Tomes & Tonics

The yearning, the dark academia vibes, the owls, the salt guardians, the full circle moments! This week we're returning to Yale for one final adventure with the League of Lethe and our lovable found family by covering the last installment in Leigh Bardugo's amazing Alex Stern series, "Dead Beat." But first, we dive into all the bookish news, discuss adaptations of the classics (calling all Phantom of the Opera fans), and chat about our latest reads and this week in book history! Then it's all things Dead Beat - from Darlington's yearning to Trey's new...tonic of choice to Dawes becoming a certified badass and Alex's satisfying arc - this last installment is a wild, page turning ride that almost put Lauren into a reading slump. So grab your favorite fall tonic and tune in for another episode of Tomes & Tonics!

*Queue a bird of prey sound effect* for this week's episode of Tomes & Tonics! We're still buzzing from finishing Dead Beat and CANNOT WAIT to dive into this one next week. But first, Christina announces our next bingo pick, we catch up on our latest reads, with this being Christina's lightest reading week in a hot minute, and dish the latest bookish news and learn some fun history facts on this week's Past Pages segment. Then we chat all about our latest bingo pick, Kristin Hannah's historical fiction novel, "The Four Winds." From the resilient characters to the tragic arcs, from the Great Depression to communism in Hollywood, we discuss the historic context behind Kristin Hannah's sweeping story of Elsa and her fight to protect her family in the face of unsurmountable difficulty, including one our least favorite male characters we've read in a while. So grab some Cooper's Hawk or your fave mocktail and tune in for another episode of Tomes & Tonics!

We're enrolling in Puerdios University and chatting all things "Young Power" with the amazing and super fun Andrea Blyhthe Liebman! Before we dive into the world of the new Greek gods, we bond over our latest reads, cover some of the latest bookish news, and learn some book-related history! Then we learn all about Andrea's inspiration for the Young Power series, from Halsey to Percy Jackson to Gossip Girl, to Outlander, this book draws inspiration to create an original storyline and introduce a new generation of Greek gods, which includes the most fun friend group we wish we could be a part of. We learn about Andrea's writing process, the research that went into drafting this series, and the amazing Spotify playlists each book has! So grab a glass of wine, some whiskey, or your favorite mocktail, and tune in for another episode of Tomes & Tonics! And make sure to follow @youngpowerseries on Instagram for more information on this romantasy series and to stay up to date with Andrea's new releases!

This week, we're taking a trip to Spyglass and chatting all about Alice Feeney's latest twisty release, "My Husband's Wife!" But first, we catch up on all of our latest reads, including Christina's STACKED list of Knave and the Moon and Silver Elite and Lauren's nonfiction journey, discuss the latest book news, gush about the latest and our most anticipated releases, and cover some upcoming horror adaptations! Then it's right to Hope Falls as we dive right into "My Husband's Wife!" The twists, the turns, the identity crises, and the thriller/sci-fi crossover we didn't know we were in for! From Thanatos to hidden passageways and a small, coastal town where you can't trust anyone - this book is a wild ride from start to finish. So grab a "nojito" and tune in for another episode of Tomes & Tonics!

This week, we're going to Pleasant Cove, Nova Scotia and the 90s as we welcome back Lauren Flynn to talk all about her latest release, "Wait for Me!" Before diving in, we catch up on our latest reads, our current drinks, and life in general! We also dive into the inspiration behind the lighthouse, Pleasant Cove, our ideal coffee order, the nostalgia of the 90s and the later Vine era, and the Taylor Swift song she had on replay during writing. So grab a pumpkin spice, maple, or peppermint mocha latte and tune in for another episode of Tomes & Tonics! For more information on Lauren's books, events, and more, make sure to follow her on Instagram @authorlaurenflynn and all of her books are available on Amazon!

We're throwing it back (shout out Lemur Brain) with a vault episode! In this episode, Lauren talks about embarking on her 2025 Clique book journey, Christina chats about her 2025 spring/summer reading journey, and of course we chat about the popular "A Good Girl's Guide to Murder" by Holly Jackson, which is one of our first unofficial "Page to Production" episodes! Join us as we chat all about Pippa Fitz-Amobi, the nested mysteries throughout this fast-paced mystery, and of course, the goodest boy, Barney. Then we have a spirited debate over pickles (their names, their varieties, and Lauren discovering Christina's dislike of pickles!). So grab your favorite summer beverage and tune in for this throwback episode of Tomes & Tonics!

We're battling technical difficulties and having bonus beverages this week as we cover our first book bingo pick of 2026! Before we dive into our book for this week, we catch up on our current and recent reads, including Christina's thoughts on Alice Feeney's "My Husband's Wife" and Lauren updating her cry count during "A Man Called Ove." Then we discuss perhaps one of the strongest books we've read so far this year, Ta-Nehisi Coates' highly-regarded (and for very good reason) second novel, "Between the World and Me," which appears on many lists of the best books of the 21st century. This critically important read is one we cannot recommend enough, and we definitely will be reading more of Coates' novels. We then wrap the episode out with revisiting our brackets and choosing our September bingo pick! So grab a beverage (or three) and tune in for another episode of Tomes & Tonics!

We're super excited to wrap up our Summer Love Series with one of our fave bookish couples! But first, we catch up on our latest reads and Lauren reveals the surprise book she's been reading! Then we dive right into Shane and Ilya's next chapter in Rachel Reid's "The Long Game." Join us as we chat about the important themes this book explores, including mental health, long distance relationships, the importance of a strong family and friend support system, THAT FIGHT, and true acceptance. Also, we can't not discuss Anya's adorable entrance into Shane and Ilya's family. So grab a ginger ale and tune in for another episode of Tomes & Tonics! If you're enjoying our bookish episodes, let us know by leaving a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!

It's another exciting Page to Production episode with perhaps THE series of the summer and the OG hockey romance - Elle Kennedy's smash hit and the first in the Off-Campus series, "The Deal!" But before we dive in, we chat about our tonics for this special episode, catch up on our latest reads, discuss the current literacy crisis and how critical it is to continue to stay informed. Then we take a trip to Briar University and talk all things Off-Campus. From perhaps one of the strongest book boyfriends and the spice to the very heavy and important themes the book and show tackle. We also reveal our first Book Bingo pick! So grab your best friend, a piña colada or a glass of Cooper's Hawk, and tune in for another episode of Tomes & Tonics!