"I can't pre-game before this. Things get too crazy."

"You can, and you should!"

This week, we read My Roommate is a Vampire by Jenna Levine

Sierra joins me on this episode to discuss:

• A threesome involving Marvel’s infinity gauntlet
• Why the ending really put a damper on the whole novel
• All things relating to vampires — including fruit powers

Open your book and press play on a podcast episode that was fueled by wine and romance novels…which always leads to good decisions.

Mentioned in Pairings:

• DRINK: Vampire Wine, Vampire Mimosa
• TV SHOW - What We Do in the Shadows, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
• BOOK - The Ex Hex, Deal with the Elf King
• MOVIE - Twilight, Vamps, Dark Shadows

Quick Summary:

Cassie Greenberg loves being an artist, but it’s a tough way to make a living. On the brink of eviction, she’s desperate when she finds a too-good-to-be-true apartment in a beautiful Chicago neighborhood. Of course, her new roommate Frederick J. Fitzwilliam is far from normal. He sleeps all day, is out at night on business, and talks like he walked out of a regency romance novel. He also leaves Cassie heart-melting notes around the apartment, cares about her art, and asks about her day. And he doesn’t look half bad shirtless. But when Cassie finds bags of blood in the fridge that definitely weren’t there earlier, Frederick has to come clean. . .Cassie’s sexy new roommate is a vampire.

Once you're done listening, hop onto our Instagram and TikTok @rwreadspodcast to give us your thoughts on the discussion and the book. We look forward to hearing from you!

Disclaimer

At Red Wine Reads, we want to engage in the stories of people from all kinds of backgrounds and experiences. The value of books lies in the power of storytelling and sharing a range of perspectives. We don't want to just read what we know, we want to read stories that open our worldview. And in turn, that means getting into challenging, rewarding conversations. But we are not experts in any field — literature, race relations, politics, etc .— and we know that our reviews of these books come from a place of privilege. We encourage our community of readers to add to these conversations with their own thoughts, critiques, and questions. We want to open up a safe place for people. That being said, we also realize that getting into race, sexuality, gender, and other difficult topics can be triggering. We aim to include content warnings whenever they are applicable but we are not perfect. So as we continue to do our best, know you have the room to tell us when we can do better and even, if you want to, share resources with us. Let's learn, grow, and have fun together.

This week, we read Magic Hour by Kristin Hannah

Abby joins me on this episode to discuss:

• Why Kristin Hannah will continue to be a favorite, but maybe one who we stick to the newer material
• If we were faced with the same situation as Julia, how would we respond?
• Is a hot doctor always necessary for an interesting plot? The answer is in this episode.

Open your book and press play on a podcast episode that will have you reaching into your desk for that bottle of whiskey you’ve been saving for a moment like this.

Mentioned in the Pairings section of the podcast:

• DRINK: Desk Whiskey
• TV SHOW - True Detective: Night Country, Shrinking, The Wilds
• BOOK - Where the Crawdads Sing, Speak, Alice in Wonderland, Nightingale
• MOVIE - Tarzan, Good Will Hunting

Quick Summary: Dr. Julia Cates was one of the country's preeminent child psychiatrists until a shocking tragedy ruined her career. Retreating to her small western Washington hometown, Julia meets an extraordinary six-year-old girl who has inexplicably emerged from the deep woods nearby—a child locked in a world of unimaginable fear and isolation. To Julia, nothing is more important than saving the girl she now calls Alice. But Julia will need help from others, including the sister she barely knows and a handsome doctor with secrets of his own. What follows will test the limits of Julia's faith and strength, as she struggles to find a home for Alice . . . and for herself.

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Once you're done listening, hop onto our Instagram and TikTok @rwreadspodcast to give us your thoughts on the discussion and the book. We look forward to hearing from you!

* Disclaimer *

At Red Wine Reads, we want to engage in the stories of people from all kinds of backgrounds and experiences. The value of books lies in the power of storytelling and sharing a range of perspectives. We don't want to just read what we know, we want to read stories that open our worldview. And in turn, that means getting into challenging, rewarding conversations. But we are not experts in any field — literature, race relations, politics, etc .— and we know that our reviews of these books come from a place of privilege. We encourage our community of readers to add to these conversations with their own thoughts, critiques, and questions. We want to open up a safe place for people. That being said, we also realize that getting into race, sexuality, gender, and other difficult topics can be triggering. We aim to include content warnings whenever they are applicable but we are not perfect. So as we continue to do our best, know you have the room to tell us when we can do better and even, if you want to, share resources with us. Let's learn, grow, and have fun together.

This week, we read Eileen by Otessa Moshfegh

Rebekah joins me on this episode to discuss:

• Why Otessa continues to fascinate me, even though I’ve disliked every book I’ve read of hers
• How Otessa crossed so many lines in this book
• Why we refuse to go watch the film adaptation

Open your book and press play on a podcast episode that will have you questioning if reading this book was worth it.

Mentioned in the Pairings section of the podcast:

• DRINK: Gin
• TV SHOW - Killing Eve, Dead to Me
• BOOK - The Discomfort of Evening, My Year of Rest and Relaxation, Other People’s Clothes, A Certain Hunger
• MOVIE - Saltburn, The Menu

Quick Summary: The Christmas season offers little cheer for Eileen Dunlop, an unassuming yet disturbed young woman trapped between her role as her alcoholic father's caretaker in a home whose squalor is the talk of the neighborhood and a day job as a secretary at the boys' prison, filled with its own quotidian horrors. Consumed by resentment and self-loathing, Eileen tempers her dreary days with perverse fantasies and dreams of escaping to the big city. In the meantime, she fills her nights and weekends with shoplifting, stalking a buff prison guard named Randy, and cleaning up her increasingly deranged father's messes. When the bright, beautiful, and cheery Rebecca Saint John arrives on the scene as the new counselor at Moorehead, Eileen is enchanted and proves unable to resist what appears at first to be a miraculously budding friendship. In a Hitchcockian twist, her affection for Rebecca ultimately pulls her into complicity in a crime that surpasses her wildest imaginings.

***

Once you're done listening, hop onto our Instagram and TikTok @rwreadspodcast to give us your thoughts on the discussion and the book. We look forward to hearing from you!

* Disclaimer *

At Red Wine Reads, we want to engage in the stories of people from all kinds of backgrounds and experiences. The value of books lies in the power of storytelling and sharing a range of perspectives. We don't want to just read what we know, we want to read stories that open our worldview. And in turn, that means getting into challenging, rewarding conversations. But we are not experts in any field — literature, race relations, politics, etc .— and we know that our reviews of these books come from a place of privilege. We encourage our community of readers to add to these conversations with their own thoughts, critiques, and questions. We want to open up a safe place for people. That being said, we also realize that getting into race, sexuality, gender, and other difficult topics can be triggering. We aim to include content warnings whenever they are applicable but we are not perfect. So as we continue to do our best, know you have the room to tell us when we can do better and even, if you want to, share resources with us. Let's learn, grow, and have fun together.