just the Tip In our spicy segment, Just the Tip, we talk about the hottest scene in the book — and yes, we are absolutely talking about the lake scene. Was it a raft? A floating dock? A giant lake air mattress? A water bed with main-character energy? We may never know. What we do know is that Cecilia, Sean, and Dominic somehow made it work, and we had thoughts. A lot of thoughts. On our Halos to Handcuffs spice scale, G-Rex gave the scene a full handcuffs rating because sometimes a book scene is hot enough to make you go back and read it more than once. No shame. That is literally why we are here.   What We Get Into The lake scene, Chapter 25, and the great floaty-versus-dock debate Why three people could make that scene work when Leo still could not fit on the Titanic door Dominic, Sean, Cecilia, and the emotional logistics of a throuple Sunny days with Sean and rainy days with Dominic The condom conversation and why the lake scene raised some questions Dominic buying Cecilia romance books and turning reading into foreplay The Ravenhood tattoos, the secrecy, and Cecilia realizing something much bigger is happening The garage scene and why it felt emotionally brutal Why Cecilia being “the secret” changes the whole story The Wolf, the Frenchman, and that cliffhanger ending Why Exodus is already messing with our heads Cecilia’s loneliness and why her choices are more complicated than they first appear Our unpopular opinions, plot-hole questions, and predictions for the rest of the trilogy   Favorite Chaos Moments Dirty Skittles: “Dad, if you’re listening, now is the time to fast forward.” Dirty Skittles: “Why couldn’t we get Leo on that raft in the ocean, but Cecilia, Sean, and Dominic somehow manage to have a threesome floating in a river?” G-Rex: “I’m 62 years old. I don’t have time for edging.” G-Rex: “Cecilia’s not stupid. She’s just young, lonely, and under-informed.” Nacho: “I would be following my dick.”   Our Rating G-Rex rated Flock a 4.5 based on the spice and the emotional chaos. Nacho and Dirty Skittles agreed that the book is absolutely worth the read, even if the spice level depends on where you are in your own smut-reading journey. For some readers, this is a gateway drug. For others, it is just the opening act. Either way, Kate Stewart knew exactly what she was doing.   Subscribe, Rate & Review If you had as much fun as we did, please subscribe so you never miss an episode. Then rate and review us wherever you listen. Every review helps more confessors find their way to our messy little book club, and honestly, it makes our whole damn week.   Coming Up Next We are heading into Exodus, Book 2 of the Ravenhood Trilogy, and based on how much emotional damage is already happening, we are not okay. The secrets are getting bigger. The stakes are getting messier. And apparently, Chapter 25 remains a problem.   #PaperbackConfessions #Flock #Ravenhood #KateStewart #DarkRomance #SpicyBooks #BookTok #Bookstagram #RomanceBooks #WhyChooseRomance #EnemiesToLovers #SmutMasters #BookPodcast #RomancePodcast #SpicyReads #BookClub #ReadToEscape #BookishPodcast #RomanceReaders #SlowBurn #Exodus #RavenhoodTrilogy Where to Find Us Website: https://www.paperbackconfessions.com Instagram: @paperback_confessions Paperback Confessions is the feral sister podcast to the award-winning Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads, where we normalize conversations about mental health through honest stories, laughter, and real connection. Discover more at: https://goesoninourheads.net

  10. Jun 24

    Flock by Kate Stewart, Our First Confession, Pt 1

    SPOILER WARNING: Heads up, confessors — this is a SPOILER-HEAVY episode. We go all the way in on Flock. If you haven't read it and want to go in blind, bookmark this page and come back. Otherwise, pour a drink and turn the page with us. The Book Title: Flock (Book 1 of the Ravenhood Trilogy) Author: Kate Stewart Spice / Heat: PG-13 by smut master standards — your gateway drug intro to dark romance Tropes: Why-choose / multiple love interests, enemies-to-lovers, slow burn, first-person (possibly unreliable) narrator, small-town secrets, forbidden romance The Confession Welcome to the feral little sister of Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads. In our very first episode EVER, your messy-best-friend smut masters — Dirty Skittles, Nacho, and G-Rex — crack open Flock, the book that started it all. We meet Cecilia, the wallflower with a "masochistic romantic heart," and the two very different men circling her: Sean, the granola-anarchy golden retriever, and Dominic, the black-cat-energy Frenchman who turns their hatred into a contact sport. We talk red flags, self-worth, the parts of Cecilia that made us want to shake her and see ourselves at 19, and why escaping into these books is its own kind of self-care. Part 1 of 2 — the rest of the chaos is coming. The Pour This episode's cocktail: a Smoky Old-Fashioned, themed after Dominic. ("My tongue feels like it's made of honey, which is kind of sexy, right?") What We Get Into Cecilia's opening line, "I grew up sick,” and what it does to your heart The unnamed mother (intentional? we think so) and "Sir" vs. "Roman" Sean's phone rule, the smashed watch, and the red-flag/green-flag debate Dominic, the puppet master, and "violence makes me hard" Carrot cake. That's it. That's the scene. Three women, three points of view, zero professionals — and why that's the point Subscribe, Rate & Review If you had as much fun as we did, do us a solid — subscribe so you never miss an episode, then rate and review wherever you listen. Every review helps more confessors find their way to our messy little book club, and honestly, it makes our whole week. Where to Find Us Website: https://www.paperbackconfessions.com Instagram: @paperback_confessions Stay tuned for Part 2 — the rest of the chaos, confessions, and spoilers. Hashtags #PaperbackConfessions #Flock #Ravenhood #KateStewart #DarkRomance #SpicyBooks #BookTok #Bookstagram #RomanceBooks #WhyChooseRomance #EnemiesToLovers #SmutMasters #BookPodcast #RomancePodcast #SpicyReads #BookClub #ReadToEscape #BookishPodcast #RomanceReaders #SlowBurn Where to Find Us Website: https://www.paperbackconfessions.com Instagram: @paperback_confessions Paperback Confessions is the feral sister podcast to the award-winning Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads, where we normalize conversations about mental health through honest stories, laughter, and real connection. Discover more at: https://goesoninourheads.net

    Flock by Kate Stewart, Our First Confession, Pt 1
  • 10 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Paperback Confessions is your spicy, unfiltered escape into romance, fantasy, smut, book boyfriends, morally gray characters, chaotic theories, and the books that make us blush, spiral, swoon, and scream into the group chat. Think book club with your smartest messy friend, equal parts deep analysis, emotional damage, hot takes, and “I know he’s a red flag, but hear me out.”Each episode dives into the world, characters, themes, romance, spice, unpopular opinions, and the final verdict of the book being reviewed. In Deep Dive, we break down the world-building, magic systems, politics, character dynamics, foreshadowing, theories, and emotional wreckage. In Just the Tip, we get into the chemistry, tension, spice, slow burns, favorite scenes, and the moments that had us clutching our pearls or throwing the book across the room. In Listen Linda, we unleash the hot takes, defend villains, call out plot holes, and say the things polite book clubs only whisper. Then we wrap with the Final Verdi...

Information

  • Creator
    Dirty Skittles and G-Rex and Nacho
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    10
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Dirty Skittles and G-Rex and Nacho
  • Show Website
    Paperback Confessions