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Paperbacks and Paychecks: A millennial podcast about books, soft life careers, and corporate chaosEpilogue: The First Annual Paycheck or Pay Cut AwardsIt’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-com...2025-07-1539 minPaperbacks and Paychecks: A millennial podcast about books, soft life careers, and corporate chaosChapter 9: This Book Sucks and So Does My Job📚 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 m...2025-07-1252 minPaperbacks and Paychecks: A millennial podcast about books, soft life careers, and corporate chaosChapter 8: Hot Villains, Cold BossesSome 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 vil...2025-07-0245 minPaperbacks and Paychecks: A millennial podcast about books, soft life careers, and corporate chaosChapter 7: Literary Heroes & Comment Section VillainsThis 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 workpl...2025-06-1745 minPaperbacks and Paychecks: A millennial podcast about books, soft life careers, and corporate chaosChapter 6: Spiraling and Lying (Just Like Bryce)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 messag...2025-06-1132 minPaperbacks and Paychecks: A millennial podcast about books, soft life careers, and corporate chaosChapter 5: This Meeting Could’ve Been a SéanceIn 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 lo...2025-06-0345 minPaperbacks and Paychecks: A millennial podcast about books, soft life careers, and corporate chaosChapter 4: The Power in the PivotThis 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.2025-05-2147 minPaperbacks and Paychecks: A millennial podcast about books, soft life careers, and corporate chaosChapter 3: ChatGPT Hurt My Feelings (But Also Saved Me $1,000 in Legal Fees)📚 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 t...2025-05-1439 minPaperbacks and Paychecks: A millennial podcast about books, soft life careers, and corporate chaosChapter 2: Books That Broke Us and Jobs That Tried ToThis 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...2025-05-0748 minPaperbacks and Paychecks: A millennial podcast about books, soft life careers, and corporate chaosChapter 1: Why Hustle Culture Sucks (and So Does Rhysand?)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.2025-04-3046 minPaperbacks and Paychecks: A millennial podcast about books, soft life careers, and corporate chaosPrologue : Forced Proximity, but Make it Career CoachingWelcome 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—...2025-04-2707 min