The Reading Lounge

Welcome to The Reading Lounge! Sarah and Cynthia discuss The Sideways Life of Denny Voss by Holly Kennedy. This novel is bit of a mystery, family drama, and coming of age story all in one. Listen in to hear our thoughts and decide if you should add to your TBR. Spoiler alert - one of us even changed our mind after the discussion. Who doesn't love discussing books to get a different perspective while enjoying a refreshing mocktail!

George's Good Life Spritz

2 oz fresh orange juice

1 oz fresh lemon juice

4 oz sparking water (we used a lemon flavored sparkling water)

1/2 oz honey

Mix all ingredients over ice and garnish with an orange wheel and sprig of mint.

Other books we discussed include:

Solito by Javier Zamora

An Unexpected Life by Gloria Steinem

This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page

Marilyn and Her Books: The Literary Life of Marilyn Monroe by Gail Crowther

The Member of the Wedding by Carson McCullers

Thank you for joining us in The Reading Lounge!

Sarah and Cynthia share their picks for Fall 2026 reading. With so many great books to choose from, here is a head start on what to pick up and add to your TBR.

While you're enjoying your Fall reads, here is a season cocktail to sip on.

Apple Cider Bourbon Fizz

1.5 oz Bourbon

3 oz apple juice

splash of ginger ale

Mix all in a glass over ice and enjoy!

We head to France in this episode of The Reading Lounge as we discuss The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery. Originally written in French in 2006, the novel has been translated into numerous languages and even made into a French movie. Come listen in as we discuss the the challenges and rewards of the novel.

Of course, our resident mixologist, Sarah, created a cocktail especially for our episode!

The Concierge's Secret

2 oz cognac or brandy

3/4 oz elderflower liqueur

2.5 oz sparkling lemonade

Lemon twist

Mix cognac, elderflower liqueur and ice in a cocktail shaker. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Top with sparkling lemonade and garnish with a twist.

Welcome to The Reading Lounge! In this episode, Sarah and Cynthia dive into The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett, a novel that weaves family drama, grief, and healing together with warmth, humor, and an unforgettable catnamed Pancakes. Tune in as we share our reactions to the story and raise a glass to this month’s cocktail—a drink we enjoyed almost as much as the book.

Tender Hearts Tonic

1 ½ oz vodka (or gin)

1 oz orange juice

½ oz Aperol

½ oz honey rosemary syrup

2 oz sparking wine (we used Prosecco)

Mix first four ingredients in a shaker with ice, strain intoa glass and top with sparkling wine.

The other books we read and discuss are:

Daughters of the Sun and Moon by Lisa See

The Land and Its People by David Sedaris

An Infinite Love Story by Chanel Cleeton

Where Her Secrets Lie by Katie Tallo

Everyday I Read: 53 Ways to Get Closer to Books by HwangBo-reum

We know it is already August, but it feels like we have a stretch of hot, summer days ahead of us.

In this bonus episode, we add a few new selections to our TBR list. We love that we each select books the other has not heard of! Listen in to find some of your late summer reads.

Here are the books we discuss.

Whistler by Ann Patchett

Land by Maggie O'Farrell

Good Joy, Bad Joy by Mikki Brammer

Contrapposto by Dave Eggers

An Infinite Love Story by Chanel Cleeton

Social Animals by Camille Perri

You'll Love It Here by Natalie Sue

Sunrise by Tea Obreht

Let's not forget a bright summer cocktail for your outdoor reading.

Peach & Thyme Prosecco Spritz

1 oz frozen peach puree

4 oz Prosecco

Splash of soda

Spring of thyme

Sounds like dessert in a glass!

Enjoy your summer reading!

In this episode of The Reading Lounge, Sarah and Cynthiadiscuss Pond by Claire-Louise Bennett. Pond is a spare novel that weaves together vignettes of a woman’s isolated life in coastal Ireland. It is one of the most unique reads we’ve picked up this year.

We also read one of the most talked about new books thisyear: Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke. We have thoughts on this page turner!

To go along with the longer days of summer and (hopefully)more reading time, we have a refreshing cocktail to accompany your next great read.

The Trembling Moonrise

1 ¼ oz botanical gin

½ oz dry vermouth

½ oz elderflower liquor

¼ oz fresh lemon juice

Mix these ingredients in a shaker with ice. Pour into a glassover muddled cucumber and mint. Top with 1 oz of prosecco.

Summer in a glass! Enjoy!

We are talking about The Artist and The Feast by Lucy Steedsin The Reading Lounge. Set just after WWI, a famous artist, the artist’s niece, and an aspiring artist and journalist come together in a remote village in the south of France and discover what it means to both unseen and seen and the challenges people face to find their self-expression. Join us in The Reading Lounge to see if you may want to add this novel to your TBR.

Our resident mixologist, Sarah, developed a fabulous andapropos cocktail for this read:

The Crimson Atelier

1 ½ oz vodka

1 oz cranberry juice (we used sweetened)

½ oz Cointreau (or other orange liqueur)

½ oz lime juice

2-3 fresh rosemary sprigs

splash of Prosecco

Muddle a sprig of rosemary in a shaker, add ice, vodka,juices, and Cointreau. Shake well and strain into a cocktail glass. Add a splash of Prosecco and garnish with rosemary.

Other books mentioned in this episode:

Attribution by Linda Moore is the book we read previouslythat dealt with women in the art world!

Daughters of the Bamboo Grove by Barbara Demick

The Magnificent Ruins by Nayantara Roy

Welcome into The Reading Lounge. In this episode, Cynthiaand Sarah discuss The Girls of the Glimmer Factory by Jennifer Coburn. This historical fiction novel tells the intertwined story of two young women, their families,and those they meet during their different paths in Nazi-occupied Europe. Set largely in Nazi-occupied Europe, the novel confronts the Nazi propaganda machine designed to dehumanize while giving voices to those being dehumanized.

We created a cocktail called Redemption.

1 ½ oz bourbon

1 oz apple juice

½ oz lemon juice

1-2 dashes angostura bitters

¼ oz honey

1 ½ oz sparkling water

Mix first five ingredients in a shaker, strain over ice, andtop with sparkling water.

Other books discussed in this episode:

Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar

Jane Austen’s Bookshelf by Rebecca Romney

Shut Up and Read by Jeannine Cook

Shame Must Change Sides by Gisele Pelicot

It's still spring and we have selected six new books we are adding to our TBR lists. If you're looking for suggestions for your next spring read, listen in to this bonus episode of The Reading Lounge!

We are also going to give this refreshing cocktail a try during spring reading season:

Primavera Spritz

1.5 oz vodka or gin

1 oz fresh orange juice

1/2 oz fresh lemon juice

1/2 oz simple syrup or honey

2 - 3 oz sparking water or club soda

Mix all ingredients and serve over ice.

Welcome into The Reading Lounge! We are discussing My Mother Cursed My Name by Anamely Salgado Reyes. Three generations of Mexican American grapple with family history and the "curse" of their names. We discovered this novel and this author at the 2026 Women's Literary Festival in Long Beach, California.

This episode's libation is called: The Truth Tea.

2 oz gin

2 oz chilled mint tea

top with a splash of elderflower liqueur

Shake with ice

Pour into ice filled glass and top with an ounce or two of tonic water, to taste.

Garnish with a lime

Other books we talk about in this episode:

Project Hail Mary

The Boleyn Traitor

Homeseeking

The Conjuring of America

Thanks for joining us in The Reading Lounge.