How would Orwell feel about fart jokes? Welcome Roomies, to the first Book Club Edition episode, where hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen dive deep into this month's pick: Animal Farm. Whether you read with us, or are just joining in now, come along as we explore this dystopian classic, from its history, to the very real and scary similarities we see in the American government today. Our break down covers the major themes and plot points of the novel, along with a guide to the various symbolic and metaphorical barnyard figures in the text. Additionally, we recap our experiences watching the 2026 movie adaptation, which features big names like Seth Rogan and Woody Harrelson as voice actors. The jury is still out on whether or not an Orwellian masterwork can be translated for Cocomelon adled minds, but one thing we do know for sure is that no matter what seeds are planted, we all have to reap what we sow eventually.  

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Ladies, does she drive you crazy? In this mini episode hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen pay tribute to the queen mother of indie rock, Florence Welch, by recapping their recent experience attending the "Everybody Scream" tour in San Francisco. Our conversation includes our personal affinties for Florence's music, anticipations for the tour, an overview of the set list, the lighting and visual design, and what we wish she would've played. We explore the "ritual" of attending a Florence + the Machine show, the collective concert going experience, and the witchy power of being present. Whether it's a heavenly harp solo or coven choir of dancers, the old religion (womanhood) was humming in our veins. If you're not yet a Florence-fan we urge you to take a listen to her music, along with this episode. She'll let you know the dog days are over, and maybe more importantly, that peace is coming.

Why has media based on The Troubles surged in popularlity within the last decade and what can we learn from this ever-emerging body of work? In this more gravitas deep dive hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen investigate recent literature, movies, and TV shows set around The Troubles. We break down a historical overview of the violent, 30-year ethno-nationalist conflict in the North of Ireland, which lasted from the late 1960s to 1998, before summarizing examples of fictional works that have attempted to give a glimpse into the grim realities of the time. Highlighted pieces include novels Milkman by Anna Burns, Trespasses by Louise Kennedy, and Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe, as well as the show Derry Girls. Through these we investigate a recently emerged pattern- an increased number of explorations into The Troubles that focus on the perspectives, experiences, and voices of young women. From challenging domestic moments, to acts of revolution, we ultimately find that no look into history is wholly complete without the oppurtunity to see through the eyes of women. 

Sources:

Milkman, Anna Burns (2018)

Trespasses, Louise Kennedy (2022)

Say Nothing, Patrick Radden Keefe (2018)

"Whatever You Say Say Nothing", Seamus Heaney 

"Book Review: Trespasses by Louise Kennedy", Magpie

"What Americans can learn from Northern Ireland's history of political violence", PBS News

"Women in Rebellion: How Paramilitary Women Experienced the Troubles of Northern Ireland", Global Irish Studies

What do dirty sodas and Sword of Destiny from The Witcher series have to do with each other? Larsen's been consuming both. And how on earth does the musical Chicago relate to Jack Black's recent revisit of Anacoda? Alexys wishes she was high for both. Welcome back for another one of our Weekly READs, where hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen recount, with appropriate levels of celebration and commiseration, what they've been reading, enduring, eating, and doing recently. This episode is an ecletic collection, from the timelessness of vodka pasta (isn't she everyone's old reliable comfort dish?) to the process for building your very own cutesy cyberdeck (thanks Tiktok girlies). Moments of digression include the apparent appeal of Catholic maximalism to the lost youth- aka Gen Z- and medieval unicorn tapestries hanging in the MET. This episode is a mixed bag and a tasty treat all at once. We won't claim to save your soul, but we might make you hungry, because if one thing is for sure it's that we ate.

Why does Hollywood continually cast a gorgeous 20-something next to a seasoned leading man 20 years her senior? In this second episode of a special 2-part deep dive hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen investigate the unsettling patterns and disquieting tropes that define the broad body of age gap media we examined earlier. If Part 1 was us taking this pervasive trend out of the societal closet, Part 2 is us actually taking it apart, dissecting all the ways romanticizing large age disparties has crept into our books and movies, like a monster right under the bed. Our conversation covers the prevalence of broken homes and vulnerable youths, the wide array of trusted adult figures poised to take advantage, and the secrecy and shame that can make these stories all at once scandelous and seductive. We chart the slippery slope of "this relationship doesn't feel quite right" all the way to "this relationship is a down right crime" and explore what repsonsibilty producers, directors, writers, and publishers have when pushing POVs of older abusers and users into popular works. Ultimately we find that throughout age gap media the boudaries are so blurry and the lines are so thin, that the only way to make our society's obsession any less scary is to shine a light directly on it. 

Sources:

Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov (2025, 70th Anniversary Edition Version by Vintage Books) 

Half His Age, Jennette McCurdy (2026)

"Call Her Daddy (Or Mommy): The 7 Kinkiest Age-Gap Romances On Streaming", Decider

"Age Gap Relationship Movies / Younger Women and Older Men", IMDb

"50 Age Gaps Between Actors Playing Couples That Are Honestly Really Weird", Buzzfeed

"“I Really Hope The Book Starts Conversations”: Jennette McCurdy Opens Up About Writing “Half His Age” And Exploring Female Rage", Buzzfeed

Is the MET Gala just a prequel to the Hunger Games? In this culturally repsonsive mini episode hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen attempt to admire and appraise the looks from the 2026 MET Gala without feeling the ~billion~ pound weight of capitalism. We briefly summarize the history of the event, the cost to attend, the evolution of the infamously exclusive guest list, and the important preservation work the Costume Institute uses the millions raised by the event for. We unpack this year's theme, "Costume Art", and dresscode, "Fashion is Art", by exploring the three different main interpretations designers seemed inspired by. We then dive into a slew of looks that fall into these catagories, from Beyonce and Kylie Jenner to Miles Chamley-Watson and Paloma Elsesser. We round out our recap by addressing the controversal inclusion of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez-Bezos as the lead sponsors of the event, which leads us to acknowledging the inextricable tie that has always existed between art and the elite. Though all three of us love to look at a beautiful gown as much as the next girl, we also encourage you to learn about the orgins of the exihibit the event was actually honoring, an exhibit which asks us to look at the human body in art and the overlooked body AS art. 

Sources:

"Met Gala 2026: 11 Art-Inspired Looks That Turned the Red Carpet into a Museum", Architectural Digest 

"Costume Institute Conservation", The MET

"The Costume Institute", The MET

"Everything You Need to Know About the 2026 Met Gala", Vogue

What can a 54 year old woman and a 27 year old man possibly have in common? In this first episode of a two-part deep dive, hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen take the startling, scary, and oftentimes perverse trope of age gap relationships out of the taboo closet that society likes to bury it in. From Lolita to Sense & Sensibility, or Mrs. Robinson to MILF Manor, we explore the history, or better yet lineage, of age gap literature and media that has seemingly seeped into every romance sub-genre. Our discussion goes as ancient as Roman Law and as modern as Half His Age (2026) by Jennette McCurdy. As we begin to unravel just how vast the age gap catalog of books, movies, and shows is, we find that age gap media is pervasive in the worst way- you don't always see it, but once you start looking for it, it's everywhere. With the texts on the table and Pandora's box opened wide, we set the scene for Part 2 of this topic, where we'll get into our analysis of the tropes, themes, and sociological implications of this never-ending trend. Ultimately, it's not enough to just take the scary topic out of the closet- if you want to unpack it with us you'll have to come back and listen to Part 2 next week. 

Sources:

Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov (2025, 70th Anniversary Edition Version by Vintage Books) 

Half His Age, Jennette McCurdy (2026)

"Call Her Daddy (Or Mommy): The 7 Kinkiest Age-Gap Romances On Streaming", Decider

"Age Gap Relationship Movies / Younger Women and Older Men", IMDb

"50 Age Gaps Between Actors Playing Couples That Are Honestly Really Weird", Buzzfeed

“I Really Hope The Book Starts Conversations”: Jennette McCurdy Opens Up About Writing “Half His Age” And Exploring Female Rage", Buzzfeed

How do Lolita, sassy slogan tees, and ice box cakes connect? They've all been on hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen's minds. Listen to us explain why in this Weekly READ episode, where we break down what we've read, endured, ate, and did recently. Our chat includes wondering why there was so many SMEG appliances in You, Me, and Tuscany, the plight of breakouts caused by face shaving razers, and the hilarity of Hannah Beck's "Daddy God..." comedy skits. The topics this week are eclectic, but the life improvements are massive, like Larsen finally getting an aux cord back in her beloved car, Bertha, or Alexys buying the world's cutest Y2K digi-cam at the Brooklyn Flea Market. If you love listening to pretty girls gab, this one is for you. We'll make you laugh or your money back.

What's with all the hype? In this deep dive hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen dissect the modern hype machine that powers the phenomonen of overrated books. We break down the social media frenzy and recency bias that propel big reader expectations and can lead to dissatisfaction and disappointment. Critical discourse includes our definition of overhyped- this is not a conversation about bad books, so much as it is a conversation about books who are built up too big, becoming cultural behemonths at the front of every book store. Digressions include a look at both the Readers' and Critics' Choice New York Times "Best Books of the 21st Century" Lists, as well as an exploration of what books we think are actually underhyped. Ultimately, we plead with the hype machine- let a book be just good, not everything has to be sold as the best book of the century.

Sources:

"Best Books of the 21st Century: Reader's Response", New York Times

"Review: Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow Feels So Yesterday", The Spinoff

"The Thing About Popular and Overhyped Books", The Daily Star

Did you know the last Saturday of every April marks Independent Bookstore Day? In this mini-sode hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen celebrate the upcoming occasion by breaking down the history of the holiday, as well as why it matters and why our local independent book sellers deserve more love. Our conversation includes the ongoing battle with Big Book that sellers and publishers are facing, the amazing work of public libraries, and the necessity of keeping mid-size players, like Barnes & Noble, alive. We urge you to celebrate with us this weekend by utilizing whatever purchasing power you have and shopping local or by simply spreading the word and shouting out your favorite local seller.