Shelf Pleasure

Better later than never! Shelf Pleasure is back to talk heavy religious trauma and magical baby making in The Succubus’s Prize by Katee Robert. Because who needs therapy when you can have wild fertility orgies in a sex demon realm instead?  CW: explicit sex, abuse, religious trauma, cancer

Some might say dirty talk can make or break a spicy scene... so it’s time to see how Shelf Pleasure's latest read fared with this challenge. This month, Krista and Kelsey keep the contemporary romances going with The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang. Bonus points if you can guess which classical song gets referenced in this book. CW: explicit sex, violence, ableism, sexual harassment, sexual assault

Shelf Pleasure is back and this month they're bringing you some college-age romance with Icebreaker by Hannah Grace. Listen in to learn who loved it, who hated it, and who (surprisingly) had enough sport-related knowledge to tell fact from fiction. CW: explicit sex, violence, alcohol use, gaslighting, slut shaming, disordered eating, death of a parent (historical), assault

In the last episode of 2023, Shelf Pleasure makes the Yuletide gay with Kiss Her Once for Me by Alison Cochrun. Listen in and decide for yourself: is there enough magic in a snow day to make instalove work?? CW: explicit sex, alcohol and marijuana use, abusive relationship with a parental figure

Shelf Pleasure heads back to Christmas Notch this week to explore A Holly Jolly Ever After by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone. Listen in as Krista and Kelsey discuss their mutual distaste for *certain* romance tropes and learn just how little effort is required to Google “how to masturbate with a vagina”. CW: explicit sex, infidelity, religious and purity culture trauma, complications with pregnancy and discussions of pregnancy loss

This week on Shelf Pleasure, we reach the end of our journey in Anne Rice’s Sleeping Beauty series with Beauty’s Release. If you thought it couldn’t get wilder than the Bridle Path or the Place of Public Punishments…you thought wrong.  CW: explicit sex, violence, BDSM, pedophilia, enslavement, human trafficking, torture, female genital mutilation (FGM), rape

This week on Shelf Pleasure, Krista and Kelsey dive deeper into the madness with Beauty’s Punishment by Anne Rice. Listen in and learn about creative new things to get stuffed with (just in time for Thanksgiving!) CW: explicit sex, violence, BDSM, pedophilia, enslavement, human trafficking, torture, rape

This week, Shelf Pleasure is throwing it back to 1983 and diving into The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty by Anne Rice. Trust us when we say this is unlike any fairy tale you've heard before. CW: explicit sex, violence, BDSM, pedophilia, enslavement, human trafficking, torture, rape

Is fucking a ghost the best revenge? Find out when Krista and Kelsey discuss Rough Ghost Lover by Cassie Alexander. As the show’s first official erotica novel, it’s absolutely wild from start to finish.  CW: explicit sex, infidelity, BDSM, violence, attempted sexual assault, human sacrifice, murder

The Kate Prior series Claws and Cubicles continues this week as Krista and Kelsey review The Orc from the Office. Listen in to learn what orc penises look like and how some light violence can really spice up your meet-cute.  CW: explicit sex, non-human genitalia, violence, workplace romance 

Is there anything worse than living in a world overtaken by a dark lord and still having to work your 9-5?? Find out in this week's episode where Krista and Kelsey discuss Love, Laugh, Lich by Kate Prior. CW: explicit sex, non-human/monster sex, violence, employee/employer relationship, apocalypse, attempted murder, murder

This week on Shelf Pleasure, Krista and Kelsey test the limits of monster fuckability with Ensnared by Tiffany Roberts. Have they finally found a monster that doesn't do it for them? Listen to find out! CW: explicit sex, bondage, harassment, violence, PTSD, parental abandonment, death of family members (recounted), sexual assault (recounted), death 

In this week’s episode of Shelf Pleasure, listen as Krista and Kelsey push their knowledge of reality tv to the limit while they discuss D’Vaughn and Kris Plan a Wedding by Chencia C. Higgins. Maybe it’s time for them to watch something other than RPDR?? CW: explicit sex, religious oppression, homophobia, racism and colorism, closeted sexuality/coming out

This week on Shelf Pleasure, Krista and Kelsey kick off their sapphic romance celebration with Mistakes Were Made by Meryl Wilsner. Listen in as they debate quality over quantity when it comes to spice and ponder if they really were completely unbearable in their college years. CW: explicit sex, alcohol consumption, infidelity, parental divorce, misogyny

Shelf Pleasure is heading back to Westport, WA to catch up with the Hannah and Fox in Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey. Enjoy as Krista and Kelsey gush about a good slow-burn (and bemoan off-page spanking). Maybe friends-to-lovers is where it's at?? CW: explicit sex, alcohol use, slut shaming, death of a parent (recounted)

This week, Krista and Kelsey discuss It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey, (along with Schitt’s Creek and Deadliest Catch, of course). Would they let the crew of the Della Ray give them crabs? Listen to find out.  CW: explicit sex, violence, discussions of grief and loss, death of a spouse (off page) death of a parent (off page), drowning (off page) 

Come be part of our world as Krista and Kelsey discuss The Merman's Kiss by Tamsin Ley! Nothing says fantasy romance like looting corpses, magic whales, and bland underwater sex. CW: explicit sex, violence, infidelity, discussions of infertility and infant death, attempted suicide, attempted rape/sexual assault

This week Shelf Pleasure hits another milestone: finishing a damn series! Listen in as Krista and Kelsey discuss the finer points of Saint (Priest #3) by Sierra Simone, monk-brewed beer, and how much God is too much. Rosaries, chastity belts, and hair shirts are all optional (but encouraged).  CW: explicit sex, infidelity, depression, religious trauma, racism, homophobia, childhood sexual abuse (off-page), suicidal ideation (recounted), suicide (off-page)If you’re thinking about suicide, are worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline network is available 24/7 across the United States. Call 1-888-628-9454, text 988, or visit https://988lifeline.org/ to speak to a skilled, trained crisis worker. The Lifeline is available for everyone, is free, and confidential.

This week we're circling back to something familiar and bringing you something new! For the first time in the show's history, Krista and Kelsey take opposite positions when discussing Sinner (Priest #2) by Sierra Simone and waste no time arguing their points. Listen in to see who was the lover and who was the hater...All's fair in smut and war, right? CW: explicit sex, violence, racism, childhood sexual abuse, suicide (off-page), cancer, death of a parent, and discussions of statutory rape

Monarchist or not, you’re not going to want to miss this week’s episode where Krista and Kelsey discuss The Princess Trap by Talia Hibbert. Listen as they gush over a stellar cast and unexpected spice level…and feel their confusion when they realize they don’t know what the bases are (when it comes to hookups). Honestly, does everyone just have their own definition?  CW: explicit sex, violence, racism, child abuse, domestic abuse, forced outing, revenge porn, suicide (off-page), death of parents (off-page)